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BELLE MEi Interesting* Glimpses Meade Horse Fa: McKenziCf in St. t:Come out and spend a day at Belle Meade." It was Gen. W. H. Jackson, the owner of Belle Meade-the grandest horse-breeding establishment, in the world-who addressed me. We were seated on thc piazza of the club house at Cumberland Park, Nash ville's noted race track, watching the concluding races of the recent fall meeting. I gladly accepted the invi tation extended to me, and was fur ther advised to bring a friend and that the General would send a carriage to the hotel for us at 7.30 next morn ing. General Jackson bears his 70 odd s years lightly. He is the picture of rugged health. The kind of health ;; and coloring which is indicative of much out-door life, plenty of exercise in the saddle, and tramping thc coun try in pursuit of game. The following morning when we stepped into the well-appointed surrey sent for us we thanked ?rod we were alive. It was the last day of the glo rious Indian summer, which make3 the^late fall in Tennessee a close com petitor for the honors generally ac corded to an autumn on the Riviera. There was jusfi a suspicion of frost in the morning air. which caused a crimp in the leaves and added extra luster to the glorious autumnal tints. > Belle Meade lies some seven miles >;. west of Nashville, out on the Cather ine pike. The road to General Jack son'? historic home runs past Vander bilt University, alongside the Cen tennial Park and through the best residential portion of the city, until the open country is reached. The vi cinity of Nashville is a happy hunting ground for the 'cycling enthusiast the roads are of the hilliard table or der and the latch-string is ever hang ing on the outside. * ?* * * It was truly "an ideal day to visit s" Belle Meade, and a? the sun climbed over the Tennessee hills the pictur esquely placed farm probably looked its very best. Just be fore reaching the entrance gate we were very much taken with the very unique fence which surmounts the stone wall surrounding the 5,300 acres comprised in the estate. The wall is .five feet in height, with galvanized iron poles mortised in the stone work and strung together with five strands of wire. The purpose of the added lieight is to prevent the fallow deer, elk and high-strung thoroughbred stock from breaking bounds. We af terwards learned that the stone struc ture |wa3 in itself a monument to the thrift and enterprise of our host, for every stone used in its construction had been picked off thc domain it en closed. The generally unremunera tivc toil of clearing the soil had thus been turned to profitable account, but even at that the masonry work for the construction of this magnificent fence cost the Genera! $04,000. But this story has to do with the hospitable interior of Belle Meade rather than its fence, its unequaled collection of thoroughbred sires and dams, its elk and fallow deer and its herd of Jersey cattle. TTpon arrival at the driveway of his home, General Jackson met us in person and made us welcome. The house is a good exam ple of the old colonial style whick is to be seen at its best in Virginia, and has that impelling sense of comfort ant homelikeness which the modern skyscraper has no usc for. The Gen eral conducted us into his sanctum half library and half office--and be fore we had removed our gloves his head faetotem appeared with a tray carrying examples of the far-famed Tennessee toddy. The appetizer had^ scarcely struck the right spot before /Mrs. Marks, thc General's elder daugh ter, announced that breakfast was served, and we adjourned to the very handsome dining-room, the walls of which are hung with portraits of the Jackson and Harding families. * * * * General Jackson's immediate fami ly consists of himself, his elder daugh ter, Mrs.Marks; his younger daughter, Mrs. Ellison, and his only son. Hard ing Jackson. There was room for 20 people at thc spacious table, but only eight sat down that morning to break fast. In addition teethe family, thc two sons-in-law. my friend and myself comprised the party. The meal was distinctively Southern, but it was more distinctively home-made. The Jersey cream was nuppplied by the Generals famous herd. The eggs were from his own hennery. The bread was home-made. So was the bason. The venison cutlets came from the loins of a stag that had first seen the light of day on thc hill tops of Belle Meade. As the General put it, even the well-groomed and sleek darkey who waited on the table and the ancient auntie who cooked the victuals were home-made products. Breakfast lasted nearly an hour, but 6he time flew rapidly. Anecdotes of IDE FARM. of the Great Belle rm in Tennessee. Louis Republic. travel and adventure were punctuated with others of elbow-touching with the big and little people of two conti nents. General Jackson and Mrs. Marks had but lately' returned from a trip to England, where thc General was re ceived and recognized as an American gentleman to the manner born. Thc Duke of Devonshire entertained the master of Beile Meade at Chatsworth Castle, the Jmost magnificent and or nate show place in thc old country. The Duke of Westminster made him at home at Eaton Hali, and had his Derby winners trotted out for his in spection. The Prince of Wales hob nobbed with him at the Turf Club at Newmarket, and asked him for an opinion about his great horse, Per simmons, winner of the Derby and St. j Leger of 1896. "I was somewhat disappointed with Persimmons," said the General, when speaking of his introduction to the Prince. "I doubt whether he is really a great race horse, such as Or monde was. 1 should class him, rather, as a Lord Lyon or a Galtee Moore than as a Gladiateur." On Newmarket Heath, where all the great classic English races are de cided, the Derby and St. Leger only excepted, General Jackson met Rich ard Croker, of New York. ((I was more than pleased with Tammany's signal victory in Greater New York, which, of course, was largely due to Mr. Croker's great gen eralship." The breakfast was about ended, and General Jackson felt conversa tional. "I am particularly glad of the Tammany chieftain's success, for 1 am a great admirer of Mr. Croker. 1'Indeed, I ought to like him, ?for my business dealings with him during the last few years have certainly been very profitable to me. "Mr. Croker came to Belle Meade just a? you gentlemen came this morning. He wished to see my es tablishment and I sent him word tc come out. I had had no previous dealings and, indeed, had only a casu al acquaintance with him. He was visiting the South on pleasure bent, and when I conducted him over my farm I had no thought that wc wauld ever join in a partnership. As we looked over the stock he would from j time to time make inquiry as to the prices obtained at my sale of yearlings. ! I told him that at one sale in New I York 200 of my yearlings had sold for ?an aggregate of $203,200. He ap-j peared interested in my statement, but j made no comment. "That evening, when enjoying our post prandial cigar. Mr. Croker said to me: " '(?eneral, I would like-to purchase a half interest in the thoroughbred product of Belle Meade. Will you name a price?' I answered affirma tively. Mr. Croker inquired, 'How much?" *T reflected for a moment, and then: never dreaming my proposition would be accepted, I said I would sell a half interest in. the product of my thorough bred sires and dams for $250,000. Mr. Croker asked for pen and ink, drew a checkbook from his pocket, filled out a check and handed it to me with the simple statement. 'We are now part ners. Kindly, send me your acknowl edgement to-morrow. ' I looked at the check, found it called for $250,000, and expressed the hope that our part nership might be a mutually profitable one. I sent my receipt to Mr. Croker next morning and he continued hi* trip South that evening. "The first year of our partnership we divided $55,000. Of course, this was a terrible fall from our record made when the yearlings averaged $1,0HJ apiece, but the country was en tering upon a period of particularly hard times and the horse-breeding in dustry, perhaps, was the worst one hit. Times continued to grow worse, and when the time for our second partnership sale came along, values of young and old thoroughbred stock were down to bedrock. That year Mr. Croker and myself divided $53.000. Mr. Croker appreciated the situation and made no complaint of the poor showing. ?? * * * "When I met Mr. Croker an New market Heath last summer we hud quite a lengthy conversation on thc fature of thc American turf. Mr. Croker confessed that he had, in a measure, lost his interest in racing on this side of thc water, and stated that it was his ambition to win an English Derby with a foal of his own breeding. 'I have an ideal farm at Wantage, in Berkshire,' said he. 'where 1 have my old champions. Dobbins. Vorkville Belle and several other marcs. If 1 eau raise a colt or filly by Dobbins, out of Vorkville Belle, anti win the Derby the height of my racing am bition will be attained. I intend to devote my leisure to this project and a* a consequence I should like to bc released from my Belle Meade im ment.' Mr. Croker assured me would not sell his half interest ir farm without my consent, and ac that if I could see my way to n him an offer he would be glad tc tertain it. " 'The horse-breeding business, Croker/ said I, 'has received a t ble set-back of late and has been tircly over-done. Your interest not worth anything like what it when you joined issue with mc, a am not able to make you an offer c mens?rate in value with your into in Belle Meade.' Mr. Croker c cided with me in my view of the ? ation, and again pressed? rae to n him au offer. 'I dislike to nam low a figure,' was my reply, ' really, I could not afford to pay more than $85,000 for your hall terest.' " " 'That price,' said Mr. Croker, perfectly satisfactory.' I gave my check, and the interest of Croker in Belle Meade was at an c The partnership cost Mr. Croker n ly $100,000, but he accepted the without batting an eye or express a single word of regret. "That is why I was glad to hea Mr. Croker s success in New York. ''That is why I like the man. plucky way of accepting his loss m a strong impression upon mc, an sincerely hope he will live to att his ambition and win an Engl Derby with a scion of the great D bins and the equally great Yorkv Belle." . * * * Breakfast was over and the start the stables made. Our first visit ~\ Imade to the stallion's paddocks, ? our first introduction in the equ linc was to Iroquois, the horse tl had achieved the very triumph wh: Mr. Croker hoped one day ito acco plish. Yes, Iroquois is the 01 American-bred horse that ever s ceeded in beating the British at th own game by carrying off the blue r bon of the English turf-the Deri Sixteen years have passed since I quois flashed by the winning p< amid the acclaims of hundreds thousands of enthusiastic turfm j who knew no country nor race distil Ition. but ungrudgingly welcomed t horse that had come across the oce to beat the best of his year. Iroqm has retained his youth better th most stallions, and is as sleek a velvety as are all his companions Belle Meade. Luke Blackburn another of Gen. Jackson's pets, ai well he deserves his ^master's affc tion, for he has been as successful a sire as he was invincible as a ra horse. Then we saw Tremont, tl black whirlwind; GI aren don and Da dy Dinmont, both promising sire Tithonus and Madison, recent im pc tations, purchased during Gen. Jae son's trip through England, were th< shown to us. Both horses are as ne to stud honors as they are to th country, but as each has the blood i St. Simon in his veins, great expect tions are indulged that they willi \vorthy successors to Iroquois ar Luke Blackburn. From the paddocks of the sires w were taken to the nurseries of th weanlings. In one great square st? ble were 51 bred on the purple colt and in another and duplicate stab! were 41 aristocratic fillies. Million of people in this country are not a well housed and cared for as are thos baby race horses of high degree, an the sanitary arrangements might we! be copied in our best houses. The wc visited the matrons, the great Gip. sy, thc stately Duchess, dam of th I great Clifford, and a hundred othe mares of noble ancestry. * * * * We sauntered through the dee] ! park, where 50 elk and over 400 fallon deer are as much at home in their 501 acres of forest as they were in thei native haunts. As a stirrup-cup we visited the COT stables where 200 pure-bred Jersey! and 200 graded cows are milked twic< a day. These stables and the adjoin ing dairy and creamery are of thc most up-to-date model. Gen. Jack son's two daughters have entire charge of this department and so woll do the> manage it that after paying up all the household expenses their joint pin money exceeds the salary of a United States Senator. Belle Meade, though hidden away in the hills of Tennessee, has for many a year been the most famous thorough bred farm in the country. Noted men from home and abroad have made a pilgrimmage to thc home of the great Enquirer. President Cleveland and his bride were guests of Gen. .Jaek son's, and the then mistress of the White House patted the gallant old horse whose children's successes ou the turf he loved so well are ever keeping his memory green. Wo visi tor to Belle Meade ever received more cordial welcome than did Sir Tatton Sykes, langland's greatest breeder of race horses. Despite his 70years, Sir Tatton made the trip from Yorkshire to Tennessee just to see how good and alily managed an establishment. Melle Meade was. Gen. Jackson tells with infinite zest how surprised the veteran Knglishman was with thc discipline, the order, the cleanliness and the thoughtfulness to be found through out the greatest horse farm in the country-Belle Meade. BLACK DIAMOND RAILROAD. Its Prospects and Advantages. Ripley {Ohio) lice. EDITOR OP THE BEE:-I wonder if the thinking, business people of Kip ley arc aware of thc great struggle now going on in the financial world for control of the grain markets of Europe. Tariffs may change, manu factures languish, panics spread ruin and distress, but iu spite of all the nation which control the grain markets of Europe will be prosperous and pow erful. Recognizing this fact, Russia has tho lust three years been building rail roads at a tremendous rate to deliver her wheat at seaports. England in recent years has expended millions of dollars on irrigating works and con struction of railways for developing her immense wheat fields in India. Millions of British money have been lost in Argentina, South America, and the greatest banking house of London, Baring Bros., swept away in the vain effort to develop the country, establish railroads and make it the greatest and cheapest grain producing area in thc world. The conditions which have brought American wheat to its present price may not occur again in twenty years. Cheap transportation is the only sal vation for the farmer, and on the pros perity of the farmer largely depends the prosperity of the business so closely are its business interests inter twined. The average cost of trans porting a bushel of wheat by rail from Chicago to the sea is 12 cents. A re cent writer in the North American Re view has demonstrated by facts and figures that with a railroad properly constructed for that purpose-a rail road with low grade, light curvatures, and cyal deposits for its locomotives accessible at different points along its lines, wheat can be carried at a profit for three cents per bushel from Chica go to the sea. This means control of the European markets, not only for wheat, but meat, corn, oats and for age. Business men are awake to the ne cessity of doing something at once, to meet this pressing necessity, this bat tle for the markets of the world. In New York it is proposed to spend $500,000,000 to widen the Erie canal into a ship canal with 25 feet of water. St. Louis-is about building a fleet of steam barges, each to carry 800 tons and draw 15 inches of water. These barges are expected to carry grain down the Mississippi at a cost of three cents a bushel. What I wish to call to the attention of your readers is the fact that in this struggle for cheap transportion the Black Diamond railway is easily in the front. The plan 'and construcci?n of the road are exactly on the lines sug gested by the writer in the North American Review, although the route is different. With its branches to the State capitols of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, its Chicago and Cleveland con nections, its short routes, low grades, light curvatures and unlimited coal supplies, the Black Diamond wiiil play a most important part in this inter national fight for control of the Euro pean markets. Another battle is also being fiercely waged-the battle of the seaports. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent by the general government in improving and deepening the water approaches to our seaports. Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk and New Orleans, in fact, all our seaports except Port Royal have been heavy beneficiaries, and all are clamoring for a goodly share of the ocean carrying trade. Here again thc Black Diamond is at the front. rTo say nothing of the in creaied distance from Europe of the (Juif seaports, New Orleans is more than one hundred miles from the (iulf up a river difficult of navigation, and like Mobile, (Jalveston and Port Ar thur, troubled with shallowness of water. 'ort H oyal, the South Carolina ter minus of the Black Diamond, is con cededly the finest seaport on the South Atlantic coast, and far and away ahead of anything on the gulf coast. The combined navies of the world might lind quiet anchorage in its ca pacious harbor. Around its land locked waters a great commercial eity is destined to spring up whose phe nomenal growth will surpass even that of Newport News. llipley is fortunate in being located on the line of this great commercial highway of the future, thc construc tion of which is as certain as the com ing of the morning. Ripley, with its lovely location, magnificent water front, and facilities for water trans portation, its rich agricultural re sources behind-it requires it* pro phet to see that with the coming of the Black Diamond, llipley will be transformed into a flourishing manu facturing city, its long banished busi ness and trade will return to it, in creased an hundred fold. Everybody will be happy, none more so than Your obedient servant. WM. li. UfNiKits. Nov. 27, I8?I7. - <>ne Minute Cough fureeures quick ly. That's what you want ! F.vans Phar Interesting Facts About Spools and Shoe Pegs. "Oxford County, Maine, turns out nearly all the spools on which thc sewing thread of this country is wound," said a wholesale dealer in such articles. "The spools are made from white birch timber, and they are produced in Oxford County. There are many other parts of Western Maine also where the industry is im portant. There are numerous saw mills in that part of the State which are kept busy all the year round saw ing white birch logs into strips four feet long, and from one to two inches wide, and of thc same thickness. These strips are sent to thc spool factories, where they are quickly worked into spools by thc most inge nious labor-saving machinery. "The strips of white birch are fed iuto one machine, and they are not touched, in fact, are hardly seen again, until the spools, all finished for mar ket, except polishing, drop out by thc bushel from another machine several rods away from where the strips started in. The spools get their gloss by be ing rapidly revolved in barrels, turned by machimery, the polishing resulting from the contact- of thc spools in the barrel. "In thc backwoods villages of Ox ford County one sees scarcely any other industry but spool-making, and every person in the neighborhood is in some way interested in the busi ness. The factories have been eating into the Maine birch forests for years, but there still seems to be enough of the timber left to feed the machinery for many years to come. Hundreds of thousands of feet of logs are cut and sawed into spool timber annually. "Shoe-peg factories are also an im portant branch of business once pecu liar to Maine, although it has of late beeu followed to some extent in other Eastern States, and is spreading to ; the hardwood forests of Northern Pennsylvania. Maple is used largely in the manufacture of shoe pegs, al though white birch is used at some factories. Shoe pegs are sold by the bushel, and are worth all the way I from 75 cents to $1 a bushel, accord ing to quality. More than $150,000 was received by Maine shoe-peg fac tories last year for goods. "A curious and profitable business has grown up in the Maine woods, near the sawmills, in thc utilizing of the immense quantities of sawdust by compression. Thousands of tons of this waste material are bought for a mere nothing, and are pressed into compact blocks and bales, and in this form are finding a ready market for kindling and fuel in Eastern cities." - "Why," she finally ventured to falter, "'do you. look so sad when we are sitting thus?" "Because," he answered, gazing tenderly down into her troubled eyes, "a man always looks sad when he holds a lovely hand." She was somewhat reassured, although she did not quite under stand. Contagious Blood Poison has been ap* propriately called the curse of mankind. It is the one disease that physicians can not cure; their mercurial and potasb remedies only bottle up the poison in the system, to surely break forth in a more virulent form, resulting in a total wreck of the system. Mr. Frank B. Martin, a prominent jeweler at 926 Pensylvania Ave., Wash ington,D.C.,says: I was for a long time under treat ment of two ol the best physi cians of this city, for a severe case of blood poison, but my condition grew worse all the while, not withstanding the i fact that they charged me three hundred dollars. My mouth waa filled with eating sores; my tongue waa almost eaten away, so that for three months I was unable to taste any solid food. My hair was coming out rapidly, and I was in a horrible fix. I had tried various treatments, and was nearly dis couraged, when a friend recommended S.S.S. After T had taken four bottles, I began to get better, and when I had finished eighteen bottles, I was cured sound and well, my skin was without a blemish, and I have had no return ol the disease. S.S.S.saved me from a life of misery." S.S.S. (guaranlted purely rrmr lillie) will cure any case of blood poison. Books 011 thediseasc and its treat rncnt. mailed free by Swift Specific Co., Atlanta, Ga. N?TICE. ALI. persona indebted to the late A. S. ?Stephen?, or to Hie Finn of Keed * Ste phens, either by Note or open Account, are hereby notified that they munt be set tled at onee, or tb ey will bo placed in the hands of an orticor for collection. PAUL E. STEPH ENS, Administrator. Oet '27, l?i?7 I* NOTICE. Office of County Board of Commissionera, Anderson, 8. C., December 6, 1S!>7. ALL persons holdinp elaims against the County are hereby notified to file the same in this ollice on or before the first day of .January next. The annual meeting of the Board will be held on Tuesday, the 4th of January, A. 1).. ISOS. W. P. SNELfcKOVE, Co. Supervisor, Anderson County. .INO. F. CL Alt DY, Secretary. Has passed through and left nearly everything he had with. For the Little Folks, such as Dolls, Doll Cradle?. Doll Bede, Balls. Iron Trains, Tin Trains, GUD8, m Pistols, Games of all kinds. Harps,' Velocipedes, Express Wasons, Foot Balls, Iron Stoves, Tin Stove?, Tea Sets, Doll Furniture, and various other things. In its true sense, well worth your time and trouble to come and get prices, which we take great pleasure in showing and pricing vou. When looking for WEDDING PRESENTS Give me a look, as I have a beautiful selection in that line for very little money. We are strictly up-to-date in style and prices to suit all. We want eve rybody that wants to see something nice and attractive to give us a call and inspect our Goods. No trouble to show you. We extend a special invitation to the little children to come and see what dear old Santa has left here for them. This invitation means you and your neighbors and all their kinfolks. I am now selling the handsomest STEEL RANGE made-the best for the money-and it would make your wife a nice Xmas Present. A full linc of Crockery, Glass, Lamp Good-', Tinware, Cheap Stoves, &c. JOHN T. BURRIS8. GREAT BARGAINS AND GREAT GUNS Latest designs, Tremendous Stock ! .M Jj UIUVL A superb line-bought right -will be sold right. Now is the time to make your choice. AMMUNITION, SPORTMENS' GOODS, &c, Retailed at wholesale price's. On these and other classes of Goods in our Mne we are simply in it to sell. TREED AT LAST ! ALL successful Possum-huntera have been fooled ; so are we this time. Our game in its desperation, puts up the customary nauseating defense, hops from limb to limb, winks one eye to itself, and in tones that bespeak the anguish of its stricken heart, wails to the sighing winds-at Cost! at Cost!! at Cost ! ! ! Now, ain't that a prettv mouth to put up. People of Anderson County, believe it or not, as you will, the fact remains that never in our experience have we ever had such a large trade as now. We are not com plaining about hard times We are buying our share of the Cotton, and of course we are going to have our share of the trade We hardly ever do sell out at Cost, and sometimes we don't ; therefore, we don't have to do it now, because we havent the slightest idea of going out of business-besides our Goods are going out fast enough at a reasonable profit. When Christmas stops coming once a year, when we can't sell more Dean'?; Patent Flour than any other grade sold io Anderaon County and prove it; when we can't beat the town on Shoes, and when the good people off old Anderson County say to aa that we have imposed upon them and duped them, then, and not till then, will your humble servants throw up the sponge and close ont at Cost. Until then yon ?AD g?t what you want-Dry Goods, Boots, Shoes, Hats, Jeans, Floor and other Groceries, and Canned Meats as ebeap at our Store as anywhere else, but you'll not get them at Cost. DEAN & R?TLIFFE, Cotton Buyers, Uuano Dealers and Bargain Yendors to the Trade. Footwear ! A good opportunity to fit up the Family with desirable, well-fitting and good wearing Shoes. IT is our pleasure to announce that we'have spared neither neither pains or money to make our line of FALL GOODS the most desi rable and serviceable in the State, and we feel confident that our patrons will appreciate the fact that our Goods are manufactured expressly to suit the taste aud fancies of this community. Every detail is carefully carried out with the intention of furnishing the public with a superb line of SHOES. We also-tarry a good line nf TRUNKS, And our pr?tes are iriflht. Give us a call when in need of anything in our li?e, aud lie con vinced of what we say. mi 1 ll e ?afes Shoe Co. Under Masonic Temple, Anderson, S. C.