A Coffin for Keeping

 

In keeping with the Halloween story I present . . .

 

A strange story was brought here to day, from New Kent, the truth of which is vouched for. Last week Mr. J.H. Christian, an eccentric old gentleman, was taken very ill und he thought he could not recover. He sent to Tunstall's for an undertaker to come and take his measure for a coffin, which he did. The initial box was made and taken to Mr. Christian's who approved it. He is now much better, him will no-over, but will keep the box until he needs it.

- Norfolk Virginian,  18 August 1895

Improvement of Chickahominy River Virginia: 1895 Report

IMPROVEMENT OF CHICKAHOMINY RIVER VIRGINIA

This river is one of the principal tributaries of the James River and is navigable at high water for vessels drawing 12 feet to Binn Bar 2 miles below Windsor Shades. The latter place is the head of navigation and is 25 miles from the mouth of the river. Previous to artificial betterment the channel from Binn Bar to Windsor Shades was obstructed by several shoals with a depth of 4 to 5 feet at low water and the entrance to the river was obstructed by a bar. The present project of improvement is to dredge a channel from 100 to 150 feet wide and not less than 8 feet deep at low water through the shoals near the head of navigation and a channel 200 feet wide and 14 to 15 feet deep at low water through the bar at the entrance. The rise of the tide is about 3 feet. The amount expended on the present project to June 30, 1894 was 23,829.91 The channel through the bar at the entrance to the river has been dredged to the projected dimensions An examination made in January 1891 of the work hitherto done showed that very little shoaling had taken place in the channels dredged since 1878 the worst shoals being near Old Fort. These shoals and those between Binn Bar and Windsor Shades have since been dredged to a depth not less than 8 feet at low water and to a width of 50 feet excepting a part of Windsor Shades Bar where the width is only 40 feet.

Five thousand dollars was appropriated for this improvement by act of July 13, 1892. A contract was entered into with Chester T. Caler, of Norfolk Va., on March 18, 1893 to do the required dredging at 23 cents per cubic yard for material deposited on shore and 13 cents per cubic yard for material deposited by dumping. Work under this contract which was commenced June 9, 1894 was continued during the present fiscal year until July 29, 1894. 18,188 cubic yards of material being removed during July. Thirty-five thousand six hundred and thirty four cubic yards was removed and deposited from scows under this contract from Upper and Lower Binn, Osborn, Old Fort. and Windsor Shades bars increasing the channel width through each bar to 100 feet with 9 feet depth at low water. The aggregate length of the channels dredged was 5,875 feet. The project for this improvement is now complete a channel 100 feet wide and 8 feet deep at low water being completed from the mouth to the head of navigation and this is deemed sufficient for the present and prospective commercial interests of the locality. The amount expended on this improvement during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1895 is $5,170.09 for payment on contract inspection and office expenses

This work is in the collection district of Petersburg, Va which is the nearest port of entry

Nearest light house: Deep Water Light in James River Virginia

Nearest port Fort Monroe Va

The amount of revenue collected at the port of Petersburg, Va during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1895 is $00.00

 The following statistics relative to the commerce of the Chickahominy River Virginia during the calendar year 1894 were furnished by Mr L. F. Barnes of Boulevard, Va.

                                                 Articles

                    Amount      Value
                          tons   $
Cordwood 18 000 90 000
Sawed lumber    6 000 50 000
Vegetables           500 25 000
Fish                     250 10 000
Fertilizer              500 4 000
Total               25 250     179 000

Vessels Number     Average draft    Average tonnage
Feet.
Steam 2 6 6
Sail          200              12 250
Barges 25 6 175
Lighters     25 4 100
Rafts 10

Total 262

-Report of the Chief of Engineers U.S. Army, Part 2
Annual report (United States. War Dept.)
 U.S. Government Printing Office, 1895

He . . .

HAD HIS COFFIN READY

The Richmond correspondent of the Petersburg Index-Appeal, in the Sunday edition of that paper, says: A strange story was brought here to day from New Kent, the truth of which is vouched for. Last week Mr. J.H. Christian, an eccentric old gentleman, was taken very ill, and he thought he could not recover. He sent to Tunstall's for and undertaker to come and take his measure for a coffin, which was done. The casket was made and taken to Mr. Christian, who approved it. He is now much better and will recover, but will keep the coffin until he needs it.

 -Times (Roanoke)August 20, 1895


Interestingly, there are two "J. H. Christian"s buried at Emmaus Baptist Church. There is  John Harris Christian Jr. who died July 30, 1897 but who was only 42 in 1895 and so you would not think would qualify as "an eccentric old gentleman." The other is John H. Christian( John Harris' father?) who passed at 73 . . . on October 12, 1895.
So he was off by 50 days?

Bicycle Racing Comes to New Kent . . . A Hundred and Twenty Years Ago

Bicycles racing up and down the county roads has a longer history than most expect . . .

   

            Bicycle Record Broken

There have been numerous bicycle parties of late organized to make the run between this city and Richmond in one day. For one reason or another they have all become discouraged and returned home. Mr. Winder, the well known long distance rider, reached Norfolk Saturday night, and reported that the path along the Chesapeake and Ohio railway was in good condition. Nevertheless it required portions of two days for him to reach Norfolk from Richmond.

Dr. George D. Levy, the optician, and Mr. D.L. Jackson, a printer, determined to break the record, and on Sunday morning went via steamer Louise to Newport News. There they mounted their wheels and reached Richmond Sunday night. They describe their trip as being very fatiguing but seem to derive a great deal of satisfaction in being the first to make the run in one day.

Just before reaching Morrison's the pedal of Mr. Jackson's wheel was sprung by an unobserved stump. On reaching that station it gentleman whose residence was directly opposite, kindly gave the wheelmen valuable assistance. The pedal was straightened, and the bicyclists proceeded on their way. Willamsburg was reached at noon, and Mr. Spencer, the genial proprietor of the hotel, had dinner served an hour before the regular time so us not to delay the wheelmen. After doing justice to this repast they departed in the direction of Richmond. At Windsor Shades the bicyclists were furnished with a pitcher of cold butter milk. Which was greatly enjoyed. They were also offered lodging for the night by the very hospitable people,living at that place. This was declined with thanks.

At Providence Forge occurred the only unpleasant incident of the entire trip; The telegraph operator and station agent refused to give the wheel-men a glass of water, and informed them that he could not send a telegram to their friends until 7 o'clock. Roxbury was reached at half-past 5 o'clock and eighteen miles more had to made, it was impossible to do this before dark, but the wheelmen were too near Richmond to give up. At Fort Lee the railroad path was left and the Willamsburg road taken towards Richmond. After plodding through the sand on this road for nearly three miles the splendid road from the National Cemetery to Richmond was reached. Coasting down this road was a great relief after so many hours of hard riding. Soon Richmond was reached, and what had hitherto never been done was accomplished.

-The Norfolk Virginian, 29 October 1895

Second Hand Danger

Smallpox in an Old Suit of Clothes

Special to the Post

Richmond, Va., March 7.- A fully developed case of smallpox is reported from Lanexa, a station on the Peninsula division of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, about thirty miles from Richmond. Henry Jackson is the patient and Dr. John Turner is the physician attending him. Jackson received a second-hand suit of clothes from New York, and is thought  to have contracted the disease through that medium. Dr. Oppenheimer, president of the city board of health, will investigate the matter to-morrow.

-The Washington Post. March 8, 1895

Coffin Ready

-from the Roanoke Times, August 20, 1895