Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-07
CHAMBER HOLDS
GOLDEN BIRTHDAY
(contInued from First paeel

GOLDEN BIRTHDAY
Continued from First Page)
reminiscent way. and tho audience ap-
preciated them thoroughly.
EX-President Henry w. Wood struck
particularly responsive chord in tho
minds Of all when he emphasized the
Importance of the good roads move
ment which he said was inestimable
Especially did he impress upon tho
minds OF all the Importance Of tho con-
templated Richmond Petersburg high
way He said that this movement
should be the strongest work OF the
Richmond Chamber OF Commerce. and
that 1t was a work that should be taken
up to-day. Nothing in his mind could
be Of moro Importance.
At the conclusion of the program a
buffet luncheon was served. and the
members spent the rest of their time
making the acquaintance OF new mem
t..rs.
COLONEL PALMER TELLS OF
CONDITIONS FIFTY YEARS AGO
Colonel William H. Palmer. sole sur
viving member Of the brave band of
business men who founded the Cham
Der Of Commerce fifty years ago, a
member during the War Between tho
states of the staff OF General A. P.
Hill. and now president OF the National
State and City Bank and Of the Yir-
ginia Fire and Marine Insurance Com
pany, in a paper read for him by Colo
mel Hill, said:
Tho part assigned me. the giving OF
brief account OF tho conditions in
our city when your Chamber OF Com
merce was formed fifty years ago. Is.
fear. hopeless undertaking. First,
because 1t cannot be pictured in words.
and because the present generation
cannot comprehend 1t. however pre-
sented.
After Appomattox Courthouse. when
we approached the pontoon bridge
which the Federals had placed over
the James from Manchester across
Mayo's Island to the foot Of Fifteenth
Street. the picture was appalling
smoke and destruction on every side.
Fate dealt us staggering blow in this
great FIRE. at the end OF four "a years
Of the war eleven hundred (1.1o0) BUSH
ness and warehouses being burned. Tho
loss of real estate, while serious. was
the smallest part OF 1t. The merchants.
to pay debts and start afresh after the
war. had in the warehouses tobacco.
cotton and valuables greatly in ex-
cess Of the value Of tho real estate,
and worse than this, many Of the young
men coming homo without a place to
commence business and no one to en-
ploy them, except to clean bricks or do
other mental jobs, gradually driftcd
away In search of daily bread" One
OF them told me he understood THE
Lords Prayer" better than he ever had
bcfore-as for a weeks supply ahead,
he never thought Of II.
ONLY ONE COURT AND THAT
MOST INSCRIPTIONS
We had only ono court. tho United
cxisted). presided over by an un-
scrupulous judge, with INSCRIPTIONS
court officers. This court was used
as machine to squeeze money out OF
the wrecked citizens. You could not
apply for amnesty or pardon at Wash
ington land all were under the ban
who were supposed to have $50, 900 until
all court costs were paid). Writs
against nearly all were spread all over
the Federal building, and boards put
up on Bank Street to hold others. Ten
ants were forbidden to pay debts to
landlords and men to pay debts to those
sued in this so-called court. Some of
our older citizens paid $1,000, one ST.
500 court costs. was told. to get con-
troll OF his property. and the officers
In short time left with. I was also
told. $4,000 or 100000.
The United States Internal Revenue
office was run on the same lines as tho
United States Court and was even
more successful In 'moneygetting' and
in oppression than tho court.
Have you ever thought OF doing busi-
ness in a city without bank. or in
surance company, and without "intansi-
bles." as our new Virginia tax law calls
1t. and where nearly all the men sup
posed to be worth $4,000 were sued.
and could not control their property ?
Where all the railroads were worn out,
with no money to repair them and were
broken streaks OF rust" instead of
rails?
SUPPORT FOUND IN
GENERAL LEES WORDS
We of the army at least. and, think
all, had some support in facing tho
conditions from one sentence in Cen
eral Lees farewell address. you will
take with you the satisfaction that pro-
ceeds from the consciousness of duty
faithfully performed" He meant we
thought. when your rights under the
government. as we had been taught to
know them. were denied, and your coun-
try invaded. you resisted to the bitter
end. without counting the cost, as
those of our blood had been doing be-
fore US and must continue to do to the
worlds end or lose their self-respect,
and become degraded men and commu-
mites.
Immediately after the surrender Cen
eral Lee said to groups OF officers and
men: "Our people need you more than
ever. We must go home and to work
and stand by them" In the moment
Of his supreme agony he was thinking
Of his people," and not at all Of him
self So we followed his last injunc-
ton, even IL 1t lead to cleaning hot
bricks in our burned city for daily
bread" He "practiced what he
preached" and was a continuing ex-
ample and source OF strength.