The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-07-21
-. - H. p,chmond Di.patch. /

PROGRESS AND ~ - - -.
sToRu-pARrr AND NATIONAL POLITICS
-.-ssI r151ors rTENs-BATTLE or BULL RUN
CROPS, &C. ---.--.- ---.-.--.-.-.-.-.-
fcor,es,ondsDce Of the Richmond Dispatch.l
~ t.rKs. AND WBfTEs, July ID, 1881. -
II " q fact no lesstru that line W I's
onward march can beautiiy ana lmpIole
than this Il doth "sweep the lines Wnsle
beauty fingers" Ten years ago BLACKS
and. whites was only railroad station,
small and uupreteDtlous, aud deVold
OF all attractions. One or two stores
two or more wooden sbanties De-
sides the derSt building, and With less
than score OF inhabitants, comprised tne
property and population. Time, u mas
again been said, is no respecter, out IKE
Dame Fortune he has respected TINS anu
showered his fayors upon what Is now, per-
hans. the largest station on the Norfolk ana
western railroad. More freight Is received
and discharged here than at dozen others
combined; employs an agent ard an assist
ant. and a large and able.bodied force OF
hands, whose hours are engaged from
.'earIy morn till dewy eve."
The lapse OF decade has done
&c great things" for Blacks. and they
bear testimony to the thrift ana en-
terprise Of the good people OF Not
toway ard adjacent counties, who nave
determined not to be behind In the race OF
spirit and progress OF the age. Instead OF
two stores, there are now nearly twenty, re-
presenting the various branches OF trade
two hotels besides boarding houses; Two
livery stables, one tobacco'w warehouse ana
four or five factories; grist-, bark, and
sumacmilIs: two chui and
Baptist-and an Episcopal one less than
mile OF the place; and nearly 300 inhaOi-
tants. II may be allowed TO Singularize
without calling forth the wrath OF other
Sunday-school superintendent, would
say that the first named has the largest ana
most fourishing school in the county, with
Mr.. Benjamin Irby as superintendent.
And, now, how did Blacks-and-
Whites get its name? Simply from TWO
men who lived there and kept tavern each
long before the railroad was built, then
known as the SOuth,de railroad. SwartZ
& White were the taVeTn-keepeTs. SWartZ
was German name which in English means
black; so it was, after some consultation,
agreed that the place should be called
BIacks-and.W by which name the de-
not is now recognized on the way-bills, but
the township and post-ofiice are called
Bellefontp. Until within few years ago
the post office was BIacks-and-W bites, but
a few men OF the progressive sort concluded
a change in name would be best, there.
fore petition was drawn up and
numerOusly signed and duly forwarded to
the Postmaster-Gene asking him to alter
the post office to BelCfOnte from Bllcks-and-
Whites. Since then all letters come direct
ed TO BelefOnte aud all lreghts to Blacks
and. Whites. The people IN the village
cling to BellefOnte, while those at q distance
prefer 10 hold TO the original or have depot
and post.Oflice the same name. Bellefonte
| i, or rather was, the residence OF old Cap
tain Richard Jones, three miles from here,
meaning a beautiful fountain-there being
! one near the house. Having had the
question put 80 many times as TO now
| Blacksand-W Whites and Bellefonte got
their names. and what they meant,
| concluded / would dive into its history
and bring up all facts concerning them that
| thought would be interesting to the pub
lie. And in doing this, Mr.. Editor, think
| have done 1.-the charitable" impaired in
formation, and saved myself and others from
multiplicity OF luteri ogations concerning
the origin. meaning, rise, and progress OF
Blacks-and- Whites. II in my hurry | have
made any errors, would be glad to hear OF
my brief sketch Of this growing village
coming under the eye OF one who Knows"
and see the same reviewed and revised.
A severe storm Of wind and rain visited
the eastern part OF the county last week,
devastating all in its range. Besides the
damage done to growing crops, much pro-
perty was injured. Mr.. +. b. Maddox had
every shade-tree in his yard blown down.
trees which he priced, and which the wood
mans axe had spaI ed for fifty years or
more. This same gentleman bad the top
| blown off of a new buggy and completely
demolished. Mr.. Fl. Matthews and others
also suffered to some extent.
Rev. Mr.. Dennis will have charge
OF Christ church, az Nottoway Court
house, and st. Luke's, at Bllcksand'
Whites, for the ensuing three months,
when the Rev. Mr.. Ashton will assume
charge for the remaining nine months.
These churches up TO the 1st OF July were
under the charge OF the Rev. Thomas
| Spencer. who left for his home In England
on The 6 b, for an absence OF three months.
The citizens OF Blacks.lnd-W Whites merely
met yesterday for tue purpose OF organizing
building loan association.
Local and State politics receive but little
attention for the present, 1t being directed
more to the sick bed Of him who survived
the assassin's attack, and yet lives in answer
TO universal prayer. Those | have seen
are more willing to charge the act to an
irresponsible homlcdal vagrant than to a
spirit born of disappointment or any mad
faction.
Pardon the depression, but to-day twenty
years ago the "bue and the gray" were
stained with blood for the first time. The
battle first Of the war; commenced to-day,
but the main battle battle OF Bull RUM II
/ haven't mixed the date, was not fought
until the 21st, that falling on sunday
Many OF your readers can recall the scenes
OF that memorable Sunday, and inwardly
! thank God the battles fought, ana peace
aud plenty smile again upon the homes OF
Washington and Lee. kUrH'