University of South Carolina Libraries
Straps and Jacts. ? The correspondent of The Times, at Candia, who just landed after five days in the roadstead, says : "About 600 men, women and children were either burned alive or massacred in the outbreak last week. The Turkish troops are now patrolling and blockading up the streets. The Musselmen are ransacking the ruins of the burned quarters of the town, where devastation is complete. Blood is visable everywhere." ? The president has decided that it would be impracticable for the troops at Montauk to take part in the projected parade in New York city. He has talked the matter over with General Miles and Assistant Secretary Meikeljobn, and it was determined to let the matter be decided by the physical condition. To ascertain this the nffinoro q t iho nnmn wfrp uicuiuai viiivvi o uv v?-?v vv.? r .. -- called upon, as was General Shatter. All reported that the men would not be able to stand the fatigue of the parade befor the first of next month at the earliest. ? Rear Admiral Dewey seems to scent danger. He has asked for an additional cruiser and battleship. The last Spanish garrisons at Ilocos and Laguna have surrendered and the whole of Luzon is in the hands of the insurgents, except Manila and Cavite. Aguinaldo says there are 67,000 insurgents armed with rifles. He adds that he could raise 100,000 men. Indeed, the insurgent leader asserts that the whole population of the Philipine islands is willing to fight for their independence. Aguinaldo complains that the Spaniards are disseminating false reports for the purpose of fomenting antagonism between the Filipinos and the Americans. ? Pando, who was one of CaptainGeneral Blanco's lieutenants, says in New York: "There were two things that could have caused war?the letter of Dupuy de Lome and the explosion ?Moina " ?TKa latter nfSnain's VI KUV HXUIUU. jl uv .vv.v. ?r representative at WashiDgtou was irritating, but of itself never would have caused the war. The often reported cruelties of Spanish government in Cuba were also provocative of an indignant public feeling in the United .States, but this would not have led to more than discussion and debate were it not for the awful tragedy of the Maine. Whoso is responsible for that outrage is responsible for an awful and devastating war, costly in both lives and treasure. He destroyed his own country. He drove Spain from the Western Hemisphere, he destroyed Spain's navy wherever found," says the Chicago Chronicle. ? Wholesale arrests of anarchists have been decided upon in France, Switzerland and Italy, says a Paris dispatch. It is believed that the plot to assassinate the Empress of Austria was hatched by Italian anarchists in Zurich. Seven men were chosen to kill European sovereigns, especially King Humbert.- A French detective who was present at the meeting of the anarchists warned the French foreign minister, with the result that extra precautions were taken to protect King Humbert and President Faure. At a second meeting that was held in Zurich, Luccheni was taunted with cowardice, whereupon he volunteered to assasc<-?mo vir?fim ThA ftnflT chists are better organized than those of any other nation. They are extremely careful as to whom they admit into their society. It is believed that it was they who planned the assassination of President Carnot and Canovas del Castillo, the Spanish Prime Minister. When arrested they invariably refuse to give the names of their accomplices. The men who act as spies upon them have not yet succeeded in getting beyond temporary membership. ? Washington correspondent of the News and Courier: A board of army surgeons is now on the way south to make a report on pos.-ible sites for a large army hospital. At the war department there is considerable mystery about this board und its duties. It is evidently the desire of the authorities to have the inspection of the different sites completed without allowing outside pressure of any kind to be brought upon the board. When I saw Surgeon General Sternberg about the matter this morning he would say absolutely nothing, hut referred me to Adjt. Gen. Corbin. Geueral Corbiu was inclined to be equally non-communicative at first, but finally acknowledged that such a board had been appointed, and was already in the south. , It is the intention, I am told, to make these hospitals of service for the sick soldiers who may be brought to the United States from time to time, it will probably be located at some place on the coast, and the opinion prevails that it will be at Charleston or Savannah. The hospital will be constructed of lumber, and will accommodate from 1,200 to 1,500 patients at oue time. It will be similar to the one now Hearing completion at Hampton Koads. ? Judge Prouty, of the Federal court at Tecumseh, Oklahoma, was lynched by a number of negroes near his home last Sunday night, says a dispatch. The negroes, numberiug only ten, overtook him on the public road about four miles out of town, bound him hand and foot, stripped him of his clothing and hanged him to a tree by the roadside, where his body was found Monday by farmers going into town. On the body was pinned a niece of paper upon which was scrawled: "Justice to negroes." On last Saturday night souie cowboys came into Tecumsch and got drunk. As they were leaving town they passed Dave Fitch, a tough negro of that section. The cowboys began shooting at him and he returned the lire. All of them then opened upon him and filled his body with bullets. No attempt was made by Judge Prouty to prosecute the murderers and the negroes sent him a threat to lynch him unless he took immediate I action. It looked like a war of ex| termination between whites and blacks jand the judge still refused to act. The whites came to bis rescue and told him to stand firm and they would frighten the negroes out of the country. On Sunday a crowd of negroes rode out to Judge Prouty's home and left word i with his family that unless the cow- j boys were arrested at once they would J avenge their comrade's murder. The judge was in town and did not know ' of the visit. When he started home about 10 o'clock the negroes were no- < tified and followed him. They came < upon him and soon accomplished their | Dumose. The whites are in a state of , terror and are arming themselves with the view of exterminating all the negroes of that section. JEltc fjorltviUe (Enquirer. YORKVILLE. S. C.: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17,1898. ? The voters of York county did their duty nobly in the congressional race last Tuesday. ? It has been suggested that if any one American officer of the Spanish war has won the rank of lieutenantgeneral, that man is Joseph Wheeler. The suggestion admits of but little controversy. Without attempting to disparage in the least the claims of Shafter or Miles, the claims of General Wheeler, in our opinion, are much higher. ? The Enquirer is especially proud of its worK last Tuesday mgnt in presenting the result of the election throughout the state. The returns were not complete, it is true ; but they indicated the election of Finley and gave as much information about the status of the state officers as did the daily papers Wednesday morning. Such feats are not usually accomplished by weekly or semi-weekly papers. But The Enquirer is not satisfied with doing only as others do. ? In county contests, often there may be more or less grounds for charges of sectionalism ; but in matters affecting equally the whole county, this thing disappears. Take the vote of Rock Hill in the congressional race, for instance. In the first primary, where it was the plain duty of every voter to vote for the man of his choice, Rock Hill gave 1160 votes for Finley and 145 against him. In the second primary, when duty to the county was the highest consideration outside of close personal ties?for other things were practically equal? Rock Hill gave 329 votes for Finley ( to only 106 for Barber. The increase ! in the vote of Rock Hill was propor- . tionately as great as that of Yorkville, and the opposition to York county's candidate was in even greater propor- , tion. There is no sectionalism in York county. It is only a bugaboo. 1 mi ~ J. ut;re is ut'i taiuijf uu ocuiiuuaaoui iu f Rock Hill. Last Tuesday's election ' was the best possible test, and the ? people of Rock Hill precinct furnished f incontrovertible proof in substantiation of our assertion. . 1 THE PRIMARY. 1 There is a disposition in some quar- ( ters to try to create dissatisfaction j with the primary plau for the nomination of state and county candidates, 1 and those who would do away with * the primary, of course, desire to return to the convention plan. < The Enquirer has always believed iu the primary plan. It believes in it ( now as strongly as ever, aud so far as it is concerned, it will continue for the primary. We have seen enough of this convention business, and no more , of it in ours, if you please. '= ? So rw.f nQrr,/-._ f -L ne coilVtUllUU jniiu 13 I_n.iv. cratic. Conventions, though compos- ' ed of representatives of the people, 1 are always controlled by wire-pullers ] and politicians. In almost every state ( convention of which we have any < recollection, the nominations were made principally as the result of wirepulling trades, and it has only been in the rarest instances that the nominees have been the kind of men who ] were altogether acceptable to the j people. < The same is also true of county ' conventions. Sometimes the nomina- ' lions are satisfactory ; but generally ' they are not. It is too often that nom- ( inees are selected for reasons other | than the only ones which should gov- i ern?fitness to properly and satisfac- '< torily discharge the duties of the office 1 to he filled. ! We do uot propose to mention any , names, because to do so is unnessary ; 1 but in our opinion, among the gentle- 1 men who have just been selected to ! fill the offices in this county, there are only two or three who would have even stood a shadow of a chance of , being selected under the old conven- ] lion plan. As it has been, every man ] in the county has had the opportunity to go before the people, and of those who have seen fit to offer their services, the majority of the voters have their choice. But while the tbe primary plan, even as it now stands, is infinitely preferable to the convention plan, the primary plan still lacks in one important essential of being perfect. Under present conditions a Democratic nomination is virtually an alom inn TKoi'ofnre t tiom shniilil be thrown around the primary ill the safeguards that are deemed aecessary for the protection of general clectious. No man can vote in the general election without a registration certificate. The same rule should ob:ain in the primary ; and further, this rule should also provide that each yoter must be enrolled at some particular precinct and required to vote ;here or not at all. As against the convention plan, by ill means, let us hold to the primary plan ; but at the same time let us properly appreciate the very great mportauce of the matter, and see to ,t that our rules are so ameuded as to provide that no voter who is not prepared to do his duty in the general election, shall have any part in the making of a party nomination. Eleventh Hour Circular.?The handbill eleventh hour campaigning was the wonder of the election at this end of the line, says the Columbia correspondent of The News and Cou?ier writing under date of Tuesday light. The Ellerbe advocates argued ibat the circular would do him much good, while the anti-Ellerbe vote bought it would hurt him, and so it went. This same circular is likely to be a natter of considerable moment in the 'uture. The circular may be reprinted. Here it is: "Ellerbe as a plain farmer, and Elerbe as a politician. "Read, reflect and cast your ballot 'or governor for a man. ' "Governor Ellerbe has left his ofSce o electioneer for himself. He has itated to numerous citizens of Colum >ia that since the campaign has ceased le has thought over the matter, and, f re-elected governor, in his first message to the general assembly he will idvoeate each county settling the iquor question for itself. If any county wants prohibition, high license, ocal option or dispensary, they should lave it. "This, mind you, in the eleventh lour. "Why was not Governor fellerbe nan enough to state this id bis camlaign speeches, instead of at this ,ime? Why? Because be was riding bur horses to catch votes. Don't be leceived by these promises. "This is no runor. Ask Governor Ellerbe if it is true. If he denies it, iffidavits can be obtained to prove it." Now the question is, Did or did not jlovernor Ellerbe express himself here n private as favoring local option. There are those w :iO say he did?notaily one dealer who stands well here, governor Ellerbe has positively dedined to affirm or deny the rumor on .he ground that it had its origin in The Record, to which paper he gives 10 attention. HICKORY GROVE HAPPENINGS. rhe High School Has Resumed Its WorkNotes About People. Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer. <- ci I i e HICKORY UKOVE, oepiemuer ? The high school opened last Monday vith Professor Slaughter at the helm ind Miss Mary Mills, of Greenville, as issistant. Mrs. R. Lathan and her daughter, Miss Emma, have returned to their lome in Abbeville county, after speudng the summer here. Miss Lizzie Simpson has gone to Chester to resume her work in the ?raded school. Miss May Slaughter has closed her nusic school at Loekbart and return*d home to take charge of the music dass in the high school. Mrs. J. W. Allison's little daughter, Sal lie, is quite sick. I)r. Teal has moved into his new ;ottage. Mr. J. N. McGill has bought the Eiood house and is opening up a stock if general merchandise. There will be an apron party at Mr. Toe Leech's tomorrow night. Rev. J. H. Thacker and family are it home again after a pleasant visit imong relatives and friends in Lau ens county. Rev. Charles Smith, of Wofford colege, will preach at the Methodist jhurch next Sunday evening at 4 i'clock. MERE-MENTION. Senator Jumes H. Kyle, of North Dakota, has been stricken with parilysis. Japan desires that the United States hold on to the Philippine slatids. W. D. Byuum, chairman if the " National " Democratic execu;ive committee, has resigned because if a resolution of the committee stop- " - cnlui.ii Ttnlv Vine iJionaittij. ^v* liplomatic relations with Colombia because of the refusal of the latter country to recognize the British minister is the representative of Italy in the lbseuce of the Italian minister. The president has tendered Senator Hoar, M Massachusetts, the position of minister to Great Britain. Yellow fever is making alarming head way in Taylor, Oxford and other Mississippi towns. Mount Vesuvius is in a state of the most furious eruption since 1872. Three large streams of lava are llowing down the side of the mountain. General Nelson A. Miles is sick with fever. The Spanish cortez has passed a bill sanctioning the peace protocol. LOCAL AFFAIRS. INDEX TO NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. T. P. McDow, Attorney?Offers the "Old Jail" for rent. Tbos. W. Speck, the Jeweler?Is prepared to supply you with finger rings, other jewelry and. to repair your watch or sell you a new one. 0. E. Gri^t?Talks to you about Rapid Writer Fountain pens. H. A. D. Neely, County Treasurer?Gives notice of the times and places at which he will receive taxes for the year 1898. T. B. McClain?Has McCortnick mowers for sale. The Rock Hill Buggy Company?Publishes a letter from a correspondent who claims that the single leaf spring and the longitudinal centre spring used on their buggies, are the finest on earth and that these buggies are the finest on earth. DISTRICT APPOINTMENTS. Following are the current appointments of Rev. J. B. Campbell, presidiug elder of the Rock Hill district: Chester circuit, Armenia, Sept. 17-18. Chester station (night), Sept. 16-18. Rich burg, Rich burg, Sept. 24-25. Fort Mill, Pleasant Hill Oct. 1-2. Yorkville station, Oct. 7-9. York circuit, Kiug's M't'n. chapel, Oct. 8. Blackstocks, Bethlehem, Oct. 14. East Chester, Prospect, Oct. 15-16. Trtdesville Tabernacle, Oct. 22-2/3. Hickory Grove Oct. 29 30. Chesterfield, Zoar, Nov. 4. Jelferson, Fork Creek, Nov. 5 6 Blackslnirg station, Nov. 12-13. Rock Hill circuit, Nov. 19-20. Rock Hill station, Nov. 26-27. Ncrth Rock Hill, Dec. 3 4. OVER IN CHEROKEE. Cherokee couuty stood by Finley nobly in the recent election. The vote by precincts was as follows: Finley. Barber. Aliens 218 14 Blacksburg 188 77 Buffalo - 31 1 Cherokee 98 0 Draytonville 43 25 Ez2lls - 37 73 Gaffney 308 244 - ? * T CO (jrassy rona x< a* King's Creek 58 1 Littlejohns 25 48 Maua. 29 55 Macedonia 47 2A Ravenna 16 29 Sarratts - 66 15 Timber Ridge 23 40 Thickety 8 22 White Plains 18 13 Wilkinsville 95 30 Totals 1172 763 THE MAGISTRATES. In the second race for magistrate iu Broad River township between Messrs. G. C. Leech and J. C. Champers, Mr. Leech secured the recommendation. On account of-a tie in the first election, the second race for magistrate in Bullock's Creek township was a three cornered affair between Messrs. W. S. Pluxco, J. R. Jenkins and Junius Duucan. The vote resulted, 91 for Plaxico, 78 for Jenkins and 72 for Duncan. There must now be another race between Messrs. Plaxco and Jenkins; but inasmuch as it will not be convenient for the people to come out to the polls again just now/ it has been deemed advisable to postpone the final contest until the occasion of the genal election. THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. The county executive committee met in the courthouse on Thursday and tabulated the returns from Tues day's primary, as published elsewhere in this issue. The result of the election was declared as published in The Enquirer of last Tuesday. Upon motion, Chairman Brice was authorized to select commissioners of election, state and Federal, and recommend their appointment. Mr. Brice thanked the members of the committee for their painstaking and patriotic labors during the campaign, and upou motiou of Captain W. H. Edwards, the committee gave Mr. Brice a vote of thanks for his fair, impartial and efficient services as chairman. There being no further business, the committee adjourned sine die. THE BANKRUPT LAW. At the request of The Enquirer, Major James F. Hart has furnished some timely information as to the significance of the new bankrupt law. The major's article will be of more or less interest to the public generally, and to many individuals especially. Here is what he says : The bankrupt law, recently enacted by congress, is now in full effect, and available to all who may seek its benefits. Its provisions seem to be but little understood, as the press generally has not given much attention to its legal features. The main purpose of the law is to provide the way to close up the business of such persons as are hopelessly insolvent, give their creditors a ratable distribution of the assets in hand, (reserving the state homestead exemptions to the bankrupt,) and then grant absolution for the balance of the in debtedness. When tnere nas oeen no dishonesty or fraud, the mode of obtaining the benefit of the act is speedy and inexpensive. A secoudary purpose of the act is to force into bankruptcy, and thereby compel a distribution of the assets of any person, who, being insolvent, is misusing or fraudulently applying his menus. Insolvency, in the present 4pt, has a new and more liberal definition than has usually been given it, and no person is to be adjudged insolvent who has sufficient property, at a fair valuation, to pay his debts, exclusive of such property as he may have conveyed away. The effect of the law is the feature that will attract the widest attention. How far it supersedes state insolvent laws, such as assignments for benefit of creditors and releases by such means, does not seem to be fully agreed upon. But as to partnerships, an assignment would be ascribed as an act of bankruptcy, and the assignors forced to settle their indebtedness under the terms of the bankrupt act, for a most obvious reason. Uuder the decisions of our supreme court, all partnership assets are given exclusively to the partnership creditors; and these creditors, if not fully paid, then come in ratably with the individual creditors to share the individual assets. The bankrupt law provides, however, a different rule for distribution, and gives partnership assets to partnership creditors, and inr)itiS<liial noaota fn nrorli f nra VII V IU UU1 OOOOVO tu 1UUI TiUUUi Vi VVIIVU10| with the right to each class to participate in any surplus. Individual creditors of a partnership, of course, would not stand by and permit a distribution under the state assignment law, when they can get a better provision uuder the bankrupt law. But aside from this, it seems to be the better legal opinion that, as under the Federal constitution (Art. I., Sec. 10) " No state shall pass any law impairing the obligation of contracts," but the right to establish " an uniform system of bankruptcy " (Art. I., Sec. 8) is reserved to the United States congress, this remedy, when enacted, must supersede aud displace all state insolvent laws. So long as congress failed to exercise the power to adopt the "uniform" system for the whole Uniou, each state exercised the right of providing its own system of relief for insolvents. But the constitutional system having been provided, the state systems are superseded. This view seems to be the logical one, and, if correct, the enactment of the baukrupt law has produced an unexpected and startling iuflueuce on state laws. How to obtain the benefits of the bankrupt law can better be ascertained by interested persons consulting their lawyers. But, briefly stated, proceedings are commenced by petition to the U. S. district court; and after this most of the proceedings are before local "referees" appointed by the district judge, one or more for each county. Trustees are appointed to take charge of the assets and convert into money. The fees allowed are so exceedinfirlv small that there will be found difficulty in securing suitable persous to fill appointments of referees and trustees. The law is full in its directions as to the minor details of the process of bankruptcy, and these will not interest the public. But altogether, it presents a wise, liberal and humane method by which the stifled business energy of many who went to the wull under the grinding depression of the last ten years, may be released and given opportunity for new expression in the business world. And in this view, it is not only a blessing to the unfortunate, but a boon to the whole country. ABOUT PEOPLE. Mr. Finley left Thursday night for Columbia and expected to go to Charleston before he returned home. Mr. C. G. Parish left for Columbia last Thursday night to take the election returns for York county. Dr. T. J. Strait's term in congress expires on the 4th of March next, and Mr. Finley will take his seat in December, 1899. Mr. T. Y. Williams, who bas just been chosen as a nominee for representative from Lancaster county, was in Yorkvilleon Thursday. Dr. C. M. Kuykendal is improving slowly, and there is reason to believe that he is out of danger. The doctor had a very close call of it, however. Mr. R. T. Allison has been having a harder time of it than he at first anticipated. At present he is getting along about as well as could be reasonably expected. VT! _ U _ 11 _ Hf _ C XT_ 4 .. 1 iuiss \jraunene means, ui i^aiune/,, Miss., who has been visiting her grandmother, Mrs. Ann C. Pheeters, has gone to Columbia, but expects to return to Yorkville in a short time. Mr. John A. Barron, who had just closed his school at Forest Hill, was taken suddenly ill on Thursday with a congestive chill. At last accounts his condition was considered dangerous. Mr. C. F. Williams left yesterday for Baltimore to finish his course in medicine, which he expects to do next March, when he will come back to Yorkville a full fledged M. D. During his vacation this summer, Mr. Williams has been doing a great deal of work and has had the management of several important cases, with all of which he was successful. He also made a hue impression upon the people of this section as a young man of unusual promise, and if, when he completes his medical course, he decides to locate here, he will hud that he has made no mistake. SLANDEROUS REPORTS. We will say for the beneht of the Yorkville papers that no slanderous reports have been circulated against Mr. Finley anywhere in the Fifth district by Mr. Barber's friends. The writer has taken a great deal of interest in and worked hard for Mr. Barber's success, aud he knows whereof he speaks. The report about Mr. Finley's spending $2,500 on his election was brought to Chester by one of the defeated candidates. This gentleman who had lost inThe congressional race in the first primary said that Mr. Finley stated openly in Lancaster that he would have the election if it cost him $2,500. As for the other reports scattered broadcast over the district against Mr. Barber it seems that most of them started from the Yorkville papers iu the last week issues.?Chester Bulletin, Thursday. Whether on the winning or losing side, when a fight is over, The Enquirer quits fighting. This paper never bears malice. Il cannot prevent malice from being borne against it, and, therefore, does not worry itself with such matters. Under all circumI stances it tries to fight fairly and cleanly. It seeks to deal only with the truth. No slander of any kind has , originated in its columns. No statement was made relating to the late campaign except in the light of satisfactory evidence of its correctness. If the Bulletin, or anybody else, wauts proof for any assertions that have been made in these columns, that proof can be furnished. LOCAL LACONICS. Until Janaary 1st, 1899, For 60 Cents. The Twice-a-Week Enquirer, filled with the best and most reliable up-to-date * news, will be furnished from the date of thin issiifi until .Tftnnarv. 1899. for 60 cents. It Was Remarkable. "I told Mr. Finley," remarked Mr. Joseph F. Wallace, last Wednesday, "that he had especial cause to congratulate himself on the vote of York county. It was remarkable, and it will be a long time before any man ever gets such a vote again." It la a Good Letter. Mr. F. A. Gosman's letter from Santiago, published elsewhere in this issue, is well worth reading. Mr. Gosman was well known here as a very practical kind of a man, and he has certainly taken a very practical view of the Santiago situation. Name* Tranaposed. Dr. J. H. Saye has called the attention of the reporter to the fact that in the account of the Sims-Carter homicide, published Wednesday, the names were transposed. It was Stephen Carter, instead of Ike Sims, who was killed. Ike Sims is the man who did the killing. They Will Watch It. Several prominent farmers have expressed themselves as very much interested in Mr. T. Baxter McClain's ?? ? ? * <m Unntmaf i nrv ark/) expcnujcut iu uuiu uai vcoviugj uuu unless Mr. McClain makes a failure of it, of which event there is very little probability, there is reasou to believe that the new plan will be widely adopted next fall. A Good Quarter Race. While Mr. P. M. Burris was in Chester the other day, the Chesterites undertook to tease him with : " Oh 1 your Finley has run so often that he is windbroken. He can't get there." "Never mind," replied- Mr. Burris with much confidence, " he's still good for a quarter, and that is all be has to make. He'll make it. Where the Hitch Was. Except in the case of the vote for state officers at Coates's Tavern, the York county election returns as published iu The Enquirer last Wednesday morning were complete. Arrangements bad been made to have these returns sent to us over the telephone. Our correspondent worked from 6 to 9 o'clock trying to get the news through ; but it seems tbat there was something the matter with the wire from Rock Hill to Leslie aod communication could not he established. It was not the fault of The Enquirer or The Enquirer's most efficient correspondent. The Rock Hill Exchange. The announcement that Mr. F. E. Brodie has leased the telephone exchange at Rock Hill, has no doubt been received with much pleasure by the people of that place. There has been no complaint, so far as The Enquirer knows, against the management of the exchange heretofore; but those to whom it belongs have so much business of other character to attend to as to leave them but little time for the proper development of this public convenience. Mr. Brodie is a wideawake young business man who will see to it that the exchange is developed to the fullest requirements of the public convenience. BLACKSBUKG BUDGET. How The Enqul/er Gives the News?Fine Thursday Morning?Death of Mrs. Dufl? Other Notes. v Correspondence of the Yorkville Enquirer. Blacksburg, September 15.?The Enquirer, as usual, gave the recent election news up to (fate; but, owing to its enterprise and past record, we always expect the latest, most important and most reliable news in its columns. The information in the last issue 1U lcgaiu tu tuuu^ uuu oc* v peavine hay is both timely and important and should be of immense advantage to those of our farmers who are fortunate enough to be subscribers to your exceljent paper. Very little good fodder has been saved in our section, and, as an unusually large crop of peavines is on hand, it is important to know the best way to take care of them. This morning about 4 o'clock the dwelling house on Cherokee street belonging to Mr. D. D. Gaston and occupied by Section Master Ed Smith, was consumed by fire. It is not certainly known how the fire originated; but suppose to have been caused by live ashes thrown near an outbuilding. Mr. Smith aud his family were sleeping unconscious of their danger until aroused by the arrival of parties who had discovered the fire, aud had barely time to escape with their lives, and the clothing they had on. None of their furniture except a few articles of bedding was saved. The loss is heavy on both Mr. Gaston and Air. Smith, as there was no insurance on the property. The building was the oldest dwelliug in Blacksburg, having been built by Mr. Gaston about 25 years ago, and occupied by him until about two years ago he moved in his new residence near the old one. Mrs. Mary Emma Duff, wife of Mr. 1