The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-11
93i(l,'nond llspattl1.
.,>n,y DECEMBER II. 1876.
PETERSBURG.

PETERSBURG.
MORNING OF F1REs-FotR BETWEEN ANo
~ o'rIoCK--SERIoUS LOSS TO THE fSIEfs-
~ ~, p.uRoAp CoNPANY-TwENTY-SEV
,,vs AND The coACH-HoUSE RuRSEp-Hl9H
Sr .xp COLD wEATHER-MR. RAGLAND
VIZ AZ ron 7R1Ar.-CoRoNER'S INQUEST, &C.
,r,-rcsnondencc OF the Richmond Dispasch.l
'''''' DECEMBER 9, 1876.
po,wcen and 12 o'clocl; this morning
.,,a~a wore four fires in this city-three Of
, .n., - triainc consequence, the fourth en-
. .;,;rC severe loss. The first alarm oc-
. I',rrnd ahout O'Clock, and was caused by
ca ,>art;al burning OF three tenement
~, on Browns alley, occupied by CO
i"rnd families. 4 spark from chimney
communicated tho fire to the roof, ana as
.hn Wind WAS blowing very strong ut the;
, ,;r,o tho shark was quickly famed into a
ca,,,c which soon covered the roots OF the
,%rnc ,cnemcnts. The inmates saved their
tnrniturc Only the roofs were burned.
,hont the same time the roof OF I. Is.
pnfsu,s house. on Harding street, was dis
covered 10 be ahlaze, but prompt efforts on
fhr part of ncighbors saved the residence.
About o'clock 3 third aiarm was SOUNDS
Cd. This time the dwelling at the corner
Of Old and Market streets was found 10 be
burning in the roof. The tiremcn beng
promptly on the spot, the building was
saved from destruction and from damage
hrvond the amount Of 5000. This house
was occupied by two or three FAMILIES OF
whites.
About - O'Clock fire broke ont on the
roof Of the coach-housc OF the Petersburg
railroad nj Mt. Airy, about one mile from
the depot IN this city. The fire was caused
hv a spark from passing engine. The fire.
men and the people responded promptly,
and rendered valuable assistance in saving
property. The building was six hundred
feet long and forty feet wide, and was
located Immediately on the track in the
ward OF the workshops OF the company.
Al intervals of fifteen or twenty yards
on the roof were kept tubs OF
water to be used in case OF fire. When the
iircmcn assembled to the roof to utilize this
water they found it hard frozen, and when
the ice was broken and the water thrown
on the roof it froZe so quickly as to render
all efforts to quench the fire vain. The
wind was blowing almost gale, and the
house was soon wrapped in flames, ana
burned with great rapidty. a large num-
Der of cars belonging to the company were
in the building-some OF which were saved
and others destroyed. Ten passenger
coaches, two baggage and eNpress-cars,
and fifteen or sixteen boX-cars were
burned. The company lost all OF
lis extra coaches. Among these
was the presidents car, very handsome
and we'll furnished coach, which originally
cost Sc. 900. The coaches were all second
hand. but in good running order. The
burning OF the building and rolling stock
and the damage TO the side-tracks will en-
tail a loss OF $40. 900, which will prove very
hcayvlo the company. | understand the
house was insured. and probably there was
some insurance on the stock In Richmond
offices.
The wind has been blowing very high all
day. and sparks from chimncys have been
scattered in all directions. This may &C
count for all these fires. The weather has
been intensely cold.
In the Mayors Court this morning the
c;l>r> oi McSsrs. james L. Tosh and Reuben
Ragland charged with assault upon Captain
ID. \. Hinton, were examined. The cvi-
dcncc elected was substantially the same as
what has been published in the Dispatch.
captain ToSh was fined 80 and costs. MI.
Ragland w2s sent on to the January term OF
the Hastings Court on the charge OF assaul@
ing Captain Hinton "with intent to wound,
disable, diStigurc, and kill" him. Mr..
Ramland was admitted to bail in the sum Of
$500.
An inquest was held this morning on the
body OF the late James Thomas, who was
found dead in his bed yesterday afternoon.
Nothing additional to what has been stated
was elected before the jury, and verdict
Of death from "visitation OF Providence J"
was rendered.
Mr.. McEncry, the de jure Governor Of
Louisiana, was formerly merchant OF this
city, and did business on Lombard street.
DR.. J. II. Claiborne still continues ex-
tremey ill., and his condition is regarded as
very precarious. Some Improvement is re-
ported this evening. ROBIN ADAIR.
WHAT THE REPUBLICAN SENATOR'S THINK
OF OREGON AND OF THE SITUATION The Re-
publican members Of the Senate met in cau-
Gus this morning. The presidential COM
piication was the subject under discussion,
and more particularly the new phase put on
the face of affairs by the issuance OF GER
tificate to q Democratic Oregon elector. No
conclusion was reached on any proposition,
but debate elected the fact that the Rcpub-
licans differ very materially rs to the course
10 be pursued in counting the electoral vote.
II was held that If the Senate failed to take
cogniZance of the Oregon eiector that the
House would also take issue With the GER
tifcates OF the Hayes electors in Louisiana
and Florida. There was unanlmlty or eX-
preston that Governor Grover in issuing
the certificate had committed an outrage
upon majority Of the citizens OF the State
of which he is the Executive. The ques-
ton which now troubles the lawyers is
whether Congress can go beyond the prinna
tucie returns as certified under the seal OF a
State. An adjourned caucus will be held at
an early day to further consider the subject.
There are great many in both parties who
think that before the time for counting the
electoral vote intervenes that both houses
will agree upon some plan Of action which
will prove acceptable to all Washington
SpeciQl-.Bdhimore american. 3. ~. 5
A SLIGHT DIPLOMATIC D1FFIcULTY.-Phtt-
adelphiu, December S.-LaSt August num-
Der of petty thefts were committed IN the
French department at the Centennial Ex-
hibition, for which guard named Arthur
l. Smith was arrested on suspicion, but nc
quilted by the jury. Smith was again placed
rs guard in the French department, which
caused great deal OF dissatisfaction, and
he was finally placed elsewhere by General
Hawley. To-day Smith had Captain Au-
frye, the delegate French commissioner, ar
rested for SANDER, and he (Aufrye) was
held in five hundred dollars bail. AS Cap