The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, December 11, 1902, Image 7
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e^nrrwTar<g/CTrTKii->rr^ riiwi ?a?
r Mynhe:
DY ST. QE0RQ1
Lv?tV?V*>"
CorTEICSHT 1SK, Coe
CHAPTER I.
[Continued.]
' "'When the time came to land, in
order to stive tlie city from the mob.
'Arab: being defeated, I found myself
thrown in the company of one who
was a stranger to me. lie came from
a British warship. Liked his looks
from the first, and side by side we
wont tlirrmtth the streets of Alexail
dri:i. Firing all around us ?got in
numerous little engagements; was
#a:v surrounded by a pack of howling
ative troops, who thought they could 1
wijH* us out. Mr. (1 rimes, you missed j
the sight of your life in failing to see |
how Cordon's friend stood off those |
curs. Bless my soul! I can shut my
eyes and look on the whole thing yet
J never saw such a fire-eater in action,
find yet in repose Joe is as meek as
la tub.
"After that I froze to him. We saw
Borne weeks in company?weeks I have
never forgotten, because 1 loved tnat
mar.. Then I was ordered to watch
the Italian operations about AbysBlnia,
while Joe went to find Chinese |
JGordon. I lost track of him. but have
never ceased to feel the deepest interest
in his work, as an explorer second
only to Stanley and Einin Paslia.
Now you can understand my intense
delight upon hearing that the man
are going to see is no other than
^gj^ny comrade in Alexandria, Mynheer
Tins is iilwout tbe longest consecutive
narrative Mr. Grimes has ever heard
Sandy give utterance to, tvhich marks
the i>ower of that magical name. On
his part, the silver king does not prove
bo confiding. He speaks of the man
who interests them both as though
acquainted with his past; but whcth-1
er he has personally met him, Saudy 1
finds it impossible to say.
Meanwhile, they have been making i
progress in the direction of the river.
A light of some sort is positively needed
iu these streets after nightfall, moon
or no moon, on account of the peculiar
custom of building.
The houses, as a general rule, are
three stories iu height. As the street
itself is but an alley, barely ten feet
in width, and each story of the houses !
project beyond tbe one below It. It is !
easy to sLake hands from the neighbor- ,
mg roots. t.ven mis srnau space is |
ofteu covered with mats, to keep out j
the garish light of day, which, reflect- \
?d from the white walls, dazzles the
eyes.
In these narrow streets men stand j
to groups engaged in discussion or bar- i
ter. now and then gently pushed aside j
by the nose of some camel advancing |
ilently, the "ship of the desert" being.
besides the donkey, the only burden-bearer
allowed in the native section.
Here and there a light Is seen mov- !
ing along, as some sheik proceeds
homeward; but, as a general thing, '
darkness hangs over the street In
many of the houses, no doubt, gayety
abounds; but Arab and Moor believe
l ?in Keeping tueir nomes sacrea irom me
public, nud ouly huge piles of whitened
bricks lie on every side.
As yet they have met with no adventure,
and the distance between the 1
gruud square and the river has been
diminished by half. This savors of
rare good luck, fo# it is not always
that a Frank can traverse this region,
at such an hour, unmolested.
Cairo abounds in rascals who do not
fear the English law, however much
they may respect the native koorbasli
and stocks. It is not a sin or a crime
to rob a foreigner?unless caught in ,
/ the act That is the way they look
at it.
Sandy knows this, if his companion
does not happen to be so thoroughly i
posted with regard to the customs of
the city on the Nile. He continues to 1
keep his eyes about him, and does !
not let the Arab who carries the flam- ;
beau got beyond his reach, knowing
that in all probability in case of an
attack the first act of the dusky ras?il
will be to fly and leave them in
darkness to meet the foe. They have
^ even cut down the distance to a
fourth and soon the light will fall
upon the waters of the river, when
the wa.: correspondent bends suddenly
forward and snatches the torch from j
the hand of the astonished carrier.
CIIArTEll II.
TOE MAS WHO SAW CRAVE GORDOX FALL.
'V Mr. Grimes sees the action and does
* not appear to ' e at all surprised?in- i
^ deed, he rarely deviates from the
steady repose that marks him as a
wonderfully nervy man.
Something glistens in his hand?it
Is a revolver, and the light gives ilio
blue 6teel a cruel as well as a cold
look. Evidently the scout tourist is
ready to take care of himself.
Sandy has clutched the torch, which
be at once raises above his head. Half.
dozen ragged forms have sprung
Into view beyond. Perhaps some arch
has secreted them until now. There
can be no mistaking their intentions,
rfor quickly they advance, spreading
cut as If to prevent the Franks, who
have thus wandered into their net,
from escaping.
"Backsheesh!" they clatter like a
lot of monkeys, holding out begrimed
hands and scowling.
There Is only one way to treat these
rascalif you comply with their demand*
they grow more and more im
v?? Q
er - Toe. 1
E JRATHBORNE. r
?*?+*??? |
r.bt Bosxek's Sows." \
portunute. uutil tlie.v llnally proceed
to openly rob their victim.
"Stand back!" cries Sandy with a
roar, as be swings tbe flambeau around
bis head.
They understand enough English to
know what lie is saying?at any rate,
his actions are doubly significant?
but, believing they can rule the ranch
by mere force of numbers, the ragged
% ? r. b <* AVH'O Ull
oeggars couuuue to j.usu
thus hemming the two whites in.
I Although suiall in point of stature,
Sandy is a warrior, every inch of him,
| and, as might be expected from his
nervous manner, possess*?<i of an inflammable
temper. "When the nearest
of the rogues pushes within
reaching distance and clutches at him
with bony lingers, the newspaper man
brings the flaming torch, with a resounding
.hump, against the top of the
beggar's head. It does not affect the
link, beyond sending forth a shower
J of sparks, but re unfortunate recipI
lent of the blow, tinding sparks in his
long hair, utters vociferous shouts and
dances with the fervor of a 'dercisli.
This is deemed a signal for a general
assault all along the line, and for
the space of sixty seconds there is
? A in iltn
seen H speciui'li; lairy unuuvu iu n?vnarrow
streets of old Cairo.
At first the two foreigners are averse
to using their firearms, and endeavor
to inspire terror in the breasts of their
enemies by a generous exhibition of
muscle.
When Sandy has to dodge a fiendish
blow from a wicked dagger he thinks
it about time they proceeded to sterner
measures.
Sandy opens on the rag-tag-andbob-tail
crowd, as he terms them, seek- J
ing to inflict wounds and create a di-j \
version. He is immediately backed j
up by his companion. His strong, j
white teeth hold fast to his cigar, and ;
even as he lets drive at a dark-faced j
fellah who seeks to cleave him Willi j
an Algerian yataghan, the silver king
puffs out a small eloiul of smoke. Talk i
about coolness! Here you have it in j
a human Iceberg. Sandy holds his j
breath while looking at this strange j
coinpauion. and wonders whether he j
would show excitement in the heat of
battle.
This sort of a reception is hardly to
the liking of the cowardly curs who
have appeared daring simply becauso
their numbers gave them confidence.
At the first shot most of them began
to glnuce over their shoulders.
This is a sure sign of a desire to retreat.
Then comes hotter work. Sandy
uo longer waits for them to come, but
with his revolver in one hand and the
.<1 t * ?nU(?l(nM
lUlHJlllj; lUICil twill mi? auuui Ilia uvuu,
he leaps toward the footpads.
This L too much for them?they break
and fly with cries of terror, some
springing up the street while others
go down in the direction of the river.
In a marvelously short space of time
the street is empty save for one poor
fellow, who, shot in the leg, is hopping
off as fast as his good leg will
carry him. calling on Mohammed to
save him from the foreign tigers.
In any under city under the sun.
such a commotion at dead of night
WDuId create an intense excitement.
Not so in Cairo. The white walls shut
them in, pierced by minute windows
that allow little chance of street gazing.
Those who hear the sounds o?
war are discreet enough to know that
it is none of their business, and they
will be l etter off away.
T ..?L- nnf liuhtml vaii clr"'
Sandy, and tlie silver king turns suddenly
to cover a creeping figure that
has advanced from a darkened archway.
whereupon the most piteous jargon
is heard, and heboid the suspected
assassin turns out to be their torch
bearer, who, having witnessed the hot
little affair from a place of security,
is now crawling back to resume bis
interrupted duties.
They welcome him gladly, and Sandy
relieves ldinsclf of the iiambcau, glad
to be rid of it. As there are no more
footpads in view to give them battle,
they again take up their line of march
| for the river, fortunately close at hand.
Mr. (irimes has had explicit dlrecI
tions from Mr. Tanner how to reach
the boat, and a suspicion bus already
entered his head that the ambuscade
into which.they ran might have hc-eu.
arranged by the reis of the sailing
craft to relieve his rich employer of
.tupcrilnous wealth.- These Arabs and
natives are tip to ail manner of tricksI
to gain filthy lucre, and old travelers
( become so accustomed to treachery
that they are surprised at nothing, and
learn to depend upon themselves entirely.
lie even mentions the f;-/-t. as it occurs
t*> hhn, to ?-:i::dy. who declares
there is a strong clement of probability
about it. and in the same breath
swears that, if the occasion offers, he
will sift the matter to the bottom and
wring the neck of the wily old reis if
I such a course is necessary to extract)
the truth.
"The river!" calls out their guide
in his uative tongue; and the fact
arouses the two men to new Interest,
as they remember why they have
come here.
A minute later and they stand upon
the edge of the Nile. Just here th<A
bank is high, and at this season of
the year the water reaches its lowest
stage to the south, though at Cairo
there la always plenty.
Below them they eon see lights upon
.numerous vessels, some anchored out
in the river, others tied up at the
docks. Voices, too. come over the water
from the west?men are sinjrin?
on some of the coasters that ascend
the river from the Mediterranean. All
i-~ Krt..te onAM niiAti tliie rrrnof
I IK* ??' <11.- ??? ?.|?vn m.?.o p.<v .?
sea cr.n bo foun'.l on the lower Nile.
Ilere are schooners. brigs. ships, menof-war?the
boggnln. felucca, xebec,
settee and even a pa tamer from India,
while numerous smaller craft and
dahabenhs suited to travel on the Nile
dot the surface of the river by day,
making a scene worth remembering.
Our two frlneds can discern nothing
of this now since darkness rests
like a pall over the water, relieved
only by the riding lights and lamps on
board the numerous craft. Their attention
is directed at once to a point
immediately below, where the gleam
of several lights proclaims the presence
of a boat.
As they advance, they make out the
clean-cut model of a new dahabeah,
and can see the dark-skinned Egyptian
sailors squatted on deck forward,
while aft. the cabin, painted snowwhite,
is easily distinguishable.
The boat is tied to a dilapidated
'* " 4 *or seme reason. It is also
gang-plank leads from the shore on
board. Sandy orders the torch-hearer
to lead the way. and in order to make
sure of the fellow's attendance when
IIK'Y U.Mr llt'l'U \JL IIIO cri i two uh.?.U|
ucglects to pay him.
Thus they trip across the plank and
reach the roof of the cabin, where
the captain meets them?si man with
grizzled beard, white turban and flowing
robes. Upon his face Sandy reads
a look oi' perplexity and disappointment.
and from this moment he knows
the truth?that they really owe their
adventure to this reis. who. believing
millionaire Tanner would come to the
boat, arranged to have his pockets
tapped while on route.
These captains all talk fairly good
English, although their hatred for
the foreigner seems to be an inherited
quality. Outwardly they may npi
pear jolly and as meek as lambs, but
I Inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
I Sandy has a habit of pushing himi
self forward: not that lie means to
| be rude, but it is a characteristic of
his impetuous nature. To Lis credit
bo it said, the same thing urges him
on in times of danger. Lie is always
found in the van.
"This boat is the Alice?" he ask?
boldly.
The captain removes the stem of his
long nip,? from his mouth, and gravely
nods his head in an affirmative way.
"We have come direct from Mr. Tanner,
to whom you are engaged for the
season."
Another solemn nod.
"Enable to conio himself, he has sent
us to see the man you picked up ou
the Nile?a man who was once my
friend."
The native captain looks at liiui
closely, as though mentally liguring
just where he should place Sandy.
Then he smiles blandly aud holds out
his hand.
"If his friend, then mine. I have
suffered at the hands of El Mahdi,
and he who is an enemy to the False
Prophet is my brother. Shake!"
Sandy complies, anil gives the old
reis such a Freemason grip that it
wrings a groan from the dark-skinned
owner of the daliabeah Alice.
"Now lead us to your guest. We
are in haste," he says, with an as
sumption of authority tnar no oue
ventures to dilute; for, despite bis
lack of majestic proportions, the war
correspondent lias the air of one born
I to command. It is not stature tbat
I makes a leader like Napoleon.
' Follow, gentlemen," says tlie cap*
I tain, with a majestic wave of bis
| band.
They obey willingly. Tbe door of
the cabin is close by. On eiflier side
are tbe steps leading to the promenade
on tbe roof, over wliicb an awning is
stretched, for it is hero tbat the tour*
List lives during the day. for the cabin,
beginning amidships, extends io tbe
stern. When tbe cabin-door is opened
they behold a splendid interior. .Money
has not been spared in filling out the
"ad only a millionaire like Tanner
could engage such a lovely craft
for tbe season.
A lamp is turned low. so tbat something
of a dimness rests upon tbe interior,
but tbe sharp eyes of Sandy
have already discovered the figure of
a man upon a divan.
..n?... H core tlio nill
11*111 tM. ^( UllCUiVU, V ?-?
rcis.
Straight across the luxurious cabin
strides the newspaper correspondent
direct to the lamp, which, with n turn,
he causes to send forth a tiood of
light. Then he faces the recumbent
figure on the couch; recumbent no
longer, for as though the voice of the
reis at the cabin-door has broken the
chain of slumber which exhaustion
iias forged around him, the castaway
of the Nile has raised his body with
one arm and looks at them in a way
that proclaims his bewildrmcnt; tlie
bright light dazzles his eyes. too. so
that with his other hand lie shade#
them.
It is n picture?Sandy, standing
there, bending eagerly forwan. his
eyes glued upon the beardrd face of
the other, and actually holding his
breath as lie gazes spell-bound. The
man who thus half raises himself upon
the coueh is worthy of n second look.
Ilis figure Is splendidly proportioned,
though not above the ordinary .11 point
of size. It is the face that must interest
an observer most of all?a face
that is marked by determination, valot
'and frank fearlessness. This man
has seen suffering iu the past; ht
show:s it In his eyes, and yet it has not
, crushed the spirit that lcndKlhe ex'.plorer
to seek new honor and renown
wmid the dangers of unknown wilds;
pestilential swamps of In the depth!
ran African desert. \
I To to ContiOTedJ
MANY WERE RAIDED
c
Another Moral Spasm Attacks City
of New York
GET EVIDENCE WITH DYNAMITA.
District Attorney Jerome Makes a
Sensational Raid on Gamblers in ,
Fashionable Quarter.
New York, Special.?District Attor- !
ney Jerome's sensational raids on al- ;
leged gaml)ling resorts begun about
midnight Sunday night. were continued
until 4:30 o'clock Monday morning
and numerous small places were raided.
The attacks on the latter, however,
were almost overlooked in the public
interest which centered in the assaults
on the mansions occupied by Itichard ;
A. Canticld and William Burbridge !
which were entered by mear.s of lad- I
ders, axes and sledges. The police alleged
that Frank Farrel! is interested
in Burbridge's place. Great quantities
oi cysuy eviueuce were i ai icu anaj
from those places by the police but
arrests were few.
Up to last night a general impression
prevailed that Canrteld'o which is
the heart of the fashionable up-town
district, only a few doors from Fifth
avenue and near two celebrated restaurants,
was a 'Gibraltar" which \
could not be taken and a similar be- ;
lief prevailed in regard to Burbridge's j
place, which was especially protected j
by steel doors. This place is in a cross ;
street up-town, only half a block from j
Fifth avenue and a few steps from a ;
celebrated hotel.
So great was public interest aroused
by the news of the raid on Canfield'a
that people flocked to the neighborhood
until the intersection of Fifth
avenue and Forty-fourth street, the j
corner nearest Canfleld's, was blocked ,
with carriages and people. After Burbridge's
the raiders visited Ludlam's ! (
place, otherwise known as the Savor i
1 Club. They got one man there, a col- ; ,
! ored subordinate employed about the !
| place. Jerome, Captain Poper, Inspector
i Brooks, several assistants to the dis!
trict attorneys and numerous detectives ,
j were busy in Ludlam's place until
: after 4 o'clock this morning. They i |
i blew open a safe for evidence.
! Earlier in the night the district at
' tornoy made many raids in the down j
; town Italian quarter of alleged disorj
derly houses. These were "prellmina- |
ries,:' as it were, to the big events, |
! Canrirld's and Burbridge's. I ,
District Attorney Jerome refused to j
| make any statement after his night's I ,
i work. Captain Lantry, of the East j ,
Fifty-first street station, in whose pre- (
! cinct the Canfleld place has been for (
| years, declared to the reporters and ,
j others assembled that he had never
expected to live to see such an event
j as the lading of Canfleld's. ,
The raids were expected in every ' ,
; place visited. In Canfleld's the owner
; declared nothing had been "doing" for
j weeks. It was much the same in Bur- !
| bridge's and Ludiam's, although Joseph
I Jacobs, the Citizens' Union detective,
j last night declared he had played in
| every place. But that the raids were to
be made seemed to have reached the
men interested for every place was
prepared as if in advance. At Burbridge's
they even left the great steel
door ajar. They went into the house in
the usual way. Canfleld was not arrested.
The report to that effect was
erroneous. He was held at his house
for identification by a detective who
claimed to have gambled in the house,
but the detective said Clanfield was not
the man who had dealt faro for him.
Later the detectives said E. W. Bucklln
was the man and Bucklin was arrested.
He is said to be Canfield's manager.
David Bucklin and Sampel J. Smith,
who were arrested in the raids, were
held in $1,000 for examination. Thomas
McGibney, who was arrested at Burbridge's
house, was discharged.
Fined For Riding on Negro Car.
New Orleans, Special.?J. Alius Wets,
one of the wealthiest cotton merchants
of New Orleans, was fined $25 for vio- |
lating the separate car law. He sat on
the side reserved for negroes and refused
to go to the other compartment,
j where there was no empty seat. ]
Tennessee's Democratic riajority.
Nashville, Tent.., Special.?The official
returns In the late election have .
been compiled by the Secretary of (
State and show a total vote of 101.14P. (
This is a falling off of over 40 per cent. ]
as compared with the vote of 1900 and ?
of over 12 per cent, as compt<red with j
the preceding official year. The vote is ,
as follows: Frazier, 98.954; Campbell, ?
59,002; Cheves, 2,103. This is a major- ,
ity for Fraxier, Democrat, of 37,759. ]
Cigarmakers Return to Work.
Havana, By Cable.?All possibility c4
another general strike has ended, r.t
the cigar makers have voted to return
to work and the factories were runniri
as usual today. The detachment of artillery
from Fort Cabanas, which hat
been guarding the public buildings in
this eitv since the outbreak of tht
strike, was ordered back to barrancks.
The police have reported to the authorities
that anarchists from Barcelona.
Spain, are in Havana and ar^
supposed to have been in collusion
with the Socialistic element during tnc
I strike. The authirif.ies are conducting
an investigation with a view to the ar?
rest and deportation of these anarcJ
Ma.
Iron People Qet Together.
Detroit, Special?One of the bigge<|
deals ever made in the State of Mich:?
gan was consummated in the office ol
W. C. McMf^an here today, when 17
of the leading malleable iron concerns
in the United States signed an agreement
to form & big company with cap"ital
from $16,000,000 to $20,000,000. ij
Nearly 20 firms, including the RcssMehan
Foundry Company, of Chatta
nooga, are in the combination.
,v. - \ t . .v
THE BAPTIST CONVENTION.
Great Gathering of Religious Work
ers at Greenville.
Greenville. Special.?'The opening
session of the Baptist convention was
well attended.
The devotional exercises were eonducted
by J. R. Aiken and the minutes
read by Secretary Ervin. wkrin miscellaneous
business was taken up by the
body.
i. L. Gusts lor the committee to
nominate members of the board of
Trustees of Funnan University and
Greenville Female College, submitted
the following: L. K. Dorn. C. K. Henderson.
D. W. Key, J. J. Lawton and
Biooks Rutledge.
Col. Jas. A. Hoyt moved that a committee
of three be appointed to draft
suitable revolutions on the death of
Rev. I. T. Tiehonor. The following
committee was appointed: Col. .Ins. A.
Hoyt. Rev. T. M. Bailey. I). I)., and
Rev. Mike McGoe.
Rev. vV. W. I.awton. mi.ssio:ia:y to
China, was recegmzed by the (hair and
welcomed ton icat in conventijn.
The report on ministerial education
was made by J. Ha: lwell Kdwaids and
was spoken to by C. Z. Hurts. The
speaker pleaded for more money for
Lhis work and more interest in it. The
fathers loved and worked for it and so
must we. Do not -expect ministerial
students to pay back what has been
given them. They go out to work for
small salaries. Other speeches wese
made by L. C. Hinton, R. T. Marsh. L.
C. Ezell, W. J. Langston and A. J. S.
Thomas. On motion of J. W. Blanton
the matter of ministerial students sup
plying churches while in the university
was left with the board of ministerial '
education. . 1
Or. T. P. Bell, editor of The Georgia
Index, A. M. Croxtou. Miss Jones and \
Miss Baker. missionaries in South
Carolina, were welcomed by the chair.
A. C. Wilkins read the report on the
report of the State missionary board.
This recommends $20,000 for State mis- '
sionary work; more female mission
aries for work in the mill districts;
that a State evangelist be appointed, If
the board thinks best. Speeches were
made by A. C. Wilkins and H. A. Bagley.
On State missions. Dr. Bagby said,
it was good for the improvement of
citizenship, thus purifying politics.
People with religion do not buy and
Bell votes.
Rev. E. M. Llghtfoot also made a
fine speech to the report. He was followed
by Rev. Vernon 1'Anson, missionary
in the mill town of Columbia, 1
a district c' 10,000 population. He
spoke in highest terms of the earnest
work being done by the female missionaries.
Misses Jones and Baker.
Jesus, he said, is again sending messages
to Hie disciples through the women
to arouse them to the work and
the faith. He plead for a school for
the training of female workers.
This speech was followed by a spontaneous
hearty offering of $105.25 for
the building cf the Southeside church,
of which Mr. 1'Anson is pastor. The
delegation just got up and carried their
offerings to the front like the colored
people do. $37.00 was pledged.
Dr. Bailey, the veteran State mission
secretary, exm-essed ereat Dleas
ure at the fine speeches made to the
report and asked the pastors who are
going to work for $20,000 for this work
next year to stand. They were hearty
in their response.
On motion of R. W. Lyde to amend
one of the commendations, striking out
fhe words "missionary evangelist" and
inserting instead "Sunday school evangelist,"
speeches were made by R. W.
tide, V. I. Masters, F. C. Hickson, E.
r. Atkinson and R. W. Sanders.
On motion of F. C. Hickson this
matte- was placed in the hands of the
committee on order of business, to be
brought up later.
On motion of J. D. Chapman the report
of Young People's work was appointed
to come up tonight.
On motion of L. C. Ezell. Dr. Lee
Davis Lodge of Limestone college, and
Rev. H. Hatcher of the American Bap:ist
Publication society, will be assigned
an hour to address the convention.
J. B. Parrotte submitted the followng
which was adopted: Trustees of
Donnie Maxwell orphanage;?- A. G.
ifoungblood, J. J. Waters. D. W. Key.
3. H. Burton. Orlando Shepherd and (
D. A. Williams.
G. W. Gardner for the committee to
loiuinate board of ministerial educa
:ion submitted the following, and it
ivas adopted: W. J. Langston, Wm.
31odsmith, Jr.. H. T. Cook. F. N. K. 1
Bailey. L. M. Rice. F. M. Satterwhite. '
1 E. Burts. J. E. Covington. F. P. j
Covington, J. A. Brown, Simoon Hyde
tnd J. B. Parrotte.
Gold Standard for fUxlco.
Mexico City. Special.?It is again reported
that a powerful New York synlicate
is disposed to fjrnish the gov-'
?rnment with sufficient gold to estabish
firmly a gold standard here. The
sum named is $50,000,00. Some local
nankers think half of that amount
Bvould be ample. There is a strong
sentiment in favor of retaining the silver
dollars, although giving them a
normal value.
A Dangerous Plaything.
Woodruff, Special.?One year ago
Mr. J. P. Roach of Cashville. whilo
carrvine the mail from Woodruff to
Cashville found a railroad torpedo.
Mr. Roach carried the torpedo home,
not knowing what he had found, gave
it to his children. His children have
been playing with the explosive for
about a year. Thursday through curiosity.
three little girls, aged 8. 6 and
3. respectively, determined to examine
the contents. They carried it to
a stone and hammered it causing an
explosion, killing the^.oldest and injuring
the other twe
Neglectful of Duty.
The Attorney General finds his annual
report further delayed by the
failure of a number of the county
clerks of court to send in their reports
of criminal statistics of their respective
counties as required by law.
He says if they are not sent in immediately
he proposes to omit them and
send the report to the printer explaining
therein to the general assembly
that the omission is caused by
the clerks' failure to comply with the
law.
''
. - m
=======? ..
RURAL FREE DELIVERY,
Satisfactory Progress Has Been Had#
in South Carolina.
Columbia, Special.?Congressman AF.
Lever of this district spent a portion'
of Sunday in the city on his way to
Washington to be cn hand when congress
reconvenes. While here be talked
most interestingly about the growtn
and development of the rural delivery
system, having speut considerable time
in getting routes established in bis
district.
Mr. Lever said: "Only a few years
ago rural delivery was regarded as
a most questionable kind of an experiment
in the development of our
postal system. While It was admitted
that it was a most excellent thing for
England and the thickly inhabited
countries of Europe, where it had been
in successful operation for many
\ears, its application to our conditions
get. with little encouragement from
the postal authorities in Washington,
and the meagre appropriations made
by a skept.cal congress were allowed
to go unused by the department, and
It is in very recent years that there has
been given it anything like genuine
tal authorities. But its maivelous
tal a uthorities. But its marvelous
ernwth anri nrmnlarlfv are' ahnwn In
the fact that congress in last six or
eight years has gradually increased ths
appropriation for purposes of its extension
from $10,000 to $7,500,000 in last
Bession, and this year Supt. Machen,
who all along has been its friend, will
ask for something like $12,000,000, and
there is not shadow of a doubt that
there will be any trouble in inducing
congress to give all that is deemed
necessary by the department.
"It is estimated that it will take In
the neighborhood of $24,000,000 to extend
the system to the doors of all
the farmers in both thickly and sparsely
settled communities; but when it
is recalled that we annually appropriate
over $17,000,000 for supplying about
800 cities with free delivery, there will
hardly be any objection to even so
large an appropriation which goes direct
to the benefit of the' farmers, who
have so long endured the antiquated
methods of the star route and fourth
class office.
No one can appreciate the great Improvement
a rural delivery is over the
old system until both have been tried.
I live on a rural route myself, and yet
my morning paper reaches me by the
time the paper is being read by the
people in Columbia, where it is printed.
I used to walk several miles for my
mail, and then could get it only at
noon. This is the experience of every
one served by the system and it is the
reason for its universal popularity with
those to whom it has been given."
"Is there any complaint against th6
system?" "None whatever, except
from these whom we have not been
able to reach as yet, and a few fourth
class postmasters, whose offices have
been discontinued upon the inauguration
of the system. The demand for It
is general, and the impatience of the
people not receiving it makes the Ufe
of a congressman trying his beet to get
it for all his people a burden. We can't
get it fast enough for those petitioning,
because the hitherto limited And*
of the department have been insufficient,
and a rule of prorating among
the districts has been adopted, and
each district must, to some extent,
await its turn.
"Another drawback I find in my district
is its lack of good roads and
bridges. Good roads with streams
bridged make one of the conditions
precedent to the establishment of a
route; and of course there must be in
a circular of not over 25 miles not less
than 75 white mail getting families,
and these are semewhat hard to find
in sparsely settled communities.'Thesa
requirements serve to retard the de*.
velopment of the system with us, and
especially in our district, but my judgment
is, in the course of a few years,
as congress becomes more liberal in its
appropriations for :his purpose, shorter
routes with a less number of people on
them will be accepted and all the people
served. This is the end to which all
an me ineuua vi rural aeuvery are
working, and I confidently expect, in
the next decade, to see nine-tenths of
the farmers of my district receiving
Lheir mail practically at their doors.
We are rapidly approaching that, as
can be 3een from the statement that six
years ago the first route in the district
was put into operation, while now,
beginning on the first of December,
there will be in active operation about
45, serving on an average 75 white families
to the route; and yet there are
many petitions still awaiting the consideration
of the department.
"We are rapidly coming to a general
rural delivery system, but we can't
get there in a day or a year. We must
mix patience with systematic effort,
and work on."
The State's Finances.
Almost every year in order to tide
over the period when taxes are not
coming in the State in thhrdlu dludlu
coming in the State of South Carolina
has to borrow money from the banks
for running expenses. Sometimes the
amount is large and sometimes it is
small. This year the amount borrowed
happens to be unusually large?$300,000.
And unless the county treasurers
send in tax money rapidly in the next
thirty days the treasurer may have to
arrange with the banxs for further advances
In order to meet the January
interest on the State debt. This interest
amounts to something like $175,000.
Big Railway Charter.
Guthrie, O. T., Special.?A charter .*
was granted here to the Enid, San_. .
Diego & Pacific Railroad Company, to
build a line 1,000 miles long from Enid.
Oklahoma, to San Diego, Cal. The incorporators
are Oklahoma capitalists,
who are at present back of the 'Frisco
Extension, now building between Enid
aniS Guthrie. The capital stock of thw
new company is ?****\ at $30,000,000,