Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-16

OF the building cost ss.7s2.o3. The grano-
| iithIc sidewalks entailed an additional ex-
pense Of sf,S7.g9. and ss0l.6s was expended
| In the cornerstone exercises. The total
OF these expenditures which cannot
Justly be included IN the cost of the build
| Ing proper, was 25fs9.ss.
Tho net cost OF the building was $751;
| 6dC or 81 cents per cubic foot, which.
AZ compared with the Baltimore City
! Hall, which was erected at cost OF S
| cents per cubic foot. and has been held
| up to the world as a model OF Its Kind.
and was built within the original appro-
priation, reflects credit on this building.
! VIRGINIA MATERIAL THROUGHOUT.
have this to say about this building as
finished: Few cities OF the size OF Rich
mond have their municipal Offices and
! judicial departments under tho same roof
| The building Is ample for all. and there
| are now over n dozen spare rooms which
may be utilized TO advantage later. From
an architectural standpoint Il will COM
pare favorably with any structure OF its
kind. II was constructed from Virginia
material as far as practicable, from the
| granite foundations 20 the slated roof
Whatever else may be said of the build
| Ing Dr attributed to the persons who
conducted It's construction. OF one thing
/ we AL feel proud. that Richmond as
mar ufacturing city now has monu-
ment equal to any anywhere. to the skill
and ability Of Richmond mechanics"
Mayor Eilyson's Address.
At the conclusion OF Colonel Cutshaw's
address. the Chair presented Hon. J. Tay-
| Tor Ellyson. Mayor of the city, who was
| received with great applause. Mayor Ely
son said:
Mr.. President,-I was honored on last
| Saturday With an Invitation from the com
mittee in charge Of these exercises re-
| questing me to be present and make
| few brief and informal remarks appropri-
! ate TO the occasion. | comply with plea
sure. and will conform strictly with both
| the letter and spirit of the invitation,
! and make my remarks both brief and
informal, for / interpret the committees
| invitation 10 mean that II Is their desire
| TO make this occasion az free from for
| maltty az It's Importance Will permit.
CAUSE FOR GENERALIZATION.
| In the first place, Mr.. President,
| would extend my most cordial congratu-
lations to the Committee on Grounds and
| Buildings, to our accomplished City Engi-
| neer. Colonel W. T.. Cutshaw, and his
| worthy assistants. TO the workmen who
| have been employed in the construction OF
| the building. TO the City Council, ana 10
all who have been in any way associated
| with the erection Of this handsome pubic
| building. This occasion means something
| more than the celebration OF the compile
| ton OF q hail designed for municipal pur-
| poses: II Is an epoch marking an event III
the history Of the progress and growth oil
the city. Mordecai, I'm his charming story
Of "Richmond in BygOne Days tells us
| that General George Washington. on the
occasion of his visit TO Richmond In No
Vember. 1854, I'm responding 10 the cordial
address Of welcome by His Honor Robert
Mitchell. the then worthy mayor OF this
city expressed the ferVent and sincere
wish that this growing city might improve
such advantages as bOuntiful nature had
bestowed, and that she might soon be
ranked among the first in the Union IN
population. commerce. and wealth. II the
"Father of our Country" could be with us
tonight he would doubtless feel that the
contamination for which he so devoutly
wished had at last been realized; FOR
whilst we may not have attained to "A
place In the first rank among the cities
Of the land I'm population, commerce, ana
wealth." yet we have city so beautiful
for situation with n climate so saluDrl-
GUS and with religious and educational
advantages OF such high order as to
make of Richmond n place unsurpassed IN
its attractions, whether as place OF resi-
dence or for the prosecution Of business
RICHMOND'S BUSINESS.
Our manufacturing and trade statistics
furnish the interesting Information that
we have i'm this city 9i4 manufacturing
establishments which give employment To
%, g3S hands, and whose aggregate sales last
year amounted to $36, Si0,SS9; and that there
is employed I'm the jobbing trade of this
e. a. r.f ga
tho capital of our banking institutions
aggregates $52jO,OOO AS a manufacturing
centre our nearness TO the coal fields OF
this and the adjoining States. our supe-
ror facilities for shipment by railway ana
steamboat enable us to offer inducements
not within the reach of many commune
ties A city that gives employment IN
her manufacturing establishments 10
nearly one fourth of her entire population
may confidently expect future greatness
as n manufacturing centre.
But it is not her facilities for trade and
commerce. that make her to me most
attractive 4 distir guished writer has
said that America owes more 10 the fami-
~ than any other institution; II derives
more public good from II, and depends
more upon it than any other nation, for
education, for virtue, and for internal
defence against wasting evils. Judged by
this standard Richmond may fairly claim
20 occupy a first place among the cities
OF the land for there is no city in which
the home life is more carefully cultivated.
and where the environment is more IA
vorable TO the development of all the
home virtues than is afforded in Rich
mond. This IS 10 me the great charm
OF our beautiful city.
RELIGION AND EDUCATION.
If it be true that in the community in
which you find the most religion you will
also find the largest measure of worldly
prosperity, then Richmond may be count
ed as one Of our most prosperous cities,
for the most recently tabulated statistics
give the number of our churches as 81
and their membership as more than 40
900. Her educational advantages are as
good as those offered in any community.
Our public-school system gives employ
ment to 339 teachers and furnishes instruc-
ton to l.126 pupils. The high standard
and efficiency Of these schools has called
forth the highest commentator from dis
tinguished educators of this and other
States; whilst our private and parochial
schools. our Richmond College. and our
medical schools afford opportunities for
the higher education of our boys and
girls and for the professional training Of
our young men which are unsurpassed by
any sister city. The social life, power,
and permanence of the State find their
greatest security in the religious and
educational advantages given her chill
dren In these respects Richmond may
fairly claim to be among the first cities
in the Union.
The educational value Of this new City
Hall will be very great 1t will mean
more than the putting together OF so
many stones and the completion OF
building beautiful In architecture, for 1t
will mark the beginning of new era
In our city's prosperity. AS our children
shall look upon this building there VIII
be awakened in them a desire for other
imposing public structures. and this taste
for the beautiful In architecture carefully
cultivated. viii in the not distant future
make Richmond as famous for her beau
tiful private and public buildings as she
is to-day rich In historic interest. and dis
tinguished no less for the valor Of her
sons than for the beauty and virtues OF
her daughters.
The Chair then announced that the body
would be glad TO hear from any eX-member
OF the Committee on Grounds and Build-
ings present.
MIR. John NJ Higgins called upon Mr..