The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-06-15
ROANOKE.
Irritation st gislation-Murders I'm Taz, :
well Reported.

ROANOKE, june H. Special. -AmOnl
the numerous onactmcnts Of the last Legis
lature was an alleged "amendment" Of IN
act relating TO the assessment of property
which renders the new assessment unavail
able till 1891. improvements of vital i'm.
portance tOtbc city had been ordered. which
must now be indefinitely postponed, and
the failure 10 utilize the expected funds will
clog every wheel in the municipal machine.
ry. An elaborate system Of sewerage and
street Improvements had been mapped out
and would have been vigorously prosecuted
but for this unfortunate legislation
The new assessment would have shown a
marvellous and Unprecedented increase in
values, and nothing would have been lack
Ing 10 make the present the most success
ful year in RoanOkc's history. just what
viii be done remains 10 be seen. but il is
believed a way will be found 10 get out Of
the difficulty. The wide-awake business
men have been equal to every occasion OF
trial and difficulty in the past, and it is con-
iidenily believed they will sustain their
reputation as patriots and iinanciers in the
present crisis.
One cheering fact, however. contributes
much TO the comfort of the people. and that
is, that the subscriptions 10 the Roanoke
and Southern Railroad and the approaches
To the overhead bridges inside the corpora
ton will be in no way affected by the pre-
sent situation. Work on those important
enterprises will be pushed forward as ra-
pidly and vigorously as thev would be-
under more favorable circumstances
80 far rs the Roanoke and Southern Rail
road is concerned, the prospects for its carly
completion are exceedingly bright. The
greatest interest peryades the North Caro-
lima counties south Of Winston, and ii is
said a million dollars have been offered bv
various towns desiring the extension of the
line TO Monroe, eighty miles from Winston.
where il will connect with the Robinson
system, thus aflording the people Of that
section much needed road. competing with
the Richmond and Danville system. There
will be no difficulty in obtaining all the
money necessary for the extension Of the
line, which, owing 10 the nature of the
country, can be built at very moderate cost
Ii is believed that the heavy work at this
end of the line will De completed within
eighteen months.
The particulars Of two murders. which
occurred in TaZewcll county last Sunday
and Tuesday, have just reached this city.
and may be thus stated: \ man named
Call, stranger in the neighborhOOd pro-
posed 10 Dennis llOwcry that he would beat
him jumping, TO which IlOwery made no
=
and assaulted HIM with a knife. cutting
his throat from ear 10 ear, causing instant
death. Call escaped.
While going 10 IlOwcry's funeral, Mr..
John Robinson, who was accompanied by
his wife. was accosted by James Harris,
who rode up Ia him. eXclalming: "lou
shot at me this morning, now die" at the
same time firing at Robinson, the bullet
taking effect in the left breast near tho
heart. Robinson ran "a few steps, turned
and fired two shots at his assailamt without
effect, and fell dead.
Both were cold-blooded murders, with no
known motive for their pcrpetratlOn. Rob
insOn had that morning shot at a squirrel.
but it il not believed he ever dreamed OF
shooting AT any person. Harris. after the
shooting. went 10 the grave, which was
being dug by his son. informed him of what
had occurred. and took 10 the mountains.
At last accounts no arrests had been made.
:. :. Lucas livery stable, at Radiord, was
burned yesterday by the careless dropping
of a cigarette. Loss. above insurance,
$1,000.