University of South Carolina Libraries
COAL STRUCK BORING FOR OIL Coal Two Feet Thick at Depth of 130 Feet at Five Forks, Marlboro County Clo, April 29.?The oil well is pro gressing finely. Various ami sundry strata: are encountered. The latest and most interesting was on Saturday when at a depth of about 130 feet coal was encountered. Mr. McCoy informed me that he judged the thick ness to be about two feet. Oil may not be found at this spot, but it will assuredly lead to research and development that will ultimate ly mean much for this section. We do not know what is underneath the surface. Some Additional Information Since the information was given on Saturday I have learned that the city of Greenville has issued, without a single dissenting vote, the sum of $250,600 for a high school building. The teacher shortage has became so acute and the demand for additional school room is so great that the mat ter has become a question of national investigation. The Chambers of Com merce throughout America have been asked to report the status of affairs and to let it be known what is being ? done^jn every community of the Unit ed States to meet these two great de mands a"fid successfully to pass this crisis in the development of education fn the United States. In discussing the tuition fees for the' pupils in the classes below the high school the fact that a month ago the Board of Education had decided to charge $30 per annum for each pu pil from the country in a class^below the high "school was omitted/ Any patron who lives in the country and owns property in the city will be al lowed to deduct the amount of his city educational tax from the amount of his tuition fees. Ait effort has been made to give all information desired. "When the per sonnel of the Board of Education is considered, it must be concluded that hot a single member would ask for a tax beyond what is absolutely neces sary. The election will take place on Thursday of this week and the mem bers of the board will manage the election in front of the opera house. Respectfully submitted, S. H. EDMUNDS, Superintendent. h. f' COTTON LETTER \? -u (John F. Clark & Co.) New Orleans, May 3.?Cotton ruled higher on unfavorable weather. Jour nal of Commerce unfavorable reports on several states and American cottdn association predictions of decreased acreage. The map showed heavy rains in Georgia and the forecast was for showers east. The buying was widely Scattered while Japanese interests ap peared to be the largest sellers. Gen eral business was light and neither bulls nor bears exhibited any aggres siveness. The crop is generally con ceeded to have a rotten start, conse quently few care to seil short while ? on the other hand, quotations for rjew crop months so early in the season look pretty high to the average spec ulator. Exports were 20.000. Satur day, and 9.500 today. No cotton ar rived in New York Saturday or today. The market acted today as though it might mark time between 35 and 36" cents for October, awaiting develop ments. NEW YORK COTTON. . Yes'td'ys Open High Dow Close Close May 40.40 40.00 40.23 4*?. J3 40.40. July 38.15 38.45 38.00 . 38.2$ Oct. 33.65 36.00 35.52 35.70 ::5.32 Dec. 34.88 35.20 34.80 34.95^34.48 Jan. 34.60 34.75 34.40 34.50 33.99 ileh. 34.05 31.10 33.70 33.88 23.07 NEW ORLEANS COTTON Open High Low Close Close Yes'td'ys May 39.40 39.50 39.30 39.40 3 ) 2$ July 38.40 38.50 37.94 38.3 0 '37.; 5 Oct. 35.50 35.78 35.30 35.52 35.17 Dec. 34.85 34.9S 34.60 34.80 34.10 Jan. 34.50 34.54 34.22 34.40 34.02 Mch. 33.90 33.91 33.70 33.82 3.:.i j CHICAGO GRAIN AND PROVISIONS CORN? High Low Close May.1.80 1.76 1.79% July.1.6S -?4 1.65 94 1.68% OATS: High Low Close May . 1.06 1.03 1.06 July. 91.% .89 ?? 9.07 LARD: High Low Ck>se May. 19.73 July. 20.75 20.55 2').62 RIBS:? High Low Close May IS. 40 July. 18.85 IS.37 18.4m BisliopvMe BoimLs Sold. The bonds for paving Main street and as many more till the money gives out, were) taken by J. H. Helsman & Co. of Atlanta. $52.000 was realized for the $55,000 with interest at 6 per cent Work will commence just as soon as the contract is let and mate rial obtained. Reception All members of the Civic League j and the presidentSsof all organizations of women in 3umter are invited to attend a reception to be given on Wednesday, May 5. at 6 p. m., at 232 Church street, in honor of some of the Federation officers attending the Reunion. It is hoped that the club women w?l be present in large num bers to meet our attractive visitors. , TEMPORARY TRUCE ! IN ANATOLIA j Turks and Greeks Face Each Other Under Arms But No Fighting Constantinople. May 1.?Quiet is reigning momentarily in Anatolia, where Turkish Nationalist troops ar-. under arras. The Greeks are holding j their line in Aidin: [MISTAKEN FOR ANARCHISTS i _ J Harvard University Club Parade Causes Commotion In s Washington Washington, May 1?The Harvard clubs, meeting here, caused a eommo tion when they were mistaken for a Red May Day parade while passing along the streets en route to Annapo lis, with the Harvard ciiraspa pen nants on their antes. STRIKE IN ROCHESTER [Street Car Traffic Suspended by Strike for Ninety Per Cent Wage Increase _ j Rochester. X. Y.. May 1.?Street i car traffic is at a standstill here, em ployees having struck, notwithstand- j ing their agreement to arbitrate dif- j I ferences respecting their demand for ja ninety per cent wage increase. j County Democratic i Convention i _ ( The Sumtcr County Democratic j Convention met at 12.30 o'clock today j j in the Court House with a quorum of; J the elected delegates present, and the usual routine business was transact ed. It was however, one of th< j Ism?Pest conventions in point of at-. I tendance that-has been hold :n Sum- j jter county in many years. Omittin; j j the convention roll and the text of Ch< j i resolutions adopted, which will !><? j printed in f?ll later, the proceedings j of the convention, in brief summary, j were as follows: The meeting was called to order by County Chairman J. H. Clifton and the roll of clubs called, the roll of dele gates completed. It being ascertained j that a quorum was present the conven tier, was organized by adoption of a ; resolution re-electing all the officers by acclamation: President, J. II. Clif ton; Secreary H. G. Ostcen; Assistant j Secretary L. F. Wood, j Mr. It. L Manning introduced a {scries of resolutions, which after dis jcussion and amendment were adopt ed by unanimous vote. Mr. John IT. Clifton was elected Member of the State Executive Com-; mittee by acclamation, Mr. R. . Manning, who has served Sumtcr ? 'County in this position for many {years, having stated that he could hoi accept! re-election. Nominations for delegates to the State Convention were called for. Or. motion it was decided that the eight nominees receiving th;- greatest num ber of votes* be declared (he delegates land the next eighteen in order be do I elared the alternates. The following were elected^by bal lot: Delegates, J. IT. Clifton, L. 1). Jen 1 nings, It. I. Manning. A. K. Sanders. E. E. Aycock, IX D. Moise. R. B. Rei ser. II. D. Thuktl. Alternates?:StanyarnesBurrows, H. *G. Orteen, C. .1. Jackson. M. L. Parier, E. S. Booth. W. L. McCuthcn, E. W. Dabbs, Jr., T. J. KirvCn. By motion Mr. R. I. Manning was named as chairman of the delegation. j Mr. J. H. Clifton was re-elected [Chairman of the County Kxecutivc i committee. i Several of the clubs having failed 1 to re-organize on the uay appointed 1 fcr that purpose, a motion was adopt ed that the said clubs be permitted (and auhorized to reorganize and that the officers elected at such reorgani--i jzation be directed to report to tho County Chairman. On moion of Mr. Geo- D. Levy the convention endorsed Mr. I*. D. Jen- j nings as delegate at large to the Na-: tional Democratic Convention at Sar. : Francisco. On motion Dr. E. 8. Booth | was endorsed as an alternate for the 1 j Seventh District to the National Dem joeraic Convention, j The Convention then adjourned. A brief meeting of th<- County E::- | ecutivc Committee was held, but no b'nsiness was transacted. Chairman ; Clifton announced that a meeting of j the Executive Committee would be! held on the first Monday in June, at j which time the arr?ngemens for the campaign wil be made. Reunion Notes. The committee on homes for the; Confederate Veterans request all who! (agreed to entertain veterans to be j i ready to receive them anytime on ! Tuesday, for a few will arrive on the Tuesday morning trains. The large majority, however, will arrive on the ! Tuesday afternoon trains, with some coming in on Wednesday morning i and afternoon. This is important, i _ j Dinner will be provided both day:* j for the veterans, but the hosts must] (be prepared to serve their guests with i j breakfasts and suppers ir. their homes. I j All committees are hard at work on i I their jobs and if the good people of Sumter will cooperate we will i?.> proud of ihi- fact that we helped to make the reunion at Sumter the very j best ever held. When Wc Have a Bargain. j To offer we want you to know it. j So come in and get an all-wool, bluej serge suit at $33.95. Just a few left.) Be on time. Joseph M. Chandler. Sizes 35 to 42.9~A.dv? BENILLAX NOT A CANDIDATE Mexican Ambassador Prefers His Safe Job In Wash ington Laredo, May 1.?Vgnacia -Ecnillax, Mexican ambassador to Washington, has renounced his candidacy for the MesSean presidency, believing that hi* services ?s a diplomat arc needed; according to Mexico City newspapers. STRIKE IN NOVA SCOTIA Miners Quit Work On Account of Imprisonment of Winni peg Leaders ?_ > Toronto, May 1.?Twelve thousand miners in the Sydney Nova. Scotia dis trict have struck against the impris onment of the leaders in the Win peg general strike last year. MR. D ABBS SOUNDS ALARM Sees Danger in McMahan's Wine and Beer Restoration . I - j Salem, Black River, April 30. 102*0 I To The Editor of the Daily Item: Monday*g State had an editorial on i Mr. J. J. McMahan's wine and beer I resolution that prevailed in the ward I meeting last Saturday. T mailcJ. to The State on Wednesday a short ar ticle commending its condemnation I of this injection of :-;r into the campaign, and urged that ':jc comi ty convention next Monday be sure to send oh:y such delegates to the i State cUticn as will declare them-} selves unmistakably -against the let tins1 down of a single bar. This article may have been lost-in the mails, and T trust you will give spa: ?? in this evening's Item for this communication. Very few with whom I have talked noticed the edit orial account of the Columbia ward :?:;<?<*;ing and without forewarning the cbmrty convention may send men who will play into the hands of the re actionaries and give to Governor Ed wards and Govl Smith sonic backing in the National Convention. I have no fear that they will win in that convention [because they havt William Jennings Bryan to reckon with. AncH however, some may sneer .!t Mr. Bryan, he is a wcighy force ir the Democratic party and the nation. I But I do not want him to have -to , bear the brunt of the fight in San I Francisco. I want South Carolina te i send a delegation that will stand aquarely with him and I want Sum-; j ter county to lead off with a sound i delegation Monday. j;. Vv. Dabbs. BAN ON POTATOES I Cogress of Women's CJubs Fight ing the High Cost of Living * . ?_ - j Pittsburgh, May 1.?Twelve thou ! sand members of the congress of wo | men's clubs have pledged themselves j to wear only staple clothing Until prices drop and to place a two weeks ban on potatoes. ' . AVIATORS OBSERVE ECLIPSE OF MOON 4 ! New York, Slay 3.?The eclipse of i the moon tonight was observed hero by Lieut. J. H. Tilton and W. H. Cushing, of the Rockaway Beach Naval Air Station, at :i height of! nearly three and one half miles! Thel two men ascended in a navai hy:ro- j airplane, remaining in the air one.! and one half hours. The observ?tt?ni* were me.de at the direction of the j Navy Department: I Spring Is Here! Old Winter, dreary, cold, and hare. I has left us once again: j No more he casts his chilling gloom oVr fields or birds or men: The old year's leaves fr?m off the trees have fallen brown an?.l dead: By winter's rains no longer are the rushing torrents fed. : But golden morning sunbeams swift ly climb the eastern hill. The ea"ih is brightly jeweled with the dewdrOps clear and still; The bursting buds unfold in haste to deck their mother trees. ['The new-born'leaves swing gently inj the balmy southern breeze. Spontaneous bursts of melody the lit tle birdies sing. As thru the woodlands full' and sweet their mating calls they ring. All nature's thousand joyous tongues uniting now declare That Winter, bleak and drear, is gone; ?that spring is truly here! Yc\ merry Spring is here, with all its songs ?.f gladness gay, its grasses green, its beauteous flow ers blooming by the way. Its rising hope, its deepening love, its visions true and bright? i'l" i Spring lies come to fill the earth! with music, joy and light! -?Ernest C. Kolb. Bethel School i Economy Club. Greenville; .May 2.?Interest inj ?Cr . nville's Economy club, which in to be organized on May 10, is growing, and it is expected that many wfll join when the buttons and pledge cards aro received. The members of the club nre to pledge themselves to practice J l 'gidj economy in all things until De- \ c.ember I. < anarchists s held in check Federal Officials and City Au thorities Took Precautions to Prevent Disorder Washing!on, .May 1.? Forewarned by the E>epartmen} of Justice that hey would he held responsible Cor the' maintenance of order, (he officers of' avery city were prqynared to act at the first -'sign; of disorder instigated by rad-.j leal/. Reports continued to arrive during* tbc morning that communist! agitators were still trying to arouse J workers to a May Day show of their 1 power, but no reports of violence j had reached officials. Chicago I rent strike; /_ Tenants Refuse to Move or Pay Exorbitant Rent Chicago, May I.?Thousands ofj families went or. a rent strike today j and'refused to vacate their apart ments in accordance with May Day j moving orders. The tenants refuse to; pay exorbitant rent rates. . j no outbreak ,? in paris Workers'* May Day Celebration Passed off Quietly a^aris, May 1.?Complete calm reigned in Paris today, the workers' May Day celebration being very order ly,^ blame for price of print paper Placed on Brokers. Jobbers and Small Manufacturers Washington. April -20.?Blame for the price <>f print paper was placed primarily upon small manufacturers, i brokers and jobbers, although pub ; lishers themselves wen. held partly to blame by witnesses today before a ; Senate investigating committee: Cur : tailed consumption, in order to break the spot marl:et pending increased : production, was generally advocated j as a remedy. Seven witnesses were heard by the ! committee. a!' of whom virtually I agreed that the reduced production of I paper due to lack of understanding I between the publishers and manu facturers together "with the rapid in crease in advertising since the war had resulted in a situation of which the brokers and jobbers had taken advantage. Because of the prevailing rsigh [>r1c**s wiinches said manu facturers of paper specialties had jbeen enticed into the manufacture AC print paper which had served to ag |gntv?.le the situation. The witnesses, (urged that newspapers should confine consumption of paper to -the amount provided in their contracts and re main out of the open market. M. F. Hanson, general manager of The Philadelphia Record, appeared for all the Philadelphia newspapers testified that publishers had been vic tims of "unconscionable profiteering.' while V.\ K. Carpenter, publisher of The Lincoln, Iii., Courier Herald, said unless relief was provided without de lay many smaller daily publications i wet:?d be compelled to suspends He .'declared there was plenty of print ; paper in storage, but it was control i led by about sxity publishing firms [and small publishers were unable to I reach it. boy shot at teacher j Georgia High School Boy Fires . Five Shots at Principal * Chattanooga. May 1.?Jackson Cot ter, a student of the Summerviile. Ga., High School was arrested yes terday for firing six shots tit his teach er. Professor Ransom, as the latter left the school house. Prof. Ransom escaped injury owing to the bad aim of the boy. The shooting is said to have been, in revenge for a severe thrashing. > SOME DEFINITE . \\ INFORMATION!' - r Additional Informal ion Relative!! to the Proposed Levy for !: Schools An interested taxpayer has very courteously asked for some definite t information relative to several mat-1 tors pertaining to the proposed addi-'j tional levy for school purposes. Of j course, it is a real pleasure to answer) these inquiries, and as there are oth-\ era who are intaretsed I shall take this-j public means of answering1 his letter, j Let me say at the outset that expertj accantants audit the financial books cf the schools each, year and the re-1 pert if published. The some practice' will 3." adhered to at the close of this! yearj when accurate reports must be! made as always to our Stale and Na- ! ticnal departments of education. To pay all the expense of the schools, all salaries, wages, fuel, pow- | er. lights, repairs, additions, and' equipment will require this year ap-j proximately S72V09?. The treasurer; | Mr. E. IT. Rba-mc, lias estimated that/ the expenses and income practically! balance. No surplus. Sumter is very ! fortunate in this respect, for I know.] i of* throe school systems that will be-j i gin the ne:-"t scholastic year with an j j indebtedness of from $3,000 to $15.- ! I 000. Thanks to Sumter's citizenship j ("Sumter's school district has had no | I indebtedness for current expenses at I j the eiid of the scholastic year for j ? many years. For next year the Board of Educa- j tion proposes by the additional levy ; ItOj increase the salaries of the teach-j j crs and principals, to remodel, mod- j jernizc, and enlarge the present Wash-, i ington school building and to give j j more room at the Lincoln school j building. This the Board hopes to do j without a bend issue and these im j prdvements are to be take:- care of j year by year with a part of the pi"n I coeds o~ the additional levy. Of ! course, by "far the greatest proportion j of tne proceeds will be used for in I creasing the salaries of the teachers j and principals tas shown elsewhere) and providing the necessary addition al teachers. But both the white ; schools and colored gchools aro ! crowded out ci doors. Every avail j able square foot of space has ; been ! utilized, additional rooms hav<e been added in has ment, and by cutting up [the different auditoriums. Additional {space is imperative and the Board is j obliged to provide it. Why do any j building now? Because, the decrease I cost will be so sudden as to cn l able the taxpayers to receive the di | rect benefit: or the decrease will be so slow that it would be entirely un just to deprive our Children of school , room for so long a time. The minimum salary for the jvhitc schools last year, including the $100 given for the proloftged session, and ' to meet the increased expenses, was $910; tire standard grade salary, iri i jiudmg ?::?? same amount as above, i v.'>?-?",. Tit" Diirjimursj high schooJ sal [ary. including the $100. was $1.00'; and the standard salary was Si.oao. The C'ily Board of Education, corn j posed of Doctor J. A. Mood. Mr. Neill O'Donnell, Mr.. Mitchell Levi, Mr. V.'. : Percy Smith, and Mr. Bartbw Walsh, studied conditions here and elsewhere for a long time before reaching any conclusion. After the most careful consideration, the Board adopted the following schedule 'of salaries: F'or grades, 53.200 and $1,300: for ; the High School, $1,300 and $1.400. I The principals last year received sal j aries as follows; including the $100 Us above, $1.100: $1.200. $1,500 and $3,900.- The Board proposes to increase these salaries $-00 or $200. (The salary schedule" for the negro j school has not been arranged. If practicable, the Board is very desirous of adding some men teachers to the faculty of the Boys' High School. j The Schools have heeded all the ; money that has been provided hi or I der to by pre.porly maintained, and it would iiave'becu impossibla to give (the teachers any additional amount ? this year- for the proloiigcd session, ihad it not been for the money given the High "Schools by the State De partment of Education. The Board j has made a very careful calculation ras to the amount of money that wild ; be needed for next year, and has ask j ed that this amount of-money be vot I ed by the pou.>]e of this city. Every j community in the State thus far, j seems to be responding admirably to j the demands of the pi-esent crisis. ; The examples of Florence. Green I wood and Rock Hill :have already een given. In ^today's paper I notice hat Branch ville has voted for a bond ssuc for school purposes and has uiv tnimpusly added an additional levy )f seven mills for school purposes. The people every where are realizing, (s never before, that the schools must ? provided for and that adequate :alanes must be paid if the organi sation fif the schools is to be main lamed. The Board confidently ex-. !>ects the people of Sumter to back :hcm now as they have always -done. In the primary and elementary schools are about seventy-five pu pi.'s from the country. These arc scattered throughout twnty-four class-rooms, an average of about thre:> to the room. The tuition charge has been $13.50 for each pu pil, allowing anyone who has prop erty in the city to deduct the arcoun* of his educational tax from.his tuition ices. This is in accordance with thti law. There are over 1250 pupils in the -white schools, 350 being in! the high schools. Scattered as these-pupils are from the country, they do not mater ially affect the number of teachers or the number of class-rooms. In the hi.-h schools th*re are about ninety pupils from the country, di vided among fifteen teachers, an av erage of six pupils to the teacher. The legislature realizing the advantages of a central high school has provided a State fund to take care of conditions of this sort and we shall receive fronf the State this year about $5,000 to assist in the maintenance of our high schools. Nothing has done more to bring into closer relationship the country and the city than the fact that we haw had so many boys and girls from the - country. Anything that' helps to induce people to come into Sumter for any purpose helps every interest within the city. As the superintendent cf your, schools ii: is my duty. and* I esteemt it a privilege, to give all the in forma-' tion relative to these schools that ?may be desired and I feel confident that .the people -'will continue to give to the schools their mcst_cordia! sup ! port. ' \'.~'3& Moreover, I know that thevjudjg jmer.t of the City Board of Education ? may bo safely relied upon. When j several years ago the Board of Edu i cation asked for a bond- issue, therti j were only two votes cast against it i If the will of these two negative votes' } had prevailed. Sumter would have ! been denied the inestimable benefit' of i building* at the most favorable time (that we shall see in this country for ?many years, and our schools would j have received an i Irreparable back j set. Trust the judgment of the Bq?rd1 ! of Education. j In addition to the salary increases i there are some additional teacheri j'that must be provided and some^very j essential improvements that^ should I be made In our school buildings. We j are crowded out of doors and the j Board of Education 'is* trying to do j its best to avoid the necessity of & j bond issue. In fact the Board h?.3 given to the whole question its most Iearnest and painstaking attention an ' ' it-: conclusions have been reajsfP~yiU^lf-~^ |ter the most . mature deliberation^ I There is not a member of the Board i that would, ask a single taxpayer to j bear an. unnecessary burden. Thi* i members believe that the ed?catio.u f&l interests of the community de i serve the most active co-operation of ? all citizens, that the schools should De maintained at a high degree of efficiency, and that the only way to do that is to atttract and hold the ! best teachers. Respectfully and cordially submit ted. S. II. EDMUNDS, Superintendent. iMISSISSiPPI I BARGE LINp (St. Louis Ships 5,000 Tons T9 Memphis and New Or leans ? . - ? ? I St. Louis. May 1.?Six barges carry- , jing p.000 tons of freight cleared to jday for Memphis and Ner. Orleans. [This is the"largest shipment since the [revival of barge traffic. BOLSHEVIEI CAPTURE BAKU Oil City On Caspian Sea Falls Into Hands of Radicals London. May l.?Russian Bolshe vik forces occupied Baku on Wednes dav. , ' Ullding^ Hardware (?rates, ateriaif? Paints, Oils Scoring, * 1* _ ?rick? !! 1?_ Coiling, siding; ? ^:ni> K"tMi-nrrHin,vs. >sin*? Plaster,' ~~ Grates, Monlthnss, Fire Brick, Framing SiUJiibcr, Fire Clay Kcd Cedar Shingles, Scwcr Pi / ^'~HSttBm? Pinc and Cypress Shingle, StoveFlue, ?-? Metal and Composition Shingles,Terra Cotta Thimbles Carpentei^ -JLi? Doors, Sash and Blinds, . Mortm, CoIo?. an<J ?taics ftSSKlS T??,S' Porch Columns and Da! lusters. Water Proofing Mineral. Oils JJcaver Board. Corrugated Metal Roofing, Inside *Dcrora*W? bailey Tin and Balge RoiL Asbctos and Composition Hoofing. ^ and^Sd Wate- *> i WIRE FENCING. BRON AND WOOD POSTS *'?tS' EVERYTHING FOR THE HOUSE .ooth & McLeodj Inc. ) SUMTER, * SOUTH CAROLINA