Wichita eagle., 1888-02-07
A RELIC OF THE REBELLION.
Libby Prison, Of Richmond. to be Removed
to Chicago.

n
the life Of relic worship has been taken in
this city. The preliminary steps for the
formation of corporation. whose object
is the purchase and removal to this city of
the famous Libby prison, of Richmond,
Va, We're taken here yesterday. The gen
tlemen who figure as the commissioner
who are instrumental in organizing and
developing the scheme, are Messrs. VIM.
H. Gray. Josiah Crotty, John A. Crawford
and Charles h Miller, all Chicago men.
The company will have capital OF
100000, and it is understood that
all the stock has already been APP
piled for The history of the enter
prise is best told in the words of MIR. Will
lam H. Gray. to whom is due the credit for
its inception. Last November" said he to
a reporter, when / was travelling through
Eastern Virginia with Judge Moore, of
Toledo, we met on the road between Old
Point Comfort and Richmond, Colonel
Barnes, former officer in the confederate
army, and at present engaged Ill the bust
ness OF fruit growing on a Large farm near
Richmond In the course of converse
ton on the events OF the war, reference
was made to the old Libby prison, and it
occurred to me to me, that it would be
good idea to purchase the building and
transport it to Chicago. | took Barnes
into my confidence, and asked him to
ascertain if the property could be pur-
chased. Shortly after my return received
a letter from Rawlings & Bose, real estate
dealers in Richmond, stating that the old
building was now the property OF the
Southern Fertilizing company, and that it
could be purchased for s23, eG0. At my re-
quest Mr. John A. Crawford, general
superintendent of the Chicago Towing
company, went to Richmond and looked
over the ground and Investigated the pos
sibiHty of moving the building. He re-
turned full of enthusiasm for the enter
prise. Some further correspondence with
the real estate firm mentioned resulted IN
their obtaining for me an option on the
property for thirty days. The option cost
just $50.
''The building" continued Mr.. Gray. lis
built of red brick, three stories high, and
covered with an old fashioned gable roof.
1t fronts on Cary street and runs back
almost to the James river, the first story
in the rear being the basement i'll the
front. 1t was built in the good, old
fashioned manner, which is a distinguish
ing feature of the plain architecture of the
south and is as solid today as it was on
the day it was erected, over fifty years ago.
1t contains about eco, 600 bricks, stone caps
and stills, and is surrounded on three sides
with the architects and they inform me it
can be taken down, removed to this city and
rebuilt just as it now stands in Richmond.
We prOposeto lumber every brick, stone and
Single The building will be taken down
in sections and the material will be boxed
up and transported by rail to Chicago.
We will carefully draw every nail that has
not. rusted away. We will grind up the
mortar and use it as far as possible, in the
rebuilding. Every beam. Joist, door and
window will be set in place"
What will the enterprise COST
Somewhere about S200,0;A We will
surround it with another building 300Xl50
feet with a glass roof, and OH the wall Op-
posite the rear of the prison we will have
painted panorama OF the James river ana
the country beyond"
''Where do you intend to place it,"
1--WE have not yet determined Some of
the exposition people favor tearing down
the conservatory at the south end OF their
building and giving us a site there How
venient to the center of the city and easy
of access. We estimate that the cost will
be divided in this way: For the
building, $4,000; for tearing down
and boxing, $4,000; for freight, $4,000: for
reconstruction, S23, OOO for the site, 200;
enclosing building, $3.50 If we can not
get the lot we want, we will lease. 1t is
ton of relics of the rebellion, in fact, make
it perfect museum of the late war. We
will have panoramic views of the
engagement between the Monitor
and the Merimac and other well known
events of the war;
when do you expect to get to work?'
1.-THE contract for the building and prop
erty will be closed this month. We hope
to get early possession of the old store of
Libbey G. Son, and have this portion re-
built in time for the Republican national
convention next June. As soon after as
possible we will complete the rebuilding of
the remainder of the prison."
viii the Richmond people allow you to
move the building? Do they take any local
pride in it:'
Il am informed that up to two years ago,
when the property came into possession of
the Southern FertiliZing company, the
Richmond authorities had to keep guard
around it to ward off the relic hunters, who
would have picked it to pieces. | have
been informed that some Of the Richmond
people may kick, but it will do them no
good"
Josiah Crotty, one of the incorporates,
in talking of the scheme said: at should
be understood that there is no idea of
waving the bloody shirt In this, it is
simply a business speculation for what
there is in it,