The Washington herald., 1909-08-08

Rev. Alfred Harrison Burroughs, whose
residence At Bristol is a strategical posi-
tlon OF rare Importance. from legal
viewpoint. being in both Virginia and
Tennessee at the same time. and within
easy hiking distance OF the North Caro-
lima boundary, seems 20 have been chosen
by fate as the founder OF Gretna Green
get-married-qulck busineSs and broad
gauge matrimonial plant says the St.
Louis Post-Dlspatch.
He has introduced new machinery Of
his own invention which enables him 10
execute not only the double and triple
splice. but also the quadruple. quintuple
sextuple. and even the septuple com
pound marriage ceremony. with neatness
and dispatch. There are no wholesale
rates, however. Each newly wed pays his
own score. and there Is no maximum
/ limit. SO the marriage min IS self-sup-
porting. and then some more-that Is.
I for the parson. He gives good value.
| though After a record of 5000 wedding
! transactions, Dominic Burroughs has
rarely or never been compelled 10 ex-
change or take back any damaged. mis-
/ represented. or unsatisfactory stock.
/ His brides and bridegrooms are warranted
sound and kind-though not Of course,
20 stand without hitching. His marriage
certificates VIII always hold water. First
aid 20 the love-struck Is his speciality.
and you might do well 10 keep his ad
dress in mind even II not having I'm
mediate occasion 70 look him up.
/ Sprawllng across the border line OF the
i two States. Virginia and Tennessee. Is
! Bristol. a town OF 2o.000 population. It's
situation makes it the metropolis FOR
Eastern Tennessee and Southwestern
| Virginia. and the fact that Il lies astride
the line dividing two States, each with
laws different from the other. makes II
a veritable breeder Of unique situations
and peculiar conditions.
This imaginary line. dividing the cleo
trio railroad into halves. makes It pos
slble for companions 10 travel the full
/ length Of State street on a car together.
one riding In Virginia and subject 10 the
laws OF the State while the other is
riding IN Tennessee and amenable 20 the
laws Of that state and 10 a different
municipality as Well
II Is such a condition that has resulted
IN The establishment OF this Gretna
] Green right on the border line and has
made Rev. Alfred Harrison Burroughs.
now seventy-eight years old. prominent
IN the race FOR the worlds record as a
marrying person.
The occasion for the establishment Of
such a matrimonial Mecca grew out Of
the fact that IN the States Of Virginia
and West Virginia minors cannot law
fully be married except with the written
/ consent Of their parents or guardians.
But while this was the basis for the es-
tabIishment OF the Burroughs foundry.
which sprang up In most incidental
way nineteen years ago. love-stricken in
dividuals from many other States. includ-
ing New York. New Jersey. Michigan.
Ohio. Indiana. and California. have eloped
10 Bristol. while inquiries upon the sub
ject OF matrimony have reached the ven
! cradle minister from such far countries
as England. Ireland. and Mexico.
So general has become ParsOn Bur
roughs' fame that it not infrequently
happens that he marries from two 70 four
] couples al one time. using a single cere-
mony for the entire party. Once six
pairs surrounded the minister in the
parlor Of his house and were married in
this way. one ceremony and one blessing
answering for all. Only a few days ago
this experience was repeated. when ne
married i've couples with a single cere-
mony. and he had barely concluded his
prayer in which he asked for the choicest
blessings 20 rest upon the whole group.
when two more pairs were ushered into
the reception room. requesting the serv-
ices Of the man who has earned the title
of strenuous uniter OF young lives
Entirely accidental. too. was IL that 50
many couples came az one time. all ar
riviug on the same train. They came
from different counties In Virginia. and IL
was not until the whole party was re-
. ceived by the minister. who was IN walt
ing at the union depot. that they realized
the possibility Of so unusual a ceremony. II
| so happened. too, that each of the young
brides had made the same excuse to get
away from home. Commencement day
at Emory and Henry College. In Wash
ington County. had arrived, and the girls
left home with the understanding that
they were going TO attend that But each
OF these pretty young girls met her lover
and the entire party, instead Of purchas-
ing tickets 20 the Emory station, called
for tickets for Bristol
/ The marriage for that day. sOlemnized
with only two ceremonies, represented
the following Virginia couples: Thomas
Colly and Lou Farris Washington Coun-
ty: Frank COudy and Cora Henderson,
Smyth County; r. L. Ruble and Cay
nelle Mace. Botetourt County, William
Con and Willie" Moran. Washington
/ County; Asa B. Hancock and Lucy Ellen.
/ Wythe County; William Spickard and
Nettie Ryan, Marion, Va; Frank Shep-
pard and Kate Barker. Montgomery
County
SO steadily has the stream Of elopers
increased of late years that soon after
the old Nickels House. in which the min
lister began his career crumbled 20 de-
cay, eight years ago, he began the
erection OF a hotel near the union sta
tion. designing It especially for the enter
tainment Of bridal pairs. providing il
with a spacious parlor and reception
room and a half dozen bridal chambers.
The completion OF this hotel brought
week by week a larger number than ever
before. and they continue 10 arrive on ell
trains, on horseback. In buggies and au-
fOmOhflrc while NOW and rhon q D2fr