Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-22
MAIN STREETS NAME.
CAN'T WE CHANGE 1T FOR
THE BETTER
Letters to the Editor in Re-
sponse to the Dispatch's
Suggestions.
wrLsoN, N. c., January 16, 1898.


Name it Randolph "a name familiar
and dear to every Viryinian.
ED. VI. PACE.
JEFFERSON AVENUE.
] suggest that Main street be called
.JeAers0n aucaue and that the present
Jefferson street be changed to Ghtcr
street.
| think our city ought to recoRnize
the good that Mr.. Ginter has done for
il in some way. and to name this street
after bin would be but slight recogni-
ton Of it. FRANK BINFoRD.
STREET NOMENCLATURE.
To the Editor Of the DisDd,ch;
In response TO your editorial on the
subject, | would suggest as suitable
name for Main street, Mt Vernon
Avenue, in honor of the Father OF his
Country. upon whose burning words OF
wisdom this great republic must depend
il it would continue to exist as "goy-
ernment of the people. for the peo-
pie, and by the people," and who,
though dead, yet speaSeth from the
silent tomb at Mt Vernon. For the
second, Washington street IN the West
End. | would suggest Cleveland avenue.
in honor of that intlexible statesman
who in our day so closely represents the
ideas of the great patriot. Again, rs
there is a Park avenue and Park street
intersecting near the Lee Monument |
would suggest in place of Park street
Stopewall avenue in honor OF the im-
mortal Jackson. Let us avoid confusion
of names. G. BROOKE DOGGErr.
NAME 1T AFTER BACON.
In Sundays DISPATCH you suggested
that the name of Main street be changed
to one more specific and more in conso-
nance with the dignity OF "A city as large
as Richmond. as every village and small
town more or less has its Main street.
think the suggestion good one, and
that the most beautiful and greatest
business street of tho city should be re-
christened with name not quite so COM
mon, | therefore suggest that the name
of the street be changed to Bacon street
There are other names that might sound
more euphonious. but this one has an
historical recommendation peculiarly APP
propriatc. The name of Nathaniel Ba-
con is prominently connected with the
early colonial history of Virginia. To
give even q synoptical sketch OF the
short life OF this remarkable man, as re-
vealed to us by the history OF the times,
would make this communication too
long. He was the first to draw the sword
aqaInst the tyranny in the colonies a.
manifested by Governor Berkeley. His
military operations. though on diminu-
tive scale, foreshadOwed q great COM
mander.
Tradition, il not history, informs us
that the area now embraced within the
present corporate limits of the city was
at that early day part Of Bacon's quar-
ter or plantation. lie had first to drive
back the Indian and then to fell the
sturdy oaks before ho could grow his
corn and tobacco and with the first
there is connected a bloody tragedy.
The name, think, IS appropriate
and IN this age OF monuments one should
be erected to the memory OF the mar
who first sounded the tOcsin OF VAR oi
! this continent against tyranny.
h. +. MEREDITH.
CHANGE THE NAME.
fully concur with you il your ex
pressed opinion that the name "Mair
street" should give place TO title moro
| becoming the dignity of our fast-grow
/ ing metropolis. Z" Nam street" Is sim
plv n "back number" and "must 60
What more fitting name can be substi
tuted than "Virginia avenue Thu
is name both pleasing and suggestive
Richmond is the capital city and me
tropolis Of old Virginia. All Nirginlf
/ loves Richmond, aud fair Richmond
surely very dearly loves the granc
mother State. 81 move" then, tha
our present great thoroughfare now
known as Main street be renamed, and
for our noble old State. The one posi-
! BILE objection that may arise IN that VT
already have a Virginia street Is not
| serious one, since this street is very shor'
and could be renamed without the III
conyeniences that might arise in changing
the name Of a great thoroughtare.
W. NJ. B.
p. S.-My "better half" has offered
a substitute which must "be put.
! The name suggested is Jefferson ave
nue." and the argument is O. that it i;
pretty, (2) the name OF our grand
statesman. who so conspicuously de
Tended the principles of free govern
ment. and (3J also the given name oi
the President Of tho COniejeracy, witt
whose name and which government the
name of Richmond Is indlssOlubly con
/ nected.
and now my frst-born insists that
"Stnart avenue is lust the thing. as il
II euphouious and would memorlallzt
the name and fame of our own immor
tai "Jeb, than whom no more gallant
cayalryman ever led charge or drew
sabre.
BROADWAY AND EXCHANGE STREET.
Your editorial in Sundays issue rela
tive TO new name for Main street L
timely and opens the way for several re
forms of a municipal character. 1t Il
unfortunate for the present city and vii
be more so for the future city OF Rich
mond that Main street was selected a
the backbone or ridge which should dl
vide the city in north and south direc
ton. However it may have been wheI
the street nomenclature became fixed, i
is certainly now beyond question tina
Broad street and not Main stree; IS th'
natural division OF the city. from thu
broadway the north and sonth divisions
of the city should extend, the house,
being numbered from Broad each way
/ THIS being feasible, we would suggest the
name Broadway for the presen
Broad street and " Exchange street FOL
the present Main street. Should ther'
be no disposition, however, on the par
of the city officials to renumber the city
and a simple proposition 10 give to Mali
street a more appropriate name being
under consideration, We would sugges
Central avenue as being at once ap
propriate and euphonious
The actual numbering of the houses
in many parts of the city is simply out
rageous and would not be tolerated TO
day in other cities of importance. ther'
being i'll N my cases duplicated Nos. ant
in numberless instances half Nos. are
used. This OF itself would not be o
great importance were it not for the fac
that the last seventy or eighty Nos. II
every 100 are literally thrown away, onl.
the first twenty or thirty being used, ex
Z oo,t - ,rarv rara instanppG Very man,