The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-31
CHASE CITY IS THE
IDEAL HOME TOWN.
Religious, Social and Educational
Advantages of Mecklenburg's
Largest City Considered.
BUILT ON SITE OF A soDoM
Festivities at the Famous Meek
lenburg All the Year Around
Several Schools.
BUILT ON SITE OF A soD0M
(star correspondent)

CHASE CITY, Va. May 2S.-There
was SO much to say In my letter of
last week about the industries and
business generally of Chase City and
the surrounding section l could not
find space to speak of the towns reli-
gious. educational and social advan-
tages.
The place where Chase City now
stands has not always been the mora!
and religious community it now is.
Away back yonder. a half a century
and more ago, there was settlement
here that was improperly called Chris
Evansville. The settlement consisted
of two or three combination stores and
whiskey shops, blacksmith shop and
a small tavern. There were no
churches, but there was a, race-track
nearby. and many of the neighbors
raised game cocks People whose in
clinations We're that way used in the
olden time to gather at Christians
Vile to fight chickens, race horses.
drink whiskey, play cards, fight among
themselves, and do all manner of un-
Christian things.
A Latter Day Sodom.
The better class of people and the
religiously inclined throughout the
western part Of the county Of Neck
lenburg and adjoining counties thought
Christiansville was a misnomer. and
they dubbed the place "sodom City"
That name clung to it for many years.
until wave of reform swept over tho
region. and the horse-racer, cock
fighter and whiskey,-guzzler suddenly
found their occupations gone. When
Mr.. George A. Endley. Of Ohio. and
Mr.. John E. Boyd. Of Pennsylvania.
came in here in 1870 and bought lands
they found as moral and religious a
community as they left in any part o.
the States they came from.
There was lot OF Western Yankee
push in these two gentlemen. and
when they made up their minds that
this from a moral point Of view. from
the undeveloped wealth surrounding,
and from a consderat tion Of healthful-
ness, was splendid site for q good
inland town, they commenced to make
things move.
How Ehcy Moved Things.
In 1873 they had the town incorpo-
rated, and named it Chase City In
honor of Salmon r. Chase, distin-
gulshed statesman of Ohio, who had
hlledsa a number of important positions
under the national government. and
was for many years Chief Justice OF
the United States Supreme Court. En-
ergetic and progressive young men
We're induced to locate here, and ere
long the new town commenced to
boom in a quiet way. The building
of the railroad from Keysville to
ClarksYille. and thence on to Durham,
OF course, added to the Importance OF
the town, but It's real life was then,
and Is now. the splendid back country
which surrounds It, OF which wrote
at length last week.
Moral aud Religious Sentiment.
IT'S high standing among the pros
gressive towns of the Old Dominion Is
very largely. II not entirely due to
the high moral sentiment of the peo-
pile who live here.
\ Nothing like the old-tlme "sodom
City" Festivities have ever been known
In Chase, City. IT. is and has been for
q long time, a dry town, and several
.1Contlnued on Fifth Page,l