Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-11
LIBBY PRISON SHOW
VISIT To rEx BUILDING AND A TALK
WITH RICHMOND PEOPLE.
No objection offered by the Residents Of
virginia's Capitals the Renewal OF
tie Famous Structure 10 Chicago,
rsnnciAl corresrondcnce chicago rrIbuac.l

RICHMOND. VA, February 2S The
proposed removal OF Libby Prison 10
chicaqo cxcites a good deal more inte-
rest and INDIGNATION in certain sections
of the North than it does IN Richmond
The Richmond papers have been full Of
indignant protests from former inmates
of the old building Governor Lee has
been importnaed. and the Mayor Of tho
city bcseigcd by letters begging the city
authorities to interfere to prevent what
is termed ESQ great a saculoge. but
oil is Of no avail in arOusinR
local sentiment against the removal. The
people. from Governor Lee down, ere
absolutely indifferent. YheylOoh on the
pending negotiations with Unsurpassed
amusement at the cupidity of the Yam
lees" in seeking to make q show
house with an admission fee OF build
ing which at the North has since tho war
been held in so sacred memory. The
Richmond people themselves care no
thing about Libby 1t has no sssocia-
tions of sentiment for them. 1T was a
mere place of confinement for northern
prisoners. and as such has no other IN
seres. at this dav than has Belle Isle or
The ground for the exchange Of prisoners
down the river ct Nsrlna. ToeXpect the
Richmond people TO interest themselves
20 keep the old structure IS to expect too
much. Indeed, they are more likely to
facilitate its dsmolishing aud shipment.
Already the Mayor has rendered TO the
Chicago parties undisturbed possession
lof the streets during the razing OF the
building and free use Of the water by
drants, dock facilities. and other needs
for the proper shipment and transporta-
ton out of the city Of the material.
The first payment OF $4,000 has been
made. the deed has been recorded in
favor Of w. II. Gray, Of Chicago, and
nothing now remains but TO begin the
work of demolition. But, after all,
there are many who believe the old
prison will never he moved from ll2h-
mend Some even assert that the whole
scheme is nothing but a speculation to
arouse the soldier feeling of the North
against it, and promote 3 big subscrlp-
tion among the old soldiers TO buy out
the spectators and let the old building
stand.
TIE BUILDING.
went all over the old prison yester-
dav. Ii stands precisely as II did quar-
Ter of a century ago, when crowded with
the captives OF McClellan's army Gagged
within It's walls The iron bars are yet
before the windows. The big doors
through which the prisoners marched
into the gloomy structure yet swing on
hinges creaking with rust The heavy
staircases Of Georgia pine. the steps,
hGlf-worn through with the tramp OF
Thousands of feet. are still there. The
heavy floors, cut and carved with initials
of soldiers. checker aud backgammon
boards. are still in place, though thickly
covered with dirt. The huge hewn posts
that support the floors are thick
with soldiers names cut deep into
the wood. Rude drawings Of female
figures, horses, etc, sdorn some OF the
woodwork and doors. Years AGO the
brick walls were covered with names and
sketches in charcoal, but the whitewash-
brush has wholly obliterated these. On
one post appeared III. T. G., lS3 Pa.
Vols: ~. d. Richards. Sd Pa. Vols"
"That last name, " said the guide, "was
formerly NJ. d. r.. only, hut some
years ago when Pennsylvania battalion
was here as the guest of the Richmond
troops. one old soldier of the battalion
came here, hunted up the post, and,
scratching off the whitewash. said: Il
guess III finish that now, and he added
richards to il. Pm that man, he
ndded."
The most tragic of all the inscriptions
Is this, on one of the doors Of the old
prison:
"John B. Crafts, Company E, Forty
third New York volunteers
Later some comrade added, in dille
rent style of carving:
Hung June 2, 1863, for making a plot
10 get out OF Libby Prison.
Another of the inner doors of the old
prison is now in possession Of W. A.
Mountcastle, of Richmond. 1t is
SCARED all over with names. Mr..
Mountcastle recently had this door on
exhibition in a Boston dime-museum.
He now wants 10 sell it to the Chicago
syndicate.
Libby Prison is on Twentieth street,
east side, between Cary and the dock.
IS is well remembered by veterans the
building was used mostly for the con
lnemeut Of commissioned officers, most
Of tho rank and file brought here being
sent Immediately to Belle Isle, Sails
bury, Andersonville, etc. The structure
was built in 1915 by John Endcrs, the
father" of the Richmond Tobacco
Trade, as he is called here. 1t was used
for many years as tobacco store
house. In 1861 the Confederate Govern
ment took possession Of it and used it as
o prison during the whole OF the war.
The name Of Libby came from the
lessee Of the warehouse, who was ruth
,iossly elected by the Rebel Government
without regard to rights under his lease.
Libby seems to have been roughly treated
al around. Jef. Davis TUNED him out
of the building, and at the close of the
war Uncle Sam put him in Fort Warren,
e. his son, George w. Libby, now resi- |
dent here, says "simply because the pri. (
son was given his name.
The building is in three sections, each /
4gxllO, divided by division walls fully
two feet thick, the outer walls beng the
same thickness. II was strongly con
siructed, as it needed to be to sustain .
the heavy weight OF tobacco that often .
cfammed It's area. The iron. Of the
building has but three stories, but tine
slope Of the ground towards the rear
gives another story on that side The
timbers used in the flooring, floor
timbers, and supports are heavy. All
are OF oak or Georgia piae. Each floor
It'll has tie water-pipes, sinks, etc.,
Pot in in 1851 FOR the use Of the
prisoners Whatever msy be the past
record OF the old building ITS offence now
Il certainly rank and smells 10 high
heaven. II is used by company which .
prinds UP bones. dead fish, and other
DIAL. Beside It the stock-}ards are like (
q bower OF roses. An hour in the old .
structure viii give one 3 raging headache.
The stuff IS ground W for iertiliziDg
purposes, and, as the building is stored
iui Of il. the smell could almost be cut
with q cleayer.
sTRUCnT.