St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-11-12

our party passed somewhere near the
place. He was the bearer of imortant
messages to Gen. Braddock and had
stopped at this place, owned by a Mr..
Fitzgerald, for supper. Washington was
urged to stay all night, but declined on
the ground that his messages were too
important to be delayed. A few minutes
after he was introduced to Mrs. Gusts,
who had come over from her home near
by to make a neighborly call, he decided
that the messages were not so important
after all and had his horse put for the
night. The result of this visit needs no
explanation.
We reached Richmond before 4 o'clock
and enjoyed quite ride through the city
to the Jefferson hotel, one of the finest in
the country. 1t was built by Major
Ginter, who made large fortune in the
manufacture of cigarettes, and cost over
$1,5OO,OOO. 1t was opened only two or
three years ago and according to some
who claim to know is hardly paying
piece Of property. Mr.. Ginter died a
short time ago and it is said made ar
rangements so that money is always
forthcoming to keep the hotel running in
the style intended for it. 1t is magnifi-
cent structure, elegantly furnished and
equipped throughout. One of the beau
tiful features of the hotel is the large
court in the center of the building, which
contains fine statue of Thomas Jeffer-
son surrounded with splendid display
of palms and other plants. The dining
room service could not be improved on
and everything on the menu card proved
so palatable that it was with difficulty
that some of the party could bepersuaded
to leave the table. If the managers of
the hotel ever had occasion to complain
of dining room profits it was on the in
spection of the larder after the two
meals disposed of by the Vermont party.
We would advice any in this section who
are contemplating a wedding trip to
spend few days at the Jefferson hotel.
A beautiful bridal suite of three rooms on
the third floor, which can be engaged for
only $50 a day, would be delightful
headquarters for short honeymoon. In
the parlors are pictures by famous paint
ers and an interesting feature in the pink
parlor is clock claimed to be worth
$4,000, pendulum studded with dia-
monds having something to do with its
value. 1t is magnificent hotel, perhaps
little more Of one than the demands
of the city require, but Richmond is
growing and will soon be big enough for
it. Major enters money has done the
city good in other ways and his memory
is to be still further perpetuated by the
endowment of a mechanics institute and
school of technology.
Richmonds population numbers over
81 900, about 40 per cent fit being col.
ored. The city is built for the most part
on several hills and there are very few
level streets. 1t is thriving manufacture.
ing city, having large number OF manu-
featuring concerns employing a large
number of hands and requiring the in
vestment of large amount of capital
The tobacco interest is the leading indus
try. The population of the city has in
creased 25, 900 or 10000 since the wal
and it is expected that the 100000 mari
will be reached before many years.
The first place visited in Richmond by
about dozen of the party was the X
A. Patterson tobacco factory. Here w,
watched the manufacture of Luck,
Strike, one OF the best known smoking
tobaccos in the country, and also Fl. O.
another famous tobacco, both kept il
stock by several st. Johnsbury stores
On the top floor the process of mixing
the leaf with the sweetening is gon
through with and if there is anythin,
that will make the user of tobacco sick O
it it is to watch for awhile the negroes a
work here. They stand in their bar
feet in pile OF the tobacco leaves putting
handsful OF them into the tub containing
the liquid which very much resembles
brown mud. This is the sickening part
noticed one or two quietly throw thei
half smoker cigars one side and if an
one happened to be chewing when he Ell
tered the room he wasn't shortly after
wards. From there we watched the di
ferent processes of drying, pressing int
plugs, ETC., and then came to the packing
room, where white and black girls an
boys were packing the cut plug tobacc
into the attractive looking boxes. TIL
rapidity with which these young peop
fill the little boxes is something marve
Gus. The young coons watched the il
terested faces of the Vermonters with
!, grin that extended from ear to ear, br
they never let up on filling those boxe
with tobacco at chain lightning rapidly
In the packing room the fondness for tt
weed returned, and cigars were agai
. lighted. Tobacco looks better NIGEL
packed in an attractive box than it do.
under nigger's toe or swimming aroun
in dirty-looking liquid.
Among other places visited in Ricl
!. mond was Washington's headquarter
an old plastered stone house, built
about 1910. The house is one story an
contains few Washingt relics t
look at and good many relics to be soil
We visited st. Johns church, where p
rick Henry made his famous speech befo
the Virginia House of Burgesses tht
closed with the words, "Iknow not wht
course Others may take, but as for m
! give me liberty or give me death" TIL
. speech went resounding through all Il
colonies and sounded the keynote of Il
Revolution. 1t was one of the most pov
: erful speeches ever made and came fro
, the youngest member of the House, who
. the older members looked upon as
clownish and rustic youth. They we