Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-10
SHAFT OF VIRGINIA.
PIECE OF THE STEAM RAMS MA
CHINERY hurled HERE.
LITTLE DOUBT OF ITS IDENTITY.
The Iron Bought ut % Government
Sale and This Piece sold to the
MIL, While the Rest went to BeIic
Isle.

Inere lies recnmDeUi III the Hlhu hfdi
the bridge crossing the race leading to
the milling establishment Of the Haxall
Crenshaw Company an iron shaft nearly
twenty feet in length and about eighteen
inches in diameter IL weighs several
tons, and the mass, by reason thereof,
has partially sunk itself in the ground.
For twenty or more years past the sup
position has been that 1t was originally
the shaft of one of three big wheels fur
nishlng motive power to the mills.
Interest in it's identity has lately de-
veloped in a different direction, for d
number of people, including the ladies
in charge Of the Confederate Museum, in
this city, have come TO believe that this
long-neglected piece of iron was a silent,
but potent factor in one of the grandest,
most historic sea fights Of this or any
other age. The claim has been made that
it was the main shaft of the renowned
iron Confederate steam-ram Virginia,
whose defeat OF ETicsson's monitor and
destruction of the frigates, Congress and
Cumberland, is so well remembered as a
most stirring incident I'm the early part Of
the late war between the States. Those
who believe to the contrary and profess
to regard the old shaft as only an ordi-
nary piece of metal, destined originally
to assist i'm the production of the staff
of life, by continually going round and
doing good, like a hunk of bovine excel
lence on a spit, have nothing to offer In
support of their belief; indeed, they are
more than willing to be convinced to the
contrary, on the production OF adequate
proof
SHAFT FROM THE VIRGINIA.
The writer has some data on the sub
ject, which he proposes to submit TO the
arbitrament of the public, quite as good
in this case, 1t is opined, as any dictum
that could issue from those eminent legal
pundts-Judges Lamb, Wickham, Witt,
Minor. or Wexford. 1t is to the follow
ing tenor and effect:
Young Mr.. Haxall, Of the milling
firm, says the shaft was bought over
twenty years ago from Mr.. James
c. Smith, for use at the mill, but was
never put in place that it was under
stood at the time that it was part of the
machinery of the Virginia, which had
been blown up by the COnfederates after
being found it to draw too much water TO
bring up James river. He further AYERS
that nobody about the mill doubted the
correctness of the representation made
as to its identity.
Captain John Maxwell, who sustained
intimate and confidential relations with
the Confederate authorities enduring of
the wah," says the shaft came from the
Virginia. That after the latter was blown
up (and the Confederates likewise,
may be added for euphony), the
United States Government found the re-
mains of the Virginia at the mouth Of
James river a menace TO navigation, and
ordered their removal. They thus be-
came owners of such of the hulk as would
float, the armament, machinery. and iron
covering to the roof of the boat, which
last, aforesaid, consisted largely of the
rails of the Richmond street-car line.
SAYS HE BOUGHT IT.
Mr. A. NJ. Brownell SAYS as agent Of
Mr.. j. G. Smith, he bought at a govern
ment sale down the river the iron and
machinery recovered from the wreck,
and it was brought to Richmond. Here
the shaft was sold to the Haxall-Cren.
shaw Milling Company, and the other
part to Bob Blankenship, who used them
at Belle Isle in making nails. This may
account for the superior quality of the
nails fabricated at the works about this
time; also. the many beautifully made
luck horse-shoes emanating from the
same locality about the same period.
DR.. r. AlonZo Brock is conversant with
the fact of the purchase of the Virginia
iron by Mr.. Robert r. Blankenship 10 be
used i'm making nails at Belle Isle. He
considers that from the showing about
the shaft that that piece of metal must
be held and taken TO be 'the original
Jacobs" i'm the motive department of the
heroic Virginia of happy and blessed
memory.
Captain William H. o. Cole, who is a
Portsmouth man by birth, who ere he
turned Confederate and hied him TO Rich
mond TO reside bad roamed the salt sea
over as a sailor man, and who since
coming here has acquired much renown
as a safe-lifter and house-remover, says
he is ready TO admit the shaft to be
what is claimed If he sees the indenta-
tions made in the metal to gear it on to
the other machinery; otherwise not.