The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-08-03
PETERSBURG.
SEVERE ELECTRIC STORM At
WAKEFIELD.
lightning Burns Out Telegraph Instru-
ments-Mr. j. IL. Gaskins' Promotion
odd Fellows ass-Meeting-souths'de

lightning buthr Out ieiekT"P" '"r'
ments-Mr. ). II. Gaskins' Promotion
odd Fellows Mass-Meeting-south
News.
PETERSBURG, VA, Aug. Especial. =
4 very severe thunder storm prevailed at
Wakefield and vicinity this afternoon, and
rain came down in torrents. The storm Is
said TO have been the worst that has oc-
CURED in that section for many years.
Lightning struck the Western Union Tele-
graph office, which is in the depot of the
Norfolk and Western Railroad Company
and set it on fire. but the flames, after
considerable difficulty. were exiinguished
before much damage had been done 10 the
building. The wires were destroyed and
the instruments badly damaged. The ope-
rator had left his instrument and gone into
the depot but moment before the electric
bolt entered the Office, and but for this he
would doubtless have been killed or scri-
ously injured.
The rain was also very heavy at and in
the vicinity OF lYOr Station. where a wash
out occurred. which DELAYED the cannon ball
train from Norfolk for two hours. There
was also considerable storm here, and at
times the 1a-ios of lightning were very
vivid. lightning burnt out all Of the prin-
cipal wires in the Western Union Telegraph
Office in this city.
PROMOTED TO TICKET AGENT,
Mr.. J. II. Gaskins, who for the past year
hrs flied the position Of billing clerk Of the
Norfolk n Western railroad this city, has
been promoted tO the office Of ticket agent
III l..
Gaskins will assume his new duties on
Monday next.
ODD-rELLOw's MAss-MEEriNc.
The Odd-Fellows Association of Peters
burg will hold a mass-meeting on Monday
night next 10 decide upon an acceptance OF
the drawings for their new hall. Already
several merchants have spoken 10
members Of the board OF trustees OF the
Odd-FellOws Association 10 rent the stores,
providing the board shall carry into eXecu-
ton the first design-vIz.: To build IA thea
tre on the second floor. Merchants have an
eye 10 business, and know full well that
more popular and cOmmOdi0us accOmmO-
dations could not be had in the city.
FARM CENSUS RETURNS.
Captain X. \. Young. supervisor Of tn
census for the Second district Of Virginia,
has fNliluNtu HIS ldb'i = anu ~ ~ h"f VI
two will close his Office. All Of the statis-
tics collected By supervisor Young have
been given in this correspondence, With
the exception Of the number of farms
in the counties Of llenricO and
Cumberland, the returns from which have
Just been received. The number Of farms
in lleuricO is 500, against l.l3O in 1850. The
number of farms i'm Cumberland county j.
l.122. AGAINST l,1O1 in 1SSO. The recent cen
sus shows that there are about 3JO,O"
people in the second district OF Virginia,
which embraces the cities Of Richmond.
Manchester, Petersburg, and the counties
of Amelia. AppOmatt0X, Brunswick, Buck
ingham, Charlotte, Chesterfield. Cumber-
land, Dnwiddie. fluyanna, GOOchland, Hall
fax. HenricO, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg,
N0ttoway. POWhaian, and Prince Edward.
Two hundred and eight enumeratOrs were
employed in taking the census of the dis
trict Supervisor Oung, when asked in refer
ence 10 the complaint made about the taking
Of the census in Chesterield county, replied
that the census OF the county had been wen
taken, and the population of the county
when given out officially, would be perfect
ly satisfactory TO the people.
REGISTERED LETTERS.
The number Of registered letters delivered
at the post Office in this city for the past
month was G2j; letters delivered, 90,0ll:
postal cards delivered. 2i05l, second. third
and fourth class matter delivered, 81, i9i;
local letters collected, 1856; mail Letters
collected, I2jl3; local postal cards col
lected, 4,Tlg; mail pOstal cards collected.
l4GjS: second, third and fOurih-class mat
Ter collected. 1876. Total number OF pieces
handled, 24i, ,I6S.
PARADE OF NEGROES.
4 Grand industrial parade Of the colored
people of Petersburg IL 70 be- given on the
lith Of August next, to be followed by
big barbecue near the West-End Park. The
barbecue is 10 be given for the benefit Of the
Olk-street \. VI. l.. Zion Church (colOred).
of this city. Of which Rev. j. III. Manley II
the pastor. Addresses are 20 be delivered
by Rev. J. L. Price, Of Salisbury, North
Carolnq, and TT. Fortune, ediUr Of the
New York Age, newspaper.
PHILLIPS THE MrRpERER.
In several Of the colOTed churches here
tomorrow collections will be taken up 10
raise funds to employ counsel to endedFor 10
yet "A new trial Tor John Phillips, the negro
who is sentenced to be hanged at Mecklen-
burg County Courthouse on the 10Th instant,
for the murder of Captain X. G.. overly.
CHURCH DEDICATION.
The tabernacle BAPTIST Church, Rev. {.
B.sA. liorlom. pastor, sill be dedicated To-
morrow. Rev, l.. /. smith. niied states
Minister tO Liberia, Of GOldsbQro, \. e..
will preach at II 4. VI. Rev, II. l.. pun
Dar. pastor Fiflh-street Baptist Church,
Richmond, Va, will preach at i. VI. ana
: T.. NJ. Rev. Mr.. smith was appointed min
ister 10 Liberia during the administration
OF President Cleveland, and retained III
Office by President Harrison. Rev. Dr.. Dun
bar served a pas,O.a.e o. many years IN
Columbia. :. c., aud for recent Years ,lil'
served as pastor of the Fifth-strcct Baptist
Church in Richmond.
PROTRACTED MEETING.
4 protraoied meeting will commence TO-
morrow at Ocfan church. in Dinwiddie
county. a short distance from Petersburg,
and viii be continued during tue week.
Rey. \. C. Bledsoe, pastor Of the W ashing-
ton street VI. J.. church, IN this city, VIII
assist in the serSlces.
E-CIRED TOBACCO
II is learned that a large number Of the
farmers IN this section of the State propose
10 nue.cure their tobacco. The tobacco IN
some sections of SOuthside Virginia gives
promise Of a large crop.
INTERNAL REVENUE REPORT.
Colonel James ID. Brady, nited states
cOlleclOl 81 in.ernal ie5ebue ilr tHis DIS
trict. has kindly furnished Tue TIMES cor
respondent with ihe following report Of The
work done in his oilice for the past month +;
IgX on manufactured tobacco collected,
SIS. .9fl .l6; tax on cigarettes, s2i. ,2Oi tax
on cigars, SlS,IlG; tax on distilled
spirits, S69.s2; special taxes, 81, ,2sj.2o; pen
alties. $50. Total, SlGS, ,Si2.2i.
The annual meeting Of the school board
will be held on Tuesday night next, Mh"n
the board will be reorganized, and teachers
for the public schools probably elected.
Y. NJ. C.A.HALL.
Captain J.. /. Marks, president Of the
Young Mems Christian Association OF Pc
tershurg, said that the association had
about Sl50lG subscribed, aud that rs soon
as they got $4,000 subscribed they would
commence 10 build. The hall, with lot, Is
10 cost $4,000. The hall is to be built in
The burnt district, on Sycamore street,
where the asaociatian has alfeady nur-