Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-10-06
THE EXCHANGE AND BALLARD.
a Hotel Which Keeps Abreast with the
Times.

To the travelling public q homelike hos
telry is a great boon when wearied with
travel. When worn with fatigue. the
strangerand wanderer finds full and
friendly reception and neat quarters and
/ service that is satisfactory, and a hOspl-
tally that Is hearty. there settles down
upon him o serene satisfaction well calcu-
lated TO remind him OF homo and its own
comforts.
Long years before tho national disturb
ance, now past nearly thirty years, there
was Just such q hOstelry In the capital OF
Virginia. 1t was known asthe Exchange
and Ballard" and its reputation reached
over the entire land. Within It's hOsplta-
ble halls guests with worldwide reputa-
tons were entertained. 1t was here that
the Prince of Wales, when a boy travel
ling through the Union incODpHo, WGs first
dubbed Ber,ie by q UlnOver planter, who
hearing that be was Queen Flctoria's son
and named Albert edward. alarmed the
young Prince by dartng upon HIM, seIzing
his hand, and saying, How are you, Ber-
tie?"
In the red handed days of the late war
the most conspicuous heroes of the Con
federacy trod its floors. Jefferson DAVIS,
the chIeftaln Of the Coufederacy, often
visited here. The Marquis of Lorne, after
the war, had rooms at this same place.
tpluAt NC i ~ H. anu III A1bLs llAANiA nun
from everywhere nearly, have fOunSl sweet
sOlace aud satisfaction for the inner and
the outer man here.
1t has been the headquarters for the
celebrities OF the State whenever q politI-
cal convention OF Importance was To DO
held. The house Is rich IN rcminlscelce
but the object now is 10 allude TO its pres
ent conspicuous position before the pub
lie, and IN a general way overt to the new
nPIar nf tItpra tnfrNbuaad nv fha FnraEanf
proprletOrs. who, when the old and able
one, Colonel }. l.. Darlington. was called
TO u better world succeeded him. His
mantle fell upon one OF his name, w.
Scott Darlington, and Mr.. A.. w. Archer,
the latter OF whom will be remembered
for his connection with the house tor more
than a score of years, and the former, Mr..
Darlington, carries an envIable reputation
for correct taste and executive ability.
Small wonder, then. that tho row pro-
prletors proudly sustain the strldlng steps
OF push and progress that ever character
lied their predecessor,
About a year ago che new management
bra'ely determined - present the public
with every requirement necessary TO re-
heve Richmond from an unde5Oryed i'm
putatiOn sometimes made that her hotel
facilities were not up TO the times. The
house was oyerh4uled from top 10 bottom.
All of the latest improvements in plumb
ing, Cas-ftting. and ventilation were in
troduced, new furniture ntted IN every
room, new paint put on inside and out.
and everything made clean and new. The
new frescO work put III IN the dining
room exceeds IN beauty the best Ia the
city, and wins the admiration OK all who
sec 1t.
In the matter of hygiene Messrs. Car
rington Il Archer can guarantee to the
public complete satisfaction from larder
TO b~ed-chamber, and the Exchange and
Ballard can proudly boast to-day the re-
putation it has always held-that of the
leading hotel of the city.
The zeal Of its present proprletors Is
praIseworthy and will fasten the feeling Of
popularity more firmly than ever upon the
travelling puolic.
The cuisine here Is something else to be
noted for its superiority. The service Is
prompt, polite. and plentiful. The fact of
the business IS, visitors are always satisfied.