The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, October 16, 1901, Image 7
MARLBORO'S MODEL FARMER.
A Native Carolinian who has Made
a Million Dollars on the Farm.
The Bennettsville correspondent of
the Atlanta Constitution gives the
following: sketch of Mr. A. J. Mathe?
son, of Blenheim, S. C., whose success
as a farmer and country merchant has
been quite notable:
Alexander James Matheson, of Blen?
heim, Marlboro County, South Caro?
lina, is in many respects one of the
most remarkable men in this State.
He. was born in this county in 1848,
and his father Donald Matheson, was
a native of Attadale, Scotland, but
came to this country when a young
j man, and was a lawyer by * profession.
A. J. Matheson, on "account of the war
Tsetween the States, was deprived of a
finished education, but is noted for his
general information and has no supe?
rior as a financier and business man?
ager.
Like many Southern boys, he return?
ed from the war penniless, but brave,
patriotic and determined. He at once
entered upon his father's devastated
farm, endeavoring to repair the dam?
ages wrought by Sherman's army, at
the same time eke out a living for
himself, father and sister.
In 1869 he accepted a position with
a prominent planter in Marion Coun?
ty, in this State, as foreman of his
farm. In 1870 he worked for the same
gentleman, operating a three-horse
farm, receiving a portion of the crop
as compensation for his labor, doing
the hardest kind of manual work him?
self. During the year 1870 he married
a most estimable lady, Miss Ellen.
Jarnigan, of Marion County, and Mr.
Matheson admits that much of his suc?
cess is due to her cooperation and
wise counsel. They have had nine
children, five daughters and four sons.
In 1871 Mr. Matheson rented a
small farm and operated a limited
mercantile business, which proved
unsuccessfuL He was discouraged,
went West, and visited many sections
beyond the Mississippi river, but be?
ing unwilling to locate in that coun?
try, he returned home, with renewed
energy and determination. He again
entered the mercantile business and
from the beginning was successful,
Tn?triT>gr money rapidly. In 1873 he
purchased a twenty-five horse cotton
plantation, among the finest lands in
the Pee Dee section, going in debt
for the most of the amount. - He con?
tinued his mercantile business, amass?
ing wealth with amazing rapidity, and
year after year purchasing large plan- j
tations, his commercial rating all the
time growing.
Later on, Mr. Matheson moved to
Blenheim, a small town seven miles
south of Bennettsville, where he pur?
chased property and continued the
merchantiie business, his trade ex- ?
tending many miles in every direc?
tion. He has reared a cultured and
intelligent family, having given all of
his children who are old .'enough a
.collegiate education to prepare them
for the rugged battles of life. ~C
He is the largest real estate owner
in Eastern Carolina, and his lands are
iertile and valuable. Among his large
. plantations are "Brown's Creek,"
+*Attadale," "London," "Arcadia,"
and "Egypt," besides many smaller
places. He operates about two hun?
dred plows and last year made on his
individual farms about 1,600 bales of
cotton. All of his plantations are.pro
Tided with telephones, artesian weils,
retail stores, modern barns and im?
proved ginneries. He has a three
story brick mill house at Egypt on
Crooked creek, roller patent process,
with a capacity of 50 barrels of flour
daily. *
His wealth is estiamted at $1,000,
O00. He is the largest taxpayer in this
section of the State, employs more
hands than any other one man in the
State, is liberal, affable and optimist?
ic, carries his own insurance and has
not a dollar on his life or property.
He has traveled extensively in Eu?
rope, having made several visits to his
father's old homestead in Scotland.
Last year he and his daughter visited
the Paris Exposition and made an ex?
tended tour throughout the .different
, countries of Europe.
In 1876 Mr. Matheson purchased
valuable real estate in the town of
Bennettsville and erected a very large
two-story brick store house on the
tracks of the Atlantic Coast Line rail?
road, in which he has since conduct?
ed a grocery business under the name
of the "Marlboro Wholesale Grocery."
This enterprise succeeded from the
beginning, owning its own warehouses,
cotton sheds, seed scales, etc. Before
Mr. Matheson established this whole?
sale business another firm was conduct?
ing, most successfully, a similar busi?
ness, but only two months ago the old
firm sold out to the "Marlboro Whole?
sale Grocery" and the two businesses
are now combined, supplying; a large
territory and employing quite a num?
ber of salesmen.
In August of last year Mr. Matheson
formed a copartnership with C. E.
Exum in the wholesale business, and
this year the business will sell three
quarters of a million dollars' worth of
goods, and this rapid increase indi?
cates that within the the next year
this enterprise will do ,a million dol?
lars' worth of business. Mr Exum
is a cotton buyer of much r .perience. I
He is a North Carolinian and a busi- j
ness man of extraordinary ability j
and sagacity. He purchases annually !
several thousand bales of cotton, and J
it is reported that.Matheson & Exum ?
will put in a cotton compress plant at
this place to prepare cotton specifically
for the export trade.
Mr. Matheson is a member of the
Presbyterian church and a great Sun- ?
day school lover. He never fails to
contribute to all charitable purposes.
He has a magnificent home, a cultured
and accomplished family, himself al
fine conversationalist, and there is no
home in the Palmetto State where the
"latch string" hangs out longer than
at the Matheson homestead.
High Vas Her Terror.
"I w?uld cough nearly all night long, '
writes Mrs Chas Applegate of Alexandria,
Ind. "aiid could hardly jret any sleep. I had
consumption so bad that if I walked a block I
would-eoagh frightfully and fptt blood, but,
when all ether medicine? failed, three $1 bot?
tles of Dr King's New Discovery wholly cured
me an ri I gained 53 pounds " It's absolutely
guaranteed to cure cough?, colds, la grippe,
bronchitis and all throat and lung trounblei.
Price 50e and $!. Trial bottles free at J F W
Le Lorine's crue ?tors. 2
Sumter's New Bon Marche
Has opened their doors with a full and well selected stock of
?w*"-*?? FANCY AND DRY GOODS. ^^?^
And takes the liberty of iuviting the purchasing public at large
to pay us a visit when in need of goods at reasonable prices.
All our goods are marked out in plain figures so that you can easily see for yourself at what low figures we are selling
ihem for. All our goods we offer for sale are new, stylish-this season's importations, and the prices the very lowest*
30 you will find it an easy matter to make your selections. .
Omr Jflot to-One pri?e for everybody-and that is the lowest?
Fruit of the Loom Long Cloth at 6 1-2 eent?*
_Cz_?fe_
Long Cloth at 4|c per yd HOW TO KEEP WARM.
4 4 Long Cloth, extra good quality Go to the New Bon Marche on
Main Street and boy yoor Blankets
At 6 1*2C an<j Comforts. We have them from
~~ ~~ 75c upward?.
100 pieC08 handsome Percales |
to select from at 6c-regnlar price Beal elegance yon ind by buying
10 ceDt8 _ CLOAKS AND REEFERS
T~ ' From us. We have the very latest
200 pieces extra wide colored cuts at cut prices. Just think from
Percales at 8c per yard-regular 31.98 upwards,
price 12Je
- Bdady-fi?ade Silk S?irt Waists.
150 pieces Calico all choice Tbe Dewe8t of the newe8t LNot
% . A , 0_ two alike Come and see them
patterns, good quality at 4 1*2C prom
$4.98 opwards.
Flannelettes and Outings. ---
Our Flannelettes we are showing RUGS, RUGS,
are a splendid imitation of French We display qoite an assortment of
Flannel, suitable for Wrappers or Velvet, Br?ssel and Maquette* Rugs
Shirt Waists Our assortment of from
Outings is great, they are very 65c upwards,
heavy and choice patterns B_
1 case of Outings at 4Jc per yd _ . "--???m?T
100 pieces extra heavy Outing at HANDKERCHIEFS.
8c per yard-regular price I2|c ?00 doz Handkerchiefs at 3c
100 pieces Flannelette, beauties in 150 doz Hemstitched Handker
itself, at 10c per yerd ? chiefs at 5c *
50 pieces extra wide Flannelette, 100 doz large size Handkerchiefs,
the pattern sells tbe goods, at 12?c yd good quality at 10c
Black and Colored Worsted Dress
Materials.
The newest this season's goods,
all the newest designs and of best
fabrics The prices we are selling
these goods for are in the reach of
everybody. Give our lines we are
showing a careful inspection and we
are sure you will buy.
100 pieces of pretty colored and
figured Poplins at 10c aod 12Jc
worth 18c
150 pieces of black and colored
Cashmere at 25 and 35c per yard
250 pieces black Dress Goods, con
sisting of Serges, Mohairs, either in
plain or figured, Novelty Brocade
Matabelle8 and hundreds of other
weaves too numerous to mention,
From 12 f-2c upv/ards to $1.75.
All special values
Black and colored Ladies' Clotb
-to make a Tailor made Snit or a
nice Jacquet. The prices are the
right ones
BED SPREADS.
Extra large size, excellent quality
From 65c upwards
5 BALES
One yard wide Sea Island Homespun
At 4c.
LINEN GOODS.
We are headquarters for Linen
Goods We buy direct from the im?
porters saving you the middle man's
profit.
25 pieces Linen Table Damosk
from 24c upwards.
15 pieces Turkey Red Tabling
from 15c upwards
500 dozen Towels from 4c upwards
i00 doz Ready made Table Covers
in Tuikey Red and Cream and Red
mixed, from 32c the piece upwards
50 doz Bureau Scarfs io LiBea and
Marseille from 25c upwards
UNDERWEAR
For Meo, Women and Chil?
dren
From the smallest to lae largest
size, from the lowest to the very
finest quality, from
9o Upwards.
SPECIAL
100 dozen Men's Fleeced Lined
Undershirts, Drawers to match, at
38c each-regular price 75c
EXTRA SPECIAL
A good natured husband is a joy
as long as be lasts. You can keep
bim good natured by directing hin?
to buy bis Colored Laundered Shirts
at 48c-worth 75c from the New
Bon Marche; to buy bis Ties at 25c
from tbe New Bon Marche.
HOSIERY
For Men, Women and Children from..
/ 9c upwards.
Ready Made Wrappers
In Percale and Outings from
75c upwards.
Children's Ready. Made White
Aprons handsomely trimmed with
embroidery at 25c each, worth doa?
ble.
Every article we advertise above yon will find in our store and at prices mentioned. All we ask you is to give us
a call and secure the best of bargains.
m NEW BON MARCHE ww
?SJLAJLN STREET, SUMTER S. O.
Question of County Board Tax.
Columbia, Oct. 5.-The State Su?
preme Court bas just rendered a
most important decision relative to
taxation. It holds that county
boards cf commissioners have the
right to fix and collect taxes for
county purposes, or in other words,
* 'that the power to collect taxes fori
the subdivision of the State is confer?
red by the Constitution upon the fiscal
authorities of such subdivision, wheth- ?
er the tax was created by any Act of
the General Assembly, or by the said
corporate authorities under an Act of
the General Assembly." The county
commissioners of Oconee imposed an
additional' levy of one-half' mill for
road tax. The Southern Railway paid
under protest. The Circuit Judge
held that the tax levied by the county
board was illegal, and the Supreme
Court reverses the Circuit Court and
holds that the county has the right to
impose an additional road tax to the
one mill for road tax already in the
Oconee County supply bill as passed
;by the General Assembly. This
question of counties having the right
to directly fix and collect their own
taxes has often been mooted, and
seems to be sustained by the Supreme
Court. In the opinion of the Court,
which was filed today. Associate Jus?
tice Gary expresses the views of the
Court. The case is thus stated:
"The facts are thus succinctly
stated by the appellant's attorneys:
'This is an action brought by the
plaintiff, the Southern Railway Com?
pany, against the defendant, J. R.
Kay, as county treasurer of Oconee
County, to recover from the defendant
the sum of $224.72 and costs, the
amount of taxes collected of plaintiff,
under protest, by a levy of one-half of
one mill on the property of plaintiff.
for road purposes, made"by the board
of county commissioners for Oconee
County. The contention of plaintiff
is that the county commissioners had
no authority to levy such taxes and
such tax is unlawful. The defendant
admits the collection of the tax, and
that the payment was made under
protest, and alleges that the levy was
authorized by the Constitution "of the
State and by Act of 1896, 22 Stat. 238,
Section 26. From judgment for
plaintiff defendant appeals.' "
The Court after citing the Constitu?
tion, statutes, former decisions and
definition of the term levy and assess?
ment, concludes:
From the foregoing provisions of the
Constitution we deduce the following
conclusions :
L That the word "assessment," in
the provision that "State, county,
township, school, municipal and all
other taxes shall be levied on the same
assessment, which shall be that made
for State taxes, means valuation!
2. That the word "law," in the re?
quirement (Section 3) that no tax shall
be levied except in pursuance of a
law which shall distinctly state the
object of the same, to which object
the tax shall be apr^Hed," means an
Act of the General Assembly, except
when there is a provision of the Con?
stitution that is self-executing as in
the case of the three-mill tax for
school purposes. This construction is
supported by Section 16 of Article 3
which is as follows: "The style of all
laws shall be:'Be it enacted by the
General1 Assembly of the State of
Soath Carolina.' " "There may be a
compliance with the requirements of
Section 3, either by an Act of the Gen?
eral Assembly leaving the tax, or by
an Act of the General Assembly vest
ing corporate authorities of counties,
etc, with power to assess and collect
! taxes for corporate purposes, when the
? Act distinctly states the object of the
same, and the corporate authorities
aforesaid levy the tax in accordance
with the provisions of such Act.
3. That the power to collect the
taxes for the sabdivisions of the State
is conferred by the constitution upon
the fiscal authorities of such sub?
divisions, where the tax was created
by any Act of the General Assembly
or by the said corporate authorities
under an Act of the General Assembly.
4. That the tax was not authorized
j by the constitution without legislative
action. "We will next consider wheth?
er the lew was authorized bv Act of
1896, 22 'Stat, 238, Section* 26. His
Honor, the Circuit Judge, ruled that
Section 26 of the Act of 1896, herein?
before-mentioned, to levy annually a
sum' not exceeding one mill in the re?
spective counties, and that the General
Assembly by the Act of 1899 itself
levied a tax of one mill for road pur?
poses. That the Act of 1899 necessarily
had the effect of repealing and limit
ing the powers of the board of county
commissioners. Section 26 of the Act
of 1896 is as follows: "Section 26.
That the county board of commission?
ers of said counties be, and they are
hereby, authorized to levy annually a
sum not exceeding one mill on all the
taxable property of the respective
counties, which shall constitue a part
of the county road fund to be expend?
ed by the said board in the same man?
ner as is provided by law for the use
and expenditure of the commutation
tax in lieu of road duty, and such
shall be collected at the same time and
in the same manner as is provided by
law for the collection of taxes levied
for ordinary county purposes. Pro?
vided, that the provisions of this sec?
tion shall not apply to Orangeburg
County." The words of the Act
entitled ' ' An act to raise supplies and
make appropriations for the fiscal year
commencing January 1, 1899," by
which the levy of one-half of one mill
for road purposes for Oconee County
are: "For roads one-half of one
mill." The Legislature, by Section
26 of tho Act of 1896, vested *the board
of county commissioners of Oconee
County with power to levy annually a
sum not exceeding one mil), which
should constitute a part of the county
road fund, but this did not prevent
the General Assembly from levying an
additional tax for the same purpose.
The two Acts are consistent, and there
was error, therefore, in ruling that
the Act of 1S99 repealed bv implica?
tion Section 26 of the Act of 1896. It
is the judgment of this Court that the
judgment of the Circuit Court be
reversed.
A larsre assortment of beautiful
Crepe Paper, in floral designs, 25c a
roll. H. G. Osteen ?fc Co.
Call and inspect the pretty Crepe
Paper at Csteen's Book Store.
WHEAT IN THE SOUTH.
During the last five years there has
been a notable increase in wheat pro?
duction in the southern states, espe?
cially in Georgia.
The old idea that wheat could not
j be profitably grown in Georgia except
in its northern counties has been com
I pletely exploded.
Experience has proved that wheat
grows generously and to a high grade
in middle and southern Georgia. In
fact, the prize in the wheat contest
for two recent years in succession was
won by Spalding county, which is near
the center of the State. One of these
prize wheat acres produced 50 bushels
of first-class wheat and the other even
more.
There have been in recent years not?
ably fine yields of wheat in almost
every part of Georgia. That' wheat is
to become a far more important crop
in Georgia than it is now, or ever has
been, is certain.
The Manufacturers' Record not long
ago published some statements regard?
ing the prospects and possibilities of
wheat culture in the south from Col?
onel J. B. Killebrew, of Tennesse,
i which have been questioned by some
northern newspapers.
Colonel Killebrew stands by his
statement and adduces additional
proofs of their correctness.
He says :
"I can name Mr. Wolfe, of Manches?
ter, Tenn., (formerly of Indiana), who
has been growing twenty-two bushels
of wheat on land that heretofore only
produced six or seven bushels. I .can
name Mr. J. A. Cunningham, of
Kimmins, Tenn., who raised twenty
six bushels of wheat per acre on a
sixty-acre field, where formerly five or
six bushels were considered a fair
yield. I can name Rath brothers, of
I Tulahoma, who grew twenty-five bush?
els of wheat per acre on 200 acres that
had heretofore been considered practi?
cally worthless for the growing of
cereals of any kind.'
Colonel Killebrew adds that he
knows of many localities in Georgia
where twenty-five to forty bushels of
wheat to the acre have been grown.
Mr. Edward Atkinson has studied
the subject carefully and gives it as
his opiniorr that the unoccupied lands
alone in all but three of the southern
states could produce "the entire pre?
sent wheat crop of the United States."
The farmers who have by their in?
dustry and skill illustrated the possi?
bilities of wheat culture in this state
have done Georgia a great service and
pointed the way to make wheat a great
staple crop for our people and a very
profitable one.-Atlanta Journal.
- m i i mt -
A Fireman's Close Call.
4T stuck to my engine, although every joirt
ached and everv nerve was racked with pain,"
write? C W Kellaui.-, a locomotive ?-eman, of
Burlington. Iowa "I was weak and pale, with
out any appetite und all run down. Af I wri
ab<-ut to give up. I got-a "botMe <>f Electric Bit?
ters and, after raking it, I felt as well as I ever
did in ruy life " Weak, sickly, run down peo?
ple hi w:iys gain new life, j-treogtb and vig< r
from their use. Try them ?atiifnetion guar.^n
te?d by J F W D< L?ros- Price 50 cants. 2
A Relic of Aaron Burr.
An irregular shaped boulder weigh?
ing perhaps a ton or more and so hard
as to defy a stone cutter, lay about the
old Kennedy corner from time imme?
morial^ until a year or two ago, when
Engineer James Hamilton had it
moved out of his way to a position
near the city hall.
This stone enjoys the distinction,
according to tradition, of being the
one on which Aaron Burr stood I when
he leaped from his horse and appealed
to the citizens to rescue him from the
officers who had him in charge, on
their way from the southwest to Rich?
mond, in March, 1807.
It is proposed to dress a small sur?
face on this stone, engrave a suitable
inscription upon it, and send it to the
Charleston exposition. We suppose
that all the inscription necessary will
be Burr's name and the date. After
the exposition it will be kept in some
appropriate place.-Chester Lantern.
The Way of the Usurer.
A negro called on a lawyer last week
and wanted advice. Here was his
complaint: "Boss, I borried ten dol?
lars from a man last spring, and I dun
pay sixteen dollars on de debt, and
one of the lawyers got de mortgage
I and say dare's fifteen dollars more
due on it. What I gwine do 'bout it?'
He had no money with which to pay
the "balance'' and hence he got no
advice from the lawyer.-Greenwood
Journal.
It does not seem that it would have
taken much of a lawyer, provided only
he had a moderate sense of justice, to
have put the nergo on a plan that
would have made the usurious rascal
glad to forfeit the "balanace" and
leave the country. There is reason to
believe that this sort of thing: is going
on ail over the state, and grand juries
might do a good turn by giving the
j matter a little attention.-Newberry
I Observer.
A field of cotton ready dyed in any !
desired color or shape of color is a
chemical possibility in experimental
agriculture, according to the theory
of a New Orleans cotton man. "I
don't consider the growing of colored
cotton a ridiculous impossibility by j
any means," he said. "Chemistry!
has worked greater marvels and I won-,
der that some man has not tried be?
fore this to discover a method for
growing colored staple.. Just think of
the possibilities. The article could
be grown in any shade required by the
manufacturer and it would be a ready
made dye that would last as long as
the fabric."
Jefferies and Ruhlin will fight in
San Francisco on Nov. 14.
An attempt was made Wednesday
night to hold up the Southern passen?
ger train near Reevesville between
Charleston and Columbia. The express
messenger refused to open the door of
the express car when ordered to do so,
and the would-be robber after
threatening the conductor and train
hands with a pistol signaled the train
ti stop, jumped off and disappeared in j
the darkness.
A CARD.
Sumter, S. C., Aug. 22, 1901.
Cros8well & Co. beg to an?
nounce that their business af?
ter September 1st will be con
I fined entirely to the wholesale
j trade.
We wish to thank the pub?
lic and . our many retail cus?
tomers for their kind and gen?
erous patronage, and assure
them that should we ever enter
into the retail business again
that it will be our aim as in
the past to serve them to the
best of our ability.
We invite merchants, here
and in adjacent territory, to
get our prices before making
purchases, believing we .can
save them money.
Yours truly,
GROSSWELL & CO.,
PHONE 53.
Aug 28
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF
SUMTER,
STATE, OITY AND COUNTY DE?
POSITORY, SUMTER, S. C.
Paid np Capital 75, OOP 00
Surplus ?od Profits .... 25,000 00
Additional Liability of Stock?
holders in excess of tbeir
stock. 75,000 00
Total protection to depositors, $175.000 00
Transacts a General Banking Business.
Special attention given to collections.
SAYINGS DEPARTMENT*
Deposits of $1 aod upwards received. Io
terest allowed at tbs rate of 4 per ceot. per
annum, on amounts above $5 and not exceed?
tag $300, pajable quarterly, on first deva of
January. April, Joly and October.
R M. WALLACE,
R. L. EDMU?DS, President.
Cashier
i lil 4 Wt,
Fire Insurance Agency,
ESTABLISHED 186*.
Represent, among other Companies
LIVERPOOL k LONDON k GLOBE
NORTH BRITISH k M ERC ANTI LH
HOME, of New York.
UNDERWRITERS' AGENCY, N. *.
LANCASTER INSURANCE CO.
Capital represented $75,600,000
Feb 23