The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1892-08-11
DANVILLE, VA.
A Thriving and Flourishing City
Some Notes and Incidents Of
q Raoanf Visit Be


Recent Visit, &c.
Returning from the Press Conyen-
ton in Charlotte the editor ran over
across the State line and spent few
DAYS with friends in the prosperous
and progressive g City by the Dam"
It had been four or five years since we
were there last and many evidences of
improvement were noted. all of which
were gratifying to one who had former
ly claimed the honor of being citizen,
and who still holds large block of in
terest in the place, by reason Of the
many warm friends he has among the
good people there.
Danville has grown much since we
left there in 1879. 1t has not only
heightened its cables by spreading out
wonderfully, but has strengthened its
stays at the same time by building up
more closely and substantially. In all
respects it is now one Of the prettiest
and best equipped cities of its size in
the South. 1t has a splendid system
Of electric street cars, electric lights,
water works and sewerage, we'll paved
sidewalks, and macadamized streets,
reaching far out into the suburbs, and
these for most part are elegantly shad-
ed and lined on either side with impos-
ing business blocks and handsome and
costly private residences.
Lower Main street has undergone a
perfect transformation, many of the
old and cramped up stores that stood
there few years ago having given way
to handsome structures of brick and
stone that would do credit to the bust
ness portion of any city with double the
/ population. And as for the residence
part of the same thoroughfare, as we'll
as intersecting and parallel streets in
every quarter of the town, visitor of
a dozen years ago would scarcely rec
ognize it as the same place. There
are magnificent mansions, broad and
we'll kept lawns and beautiful flower
gardens set in the midst of lovely shade
trees, the whole forming a picture of
beauty, comfort, luxury and ease in
spring to look upon.
There is municipal building just
ompleted-council chamber and offices
for the city officials above, with market
house below and in the rear-that is a
credit to the town. We were i'm
pressed no more favorably by any new
improvement noticed than by this. 1t
shows that Danville has live set of
men in charge of her municipal affairs.
The new hotel erected on the site of
the old Arlington, corner of Main and
Union streets, is another enterprise of
which Danville has cause to be proud.
1t is a splendid building, of modern
architectural design, symmetrical and
! pleasing to the eye, commanding a fine
view of the city and showing to excel
lent advantage at every point of APP
proach. 1t is not yet finished and will
cost upwards Of $4,000 when COM
pleted. 1t has been leased for a term
of years by Mr.. L. W. Scoville, hotel
man of wide repute, under whose ex-
perienced management the old Airing
ton was so popular and successful years
ago. With Mr.. Scoville in charge the
new Hotel Burton will take rank with
the leading hotels in the South we are
sure
Through the kindness of our friend
Frank S. Woodson, of the Dailv Reals
ter, we were taken out for a drive over
the town and given an opportunity of
seeing how it has spread out and built
up since we used to tramp from one
end to the other Of it in search of local
news some years ago. The land and
improvements companies have done a
great deal of work and spent consider
able money in laying out new addi-
tons in West End, grading streets.
filling in excavations, &C., and the
boulevards afford splendid drives.
The Military Institute is fine build
ing, large and commodious, and occu-
pies a commanding position on the
edge OF the town. We were told that
1t has good patronage and promises
! to become one of the leading sduca-
tlonal institutions in the State. noted
tor its many and superior seats of
learning. The Methodist College is
another new enterprise of recent wears.
and IS a credit to the town. The build
ing is large and handsome structure
OF brick, the faculty strong and able
one, and the school i. in a flourishinr
condition.
Then there is a new public school
building, and number of elegant new
churches have also been built during
the past few years, showing that the
educational and moral welfare of the
community is not neglected for the
material: And in this rests the hope
OF any place or people.
The Baptist Female College is being
remodeled and beginning with the fall
session will pass under new manage
ment. Prof. J. P. Averett will retire
on account of impaired health. There
is no more careful and conscientious
educator than Mr.. jack as the
thousands of young ladies who have
gone out from under his tutelaoe affec-
uonately called him, and there is a
touch OF sadness in the thought that
tne good old man must commit to
other hands the work in which his life
mas been so earnestly and faithfully
spent. But to him comes the satisfac-
ton OF knowing that he has not labored
IN vain. His works will live after
him.
Danville has the distinction of BEING
the largest leaf tobacco market in the
country, while its manufacturing inter-
ests are also great. Many of the larg-
est and most widely known plug facto-
ries are located here and their product
IS sold all through the South and West.
But there are other interests beside TO-
bacco, and in this lies one of tho Sc
crets OF the improved condition of
things which we noticed. Three large
cotton factories are in successful oper-
alton and give employment to large
numbers of operatives, a class that
would be virtually without means of
support but for these as the avenues
open to them are so few and i'll suited
III other lines, such for instance as to-
bacco factories and leaf houses. Then
there are wood working establish
ments, iron foundries, machine shops.