The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, December 04, 1902, Image 7
NTMynhe:
BY ST. QEORQl
CornsiGHT 1893, Bob
OillMIMI I Ill MII1IM?
BOOK I.
^h# Messenger From Khartoom,
CHAPTER I.
*4T
SHEPHERD'S, ON THE SQUARE CALLED I
ESBEHIVI'.H.
"Backsheesh!" hoarsely whispered a j
Itout, red-faced traveler, bending over
I small, nervous man, who, seated on
the piazza in front of the well-known
Shepherd's Hotel in Cairo, Egypt,
flashes off page after page of lead-pencil
work, aided by the lights that illumine
the grand plaza.
.The latter individual never raises
his eyes, but with a groan and a me
cnanicai movement w iue tum ui?n?
-a plaster from his pocket and holds it
to up, which miserable coin is gravely
taken by the man in the plaid suit
ind traveling helmet-bat. He does
not move aw.*ty, but stauds there at
the elbow of the scribe, waiting for
that interminable scribbling to bo
lone, and meanwhile watching the
4lvely scene upon the great square of
Esbehiyeh.
It is certainly a good sight for foreign
eyes, and one ihat. will never be
forgotteu. Although the month is
-February, a delicious, balmy atmos
<>here hangs over the old city on the
Kile. Music throbs upon the air, aud,
fudging from the gay scenes to be met
with after night closes In. It would
be hard to believe the Mohammedan
fast corresponding to our l.ent is in
^J^rogress. The Koran, however, only
BBNmanus observance of strict rules
from sunrise to sunset, so that in all
oriental countries the devout worshipers
make night a period of feasting.
Just at the present period many lanterns
and flambeaux and lamps il-!
iumine the grand square, from which !
arise discordant sounds, a perfect
babel of confusion. Here, under a
*?ln?tor of nalnis. a snake-charmer
bandies his cobras vrith apparent ini- j
punity, boxing their heads and caus-1
4ng them to do all manner of strange i
things. Near by are dragomans, or !
guides, haggling with owners of don- '
keys, who, in turn, seold or cuff the
boys in charge of the little beasts.
Close by are fakirs, pretending to j
?ell wonderful things for a trifle; I
mountebanks, dealeis in turbans.'
fezes, relics and handkerchiefs, and a j
general conglomeration of Idle, curi- j
ous strollers.
The light discloses a picture that
?can probably be looked upon In no I
other city save Damascus, llere miu-'
jgle Turks, with their red fez and national
dress; Arabs, la white bournous
and turban; native fellahin. or Egyptians,
wearing blue gowns and the
everlasting brown skull-cap; Jews,
with long beards and sober garments;
Nubians. Persians. G teeks and a
sprinkling of foreigners. The red
coats of British solllers give way
pretty much to the sensible white th:it
is worn in all hot countries; still there !
Is enough to lend color to the kaleidoscopic
picture.
The stout mail sees nil this without
emotion; he seldom if ever, allows :
himself to be so deeply interested in j
?g?iytbing as to forget himself. Stand- !
back of the tilted chair of
the smaller man, who writes sheet
* after sheet with railroad rapidity, he j
puffs away at his cigar and calmly j
waits for the time to come when his
friend Will have exhausted the subject
or blunted all his pencils. Everything
comes to tl?e one who has pa- ;
tiecce, and this is the most prominent !
trait in the character of the stout tour-1
1st
'Eureka! I have done it! Glowing de- i
script!bn! Burniug rhetoric! Do you
proud, my boy! Now I'd give a piaster
to run across Grimes."
, He has hardly spoken these words
half aloud, when the man with the
florid face and heavy hand deliberately
raps him on the shoulder.
"Pay your debts, young man. 1
claim the reward by virtue of discovery.
Here's one miserable Turkish
coin you've shoved on me. French
money is preferred," he says, solemnly.
"Oh! It was you who groaned 'Backsheesh"
In my ei r, was It? I've beard
uttie eise since 1 sirueic i^gypi. it s
a howling paradise of beggars. I go
to bed with a big of piasters?give
'em out in my sleep I assure you,
Grimes."
Sandy Barlow is the correspondent
of a great dally journal In the United
State's, and is never known to be in
anything but a hurry. In piping times
of peace he finds material to employ
Ms pencil In various foreign countries.
a|id his letters have been considered
fine reading on .lccount of their piquancy
and crisp style, characteristic
of everything the man does.
Those who know Sandy best have
discovered that the war correspondent
has a warm he. rt. and wjll readily
go out of his way to help one whom
he counts a friend This stout gentleman
whom he calls Grimes is?so
rumor says?the wealthy owner of several
mines in Colorado, about which
he occasionally speaks. He keeps his
own counsel, however, and any one
who is a good Judge of physiognomy
would have little difficulty in reading
on his resolute face all the signs that
go to make up a determined character.
, "Are you at liberty. Barlow' If
to, I'd like to have a little talk," rejnatks
tLe silver king.
|
$ /
? j 'O
er Joe. I
- nrfTinADMr"
L J\MI ncumw.
99999999 L
est BorjrxE's Soxs. J
"Great Caesar: w ay r.icr.rt you say
so before? Singular man! Didn't want
to interrupt the flow of genius, eh?
But I'd drop even my pencil to oblige
you." .
"There was no great need of baste.
You were the tirst one I' thought of
wht-n old Tanner brought me the news.
You know him:"
"Like a book! Gruff old party; lovely
daughter. Molly. Go on. What was
his news. Is England aroused at last
to the emergency ?"
"Just the contrary. Listen to what
I say: Old Tanner tells ine his dahabeah,
or house-boat, has just come
down the river; they left it some two
hundred miles above and hastened on
by railroad to Cairo. This evening it
nrnvea, ana me i-v?, ui lupuim,
called upon him at t\ie hotel here with
certain news that has given Tanner
some uneasiness. lie was puzzled to
know what to make of it, and, seeing
me. put the whole case in my hands. <
I have promised to go dowu to the i
boat and interview the man who is
now asleep on board?a man they
picked up afloat on the river far above
?and who they imagine is some sort
of a messenger sent down from Khartoom
by General Gordon."
Sandy Barlow is out of his chair
like a 6hot, all eagerness and animation.
'
"Come on!" he exclaimed. "I'm in i
this game. Great Caesar! If I can
get the only authentic account of that i
event! What keeps you, man?" i
"I'm not ready to go yet. Don't i
make a scene, Sandy, and. above all,
whisper not a word of the truth. The I
False Prophet has many friends in <
Cairo who would like nothing better
than a chance at this person who <
comes from the south, with seimiter i
or yataghan. Sit down again while i
we talk it over."
Sandy has hard work subduing his
intense eagerness to discover the truth, <
but he is equal to great emergencies,
and finally sinks back in his chair.
As for Mr. Grimes, the silver king, |
he straddles a rattan seat and rests <
his arms across the back in the most !
careless manner imaginable.
"What did the old orator seem to
think of his men picking up a passen- <
ger?" asks Sandy.
"He was wrathy at first, until he i
found the man was a Frank, or for-,! i
eiguer. That made it all right. He
hates these swarthy natives?Turks,
fellah and Arab."
"Yes. I have heard him whisper gentle
words about them in his own pe- |
culiar way. Lovely soft voice the
Honorable Demosthenes has. lleminds
me of a steam foghorn."
"Hush! #IIere comes his daughter!"
"Miss Molly, for all the world!" mutters
the correspondent between his
teeth.
A vision in white floats up to where
they are seated, and l>oth men spring
to their feet. This American girl is
a fair, fresh picture?a healthy daughter
of the land across the sea. She
is not actually beautiful, but there
is a charm about face and manner
that draws a host of friepds to her
side. Mollie Tanner Is a taking girl,
vivacious, quick, tender-hearted?true.
You can read her constancy In the
clear, frank, fearless gray eyes. Lucky
the man who wins her heart It will
lie for all time.
"Oh, Mr. Grimes, 1 have been looking
for you everywhere! I feared you
had gone!" exclaims the young lady,
laying a white hand, which shows
some traces of sunburn, on the arm
of the mining king.
"Fortune favors me, Miss Molly. In
what way can I do you a service?"
"Yon see the coventor hns lust been
telling me all about that poor man
j on beard our boat, and I feel so sorry!
! I would like to know whether there is
j anything I can do for him."
Some people might be shocked to
hear Molly Tanner thus designate her
parent, but the word is uttered with
such tenderness that the same persons
would secretly listen in the hope
of hearing it again.
Mr. Grimes and the correspondent
exchange glances, and then smile.
"Really, until we have seen the
party, we cannot exactly say," begins
the former.
. "That's Just it! Why not allow me
to accompany you to the boat?"
The girl speaks eagerly, as though
she has quite 6et her heart upon it.
"Your father would not consent."
"Leave that to me?I can manage
him!"
"And I reckon you're about the only
one who can. Miss Molly. Outside of
that I don't believe it would be safe.
You see, to reach the river where the
boat is tied up. we have to pass
through one of the worst quarters of
the city called Musr, aud with a lady
in our company, there might be trouble.
No. I am sorry to refuse, but 1
must positively decline to accept the
responsibility."
Molly Tanner does not pout, but
laughs, proving that while the old
governor has done his best to 6poil
her, he has not yet succeeded.
"Very well, I shall uot insist, Mr.
Grimes; but when you return, promise
to let me know how the young German
pilgrirn Is," she says.
"Who said he is German; your
father did not say anything of that
sort to me?" declares the stout silver
king, in some surprise.
"l-erhaps I only Judged It from his
name. You know the Germans and
Ital'ms are working down along the
East Coast."
"Even his name the governor iA\gleetod
to state. What might it be,
Miss Molly?" asked Grimes.
"I a in sure be said Mynheer .Toe."
"Mynheer Joe!" gasps Sandy Harlow.
"Mynheer Joe!" drops from the usually
undemonstrative silver king, now
greatly e::< ited.
"Why. gentlemen, what is the matter?
You seem to he astonished?" says
Vfnllv snprovtiif first one Jllld then
the other in wonder.
"Astonished? I'm dumbfounded
?knocked nil in a heap?flabbergasted!
To think that I should meet my dear
Joe again in this way!" bursts out the
impetuous correspondent.
"And, on my part, after all, I'm not
surprised. It's Just what I might have
expected, knowing what I do of the
man. Yes, Mynheer .Toe has been
with Gordon at Kliartoom: he was last
heard of there. Now we shall see
what news he brings. I am ready if
you are, Mr. Barlow."
Sandy smiles as he remembers that
this man. now all eagerness to depart,
was in no hurry before, but took things
/n a cool manner, as though the world
was not made in a day. and Obed
Grimes had no need of haste. Circumstances
alter cases, and the mere
mention of a name has put new energy
in Mr. Grimes.
Nor is the war correspondent less
eager to be oti the way. He has received
something of a shock upon hearing
Molly speak that name. Memories
of the past are recalled, which
take him to other scenes.
"You will pardon us for leaving
you?" says the polite Mr. Grimes to
the young girl.
"Certainly. Indeed, you cannot go
too soon to please ine. I am anxious
to hear what this poor man has to
say. To me General Gordon has always
been the hero of the heroes, and
any one who comes from him demands
my attention and sympathy. Go
then to this poor German, see what he
most needs, and if Molly Tanner or
her father can in any way help bfm,
do not neglect to give me notice."
Again the two men glance toward
each other and smile, hut although
she sees this, there Is no explanation
made of their actions.
Bowing to the young American girl,
they turn away, leaving the piazza
of the hotel.
"Remember!" floats her warning
.1 On,, thom ;irwl Mr GrimOS.
cumins, waves his hand.
Then they are lost in the crowd
that jostle elbows in the square called
Esbchiyeh, in front of Shepherd's Hotel.
Around them sound the voices of
dragoman and fakir, mule driver and
peddler, mountebank and camel driver,
while the barking of dogs can be heard
everywhere, the streets of Cairo literally
runniDg wild with eurs.
"Are you armed?" asked the correspondent,
as they cross the grand
piazza and head into - street that
leads from it down to the River Nile.
The sdver king chuckles.
"Never go without a revolver, my
boy. Learned that habit years ago,"
he replies.
"Yes. you Western men generally do
carry a who>e armory on deck. Beastly
region wo Lave to pass through.
Black as?as?well, Egypt."
"Let's hire a light?no getting around
in this quarter without one."
They discover near by one of those
link boys, nho?e trade Is fast (tying
out in Cairo Sihce the improvements
advanced by British rule. TIia* was,
and not so very long ago, either, when,
after sunset on moonless nights, the
great city on the Nile was wrapped in
darkness and the law compelled any
one moving abroad to carry a lighted
lantern or liambcau.
The city being divided Into three distinct
quarters, separated by gates, and
known as the region of Copts, Jews,
and Franks, no one could pass through
after nightfall unless bearing a light.
In many parts of the strange, whitcd
c-lty on the east hank of the Nile, it
is still necessary to carry a torch 01
lantern, unless one means to invite
all manner of dangers, although the
law with to *<<> thing haj
fallen Into desuetude since the Engllsl
have made so many innovations witl
their charge of affairs after the bom
bardment of Alexandria in 1882.
A boy is engaged to go ahead witl
a light, and the two Franks, as al
foreigners are called in Egypt, holdlj
nlunge into the lower region of Cairo
fronting on the Nile.
Now and then they pass remark"
and joke, for lhe newspaper eorre
spondent is nothing if not humorous
The frequent mention of that singulai
name, "Mynheer Joe," proclaims .tha
they are exchanging confidences re
garding their experiences in connec
tion with this person in the past.
Sandy is frank in all he says, anc
there can be no doubt regarding hi!
fervid admiration for the man whon:
they expect to find on board the daha
beah of Demosthenes Tanner.
"It was at the storming of Alexan
dria I first met Mynheer Joe. I wa:
then, as now. a correspondent, am
ready to undergo all manner of dan
gers, in order to get the freshest news
even to holding a wire all day rathei
than let another man beat me.
ITo be Continued.]
Good Move of Y. M. C. A.
The Young Men's Christian Asso
eiation of the Bowery, New York, ha:
leased a farm of 130 acres in Xev
Jersey. The farm is intended t<
serve as a temporary home tor mei
who are awaiting employment. The]
are not expected to remain then
longer than two weeks. While the]
arg working on the healthy upland tb<
extensive employment machinery o
the M. C. A. is working mtheir in
terests. >
I
THE NAVY'S NEEDS
Secretary Reports a Deficiency in
Officers.
' WANTS MORE CADETS APPOINTED.
Extension at Annspoiis and General
Increase in the Service Seems to
Be Necessary.
I
Washington. T>. C.?Sorrpir.ry of ;L?
Navy Moody hf.s made Iris report for
the iiseal year ending June 30. Tl'.e
report deals with the ships under construction,
those authorized by Congress.
those in and out of commission,
the personnel of the service and with
lie future of the Navy, as seen by
Fecretary .Moody. Of the vessels under
construction, the report says:
"At the dose of the last fiscal year
there were under construction for the
Navy, by contract, the following vessels:
Eight battleships, si:: armored
cruisers, nine protected cruisers, four j
monitors, thirteen torpedo-boat destroy,
ers. seven torpedo boats, and seven
j submarine torpedo boats. The general
progress upon ttiese boats, partlcuiarlv
those of the larger class, has not been
found to be satisfactory.. The battleships
were, o* the 30th- of June, 1902.
from ten to twenty-nine mouths behind
contract time: the armored cruisers
from four to thirteen months; the protected
cruisers from six to eighteen
months, while the monitors were from
! sixteen to nineteen montns in arrears.
"During the fiscal year the following
vessels have Deen nnaliy accepted: The
battleships Alabama. Wisconsin, and
Illinois; the torpedo boats Bailey, Bagley.
Barney. Biddle.Sliubrick and Stockton.
The torpedo boats Thornton and
Wilkes, and the destroyers Decatur,
Perry and Preble have been preliminarily
accepted. Between July 1, 100?,
and No vena tier T. 1902, the Thornton
has been finally and' the following ves- i
sels preliminarily accepted: The moni- !
tor Arkansas, the torpedo boat destroyers
Barry. Chauncey. Dale. Paul Jones, j
j Truxton, Whipple and Worden, and the j
! torpedo boat De Long."
Of new vessels the authorized report i
j continues:
"At the last session of Congress the !
construction of the following addl- :
; tional vessels of the Navy was author- j
i ized: Two battleships, one to be built j
I at such Navy Yard as the Secretary I
: might designate: two> armored cruisers j
| and two gunboats. In pursuauce of
j this act the Department without delay I
! approved plans for the construction of |
1 the two. battleships and directed that j
work on one of then, the Connecticut. ]
I be commenced at once at the Navy j
Yard, New York.**
Of the future of the Navy the Secretary
saysr
"If the policy of strengthening our
power upon the sea to the poin'/ where
it can respond to the National needs he
not abandoned, the Navy has manifold
needs. There must be additional naval;
and coaling stations: more ships, fight'
toe and auxiliary; and au increase of
officers and men.
"The most imperative need of tile
Navy to-day is of additional officers. I
cannot overstate this neeo. It invites
the instant attention of Congress. The
administration of the Department is
embarnssed almost daily by the- lack
I of officers itelow command rank. This
condition has been approaching for
some years, and vras clearly apprehended
and stated by my predecessor
in office. It is acute to-day. and. when
the ships already authorized are completed.
it will be desperate ualess there
Is early action.'"
The report shows that at present
there is a deficiency of 577 officers for
the ships of the Navy. It speaks of
the ways in which m^re officers may
be obtained", and adus:
"I therefore earnestly recommend
that without a year's delay the number
of midshipmen at the Academy he
increased sufficiently to meet present
and prospective needs of the service."
The report continues:
"From time to time during the last
forty years attempts nave been made
by various foreign governments, as
t well as by our own. to utilize oil as
, n fuel for naval service. Fourteen
i official tests have oeen made, from
[ which valuable lnfomation has been
Becured.
"As a result of the Investigations
thus far conducted the Chief of the Bureau
of Steam Engineerlngrecommends
1 the Installation of liquid-fuel appli1
ances without delay in at least a third
r of the torpedo boats and destroyers.
With respect to the larger war vessels
and particularly the battleships, the in,
stalls tion^ of liquid fuel presents se
rlous difficulties, entirely apart num
the question of the satisfactory use of
oil under boilers.
f "In recommend in g that the GoveniI
ment obtain control of all wireless tel
egraph stations the-. Chief of the Bu.
reau of Equipment says: 'In tftne of
war the department wilt "Undoubtedly
I And it necessary to rommtinfcnte by
menus of wireless telegraphy with cer3
tain receiving stations along tlio
' const. Nothing should be permitted
to interfere with the transmission of
such messages, nor should it be possi.
ble for unauthorized nersons to receive
3 them."
' Dlatrirt Attorney Rethea Reappointed.
President Roosevelt re-appolnted Sol
onion II. Bcthea United States District
' Attorney for the North rrn District of
Illinois. Mr. Bethca is the officer who
gathered the greater part of the evidence
which led lo the prosecution ol
the combination of meat pacl:ers by
the Federal Government.
'* .
Eighteen IUer> l.oit In l ake Erie.
3 Eighteen men. the entire crew of the
steamer Sylvar.us. J. Mney. lest their
) lives during a furious southwest gale
l on Lake Erie. While trying to weather
r the storm of? Port Burell the vessel
a sprang a leal: and went to the bottom
carrying down with her all on board.
8-10,000 For Birth of Priuceaa.
1 King Victor Emanuel of Italy has
- signalized the birth of the Princess
Mafaldi* by giving $20,000 to the
Foundling Hospital and $20,000 lo the
Free Hospital at Rome.
n
' - A. ;.\-V
A FATAL TRAGEDY
Terrible Ending of a Secret Marriag# i
?Murder and Suicide.
Nichols. Special.?A tragedy occurred
here Monday arternoon as a result or i
which Duston H. Sarvis, a telegraph |
student, lies dead, and Miss Josephine J
Burns, a popular young lady, of thistown,
is seriously wounded.
It seems that Sarvis and Miss Burns
were secretly married on September
22nd and lately the girl has begged
Sarvis to acknowledge her as his wife.
He refused and threatened to shoot her
if she should divulge it. She went to
him and demanded that he go to her
people and tell of the marriage, as it
must now b? known.
She said she had told her parents aid
they would publish it if he did not.
Upon this Sarvis shot her. the builet I
entering the centre of the forehead, i
ranging up and passing through the J
scalp. As she fcii Sarvis turned tin
pistol on himself ami sent a bullet
under his ear and through the base of
the brain. His death was instantaneous.
Both Sarvis aud the girl who claims to
be his wife are v/ell known and the
terrible tragedy is greatly deplored by
the community. Sarvis is from Loris,
Horry county. He was about 22 year*
old.
Nichols, the scene of this tragic ocof
the Atlantic Coast Line ,and is in.
o fthe Atlantic Coast Line, and is in.
Marion county, .
Up Count ry Rice,
Spartanburg. Special.?Col. T. J:
Moore of Moore, a leading citizen and
planter of the county, was in the city
last week on .his way to Columbia to
represent-Cedar Springs Institute at
the meeting o! the trustees of State
institutions, which was ht'ld in that
c'itv Whilp horp P.nl \foorp talkpcl in
terestingly to the State's representa- j
tive in regard to rice culture,. in I
which he has been experimenting with I
success. Among his many landed pos- j
sessions. Col.. Moore possesses -. 10ft i
acres of fine bottom land on Tyger [
river, and 50 acres of this is devoted I
to the cultivation of Bermuda grass,
and the remainder to rice. The mode of I
irrigation for the rice is effected by a j
canal one and!one-half miles long extending
from the mouth of Tyger river I
to the bottom land. He has gathered |
his rice crop for this year, and stated !
that on the 50 acres he had averaged
a larger, yjcld p.er acre than any other
section .of South Carolina, or any other
rice producing State. This encourages i
him to raise more rice next year. The |
vegetable he produces is as fine as it J
grows anywhere, and there is a ready
sale for, it] at; from 75 cents,tu> $1.
Carnival at Laurens.
Laurens, Special.?Negotiations are j
pending between the I.ayton Carniva1 ;
company anil the local Knights of
Pythias lodge for the holding here oij
a carnival and street fair some time]
next month, probably from the 15th;
to the 2.0th. Toe manager of the Lay
ton company. Best Hoss. has con-'
ferred with members q? the order under
whose auspices it; is proposed to
thn foil. nr.g ? Vx ~
tv4 * *-- iiitr irtii , auu wiiu< tuc ma>ui a?u
an answer is to be given tomorrow
morning. The matter will come up anu
be decided upon at tonight's meeting ,
of the Knights of Pycftias. These carnivals
are quite poputar and according
to reports are successfully connected.;
Negro Gamblers.
Negro Gamblers.
Laurens. Special.?Monday arorniug
Magistrate Hudgens sent up to court
eight cases against that many negroes j
for gambling ijjd carrying concealed j
weapons. They were captured Satur-1
day night by Sheriff Ducket, Deputy 1
Power, Chief of Police Hughes and
Officers Bagwell and Arnold. They |
were half a mile beyond the city-1
limits and were engaged in a game I
hen the officers pounced upon theoi.
Most of th.*m have giwn bond.
Fire at Excelsior Mills.
Anderson, Speciak?Fire at tbo Excelsior
mill at 3 o'clock Monday morning
caused a loss of about $500. The j
cause of the fire Is not known but i
when discovered the engine room wa3 ,
in flames and but for the prompt ac- j
tion of the fire department the loss j
would have been very laree. as the !
mill has on band large Quantities of
seed, hulls oils, etc. This flre was confined
to the engine room.
Texas Fiood Situation.
Dallas, Texas, Special.?The flood
situation in Texas is generally relieved.
Many of the railroad lines which were
suspended by washouts and flooded
tracks have resumed operation and all
of the other damaged lines are expected
to resume tomorrow .All overflowed
rivers are subsiding and the
end of the trouble is considered at
hand. The damage to country roads by
the flood is estimated at $100,000.
News of the Day.
Great is the Industry and fertile Is
the Imagination of Guy Boothby, the
English novelist. In less than eight
years he has published some twentysix
books, the majority of which have
, achieved more than ordinary successs..
Mr. Boothby is a South Australian Dy
birth and is 35 years of age.
A London sartorial magazine having
remarked that "the trousers of today
will not only be the trousers of the
next fifty years, but the trousers of
civilization for all time." the Louisville
Courier-Journal comments: "Most
of us would be satisfied if the trousers
of today would hold their shape
long enough to be the trousers of next
month." '
Crum.Not to Be Collector.
Washington, Special.?The Post
says that President Ro'osevelt has decided
not to appoint Dr. Crum, the
colored political leader, collector of
the port of Charleston, S. C.-It is understood,
The Post says, that the
I President's decision is the result of
statements concerning Dr. Crum's political
career furnished to the White
House by members of the colored
man's party.
;-v y/%
" - '
HE POSTAL REPORT
Staternejit of Receipts and Expenditures
For 1901
MILLIONS DEFICIT FOR THE YEAR
The Annual Report of the Rbetmas
<?r rii?i(>ral R?ni>(lt? nf Pnrnl. Fred
Delivery.
*
V"
Washington. I>. C.?The annual" rcpt
i\: of ;ho Posininsier-llcneral for the
year en?!!n;c Juur last shows total
receipts for the year of .SI21,SIS,047.116,
as compared with the previous: year's
le.vlpt.s of Sni.d.lDu.tJh.. Tiie expenditures
for *he year v.-ore $12i,7S3,?
07.07. as compared with. Si 13.554,020.87
for lite preceding yea..
The excess of expertoit tires. $2.0#7,040.81,
was-.less thau the previous
year's deficit iiv :tI>Si?,?>T7.GT.. The estimated
deiic-ii for the year ending .June
Ut>. 1004. is ?S.242.ST)t;. \
ISffons have been made In the past
and are now is. ing made to better,
wherever possible, to.: condition of
postal employes, the report says.. This
is especially s> in the ease of clerks- in
postofliees. There were upwards of
12,000 clerks- promoted on. July 1 last,
the aggregate-allowance for these promotions
being about Si,200,000.. Fully
11.000 of these promotions were of
clerks who received less than $1000 per
annum. The- working hours of clerks
in the larger postoffices were also reduced
so as : it to average more than
eight hours a day.. The report, continues:
,
"Rural free delivery service has become
an established fact. It no
longer in the experimental stage and
undoubtedly Congress will continue
to increase the appropriation for this
cnrvloA until yll ^hn nonnlc f\f thft /Mllin.
try are reached, where it is thickly
enough settled to warrant it. The-estimates
of the department are to the
effect that the available territory for
this service embraces about 1,000,000
square miles, or one-third of the-country's
area exclusive of Alaska.. The
11.C50 routes now in operation- eover
about one-third of the available- territory..
The rapid extension of the service
will, of course, increase the-deficits
during the next three years. After It is
completed the revenues will: quickly
feel the effect of Its establishment, and
whatever deficit may be occasioned
will gradually disappear. It will also
be Interesting ro note that rural free
delivery carriers received applications
during the past year for G2o,946 money
orders. ?
"Specific instances have been brought
to the attention of the Department
where the prompt delivering of live
stock quotations indicating a temporary
glut in- the market to farmers intending
to ship to the stockyards, by
enabling them to hold back their shipments
till the markets- resumed their
normal conditions, has saved to indl- '
vidual cattle raisers more than the
total cost of one year's rural delivery
' i-- ut-u IUAJ
over rue routes on wun-a mey n?cu.
"The number of domestic money orders
issued was 40,474,327. amounting *
to S313.531.279. The number of International
money orders issued during
the year was 1,31T,1H. amounting to
522:974,473. The number of International
orders paid during the year was
307.079,. amounting to 53,821,729. It
will* be interesting to note that the
amount of the foreign orders Issued
was nearly four times as great as the
amount paid. The fee at present for
an order of $100 Is thirty cents, and it
Js recommended that legislation be
passed authorising the Department to
rednce this ft* to twenty-five cents.
"The star service discontinued during
the year ended June 30.1902. by reason
of the establishment of rural free delivery
service, amounted to $205,013.98.
"Legislation is needed for the protection
of railway postal clerks while In
the discharge of their duties. This 1s
a matter which has been fully pre***
onntrnl ronnrtc
arimru 1IX pivijuur* uiiuu?u ?V|/V?
"Last year the Department paid for
tlie transportation of foreign mails the
sum of $2,245,025.55."
On the subject of the parcels post the
report says:
"From the statistics taken it appears
that the average "weight of parcels despatched
from this country to all conntries
only sliJitly. exceeds three and
one-half pounus. me average weight
of parcels despatched from this country
to Germany is two and two-thirds
pounds. In view of the fact that four '
pounds as a limit of weight will fairly
meet the requirements of this country,
the Second Assistant Postmaster-General
recommends the tender of parcels
post conventions with England.
France, Italy and ether countries of
Europe, similar to that now in fore?
between this country and Germany,
with the exception thai the weight of
parcels be lirajted to four pounds and . v
that six month's notice be given to Germany
of the desire of this country to
modify the existing convention so as
to reduce the weight of parcels from . /
eleven to four pounds."
Attention is invited to the remarks
of the Second Assistant PostmasterGeneral
concerning the need of a unli
versal stamp, or some substitute for it,
which will facilitate international correspondence.
WoulO-Re Duelists Reconciled.
Thomas Braniff, Jr.. and Manuel Eicon
Gallardo. the young society men,
of Mexico City. Mexico, who were arrested
and held by the police to prevent
them from fighting a duel, hare
secured their release by shaking hands
in open court and promising the Judge
That they would abandon their dueling
plans. Braniff tfas lined S1S0 and Gallardo
?1C0. which they paid.
Schenectady Boycott Called Off.
In one of the most exciting meetings
in its history, the Trades Assembly at
Schenectady. X. Y., declared off tho
boycott against the Schenectady Railway
Company. The vote la favor of
rescinding was three to one. and the
meeting lasted nearly three hours.
Shot Wife, Daughter and Himself. jj
In the mountains of upper East Tennessee
R1 hard G; .-hot l.is wife _
imd daughter and then $hot and killed
himself. It is snppcsed jealousy
luoT.rlty was the ca.rcc of the d?o&..ABBA
. A