but there were many -who could not get away. The plague spread until the condition of the two places became deplorable. In Norfolk it was painful to walk the streets ; there was a sense of loneliness and melancholy never before known. On streets that had been crowded not a human being or living creature of any kind was seen. The only sound was that heard once a day when a heavy wagon came rumbling along, stopping at one house and then another, until it had gathered its load of dead bodies, and then proceeded to the cemetery.

Portsmouth was no better. The town presented a gloomy aspect. There was not a magistrate or constable there ; the council was without a quorum, and nearly all the town officers were gone. The stores and banks were closed ; the market was deserted ; pi'ivate dwellings were tenantless, many of them open, the owners having died and there being no one to close them. Hotels and boarding-houses, and in fact nearly everything, was closed up. The Angel of Death was hovering over these places, and the people were falling like leaves after the frost.

Everything seemed deserted. No boat broke the scum on the surface of the water, and the birds even left the plague-stricken cities. One day a welcome sound was heard ; it was the whistle of a boat that had come from Baltimore with a load of coffins. When the steamer reached the wharf there were more there waiting for coffins than could be supplied from the boat. Soon coffins could not be had, and bodies had

to be wrapped and driven out in wagons and carts by negro drivers, there being none other able to serve. Hundreds of children were left orphans, and frequently they were found in the house with father and mother both lying dead. Sometimes as many as ninety died in a day in the two places. Many of the doctors and preachers remained to care for the sick, until they were taken down. Among the preachers were the Catholic priests. Revs. Anthony Dibrell and D. P. Wills, of the Methodist church, Rev. Mr. McClelland, and others whose names I do not know. The scene beggars description.

Lynchburg felt the woe of the stricken cities, and immediately called a public meeting. Judge Daniel A. Wilson presided. Captain John M. Otey offered a resolution to appoint a committee to solicit subscriptions for the sufferers, to extend our sympathy to the afflicted cities, and to offer them the hospitality of Lynchburg without quarantine regulations. Dexter Otey, Samuel B. Thurman, J. William Murrell, J. William Buckner, A. B. Rucker, James M. Cobbs, James F. Payne and D. C. T. Peters were appointed on the committee.

The committee went to work, and, with the assistance of the churches and benevolent associations, raised about five thousand dollars. Baltimore sent about twenty thousand dollars, and other places likewise helped. The epidemic continued until frost, and, although many refugeed, about fifteen hundred and seventy-five people died of the terrible plague.

An old citizen passed away August 20, when Benjamin Blackford died at the home of his son, W. M. Blackford. He was a great admirer of General Washington, and loved to tell of the impression made on him when he saw Washington riding his black horse.

Another modern improvement was introduced in September, when the city built its first sewer. Such was its importance that a special notice was given in the papers. The writer said : "A sewer is now being made, something that ought to have been done fifty years ago. A decent appearance, a due solicitude for health, and a proper regard for public olfactories, would have suggested and required this improvement away back in the most old-fogyish days of the burgh. Market street is looking up ; let others follow." In these days of sanitary arrangements we look back and wonder how the place existed so long without that jiublic necessity, a sewer.

Two men visited Lynchburg at this time, both noted, but somewhat diiferent in the character of their work. George Bancroft, the historian, honored the city with a short stay at the Washington hotel, and Wyman, with his talking boy, spelling " sugar," " dictionary," etc., and with his egg-bag, was entertaining large crowds of young people at Dudley Hall. To the boys and girls there was nothing more important in the history of the place than the annual visits of Wyman, the wizard.

The local editors of the newspapers at this time were fortunate above their brothers, in that they had a neverfailing subject about which they could write when items

were scarce. For many years the old market house afforded an excellent opportunity for the display of rhetoric. It was called " an intolerable old sore," " an old shanty that blocked the streets." Another wrote, " Our market house is a disgrace to humanity, to society, to civilization. It is ugly, dark, small, filthy, inconvenient, in the way, out of place, and in all respects a humbug and a nuisance. The law imposing a fine of five dollars upon every white person passing the market house without holding his nose, has not been repealed. On the contrary, the exigency of the times, and the flavor of the locality, demand a doubling of the fines. Such are the conditions that even the hogs die rather than be dissected in this filthy place." Notwithstanding these assaults, the much-abused old place continued to feed the city for many years afterward. An attempt was made to place a sacred influence about the venerable pile, when Peter Howell, the wandering missionary, preached to large crowds in front of the door. A familiar face about the place was missed, for John Thurman, an old citizen, and for a long time clerk of the market, passed away October 9.

Lynchburg had always taken a great deal of interest in education, and could boast of excellent schools. Among them, John Gary's school for boys, Mrs. Botsford's school, Mrs. Kirkpatrick's, then in its nineteenth year, Misses Gordon's, in the twenty-sixth, and others. Now a movement was made that surpassed all others in importance. Rev. S. K. Gox, D. D., formerly president of Madison Gollege, visited Lynchburg in July to

see what the prospects were for establishing a college here for young men. He met wath a generous response from the citizens, and at once proceeded to work to establish the institution. October 1, the Lynchburg College, with one hundred students, began its first session in Jesse Hare's three-story brick tenement on Court street, between Sixth and Seventh. The faculty was : Kev. S. K. Cox, president, and professor of Mental and Moral Science ; \Villiam Carroll, Greek and Literature ; J. G. Mathews, Latin ; J. T. Murfree, Mathematics and Natural Science ; J. Adolphi Sartori, Modern Language ; Dr. Daniel Langhorne, Anatomy and Physiology ; Samuel Garland, Jr., Constitutional Law; Rev. A. Doniphan, general agent. John E.. McDaniel was president of the board of trustees, E. D. Christian, secretary, and M. S. Langhorne, treasurer.

Rev. R. B. Thomson, D. D., pastor of the Methodist Protestant church here, presented the college to his conference at Abingdon, and they took it under the care of the church and appointed a large number of trustees. There was a military feature about it ; the students wore uniform, and were regularly drilled by the professor of mathematics.

The idea of the founders was to erect a suitable building for the institution. Many sites were suggested and after much discussion the Cralle place, which was that square bounded by Tenth, Eleventh, Floyd and Wise streets, was selected. A considerable amount had been raised by Mr. Doniphan, so that the property was purchased and the building begun. The corner-

stone was laid June 26, 1856. Rev. R. B. Thomson held the religious services, John R. McDaniel, W. M., conducted the Masonic ceremonies, and Samuel Garland made the address. Colonel M. Langhorne, Jr., was chief marshal. The day preceding this the first commencement was held at Dudley Hall. The Lynch building on Fifth street, where the public school now stands, was used until the college Avas fit for occupancy,

The greatest snow storm that ever visited this section ushered in the year 1856. It is referred to as the "great snow of '56." January 8, snow fell to the depth of fifty-eight inches, and before any melted three separate snow storms followed. In some places even the fences were hidden from sight. It was a severe winter ; cattle were frozen, traffic was suspended, many people suffered and some even froze to death.

Notwithstanding the cold, social duties were kept up. It was at this time that the Lynchburg Musical Association was organized. J. F. Payne, H. G. Latham, Dr. D. H. Langhorne, and Jehu Williams were the committee on organization. Professor Bozzoatra was the musical director. The association gave many pleasant entertainments, and was always ready to sing at funerals and on other public occasions.

One by one the old citizens who had labored for the welfare of Lynchburg were passing away. The venerable Sampson Diuguid died, and his funeral was conducted from Court Street church, February 18. The hose company, of which he was chief engineer for a

long time, the Sons of Temperance and a large crowd of citizens were present to pay their last respects to the man whose benevolence and unwavering correctness of conduct had endeared him to many. For years he had been the undertaker of the place, and during that time had consigned hundreds and thousands to the cold chambers of the dead, and now in obedience to the inexorable call he too had gone down into the silence of the tomb.

Captain Pleasant Preston, another prominent and useful citizen, died at his home, corner Jackson and Eleventh streets, April 23. He was a member of the council, a director in the Merchants Bank and in the Lynchburg Hose and Fire Insurance Company. The esteem in which he was held Mas shown by the large assembly that gathered at his funeral.

As the population of the city of the living grew, the inhabitants of the city of the dead increased. The two cemeteries in use were not sufficient. Bishop John Early and others planned to open a new one. In 1854 a piece of ground beyond the city limits, on the New London road, was purchased from John Crouse. An association was formed, consisting of Bishop Early, president ; A. B. Rucker, treasurer ; John R. McDaniel, John Hollins, Colonel M. Langhorne, William M. Blackford, James L. Brown and George G. Curie. William Shoemaker, Micajah Moorman, and others in the neighborhood, objected to having a graveyard so near them. They therefore sued out an injunction to restrain the promoters from carrying out their plans.

The suit was tried at Campbell court and the injunction dissolved. April 2, 1855, John Notman, of Philadelphia, was employed to lay oif the land in lots, and John Caruthers was appointed superintendent. An advertisement appeared in the papers stating that lots could be purchased of A. B. Kucker, and soon many applications were made.

The opponents of the movement did not cease to fight. They gave notice through the papers that they would proceed at law against any who deposited their dead in this place, because it was hurtful to the health and to the property of the neighborhood. This had no effect, and on October 18, 1855, the first grave was opened, that of Howell Robinson. It was a military funeral, for the undertakers, G. A. & D. P. Diuguid, the pall-bearers and others, armed themselves with pistols, because it had been rumored that they would be prevented by force from burying any one in the new graveyard. Better judgment prevailed, and the dead was quietly laid in the grave. June 17, 1856, Spring Hill cemetery was formally dedicated. Rev. Dr. R. B. Thomson conducted religious services, R. K. Cralle made the address, and the Lynchburg Musical Association rendered several selections. Bishop Early pronounced the benediction. For the first two years there were few interments. Much bitter feeling was stirred up over the matter, and friends stopped speaking ; but that passed away, and ere long the opposers with the friends of the work slept beneath its sod. Often from the mourning town has the long concourse, with slow.