The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-08-25
special Correspondence or the Dispsteh.1 I;
~ ID PETERSBURG. Aug. "a. 1877,

Almost a Fire Robbery Attempted In the
Storru Tobacco, &c. 2 + = 'S{ ESG 4
Especial Correspondence OF the Dispsteh.l sd. 1
.t,-s%.y n PFTERsBuRa.t Aug. "a, 1877. "a
Hon. James TT. Platte, Jr., emphatical.y
denies that he had any interest in the sate
Of 800. 900 of s pn~ cent. bonds of the CITY.
referred to in NV letter Of Yesterday. The
intimation tn that effect which made was
based on information given me BY Repub-
lican member af the Council and relied
on M accurate. Mr.. Platte represents, how
ever. that SO Ear from having made money
by the negotiation, he has spent his whole
summer holiday TO effect the sale, reeeiv-
ing no compensation except the betrayal
Of his expenses. and the proud satisfaction,
you know, Of having served the city. which
he loves so we'll, aud the Interests OF which
he ~ ALWAYS so anxious to promote. Mr.
Platte saws he sold those bonds on the 9TH OIL
August to Messrs. Winslow, Lanier & Co.,
of New York. at 90 :. which was more
favorable bargain than had been made by
any southern municipality. He had met
ex.Gov. Smyth. an old acquaintance and
familiar friend, on a previous excur-
sion to Boston, which he visited for
the purpose Of selling these very bonds.
having procured letters Of introduce
tion to prominent bankers from Secretary
Boutwell, and others. Just ut what point
Mr.. Smyth comes in second time to treat
with Mr.. Platte on the suhjcct-after the
matter had passed out Of Mr.. Plates
hands-to come here with him, examine
the books in the Chamberllin's Office, and
INQUIRE into the financial condition Of the
city generally, and, fiunliv, to buy 800, 900
mt an advance on the price at which Mr..
Platte had sold those bonds to Winslow,
Lanier & Col say. this does not appear.
Why MIR. Platte did not sell them to his old
friend at 90c.. when he mi ght have done so,
or what interest he takes in it now, when
the city wouldn't hc benefited directly if
they brought premium Of 100 per cent,
we do not know. lie has made his dis.
| claimer, however, and is entitled to the
benefit of its publication. MIR. Platte was
candid enough to tell your correspondent
| that he thought such an operation as that
intimated would have been legitimate. and
he only wished 1t had happened as stated
An alarm of fire was sounded aboutnoor
to-day. 1t proved that the friction of the
| machinery in the Battersea Cotton Mills
! had set on fire some cotton in the picking
room. The flames were cXtinguiShed be-
| fore much damage was effected.
An attempt was made during the violent
| rain-storm Wednesday night to rob the
| grocery establishment Of Il. G. Murphy, or
| Bollingorook street. The rohber, by thrust
ing his hand through broken sash above
| the door, removed bolt; but the iron bal
across the door, and the heavy lock which
| secured it, would not yield.
Nearly all our ministers Of the Gospel are
out of town. Rev. Messrs. Hall. Lang
horne, and Booker. Rev. Drs. Rutherford
Gibson, and, I believe, Mr.. Hatcher, are
all off recruiting in the country or ct the
Springs.
There was tremendous tobacco break
to-day. Thirty-four tierces of fine bright
leaf from Danyille was sold by one house
| at prices ranging from S47 so to 5000 pei
cwt.
Messrs. r. T. Brooks and F. f. Davis
will represent US in tho Commercial Con
ventlon. ROBIN ADA1R,
yHB TOBACCO CRoP.-We have taker
some pains to ascertain the chances and
probabilities for crop of tobacco the pre-.
sent year. We have made extended irqui
ries Of the best farmers, and think we now
have sufficient information to enable us to
assert that under no probable combination
of circumstances one-tourth Of an average
crop will be housed. We met with MIR. Il
III. Pace, of PAGES Warehouse, Danville, {
few days ago, who informed us that he hat
travel' extensively for the past six weeks
through the counties Of Mecklenburg,
Charlotte, Halifax. Pittsylvania, Henry
Patrick, and Franklin, Va, and Caswell
Alamauce, Stokes, Granville, Forsythe
and Gulford, n. c., visiting the farms
OF large number of the fine tobacco-grow
ers in those counties. His estimate O
| the chances of the crop agrees precisely
with ours. Mr.. Pace is an expert In tobac
| CO matters, and holding the interest of the
planter closely at heart, his Judgment i;
entitled to great weight. He Informed u
| that he saw some large fields in which to.
bacco had been planted entirely bare, every
vestige OF the plants having been burned
up by the sun. Owing to the late seasons
and the scarcity OF plants, only small
proportion of the usual crop was planted
and that planted has suffered immensely
from the drought. From all sections we
hear complaints Of" firing" cahbagng,'
and slow growth. Such, then. being the
condition Of the crop in the only really tint
safe to conclude that the supply Of s. bright
wrappers will be unusually small, anG
that the price Of that description of tobacco
Will rapidly characterization Tribune
The TRUE PoLIcy.-The object of the
State Conservative Convention which is tc
assemble in Richmond on the 30th of this
mouth is to perfect the organization and
discipline Of the party for the approaching
campaign. A desperate effort will be made
by the Radicals TO secure the next Legsla
ture, which must be prevented ut any cost
of personal effort and sacrifice. There is
no possibility of their success except
through divisions and confusion in the Con-
eeryative ranks. To avold this calamity the
Convention should address itself exclusive.
~ to the most efhcacious ways and means
of bringing about the overwhelming defeat
of Radicaism, as paramount to all other
considerations. ANY discussion in regard
to the funding bill, the usury law, or other
questions Of State policy, upon which there
Is great diversity Of opinion, ought to be
avoided, as not germane to the purpose OF
the Convention and as tending to create IT.
reconciluble disSentions in the party. Let
these questions be left to the people and
their representatives in the next Legisla.
ture. This view is strongly expressed in q
resolution adopted at recent meeting OF
citizens Of Fruckahoe township, in the
county Of Henrico.- Winchester Times. :
PLUMBAGo.-The richest specimen OF
plumbago, or black lead, which we have
vet seen, was picked up few days since on
the farm of Mr.. d. X. Edley, about two
miles from the city, on the Lynchburg and
Salem turnpike. Upon investigation, the
quantity was found to be apparently mex
haustible, and the quality superior to any
heretofore exhibited in this city. A pencil
cut out of the specimen brought to this Of
flee writes about US we'll as q "Faber No.
g." and will not break with any ordinary
usage. The mine-which is believed to be
very rich-is Immediately on the line of the
Lynchburg and Danville railroad, and easily
accessible to market, even without that
road. So it seems this improvement is al
most daily developing some hidden wealth
in the section through which it is to pass,