Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-20
SEE OUR CITY HALL.
The BOSTON VISIT oRs INSPECT THE
MAGNIFICENT BUILDING
A Pleasant Drive over the Citv-Tendered
. Dinner mt Reuger's-A fis'i"s
Compliment to Richmond

cdplthl.
When the party of Boston counciimeh
reached here Friday night they diu not eA-
pect TO see such handsome structure,
nor did thew think they would be rendered
SO generous and hospitable reception Us
However. Virginia's customs are ever
prevalent among her people ana ,ns vpea-
| hearted generosity and courtesy 'nn' w
isted years ago still prevail, anu . MneI
visitor places his foot across tne thIe ,ti
bold of this glorious old Commonwealth
| II ia M once proclaimed that he's weicome'
CALLED on THE MAYOR AND GOVERNOR.
Tarly IN the morning the guests i.Vn i
.ha Urb called mon Mayor Ellyson ut has
e. and in company with that gentle
man and Messrs. William II. Curtis, Lugar
II Ferrusson. Charles w. FERGUSON anu
CITY. Clerk Il. L. August paid their re (ect9
10 the Governor. Thence they proceeued
20 the Council chamber, where the
Grounds and Buildings Committee inc
CITY Engineer and his assistant, SoIoneI
John b. Purcell (president OF the OnailoeI
of Commerce.. and several other pIoili" ~
ouests. The Bostonians were here lntro;
5nced and the plans Of the New CITY nan
wers exclaimed by Mr.. Bates, Assls,ant
The marty of visitors consisted OF Hon.
Dovid j. Harry. president of the Common
Council. Edward Farrell. Thomas Talbot,
members of that body; Matthew /. Sulil-
van, assistant city architect; Jonn :
Brawley. assistant clerk OF committees /;
David j. McGrath, representing ths bos.Vn
CITY press. and Charles Il. Silloway, deputy
city messenger.
THE TRIP THROUGH THE CITY HALL.
From the Council Chamber the company
went over TO the City Hall, where Thorough
and critical tour OF inspection was niaue:
The visitors were taken from the basement
10 the summit of the cupola and seemed
very much pleased with the structure ana
the manner IN which II is being erected.
The only work in progress was the ground
inc for the hard woods, the laying OF the
GAS and steam-pipes, the cutting OF
chases. and some painting. &c.
Ii NAV be relevant to say that Boston
proposes to build new city. hall or TO re
model the old one. and the cost , OF the
work to DO done will reach S4.OOO, OOO or
- 900 900. The city for the past decade
has been spending $4,000 per annum Tor
rental outside its present hall, ana the
Council Is eager that this extra outlay snail
be stopped.
In the tour through the handsome stone
structure on Broad street everything was
satisfactory until the large room, which -
TO be the Council Chamber, was reached.
Here there was a general expression OF dls-
satisfaction. Everybody was OF the opinion
that II should either be larger or nave
spectators' gallery. The apartment pro-
yIded tor the Circuit Court Is tue most
beautiful room Ia the building. IL Is on
the second floor, south side, and Is spa
cious, airy, and well lighted.
The Hustings-C Court room Is on the thlrd
floor and is also abundantlv large. All the
private Offices will be luxuriantly equipped
and splendidly located.
From the tower "a view OF the surround
ing country was had, which was bewllder-
ing, and pleased the visitors exceedingly.
DRIVE OVER TIE CITY.
After careful scrutiny of the hall the
party took carriages and were driven over
the CITY. The first point OF interest taken
IN was Libby Hill Park. where stands IN
course Of erection the monument which Is
10 commemorate the brave deeds OF the
private soldiers and sailors of the Con-
| federacy. From here the carriages were
| driven 10 old St. Johns cemetery, where
| the occupants alIghted and went through
the ancient DuTylng-grOund. Superin-
| tendent GriftianO met the party and escort
! ed them to the old church, which was male
| famous by the remarks of the dlstln-
guished Patrick Henry. A Lumoer OF the
| Bostonans took seats IN the pew OF the
great Virginia statesman.
Captain Frank Cunningham had been
| requested 10 sing, and Miss Bette Fitz-
| wilson, the orgaDist of the church. was
| present especially 10 play his accompani-
! ment. Captain Frank sang sweeter than
| he was ever known 10 sing before, and the
| pathetic tones OF Far Away" Good
| Night" and Nearer. Ny God, 70 Thee
| fell quantity upon the still air that filled
| the old house Of worship. A source OF
considerable attention and comment was
| the tombstones and inscriptions which
mark the resting-places or many OF VIZ
| ginia's historic dead.
| DAVIS MANSION AND LIZ MONUMENT.
When the little assembly departed from
| st. Johns they went direct to the Davis
Mansion, and after a casual glimpse of the
| former home of the President of the Con-
| federacy they proceeded TO the Lee monu-
meut. taking in the Medical College, Mon
umentel church, Westmoreland Club. and
| the handsome residences on Franklin
street IN route
After all these places had been seen the
visitors were taken to the Exchange. where
| they were stopping. Here the Hub repre-
sentatives invited the Richmonders to
SIP from their cup, and a toast was pro-
posed TO the health OF the guests from
| Boston.
THE DINNER AT THE RUEGER's.
At5o'clock the visitors were escorted TO
| Rueger's private dining rooms. where an
| elegant dinner was served. There were
| eleven courses, and wines flowed in abun-
| dance. AT this point Mr.. Lewis ID. Cren-
| shaw, chairman of the Council Committee
| on James-Riyer Improvement, and Dir. A.
| D. Landerkln, also of that body, joined
| the party. The evening meal was fault
! less as 10 the cuisine. and the affair,
| though small, was one of the prettiest OF
| the kind ever seen in Richmond. The
| dinner was served in the private dining
| room, fronting ON Bank street, and accom-
modations had been prepared for twenty
| SIX persons.
Alter an hour and half around the fes-
| tive. board Mayor Ellyson arose, and III a
| few very graceful and well-chosen remarks
| proposed the toast, THE city Of Boston,
| referring TO the open-hearted treatment
| that Richmonders had received upon their
visits to that city. The sentiment was re-
sponded to by Mr.. Berry, president or the
Common Council of the Hub, who made
a very pretty little speech, thanking the
gentleman at whose hands they had re-
ceiyed so much kindness. and assuring
| them that any ono from the noble city by
the James would always be welcomed in
| the city of Boston. He assured the assem-
blage that the latch-string of the capital
of the Bay State was on the outside. and
that all that they had to do was to pull it
and enter.
THE DEPARTURE.
Following Mr.. Barry was Colonel John
b. Purcell, who spoke briefly upon Rich
monds Commercial! interests. After a
couple of songs by Captain Frank Cum
bingham. the party repaired to the Rich
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac depot
and left at 1905 o'clock tor their Massachu-
sets home.
The Bostonians were very much pleased
with Richmonds City Hall. and though
they paid visits 10 Cincinnati, st. Louis.
Detroit. Chicago. and Buffalo. they speak
in more praiseworthy terms of Virginia.
capital than either of the other big places.
An Interesting Case.
An interesting case, resulting in the dis
charge of a convict from the penitentiary,
came up in the Circuit Court yesterday.
John Vickers was serving a second term
and the court, IN compliance with law.
had given him an extra tve years. Pre-
yious to his second term Vickers had his
political disabilities removed by the Gov
ernor. When the additional sentence was
given him this fact was Lot much known.
Having saryad ont the term of his second