The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-02-25
Letter from Fort Monroe.
Fort MONROE, Feb. %, 1871.

10 tHe LdHoT % Wc ctute o0WHh'
Thinking note of what is going on lr
this vicinity might interest your numerous
readers, r3nd you this line.
A widespread gloom has overcast thi!
community at the death of Hon. Isaiah l.
Lyons, a member of the Senate of Virginis
from this elizabeth City, county. Ill
died at Hampton on Tuesday, the 21s
instant, Ct heart disease, in the twenty.
ninth year Of his age. His remains es.
corted by Eastern Star Lodge of Masons
were brought to this place tonight, and
expressed North for interment. Thus has
passed away, hardly yet in the prime oi
his manhood, highly honor:l and respected
by men of all colors and political pro-
clivities.
General Barry, commanding this post,
has been very i'll for sometime past, but is
now to the qualification Of his many friends
in fair way of recovery.
The ball in honor of Washiogton's
birthday, given by Greble Lodge, I. 0. o.
f., last night was grand success.
At neon yesterday, a national salute OF
81 guns was fired in commemoration of the
day from the fort, and at night Mr.. George
Snyder delivered in aid of charitable
object, to large and highly appreciativc
audience, composed of the beauty and
fashion of the Point and vicinity, his cele-
brated lecture on "The Influence of
National Literature"
The artillery schools under the able and
judicious mar agement of the commandant,
General w. L. Barry, is progressing finely
Its course of instruction both theoretical
and practical is in the hands of able and
accomplished officers and is therefore very
thorough.
The limited appropriations made by
Congress for the support of the army, has
compelled the commanding officers of the
engineer, ordinance, quartarmaster and
commlssary departments to reduce their
force of employees to the lowest possible
limit. Consequently everything here looks
more like holiday compared with the
busy stirring scenes of not much moro than
year ago. This is much to be regretted,
as great many poor men with large
families dependent on them for support,
have thus been thrown out of employment
in the midst of this rigorous winter.
Valuable and expensive machinery, too, is
lying idle in the arsenal shops and if orders
for work are not soon received to put in
motion this machinery, it might soon be-
come worthless through rust. 1t is to be
hop. that our Representative in Congress
will urge on the authorities to give this
section at least a part if not fair share,
of the work needed by the government
The board of managers of the National
Military Asylum are to meet at the South
ern Branch, near this place, on the 18th
proximo, when it is expected permanent
officers of this board will be selected.
There are now about seventy-five of our
invalid disabled hero, in this institution,
and as many more shortly expected.
The magnificent buildings lately erected
near Hampton, through the exertion of
General S. G, Armstrong, and designed
as a mission school for the education of COL
ored children have been completed, and
already large numtor of pupils are in
attendance.
The railroad war which has been pro-
crossing within the Legislative Halls of
our Capitol during the past two weeks,
has been watched with more than ordinary
interest by all persons in this section who
have the welfare of our State at heart, and
the straight forward, manly, consistant,
and honorable course pursued by our esti-
mable Representative in the House of
Delegates, Gen. ID. B. White, has gained
for him the appreciation of his constituents
and the praise of all. 1t is to
be hoped that he will be nomina-
ted and elected to fill the vacancy in the
Senate caused by the death of the lamented
Lyons, for surely no one could be found
who would fill the position with more
credit to himself and honor to his consttu-
ents. OBSERVER.