The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-22
,attles CT modem warfare was fought on her

PROSTATE.
Four years Of war had stripped her her
labor was metemorphased into an incubus,
her institutions we're overthrow her debts
and burdens were increased; her property
and taxable values were annihilatcd; her
energies were para!yzed; her very existence
was suspended.
THIS was tventy-three years ago. During
large part Of this period the problem OF
existence. the paramount question OF simple
being engrossed all her powers Misunder-
stood and Stunned by all without, threat
ened and burdened by many within, sh' had
to devote all her facilities to the imperative
demand Of the hour, the preservation Of her
being as a State and people
| At last she stands upright again IN the
vigor of renewed strength, in the Joy OF re-
stored health, in the full power Of sovereign
State and the pride of bale and prosperous
people.
As such her Capital City, her beautiful
Richmond on the James now sets her
house IN order, prepares her foasts, sets out
her wares and stretching out her hands unto
her sister cities, says to them
CONE AND SIZE MI"
Richmond, The Capital Of Virginia il the
Queen Of the South enthroned upon her tree
clad hills. and crowned with the diadem OF
beauty and health.
Situated on the elevated plateau az the
Falls ofJames River once the Powhatan, she
stands at the gateway between the upands
of the Picdmond and the lowlands OF the
| Tidewater. The breath Of the mountain
fans her brow, the tides Of the Ocean wash
her feet.
Old William Byrd or Westover, whose
historic mansion not many miles teioW IS
one of the landmarks Of the continent, and
one of the herloOms of American history
gentleman of Virginia member Of the Kings
Council, Representative Of the Colony, Bur
CESS Of his Couny, 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 he Dismal swamp, came to him thoughts
Of bis home. and with them one of those IN
SEPARATIONS which may be the whisper OF
pas.irg angel, and may be the emanation OF
genius. lie would found city, nay he
would found two; one should be on the APP
pomattox, but the other should be on yet
fairer spot on queenlier river, his own
majestic James.
He knew the spot for it. There Nature
herselfhad laid the site-a more skillful en-
gineer than he had drawn the plaza diyiner
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 neigh
Dor, had chosen the spot with his rare Wis
dom and had there plantation or quarter,
and when the Indians had come down and
killed his overseer and cattle, had he not
| clamored for revenge until he had started a
| revolution which came deuced near up,etting
| His Maiesty's Government and played the
devil generally. 1t would be the chief city
| in Virgioia, the largest in the Southern
colonies IS not on the continent, if the peo-
| pie would but recognize its advantages and
build it up. What a spot it was!
An elevated plateau right at the falls Of
| the river, above malaria and ague, with |
the fresh air OF the mountains, keeping il
IoD ;,,c and 70 hl. oil matq
and purest water from unpopulated
! springs; view Of the foaming
waters, glancing and dashing over
immense bouders for nearly two miles,
made a landscape whose beauty was un-
rivaled as place of residence for beauty-lov-
! ing people. this side ofthe oak clad reaches of
the Thames. The river front was easily ac-
cessible, and evenly d stributed and at the
the grain Of a continent, and run the factor
| les of q nation. Behind il was tie rich Pied
! mont running up to the Blue Ridge and yet
| further back behndthe azure mountains an
unexplored region which sire cbes to the
/ French territory, Louisiana. Before il was
the
| HEAD or DEEP WATER NAVIGATION
with It's diurnal tides which cou'd float any
vessel that His Majesty's marine could send
across the seas.
How could il be otherwise than city
Thus must have thought Colonel VIM
! Byrd lying under tbesta 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 a. 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,
HfcHMoND.
| This was in 1877 and from that day 10 the
present, Richmond has been the Gem City Of
the South.
For beauty. for salubrity, for convenience,
for al the charms and advantages which can
make home delightful, or place of bust
ness desirable Richmond stands supreme.
Since II was founded the most momentous
events Of the nation have clustered around il;
focusing it as it were in the focus Of sun
glass.
! 1t is the most historical spot of the most