History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 43

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054

USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900 > Part 43

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clared he was completely cured; he paid the nine louis d'or with abundance of thanks and returned in the best of spirits to the village. This is perhaps an exaggerated specimen of what doctors call the moral treatment of dis- ease and in various forms is used by every intelligent physician, especially in cases of hypochondriacs, and in nervous forms of dis- ease, not dependent on local causes or any known infection, as doctors are not and never have been restricted in the treatment of human ills to the giving of medicines alone, but are at liberty to use all forms of treat- ment, moral, medicinal, surgical, etc.

Since 1885 the whole theory upon which the former practice of medicine was chiefly based has been more or less abandoned. The con- nection between the presence of certain germs, LOCAL AND UNITED STATES QUARANTINE. or bacteria, and the causation of various forms of disease, long suspected and by many be- Since the port of Norfolk and Portsmouth is one of the most important ports on the At- lantic Coast, it is necessary to maintain a most vigorous and careful quarantine at this point. lieved in years before that date, has been definitely established, and the chemical view of certain changes both physiological and patho- logical has given way to the vital or the in- This quarantine is maintained by local authorities, having charge of the inner quar- antine, and the United States government having charge of the outer quarantine. fluence of living agents in the production of these processes. The curriculum of the med- ical colleges has been extended from two to four years, which is now hardly sufficient to The Inner Quarantine .- The District of Elizabeth River was established by an Act of the Legislature of Virginia in February, 1877, to be controlled by a board of commissioners. consisting of two members from the city of Norfolk, two from the city of Portsmouth and one from Norfolk County. train their students in those added studies which have been rendered necessary by the de- velopment of the medical sciences. The colleges have been forced by the enactment of State .laws, establishing State medical examining boards, to reject candidates for diplomas who are not prepared to receive them. No dog- Their jurisdiction extends from about the mouth of Tanner's Creek across toward the mouth of the Nansemond River, and their powers are almost unlimited if exercised for the protection of these ports from the intro- duction of contagious and infectious diseases. matic theories of medicine are taught in the regular medical colleges, but all teaching is based upon facts or verified experiments. When the time of study and expense incurred in procuring a medical education at the pres- ent time is considered. the profession which, In order to fully protect the health of the people of Norfolk, the municipal authorities not long ago acquired from the national gov- ernment Craney Island, an island about 41 acres in area, for many years used as a United of all professions, requires the widest knowl- edge of the general science, all of which bear upon the practice of medicine, and which have to be constantly borne in mind by the practi- tioner, it follows that its followers, when also | States powder magazine, and converted it into

morally endowed, should have the fullest sym- pathy and encouragement by the public.

The Norfolk Medical Society was organ- ized in 1870 with Dr. William Selden as its president, who in subsequent years was suc- ceeded by Dr. Robert B. Tunstall, Dr. Will- iam J. Moore, Dr. Herbert M. Nash, Dr. J. D. Galt and others. It was reorganized as to constitution and by-laws in 1899. For many years prior to 1855 it had existed but was broken up by the yellow fever.

The officers of the society ( 1900) are : President, Dr. L. C. Sheppard; first vice- president, Dr. J. L. Lynch ; second vice-presi- dent, Dr. J. J. McCormick; secretary, Dr. H. L. Myers; treasurer, Dr. W. L. Old.

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a place of detention for cases of contagious or infectious diseases found in or near the city. The buildings on the island. with some altera- tiens, have been admirably fitted up for this and hospital purposes, and the island affords complete isolation.

The Board of Quarantine Commissioners for the District of Elizabeth River are as fol- lws: From Norfolk -. Dr. Herbert M. Nash, Cl. William B. Rogers. Capt. B. P. Lovall ; Portsmouth-William H. Peters. James T. Borum. William Schroeder: Norfolk County ( vacant ) : President. William H. Perers ; secretary. B. P. Loyall : quarantine medical officer. Dr. C. R. Vance : deputy quarantine medical officer. Dr. J. J. McCormick.

During the quarantine year ending Decem- ber 31. 1898. the report of the quarantine medical officer for this district shows that he inspected 416 vessels of all nationalities. prin- cipally English. embracing 12.106 persons among crews and passengers.

The Outer Quarantine .- In 1893 the Con- gress of the United States passed an Act for the better protection of our seaboard against the introduction of disease and required all the seaports on the coast to provide certain plants and fixtures for examining and quar- antining ships. In the event that certain

cities could not or would not so provide. the government undertook to maintain a quaran- tine establishment. with all necessary equip- ments and appliances.

The question was submitted to the Board of Quarantine Commissioners of this district. and upon mature consideration of the matter. it decided not to put the cities ci Noriclk and Portsmouth to this great expense of such an establishment and turned over to our national government the outer quarantine of these ports. retaining to itself the right to detain and examine all vessels passed into the com- mon harbor. so that if by any careless. incom- petent or corrupt examination at the outer quarantine a vessel comes to this harbor with sickness or infection. she can be immediately sent away.

In pursuance of the above Act of Congress. the Marine Hospital service of the United States has established a complete quarantine plant at Cape Charles. Virginia, where in- fected vessels are detained and the crews and cargo removed on shore. fumigated and disin- fected.

With carefully maintained inner and outer quarantine we are supposed to be amply pro- tected from the introduction of sickness and disease from foreign sources.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE PRESS OF NORFOLK COUNTY

EARLY AND DEFUNCT NEWSPAPERS OF THE COUNTY -- NEWSPAPERS OF TO-DAY.

The press is the liberator, the instructor, the historian. It is the terror of tyrants, the dread of corruptionists, the fortress of free- dom, the defender of the Commonwealth. It is the mouth of public opinion and the eyes of the people. It is the sentinel on the outpost of the Republic. It is the guardian of inno- cence and protector of purity. Its mission is charity, truth and justice. The journalist who makes this motto his guide will be applauded by men and rewarded by Heaven,-" The lib- erty of the press and the liberties of the peo- ple must stand or fall together." The first newspaper was published in England on the 27th of May, 1576,-The Liverpool Times.

The history of the press of our cities by the sea has not been preserved as it should have been and much interesting detail has been lost. It is said that John Buckner brought the first printing press to Virginia, which was sup- pressed in 16.83.

The first newspaper published in Virginia was the Virginia Gazette. the first number of which was. issued at Williamsburg. August 6. 1736. It was a sheet about 12 inches by six. and was printed and published by W. Parks, at 15s. per annum. It was not a free agent to herald the generous impulses of the heart; but had a lord and master in the representative of the crown to govern its course. James Holt. whose publication was exciting in the people

"the spirit of rebellion and sedition," for which Dunmore justified his dastardly seizure of the types, fixtures and two printers, was a heroic and patriotic journalist, whose memory should be precious to every American.

The Virginia Chronicle and Norfolk and Portsmouth General Advertiser, was published by Baxter and Wilson in 1793.

The Herald and Norfolk and Portsmouth Advertiser was published by Charles Willet in 1795.

The Epitome of the Times was published by Augustus C. Jordan in 1799.

Norfolk Gazette and Public Ledger was published by William Davis, 1805-14.

Vorfolk Herald. 1819. afterward styled The Norfolk and Portsmouth Herald, pub- lished by O'Connor and Thomas G. Brough- ton ; styled Vorfolk and Portsmouth Herald and Daily Commercial Advertiser. 1844-45. and Norfolk and Portsmouth Herald, 1849-52. published by Thomas G. Broughton & Com- pany, and Thomas G. Broughton & Son.

The American Beacon and Norfolk and Portsmouth Daily Advertiser, 1844. published by William E. Cunningham & Company.

The Norfolk Phoenix, published June 13. 1844, W. C. Shields. editor.

Chronicle and Old Dominion, 1843, pub- lished by A. H. Cunningham. It became The | Now' Era, July, 1845. William Wallace, editor

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of the Daily Chronicle, died March 20, 1854. The Southern Argus, established June 8. 1848, S. T. Sawyer, editor and proprietor, published by T. M. Crowder, succeeded by A. F. Leonard in 1855. Col. William Lamb became a partner and both conducted the pa- per. 1856-60.

The Daily Notes, established June 1, 1857, issued by T. F. Boothly and C. H. Beal, ed- itors and proprietors.

The Norfolk Day Book, styled The Day Book. 1857-66. Established by T. O. Wise with John R. Hathaway, editor, who soon became editor and proprietor. Capt. James Barron Hope and Holt Wilson became editors in 1866. John R. Hathaway became editor. and Maj. James F. Milligan, local editor in 1877.

The New Regime, 1864-65. (Ben. But- ler's paper. )

The Norfolk Old Dominion, 1863-66. pub- lished by R. E. Glassett and William E. Sex- ton. A. Watson Atwood succeeded Glassett in 1864. On March 22, 1865. the editors and proprietors were J. K. Wolcott. R. E. Glassett and William E. Sexton. In 1866. E. F. Preston. editor. styled it the Old Dominion and the Daily Old Dominion.

The Norfolk Post, 1865-66. established by E. M. Brown, publisher, and John Clark, ed- itor.

The Independent Daily Messenger was founded on the 29th of September. 1843. by D. D. Fiske. Its motto was "The Liberty of the Press and the Liberties of the People Must Stand or Fall Together." It supported Martin Van Buren for president, subject to the decision of the Democratic national con- vention.

The Public Inder was issued on the 13th of April, 1844. Thomas C. Connolly, editor, -- its polities was Whig.

The Portsmouth Times, established in 1838: John T. Hill. editor.

The Commercial Chronicle, established in 1839 by Theophilus Fisk and A. F. Cun-

ningham. merged with the Old Dominion as the Chronicle and Old Dominion.

Commercial Chronicle and the Portsmouth and Norfolk Tri-Weekly Old Dominion, 1839-40.

The Old Dominion was established by Theophilus Fisk and A. F. Cunningham,-the latter soon withdrew. James M. Smith be- came publisher in December, 1841.

The Chronicle and Old Dominion, 1844, published by A. F. Cunningham and The- ophilus Fisk : 1845. Cunningham alone pub- lished. The new series. March 23, 1847, be- gan with D. D. Fiske publisher for the pro- prietor, 1847-48.

The Daily Globe. 1853, published by Law, Badger & Company.

The New Era Daily, conducted by A. E. Cunningham 1845-47 : tri-weekly 1846.

The Daily Pilot. 1850. published by John S. Cunningham & Company.

The Daily Transcript, 1853. established by D. D. Fiske.

The Democrat, 1853, Henry E. Orr, ed- itor.

The Daily Enterprise, established in 1873, by John W. H. Porter, editor and proprietor, succeeded by Enterprise Times-Porter and Wilcox. proprietors ; Julius H. Wilcox pur- chased it in 1889. and changed name to Progress.

Portsmouth Daily Times, James B. Camp- bell, editor and proprietor, sold to Times Pub- lishing Company .- W. B. Wilder. manager ; William H. Stewart, editor : Mrs. Fanny M. Downing, associate editor.

Tidewater Times ( weekly ). Afterward Dr. J. M. Blanton was editor of both Daily and Weekly Times. The Times Publishing Com- pany sold them to Julius H. Wilcox, who con- solidated them with the Enterprise.

The Evening News was established by Judge Chandler W. Hill in 1883.

The Record was established in 1884. Col. K. R. Griffin, editor.

The Evening Times was published by

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Whitson and Griffin a short while. The Ports- mouth Daily Times, Tidewater Times and Portsmouth Observer in 1886, J. H. Wilcox, editor and proprietor ; W. B. Wilder, business manager.

All of the above are out of existence.

Norfolk Virginian .- On the 21st of No- vember. 1865, the first number of the Nor- folk Virginian was issued. It was not born in halcyon days. Its life was no holiday. For many years it was battling for the cause of good government and the recognition of the political equality of the South in the Union. It labored for the material prosperity of Vir- ginia and the commercial advancement of Norfolk. These great objects it witnessed se- cured. It witnessed the South, a conquered province, parceled out in districts and presided over by military chiefs. It saw it burthened by a throng of adventurers, whose only ob- ject was to fatten upon the wants of an af- flicted people. All these evils it has witnessed swept away, and the States of the South once again equal in a confederacy of States, their capitals freed from the bivouac of Federal troops their legislative halls no longer echo in the challenge of the sentry or the tread of the corporal's guard, but peace and prosperity and home government secured, cach State rap- idly developing its vast wealth, so long per- mitted to remain dormant. It also watched and assisted in the material growth and pros- perity of our common harbor, until Norfolk occupies a commanding position among the commercial cities of the country, with a brilliant future before it.

The publishers of the l'irginian were G. A. Sykes & Company. Hon. A. M. Keiley, now judge of the Consular Court at Cairo, Egypt, was its first editor. His associate was Capt. James Barron Hope. Col. J. Richard Lewellen as the business manager. The pros- pectus set forth that "apart from the usual feature of journalism, we design that The Virginian should be especially devoted to the advancement of the prosperity of Norfolk and her sister city, and the large section of Vir-

ginia whose interests are common with them." A few months after the first issue Mr. Keiley and Captain Hope retired from the paper and Col. William E. Cameron, now ex-Governor of Virginia, succeeded them as editor. Later on, Colonel Lewellen purchased an interest in the paper. A month or so afterward a new company was formed, consisting of Col. J. R. Lewellen, Solomon Hodges, Edward H. Hodges, T. B. Ruffin and J. C. Adkisson, 1111- der the firm name of J. R. Lewellen & Com- pany. In November, 1866, one year after the first number was issued, Colonel Lewellen withdrew in order to take charge of the Vor- folk Journal. His interest was purchased by the remaining partners and the firm name was changed to S. Hodges & Company, with J. Marshall Hanna, as editor.

In January, 1867, the management of the paper was tendered to M. Glennan, Esq., and on the 17th of the month he entered upon the discharge of the duties of the position. After a service of a few months, Mr. Hanna retired from the editorship, and the position was of- fered to and accepted by Capt. James Barron Hope. In November, 1867, Mr. Glennan purchased an interest in the paper. On Feb- ruary 9, 1870, Solomon Hodges disposed of his interest to the other members of the com- pany, and the firm name was changed to Glennan, Ruffin & Company. In the follow- ing year Edward H. Hodges, on account of failing health, sold his interest, and on Decem- ber 14, 1872, Mr. Glennan purchased the in- terest of T. B. Ruffin, and the firm name was changed to Glennan & Adkisson.

On the Ist of October, 1873. Captain Hope retired from the editorship of The Virginian in order to found the Landmark. The la- mented Capt. John Hampden Chamberlayne, one of the ablest and most brilliant journal- ists of the country, was selected to fill the va- cancy. On the 11th of March, 1876, Captain Chamberlayne retired from the paper in order to commence the publication of his paper, The State, in Richmond. Capt. John S. Tucker. afterward mayor of Norfolk, was tendered

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and accepted the editorship. On March 24. 1870. J. C. Adkisson disposed of his interest to Mr. Glennan, in consequence of which the latter became the sole owner of the paper.

On the 31st of March, 1880, Captain Tucker retired from the editorship, which de- partment was afterward conducted by Mr. Glennan until his appointment as postmaster by President Cleveland on July 1, 1885, when the position of editor was tendered to and ac- cepted by Capt. Henry E. Orr.

It will not be amiss to allude to the links which connect this journal with the history of the press of this and other States, furnishing as it did so many of those who had been as- sociated with it, to edit and conduct and man- age the departments of successful and enter- prising journals. In Norfolk, it gave to the Verfolk Landmark Capt. James Barron Hope to edit and S. S. Nottingham, Jr., to manage it. To the Ledger it gave Col. J. R. Lewellen, its manager, Joseph G. Fiveash, and its local editor, T. B. Ruffin. Colonel Lewellen and Mr. Fiveash, previous to the establishment of the Ledger, were connected with the man- agement of the Vorfolk Journal, going to that paper from The Virginian. Colonel Lewellen afterward in connection with W. S. Copeland, of The Virginian, purchased the Danville Register. Mr. Copeland also assisted in the establishment of the Petersburg Mail. The Norfolk Weekly Herald is owned by W. S. Copes, who commenced his business life on The Virginian. The Portsmouth Enterprise was established by Porter & Concannon, who were previously connected with The Virgin- ian. R. E. Glassett, who in 1866-67 was at- tached to this paper, was Portsmouth city ed- itor of the Landmark. Julius H. Wilcox, the editor of the Portsmouth Weekly Observer, and afterward owner and editor of the Ports- mouth Times and Portsmouth Progress, was for several years on The l'irginian's staff. From The Virginian, ex-Governor Cameron was called to edit the Petersburg Inder and afterward elected Governor of Virginia. To establish the Richmond State, John Hampden

Chamberlayne resigned the editorship of The l'irginian, and associated with him that bril- liant journalist. "Brevity" Bennett, who was connected with The Virginian in its infancy. Maj. James F. Milligan, connected with so many papers, was in 1866-67 and '68 the act- ive local editor of The Virginian, leaving it to assume the same position on the Norfolk Journal. Then, too, there were Henry S. Brooke and Alexander Bell, who commenced their journalistic careers as city editors of The Virginian, and who were afterward re- spectively associated with journals in New Mexico and New York. John W. H. Por- ter, the war historian of Norfolk county and founder and owner of the Portsmouth Enter- prise, was for many years Portsmouth city editor of The Virginian.

NEWSPAPERS OF TODAY.

T'irginian-Pilot.

On March 31. 1898, the Norfolk l'ir- ginjan and the Daily Pilot (established in 1804) were consolidated and the l'irginian- Pilot was the result of the union. A. H. Grandy, president of the Pilot Publishing Company, becoming the president, and the late M1. Glennan, president of the Virginian Com- pany, vice president of the Virginian and Pilot Publishing Company.

The present management of the l'ir- ginian-Pilot is as follows: A. H. Grandy, president, managing editor and business man- ager: W. S. Wilkinson, treasurer; L. D. Starke, Jr., secretary: R. E. Turner, super- intendent and advertising manager.

The Public Ledger,

An afternoon daily paper, was established August 3. 1876. Walter .A. Edwards and Jo- seph G. Fiveash are editors and proprietors. Richard H. Hamilton is city editor for Nor- folk. John C. Niemeyer is city editor for Portsmouth.

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The Norfolk Landmark

Is owned by the Landmark Publishing Com- pany. S. S. Nottingham. manager. It was founded in 1873 by Capt. James Barron Hope, whose poems won for him the epithet "Virginia's Poet Laureate." The Norfolk Journal, which was established soon after the Confederate war was sold and merged into the Landmark.

The Norfolk Dispatch

Is a daily afternoon newspaper owned by the Norfolk Dispatch Publishing Company. Charles I. Stengle is president ; H. T. Plum- mer. treasurer: H. T. Hurtt. secretary : and H. Morton Harper, business manager.

The Norfolk Herald

Is a weekly newspaper. William S. Copes is editor and proprietor.

The Norfolk Journal of Commerce,

WV. Thompson Barron, editor, was established in September, 1887, and is published by the W. Thompson Barron Company. It is a re- liable and accurate commercial journal.

The Cornucopia

Is a monthly exponent of the agricultural in- terests in Tidewater, Virginia, edited and pub- lished by A. Jeffers.

The Portsmouth Star,

An able exponent of the interests of the city of Portsmouth, was founded by Paul C. Trugien, on the 3rd day of September, 1893. He is a son of Dr. John W. H. Trugien, one of the hero martyrs of the yellow fever in 1855. Mr. Trugien continued as editor and proprietor until November, 1899, when a stock company was formed to enlarge the plant, with F. D. Gill, president, and Paul C. Tru- gien, secretary, treasurer and managing ed- itor. The Portsmouth Star has been enlarged five times since its first publication and is one of the progressive papers of the State.

The Unionist.

This newspaper is the official organ of the Central Labor Union, and is published every week in the interest of organized union labor by the Unionist Publishing Company, at Nor- folk, Virginia. William A. Davis is business manager.

Norfolk County Democrat.

Published weekly at Berkley, Virginia.

The Norfolk County Times.

Published weekly at Pinner's Point. Nor- folk County, Virginia.

CHAPTER XIX

THE PORT AND RAILROAD AND WATER COMMUNICATIONS

GREAT EXTENT OF WATER FRONT-REASONS FOR THE COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGES OF THE PORT-INLAND WATER ROUTES-RAILROAD LINES-THE CLIMATE-STEAMSHIP LINES -COMPARATIVE STATISTICS ON EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. SHIPPING, REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS AND COAL SHIPMENTS-THE VIRGINIA PILOTS.

Fer much of the descriptive and statistical matter in this chapter. relating to the p.ri. we are indebted to the l'irginian-Pilet.

The greater port of the cities of Hamp :. Roads .- so closely connected by suburban residence sections tributary to each and by electric railway and ferry steamers as to be practically now. what in the near future they inevitably must become. one commercial me- tropulis .- consists vi the cape anchorage in- side Capes Henry and Charles. Hampton Roads as a whole and the mouths of the Eliza- beth. Nansemond and James rivers, with al- most the entire Elizabeth River and its three branches, a stretch i water frontage .- un Chesapeake Bay ci some 18 :0 20 miles. on Hampton Roads of about 40 miles and in the three river mouths and the Elizabeth and its branches of fully 30 miles, or a grand total ci 85 to 90 miles .- the water front of a small kingdom.

Lest the reader should imagine that the long buw is being drawn or that stories ier marines are being tid. or "folk'sle yarns spun." it may be pertinent to say that in the stormy season when easterly gales are blow-

ing it is n : une mm in to see irm Cape Henry to Back Bay and from the shipyard on the James to the locks at Gilmerton on the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth, lying at ancher behind the bluffs of the capes, off the shoal- of Ocean View. in Back Bay. in Hamn- Ion Roads and the mouths of the rivers men- tinned. besides those on anch rage in inner harbir and at wharves and ducks and piers. as many as 400 10 500 vessels, the majority vi which are from Norioik. Portsmouth. Newport News and Hampton : the remainder being these put in for refuge to the most se- cure harbor and the one providing the must advantages on the Atlantic Coast and excelled in but few of those advantages by any other. and in all of them together by nome in the world.

Of these prints the dominant and most valuable is undoubtedly the inner harbor of Norilk and Portsmouth. for many rea- ns which will be treate ! more in detail further in this article. but may here be briefly summa- rized as follows :

(I). A climate which rarely falls to, freez- ing weather, and therefore give- an open har- biri r 12 months in the year.

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(2). A geographical and topographical po- sition which removes it from the beaten track of heavy storms from every direction.

(3). A geographical location which makes it the natural center for European im- port and export on the Atlantic Coast.

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History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 43

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1054

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054