University of South Carolina Libraries
AUTHORSHIP OF "DIXIE." The State Librarfan of Ohio Conclu sively Establishes That Daniel Emmett Composed the Pop ular Song. Shortly after the death of Daniel Decatur Emmett at Mt. Vernon, Ohio. a claim was set up for another person in the Baltmore Sun. as being the author of the popular song "Dixie." In the appended communication to 'the Sun by Mr. C. B. Galbreath, the state librabian of Ohio, conclusive ev idence is brought forward proving that its author was Mr. Emmett. Office of the state librarian of Ohio, Columbus, 0., July 23, 1904. To the Editors of the Baltimore Sun: 1 Through the kindness of a friend, a copy of the Sun of July iith is be- t fore me. containing a communication under caption, "The Author of Dixie." Permit me to say that :among those acquainted with the late 'Daniel D. Emmett and disinterested parties who visited him when he was living. there is absolutely no question in regard to .the authorship of the famous war song of the south. Your correspondent claims that honor for an Arkansan by the name of Harry McCarthy who, it is stated. oublished the words on his bills when he was traveling with a bird and min strel show through the south in 1862. It is also averred that while McCarthy lived, or t :be more specific. till 1874, no one thought of questioning his au thorship of the song. These are sweeping assertions, but details are conspicuously absent and little effort is made to substantiate the claim here boldly set forth. Unfortunately for your correspondent, his assertions run --counter to facts and the records of the copyright office at Washington. The original "Dixie" was composed by Daniel D. Emmett in 1859. This is not only proven by his own state ment, in which a detailed account of the circumstances under which it was 1 -written is given, including the place where it was first sung, but it is also substantiated by the testimony of -numerous cotemporaries. including the Bryant Brothers, through the later fifties and earlier sixties, pro -prietors df The Bryant Minstrels, for -whom the song was first written and under whose auspices it was present ed to the public., The song was first published in New York, under the title. I wish I was in Dixie Land. As I write I have before me a piece of sheet music with the imprint of Firth, Pond *& Co., 547 Broadway. New York. bearing thi's title and the copyright 'date of i86o.I 'The song was afterwvard brought -ont under the title "Dixie Land." by Win. A. Pond & Co.. successors of I Firth, Pond & Co., as stated by Em mett and substantated by another copyright piece of music on my desk, ~ bearing date of 1865. Under this C title the words and music have been publish to this day. The present publishers are Oliver -. itson & Co., of 150 Tremont street, Boston. .The song maj be had -hrough any music dealer. It has borne Emmett's name for forty-four1 years, as will be shown by the records I of the copyright office, the publish- 1 --ers, and music dealers throughout ~ 'the United States. In the autumn and winter of 1895. 'Emmett .traveled through the south -with the Al. G. Field's minstrels and -was everywhere recognized as the I - author of Dixie. As such he was in- - troduced to a large audience in Nash- ~ ville, by the late General John B. *Gordon, who declared that he was1 - without question entitled to that dis- ~ tinction. As such he was honored 'wth a; reception by the daughter of ' Thos. F. Bayard. ex-secretary of state and ambassador of England. Here was a great opportunity for the - friends of Mr. McCarthy to put forth a their claim while Emmett was living :and able to speak for himself. After :this tour, General Gordon honored -the aged mninstrel with a personal visit at his humble cottage near Mt. Ver- ~ noin, Ohio. - This is not the first time that a questioig has been raised in regard to the authorship of Dixie. The song was once printed by P. P. Werlein, of t New Orleans. Emmett's publisher's pr.omptly notified him that he was printing one of their copyright pieces. At a convention of music dealers in Newv York. the claims of Emmett -wreprsnted by attorneys for his jI )ublishers and by Emmett himself. 3o overwhelming was the proof that ,Verlein, who had been imposed upon )y a pretended author, came forward Lnd publicly recognized Emmett's :laim to the original authorship. Emmett was born near Mt. Vernon, )hio, in 1845. He entered the army Lt the age of 17 years as a fifer, and erved a full enlistment. Here he iad thorough instruction in instru nental music, which he afterward :ontinued under Edward Kendall, vho had charge of Spalding & Rog r's circus band. He wrote the words Lnd music of many songs that were )ublished and of hundreds that were iot published. He was a fine sing r and an expert player on the fife nd violin. In the large collection of nanuscript that he had left is much Additional evidence to sustain his title o the authorship of "Dixie." To resent this, as occasion may seem to emind. will be the pleasure of the riends of the modest and venerable 3uckeve minstrel who was recently aid to rest while hearts were touched >v the strains of music that had >rought the tleeper an immortality of ame. C. B. Galbreath. ST. PIERRE AS IT IS TODAY. ite of City Destroyed by Mont Pelee Still a Barren Desert. Providence Journal. Capt. Raye. of the barkentine Ste >hen G. Ward. of New York. which tas been undergoing repairs at the ast Providence dry dock recently, :ame to this port from Fort De .rance. Martinique. While there he vent in a small boat to the site of he city of St. Pierre. which was viped out of existence in a few mo nents by an eruption of Mont Pelee n May 4. 1902. Capt. Raye had been ;t. Pierre a number of times when he place was one of the most pros >erous ports of the West Indies, but his was the first time he had seen he devastation wrought during the reatest disaster of modern times. 'apt Raye was very willing to de- i cribe the scenes which he had wit-, iessed when a Journal reporter call d on him in his cabin on board his arkentine. He said: "The city of St. Pierre was located t the base of Mont Pelee, which is a olcano. It had no harbor, and the teamers and vessels which used to all there anchored just off the city. t used to do a large business in rum .nd molasses, and when I was there efore the eruption it was as pic uresque a port as there was in the Vest Indies. All of the houses were >f stone, and it looked like a settle ~ent made to order, tucked away as t was between the bases of two nountains whose sides wvere. covered vith green foliage. When I was there a short while .go there was not a trace of the 30, oo people who once lived there ex ept a few human bones which were 'hitening in the sun. The stone iuildings are all razed to the ground, .nd the only signs of vegetation are few weeds which are struggling to he sunlight through heaps 'of de pris. There is absolutely no one iving there now except a mounted oliceman, who is there to prevent he search of the ruins for large sums >f money supposed to buried in them. "The great loss of life must have seen caused by the intense heat, for found large glass tumblers in cel ars, vhich were melted together, and ome of them were twisted out of hape. Down the side of Pelee there s a path about fifty feet wide, which Doks exactly like an excellent con rete walk, as viewed from the sea, which is what remains of the river f lava wvhich flowed down from the rater to the sea. This is to one ide of the city. "Almost all of the steamers which o from New York to the WVest In ies during the winter with excur jonists stop there and the passen :ers go ashore to see the place, which once had a thriving export rade, but which now is as bare and marren as a desert." Lord Strathoona has purchased the slands of Colonsay and Ornsay from he executors of the late Sr John Mc lTeill. W. C. For the last 200 years hese islands have been in the pos ession of the McNeill family. They ~elong to the inner Herbrides group .nd are together about 12 miles in THE IMMIGRANTS. Five Will Settle In This Part Off The State. Columbia, Sept. io-Five immi grants from the rugged hills of Scot land, the sunny climes of the West [ndiCs and the sub-tropical plains of the Transvaal have arrived in the city and were given work out in the state by Mr. E. J. Watson, commis 5ioner of immigration. The three Boers are well educated, have been in this country some time and can read English fluently. Their names are P. A., G. V., and J. H. Jou bert 'and they are relatives of Gen. Piet Joubert, the famous general of Kruger's army. These interesting im migrants were located on a farm in Sumter county near Mayesville. The immigrant from West Indies is W. H. Wuister, formerly assistant United States consul at Curacoa. He is an experienced accountant and gocs to Aiken county where he will be at work in the truck gardens which supply some of the large ho Leis. The two Scotchmen. who will be followed by ii others shortly. are ames Smith and James Kirk of Glas ow. They paid their own fare to this country, leaving Scotland on the 25th of August and arriving here yes terday. They came through New York, parting there with I,ooo of their countrymen who had emigrated to this country. The two Scots will be located on a farm near Ninety Six. In general. it may be said that' Mexico is no place for a man without capital. It is a new country. in the sense that it possesses great natural resources as yet undeveloped. but most of these can be developed only by the aid of capital. They have been exploited for nearly four cen turies just as far as transportation fa cilities and individual methods of in dustry have permitted. The Death Penalty. A little thing sometimes results in death. Thus a mere scratch, insig ninkant cuts or puny boils have paid the death pen-aity. It iz wise to have Bucklen's Arnica Salve ever handy. It's the best Salve on earth and will prevent fatality, when Burns, Sores, Ulcers and Piles threaten. Only 25c at WV. E. Pelham & Son's drug store. It all depends upon whether a man wins or losses whether he is ashmed f gambling. Everybody Able to CLIMB 10OCts. Will buy either of the below men tioned articles. Two pounds of Good Rice. One pound of Good Parched Coffee. Two boxes of Potted Ham. Three pounds of Best Flour. Two dozen Fruit Jar Rubbers. Two yards of 4-4 Bleaching. Four pounds of A. H. Soda. One box of Good Salmon. 1 plug of Good Chewing Tobacco, worth 15 cents. Two packages of Fine Tea. One box Pineapple. Lots and lots of other things too umerous to mention. Came and See Us 0. KIeIIner STA.TM~DiT. Of the condition of The Commercial Bank of Newberry, S. C., at the close of business June 30, 1904. Published ac cording to an Act of Gener!l Assembly. RESOURCES. Notes discounted ...... ........ $302,210 73 Furniture and fixtures....... 3,051 93 Due from banks. ......... ..... 4,525 58 Overdrafts ....................... 4 823 09 Cash and cash items............ 10,935 65 $325,546 98 LIABILITIES. Capital stock .. ............ $ 50,000 00 Individual deposits ............ 174,334 90 Dividends unpaid......... 2,437 50 Accrued interest................ 1,279 35 Expense, Due July 1st ...... 1,233 34 Due banks......................... 3,347 00 Profits. ........ 27,914 89 Rediscounted.......... .. 65,000 00 $325,546 98 Personally appeared before me Z. F. Wright, Cashier of the above named bank, who swears that the above state ment is correct to the best of his knowl edge and belief. Z. F. Wright, Ca:hier. Sworn to before me this 6th day of July 1904. J. Y. McFall, Notary Public. Attest: 0. B. Mayer, Jno. M. Kinard, Directors. L. W. Floyd, I World's Fair, St. Louis, via Southern Railway, Best Line; Choice of Routes; Through Pullman Sleepers and Dining Cars. Stop-overs allowed at West ern North Carolina Summer Resorts and other-points. Low Excursion rate tickett on sale from Newberry, S. C. as follows: Season Tickets $37.15 Sixty Day Tickets 31.00 Fifteen Day Tickets 25.3C For full information or World'! Fair literature apply to any agent Southern Railway, or R. W. HUNT, Division Pass. Agt., Charleston, S. C. SRUBBER STAMPS * Are my long suit. * except bad o.nes +stamp and an ind + ing linen for 40 * other good things Typewriters', Off + 1334 Main Street, HIJOGENS BROS., Foundry and MAN UFAC~l Anvils, Ar.dirons, Sash Ventilators, Was Special Casting: Cotton Mill Cast We repair Engin Theshers, and MAIL OBDERS RECEIVE C Hudgen Illinois Cental Railroad DIRECT ROUTE TO THE ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION. TWO TRAINS DAILY. In connection with W. & A. R. R. & N. C. & S. L. Ry fom Atlanta Lv Atlanta 8.25 a m Ar St.Louis 7.08 Leave Atlanta 8.25 A. M. Arrive St. Louis 7.08 A. M. Leave Atlanta 8.30 P. M. Arrive St. Louis 7.36 P. M. With Through Sleeping Cars FROM meot~~ F191a i e Tmnnes ROUTE OF THE FAMOUS "DIXIE FLYER" Carrying the only morning sleeping car from Atlanta to St. Louis. This car leaves Jacksonville daily, 8.05 p. m., Atlanta 3:23 a. 'n., giving you the entire day in St. Louis to get located. For ra:s rom your city, World's Fair Guide Book and schedules, leeping car reservations. also for book Fhowing hotels and boarding houses. (iuoting their rates, write to FRED D. MILLER, Traveling Passenger Agent. No. i N. Pryor St., Atlanta. Ga. Wood's Seeds. VIRGINIA GRAY Winter Oats. Sow Early For Best Results. Our Trade Mark Brand is the best and cleanest quality that it is possible to procure. Hairy, or Winter Vetch, Sown with Winter Oats, makes the largest possible yield of the best and most nutritious hay. Write for prices. WOOD'S DESCRIPTIVE FALL CATALOD Tells all about seeds for fall sowing. It is the most valua ble and helpful publication of the kind issued in America. Mailed free on request. T, W. WOOD & SONS, Seedsmen, - Richmond, Va, 00KI I make any kind + ,. I furnish a new llible pad for mark-* ents. I have some. .* J, WIL8O GBUES, + e Supplies, etc. Columbia, S. C. LAURENS, S. 0. Vachine Shops, URERS OF Weights, Cane Mills, ers, Grate Bars. Made to Order. lgs A Specialty. s, Boilers, Gins, all Machinery. R PROMPT ATTENTION. S Bros.