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IHlVW ?11? ?HE SUMTES WATCHMAN, Zstabliahed April, 1850. Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. "Be Just and Fear not-Let al! the Ends thon Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's and?Truth's." THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established Jane. 12*>6 SUMTER. S. C.. WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 20.1899 New Series-ToL XIX. No. 8 %\t WSt??jm at? So%flit Pablisisd Every "Weduesiay, -BY J\T. G-. Osteen, SUMTER, S. C. TERMS : {1.50 per annual-io advance. /.DTEBTISKMIRT: ' Ono Square first iosertion.$1 00 Sverj subsequent insertion. 50 Contracts for^ three months, or longer wil be made at reduced rates. AU cotnwanications which s abser ve private interests will be charged for as ad versements. Obituaries and tributes of respects will be charged for. TBE ROUND COTTON BALE. THE RESULT OF ONE SEASON'S EXPERIENCE. Pocahontas, Miss, Correspondence Meridian Ginner. Your letter asking me to write yon and "tell ns all yon know about the round bale, whether it be good or bad," received. I will write yon what I Bee from the ginner s stand? point, and one who bays cotton at country points. In July last, I contracted for the American Cotton Company's half bale press and began the tedious task of trying to ran the roand bale system i found that the cost, of freight and erection incurred by me in the con? tract was a great deal moie than I expected, or had been estimated to me. The advertised claim of the company is, that this cotton "shall bring 45 cents per hundred poonda more than the square bales are worth." This last part, or two words, "are worth," is the gate at which all the sheep get ont Io fixing cootracts for this cotton, the freight oo square bales fo the point is considered and the contract based oo the spot quotation of the port. So wheo I began to gio, I found that my average price was only 25 points above square bale values, and that many times during the season there was no premium. The system of buying square cot too on cootract market, and round bale on spot market, accounts for this and so ofteo occurred that I had no premium to offer the farmers or to reimburse myself for having rented the press This of coarse forced me to run the gin without a profit, either in the matter of ginoiog or cotton buying, ae the farmers de? manded the premium, 25 points in lieu of the tare in bagging and ties, and the 20 points rental on press took up the ginniDg profits The result can be seen. I ginned the crop at a loss of this season's work, as well as the fact that it cost me considerably more to run than when n?iog square press As far as my research bas extended, the claim 1 make holds good, and in a larger town I have visited the premium gen? erally was 25 points The trouble with the press and machinery thereto comes in the mat ter of having to adjust its many parts often and making so many little bales, all of which have to be kept account of and settled for, sampled, weighed, etc But the greatest trouble comes io handling the public The public has always been bard on the ginuer, but no gin oer can conceive before hand ia what a position he places himself Now the actual fact is, there is no gain in the system under the con tract, either to the gioner cr farmer, and ail the farmers anywhere have gained has been lost to the giotsr baling the cotton This has been fully realized by them aod a man who rao a press last season said to me a few days ago that "the community had gained what he bad lost " Thus showing bad he protected himself against loss, the community would not have felt a gain ; but I found the commuoity demanded more than equality with square cotton. The enormous claims of the round baie people had the public firm in the belief that there was something in it for them and tbey demanded it. I found that merchants and planters haviog customers, would influence them to gin on the round bale only when the price named was a knock? out to the other side ; when the bids were equai though the round bale had often given him good prices for cottOD, he would gio cn the square bale. Thus the round bale gin has to jose money before they can possibly satisfy the public. The 45 points premium which is the ail tempting thing that secures contracts, therefore becomes a myth and no contracts can be secured whereby this value can be obtained in actual practice^yet all those mak ing contracts ba^e relied on the statements of the agents of the com pany that "your cotton contract will be sent you fully covering all the claims." I have been in the ginning busi? ness ever since when I sat on the lever and drove the teams around in the old horse ginneries, and every single improvement in ginning or baling or the methods of handling cotton has brought increased value to the cotton and additional profits to the ginner at a lower take-out than was common, but here comes the round bale press and does none of these things, but makes an actual loss on the ginning business on top of the fact that it proposes to ad? vance the take-out from the custom? ary charges, and yet the claims for it are larger than all the claims com? bined ever made for a single im? provement. My experience would say that it al) appears to me a lot of talk, fostered and pushed by those interested in the new venture. The president of the American Cot? ton Company, after visiting the south in the interest of the round bale, gave an interview in Baltimore in which be went right off talking and elaborated on the advantages of the method of baling, the lap, the sav? ings of insurance, freights, storage, etc., but he did not show his lessees while south how they were going to get their money back, or show any new people how they were going to make money out of the contract offered. I also notice in "Cotton Facts," that Mr. !> C. BaU has quite a lot to say concerning the uniform bale adopted by the square baie people last season, and says that the interior folks are now beginning to receive returns from this bale and that the little 50 cents expected on this cot? ton has not materialized It is a bad thing for him to talk about "those returns," for his people have at last received some returns and all the mighty claims of the round bale goes into the air If all my mistakes and losses of a life time thus far were added togeth? er, they would not equal the harassing experience I have had with the round bale. Tours truly, E. K. Middleton. Bermuda Cyclone Island of Bermuda, Sept 13-A cyclone swept over this island iast night Houses were blown down and others were unroofed. The storm raged the whole of last night. No lives were lost but heavy damage was done to public and pri? vate property, fruit and cedar trees. The causeway was badly injured and the government house was damaged. The storm was the worst known here since the hurricane of 1880. In fact many of the inhabitants say it exceeded the gale of 1880 in vio? lence. The weather at 4 p. m , today is mild and the storm has disappeared. Information from the dock yard says the dsmage done there is very serious The breakwater is badly damaged On Ireland and Boaz islands everything is more or less The damage is roughly estimated at ?100,000 Tobacco Growers Protest. Hartford, Coon., Sept. 12 -Tbe board of directors of the New Eoglaod Tobacoo Growers' Association held a meeting in this city today. A letter was addressed to United States Senators Platt aod Hawley and the four Connec? ticut congressmen, protesting against the admission of new possessions as territories and demanding that they continue for the present under the government aod control of the execu? tive and war department. CHARGES OP CORRUP? TION. Denver, Co? , Sept. 14 -Napoleon E. Guyot, late private of Co. G. First Colorado volunteers, who during the last three months of 1898, served as a clerk under Maj. Killbourne and liter under Lieut Col. Potter, auditor of public accounts, Manila, publishes this evening a signed statement in which tho gravest charges of corruption are made against the American officials io Manila.. He says an examination of the vouchers forwarded to Washington wili show that exorbitant prices are paid for all kinds of supplies purchased io Manila; that vast quantities of high class wines and other supplies have been purchased ostensibly for the Spanish hospitals while in the American bospi tals only the coarsest supplies are furnished. He says courtmartiais of private soldiers charged with selling government property have been stopped because they would result in the expo? sure of official rascality. The robberies, be asserts, will aggregate an eDcrmous sum. Mrs Hearst has just made another small donation* to her protege, the University of California, $8,000,000 to erect new buildings. NO ENTRA SESSION IS NOW PROBABLE. Senator McLaurin bas so Ex? pressed Himself. ^ ashington, Sept. 12 -Talk of an extra session of congress bas been revived recently, bot Senator Mc? Laurin. of South Carolina, who who was seen by a Post reporter as he was leaving the White House today, does not believe there is any foundation for the rumors "I do not expect au extra session," said be. "Nothing bas come from an official source which would in any way indicate that the president con? templates such action v Senator McLaurin says, however that congress, when it does meet, ought to get to work as promptly as possible, because it will have an un? seal number of important questions to consider. "If the war in the Philippines is still io progress," said he, "wa will have to provide means for its prompt conclusion, and if it has ended, we will have the future disposition of the islands to dis? cuss. The people of my State are very much divided on the policy of the administration regarding tho islands, but the general consensus of opinion is that, as we have got into the situation, we have got to stay. We cannot afiord to retreat now. Whatever may have been the pro? priety cf getting into the Philippine war we must see it settled with honor to our country. If the war con tinuess it will be a political issue, but if it ends, I doubt whether the question of the permanent retention of the islands will figure so largely in the next campaign. The trouble with ail of us is that we lack informa? tion. I confess that it is the great trouble with me." "If our people are not talking much now about silver," added Senator McLaurin, "it is because we regard the position of the democratic party oo that matter as settled. The financial plaok of the Chicago plat will be reaffirmed at the next nation? al convention and South Carolina will send Bryan delegates to that con? vention. There is uo opposition to him in the State." -^mm>~++~+~* mm Capt. Jas, H. Tillman and Lo, the Poor Indian. Washington, Sept. 14 -James H. Tillman, son of ex Representative Tillman, of South Carolina, who served as colonel of the First South Carolina volunteers in the Spanish war, has been promised by the presi dent a captaincy in one of the new volunteer regiments Col. Tillman came to Washington hoping to raise an independent company of Indian scouts. The president did not ap? prove of forming any independent commands at this time, but said there was no objection to enlisting a cer? tain proportion of Indians in a com? pany which he e^thorized Capt Till? man to organize. A. A Girard formerly of the Rough Riders, nae been named as first lieutenant ol Capt. Tillman's company. One platoon of the company will be composed of educated I?dians, leading men of the Chippewa, Nez Perces and other tribes Chiefs Jo? seph and Pug-a-Ma Gi Shing of these tribes are much interested in the work and have been in Washington with Capt Tillman The two re? maining platoons will be composed of South Carolinians. Recruiting stations will be opened in South Car? olina and St. Paul, Minn Already enough men to fill a regiment have applied, so the question of personnel ie only one of selection Capt. Till? man was the youngest colonel in the Spanish war. He is vice commander of the Spanish War Veterans' asso? ciation. Lieut. Girard is chief o? ordnance and a member of the coun? cil of administration of the same organization. Hubbard's Cotton Letter." New York, Sept. ' 14.-Liverpool tradere again refuse to be iLfluenced by advaooe in oor markets, but believe that America will finally have tc sell to them the cotton they want upon their own basis of values. The gen? eral belief abroad ^is that a large crop is certain and tba', all reports of a les sened production this season are absurd With these views dominant there the market has been supplied with selling orders from abroad and the cotton hag ! been absorbed at a small recession from last evening. Exporters here ?rate that it is impossible to buy in the south on the bani-* of present prices in Liverpool, as American spinners arc taking their cotton at higher prices than exporters can pay. The large buying of yester? day was not evident this morning, in fact the trade thought some of the pur? chases bad bren sold out early in the day. Hubbard Bros. & Co. British Note to the Boers. Proposals Much in the Form of an Ultimatum. Londorj,Sept. 13.-A special dispatch from Pretoria sa}^ the British note, which was read io both raads yesterday (Taesday) is regarded there as a virtual ultim?tum. The correspondent says : /It propose?; a five years franchise, a quarter representation for the gold fields io the volkoraad, equality for the old and new burghers in regard to presi? dential and other eleotioos. "If tbese conditions are accepted a conference between representatives of the two governments shall follow for the purpose of drafting the necessary measures and of avoiding the utrodoo tion of unnecessary conditions by the Transvaal government or the possibility of the passage of any new bills calcu? lated to defeat the reforms. "Io view of the fact, the note goes on to say, that the present state of aifairs in South Africa cannot be prolonged. Otherwise her majesty's government will immediately take the whole situation under reconsideration and will aot so as to bring about a settlement. The situation is acute." Pretoria, Sept. 12 -The reading in the volksraad today of tbe reply of the British secretary of state for the oolonies, Joseph Chamberlain, to the latest Transvaal note, was greeted with silence, except for some interruptions from Mr. Tosen and other ultra? conservative members. Its terms, however, have produced considerable excitement here. There is no indication as yet of the views held regarding it in official circles. DR PORTER IMPRESSED. Clemson College, Sept. 14.-Dr. A. Toomer Porter, of Charleston, is here. Dr. Porter is one of the best known educators in South Carolina, having trained 3,400 boys. In an? swer to the question. How do you like Clemson ? Dr. Porter said : "Well sir, I am simply amazed I am astounded at what I see. I be lieve Clemson college will revolu? tionize South Carolina, it is new and will have to face the indifference of those who are igonrant of its objects and the suspicion that attach to all new systems. But when these young men get out in life they will show the the people the need of manufacturing and improvement ou all industrial iines. -?O -GK Clemson College Crowded. Clemson, Sept. 14.-President Hart? zog authorizes the following statement : "There are now over 400 students matriculated1, and every room in barracks is full. About 200 applicants were refused. Had there been dormitory room the attendance this session at the opening would have exceeded 600 stu? dents. We regret very much that we cannot receive any more students at the present time. A few vaoancies will occur this month, resulting from failure to enter the desired classes. Students desiring to fill vacancies that may occur hereafter should write or telegrah before coming." ???i .???-^-~ The city of Greeotown, Ind , is per? haps the least governed city of its size io America. Although it has 3,000 inhabitants the town has no mayor, marsha?, policeman or other peace offi? cer, not even a constable. The town is governed by a board of trustees, who meet once a month to allow electric light bills, gas, water and other claims. A justice of the peace residing in the suburbs resigned . a few weeks ago, having no official business. The city charter provides for no mayor or police? man, and the duties of a martial are performed when required, which is very seldom, by the street commission? er.-Chicago Chronicle. The town of Pe?zer, S C , 15 miles from here, has over 6,000 peopie and a dozen manufacturing enterprises besides its big cotton factories, with the full equipment of stores, church es, schools, etc , and it has no char? ter, no mayor, council, trustees or police or municipal officers of any kind A magistrate has an office there and his one constable has little work to do In Piedmont, near by, and in a dczej other factory towns in this State the conditions are similar, but Peizer io the largest of these un officered communities. Nearly ail of them are inhabited only by white people and nearly all of them have records of from 10 to 20 years with? out serious crime.-Greenville News j KILLED BY A"SPIDER. Pacolet, Sept 12.-Mrs John Kir by who last Wednesday morning I while putting on her shoes was bit ten on the too by a smali brown spider, died Thursday morning de ppite all medical skill. Her suffer? ings were most excruciating. More Trouble Among The People of Eellytown. Kelly Tries to Aveoge His Old Scores. Darlington, Sept. 13-There is trouble and a great deal of it among the folks of Kelly town. This new trouble has grown out of the old matter for which Mrs. Lou Kelly aod Arthur Atkinson were arrested last week. This it will be remembered was an alleged attempt on the part of two parties named, to poison Jim Keily, the husband of the woman, Mrs. Lou Keliy. It was on the return home on Mon day from the preliminary hearings in Darlington. The stories of the trou? ble are conflicting, bat the main fact ie very apparent and indisputable, and that is that Atkinson was cut and very badly cot by Kelly. Some think that his condition is really seri? ous. The facts in the matter so far as they are obtainable are that orr Monday the parties to the case ap? peared at Darlington to answer at the preliminary The case was call? ed by Magistrate Dargan but before entering into it Atkinson made affidavit that he couldn't have an im? partial trial there and asked for a change of venue. Magistrate Dargan sent the matter to Magistrate San? ders in this city, and here Mrs. Kelly made affidavit that she could not have an impartial triai, and she asked that another change of venue be granted. From this court the case was sent to Magistrate Bell in Hartsvilie. The hearings in this court is set for Fri? day. Atkinson make complaint that Jim Keliy bad made several threats against his life and asked that he be but under a peace bond. Keily denied: that he had made any threats and asked that the hearing on the applications be adjourned until he could get his witnesses down It will be remembered that Kelly was under a peace bond when he shot Jenkins in '95, so Atkinson asked that the bond be made a good one. This case was also sent to Magistrate Bell. From this point the stories differ. The best authority i5aye that the friends of Atkinson asd Kelly had arranged a peace between them before they left town that eveuing, but it seems to have been only an armistice. Kelly, it seems, left town first and having reached Dr Lee's place, about nine miles out on the Kellytown road, he stopped and waited for Atkinson When the rest of the party came up be asked Atkinson for a drink of beer. Atkinson reached under the seat io get the flask but instead of taking it, Kelly made a rake at him with a knife, slashing his righi; wrist. Atkinson then jumped from the baggy and ran with Kelly after him, cutting at him at every step. When Atkinson attempted to get through the fence his body was caught and Kelly's knife got in some good work. The calf of Atkinson's leg was literally hacked. When Kelly was surfeited with blood he drove off The sheriff is after him now.-Florence Times Seot 13. Outrageous Conduct. Columbia, Sept. 12-A. crowd of whites, foll of whiskey, went to a negro camp meeting in Lancaster County last night. Negro men objected to their conduct and the whites fired into the crowded church. The negroes returned the fire and the whites scattered. Two whites, named Hough, brothers, were seriously wouoded and a number of negroes, just how many cannot be ascertained, were shot. None is report? ed dead No arrests have been made. - A Youthful Professor. Probably no young man of our com? munity and few of our State, have at the age of seventeen, occupied a chair in a large university. And to Mr. Harry Trantham, a youth of seventeen years, we extencj our congratulations on bus unanimous election as assistant profes? sor of English at the University of Wake Forest. We always predicted for this young man a successful career, but our predictions were anticipated by this early confer of honor. His elec? tion should be a pride to our communi? ty, for it is certainly an unusual compliment to confer on one eo young. - Wareree Messenger. NEAL SHORTAGE IS NOT YET SETTLED. The Conference Last Friday Amounted to Nothing. No settlement of the Neal shortage has yet taken place Though it was the understanding of the attorney general that Col. Neal and his attor? neys wished the conference yesterday for the specific purpose of settling all accounts, it seems that Col. Neai's attorneys did not so understand it and came to the conference for the purpose of ascertaining the exact amount Col Neal is alleged to owe the State and of agreeing upon that figure with the attorney general It was known yesterday morning before the conference was held that no money would be paid or no offer of any made, and it is not known wheth any further attempt will be made to settle the matter outside of the bond or net At noon yesterday Coi Neal's attorneys, Col. Nelson, Mr Prince and Mr. Boggs, accompanied by Mr J. S. Muller representing one of the bondsmen went to the office of Attorney General Bellinger. Chair? man Stevenson of the legislative committee was also present. Attor? ney General Bellinger bad already announced that he could recognize no offer of payment on the part of Col Neal that did not cover the entire $11,000 or more as in the statement in the legislative commit? tee's report This position the attorney general adhered to and de? clined to discuss what Col. Neal admitted he owed the State on any question as to the liability of the bondsmen in the matter. When the conference concluded it was without any agreement as to any further con? ference in the matter. The result of the conference yes? terday simply leaves the matter exactly as it stood before it was held. Attorney General Bellinger has noti? fied the bondsmen to come np and pay in accordance with the findings of the investigating committee. Several of the bondsmen have assur? ed him that they will do so. Now that the conference bas failed of results, the notice to the bondsmen will doubtless be renewed. If they should fail to pay then the next step will probably be a suit in the courts. -The State, Sept. 16. Collecting Negro Girls. Memphis, Tenn , Sept 12 -0 A. j Rioter, of Minneapolis. Minn., is now ! working in the south to collect as j many negro giris as he can to take j them to Minneapolis, where there is said to be a wonderfoi scarcity of servants for household work. It is his intention to get the most of them from Baton Rogue, and Saturday he passed through the city en rome to Louisville, where he went to inter? view railroad men ou the subject of cheap rates from Mississippi to Min? neapolis. While in Memphis Mr. Rioter told passenger officiais that it was his hope to get up at least a thousand negresses to take north with him He says it is almost impossible to secure white servants in Minneapolis and that those who are at work com? mand exhorbitant wages, many of them receiving as high as $50 per month. The reason assigned for this condi? tion of affairs is that the white girls who have been doing household work have gradualiy married off and now are prosperous, and it is not neces pary for them to do household work. Seeks Cheap Notoriety. Columbia, S C., Sept. U -The following challenge to mortal combat was cabled this morning to Count Ferdina" Walsio Esterhazy at Lis address . - Loudon : "Sir : Believing you to be answer? abie for the misery and humiliation of Capt. Dreyfus, of the French army, and he, Capt Dreyfus, not being able to call on you personally for fatis faction, I as a free born, icving ?ber ty, do volunteer in my own right to meet you on the field of honor in behalf of Cap; Dreyfus at any time and place agreeable to you. "Paul E. Ayer, Anderson, S C." Ayer is a son of the late Confeder? ate Ccngrfssman Ayer, and was a sergeant of the Eirst South Carolina volunteers in the Spanish war. PURE Vicious aud wholesome OER CO., NEW YORK.