Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-03
is only one OF many similar ns.a'
where he was not importuned III 'a'"'
rrprRAI, TO HIS EMPLOYEES.

Major o,n,er was both liberal and
| considerable to those who worked io' n,,'''
| paying large salaries, anu pns
| ever ready 10 help them In their nee.s,
| sifies When his factory was purneu
aoTn four years ago. in the MIDDLE OF
winter. ne found employment LOT me
| hands almost at once, and in the INTERN,
| he paid them their wages jus.
| though the factory was in opera'ivii'
| He was thoroughly conversant WIN .ne
| anai,s OF those who worked Tor MIN,
and n he learned that they were In need
| Of money he was careful to help them;
ua aid this I'm most delicate ana
characteristic way He would stop tnose
he thought needed assistance on their
way out of the factory after work. anu
ask them IL they would mind WORKING
little overtime, as there was siea.
demand for the goods. They inVariaoiy
complied with his request, and were co'n
pensated with large sums or money, d.
the same time being made 10 ieei tna'
they were not dependent upon cnaii.y'
Every year Major Ginter gave Vaiuapie
and useful articles TO his employees at
Christmas time, but he departed iroin
his usual custom last Christmas, giving
10 each oranges and a box of candy,
placing In the latter sums OF money IN
accordance with what he conceived 10
be the needs OF the recipient
He was a friend Of education. but did
not favor UNCONVENTIONAL schoois anu
colleges, preferring to bestow MS pehe-
factions In helping the poor ana Keep
ing them at work.
HIS RELIGIOUS CONVlCTloNS'
He was not member OF any churSn
but attended St. Paurs protestant Epis
copaD for many years. He had very
strong religious convictions, anu
Characteristic story Is told Of the open,
ing of the new factory, on Seventh anu
Cary streets, which proves TINS:
When the first days work In the ne"
building was begun, Major Ginter en-
tered the workrooms and tod All hhhuS
TO put I'D their tools end go up stairs.
when ali were seated Major Ginter ad-
dressed them. He spoke " the comfort
with which they were surrounded IN
their new quarters, and Of the growth
and prosperity OF the firm, adding: but
we owe all this TO a higher power, ana
| propose now that we all spend Few
minutes in silent prayer" The enect
of his words were magical, and 1t moved
many Of those present to tears.
He had very critical appreciation or
the way In which the liturgy should be
read and only a short time before MS
illness when several gentlemen hau
gathered at his Franklin-street residence
after morning service one sunday ne
expatiated at some length upon this SUD
ject. He said he had been impressed an
his life. and often panied at the slovenly
way i'm which the service was read In
Episcopal churches, and especially the
litany. and getting up from his seat ne
acclaimed 1t with such dramatic ana
Evolutionary force as he thought should
be employed by ministers.
Among the older clergy, long since
passed away, whose reading he partlcu-
larly admired were Bishop Cummings
and DR.. Woodbridge.
HIS CONTROL OVER MEN.
Major Ginter knew how to control men,
and no man ever became we'll ac-
ouainted with him who did not hold
him as q friend Many times he had
the opportunity of places or poilticai
eminence in the State, but he invariably
declined them, saying he was a nome
body. and loved to meet his friends ana
enjoy them at his own house. He dis
pensed as generous hospitality at 70
or 80 years OF age as he did since ne
erected his palatial residences here. lie
lived first in rooms on Fifth street, In
a two-story house just behind Noltings.
Here ne entertainer cCiVSb NCNSiiN'
Among his earliest and lifelong friends
were Mr.. John Selden of Westover; Mr..
Hill Carter, OF Shirley; DR.. Moses d.
Hoge; Mr.. Thomas Boiling, OF Boiling
HALL Mr.. John III. Montague, Mr..
Wyndham Robertson, Mr.. Raleigh L.
Daniel, Judge w. W. Crump, Mr.. Thomas
August, Mr.. Walter Harrison, and Colo
mel Joseph Selden, the hero Of Chepul-
tapec.
In his taste he was moderate and ex-
quisite. His entertainments were all upon
a most lavish scale, and many Of them
were served by Delmonico, Of New York.
Upon one occasion the capons were
trussed with silver skeUers, which the
ladies present tried to secure as souvenirs
of the occasion, and wore them In their
hair at the table. The caterer. however,
demurred, and at the request Of Major
Ginter. they were all returned.
Another famous banquet that he gave
had as its principal guests the Church
dignitaries OF the different denomina-
lions In the city.
Whether it was a ball. a dinner party, |
or a reception, Major Ginter invariably |
employed all the resources OF the most |
famous caterers. and his entertainments |
were never eclipsed.
HIS CITY AND COUNTRY HOUSES.
From his bachelors apartments on |
Fifth street, Major Ginter moved to the |
house on Cary street now occupied by |
Captain Gordon McCabe, which he had |
purchased and spent $4,000 in improving |
and decorating 1t. He bought this pro- |
perty because II was near his factory, |
but he was never wholly satisfied with |
ii, and In the later seventies he bought |
his Franklin-street property from Mr.. |
John G.. Shafer, though he did not build |
upon it until good many years later
He purchased Westbrook twelve years
ago from the estate OF the late
sided there. The transaction was car
ried out by the late Mr.. John Pope during
Major Ginters absence in Australia. His
was to have a country home TO
drive to and entertain his friends, but he
Did house was torn TO pieces and rebuilt
with many additions. 1t Is superbly MT
ted and almost palatial.
1t is impossible TO estimate the money
he spent at Westbrook and upon the
property. building roads and
them; laying out Lakeside
Park, one of the most beautiful and com
Dlete public parks to be found anywhere.
Certain II Is however. that It has en-
nanced the value of the north side of the
lily UNNECESSARILY; 1t has provided Rich
nond with one of It's chief attractions,
and has furnished a boulevard miles In
length, the like of which, for riding and
irving, is unexceled in this country. He
has completely transformed that locality
lround his residence: which was formerly
Known as Featherbed Lane, and was fun
)f gullies.