Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-07
LIBBY PRISON.
It Has Been Purchased by a West
em Syndicate.
TO CHICAGO 1T GOES.
4 win be Pulled Down and Re-erected
IN the Lake City,
GIGANTIC UNDERTAKING.
TO Carry 1t Out 100000 to
be Subscribed.
A FAMOUS BUILDING.
Interesting HstodcaIInoidents in Connec
ton With It.
ESClPE or COLONEL STRElGHT'S PARTY.
Removal ofths Prisoners at the Time Of the
Evacuation, &c, &c, &c.
GIGANTIC UNDERTAKING.
TO Carry 1t Out 100000 to
be Subscribed.
\ FAMOUS BUILDING.
Interesting Historical Incidents in Connec
ton With Il.
ESClPE or COLONEL STRElGHT'S PARTY
Removal ofths Prisoners at the Time OF the
Evacuation, &c. &c, &c.
Libby Prison is to leave Richmond.


Libby Prison is to leave Richmond.
Root and branch, roof and floors, it is
TO he plucked up and carried to Chicago,
there to be made the gaze and show of
the people OF the West
Brick by brick, timber by timber, nail
/ by nail, it will be taken down, and as
/ this is done each piece will be num-
/ bcrcd, and the whole vast mass Of mate
rial OF this four story structure trans
+ ported to Chicago, there to be re-erectcd.
/ The undertaking is one OF the greatest
/ on record, and Richmond loses one of
her chicftest objects Of interest for
northern tourists.
\ Dispatch reporter some years ago
interviewed a number Of hackmen as TO
what 1t was in Richmond that most
tourists first wished to see. The answer
I from nearly all was "Libby Prison"
Richmond has the finest monumental
pile of bronze and granite in the world
4 II has the oldest American capitol and the
oldest state records it has within her
limits the graves Of Chicf-Justice Mar
[ shall. Monroe, Tyler, A. i. Hill, Stuart,
aud Pickett it has the church where
I Patrick Henry made his speech, "Giye
me liberty or give me death %; 1t has the
/ house where President Davis lived while
/ he vaccd one of the mightiest OF modern
wars it has a thousand other thingst that
/ ought TO interest the man Of minl--but
| the northern and western tourist above
/ all wished TO sec Libby Prison.
Hereafter they viii not come to Rich
mond they Will so to Chicago to zee 1t.
HOW 1T ALL CAME ABOUT.
Mr.. Gray, who originated the scheme,
/ gives a Chicago reporter the following
/ account Of ii:
"Last November" said he, "whcn |
was travelling through Eastern Nirgiria
with Judge Moore. Of Toledo, we met on
/ the road to Old Point Comfort and Rich
mond Colonel Barnes, a former officer Ill
| the Confederate army and at present en-
/ gagged in tue business of fruit growing on
"a large farm near Richmond. In the
course Of n conversation on the events OF
/ the war reference was made TO the Old
/ Libby Prison, and il occurred to me that
/ IT would be a good idea to purchase the
/ building md transport it to Chicago. l
! took Colonel Barnes into my conf
/ dence and asked him to ascertain
| ii the property could be purchased.
/ Shortly after my return ! received a let
/ ter from RAWLINGS a Rose. real estate
/ denlcIs in KIchmond, stating that the
old prison was now the property OF the
/ Southern Fertilizing Company, and that
I q Z ]. Z
nv request Mr.. John a. Crawford, the
/ general superintendent OF the Chicago
Towing Company, went to Nchmond
and looked over the ground and IN
yostieated the possibility OF moving the
/ building. He returned iuil of enthusiasm
( for the enterprise. Some further cor
| respondence with the real estate finn
mentioned resulted in their obtaining for
rle an option for thirty days on the pro-
/ poltv. The option cost just so.
The building is built OF rel brick,
/ is three stories high, and is covered with
an olG-iashioned gable roof, 1t fronts
/ on Cary street and runs back almost to
! the dock, the first story in the rear being
| the basement in the front. 1t was built
/ in the good old-fashioned substantial
manner. which IS distinguishing feature
of the plain architecture Of the
/ south. and is rs solid today as when
erected over fifty years ago. 1t contains
about 500, ,0o0 bricks, stone caps, ana
sil!s, and is surrounded on three
sides by a stone sidewalk. | have
consulted with the architects and
they inform me that 1t can
! be taken down. removed to this city, and
rebuilt Just as it stands. We-that Is,
( the company-pTopose 70 number every
! brick, stone, and shingle. The building
/ will be taken down i'll sections, and the
material will be boxed up and trans
ported bv rail to Chicago. We will
carefully draw every nail that has not
rusted away we will bring on the NOR
tar and use it as far as possible in the re-
building. Every beam, loist, door, and
window will he set in place"
"What viii the enterprise cost
"About 100000. We will surround
I il with another building 200 by 100 feet
with glass roof. and on the wall oppo-
site the rear of the prison we Will have
painted panoramic view OF the James
river and the country beyond.
"Where do You intend 10 place 1t?
owe have not determined. Some Of
the exposition people favor tearing down
the conservatory at the south end OF
their building and giving US a site there.
, However. We viii get a site that will be
convenient to the centre OF the city and
easy of access. We estimate that the
cost will be divided in tins way:
.
For tearing down and boxing, $40, 900.
Fox freight, $4,000.
For reconstruction, S23, ,0OO.
For the site, $50, OCO.
Inclosing building S75,C00.
"If We cannot buy the lot in Chicago
we will lease. 1t IS our intention 10
make an elaborate collection of relics of
the rebellion in fact, make IT u per-
! feet museum. We will have panoramic
/ views of the engagement between the
/ Monitor and the Mcrrlmac and other
well known events OF the war.
Wbcndo You expect to get to work.
"The contract for building will be
/ closed this month. We hope to get early
possession Of the old store OF Libby u
/ Son and have this portion rebuilt 10
( time for the Republican National Con
vention next June As soon after as Is
possible we viii complete the rebuilding
of the remainder Of the prison.
"Will the Richmond people allow you
70 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 the
p0ssession Of the Southern Fertillzlne
Company. the Richmond authorities had
TO keep guard around it to keep of the
relic-hurters, who would have torn 1t to
pieces. ala informed that some OF the
Richmond people may kick, but it Will
do them no good a
both apocryphall
Josiah Crafty, one of the corporators,
in talking OF the scheme, said "lt
should be understood that there is no
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