Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE LARGEST Circulation of Any Newspaper in the Fifth Congressional District of S. C. The Ledger SEMI-WEEKLY-PUBLISHED TUESDAY AND FRIDAY. WE GUARANTEE The Reliability of Every Adver tiser Who Uses the Col umns of This Paper. A Newspaper in all that the Word Implies and Devoted to the Best Interests of the People of Cherokee County. ESTABLISHED FEB. 16, 1894 GAFFNEY. S. C., TUESDAY, JUNE 16. 1903. 81.00 A YEAB. * THROUGHOUT THE PALMETTO STATE. items of Interest of Passing ^ Events. ALL OVER THE STATE. NO WAY OF AVOIDING IT. (Events that Have Taken Place from One End of the State to the Other CnUed from Exchanges for Quick Keadiag by Scores of Busy People. The case against Policeman Sere- Ten, ot Charleston, charged with •drinking while on duty, was heard be fore Chief Boyle, and ail the evidence as overwhelmingly in favor of the officer. The case was dismissed. A decree was issued in the United States circuit court at Charleston for the sale of the East Shore Terminal company and the Commercial Com press Company and its wharf prop erty, to satisfy mortgages of $1 300 - 000against the railroad and $22,719 78 against the compress company. During a storm in Spartanburg county lightning struck and ran down the stove flue in the dwelling of a negro, John Edwards, living near Beaumont. The bolt struck Ec’wards, who was inside, knocking him down and burning a portion of his foot and leg, but not fatally injuring him. R. W. McDaniel, a young white man of Lexington county, will serve the balance of his natural life iu the State prison for having taken the life of a fellowman. The Supreme Court last Thursday decided that he should not have a new trial. The court was divided, two and two, and the motion failed. The keeper of the lower range light on Paris island, near Beaufort, George Leham, fell from the platform to the ground below, a distance of 30 feet, causing instant death. He had been warned not to go to high parts of the light as he had suffered several par alytic strokes. It is thought his jfall was caused from one of these attacks. A warrant, was issued at Beaufort by Magistrate T. G. White for Janu ary Rivers, a coal black darkey, who has been acting for some time as a deputy United States marshal He is charged with obtaining money under false pretenses, having secured about $18 from D. S^bein upon a bogus check. He said he had that amount on deposit with the United States marshal in Charleston. Governor Heyward has expressed himself ae pleased at the dispensary situation in Charleston. Reports from the constabulary department show that the blind tigers in that city are not so bold as they were. The con stabulary has been more than self- supporting the last quarter, a record which it is believed has not been ex celled at any other time during the history of the dispensary law. Counsel for James H Tillman Fri day afternoon served on the solicitor the affidavits to support the motion for a change of venue, which is to be made before Judge Townsend when court assembles two weeks hence. There are about 200 of the affidavits, alleging that public sentiment in Co lumbia is such that Tillman could not secure a fair trial there. City Jailor Hewson, of Columbia, had a narrow escape from death Thursday. He was standing on the edge of the Seaboard railroad cut on Lincoln street in that city, talking to an engineer sitting in his cab. The cut at that place is about twenty-five feet deep. By some mischance Mr. Hewson lost bis balance and fell to the bottom. As if by a miracle, not a bone was broken, and beyond some painful bruises Mr. Hewson was un injured. In court at Union tbe jury in the case of Drown Rogers, for the murder of Rodger Fant at Santuc on April 5 last, came out at 2 o’clock Saturday morning and returned a verdict of guilty. Court convened Saturday morning and sentences were passed as follows: Brown Rodgers to be hanged on July 17, Jake Jeters, for killiDg Walter Nixon at Santuc on January 23 last, was sentenced to life imprisonment at hard labor in tbe penitentiary. Jim Gilmore and William Tolbert, colored, who were confined in tbe Chester jail for trial at tbe approach- log term of court, made their escape Wednesday morning about 4 o’clock. They gained their freedom by tbe use of an old case knife which had been made into a saw, and with which they cut the bars of their cell. When they had gained ingress to the hall of thn building, they at once proceeded to remove tbe bricks from tbe wall with some sharp instrument until they had a bole about 12 inches square, and through this they made their exit. It is stated by a colored boy who is now confined in jail that Gilmore and Tol bert had t '•n working on this plan of escape for Jx weeks and that he was afraid to make the fact koown. Gil more was rescued from lynchers some weeks sgo by tbe Lee Light Infantry, of Chester. Sheriff Cornwell has offered a reward for his capture and asked tbe goveroor to do tbs same. Nature of Pacolet Country Made Provision Against Disaster Impossible. [From the Now OrleansTimes-Democrat.l The elements have been impartial in their work of destruction this spring. Following close on the heels of tbe disaster in the valleys of the Kaw and the Missouri come the tale of woe from Gainesville, Ga., and the disaster along tbe Pacolet river, in South Carolina. Tbe section of country visited by this latest disas trous flood is little koown to tbe read ing public, except that portion which bas followed the movements of Fran cis Marion and other partisans in the war for independece. The battle of tbe Cowpeos occurred within a few miles ot the scene of this disaster, aod the eternal streams whose floods then fought for American indepen dence are now angrily devouring the descendants of tbe men who took ad vantage of their floods to defeat tyr anny. This section of South Carolina was among the first settled away from the coast., but its progress bas been slow, and it was not until tbe estab lishment of cotton mills in tbe South that tbe couoties of Spartanburg and Union, through which tbe Pacolet river flows on its way from Polk county in tbe neighboring State to its junction with tbe historic Broad, bad reached any importance in tbe econ omy of tihe State. Tbe manufacture of cotton added largely to both tbe wealth and population of this section, and progress bas been rapid of recent years in all directions . The Pacolet is a small stream barely discernible on tbe map and, under ordinary circumstances, is not to be considered a dangerous river, being fordable in many places under ordi nary circumstances. But it is to be remembered that in this section of the country many streams, notably tbe Roanoke, rise sixty feet in a single night, their currents being con fined between hills which in places do not admit of a spread of tbe waters. It is these confined waters which are dangerous, as is proved by tbe disaster along the Pacolet A cloudburst across tbe birder of the State threw into the stream so much water that it rose sixty feet without warning, except perhapi a single distant thunder clap, heard but unheeded by the people in the path of destruction. A crest of water sixty feet high rushed down the stream with the irresistible force of the Fundian “bore,” and every thing in the bottom lands along the stream was necessarily swept away. Such disasters are tbe result of the conformation of the country, and there is no guarding against them, i No levee system could exist against a torrent that rose sixty feet, of course, even did not the dykes force the water to a much greater height. Per sons living in these confined valleys are in the same danger as are persons living along the slope of a volcano. They are safe ordinarily, but there is no hope for them when tbe convul- i sion comes. No safeguard that hu man ingenuity can devise can be placed around them to guard against the forces of nature, and every cen tury or so these disasters must recur. Fortunately torrents in such streams are of brief duration, and tbe Pacolet is now but an insignificant stream, winding peacefully through the scenes of desolation it bas wrought. But tbe desolation is not s'* ephem eral. The means of livelihood of hundreds of people has been taken away from them and they must live until better times on the charities of > their neighbors. Fortunately tbe people of this section are of frugal habits and their needs are few, but they will feel the stress keenly never theless. The disaster coming upon the heels of other disasters will find charity somewhat blunted, but the people of that immediate section of country can be relied upon to see that the suffering is not accentuated by tbe actual pinch of starvation. Tbe information received last nigbt indi cates that the property loss is consid erably above three miliion dollars and that the loss of life will largely ex- ! ceed fifty, which was the figure first I given out as the most reliable esti mate. The flood bus been emptied into the Broad, where there will be property damaged, but haply no loss i of life. PROPERTY OF MILLS REING CONFISCATED Goods Taken from Pacolet River and Kept. LIST TO BE PUBLISHED. ROSTER OF SOLDIERS. Two FlonrlNbing Chore-hen. Services were held in all the churches in the city Sunday, but many of the people in the city at tended “children’s day” services at Goucher, and a “mission rally” at Corinth. Corinth and Goucher are two of the most flourishing churches in the county with membership of ardent workers, who are always on tbe alert for opportunities to advance their great cause; and the splendid hospitality of the people in tbe sec tions of the county where they are located add much to the pleasures of their meetings. Driven to Dm perm Mon. Living at an out of tbe way Diace, remote from civilization, a family is often driven to desperation in case of accident, resulting in Burns, Cuts, Wounds, Ulcers, etc. Lay in a sup ply of Buoklen’s Arnica Salve. It’a tbe best on earth. 25c, at Cherokee Drug Co. It is Reported that People are Rescuing from the River Property of Clifton and Pacolet Sufferers and Keeping it for their Own Use.—List to be Published. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) Etta Jane, June 10.—Mr. Editor: —In behalf of hundreds, yes, thou sands of your readers we beg to thanx you with all our heart for what you say in regard to those who are plun dering the wreck and appropriating tbe property of the storm and flood sufferers to their own use without accounting for it, and for the benefit of those it concerns, we here teproduce what you say and to which we add our hearty ameo: “We have learned with regret that in a few instances people have res cued the goods of the mills and the operatives from Pacolet river, and are trying to appropriate them to their own use. Can this bj true? Surely not in South Carolina, but if you have a neighbor guilty of such conduct watch him in your presence and keep your goods locked up if you have to leave them.” It’s as mean to take the goods of a rich’corporation and not pay for them as to rob the poor day laborer. The principle is the same so far as the thief is concerned. If there are a persons in our country who would be guilty of such a low down thing they ought to be held up to the public in their proper light, and they will be. if we find out who they are, regard less of the color of their skin or their social standing, let them be male or female. We think it nothing but right that those who have found anything should have an opportunity to tell through che press what it is—how much, and to wLom it was delivered or what they have done with it. This, we will, in the future, make a specialty of, in our letters. If those who got anything from the wreck will but let us know it, their names together with what they got will be published, and then they will have an opportu- , nity to set themselves right before tbe public. Little as some may think of it, at present it will form an important fac tor in the future life of people who are connected with the work of rescu ing tbe property of these flood suffer- ; ers. The man who finds a bale of cotton, a bolt of clotb, a box of soap, a paper of pins or anything else of value to himself or any one else, knows its rightful owner is among those flood sufferers, and if he is the right kind of a man be will make the effort to find the owner or let him know what it is he has. And any one who fails to do this is guilty of the very lowest kind of stealing. We have now a list of persons ; and the things they have found. Others can make their report so that we can publish them all at one time. Don’t any one trust bis report to be given in by some else, but see to this himself. This list will be an important document on file for future reference and those and even the children of those whose names ap pear (or do not appear) on it will be made to feel happy or miserable in which ever way it affects them. Instead of trying to profit by other people’s misfortunes and build upon tboir ruins everybody should give something for the relief of the suffer ers, and everybody who is anybody will do so, even if they have to deny themselves of some conveniences. Such a crisis has nevtr been so near us before, and it’s not our business to see what we can spare but wbat we will give, and that right now, too. “He who gives at once gives twice.” We are proud of the record our capital city has made. To all such calls for help Gaffney has re sponded with a promptness and liber ality that ebaiienge comparison any where. By the time (if not before^ ! tbe maddened waters bad ceased their work of devastation, its committees were at work in tbe city getting help for tbe destitute and suffering. Tbe action of Mayor Little is truly com mendable. His ears, heart and hands are always ready and his purse is opeeu to the calls of humanity, from what ever source they come. Some people of tbe county, too, as soon as the pressing need was made known to them did what they could to help re lieve tbe distress. Others will fol low and in tbe end all will be well. We notice that Gov. Heyward has heade i a relief fund for our sufferers with a subscription of $50. He is fol lowed by Secretary of State Jesse T. Gaott with a subscription of $25. This ii a right beginning of tbe right RolU op Records of Confederate Soldiers Desired by the War Department. All persons, either as individualf or societies, who may have in tbeii possession any of the original rolls or recOids of any kind pertaining to the Confederate soldiers who served in the army „ 1 navy from this State will please sei. i such rolls or records to me at Columbia, 8. C. Tbe war department at Washing ton, D. C., wants tbe use of these rolls and records in order to compile a roster and history of the men who served from South Carolina in tbe Confederate army and navy during tbe war between tbe States. The department will take good care of all rolls or records and return them as early as possible. I am authorized by tbe war department to collect these rolls, etc., and I will give a receipt for them if desired. The utmost care will be taken of them and they will be returned promptly when the de partment has finished with them. Most resnectfully, M. P. Tribble Com. of Confederate Rolls Record and Pension Office, War Department, Washington City, March 28, 1903. Col. M. P. Tribble, Anderson. S. C. Dear Sir:—The department hav ing been advised by Gov. Heyward on tbe 25th inst. that he will be glad to co-operate with it in the compilation of the recently authorized roster of the officers and men of the Union and Confederate armies, and that he has designated you to confer with me relative to the details of the work, I beg leave to submit the following suggestions for your consideration : A considerable collection of the rolls of South a Carolina Confederate organizations is now in the possession of this department. While that col lection does not by any means show all the names of the officers and men who were in the Confederate service from South Carolina, and while it does not show the complete military histories of those whose names it does show, it is hoped that the list of names and the histories of individual officers and men can be made much more nearly complete by record evi dence obtainable from oth r original rolls that may now be in the posses sion of the State of South Carolina, or of historical societies, memorial associations and individuals of South Carolina and other States. The legislation authorizing tbe com pilation of the roster is construed by the department to restrict it, it mak ing the compilation, to the use of original records made during the war period, and to preclude the use of printed or manuscript copies or com pilations made subsequently. For this reason, and in order that there shall be no ground for doubt as to the accuracy of the proposed roster, the department will be unable to use in the compilation any of the rosters that have heretofore been published, but must in all cases seek the origi nal records upon which those rosters were based. You will readily see that, in order that tbe compilation now in progress shall be as nearly complete as it is possible to make it, it is essetial that tbe war department shall obtain the temporary loan, for the purpose of copying, of any original official rolls, lists or other documents that show the names of Confederate officers and men that are now in the custody of State officials, historical or memorial associations, public or private libra ries, or that are in the possession of private citizens. It is impracticable for the war de partment to communicate with the various .holders of these scattered records, and consequently tbe depart ment most rely upon each State to collect, by loan or otherwise, such records of its own or other Confeder ate organizations as may be obtain able within tbe State, and to forward tbe collection when completed to this denartment, by which the records will be copied and returned to tbe State with tbe least possible delay. Of course, the express charges inci dent to shippiog records to and from the State will be defrayed by the de partment. If it occurs to you that a different plan from that indicated herein should be adopted, or if during the progress of tbe work you can make any suggestion tending to facilitate or improve it, you will confer a favor upon the department aod myself by advising me freely and fully with re gard to your views. Very respectfully, F. C. Ainsworth. Brigadier General U. S. A., Chief Record and Pension Office. THROUGHOUT THE TAR HEEL STATE, From the Mountains to The Sea. NORTH CAROLINA NEWS. PLANS FOR PACOLET. President Montgomery Outlines Future Operation of the Mills. [Correspondence of Atlanta Journal.! Spartanburg, 8. C., June 9—At least one of the Pacolet mills will be rebuilt This announcement was was made to me by President Victor Montgomery, who also outlined in full his plan of relief and future operations. Mr. Montgomery will meet with his directors and prominent stockholders in Spartanburg this afternoon. His plan will then be ap proved and put into operation at the Interesting Items Concerning Oar Neigh bors Beyond the Line Which May Frov* once. This morning he gave me following statement: ‘ You may say that Kntertainlug Readtiig Ledger Readers for Hundreds of kind of men. L 8. And money, by the way, aometimei talks with a trifle too much heat. Gaffney Guests at Clemson Hop. Among tbe most popular visitors who attended tbe commencement dance at Clemson College were Sans L. Fort and Misses Frances Fort, Ethel Sarratt aod Edith Fort, of Gaff ney. These three young ladles were among the six who were goeats in tbe charming aod hospitable home of President and Mrs. Mell, on tbe col lege campus. There was a wreck on the Carolina Central Railroad, near Steel’s Mills Saturday afternoon about 1 o’clock. A through freight ran into a local freight standing on the track Two box cars were demolished. No one was injured Saturday morning in Durham a ne gro bov by the name of Bill Cash, about 14 years of nue, was cut by a white boy named John Smith. The latter is about 12 years of age and is now in the guard house, while the ne gro is being treated at the Lincoln Hosital at that place. The third negro to win educational honors at the New Haven, Conn., school is William Augustine Perry, of Tarbon , who has just been chosen salutatorian of the graduating class at the Hopkins Grammar School in that city. He is 20 years old and is said to be one of the brightest youths in the school. He went there last fall after graduating from the 1st. Augustine Academy at Raleigh. Van Griffin, the colored sleuth of Mecklenburg, has brought another of his race to grief. He went to Wil mington Saturday and caused the ar rest of John Horn, of Otarlotte, who made his escape from the Mecklen burg chaingang May 12th, 1897, after having served only a month or two of a three-years’ sentence for breaking up a religious meeting. The prisoner was taken to Charlotte. An anti saloon leaene hqs or ginized ut Spencer. ho<I ’ 'he decision of the court in iu« ul C. W. Pool, the Salisbury saloon keeper who sent whiskey there to a minor on an order by ’phone, may be, the end is not yet, for the people of Spencer are determined that their charter rights shall be respected, and they will not submit to any attempt upon the part of Salisbury saloon keepers to sell whiskey there. The Supreme Court Wednesday found no error in the judgment of tbe Perquimans Superior Court that James E. Wilcox was guilty of mur der in the second degree of Nellie Cropsey, of Elizabeth City, and must serve 80 years in the penitentiary. Justice Connor writes the opinion, which is unanimous, and quotes the opinion in the Cluverius case from Virginia. This is the second time the Supreme Court has passed on this case, tbe first time a new trial was awarded, the defendant having been convicted of murder iu the first de gree and sentenced to death. Fate Langley, who bad bis prelimi nary trial in Wilson Friday afternoon for being implicated in the killing of Percy Jones, has been placed in jail, ! he not being able to give the requirea bond. Frank Dixon, held on a similar charge, who was to have had a pre liminary hearing Saturday morning, waived examination and gave bond in tbe sum of $200 for his appearance at court. From tbe examination it ap pears that Langley, Ward’s clerk, re ceived word from bis employer to de stroy the gun used by Jones. He made a confidant of Dixon and in this way tbe information came to tbe ears . of Solicitor Daniels. At Melroie, at tbe foot of Saluda mountain, on the Spartanburg & Asheville division of tbe Southern, Friday, the mountain slid off on tbe track and piled up on it two or three feet deep for a space of sev eral hundred yards. Huge boulders, loosened by the rains, continued to roll down for hours. The landslide was between No. 9, passenger train from Spartanburg, and Asheville. No. 10 was sent from Asheville to transfer the passengers, but the rails parting on the deluged track half way to Hendersonville, the train was de railed, engine, baggage, mail and second class coaches rolling down an embankment. No one was hurt, strange to say. There was considerable excitement | in tbe western section of Ashevillfc Friday nigbt when it became known that a young girl, Neola Boone, bad ^tempted to commit suicide. Officers who were summoned found that the girl bad shot herself In tbe side, with thf result that a wound was inflicted fro... which she may not recover. Sheriff Reed said that be had not talked with tbe girl himself, but bad been told that tbe girl assigned for; her act that a young man who lives near Weaverville bad accomplished her ruin and that she .therefore want ed to die. Tbe young woman bad been summoned as a witness by tbe State in tbe Herren-Brltt shooting affray as it was said she knew a good detl about the trouble. Pacolet mill No 3 will be rebuilt at once. We have already employed a large num ber of men and are giving all able- bodied people employment who can use a pick and clear debris. It will probably be three months until the mill is running again. Contracts will be signed at once for the com pletion and restoration of tbe mill. Pacolet is not near in such a de plorable situation as ^Clifton. We lost mills No.l and 2 totally. Mill No. 3{wh8 terribly damaged. But we lost no mill houses and none of our peo ple suffered loss, except their oppor tunity to earn money has been de stroyed until we get No. 3 to running again. “My plan is this: Instead ot ask ing for cash contributions, which are really not needed, we ask all neigh boring mills to take our employes^ pay their traveling expenses to their mills and give them employment for three months. The mills which have agreed to this will charge the em ployes nothing for the railroad ex penses provided they remain with them for the three months full time and afterwards return to us to oper ate our No. 3 mill. Of course we will charge no house rent to any op eratives now in our employ who wish to remain at Pacolet and wait for the mill to begin running again. There will be some who will take advantage of this latter proposition, as many of our mill hands have quite a lot of money saved up and on de posit with us, which will pay their expenses, as they svi" ' jv- no rent to pay. “1 have asked all mius to consent to this scheme of aid rather than to make cash contributions, for you will at o^ce see that it is better to get employment for idle people than to make them paupers by giving them money. There is absolutely no suf fering at Pacolet at present. “Of course there will be cases of destitution if no relief is distributed, but these are isolated instances. I have been asked to take charge of all contributions which will be made. I have selected one man to be my representative He is our credit man at tbe mill store and knows every employe personally. All money and provisions and other supplies will be placed solely iu bis bands and he will Juse his own judgment, which cannot be questioned on account of bis experience and knowledge of the situation. “We are deeply grateful to all who eave aided. In a moment of this character, I cannot fail to express my appreciation and gratitude to tbe Atlanta Journal for its magnificent work, especially at Gainesville. Your paper responded quickly and nobly and its good work cannot be esti mated by myself, but must find its reward in the full consciousness of having fed many (a hungry mouth and eased many an aching body. “I believe employment is the key note to the whole situation at Paco let. Idleness is the working man’s worst enemy. As soon as he is given work and realizes he is making money, he is happy and satisfied. While our loss is great in a financial i way, I thank God that che loss of life is nothing like it was at Gainesville or at Clifton. We are face to face with a stem reality,but we will meet it without delay or bitter complaint.” High Watern In Miiusoarl. ,* (Correspondence ot The Ledger.) Hannibal, Mo. June 8. 1903. Ed. Ledger:—Please allow me a lit tle space in your paper to let the people In that part of the country know of a sad accident that we had here today. The steamer “Flying Eagle” was wrecked at tbe Wabash railroad bridge at 10:30 a. m. with about three hundred people on board, nearly all of whom were saved. There are only four mitsing that we know of. Tbe wreck was caused by high water here at Hannibal. All of tbe Burlington trains are waterbound between here and St. Louis, and the water is running over tbe levees on the Illinois side. With best wishes from an old Gaff ney boy, Brooks Porter. Tbe driver of a closed motor car re cently noticed that his passengers bad slipped down onto tbe floor. On opening tbe door be discovered that they bad been completely overcome by tbe fumes from tbe motor. Ota, ¥••! You wish you bad ordered Brans- ford’s “Clifton” flour for to day, but you didn’t. It isn’t our fault; we had plenty of it ready to deliver at your order. Don’t get caught napping next time. W. J. Wilkins <fc Co. L- w . V’y 'ir. .