Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-07-12
Mr.. WILLIAM A.PRATT
-ue ARCHITECT AND ORIGINAL OWN
rsoF TtE CANDLES HILL CASTLE.
..o,nt Of His Life bv His Son. and a
History Of 1.-THE School OF Atm
ems" Picture.
Wuxur.GsovR SrocK FAnN,
ROT, ,orxry. VA. July 9, 1891.

AUGUSTA COUNTY, VA, July y. 1871.
o. NJ I,lior # The D.spa.oh:
A. ;he son Of the architect and owner OF
"prs,fs Castle" allow me TO give YOU
m facts. IN view Of recent erroneous
,ohhcaiions in yonr paper.
vr william A. Pratt was OF English
,.,,h NOT "an tnglishmsn who came here
,,.m the North" but one who came a
,.,,b with his fathers family, locating
.,1r his arrival in Alexandria, Va, where
5. resided nniil he removed to Richmond,
:. ,.t. and established the frs. daguerrean
H. in tlas city. three doors above
.,co,fb street on Main and over tho
, .t~,s %. Nash & Woodhouse. After
..l., 40 was located on the same square
...' m the Brooks building, over
4.-p.v . Matthew's dry goods store,
I, .-. ho renamed until he retired from
tr.luc.s Ia 1856.
Tiik CASTLE PROPERTY.
yt.o the Gamble s-llill property vas
,.'ctian hc purchased and paid for
Yr1ncrtv upon Arch ana iourth.
.....a winch now stands tho 'astie' Two
800. fronting Arch. and Ave houses
...',.- 2 .urih. He was The architect OF
'.r.lc,' te.' aud built It for HIS own
,.. ,.runyinc II until his removal TO
e.. i-,,v.rsit. oi Virginia IN 1851, and
. until some time after the war.
1 sr.4.',llinr was unique IN design and
.,..t,o, Tie first attempt 10 buhd a
r.. az iron 100 the South, and no build
;-gof tire kiu' existed 10 hls knowledge
8, the time. Mesrrs. Bowers Snyder
.,.,.a.i lecinnius Ia Richmond, alter
4 $50. among your most prominent and
i .....r rl Iuslne-s-men. carried out Mr..
300. 1.sIcu. which was 10 them as well
.,.,.,.f an original idea. The ceiling of
.,.-.or of the castle Mr. Pratt executed
...f The stYle, o Norman castle, OF
Il ,....r.o wa. not now, but the arrangement
w. DIS. Dan.
TIE LOTTERY.
Nova. Fl. the lottery. Mr.. Pratt offered
tl- t.us, and other property amounting
g, ~.l.rI provided q certain number OF
,..tgras were sold IN a given time, and ap-
..,frI IA committee Of citizens, well
....r who should decide whether the
.,..ft,r. were met. No extra charge
a.rn4c. The pictures were sold at the
4 ,gnc pfice a. before, and the purchaser OF
: worth was gwen ticket. Colonel
4 ..mas August, Of your city, was one OF
,...0mmis.iouors a record was kept Of
i ctcrv picture taken. Tho increased sale
fdn0t.iustfy the drawing according to
fe terms II the contract. and the an
rncemcut If this fact was made by the
{ .amlssioners az the time.
TnE school. or ATHENS.
Io REGARD 10 the School y Athens" :
To suggestion that the Alumni of tho
Ir.vors.ty Of Virginia should procure a
e.fr 90 be- presented to their Alma Mater
va, made by Mr. Daniel II. London. Of
.hmund. Va. his gentleman visited
Rome during the summer of 1880. and on
d. return mentioned the idea TO Colonel
Thomas II. Ellis. Of your city, who was sub
foluently chairman Of the Go nmittee OF
tie Society Of Alumni. Colonel Ellis
T..u..fcl MessTs. John >. Caskle,
Naupin. benjamin Il. Minor, and
John H. Thompson. graduates of the
4 n.torsItv. and all a. that titno
residents of Richmond, tOact with him, nhd
4 GA the 18th of December. 1850. these gem
4 t,men published circular appealing eX-
cu.vcly TO those who mad been students
4 If the University To contribute towards
/ tie purchase Of this work OF art. promising
annually 10 report 10 the Society Of
Alumni. IT, 1862 Mr. London again went
a. Europe. and while IN Paris saw NJ. Paul
!alze. nn eminent historical painter of
Trance, who had copied fity-twO Of tho
palu'iug, If Raphael for the French
Government. Nj. London was SO I'M
pressed with the beauty and faith
iulucss of the copies, and so
abundant and satisfactory were the test'-
puials from the highest sources IN refer
,nce 10 VI. Balzc's talent and skill that he
catered into preliminary arrangement
with him for executing the painting. The
sclociion Of NJ. Balze was concurred IN by
Al,s-rs. John l.. Icyton. John x. Page,
q 0lu G.. BTOadnax. A. Robert Mckee, and
IL O.. Ihgglnb0iham, alumni of the Uni
i y,r.ity. who were IN Paris with Mr. Lon
4 d.u. and who N q letter To the committee
uI-e1 the employment of NJ. Balze.
rHE PURCHASE.
The committee felt themselves restricted
=. tle terms of thor appointment, but on
tie nth of September they issued "A circular
u. tire members OF the society soliciting
tt.ir subscriptions to effect the object IN
.v. In November, 1852, the committee
<IuNli~hod a notice requesting al former
: udcut- of tie University who might be
h. Richmond to meet in the hall Of the
House q Delegates On the evening of the
IL II December. the object being To take
into 0usid,rA,lon the means for promoting
TIE interest, of the University and perfect
tie plan for procuring copy OF the
S,ha.. u Ath, ms" The Hon. William
4 lnuIel j.. II ID. Il. VI. !. Hunter. Hon.
Alexander III. II. stuart. and Air. Alexander
l,r,- We're invited to address the meet
b. II was held. but the committee were
disappointed IN arouslnP such a spirit as
i.,. had hoped. Colonel Elhs, as char
: $50 and treasurer. attended meeting of
q" Society oi Alumni June, 1898, and
3. le report. The subject was discussed
postponed, and II was not until
e.. spring Of l,5j, that an Oppor-
<'lni'y offered which seemed likely 10
4 elrc their object. On tho DIST of
Ami they entered INTO an agreement with
~. William 4. Pratt, Of Richmond, by
u H |. 4 .fs.,..l a for fhaeO
tie ly oi tins palnting, the committee
u, % pay S33j III cash. 1888 ON ITS
upletion and approval III Paris, and
Il when deposited in ITS place, and TO
-nli lam t. have the use of the paint
So ilr thr e. years from the date of its ar
% ~ the utcd States At the date of
4 n- agreement the committee had In hand
only after five years of effort In
October Mr.. Pratt WIS made agent
tie committee, and during that
month collected cjl5: subsequently, S767
additional Mr.. Pratt had Immediately
'pOn entering upon this contract given
'.c order 10 Bai1c % proceed with the
painting. ON June 1, 1886, Mr. Pratt left
N.H va for tarl5. and on the 9TH of July
4 va the painting. Hon. John y. Ma
Poi. Minister 10 France; Hon. q. NJ. Dali
Minister g. England; Horace Nernet.
nn-f celebrated If French painters.
l'i S.r Larlcs Lasilake. of London, were
Judges vto approved this copy
IMPORTANT LETTER.
lh" following letter explains itself:
SWEET SPRINGS,
NoNEor COUNTY. Va, Aug. 30. 1886.
w. William, 4. Pratt:
hear SRI congratulate Won upon your
/ fA'' return 20 the United States, aud that
/ b.4r with YOU painting which seems to
| ''e been 50 highly approved 10y the criti-
G.. ewes o. Europe. | beg you to receive
~ my Acknowledgements for the remark
/ r zeal aud interest you have manifested |
L. iiis behalf, aud to assure YOU that feel
ny Ter many Obligations TO you for carry |
m to.a successful ISSUE scheme which, |
".lIe if'm the beginning II mas command |
! nv Own most hearty approval. and has !
&. .L--. n.lurL ON tho I.arl of vol md |