Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-03-31
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
REMOVAL OF THE BELL, HOus

REMOVAL OF THE BELL HOUSE.
AS already stated communication addressed
to the Governor, signed by T. r. Giles for the
committee on the Public Square, r. w Hughes,
superintendent of Weights &C., and c. Dim
mock, Sup't OF Public Buildings, was laid before
the House OF Delegates on Saturday last, by Mr..
Speaker CRUTcHFIELD. After being read, it was
referred toa select COMMITTEE of which Mr.. Con-
WAY ROBINSON, of this city, is Chairman. The
communication recommends the removal of the
'ill-contrived and unsightly Bell House which
now dlsigures the public grounds around the Capt.
toll and the erection of an imposing and hand
some gateway on the Southern side of the SQUARE,
Immediately in front of the Capitol with room
above the arches for the deposit and preservation
OF the standards of weights and measures, a room
above that for guard room and the whole sur-
mounted by clock and bell, substituting the pre-
sent Bell House, by avoiding the necessity Of
having guard constantly kept on duty to strike
the time, when it may be done much more accu-
rately by machinery"
these recommendations strike us as being most
Judlclous, wise and proper. This is precisely the
plan, above all others, to combine utility and SEEM
llness with public convenience. An "imposine.
and handsome gateway On the southern side of
The Square, Immediately in front of the Capitol
constructed of hewn granite, would add greatly
to the appearance of that portion of the Square
"a portion, by the bye, wanting in natural ad-
yantages. Above the arched gateway might be
provided suitable fire-proof room wherein might
be deposited the Standards of Weights and
Measures belonging to the State and above that
guard-room could be constructed-the whole
tower surmounted by clock and bell. The clock
might be SO constructed as to the present three
dlals-one fronting Main street, the other two on
the sdes-thus enabling the citizens to ..tell the
time o'day" from three different positions at one
and the same time. In connection with this plan,
permit us to direct the readers attention to a
CLOCK on the Cathedral in New Orleans, which is
pronounced to be a mechanical wonder. sit is
an eight day clock, and has three dials-one of
SIX feet diameter in front of the edifce over a
hundred feet from the ground another of the
same size on the rear; and a third of small 81, @
in the interior-all moved by the same machine
ry. The large dials are of transparent glass, the
figures and the hands being painted white, and
the back OF the lass is a cloth of black velvet,
making the surface Of the dials to appear black
THESE dlals are lighted at light by gas burners,
which, ny an ingenious arrangement of the clock
work itself, are extinguished daily at change of
time conforming to the length of night. This
clock occupies but small space; strikes the hours
on deep toned BELL and the three quarters of an
hour on two smaller bells and is furnished with
regular compensation pendulum and, besides
its regular weight, small weight, acting solely
on the escapment, which together render it ane
almost infalible timepiece.''
Now, whistwe entertain but little hope of OBJ
tanning piece ofmechanism so rure and wonder
full as that described above, still we feel confident
the Legislature wi II suffer itself to be ANNA
ted by niggardly spirit of parsimony in granting
suitable appropriation for an object so useful
and proper i'll itself. But even should it re-
fuse to appropriate single dollar towards the
plan, we should accountit something gained were
1t to order the Ia ling of that architectural
structure known as the Bell House.
RAILROAD AccIDENr.-Y esteriay about half
past one O'Clock, a shocking accident occurred at
the Depot OF the Central Railroad in this CITY,
The Charlottesville train had just arrived-crea-
ting the usual hustle, noise and confusion in and
around the depot; the agents, engineers and off
GERS were all on the alert, attending to their res
pectlve duties; servants and children were looking
on or taking part in the busy scene, when SER
want girl aged about IA years, belonging to lady
in Gloucester county, more venturesome than the
rest, jumped upon the cars, unobserved by the Off
GERS. A minute or after she had attained n
coveted position, it became necessary to back the
train; feeling the moving, the girl attempted to
Jump off but in doing so fell upon the track, when
the massive wheels of the passenger car passed
over both legs, horribly crushing and mutilatng
them. She was taken out, in this condition. and
every assistance rendered her, but no hopes were
entertained of her life
ARREST OF A TEMPERANCE LECTURER.-As
officer Warrington was passing down Cary street
yesterday morning, he discovered crowd of peo-
pie in the street, apparently listening to one
who was haranguing them. AS the officer is s
keeny alive to the fact that active preparations
are afoot for the forthcoming charter elections
perhaps he INDUCED the fancy that one of
the numerous candidates for popular favour, was
splitting the of the populace with recital of
of his own peculiar fitness for some office in the
gift of the ''sovereigns." Or, possibly q vagus