Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-06
THEY BROKE GROUND


CowPuopondeuce OF the kioomond Dispaue3
DcornynLx. Va, January s. 1891.
The Mt Ayre Slate Company broke
round on their new industry. thrce miles
north Of Scottsvillc. in Albemarle county,
this morninz with good force OF hands.
For some timo past negotiations have oeen
pending between northern capitalists and
III. \. G. Moon, tho owner OF the proper
~. which have now resulted in the invest
snent by those northern gentlemen and
others OF capital FOX the purpose OF devel-
opinr tho Quarrics. Mr.. Jacinto v. Pafeifa.
Alluded TO in your columns several days
aimee q q capitalist from Florida who had
located here. has identified himself with
this industry and will be the general man
eyer Of the company. The iirst work done
viii be the getting out OF slate TOT ro9 m r
worfed into other marketable shapes, and
tho enterprise here is hailed with delight
by our citizens. rs Il will very probably
lead 10 the eecurement eventually OF rail-
road from the James-Riyer division OF the
Chesapeake and Ohio TO charlottesville,
or some point near by that city.
oruxa ouARRIEs.
There are already two slate-quarries IN
onerstiou on the north side of Albemarie.
nv which the route OF the railroad alluded
70 would run, and rs there n an unprece-
dented demand for the products OF these
quarries from points remote-,a demand. IN
fact. which cannot be supplied, TINS par
ticuiar article is looked to TO bring oie
things TO our immediate community:
There IN no mushroom business in this. aud
the people of our section are only waiting
Tor something Of the kind TO lead TO other
enterprises that are bound to come 10 the
front. proveprofitable 10 the investors. and
cauae the James, River Valley first to bloom,
then 70 blossom.
HELPING RICHMOND.
Remember. all that does good to this sec
lion helps Richmond proportionately, for
our merchants, our farmers, our manufac-
lurers. and dealers recognize in Richmond,
our nearest metropolis. marketable advan-
taces that her port makes for 1t naturally
and her dealers by fair dealing.
AFRoo STORY.
In conversation with q gentleman the
other day upon the subject OF ice:worms,
which are known TO exist in ice, although
their existence is doubted by many intelll-
GENT persons. / was informed Of peculiar
incident not without interest that occurred
with brother Of my informant. who was
somethine of O naturalist and who had
captured q tree-frog which he placed IN
rIsss Jar half full Of water. He made lit
lie frame something like a ladder, which
ne also placed in the jar and part OF which
was above the water and on which the frog
could perch itself. The little animal got
along olingy pn'i. o colo snaP ;o csms
solid mass. The frog was not visible at
cursory glance, but when the jar was
placed on the mantel in heated chamber
snd the ice became water again bis frog
ship was found perched on q round OF his
ladder. alive and apparently well. That
which appears strange Is that the frog,
whose home as its name would indicate 10
among trees, should have been amphibious
in the first place, and secondly that It
should have been completely frozen and
yet thswed into life again.
WORKS LIKE a BEAVER.
Mr.. w. L. Stegar. whose home is several
miles below Scottsville. is undoubtedly the
most successful trapper in Virginia. gave
the Dispatch an account last year Of his sue
cess the previous season in catching nearly
IN hundred beavers and greater numbers
of smaller game. such as offers, minks.
muskrsts, 'eoons, 'possums, DC. He then
went to Pittsylvania, Campbell, and Bed
ford counties. This season he has trapped
thus far nearer home. and has already
caught on Hardware river, in Albemarle, q
number Of beavers and the smaller ANIMALS
mentioned He has now gone to Cunning
ham creek, In Fluvanna, and will most
probably make the fur fly from the animals
along the banks of that stream. He usual
" realizes from his traps $500 or $500 each
season of three or four months, and II there
Il another trspper in Virginia who does as
well have yet TO hear OF him.
SCHOOL STATISTICS.
Mr.. u. p. Powers. superindent of schools
for Nbemarle, gives your correspondent
this morning O memorandum of several
facts pertaining TO the county schools that
are rather singular, / should say, in their
nature. The attendance at the schools du-
ring the month of December was: Whites,
Ira; colored, 1,7s5-'a difference Of only
teyen, but showing how much better
whether ambition leads or not, we wot
not) the attendance of the colored over the
white is. There were last year 81 white
teachers and 40 colored teachers. Among
this number were 65 females and only is
males. There were 48 colored teachers. OF
which "a were females and 26 were males.