The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-04-09
aALEM NEWS.
Special Correspondence to Tho Times.
A. Lovelock. Reporter.

Special Correspondence to Tho Times, Il.
A. Lovelock. Reporter.
Miss Lettie Collins. OF Radford, is WIS.,
iting tho family Of j. 81. Hennipg.
Elk. Sheriff G. M. Weber was able
yesterday to walk around in his room,
but Mrs. Webber Ia still confined to her
bed.
Frank M. Houseman and James R.
Oliver, OF Fincastle, came to Salem
Sunday to purchase flowers for Captain
Figgatt's funeral. j. Shartzer furnished
them with the necessary flowers.
Mr.. and Mrs. James Montgomery, who
have been looking after their large
estate in Washington county, Pa, re-
turned home Sunday.
Miss Lilly Strouse, after several
weeks absence in the South, has re-
turned home
]. P. Cox, OF the Salem Hardware, is
out again after a severe spell Of sick.
ness.
Bishop Randolph will administer the
rite OF confirmation in St. Paul's Church
on Sunday, the 21st instant.
On Saturday marriage license WAS
issued In the county clerks office to
Charles Wellington FiRgstt, of Roanoke
city, and Miss Sallie j. Oyler, OF the
county.
Attorney William Simpson has re-
turned from q visit to relatives in Wosh-
ington city.
Shortly before one o'clock Sunday
afternoon what is thought to have been
an explosion of acids used in dying
fabrics. took plate in a small room
situated under an immense tank, which
latter contained 10000 gallons of water.
This threw the tank, weighing some
sixty odd tons, against the walls of the
boiler and dye rooms of the wooden mill,
causing them to crumb BILE and fall down,
breaking the windows and scattering
tings generally. The tank seems TO
have rebounded and collapsed, so that
only pile of broken timber and iron
hoops now remain. This ia ono theory,
for no one was on the premises at the
time, and it is lucky that they were not,
else coroner's inquest might have
been necessary. The other theory is
that tho heavy rain washed q part Of
the foundation from the tank, thus
causing 1t to topple over against the
WOODEN mill and.at the same time crush
ing several carboys of acid in the house
under the tank, producing an explosion
whilst it was falling. Superintendent
Worden Uniformed the correspondent
that O thousand dollars nth ofdamage
had been done. N. Hickman has the
contract for restoring the building to
Its normal condition, and will commence
work at once.
The correspondent spent pleasant
fragrance Of the thousands of flowers
now in bloom in the hot houses of j.
Shartzer, the Salem hurseryman, whose
lad" of Easter flowers appears in
another column. These Conservatives
have never been better supplied than
they are to-day, for, Notwithstanding
the severe winter, the flowers came
through in finer condition than ever be-
fore. Mr.. Shartzer will make extensive
improvements this summer, having
already contracted for the material to
build three houses for violets, $50 feet
long by 10 wide; one carnation house
100 feet by 90 wide, and numerous cold
frames. These buildings are necessary
in order that he may fill large contract s
which he has made with Northern firms
to supply 10000 double violet blooms
daily from the middle of October to the
19t OF May, annually, besides all the
carnations he may have to spare. OF
these latter he now has 5000 young
plants and OF violets 10000 plants. He
Will also pay great attention to the
growing Of the handsomest varieties OF
chrysanthemums, having now "a thous-
and plants of the most popular varieties.
Some idea OF the additions which will
be m ado to this growing Salem industry
can be formed when it is stated that the
present concern has 5000 square feet of
glass in its structures, but the new
buildings to be erected this summer
will take 10000 additional feet. Mr..
Shartzer has built up his business from
q modest beginning and consequently
has felt his way cautiously, but most
successfully.
FRANK SHEPARDsON. an anpinaar ON