Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-01-24

&C., NC, NC.
Tn fhe quiet retreat Of Walnut Grove
Farm. near Waynesboro on Saturday last,
there ended the useful life Of a venerable
gentleman whose name has been familiar
one in years past. Il WAS life full of that
restless energy which American climate
seems to beget and an energy which had car
ried its possessoF to Europe and various
parts Of this country and connected bis
name with public works which will not
soon be forgotten. We noticed last week
the feeble health Of VIM. abbott Pratt
and our readers had hardly read the notice
before its subject had passed away. We
give q sketch of his life which lsfilled with
variety that gives it unusual interest.
Nh Pratt was born at Sutton, Isle OF
Elv, England, on the 7th Of March. 1878.
His father removed with his entire family
to this country in 1882 and settled in
Washington City. afterwards removing to
Alexandria where he resided until his
death.
Young Pratt after his arrival in Amerl-
ca, commenced the study OF architecture
in the office of the celebrated Mills OF
Washington. During the construction OF
the Chesapeake 81 Ohio Canal, Charles b
Fisk. the engineer, and who was afterwards
chief engineer of the CoviBgton & Olit- l..
R. applied to Mr.. Mills for draughts-
man. when young Pratt was recommended
and the appointment at once given, but
Mr.. FISK soon saw that his draughtsman
itajf for fiQiH bf iao nor
and at the age Of l6 he received the ap-
pointment of assistant engineer III charge
of d party. He lose rapidly il bis profess
sion and at IS he was promoted to divis-
ion engineer. Much Of the most difficult
work was completed under his supervision
from Paw Paw tunnel 20 Old Town, in
.eluding the celebrated Town Creek Aque-
duct. which was planned by him, and
stands to-day monument to his skill,
;7ol withstandi8g repeated efforts by our
troops during the war to destroy it.
When the work on the canal ceased. and
at the suggestion of Mr.. B. Ill. Latrobe,
the distinguished engineer OF the B. u ..
R. R., MI. Pratt was employed to lay out
the grounds of Greenmount Cemetry, that
beautiful resting place of the dead, in
which Baltimore justly feels such pride.
in.yery early life Mr.. Pratt had given
sap idence of a talent for drawing and paint
inc in oil. which he cultivated at every
,,on,,4nt, of leisure, ard his home bears
abundant evidence Of his skill in the por-
traits and landscapes. which were execu-
tod nv his OWN hands. 1t was this taste
that, led him to study the wonders I'll AFT
Of Daguerre," and having mastered IL, ne
IL. hlished in Richmond, in 1915, the first
naou, .rrean gallery in Virginia, and IL
ventad the plan by which four pictures
were taIyen upon one plate. His testimony
has very recently decided suit III the
courts of New York upon this subject
uo rosided in Richmond from 1915 TO 1856,
when his health began to fall and he re-
triad from his, business, and at the so.lclta-
lion of MI. Daniel Fl. London accepted
the agency of the Society OF Alumni Oh TIE
University of Virginia, and by his energy
secured for them the copy OF that master
niece Of Raphael, the ''Scnool OF Ablels'
which now aoorns the walls OF our noble
1rnivorsitr y monument to his untirlng
effort, which knew no fallufe' ioi oe 1t
known that for six long years ffultless ei-
,eorts To secure it had been MADE by Inc
Society. MI. Pratt at once ORDERED Ci'e
eoog to be made by Paul Balze, OF faflS:
an artist recommended by Horace verne
the greatest living painter, and aoVahce'
the money. making his reimbursement
conditioned upon his successful ehofts III
their behalf In order fifty to eShipiS 1be
PAINTING and bring it home endorsed oy
The hest critics of Europe, Mr.. Pratt pre-
o.red = course OF FIVE lectures upon the
nieture. aud exhibited it in London at Tile
Royai Polytechnic Institute. Inc Lon
don ..Athaueu,n.' - s.l'imes,' Morning
STAR. Morning Herald" morning
Pnstu and ati.er papers spoke IN the nlgh-
est terms Of the lectures, ard "a critica
English audience OF artists endorsed Tilt
mcclure. Wm. NJ. Rosette, q. X. Leslie
pn,f. Pepper, Sir Lhas. Eastlake, lion
Gao Nj. Dallas aud Hon. Join Y. MasoI
each gave handsome testimonials 10 LII
off.,,+s of MIR Pratt, and the high artlstl'
me,i,, al the painting. Maj Thos. IL
n lis Chairman OF the Committee o.
Alumni. in his letter Of congratuiatlon u
mfr Patti UPON his return to America
says;
7 nesxou to receive now my acknowledg, m mem;
for te Tesai le zeal apd interest you nave man
Fesed in this Dena f,'and to assure you tiao if1
pnder m nv obligations fl rfylng 10 d sllceGssu
w ~ a scheme which, Wi6hout Your enthusi s
Msesl probably have angtsleo VI ys, a." wy
tl,.sn might have resulted III dlSdppoihti'iS'i"
ts'he gift having been accepted by III
r, ssrd of Visitors OF which our lamente(
Col. Baldwin was member, an appfopria
ton syas made 50 suitably prepare plac'
for its reception, and Mir. Plaas was EN-
Moved to superlntend all the architecture
arrangements and finally place it in posi-
tior ur,ou the walls VI hieh it now adorh
as the Gift to their Alma Mater, by tn
Alumni. and on the 18th OF April, 1887,
WAS opeDed to the public, and q descrli
tive lecture delivered BY Mr. Pratt Whlc
was handsomely acknowledged by 'h
University Magazine. He was now en-
ployed by the Board to pan and sup6fll
tend soIue changes in tine buildings, look
l1rg to the SANTA ~ condition OF 6z1e inst
tuition WHICH was performed with suadi 81
ire satisfaction. that he received the az
mo is3t.aent Of Architect and Superlntei
den of the University, d position WHO
10 he Id antil the close CT the war. Durin
th,s ii uls MACH was done to render PERM
,aotlv 1eautifuI the grounds ana building
IF The ia stftlslion The water WORKS @el
oousirna5pd salaa received the endnr5ems'
Of he highest engineering talent. I'D