Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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SAYS HUEftIA MUST EXPLAIN AT ONCE _ 1 NEWS OF THE FATE OF PRIVATE SAMUIIL P&RKS MUSV BE f -GIVEN. "IT WAS A HOSTILE ACT" if Infantryman Was Killed as Report ed?Is Considered a Breach of the Armistice Washington.?The United States has demanded of the Huerta Government news of the fate of Private Samuel Parks, the American infantryman, who strayed into Mqxicaii lines near Vera - Cruz, declaring that unless informa tion about him was given immediately * the American Government would con sider that "an unfriendly and hostile ^ ' act" had been committed in violation of the understanding for a cessation of hostilities pending mediation. President Wilson and Secretary Bry an, it was learned, drafted a strong oommunica-tion, after receiving word fmm tho Brazilian Minister in Mexi co City that Parks had been "execut ed." No mention wag made in the Min > ? ' ister's report of whether he was shot as a spy after a court martial or whether his body was burned as has been reported peristently to General Funston. The American Government cabled the Brazilian Minister to miorm me Huerta Government tne strong feel ing of the United States in the matter, directing him' to make vigorous rep resentations concerning the incident. The note asked the Minister to pro test to the Huerta Government that if Parks were alive, the failure to ex plain his whereabouts was in itself an unfriendly attitude and that if the j soldier had been executed, as has been reported, such execution of a man who came into the Mexican lines in full uniform was contrary to militry procedure of civilized Nations and was an act of hostility. No mention was made in the Ameri can note of the course the United suites mienas 10 pursue m uuc mancif I but an official close to the President said it was one of the things which would be held up against the Huerta Government when the final reconing came over offenses committed against the United States. The receipt of word by the British Embassy from Sir Lionel Carden, British Minister in Mexico City, tnat J. R. Silliman, massing American Vice Consul, was on his way by rail from Saltillo to Mexico City brought the first news about Silliman in several days, considerably relieving anxiety that had been felt by officials. The British Vice Consul at Saltillo tele graphed the information to Sir Lionel Carden. EXPLOSION KILLS TEN. Chemists With Rubber Company Meet Death When Acids Explode. Detroit, Mich.?Ten men, most of them chemists, we re killed by an ex plosion of acid and chemicals in the mixing room of the Mexican Crude Rubber Company here. Four other employes taken to a hospital may die. Two men were seriously nurt. The one story concrete building was al most obliterated.. Other buildings buildings within a radius of a mile were more or less damaged. Th9 loss was estimated at $50,000. The dead are: Edward Christopher, William Mc Coy, C. Larsen, A1 Hodgkins, Victor R. Burns, William F. Niles, Jose Cas so, Gorton Latta, Emon Aman and George Gleggoria. The four last named were Mexicans. Tnct what roused the explosion probably will never be known. Every j man in the mixing room at the mo ment of the explosion was killed. Masses of cement and concrete were found several blocks away. Nearby buildings were battered by the hail of flying stone and several pedestrains had narrow escapes.' A short distance from the rubber fac tory the plant of the Commerce Motorcar Company was badly dam aged. Legations Raised to Embassies. Washington.?President Wilson has signed bills passed by Congress rais ing the American legations in Argen tina and Chile to embassies. Minister Naon of Argentina and Minister Sua rez of Chile will be present together with Secretary Bryan and other high officials of the government. The two ministers have notified their govern ments of the act of the United States andf it is known that reciprocal action soon will be taken and the two will be come ambassadors. Artillery Orders. New York.?Orders recently issued by the war department for 6,500 artil lowmon ctaiinnpr] alonff the Atlantic Coast to hold themselves in readiness for departure for the South have re sulteu In unusual activity at the army building here and at Governor's Isl and. Arrangements are now so near ly complete that the men could be moved on short notice. It is the in dention of the government, it is said here, to add two brigades to the troops intended for possible service in Mex ico should they be needed. Virginia Optical Association. Petersburg, Va.?Asserting that the state is "over-run by fakers who have been driven from other states by ex isting laws," the state Optical Associa tion, at its semi-annual convention decided to commence a fight for the passage of laws providing for state examinations for optometrists. The opticians presented a bill at the last session of the legislature, but pres sure was brought to bear by physi cians and the measure was defeated. Thirty-three states already have pass ed optometries! alwa. MAP OF TAMP I Tampico's falling into the han shows location of Custom Houses oi TAMPlSO IS FALLEN IN HANDSOFREBELS FEDERAL FORCE ROUTED WITH CONTINUOUS FIRE OF CAN NONS AND MACHINE GUNS. Aiirn nnrt lllf n r~ U11 I CH liven OUU *vc nc i\illlu Constitutionalists Now Have Full Control of the Mexican Seaport New Phases in United States. Brownsville, Texas.?Details of the fall of Tampico were received in an official dispatch by Col. J. Ricaut, commander in Matamoros. The Federal torce unaer uenerm Zaragoza fled under cover of a down pour of rain, being followed by the forces of General Pablo Gonzales and Gen. Luis Caballero. Ten cannon and fourteen machine guns were placed to the north of the city by the Constitutionalists, the official version said. A heavy fire from the machine guns was poured into the defending Federal forces. The Constitutionalists' cannon play ed havoc, it was said, with the entire Federai entrenchment. The roar of the 10 cannon at Tampico was almost continuous from the opening of the final assault until the Federals fled in disorder. The Federal gunboats seemed to have lost their effectiveness and the Constitutionalists claim they paid lit + o-f-f fn fh/vm In + Vi a lot for* nonf of the fight. Two of the Federal gun boats fled down the Panuco River. Re ports said that one gunboat was aground, although it was not in action. The last Conetitutionilts attack-on Tampico began under the leadership of General Luis Caballero early - in April. x Tampico's fall, enlarging the Consti tutionalists' sphere of control and giv ing them a seaport through which mu nition of war may be directly import ed,, injected into the Mexican situa tion new* phases to occupy the atten tion of Official Washington. Expenditures in Mexico. Washington.?A special urgent de ficiency appropriation bill carrying $6,770,632, including more than $6,000, 000 for military establishment for ex penditures on account of past and contemplated activity in Mexico and on the Mexicrin border ,was favor ably reported to the house by the Ap propriations Committee. It will be taken up in the house soon. TKa r>iiHfonr flofoKHnVimnnf nnnm xuc juuiiiuciij totauiiouiucui apj^iu* priations carried at the instance of the War Department are:" Pay of the Army, $1,828,663; sub sistence $1,255,538; regular supplies $306,960; transporting of troops $2, 429,455; incidental expenses $50,000; horses for cavalry $405,825; barracks alid quarters $20,000; waters and sew ers at military posts $15,000; mileage to officers, contract surgeons, etc., $50,000; signal service, $7,500. No Drinking at Vera Cruz, Washington?Secretary Daniels an nounced proudly that Admiral Fletch er had reported that out of the 6,000 American sailors and marines landed at Vera Cruz when that city was seiz ed, not one was at any time found un der the influence of liquor. The sec retary acreed with Admiral Fletcher that this makes a new record for the navy and in fact, for any navy. ^ Georgia Honors Dead Hero. Willachoochee, Ga.^-State and na tion joined with the people of this section in honoring the memory of Randolph Summerlin, the 17-year-old Georgia marine killed at Vera Cruz, who was buried here with military honors. Among those who sent fllor al offerings was President Wilson. The gift of the president was accom panied by weaths and other floral de signs from the Spanish-American waV veterans of New York, the Dawson, Ga., Chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution and many others. Shriners Take In Sights. Atlanta, Ga.?Having selected Seat tle as their meeting place next year and with the election of officers and other business connected with the 1914 conclave completed, the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine who are here at tending the annual meeting of the Im periol Council of that order devoted themselves to a program of sightsee ing. In automobiles arxJ suburban train thousands of visitors made trips to the various points yf interest in the vicinity of Atlanta, including the battlefields and other points. ICO AND ITS ENVIRONS, VMRWmi v C ds of the Constitutionalists gave them a a Panuco River, also Railway Station an BAPTISTS ELECT % SOUTHERN BAPTIST CON VENTION. THREE BALLOTS WERE CAST - First Session of Convention Attended by Nearly 1,500 Delegates .From The South. Nashville, Tenn.?Dr. Lansing Bur ; rows of Americas, Ga., was elected 1 j president of the Southern Baptist' Con 'vention which convened here fbr a five days' session. Dr. Burrows' ?e- i j lection terminated an exciting three : ballot contest in'which his four oppon ents foT the honor were eliminated, v The first session of the convention was attended by . 1,459 authorized! delegates representing a constituency ! of more than two million persons from every Southern state and Illionis. Pmmediately after convening the delegates entered into the election of officers. Dr. E. C. Dargan, of Macon, , G&,, who has been president of the . organization for three years, announc ed that he was not a candidate for re- . election. Despite this fact Dr. Dar gan's name was placed in nomination together with W. H. Wolfe, of Dallas, Texas, Edgar Y. Mullins of Louisville,; ; Ky., Dr. J. B. Cambrell, editor of The Baptist Standard, Dallas, Texas, and Dr. Lansing Burrows. The following other officers were eiectea Dy acciamauon; Vice presidents: W. E. ; Powell, Louisville, Ky.; W. H. Wolfe, Dallas, Texas; H. S. D. Mallory, Alabama, and J. M. Pilcher, Petersburg,. Va. Treasurer, George Norton, Louis ville,'Ky.; auditor, William B. Har vey, Louisville, Ky.; corresponing secretaries, Hight C. Moore, North Carolina, and O. F. Gregory, Balti more. .. - During the progress of the elec tion, the visiting delegates were welcomed to the city by Rev. 0.' A. Lofton, dean of the local Baptist min- . isters and several committee reports ' were read. Reports of the home and foreign 1 mission boards were read before the 11 convention, but no action upon them !' was taken. The foreign mission re- _ port stated that 5,523 baptisms during the year just ended, "the largest num ber ever reported in one year." . The report also showed that re ; ceipts for the current year amounted to $578,478.97, or $44,000 nlore than last year's receipts. , ' .. I ' SHRINERS TO SEATTLE. 1915 Convention Will Meet in Seattle With Dr. F. R. Smith Imperial Potentiate. Atlanta, Ga|.?Selection of Seattle j as the meeting place for 1&J.5 and | election of Dr. Frederick R. Smith, of | Damascus Temple, Rochester, N. Y.', : as Imperial Potentiate of the Impe i rial Council, marked the meeting here ! of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine I for North America. The meeting at Seattle will open July 15 and continue for four days. | The Washington City was decided up j on after its advantages and those of ; San Francisco, the other city seeking j I the gathering, had been considered: ;"b'y the Imperial Council late today. | J Garrison Demands Information. I Washington. ? Secretary Garrison { jhas directed General Funston at Vera J jCruz to ask General Maas, the Mexi , can federal commander what has be-' , come, of Samuel Paj*ks, the United ; States private who, while supposedly ' ; insane, rode through the Mexican ' : lines and has not been heard from since. A like inquiry has been trans- j mitted by Secretary Bryan to General! Huerta through the Brazilian minis ter in Mexico City. It has been re ported that Parks met death in the I Mexican lines. I , Sound .Advertising Good. | Lawrence, Kas.?"Sound advertis ing does not Jead.to the destruction; of the saving instincts of the Amcri-' ' can people nor to the reckless spend ing ot' their money. It leads to intel ligent and rational spending." This i statement was made by Irvin S. Cobb, | magazine writer, at a session of the ' inational newspaper conference at the' | University of Kansas. Mr. Cobb's pa- j lj>er was prepared in answer to ihe question "is advertising destroying the thrift of the nation?" Addresses Iwere made by others. i SHOWING LOCATION OF . seaport through which munitions of id other important places. Imlif HOPBFOR PEACE SOME MEMBERS ARE MORE CON FIDENT THAT MEDIATORS WILL AVERT WAR. SITUATION SEEMS BETTER General Funston's Reports Tell of Quiet and Order In Vera Cruz. Other Places Quiet. Washington.?Expressions of confi dence that the mediators would avert war betwean the United States and Mexico came from several members of the cabinet, after President Wilson had discussed the whole situation with his offical famly. Th presdent is decidedly hopeful. He is anxious that no untoward inci dents or indiscreet acts on the part of any of the forces in Mexico should develop to cloud the horizon when ii-tsv Panon /?ao Kntyfn of Ill C 111 C7U10,111SU tUULVlbUWO ??v Niagara Falls. Secretary Bryan explained at length to the three South American media tors that the lighthouse on Lobes Isl and had not been seized in any mili tary sense; that the keepers were free to come and go, but that the Ameri can navy had undertaken to keep the lights burning as a protection to the world's navigation. Mr. Bryan told the mediators also that the navy and war department were seeking to in vestigate the arrest of five South Americans during the landing at Vera Cruz and that a report would be made. Nelson O'Shaugnessy conferred with President Wilson at the White House. It was the first talk he had had with the president since his arri val from Mexico and it was under siooa uiai some ui iu? muiguiuca, m eluding the Tampico Incident which led to the break with Huerta were discussed as well^as some details that might come up in the mediation con ferences. ' .Justice Lamar of the United States Supreme Court and Frederick W. Lehmann, former solicitor general, who have been named as the Ameri can representatives to the mediation conference at Niagara Falls, Chit., spent the day Studying reports .and familiarizing themselves generally with the Mexican problem. ' Orozco is a Fugitive. - Los Angeles, Cal.?Pascual Orozco, the Federal volunteer leader who escaped from Ojinaga when Carranza drove the Huerta Army into the United States, was a fugitive from Los Angeles, with secret service men in pursuit, Orozco, it was said, had been in this city for some time, hid ing. He eluded pursuit of a band of rebel sympathizers and when Govern monf Afflniola amicVit f r\ arroof Vilm tuv.il L VIIIV1UIU UVU^Ub VV U1 1 UUt UilU) fled southward f mday night with a few followers, jiis wife had been here since the Madero rebellion. Norfolk Southern President Resigns. Norfolk, Va.?Charles H. Hix, pres ident of the Norfolk Southern Rail road tendered his resignation, effect ive at once. The reason given is need jf rest. He has been head of the Nor folk Southern since November 1, 1912. aefore which time he was vice presi lent of the Seaboard Air Line. Henderson Elected Governor. Birmingham, Ala.?At headquarters here it was estimated from returns received thus far from the run of democratic primary tnat Charles Hen derson, president of the state rail road commission, will have a majority 3f more than 11,000 votes over for mer Governor B. B. Comer for tne nomination of governor. Nomination is equivalent to election. It is bo lieved an official count will be nec essary to decide the contest for the congressional nomination in the ?ighth district. New Method of Teaching. Memphis, Tenn.?"New methods of Leaching child hygiene" were discuss ed by Dr. Frances Sage Bradley of \tlanta, Ga., before the health divis ion of the national conference of charities and corrections here. The speaker declared that every school -oom alid every community abounds n ample material for the demonstra-1 ion of the laws of hygiene and sani :ation, and expressed the belief that hey could bo utilized bv the teacher | jf average training and intelligence .0 advantage. J CUSTOM HOUSE ill SUtfc^sT* .. * -O ,*L ^ fijt'A - war may be imported. Above cut PRESIDENT LAUDS HEROISM OF THE FIRST WAR VICTIMS AT VERA CRUZ. THOUSANDS' LINE STREETS President and Many Dignitaries Were - In Long Procession in New York. Wilson's Speech. New York.?To the men of the navy who died in the occupation of Vera Cruz the city, the state and the na tion paid tribute in a demonstration chiefly remarkable for its silence and solemnity. For four miles through the city streets the funeral cortege passed and behind with bared head i rode the president. Perhaps a million persons saw the seventeen coffins, each on a caisson, borne from the Battery plaza in Low er Manhattan to the navy yard in Brooklyn. Such was the feeling of the massed thousands that the silence at times was oppressive. There were a few sporadic outbursts of applause as the president's carriage passed, but these were quickly hushed. Though there were but seventeen of the dead in the procession, Secre tary of the Navy Daniels made it plain that the ceremonies were for all who had died at Vera Cruz?not only the seventeen whose bodies were brought up by the cruiser Montana but. also , for Clarence Harshberger and Henry Pulliam, who have since died. The religious ceremony at the navy yard was more Impressive, if possible than was the sight of the slow mov- j mg cortege, ~i never was m a Dai- \ tie or under fire," said President Wil son in his brief address, "but I fancy it is just as hard to do your duty when men are sneering at you, as when they shoot at you." "We have gone to Mexico," he said, in another part of his address, "to serve mankind if we can find the way. We don't want to fight the Mexicans; we want to serve them. "A war of aggression is not a thing in which it is proud to die, but a war of service is a war in which it is a proud thing to die." RUERTA FILES NEW PROTEST. Complains |Over Action of United States Occupying Island cn Coast of Mexico. Washington.?Huerta's protest over the renorted seizure of Lobos Island ?an important lighthouse point off the eastern coast of Mexico?by a landing party from the United States torpedo boats was taken up by the South American mediators. Foreign Minister Ruiz in his telegram to the mediators stated that the American arrested the light keepers but had re leased them after they had turned over apparatus for operation of the strategic beacon. lieurta's govern ment contended this was a violation of the armistice. It was generally believed that a re ply to the note already had been made and in some quarters the conviction was expressed that Ambassador Da Gama had taken it up at a white house meeting. Labor Leaders Win Fight. Washington.?The contempt sen tences imposed by the district su j preme court upon Samuel Gompers, jJohu Mitchell and Frank Morrison, la i bor leaders, were set aside by the su J preme court for the second time as ' barred by the statute of limitations. [ | The decision of the supreme court in j j the contempt cases against Samuel ( Gompers, John Mitchell and Frank J Morrison of the American Federation | of Labor was handed down. Justice j 1 Holmes said that contempts were not ( i to be treated as conspiracies. ( Huerta's Envoys Have Authority. Vera Cruz.?Emilio Rabass, Augus tine Rodriguez, and Luis Elguero, the three peace commissioners appointed by President Huerta to represent him at the Niagara Fails conference, who sailed for Havana en route to Key West, are clothed with full powers, nominally at least, to sign any agree ment or contention. The Mexican, senate, in approving Huerta's nomina tion of the commissioners, coni'orred "full power and ample authority to judge, counsel carry on business and sign any agreement or treaty." U MEN MEET MRS. PENNYBACKER'S STIRRING ADDRESS INAUGURATED f STATE MEETING. TALKS OF THE HOME LIFE President of General Federation Urges That Parents Unite in Warding Off Dangers to Child. Spartanburg.?Featured by the ad dress of Mrs. Percy V. Pennybacker of Aust'n, Texas, president of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, who told of the dangers that menace the American home and who advocat ed a cor-ordination of effort on the part of the mother and the father in tl* ^ ~ t /? il .Lin _ ?1 A uub rearing 01 ine cnna, me urai ses sion of the State Federation of Wom en's Clubs, meeting here, was held, in the auditorium at Converse college. Following the meeting, which lasted until midnight, a reception was given the delegates, approximately 200 in number An audience of over 1,000 persons heard the addresses. One of the features of the first ses sion was the music, the Spartanburg concert orchestra and the Converse College Choral society participating. Many of the selections sung at the recent music festival were rendered, particularly parts from "Cavalieria Rusticana" and "Les Huguenots." Dr. Robert P. Pell, president of Con verse college, and Paul "V. Moore, sec retary of the Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the delegates of fha fodoroHnn tn fhia *>itv In hannv speeches. The response was delivered ! by MrB. Rufus Fant of Anderson, who j told of the hospitality of Spartanburg j and prophesied that it would be era- ! phasized in the treatment of the club women assembled here. Mrs. Eugene Reilly of Charlotte, N. C., corresponding secretary, Gen eral Federation of Women's Clubs; Miss Adelaide Fries, president, North Carolina Federation of Women's Clubs, and Mrs. F. H. H. Calhoun, i State regent; Daughters of the Ameri- , can Revolution, each delivered greet ings. They were unanimous in the I assertion that the mission of the club women of the land is a glorious one; that they are a compelling force for purity in domestic life and honesty in politics. Griffith New Mayor of Columbia. Columbia.?Dr. Lewis A. Griffith was elected Mayor of (Columbia over Dr. F. S. Earle by a majority of 191 votes in one of the,most interesting arid hotly contested mayoralty races this city has ever witnessed. Grif fith polled 1,415 votes to 1,224 for Earle. C. M. Asbill and E. M. Dupre were elected councilmen, the former lead ing with a vote of 1,637. Dupre poll ed 1,338. The two other candidates for these places, R. J. Blalock polled 1,301 and D. B. Sloan 987. Mr. Bla lock was defeated by just 37 votes. Mr. Asbill made a remarkable run, carrying every ward in the city but one and lacking just pne vate of get Mncr fhot New Presbytery Organized. Columbia.?The new presbytery set off from parts of Charleston, Bethel and Harmony presbyteries in the Wqodrow Memorial church, accord ing to the direction of the last synod of South Carolina. In the absence of the appointed moderator, the Rev. G. A. Blackburn, D. D., pastor of the Arsenal Hill church, the Rev. J. M. Holliday, D. .D, pastor of Zion Presbyterian church, Winnsboro, opened the meeting with devotional exercises. The Rev. W. R. Pritchard of Ridgeway was elected tpmporary clerk. The Rev. G. G. Mayes of Greenville was received from Bethel nroqhvfprv. Memorial Services at Aiken. Aiken?Memorial day serves were held at the First Baptist church in the yard of which the soldiers, both Confederate and Federals, who fell in the battle of Aiken when "Wheeler's cavaiary encountered "Red" Kirkpat rick's brigade here 50 years ago are buried. The Rev. J. C. Brown, him self, a Confederate veteran, delivered appropriate songs. The school cnil dren decorated the graves In the church yard and a large crowd attend ed the exercises. Fight Cucumber Blight. Charleston.?For the purpose of per sonally conducting practical demon strations in the eradication of cucum-' ber blight in Charleston county, Prof. Nivens, assistant horticulturist at Ciemson College, arrived in the cfty j recently and for several days will be i established on the truck farm of J. M. Harrison in St. Andrew's. Planters are from any section of the county who are interested in this matter are in- j vited to visit Mr. Harrisow's farm | and witness these demonstrations by | aD expert. Automobile Sales Report. Columbia.?There are more than 15,000 automobiles registered in South 1 Carolina, according co reports filed by the' county supervisors with the ' state denartment of agriculture. 1 Greenville and Richland lead the state, with 1.03S automobiles each. The report shows that the people of GJreenville county have purchased 146 machines since the first of the year, virile SO automobiles have been bought in Richland county. Addi tional reports show there vfte 5S3 ma chines in Sumter county, 97 in Horry Whitmire Man is Shot. Greenwood.?Will Stanley, a young cotton mill operative, was a few morning3 ago shot here by W. Cal Stroud, also a mill operative from Whitmire, and died at 11 o'clock at a Greenwood hospital from the ecect of the pictol wound. The bullet en tered the chin and crashed through to the base of the brain. From the testimony adduced at the inquest held by Coroner Dock Owen it appears that L. P. Stroud and Will Loveless who came over to Greenwood from Whit wire. were drinking. VARNVILLE FEELS - FURY OF FLAMES < HAMPTON COUNTY TOWN 8UF FER8 SEVERE FIRE L088 OF $70,000.00. '.-.v $ ftl? a W < mm , :? > V. .' t ' - ' w Ifrnw itti f 11110 l&IOIIDCn VCI1T LI I ILL WHO inountw Less Than One-Third of Actual Oam ace la Covered?Much Property Goes Up in Flames. Hampton. ? One morning recently the town of Varnvllle waa visited by one of the largest and most disastrous fires ever seen in this section. The loes of 170,000 is a conservative esti mate placed on the actual damages, while the total Insurance was only |22,100. The fire, which originated on the second floor of the Varnvllle Furniture Company, from tkence spread out in both directions, destroy ing six other busineee houses, tegeth- , er with adjoining warehouses, stables, barns, etc. It waa discovered at 2:30 a. m. and raged for two hours and a half and not until every business house on the south side of Main street was completely destroyed was it pos- / sible to get it under control. Tfce In dividual losses are as follows: Yarn Wile Hardware and Supply Company, , $20,000, covered by $8,000 insurance; Mortimer Murdaugh, $10,000 with $6,000 insurance; W. O. Thomson three buildings, $20,000, with no in surance; Varnvllle Furniture Com- Y pany, $9,000, insurance $5,000; Dr. Campbedl, $800, insurance $300; Mrs. E. W. Peeples $200, no insurance; Coy Stanley $1,000, $500 insurance; Mrs. M. H. Gray $4,000, insurance o Ann. r> in ti eon ir?_ <f p JL>. JC OUUilC/ fl^VVVi fWVW *** surance; Mrs. Ike Lightsey $500, no Insurance; Ruth Grey $2,500, no inaur surance. / The Varnville Hardware and Supply Company has giren out a statement that it will rebuild at once and, de spite the fact that it will be handicap ped in securing a suitable building for temporary use, it will continue to do business at some point in the town of Varnville. The others will also re build aa expeditiously as possible and where were formerly wooden build ings will soon be modern brick struc tures. I. O. O. F. CHOOSE ROCK HILL. Odd Fellows Elect Mendel L. 8mlth Grand Master. Columbia.?With Rock Hill ckoeen as the next meeting place and thb an nual election of ofHcers held, the an nual meeting of the South. Carolina grand lodge, I. O. O. F. a few days ago came to a harmonious close. The fol- .\,1 : lowing officers were chosen, in each case the rules being suspended and the unanimous vote cast for the nomi nee: Grand master, Mendel L. Smith, camden; deputy grand master, F. C. Perry, of Columbia; grand warden, JL B. Langley, of Columbia; grand secre tary, S. F. KiHingaworth of Columbia; grand treasurer, H. Endel of Green ville; grand chaplain, J. K. P. Neath errrv of Columbia. The election of Mr. Ended aa grand treasurer begins his 21st term. He has been placed in nomination by the same member about 20 out oft he 22 times. J. K. P. Neatherry, grand chaplain said: "I have been attending such t sessions In this and other Jurisdic tions for 40 years, but this was the most harmonious I ever sat In. There was not a break nor a ripple in the perfect fraternal feeling of the repre sentatives. In fact, it reminded me more of an ante-bellum love feast than of a lodge meeting." Destroyers Return. Charleston.?Upon the arrival from Mexican waters of the destroyers Flusser, Reid and Preston, the flotilla of destroyers in reserve at the Char leston navy yard was complete. The Monaghan, Sterrett, Terry and Walke all belonging to this station, ana wie McCall and the Baloh, belonging to the New York navy yard, arrived a few days ago. The Smith and Lam son, making up the flotilla of nine de stroyers basing here, did not leave the local yard at all for the regular winter manoeuvres. Spartans Buy Autos. ..Spartanburg.?Citizens of Spartan burg county have purchased 802 auto mobiles, according to a report filed with the state department of agricuS ture by the supervisor of that coun ty. The report shows that 135 ma chines were purchased during the first three months of 1914. In 1913, 195 were purchased, 146 in 1912, 129 in 1911 and 95 in 1910. The citizens of York have purchased 423 cars. There are 15,000 automobiles in South Caro lina, according to estimates by the department. Form Improvement Association. Florence.?The Effingham Improve ment Association is setting the pace for other towns of its own as well as larger size throughout South Carolina to follow. This association has re cently gone to work to establish a reading room for the young men of the own and community and as far as known, will be the first of its kind to lie established In a country village in this section or state. The new room, has been established in the office formerly occupied by Dr. Purvi? at Effingham. For State-Wide Road system. Greenville.?A. S. Johnstone, secre :ary of the chamber of commerce and president of the South Carolina Com nercial Secretaries' Association, with n the next month will name a com mission which will study the ques ion of roads in this state and recom nend a plan which would look to the* juilding a state-wide system, connect ive; every county seat in the state, rhe commercial secretaries at their neetinw held in Sumter on May 6 de cided that the present road work was liore or less dissipated.