Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-26

tennial of the exploration of that
great northwestern region by Lewis
and Clark. and in 1907 comes the ex-
position at jamestown, Virginia, to
celebrate the 3OOth anniversary Of the
first permanent English settlement on
american shores. 1t is proper that
such an anniversary should have a
hitting observance. but it does not seem
possible that an exposition there can
be on a very extensive scale. There is
no large city near at hand; Virginia is
not a state of wealth and it's citizens
are not famed for the hustling quail
ties. which will make the st. Louis ex-
position success. The exposition
business is being overdone and the
failure at Charleston should be warn
ing to the jamestown people. How
ever. they are taking hold Of the
scheme with enthusiasm. and no less a
man than General Fitzhugh Lee is
president Of the exposition corpora
ton which has been chartered by the
Virginia legislature.
| This company has bought 100 acres Of
land and is planning to erect many
hotels and other accommodations for
visitors in addition to the exposition
buildings. A site has been chosen on
IA sandy spot projecting into that I'M
surpassed harbor known rs Hampton
Roads. about six miles directly north
of Norfolk and connected with that city
by a trolley railway. 1t is called
| Sewalrs point. During the Civil War
1t was occupied by formidable fortifi-
cations. traces of which may yet be
seen. The government still maintains
| earthworks there to protect the en-
| trance to Hampton Roads, and the
trolley railroad company has built a
sort of pleasure resort for the people
of Norfolk. The place is isolated and
possesses no attractions except the
water view.
1t was on May Is 1907, that about 100
valiant Britons sailed up the Powhatan
| River, now the James. and landed upon
| low island divided from the mainland
of Virginia by a swamp, and there built
town, which they christened James,
| town. i'm honor of their king. The site
| of this ancient town is 81 miles up the
river from the spot where it is proposed
\ to hold the exposition. The English
settlement at James Island was not the
first in the United States. Sir Walter
| Raleigh's party landed on Roanoke
Island on Albermarle Sound in 1885. but
the settlers returned to England dis
/ couraged. In 1857 a second colony was
planted there but every soul persisted,
| and to-day no man knows their fate.
Thus American history actually begins
with the arrival of Captain John Smith.
IL welcome refuge in Hampton Roads.
and he selected malarious. fever
! stricken locality for their home. The
island has been partially dissolved. and
much of the sacred soil had tioated
away in solution in swift waters of the
James to the sea. The United States
| government has been driving piles and
throwing in layers of brush and stone
in order to preserve what remains of it.
| Until a few years ago JAMESTOWN WAS
deserted. The owner had worn out the
soil. raising tobacco and abandoned the
old house in which the governor used
to live. Mr.. Barney of Dayton, Ohio. IL
public spirited man, who has a model
plantation on Hog island across on the
other shore of the James, purchased
this cradle of American history. cleared
out the underbrush. laid bare the ruins
of the old church and the cemetery in
which many of the old settlers sleep.
propped up the picturesque tower that
has been standing $50 years as a monu-
ment of the Christian faith of the first
| settlers, built roads and a bridge, re-
stored the old mansion. erected a cot
| tage for custodian surrounded the
| cemetery with Il fence and then pre-
scented the historic place to the people
| of Virginia.
| The only way it can be reached now
is by driving from williamsburg, but
that journey adds greatly to the inter-
est of the visit. The old capital of
Virginia may be comfortably reached
by the Chesapeake and Ohio Road from
Washington and Richmond, the travel
er will find good hotel there and
| every acre of the soil is associated with
| some event of interest. There is no
place in all America to which 50 much
romance and history is attached. And
every street and house reminds you of
Washington, Jefferson, Patrick Henry
& u Rim