The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-07
CHARLOTTESVILLE.

THAT NETEOEOLITE N ALBEMARLE-ACCI-
NAL-COURT-DAY-TH 4TH-
OF-JULY CELEBRATION.
IConesDondence Of the Richmond DisDatchl
MARCH 6, 1888.
4 startling phenomenon was visible here
Sunday morning about 5 O'Clock. a ball
Of fire was seen bursting out OF the heavens
in the southwest, and passing rapidly TO-
wards the northeast, disappeared behind
the horizon. In its passage it lighted mp
the earth aud the interior OF dwellings like
a lurid flash of lightning, while it was ac-
cOmpanied with a.heavy rumbling sound
like thunder from Incorporating
storm-cloud, which ratified the windows
and caused many to suppose it to be an
earthquake. The ball OF fire is represented
as being as large as a four-barrel, and its
duration OF transit was probably ten sec
onds. We suppose 1t TO have beer a
meteor.
A gentleman who was walking alone
through the woods in the vicinity OF Coves-
willie represents it to have been as large as
sixteen-foot-squar house, and that it burst
into thousand fragments, and scattered
small balls Of fire in every direction. The
sound OF the explosion he calculates came
along two minutes after. He was terror
stricken at the appalling sight, and OF course
his statements are somewhat affected there
by.
Mr.. William Mayo, while performing
some duty on ladder at the WoOllcn Mills
last week, had the ladder to slip from I'M
der him, and fell with his whole weight
upon his left wrist, dislocating il.
The University post-ofiice having been
given to Mr. II. II. Fife, the question is OF
course settled for the present. Mr.. A. +.
Bib, who has been the popular and ELL
clent deputy for some wears, is consequently
displaced; but il is gratifying to bis many
friends everywhere TO know that his ser
vices are in demand, and that good posi-
tons are offered him. one OF which he has
accepted with Ed. NJ. Antrim, Esq, OF
this place. In the mean time his father,
the late postmaster. who was not entirely
dependent on his salary, will have leisure
20 operate against the Malone interests in
this section, and he IL not without iniiu-
ence.
Yesterday was March court. The town
was crowded with country people. The
day was raw and cold-the thermometer in
the morning standing at 2fo-and the peo-
pie indulged very freely in mean whiskey,
the results OF which were great maHy
drunken men, turbulent scenes, and not
few fights--one Of which came near result
ing fatally. A man named Lewis Bib got
into some kind OF alteration at Albert
Iioward's blacksmith shop, when he was
struck on the head with a hammer in the
hands OF u colored man named Sam. John
son. Bib was unconscious for several
hours, but was finally revived, showing he
was not seriously injured, and was put in
q hack and sent 10 has home, near Shadwell
Sam. johnson was arrested and Is now I'm
jail awaiting examination before the Mayor.
Bishop Granbery Il preaching every
night this week ut the University.
At meeting Of citizens called to take
some action relative 10 the contemplated
Fourth-oi-July celebration and the en-
campment OF the First Virginia brigade at
this place, a committee was appointed to
get all the data necessary to make an intel
ligent report Of what viii be necessary TO
do, and how do II, to make the project a
success. They viii first have 10 ascertain
II they can get the use OF the University
dormltories, US the brigade Is practically