The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-02-12
NORTHUMBERLAND.
F'shin~ Season-IarJe Packing
House-Bad Roads etc.


A unusual degree of activity il noti-e.
able here at present in making prepara-
uons for the approaching fishiug sea
son. Most of the stakes for the traps
are larger aud longer than have ever
been handled here before. Many OF them
measure from GO TO 81 feet. and they
will be driven in the bottom more thnn
half way a"rus- the Potomac and very
close to the middle Of Chesapeake Bay.
The emitting Oi these vine stakes from
year To year Is III wing the value and
productive capacity of our forests in "A
way not hitherto known 4 grove
which one year appears to have been
robbed of itS last straight and available
stakes will furnish them year later in
surprising numbers. Ii would seem that
the removal of some stimulates the
rrowth OF others
Messrs. Lowery and Berry are com
pleting a large packing house at Walnut
Point. IL is safe TO predict that moe
herring and sbai will be packed in Nor
thumberland this season than has been
the case before. Your correspondent
was shown Mr. John Lowery's nets a
trw days ago to be used on the Potomac
They represent an outlay of 81 600 He
will need q catch good many herring
TO cover the outlay ia his preparations
The condition Of our roads could
scarcely he considered "A means of grace.
unless. indeed, they enforce the need aud
value 0i much patience II in going t.
church our peppl. were like Christian on
his journey to the CELESTIAL City. like him
they could not eschpe "A slough uf de-
~pond 4 Traveller through onr county
now would likely bscome possessor of
some of our real estate whether he wish
ID to DO 50 or not The amount Of his
l.
every turning of the, " hetl- OF his buggy
The telling of trees for cord wood. lum-
her aud barrel slaves IL employing many
hands IN this vicinity The song we hear
rs not Nv goldman. pare the tIee." but
rather the ring Of tie axe. the buzz of the
saw and the noise Il falling trees The
employment OFF, laborer- in other
ways Increases the difficulty of securing
them for work ON the farm. Masy land
owners are ~ grave perplexity on ths
account. some being wholly destitute Of
labor. Some OF cur large landowners
cm driven in sheer desperation to rent
out their property The negroes appear
20 discriminate again ex-slave owners.
there being a sort of tacit understanding
among them not e. work for this class
d" FairpOrt Baptist church il col
lectins money Tor the purpose of erect |
ing new and enlarged house OF wor-
ship.
The Rev. Richard II Stone, Of Culpeper.
who il temporarily serving three Bap-
tist churches rear the Village. has given
high gratiicatinn to his congree ations
by his manner OF y eaching
Martin Vincent tuhank. con of Giles
I. Eubank our superintendent ofschools,
has secured position on a large steam
ship plying between Philadelphia and
Port Arthur. TeXas. tie is much pleased
with his voyaging on the ocean and,Gulf
Our worthy sheriff. VIM. r. Flynt,
was called to Richmond this week on an
important cr-a1d, rot entirely no wever
ot an otiiciai nature lie Is expected to
return In day or two with his bride
The lady whom he il TO marry Is Miss
Lee Winston. who is very well known in
Fairfield, where her coming will be cor
dially welcomed by her many former
friends
No arrangement has been yet effected
for the opening of the hotel formerly
conducted by Mrs. Felicia Rice at this
place.
A number Of our citizens, it is said. are
no longer enthusiastic over the Beau
mont oil wells of Texas They think
that the wells sunk at that point were
not all that was sunk there.
Many Of his old friends here were
greived this morning at the intelligence
of the death of Mr. Frederick Settle. OF
Richmond county. He was al aged citi-
zen, having a wide circle of kindred and
friends. Survivors Of the 10th Va Infan-
try will remember him with affectiOnate
interest He was man of many worthy
points ofcharactes and in his death land
mark has fallen. He was one of few il any
su 'vivors who had a son in the CoBfeder-
ate army. " hen the breath left him a
true heart, aud one generous and kind
ceased to- beat
His death reminds me Of two venerabl-
veterans in this county-Judge William
Brown and Conway Reynolds. who had
Sons In the Confederate Army They en-
JOY a green old age. but the others,
where are they?
G. W r