Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-10-24
Magazine Making Confcd-
crate Powder Remained
Secret During War.
BUILDINGS WERE ERECTED
BY JAMES MADISON IN 1916
Was Scene of Many Gay Par
ties of Graycoats and
Richmond Bellies.
ICY EDITH TUNIS SALE.
DOWNRIGHT

the river widens on its course 20
high up in that portion or Chester
field County where one can gaze over
miles and miles of fertile Virginia
farm lands stands old Beilona Ar
ecnal. Like many relics OF 100 years
ago ii seems to be resting under
some strange, magic influence which
renders Il !mpervious to progress,
only memories of its historic past,
Long before there was any talk Of
1919 Antoine Trabuo. Huguenot
refugee, fed from France Though
he was tho nossessor OF fair estate
was willing to lose everything. and
il was in the year lGST that his at
tempt - escape proved successful.
Disguised as II wine merchant. he
made his way to England. from which
country he sailed for Virginia where
he found 4 new home. =; Manakin
2Tn his ia PSn IN T ron /" County CO..
% his sons. Jacob and John James
rrabue. who added 10 their inheri-
tnNcr n grant IN Chesterfield. and il
was the dcscendants OF ono OF these
hrothcrs William Trabuc. who. SEN
tomher 81 ISIS. sold to the United
upon. which Bcllona Arsenal now
stands
While virginians have always
shown keen pride in the historic as
story OF old 5eliona which came into
heins, as a result OF the War, of 1912
Dresden; Madison thought it ncces-
sary TO establish barracks. an arse
nal and. magazine at or near the
Bullets for "Old Hickory"
The factory alluded to WAS just
down the hill from the arsenal hluft
who established foundry TO make
cannon shells. cannon and muske;
balls, the output OF which he dis
ment; hence the necessity OF near
by arsenal. In Major Clarke's forge.
the foundations OF which are yet
SstandinE |w,Ire Welded the bullets
the british nj New Orleans. The
mound from which the cannon were
tested and the blum into which they
an old frame building once used as
the factory store. now enjoys the
p eeao PgrnG,se Of ETinainE indian
shells and cannon to Richmond. Ma
5cr carrie huit the Gun Road from
his 0roDe-ty 10 Manchester, and it
% visit tn. hls,or!e SPOT
From an old chart OF Bcllona Ar
the east o. The barracks were used
As stofaEc for cannon and small arms:
those on the west as hospital and
work, shops. The barracks were
quadrangle covering three and one
quarter acres and on a line In the
r "aro Of nj arssst euilS!nF was the
ception OF the latter which was OF
frame, the buildings were OF brick
with walls three fcet thick a; cer-
tain heights and supported upon mas
sivc foundations Of stone All the
roofs wer" ~ slate. capped with lead.
and the buildings We're connected by
an inc,oS'nr brick wall which extend
ed TO the top storica. and was pierced
m regular intervals with portfolios
where cannon were mounted
stone. Au; which low lies forso,ten
and discarded is Inscribed:
Commenced January 1916.
FinishC October 1917
AIuntord ccloael r. ora,. it%Ga. G LONGS
Bomtord. l!cg":-H i'r-Goioncl oc ord
nance: !. u. Hayden captain Of ord
nance. military department. Robert
l.ecky master mason; James Waiford
master builder; Andrew Fagan and
Josiah J.. rearcc, master cnrpcn-
: few hundred yards from the main
buildings. hidden in tho shadow Of
dense oak grove" the hes, powder
i9asazine In 'h", country was built OF
some OF them three men could Walk
',nrraSt lnclos-I in thirty loot
%g'%arn val his magazine measures
i.Moo , tse': ~ under compartment
Under acts o: Congress. March ,
III" and April % 1S2S steps Ecr.
l;"iona Arsenal! Eat &; was no, rln.il
atarcn :" ~: that Jefferson Davis
men tinted states Secretary 81 War.
acted upon the recommendation az thc
colonel OF ordnance and SOLD tho lana
- "uiidinrs o. Ih.lip -! George
Cooke. VINO was saii - -" = daScar,Ci
b - nHaH.
noun. England. known as Cock Of
re iHinc, who fitted out q shin "a.
~ own cxp.nse and went 10 light
'he spanish Armada
Figures in Lawsuit
nei,ona men, nsurcd IN ,'rco-
'"fh"fcl lawsuit between the United
"j Hrcb %T", IA Cockc ana Dr. Junius
NnIcn are on H'r at PoWh4,l- C'.u-.
house; and which resulted In ,-i,rr
i5r. Nrehtpr roPfif In ~ ;nIo the gaahs #
nI X T. Chafin, of Richmond VINO
houFes 'I. I'm In, 10 he nse1 iq. nUi'd.rr
suburb MANY %: the RalIona Iric,,s
TTs sTb also used in the erection Of the
o~ner or the arsenal was Mr. T-rht-n
Or Indiana. who In 1881 sold IN.
p.ace - W J. Cammack. whose fam
When II" C!vu Wa broke with
Such fury over NirEiuin ana J.Ter.
s"h baTiT resigned hie oTicr an T'ritrd
states Secretary a. Va ,a,.- ~ f.
come President o. tie CoYr..eora',
u" saw grcht need for au arsenal IN
some secluded spot and recalling I,nI.
loha. !iHincGiatC!y got IN touch ,yi.h
''nhcrti Cooke. who 'N"n oY.r.5 m
property and leased ID Tor .ia Sou,r
Major ClarEe's cannon factory ,,-.s
once more put IN operation -hc "a.
nance ana ammunition made ,h,rc he
ing sent first 10 Richmond ana 40,
OF 70 thr front II IS q fact Worthy
of note that Bollona Arsenal va. ~
only Confederate magazine lnErot,'n
10 INC Federal government It's ..f..
rnce having been kept such a mo
iG"nd secret mat. with the exception
q an old negro man. only onerat1r-
or N" factory and th, trasre on
yuard al Eellona kno" any,h.rt -,
~ Is gratifying TO Know Ina,
though he was constantly wa,ciied,
ihlS old negro never made any al,
,Gmpt 70 harm the country which TO
him mad boon home
so the arsenal built by James Nadi-
sea for four years supplied Charles
ton. Savannah. W!lining,ou Ana
tells that all the North wondered
where the Con!cdrra'cs s'or.d -h,Ir
powder and shclls. Tor tin Snu.hrrn.
al