The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-12-11
Newport News Enjoying an Era Of Unpre-
cedenIed Prosperity In That Line.
THE FLEET OF STEAMERS INCREASED
Lodging House Burned Out-Acci.
dent ona Railroad Crossing N.r.
rowIy Avnrtcd -sIick TrIoE OF n
F"kir-Impor,nntF Factory I'm Pros
pcct-Finc I.cctuSe.

cd In reference 10 4 rumor Of change
In their local office, Mr.. d. ]. Donayan.
agent of the U. S. Ship Building Co.,
said that no such change was contem-
| plated; that on account of the enor-
! nous business of the company here the
| local was made the principal office and q
branch office under the supervision of
the Office was established in Norfolk
| Nothing in disparagement of Norfolk's
trade could nor should be said. Sister
cities, on practically the same harbor,
should develop together. The great in
grease this year in the business of New
port News over the phenomenal ship
ments of last year, which was the larg-
est In the previous history of the port,
constantly increasing business with
more frequent and regular sailings than
ever before characterize the present
shipping business here. AS an instance
| of The favor with which owners OF regu-
lar lines regard this port, the steamship
Indiana, Of Donaldson Bros. Line, which
has hitherto run only from Baltimore,
will be dispatched tomorrow with a
| large general cargo and 300 head of
| cattle. In addition to regular saillngs
of the Chesapeake and Ohio Steamship
Co, this week 1t has been found neces-
sary to put on the steamship Sardonyx
for London and the Holyrood for Liver
| P'O'' iHS L iSsG Sally lO-lTOTTO" LOT
Hamburg and number Of large steam
ships for full cargos of grain are walt
ing their turn at the elevator
FIRE broke out al 10 o'clock last night
In the flats over Thos. Doyle's boiling
works, corner d2d street and Lafayette
avenue, and owing to the great dis
lance from The engine house consider
able damage was done before the fire
men arrived upon the scene. The flats
l;on l,,rN
Ian, whose little girl was recently burn
ed to death while playing with 4 fire on
Il vacant lot adjacent to the house that
was nearly consumed by flames last
night. The house was quilted from the
| second story landing to the roof, two |
| stories being completely ruined and al
most entirely destroyed. Mrs. McFar-
Ian lost nearly all her furniture.
About Z O'Clock this morning fire wasl
discovered in the office building of the
Warwick Coal Company, 2Sth street,
but little damage was done. The
promptness with which the fire depart
ment responded to this alarm deserves
special mention. Within three minutes |
from the time the alarm was sent in,
the flremen were on the ground and as
promptly extinguished the flames. The
flat over The company's Office was used
as lodgings. Mr.. J. II. Noonan, owner
Of the company. T. e. Seleman, owner
clerk and other employees had rooms
fitted up for use. l was in one of these
rooms that the fire started and made
sufficient Roadway to almost suffocate
Mcssrs. Noonan and Seleman, who were
sleeping all unconscious OF their dan
ger.
What would have proved n most dis
astrous accident was narrowly averted
at the 2Sth street crossing of the c. & 0. |
railway last night. An electric car
with trailer was crossing when 4 !
headlight OF n rapidly moving engine
suddenly dashed around a corner and
but for the utmost cool-clear- hea ded-
ness on :hc part of the watchIna in the
| tower the engineer and the motorman,
the engine would have crashed through
the trolley car loaded with precious
freight. AS it was. the Waterman re-
versed the signal, and gave the engin-
Ger the alarm, who reversed his engine
and put all the pressure on the brakes;
Notwithstanding this the engine seemed
to slide with wonderful momentum to-
wards the trolley car, which the motor
man had by this time under full speed
For several days a smooth fakir has
been operating from about night-fall
until 4 late hour upon the sympathetic
pedestrians whose attention he may
happen to engage. His scheme is a novel
one in this city. He has engraved in
the ordinary penny-prze ring marked
1872. mottos. initials, names, etc, he
tells the victim that he is q travelling
man in the city without funds and the
expected check didn't arrive but If he
could borrow n dollar to get a nights
lodging he would leave this ring az a
pledge OF good faith, and the check will
certainly be here in the morning. The
sympathetic man hands over the dollar
and takes the ring, which may be From
Mother John to May etc, but the
dollar, 1t is never returned.
nlr. j. II. West of Chicago who has
recently contracted to furnish the
American Tobacco Company with large
quantities of his patent cigarette box
and paper matches, passed through This
city to-day looking for a site for a fac
tory TO produce these goods Mr.. West
was favoHably impressed with the ad-
vantagess OF this city and said he would
return within few days to make ar
| rangcments for a. site. The factory he
proposes 10 build will employ 300 opera
| tivcS.
Rev. Father Shadwck. of the u. S. N.
delivered splendid address before the
! Philopatrian Literary Association last
night at the n associations hall, Washing
ton avenue. Father Sandwich spoke in
| terms highly commendato!y of Rev. C.
r. Donohuc. the directors zeal in work
! ing TO plcacc creditable organization
on foot with such eminent success The
| lecturer continued by saying that the
present is an age of organiza ton. and
| that organiZa tons of young men prop
| crly directed must accomplish great and
| good results. That che church, the
| paragon of all organizations, has led
the way and this organization OF young
| Christian men is following her lead to
champion her cause. Father Shadwick
| then gave two reasons for such orcani-