Stye uktdjmnn owD 3 o ntl) con,
- -.---? -_ ,_
THi SUMTER WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850. "Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and Truth's." THE TRUE SOUTHRON. Established jone, 1366
Consolidated Ans. 2,1881.
SUMTER, S. C., WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1897.
Sew Series-Vol. XVI. So. 39
Published E79T7 Wednesday,
IM- G. Osteen,
SUMTER, S. C.
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MAT CONSOLIDATK
COAST LINE ACT BEFORE
* THE CIRCUIT COURT.
Columbia Register, 27th.
'The Atlantic Coast Lice consolida
tion Act came np for a legal interpre
tation yesterday in the Circuit Conrt
It ia a very important matter to the
railroad company as well as to its
patrons. By consolidation the latter
will get a "continuons" rate, which
means a lower one, over the varions
lines of the company over which a
shipment is made On the other
hand, if the consolidation Act is not
constitutional, then the company did
not want to go into it, as their vast
interests, bonds, securities, &c,
would be materially affected. The
hearing of the case waa a friendly
one and, although the snit was
brought by the Commission, they
^really wanted the jory to decide in
favor of the^ railroad, for it was at
their instance that the - consolidation
Act' was introduced and passed.
There really was no contention be
tween tlae "opposing" parties, as
both wanted the jory to decide
whether any of the roads included in
the system were parallel or compet
ing. If not, then there is no consti
tutional prohibition against the con
solidation. The State wa9 represent
ed by Attorney General Barber and
the railroad company was represent
ed by Mr. J-T. Barron.
The complaint in the case, after
the usual legal forms and prelimina
ries, sets forth :
. That at the last session of the
General Assembly of South Carolina,
an Act entitled "An Act to incorpo
rate the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Company of South Carolina and to_
authorize the consolidation of cer
tain railroads under that name" was
passed and approved ; and that the
first section of said Act provides
"That it shall be lawful for the Wil
mington, Columbia and Augusta Rail
road Company, the Northeastern
Railroad Company, the Cheraw and
Darlington Railroad Company, the
Central Railroad of South Carolina,
the Manchester and Augusta Rail
road Company and the Florence Rail
road Company to be consolidated
into one company, and each of the
same companies is hereby given full
power to do all such things as may be
necessary to effect such consolidation
under the provisions and terms of the
Act."
That in Section 5 of said Act it is
provided that the said corporation
"may make contracts and acquire
and transfer property, both real and
personal, including shares of stock in
other corporations, but not a majority
thereof in any paralled or competing
railway companies"-to which said
Act reference is hereby craved, as a
part of this complaint, as often as
may be necessary.
That Section 7, Article 9, of the
Constitution of 1895 provides : "No
rai'road or other transportation com
pany. .no telegraph or other transmit
ting corporation, or the lessees, pur
chasers or managers of any such cor
poration shall consolidate the stock,
property or franchise of such cor
poration with, as lease or purchase,
the works or franchise of, or HI any
other railroad or other transportation,
telegraph or other transmitting com
pany, owning or having under its
control a parallel or competing line ;
and the question whether railroad or
other transportation, telegraph or oth
er transmitting companies are paral
Iel or competing lines shall, when
demanded by the party complaint,
be decided by a jury, as in other civil
cases Tnat some of the railroad
companies which it proposed to con
solidate under the aforesaid Act, to
wit : The Wilmington, Columbia and
Augusta, and Augusta, the Cheraw
and Darlingtan ; the Wilmington,
Columbia and Agusia and the Man
chester and Augusta; the Cheraw and
Darlington and Northeastern ; the
Manchester and Augusta atid the
Central of South Carolina ; the Flor
ence and Wilmington, Columbia and
Augusta, or some two or mope of the
said railroad companies own or have j
under their control parallel or com-!
peting lines, and under the inhibition j
contained iu the Constitution, as!
hereinbefore recited, can be consolir
dated, under the Act aforesaid.
Wherefore the plaintiffs demand
judgment :
That it be submitted to a jory to
d termine the question whether the
said Wilmington, Columbia and Au
gas'a Railroad and Cheraw and Dar
lington Railroad or any other two. or
more of the aforesaid companies pro
posed to be consolidated are, or own,
parallel and compering lines ; and io
case any of said roads should be de
cided by the jory to be par al led or com
peting noes that the said Act, as to
them, be-declared inconstitucional,
and that a perpetual uojunction be
granted to prevent such consolidation of
said parallel or competing roads.
At the bearing the following evi
dence was taken.
Mr. J. R. Keely, general manager
of the Coast Line, stated bow the roads
were operated. No regard is paid to
the feature of competition ; they are
opt considered competitive roads.
All are operated as one.road They
are practically one road, through the
expense accounts are kept separate. It
would be impossible for ooe road to
compete again tsan otb er, as tbe com
pany can't compete against itself
Tbe total mileage io South Caralba
is between 550 and 600 miles. Three
roads run into Sumter, three into Flor
ence and two into Darlington.
Mr. T. M. Emerson, traffic manager
of the Cast Line, testified that no two
of tbe roads are competing in any sense
of tbe word. The sbor; 8t or more
convenien* line gets, business without
competition from the other line. If the
consolidation is effected there would be
oo change io competition. Tbere is
none now and would be cone theo. It
would result io reducing some of tbe
rates
~ President W. G. Elliott testified that
consolidations grew out of the fact that
while tbe roads were controlled by one
system, jet they were operated as sepa
rate corporations. Tbe Legislature
passed an Act requiring all railroads
under the same ownership to make a
coo tin nous rate. -Under oar system,
wheo shipments were made over two
roads, the rate was a local rate on both
with a redaction of 2 per cent. Tbe
Commissioners called our attention to
tbe Act aod we protested that these
roads actually bad to depend oo their
owo revenues for payment of expenses.
If one road didn't make expenses, tbe
o:her was not drawn on to help it.
The continuous miileage Act would be
a serious redaction of our revenues.
The Railroad Commission suspended
the enforcement of the continuous mile
age rate until ao Act was passed by
tbe Legislature allowing consolidation
and giving the company an opportunity
of curtailing expeoses. He testified
that the qpmpany could not consent to
a consolidation until the constitutional
ity of the consolidation Act was passed
opon, as too g rest interests are in vol
ved. x
Mr. W D. Evans testified that Mr.
Elliott bad testified correctly as to the
history of tbe transaction, and gave
some farther details as to rates, speak
ing more particular by of fertilizer rates
He showed that by the consolidation
lower rates would be obtained.
The jury was out only a short while
and returned a verdict that none of the
Hoes were competing, which settles the
matter, aod tbe consolidation will pro
ceed forthwith. Several of the Hoes,
by reason of being ruo as separate roads,
have ha j separate presidents and other
officers, bot under consolidation they
will be relieved and tbe salaries paid
for figure heads will be abolished, it is
said.
St. Louis May be Flooded.
St. Louis, April 29.-The Mississippi
River bere has risen a foot in twenty
four hours and licking off the marks on
the river gauge io a way that threatens
to send the water over tbe danger point
before morning. At 6 o'clock this
evening the gauge marked 29 OS. and
at 10 o'clock 29.08. The official dan
ger point is 30 feet. The outside rail
road track oo the levee was abandoned
this afternoon, as tbe river was two or
three inches deep over it io places. A
comber of the merchants are moving
their goods out of tbe cellars, as the
waters is being to seep through
Washington, April 27,-Prof. Berk
ley, of Claflin University, S. C., is an
applicant for the consulship at Stutt
gart, Germany. Prof. Berkley enjoys
a prominent reputation as one of the
best educated negroes io the country.
He graduated in French in Paris and
in German at Heidelberg. He speaks
both languages fluently. Among those
who ask for his appointmentment are
business men of Stuttgart and Heidel
berg. A colored man as co:>?ui to a
German city would bc unprecedented,
hui tho fae's arc interesting Prof.
Hork icy has had an interview wkb thc
Pret-ident and presented his papers
JOHNSON'S j
CHILL AND !
FEVER TONIC
Cures Fever i
In One Day. j
S T f TM IN GREECE
DANGER OF REVOLUTION
NOT SO IMMINENT.
London, April 28 -Nothing of im
portance bas happened in Athens ap
to the timethe latest dispatches were
sent from there to-nigbt These dis
patches show that although there
was considerable excitement in the
city, the general giuation wa$ not so
threatening as it had been, and that
there was no dis order of any couse
qnence
The boule, which was summoned
to meet in extraordinary session this
morning, held no meeting, owing to
the fact that no quorum was present,
and to night's dispatches do not
show whether there was a session
held this afternoon.
Later-The legislative assembly
met again this evening There were
only 95 members present. One hun
dred and four are necessary for a
quorum, and as nine members were
lacking, the house again adjourned.
There was a great crowd outside the
building, but there was no disorder.
The city is generally quiet
Athens, April 28 -Upon the re
ceipt of the telegram from M. Koro
raki*8, the naval officer who yesterday
sent a message to the ministry of
marine declaring that daring the four
days the fleet had spent at Shiathos
"We have been betrayedV M Le
vides, minister or marine, sent a mes
sage demanding au explanation of
his telegram He replied that
the ships had been kept idle
for four days, which, under the
circumstances, was a betrayal of
the country. M. Levides then
demanded an explanation from Com
modore Sanchctouri. the commander
or the fleet, asking why the vessels
had not been employed on active duty
instead of lying at Shiathos, which
place is at the entrance of Volo,
Commodore Sachtouri telegraphed
that the heaviness of the sea had
prevented the departure of the fleet
M. Levides thereupon tendered his
resignation to the king and refused
to resume his duties until Commodore
Sanchtouri had been removed The
above is the explanation of the crisis
in the ministry of marine yesterday.
A WARNING FROM FRANCE
London, April 28 -The Paris cor
respondent of the Daily News tele
graphs that during: the conference to
dey between M Hanotaux and Munir
Bey, the Turkish ambassador, the
foreign minister urged the latter to
advise the sultan to hold out an olive
branch to Greece He added that if
the Ottoman troops advanced the
consequences would be incalculable
France would be compelled to come
forward as a defender of the cause of
Chistianity Continuing, M fiano
taux declared that if the powers in
tervened in the Levant it would not
be to prop up the Ottoman empire
In conclusion be said the overthrow
of the dynasty at Athens could not
fail to have far reaching conse
quences
FIGHTING AT PREVESA.
New York, April 27 -A special
to the Journal says says : The left
wing cf the Greek army in Epirus,
under the command of Colonel Gol
phinopulpns, is advancing on Pre
ve8a, which must be captured before
the Greeks attack Janina. The right
wing of the Greek army, under Col
onel Manos, is advancing on Janina,
but will not attack the place until it
is joined by Golphinopulos* army.
The garrison of Prevesa, consisting
of 2,500 Turks, still holds out, al
though for two days we have heard
the roar of the guns of the Greek
ships bombarding the place.
The people of Epirus are extend
ing a welcome to the invading Greeks
and the Turks are panic-stricken
On the march to day the army which
I accompany captured a camp of the
Turks. The cause of this panic is
the deserion of the Albanians, the
bravest troops in the sultan's army.
Kalli is Premier.
The Cabinet ChaDge Effected
In Greece.
Athens, April 29 -All doubt as to
the overthrow of the Delyaoois minis
try was dispel 1 fd this evening when I
Kiz)g George instructed the leaders of |
the opposition to form a cabinet to re
p-Jace hor of wbicb M Delyanois was '
the hoad. The only Stipulation made
by fee king was that Thotaki ehould be
given a portfolio in the ncr/ cabinet.
Subseouently the --.'adors of the o;:}.;
Fi i ;n went to tho legislar ire chamber I
and summoned a meeting of their fol- '
loweri) The question as to whom
should be selected as ministers wen1 ;
fully discussed, and it was fir1211'? ar* j
randed that the new cabinet sh0.. j
madr up as follows : Primo 'nwt r j
and minister of marine, M. "3H' i j
oiinititer of war, Colonel Tsamovos ;
minister of finance, M. Simopvule ;
I minister of public iostructioo, M. Car
psnas ; minister of interior, M. The
taki This leaves but one vacancy to
be filled, that of minister of justice.
This list was submitted to the bing,
aud will undoubtedly meet with bis
approval.
The new cabinet will present itself
io the chamber to-morrow, wheo it
will demand a vote of confidence. If
the chamber expresses its confidence in
the new government M. Kalli and Col
onel Tsamovos will start for Pbarsala,
in Thessaly, where the Greek army is
now stationed.
The avowed policy of the ministry
to obtain an booorable peace through
war
London, April 29 -The Athens
correspondent of The Daily Telgraph
bas bad ao interview with M. Ralli,
the new prime minister, in which be
said that his policy would consist of
reorganizing the army and raising it to
its maximum strength ; equipping and
forwarding numerous recruits and vol
unteers from Athens to the front, re
establishing order io the interior, and
obtaining a satisfactory solution of the
foreign questions affecting Greece.
He added that he would not accept any
definite mandate from either the king
or chamber, and would not be hamp
ered by a programme. He would be
guided solely by the data supplied by
a careful study of the situation
Athens, April 29-M. Delyannis,
when questioned this evening regarding
his refusal to accede to the request cf
tbe king for his resignation, said that
he refused to resign because if he had
done so bis action would have been
misunderstood. He added that be had
advised King George to dismiss his
government, aod this has had done.
Continuing, M Delyannis said that if
he bad remained in office be would
have rescued the country from its em
barrassment without prejudice and he
could have obtained a ratification of the
Grecian frontier by abandoning Crete.
FIRST IN CAVALRY.
The Organized Militia of the
United States is a book published
each year by the war department,
and contains all information possible
to obtain about the militia of every
State of the Union. This book for
1S96 has recently been issaed, and
includes among other matter interest
ing statistics concerning the fighting
force of South Carolina Comparison
between the militia of the Palmetto
State and that of other States is very
favorable to the former.
In number of cavalry South Caroli
na ranks far ahead of any other State.
She has a total of 1,070 cavalrymen
out of a total of 4.945 for the entire
Union, and over twice as many as
the State having the next highest
number, which is Georgia, with 532.
Of the entire militia cavalry of the
United States, then, South Carolina
has about a fourth. She ranks low
in artillery, but in infantry comes
sixteenth, with a force of 2,391 en
listed men. In the aggregate of all
the branches of the service she is
seventh. The States having a great
er number are : New York, with
13,242 men ; Pennsylvania, with
8,250 ; Ohio, 6,229 ; Illinois 6,228 ;
Massachusetts. 5,227 ; New Jersey,
4,258 ; California, 3,836. Georgia
comes next to South Carolina, with
3,193 or 337 less
The appropriation made by the dif
ferent States for the support of their
militia is uo less interesting. In this
she falls to the twelfth place from the
bottom. New York leads with an
appropriation of $448,000, while
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts
and New Jersey come next in the
order named Arkansas, Nevada
and Oklahoma make no appropria
tions whatever for their forces.
South Carolina gives to her militia
$8,000, while Georgia appropriates
$15,000, Florida $12,000, North
Carolina 6,000.
South Carolina comes twenty-eec
in the number of men liable to mili
tarv duty. Her number is 152,000.
Illinois is first, with 700,000.-The
State.
i^- --
The State board of metropolitan
police commissioop'-s consisting of Gov
ernor Elierbe, Comptroller General
Norton and Secretary of State Tomp
kins met yesterday and selected the
old board of commissioners for Charles
too, the members of which are, B. J.
Simmons, T. Campbell and A. S.
Thomas.
San Luis Potosi, Mex., April 27.
Advices have reached here of a terrific
hail storm m the Kio Vetde valley,
this State. Some of the hailstones
weighed as much as three pouuds, and ;
42 persons are reported to have been
killed lr* one hacienda 12 farm lut nd s
were killed Numbers of horses ar:.] !
cattle were destroyed
James Lewis, colored, has been
found guilty of rape at Fairfax, Vn ,
.iiiii sentenced to death. He lias been j
tiicvi i. n.njes within a wei1!: - .-iii
found gui i ry each time, hut on the- ftrgW
two trials the jory was divided DU ihM
penalty.
Code of Ship Signaling.
Common Language Between
Vessels When They Meet
at Sea.
Most landsmen have a very elemen
tary knowledge of the methods by
which vers is meeting each other on
the high seas make known some argent
need, such as the want of water or pro
visions, or exchange items of news.
The stay-at-home public read in the
newspapers that a vessel was spoken in
given degrees of longitude and lati
tude; but of the manner io which that
was done not one in a hundred bas a
knowledge. And yet this matter of
communication between ships that baye
each other in sight, and are yeJ out of
hearing, is a matter, of supreme impor
tance, not only to seafarers, but to the
commercial world. The safety of a
nation might hang upon a
message sent from one vessel to anoth
er ; the warnings sent bereen ships
wheo one is seen to be on a dangerous
course have freqaently been the means
of saving many lives and much valu
able property.
To England mpst be given the credit
of being the first nation to complete an
intelligible and general code of signals
for use ot sea. The book was first is
sued in 1857. Irs success was great
and from the first. it was adopted on
board ships of ali nations where our
language was spoken or understood.
Some seven years later, io 1864, a
French translation was given of the sig
nals, and three years afterward Ger
man was added, so that the internation
al signal book is now printed in the
three tongues. Since 1869 every other
nation has signified its adhesion to the
code invented by England, so that the
work is practically the only one of its
kind io use afloat.
The methods cf signaling are of two
kinds. When two vessels approach
each other and one wishes to speak it
hoists a black ball on tbe mainmast.
This, with the addition of a penaoo
and a flag, constitutes the three long
distance signals, and they are read ac-,
cording to their position on the yard.
For a fal -stop the ball alone is shown.
The international signal book con
tains tbe interpretation of the letters
shown by the combinations of tbe three
signals. The latter are 18 in number,
each ooe representing one of tbe con
8onsonants of the alphabet. They are
of four colors, red, white, blue aod yel
low, used in various combinations.
Taat these would be too numerous to
meotioo wi ill be seen wheo it is stated
that no fewer thau 70,000 signals can
be made according to the signal book,
and of this total no fewer than 20,000
are sig nals for questions, answers
oames. numbers, etc. In addition tc,
the above, there are the two flag words
-a white pennon with a red bali in
tbe center, meaning "yes,'' and a blue
pennon with a white spot, signifying
-no"
To prevent confusion, a rule is laid
down that not more than five letters
shall be uaed at once, as being too diffi
cult to read. Signaling with ooe flag
is also contrary to rule. For most pur
poses, not more than two signals
are requisite. Most important mes
sages oan be transmitted by two flags,
for example: "Man overboard."
"Danger ahead,v "Illness on board,"
or "We are io need "
In fact, although the work is so com
prehensive as to include expressions
and terms adequate for every conting
ency that could arise at sea, it is at the
same time sufficiently clear and simplp
as to be understood by all likely to use
it.-Cincnoatti Enquire.
-->?? --?
THE WAH IN CUBA.
Fierce Fighting in Habana
Province Revolution
Strong.
Habana, via Key West, April 29
-The insurgent, Rafael Fernandez,
adjutant of the Cuban leader Roban,
has been captured by the Spanish
troops. It is said that he is an
American citizen.
The war is going on fiercely in
Habana province. The insurgents
captured the town of Sietecite.
Gen Roderiguez, commander in
chief of the Cuban army in Habana
province, says in a report to General
Gomez that never before has the
revolution been so strong as it :s now
in this province.
KITE FOR REFORMS, SAYS WEYLER.
Habana, April 29 -Dispatches
from Madrid announce that at the
cabinet council to-day Prime Minister
Canovas del Castillo read a telegram
from Captain General Wey 1er, affirm- !
ing that the condtton o ' thc western :
provinces of Cuba were such as to '
permit the promulgation ot' the re
forms recently decided upon ami that .
the queen regent signed a decree
ordering their immediate enforce
ment in t hesept^nnces. The decree
'viii i^g^gg^l B"c:i!-. i hy tho first
costa Pcarz and ;
iz Fernandez were !
Matanzas for the
"and incendiarism.
GREAT DANGER
STILL THREATENS
The Lower Mississippi Valley
-No Courts This Spring
Suffering Refugees.
New Orleans, April 29.-Severe
rains and wind storms yesterday and
today throughout the lower Mississip
pi valley did great damage to levees
entailed great suffering among those
refugees camped on the levee with
out shelter of any kind Nearly half
of the people in the overflowed sec
tion of Louisiana are either altogeth
er without shelter or what they have
is insufficient.
Another break in the bnreau levee
district occurred last night below
the Melrose plantation The new
break is at the Gufcznard place. It is
only 25 feet wide, but more serious
than the Melrose crevasse, because
the base of the levee has been wash
ed away. A large force of men at
work expect to close both breaks to
night.
State Engineer Perilliat, who re
turned to New Orleans to-day from
the Gbafalya district, issued a state
ment warning the people from Red
river down not to lull themselves
into a feeling of false security that
the danger is over. It is very great,
be say 8, bat there is a fighting chance
of preventing an overflow in the
sugar district of Louisiana if the en
tire, population will tum out and
work on the levees.
Proclamations are being issued by
all the police, juries, boards and local
officials. It has been decided in
nearly all the river parishes that
there shall be no term of court in
May as usual, as jury duty and ser
vice as witnesses wouid take men
away from the levees.
There is now every probability that
the river will cot hrough Cowpen
Point levee by way of Lake Con
cordia. Should this occur, it will
create a cut off leaving Natchez,
Miss , an inland town as Vicksburg
was left in 1876. Thousands of dol
lars have been spent to prevent this
cot off, but apparently in' vain, as
the river shows a disposition to re
turn to its old bed of 250 or BOO
years ago
The water is falling on the Yazoo
Delta, but more slowly than expect
ed. Every fall of an inch, however,
puts many acres out of water which
are immediately sowed in cotton.
There will be a return of the refugees
to the smaller towns, with the fall of
another half foot.
SEVEN THO Cd AND IN DANGER OF STARVING
Helena, Ark , April 29 -There is
no money with which to close the
Arkansas crevasses on the levees and
the farmers refuse to feed their idle
bands The merchants decline to
carry them, and the chairman of the
relief committee reports that 7,000
persons are in danger starvation.
Dr. King's New Discovery for {Consump
tion.
This Is tht rest medicine in the world for all
forms of Coughs and Colds and for Consump
tion. Every bottle is guaranteed. It will cure
and not disappoint. It bas no eqnal for
Whooping Cough, Asthma, Hay Fever, Pneu
inania. Bronchitis La Grippe. Cold in the Head
and for Consumption. It is . afe for all ages,
pleasant to take. an*l, above all. a sure cure.
It is always well to take Dr. King's New Lifo
Pills ia connection with Dr. Kings Kew Dis
covery, as they regulate and tone the stomach
and bowels. We guarantee perfect satisfac
tion or reurn money. Free trial bottles at Dr.
J. F. W. DeLorme's Drug Store. Regular size
50 cents and S I-00 6
Backlen's Aratca Salve.
The Eest Salve ia the world for Cute, Braises
Sores, Ulcers, Salt Rheum. Fever Sores, Tetter
Chapped amis Chilblains. Coins and all
S* n Eruptions, and positively ciraa Piles or
no pay required. It is guaranteed to give per
fect satisfaction, or money rotunded. Price
25 aents per box. For sale by Dr. J. F. W*. De
Lorne.
Celebrated for its preat leavening strVngth
and healthfulness. Assures the food against
ali:m and ail forms of adulteration common
to the cheap brands. Royal B kicg Powder
Co., Xew York.