Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-03-21
VIRGINIA..

The efforts of the people of Virginia sinue the
war to retrieve the terrible losses eutacd by
that destructive contest have been as remark
able and persistent as the heroic energy they
displayed in battle. ! summary Of these vic.
tories Of peace appears 10 the Richmond State.
The fences, barns. mills, factories, farming
utensils, and in thousands Of instances tie
DWELLINGS, and even colleges and churches them
selves had been destroyed, and Richmond was
half burned down 10 the pitiess var which had
swept over the State. Every county in Vir.
eioa had been lrampled aud wasted by the iu-
vading armies The mules and horses we're
all gone, the cattle, sheep, and hegs and poul-
try had all been consumed. The railroads were
worn out beyond repair. All means of water
transportation were destroyed.
Fifty able-boded men out Of every hundred
had been killed or disabled by wounds and d.
scase 10 the war, and mourning and desolat0n
we're in all Virginia homes.
Now farms, fences, mills. factories, barns
and dwellings, in Virginia arc generally restored,
and arc 10 better condition than they we're
before the war. New railroads have opened
new avenues for the Increased productions Of
tho farms, mines and factories. In Norfolk
Lynchburg, Daurille and Stanton population
| aud trade have greatly Increased, as 10 other
towns and villages. Richmond has Increased
| twenty-five thousand people. The whole of
the burnt district in that city has been rebuilt
on larger and iner plans, and the dwellings
increased in size aud style, have spread far be-
yond the former city limits. The development
| OF trade and manufactures and commerce Is
commensurate with all this.
Six or seven years after the wars cud one
irou establishment in Richmond was employing
500 to 1900 hands, and giving support to
5000 people Of their families
| The -four mills turn out thousands Of bar
rels per day, and one hundred tobacco factories.
sumac mills, planning mill, hat factories, paper
mills, nail works, aud other large manufactures
of iron and farming utensils evince the energy
and business capacity of Virglnia's capita!
city.
Only lew years ago the annual shipment Of
cotton from Norfolk did not reach so, 900 bales,
and FIVE years ago there was not a cotton press
10 that town. Norfolk has now become the
second cotton port 10 the South, and three cot
ton presses work day and Gight 10 load the
ships.
10 L luclC dlc tUilS VI MY
bacco factories and uioc cotton factories 81
work.
10 DanvilIc there are over fifty Or sixty TO-
bacco factories
But it has not been merely to material inter
ess VirginIans have directed their energies
The education Of all classes has been iostcrcd
schools and colleges are restored on a much
larger scale; new ones have grown up; Che fiut
military college. which was burned by Hunter
has been rebuilt and stands to day a better
school with broader policy Of instruction ant
an ADLER faculty than has ever been at Yves
Point.
Insanity, once unknown amongst the ne
groea, has become great and increasing
af1iclion TO relieve it Virginia has establish
ed an insane asylum for neproes-thc only ont
10 tho world-Where moro than 300 Of then
arc cared for, and which may be commended
to the authorities in this era Of reform as
model of cleanliness, humanity and economical
and faithful administration worthy to be fol
lowed by some other more pretehticus insti
tutions.
Such facts as these show That the Firgini:
people have not degencrated, and suggest wha
other Southern States might have done sine
the war if permitted to manage their OWL
affairs Ball. SIN.