The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-16
LITTER FROM PETERSBURG.
corre,r ondence of the Richmond Dispatch
PETERSBURG, June Is, 1866.

PETERSBURG, June Is, 1866.
The question of establishing tirSt-class
school i'm this city for the education OF the
orphan children of Confederate soldiers
who were killed or who died during the
late war, is now being agitated. What
success will attend such an enterprise We
cannot anticipate, though many of the
prominent men who have been spoken to
on the subject, give it their willing sup
port. MANY of the gallant volunteers of
Petersburg fell in our fierce struggle-not
a small proportion of whom left their tami-
lies in dependent circumstances. Itwould
be an act of graceful as well as deserving
charity for the citizens to take these chill
drcn in charge and give them that instruc-
ton which otherwise they cannot obtain,
and which will fit them for the enjoyments
as well as the duties OF life. 1t IS probable
that meeting Of citizens VIII be held IN
few evenings to consider the matter. A
few thousand dollars will insure the sue
cess Of the scheme.
The proprietors of the Manchester paper
mill must look TO their laurels as well as
their interests, for they will shortly have
formidable competition in Petersburg. A
very large mill is now in course of erection
Oh the AppomattoX, into which the most
improved machinery for the manufacture
OF every quality of paper will be intro
duced. Located on the finest water power
in the State, with an abundance of capital
and the best OF skill on the part OF the pro-
prietors, and determination to test the
practicability of the Enterprise to the ut
most, there is little doubt of success. A
heavy bid will be made for southern patron
age, and the south, imagine, cannot bet
ter adhere to her principles Of supporting
southern manufactures than by extending
its assistance to this mill.
Messrs. James NJ. Venable Co. will, in
a few weeks, start their magnificent cotton
factory on Canal street, the machinery of
which have been selected with great care
and by most experienced judges. 1t will
surpass all similar factories in this section,
both in point of the scale of its operations
and the quality of its manufactures.
The debris OF the late fire on Bank street,
by which the Express office and the office
OF the Messrs. D0nnan were destroyed,
are being rapidly removed, and steps are
being taken towards rebuilding.
Two young men, giving their names as
Wilson and Anderson, and believed to hail
from Goochland county or its vicinity, were
committed to the Jail in this place last eve
ming on the serious charge Of stealing
mules. Two of these animals were seized
in their possession, and the statements the
prisoners make in regard 10 them are so
conflicting and unsatisfactory that the re-
suit of their trial will probably be unfa-
vorable to them. The Mayor held them
for further evidence.
Our Jail is being strengthened and made
secure by layer of solid granite, one foot
thick, on the inner walls Of each cell.
Prisoners, hereafter, will not find it so easy
to effect their escape as heretofore. The
granite used in the repairs is brought from
the quarries on the farm of Captain Thomas
Whitworth, about two miles west OF Pc
tersbIrg. On this place there is wealth
Of the finest granite in America, which
richly deserves development.
Captain Whitworth lost very heavily by
the war, not q little of which loss was in
ficted by the Federal troops who, for
weeks, were encamped by the tens Of
thousands on his farm. They believed the
old gentleman TO be the inUentor Of the
celebrated Whitworth gun, which was sue
cessfully used in the south during the war !;
and not all his eloquent denials could con-
vince them to the contrary. 49,