Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-01-28
FROM RICHMOND.
LEGISLATIVE.

RICHMOND, Jan. Eth the Scnate, to-day,
Mr.. Herndon. from the Committee on Courts
Of Justice, presented a report declaring 1t IN
expedicut to legisate on the resolution allow
;nr further time to sheriffS who were in office
IN ls5o-'6O to collect taxes for bills and county
leyies which were due in those years, and still
remain unpaid.
4 hin in relation to road levies was re-
ported. -.
ton TO proceedings on report OF commissioners
of roads; to Incorporate the Chesapeake aud
AbemarIe Railway Company; in relation to the
collection of fee bills of clerks and other officers;
in regard 10 the remedy by motion after notice
on contracts; in relation to motions against
.ficers and their deputies and TO authorize the
school trustees of Stoncwall Township, Rich
mopd county, to build school houses with the
proceeds of the dog tax Of 1872.
Resolutions were adopted inquiring into the
cxpediency OF requiring ccrtalu. county officers
~ niscilarre IN person the duties of their re-
soectiyc Offices, unless prevented by necessary
absence or physical inability, and to prevent
the sale Of said Offices; instructlng the members
Of Congress from Virginia to use their best
efforts to procure the passage OF law by Con
gress, fixing uniform rate OF interest Tor the
loan or orbearancc OF money i'll every State and
territory 10 this country, with such penalty as
will insure observance OF the law.
The bill providing new charter for Peters
| burg was discussed until adjournment
4 humber Of bills Of local nature were
reported from committees aud placed on the
calendar.
The House of Delegates was principally ,oc-
cupicd iu the consideration OF contested cleo
ton case the reading of the testimony taking
up most Of the time Of the session.
| Scvera! bills and resolutions of no general
interest were introduced and referred, anu scVer-
al reports from committees made
THE DEATH OF BISMARCK'S WIFE. The
death of his wife, the Princess Bismarck, Is
bereavement that has fallen very heavily upon
the Chancellor OF Germany. ln their married
| life OF twenty six years they had remained low
ers. Beneath the stern aspect OF the man OF
| blood and IRON" there is deep vein OF senl-
ment, of playful tenderness, and true German
romance. 10 his vile this side Of his nature
has ever been open, and as open in the last as
10 the first year Of their welded lille.
Bismarck was married in 1877, being then
| thirtv-tyo wears DID, to Johanna Won Putkam-
mer. nine years younger than himself, aud who
| died recently, in her forty -ulHth year. Previous
| 10 his marriage Bismarck had been living upon
his ancestral estate in Pomeranla, where his
mode If lie had won him the sobriquet OF The
! Mad Bismarck" He saw and loved bis sweet
| heart with characteristic lmpetuosty and Vlo-
euce Her parents were thunderstruck at his
proposition Of marriage, and would have un-
hcsi,atiug!y refused her TO any such madcap
| had she not averred her dcte: IN that
event to die maid Tue wedding took place
in 1871 after short bctrothal, and the love
of 'the Mad Bismarck" for her ''who brought
sunshine into his wild bachelor life, > has never
failed They have had three children, TWO
BOYS and one girl, aud all, we believe, sur
wing.
Soou aft or his marriage Bismarck began to
mix in the great world of politics. was embas-
sador to various courts, and was charged With
various weighty responsibilities. But these
duties were to him no occasion for Dcglectlng
his family. On bus wite's account be became
an interchangeable letter writer. His letters to
her from all the courts Of Europe form vol
umes. Nor are they merely compliments and
tit.le-tatte. He writes to her OF grave things,
of the pending Issues OF negotiations, OF the
course OF great political events all lnterspersed
with delightful vein of sentiment and pas
sagcs of family gossip. 1t is the same home
loving German that shines through his letters
from battle fields from foreign courts, and
from hunting expeditions. His letters to his
| wife atf)rd the best and completest materials to
his biographers.
In his palace at Berlin. Bismarck always diDed
with his family, aud fingered with them as
long as bnsiucss permitted, and in its relaxa-
tons was always to be found in his wles bou-
doir. There he took his daily papers to read,
and to hear her animated aud witty comments
| upon the events OF the day. Altogether her
| death must be an overwhelming blow to him.
ISUyDAT1oN.- dispatch from Fulton, on
Oswego river, in New York to the Times says /:
The most extensive food known here for TWEEN
ty years is now devastating the lower portion
of the village, occasoned by high water III the
river and the dammug up Of a large quantity
| of ice on both sides of the channel. About
half mile Of the lower part Of the city aud
all west Of the canal the water is two to seven
feet deep. Sunday evening about thirty taml-
lies were obliged 10 leave their homes, and
many mere this morning were taken from their
upstairs retreat among them very sick moth
er and her babe. Men were seen Wadlng IN
the water up to their waists, carrying the wo-
men of their households on their backs to places
oil safety. A number of families have been
cared for by the poor master. Some are being
looked after by charitable citizens, and many
still need assistance. The damage done to the
business interests is already great. The
gas works are below water mark, so we have
no gas. Some OF the f ur mills are unable to
run, and there is danger that work in all Of
them will be stopped.
Recent heavy floods between Windsor Oot.,
and Chatham nave carried away three miles of
the Great Western Railway track. No trains
have passed through siuce Sunday. lester-
day morniug the express was transferred on the
ice but the subsequent thaw has rendered he
transfer impossible The track will not be
clear for several days
THE War situation 10 Cuba remains exceed
ingly lively, particularly for the opaniards ac-
cordine to telegraph reports from Havana.
Captain General Jovellar is engaged in the prep
araton Of some Important orders In the
m m ;ha INSURGENTS cOntlnlp a deal fierce