Capitol Disaster

On 2 February 1872 Senate Bill 146 was read before the Senate for the first time. The bill, which was passed several days later, called for an appropriation to be made for repairs to the capitol building in the aftermath of the great "Capitol Disaster" of 1870.

On 27 April 1870, an immense crowd gathered in the chamber of the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, located on the upper floor of the capitol. These individuals had gathered to witness the court's decision in the highly controversial mayoral election case for the city of Richmond. Before the announcement of the verdict, the floor of the room collapsed, sending hundreds of spectators tumbling into the hall of the House of Delegates below. In all, sixty people were killed and many more injured. Though the assembly was not in session, one senator was killed and fifteen delegates and senators were injured.*

In the aftermath of the disaster, many called for the razing of the capitol building and the construction of an entirely new structure. After heated debate, it was decided to repair the existing building. Senate Bill 339, which was approved by both houses of the assembly in March of the 1871–1872 session, specified the exact amount of funds and the means by which repair efforts were to be undertaken. This act called for the designated "commissioners to contract for repairs of the capitol" and allocated a sum of twelve thousand dollars for this effort. While repairs were underway, the House of Delegates met in the old Sycamore Church, located directly behind the capitol on 11th Street between Broad and Marshall streets.

* Sen. James W. D. Bland (Charlotte and Prince Edward counties) was killed in the disaster. The following men were injured: delegates Stith Bolling (Lunenburg County), H. M. Bell (Augusta County), Henry Bell (Mathews County), Richard U. Burgess (Southampton County), Isaac Edmundson (Halifax County), B. F. Jones (King William County), J. A. McCaull (Roanoke County), F. W. Mahood (Giles County), William Matthew (Loudoun County), John C. Shelton (Stafford County), John R. Strother (Culpeper County), J. N. Stubbs (Gloucester County), C. L. Thompson (Hanover County), and senators Charles Herndon (Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Louisa counties) and George H. Kendrick (Lee, Scott, Wise, and Buchanan counties).