The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-08-02
more SCHOOLS
BE Err ROADS
Levy Raised in Dinwiddic coun-
ty---Petersburg Pythians Off
for Big Meeting
{ Special 10 The Times pispa.eh

| u 4 e
PETERSBURG. VA. August i.--Pe
tcrsburg Company. No i6. Uniform
Rank. knights Of Pythias. Captain
George Bowman. commanding, left this
AFTERNOON for Boston. going via Nor
folk. and thence by steamship to New
York. The company formed n part OF
the first regiment Of the military
branch f,r,,', o. the order. Of which Colonel
William n, Wilcox, OF this city, IL the
commanding officer. The Petersburg,
Icompany carried twenty or more men
lin the ranks. and will be Joined at
4 Norfolk by other companies Of the
regiment Uniformed Pythians from
! all the slater will gather In encamp-
mert next week at Boston, In honor ~
the supreme lodge Of the order in the
United States. which assemblies there
! In biennial session. Tho parade and
| rnanoeuvres of the uniform regiments
are always an interesting feature of
these biennial sessions of the supreme
lodge. and the award of valuable prizes
To the best drilled company excites
kerr rivalry.
Taxes In Dinwiddic County,
| AT the recent meeting of the Board
of Supervisors of Dinwiddie. the school
tax levy was raised 10 cent?. making
the levy this year 90 cents on the 800
! of taxable values; the road levy was
! increased from 10 cents to 90 cents.
and the levy. for county taxes was re-
duced from 40 cents to 20 cents--mak-
/ ing the total levy for all purposes 80
cents on the 800 of values. The In
crease of the school and road lcvies
J insures the building of new high
schools and better educational fac1li-
ties generally in the county. and th.
Improvement of the public roads. a
movement in which the people are
Just now greatly interested. They
have an example OF what can be done
In. this respect in the fine road now
being built by convict labor from
Petersburg out to the county court
house several miles OF which have
been completed. Dinwiddie has about
100 miles OF public roads most of
which. in the course OF time will be
improved.
Valuable Institution.
The Petersburg Benevolent Mechan-
ic Association. of which Mr.. Hugh r.
Smith is the president and Mr. william
H. Baxter is the secretary and treas
urer. has one OF the most valuable
libraries and complete museums In the
State. Its library numbers nearly
1900 volumes. historical. scientific.
biographical. mechanical and general
while its museum includes large and
varied collection of relics and curios5
The association was incorporated IN
1895 and 1t has been in continued
and successful operation ever since,
growing in popularity each year.
1t owns a fine property at the corr
ner of Sycamore and Tabb Streets. un
der which are located several hand
some stores. The main floor contains
the library and museum. with galleries
in spacious and handsomely fitted
up hall. the reading room supplied
with all the magazines and prominent
newspapers of the day. the librarians
room and offices. The library proper
has recently been greatly improved
But 1T is not In these respects alone
that the association has accomplished
such great good in the community.
| 1t has a charitable sidesto its work, and
{ in the relief extended to needy and
sick members and in the education OF
the orphan children of its deceased
members through long course of
years II has expended a large sum Of
money. Its work has been, and is now,
truly benevolent, as the name OF the
association implies.