National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-04
A YEARS PROSPERITY.
Sdmprovement Not Only in Lynchburg, but in
the State Of Virginia.
Interesting Divorce suits--Another Train
Wrcckcr Caught-Othcr News.


LYNoHBURe, VA Jan. 3.--The year which
has just closed furnishes abundant and very
marked evidence of the rapidly increasing
growth and prosperity both of this city and
state. Our increased population has given us
city mail carriers, which srs great convent
once and blessing; new and splendid water
works have been constructed, many Of the
streets freshly paved and extended, and new
buildings have gone up at u cost of nearly
100000 Another marked evidence Of city
prosperity Is presented in tho fact that all of
the banks have declared healthy dividends,
and remarkably few changes have been an
houses of any kind, whilo many new
and fresh ones are indicated. In the
state at large the evidences Of increasing
prosperity are equally manifest on every
hand. New population and capital have
come into our borders from every direction,
especially from the north new railways have
been constructed and extended, new mines
opened, new manufactures established, new
industries started, and fresh enterprise and
vigor inspired in all branches of trade and
business. Tho new year gives promise of
still greater success and general prosperity in
all sections of our state.
Mr.. Alexander AGREE, who was accidentally
shot and killed by his companion while out
bird hunting last Saturday in King and
Queen county. was brother of the Rev. Il.
X. AGREE, the able pastor of one Of the leading
Baptist churches Of this city.
The number of marriages in this district
for the month of December was unusually
large, being thirty-two against sixteen for
November. As usual, the colored marriages
outnumber the white, the ratio last month
being-coored, 90; white, IL. This excess Is
general all over the south, and IL is due to the
fact, as / have before stated, that colored
marriages are not such costly affairs as those
of the whites in tho matter Of dress and other
outfits. Besides, when Colored people marry
it is understood beforehand, and afterward
too that both parties are to work, and
contribute the proceeds of their labor
to the mutual support of the household,
whereas when the whites marry their pride
and station generally make 1t necessary that
the one side or the other must have SUBJ
stantialproperty or income sufficient to sup
port them in afiluence and due style. Those
able to fulfil all of these matrimonial re-
s7onsibilities and requirements are not as
numerous as plain colored people are, nor as
white people used to be in old times when
cheap calico and gnghsm were good outfit
for wives. and costly jewelry and presents
seldom thought Of as prerequisite.
Col. Harden Rucker, one of our Oldest and
most prominent tobacco commission mer-
chants, was parslyzed last night in his left
side, and his considiton is considered critical.
AT the annual meeting of the Cigarmakers'
union last night the following officers were
elected for the ensuing year: President, j. IL.
Duiguid; vice president, Il. B. Jones; treas
urer, William COLLEEN; corresponding secretary,
L. p Westmoreland.
Detective Wren succeeded, on Monday, in
srresting another railroad wrecker in the
person Of one Andrew Wade, formerly in the
service Of the Norfolk and Western railroad
company as q freight brakeman. He was
not long since discharged for bad conduct,
and determined to avenge himself on the
conductor, Capt. Horton, and the railroad by
making several attempts to wreck the train.
On Nov. % he succeeded in derailing nearly
whole train, save the engine; but, fortu-
nstely, no serious damage was done to the
passengers. Several other attempts were
since made in the same neighborhood with
out success, but led finally to the arrest Of
the proper miscreant who is now in Bristol
Jail awaiting his trial. Such characters are
as infamous as incendiaries.
In Judge Lathsms court yesterday decree
was entered dissolving the marriage bonds
of DR.. w. l.. Morgan, well known homeo.
pathic physician Of this city, and his wife, f.
4. Morgan, formerly Miss L. s. Frazer of the
state of Indiana. In his petition Dr. Morgan
alleges that his marriage was effected by q
conspiracy on the part of his wife and Ger.
tain wealthy and influential citizen of Indi.
ana with whom the woman had had improper
relations; that false charges were preferred
against him by the woman, who was sent tc
Lynchburg in May, 1882, for the purpose
that he was threatened with arrast
and prosecution for betrayal under promise
of marriage when no such promise was ever
made by word or implication, and, in brief
that he was induced to the marriage "undel
duress to save himself from threatened false
imprisonment and personal outrage" After
the marriage, which took place at Bristol in
May, 1882 the defendant returned to the
state of Indiana, and since then the plaintiff
has never seen her, and, of course, never
desires to do so. This is the first divorce
of n white married couple that has taken
place in this city for long years. and neither
Of these parties is a native of this state.
Before the same court yesterday suit fol
divorce was instituted by Mrs. Rosa Booker
colored. against her husband William Booker
to whom she has not been married very long
her alleged ground of complaint being neglec
and bad treatment.
The people of the new city of Roanoke ar,
certainly very enterprising and progressive
They have not only taken active steps Il
have the Valley Shenandoah road extended
through the adjoining southwest counties o
Virginia into North Carolina to connect will
the western railroads of that state, which il
an enterprise of great importance Il
both states, but at public meeting held OF
Tuesday committee of influential citizen
was appointed to invite the military ant
naval committee in Washington, which ha
charge of the selection of a site for the pro
posed national foundry, to visit Roanoke
and examine the superior facilities of tina
section for the manufacture of ordnance, ant
to confer with the representatives of Virgins
in congress on the same subject The yer.
ores out of which the iron Tor such work /
made are in great abundance in that region
1t is understood that the Lynchburg cham
Der of commerce, at its annual meeting on tn
eighth instant, will take similar steps to hav
this city selected as the location for the ord
nande foundry.
Sunday next, the sixth instant, will b
observed in all the Methodists churches o
this city, as well as in the United States il
respective of division, as the centennial an
niversary of the first American general con
ference of that church, which was held i
" Baltimore, Jan. q, 1884.
Fishery Casualties Last Year.
GLOUCESTER, MASS, Jan. 3.-Scventce
vessels and 200 lives were lost in the Glouce