Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-01
TRAFFIC ACTIVITY,
BUT THE MERCANTILE LINE or Husl-
NESS SLOW AND DULL.
Poor Season for oyster-Packers-siEht-
Seeing at tho Acknowledgements
Fires In Cotton Laden Ships.
Correspondence Of the Ricbmond Di.Dstch.I

rcorespondence OF the Richmond Dispstch.1
NonPoLK, Va, February 2S.-In the mer-
chandiso line business is spoken of as slow
in Norfolk Just at present, but Judging
from the heavy movement OF freights on
the various transportation lines there IS
considerable activity in traffic, neverthe-
less. The New York, Boston, Philsdel-
phia, and Baltimore steamers all arrive
with heavy freights for distribution south
from this point and leave daily with
equally large cargoes, making business
along the waterfront at all times lively
and interesting. At the railroad depotss
the burden trains coming and going hi
seem TO be double the size they were rev
years ago, and the mountains OF neignt
piled up and handled in the warehouses Is
simply amazing TO those outside OF trans
portation circles. There is no real stand
still here nowadays, and Norfolk IS literary
q going town."
DULL oYsTER SEASON.
The ovster-packers haven't been doing
much excepting the past few weeks, Out II
the present cold snap holds business WIZ
materially improve. Indeed, the season
has been so mild that but few OF the PACK
ers have found il profitable owing 10 tne
sound oystermen are again at work ana
the stock from tho Elizabeth City packing
houses is going through TO market. lhese
hackers are mostly Baltimore OYSTER
handlers. There ought 70 be money IN
oysters for somebody. They never haFe
been so high 20 consumers IN thls hafAeU
as for the past two seasons.
During the last two weeks the shipments
of Pocahontas coal from LamOeits Ioln'
footed up LIZ tons.
ANNoUEsT Held.
This morning City Coroner Ut. Il. '.
Newton held an inquest and post-mortefn
examination on the body of Arnold Arm
strong, the young negro man VINO was
killed last night by q negro girl, Laura
Brown. throwing a pair OF shears at MIN.
The glrl will be examined before justice
on Monday.
A Great many strangers are at the navy
ward daily TO see the work on the new shlPs,
and EXPRESS themselves surprised at the
SIZE and facilities of the yard. The two
magnificent drv-docks and the powerful
machinery in the bending-shed come III
for a great share of attention.
MORE INTERESTING.
The yard Is much more interesting now
than at apv period Of its history, and very
few visitors come to Old Point or the two
cities without calling there to see the many
objects of interest.
An updertaker's firm in Portsmouth
generously sent the remains OF the boy
drowned in James river TO his home Ill
Mathews county to-day.
AF1RE MYSTERY.
The origin OF the fire on the British
steamship Haighiaton last Monday IL now
a mystery. Most fires amongst cotton
seem TO be.
Hon. LEROY II. Shields is in Boston to join
General Fitzhugh Lee on business.
Rev. DIR. C. J. Jones, of this city, Is con-
Quoting revival at windsor IN the Cnris-
tian church.
The signal Office reports no damage along
the coast from the recent storm. =.
The Portsmouth Rites will make sppli-
cation to the State for twelve more rifles,
owing 10 the increased strength OF the
command.
Rev. r. w. Forsyth. rector OF Trinity
church. Portsmouth. returned this morn
ing from his visit to Baltimore.
Miss Ellen Reed, one of the oldest pub
Hc-scbool teachers of Portsmouth, died to-
day.