The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, July 27, 1877, Image 1

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vvjwwv 1V lOfi UniXAJI "WHAT TUB NORTHERN MILLS HAVE DONE, AND \yUAT TUB SOUTHERN MILLS CAN DO. i The New York Financial aud Couimeroial Chronicle, of tho 7lh instant, contains : an artiolo on tho above sabjcot, a brief synopsis of tho main points of which will bo of interest: In July, 1874, the ootton mills and their jk Agents found, that thoy had a largo surplus l of stock on hand, aud it was at onco claimed -Jkhat there was an immense ovor production J ^of mauufhctUrod goods. In July, 1875, ' hewevor, it was ascertained that though the \ _ til!IU hull liaa/1 tin au mnnK "? k. .. M??v? wo UIUVU VV(VUil ?a U V Ui j & . still thoy held, at that duto, a decreased stock to a grout extent, manufacturers was still furthor reduced, although mora raw cotton was consumed than in years past, and honce it was shown that tho country was really steadily absorbing moro than tho current production, notwithstanding the , ^uuiversal business depression which prevailAn investigation into tho actual 'number of pounds of cotton worked up during tho < past six months by fifty-eight of tho larger i cotton manufatturin? establishments of New i England, shows still an increase over pre- i vious years in the consumption of raw ma- j terial. Comparing tho consumption of these mills j for the llrst six months of 1877 with the ; *me period of 1876, it is shown as follows : < rounds. la the first six months of 1877 th* 68 mills consumed 94,650,874 1 la tho first six months of 1876 tho 68 ' mills consumed ? 91,469,447 ! I Insrstii In Ih* last ?* mnnlk? P. 1 ftl A')7 or 0:48 por cent. ' ( Commenting on this, the article referred to sajjtt "These fifty-eight mills use about four hundred aud uine thousand bales of cotton ] each year, which would bo aboutJtbirty-throo ' and ouc-eighth per cout. of the fttiro Northern cousamption ; and, as they represent a fair average of all tho Northern cotton mills | in styles of production aud iu other particulars, wo may safely tako tho iucrcaso obtained abovo as representing tho actual in- { creuso this year iu tlio consumption of cotton ( by our Northern mills as compared with last year Ono further fact of importance is ' also brought out by this inquiry, aud that J is that tha ertmla ni;inilFiir>t.lir/>?1 frnni <Kie I o - ? ? ] cotton havo all disappeard?having gone iu- J to actual homo consumption or been exported?in the faco of tho very dull trade dur- , ing till the early mouths cf the yoar. Could we havo more positive proof that at low prices consumption has outrun production, and is constantly increasing ? Tho population has increased sinco tho 1S73 panic ; the buying capacity of our people, under the recaporating influences of good crops and past economies, is rapidly on tho increase } the export domand is also decidedly larger and at paying prices; altogether giving to the manufacturing outlook an extremely favorable aspect?never more promising, unless prices be ran up to a poiut i which shall check oonsumption.'j*.* Comparing those faots with 191 year's transactions will give an insight into tho fu? turo. Various causes led to a dooliue in i prices generally last season. Ddfiflg that dull time, spinners almost universally adopted the polioy of working up thoir eottou and pushing the sale of their productions, in Luropo stocks aro now about oxbausted, i and what is hereafter consumed must bo takon from tho market out of the visible supply. It will therefore be interesting to see what of last voar's oron of 4.AOO.OOO bales will be kept for export after deducting what is needed for home wants. From the figures given abovo it is estimated that our Northorn mills will yet require this year 139,000 bales additional to what tSkj have already oonsuuied and have on hand. Bearing this faet in mind, then, the following is shown : Stock ia ports Juno 29, as above 257,000 Raoelpts at ports and corrections after Jane 29, estimated 50,000 Overland after June 29, estimated 80,000 Total supply after June 29 887,000 The stook In ports 1st September is a varying quantity, larger or smaller as demand ana prices may contrel it. Last year 120,000?suppose it this year. 100,000 a freight engagements at all the ports for export June 29, were abont 85,000?135,000 Whioh leaves 202,000 To supply the home want for spinning. ..189,000 !.?u. r.. ??.( W*pW? ? *?? ?? ? OI,VW And, m the article referred to says in conolusioo: "Last September our spinners ^Bpro bar* of clocks, baring allowed tbem to down, as the growing crop promised daring the summer a very full yioM.? Should an? oiroumstanoe lead manufacturers to stock up this year, of cojtho to just that extent their demand would he inoroased and the abore surplus for export be dibiriihed. Tho secret of running a boarding house probably, is to find out just what your boardors don't liko. aud then food 'em lot's of it. M I THE SITUATION. The close of the war found tbo planter in a most critical condition. Ilis plantation out of repair, bis cotton screws nud gin houses tumbling to pieces, his laborers rendered unmanageable by tho interference of the Uuited States military satraps placed over him, aud without farm implements or horse power to operate with, ho was forced to uso every expedient to raise money to I mako a beginuiug. Hence ho gave liens and mortgages to borrow means at most exorbitant interest, aud made such contracts as he could with tho ''freedman"?contracts which were one-sided. He provided the laborer with rutious, paid all the taxes aud iucurrod all tho ri&ks, without any pow- 1 er to enforce the performance on tho other part. . WltTrineffluicut labor, bad seasous, catcrpillar, buying all bis provisions at high j prices, costly transportation to aud from ^ market, factor's commissions, interest aud taxes, high prices did not put him ahead. At tho close of tho year he was ia debt Jocpor than at the beginning. Tho plan tor, although ho has the reputation of bciug a "croaker," is always hopoful. After tho cotton is disposed of no more work is done ou the plantation by the freed tnau. The winter, which used to bo the soason for ploughing, repairing and fixing up for tho ucxt year, is spent in loafing, frolicking and depredations. Christinas week is converted into Christinas months, and when the season for planting comes rouud, everything is douo in a hurry, aud, consequently, not well done. Tho planters, hopeful that cotton will he higher next Fall, give another lien aud pitchas in again for a big cotton crop. Tho frecdman is averse to planting again, ho kuows that lie will bo provided for, aud wauts only what he can readily convert into moucy.? Grocery stores with Westorn flour, bacon, and corn, spring up at every railroad station and cross-road storo. The raising of stock is abandoned on account of bad fences and shot guus, aud tho wholo energy of tho farmer is devoted to the production of cotton. Since tho war another item has entered the oxpenso account of no incousidcrahlc importance?commercial fertilizers. The . use of it lias couio to be so much the fashion lhat many farmers believe it is impossible lo grow cotton without it, while some closo an J cautious uicu entertain a different opinion. All agree, howevor, that it is a very troublesome item of cxpenso. Every year has been but a repetition of this order of tilings, and it is not strange that the condition jf the planting interest is worso now than it was at the initiation of pence, "so-called." No planter of experience will preteud that cotton can be grown at the present price profitably, Hid it is plain lhat no country can prosper under a system of agriculture which annually ofily adds to the embarrassments, and must end in the ruin of the planter. Wc must avail ourselves of the teachings of experience and change.?Jour, of Commerce. # How Far will a Greenback Go.? Mr. Brown kept boarders. Arouud his table sat Mr. Brown, Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Andrews, the village milliner, Mr. Black, tho baker, Mr. Jordan, a carpenter, and Mr. Iladley, a flour, feed and lumbor merchant. Mr. Brown took oat of his pocket book a ton dollar note and handed it to Mrs. Brown, saving; "Ilore, my doar, aro ton dollars towards tho twenty I promised you." Mrs. Brown handed it to Mrs. Audrows, ttio milliner, Baying: "That pay* for my now bonnot." Mrs. Andrews said to Mr. Jordan, as she handed hiui tho note : "That will pay you for your work on my counter. Mr. Jordan handed it to Mr. Ilndloy, the flour, food and lumber uiorchaut, requesting his lumber bill. Mr. lladley gave the note back to Mr. Browu, saying: "That pays ten dollars on my board." Mr. Brown passed it to his wife, with the remark that that paid hor tho twonty dollars he had promised. Sho in turn paid it to Mr. Black, to settle hor bread and pastry account, who handed it to Mr. Iladloy, wishing oredit for tho amonnt on his flour bill; ho again returning it to Mr. Brown, with the remark, that it settled for that month's board. Whereupon Brown put it back into his pocket-book, exclaiming, that he "never thought a too dollar bill would go so far." Thus a ten dollar greenback was made to pay ninoty dollars indebtedness inside of five miuutoj. Who says greenbacks ore 1 worth loss: To H*lp a Call a Lilt to Bloom.? Be sura it has a good rich soil; water with cry warm water, with a little ammonia or bone duet added once in a week or two.? Krery morning pour boiling water in the saneer of tfco pot the lily is in, and give it plenty of heat and suushine. I have two pots of lilies and have two flowers on one and one flower and two buds on the other. ?Ex. J A fair reputation is a plant dolicato in its nature and by no means rapid in its growth. It will shoot up in a night liko tho gourd uf the piophct; but, like that gourd, it may perish in the night i THE FIGHT BETWKSH THE MONITOR ASD 1UE MEJttttlMAC Tlie death, at Schnu, Ala., of Lieutenant 1 Catcsby Juues, recalls ono of the most uiomcutous evculs of the war of the rebulHon, and the beginuing of a new <p*a iu tho his* tory of naval warfare. Liedteuaut Jones, who was a brilliant cliiccr of our uavy, rank- . iug with Dahlgreuc as an authority in ordinance and gunnery, took the side of tho South duriug tho war. It was he who commanded tho Merriuiac, or Virgiuia, a3 she was called by the Confederates, iu her fainjus fight with tiie Monitor, and tluib is tho sveut to which wo refer. On the afternoon of the S>.h of March, t8Gd, tho improvised irou clad Merriuiac, whose anpearaneo had !ou<> been anticipated ' i i..* i i ? ? * iiiu uiuuuva, siouuiou aowu llio y lizaL?ci.li River toward Naw^orlNfiWr.. Ilcr appaLr ?ueo was speedily signalled to the Union blockading squadron in that neighborhood, which consisted of the frigate Congress and .lie sloop-ofiwar Cumberland at Newport News, and iho frigates Minnesota, lloanokc tud St. Lawrence, at Fortress Mouroc, sis lriles distant. Lieutenant Catesby Jones vas in couuuaud of the Merrimac, which iad been made into an armored vessel by azeoing to the water line the old and famous 'rigato Mcrriuiac, theu lying abandoned at ho Norfolk Navy Yard, and building up on ler an irou casement to protect, her battery. L'his shield was iu the form ot a roof, and 1 he plating, which was of railroad bars, was our inches thick, which would bo cousidcrid au absurdly weak armor now-todays.? Ller battery consisted of eight 9 inch Duhl;recn guns, and four 7 J-iuch rifles of the LJrooko pattern?a powerful armament for .hat time. The fleet at Fortress Mouroo slipped their ( jablcs and advanced toward the monster, , while the Congress and Cumberland stood , ready to meet her. The three ships woro ioou engaged in n hot fight; but our vessels . taw to their dismay that thcii shots had no \ oorc effect on the tcrriblo Confederate than , peas ou au elephant's hide, while the Mer- 1 i'.-ti. i i? i i * iiuiuu ^/uitu mini ner uroausiucs wan uis- ( istrous consequences to the wooden ships. , rhe Ggbt was a short one, the Mcrriuiuc , >0011 striking and sinking the Cumberland, nhosc gallant crow weut down with hor.? ( 1'ho successful vessel tlicu paid her altcn- . dons to the Congress, dealing out to her a J aking fire of hot shot, for the heating of , vhich Lieutenant Jones hud prepared a ' luruacc aboard the Mcrrimae,' which'was ( in harmed l?jr tlio shells of the wooden fri- \ jatc. The Congress was soon in flames, and ho Mci'tiuiuc made for tho other vessels, ( jut owing to her great draught of water was ( in able to get near enough to them to do I10111 injury; and at seven in tho evening lie Confederate iron-clad and her consorts .teamed back to Norfolk. Lieutenant Jones, n an account of tho battle, which ho pubished long after, says ho was satisfied with ho day's work, as well he might have been, ind had no doubt of his ability to start out >u the morrow and clean out the rest of the Union fleet. Meantime a panic prevailed it Fort Mouroe, aud tho whole country Told its breath. Hut Lieut. Jones did not do nuy moro deauiug out. At 8 o'clock in tho evening there appeared off Fort Mou.oo a strnngf looking little craft, which, two days before, had lel't New York. It was the Monitor, in experiment iu naval construction, iu ivhiuli every thing was new and untried, turrets, machinery aud all. Iler guns had ( Dcon only onco fired ; 6ho had gone to sea from tlio stocks; the paiut upon her was . icarcoly dry, and lior officers, except the . two engineers, kuow nothing, by experience, I >1' Iicr working or capabilities. At C o'clock , >u tlio moruing of the 9th, (Suuduy,) the watch-officer of the Minnesota espied tlio , Merrimac ateamiug toward them from Sew- . ill's Point, while the mist overlaid the ] water. The Monitor was signalled, ami ] promptly hoisted anchor, battened down her j iron hatches, and prepared for her uiuiJcu , light. rl'bo Merrihiuc hove in sight, and at , juce made for the Minnesota, which she intended to capture and carry off as a prize . to Norfolk, whore crowds lined the wharves, waiting to ace her lowed into tbo harbor in -1 triumph. Put, before tho Minnesota was reached, the little monitor caino out front uudcr her quarter, and David advanced tp uieot Goliath. She ran down to withip short range of tho Mcrriinac, which promptly guvo her turrot three broadsides, hut they glanced off without doing harm. The Monitor replied with her two eleven-iucli guns, , and, beginning at 8 o'clock, the naval duel proceeded, lasting until noon, tlio two contestants frequently touching each other, and sending their shot at so close quarters, while, through a largo part of tho fight, they were only a fow yards apart. In tho excitement, tho Monitor at first fired wildly, so elevating her guns that most of tho missiles wore wasted, but, later, tho guns wcro depressed, and tlio shot began to tell. Mortally wouuddB, the Merrimao was towed to Norfolk, ire I she soon sank. If tho Monitor had known, what was subsequently proved, thari^s' oleven-inch guns could stand a charge of thirty pounds of powder with solid shot, in? stead of the small charge she used, the fato of tho Merriniac would have beeu decided after a fow rounds. The country look a breath of relief, for one of tho gravest dangers of the war hud boon overcome If the Merirmac bad fol lowed up on the Dili the astouishing success she achieved ou the 8th tho whole fleet at Newport News would huvo beeu destroyed 1 or captured. Fort Monroe would have been at her mercy, tho Jauics ltivcr would ' have beeu closed to tho Union, and our whole Atlautic seaboard v.ould have beeu iu peril. Tho little Mouitor had begun a 1 now era iu naval warfare, the era of tho 1 last iiitccn years, aud tho ouo which is to 1 he succeeded by that of the movable torpo- ' do, which, properly dovelopod, will neutral- 1 izc.tho great monitors that now form tho 1 main btrcugth of all modorn navies.? "Lieutenant Joues at once recognized that 1 the iuiprcguablo turret was henceforth to 1 lie the chief feature of naval construction, 1 aud did uot hesitate to so extuess liino.dP J. building of the pcrcw steamer Vr iu CO ton was one of the milestones of pro- 1 Hioss; the use of shell guns was a second ; 1 tho Monitor was a third; and now coiacs iho movable torpedo, whoso successful application will eventually make great navies 1 things of tho past, and the world will glad- 1 ly got rid of such enormously extensive marine establishments 1 Ou tho side of the Confederates, Lieut. . Catesby Jones in this historic battle bore hiujsilf with distinguished gallantry aud tho success of the Monitor w;.s chiefly due ' to tho skill aud bravery of her two engineers, Alban C. Stiuicrs aud Isaac Newton, who believed in their untried vessel, know most about her, aud dared to take all risks inside of her plated turret.?jY. Y. Sun. 1 ... j AN INDIAN ROMANCE. During the latter year of the war a part 9*' Spotted Tail's family was at Fort Laramie, and with theui was his favorite daughter, a young girl of eightccu. The Fort was then garrisoned by companies of an Ohio volunteer cavalry regiment, and among the officers was a baudsome young lioutcnlut, of pleasant manners. Spotted Tail's .laughter fell violently iu love with this young uian. ller passion docs not seem to have been reciprocated, aud it is said ho ilid all ho could to convince her ho could not marry her, and therefore it would bo wrong i for him to visit her or receive visits from her. Cut the iu fat ustcd girl would not be convinced and could not see why she, a Princess ,iud the daughter of the most powerful chief i on the plains, was not a suitable wife for the young soldier. Cay after day she would Jress herself with scrupulous euro and conic to the fort to see her beloved, it was pit 1"J>!v liur as hour after - Lour she would sit on the door step of the officer's rpKirtcrs, waiting for him to conic out. At other limes she v/ou'd follow hiut about like a dog, seemingly perfectly happy 10 be near him and enjoy the poor privilege of looking at him. i Spotted Tail, heaving of tin strange conduct of his daughter, and deeply mortified at her want of self-respect, hastened to the fort aud pu.titig her iu charge of route kind friends bid them carry her into the ltocky Maintains, where he had a little camp aud a jf^rlion of his people dwelt in the fall and winter time. They wore told to divert her in every way, and, if possible, endeavor to make lier forget her foolish passion. She went away meekly enough, but fell into a deep melancholy, fiom which 110 effort of friends could rouse her. Presently she refused to take food aud pined away uutilshc was a mere skeleton. One day a courier, whose horse was covered with foam, sought the chief to tell him his daughter was dying of a broken heart :iud wished to see him once more before she passed to the spirit land. Away, over mountain and stream, hurried the great chief, and paused not by night or by day until ho leached the bedside of his beloved child. He found her alive, bat sinking very fast, and she bid him s'.t close beside her and hold her hands in his while she told hiui all the simple story of her love and suffering, and a broken heart. She said: "I shall boou be at rest, my father, and with Llioso of our kiudrcd who have gone bcfo.e. Iu that beautiful laud I will wait for you, and you will soon conic to join uio, dear father, for your hair is white with years of care and toil and you are growiDg old and tired. You aro a great chief, aud have yet mauy warriors, but 1 pray you not to quarrel with tho whites, who are more numerous than the leaves on the trees of the forest. Sparo your pcoplo, my father, and rest yet a little while iu peace; when you will have -p.i? ? ? -p i'p * IVUVMVU VIIW Ultu Vl illV JUUIUfJ U1 1I1C 21 LIU como to join uic in tliut happy homo whore I am going. The pale faces aro the people of him I love so well, and between 3 on and them I hope war will never eoino again.? And, oh, my father and my chief, when 1 am dead take my poor wustcd body and lay it to rest on the hill beside the fort where 1 learned to love so well." The chief promised he would do all as she wished, but bid her live and she might yet bo happy. She lingered a fow days and then the faithful heart coased to beat. Ah jgpst heart-broken, Spotted Tail bid his attendants prepare the body for burial, and bear it as rapidly as possible on their shoulders to the fort. ?? ? . Wo ought never to believe evil of any one till we are certain ot it. We ought not to say anything thnt is rudo and displeasing even in a joke, and oven then we onght not to carry the joke too far. PUBLIC HANGIHGS. Bill Bradley, a negro, was tried last May i year ago, for the murder of Hamp. llankiu, his brother-iu-Jaw. Uo was found guilty, aud sentenced to bo hanged on the fourth Friday in last July, with one Wesley Brookes, who was convicted of murder at the same Court and seuteuced to be haDgcd an the same day. Ou his way from tho 1 Courthouse to the Jail ho said: "Whea Ihcy haug me, they will hang a d d good man." A short time beforo the day af cxccutiou he and Brookes broke jail; it was strongly suspected at the timo that tho Jailor couvouiently forgot to lock and bolt Cue doors. Oa the day of their escape, thoy Looks opcu and robbed a store ou the Port lioyal Bail road, Urookos was recaptured and lianged last July. Bradrcy made his way to Georgia aud was caught iu Augusta, a short time before last May court, and lodged in the Aiken jail, lie was resentenced and expiated his criuio yesterday, under as boiling a suu as usually visits us in July. It is estimated by the Sheriff, the Clerk of the Court, and others well qualified to judge, that bctwccu two aud three thousand persons were present. There were not more than lour or five hundred white people.? Of tho negroes, more than one-half were women. The prisoner was brought down from Aikcu, on tho night train of Thursday. Next moruiug lie was brought iu liom Blackville, and arrived here about teu o'clock.? Ou his arrival ho was takcu up to tho towu guardhouso. "\Yhcu the rope was adjusted around his neck, ho was perfectly cool, walked with a quick, firm step, held up his neck to have the rope properly fixed, aud appeared to bo perfectly ready to meet his fate. As ho reappeared, he was dressed in ot.l-.nl- ?? ?-i ?'' jiuit ui JMUIB a UU Willie HUirif, QO other covering except a white cloth on hi9 head. The wagon in which the prisouer lode, was guarded by the Barnvillc Greys, and escorted by the motley crowd of men, women and children. Whcu Bradley arrived at the place of execution. he ascended the scaffold with a firm step, addressed the crowd, saying lie did I.ill the man, but that it was in self-defeuce; that he had made his peace with God, and would soon be with Jesus. After he finished his short speech, he turned to the Sheriff and told hlni to proceed without delay, as ho was anxious to be in the arms of his Jesus, lie was knocked off, aud after hanging some twenty or thirty minutes, the doctois pronouueed him dead aud he was cut down and buried iu the colored graveyard near by. Now, is it not time to cease these public executions and stop the education of this vicious taste. The universal opinion among tho negroes is, that this murderer has gone straight to glory. As I heard a negro women say in the presence of several other woman, '-there is no doubt he is with God.''? Instead of an execution being the just punishment for the violated law, the prisoner is almost an angel; lie springs right from the scaffold to llcaven, and nearly all of the negroes co awav rcioicint' in ?h? 1?? W / V o ' ""w Hot; that a soul is saved and a good uian has reaped the reward of the just. The execution should be private, and let tho imagination do its work. jiut that is not all?at least fifteen hundred laborers were drawn from the crops at the most important part of the season, some of them traveling from twenty to thirty miles to bo present. The cost of this pub-' lie execution in tho loss of labor is at least two thousand dollars, to say nothing of the money spout for provisions and whiskey.? Is not this of itself a powerful argument against public executions ? I beard a member of the Legislature say he intended to iutroducc a bill to chargo each spectator twenty cents a head to witness a hanging, which ho thought would support the poorhouse of the county. Crops aro said to be doing well, and one or two more good rains will secure an abundant yield. The fruit crop is very fine, but mclous arc backward. I have not seen a ripe watermelon iu the market.?Fete, in t/oiir. commerce. A passenger on ouo of the Midland Railroad trains has given to the Middletown (N. Y.) Pnss a sensational account of a. recent thunder storm. The traiu was near Waltou, and tho storm was terrible. There was crash after crash of thunder, with blinding lightning, accompanied by a deluge of raiu and hail. Atone time the train seemed to be enveloped iu a sheet of electrical fire. A fearful crash proccdcd, and instantlj tho engine was in a volume of electricity, balls of tire encircling the driving wheels as they revolved with lightning rapidity. Engineer Fan ford beheld the phenomenon with, wonder and awe, and, supposing that the end of all things was at baud, involuntarily shut off the steam. Nearly every person on the train experienced a severe shook.? A large tree by the track was shattered. Ben Montgomery, a rarely successful find capable colored man, formerly a slave of Jeff Davis' brother, has recently died in Mississippi. When a slave he was largely the manager of his master's estate, which lie purchased after the war for $350,000 in gold. He also became the owner of President Davis' placo as well as several other plantations, and altogether this ex-slawe had a remarkably tlr.'.ving career.