The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-08-07
MARY F. bhLLENTINE HOME
A Brief History Of One of NorfoIKs
Foremost Institutions.
Magnificent Structure Erected and
Named in Honor OF a Noble Chris
tian Woman, and Which Will
Ever Stand as Monument
TO His Philanthropy.

There ia much that is admirable in
the manner IN which many of the for
tunate rich mon of the country dis.
pense their beneiactions to The lcsg
favored mortnls about them, aud the
great good they DO eau not be meas
ured by dollars and cents. The men
who endow colleges and build housea
OF worship.o or homes for the aged and
decrepit; who establish public libraries,
who endow hospitals and asylums, are
all bencfnctors OF their fellow men. aud
such charity, dispensed without os,eu-
tentatlon aud with no thought or hope
of reward are but monuments to the
enterprise aud muniiiceuce of the don
ors, and "the good they do lives after
them" Men grow rich III the accu-
mutation OF tins worlds goods and
happy for the Luman race there are
those among them who feel that at is
better to give than TO receive"
This class OF men are, as n rule. what
the world is pleased to term plain men
men whose lives have been frugal.
and who are the architects OF their own
fortune, who go on through life noise
lessly. without any display, but are
ever ready to lend II helping hand to
the deserving, the afflicted and dis
tressed.
1t is hard 10 believe that in this land
OF plenty that there are any OF Gods
creatures without bread; that there are
wanderers without shelter aud without
hope, and yet there are bot oth-descry
ing men and women, who are poor
through no fault of their own. and
with many of them the sands of life
are well nigh run. The philanthropIst
"a @ AI tr,,l, 10, 4,
lief OF such people. bnt i'll the majority
OF instances the assistance has only
been temporary. Many years ago "A
citizen OF this city conceived the ldcn
of erecting, and endowing home for
the aged, and determined that il
blessed with fortune the idea should
be put into active execution. Years
came and went, fortune favored the
gentleman, and 10 day
THE MARY i. BALLESTINE HOME FOR THE
AGED.
of Norfolk, is tho outcome of that de
termination, and our esteemed fellow
citizen, Thomas X. BulleutIpe. is the
man whose muniticeuce has made the
home reality. The enterprise Will
cost SO, 600, aud it is MIR. Ballentine's
purpose to richly eudow it.
The building is located in Bramble.
ton Ward, Oh Park avenue, on n broad
plateau OF about 30. 600 square feet.
bounded on the front by Park, on the
south 10y Boud and on the west by
Marshall avenues, aud on the north by
Corprew road. n other words. the
grounds occupy the entire square, or
block. bounded by the streets named.
These grounds are to be laid oil bv a
landscape gardner, with beautiful walk
ways mud avenues, Plants, flowers aud
shrnbbery Ill great variety will he ar
tisticalIy planted therein by export
gardeners from ono of the larc est florists
concerns IN the country. and In year
or so the place will he o veritabIe Gar.
den OF Eden.
THE BuIDING IS FOUR STORIES HIGH.
with basement. and is 1OOx5O feet. Its
built OF Washington hydraulcIic press
BRICK with terra Gotta trimmings, ON
the southeast corner is un elegant
tower 20 feet in height. The sills
belt course and psnnels are terra
Gotta. The cutters, valleys, ridges
and down pipes, with tininiel at apex of
tower are copper, with slate roof,
There are bay windows looking north,
east and west, each OF which Commands
grand view of the city and
surrounding country. at tho north