The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-28

finally the building was condemned as
unsafe. Affairs We're in this condition
when the preSeat movement was start
ed to save tife historic landmark from
utter destruction, and establish there
shrine Of Confederate relies. An
j application was made to the citv au-
! thorities by the Hollywood Memorial
Association that the care of the house
be transferred TO them. and that a
headquarters for their patriotic work
/ be established there. The association
was composed of women Of this city.
originally banded together to preserve
and care for the graves of Confederate
dead in Hollywood cemetery. Rich
mond, but since its formation, i'm 1860.
it had grown so largely in member
ship and interest that its work spread
to keeping green the memory of every
thing in the city connected with the
great struggle. But the project met
with an obstacle in its very beginning,
| for when the legal advisers of the
municipality investigated the pos
sibilitY of such a transfer of the man
sion it was found that the law forbade
the city of Richmond giving possession
or use OF any Of its property to any
but a beneficial or literary association.
TO overcome this difficulty the Con
federate Memorial Literary Society"
was incorporated, its personnel being
practically the same as that of the
Hollywood Association. Possession of
the mansion was transferred to the
soclety III June, 1891 and under their
EFFORTS the work has progressed.
\ bIndmg was erected for the Cen
+ tfVd school at the end of the old oar
zen, and about $4,000 was raised for
IGNohSlfuctlng the mansion. chiefly
+ through a bazar held for the Durnose
/ some ame since. This sum of none,
mas ali been expended in the improzc-
HiehlS. ne work consisted of a Dr9c-
! ,ical reconstruction Of the interior,
! ne original floor plan was consulted
i ana piahs taken to restore each room
/ 10 as nearly its former condition oe
1 possible. The most important mart 81
inns work was the fireproofino of tho
/ interior TO make it a safe renosito,,,,
/ Tor relics. The walls and ceflin0s ara
/ composed OF an improved. frenroof
| TERRA Gotta structure. and were ra-
! P!aStered and kalsomined while tbo
| hoofS are laid with artificial stone
! paFementS. The old wood yvorl, bas
oeen replaced, as far as possible. iron
s''iif-cases constructed and the entire
/, exterior given coat of dark brown
s.ueco so that it is practically a new
ne entrance to the house is throuob
CLASSIC portico on the CLAW street ~,
! north front, and leads into n semi-o;r-
ctiiar hall, in whose walls inches aro
, placed on either side for statuarv.
door to the right leads into the main
staircase hall, where a graceful circu-
lar Hight of steps leads to the upper
noors. On the opposite side of the
entrance hall a passage leads to a
marrow flight of stairs, and opens upon
balcony running along the west side
OF the mansion, and commanding a fine
view OF the valley beneath. Three
great apartments, of most palatial di-
mansions, and with huge broad win
doWs, extend across the south side Of
the hause and open upon the pillared
poruco, and another smaller room at
the corner of the house overlooking
! the two streets, adds another to the
apartments upon this floor. The sec
ond story has large staircase hall
ana Tour rooms corresponding with
those OF the first floor, while five large
chambers upon the third floor and sew
efal more in the basement, complete
the list. The furniture and movable
+, decorations of the rooms were confis-
Gated and sold by the Federal authori-
ties at the close of the war, but
through the efforts of the associa-
ton it was discovered that most of this
property had been bought by Rich
lnond people and preserved as relics,
and 1T is likely that many of these NOV
able articles Will be restored to their
former places so that each of the prin-
cipal rooms will be restored approx
mately to its condition when occupied
by Mr.. Davis.
The project to make the mansion
shrine of Confederate memories.
while local at first, spread rapidly
throughout the entire South because
of the opportunities of the building as
a historic landmark, the associations
connected with it and the sentimental
interest it must have for every follow
er of the former Confederacy So it
happened that the museum will have
representation from every State for
merly comprising the Confederacy, and
to carry out this idea of universally
room has been assigned to each of
these respective States. The collection
dluIS W llIh5tIdbG LiIE ifIG VI liiC "a niy
and people of the South from 1861 to
1865, and many of the relics will be
memories to some soldier or sailor, or
some battle, siege or march.
Among the objects Of interest al
ready promised are General Lees
sword, holsters, pistols and army
blanket; General Johnson's saddle,
which he used in both the Mexican
war and the rebellion, and from which
he was shot three times; the battle
flag carried by the company of General
A. P. Hill, made by his wife from the
white silk of her wedding dress; and
a Confederate uniform that is so rag
ged that "a niger would be laughed at
if he wore it to-day" as one of the
ladies of the Memorial Society said in
describing it. In this same category
is also classed two ears of corn which
were the sole rations of a Confederate
soldier upon the day before Lees sur
render. II saved them for his family
and went hungry that day, and when |
the end came saved them as relic of |
the hardships he had undergone.
AnsI 10 cir, n