Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, September 18, 1906, Image 1
ISSUED MEXX-WIBBKL^
l jc. grists sons. Pubiiihen. [ ? Tamils 3Hftrsjjaffr: <jfor the |romotion of the political, foetal. Jgrituliura! and Communal Interests of the fieople. [
81NOLE COPT, PITS CENT*.
ESTABLISHED 1855. YORKVILLE, S. C., TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1906. TSTO. 75.
' " ' - * -- ? ? I I CAIftl ATIY/C I IMC.IID
The Gande
A Savage Sport of the J
Obso
From Georgia Scenes, Published by Hi
In the year 1798 I resided in the city
of Augusta, and, upon visiting the
market-house one morning in that
year, my attention was called to the
following notice, stuck upon one of
the pillars of the building:
"advurtysement.
"Thos woo wish To be Inform heareof,
is heareof notyflde that edwd. Prator
will giv a gander-pullln. jist this
side of harisburg, on Satterday ofthes
pressents munth to All woo mount wish
to partak tharof.
"e Prator, thos wlshin
to purtak will cum yearly, as the pullin
will begin soon e. p."
If I am asked why "Jls this side of
harisburg" was selected for the promised
feat instead of the city of Augusta,
I answer from conjecture, but with
some confidence, because the ground
chosen was near the central point between
four rival towns, the citizens of
all which "mout wish to partake tharof";
namely. Augusta, Springfield.
Harrlsburg and Campbellton. Not that
each was the rival of all the others,
but that the first and the last were
competitors and each of the others
hacked the pretensions of its nearest
neighbor. Harrisburg sided with
Campbelllton, not because she had any
interest in seeing the business of the
two states centre upon the bank of the
river, nearly opposite to her, but because,
like the "Union Democratic Republican
Party of Georgia," she
thought, after the adoption of the
Federal Constitution, that the several
towns of the confederacy should no
longer be "separated" by the distinction
of local party;; but that, laying
down all former prejudices and Jealousies
as a sacrifice on the altar of
their country, they should become
united in a single body, for the maintenance
of those principles which they
deemed essential to the public welfare.
Springfield, on the other hand, espoused
the State Rights creed. She
admitted that, under the Federal compact,
she ought to love the sister states
very much; but that, under the Social
Compact, she ought to love her own
4 4 - -? -V.
stale a nine mure; tiuu sue muugiu mc
two compacts perfectly reconcilable to
each other. Instead of the towns of the
several states getting into single bodies
to preserve the public welfare, her
doctrine was, that they should be kept
in separate bodies to preserve the private
welfare. She admitted frankly
that, living, as she always had lived,
right amid gullies, vapors, fogs, creeks,
and lagoons, she was wholly Incapable
of comprehending that expansive kind
of benevolence which taught her to i
love people whom she knew nothing
about ss much as her next-door neighbors
and friends. Until, therefore
she should learn It from the practical
AnnwaHAn f\t IHa PaHapo J PnmnArt ahe
would stick to the old-fashioned
Scotch love, which she understood perfectly,
and "go in" for Augusta, live
or die, hit or miss, right or wrong.
As In the days of Mr. Jefferson the
Springfield doctrines prevailed, Campbellton
was literally nullified, Insomuch
that ten years ago there was not a
house left to mark the spot where once
flourished this active, busy little village.
Those who are curious to know
where Springfield stood at the time
of which I am speaking have only to
take their position at the Intersection
of Broad and Marbury streets, in the
city of Augusta, and they will be In
the very heart of old Springfield. Sixty
steps west and as many east of this
position will measure the whole length
of the Jeffersonlan Republican village,
which never boasted of more than
four dwelling-houses; and Broad street
measures its width, if we exclude
kitchens and stables. And, while upon
this subject, since it has been predicted
by a man for whose opinions I entertain
the profoundest respect* (especially
since the prediction) that my
writings will be read with Increased
Interest a hundred years to come, and
as I can see no good reason, if this be
true, why they should not be read a
thousand years hence with more interest,
I will take the liberty of dropping
a word here to the curious reader of
the year 1933. He will certainly wish
to know the site of Harrisburg (seeing
it is doomed, at no distant period, to
share the fate of Springfield) and of
Campbellton.
Supposing, then, that if the great
? * 1.1 A *1 v?41
nre in ausubih uu mc au m .-v^i...
1829, did not destroy that city nothing:
will, I select this as a permanent object.
In 1798. Campbell street was the
western verge of Augusta, a limit to
which it had advanced but a few years
before, from Jackson street. Thence
to Springfield led a large road, now
built up on either side, and forming a
continuation of Broad street. This
road was cut across obliquely by a
deep gully, the bed of which was an
almost Impassible bog, which entered
the road about one hundred yards below
Collock street on the south, and
left it about thirty yards below Collock
street on the north side of now
Broad street. It was called Campbell's
Gully, from the name of the gentleman
through whose possessions and
near whose dwelling it wound its way
to the river. Following the direction
of Broad street from Springfield westward,
1347 yards will bring you to
Harrisburg, which had nothing to
boast of over Springfield but a ware
house for the storage of tobacco, then
the staple of Georgia. Continue the
same direction 700 yards, then face to
your right hand, and follow your nose
directly across Savannah river, and,
upon ascending the opposite bank, you
will be In the busiest part of Campbellton
In 1798. Between Harrisburg
and Springfield, and 1143 yards from
the latter, there runs a stream which
may be perpetual. At the time Just
mentioned It flowed between banks
twelve or fourteen feet high, and was
then called, as It still Is, "Hawk's
Gully."5
The editor of the Hickory Nut.
S It took its name from an old man
by the name of Hawk, who lived in a
log hut on a small knoll on the eastern
side of the gully and about a hundred
yards south of the Harrisburg road.
Now Mr. Prator, like the most sue
;r Pulling.
Long Ago Which Is Now
lete.
irper A Brothers.
eussful politician of the present day,
was on all sides in a doubtful contest;
and, accordingly, he laid off his gander-pulling
ground on the nearest suit- I
able unappropriated spot to the cen-1
tre point between Springfield and Harris
burg. This was between Harrisburg i
and Hawk's Gully, to the south of the
road, and embraced part of the road,
but within 100 yards of Harrisburg.
When "Satterday of thes pressents i
munth" rolled round, I determined to
go to the gander-pulling. When I ]
reached the spot, a considerable number
of persons, of different ages, sexes,
sizes, and complexions, had collected i
from the rival towns and the country i
around. But few females were there,
however, and those few were from the i
lowest walks of life.
A circular path of about forty yards j
diameter had already been laid out; i
over which, from two posts about ten <
feet apart, stretched a rope, the middle i
of which was directly over the path. <
The rope hung loosely, so as to allow i
it, with the weight of a gander at- i
tached to It, to vibrate in an arc of i
four or Ave feet span, and so as to <
bring the breast of the gander within |
barely easy reach of a man of middle I
stature upon a horse of common size. ]
A hat was now handed to such as i
wished to enter the list; and they j
threw into It twenty-flve cents each, i
This sum was the victor's prize.
The devoted gander was now pro- ;
duced; and Mr. Prator, having first <
tied his feet together with a strong l
cord, proceeded to the neck-greasing, i
Abhorrent as it may be to all who res- |
pect the tender relations of life, Mrs. j
Pratnr had actually Dreoared a gourd i
of goose-grease for this very purpose. I
For myself, when I saw Ned dip his i
hands Into the grease, and commence '
stroking down the feathers from breast i
to head, my thoughts took a melan- t
choly turn. They dwelt in sadness <
upon the many conjugal felicities <
which had probably been shared be- I
tween the greasess and the greasee. I <
could see him as he stood by her side, <
through many a chilly day and cheer- <
less night, when she was warming I
Into life the offspring of their mutual i
loves, and repelled, with chivalrous j
spirit, every invasion of the consecra- 1
ted spot which she had selected for I
her incubation. I could see him mov- 1
lng with patriarchal dignity by the i
side of his loved one, at the head of 1
a smiling, prattling group?the rich ?
reward of their mutual care?to the i
luxuries of the meadow or to the rec- 1
reatlons of the pool. And now, alas! <
an extract from the smoking sacrifice i
of his bosom friend was desecrated to c
MAlrtni* V?Io nnnlr c
ine uruioiv puipiwc ut uiaaius u?> ?? "a
fit object" for cruelty to reach "her
quick, unerring fingers at." Ye friends
of the sacred tie! Judge what were my
feelings when, in the midst of these
reflections, the voice of James Prator
thundered on mine ear, "Darn his old
dodging soul! Brother Ned, grease
his neck till a fly can't light on it!"
Ned, having fulfilled his brother
Jim's request as well as he could, attached
the victim of his cruelty to the
rope, directly over the path. On each
side of the gander was stationed a
man, whose office it was to lash forward
any horse which might linger
there for a moment; for, by the rules
of the ring, all pulling was to be dene
at a brisk canter.
The word was now given for the
competitors to mount and take their
places in the ring. Eight appeared;
tall Zubley Zln, mounted upon Sally
Spitfire; Arch Odum, mounted on Bun <
and Ingons (onions); Nathan Perdew, I
on Hellcat; James Dickson, on Nigger; :
David Williams, on Gridiron; fat John <
Fulger, on Slouch; Gorham Bostwlck, :
on Gimlet; and Turner Hammond, on i
'Possum. I
"Come, gentlemen," said Comman- I
dant Prator. "fall in. All of you git i
behind one another, sort o' In a row." i
All came Into the track very kindly I
but Sally Spitfire and Gridiron. The i
former, as soon as she saw a general i
movement of horses, took It for grant
ed there was mischief brewing, and, I
because she could not tell where It lay, i
she concluded It lay everywhere, and
therefore took fright at everything.
Gridiron was a grave horse; but a
suspicious eye which he cast to the
right and left, wherever he moved,
showed that "he was wide awake,"
and that "nobody better not go fooling
with him," as his owner sometimes
used to say. He took a sober but rather
intense view of things; insomuch
that, In his contemplations, he passed
over the track three times before he
could be prevailed upon to stop In It.
He stopped at last, however; and
when he was made to understand that
this was all that was required of him
for the present, he surrendered his suspicions
at once, with a countenance
which seemed plainly to say, <-?n, u
this Is all you want, I've no objection
to it!"
It was long before Miss Spitfire
could be prevailed upon to do the like.
"Get another horse, Zube," said one;
"Sal will never do for a gander-pullln'."
"I won't," said Zube. "If she won't
do, I'll make her do. I want a nag
that goes off with a spring; so that,
when I get a hold, she'll cut the neck
in two like a steel-trap."
At length Sally was rather flung
than coaxed Into the track, directly
ahead of Gridiron.
"Now, gentlemen," said the master
of the ceremonies, "no man's to make
a grab till all's been once round; and
when the first man are got round, then
the whole twist and tucking of you
grab away as you come under?(Look
here, Jim Fulger! you better not
stand too close to that gander, I tell
you!)?one after another. Now blaze
away!" (the command for an onset of
every kind with people of this order).
Off they went, Miss Sally delighted;
for she now thought the whole parade
would end In nothing more nor less
than her favorite amusement, a race.
But Gridiron's visage pronounced this
the most nonsensical business that
ever a horse of sense was engaged In
since the world began.
For the first three rounds Zubley was
wholly occupied In restraining Sally
to her place; but he lost nothing by
this, for the gander had escaped unhurt.
On completing this third round,
Zube reached forth his long arm, grabbed
'the gander by the neck with a
firmness which seemed likely to defy
goose-grease, and at the same Instant
he Involuntarily gave Sally a sudden
check. She raised her head, which before
had been kept nearly touching
her leader's hocks, and for the first
time saw the gander in the act of descending
upon her; at the same moment
she received two pealing lashes
from the whlppers. The way Bhe now
broke for Springfield "Is nothing to
nobody." As Zube dashed down the
road, the whole circus raised a whoop
after him. This started about twenty
UO?i}, uuuuus, fura, auu puuiici d?iu
full chase of him (for no one moved
without his doer in those days). The
dogs alarmed some belled cattle, which
were grazing on Zube's path, just as
he reached them; these joined him,
with tails up and a tremendous rattling.
Just beyond these went three
tobacco-rollers, at distances of fifty
Euid a hundred yards apart, each of
whom gave Zube a terrific whoop,
scream, or yell as he passed.
He went in and out of Hawk's Gully
like a trap-ball, and was in Springfield
"in less than no time." Here he i
was encouraged onward by a new recruit
of dogs; but they gave up the
chase as hopeless before they cleared
the village. Just beyond Springfield,
what should Sally encounter but a
flock of geese?the tribe to which she ,
i\ved all her misfortunes. She stop- ,
ped suddenly, and Zube went over her
lead with the last acquired velocity. ;
He was up in a moment, and the activity
with which he pursued Sally <
satisfied every spectator that he was ,
jnhurt. ,
Gridiron, who had witnessed Miss i
Sally's treatment with astonishment
ind Indignation, resolved not to pass (
Detween the posts until the whole ]
natter should be explained to his sat- ,
sfactlon. He therefore stopped short, <
ind, by very Intelligible looks, de- i
nanded of the whippers whether, If '
le passed between them, he was to be
:reated as Miss Spitfire had been? <
rhe whippers gave him no satlsfac
Jon, and his rider signified, by relter- |
ited thumps of the heel, that he should \
jo through whether he would or not. ,
3f these, however, Gridiron seemed to |
enow nothing. In the midst of the (
inference, Gridiron's eye lit upon the |
)sclllatlng gander, and every moment's <
survey of It begot In him a growing |
nterest, as his slowly rising head,
suppressed breath, and projected ears ]
On Iwltr nirlnno^ A ffar a flhnrt ATfim.
nation, he heaved a sigh, and looked
pehlnd him to see if the way was clear.
It was plain that his mind was now
nade up; but, to satisfy the world that
ie would do nothing rashly, he took
mother view, and then wheeled and
vent to Harrlsburg as if he had set In
'or a year's running. Nobody whooped
at Gridiron, for all saw that his
-unnlng was purely the result of phll>sophic
deduction. The reader will not
tuppose all this consumed half the time
vhlch has been consumed in telling it,
hough it might have been so without
nterrupting the amusement; for Miss
3pitflre's flight had completely suspended
it for a time.
The remaining competitors now went
m with the sport. A few rounds showid
plainly that Odum or Bostwlck
vould be the victor; but which, no one
;ould tell. Whenever either of them
-?o mo paim/1 tKn o*q nHor'a nonlr wflQ
jure of a severe wrench. Many a i
lalf-pint of Jamaica was staked upon
:hem, beside other thmgs. The poor
gander withstood many a strong pull
jefore his wailings ceased. At length,
lowever, they were hushed by Odum.
rhen came Bostwick, and broke the
leek. The next grasp of Odum, it was
:hought, would bear away the head;
t>ut it did not. Then Bostwick was
sure of it; but he missed it. Now
3dum must surely have it. All is interest
and animation; but horses |
sweep round with redoubled speed;
?very eye is upon Odum, his backers
smiling, Bostwlck's trembling. To the
rope he comes, lifts his hand, when, i
lo! fat John Fulger had borne it away
the second before. All were astonished,
ill disappointed, and some were vexed
i little; for it was now clear that "if
It hadn't 'a* been for his great, fat.
greasy paw,' 10 use meir own language,
"Odum would have gained the
victory." Others cursed "that longlegged
Zube Zln, who was so high he
didn't know when his feet were cold,
for bringing such a nag as Sal Spitfire
to a gander-pullen! for If he'd 'a'
been In his place it would 'a' flung
Bostwick right where that gourd o'
hog's lard (Fulger) was."
Fulger's conduct was little calculated
to reconcile them to their disappointment.
"Come here Neddy Prator," said he,
with a triumphant smile; "let your
uncle Johnny put his potato-stealer
[hand] into that hat and tickle the
chins of them are shiners a little! Oh,
you little shining sons o' b s! walk
Into your Mas' Johnny's pocket, and
jingie so as aicii uuum auu uuiy
Bostwick may hear you! You hear
'em, Gory? Boys, don't pull with men
any more. I've Jlst got my hand In;
I wish I had a pondful o' ganders here
now, jlst to show how I could make
their heads fly. Bet all I've won, you
may hang three upon that rope and I'll
set Slouch at full speed, and take off
the heads of all three the first grab?
two with my hands and one with my
teeth." .
Thus he went on, but really there
was no boasting In all this; It was all
fun; for John knew, and all were
convinced that he knew, that his success
was entirely the result of accident.
John was really "a good-natured
fellow," and his cavorting had an effect
directly opposite to that which the
reader would suppose it had; It reconciled
all to their disappointment
save one. I except little Billy Mlxen,
of Spirit Creek, who had staked the
net proceeds of six quarts of huckleberries
upon Odum, which he had been
long keeping for a safe bet. He could
not be reconciled until he fretted himself
Into a pretty little plny-woods
fight, in which he got whipped, and
then he went home perfectly satisfied.
Fulger spent all his winnings with
Prator in treats to the company, made
most of them drunk, and thereby produced
four Georgia rotations; after
which all parted good friends.
iW It isn't necessary for women to be
voters in order to be rulers.
SOUTH CMOLM
T
How the Spirit of Libert;
Unconqnera
By REV. HOB KK'
From the TorkvlJle Enquirer of 1871.
INSTALLMENT XXXII.
Morgan's rieireai.
The most celebrated retreat on record
is that of the ten thousand Greeks
who had espoused the cause of Cyrus,
the younger, in his expedition
against his brother Artaxerxes. After
the death of Cyrus, these ten thousand
Greeks cut their way through an
enemy's country and returned to their
native land. So wonderful was this
retreat that it is historically designated
as the "Retreat of the ten thousand."
Great as was the bravery and skill
exhibited by the Greeks, the retreat of
General Morgan from the Cowpens and
the subsequent retreat of General
Greene through North Carolina and
over the Dan, into Virginia is no less,
remarkable. Since "it is distance that
lends enchantment to the view," we
have no doubt but some day, in the future
history of the world, the Morgan
and Greene's retreat will eclipse that
of Xenophon.
The battle of Cowpens was fought,
as already stated, on the 17th of January,
1781. The conflict began about
9 o'clock In the morning. That same
evening, Earl Cornwallls was Informed
of Tarleton's defeat. On the day after
the battle of the Cowpens, General
Leslie formed a Junction with Earl
Cornwallls In York county, on the
plantation of John Hlllhouse, now owned
in part by Samuel C. Youngblood.
The British camp was in front of the
residence of Mr. Youngblood. Colonel
Tarleton encamped on Broad river near
Hamilton's ford. Tradition says that
several of his soldiers who had been
wounded at the Cowpens died at Hamilton's
ford and were buried on land
now belonging to Junius W. Thompson.
Not many years since, it is related
that those cultivating these lands ,
exhumed human bones, which in all
probability were the remains of some
soldiers who died from wounds inflicted
by Morgan's men.
Long after the war was over and
prosperity has effaced the devastation
caused by the British army in its progress
through the country, a pair of
silver sleeve buttons, upon which were
engraved the Initials of a British officer's
name, were found near Samuel
C. Youngblood's. These relics of the
Limes that "tried men's souls" are in
the possession of some one in Chester.
To the mind that is fond of revelling
In the past, these things possess an interest,
which can be better felt the n described.
A strange and indescr.bable
feeling pervades the soul when we
stand upon the ground where once
:amped a British army. Every move-,
ment made either by the army of the
patriots or by their enemies is full of
Interest.
On the afternoon of the memorable
Jay on which Morgan defeated Tarleton
at the Cowpens, Morgan set out
to cross Broad river. A small detachment
was left under the command of
Colonel Pickens to bury the dead of
both armies and make provisions for
the comfort of the wounded. On the
svenlng after the battle, Morgan crossed
Broad river above the South Carolina
line, and by forced marches, on a
route leading him over the spot where
King's Mountain station, on the Air
Line Railroad Is now located, he passed
through the lower edge of Cleveland
and Gaston counties and crossed the
Clatawba at the Island ford. Here
through couriers, an arrangement had
been made between General Greene
and General Morgan for a conference.
Morgan crossed the Catawba on the
29th of January. His march had been
slow, on account of the number of
prisoners and baggage captured from
the British at the Cowpens.
So soon as Earl Cornwallis heard of
Tarleton's defeat, with a heavy heart
he began to make arrangements for
his advance into North Carolina. During
his stay at Wlnnsboro and on
his march from Wlnnsboro to Turkey
creek, he had collected a large number
of horses. These were gathered
up by the Tories, who were generally
experts In horse stealing. An organized
band of these depredators Infested
the country. Their headquarters was
on the western side of Broad river, In
the present county of Newberry.
On the night after the battle of the
Cowpens, General Leslie encamped on
Sandy river, In Chester county. The
next day Leslie marched his forces In
the camp of Comwallls. It had already
been determined by Cornwallls
to push forward and If possible prevent
Morgan from crossing the Catawba.
Arrangements were made to mount the
soldiers and convert the whole British
forces under his command Into light
Infantry. It was the dead of winter
and the roads where there were any,
were In a wretched condition. The
country over which they had to pass
was broken and roads had to be cut.
The country was sparsely fctMed and
consequently provisions scarce. Cornwallis
whilst encamped at Ilillhouse's
(now Youngblood's) begcn to grow disheartened
and when ho heaid of Tarleton's
defeat at the Cowpcns his
hopes of subduing the country almost
failed. He met with few friends
amongst the inhabitants and the Whigs
would prowl around his camp, rhoot
his sentinels and like Arabs df-sh into
the very midst of his camp and plunder
his quarters
The house in which Corn wallls had
his headquarters stood east of the
road, opposite the residence of Samuel
C. Youngblood. On nm occasion a
courier rode into the camp and tied
his horse to the cheek of the aoor, in
which were Cornwallis and his aids.
The redoubtable Jack McLaln seizing
the opportunity, rushed up, untied the
horse and mounting him rode out of
the British camp unhurt.
The 18th of January, 1781, was a
busy day In the British camp on Turkey
creek. The united forces were
as we may say re-organized and arranged
for the capture, first of Morgan.
then of Greene and finally the
complete subjugation of all North Carolina.
It was the dream of a sick
AW
W! REVOLUTION
y Was Kept Alive By an
Jble Peoplle.
r latHin, i>. d.
i
man. It was hope against hope. Generics
like private soldiers often suffer
their hopes and fears to control their
Judgment. The following Is the order
In which the troop were to march up
Broad river. In front, marched the
Yagers. These were a corps of Infantry
mounted on horses and armed
with rifles. Their office was to scour
the country in front of the main army
and drive away the Whigs from the
line of march. The Yagers were followed
by a corps of road cutters. The
duty of opening up a road for the wagons
belonging to the army was assigned
to these. By this corps the road
leading from Wlnnsboro to Little Broad
river, In ^Cleveland county, N. C.K
was opens. In som^ places It has
teen abandoned, but in the main It
continues ?he same that it was ninetyfive
years] ago. For a long time after
the war It was called the King's road;
at a later period it was known as the
Charleston road. Both these appellations
are at present nearly forgotten.
The corps of road cutters were followed
by two three pounders. The next
In order was the brigade guards; then
the regiment of Bose; then followed
the North Carolina Tories. As If to
protect there loyal subjects of the king,
but unpatriotic citizens, two six pounders
were ordered to follow In their
rear. The two six pounders were followed
by Lieutenant Colonel Webster's
brigade of cavalry. Next followed the
wagons, which bore the baggage or
Earl Cornwallis. Then the wagons in
which wei? placed the baggage belonging
to the held officers. In the
rear of these were the ammunition
wagons, hospital wagons and wagons
belonging to the different regiments.
Then followed the provision train and
loose hones. One hundred men selected
from Colonel Webster's brigade
of cavalry, under the command of one
captain and two subalterns, formed
the rear guards.
At eight o'clock on the night of the
18th of January, 1781, Earl Cornwallis
Issued orders for the whole army to be
ready to move off in the order already
stated at eight o'clock on the next
morning. We can only imagine the
strand and Imposing spectacle which
the army of Cornwallis presented as
it moved slowly along through the wilderness.
No doubt John Hlllhouse
was glad when Cornwallis vacated his
house and no doubt he and his few
neighbors were in a deplorable condition.
The British troops had been
quartered on them for several days. A
considerable field lying in the direction
of Turkey creek from Samuel C.
Youngbjood's residence, was cleared by
the British soldiers In securing fire
wood.
The first day, the army made its way
OC fa n a a Wnlfa craelr On thft twpn -
tleth, the Yagers were detached and
sent to Tarleton, who was still at
Hamilton's ford. On the same day,
Tarleton In obedience to the orders of
Cornwallls, crossed Broad river, for
the purpose of gaining Intelligence of
the movements of Morgan and also
rendering aid to his troops who had
been scattered In the recent battle. It
would seem from this move that the
British were ignorant of Morgan's
movements. Tarleton having learned
that Morgan was not on the west side
of Broad river, recrossed the river at
Smith's ford.
On the night of the twentieth, Cornwallls
camped on Buffalo. Here lfe
was Joined by Tarleton and the resolu
tlon was formed to pursue Morgan.
Up to this time the intention was to
cut Morgan off. On the night of the
twenty-third, following the trial of
Morgan, the British reached Old Tryon
court house In the western corner of
the present county of Gaston, about
twenty miles from Llncolnton. The
next day, hungry and footsore, they
reached Ramsour's mill, in the vicinity
of Liricolnton. Cornwallis had heard
of Ramsour's mill before. The mention
of the name awakened unpleasant
recollections. There on the twentieth
of June, 1780, the loyal North Carolinians,
under the ill starred Colonel
Moore, met with a sad and ruinous
defeat.
At Ramsour's mill they remained
three days, collecting provisions and
making arrangements for continuing
the pursuit of Morgan. The weather
Ti-oo nMooJInirlv ha/1 a n rt thp nmfiTTPSS
through the country very slow. Cornwallls
had learned since he left Turkey
creek that It was impossible to effect
anything, encumbered as he was with
baggage. Determined to do everything
and make any sacrifice that he
might succeed in his undertaking,
Cornwallls Issued an order on the
twenty-fifth for all superfluous baggage
to be destroyed. All the wagons
belonging to the army, except those
loaded with salt, hospital stores, ammunition
and four empty wagons for
the sick were committed to the flames.
Officers as well as men were ordered
to reduce their private baggage. That
this order might be obeyed cheerfully
by ill the officers, Earl Cornwallls
promptly reduced the quantity of his
owr baggage. It Is diffcult to say
whfther this was a wise or foolish act.
It seems to have been the act of a man
whose motto was success or ruin.
TO BE CONTINUED.
"Extras" In Bueno3 Ayres.?La
Pre nsa, the famous newspaper of
Bi ?nos Ayres, has a 5000-horsepower
steam siren. When there Is big news,
an appalling disaster, whoop! goes
the siren "A deuce of a row," writes
a correspondent, "up and down the
scale, a defiant shriek, gurgling
groan, for a varying period, according
to the importance of the event,
the horrid din resounds throughout
th? city. All of this causes the most
extraordinary sensation. It is, of
course, only on great occasions that
this takes place. I heard the siren
go for the first time when the news
came through from San Francisco.
Within a few minutes the neighborhood
of the Prensa office was packed
With an excited crowd, awaiting the
circulation of the news. The evening
papers followed suit, in feeble
style, by letting off bombs, and for
the rest of the afternoon the town
was a perfect pandemonium."
iHisfftlaneous grading. ;
COTTON buying syndicate.
What the Executive Committee Did at
Hot 8pringe Recently.
Columbia State. Saturday.
Mr. E. D. Smith of the Southern
Cotton association has reumed from
the meeting of the executive committee
recently held at Hot Springs. As
a result of the investigations made by
the committtee and his personal observations,
Mr. Smith is very enthu- ,
siastlc over the outlook for the farm- ]
era mis year ana oenevcn mm mo
prices will remain firm. True the
farmers of this state have suffered
greatly, but there are shortages In
other states. In reference to the endorsement
of Richard Cheatham, the
Alanta official who was charged with
speculating with the Information at
his command, Mr. Smith admitted
that he went to the meeting prejudiced
against Cheatham. All of the
others, however, were fully satisfied
with the evidence as It was brought
out and as a result the committee decided
to endorse the man. It has not
satisfied all the members, however.
Mr. Smith gave out a very Important
statement concerning the meeting
and the organization of a syndl- '
cate with a capital of $60,000,000, to
buy up all the cotton offered for less
than the fixed price. Mention was
made of this some time ago In The
State and it was Mr. Smith's own plan
which the committee adopted. Mr.
Smith urges cooperation as the only
way to win the fight and his statement
Is worth careful consideration.
He says:
Mr. 8mith's Statement.
I have just returned from the meet- ,
Ing of the executive committee at ,
Hot Springs, Ark., which convened ,
September 6, and adjourned on the
the evening of September 9. ,
Matters of great importance came ,
up for consideration before this meet- ,
ing and were considered deliberately j
and entirely with reference to the ,
good that might be done to those in- ,
terested in cotton growing in the ,
south and in the prosperity that has ,
resulted from the two years of the
remunerative return for cotton.
The Price Fixed. ,
All the states were represented, and ,
in spite of the fact that some serious <
blunders had been made, every man (
was enthusiastic as to the principles ,
of the organization and its ultimate {
power to win the fight for southern (
independence in the domination of ,
foreign speculators and foreign capi- (
tal. The committee, after due delib- ,
eration, decided to fix the dead-line, {
the line below which no cotton, weak ,
or strong, should be sold In the south j
at ten cents per pound. This was |
done because of the sentiment 3
throughout the south that this was (
the lowest possible price under exist- ,
ing conditions as to labor, and the ,
increased prices of other commodities (
necessary for the growing and mak- ,
ing of the crop, that would enable (
the grower to meet his obligations. (
It had no reference whatever to the ,
present crop or any other condition, j
We did not say. nor do we mean to ,
say. that cotton is not or will not be (
worth more than this per pound, based
upon the law of supply and demand.
There were consumed this
year, from September 1 to September
1, 12,200,000 bales which brought an
average of 11.7 cents per pound;
860,000 bales of this amount were
taken from the crop of 1904, which
was brought over from that year into
the cotton year of 1905-06.
According to the consumption, as
reported from the mills, and the new
spindles that are added, the prospective
demand from the spinning world
will be 12,600,000 bales for the 1906
and 1907, of the present cotton year.
The Yield This Year.
As to the outlook for the yield of
the present year, we had an aggregate
of several thousand reports from different
states, taken from observations
made since September 1. These reports
from the several states were
read In open committee and com
merited upon by the members of the ,
executive committee and the state ,
presidents from several states. From
North Carolina, J. P. Allison of Concord
and C. C. Moore from Charlotte, |
corroborated the returns from that |
state which indicated from ten to flf- .
teen per cent less than last year. ]
They stated that unless the price of ]
cotton exceeded ten cents per pound, ^
the cotton growers of their state ,
would suffer. From Alabama, W. H.
Seymour of Montgomery and W. F. (
Vandlver of Montgomery spoke on .
the returns from their state, declaring
that the conditions there did not
warrant an estimate as good as last ,
year of from ten to fifteen per cent. ,
They also contended that unless the
price equalled that of last year Alabama
would also suffer in view of the
fact of the increased cost of produc- |
tlon and the enhanced value of all
articles necessary for home consumption
on the farm. From Arkansas
' unnnll if I Ha Tl f T TT
I. YY. Willie III AU9SCIIVIIIC, M-r a. u. m. |
Love of Dardenelle and H. B. Burnette
of Chlckalah, declared that the (
conditions In Arkansas had deterlo- ,
rated, at the lowest calculation, twen- ]
ty-flve per cent In the last fifteen ,
days prior to our meeting. They put
the maximum yield from Arkansas at }
about 750,000 bales. From Loulsl- (
ana, Paul M. Potts of Nachltoches |
and F. L. Maxwell of Mound, corrob- (
I orated the reports from the different
counties that boll weevil In the Red (
river valley, excessive rains, rust and ,
blight made the condition In their ,
state but slightly increased over last
year. It must be taken Into account (
in reference to this state, that they (
made practically a total failure last
year. From Mississippi, Walter Clark ,
of Clarksdale and Dr. William Woods (
of Jackson declared that the condl- .
tlons In their state were such that the
yield would be trom fifteen to twenty ,
per cent less than was estimated fifteen j
days previous to our meeting. From
Georgia, Harvle Jordan confirmed the
statement tnat me ouwook in ucuigio j
was for a ten or fifteen per cent de- }
crease under last year. From Texas, ^
R. T. Mllner of Henderson, J. C. Hlckey
of Henderson and Dr. J. H. Pope of
Marshall confirmed the reports that
never before In the history of the state 1
have the ravages of boll weevil and boll j
worm been so great as they are in the
present year. This, coupled with the
rapid deterioration of the condition of
couon, maae in? pruapeci iui a. ;i?u
In Texas very slightly over that of last
rear. From Oklahoma and Indian I
Territory, L. B. Irwin of Stillwater.
Okla., confirmed the report that for the (
first time In the history of cotton
growing the boll weevil had invaded ,
their territory, and though the pros- <
pects up to two weeks ago were very
flattering, yet he confirmed the report (
that the outlook at the time of our
meeting was such as to warrant no appreciable
increase over last year. The 4
condition in our state is known to the j
readers of this article, as to my own i
reservations, I visited the states of (
Texas, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi.
North Carolina and In none of these
states are there conditions to warrant
ei yield approximately above that of
last year. As to Texas, Mr. Hyatt has
given a true report of conditions In
reference to the boll wdevll and the
general outlook. I was present with
him and confirm the statement in his
Interview.
Those Bear Reports.
It Is absolutely suicidal for those
who make the cotton, to be frightened
by the bear reports that are being sent
">ut, and market their cotton for less
than 10 cents per pound at their respective
stations. The trade realizes
that this is the debt paying period and
that they will force the price down
now, take advantage of the poverty
md dire necessity of the cotton proiucer,
and load up the mills with this
:heap cotton In order to get htm in a
position where they may dictate the
price for the entire crop. Let every
man who has his own and his country's
Interest at heart, see to It that
the cotton shall not be sacrificed simply
because we failed In obtaining the
15 cents, for which so many of us
/v# ?vlo.
UUUU. DTtttUBC VI UIC UIIOVCIIIUIA ffiwlom
of this move, Is no reason why we
should not stand as a unit now that
we are all agreed as to the price below
which cotton shall not go.
I have given the names of the executive
committee from every state,
to that any one wishing to inquire
vho they are and as to their standng
in their several states and as to
:he conditions that obtain in their
itates, may communicate with them to
confirm the statements that I have
nade.
A Syndicate Organized.
The executive committee decided in
/lew of the fact that in our present
status we were not much more than an
idvisory board and had no power to
snforce our demands, unless , there
should be a strict observance of our
idvice, to organize a corporation for
:he purpose of buying, selling-and
warehousing cotton and to raise, if
possible, at' least $60,000,000 for the
rnrpose of buying and retiring from
he market the weak cotton which each
rear during September, October and
November Is forced on the market to
he injury of all those who can hold
uid who would be willing to hold unler
other circumstances. The shares
ire to be $5 each. If every cotton
grower In the south would put into
:hls syndicate $5 a bale on the cotton
frown, it would give the capital of approximately
$60,000,000. This money
:ou!d be distributed in each state, according
to the number of bales raised
ji that state and be used for the pnr
,KJ3C Ul put CliaOlllQ auu ?Wi> I..Q
slTered below the minimum price.
3ay, a planter raises ten bales of cot- J
on, he is offered 8 cents per pound, he |
:akes 85 worth of stock per bale, or 1
160 In this concern; the market ad- J
ranees, In consequence, one cent per (
sound. He has made back on his ten i
sales of cotton the entire amount in- <
rested, besides still owning his stock in j
:he company. It is a very simple plan; j
rery easy of execution, if the planters, i
nerchants and bankers will Just take J
sufficient stock to realize the amount (
isked for. As it is, we stand to lose (
(10 on the bale any year on any size
?rop we grow. Therefore, It stands to
-eason that If we will take one cent a 1
* 41 ?? ! ? ami t h ^
iouna on me cunun givwu m uk >>??? ,
:oncentrate it In the hands of practical
business men to buy and retire cotton
In the market to be held by them
for the minimum price flxed by us, this
will guarantee a remunerative price
each year. We spend no money in protecting
our cotton, while the Jpuying
.vorld spends millions of dollars and
makes millions of dollars robbing us
if our profits.
Mr. Wltherspoon of Meridian, Miss.,
Is looking after the charter; J. P. Allison
of Concord, N. C., J. C. Hlckey
if Marshall, Tex., F. L. Maxwell of
Mound, La., Mr. S. A. Wltherspoon of
Meridian, Miss., and myself are appointed
a committee to draft and present
the detailed plan to the public
it large. This, in our opinion, if properly
appreciated by the people of the
eouth, will solve the problem of fixing
md maintaining a price.
Let no man think that we are at all
ilscouraged. We have Just begun to
fight. E. D. Smith.
THE MACHINIST.
?
His Work Ranges From a Needle to a 1
Battleship.
"There is, perhaps, no other trade
and very few professions," writes William
Haddow in the Technical World
Magazine, "that require the ^tigh order
of intelligence, the study, the application,
the real hard headed common
sense, the surgeon's delicacy of
touch, for Instance, in fitting of fine
work, that the machinist's trade demands
to give the excellent work and
the Interchangeability of parts found
In the modern rifle or sewing machine.
The range of his work is
from a needle to a battleship; from
automatic machinery that 'would i
talk French had It one more move- (
ment' to measuring machines guar- (
anteed not to vary more than the (
fifty-thousandth part of an inch from J
the absolute. This precision will per- J
haps be better appreciated when it Is f
remembered that 150 times this limit '
of variation is only equal to the diameter
of the average human hair.
Standard plug and ring gauges, to t
take a specific example, are so accu- j
rately fitted to each other that the
expansion due to the warmth of the
hand, if the plug be held in it for a
Tew moments, will make it impossible
to insert the plug in the ting, while If
the ring be expanded in the same way
the plug will drop clear through It.
"When the machinist has become
skillful enough to fulfill the above requirements
he may receive from $2.60
per day up to whatever he can make
himself worth and prove it."
tar An otherwise truthful man sometimes
talks about himself.
House Against Dispensary, Senate
Tendng That Way.
Sreenville News.
Columbia, Sept ,13.?Senator Tinman,
In his Interview given out in
Columbia.yesterday, said:
"In the senate we have a majority
)f ten or twelve easy."
Again he said:
"I can't count more that fifty antlJlspensary
members out of the
touse."
Senator Tillman must have forgotten
how to count or perhaps he stopped
counting when he got up to fifty.
Senator Tillman is simply mistaken.
r*i font ha 4a ifomr vamv Koiflv vmlatolr.
ill inci, lie 10 ICI/I * VI/ Vttui/ Iiiioianm.
The house Is against the state
iispensary system. Of that there Is
10 more doubt than there Is that Ansel
has been named as governor and
Lyon has been nominated as attorley
general. Senator Tillman may
is well question these two results as
:hat the house has only fifty antilispensary
men.
He was careful to say: "I don't
;ount more than fifty." Perhaps he
lid not care to count them.
Leaving in doubt the status of fourteen
members, some of whom last
rear were Inclined against the state
llspensary system, as were the reflected
members of Berkeley, Mr.
Courtney of Aiken, the uncertain
flection in Lexington and even giving
the dispensary forces such a prolounced
prohibitionist as Mr. Morrill
>f Richland, who is a prohibitionist
Irst of all and who may not have deeded
as to a second plan, the antllispensary
forces have a clean, clear
md unmistakable majority in the
louse. There may be some newspapers
and Senator Tillman, who, in
their enthusiasm, claim the house for
the dispensary, but it is as much
igalnst the state dispensary, and It
night to be easy to remember how
'pat" It stood against the Raysor
Manning bill last year and how It
>e related In the Morgan bill or nothng.
Senator Tillman ought to get down
:o facta. The bureau today tried to
jet down to facts and figures and had
i young friend who likes to make
?reful studies of such things make
ip an accurate list, going to the rec>rds
as far as possible for his facts,
lere Is the way the situation shows
ip, not mere guess work, but facts
'rom the records and previous votes
>f the Identical men.
In the house, against the dispensary:
Aiken county, Croft, Wade;
Anderson county, Rucker, Hall. Cllnk;cales
Smith, Cox: Barnwell, Thomas,
riarkey; Beaufort, Bailey, Legare.
fiver; Charleston, Von Kelnlts, Whaey,
Frost, Vanderhorst. Cosgrove,
Marshall, Todd: Cherokee. McArthur,
31ay; Chester. Hemphill, Brlce; Clarindon,
Scarborough; Darlington, Lawion,
Carrigan; Dorchester, Wlmberey;
Edgefield, Devore, Nicholson;
Florence, Kershaw, Shipp; Greenville,
?othran. Harrison. Beattie, Nesblt,
Ireer Hampton. Dowllng Toumans;
lorry, Splvy; Laurens, Miller; Madon,
Reaves, Sellers; Marlboro, Lane,
llbson; Newberry. Johnson, Aull; Ocolee,
Mann. Verner. Orangeburg, J. A.
Banks; Pickens, Carey, Hlnton;
tfchland. Porter, A. McMaster; Sparanburg,
Nicholson, Walker, Arnold,
fash, Dodd, Gibson; Sumter. Frasler;
Villi amsburg, Bryan, Kellahan,
laune; York, Says.
~Tor""fHe dispensary^ ~X~' ' "
Abbeville, Gary, Carwlle, Still well;
Uken, Gyles; Bamberg, Garrls, WIey;
Chester, McKeown, Chesterfield.
Scruggs, Douglass; Clarendon. Din-,
lie, Slxen, Lectner, Brice; Florence,
tver. Georgetown, Sawyer, Doar;
Ireenwood. Yeldell; Horry, Derham;
tershaw, Richards, Bethune; Lan aster,
Jones, Robinson; Laurens,
Gannon, Boyd; Lee, Tatum, Harris;
>xlngton, Eptlng, Sharpe; Marlon,
lorton; Marlboro, McColl; Newber y,
Wyche; Orangeburg, Brantley,
bullet, Hydrlck, Carson; Richland
rompklns; Sumter, Dick, Stubb; Unon.
Hughes. Little; York, Epps, Glass?ock.
Slaughter.
Uncertain:
Aiken. J. C. Courtney; Barnwell,
!>r. A. B. Patterson; Berkeley, Park?r,
Balentlne, Davis; Greenwood,
KThlte; Lexington, Wingard, Etherdge,
(election not declared); Rlchand,
Morrell, Herman; Saluda, Danel,
or Smith or Dodd.
As to the state seeate, the record
ihows a close vote on the present
itatus. Senator Tillman claims the
senate by "ten or twelve easy." If
:he final show down gives the dispensary
forces by the time the next
general assembly meets one majority
Jt will be the "easy" majority, -rne
'act Is. the senate now Is 20 to 21
iro-dlspensary, but It may not stand
hat way long In the view of the elec;lon
of Ansel and Lyon and the growng
sentiment In favor of county dispensaries.
Most of the pro-dlspenlary,
however, were elected before
he county dispensary plan took such
Irm hold and before their count had
he Ansel-Manning test, and some of
hese senators may see the end of the
vhole dispensary system if they do
lot take up the county dispensary,
*/? oo #a r?At nno In tVila r*lfiaa
iUl lu l/c "tti \J UVb W..V ? ?
s put down in the column of those
jpposed to the Btate dispensary. The
lesire has been to be on the safe side
ind to be conservative in showing
low the house and senate stand.
This list will be full worth careful
itudy. The line-up in the senate
ihows:
Against state dispensary?Sullivan,
>f Anderson; Bates of Barnwell
Uhristensen of Beaufort; Haynes of
3erkeley; Slnkler of Charleston. Otts
>f Cherokee; Hardin of Chester;
\ppelt of Clarendon; McKeithen of
Darlington; Talbert of Edgefiel^l;
Vfauldln of Greenville; Brooks of
Greenwood; Smith of Hampton; Holiday
of Horry; Williams of Lancaser;
Crouch of Saluda; Carlisle of
Spartanburg; Bass of Williamsburg;
Brlce of York; Carpenter or Robinton
of Pickens.
For state dispensary:
Graydon of Abbeville; Johnson of
\Iken; Black of Bamberg; L&ney of
Ihesterfield; Griffin of Colleton; Bivms
of Dorchester; Johnson of Florsnce;
Walker of Georgetown; Hough
>f Kershaw; McGowan of Laurens;
Kelley of Lee; Eflrd of Lexington;
Stackhouse of Marion; Hodges of
Dconee; Raysor of Orangeburg; Wes:on
of Richland; Clifton of Sumter;
rownsend of Union.
Eels Stat the Machuocrt.?During
he late rains the mud in the waters
>f the South Fork (of the Chtawba)
Knnn uorv ohun/lant Thft
lvci nave utvu ?vi j
?el?, as Is well known, travel when the
,vater is muddy, and It Is said they
generally slide along the bottom In
^reference to swimming above the
x>ttom. One night, not long ago, the
vater wheel running the electric light
lynamo of the High Uhoals company
jecame so clogged with eels twice
luring the night that the gates had
:o be shut down and the eels chopped
>ut in order to keep the machinery gong.
The eels would lap over the stalonary
buckets and continue to accunulate
untU the water could not pass
ihrough. For quite a while it was difficult
to And out the source of the
:rouble.?Charlotte Observer.
" ' aw^,