The Camden chronicle. (Camden, S.C.) 1888-1981, June 02, 1905, Image 1
THE
VOLUME XVI.
SI
CAMDEN. S. I'KIDA V, .1 I'M; 2.
NO. 21.
TOGO HOLDS
ROJESTVENSKY
Japanese Admiral Reported
to Have Sunk Czar's
War Ships.
IttiMinn Commander Kept Hid Slower
Vea*el? Out of the Fight? Fleet
S1kW??I Some Daya Ago? Story of the
l.uiig und Thoroughly K?in?rkitl)l?
Journey Half Around the Globe of
the lCtistian Combined Fleets? Heavy
Firing Heard In the Stroll* of Korea
?Secrecy Maintained at 1'okio.
Washington, I). C.? A dispatch was
rtfbeived at the State Department say
ing that the Japanese Government had
made the announcement that its fleet
had engaged the Russians in the Strait
of Korea and had held them.
, The American Consul at Nagasaki,
in a dispatch to the State Department,
?said that the Japanese sunk a Russian
battleship, four other warships and a
repair ship in the Strait of Korea. The
Borodino wi$s mentioned as one of the
ships reported sunk.
The following is the text of the Na
gasaki dispatch to the State Depart
ment:
Nagasaki, Japan.? Japanese sunk the
Russian battleship Borodino and four
more warships and a rfeyalr ship.
The other dispatch read as follows:
Tokio, Japan. ? , Japanese lleet en
gaged the Baltic squadron in the
Strait* of Tsu shima, which- was held;
cannonading heard from shore.
London, England.? According to the
Daily Telegraph, a private telegram
Were received iii Loddon at night in a
very high quarter, 'to the effect that
Vice-Admiral Togo had gained a great
victory.
The Times' Tokio correspondent said
that telegrams from apparently trust
worthy sources showed that Admiral
Rojestvensky approached Tsu Island
in the forenoon during a fog. which
?cleared up in the afternoon, when the
Russians were sighted by the Japan
ese. The battle began between 2. a lid
4$ o'cloek in. the afternoon.
A dispatch to the Times from Paris,
France, said that a private telegram
from Chefoo, probably fnJftr-Tfussian
?sources, reported that Rojestvensky
began to force a passage or the Korea
?Straits at night, without lights, in two
Hues, one on each side of Tsu Island.
Heavy firing was said to have been
/.lieard in the strait between 0.30 and
" 10.30 o'clock at night, when it ceased.
The* same dispatch said one of Ilo
Jestvensky's ships returned to Kiao
Chau. having been badly damaged by a
?'collision with another ship. \
The secrecy maintained at Tokio ap
parently extended to the European le
gations. At any rate Baron Hayashi,
the Japanese Minister here, declined
to see newspaper correspondents.
The indications from many of the
?dispatches are that Rojestyensky sent
some of bis vessels through Tsugaru
Strait with the, view of mystifying the
..Japanese, - 1 .
A dispatch to a news agency said
that two Russian warships were
sighted in the afternoon at Masuki"
{Mashlke?) in Shiyari Province, Hok
kaido. steering, southwest, but it is not
known whether they belonged to Ro
jestvensky or whether they were from
.Vladivostok.
It was assumed here that the Jap
anese Government would -frfyow its
customary plan ajot to allojv details to
be published until the action has been
completed.
The Daily Telegraph's Tokio corre
spondent said that an intermittent fog
prevailed in the Sea of Japan. It oc
casionally lifted, when there was bril
liant sunshine. A high wind prevailed,
fwltli a rough sea.
The Russian ships Avere first sighted
nt V? o'clock in the morning approach
ing Tsu Island under cover of a fog.
"which, however, lifted and the squad
ron retired. This squadron, it was be
lieved, consisted of six first class ships,
?and, according to information recelred,
twenty-one more Russian warships
.were not far away.
It has now been discovered, the cor
Tes|K>ndent continued, that Rojestven
sky's ships coaled along the coast of
the island of Luzon on May 22, and
that on the following day. they cruised
About north of Luzon and transferred
large quantities of bunker coal from
colliers. Then Rojestvensky decided
to divide his fleet into several parts.
r He went through the Bashee Straits
?and steamed in a northeasterly direc
tion. In the morning of May 25 the
Russlans\ were southwest of the Llu
Kiu Islands, and the slow converted
cruisers and transports were sent to
Shanghai, while the main squadron
[went to Tsu Islaiid.
The Tokio correspondent of the
Pally Mall said th;?t fifteen of Rojcst
vensky's ships appeared east of Tsu
" Island at 2.45 o'clock in the morning,
while at 10 o'clock that morning the
fleet \vas passing ten miles southeast
' of Taiizakl (Kosakl?) and that cannon
adlng was heard. .+..*?
Itrcord JtSSfng Voyage.
<?*-The fleet un'fcr the command of Vice
Admiral RoJestvensUy, known as ttia !
Russian Sccond 1 'n < *i He* Squadron, i
sailed from the Baltic last Oi-tohcr iif> '
tor vurious delays which hud caused
some European critics to assert that i
the vessels would never start and that 1
the Russian Admiralty never Intended |
that they should start.
Tho voyage Uad hardly beet) begun ;
when an incident occurred which as- >
tonished the entire world and nearly
led to war between Russia and Great
Britain. In the North Sea, it i (he point
known as the Dogger Dank, the Ruk- |
sian vessels encountered the Gamecock l
fishing fleet from Mull, England. Tho
Russian Admiral mistook some of tho
trawlers for torpedo boats and ordered
his vessels to flr<L,??tJue fishing boat
was siink and tu'pfft'i'o were killed,
others being badly wounded.
For some days the excitement in
England was Intense, and British of
ficial documents published later on
showed that tho two countries were on
the point of war, but the crisis was
ended by an agreement to refer the in
cident to an international naval tri
bunal. This Hoard of lmiuiry met in
I/aris, and, after a long investigation,
reported that the Russian contention
that hostile torpedo boats were present
when the tiring took place was not
justified. Jtojest vensky, however, was
acquitted of the charge of conduct un
becoming a sailor, and the incident
was ultimately closed by the payment
of a large money indemnity by Russia.
After leaving the Straits of Gibraltar
the fleet divided, one division, under
Admiral Itojestvensky. proceeding by
way of the ('ape of Good Hope, and
the other, under Admiral Voelkersaiu^
going via the Sue/. Canal. RoJo.stvoij{|
sky had with him most of the, battll?
ships, and Voelkersam the majority of
the cruisers.
Both squadrons proceedc] very slow,
ly, ami the reports from time to time
regarding their whereabouts were of
the most puzzling character. On .lan
nary 1, however, Itojestvensky reached
Madagascar, and there be awaited the
cruiser squadron. At what time the
two squadrons effected a Junction lias
not been definitely stated, but it is cer
tain that long after the fleet was as
sembled it remained in the immediate
vicinity of Madagascar, engaging in
gun practice and maneuvves.
France asserts that the Russian ships
did not remain in the colonial terri
torial waters, but Kojestvcnsky's ves
sels were undoubtedly "lose to the
Island of Nossi Ho, oil' the north coast
of Madagascar. The Ions time spent
there *?d to renewed assertions that
the Admiralty at St. Petersburg would
never order the fleet to the Far Fast.
In the middle of March, However, re
ports were printed that \ho Itussinns
had sailed. .These reports were denied,
and tliorf repeated, and at length it
was definitely established that the Hal
tie tleet had sailed.
Nothing more was heard- -of it till
April when the news came that the
fleet had pased Singapore and was in
i lie China Se;t. Again the reports were
contradictory, some bc'ng to the effect
that Kojestvcnsky's entire squadron had
pas's ell through the Malacca Straits,
while others said that the principal
battleships were missing. It seems
the battleships passed further out
at spa than the rest of the squadron,
and \cre not-seen from tjie shore.
In tln^moantiine the reinforcing Rus
sian division under Admirn: Nebogatoff
had sailed from the Baltic;- This con
sisted of the battleship Imperator Niko
lai 1., the armored cruiser Vladli^ir
Monomakh, the coast defense ships Ad
miral Apraxine, Admirnl^Oushkoff and
Admiral Seniavin. and it number of
other comparatively unimportant ves
sels.
After entering the China Sea Itojest
vensky spent a great deal ofrthiie at
various joints on the coast of French
Indo-Chu1a,_and the Japanese, who had
been irritated by the breaches of neu
trality of which the French had prev
iously been'' accused, ^became givaliy
"edited over what was declared to be
France's open defiance of her neutral
obligations In her Indo-Chinese colony.
Twice, it is known, the ^relations be
tween France and Japan were greatly
strained, but at length Itojestvensky
quit lndo-China for good and sailed'
north.
In the meantime, however, Neboga
toff had been able to catch tip with
Itojestvensky, and both divisions of the
fleet had coaled and provisioned, an
immense number of collier's having
awaited them in Indo-Chinese waters.
Surprise was caused among some
naval men because Admiral Togo had
not chosen to engage Itojestvensky be
fore the Russians were strengthened
bj- the addition of Nebogatoff's squad
ron. but leading European and Amer
ican experts declared %that Togo's
course was the best under the 'circum
stances. It was evidently the Japanese
commander's plan to tight as near home
as possible, so that In the event of any
of Ills ships being damaged they would
not have to go far for assistance. It
was also pointed out that the extreme
ly heterogeneous character of the com
bined Russian fleet was In some re
spects an additional danger to it.
AMERICAN SHIP SUNK.
Russian Fleet Fires on Merchant Ves
sel?Crow Saved.
Toklo, Japan.? The Ministry of Ma
rine announces that there are positive
indications that vessels of the Baltic
fleet attacked and sank an American
steamer near Formosa. The crcw were
saved. . ? . ~ .
Washington, I). C.? A serious sltua-"
tlcli between Russia and the United
SiiWq$ was threatened by the reported
slnklng^^^an American merchant
steamer by mt^Husslan Baltic fleet off
Formosa. The repftri was officially
transmitted to tho State Department
?by Lloyd C. ? Grlscom, United States
Minister at Toklo. and an Inquiry was
immediately directed by President
Itoosc^Ql^ ? y,
:?Cofri5# 10 HITS OF 21 SHOTS.
Kaval Apprentice Makes n New Hfc,
ord For the American skvy,
San Francisco, Cal. ? , Itemfcihorne^
.Scott, naval apprentice first eiaMr^n |
board tbe torpedo boat PrebjlQ^satd
the American Nary while at practice
With a alx-ponnder Hotchklss gun. At
" nee of 1000 yards, while tbe
%?S> ? .y avs
, Norton Goddard Dead.
Captain Norton Goddard, tho promin
ent clvle leader. In Now York City;
died imddenty at Ills eountry home at
IfitchAeld, Couu.
o Resist Kind's Power.
Hungarians began (preparing to re
trmcnts by the
King oi^the Con^lHtfion. ^
Klnf. Victor's Newest Fad.
-? King Victor Emmanuel inaugurated
the International Conference of Agri
culture at Bom*, Italy. ^
GREATEST OF NAVAL VICTORIES '
Fuller Details Given Show That Japa
neae Victory Was Most Complete.
Latest advices con linn the inaguMude ,
of th?> disaste r suffered by the Russian ;
(loot, and point to the fact that Rub- j
sia's hopes, so fur us this war is con- i
cerned, now lie in whatever may be ac
complished by the oft-beaten army in i
Manchuria. An official report received j
from Toklo by the Japanese Ration at .
Washington Monday evening says that
the Russian Iohbcs definitely known in
clude two battleships, a cost defense j
ship, five cruisers, two special ships*
and three destroyers sunk, and two
battleships, two coast defenso ships,
one destroyer ami one special service
ship captured, while over 3,000 prison
ers have been taken, including Rear
Admiral Nebogatoff. The Japanese, it
would seem, are still pursuing the Rus
sians, and It. may be some time before
the final result is known.
There Is nothing to clearly indicate j
the extent of the Japanse losses, and j
it is suggested from one source that the
Toklo government Is waiting to hear
from Admiral Rojestveusky by way of
Vladlvostock before announcing to j
what extent his fleet has suffered.
*Khe news of the disaster has caused i
deep depression In official Russia, j
though It Is not yet known generally j
among the Russian people, Rojestven
sky's defeat baa given rise to renewed
t?|k of peace. It Is pointed out by t.he
Associated Press' St. Petersburg cor
respondent that Russia, in this crisis,
will turn to France, through Its For
eign Minister, M. DelCasse, while from
Washington comes information that
President Itoosevelt, In accordance with
his promise, announced a long time
ago, is taking steps to do all in his
power to bring about peace negotia
tions. ?.*;
Nothing has-'fretfn heard from Vice
Admiral Rojecnvensky. In Toklo there
Is one belief that he has perished, while
another source says he was rescued by
a torpedo boat, but that he Is wounded.
The Lost Vessels.
Toklo. By Cable. ? in the battle
fought Saturday In thf Straits of Ko- i
rea, the Russian battleships Borodino
and Alexander III, the armored crusl
ers Admiral Nakhimoff, Dmitri Don
ski and Valdim.'r Monomach, the coast
defence iron-clad Admiral Oushakoff,
the protected cruisers Svietlana and
Jemtchug, and the repair ship Kampt
schatka and the cruiser Irtesslm were
sunk.
The battleshlpes Orel and Nlcolal I,
and Uie coast defence Iron-clads Ad- I
mlral Apraxine were captured.
The Borodino was a first-class bat
tleship,, completed in 1904, of 13,516 tons
displacement and 16,000 horse-power,
giving her a speed of about 18 knots.
Her crew numbered 740, officers and
men.
The Alexander III was a sister ship
of the Borodino and was also com
pleted in 1904,*
The Admiral Nakhlmoff was an ar
mored cruiser of 8,524 tons displace
ment and 9,000 Indicated horse-power,
giving her a speed of 16 knots. She
had a complement of about 567 officers
and men.
The Dmittrl Donski was an armored
cruiser, of 6,200 tons, sheathed, of 7,000
indicated ^horse-power, and having a'
speed of 'about 16 knots. Her cre*(
numbered 510 officers &nd men.
The (Valdlmir Monomach was a
sheathed cruiser of 5.593 tons and 7,000
indicated horse-power. Her crew num
bered 550 officers and men.
The Admiral Oushakoff, a coaat de
fence Iron-clad, was 4,684 tons displace
ment and 6,000 Indicated horse-power.
Her speed was estimated at 16 knots
and she carried 318 officers and men.
The Svietlana was a protected cruis
er of 3,826 tons displacement, had 3,
828 Indicated horse-power, was com
pleted in 1897 and had a speed of
about 20 ku<Ufts. She had a complement
of 360 officers and^men.
The protected crluser Jemtchug was
of 3,106 tons displacement and 17,000
indicated horse-power giving her a
speed of about 23 knots. Her crew
numbered 340 officers and men.
The repair ship Kamtsrhatka was a
most important unit of Admiral Ro
jestvensky's fleet. She is understood
to have l>een fitted up with every scien
tific appliance available for the repair
of warships and was described as being
a "floating workshop,"- fcttr had trans
port accommodations for 32 officers and
1,000 men.
The Irtesslm was probably an aux
iliary cruiser, but her hame Is not elv
en In any of the naval lists available.
The battleship Orel Is a sister ship
of the Borodino and carried the samo
complement of officers and men.
The battleship Nlcholal I 1? of 9,
627 tons displacement and 8.000 Indi
cated horse-power, giving her a speed
of about 14 knots. She has sheathed and
although completed as far back as 1892
was thoroughly overhauled In 1900.
Her complement was 604 officers and
men.
The coast defense Iron-clad Admiral
Senlavin is a slater ship to the Admi
ral Oushakoff.
Bigamist Commits Suicide.
Knoxvllie ,Tenn.. , Special. ? C. C.
Cummings, of Pittsburg, Pa., commit
tal suicide a' Williamsburg, Ky./by
drinking carbolic acid. He was em
ployed by the Parker Oil Company,
as manager of drilling. Two weeks
ago be married Miss Vicy Summer,
of Williamsburg, and only a few days
ago was arrested on the charge of
bigamy, it being claimed that he had
a wife and children living in Tennes
see. He denied the charge nnd gave
bond, and thus far nothing has #e?n
found to bear it out. Brooding over
hln family troubles, is supposed to
have caused tho rash act. ?
Nebogatoff Among the Prisoners.
Tokto, By Cable.? Rear Admiral Ne
bogatoff. former commander of the
fourth division of the Pacific fleet, rfP
cently commander of the Information
squadron, composed of scouts of the
merchantmen, with .- 8,000 other. Rus
sians, Is among the prisoners captured
by the Japanese. Vice Admiral Ro
jestvensky appears to have escaped.
The battle begaae Saturday morning,
?nd the Japanese *ro ftUll In pursuit
of the Russians. \
n
Occurrence^ of Interest In Varlou#
Parts of the State.
Geneal Cotton Market.
Galveston, steady 8*4
Now Oilcwnw, 8V*
Mobile, dull K**
Savannah, quiet 8*4
Charleston. quiet 8
Wilmington, steady 8
Norfolk, II nil SV4
Baltimore, normal 8,<J
New York, quiet 8.50
L)c?ton, quiet 8.t?f>
.Philadelphia, quiet 8.75
Houston, steady 8 3-lti*
Augusta, quiet 8%
Memphis, Arm 8V4
St. Louis, steady 8l4
Louisville, firm 8*4
Charlotte Cotton Market.
These figures represent prices paid
to wagons:
Strict good middling 8.15
Good Middlln 8.15
Strict Middling 8.15
Middling V 8
Tinges ti 1-4 to 7 1-2
Stains t) 14 to 7 18
Hoard of Hqualiz/ition.
After a session of two da^ys, the
State hoard of equalization has taken
a recess for two weeks. At that time
the board will meet to hear protests
from the representatives of any cor
poration which may urge a reduction
of the assessment placed on their
1
property. As was/ published yester
day, the board has decided to tako t?0
per cent, of the market value of tho
stock of an enterprise as the basis
upon which taxes shall be collected.
The most Important business was
the adoption of the report of the com
mltteo on assessment of property of
cotton mills. This report as adopted
makes a number of changes in the as
sessed valuations of last year, and as
tho majority of these changes were
Increased it is probable that the board
will have Its hands full when It re
assembles. ?
The assessment on cotton seed oil
mills and on fertilizer factories were
also adopted as recommended by tho
committees. The board decided to
put a valuation of $1550,000 on tho prpo
erty of tho Columbia canal. This
pioperty has belonged to tho Colum
bia Water Power Company, but ne
gotiations are on foot to have It sold
to tho Columbia Electric Street Rail
way Company. The matter of taxing
this property has been In the State
fcourts for some time. When the mat
ter came up, Mr. Qulnby stated that
hft had Information to the effect that
th^ canal had made $90,000 profit last
yqar.
/ Oil Mill Assessment*.
The State board left the majority
of the cottonseed oil mills as the as
sessment for last, year. The follow^
ing changes wepe made: /
Stmthern^Afken, $18,720; JCathwood,
Aiken, $12,000; Townville, ^Anderson,
$9,600; Seaboard, BarnwellJ $22,500;
Victor, Cherokee, $20,000: Southern.
Chester, $25,200; Southern, v Florence,
$27,000; Independent, Florencb, $20,
000; Timmonsville,* $25,000; Kershaw,
$27,000; Clinton. $25,110; Southern,
Laurens, $22,000; Bishopville, $22,000;
Dillon, $25,000; Simpsonville, $12,000;
Prosperity, $13,200; St. Matthews,
$15,000; Spartanburg oil mill, $24,000;
Campobello, 0,500; Cowpens, $12,
000; Fair Forest, $10,300, Victor, York,
$15 ,000; Walterboro, no return, penal
ty attached, $22,500.
The following new mills were as
sessed: Salley, $21,120; Peoples, An
derson, $21,120; Starr, Anderson, $12,
000> Troy. $12,000; Bradley, $12,000;
Farmers, Laurens, $10,000; Hamlet,
$10,800; Farmers, Newberry, $21,000;
Little Mountain, $9,000; Pomaria,
$9,500; Strater & Kin ley, Oconee,
$12,000; Taylor, Columbia, $45,000;
Highland Parjf, $21,600.
Bids for Manila Bonds.
Washington, Special. ? Bids were
opened at the Insular Bureau of the
War Department for the sale of $1,000,
000 Manila municipal bonds bearing 4
per cent. Interest, redeemable after and
within 30 years, the proceeds to be de
voted to sewerage ami other public
works. The highest bidder was the
First National Bank, of Columbus, O.,
Which offered 109,5625.
Director at Clemson Resigns.
Prof. J. H. M. Beaty, director of the
textile department of Clemson Col
lege, has resigned to accept a position
as assistant to Mr. Lewis W. Parker,
president of several cotton mills in
Columbia, Greenville and Greers.
Killed in Collision.
Two were killed, one fatally injured,
two probably fatally and three
slightly. Injured in a collision between
a pasrsengor trolley car and a Ijouls
vlllo and Nashville coal car on tho
Augusta-Aiken railwi^v in a stretch of
woods some miles from Augusta on
the South Carolina side of the river.
3part4nbt/)rg Bond Issue.
. Spartanburg, Special. ? The street
committee of the city council, whlcti
has Iq charge the petition for a $100,000
bond issue to Increase at reel Improve
ments. after checking over the lists,
find that there la not a majority of
the freeholders' names affixed. Friday,
the petition was being circulated again
to get the requisite number, something
like 100 signatures.- The sentiment of
the property owner* Is for good streets
and sidewalks and the names will
doabttans be secured In the near fu
tura,
, ? - ? y ?- #
PALMFTTO CHOP BULLETIN
Conditions For Past W?r?k ag Given
Out by the Department.
Tin- lii st hulf of tho week eliding
Monday, May 20th. was much cooler
i ban usual, ilic tut tor half had nearly
normal tempera! ures. Ther*> was a
harmful dctldency in sunshine. High
easterly winds prevailed g/.uie rally,
though tin' winds w?iv light at tho
close of (ho week. I.lglll trout was
reported from Choi 'oki-o county mi tin*
J 2 ml and 23 rd
The iv were from four to six days
with rain and in place# the !????>*? I pi
tation was excessive, notably In Darl
ington and Chesterfield counties where
lands wciv badly washed and bottom
lands llooib'd. The weekly amount of
rain was largely in excess of tlu? nor
mal in the central count ie*, but t ho
ground wjih kept wot so ibal only from
am? to three days plowing ami culii
vatton were practicable. Hoeing mado
bolter progress.
Farm work was further delayed and
is backward with many Holds very
foul with grass and woods, and thero
is a continued scarcity of farm lab
?iMvrs in all parts of tho State, so that,
llu! grassy Holds aro becoming a fur
ious menace to crops.
While u few re porta Indicate that
cotton Is doing well on uplands, inoro
especially on roil and clay luiuls that
have been cultivated, the majority of
the reports indicate the crop to be In
Mi unpromising condition with tho
plants small, und red or yufttow. and
their growth cheeked the cool
nlgthb. Many Acids arc grassy and
the probability is that some will be
abandoned in all sections of tho Slate,
iwtng to their foul condition and tho
impracticability of cleaning them.
1'lauts continue to die on sandy lands,
idee have appeared in a number of
counties. Chopping made fair pro
gress, but has not been llnished in tho
western counties. Hea Island cotton
is in a poor condition.
Early corn that has been properly
cultivated is promising, but the lar
ger portion of ttio crop is yellow and
sickly. Planting of bottom lands
made slow progress during the week,
and there is still much to be planted. ]
Wheat la ripening and some has been
cut. Oats arc generally tine, espe
cially spring outs. Fall oats arc rip
ening and harvest la under way. It
has been too wet for tobacco and
some Is tiring.
Some peas have been sown, and
sweet potatoes transplanted. Truck
shipments have about ended. Truck
wet weather has caused peaches to
rot badly. Pastures are line ami gar
dens are doing well. ? J. \V. Ilauor,
Section Director.
Settlement With Counties.
Columbia, Special.?1 Tho comptroller
general has decided upon a uniform
date for settlements between tho tax
department of the State and the tax
department of the counties and has
Issued the following letter to county
auditors, treasurers, supervisors and
superintendents of education:
"It becomes necessary to fix a uni
formn date for the annual settlement
between county auditors and county
treasurers. All annual settlements
will hereafter .bo made July Int, or as
soon as possible after that date. Coun
ty treasurers, supervisors and superin
tendents of education are directed at
the close of business June 30th to
etoaeraud balance their books. Those
officers \vTTX their books and vouchers
will meet in the county auditor's of1
flee, on OPT' bofore July 10, together
with tho foreman or committee of the
grand " jurj( and couffty auditor, and
proceed to \ verify tpe\ charges and
credits takcK In spld settlement, as
made up by ttn?~-<$ounty auditor and
treasurer.
"County auditors will bear in mind
that upon them rests tho responsibil
ity for carrying out these Instruc
tions and for tho correctness of the
settlement, for It Is manifestly lrtipos
sible for the comptroller general or his
representative to examine and verify
the thousands of Items going to make
up tho charges and credits, and he
must therefore depend, in a great
measure, upon county officials cover
ing the same. When tho settlement Is
made up notify this office; a date will
then be fixed to examine and approve
the same.
"County supervisors and county su- j
per In tendon t? of education will pre
pare a statment, showing the exact
condition of the county and school
finances, giving a complete statement
of bonded debt, borrowed money, out
standing claims, etc. Plunks will be
furnished for this purposo." \
Franchise Tax Upheld.
Washington. Special. ?The validity
of tho special franchise tax law of
1899, of the State of New York, was
sustained by the Supreme Court of the
United States Ip a decision handed
down. The decision affects immense
Interests and It Is stated that over $24,
000.000 of unpaid taxes In Greater New
York are made payable by tho decision
handed down. Justice Brewer dcllver%l
the opinion of the court.
State Press Association.
Mr. E. H. Aull of Newberry, presi
dent of the State Press Association, has
accepted the invitation for members of
the association to attend the meeting
of the North Carolina Press Associa
tion to be held at Kenllworth Inn,
Ashovllle, on tlffTith. 6th and 7th of
July. The Virginia Press Association
will meet there at the same time.
The meeting of the South Carolina
Press Association is not to be Inter
feted with, and will be held according
to arrangements at White Stone
Springs, July 11th. Mr. Aull Is also ar
ranging for the annual trip of the
members of the South Carolina Press
Association, the projected Itinerary be
ing to the Oregon exposition and thence
to San Francltrco.
' /?
Italian Laborer Killed.
St. George. ' Spccial.? Nlcolla De
march!, an Italian laborer, employed
by Dorchester Lumber company at
Badham. near* here, was run over and
killed by a freight train on the South
ern railway between here and Bad
ham Saturday night. Hift body was torn
to plecea and scattered along the rail*
road track for 200 yards or more. Cor
oner Riser empaneled jKjpry which
viewed the body and adjourned till
Friday aftsroooo of lb la week.
\
INVESTIGATING WKECK
i
Report L'kely to Be Made Within a
i Week Placing Responsibility For
tho Accident.
.'olumbltt Cor. Chariot fe Observe*
i As forecasted iii this cu*respoml'*?ce
I several ?iay h ago. tho ti<>mheru'? at
; torney at tho hearing beg.un before
the railroad commission 'Tuesday to
I ascertain tho cautfe ?C ilw/ wreck ?<
j lit) Ogden special In tho tivuimvll!*
i yards ou tho morning Ap?ll 20, us
j tftiunM the posltlou that liugiftcer Jas.
I U. 14.31 a tor, in charge *>t' the ipoi-lal's
.engine, is entirely to blanio for tho
| accident ?>*? tho gioond that In* violut
j im| the rules of tho eompany in ?txtinlntf
| Into tho yards without having 'Ala en
, Kino "under full control, expecting to
j find tho maia track occupied--- <*nder
| such control as would allow hu?i t?#
I *top within the distance ho could aeo"
I ? ami thai an tho special w*n ruirnlng
! n? tin oktra with right of way only
! over trains of published scheduler, tho
1 Greenville yai dniaster, even lit tho
faeo of the telegram p bleed on bin
: h.H.k at 7.18 notifying hlin that the
| special would arrive at win in
1 no wise responsible and was not to
j blame for having the freight t>o*<ts
! 011 the main track.
The main witness put up to outline
i and define this defense of tho roiul
j was General Manager Spencer, wfto
said that tho telegram to the Green
i vlllo office was not sent with the view
of curtailing the right of work or shift
ing trains, an practice showed that to
was not safo to suporcodo theso kinds
i of rules with respect to largo yard*
llko those at Greenville, except by ai
"N<X 31 order," which having to be
receipted for and checked back to the
dispatcher it was not wise to use on
a yard like Greenville's, for tho reason
that it was bad practice to allow en
gineers to got into tho habit of run
ning specials into such a yard not
under full control.
Division Counsel J. T. Barron, of the
Coast Lino was present representing
Knglneor Hunter. Mr. Hunter's de
fense lias not been outlined, but it ia
said that his position is that ho vio
lated no rule, but followed Instructions
strictly and is in no wiso to blame for
tho Greenville accident. 4
Mr. Robert C. Ogdon was nA. pres
ent, as ho intimated In a letter to Gov
ernor Heyward a short time ago, he
might be. The $fcden party was rep
resented by Mr. J. E. Heges, a New
York attorney. Dr. Julius D. Dreher,
of Lexington, who was on tho train,
wbb present as a spectator, as were
Stale Buperlntendont of Education O.
B. Martin, Attorney F. H. Weston and
ox-Attorney General G. D. Bellinger.
General Counsel Thomas, agisted
by Division Counsel B. L. Abney, and
Attorney W. H. Welsh, conducted the
examination for the railroad, while At
torney General Guntor was present . in
tho "interest of the State. Members
of the commission cross-examined the
witnesses.
Among the railroad officials present
as witnesses were: General Manager
H. B Sponcer, General Superintendent
C .S.' McManus, Charlotte Division Su
perintendent P. L. M c Mnnus,
Savannah Division Superintendent
H. A. Williams, Assistant Gon- 1
eral Counsel Thorn, Assistant General
Superintendent H. Baker, Charlotte
Chief Dispatcher W. M. Lineberger,
Savannah Division Chief Dispatcher,
T P Balrd. Columbia Shops Master
Mechanic C. G. Arthur, Charleston Di
vision Superintendent Hoother, and
others. 1
Tho testimony taken before tn?
commission was all on the lines that
the- engineer of tho special train
was running contrary to orders In that
he should have approached the yard
with his train under full control. To
this main fact all tho evidence tended.
The commission will probably make
its report for a week or more.
Telegraphic Brief?.
John D. Rockfellcr, Jr., again ad
dressed his Bible class at the Fifth
Avenue Baptist Church In New York,
after a Ave months' absence In Europe,
which has caussd little Improvement In
his physical condition.
Wreckers ditched a train on the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe rail
road, east of Emporia, Kan., and six
passengers were Injured, two of them
fatally.
Not Wanted in Auguata.
Augusta, Ga., Special. ? Tho israal
Epstein, or Ebstein, ? whom tho Paris
pollco stated in last night's dispatches
was wanted here, was formerly a
small merchant in Augusta. Abofit
twenty years ago ho left ht>re,tfgolng
first to Columbia, S. C.f and then
drifting to parts unknown, leaving sev
eral accounts unpaid, and they were
put in tho hands of a local attorney.
Irately, information camo that Epstein
was in Paris and In good clrcum
slances. Tho attorney communicated
with the prefecture of pollco In Paris
?nd asked that Epstein be locked up.
Thero la no criminal chargo against
the man *rom hero.
Wet Fatat Accident. ? ~
Bristol, V*.. Special. ? Qlon A. Kon
yon, a prominent lumberman of Nao
mi. Mich., was killed near Damascus,
Va., Monday In an accident on a lod
ging railroad. He was largely Inter
ested In the T. W. Thayer Lumber
Coitipaay, operating In that section*
The body will be eetft to Naomi, Mich.
Calm* may seem pleasaat, but they
mark ?o proem* %
DYNAMITE MUSES HAVOC'
.Steel Drawbridge Over Hackensacic
Hiver Wrecked*
!IVUNY BUILDINGS ARE DAMAGED
UwcflliiK iloiiMi'it nit MiouilHliurjr. l'?.*
?i.il <tt Iihoii In New York City >fit?ko*
on iIik Mutiih l)?y ? A' 1'tMT Vernon#
Slightly fMjnrcd ? 4'uiimah Nut Dotl
nlloly Knivwit? l'ralitd Hvlil U|?* T **.
N e w York (Tily. ? The now steel
drawbridge ?uV 1 1??? ]'ei>ii8ylvant(i Ilall
road over ihf Ihv'keii jacH ltlver, at
the foot' <?f Mewark avenue, Jersey
t'Mty, was blown up !>>? dynamite at
1 ito o'clock in the morning. ?$
The extent of the explosion was not
delluitcly know a- by the rnilroud ottl
chils at 8 o'clock.. * t
The explosion was terrific. It mad#
a bin noise in the centre of Jersey Cit/j.
three or four miles from thebrldge.
Tiio river at the point wliero th?
bridge crossed is 'JOO feet wide.
The bridge was not complete. Nd?
trains had, of course, been on It. Th?
old bridge, which the now structure- {
paralleled, is still. in use. >
r^far as the- railroad men lienrd ofr
in.. nobody was burl.
What caused the explosion Pennsyl
vania officials said they did not know.
They Haul that no labor troubles bad
arisen from tin? work on the bridge.
The explosion might have been an ac
cident. they said.
As soon as the- railroad police* tywml
of the explosion. tiUey sent word to the
police of all the near-by towns request
ing that all suspicious characters, bar
rounded up and held.
E?l)loilrm Rtrnkfi a lllooV.^ ^
Sergeant Malicr, of the West Thirty*
ao.veuth street station, was entering
the pedigree of a: prisoner about 3.30
o'clock in the afternoon when his chair
began to rock. Simultaneously he
heard a loud detonation like thunder;
When he bad eo-Uected his wits ho-dej
elded that there had been an exploslorii
somewhere in the" neighborhood ana
hurried out the reserves. ??*
The explosion was near Thlrty&rsf -
street, between Eighth and Ninth ave
nues, in the great qnen space between
the North IUver ana Sixth avenue and
Thirty -first and Thirty-third streets.
Soveral accidents have occurred thero- ,
since the blasting began for the foun
dations of the great Pennsylvania Jtail~ -~
road station. This last touched the' top
notch, however* In the damage It did.
Nobody wap seriously hurt, but ????
eral persons were toppled over, oneoW
woman was prostrated, pictures - were
shaken from the walls, statuary from,
shelves, and about 600 panes of ' giasa
shattered. ? * ' -n ?
The 'block an Thirty-first street;. We*
tweeivEightb and Ninth avenues, suf?
fcred mosti The oxeavatlng 4s- beh?g -
done close np to these buildings, and
the fronts of most of them had already,
been blown In before yesterday 's - acdr
dent.
Miss Amelia Pope, who livesjafNou. -
844 with her mother and sister,, was
dressing in her rtJom on the third floor 7
about 3.80 o'clock. She happened ti
look out of the window, which, ovta*
looks the torn-up space. , ^ .
VI saw a little wooden t>ox standing-,
on a rocky point." she said, "and II ' :
'wo s burning. 'I hope It Isn't dyna
mite,' I said to myself. But the idee!
had hardly cqme into my head driven It
blew up with a terrible report.. L wat
thrown off my feet."
A little to the west, in the house at
8">N, live Morgan Williams and his
wife.** Mr. Williams is seventy year a
old and bin wife sixty-eight.. Ut\
Williams was prostrated by the shocks
Mrs. Frederiek who lives at 802,. was
thrown out of bed. SJf*
The police had a hard time- of it try
ing to get at the cause of tile- explo
sion. Tho first policemafl who- under
took the investigation interviewed' al
most every foreman he could find con
nected with the Npw York Construc
tion Company, and went back to that
still nervous Sergeant Maher* confess- v
ing that he could iearn nothing,,
Another policeman learned -that *
across the excavation a track has been "
laid on which runs a little* steam en
gine used for hauling stones and dirt.
Sparks from this engine-,, which- runs
elojfc by the spot where Miss Pope saw; ?
the box, he deduced, sot the box on
fire. It contained explosive* and. th?
crush followed. ...
Store Blown tTjfe
Stroudsburg, Pa.? A dynamite expto*
siort occurred enrly in the morning in
the store building of Councilman H. -
W. Kistler, and fire which followed de
stroyed the building and Its contents.
The explosion and fire caused $20,000
damage. The shock of the explosion
was felt many block* a why. V
It is believed that soflhe one bleir up
the store out of revcnflffi'bn Mr. Kist
ler. A year atfb'Mr. Kistfbr sho| a bur
glar, and the man's friends declared
they would square accounts with him
In the. last twoc months the town ha a
suffered no fewer than thirty ?)uail_
robberies, and CommUnm*! Kistler haft
taken an active part in bringing tho
guilty persons to justice.
To Exchange Prisoner* ; V
Russia having accepted Japan's re
cent offer to exchange prisoners, Capt.
Halkofl* of the na.vy la going to Japan'
to arrange for on exchange.
Governor of ttaUp Killed.
News has beeh r<*eiv*d from Baku
of the assassination of the ^vernor. ' v
Prince Nakashidse, by a bomb.
rortujsl Relessea^ho CaecIUe.
The Portuguese authorities at Maca*
liave .released -the steamship TTWfcUte J
which was reported to has* feeenfel
by German newspapers to follow*
Russian fleet. Her d<*ti nation
given aa MinlU. . ? ; ?