The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-27
BIG FIRE AT
The BEACH
rour Splendid Cottages Are
Destroyed.
THE WORK OF LIFE SAVERS
Their Efforts and a Shift ofWind Saved
More Disastrous Loss-Free Roads
Political Issue in Norfolk
County
THE WORK OFLlFE SAVERS
Especial to The Times-Dispa.ch.,


NoRFoLK VA. october 26.-With a
terrific gale blowing on the ocean front
III Virginia Beach at o'clock yesterday
morning, fire was discovered In the cot
tage OF Mr.. Hugh c. Davis, and within
II few minutes thereafter, famed by the
gale, tile flames had spread TO five other
handsome seaside homes, reducing four
oil them to ashes and badly datnaging
The olner two.
The origin Of the fire remains mystery.
Air. DAVIS cottage was situated III tho
middle of the ioHg row OF cottages. be-
tween the Princess Anne Holel and the
lle-savlng station. soon after tho ire
was discovered the wind shifted and car
ricd lhc flames away from the hotcl else
The mammoth frame structure must have
been set on nre by the iiying brands.
FINE BUILDINGS BLKNED.
Some OF the cottages burned were now,
ano all OF them we're modern and costly.
The average loss viii not be less than
5.,iO0 cacn. There Is little insurance.
Thc cottages burned were the property
vi Messrs. i1ugn Z. DAVIS ana Z. a.
Woodatd and airs. Emily Thomas and
Mrs Mary She'd The cottage of this
Kew beverly d. tucker was also dam
uced.
LIFE SAVERS WORK.
The members Of the lie saving crew
formed a bucket line and sent water TO
tin burning buildings by hand The
spray sent up by the high wind also
assisted in Stopping the names The
damage and loss Is estimated at $500 or
>lu,pvU.
FREE ROADS AN ISSUE.
The Fus.onists are making an issue In
the present campaign OF iree roads for
Norlolk county. lney cite the fact thdt
their Senator, Mr. Glniey Cromwell. and
Major f. w. owens, one OF their lesis-
i.tlve candidates, introduced some time
..so bin III the Senate and House pro-
Nluing tor the purchase by the county Oh
all the toll roads now owned by private
corpora uons, with a view to opening them
after u reasonable time as pubic nigh
ways.
II their stump speeches and ~ the coll
umns OF Their oflc.al organ. the Fusion-
lists now charge tndt me alraigntout
leaders were responsible Tor the yetoius
or the b!ll by Governor Montague.
MARKS On HIS ARM.
The body OF a white man with the ini-
tials j. NJ. c. on one arm ard the lett
torchngcr missing was washed ashore
near Kitty Hawk on, the North Carolina
coast.
I4c initials J. ". G. on the arm Of the
body found to-day indicate that the re-
mans are those OF Joseph Campbell, jof
\
oracle. Of Baltimore.
Chief Vellines to-day received
y s,;t-a!n rso lrt ire chIet-oi-po al
Greensboro, y. c., informing him OF the
arrest at that place of man supposed
10 be John Allen, wanted here for tile
murder on August llth, last of Ada
Smith.
from ear to ear and tho woman died on
the street.
The barge Liberty arrived to-day and
reported the loss OF one of her crew
John Muder.'' OF Amsterdam: He was
knocked overheard by the BOOM
REMARKABLE ACQU1TTAL.
w. 3. Brown. negro preacher, charged
with crminally assauting Dora Buri.e,
an imbecile white girl. was acquitted
to-day under remarkable circumstances.
rho mother of the child alleged to have
been outraged, testified that she knew
nothing of the matter but had been per
suaded to swear out the warrant against
the man.
Tho mental condition of the alleged VIC
tin was such that she could not testify.
The case - therefore, on r,commcnda.
tlon of Commemorative Attorney Mar
shall. dropped.
He stated to the jury that the evidence
did not justfy conviction and therefore.
IN behalf OF the Commonwealth, asked
an acquittal
The sevcn-year-old son OF Herbert w.
Spratley, to-day secured a two-thousand-
dollar verdict against the Norfolk Rail
way and Light Company. The chilli 1
seized a live wire and was injured. Tho
verdict Is subject TO demurrer.
HlGHWAYMEN RIFE.
Robert Welsh. a stranger from North
Carolina, was assaulted. robbed thrown
into marsh and left for dead by Nor
folk county highwaymen last night
He had just arrived here from Char
lotte n. c., and had but SIG with him. It
was all stolen. He remained all night
where he had been thrown. He is in the
jail hospital now
John Rose was also held up last night