Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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YEAR S BUSINESS REVIEW. Bradstreet* Tells t**e Storj of the Most Prosperous Yenv iii Our History Bradstreet's of December 30th will y: Nineteen hundred and five was a 3rear. of almost boundless activity in trade, industry and speculation. It was ? period of - rich rewards to agricul - 'taire, though not of uniformly record Arfelds; of abundance of employment f?r labor, and of very few serious Strikes; of building and constructive -activity in all lines; of enormously enlarged bank clearings tolals, and of strikingly small failure damage, con? sidering the immense business done and the unprecedented number en? gaged therein. That it was, on the -whole, a year of heavily increased public purchasing power seems cer in view of the fact that commod prices were maintained at record levels. It was a year of peace in 3aational affairs, and the country cer? tainly has no cause to regret the ef? forts of its highest officer to bring peace to warring sister nations. While spared the social unrest visible in me foreign nations, it may be said tb some comfort that it was a period of morai awakening likely to be pro? ductive of much good to the nation, because of the pitiless arraignments ? of dishonest financial and political practices in the court of public opin? ion , The multitude of. records broken shows that new guideposts have, in? ? deed been set up. The revival which began io the last half of 1301. far from si?ending its force, as ?var often predicted in the early part of ISO5, grew as the year advanced. True, there was a period of hesitation-a breathing spell, as it were-in the spring of the year, but this was a -pause to get a clearer view of the ul? timate crop yields and to enable the business world to take new bearings. Thenceforth the commercial, financial and industrial'movement surged for? ward, weather drawbacks and dis? closures of financial rottenness in high places failing to stem the upward trend. Disregard of precedents was, perhaps, best illustrated in the persis? tent advance of securities despite high money prices, and the tendency to discount prosperity was irresistible. Some Details of Trade. The momentum given business by the booking in, 1904 of three to six months' orders *^>r 1905 he'.ped carry industry actively 'through a very s? Tere winter, which saw traffic con? gested, new business retarded, collec lions impaired and fuel supplies re? stricted. Low temperatures, however, favored a thorough retail distribution of seasonable goods, and heavy rains and snows improved a low conditioned .winier wheat crop. Good March ?weather expanded trade rapidly; cot? ton prices reacted from the lowest of the year, thus helping southern trade; foolish reports of cotton burning were early disproved by Bradstreet's; rail "way embargoes were lifted; record iron and steel outputs occurred; fail "are liabilities decreased, and Brad? street's reports pointed to $600,000, -000 worth of bulding contemplated. Trade and collections during April were excellent, but the collapse of thec J?ay wheat deal, with resulting bank "failures, affected securities prices; ?wheat quotations already weakened "by good crop prospects, receded, and Iron, coal and coke likewise declined, insurance disclosures and a long spell of rainy weather were also depressing. Setter weather in June improved ce? reals; higher cotton prices, influenced by reduced area sewn and good de? mand for the balance of the immense crop of 1904, restored southern activ? ity, and the last half of the year's im? mense trade development was inaug? urated. Six month's figures of iron production broke all records; so did those of clearings, building and for? eign-trade. Trade displayed less than ordinary midsummer quiet, ample im? petus being furnished by predictions of immense cereal yields, though win? ter wheat did not maintain full prom? ise, and rust damage, investigated but miaimized by Bradstreet's agents, slightly curtailed the spring-planted crop. Fall trade began early. South? ern trade, hurt by yellow fever and resulting quarantines, was stimulated by cotton steadily advancing on crop reyyovts, too much rain in the South ?west and intense demand for manufac? tures. Securities rose despite harden? ing money rates; manufacturing was active in all lines; iron, which touched bottom in July, began to advance, as did also coke; labor was scarce; ce? reals were gathered free from frost damage; coarse grain exports expand? ed, wheat and flour dragging behind, and distributive trade was the best ev =er known. In September car short? ages began to affect traffic and collec? tions, clearings reached new high fig? ures, while failures and liabilities for nine months were below 1904. Lifting of Southern quarantines gave zest to Southern trade, which was further helped by high cotton quotations when the movement was heaviest. In the last quarter open wreather favored outdoor activity but retarded retail trade, which was also hampered by farmers holding grain and cotton, and the car congestion, which likewise de? layed collections. Stock speculation, though lacking marked public partic? ipation and displaying manipulative influences, wfs of large volume at ri ord prices, despite high money i fluenced by active trade and disturb foreign markets. Iron and steel 01 puts advanced; ore sales, dearin and staple prices all scored high lev? I in December. Repeatedly during t year Bradstreet's monthly price ind . showed gains above all previous yeai and the sustained strength was a i tested by the fact that the index nur Iber (revised) was $8.3014 o? Decer j ber 1, the highest point in 14 years, per cent, over January 1, and 45 p cent over the iow level in July, 189 Wholesale buying quieted toward tl close and seasonable goods felt the h fluence of mild weather, but sprir orders exceeded any previous recor and holiday trade in volume and val; fittingly crowned a record-breakir year. Cotton and Wheat Speculation. The cotton and grain markets wei scenes of excitement, with cotton fig uring most extensively throughout an finishing at nearly the highest price of the year after beginning at the lo-w est; whereas wheat, highest in Feb rt ary, found a low level near the clos after a rally from an extreme dedin in the early summer. Cotton bega the year at 7 cents for middling up lands, but on successive reports c reduced acreage, bad weather, heav rains, fine consumptive demand, an later heavily reduced estimates o yield, rose by remarkable jumps, wit] some reactions, to 12.60 cents, th highest price being touched in Decem ber, following the government estim?t of 10,167,000 bales, contracting win a commercial crop last year of 13. 600,000 bales and an actual yield o probably 14,100,000 bales. Reactio: later lost part of the advance, but i is still 4 1-2 cents above December 1904 Exports for the year break a! records in quantity and value owing to the large old crop -and good price: paid and today the South is more pros perous than ever. An era^ of scarcity, high prices, anc predictions that the United States hac ceased to figure as an exporter, came to an end with the next to record wheat crop of this year. The bulls, tempted by the strength of the cash demand, overstayed the market, and suffered defeat in the early slump of March, and the collapse of the May eption in April.' Cash wheat at Chi? cago touched $1.24, the highest point, in February; fell to 86 1-2 cents in May, and receded further to 77 7-S cents in August on good crop reports. The year closes with cash wheat at 87@88 cents, against $1.18 at the opening. Corn was lowest in January -i2 cents-and highest in May 64 1-2 cents--but has not lost much strength since, despite the large crop. Oats were highest in July-34 1-4 cents-and lowest in September-25 cents. The coarser grains developed a good export demand, but wheat, which had almost disappeared from export trade last spring, and, to a less extent, flour, lagged' behind, Russia, Canada and Argentine competing with America in foreign markets. Crops and Foreign Srade. Record corn and sugar and next to record wheat yields were features this year. Hay and oats yielded largely, while potatoes, barley, rice and cotton decreased heavily. Financial Records Favorable. Though expanded by active stock, wheat and cotton speculation, bank clearings reflect in the main immense growth in trade and industry. Month? ly totals since October, 1904, have been in the tens of billions, successive high records being struck in March, November and December. Every month but May showed increases over the best previous totals. Failures, few? er by 3 per cent, than last year, are only 4 per cent, more numerous than in 1903, despite the larger number in business and the immense increase in activity. Liabilities, though swelled by numerous financial failures, due, apparently, to unsound or worse bank? ing methods, and not to weakness in the general situation, are 16 per cent, less than in 1904, and smaller than in any year since 1902, which they ex? ceed by 20 ncr cent. Labor and Industry. Industry was unprecedentedly act? ive, while labor, conservatively man? aged, was busily employed; strikes were few, and the number rendered idle was the smallest for three years. Pig-iron production broke all records with a total of 23,000,000 tons, a S:> per cent, gain on 1904. Iron-ore ship? ments aggregate 34,000,000 tons, a gain of 56 per cent on 1904 and of 25 per cent, on 1902 record. Cotton and wooien goods manufacturing was ac? tive despite very high prices of raw material. Easterrr*''shoe shipments, even though prices of hides and leath? er were very high, aggregated 4,975, 000 cases, a gain of 7 per ct-nt. on 1904, 3 per cent, under the 1903 rec? ord. Anthracite coal shipments ex? ceeded the 1904 record by 8 per cent., and bituminous coal, though dull mid? way in the year because of oil and gas competition, probaly saw the largest output ever recorded, as did furnace coke. Copper production broke all rec? ords, and exports were clos.- to the highest. Railway gross earnings, the largest on record by 7.5 per cent., in? creased over 1904 in every month save February when adverse weather re? tarded operations. , Looking For-van!. If satisfaction with the past and j WORKS WONDEI -. How Gowan's Pneumonia Cor Croup, Pneumonia-All from Colds-And When yon have a conga or a pain in the cht dangerous. Most of the deaths in winter begin ju: Wherever your .cold is centered, there yon nu throat. Now when yon take an internal remedy i wrecks yonr digestion and never gets to your langi Gowan's Pneumonia Cure is external. Itpenetr soothes at once the irritated Kings or throat. It < monia-all cr? germs. That is, it makes the tangs READ THESE 1 ** I will spars no pains to eal! the attentio *' Mrs. J. B. GILL, S a perin ie ad eat Ma " I hare used Gowan's Pneumonia Cure, world. I feel sore it savad my motber'i Iii? 1 " P. O. LSAS, with Lilpfert-Scalei Co Gowan's is powerful, but also harmless. It ii mother should keep a bottle in the house. Cure yo relief-sure cure in Gowan's. Large bottle, $:.oo; GOWAN MEDICAL < confidence in the future are at all re? liable guides, 1906 is likely to equal, if indeed it does not surpass, the year drawing to a close. The volume of orders booked ahead exceeds any pre? vious year in the country's history, and high prices as yet seem to exer? cise no effect cpon consumptive de? mand. GREGGS* HISTORY REPRINTED. f Tlte Annals of the Pee Dee Country j Republished by The State Company. Through the efforts of the Pee Dec Historical Society, which was organ? ized a few years ago with a member? ship from the counties in the Pee Dee section of South Carolina, Greggs' His? tory of the Old Cheraws has been're? printed by the State Company, of Co? lumbia, and it is now on the market, j Greggs' History is the most valua- 1 ble and interesting of ail the histories , Sealing with the settlement and devel- j opment of South Carolina. This his- ? " tory of the "Old Cheraws" relates to j ; the Pee Dee section exclusively, but | I is so many families now scattered j throughout the State had their origin j . in the Pee Dee, it has an interest for ! . South Carolinians and their descend- j 1 i-.its wherever they may be found. ' . Bishop Gregg gave years of study and ; . I 1 *esearch to the preparation of his his- ! j tory and from the day of the publica- ' ' :ion of the first edition to the present ' :ime it has been recognized as author? itative. For many years it has been >ut of print and copies of it have been nuch sought after. The reprint will supply this long felt want of students >f history. But apart from its inter? est and value to students it is a book Df value to the general reader and no South Carolinian's library is complete vithout it. The volume just issued is an exact reproduction of the text of the origi lal edition, illustrated with excellent ?alf-tone pictures of Pee Dee scenes md portraits of famous men. It has ilso a valuable addenda prepared un ier the direction of Col. J. J. Dargan, secretary of the Pee Dee Society, vhich gives in a short space a great leal of interesting information rela ive to the Pee Dee country. It is the purpose of the Pee Dec Society to issue in the near future a second volume, supplementing Greggs' History and bringing the record down :o recent times. Colonel Dargan is low at work on this volume, and he lopes to complete it at no distant day. Deafness Cannot Be Cured Dy local applications, as they cannot -each the diseased portion of the ear. There is only way to cure deafness, md that is caused by an inflamed condition of the mucous lining of the Eustachian Tube. When this tube is nflamed you have a rumbling sound )r imperfect hearing, and when it is mtirely closed, Deadness is the result, md unless the inflammation can be aken out and this tube restored to it^ iormal condition, hearing will be de? stroyed for ever; nine cases out of ten ire caused ?>y Catarrh, which is notti? ng but an inflamed condition of the nucous surfaces. We will give One Hundred Dollars "or any case of Deafness (caused by :atarrh) tb*.? cannot be cured by rlall's Cata; in Cure. Send for circu ars, free F. J. CHEXEY & CO., Toledo, O. Sold by Druggists, 75c. Take Hall's Family Pills for consti? pation. 12 lS-lm When the tax books closed in Charleston December 80, 99 per cent. )f the city taxes had been paid. *For any disease of the skin there s nothing better than Chamberlain's Salve. It relieves the itching and turning sensation instantly and soon affects a cure. Sold by all druggists. The Granby Stone company has been ?rganized in Columbia with a capital stock of S30.000. The Original. ?Foley & Cc, Chicago, originated Honey and Tar as a throat and lung remedy, and on account of the great merit and popularity of Foley's Honey md Tar many imitations are offered for the genuin.-. These worthless Imitations have similar sounding names. Rewan- of them. The gen? uine Foley's Heney and Tar is in a yellow package. Ask f<>r it and re? fuse any substitute. ii is the best remedy for coughs and colds. Du? rant's Pharmacy. IS EVERY TIME .e Cures Colds, Sore Throat, of them IDs that Come the Reasons Why ist, your cold is settling there-and this ls rery st this way. ast apply the remedy. Either on your chest or t has to pass through the stomach. Often it i at all. ates-goes right in to the seat of thetrouble, and casts oat the germs of cold, consumption, pneu strong to cast these germs out. "WO LITTERS n of my friends to this valnabl? medicine le Orphan Asyl'iii, Richmond, Va." and I think it is the best medicine in th? sui ia.lL ., Wiaston-Salem, N. C." i an absolute safeguard against croup. Eyery .ur cold, cough, chest pains-to-day. Immediate croup size, 25 cents. Sent by mail, if desired. CO.? Durham, N. C. Why Brand Was Promoted. Tbe new honors for R. A. Rrand. so well known in Atla- ts as rhe popnlar and efficient general freight agent of the Atlantic Coast Line,S*as the topic ot general discussion in railroad cir? cles. That his every promotion was on account of his own ability and hard work was proved in the state? ment made by one cf the highest of the Southern Railway official's yester? day. He said that Mr. Brand, who is still a young man, regan his railroad career in Sumter, S. C. He was a very young man at that rime, r;r.d ex? ceedingly anxions to sr^r into tLt? rail? road business. He was ? conn tr v t ov, and going into Sut; ter, be w nt to the station agent and told bim h^ **nted to ?et a job, and proved fcin.srjf ca pable of holding a good clerkship. The agent replied by saying that he had no opening at that time. Mr. Brand stated thar be was not looking for any opening, and that all he want? ed tn do was to go to work, and he said it in such a way that the agent was sorry, but realized that lie must do something to get rid of this per? sistent young roan, and told him th at? tn ere wasn't a thing aimless it was tc handle, a trnck as a common laborer. Mr. Brand replied that bis ambition jnst at that time was to become the general agent and motive power of that unuseu tiuck, and asked where it was. The agent showed him, and get? ting hold of t!ie business end. Mr. Brand remarked that it was exactly the s z* he liked best and fitted him perfectly. Such was his start, and. it wasn't iny time before he was the best truck? man, in Sumter, and was doing odds md ends around the statiou besides, ind finally got a chance to help the 3lerk out when he was hard pushed. In this way he became familiar with more than his own duties by borrowing those of the man above and helping bim whenever he could afford the time, and thanking him for th? privi? lege. Such energy is never wasted in the railroad world, and he was soon a clerk and finally station agent. Then he prov ?d himself capable of better things and went into the traffic department of the Doast Lice, and u=ing the same tar-tics was constantly promoiea until now he ?tand> at the top and is probably fa? miliarizing himself with the duties of 1 v ce president. At least this is the opinion of some of his close friends tf?o live in Atlanta who insist that he tv as capable of anything except stand? ing etill - Atlanta Constitution, Dec. mb, 1905. CASTOR ?A For Infants and Children. Hie Kind Yeo Have ?iwajs Bought Mr. J. Q. Little has been elected nayor of Gaffney. )anger of Cold and How to Avoid Them. *More fatalities have their origin in >r result from a cold than from any >lher cause. Ibjs fact alone should rake people none careful as there ?.? io danger whatever from a cold when t is properly treated in the beginning, l'or many years Chamberlain's Cough Remedy has been recoginzed as tho nost prompt and effectual medicine in ise for this disease. It acts on na ure's plan, loosens the cough, relieves he lungs, opens the secretions and .ids nature in restoring the system to i healthy condition. Sold by all drug? gists. O?N T BE SEPARATED. Sonie Sumter People Bave Lea;ru5d How to Get Bid of Both. Backache and kiduey ache aro twin Yon can't separate them. And yon can't get rid cf ihe backache : inti) yon cure tnc tndrey ache. Lt the kidneys are wei: anet strong, the ?eft of tn? system is pretty sure to be in nporou* health. Donn's Kidney Pills make strong, lealthy idneyp. E. McCloud, farmer, residing on the out ?kirts of Sumter says: "Both tay wi?eand I ised Doan's Kidney Pills procured at i)r. A. r. China's drug store, and obtained a lot of jonolit from them. I thought it must be the .l?mate which did not agree with us or the irater, for we never had the backache until ve moved here some four years ago from Pennsylvania, but we certainly have had it ?ince. Tiie secretions from the kidneys were rregular and much too frequent In action, ?specially at night when our res: was much listurbed. Since we used Doan's Kidney ?Mils neither of us lias had the backache and he a.-lion of the kidneys became natural and tonnai and our rest is not disturbed at light. Donn's Kidney Pills are the l>esi rem ?dy ihat ever came into my house." fc'or sale by all dealers. Price 50 cents. : Fostcr-lMilburn Co., Buffalo. N. V.. sole igents for the United States. Remember the name-Doan's-and take no >ther. 35 -GO TO The Dalzell Mercantile Co. For your Fruit. For Fruit Cake. Christmas at hand. Call for Xmas goods. Full line Toys, Candies and Fruits==all kinds. Dealers in General Merchandise, Dry Goods, Groceries, Notions, Shoes and Hardware. SPECIALTIES : Cake chocolate for baking. Jello, Evaporated Apples, Evaporated Cream, Genned Oysters, Peaches, Toma? toes, Columbia River Salmon, etc. Fresh Fish and Oysters every Saturday at 1 o'clock in i lilts!! flore Horses and Mules and Better Horses and Mules.= Two carfully selected carbsds just in. They are right, the price is right and they need selling badly. A full line of Buggies, Wagons and Harness always on hand. I sell the celebrated MILBUEN WAGON. Respectfully, A. D. HARBY. Received Tuesday, October the 17th, Two Ca,!* Loads OF CHOICE Four Matched Pairs of Horses in the Lot. A FAIR PROPOSITION. ' If you have PROPERTY FOR SALE, it is my business to sell it for yo;?. But in order to make the sale, I must have the matter in-business shape. Write me for V- s< ri pt ion Blank, sign the contract on the back of same an?! teluro to me. If the price given is reason? able, I will advertise and sell the property for you. The contract I wish you to sign is as follows : The State of South Carolina, County of Sumter ?.hereby list for sale the within described property with R. B. Belser 'or a period of.months from date and authorize him to negotiate a salo for same at he rato of.dollars per aero or.dollars for the whole property.'on onus as follows: And further agree that durin? the period herein above mentioned. I will not offer the ;aid property to any one at a price lower ?van that above specified, nor on terms more favor? able than above authorized, and that J will refer all applicants to R. li. Belser; Provided it s understood and agreed, that I shall have the privilege of revoking the authority above ronferred after having given thirty days written notice of such intention: but no attempted withdrawal will be effective undo.- this agreement without such previous notice. And further, in case of sale made oy R. B. Boiser, or through any agency employed >y lum. whether through por>onal solicitations, by advertising or otherwise; or "if he has in liiy way enntri buted to a saleof said property, even though concluded bv myself. I a:rree to >ay to said R. B. Heiser, as compensation for his services in affecting the sale. _per rent, commission on the purchase price for said property, to be paid to him immediately up m the receipt of the first installment paid in by the purchaser of the said property. Witness my hand and seal this.day of.190 In the presence of: .[.Seal]. .[Seal], I HAYE DEMAND for several NICK FARMS, E.g. : A10 iiorse farm in high state of cultivation in good community. UTTORNtY-AT-LAW ?iARSY BLG COURTSQ R. B. BELSER REAL ESTATE BROKER PHONE NO. 309.