The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-04-08
Heard and Seen
in Public Places

Mr.. J. II Toops, OF Hebron, Neb., writes
tho engineer OF tho Heard and Seen
Column concerning Il war relic, a rcd
leather bound Autograph album Which
his father. then a Federal soldier. car
ricd away from Virginia In the COS Mr..
loops says his father now dead, made
the following memorandum In the album:
"Thc circumstances by which l cana
Into possession OF this album are these:
At the uto battle OF Cross Keys there
wero several very wealthy farmers who
lad just everything the land could pro-
duce to make them comfortable. Their
houses were OF the very finest, and wcra
filled with all the comforts Of lIfc But
the occupants were too proud and
naughty to come under the protection
of tho old flag wc had hoisted Iii the
Valley OF Virginia, and went away and
left their houses unprotected.
..tlhe house that this came from was
the finest I ever saw This
book had been taken by some one aud
thrown out into the yard. picked 1t
up, and thought 1t would be a nlco
pre- sent TO send q sister from the land
OF Dixie"
The Nebraskan further describes the
album: '"rlle wording on the front page
Is as follows: a present to Maggie from
her Af'c't father. May 23rd, 1854 Tho
'
Ge Pc. Me- The next is, For Cousin
NInggie's Alum signed Wm. Aug. 2..
1886. Then some German writing APP
pears Next tho only slrname In the
book appears after an ifnpromptu verse
describing visit TO lWirr'B Cavc) Wier's
Cave Also. a tribute to "Alr. Mohlcr,'
tho guide. both signed, a. L. Ruter
iDufour, OF Indiana.
Mr. loops says the album Is now tho
Ill ttnr- a l,n IN.
turn It to the proper owner. II the same
may be fonnd.4
MIR. Hickman. special agent Of The
( Postof1lce Department, has been III tho
city looking into the mall wagon service,
and, Of course, he heard much OF the
talk about Il new postonlco building. a
larger lot. the whole square scheme. etc.
Mr.. Hickman said ".rhc government
learns and profits by experience. Tho
new, tall and handsome postofflce build
ing IN Chicago Is a beauty. an ornament
TO any city; but for postoilco purposes
1t is IL failure. IT Is safo Fto say the
Government Will not huIll any more
nos toiIlces as ornaments Just to Improve
the looks OF city. Hereafter the de-
partment will spent the larger partof
Its postonlce building fund on big lots.
,,pon which will be elected substantial
One-Sl0TS DullulIES, Will -Sopi 20 W. no
delivery wagons to enter. lPostofiiccs.
no matter how large the city, should be
so built that all of the business may be
transacted on ono floor, and so they Will
DO built III the future, In my opinion.
regardless OF how much land Is required
, to hold them"
Mr.. William II. Wilson, formerly
member or tho Legislature ana now the
- ln.rf xpit-fNt M
Pittsylvania county, says: Now that the
wca thor has cleared up. tho counties wiz
be getting to work patching up the coun-
try roads. Patching Is all that VIII be
done, and that ever will be done until
the knowledge OF good road -masins be-
comes more general. Our schools arc
teaching young mon every sort Of thing
these dnys-how to DO doctors, how to
preach, how to farm, and how to do
everything except build good roads. It
seems to mo tho Polytechnic Institute at
Blacksburg ought to open u road-build-
ing department to furnish tho State Win
some sure enough rood makers Tho
people won't mind taxing themselves for
good road money If we could employ
road builders who have some scientific
knowledge Of road building. Wo can't
got then, now unless we send way or
for them. and pay such n fancy price
for their services the cost becomes too
heavy. Virginia wants two or three
good crops Of home-madc1 scientific road
builders"