The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-02
MARKED ny SPIRIT or PROGRESS
IN WHICH NEW CITY coUN@
CIR. JOINED,
DEATH RATE LOW
NEGROES SHOW MORE DEATHS
AND FEWER BIRTHS DUR
-
ING 1912 THAN THE
WHITES.
virginian Bureau.
Law Building. Phone 1887

FEl EfNSbU hGs FA.s Jan. line
annual report OF the health officer
shows that q total of $40 deaths oc-
Cured in this city In 1912. OF these
228 we're white and 342 colored; ,289
were males and PSI females.
The colored population OF Peters
burg Is 1900 less than the white.
Yet the death rate of the colored peo-
pie was much higher, and the birth
rate lower than the white people.
The total number OF births here
in 1912 was ESQ. or this number
347 were males and 313 females.
Shot While Hunting.
Harry Shusmith. we'll known
young man of this city, was seriously
wounded while hunting in Chester
field county this afternoon. He was
shot In the shoulder with load of
bird shot. He was brought. to the
Petersburg hospital for treatment. 1t
is understood that the shooting was
accidental. On account of his con-
dition, Shusmith has not yet been
able to tell how the accident occurred.
He Is son OF Thomas Shusmith,
formerly butcher doing business on
Old street.
Many Drunks During Year.
The report of Chief of Police Rag
land for the month OF December
shows that one-haIf the arrests made
here during that time were for drunk
enness. Two hundred and eleven ar
rests were made; one hundred and
six OF these were ordinary drunks
Negro Druggist Dead.
!, William s. Fields. a well known
this morning at his home on Halifax
street. He was for many years the
only colored druggist here. He-stood
high among his race.
The year 1912 was q good one for
Petersburg commercially. industrial1y
and otherwise. 1t marked the awak-
ening of Split of progress. 1t was
a year OF great building operations,
large expansion of trade, and of ad-
vanced values in property. The city
council has caught the spirit of great
err progress, and 100000 will be
spent in municipal improvements this
year.
Big Fire Loss.
Destruction OF property by fire in
Petersburg during 1912 amounted to
approximately 100000, A great
many of the fires were OF trivial con-
sequence. The most serious fire of
the year was the one that caused
greater loss than all the others COM
bined; that which occurred august
26th destroying three stores of the
Watson Realty company. on Wash
ington street.
Parcels Post.
Parcels post BUSINESS at the local
Office was quite brisk. AS evidence
of the working of the parcels post,
q citizen yesterday received a pack
age on which Is cents in postage had
been paid. The same package was
sent by parcels post today for 6
cents.
Boys Condition Favorable.
Tom Pond, the little white boy who
was accidentally shot Monday by a
companion with a .22 caliber rife,
was subjected 10 an X-ray exami-
nation at the Petersburg hospital to-
day In order to determine the foca-
ton of the ball. The boys condition
continues favorable.
Body Not Identified.
Acting Coroner Lundie. of Chester
field county. held an inquest at IL
o'clock today at the establishment of
y. T. Morriss g. Son over the body of
the unknown white man who was
killed by q train at Cheeseman's sid
ing several nights ago. There was
nothing learned at the inquest in re-
gard to the identity OF the man or
the cause of his being run over by
the train. The coronar's jury return
ed the following verdict: THAT the
deceased, whose identity is unknown
to us, came to his death on the night
of December 80, 1912. by some cause
unknown to the jury, he having ap-
parently been run over by train on
the Atlantic Coast Line railroad in
Chesterfield county"
The railroad company was author
ICED to bury the body. The funeral
took place at The grave In Blandford
cemetery this afternoon at ; O'Clock.
Rev. r. w. Moore cfficiated.
Eiks' Home Improvement.
- afe xssEss fsazzass s,a sTa,ssS ssEeas In
being exsansas aiy Improved. if WILL
be very handsome when the present
Improvements are finished, All the
rooms of the first floor have been
laid in hardwood and the basement
has been remedeled and finished to
be used as rathskellar. The upper
floors will be turned into a lodge
room. This work will not be COM
pleted before the spring.
Lecture Enjoyed.
Professor Clark J. Brown delivered
q lecture at Wesley Methodist church
Last light upon the subject. Science
VS.. Spiritism." His lecture was much
enjoyed by those present.
Personals.
A. III. Bowen, OF Richmond, was
here today on business.
Mr.. and Mrs. J. e. Hack have re-
turned from their bridal tour. They
are at home to their friends at 2S7
iGroye avenue.
Mrs. r. Y. Mayes Is sick at her
home on Commerce street.
Today being legal holiday. the
banks and various manufactures OF
the city were closed.
Misses Wilma and Mary Temple
have returned from a visit to Prince
George county.
Rev. Charles r. Stribling is visit