The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, February 03, 1897, Image 1

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MK SUMTER WATCHMAN, Established April, 1S50. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Airns't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." TEE TRUE SOCTHKON, Established jnce. 1266 Consolidated Au?. 2,1881. SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1897.1 New Series-Yol XTI. No. 27 Published Ewry; Wednesday, >. -BY INT. Gk Osteen, SUMTER, S. C. TERMS : . $1.50 per annum-in advance. ADVERTISERS XT One Square 5rst insertion..............51 00 Every subsequent insertion... 50 Contracts for three months, or longer will be made at reduced rates. All communications whicb subserve private interests will be charged foras advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respect will be charged fer. $0 More War. DISTINGUISHED MEN FA? VOR ARBITRATION. . WASHINGTON, Jan. 26.-A very distinguished audience repr?senta ti ve of influential, social and religi x :O?8 elements of the national capital Shilled tbe grand opera boase at 4 o'clock this afternoon "to attest their approbation of the great principle of international arbitration as ???ftiodied . in the treaty between this republic V "and Great Britain now pending in the senate.'' . . \ The Hou. John W. Foster, ex secretary, of state? wno called the j?: meeting to order, pointedly disclaim? ed any purpose of Criticising or seek? ing unduly to hasten action of the . senate. He said he recognized the ; ?senate as a co ordinate branch of the j government. He closed by saying : 4,I venture, however, to say, speak? ing for myself, that the final action cf the senate will not be such as to de? feat the treaty which is desired by r the . great majority of the people of the United States, and whose defeat would discredit this government in the eyes of the civilized world " The outcome of the meeting was the unanimous ^adoption of a r?solu ti.on declaring that "believing this treaty to be a distinct advance to % wards the best civilization, and trust , , ing that it may prove a helpful ex . ample foy other nations, we shall ha11 f - with joy and patriotic pride its con? firmation by the senate-of the United States." Mr Gardner G. Hubbard was the i presiding officer. Prof. B. L. Whit? man, of Columbia university, made ?s? some pointed remarks about two dis eases prevailing in American social life, one Known as "anglomania" and another disease, largely political in its character, known as "anglopho? bia.^ He claimed that'anglophobia was as unreasonable as anglomania was ridiculous. Ex-Senator John B Henderson formerly of-Missouri, now of Wash ington, delivered a vigorous address in support of the general principle of arbitration in which he incidentally criticised the tone of President Cleveland's Venezuelan message and asked if arbitration was good for England 'and Venezuela, why not good for England and the United States Speaking of the objection that the Monroe doctrine might be involved in this treaty, he said : "Let the Monroe doctrine be placed in the crucible of human reason. If we may claim under it at all, our de? mands must be settled either* by ar? bitration or by war " At considerable length he argued in .favor of arbitration as the only rational mode of settlement. It was reserved to Associate Justice Brewer o,f the United States supreme court to rouse the meeting to its highest point of enthusiasm. The chilly winds blowing through the wings of the unwarmed theatre caused over? coat collars to be turned up and handkerchiefs to be tied over bald pates and shivers to pass around, bet Justice Brewer's witty and eloquent remarks caused even the inclemencv of the weather to be forgotten Justice Brewer, who was intro? duced as the president of the Vene? zuelan commission began by saying that when he received the request of the committee to take part in the proceedings and was assured that the speeches would be limited to five minutes, he came to the conclusion that all be would have to do would be to stand up and be counted in favor of arbitration because accord ing to his experience, no lawyer could say what he had to say under two hours. So he had come here to be counted in favor of th^ arbitration treaty. "When I say that," con? tinued Justice Brewer, "I do not want to be considerad as one who would trespass upon the prerogative of the senate to make a careful can vass of every line of that treaty. I appreciate fully the words of the senator of Massachuseets (Mr Hoar) so recently uttered in protest against pressure for indecent haste ? do not believe in saying to the gentle? men charged with the duty of con? sidering carefully that treaty that 'you must vote it.' There is some? thing iu my own nature whicb when j anybody says to me 'you must, I causes something lo run up my spins j column which says 4I wont." (Ap j plause and laughter.) . It is the sen ! ale's duty to consider that treat; j carefully, and when 1 say it is n< J traspass upon their rights for Amen can citizens to express their views o that treaty. And 1 am sure there i no one who will more cheerfully ac cord that right to the senior ^senato from Massachusetts (Mr.i Hoar whom we delight to honor In spit* of all the intimations I see in- th< press, I believe that th? senate wi I not declere itself'in favor of the law but against its enforcement 9 Thej will act upon it with the desire to d< the best for the interests, not alone o this country, but of the world. (Ap plause. "I know judges make mistakes.' continued Justice Brewer. "Ilav ing been on the bench many years I know it is dangerous to submit grave questions to such a tribunal and if I could see here one of m} brothers with whom I have been as sociated for two years- (referring tc Justice Harlan, one of .the Bering Sea arbitrators,) I think I could illus trate that at his expense. (Laugh ter.) But then, what are the error? and loses incidental to arbitration compared to the horrors of war i (Applause.) What are a few millior dollars of wrongful damages in com parison to the sacrifices of thousands of human lives ? Justice Brewer in his peroration brought down the house by a brie: but dramatic poem on "lost oppor tunities," which, to the surprise o many of bis hearers, he said bad been written by his fellow citizen, ex-Senator John J. Ingalls of Kan sas. He declared, in ringing tones, his opinion that the United States had now^ an opportunity which il once lost might never be regained. Great Conflagration. Million and a Half Dollars Lost in Philadelphia. PHIIILADELFJIA, Jan. 26-The fire which started at 6.45 this morning from an over-beated oven in the basemen! of the 6 story iron building, 1309 tc to 1317 Market street, burned over the block bounded by Thirteenth, Juniper, Market and Filbert streets, destroyed or gutted 60 buildings and consumed property valued at $1,500,000. i Many small storekeepers lost their all and several thousand working people were thrown out of employment. The dam? aged buildings were generally fully in? sured. The fire was the worst that bas been experienced io. Philadelphia in a generation. The scene of the destruc tion was located in the very heart ol tbe city. Many of the properties de troyed. especially on Thirteenth, Juni? per and Silver streets, the latter a small thoroughfare ruoning between Merket and Filbert streets, were small old fashioned dwelling houres and aside from the lost* to thc tenants, their de? struction will probably be co the ulti mate good if new and more modern buildings are erected on their sites Surrounding this section are many handsome wholesale stores and on the south side of Market street, directly opposite which tbe fire raged fiercest. is located the famous general store of ex Postmaster General John Waonamaker. Tbougb oo fire time and again, and while the frontage on Market stre?t was badly damaged, tbe store was saved from destructsoo. To the west of the fire, but separated frons it by the great, width of the street and pavement at tbe great pile of white marble buildings used as the city hall. Beyond the cracking of some of the plate glass windows by the intense heat, the ball escaped unscathed. While there were a number of minor casualties among the firemen, no one was very seriously hurt, but one death ?3 chargeable to thc fire. John A. Felt, a bookkeeper io tbe employ of a business firm in the vicinity, dropped dead from heart disease produced by the excitement attending the fire. The building at 1209 to 1317 Market street was occupied on the up? per floors by the umbrella manufactory of Hirsch Bros They also occu? pied the lower floor of 1309 as a sabs room Dennett's eating cafe occupied two other rooms on the ground floor and the western room of the building at 1317 Merket street was occupied by Hanscamb Bros , grocers. Spartanburg, Jan. 26 -Yesterday afternoon a freight train wreck occurred at the bridge on South Tyger river on the Charleston and Western Carolina railway. The train, made un of emptv coal cars, was crossing the bridge when thc middle span fd! in precipitating a number or cars into the river below. Toe engine and several cars bad cross? ed in.safety when the trestle gave way so fortunately, novo of the crew were iniured The unknown tramps who baa neeti seco ruing on thc trucks of ooe of the cars, are supposed to have been killed. 'I be accident was caused, nresumablv, bv one of the cars getting off the trucks abd striking against the bridge. A Freo Food And Fuel Stored m the Police Stations in Cticago. CHICAGO San. 26 -Bitterly cold weather aggravated by wind, continued to effiiet the poor people of Chicago to-day and make the lot of those more fortunate at least uncomfortable aod attended with danger from frost bites Ar- midnight to-night the official record was that of three successive days of temperature below zero and in the double fizares most of that time, too. The most cheeriog information that can be given by the weather bureau as to the future is that tbe tendency to moderation manifested after noon to day will probably continue tomorrow. It is not so cold, aborjit zero, and the enid wave may slowly decrease during the day. The day began wirb the mercury showing 14 degrees below zero, falling tp 16 by 6 o'clock this morning. At noon the weather moderated to 9 de? grees and from tba: time until 4 o'clock the mercury continued rising. It was stationary at 4 degrees for several hours after that hour, bat fell slowly late to night as usual. An unknown man was found frozen to death on the outsktrts of the village of 'Finley park, crear Blue island, on the Rock Island railroad this morniog James McCormick .and George Gerotz, telegraph operators., were found 'at an carly hour near together on Wells street with their bands frozen. Many less severe cases.of freezing were re? ported during the day from the police stations and drugstores, where m?st of the viotims took refuge . The cry of want of heat, food and clothing bas been answer?d by a general aod gene? rous contributien of money,, food and clothing. \ The mayor's special subscription fand rcrched nearly $10,000 this after? noon. Subscriptions are coming from outside the city and many thousands of dollars worth of supplies were received from citizens in lieu of such donations. The whole available police force was utilized day and night to ascertain the needs of sufferers ?md distribute the relief in patrol wagons and ambulances. It ia estimated tbat '.5,000 persons have ^een given enough food, fuel and cloth? ing to keep them from extreme suffer? ing since the u.ayor's proclamation was issued. Mayor Swift said more distress has been found among the poor and absolutely destitute i:han had been ex? pected and the demands made for help were becoming so great that it might become necessary far him to appoint special committees to collect additional funds among the business men of the city. Every police station has been made a storehouse for coal, beef, beans, peas, coffee, fiour and meat. The starv? ing poor were brought to the stations . and given a liberal allowance with an invitation to call again when the sup? ply was exhausted. The most numer? ous cases of acute suffering come from South Chicago and Grand cross? ing. The officials and empleyes of the Postal Telegraph Cable company made up a fund of $2,000. The ignorant fear of many foreigners prevents them from seeking the extended relief at police stations. Derailed by Ice. BROOKLYN, Jan. 28-The ice aod snow, with an open switch, was the cause of an engine and one car of the Brooklyn Elevated railroad to leave the structure at Falt?n and Bradford streets to-night, failing to the ground, a distance of 25 feet. Several persons were injured as well as the car and en? gine being entirely demolished. Two persons, it is said will die. Sunk at New Orleans. NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 28.-The Nor? wegian steamship Albert Dumois and the steam yacht Argo collided in mid river near Eads this morning at 12 35 o'clock,fapd two reporters, members of The Picayune's staff, were probably drowned, as nothing was seen of them after the rest of the party on the Argo crawled into a little boat from the sink? ing yacht. The Dumois laid by and searched for the missing men for more than an hour after picking up the boat, but nothing was seen of them. Nine persons, including the crew, were abroad the Argo. The names of the missing reporters are H. B. Blessine, Harrison Hester. The latter is a soc of Secretary Hester of the Cotton ex? change, it is balieved he was asleep in the cabin of the yacht, the shock not awakening bim, a;:a.d went down with the vessel. The collison is uuexpiain- j ei. . Sparenburg, Jan. 27.-A negro j named Mandy Munt and lier two j children were burned to death in their home near this city about 3 o'clock this morning. The house ! caught fire while they were asleep j and the three immates perished before J assistance arrived. Jonrnalism in South Carolina The Sumter Portion of a Pa* per Read Before the State Press Association by Mr. Yates Snowden, of Charleston. To the Editor : The enclosed pa? per on the history of jounalism in Sumter County is sent to you for publication, agreeable to a resolution of the South Carolina Press Associa? tion* Corrections and additions are invited from any of your readers fa? miliar with the subject It ia but fair to say that I am indebted to Mr Hubert G Osteen for nearly ali the facts given. YATES SNOWDEN. Between the years 1830 33 two papers were published in Sumter. One, Union in principles was edited by Maynard D Richardson, son of Judge John S. Richardson, the other advocated Nullification and was edited by John Hemphill, who after? ward went to Texas, and became Chief Justice of the State and United States Senator The fierce fights, political and otherwise, of that pe riod of Sumter's journalism are worthy of a carefully prepared mono graph. It is a fitting subject for the facile pen of Mr. Hubert G. Osteen, who has furnished nearly all the data for this sketch. Editor Rich ard8on was but twenty years of age. Some idea of his abilities may be gathered from an examination of that rare little book, the .'Remains of Maynard D Richardson." In one of the fierce street fights Hemphill, the null.fier, was pulled from his horse and had to draw a knife to de? fend himself. As the result of a political controversy Mr. Hemphill fought a duel with a Mr Levy who, like Mr Bruffey of the Atlanta Con stitution in our own times, left the fieid of honor minus one thumb In after days Mr Hemphill became prominent in the affairs of Texas On his tombstone in the cemetary at Austin his services are commemo rated, and he wae proud to call Jef? ferson Davis a personal friend About 1844 Gerge W. Hopkins published for a short time a small sheet, the Sumter Gazette. On November 6th, 1846 the first number of the Sumter Banner was issued It was a six column folio, published by W. J. Francis ; the name of the editor is not given A. A Gilbert and John F. De Lorme began the publication of the Black River Watchman on April 27. 185c). T. B Fraser, a judge under the Hampton regime, and J. Wither? spoon Ervin were the editors. In 1?55 the Bauner was absorbed by the Black River Watchman and the name of the latter wa3 changed to "The Sumter Watchman." The firm was then for a short time Gilbert & Rich? ardson-A. A. Gilbert and John S. Richardson, the one time Congress? man from Sumter District Later in .the same year ll L. Darr bought an interest in the paper. This firm con tinned until 1865, when H. L. Darr withrew and the paper was continued by Gilbert .and Thomas, E. Flowers, with whom he became associated. In 1858-1865 the Sumter Watchman had a tri weekly edition with a large cir? culation. The Watcbjman had a large circulation in ante bellum days^in five or six counties, extendiog as far up as Lancaster. From the close of the war to 1876 the Watchman was published by A. A. Gilbert and by the firm of Gilbert & Flowers From 1876 to 1881 it was published by a succession of persons, beginning with Guignard Richardson and John J. Dargan. The paper had gone down greatly in in? fluence and on January 20, 1881, it was purchased by N G. Osteen and U. C. Brown In August, 1881, the Sumter Watchman was consolidated with the True Southron by N. G. Osteen, who had been interested in the True Southron since 1866. This ends the history of the Sumter Watchman. After Mr. A. A. Gilbert sold the Watchman in 1876, he en? tered the South Carolina Conference, and remained an itinerant preacher uutil his death eight or ten years ago. Mr. Gilbert was bom in Walterboro, Colleton County. His parents were from the North, lu's father being from Massachusetts and his mother from New Jersey. In June, 1866, H. L Darr, pre? viously associated willi the Sumter Watchman, established the Sumter News. On September 21st, I860, N. G Osteen purchased a half interest in the Sumter News. F J. Moses, after wald Governor, was the first editor. He was succedea by T. W Dinkins and L B. Gay, both dying wi.:1'.- holding the editorship. On November 6, 1 ST 1, Wm G. Kennedy became editor and continued in charge until July 15, lb'75. His successor was John J. Dargan, who assumed the editorship March 2, 1876 During Mr Kennedy's editor? ship the name of the paper was changed, on August 14, 1873. to True Southron lu January, 1831, Mr Darr sold his interest in the True Southron to \V D. B landing:. ' About the same time N. G 0.jteen purchased an interest in the Sumter] Watchman and on August 2. 1881, | the two papers were consolidated ! From 1881 until 1891 the Watchman and Southron had a succession of editors, Proprietor Osteen remaining in control. The editors were D B. Anderson, W D Ulanding, J A Mood, W F. Rhame, W. J. Beard. W. J Ingram and Mark Reynolds In August, 1891, Hubert G Osteen assumed editorial control and is still at his pos;. The policy of the paper has always been in accord with the principles of the proprietor, N. G. Osteen Strictly and uncompromis? ingly Democratic, in Reconstruction dajs the True Southron was, per haps, the foremost exponent of '.Straightout" Democracy in the State and by reason of that stand it obtained an unusually large circula? tion for a country weekly. At one time during the editorship of W. G. Kennedy, the paper gave the Repub? lican ring so much concern that *n agent was sent to Sumter with $4.~ ? in cash, which he offered to Darr <fc Osteen on condition that they discon? tinue the publication of the paper for one year, they to retain the outfit. The offer was rejected and the fight continued with a bitterness that has never been surpassed in the newspa? per annals of this State.- "Some of Mr Kennedy's editorials," says Mr. H G Osteen, "are unique, and I have never seen anything at all like them." Mr Shirley C. Ilughson is of much the same opinion as Mr. Osteen, as regards the excoriating qualities of Mr Kennedy's editorials. The paper is still conducted accord? ing to high journalistic and ethical standards From 1857 to 1859 or '60 W. J. Francis and J. F DeLorme published the "Sumter Dispatch " "The Banner of Freedom," was a freak or sport in the annals of jour? nalism It was published-a single issue-on April 10th or 11th, 1865, by Gen M Edward E. Potter, U. S A., when he and his raiders had control of Sumter. It was printed in the Sumter Watchman office by sbldier prioters in Potter s command After printing the single issue of the "Ban? ner of Freedom"-which Lois J Emilio, the historian of Potter's Raiders calls "a loyal edition of the Sumter Watchman"-they threw all the type into pi and wrecked the old Washington Hand Press. This old press is still capable of doing good work. In 1881 immediately after the True Southron and Watchman were con? solidated two new papers were es? tablished ; the Spirit of the Times, by C H DeLorme, and the Sumter Advance, by H. L Darr & Parmaiee The Spirit of the Times changed hands several times within a few years of a not very prosperous ex? istence and was then removed to Manning by H L Darr, Jr., where it became the Mannig Times. The Sumter Advance was publish? ed continuously by H. L. Darr until his death, about eight years ago He was succeeded by H. L. Darr, Jr., who published it until the latter part of 1892, when it was sold to S. A. Nettles, who changed the uarae to Sumter Herald, and after a few months sold out to Knight Brothers, who now successfully conduct the paper In 1890 John J Dargan and Ed? win F. Miller established the Free? man, as a Reform organ. Mr.. Dar? gan retired in 1895 and the pa? per is now published by Edwin F. Miller. On October lo, 1894. the Daily Item was established by Hubert G. Osteen as a four column folio. It was later enlarged to its present size, a five column folio. For a few months in 1894-5 the Journal of Progress, a negro weekly, was published in Sumter, of which the Rev. C. C. Scott was editor. There have been fully a half dozen papers published in Bishcpville with? in the las 15 years. The "Enter? prise," ''Eagle'' i. .d "County Ban? ner" were among the unsuccessful ventures The Mirror was the last candidate for public favor. Two papers have been published at Mayesville. Among ihe most prominent men identified with newspaper work in Sumter County may be mentioned ; H. L. Darr, who was longer in the business than any other man save N G Osteen. Mr. Darr was a native of Charleston and learned his trade in Columbia. Ile was a Highest cf all in Leavening Fow practical printer and a good business man, a Democrat (if unswerving principle and a type of the old time printer, publisher and editor. He died about 1887 or 1888. N. G Osteen is .a native of Sum? ter County. He came to the town when 13 years olc^ and entered the office of the Sumter Watchman to learn the trade under Gilbert & Darr. He served five years as an apprentice and was then sent in I860 to Con wayboro. Horry, to run a paper for his employers This paper, the Horry Dispatch was, discontinued by the war He then went to Columbia and worked during the entire war in the government printing office, print? ing Confederate money. After the war he went to Charleston and served under T. G. DeFontain in the office of the South Carolinian. In 1868, the South Carolinian having gone by the board, he came to Sumter and bought an interest in the Sumter News. He is now at 53 years of age, actively engaged in business as proprietor of the Watchman and Southron and printer of the Daily Item, He has been longer engaged in the "art preservative of all arts/' than any other roan ever in that, busi? ness in Sumter County. FILES. Sumter Banner 184464-Two bound volumes in the possession of a lady of Sumter. In the Fall. His chair looked comfortable enough. Solid and softly cushioned, it looked luxurious enough for a Syba? rite, but from the uneasiness be dis? played it seem as though the cushions might be stuffed with pins and needles. Seldom at rest for a moment, he leaned now this way, now that ; frequently shifting bis legs, be crossed and uncrossed them rapidly, like the comic lover dear to the gallery who wishes to delicately iosinuate diffidence. Now be would stealthily rub a promi? nence in his anatomy, and then be would make surreptitious dabs with bis restless hands at various parts of bis person, and whenever be thought he was unobserved he would desperately squirm and screw himself about io bis clothes. Occasionally, when be did manage to remain quiet for a minute, bis face settled into the 6rm, deter mind expression of a martyr resolved to en? dure unspeakable tortures. His most violent contortions always occured when she was apparently noe looking at him, but all bis movements were characterized by slyness. He evident? ly was doing bis best to conceal them from her. But she saw and noted every one of his erratic actions. They puzzelcd ber. He usually so cal's, so reposful, te be? have like a nervous child under re? straint! What possible explanation could there be? Then her heart whis? pered the answer. Tbeo she fell to pitying him. Poor fellow! if be only knew bow she longed for bim to speak, what a temptation leap year was to her, bow easily it could all be happily settled. Bat why didn't be speak'/ Had be no nerve at all? The suspense began to wear upon her, and she, too, became nervous aod the conversation almost stopped ; their thoughts were otherwise occupied. Ob, why dido, be ask it? The strain . be? came unendurable. ..Jack!" she screamed springiog to ber feet and clasping ber bands ontil i the knuckles turned white ; "J?ck! say what you have to say! What is it? What are you thinking of?" .'Exc?seme; I thought you dido't notice, he replied, striding up and dowo the room, widely wiggling his shoul? ders. "The fact ?9 I can't think of any thing but tbss? confounded Winter f under clothes I put on today. . They'er 6cratchiog me crazy!" - mmt * I 9M Bid Voa Ever 'Try Electric Bitters as a remedy ior you troubles ? If net, get a bottle now and get re? lief. This medicine has been found to be pecu* liarly adapted to the relief and cure of all Fe? male Complaints, exerting a wonderful direct influence in giving strength and tone to the organs. If you Lave loss of Appetite, Consti? pation, Headache Fainting Spells, or are Nervous, Sleepless, Excitable, Melancholy or troubled with Dizzy Spells, Electric Bitters is the medieiae you need. IIe:ihh and Strength are guaranteed by its use. Fifty cents and one do lar at J. F. W. DeLorme's Drug Store. 3 Lamp shades when artistica?y made of repa tissue are things of* beauty. If you want to niHke shades to beautify year homes, H. G. Osteea & Co. can supply the tsateriale. A lnrge s'.ock of crepe tissue in tea foot rolls ust received. RE