Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1928-05-25
VIRGINIA RESTORES
ITS HISTORIC HALL
House of Delegates Scene of
Important Events.

Richmond, Va.-The hand of time Is
being turned back many years In VT
gInia's aged capital building. The old
hall of the house of delegates In Rich
mond, which has perhaps been the
scene of more events of prime impor.
lance than any other room In the
South, Is undergoing complete restora-
ton after long neglect.
The great hall with its classic col
umns and cornices served as a gath
ering place for the representatives of
the people for more than u hundred
years. But In the early part OF the
present century il became evident that
the structure for which Thomas JET.
ferson had drawn up plans and made
q model while In France was no long
er adequate for the needs of the state.
In 1904 and 1906 wings were added.
In which new quarters we're provided
for the Legislature; and the old hall
Of the house Of delegates became Il
museum for the states agricultural
exhibits. AT its 1925 session, how.
ever, the general assembly decided
the hall deserved a fate more In keep
ing with its history, and the work of
restoration then authorized is now ap-
preaching completion.
Scene Of Great Evsnts.
Stirring debates, grave crises and
picturesque events have gone to the
making of the halls history. All the
Constitutional conventions were held
there, and there Virginia voted rati-
fication on June %, 17SS. The hall
was the scene of the trial of Aaron
Burr for treason, with John Marshall
presiding, in 1907. The former vice
president had been at mysterious
schemes in the West, out Of which, il
| was charged, he designed to evolve
an empire for himself, with the loss
to the Union of the great Mississippi
valley. A grand jury for the District
OF Virginia. where his expedition vir-
| tually started, indicted him, and his
case came up before the Supreme
court. sitting in Richmond.
The crowd Of spectators was so
gre that court had to adjourn to
the more c~ommodious hall Of the
house of delegates. For months the
crowd gathered at each session to
| follow the fortunes of the man whom
Winfield Scott described later:
There he ste cd, in the hands of pow.
er, on The brink of danger, as COM
posed, as immovable as one of Cano-
vas living marbles" Burr was even
tuaIly acquitted.
The convention which passed the ar
t'cles of secession. precipitating the
Civil war, sat in this chamber, and
here also the Confederate congress
met. Here Gen. Robert E. Lee re-
ceived formal command of the Con-
federate forces, and here Gen. Stone
wall Jackson's body lay In state after
he had been shot accidentally by n
OF his W men at the Battle of Chan
cellorsville.
On April 81, 1870, a calamity oc-
Cured in the hall that has peopled
its memories with ghosts ever since
Sad, sad, indeed, Ia the duty OF
the ~chronicler of the events and ter
rible scenes in our state capitol on
yesterday" runs an account of the
time. Unprecedented ~ their awful
results, h~eartrendins in their every
aspect and bringing mourning to u
entire city, We almost halt In palsied
- ~ I~r1thn to xynp11 hn hn-
yond the power of man; and with
those who witnessed 1t Its recollec-
ton will remain indelibly vivid as
long as life shall last"
Terrible Calamity.
IL was the day when the Court of
Appeals, meeting In the chamber
above the hall, was to render de-
cision as TO whether a citizen of Rich
mond elected mayor under the re-
Gently passed enabling act" was IN
titled to the Office or whether the
military appointee Of reconstruction
times, q one-time camp follower of
the federal armies, had a right to hold
on. Everybody who could squeeze into
the chamber was there. Suddenly a
panel fell from the ceiling, a girder
was seen to give way and the balcony
fell to the floor. The floor was in
sufficient to support its weight and In
a twinkling $50 persons in a mass OF
debris were precipitated 25 feet into
the hall of the house Of delegates, be
low. Sixty-two were killed and 25(
injured.
When the work Of restoration has
: been completed the room will be fur
J nished In the style Of 1860 and will bt
) used In connection with the work O
{ the house of delegates. Provision will
, be made for historic and patriotic so
j cieties to put up tablets or monument
: commemorative Of the various his.ori
. associations Of the hall. Gov. Harr,
f. Byrd is sponsoring a proposal 4
{ place q life-size statue Of General Lee
on the spot where he stood In assum
ing command Of the Southern forces.