The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-01-25
LETTER from Lexington.

Letter from Lexington.
THE VALLEY RAILROAD FIASCo-CAEAL FROZEN
VIRGINIA MILITARY NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
AND LEE USIvERSlTY-GEN GUSTS LEE
TO TAKE A FCRL0CGH--PROFESS0R WHITE
ACTING AS PRESIDENT SARCo-
PnAGUS-SKETCH OF TIE ORIGIN AND PRO
GRESS OF THIS w0RK-ARRAEGEMEETS TO IN
ACCURATE II 18TH OF OCTOBER EEXT-Ex-
PRESIDENT DAVIS INVITED TO DELIVER THE
oRATION-FRESH FLOWERS on TIRE ToMBNA
BEAUTIFUL CUSToM--vALENTINE's STATUETTE
OF LEE SPLENDID SUCCEsS-FRANKLIN so.
Getty LEXINGTON 10 URNAL s--EPIscOPAL
CHURCH.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.1
LEXINGTON, VA, January 81, 1873.
I find the people here in very upcosl.
Portable frame of mind in reference 10 the
Valley railroad. Lexington and Rockbridge
made their subscription of over half a mil.
lion on the distinct and repeated promise of
Dir. Garrett that the road should be built
uithom delay sas soon as the subscription
was completed. But the money has been
scattered along the line from Salem to Harr-
sonburg, and now that the only link that
Garrett really cared for Qrom Staunton TO
Harrisonburg) is finished, the whole work is
suddenly stopped and the people are coolly
told that they may pay taxes on their rail
road bonds and patiently await the pleasure
and convenience Of the great railroad king.
The people Of this section have not very
keen appreciation just now of Governor
Bross's eloquent tribute to Garrett. And the
matter is not helped much by the fact that
the "ragiug canawl" has been frozen for
some time, and seems likely to remain so for
q season. A philosophic citizen said to me
yesterday, "Wel, if we can't get the rail-
road We will have plenty of ice.cream next
summer"
The fact that the institutions here are in
50 prosperous condition, despite the diff.
Guilty of getting to and from them, shows
the ability with which they have been man.
aged. The Virginia Military Institute has
more than its usual number of cadets, and is
moving on with its usual regularity and
strict discipline.
Washington and Lee University has not
quite as many students as it had last year,
but it may be considered decidedly prosper
Gus under all of the circumstances. The
President General G. W. G. Leg has been
prevailed upon to take a furlough, and will
leave next week for the South. Professor j.
J. White is acting as president of the Uni.
faction.
Valentine has been here for several days
comforting with the memorial committee in
reference TO the final arrangements for
! placing his beautiful Sepulchral monument
over the grave Of General Lee. 1t may be
OF interest at this time to recall briefly the
! history OF this enterprise. The day on
which General Lee died the authorities of
the college, learning that Mrs. Lee had iu-
qurcd if there was vault in the town,
rendered the basement of the chapel, then
used rs the library, in which they proposed
to construct vault. This offer was accepted
| by the family, and the remains of the great
! chicftain were thus appropriately buried
beneath the house Of God he had builded
in the room adjoining his office, and amid
the scenes Of his last busy laborS for the young
men of the country. The day after his dealt
| il was resolved at a meeting OF his old sol
diers to form "Memoriul Association" fol
the purpose of suitably decorating the tomb
Upon free consultation with Mrs. Lee ther,
was but one opinion as to what artist shoult
be engaged to do the work. Very fOTtuna,el,
our talented young Virginia sculptor, MIR
| Edward Valentine, had, few months befor
! General Lees death, modelled Dust of hin
which had passed the seyerest tests Of criti
cism, and had been pronounced an admira
| bic likeness and very superior work of art
| and there was no hesitation in cOmpyiD!
with Mrs, Lees wishes that the work shoult
ne committed TO him. He designed re
cumbe figure of the chiettain asleep in hl
nightly biyouac beneath the stars, bis mill
tary cloak thrown losely around him, apt
his hand resting lightly on bis sword lylDs
at his side, the figure reclining on a couch
pure white marble, and this couch resting OF
base of Virginia granite.
This design was submitted to the mos
rigid criticism, but was unanimously adopt
ed, and Valentine directed to proceed witt
the work. The chief difficulty was the wan
of funds to prosecute it vigorously, but To,
committee at Lexington have quietly worked
on until they have collected about 200O
They will need $4,000 more to finish paying
for the monument, and about $4,000 more
| 10 put it up properly and make necessary
changes ia the chapel. I'll.
Valentine secured magnificent piece O
marble (one that has not developed single
flaw as the cutting has proceeded), and Il
| now pushing the work so rapidly that Il
will be finished in early summer. The re
suit of the conference between BIZ. Falen
tine and the committee is that they have
directed him TO prepare plan which vii
show the figure TO the best advantage, anc
the committee will have the changes made
lust as soon as their funds will admit. lBy
The way, if any of our Richmond or Vir
ginia people feel inclined TO aid this noble
enterprise, Rev. j. William Jones, NO
IL south Adams street, Richmond, i
authorized to receive contributions Ii
is hoped that full arrangements ear
be made, and the statue inaugn'
rated on the 18th of October next-the ami
yersary of General Lees death-with ar
Grafton by ex-President Davis, and appro
pirate ceremonies, participated in ~ all o.
the old Confederates who can gather there.
1t will be matter Of general interest te
mention that fresh flowers have been never
wanting to deck General Lees tomb. From
all parts of the country the most exquisite
| wreaths, crosses, anchors, &c, are sent, anc
fair hands in Lexington are continually
fashiasing evergreens, immortelles, &C., int
the most beautiful decorations for the tomb
of the General, Mrs. Lee, and Miss Agnes.
The beautiful custom of having student
guard to keep daily watch and ward at tn
tomb is still kept up, and the Generals offic
is still preserved just as he LETT 1t on the da
Of lis fatal illness.
1t win crafty many to know that Yalcl
Z s.#t