Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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if? Mit?fhmaii aita Sr?jim WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY !0, 1904. KE The Sumter Watchman was founded in Bfe&K) and the 2Vu? Southron in 18SS. The gpTatefoftatt and Southron now has the com? bined circulation and influence of both of i he old papers, and is manifestly the best ?i?vertising medium in Sumter. ?g;The - House of Representatives has ?passed a bili providing for a tax upon l?ogs and unless the Senate should come to the rescue of the yaller cur *ihe first step has been taken to rid ::\4she State of one of its greatest Japan has struck quickly and effect? ively and the Kassian navy ia Asiatic waters in one day has been so badly crippled that it can no longer be class? ed as an antagonist to ba seriously -teared by the Japanese. Japan now bas so great a preponderance of naval strength that she is in a position to Ie up the remaining Russian war and proceed, unhindered, to throw her troops into Corea and Man -efcnria. Japan has demonstrated* and established her superiority on the sea .and it new remains for her army to meet and conquer the Russian Bear 02 land. The price of cotton is not now suffi? cient high to delude those who grow it into thinking that it will pay better to raise cotton and buy .corn and ; if the cotton acreage can be kept within reasonable limits the individual farmer and the South generally will be better ?off this fall The attempt to repeal tba lien law lizs failed again, the House having yesterday killed the Kibler bill to re? peal the law, the vote on the question standing 60 to ?0. There was a flood bf eloquence on the subject and the advocates of the law were very pathetic in their pleas for the preservation of : *he Hen law, the very sheet anchor of ?the poor farmer. The report of the State House in? vestigation committee exposes to the 4ight of day one of the most disgrace ?fal scandals that has occurred in -South Carolina's public affairs since .the expulsion, of the carpet baggers ^nd the end of the days of good steal? ing. There haye been hints and whis? pers of jobbery and corruption in con? nection with the contract for the com? pletion-of the State House since the <iay the contract was awarded, andi the thorough and fearless investiga? tion conducted by the Legislative committee has revealed how grossly the State waa defrauded in the work. It is a scandal of the first'magnitude .-and it should be probed . to the bot? tom, there should be no whitewashing and if any man or set of men are 'within reach of the hand bf .th? la?7 "they should be prosecuted and punish .ed to the fullest extent permitted by the statutes. About two weeks ago when our gasoline engine became disabled by breaking the crank shaft we expected .io be without power until a new and larger engine which we ordered from the factory arrived, but for several .days now our old engine has been run? ning as well as it ever did. This was a rery satisfactory solution of our trou? ble achieved by the skillful workman? ship of Mr. Edgar Skinner and his machinists. He forged and turned in .bis shop a new crank shaft for the en? gine and when it was put on it was a perfect fit and the engine has been running ten hours a day ever since. lt is no small undertaking to forge and turn from the rough a solid steel crank ?&aft and only a machinist or some one familiar with machinery can ap? preciate the difficult job that Mr. Skinner so successfully executed. It Tvas a workmanlike job and we do not j5o too far in saying that we are con? fident that the engine is now better and songer than it was the day it was roeived, and but for the necessity of . snore power that confronts us we would have countermanded the order . .for the new engine which we expect to receive within a short time. Pisgah News Notes. Pisgah, Feb. 8.-A considerable storm of wind and rain passed over this section last night. No damages, bet the blowing down of trees and garden fences. Mr. Peter Hawkins died on the 2d inst. He was one of the charter mem? bers of Pisgah Church rmd made quite a success in life. In the absence of the pastor, Rev* J. W. Kenney per? formed the burial service. Grip and bad colds are here to the regret of all who have them. Poor advancement so far on farm work. Oats are few and far between.J ^?^mm - mm II Dots fro? tonia. Ioni-i, Feb. 6.-Mr. B. C. Cook's house was burned here last Monday aight It was thought thejwood rolled down from the firepalce set it as the fire was first discovered at the fire? place. Mr. Cook saved most of his furniture but very much damaged. 2vo insurance. Tho oat crop will be almost a failure h?re. The farmers are f preparing for a big crop of cotton this year, you can ?ear the gee-haw nil round these nice spring mornings. We are in Leo county but can't get along without the Watchman and Southron. li STATE HOUSE SCANDAL Report of Committee o? investiga iioMiraignment of Architect and Contractor, "Work a Parody, an Insult and a Disgrace/' Says Expert. The General Assembly Asked to Com? mence Suit at Once. "The monstrous manner in which this work was done makes it a parody upon the science of architecture and an insult to the fame of John R. Niernsee and a disgrace to the State of South Carolina." The report of the ommission appoint? ed last year to inquire into the manner the work of completing the State House and to fix the responsibility for the inferior work, is decidedly the most sensational document filed with the general assembly in years. The commission consists of Senators Robert Aldrich and Richard I. Manning and Representatives J. O. Patterson, J. M. Rawlinson and G. T. Williams. The commission's report covers about 70 pages of printed matter, hav? ing in it a stenographic report of the examination of witnesses, and every line in it makes interesting reading. Reference is first made to the necess? ity of employing an expret absolutely free from bias and how Capt. Huntt was obtained at a salary of $15 per day with traveling expenses and how Capt. Huntt pointed out the various defects. Specifically the commission finds : - ? That Architect Frank P. Mil? burn, employed by the old commission, did not furaisji suitable plans and spcificatibns for such a work: notably in failing to specify in detail what the contractors were required to do in many instances, but leaving the same to be decided by the architect, thereby vesting large discretionary powers in himself, which.could and we are con? strained to say were exercised to the State's injury. 2. The contract required that all of the work was to have been done with the old work as a stn dard. It has not so been done, but a mean, crude and cheap quality of work had marred the effect of the fine work upon the main building md disappointing every one who hoped to see the State House com? pleted in accordnce with the original design. x 3. In the main lobby, prior to the commencement of the new work, the State, at the expense of $10,000, put in a splendid steel ceiling which was a .work of art as well as of -a durable, lasting nature, highly ornamental and a delight to the eye of the observer. By the terms of the contract this ceil? ing should have remained and where injured repaired, but the contractors bodily took and converted to their own use the valuable and beautiful part of the, old building and in its plac? put a cheap stamped metal ceil? ing costing about $500, which is a blot on the building. On this item the State has lost about $10,000/ 4. Although the plans call for two inner granite columns on the front por? tico, they are not there. The absence is explained by the fact that in elevat? ing one of them into position it was broken, and rather than put the con? tractors to the expense of another, "they *ery generously excused -them from putting them in at all, they pay? ing the State S60Q, leaving them S3, 400 profit on that transaction." The columns were to carry a large, lintel stone from the main building to the portico, and thus prevent it from fall? ing away,, which it has a tendency to do. The estimated loss in all respects on account of the absence of these columns and their accompanying paris is ?4,000. The two massive squares underneath perform no duty at all. In a letter to the original commission Architect Milburn says on this sub ect: "We can take these out without in any way marring the appearance from the exterior or in anyway interfering with the strength of the structure." Captain Huntt says this letter was "an insult to the intelligence of your committee," and added that the effect was to weaken the whole structure. Capt. Huntt also says that if the brac? ing and anchoring of th? rods used in place was done as carelessly as the rest of the work, he should certainly ques? tion its safety. 5. The beautiful leaf work upon the capitals of the old columns is not duplicated, and the new work is unfit to stand by the old. 6. The columns at the rear of the portico, joining the main building,, should have, to correspond with the fiont columns, lintel stones extending from one to another. They have none, and to fill up the space between the capitals and the ceiling they have put in tin or sheet iron boxes, painted to I resemble granite ; while all the balance of the work was treating the State with injustice, this can only be con? strued in the light of ridicule, coupled with contempt. Too much remains to be reported to dwell upon this portico. The defective glass flooring, the cheap, shoddy stamped iron ceiling, the way the flooring leaks in rainy weather, to? gether with much else, shows for itself and accords fittingly with the balgi of the botch worked palmed off on ? State. 7. Entering the building from ? portico in bad weather, we find tl the roof leaks badly, flooding the lob after protracted rains. Ascendi the roof, as we did, we discovered t cause of this to be a roof of little no value. It is a tar and gravel roi which at all times is an undesiral one and wholly inapplicable to as ste a roof as the one on the State Hom A fine slate roof bought by the Sta at a heavy expense, and which affoi ed a perfect protection for years, w taken off and appropriated by the co tractors. It will cost the State abo $16,000 to put the roof in safe cone tion. There are no ventilators, called for in specifications, and it w: cost about $50 each to put them i 8. The dome is the crowning pie of work in more ways than one. Tak< all in all, it is simply infamous. 1 start with, an uglier or more unsight creation could not have been devise even if properly constructed. Oi observation and the testimony c lap Huntt show that it was nothing sim of a miserable fraud. (A technical description by Cap Huntt follows, showing that the wo J has not conformed to specifications The outer dome has not been bui according to specifications, many i the stones being too short and tl length was made up by cement, wfiic will in time Crack. It will becon necessary, or it is now necessry, th< this work shoald be entirely gone ove and all joints exposed to the weathe or all surfaces, should be caulked wit lead. The top moulded course of ti cornice in the old work has a raise joint in the stone to protect it froi leakage. This does not appear in tb new work of the same character. The drawings call for a wood trui under the portico roof. This has nc been put in place, and is a detrimer to the strength of this part of the rooi Between the wall of the buildin and the eaves of the roof there is vacant space of something over mn inches, and but for a sheet of galvani? ed iron 1-32 of an inch in thicknes there would be nothing at all betwee the interior of the building and th "wide, wide world." Testimony Car, tain Huntt. We call attention to the serious de feet in the rear portico, between tw of the columns, which support it. On of the large lintel stones, which carrie its portion of the gable, is cracked apparently entirely through, and i likely at any time to give away. The contractors appropriated to thei own use, and actually sold, thousand of dollars' worth of the old materia upon the State House grounds, am which came out of the building, ant seek to justify their acts by aprovisioi in the specifications which allow then ,to "use" certain portions of the mate rial. We submit that in carrying awa; the valuable property of the State, the] were naked trespassers. The glasi floor of tiie porticos should not hav< been put in. The contractor pass?e over old and reliable flooring for ai experiment with disastrous results. The closets and sewerage work is con demned according to the testimony ol Inspector Edens. Because the con? tractors did not protect the interior ol the builing while removing the ole roof, all of the painting and frescoing on the walls were permanently ruined. These contractors were required tc furnish a good and sufficient bond foi the faithful performance of the con? tract, and did give a bond in the sum of $50,COO of the City Trust, Safe Deposit, and Surety Company, of Philadelphia, to Governor M. B. Mc? sweeney chairman of the commission on completion of the State House, to secure and guarantee the faithful per? formance^ the contract, said bond bears date 21st August. 1900. The form and execution of the bond was approved by the attorney general and accepted by the commission. On the 2nd June, 1902, Governor McSweeney. chairman of the commission, [acting under the oral advice of the attorney general (as testified to by D. H. Means, secretary), caused satisfaction to be entered upon that bond and sur? rendered it to the obligators declaring that the work had been satisfactorily completed. This surrender and attempted dis? charge of this bond, tho State's only security for the vast losses sustained, was not the act of the commission, as the governor alone, advised as it is said by the attorney general, under? took to perform this act, and it may be that the State may yet be able to realize npon said security. Your committee do not consider that it comes within the scope of their du? ties to determine questions of law in? volved in the matters embraced here? in, but would regard it remarkable indeed if there is not some remedy, civil or criminal or both, to bring these malefactors to justice and to i some extent to redress the wrongs of the State. We feel that what we have reported reveals a dark picture it is true, but nothing short of an actual inspection of the work can convey an adequate idea of the most monstrous swindle of which tlie State is the victim appro? priately portrayed in the closing word6 of Capt. Huntt's testimony, which are reprodnced in the first paragraph. The following recommendations are then made: I 1. That appropriate legal steps be j taken to recover, if possible, from j Frank P. Milburn and Mcllvain, Unk efer & Go. as mach as possible of the damage the State has suffered through their misconduct and breach of con? tract, and such other legal redress as may seem to be advisable. 2. That the most glaring and damag? ing defects in the work be repaired under the authority of the legislature until such time as the finances of the State will admit of the whole work being done over in a manner to con? form to the original design, gggg Respectfully submitted, Robt. Aldrich, Richard I. Manning, On the part of the Senate. J. 0. Patterson, J.. M. Rawlinson, T. Y. Williams, On the part of the House. -Columbia Record. I LOST.-On Providence road, one rubber buggy tire. Reward for return to J. G. DoLorme. Feb. 10-lt* WANTED-In each state, salesman to sell large line tobacco. Permanent position. Central Tobacco Works Co., Penicks, Va._Feb 4-6t LOST-Two Cows-one butt head, white and red, other solid red, with horns, has scars from shipping. Liberal reward. Address J. JJ. Beach, Sumter, S. C._ Feg. 3-2t. WANTED-Faithful person to travel for well established hous? in a few counties, calling on retail merchants and agents. Local territory. Salary $20.00 per week with expenses addi? tional, all payable in cash each week. Money for expenses advanced. Position permanent. Business successful and rushing. Standard House, 330 Dear? born street, Chicago. Nov. ll FOR RENT-One storehouse, with three room dwelling attached, with necessary out buildings, for five months. Three and one half miles from Sumter in the fork of Providence and Stateburg roads. For terms apply to R. M. Edens, Sumter, S. C. _July_29-tf._ FOR SALE- Sewing Machine in good condition. Apply at Watchman and South roi. Office. Setp. 30-2t. WANTED, Persimmon, Dogwood, Hick? ory and Holly Logs. Freight paid on car? loads. JAMES COCKSHOTT, Charleston, S. C. Oct 21-im. EGGS-Barred Plymouth Rock Eggs. Sitting of 23 $1.C0. For sale by N. G. Osteen. Sept. 30-2t Estate of ftss. J. Muldrow, Dec'd. I WILL apply to the Judge of. Probate of. Sumter County on February 27th, 1904. for a Final Discharge as Executor of Estate of said deceased R. W. MULDROW, Jan 27-it* Executor. CAN WINTEREST YOlfl HEGE IMPROVED LOG ?BE A M SAW MILL? WITH THE HEACOCK-KlNG VARIABLE FEED WORKS. IT CAN'T BE BEAT. Write "The Machinery People" for prices W. H. GIBBES <& CO. COLUMBIA, S. C. ENGINES. BOILERS. COTTON GINS. L THE GIBBES.PORTA81.E SHINGLE MACHINE ? Ul RETURNS FOR 1904. OFFICE OF COUNTY AUDITOR, SUMTER COUNTY. Samter. S. C., Dec. 5, 1903. Notice is hereby given that I will attend, in person OT by deputy, at the following places on tbs days indicated respectively, for the purpose of receiving returns of personal property aDd poll taxes for the fiscal year commencing January Itt, li)04. At Ofiice, Sumter, S. C.. at all other times up to February 20th, 1004, inclusive. Gordon's Mill, January 6th. Tindal's Store, Thursday, January 7. Privateer, (Jenkin'* Store,) Friday Janu? ary 8, Manchester. (Thos. A. Gardiners.) Fri? day, January 8. Wedgefield, Saturday, January 9. Stateburg, Saturday, January 9. Hagood, Tuesday, January, 12. Reail>ert, Wednesday, January 13. Dalzell, Thursday, January li. Mayesville, Monday, January 11. Shiloh, Tuesday, January 12. Norwood's Cross Roads, Wednesday, January 13. Oswego, Friday, January 15. All returns roust be made ou or before the 20th day of February, next. I cannot take returns after that date, and all re? turns made after the 20th day of February are subject to a penalty of ">0 per cent. J. DIGGS WILDER, dec ?) Auditor Sumter County. Sour Stomach No appetite, loss of strength, nervous? ness, headache, constipation, bad breath, general debility, sour risings, and catarrh of the stomach are all due to indigestion. Kodol cures indigestion. This new discovery repre? sents the natural juices of digestion as they exist in a healthy stomach, combined with the greatest known tonic and reconstructive properties. Kodol Dyspepsia Cure does not only cure indigestion and dyspepsia, but th;s famous remedy cures all stomach trouc'^s by cleansing, purifying, sweetening and strengthening the mucous membranes lining the stomach. Mr. S. S. Ball, of Ravenswood. W. Va., says: " 1 was troubled with scur stomach for twenty years. Kodol cured me and we are now using it in milk fer baby." Kodol Digests What You Eat. Ecttles only. '$1.00 Sire holding 2li times the trial size, which sells for 50 cents. Prepared by E. C. OeWITT * CO., CHICAGO For sale by J. S. Hughson & Co Annual Pastors' Conference and Mis? sionary institute of Sumter District. The annual Pastors' Conference and Missionary Institute of Sumter Dis? trict was he held in this city yesterday and today, February 9th and 10th. j All of tEe . Methodist ministers of the district were expected to be present and participate in the confer? ence and Institute. Rev. E. O. Wat- ; sou, of Spartanburg will attend the ! Missionary Institute today and deliver an address. The following is the programme sent out by Rev. H. B. Brown, Pre? siding Elder of the District: PATORS' CONFERENCE, TUES DAY, FEB. 9. 1 Equipment for the Pulpit. 2 Relative value of Written and Extemporaneous Sermons. 3 Public reading - Scriptures, Hymns, Announcements, etc.-Prepa? ration and Delivery. ? Possible Helps in preparation for public prayer. 5 The best way to preserve and utilize the thoughts of the best auth? ors. 6 Helps to a successful pastorate. 7 The Pastor's duty ot mastering the details of the business affairs of the Church. MISSIONARY INSTITUTE, WED? NESDAY, FEBRUARY 10. 1 The evangelization of the world the Dominant Purpose of the Church. 2 How to arouse the Church to greater interests in Missions. 3 Duty of Preachers to be thor? oughly informed on the principle and facts of Missions. 4 The reflex influence of Missions. 5 Can Sumter District pay assess? ments in full for 1904?1 If so, How, and When? 6 How to secure a contribution from every member. 7 Is it practicable to have at least monthly collections for Missions in every Church? 8 Duty of Preacher's to Woman's work for Missions. The committee that solicited Wednes? day afternoon for the Richland county sufferers succeeded in raising some? thing over $70. It is hoped that $100 in all may be raised by tomorrow night. The* cashiers of the different banks have consented to receive any amounts that ?ny may desire to con? tribute. The committee, of course,*was not able to see everybody. The Sumter Electric Light & Ice Co. has purchased two 200 horsepower boilers and will materially enlarge the plant and increase its capacity. These are the largest and finest boilers ever brought tothis ci ?y and will furnish sufficient power to meet all the pres? ent demands on the company for lights and electric power. The bicyclists and automobilists who use the public reads of the State should enter a vigorous protest against the passage of the bill now before the Legislature which practically debars them from using the roads outside of incorporated towns. It is to be hoped that the Senate will have the common sense to kill this bill which is the rankest sort of discrimination against one class of citizens as well as an evi? dence of antagonism to progress and improvement. Thc Kind You Have Always Bought, and whick lias been in use for over 30 years, has borne the Signatare of and has been made under his per ?ffifji J?"!, sonal supervision since its infancy? ^??^?es AJlo\v no one to deceive you in this. All Counterfeits, Imitations and 66 Just-as-good5' are hut Experiments that trifle with and endanger the health of Infants and Children-Experience against Experiment. at Is CASTOR IA pastoria is a harmless substitute for Castor Oil, Pare? goric, Drops au J. Soothing Syrups. It is Pleasant. It contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other Narcotic substance. Its age is its guarantee. It destroys Worms and allays Feverishness. It cures Diarrhoea and Wind Colic. It relieves Teething Troubles, cures Constipation and Flatulency. It assimilates the Food, regulates the Stomach and Bowels, giving healthy and natural sleep? The Children's Panacea-The Mother's Friend. GENUINE CASTOR IA ALWAYS Bears the Signature of Tne Kind You Haye Always Bought In Use For Over 30 Years. THC CENTAUR COMPANY, TT MURRAY STREET, NCW YORK CITY. W. i BOWMAN, Prest. G. W. BOSHJIMER, Sec. I Treas. The Sumter Banking & Mercantile Company, -Capital Stock $50,000 Wholesale Grocers, Fertiliz= ersand Farmers' Supplies. Sole agents for the celebrated brand of Wil? cox & Gibbs Fertilizers. We are prepared to quote the very closest cash or time prices on all lines of Groceries, Fertilizers and Farmers5 Supplies, And invite your investigation before making your arrangements for another year. Come to see us. We will save you money, and give you a hearty, courteous welcome. Sumter Banking I Mercantile Company, Masonic Building, 2d door from the Postoffice. Sumter, S. C. Southeastern Lime & Cement COMPANY. CHARLESTON, S. C. Building Material of all kinds. High Brade Roofing "RIIBEROHI." ?r Pcb 2 o