Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-07-22
John Quill |nvades the Old
Historic City.
Capital Of Contederaey Sur
renders a Second Time.
Interesting Visit to the Progressive
Virginian Metropolis.

In preyious letters l nave laii'iS ue
scribed nv wanderings in the sunny
South, principally in the tidewater ei'ie'
| of the .Old Dominion Will no" ,'he
IN the tangled thread as l dropped II
and carry my readers in imagfnauoh
,hror,b the battlefield section to the Old
historio citv of Richmond on the James.
Inst preyious to the adjournment or the
National Editorial convention at James,
town a delegation from the city council.
tho chamber of commerce and the Dusl-
ness organizations of Richmond appeared
before the association and extended in be-
half Of the various organizations very
cordial invitation to visit Richmond and
accent the hospitality of it's people.
The invitation was unanimously accept
ed and early Saturday morning we
marched to the music of the band from
the Inside Inn on the Exposition grounds
to Discovery pier, where we embarked
on one of the c. & o. boats for Newport
News. Crossing Hampton Roads out by
the naval fleet where the most magnifi-
cent naval display the world has ever
seen was spread out before us, We reach
ed Newport News and found waiting us
the r. F. V. train provided through the
courtesy OF President Stevens Of the c. &
O., a train consisting of Is palace coaches
to be run as the editorial special to our
destination. Leaving the tidewater city
of Newport News behind us we came
out into the open country and traversed
the fertile fruit and cereal section that
is making Virginia famous. My guide
one of the committee men, pointed out
as we rode along the many points of his
toric interest along the way-the old bat
tlefelds where the blue met the gray,
where the earthwOrks and trenches were
thrown up for the defence Of Richmond,
the positions of the several batteries and
armies that formed the almost impreg-
nable line stretching from tidewaters to
the James.
But it was in imagination only that l
saw them, for the trenches have long
since been filled up and the earthwOrks
ironed down on mother earth's wrinkled
| face. and where the campfires We're once
burning brightly and rival armies We're
| marching and countermarching. today
| fruit and cereals are growing and cotton
| is waving in the breeze. Back from the
| iron roadway where the magnolia is
growing stands the old southern mansion.
with its vine-covered porch and its air of
| cordially. While dimly seen through the
trees are the log cabins formerly the
| home of slaves, now occupied by the
workmen who are carrying the white
| mans burden, and cultivating the planta,
| tons. Here and there one sees the old ia
| miiar scenes of the darkey and his good
| helpmate hoeing side by side while the
| pickaninnies in various stages of decol-
| lete costume are playing around the cabin
door. I watched from the car window the
| ever-changing scene until the suburban
met and mingled with the outskirts of the
capital city.
| Arriving at Richmond we are met by
| the committee and large concourse of
| people who turned out to welcome their
guests. Flags and streamers were flying
| in the breeze and the town presented n
| gala appearance. 1t was practically the
second surrender of Richmond; the city
and its golden key were ours. After the
| formalties at the station We're over we
were escorted down the main street to
| the Whitiock Branch of the american
| Tobacco Cos. works, where Col. McCar-
| thy. mayor of Richmond. in n very face
| tious speech welcomed the party to the
| capital city Response was made by the
| president of the N f. A. Lunch was
served in the immense dining room. Cut
flowers to the ladies and cigars and 9TH
| er souvenirs We're distributed to the gen.
tlemen. At 1880 we boarded our specia!
cars for sightseeing hour Of the city.
Libby Hill park. where the soldiers and
| sailors monument stands. n reproduction
of Pompey's Pillar. near Alexandria
Egypt. The monument was unveiled May