The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1907-01-24
DOINGS or THE OLD DOMINION
The Latest Virginia News Told in
Short Order.

y novel proposition has been ad-
vanced by Alderman Marx Gunst, OF
Monroe Ward, Richmond, the object
of which is to place the municipal
government in the hands of a small
body of practical business men, who
shall give their entire time and at
tention to the affairs of the city. The
scheme, which embraces. on. the
whole, plans for the betterment oil
every department of the public ser
vice. will probably be presented to
the Council at an early meeting. 1t
is proposed to reduce the number OF
Aldermen i'm each ward from three
to one. and the number of Council
men from five to two, giving the
ward delegations a total OF three
members. instead of eight. These
will be elected as at present and re-
quirej to give a substantial bond for
the faithful performance of their
duties. They are to relinquish all
private business enterprises and TO
devote their entire time and atten-
ton to the business of the city. For
this service they are to receive an
annual salary sufficient to meet the
expectations of such men as are
qualified for such an office. Three
thousand dollars a year has been
suggested
c. II. w. Stapleford, foreman coop
er in the Standard Oil cooperage
plant at Norfolk was instantly killed
by an electric current. He had the
socket of an incandescent- light IN
his hand, examining the inside OF
barrel. when he received the shock.
1t is supposed that the light wire
was crossed by a high-tension wire
outside the plant.
Judge Charles II. Ashton, of King
George County, died at the home OF
his daugter. Mrs. Barksdale, in Alex
andria County, after a lingering i'll
ness, aged 63 years. Judge Ashton was
a prominent lawyer. took active part
in politics, fought through the Civil
War as a Confederate, was ridge of
King George County Court for II
years and formerly represented his
county in the Legislature.
Surveys have been completed for
the proposed trolley road from Oman
cock to Tasley. thence to Accomac,
thence to Bagby's road, with the
ultimate extension to Metompkin
Bay.
Norfolk held its first c.yil-eervice
examination under the new CHARTER,
which went into effect September 1.
1t was for positiGTs on the police
force. Thirty applicants We're eX-
AHMED.
Inc machinists of Norfolk have
Joined the boilermakers in their
strike. They asked an increase in
wages from $2.75 to $3 day. This
being refused the men walked out.
About rs men are involved in the
strike
The clerks in the Portsmouth
PoStoffice have organized and have
become branch of the National
Postoffice Clerks of America. Every
clerk in the Portsmouth office has
became a member of the branch.
William NJ. Fearing is president,
Charles Mougan, yice-president; j.
II. Scott, secretary and Miss Annie
S. Williams. assistant secretary.
T. A. McGraw, white man from
West Virginia, and James Douglass,
colored, of Amherst County. were
instantly killed by the explosion of
some sticks of dynamite which they
were thawing near the dam at the
head waters of the Pedlar River, in
Amherst County. The men were in
the employ of the contractor who
is building the gravity water system
for that city.
Mr.. James Nj. Thomas has sold to
John TaylOe Thornton his fine old
estate on the Rappahannock River,
five miles from Port Royal. in CaIo
line County, known as Liberty Hill.
The terms were private. This farm
contains 1,22915 acres OF fine land,
and fronts on the river The house
stands on an elevation commanding
a beautiful view of Port Tobacco
Bay and the surrounding counties
1t is said seven counties can be seen
from an old hickory tree on Liberty
Hill farm. The property will be
used as stock farm. The property
was owned by John Taylor, Jr., who
was nephew of Mr.. George Taylor,
of Hazelward. In 1855 Mr.. John l..
Marye sold Liberty Hill to Mr.. John
l.. Bentwell for $20,472.
Officials of the Norfolk and Ports
mouth Traction Company. on which
fall the brunt of the Exposition traffic
between Norfolk and Portsmouth and
the Exposition grounds, were in con-
ference with the board of governors
of the jamestown Exposition for the
purposes OF devising ways and sched-
ules for handling the crowds The
traction officials present were: r.
Lancaster Williams, president, of
Baltimore; Il. G. Hathaway, Vice
president and general manager. and
John Blair Macafee, chairman OF the
IA -. A..