The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-08-09
FRANKLIN COUNTY.

DAY AT ROCKY M0UNT-THE INDUSTRIES OF
THE PLACE-IMPR0yENENTs FARM
-POLITICAL-COALITION NOMINATING
COMMEMORATIVE DEMOCRATS sANGUINE.
Especial correspondence Of tho Dlspalch.l
ROCKY MOUNT, August !, 1888.
Rocky Mount, the cOunty-seat Of Frank
lin, is one hundred and eighty-iye miles
from Richmond. and was incorporated in
1870. IL has a population Of five hundred
people and is reached by the PittSylyania
and Franklin railroad, thirty-siX miles in
length, Il narr0w-guage road and branch OF
the Virginia Midland. The road passes
through the most thnly-populated portion
Of the county aS well as the poorest. The
scenery along the line is wild aud pic
turesque.
The town government consist OF Mayor.
Colonel Jesse Prunty, and Common Coun-
ell of six membcIS-G. W. y. Hale. George
Noel. j. A. Dupuy, John j. Saunders,
Joseph Hanson, and J. II. Bnford
Town Recorder. J. 4. Dupuy: Sergeant.
William L. Andrew; and Treasurer, George
II. +. Greer.
NEW BUILDINGS.
The buildings are mostly frame. Ii is
said 20 be thrifty and growing village.
At this time several houses are being con-
strucicd. Among them is a new hotel, To-
Gated near the depot. This, when finished,
will have cost several thousand dollars.
There are eighteen mercantile houses here.
and some Of them do IA heavy business;
three tobacco factories; three tobacco ware
houses; three churcheS-EpiscOpal Meth
odist, and Presbyterian. The BaptstS
have no church, but will build during this
year. The colorcd Methodi>ts have a
church in course OF construction. There
is one bank in the place-the franklin
Bank; capital. $4,000; George l.. Dennis,
president; George ii. T. Greer, treasurer.
The climate in summer is delightful. There
are several mineral springs in the neigh
bOrhoOd. Sulphur and chalybeatc waters
are also to be found here. The elevation
OF the place above the level Of the sea is
1,2O0 feet. There are three private and
two public schools here; one Newspaper
the Franklin Gdzette-N. W. Floyd editor
and proprietor.
THE FARMERS.
The farmers OF Franklin, like those Of
! Henry, cultivate tobacco chiefly, which is
OF a superior kind. It's bright. and is used
! principally for wrappers and filters for high
| grades OF manufactured tobacco. In the
county there are fifteen tobacco factories.
| which will work on an average fifty hands
each. The amount Of wheat and corn
/ raised is small, but there is to be found in
the county some Of the finest timber in the
state, and at present there are several per-
sons engaged largely in the lumber BUSH
ness. The population OF the county is
10000 whites, $4,000; colored, 5000.
COURT-DAY.
Monday, August 9Th, was courl-day at
| Rocky Mount. At an early hour in the
morning people could be seen coming into
the village from every direction--on horse
back, in bugges, and some in ox-carts.
About midday several hundred bad assem-
bled. Here and there the country auction
eer was selling either horses or cheap dry
| goods, while at the hotels. In the largest and
best rooms. were met the enterprising COM
mercial travellers with samples OF goods laid
out Offering inducements to the country
merchant. They were here from Balti-
more, Richmond, and Lynchbrug, and re-
presented dry goods, notion, grocery,
hardware, and drug houses. ! am told that
Lynchburg drums the county very closely,
and has the bulk OF the trade.
POLITICAL.
In and around the courthouse | observed
groups of men, some OF them white and
some black, IN earnest conversation dis
cussing the politics OF the day. was told
that they were principally Coalition-Re-
publicans. After the adjournment Of the
County Court they held their convention
and nominated William l.. Powell for sena-
tor-his opponent was Judge Thomas b.
Claiborne, the alahoneite judge OF the
county and Waddy Il. James (ex.State
senator) for the House Of Delegates. There
was considerable feeling on the part oil
James's friends. who claimed that he ought
TO have been renominated for the State
Senate. The nomination was first OF
fered to John o. Poindexter, who wa
elected sheriff last spring, but be wouls