The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-11-14
fc,rresnondeuce OF the Richmond Dispa'ch.l
WILLIAMSBURG, November y, 1915.

toll Of nv tripto Williamsburg, or the many
no;nts of historic interest in that ancient
city. ao,o. ~ f,u
snned in n driving rain just IN time 10 see
the train YOU wished to take roll OH, anu 20
make the discovery that your watcn was
bro minutes behind car-time: II you nave,
~n,, can anpreciate "Viator's" feelings when
10 rcarhrd the Petersburg dcpo: last Friday
on bis wav 10 Norfolk and Williamsburg,
But fortunately it was the day Tor the
New York steamer TO 60 down, ana louhd
on the Wyanoke most comfortable quarters
roli,e officers, and q pleasant trip 10 Nor
fok. which we reached ut \. VI saturday,
inst in time for me to take the John 9ylVes-
ter for Williamsburg.
The Norfolk harUor. crowded with craft
Of every description, presented nne ar.
pcarance as the rays OF the rlslpg sun lcil
upon il: and the trip by Crlney lsiano, III
SIGHT of Fortress Monroe and Rip HarS, and
uD the river By many points Of interest,
would afford ample material Tor ictler mao
the time and you the space.
I have several times claimed the privilege
Of pru.iny the John Sylvester Gs pald lnl'
fare), and now, 90 the same princlpe' cia'iii
the right OF saving that it was an ineXct>t!-
HE itnnosition to refuse TO sell me ticket
from Norfolk to Richmond, charge me ol.3O
20 the Williamsburg wharf, and then charge
mo 81. so ftbe exact fare from Norfolk 10
E,chmond) when I got on to return homo.
I hone that the new boat just put on the
river will reform tnis.
Getting off at Kings Mill d" wharf, ana
paving the (rathcr eXtrayaSanD sum OF q 10
be driven in 4 rough ambulance TOUR mics
10 Williamsburg, ! was amused at The en-
cry with which our coiored driver called %
a small boy to run after party OF ladies
ard "Lect that ararfage," and ascertalned
that the whar! and our ambulance bclooG
TO the sane party, and that ii you do not
ride on his conveyance you must pay my
cents for The privilege OF either going OF or
coming on the wharf. And there are mo
dcad-heads." Even the Governor and suite
had to pay wharfage. 1t was my hrst visit
10 this old Burg, and every part oil it excited
deem interest. The very names OF the
streets--ra Duke Of Gloucester" Queen,
"Henry.o "Palace,n &c.,) the style
and material Told English brick) OF many OF
il buildings, aud the very appearance oil the
town tell Of it, ancient origin, ana one Is nGl
surprised 10 hunt up among his schooihoy
"reminiscences that " illamsburg was oriel-
nally called middle Plantations y; .ha. The
town was first settled in 1852 by coonlsts
from jamestown; and that in l69S the seat
OF government was moved here by GOV
ernvr Nicholson, the State-hoUSe ana prison
at jamestown having been destroyed by me-
and Williamsburg being regarded. accofdlri!
20 ancient authority, as "In healthier ana
more convenient place, ana freer from tile
annoyance OF moscheioeS.|
Writers Of that day give the most glowing
descriptions Of the city, which, being then
1.-The residence of the Gorernor-the i'm
mediate representative OF the sovereign
lie royal state in which he lived. the polite
aud brilliant circle which he always Ald
about him dnused their influence through
he city and the clrcumjlccnt country, and
flied Williamsburg with Il degree OF emul4-
tor, taste, and elegance, Of which we Can
form no conception by the appearances OF
The present day. During the session Of the
House of Burges>cs. too these stately modes
ol life assumed their richest forms; the
town WAS filled with coucourSe of visitors
is well as citiZeu> atlired in their Gaycst
colors: the streets exhibited continual
scene Of animated and gllttrrIDg tumuIt tue
houses Of costly proiuslon.'
found a peculiar interest in visiting the
reminders OF thi, ancient splcndor. AS ou
enier Duke Of Glousce>ter street" from
Kings mill wharf You sec large building
u, 4 lot which closes the street. This is tor
il was, for it was di>manlled by Federal
troops during the war; the Female College,
and is on the site Of the OLD capitol. The
1rs! capitol was burnt in 1I4G, rebuilt soon
after and burned again in 1892. Diagonally
across the street still stands the old ''Chan-
Gerry Office" rcmodelled for private resi-
;lence. but containing the old brick brought
over irom England and the timberS that have
SulvWed SO many changes. III were a poet
or an orator the memories OF the great men
and mighty deeds which came trooping up
a> stood on this historic ground would have
walked my Tyre or fired my tongue.
The Old Raleigh Tavern, "wllere many i'm
poItant committees Of the Legislature met,
where some Of our most distinguished pa
triots concerted measures for aiding in the
arduous struggle for liberty, and where it is
said Richard Henry Lee aud others Orlgi-
mated the plan 10 establish corresponding
committees throughout many or I'LL Of the
Colonies" has long passed away, and the
site is occupied by Il storehOuse.
Passing up the street l was next attracted
by the old magazine, Tor "old powder
horn" as the bsys not inappropriate!y call
it, from which Qn 1715) Lord Dunmore re-
moved the powder belonging to the Colony
on board the S1adalen man-of-war, and by
this act created such excitement throughout
Virginia that the young men rushed TO arms
with something Of the alacrity with wnlcn
in 1861 their descendants acted on the break
ing out Of the last revolution. ms nou>e
was used a. Il place of worship by tDe Dup
fists in the days Of that able, schoialls' out
very eccentric preacher SccrVent Jones Vi
whom so many amusing anecaoles ha'e
come down to us. -
The building is in a good state OF preScrVa-
ton. is now used us q stable, ana Is hhely 10
last Tor many years 10 coile. ,r
The next objects oil spcclai interest tha' L
will mention Though there are at every
tuyn old houses that have history are the
old colonial courthouse, aud the Old church
,m;lt in 1850, and still used as their Place OF
worship by the Epscopalians, its interior
being remodeled into neat and comlor,a-
bic audience.rO0m, Sunday school and lee
ture.loom. DC, and the iyy-clad walls and
English brick giving its eXterioran imposing
appearance. In the church are several mu.
ral tablets to the memory OF distinguished
members OF the church who died in other
DAYS, aud one to The Confederate soldiers
who fell in the battle OF Williamsburg, the
appropriate inscription closing with, = lhey
died for u.s."
was deeply interested in walking through
the old church.yard, and decipberlng the
inscriptions on the tombstones, some OF
which run back as fur rs 1859 or earlier.
The site Of Lord Dunmore's palace, ut the
head Of tie "paiice green,' eXcites great in
tcrest, the palace having been long since de-
stroyed and only the old governors Office
and .uard-house, which were OH the right
and left OF the palace, remaining. l was
very much interested in learning that the