Lee statue base reassembled after failed time capsule search

By DENISE LAVOIE and SARAH RANKIN
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Workers have returned to the Richmond site where a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee stood for more than a century. But they do not plan to resume their search for a 134-year-old time capsule state officials believe is buried in the statue’s enormous granite pedestal. Crews spent about 12 hours Thursday removing massive stones and digging in search of the 1887 time capsule, but were unable to find it. Work was underway Friday to reassemble the pedestal pieces that were removed. A spokeswoman for the state agency managing the job said workers will not spend any more time digging for the 1887 time capsule. They do plan to place a new time capsule in a cornerstone of the pedestal.