The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-05
THE PUBLIC OFFICES.
How the Day Was Observed Around
Town Generally.

Town Generally.
The hot sun pclted the Capitol; the grass
/ in the square was dying, almost dead; the
| squirrels were standing on their elbows
/ painting: the negro. the loafer, the bloated
/ bar frequenter, and the usual specimens OF
/ American independence that slip through
/ the holes in the labor skinner, and on the
| benches and under the trees, were out in
/ that force which would not have been theirs
/ if they had been required to come out and
| do Just exactly what they were so satsfac-
tOrlly accomplishing-n0thi
Time was when the square was plea
sure; when ladies and gentle folk rested in
| the grateful shade, and got a Whii Of pure
air. That time has passed. 1t is a stamp
| ing ground for negro nurses and callOw
gail1nts. 1t is the halting and camping
| ground for picnic parties from a distance.
Its glory is under a cloud.
Quite crowd was present yesterday
morning while the IIOwiters were firing,
and as the day wore on some of the state
officers appeared and entered the Capitol
] building with the tread Of Caesar. Col.
/ Frank G.. Ruilin, Second Auditor, was at
/ his seat taking things, rs is his won't,
| cOOlly. The Treasurcr's office was closed,
and the clerks were away catching a rest.
/ over in the Auditors office the biz rats
| were holding carnival with none to dispute
| their rights but the reaches. A rap on the
door with cane brought forth a hollow
sound and caused an adjournment. Colonel
Morton Marye and his clerks were enjoying
the national holiday.
Has the Governor come over this morn
ing. WnstonY was asked Of the colored
worthy, who votes the Democratic ticket.
hurrahs for "Mars Paul" Edmunds and
waits on the gentlemen in the basement
offices.
"Oh, vas. boss, YOU see de Guvner say he
bin way SO much count er sickness, dat he
gwine take time by de fetlock and ketch
up"
"ls the elevator runningE'
Nav, sur, You got to hO0f it up dis morn
ink"
lis Captain owen about the buildingT"
NAV, sur, he gone 10 is wife 'ouse in
/ Prince Edurd."
Judge II. W. Flourn0y, Secretary Of the
Commonwealth, was away, having gone TO
/ Bristol, where he and Governor Taylor. of
| Tennessee, will make spirited speeches.
/ Judge FlOurnOy gave good account of
himself, no doubt, and unless something un-
usual happened, delighted the great crowd
| that was at Bristol.
TIE CITY HALL.
! The City Hall was wrapped in a mantle
/ Of loneliness. 1t looked deserted. Mr. War
rem was putting in his systematic licks in
/ the Office of the Auditor and Frank Cum
ningham was driving a dull business, while
sitting at the receipts Of customs. Treas
urer John Il. Childrey was down at Ocean
/ View, and the game little snow bird"
| l,uford Grymcs, had embraced the OppOrtu-
mites Of the Fourth TO stop signing water
and gas bills, and was resting at home.
rhe Office of the superintendent Of the Gas
Works was closed, and Clerk Charles W.
GOddin, Of the Chancery Court and his as
sistants, had shut up shop.
Ben. August bad opened the Council
Chamber and was wrestling with his record
and the heat. In fact there was a dullness
in city affairs that was almost tangible. II
was a day to enjoy fat salary and thin
work.
BUSINESS AND PLEASURE.
Business was at a low ebb. The bar
rooms did not do as much as they do on
ordinary DAYS. Trade was dun every
where The streets showed a spriDkling of
vehicles, hut nothing like everyday sights
OF that sort. There were one or two pic
mic aud excursion parties here, but they did
not begin TO supply the places of the hun
dreds who had left the city. The
cOlered military ratified their drums
and made show OF parade, but "warned
/ by the sun" they made frequent halts, and
consumed quantities of water. 1t was not
/ exactly the kind Of day that a holiday sol
/ dier would like TO prance over hot brick,
musket i'm hand, and all buttOned up in
| blue. In fact, the cOlOred Fourth OF July is
Of much younger growth than the 'i6 ar
rangement. and does not iii the negro so
well as Emancipation Day, or Decoration
/ Day, when TO sing John Browns body lies
mOuldering i'm the clay" is more in order
than "llail Columbia"
! The street cars scOOpcd a full measure OF
fares, and, really, improved on the every
| day gait. The Manchester line, particular
/ ly, was forced 10 its utmost capacity. There
were private excursion parties, out Of town,
carrying suspicious baskets TO points close
/ by, where shade and ice water together
wetted tongues and whctted ideas. There
were public ones, too, to distant points, and
some of these carried happy parties.
IT Il GONE.
| But the Fourth died at midnight last
night; very decently. and in entire accord
with the rules of nature. There may be
comfort 10 those who mourn its loss, in the
reflection that another one will come next
year. SO Ear as department here in Rich
mond is concerned, il is questionable
whether any Fourth of July ever will come
that will be better behaved, barring the
heat. There were no dreadful catastrOphes,
no sad accidents, and not enough noise u
be disagrceablc. Now and then cannon
cracker startled the nervous, and at night
there was a pretty display Of fireworks in
various parts OF the city, but there were no