The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-08-04

more-Our cause for In It's defence We
had periled not only property, but lie
itself. But this feeling did not last long,
at least it did not paralyze our people.
Rents were enormously high, and thinking
1t cheaper to build than to rent, they
began to cast about them for the means
10 do so. A little northern capital
came here: but nine.tcnths OF the
buildings that have been erected have
heen Dlilt with the means Of our own peO-
pie. Eighteen months have not elapsed.
and largely upwards Of half of the burnt
houses on Main street-probablv three
iourths-havc been replaced, or are being
replaced; with beautiful and substantial
buildings. The skill Of the architect has
been taxed to devise handsome designs for
the fronts, and every convenience that cH-
perience has taught to be useful in carry
ing on particular branches Of business has
been introduced into the interior of the
new buildings. Already Main street is one
Of the handsomeSt business streets in the
country, and when the existing gaps in it
are filed up, and the rubbish is removed,
we will have reason to be proud of the
taste, energy, and determination Of our
people. But the rebuilding is not confined
to Main street. Many handsome and con-
rcnient business houses have been built on
Cary street, and many others are going up.
4 handsome building has been erected on
Shockoe Slip as tobacco exchange. The
Gallego mills, which were the largest flour
mills in the world, are being rebuilt with
increased capacity for making flour. Many
of the cross streets between Main and
Cary have been rebuilt almost entirely
and all through the burnt district from
the armory to Fourteenth street; and on
Byrd island may be heard the sound of the
hammer and trowcl.
And nearly all of this work has been
done and is being carried on with southern
capital. 1t is not done on credit; for the
mechanics employed get their wages
weekly. The old adagc that I" it is an i'll
wind that blows good to no one is cx-
empllicd in this instance. Nearly all OF
our mechanics, carpenters, bricklaycrs,
brick makers, painters, plumbers, and, in
fact, nearly every branch of mechanical
art, has had constant and lucrative en-
ployment for the past twelve months.
We are more than pleased to see this
spirit of Improvement and these unmis-
taxable signs of the will and energy Of our
people: and there can be no doubt that n
very few years will be sufficient to replace
all of the burnt houses, and that our city
will be more beautiful than it ever was.
DEATH OF DAVID CrRRrE.-In the death
Of David Curric Richmond has lost one
of its most valuable men. He died in his
forty-ninth year very suddenly on Friday
morning about o'clock. He WAS in good
health and more than ordinarily good
spirits when he retired but was taken
very i'll, and died in short time.
Mr.. Curric was man of great enter
prise and equal sagacty. He devoted
himself chiefly to maritime interests. He
projected coaStwi>c lines and a line to Rio
Janciro, in which his brothers John and
William and other gentlemen became in
tcrestcd. The building of these vessel,
he supcrintcndcd and for architectural
beauty, TOR strength, and fast sailing, no
port could boast of their supcriorS. For Il
long time before the war the port never
was without some few of these splendid
vessels, which were the pride OF the city,
as they were the source ot much OF lis
prosperity. The excellent management oi
these lines under the direction of Mr. Cur
rie was shown in their great success.
Nothing went wrong abou; them-their
tide OF prosperity was almost uuintcr-
ruptcd; especially was this so with the fine
Rio trade, which was so beneficial to the
city.
Not only in this department Of his un-
dcrtakings did he prove his fine capacity.
He had other relations to the business oi
the city, in which he always displayed his
excellent Judgment and lorccastc.
The death Of such a man is certainly a
great public loss. He had already pro-
lcctcd the rccstabllshment of those superb
ocean lines which the war had almost COM
pletcly destroyed and We may well de-
plore his sudden death, which defeats the
luliilment Of his plans.
Mr.. Currie, in his private relations, was
warmly esteemed; and both publicly and
privately his death is deplorcd with very
great sincerely. His funeral will take
place this morning at 10 o'clock from the
residence of Captain George W. Allen.
As mark Of respect for the memory Of
the deceased, all the vessel. in the Rich
mond harbor Yesterday displayed their
flags at halfmast.