The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, November 22, 1905, Image 8
WSWSY LETTERS FROM OUR SPE
y ' CIAL CORRESPONDENTS.
of Interesst From all Parts of
Sumter and Adjoining Counties.
KOT?CE TO oRJRESPOXDEXTS.
Mail your letters so that they will
jieach this office not later than Tues?
day morning. "When the letters are
received Wednesday it is almost an
Ingws?bility to have them appear in
paper issued that day.
DARK CORNER.
Dark ' Corner, November IS.-We
lad a beautiful day yesterday, after
?orne cold and windy ones.
Farm work is nearly all done in
those coasts. Some little cotton yet to
pick, also a few peas. And some have
aoot gathered their corri-slow coaches
-ysai know. I was out in Northwest
Manchester yesterday and saw Mr. JV.
A. Gardner, who stays on Mr. F. Levi's
place. He told me he has a good deal
of; cotton and about all of his pease
to gather yet and does not expect to
get done gathering cotton this side
of Christmas. I saw that some gen
. tiemeri have a steam saw mill at
ILevi's water mill and are converting
pine logs into lumber in a hurry. I
"have not been in Northwest Manches?
ter before in twenty-five years: every-'
.thing surely loolMid^atrange to me. I
"heard a funny tMg while out there.
Mr. J. N. Geddmj|pthe man in charge
of Levi's mill and gin, had "gone to
your city leavingyoung white man
3n"eharge. and a bale of cotton com?
ing in to be ginned, Jim, the young
.white man, turned' on the water but
&e gin would not. move, so Jim ran
ont to a Mr. Stre?t, who happened to
y** *
ce near, and he went to investigate the
cause and found vhat a large house
ft had got between the ribs and
ws of the gin. This is the first time
J ever heard of ginning cats. Mr.
Geddings must bja^ojng into the sau
? sage business and using his gin for a
meat cutter.
Two Mormon elders, Messrs. Wells
mod Baum, called on me last "Wednes?
day evening, but they did not tarry
long when I began to talk old time
"Baptist religion to them against their
great visions that they have and do
leceiye from God.
Mr. and Mrs. Wash Scott, of Soeven,
axe, visiting relatives here.
3?r. A, S. Weeks went to Soven yes?
terday.
Air. and Mrs. R.' R. Ardis, of Rocky
333uff visited relatives here last Satur?
day; Sunday and Monday, returning
"home Tuesday. We are always glad
to see Rufe and his charming wife.
Mrs. S. A. T. -.Lackey and her
daughter, Mrs. Bart lette, spent
t?bte day last Sunday at W. J. Ardis'.
Mr. J. M. Ardis and family visited
at W. J. Ardis' last Sunday evening.
-Old man Jim McIntosh is some bet?
ter.
Joe Johnston is laid up with a pain
Sea. his side.
m "No other sick to report and every?
thing in calm and serene in these
coasts.
TLXDAJJ.
Tindal, S. C., November 21.-Mr.
S. F. Osteen has commenced >work to
rebuild the old water mill which was
once run by his father, Mr. J. A. Os?
teen, about 30 years ago. Since that
time the place so well known in this
neighborhood as the "Old Mill," has
teen a dam across a large branch, all
of the old houses having been taken
away years ago and nothing left which
would indicate the importance which
this place once was. We hope that
Mr. Osteen's efforts will be successful
and that the old mill will be of im?
portance again.
Misses Bessie and Hugh Hedge re
' turned to Orangeburg on last Tuesday
morriing.
Mr. J. M. Tindal spent Friday in
Sumter.
The members of Providence church
are going to give an oyster supper at
the school house tonight. A good
time is expected.
Miss Julia Broadway spent last Fri?
day in Sumter.
Mr. E. E. Hodge, who has been
suffering with an attack of la grippe
3s improving.
Miss Belle Aycock> of Bessie, Ga.,
who has been speofling some time
with her sister, Mrs>;B. R. Hodge, of
Slver, visited in* the neighborhood
taxis week. - W
jj i
HAGOOD. ;
One meets all s|Hs $f people in
this old world of piws. I ?stopped at a
place some time toa??^hat was inno?
cent of a comb and brush. Yes, I
was in a straight. They were church
members but had never seen that
scripture (?) that cleanliness is next
to Godliness perhaps or else its force
was lost upon them. Talking about
the Bible one fellow gave me this as
scripture "A whistling woman and
a crowing hen never come to any
go-d end. " Did you ever notice what
summary punishment the women visit
on a crowing hen?
I met a well dressed lady in a fix;
her nose was all turned up and would
work no other way. You see she had
sneered so much at her husband, at
her children, at everything and every?
body that for convenience sake her
took that shape. How much ]
pleasanter to meet faces habitually
wreathed with smiles.
St. Matthews has a model police?
man, as clever as can be. Pleasant,
companionable is Frank Hill, but
when occasion demands, as stern as
a judge. He has a habit, a good 3ne,
of holding every stranger and finding
out his business. But did he not
have a close shave when the safe
crackers attempted to rob the St.
Matthews' bank. The rascals put a
lighted lantern at the door of hu
house whence he came out and had
he heard the explosion and gone out
most assuredly he would have been
shot down.
Orangeburg county is coming to the
front fast as an > agricultural section
and land is leaping in prices but one
can get some bargains there yet. One
great drawback to much of it is the
miserable roads, but they are im?
proving, the people turning out and
building them, not waiting on th?
chaingang. Mr. Banks, of the firm of
Banks & Wimberly, expended several
hundred dollars of his own money to
build a certain road. Yes, he had prop?
erty on it, but so did \>thers. TL ;
hope of any country is its people;
they may be thrifty enough, but if
they are close and selfish develop^
ment, if it comes, will be tardy. Rich?
land county. With great difficulties
in the way, has, as I suppose, the fin?
est roads in the State. The old wide
road to Camden for sixteen miles out
from Columbia, is a model of excel?
lence, and what Richland did the rest
of us can do. Kershaw roads, as a
rule, are bad and Fairfields, those I
saw, are miserable. It has been years
since I was in that county till lately
and I was surprised to see no im?
provement in it whatever. It would
help these people immensely if they
would come out and see that "the
world do move."
I am back home nov,*, in old Sum?
ter, one of the livest places ajround.
from side to side enterprise and' activ?
ity, the city setting pace to the coun?
try- Stay away from the city a few
weeks and be surprised at the im?
provements it has made made. Br'or
Rabbit says: "If you are going to do
a thing, do a thing," which seems to
be Sumter's motto.
I repeat it, "When prosecution is
for persecution it becomes prostitu?
tion."
Give some fellows an inch of privil?
ege and they will take an ell of lib?
erty. Proper restraint in office poli?
tics, all things hurts no one, but
saves much every way*
I hope the farmers will not go
crazy over cotton. There is plenty
'and tough work for the association.
The cry when we began was "too late,
too late. Let us start in time. Thanks,
Mr. Editor, through you, to all the
press for their invaluable, their indis
pensible aid, without which I most as?
suredly believe the cause would have
miscarried. "Hagood."
MAXNFNG XEWS NOTES.
Died suddenly last Saturday night
near New Zion, Mr. J. L. Keels, aged
about 50 years. The funeral took j
place Sunday at Friendship church
in Sumter county.
/ Dr. James McDowell was taken sud
deny ill last Sunday at Midway church
just as he was beginning to preach
his sermon. Dr. Hagood Woods was
in the congregation, and gave Mr. Mc?
Dowell immediate attention, after
which he was removed to the homo
of Mr. W. T. Rose. The last news we
have been able to learn is that Mr.
McDowell is better, but he is very
weak. The news caused much anx?
iety here, and it is the sincere hope
that this gra:*d old man will be
spared.
After the regular Presbyterian ser?
vite last Sunday morning the pastor
requested the young people to remain
as he wished to have a talk with them.
This "talk with them" came as a sur- j
pricevand the "talk with them" struck
them with consternation as tile pastor
proceeded to make a most beautiful
exhortation on the duties of church
members and complying with and liv?
ing up to the rules o? the church. He
urged them to give up dancing, at?
tending theatres and card-playing. He
also made reference to some informa?
tion, which, under promise that he
woud not dsclose the source or nature
of his information, related there was
i
a scandalous handling of names of
some young ladies who attended the
dances. He assured his hearers that
i
he did not believe the report, but
nevertheless it grieved him. The
meeting resulted in nearly all tho
young folks present signing a pledge
not to attend any more dances, thea?
tres or card-playing. There were a
few who declined to sign the pledge,
and these take the position that it is
:i matter (deserving more considera?
tion, and should not be hastily agreed
to.-Manning Times.
WEDGEFIELD.
Wedgefield, November 20.-A good
many of <?ur folks went over to the
opening sah- of the New York Sal?
vage Company last week, som.- got
bargains and some did not
It is thc unanimous hope of our
citizens that if another firm should bc
so unfortunate as to have the New
York Salvage Company to sell their
stock that members of said firm will
iot drive their automobiles this way
n celebrating the event.
A fine of ^10 each for reckless
driving- is not deemed justice for the
demolishing of a buggy and ruining
of a horse.
We are law abiding citizens, but no
such recklessness will be permitted
in these parts.
Mr. J. A. Harvin is spending a few
days in town.
Mr. J. G. Troutman is at home for
a short stay.
Mr. W. T. Aycock, of Columbia,
spent several days at home the past
week.
Mrs. Elise Lathrop, of New York,
is visiting Mrs. Carrie Brohun.
STATEBURG.
Stateburg, November 20.-Mrs. A.
P. Manning and Mrs. H. S. Gaillard
spent several days last week with Mrs.
J. S. Pincknej-.
Miss Annie M. Barnwell, of Flor?
ence, spent Sunday at home.
Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Richardson,
Mr. Henry Richardson and Miss Su?
san Richardson, of Pinewood, were
the guests of Mrs. W. R. Flud yester
da\- and today.
Miss Mayo Rees spent Sunday at
home.
Mr. J. Singleton Moore spent Sat?
urday and Sunday at "The Ruins."
Mrs. M. S. Burgess, of Sumter, re?
turned home this afternoon after a
short visit to Mrs. Screven Moore.
Mrs. F. H. McLeod will return to
her home in Florence tomorrow after
a vejy pleasant visit to her mother,
Mrs. S. E. Nelson.
Mr. F. P. Burgess spent Sunday at
her home.
Mrs. R. M. Can tey and Miss A. N.
Burgess are visiting Mrs. J. J. John?
son in Charleston.
Bishop Ellison Capers was the
guest of Rev. and Mi's. W. H. Barn?
well on Sunday.
Bishop Capers preached to a large
and appreciative congregation at the
Church of the Holy Cross on Sunday.
There was one candidate for baptism
and two for confirmation. We were
very glad to have our dear bishop
with us once more and to be able to
hear another of his excellent sermons.
MAX.
Max, November 20.-Messrs. D.
! McKenize and W. E. Lea, of Tim
monsville were in Beaulah one day
last week on business.
A large congregation listened at?
tentively to a splendid sermon by the
pastor at Bethel Sunday afternoon.
Mr. J. A. Carraway enjoyed a visit
in Clarendon last week with his old
friends Capt.- Wm. Burgess and Mr.
James P. Langston.. He reports a
warm we&ome, peace and pleaty.
Rev. B. K. Truluck will attend the
Baptist Convention which meets in
Columbia Dec. 1.
privateer, Nov. 21.-Mr. John N.
Ingram was buried at Bethel Church
on the 15th inst.
Mr. W. E. Kolb is still very ML
Dr. R. B. Forman is adding another
story to his already commodious
dwelling.
Mrs. S. J. Bradford is visiting in
Bisbopville.
Miss Daisy Lide and Miss Katy
Susong spent last week in Orangeburg;.
Miss Elma Geddings spent Saturday
and Sunday at her home in Paxville.
Mr. J. M. Griffin, of Silver visited
in the neighborhood Sunday.
Mr. Matthew Aderson,* of Sumter,
spent Sunday at Mr. G. A. Nettles'.
Mr. and Mrs. Alva Mellette of
Wedgefield visited in' the ne'ghbor
hood Saturday.
Mr. L E. Mims spent Sundav night
! at Mr. E. W. Rivers'.
I Miss Inez Wells is spending sorne
i time in Wedgefield.
Bishopville News Notes.
Mrs. Amanda McCaskill died yester?
day (\Yed2iesday) morning about 5
o'clock and will be buried at the
Bisbopville Presbyterian church this
mornioti at ll o'clock.
Mr. I. W. Weaherly's saw mill near
DuBcse's bridge was burned last
Sunday night at an hour that nothing
was saved but the belting to che fly
wheel. No insurance and the loss is
heavy.
At a meeting of the stockholders of
the Lee County Grange Co., the capi?
tol stock was increased to S25,000 and
the following Board cf|? directors was
elected: N. Barnett, G. F. Parrott,
J. P. Kilgore, W. A. James, L. A.
Moore, J. A. He a ron and J. B. Lane.
Mr. D. Ed. Durant has sold bis
store and lot to Mr. Geo. M. Stuckey
and his house and lot to Mr. H. W.
Woodward and has bought a valuable
farm near Yorkville.- Bishopville
Vindicator.
SUMTER MOTOR CIA B.
The automobilsts of the city met last
week in the armory of the Sum?
ter Light Infantry and perfected the
organization of the Sumter Motor
Club.
The officers elected were: Dr. J. A. j
Mood, President: Dr. Walter Cheyne, ?
Vice President, and Mr. H. Harby,
Secretary and Treasurer.
The prime objects of the club are I
to dissipate, as far as possible"? the j
hostile public opinion against auto- j
mobiles, to force its meuihres'to have
due regard for thc rights of the pub- j
li.-, and besides, this, the social fea j
tures of the club were considered and j
were made an important parr of the .
organization.
The club v will commence modestly
at first, and when it grows to sullici- !
ently large proportions, a club house !
will be built at some nearby place, i
where tno members of the club may j
resort for a pleasant evening.
With the great number of cars al- i
ready in the city, and the prospects
of thc arrival of many more in thc !
sprinsr. the success of the cicb should ;
be insured beyond all doubt.
STATE HIGH SCHOOLS.
Agitation for the Establishemcnt of
Them.
The idea . f establishing a number of
I state high schools will be advocated
j very strongly by the state su perin ten
I dent of education in his annual re
j port Mr. Martin bas written the vari
; ous"statfi superintendents of education
! for an idea on this Une and from the
! replies received it is evident that in
j the West there are a kr ge nn rober of
. state nish schools that help the at
I tendance at the colWes a great deal.
[Omitting the letters MT. Martin will
have the following in re?'?'rd rn it:
The absence of high schools marks
a weak place in the edcational system
of South Carolina. The time has
come when this -.vant should be sup?
plied. One of the pjo r phenomenal
growth, in any educational li:ie is the
great growth of state universities in
the middle and far West This growth
is largely accounted for by the pro?
vision on the part rf the legislatures
of those states for high schools. As a
rule, these state oniv?rittes enroll
more than three thousand students.
This occurs in states whese population
does not emceed that of this state.
Suiih university growth is impossible
without goori preparatory and high
school facilities. It is pour educa?
tional policy for a state to spend ap
proximately a quarter of s million
dollars on four colleges and then
make absolutely no prf vision for hich
schools to be feeders to those col?
leges. The statistics from mc
above referred to show . <>;<! rh- ht>h
school not only nervis <:s r, ft>(>d?v ?cr
the university, but that t&cusa-'-f?? nf
boys and gi rh are proparo . '-or !irp's
duties in these high schools. l>.< r*ct,
it is customary to offer two eooises,
one for students who expect to go tn
college or to the university, and one
for those who do not.
Some of tae states provide only owe
high school to the county. Some, pro?
vide for as many as seven in one coun?
ty : and some provide for the organi?
zation of. a high school in any terri?
tory larger than a township. Of
ccur=e, I should not favor state aid to
any high school unless the community,
township or county should De willing
to aid itself, and also be williger-to
admit boys and girls free nf tuitim
?rom any rart of the county in which
the school is located. In order to en?
courage local effort and initiative, I
think the law should provide state aid
to any territory as great or greater
than the township which would make
a special levy for high school pur
roses. This levy need not be large.
In some counties which would gladly
take advantage of a law of this kind,
a half mill would be amply sufficieni,
and I do not belive that any county
would need more than one mill for
this purpose.
A majority of the high schools
would have a three years course of
study. Under that law, they get 6300
aid. South Carolina gives nearly
tw'ice as much to feed, clothe and
educate sixty-eight boys witii scholar?
ship in a state college, as North
Dakota does to encourage a system of
hi??h schools, which prepared several
thousand boys and girls for college,
lt seems to me to be rank folly for
the state to give 81,000 to feed and
clothe one boy and give him a college
education, when that tboosand dollars
might be used to encourage the estab?
lishment of a high school which
would prepare a hundred boys for col?
lege in the same length of tin e;. If
you will give a bey such preparatory
advantages as will get him ready for
college, in nine cases out of ten be
will work to feed and clothe himself
while in college: nor should v\e for?
get the vast amount of work along
scientific, commercial and industrial
lines, which .can be done in these
. high schools to prepare boys who
don't get to college, for life. 1 know
of no possible legislation that would
be more far-reaching with its good in?
fluence upon our educatiorai system
tban the enactment of a good hiyh
school law.-Tbe Colnbmia Record.
SUSPECT THE RAB?ES.
Son of J. F. Stackley Bitten by a Dog
Thought to Be Mad.
J. F. Stackley left last night for
Baltimore with his son Bory to have
him treated by specialists for a mad
dog bite. The child was bitten by
Dr. Wm. ilderton's fine bird dog last
Wednesday, but it was net known
then that the dog was mad, but later
the animal acted very strangely, try?
ing to bite everything it came in con?
tact with, so Mr. Stackley thought
it bfst not to run any risk.
Dr. Ildertou says the dog bit the
house cat, and tried to bite Mr*.
Ildertou and Miss Mabel but disap?
peared before he could get a chance to
kill it. He had his cat killed after
he fe und out that the dog was proba?
bly maa.-Florence Times.
A WOMAN SUICIDES.
Orangeburg, Nov. 20.-The entire
city was shocked about 12 o'clock to?
day when it was known tint Mrs.
Hattie Bronson had shot herself with
suicidal intent and that her death was
but a matter of a few hours.
Mrs. Branson was the wife of Henry
H. Brunson, who died a year and a
half ago. His death wa9 a blow from
which Mrs. Brunson never recovered
and she was frequently very despond?
ent sud bas often spoken of her desire
for death.
Mrs. Brunson had a large family
connection here who were devoted to
lier, lavishing care on her a::d tiying
to reconcile her to life, and OT late |
she had bien more cheerio! It is i
said that one of the carnival fortuno
tellers, whom Mrs. Brunson consulted
last week, told her that she was on
the, verge of a groat trouble, and this
had intensified her despondency. This
is being generally repeated on the j
streets, but those who know Mrs. j
Brunson bes:- do nut think this re- j
sponsible for the act. 1
Since her husband's death Mr9. j
Brunson has made her home with !
Dr. J. il. Perryciear and it was here !
that the deed was done.
Mrs. .Brunsen was in her own room !
and used a Smith & Wesson pistol that ;
had been hrr husband's. When found
she was in iront of the mirror, show?
ing she had acted very deliberately.
The bullet entered the ri.yht temple
and passed through the head, cornirg i
out of the lift temple. ?
ANNUAL PENSION REPORT.
J Showing Amounts Expended in Each
of the Counties and For Each
Class of Pensioners.
Columniia, November 18.-The
annual report of the State pension
department has been published by the
State printer. The report is particu?
larly valuable in that it gives the
names of every pensioner and the
amount received by him or by her.
The total number cf pensioners in
the respective classes is as follows :
Class A, SS6 each, 75 ; class B, $72,
192 : class C, No. 1, 848, 585 : class C,
No. 2, 15.50, 4,068; cJ ass C. No. 3,
848, 750; class C, No. 4, 8815.00, 3.
129. Total number of censioners 8,
S04.
The total amount paid to pension?
ers was 6l9o,450.50, divided among
the counties as fellow's:
Abbeville. S3.5S2: Aiken, 80 WO:
Andersun, $1,120;; Bamberg, 81.7i2.
75 Barnwell, 83,332; Beaufort. ?580.
50: Berkelev, 82,403: Charleston,
83.089.50; Cherokee, 85,163-; Chester,
83,696; Chesterfield, 85,696.50; Clar?
endon. 83,338; Colleton. 86,984: Dar?
lington, ?4,989.50: Dorchester, 81,754:
Edgefield, 82,NS4.S5; Fairfield,
82,864 25: Fairfield, $3.357; Florence,
83,885.50; Georgetown, 81,027;
Greenville, 8U,014,9u; Green?
wood, 83,324.50; Hampton,
84,1815 Hcrry, 84,437: Kershaw,
83.387.75: Lancaster,85.880: Laurens,
SK, 705.75,; Lee S2 94G.50: Lexi o eton,
?5,771.27: Marion, 85,460 : Marlboro,
83.610.50; Oconee, 80.905; Orange
? burg 85,375; Pic-kens. $5.330.28: Sich
land,85,S74.50: Saluda. 83,755: Spar
tanburg. $17,810 50; Sumter, ?3,070;
?n i on, 85.'. 34.50 : Williamsburg, 83,
9SS: York, 87.59S; total. 8199.2S7.80.
PROHIBITIONISTS WILL REJOICE
Eight Hundred and Ten Thousand
Gallons o?" Whiskey Burned.
Ccnnellsville, Pa., Nev. Y 19.-Ar
the Overholt distillery at Broacfcrd
today 810,000 calions of whiskey fur?
nished a .Spectacular fire emailing a
less of 84,030,00.), cove red by insurance.
A steady northeast wind which blew
the flames toward tho Yougbicgheuy
river saved the town cf Broadford, the
buildings of the H. C. Frick Coke
C?mpany and the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad station from destruction.
FIFTEEN-CENT COTTON.
Plans to Hold Three Million Bales of
the Fleecy Staple.
New Orleans, Nov. 15.-Following
the arrival of President Harvie Jor?
dan, the Southern CuLton association
today perfected plans for*" taking off
the market 3,000,000 bales of cotton
by means of a series of pledges which
the farmers will sign themselves,
stating their name and address and
the amount of cotton they will thus
hold. The cottou held will not be
sold for less than 15 cents a pound ac?
cording to the pledges. A represen?
tative of the association is to be sent
into every one of the 8i7 cotton pro?
ducing counties of the cotton belt at
once. When the pledges are signed
they will be sent to the central office
of the association in Atlanta.
^President Jordan says that half of
the crop has already been sold at an
average of 10 cents and the spinners
must have all the remainder He be?
lieves that 15 cents for the remainder
is a fair price and it will only aver?
age the spinners 123-? cents while they
have based all their calculations on
14 cents cotton. \
Lost Boy Restored.
Greenville, Nov. 17.-The four-year
oid boy who was found by the police
roaming the streets yetserday after?
noon, apparently lost from his parens,
was the child of Capt. and Mrs. E.
H. Parry, who reside in east McBee
avenue, having recently moved to
Greenville from Gainesville, Ga.
The parents were very anxious about
the disapparance of their child and
were grateful to the officers for taking
care of bim until bis parents were
found. Capt. Parry was iormrtly
chief of police of Gainsville
Gang of Pickpockets Caught.
Valdosta, Ga., Nov. 17.-Seven al?
leged pickpockets were arrested here
today aud are being held for investi?
gation. Tiiey are said to be gang
that has been following Ringling
Brothers' circus through Georgia and
Florida. The names and location
given by the prisoners are: John
Burton, Montgomery: Ed Cole, Mem?
phis; Frank Morgan of Louisville; J.
A. Morris and Sam Ackerman of
Memphis and James Hickey of Mar?
ion, Ind. Circus detectives spotted
the men and local police followed
and arrested them. Two travelers
were robbed here early today, one cf
$1,100 and the other of 8100.
Fire in Manning.
Manning, November 20.-A small
baru belonging to Dr. Charles B.
Geiger was totally destroyed by fire
at 5 o'clock this morning, and along
with it was burned an automobile,
a boggy and harness, and a small
quantity of corn ami hay. Dr.
Geiger's two horses were rescued from
the burning structure by persons who
arrived soon after the fire was discov
erad. They also got the automobile
outside the building, but the flames
spread so rapidly that they had to
forsake it to save themselves. It is
not known how the fire originated,
but it cannot be conjectured how it i
could have started accientally. When |
the fire was discovered the flames
were confined to the hay loft, and the
doors were locked. It is difficult to
understand how any one could malici- j
ously set fire to the building, for j
there is not a more inoffensive man in j
the county than Dr. Geiger, and it is ;
not supposed that he has an enemy in j
the world. The total amount of loss I
is estimated at about 8750, allowing!
for depreciation of value, from use of j:
the automobile, and tho amount of j i
insurance is onlv 8250. j
_.-I
Standard Oil Dividends.
New York, Nov. 15.-The Standard :
Oil Company, lias declared a quarterly j1
dividend o? 810 a share. The pervious <
dividend was 80 a share and the divi- ',
dend at this time last year was 87 a
share. Today's declaration brines the ;
tt?ta 1 dividend for tbe year to 840 a \1
share. Last year it was. 8:JG. ! ;
COSTLY FIRE IX SUMMERTON.
Entire Business Block on Depot Street
Swept By the Flames Saturday
Morning.
Summerton,. November 18.-S a ar?
in er ton was visited at an early hour
this morning by the most disastrous
fire in its history and there Ofling no
available way of checking its pro?
gress, it sw?pc the eutire business block
rm Depot street. The fire started in
the store occupied by W. L. Brunsor,
Jr., and quickly spread to the adjoin?
ing buiiGin^s. The losses are esti?
mated as follows :
C. B. Brown & Co., loss 82,000:
it's T.?nce 81,COO.
C. C. Way, loss 82,300: insurance
81.700. M. D. Wells, loss 81,500; in
s a rance ?500.
W. L. Brnnson, Jr., loss $1.000;
ir,sa-ance 8000,
Sam Lawson, loss 8500: insurance
S200:
Rag:n, Green & Jones, loss .81,200;
insurance 8600.
A. J. Ri-h burg's office, loss 8500;
ins ira co 3300.
R. B. MelJette, loss 8L-000; insur?
ance 8o;:f?.
Bili Doughty, loss 8-500; insurance
830 ?.
The town also suffered the loss of
its new guard house, which was not
injured. This block was built only
recently and ccutained only small
frame builairgs. It is reported that
only brick buildings will be erected
on this street hereafter.
HOMICIDE AT BATES3URG.
One Xegro Shoots Another-He De?
clares Gun Went off Accidentally..
Eares^urc, Novebmer 19.-The quite
of t?e Sabbath was broken today by
the report of a gun in the negro quar?
ter of this town. In a few moments
the cries of a negro woman rent the
air. In a short while it was ascertained
that Thomas Watkins had been shot
to death by Sam Coleman. All the
parties are negroes and it is a hard
matter to get at the facts.
Coleman claims that the gun fell
down and was discharged. Watkins*
was shot in the left 'ye and the range
was so closa\that his hat was powder
burned, aud rik's the opinion of many
that the killing was murder or mau
slau2hter.
There were two negroes on the piazza
of the house where the shooting oc?
curred, but they do not seem to know
anything about the matter. The hole
in the dtad man's Lead was a ghastly
sight.
The Union Cotton Mills.
Charlotte ix". C., ^^?*smj3gir 2 9. -A.
special" to the Observer from
S. C., tonight, says that Mr. J. O.
Proctor, of Boston, representing the
reorganization , committee of the
Union and B?rlalo Cotton Mills, an?
nounced that over three-fourths of
the claims against the two concerns
have been deposited with the holding
company, tomorrow being the fest day
for such deposit, and that a reorgan?
ization of the corporations under thal
scheme proposed is now assured. ' The
plan is for the holding company to?
issue stock in the new corporations in
settlement of the claims. It is likely
that - the old corporations* may go?
throngh bankruptcy proceedings, tbe>
holding compauy buying in the prop?
erties, J
- 1
ADOPTION OF TEXT BOOKS.
Will Be Made Xcxt Spring and Supt
Martin Wants to Get Best.
The contract between the various
book concerns and the State expires
on July 1, 1906, and State Superin?
tendent Martin is sending out circular
letters to State superintendents ofT
education throughout the country for
suggestions as to a book law that wilt
give satisfaction. There is the hard?
est kind of a fight every time the boole
contract comes up and if possibly
Mr. Martin wants a law that will be
more uniform than the present.
It has been suggested that a law
be passed making the books a uni?
form price in all of the counties with
the price stamped on the back of the
book by the company getting the con-^
tract. The books would be j sold the
dealer so that a profit of 10 per cent,
would be made, to which no one
would object. A contract would be
made with the book company that
books would be sold in this State as
cheap as they were sold elsewhere
and a bond would be required for the
carrying out of this part of the con?
tract.-The State.
Dun's Weekly Trade Review.
Xew York. Nov. 17.-R. G. Dun &
Co.'s weekly review of trade says:
A temporary flurry in the monej^
market had little deleterious effect in
commercial channels, most reoorts
indicating a further increase in the
volume of business. Orders came for?
ward freely for distant delivery, and
buyers experience much difficulty in
making purchases for quick shipment^
Wholesale trade in holiday goods is
now well under way and retail distri?
bution of seasonable merchandise re?
sponds to the generally lower tem?
perature. There is still some delay in
mercantile collections, especially at
the south, where cotton is now being^
marketed freely. Traffic conditions
have improved and railway earnings
for the first week of November were
4.9 per cent. larger than in the cor
responding time last year. Failures
this week numbered 240 against 217
last year. i^P*
Glasgow, November 19.-Thc most
terrible lire that has occurred in
C?reat Britain for many years broke
mt here today in a cheap lodging
?louse for men in Watson street and
resulted in the loss of 39 lives and the?
severe injury of many others. W