Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1871-07-21
VIRGINIA ITEMS.
The Washington Monument.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS CONCERN
ING IT NOT HERETOFORE PUBLISHED.

| Ing II NOT 11EREIOEORE PC BLlSHED.
We copy from the Gloucester Her
aid of Sth inst, the following reference
to the Washington Monument on the
Capital Square, in this city. We pre-
sumo it was written by Col. Geo. w.
| Munford, now resident of GIouces-
ter, who was one of the Commission
ers appointed to select a model for the
| Monument.
1T is not yet completed according to
the original design. Mr.. Crawford
contracted TO complete as additional
equipments for it, two shields for the
east and west sides, to be ornamented
with the emblems and the motto of
the Seal of State. One shield contain
ing the female figures representing
Libertas, Ceres, Eternitas, with the
motto Perseverance," The other,
the figure of Virtus, with her foot up
! on the tyTant's neck, and the motto
| Sic Scmper TDrdnRiS. These equip
ments were finished by Mr.. Crawford,
but have
| NEVER BEEN PLACED II POSTTI IN.
They are now in the basement of the
/ Capitol, in the passage leading faOm
| the door under the Southern porticO.
| We VIII explain the reason for this:
Mr.. Crawford contracted to have ali
the statues of specified dimensions.
He thought it best to perform the
work i'm the city Of Rome. After his
arrival there, upon consultation with
the best artists, he was persuaded to
enlarge his statues very materially, adj
ding five feet to the highest Cf the
equestrian group and increasing the
other figures in proportion. In the
meantime, the masonry upon which
these statues were to stand, had pro-
crossed, and more than half the height
of the entire work had been reached
according to the dimensions of the
original design. Mr.. Crawford, then
for the first time, informed the Gov
ernOr of his alterations, and it was
found that the equestrian statue was
TOO LARGE FOR THE PLATFORM
upon which it was to stand. In order
to obtain the requisite size and not
destroy the proportions, ii became
necessary to enlarge the monument by
inches at every effect, and even then,
there was just space to bring the hOOfs
of the horse within its verge, which
gives it a confined and insecure APP
pearance, not in the model.
While the equestrian group was be-
ing cast in bronze, which was done in
the city of Munich, Mr.. Crawford was
occupied in preparing the two shields.
and they Were east according to his
enlarged plan, when it was too late to
enlarge the masonry intended to re-
ceive them. The consequence was
when they arrived in Richmond they
could not be made to fit the sides, and
for this and other reasons they Were
rejected by the monument commits
siOners They have never been paid
Cor, and are Of no use for the pun pose
for which they were intended, and no
other shields have been contracted for.
They would have added much to the
beauty and completed the original de
sign. These are facts never made
known to the public before.
SUICIDE.-A young lady named
Queensbury, residing in the Greasy
Creek neighborhood, Floyd county.
hung herself on the night of the 18th
instant with a pillow line. She took
the line from the field where it had
been left there over night proceeded
to the upper story of Duncan's mill,
near by, climbad upon a Windmill,
fastened the line to one of the timbers,
Jumped from the windmill and broke
her neck. She was found in the
morning swinging within six inches
of the floor. 1t was all for love, which,
according to the old song, is a " killing
thing" She left home on Monday
morning, telling her brother that they
would see her no more. She was seen
but once afterwards Monday EVENING"
until found Oh Wednesday morning as
above statcd.-WOHtgOnCjy Messenger.
SHOCKING ACCIDENT-SIX Ne
GROEs AND Two WHITE MEN MUIR
ED.-A special telegram to the Rich
mond Dispatch says a painful accident
occurred Monday evening in the Lew
is Tunnel, near Allegheny Station, on
the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad, by
which eight men We're badly burnt
six negroes and two white men. 1t l.
feared that the two whites and two of
the negroes are fatally injured.
The accident was the result Of care
Iessncss on the part of one of the ne
grocs, who entered the shaft with a
lighted lamp and piece OF fuse. lie
carelCSSly lighted the fuse, and, III en-
deavoring TO eXtinguish it, ignited the
blast that was being filled, thereby
causing Il premature explosion.
SHOOTING AFFAIR AT ORANGE
CoIrRTHoUSE.- Hoffman shot
and seriously wounded Joseph Layton
i'm Graham & Bros bar room, Mt Or
onre Courthouse, Wednesday. Hotf-
man was behind the counter and ted
Layton not to come where he was, but
the latter not needing the warning,
the former picked up pistol and shot
him. The bail entered his neck and
passed down towards the abdomen,
but its exact course and location are
not known. nor is its probable effect.
Alexandria gazette.
SToNEwALT. BRIGADE.-Allthe sur
viving members of the StonewalI BIZ
rade are requested to he present at the
Montgomery white Sulphur Springs
on the Dist inst, at the Celebration OF
the Lee Memorial Association. This
request comes from one of its former
commanders, who desires then and
there to inaugurate steps looking to
the memory of Stonewall Jackson
The papers of Virginia are requested to
copy this notice.
SUICIDE OF A BoY.-On Friday last
VIM. G. Switzer, aged 10 years, hung
| himself near the Mouth of Indian
Creek, Floyd county. n little girl,
aged years. was with him at the time
and it is thought he was trying to
| frighten her and accidently lost his
| footing. His neck was broken by the
| flll.-MoIt. hess.
FATAL ACCIDENT.-AIr. George w.
| Brett, of Augusta county, was thrown
| from his horse, near Harrisonburg on
Monday night last, and sustained such
severe Injuries that he died the next
morning. He leaves wife and large
family.
DEATHS DoINGs.-The Petersburg
papers, of yesterday, announce the
death of two old citizens-Mr. Samuel
| pIeasautS and Mr. Edwin ID Wilcox