The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-19
LRFT TO RUIN.

was originally public property, ana as such
WAS cared for by the Government. After
the war of l176, the state became its owner,
and il should have been religiOusly preserved
from decay as a relic Of the great struggle
through which our ancestors bad success
fully passed. If it had been 80 left i'm the
capital Of any other state than Virginia.
It's every part, its bricks, its every decaying
timber would have been held IN sacred re-
gard BY the people Of a grateful Common
wealth. Its ancient walls would have been
protected. and lis historic precincts defended
from intrusion. The very turf about its base
would have lcen so cherished as TO give II
the dignity Ct seclusi0n and perpetuate in
living greer, the unfading associations
which cluster around it.
Instead Of this, the grounds around II were
sold after the revolutionary Wharf.-The building
itself then passed into other hands, and
since that time has been degraded 10 every
possible use. I'm the meantime the process OF
decay had succeeded, and little by little
brick has dropped from brick and timber
from timber. until al last its lettering REM
nant stood another melancholy reminder of
Nirginian Indifference and ingfatitude. AT
this iuncture. as if by one Of those happy in
SEPARATIONS which kindle the sensibilities and
arouse the energies Of woman In emergen-
cies, the purpose was formed that the "Old
P0wder-Horn" should az all hazards be res
cued from final destruction. This could
only be done by purchasing il. Accordingly,
without money and without visible re-
sources. the responsibility was assumed,
and now the means are 10 be provided for
paving for it. To do this the lady managers
Of the Association for the Preservation OF
Virginia Antiquities" have determined 10
hold a Colonial ball I'm this city on the Doth
January, the receipts from which, it is con-
iidently hoped, will enable them % pay for
and restore the venerable ruin.
QUEEN ANNE's PET.
Those who. perhaps, have never taken the
trouble 10 find out, may now wish 70 know
something more Of the building referred %;
when and by whom IL was erected; the par
poses for which 10 was designed, and what
may be ITS historic significance. The .gOod
Queen Anne was particularly partial 20
her Colony of Virginia. Like her Stuart
predecessors. she had cOndescended %
dignity il az an especial part Of the Realm,
and took every occasion to foster and en-
courage its growth. one Of her first acts
was to send over an ample supply Of arms
and other munitions Of war, wherewith her
subjects might the better be protected from
the sayages and other foreign enemies, and
be enabled 10 suppress negsO instruction.
name act, because it was not often the case
that colonies remotely situated from the
parent government were 20 trusted or so
favored. These supplies arriving from time 10
time az length became so valuable and
abundant that 10 was found necessary 20
provide for them a safe depository. Accord
ingly in the last year Of her reign, 1914, IL
was ordered by the Northumberland,
Alexander Sp0tswood, 1.-THE Council and
House of Burgesses that substantial brick
house be erected as magazine, IN which
an these articles and all other arms, powder
and other munitions Of war; belonging 10
the King George ] d. who had lust succeeded
Anne. should thereafter be deposited The
cost of this building was not TO exceed TWO
hundred pounds sterling, which sum was 10
be derived from import duties on liquors
and negro slaves. A Keeper and arm0rer was
also appointed, 30 Dee paid twenty pounds
each. annually out of the fund derived as
above.
This magazine could not have been COM
pleted until about the year lllj or JIG, As
will be observed by statement made in
June, 1915, during certain Investigations by
a committee Of the House Of Burgesses, that
it had then been in use sixty years.
THE ANCIENT CITY.
The city OF Williamsburg at that date was
itself quite small place, containing a
population Of less than five hundred souls.
IL was situated in the midst Of ample
grounds. and had been laid of
i'm the shape Of a monogram
made up Of the letters CIV" and IN. -
IN honor Of the late King William and his
Queen, its royal founders. The public
buildings We're at considerable distances
from each other, and stood looking out
either upon spacious lawns OF broad and
elongated streets.
WILLIAM AND MARY.
The college Of William and Mary present
ed It's front towards one end Of Duke Of
Gloucester street, while the Capitol building
was az least three-qusrters OF mile of al
the other. The old magazine stood. and
now stands, upon its uncertain foundations
in an open space, called nc this day the
Market Square, and fronts towards Duke Of
Gloucester street. In the year 1850 Ii was
ordered by the Assembly that "A high
strong brick wall should be built around
the magazine, and that "A suitable guard
house should be erected near by. This was
doubtless done Tor better protection against
the danger Of robbery on account Of its then
isolated situation. People now liyingremem-
Der this wall, but nothing remains Of il eX-
twenty feet from the magazine. and laid in
conformity with the shape OF the building.
Its builders must have followed strictly
the directions Of the act authorizing its con-
structiOD; else it would long since have
been mass Of crumbling bricks. Its
originally strong foundations and thick
walls OF hard well prepared materials have
alone saved IL from destruction. In shape
IL is an Octag0n. with a high pointed roof
and originally covered with cedar shingles
rounded of at the ends. It's diameter al
the base is thirty-fye feet. and the walls
twenty-five in height 10 the caves Of the
roof. From the top Of the wall 20 the apex
Of the roof IL measures twenty feet. From
these dimensions il will be seen
that our ancient magazine could
not have been capable Of containing
the quantities Of military supplies which il
is said TO have held about the time Of the
revolution. The following items from an
inventory taken By an inspector appointed
for the purpose, gives color % this doubt
Powder, 30 barrels; muskets. 300. besides
bayOncts. carbines and .'cartOuche boxes
lately sent 10 the Western frontier for de
Tense against the Indians. Then there re- |
NAMED in the magazine l5l trading guns, los |
new muskets, without locks. 527 Oldmuskets. |
200 cartouche boxes, 800 cuflasses, l50old |
pistols, 40 pistol holsters, 300 new muskets. |
ust cleaned, but without locks, 80 mallets. |
bundles OF match rope, POO canteens.
me tent and pole, nineteen halberts.
hirty-hve small swords, one hogshead of
,0wder-hOrns, l21 bayOnets, 100 knapsacks /
in the smiths shop" In the same cOnnec
ion reference is made to '.the Armory.r
which must have been a building separate
rom the magazine itself; also to "a powder
Dom, having no communication with tn
Irmory" The entire premises were enclosed.
5 We have seen, by strong brick wall. The
uardhouse ordered 10 be- erected in 1855
'as probably within the general enclosure |