The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-05-03
Fires I'm Patrick.

FIVE DWELLINGS, TOGETHER WITH BARNS AND
GROWING CROPS, BURNED IN ONE Day
DEATH FROM ENTHUSIASTICALLY FOR NEEDY
PEOPLE.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dspatch.l
PATRICK COUNTY, VA, April 2G, 1882.
We have had recently some OF the most
destructive fires ever known in this cOun-
ty. On the DIST instant the wind was fu-
rious, and we have heard Of as many as
five dwellings burned in this county on
that day, and many barns and out-houses.
Mr.. RUFUS Joyce sustained avery heavy loss ;
had five barns OF tobacco burned. with his
dwelling-house and its entire contents, with
several hundred dollars OF money. Mr..
Jackson Joyce lost everything dwelling,
all bis out-houses, all OF his supplies,
forage, grain, meat, his cows, and some
sheep, and the raging fire swept over his
growing crop OF wheat and rye, and ac-
tually withered and ruined il. We saw the
poor fellow on yesterday. He presented
PITIFuL SIGHT,
clothed in his laboring apparel, soiled with
the fire and smoke that had consumed all
of his earthly possessions, his face showing
the unmistakable signs OF the terrible ca
lamity that had befalen him and the vio-
bleeding heart. His wife, with three little
children, had to flee from their burning
home, barely escaping with their lives,
with not single change Of Riment left
them. This terrible fire swept oyera space
of country some five miles in extent with
In the space OF few hours. Fortunately
for our county il was mostly confined 10
the mountains. In another section OF our
county dwelling-hoGse occupied by Mr..
McComie was destroyed by fire, with all of
the poor fellows furniture, clothing, and
provisions. This last fire was accompanied
by
VERY SAD EVENT.
Esquire Isham b. Shelor, in noble effort
10 arrest the fire, became overheated, and
died within Il few minutes. Mr.. Shelor
was one Of our most worthy citizens, and
his loss will be irreparable TO his family
and much felt in this community.
These destructive fires will seriously
hinder our farming operations. Really ii
seems that disasters never come single
handed. Our people are now, and have
for some time past been suffering terribly
from the effects OF last years drought, and
grim starvation is stalking abroad in our
midst. Sadness is depicted on the face Of
every thoughtful citizen. A poor. half
starved woman within the last forty-eight
hours called your humble correspondent
up about the hour Of midnight, begging
for piece OF bread, and stating that she
had not eaten morsel for q day and night.
Amid all this gloom there comes
Array OF LIGHT
from noble Richmond. With all her disas-
tiers, she still remembers the poor and suf-
fering far away In these mountains. We
were on yesterday informed by MIR. Green
Penn, one OF our most cnterprising mer-
chants and charitable men, that the mer-
chants Of Richmond had contributed
through him several hundred bushels of
grain for the suffering people Of this coun-
ty. In chronicling this generous llberality
OF our fayorite city we must not forget TO
mention the goodness OF that Christian
gentleman Major William T. Sutherlin, OF
Danyille, who, besides the liberal railroad
facilities he has extended TO our county,
generously presented to our suffering people
one hundred bushels OF grain. "Blessed
Is he that considcreth the poor; the Lord
will deliver him In the time OF trouble"
Dan,