The Manning times. (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, December 09, 1896, Image 1

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VOL. X11. MANNING, S. C., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER, 9,1896. NO 20. REVIEW OF COTTON. MR. ALFRED B. SHEPPERSON ISSUES HIS VALUABLE BOOK. The Season or 1s9 %4 nud the 'rospA cts For 189697-S4 metiivg About Ce iiump lion in Europe aLd I.merica The comme rcial crop of cc ton for the -season of 1S95-90 was 7,169.953 bales, averaging 502 poun-ds (gross weight) per bale, against a crop of 9,S36,860 bales, averaging 508 6 pounds for the previous season. The actual yield was only about 7,000,000 bales, the <difference between this quantity and the commercial crop consisting of cot ion of the crop of 1896-97, marked in Julv and August, 1890. Based upon the idea that me crop was much less than it proved to be, there was a very active speculative movement in Sep tember and October, 1895, under which a higher price was reached than had prevailed in the early fall monthssice 1890. Cotton goods how ever did not adequately respond to the advance, and American and Europe an spinners withdrew from the mar ket to such an extent that under the accumulating stocks and lack of legit imate demand the inflated market col lapsed on October 16th. Since that time the fluctuations have been mod * rate, as American and Earopean spin ners held full stocks of cotton at the commencement of the season and were therefore able to cease buying when prices advanced beyond their views. - The average price of middling up land cotton in Ne-v York fcr the sea son was about 8 3 8 cents per pound, being 13 4 cents more than the previ ous season. The highest quotations for the sea son for middling uplands were 9 3 S cents in New York on October 15th, and 415-16 Dence in Liverpool on Oc tober 16th, while the lowest prices were 7 1-16 cents in New York on July 35th, and 33-4 pence in Liverpool on July 27th. Mr. Thomas Ellison, of Liverpool, estimates British consumption for the season ending September 30th as 3, 276,000 bales (of 500 pounds net) be ing 26,000 bales more than the previ ous season, and continental consump tion as 4,160,000 bales of 500 pounds net- (exclusive bf about 240,000 bales of Asiatic cotton.spun in Russia, being 130,000 bales more than the previous season. tnited States consumption for sea son ending August 31st I estimate as 2,470,000 bales (of 500 pounds net), be .ing 149,000 bales less than last season. . think the northern mills consumed 183,000 bales less and the southern mills 34,000 bales more than the pre vious season. The takings of the American spin .ners from the crop were 2,505,000 (running) bales, exclusive of 68,000 oales sent to Canada; but the stocks of cotton held by the mills at the end of 4he season were probably 100,000 bales less than at its commencement. In the takings and consumption of 'can mills no account has been en of Egpytian' and Peruvian cot ton. The imports durin the season have been 69,220 bales Egyptian and 24,603 bales Peruvian. The Peruvian cotton has been used, as heretofore, entirely in the manufac 1ure of (so crIled) all. wool goods. In our exports of cotton during the season were 39,7,75 bales to Mexico and 39,211 bales to Japan, including 600 bales sent to Japan, via V ancov er, British Columbia. The taking of cotton for the season by the spinners of the United States were 366,000 bales hess than in 1894-95; 214,000- bales more than in 1893 94; 130,000 bales more than in 1882 93, but 351,000 bales less than in 1891 92, and 135,000 bales less than in 1890 91. European'spinners have taken 388,000 bales less than in 1894-95, 162,000 bales less than in 1893-94; 269,000 more than in 1833 94; 269,000 more than in 1891 92, and 238,000 less than in 1890 91- Comparison with 1892-93 is omitted because of the long strike in the English mills that season. The cotton mills of India consumed, during the year ending 30sh June, 1,409,000 bales (of 392 pounds.) being 67,000 bales more than the previous year, and on sa'me date Bombay spin ners held 290,000 bales, being 36,000 balesmore thlan on June 30th, 1895. The cotton consuming countries of the world from which reliable statis tics are obtainable have ccnsumed 60, 000 bales (of 500 pounds net) more than during the previous season Europe showing an increase of 156,000 bales, India 53,000 bales, and the United States a redaction of 149,000 bales. The stock of cotton at the British mills on September 30th are estimate d by Mr. Thomas Ellison as 21.000 bales (of 500 pounds net, bein! 43,000 bales less than on September 30, 1895, and -s~hecontinental mills 277,000 bales, being 25~8'00rbmas less than on the same date in 1895. European spinners have done a fairly satisfactory business. The- number of spindles in operation in Great Britain was 500,000 less than the previous seascn (the reduction re presenting anticipated machinery which was discarded, while there was an increase of 1,100,000 spindles on the continent, 550,000 in the United States, and 123,000 in India. Owing to the great depression in business of every kind, due to distur bance of all commercial and financial affairs by th a issues of the presiden tial election, the American mills have had a very unsatisfactory season. Many of them ran on half-timle dur ing several months and some of them suspended work entirely last summer. For the ne w season of 1896O-97 it is doubtful if the European and Indian mills will consume more cotton than the previous season, as the expected increase on the continent will proba bly be balanced by re~ducd consuimp tion in Great Britain and India in con sequence of the distress in parts of In dia from the failure of grain and cat ton crops. W ith the general revival of busimess since the presidential election it is fatir to assume that our nmills will take at least 200,000 and possibly 300,000o bales more than last season, it is also prob able that Japan will require fully 50, 000 bales more, and that Canada and Mexico w;il take 20,000 bales in excess of last season. The India crop has been seriously injured by drouth, and the supply t rom this source may be 300,000 bales less than last year. The Egyptian crop will probably be 30,t000 to 40,000 bales more than last season. In the season just ended American and foreign spinners consumed about 8,650,000 (running) bales of American cottoan maed upon the abhove condi tions. an American crop of it least 8,900,000 bales would be required (if present rate of European consurnption is maintained), in order to have the stocks of cotton in markets and mill. at the end of the season ro less than at its commencement. It may be well to add that the stock in European markets on October 1st was only 691, oUG bales against 1,606,000 the previous year. Not only were the stocks at the European ports less than at the bqain nirg of any season since 1S90, but the stocks at the mills are estimated by Mr. Ellison, ->f Liverpool, as only 301, 000 bales (of 500 pounds net) against 602,000 last season. Opinons differ generally in respect to the size of American cotton crop now being marketed. It was grown upon the acreage estimated by the De partment of Agriculture as16 per cent. more than the I revious year. A much larger quantity of fertilizers was nsed than for any preceding season, the ields were well cultivated, and up to about July 20th all the conditions were favorable to a very large crop. About this time there came a period of un usually dry and. hot weather, and the long drouth injured the crop seriously by causing the shedding of forms and young bolls and arresting the growth of the plants. It hastened the ripenig aof the bolls, however, to such an extent that on Oc tober 20th the maturity of the crop was undoubtedly an average of 25 days in advance of the previous crop. The reports of the department of agri culture indicated a decline in condi tion of 12 4 during the month of July, 15.9 dur.ng August and 3 5 during September. The condition on July 1st was called 92 5 (being the highest since 1877) and on O-tober 1st it was called 60.7, the loss of 31.8 per cent. in condition siace the former date, be ing distributed as I have stated. As the weather was generally favorable in September, with seasonablb rains, I think the promise of the crop was act ually bettt - (instead of worse) on 0: tober 1st than on September 1st, and that 31 8 per cent. will prove to be quite an exaggeration of the injury trom the dr.>uth and heat in parts of July and August. It is well known that there were no other serious causes of damnee as the effect of hot, dry weather is to destroy caterpillars. The department failed to issue on Novem ber 10th its usual estimate of the yield of cotton per acre, but simply an nounced that it would probably be "somewhat larger than its October re port promised." The department's October estimate of condition, applied to its June esti mate of acreage, would indicate a crop of only 7,825,000 bales, but reliable private advices point to a very much larger yield. O xing to the earliness of the crop and the lateness of general killing frosts (November Stb) very lit tle cotton was cut off by frost. In view of the increased acreage arnd the favorable conditions for the gfrowth and maturity of the plant, with the ex ception of the drouth in portionis of July and August, I think the irop will be about 8,500,000 bales, and the receipts to this time are quite in c:-n formity with this view. The new crop grades well but its spinning quality is inferior owing to irregularity of staple. Shouid the revival of our business setivity not be checked by unwise leg islation or by difficulties with foreign countries, the very strong statistical position of cotton should within a short time attract such attention that a higher range of prices could reasona bly be expected for the remainder of the season. Unlike the purely specu lative advance of Septembyer and Octo ber, 1895, the advance woulde healthy and legitimate, for it wou rest upon a full demand coincident with a comparatively small supply. The revival of business would enable the market for cotton goods and yarns to respond to the improvement in the raw material, thus insuring that sta bility to prices which is alike for the best interests of the planter and the spinner. Higher prices, however, should not induce an increase of our acreage in cotton next spring, for had the weather conditions been favorable this year there is no doubt b-it that the crop grown upon the present acre age would have been more than ample for all requirements and that much lower prices would now prevail. The following is an approximate estimate of the prouction of cotton in the world in 1895 96, expressed in bales of 500 pounds ne.: United States............ 700,000 India.................. 2,200,000 Egypt................. .1.000.000 China,Oorea, etc.......... 1,200,000 Central Asia.............. 240,000 Africa, except Egy pt....... 100,000 Turkey and Persia........100000 Brazil..........,......... 20,000 Peru, etc................. 25,000 Japan....................0,000 Mexico.................. 55,000 Greece.................. 10,000 Ttal................11,950,000 ALFRED B. SHEPPERSON. New York, November, 1896. Editress WhIps an Editer. MoNTGOMERY, Dec. 4.-A special to The Advertiser from Atlanta, Ga., says: Ttiis afternoon Miss Emma Monroe, the 15-i ear e ditoress of the Attalla Beacon, met W. H. Cather, ed ter of the Attalla Herald, on the streets and cowhided him. Miss Mon rce's fatber has had trouble about a shrtage of funds while he was tre as urer of DeKalb county, but the courts have not been able to decide as to his being a defaulter. An editorial in The Herald this week reflected on Mr. Monroe in that connection ard his daughter resented it by using a horse whip on her brother editor. Cather ran up a stair way and escapt d heavy punishment. Killed Two Men. COLUMxnI, S. C., Nov. 30.-J. L. Williams, member of the board ot control and ex legislator from Edge field, yesterday shot and killed L. D. and dJ. W. White at Bethany church, Liberty Hilt. Williams was badly but not fatally stabbed by one of the Whites. There was bad blood between the men on account of cards publish ed abcut each other during the cam paign. The Whites stariedI the di!!! culty cursing Williams. He knocked J. V. White down. White jumped up with pistol in hand and WVilliams shot him thiough the heart. Then the other brother attacked Williams with a knife and Williams shot him four times. MIasacred by Turk.. L~oNDON, Dec. 4.-A Constantinople dispateh to the Daily Mail says that under the pretext of revenging an old grievance, 10,i000 Kurds raided the province of Mamouret-UI-Aziz, where they burneland pillaged the villages .-fl massc~rd t he in habitannts. THE TOWN OF AIKEN. ONE OF THE BEST WINTER RESORTS IN THE SOUTH. A New Sanitarium Has Ieen Erected and Opened for the Reception of I'a tents- - A iken as a Pleasure Resort. The new Sanitarium at Aiken, to which I alluded yesterday, will be for mally opened on or about the first of December. The plan of this institution -for, being endowed, such it really is -was suggested a few years ago to Miss Lauisa Loring, of Boston, .by the well-known Trudeau resort in the Ad irondack mountains. Fi-ed with the determination to se cure for invalids of scanty means the benefits of a winter sojourn at Aiken, Miss Loring at once took the necessary steps to give her laudable project form and substance. She herself donated the ground for the contemplated Sani tarium, and with untiring ene-gy set about the task of collecting money for the erection of the building. Her suc cess was emphatic, as may be judged from the simple statement that the ulant, fully paid for, has cost $10,000, and in addition a fund of $15,000 has been subscribed for the maintenance of the enterprise. The building staads on a lot. 264 feet by 750, in one of the most advan tageous locations in the town. To the north of it is a fine pine grove, which affords a fragrant shelter from any occasional bleak winds. Eatering the Sanitarium from its northern elevation the visitor crosses a sort of ante-room or hall, and steps into one of the most charming recep tion rooms imaginable, finished in natural wood,and looking out through a great bay window upon a broad ye renda that runs the entire length of the Southern side. This room is res plendent with chetring sunshine for at least three-fourths or the day, and would dispel the "blues" in any mind save that of the contirmed hypochon driac. To the right, and connected with it by sliding doors, is a dining room, fully as large as the reception rocm, and quite as bright and cheery. Pass ing out into the hall again, the wide open door to the Doctor's office greets the view to the right.. and just south of this apartment is the Matron's room, in communication with every part of the building by electric calls. To the left, as one leaves the recep tion room, is a staircase leading up to a long hall, from which open a num ber of bed-chambers, each airy and at tractive, and nently furnished. The entire building is piped for hot and cold water, is lighted by electricity, and is heated by an improved furnace sys'em. The affairs of the Sanitarium are in the hands of a board of trustees, of which Mr. H. A. Dibble, president of the Bank of Aiken, is one of the most active members; and the medical di rection is in the charge of Dr. C. F. McGahan, the resident physician of the Highland Park Hotel, which is but a few rods distant. The Sanitarium is intended for men solely, and only those in the first stages of consumption will be admit ted-on recommendation of some ren utable practitioner who has made a thorough diagnosis of the patient's physical condition. The aim of the institution is to restore lost health, if possible ;it will not assume the respon sibility of caring for those who are in the incurable stages of pulmonary dis eases. For obvious reasorns it was deemed inadvisable to make this noble enter prise a charity pure and simple, and so a sum of five dollars a week will be required of patients for board and lodging. This merely nominal charge will stand for not only the best diet that can be procured, but will cover .every expense incidental to medical attendance and the services of tr'ained nurses. Dr. McGahan, though a compara tively young man, has made a speci alty of throat and lung troubles, and is, therefora, admirably equipped for the trust that has been reposed in him. He is a N-rtherner, I believe, and I am under the impression, though I cannot at this moment trace its source that he himself was cured of a throat affection by the beneficent climate of Aiken.- At any rate he spends every winter there, and passes the summer at Bethlem, White Mountains. Dr. McGahan has ably assisted Miss Loring for four years past in her work on the Sanitarium project. His earnestness in behalf of this cause was so great that he succeeaed in enlisting the sympathies of Mrs. Richard Baker of Boston, one of his wealthy patients, whose son died at Aiken, last year. This lady. in memory of her lost child, gave the Doctor carte blanche to erect a cottage in connection with the Sani tarium, and this beautiful building will also soon be opened for the re ception of patients. 1 am sorry to add that the munificent donor has but re cently died herself, and the cottage will therefore be memorial in a double sense. It is a part of the plan of the Sani tariam promoters to construct, when m ans afford, a group of cottages sim ilar to that which bears the Baker zame, and to allot four patients only to each cottage. Experience has de termined, I believe, that it is more conducive to the physical welfare of invalids to segregate them wherever possible, and thus prevent the inevita ble comparison of ailments that, react ing on the imagination, so often seri ously militates against their restora tion to health; and to carry out as far as practicable these preventive meas ures the "cottage idea" as it is called, was originated. It is the hope of all who are iLiter ested in the Sanitarium to see it sur rounded at no distant day by buildings quite as beau'tiful as the Baker cottage, and judging from the remarkable suc cess that has thus far attended the ef forts of Miss Loring and her aids, it would seem that this hope should not be diffcult of realization. Tne citizens of Aiken are fully alive to the practical philanthrophy of the project. They have already bought 100 acres in the vicinity of the Sanita rium, and are now engaged in con verting the ground into an attractive park ; and if the assistance of the win ter- residents can be secured, as doubt less it can, it will not be long before Aiken will be able to boast of the best institution of the kind in all the land. Turning from Aiken as a health re sort to a pleasure resort, I must make brief mention of the Palmetto Golf Club whose list of members comprises some of the wealthiest men in the country-for instance Messrs. Thomas H litchcock, I-. R. IIitchicock, l'ierre Lorillard, E. D. Morgan, (commodore of the New York Yacht Club,) Herbert L. Leeds, S. P. Shaw, John D. Crim mins. Butler Duncan, N. C. Reynal. Fred Beach, Woodbury Kane, Edward Smith. George Smith, H. K. Vingut, John Thayer, and "Budd Anpleton. These are all well known Northern society men, and there are still others equally prominent whose names I am unable to recall at this moment. The club paid "9,000 for its grounds and during the last summer expended some $1,600 experimenting with dif ferent varieties of grasses for the beau tification of the premises. Tne links comprise nine holes, and the natural beauty of the course g.ves it suprem acy, in this respect, over any of the Eastern links. The Palmetto Golf Club is the only Southern organization that is allied with the National Golf Association, and its tournaments-which annually attract crack players from all over the country-are always held under the auspices of the general society. Tne present club house is a building that was purchased with the land, but I understand a new and handsome struc ture is in contemplation. At Aiken the fox-hunter can enjoy his favorite sport under the best possi ble conditions. It is an ideal region for this exciting pastime, abounding in good covers and fine cross country riding. For be it known, the Aiken fox hunters do not give their hounds a fruitless chase after an aniseed bag, but offer them real live reynards to pursue. No less than twenty-seven foxes were turned into the covers the past summer, and before long the ear ly morning air will echo with the ".view-holloa" in true English fashion Mr. -Thomas Hitchcock, Jr., who seems to set the pace in all fresh air sports at Aiken. has built a splendid kennel on the old Legree place, and owns some of the best fox-hounds in tue United States. Fourteen young dog Save been raised here this year, and will be hunted during the coming season v ith Avant & Thayer's famous kennel o fox-hounds which is brought from Teranessee to Aiken every winter and returned in the spring. I am told that Mr. Avant, the hand ler and trainer of these dogs has taken four-fifths of the premiums at field trials duringing the last ten years. To those who, through force of cir cumstances, are unable to enjoy these more exciting phases of outdoor life Aiken offers many charms in the way of beautiful drives and walks. Good roads lead in every direction over a rolling country, and weave a perfect network through forests of giant pines; and the balmy air, laden with the healing exhalations of these ever present trees, possesses tonic qualities which, authorities say, are not to be found in such excellence elsewhere. In closing this brief and all too im perfect sketch of Aiken and its attrac tions I must say a word about the educational facilities offered by the lit tle city-an all important consider tion to visiting families in which there are growing children. The chief school is Aiken Institute, which was built by tne city in 1850 at a cost of $14,000. It is managed by a board of directors, and employs a corps of teachers of enviable repute. All the usual branches of Eaglish are taught, and also Latin and Greek, modern European languages, and music. The Institute stands rear the centre of the town, within easy walk ing distance of the hotels and board ing houses. Discipline in the class rooms is well-maintained, I under stand, and the high standard of the school is recognized by all. In addition to the Institute there are a number of private schools, employ ing teachers of acknowledged ability, at which residents for a fe w months can have their smaller children well taught and cared for. It would be superfluous to add that Aiken offers abundant opportunities for religious worship to the stranger within its gates. AlU the leading de nominations-Baptist, E p iseo p al, Methodist, Presbyterian and Roman ist-are represented, and the homes of these societies are as a whole sight ly structures, in which earnest, active clergymen expound the Word of God.-T. A. in Columbia Register. Currency Reform Call. IxoNrINOuIs, Dec. 4 --The execu tive committee in charge of the sr rangements for the currency reform convention, today issued a call nam ing Jan. 12 for the meeting. The con vention is to be composed of represen tative men chosen from the boards of trade, chambers of commerce, com mercial clubs or other similar com mercial bodies in cities of S,000 or more inhabitants, according to the census of 1890, "the basis of represen tation to be as tabulated and in accord ance with the population of said cities, for the purpose of considering and suggesting such legislation as may in their judgment be necessary to place the currency system of the country upon a sound and permanent basis." The call says: "The business men have been accused of neglect of po litical duties; in ordinary times there may be some foundation for this charge, but at every critical juncture in the history of our country when the nation's perpetuity, honor or gen eral welfare was seriously in danger, they have in the spirit of enlightened patrioisu risen to the full measure of tneir duty; and we believe that the painful experience of the country un der the existing laws on this subject of the currency admonishes the busi ness men that we have reached a point where it is their duty to take an active part in helping the great questions in volved. Please appoint only those who will attend and report the names of your delegates, as soon as practica ble, to H. H Hauna, chairman of the executive coarnittee, Indianapolis, Ind." The call is signed by represen tatives of the boards of trade and com mercial bodies in cities represented at the conference last week. A Bloody Assault. CuIAnomr, N. C.. Dec. 4.-A special to The Observer tonight from Morganton, says that A. C. Avery, Jr., son of Justice A. C. Avery of the North Carolina supreme court, was as saulted by two young negroes last night and stabbed in five places, per haps fatally. When first attacked he kncked one negro down, but the other seiznd him by the waist while the first negro used his anife. Avery was unarmed, and lost a gallon of blood while seeking a weapon with whicn to return to the attack, He found a billiard cue, but the negroes had tIed. Avery thinks the assault was premeditated because of his hav ing knocked down a brother of one of his assailants during election week. He is very weak, and his life hangs by KIUNMUM-IUM UUUA. A Teunesee SoldIer's Experience in the 1 Rebel Army. F NASUVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 3.- -Lieut.C. C. Blood, formerly of comuany G. - Second Regiment, N. G. S. T., is just back from the war-racked island, and is now in Nashville with friends. Lieut. Blood says that at the dedica tion of Chickamauga Park he was ac costed by a secret agent of the Cuban S Junta, Rouberto Cutrazo, and that the meeting terminated in his enlist- r ment in the Cuban army. 0 He was given $500 in Galloway, I near his home, and $550 after signing c enlistment papers en route to Cuba. Lietti. Blood left New Orleans on c the naptha launch Kitty, which was wrecked on the gulf coast a few months ago, with tnirty other white aspirants for fame, and three negroes, who represented the crew, all under command of Cutrazo. The voyage to Cuba lasted four days, the usual trip being much less, but owing to the presence of several Spanish gunboats much time was con- tl sumed in dodging. The launch Kitty landed on the B eastern coast of the islaad, and the a party was piloted to Gen. Gomez's c headquarters in the province of EL ti Principe, where Lieut. Blood imme diately commenced his labors as a drill master. As he could speak no Spanish, his instructions were made entirely by a signs, and after arduous manual labor he succeded in getting four or five de tachments in something like working c order. Lieut. Blood's expedition carried to b the Cubans 100 Springfield rifles and 20 rounds of cartridges. d He says he was for four months with Gen. Gomez, the most important engagement during his stay being the a battle of El Principo, in which :35,000 u Spanish troops were routed by 7.002) 0 or 8,000 Cubans. - In this engagement the Cubans lost 1 300 or 400 killed, wounded and miss. ing. The Spanish loss largely exceed ed this figure. The Cubans, after this a battle, destroyed much valuable prop erty and ten or fifteen miles of rail road. -On December 25, 1895, Lieut. Blood M went to West Cuba and resumed his h labors under Gen. Garcia, who had t something like 8,000 men in his army, c( which was moving constantly and a did incessant fighting along the tro cha for four months. Lieut. Blood says the country is de vastated and deserted, the men being fa in the army and their families follow- h ing to escape the Spanish insult and vengeance. After four months of this disultory d warfare, Lieut. Blood returned to El Principe, where he again bebgan his labor of "drilling cigar signs." This C ' is his term for the Cuban soldiers. al A short time after this the Cuban a lorces were massed in the -hils in-te a' province of El Principe, and it was in an assault on their position there that c Weyler lately suffered such loss. CE 'The position of the -Cubans is pr- I tectell by a large number of dynamite h mines which are connected with head- T quarters by electric wires and the cur rent manipulated by keyboard. Lieut. t Blood, who assisted in laying these mines, says that not less than eight tons of dynamite has been placed uI there. The electrical connections were made by an expert from New York named Gover, who was recom mended to the Junta by Electrician g Reid of New York city. Weyler, he says, is a "wooden y man ;" that with the forces at his com- tc mand he could surround the position t of either of the Cuban armies and y starve them into submission or sur- e render. c The island is desolated, and the Cu- ci bans, non-combatants, subsist as bestB they can, and the Spanish army is en- ir tirely victualed from abroad. h The Cubans are well suppled with bi whiskey, rum, quinine, carbolic acid and other medical supplies.n tIiere are now five or six thousand Americans in the Cuban army, the c most effectual and prominent organi zation being the Texas battalion, m which is t'n'der the command of Capt . Buchanan. comm aander of the Texass Rangers. They are the best disciplin ed and most daring troops the Cubans ~ have, and are well provided for, and fight like "devils."a These Texans are supplied with a a most destructive arm of German man ufacture, which is ranged for five miles, and are largely used as sharp- a shooters. A large bounty is payable in land t grants fo- the heads of all Spanish ofli- F cers. These land grants represent the only source now left to the Cuban Junta, and of course are valuless in g case of the failure of the r'evolution- si ists. Lieut. Blood tells several very in- b teresting experiences, among others t the attack of twenty Cubans on a t Spanish supply train, which was t guarded by 100 Spanish troops, at ire o'clock in the morning. Only eight si of the twenty Cubans returned to camp, the Spaniards having been awakened by the accidental discharge , of agun. tb In this engagement Lieut. Blood re ceived a wound on the left side of the vt skull which necessitated trepaning, al and also a wound in the right angle, te from which he still has a lame leg. tu Shortly af ter receiving these wvounds r he determined1 to quit the Cuban army se and this was not an cas l task. s In order to get away the young American had to traverse a scuion T occupied by the Spanish, and through a the province of Havana, in which the t whole Spanish army is often concen tated. Blood says he spent twenty- m four hours on hands and knees while w passing the pickets and guards along ti the trocha. These guards are eight deep, and it i was absolutely necessary to pass them v to get to aport wherea Cuban "-filibus-,. tering" steamer was expecte3. The trip wvas made without accident, and a he got aboard the steamer "Three Friends," which in due time and after evading the Spanish warships dis cha rged Blood and several companions d on Long Island Sound, from which point they tramped to New York city. s When the party arrived in Newa York on October 28, he had thirty- ti three cents in his clothes, the clothes , being linen, his uniform as lieutenant n in the Cuban army-.d He applied to Senor Estrada Palma, who gave him $7, upon which he has reached Nashville and gotten a suit of clothes.C Lieut. Blood advises no one to go to t Cuba; says the Cubans have all the Y men they want.r He further~ states that an Amer'aan e: has everything to lose andi nothin;; to h gin in (Cnha.n 'Ji ELEU1UUML UULLimAiL ET WEDNESDAY TO CAST VOTES OR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT he Formalities Observed--Three Copies of Certificates--Final Counting in Fres ence of Senate and House. Was1HINGToN, Dec. 2.-The formal lection of a president of the United tates took place today; the littld Ilur 7 on the third day of last month was nly getting ready for: According to the law the electors iosen in the several States on that day Leet on the first Wednesday in De ,mber in the place fixed by the legis ture. In every State this is in the tate house at the capital. At this ieeting the electors give their votes they were instructed at the Novem ,r election. If the State went for ryan, the electors vote for Bryan; if )r McKinley, they vote for McKin y. Tnere is really nothing to pre ant the electors, or a part of them -om voting for some other candidate Lan the one on whose ticket they ran. at no such thing has ever happened 3d probably never will. The politi il and social ostracism that would >llow such treachery would be many mes worse than any punishment as gned for similar conduct. The votes this year will all bB either ir McKinley or for Bryan, as no oth candidate received votes enough 2vwhere to entitle him to an elector. The result of the voting in each case ill be written out in triolicate. One >py will be mailed to Vice President ,evenson, one copy will be sent him 7 special messenger and the third ill be delivered to the judge of the strict Federal court, where the elec rs assemble. To each copy will be lixed lists of the electors p::epared ader the State seal according to the icial returns. The reason for taking three copies to prevent delay and loss by the pos bility of one or more copies getting st. This happened in one case at Le election of Benjamin Harrison, id it was necessary to get the copy it in the hands of the district judge. The messenger had got lost on his ay to Washington and the copy by ,ail had disappeared. The messenger id a month within which to reach e capitol here, but. as he had not )me, the president of the senate sent special messenger for the third copy. The messengers are Nel paid, too, >r this service, which makes it all the .ore singular that one of them should .il to come, especially when there is a !avy penalty for failure. The com msation set by law is 25 cents for Lch mile of travel "of the estirnatcl .stance by the most usual road." The Maryland messengcL gets com tratively little, but the man from alifornia receives a neat month's sal -y, especially considering it does not quire much mcra than two eeks'~ .ttion. .. Theda Tron Sid rancsco by way of Omaha and Chi go is 3,227 miles, and the pay is a tle over $800. The man from Port nd, Ore.. does even a little bette r, as s travel is estimated at 3..310 miles. e Minnesota messenger comes 1,254 iles, and receives over $300, while e Illinois representative gets over 00. Considering the time required, ne of the Western messengers are iderpaid in money, to say nothing 'the fun of a trip to Washington at .auguration time. When they arrive here the messen irs call on the president of the senate id deliver the returns in person. If ice President Stevenson happens not be in the city when the call is made e messenger ~must wait till he comes. he is in the senate chamber, ho w er, he calls some one else to the air, goes into his room, receives the aled returns and gives his receipt. e then places the package in a little on safe that stands in one corner of s room. This does not appear to be rglar pr oof mechanism, but it has ever been broken open in all the ears of its service. There is no in 2crcment as another copy of the vote mld be obtained with little difficulty. But the careless messengers's punish ent-what is that? He is to forfeit ,000. The law does not read that he all be fined not to exceed $1,000. bu~t at he shall pay the whole sum. no ore, no less. In case the vice president shoul 1 be )sent from the capitol and no one else ithorized to receive the importint Lpers in his care he need not inc ir .e penalty for the secretary of state .s ithorized to relieve him of his charge. The house and senate will canvass te vote on the first Wednesday in ebruary. The smaller body will go rer to the house side for the purpose ith Vice President Stevenson and ~cretary Cox, followedi by Chief Page ewart, in the lead. The page will bear two wooden >xes strapped to his shoulders and ese contain the returns delivered to e vice president. The members of e house will rise as the senators file .two and two, and Vice President .evenson will take his place beside >eaker Recl on the rostrum. The ro tellers for the scnate will have ats just below and next in front of ese will be the t wo house tellers. The vice president will take the en opes handed him by the page in phabeticlal order of the State. The ers will read the certiflcates in rn. The vote of Alabama is usually ad in full; and then unanimous con at is granted that the remainder be mmarized. A double tally of t he vote is sept. Jere can be no substantial effect from iy informality, nor any objection at may be raised at the counticg xt February, for Major McKinley's ajority is so large that no change ould be made by throwing out even e largest three States. When the totals are given Y ice Pres ent Stevenson will announce that illiam McKinley, of Ohio, having ceived a majarity of all the votes of e States for president has irn eleet I president of the United Strtes, and milarly Garret A. Ihobart, of New ~rsey, vice president. If after this anno~uncement Presi mt McKinley should die the vice esident would take his place. -But tppose so unfortunate an occurrence his death before February, what Len? It is piobable that Mr. Hobart ould succeed, but this question has ever arisen and there is no prece mt. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Robbed on the Streets. ATLANTA, Dec. 3.-A speceial to The rsitution from Rome. Ga., says Lat three higwaymnen held up John iller, a merchant, on the streets and bbed him of Sim. The robbers pres ited a pistol at Miller's head, rilled s pockets and escaped. Tow were Street:4 and Houses Flooded-People Panic-StrIcken. Cur1'EWA FALLS, Wis.. )1c. 1. This has been a day of excitement and anxiety, and to-night finds the inhabi tants of this little village in a state bordering on panic. The worst of the situation is the knowledge of impend ing danger and of the fact that they are utterly helpless to stay or avert it. Those whose houses have been flooded have removed their household goods and belongings to higher grounds, and are huddled together in the school houses and other vacant buildings out of the path of the torrent that is sweep ing down several of the main streets. All hope of breaking the gorge and thus allowing the pent up waters to radually subside is now abandoned. All efforts today were direc:ted towards removing household goods ana mer chacdise out of the reach o Lhe n3d. Every team in the city his been en gaged in this work. Every resident and business firm of River street has moved out. The Chippewa Lumber and.Boaon Ccmpany's mill yards are under water, and all hope has been given up of saving the entire business portion .of the place from being sub merged. It was reported this morning that another gorge was forming thirty miles above here and this greatly added to the alarm, as in case it should break nothing could save the city from be inz swept. away. Reports of a very serious nature came from down the river. The coun try every where is flooded. The gorge continues to grow in extent. It is now over five railes long and in many plac.s thirty to fifty feet high. It completely dams the river, and this is causing the rapid rise of the river here. The heavy rains of last week were fol lowed by a sudden freeze, which quick ly massed the floating ice in the Chip pewa and the swiftly running current continually added to it until it reached its present gigantic proportions. Belov here theCaipoewa is falling. There is no flood at Etu Claire, but this fact is causing the people at that plaae much uneasiness as it indicates that the water is being ;piled up as by a dam above them. The ice-pack at Badger Mills, half way between Eiu Claire and Chippewa Falls, is growing in extent and every thing seems to indicate that the river is choking up. It is not believed that anything serious can happen under the present conditions for at least a day or two, and it is believed that every one has been sufficiently warned and is in readiness to fly the moment the crash comes. The Chippewa River shows no sign of abatement tonight. It rose four feet today, and at 9 o'clock this even ing the waters are rising at the rate of two inches an hour. Reports from various sections indi cate a de lorable condition of affairs. Ethla beau farm, 15 miles above this city, anothr ice gorge las formed. The river has ogrflwed its banks and inundated the' t miles on either side. Domestic aF mais have perished by the szore. Farms and farm houses are flooded and the losses will reach into the hun dreds of thousands. These reports are meagre and'uncorroborated, but it is safe to estimate that at least 3,000 horses, cows and hogs have met death in the flood. At Chippewa Falls the river is fully three quarters of a mile wide and its surface is covered with anchor-ice to a depth varying from ten to thirty feet. The most stubborn resistance of fered by the obstruction is in~that por tion of the river between the wagon bridge and the Central Railroad bridge, about half a mile in length. Today Mayor Lindley ordered an ex plosion of 500 pounds of dynamite, out after 300 pounds had been ex ploded the experiment was abandoned as a failure. Railroad officials who viewed the gorge state that there is not sufficient dynamite obtainable to blast a channel ~for the river through the frczen mass of snow, logs and ice. M1ake.Up of the House. WASHLNGTON, Dec. 4.-The political classification of the members-elect of the 9th congress, made by Clerk Mc Dowell, in the unofficial list, which he has just issued, probably shows a greater variety of political organiza tions than ever before found represen tation in that body. Of straight Re publicans there are 204; straight Dem - ocrats 124. The members designated by other titles areas follows, from the districts named: Populists-M. W. Howard, Seventh Alabama; C. A. Barlow, Sixth Cali fornia;- G- H. Castle, Seventh Califor nia: John G. Bell. Second Colorado; E. R. Ridgeley, Third Kansas; W. D. Vincent, Fifth Kansas; N. B. McCor mick. Sixth Kansas; Jerry Simpson, Seventh Kansas; Harry Skinner. First North Carolina: W. F. Stroud. Fourth North Carolina; Freeman Knowles, South Dakota at large.-12. Fusionists-Thomas M. Jett, Eigh teenth Illinois; John Banner, T welfth Illinois; James M. Robinson, Twelfth Indiana; Jeremiah D. Botkin, Kansas at large; Albert M. Todd, Third Mich igan: Samuel Max well, Third Nobras ka: W. H. Stark, Fourth Nebraska; J. D. Sutherland, Fifth Nebraska; J. L. Brenner, Third Ohio; G. A. Mar shall, Fourth Ohio: David Meekison, Sixth Ohio; J. A. McDowell, Seventh ohio; J. H. Lewis and WV. C. Jones. Washington at large-15. Silverites-John F. Shaforth, First Colorado; Charles S. Hartman, Mon tana: F-rancis G. Newlands, Nevada Democratic--Repub~lcan Party. IsmmrNAoLs, Dec. 1.-Chairman WV. D. Bynum, national committee of the gold Demccrats, has returned from New York where for five days he reviewed the political field with some of the eastern money men. As a result he has called a meeting of the national committee to be held in Indianapolis, December 13, at which time' several matters of ini terest to sound money Democrats and to the world in general will be discussed. Among them 'vill be the future of the sound money Democracy. This is one of the principal topics in political circles an d there seems to be a general belief that there is now no hope for the reconciliation of the gold and silver wings of the party. This is the beli& of the eastern men or many of them," said Mr. Bynum. There is a m ovement on foot among some of the prominent leaders of the party." said Mr. Bynum, "to form another and a new party, to be known as the 'Democratic-Repablican party, 'around which will rally the commercial inter ests of the country under a sound money flag and with proper tariff regulationas elepcted under tI' advice of a ommission of buneas a MAGNIFICENT COURAGEOFCOLONe ANTONIO COLOMA. Faces His ExecuuoerOHis Cry "Viva Cu ba Libre"-Gagged to Hush His Voice Cowardly Act of Spanish Officer-Manly Act of a Priest. HAVANA, CmI, Nov. 27, VA KEY WEST, Fla., Nov. 2.-There was an other frightful scene in Laurel Ditch, in front of the Cuban fortress, late yes terday afternoon just as the sun was hiding its head, as if ashamed to lend is light to such a cruel deed. The vic tim this time to Spain's heartless cus tom of dealing with prisoners of war was Antonio Lopez Coloma, well knowa as a Cuban soldier since the very outbreak of the revolution. Coloma was a white man of fine ap pearance and of education. He was rather under the medium height. He was captured at Ybarra, in Ma'anzas province, on February 24th, 1895, the day of the outbreak, together with the mulatto journi::t Juan Gualberto Gomez. Colorna was one of the pi-in cipal witnesses in the trial of General Sanguily, but nothing incriminatin against the latter could be elicitea from him. The poor fello v had been locked up all these long twenty-one months, hoping against hope, which at times passed into certainty that he would not be executed. Yesterday afternoon, afzer twenty-four hours in the chapel, where prisoners of war about to be killed are kept for either that. period or for twelve hours, according to the method of their trial, Coloma was led out to his death. These dreadful scenes have already been described in the Herald, but feel ing- yesterday was intensified by the character of the man to be shot. Cer tainly those who witnessed what oc curred in Laurel ditch yesterday will remember it while they live to the shame of Spain. There were the same great cliffs which constitute one side of the ditch, black with the crowd which had come to see a Cuban patri ot die. Below was the ditch itself, more than fifty yards in width, and on the other side the stern ramparts of the Cabana, with the gate leading into the ditch, which is so narrow that four men caa hardly pass through abreast. At last the waiting crowd was hushed into silence by the music of the band playing that peculiar air, half dirge, half quick step, as it marched through the gate directly forward, and then turning sharply to the left took up a position on the right of where the prisoner was to be shot, some fifty yards away. To the music of the band then filed out, in files of four, 400 men with guns at their right shoulder shift, who formed the usual hollow square, with the band inside at the lower end. . Then came the Prisoner a white priest at his side a ur c Zc EEd Intr; Saring the ace tomed lights and other symbols of the church. Coloma wore a wide white collar and white cuffs. His face was pale, but his bearing was full of cour age, without swagger. In fact, a bra ver, handsomer young patriot never went to his death. His bearing and appearance had its effect on the crowd, which became still as death. Once through the gate,Coloma gave a quick look around. In an instant his glance s wept the cliffs above, and then fell to encounter that array of Spanish soldiers, everywhere 'pitiless faces, thousand against one. Two more steps he took forward, then, raising his head proudly, he shouted distinct ly, "Viva Cuba Libre!" About to die he defied them all. As the words left his lips the officer of the guard drew his sword, and with uplifted blade sprang toward the man acled prisoner. But before the sword could fall the priest, holding up the crucifix, stepe between Colomna and the coward, who drew back. Undawned, Coloma again cried out "Viva Cuba Libre!" This time he was seized and gagged with a white hand kerchief tied over his mouth that he might utter those hate ful words no more. Then with a irm tread he marched in the hollow square to the spot where he was to die. Here again there was another scene. Coloma, when told to kneel, mo tioned that he would not, and, tu-rn ing about, fared the shooting squad, intimating that he wanted to die that way. Again the brave Spanish soldier drew his sword, but the priest finally persuaded Coloma to kneel down. Then the shots rang out, Coloma fell forward on his face, and another Cu ban hero lay dead, shot like a dog in the Laurel ditch. six Htunared Persons Poisoned. MILwATKEE, W~is., Dec. 4.-What is thought to be an attempt at whole sale poisoning, in a large measure successful, was reported to the health department to-day, when information was given of the sudden and serious illness of about one hundred families, numbering between 500 and 600 per sons, living in the Northwestern part of the city. The cause of the sickness was traced to bread sold at a bakery owned by Otto Figlesthaler, which has a very large trade. To-night an analysis of the bread showed that it contained arsenic. The 600 persons poisoned are living, but a large num ber of cases are considered serious, it not critical.- Mrs. Figlesthaler, the wife of the baker, stated to-day that she thought thatsome one had delib erately put poison into the box con taining the flour from which the bread was made. The police are convinced from the investigation to-night that arsenic was placed in the bread with intent to cause the death or serious illness of Figlesthaler's customers, with the object of ruining his business. Arrasts will be made to-morrow. Powver of Mlagistrates. SPARTANBURG, Dec. S.-Judge Gary prepared a decree yesterday bearing upon the widely discussed legal status of the magistrates of the State under the new Constitutic n and the recent legislative act creating and defining the duties of such oficers. He ren ders a decision at variance with the recent opinion of Judge Earle and de-F lares that magistrates have jurisdictiol. He holds that the evident intentio I the Constitution makers was tha gls lation enacted previous to thjadop tion of the Constitution shoul remain in force until repealed and/ that the practical and only material effect of the act of the last legislature was to change the name of thie mnagistrial office from that of triajustice to mag-~ istrate, who retains and is now author; ized to exercise all the power formerly hel byth tr+,-l jus--State.