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' *'* ' 4 _ iiliplis? A Social and Religious Feature of the Rural South. NOTHING LIKE IT IN THE NORTH ' 4 * At Any Time, and Even at the South Its Distinctive Characteristics Have Passed Away. [W. R. Davie in the Charleston (S. C.) Sunday News.] Among the many good things which were "wiped out"'by ihewarwas the old fashioned country camp meetings in the twuiu. muu uiccuupo iuviv , and doubtless will be for generations, * but never again such as before the war ?_ might be found in almost every county south of the Potomac, Ohio, and Missouri. The modern religious function of | which wo read at Martha's Vineyard and other points in the North, and the dwarfed and disapinrinting invitation yet indigenous to some part of Dixie, have about the same relation to the glories of the ante-bellum originals that the modern tournament, with its cheap and gaudy tinsel, affected gallantry and puerile sports, have to the pomp, pageantry and circumstance of the mediaeval joust, African slaves was as essential to the success of the ideal camp meeting as , oil to salad or mint to julep. Abundance of personal service, loyal, trained and intelligent, involuntary, if you please, but none the less cheerful, con tented and efficient, was tne very wine j of the past, for past it was, albiet not named in the calendar or dedicated to any especial saint. j| ' At that period the South was intensely I moral, a large majority of the wealthiest and most intelligent and refined people lived exclusively in the country, j and the towns, with few exceptions, I were mere sub-rural aggrigations of dis^ contented exiles from their plantation ^omes, drawn together by tho necessity of educational facilities, of recruiting wasted fortunes bv the profits of trade or the dutv of filling for a time the political offices of State or countj-, disirlcFor parish. Chaffing under the restraints and limitations of urban life, these weary exiles looked forward with impatienco to the time when they, too, might resume or assume the pleasures, dignities and social responsibilities of country homes. The size of the plantations, less the result of choice than necessity j * ior me empiuvmeui ui iiumciuuo oibivo. egregated thfc country people, and rendered the home, rather thau the ?"' neighborhood or town, the social unit; competence, leisure, the virtues of & dominant and superior race, anc( a standard of intelligence and education rarely, if ever, attained elsewhere by a itfictly moral people, rendered this |?e home the purest and sweetest as it was ?6. farming, ^is world has jjfeQ and women, however, are gre?./ garious, long for the companionship of their kind and t|ie isolation of their delightful moral homes, rendered necessary 6ome opportunity of mingling with their fellows. To meet at regulfu* and convenient intervals in t^e interest of religion afforded laudable pretext, and the camp meeting wis th^ result The leading religious denominations in the South then were the Methodist 4 Episcopal, South, (with decided emphasis upon the geographical suffix), the Missionary Baptist and the Presby? Tinmed The icijauo ui vuw -T- v Prostestant Episcopal never hbtained footing in the country districts save, C perhaps, in Virginia and the tide water regions of the two Carolinas. A METHODIST INSTTrVftON. Of these the Methodists, owing largef ly to its semi-military organization and the zeal, fervor and enterprise of its devoted ministry, was pre-eminently the t pioneer church. With "rifles, axe ana i . saddle-bags" the ubiquitous "circuit rider" followed close upon the piquet guard of civilization. In every white settlement arose Methodist Church buildings, and to these, at the expense of untold labor and the risk at times of < * life itself, ministered the indefatigable j?r disciples of John Wesley. The emotional service, religious enthusiasm and numerous conversions ini" cidenttothe popular annual religious festivals, were peculiarly acceptable to the Methodist ministrj', aDd powerful ! factors in the upbuilding of that sect ; hence it was that a majority of the camn meetings were held under the auspices of that denomination. The missionary Baptist followed, but at a perceptible distance, their congregational system affording less favorable $ jk opportunity for such wqrk. In the qldpr P and denser populated district gUid and conservative Presbyterians o$H^sionall'y yiej^^ 5(^i?TI^stlWfS speaking the camp meeting was 9 ! Methodist religious festival, ail<l par- I took largely of the characteristics of | i'mt intense and emotional order. j CAMP OlforKTl | 'Usually embraced urTCen or twenty j acres laid_ojgf iu S Square, and its location tfas generally determined by the fortuitous conjunction of level sandy soih ample shade and abundance of pure spring water; add to thijj Accessibility, and the vicinity of Numerous W?ll-to-do planters, and the location was ideal. Around three sides of the aquare were built from tw enty to forty so-called "tents," in reality rough but substantial, sound cabins, of two rooms each, with passage way between. Of these rooms, one was devoted to each sex, while the covered passage way formed the common sitting room. Around the sides and ends of each room scaffolds, strong and wide, were built, which filled with straw and furnished , with pillows and the necessnrj* bedding, afforded a resting place for the guests and host, side by side. Young and old, rich and poor, they slept in true camp military style, absolutely without distinction, save of sex. The earthen floors of the rooms and passage way was covered with wheat or oat straw, fresh and sweet, to the depth of a foot or more, renewed as occasion required, and here the "overflow" resultant upon excessive attendance or , or unusual popularity of hosts, found resting place. jk "" IT ' v. T>nek of the touts, lean-to sheds af- ! forded shelter to tho tables in case of ! rain, but in pooil weather these were j spread beneath the trees, and all meals ] taken "al fresco," a little further back ; were the cook shed and barbecue pits, and rtili further, often Teaching bevoatl | the lines of the grounds, were the i wagons with forasre, the horses, veliic- j les of guests, and the camps 11 the i slaves. ! ' THE STAND" OR "THE ARBOR." In the centre, as near as might be, of j the grounds, "the Stand" or "Arbor," i a huge wooden shed, covered with j shingles or boards, tfas erected, with capacious pujpit and ample "altar," at i une end, while rude benches for the .^ugregation tilled the remaining space. Here the services were conducted, and :he attention centered at the religious 'eatures of the feast gradually overcame ts social character in the progress of the "Revival." Finally the "camp jrounds" was usually named for the nearest church of that denomination, and generally incorporated as a place of worship umter that name, placing it under the protection of the law. Some weeks beforehand the local > minister announced the time of the meeting. This was usually during the interval between the cultivation and the harvesting of the crops, in country parlance "during layby time." At the appointed day say Thursday before the fourth Sunday in August the "tenters" began to move in. It oeing a time of rest and leisure upon :he farms almost one half the negroes, ind all the teams were employed. Details for tliis service were eagerly sought oy the slaves, for besides the joy of a crowd, dear to the negro heart, loomed up the prospect of unlimited rations "rom the white folks' table, (after their turners nau eaten;, anu uuwuuicu iioies and quarters as the reward of cheerful service to generous guests. PLANTATION* PREPARATIONS. All was now hurry and bustle upon the plantations. Hogs, sheep, goats xnd cattle, fatted expressly, were slaughtered and prepared for the barbacue pits. Poultry was caught and penned, flour sweet and fresh from the mill, corn meal by the bushel, hams and breakfast strips tit for the king's table, drawn from the dusky depths of the smoke house, vegetables from kitchen <?ardeps, potatoes from tj>e patch, fruit from the trees, honey from the "gums" and melons from the vines, were piled high upon the wagon loads of c. ra and forage, straw and furniture, which found their way to the grounds, nor was the fragrant and delicious blackberry, souppemong or muscadine wine, the' potent and seductive cherry bounce, and small, but indispensible supply of "apple-Jack," or "old corn" forgotten. The merry darkies chosen to help worked with a will, and wakened the late and early echoes with choice selections from last year's ' 'meeting," while their less fortunate fellows consoled themselves with the reflection that on Sunday all might attend and enjoy to the utmost this delightful oasis, lving midway in the weary flesertj reaching from Christmas to Christmas. THE PREACHERS' TASK. By Thursday night nearly all the "tenters" were settled, andafew of the visiting ministers had arrived. Upon the principle of putting the best foot foremost, and out of deference to the doth "the Preachers' tent" was the nrsFupo'n the right of t?e squarej %nd the last built ajjd equipped upon the ground. At this topt the "presiding elder" (if a Methodist Cfnip ground) wasjnaster &n? t^tulaf chief, and to its support, both in provisions and attendants, were contributed all and more than was needed by tharival tenterl It was dedicated to the exclusive use of the ministers and their families, and within its sacred precincts no layman, save upon special invitation, was supposed to enter for food or refreshment This tent like the others, was arranged for the separate accommodation of the sexes, and here the families of the ministers met and formed friendships and acquaintances to Jbe severed, alas, by future assignments of the Bishop. To the hard-worked and often ill paid Methodist ministry the caihp meeting was the source ji ynal]oyed pleasure. It meant release for a season from the monotonous duties of the circuit. H meant social and professional intercourse. It meant increase of church 1 ^ ?\?Aonanfirn nor IU6Z11 UCrBUlp^ uuu ui |/ivo|/vv??i v i,mmj * It meant opportunity for the display of those peculiar gifts which brought preferment from the Bishop, at the suggestion of the presiding elder. It meant bounteous cheer, mental, physical and spiritual, and more than all, let us believe, it meant a gracious outpouring of the Divine spirit and more zealous and willing workers in the Master's vineyard. Certain it is that none enjoved the camp meeting more and none labored so bard for its success. A short sermon from the local minister on Thursday "at early candle lighting" inaugurated the meeting and at an early hour the weary audience sought rest from the laborsof the first day. [to be continued. ] RUSSIAN MILL MEN ! jaefi td the South on a Tour Inspection of American >JUls. S. S. Kafiakin$, A. R 6ha2notf and ! W. Mc?i^ben. head dmcers in the Moscp^s Russia, cotton mills, arrived In the 6uy early yesterday "morning on a trip through the South to examine the cotton mill machinery in this country with a view to getting points to improve the machinery used in their own mills. The Moscow mills have the reputation of being the largest cotton mill machinery in the world, but, while up to ciate iu i other particulars, their machinery is said to be not as good as that used by the mills of America. The Moscow rfen spent the early part of the forenoon at the Poe mills, expressing themselves in terms of high praise of the Greenville concern. At 10:55 a. m. they boarded the Columbia & Greenville train for Piedmont and Pelzer and returning in the afternoon left by the afternoon vestibule to continue their trip North, their next stopping place being Spartanburg. The Russian tnill men are in America to make a general inspection of the mills of the country. Greenville News, 20th. An Iowa contemporary says that "the cigarette law is a dead failure." The cigarette itself, however, is still a deadly success. * I MB 18 SCRIPT.! Nearly $2,000,000 Blue Ridge Bonds Involved, A BOND SCRIPT STATEMENT. Wesley's Claim and the Important Litigation Which May Grow Out of the Agricultural Hall Case. The News and Courier of a recent date says while the Vandercocn ease may be attracting a great deal of attention, the Agricultural Hall case, which may in time settle the validity of the Blue Kidge bonds, involves nearly two millions of dollars. In this day very little is known about these bonds for which Mr. Wesley is suing. Mr. Wesley claims that he is legally and morally due the money on his bonds, and the United States Supreme Court will, no doubt, in time have to settle the issue. In view of the vast importance of the questioning of the validity of the bonds that have been bald to be illegal, the following statement, prepared in the State Treasurer's office, will be read with special interest: On the 15th of September, 1868, an Act was passed authorizing additional aid to the Blue Bidge Bailroad Company. This companj*, which was to connect w ith the Georgia and East Tennessee Bailroad, had been granted aid in 1854, to the amount of 81,000,000, upon certain conditions, which, it would appear by the Act of 1803, were not complied with. This Act authorized the guarantee by the State of $1,000,000 of the bonds of the company, and the further guarantee of $3,000,000 from time to time as the company made contracts for the completion of the road. The Act provided that as soon as any bonds of the road were endorsed by the comptroller then the estate projierty and funds of the roads in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Ten QliUUlU OUkUU I'icug V/U HV ?MW State for tlie prompt payment of the bondd and interest Tnis condition was subsequently repealed, and the State had no security. These bonds -were delivered to the company, and the financial agent of the State was authorized by the Act to advance money from time to time on these bonds, which he did. It soon became apparent that the company would not be able to pay interest or principal, and that the State would become liable, and thereupon an Act was passed directing the financial agent (with the consent of the company) to transfer the bonds guaranteed hy the State in hie hands, as collaterals for the rdvances made, to the State treasurer for cancel ation, and that thereupon the company should be discharged from all liability to the State on account of the advances made, and that whenever the said company should surrender the remainder of the #4,000,000 bonds, then the treasurer was to issue to them #1,800,000 in revenue bond scrip, or to give them a pro rata amount of this scrip for such of the bonds as might from time to time be surrenderaT The scrip was receivable for all State taxes, except taxes for interest on the public debt. The revenue bond scrip does not appear in any official statement of the -i -i-vt <%f Sl+nfo aitliAr nn recogui^eu ucui ui >uv der the late Republican or present Democratic administration. There is not even in existence any official statement or showing of the amount of scrip that may, from tin to time, hare been issued or put upon the market, and the onlv entry relating to the matter that can be found on the books of the treasury is the following, namely, 1872, July, in which the State is deb'ed for amount of revenue bond scrip issued in accordance with provisions of Act of the General Assembly, approved March 2, 1872: Amount of bonds surrendered $8,395 at $1,000, $1 797, $2.04. The Supreme Court has twice decided that the issue of this scrip was invalid and illegal. The scrip is not included in the provisions of the Consolidation Act of 1873, nor any of the Funding Acts of the S' ate, no provision has evei been made for the payment of same, (principal or interest) nor is there the remotest probability that the scrip will ever be recognized as a valid obligation of this State. The account itself, if the brief entry referred to above may be called on Act, was formally and finally charged off thebooks of the treasury and closed by direction of joint resolution of the General Assembly, passed 21th of December, 1878. The scrip must le regarded as worthless, and since the decision of the Supreme Court the issue has been classed among the fraudulent transactions of the agents of the Republican government, which was in power from" 1808 to 1876, Making Investigations. The News and Courier says a rarty of Northern capitalists, with an expert engineer, have been in Camden for some days past, making investigations with reference to the falls in the Watree river, near Camden. Mr. S. Logan Lang has been \&rf active in advertising this valuable property, an$ it tftis through him that these capitalists were in(fu5?? tQ come to CamdeS. After looking at the propeTty aryl making a i survey tjjoy ask tl^t all parties interested appoint fiplrie one, with power to enter into negotiations with them, that they may Confer with such agent. There are two parties who reside in Alabama, who are interested in the property, and they refuse to enter into satisfactory arrangements, hence a survey was made of the eastern side of the liver wtih a view of utilizing it France, Italy, Spain, Portugal. Switzerland, Belgium, Holland and Luxemburg have just signed at the Hague the first International treaty on private law, the treaty relating to civil p:-ocedure. All these nations use the Roman law in some form. The Swedish and Norwegian commissioners made certain reservations which prevented their signing the agreement. The treaty is to be followed by others on different portions of the law. I f < ,g WKELLY CROP BULLETIN. [ : Of the South Carolina Climate and Crop Service. | The weekly crop bulletin of South f Carolina Section, Climate andCrop Service as furnished by Director J. W. Itauer, in part saj-s: The week showed a marked improvement iu crop conditions uuder the combined influence of ; seasonable warmth and generally suffi- | cient moisture. All crops, both staple and minor, are up to a good average condition. 1 arm work is as far advanced as usual, except in isolated sections, and fields are generally well cultivated and free from grass and weeds. Cora shows improvement both in ' stand and color, a:itl is growing well, i The recent rains qui. kenc-l germination j and stands, although irregular as to ! Bize are generally good, except that on ! bottom lands cut and heart worms have I been very destructive, necessitating \ much replanting, m some instances the second and third time. Worms have been unusually numerous over the entire State. Plauting continues and reports indicate a considerable area yet to plant. Felds are well cultivated and clean. Chinch bugs attacking corn in the north central counties. Considerable of the cotton which it was believed necessary to replant, came up after the recent rains and stands are consequently more promising, although irregu; ar as to size. Its color has improved but little, and the cool nights at the close of the week checked the growth of the plant somewhat. Chopping to stands is progress- j ing slowly and is nowhere much more than half finished and over the western counties only fairly begun. The crop is reported clean, except in Pickens and Kershaw, where fields are becoming grassy. Some reports in iicate perfect stands, and many only fair, with spots that are very poor. On the whole the plant is in a good average condition [for the season. Warm weather would help cotton. Oats are ripening in the southeastern counties; their condition is generally more promising due to the recent rains. Wheat has also made marked improve- i ment although the straw promises to be phort Some'comi lamts of rust appearing. Tobacco is about all transplanted and growing nioely. Rice planting is practically finished and late sown as coming up well. The cool nights of the latter port of this week checked its growth somewhat but it is nevertheless in fine condition. Melons are not doing well in Barnwell; the plants not growing well and the seed did not germinate well. Pastures have improved very much, erccept where rainfall was too hght. Blackberries'promise to be exceedingly plentiful. Gardens freshened wonderfully. Truck improved and practically made by the late rains. Irish potatoes doing better but Colorado beetles troublesome in the North oenti-al counties. Sorghum-cane seed very scarce in places. Farm labor reported plentiful. Sweet potato draws growing well and many set out in th6 lower portions of the State. MUTTON IN THE SOUTH. A Suggestion About the Viilue of Raising Sheep. Mr. WiEiam Lawrence, of Reliofontaine, O., president of the National Wool Growers' Association, in a letter to the Manufacturer's Record, says: "When I was at the Farmers National Congress at Atlanta, in November, 1895,1 learned that th^e beef there consumed was chiefly procured from Kansas City. As a land-owner in Kansas, my interest would be, perhaps for the present, to continue that order of business. Rut as an American citizen broad enough to see that the ultimate and real prosperity of the republio and her people must depend on the prosperity of all the States, I have to say that order of business should be changed. "Tne Southern States should raise mutton sheep in sufficient numbers to supply the people of her cities and of her plantations with the chief amount of the best and cheapest meat food in the world "The cotton-planters should reduce their acreage of cotton, devote more of their land to growing wool and producing mutton. The cities of the South should manufacture all the cotton they produce, and become great, prosperous and wealthy.' It is a misfortune to have wool and cotton manufacturing confined mainly to the New England States, New York and Philadelphia. They thus become sectional, secure legislation for New England and disregard the interests of i other States. This is shown in the Dingley tariff bill, as it passed the Honse of Representatives. Baltimore, .Richmond, Columbia and other cities should become great manufacturing cities. The States of the South can add largely to their wealth by embarking in sheep husbandry. To do this we must have a protective tariff." THE RESULTS DECLARED. All But Six of the Class Get Licenses to Praeycc Mcdlcipc. The State boiy;d of medical 6?aminers has Completed its examination of the papers of those who recently stood the examinations for licenses to practice medicine in this State. It was one of the largess classes that the board has ever examined being composed of 56 j persons. Qf these only six failed, three ' of them being negroes. It is impossible to give the oo'rrect list of the successful applicants. Thy hgs$ tlXSminatioii was made by Dr. McDowell, of Manning, who got aS a prize therefor $25 worth of medical bookg offered by D. Appleton & Co. Dr. Xardin, of Anderson, stood second best One of the members 01 tue Doaru, which no* gees out of office, paid that this was oue of the best classes that the board has ever examined: it was better prepared. Dr. McGehan, of Aiken, has left for the north whence he will sail to niakp an European tour. The colored woman from Charleston stood a very creditable examination and got her license. She bears the distinction of being the first negro woman to secure a license in this State and is the third to be licensed in tho South. There are almost as many crises In the average love affair as there have been in the rule of the Sultan of Tur' key. i 6.1111w flimnfj At Length He Makes Public the Looked-for Letter to Ellerbe. THE DISPENSARY DISCUSSED. Admits Looseness and I'nduc Regard for the Law in Disposal of Seizures, Etc. Tlie following letter, which was given to the press by Senator Tilluian last week, while enroute to the funeral of Senator Earle, at Gree.iville, fully explains nseu: "Governor Ellerbe havi :g declined to give 1113- letter to the pre as I requested, 1 waited to hear f.oin him before giving it out. It was written very hurriedly and some things in it seemed to be a reflection on his administration and he also objected to my strictures on some men and things as coming through him for fear they would b>> considered as recieviug his endorsemt at. As I intended no reflection 011 ;he Governor and had no purnose of 'striking others over his shoulder,' I have modified the language which he considered to reflect on him and give the letter to the public in the form of a statement. I oul\* addressed the letter to him in the first place because being the Governor he alone could order an investigation. It is substantially as first written except that I have changed my comments on the Agricultural Hall matter some since reading the opinion of Justice Harlan and left out one or two sentences which might be considered as making boastful comparisons. "The dispenrary scandals and the recent decision in regard to the Agri t. 1 iT.it 1 ? cultural nan cast? uuvc cauhcu <* nw|? feeling of concern in the minds of the people of the State, and have given my enemies a good excuse to engage anew in the pleasant pastir >j of abusing and slandering me in connection with both. I commend heartily the Governor's action in pressing the recent investigation and join in the sentiment: 'Let not the guilty man escape.' I have no desire, nor do I believe has the governor, to make scape goats of anyone, but if there be anv big fish in the net let them not break through and punish only the little ones. "There has been more or less looseness in vogue iu regard to samples from the very start and it is probable that contraband liquors and samples became mixed in the minds of men connected with the dispensary so that due regard to law has not been had in the disposal of contraband seizures. "But if there are no graver crimes in connection than those with which they have thus far been charged, I do not see that much good will come, even, ii Scruggs and Gaston are punished to the fullest extent of the law. In this connection, I would suggest that too much stress seems to be given to the having of a "hocus pocus" key. Scruggs wae the trusted agent of the Board of Control, so much so that they refused 01 failed to elect a Commissioner, and I cannot see what need he had for a key. Shipments must have been received constantly and I do not know how they could have been placed in the contra " J mnm nnlpsa there was a key al uauu iw<u ways in his possession to open it with. It is possible, at this distance, however, and for lack of familiarity with the present workings of the dispensary, my criticisms along this line are worthless. Samples were sent in great quantities when I was connected with the dispensary and not knowing whal else to do with them, they were freely distributed among the visitors to the institution, as one means of determining the qualities of the liquors, and also as courtesies. I carried some to my house and used them, as did Gov. Evans, and I presume, the present State Board of Control, have done likewise, and I have no apology to make for it. During my term there were very few other articles than liquor seized, though I recall the fact that kep and small barrels of liquor were founa packed in rice barrels and also in casks oi hams. I instructed Mr. Trailer to take account of all contraband articles and ? - 1 UT,;i dispose of tnem accorumy wm?. ,, U41C tliere is a great howl raised in regard to the dispensary by the old barroom advocates, it is done with the view of un-1 derminiug and destroying the dispen-1 sary system, and they do not care so much for the punishment of these as they rejoice in the opportunity tho recent exposures have afforded them for revamping the old slanders about "rebates. " "The obvious purpose of the antinewspapers, anti-reform, anti-temperance and anti decency their obvious purpose, I sav, is to folio v up the line of fight laid down long ag >; to besmirch the character of any ai.d every man connected with the dispensary,* and to I magnify everything which can be criticized in its management in order to break it down in the afie tions of the people pnd to acfomplis!-. the restoration of barrooms in some ,'orhi. | "The system has no inherent yice which ought to work its dissolution, and It only requires to be conducted as the asylum, or as the tax department is run to command the respect and support of the people. No one can claim this i"! a matter of impossibility, and if thfl svstem shall finally fail it will be I w . . owing to the improper administration of the law. So much for the general subject. Now. for particulars. I have waited to see this week's Headlight so as to have Gantt's specific charges, covering the administration of the law under Hen Tillman and Trailer: and like others, I have been astonished at the affrontery which gives out so much smoke and so little fire. He merely dips his syringe into the gutter of filth and slime, emanating for the last three years from the News and Courier, The State, the Spartanburg Herald, aud The Greenville News, with wnicn me people have been so disgusted, and spatters me along with others with its contents. He, however, winds up with a reiteration of the cry: "Investigate! Investigate! Investigate!" I -have not shunned nor dreaded an investigation and I do not shun it now; but 1 venture the prediction that my enemies will be sorry if one be held aud will declare that it is not honestly made. They do not want the time to come when they can not dig up the question of rebates and cast insinuations against my honesty. When these stale slanders about rebates under | 'ny administration were put in circuUM > *1] j tion by the newspapers and then takerf up b v General Butler, iu Ihe can raw .three years ago, 1 met them promptly j and vigorouslj-at Union and elsewhere ! and last winter I joined with Governor | Evans in asking that the legislators ; should appoint a committee to look into | the dispensary's management and set the charges of corruption at re*t forJ ever. The books of the dispensary ana everything connected with its financial $ affairs have been investigated and re- tl ported on time and again by a legislalive committee, one of whose member! 1 was an auti, incapable of se* ) | dnction or of being induced to cloak wrong. The committee hah never yet made a report reflecting on the integrity or honesty of its man' agement. Now, the cry is "InvcstiI gate" and while Gantt or no one elae has or can give any satisfactory reason '; why my administration of the dispensary ought to be investigated. I desire t nrnroi-nm- onlprif ft committee Or ' ? citizens to begin an investigation immediately, and I am willing to answer any inquiries made and I doubt not -fM that every other man connected with the dispensary in any official way,*' would be willing to do likewise. The expense cannot be great and could be paid out of the contingent fund and the f ^ matter is of sufficient importance, I think, to warrant the outlay. ' 'The friends of the dispensary cannot allow it to be undermined and smothered in tilth by the gutter snipes, who are running the editorial pages of our . J daily papers, and if any corruption can' ' be shown to exist, pnnishment swift ivj and sure should follow. I stand ready to explain and justify every act of mine ,.'js in connection with the law, and I doubt not that Governor Evans can do liken' wise. Let the matter be set at rest, and the smouldering embers of envy and hate be put out once for 411. B. R. Tillman. THE LATEST NEW COUNTY. Wllllaraston Flies Her Petitions and Other Papers. A special committe consisting c? Capt. Geo. W. Sullivan, H. C. WilsoJ ? and T. C. Gray, accompanied by Gefc* * eral M. L. Bonham as their attorneys were in Columbia last week and pi*k sented to the governor all the petition! I and necessary papers in the matter of the proposed new county of Williamo* 8 ton. They had a beautifully draw^ map of the proposed new oounty an* the attorney general upon examinatuw 9 of the papers filed, found everything au right and in proper form. A committqS <.: was also there in behalf of the proposeS new county of Honea Path. Certain territory is needed by both these prp? posed counties. If one is formed thd other cannot be. Honea Path aske<| > for her election to be ordered soma timo ago, but the governor waited tff ' hear from the Williamston peopMy He heard both committees. HonM Poth wants her election held first; Wl# 4 liaraston simply asks that she be given < } a fair showing and that the election M j set for the same day as Honea Path'w The governor has not decided what ht| I will ao about it. The proposed county is to be com? y'nl posed of portions of bat two old counA j ties Greenville and Andefson, and 'j will have Williamston for its count! * seat. Its area will be 43Qsquare milaal] Of this 22.1} is wanted from Anderson and 177} from Greenville. From Anderson the following town* ships and portions of townships are -.J wanted: Honea Path, Williamston^ Brushy Creek, nine-tenths of BeltonI one-third of Hopewell, and one-half of Garvin. From Greenville: DonklinU Oak Lawn, nine-tenths of Grove, ana two-thirds of Fair-view. . The proposed new county is to have a population of 20,414 and $8,641,985 ia taxable property. The population of the proposed county seat is about 1,400J The towns of Piedmont and Pelzer will f i be in the new county, not far from tig county seat. BeltoD and Honea Pat! will be near the Southern line. ThI new county is well shaped as shown on 3 the map. There are but three extremtt points that the distance from the conn* ty seat reaches 17 miles. The proposed county seat is very near the center of population, Williamston township having 1,170 registered voters. In addition the citizens of the town have pledg- $ ed themselves to erect a courthouse and jail at no cost whatever to the new county. State. A NEW INDUSTRY. 3 Manufacturing of Pip?* Might be In* ; troduced in the South. 'J An industry which might bo intro* , M duced in the South on a large scale if the manufacture of pipes. East Tennef* see and the mountainous section of North Carolina furnishes tons of matd^ rial yearly that is shipped to Northern cities for the articles referred to. A, correspondent of the Knoxville Re vie* states that the material of which ruany so-called French briar pipes are madeijf the burls of the mountain lanrel. Cran? ' berry, N. C., is the main shipping poiqt from this section. The burls are also used in the manufacture of door knool. as they are tough, prettily ourle3 ana will not crack. Burls are also shipped from many places through the territory.* >joi ifturel burls alone, but many birch and cherry burls are annually taken, a large nutober of which are exported. The birch and cherry are much the same in appearance and tensile strength, and it takes an expert to dis- 'f tinguish one from the other. The burls are first taken to a veneer factory, owhere they are steamed, to soften and toughen the wood, and then placed in machines and turned while a hog* knife cuts thin continuous sheets olf .'5 as a plane does from ordinary timbers? This material is then polished and J varnished, to be sold to furniture man- | ufacturers as veneer. There is quite a business done in the ' manufacturer of locust pin, as they are called. These are turned down to about a quarter of au inch ip diameter, aud f;oui twelve to thirty-six inches in J length. They are used in sliipbnildiM j instead^ of iron. Quantities of tjya, wb5d aro found all through the moun~ tain sections. Locust is also very ex* tensively employed in the manufacture of insulator pins. Will Take Seme Time Yet. The union depot matter is on a fair way to adjustment and the prospeote are* that at no verv distant date the oity will have all she desires i'h this particular. The railroads seem to be willinn to co-operate with the Commission and the City Council, but of course it will < take some time to perfect all arrange*ments. The Register. ^