The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-10
THEY ARE ALL GONE.
1BEL1Sr or THE MONITORS HAyE
BEEN TiKEN away.
Their Departure Great Feconiary Loss
e. the tiiy-1hcir Commanders
VIII he Greatly Missed.

Thursday morning ended an epoch in
The history Of Jtmcs river For the
Iast twenty years. there has been moored
within her borders a feet OF old United
States war ships. nrst. for a number or
,~Ars. at Brandon, later, at city Point
aud Tor the past nine years at RAN
dolphs Flats. about three miles below
The city. where they should be now,
but they are not. They would be there,
but al the FIRST inumation that old Sol
would answer TO roll-call yesterday morn
ing they pulled their possessions from the
muddy bottom Of the noble "Jcems, ana
went hence. ostens.biy 10 Norfolk. but
ultimately 10 no one knows whcre-pfoD-
ably TO the junk-pile or 20 the bottom.
IL is much to Doe regretted that the
Navy Department has decided 10 remove
she monitors from Richmond. as they
have proven a source of much pecunlary
lcnedt TO It's citizens. The monthly pay
roll fools up an average the year around
Of 5000 per month. and not as much as
30 pcr cent. OF that amount has lelt
the city. as. most OF the men were married
and had their families residing here'
and OF necessity had TO spend their money
here. and as q matter OF fact, the single
mon spend their money wherever thcy
happen 10 be.
The final disposition Of the ironciads
has not yet been determined on. nor can
A. be until they have been docked ana
their bottoms examined by board or
survey. upon whose report rests every
thing as regards their future disposition
that is. connected with them.
From all that can be learned al tnls
time. 10 Is very probable that All OF the
yporffors will be carried 10 the League
Island navy-yard. near Philadelphia ana
,noorcd in the back channel of the schuyl-
KIN river. there 10 remain until nature
has finally destroyed them, or. at least,
until their final trumo has been sounded
IL is anything but a pleasant privilege
10 have 10 chronicle the final departure
Of Richmond's monitor feetas Rlchmohd
loses one Of its principal places OF IN
tcrcst and a number OF bread-"iH"'is
lose their positions
The Navy Department is at the present
time short Of serviccaDle men, ana II
there was a resolving ship placed on
the site Of the monitors. II would accrue
20 the benefit of that particular branch
~ Uncle Sans service Since the mont
fors have been near the city. 10 has been
proven that Richmond IS "a most desira-
hle point 10 enlist men for the service
nine our or every ifM ANhh nave 't'A''N
cd here have proven themselves hdus-
frlous worthy. reliable men.
Richmond. being an inland city. the
service would draft from quite Inherent
element from what IL does in large sea
port towns where tho only thought OF
those who enlist Is TO spend a life or
idlencss. whereas. I'm this section. the
first thought Of each ono who Is tempted
to enlist is duty ana love Of country
a..... 81. Ia han hf
with good commanders. Such persons
as NcCurley ana Pigman are not easily
forgotten. and nothing short Of The pres
ent anprcciation Of the kindncsses OF
Commander Forsythe could dim such
recollection. In tho short time that
Commander Forsyihe has been IN Rich
Inond he has engrafted himself I'm the
good graccs of all with whom he has
come in contact. lie is a strict dis
ciplinarian, who believes in all persons
doing their duty and under such a
man Il would seem pleasure 20 obey.
In speaking OF his impressions Of Rich
rnond to a prominent James-riyer captain,
ne was heard TO say that he was much
gratined 10 know that he had been
thrown into such congcnial, high-toned
company. and he added My crew
which are mostly Rchmonders' is the
most willing. Obedient set of men ! have
ever ldN iN' pressure 70 ''ihhNaNNs !
have only had two or three cases of
disorder 20 come under my notice since
] have been here. and an Of those were
old scafarers. foreign 10 this section.
The Government has any number OF
light-draft. oli-style vessels. 10 which
James river affords excellent facilities,
and II the Department is re-
quested am sure that with
SIS present impressions of Rich
mond. IL will readily cCssent 20 station
receivlng-shp on the site Of the old
monitors. and open q recruiting rendez-
NOuS
The large Government tug Wahneta
in command OF Mate James NJ. Creigh-
ton. L.. s. y. arrived al the fleet at noon
Monday. being followed by two OF the
Norfolk and Western Railroad Compa-
ny's powerful tugs. Katie and Louise.
which arrived az S l.. NJ. The entire
fleet moved off at 8 a. NJ. Tuesday.