The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-12-30
CANDLES HILL.
An Historic Landmark
Fast Fading Into
Obscurity.
AN OH MANSION PLANNED BI
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Another interesting Hemiai.eenoo.

Zone more unfortunate" not Thomas
Hood = dripping lost one. nor YET lhomp-
son's Harper Boy" An older th@n
these who has seen better days than
either the waif of the Transtcyere, or
the victim of the Bridge of Signs, il
about so pass away forever.
CANDLES Hill has been one OF the sail
ent points of interest and beauty since
Richmond claimed the dignity 90 ciIy.
When Colonel Thomas Mann Randolph
selected this spot for his residence %
proved he Was man of taste ana lore
cast When the foundations al his uew
home were laid there was not another
building on the entire space reaching
from near the corner of Main and Fourth
streets 10 the brink of the present track
of the Richmond and Allegheny railway
Colonel Randolph unfortunately ana noI
live to finish his new house. After hS
death II was purchased and completed By
Colonel Robert Gamble, very early M
this century lie ana his interesting
family occupied it for many years ms
sons continuing 10 reside there several
wears after his death. II being so much
the custom among the gentlemen OK that
dav 10 give significant names 10 thef
places. IL is a matter OF surprise lha
Colonel Randolph had not left TO ms
successors an appropriate Que 10 tins
beautifully situated spot The promt
hence and high social standing Of The
CANDLES have however, left ior ali time
the prestige Of their name upon that his
toric hill For many years u was the re-
sort of a cultivated and refined society
The good and the great found unU5%l so
cial attractions under ifs hospitable roof
II was here that the distinguished William
Writ wo0ed and finally won bis second
wife. daughter of Colonel Robert Gamble
When. however. he had secured the ai-
fcctions Of the young lady, another al
hcuity was before him. The ladies oi
that dav were educated according 10 the
old school of duty 20 their parents ana
superiors For reasons satisfactory no
doubt to himself, Colonel Gamble dO
not al once give his consen' 90 hir
daughters marriage even 10 the gifted
man whose public career had ahehd,
made him distinguished. But as De-
generally the case in such affairs, love
and good fortune finally succeed
Colonel CANDLES two SONS, John 0nc
Robert. continued 10 be prominent mel
In their native State. They both hac
held military commissions during The wal
of 1912, after which time they becam,
PROSPEROUS merchants in Richmond. Why
they saw dt 10 leave their State anr
beautiful home i'm Richmond, We canno
saw. But soon after the purchase o..
Florida they emigrated 10 the land ol
flowers. and IN time became intuentla
and prominent citizens OF the new Terri
tory aud State. one OF them owned tho
farm on which q famous Indian cOunci
was once held, the object OF which was
the destruction of the entire white popU-
lation of the Territory. IL was at a par
ticular spring on that farm that the ne
doubtable hero of Washington irving. ?
sketches of Ralph Ringwood determined
upon the plan by which the sayages were
ultimately thWartcd in their plans. Ht
and his Indian interpreter composed ihc
council of war on that memorable oc-
casiOn. What measures were adopted by
these two, at such an important Crisis, Wt
cannot attempt to give here.
After The departure of the CANDLES.
Judge William H. Cabell of the Court Of
Appeals of Virginia, occupied with his
family the mansion of theirrelatives who
had just left IT,
Nr Cabell had already been Governor
of the State, and was perhaps The Young
est Executive ever elected 10 that high
Office. lie had long been president OF
the Court Of Appeals. lie continued O.
reside nj the Gamble mansion until som,
time early in the forties when lie re-
moved To one of Mr. William c. Allen
new tenements on Franklin street be
tween Sixth and Seventh, where Lt
finally died.
At the time now referred TO the
grounds around the venerable mansion
we're ample. In front was o spacious
lawn. adorned with variety of trees
on the southern exposure of the high and.
slopinE bill was the garden, part @.
which descended in terraces towards the
canal al its base From It's windows was
20 be seen the same lovely landscape
that now stretches crescent-shapcd from
Tree Hill on the east 90 the heights of
HOLLYWOOD on the west. in front was seen
the same river whose island-iretted stream
is now widened out by the fortress-likc
Belle Isle. Beyond stood the haunted
house Of which something may be said
hereafter. Spring Hill, the resultot a lot
tery-ticket adventure, on beautifully
adorned spot, but now gone 10 decay, De-
now known only by It's name. imme-
diately on the right OF Candles HILL
where now the shops OF the Richmond
and Allegheny railway stand, was Gun
ninghams pond, now filed up, bat
formerly a basin of the James River
canal. 1t supplied Cunningham mill,
the forerunner OF the 1redegar W OrRsr
with water for its machinery. Oh the
hill west of this pond was pine and oak
forest. Al the base of which boys were
wont 10 shoot frogs doing in the thlcket
of PUSHES and reeds 10 secure dainty
dish OF their tender legs On the east
side OF the hill was the same steep de-
scent. now occupied by small houses.
Almost Immediately in front stood the
old amOry. built and finished by the
State in the year 1905. j was a hollow
square. with arched gateway suFmounted
by a tower and dome, flanked by build
ings in which were shops for the repair
and manufacture of arms. In rear were
the lodgings of the officers and garrison.
On the parade grounds were TO be seen,
resting on heavy foundations, old guns,
artillery captured al IOrktOwn in 1881,
old French pieces, gorgeous in decoration,
and emblazOned with the royal arms OF
Louis XIV. 4 few dilapidated walls now
remain TO mark the spot where stood this
interesting building, which was totally
destroyed by the conhagration Of April,
1865, at the evacuation Of Richmond.
The approach 10 CANDLES Hin from the
northward was by mere carriage road
NOW Third street, through an avenue Of
locust and sycamore trees mp TO a
modest gateway, through which car
riages entered and were driven up TO the
front door The old stone upon which
many a dainty and sippered foot has
alighted, and which has felt the sturdy
pressure of warriors, judges, and states
men, IS there now awaiting the rude
touch of the destroyer. In front of the