The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-06-26
and by Mr.. Rutherford himself N
after years. and when BIS sons h@o
become heads of families.

Many were the improvements mace yelyI
this was accomplished. The race OF ti9
neigh boring country had u DC hucn
and in much later days was again grehIly
improved. On Franklin street between itsl
and Foushee was a deep. swanpy Level occu-
pied by pOnd Of water through Whlch poys
! and Others waded. or mounted MI hu'net-
foord's thick brick wall % escape the inc"hFs,
nience Of wet feet. First street was 1ueseu
nass-yav grown up in thisties. Us eastern JIM
its clirobinc up gravelly hillside 20 the base
| Of a lofty fence Inclosng what - now Llnuon
/ Souare The brick wall Just referred 10 was
| nearly two feet ia thickness. was Duiit IN pan,
| els separated by thicker pilasters and hau
once been pierced with lOzenge-shaped apeI-
lures 10 let in the air.
TOBACCO WAREHOUSE.
Why lot in the air? will doubtless be asked
| The wav Of il was this. During Mr.. hutAer-
foords long and entorprisDg career as iner-
chant and man Of affairs he. IN CONJUNCTION
with his partner. Mr.. Hawxley. m DuDiIh'
/ had purchased O large amount OI shipping so-
bacco This vas in anticipation OF inc uo.
/ cline of the funds consequent upon the war Oh
! 1912 between England ana inc i h'oeu
| States, just then begun. lhls toOacco
/ had been stored IN the warehouses
OF Rockets. The British had alreaoy
captured Washington and Mr.. kutherioCId
recoliected how during the Revolution ana ia
the year 1851 Arnold. 40 the head or Dut a
carried on or destroyed all the tobacco no
could find. lie therefore determined ne "onid
build a warehouse close 20 his new home ana
in what was then q secluded place, 80 that
should the enemy reach Richmond no might
not discover the hiding place of his treasures.
Being an energetic and determined man 1t
was not long before bis purpose was exc
cuted. Fortunately the British never reached
the capital OF Virginia. The tobacco Jay saieiy
biding its time. Peace came. and with u
much profit from the sales or the fortunate
Investment The writer remembers TINS per
fOrated wall and with other enterprsing ur-
chins Of the nelghDOrhOOd often walked us
rounded ton gathered the fragrant flowers OF
the magnolia glauca.' commonly called lau-
rel which grew IN pr fusion from the damp ana
rich ground inside and 1T later day lolDed
morQudiug parties OF boys over the same IN
closure in pursuit Of luscious fruits that then
grew where the tobacco had slept. And here
we may take the liberty OF inQulrlng why IT Is
that ia these modern days the blue plum
the green gage" the apricot" the June
apple and the striped july apple have lost
their places among the favorite fruits OF the
EARTH" These were treasures far superior TO
the insipid trash from California now paraded
on our fruit stands.
WALLS or DgFESsR.
Those MASSIVE brick enclosures afterwards
became common about the town. although. IN
the case OF sir. Rutherford his had borne
roof for the protection Of tho Aforesaid TO-
baccO, and had been perforated for the bet
ter circulation of air. OccasiOnaiy they were
made more formidable by covering their
broad tops with layer OF plaster IN which
was set an array of broken MP bottle glass by
way Of defiance TO the efforts Of the most dar-
ing OF burglars. Why such deienses should
have prevailed IN peaceful and we'll ordered
community cannot DO understood. except that
the custom had been brought from the
/ 81. 70
curity and protection from the unruly in
habitants of denseiy populated cities Re-
mains Of these walls are still standing about
some the older lots and buildings, and are
parts of former extensive enciosures IN tho
very heart of the city. On the south side OF
Clay street between Sixth and Seventh streets
and on the west side of Sixth between Grace
aud Franklin. are % DO seen specimens Of
them. In the rear of the quaint but beauti-
full old mansion on the corner OF Franklin
and Sixth. built by the Cunnlnghams IN the
early part of the century is a weil-preserved
remnant overshadOwed by a no less venerable
tree But the most imposing Of these enclos-
ures once protected the patrician promises OF
the late John Wickham. on the eastern limits
of which many panels still stand. shutting
ont from public view the garden of the pres
ent owner, Mr.. ~ S. Valentine, ST.
TBE RUTHERFORD MANSION.
The mansion erected by Mr.. rutherford
was considered one Of more than usual pre-
tension and style. independently of the value
OF the land it cost eleven thousand dollars a
large sum for the time. In the last fifty years
it has undergone several notifications. espe-
cially in It's outward appearance. Originally,
the roof was IN keeping with the style OF
dwellings generally built by the rich and arts
tocratic class. particularly Of the planters OF
lower Virginia. 1t was high and peaked and
was tlanked by tall chimney-stacks. which
stood out in bold relief against the sky. tower
ing above the Hottest trees. and by IT'S ample
front of more than fifty feet. strongly remind
ing one Of the imposing appearance OF West-
over on the lower James river When Iii.
rutherford decided 10 build himself new
dwelling he declared it should be large enough
10 Accommodate his increasing family and
be susceptible of such additions as clrcum-
stances might afterwards arise" His autlcl-
pati0ns in this respect were fully realized.
he having become the parent IF thirteen chill
dron. most OF whom lived so enjoy under its
capaclOus root the protection and prCyl-
Gcnce Of their wise and benetcent father
Soon after Mr.. Rutherford had taken pos
session of his new home be narrowly escaped
having bad neighbor near him. His friend
Alexander Buchanan, who had kindly sold
him the hundred acres Of land referred 20
above, still owned q whole square on ~
street east of Mr. RuiheifooTd's. being the lot
on which Linden row now stauds. Mr. bu-
chanau was DESTROYS OF selling TO- Mr. Ruth
erfoord advised his brothef-in-law IA Mr.. had
ford. 20 purchase it. HIS advice was taken
and the entire lot was sold by Mr. buchanan
for $500 In the meantime the Legislature
had passed an act for establishing a State
prison or penitontiary. The Governor was
authorized % select a location for il. Mr.
Radford. without the slightest intention Of
incOmmoding mis- brother-in-iaw and finding
he would get q considerable advance on his
purchase. offered the lot 90 Governor Wood
The latter did not hesitate 10 accept Mr.
RadfOrds offer for so beautiful a situa-
ton for the new prlOu. As we have seen that
part of the town was 80 sparsely settled that
II might really be considered in the
country. Mr.. Rutherford. Of course.
was deeply concerned when it came
o. his knowledge that the very
place he had recommended Dir. Radford 10
buy. hoping he would retain it for his own
use. had been sold for 30 different and 20 dis
gusting purpose. Mr.. Radford made every
effort 10 show that he had no intentiun of ia
commodIng his brOther-in-law or his friends.
and determined If possible, 10 be relieved
from the contract. Upon representing the
circumstances 10 the Governor the latter con-
scented 10 cancel the bargain, provided some
other site as eligible could be found Mr.
rutherford al once bought the square from
Mr.. Badtord at the price the State had con-
scented 10 give him, and offered the present
site Of the penltentiary. comprising twelve
acres of land instead OF the lot of two acres:
the state paying HIM two hundred dollars
more on account of the yaluaDle timber On