Question of
I Open(
/ /
'ertilizer Rates
Again.
I Attorney General Barber has ren
dered an opinion as to the power of
the railroad commiseion in making
rates for the Charleston and Western
Carolina railway which wilt have a
-far reaching effect, especially as the
fertilizer rates throughout the State
may have to be readjusted by a gen
eral reduction.
Some weeks ago the Baldwin Fer
pizer company at Port Royal , peti
tioned the rail road-commission to put
[in operation a straight mileage rate
>n its goods passing over the Charles
ion and Weetern Carolina railway in
lace of the blanket rate now in ef
(ect. If this :wae done the redaction
rates would be considerable. The
reight to Spartanburg, for instance,
ider the present blanket rate is $3.
under a straight mileage rate it
rcjld be $2 95. The commission,
>re acting on this petition, refer
it to the attorney general, not be
log sure that they bad the power to
ict in the matter, as the goods in
lit would reach their destination
^>nly after pass?n? through Georgia ;
mce there might be a clash with
the interstate commerce commission,
te attorney general's opinion
?ads :
Columbia, Dec. 24, 1896.
ion W. D * Evans, Chairman Rail
road Commission ;
Dear Sir?The letter of "Baldwin
fertilizer Co " relative to the rates of
;ight for fertilizers on the Port
>yai and Augusta and Port Royal
id Western Carolina railways, now
insolidated under the Charleston
Western Carolina system, refer
to this office, has had attention
The company claims that it is en
ltd io local rater under the con tin
ras mileage for tire fertilizers ship
|ed over the system NThe Charles
>n and Western Carolina railroad
ine from Port Royal through Geor
\\ to pointe in the upper portion of
- State, and as I understand the
Mention of the system is that
are engaged in interstate corn
Fee, and are exempt from rates
for continuous mileage
"h^e the roads, as consolidated,
Iran for a few miles in Georgia,
when the transportation begins
ends in this State it is not in
state commerce
[n the case of Lehigh Valley Rail
id company vs. Commonwealth of
isylvania, Supreme Court Re
?r, vol. 12, p, 806 (1892), it was
by the supreme court of the
ted States; "The transportation
foods and passengers by continu
carriage from one point in a State
mother point in the same State
[not interstate comm?T?re^within
meaning of the Federal Constfru--.
, ajj^ugh for a part of the route
over the soil of another State."
'be railroad commission, therefore,
the right to cousider the Charles
and Weetern Carolina -system as
continuous line, and also the
rer to fix rates by this railway
points in this State to other
te in this State, and to enforce
iliance, as yet it is not a regula
>f interstate commerce. Yours
truly, Wm. A. Barber.
Attorney General. ?
the railroad commission acts, as
opionion gives it full power to
the straight mileage rate on
Charleston and Western Car
fa railway may be put into ef
Should this be done the ferti
compauies at Port Royal would
taaense advantage over the
larieston companies ; so great in
?ed that similar rates w??uid have
[be made for the latter city The
ct of all this is immediately se^n
ieadjustrnent of the entire rates on
ilizers would have to be made,
Charleston would at last have
: she has been wanting for so
a time, namely, a straight mile
rate to the Piedmont section of
State
'he interior fertilizer factories
tld be likely to suffer by this
inge in rates and "would have to
\t up shop," as remarked a geatle
coversant with the situation
[ow the railroads, would accept a
tetion is another matter. They
hauling fertilizers at starvation
now, they declare, and any
ter cut would doubtless be met
strenuous kick.
le entire question will, however,
the attention of the railroad
lission at its next meeting.
thus seen ihat the fertilizer
>roblera is still far from being
finally.
. Bradley, of Kentucky, an
8 that be will resign at an early
His health will not permit him
?b?rge the duties of the office
Rizal, a prominent resident of
ilippioe islands, has been sen
to be shot for formentiog rebel
Henry Ward Beecher is seri
lek and her reco?erv is Dot ex
?S3 by fire during the rronth o?
r was smaller than that foi
[ous month this year,r^cd alec
[.bat for any month i J^he twe
rears. The total los! footed
LS?0 for 1896, $f0,131,
100 for?S94.
?is?on Problem
Change Proposed by the
Comptroller General.
GLANCE AT HIS REPORT.
The various Sfate officers are hard 11
work ou the preparation of their annual
reports to the general assembly Many
of them cannot be closed up until tbe
I 31st, but officials are already able to tel!
what they will say io them.
Comptroller General Norton's annual
rPDOrt is now in course of preparation.
Yesterday, when approached, be taiktd
very interestingly about it. His de
partment has found during ine past year,
that the machinery was very much ham
pered by being charged with tbe
handling aod distribution of the pen
sion fund. The matter has become so
much of a drawback to the smooth
operation of tbe department that
the comptroller will ask the
general assembly, in his annual re
port, to transfer the entire pension mat
ter to the office of the adjutant and in
spector general, which has but little to
do in comparison with the work in tbe
comptroller's offiee. He will also ask
the legislature to take the county audi
tors and treasurers off the several
county pension boards, as the pension
work seriously interferes with their
other work. He will suggest that
members of the township boards be put
on in their places.
Mr. Norton says that he is pretty well
satisfied with tbe present laws govern
ing the tax machinery of the State, and
will only suggest a few improvements
that seem to him to be necessary to ob
tain the best result.
He will recommend that all school
clams, bpeoial aod others, be approved
by the county superintendent of educa
tion in each county so that that official
can check up with the county treasur
er and know at all times how the school
fand stands. At present the county
superintendent has nothing whatever to
do with the payment of the school
funds, and is in the dark.
There is another troublesome feature
io the present law to which he will call
attention. At present the circuit
judges oao or?ate a debt for a county
about which the county authorities cao
know nothing uotil the times coates for
paying ir. This trouble comes from
the system of issuing pay certificates to
witness aod jurors. No report is mbde
to the treasurer of the amouc of certi
tificate issued, and there is no way that
the amount can be ascertained until
they are unable to discover where they
stand financially at any time In one
couotry he knows of a debt of ?2.000
thus created
lo regard to the few counties io
which shortages have occured, Mr
Nortoo says that the Sumter matter i?
iD statu quo. He hired au expert to go
to Edgtfield to Htraiogbten out tbe
moddie reported there by the grand
J?ryr--.By the time his expert could
get there another grand jury came
along, reported everything all right,
and refused to pay tbe expert be had
secured Io order that eve.rytbio? can
be kept straight in the several oouuties
henceforward he is going to ask the
general assembly to give him ao extra
mao?ao expert?who can be kept, mov
ing about tbe State from couoty ro coun
ty, keeping auditors and treasurers
straight tbe year round and helping
them out of any difficult?s that may
arise. He says such ao inspector is
verp badly needed.
Gladstone's 87th Birthday.
Loxoox, Dec. 29.?Mr. Gladscooe
celebrated his 87th birthday at flawar
deo to-day, surrounded by bis family
There was the usu il demonstration by
the villagers in houor of the occasion,
consisting of the ringing of church
bells and the assignment of deputations
proceeded to the castle and congratulated
the venerable stateman. Toroughout
the day there was an enormous fljw of
congratulatory telegrati.s into the castle
from all parts of tbe United Kiogdom,
the United States and the comineut.
Among those who sent messages of
congratulation to Mr. Gladstone were
the Prioce and Princess of Wales, Sir
William Vernoo Harcourt, who it is
generally ooooeded will be recognized
as the leader of the Liberal party, aod
Baroness de Rothschild
Mr. Gladstone is enjoying good
he. 1th, aod this afternoon he went out
for a walk
Hospital for the Insane.
The board of the State hospital for
the insane held their annual meetiog at
the institution yesterday. Tbey made
up the outline of their annual report
and passed upon tbe various matters to.
be printed io that report
After carefully examining the books
aod looking over the estimates for tbe
coming year the board deoided to ask
the general assembly for the usual ap
propriation of ?100,000 for the raaio
teoaDce of the institution. They aleo
decided to ask for an appropriation of
?19,000 for the purpose of carry
ing on the work on the new negro
building, and for ?5,000 for the pur
pose of mee iog the payment upon the
Wallace property, with interest due in
A pril.
The management of the institution
has figured close^uriog. the year just
ending, but tnu^B^ been done in the
way of : ci/airs^H^?aiprovet?enrs out
of tbe apprcffl Bflfi^ tDe 0D-'re ar.
propria?ion jH fcwill be pracri
FROM THE WIRES.
December 30.
Recent steamers from China and .Ja
pan bring reports of an epidemic of
small pox in Japan and of cholera in
China. Famine also prevails in seve
ral Chinese province and peopU are
dying by hundreds from starvation.
William M and John S Nortwiek,
of Chicago, made an rssignruent yes
terday They were rated at ?2.500,000
and were the owners of the most esten
uile paper mills in the west and besides
were interested lu vaiious baoks and
manufacturing industries.
The Commercisi National Bank, of
lioaooke, Va , suspended yesterday.
The liabilities are placed at ?80.000,
assets ?90,000 The suspension was
caused by heavy withdrawals of de
posits
The Columbia fand Washington baoks I
of Minneapolis went to the wall yester- j
riav Tbe liabilities of the first are
?450,000 ; of the second $540,000. |
The officers of both banks claim that
all depositors will be paid in full in
time.
Senator DuBois, of Idaho, left Wash
ington for that State yesterday to be
preeent wbeu the election of bis suc
cessor comes before tbe legislature.
He will be supported by free silver
Republicans, Populists and free silver
Democrats, aod will probably be re
elected.
The current report in Europe is that
Spain is carrying on underbead negotia
tions with the United States with a
view of ending tbe war in Cuba.
Tbe secret service division of tbe
U. S Treasury reports another ten dol
lar national bank note counterfeit. It
is a photo reproduction of a note issued
by the Detroit Union National bank.
The electric light plant in Newark,
N. J., was burned yesterday aod tbe
city will be in darkness for at least a
week Loss $175,000.
December 31.
Wm. Euclid Young was formally
expelled from the New York stuck
exchage last night for irregular deal
ings
The Bankers' Exchange Bank of
Minneapolis failed yesterday. De
positor? will be paid in full in time
and stockholders will obtain a por
tion of their investment.
The Northern Trust Co , of Min
neapolis, liabilities $500.000, has
gone into the hands of receiver.
The C< mmercial Bank of Selma
Ala . failed yesterday.
A freight train on the Seaboard
Air Line was wrecked near Raleigh
yesterday. The fireman was killed
and the engineer seriously injured
M re Becker, wife of ex-Sheriff
Elias Becker, aged 45, and Mrs
William Seidei, her drughter, aged
30, were killed by an explosion of
dynamite ajt Tuckerton, near Readi.ig,
Pa., Wednesday evening. Mr Becker
had placed a quantity of theexlposive
in the oven of the kitchen stove for
the purpose of thawing it out.
Shortly after doing so he left He
had not gone more than five minutes
when there was a teriffic crash, and
he hurried back to the hcuse.
He was horrified to find the mangled
remains of his wife lying on the floor.
His daughter, Mrs. Seidel, was not
killed outiight, but her body was so
badly shattered that she died 20
minutes later. The dwelling, a hand
some stone structure, caught fire, and
was consumed by the flames in spite
of the gallant work of the neighbors
January 1.
Joseph McCuilougb, ediror of 'he
Sr. Louis Globe Democrat, committfd
suicide 5esterday morning. He was
ill with nervous prostration, brought, co
by hard work during the recent electioo
and had acute melancholy
Edward 0 Flann^gan, an employe
of the Standard Oil Cooapaoy, on yes
terday killed D'X'ui Allen, his wife and
Miss Ruth Slack, of DeKolb county.
Ga.
County Treasurer, A. J. Jernigan, of
Austin, Texas, committed suicide yes
terday morning. He had loaned out
?4,500 public fuDds aod could not re
store
Geo. A. Wilkiop, Vice Presidejot^of I
tbe Commercial Bank, of Selma,"Ala., j
which failad on Wednesday, committed
suicide yesterday.
Eugene V Debs, the well-koown
labor agitator has declared himself a so
cialist,
The Raleigh, N. C, electric plaot
was buroed yesterday. Los?? ?50,000,
ioRuraoce $12,500,
The Japarese Government has or
dered two cruisers to be built in the
U. R.. one by Cramp & Sons, of Phila
delphia, the other by the Union Iron
Works of San Francisco
Tennessee has raised the $500,000
oecessary to make the government
appropriatioo receotly passed by con
gress available.
A cablegram from Madrid says :
The Imparcial aod the Heraldo today
publish articles condemning the mili
tary administration in Cuba, and point
ing out that, desnite his oft-repeated
promises Captain General Weyier has
acoomplised very little in the direction
of suppressing the rebol 1 if D. Both
papers demaoded that General Weyler
be recalled ?nd th*t General Azcar
raga. miuist'ir of war, be appointed in
his place The articles caused a great
sensation in the city, and the govern
ment, feaiiog trouble _wouLd^ follow,
1 ordered that the issues of both papers
be seized. The Gazeta Official will
to morrow publish a urn brr ??f decrees
regarding the administr?t ive and other
reforms ?o be put into effect io Porto
Rico
Ohas. VV. Wilson was killed at Way
cross, yesterday by Warren H. Wil
liams, manager of the Southern hotel
Wilson became a guest of the hotel
three days ago, and paid marked atten
tion to the pretty wife of Williams.
The prison<T? iti the penal instiro
fiori* of New York discontinued work
yesterday on manufactures which coir.e
in competition with outside iabor. The
new Constitutional provision which
goes into < ffc-cr provides that they shall
be employed in making artic e* needed
by the public institution?- of the State j
and its poliricai divisions.
A dispatch front Raleigh says that I
Jim Green colred, was' lynched near
Gibson. N. C , by a party of white
men who rode across 'he line from
South Carolina.
The Laurens correspondent of tbe
Greenville News reports an incident that
occurred in that town a tew days ago,
which opens a new question in the ad
ministration of the dispensar) law. He
says : "A man, who may be described
as poor, ooHjparatively. ordered four
gailoos of whiskey, which reached him
by express in this city sou-e days ago
A ooostable seized the whiskey and
confiscated if, alleging that tbe con
signee was under suspicion and could
hardly need whiskey or afford it for his
private purposes. The poor mao ap
plied to an attorney for adviee, who
urgtd that his r-medy was >o asking
for contempt proceedings in the Ferd
eral.Courte, but that the remedy was
expensive and unless the injured party
had money, he had b-st submit for
ecouomv's sake to the loss of the whis
key Being of a practical turn of
mind and poor to boot, be elected to
sacrifice tbe spirits and thus the hope
of hi-* Christmas joys. So it would
seem that the law as it stands now in
practical operation is unequal for the
poor and rich and our late revolatioo
was defeated of its purpose to put ail
tbe people on a dead level. Tbe ex*
cuse 'bat suspicion should operate
against a poor man is a quality of
tyranny that ought not to characterize
au Evans or Tilimao administration "
The question is whether a cons-able U
the soie aud final judge as to whether
a man "needs'' the whiskey be imporr*,
and whether he can afford to buy it
tor his own use Any man is liable to
fail ''under suspicion" in one or tbe
other of these particulars, if the con
stebletj are to decide. We should like
f.o see the case iu question tested in tbe
United States Courr.?News and Cou
rier.
How to Prt-vent Pneumonia.
A t this time of the year a cold is verv eas
ily contracted, aeri it leM tu tun >:s course
without tne n:d ol eotue reliable cough medi
cine is hable to r^fuit in that dread disease,
pneumonia. We know ?.f no hi-tier remedy
to cure a couch or co d than Chamberlain's
Cough Remedy. We have used it quite ex
tensively and it hns always given en ire satis
faction ?Olagab, Ind Ter. Chief.
Thi? is the only iernfdv ihat is known to
be a certain prevennvr of pneumonia
Among the many thousands who b*ve used
ir for colds and la grippe, we bave never yet
learned of a eingle o?se having resuUed in
pneumonia Persons who have w?k lungs
or have reason to fear an attack of pneurao .
nia, should keep ihe remedy at hard. Tbe
25 ari-i 50 cent s z-$ for sale riy Dr. A.J.
Cbtn*.
This is the complaint of
thousands at this season.
They have no a^otlic : food
does not relish. They r.??? the toning upoi
the stomach and digestive organs, -which
a course of Hood's Sarsaparilla will give
them. It also purifies and enriches the
blocd, Cures that distress after eating and
internal misery on!y r. dyspeptic can
know, creates ar- sppctite, overcomes that
tired feeling and builds up and sustains
the whole physical syst ern. It ?o prompt
ly and efficiently relieves dyspeptic symp
toms and cures nervous headaches, that it
seems to have almost " a rnagric touch."
Sarsapariila
Is the best?in fact the One True Blood Purifier.
rr??ii are tlie Dest after-dinner
liOOd S PlllS pills, aid digestion. 25c.
Land Surveying.
H. D. MOISB, will give prompt attention
to calls for survey irje and planing land Can
be fouod at hi* office, next door to cfrke of
Lee and Moise, Su m ter, S. C.
Nov. 18.
0?
50 YEARS'
EXPERIENCE.
TRADE ARKS,
rVVw.< DES.ONS,
rrvf^ COPYRICHTS Ac.
Anyone sending a sketch and description may
quickly ascertain, free, whether an invention is
probably patentable. Communications strijtly
confidential. Oldest agency for securing patents
in America. We bave a Washington office.
Patents taken through ilunn Co. receive
special notice in the
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN,
beautifully illustrated, largest circulation of
any scientific journal, weekly, terms ?3.C0 a year;
$1.50 six months. Specimen copies and Hand
Book ox PATENTS sent free. Address
MUJMN
361 Brw*
& CO.,
Ly, New.
"we make
also $2.50 and
$2 shoes for
men and $2.50, ?o2
$2.00 and $J.75
for boys. ?4i
The full line for sale by
any
be
obtained from cur agents*
m
We uso only the best Calf. Russia C|
(all colors). French Patent Calf, Fren
Enamel, Vici Kid. etc.. graded to cc^
spond wth prices of the shoes.
If dealer cannot supply you, writ
W. L. DOUGLAS, Brockton,
Catalogue Fkee.
J. Ryttenberg & Sons.
??6
?
ing; ?une!
STRICTLY HIGH GRADE.
The Best is the Cheapes
There is none better
than the
Finest in Finish*
Best in quality of material and work
manship.
Style uneqaaled.
Tool Steel Bearings.
Seamless Steel T?fc?ng.
Perfect in every deta'L
We are "GUNNING" for you.
Elgin Sewing Machine & Bicycle G<
ELGIN, ILLINOIS. _
STAJSTON
BOUSE.
D. J. JOSES, Poprietor.
Raits $2.00 Per Day.
SPECIAL TEEMS TO FAMILIES.
Two Minutes "Walk From Central
Depot.
Chattanooga, Tenu.
July 29
ORDER FRUIT
-FKOM
THE SOUTHERN FRUIT CO..
Charleston, S. C.
I And get best value for the
monejr.
Orders carefully and prompt
ly filled.
W. H. MIXSOIS7,
Manager.
Sepr, gO
Soap! Soap!
an elsgan? une of
?Toilet Soaps?
Fine Extraotb and tvorjtbicg for ??
Ladies' Toilet.
-Try our
5c. and 10c. Soai
Fine Cigars !
Favorite Brands ! Ask for Tokios,
Humboidt'fl and Exports.
None better.
DRUGS !
Fresh Drugs Every
Week.
Prescriptions Carefully Com
pounded Day and Night.
J.S.HUGHSON
&
i
DRUGGISTS
MONAGHAN BLOCK
Sumter. s.a
Beauty Hath Charms
and all the charms which beai
ty likes best to don are show
in our grand display of fas
ionable jewelry for this seas
Jewels like these would
hance the charms of the m
fascinating belle, and surely
fair one would despise
brilliant aids to her--.be
Like personal loveliness?
conquer admiration on
they score new victories
ery inspection.
look over our stock
willingly stop with ex
tion. Beauty may
made ea',n/ irresistible
few judicious purchases
our display of up to dat
elry.
L. W. FOLSG
Jeweler and Optician
SIGN" OF TUE BIG WA
Oct 16.
ATTORNEY A
Prompt arteDtioo to all
to him. Office ou Court
Blacdini? office.