The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-03
FINDS RELIC Of
COLONIAL DAYS
BLOCK OF CONCRETE FOUND IN
ENCHANTING FOR HOTEL
Is DEEP MYSTERY.
MAY HOLD DOCUMENTS
CROWD SEES WORkMF,N NAINLY
ENDEAvOR TO BREAK IT
ANOTHER ATTEMPT
WILL BE MADE TO-DAY.
MAY HOLD DOCUMENTS

Buried twenty feet beneath the sur
face of the ground for probably more
than century, rare relic of Colo
NAL days, which may prove history
erroneous. was discovered Saturday
afternoon by laborers digging the ex-
cavation for the foundation of the
new million dollar Hotel Richmond,
at Ninth and Grace streets.
When FIRST uncovered by ~orkmen
welding pick and shovel the relic
was believed to be Hat stone. 1t
was seen to be about four feet square
and nineteen inches thick. While /,
Was being removed from the excava-
tien the lahorers discovered the pc
( GUITAR md was not a stone. but a
piece of composition, probably con-
crete.
Having spent years in excavating
ana observing peculiar earth forna
Itions and strange articles beneath the
ground the workmen at once real
lied they had made an interesting. if
not an important. discovery, and they
notified the foreman, who in turn no.
titled the contractors aud hotel man
agement.
While the relic was being exam
med lahorer probing With his pick
IN the earth where the relic was dis
covered found bottle of wine cork
" anu is contents intact at4d pieces
a. siass 10 snow that similar bot
ne had PROBABLY been broken by the
stone Years and years ago. The stone
ike relic, wine bottle and hrokf9i glass
Were uncovered on a level twenty feet
below the street.
Discovery Important.
ihis - regarded as remarkable. be-
cause the level at which the relies
We're uncovered is five feet below the
lowest point at the foundation of all
buildings which have ever been erect
cd on the site. Contractors who have
made examinations of the various
strata vouch for the accuracy of the
statement.
The contractors after ipsnactinr
'.ihv--~ fsss9ts' or cynCrete regarded ,he
discovery SO important thar President
"a IA. Atkinson: of .efi.. 5soy;s,s ,es,ty
mond corporation: Vice presi,sant
Samuel I Atkinson and Sacre1arv =
Marshall Atkinson were notified ,rha,.
reached the scene in a short tim.
Workinen were directed Ia hreat. tho
piece az co,nposition ~ nraar IA, 49,,
crete experts preSt.n, might sai.,r,,i,,a
OF what the rolf u-as ,,n,,,rns,,|,
corner OF the ragif Ms rhin,,ad oer
and the spectators u.ar. -, ~,
hear an expert exe1a;r, rha,..
fine a grade OF eoncrets sc -, -
,na,,,sf.,s7 t,,rad - ~, & 20 'af ne
this piece has been in ,ha s.n,,,t,,
hr o,ed wears. ~
At first glance j, was tho,,b, a.,
crushed .sraan glass nad hea. -, AZ; T.,
,,aiSl,s lie 4sspr,.Iss.ntsrs ,sys ,,t.s
bits were fonpd 10 ha sfa,o ~ i.;rs
nc, g, ouarried or xeen Il, Nv ara,,-,',
Richmond The sman slams ,,a ~
a l.. autif,ll rraer,Ish hue "a ,,,;i
closely inspected saem ,rarsnasa,,,
Concrete known n Ane,.a..
Noted sayants saw tho anc;snt ,,ar.
masters Of fba mr., ~ ,,,txi,,sr eC,, nra, .
and used the cnfnnas,tlo,, srac,an,l1. !,
their constrnctso,, hn, tha ~, 80 ~, -.
through the middle arcs and Vas Wa ' nat
re- discovered uuti, = commencement,
short time ago. .ssanere.e .x,,a,,s a.,
clare that This relic viz ostabyss,s -
fact that concrete was MAIDS and ,sa1
In Colonial aays ''''' "'P"
The composition was ,,ois, ana :,
hole was dug in the center s,r.
inches deep. until Tho x,.e, 700, hai,s,
used bv the wnrkmsn can,a ia ao,e 20
with a hard substances believed ~ no
fro,Ys A. uY,rtioif az tt,is y.,s
and found To he f,at wbsn s,r,,s.l
with steel the iron gava ,oiia,,,
sounding ring and the theory Was "a
yanced that nm iron hox ;s ,,,,haaa'a
q, az ,;l,, - A"'oo"u0o