The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-01
HISTORICAL RICHMOND.
THE CITY HOLDSeAN IMPORTANT
PLACE IN AMERICAy ANNALS.
Despite the Ravages of War She Has
Moved steadily Forward and De'ei-
oped Her Resources and Industries.


aspect, and that his steps are the nrst
| civilized invasion OF primeval SOLITUDE
SO wild ard romantic is the beauty OF land
| and water that combine 10 make the
scene picturesque ana entran Ing. Beyond
the uppermost OF the bridges that span
| the river where the rushing stream
| dashcs around the rocks and wooded Is
| let's that dot It's surface in many places
| the aspect OF the scene Is much the same
| as when first viewed by Captain John
Smith ana his companions, VINO explorer
| thus far up the river t"O hundIeu anu
1 ninety years ago
| The rocky barrier OF the falls impedod
| the further advance OF those harry az
| yentu.ers. who on an island lower down
| the stream, had planted the cross as
| sign OF occupation ana possession lhls
| first discovery OF the site OF klchlnohu
| by white men is thus coincident, Vlthih
| few weeks, with the original iahoiHs VI
| English colOnists in Virginia.
The attractions OF the location natural
ly invited a settlement. which was at
tempted but proved futile, since the many
and threatening dangers surrouhuihs 'ao
colonists compelled the concentration %
their small number and slender resources
at jamestown. The real ana lIliheuia 49,
danger confronting them was from the
hostility Of the Indian natives.
IT'S EARLY HiSIOR1.
For more than century the lncn" o.
Of this danger impeded the "esomaiu - -
tension of the colony, and huhuIeu al'u
thirty wears elapsed from the settlement
NJ jamestown to the founding or hich-
mond and the beginning OF us hl9to,s
as town. In the meantime the lNSantS
had been the scene or frequent ana sVlne
times bloody conflicts win the Ihuldls.
Old traditions say that the CnlihooIdLo
Park Hin was the scene OF famous pat
tie in those days, so sanguindry ina. ~
gave the name OF Bloody Kun 10 'he
rivulet flowing near by -, 80
The stream and its name are wen re-
roembered bv many OF the present genera
lion IL is probable also that on OF near
the same spot, in 1916, Nathamel bacon
Gained a victory that established inc
peace and security of this frontier re
giOn, as IL then was. Bacon lhe sV-ca -.
t.rebel" OF that time. was one OF the HloSt
remarkable characters in the history Oh
Tho colorv. His residence was few miles
lower down the river, but one or MS pldh-
tations gave the name TO bacon VusIt.'
branch that yet flows through ho''n
ern suburb of the ci,y. Ire memory Oh
Racon will vet revive not only as SOL
der hut nlso az an orator, some OF whose
fiery protests against polltlcal tyranny
were repeated IN the eloquence or fa'rlch
Henry q century later.
The founder Of Richmond was 'olo-
mel william Byrd. OF Wes'oVer; "hoso
enterprise planned and laid ont the Town
which was incorporated in l'i2. he CIVIL
cation OF Virginia was and mas oeen 80
essentially rural that the urban deNeioB-
ment has been OF slow growth, uhtil tuese
later days Richmond was no eNcepe,1Pm
10 the rule and SO slow was the carry
growth Of the town that st the end OF
tho Revolutionary war, forty years al
ter tia founding. the population uiu NO.
exceed fifteen hundred, Of whom pIoD-
ably one-halt were negro Saves -, III
l--G the capital was moved hlther from
williamsburg and in lis2, Richmond was
lncornOrated as a city. The town was
twice raiCcd by the British in liAi' uhuer
Arnold and raflcton. who inflicted dain-
age lr the destruction Of public ana pr'-
'''' - ms STEADY GROWTH,
The history OF the city after the close
OF the Revolutionary war Is recVlu u
steady growth. but without tnat dekIcs
OF increase in material prosp-t,,lyy f from,
natural and other advantages. In leiV' tne
regulation had increased 10 out niue
more than 1900 ana the census OF i5 9o
shows the number i.ttle uhdeI 49,.
prr IL the prOgress OF the city was SLOW
as measured by the standard OF later ddys
ami her history lacking in exciting mel
dents vet to her may be applied the ON
adage about the happiness OF PcoP,it
whose annals are dull No"heEe coIIu
hg found a more cpNNfHt'N 60
ataiv prosperous community IMAM tn11
living here previous 20 the late war, nor
ore N which there was more psraoidl
freedom or "a greater variety OF human
character. Thackeray found is me nlsI-
riost and most picturesque place III AiAtl-
"a II tho millionaire was unknown
go vas also the tramp ana q GENEROUS
eonse OK fellowship prevaded th3 com,
murlty. In those days. thoush pe'e 80. 60
slow were developed the traits OF strong
a. nr
conservative chatdf,,leir. ~, ore vi
and generous hospitality that are g.
The hest elements Of the citys repuI~-
II however. the early history of Rich
,oond IS uneventful, there came oIls'S
in 1851 that tried the qualities ana proved
no metal OF those who had 10 deal WIN
IL THO crisis presented the alternatives
of craven submission or arinel les.s', -
The Quiet. conservative old town S's"ea
81 ~ demand OF the occasion by SEM
i,,. TITO the field five thousand men, arm
Ell and equipped for battle ana Suletsn
49, career that has made her illuS.rloua
and famous above most clues Vi ~
country. For four years sne "a5 ~
nrize contended for by Mlsh,t 81 H.
I'D Thousands Of men gave up theF HNu9
gor her defence and for her posSesS,uu'
Piohmond and its possession Is tnS ny
r,ord that solves the meaning OF cFel
battle from Bethel to Ge ttSx while
sbe was safe behind her staiwastI o.
fa,ders the cause tor which tney iUr i IL
olwovs had fair chance OF success -,
Richinond fell AppomattoX vas en1 tba
icoI and necessary consequent 1o5 and
cause went to wreck as a s,Ia, 49,, 80
e,nerged shin is broken mp. N3Dou,y d n"I
-, toid the adequate story OF I. i-lIlii -
during those days OF CIVIC pay ~. sao,,,t,,
sublime passion. when every % .. r,eef
80 so,u and body was strained u ,s,ai
the call OF duty through ye"iH "a
and privation. .,,,,, ,,t,rr.r.Ds
i..ioaolds around Richmond are
Ine -, iess familiar objects. ana ngst
IlolS tncv, something Of the story OF
- soyen days' fighting OF 1852 ana OF ,iie
VIC 9o' -. 90 nonaign Of 1864, when cL4-
ti,.-d within ten miles OF the cry ~,
,a 80 me most disastrous REFUSES III az
r. annals OF war-when Grant "a'
sss.ed at Cold Haroor. Inc Hlo.2 -
Ling glories OF the war are oIteu ,n,s
o.. - The wonderful achievements .. 80
p ,.t. a. -, nrsating and supplying the means
S.sy.,tIal for the support Of tnat nilH1Nly
ziorv there IS but small recoIu. A.
-, Tho record should be made TOT II -
80 in whose glory even the women anu
oL,i1rsn shared and with herolsm olten
oll'N - tban that Of the soldier VINO
ICED the dangers OF the battleheiu.
T,ts story OF the wonderful deVelop,
mont n. skill and energy mat ' aNe'
a,,ors, ingenuity In order 20 meet the IS
aa,ts, reods of \ crisis that became every
a., moro urgent and irving In us az
,,,,rds The military glory or Elch-
rncnI's defence IS shared by every S'a,e
ranresented In the Army OF northern
I,t,.-,,ia. hut vha. may he called the
et,,ic Glory OF that era OF war IS the CITY
own necuiiar distinction, OF whose neroic
record any community might De psouu.