an i II POST ni.
taits ?8ii?i?if Informs His
?rsops That Ho Esrape is
Mdt aid Thej Host
Fight to a M?.
Japanese Account of The Situa?
tion at Port Arthur-Denial
of Reports That Japanese
Vessels Have Been
Destroyed.
Port Arthur, Feb. 29, 1 p. m.-Gen.
Strossel, commanding tbe garrison,
-sae issued a general order informing
-tao troops nuder his command that the
-Japanese are preparing for a land and
sara! attack upon Port Arthur. He
states in his order that there is no
escape possible for the L.issiao forces
?nd that they must be prepared to
fight to a ?nish.
JAPANESE VIEW OF SITUATION.
Tokio, Feb. 28.-On account of Ad?
miral Togo's successes at Bort Arthur
-the reopening of the sea to Japanese
merchantmen smd the revival of ship?
ping, the Japanese government does
s -sot anticipate that it will have fur?
ther need for the auxiliary cruisers
America Maru and Yawata Maru, and
tiley will be disarmed and returned to
their owners.
Nothing now prevents the America
Maru from resuming her place on the
San Francisco line and the Yalata
'Main on the Australian run.
ls preparing for the war Japan
armed a big fleet of fast auxiliary
cruisers on account of the equality of
naval strength between the Russians
and Japanese, but it is believed that
the auxi-?iary cri users are no longer
seeded. It is expected other auxili?
ary vessels will be^disarmed and re?
leased. The Nippon Yusen Sa i sh a
r company are chartering a fleet of
British vessels for reestablishing the
Chinese coast lines. Lack of details
of formations, firing ranges and evolu?
tions prevents a full understanding
and appreciation of Admiral Togo's
-tactics. He seems to be endeavoring
io accomplish the maximum destruc
~taon with the minimum of exposure.
He is carefully balancing those con?
siderations and relying upon superior
^mobility, maxkmanship and ammuni?
tion. At the outset, the equity of
naval strength, the probable necessity
of fighting the Russians under the
-batteries; of Port Arthur, made ex?
treme caution essential. The loss of a
few ships endangered the ultimate
success of the Japanese arms, hence
the brevity of the engagement of Feb.
9, and tbe avoidance of the engage?
ment of the fortress. The same tac?
tics wer? followed in Thursday's en
Sagement and bombardment. These
dashes, brief battles, speedy with?
drawals, are a novelty in naval war
fere which warrant the consideration
of strategists. Admiral Togo's reli?
ance on gunnery is fully warranted by
his gunners clearly outshooting the
'Russians;. He constantly fought at
long range, punishing the enemy se?
verely and escaping without serious
damage himself. The personnel of
his forces is shown in another way by
-tbe superiority of the officers and men,
who are anxious to undertake h a zar- -
dons duty.
^Togo's ships are apparently in better |
condition than the Russian vessels.
The heavy scoring of the torpedo craft
is one of the surprises of the war so
far. Foreign naval experts say, how?
ever, that making every allowance for
the daring, skill and persistency of
the Japanese, the Russians are largely
to blame for a lack of watchfulness
and poor marksmanship.
THE NOVIiv-S IMPETUOUS DASH.
London, Feb. 29. -A Russian corres?
pondent of the Associated Press at Port
Arthur, cabling under yesterday's date,
describes the combat between the
-Russian cruiser Novik and the Japa?
nese squadron following the attempt of
the Japanese to bottle up the Russian
Seet in Port Arthur Feb. 24, as fol?
lows:
"The Novik impetuously bearing
down on the squadron of the enemy
was observed to fire on the Japanese
flagship and she then immediately
opened fire with all her batteries. The
Japansee answered with a running
Tire.
"The guns of our squadron thunder?
ed and the batteries of the forts roar?
ed, The battle had begun.
"The Novik, going at full speed did
sot give tbe enemy a chance to aim,
hat flew by, her bow guns belching
forth solid shot Then turning at full
speed she showered him with shells
from her stern batteries.
"The Novik was in the very midst
sf the enemy's fire and shells hissed
past and fell close by raising tremen?
dous columns of water. That's what
yon call serving guns.
?"The officers remained cool and
-calm. The firing proceeded without
the least confusion and was seasoned
with that humor which never deserts
a Rusisan even in moments of terrible
danger.
"'The Novik continued manoeuvering
alternately approaching the enemy
as'3 withdrawing until she received an
iajury to her stern. One gnnner was
killed. Still energetically sustaining
ser fire the Novik turned to the shore.
At this moment a column of fire and
smoke was noticed on the flagship.
After that the Novik repaired to her
dock.''
Berlin, March, L-Dispatches re?
lieved at Emden state that the attack
sf the Japanese on Port Arthur this
morning was again repulsed with
-heavy losses. Particulars of the battle
save not yet been received.
DESTROYING RUSSIAN FLEET
London, March L-A dispatch to
The Daily Telegraph from i in Kow,
sated February 29, says: "Fifteen
Japanese warships furiously bombard?
ed Port Arthur from 10 to 12 o'clock
this morning. The Russian cruisers
-Novik, AskoTd and Bayan, accompanied
by four torpedo boats, steamed out to
meet the attack. They were? however,
forced to retire. The Askold was in
s ?inking condition. The Novik was
sadly damaged and a torpedo boat was
sask. The Russian battleship Retvi
saa was again damaged. The Japanese
PORT ARTHUR WILL FALL.
London, March 1.-The panse in
the war operations in the far east bas
been broken bj another Japanese attack
on Port Arthur, of which only the
brief account sent today is yet at hand.
This report, however, shows a repet?
tien of the now famii ar tactics of
Japan.
lt is presumed that this attack was
made in bad weather, previous tele?
graphic advices having reported a
j severe gale raging at Port Arthur. As
usual the Japanese did not remain
j long enough oft the harbor to enable
the gunners at the forts to get their
range. Again also the same three
c^is?sr^ke. JSayau,. the.. AF*, ld and
the N?vik''came", out. to. meet- t..<i attack
and this suggests that either they
were the only effective ships there or
that the larger battleships were unable
to get out.
REPORTS FROM VARIOUS
PLACES.
2 London, March 1.-The Shanghai
correspondent of the Daily Express says
it has been officially announced that
the Japanese mail boat service betweep
Shanghai will be resumed Saturday
without naval escort.
According to a report from St.
Petersburg a body of Cossacks from
the south Ussuri province, with quick
firing guns, is advancing along the
east coast of Corea to prevent the land?
ing of the main Japanese army, and
tlie comment is made that possibly
the reported Japanese landing at
Possiet bay amy have been made with
the intention of attacking this force.
A dispatch from Shanghai to. The
Daily Chronicle says the Russians are
transferring the guns from the disabled
ships at Port Arthur to the forts there.
A dispatch from Chee Foo to the
Standard dated Feb. 29 says a Japanese
cruiser and torpedo boat entered that
harbor without lights at 1 o'clock on
the morning of the 29th, and.it is be?
lieved they embarked the Japanese who
took refuge there after the attempt
to bottle up Port Arthur.
A correspondent of The Times at
Wei-Hai-Wei,* cabling under date of
Feb. 29, says: "A Japanese fleet was
seen off the Shan Tung coast this
morning."
A Tokio correspondent of The Times
cables that the steamers sunk by the
Japanese on either side of the Russian
battleship .Retvizan at Port Arthur
partially obstruct the entrance to the
harbor.
POSTAL THIEVES FOUND GUILTY.
Machen. Lorenz and the Grofs all
Convicted-Result a Surprise.
Washington, Fer. 26.-"Guilty as
indicted" was the verdict announced
by Carl Peterson, the foreman of the
jury in the now famous postoffice con?
spiracy trial, shortly after dark to?
night, stating at the same time that
this was the verdict as to all four
defendents, August W. Machen, late
general superintendent of the rural
free delivery division, George E.'
Lorenz, of Toledo, O., and Samuel A.
and Di Uer B. Groff of this city.
The jury had been out nine hours
although the verdict was reached in
eight hours and twenty-five minutes.
In the dimly lighted room sat the
four defendents, who after the case
was given to the jury had been placed
in the custody of the Unhited States
marshal and confined to the limits of
the city hall.
With impressive dignity the juryman
arose and as the words "guilty as in?
dicted" fell from his lips the defend?
ants and their counsel seemed appall?
ed. The defendants had given expres?
sion to the belief that each hour the
jruy spent in discussing thc case
brought them nearer t? an acquittal.
There was very general astonishment
that the jury had included in the con?
viction Samuel A. Groff, the Washing?
ton policeman and inventor of the Groff
fastener, as to whom Holmes Conrad,
special counsel for the government,
yesterday informed the jury he did not
expect a conviction, and that the per?
sonally did not believe in his guilt.
Five ballots in all were taken. On
the first ballot the vote stood 75 to
for conviction, on the second 8 to 4,
on the third 9 to 3, on the fourth 10
to 2, and on the fifth the vote was
unanimous.
Immediately after the verdict was
rendered, Charles A. Douglass, in be?
half of all four defendents, filed
motions for a new trial, for an arrest
of judgment and also for an appeal for
the purpose of having the defendants
admitted to bail. Bail was then fixed
at $20,000 each, the bond of Lorenz
and the1 two Groffs being increased
from $10,000 to that sum. Bonds were
furnished and the defendants released
from custody.
If troubled with weak digestion, belch?
ing or sour stomach, use Chamberlain's
Stomach and Liver Tablets and yon will
get quick relief. For sale by China's
Drug Store.
?imii -min? -
Constables Were Convicted.
Charleston, Feb. 27.-In the court of
general sessions this afternoon the ver?
dict of guilty of aggravated assault
with recommendation of mercy was
brought in the Wieters' suit against
Constables Bateman, Guideon, May
and Grady and a verdict of not guilty
against Hoy. The case was given to
the jury shortly' after 2 o'clock and
two hours later the verdict was
brought in.
Immediately upon the verdict being
rendered Attorney Duncan Bellinger
gave notice that he would move for a
new trial and the time will be fixed
later. Sentence was suspended.
Proper Treatment of Pneumo?
nia
Pneumonia is too daDgeous a disease
for an} one to attempt to doctor himself,
although he may have the proper reme?
dies at hand. A physician should always
be called, lt should be borne in mind,
however, that pneumonia always results
from a cold or from an attack o? the grip,
and that by giving Ch-iuiberlsin's Cough
Remedy the threatened attack of pneumo?
nia may be warded off. This remedy is
also used by physicians in the treatment
of pneumonia with the best results. Dr.
W. J. Smith, of Sanders, A a., who is also
a druggist, says of it : "1 have been sell?
ing Chamberlain's Cough Remedy and
prescribing it in my practice for the pant j
six years. 1 use it m cases of pneumonia :
and have always gotten the best -reen'ts.''
Sold by China's Drug Store.
THE P?MtU CANIL TREATY,
Secretary Kay and Minister Bu
nau-Warilla Exchange Ratifi?
cations
I -
And the President Signs a Proclamation
Petting tbe Treaty Into Effect.
Washington, Feb. 26.-Secretary Hay
and Minister Bnnan-Varilla at 10.30
o'clock this forenoon exchanged ratifi?
cations of the Panama Canal treaty at
the State department. At .11.50
o'clock the President signed the pro?
clamation patting the' treaty into
effect. As soon as the procalmation
was signed it was returned to the
State department. The Cabinet was
in session when the proclamation
reached the White Honse from the
State department Secretary Loeb
took the document to the President
and he signed it immediately. The
proclamation is a purely formal docu?
ment.
There was no attempted ceremony at
the State department. There were
present in the diplomatic room only
Secretary Hay, M. Bunau-Vari Ila,
Sydney Smith, chief of the diplomatic
bureau, and Eddie Savoy, the veteran
messenger of the Secretary. The
protocols of exchange signed yester?
day by the President were countersigned
today by Secretary Hay.
Several legal questions remain to be
settled-among them the effect upon
canal payments of the pending litiga?
tion in. France, begun by the Colum?
bian Government to prevent the sale
of the canal property to the United
States. But the State department has
a conviction, based on unofficial assur?
ances, that the French Court will re?
ject the Colombian suit
Another legal question is whether
under the terms of the Spooner Act the
$10,000,000, which was to be paid to
Colombia, cart be paid- to Panama,
and it is for the Attorney General to
decide whether additional enabling
legislation will be required. It will
i)e some time before these questions
can be settled, and meanwhile no
money is likely to pass.
AS TO COMMISSIONER HARROD.
The President may not send to the
Senate his appointments on the isth?
mian canal commission before the first
of next week. He has been informed
by telegram that Benjamin M. Harrod,
of .New Orleans, has mailed to him a
statement regarding the charges pre?
ferred against Mr. Harrod. Until he
has received this statement and given
consideration the probability is that
the official announcement of the
personnel of the commission will be
withheld. Even in the absence of the
statement, however, President Roose?
velt is fairly assured that the charges
made against Mr. Harrod are not of
sufficient weight to warrant him in
withdrawing the tender made to him
of a position on the commission. It is
believed confidently that Mr. Harrod
will be the seventh member of the
body.
M. BUNAU- VA R ? LL A RESIGNED.
Washington, Feb. 26.-M. Bunau
Varilla, the minister from Panama, to-i
day cabled his resignation as such to
the President of that Republic.
Hampton Statue will be Erected.
Although the Contributions Come
in Slowly.
The fund for the Hampton monu?
ment is but slowly increasing and
many counties have made a deplorable
showing, as is seen by the accompany?
ing-list. The 820,000 appropriated by
the legislature has now become avail?
able for use and according to the testi?
mony of sculptors a very handsome
design can be obtained for the sum it
is proposed to pay. Mr. Charles
Frederick Niehaus and Mr. F. Wel?
lington Ruckstohl, both sculptors of
the widest renown, who have done
many statues of southern men, have
shown to the commission models of
their work now standing. No one has
yet been selected to make the Hamp?
ton statue. The statua will take three
years to complete when once begun.
The list of contributions is given as
it appeared last Saturday. Since that
time but a few dollars additional have
been subscribed :
Aiken, S 28.00
Anderson, 415.57
Bamberg, 163.00
Barnwell, 50.70
Beaufort, 33.25
Berkeley, 30.50
Charleston, 1,100.90
Clarendon, 41.00
Colieton, , 45.00
Darlington, 1,000 00
Edgefield, 2.00
Fairfield, 21.20
Greenville, 125.00
Greenwood, - 55.00
Hampton, 88.75
Horry, 53.00
Laurens, 159.28
Lexington, 41.50
Lee, 30.25
Marion 20.35
Marlboro, 268.70
Newberry, 25.00
Orangeburg, 100.00
Richland, 1,356.67
Spartanburg, 22.10
Sumter, 304.85
Union, 203.25
York, 20.00
Interest, 43.11
New York, 90.00
U. D. C., 841.25
Total, $6,779.28
It is said that one reason why the
collection of funds for tiie Hampton
monument has not been carried on
more successfully is because there
is not somebody to push it
in every other county as there
was in Darlington and in Sumter,
where the required amount was raised
in a day. In a great many counties
funds are being raised for tne erection
of Confederate monuments locally and
the people of those counties would con?
tribute with the samo liberality to the
Hampton monument if there was an
organizer in euch county to present the
subscription list. It is not a question
of indifference, but a matter of a lack
of leadership.- The State.
Best Remedy for Constipation.
4* t he finest remedy for constipation 1
ever u=ed is Chamberlain's Stomach and
Liver Tablets," says Mr. Eli Butler, of
r rank vii le, N. ?. "They act gently auo
without any unpleasant effect, and Jeave
the bowels in a perfectly natural cjnd.
tk>a." -.Sold by China's Drug Store.
USURERS URO HIL
Money Lenders May not Place Fic?
titious Items in Their Contracts
for Purpose of Extorting Un?
lawful Interest.
It seems that a good deal of atten?
tion has been attracted recently to the
bill passed during the session of the
Legislature just closed in regard to
the regulating of the amount of in?
terest and expenses to be charged by
firms lending money in* sums less
than twenty-five dollars, taking as
security household furniture or other
personal property. There has from
time to time been a good deal of
complaint in reference to this mat?
ter, it having been claimed that these
firms were accustomed to lend small
amounts in sums ranging from three
to ten dollars, and so drawing the
papers as to evade the present State
law against usury. There have been
I many instances told of where ignorant,
poor people have borrowed from these
firms, say three dollars, and after
I having paid interest for several
months at the rate of five to six dol?
lars per month have in the end found
themselves greater in debt than in
the beginning, and not only lost the
original security, but also all the
money paid in by them from time to
time as interest on the amount bor?
rowed.
The need of some legislation to pre?
vent this excess interest, if it may be
so called, though a stronger name is
generally used, has long - been felt.
Several bills aside from the general
State law have been framed from time
to time, but none of these have as
yet been able to prevent the evil, and
"loan firms" have flourished up to
this time as the green iBay tree. Dur?
ing the meeting of the Legislature
just closed Representative Huger
Sinkler, of Charleston county, intro?
duced a bill bearing on this matter,
and this bill passed the House and
Senate, and there seems to be no rea?
son to believe that the Governor will
refuse to give it his approval when it
comes before him for bis signature.
The bill itself is beginning to attract
a great deal of attention throughout
the State, and seems to be so framed
as to meet all of the present methods
used to evade the usuary law.
The bill, which is beginning to at?
tract attention and is eliciting favora?
ble comment from the press, is in full
as follows:
A bili to regulate the giving of
security for loans under twenty-five
dollars, and the charges to be made
therefor.
Section L That it shall be unalwful
for the lender of money on a mort?
gage or bill of sale of chattels, as
security for a loaD, his agents em?
ployees, or any persons in his behalf,
whera the sum loaned is under twenty
five dollars, to charge the borrower
with any sum, or sums of money for
the drawing of the mortgage, bill of
sale or any papers connected with said
loan, unless the said paprers be drawn
up and prepared by a duly licensed
and practicing attorney at law, magis?
trate^ notary public not connected
in business with the lender, which
said officer so drawing said* papers
shall receive the whole amount so paid
by tho borrower for the services so
rendered ana no part cf said fee shall
be given by the said attorney at law,
magistrate or notary public, to the
lender, bis agents, employees or any
persons in his behalf.
Section 12. That it shall be unlaw?
ful for any lender, his agents or em?
ployees, or any person in his behalf,
as set forth in Section 1 hereof, to
charge any sum or sums for the exami?
nation of any property proposed to be
given as security for said loan, or for
any services whatsoever rendered iu
the negotiating, making or affecting
of said loan, under whatsoever name
the same may be denominated.
Section 3. That it shall be unlaw?
ful for the lender cf money as afore?
said, his agents, employees or any per?
son in his behalf, to have inserted in
his mortagage or biH of sale, as repre?
senting the indebtedness of the mort?
gagor or vendor, an amount in excess
of the actual amount of money receiv?
ed by the borrower.
Section 4. All mortgages or bills of
sale hereafter given as security for
loans in or on which charges have been
made, or which on its face shall show
an indebtedness greater than the
amount actually received by the
borrower, in violation of the preced?
ing sections, shall be, and are hereby,
declared null, void and of no effect.
Section 5. This Act shall go into
effect immediately upon its approval
by the Governor.
A. C. L. Train wrecked.
Savannah. Ga., Feb. 29.-West?
bound passenger train, No. 90, on the
Atlantic Coast Line was wrecked this
morning at A lapaha, Ga., by running
into an open switch. Enginere Potter
saw two men at the switch fooling with
it and appiled the brakes but was too
close to stop his train. The train col?
lided with freight cars on the siding
and the engineer, fireman and porter
injured. The lock on the switch had
been broken by thewreckers. An un?
known white man has been arrested at
Alapaha in connection with the mat?
ter. Atlantic Coast Line detectives
are of the opinion that the wreck grew
out of the strike now on. Detectives
and officers with bloodhounds are on
the trail from the broken switch.
The farmers of South Carolina are
going to plant a lot of land this year
and fertilize it heavily. This is indi
ctaed by the fact that the receipts
from the fertilizer tax exceed the re?
ceipts at the same time last year by
$22,000-and last year was the record
breaker.-The State.
Bennettsviile, Feb, 26.-The negro
school builidng here was burned this
afternoon, soon after the school had
been dismissed. Most of the desks
and books were saved. It is thought to
have caught from the stove.
nair? ? IJJ- ? 1 -
In flam mato ry Rheumatism
Cured.
William Shaffer, a blakeman, of Denni?
son, Ohio, was confined to his bed for sev
a.al weeks with inflammatory rheumatism.
"1 ttMid man v remedies,'* he says, "Finally
I sent to McCaw's drug stare for a bottle
of Chambtrlain'.-i Paiu Balm, at milich
nure I was nuable to use haud or foot, and
in one week's time I was able to *o to
work a* happy as a. clamf For sale by
China's Dreg Store.
HESTER'S WEEKLY STATEMENT.
For the 179 Days of Season Ag?
gregate is 126,000 Bales Be?
hind Same Days Last Year.
New Orleans, Feb. 26.-Secretary
Hester's weekly cotton statement,
issued today, shows:
For the twenty-six days of February
a decrease under last year of 128,000,
and a decrease under the same period
year before last of 28,000.
For the 179 days of the season that
have elapsed the aggregate is behind
the same days of last year 126,000, and
behind the same days vear before last
73,000 bales.
The amount brought into sight dur?
ing the past week has been 133,913
bales, against 165,817 for the same sev?
en days last year, and 187,871 year be?
fore last.
The movement since September 1
shows receipts at all United States
ports of 6,401,421 bales, against 6,488,
227 last year. Overland, across the
Mississippi, Ohio and Potomac rivers,
to Northern mills' and Canada, 722,689
bales, against 845,335 last year. Inte?
rior stocks, in excess of those held at
the close of the commercial year 310, -
901 bales, against 250,590 last year.
Southern mill takings 1,201,000 bales,
against 1,178,072 last year. Total
movement since September is 8,636,011
bales, against 8,762,224 last year. ?
Foreign exports lor the week have
been 47,732 bales, against 186,456 last
year, making the total thus far for the
season 4,893,213 bales, against 5,052,
517 last year.
The total takings of American mills,
North, South and Canada, thus far
for the season, have been 2,903,289
bales against 2,820,373 last year.
Stocks at the seaboard and the
twenty-nine leading Southern interior
cities have decreased during the week
27,786 bales, against a decrease dur?
ing the corresponding period last sea?
son of 134,402 bales.
Including stocks left over at ports
and interior towns from the last crop
and the number of bales brought into
sight thus far from the new crop, the
supply to date is 8,803,810 bales,
against 8,977,298 for the same period
last year.
THE WORLD'S VISIBLEf SUPPLY.
New Orleans, Feb. 26.-Secretary
Hester's statement of the world's
visible supply of cotton, issued to?
day, shows the total visible to be
3,653,570 bales, against|3,777,920 last
week, 3,862,530 last year. Of this the
total of American cotton is 2,578,579
bales, against 2,749,920 last week, and
2,805,530 last year, and of all other
kinds, including Egypt, Brazil, India,
etc,, 1,075,000 bales, against 1,028,000
last week, and 1,057,000 last year.
Of the world's visible supply of cot?
ton there is now afloat and held in
Great Britian and Continental Europe
1,972,000 bales, against 1,951,000 last
year: in Egypt 253,000 bales, against
177,000 last year : in India 400,000 bales,
against 592,000 last year, and in the
United States 1,029,000 bales, against
1,143,000 last year.
BRADSTREET'S WEFKLY REVIEW.
Spring Trade is Asserting Itself
Increase in Manufacturing Ac?
tivity.
New York, Feb. 26.-Bradstreet's
Review of Trade this week says:
Spring trade is asserting itself de?
spite abnormally cold weather, heavy
snows or congested transportation
facilities in widely separated sections.
Where weather conditions have been
favorable, as in the South, distribu?
tive trade has been good and generally
in excess of a year ago. In the South?
west milder weather has brought out
more country buyers.
Manufacturing industry shows some
enlargement of activity, especially in
glass-making and iron and steel, pro?
duction of pig iron being nearly double
that of two months ago. Anthracite
coal is active and strong, but prodcu
tion and shipments of thrs product,
of bitumnious coal and coke and of raw
materials generally are hampered by
the weather. The bituminous coal
outlook is additionally unsatisfactory,
because it is almost universally be?
lieved that a strike against reduction
of wages will occur on April 1, in the
Western Pennsylvania and West Vir?
ginia fields.
New Orleans reports collections bet?
ter than last year. Savannah reports
a good and increased demand forlum
ber; Memphis that business exceeds a
year ago: Montgomery that jobbing
trade is heavy, but that farm work is
retarded by incessant rain. Spring?
like weather helps fruits and vege?
tables at Jacksonville, and business at
most Tennessee cities compares well
with a year ago. ?
War talk is still an influence tending
to strengthen food products, but to
depress raw cotton. Railway earnings
are not as encouraging as in the past,
owing partly to the congestion grow?
ing out of blockaded shipments, but
partly to cutting of grain f reight rates.
Safe Blowers at Latta.
Latta, Marion county, Feb. 26.
Safe blowers visited this town last
night. The safe in Mr. J. L. Dew's
store was blown open and about $60
taken out. Mr. Dew is also postmaster,
and the safe in which the postofnee
funds were kept was also blown to
pieces, about $500 in cash and stamps
being taken.
The Bank of Latta, which is also in
the same building, had a narrow
escape. The door uf the vault was
opened and the safe inside had been
blown open, but tho robbers failed to
get the money.
It is supposed that after getting the
vault door open, they closed it so the
sound from inside could not be heard,
and the jar from the safe being blown
open caused the bolts of the vault door
to fall in place again and they were
locked out. They could have blown
open the vault door again and gotten
ail the money, but did not.
A Favorite Remedy for Babies
Its pleasant taste and prompt cures cave
made Chamberlain's Cough Remedy a fa
vorite with the mothers of small children. |
lc quickly cures thc-ir coughs and colds j
and prevents any danger of pneumonia or ?
other serious consequences. It not only !
enies croup, but when given as soon as ?he I
croupy cough appears will prevent tr?e at- !
tack. For sale by China's Diug ?store.
PROGRESS OF THE SOOTH.
Manufacturers' Record Gives
Facts Showing Marked De?
velopment.
Good Prices for Cotton this Year Kaye
Added $700,000,000 to the Wealth
of the Southern States-Mano
factoring Industries are Pros?
pering Exceedingly.
Baltimore, Feb. 25.-The value of
the past season's cotton crop, about
$650,000,000, as compared with the
value, $325,000,000, of the crop of the
season of 1898-99, added to the large
grain crop in the South, has placed
that section in better financial shape
than ever before. It now has agricni
tnral prosperity io connection with
flourishing industrial interests. This
is reflected in a mass of letters from
Southern bankers published in this
week's issue of the Manufacturers' Re?
cord in reply to inquiries made of them
for their views:
(1) On the general Southern busi?
ness situation present and prospective.
(2) On the general improvement in
agricultural conditions as tending to
place the farming interests of the
South on a solid basis for general
prosperity, lessening their dependence
upon crop liens in making the coming
crops and resulting in a decrease of
farmers' indebtedness on personal
credit and mortgages.
(3) On the probability cf increased
prosperity resnlting in greater activity
in building operations, in general
trade, in municipal improvement and.
in more local investments m manufac?
turing enterprises. The responses were
prompt and gratifying. Their general
tenor is of a decidedly positive charac?
ter. There is agreement of opinion
that finances in the South are upon a
most healthy and substancial basis.
Increased banking capital is recorded,
larger deposits than ever before are
shown in national, State and savings
banks and, at the same time, much
local money is going into new indus?
trial enterprises or into the enlarge?
ment of existing ones. Many muncipa
lities have been infused with the
spirit of progressiveness able to find
expression in the general financial pros?
perity, and on many sides are definite
plans for the betterment of city pro?
perties and the improvement of streets,
schools and roadways.
Prosperity in the south is no longera
matter of prophecy, writes one banker.
It is an existing condition which one
may see and feel on every .sjde, and
it is attributed immediately to the
high price for cotton received by the
producer and to the immense gains
made by the actual holders of spot
cotton. Back of it all, though, is the
wisdom gained by the farmers in the ?
situation five or six years ago, when
much cotton was raised at a loss.
Then the farmers ;ere compelled to
practice economy of the strictest sort
in all their methods and to turn their
attention to diversified crops. Compul?
sion in many instances has become
choice, and consequently the opening
of the season found many farmers
ready to take the best advantage cf
the high prices of cotton. Now they
are paying cash for their supplies, in?
stead of subjecting themselves to lien
merchants: they have relieved them?
selves from their indebtedness, or
have reduced it to a marked degree :
they aro swelling the bank deposits
and in some communities the depend?
ence upon crop liens and mortgages to
make the coming crop will be confined
almost entirely to the negroes and to
the less thrifty class of small white
farmers.
A note of caution, however, is sound?
ed here and there in reference to the
tendency to spend the surplus earnings
of the year in greater quantities of
fertilizers and a larger number of .
mules, indicating the planting of a
more extensive acreage, in spite of the
hard lessons of adversity. But the
general situation seems to be well
summed up in a letter from a banker
of the middle South, who writes:
" Municipal improvements in the way
of electric lights, water-works and
schools are increasing in all direc?
tions, and planters and others who
were willing a few years ago to live in
bouses without any comforts now re?
quire ali modern conveniences, such
s water, gas, electric lights, musical
instruments and in fact everything
that money and culture will demand.
This applies to people in all walks of *
life, of course : however, it is in propor?
tion to their means that these com?
forts are indulged in. Comparing the
price of cotton in 1898-820 to $25 per
bale-with the average price received
hy the planter this year-not less than
S65 per bale on an average-cotton seed
bringine $4 to $6 per ton more than it ;
did a year ago, I think you can set it '
down that the South will realize for
her cotton crop and by-products, not
counting the large number of bales
manufactured into cloth and yarns, st
least $700,000,000. It is not only cot?
ton that we realize upon now, but
every manufacturing interest that can
be thought of is at present in the
South, and the number is being in- ?
creased almost daily, giving employ-"
ment to all kinds of labor. Many of
these industries are carried on by fam?
ilies. The South has been very free
from strikes, and this fact commends
it to those seeking new homes. Our
schools are on a good basis, our people
law-abiding and the right hand of
fellowship is extended to everyone who
locates among us, with or withont ,
money, who shows a disposition to
work and help build np this part of
our great Repbulic. "
Letter to Rev. C. C. Brown.
Sumter, S. C.
Dear Sir: Three churches in Bald
winsville, N. V, have had their first
lesson in De voe.
Messrs. Osterhout & Lockwood
painted the Presbyterian parsonage;
estimated 30 gallons: took 22.
Messrs. Sliugerland & Shutter
painted the Episcopal Church : esti?
mated 40 gallons: took 28.
Same painters painted the Catholic
church ; estimated 50 gallons: took 3f;
Of course, they estimated from what
they had been usiner. The saving in
paint and work is $4 or $5 a call?n.
Total saving on three jobs $125 to
S1?0-the painting cost two or three**"
times as much as the paint, you know*
Yours tmly
9 FW Devoe & Co
P. S.-L. B. Durant sells our paint