Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-11-03
LETTER. FROM CULPEPER.

Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazcttc.)
MITCHELL's STATION, Va, Oct. 81, 1854.
A gentle and delightful rain mas watered
the thirsty earth and impaired new life and
vigor to both man and beast, the genial sun
of to-day has already changed the brown
and crusty appearance of the fields and
farms to that OF greenDess and brightness,
and with the Indian summer.like weather
that is now upon Us the farmer is impelled
10 hasten the finishing work of seeding
wheat, the housing of corn. the !attening
pork and the hauling of the winters supply
of wood
Squire W. c. Petty, accompanied by his
wife, Sister and cousin, Miss Mana Smoot,
returning in his carriage from Culpeper,
about y o'clock, p. NJ, ii iew evenings since,
where they han been attending The mar
riasc ceremony OF Miss Kate Hudson and
Mr.. Chclf, were unceremGmiCn5iy oyertuiu
I'd in The road, and though ali four persons
were more or less scratched and bruised,
they were none of them seriously hurt. one
of the carriage springs and the top Was bad.
ly broken and damaged, but fortunately
the Squire retained the reins and command
of the horses, otherwise limbs certainly
would have been broken and probably lives
lost
Our community Is very much excited
aud iucensed at the very heavy loss sus-
tanned by Mr.. Alexander near Rapidan STA
ton on Wednesday morning last hv fire
Mr. Alexander is Northern man hy bi!th
and education, but some 10 or II years ago
be purchased several hundred a.ies Of lAnd
OF Col. Taliaterro, Lear Rapidan station.
There heing no improvements on the prop
erty, be at once sci about building, and be-
sides dwelling ard outbui!dings he had
erected one of the largest and most COM
!lete barns. | suppose, that there is in the
county. On "Wednesday morning about 4
o'clock it was discovered 10 be on fire, and
was completely destroyed, together with
grain, hay, straw threshius machine, wag-
ons, harness, farming implements, cattle,
| scales, steam engine, horses, cattle, &c, 10
an amount certainly not less than SO, 600,
aud no insurance, as the policy had expired
only Two or three days previously. There
is no man in the whole community more
beloved and respected than Mr.. Alexander,
and he has the sympathy Of the entire peo
pie. Now for the orig in of the fire. have
been Informed that Que or two days before
the fire Mr. A. discharged one Of his negro
hands, and upon doug So the negro re-
mark ed that he Sir. 4. would be made 10
regret doing so. 1t appears that two Other
negro bands and negro boy were in the
habit OF sleeping in the barn, and when the
fire was first discovered Mr. A., good, kind
hearted man that he is, forgct!ui of his own
interest, his first thought and act was TO
rescue the sleeping hands, and to that end
he first directed the efforts Of himself and
Others; hut as only the boy could be found
and gotten out, the reluctant supposition is
that the discharged negro and the other
two who arc missing are guilty OF iucen
diarism. Sad to say, after the boy was res,
cuetl from the fire by Mr.. a. he was suisse
qutntIy killed by being struck by some
pieces of heavy machinery as they wee
thrown out of The barn. VICTOR.