The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-04-05
pETERsBuRG.

Il
4 SERIES OF FrREs-HEAvY Loss OF UNITED
~grATEs- BoSDs; HOW IT WAS THEY EEaE
BURNED-A NAN GOES TO SLEEP on RAIL
I ROAD AND NEARLY LOSES BIS LIZA TEST
CASE OF INTEREST 10 sIw1SG-MACHlsE
\ KEH-sENT on FOR TRIAL-oTHER ITEMS.
correspondence OF tho Richmond Dispatch.l
III ~ APRIL 4, 1870.
: Several fires occurred In this city ana VI
cinitv last evening and might. Inc nhe
residence of Mr. John W. Phillips, IN Din
widdie county, Just beyond the corpola.e
limits, caught fire on the root from spar ,.
blown from the chimney. n very "iSh
wind was prevailing ut the time ana tne M
tie coal was quickly famed into Dlaze. anu
The building and nearly all Of its contents
were DESTROYED. It was one OF the most
pleasaut and convenient country dwelling,
in this vicinity, and bad recently been htted
ND at considerable expense. MIR. Philips
had an insurance Of only 1000 OH the pro-
perty- In the Petersburg Savings and In
surance Company. He, however, suffered
n more serious loss than that OF his house
and furniture in the destruction OF ABOUT
$4,000 in UnitedsStates bonds and other
valuable papers. These were contained IN
n desk. and it is stated That when some OF
the citizens entered the house to remove the
furniture they cast this one piece ASIDE 10
secure other articles they thought OF more
value. Mr.. Phillips was not at home at tne
time. ........1
About 9 O'Clock last night fire was dis
covered in a large pile OF wood in the wood
ward of Captain George j. Rogers. near the
wharf. About 200 cords OF pine wood were
DESTROYED, with q large portion OF the high
plank fence enclosing the yard. Loss FULLY
covered by policy in The Petersburg Saw
iucs and Insurance Company's office. Adj
Joining the ward was building containing
a cotton compress belonging to Messrs Rcy-
noIds Brothers. OF Norfolk. The building
was partially burned, but the machinery
was not hurt. There is an insurance OF
$500 on this property in the Portsmouth
Insurance Company. a..
It was reported last night that house on
the Upper AppomattoX canal had been
burned and child consumed in it. This
proves to be untrue. The rumor about the
fire probably arose from the fact that large
quantity OF wood was destroyed during the
afteI noon on the lands few miles west OF
the city. 60. o.. e.. = =,
Yesterday was q terrible day for fires.
The wind blew a perfect gale from morn
ing until late at night. Two springs ago,
on day like to this, seven fires occurred in
the city, and at one time two or more houses
in different sections Of the town were burn
ing at the same time.
The passenger train which left this city
on the Petersburg railroad for the South
last night at midnight ran over an unknown
white man about one miie beyond Stony
Creek station. The man had okindled hre
on tic track in curve Of the rond, ard
lying down by it fell asleep. When the
train turned the curve the engineer discoy-
cred the fire and saw the body OF the man,
but he was too close to stop his engine.
The whistle was blown and the min was
awakened, but he seemed so bcwildercd
that he could not get out OF the way. lie
was not killed, but was so badly hurt his
leg had to be amputated this morning. He
is provided for at Stony Creek, but refuses
to give his name or tell where he is from.
He IS about twenty-fy years of age,
tramp, and was yesterday put of Of one "f
the freight trains, on which he attempted to
steal ride.
A test.case involving the question whether
the several sewing-machihe agents doing
business in Petersburg shall pay license
tax to the city has been brough, before the
Mayor under the new tax ordinance, and
that officer has the matter under adyi>ement,
and will render his decision tomorrow.
They have never before paid any specific
liccnse-taX, and claim that they arc exempt
by reason OF the fact that their companies
have paid the sample-merchantS tax TO the
Auditor OF the State, and under that license
have The right to sell anywhere in the State.
William {. Pond was this morning sent
on to the April term Of the Hastings Court
for indictment and trial for ieloniously cut
ting and stabhing Thomas B. Pendleton
last Monday. Pond is only about fourteen
years OF age and very small. The boy Armi-
stead Bland, who was sent on 4 day or two
ago for like offence, is about the same age.
1t is rarely the case that such young persons
appear as criminals on our court dockets.
The large hotel-bulding ut Weldon
caught fire on the roof Yesterday afternoon
during the prevalence OF a high wind, but
the flames were fortunately extinguished
with but slight damage to the house. A
spark from the chimney falling upon some
dry rubbish in the gutter caused the fire.
The weather last night was almost
freeziug-cold, but the wind. which blew
strong all night, prevented frost. No dam
age is yet reported to the fruit crop.
ROBIN ADAIR.