The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-03-31
valley Raiiroad-United States Con-
venttOn-Siffing ON the Floor. DC.

Sul- Observation-Disclosures Com
venttOn-SIfiins ON the Floor. dc.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatchl
LEXINGTON, Va, March %, 1876.
Judging from letter written on the 18th
instant by Colonel William Allen, principal
of McDonough Institute, Maryland, in an
swer to letter of inquiry from Mr. D. G..
E. Brady, chairman of Board of Supervisors
of Rockbridge, there is a bright prospect for
the completion of the. Valley railroad.
Colonel Allen says that within the last two
weeks the last Of the contractors bave been
paid off. "and' we now owe nothing of any
consequence except our debt to the Balti.
more and Ohio Company" =, This
sum, which will not, it is believed, amount
to- more than $780, 900 when some mistakes
have been corrected in the account with the
Baltimore and Ohio road, represents Gall the
debts due BY the company, except possibly q
few thousand dollars incurred for the run
ming and administration of the, road for the
last few months" After making some ex-
plantations, he writes: - l.,..iy,;., 81.
"We shall not have to wait long. The
completion Of the Chesapeake and Ohio road,
and the connection OF either a railroad or
canal from Buchanan to Clifton Forge, Will
soon add greatly to the value Of the sec
ton of our road already flushed, aud to the
inducement to push forward the uncom.
pleted portions, You have unques
tionably pursued, the wise policy in leyyipg
the whole tax, and In retiring your bonds as
fast as possible. You have thus already made
q most material reduction In your debt, and
the same plan pursued a few years, longer
will render your burden easily manageable.
- The effect of your. course is to give US
a strong lever ia working for the resump-
ton of the work, to attain which end we
are using all the means In our power" CIR
If the present Mayor and councilmen Of
Lexington remain 10 office another term the
Wn will not only be noted and admirable
for its environments, but also for its own
beauty, Hardly any of the sbanties that
use to be seen dotted along between better,
and more respectable houses remain. Most
of the dilapidated brick and houses built of
other material are being repaired. This,
however, is not directly due to the present
town authorities, but due indirectly to them,
owing to the general air OF improvement
that they propagated. The streets will soon
be made new and excellent; contracts have
already been made. with, brick: and stone
masons TO lay peH-p2yements~ and to put
down. stone CURLING. :, Lexington will be
ready for the railroad. ,.,.,;..y ta-.,'..2
A considerable revival has been going on
In the colored Baptist church. It closed last
Sunday night, after having been the means
of converting fifteen sinners. The number,
though encouraging, does not appear in that
light to the members Of the church., for they
compare it with their great success of last
year, when los were baptized on one Sun.
day. ReVivals are being held at the coored
Baptist churches throughout the county,
and, having recognized this as o central
point, the converts will all gather here next
Sunday and be'baptiZed. :; ...,.g ~ H..
Il Iregret TO announce the death of DR.. E.
l.. Graham, who died on the morning of the
25th instant, after a short illness. The al
tendance at bis funeral Sunday, it is said, was
the largest that has been witnessed since the
burial OF Commodore 81. F. Maury. He
was son of DR.. Arch. Graham, and bis
death is greatly and widely lamented.
The intercollegiate Convention will meet
in Lynchburg on the 9th OF April. The pur.
pose of this Convention is to consider plans
and make arrangements for holding an ora
torical contest between Representatives Of
the various literary Institutions of The State.
The Southern CoLlegian and several other
college journals have been srduouslS work
Jag 10 get this scheme al )at, and success has
at lest been the result of their efforts. The
following institu ions will be represented !:
William and Mary, Richmond, Roanoke,
Emory and Henry, Virginia Agricultural
aud Mechanical College, and Washington
and Lee University. IN aa-. asqz4sr,. !
a few! Dights since some gffty'students of
Washington and Lee University, after drag.
ging allarge sheet Of Lin through the streets,
and creating frIghtful racket, took all the
benches out Of the sec,ion.rorms- of the
University and carried them off, TWAS
quite amusing to see the students next day
at recitation. hours sitting around on the
floor. &i,;a.nul aa3@r .2.3H = ~.
2 The cadets now drill every evening when
the weather will permit:
Colonel John Bridgeland, United States
Consul to Havre, was here during the latter
X art of last and the first of This week, oa q
visit to his relations. ,l5a2&ss2t;@ = y ~ &c
After tae snow melted or there was OF
or two sunshiny days, and then it Com
menced raining, and the weather has been
very disagreeable ever since. CD.
From Befefeurt County.
ryf