Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-24
Ponder Magazine
Found BY Laborers
Cellar Uncarthcd on Srrins Hill
Bclicrcd TO Haze Been Con-
tcdcretc Fertilization.

While cAcaratinE FOR the founda ito,
for 4 residence on Spring hin. work
men for L. l.. Bass brothers. contrac-
| tors, discovered what Confederate sol.
d!crs said was the powder magazine
supplying the gums mounted on the for.
tHCations nj that point during the
War Between the States. Many hun
drIds Of people visited the ruins yes.
,riday. all Of which arc beneath the
surface.
Tile w"rkmcn We're digging some
TWO fec; beneath the surface on Satur-
day when they struck IL mass Of bricks
in"n digging around them. the men
discovered the top OF m arch. They
carefully dug all around the arch and
discovered that it was very probably
the roof Of some building. This theory
proved correct FOR they soon discovered
an opening on one side. and dug Il hole
through.
The hole led into y gallery. six feet
IL width and thirty feet long. and
about seven feet from roof to ceiling
Halfway down The gallery they dis
covered an opening leading of to the
right and found Il room. twenty five
by thirty feet IN size. Ii WAS the
.rchcd roof OF this room that the
workmeu's picks first encountered. The
walls were two feet thick
nn,S niIID riRE
AFTER WoRkMt:N LEAVE:
Fearing that il had been the powder
magazine - ihe old Spring IAN for
tiijcatiuuS ami having no electric
scarrhlishts. they We're afraid 10 start
any fire for fear some 81 the old
powder might still he ia There ana
blow up
This. however. did not deter gang
If ucighhorhood youngsters who
learned OF thu discovery. aud at the
drst opportunity after the worknen
leit. proceeded t. carry out their long
cherished dream Of emulat;nr captain
Kidd Of some other robber- chief and
have cave rhcy had a nice fire
started in the magazine when they
were discovered
The general idea among older citi-
&cuS is that the magazine was no.
hui't primarily a. 4 storehousc for
Howd"r. III that ii Was built long be-
Tore III" war and served rs the wine
eolier II an old Colonial home. which,
stood up"u this, the highest point OF
~" nil. Naturally. when the Confcd-
crate batteries took up their position
here, ~ thc mas: strategic point about
iachm"nd. overlooking Belle Isle. the
prison Stockade. they found the old
winrccllcr u he an excellent powdcr
magazine ard ii was rcguisitioned as
suci.
The fact that ,hc corridor or gallery
runs fifteen feet beyond the entrance
10 the ma@aaine-rooin leads to the be-
net that there very probably is an
Other similar room. the entrance 10
which IS sealed M. The theory is that
The confederate commander of the
Tort had this done purposcly. 50 in
ease "nc chamber OF the magazine
blew Mp from any cause, the powder in
the other room would be safe or in
case 81 capture, that the enemy would
not nave the added benefits OF captur-
.n& big quantity OF power. II is
also believed tina: there may be n room
opposite the one discovered on sat
nrday Il has bean suggested also
that one end Of the corr!dor-thc ono
niscoI"red-waS the outside or cellar
door entrance. while the Other end OF
III" corridor led under the house prop-
or ANA was the entrance 10 the wine
cellar trom some closet or room IN the
home.
III during Yesterday large crowds
went out 10 visit The old structure.
II IS understood that to-day cleo
ir.c lights Will lie carried into tho
cellar. and il Viii lie thorouyhlr cX-
p!orcd. All the walls will be tapped