The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-03-10
BELLVILLE.
INTERESTING SKETCH CF THE HIS.
T0RIC MANSION.
HOW SCREA HERSFILLEDERTVED
ITS NAME.
RECoLLE cTIONsoF RICHMOND FIFTY
WARS AGO.
Perpotuating the Local Traditions OF Our
City -to-tiy Residences Now MARK
aug The spot Where Once Reveli-
ed the >nipc. wood
chuck. aud Teal

Cpon a clear. siarlit night. Al lat
hour, nearly lfty years ago, an alarm o
ire startled the people in the extrem
western suburbs Of Richmond. Th'
part Of the county then bordering tn
Town was sparsely populated. 4 feg
great houses a. they were called II
old times, stood in stately dignity IA
apart from each other and Just sufficient
ly remote from the city TO give them tina
air OF seclusion peculiar TO suburban res
licences Of ordinary pretentions. But be
You'd the confines OF these places wer'
Struggling settlements of small houses
some aligned along the continuation Of
the streets of the town and other.
sprinklcd over the fields as n dr0ppcl
there p, accident Not far from the spot
I'D which We are about 10 refer particu
larry was group Of houses standing
ia the mud, Of what is now west Broad
street, called Screamcrsyille' This
euphonious title had been given TO that
locality on account Of the character of
lis inhabitants These were composed
for the most part OF the lowest class of
people Of all cOlors and conditions They
kept night hideous by their orgies 10 their
own dlabOlcal noises was added the
night long clamor OF barking ours of
/ every degree. The place Was well sup
/ piled with small grOg shops, and being
/ outside OF the corporation line of the
| town, and there being Al that time but
/ three policemen in all Richmond the dis
/ -ipated, reckless and rcprObate of both
sexes and OF all cOlOrs cOngregated there
4 t,. a 30 a..
daytime tie presence OF a decent-lOOking
or wcll-dressoi person passing through
its narrow and filthy lanes brought TO
the windows and doors the jebauched
and eareyed yisages OF its inhabitants,
a. il 10 question TIE right OF any such
intrusion on the part OF the visitor II
wa. from out this suburban pandemO-
MUM that the pOrtentiOus cry OF ire was
first heard I ne cry soon spread over
he fields until it reached the town, and
was actually rousing the city sleeper-
before the occupants of the burning
house were aware OF what was going on
The dwelling here referred 10 stood
out in the country exactly opposite 90
the western terminus OF what j. now
Grace street, and a short distance M
front OF the main building of Richmond
College As the tower OF the latter is
now observed looming up al the head Of
that street, So the elegant mansion al
Bellyile could be- seen terminating The
long perspective of carriage road that az
that time lost itself among the cottages
aud fields IN the same direction 4 few
old trees. and other faint reminders are
ROW len Go mark fhe site where ne resi-
lencc stood. bui the imposing presence
of the college bindings will ever serve
10 pcrpetuate the memories that linger
around one of the most elegant of All
the Southern homes of a past age
Bellyillc was on lire ihst night The
outline OF the grand old mansion could
lie seen lii up by the devouring flames
miles away The tall chimneys, high
roof and noble front stood a ghasily pic
ture amid the silent trees and sOmbre
background of eyergreens, lurld with the .
glare of the flames Spectral looking
figures of men, women and children
fitted over the bare hills, ilOCkng 90 the
scene of the disaster At that time there
were no steam firc-engines Instead OF
these were heavy machines dragged and
worked by men, generally volunteer ne
groe5. who were g al of the opportunity
10 enjoy a frolic by night The pumps
were OF primitive pattern, and were
scarcely able 10 throw a stream of water
ID the top of the smaller houses By The
ime these had reached the disintegrating
mansion from their headquarters in the
town il was well nigh destroyed
In the meantime The venerable lady,
he widow OF The late Colonel John
Mayo, had been reused from hen slum-
lers by the sudden appearance of TWO
Gentlemen from Richmond, who had
hurried out to her assistance when they
lad first discovered that her residence
vas ON ire They found her totally OBJ
iyious TO what was going on. and had
great difficulty npufsuading her 10 leave
lcr room This had scarcely been done
when the root fell in amid the crash ot
imbcrs and the d,jus of ruin, while The
noble building seemed TO breathe out rs
lie in "a column Of danes aud smoke
md flying cinders Mrs Mayo for
many year, had occupied this large house
ntirely alone, while The servants We're
luaficrcd in the Oui-hOuses She was q
cmarkable woman; OF great personal ,
Lightly. both Of mind and presence Few
II her sex would have veuured 20 live
ut away from The city unprotected and !
egardess Of danger or OF Intrusion, as she D
ill., BY the aid OF friends and her ser d
ants most Of her valuabes and fur i
iture were saved But IL was melan. d
holly sight TO behold, when as the tire I
lOWly but steadily deyOured an in its ~
iay. the beautifully decorated rooms %
nd halls were invaded by the memorable "a
estTOyer In each OF the grand draw 4
lg rooms hung chandeliers OF cut glass, Il
rom frolted and decorated ceilings. sur 4
Junded by frieZes and cOrnices OF the f|
chest and most elaborate designs The ii
partments were supplied with furniture II
I the most approved styles OF that day [,
nd reelected By lofty mirrors The "A
Ouse itself had been built quite early Ia u
he century by wealthy merchant, Mr. il
ohm Bell, after whom the place had II
cen called he had spared no expense y
! its construction The foundation r
ais were OF immense thickness the "a,
rst tiOOf resting on arches like the a
isemates OF fortincatIOn. while the n
-cending walls went up d massive en- "
osure upon which rested d heavily built M
I'D substantially braced root vi ot
alwart timbers calculated 10 re- or
81 the inroads of decay, and 10 endure IL
e demands OF time for centuries TO h,
me. In the nam hall of this palatial in
ansion hung a magnificent chandelier =
id to have been OF cut-glass. OF course OF
could not be removed The cOntemp- q
ton of its certain destruction added IN
uch 10 the feelings of those who m
atched the gradual approach Of the nd
e aud al last saY its long and graceful -
ppOrt begin 20 give signs OF weaken. h,
:, until at last the glfttering mass fell b.,
th crash and was hiyered 10 pieces II
ION the floor below Underneath the IL.
ming room floors, and connected By IN.
NOW stairways, were sOlidly construct m
wine cellars aud other Teceplacle- for
usehold articles OF value The en- ia
.nce 10 the house was by double he
ght or marble steps, each built on IN,
nile curve to platform OF the same m
lterial. This arrangement was pro- be
tied by handsome iron railing, deco ri
ed with brass ornaments kept shiny ia