Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-02-13

pany No. I, with their handsome water
tower and steamer "Idella, both drawn
by horses, all under charge of Fire Mar
slal c. NJ, Hough and Capt. Julius c.
Holmes. and headed by the Charles Town
Band, T. NJ. Baker leader. After parad-
ing the principal streets the procession
moved to the courthouse, where large
assemblage was gathered. Col. R. P.
Chew presided over the meeting, and in
calling it to order announced it as a
pleasant duty to be with his felIow-citi-
zens on this occasion. Jefferson was the
home of the brothers Of Mr. Charles
Broadway Rouss, and had been the home
of his father. He had the pleasure to
know Mr.. Rouss not only as merchant
and millionaire, but in the times that tried
mems souls. He had seen him on the
field of battle, where the same GOODNESS,
courage and magnificent will power were
displayed that had since brought him the
highest success in the mercantile world.
Notwithstanding his immense business
environments, his busy brain is not too
much occupied to revert to the scenes of
his youth and the people of his earlier
years. and share of his munifcence with
them, from an ever open purse.
Owing to death in his family, Col. B
d. Gibson was prevented from beng
present, but the excellent address pre-
pared by him was well read by Mr.. Cleon
Moore, and is as follows
Members of the fire company, ladies'
and gentlemen
Strangers might think this an unusual
meeting, this celebration of the birthday
anniversary of a living man. But when
we consider the unusual liberality and
extraordinary character of weld Ding of
the kind-hearted Charles Broadway
Rouss, we, who know him, deem it all
the more proper to hold this birthday
celebration in honor of our friend-and
generous benefactor.
l do not come to flatter him. Mr.. Rouss
neither desires nor needs any fattery.-
But his oft-shown friendship and deeds
of kindness and benevolence deserve the
avowal of our warm praise and grateful
thanks.
He has lived much more than mere
years. Time has led him through many
paths; from poverty along by sorrow and
distress, in sunshine and shadow, through
fields of toll and want, to the rugged
summit of wealth
Born on a farm in Frederick county,
Maryland, he came early in life with
his parents to Frederick county,
Virginia, where he laid the foun-
dations of his life-wor!;, He is well
known in Jefferson county, for here he
lived awhile at his fathers home, Shan
non Hill, opposite the health-giving
Shannondale Springs. And his two
brothers, Capt. Milton Rouss, and Mr..
w. w. Rouss, live on or near the old
Rouss homestead, and are among the
most progressive and prosperous citizens
of this county.
Charles Broadway Rouss' warmest
friends also live in this county, who were
comrades with him in Company B, the
crack company Of the crack regiment of
the Laurel Brigade of Virginia caval-
~, IN the great war. He shared with
them the fights where honor and valor
led and the Southland's dead died brave
ly for the right. His sorrow mingled
with theirs in the sadness of defeat, when
the stainless flag of the Lost Cause was
folded away with the broken sword of
Justice.
1t was in far-famed Winchester that
Mr.. Rouss started on his marvellous mer-
camille career, which has progressed step
by step till he now stands the merchant
prince of the Metropolis of the Union,
and Author of Net Spot Cash, with
fame reaching into every state of our re-
public, and with no one his superior in
the wondrous achievements of his bust
ness management.
Out of the fullness of his heart he has
almost showered munifcent gifts from
his immense fortune. to advance the in
terests of the Southern people, and to
perpetuatc the memories of the glories of
the Southland and the deeds of her war
rIor heroes. All praise to him for aid
ing such noble principles.
Thousands of dollars have been gwen
by him to private persons, and for OBJ
jects of humble note, unknown to the
public,
Among the varied and useful dona
lions of this princely benefactor, the
chiefest are the following, which show
that he does not act like m ost of the mil
lionaires and hoard his wealth during life
in order to give to some one popular OBJ
ject in glorifcation of his own name:
but that in doing good in his lifetime, he
portions ont the shares of his hard-won
riches wherever he believes his gifts will
rebound to the public welfare and the
amelioration of the wants and the neces-
sites of the greatest number of his fellow
men: $1,000 for the fence around Mt.
Hebron Cemetery, $4,000 for water
works, $50, 600 for new City Hall, and
SO, 600 for Charley Rouss Fire Company
Building, in Winchester; 81, 600 annually
for many years to the Shenandoah Val
ley Agricultural Fair; SOS, 900 for a mon
ument to the Confederate dead in New
York City; $4,000 for the Physical Lab
oratory building at the University of Vir-
ginia, So, 600 towards cost of erecting the
Charles Broadway Rouss Mem orial Hall
of the Independent Fire Company in
Charles Town, 5000 to the Citizens Fire
Company, SIS, 900 for a home for Admiral
schley, S2oo,ooo tor the Confederate Me