Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-16
TEST THE WEIGHTS.
Handsome Appliances Provided by The
Government for This Purpose.
"Reminiscences of the Celebrated
WhiE Convention and Those Who
Took Fart I'm If-Tbc Harrison an"
Tyler Cnmpnign-Theatr Fire.

TYLER Cnmpaign-Thcatr Fire.
II seems the fates conspired against
the honest shop-keeper, merchant anu
consumer In regard to making the IN
spectlon OF weights and measures oGee
IN three years, as was formerly the case
an the city OF Richmond THIS SESSION
Che measure passed the House and was
sent over to the Senate. BY some nieahs'
evidently a mistake. II was ensfoSs'u'
sent TO the Governor, and became Ia"
lofore passing the Senate II was attes-
wards recalled and became law Con-
siderable space had been occupied IN 'Ne
various committee-rooms. with the con-
demnea weights as exhibited by the
ssaler. The sealer proposes TO have them
photographed and then sent 10 inc
,rreaegar- Works and destroyed by melt
ing as scrap-iron. so that they cannot
nossibly get into the hands OF wrong
doers This Is the way the General Cow
eminent disposes Of mutiiated and count
erfeit notes. IL is now over fifty years
since the United States Government sent
70 Virginia costly set Of weights
measures balances etc, TO be used IN
regulating weights and measures through
out the State, so that they should con-
form TO the national standard Inc
Richmond person holding the Office OF
Seaier OF Weights and Measures 10 those
days repaired annually 10 the once
OF the General Land once and adjusted
hts instruments 70 conform 10 me PAT
tern on exhibition there. 10 which ne
1 4. l. Az .Isrf.s Ia
merchants to conform The weights.
measures balances. etc, sent TO Rich
mond BY the United States were the
finest Of their kind and cost several
thousand dollars.
At the time OF the conquest most OF
the costly paraphernalia disappeared. but
II Is remembered that several boxes OF
steel weights. some Of an lW-pound
weight Of fine Steel were exposed on the
Capitol Square 20 the weather. 10 the
enterprising ingenuity Of the rogues OF
the reconstruction era, and TO other
casualties incidental 70 that period.
few years after, when the General AS
sembly OF Virginia commenced work
after the old style. a resolution vas
offered 10 appropriate 5000 TO purchase
a set Of measures. scales, weights, etc.
The proposition apparently did not gain
the favorable consideration Of the legis-
lators. for II did not succeed. Since
then the local Scaler Of Weights and
Measures has been acting under the
authority Of Council ordinances and pay
ing yearly visits TO straighten up def
cient measures and confiscate weights
falling below the standard His action
prevented the great body Of the purchas-
ing public from being cheated at no
cost TO them and very little cost TO any
body else Lately. in overhau.ng the
debris In the apex OF the Capitol. the
remnant OF the costly weighing ard
measuring apparatus sent 10 Virginia by
the United States was unearthed from
the place where II had been placed in
1865 by the Yankee Register Of the
General Land Office" The newspapers
hailed IL as an immense discovery. Sc
cond only to finding some ribs of Noah's
Ark on Mount Ararat. The knowing
ones. however laughed In their sleeves.
and thought with Puck. what fools We
mortals be" Lately. the General As
semb.y with greasy celebrity and easy
acquiescence. yielded TO a cali to do
away with the adjustment Of weights
and measures and so, hereafter, when
one gets a half a pound for sixteen
ounces. and thirty inches for n Yard.
he must look TO his own eyes and the
General Assembly for a rlghting of the
attempted swindie.
People have generally supposed that the
space covered by the cenotaph under the
dome Of the rotunda at Monumental
church was occupied by the remains Of
the victims Of the terrible holocaust &C.
curing on Chrlstmas-Eve night In 1911.
when the Theatre was destroyed by fire.
and ninety people fell victims TO the
flames. This Is not so; the remains are
in a vault inside the church. under the
choir gallery. 1t will be remembered
that the Governor OF Virginia as also
the presidents OF the only two banks
then In Richmond, as well as scores of
reputable ladies' and gent emcn. were also
victims Of that catastrophe. Included
with these remains as may be learned
from the Richmond Enquirer published
the day after the fire, are those OF a colOred
citizen and victim. whose name Il gives.
Agnes, or the Bleeding Nun" was the
play that night, and Edgar Allan Poes
father and mother were two OF the pay
Sra. An OLD volume OF the Dramatic
News says that the Richmond favorite
Edwin Adams, appeared at the Theatre
on January l, 1872 after an elevou-years
absence, in Hamlet; also that the
bishop COMEDY COMPANY appeared al
the same time at Virginia Hall" Nm
the Pearl Of Savoy" and were followed
by Frank $. Chapman. another Richmond
lavorite. In SAM" and that during the
sue
cess. Kit. the Arkansas Traveller"
In answer 10 enquiries about the How.
ard's-Grove Whig convention and barbe
cue. II may be stated that II assembled
on Thursday. July %, 1851. At L. NJ.
Colonel Sherwin McR8e called the Assem-.
blage TO order. and the following OFF er.
were elected: President BENJAMIN wat
lins Leigh; Nice-Presidents. Thomas MI
Ter OF Powhutan, DR.. Samuel Peasants
Archibald Pleasants. Dr.. Lewis w. Cham
bsfiayne, Samuel II. Myers, Or John NJ
Sheppard, Clayton G.. Go eman. William
X. johnson, &. AZ. Windsor: Secretaries
John Hampton Peasants. Alexand !
Moseley. James a. COwardin Leander X
Shelter, a. Judson Crane.
When the election Of Mr.. Ieich as presi
dent was announced, he rose and sale
that. being compelled by the pres 81,
OF urgent business TO leave. he would re
request Vice President Thomas Miller Il
take the chair In his stead, which he did
and presided with ~ az dignity. Amoni
the noted addresses delivered on tn
first day OF The session was one by Naien
tine W Southall. OF A.bemarle. which IN
splrSd me wing cohorts present will
assembled on the 2ith instant, and wa,
addressed by William c. Rivos, in perhap
the most ornate political address eve
delivered by that distinguished states
was his comparison between the opposini
candidates for the presidency Henri,
Clay and James X Polk As may b,
imagined, Poik suffered Ia the matte
very much. while Henry Clay was core
spondngly extOl cd
Both days session OF the convention
were accompanied by an immense barba
cue-free 90 ali-the materials for whicl
were furnished by city and county mem
beers OF the party. Among the inveterat
old Wings remembered to have beel
present were Fendall Griffin, Valentln
llechler. Franklin Stearns. George W
Crattan. George n. Peake. Raleigh T
Daniel, William Gu lingworth. Thomas w
boswell. Joseph Mayo, John NJ Bolts
Chnrle Palmer MIlIiafn Andcrsnn Ir