The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-12-18

DHsraucrIvs FInn -About b o'clo


LOCAL MATTHHa.
DHsraucrrvs FInn --About IL o.clocl
. / last Thursday night, the famous ship mill, i
. James riser, about two miles west Of this city
. sook 1fe and was entirely destroyed. A thi
, msnuiacturing establishment has always beef
thnse who knew nothing Of its objects or bur.
po8eS, We propose enlightsuirg our readers as a
a. we can, by giving iss history. About the yeal
IssD, two or three German gentI,msn. In search
81 specuation, came to this city, and finding itl
waier power immense, dstermiDed to erect . .sshir
mth,' soch as are to be found on the Rhine, aud
10 various sections In Europe, 70 grind wheat =
selecting retired spot on the south canal bank.
near Ru'herford's old mill, they set to work and
outle 90 immense ark, twentyrtwo by ninety feet,
10 which to place their mill machinery, to BE-
driven by large wheel, which IN turn vas to be
driven by the current. The ark, We believe, was
completed in the winter Of 1851, and was moored
70 the bank BY cords and chains. In April, 1859,
| and before the machinery was received from the
North, tremendous food occurred in the river
and the drift wood piliug mountain high against
the ark, she parted her cables and iosted of down
Petersburg Railroad bridge. and running upon
one OF the rocky islands q few hundred yards be-
| low, where she stuck fast, defying ali tffIrts to
remove her, after the angry waters had subsided.
burned. =.
Nothing dannted by this mishap, and believing
thas ship mill" woald prove highly successful
In this region of country. Mcssrs. Charles A. seg
20: set to work At once, built another ark
twenty one BY eighty feet, erected . six story
frame honse on the river bank, to be used for
storing graiu, -four, lumber aud machinery, and
for Offices and dwellings, and began In earnest to
pat up their mill machinery, preparatory to grind
ipg. just as they were about ready for operations
| the hard winter of 1866 set In, and the water
wheel was carried away BY the floating lee. Dur.
Ing the summer of 1856 new wheel was made,
and the mill WAS thought to be ready for grinding
the next season, but another severe winter pros
daced an abundance of ice, and the wheel vas
again destroyed. Messrs. s. & Co., not willing to
give mp an enterprise which they believed to be
good one, and on which they had spent thousands
OF dollars, soon replaced the lost wheel arranged
six pair Of burrs for grinding, and started their
machinery, as an experiment. Everything work.
ing wel they concluded their difficulties were at
an end, and were coDgratulatina themselves on
most successful season; but spring food came
down, destroyed the small lighter which support-
I'd the water wheel on one side, and completely
frustrated their designs for 1857. Since that time
MsSsrs s. Il Co. have been doing very little, save
repairing the ark and machinery, and endeavoring
to De ready for the grinding season Of 1859.
1he nre, last Thursday night, originated In the
Kitchen of the large frame house, and WAS On.
tireIy accidental Mr.. Seig 10 the building at
the time, just preparing for bel, and barely had
| most Of his wardrobe, and all his papers and
books. servant, who occupied an Clubhouse
also had narrow secape.
From the best information we can gather, there
seems to be no donbt that Messrs. S. l. Co have
sunk in this 'ship mil' enterprise from forty to
nifty thousand dollars n cash, and that their onsire
loss including time and interest," equals il it does
not exceed S65,000. They had insurance In this
city.
HUsTIEGs CoUAT in the case of the
Commonwealth against william Cuttings and
Abraham VI. Gruber, indicted for assaulting Ann
n. nf
guilty, and the parties we're discharged.
Robert Patterson, indicted for misiemeanor,
was arraigned and solle prosequi entered.
John Gibbon, indicted for assaulting VIM
Wayne. The jury being unable to agree, the ease
was continued until the next term.
TaRrArRNIkG. ON Thursday night
last Lewis Delmors entered the house of j. B. Sig.
nisgo. drew knife, drove old Joe from the prem
| ises, aud then turning upon James Hagan with
the same weapon, made him do some tall travel
ling until he secured the protection Of the watch
! men. Looking upon such conduct as too serious
to be treated lightly, the Mayor held the accused
to bail for his good behavior, and also required
bin to enter into bonds to answer for his conduct
before the Grand Jury 10 February next.
This AFTERNOON, the movieg mirror of
Australia and the Celestial Empire viii be e1 bib
tied at the Mechanics Hall f1r the benefit of Ia
dies and children who cannot attend at night.
| Those who have not seen it shond avail them
| selves of this occasion, as another ono of tho
kind may not be presented.
| Sr. PAuL's CoNvEEsfoN Sunday
evening next, at half-past O'Clock, Rev. J.
Shrigley, pastor OF the Uuiversalist Church, will
| repeat the sermon delivered by him a short time
since. Subject: "The religious opinions of ST..
| Paul before aud after his conversion"
| FINED.-Michael Murphy was fined 50
| by the Mayor for peruitting unlawful assembly
| Of negroes in his house last Sunday, and IS for
| selling liquor to be drunk in his house without
| license. Mr.. NJ. keeps q grocery at the corner
of 9TH and Cary streets.
| RECON NsIDzRED.-Charlott Griffith,
| convicted as pick pocket, and sentenced to the
city Jail, last Wednesday, for one week. is out and
gone to New York, the Hastings Court having re-.
considered their judgment and sentenced her to
enc days imprisonment.
In FOR IT.-Anderson, slave TO Mrs.
| Elizabeth Hill, was before the Mayor yesterday
and ordered to be punished, conviction of steal
| ing clothing from another slave, named Phil
Andersen was ordered seventy y-eght lashes few
days since for assaulting watchman.
| CoNrIruEp.-Wiliiam slave to George
R. Peake, charged with stealing q silver watch
from Ned Norris, free negro 10 to be tried before
| the Mayor this morning.
| 6TABBIHG.-John Nagle and Patrick
Mcnamara, charged with stabbiug Henry Ruger,
| last Thursday evening, have been held to bail to
| answer before the Mayor this morning
| DISMISSED. warrant against E..
| L. Dsyy for assaulting and abusing Mrs. Clara Y.
Dykes, on the 10Th inst. was dismissed BY the
Mayor yesterday, after hearing several witnesses
| BOUND OvEa.-Peter Foster. for as
/ a arA hoaf Ernu navia wa aiNpo 4
before tho Mayor yesterday and hold to bail for
| his good behavior.
FoR To-DAY.-The Hastings Court will
try the charge against Allen Nunnaiiy, charged
with keeping a disorderly house, to-day. The
| witnesses should attend.
jaw -Giobbatirla Pryzsin-