The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1880-09-22
THE DUO ABROAD.
Notes by the Way---A Day on the River
James, -

much, q description of which will
probably interest the readers of the
Dispatch. Between Columbia, Char
lotte and Richmond, nothing worthy
of description was noticed, save that
in the upper part Of North Carolina
a vast improvement in the appear
ance of tie country was seen. The
land seemed a vast deal nor fertile,
and there was q marked improvement
of farms. At Salisbury, n. c., we
saw a number Of pretty young ladies
which made us think of home.
As the train made a turn around
the banks of the James, the beau
tiful city of Richmond came in view.
On approaching nearer, the black
fumes from a hundred fire works, as.
sured us that we were nearing Vir-
ginia's metropolis. The long bridge
which spans the James was passed,
| and we found ourselves at the grand
depot amid the usual rush which gen.
orally congregates on the arrival of a
train. Taking breakfastat the Amer
lean Hotel we were ready for a stroll.
The first place of interest was Hol-
lywood Cemetery, q quiet burial
ground lying along the James River.
We entered from the eastern gate and
soon our eyes caught sight OF the STU
pendous monument built by the la
dies to the Confederate dead. 1t is
built of rough stones. piled one upon
another in the shape of a cone. Wild
vines Chamber up the sides, and this
grand tribute to our fallen brave will
long be a Mecca to which Southern
feet will turn. While strolling in the
cemetery we came to the grave OF
President Monroe, which consists OF
a pretty iron monument enclosing the
vault in which are inferred the re-
mains of the great American, so noted
for his activity and progressive spirit.
The remains were removed to their
present resting place in 1858, Gas an
evidence Of the affection of Virginia
for her good and honored son."
Few burial grounds "a be more
beautiful than Hollywood, inasmucb
as nature has We'd her charms with
those OF art, to make it an appropri-
ate resting place for the silent dead
Vast numbers of soldiers who fell in
the late war are buried here with
uaught else to mark their graves and
gallant deeds than simple wooden
stakes. From the cemetery the sur.
rounding country may be seen TO,
many miles, dotted frequently with
palatial residences. As q fitting ad-
denda to the own quiet solitude Of
the place, the low murmurs of the
historically famous James River fall
upon the ear like a c~easeless, solemn
dirge. The cemetery has been rem,
dered ~literarily noted by the beauti'
full poem of an unknown author emit
tied, Twilight in Hollywood"
Passing beyond the limits of the
burial ground we came to the Rich
mond Iron works, which are certainly
interesting toseEery stranger in the
5Syt-1fs: moulding @6ed covers d
large scope of ground, and through
out the whole space there is a contin-
uous "tanglement of machinery"
managed by large numbers Of sootty-
men. Huge blocks OF red
hot iron are taken from the furnaces
and after being rolled through the
a few times, are converted
into thin bars Is and 20 feet long.
The machines are so arranged that
when a piece of iron is passed through
to one side it is Immediately taken up
and returned to the other side again,
and this is continued until the desired
size is attained. The long bar iron
used by our farmers for making plows
and horse shoes, are pressed out from
thick blocks in less time than five
minutes. A popular resort and prob
ably the most interesting place in
Richmond is the Public Square. The
grounds cover many acres, in the CEN
trs of which stands the State House,
a truly elegant building. Graveled
walks lead through the whole place,
along which are placed numerous
seats under the thick leafy trees.
Numbers of tame squirrels play in the
SQUARE, and their many graceful tricks
contribute not a little to the pleasure
of visitors. West of the State House
stands the famous Washington statue,
about which probably most OF our
readers have heard something. The
main pedestal. some forty feet high,
is surmounted by a bronze statue OF
Washington on horseback. The horse
is represented in a charging gait, and
the colossal arm of the great General
is pointing Southwark. Around the
base of the pedestal stand six Virgil
MAN representatives of the revolution
airy period, in various appropriate at
titudes. -
Many other things of interest could
be incorporated into this letter of
what was seer in the City of Rich
mond, but time is precious, and l am
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