Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-09-01

MEETING or THE CONGRESSIONAL En-
rcrrrIvE CoMMITTEE-Another Contention
CdIrdto Meet at Cuipcpcr GIL, Sept. 23d. The
Execntiye Committee Of this, the Eighth
rongrt ssional District, met iu this city at
,br Office of Leonard Marbury, a. II o'clock
tfi; morning Present. Henry Heaton, Of
Ioudoun, chairman Geo. s. Shackclford,
Of Orange ard l.. Marbu'y, of Alexandria.
when after consultation the following was
adopted
r,.solrtd That convention % the democratic
rar.v DO held al Cuipcper G.. f., or Thursday
s,pt. I'D, 1856. q. u d., for the purpose Of
nominating a candidate for Congress, the basis of
concentration 70 b. one delegate and alternate for
cach one huadrrd votes and fraction over fifty cast
II III. election in 1;>SI, for Governor Leo.
That the delegates shall be elected Ill tho IcfiS.
,ai districts and yards of each county and city.
N .uch manner and at such time IS the county Or
citv committees shall prescribe.
That the chairman Of the city and county com.
nittees be requested to call meetings of their
committees at once and fix upon the time and
manner Of c!cctinS delegates, giving due nct:co
thereof.
HENRY HEAToS, Chairman,
GEO ). IACKELFoED,
LEONARD MAHEuRY.
Gru ". II. +. Lee ard Mr.. Elisha Mere
a;th. nsn,hers of the committee and candi-
lu, declined TO appear or participate in the
proceedings of the committee. Capt. Foster
and Mr.. Hume were also in the city, but
did not 90 into the COMMITTEES, room. All
The candidates, it is understood, favored
hodruy-the convention in this city, but it is
reported that Culpeper was chosen because
the meeting pacs for the convention was
rendered free, and it was also urged that
the expenses there to the delegates would
be tighter, while tho influence Of outsiders
in this city and Washington could not be
excited rs is alleged was done before.
The EARTHQUAKE IN THIS CITY.-About
six minutes before ten o'clock laat night,
ami without any premonilion, this city was
visited by three distinct shocks Of Garth
quake following each other in quick sue
ccssion-one very severe, the other two
slightsr, but very perceptibe. Tho Vibra-
tons were from southwest to northeast, and
were felt TO greater or less degree in all
parts OF the city, awakening many who
were asleep, and causing general alarm and
CONSERVATION. The severest shock caused
houses to rock, furniture to rlsloiy move.
pictures pendant Oh the walls TO swing, Or
naments Oh mantels, shelves, etc, to topple,
clocks to stop and people to experience 81
feeling of nausea. ln seine Instances men,
women and children rushed from their
houses in their night clothes, and Ill few
moments the streets were alive with per-
son, eagerly discussing the unusual phenom-
encn. The chandeliers in some houses
swung 40 as to describe an arc Of six or
eight inches, while chairs on rockers tilted
in a direction opposite that Of the direct
notion lamp chimneys shook violently and
the oil in the bowls tossed about as water
when shaken; the bell of the town clock
struck once; lady sitting in front OF her
door on Pitt street tainted from fear and
nausea, while gentleman who tried to as
sist her could scarcely keep his feet on &C.
count of the vibration. The shocks were
from ten to forty seconds in duration, and
the principal one was accompanied by
sound as Of = terrific gust OF wind. The
number of incidents produced by the con-
vulsions is legion. Some failed to realize
what was going on until the danger was
over, while others, comprchendirg the sit
uation, Immediately, "bolted" for the streets.
Numbers became exceedingly nervous, and
when the second undulation set in anxious
faces was seen everywhere, as the thought
lifted through the brain that the city
might be doomed to suffer the fate Of LIS
bon, Pompeii or Herculaneum. IL about
an hours time the city apparently resumed
lis normal condition, and though many
were debarred from indulgirg in natures
sweet restoreI by the fright they had I'M
dcrgone, the bulk Of the population soon
stepped their senses in torgetiulness OF the
experience through which they had passed.
MvRnER ON THE PoToMAC.-Capt. Thorl-
rs Ross. Of the steamer Wakefield which
arrived hero yesterday afternoon, brought
the news Of the sloop Mary ]. being found
abandoned by a number Of people living
near Co!ton's Landing, about fifty miles
down the river The sloop's sails were set,
and when the vessel was boar ded the deck
was found tesmesred with blood. The cap.
taiu's cabin was also filled with b!ocd and
gave evidence that desperate light Fad
taken place. None OF the crew were On
board Of the vessel, and the fact that's muir
der had taken place was apparent. On q
table in the captains cabin was found let
ter addressed Mrs. John Dixon, Baltimore,
Md" in which it was stated that there was
money to be sent her shortly. The sloop
was towed into st. Jerome landing. The
facts as stated were given Capt. Ross when
his boat landed at Colton's. The position
of the sloop d&d the freshness of the blood
stains indicated that the murder had not
long been committed. 1t was subsequently
learned that Capt. John Dixon, OF Balti-
more, commanded the sloop, and that she
mad left Biscoe's wharf, at the foot OF Tenth
street, Washington. last Monday. Inc
crew that srrived with her were paid oil
ard discharged. Monday small colnsed
hoy and James T. Bradford, the young mu-
lato who was arrested in Washington some
days ago for attempting to marry Minnie
Tlnney, white girl, were shipped. These
two constituted the crew of the sloop The
belief is strong that Bradford murdered the tn
captain and threw the body overheard. he
and The boy then made their escape. Inc
people of the vicinity of Colton's are search
ing for the murderer.
REED BIRD AND ORToLAN SEAsoN.-At
daylight this morning the season for reed
birds and ortolan shooting opened, and as
has been the case of late years there are
likely to be more gunners than birds. The
scarcity is thought to be due to the long