“Terrible Laboratory Explosion on Brown’s Island” 1863

The Civil War Richmond website has an article on about one Friday the 13th disaster that happened in 1863- “Richmond’s Great Homefront Disaster”

The first hint of tragedy was a dull, prolonged roar from the direction of Brown’s Island, a mound of dirt in the James River at the base of Seventh Street. The island, described two years earlier as a pretty little wilderness of bamboo and brush wood, had been transformed into a collection of one-story, frame buildings in which several hundred employees, most of them young girls, produced much of the ammunition that kept the Confederate army fighting.

The roar startled some Richmonders, but many, used to hearing explosions from the testing of ordnance at the nearby Tredegar Iron Works, paid scant attention. Several minutes later, dense smoke made townsfolk aware that something indeed was wrong. The telltale smoke came from the destruction of a department of the Confederate States Laboratory, an installation referred to in early 1863 as the salvation of the Confederacy.

Gorgas knew what had become common knowledge in the capital; the tragedy had been caused by an 18-year-old girl, Mary Ryan.

The colonel wrote in his diary: “The accident was caused by the ignition of a friction primer in the hands of a grown girl by the name of Mary Ryan. She . . .gave a clear account of the circumstances. The primer stuck in the varnishing hoard and she struck the board three times very hard on the table to drive out the primer. She says she was immediately blown up to the ceiling and on coming down was again blown up.”

Ryan, a native of Ireland, suffered with her injuries until the Monday after the explosion. She died at her father’s home on Oregon Hill, a residential area within a mile of the laboratory.

A Veteran Nearly Frozen, 1897

From the Richmond Dispatch, February 28, 1897:

An old soldier, who for four years wore the grey and bore the stoma of battle, lay all day yesterday unconscious at the City Hospital. He is John W. Satchfield, and since July 5, 1890, has been an inmate of the Soldiers’ Home. A gentleman was passing near Church and Holly streets yesterday morning about 6 o’ clock, when on the corner lay the prostrate form of a man insensible, and, apparently, dead. The ambulance was called and Dr. Lyne responded, and found that the old man must have been exposed all night, and was stiff and benumbed with cold. He was taken to the hospital, and during the whole day did not revive, thought the physicians worked faithfully over him, and even had to cut his clothes from his body, but their efforts to bring renewed life back and make the blood flow faster in those veins were fruitless. His condition is considered very grave, but at a late hour last night he seemed better, and his pulse was stronger, but speech and movement had not come.
Mr. Satchfield was a member of Pegram’s Battery during the war, and came to the home from Petersburg. Colonel Bigger gave him a permit the day before for a leave of two days, and he went away with the intention of going to Manchester, and then to Petersburg. How he came to be at Church and Holly streets cannot be understood, and he alone can tell.

The Solid Democratic Club of Oregon Hill, 1888

From the Richmond Dispatch, February 26, 1888:

The Solid Democratic Club of Oregon Hill met last night at 8 o’clock, with President D.R. Read presiding and J.L. Lee acting as secretary. After transacting the regular business of the club, lively and stirring addresses were made by Mr. Meade Haskins, James W. Gibbons, W.M. Prentiss, John J. King, and others. The club is in good working order, and ready for the fight for Democracy.

The Work of Wrong Doers, 1896

From the Richmond Dispatch, January 18, 1896:

The youths on Oregon Hill have recently started quite a money making scheme at the expense of the city. It seems that a certain junk-dealer has offered to buy bricks at four for one cent. Little by little the sidewalks on Oregon Hill have dwindled away, until now many of them present quite a dilapidated appearance. It is said that more than twenty boys are members of the enterprising exchange.

Very successful Young Men’s Society of 1886

From the Richmond Dispatch, January 17, 1886:

One one of the very successful Mission Sunday schools in the city is the one under the care of the Young Men’s Society of the First Presbyterian church, located on Oregon Hill, corner of Spring and Pine streets. W.S. Donnan, Jr., is the efficient superintendent, ably seconded by his assistant, Mr. A.H. Christian, and a faithful band of teachers. The school now numbers some 250, and is in great need of more teachers.

The Day Nursery, 1888

From the Richmond Dispatch, January 13, 1888:

The Day Nursery.

The Day Nursery on Oregon Hill, while not exactly a charity, cannot be made self-supporting on the small scale on which it is at present conducted. It therefore appeals confidently to the support of citizens, especially at the west end of town. Gifts of infants’ clothing will be particularly welcome, and will be received by the matron, 610 China Street; Mrs. Silvey, 209 west Grace street, and Mrs. H. M. Jackson, 800 west Franklin street.

Style: Tredegar Will Become Regional Visitor’s Center

A story in this week’s Style magazine gives information on a new federal-local partnership for the Tredegar ironworks site.

The partnership between the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar and the National Park Service comes as regional planners continue spinning their wheels, quietly debating where to create a central visitor’s center in anticipation of next year’s commemorations of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.

Tredegar, once the iron-smelting backbone of the Confederacy’s industrial effort, has long been a shared site between the National Park Service and the nonprofit civil war center. The new plan means Tredegar’s cohabitants become symbiotic partners on the site overlooked by Ethyl Corp.’s corporate headquarters on Byrd Street.

The partnership is unique within the National Park Service, says David Ruth, superintendent of the National Park Service’s Richmond National Battlefield Park. The federal government and the Civil War center will run jointly the museum’s day-to-day operations and retail functions. Ruth says the partnership with the center is even more comprehensive than the joint public-private effort that runs Gettysburg National Battlefield.

Gettysburg interprets a single battlefield, where Tredegar becomes a gateway to antebellum and war-era Richmond as well as all of the battlefield sites throughout the state. The private side of Tredegar has long focused its Civil War interpretation on a more rounded history of civilian and military life within the context of black, white, Northern and Southern experiences.

To read the rest of the article, click here.

St. Andrew’s Church dedicated, 1904

From the Times-Dispatch, January 2, 1904:

In the presence of a large congregation that practically filled the house, the beautiful new St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, of this city, was consecrated yesterday morning with Impressive exercises, led by the bishop of Virginia.

The new house of worship Is one of the handsomest In the State. Its completion and consecration was an event of no little moment to Episcopal Virginia, and the attendance was the larger, and more interested on account of this fact. The beautiful bullding, the gift of one generous member of the congregation, is, besides, the center of one of the most Interesting religious enterprises here or anywhere. St. Andrew’s parish ls known far and near for tho great wok it is doing. The ceremonies of yesterday were therefore of unusual note.

THE EXERCISES.
Tho consecration service began about 11 o’clock. In the front pew to the right of the center aisle were Miss Grace Arents, who contributed the entire
amount for the erection of the church; and Mr. Charles Bower, Mrs. D. N.
Walker, Mrs. O’Brien, and Mr. Woodson, who founded St. Andrew’s Mission In
1875.

Article continues…

1902 Follow-Up Article: Two Arrested Over Trouble With Dogs

From The Times, December 21, 1902, which follows up earlier article by the Dispatch:

TROUBLE OVER DOGS
Two Arrests Made by Police at Instance of City Pound Master

Luther Page and Joseph Warriner, employees of the Tredegar Iron Works, were arrested yesterday afternoon by Sergeant Barfoot, of the Third District, on warrants sworn out by Charles Illeg, master of the city dog pound. charglng them with unlawfully interfering with the dog catchers ln the discharge of their duty. The men gave bond for their appearance in the Police Court tomorrow morning, when the merits of the case wlll be gone into by Justice John.

lt is alleged that the men, both of whom live on Oregon Hill, refused to allow the dog catcher to take their canines. although they had no badges, as is required by the city ordinance.