Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-12-27

oeedinGs The prisoners were again
before dark the crowd dispersed.
Thus resulted what ut fret all supposed would be most
traeica and dsgraceul affair The mob fell back and lew
OF citizens dropping in at this conuncure prevented
further violence.
ANOTHER DREADFUL STEAMBOAT DISASTER.
New ORLEANS Dec. l6.-The large and commodious
steamer South America totally destroyed by fire yeser-
div afternoon Bayou Sara and regret TO state some
y TO forty souls persisted In The flames and by drown
ag There were altogether hundred on board
including one hundred United States soldiers who were 60
q 10 Texas Seven Of the soldiers known to have per-
i.hed The boat totally destroyed IN twenty minutes
alter the FIRE broke out together with all the baggage of the
and every other description OF properly on board
The scene was most appalling.
Many of the passengers Jumped overheard rom the
which had enveoped hem and they thus sunk to watery
gave Others saved themselves by swimming ashore Inc
of the sufferers have not been ascerained IL IS
sisted how the fire originated This sad catastrophe mas
ca,t gloom upon people. We have been singulary
within the past few days in the way OF
accidents. -
JUDITH DAM.
AZ the breach Of Judith Dam, on the line OF the James
R,er and Kanawha Canal above Lynchour has attracted
public attention considerable extent Is proper that
the nature and Of the injury should be known as accu
ra,ey possible Major Gwynn the Chief Engineer OF Inc
COMPANY has Just returned to Richmond after thorough
peonal examination Of the present condition OF the Da
md we are glad learn from him that the disaster IS nuch
serious than has been supposed To make an
Ineligible be understood that Judith Dam was ou
Of sone with width Of 26 feet at the bottom and total
heig, of 81 feet but the width Of the base al the water line
was 20 feet and height of the dam above that line was 22
tits ascertaned beyond doubt that the breach was due to
the unfinished slate of the DAM The length OF The breach Is
abo,t 200 feet greatest depth about Is feet leaving IA IT,
of masonry still standing At the Northern edge of the por
ton carried away there had been lief, sluce 50 feet long
and feet Deep the object of which TO let oil the water
80 that the other parts of the dam might be completed on
the part carried away about twohirds Of the coping had
beea laid but boed down. On portion OF tbs re-
mauder tho masonry had been built up TO the line OF the
coping and the 10 within some 10 Inches OF the ine
fha frOr IN
when should become necessary 10 raise Inc Gam mere 10
lis proper Level framework of mbers had been attacheo
10 the upper SIDE which TO have been anked so as 10
turn the water In this state OF things the esn came on
hearing down large quantity Of drift wood This dr was
driven violently against the framework oil the suce ana
the mbsrs finally displaced the stones against whicn .ney
were planted The beginning Of breach being thus effect
ed the masonry moved away meal until the open
Ing in the dam suicento balance the resistance and
the force of the The stones are now lying sepa-
ratey in pretty regular ne al angle OF some ou degrees
10 the dam ald can be readily reclaimed The number OF
cubic Yards displaced about $780, and the original contract
price being per cubic yard the whole loss cannot reach
1t expected that the dam will be repaired before
the canal car DO opened TO Buchanan, which viii be some
time next sumner
very epneous impression has been made by the report
that the damwas turned by the current OF water ms
Is proved no to have boon the by the fact that II feet
of solid masonry yet remain where The breach Is deepest
and blythe peculiar disposition OF the separated
or Gwynn of the In which the breach occurreo Is
manifssy reasonable and satisfactory II must be evident
to every that dam is necessarily haoe 10 inurs
until it is completed. The existence Of the suice, which
could not be avoided, the presence oil the tlmoers
which gave leverage 10 tho momentum OF ire GRIT
and the absence Of the e9ng on p be 1e
suit without supposing Effectiveness In either the plan or
the execution of the work. Times
PHILADELPHIA POLICE, DEc Id FHgtirs-
As Mr. p, a wealthy gentleman of Abolition principles
was reading in his library, about r NJ YESTERDAY ms niue
son camento the room and told him tha cnoIeo eehe
~ IS tta
conducted by his son the chamber where the coored gen.
tlcman had stationed himself and found tall negro rane
we'll dressed sng with much composure On he sIe OF
he'd In 10 Mr. Ps queries the intruder stated hat ne
was fugitive slave and being holly pursued had taken re-
fupe there knowing that the owner OF the mouse was
saunch Aboitionist Mr. promised 10 seiei Tue ,I h
SON in the negros presence TO give the gentleman every
thing he called for and mention his being there 10 any
other member of the family After aoou. Two nGufs MI
returned and met by his little boy who informed
him that coored gentleman had gone. repeated
Mr. p with some surprise. "Yes answered the child and
gave him all that he called as you too me- fsi ne
in the house and no every bit OF IT, Then he called Tor
four or five of your shirts and two or three OF your vests
and took them up to MIN Alter mat ne us.eS md
out Of yor bed ROOM He put them on and made the clothes
up in bundle and says Sonny tell your ne pretty
clever old chap and the next time run away md t an
door laughing all the tmo though he something fun
NV This account made Mr. P open his eyes literally and h
nrvaf
Grateful darkey police officer dispatched in pursuit
f the fugitive but the had mado such good use OF
his ,rotters that Mr. Psshirts waiscoats ana ooos nave
not ye, found their way back TO the right owner W.
SOUTHERN OCEAN STEAMERS.-We are gratihe.d
10 learn that there every probability on appropriation VIII
be made the session o. g Or e
Norfolk and Europe and also 10 Chagres to connect with
line of steamers on The Pacific TO San Francisco COM
pany at Philadelphia has made proposals TO construct ten
tho
war searners four to be run on the Atlantic ana Elk on e
Pacific which is said has met with favorable acceptance
=, washington Mr. Stanton chairman OF the committee
on naval Affairs prepared report recommending the
project, which will be presented to the House In lew
We learn that II is an interesting and uoie document. aic
We shall avail oursef Of the earliest opportunity on It's ap
pearance lay before our readers-lNo.t0@ Argus
LAND WARRANTs-SINGUL CASE.-An old SOL
ser living AT Harpers Ferry Va being entitled TO l6O acres
of land under the new Bounty Act obtained from the ZEN
sion Office the necessary authority for locating his land lie
selected on ac. OF unoecupoa M h. aaI
than travelling the wds OF oregon Minnesota OF oa-
orna The old soldier has consulted able legal geneme
who ha given their opinion that he can mold the and
s the bounty Act allows the location upon any unoecuped
Government land The property thus seleced IS sad 10 os
worth $4,000.
THE NEW CAPITAL OF CALIFORNIA.-At the
election In California il is stated that the citizens oil
that now State decided upon Vasgo as the permanent seat
Of The capital Is e b se e Uu Of 81 me
cisco II the proposition of Spanish speculaor who
10 Give 10 the Commonwealth 56 Of land
divided into the necessary lots and ground for the
ment buildings university, charitable institutions Sc and
10 expend the erection of some pubic build
ne. including SIPS 0O0 for State House, aggregate Of
s300CO TO be paid within two years His associates
in this country said be General Thomas j. Green and
Hon. Robert J. Walker
DISCOVERY OF THIRD RING TO SATURN
The Cambridge Mass) Asonomers have discovered the
existence of third ring around this Planet which had beer
for sometime suspected II is interior OF the Others
therefore it's distance from the body of Saturn must be small
Eight satellites have also been discovered and this excess
and shows that should have been
named after the youngest Of the Goddesses instead OF the
eldest of the Gods.
Tho planet suppose will prove 10 be made up Of rings
and hollow spheres curiousy carved out Ike the Chinese
balls OF ivory that We see In our toy shops.