The History of the City of Fredericksburg, Virginia Part 32

It was in Fredericksburg, and by the ladies of Fredericksburg, Virginians, that the first memorial a.s.sociation was organized and chartered for looking after the dead soldiers, for providing them a final resting place in some convenient cemetery laid out for the purpose, and strewing their graves with the first flowers of spring as the years pa.s.s by. This was their second care after their return to their homes at the close of the Civil war, their first being their own homes, which were almost in ruins; and since the organization of that memorial a.s.sociation no season of flowers has pa.s.sed that these graves have not been piously remembered.

MARY WAs.h.i.+NGTON MONUMENT.

It was the ladies of Fredericksburg, Virginians, who inaugurated the move, and carried it on to complete success, to raise a monument to a woman, the tallest and most imposing of its kind that is to be found on this continent. It towers over fifty feet high, the shaft is solid granite, and it marks the grave of the greatest of American women--Mary, the mother of Was.h.i.+ngton. It is true, that after the work was commenced, the plans laid, and some money raised, the ladies were a.s.sisted by the National Mary Was.h.i.+ngton Monument a.s.sociation, which did good service, but even that a.s.sociation, brought into being through the local a.s.sociation at Fredericksburg, was made more active and efficient by the energy and persistence of the pioneers in the movement. That monument is grand and beautiful, and reaches high into the heavens, and while it marks the last resting place of that sainted woman, it reflects great honor upon all the ladies who a.s.sisted in its erection.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Commodore Matthew Fontaine Maury, the "Path Finder of the Seas." (See page 315)]

These are some of the things in which Virginians took the lead and which were accomplished by them. There may be omissions of n.o.ble acts and brave deeds that might have been mentioned of whose existence we are in ignorance, but these we have mentioned will suffice to show that they were the leading spirits in throwing off the British yoke of oppression, in uniting the colonies for common defence, in proclaiming to the world our grievances and declaring for freedom, in waging a long and b.l.o.o.d.y war and securing independence, in forming and conducting the government from its infancy through its experimental period, in extending its territorial limits and in contributing to its national greatness. If for all this--if for what has been achieved by their ancestors in field and forum, on land and sea, an honest pride should well up in the breast of the Virginians of the living present, that should find expression in words, where is the individual that can rise up and charge them with vain boasting?

CHAPTER XXII

_Fredericksburg at Present--The Health of the City--Its Financial Solidity--Its Commercial Prosperity--Its Lines of Transportation--Its Water Power--Its Official Calendar--List of Mayors, &c._

We now come to the closing words of the history of our venerable city, and what we shall add in closing will be of Fredericksburg as it is at present, without going into tiresome details, but before proceeding with that interesting topic we must turn aside to mention some useful and honored organizations of the ladies of the town, which failed to receive attention in a former chapter, after which our subject. "Fredericksburg at Present," will be resumed.

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.[91]

The Betty Was.h.i.+ngton Lewis Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, was organized in 1899 at the Exchange Hotel. Several prominent members of the National Society were present and explained the scope and work of the a.s.sociation. Mrs. Wm. Key Howard, of Kenmore, was appointed regent, by Mrs. Hugh N. Page, State regent, and twelve charter members were obtained.

At the end of the first year Mrs. Howard resigned, and, in February, 1900, at a meeting at Kenmore, once the home of the sister of Was.h.i.+ngton, whose name the chapter adopted, Mrs. John T. Goolrick was elected regent; Mrs.

H. M. D. Martin, vice-regent; Mrs. B. C. Chancellor, registrar; Mrs. V. S.

F. Doggett, treasurer; Miss Sallie N. Gravatt, secretary, and Mrs. V. M.

Fleming, historian. In addition to these officers the following charter members were present: Mrs. Marion Maria Mason Daniel, Mrs. Kate Tichenor Dill, Mrs. C. R. Howard, Mrs. Florence C. Richards, Mrs. Lettie M. Spencer and Mrs. Florence F. Weir.

In the preliminary work of organization, which was undertaken by Mrs. John T. Goolrick, one of her warmest supporters was Mrs. Martin. She actively interested herself in the cause, her house was always open for meetings and through her several members were added to the chapter. The work of Mrs. V. S. F. Doggett was valuable and effective, and to the time of her death her zeal and interest were unabated. Mrs. Lucilla S. Bradley, a "real daughter," and Mrs. Maria Jefferson Carr Mason, a great granddaughter of Thomas Jefferson, were honorary members.

This chapter has aided many worthy causes outside and inside of the society, both local and foreign. Colonial b.a.l.l.s and other entertainments have, at different intervals, been given, among the handsomest being a reception at Kenmore, where an address on John Paul Jones was delivered by Capt. S. J. Quinn, before a large and appreciative audience.

In 1904 the State Conference was entertained by the Fredericksburg Chapter, and the guests were unstinted in their praises of the hospitality accorded them here. The chapter is at present as vital a force as when organized, and prepared to use opportunities when found to do work along historical and helpful lines. The officers elected at a recent meeting are Mrs. John T. Goolrick, regent; Mrs. W. H. Richards, vice-regent; Mrs. B.

C. Chancellor, registrar; Mrs. H. M. Eckenrode, treasurer, and Miss Sallie N. Gravatt, secretary.

DAUGHTERS OF THE CONFEDERACY.

The Daughters of the Confederacy was organized on the 28th of February, 1896, with the following officers: Mrs. Joseph Nicholas Barney, president; Mrs. J. Horace Lacy, vice-president; Mrs. Vivian M. Fleming, secretary, and Miss Sallie Nelson Gravatt, treasurer, and an executive committee of fourteen ex-Confederates. The chapter rapidly grew in numbers and at one time had upon the roll nearly two hundred names. This society has been quite active since its organization and has done much good in the way of helping dest.i.tute veterans, looking after and administering to the sick and burying the dead. It has been the channel of distributing the Confederate crosses, and if any cross has been bestowed upon the unworthy, it was because of the ability of the unworthy to obtain vouchers from genuine Confederates. This chapter has done a good work in looking after the remains of Confederate soldiers, when found upon the battle-fields or elsewhere, and having them interred in the Confederate cemetery. One of the praiseworthy acts of the society, a few years ago, was to disinter the remains of the brave Gen. Abner Perrin, killed at the "b.l.o.o.d.y Angle" while gallantly leading his brigade, and buried on the Hicks farm near the courthouse, and Lieut. Wm. H. Richardson, of Alabama, killed at the same time, and buried by the General, and to place them side by side in the Confederate cemetery. And yet there is other work for these self-sacrificing ladies to do. By annual elections Mrs. Barney has remained at the head of the chapter and is the present presiding officer, with Miss Sallie M. Lacy as secretary, who is an active support to the president.

a.s.sOCIATION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF VIRGINIA ANTIQUITIES.[92]

The Fredericksburg Branch of the a.s.sociation for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities is a small but active band. They have acquired the Mary Was.h.i.+ngton House and "Rising Sun Tavern." The "Tavern" has been recently repaired, but retains in all respects its original style of architecture. Both buildings are furnished in "ye olden style," and are centers of great interest to visitors. The officers of this branch are Mrs. Vivian M. Fleming, directress; Miss Rebecca C. Mander, secretary, and Mrs. Charles Wallace, treasurer.

THE CITY MISSION.

The City Mission was organized on the 14th of March, 1901, mainly through the efforts of Rev. W. D. Smith, rector of St. George's church, and Mrs.

J. B. Ficklen. It has been quite an active society and much good has resulted from its labors. The main object of the society is to afford relief to the dest.i.tute of the town, especially the sick, and as it is composed altogether of benevolent and kind hearted ladies, we know, from this and their splendid labors in the past, that their mission will be well performed. They do more than look after the sick. These ladies gather up secondhand clothing from those who can spare it and sell the same at a cheap rate to those able to purchase and give to the dest.i.tute. The society is composed of ladies from all religious denominations, and the city is laid out in districts, each of which is placed in charge of three ladies, to whom applications for a.s.sistance by parties living therein are referred. By this method impositions are rare and needy persons are not overlooked. The present officers of the society are Mrs. J. B. Ficklen, president; Mrs. B. B. Montgomery and Miss Jennie Hurkamp vice-presidents; Miss Rebecca C. Mander, secretary; Miss Annie Myer, treasurer, and Mrs.

Isaac Hirsh, purchasing agent.

THE FREDERICKSBURG TEACHERS' a.s.sOCIATION.[93]

The faculty of the public schools of Fredericksburg met and organized the Fredericksburg Teachers' a.s.sociation in September, 1906. The officers elected at that meeting were as follows: Miss Kate James Mander, president; Miss Clarice Crittenden Davis, vice-president; Miss Jennie M.

Goolrick, secretary, and Miss Maggie L. Honey, treasurer. The president of the School Board, Mr. A. B. Bowering, after the teachers were organized, was requested to outline a plan for a library, which he did, and the teachers commenced the work. After obstacles and delays, by solicitation, and dessert sales, a sufficient amount of money was raised to commence the purchase of books, and quite a nice collection of the best publications was secured. Since that additions have been made as the means of the a.s.sociation would justify, and now the library is an inst.i.tution formed on a solid basis. It is popular with the children, and from it they derive much pleasure and instruction. The present officers are Miss Kate James Mander, president; Miss Mary Page Waller, vice-president; Miss Agnes P.

Roach, secretary, and Miss Maggie L. Honey, treasurer.

FREDERICKSBURG AT PRESENT.

Fredericksburg is a healthy town--a true Virginia city--almost free from the fevers and diseases that visit other cities of the coast or even of tidewater. It is beautifully situated on the west bank of the Rappahannock river, at the head of tidewater, where its inhabitants escape the malaria of the lowlands and the fevers peculiar to the mountains.

Therefore, when we compare the death rate of Fredericksburg, which is made every month by Dr. J. N. Barney, our health officer, with that of other neighboring cities, we find it quite favorable to our town.

PURE WATER SUPPLY.

Our main source of water supply, the Rappahannock river, has no city or town of any size above us, and for that reason the water is almost free from foreign substances, and as pure as are the mountain springs from which it flows. The a.n.a.lysis of this water, which has often been made in the years gone by, and repeatedly in the past few years, shows ninety-eight per cent., which probably more nearly approaches absolute purity than any other stream of its size in the country. Besides this aid to health, the sanitary condition of the town is carefully looked after by the Board of Health, and everything that threatens the introduction of disease is at once removed or reduced to a healthy condition. In addition to this, as a convenience for the citizens, and an aid to health conditions, the main part of the city has been sewered within the past four years, and laterals are in course of construction to reach those portions of the town not now sewered. With these aids to health and our lynx-eyed Board of Health, who are always on the alert, we may hope for and confidently expect, as we now have, an unusually healthy city.

FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE CITY.

The financial condition of Fredericksburg is good, and her credit is undoubted. It is true that the debt of the city is large, but for every bond issued there is something substantial standing for it, except nearly $120,000 of ante-bellum bonds, issued by our forefathers in an honest and earnest endeavor to secure for our people improvements of a permanent and profitable character. But the improvements proved worthless to the town.

Those who voted for them have pa.s.sed over the river of death, leaving this indebtedness as a legacy to their descendants, and we take great pleasure in providing for it. The other bonds were issued for improvements the town needed and was compelled to have. They are all in use at present, successfully operated, and are valued far in advance of the price paid for them by the city, and it is only a question of private or corporation owners.h.i.+p, as to whether it was a wise policy for the city to erect and operate them. The City Council thinks it acted for the best interests of the town and the people back it up in that opinion. Nearly all of the bonds issued by the city bear four per cent., were sold at or above par and purchased mostly by our own citizens. This, it would appear, is a strong indication that our financial affairs are in a satisfactory condition.

PRESENT COMMERCIAL CONDITION.

The commercial prosperity of the town is probably far in advance of what it ever was before. We have now about one hundred and fifteen wholesale and retail stores, each one doing a thriving business. In these stores the customer will be able to find any article of merchandise he may need and at as low price as he could find it in the larger cities. In the last few years there has been a spirit of improvement in business houses, and at present there are to be found store-houses that would be a credit to a city of larger pretentions. So changed is the business portion of Main street by reason of this enlargement and ornamentation that citizens of the town have often had to inquire for the places they wished to visit. In addition to this, our manufactures have increased and are still increasing, and in them hundreds of persons find employment at living wages. Among the manufacturing inst.i.tutions may be mentioned two large flouring mills, one woolen mill, one pants factory, one silk mill, two sumac mills, three excelsior mills, one mattress factory, two pickle factories, one canning factory, one shoe factory, one s.h.i.+rt factory, one spoke factory and six repair shops. The a.s.sessed taxable value of property in town is, personal property $703,782, real estate $1,676,133, making a total of $2,379,915. Besides this, our several banks, in their periodical statements, made to the Government, show largely over a million dollars on deposit, subject to individual checks. In view of these facts truly it may be said that Fredericksburg is in a prosperous commercial condition and is rapidly adding to that prosperity.

LINES OF TRANSPORTATION.

The lines of transportation running to and from Fredericksburg are sufficient for all the requirements of the town, both as to freight and pa.s.senger travel, yet our citizens would not object to the construction of another road, starting at some deep water point on the coast, crossing the Rappahannock river at this place and connecting north of us with the great trunk lines, traversing this extensive country in all directions. But for this important improvement we must patiently wait.

The great line of travel and traffic through Fredericksburg, north and south, at present, is the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad.

This road is probably one of the best conducted roads in the country and seldom has an accident. Not until a few years ago did it share its track with any other road, but now three or more companies are running their cars over this line and the carrying business is immense. This large increase in business necessitated a double track of the entire line--from Richmond to Was.h.i.+ngton--which was done with great rapidity. The present service on this road that pa.s.ses through town is nine pa.s.senger trains north and ten south each twenty-four hours. In addition to this, the increase in freight has also increased the number of freight trains, and so we now have fifty to pa.s.s through in a day and night, and yet it is more than probable that this large number will soon be further increased.

This road has a new iron bridge spanning the Rappahannock river at this point.

The Piedmont, Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad--Narrow Gauge--runs daily from Fredericksburg to Orange, a distance of forty miles. It connects Fredericksburg and intermediate points, with that great trunk line, the Southern, at that point, which is an accommodation to the travelling public along its entire line. Although a narrow gauge road, it does quite a large business and it has been rumored that it may be extended beyond the mountains some day, in which event it will become a line of greater importance than at present.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Office of the Fredericksburg Water Power Company. (See page 330)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Marye Mansion," Gen. Longstreet's headquarters at Battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862; now the residence of Capt. M. B.

Rowe. (See page 91)]

The former citizen, who went out from us even a few years ago, on his return to his old home now, would find, among other changes, that the Weems Line of steamers from Fredericksburg to Baltimore, had transferred its business to another company, and the old familiar name of Weems, of more than a half century standing, whose line was so intimately interwoven with all the interests of Fredericksburg, was a name of the past. But he would also find a line--The Maryland, Delaware and Virginia railroad, not that their steam boats run upon railroad tracks--had taken its place, and, by its splendid steamers, so well adapted to the river trade, had brought us into rapid and easy communication with Norfolk and Baltimore, by the Rappahannock river and Chesapeake bay, and thence with the whole busy world beyond.