The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-03
Abyll Dates In History
of Richmond City

of history for a century and looking
into the record OF APRIL 1, 1910. thu
long stride of progress which Rich
mond has made during that cyclic OF
years can be measured by contrast
perhaps more fully than in any other
way.
Then the population OF the city was
only 3.TS5. The City Council then held
Its meetings In Council chamber on
Governor Street, and the site of thu
present City Hall was occupied by
Nrirardins Academy. A newly bull,
theatre, the pride OF the fashionable
society element OF Richmond stood
where Monumental Church has since
been built. But water was still brought
to tho Old Market from the basin in
wooden pipes, and from Bloody Run,
on tho eastern slope of Church Hjll,
to Bell Tavern, on Fifteenth and Main
Streets. In the same primitive man
ner. The name Bloody Run had been
given the little Church Hill stream be-
cause IL flowed through the scene OF
n fierce battle between the Virginia
Colonial troops under Colonel Edward
Hill and the Indians during the year
1856. The struggle was long and des-
perate. and the water of the Run that
day took on an ensanguined hue which
afterward rendered it memorable.
First Canal Boat.
In 1918, on April l. the flrs. canal
boat arrived in Richmond. In regard
to canals. Washington had already
come to the city on November is, 1855.
To promote the connection of the James
and Potomac Rivers with those of
Ohio. and again In 1901 to inspect the
canal, the successful operation OF
which was to begin nearly score of
years later.
Henry Clay's birthday, April IL. In
the year 1860. was signalized by the
Mr. ~ Ia lie tns, a. -
Square. BY this time Richmond had
increased her population TO 37.707. and
the scene of the unwilling, amidst tho
Veroure of spring and with crowds of
men and women assembled to do honor
to the Great lPacif!cator" liz ono
arousing pleasant "reminiscences.
Lincoln's Proclamation,
Different far. and awakening sterner.
sadder memories is April Is OF tho
4 next STANDARDIZATION President Alb
faham Lincoln issued his proclamation
and called on Virginia for her quota
of troops to aid in coercing the SOUTH
4 ern States who had seeded. The proc
tanation awakened mems minds to a
realization OF the imminence OF war.
They stood in groups on street COR
hers, and gathered in drawing rooms
and In the parlors of the Eychanr.
fiotel TO discuss the public peril and
snake their heads over it Two days
later, on April II, the Virginia Con-
sen.ion passed the Ordinance of seces-
SION. In the presence of most dis
tIhsulshed gathering at the Capitol on,
April 23, 1861. General Rober, 70. r,ee
accepted the position of commanders
ih-enief Of the Virginia forces. and ON
april 25 Virginia became one of the
confederate States of America
SO much for Apri, of 1851. Four
years later on Sunday. April ., 1856,
Il n
MS pew at st. Paurs Church. received
a Hateful telegram from General Lee.
me telegram stated that General
Grant had broken through the Con-
1ederate lines at Petersburg, and that
IL would therefore be necessary for
the Confederate government to evacu.
ate Richmond
The next day. April 8. known in his.
tory as Evacuation Day" was dread
ful indeed. Blackened and charred
heaps marked the site OF the principal
mills, foundries and factories Al,
the business portion OF the city was
DESTROYED. the bridges over the rive,
gone. the railroads entering II broken
up, city government abolished and cit,
bankruptcy a certain evil. Richmond
: sae verify In the midst OF ruin
d Capitol Disaster.
6 me calendar OF April misfortunes
might well have been reckoned as
Il MED to finish then. But another
= laseaS was enacted In 1870 on April
:. y. when contested election casal
:. Ellyson versus Cahoon--was being ar.
"a gued before the Court of Appeals, that
Is was sitting in a room above the hall
II OF the House OF Delegates at the Cap
rs itol a largo crowd assembled to
ig hear the judges deliver an opinion.
;. The floor of the courtroom suddenly
gave way and the whole audience was
,g precipitated into the floor beneath.
h Many eminent Richmond and Virginia
% citizens were killed, the grass In the
~ Capitol Square was covered with the
:. dead and wounded removed from the
ID scene OF the disaster. the church bells
ar tolled throughout the day. and the
n shadow of death darkened many
y households.
n The formation OF the Mozart Assoc
D. citation on April %. 1876. brings back
is thoughts OF concerts given in what is
* now the Academy OF Music. then
!, known as Mozart Hall. Many of the
80 best musicians In Richmond belonged
lie to this nineteenth century musical or
ganization, and there are still cons
tingent Of society folk here who can
recall the pleasure afforded by hearing
to Caroline Richings Bernard sing But
l. tercup" in the presentation by anna
"a tours of "Pinafore," Pierre Bernard
S filing the role of the admiral and
n Mrs. Alice Swain Hunter taking part
e. in the same we'll rendered perfornl-
te ance. The entertainments given by
l., the Mozart Association We're other
10 wise. many of them. of the highest
at standard, and did much to develop mus
y steal talent and taste in Richmond
L. On April "a, 1852. the chimes OF
a Centenary Church first rang out, as a
,e memorial to the founder of the Tai
" bolt family in Richmond. a man who
n was most closely allied with the bust
IL ness life. the social life and the re-
N ligious life of this city in his day,
n and who went to his grave fun Of
4 years ard rich in tho esteem and re-
" spect of his fellow townsmen,
One OF the most important OF April
dates in the history OF Richmond is
al that OF April 8. 1889, when the Assoc
III citation for the Preservation OF Nir-