The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-21
ties Of modern warfare was fought on bar

Four years Of war had stripped her. her
,abor was metemorphased into an incubus
her institutions were overthrow; her debts
and burdens were increased; her property
and taxable values we're annihilated; her
energies we're paralyzed; her very existence
was suspended.
This was twenty-three years ago. During
a large part Of this period the problem oil
existence, tie paramount question OF simple
beinp enerossed all her powers. Misunder-
stood and Stunned by all without, threat
ened and burdened by many within, she had
10 devote all her facilities 70 the imperative
demand of the hour, the preservation OF her
being as a State and people.
Az last she stands upright again in the
v;gor of renewed strength, in the joy OF re-
stored health, in the full power of a sovereign
e,ate and the pride of bale and prosperous
people. u,;c,,
As such her Capital City, her beautiful
Richmond on the james now sets hei
house IN order, prepares her feasts' sets out
ber uares and stretching out her hands unto
her sister cities, rays tothem
"coME AND SEE MI"
Richmond. the Capital Of Virginia Is 'he
oreor oftbe South enthroned upon her tree
clad hills. and crowned with the diadem Of
beauty and health.
Situated on the elevated plateau at the
Falls ofJames River once the Powhatan' she
stands at the gateway between the upianas
&C tho piednond and the lowlands of the
T;aowater The breath Of the mountain
faos her brow, the tides Of the Ocean wash
her feet.
O,d William Byrd Of Westover, whose
historic mansion not many miles neio" Is
one Of the landmarks Of the continent and
one Of the heirlooms Of American history
gentleman Of Virginia. member Of the KING
Council. Representative Of the Colony Bur
cess of his County, was entrusted to run the
much Questioned line between Virginia and
her sister North Carolina. Thus occupied
living awake one night in the juniper recesses
Of the Dismal swamp came to him thoughts
of his home. and with them one OF those IN
soiratons which may be the whisper OF a
nassine angel. and may be the emanation Of
genius. He would found a city, nay ne
would found,two; one should be on the APP
nomattox. but the other should be on YET
fairer spot on a queenier ryer, bis OVID
majestic James.
He knew the spot for it. There Nature
berself had laid the site-a more skillful en-
rineef than he had drawn the plaza OWNER
architect had laid the foundations.
1t was already city and wanted but the
buildings and the people. These must IN
eyitably come in time. Indeed that most
rash but most brilliant and farseeing young
man who had been once his fathers nelgh-
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 oyerseer and cattle, had ne not
clamored for revenge until he had started
revolution which came deuced near upsetting
His Maiesty's Government, and played the
devil generally. 1t would be the CHEZ Guy
in Virginia, the largest in the southern
colonies if not on the continent, if the peo-
ple would but recognize It's advantages ana
build it up. What spot il was
An elevated plateau right at the falls OF
the river, above malaria and ague' Win
the fresh air of the mountains, keeping IL
cool in summer, and Incompatible climate
and purest water from unpopulated
springs: view Of the foaming
waters, glancing and dashing over
immense boulders for nearly two miles,
made landscape whose beauty was un-
rivaled as a place ofresidence for a beauty-lov-
ing people this side Of the oak clad reaches o.
the Thames. The river front was easily ac-
cessible, and evenly distributed and at the
same time so immense that II would grlnd
the grain Of a continent, and run the factor
les of nation. Behind twas 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 it was
the
HEAD OF DEEP WATER NAVIGATION
with its diurnal tides which could float any
vessel that His Majesty's marine could send
across the seas.
How could it be otherwise than 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, be laid out the streets and
squares of a city on the fair spot 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 it after
that Incompatible spot upon the loved and
winding Thames
| gIcHM0SD.
This was in 1887 and from that day to the
present, Richmond has been the Gem City OF
the South.
For beauty, for salubrity, for convenience
for all thecharms and advantages which can
make home delightful. or a place Of bust
ness desirable Richmond stands supreme.
Since il was founded the most momentous
events of the nation have clustered around IL
focusing il as ii were in the focus Of sun