Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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> ^ Sqiiolqtt to ^gqiqnllurc, gorliqiiUurq, Domcsliq (!':c o nomij From the Newt and Courier. THE OHABLXSTOH WHALE. i A SCIENTIFIC DESCRIPTION BY PROF. F. 8. HOLMES. The aniuial lately capturod in this harbor is a small whalo about half grown and known among the fishermen of Nantucket ns a "Stauut;" that is, ucithcr a baby-whalo or cilf, a mammy nor a bull. It is a young male of the Greenland species, the Ritfht Whale, the whalebone bearing whalo, and ij about half grown. It was named by the great naturalist, Linuseus, "Bulcena niysticctus," becauso iustead of teeth it has a series of laminated horny plates or baleen in each upper jaw placed transversely, and which hang pendant therefrom; there are neither teeth nor baleen in the lower jaw. Whales have no scales like fish, but are covered with a smooth skin. Frequently you hear the remark from visitors, what o shark, and its 500 teeth, which were found iu the marl beds of Carolina and were exhibited at the lata Industrial Exhibibition, said to ae that ho had greatly admired it, but after seeing this whale ho could not bclievo it possible for tho shark to have been tho largest of the tioo Jish.? My reply was, that the whale was not a fish. Although tho whale is entirely an inhabitant of the sea, it is by no means strictly scientific to call it a fish. Tho shark is a true fish, and tho fossil species being one hundred and fifty feet long, with a capacious mouth, throat and stomach, could easily have swallowed two such pigmies as this "hobbledehoy" whale, which is only forty feet and four inches in length. Now, a word or two about tho characteristics of whales and fish. Whales belong to tho Lineman class of mammalia. They produco their young alivo, and nurso them with milk as a cow does its calf. The femalo whale, like all other mammalia, watdh over and nrntert thnir ummn r caro. The mother whale is often seen followed by twin baby-whales, whioh the sailors call cubs, and these cubs generally swim ono on each side of tho mother. It is not so with fish, which, on tho other hand, are covered with scales. Their young aro hatched from eggs, (spawn) and the young fish takes caro of itself, as it derives no nourishment from tho mother. Another marked difference is seen in tho organs of respiration?the breathing apparatus. Fish arc provided with gilis for breathing the air in water, but whales have lungs liko all mammalia, and breatbo atmospheric air; they nro compelled, therelore, to come to the surface of the water to obtain it; hence their nostrils?or, as the sailors call it How-holes?aro found on the top of their heads. And just here again *? - it is well to remark that, when a whale is Recn to spout the water high into tho air, the water is not, as many persons suppose, thro vn <rom itS lungs, but is forced upwards by the air that has been breathed, that is, expired from tho lungs of the whale, which at tbo very momcut that we see the spout inay be twenty or thirty feet below the surface of tho sea. Such is the immense powof the whale's lungs that this jet of water is thrown forty and sometimes fifty feet above the surface. The sound thus occasioned is the whale's substitute for a voice, and, in the case of a violent respiration, it resembles tho discharge of a cannon. There are two different kiuds of whales most sought after by fishermen. Tho Greenland or right-whale, and the Caohclot or sperm-whale. Tho former is the common or whale-bone bearer ; and is moro easily captured than tho sperm-whalo, which has numerous formidable teeth of ivory in the lower jaw, but is without whale bone or baleen iu cither. Three other marked characteristics distinguish these monsters of the deep. Tho right-whale has no fin on its back, but the sperm-whale has one. Oil is obtained from tho blubber in the skiu of the rijjht-whalc. but onlv from the head of the sperm. They 6pout the water differently, ono throws up two jets and the other only obo. The nostrils in the one aro divided liko those in man, whereas, in the other it is a single blow-hole; thus the fishermen know as soon as he sees tho jet if it be a sperui, or a right-whale. In the heud of tho sporui-whale is found that valuable substance known as spermaceti, of which our fino candles aro made; and strange to say it is from the discnsed stomach or entrails of this species of whale ambergris is obtained) which is used in the fiuc chemical perfumes, and is cxccodingly raluablo. A full-grown "Right Whalo" attains the ^ length of from sixty-five to eighty feet, the * baleen or whaleboue of the largest individuals being sometimes ten or twelve feet long, nearly one foot wide and about a halfinch thick. , Old whalemen say the number of plutes of baleen in the mouth of tho Right whale numbers exactly three hundrod and sixtyfive, ono for every day in the year ; but this is a fabulous story?a myth. The Charleston specimon has three hundred and soventy-two plates of baleen or whalebone in its uiouth, as well as I could count them, perhaps there are a few more. Another story it that tho vertobral column or backbono numbers exactly fifty-two pieces,corresponding to tho number of woeks in the year, hat of this I know nothing positivolv. The infant whalo is oalled a calf, but when tho longest pluto of baleen attains the length of three feet, the young whale is called a "Stannt." The full-grown female is a mammy and the nialo a bull; the, Charleston specimen is, therefore, a "Stnuut,' a male with baleen three feet long. The ontire length of this young whale is forty feet aod four inches. From its snout to the base of the fins is ten feet two inches. Under the abdomen, betwoon tho fins, is six foct five inebes, the length of each fin is six feet seven inches, and the girth of the body in front of the fins is twenty-two feet four inches. As tho body of this young whale, captured in Charleston harbor only a few days ago and hauled upon an inclined way in tho yard of a ship-carpenter, lay almost upon its back, it gave visitors an erroneous im(jrcssiou of its form, its mouth nod its baecu. Tho top of tho head lay upon tho floor, and tho upper jaws thcrcforo under tho lower jaws ; tho right fin stood erect and looked as though tho animal had a dorsal or back fin, which is not so, this species liavibg no back fin, although tho spermwhalo has a small back or dorsal fin. Enjoying means of progression so extensive, living in a medium but littlo affected by variations of climate, theso animals are not generally bounded by strict geographical limits which confino tho terrestrial mamu.nlia. Whales, it is said, do not attain their full growth under twenty-five years. Wthave been froaucutlv askod why this oTcs rs tJalfed the lli^ht whalof and I will now reply : On board the vessel engaged in the whale fishery a man is sent aloft to watch for whales, and one is kept there all the day. As soon as he sees a spout ho calls to the officer on deck uud sings out "Right" or "Sperm," as it may be, aud this he knows from the single or doublo jet, which he sees; the call is then made for the boats, and if it bo the whale that the Bailors most desire the word will bo "Right! Right!" but should it be a sperm whale the word "Sperm!" will pass through the ship. Tbere is not so much risk in capturing the right whale, but the sperm whale having a formidable set of teeth, will sometimes turn upon its pursuers and crush ^the boat, and often many of the sailors are killed. AN OLD WlIALEll'tJ ACCOUNT. To the Editor of the Neiot and Courier: Thero are several kinds of whales. The sperm whalo has ouc blow-holo on the top of its head ; teoth on the lowor jaw with sockets in upper jaw for teeth on lower jaw to fit in. From ten to twenty barrels of almost pure oil caa bo taken from tho head alone. The fiu back whale has a large fin on its back, and is one of the most dangerous kind to attack. The humpback whale has a large hump like a camel on the upper part of its back. Tho right whalo has two L- I L ? - * - uiuw-noiea on its head, its eyes arc just forward of its fin ; it has do teeth; its mouth and upper jaw are lined with layer after layer of bone with hair ou the edges. It eats its food by suction. Its food is a kind of weed that nature has prepared for it.? It docs not eat fish, shrimps and things of this kind, as I heard some people say. Its lips ore thrown down, and it passes through tho water with its mouth open while feeding and scoops this weed in and rejects that part of it which it docs not want. The age of this whale cannot be told. They arc Mlcen feet long when born. This is a male, and I should say botween two and four years old. The fouiale has two nipples on its stomach. It nurses its young as a marc would. I have seen a whale nursing its young at 6ca. The old whale lies on its side and the young whale takes tho nipple in the coruer of its mouth. It is wcauod when it is three weeks old. While it is young it is carried on the fiu ot the old whale. Very often the young whale has to be killed before you can capture its mother. I havo seen thrco boats stove bv nn old whale while defending its * - - O young. The ship Easex, that sailed from New Bedford, Mass., in 1857, was sunk by a whalo that had been harpooned. This same whalo has sinco been captured and a copper bolt taken from its head. HOW TO KILL A WI1ALC. First, you must have a boat sharp at each end, with five good men, four to row, one to steer. The one at th j forward oar, just beforo you get to the whale, must stand up aud throw the harpoon. The harpoon is part iron and part wood, with a long line attached to it. As soon as the harpoon is thrown tho whalo starts like the wind, and at sea it always goes to tho windward, that is, in the wind's eye, as a sailor would say ; you let your lire run out until it begins to slacken, and then you pull up until you get close enough to him to lanco him and kill him. Tho lance is something like ? O tho harpoon, only n "little different at the point. About two feet behind tho Bo on tho side is the place to throw tho lance to kill. As soon as you have paf tho lance homo you must "stern," (that is what it is called,) row backwards and keep away from its tail, that in, a right whale ; the sperm you must look out for, the mouth and tail both. HOW TO OUT UP A WHALE. Run a tackle from one mast to its fluke (tail) and at the head you fusteu a strong piece of wood and run a tackle from tho other mast. You cut off the blubber in strips as you would take the bark from a piece of stick by turning it over and over; the blubber is cut into pieces of about six inches square and tried out with large brass kettles. This whalo (our whale) ought to make about seventy barrels of oil and eight hundred pounds of bone. Three Years a Whaler. Careless Handling oe a Pistol.? Mr. Jauies A. Gray, of Laurens county, nod well known in this city, having been for quite a long timo a clerk in the ctoro of James H. Morgan & Bro., accidentally shot himself with a pistol at the residence of Dr. Drummond, in Spartanburg county, on the evening of the 10th instant, lie called on a young lady who was visiting at Dr. Drummond's on the evening above mentinned, and reached the hnn?n in n drench. ing rain, and was wet through, lie sat by a fire to dry himself, aod taking his pistol froai his pocket, by some careless handling 1 it wo8 discharged, the ball taking effect in his breast, in the region ot the heart, inflicting a dangerous wound. He is now at Dr. 1 Drummond's, and in a critical condition.? Greenville. Meict, 15/A. Subscribe for tho Times. THE HEW DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. ] An Important Law of Great Interest to , Farmers, Dealers in Phosphates and fertilizers, Immigrants and Others. j An Act to create a Department of Agri- J culture and defining its purposes and , duties, and charging it with inspection , of Phosphates and regulation of salo of , Commercial Fertilizers. , Be it enacted by the Senate and House ( of Ucptesentatives-of the State of South Carolina, now met and sitting iu General ( Assembly, and by the authority of the same: Section 1. That a Department of Agri- , culture is hereby created and established, f which shall bo uuder the control and super- , vision of a board, which shall be constituted as follows, to wit: The Governor, who ( shall bo exjfficxo chairman, the Master of ( the State Grange of .Patrons of the president of the State AgricaltaraTloa -( Mechanical Society for the time being, and two other persons to be elected by the General Assombly, who shall hold their office for two years, and until their successors arc elected and qualified. Sec. 2. The Board shall meet for the transaction of business in the city of Columbia as often as they may decui expedient, but at least twice in each year; they shall receiro no compensation, but shall be allowed, except the Governor, the sum of three dollars per diem and five cents per mile actuallyatravelled, while engaged in the duties of the Board, not exceeding fifteen dnys in any one year. Sec. 3 There shall be a commissioner of Agriculture, who shall bo on agriculturist. He shall bo elected by the General Assembly and shall hold his office for a term of two years, and until his successor shall be elected nnd qualify; bo shall bo paid a salary of tweuty-one hundred dt 1 ars per annum, payablo monthly, and shall givo bond with sureties conditioned for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office, in the sum of 85,000, to be approved and filed in like manner as the bonds of State officers. IIo shall be empowered to employ an efficient clerk whose salary shall be 81,200 por annum, payable monthly. Sec. 4. The Hoard shall prescribe the duties of the commissioner, aud said commissioner shall observe all rules prescribed and execute nil orders issued by siid Hoard not inconsistout with law. Sec. 5. The board ahall bo empowered to hold in trust and exercise oautrol over douations or bequests made to them for the purpose of promoting the intcrc ts nnd purposes of this act. Sec. G. The board may prescribe forms for nnd regulate tho returns of such county , agricultural societies as may bo chnrtorcd by this State and furnish such blanks as j may be necessary to securo uniform and j reliable statistics of their operations. Sec. 7. The board shall have power, t and it shall be their duty to prescribe blanks r and havo them issued, through the commissioner, to the auditors of the vnr'u us couu- s ties, with complete instructions for th) col- ( lection of agricultural statistics and in forma- j tiou; and it shall be, and is hereby, made the j duty of the county auditors to fill all such v blanks in accordance with instructions sent ^ and return the blanks, when filled, promptly j to the commissioner of agriculture. Sec. 8. The board shall investigate such ( subjects relutiDg to tho improvement of ng- j riculturo and for the inducement of iuiuii- y gration and capital as they may think proper, ( iueluding sheep husbandry, diseases of cat- ( tlo and other domestic auimbls and their cures, the ravages of insects and remedies J I nhltn I.Ka a-i inn Cnnnoa i>A<1iiAtiAna aP aao* ?v MVH?V ?(*V MMUIVj IVUVV0J IVUUVtlVUS VI VVSOV of same, &c. Sec. 9. The Board shall hauo power in cases of contagious disease among any kind of stock or animals to quarantine or havo the same killed and burned. Sec. 10. The commissioner of agriculture shall prepare and keep in the department books of registry, wherein any person may havo en'.ered, upon payment of registry free of one dollar for each tract or lot, ny real estate for salo, with terms, and file in the office nny plats, descriptive papers, &c., desired; also books in which may be entered the wants of laborers seeking employment or of employees* seeking labor, the registry freo of oac dollar to bo paid by the person making it, and the books open to the inspection of all persons freo of charge. Sec. 11. The commissioner of agriculture shall comuiuuicate, correspond nod connorntn afii.lt illft r.nmn.iuumnni. nl'nnrinnlfiirn of the United Suites, and receive rrotp him and distribute most advantageous by all seeds, documents and inforuiation. Sec. 12. It shall bo the duty of tho com- lf uiissioncr to collect specimens of wood, suit- | alio for manufacturing purposes, agricul- ( tural, mineral aud phosphalio 'deposits of ( the State, and deposit tho satno in his room ( at the Capitol, and eauso correct analyses of such as may be deemed expodient to be , made and recorded in a substantial book to j be kept for the purpose. Sec. 13. The Board and Commissioner shall make an annual report of all the proceedings of the department to the General j Assembly. Sec. 14. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall bo ex-offioio Fish Commissioner of this State, and bo chargod with all the , duties and invested with all the powers of | Fish Commissioner. He shall appoint two | or moro fish wardens in every county of the ( Stato, who shall aid in the detection and ( prosecution of all offenders against the fish- , ing laws, and they shall receive t>ne half of < the pooalty recoverod and paid ia for any offooce against said luwa directedf by | them. Seo. 15. Tho Hoard provided for in the first Section of this Aot shall hnvo saporvision over the fish interest and Commissioner of this State, and with the supervision and enforcement of the laws and rcgu* l-ue liy ' *. . u0l 1 ? l- ^ " lations Which are or may be enacted in this State for the sale of commercial fertilisers lud seeds. Sec. 16. That the office of phosphate inspoctor and that of phosphate ngent be ind the same are hereby abolished, aud that the Agricultural Bureau arc charged with ill the duties devolving upon said offices accessary for the protection of the rights ind interest of the State in the phosphate rock and phosphatic deposits belonging thereto. Sec 17. That the board nnd commissioner of agriculture shall havo power and luthority to appoint n special assistant to ittcm! to the phosphate departmeut and royalty, and said assistant shall receive a .alary of $1,200 per annum, payable nonthly. Sec. 18. That nil persons or companies mgnged in the manufacture or sale of fertilisers or commercial manures shall pay to I jk?fe?mi*ieji?;r agriculture twenty-five cent**5|(^won for every ton of such fertiliter or commercial manures sold or offered o..i- > " iisi duio iu kina omiu, die saiu amount to be paid into the State treasury for the exclusive use and benefit of the Department of Agriculture. Any person or officer or agent if any corporation ncglci ting to pay the >uui provided in this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon convicdon shall be fined iu tho discretion of the Oourt, which fine shall be paid iuto the State treasury for the exclusive use and acuefit of the Department of Agriculture. Sec. 19. That every bag, barrel or other package of such fertilisers or commercial nanurcs as above designated, offered for sale )r delivered after sale in this State, shall iuvc thereon a plainly printed label or itamp, which shall truly set forth the name, ocation and trade murk of the manufacturer, iIso the chemical composition of the consents of such packnge and the real pcrccnago of any of tho following ingredients isserted to be present, to wit: Soluble and precipitated phosphoric acid, soluble potassa, immonia or its equivalent in nitrogen, together with the date of its analysis, uud that he privilego tax provided for in Section 18 has been paid ; and any 6uch fertilizer is shall be ascertained by analysis not to contain tbe ingredients and percentage set brth as above provided shall be liable to teizure and condemnation, and when conlemncd shall be sold by the Hoard of Agriculture for tho exclusivo use and benefit >f the Department of Agriculture. Auy ncrchant, trader, 'manufacturer, agsnt or >erson who shall sell or offer for salo or Iciivcr after sale or receive any commercial crtilizer without having such labels and1 tamps as hereinbefore provided attached ncrcto, shall be liable to a tino of ten dolars for cjtch separate bag or barrel or pack -1 qa ilivurml !* ' ulc, iu vjo SUCii bCore any trial justice, aud to be callccted >y due process of law. Tho amount so resovered, after paying costs, shall be equally hvided between the party or parties suing ind tho Department. Sec. 20. The Department of Agriculture ihall have power and authority, at all times, .0 have collected samples of any commercial erlilizcrs offered for sale in this State, and invc tho same auulyzcd, and such samples ihall bo taken from at least ten per cent. >f the lot from which they may be seeded. Sec. 21. The department shall, as soon is practicable, prepare a convenient band look, with the necessary illustiative maps, vhich shall contain all necessary informa,iou at to the mines, minerals, forests, soils, )r their products, climates, water and water lowers, fisheries^ mountains, swamps, inlustries, and all such statistics as are best idaptel to give proper information of the ittracuons nod advantages which this State t fiords to immigrants, and shall make illus.rative exposition thereof, whenever practijablo, at International or State exhibitions. Skc. 22. That all moneys arising from he tax or licenses from fines and forfeitures, ees for registration of lands for salo or ;mployment wanted, not herein otherwise >rovided for, shall bo paid into the State reaeury, and shall be kept on a separate iccount by tho treasurer as n fund for the sxclusive use and benefit of Department of \gricuiture; and until such fuud oan bo nade available as aforesaid, the sum of five housand dollars shall bo and is hereby ap)ropriatcd to the support of this department >ut of any moneys arising from the phos>hat, royalty, and to be drawn by warrant if commissioner, oountersigned by the Gov srnor, ex-ojjicio chairman of the Bornd of \gricullure. Sec. 23. The agricultural commissioner hall in connection with his duties as enunerated in this act, ostablish a depart' ncnt of mechanics, the object of which ihall bo to prepare such statistics as may >eof general interest to this class of worknen, and furnish all necessary information ending to the development of this indusry. Sko. 24. That all acts and parts of acts my wiso in conflict with this shall be, and :he same are hereby repealed. Approved December 23, 1879. So written in tho act?a palpable orror Tor "employer*." f.\n evident error for detected. Quite Competent.?It is related of a well-known merchant of a neighboring city that, after making bia will and leaving a largo property to trustees for lua son, he called the young man in, and, after reading the will to him, asked him if there was any alteration or improvement he could suggest. "Well, father/', said the young gentleman, lighting a cigarette, "I think as things go nowadays it would bo bottor for me if you loft the property to the othor fellow and made me the trustee." The old gentleman made up bis mind then and there that the young man was quite competent to take charge of his own inheritance and scratched the trustc* c'auso out. One cannot lay out his work to advantage, without knowing precisely how lie stunds with regard to his business. Tho beginning of tho year is time for ascertaining it. Frequently an account of busiucss is kept for a mouth or two aud then neglected.? If it is only to encourage habits of regularity and perseverance, it will bo time w .11 spent to keep an account, not only of money affairs, but a record of events for every day. This tends to beget promptness and system in every detail of farm work, and in business affairs that foresight and economy which are everywhere the prime csscutials to success. Keep a record of tho event of each day's work, and farm life. One of the boys or girls should do this. A book will be needed, ruled with plain lines on which to make the . > -j ?-- ?j?.? - " - cutiivs, |iut uuwu niu cuiiuiunn ui mo weather, the work done, and by whom ; purchases and sales made, indeed, anything that may be needed for future reference, or that should be entered iu the account hook, which will thus become a valuable and interesting record of the farm. Put down everything you possess, from the farm itself to the small tools and utensils, and value each item fairly. Enter the money on hand, and also every debt owed This is the first work in beginning an account. The property owned and money on hand, will be on one side of the account and the debts on the other. The balance will show how the farmer stands. This account of stock. Purchases and sales nrc entered in the daily record, and from that into a purchase and sale book ; except the transactions which go into the cash book. Every payment and receipt of money for purchases, sales or for wages should be entered in the cash book. This should be done every evening and before it is forgotten ; all these entries arc transferred to a ledger to tne proper accounts. The work is very simple and easy, and there are farmers girls who keep all their fathers' accounts in the most accurato manner. A farmer should try to make work for a hired man, or soveral if possible. If ho can find profitable work for them he is making money for himself. A few months wages spent in procuring or making manure, or draining, clearing off stone, getting out stumps, or otherwise making the farm more productive, will be well invested. Keep the stables clean; clear out the manure, and scrape or card off all the filth from tho animals. The stablo should be made so warm that the manure will not freeze at night; a low temperature will either demand a larger amountof food, or the animal will fall off iu condition. If tho 1W*? 1U 3-mch lengths or even smaller, it will hold moisture, will make better and finer manure, and will keep the animals cleaner than long litter. The gain iu the quantity of manure in one year, the saving in time in the handling, and increased effectiveness of it will pay good interest on /?~o? ?i _ r-j.1? ?? vuu vuji/ vi tt iuuu|iii (iiiu a tuuuur uunur, to do the cutting. But if the stormy and disagreeable days are chosen to cut up straw for this purpose, an abundant supply can be made. A broad axo can be purchased for $2.50, and with this and a block, a sheaf of straw may be cut into 3 inch chaff in half a minute. Two persons, one to hold the sheaf on the block or plank, and the other to use the axe, would soon cut up a ton of straw. Where hard-wood saw-dust, dry swamp muck, or pine straw can bo procured, these mako excellent litter and manure. Economy in feeding, is a very important consideration. In some cases half the feed used is wasted. Cutting the fodder has proved a savin" of one-third to one-half. Where but 10 ncad of stock are fed, if the feed of oue third or one-half can be saved, it is simply a large increase of the resources of the farm, and sufficient to pay the cost of a good cutter and the time expended in cutting. /\TTT>TT >n? nn 0VVAMAAM WUtAAAllUll' Banana Grovk Plantation,") New Lockport, La., > January 5,1880. J To the Editor of the News and Courier : Some four months ago I saw an advertisement in the Home and Earm, calling for "one hundred industrious men, accustomed to farm labor, to form a Co-operative Association for hgricultural pursuits," signed Th. Hurung, at the above address. Believing for years that the organisation of individuals an J the association of their interests wus the very corner-stone of success in industrial enterprises, I opened a correspondence with the above-named gentleman, and the results was that I left my home in South Carolina and camo on, and am a member of the Co-operative Association. " It is a remarkable, perhaps fortuitous, coincidence, that the verv first numr. m ?t / ? * r~i ' communication cf (toy kind, that 1 hare received since leaving my home should be The Newt and Courier containing Mnj. Harry Hammond's address before the Charleston Industrial Exhibition, in which the necessity of the organization of capital and labor is so elaborately set forth. The only difference is that* what Maj Hammond hus so thoroughly elaborated are, so far as his address is conccrocd, spo cial generalities if not simply ad captandum in their effects, whereas we are trying tc put into practical application the very propositions atd scbeuie of operations which Ka OA ioi i nnt 1 n affismo *a a r\/*A-%o? *" V vv uioviuv?i^ HUiiuao ?V l/U n IIGOOOOIiJ VI this ago of progressive dovelopii:ent8. D. R. Jamison. A Nkw Railroad Official.?W. A Aiken, of Baltimore, hue been appointed feneral supervisor of tho Charlotte, Colum ia and Augusta Railroad, to take effect on the 15th inst. "I'm engaged for this sot," said tho hen to the rooster ns she went clucking away. of Cashier Rbober is the LoaWtttiIjljiib^ * ^'^g| Bank it nscertnlncd to be $97.0Q0. iiurs will suffer no loan, and the binlc promWeg 1 * to make the deficit good. ' Eari.t Corx.--As an evidence of the remark able mildness of the present winter, a stalk of green corn, about six inches in height, can be seen on the side of the pavement in front of the post office. It looks almost as fresh and vigorotis as growing corn usualljr does in May.? Chester Reporter. A RKVF.MKC11nKS1n.Tnr Moorsiiikrr.?Nashville; January 16.?Collector Woodcock has received information that W. A. Fowler, who wan the guide through Wayne County for Deputy Collector Davis on bis raid, was ambushed and killed on Button Creek yesterday, it is supposed by moonshiners. Tiir. Babt Plant.?A new species of plant is called the ?'boby plant." Inside of its calyx is a tiny figure that looks like a baby, but there is no further resemblance. It cannot squall, kick and yell like a baby, neither can it croon and crow like one of these little pink darlings ; but wc should rather hare it in ths house, as far as a good night's sleep is concerned. ? - ? On Saturday last, seven or eight remarkably well dressed negroes from South Carolina, on their way to TopekA, Kansas, passed through Atlanta. They attracted attention by their good manners and neat appearance. They paid $33 a piece for their ticket to Topeka, and say that a number of their frionds from Carolina will soon join them in Kansas. Gd08k or Swam.?Mr. J. II. Ilarnes killed, a few days before Christmas, in Caldwell's mill pond, a wild goose, some SAy a swan, which measured seven feet and five inches between tlio tips of the wings, and five feet and two inches from the point of tho back to the end of tail.? This is tho biggest game yet brought down by any of the hunters in these parts.? Chntter Reporter. School Claims.?An act passed by the Legislature at its last session provides that any school funds now or hereafter remaining in the hands of any Comity Treasurer for any school district in this county; niter the payment of nil claims for school purposes for the fiscal year for which such funds respectively were collected for such school district, may be applied to the payment of any claims for school purposes in and for such school district.?Rrgittcr, Tue Neobo Exonvs.?Petersburg, Vn., January, 15.?A hundred colored emigrants arrived here this morning from Goldsboro, N. C., en route to Indiana. The parly consisted of men, women and children of all ages and conditions. Several hundred more are shortly to follow. Mobile, January 15.?It is learned from reliable sources that the exodus of negroes to the North from eastern Mississippi has been over one thousand during the past threo weeks. m? Coltom to he SmrPEi) dy Weioiit.?In the matter of the petition of Railroad Commissioner Donhntn vs. the Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta KailroaJ. involving the Question of the right -r vAinrge ireigiu Tor eotton by measurement or weight, Judge Mackey filed his -, ? ?- ?..v. ..w.. vuiiimum.g <iic rmc Hereto fore granted, and the road will hereafter have to earry cotton by weight. An appeal has been taken. Rkwardina Fidelity.?Mrs. Sarah Tnrncr, who died in Chernw on the 19th ult., bequeathed some real estate and personal property to an old colored woman who formerly ^longed to her and remained with her ever since emancipation. This same old colored woman was hung up by some of Sherman's men when Choraw was invaded by his army, and was requested to divulge where the jewelry, &e.f of the family was buried. She persistently rcfusec to do so, although knowing where it was. She has ihns been rewarded for her fidelity,?Marlboro Planter A Youthful Planter Killed.?Franklin, La. January 14.?To-dny Sidney Cole, aged about 19, owner of three-fourths of Chatsworth Plantation, rode up to the gate of J. B. Wofford, the manager of the plantation, and informed Wofford thnt he bad come to kill him. Wofford expostulated in vain. Cole dismounted and advanced, pistol in hand, towards the house. Mrs. Wofford, realising the danger of her husband, called out to h(??to arm himself, which he did by seising a shot-gun. Stepping out, he confronted Cole, who continued to advance, saying : "I have come to kill you, d?n you ; I mean business." Whereupon Wofford remarked to him ; "If you mean business, here it is," at the snroo moment discharging his weapon, the load taking effect in the breast of Cole and killing him dead. Wofford immediately came to towm and surrendered to the sheriff, bnt was afterwards discharged from custody, the coroner's jury having rendered a verdict'of excusable homicide. 1 % Great Cottos Fire in Auousta.?At ten o ciuck on m? nigui 01 tno 13th liig istevo ounded the alarm of the ninth district, and a bright light in the neighborhood of the Augusta Factory hurried the fire department and a throng of people toward the illuminated section, li was soon found that the cotton warehouse of the Augusta Factory was ablaxe, the fire in some mysterious way breaking out in the centre of the long building and rapidly extended through its entire length and breadth, enveloping the contents in a roaring mass of flame. There was in tho warehouse a large supply of cotton?between fifteen and sixteen hundred hales being in store?and how the fire could have made its appearance in the mass will perhaps never b? known. The total loss sustained by the Augusta Factory will probably not be very heavy? just how much cannot now be estimated. The warehouse was built soou after the war, with brick walls, slate roof and iron doorways, anil was regarded as fireproof and secure. It was , about 150 feet long and fifty wide. The cotton was valued at about $80,000, upon . which there was about $60,000 insurance. .?. ' In n poem road by Robert Grant at tlie ' recent reunion of the Alumni of tho Boston 1 Latin School was the following: ! Our great public schools?may their influence spread Until statesmen use grammar and dunces arc dead, 1 Until no oue dare say, in this land of the free, 1 "Ho done" for "ho did," or "It's bcr" for * "it's she." 1 "What is hell ?" asked a Lutheran Sunday school teacher of a boy, in class, laft Subbath. "A shirt with a button off, ma'am," replied the boy. "Explain yourself; what do you mean, sir?" demanded [ the uicek-spiritcd but surprised teacher.? "Well, I heard my pa say to my ma tie t other moruing when ho put on a shirt with tho neck-button off, 'Well, this is hell.'? That's all 1 know about it." t Renew yonr subscription.