Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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rae SUMTER WATCHMAN. Kat .bushed April, issu. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at. be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." TBE TRUE SOCTHKOS, Established june,iS60 Consolidated Au?. 2,1881. SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1896. <Mtt ^tattljntait aub ^oufljroii Published 2-srery Wednesday, v -BY ^ JXI? C3r. Osteen5 ?SUMTER, S. C. TERMS I ?1 50 per annum-in advance. ADVERTISEMENT: > One Square 5rst insertion.SI 00 Every subsequent insertion. 50 Contracts for three months, or longer will be made at red need rates. All communications which subserve private interests will be charged foras advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respect will be charged for. ^ The Richmond Reuni?n. Gen. Gordon Anxious that there Shall be a Large Turnout of the United Confederate Vet? erans. HDQRS. UNITED CONFDSRATE VETERANS. . NEW ORLEAX S May 1, 1896. *" General Orders, No 164. 1. The general commanding* an? nounces that the sixth annr.al meet? ing: and reunion of the United Con federate Veterans wiil be held as stated iti General Orders No 154, ?.current series, from these headquar ers, in the city of Richmond, Va, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thurs? day, June 30 and July 1 and 2, 1S96. All Confederate organizations and Confederate soldiers and sailors of v all arms, grades and departments, are Cordially invited to attend this sixth general reunion of their comrades. 2. With pride and pleasure he also announces that eight hundred and fifteen camps are already enrolled in 'the U. C. V. organization, with ap r plications in for over one huudred more. Ex-Confederate soldiers and sailors everywhere and urged to form themselves into local associations, where this has not already been done, and all associations, bivouacs, en? campments aud other bodies not t members of the U. C. V. Association 'are earnestly requested to send in ap? plications to these headquarters, without delay, in time to participate in this great reunion, and thus unite with their comrades io carrying out the laudable and philanthropic objects of the United Confederate Vetern *. organization. 3. Business of the greatest impor? tance will demand careful considera? tion during the sixth annual Conven? tion-such as the best methods of securing impartial history and to enlist each State in the compilation .and preservation of the history of iier citizen soldiers : the benevolent care through State aid or otherwise of disabled, destitute or aged veterans *? and the widows and orphans of our fallen brothers in arms ; the care of the graves of our known and an? .known dead buried at Gettysburg, Fort Warren, Camps Morton, Chase, Douglas, Oakland Cemetery at Chi V cago, Johnson'e Island, Cairo, and at all other points to see that they are annually decorated, the head? stones preserved and protected, and complete lists of the names of our dead heroes, with the locationof their iast resting places, furnished to their v friends and relatives through the medium of our camps, thus rescuing their names from oblivion and hand ing them down in history ; to par? ticipate io laying the corner-stone of the Jefferson Davis monument at Richmond, Va ; the consideration of ?. the different movements, plans and means to complete the monument to the memory of Jefferson Davis, Presi? dent of the Confederate States of America, and to aid in building monuments to other great leaders, soldiers and sailors of the South, and as there is no relief or aid for our veterans and their families, outside of ourselves and our own resources, to perfect a plan for a mutual aid and benevolent association ; to make such changes in the constitution and by laws as experience may suggest, and other matters of general interest. .4 Each camp now admitted into the United Confederate Veteran or? ganization and those admitted before the reunion are urged to at once elect accredited delegates and alter? nates to attend the reunion, as only accredited delegates wiil participate in the business part of the reu o ion. The representation of delegates at the reunion wili be as fixed in Sec? tion 1, Article 5. of the constitution, one delegate for evety twenty active members in good standing, and one additional one for ? fraction of ten members, provided every camp in good standing shall be entitled to at least two delegates. Each camp can elect the same number or alternates as delegates, who will serve in case of any failure on the part of the dele? gates to attend. 5 Attention of camps is called to Section 5, Article 5, of the constitu tion : "Camps will not be allowed I representation unless their per capita ! shall have been paid to the adjutant j venera, on or before the 1st day of: April next preceding the annual meeting " 6 A programme to be observed at the reunion and all the details will be furnished to the camps and to all veterans by the committee of ar? rangements in due time, and any further information can be obtained by applying to Gen. Peyton Wise, chairman, U. C. V. Reunion Commit? tee, Richmond, Ya 7. The general commanding re? spectfully requests the press, both daily and weekly, of the whole coun? try, to aid the patriotic and benevo? lent objects of the United Confeder? ate Veterans by publication of these orders, with editorial notices of the organization. S. The general commanding re? spectfully requests and trusts that railroad officials will also aid the old veterans by giving such reduced ra^es of transportation as will enable them to attend 9 Officers of the general staff are directed to assist department, divis? ion commanders and others in organ? izing their respective State?, and generally to assist in the complete federation of all Confederate survi? vors in one organization under the constitution of the United Confede? rate Veterans. By order of J. B Gordon, General Commanding. Geo Moorman, Adjutant Gen. and Chief of Staff. ?HEAD. S. C. DIVISION. ?. C. V., CHARLESTON. S 0 , May 25, 1890. Respectfully and earnestly refer? red to the camps of this division. The press of the State is urged to aid the cause. By order of C. Irvine Walker, Ma? jor General Commanding. Official : James G Holmes, Adjutant General, Chief of Staff. STOKE'S SEAT BY NO MEANS* SAFE. The Resolution Declaring Johnston not Elected Pass? ed by Only 4 Ma? jority WASHINGTON, May 29 -The con? tested election case of Johnston (Rep ) vs. Stokes (Dem.) from the Seventh district of South Carolina, which had been under debate in the house three days, reached a vote this afternoon, but was not finally disposed of, owing to the dilatory tactics of the advocates of the contestant's claim to the seat, his right to it be? ing approved by a minority of the committee on elections No. 3. which considered the case. By a vote of 105 to 95, the house refused to sub? stitute the resolutions reported by the minority, declaring Johnston elected and entitled to the seat and Stokes not elected and not entitled to the seat, for those of the majority to direct the contrary effect. On the resolution of the majority declaring Johnston not elected, the vote was 103 yeas ; 99 naya, and in order to postpone further action until there was a large attendance? the friends of Johnston resorted to fili? bustering tactics, and sb exhausted the session Petitioning The President. \v ASIIIXGTON, May 29.-Represen? tative Woodman of Illinois has circulated a petition addressed to the President, requesting, the pardon of Capt. J. H. S. Wiborg, captain of the steam? ship Horsa, who was recently convicted in the United States district conrt of Philadelphia for a violation of the neu? trality laws and which conviction was confirmed by the ?-upreme court of the United States on Monday last. Cap? tain Wiborg was sentenced to pay a fine of $o*00 and to be imprisoned for a term of 1(3 months. The petition is understood to have been prepared at the headquarters in this city of the Cuban janta. Mr. Woodman was selected to circulate it io the house because of his frequent expressed sympathy with the patriot's cause. Within one hour the paper had received 120 signatures with every probability that all the members in the house would sign it if the oppor? tunity were given them. The War in Cuba. HAVANA, May 29.-Several ensaco meute have been reported to-day be? tween Government troops and rebels, but they were unimportant. The offi? cial reports have made U) mention of Maeeo since the last tight at Conso? laci?n, when it claimed that he was de? feated, is is reported that Gomez who was lately encamped on the Palo Prioto ranch uear Saneti Spiritus, was ordered to srop his westward march until thc arrivals of reinforcenjents from the east. It is said that he has already made a junction with au important leader and will soon resume his march westward. The rumors that Capt. Gen. Wey 1er has resigned are only gossip. A Thousand Killed. St. Louis Struck by a Terrifi?e Cyclone. Millions of Dollars Worth of no perty Swept Away in a Few Moments. Boats Wrecked and Trains Blown From the Tracks. Passengers Droicn ed or Dashed to Pieces-The Loss of Life Appaling. ST LOUIS. May 27 -Sr. Louis was struck by a cyclone of frightful fury at a ?atc hour this afternoon. Hundreds of people were killed and the property loss is beyond estimate. At 5 20 p m. the clouds that, had covered the city since noon broke into a furious storm. Within 10 mis?tes the wind reached a velocity of SO miles an hour, sweeping with dense waves of rain. The highest speed of wind pre? viously recorded here was 72 miles so hour, in August. 1878. The screech? ing of the wind through electric wires, the crash of debris that swept in every direction, the electric flashes from tangled wires and crashing thun? der made a scene indescribable. The loss of iife is appalling.. At 7 p. m. the lowest estimate of fatalities in East St. Louis and this city is placed at 300. East. St. Louis suffered probably the greatesi. The steamer D. H. Pike, with 30 passengers on board, bound for Peoria, was blown bottom side up in the mid? dle of the river and a number nf per? sons killed The steamer Delapbin, with a crew of six and 20 lady passen? gers on board, was blown against the bridge pier and broken in two. The ladies and two of the crew clung to the bridge s:one work and were rescued. The steamer Libbie Conger, with only Captain Seamen, his wife and three of a crew aboard, went adrift The electric railway line is burned out, as well as the electric plant Fourteen fire alarms were sounded within an hour. The armory at Seventeenth and Pine streets is beings used as a temporary hospital. At 7.30 p. m. the rain, which had ceased for a time, began afresh and fell in torrents. At S o'clock the eastern sky was aflame with the light of fires io East St. Louis. The Louisville and Nashville east? bound local passenger train had just reached East. St. Louis when the storm struck that city. The train was over turned, but mirarculously only a few passengers were injured. They were taken from the cars by railroad yard? men. The Chicago and Alton east? bound local passenger train, which left St.- Louis at 5 o'clock, was on the east span of the bridge when the wind pick? ed the cars up and turned them ever on their sides. The iron spans and trusses held the cars from toppling into the river 100 feet below. The pas? sengers were thrown into a confused m?ss. The net work of wires make rescue difficult and dangerous, but it is thought all will be got out uninjured. The east 6pan of the bridge is so badly wrecked that it will take three days to allow trains to pass. The reports of fatalitios in East St Louis is hourly increasing, at 9 o'clock it is estimated that the loss of life will exceed 15. It is impossible to c;oss the bridge or river to get the particu? lars. Lightning struck the ^Standard Oil works and flames were soon pouring from a dozen buildings. The fire de? partment was utterly powerless to cope with the conflagration, and it is feared nearly the entire business and a great portion of the residence sectiou will be destroyed by flames if not already so by the wind The damage to property in St. Louis is estimated at ?1,000,000, and the loss io East St. Louis is already $2, 000.000, and the fire is still raging. There were really two cyclones. One came from the northwest and the other from the direct east. Both met on the Illinois side of the Mississippi river and joined in a whirling cloud of death and destruction. The list of the dead in St. Louis is beyond present computation. It is reporte^ that tho Grand Republic and severel other excursion steamer;-, with ali the passengers and crews have gone down* A cyclone destructive of life and much property visited East St. Louis in June, 1872. Tbc principal destruction was along tho water front and in railroad yards. Between GO and 75 lives were lost, boats were blown from there moorings and sunk with all cn board. Persons were picked up cn the levee and hurled j to their death, buildings were scattered j to the four winds in addition co tho river disasters no? ted later reports add to the losses. Ali j the wharf boats on both sides were swept away and sunk. The steamers Medill, City of Pittsburg, Belle of Cal houn, City of Providence, were all driven on the Illinois shore and wreck? ed. Eleven of the vessels' crews tried to swim ashore, but were caught io the eddy of the Pittsburg dyke and drowned, j The river front is a mass of wreckage J From the E*ds bridge south for two j miles every building ie damaged that is j not in ruines. The loss to shipping is ? estimated at ?400,000 Oer in East St. Louis the loss of life is now placed at 250 and the damage to property ex? ceeds ?2,000.000. CHICAGO, May 28.-From reports received up to ' )'clock this morning from Missouri, Indiana and Illinois cities, the destruction and extent of the appalling cyclone are shown. The storm began its work of devastation and death near Moberly in Randolph county in the northeastern part of Mis? souri. If then passed southeast into Audriao county where the schoolhouse at- Rush Hil! and its occupants were victims. The cycione moved slightly north into Pike county, Mo., and then jumped the Mississippi river into south? ern Illinois. The ladies' seminary at. Drake, in Green county, Illinois,was stricken by tho tornado, which theo passed south and east, following the Illinois river until it joined the Missis? sippi, the greatest point of destruc? tion being reached at St. Louis, East St. Louis and East Carondelet The direction of the wind storm from that cluster of stricken cities then ap? pears to have been in a southeasteoly line through Illinois, but no news of de? struction has been received from illinois towns east of the big river. The cy? clone reached the Ohio river and struck Elvansviiie in the southwestern corner of Indiana. Later news indicates that the great storm ?3 tearing a path through the heart of Indiana in a southeasterly direction. The latest reports co-nipled from the scene of destruction in the States point to the loss of over 700 human lives,and the probabilities are that later reports will swell the total death list to enor? mous proportions, Acordiog to reports received the death roll it divided as fol? lows : Io St. Louis, 300; East Sr. Louis 300; Drake, Ills., 80; Rush Hill; Mo., 10; Reoick, Mo., 5; Labaddie, Mo , 10. The number of injured is estimated to be in the hundreds. INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 27.-Railroad officials say the best estimate on the number killed at St Louis put it in the neighborhood of 1,000, The cyclone is moving rapidly on the east. The Van? dalia started a special traiu filled largely with surgeons and newspaper men at 10:30 o'clock Commercial Conditions. Practically Unchanged but Somewhat Hidebound. NEW YORK, May 29.-Bradstreet's says : The improvement in the trade situation is confined lo the demand for hides, leather and shoes, the ten? dency of prices of same io advance, and an improvement in request for dry goods and hats and shoes from wholesalers at St. Paul, Kansas City, Omaha and Baltimore. The crop outlook in South Carolina and Ken? tucky is brighter because of rains, and a geuenally better feeling exists among sugar producers and handlers in Louisiana and Texas because of the recent sugar bounty decision. General business continues quiet, and at large financial centres less commercial paper is making, even at lower rates. A between seasons trade has begun to assert itself, and from a number of points mercantile collections are less satisfactory and in some instances more difficult. In Texas both corn and cotton crops are retarded for want of rain. At St. Louis and throughout contiguous ter? ritory, aud at smaller business cen? tres along the track of the recent storm, business has been interrupted. The industrial situation, except as to boots and shoes, is improved. Cot? tons are dull and low on oversupply, the price of raw having no influence. Wool prices continue to favor buy? ers, with manufacturers running at reduced capacity. Pig iron prices remain about as a week ago, but speculative sales have been made at cut quotations. Stocks are heavy and production is decreasing. There is less demand for billets, and the outlook in iron and steel is not for mprovement prior to tue middle of July. The total number of business fail? ures in the United States during; the.! week is 227, as compared with *J1G last week and 200 in the same week one year ago. The price movement is again downward, wheat, corn and j oats, as well as pork and lard exhib- ? iting shrinkages. Coffee, cotton and I petroleum are likewise lower, and sales of pig iron and billets by mid- j die men have been made a shade un- | der nomina! figures. Wheat, flour, j coal and print cloths aro practically | unchanged, while refined sugar and tin plates report advances. Hides and leather are linn at recent ad? vances and the tendency is upward. The gold democrats of Illinois have decided to organize a new democratic party in that State which will represent their financial vihws. The silver men control the regular organization. Wall Street Threatens Panic. NEW YORK, May 24 -fleury Clews, in his weekly financial review, says : "Wall street continues to lack any fixed basis of confidence for transient operations. Material conditions are satisfactory, such as the prospects of the crops, the earnings of the rail? roads and the movement in the larger departments of merchandise, and the exports of gold are viewed as but a natural movement. Virtually the sole obstacle in the way of an active and rising market is the condition of politics "With sneh an issue as now pro? foundly agitates the country from end to end, an unsettled and waiting feeling in speculative circles is per? haps al! that may be expected. Wall street is the point at which the great est sensitiveness of the silver agita? tion centers The mere fact that a large portion of our people should be intent upon forcing the acceptance of a debased and fluctuating metal as standard money is a discouraging symptom, for it shows to what dan? gerous ends an ignorant free suffrage may be prostituted. That alone is enough to produce a deep unsettle ment of feeling among responsible property-owning citizens ; for the same incapacity for judging upon complex money questions may easi? ly, at any time, imperil the country under the settlement of other large questions affecting the welfare of the nation. "The danger from popular preju? dice :;nd ignorance in connection with this silver agitation is, howev? er, something more than a conceiva? ble evil possibly. It is up for im? mediate decision ; and, at this mo? ment, no one can feel absolutely cer? tain that this worst curse of a nation may not be brought to a conclusion within a comparatively few months. ? "Wall street is not in any degree insensible to this crisis. It can un? derstand that the dander may reach I an acuter stage that it now presents ; it is quite prepared for the possibil? ity that managing politicians may go j further than they have yet dared in ? the way of sacrificing sound money policy in order to secure votes for j their candidates ; it is aware that startling results may come out of either of the party conventions ; it i would hardly be surprised should | ! the siiverites be able to block sound- j money legislation in the next con? gress ; all these things may be classed among the possibilities of the next few months But Wall street has learned to believe that there are greater potencies than party plat? forms, than legislative subserviency to popular ignorance, than the mad- | ness of a partisan infatuation. There j are situations and events which can j instantly coerce and convert tho most | reckless legislators into the willing servants of a conservative sentiment that represents the real interests and safety of the nation. It will not be necessary to wait for any after eflects of silver legislation to remedy its mischiefs, although that would be a perfectly safe course The near pros- j pects of the authorization of free | coinage-a counting of heads show- I ing a certainty cf a two-thirds vote I in the house and senate for 16 to 1 - would evoke in Wall street the kind of condition that no congress has ever yet dared to deisregard, and the cause of free coinage would be over? thrown at the moment when its suc? cess semed most certain. It is this reserve power on which Wall street is now reposing." ? ? i II II -^n ANDERSON, May 29.-An important meeting was held here to-day, looking to the development of Peraman shoals, j The work will be done and insures the | future welfare of Anderson. Power is j to be furnished at $15 per horse power. \ Contracts for annual rentals of ,$30,- ? OOO are - ready secured. CONSTANTINOPLE, May 29.-The porte is sending eignt battalions of troops to Crete from Syria. S myro a and Sal?nica to assist the troops now there j to subdue the rebellious Cr?ions. Ferik Abdullah, ex-governor of Scutari, I has been appointed governor of Crete j and has started for his new p03t NORFOLK, Va., May 29.-The grear- j est political revolution in Norfolk's his- j tory occurred yesterday. The citizens' ! reform ricket, engineered by prohibi? tion leaders, was defeated hy majorities ! ranging from 1.500 to 3,000. Every : caudldate on the Democratic ticket was ! elected, from mayor to school trustee, j Two years ago the prohibit! mists ; claimed the revolution then as a prohi- I bitioo victory. The vierory is really j the peoples' victory. The Cotton Acreage. Latham, Alexander & Co of New York, under date of May 2S, issued the following circular : Desiring to give our customers the most reliable information obtain? able, concerning this years United States cotton acreage, on May 16th we addressed 3,500 letters to respon? sible planters, cotton commission merchants, cotton brokers, banks and bankers making advances to planters, asking for information on the sub? ject. Correspondents were elected in every cotton growing county in thc south, and we have received '2,4:21 replies of average date-May 21 st containing acreage estimates, and we submit the following tabulated result Estimate of cotton acreage in thc United States May 28, 189? : Acreage A c.--aie Per ct. State. 1895. !?9D. Increase Alabama, 2,455.000 2,774,000 li. Arkansas, 1,345,000 1,574,000 17 Florida. 210,000 252,000 20 Georgi-i. 2,757,000 3,115,000 13 Louisana, 1.096,900 1,217,000 ll Mississippi 2,578,000 2,802,000 ll North Carolina, 926,000 1,074,000 IC South Carolina, 1,751,000 2,013,000 13 Tennessee, 697,000 850,000 22 Texas, 4,813,000 5:583,000 16 Various 224,000 305,000 36 Totals, 1S,S82,000 21,619,000 Toted increase in United States as compared witn last year, 2,TT7,000 acres or 14 1-2 per cent The same correspondents make the planting cf the crop about one week earlier in all the Stotes, excepting Texas and Florida, and these States are from one to two weeks later thau last year. in compiling the estimates it was noticeable to us that the increase in acreage was not confined to any particular section of any State, but was nearly uniform throughout each State, with the exc?pti?n of Tennes? see. Accompanying the acreage reports, we received a large number of letter?, and from them, we gather that while the condition of the plant on the whole is favorable, there are roany sections from which come complaints of drought causing slow germination and poor stands, which will make much replanting necessary. There are also many complaint^ of excessive rains, cold weather, and damage by worms. The replanting being necessarily late, and drought still continuing, fears are entertained that the crop in those sections will be seriously cur? tailed One of the Year's Greatest Disasters. Vitoria, VJ. C., May 2o -A detect? ive span in the Govermeu: street traffic bridge across Victoria Arm, gave way this afternoon, precipitating a loaded street car and severa; private carriages into thc bay. 100 feet below. The num? ber of victims cannot at this time be esti? mated. The bridge wes crowed with vehicles containing pleasure-soekers bound for MaeCauley's Point, where the queen's birthday celebration sports were io progress. At 2 p m., a large and heavily laden car left Govermeot street, having upwrds of one 100 peo? ple on board. When the middle spao of the traffic bridge, ?bout 150 feet io ieogth was re-Ached, it collapsed, throwing the car and a number of carriages and foot pas? sengers into the water. The car was completely submerged and all save a few who were on the platform and roof were drowned. A number were killed by falling timbers, and a few chaping by climbing to the floating ruins of the bridge. The number of cars io*t and foot pasengers carried down by the wreck cannot be learned. It is claimed by many that fully 200 persous went down with the ?pan and that more than half of them perished. The accident oecured'so quickly that nobody has a very clear recollection of what trans pired A uurr.ber of bodies have been carried out of the harbor by the outgo? ing tide, which runs at not less than seven knots an hour a: the point where thc accident occured. Up to 10:30 p. m -Sixty-two bod ies have been raken fro:.) the bay. Twenty person known to have been on the bridge at the time of toe accident are missing, and it is supposed that they have perished. The car register shows 90' fare*, and it is probable that 125 wore on board. lr. sreiog *o get a drink stop and tkink what t.-ar^ains in Piano*, Organs and Sawing Machines are to be had a: the Sumter Music House, in the Masonic Temple building. Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1896. New Series-Yol. XV. No 27