Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-10-12
MIDDLE BROOK.

Mrs. SClneSprlnS ana ner SlSCer anu uduSu-
ter from Bath county, Va, are visiting the
family of Mr.. Henry Staples at Summerdean.
There was very atrocious murder commit
ted at Somerset, Wayne county, KY, week
or so ago. as we learn from private letter.
The editor of the paper there has been of late
giving all manner of lawlessness his special
attention, and, of course, brought down upon
him the censure of all guilty parties. Two
weeks ago last Saturday night, as Editor Ruck-
er was on his way home from his office about
10 o'clock, he was fired at from ambush, and
three balls struck him. He was carried into a
drugstore by friends who were attracted
thither by the rapidity of the firing. He re-
gained consciousness, but later he began to
sink and soon expired. Mr.. Rucker was a
Madison county man, having been born in
that county. He has been a resident of
Wayne county for some years. He leaves
large family of nice children, and very de-
voted wife. The assassin has not yet been
discovered but should be come to the surface,
he will surely be dealt with according to Lynch.
Mr. Rucker had the courage to try the effect
of the press in putting down lawlessness As
a general rule the press in Ky. don't come
down heavy enough ON crime, and as Mr..
Rucker was an exception to the rule the bloody
part of the population concluded to remove
him something after the fashion of Camp No.
20, and DIR. Cronin of Chicago. This is a little
food for thought Just so long as man,
winks at lawlessness, he is all right, but let
him take step in the right direction, like
n. l. :. IL .f oryy
useless adjunct to society. The writer knew
Mr.. Rucker well, he having befriended the
writer when stranger to him. He was a
man of very warm heart, generous to a
fault, an earnest Christian, and very kind
father and husband. The grief of his devoted
family was very pitiable to behold He was a
prominent mason of the 32nd degree. His
untimely taking-off removes one of Ken
tucky's greatest journalistic lights. Every eff
fort is being made to apprehend, the bloody
midnight coward, who so ruthlessly robbed a
home of its dearest defender.
We had a killing frost last week, which has
turned the forests yellow to some extent. The
atmosphere has been cooler and betokens the
early approach ofwinter, and every overcoat
| The matchmaking of the road from Staun-
ton toward the line of Rockbridge county
progresses nicely. The contractors are very
stirring men. They have two rock-crushers
here, and have been running one of them day
and night of late. This is the kind of a ma
chine every road ought to have-it grinds the
rock up so nice and fine. They are then haul
ed out and nicely spread on the road, which
by the way, has been put in first-class condi
ton to receive them. A force of hands &c
along and blast out all tight rock, and thor
oughly open the bitches ON either side of thu
road. The middle of the road is raised much
higher than the edges, so the water will al
run off. Then the coarse rock is first put on
A roller weighing, we would suppose, severa
tons, and drawn by four large mules is ther
run over it several times This serves to be-
them down good into the ground. Then tn
fine rocks are put on and similarly rolled
There have been lots of "Eye-sores'' removed
by these contractors in the shape of rock Jut
ting out of the road, lodges, and bluffs, &c
along the road. They have given the road
general cleaning-up Now if some way ca
be devised to keep this good road up, 1t
what every one is looking for. Of course, W
mean that when these rocks get out of sight
they will by constant travel, they ought to b
replaced with others. This will make an e1
cellent road-bed; but should have application
of fine rock from time to time. If it wer
possible to get a crusher and keep the roa
well up with fine rock it would beat all tn
throwing of dirt and road-plows in the cour
/ try There ought not to be any dirt throw
2 on these rocks when the road is worked, BIT
beat rock instead; and when road-workin
time comes, the overseer should have fey