The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-08-04
CAPITAL CITY ITEMS,
Two Severe and Damaging Electric
storms A Queer Fire-FestivaI
Chorus-Tax Commission at work
Report of Convicts-ChiId's Life
saved-Peabody Funds Received.
Messenger Bureau.

Messenger Bureau.
Raleigh, y. c., July %.
There We're two severe electric storms
here last night. Lightning struck a
large oak in a few feet OF the house Of
Mr.. Walter Hay, near St. Marys' Fe-
male college. From the tree the bolt
went into the gable end of the house.
passing through to the other gable,
thus setting the house on fire at two
places nea the chimneyS. The occu-
pants We're aroused b. the terrific
shock of the explosion and in a moment
heard the fire, which despite the rain
burst out from the entire roof. No one
was hurt and most Of he furniture
was saved, though Of course damaged
by the rain. The house was the prop
lerty Of the widow of the late Major
ISeaton Gales, and was entirely destroy
the home of A. E. 5. Lindsay a mile
north of Raleigh, tearing off the supola
land a large part IF the roof and max
liAA5 q I'LL VI iloISS III the HTSl allO
second stories. Parts of the timber
We're thrown a great distance. The
house was not set on fire. The wind
was very high and die damage to crops,
particularly corn, this being noted by
the case at the fine farm owned and
Operated by the city.
Night before last there was a queer
fire in Old Fort Macon, at Beaufort.
In some way the grass on top OF the
fort caught fire. a numDer of persons
seeing the blaze and rush of the fire,
Thought the quarters were in flames,
and went to aid Sergeant Coffinberg.
They found him and his son pouring
water on the blazing grass, on top of
the easements, while his two daughters
drew the water from ciStermn within
the fort. The fire was on top of one of
the magazines in which there is some
p, 500 pounds of old powder, the barrels
containing it have literally crumbled.
away. The fire was in q few feet Of
the ventilator of this magazine.
Grand Secretary Woodell of the Grand
Lodge OF Odd Fellows has received an
application for a new lodge at James
Vile. The grand encampment will be
held at Charlotte August Il.
At the Academy of Music this Ven
ing the festival chorus n compliment
to the summer school for teachers, now
in grogress here. was given, and with
fine effect. There were 125 voices in the
Ichorus, most of them being ladies TAX
ling the music course at the summer
School. These We're aided by local tai
lent and also by Mr.. Dunbar, basso and
Inv NJ 49,, NV E,-~, D;-I~,D-J
and Miss Mary X. Eweil, of Norfolk.
THE orchestra, composed entirely of To-
lcal talent, with h exception of Pro-
lfessOr Brockman. was composed of
thirteen pieces.
The state tax commission is working
mine to ten hours a day on the assess
ment of the property ind franchises of
lcommon carriers. These are required
Ito give their own estimate of the mar
lket value of their stocks and bonds,
or if no such value is obtainable then
to give the actual value. In some
Estates the railways, etc, are required
to give an estimate OF the value of
their franchises, but this is not done
here, the commission making its own
estimate. Of course after the estimate
lis mad the railways will be given an
opportunity to file exceptions and also
lit will be given a hearing if they de-
Isire.
A report on the convicts, made by a
state prison official. shows that there
are now at work on the railway in
Mitchell county 10S, at Dover "a. and
the Raleigh and Cape Fear railway so
lat the railway stone quarry at Hills
boro turnpike 80, at the state farm Oh
the Roanoke 400 and in the peniten-
tiary 100. making a total of S44, which
is about 500 less than the total number
lof convits % years ago. The great de-
Grease in the number Of state convicts
lis of course due to the sentencing Of
prisoners to work on county roads.
The life OF a child one year old was
saaved here by a piece of beef. 1t was
on the point of swallowing this wher
il fell into a tub of water. It was
found there with its h4ad and body il
the water and was pulled out. The
piece of beef prevented any water from
ientering its throat.
Work has begun on the residence FOL
Bishop Cheshire in the grounds Of St
Marys' Female college here.
The state superintendent Of public
instruction has received from the Pea
body fund $500 for the state Normal anC
Industrial college for women and s10
for the state negro Normal school a
iWinston-Salem.