Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-24
FROZEN BOB WHITES.
Only q Few Survive The Long Period
Of Cold and Hunger.
sSow-BIaDs, srARRows, CROWS.
They Also Perish by the Hundreds.
How Fuel Was Obtained Daring
the Frcese--Emergcncy Convex.
ances--Bittcn by "a Nad-Dox.
(corresponaenee OF ,hs pl.pa,eh1


Correspondence OF the Dispatch,
CONFORM, KING GEORGE COUNTY
VA, February 23.-That hundreds. por-
haps thousands, OF partridges died Of ecld
and starvation during the recent severe
s,orm-period there Is now no shadow OF
doubt Early last week our citizen, oc.
casionally found the hteless form OF A
frozen "Iiob-White' lying by the way.
side. and before the close of the week
Il was not uncommon for travellers 20
find along the public highways whole
covey hard-frozen. This prompted an IN.
vestigation, and tramp over the snow
clad fields by interested farmers revealed
the lamentable fact that only few part.
ridges had survived the long period OF
cold and hunger. and the few survivors
were well.nigh exhausted and unable To
hy. Several tender-hearted farmers In this
vicinity promptly provided the remaining
few with wheat and corn, IN the hone
OF saving them. but II Is feared that TIM,
work OF charity was begun too late 10
accomplish much good Great numbers OF
sparrows and snow-birds have perlshed.
and many others are too weak and chilled
to move about. Crows are also dying IN
large numbers. Many OF these were seen
last week lying lifeless on the frozen po-
tomac. where they fell from exhaustion
en- route frona Maryland 10 Virginia, anu
vice versa.
A QUESTION OF FUEL.
shir,, ,,,otI.r,t
had no such winter experience as tho
present IN the memory Of this generation.
The huge piles OF firewood provided be-.
fore Christmas. "in case OF emergency"
gave ouu In the midst OF last weeks worst
storm-period. and. Il being impossible 10
get wagons and carts through the sn0w-
drifts, the situation WAS truly a gloomy
one. But fuel was the sine qua non, and a
means had to be lnVented-necessity being
the mother OF inventioR'--and trces
were cut down, horses and oxen hltched TO
the ends OF them. and thus "snakeI'
(dragged) over the drifts 60 the plantation
wood-yards-horses hitched I'm single nle
the drifts being too deep To admit or
"two-abreast." In this novel shaking"
process. The invention proved equal 90
the emergency. for few bob-tail horses
and several lazy. lanky steers succeeded
In replenishng many a country wood.
pile last Friday and Saturday. when ve-
hices could not be gotten % the woods
Mrs. Adah Montague. OF this county.
died on the Sth instant, az the homie of
MIR Edward McClanaham, leaving a hus.
band, Mr.. W. G. Montague. and several
small children. She was daughter OF
the late Charles q. Jones, Esq. OF this
county. and was well known here ana
In Westmorcland county. where many
relatives and friends lament her early
death.
Valentine parties last week revived the
dropping spirits OF many of our youns
folk. who had long been showed under
and house bo1nd. Where buggi and car
riages could not get through the snow
drifts four-mule wagons conveyed the
lively iassics to the dances-these
emergency conveyances averaging nearly
two miles an hour where the roads we're
passable.
THE PEACH CROP.
The impression prevails among fruit-
growers Ia this section that the long,
hard freeze has destroyed the entire
peach crop. and In consequences or this
general opinion a number 0f farmers have
slgnined their intention 10 cut down their
peach-trees and cultivate their orchard
lands in corn. "A long series OF failures "a
the peach crop having discouraged them
Vessels caught I'm the Potomac and Rap
pahannOck rivers by the freeze are Ia a
perilous condition. There being no means
by which they can be- removed or protect
ell. 1t is feared that they viii be cut
through by ice and sunk when the ireel'
breaks.
Mr.. W. J.. Dodd. of Stafford county.
was last week bitten by "a rabd dog. and
.lHNa D l4aHF
town. Va, and there had "A 'madstone'
applied to the laceration A. last nc.
counts no symptoms OF hydrophobla had
developed. The case Is being watched
with profoundest interest.
Overseers Of the public roads have hal
forces OF hands engaged In skoycllns
snow-drlfts out OF the highways for a
week past
A STRICKEN FAMILY
Mr.. A. u. Billlngsley. the King Georgs
Courthouse merchant who was stricken
down with typhoh-feyer last November.
had only recovered sufficiently tc sit up
several hours a day about four weeks
ago. when his faithful sister. Ella, Who
had waited on him so many long weeks.
WAS seized by the same dread disease.
Some ten days ago. when she was Just
convalescng, lady friend who hsc
!
with the fever. Several days later Mr..
Bnllngsley's younger sister fell M with
the disease, so that there are now four
typhoid-feyer patients In that one house.
and two physicians I'm regular Attendance.
The fact that typhoid-fever has prevailed
I'm that family every day since about ths
20th OF last November. and that that dis
ease IL OF very rare occurrence IN thl,
county. makes these cases worthy OF
| especial mention.
OLD APPOMATToX.
The people Of this section are loud In
their praises OF the Dispatch for hying 80
! bravely and so nobiy To the rescue OF 0id
"Appomatt0x when the insignificant dis
| gusting Surrender was won't 20 De
| thrust upon u.s. As many great strides
| In Virginia's progress and welfare Etlnl
| as living monuments 10 the Dlspatchs
| keen foresight, good Judgment ana po'
tent influence to-day. 50 will the Apo
mattOx Park" In days 90 come tesiiy
| to this papers ceaseless efforts and time
| ly battles in behalf OF Virginia aud VIZ
| ginla's affairs.
Mr. Charlie @. Bryan and Miss Adah
| Fritter. Of Stafford. were united Ia mAinl-
| mony on the 7th instant The ceremony
! was performed by Rev. Ahsalom t.
| Lynn al Raymoth Baptist church, IN 'ns
| presence OF a large gathering OF ireha,
| and relatives OF the bride and groom sni
was followed by an enjoyable reception AZ
the groom's home.
CUT ITS WAY.
The steamer Norfolk passed ~ the fo-
| tomac several days ago. following zoe
| channel. and averaging only a iew niiies az
| hour. ploughing through ice when iaa
/ defied every other steamer for more Una"
two weeks That this u1agnihcent ron
bound craft succeeded IN cutting us way
! up the frozen Potomac at all is next 70
| mystery, and has been the leading topic
since the noise Of her immense psa9ir-
wheels battling with Ice broke ms dra'h-
| Ike silence OF our sn0w-coyeTed Forest
PLUcKY MERCHANT.
A Richmond county merchant. Mh'
Robert Hutchinson. made trip 10 Freie-
rlcksburg last week In a wagon 70 proeelr
a load OF msrchandise ID replenlsh us
stock temporarily until navigation is-
surnes. The distance being SHY muss
each way, and the roads in many plaees
blockaded by snow. the plueky nieIehsns ~
could not make "scheduls time On n: