"A Mile a Minute" 1905

 

                                    FAST MAIL TRAIN KILL TWO MEN

          White Farmer and Negro Track Walker Are Instantly Killed.

                               GO TO MEET FLYER ON VELOCIPEDE CAR

Mystery Surrounds the Accident. Track Walker Knew of Approaching Express. Engineer Says Neither Man Made Any Move to Escape Death.

 

 Mr. A.A. Laudell, a farmer, and William Winfred, a colored track walker in the employ of the railroad, were struck by Chesapeake and Ohio train No. 8 on yesterday afternoon and Instantly killed.

 The scene of the accident was one-half a mile east of Windsor Shades. The men were upon the velocipede car belonging to the section master of the division, and, strange as it may seem, were going west to meet the approaching train. 

 The fast flyer of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway left the Main Street station, at Richmond 4 P.M. on his usual race to Newport News. A mile a minute is no unusual speed for No. 8 to make on straight stretches.

 After leaving Windsor Shades the engineer, Mr. Chalkley, on engine No. 71 saw on the straight track ahead of him a hand-car containing two men. It was impossible to stop the fast moving train, and besides he thought the men on the car would certainly jump to save their lives. They made not the slightest movement, however, for safety, and simply advanced to met their death. The straight stretch of track is of some length at this point; the sound of an approaching train can be heard there for a great, distance, and William Winfred, the track walker, was familiar with the train schedules and was aware that the fast train was due at that time. The fact that the men were on the main track and were approaching an express train which was known to be due, lends an air of mystery to the unhappy occurrence. 

            Who the Men Are.

 Mr. A. A. Laudell is a farmer who resides about a mile from Walker's Station, which is about eight miles from Providence Forge.

 William Winfred, the negro track walker, is highly spoken of by railroad men. They say he was a good and careful employee and they cannot understand how he rushed willingly into the very jaws of death. He was familiar they say with the time of passing trains and was a temperate man in his habits.

The accident occurred about 4:40 P.M. 

The bodies of the unfortunate men were turned over to the Coroner, who will summons a Jury this morning. It is said that no blame attaches to the Engineer Chalkley of the railroad.

-The Times Dispatch, July 5, 1905

More on Engineer Chalkey soon

The Christmas Chase

 This a reposting from 2014

A Hot Chase With a Big Pack in New Kent.

(Special to The Times-Dispatch.)

ROXBURY, VA., December 27.- One of the most exciting fox chases in New Kent for some time took place Christmas day, when Mr. Lee Jenk Boze and his brother, Joe Boze, of Highland Springs, with thirty-six hounds; Willie and George Ellyson, of Quinton; W.H. Graves, of Seven Pines, with fifty-four dogs, as fine as can be found in Virginia. The day was an ideal one-cool, clear and calm. After leaving Dispatch Station Mr. Joe Boze's Little Ruby, struck a hot trail, and was soon followed by her companions, Storm and Fleet. They soon had old Reynard on his feet, and without a hitch for forty minutes the sweetest music in all the world rolled over the hills from the red mouths of forty hounds, which, mingled with the shouts of many happy riders, could be heard for many miles out on the soft morning breeze.

The old fox, being hotly pursued, used every trick known to his kind to elude its pursuers, but alas, poor Reynard, with brush down, tongue protruding and all heart gone, headed for a hog lot and sought protection among the hogs. Here he found no friends, for soon the hogs had the fox cornered and was making short work of him, and when the boys came up it took seven huntsmen to get dogs, fox and hogs separated. In a moment old Reynard was cold in death, swinging from the saddle of Mr. Graves.

-The Times-Dispatch(Richmond), December 28, 1905

I assume the Ellysons mentioned above are William T. Ellyson (1866-1944) and George Washington Ellyson (1875-1960) brothers, the sons of Richard Abner Ellyson.

Slovaks in New Kent

"New Kent County:  A 1905 advertisement in Jednota* promoted a 'Slovak Colony in Virginia,, a farming community where many Slovak families were reported to have come.'  The colony was located 'only two miles from the town of West Point and 15 from the city of Richmond,' an awkward description, since West Point and Richmond were approximately 35 miles apart.  The advertisement stated 'Last month over twenty families bought farms here.'  No clearly Slovak place names are evident on the area USGS quadrangles.  The 1930 census listed King William County, 76 Czechoslovaks, and in New Kent County, 56.

John and Mary Janosov, who purchased a New Kent County farmstead called Aspen Grove in 1908, were likely among the Slovak families. [1] They came to New Kent from Braddock, Pennsylvania.  John Kaliniak, from Rices Landing, Pennsylvania, bought 100 acres near Quinton in 1907.[2]  The 1917 State Gazetteer listed J. Janosov, Quinton district, among the county’s farmers.  Other likely Slavic names listed in the 1917 gazetteer were Paul Kramus and Paul Kregnas, also in the Quinton district.  Likely Slavic names listed in the county deed records include Knakel (1916), Kalinchak (1917), Kozelnisky (1919), Kotcko (1923, 1942), and Kolousek (1933)."

- The Czech and Slovak Communities in Virginia by John E. Wells,

* "Unity," a Slovak language magazine.

Running with Little Ruby

A Hot Chase With a Big Pack in New Kent.

(Special to The Times-Dispatch.)

ROXBURY, VA., December 27.- One of the most exciting fox chases in New Kent for some time took place Christmas day, when Mr. Lee Jenk Boze and his brother, Joe Boze, of Highland Springs, with thirty-six hounds; Willie and George Ellyson, of Quinton; W.H. Graves, of Seven Pines, with fifty-four dogs, as fine as can be found in Virginia. The day was an ideal one-cool, clear and calm. After leaving Dispatch Station Mr. Joe Boze's Little Ruby, struck a hot trail, and was soon followed by her companions, Storm and Fleet. They soon had old Reynard on his feet, and without a hitch for forty minutes the sweetest music in all the world rolled over the hills from the red mouths of forty hounds, which, mingled with the shouts of many happy riders, could be heard for many miles out on the soft morning breeze.

The old fox, being hotly pursued, used every trick known to his kind to elude its pursuers, but alas, poor Reynard, with brush down, tongue protruding and all heart gone, headed for a hog lot and sought protection among the hogs. Here he found no friends, for soon the hogs had the fox cornered and was making short work of him, and when the boys came up it took seven huntsmen to get dogs, fox and hogs separated. In a moment old Reynard was cold in death, swinging from the saddle of Mr. Graves.

-The Times-Dispatch(Richmond), December 28, 1905

Body Found! Mysterious Case!

 . . . but first, lets hear about this dogs running loose case.

                                               New Kent Notes

ROXBURY, VA Dec. 12.- There is being tried today a case in which much interest is manifested. Mr. E.J. Clopton of Quinton has issued a warrant against his son-in-law, Mr. G.C. Tate, for damages done his sheep by the dogs of Mr. Tate, as he claims. This Mr. Tate denies.

Mr. Tate is a prosperous well-to-do farmer and lumber merchant. He has employed Hon. R.T. Gregory, of Tunstalls, to defend the case, which will be heard by Squire Charlie Tunstall.

There are no developments in the mysterious murder case. Mr. Roy Ford found the body of a young white man near Roxbury on November 29.

Murder most foul was undoubtedly committed by some party or parties unknown. No doubt the mysterious persons- two women and one man, who frequently visited the section where the body of the young man was found have some clue, as days were spent in digging along the banks of the main stream. They had a chart and followed it closely going in 20 rods of the body. When there they came to a stream of water and stopped. Had they crossed this little stream, ten feet from the stream was the body of young man, covered with leaves, a log, resting on each arm and one leg, to keep the limbs down. Had he recovered from the murderous blow he was so pinioned down that nothing was left but slow agonizing death.

One dozen hair pins, a little gold ring and little faded photographs of some girl, a little ribbon bow was all that was found on the body.

A rural route will soon be established from Quinton as the inspector has been here.Mr. W.R. Ruckles will apply for the place of carrier and will no doubt be appointed as no one opposes him.

-the Williamsburg Virginia Gazette, December 16, 1905


One of the most strange(strangely?) written articles I have ever come across.

Timely Frigidity

THE COLDEST DAY FOR MANY YEARS

Unprecedented Conditions in Virginia Rural Parts,

DOWN TO TWELVE BELOW

Labor Suspended and Supplies Growing Short in Country,

(Special to The Times-Dispatch.)

HEATHVlLLE, VA., Feb. 14.-The section of the Northern Neck is completely blocked up and cut off from the outside world. Ice in Coan River is about ten inches thick, and no steamer has reached Coan Wharf for over two weeks.

There was a heavy fall of snow all day yesterday and the ground is covered with about two inches of snow. The first mail In nearly two weeks reached here Saturday night via Warsaw and Merry-point.

Provisions are running short, and unless there is a general thaw up soon, it is feared the stores will run completely out of groceries.

In New Kent.

 (Special to The Times-Dispatch.)

OAK, NEW KENT CO. VA., Feb, 14.-

The ferry, from Plum Point to West Point has cut a way through the ice, and the merchants at Oak did not fall to make use of the opportunity. They had groceries lying on the dock that have been there during this freeze, which they could not got away until last Friday, they had them brought across to Plum Point ferry, and were having their goods hauled through the snow and ice, a distance of seven miles, all day Friday and Saturday. The merchants say that they have a supply of goods that will last them a couple of weeks. The great trouble with the working class of people is that their money has, about exhausted, for they have, had no weather tor work since last December. All business enterprises are practically shut down. Sawmills are the principal enterprises in this section, and they have not blown a whistle for the past four weeks. Public schools are also closed.

-The Times Dispatch., February 15, 1905