Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-28

VIHGn SiiEs
Colonel Archer Anderson CANDLES
Hill seems to me to combine more adj
santsges than any other site proposed
for the Lee Monument.
BRIEF, BUT POINTED.
Mr.. Albert L. West, architect, 82l
Main street: | think Monros Park the
best site.
SOUTHERN SLOPE OF THE CAPITOL.
Charles NJ. Wallace, ESQ. ] think
the space in front Of the portico Of our
Capitol as good site as could be Sc
lected for the equestrian statue OF Lee.
II the old arrangement Of terrace and
sub-teusce could be restored there
would be ample room not only for the
proposed statue but for others. This
site ovcrlooks the lower town, the
lower country, and is approached by
easy steps from every walkway OF the
Capitol grounds. Nature seems to
have invited art to decorate it with its
most beautiful creations. Americans
are more romantic than Europeans in
the matter Of placing monumental me-
MORALS, and as a rule prefer the soli-
tude Of the parks to the hustle Of busi-
ness centres. Central Park in New
York has many statues here and there
disposed upon the lines OF its most fire.
quented thoroughlares-none, if / re-
member Alright, in the secular portions
of the city. II the proposed statue be
worthy Of the illustrious man whom
Virginia designs to honor. there cannot
be found for it a more fitting site, in
my opinion, than the one | have men
toned.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE.
X. Z. Blankenship, Esq, commercial
agent Of the Old Dominion Iron and
Nail-Works' Company and president of
the Chamber Of Commerce have not
seen the model Of the Lee monument,
and am not competent to decide where
it should be placed IN the city, but if
its proportions approximate those Of
the Washington monument it should
not be placed on Libby Hill. | think
Monroe Park the best location now for
it. Fifty years hence people will won
der why it was put there.
ADVANTAGES OF SEVERAL SITES.
DR.. j. William Jones, editor Of the
Southern Historical Papers /: have not
given the question the careful cOnsiders-
ton which is necessary to make my
opinion worth very much, and should
be very glad to believe that the fund
was sufficiently advanced to make the
question now a practical one. But |
have, Of course, deep interest in she
proper location Of a suitable monument
10 the grandest man of all the void,
ard have from time to time given 1t
more or less thought.
am decidedly Of the opinion that
the monument ought not to be located
in the Capitol Square, where the pre-
sent law requires the funds under con-
trol Of the State Board 10 be expended.
The Square is already too crowded, and
will be more so when the projected IL
brary building and new Capitol are
erected. Libby Hill would be COM
handing. beautiful site, but it is too
inaccessible to the people. C., the
great mass Of the people, who do not
keep carriages.
As the tide Of population and i'm
proyement in the city is steadily dogIng
westward. it seems 10 me that the monu-
ment ought by all means to be located
at some point in the western part Of the
city. On the whole, there occurs to me
no more beautiful or desirable site than
at the point where Franklin street
strikes Lombardy street and Is stopped
by the Allen property-just beyond
Richmond College, to the right Of the
base-b ball grounds. Let a circle be Sc
cured there, let Franklin street be
opened through to the Boulevard,
and it seems to me that we would
have site admirably meeting
all the conditions to be desired.
Accessible TO all, on ground sufficiently
elevated for the monument to be seen
from all parts Of the city aud from the
surrounding country, and with ample
ground to make il show TO advastage, it
seems to me that better site could not
be found.
And | confess that | should be glad
to have it there, because it would be in
full view of the Soldiers Home. and
the veterans Of Lee would be able to
gaze on the figure Of their great chief.
WHERE IT WILL GREET THE RISING
AND THE SETTING Sun.
Ex-Alderman W. II. Peasants in
surance business: Apart from any
prejudice in favor Of my own beautiful
section Of the city, | think that Mar
shall Park, and just at the intersection
of Main and Twenty-ninth streets in
that Park, is the best and most eligible
point on which to erect the Lee Monu-
ment and equestrian statue. There
alone will it be the common property
Of our people, for there it can be seen
by more of them and from more parts
Of the city than from any other. 1t
will be distinctly visible from all parts
Of Nam street east of Fifth. Visitors
coming to the city from the South will
zee il soon after leaving Rice's station.
From the deck Of the river steamers
Is towering form will greet the eye as
soon as the bend around Dregry's |
Bluff is passed.
Passengers by the Newport's News
extension Of the Chesapeake and Ohio !
nd the York River railroads could see
I from the car-windows before reaching |
be city limits. Standing there alone.
With no large building to detract from
is beautiful proportions, with the face
urned TO the east and the eyes looking |
n the direction Of the Chickahominy, it
viii show TO better advantage than at
ny other point in the city.
There first the rays Of the rising sun
Fill light on it, and there longest bis
citing beams will linger on it. 1t is
ovely spot, and from 1t the view Of
liver, landscape, and city is unsur-
assed.
A lady once standing there when the
yeniDg sky was all aglow and flushing
II nature with its radiance remarked
} me :" have seen most of the cele-
rated views in this country and in
urope, but not one of them is more