Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-21
NORTHERN NECK.
FARM WORK GREATLY RETARDED
ny THE HEAVY RAIN.
Freaks of Lightning-A Residence
strucrs-A PIow shivercd-An In
{ tcrcxting observation-disclosures
Crabbers--wni Attend the Reunion.
(correspondenco Of the plspatch.

manner OF teamwork, and quilted the
public roads from one end of this county
10 the other. But, mean while. all crops,
save wheat and oats. have grown very
rapidly. and were never more fiourishing
and promising at this season Of the year.
Corn is so far advanced that farmers
ind II a difficult task to plough 1t. No
rain OF the season has washed the fields
and broken the highways so seriously
as cid that OF last Tuesday evening,
which. In addition 10 other damage. car
ried away many OF the bridges and cut
of travel In some sections for twenty
four hours or more. Many OF the farm
ers were ia the midst OF hay-harvest
when the repeated rains set IN. and con-
secuently some OF them had the misfor-
tuno TO lose some OF the hay that had
been moved. And TO lose hay this sea-
son Is a real misfortune. for, as hereto
fore stated. three fourths Of the grass
persisted in the drought OF last summer
and fall. and the remaining one fourth
had been watched with a Jealous eye
iii barvest-time. with the remark nearly
every day that HAY Will be hay this
year"
The beautiful residence OF Dr. V. o.
Caruthers. in the lower part Of this coun-
~. was struck and considerably dam
aged by lightning during one OF the re-
cent severe electric storms. The man
ner in which II struck aud the course Of
the lightning over and through the build
ing were remarkable and peculiar. But
the most remarkable feature about II
IS the fact that no one in the house was
seriously hurt. although the bolt entered
the dining and passed down the
wall just q few feet from chair occu-
pied by Mrs Caruthers.
The doctors here report a number OF
new cases Of dysentary among their pa
tients this week. and Il Is reported that
the disease Is epidemic and stubborn in
one section OF the county.
Mr.. w. T.. Baker, Jr., q well-known
drummer. has been 81 with typhoid-fever
at his home. in this county. for two
weeks.
Mr.. George Baker, who has been visit
ing relatives at Shiloh. this county, for
a month or so. has returned to his home,
at Washington. d. c.
STRUCK THE PLOw.
A farmer I'm this neighborhood unhitch-
ed his horse from his plow the other
evening 70 escape an approaching thun-
der-storm. and just as he left the plow
lightning struck and tore the pillow
into atoms. Nothing but the iron-worlS
and some splinters OF the implement were
tered around In every direction.
Two Richmond College students will be
ordained to the ministry at Potomac Bap-
fist church. this county, next Wednes-
day. Drs. Ryland, Pollard, and Bagby.
of Richmond, are expected here to take
part In the ordination service. and 1t
IS thought that very large crowd Will
be in attendance. The two candidates
for ordination are serving Baptist
churches in this county.
Captain Thomas y. Billingsley OF
isle of Wight county, visited his father
ard brother here few days ago. This
was his first visit TO King George since
he left his home here. when boy, to try
fiife on the ocean wave.'
Among the interesting relies collected
by Mr.. W. Robinson Taylor for the Con-
federate Museum. at Richmond is
pretty fnger-ring, contributed by Miss
Martha j. Massey, Of this place. The
ring was made by a prisoner on John
sons Island during the war, and the lit
tie sets which beautify it were made OF
shells gathered from the shore of the lake
by the ingenious Confederate prisoner.
A very heavy chestnut-bloom has made
its appearance during the past week, and
but few things could be more welcome and
encouraging TO hundreds OF families, who
Jay In their winter supplies just in pro-
portion TO the crop OF chestnuts.
A large business is being done here this
season In poplar-wood and railroad ties.
The slight advance in prices has Gre
nted net only good demand. but a live
ly competition among the local dealers
here, so that those who have timber to
sell have more voice in determining the
prices for "stumpage' than ever before.
Mr.. Edward r. Boure and Miss Lille
Henderson, OF this county. were united
in marriage at Fletcher's chapel. on Tues
day evening. Rev. w. G. Bates. OF the
Methodist church, performed the ceremony
IN the presence of a large number of
friends.
STAND BY THE PARTY.
Many Of the "gold-standard" Democrats
of this section of the State. who are OPEN
~ opposed TO the free coinage of sill
yer. have been interviewed, and up TO
this time not one has been found who has
any idea OF "bolting' II tho Democratic
party in national convention declares for
free silver. The gold-standard men are
very decidedly In the minority, but
among them are some Of the most promi-
nent and influential Democrats in this
part OF the State. and they are "unal-
terably opposed TO anything like n silver
plank In the Democratic platform, yet
they consider 1t next to an insult 10 re-
port or inslnuate that they win not give
The party their hearty support IL the plat
form Is not In strict accordance with their
individual views on the currency or
any other question involved In the coming
campaign.
The leading Republicans OF this sec
tion think that Colonel p. II. McCaul will.
beyond doubt. receive the Republican
nomination for Congress In the Eighth
District; and advices from the lower coun-
ties OF the Northern Neck and
some OF tho Southside counties confirm
the statement. made In this correspond
snce two weeks ago. that Mr.. T. s. Cur
let, OF Lancaster is a much stronger can
didate for the First Congressional Dis
trict Republican nomination than was be-
lieved prior to his announcement. 1t is
now declared that. in addition to Mr..
Curlet's strength on this side OF the Rap
pahannock. he has developed wonderful
strength" and popularity as a congress
sional espirant In four or five counties
f'beyond the river" Knowing politi-
clans. who generally figure out and an
nounce the result long in advance OF
nominating conventions, say that Jones
and Curlet Will be the Democratic and Re-
publican candidates. respectively for Con-
gress in the First District.
recent letter from Los Angeles. Cal
reveals the whereabouts OF O native King
Georgian, who left here many years AGO.
and In whom our people have always felt
deep and peculiar interest When boy
this individual, Samuel Ellis. was strlck-
en- with total blindness on one of the fish
fng-shores here and his dependent condi-
lion SO aroused the sympathies OF our
people that he was sent 20 the Stauntcn
Institute for the Blind. and there given a
thorough education. being taught music
as speciality. Naturally intelligent and
ambitious tho young man made good use
OF his time. and soon became proficient In
phrenoiogy as another speciality. Return
sng TO King George. his people iavished
upon him a liberal patronage. and Il was