The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-02-21
At TNE STATE CAPITAL
Many Matters of Interest to All
FifginianS.
THE POCAH0NTAS BLOCKED
The Fair Elections Conference Not
Of. Anxiety About Two Miss
ing Schooners. Death of
DR.. Voss. The James
River Convocation.
Special Dispatch to Tho yiginiar,

SEtSANt IaHENNAh " AHN AhNN-
RICHMOND. W., February Do
The steamer Pocahontas this morn
ing tried to break her why through
the ice so as TO start on her trip to
Norfolk, but was utterly unable to
do so. Ice was found to be ten
inches thick for some distance DO.
low the city ana no progress could
he made. Tugs are engaged to-day
III trying to open up p%assageway
and the Virginia Navigation Com
pany hopes TO get the Pocahontas
through on Friday, The Clyde
Line vessel Gulf Stream is also
frozen NJ here.
The fair elections conference is
not "off." Mr.. j. llsskius Hobson,
chairman OF the Populist committee
aud leader of the movement, said
to-day he would sometime this week
name n date for the meeting. He
has received many letters on the
subject and expects good represeu-
fatlon OF all parties except the Dem
ocratic. Chairman Ellyson had not
acknowledged the Invitation sent
him sometime ago, and MIR. Hobson
will not, he tells me, renew it. MIR.
Hobson Is of the opinion that party
lines will not he drawn in the cuun-
~ elections next spring. He thinks
this would be unwise, but in his
opinion there will be Il very lively
contest next fall when it comes to
electing members of the Legislature.
Tho issue then will be whether or
not the election laws shall he
changed. Mr.. Hobson thinks there
IS a growing sentiment in favor of
election reforms, and he believes his
party will makea big hit by fighting
along this line. The Populist leader
Gays his party's position is being
mlsrepresented in many particulars.
One of them is the alleged opposi-
tion to railroads. This, he says, is
n mistake, for the Populists are OPP.
posed to doing anything that will
further cripple the railroads of Vir-
glnin.
Much anxiety is felt here as to the
fate of the schooners Ida 9. School
craft and William Q. Wiokham. winch
sailed for Virginia waters-the for
mer from New York and the latter
from Jacksonville, Fln.--a day or
two before the big blizzard. Both
are long overdue and not n word has
been heard of either. These vessels
are partly owned in Richmond, and
the persons interested in them are,
to say the least, quite uneasy. In
fact, the Schoolcraft is practically
given up for lost. She had O crew
OF seven men and Capt. Rollins was
III charge.
DIR. Henry s. Voss, who attempt
cd to take his life yesterday with n
dose of morphine, died 10 day from
che effects OF the drug. Every DOS.
slble effort was made to save his
life, but IN vain. DIR, Yoss was n
man of about thirty.fiye years Of
age and had u wife and one child.
Deceased had fer a long time been
a victim of the opium habit, and to
this is attributed his rash act.
Mr.. John H.. Booker, whose
proud boast was that he was the
only person in Virginia who had
voted for Grover Cleveland for
every office for which he was ever u
candidate, died here to-day aged 70
years.
The James River C~onvocation of
the Episcopal church convened at
Holy Trinity this morning Mt 10
O'Clock. Rev. j. j. Gravatt. the
president presided. The proceed
ings were opened with devotional
exercises for the clergy, followed by
the holy communion. At noon the
ladies of the church served lunch IN
the lecture-room. The business SEES.
sion was held this afternoon and
very encouraging reports were made
OF the work done. Tonight there
was q missionary address. The body
Will be IN session again to morrow.
MIR. Felix Keegan, q we'll known
Leader IN the Irish Catholic socleties
and proprietor of the Hotel L~exinp.
ton cafe. and Miss Ellie Shea were
married at the Cathedral this morn
ing at & o'clock. kev. Father Fri.
oil othclated, assisted bv Fathers
McKeefry, of Norfolk. Domaine, of
Newport News, O'ReilIy aud Ahern,
Of this city.
During this week there has been
some Improvement in the tobacco
market. There has been a good de-.
mand for old brights and f%ilIers,