November 1895
ONE of the most unfortunate events of recent occurrence is the fire that laid waste to so much that was precious at the University of Virginia on Sunday, 27th of October. The rotunda and annex were destroyed, most of the books in the Library were consumed, and the celebrated painting, “The School of Athens” was lost. Jefferson’s statue and the bust of Professor Minor were saved. The Library contained fifty-three thousand volumes. About ten thousand were saved. The value of the forty-three thousand now in ashes, cannot be estimated, for so many of these volumes, it seems, cannot be replaced. There had been no fire in the building since Friday before, and so it must have been incendiary, unless the fire was caused by an electric wire. The loss is estimated from one hundred thousand to two hundred thousand dollars. The insurance was $25,000. The water mains were undergoing repairs, and but little could be done by the local fireman. Staunton and Lynchburg sent fire companies, which did valuable service in preventing the spread of the flames to the residences and dormitories. The buildings, no doubt, will be replaced in an enlarged and more pretentious style before very long. There are five hundred students enrolled, and the prospects were never more flattering for a prosperous session.
HOME NEWS
DIED, at his home on Williams River, Milton Simmons.
THE Musical Association meets this week at Dilley’s Mill, Bethel Church.
AS WILL be noticed, our columns are crowded with advertisements this week to the exclusion of much reading matter.
THE Pocahontas Literary Society had a public meeting last Friday evening. The question for debate, decided in the affirmative by a rising vote of the audience of nineteen to sixteen, was resolved: that the lumbering industry has been an injury to the county. The speakers for the affirmative were Messrs. John Murphy and Hassel Walton; negative, Will McLaughlin and Orin Slavin. The program was enlivened with music and declamations by various members of the club. The society proposes to give a public meeting once each month, which no doubt will be vastly appreciated in the dull months of winter when excitement runs low.
AS AN example of a prosperous family, that of Mr. Hugh McLaughlin, of near Dunmore, is deserving of complimentary mention. There are six sons and five daughters. Two of the daughters are popular teachers, and five of the sons are in the camps ranking with first-class woodsmen. All are saving their earnings and placing the money where it does the most good for their parents and themselves.
THE wedding at Uncle Sam Sutton’s last Wednesday was largely attended and quite a nice time indeed. Rev. Maxwell married Mr. D. L. Ervin to Miss Virginia Sutton and Mr. Jim Phillips to Mrs. Anna Sheets. After the wedding ceremonies, about 80 people partook of the good things that Aunt Margaret and Uncle Sam had prepared for the occasion. May they all live long and die happy.
A YOUNG Mr. Hickman, son of the late Roger Hickman, on Back Creek, a few miles north of Mt. Grove was pulled from his horse by a clothesline and broke his arm in two places last week. Dr. Lockridge reduced the fractures.
ED McLaughlin jumped 90 feet in a circle. It’s a boy, the first.
W. A. Gladwell caused quite an excitement in town last Sunday evening by running his horse through Main Street, yelling as if in great trouble, and when the cause was learned, it was a fine boy had come to say.
H. M. Lockridge, Esq., teaches the Beaver Creek school and rides from his home every day.
PROF. C. E. Sutton is painting buggies in town this week.
THE goose bone is nearly all white this year, and the result will be that snow will lie on the ground from early in December until late in April. A long, cold winter, filled with blustery storms, is ahead. There are other signs that confirm this. Cornhusks are unusually thick, and chipmunks and woodchucks are already fat enough to kill.
SIGNS multiply that the coming winter is to arrive early, be hard and long-lasting. A resident of a lonely cabin was startled the other night by what she, at first, thought was the confused sound of many voices. It was a big flock of wild geese going to winter quarters, considerably ahead of schedule, and the oldest inhabitant regards this an unfailing sign of weather.
HOLLOWEEN passed and was celebrated in the usual original and happy style by the frolicsome youth of Marlinton. It was truly a great mind that originated the idea of carrying Golden’s buggy to the middle of the river, and taking a wheel off and hiding it. The only commendable thing done was the removing of a shed, built at the front door of the courthouse. This building was upset and turned upside down.
IT’S not the noise of the cannon that kills; it’s the shot. Here are some of the killing kind of shot – when I announce a bargain, I actually give it. Here they are: Heavy grey ulster overcoats, with storm collar, $5.00, former price $8. Gray Dass overcoats $4.75; worth fully $7.50. Nice line of beaver overcoats in black, brown and slate at 25 percent less than manufacturer’s price. ~ P. Golden
THERE has been a great deal of fire in the woods lately. A person that will set the woods on fire ought to be rammed jammed into a double barreled shot gun, loaded with 99 ounces of pack saddles, half bushel of sour crout primed with a pack of Dutch cheese and shot length wise through the Devil’s backbone.