Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-09-24
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he llHg Is flying over the home of the
author of the Declaration Of Inde-
penncnco, announcing 10 Charlottesville
and the ncighboriEg country that the owner.
Mr. Jefferson II. Levy, is home again after
his long Continental tour. During his alb
sence the place was virtually closed. The
surrounding country, as viewed from the
glorious cd res ;dcnce, is of wondrous beauty
and tho auiumnGl tints of the woods on the
Blue hlLSe, Southwest Range and Ragged
Monn!aIns which here blend together, re-
semhie an aggregation Of bouquets Of flow
cfs, SO lride*cenl are the tints. Down at
our ieet inean!ers the Rivanna river, call
ed muddy stream by Mr.. Jefferson, and
on lis banks may be seen the prosperous
"oo!Ien mills of Charlottesville, and on the
opposite SIDE IS the Pantops Academy.
More To i.:o south, also on the river, are the
rulns OF the old grain mill built by Mr.. JEFF.
'erSon, and which in recent years hes been
washed away by treshets of the river, There
Is no foundation for the foolish story so of.
ten toia that the great democrat built q mill
Oh The side Of g bill without water power.
aud Tie tale is u weak invention of the enc.
mains OF IL grove of trees, which led up to
th" house where Jefferson was born, and
which was burned when he was q bov. A
mile or 50 further to the eastis Edge Hill, the
home Of the itandolphs. where the late Thos.
Jefferson Randolph, Governor of Virginia.
resided. To the northwest lies the prosper
oiis colonial town of Charlottesville. Here
The {. and Q. and Virginia Midland form
. junction. To the west is the University of
Virginia, established by Jefferson, and on
the mountain behind ia the observatory,
with The second or third largest telescope in
the world. 10 the rear of the university
arc the Ragged Mountains, with their won.
drous contours and wooded heights. Sixty
miles beyond, toward the south, Willis
Mountain, on the other side OF the James
river, can bo seen.
Ahoa; q quarter Of q mile from tho house
is The graveyard where the honored ashes of
Jefferson are treasured The shaft is of
granite and has been erected by the Gov
ernment, as also Il handsome iron railing
lie graveyard has been lett by the Govern
ment III somewhat incomplete condition.
i hc railing mas been made too W ide apart,
nnt: unscrupuoua people have slipped
through and chipped pieces OF grauitc
from eff the shaft. The old cry of no appro-
prlation cannotbe used in this case, !or near
ly one ot the appropriations ordered bv
Congress remains uneXpended in the hands
OF the Secretary OF Estate. 1t is said in Char
lottesyiie aud tho neighboring country that
Secretary Of State Bayard is showing most
rcp;elien.ih!n negligence IL the matter and
ii is hoped that Col. Casey, Ct the engineers.
may IN sent there to see InaJ the work is
properly done, viz: Tne ratings placed
closer together: that the graveyard be prop
orly laid out aud decorated arlsticaIly. A
stone s!cpway 10 The cemetery is wanting.
The graveyard was chosen by Jefferson un.
der II compact with his friend, Dabney Carr,
when they were both boys. The same oak
under which they studied their lessons still
stands guard and shadows their graves. The
compact WAS made that If either died first
the survivor would see the remains buried.
Carr died first and Jefferson died in july.
lS26.
The hcGsc il shunted little on q level
plateau OF ground Of about ten acres extent,
surrounded by venerable liudens, elms and
birch trees. The lawn is as smooth as a
billiard table. The house has two entrances,
the east and west front. It is somewhat
after the Doric style of architecture. En-
teriag :hc east front through the large por-
tico, large hall is reached, surrounded by
gallery connecting the upper rooms Of The
house. In the centre of the ceiling is the
American eagle in has relief, surrounded by
eighteen stars, representing the eighteen
States phen Mr.. Jefferson was Presi-
dent. III tho hall is the old tower
clock that MIR. Jefferson had made
On The place, ho having brought a cele.
hrated ciockmaker from Switzerland TO take
.In-,. Of t,., II I 1,
~ polished, and tho walls are decorated
SdIoh IL entered through double glass doors
Through an ingenious mechanical device o
Mr.. Jefferson The opening Of one door opens
both. Hero the floor WAS laid out in $50:
by Mr.. Jefferson, iii cherry and birch. The
chamber is twenty-five feet high and the
f,ieze work arcuad it IS of Egyptian design
On the walls arc the Louis XIV. style o
mirrors, brought by Mr.. jefferson from
France when he was Minister there. Leav
inE tho entrauce hall TO the left arc the two
rooms in which Jefferson studied and slept
IN the larger room, which has height O
twenty-five feet, he slept. He died in 4;
alcove situated between his study and hi
bedroom. Over the alcove, and reached by
hidden stairs, is small room where his bod,
servant slept, and which has circular win
doWs looking into the bedroom. The study
Is almost senicircular, and looks out on th.
lawn. This study led to the library. Acros
The hall WAS the grand dining room, som
twenty five feet high, aud here Madison
Monroe, Adams, Lafayette and other ce?e
/ hr"ted men OF that time have sat arount
'he Colossal mahogany table. Adioiniu.
this rcon, with sliding glass doors, is tn,
! tea room-one Of Jeflerson's favorte cham
! htIc