The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-23

surrendered at Appomattox Virginia was
PROSTATE.
Four years Of war had stripped her; her
labor was metemorphased into an incubus
ber institutions we're overthrown; her debts
and burdens were increased her properly
and taxable values were annihilated; her
energies we're paralyzed; her very existence
was suspended.
This was tyenty-three years ago. Dunng
a large part of this period the problem OF
existence, the paramount question OF simple
heino enerossed all her powers. Misunder'
stood and Stunned by all without, threat
ened and burdened by many within, she hao
N devote all her facilities to the imperative
demand of the hour the preservation Oh ne'
heine as a State and people
AT last she stands upright again IN the
,,;cor Of renewed strength, in the JOY OF re-
stored health, in the full power OF sovereign
state and the pride of a bale and prosperous
people. Lo,,,;e,,i
AS such her Capital City, her beautiiu
Richmond on the James now sets hei
house IN order, prepares her feasts' sets out
ber wares and stretching out her hands unto
her sister cities, says to them
GONE AND SEE NE.
p;cbmond the Capital Of Virginia Is the
oraen oftbe South enthroned upon her tree
la lille and crowned with the diadem OF
beauty and health.
c;trotod on the elevated plateau at the
Falls FLAMES River once the Powhatan' she
s,ords at the gateway between the uplanos
81 tho Piedmond and the lowlands OF the
T;dewater The breath Of the mountain
Gas her brow. the tides Of the Ocean WASH
her feet. 49,
old William Byrd Of Westover' whose
historic mansion not many miles teloW Is
one Of the landmarks Of the continent ana
ono of tbe beirlooms of American history
Gentleman Of Virginia. member Of the hing
Council Representative Of the Colony Bur
COOS If his County. was entrusted 70 run the
much questioned line between Virginia anu
her sister North Carolina. Thus occupied
wing awake one night in the Juniper recesses
ortbe Dismal Swamp, came TO him thoughts
orhis home and with them one Of those IN
snirations which may be the whisper oil a
nas,irg angel and may be the emanaloh OF
aenips He would found a city, nay ne
would foundtwo; one should be on the Ap'
no,nottox hut the otLer should be on yet
fairer spot on a queenher nyer' his OVID
majestic James.
He knew the spot for it. There Nature
salfhad laid the site-a more skilliul en-
gneer than he had drawn the plan-a OWNER
architect had laid the foundations.
It was already city and wanted but the
buildings and the people. These must IN
eyitably come in time. Indeed that mos'
rash but most brilliant and farseeing young
man who had been once his fathers neigh-
Dor. had chosen the spot with his rare WIS
dom and had there a plantation or quarter,
and when the Indians had come down and
killed his oyereer and cattle, had he not
clamored for revenge until he had started a
revolution which came deuced near upsetting
His Maiesty's Government, and played the
devil generally. 1t would be the CHIEF CITY
in Virginia, the largest in the Southern
colonies if not on the continent II the peo-
ple would but recognize its advantages and
build it up. Whata spot it was
An elevated plateau right at the falls OF
the river. above malaria and ague' Win
the fresh air of the mountains, keeping 1t
cool in summer, and Incompatible climate
and purest water from unpopulated
sprincs. a view of the ioaming
waters, glancing and dsshing over
immense bou.ders for nearly two miles,
made a Landscape whose beauty was I'M
riyaled as place ofresdencefor beauty-loV-
ing people. this side ofthe oak clad reaches OF
the Thames. The river front was easily ac-
cessible. and evenly q stributed and at the
same time so immense that il would grind
the grain Of a continent, and run the factor
les OF a nation. Behind il was the rich Pied
mont running up to the Blue Ridge and yet
further back behind the azure mountains an
unexplored region which stretches to the
French territory, Louisiana Before ii was
the
HEAD OF DEEP WATER NAVIGATION
with its diurnal tides which could float any
vessel that His Majestys marine could send
across the seas.
How could it be otherwise than a city,
Thus must have thought Colonel VIM.
Byrd lying under the stars reading the future
with prophetic vision for on the completion
Of his mission, he laid out the streets and
squares of city, on the fairspot at the Falls
of the James, and the head Of deep water
which had haunted his dreams IN that then
far distant shore of the Dismal Swamp, and
as there was no place this side the sea whose
beauty was comparable, he named il after
that incompatible spot upon the loved and
winding Thames,
RICHMOND.
This was in 1877 and from that day TO the
present, Richmond has been the Gem City Of
the South.
For beauty, for salubrity, for convenience
for all the charms and advantages which can
make home delightful, or place Of bust
ness desirable Richmond stands supreme.
| Since il was founded the most momentous
events of the nation have clustered around IT,