Year: 1877

At the death OF the old year and the birth
Of the new. before the former is buried out
OF sight or the latter is received into our
affection and favor, it is becoming and
profitable TO refresh the recollection OF what
was most notable in the departed. Like
careful and prudent merchants and trades
men. who balance their books and estimate
their profits and losses, it is our duty to run
over the incidents OF the twelve months
zone, and to analvZc the varied information
we have gathered in order to make certain
OF our standing. AS it is difficult to value
q life till it is ended, or to reckon the gains
Of voyage before the port is reached, so III
the rapid current Of business and the midst
OF traffic it is almost impossible to say
whether or not progress is being made. Or
the 1st day Of January, when there is gen
cral lull for casting up Of accounts, is pre-.
scnted the very opportunity needed. With
the record spread out before us and tables fol
comparison at hand, with leisure and calm
ness We may form a correct judgment,
learn to profit by our misfortunes, be nerved
to greater endeavors by our successes, and
from the. lessons Of experience grow in wis
dom and strength.


"The centennial year," which will for
ever stand conspicuous in the nations his
tory, and be embalmed in the memory Of
this generation at least, will have place in
our local annals chiefly as marking period
in which our oft-tricd people were sub
iectcd 10 new ordeal in which their pa
tience, industry, and determination were
severely tested. The result, AS our figures
will show, was another victory no less
renowned than those gained when un-
swerving patriotism and unshaken courage
We're the qualities demanded. The state
lnent that the city OF Richmond not only
held its own in 1876, when every enterprise
seemed crushed and every industry para
lyzcd throughout the land, but made note
worthy progress, would seem incredible
if it were not that the evidence is at hand
10 establish the fact beyond question.


The products Of our manufactures,
though about a million dollars less in value,
were in quantity about the same. They did
not bring as much in the market, for the
reason that every species OF property, al
most without exception, commands less
money now than in former years. The manu-
facturers employed nearly as many hands as
in the year before, but, for the cause be-
fore stated, could not pay them as good
wages, nor was it possible for them to give
steady work on full time. The manufac-
ture OF tobacco suffered no diminution,
contrary to the general opinion. The
amount OF reyenue-stamps purchased,
though falling little short Of the pre-
Yious year, il amply balanced by the
item OF manufactured tobacco ex-
ported to foreign countries, upon which no
stamps are required. There is every pros
peet that this already great interest will con.
tinue to grow in Importance. The erection
OF the Planters and Changers warehouses,
probably the most imposing and convenient
buildings OF the kind in the country, ana
the proposed remodelling OF Shockee ware
house, portion of which will be used for
the Tobacco Exchange, are unmistakable
signs of prosperity in this branch OF busi-
ness. The new State laws In relation 10
the inspection Of tobacco went into opera
tion during The year, and seem to have
given satisfaction. 0


sisny handsome private residences and