Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-23

ana other gates ia the Capitol SQUARE
&C. 6c arc well remembered douOi-
ic.. hv r,,nv Of our aged denizens.
should YOU wish 10 know why ! nave Sc
lecied Christmas. 1924. viii briefly ten; %
Chrisfmas day, 1925, was 40 orphan, my
father navtug died alter few days' lllnfss o.
pneumonta 90 the i7tb OF December, 1870, one
week before Christmas. Alas our b0nsenosi
wa, sad AID gloomy on Xmas day. lS@'i
fn'thc great drama OF life tbefe are ruggtu
roads 10 travel and steep activities 70 .l'',lo'
aud there are great deserts 100, owl .ne
marched ana burning sands Of Whien We
rmu.t travel. but there arc also cases green
spots with cooling waters and reifeshlns
snade--lnd here we pause 10 take our rest.
and eoutemp.ate, TOO, that "it - not aii OF
earth TO live" could extend the igure vi
speecb indefinitely. and tell OF many green
spots In nv somewhat chequered aud per-
picking life. But enough.
THE sPOTsw0OD FIRE.
W. Chestarman; Late at night on the
oath OF December. 1870, we bad Cnri.tmas
punch bowl at the Enquirer office ana ou'
merOus newspaper.men -aihrfed ABOUT II,
and many able speeche. were made ana sweet
songs sung. We parted IN overho"lng
shirts about 1870 o'clock. Il was with great
4
made the trim. Between , aud 3 O'Clock l
was awakened by light shining IN my lace,
nv residence then being on sixth street near
Main. Almost ut the same time heard
tbunderous rappIng at the font door, ana
tbrusting my head out OF tue window was
tod bv John Pizzini that the SpotsWood
was on fire. What he desired to know was
n fhe Enqlirer should 20 10 press before
We had tirIe 70 get the Particulars. Telling
him mo" | got up, tumbled into my
clothes aad went down town ana FOUND the
Sootswood IN blaze from the second story
no. The aremen were by that time bard at
work aud the streets were crowded with
people. observed that numberOf men Ia
their anxiety to do something had rushed
into the hotel Office and brought out the
big stove, and Mr.. Werner, with the as
si,innce OF friends, had been INTO his barber
shop and removed in pertcc. safety two or
three OF the largest platc-Slass mirrors ever
saw.
The fire had been discovered in the pantry
about , O'Clock \. NJ. December 2Jth, anu
immediate and ylgorou, efforts we're made by
the hotel people to wake al Their guests ana
employGs: bit no doubt some were heavy
,leccers ana were never awakened at all;
Others, perhaps, were reused only to turn
Over anu iAli h~lfF u ~ VII " INV sun 'Naf'Nr
living for safety lot their way In the
smoke that soon filed the house. Several
appeared at the Windows besecchlng
heip. Al who were beyond the reach
OF ladders were advised 10 jump, but
several hesitatcd too lOug and went down
with The falling doors aud walls. Those who
Jumped saved tneir lives, although some were
badiy hurt. samuel {. Hines, l.. ". Ross,
;. 81. Robinson. Mrs. Emily Kennedy, W.
II. Pace. j. Is. Farris, aud j. II. Holman lost
thcir lives.
The weather was extraordinarily cold. and
the fremen, therefore, labored under great
disadvantages. On tho buildings near tue
SpofsWOod wherever the stream, from the
engines truck next morning there were t.
be seen icIcles, some as long AZ SIX or seven
feet. There were no frees apes about the
hotel. and the stairwaYs were all OK wood and
soon fell in.
The spotswood was five stories HIGH aud
was built. think, about 1889. 1t occupied
the ground now covered b' PAGES block, at
the southeast corner Of Main and Eighth
streets. Here President DAVIS held As first
pubic reception i'm Richmond; here all
during the war distinguished men 1.-THE Con
I, deracy made their home; here uron TIE
close OF hOsulities thousands Of tourists and
United states officers found entertainment,
ami here General Grant stopped IN 1858
when southwark. bound on bis trlp 10 report
upon the condition Of the southern states.
Con HELP THE RICH. TIE POOR CAN srAND 1T.
Mr. Eccle, Cuthberf, Herald correspond
ent: rhe eve fingered long In the lap 0! Christ
mas day, 1874, in Richmond, and when q
cornwall plr'y,of which was one, broke up
10 retire. it va. morning. tho ground was
white, and the beautiful snow was coming
steadily and heavily down. ! awoke mex,
dav about n 4. ". 10 ind II stu
showing. and went 10 siccp again.
NV apartments so tho time were N
tine west end OF The city. | TOOK my meals
At Zetelle's famous restaurant. | awoke 20
IL. q Wa sill showing. and though ! ga,
both hungry aud thirsiy agniu slept At
The slme weather and stomachic conditions
prevailed. At2 could stand II 10 longer.
80 arose and dressed. When | sailed forth
with oyershOcs end heavy 0yercoat the pros
ucct was dismal ADD drcuy. There
was n laaden ky and a sculrging gale
which bad no more respect for protecting
blocks OF houses Than % did Tor the sfrecl-
corners. drove the thin. sharp slect into my
face. II / hadn't been hungry and thirsty 90
The verge OF starvation and desperation !
would have turned back and gone To bed
AGAIN. Tbesu0w was q foot deep. The streets
were deserted. Even The ubiquitous small
hov with hi. pop.crackeis bad disappelrcd.
Onward / ploidcd. 90 times almost blown
down ~ ckcen Arctic hll,t. Bat / vas
hungry on that Xmas dlv and the prospect
ofa Good dinner az Xetelll'., with class 81
something 10 wash IL down, cheered me mp.
1ud / "kept ou." a mile and half o. a
weary ana ialisuing tramp brought me
10 Zetello's with smlriiuc ears, cold eStremi-
ties. aAd increased appetite. Imagine my
con,tcrnltion when found the house closed
and abandoned living soul within, Or
in sight.
Every other saloon and restaurant ia town
was closed. Here was q pretty h0w-PYo'
do. Hungry. starving on Christmas day
and with - cash in my pocket. r. "as now
after 4 O'Clock What wa, / 10 do? Al
| the Exchange H0iell said l. A hotel Is the
/ right thing after an. I be- ieye III s've mp
nv rooms aud 20 to the Exchange % live.
To the Exchange toucred and slipped sud
Nodded. IN ] went, confident OF a good
/ Chrstmas dinner, or cortslnl' q late dinner
Alas! The imperturbable clerk cooliy said
/ "rhe dinWg-ro0m ia closed" This was =
decree ~ unalterable as the laws 81 tbe Mcde'
and Per.ians, and knew 10. Tue servants
were gone and there was no appeal. Hotel.
be - | thought Out into the cold, bieak
deserted street Starving IN The mlds
OF plenty, with four dollars in RS
pockei, / stood on the streei-corntr SOLITARY
aud alone. ia no happy frame OF mind
There wasn't q tramp IN Cbrstendom worse
of tnan /. PaBgs and pangs tucre were
both OF stomach and mind. While | sui
poDdered a door close TO the drugstore
corner Fourteenth and FTansin opened
ava man stood in the threshold. lie VA
aitired N q thin checked ,ack coltand straw
/ nat. | knew the man, aud called out, "Mha
/ arc yOu doing in that costumef"
..lTs all have" he said.
where's your other clothesf" asked.
with my uncle. But what are you DO
Ing out such day as this z" be aucned.
"rm starving and can't get anything t
cat, | replied.
II haven't tasted amoIsel for twenty-ioul
hours he SAID. land haven't cent to ml
name."
81 have 81" said, "but it's no good.
can't get q mOuthful TO eat with IL.
''Wen," said my friend pnilosophcalI
and sarsasiicaily, "God help tue rich, thI
poor can stand IT,"
This expression and the circumstances un
der which it was uttered has impressed thai
hungry Xmas day on Ey memory.
Property Transfers
Ricbmond. .IOhn :. UarWsod and wife Il