Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-30

WEDNESDAY. MAY 80, 1894.
Riohmond During the War and Now.


There will be with us here to-day and
tomorrow many OF the veterans OF the
Confederacy who have not paid a visit TO
Richmond since the fortunes OF war re-
Inltted them 10 civilian life. For twenty
nine years they have been treasuring their
recollections OF Richmond and now they
may see IL Richmond is the city that they
remember.
OF a. surety they will find that great
transformation has taken place here
Many localities they will be able to iden-
tify without much trouble; many Others
they will not recognize at all.
The Capitol. where the Confederate Con-
gross sat. IS unchanged, but 1t now has
the City Hall for a background and so
grandly does this new building loom up
that Il seems to modify the whole face OF
the Capitol Square.
The Capitol Square itself has really I'M
dergone little alteration since the veterans
OF Lee passing through the city en- route
TO their commands used to Toll on Its
benches, or, on occasion. pass the night
on its grcenswards The State Court
House which was located on the square
s~.y the intersection Of Franklin and
Twelfth streets fell prey TO the evacua-
ton fire, and near it's old site Is now rising
the new State Library building
"The War Department building" on
Ninth street. nearly opposite the head OF
Bank street. was swept out OF
existence and almost out of pub
lie recollection by the evacuation
FIRE. Comparatively few OF our resi-
dents remember that there was ever
any such structure here. 1t was erected
by the Mechanics Institute as school
Of technology, and its main hall was
then the largest and best public hall
we had here. For time 1.-THE Secession
Convention" sat in this hall. When the
seat of government of the Confederacy
Was moved from Montgomery to Rich
mond the Mechanics Institute building
was rearranged to suit the purposes Of
our War Department, and was thus oc-
cupicd as long as it remained In exist
once. 1t went down with hundreds q
other buildings which caught fire on the
morning of the evacuation from the
warehouses and bridges which had been
fred by the retrcating Confederatcs.
Tho custom-house, in which President
Davis and many other dignitaries had
their offices. may he easily Identified,
though II has been remodelled and much
changed. 1t Is now larger. but not hand
somer than II was before the evacua-
tion. The custom-house escaped destruc-
ton in the great fire. but this was due
10 the great open spaces about 1t rather
than to the fact that 1t was 'hre
proof" the experience derived from
great fires in other cities being that
granite viii not stand the heat as well
as brick.
The residence of President Davis is
almost unchanged. but it's surroundings
have undergone great transformation
New houses have been built up thickly
around 1t. In Mr.. Daviss time the view
from his porch northwardly was exten.
sive lie could stand there and see the
fash OF every gun at Mechanicsvlle
Now the view Is blocked by u row OF
brick houses.
evacuation fire, was burned, with con.
siderable loss of life, December %, 1870
The Pace block C'Chesapeake and OhiC
buildlngD occupies its site, and has FOL
its neighbor the imposing building of tht
Chamber of Commerce. The site Of tn,
Chambers building includes two lots OF
one OF which stood in war times
"Bosher's Hail." where the fractional
currency of the Confederacy was printed
Adjoining this hall was n one-story brick
building, where General Winder. military
commandant Of Richmond, had headquar,
tiers for year or two.
When the veteran goes 20 the suburbs
TO look for his old campiug-grounds he
will find even greater changes. 1.-The old
Fair-Grounds' he will see have been trans
formed into Monroe Park. the fashiona-
BILE centre OF the city. 1.-The New Fair
Grounds" (now the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
have undergone some changes. yet some
OF the chief landmarks remain. jackson
Park has not only been obliterated from
existence, but almost from memory. II
was a trotting park in 1861, and became
one of the first great camps of the Con.
federates. Afterwards 1t become a hos
pital camp. 1t was located west Of the
present Reservoir street between Cary
and Ashland streets, as they are now
known. Occasionally some one engaged in
excavating foundation for new house
In that well-built-up section comes upoI
the ridges where tent stood In 1861
This is about all that now remains tc
connect the ground with war history
The tents In the course OF time were
superseded by barracks OF wood, and these
long harbored negro settlers" but wher
torn down and in their places numerou:
comfortable dwellings have now risen.
AS It Is in the West End SO 1t Is in the
East End. Perhaps the greatest Of all OF
the Confederate military hospitals was
that which stood on Chimborazo Hin. Nc
vestge OF it now remains. In fits stead
is a park, whose rows Of beautiful trees
and great greenswards tell no
tale OF suffering. such as was seen in
the barrack-ilke hospital wards after
every big battle when the wounded were
brought to Richmond to be treated-and
many OF them to die. or such were most
OF the 400 soldiers buried in lakewood;
Of such were most Of the 1900 soldiers
buried in Hollywood.
But the soul Of Richmond is unchanged.
The Confederate soldier Is to-day as thor
oughiy entrenehed In the affections OF our
people as he was In lssl-iSs5. when he
stood musket In hand ''to do or die for
us."
Though SO much else here in Richmond
win be new to the veteran who reyisits
us after the lapse OF many years. we
promise him that he will md the same
cordial greeting. the same hospitahle