The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, November 18, 1896, Image 3
FERTILIZER RATES.
RAILROAD COMMISSION
AGAIN TO CONSIDER
THEM.
Commissioner Thomas Gives His
Views on th? Subject. The Com
mission Invites Everybody
Interes'e? to be Present.
The Railroad Commission is again
to hear the railroad men and others
interested on the question of fertilizer
rates. The hearing will be held some
time in November, the date not hav
I m
ing been decided on.
The Commission held a meeting
yesterday at which Commissioner
Thomas introduced the following
resolution and made remarks upon it,
which are published below:
"I move that the Board of Railroad
Commissioners invite the traffic
managers of the several railroads and
the fertilizer men from each of the
mills in the State to assist us in fix
ing a 'just and reasonable' rate, mak
ing each adjustment as commercial
charges require to preserve our terri
tory to our factories and - mines .and
give the people the benefit of a healthy
V and eq a i tabi e competition."
Upon this Mr Thomas said: Mr
?Chairman: There is an old'adage
"that a thing is never settled until, .
is settled right." I protested against
the fertilizer rates made by the ma
jority of this Board last year and I
have the satisfaction in the rate com
ing ap again after a fair trial of say
ing to you gentlemen, "I told you
so." The rate against which I pro
tested was in my opinion unjust and
illegal . In order to show this I beg
to review the whole matter
The demand for a reduction i nutrie
* rate came first from a large mercan
tile firm in Anderson who manufacture
and handle fertilizers extensively:
they asked for a reduction of 25 per
cent, in the interest of the farmers
, Then comes Dr. Robertson of the
Globe Phosphate Works in Co
lumbia, and asks fora 50 per cent,
redaction, on account of his great
interest in the farmer and because
cotton seed enjoyed a low rate Dr.
Robertson advertised for petitions to
be sent into the Railroad Commis
sioners'office asking for redaction.
His advertisement filled one quarter
page in each iseae of the Cotton
Plant for nearly, if not quite, a year
and not a single petition ever came
in this office except from one mer
chant at ? Honea Path," and a resola
tion from a meeting of the State Alli
ance asking that the rate between
fertilizers and cotton eeed be equali
zed. This proves that there was no
dissatisfaction with the old rate,
which bad been fixed by agreement
between the Commission of 1891, the
traffic managers of the railroads and
fcr fertilizer manufacturers, after days
of di&cnseion in? the effort to put all
sections of our State on a parity, the
one with the other, and the fertilizer
business had adapted itself to that
rate.
The old rate was '.'just and reason '
able" as the law required in proof of
this. In making rates we classify all
commodities that are related to each
other in regard to weight, bulk and
value. Compare corn, grits and
meal in bags with fertilizer in bags
These commodities are practically of
the same weight, bulk and value
The rate on corn, grits and meal in
bags for the average haul :n this
State, which is 70 miles, is $2.60
The rate on fertilizer in bags 70 mile
haul, was $2.10?reduced to $1 60.
Fertilizer was given the $2 10 rate
and pat in a class by itself, because
the consignor and consignee do the
loading and unloading, for which the
Commission allowed 50 cents a
ton.
I tried to find out ' the motive for
redaction and offered a resolution.
"That this Board give reasons for
the extraordinary cut of rates on
fertilizers since fertilizers were then
below a parity with all analagous
commodities " See page 45, No
vember, 6th, minutes.
The resolution received no second
and the chairman of the Board ob
jected to its being spread on the
minutes, saying it was a reflection on
the Board. I replied that I meant no
reflection, but simply offered one .of
the wise rules of the interstate Com
mission, a rule which gives publicity
and prevents the Board doing any
arbitrary or unjust act under cover of
darkness I found fault with the
chairman of the Board for a letter
written by*himself, on page 144, in
our letter book, to the fertilizer firm
in Anderson, giving this firm infor
mation that the fertilizer rate would
be reduced bifore the reduction was
considered The letter bears date
May 23rd, and on September 4th the
Board invited the railroad officials,
the fertilizer manufacturers, the mer
cantile firm and all others interested
to a discussion of the rate. Page 33
minutes The invitation to discuss"
the rate after the chairman had com
mitted a majority of the Board in
writing to redaction appeared to me !
to be trifling with great and vital in
terest8, for the records showed that
nine railroads in this State were
unable, with economical manage
meat, to pay their operating expen- j
ses working the $2 10 rate. Un
these nine roads the records showed
a deficit of $155,737.68.. The law
requires as to make a "just and
reasonable" rate for each road doing
business in this State. Section 1657,
General Statutes. Now a rate re |
ducing one of the most important
commodities handled in the Slate 25
per cent is manifestly an outrage
against justice, reason -and law, so
far as these nine roads are concerned
So it was an unjust snd unlawful dis
crimination to give information to
one mercantile firm as to ;lie action
of thie Board before action was taken !
and withold like information f.om all
other firms similarly situated
I offered a resolution that the rule
of the Interstate Commission be the
rule of this Board: "That on request
Of either the complainant or defend
ant this Board shall make public the
cases and the reasonR for the decision
of the Board.'"' See page 47, Nov
9?Minnies.
Your reasons for reduction were
published in State papers, Dec. 20th,
1895 The main reason was that
"A road passing through North Car
olina, South Carolina and Georgia
should serve all their patrons in these
States on a parity in the rates used."
Page 52?Minutes. This was a spe
cious argument ca'culated to mislead,
The conditions which obtain in these
States are entirely different For in
stance in South Carolina the average
haul is 70 miles and the net income
is $493 per mile In Georgia the
average haul is 150 miles and the net
income is $940 per mile. It is
against every principle of taxation
to tax a 70 acre farm worth ?493
the same as a 150 acre farm worth
?9?0, and so it is against every
principle of "just and reasonable"
rate making to fix the same rates for
conditions eo widely different It
is therefore unjust to fix the same
rate for South Carolina as for Geor
gia.
My position in this matter was en
dorsed by the Legislature. If the
fertilizer rates should be the same as
in Georgia then of course the pas
senger rates should be the same.
The passenger rates were thoroughly
discussed in the Legislature and the
first class ra$ee for South Carolina
was fixed at 3j- cents per mile
against 3 cents in Georgia for the
same service.
If the fertilizer rate should be the
same as the Georgia rate, then why
should tbe cotton rate not be the
same ? The South Carolina rate on
cotton for 70 mile baul is ?5 cents,
and the Geoegia rate for the same
baul is 22 cents In a speech pub
lished iu State papers February 19,
1894, and again October 25. 1895, I
urged on this Board a reduction of
tbe rate on cotton instead of ferti
lizer, if tbey muet reduce something ;
because the rate on crude cotton
was higher than the manufactured
article: The weight and bulk of
these two commodities are practi
cally the same, and the manufactured
goods are five times more valuable.
(3rude material should have a lower
rate than more valuable manufactured
articles Th? reduction of the rate
on cotton would have been altogether
in the interest of the farmer for whom
these fertilizer manufacturers were
so solicitous. The reduction of the
fertilizer rate was not in the interest
of the farmer At the conference it
was shown that the bulk of fertilizers
was sold by the carload to merchants
The parties who pay the freight and
fix the price get the reduction. Fer
tilizers are sold almost altogether
delivered apd the price is fixed by
the fertilizer manufacturer. The
farmer "is not in it " What benefit
ie a freight reduction of 50 cents a
ton, when the price is raised 50 cents
a ton. The truth is the reduction of
the fertilizer rate was against the in
terests of the farmer in that it de
stroyed competition, increasing the
demand and the price The rail
roads which serve the people "were
hurt. The fertilizer factories of
Charleptou which competed with the
interior mills were 6hut out of the
most valuable territory in the State,
and were injured
The sole beneficiaries of the ferti
lizer reduction were two or three in
terior mills The many have been
made to suffer for the benefit of the
few. In communication to this Board
of October 10th, Mr. W. A. Clark,
President of the Columbia Phosphate
Company, tells what interest the
farmers ha*e in a freight reduction
on fertilizer. He eays: "To illus
trate: they have been offering acid,
sacked and tagged F. 0. B., Charles
ton, at $7.25. Now add to this
$3 30 freight to the interior makes
?10 52 payable May 1st, 1897 Now
deducting from this ?1.75, which
would be an average freight from Co
lumbia to points North of Columbia
on any of the roads, would leave
?8.80 net to us at Columbia payable
May 1, 1897."
Now deduct from this no freight at
all and this would leave $10 55
net at Columbia payable May 1, 1897.
So it is evident that no matter wheth
er the freight is ?3 00, $175, or
nothing at all, the farmer has always
to pay the same ?10.55. ThiVis
proof from the best authority that
the reduction of freight on fertilizer
is altogether in the interest of the
fertilizer manufacturer.
The records show that many roads
in this State were unable to stand the j
reduction and the records show more !
complaints in our office than ever be
fore against the inconvenient and un- 1
satisfactory service m; .iy of the roads j
are now giving the people. Two
roads have tried to cease operation
during the year, but the Commission
have forced them to continue. One
road tried to tear up its track and
tbe people are now appealing to the
Commission and the courts to pre
vent it.
The railroads resisted the reduced
fertilizer rate and the case was taken
to the United ?tates Court where it
should have been adjudicated and
settled, but instead a majority of this
Board entered into a trade with the
railroad corporation as follows : |
"That the railroads will immediately
have withdrawn the pending bill in
the United States Circuit Court in
Equity, and will agree to put in op
eration the reduced tariff on fertili
zers," etc. At the request of the
railroad companies the commissioners
wi 1 take up at an early day with the
traffic managers of the several rail
road lines the consideration of the
entire fieight traffic rates with a
view to ascertain whether there are
not seme other articles upon which
they cs.n consistently with their offi
cial duties grant raiees of rate, or so
revise the entire tariff as to do justice
and equity to all "
Commissioner Thomas protested as
follows:
let That it is unjust and illegal to
select fertilizers out of a lot of ana
lagoue commodities and reduce it be
low its kind
2nd That he had a resolution on
file in the office to readjust the whole
tariff for twelve months past, but the
resolution had been ignored.
3rd That this proposition, how
ever, it might be covered up in words
was a trade and that he was not
authorized no: willing to make any
such trade in favor ofo.?e commodity
against others, but that justice ought
to be done by the board to the rail
loads and people on a consideration
of the whole schedule, and he refused
to be a party to any trade whatever.
VV. A. HENDERSON, .
Chairman.
The trade between the commission
and the railroads strippedv of all its
verbiage is simply this : You work
the fertilizer rate whether it U just
or not, and we will raise rates to
recoup you When you agreed to
recoup the railroads -you acknowl
edge that you had made for them an
unjust and unreasonable rate, else
why agree to pay the railroads to
work it ? The fertilizer reduction pre
cludes even the consideration of a
reduction of the rate on cotton, be
cause the majority of this Board
under the terms of the trade with
the railroads are committed in a
written iigre?ment to a raise of rate,
thus you exclude the farmer from a
reduced rate on cotton which he
is justly and legally entitled. On
page 12 in Georgia's Railroad Com
missioner's report, 1895, the Com
mission says: "That the people do
not read think, and observe how this
great ocl:opns, the Southern Railway,
is getting its hold on our industries
?farming, manufacturing, jobbing,
fruit raising, mining, etc., and suck
ing their life-blood."
Tbis great corporation whobe attor
ney in a fiait with the State said that
the capitalization of the Southern Rail
way was larger than the whole taxable
property of South Carolina is stretch
ing its tentacle* into tbis State ?and
bas pretty well gobbed up everything
above Columbia
If rates are to be uoade io tbis State
by the Railroad Commission trading
with tbis moostetr corporation outside
of the law, then God help the people
Not only i;he farmer but every other in
dustry in this State will soon be taught
the rule put by Wordawortb into the
mouth of Rob Roy :
"The simple rule, the good old plan,
fhftt he eball take wbo has the power,
And be shall keep wbo can."
Under what law have you gentlemen
authority to cut rates of any railroad
below the cost of service and confiscate
tbe property ? Uoder what law do you
find authority for trading away the in
terests of tbe great fertilizer manufac
turing centre of South Carolina, and
turning it over to a few little interior
mills wbo sao't supply tbe demands of I
even the Piedmont section. You gen
tlemen have yourselves done that whiob
the law iobtructs you to prevent, that is
the reason why I bave published pro
test after protest against a rate which I
know to be uojust, unreasonable, dis
criminative and illegal. -
Fifty per cent, of the fertilizers in
this State are sold in the Piedmont sec
tion. In all that section there was a
blanket rate of ?0 60 per too from
Charleston,, which by agreement be
tween the commission, tbe railroads
and fertilizer manufacturers, after days
of discussion was supposed to place
Charleston and Columbia on a parity
in that territory. It was worked for
years without complaint until the An
derson and Columbia Mills got so
awfully distressed about tbe poor.down
trodden farmer. Tho rate from
Charleston into the Piedmont territory
was cut about eight per cent, and the
Columbia and Anderson rate about 25
per cent thus giving the Columbia a?d
Anderson mills 17 per cent, margin of
profit. Tho Columbia and Anderson
mills sell all their goods on the Charles
ton price and the 17 per cent profitj
goes into their pockets instead of into j
the pockets of the dear farmer.
On Sept. 17th tbis Board issuec tbe
following instructions tbe railroads
as regards the cut rate war : ''That
the same deferential which obtained be
tween tbe competitive and local points
before the war began must be pre
served in any cut that is made." If
the instructions of the Board were
right io the cut-rate war, then why
did the Board take exactly opposite
grounds in the fertilizer rate war, and
refuse to preserve the differential which
obtained between Charleston and Co
lumbia without assigning any valid rea
son and without considering the com
parative cOHts of production at. tbe two
points, arbitrarily created a differential
of 17 per cent iu favor of tbe interior
mills. At one of our conferences the
secretary of our Board stated that he
sold 50 or 60 thousand dollars worth of
fertilizers. I asked him from what
point Hs replied from Columbia. I
referred you to Section 1626 G. S.
which forbids Railroad Commissioners
from owning any stock or bocds of any
railroad aod theo make rates for that
road. I. stated that I saw our secretary
make this rate aod that it was certaioly
against the spirit of the law for tbe
secretary to make rates to enable him to
sell fertilizer at a profit of 17 per cent
above bis competitors. Ths Charleston
manufacturers have come before us with
a just complaint. The discriminativo
rate made by this Board have abut
these complainants out of tbe most de
sirable territory io tbis State, aod have
closed up some of tbeir mills.
Tbe most offensive aod dangerous of
all discriminations io transportatioo is
tbe preferential rate, that is, a rate
that will destroy the business of one
community aod build up another.
That one community should be given an
arbitrary advantage over another in the
supply of a common necessity like fer
tilizer is repugnant to every ootioo of
equality, is offensive to the rudest con
ceptions of justice, and above all it is
diametrically opposed by the laws of
our State.
Tbe 17 per cent advantage which
this rate has given Columbia and An
derson will ultimately close every one
of the Charleston mills and traoFfer the
fertilizer busioesp \nto the interior or
into some other c
The Charleston ma^faoturers bave
speot millions of dollars in develop
ing the fertilizer industry aod have paid
great euros of royalty into the State
treasury. In the interest of the State, in
the interest of fair play and in obedience
to law their plant should be protected
from these unjust and discriminative
rates. Equal rights should be accorded
them aod no special privileges be grant
ed their competitors.
Of what avail are industry, enter
prise, integrity or any of the qualities
which lead to success if one competitor
is given 17 per cent, advantage over
another? In such case the race is not
to the swift oor the battle to the strong,
bat to the one whose freight rates are
lowest. I hope my resolotioo will meet
the approval of tbe Board sod that
you will join me in tbe endeavor to fix
a "just aod reasonable" rate that will
be just alike to the railroads, the ferti
lizer manufacturers and to the farmers.
Chairman Evans offered tbe follow
ing, which being adopted, made the
resolution read :
"I move that Board of Railroad
Commissooeas invite the trafile man
agers of the several railroads and tbe
fertilizer men from each of the mills io
the State aod representatives of all or
ganized bodies of farmers as well as
iodividual consumers wbe are interest
ed in this important question to assist
us in fixing a just aod reasona
ble rate, if tbe present rate is
found to be unjust and unreasonable,
making such adjustment as commercial
chaoges require, if such adjustment
aod changes be fouod necessary to pre
serve cur territory to our factories aod
our mioes, aod to give the people the
bendfi: of a healthy and equitable com
petition. "
Mr. Wilboro offered the followiog
amendment, which was, however, re
jected:
"Resolved. That the said investi
gatioo on fertilizers be held with a
view of reducing the joint rates north of
Columbia, S. C.
You may eat ebeap food ?md not be seri
ously hurt by it ; but you cannot take cheap
medicines without positive i?jury. If you
use any substitute for Ayer'e Sarsaparille,
you do so at the peril of your health, perhaps
of your life. Insist on having Ayer'e and no
other.
COTTON MARKET.
New York, November 17.?Market opened
barely steady. Closed steady.
Opening. Closing.
Nov. 7.52 ' 7.54
Dec. 7.56 7.58
Jan. 7 65 7.67
Feb .7.72 7.74
Mar. 7.78 7.81
Apr. 7.82 7.85
May 7.86 7.90
June 7.93
Liverpool, Nov. i 7.?Market opened steady.
Closed quiet.
Opening. Closing.
Oct. and Nov. 4.20 4.20$
Nov. and Dec. 4 16 4.17
Dec. and Jany. 4.15 4.14
Jan.,'and Feb. 4.13 4.14
Feb. and Mar. 4.13 4.!2*
Mar. and Apr. 4 13 4.12J
Apr. and May. 4.13 4.12
Sumter spot market?7 1-16.
Beware of Ointments for Catarrh
that Contain Mercury,
as mercury will surely destroy the sense of
smell and completely derange tbe whole sys
tem when entering it through the mucous
surfaces. Such articles should never be used
except on prescriptions from reputable phy
sicians, as the damage they will do is ten
fold to the good you can possibly derive from
them. Hall's Catarrh Cure, manufactured
by F. J. Cheney & Co., Toledo, 0., contains
do mercury, and is taken internally, acting
directly upon tbe blood and raucous sur
faces of the system. In buying Hall's Ca
tarrh Cure be sure you get tbe genuine. It is
taken internally and is made in Toledo,
Ohio, by F. J. Cheney & Co. Testimonials
ree.
pg~'r -Id by Druggists, price 75c. per bottle.
PRIVATEER PERSONALS. I
! ? !
Privateer Township, S. C, Nov. 16,'96. ?
Owing :o some hitch in the mail, our j
j Personals did not arrive iu time Tor publica- j
lion last week, eo will rewrite som.i of tbem |
and add new ones.
According to appointment the Amusement :
Club met at tbs Furmen residence on Friday
night, Nov? 6, and the following programme i
was curried out: Music, Miss Talulah Rtm- !
sej; Readiug, Miss May De?e Mellett; Music, j
Messrs. Spurgeon arid Jervt-y Kolb; Reading, ?
the Rev. G. T. Gresham; Reading, Mr. Drane ;
I Tindal; Music, Messrs Haywood and Hamp- j
ton Ramsey.
The C'iub wiil meet nest Friday night, j
Nov. 20th, at Mr. WbitSeld Wells's.
Yesterday forenoon Mr. Gresham preached
i a fine serman at Bethel Church on tbe impor
tance and duty of people attending cbureb
oq Sunday. Last week he assisted in a
meetiog at Elloree.
We mentioned recently in tbe Personals
that during tbe session of the Charleston As
sociation at Bethel that tbe Rev E. Wells, of
Charleston took a kodak picture of tbe church j
and a number cf our people who were stand- j
ing near tbe building at tbe time. These !
pictures are now complete and tbe work is
remarkably well done. Tbe church makes a
pretty picture and tbe likenesses of our peo
ple are very good. The price of the picture
is only 30 cents and anyoce who wishes to
obtain a copy can de so by hatidiog their
names and tbe money to Mr. Gresham or
Miss Calley Wells before cext Sunday. Tbe
picture is well worth the price, it ?9 not only
tbe picture of a church around which are
clustered many consecrated memories, but it
is also tbe likeness of many of our people; in
addition to all this, it forms an interesting
souvenir of a delightful meetiog of tbe old
historic Charleston Association.
Mi83?oa Wells, Bethel's organist, resign
ed, as she was teaching ?chool out of the
county, and her successor was chosen by bal
lot, resulting in the selection of Miss Hattie
Wbilden, with Miss Susie Bradford as assist
ant organist.
Rev. A. S. Wille'ord, who is engaged part
of the time in evangelical work in Charles
ton and part of the time in canvassing for
the Columbian Cyclopaedia, paid a visit to
our community not long sioce.
Miss Edith Wells is visiting in Columbia.
.Mr. Burt Beckham, formerly of our com- |
munity, but now a commercial traveler, is
visiting bis old home.
Mr. Pendergrass, of Kiogetree, bas been
visiting in tbe community.
Mies Julia Nettles is visiting at Wedgefield.
A number of our people attended tbe State
Fair.
Two of Privateer's young men, Mes?re.
Henry and Willie Wells, are descended from
tbe Mellicbamps, which family name bas been
made prominent in South Carolina literature
as tbe title of one of William Gilmore
Simms' Revolutionary romances.
Mr. Harley Welch bas a cow that had two
calves born within ten months of each other.
In tbe Baptist Courier's account of tbe re
cent session of tbe Charleston Association, is
the following interesting item : "Tbe parson
age of the Bethel Church has been painted
recently and it is a beautiful aod convenient
house, only^ few hundred yards from the
church in a large oak grove.'' McD. F.
The Leap Year Ball on the evening of
Thanksgiving Day will be a brilliant affair.
The work of putting the machinery at the
cotton mill in running order was commenced
last Friday afternoen and it is expected that
tbe mill will be started tbis week A large
number of orders for yarn are on file now,
and the demand is sufficient to keep the
mill employed for several months.
A new schedule on the Atlantic Coast Line
went into effect on Sunday. a.'be morning
train from Charleston to Columbia leaves
Charleston at 7 a. m., leaves Sumter at 9.43
a. m , arrives Columbia at 10 55. Afternoon
train leaves Columbia 5 p. m., arrives Sum
ter 6 20 p.m. Tbe evening train for Flor
ence leaves at 6.30 p. m. The night train
for Columbia leaves at 8 30. Tbe morning
train for Augusta leaves at 4 33 a. m. Tbe
evenin train for Darlington, connecting at
Eliiott for Bisbopville, leaves at 7.20 p. m.
Tbe Mason Electrical exhibit, which was in
charge of Mr. W. B. Peebles, was spoken of
very bigbly in the State. In reviewing
tbe leading exhibits of tbe Fair, Tbe State
says: "The Mason Electrical Works, Sum
ter, S. C , is a comparatively new enterprise,
but it is turning out an excellent line of
goods. It bas in systems, in many of the
larger towns of this State, and also, in some
other States. Tbe exhibit is a novel one and is
attracting a great deal of attention, and tbe
visitors to tbe Fair should not fail to see it.
The Mason Electrical Works, of Sumter, is
tbe only telephone factory south of Balti
more."
The Graded Schoo! has a larger attendance
tbis jear than at any time since tbe graded
school system was established, and as a con
sequence tbe present corps of teachers is un
able to cope with the situation and maintain
tbe high degree of efficiency required by
Superintendent Edmunds. On tbe recommen
dation of Superintendent Edmunds the Beard
? of Commissioners has decided to elect anoiher
i teacher. Tbis will give nine teachers
j in the Washington Street school in ad
dition to the superintendent himself, who
J has charge of the tenth grade. The schools
! are in a flourishing condition and in both the
j white und colored schools the average attend
ance is decidedly larger than at any time
heretofore. Anotber?act in connection wi'b
the school should be a source of tbe greatest
satisfaction to every patron of the school and
that is tbe higher standard of scholarship that
is now required. The standard of the school
bas been raised systematically during tbe
last and present session, acd the pr?s- j
ent ninth grade will complete a part cf |
tbe course that was in tbe coarse of
study previously required of the tenth grade, j
j Within another year the standard of tbe j
en'.ire school will bav-3 been so raised that the i
graduating class will complete a course I
of study that is the equivalent of another j
year's work. The election of an additional j
teacher is a wise step, as it will result in tbe ?
greatest possible benefit to the entire school,
for it wiil give the teachers of several grades j
more time to devote to the grades which they
bave in charge and will conduce to greater j
jhoroughness.
Cctton Robbery.
-
The gin house o? Messrs. E. M. and Peter
Pitts, of the Jordan neighborhood, was
broken open on Tuesday night and five or
six hundred nounds of seed cotton stolen.
The losa was discovered early tbe next day
and tbe cotton has since been recovered. No
arrests haveren made but strong evidence
has been d' ered as to the identity of tbe
thieves.
THE MAYOR'S COURT.
Sundry Sinners Sent to the Street
Superintendent.
Major Bossard had a very interesting meet
ing in bis court room yesterday rooming; there
was a house full of law breaking sinners on
the mourner's bench, and Clerk Hurst had
ibeir names ?nd the catalogue of crimes and
misdemeanors entered in bis book of record
in his best ?nd compietesi style. Jost to
hear Clerk Hurst read an indictment and
enumerate the charges against an occupant
of the mourner's bench is sufficient to strike
terror to the heart of the most hardened
wretch and cause cold chills to run . own the
spinal column in th* month of July. All of
the crimes are raennoned-without exception or
reservation and the climax is reached when
it is announced that said crimes are in viola
tion of an ordinance of the said city of Sum
ter.
The mourners this morning were Charles
Blacfr. John Xinlocb, Samuel Kinloch, Caro
lina Plowden, Alice Dozier, Maggie Johnson,
Eliza Lewis and Samuel Suggs, charged with
disorderly conduct, fighting, wrangling,
quarreling, cursing, using profane language
and disturbing the psace on Railroad Ave
uue, within the incorporate limits of the
City of Sumter on Sunday night, November
15tb, 1896. The whole crowd entered a plea
of not guilty, but their explanations did not
explain and they were sentenced to pay a
fine o? S4, each, or work 8 days on the
streets of the City of Sumter under the di
rection of the Superintendent of Streets.
Charles Black made good his plea of not
guilty and was discharged.
Isaac Spann, colored, tfas up for riding a
bicycle on the streets after dark without a
lighted '.antern. Fined S2.
Calendar of the Sumter Graded
Schools for 1896-1897.
First month?September 7 to October 2.
Second month?October 5 to October 30.
Third mon.tb?November 2 to November 27.
Fourth month?November 30 to December
29.
Fifth month?January 4 to January 29.
Sixth month?February 1 to February 26.
Seventh month?March 1 to March 26.
Eighth month?March 29 to April 23.
Ninth month?May 3 to May 28.
It was considered best by the Board of
Commissioners to take December 24 and 25
as holidays and make them up during the
Spring holiday. The holiday in the Spring
will therefore begin on April 28, 1897 and
will last for three, iostead of five days.
PAT ON THE BACK.
I feel inclined, Mr. Editor, to pat the Del
gar Reel Squad on :be back. That was a fine
victory they won in Charleston"; but not so
fine as the last mastery they gained in being
able to treat with a silence that borders upon
contempt the banter of the Floreece meD,
who are seeking to dishonor the manly con
test by reducing it to a gambling game. To
*fly up in a sort of spiteful way, after honest
defeat, is a common practice with some peo
ple ; but I cannot see how this atones for the
defeat when a banter is added concerning the
giving and taking of money Gacobliog is
wrong and indecent, and a great threat in
the papers does not rob it of its vicicusoess.
I am glad that tbe Sumter boye have bad the
good sense and manhood to say nothing.
Silence is sometimes tbe best answer.
Nov. 10, 1896. C. C. Brown. ,
Heart Disease Cured
By Dr. Miles' Heart Cure.
Fainting, Weak or Hungry Spells, Irregu
lar or Intermittent Pulse, Fluttering or Pal
pitation, Choking Sensation, Shortness of
Breath, Swelling of Feet and Ankles, are
symptoms of a diseased or Weak Heart.
MRS. N. C. MILLER.
Of Fort Wayne, Ind., writes on Nov. 29,1894:
"I - -as afflicted for forty years with heart
trouble and sufiercd untold agony. I had
weak, hungry spoils, and my heart would
palpitate so hard, the pain would be so acute
and torturing, that I became so weak and
nervous I could not sleep. I was treated by
several physicians without relief and gave
up ever being well again. About two years
ago 1 commenced using Dr. Miles' Remedies.
One bottle of the Ecart Cure stopped all
beart troubles and the Restorative Nervine
did the rest,and now I sleep soundly and at
tend to my household and social duties with
out any trouble.
Sold by druggists. Book sent free. Address
Dr. Mites Medicai Co., Elkhart, Ind.
Dr. Miles' Remedies Restore Health.
SALE OF REAL ESTATE.
By J. E. Jerve/;, Auctioneer.
WILL BE SOLD AT PUBLIC OUTCRY
in front of the Court House, iu the
town of Sumter, County of Sumter, State of
South Carolina, on Monday the 7th day of
December, 189J: at eleven o'clock in the
forenoon to tbe highest bidder, the following
described property to-wit:
"Ali that piece, parce' or traci of land sir
nated in Sumter County, State of South Car
olina, on the waters of Black River, known
as the Ced?r Grove tract, containing eigbr
hundred and nineteen acres, moro or less,
bounded on the north by lands of W. L.'
Wilson and W. E. Mills, on tbe east by Isdcs
uow or formerly of D. D. Barber, and on the
west by lands now or formerly of H. W.
Bradley.
Also all that piece, parcel or tract of land
situated in Sumter County, in the State of
South Carolina, on the east side of Black
River, containing seventy acres, more or less,
bounded on tbe north by lands of W. E.
Mills, on tbe east by lands of W. L. Wilson,
on the south by lands of A. J. Sa?ia:is & Scss.'
on the west by lands of Walter L. Wilson.
Both the above described tracts of land to
be sold as one tract.
Terms: One half cash, balance secured bv
bond and mortgage of the purchaser, payable
in one year from date of purchase with in
terest at tbe rate of seven per cent per annum
purchaser to have tbe privilege to pay ali
cash; and purchaser to pay $25 for papers.
Possession to be given purchaser on the first
day of January 1897.
A. J. SALINAS JfcSONS.
Nov 18. \