The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-04-14
MOUNT VERNON AT CHICAGO
Virginia's Contribution to the
Worlds Exposition.
An Exact Reproduction of tho Homo of
Washington How 1t VIII BIO Furnished.
Antique Furniture and Relics OF
Historic Interest-virginia Authors
and Virginia Portraits.


CHICAGO, April la.-The Virginia
building at the Worlds Fair is practi.
cally completed. 1t is an exact repre-.
sentation OF Noun. Vernon, where
Washington lived for many years and
where he died.
The main structure is "a feet ACROSS
the front by 20 feet deep. with an attic
and two story portico extending the
length OF the front, and finished on top
with an iron railing on level with the
dormer window OF the top story.
Two colonnades extend back from the
wings Of the house distance Of twenty
feet, each connec ting with one and a
half story building, 4Ox2O, such as we're
called dependencies"
Altogether there are twenty five
rooms In the structure. On tho first
| and second floors of the main building
there are eleven rooms, in the attic six,
| and in each OF the dependencies four
| rooms. The largest rooms in the build
ing are the banquet hall, 31x23 feet, and
the library, 16xl9 feet, the main en-
traIcs hall, Washington's chamber, in
which he died, and Mrs, Washinton's
chamber in the attic, to which she re-
moved after her husbands death.
In tho main hall is large stairway four
feet wide, ascending by platforms to the
floors above. On the first platform of
the stairway there is an old Washington
family clock, very interesting histori.
cal relic
This hall is furnished with antique
sofas and pictures of the last century.
The rooms upon the first floor arc orna-
mented by heavy carved and nodded
wood trim mings and handsome mantels,
| very antique. This Virginia building
will not only be an exact representation
in every particular of the old Mount
Vernon structure, but everything within
it will also be OF the same character
Nothing modern will be seen III tho
building, except the people and library
OF books by tho Virginia authors AS
far as can be done the building will be
furnishtd with articles which are being
| collected from all over the State, tho
heirlooms OF old Virginia families, and
with oitraits OF the same character.
Whatever may be lacking in furnishing
the building with articles OF this char
acter will be supplied with furniture
made after the same old fashion.
The building will be presided over by
the lady assistant of the Virginia board,
Mrs Lucy Preston Beale, daughter of
the Hon, Ballard Preston, and grand.
uHuB 10 general Preston, former
governor OF Virginia.
the building old Virginia negroes, and
will undertake to represent in every
particular an old Virginia home OF the
colonial period. There will be very
rare collection of relies of colonial
times and OF tho Revolu tionary War,
and everything which is antique, among
which will probably be exhibited the
original will of George Washington.
The library is to be furnished en-
tirely of books written by Virginiaus,
or relating to Virginia, quito large coll
lection OF which has already been made,
and ornamental with old Virginia por-
| traits, views and other relics of the
o hal period and the last century.
| Altogether the building with tho fur
nishings will DO unique and unequaied
| in its character and appointments, and
nothing like it will be found elsewhere
except at Mount Vernon itself.
The regents of the Mount Vernon
Association have cordially co operated
in the enterprise. Valuable bronzes,
paintings, furniture and other articl es
OF Colon 81 times have been obtained
from the Carriers. Lewises, the Har-
rsons, tho Prestops and other old
families OF Virginia. Mrs. Kate Green
Paul of Virginia, has prepared list OF
| over 5.OOO DOCKS by virginia authors,
exam ples OF which will, It is hoped, be
secured for the literary exhibit Mrs.
Drewry, of Westover, will furnish col
lection of photographs OF notable
colonial homes on tho lower James.
AIcbmologlsts will be interested in a
collection made by Miss Elizabeth
Borst, OF articles illustrative OF prehs-
toric life in Virginia, recently Obtained
from mou ads near LGray and other
points in the valley.
! The Virginia Mount Vernon exhibit
is varied in character 81 as to embrace
features that would not bo included in
a merely industrial exhibit. Virginia's
interest for the world at la go lies in
| her past as we'll as in her present 1t is
largely historic, not TO say a romantic,
interest, which the Virginia women
| think should not be ignored in repre-.
sentation of the State at Chicago In
this building the visitor will thus obtain
an instructive idea Of the civilization
and of the social and domestic life of
the fathers, such as could not otherwise
| be had
Blooded Stock Killed.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, April 13.-The
barn of Charles Reed, prominent horse.
man Of this State, near Gallasin, was