The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-31
THEY SAW THE JEFFERSON.
A BeUiIdering Revelation 10 a Eumb:r
Of Citizens Last Night.
The GRAND STRUCTURE LIGHTED UP
And "a Largo Crowd of People Admitted to
an Inspection of the Bnilding-Ihe
jefferson statue Unyeiled-To
Receive Guests To-Day.


ing height. the magnificent structure was
visited by a large number OF people last
MSht anu thoroughly Inspected. fOr
weeks there has Oeen great desire
among the Richmond people 10 inspect
the structure, and they would have been
granted this privilege. but for The raci
! mat tue managers ana WOrkmcn We're
under great pressure TO have the building
ready 10 be opened az the time fixed,
/ ana the constant stream OF visitors thar
would have gladly availed themselves OF
/ the opportunity 10 examine the interior
/ would necessarily have created great
deal OF confusion. and more than likely
/ retarded the progress III the work.
fOI this reason alone those In charge
| thought best 10 refuse those who applied
I for admission until the building was
/ ready 20 be thrown open for the reception
/ OF guests. For weeks the superlntcndcnts
! OF the WOrkmen and large force OF as
I ststants nave been Oh a rush. day and
| night, putting on the finishing touches
/ and unpdcMns and placing furniture pre-
/ paratOry TO opening the magnificent hos
! telry by the lst OF November some ten
| days ago Mcssrs. Ainslie and Webster.
/ the managers, fixed Thursday, October
I alst as the day on which the building
/ would hc opened FOR the reception OF
/ guests. Since that decision was reached
] every man OF the large force has been
| under steady pressure to complete his
/ portion OF the work. Each man seemd TO
take special pride IN mis- work, and 10
make every possible effort to realize the
expectations Of the management. In earn
/ est they worked i'm a purely business-like
way, and several days ago It was pretty
well settled that the aim Of the managers
! would be attained.
LOOKED AND woNIEHTD.
Nearly all the finishing touches were
complete Yesterday. and a number Of
hOtiucatiOns were sent out TO friends and
acqua.ntances Of Major Gin,er and his
associates inviting them TO inspect the
building. 1t was lighted up in many OF
! the beautiful apartments. Hundreds Of
electric lights both arc and incanlescent,
shone throughout the stately edihce, and
a more brilliant sight was never before
witnessed In the South. Those who were
/ notified TO inspect the building were all
present with scarcely an exception. Many
Of the representative people of the city
responded promptly 10 the invitation. and
besides the invited guests, large number
VINO hai heard thdt the buil1ng would be
lighted up and thrown open for inspection
were none the less eager to avail them
selves Of the opportunity. Naturally
enough a crowd gathered at the buildmg
They were all admitted and treated with
the most delightful cOurtesies. The man
ayers Of the hotel and their assistants
together with Major Ginfer and his as
socidtes. were on hand 10 do the hOnors
and there was not one who walked
through the building and gazed upon
lts countless interior beauties who dil
not feel that he was thrice repaid for the
trip ana the time spent All sorts and
conditions or people We're present. Cap
tain Hulce. Of the Third police district.
with squad Of police. were present
ana so perfect was the order and dcc0rum
tfat not once was there any need fOr
the services OF an officer. a noticeable
Jack or GUSHING lpuglcsf. or any OF those
cisagreealle incidents that so often occur
When crowd comes together, made the
evening more pheasant than one could
nave imagined. Indeed. The occasion was
"a delightful one in every particular. and
VIII long bee remembered by an who were
50 fortunate as 10 be present
FARMLAND OF BEAUTY.
The visitors were conducted through the
entire structure. Elevators were kept
busy for quite "a while in carrying I'D and
down many who wished 10 take q more
thorough Inspection than tlat OF the two
frst floors. Through the smokers lOung-
ing room, with rs rich finish Of hard
wood, went the visitors. and fingered
quite a while IN the rotunda with its easy
chairs and sofas glass roof. and convent
tncos on an sides Then they aaccndcd
tlc grand stairway, one Of the most beau
tllul combinations OF architectural SYM
metry and decorative art TO be seen in
this country. The electric lights set of
10 great advantage the rich decorations
and the nan isome designs executed by
experts. The Frankln-street court, with
its glass roof stately corridors. ana
handsome pillars, with its sparkling fOun-
tlins. choice Botanical specimens. and
pretty wallSways, and tempting seats.
was a subject OF iiattering praise from all
sides. Every one agreed that IN was a
vcritable fairyland OF beauty and taste
New attractions kept commanding the at
tentOn of the visitors until the view was
almost lost in maze Of richness and
wonder.
JEIFrrsON STATUE UNVEILED.
The magnificent statue Of jefferson Was
unveiled, and stood an eXac; likeness OF |
The grand old man whose name is so in /
uclibly interviewer with the history of the |
nation. Intellect. power. and expression /
seemed written i'm the face. and the statue |
ia all lis grace. ease, and beauty appeared /
an exact physical reproduction OF The /
original Many OF those present who had |
visited some Of the most celebrated art |
galleries i'm the world viewed the statue |
critically, and could not but pronounce |
ii a triumph Of sculpture, conceived In the |
brain of a true artist and chiseled by the /
hand of a skilled workman.
From the FranAlln-street court the Wis
it0rs wandered through the ladies' cafe |
a dainty room. highly finished in all the
richest tints and ornamentcd By mag |
nihCent painting at the northern END.
= hen tho grand salon. In all us perfection,
the grand entrance, with It's walls OF
exquisite African marble the reception
parlors and library. in all OF which cOiors
have been so blended as 10 produce the
most pleasing cHects, ana an Has DevH -
perfectly selected and arranged as 10
leave no place for an adverse criticism;
Many expressions Of praise We're heard
i'm reference 10 the handsome furnishings
and the magnificent paintings nom the
brushes Of celebrated artists. Ihe PIC
lures that decorated the walls OF tne
parlOrs We're especially objects OF interest,",
while the front bedrooms, arrayei IN all
the beauty that taste could secure, were
admired extravagantly by every one VINO
saw them.
BrwILDERING REyELATIoN.
II remained for those present TO see
the grand dining-Toom 20 become more
enthi3siastic than ever. This magnih-
eonr arartment. which was described in
detau In last Sundays Times, proved a
revelation 10 the delighted
crowd They did not hesitate 10 pro-
nounce il wonderful. and the general YER
dict was that II was a crown!ng monu-
nent to the enterprise and public spirit
Of Major Ginter and his associates.
II may be safely stated that those who
visited the jefferson last night enjoyed a
Ireat that Will not soon pass from their
memory They saw for the first time
what enterprise and public spirit can ac-
,omplish. and nothing but cOmmenda- |
ions for the builders OF the great struc-
ture could be heard
The jefferson will be open for the re-
.eDtiOn Of guests only to-day. Later on |
OF dates. when a limited
number OF visitors will be admitted Will
be made.
SEN1TOR MIL IN NEW YORK.
He Addresses Democrats and Reads a Let
ter From Mr.. Cleveland.