University of South Carolina Libraries
i?aii an ff BUB SUMTES WATCHMAN, Established April, IS 50. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thon Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Egt&bli?hed Jane. 1366 Consolidated lug. 2,1881, SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1897. Sew Series-Vol. XVI. >To. -35 Published Every Wo&iesiay, -BT-- k JKT. <3r. Osteen, SUMTER, S. C. TERMS : 4 1 50 per annum-in advance. . Vw- ADV?RTISXSMSKT: One Square first insertion.............$1 00 Sv-sry subsequent insertion... 50 Contracts for three months, or longer will be made at reduced rates. All communications which subserve private interests will be charged foras advertisements. Obituaries and tributes of respect will be charged for. THE CRETAN SITUATION. A Flash Message From Gol Vassos To King George Gives Infor? mation of Partiality of Ad? mirals to tbe Turks. Athens, March 31.-lt being im l possible for Col. Vassos, tbe com? mander of the Greek troops io Crete, to cse the cable for the transmission of dispatches, the admirals having prohibited its use, communication with him was established a day or so ago by means of fash signals by way ! of the island of Anticythera To day Col. Vassos sent to King George the following -message of helio graph : "Alikiana, March ol -Sir : Con trary to their promises, the admirals allowed the M ussulmans at Kandamos to depart with the arms, their, aim beiog to pillage and incendiarism. On the other hand, every act of the Christians iu self defence provokes bombardments. "Tbe Turks have blockaded Fort Kis8amot Kastelli "The dispatches sent by the adr mirais to their governments accusing me of cruelty, declaring that I mas sacred prisoners at Malaxa and stat? ing that I intend to attack Canea de? spite my solemn declarations, are false "I shall address an energetic pro? test to the admirals." A dispatch from Ret imo states that the Russian consul at that place visited the town of Atripopulo for the purpose of communicating to the insurgents ?he proclamation recently issued by the foreign admirals announcing the intention-of the six great' powers to establish an autonomous form of gov? ernment and also to invite the in? surgents to lay down their arms His attempt was as unsuccessful as those heretofore made in the same direction by the admirals and their represen tati ves. The insurgents listened patiently to to the consul's explanation of the benefits that would accrue to them under the form of government pro? posed by the powers, and then de? clined to make any concessions what? soever. Their leaders declared that they did not desire autonomy, feeling that it would prove as farcical as the previous attempts to establish self government in the island They had taken op arms to drive thc Turks from the island and to bring about annexation with Greece They de sired to be placed nuder the govern ment of Kibg George, and they firmly declared that annexation was the only thing that they would accept. IK NAME OF HUMANITY. Athens, March 30-The Cretan refugees who have arrived here, have made au appeal to the heads of the governments praying in the name of humanity that the blockade of tbe Cretan ports by the warships of the powers be raised in order that sop plies of food may be admitted to the island, thus averting the famine which threatens thousands of help? less men, women and children in Crete The Red Cross society has made an international appeal for aid for the inhabitants of the island. The armed insurgents are able to obtain provisions by going to the cast for supplies, but the people living inland are destitute. If Her Ports Are Corked Up She w? Mn vacie Macedonia. Atbes, April 1.-Athough there bas been no definite occurrence to show that it is the intention of the powers to blockade the coasls of Greece, it is felt that such a block? ade will be shortly established. Its imminence is causing au increase of activity. All the officers of the fleet have been ordered to hold themselves in readiness to sail to the coasts of ?priu8 and Thessaly The energetic preparations that are being made con tinue to evidence the staunch patriot- j ism of the citizens. Owing to the j lack of government transports, mer? chants are lending a large number of handy coasting steamers to the aa thorities. These vessels, which are admirably suited to carrying troops and stores, are plying day and night between the Piraeus and the ports on the Greek frontier. So iar as essentials are concerned the troops on the frontier are already prepared to take the field There is no evidence of weakening on the part of the king or the' gov? ernment M Delyannis, the prime minister, conversing to-day with some members of the boule, said : *4Our efforts have been directed to? ward a friendly settlement of the trouble, but a pacific solution now appears improbable. Events, howev? er, will find us ready " DONT CRUSH THE CHRISTIANS. Canea, April 1 -The Greek bishop of Canea is compiling a circular let? ter addressed to the foreign newspa? permen, appealing to Europe through them cot to crush the aspirations of the Cretan Christians. Col. Vassos bas entrusted the bishop with a cour teous letter to the Turkish officials here, offering to surrender the two Turkish officers and 40 soldiers who were captured by the insurgents at Malaxa The only condition that Col Vaseos imposes is that the offi? cials promise that the men be deport? ed from the island. He makes the offer out o^sonsideration for Turkish religious scruples, fearing that the prisoners in his camp might be com? pelled to eat food contrary to their faith FIGHTING ON MILK DIET. Athens, April I.-A party of Ital ians who volunteered for service with the insurgents in Crete, and who have been for weeks in the island, arrived here to day, having run the blockade of the foreign warships They assert that there is no bread in Crete, except in the camp of Colonel Vassos. The inhabitants, they say, live chiefly on olives, milk and mut ton. There is no military organiza tion among the insurgents. They leave their homes when operations are proceeding in which it is neces? sary that they take part, and after the fighting is over they return. The volunteers further say that the real head of the Crete troops is Colonel Limbriti, who directs all the move? ments of the insurgents. INSURGENTS SPEAK OUT. Canea, April 1 -A person who has just returned from visiting the insurgents at the camp of "Col. Vas? sos, the commander of the Greek troops, states that the bombardment at Izzidin did little damage. Nobody was killed and only six men were wounded. There were only 600 in? surgents engaged in the fight. The informant says that in conversation with the insurgents he was told that they would always'be willing to communicate with the European troops under a white flag, provided no Turks were present. They ad? mitted that it was impossible for them to fight against combined Eu rope, but declared that they weie acting under orders from the Greek government in battling with the Turks ONLY RESORT OF GREECE. London, April 1 -The Vienna cor? respondent of the Times telegraphs that it is no secret that King George of Greece has declared that a block? ade of the Greek coast will be im? mediately followed by a declaration of war against Turkey. LANDED ONE THOUSAND SACKS OF FLOUR Athens, April I.-The steamer Argoli*8, which left the Piraeus on Mouday with a cargo consisting of a thousand sacks of flour for the Chris? tiana in Crete? returned to-day, shav? ing succe88?ally accomplished the object of her voyage. She reports that she experienced no difficulty in getting past the vessels that were on blockading duty, and that she landed all the flour. "FUSHED INTO WAR." London, April 1.-The Chronicle will to-morrow print an extract from a letter from a leading member of the sultan's entourage, in which the writer cocfirms the view that the powers are answerable for the pres? ent critical situation growing out of the Cretan question. He says that neither Turkey nor Greece is anxious for war, but that they are being push? ed into it by a European concert ostensibly acting for the maintenance of peace. Th? two countries most concerned in the matter could, and would easily come to an agreement if they were left to themselves, but the powers forbid. The New York Journal and the New York Advertiser have consoli? dated under the title, the New York Journal and Advertiser, abandoned the United Press, and will hereafter be a member of the Associated Press. If The Levee Breaks Greenville, Miss., May Be Swept Prom the Earth. Jackson, March 30.-From the great Yszoo Mississippi delta cernes a wail of distress and the cry of "the levees have broken'' is heard through? out oar valley of the Nile. Three fresh breaks have been reported to-day and through these immense volumes of water are carrying destruction to thou? sands of happy bornes and devastation as fertile a territory as is to be fouod oo the globe. So far no los3 of life ex? cept to domestic animals has been re? ported, but it may be by morning, as the jjreat mooods of earth which pro? tect the flourishing cities of Greenville, Rosedale, Stoneville, Areola, Friar's Poisf, Rolling Fork aod others are wat?rsoaked, mushy and liable to give way at any moment. The four breaks that have occurred have flooded or will flood before reaching the Yazo*?. perhaps a week hence, the counties of Bolivar. Wash ton, Sharkey, Yazoo and portion? of others io which are comprised the fliest cotton farms io the world. In this ovetflowed district, the State has leased eight plantation?, upon which with her good, able-bodied convicts she was pre? paring to make another crop of cotton and 'corn, the latter being io line condition The great? est concern is for the city of Greeo7ille, which, situated as it is, in the hollow of a crescent formad by the bend of the river and surrounded by it on two sidos would be wiped out of existence should a break occur in the immediate vicinity Thc streets of thc cit* are 12 feet below the summit of the levae, so that a break otee formed, there would be no way of stopping the Ni&gara, and every house in the place would be swept from its foundations and the remaining inhabitants burled into eternity. Fearing such a catas? trophe, those who could, have mi? grated to the bills, but thousaods still remain. The breaks that occurred to day are both above and belcw Greenville. 15 and 25 miles v above, so that the water will pass to the rear of the city. The streams on the delta all flow from the river and down the op? posite side of the valley. The topography of the country is level but sloping east, away from the river for 40 milee in some places to the Yazoo, and it is down this stream the overflow water mast go to again reach the Mis? sissippi, 75 or 100 miles south of where it has feft it. Thousands of people, white ard black, still line the levees and are making a desperate effort to hold what remains It is a life and death struggle and for tb?3 reason, there is no rest night cr day. The question bas been asked to day, docs it pay to maintain this great levee system, and old farmers declare it does not, that life and business were more certain 40 years ago when no one expected any? thing but an overflow and prepared for it Though the Federal government has been most liberal in appropriations to the levees, the planters of the delta have spent millions more io pefectiog the present system. Every bale of cot? ton produced in this great delta pays a tax of $1, which creates a large sum annually for levee purposes. There are doubtless many who after this wilt be convinced that this $1 per bale might be more profitably expended. How? ever, the crisis ?9 on tonight and by rjQO'oiog it is probable several other breaks will have occurred. The water is reported higher than ever before known frcm Memphis to Vicksburg Chance That Greenville Will Be Saved. MISSISSIPPI STATE FARMS UNDER WATER. Jackson, Miss , March 31.-The condition of affairs in the Mississippi valley grows daily more exciting, and it is probable the worst has not been experienced. One or two more big breaks, one of them 1.000 feet wide, occurred in Boliver county last night, and the waters from the last joining forces with the three other streams are now rushing towards the south, carrying destruction to houses, barns, gina, fencing, live stock, etc. Fortunately the people of the Delta had taken time by the forelock an^ had either secured their horses and cattle on high points and mounds or had driven them out to the foothills where they will remain till the waters subside. No efforts are being made to stop the breaks, they having got? ten beyond h muan control, and work in that direction is fruitless, but every possible energy is directed to wards th"? preservation and strength ening of miles and miles of mushy banks still standing. Captain J J. Evans, president of the State Railroad commission and Warden McLaurin of the penitentiary returned last night from Greenville, in which vicinity they have been for a week or more directing the labor of 600 convicts in preventing the breal and overflow, and report that tl State farms, ll i:i all, are now undi water or wiil be by to morrow, an that the extent of the disaster beyond all computation So far th levees around Greenville have stoo the strain No breaks are reporte within less than 10 miles on e?th? side, and as the river, on account ( four breaks above, has fallen nearl two feet in front of the city there good chance that she will escope th awful calamity that has been s strongly threatened for a weeli News here tbjs morning was thi Greenville was siy. feet under watei coming from breaks above, bat pr vate advices received later in the da say the t?wn is still dry. Traffic o the Tazoo and Mississippi Valley, part of the Illinois Central system has about been suspended abov Vicksburg and there is no tel lin j when a train will be able to get al the way through again. News from all points along th river at Vicksburg, Natchez am other places is that the people ar working like, demons to hold thei levees until the breaks above red aa the volume of water in the mail channel. They have great faith ii their ability to hold out, but th( weather to-night being stormy ant blustery, accompanied by thunde showers, is not of a nature to inspin confidence or lend encouragement The Rain Descends In Sheets on a Country Al * ready Deluged, St Louis, April 1-Last night't rain storm was one of the heaviest ir this vicinity in the past year, and th? wind at times reached a velocity 0 over 40 miles an hour The rainfall in the suburbs caused the small streams to rise at an alarm? ing rate, and in some places thej overflowed their banka and floodec the adjoining territory to a depth cl several feet. The suburban tracks of the Frisco railroad were flooded to the depth of two feet and trains were temporarily abandoned. Through traffic is be? ing operated over the tracks of othei roads. The river Des Perces ic the wes tern suburbs, ordinarily a small stream, overflowed its banks and submerged several houses in the low? lands. Geo. W. Tate, aged 70, liv? ing at Brentwood, was awakened by the flood and found that his house was succumbing to the waters. He seized his daughter Nellie, aged 6, m his arms and jumped from a second story window He was carried into the swift current of the river and both were drowned. The river Des Perces rose to the height of 15 feet in the southwestern portion of the city and overflowed the adjoining property to the depih of from two to six feet The brick works at Cheltenham, seven miles southwest of St. Louis, are flooded to the depth of three feet, and the fires in the furnaces have been drawn. About 40 men employed in grading suburban property were camped in the lowland near the suburb of Brent? wood and were awakened by the rushing waters as they flooded their tents. The men made a rush for skiffs and reached the adjoining high grund About a dozen of them, how ever, are missing this morning and it is feared that they were drowned The mounted police are making a search of the district, but state they are unable lo locate the missing rfren. The locality was occupied by about 50 small'houses and the inhabitants were rescued with great difficulty. It is feared that their homes will be swept away as the flood is et il ? rising and the water is already four feet deep. The Mississippi river rose over a foot here last night and is now within three feet of the danger line. From reports received from upper Mississippi places it is predicted that the danger point at this city will be reached by Saturday. The occupants of stores along the levees on both sides of the river are moving their property to safe places. Weather Bureau Bulletins. Washington, April 1.-The Weather Bureau resumed publication of its weather crop bulletins lu a review of crop conditions during the month of March, it says : Cotton planting in Texas has pro? gressed favorably aod some has been planted io South Carolioa, but in other States of the Cottou Belt practically no planting bas boco dom: up to the close of the month. In Alabama, Missis? sippi, Louisiana and Oklahoma, pr?par? ions for seeding are in progress --- - ? ?- - -ww -- A writer ou affairs of women says the objection to short skirts for rainy days comes altogether from women with big feet. Washington knew no fear. He fought Iridiaos and Englishmen, aod married a widow. The Tennessee Centenial. A Summary of the Present Condition of the Grounds. The management or* the Tennessee Centennial Exposition sends ont great accouots of the preparations that have been made for the big show. This discription will give an idea of the ex? position's scope : Tennyson m bis "Fairy Place" gives a capital idea of a busy eommuoity when the prince kisses the sleeping beauty and "All the pent op stream of life Dashed onward in a cataract." Nothing short of the touch of Alad? din could have wrought such a transfor? mation on tbe exposition grounds as has taken place during the past few days. Everything is moving and mov ing rapidly ; to hesitate in the midst of that busy throng is to be lost altogeth? er. Everyone appears intent ^upon a purpose and there is no cla?h. Wheels revolve wubin wheels and the leviathan machine moves with regularity and pre? cision The Government building is going up at such a rate that by tbe 10th of April the exhibits can be placed in po? sition. A steam drill is now at work oo a well for a water supply, and it is expected that a stream will be struck at about 95 to 115 feet. Tbe magnificent proportions of the building are appar? ent from the outline already erected. A conversation amoog a party of gentlemen from Chicago ye? ferd ay will show in a most explicit manner the beauty of the exposition as a whole. They were arguing which was 'the most beautiful structure from a utilitarian as well as orna? mental standpoint and although they were educated, refined men, fully capable of arriving at a logical conclu 8:on, they could not agree and finally agreed to differ, for the buildings were really all so beautiful and so admirably adopted for the purposes for whioh they were intended that it was a very difficult matter to decide upon the best. How? ever, the current of favor, was slightly toward the Machinery building as an ideal Exposition structure. Ooe of the most ornate and beauti? ful is the Children's Building, and then the Nergro Building and thea-but it is impossible to describe them all, so suffice U to say that never before since "Adam delved and Eve span" have so maoy majestic structures been assem? bled on such a very limited area. By that expression it is not intended to convey the idea that more space is re? quired-that is not the case; no exhi? bition ever held bad more beautiful or more commodious quarters, but the Athens of old-nay, the entiro conti? nent of old Greece, itself-was not more favored with perfect specimens of the perfect skill of the architect and artisan than tbe Tennessee Centennial exposi? tion. The Parthenon bas surrounded itself with a halo of glory that may partially dim the lustre of adjacent structures, but still they cac exist without borrow? ed effect. Tbe Commerce building is a study in itself. The linea are perfeot, rather hard and rigid for modern eyes, per haps, but nevertheless perfect in sym? metrical effect. The Hygienne and Education Build? ing will be ready next week for the plaster and the History building is now almost completed. . In fact from a careful examination of tbe buildings the statement is unhesi? tatingly made that they will bo ready ahead of time and there will bo no de? lay. Already exhibits are arriving aod within the uext week many will be placed in position. A trip through the grounds yester? day under the guidance of Engineer Creighton and Herman Justi, chief of the bureau of publicity aod promotion, revealed so many iuterestiog features that unlimited space would be required for a story in sequence, so they are here given as leaves from a note book. The Knoxville buildicg will be placed on a most desirable site on the north side of Capitol avenue just east of the Rialto. The site of the Cincinnati building is one of the best on the ground ; on Capitol avenue just opposite Knox? ville. Louisville and Chicago will have buildings on Capitol avenue, which without exception is the grandest thor oughfare iu Tennessee, not even ex? cepting the Government Boulevard on Mission Ridge at Chattanooga. The Knights of Pythias building will be strikingly handsome aod has been placed io a most commanding position. Memphis, or rather Shelby county, carries off the palm as yet and it will have to be a most majestic building that, puts ber pyramid in the shade. The colors are now being put on thc purely Egyptian pillars and they are exactly the same as recently discovered i:j the l;:ng passage at Petra or which for years have delighted visitors to Thebes or Memoon. A most clever de? sign admirably executed and reflect? ing thc greatest credit upon all con? cerned. The wire glass on the Agricultural building withstood the bombardaient of the rccen? bail storm, &ad conse? quently it can be fully eodcrsed Any toiog that would remain intact in such a cannonade when 2,GOO panes of glass were broken within halt a mile of it will standing anything. The green? houses . had 1.500 lights of glass brokeo, but they are all in again to? day Mr. Creighton made a coup d'etat that would have made the for? tune of a diplomat. Directly after the storm the watchman aroused Mr. Creighton, and the gentleman laid bis plans, "got a little corner in glass" and before 7 o'clock the next morning bad secured ali that be needed. THE STATE'S FINANCES. State Treasurer Timmerman, in talking over the expected deficit in the State's finance?, said yesterday that money enough was on hand,, with that which would be derived from various sources, to pay the ex? penses of the government up to J ely. By this he meant also the interest on the State debt would be paid. He thought, however, that he could go on well toward September before it would become necessary to borrow any money to meet the expenses. No lesa a sum than $100,000, and prob? ably more, would have to be bor? rowed, he thought. The ?15,000 monthly which the dispensary is thinking of paying in would help the treasury to a good extend, but still not sufficiently to obviate the c?oes sity of borrowing a good-sized sum. In making up the deficit that will oc? cur, Dr. Timmerman does not expect the income tax to play an important part. It will be but a drop in the bucket, he thinks.-The Stale. REDUCED THE ROYALTY. Governor Ellerbe aod Comptroller General Nerton have returned to the city via tbe Southern railway from Augusta after their tour of inspection over tbe pboephato territory Govern? or Ellerbe when seen last night talked intsrestingly of the phosphate situation. He thinks the business greatly iojared by the fall in prices He states that the board as it was understood it would, has reduced the royalty on all rock mined after April 1 to 25 cents a ton. The board after a most careful examina? tion found that the cost of production per ton was greater than the market price. Hence the reduction. The Coosaw and oniy three other concerns are still at work, operating seven dredges all told Governor Ellerbe s iys the commis? sion had a delightful trip Every pos? sible courtesy was ebcwo Nthe party. They made a roo out to the warships anchored off Port Royal. The board refused to reduce tbe royalty on some 40. or more tons, which had already been mioed, 'but had not been shipped.-The State. .- .a? . ? - cm, - The Grandest Fem edy. Mr. M. B. Greeve, merchant, of Cbilhowie, Va., certifies that he had consumption, was given up to die, sought ali medical treatment that money could procure, tried all cough reui dies could hear of, but got no relief; spent many nights sit'ing up in ii chair . was in? duced to try Dr. King's New Discovery, and was cured bj u?e of two botilcs. F? r past th re-? years lias been attending to'biisiness. and Says Dr King's New Discovery is the grandest remedy ever made, as has done so much foi him and also for others in bis community Dr. King's New Discovery is guaranteed for Coughs, Colds and Consumption. It don't fail. Trial bottles free at J. F. W. DeLorme's Drug Store. 2 Backlen'g Arntc.a Salve. The Lc3t Salve in rae world for Cut?, Bruises Sores. Ulcers, Ss)t Rheum. Fever Sorer, Tetter Chapped .and? Chiiblair.p, Corns and al^ SK n Eruptions, and positive!? ci ras Piles or no piy required It is guaranteed to give per? fect satisfaction, cr mcu6y refunded. Price 25 couts per box. FW ?a!? by Dr. J. F. V.'.De l?orme. POWDER Absolutely Pure. Celebrated for its great leavening strength and healthfulness. Assures tbe food ?cninst alum and all forms of adulteration coi: mon to the cbeao brands. Roja! Baking Powder Co., New York.