The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-27

ana to it's suburbs. 1t claims the dis
| tinction OF being the first railway to
make q real success of electric traction
in 1889.
Richmond is truly a representative
| southern city. It's people are credited
with being generous hearted, given to
hospitality and patriotically proud of
their political and military history
during the last century and OF their
heroic efforts even in Lost Cause"
While thoroughly loyal they recall with
pride their fleroism in the Confedera-
cy's defense.
The resident sections occupy two
high hills, while the valley and side
hills between, and the broad river bank
Is given over to trade and commerce,
also manufacturing and ship-building.
The area Of the city is about five and
one-half square miles with about one
hundred and sixteen miles of streets
which are laid out with great regulari-
ty, the main thoroughfares and cross
streets intersecting at right angles
from squares of nearly equal dimen-
sions that average about sixteen to a
mile.
Richmond has several parks or pub
lie squares whose total area covers
nearly one-tenth OF the city. The cap
ital square Is the center of interest as
the spot in and around which cluster
many memorials Of the states history.
1t comprises ten acres adorned with
trees, flowers and fountains and sta
tues. In the center Is the capitol build
ing erected in 1885 from plans taken
from a famous Roman temple of an
tiquity furnished by Thomas Jefferson.
MONUMENTS.
Richmond has an unusual number of
monuments and statues for a city of
it's size. Among them is the equestrian
statue Of George washington, standing
on an eminence in Capitol square. 1t
is sixty feet high and eighty-six feet
wide at It's base, while grouped around
the base are smaller statues, eleven
feet high, of the famous patriots Mel
son, Marshall, Patrick Henry, Jeffer-
son, Lewis and Mason. This work is
pronounced by competent judges equal
to anything Of it's kind in the world
1t cost s260,00O. In the Capitol square
is u fine bronze statue of Stonewall
Jackson. The equestrian statue of
Gen. r. E. Lee, on Park avenue, is one
of the finest ornaments in the city.
Another is Henry Clay statue, erected
in 1860, the gift of the women of Vir-
ginia. A. P. Hill monument is fine
piece of workmanship, while the "Sol-
diers' and Sailors monument is a re-
production on reduced scale of the
antique "Pompey's Pillar" near Alex
andria. Egypt.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Richmond can boast of some notable
public buildings, among them the capi-
tol, severely plain in architectural
character but with a wealth of his
toric associations. Houdon's celebrated
statue Of Washington adorns it's center
hall. The City Hall, built in 1893, is
fine structure costing a million and
cne-half dollars. 1t is 40 feet by 1856
and surmounted by tower $50 feet
high. The State Library, built in 1885,
contains over 10000 volumes and many
relics of olden times, as we'll as not
able collection of portraits of the
prominent Virginians who have won
fame as statesmen, orators and jurists.
But the finest structure of all is the
Jefferson hotel. acknowledged to be
one of the most palatial found in the
New South-'a tribute to architec-
tural genius and unquestioned peer of
its kind in America" 1t is the half
way station for tourists on their way
north and south, easy of access and
provides comfortable and luxurious
summer and winter home for the most
refined and eXacting patrons. This
magnificent structure covers an entire
block in the ultra fashionable part of
the city, on high ground with plenty of
light and air, and can accommodate
five hundred guests. II is built of buff
brick and terra Gotta with granite
foundation and is regarded absolutely
fire proof. 1t was built by Lewis Gin
ter. one of Richmond's progressive cit
liens, at cost of one million dollars.
1t was our privilege in company with
the popular manager, p. M. Fry, to
make tour of inspection. Ascending
the graceful flight of marble steps be-
meath the magnificent arches-the fin
est stairway in America, properly
termed the grand staircase"-we meet
Il pleasant surprise--the court dedi-
Gated to the great Nirginan, Thomas
Jefferson, in whose honor the hotel was
named. In the center stands the finest
statue to the author of the Declaration
of Independence ever attempted. This
IS but one feature of the hotel
A LUXURIOUS HOSTELRY.
Around the court, besides the natur-
al grass springing up at your feet, are
tropical and semi-tropical plants of
most every variety, and with the gold
en- rays of the sun streaming through
the glass roof produces the most ele-
giant of tints. Other features are the
Marble Hail." where many varieties
of marble adorn the walls; the Louis
XVI. parlor the blue parlor, the gold
and enamel parlor, the green reception
room. the library, the ladies' cafe, and
the luXuriously furnished hooks and
corners adjoining; then the grill room.
the smokers corner, the billiard room
and the elegant apartments so perfect
in detail, comprising the Turkish and
Russian baths.
The sleeping apartments, with the |
halls and corridors. are ornamented |
and furnished after the very latest
patterns. and made of the best mater |
lal that money can buy by the best
decorative artists of the country and |
luxurious In the extreme, while con- |
venient in every part so luxurious, it |
IS hard to realize that you are not i'm |
4 private home of wealth and cul- |
ture.
The great rotunda, with it's pictur-
asque gallery and glass roof summarized |