National Republican., 1883-03-10
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRs.

Capt. Merrill has purchased one-sixty-
fourth interest of the schooner s. NJ Bird
from Harvey Schriver's trustee in Baltimore,
and now owns twO-sixty-fOurths of that ves-
sell Two-sixty -fourths of the schooner James
Boycc, ir., have been sold by Gen. Hooper, of
Brattleboro Vt, to George K. Chase, of New
York, for $1,SlS.75.
Business along the wharves is brisk, de-
noting an early spring opening. Several ves-
sells arc discharging cargoes, and Capt. Hooe
is loading a large vessel with wheat for Rich
mond.
Fruit growers in this vicinity think that
abundant crops of all kinds of fruit will be
raised this year, as the fruit buds are now
sound. Fruit planting in Virginia has been
large for the past three years, and nursery
men have larger orders than usual for spring
trade which will require all the stock on
hand suitable for spring planting. Planters
have learned not to use foreign trees, but to
insist on domestic growth, which is exempt
from "yellows in peaches, "phyloxera in
grapes, and root insects in apples and pears.
On Feb. % last the postmaster at Garfield,
Va, discovered that two letters were missing
from the letter box in the office. Upon re-
Election he knew there was but one person in
the Office from the time the letters were
missed until the loss was discovered. On
March he put two letters in the same box
and watched the suspected party, assisted by
door of which was glass through which
she watched. Upon one of the letters
was three cent stamp, and upon the other
| two 3-cent stamps. In short time tho sus-
pected man (whose name is William Hunter,
colored, about 1S years of age) came into the
office, and, assuring himself that no one was
Watching with the aid of two small sticks
fshed out two letters. The postmaster's wife
then went into the Office and accused him o.
the theft, which he Indignantly denied but
after much hesitation he handed the letters
| over, having had them concealed
in his coat sleeve. He was taker
before Justice of the peace, who held him fo
a further hearing. In tho meantime Inspec
| tors Henderson and Smith investigated TIL,
matter and seeing it was purely o postotfic,
olfenso had the case transferred to the United
States authority, and the prisoner was brough
| to this city and examined Friday afternoon
before United States Commissioner Fowler
He was committed in default Of $500 bail Il
appear at the July term of the United State
court held in this city,
Thomas Sealock, a. farmer owning 470 acre
of land near Linden station on the Manassa
division of the Virginia Midland Railway il
Fauquier county, was in this city Friday an,
displayed some fine specimens of copper or
taken from his land. The owner has sunk
shaft eight feet deep following u vein of ore
and at that depth the vein has developed to
thickness of four feet. Specimens of the or
now being assaycd by parties in Washington
Much interest is manifested in the count
in regard to the title of Arlington being sc
cured by the United States, which they OK
pect will cause the location of an expert
mental farm under the agricultural depart
ment, to be established on that part not use
as a national cemetery.
Hon. w. w. Berry, q. W. G. T., of the stat,
addressed the regular meeting Of the Reforr
| club last night