Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-07-07
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence of tbs Alexsndris GaEette.l
Washington, July Z.

Correspondence of ths AlexSndrs GsEstte.l
Washington, July Z.
Miss Marguerite Dickips, the wife OF
Captain Francis W. Dickins, assistant
chief of the Bureau of Navigation, was
killed and horribly dis6gured this
morning at her residence on l9:h
street, northwest, by an explosion OF
gasoline. She was cleaning q pair OF
kid gloves in the room with the fluid
when it exploded. She was an accom-
plished woman, and was social leader
in Washington. She was writer OF
some note, too, her most popular book
b sing q description OF her cruise around
South America on a man.ot-war,. OF
which her husband was commander.
Mrs. Dickins was one of the best
known members of the Daughters of
the American Revolution. She was
Miss Marguerite Bates of New York
city. Some men who We're fixing the
roof of the house came through the
rom where she was sitting, with o
spirit lamp, causing the explosion.
The following changes in the fourth
C ass postofices OF Virginia were made
today: billions Mills, Franklin county,
David Bowman appointed postmaster,
vice James o. Abshire, removed; Levy,
Loudoun county, Willis S. Dunn, vice
r. h. Sampsell, resigned; Monmouth,
Rock bridge county, Lizzie Fl. Harrison,
vice VIM II. Harrison, resigned.
The fact that those engaged here in
collecting money from the poor, gullible
egroes in the South for the assigned
object of promoting the passage of a
bill by Congress to pension the survlv-
log Southern slaves, are receiving and
sending off an immense mail, induced
tue Postofiice Department to make an
investigation, but it resulted in decis-
ion that there is nothing in the postal
laws that can exclude such matter from
The mail, though there is no probability
that any such bill will ever pass.
People here who know Senator Mar
tin of Virginia, say there is nothing in
the newspaper gable about his being
selected as chairman Of the national
democratic committee. They say the
position referred to is not vacant, and
that Senator Martin hes enough to do
look after the Virginia democracy,
,et alone that OF the whole Union. Be.
sides, they say Senator Martin holds
precisely the same views on the Chi
c4go ticket and platform that Senator
Jones, the chairman OF the committee
does.
Dispatches from Cuba today state
that yellow fever in increasing among
the U. S. soldiers there, even among
he officers, and that among the many
dead are several of the latter.
The proprietor of sn old established
carriage house in this city, talking today
about the carriage business here now,
compared with what it was before the
war between the States, said it was
nothing like as good. Then, he said,
there were hundreds of gentle people
in all the near by counties of Virginia
and Maryland. all of whom kept car
riages and all of whom came here to
buy them. But all those people are
now dead or too poor to keep carriages;
their children, too, are also poor, and
many of their old luxurious homes
nave gone to ruin and are now occupied
by improvident negroes. Then, too,
ne said the carriage men not only sold
more, and more expensive carriages,
han they do now, but their profits on
each one were almost double what they
are now.
A republican newspaper correspon-
lent who has just returned from pro
longed tour through the northwestern
states says there never was greater
mistake than the supposition that the
war with the Filipinos is popular with
be republican party. He says there
'es been and possibly will be, no trouble
about enllsting soldiers for that war, be-
cause there are so many idle young men
wno have no interest, work or any
thing else to keep them at home, but
thas the people with any interest in
their own or the country's welfare are
opposed 10 it by large majority, and
that if the democrats are wise they will
let it alone.
Of the two most prominent candidates
r the vacant judgeship of this city.
one is son of the famous old dancing
master of Alexandria, Mr.. Carusi, and
the other married the daughter of the
late Peter D. G. Hedgman of Stafford
county, Virginia. who was well and
f.vorable known in that city.
Alexander T. Britton, prominent lawyer
Of this city and counsel for the Northern Pa.
cifc Railroad, diel suddenly this morning
He was about sixty.fve years of age and was
reputed one of the ablest lawyers OF Wash.
iugton. He lived in San Francisco prior to
he war between the States He died of
heart disease. He leaves wife and eight
hiIdren. Mrs. Brtton and the younger
children won't to New Hampshire last week
to spend the summer. Mr.. Britton was also
p ominently identified with ban king institu.
tons AMI leaves a large estate.
FAIRFAX NOTES.