Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-08-17
VIRGINIA NEWS.

the pastures parched and burnt up, and the
corn too far gone, with the most favorable sea-
son from this out, to make halt crop.
We are glad to learn, however, that the loeali-
ties suffering are exceptions as the season gen
orally throughout the Valley has been fine
one, and the corn crop reported above the
average
Gen. Daniel Ruggles has discovered and had
patented a process tor composing manures by
steam, which promises to relieve farmers from
the necessity of spending money in foreign fer
tilizers, by making every farmer the manufac'
turer of his own manures. All the waste ma
terial of the farm, of every description. can be
speedily decomposed and converted into the
best manure.
The Petersburg Index says the trade in su
mac in that section has assumed very import
ant proportions. The people in the neighbor.
ing counties are engaged in gathering and dry
ipe the leaves, and large quantities are brought
into market Alexandria is one of the best
sumac markets in the State and large quanti-
ties arc brought here for manufacturing pur'
poses, besides for shipment.
The Colored Baptist Ass ooiatiou, which was
in session in Charlottesville last week, adjourn
ed on Saturday evening. The Chronicle says
great credit is due to the coIored people who
attended the association Although there was
large crowd probably 5000 each day, we
have not heard of single casa OF disturbance
of any kind. Altogether it was one OF the
most orderly gatherings we have ever seer.
There we're on Saturday 7l9 prisoners regis
tered on the books of The Penitentiay, larger
number than it ever before contained. There
are four persons ia the prison, three cololed
| and one white man, awaiting trIa! Tor capital
offences committed since their Incarceration.
Among the prisoners are nearly lfty women
Rev. II. e. Townsend, a promising young
minister Of the Baptist denomination, whose
health has been 10 decline Tor about year,
died on Sunday, in Richmond, at the residence
| of his father.
Hon. G. G. Medley. Of Halifax, one OF the
most popular men in his section OF the State
died on Sunday. H. had numerous friends
| throughot the State and in Missouri.
TheWinchcster Sentinel says THE whoa:
when hreshed has, in nearly every instance,
so far as We can learn, fallen short of expecta-
ton both as to quality and quantity
The Richmond State Journal hears that the
victims of tho late disaster on the Chesapeake
and Ohio road were robbed by villains who
could not restrain their thieVish propensties.
Miss Bessie W. Paul, of Petersburg died
suddenly of heart disease, at Capon Springs,
week before last
Capt George WoodyiiIe Latham, Of Lynch'
burg died on Monday, 10 the 81 tn year of hi:
age. He was gentleman OF fine talents.
The Postoffce at KempsviIle, Princess ammo
county, is discontinued. Papers should now &C
to Norfolk.
Ice is now brought to Fredericksburg by
the lower Potomac Route and sold at > cents ;
pound.
Capt. Eustace Gibson, Of Culpeper has beer
mentioned as candidate for Congress tro1
this District.
Five hundred hands are expected shortly tt
work on the extension the r. f. & Z. K. Il
from Brookes' to Quantfco.
The catalogue OF the University Of Vireioii
for lS69-70 shows 40 students during the las
session.
The DAVIS MANSION The Council. las
evening, agreed to adjust the difficulty between
some OF our former councilmen and the Wa
| Department in regard to the Davis mansion
| A letter from the Secretary Of War of tn
| United States was laid before the Council
| This communication conveyed the intelligence
that it would be necessary, before the Davi
house could be turned over to the Council, tina
they should, by formal resolution, release
| the United States government from all claim
or liabilities for rent, use or damages. On mo
ton ,be resolution was tdortcd, ard Mayo
Eilyson authorized to receive the property anc
execute deed Of release, such as Is demanded
by the authorities at ashiDgton.-Rich
State Journal
CLEARING Our JAMES RlvER.-The u. S
| Engineers Bureau is about beginning TO c!ea
the wrecks and the obstructors occasioned BY
the war out of the James river. At Drury'
Bluff it has been ascertsincd that the following
must be removed to put the river in good Davi
gable order The wreck of the iron clad ram
Fredericksburg, sunk with arms, guns, &C., or
board che iron eunboat Raleigh, $50 tons
sunk with guns, &C., on board tie war steam
er jamestown, wooden, 200 tons, sunk with
guns on board the steamer Curtis Peck, 450
tons the schooners Wythe, 300 tons, snc
Roach, 225 tons brig, ITS tons; and a
small schooner, between so and 100 tons also
eighteen or twenty cribs Of timber and stone
each twenty two feet square, averaging cigh
teen feet nigh.
Were it not for the un-American names
which constantly occur in the dispatches, one
might think himself re perusing the bulletins
OF our late war. 1t was the fashion to kill Lee
or Davis every week or two on paper, and
when the Federal troops wero defeated 10 any
engagement, the "rcbels' always outnumbered
them five to one." On the other hand, If the
Federals overcamo US it was invariably ir
spite OF vastly superior numbers. The tele-
grams OF like import from beyond the ocean
are evidently not intended for the American
public. We known all about thes, things. We
have just "been there.
Crops IN THE SoUTH.-Reliabe information
from the South is to the effect that the crops
for this year are unusually good. The grain
crops are already secured. aud are very large.
Last year the people OF most Of the Cult States
imported grain from the North at high prices,
corn selling as high as SIT bushel. Dealers
are now offering to contract Tor The delivery CT
Dew corn at eighty five cents Wheat is selling
at Atlanta at 81 ,2j, and it is thought that tho
State OF Georgia will have considerable sur
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