Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-07-13
GROWTH OF THE CITY
SKETCH OF RICHMOND BEFORE
AND SINCE THE CIVIL WAR.
GREAT INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.
Obstacles That Were Overcome
After 1S05-Jnique Resources Point
to n Great Future-Facts and Fig
ures About Manufacturing, &c.

The history Of Richmond. when ade-
quately written. will present a fruitful
theme. illustrating many Of the charac-
teristic traits Of the State whose capital
and representative city she is.
Richmond was settled in 1909, within
two years after old jamestown itself. al
though not formally laid out until lIN.
In that year its town site was plated
by William Byrd, who was the third OF
the name identified with IL, and was It's
first real estate promoter" and true
founder In the world Of commerce IL has
always borne a forward part. IL pro-
iected canals TO the West in 1884 IL
launched into railroads in ISIS: II has
been a great seat Of the tobacco trade
for more than two centuries ana hait'
It was of note long years before the war
for its manufactures of iron and flour
and for its exports Of these and OF the
coal mined in its environment.
And although, in its present state, IL
centres its hopes and its aims almost
wholly on ascent by commerce, II mas
cut in its day a far prOuder ana nopler
figure. To the long muster of those dis
unguishod in the republic as trlpuneS
ard senators. justices and captains, IL
has furnished an eminent quota.
ITS PART IN HISTORY.
In the great crisis OF impending reyolu-
ton and at the climax of the civil war.
ii was a stage for actors and Of actions
of the heroic the epic, and the sublime.
In 1916 it was the scene Of Bacon re-
bellion-one Of the first upusinss against
royal prerogativcs.' Ia ln5, from It's
high altar OF 81. Johns. Patrick Henry
proclaimed independence i'm words that
stiu eleetrify. And for us part IN tho
revolution il was visited by Benedict
Arnold, the man OF inlamy, IN liol, WIN
torch and sword From May. OF lo02. to
Arril 1865. il was a beleaguored city.
holding out steadfasty, and towards the
end superbly. against odds-against the
greatest marshals and the strongest
levies the North could bring 10 reduce II.
As nj once the capital and citadel OF the
Confederacy. between those dates niteeh
pitched battles and more than twenty
bloody engagements, We're tOuSht Dcloie
its ramparts, and when, finally yleldins
To the inevitable. its defenders quilted H.
and permitted the victors the barren
triumph of possession; II was city
whose entire business quarter was no
thing but smouldering cinders ana char'
This was the desperate ana stupeh-
dous. but not despairing, sacrlhce Oh
community the sentiment OF whose cor
porate motto is Sic ltur al Astra-
''such is the way TO Immortality
GROWTH AFTER THE WAR.
The transition from adversely to pros
perity OF Richmond after the war was,
somewhat slow. Progress was to be iohs
and asslduously wooed ere her tavorS
were bestowed. The city was indeed
speedily relnyested with It's old-uhe
prestige as a tobacco market by the en-
terprise Of its merchants But virginia
although By herself, with every resene
live resource-pregnant with iron and
coal nrolinc Of timber soils. and water
was one of the last Of the States In Dixie