The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-10-18
PATRICK COUNTY.

Editors Dispatch: [ regret exceedingly
that my letter from this county, under date
I'd OF October, should have given offence to
my friends in DanyilIe. Most assuredly I
intendedn no offence OF injustice to any person
or locality; merely gave you as an item
Of news the several deaths alluded to, and
the prevailing opinion as to the cause OF
death. have written 10 DanVille making
a frank statement of facts, and hope very
much that so far as am individually con-
concerned the matter is at an end. l have
never had n newspaper controversy, and
will not at this age OF my life claim the in
diligence OF your paper that [ may engage
in business so Improbable. and, to me.
so .uncongenial. 49,.
The letter in the Dispatch OF the 10th,
dated Danville the 9th instant, in replying to
nv letter of the I'd instant, places me in an
undesirable position as fair and truthful
correspondent. Hence it is that will have
to beg your patience that may be allowed
to reply briefly. The letter alluded to says
sit has not to our knowledge been re-
garded as dangerous for people OF
any other section to visit Danville in
the summer or early fall" III my letter I
merely stated facts as they exist in that
county. We have had a great deal Of sick
ness in this and the adjoining counties du-
ring this and last summer and fall. The
people, those unlearned in medical phrases,
called the disease Danville-fever. We sup
pose that the name originated in the fact
that persons going to Danville upon their
return would be suddenly, and in many in
stances taken violently i'll. Last year. l have
been credibly informed, some fifteen of our
citizens died OF this disease, supposed to
have been contracted in Danvlle. Among
the number who died were Green Spencer.
ESQ.,, Captain Joseph II. Edwards, William
Soyers, Esq, Mr.. William King, and Mr..
David Knowles. This year some Of our
best men have died Of q similar disease. The
names of some OF them were published il
my last letter from this county. Such fatality
in this healthy re gion has caused great
deal OF bereavement and uneasinesS, and
our people undertake trip to Danyille In
the summer OF early fall very reluctantly.
The letter from DanYillc OF the 9Th instant
says further, that .sthe proprietors of the
tobacco warehouses who have dealings in
person every month with hundreds of
people from all the border section
Of Virginia and North Carolina certify
that they have heard no such com.
plant from any quarter as that made in
the aforesaid letter from Patrick" This is
to deny the statement made in my letter
"that in the future trip to Danville in
summer 81 early fall will be regarded not
only as hazardous, but criminal" In reply
to. this grave charge and the very strong
array of evidence against me | simply re-
affirm what I have heretofore said, and in
cOrroboratiOn OF my statement refer the
gentlemen who seek to place me in false
attitude to any well-iniormed and promi-
ncnt citizen of this county, specially to such
men as JIG. s.Akers, Esq, sheriff; S. G..
Rucker, Esq, clerk Of our county; j. L.
Clark, county treasurer; T. &. Penn, Com
monwealths attorney; and S. G.: Staples,
county Judge; to our leading merchants
and businessmen; Colonel j. III. iRangeley,
Murray Turner, w. L. IL @. Il. Noel and
w. B. Rucker. ] have since this contro-
yersy eonversed with several Of these gen.
temen, and they say that did not state
my case strongly enough. .-a .#.if
The merchants say that it is with great
difficulty that they can get teams to haul to
and from Danyille. The drivers say that
they are unwilling to risk their lives. One
of our, most intelligent businessmen, and
in point OF popularity second to none i'll
this county, within the last few days in
formed me that our people had come to look
with so much dread upon trip to DanYilie
in the summer that application would be
made through Colonel Cabell to have the
place for the trial Of causes in the United
States Court for this county changed from
Danyiile to Lynchburg. When the citizens
of Danyille investigate this matter, as they
ought, they will find that I have not ex-
aggerated in my statements. In conclu-
sion, disclaim any unfriendly feeling
towards DanviIle. She is our town: her
proximity, her geographical position, ma
turaliy directs our trade there. The energy,
1.-The prosperity, and the politeness Of her bust.
ness'men, make her popular place Of trade
Tor our people. We concur fully with
Alpha that DanViile has heretofore been
regarded as u very. healthy locality. We;
have often ibeeni to Danville, at all seasons
Fof the year. and never fopa moment thought
Of malaria or disease. or late years we had
come to think that perhaps the hygienia-
owing 70 its rapid growth and the pressing
demand for labor had been negl ected. We