Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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ras SUMTER WATCHMAN, EstaMi.hed 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." TBE TKCE SOCTHKOS. Established Jone. I3<t6 Consolidated Aug. 2,1881. SUMTER. S. C., WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER 22.1899 New Series-Vol. XIX. jo. 17 Published E7ory Wednesday, -Br IM. Gr. Osteen, SUMTER, S. C. TERMS : $1.50 per annum-in advance. s ADVERTISEMENT: Ono Square first insertion.SI 00 Every subsequent insertion. 50 Contracts for three months, or iooger wil be made at reduced rates. All comiuaoicatioos which subserve private interests will be charged for as advertiements. Obituaries and tributes of respects will be charged for. COTTON CROP NOT OVER NINE MILLION. Official Estimate Places lt Under That Figure. WashingtoovNov. 14-The statis? tician of the department of agriculture io a report sent to the press today, says that the fact that the preliminary official estimate of the ootton crops several times bas turned oat to be an underestimate, aod baa been due in every instance to a failure to keep pace with the rapid expansi?n of tbe produc? tive area. When, therefore tue very large orop of last year made it mani fest that the aoreage bad increased beyond both official and almost ali commercial estimates, it was determin? ed to institute a special and very thorough investigation into the entire - crop^ situation this year. The produc? ing area last year is found to have been 25,000,000 acres, and that for the present year to be about 23,500,000 acres, with a probability that the final returns will show the present acreagef to have been below rather than above the amount stated. Tbe investigation discloses ons of the smallest average yields per acre io many years, andy in estimating the total crop at a maximum of 9,500,000 bales, a substantial and most ample allowance bas been made for any tendency to take a too pessimis? tic view of the situation, the aotual indications at the present moment point? ing to a orop of less than 9.000,000 bales The report further says : "In his capacity as cotton expert to the Ucited States commission, the statistician has had the preparation of the United States oottoo exhibit for the Paris exposition, and his duties in tba: connection have afforded bim additional facilities for ascertaining tbe actual coodition of the crop io every part of the country. The unimpeachable evi? dence that has come to bim in tba' capacity is io every way confirmatory of the most unfavorable official re? ports " T?3E CONSTITUTION'S ESTI? MATE. Atlanta, Ga., Nov. 14 -The Con? stitution, which bas all tbe season been advocating higher prices for cotton, will publish tomorrow estimations of the crop from prominent men in tbs cotton growiog States. Arkansas and Alabama piace the estimations at 8,500,000 baies; Ten? nessee places the figure at 8,300.000 ; Mississippi at 8,750.000, while Texas aod South Carolina give their estima? tions at 8,000.00 each. North Carolica aod Louisaoa do oot give any figures, bm say the crop will be very much reduced. Dispensary War Will be Re? newed After a brief season of quietude tbe dispensary fight will break out afresh tomorrow at the meering of the state board of ctfntrol Mr. Douthit bas been summoned to appear before the board and answer the charges. The first is changing X corn whiskey labels to XXX caro and the other is selliog contraband liquor after the alleged action of the boara instruct ing him not to do so. It is understood that Mr. Douthit will be ready to answer to the two charges and that be will appear prompt? ly on tbe boar, accompanied by bis attorneys-Messrs. Patton, Prince and Jobostone. There has been considera? ble talk about not allowing attorneys to appesr and some opposition will be undoubtedly made according to the statement of a member of tbe board last week. Should this opposition prove effective, the whole business will be takea back to the court and a fresh legal fight will be started. It has been stated that three members favor the appearance of attorneys. Mr. Robicson committed himself to that at the meeting when Mr D3Ufbit was discharged, and if he sticks to it, theo tnere will be no trou? ble about attorneys. There is a matter of prime ia>port ance and the public awaits with interest ' the action of thc board -Columbia Record, Nov. 14 j Bay Writiog Tableta, Pencils and Paper ai 03teen'fl Book Store. Gallant Work of Tiie Thirty-Third. j One Officer and Six Men Kill? ed Near San Fabian. Manila, Nov 14, 8 p m -The Thirty third infentry, in one of the sharpest two boure' engagements of the war, with an equal force of in? surgents, five miles from San Fabian, Saturday, iost one officer and six men killed and one officer and twelve wounded. The Americans captured 29 Filipinos and 100 rifles and found 81 insurgents dead lying, in the trenches and rice fields Many more Filippinos, doubtless, were killed or wounded Gen. Wheaton was informed that the enemy was gathering at Jacinto for the purpose of preventing the Americana from controlling the road from Dagupan north, whereby Agui naldo might retreat. The Thirty third* Col Howe commanding, and a detatchment of the Thirteenth, with a Gatling gun, Howland com? manding, were sent to disperse them The troops encountered the worst road ever found in the island of Luzon. There was a succession of creeks whose bridges the Americans had to stop and repair, and miry ditches, and at certain places men and horses struggled waist deep in quagmires A hundred soldiers had to drag the Gatling gun part of the way, the horses being useless The insurgents opened the fight two miles from San Jacinto, whiie the leading American battalion was passing a clump of houses, in the midst of a cocoanut grove, knee deep in mud. The Filipino sharpshooters, hidden in trees, houses and a small trench across the road, held their fire until the Americans were close to them When they began firing other Fili pinos opened fire from thickets right and left, farther away The insur? gent sharpshooters picked off the officers first. Five of the Americans who fell wore shoulder straps or chevrons But the Thirty third nev? er wavered. Its crack marksmen knocked the Filipinos from the trees like squirrels, and the Americans rushed the trench, leaving four dead insurgents there The regiment then deployed under fire, with Maj. John A. Logan's battalion in the centre, Maj. Orooie's on the right and Maj. Marsh's on the left The skirmish line, which was a mile long, advanc? ed rapidly, keeping up a constant fire The Filipinos made an unex? pectedly good stand, many of them remaining under cover until tbe Americans were within 20 feet, of them Maj Marsh flanked a small trench fuil of insurgents, surprising them and slaughtering nearly al) of them before entering the town. The Gatling killed five of the force hold? ing the bridge and swept the country beyond the town, driving about 150 Filipinos into the bilis Marsh's battalion, entering the town first, captured a big battle flag, which was flying over a convent. The insurgents are supposed to have retreated toward toward Dagu? pan It was impossible to pursue them, as the American troops were exhausted and their supply of ammu? nition was low The outposts killed five Filipinos during the night The body of the Filipino lieutenant colonel commanding was found among the killed. The regiment returned to San Fabian Sunday, it being impossible to get supplies over the roads Guerrilla Warfare in Philippines. Aguinaldo's Latest Orders to His Followers. Manila, Nov 15, ll p. m -Geo. Hughes, with parts rff the Nineteenth and Twenty sixth regiments, moved from Iloilo Thursday, No?. 9, toOttoo, six miles west, for the purpose of cap? turing Santa Barbara, the rebel strong? hold 10 miles north of lloilo. Heavy rains preceded the movement, and tbe roads were, io piaces, impassable, The same night Col. Carpenter, with the Eighteenth regiment and Battery G of the Sixth artillery moved westerly from Jaro on account of the roads, aod the eotire movement was hampered by laok of proper transportation. Co. C of the Twenty sixth regiment had the oolv fighting. When three miles out of Jaro this company charged thc rebe! trenches acu three of the enemy were killed Ooe Americao wa? wounded j Gen. Hubbes, Nov. 13, occupied j Tagabau aod Guimbai. on the south? ern coast and also Cordova in the interior. The enemy did not oppose Gea Hurries' advance Recent orders from Aguinaldo found io the trenches said : * Do not oppose thc American?' advance. Burn the villages -? they are evacuated. Divide the forces into bands or 40 Harrass the Americans oo every occasion " Ara;;eta. the rebel leader of the j island of Paaay, was captured at Tag- | baDSD while attempting to pas9 the I lines into I'oiio. Ic ia reported that, an expedition, evading the navy, recently landed arms and ammunition oo the Antique coast, and that the rebels threaten opposition with an armed force of 3,000 caen. These stories are not believed. All ports of the Suiu islands outside of the American possessions have been ordered closed to commerce. Ladies of Americus Re?ase Vaccination. Americus, Ga., Nov. 16 -Nearly the entire membership of the Cbris tain Science church in Americus were in the mayor's court today to answer charges of refusion to submit to vaccination. Among the defen? dants were 20 ladies, many of them prominent in tne community, besides a nurobeF of boys and girls. The court room was crowded with well dressed men and women. Attorneys for defense obtained a continuance of the cases until tomorrow. The scien? tists will be given the alternative of being quarantined at their residences or going to prison, and many of them? it is said, will choose the latter. Tbe sentence of Mrs. Raines, who was sentenced yesterday to 30 days in barracks or to leave the city for refusing to be viccinnated, has been suspended until the other cases have been disposed of The aSair has caused a tremendous sensation here and little else is talked of. Ladies of Americus are Sent to Prison. Americas, Ga.. Nov. 17 -The cases of the Cbrietaio Scientists who refused to be vaccinated were settled today so far as the mayor's court can settle them by the seotecc'og of E J MoMath to imprisonment at tbs city ball for 30 days and a fine of $15 Five ladies of the congregation were seoteooed to 15 days' confinement at some place to be designated by tbe chief of police and to pay a fine of $3 cash. The same sen teoces of fice and imprisonment will be assessed against such other members of of the congregation as may refuse to obey the vaccination ordioaooe. Mr. MoMath is a leading merchant of Americas and the ladies involved be? long to tbe bes? families in the city Counsel bas been employed to repre? sent the Christain Scientists and their cases wiii bo certnraried to the euperior court and wiii ultimately be carried to f.be supreme court of the State, if nee essary. The cases have caused a great deal of 'calk throughout this immediate section and there has been no renal! amount of feeling aroused by the vigor? ous enforcement of the law. A Merry Railroad War. Columbia S C Nov. 17.-The Sea board and Coast Line people seem to have had their rub over in Cheraw, and today had it here. Today at 2 o'clock Chief Daly stopped the Coast Line people from laying a piece of track which would have crossed Lin coln street at Tobacco street Mr. Newman, in charge of the work, bas been arrested charged with violating city ordinances relative to railroads on the charge that he laid track with? out permission of council in city limits The Seaboard people seem to think that the Coast Line people ran the side track across Lincoln street so as ! to make-the span so wide for the j trestle that a steel span would nave been necessary, and that to get the I steel span would have forced a delay j of completing the Une, and that it was a return compliment for crossing the Atlantic Coast Line track at night near Cheraw The Coast L'ne people in charge of the work say the side track was necessary, and that they did not know or think it necessary to secure special permission for such work as the spur track ran on their right of way aud against their main line or near to it. The city claims the street and that permission has been explicitly given the Seaboard Air Line to use Lincoln street for its entire length for the Seaboard Air Line to get out from the park Mr. Newman put up a deposit and his case will be argued before the mayor next Monday. The case promises to be one of unusual interest -Cor News and Courier. London, Nov. 16 -In Russia tba leonids display caused a panio io macy places, lt was believed that, the end of the world had oome. Churches were (.pen all night long sod bund'cds cf thousands spent three nitrh's io the open air. fearing earthquakes :<nd a geaerai cataciyso*. There aro rumors that in sor;.e village*! Russian brents murdered their ohi'drrn to reii' V;' them (tom an rxp-cted worse fa e There was rather a brilliant meteoric display between 2 and 5 o'clock Thursday moroiog at Berlin. Change of System In island of Coba. Brooke to be Recalled Jan I, and Wood Made Civil Gov? ernor. New York Evening POS?. The president's programme with regard to Cuba is now known. It contemplates the retirement of Gen. Brooke from the military government with Gen. Leonard Wood at its head. The first of January is likely to be a red-letter day in Cuban history. On that day in 1898 Spain played her last card in the effort to hoid the island by setting up an autonomous government On the first of January, 1S99, the Spanish flag came down and the American went ap over Cuba. On the coming first of January, if the president can carry out the plans he has now in mind, the existing mili tary government in the island will give way to a civil government, and Cuba will have taken her first long stride on the road toward indepen? dence Such is the information your cor? respondent haB obtained from a source above question. It is not a new plan of the president but one he has bad in mind for several months. The complaints from all sides about Gen Brook's inadequacy for his present duties have been incessant, and it has been obvious that some remedy must be applied soon, or half the labor spent in putting the island into a better morai and sanitary condition wcuid have been thrown away. By the best unprejudiced judges, the so called cabinet with which Brooke has surrounded himself has proved a dead failure or worse It bas retarded rather than helped the work of regeneration. The general bas allowed himself to be "steered" by this handful of ambitious men, instead of listening to their advice and then weighing it for himself The president has been reluctant to take any steps which could be con? strued as humiliating to Gen Brooke, but the latter bas done as well as his natural limitations of mind and tem? per would permit, so it was decided j^fter mature deliberation to let Brooke be undisturbed until the time came for dispensing with milit^y rule, and then to quietly let him pass out simultaneously with the order of things which he represents As has been said, Gen Wood is marked for the civil governorship. It wa9 a hint from the president that higher honors were in store for him which induced bim to turn his back upon the offers made him a while ago to return to the United States and enter private business. He made plain to the president at that time that difficulties beset bim in the gov? ernment of Santiago province with the government of the whole island in its present hands, but was advised to bear the annoyance patiently a while longer The programme mapped out by the j president had no sooner been sus? pected in official circles in Cuba than obstacles to its execution began to present themselves Three men would be affected in status by the proposed change : Gens James H Wiison, Filzhugh Lee and William Ludlow. Ail these were brigadier generals of volunteers like Gen. Wood, and his senior in their own grade. In addition, Gen. Ludiow is a colonel of engineers in the regular army, and would, therefore, aiways remain the military superior of a captain and assistant surgeon, which rank Gen. Wood holds in the regu lars It ie not known that either of the trio bsd any criticism to pass j upon Gen. Wood's ability as an exe- | cutive, but all had decided objections to being subordinated to him by his elevation to the governorship Gen. Lee recently came home on a leave of absence, and Gen Ludlow has taken the ?ame course Both have in view, it is understood, the full discussion of the subject with a presi? dent before he takes final action. Here is where the president's welt known "tact" is coming to the front The necessity for dissipating the threat? ened storm instead of letting it break is taxiog his ingenuity to the utmost As far as caa be learned, he iFprepared to appeal first to the patriotic impulses of the three generals to let him take the course he has in mind for the good of Cuba, and to sink any personal considerations. If that will not pro? duce the desired effect, there are other courses open to him The entire isiaod j of (Juba ner-d^ thc work of an expert | milirary engineer. The fortificatioos wiii require overhauling, especially as ? (Juba, even ii independent, will bc! undi'r ouj protection and remain a : mihtarv outpost Ot the oouotrv aod toe ! chief base for operations ia defence cf our ?outhern ?oists ia thc cvect cf j anoiher foreigo war There will be harbor improvements also cf great extent ?nd importance AH these couid be assigned to Gen Ludlow to pursuance of his regular professional career, zzd as his reports would be made to the chief o:' engi? neers of the army, whoily iadeoondiMic of thc civii government of Cuba, rbis r?ou!o end ali controversies as to rank and autbcri:y As for Gens Wilson and Lee, the president's tacticai oppor? tunities are somewhat lessened. Io any civil station to which they could be assigned in Cuba they would bs subor? dinate to the civii governor. But there are openings in the higher ranks of the regular army, which have not yet been filled, and io army circles where the president's Cuban pro? gramme is known it is suspected that, a3 a last resoat, be may make use of Wilson aod Lee. Ait that the law says is that these ranks shalt be filled by selection, and if the senate consents the president can make such appoint? ments from outside the regular army. It would create a tremendous sensation, and not a pleasant one, in the regular service to have outsiders brought io and pushed ahead of men who have waited long acd worked bard ; but if thc coming congress should yield to the wishes of the administration and in? crease the regular establishment largely, there would still be "room for ail." It is a ticklish task to which the president has addressed himself, but be is firm ie his purpose to give Caba a civii government with Wood at its head, and tbos9 who are most in his coo?deoce beiieve that he has sufficient ingenuity in devising means, as weil as sufficient persuasive tact in handling men, to accomplish the end desired without stiring up any bad feeling. Plenty, of Fighting to Defend Mafeking. Interesting Accounts of As? saults by the Boers. - London, Nov. 16 -A dispatch to the Daily Mail from Mafeking, sent by way of Magalapye because the runners sent southward were nuable to traverse the Boer lines, gives an interesting account o? the fighting during the last week in October. The dispatch describes Gen. Cron? je's great attack of Monday, the details o? which have already been cabled from Col Baden bowell's offi ! cial dispatches "The end came,'' says the corres? pondent, "after five hours fighting The enemy retired, being heavily beaten fer all time as far as Mafeking is concerned. It was the hottest day of the 6iege and the firing was terrific, the Boers evidently recog nizing that the way into Mafeking, if any, ia by a kopje, which was gal? lantly defended by Col Walford's men. The garrison ie jubilant, while the Boers have been burled back in disorder on their laager, and will have to content themselves with a long range bombardment unless they are strongly reinforced. "The enemy lost heavily. For hours after their fighting line had been rolled back two wagons went slowly aloDg their position, picking up the dead and wounded "All the men were killed by bullets or shells. The lookout tower was 6hot to pieces, while even the Biddies of the horses were fearfully battered about. The whole place was simply smashed up by the con centrated fire of seven guns and a thousand rifles ? "The Boers ut first held on to their advance pluckily, but they could not live when they came to short range, the men being shot down at ! 300 yards "The enemy is expected to draw off early in order io defend Pretoria. There is stiil no news from the south. As I send this message off, 600 j Boers have gone south with wagons ! and have commenced shelling " Ladysmith Encircled. Pretoria Thursday, Nov. 9.-The j following dispatch has oeeu received from the Boer camp at Elaodslaate, under today's date : "Ladysmith bas been completely en? circled by the Boer forces. Our second big gun was successfully placed io front of Ladysmith. The firing of heavy guos commenced early this morning with oo casulties to the burghers up to the preseot "Botha has heliographed from the south of Ladysmith that the British batteries opened a heavy fire with big guns and continuously dropped shells into the works around Ladysmith. The Pretoria force wa? m a tight place, having taken up a position commanded hy toe British fire, which waa so hot that the position became an tenable. The big 2UQ, however, saved thc sit? uation ,? BOERS REPORT BATTLE. London, Nov. 17.-The followiog censored dispatch from Pretoria gives details o? tho engagement referred to in tho Associated Press dispatch from Pretoria of Wednesday, Nov.-15 : "The Free Staters bad taken up a position on a small hil! when an Eng? lish battery advanced and attacked them, sending a hail of shells on the hill for a hour, wheo the Transvaal canoon put some shells right ic the midst of the battery, sending the English to cover behind the hill. Two burghers were killed aod sis wound? ed. When the British fell back back orr Ladysmith several shells exploded among them, but the execution done could not be seen. At midnight all the Afrikander cannon on the bills surrounding the town opened fire simultaneously on Ladysmith, turniog the quiet and darkness of night into >a lurid inferno of whistling, shrieking shells, speeding ?from ail points of the compass to the doomed city. Several buildings on fire were seen from Buiwan hill. During the day the troops left the city deserted and sought shelter OD the edge of the hill to escape the death-doaling shells." The dispatoh from Pretoria also says that the prisooers at that place ioclude I tbe Eighteenth Hussars, four officers [ and 91 non commissioned officers and ? men ; the Dublin Fusiliers, four officers and 12 non commissioned officers and men; the'Irish Fusiliers, 10 officers and 533 non-commissioned officers and men ; the Glouoesters, 14 officers and 305 ooc-commieeiooed officers and men ; the artillery, five officers and 60 non-commissioned officers and men ; the Rifles, two officers and 89 non-commissioned officers and men ; the Leicesters, no officers, six non? commissioned officers and men ; the Dragoons, one man ; the Natal Police, one mao ; political, 62 men ; sick, 38 men. The dispatch adds ; "Trains are working exel?eotly from Pretoria to Ladysmith. The Boers have ample food, but are short of clothes, boots and mackintoshes. BRITISH REINFORCEMENTS. London, Nov. 17 -The admiralty announced this evening the arrival ai Cape Town today of the troopship Arccna with a battalion of the Argyll I and Sutherland Higolacders (tte ! Princess Louise regiment), bringing J tb^ reinforcements up to "23,500. of j wnicb 7,290 have already disembarked I at Durban, with 18 field goos, a num? ber of machine guss, engioeers aod hospital troops, as well as 700 mules. This force, wirb that already between Estcourt and Durban, is considered suf? ficient to enable Gen. Hildyard to advance and to take the aggressive action against the Boers south of Ladysmith. According to* the .latest advices Ladysmith is holding out satisfactory,, everything having been well up to Wednesday. To view of the Boer destruction of bridges, the war office bas issued orders for tbe shipment of a quantity of bridge work between this and the end of tbe year. --^mw*-**-*-*- mm? Mayor Smith Reelected. ^ Charleston, Nov. 15-The Demo? cratic primary election passed off quietly today, resultiou in a complete victory for the regular or administra? tion party. Mayor Smyth and almost every administration alderman and school commissioner have been elect? ed The poils did not close until 7 o'clock and the count is progressing 60 slowiy that official figures cannot be given at the time of Sling of thia report. Unofficially, it is stated that about 2,600 votes were polled in the mayoralty contest and Mayor Smyth is reelected over Mr. James M. Siegnious by about 900 majority. The aidermanic candidates who were not opposed run considerably ahead of the Mayoraiity vote ~mmmm)~-~+~~-*mm Washington, Nov. 16.-Chief Sur? geon Woodhull, at Manila, onda; date of Oct. 12, sends SurgeoD General Sternberg the followiog : "A sharp and quite general epidemic of^deogae bas prevailed in Luzon for some months past, and it appears to be spreading to the south. There have been few really severe cases, but a large number that interdicted duty for some days." ?>UBE BAKING POWDER Makes the food more delicious and wholesome ROYAL BAKING POWDER CO., NEW YORK.