The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-05-31

PETERSBURG.

~ /.
FEDERAL. neutrality-suspicious. SURVEY or
TnE R,vER-THE DEPTH OF THS cHANNEI-
PROSPECT OF DEEP AfER--IrLSE or TWO
rsT1aABLR f.AnIEs--RErAJgro OF ia sBAKY
,srEsrLE--TBE LArE CEbEBR3TIoS,.&c. Y
Icor.spon6ence Of the Richmond Dispatch.I Il
, .-,,z. MAY 30, 1877. !
To-day being Federal decor ation-day the
graves at Poplar Lawn Cemetery were :ap-
oronriatcly henorcd by the, strewing Of
f,owers above them. Several OF our citizens
took rart in these fitting memorial exer-
c,ses. which were under the direction or
t,olonel J. +. Raulston, a gallant eX'soldier
OF the Union army.
The Committee OF the Lower Appomattox
Camnanv, which made a tour OF inspection
az the river on yesterday, were sre2tiy en-
cooraccd by the results OF their lnVesti2a-
tinns. The river was sounded all the way
between the wharf and the outlet OF Puddle
dock cut, under the direction OF the COM
nit;cc. and il was ascertained that the
mean depth OF the channel Is now nine and
half feet as against five and half feet at
high tide. when the improvements now
in progress were originally undertaken
several wears ago. At the points where the
dcr,h is least the Government is now at
work with dredses and other appliances for
Of the whole undertaking is expected ere
ny long. when the depth Of twelve feet avail
able for navigation along the whole length
OF the river is promised. The work excites
great interest on the part o! our people,
who look forward TO deep water as the sure
means OF retstablishing their commercial
greatness. , ....,. :
The Vie OF Mr.. William j. Branch, a
prominent merchant Of this city, is lying
very III OF dropsy Of the heart, What
makes her case especially sad is that Mrs.
Branch's mother, Mrs. Bailey, tof Bedford
county, is i'll Of the same disease in the same
house with Rer, both OF them being in q
critical condition, though enjoying every
benefit OF skill and affection to relieve them.
By accident the name Of Hon. Il. b. Davis
was omitted to-day from the list OF delegates
from the Third ward to the State Conserva-
tive Convention. .-"'
The S,cep!e Of the Tabb-Strect PreSbytc-
rian church is undergoing course Of re-
pairs with view t" its being rendered
stronger and less liable to accident. 1t is
very lofty, and there have been apprehen-
SONS that violent wlud-Storn might bring
it tumbiing, in part, at least, into the street,
y. and possibly on the head OF some luckfess
passer.. It will cost about one thousand
dollars 10 introduce the necessary REPAIRS J.
Several cases involving important points
in the law OF insurance will come up
during the. session OF Judge Weisigers
court. which begins Tomorrow. The
amounts involved are not large, but the
principles Of law are said to be important.
One OF the comic features OF the late
British celebration was the reception by the
president Of the Association OF number
OF letters from people who wanted all kinds
OF business enterprises and jobs OF one
sort or other brought to the favorable at
tention OF the delegates assembled to do
honor TO the Queens birthday.
Speaking of the celebration, people here
are very much disappointed, not to say dis
gustcd, with the pictorial representations
that have appeared in some OF the illus
trateA papers OF the procession through the
streets and other features OF the occasion,
which are thought to fall very far below the
truthful merits oi these demonstrations.
The AppomattoX Commandery, No. &c,
Knights Templar, have just marched down
Sycamore street. in full uniform, with their
banner, to set out for Richmond, where
they pay q visit tonight to their brother
Knights. They leave aud will return to-
night on special train. ROBIN ADdR.