Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-08-16

FIRE-The Cape Fear Steam Flour and Grain Mills the
property of Mr. Alex Oldham, situated the of
North Water and Walnut streets, caught fire about 5
o'clock Saturday morning, and together with contents
in short time entirely consumed. The fire COM
muncated itself to small wooden tenement opposite the
Mills, which also destroyed. Fortunately there
little wind at the time, otherwise the result would
have been much disastrous The Mills situated
in thckly settled portion of the city, and if the fire had
been in the least influenced by the wind, great portion
of the vicinity must have been laid in ashes.
Adjoining the tenement alluded to, which destroy
cd is the brick warehouse of Messrs Wallace
Switzerland, wherein large quantity of Spirits Turpen-
tine was stored. This building rendered little asss-
by it's fre-proof qualities arresting the further
progress Of the destructive element.
The most accurate conclusion arrived at i'll regard to
the origin of the fire. is that caused by the
sive heat Of the furnace, which communicated this pro-
perty to the smoke stack the mills having been in opera
ton day and night for time past and at the time the
fire occurred running The roof through which the
smoke-sack had outlet shngled, but in the i'm
mediate vicinity of the stack tin covering had been
placed The roof had been recently painted, in fact SUI
fcent time had elapsed become perfectly dry
considerable quantity of oil had been used in the pre-
heat Of tn" smoke-stack rolled down upon the roof in
stream OF nre AS matter OF course the roof almost
instantly enveOped sheet OF flame and hence the dis
astrous consequences.
The loss is estimated at about $40 0O0 No insurance.
BRUTAL Acknowledgements by the Wilmington and
Weldon Railroad report the murder of young white
man named John Cutchin, at Whitaker's Turnout Hall
fax County, the night of the 9th inst The deceased
in the habit of sleeping his store at that place. and
the morning following the murder several neiShbors
having to visit his store waited until the usual
time of opening and thinking perhaps the deceased had
oversight himself endeavored to him by knocking
on the door After waiting some time and making several
unsuccessful attempts to awaken him, they naturally be-
gan to entertain apprehensons that some accident
had befallen him, knowing that it his Gus
tome to sleep i'll the store alone. They finally
concluded to effect entrance by force, and breaking
down the door entered the where he slept and found
the deceased weteling in his blood upon the floor
Upon examination of the body it discovered that
the deceased had been murdered, and that his skull
dreadnlly fractured and bore signs which led them to
believe that the weapon used in tho preparation Of the
deed evidently hammer.
There has been yet positive clue discovered which
would lead to the apprehension of the murderer but
pcior is directed to Virgil Ousby, d freedman,
who employed the plantation of the father
of the deceased, few miles from the place
where the murder committed. The only Cir
cumstance which appears to warrant this suspicion that
the freedman mentioned above suddenly disappeared
the night the murder committed, and has gone
whittier
Other facts regarding viii perhaps to
light in days. and we may then be enabled give
detailed and accurate Of the whole trans
action.
THE FIRsr THE SEAsoS-We have received from
Messrs. Northrop Cumming, fine, large cotton boe,
which has ripened and shed its contents This boe
grown the plantation Of MI. n s. Barnes, near Stan
tonburg Edgeconbe county. The fibre appears to be
rather short, but is very fine, soft and silky.
This, believe is the first of the season. At least
he frstU have heard of