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Scraps and ^acts. J ==zz========= I ? Augusta Chronicle : General Joe i Wheeler's gallantry is as distinguished I in social life as his bravery i6 in evi- i dence on the battlefield. An exam- 1 pie of this is shown in the interesting i correspondence that took place be l tween him and one of Atlanta's prominent women : Mrs. Peele telegraphed 1 General Wheeler inviting him to drive I with her in the parade, and stating I that she would rather have him as her ] escort than the Czar of Russia. The i gallant general telegraphed a prompt I acceptance, declaring that he would I rather drive with Mrs. Peele than the < empress of all the Russians. I ? New York special to Baltimore ' Sun, Friday : The declaration by the ' Fifth Avenue bank yesterday of a < regular quarterly dividend of 20 per i cent, and an extra dividend of 5 per i cent, on its $100,000 of capital, called i attention t? the fact that this is one of ! the three banks here that yields 100 per cent, or more yearly upon the par value of its shares. The First Nation- . al bank, capital $500,000, also pays 100 per cent, in quarterly installments, while the Chemical National bank, capital $300,000, pays 150 per cent, in bi-monthly installments. The stock of all three banks comes on the market but seldom. The last reported sales were: Chemical National bank, $4,100 a share; Fifth Avenue bank, $3,205 a share; First National bank, . $3,105 a share. ? According to recent information received here, says a Manila dispatch, the Filipino insurgents are endeavoring . to maintain a brave show for the purpose of securing the best terms possible from the Americans. It is the opinion of our admiral that it would be advis- < able for the United States to pay < insurgent troops their arrears of wages, j The whole amount would be a compar- , otivoiv triflinc sum. aud the payment , of the troops would have a valuable effect, and may save incalculable 1 trouble. Admiral Dewey was strongly convinced that the Filipino insurgents deserve all acknowledgement. He is a believer in the practicability of liberal measures in the direction of local autonomy. Regardiug the possibility of international complications, Admiral Dewey said : "Prior to the arrival of the monitors I felt uneasy ; but now I am ready to hold this position against the whole earth." ? Representative Rixey, of Virginia, on last Friday, introduced a bill for the admission of Confederate as well as Union soldiers to all soldiers' homes and institutions maintained by the government. Although somewhat in line with the president's suggestion in his speech at Atlanta which referred to government care for Confederate cemeteries, the Rixey bill refers to living ex-Confederates who are "maimed, crippled or needy." The text of the bill follows: "That after the passage of this act all soldiers' homes and other institutions maintained by the government for the maimed, crippled and needy soldiers and sailors of the United States, shall be open to all soldiers and sailors of the civil war of 1861-65 upon the same terms and without discriminatiou as to whether they were enlisted upon the side of the Union or the Confederacy." ? The National Civil Service Reform association, in session in Baltimore, Md., on last Friday, adopted resolutions which congratulate the lovers of good government on "the failure of the recent attack in congress upon the merit system ; assert that the convention has heard with grave concern the ronort, that the president of the United vrw. States is to withdraw from civil service rules a large number of positions under the government, and expresses the belief that such action is contrary to the interests of public service; cites a number of instances of alleged departure from civil service rules within the past year; charges that the administration has failed to redeem its promise to extend the rule wherever possible, and, in conclusion, asserts that the rule of the newly acquired dependencies will result in disaster and disgrace if conducted on the plans of the spoils politicians. ? Wilmington Star: The exodus of Negroes from this city seems to continue without abatement. A member of The Star staff was told yesterday by a railroad official who is in a positiou to know, that from six to a dozen Negroes buy tickets and leave here daily over the Atlantic Coast Line alone. Eight Negroes brought tickets to New York, via Newbern, yesterday. A majority of those who leave go to NewYork and other northern cities. Some go west and south. A large number of ot hers leave the city on tickets sent to theni by relatives. The thorough scare they received during the recent race trouble and the present crusade by business men for the substitution of white for colored labor are the causes of the exodus. A great many white people are coming to the city in the stead of these outgoing Negroes, so that in the opinion of conservative business men the population conditions are being very much improved, with little or no loss aud possibly a gain in numbers. ? At the courthouse at Swainsboro, Emanuel county, Ga., one day last week, Seaborn Bell, an honored citizen of that county, celebrated his 85th birthday by having his pastor preach his fuueral sermon. Mr. Bell is an Adventist, and has been for 50 years or more. He belongs to the old school of bucolic gentlemen who scorn even an approach towards dissimulation. He declared, in speaking of the proposed novel sermon : "I will sit tomorrow among my frieuds to hear my : fuueral oration. I shall listen atten- | tively, aud should the minister, by ! design or oversight, strain the truth regarding my character or any iueideut , of my life, I will stand up before them |' all and declare the statements untrue." Mr. Bell says that during his long life he has seen so much post mortem ' deception and undeserved praise nc- i corded the most hardened sinners that , he proposes that nothing hut the truth ( shall be spoken about him ; therefore, he planned to hear the funeral sermon ' as a birthday celebrat-iou today. ? Warrenton Va.: On Sunday even- 1 ing two young gentlemen of Warren- ' ton went calling, and finding the young < lady had gone to church, they lowered < the lamps, thinking they would have time to take a nap. When she came back and found the two men reclining in the dim light she did not shriek ; but took the family Bible, from a table nearby and brought it down on the bead of one of them with such force lis to make a deeper impression on him than the Bible had ever done before, rhen she stepped into the hall and beld the door while she summoned ber father to come and dispose of "two tramps." The young gentlemen expressed every willingness to capitulate. The old man told his daughter to oDen the door and he would snrin kle them with shot as they passed, which she did ; but it was impossible 'o flush the game and finally she ven;ured in to show them out, so the old man would have a shot at them, when ;be lights having been turned up, she recognized her two friends, who were n a cold perspiration and could not be nduced to remain longer. <Thc liorkviltc (gnquiwr. YORKVILLE, S. C.: WEDNESDAY, DEC'R 21,1898. '? "?T - J /"I 1 J | ? i ne news ana uuiiner ?uu vjiccuville News commend Mr. Bryan for his anti-imperialism ; but continue to condemn him on account of his free coinage doctrine. If these papers will study the matter a little, they will find iu the views of Mr. Bryan a consistency that they cannot readily claim for themselves. In the single gold standard is to be found the very mudsill of imperialism. ? We note that the Charleston Tost is after the city council of Charleston because it seems disposed to do the city's advertising in The News and Courier at a higher price than The Post asks for the "same work." The Post does not use the expression "same work but that is the assumption in the comparison of prices. If The Post can give the same service at a lower price than The News and Courier, then the Charleston board of aldermen is doing a great injustice iu not patroniziug The Post. But for The Post to give the same service as The News and Courier is manifestly impossible. A given space in The Post is less valuable or more valuable than the same space in The News and Courier. One paper has a better class of readers than the other. The same advertisement is not of the same value in either paper with the same reader. Each paper has its own particular character, and that character to a greater or less extent affects the value of the advertisement. For instance, suppose one paper makes it a point to print carefully prepared news, regardless of expense, and the other is not particular what it prints so its columns are full, what is likely to he the effect on the readers of both ? In one case the discriminating reader feels that the advertiser is looking for him, and in the other he feels that the advertiser does not care much whether he finds anybody or not; or at least that he is not nearly so particular as in the first case. But the proper way to settle matters of this kind is not by the opinions of the respective publishers or the prejudices of the officials. Any commodity?advertising space not excepted?is worth what it will bring on the market. The business men of Charleston who advertise at all, advertise as a business proposition. They do not advertise in either paper for charitable purposes, and they do not pay either paper for its advertising space more than they know by experience that that space is worth. Then this is the best guide for the Charleston aldermen. It is right and proper that the city should have the best advertising service possible, and the city will not be badly hurt so long as it regulates its compensation to the values that business men have found profitable. To claim that cheapuess? cost?is the only consideration by which officials should be governed in the selection of mediums for giving publicity to public notices, is equivalent to admitting that the publication of such notices is unnecessary. The Enquirer has no interest one way or the other in the Charleston controone which to a greater or less extent affects all publishers who seek to exist versy further than that the matter is by merit rather thau by unjustly bestowed "patronage." COMING TO REASON. The papers are having a good deal to say about the Atlanta speech in ?T> :J ?. e??,rooted WHICH 1 rfbiucut iuuxviuivj oug^vowu that hereafter the Federal government should look impartially after the graves of Confederate aud Federal soldiers alike. And most of the papers in the south think that the president is deserving of great credit for having uttered such a seutimeut. We are glad that the president has said what he did, and we coufess that the utterance was admirable ; but we are not disposed to take it as any special evidence of generosity. It is only one of the first rays of a great truth that is, or should be, dawning in the minds of liberal and intelligent leaders throughout the north. The only wonder is that there has not been euough breadth and generosity among our northern brethren to warrant more i liberal admissions long ago. < No matter what may have been the ' secondary causes of the late war, the < real issue was the constitutional prin- | ciple of state rights. The south went | to war to preserve its constitutional 1 liberty against brute force, and al- J though it was compelled to succumb 1 to that force, the fact remains that no J fair minded, intelligent man of today can conscientiously claim that it was not right. President McKinley's utterance in Atlauta, therefore, seems to 1 have more value as an admission of tbis fact than as the patronizing concession some people may be disposed ' to consider it. But what the president has said is ' only a ray of justice. Right being the . test, the Confederates who fought and , laid down their lives in defense of the constitution of the United States, were ; the real patriots of the war of secession. On the principle that a govern- s ment should take care of its defenders, these Confederates have all along been the rightful claimants of the benefits ] that have been showered upon those < who successfully held up the side of 1 injustice. 1 We are saying this not because we are dissatisfied with the immediate , result of the war. While the south i was undoubtedly right in its construe- I tion of the constitution, that construe- 1 tion was probably not for the best , interest of the country as-a whole. The change brought about by the war ( has been for the better rather than j otherwise ; but still, as suggested, our friends at the north will have to admit at last that the real "crime" of the south was not rebellion ; but loyalty j to the constitution of the land. And this being true, the Federal government, notwithstanding the violence with which it wrought its cherished change in the constitution, owes it to the southern soldier to not only look after his grave; but to accord him all the benefits that a just government feels called upon to accord to its defenders. ? James H. Echols, president of the Commercial National Bank of Chicago, is authority for the statement that the Russian government is trying to raise a big loan in the United States. If this is true, it is something unusual aud full of significance. Echols claims that the United States now has more available money than at any time in the history of the country, and it is claimed that for two months or more money has been the "cheapest commodity" in New York, call loans being made as low as lj per cent., and no gilt edge securities for sale at less than 3J per cent. ' MERE-MENTION. Calvin S. Brice, former senator from Ohio, died in New York last Thursday, aud was buried in Ohio. Saturday. A lunatic priuter named Joseph W. Peursou threw bricks through the doors of the British embassay at Washington Thursday uight. MissPaunceforte, daughter of the ambassador, was struck on one ankle with a brick and slightly hurt. Pearson was arrested, and will probably go to a lunatic asylum. The total of deaths from the collapse of the gasometer at Twentyfirst street and Second avenue, New York, on Thursday, is now seveu. The gasometer was the largest in the world, 178 feet across and holding 3,600,000 feet of gas. It was being tested when it collapsed and sent a column of water 20 feet deep down Twenty-first street to East river.-"-Before leaving for the south last week, President McKinley signed a special , bill regulating the tariff duties for Cuba. The members of the American peace commission sailed last Sunday for the United States from South- , ampton. Albert Taylor, a white man, was hanged at Macon, Ga., last Friday at noon, for the murder of his wife. The execution was private, even , the newspaper reporters being excluded. A semi-official note issued from Madrid last Friday, says: "As , the American senate must ratify the treaty of peace before it becomes effective, our government should wait for this ratification, and not hasten to 1 -t- iL cede territory woicu vue uuucu Dtum senate may not accept." The total ( bank clearings in the United States for last week were $1,691,765,298; per i cent, increase 23.4. Exclusive of New York, $610,296,295 ; per cent, increase j 14.9. The Rev. William R. Camp- , hell, who has spent 21 years in Utah | among the Mormons, is in New York, j taking an active part in the fight j agaiust polygamy. He says that the , presbytery of Utah is in touch with , only 70 of the 310 postoffices of Utah. < Reports received from these show 2,000 , cases of polygamy and that 1,000 po- ? lygnmist children have been born since 1895. At the battle of Atbara a | number of Italian rifles were captured , from the Dervishes by the Egyptians. ] The Italians lost them to the Abyssi- < nians in 1887, and the Abyssiuiaus in , turn to the Dervishes in 1889. One ( important Wall Street commission , house recently borrowed $2,000,000 | for six months at 3 per cent. It has ( been in business for many years, and ] never before was able to borrow so ( much money at so low a rate for so long a time. According to the ofli- i cial forecast, the wheat harvest of Australia for 1898 will be 1,500,000 ( in excess of that of 1897, and there r will be a surplus available for export i of 2,225,000 bushels. t ? j The Peace Treaty.?The presi- < dent will submit the peace treaty to t the senate during the present session ; r that much has been definitely deter- > mined upon, says a Washington dis- t patch of Saturday. The text is still t lacking here, and as the commission- t ers have not thought proper to intrust c the document to the mails, it will not r reach Washington before next ?atur- s day. Although desirous of placing it t before the senate at the earliest op- i: portuuity, the president will not be r ible to do 80 for a week after tho receipt for the reason that congress will )e in holiday recess. Meanwhile the :reaty will not be given to the public. Strong pressure .has been brought to sear already to change this decision ; )ut a strict observance of the estabished custom in such cases will be 'ollowed, in order to avoid useless anmosity against the treaty on the part )f sticklers for the observance of the jourtesy due the senate. WILL NOT DOWN. Hr. Bryan Says the Silver Question Will Outlive Other Issues. A number of gold bug would-be Democratic papers, have recently tried to make it appear that W. J. Bryan aas abandoned the silver question as a lead issue. The New York World nteryiewed Mr. Bryan on the subject with the following result: "Will expansion be the issue two /ears hence?" was asked. "I do not care to talk about that subject," was the answer. "Do you think that the cause of silver is dead ?" "Not by any means," said Colonel Bryan, his lips compressing and his iyes taking on a stern expression. 'The silver question is as strong today ia ever, and it will not diminish.. The feeling for silver is as strong now as it was in 1896, when the opposition to the gold standard took its stand upon the Chicago platform. It was right then and it is right now. It will continue to be right. Every plank in the Chicago platform is as strong today as it was in 1896 when it was adopted." "Then you do not think," asked the correspondent, "that the war has lessened the importance of silver?" "War sentiment is ephemeral," was the reply. "The war feeling is temporary. The war excitement has ent Krv oMnntinn nf tHo nPAnlft fftl* ^a^cu vuo avvvuvivu v* vuw |/w|'.v a while; but it will soon die. Like a fire, it draws a crowd for the time; but the crowd soon grows tired and goes back to its normal pursuits. So with the war. The silver question will outlive any war that ever occurred or ever will occur." MAKING FUN OF ATLANTA. Alabama Legislature Adopts Sarcastic Resolutions. The following resolutions were introduced in the Alabama house of representatives last Saturday : "Whereas, the members of the general assembly who attended the peace jubilee in Atlanta were mistaken for tramps, hoboes and adventurers, and were brutally routed by the police from the capitol and the public hotels of Georgia's boasted capital, barely escaping with their lives and property. "And whereas, the sacred flag which is Alabama's title to a place in the sisterhood of states was ruthlessly trodden under foot in a mob conflict, to the great humiliation of our law-makers and the burning shame of the Georgia police. "Therefore, be it resolved ? "That we felicitate' our brothers on escaping with their lives and suggest that hereafter they await the coming of the elephant with more patience and thus save our proud state the burning shame to which they have just been subjected by the unnatural Georgians." The resolutions went to the committee on rules. Shafter and the Cubans.?At a collation of the officers of the Third Georgia regiment to Postmaster General Smith and the newspaper correspondents, in Savannah, last Saturday afternoon. General Shafter bad some interesting things to say about Cuba and the Cubans. He did not make a speech ; but in a conversational way expressed himself, his remarks being nominally addressed to Colonel Bonner of the Georgians, though they were intended for the whole assemblage. "It seems to me," said General Shafter, "that a great many persons have an erroneous idea respecting our relations with the Cubans. As I view it, we have taken Spain's war upon ourselves. We shall in all probability hear a good deal more of the 'insurgents.' " "How about self-government for the Cubans?" General Shafter was asked. "Self government," he repeated, "Why these people are no more fit for self government than gunpowder is for hell." In the same line General Shafter went on to tell why the United States would, in bis opinion, be obliged to remain in the island for some time and govern the territory by military force. Hanging In Cheraw. John Harper, colored, who killed Sandy Campbell last spring and was convicted of murder at the spring term of court, was hanged at ChesterSeld courthouse last Friday at 2 o'clock p. m. The condemned man showed a great deal of bravery, meeting death tvithout flinching. He was taken iown in 15 minutes after the drop fell ind nronounced dead. He made a short speech to the crowd of 400 persons preseut and said that he did not intend >o kill Campbell. After his talk he opened a hymn book and read the iiymn, "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say," and asked the crowd to join with him in singing it. Several did so. He then knelt down and prayed, ifter which he told the sheriff he was ready. He never flinched while the jutire preparations were going on. He is the first person hanged in that county in about 50 years. Movements of the Tolberts. Nejvs and Courier : Joseph Tolbert, )ne of the younger members of the 1'olbert lamuy, nas been in ureenwoou nquiring into the status of the feeling .here and whether or not it would be udiciou9 for him and other members )f his family to return home. He is nuch discouruged aud does not favor eturning home. He said that he was veil treuled in Greenwood and found hat the better class of citizens would live him and his protection. Still here were others who could not be :ouuted upon. Thomas Tolbert is iow in .Charleston, having recovered ufficiently to be able to travel, but is lot well. The little boy who was shot s still seriously hurt and may never ecover. LOCAL AFFAIRS. INDEX TO NEW ADVERTISEMENTS. P. \V. Love, Real Estate Agent?Offers I for rent the residence of Mr. J. C. Dickson, on King's Mountain street. He also suggests that if vou have real estate [ to sell or rent, or desire to buy or rent real estate, it would be well for you to consult him. | L. M. Grist?Wants to buy a small dressed hog and to sell a fine shot gun. George T. Schorb?Has in stock a new large-size full grand scale Lester piano which he offers at a bargain. He has also taken the agency for the sale of the "Crown" organs, and already having the Wilcox <k White agency, he is prefiared to supply your wants in the orj^an ine. The guarantee of the manufacturers and the guarantee of the agent go with these organs. Grist Cousins?Cocoanut crisp and peanut brittle, chocolate creams at 20 cents a pound, the best plain stick candy at 10 UOIIWJ a puuuu Ui bUlOO puuuuo IV* ?v cents, raisins at 10 cents, firecrackers, loaded shells for shot euns, and city sodas. J. A. Shurley, County Superintendent of Education?Gives notice that on Thursday, 22d instant, he will meet citizens of Forest Hill school district, No. 30, at Mr. Leni Woods's, at 10 a. m., to consult with regard to the consolidation of three white school districts. J. M. Ferguson?Announces that hereafter he will be prepared to furnish the public with choice' fresh meats, including beef, pork and dressed fowls. He will also continue to carry a choice line of family and fancy groceries. Louis Roth?Advertises a number of things which are suitable and desirable for your Christmas dinner, or for dinner on other days as well. H. C. Strauss?Talks to you about Christmas presents and enumerates a number of articles which would be acceptable and appreciated by the recipients. THE COTTON MARKET. The Yorkville cotton market continues to range higher than is warranted by New York and Liverpool quotations. It is because of the influence of surrounding mills. "I paid six cents for a bale of cotton today," remarked Mr. J. A. Datta in the posioffice Monday night. "Is that not pretty high ?" he was asked. "Yell, yes, maybe," he replied ; "but it was not as high as a good deal that was sold at 5J cents. The cotton I paid six cents for was first class, aud was well-worth the price." The local market on Monday was higher in proportion than on any day during the present season. It continued well up yesterday, and is likely to remain about the same today. Cotton of the kind described above will still bring six cents; but for the kind that is coming in most rapidly, the price ranges from 5J to 5$. FUNNY; BUT DANGEROUS. "Hold on there, boys; don't shoot any more of those crackers until I get by, please!" It was last Monday. Several boys had just exploded a large firecracker and were preparing to explode another, as a well-known physician from a neighboring town came along driving a spirited horse that was not used to noises of this kind. "All right, mister, we won't; we ain't got no more," said the largest of the boys. Relieved at this assurance, fho dn?lnr rpInTpH hlft VJcilftDCe aS tO vuv ?VWWW' V.?? * "O -his horse aad was passing quietly oo. Meanwhile the boy who had said be was not going to shoot any more was so busy getting another cracker iu readiness that his very eagerness made some little delay in the doctor's favor. Presently, "bang!" went the cracker, and the doctor's horse, now 50 yards away, stood straight in the air and made several frantic dashes before it could again be gotten under control. It occurred to bystanders that a serious accident was narrowly averted. The small boy was smart. What he did also was funny, maybe; but the doctor and others who correctly diagnose the case, would probably prescribe a good thrashing as a proper reward for this kind of cleverness. BRATTON-BRATTON MARRIAGE. The Colutnbia State of Monday contains the following account of the recent Bratton-Bratton marriage at Guthriesville. Many times has the hospitable home of the Brattons been thrown open to their friends; but on December 15th an event of especial interest took place in the marriage of Virginia Ma^rvf Mr an/1 IVTra OUU, UU1J UOU^UWl VI 4TA. uuv. Napoleon Bratton, to Mr. Robert Moultrie Bratton, son of the late Dr. J. Rufus Bratton, of Yorkville. On entering the bouse a scene of rare loveliness greeted the eye. The walls were festooned with graceful garlands, and everywhere were seen house plants, tall palms and ferns. Over the whole was shed a soft, mellow light, cast by many waxen tapers. Promptly at 3.30 o'clock, Mrs. Mason Bratton, sister of the bride, escorted by two fair girls?Misses Rita Witherspoon and Louise Lowry?entered the parlor and took her place at the piano, when the strains of Mendelshon's wedding march heralded the coming of the bride. The Rev. Theo. Bratton, an eminent divine of Spartauburg, entered first, , followed by two bridesmaids, Misses Ella Love and Jennie Hart, of Yorkville. These two pretty blondes made I a charming picture as they took their 1 places ou either side of the altar, in ! their picturesque costumes of white < organdie, beautifully trimmed in white , satin ribbon, carrying bouquets of pink , chrysautbemums and maiden hair fern. Then entered the first bridesmaid, ( Miss Ruth Cofield, of Spartanburg. ' Her piquant beauty was enhanced by i the charming costume of white organ- \ die, elaborately trimmed in bands of t white satin ribbon. She carried yellow chrysanthemums. Then came the fair young bride, the c cynosure of all eyes, leauing upon the arm of her dame of honor, Mrs. Laura t Seay Watson, of Rome, Ga., who took fc their places under an arch of ever- ^ greens and chrysanthemums. There they were met by the "?room and his best man, Dr. R. Andral Bratton. To the strains of music, soft and low, t the solemn words were spoken in an c unusually impressive manner, that r< made the lovers man and wife. d The dame of honor, a brilliant brunette, never appeared to greater advantage than on this occasion, clad in a plain costume of heavy white taffeta. a The bride never looked more lovely than in her elegant costume of white p moonshine over satin. t! Mrs. Bratton is widely known t] inrouguout tuo aiaie, uuu uuuuto mci friends by the score. She is loved and . admired by all who are fortunate 15 enough to know her. * o Mr. firatton, the groom, is one of ti York'8 most popular and prosperous a young men, and deserves to be con- ^ gratulated on the prize he has won. After congratulations and good 0 wishes were showered upon the happy & pair, the doors of the dining room were thrown open and a sumptuous luncheon was served. Here the decorations vied with those in the parlor ; beauti- r ful sprays of mistletoe, laden with the waxen berries, mingled with the wax- A en leaves and rich red of the holly, l: formed the principal decorations. Mr. and Mrs. Bralton left that even- I ing on the 9.30 train for a trip of several weeks. Among the guests from a distance f1 were Mrs. 0. E. Thomas, Mrs. Frank I Sims and Master Frank Sims from Columbia; Mr. and Mrs. Allen Izard, ^ Mrs. Myron Sandifer, Mrs. Harrison, 0 Mrs. W. Simpson from Rock Hill. ^ STAR ROUTE CONTRACTORS. C The postoffice department is having a lively time with star route specula- * tors who, despite the vigilance of the 11 authorities, are still managing to make an occasional margin by sbaviDg the proposals of local bidders. The latest scheme that has been brought to the attention of the postoffice department, is that of attorneys and professional contractors, who, when a new contract is to be let, write to the postmasters at either end of the proposed route, and request the names of prospective bidders. They then write to the prospective bidders, represent tbat they are in possession of information that is not accessible to the public generally, and offer, for a small consideration, to take charge of the work of securiug the desired contract. Second Assistant Postmaster General Sballenberger calls attention in the last issue of The Postal Guide to the ( fact that all persons pretending to ( | have special information are frauds , who desire to get the figures of pros- ( Ipective bidders, in order that they ) might profit by the information. Mr. Shalleuberger goes on to say that in { .all cases the postoffice department ( prefers to deal directly with local bid- t 'loi-o a n't ho naanraa thorn that if their / bids are gotten up regularly and in | proper form, they will always receive ( attention. / # COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. The members of the York delegation in the general assembly are receiving applications from candidates who desire to be appointed as county commissioners under the act that is expected to supersede the present county government law. So far, we have heard of three or four candidates for the position, and the reporter is informed that at least one of these candidates will get the endorsement of a majority of the delegation. To publish names at this time, however, would hardly be fair to the candidates or the members of the delegation, especially in view of the fact that the reporter's information has not come in a way that entitles it to ^ be considered definite and final. The two commissioners to be appointed in this county under the new 1 law will receive not exceeding three dollars per day each, apd their pay will be limited to 25 days each per annum. The board of commissioners, c howeVer, is to be allowed a clerk, who ' shall receive for his services not exceeding $100 a year. Though there is no reason to doubt s at this time that it is the intention of ' the governor to either sign the act un- * /lor onnairiorat.inn nr flllow it to become 1 a law without his signature, it is a fact that the bill is a pretty clumsy piece c a patchwork, and it is possible that the * general assembly may see fit to amend it considerably before it gets into practical operation. c HAD A CLOSE CALL. b Dr. Wm. M. Walker, whose illness . || was reported in the last issue of The t Enquirer, is getting better, and there is reason to hope that he will be up agaiu in a few days; but he has been t close to death's door. ^ The doctor was suffering from a t complication of erysipelas and grip, ^ and his condition was extremely crit- u ical. On Saturday it was not thought possible that he, could last more than two or three days longer, and the sit- p uation was further complicated Satur- g) day night by a remarkable accident. c Through a mistake, the doctor was t( given internally some medicine con- jy taining carbolic acid that was intended w for local application. He was very T weak at the time; but spoke of the jncomfortable effect, and Dr. Miles h Walker, who was in attendance, dis- p( covering immediately the mistake that th iad been made, set about administer- u, ng the proper antidotes. The patient 8a was so completely exhausted that for qi i time he became uuconscious, and D, ;ven Dr. Miles Walker thought he was d< lead. Shortly afterward, however, the pa- D ient began to show signs of getting Y >etter. He continued to improve, un- Pi il now it appears that the effects of a he erysipelas have almost passed ar iway. There is reason also to believe or bat the mistake, which under most ill :ircumstauces would have proved fatal, th sally contributed to the saving of the octor's life. The reporter called upon Dr. Walkr ytsterday and found the old gentleian in the best of spirits. He referred 3 the fact that he bud several times assed from life into death, aud said bat he had grown accustomed to the ransition. He does not Dretend to ay whether he will get up again ; but 3 not in the least depressed on account f his present condition. On the conrary he delights to talk to his friends bout the situation in a matter of fact ind of way, which none but the thorugbly prepared could assume under ny circumstances. ABOUT PEOPLE. Mr. Herod Neil, the auctioneer, hits ented the Boyd house for next year. Dr. C. Fred Williams is at home rom Baltimore on a two weeks' vacaion. Messrs. D. P. and T. F. Lesslie, of jesslie, were in Yorkville a few hours ast Saturday. Mr. M. A. W. Smith has removed rom the Clark's Fork back to the ''odder neighborhood. Rev. Edward S. Reaves returned to forkville on yesterday after an absence if several weeks. Dr. Clarence M. Kuykendal has >een having a bad week of it. He is sonfined to bis home again. Superintendent Grimes, of the York Cotton mills, has been north for severil days past on business. . C. E. Spencer, Esq., was in Columbia luring the greater part of last week n attendance on the supreme court. Judge Gage came -up from Chester ast Saturday to bear the case of the farmers' Mutual Insurance company igainst D. M. Hall and others. Messrs. B. M. and S. L. Faris, C. H. Graham and S. H. Epps, of Fort Mill .ownship, were in Yorkville on Monlay with busiuess before Judge Mc3orkle. Mr. C. VV. F. Spencer, of Yorkville, ivas a member of a big law class that tvas admitted to the bar last week, af;er examination by the supreme court. Charlotte Observer, Saturday : Mrs. r. M. Odell passed through Charlotte ast night on her way from Captain S. E. White's, in Fort Mill, to her home n Concord. THE FARMERS' MUTUAL. The question as to whether the Farners' Mutual Insurance company has 1 1 . a _ !?_ I 3 _ _ J ,ue rigni 10 assess lis memuers id au/ance on account of losses not yet incurred, was argiled before Judge Gage ast Saturday. ' The case was commenced originally leveral months ago. The insurance company had not been making assessneuts until after losses bad been incurred. On the assumption that the >usiness of the company would be acilituted, the management sought to 10 change the by-laws as to permit advance assessments, and these advance issessments several of the members efused to pay. This gave rise to the iction now in progress. It is the contention of the defenlants?those who decline to pay advance assessments?that the change n the by-laws referred to was illegal n that it was made by the directors )f the company and not by a majority /ote of the stockholders. The direcors claim to have had general power Vom the stockholders to make such changes in the by-laws as they, the lirectors, deemed desirable, and that be change in dispute was made under .his power. Messrs. W. B. deLoach and J. 8. Brice represented the insurance com)any, and Mr. G. W. 8. Hart the dislatisfied members who have declined' o pay the advanced assessments. The facts in the case presented to Tudge Gage have been agreed to by >otb sides, and the issue before the :ourt was a matter of law only. . One joint is whether the charter of the ;ompany will permit advance assessnents, and the other is whether, if luch assessments are authorized, did he directors of the company have the jower to make the change that they nade in the by-laws. Afler hearing the arguments of the ipposing counsel, Judge Gage took the tapers with the understanding that te would give his opinion later on. LOCAL LACONICS. IleanlDg the Streets. The town council of Yorkville has >een engaged during the past few days a giving the streets of the town a horough cleaning. fp to Last Tear's Figures. The cotton receipts of Yorkville up o this time amount to as much as uring the whole of last season ; so be reporter was informed yesterday y a buyer who had looked into the latter. ew Meat Market. Mr. J. M. Ferguson has opened his romised meat market with a fine tall-fed beef, a heavy porker, dressed bickeus, ready for the pot, and other ;mpting articles in the meat line. fa rvrnmiooo tn fnrnidh hiu nistomfirs LC piuuaiwvw wv mim.wm ?? 'ith stall-fed beef exclusively. he County Conamltislouers. The county board of commissioners eld a meeting yesterday for the purose of making estimates of the levies tat will be necessary in this county sxt year. At the time it was necesiry to close the forms of The Enljirer, the work of the board was )t in shape for au intelligent report. Bath of Mr*. Boyce. Mrs. Boyce, mother of W. VV. Boycei emocratic nominee for auditor of ork county, died at her home in neville, N. U., last Wednesday, after protracted illness. Mr. Boyce had ranged to move to Yorkville a week two ago; but was detained by the ness of his mother. He will occupy e Steele residence, on East Liberty