The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-05-13

performed for the people OF Vermont an
inestimablc service.
The LATE MINISTER OHR.-llon.
James i. Orr, Uuitcd States Minister to
Russia, died suddenly at st. Pctcrsburgh
Tuesday night, of inflammation oflhe lungs.
Mr.. Orr was natvo Craytonville,
South Carolina, and received his cduca.
ton at the University Of Virginia. Choos-
ing the profession OF law he was admitted
to the bar in 1913, but very soon enter
ed political life, being elected member
Of the South Carolina Legislature in
1911, and again the following year. In
1913 he was chosen as Representative
in Congress, and his service in that capa-
city was continued through several terms.
He was Speaker Of House during the
Thirty fifth Congress which convened in
December, 1857, being the Immediate
successor Of Mr.. Banks of Massachusetts,
In the next Congress came the long con.
test over the election Of Spcakcr-Mr
Sherman being the Republican candidate
terminating IN the election of Mr.
Pennington OF New Jersey.
The secession movement in South Car.
DINA found in Mr.. Orr a somewhat con.
servativc supporter, his position being
that of man whose private Judgment
was overborno by an overwhelming tide
ofpublic opinion in the community around
him. After the war was over he was
prompt in accepting the new situation, land
sought to influence the Southern people
accordingly. He Was elected Governor
of South Carolina in 1865, and subsc.
quently became faithful supporter Of
the Administration Of President Grant
who but few months ago appointed him
to represent our Government at the Court
of St. Petcrsburgh. Mr.. Orr had many
excellent qualities of head and heart, and
as a public man his loss will be much de
p!orcd Ilo was nearly fEty-onc years OF
age.
TnE Dixon BRIDGE DIsAsTEa-A
terrible accident occurred at Dixon, Ill.
Sunday afternoon, May 4ih. The rite Of
baptism was administered to a number
of recent converts to one Of the Baptis
churches at point in Rock River, just
below the Truesdell Iron Bridge, anC
nearly 500 persons, including many ladies
aud number Of children, had gathered
on the bridge to witcess the ceremony
Suddenly, without warning, the bridg,
gave away, and prccipitated It's living
freight into the stream below. One OF
the cap stringcrs snapped asunder and al
lowed the north section to sag from The
abutment, plupg'ng into the river with it
living burden. Between the foot ant
wagon-way was network Of iron braces
about nine feet high and this toppled ovci
on tie people who had been thrown int
the river, and by it men women anC
children were pinioned beneath the waite
without power to help themseves,and to-
aided by their friends. It appears tn,
Bridge was constructed in such manne
as to make each of its five sections depend
on others for support, and when the nortl
section gave way, the remainder sagget
between the piers, making a complct,
wreck OF the entire structure. So far a,
known, no fatal casualties occurred oil
any section but the first though sevcra
were seriously injured by being crushed
between the iron work.
The number still known to be missin!
added to those whose bodies have ALREADY
beer recovered makes the list Of killed
IS.
Dixon is place OF 5000 inhabitant
pleasantly situated on Rock river, 9S
miles directly west Of Chicago. The riv
or is quite broad and the current strong
at the present season.