The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-31
MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.l
CHRIsrIANsBURG, yA.,l
Jonuary ~. 1882.


CHRIsrIANsBURG, NA.,l
January 81, 1882.
The Spruce-Run story, about which your
Lynchburg correspondent seemed much
exercised, was told here before 10 reached
Lynchburg, but the scene OF the startling
tragedy. "a we received the story, was not
this but Floyd county. The eyer-newsy
barber told 1t to your correspondent while
exercising his scraping art upon him, ana
his comment which accompanied the rcla-
ton was so much TO the point that the story
was at once dismissed from the mind. 1t
was this: "It's rather poetical, boss, and
sounds too much like dime novel, sir; L
don't believe it can be so, sir"
Rumors Of smallpox are now the trouble
with us. They come to us from every di-
rection, and are generally disproyed almost
rs soon as they reach liz. | saw q gentle
man this morning who came here to re-
move his daughter who is at school, having
heard it positively asserted in an adioln-
ing county. i'm which he lives, that the
dreaded disease was here, and had actually
broken ont in the school. The same re-
port has travelled in different directions,
and originated from the return OF one OF
our young ladies who lives at our depot
from Richmond, where she had been un-
der the musical instruction Of the late
Madame Bernard. There Is not word
Of truth i'm the report. There has not
been a case OF smallpox anywhere i'm this
county or in this region so far, and the young
lady referred TO is perfectly well, and has
been ever since her return, which was
several weeks ago. The scare has done
good, however. in Lending TO very general
vaccination here and hereaboutS. For
three days no new case OF smallpox has
been reported in Richmond or DEATH
EditOr'S DiSpGtch.l
We have had orr first sight this week in
this county Of negro jury, or rather q
mixed Jury. Our Readiustcr Judge has
several times had negroes on the grand
Jury. but never before on petty jury. The
ease this time was that Of 4 negro who was
tried for larceny. The jury, which failed
10 agree. was composed OF eight negroes,
OF the genuine ebony shade at that, and
four white men. 70 say that our people
disliked this style OF administering justice
would be putting 1t too mildly. II is blot
upon our boosted civilization. II negroes
must be on iurics why not try negroes
before unmiXed negro iurieS, and let
their race is involved? This would accord
with the eternal fitness Of things. The
negro Is not the peer OF the Caucasian, ana
all Yankeedom cannot make him so, in law
or i'm fact.
The action OF the new Board Of Visitors
in removing that able and excellent gentle
man Or. Buchanan from the presidency OF
the Agricultural College and the appoint
ment Of Captain Conrad has given rise to
most uniayorabe comment here. II ought
to be distinctly understood by the public
that DIR. Buchanan was removed and his
successor appointed solely on political
grounds. Or. Buchanan is a gentleman OF
fine talents. high cultivation, and large eX-
pericncc in the management OF institutions
Of learning. Those who know him best
think that more suitable man for the posi-
ton ne occupied could hardly be found in
the state, and certainly his administration
Of the Blacksburg College was rapidly de-
m0nstrating this claim. As far aS is known
nothing could be laid to his charge but the
unhappy fact that he was a Democrat. Ii
could not even be charged that he was an
active politician or 4 politician at all. lie
was an educator, and gave himself up faith
fully and diligently to the high ana respon-
siblc duties Of his position.
And now 4 word about the weather.
How i it that it gets colder in Richmond
than i'm cur cleyat, d region? On last Tues
day the DiSpQtcb records the temperature
in Richmond at - above zero. Here the
lowest point reached by the Thermometer
that day was IS above zero. There was
similar state Of facts during the cold spell
which preceded this, and we have had but
two freezes here 30 far. OF rain we have
had abundance, and are threatened with
more. Yesterday and to-day have been A.
balmy a. May, the thermometer ranging
both days as high rs Coz in the shade. In
deed. nothing has been more irregular Of
late than the weather, unless we eXccptour
Richmond mails. Sometimes the Dispatch
comes regularly. but oitencr with the most
provoking irreeularity. 1t Is to be hoped
that the difficulty, wherever it Is. will be
discovered. VI. L. VI.