From the Richmond Commercial Bulletin, 5/6/1865, p. 3, c. 1

REBUILDING OF RICHMOND. – “The work goes bravely on!” Opposite the Spotswood a temporary establishment has reached completion, and the corner house has already attained to its second story. Other houses on the same squarre are being built, and a few days even, will change the prospect there, from the dreary night of blackened ruins, to the neat and busy panorama of trade. We are disposed to discountenance, however, the rearing of half brick, half canvass houses as a general thing. As mere temporary affairs for the accumulation of capital, they may answer every purpose; but to make Main street a counterpart of San Francisco in the Fall of ’48, would be the product of an American go-aheaditiveness, which would be more ridiculous than laudable. Fourteenth street has also been reopened, and laborers are engaged around the ruins of the large mills. The high walls of these latter are dangerous in the extreme, and we are surprised that they alone, should be left to become destroyers of life and limb in the first high wind which shall visit us.

• Next