The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-04-20
Agricultural Manufacturing interests Fredericksburg ano
Louisa.
Mining Interests OF Our Sister County I'm
pIovements at Mineral and Brian
Politics Suspicious Death
Oiher News Notes.

The recent strike at the sulphur mines
has played out and everything is going
along as smoothly as before. The other
sulphur mines are working full forces, and
the Armnius, having struck splendid
new body OF ore, has been rushing
things" and has some eight or ten thOus-
and tons Of ore in its dump, ready for
shipment, besides shipping hundreds of
tons per day. Capt Boyd NJ. Smith has
just gotten full possession of 'The Smith
mine by the recent sale, and ispreparing
to raise and ship large quantities OF ore.
The finders Flat shaft, which is some
800 feet deep, has recently-had some ad-
ditiOnal bOrings, by diamond drill, about
100 feet deeper than the working shaft.
The gold-fel of The finders Flat mine
are now being prepared for systematic
and extensive working. A branch of the
&. & o. r. Il. from Sulphur mines has
been run about three-quarters OF mile,
and buildings, engine, boilers, etc, have
been put in to work the gold gravel,
which covers n large area on Contrary
creek" After extracting the gold the
gravel will be delivered on c. & o. ears
and used for ballast by the C.. 4 o. rail
way on it's main line, paying the gold
mine for each ton used.
At Mineral City quite n number Of new
buildings are being built and the place is
taking on the style of town. Many
capitalists are coming in and making ex-
animation of the mines, and several part
les are working on property south OF the
town, both iorpyrites (sulphur) and gold.
This place Q'rian) is also forging ahead
and becoming regular village. Withnew
houses being builtin every direction, with
daily mails and telephone connection with
Richmond, Charlottesville and other cit
les, it il "quite up-to-date," and being so
near the mines, and regular stream OF
railroad ties passing by every day, is a
fine place for business. Boxley Bros, who
own one Of the stores here, have recently
gotten large railroad contracts, and one
has gone in with large real estate firm
in Richmond. Their store isforrent now,
and various parties are trying to get it.
This is one of the best openings in Louisa
county for live man to handle big
trade.
Politics are getting quite lively in Lou
isa. The Constitutional Convention fight |
has gotten down to II. l.. Gordon, Demo |
cratic nominee, and G. McD. Blake, In !
dependent, with Republican following. |
Whatever ones personal preference may |
le. every thinking man must recognize |
the TACT that the Constitutional COnven- |
ton will be Overwhelmingly Democratic,
and that Independents and Republicans
will have but little influence or weight, |
unless men Of State reputation for learn |
ing and ability. Gordon's ability and
force of character would give him weight |
and influence in any deliberatiye body, |
and he honestly and earnestly desires to
purify the ballot by getting rid of the |
negro bugaboo" within constitutional
limits, and then having honest election
laws
There has been a good deal of excite |
ment with the colored people on account !
of the death of Maud Murray, young |
colored woman This woman was well
and lively on Sunday evening, and yet
Monday morning was dead; and, to make
the matter worse, was buried the same
evening. The Commonwealth 5 Attorney,
Mr.. Gordon, hearing of the suspicious cir
cumstaDces, ordered an investigation by
a magistrate, and there seems to be good
cause to charge foul play, and several ar
rests are in view, the proof of poison being
pretty plain.
Mrs. Porregoy, who has been very i'll, is
now improving, and young Miss Whit
lock, of Barboursyille, who was taken so
i'll with congestion of the lungs while Wis
iting her brother-in-law, Edward Hill
man, Esq, is now greatly improved, and
will soon be we'll
Mr.. w. p. Nuchols, the Oldest man in
the Fork (being some S3 years or more),
is quite feeble and suffering considerably
from rheumatism; but his mental facul-
ties are clear, and he takes a lively in
terest in what is going on in the world.
With the return Of pleasant weather it is
hoped that he will improve decidedly.
Farm work is in pretty good condition,
most of the plowing for corn being DONE
and one OF two parties have already
planted some corn-R. V. Graves and
John S. Goodwin, both Of the Fork, for
example. 1.-THE early bird catches the
worm especially in this kind OF corn
planting. They also caught the largest
kind of a rain-storm, which washed up
big lot of the seed, perhaps necessitating
replanting.
Hafcptrtnn