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HOYT & 00. Proprietors. ANDERSON 0. H., S. 0., THURSDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 25, 1873. VOLUME EL-NO. 12 _._ ??11??Wr. f 1^ MIWlUmn?WMHtfTT*?*-"' HIGH SHOALS FACTORY. Speech of Blaj. Thomas B. Lee, delivered at High Shoals, September 6, 1873. Fellow-Citizens : At the request of parties who wield much influence in your communi? ty and County at large, and, also, because I earnestly desire to see the movement about to be commenced pressed rapidly to a successful completicn, I am here to-day; appearing be? fore you as a citizen of Anderson County, heartily desiring her advancement in wealth and material prosperity.- I ask your attention for a few minutes, while I undertake to explain the purpose in view, in all its details. This is no. meeting for arousing your atten? tion to the vast importance of placing your town on the great thoroughfare from the Northern Lakes to the South Atlantic Sea? board. Excuse me, you half-way Augusta partisans, for saying South Atlantic Seaboard, instead of from the great Lakes to Augusta, Ga. I believe, that once you pass yon moun? tain barrier with a railroad, through your County, direct to the coast, that there will arise at your Court House an equal, if not greater, than Augusta. Capitalists will see your advantages, aud Anderson must become a large distributing point. To contribute employment to this great pro? posed road, give employment to many of our people, induce others to come and settle amongst us, offer remuneration even for your money, afford- a* market close to your gin houses for all your cotton, the means by which large amounts of money will be annually dis? bursed in your County, we offer our plans, the first, or initiation of a series, which must inev? itably, follow the success of this, and certainly bring the benefits I have enumerated. We now present to you the project of a cotton manufacturing establishment, propelled by this water "power?the High Shoals of Rocky River. We require, to inaugurate our enterprise, the sum of $G0,000; with this we propose to go to*work. This amount will pur? chase the water power, erect the necessary buildings, purchase the machinery, repair the corn and wheat mills, furnish sufficient opera? tive capital for the purchase of cotton, sup? plies, and a store. The cotton mill will run 2,000 spindles, and about seventy looms, should it be thought best to Weave the yarns into cloth. In making an estimate of the amount of work that may be done by these spindles, it will be fair to assume that each spindle will average six hanks per day, making No. 10 yarn, working 300 days, will give an out-turn of 180 pounds per spindle per year?360,000 ponndsof yarn for 2,000 spindles. To make this amount of yarn will require 360,0(0 pounds of cotton plus the wastage, which Is usually 12 pounds (we think we can reduce it to 10j>.) Adding this waste?43,200 pounds? gives us 403,200 pounds of cotton, bagging, ties, Ac, to provide 890 bales @ 450 pounds par bale @ 15c per pound?$60,480. By keep? ing a two months supply on hand, to prevent forced sales of yarn or cloth in a depressed market and other contingencies, unfavorable for making sales, will require about $10,000 operative capital. To manuf?cture this yarn will cost 9?c per pound, delivered in New York ?r Philadelphia. The waste is not thrown away, but is utilized for many purposes. It has an average value of 5c per pound. The value of the yarn is conjectural, but may be safely estimated at 26c per pound in New York. Estimating on these data, which can be realized, we have 403,2001bs cotton @ 15c.$60,480 00 Making 360,0001bs yarn @ 6^c fib.. 23,400 00 Expenses.$83,880 00 360,0001bs yarn @ 26c fib $93,600 00 432,0001bs waste @ 5c fib 2,160 00 Total value of out-turn...95,760 00 Total profits.$11,880 00 Value of investment $60,000. Profits, 19 8-10 fc. N<jarly 20 per cent. What better investment do you desire ? Are your banks any better ? Are private'loans on any better terms? You who have your hundreds and thousands of dol? lars lying idle in some snug corner, or paying you only 6, 7, 8,10, or 12 per cent, per annum, why not come forward and materially aid this landable enterprise? We ask it not oSi the scoree of charity. We ask it not that you come forward and put up $100 or $1,000, as you would give "to the stock of some railroad, which will never pay you back; but which is given that prosperity to your country may ac? crue from the possession of the road. We ask . you to subscribe to the capital stock of this Company because it will be a profitable invest? ment, enabling you, men of small means, to support your families, and you of much wealth, an easy and safe means of increasing that wealth. While we regard this as strictly a business Enterprise, to be conducted on business princi? ples and to make money, honestly and fairly, for the shareholders, yet we cannot lose sight of the great influence for good and general profit that a successful manufacturing estab? lishment exerts in a community. There will be established here a community of two hun? dred souls, consisting of operatives, their fami? lies and others, which will, with proper regula? tions, be orderly and a good acquisition to your population. 3Iany thousands of dollars will be put in circulation amongst you, and em? ployment given to many in supplying tho wants of these people, But, some of you Bay, this is a local enter? prise; why do you invite us here to put our money in a concern away down on Rocky River, at a point some 5 miles from a railroad or the Court House ? Why not let us all com? bine and adopt that grand project, which would place a mammoth concern, propelled by steam, at the County seat, and build auxiliary establishments on this water power and at oth? er eligible points in the County ? Why we ask you to put your money in a cotton mill, is simply because it is an honest business and im? mensely profitable. Why we came clown here, is because this place presents many advantages. The water power above (35 feet fall and 1,600 cubic feet per minute) is ample to give employ j ment to double the capital we propose to start on. It may be utilized at a very small expense ?remarkably,small?you practical men, who have not examined for yourselves, will no doubt be surprised when I tell you that the water can be carried to the water-wheel for the sum of $300, dam, race and all included, and the buildings put in a safe place?safe from floods. Just here, looking at the location of this building (the present mill bouse) you might be inclined to doubt this statement as to the safety of the Factory buildings, as you no doubt regard this point as much exposed to floods, yet this building, exposed as it is, has withstood many high floods, and will probably remain. But in my judgment there are better and safer localities on this Shoal for your Fac? tory buildings. Here you ncod never expect to be stopped day after day by floods, washing away your dam, for you will need none. Ice will never impede your work (not peculiar to this place.) This I regard as a reliable, (all the year round,) safe and reasonably cheap site for a cotton mill. Your machinery will be propelled by water power, which is a much cheaper motor in the South than steam. Why do steam cotton mills compete with water mills in the North ? The principal reasons are: fuel is cheap and must be used largely for both classes of mills; for five months in the year the buildings must be warmed, and this can be more economically done in steam propelled mills than water mills. Water powers are utilized to such an extent in the Northern and Eastern States, that water privileges are high? ly expensive. On the Merrimac River, in Massachusetts, where eleven millions of dollars are invested in manufacturing cotton, d>c, the Canal Company who provide and lease the wa? ter privileges, have* expended over twenty thousand dollars in experimenting to deter? mine the most accurate way of gauging the water used by those who patronize them. The formula? for gauging water have been reduced to great accuracy, the most stringent regula? tion* adopted and heavy penalties inflicted for using more water than allowed. For several months during the year this Merrimac River is one unbroken sheet of ice for thirty miles' flowing water is not seen, it passes beneath tha ice into the water wheels, which are located in houses (not mere shelters, but brick or stone houses) highly heated by steam. These motors are as snugly covered np as some tender crea? ture who feared the cold. This is ;the famous Lowell, and these precautions are used all over the Northern?and Eastern States in the winter. Is it surprising, then, that steam may compete with water power ? that we hear of steam mills of large capacity built along side of water mills, and working nearly. as economically ? We think not Yet with all these great draw? backs, no man ever builds a steam mill, when water power can be had ample to do the work all the year round, and within a few miles of a railroad. Nflw, how'stands it with us in the South ? Shall we use Bteam or water power ? In view of our great advantages, the abundance of wa? ter power, the necessity for fires only three months in the year and the small amount of fuel required for manufacturing purposes, as a general reply I would say, let us utilize our water powers. There may be peculiar circum? stances existing which would modify this opin? ion. If it is desired to locate a mill in a town, that it may benefit the merchants and property holders, and other surroundings being favora? ble?such as cheap fuel, railroad facilities? and the shareholders are willing to sacrifice at least one-fourth of their profits for the benefit J of the property holders and others, then it will be well to go there and use steam. Fellow-Citizens, we are not here to-day op? posing any project, which will build up and increase your County town. We, as a citizen of Anderson County, heartily desire this, and will contribute to this end in any way that we may be able. We do not desire to council or advise in any way tho abandonment of any project begun or conceived of elsewhere in the Cpunty; but we would suggest to you?you controlling spirits of Anderson Court House? that the master stroke which will enhance the prosperity of your town a thousand fold more than any cotton factory built there, and which will ensure cotton mills in the future, will be the completion of the Railroad across the mountains. See to it that this work is com? pleted, and your success is established. Now, what we propose is but the initiation of the grand scheme proposed by one of An? derson's gifted citizens. We do not intend to be satisfied with only sixty thousand dollars* Wo want twice this amount. Give us sixty thousand dollars to go to work on, and we think that you will soon see that you.had bet? ter put two dollars where you have only one. The prospect of the cotton crop is highly fa? vorable, and there must be a large amount of money seeking investment in this country the coming winter. j I now solicit your subscription to the capital stock of the Company now to be formed. The amount you subscribe will not be called in at once, but In instalments. By the time that the whole amount required is subscribed, the season will probably be so far advanced that brick cannot bo raado for the buildings before next spring; but much work can be done this winter iu getting ready. The wood-work can be got ready, and many other preparations made, so that the buildings will be speedily put up in the spring. The legislature will be petitioned this winter for a charter, and the company will be regularly incorporated. J I have thus briefly endeavored to present this subject to your consideration, and hope that at the proper time you will come forward promptly and subscribe the amount aslced for, and put the enterprise on a firm foundation. We must not expend borrowed money. The capital must be subscribed and paid up when called for. If we borrow money, wc will not prosper. We do not intend to put up fine showy buildings. The machinery must be protected and operative houses to live in, but their style will be simple and extent only what is necessary. Thanking you for your kind attention, and hoping that you will promptly subscribe the amount asked for, I now give way to others who will address you further on the same sub? ject. The London Times' Opinion of President Grant's Re-Election for a Third Term. The following special dispatch to the New York Herald gives an insight to the opinions entertained across the waters on the "third term" question: London, Sept. 13, 1873. The Bondon Times in its issue to-day treats the subject of Ccesarism in America editorially, using the argument that a change in the Pres? idency of the United States would be a great reform, and ought to be welcome to the people, if possible, as a means of effecting the extinc? tion in America of a system of constant re? election of the Executive" and its attendant evils, inasmuch as the present plan fails to se? cure to the community the benefits which were expected from it, or involves the presence of evils greater than those which it was framed to prevent. The writer goes on to say: "We cannot be surprised that a time should come when George Washington's example in refusing three Presi? dential terms should be calle^] in question, and when the people of the United States may be asked to express, by a third vote, exceptional confidence in^Greneral Grant. It appears-from our American correspondent's special letter that General Grant is not unwilling, and that his friends, who are eager for such a result and are pressing his personal claims to the honor, are considerable both in number and iufluence. To him belongs the credit of having cut down the late rebellion against the Union, and the man who has thus saved the country will be taken by many Americans to be presumably the fittest person to govern it. There can be no doubt that the election of President Grant to a third term may have important conse? quences; consequences not intended by those who have suggested it. A third Presidential term may be followed by a fourth, and the lease of power may be again renewed until it ter? minated only by the failing health or the ter? mination of the life of the holder of office. It may well come in this way to be an understood thing that the American President shall be elected for life, and that his re-election, taken at the end of each four years of the period, will be merely nominal, or, at most, used as a safeguard against the perpetration of any scan? dalous abuse of power. It would be a great and important change, if this were to occur; one that would not fail to largely influence the general state of politics in America. There are many ways in which it might appear desi-1 rable. The rule which has been hitherto fol? lowed has, certaiuly, not worked so well that there would seem to be no roon? for improve? ment. Elections, without limit in number, from the conduct of which the better portion of society is excluded, are not so great a public good in themselves that we should wish them preserved in the spirit as in the letter of the wishes of their founders. We may dismiss the notion that despotism would be likely to result from a perpetual re-election of the American President, although this was a real terror to the minds of the Revolutionary heroes who had just emancipated themselves from the rule of a king. The only question would be whether the new custom of Presidential tenure would tend in any degree to cure the evils of the old; whether the process of election would be purer when the ultimate prize would be greater and better worth coutending for. With all these weapons of argument all must depend upon the manner in which any change in the present system is worked. It may increase the existing corruption, so far as such a change in the American Presidential system is possible. It may, and we believe it more likely would, be beneficial, both in its immediate and more re? mote consequences. It would be likely to se- j cure to the people of the United States the ser? vices of better men, and to render the process of their appointment to office less degrading to themselves and all concerned in it. The de? tails of an American Presidential election are read on this side of the Atlantic with amuse? ment and disgust, and there are many evidences which go to show that they are looked on in much the same way in America. It would be worth while to try a plan which could do little harm and might do much good. It is the simplest plan of reform "which was ever carried out or suggested." Sixth Annual Fair?Anderson.?We arc indebted to the efficient Secretary and Treasu? rer of the Anderson Farmers' and Mechanics' Association, Capt. Jas. A.-Hovt, for a copy of the Premium List of the Sixth Annual Fair of this successful Society, to be held on the 29th, 80th and 31st of October next. We are pleased to notice that in all the various departments, viz: Field, Stock?embracing cattle, sheep, horses, hogs and poultry?as well as the House? hold, Manufacturers', Fancy, Fine Art and Floral, the premiums are not only valuable, but cover the whole ground, and worthy of the Society, its officers, and the citizens who foster it. Judging by the premium list, and the suc? cess attending former exhibitions, tho coming meeting promises well, and. our sister County and town has our earnest wishes in so good a cause. We cannot help here, once more expressing surprise that in a community so enlightened, so wealthy, so eminently agricultural as New berry, that no steps have yet been taken to re? vive our Agricultural Society. Surely it is not dead beyond every hope of resuscitation. We would be exceedingly loath to think so, and wc venture the suggestion, that now the farming element of the County is being rapidly taken up into Granges, that the different divisions agitate the matter and M reason about the im? portance of it. How profitable and interesting an annual gathering of all the Granges would be. Think of it.?jfcwberry Herald. ? A general who served in the volunteer army was asked a few days ago, "What do you think ought to be done with the Modocs to keep them from fighting again?" "Send them to West Point; that'll take the fight out of them 1" was the prompt answer. ? "Dar now," said a darkey, when his big toe was mashed flat by an axe which dropped I on it, " 'spose I'd a had on my new shoes." T?o Southern Historical Society. Gen. Dabney H. Maury, of Virginia, fur? nishes a brief history, together with the aims and objects, of this Society in the following letter to the President, Gen. Early. He is the chair? man of the Executive Committee, and from his appreciation of the work before the Society, we may conclude that he will render important service : Lynchburg, Va., Sept. 2,1873. Gen. JubalA. Early, President Southern His? torical Society?Dear Sir: The recent con? vention of our Society at the Montgomery White Sulphur Springs has awakened a ,uew in? terest in its objects, which will, I hope, enable us to accomplish important results. Although we have been in existence now over five years, I find that very few people in Virginia have been aware of the fact; and fewer still know what we have been doing, or what it is ve seek to do. I therefore desire in this letter, addressed to yourself, to give a brief account of the origin of our society, of its history up to this time, and to explain its objects,' for the information of the general public. Soon after the war closed, my attention was called to the fact that not only had w<2 been subjugated to the power of the tforth, bat the history of our revolution was being written exclusively by our conquerors,.and every effort was being made by them to misrepresent us, our cause, its principles and our conduct du? ring the war which was forced upon us in the defense our country. The whole power of the newspaper press, of the pulpit, magazine liter? ature, the makers of history books, cf the school teachers, and most potent of all, of the school-book makers, was combined to falsify and degrade us in the eyes of posterity. The effect of all this was painfully manifest? ed upon the character ana demeanor of our people. We had become so familiarized with the odious names and the odious light in which we were presented, that we were fast losing our self-respect, and seemed ready to acquiesce in all the degradations thus prepared for us, and to be ready to transmit, without an effort at retrieval, our names to our children with all the odium a malignant, unrelenting, active and unscrupulous enemy could throw around them. The policy of "rendering treason odious," which was announced by Andrew Johnson when he manacled our President and cast him into prison to die of slow torture, when he ju? dicially murdered Wirz, and hanged'an aged and innocent woman contrary to the evidence and without the forms of constitutional law, had reached such a practical result as must have been satisfactory to the most exacting "loyalty." We had been called "rebels" until nine-tenths of us felt we had been rebels; and it was impossible to recognize in the anxious, cowed aspects of the men of the South, whose only care seemed now to be to avoid every? thing which could give offense or which would not be entirely pleasant to our Northern mas? ters, the gallant spirits of the once proud Southern Confederacy, who had challenged the admiration of the world by their heroic defence of their country. All that was now left to us was to rescue the true history of that defence from oblivion and destruction, and to leave posterity to judge us and our cause by the testimony we should place before it. This, and this alone, is the scope and object of the Southern Historical Society. And for this I inaugurated in New Orleans, more than five years ago, the first step in a movement which now at last seems likely to produce the result we have aimed at. lat first procured an informal meeting of eight or nine friends, who had served in the Confederate army, in the office on Commerce that occasion to re-assemble in a week s time, at the same place, each of us agreeing in the meantime to enlist others from amongst those who would have most at heart the great object in view. At our next meeting there were nearly forty gentlemen present?a provisional organization was effected, committees appoint? ed and the preliminary measures taken which in a few weeks developed the organization which recently convened at the Montgomery White Sulphur Springs. , Our experience has convinced us that New Orleans, for the reasons set forth in the able paper addressed to the Convention by our president, the Rev. Dr. Palmer, of New Or? leans, is not so well suited for the domicil of our central organization as Richmond will be, aud, furthermore, that the financial means of the society have been inadequate to its efficient operation. We found, during several years' experience, that the voluntary efforts of a whole commu? nity in such a work avail but little. We then devolved all the functions of the association upon an executive committee, made up from those most active in the work. Dr. B. M. Palmer, General Beauregard, Hon. B. J. Sage, General C. M. Wilcox, Morgan Harrod and myself were on this committee; and though we all had the work much at heart, we came to the conclusion that it can only be accom? plished by making one man responsible for the diligent collection, assortment and preservation of the historical material; that he must be a first-class man; that his exclusive time and services shall be dedicated to the work, and, therefore, that he must be adequately salaried and furnished with all that is necessary to en? sure his efficiency. To do this the" first step is to provide the financial means requisite. I believe our Con? vention has very prdftically dealt with the questions before it, and before the beginning of the next year we may expect to have our new machinery at work and to realize the impor? tant results which all who desire to see the truth of history unfolded will rejoice to see. Those who fear it have and will continue to deride our work, and to misrepresent its inten? tion and in every way hinder its success. I think the time is favorable to the reinvigo ration of our efforts, and for the awakening of the sympathies of the best people of the South, which will* attend us, and I hope wo will now go on with unflagging interest till we see our new machinery in good working order and great results accomplished. With high respect, I am truly yours, Rheumatism.?"What keeps our friend, farmer B., away from usj" was the anxious question proposed by our vigilant minister to his clerk. "1 have not seen him amongst us," con? tinued he, "these three weeks. I hope it is not Socinianism that keeps him away." "No, your honor," replied the clerk; "It is something worse than that.* "Worse than Roocinianism I God forbid it should be Deism I" "No, your honor; it is something worse than that." "Worse than Deism? Astonishing ! I trust it is not Atheism?" "No, your honor; it is something worse than that." "Worse than I Atheism 1 Impossible! Nothing can be worse than Atheism." "It is rheumatism." We separated on Dabney H. Maury. ? What kind of essence docs a youug man like when he pops the question ? Acquicsscncc. Reports on the Present Condition of the Cot? ton Crop. Washington, {September 17. The statistician of the Department of Agri? culture, Mr. Dodge, has returned from Europe, and after a careful revision of the monthly re? turns, gives the following as the present status of the cotton crop: The indicated increase of area is a little over ten per cent. The condition of the crop is higher than in September of last year in Ark? ansas, the same in Tennessee, and lower in each of the other cotton States. Worms have been more abundant, yet their ravages have been disastrous or sweeping in few cases. The season has been remarkable for its rain-fall, tending to further depreciation of the crop. Otherwise, the conditions have been quite fa? vorable. .Fertilizers have stimulated growth, and labor has been steadier and more reliable. The averages are as follows: Virginia, 98; North Carolina, 95 , South Carolina, 86; Geor? gia, 90; Florida, 85; Alabama, 85; Mississip? pi, S2; Louisiana, 80; Texas, 92; Arkansas, 95; Tennessee, 92; Missouri, 96. In Septem tember, 1872?Virginia, 97; North Carolina, 101; South Carolina, 95 ; Georgia, 96; Florida, 92; Alabama, S3; Mississippi, ?0.; Louisiana, S6..Texas, 94; Arkansas, 78; Tennessee, 92. Cotton fields in North Carolina generally make a fine show of vigorous and fruitful plants ; the exceptions resulting more from the falling of forms and bolls, in consequence of too abundant rain-fall, than from the presence of worms. In South Carolina, similar damages from excessive moisture occurred, and the cat? erpillars threaten a partial or total destruction of the crop in several Counties. The crop ap? pears better in Georgia than any other cotton btate East of the Mississippi, though there is some injury from rust and heavy rains, and the caterpillar is present in force in many Coun? ties, but generally came too late to cause more than a small per centage of the loss. The in? jury from worms and the season vicissitudes in Florida are somewhat greater, amounting to lifteen per cent, of depreciation in the condi? tion of the crop. The caterpillar appeared in portions of Ala? bama towards the last of July, but its ravages have not been serious until recently, in certain Counties; having been held in check to some extent by the use of poisons, although efforts to combat the pest have not been general. In some Counties in Mississippi, the plant is shed-, ing leaves and forms from rains; in others, from drought; rust has appeared in some local? ities, and both caterpillars and boll worms are both doing local damage in shortening the life of the plant, without much injury to the bot? tom and middle crops. The crop of Louisiana lacks uniformity?Carroll returning 100 and Caddo 40; Tensas 85 and Rapides 33. In the same parishes, worms have been present, with? out doing much damage, while the losses have been heavy in others. There is a similar range of condition in Texas, from very good to quite poor, though the average is much higher. Worms have appeared in many parts of Ark? ansas, with little prospect of damage, except to the top crop. The average condition of the crop is much higher than in September of last year. The prospects are also good in Tennes? see. Several Counties in Missouri make re? turns of cotton, which have never before made mentios of the <jrop. ? New Orleans, Sept. 17. The Cotton Exchair^ Committee on Infor? mation and Statistics, under date of the 15th instant, make the following report, condensed from letters received from August 31 to Sep? tember 12: In answer to our interrogatories sent out du? ring the month of August, Mississippi sends fifty-four answers, from thirty-nine Counties. The reports are very conflicting in regard to the weather?some complaining of too much and some of too little rain. The caterpillars and boll worms have nearly everywhere ap? peared, and while they have done but little damage on some plantations, ou others they have cut short the prospects very considerably. Great fear is expressed that the top crop will be entirely lost, especially where the plant is backward. Complaints of rot and rust are likewise serious. The yield will hardly com? pare with last year's, aud with uncertain weath? er and further depredations from worms, the result will be materially contracted. In Louisiana, we received thirty answers, thirteen of which report too much rain, and nine dry and more favorable weather. The caterpillars, which are reported in great num? bers throughout the State, have already done considerable damage, and still continue their devastations. Rot and rust have also injured the crop to some extent, especially in those parishes reporting rainy weather. Picking has generally commenced, aud one pariah reports a greater yield than last year, while the balance report shorter crops. Fifty letters have been received from forty eight Counties in Texas. The general charac? ter of the weather has been favorable since last report. Most of the complaints are from the Counties bordering on the Gulf. We have much complaint of damage by army or boll worms, but little from rot or rust. Thirty-one letters have been received from twenty-four Counties in Tennessee. The weath? er in this State was generally warm and dry, and its effects are represented as rather favora-. ble. No worms, rust or rot are complained of. The only cause of dissatisfaction is the shed? ding on the ground of bolla and forms, redu? cing the prospects for the top crop. Picking has commenced, aud will be general about the 20th instant. The yield will be about equal to that of last year. The majority of our corres? pondents seem inclined to think favorably of the yield, although our reports are rathe#>con flicting. We have fifty-two letters from forty Counties in North Carolina. All but three complain of excessive rains, causing the plant to shed bad? ly; no complaints of worms, but considerable damage from rust. Picking will be general by the 25th instant. With frost at the usual time, the yield will be somewhat less than last year. From South Carolina, seven Counties send in twenty-one letters. The weather, since our last report, has been exceedingly wet, and com? plaints are universal of shedding and rust having injured the plant materially. Worms, also, are reported in most cases heard from, but without doing much serious injury so far. Picking has generally begun, and will be under full headway at the date on which we write. The probable yield per acre, compared with that of last season, and frost occurring at the usual time, is variously estimated, but the ma? jority of opinions indicate a material reduction on last year's figures. Eighty letters are received from sixty-one counties in Georgia. The weather has been precarious. In some sections, complaint is j made of drought, which stopped the growth of; the plant and caused premature opening of the bolls, while in three districts excessive rains promoted 'the growth of weeds and caused the young bolls to fall off, and at the I same time favored the worm. Rust seeras also I to be quite general, but no alarming results have followed. Picking has commenced every- j where, and must be progressing rapidly. The prospects of a full yield are not so flattering as they were a month ago, and with frost at the usual time, the product per acre must fall somewhat below that of last season. Reports have been received from only three : Counties in Florida. Army and boll worms, as well as rust and rot, have done some dam? age. Picking has generally commenced, and with favorable weather, the yield is likely to exceed that of last season. The Coming Fight over the Public Debt? The State Fair. The correspondent of the Charleston Newt and Coaricr furnishes the annexed information about the fight over the indebtedness of the State, and interesting items as to the approach? ing State Fair: Columbia, September 15. The leading topic of conversation among the politicians connected with the State Govern? ment or attached to "the party," is the matter of the State debt, and how ::t is to be adjusted. From present indications, it seems that there is likely to be a three-cornered fight upon the question : First, there is the Bond Ring, doing business at present under the firm name of Morton, Bliss & Co. Of this ring Cardozo and H?ge are reported to be active members. The pose of the Ring is to bull the particular bonds which they have bought up and which are the five several classes embraced in the suit of Morton, Bliss & Co., amounting in all to some? thing over $3,000,000. The presumed course of the Ring will be to prevent any hostile ac? tion whatever on the part of the Legislature, so that they may proceed without interference or delay in having a tax levied solely to pay the interest upon the bonds held by them, ac? cording to the recent decision of the Supreme Court. It is said that the Ring is friendly to any effort which looks to the overthrow of the Conversion Bonds, upon the ground that the more the debt is reduced in other directions the greater will be the enhancement of the value of the bonds owned by them. It is be? lieved, too, that, having as it were, secured the vantage ground for their bonds the Ring will stoutly oppose any attempt at a general scaling of the debt, which would throw their bonds in hodge-podge with all the others, and thus cause them to lose whatever peculiar advantages they now enjoy. The Bond Ring will thus form a distinct party in the struggle which must inev? itably be made over the settlement of the debjt. The second party will be the holders of the Blue Ridge Scrip and of unsettled claims of doubtful character, and of various kinds against the State, headed by the wily and notorious Dr. Neagle. This crew of "ne'er do weels" are anxious that a hodge-podge of the debt, with a view to a general reduction, should be made j provided, however, always that their own worth? less scrip, bogus warrants upon the treasury, fraudulent certificates, &c, shall be put in along with the rest and "biled down" pro rata. It is the only chance left for the holders of such claims, and they v/ill work like, beavers to insure the success of their scheme. Then we have an active party, of which Attorney-General Melton, and, perhaps, Gov. Moses, may be regarded as the leaders. These have a two-fold object in view: to satisfy the demands.of the people, by reducing the debt in some measurably equitable way, and at the same time to avoid an investigation into the Conversion and other illegal bonds, and pre? vent their utter repudiation. They favor the scheme of a proportional scaling of the pres? ent bonded dent, so as to reduce it to about $8,000,000. They are thus diametrically op? posed, ostensibly at least, to the Bond Ring, nor can they aflord openly to favor the plan of the scrip holders, for they kuow that even the. acknowledgment of the Conversion bonds, though in a submissive way, say at twenty eight cents, would be unpalatable to the people, and that the scrip would not go down at all. This is what may be termed the administration party; the objective point of which is the next elections. Between these contending factions it is expected that a most spirited and interes? ting warfare will be kept up from the time the extra session commences, the 21st October, to November 15th, when the comptroller must announce the rate of taxation for the next fiscal year. ? THE NEXT ANNUAL FAIR. ?' The managers of the State Agricultural and Mechanical Society and of the Joint Stock Auxiliary Company are exhibiting considerable, activity in preparing for the fair which opens on the 9th of November. The premium list which has been published has been greatly im-^ proved and extended, particularly in the stock department. President Woodward comes down from Winnsboro' frequently to consult with the executive committee and look after the improvements projected. There are to be large additions to the general exhibition buildings, and a great many new arrangements made for t?e housing of stock and cattle, and for the accommodation and comfort of visitors. The side shows, drinking booths and such like nuisances which occupied the front grounds last year, between the main entrance aud the exhibition building, are to be removed this year to the further end of the grounds, and to facilitate travel and prevent the confusion which ha.3 hitherto occurred between parties coming in the grounds aud those going out, another gate is to be opened at the upper side of the enclosure, so that there will be one gate to come in and another to go out. A great deal of attention, too, has been paid to the race track by the committee who have it in charge. The track has been widened to sixty feet; is beautifully graded, aud has been lengthened under tho direction of a competent engineer, so as to form ^ regular elipso three quarters of a mile in circumference. Racing men who have examined it say that it is now the best track in the South, and that there is not a su? perior one in the United States. A grand stand for the race course is in process of con? struction, and will be very handsome, it is said, and capable of seating four thousand persons. The merchants of Columbia and others have subscribed very liberally to purses for the races, and the committee have already received noti? fication of the entrance of twenty-four fast horses from various States. Harry Bassettand Hubbard are among the most noted mentioned as coming. The people of Columbia are learn? ing to appreciate the importance to the city of making the fair a success, aud greater efforts and a more liberal outlay of money will be made this year than ever before to secure it. Qui Vive. ? A Louisville mule attached to a horse-car kicked the driver severely, as a reproof for using the whip. The passengers, seeing the man fall and lie in a cramped coudition, imme? diately concluded that he liad the cholera, and went after twenty-five doctors. When they found out what ailed the man, they were nei? ther so sympathetic nor so frightened. ? A new horse disease has made its appear? ance in Iowa. The seat of disease is in the kidneys, around which great inflammation pre? vails." At the first symptoms the horse becomes stiff; stumbling he falls, and is unable to get up again. In a short time the jaws become stiff aud immovable at the will of the animal, and death soon ensues.