The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, March 26, 1891, Image 1
- T A -- NEWBERRY, S. C., THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1891.P
T A LIASHED 1860.- ___- -
THE COOSAW CASE.
The State Cannot Consent to the Resump
tion of Mining by the Coosaw Company
Unless the Lessees of the State Are
Permitted to Mine Also.
[Special to the News and Courier.1
CoLUMBIA, March I8.-The phos
phate commission met to-day at 1' i.;
present, all the members. Senator
Smythe came up to represent the Coo
saw Company. Mr. H. A. M. Smith
and Mr. F. E. Brotherhood also came
up to-day and had a hearing before the
board.
The correspondent of the News znd
Courier made a proposition that he be
permitted to be present and take full
stenographic notes of the proceedings,
which would also be the property of
the commission. Governor Tillman
announced this proposition, stating
that he personally had no objection.
Senator Smythe also did not object.
The objection was, however, made by
members of the board that other news
paper correspondents might ask the
same privilege, and that colored and
incorrect statements might go out to
the press.
Senator Smythe said that he had no
objection to the presence before the
commission of H. A. M. Smith and Mr.
Brotherhood.
The commission has so far given out
all of its proceedings to the press, and
the rule was not broken to-day. Attor
ney General Pope either reads the
minutes of the meeting to the report
ers or makes an abstract of the same.
The special business of the commis
sion to-day was to consider the reply
of Mr. Robert Adger to the last letter
from the commission and also to hear
Senator Smythe. The following is the
letter of Mr. Adger:
OFFICE OF THE COOsAw 31INING CO.,
Charleston, S. C., March 17, ISS1.
Hon. B. R. Tillman, Governor and
Chairman Board of Phosphate Com
missioners, Columbia, S. C.
Dear Sir-Your favor of the 16th in
!stant, stating that the board were not
-willing to arrange with the Coosaw
Wining Company to resume operations
under your supervision unless other
companies were allowed to mine in the
t rritory claimed by us, is received this
morning.
I regret that we cannot consent to
the conditions imposed by the board.
The proposition of the Coosaw Com
pany was made in good faith as a busi
ness offer, but to be entered into with
out prejudice to the rights of any
party.
The issue in the case is whether the
Coooaw Company has the continuing
right to exclusively occupy the terri
tory in Coosaw River. This right we
are seeking to enforce in the courts. To
consent, pending the litigation, to
waive this right, and allow that to be
done which w are asking to forbid,
will, as I am advised, practically put
us out of court.
Another practical reason also governs
our action.
You must bear in mind that the
million and a quarter of dollars royalty
which we have paid the State repre
sents that many tons of phosphate rock
removed from Coosaw River, morle
than the entire amount taken from all
the rest of the State's territory. .This
has, of course, seriously dimninirhed
the original deposit.
With careful management and pur
suing the systern we have always fol
lowed we hope that there is enough left
to supply us our average production
for a limited time to comne. But if other
.companies are allowed to mine in it
under general rights iicenses the result
in a short time wvill be to ruin the re
maining deposit.
The damage to us would be irrepara
ble, and we are sincere in saying that
if such licenses are permitted to mine
until the end of the litigation, expedite
as we may, we would not care to ex
pen-i the amount necessary to conduct
the suit to obtain decree securing us
the exclusive ' t we claim.
As a prof of our sincerity in this
opinio-ie oflered the board, before
anLEtion was taken by them' in this
S matter, the use of a complete mining
plant with which to make such a sur
vey and examination of our territory,
under their uncontrolled supervision,
as they might desire.
We are sincerely desirous of making
some arrangement with the hoard. It
appears to us from your letter that this
could be effected, but for the licensees
referred to therein. We fail to see why
their interest should be the cause of
preventing a satisfactory adj ustament
by which, pending the litigation, loss,
both to the State and the Coosaw Com
pany, could be avoided.
I am yours very truly,
Rouwr Am)nam,
Chief Manager of the Coosaw Mining
Company.
Mr. Smythe was then heard, and
afterwards Mr. H. A. M. Smith and
Mr. Brotherhood appeared before the
commission. At nearly 3 o'clock the
commission took a recess until later in
the afternoon, the impression left on
the press being that the negotiations
had been broken oft.
The rock on which the negotiations
were wrecked appears to be that the
Legislature instructs the commission
to perform a specific duty, i. e., to open
up the Coosaw territory to miniers
generally. Licenses have been granted
to several companies to rmine in Coo
saw territory under the act. and-the
State cannot now revoke such licenses
without impairing its obligations with
its licensees.
The genesis of the difficulty ante
dates the phosphate commission. It is
probably wasting time to criticise tihe
pahost ommision, which is a
creation of an act of the Legislature de
firing both its powers and duties.
Mr. H.. A. M. Smith, after the ses
sion, would not or could not be inter
viewed-most probably would not.
Senator Sinythe said that the line of
what he had to say was included in the
above ktter. Mr. Brotherhood said
that he would probably have a roasted
duck for supper, which he said he
would dichotontize, -o to speak, with
this correspondent. The struthio
camelus, however, does not usually sup
on canards.
AN OFFICIAL REPORT.
Attorney General Pope, secretary of
the phosphate commission, dictated
the following to the representative of
the News and Courier as the substance
of the proceedings before--the morning
and afternoon session of the phosphate
commission:
"The public has been apprised of the
fact that Mr. Adger, chief manager of
the Coosaw Company, had declined by
telegram the proposition made to him
by the board of phosphate commission
ers of this State. In a letter received
by the commission to-day and read be
fore the commission, the line of thought
of the telegram is enlarged upon. The
proposition ti. . the Hon. A. T. Smythe
be heard before the commission was
acceded to, and Mr. Smythe appeared
to-day and presented his views, the
board hearing him with great atten
tion. Mr. H. A. M. Smith also came
before the board, after which an ad
,journment was had until the afternoon.
At this latter session the following
resolution was passed:
"Resolced, That Governor Tillman,
as chairman of the board, be requested
to write a reply to the communication
of Mr. Adger this day received.
"The board also requested the Attor
ney General of the State and his asse
ciate counsel, Mr. George S. Mower, to
take such steps as to the case now
pending in the United States Court as
will protect the interests of the State of
South Carolina. The board then ad
joutned."
Governor Tillman said to-night that
he would not write the reply of the
commission to the Coosaw Company
until to-morrow. In the light of the
occurrences of to-day, however, it does
not require much ratiocination to infer
that it will be a letter of rejection of the
overtures of the t oosaw Company. In
fact, it was understood, from Senator
Smythe before he left here this after
noon that the proposition had been
non-concurred in. It was learned also
that Mr. H. A. M. Smith, who, he
said, represents one of the licensees,
appeared before the commissioners this
afternoon, and that Mr. Smythe did
not so appear. -
Mr. Brotherhood, of the Carolina
Company, which has license to dig in
Coosaw territory, was asked what he
proposed to do. He said that he pro
posed to obey the law, and for the pres
ent would not go up on the waters of
Coosaw.
From stray remarks made to-night
it is learned that the attorneys for the
State do not and will not admit the
jurisdiction of the United States in the
premises; so there's another brand-new
howdydo. A ttorney General Pope can
not be interviewed on the qluestion as to
how he wvill act, as per instruction
of the phosphate commission. The
curious can now go ahead and guess
whether the commission will take the
bull bys tbe horns or the fish by the
tail.
MIr. H. A. M. Smith will leave
Columbia for Charleston. His business
before the commission, which was
begun at the morning session, wvas con
cluded in the afternoon at the Execu
tive Mansion, where the second meet
ing was beld. After hearing Mr. Smith
the board went into private session and
took the action stated above by Attor
ney General Pope.
As the case now stands the State will
either file a demurrer to the jurisdic
tion of the Federal Court, or answer
the bill already in on its merits, nieither
of whieb mxay be done until May. Of
course, this is providling that no unu
sual or summary process of settlement
be em ployed by the phosphate comn
GovER.NoR TILLI,MAN M1AKES THE RE
PLYx To TH1E LETTER OF MiR. ADGER.
(Cotu Ir mA, March 19.-By resolution
of the board of phosphate commllissionl
ers Governor Tilhuian wvas authorized
to reply to the letter of Mr. Robert
Adger, whose letter on behalf of the
(oosaw C'ompany ws p)ublished to-day
in the News and Courier. Governor
Tillman wrot( this ultra ultimatum to
night, of which the following is a copy:
CoLu m lA, S. C., March 19, 1891.
To Mr. Robert Adger, Chief Manager
of the Coosaw Miniing Company,
Charleston, S. C.:
Dear Sir-Your letter of March 17
camne drtly to hand :i,d was submitted
to the board of phosphate comnmission
ers yesterday. We also held at confer
ence with Mr. Smyvthe, your represen
tative, in which the qjuestions at issue
were fully and freely discuissed.
There are in this case two main ob
jcts to which the phosphate commiis
sioni mrust dlirect its attention izi order
the State's rights and interests.
The issue is not wvhethier the Coosaw
Company shall have a continuing
right to exclusively occupy the terri
tory in Coosaw~ River, as you say, but
irst, whether the State has now, or
shaldl ever have, powVer to raise the
royalty on phosphate rock.
Second. WNhet her the monopoly
which would thus practically be given
to tihe Con a Companyv shall be eon
tinuted?
i e (Coo'saw C'ompanv has "'a con
tract" with the State of South.Caro
deposit at $1 a ton, it is idle to think of
increasing the royalty as against min
ers outside of that river.
And if the monopoly hitherto
possessed by the Coosaw Company, by
means of which it has practically ab
sorbed the Sea Island Chemical Com
pany and the Oak Point Mines Com
pany, shall be allowed to continue, it
is only a question of time when the
other three companies will be forced to
suspend operations or be likewise ab
sorbed.
The main question is as to the right
to increase the royalty, for our obser
vation of the mining around Beaufort
has led us to believe that exclusive
rights are not detrimental to the State's
int,rests and that it would be best for
the State and the miners were all the
mining done by one company.
I would call your attention to the
fact that your offer to allow us the use
of one of your dredges with which to
test and make examination of the ter
ritory hitherto occupied by you could
not be accepted, because the offer in
volved the payment by the State of the
mining expenses and promised so little
practical knowledge that we did not
feel authorized to make such expendi
ture.
Whether there is much or little rock
in the Coosaw River is not at present a
matter for our cons&deration. Whether
there is a variatlon in grade which re
quires peculiar skill, possessed by your
superintendent alone, to mine profit
ably is not the issue.
The ruinous lawsuit which your
company has inaugurated, and the
tenacity with which it fights for this
territory, will rather influence men's
opinions as to its -value. It was our
earnest desire and hope to have saved
the company from such loss and the
State a decrease of revenue. But the
question by your act has to be decided
by the Courts, and neither the dignity
nor welfare of the State could be main
tained, as we see it, had we agreed to
the proposal you made.
Realizing how heavy must be the
loss to your company in the deteriora
tion of the plaut and disorganization of
labor, we would further suggest that,
pending the lawsuit, you take a license
to mine outside of the disputed terri
tory along with the other companies
which have been driven out of Coosaw
by the injunction of the United States
Court, as it is possible you may thus
make running expenses. This is not a
disinterested uggestion, but it is made
in good faith. Yours respectfully,
]5. R. TILLMAN.
Governor and Chairman Board Phos
phate Commissioners.
IRONY AND INCONSISTENCY.
[Special to The State.]
CHARLESTON, S. C., March 20.-The
Governor's answer to the Coosaw Com
pany created considerable comment
here to-day. The irony of it was en
joyed and applauded, but the inconsis
tency of its various portions was severe
ly criticised. T1he Coosaw Company
maintains a stiff' upper lip, to all ap
pearances.
BEEN VOTING SINCE MADIsON'S TIME
And stopped Drinking Whiskey When He
Was Eighty.
PITTsBcRG, March 15.-Westerni
Pennsylvania has some very old citi
zens. Jacob Steel, of Masontown, Fay-i
ette county, is 102 years old. He voted
for James Madison, and has voted for
every Democratic Presidential candi
date since. Mr. Steel lives with his
daughter, Mrs. Sally Bise, a well-pre
served lady of 75. His age is authenti
cated by his first marriage certificate
and by the records of an old-time jus
tice of the peace which are still extant.
His first marriage occurred in 1812,
when Mr. Steel was 24 years of age. HeI
never used tobacco, but was a great
whiskey drinker until his 80th year,
when he stopped because the quality of
the liquor sold then in Fayette County
had so deteriorated that he could not
drink it. He numbers among his
descendants ten children, thirty-eight
grandchildren, seventy great-grand
children, and some of the fifth genera
tion. Mr. Steel expects to vote for the
Democratic candidate for President in
1892.
The A pril number of Demnorest'sFam
i!y~ Magazhne contains a splendid arti
cle on Physical Culture, by Prof. E. B.
Warman, A. M., giving a course of
exercises, profusely illustrated, which
will help everybody-man, woman or
child - to acquire a graceful supple
form, and without going to a gymna
sium, or even spending acent for ap
paratus. And this is not the only at
traction of this excellent magazine:
"The Land of Our Next Neighbor, The
Care of Palmis in the Drawing-Room,
How A rt Students Live in New York,
G~rotesque Ways of Decorating Easter
Eggs, Kite-Flying (for the boys), all
handsomely illustrated, several capital
stories, a fine article on~ Thinness-Its
Causes anid Cure,by Susanna WV. Dodds,
M. D., are a fewv of its other features,
anl there 'are nearly three hundred
illustrations, including a full-page
water-color Easter card. As an all
aroundl "family" magazine, this one
cannot be beat: there is something in
every number for father, mother, and
every one of the children; and it is
only $2 per year. Published by WV. Jen
nings D)emorest, 15 East 14th Street,
New York.
When Macbeth ironically asked,
"Cast thou minister to a mind dis
eased?" he little knew that mankind
would one day be blessed with Ayer's
Sarsaparilla. I y rifyig the blood,
this powerfu;.terative give'-4one and
strength to every function and faculty
NE_..DED IMPROVEMENTS. i1
The Report of the City Fathers of New
berry on Water Works and
Electric Lights.
At a meeting of the citizens of the
town, held January 22nd, 1S91, it was
referred to the Mayor and Aldermen
to ascertain and report to a future meet.- r
iug, to be called by the chairman, the
feasibility of having both water works
and electric lights in the town of New
berry. t
According the Mayor and Aldermen
have procured such information as they
could with reference to the matter re
ferred to them.
Mr. Wm. C. Whitner, a competent
civil engineer, and part owner of the t
water works and electric plant of the
city of Anderson, visited our town,
made some surveys, and inspected the
sources of water supply, and at the re
quest of Council wrote the following1
communication: t
'In reply to your request to give you l
some idea of the cost of a system of
water works and electric lights for your t
city, I beg leave to submit the follow
ng:
"A system of water works giving
your city complete protection from fire t
and furnish an abundant supply of
water for domestic purposes would cost
about $48,000. Sush a system would
extend all over the city, and give pro
tection through about 60 double nozzle
hydrants. The ordinary pressure from
the stand-pipe in the business portion f
of the;town would be about 55 pounds,
which would throw a stream 75 feet s
high. The pumps would -be in dupli- t
cate, and of such capacity as to furnish
not less than four (4) hydrant streams.
"A system of electric lights, furnish- r
ing both arc and incandescent lights
for streets and domestic lights, would 1
cost about. $15,000. Such a system
would consist of duplicate machinery,
and would be so arranged that the
street lights could be operated indepen
dent of domestic lights and vice versa. i
"If both plants were combined so as
to be operated together, they could be 9
built for $60,000, and this would be far f
the most economical arrangement for
operation. With both plants combined e
you ought to be able to get your streets a
lit by elictricity for about the same sum t
you are now paying, besides giving y
your citizens an opportunity to light
their business houses and residences s
with this convenient and superior c
light. One of the greatest advantages t
arising from combining the plants, is, t
that your engineer is always at his -poat t
during the night with a full supply of t
steam, and can on a moments notice,
put his pumps to work, in the event a
there should be a large conflagration f
exhausting the supply of water in the t
stand-pipe and thus decreasing the ef- e
fective pressure. This arrangement is e
very desirable, and is apt to have con
siderable weight with insurance com-(
panies in reducing their rates."c
Mr. J. L. Fitzgerald, a civil engineerr
of Schenectady, N. Y., writes as fol-i
lows:
"The probable cost of a cheap systemi
of water works for your city will be e
about $40,000. This includes every- t
thing. Should you wish a better fire
protection than the above estimate will e
effect the expenditure of $10,000 more c
will give one of the best in the country. t
The electric light plant will cost from
$8,000 to $10,000, depending upon the
number of lights and the system
adopted." -
The above estimates are based upon I
the idea that the town would own and
operate the plant. To do this the town i
would have to issue bonds by act of th'e s
Legislature covering the amount of
$60,000, or whatever sum might be I
agreed upon, thus entailing a tax for
the yearly payiment of the in terest there
.on, less such sums as might be realized
E
in the way of income from private con
sumners after paying running expenses.
What this income would be would de
pend entirely upon the success with
which the plant could be run, the
amount of patronage from private con
sumers, &c. It might be made so suc
cessful as greatly to decrease tbe tax
necessary to pay the interest on the
bonds, but it is a question as to how 1
far mnunicipalities are prepared to oper
ate such works successfully.
Another, and possible a better plan
by which we may have both electric
lights and water works, is to give to
some company a franchise for a numn
er of years, granting them the exclu
sive privilege for such number of years
of operating such works, and contract- I
ing on the port of the town to pay sot
much each year for water and lights. ~
Such an arrangement exists at Aflder
son, Spartanburg, and in other townst
and cities of the State, and would cost
our town anywhere from $3,500 to c
$4,500 per year, decreasing possibly for n
a numnber y<ars as the income of the
company is increased by individual
e
consumers. An act of the Legislature ~
would be necessary to raise the incomet
for this purpose as we now go to our
charter limit in the matter of taxation.
In this connection it will be well,
probably, to read a proposition madec
by Mr. Paul Hemphill to the town of c
c
Chester as illustrative of the idea above I
advanced.e
MfR. H EM PHI L L's PROPOSITION. f;
STATE OF SoITTH CAROLINA, c
COUNTY oF CH EsTEn. s
To the Mayor and Wardens oIf the ti
Town of Chester, in County of Ches- a
ter and State aforesaid: i
GENTLE3MEN: I, Paul Hemph ill, of
the town and County of Chester and n
State aforesaid, whose name is hereto ti
attached, acting for myself and my ti
assigns, herewith respectfully ask you ii
to grant me, my heirs and assigns the ta
folloineg p-rvileges, in return for n1
vhich I hereby make certain propo-)
itions asspecified below :
1st. I ask the privilege to use the
resent and future streets, alleys and
horoughfares, of the town of Chester,
. C., for the purpose of laying water
Lud gas pipes, hydrants, laterals, checks
rnd valves, and the erection of lamp
osts for gas and poles or posts for car
ying electric wires and lamps for light
.nd wires for connections and power.
2nd. In consideration of the great
xpense we will be obliged to incur and
he improbability of such works paying
.nything above expenses for some
-ears to come, and the benefit and sav
ug it will be to the citizens by reduc
og the rates of insurance, and also in
onsideration of the further sum of
wenty-five dollars which I will pay
o the town of Chester, S. C., on de
nand, I ask that this privilege be made
xclusive for thirty (30) years and that
he property and works which I or my
ssigns may erect in connection with
he conduct of the said works, be re
eased from all town taxation for the
eriod of five years from their comple
ion. Furthermore, that when the
as mains are laid or the electric light
vires are placed, and either or both
lants are running, the town will agree
o use either the one or the other or
oth, as the case may be, to light the
treets, alleys or thoroughfares in
>lace, as far as possible, of the present
asoline lamps, provided the light fur
tished by me or my assigns is good.
3d. Whenever excavations are made
or the laying of pipes, laterals, by
rants or posts or poles on any of the
treets; alleys or thoroughfares of the
own, the said streets, alleys or thor
ughfares shall ' left in as good con
ition as before the excavations were
nade.
4th. On the granting of these privi
eges, a charter under our State laws
vill be applied for, and a joint stock
onpany will be organized to be known
s the Chester Water, Light and Power
,ompany, for the purpose of supply
ug the Inhabitants of the town of
hester with water, lights and power.
'he water to be used for general and
ire purposes, the lights to be either
as or electric or both, to be used
ither for public or private purposes,
nd the power either to be gas or elec
ric, to be used for any puroose to
hich such power may be appli:d.
5th. In the forms*i,n of the joint
tock company the citizens of the town
f Chester shall have for 30 days after
be books of subscription are opened
he right to subscribe to the stock of
ie company before outside'subscrip=
ions shall be received.
6th. Should work not be commenced
n construction within twelve months
rom the granting of the charter then
his priviege shall be null and void,
therwise to remain in full force and
ifect.
7th. Should the town at any time
luring the exclusive privilege granted,
lesire to own the plant or plants that
aay be erected by me or my assigns,
Smay acquire the same by paying for
5., at a valuation to be fixed by arbi
ration of three experts, one of whom
Sto be chosen lay the Town Council,
ne by mie or my assigns, and the
bird by the other two.
8th. That I, my heirs and assigns,
bail have two years within which to
omplete for use the water works and
ne or the other plants for use; and
hat I, my heirs or assigns, shall have
bree years from the granting of the
rivilege with which to complete the
lant for the other light work and
lower, and that in case said plant is
Lot completed within the three years,
hat the privilege as to that light and
>ower shall lapse for non uses, and
hat I, my heirs and assigns, shall fur
ish water and lights at rates com men
urate with the rates charged for said
later and lights by other companies
vith like privileges by other towns of
ike size in this State.
PAtL HEMPHILL.
At the request of Council two civil
ngineers have examined the sources of
rater supply for the town, and both
gree that either branch of Scott's
:reek, striking them at a point above
he town so as to avoid contamination,
vill furnish an abundance of water,
nd a committee of Council who visited
he city of Anderson while investigat
ag this question reports that the water
upply for tbat city comes from a creek
Lke in size and location to Scott's
:reek, and that the water works in
nderson seems to be very successful
nd quite satisfactory to the citizens.
~he only other source of water supply
Sfrom artesian wells, or a system of
riven wells, but as to the cost of these
le have been unable to get any defi
ite information for the reason that we
ave no such wells in our section of
be country. If our water supply could
e had from such wells it might prove
inch more acceptable than water from
de creek, or from any other surface
urce. The difficulty is as to the un
ertainty of procuring it, and the prob
ble largely increased cost.
As before said, a committee of Coun
il visited the city of Anderson. This
:mm'ittee was highly p)leased with
ie water works. The city is lighiLed
y the incandescent system of lighting
hich, while far superior to the old
'stems of lighting by lamps, did not
>mne up to the expectations of the
:mmittee, and the committee was im
ressed with the fact that arc lights,
specially on the more public thorough
res, would have been far better. A
nmbination, if p)ossible, of the two
~stmi would be better-the arc lights
>be usedl mainly for street lighting,
nd the incandescent light for build
igs.
The Counc'il has receivedl a vast num
umber of conmmunications from par
es interested in wvater works and elee
'ic lights, but none of theum cot in
iformation more defllinite thani is con
ined in this report. Respect fully sub
itte by 'lir COUNCIL. 1
GEN. WADE HAMPTON.
Candid and Interesting Talk With a Col
ored Journalist.
[New York Sun.]
PETERSBURG, Va., March 16.-As
the Coast Line limited express slowly
crawled out of the Baltimore and Poto
mac depot at Washington the other
morning, I became conscious of two in
teresting facts, Gen. William Mahone
of Virginia, and Gen. Wade Hampton
of South Carolina were passengers
with me. Further, I found to my sur
prise that Gen. Wade Hampton and
myself occupied the same section in
the Pullman sleeping car. Gen. Ma
hone and his family occupied the se6
tion opposite to us. He got off at Al
exandria. He does not spend much
time at his Petersburg home now, but
he lives at the national capitol and
makes frequent excursions to Alexan
dria. Every one with whom I have
conversed appears to believe that the
political grip of the famous Readjuster
has been loosened, and color is given to
this opinion by the fact that he is no
longer active in affairs in the Fourth
Congress district, where there is war to
the knife between him and Col. James
D. Brady, the Collector of Internal
Revenue and member of the National
Republican Committee, and Congress
man John Langston, whom the black
and colored voters swear by.
Gen. Mahone does not appear to
have grown old fast during the past
eight years. His long hair and expan
sive beard are slightly streaked with
gray, but his step is quick and light,
and he seems on mighty good terms
with himself. His overcoat was heav
ily fringed with black fur; he wore a
cream colored slouch hat, and his gai
ters were low cut, setting off his very
small foot and exceedingly high instep.
After we passed Alexandria I took
my seat by the side of Gen. Wade
Hampton and asked him if he would
talk on general politics, as he had just
terminated his long Senatorial career.
He was not at all averse. He is a very
venerable and dignified looking man.
His snow white hair, Burnside whis
kers, and black slouch hat gave him a
patriarchal appearance. He wore a suit
of gray.
"I am in favor of free coinage of sil
ver," he said. "It should be of the full
standard measure, however. I don't
think the silver question will be one of
the leading questions in the campaign
next year. I think the next Congress
will dispose of the matter. There is
sucn a general demand for legislation
favorable to silver that it cannot be dis
regarded. No; I do not think it will
play much of a part in the next cam
paign."
"What about the Farmers' Allience?"
"Well, it will not amount to much
in the politics of the future, because its
schemnes are impracticable and because
it is manipulated by demagogues. I
bave always been in favor of the farm
ers having more organizations among
themselves for their own benefit. I
am a farmer myself and naturally sym
pathize with the farmers. I want to
see them prosper, and am in favor of
any organization among th'em that
will eff'ect this result. I do not think
that anything in this line can be ac
complished by the Farmers' Alliance.
On the contrary, I think that it will
work great damage to the interest of
the farmers. The legislative relief they
seek is class-legislatiQn of the simplest
kind, and that sort of legislation is
always objectionable on general prin
ciples and at variance with our methods
of government."
"What in fiuence would such legisla
tion as the Farmers' Alliance demand
have upon our system of government."
"If it were possible to conceive of
any such legislation as the Sub-Treasu
ry, the bonded warehouse, and other
schemes, it would inevitably lead us
into endless confusion and ultimately
bankruptcy. There could not possibly
be any other result from it. But it
dloes not seem probable tome that any
such legislation is at all possible."
"General, 1.ow do you account for
the fact that the South, which has al
ways been opposed to class legislation
and paternalism in government, has
gone mad over the Farmers' Alliance
schemes?"
"I cannot explain the matter." Sen
ator Hampton replied. "The farmers
have bad a hard time of it during the
past few years. They have not made
any money. They are burdened with
:lebt. They want relief, and, unfortu
nately, imagine that they can secure it
rrom the general Government."
"What infiuence will the Farmers'
Alliance exercise upon the Presidential
dection next year?"
"Very little, if any. National elec
:ions are only affected by national
ssues. The issues raised by the Alli
tuce are local and class rather than na
;ional. I do not think the Presidential
luestion of next year will be materially
tffected by any action the Farmners'
Xlliance may take. The fight will be
etween the two old parties, as usual."
"Has your experience in the Senate
>een a pleasant one?"
"Well, yes; very pleasant. I do not
>elieve there is a Republican in the
5enate who does not regret that I have
>een displaced, especially among the
>lder ones. My relations with both
hides of the Senate have been most
~ordial. I think my record has been
mnique in at least one respect. Of the
;o measures reported by me, as Chair
uan of the Committee on Military
Xihirs, not one of them was acted
I pou1 adversely by the Senate.
"What are my future plans, politi
.ily? I have none. I have done with
whlir. fiairs T must now look after
my personal affairs, which have been
long neglected."
But the leading newspapers in your
State nominated you for Goveenor the
moment Irby was nominated to suc
ceed you in the Senate."
"I know that. But I am not a can
didate. I have never been a candidate
for anything. I never asked a man to
vote for me. I have not sought public
honors."
"But you have the confidence of the
people of South Carolina. If they in
sist upon your accepting the guberna
torial nomination, what then?"
"This looks like Constance's Neck,"
replied Gen. Hampton, "and that house
there, near the Potomac, looks just like
the one where I had an interesting ex
perience during the war."
"What wr... .he incident, General?"
"Well, the same old story; a spy. I
had a man who wanted to cross the
Potomac, but I didn't know how to get
him over. Well, just then, a man
came in and reported that a spy had
crossed the Potomac in the early
morning. We made diligent search
for him, with but little success, and we
were about to give it up when we found
him locked up in a box under a bed in
the house we have just passed. We
forced him to disclose the hiding r lace
of the boat in which he had crossed the
river, and we used it to send over our
man who wished to reach the other
side."
"What became of the spy?," I asked.
"I sent him to Richmond. I don't
know what became of him, but I ex
pect he was-That is a pretty view of
the river."
"Presidential candidates? Well, if
New York goes to the Convention with
a solid delegation it will get the nomi
nation; if not the nomination will go
to the West."
"What Western man have you in
your mind's eye?"
"Oh, none in particular. The most
obscure man in a break away from the
favorites usually captures the honor."
"What do you think of Gov. Camp
bell of Ohio, Gov. Gray of Indiana,
ex-Congressman William R. Morrison,
and Gen. John M. Palmer of Illinois?"
"They are all good men; but I have
nothing to say is to their candidacy,
further than if New York does not pre
sent a solid front in the convention the
nomination will go to a Western man."
"What about the Speakership of the
next House?"
"I think it would be a mistake to
elect( a Southern man as Speaker. I
think some good Northern or Western
man should be selected. I think the
Democratic party made a great mis
take in the Fiftieth Congress by elect
ing a Southern man as Speaker of the
House and by giving the principal
chairmanship of committees to South
ern men. Again,I think the Democratic
party made a mistake in the campaign
ofl1888 byfiooding the North withSouth
ern speakers. It is a bad policy. The
voters resent it. If Northern speakers
should be sent into the South we should
resent it. We know more about our
own affairs than outsiders do. I think
the Northern voters resented the fact
of our sending them Southern speakers
to instruct them in 1888.
"Then you are not in favor of elect
ing a Southern man Speaker of the
House of the Fifty-second Congress.
"Emphatically no."
"What is your opinion of the future
relations of the races in the South?"
"Most hopeful. I1 agree with the re
cent opinion of Senator Carlisle that
there will be less and less of friction be
tween the races; that they will come
more and more to understand the mu
tuality of their interests, and that they
will more and more co-operate together
for the common good. In my own
State the coloreed people have great
respect for me, and in any division of
votes, caused by the position of the
Farmers' Alliance, I am sure that the
best elements among the colored peo
ple would co-operate with the best ele
ments among the white people."
"That being the case, would you not
feel it a public duty to accept the Gu
bernatorial nomination if offered to
you?"
"I must straighten out my personal
affairs," replied the General; and he
really looked as if he wished not to be
called upon to make other sacrifices
prejudicial to his personal interests.
"No; I have no regrets in leaving
public life. I have tried to do my du
ty. My relations with colleagues in
the Senate have been most pleasant.
My public life all the way through has
been regulated by a strict regard for
the exactions of the duty imposed upon
me, and I cannot but feel that I have
always labored for the public good, ac
cording to my light."
As the cars sped away southward I
could not but think pleasantly of the
fine old type of Southern gentleman.
T. THoMAs FORTUNE.
The Wrecked Locomotive.
LColumbia Record 20th.1
Locomotive "No. 252," a coal burner,
which was wrecked on the C.& G. Road
about fourteen miles above Columbia
by running into a washout some days
ago, was brought to the city this morn
ing and will be placed in the Richmond
and Danville shops here at once for re
p airs. WVhen Master Mechanic Green's
force get to work on the 252 it won't be
long before she will be in first class
running trim and be making her regu
lar trip over the road again. Tbe loco
m]otive is not near so badly damaged as
was at first supposed.
For the cure of colds, coughs, and all
derangements of the respiratory organs,
no other medicine is so reliable as
Ayer's Cherry Pectoral. It relieves the
asthmatic and consumption, even in
advanced stages of disease, and has
endinnrr:rale lives.
GEORGIA CENTRAL GONE.
The Richmond and West Point Terminal
Octopus Scoops it in.
[From the New York Sun.]
A rumor exists in Atlanta for the last
few days to the effect that a large move
ment was on foot as to the disposition
of the Central Railroad of Georgia. It
is said that the Terminal Company will.
lease the Central for 99 years. Pat Cal
houn will go to Savannah this week
and will discuss the matter with the
officers and directors of the Central
Railroad there and with Gen. Alex
ander. On the rumor that the road
would be leased for 99 years, the stock,
which has heretofore been selling from
110 to 112. has advanced to 118 and 119.
There is no doubt that the subject of
the lease is now under discussion, and
the terms proposed guarantee 7 per
cent. net on the stock of the Central
payable semi-annually. It is under
stood that the lease will be made under
the name of the Georgia Pacific road
instead of the Terminal Company. This
will make a continuous line from
Savannah to the Mississippi River at
Greenville where the road will connect
with the Gould system and with their.
roads running direct to the Pacific
Ocean. It is not improbable that solid
trains will run from Savannah to the
Pacific coast within six months. It-is
understood that Mr. Gould is very
much in favor of the lease, and says It
will be a greai move toward the devel-.
opment of Savannah as a great port.
This will also give a short line from *.:<
Savannah to Washington via Augusta.
THE -DEAL MADE.
SAVANNA H, March 18.-The lease o
the Central Railroad of Georgia to the _
Richmond and West Point Terminal
Company in the name of the G-eorgia
Pacific Railway was practically decided
upon at a meeting of the Central Rail
road directors here to-day. The Termi -
nal's proposition was discussed and
referred to a committee, which agreed
upon the terms of the lease to-night,
The lessees will take the road and as
sume its indebtedness, and-wlll.guar
antee the stockholders 7 per cent on the -
capital stock, which Is $7,500,000. John.
H. Inman, Hugh Inman, SamuelUzn
man, John C. Calhoundat.-Calh
Charles H. Phinizey and Mr. Swan, of:
New York, were at the meeting to-day
President Inman left here to-night for
Augusta. He will be in New York,<>
next week, where the lease will be coen
sumated. It is said to-night thatevery
thing will be transferred in about tw .:"=
weeks. The lease of the Centratiifl %
will give the Georgia Pacific a through
line from Savannah to the Miisspph
River.
AN INTERESTING RAILROAD RUMOE
[Special to News and Courier.]
COLUMBIA, March 18.-A trustwor
thy visitor from the Peidmont is an
thority for the statement that there fa -
something specially noteworthy now in
progress with the Richmond and Dan
ville and the Georgia Central railroads--'
He believes that Capt. S. V. McBee,
president of the Richmond and Dan-4'
ville, is about to be elevated to evena
higher position than that which he n6c2
so ably fills. He says that the visit of 32
Capt. McBee to Georgig, which wfas
reported recently in the News sn&$
Courier from Columbia, means agreat
deal. Capt. McBee, he says, visited Au '
gusta and was to leave Atlanta to-night.
for Asheville.
He said that one of the shippers in
Greenville said that the instructions
now were that it makes no difference
to the local agents whether goods be
shipped by the Richmond and Dan
ville or by the Georgia Centrah This,
he said, means something, as he under
stood and others understood that there
has been business rivalry between thei
roads. The information of the infor
mant is that Mr. Inman is to get the
place now held by Mr. Cecil Gobbett, '
'and that Capt. McBee is to be given a
position to include the business direc
tion of the Georgia Central and the
Richmond and Danville. There may
not be anything in the logic of the
deductions, but it is interesting all the
same.
La Grippe Attacks e50 Soldiers at Ones. j
MINNEAPOLIS, Marcli, 13.-A special
to the Tribune from Omaba says: "250
soldiers at Fort Omaha are down with
la grippe. The hospital is filled with -
sick men."
4,000 DowN WITH THE GRIP.
PITTsBURG, March 20.-The grip is
thoroughly epidemhic in Pittsburg and
fully 4,000 eases are reported. Several
of the most prominent physicians are
fllaicted, and at every business firm
numbers at least one down with the
disease. A mong those whose death can
be directly attributed to grip is Alder
man Cassidy, well known in city affairs,
who died to-day. The disease is far
more aggravated than ever known
here.
Again the Belied Buzzard.
[ From the Philadelphia Press.]
LANCASTER, March 8.-The famu
"belled buzzard," which has been seen
in various sections of the coutry, as far
south as Georgia, has made its appear
ance in the lower end of tiiis county.
Willam .iohnsdi of Eartic and Jacob
Stuck and Benjamin Miller of Provi
dence township saw the bird and dis
tinctly heard the tinkling of the belL.
State Exclusion of Chinese in California.
SACREMENTO, March 13.--In the As
~embly yesterday the anti-Chinese bill
passed by avote of 49to5. It provides
or certificates.of resid~eiet~ Chinese '
2ow in the State and the- exclusion -of
dil others. Theabill hash y passed