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-r-TT-?r \N M \l Rf Pi HIT. OfHo# County ( nuiml^loiins. Sunitcr County, s. c. To Him Honor, lodge i w Bowman Presiding Judge Third Circuit. Spring Tern, I * * IS: The Hoard of County Commls ?ionera for sumter County *>eg leavs to submit to your Honor the twelve monthly reports <?t the County .Super? visor and a recapitulation of all lbs financial transaction* during the past year, an their annual report foi the Irseal year ending December list, 1*14. "The twche reports contain an Itemised Mtntement of all the ROM) spent through this office for the cur? rent expense* of the county and also the source from which the money was derived: During the year 1914 we spent up? on roads and bridges the sum of 57 - ? 70.1 I ??n sccount of the stringency of tln> money market, we were unable t<> market, to advuntage. an issue of road Improvement bonds and we deemed It advisable to postpone the sale of the bonds until a future date. The amount spent upon roads and budges has been used for the gen? eral up-keep of this department. t'?e purchase of terra cotia pipe and metal idpe for the replacement of wooden bridges, and small contracts for road and bridge work Ol account of the failure to successfully market the rOad Sends, we have not pmchaaed as much pipe for permanent improvement as we desired, but have used the limited amount on hai d for this department as economically as possible. We still maintain a'fioatlng gung composed of lured labor, which In doing \uluable work at ?mall cost. During the past year we have done a great deal of work on roads in Stateburg and Pri? vateer townships and have also con? structed a new road in Shiloh town? ship about eight mile* h > n i;. which hai held up well ami provea to be of grant benefit |ej < Itisens In that part of our county. Our plan tot the present year Is to confine the road work, as much as is practicable, to the main roads In the vicinity of the city of Sumter. as they sre subjected to heavy traffic and their improvement will be of benefit to all the cltixens of the coun? ty. The roads at the present time are not in as good condition as we would like, as the heavy rains have damag? ed them to some extent, but we hope with the help of fair weather to make good headway during the year 191'. We respectfully call jrOSUT honor's at? tention to the limited amount .used in the road and bridge department and we will, in another pluce In this re? nnet, explain more fully the Inade? quacy of the amount levied to mc?t the demands of this department and of the others of the county. The chaingang has cost the county during the past year the sum of $10, M0.3S. We feel that this money has been well spent, as we are getting good results from this branch of the work, which is under efficient mnn agement. The chaingang has been steadily employed in the betterment of our old roads and the construction of new road in Shiloh township, which has already been referred to. At the peasant time, we ha, about thirty convicts on the gung. the number changing from time to time as the sentences expire, sometimes going as high as fort\-the to titty. We are now using twenty-one mules. The money apent upon this department haa been used for dieting prisoners, purchasing stock, machinery, tools, drugs, clothing, blankets, food for stock, etc. The expense of the chain? gang department has increased during the past few yearn as the number of convicts and mules has Increased and also on account of the great Increase In the cost of supplies The health of the convicts has been good and th.-,: cond let as s<?"d is < onld be expected from people of this class. We insist at all times upon extra attention to these two features, a* w?- deem them to be of \ Ital Importal Upon the alms house we have spent 13.189 4* Tins rnones has '.n u for dieting the inmate*, for nlni h a*l pay 40c per do m per capita, ne-d Ical attention dimts and Hsedtelncs shoe*, clothing. bed* .i hedding, :?> harm, burial ?'\p. n-e * ?4)) \'\\>- .pi,it - tare are comfortable and the trim are kindly treated by the matron. Ml* I D. Mitchell, ayhe in nerving th county efficiently In this eap.o u\ Th. health of the Inmates has been good. Many ot them come to the Inatitution In miserable health, name helpless and we frv In everv wav |e make tiorn comfortable and give th. m lh# l>ent inedu il attention The num? ber of Inmates durum the yeui would average about -'-? The number oM hand at th* and af the yem was I w hit***. Mnd I ?,.i i .'.|. We ha\?> nnssM apnn ib.> jaii durlni 1 he t pant year the sum of 11,998.71, resides the Meting or prisoners at 4"c per diem P?M eapita this . xp. i, diture f airies lights, water rates, t? le? phone sendee, dismieeiants blankets. beds, tail hnnkn hmnrnnee and gem i - al repairs to buildings and f. i . ? The health of the prisoners has been good. We are still lining the old building and * e do all in our powei to hoop it In sanitary ihn DO. The rspeadUure undor the head of salaries. amounting to $S1.473.79, cur? ries in addition to tilt salaries of the regular county officials, those of the niperintendent and guards of the Chlnaang. overseer floating gang, over seoi of sera pot gang, county attorney, eount) i>oarii of education) county and township hoard! of assessors and equalisation and janitor of court house, Thai expense has gradually In n ? ? 1 luring the hast few years as the cost of living has increased. The contingent expense ol the coun? ty ?mounted lo I7.77l.tl la 1914, This amount Includes the payments for books, stationery, printing, publishing aad all office supplies, including that for magistrates. Transportation of prison* n aad lunatics, proceedings in lunacy, post mortem examinations, etc. The expense attached to public huihlings, amounting to $2.'294.89, car? ries lights, water rates, coal, disin? fectants, repairs to buildings, tele ! phone service, insurance on court house, work on court house grounds, etc. The court expense during the year 1914 amounted to $4,351.20. This money has been used in payment of jurors, witnesses, balhffs, etc. In closing, we respectfully call your honor's attention and the attention of the winde citizenship of the county to the fact that the revenue of the coun? ty has not kept pace with the expen? ditures in the last few years. Ws realize fully the financial condition of our people and we do not desire just now to request from our delegation an increase in the tax levy, but we de? sire for the information of all, to state in this report the condition which Confronts as. In 1910 we received the proceeds of a 6 mill levy for cur tent expenses, but this levy was re? duced in Itil to I 3-4 mills, the 1-4 null taken off to provide a sinking fund to take care of road bonds and court house bonds at their maturity, this laitST levy was later Increased to 1*3 mill, thus reducing again the cur? rent expense levy, until at the present time we are receiving for county or? dinary expenses the proceds of a 5 1-2 mill levy, The assessment of prop? erty has Increased to some extent, but not enough to overbalance the reduc s Uou of the levy and the great increase in the necessary expenditures. This increase has been caused by many reasons, some of which are* as fol? lows, the steady increase of salaries of county officials, u chaingang of al? most twice the sise of a few years ago. the extra amount of overhead expense caused by the larger gang, the great increase In the cost of food supplies and an increase in amount of court expense that we are forced to pay. On account of this state of affairs in our county, we were forced to borrow, for a short length of time, a small amount of money in 1914 until taxes were available, as foreign hostilities caus? ed the taxpayers to be somewhat backward in settlement. We do 'not expect to be obliged to borrow anv money in 1915, as we sold the opera house property during the past year, under authority of the legislature, and the balance due on thts transaction amounting to $4,000, we hope will supply the shortage. The bonded indebtedness of the county amounts to $50,000, covering $30,000 worth of new court house bonds and $20.000 road improvement bonds, both hearing interest at 4 1-12 per cent, annually. Respectfully submitted, ? Signed! P. If, PITTS, Supervisor and Chairman County Board. rinanctal statement Condition Sum? ter County, S. C.?Ifld. Ian. 1. 1914?To balance Co. ordinary fund. $25.81 sah? To balance C, H. S. Fund.. I,SI1.S4 To balance lt. I. S. Fund. .. 2.381.03 January?Amount ree'd .. 7,141.141 rsbiaaiy?Amount rse'd. . 744.76 March ? Amount ree'd . . . . 3.437.73 April?Amount rSC'd, . 358.97 May?Amount ree'd. 631.70 June?Amount ree'd. 1,575.08 ? Iut\ Amounts ree'd.... 417.14 August?Amount reed.. . 8,399.79 September?Amount ree'd . j:;."..st October? ?1 Amount ree'd, 4,7l'l\m'.? November?Amount ree'd IS.f6S.49 i December - Amount ree'd .. I0,f49.fi4 $91,949.8 I By Paid Warrants, get, of: , lb?ads and bridges.$ 7.s70.1:; Salaries. 91.47S.79 Aims House. 3.199.49 <'hamming. lt.9ff.S9 Public Buildings . 1.994.9$ Jail. 1.9:52.72 Contingent. 7.77:'.. 99 COUH Kxpense. 4.S91.39 Interest Road Honda,, . . . 990.09 Horns ed Money. 900.09 Kxpense, Con, Pensions. . 1,710.00 Amount taxes abated by Comptroller General . 99.7(1 I ?ec. :: i. i :> i 1 i lalanee t o. Ordinary Fund. 11,939.35 Halene? c. n s Fund . . i hij.su Ha la nee R, I s Fund . . 3,190.04 $91,94 M.f?4 To 18 year i l?9 Per cent. Court Mouse bond.,.$30,000.00 To -f> year 4 1-2 per cent. Road Imp. Honda .. .. 80,000.00 Money borrowed for current expenses. City National Bank . . . . . . 600.00 First National Bank . . . . 60b.88 Commercial A Having! Hank. ?00.00 National Bank of B. C.. .. goo.Ou People'! Bank. 600.00 $53,006.88 \umunt due from City Sum? ter, balance mi sale Opera house property.. .. ....$4,000.00 (Signed) I'. M. PITTS, Attest: Supervisor. II. L, M'DEul), Clerk County Commissioners. MANY PREPARATIONS MAKING. At Least Two Speakers at Each "Fer? tiliser and Economy" Meeting, ? Clemson College, Feh. 9.?There will be at least two speakers at each of the meetings to be held in the court housei of the State on Satur? day, February 13, which has been designated "Fertilizer and Economy Day." Moreover, reports coming to Clemson College indicate that in some counties it is proposed to have more than two speakers for the oc? casion. One part of the meeting will be devoted to discussions of what fertiliser! to use, when to use them and how much of each kind to use. The other part will deal with matters of economy and there will be an at? tempt to point out to people how they may effect real savings on the farm and in the farmhouse. At Clemson College an outline has been painstakingly prepared for use on Fertilizer and Economy Day. This outline treats of economy onlv and discusses the true meaning ot economy, points out what is bad economy, and suggests ten important Way! in which good economy may be practised in South Carolina. Each suggestion is enlarged upon in the outline, but the topics treated, stripped of their developing parts, are as follows, only those under the heading "Good Economy" being quoted. According to this outline, it is good economy. 1. To cut out all luxuries, especial? ly liquors, tobacco, new buggies and automobiles. 2. To cut out some unnecessaries, such as tea and coffee and meat three times daily*. 3. To save on food for ourselves by means of an all-the-year garden, certain easily possible substitutions, md a ration more carefully balanced to preserve health and strength. 4. To save on food for our ani? mals by means of balanced rations as worked out by experiment sta? tions, substitutions of cheaper feeds, and permanent Bermuda grass-bur clover pastures. 5. To save on food for our plants by means of winter legumes, summer legumes, and winter grain and le? gumes. 6. To save on dress by dressing a little less fashionably, a little more simply. To spend money on the house and the wife for a water supply. 8. To spend on the orchard for pruning and spraying. 9. To establish and maintain a log? ical and practical system of farming in accordance with Dr. S. A. Knapp's Ten Commandments of Agriculture. 10. To cooperate with your neigh? bors in organizations, in breeding l etter live stock; in buying food sup? plies, fertilizers and live stock; in owning and using farm implements, in beginning cream and egg routes, in selling farm and garden produce, in boosting your community and liv? ing up to your talk about it, and in a quiet cheerfulness that approaches all task! with a faith undimmed and a courage undismayed. CONNECTS MIDDLE WEST. Spartanburg. Feb. ?Steel met in Sandy Midge tunnel of the Carolina. Cllnchfleld and Ohio railroad, six miles north of Dante, Virginia, today. connecting the south end of the "Cllnchfleld" with the north end, an object that litis been striven for for three yean and has been accomplish? ed through the expenditure of live million dollar! in the construction of a low grade railroad through the most difficult mountain country' in the east. The thirty-odd miles of road contains twenty tunnels, one of them, Sandy Ridge tunnel, being 7,081 feet long, one of the longest tunnels in the United States. The road gives the Southeastern states unothor connec? tion with the Middle West through connection with the Chespoake and <?hio railroad at Klkhoru City, Ky. The <'.. <'. and O. road from Dante, Virginia, to Spartanburg, was opened ' October 1909, but was not until June, 1018 that work was begun <??> the Klkhorn extension. Announcement as to the formal opening of ti),. road has not been made, but it Is expected not later than \prll 1 Cars passed over the line from Klkhortl Clt) to Dante today, KM.Ss <'KEENVILLE HILL. ?ovcrnor Approves Trio of Locally Important Measures. Columbia, Feb. U>.?Gov. Manning yesterday approved throe important Greenville county bills. One meas? ure prov ided for a supervisor to take the place of the three county com? missioners: another for an auditor to audit all of the books of the county and a third for the creation of a coun? ty board of charities and corrections. The bills were introduced by the Greenville county delegation. \ TWENTY-ONE DROWN. Nanaimo, li. C? Feb. S.?Twenty one men employed In the mine of the Pacific Coast Coal Mines. Ltd., at South Wellington, seven miles from Nanaimo, were drowned by a rush of water today. Evidently one of the old Hooded workings of the Alexander mine, which has not been worked for years, was broken into by the men In the South Wellington, which adjoins It on a lower level. DACIA WILL SAIL TODAY. Norfolk, Va., Feb. 10.?The steam? ship Dacia, the legality of whose transfer from German to American registry has been questioned by Great Britain, will sail tomorrow for Rot? terdam, according to announcement tonight by Capt. McDonald, her mas? ter. Customs Collector Hamilton and United States Shipping Commissioner Bullock boarded the vessel today and informed members of the crew of pos-i sible dangers incident to the voyage. It was stated the crew as a whole ex? pressed a willingness to sail with the Dacia, which carries ll.OfQ bales of cotton for Germany. PRESIDENT WILSON DETERMIN? ED Washington, Feb. 11.?That Presi? dent Wilson will stand pat on the ship purchase bill was announced at the White House today. No compromise will be acceptable. The Gore bill will b? adhered to by the administration until the end. If necessary the Presi? dent "will go to the country on it" If the measure is defeated at the pres? ent session, an extra session will be called to pas it. WILL HAVE TO PLEAD Washington, Feb. 9.?Violators of the criminal law who get Into the federal courts will not be able In the future to evade the issue and de? cline to plead guilty or not guilty to an indictment if Attorney General Gregory's decisions to the United States district attorneys of the coun? try are carried out. In a circular letter just sent out Mr. Gregory declared that the plea of "nolle contendere" which had been resorted to in several important cases lately "is being misused in some dis? tricts," and directs the district at? torneys to refuse to consent to this plea in any case where the statute under which indictment is brought requires "either imprisonment alone or both fine and imprisonment." "The plea," says the letter, "is properly acceptable only in cases punishable either by fines alone or the alternative fine or imprisonment." Multimillionaire Dead. New York. Feb. 9.?Norman B. Ream, aged 72, the noted linacier and multimillionaire, died at the Presbyterian hospital today. Forest Notes. It is estimated that the govern? ment's Grand Canyon game refuge, in Arizona, now contains about ten thousand deer. More than nine million young trees and ten thousand pounds of seed were planted on the national forest in 1914. The government built more than two thousand miles of telephone line on the national forests in 191-1. Success has followed forest planting on the sandhills of Nebraska. Jack pines planted there by the government forest service ten years ago now have a height of over IT* feet and a diameter of i Inches. At least 25 per cent, of the larch timber over large areas in eastern Oregon has been killed or weakened by mistletoe, and the forest service is taking steps to combat the pest. Increasing ose of the national for? ests by local farmers and settlers to supply their needs for timber is shown In the fact that small timber sales on the forests numbered 8,898 In 1914, against the previous year. The beneficial effects of the persist? ent Use of the Split log drags Oil the sand-da) streets are becoming ap? parent, Irish potatoes planted now. If they escape damage by it late frost, will produce u bettor crop than those planted huel'. bank goes oi t of business. Hank of South Carolina at Pinewood Retires anil Hank of Pinewood Takes its Place. Pinewood, Feb. lu.?On last Friday the Bank of South Carolina at this place discontinued business. The Bank of Pinewood has taken over the business affairs of the late hank and now there is only the one hanking Institution here, th<> Hank of Pinewood. with Ft. a. Rtdglll, cashier, and K. James Aycock, bookkeeper. TWO PIKES AT DARLINGTON. . W. 1>. Coggeshall Suffers Loss of More Than $10.000. Darlington. Feh. X.? Two fires, burning at the same time, have caus? ed considerable excitement here to? night. The larger blaze has destroy ey property estimated to have been Worth more than $10,000 and prac? tically all of the loss falls on W. D. Coggeshall. In addition to a ginnery and buildings valued at about $6, 000 Mr. Coggeshall lost about 100 tons of cotton seed, between 100 and 150 bales of cotton and probably a carload of hay. He carried insurance on this property amounting to but $2,500. At midnight it was believed that the Are was under control, although there was still some fear that surrounding buildings were still in danger, as the fire occurred in the wholesale district, and nearby are a number of tobacco and other warehouses. This fire was just one door from the tobacco ware? house that was destroyed Friday night. A high wind was blowing sparks in every direction, and un? less this is the means of other build? ings catching, there is probably little danger of a further spread of the flames. About 20 minutes after the alarm for the Coggeshall was sent in, a sec? ond alarm was rung in from the pub? lic square. This proved to be a building occupied by M. M. Foster, as a furniture store, and owned by Mrs. N. L. Harrell. It was practically de? stroyed, hut the extent of the loss j could not be ascertained tonight. j This was the only wooden building on 1 the public square. KINGS TO CONFER AGAIN. Scandinavian Rulers Will Consider . War Question. Berlin, Feb. 10.?(By wireless to Sayville, N. Y.)?The Overseas News Agency says that according to a Co? penhagen dispatch received in Ber? lin the ruler of the three Scandina? vian kingdoms will confer again on the question of floating mines, Ger? man's declaration of a sea war zone and the British admiralty's v'^ws as to the use of neutral flags. TO PROTECT CROSSINGS. Railway Commissioner to Ask Senate for Jurisdiction. Columbia. Feb. 10.?A resolution, adopted by the railroad commission, requests the general assembly to pass a measure placing all public highway crossings of railways in this State un? der the jurisdiction of the commission. John g. Richards introduced the resolution and it was indorsed by Frank W. Shealy. g. McDuffie Hampton refused to vote on the resolution. He said that the commission could not properly attend to the new duties and that such S measure would take away work that should be left to county commis? sioners. LOOKING FOR OTHER BODY. Se-nvhlng Party Hoik* to Find Re? mains of 11. S. <.ardner. Jacksonville, Fla., Feb. 10.?The body of Alonzo Gardner, found in the dense palmetto swale near Welaka. on the Ooklawaha river several days ago, was shipped today to North Adams, Mass., for interment, accom? panied by Mrs. Gardner and her sis? ter. Miss Waddell. H. H. Gardner, of Washington, who was called to Flor? ida by the disappearance of his two brothers, will remain and lead a searching party, which left today for the point where Alonzo Gardner's body was found, In hopes of Unding some trace of H. S. Gardner's body. No trace of the negro pilot has yet been found. STORM DAMAGE AT COLON. Breakwater in Course of Construction Destroyed?Schooner Lost. Colon. Panama, Feb. 10.?A storm here yesterday and today cause?! dam? age estimated at nearly $1.000.000. Over half of the eastern breakwater, in course of construction, was destroy? ed. The waves still are rolling over the western breakwater but the storm, the worst norther since the breakwa? ter was built, is abating. During the night the four masted American schooner Blanche C, Pen dleton, with a cargo of piles, became water-logged and beached. The water front is strewn with wreckage, Six inches of rain fell in February record* KKSIDENCE BURNED LAST NIGHT Home or .1. B. Kennedy and J. A'. Blair Damaged by Fire. The residence on the corner of Bartletle street and Salem avenue occupied by Messrs. John V. Band and James E. Kennedy and their families was badly damaged by fire last night, the top story being practically burned Off. The blaze occured about 7.30 o'clock and was handled in an excel? lent manner by the fire department. A second alarm of fire came in from' the same place about 10 o'clock, at* Iter the hose wagons had returned jtoi their quarters. Much of the furniture v;as saved, the greatest loss being damage to the I building. GUARDING AGAINST PEST. Taking Precautions to Keep Out Cot? ton Pink Holl Worm. Clemson College, Feb. 11.?The United States department of agri? culture has found that it will be necessary to adopt regulations which will prevent the introduction of the pink boll worm of cotton into this country, is its learned at Clemson Col? lege. It is probable that the re? strictions to be adopted will prac? tically put .an end to the importation of foreign lint cotton into cotton States, except after the cotton has been stored in Northern States for a long period. The nrincipal restric? tions will limit the entry of foreign lint cotton to the northern States and will regulate the movement of such imported lint cotton from North? ern to cotton-growing States. The pink boll worm is a more de? structive pest than the boll weevil. It hibernates in cotton seed in the larval stage and is often foupd in baled Egyptian cotton, owing to faulty ginning. Several times the government has had to make emer? gency tights to prevent the insect from gaining a hold in the South, where it would add enormously to the present insect damage to cotton. it is understood that the depart? ment plans to require that before imported cotton can be sent to South? ern mills, if must be stored in North? ern warehouses for 24 months, in order to make certain of the perish? ing of any insects in the seed. The department is determined not to al? low the introduction of this pest through the lack of an "ounce of prevention." FIRES DURING JANUARY. Losses by Flames Amounted to $174, 72? for Month. Columbia, Feb. 10.?The 263 fires reported to the State department of insurance by the insurance companies during the month of January caused a loss of $174.720.59. In January of 1914 202 tires were reported, with a loss of $186,685.76. * All of the fires reported did not occur during Janu? ary. During the month of January $8, 500 have been collected in licenses, more than was ever collected before during the month of January. Trie moving of the City Clerk's of? fice into the front of the city hall building will prove a great conven? ience to visitors to the office. It will also give the city clerk full accommo? dations. Anyone lending a rketrh and description may quickly ascertain our opinion free whether mi invention is prob/ibly pmentable. Communica? tions strictly conndeuUal. HANDBOOK on Patent? bout free. < 'Idest agency for securing patents. Patents taken through Munu ft Co. receive tpfrtul notice, wit boat Charge, la the Scientific American. A bandiomely Illustrated weekly! T arcrett cir? culation of any eelentt?c Journal. V jrrus, $3 a year; four months, (L goldbyall newsdealer*. MUNN&Co.3vBror,NewM Branch Office. C?> F BU Washington. D. U Our Foreign Advertising is in Charge of Jacobs & Co., Clinton, S. C, SOLICITING OFFICES: New York?118 V. 9itb Si.E. L. Gould < ?tcato?491 Advertising Bldg...\V. B. Pore tier Polrott?Hotel ruller.... .C. L. Wiuu Si. Ixiuis?1500 Central Natl. Bauk Bldg.. M. E. (iammon Nnsbvtlle?161 8th Ave. \..'. M. Riddle, Jr. Atlanta?Wesley Memorial Hlitu_I. B. Keough Axhevllle, N. ('.?121 s Main si_O. H. Ucee Philadelphia?1421 Arch 8k _A.O*Dsaiel Richmond, Va.?Murphy Hotel...J. W. Lipon DEATH toVER RAT CORN Best r.\{ :ind infeo exterminator made. Rillsquickly and absolutely ?rithoutodor. Mummifies?thus preventing deeompoal u.mi. Bettei than all the traps In tbo world. Isslston (lenulne hat CORN. ?_?">??. 60c, ?i it dealers or by mail, post* paid. V BOTANICAL MFC. CO. ^_%*r 4th A flees **.? Phil?d*l*hi*t /?a