Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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CALHOUN GIVES, : - tip THE OFFICTAL NEWSPAPER OF BARNWELL COUNTY M Ju»t Llkw a IVl«mb«r t of th« Family” • [NORMAN-&. LIFE INSURANCE BARNWKLU BOOTH CAROLINA. ' THURSDAY, AUGUST 4TH, 1M7. Two Commiaaiovera of Pablic Works “Absolutely Opposed to Any _ Such Change.” ■» Two members of the Commits ion of Public Works of this c^ty declined an invitation form the members of Council to meet with them Monday night relative to the proposition to employ only one dlerk to serve both Council and the Commissioners, in stead of two, as is the case at pres ent. The consolidation, it is claimed, would result in a saving of $1,080 a year to the city in clerk hire and office rent. The following “excerpt from Min-' utes of meeting of Town Council of Barnwell, held Friday night, July 29, 1927,” was addressed to the three Com- misFioners: “Thati Council invite the Commis sioners of Public Works of the Town of Barnwell to meet' with Council at its regular meeting Monday night, jg^Augirt 1st, 1927, at 8:30 o’clock^for the purpose of advising them that «* ‘Council has decided and ordered that the Clerk of the Town Council shall act and be the Clerk of the Commis- aionenl* of Public Works and that this action is taken by Council for the express purpose of economy to the tax payers and electric light - consumers of the Town." Commissioners L. M. Calhoun and E. W. Holman, under date of August 1, adi reseed the following reply to Council: “We are in receipt of your invita tion to meet with you tonight at your regular meeting for the purpose of informing us that you have decided and ’ORDERED that you will talce over our office and that your Clark will act for the Commissioners of Public Works. “In reply will say that it will not •be necessary for us to meet with you for this purpoue for the reason that we are absolutely opposed to any such change and don’t feel that it would be of any benefit to the taxpayers of Barnwell and that in the course of time it may prove detrimental. Fur ther-mote. we feel that you are acting beyond your bounds and authority.” The following is an excerpt of the Minutes of Monday night’s meeting: “The reply, attached hereto, signed by Commissioners of Public Works Calhoun and Holman, wks read to’ Council. The Council seemed to be of the opinion that the Commissioners had misunderstood thifcr invitation, and after some dscuaskm, Alderman Moseley was delegated to call upon A4*. Calhoun and explain Cotirtcti’s proposition. Alderman Moseley re turned from a confemece with Mr. f-mihruirc »iMi TopnaeoH CauncU that Mr. CaUtoua stated to him that he had betn advised that Council had no au thority to order their Clerk, to be the Cierk of the Commissioners, and con sequently they had declined to accept or hear Council’s proposition. Mr. Calhoun stated that, after he was in formed and thoroughly understoodAhe proposition that the purpose of the consolidation was for economy’s sake, to-wit, the saving to them of clerk hire and orice rent amounting to $90.00 per month, that his position was the same as if he had misunder stood Council’s original invitation or “order” as he termed it, and hence he did not propose to consider or accept any proposition that Council had to make to them. “Alderman McNab was then dele gated to call upon Commissioner Hol man and reported to Council that Mr. Holman stated that he was not feel ing well and that he did not care to meet with 'Council or to hear any proposition they had to make. He stated that if the other two Commis sioners would meet with Council, he would also. “After discussion, Alderman Good- son moved that Aldenrinn Moseley be delegated to see Mr. T. M. Boulware and find out if he would accept posi tion as attorney to advise Council as to their legal rights in regard to con solidating the dutieu of the Clerk of Commissioners of Public Works and of the Town Council. This motion was seconded by Alderman Hogg and unanimously carried. “The Mayor then called a meeting of Council for Thursday night, Aug ust 4th, st 8:30, to receive the re port of Alderman Moseley.” ’ AN ACCOUNTING TELLS OF STEWARDSHIP SINCE ASSUMING OFFICE Has Reduced Indebtedness of Public Works Commission from $15,000 to Less Than $3,000 L. M. Calhoun, one of the Com missioners of Public Works for this city, has requested The People-Senti nel to publish the following open letter to the tax-payers and light and water users of Barnwell, in which he gives an accounting- of his stewardship since assuming office — about three years ago: Barnwell, S. C., August 3, 1927 To The Taxpayers and The Users of Light and Water of Barnwell: It » very unfortuate that this con troversy between the Town Council and the Commissioners of Public Works a 8 appears from your paper of thiu week should have arisen. As one of the Commissioners, I feel it my duty as a Commissioner to try to en lighten you on this question as far as I am personally able. When I was elected as a member of the Commissioners of Public Works about 3 years ago, and after having access to the office for a few months, I found the office in a deplorable fi nancial condition. The indebtedness at\ that time was around $15,000.00. This indebtedness, as I am. informed, was incurred from 1918 up to the time i was elected m one of the Com missioners. During this period and included in thiu indeb'^dne$i were certain judgments for debts owed by the Commissioners of Public Works, amounting to several thousand dollars. At the present time, the CommiUBion- ers of Public Works are indebted in s sum of less than $3,000.00. All of the indebtedness above men tioned occurred while the Town Coun cil and the Commissioners of Public Works were operating under Clerk. In the communication from the one NUMBER 49. 1* Gospel to Wall Street PRIESTER CASE IS THROWN OUT FEDERAL COMMISSIONER HOLDS EVIDENCE IS IN8UFICIENT. Uldine Utley, 14 year old Evan gelist, not content with preaching the gospel to Broadwayites invaded Wall Street this week for a noonday meet ing where thousands heard her. Annual Revival at Friendship Church A very successful annual revival meeting has just been concluded at Friendship Baptist Church by the pastor, the Rev. D. W. ,Heckle, as sisted by the Rev. A. F. O’Kelley, of Denmark. Ad a result of the meet ing there were 34 accessions for bap tism, six for watchcare and four for restoration. The Friendship Sunday School was Town Council to the Commissionere of r f ol V*P ized Sunday afternoon *t four Public Works appearing m this issue 0clock ' ^ lowing officers being it is stated that the purpose of con- ^ n * n,rru<w ®'y aloctod: J. O. Sanders, Klid*ting is economy and to reduce Sr ” L. S. Still, aaeis- tant superintendent; H. E. Creech, I will say in reply bo this that while*** treasurer; L. the Council and Commissioners were o’ ' 1 •^ nnR Morris, Mrs. Susan Ray, Mrs. Cora Huggins and Mrs. Giula Creech, teachers. Sunday school will be held every second Sun- the been j* y m ’ Su "- opeitatinx tiqder i -operate clerk, th'ai el . m '’ * n< ^ indebtedness ha, beer reduced to less li,,h ,our p ' m ^ P" b - than $3,000.00. He. 1. Hue for ecno.l^ U COr ** ll) ' mVlt * d ^ .1 The reorganization Sunday was Hiinks, However, That “a Very High Handed Act Had Been Commit ted” by CoasUble. Aiken, Aug. 2.—The case of Gorge H. Priester, ’ former special State constable of Barnwell, who was held on a chug* of impersonating a federal officer and attempting to exact “hush money” from two (negroes, Ed Martin of Hamburg and G. W. Poe of Au gusta, whom Prienter arrested June 15 in Beech Island for transporting liquor, was dsmissed a t a hearing before the United State? commission er, T. R. Morgan, held . here this morning at the courthouse. Commis sioner Morgan said that there was no queeltion in hi» mind that a very high handed act had been conuniitted, a dear violation of the law by a State officer, but tho question before him was whether or not Prieeter had rep resented himself as a federal officer, and the evidence was mot strong en ough to prove such was the case. A doubt existed, and, therefore, the case was diHnrased. There were a number of witnesses called for both sides. William Mar tin, brother of Ed Martin, who works on a farm at Beech Island, gave the most direct evidence against Priester, saying that the defendant had prom ised if Martin would hanjl him $200 that he would clear Martin’s brother. There was a pistol found on Ed Mar tin, and the defendant said, accord ing to William Martin, that for the bribe he asked for he would run the case through a magistrate’s court and throw the matter out This had no bearing, however, upon Priester’s alleged impersonation of a federal officer. Priester was repre sented by the law firm of Harley and Blatt of Barnwell. The two negroes, Ed Martin and G. W. Poe were, after their arrest, placed in the Barnwcil County jail, remaining there for al most a month. There is some talk of suing Barn well County for this, but it is thought that nothing will materialize along this line. operating under one clerk, the in- debtedne* of the Commissioners a- mounted Ho atound $15,000.00 %nd since I am very sorry to say that there f ** tured h? the 1 * r ** 8t attendance in has been some friction between the present Town Council a nd the present Commissioners of Public Works and it ia~ao4 possible for -khe ^preaent' Conunfissionere of Public Works and the present Town Council to work .together harmoniously, and should we be forced to operate in the same office, it would be very much against the interest of the taxpayers and the users of light a nd water in Barnwell. I have .been' so situated that I have had the opportunity to give the office a great deal of my personal atten tion, and while I have had a good deal of unpleasantness since being connected with the office of Commis sioners of Public Works, it has been my pleasure to do this work for tho future of Barnwell, i In' conclusion, I will say that if the good people of Barnwell don’t want me to remain as one of the Commis sioners'of Public Works and a majori ty of the FREEHOLDERS of Barn well send in their names to The Barn well People-Sentinel office,* I will gladly tender my resignation. Think ing you for your courtesies, I beg to remain, L. M. CALHOUN, One of the Commissioners of Public Works. Wade Hampton Memorial. The Johnson Hagood Chapter, U. D. C., requests that all contributions from this section to the Wade Hamp ton Memorial be made through the local chapter in order that the organi zation may get due credit therefor. Mrs. W. H. Youngblood and dao- $*Aer, Miss Dorothy Youngblood, of GrmnfceviBe, spent the week-end here with her sistemjln. Otto Evans and Mm. J. Gary Owens. the history of the Sunday school. The *®cretBTy is the only new officer, all others haring been reelected. ♦ ♦ e Mrs. Angus Patterson spent Sun day in the city with relatives. Good Program at Vamp. Tom Bolen, manager of The Vamp Theatre in Barnwell, is to be con gratulated upon the many high-class pictures that he is showing for the benefit of the movie-fans in this sec tion. Another good program has been arranged for the coming week, as will be seen from his advertisement else where in this issue. Laurie Hutto was a visitor at the Baptist Hospital in Columbia Sun day. Mr. Hutto’s mother has been in the hospital for treatment for some time, and is much improved. = v ‘ “SEVEN POINTS” In the presentation of the new plan of the South Carolina Cot ton Growers’^Coot^erative Association, the explanation of the ac tivities of the Association has been divided into seven points as follows. :: :: U GOOD COTTON ACCURATELY CLASSED. 2. ADEQUATE MARKET INFORMATION. S. EFFICIENT OFFICE AND SALES MACHINE. 4. OBTAIN MIDDLEMEN’S PROFITS. 5. SPINNER COOPERATION. 6. INCREASING CONSUMER DEMAND. 7. PROFITS FOR MEMBERS ONfcY^ | Under each one of these seven pont^ t&ere is need for ex- j | planations which will be given inter.——- — . . _ * * - 4. Obtain Middlemen’s Profits. ; 9 • 1, - ’ - . . " With this kind of a set-up the Association is able to obtain far its members profits which formerly went to cottton merchants, inasmuch Us there is no middlemen between the Association and the mill. These profits amount to several dollars a bale and from now on need never to be given to any private cotton firm. PROFITS FOR MEMBERS ONLY—WILL YOU PARTICIPATE? SOUTH CAROLINA COTTON GROWERS’ COOPERATIVE ASSN. DR. PATTERSON STANDS BY GUNS WEEVIL DAMAGE GROWS GREATER REPLIES TO LETTER FROM REV. MANY REPORTS ARB BEING CBIVI® HERE. Peat la fipw Puactaring ] Proapect la far a * Small Crop. E. O. WATSON. Editor of Southern Christian Advocate Comments on Recent Article.of Barnwell Senator. • Senator A. B. Patterson, of Barn well, who is also county physician, has requested The People-Sentinel to publish the following exchange of let ters between himself and the Rev. E. O. Watson, editor of The Southern Christian Advocate, together with an editorial clipping from the July 2ttt issue of that publication. Editor Watson’a Letter. “Columbia, S. C., July 28, 1927.— Dr. A. B. Patterson, Barnwell, S. C.— Dear Doctor Patterson: Enclosed you will find a clipping from the Southern Christian Advocate of July 21, ‘Con ditions at the ,Batmwell County Poor House.’ I am just in receipt of a letter challenging the abatement and stating that its- publication has a roused ‘indignation,” etc. “May I hek: Do you stand by the statement*? as made? Have the hor rible conditions as portrayed in your akt^cle been corrected? Will you send mat at once a copy of the original statement since the paper in which I found it has been misplaced and I need it in case I must give fur ther publicity to this. “Thanking you in advance for your courtesy, I beg to remain, Sincerely yours, E. O. Wateon.” The Clipping. * The clipping from The Advocate is as follows: “Conditions at the Barnwell County Poor House.—Presentment of the grand jury and a reply of State Sena tor A. B. Patterson indicate condi tiono in the BaraweH poor house that would be a disgrace to a dog and cat infirmary. In a Christian, civilized community such conditions as are described by Dr. Patterson should not be tolerated one moment. The poor we have with us. Poverty is no > crime. Even the vilest criminals in prison should have humane treatment. We cannot conceive of the possibility of such conditions as those described be ing endured by helpless, paralyzed, blind, poor souls in the Barnwell poor house. Yet the facts are stated over the signature of the State Senator, who is also county physician charged with the health of these unfortunates. There is a blot hore that somehow should immediately be looked into and wiped out.” Dr. Patterson’s Reply. “Barnwell, S. C., July 30, 1927.^ Rev. E. O. Watson, Columbia, S. C.— Dear Sir: Your letter of the 28th met. received, endowing clipping from The Southern Christian Advocate, headed ’Conditions at the Barnwell County Pfcor House.’ You say, *1 m just in receipt of a letter challenging this statement and stating that its publication has aroused ’indignation,’ etc.” You also ask for a copy of the original statement, which I am send ing you. “I beg to state that the whiter of the letter which you have received challenging the statement I made in a communication addressed to the Grand Jury has had plenty of time to make “challenge” in The Barnwell People- Sentinel. So far there has been no reply, which I would be more than glad to see, as the half has not been told and I am anxious of an opportuni ty to tell it. I stand by my statement and am read if necessary to make an affidavit as to the facts and also to furnish affidavits from three reputa ble citizens of Barnwell who were eye-witnesses to the horrible condi tions stated in my communication to the Grand Jury. Yours truly, A. B. Patterson.” Cotton Prices Slump. When •the price of October cotton declined to 17.93 on the Near York Cotton Exchange ^ yesterday, the Mump from the high mark of Tues day of last week amounted to more than 2 1-4 cents per pound. Infor mation received hare Tuesday was to the effect that the gamblers intend “shaking loose” before the govern ment report those who have bought futures, even if it is necessary to da- press prices three cants a pound. C. F. Calhoun, of ■pending his vacation with relatives With numerous reports being re ceived in Barnwell of heavy weevil in festation throughout the county and the puncturing of half-frown boils, it is feared Diet the cotton pest is taking a heavy toll from this year’s cotton crop in Barnwell County. About three weeks *go it was estimated that the county would produce from twenty thousand to twenty-two thousand bales, but many now fear that not more than half of last year’s crop of 30,000 bales will be made—some even place the4r estimates at lower figures. Monday morning, R. R. Moore, of Snelling, brought a number of cotton bolls of various sizes to The People- Sentinel -office. Some-of them were almost grown, though still gaen. Every boll had bean punctured fry weevils. Mr. Moore stated tlmt ha could gather a guano sack full in a short while from the same field and was thinking seriously of sending if to the New York Cotton Exchange, at he thinks forecasts of a big crop this year are “pipe dreams.” The writer, in company with a focal farmer waa examining a field of cot ton shout two miles from tftd dty early in the week and 14 weevils were found in one blossom. It might be said in passing that Mnaasma in particular field were oonpicuous by their absence. A. R. Dunbar, of Four Mile town ship, in the Western part of the coun ty, was a visitor in the city Monday and told a representative of this paper that great damage is being done in his section. J. Q. Harley, a member of the House of P spreesntativm from Bern- well County, who farms quits snten- sively, stated Monday that from hto observation the weevil has “got this crop and gone.” Mr. Hariey, of courae does not mean that no cotton whatever will be made, but that the crop will be much shorter that waa anticipated a short time ago. So far aa* can .be learned, little or not effort has been Or is being made to combat the pest. In some instan- eca, farmers have reported that they had the squares picked up and dea- troyed and Terry Richardson, of this city, states that he is pcifdnmg with calcium arsenate 1 or 2 fields of lata cotton. He is of the opinion that It ia now too late to potion old cotton. It is undensbood that a few farmers ia other sections are also using potion to some extent, but they art in the minor ity- I "The People-Sentinel does not cars to bo branded aa a “calamity howler,* but takas the ppeition that If boQ weevil damage throughout the belt— or any large part of the balt-ti aa serious as it apparently Is in this section, unbiased reports will tend to increase the price of cotton, while, en the other hand, no amount of raeaato crop forecasts will add one boll to the final yield. Local Trapthootars , Indulge in Doublet Friday, afternoon, several members of the Barirwell Gun Club tried a new departure—shooting at doubles; that is, the trap wag set to throw two tar gets at once, the marksmen attempt ing to break both pigeons. J. J alien Bush, Esq., whe made a perfect score the previous week led in this event, breaking 21 out of 24 birds. Friday’s events were as follows: ^ Singles.—25 Targets. V Flint Squad—Jas. Julien Bush* 20; J. W. Bohler, 23; J. F. Swett, 18; M. H. Warren, 17; A. H. Mima, 18. Second Squad—P. B. Bush, 18; W. P. Franklin, 21; C. H. Dicks, 18; L. V, Brown, 17; A. H. Mims, 16. Third Squad—J. F. Swett, 16; J. W. Bohler, 19; J. J. Bush, 21; M. H. War ren, 16. Fourth Squad—P. B. Busk,- It; W. P. Franklin, 19; A. H. Mima, 16} U V, Brown, 17. 21; J. W. Bohler, 10; 9; J. F. 14 ' % \ ;’9 ~ ~ < -*