The Washington herald., 1909-01-31
Rr r. z. NELsoN-


Many years before our civil war theT,
was excsvated through dirt and rock Z
canal. leading from Richmond. Va. t
+ Lynchburg. It was called the jaime.
River and Kanawha Canal Il followed
Z the sinuOsitics Of James River all ths
way, and cut through many fertile farms
owned by men Of the 2. F. Y. stamp, OF
whom prosperity was then bestowing hei
richest gifts.
Lordiy mansions Of the colonial type
near the canal are TO be seen from Rich
mond 10 Lynchburg Stately dwellings
built by men who owned hundreds of
slaves. and thousands OF acres. Nabobs
We might denominate them. with prince
1 ly incomes. who had no object in life
but the extracting from It OF as much
honey as possible
The younger members OF these families
some Of them handsome. dashing, chiv-
alrous. attended William and Mary Col
iege. and. later. the University Of Yir-
ginia taking the A 3. degrees or A. NJ.
but many attending only long enough
TO polish UP for society They looked out
upon the world and lay claim to all
necessary TO furnish them 2 good time.
They we're 10 be benefciaries in the
last viii and testsments OF their COVER
nors (as the heads OF families were
known. who would dispense unknown
riches. so why should they have care
about the future2 One Of them. OF being
given large check with which 10 enter
college. on leaving home. wasted the
money in riotOus living. before reaching
college, and then made application for
more at headquarters Some OF them
boosted that they had never opened a
book where they we're. ostensibiy. stu
tnts. A few Of them brought 10 these
fine families well-earned diplomas.
Many Famous Mansions.
Following the James River west OF
Richmond we note the Boiling mansion.
the Seldom homestead. Rock Castle. Belle
mead. with its many towers. now owned
by the Catholic Church as a school Co
ing on We come to Elk Hill. the Harrison
mansion; the Gait home. at Point Of
Fork. near Columbia Then. in order. Is
Bremo. a splendid Colonial home. OF Gen.
Cooke. father OF PhHlip St George Cooke;
and then the CabeIIs. above.
When this canal vas in progress
through one Of these farms. the owner
was accustomed. Il IS said. TO stroll down
10 watch the workmen every day or so.
he fell into conversation with an Irish
man fresh from the "ouId country
who impressed him with having more in
telligence than is found in the ordinary
Iaborer, and the land owner expressed
some surprise that he should belong 10
a gang OF common workmen.
We'll. sor. said he. IF I had a bar'l
Of whisky and a bar'i Of ginger cakes
right now. I wouldn't ask the world to
give me anything more"
II that is all said Mr -. II viii
furnish you with the barrel Of whisky
and cakes which he did This shrewd
Irishman turned over these cOmmodi-
ties many times in sales TO his fellow
vOTknen. and soon had money enough TO
enable him to quit that sob. He estab-
lished a brewery and accumulated a large
fortune. He furnished equipment for a
whole regiment Of Southern soldiers, and
even after the war closed was a man OF
great wealth for those days in Virginia
Mr.. -. after the war. was impover-
ished with the other nabobs OF that re-
sion. mOrtgaged his property. had to
face foreclosure. and sale of mis- splendid
estate When his former protege. the
Irishman. heard Of the appointed sale. he
FASTENED 10 attend. bought the property,
and then handed the papers to his bene-
factor. 10 whom he said that he consid-
cred this a small credit 10 be placed to
The account Of gratitude which he owed
to man whom he would ever think of
IS the founder OF HIS fortune, in giving
him that barrel OF whisky and barrel of
cakes, when he was a poor workman
in the ditch with pick and
shovel.
Opens Good Markets.
When the canal vas finished Il fur
lished an easy and cheap mode Of trans
to market in Richmond and
Iynchburg, taking the crops of the far
ners from barns built on its banks into
reight boats When a farmer desired |
o ship twenty or thirty hogsheads OF