Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-26
HISTORICAL RICHMOND.
Memorable Events Described in n Lecture
Nv Rev. Dr. Hogc.


Notwithstanding the dismal darkness and
/ rain large audience assembled last night IN
tho Third PRESBYTERIAN church TO hear the
lecture Of DR.. H0gc on " Memorable Events
in the History of Richmond"
SO much interest was expressed with
rerard TO this theme during tho dav. and
SO many announced their determination to
attend the lecture. that had the evening
been fair the house would not have been
/ able TO hold the audience.
/ As il was people came from the remOtest
eastern and western cXtremities of the city,
and the residents of Church Hill turned
out in full force.
THE LIVES or CITIES.
DIR. Hoge commenced by saying that in
+ one respect the lives of cities resemble tho
lives Of individuals. Some persons pass
through uneventful and mOnOtonOus lives,
while Others are full Of contrast, yicissi-
tudes. and all the extremes of JOY or sor-
row.
The history Of some cities flow on like a
Tranquil river, while others resemble q
stream broken by rapids and cataracts.
The history Of Richmond has been full Of
events. many of them abounding IN tragic
interest.
BURNING or THE THEATRE.
The speaker said when he was hoy he
Q
( speak of tho burning Of the Theatre and
/ the pathetic scenes that characterized that
catastrophe.
Ii NAV be possible. said DIR. Hoge, that
there are some in the audience tonight
WHO remember it. though il occurred on
! the 2Gth of December, 1911. The previous
I dav, of course, was Christmas-a day which
has always been dear to the hearts Of the
VIRGINIA neople: n day OF family reunion
and of innocent hilarity. This was in the
oldeu time when the people were even
more celebrated than now for their social
development.
On the morning Of the 26th the one or
two papers then published in Richmond
contained an advertisement of the play to
be performed that night. 1t was entitled
RAYMOND and Agues; or, The Bleeding
NM Tickets to the number of 500 had
( been sold, though the price was one dol
lar each.
This was q very large audience for the
time, as the city contained only few
thousand inhabitants.
THE FIRE.
All went smoothly during the perform
ance of the first act, said the Doctor, but
in shifting the scenery after the curtain
fcll-in raising the lamp which was sus-
pended from the ceiling by a cord which
worked through pulley-owing to some
carelessness the flame came IN coMact
with one of the scenes. 1t spread like
w.ldfre over the stage and then almost
immediately throughout the building,
The construction of the Theatre was
faulty in the extreme. The lobbies were
narrow and the staircase by which they
were reached altogether inadequate. As
soon as the alarm of fire was sounded a
panic instantly took possession OF the
audience.
THE VICTIMS.
! The speaker said that he had not the
I heart TO detail all the affecting instances OF
that hour.
Among those VINO perished was the Gov.
ernOr of the Commonwealth and many or
/ its most distinguished citizens. over the
spot where this tragic event occurred
stands the Monumental church. IN which
"A sweet apostolic Gospel has been preach
ed bv such men as Bishops Moore, Meade,
and Johns.
"PAwNEE sUyDAY."
The lecturer said while many memorable
events occurred during the interval he
would pause over all until he came 10 the
wonderful occurrences waich made the
2lst of April, 1851, q celebrated day IN
Richmond history. That day IS asso-
ciated with what is called the r., y Pawnee
War" or "Pawnee Sunday" The ordl-
/ nance of secession had lately been
passed. Large bodies of troops had
gathered about Richmond, which were
placed under the orders of the Governor.
A Federal gunboat had come into tne
+ York river and thrown shells upon the
shore. The people of Richmond were
/ alarmed by this invasion of Virginia
and began to form plans for the better
protection of the city. 1t was ordered
4 that when the bell in the old tower IN the
/ Capitol Square was tolled that Oil the
/ troops, however the men might be armed
or occupied should hasten 10 their own
headquarters.
ToLIINd OF THE BELL
The Sunday of April 2lst was a balmy
and beautiful day and the congregations
in the city were unusually large; JuSi as
the morning services were over the tollins
of the bell was heard and immedi-
ately the excitement commenced. a
rumor quickly spread through the
city that the Federal gunooat
"Pawnee" was steaming up the river.
The troops were Immediately ordered 10
Rockets. The Governors Guard, tns
Fayette Artillery, and the Young GuaIa
responded, together with the. Howitze5ee e5e
(who had paraded on the previous day ioo
strong and an immense number of SoIun-
teers, aud many citizens armed with every
species Of weapon. gra.f
Old muskets, calculated to do as mueh
harm at the breech as at the muzzle' uii
lapidated shotguns, horse-plstois, anu
sword-eanes were brought into requlsi-
ton. One citizen made himself formida..
BILE with scythe, with which he no doup.
intended to scuttle the ironclads- All tne
hills in the vicinity were covered VIII
ladies and children who had come TO VIII