Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-18

best, but the walls are very thick. and
the structure to-day is as solid as when
il was built, and will endure for centu-
ries to come. MANY Of the timbers were
hewn out with the axe.
In the Capitol, as first built, little or
no granite was used. The watersheds
on the basement walls are Of granite,
but they are Of modern date, having
been put there in 1871.
The columns in the portico are Of
brick. When first put up there was
great fear that they would burst open,
and the contractor was accordingly re-
quired to put iron bands around them.
These bands, sunken beneath coats Of
stucco and paint, are there to this day.
The first roof was Of some sort Of
tiling; then there was one Of lead, and
then one Of copper, and then the present
one Of iron.
Austin, after whom Austin, Texas,
was named, as the agent Of the Wythe
lead-mines, had some hand in putting
on the lead roof. The copper roof very
nearly fell a victim to the war Of
1s6l-'65, when copper was much need
ed for making percussion caps and
when it was proposed to use it for that
purpose, but it escaped to be taken
down after the war, and replaced by the
present roof.
CAPITOI, SQUARE.
In the recollection Of persons now
living the Capitol Square was but
rude common, intersected by pathways
running in every direction, and without
an enclosure the haunt Of horses,
hogs, dogs, and cows. The open space
Immediately in front of the portico was
an irregular, elevated surface, on one
of the slopes Of which there stood what
we now call a " shanty," where sps-
cies of soda-water and small beer were
disposed Of by negro, well known to
the boys Of that day, Of the name Of
Humphrey Smith. At later date
probably about 1s20-on account Of
riotous proceedings Of unruly persons,
the Square was enclosed with an iron
railing, which was soon after followed
by the laying out OF a broad walk run
ming from the intersection Of Grace
street, if continued, with Ninth
street to the Governors western
gateway on level, while the rayines
on the east and west side of the Square
below were terraced, and the lowest
points reached by granite stairways.
A large number and quite variety Of
trees were planted in every direction,
and, strange to say, mostly in straight
lines, the probability being that at that
date the subject Of what is called Eng
lish landscape gardening, to distinguish
ii from French gardening, was little un-
derstood. But there was one portion
Of the Square, the southwest corner,
that remained untouched for many
years. 1t was hill or high mass Of
red earth, embracing about two acres,
that had been cut down perpendicularly
about five and twenty feet above Bank
street, while on Ninth, except at its i'm
mediate intersection with Bank, it was
not so high.
On the summit Of this hill, which
had been levelled off, stood for very
many years the barracks Of the State
Guard. 1t was their duty to guard
and protect the State property, and,
should they be called upon, to put
down any insubordination or insurrec-
tion in the cities or any part Of the
State. They drilled twice day, occs-
sionally paraded in the streets, fired
salutes, and the Fourth of July was
ever the biggest day in the year.
About 1S45 or AT it was determined
by the Legislature to rearrange the
State grounds, and committee of three
citizens Of Richmond was appointed to
superintend the work in the absence Of
the Legislature.
Mr.. hoffman, of Philadelphia, was
sent for. He came promptly, made q
typographical survey Of the grounds,
and in few days furnished the plans
which were subsequently adopted and
are now in existence. A large force
was employed, the terraces graded, the
stone stairways removed, the greatest
deprcssions filled up, the hills har-
monized, the barrack-grounds reduced
to their present le-sl, and the State
Guard taken off to tSe Armory, where
they were disbanded after the war.
GOVERNORS HOUSE.
The Governors house, now standing
on the northeast corner Of the Capitol
grounds, though laying claip to some
antiquity, was not the first built. A
plain wooden dwelling preceded it.
The Governor and his council, in the
days way back yonder, had their cham
Der (confersnce-room) on the property
then and since called Council-Chamber
Hill; but the State long ago parted
with this land, and shovel and spade
have caused the hill to disappear.
BUILDINGS IN THE SQUARE.
At the evacuation Of Richmond by
the Confederate troops April 8, 1865,
when the business portion Of the city
was burnt, the Capitol took fire in two
or three places, and would have been
destroyed but for the energy Of Mr..
Henry EIall and other citizens, who
rendered timely services. The State
Courthouse previously the State Mu-
seum) in the Square, near the corner OF
Franklin and Twelfth streets, was de-
stroyed.
STATUES AND MONUMENTS.
The statue of Washington by Hou-
don, the great French sculptor, was
erected in the " rotunda" OF the Capi.
tol in 1895, and the bust of Lafayette
was received about the same time. The
cornerstone Of the Washington monu-
ment was laid February %, 1850, and
the equestrian statue by Crawford was
unveiled February 90, 1883. 1t WA
only in 1867 that the last Of the statues
on the monument were erected, Craw-
ford having in the mean time died, and
the finishing work been transferred to
Rogers.
In 1860 was erected the marble
statue of Clay by Hart--a present to
the State by Clay's admiring country
women. This statue until few years
| sgo stood under a shelter near the bell