The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-27
THE HAUNTED HOUSE.
WHERE 1T STe0B-WHf IT WAS EVER
BUILT.
A GENTLEMAN VOLUNTEERS TO
MEET TIE GHOSTS.
The Mystery solved.

More than seventy years ago a gentle
man OF this city determined TO build for
his own use a home in the country For
this purpose he selected one Of the most
eligible spots within sight Of the town.
He was man OF taste, was advancing in
life. and was anxious on this account 10
retire from business His means were
ample, and his family were particularly
DESTROYS of the proposed change. Al
though living in Richmond for some
reason unknown 10 us, he preferred 10
reside on the Chesterfield side of the
river. The town OF Manchester was al
that time a very small place. Most OF is
stores and dwellings were located at the
foot OF what is now Hull street, near
the river, and it was considered quite
long walk cut 10 the spot to which we
now refer. During the late war form
liable looking earth-wOrk was built on
J the summit Of the hill west OF the south
ern end Of the Petersburg railway bridge.
/ Part of this still remains, grim re-
minder of those trOublOus times This
same locality has been lately made con-
spicuOus by the sudden appearance
( of tall. massive looking tower
/ standing strongly ont against the
horizon, ~ observed from the north.
ern side OF the river. This structure, il
/ seems. il 10 contain a reservoir into which
water is TO be pumped and thence sup
piled To the inhabitants of the city OF
I Manchester. OF course this is located
upon the most elevated spot for such
purpose When we observe. therefore,
that the gentleman referred 10 built bis
new home quite near 10 this very spot
we conclude "he had an eye to the beau
ties and advantages Of such situation
At the time Of which We speak, the
old fashioned frame houses, painted
white, and decorated with pOrches and
green window blinds. were disappearing
They were being superseded by more
pretentiOus structures built OF brick
The house to which we now refer was
therefore constructed OF this latter mate
rial. II was two stories high, with 4
lofty attic above, whose long mOnoto-
nous slopes were broken by dOrmer win
doWs. and fortified on each side by tall
heavy chimueys The ground upon
which IL stood was short distance west
OF the present southern end OF the Pc
tersburg railway bridge, and of late
years has been much encrOached
upon by what engineers describe
as borrowing earth for railroad pur-
poses, but which il never returned Its
front was towards the northwest and
from is upper story a magnificent pros
pect greeted the eye. Just across the
james river were the bluffs and heights of
upper flenric0 recovered with original for
est extending up almost TO old Windsor
Beyond were visible the low lands OF
Westham, bordered by the old canal. I.
with the dwelling and farm-houses in
white relief on the hill above. Further
to the left the river might be seen shin
ing out Al intervals in the sunlight against
background of hills high enough
In the distance 10 remind the observer OF T.
the faT-Oif mountains themselves In front
flowed the divided current of James
river, fretting and foaming over rocks /.
and amid rapids, and enclosing the bold
prOmontOrles OF what Is now Belle Isle, I.
but what was formerly known as Broad I
Rock Island To the eastward and be-
low Law the town of Richmond. It's dwell. /
ings and other houses apparently so near /
that with an ordinary glass the citizens
might be seen az their usual ayOcati0ns, /
or passing along the streets From the .
rear Of the house the broad river lay .
placid and smooth between Church Hill, /
with its white towers, and the Falls /
plantation. Away 10 the southwark .
stretched the horizon, bounded by the 1
forests of Chesterfield and the distant gap \
through which the river went on to the sea /
There were no other houses near, from .
which unwelcome intrusion, or unusual .
sounds could disturb the quiet Of the new .
settlement The songs of birds by day, /
and the murmuring or waters by night |
added to the charms Of the place There F.
was then no railroad liend bowling and .
screeching in the dead hours OF the night /
and inhicing its screams upon the /
universal ear. Up 90 the time the build /
ers appeared on the summit Of that hill /
nothing bad disturbed its rural serenity /
but the nOiseless tread Of cattle or the /
voices Of children gamboling on the /
green.
in due time the place was ready, and I
occupied by the owner and his delighted I
family. Steps were taken to improve
the grounds By planting trees, setting
UMk AlI NAldAntnkAA Sill AWHf anu AAAAAAA4A
the vines common % all the best gardens
of that day. OF course the comforts OF
kitchen garden were not neglected. +
Every known vegetable and fruit were
planted and all the necessary enclosures
were erected, with a view not only 10 /
security, but in accordance with the de
mands of a cultivated taste In word,
when this gentleman had left /
his comfortable town home 10
enjoy the delights of the country.
its fresh morning air, the quiet Of eve
ing and the repOse of night, he had count
ed the cost and had therefore spared no
pains In pertecting his plan. OF course
10 took time 70 elaborate these. Rome
was not built In a day, nor could even d
gentlemans mansion with all It's sur
rOundings be made complete In a very
short time IL was a fortunate thing that
this could not be done The weary hours
would have hung heavily upon his house
hold had this been the case. After the
house had been finished, when the worry
of wofkinen had given place to the sat
isfactiOn of quiet occupation the pleasing
task Of It's inmates was the decoration
of their country retreat Each returning
day brought with II some new sugges-
ton, or device, by which the fancy
sought 10 improve what had already been
been done In the meantime the family
had received congratulations from their
city friends, whose carriages had been
often seen crawling slowly across MayO's
bridge, then up the muddy highway
through the village and along the new
made country-road TO the big house on
the distant hill How they enjoyed the
beautiful prospect we need not stop to
describe. Upon this occasion they were
always invited and inyaribly promised to
come out in the evening to tea, or even
to spend the night Indeed we doubt
not this was frequently done after the
heats Of summer had made the town in
sufferable, and when the thoughts OF a
Whit of country air, a glass OF currant
wine OF strawberry shrub, and perhaps d
strawberry cake came up before their
imaginatiOns
Strange TO say, we have never been
able to lind out the name Of this place
OF course il had one No Nirginian In
old times, ever failed in this respect.
II il were but a cottage he lived in, he