The daily phoenix. (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, June 30, 1875, Image 3
Wednesday Horning, June 30, 1875.
City Finances.
The communication of Mr. W. B.
Uulick, under the heading "Finances
fo the City," was unavoidably crowded
out of yesterday's issue, by Mr.
Davidson's indictment of Gen. Sher?
man for the burning of Columbia. Wu
invite a careful perusal of the article,
this morning, as it contains astounding
predictions of financial disaster and
heavy taxation. The concluding portion
of Mr. Guliek's article will be a subject
for serious consideration by the tax?
payers of the city, and prompt and
vigorous action is requisite to meet the
exigencies of the case.
-?-???-?
The Food Question.
It is maintained in some well-in?
formed quarters that owing to the de?
rangement of manufacturing and other
industries in this country, and reduction
of available means from these causes,
the cons\imption of food per capita will
bo less during the coming year than it
has been in the past twelve months. If
this bo so, prices for agricultural pro?
ducts must fall in a material degree.
The crops of 1873 will be fully equal to
those of 1874, if not somewhat above in
this country. Those of Europe will be
fair. When both are joined as to food
supply and placed in opposition to a
weakened demand, it can readily be
seen that prices must come down. In
relation to this question in the United
States, another fact must be taken into
consideration. Some years ago the
Southern States did not add much to the
food crops of tho country. They raised
cotton, rice, sugar and other products to
tho exclusion of the cereals. Since the
war, however, corn and other cereals
have been cultivated to a greater extent,
and at the present time it is calculated
that some of the Southern States will
feed their own people, and even have a
surplus.
In the light of such facts as these, the
people of this coxintj-y, both raisers and
consumers of food, should look at the
future. Tho former must not expect too
much from tho crop of 1875, and the
latter should so economize as to repair
some of the rents in their financial robes
made by tho high price of food for the
past five years. It has been truthfully
and pointedly said that glutted markets
and moderate demand for agricultural
products do not generally portend a sea?
son of remarkable individual or national
activity. This is true as a separate pro?
position, but with it must be associated
the fact that the cheaper the laborers of
a-country can be fed the cheaper articles
can be produced, and that will command
foreign markets to the exclusion of rivals.
Unite these ideas and then a point can
bo gained from which to look at this
crop question in a broad, intelligent,
practical manner.
The Dr.Mi Desfeuaoo. Several per?
sons have been led to suspect that Henry
Daniels, the negro who was killed at the
Augusta jail, last Saturday night, was a
member of the celebrated Lowery gang
of brigands who caused so much excite?
ment about Luniberton, N. C, several
years ago. There is much to confirm
such a suspicion. By reference to the
history of the outlaws, we find that one
of the gang, George Applewhite, answers
exactly to the description of Daniels.
The report before us says: "George Ap?
plewhite is a regular negro, of a surly,
determined look, with thick features,
woolly hair, large protuberances above
the eyebrows, big jaws and cheok bones,
and a black eye. He is a picture of a
slave at bay. He is supposed to be either
dead, hidden away, wounded, or to have
abandoned the country*, as he has not
been seen or heard of for several months.
When last heard from, he was faint from
loss of blood, and had received wounds
in the breast from some soldierv. He
married into the Oxendino family, and
was present at the murder of Sheriff
King and elsewhere, and is, therefore,
included in the list of outlaws, and a re?
ward put upon his head." After Daniels'
death, a number of old scars were disco?
vered on his body. There was also the
mark of a bullet wound on his forehead,
evidently received several years ago.
Daniels' wife said that sho married Henry
in Guilford County, N. C, about four
years ago. She had only known him a
short time. Ho told her before they
were married, that he came from the tur?
pentine region. The wound on his fore?
head, he said, hto received during the
war, and tho scars on his arms and body
in slavery times. She didn't know whe?
ther he ever had another name or not.
ll.uwiOAO Accident.?An engine and
part of a train went through a bridge on
the Carolina Central Bailroad, nine miles
from Charlotte, on Saturday morning,
killing John McGehee and Princo
Woods, colored, and severely wounding
tho conductor and six colored train
hands.
William C. Reames' barn in Claren?
don County was burned on tho 21th,
between the hours of 3 and 4 o'clock A.
M. Incendiary.
The Finances of the City.
The interest felt in the financial con?
dition of the city of Columbia by its
propcrty-ownors and tax-payers will ex?
cuse mo for again participating in this
discussion bv calling attention to some
things Hon. L. Cass Carpenter has to say
concerning it. Before taking up any of
his figures, I take tho liberty of placing
in one group several admissions made by
Mr. Carpenter, as follows:
"It is true that tho city debt has born
increased by a large amount since 1870."
"I am epiite well aware that the rate of
taxation has been increased nearly dou?
ble what it was in 1870." "There has
been waste, extravagance, mismanage?
ment and other kindred evils accom?
panying the administration of city af?
fairs."
These admissions einbmcc much that
has been charged by the Citizens' Com?
mittee, and ought to close the contro?
versy. The set of men who have brought
so many evils on tho city, should make
way for others, who might manage mat?
ters better. A new set, of whatever po?
litical party they might be composed,
could do no worse. It is probable that
they could at least work a reform of
"other kindred evils," by w hich must bp
meant bills for "sundries," water pipe
contracts, taken by the Mayor at six
cents per pound, that could have been
furnished for less than four cents, and
other jobs gotten up at the expense of
the tax-payers for the benefit of the City
Council. Honesty, economy and good
management arc wanted?nothing else.
The amount of the debt at the begin?
ning of the administration of Mayor
Alexander, seems to trouble Mr. Carpen?
ter very much, and every new statement
varies from all tho preceding ones.
Three statements present the following
contrast:
Debt obtained from city re?
cords.$300,3-21 10
Gen. Stolbrand's statement. . 400,000 00
Mr. Carpenter's statement.. . 500,453 35
The coupons supposed to bo unpaid
at the beginning of the administration
are thus variously given:
Gen. Stolbrand's statement. . .$70,000 00
Mr. Carpenter, at Parker's
Hall. 45,175 00
Mr. Carpenter, in Pikenix_ 89,470 00
As neither of these gentlemen take
into account the large amount of coupons
funded into bonds and paid In that way
prior to 1870, it is certain that the figures
of both are gross exaggerations, and that
the actual amount of coupons unpaid was
very much less than the smaller of these
three estimates.
Beferring to Mr. Carpenter's Parker
Hall speech and his statements relating
to payments of coupons generally, I in?
vite the public to the following state?
ment he then made. He calculates the
interest unpaid at the beginning of
Mayor Alexander's administration to be
$4?,17?. He then estimates that during
the next four years there were over-pay?
ments of interest to tho amount of
571,117 over the amounts falling due in
those years; that is, during these four
years, coupons to the amount of $25,912
were paid beyond the total amount duo,
including all arrearages. This could
have happened only by paying this
amount of coupons twice. I make no
charges, but simply deduce from Mr.
Carpenter's own figures their logical
conclusions. If, then, to this over-pav
ment. be added the $60,000 of unpaid
coupons admitted to be outstanding at
this time, the tax-payers have good rea?
son to wish a change and reform in the
financial management of the city.
The account for special interest was
j kept separately from and after the 1st of
'January, 1S7:J. Mr. Carpenter asserts
"not only was all the money realized
from the special tax paid for the purposes
for which it was levied, but hundreds of
dollars in addition, so that not a dollar
of special interest was ever used for any
other purpose." For the two years, em?
bracing.the period from January 1, 1S73.
to December 31, 1874, the account
stands as follows, taken from the records
of the City Treasurer:
Special tax collected.$01,478 I I
Coupons paid. 55,009 75
Balance Dec. 31, 1871. $5,808 40
The balance on April 30, 1874, which
may be regarded as the financial close of
Mayor Alexander's second term, was
$5,914.39, diverted to otlur uses during
the period when Mr. Carpenter was
Chairman of the 1-inance Committee,
and had the whole management of the
finances of the city under his official
charge.
The r< port of the Citizens' Committee
makes the balance of city currency out?
standing May 31, 1870, at $16,201.10.
Mr. Carpenter asserts that the true ba?
lance was $31,877.55, and that "during
the first year of Mayor Alexander's ad?
ministration $11,593.75 more of this cur?
rency was redeemed and destroyed" than
was outstanding according to that report.
I will thank Mr. Carpenter to submit the
proof of this statement, giving dates and
amounts redeemed and destroyed. But,
as he has no ledger to rely upon, I will
here produce the account:
May 31, 1870, currency out?
standing. 816,204 10
June 30, 1870. issued by Mr.
F.tter. 1,000 00
Julv 30, 1870, issued by Mr.
Etter. 927 50
August 31,1870, issued by Mr.
Etter. 150 00
September 30, 1870, issued bv
Mr. Etter. 3:0 00
November 30, 1870, issued by
Mr. Etter. 150 00
519,111 00
Redeemed und Destroyed.
\ June 30, 1870... $ 111 90
March 31, 1871. .. 10,059 80
Mav 10, 1871.... 2,900 20?$19,131 90
Balance over-issued. $ 20 30
That is the whole account of city cur?
rency during the first year's administra
tion of Mayor Alexander. Mr. Carpen?
ter's figures are pure fictions.
While on this subject of city currency,
I will ask Mr. Carpenter to givo to the
public what ho knows concerning the
issue of city currency while Mr. Bornum
was Treasurer. It is understood that the
Chairman of the Finance Committee was
tho custodian of the unsigned notes, and
that ho delivered them to Mr. Bornum
for signaturo and use as the funds were
required. Tho whole amount printed
was $37,000. To settle the account of
Mr. Bornum correctly, it is necessary to
have Mr. Carpenter's account of bills de?
livered to the Treasurer.
Then; are other points in Mr. Carpen?
ter's speech and communication which I
might notice, but an intelligent public
will understand them well < nough with?
out further discussion. I could go on
rectifying bis mistakes and involving
him in arithmetical blundi rs, but he
would probably imagine a new set of ac?
counts as soon as the old mistakes were
( bared op, and I should have a new
work before me. Tb<- fuel is, Mr. Car?
penter displays so little accurate know-;
ledge of the finances of the city, and so j
much skill in getting the accounts con?
tused and himself in a muddle, that the :
present embarrassments ?>f the city are j
really not surprising, considering that I
its finances were under bis manager*cut !
for two years. As he cannot be expected
to know anything of the present financial
status of the cjty, I take the liberty here
of producing about what the expect* d
statement of the Mayor and City Clerk
will show as to the city debt:
Bonds of oil kinds..*"iSft,?00 00
Due to banks. iir.j tc.t 1
T. J. Jeter. 1,000 00 I
Judgments. 1*2.000 (55 |
Coupons past due. I'iO.OUU 00 |
Unpaid bills, Ac. 10,000 no j
Total debt.$008,752 71 '
Showing an increase of $100,<KK)over the j
largest statement yet made by Mr. Car?
penter. I make tins contrast in order
that bis admission already quoted, "that
the city debt has been increased by a
largo amount since 1870,'' may he fully
sustained by direct evidence. Having
accepted his largest statement, embrac?
ing all the supposed liabilities of the
city at the beginning of Alexander's ad?
ministration, this increase is directly
chargeable to the "waste, extravagance,
mismanagement and other kinttreil evils"
that have prevailed since that date.
As I hope not to be compelled to con?
tinue tho discussion of city matters any
further through the press, I desire to call
the attention of the public now to the
certain approach of a disaster to our city
and its finances, if they are not taken
hold of promptly, with a determination
to set them in better order. Tin? special
tax lor interest next year cannot be less |
than ten mills; the tax to support the i
city government, pay interest on floating
j debt and meet deficiency in the water
contract will require ten mills more, and
ten mills more will be required to pay j
$12,000 in judgments already rendered
against tho city in our Circuit Court, j
The City Council may not levy the tax
to pay the judgments, but the Court j
will be compelled to do it, and the fiti
zens will have it to pay. The work of
approving bills that cannot be paid until
the next lax is collected, is already going
on in the City Council, ami nothing will
remain to pay even a judgment for the
cost of a steam fir.- ( Ogino in use to pro?
tect the city from tire. A three per cent,
tax will absorb one-third of the rental
value of all the property of the city, re?
ducing its selling price and its taxable
j valuation to the extent e it:.inly of
I twenty-tive per c< nt. The owni rs of
j property find it dwindling away in their
? bonds, while the poor man. the laborer,
w ill be driven to other places to find em?
ployment. These arc sonn of the con
' sidorutions which should stir our citizens
? to act at once, to take the necessary
measures to stop the increase of tin d? bt
in all forms, and to see that the taxes are
: applied to its reduction. \\ rv rospoct
! fully, W. 15. GULICK.
Dr.si ui i Tivi: FlKK in Lwkixi.vko. We
b urn by o telegram received in this city,
yesterday, that a fire broke out yesterday
i morning about 2 o'clock, in a store at
Lanrinburg, Richmond County. So
rapid was the progress of the lire, and Bo
imperfect the facilities for extinguishing
it, that ere the flames were arrested they
; had totally destroyed the hotel, five
1 stores and the warehouse of the Carolina
Central Railway Company, together with
? ten old ears, three new ones, and five
Hats. The telegram states that there is
little doubt that the fire was the devilish
; work of an incendiary. We did not b arn
! the names of the owners of the burnt
! property, nor the probable amount of
! the loss. Charlotte Observer.
i
! It is truly wonderful, the variety and
J ing< unity of the conveniences for the
! desk and office -pens of vori? d patterns,
! inkstands possessing numberless od
! vantages, letter files, each one the best,
I envelopesjof size and qualities infinite.
I It is almost bewildering to enter the
; hug" Broad street store of Walker,
Evans &? Cogswell, in Charleston, ami
[sec the number of these attractions.
. Hero you find the largest stationery
? stock South of Baltimore, and you only
1 have two troubles first, sufficient cash;
I and, second, the difficulty in deciding
among the many things offered, each
equally suitable to yo; r wants. M7t
i Miss Hester, daughter of Wni. M. Pip
j pin, and Miss Dora, daughter of John
j Staton, both about seventeen years of
! age, were accidently drowned at Tor
j boro, N. C, while bathing in a pond on
I the plantation of the latter gentleman.
I Henry Oetrichs, of tho firm of Oetriehs
1 A Co., agents of the German Lloyds, is
dead; aged Oti.
Samuel Chubbuck, of Utico, N. V,,
pioneer telegraph apparatus mantlfac
1 turer, is dead; aged 70.
Crrr Items. ? Don't date your letters
tho 31st to-morrow.
The exhibition at the School of Naza?
reth takes place this afternoon.
Tho best pocket companion - A full
purse.
Advertising is the oil which tradesmen
put in their lamps. They that are un?
wise put no oil in.
The Vigilant Fir" Engine Company of
this city will visit Chester on Monday,
the 5th instant.
The water will be shut oil', at the in?
tersection of Main and Laurel streets, at
i)o'clock, this morning.
The number of solid drunks has been
greatly decreased of late, owing to the
warm weather, no doubt.
Why is a newspaper like at ?oth-brusb?
Do you give it upV Dccausc < very per?
son should have on.- of his own. and not
be borrowing his neighbor's.
Perry A Sluwson's new cig.irs are at?
tracting all sinok. is. Just think, Ha?
vana Tips at u c< nts < qual in quality t"
15-ccnt cigars.
Attention is invited to tie"- programme
of exercises at Ursuline Institute, Vnlle]
Crucis, which will bo carried out to?
morrow afternoon, commencing at T,
o'clock.
Charleston i- organizing a societv for
I
tin- prevention of cruelty to animals.
There is a spl< ndid Seid in Columbia
for the exercise of the pow< rs that belong
I to such a society, and the example of
Charleston may be well followed.
Andrew Bonds had n preliminary ex?
amination before Trial Justice Sill, Mon-1
j day morning, an 1 was ordered to give j
j bond in the sum of $1,5U0, or be com?
mitted to jail for appearance at the Oc?
tober term of ( ourt.
At the aimi ?ersary meeling^if Phienix
Hook and Ladder Company, held Mon
duy evening, the following officers were
elected to serve for the ensuing term:
Foreman. Captain J. L. Little: Assistant
Foreman, J. P. Meebau; Secretary, M.
Ik McSweeney; Treasun r, J. Jeans.
The honorary degree which he received
from Union College, tho other day. ap?
pears to have turned th? hea l of --Old
Probs." Certainly no man in his souses
would get up such weather as this, un
j less it be that, as a doctor of philosophy.
! he thinks it proper t.? try the philosophy
I of his patients.
We have received the annual catalogue
I of lloanokc College, Salem, Vu. We see
that at the commencement exercises.
i Mr. P. 1?. Hylcr, of Lexington, sustained
the reputation of the Palmetto State as a
I land of orators. He pointed out tho "Way
! to Excellence." Mr. Julius 1). Dreher,
A. M., of Lexington, was elected Profos
j sor of English Language and Literature,
I and also appointed Financial Secretary
of the College. J. T. Cmbtrce, A. D.,
was elected assistant Professor Of Lan
; gunge*.
These common remc-m days slionl i be
I festivals in our imvlcrn life. Tin y cele
bmte the new generation going out to do
batt'e- in t'.. ? grout strife that lies before
. them. It i^ tin- new generation treading
. in the footsti p:s of t"..e one who goes bc
1 fore even ?>! our own. And as we rea l
j these speeches and take part in these
i ceremonies, and bear the voices of these
I light, cheery multitudes, we feel as
I though they were the echoes id* the
. future. May ('.id's blessing re.-t with
them, and may all their years be as
I sunny ?.s these commencement days,
j with their endeavors, their achievements
and their high-mounting hope..
-? ? ?
Death ok an Aonn Citizen.- An old
and promin? nt citizen has been called to
his liual resting pl ace. Col. Hart Maxcy
j departed this life, yesterday, after a se
I vere illness of little less than a week's
duration. He was about sixty years of
' age. Col. Maxcy served with distinction
I in the Florida war, and was commander
! of a regiment oi South Carolina troops
under the old regime. Ho was the son of
i Hon. Jonathan Maxcy, one of the first
I Presidents of the South Carolina College,
and was himself tt graduate of that vene?
rated institution. The funeral ceremo?
nies will be performed at the Presbyte?
rian Church, tin.- afti rnoon, at 5 o'clock.
-* ? ?
Tho following special despatch was
received by the Piuenix, last night, from
Spartanburg, sign< d by Secretary A." C.
Kaufman:
A meeting of the Directors of the Spar?
tanburg and Ashevillc Railroad was held
thisovening,PresidentMcinmingcr in the
chnir. A resolution, warmly endorsed
by Mr. Oeo. W. Williams, of Charleston,
was offered, authorizing tho President to
lot the mountain section to contract at
once. Messrs. Kennedy and lliplcy, of
North Carolina, spoke earnestly in favor
of the enterprise. They said that their
people meant to do their share of the
work and give their trade to Charleston.
This was emphatically a business meot
ing. Charleston and the great West will
soon join ban Is.
Tue Foubtb in Augusta.?Lieutenants
W. C. Swaflield and kW. R. Cathoart, of
tho Riehland Rille Club, visited Augusta
Saturday, for the purpose of making ar?
rangements for accommodating the club
on its visit there next Monday. They
succeeded in securing quarters at tho
Central Hotel. They speak highly of the
hospitable reception they met on all
sides while engaged in the discharge of
their mission, ami Were highly pleased
with the evident generosity with which
Augusta will greet her visitors on tl.c
Cth. The Club will number sixty active
members in full uniform, and will be ac?
companied by tho United .States Post
Rand, ot the 18th Infantry. Col. Black
and other officers of this post have been
invited to accompany tho Club. Tho
Club will ti ach Augu>ta at 10 o'clock on
th ? night of the 4th, and will be received
by a committee and escorted to tho ball
of Oglothorpe Infantry, Company A,
where a collation will be served.
The Charleston clubs will reach tho
city ,,t T, o'clock, Sunday afternoon, via
the South Carolina Railroad. They will
be received by the commanding officers
of tb>- battalion in citizens' dress, and
escorted to the ball of Oglethorpe In?
fantry. Company A, where they will
partake of a collation. They will after
war.:- be escorted to their quarters at
the hotels. The Charleston clubs will
take with them the United States Post
Band. They v. ill have fully '200 men in
uniform. There will bo in ail about
? itJO :n n in line, fully equipped and
armed.
Co'.rv.:;:.?. Female College.?The ex?
ercises of the commencement occasion of
this prosperous institution of learning
were held yesterday morning. The
chapel was filled with the relatives of the
young ladies and friends of the institu?
tion. It is matter of regret that the
chap' 1 of the College is so small, and it
is hoped that ere long it will be enlarged.
The chapel was decorated by the young
ladi- ? of course, it is unnecessary to
say it was neatly done.
At the hour appointed, 20 A. M., the
exercises were opened with prayer by
Rev. John T. Wightuian, D. D.; after
which, the young lady graduates, seven?
teen in number, read their essays, us fol?
lows:
I Salutatory address, in Latin?Miss
Fannie S. Smith, of Suuiter.
'Tim Desire to be Remembered?Miss
Lizzie Duncan, of Spartanburg.
Our Lives are What we Make Them:
Human Will is Human Destiny?Miss M.
N. Duncan, of Spartanburg.
t The Power of United Effort?Miss Sal
; lie W. DuPrc, of Charleston.
Pleasure of Anticipation?Miss Saliie
j E. Fry. of Riehhvnd.
Excelsior, in French?Miss S. Alice
j Hall, of Chest, r.
I Tho Resources and Pleasures of a Cul?
tivated Mind -Mi.-s Jennie L. Jeter, of
i Union.
I Kimplicitv Miss Alice Kinard, of New
I berry.
Example Hotter than Precept - Miss
! Mary A. LaMottc, of Richland.
j Nature and her Teachings?Miss Hai?
ti- S. Mason, of Fairficld.
Frailty, thy Name is Woman?Miss
l Helen G. McMaster, of Richland.
1 Beauties of Nature?Miss S. Banna
I Mot Hu e, of Abbeville.
Hope -Miss Sue M. Price, of Marion.
I True and False Ambition?Miss J.
Isabelle Salley, of Orangeburg.
! Tbc Age in which we Live: Its Proiui
i in-nt Characteristics?Miss Lizzie Z.
Stillivan. of Lanrons.
I Touches of Time?Miss Mary A. Tar
! rant, of Abbeville.
Valedictory Addresses?Miss Kate
j Kinard. of Newberry.
j Tlie essays were- rather above the ave
ragc on such occasions; but several of
: the young ladies were indistinct to those
who occupied seats in the front part of
? the hall added to which was the almost
I incessant talking of some who were there
j by invitation. The readings were inter?
spersed with some excellent vocal and
j instrumental music.
I After the delivery of diplomas to the
graduating class, and wholesome words
of counsel from President Jones, the au?
dience was dismissed.
The concert, in the evening, under the
direction of Prof. Orchard, was quite an
enjoyable affair.
Hotel AnmvALS, June 20.? Mansion
House J. P. Ligon, J. C. F. Sims. F. E.
Sims, city; W. W. Fairchild, Charleston;
M. A. Cason, Hodges; E. B. Gary, Cokes
bury; F. E. Smith, Yorkville; Philip L.
Alexandre, Newberry; S. E. Caughman,
Lexington; H. D. Hamiter, Richland.
JJendrix House?hin. W. A. Meroney,
E. L. Dibble, Orangeburg; W. J. Miller,
R. H. Muckenfuss, Charleston; G. W.
Lee, ladv and two children, Fla.; F. E.
Smith, J. M. Hucklin, Chester; T. B.
Louis, N. Y.
List or New Advebtisements.
Meeting Schuetzen Club.
J. II. Sawyer?Notice.
Richard Jones?Water Notice.
C. J. Laurey?Bacon, Butter, Ac.
Meeting Richland Lodge.
Henry M. Hyams, ex-Lioutena'nt-Gov
ernor of Louisiana, is dead; aged 70
years