Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-30
THE OLD AND NEW.
Prominent Buildings That Have Passed
Away Since The Var.
WORK or THE EVACUATION FIRE.
Handsome Structures That Fell Prey
10 Hungry FIamcs-New Houses
of Confederate officers.


Those Confederate veterans who passed
through Richmond to Join the main body
OF Lees army in April, 1865, when that
army was falling back before Grant, ana
who have not since visited the capital OF
the Confedoracy will. while attending the
reunion here. note many changes.
Many Of the most conspicuous build
ings OF war times have passed away
and new ones now stand in their stead.
But few OF the old landmarks nave sur
vived, and almost a new city will greet
the old soldiers. though the same hospi-
tally which charmed them in the CO.'S VIII
be accorded them in the COS.
Libby prison, which was one OF the
most conspicuous buildings IN the city,
has been torn down and removed to
Chicago, and on its site is now a busting
ice-factory. The old Castle Thunder
on the corner Of Eishteqnth and Cary
streets, has also disappeared. This prison
was used mostly for the confinement Of
deserters ana disloyal southerners. 1t was
threc-story structure with an iron We
randa running the entire length Of the
second story, and during the war was
most interesting place.
OLD MECHANICS INSTITUTE.
1.-THE War Department building on
Ninth street nearly opposite the head Of
Bank street, was swept out Of existence
and almost out Of public recollection by
the evacuation FIRE. Comparatively rev
residents remember that there was ever
-
by the Mechanics Institute as school
Of technology. and its main hall was
then the largest and best public hail in the
city. For q tine the secession COnVen-
ton" sat i'm this han. When the seat OF
government of the COnfederacy was
moved from Montgomery to Richmond
the Mechanics Institute building was re-
arranged TO suit the purposes Of our
War Department, and was thus occupied
as long as it remained in existence. 1t
went down with hundreds Of other build
lnes which caught fire on the morning Of
the evacuation from the warehouses and
bridges which had been fred by the re-
treating Confederates.
The custom house, in which President
Davis and many other digntaries had
their Offices may be easily Identified
though it has been rcmodelled and much
changed. IL is now larger, but not hand
Ton. The custom-h0use escaped desruc-
ton in the great IRE. but this was due
10 the great open spaces about ii rather
than 10 the fact that IL was "Are-proof,'
the experience derived from great fires in
other cities being that granite Will not
stand the heat as well as brick. Presi-
dent Davis's Office was IN this building.
as was also that of Secretary-Of-th
Treasury Mcminger. After the war the
irst bank started in Richmond was con-
d. tod by man named Suit in the cor
rider OF tie custom-house building on
h second floor, and Oldham Nigand,
ST. subsequently achieved fame as the
n al milliner." was its teller.
THICKLY BUILT UP SINCE.
The residence Of President Davis is al
most unchanged. bat its surroundings
have undergone great transformation.
New houses have been built up thicldy
around H. In Mr.. Dayis's time the view
from his porch nOrthWardly was extern
sive He could stand there and see the
flash OF every gun at MecnanicsVilc. Now
the view is blocked by row of brick
houses.
The spotswood Hotel surviving the
evacuation fire. was burned, with con-
siderable loss Of life. December 2J 1870.
The Pace Block Chesapeake and Ohio
Office buildine) occupies its site, and has
for its neighbOr the imposing building OF
the Chamber OF Commerce. The site Of
the Chambers building includes two lots.
on one of which stood i'm war times
Bosher's Hall, where the fractional cur
rency of the Confcderacy was printed.
Adjoining this hall was q one-story brick
building. where General Winder, military
conmandant OF Richmond had headquar-
tels fer a year or two.
THE OLD ARMORY.
Among the buildings which were de-
stroyed in the evacuation fire was the
old armory a part Of the walls of which
now stand ON the Tredegar lot. This
building was in its day one OF the hand
soonest in Richniond. It's architecture was
OF an armoriai type. The main entrance
TO the building was through an arched
doorway. which opened directly into
beautiful court, I'M which were displayed
numerous Revolutionary relics These
were all melted during the war and con-
verted into missiles TO be fired into the
Yankee" ranks. Shortly after the out
break OF hostiiities the machinery from
the armory at Barper's Ferry was re-
moved 10 Richmond and set up in the
armory here. and the guns which were
used in the Confederate service were
manufactured here. The old armory w1s
one Of the first buildings il the city TO