The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, August 08, 1902, Image 1

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/ IS THE TOWN OF UNION HA8 III r H m ^ ^ ... //' THE TOWrToFTwIO^ HAS^IB J .asacfflsas:{ I II I? ' 11 \l tf /I \1 T | 11 g? Li icvs^jmss! I |1 II I \ II \ fig jt'l ft. V |?5sss>^a| , ' l!Str"'W ,rk" " "'it, 1 i \J -w 1 -1. i If JL ffl-i kJ*# | 'nir.-tf tiruded Wliools. Arte- If ^..JHootrio Llghi., |i( . , " | slur, Water. Population (i.OW. }] 9== . ,'be ^f6fs ~ ? -r- B ? - s VOL Lll. NO m. UNION, SOUTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY. AUUUST 8. 1902. W1.00AYKAR. L m w* ?? m m m m ****** f F, M. FARK President. 7 GEO. l*tUNh"\ Cashier, J. j Merchants' and Pla ! ' OF" UNI J Capital Stock 8urphi8 s Stockholders' Liabilities i Directors?J. A. Fant, V ? T. C, Duncan, J. T. Douglass, ' ' T Vm. Coleman. ? X - We Solicit Y c:j t i jl < REMINISCENCES OF TOE WAR. Interesting Incidents Connected With the ItRte War. Bringing Out , a Great Deal of Unwritten His^ tory, in Which the Private and Subordinate Officers are Given Credit Justly Due Them. Some of the Truest, Noblest and Bravest Men That Ever Faced an Enemy Were to be , FOUND ANIONS THE PRIVATES. \ BY J. L. STRAIN. Chapter XI. Wo have very littlo desire to speak of things connected with our army life lest wo might be considered selfish or egotistical?or both?and for that reason alone modesty forbids saying many things in which a big <4I" or little "u" might be read between the lines of these reminiscences and spoil the whole object for which they are written. If, however, I could mention names as I would like to I might make them still t^q^Jpore ^ interesting. I will l>Qlrevqj',T>o pajrdoned for quoting . '* ?|ytning bur friends (the enemy) ^ might say about us, and here is one instance coming from a Federal soldier a member of one of the New York Cavalry regiments, who tells this story of his failure to capture one of our Confederate scouts (usually known in army circles as Billy Bowlegs) at a time when ho was visaing a friend near a little village in Virginia, jSppaJdng of it he said: "The scout had been described to us so well and after that I was satisfied I knew him and enough Was known about his nerve to know that would not be taken alive if he had any show for a fight and therefore we surrounded the house cautiously one dark night about midnight we approached the house from the back side and across a large field with a trusted guide who knew all about the premises but .was not go very well -acquainted with the family. We Wottdeting how we were to get him. If wo knocked at the door he would be alarmed and have time to arm.himself. If we broke in we might probably find him in bed. It was a still, clear night and wo parleyed about half an lipur beforo we adopted a plan. Finally wp decided to break down the door and rush in before ho was aware of our presence. T&wo.pf us went to the front door and wftyto tho back door while another k stood ready to receive the scout in w , case be dropped from the second story window which we supposed opened into his bed room. We at up slowly and at a given signal doors were rapped at the same Neither of them gave an inch Uftder t|ie pressure. In response to the effort we made we heard a woman's voice call out, 'Who is that: What do you want?' > . 'Open the door or we'll break il 'do^n,' wo told her. [ 'Wait one minute', she said, a iSbe made a light and we heard ffrer moving about and in about twc minutes the front door was opened 4Snd a gray-haired woman of aboui (forty or forty-five stood there witb a candle in her hand. She was noi excited apparently. She said, 'Unioi i-soldiers, eh? Come right in,' smilinf if glad to see us. ^ I J b?d posted the men around tin iftouse ?rul &nterpd with another an( rsoon as I was inside I said; 'Madam, we have come for ?? !we knot* be is here, we shall tak< him dead or alive.' /Oh you are looking for Billy ar lyou?' exclaimed a girl who cam (running down stairs just at thai mo j Iment. * Excuse nap, gentlemen, fo il' " " J i i * <w? m m mo* A. H. FOSTER, Vice President. $ D. ARTHUR, Assistant Cashier, f titers' National Bank ? OIS, ?, c. 1 $60,000 I 50,000 T 60,000 ? $170,000 J V. H. Wallace, Wm. Jeffries, jfc E P. McKissick, A. H. Foster, our Business. || not being fully dressed, but you see you didn't send me word.' She laughed in a merry sort of a way while the mother smiled good naturedly. She bad on a neatly fitting calico dress, a ribbon tied around her neck and except that her hair was somewhat disskevelled she looked as well prepared as if she had expected us, and had had time to fix lip to meet us. 'Yes, Jennie, they want Billy,' said the mother, as she placed the candle on the stand. 'Aud we are bound to take him dead or alive,' I added in a loud voice, thinking that the scout was in hearing. 'Oh, how sorry,' laughed the girl. 'If Billy had only known you were coming, but he didn't, you see, and he went away about dark. He'll never forgive himself I suppose?no nover.' 'But we must search the house,' I said. 'Mother, you light another candle and I'll show the gentlemen round. . Maybe the sight of Billy's old clothes will do them some good.' 'Well, we hunted that house thor ougdly trom cellar to attic and all we found was a suit of Billy's old clothes. He was gone and I could only apologize for having interrupted them at that hour of night?accept a luncheon at the hands of the matronly lady; and take the back track to the river. I'll own.up, I was dead gone on Jennie before I left, and I give her to understand that as I squeezed her hand at parting, I said to her, when this war is over I am coming back to ask you to be my wife.' ' Her reply was, 'And? And? I'll say? say yes.' She whispered |in my ear jocosely, yet with an air of sincerity, as I thought. Soon after daylight we got back to the river and there we met a man of Union proclivities who was a neighbor to the widow. lie found out where we had been and asked if the 'widder' was at home and if any one was thar. No one but her daughter was there with her, I told him. 'Eh? Daughter', says he, 'she's got no daughter.' 'Yes Bhe has and a mighty good looking one too at that,' was my . reply. 'Describe her,' he continued. 'She's of medium height, dark hair and eyes and a good talker, and I'm going back to marry her when tne war is over.' 'But you don't do any sich thing,' he responded. 'That ar gal, as you i thought she was, is nobody else but that scout 'Billy Bowlegs,' and he i just jumped into her old clothes to i fool you and he's done so and you i couldn't see through it all. Billy was thar sure. Gawd knows thar ' was nobody else for it to be.' " A full history of the following ; poem would make a blush come to the cheeks of the guilty party were she living to hear it told. It is of a 1 prisoner who before ho died at Camp > Chase, Ohio, confided to a fellow I prisoner the history and told him to t answer any letters that oome to him i after ho was dead. The girl to whom II he was engaged had failed to write 1 to him and he was greatly concerned f about it, thinking she had forsaken him. After his death a letter was 3 received which curtly broke off the 1 engagement. The friend of the dead man wrote the following lines: " Your letter, lady, came top late, p For heaven had claimed its own. A sudden change from prison bars B Unto the Great. White Throne! And yet, I think he would have staid e To live for his disdain, ? Gould he have read the careless words r Which you have sent in vain. . / So full of patience did he wait, Through many a weary hour, That oYr his simple soldier's fa^e Nor even death had power. And you?did others whisper low Their homage in your ear As though amongst their shallow throng A spirit had a peer? I would tliat you were by rae now To draw the sheet aside, And see how pure the look he wore The moment when he died. The sorrow that you gave him Had left its weary trace And 'twere the shadow of the cross Upon his pal id face. "Iler love," he said, "could charfjge for me The winter cold, to spring," Ah! trust a tickle maidon'a love, Thou art a hitter thing. For when theso valleys bright in May, wi>^ muio wiui uiusaoms wave, The Nor hern violets shall bloom I'pon this humble grave. Your dole of scanty words had been Hut one more pang to bear, For him who kissed until the last Yoir trees of irolden hair. I did not put it where he said. For when the angels come, I would not have them find the sign Of falsehood in the tomb. I've read your letter aud I know The wiles that you have wrought To win that noble heart of his. And gained it, cruel thought! What lavish wealth men sometimes give For what is worthless all. What mauly bosom beats for truth, In folly's falsest thrall. You shall not pity him, for now His sorrow has an end: Yet would that you were with me now Beside my fallen friend. But I forgive you for his sake, As he, if it be given, May e'en be pleading grace for me Before the court of heaven. To-night the cold winds whistle by As I my vigil keep Within the prison dead-house, where Few mourners rome to weep. A rude plank collin holds his form. Yet death exalts his face, Ai.d I would rather see him thus Thau clad iu your embrace. To-night your home may shiue with lights, And ring with merry song, And you, yet smiling, as your soul Had done no deadly wrong; Your hand so fair that noue would think It penued these words of pain; Your skin so white, would God your heart Were half as free from stain. I'd rather be my comrade dead. Than you in life supreme; For you the sinner's waking thought, And his the martyr's dream. Whom serve we in this life, we serve In that which is to come. He chose his way; you yours; let God Pronounce the lifting doom. (To be continued.) ? t ? Another Nice Picnic. Dear Mr. Editor: Will you be so kind as to allow us space in your valuable paper to write up another picnic, given by Mr. McCracken at the old residence of Mr. Geo. P. Garrett August 2. It was a very nice picnic and there were some 200 or 250 persons on the ground. The crowd gathered about 11 o'clock and ascended to ti e ball room, where they enjoyed themselves dancing by the line music furnished by Shelton's string band. The dancing crowd was large enough to run two sets at once. By the kindness of Mr. David McCracken in getting up a nice beef, there was more hash than this crowd could eat. Ice cold refreshments were served by Messrs. A. It. McGowan and C. B. Gregory, at the plose of the picnic there was not as much as one lemon left. Well about two o'clock dinner was announced, a large table well tilled with everything nice to eat amused the crowd for a short while. There was nlen'V and everv one sflpmw) tn i,a moii pleased wilh the nice dinner so well prepared by the Rood ladies of both Union and Newberry county. After dinner the laiae ball took place. The Shelton team and Booker bottom team crossing bats The Booker bottom holding Shelton down with score of 10 and 10 until the seventh inning, and at the ninth inning the game resulted with score of 10 to 17 in favor of Sheltou. It was quite amusing to hear the young ladies and children yelling for the ball game. Some cheering onb side and some the other. So after the game was over the crowd returned to the ball room, where the young people enjoyed the dance for an hour or more, and then everybody returned home well satislled with the day. We were glad to welcome Mr. T. C. Jolly and Mi Kitt Betenbaugh and another friend from your city, who attended the picnic. Also Mr. and Mrs. George Garrett from Carlislo. me crops a**? looking lino down in these parts, thou*; i .hey have suffered very much before the last rains. Mr. C II. Stokes from Colwmhia, it visiting relatives and friends qt tips place. lie came up last week to attend the burial of his brother who died sud> denly at Chester. Well, as my letter may take up too much space In your valuable paper, I will close with best wishes for the editor and success to The Times and its read era. J. H. McGowan. LETTER FROM COLORADO. A very Interesting Lett r from Our ! Correspondent in the F;tr West. 1 Mr. Dniley is :i Fine Z>rs; criptive Writer. TELLINC1 THE TRUTH IN TEXAS. Denver, Col. July -<S. C02. Editor Union Timks:?I received your kit:?i favor of tlit ! 1 i- s\ on the ITi- - ) i'..o papers l?v thosamc mail. Please accept my most sin- 1 cere thanks for the vast amount I interesting readini: i v afforded nn\ j Language fails me in wire1. 1 v??'u!d like to express my appreciation of thoso mementoes of my old home. They were the moat interesting of any papers I ever read. I feel rather timid about giving my praise about that Texas trip, but 1 it was certainly delightful reading. I atu very sorry that it stopped so soon and hope you will continue more of it because I know the half has not been told. But you have been carried sc high on the tongues of piaise regarding the write-up I feel you may become vain should such applause continue much longer. But that was not the only news of interest to me. In fact every article was read with interest but can only mention a few that seemed just like being back in old South Carolina once more. Tho educational notes were i of vast interest to me and hope our pooplc may continue to advance along these linos until we have reached as 1 high a standard as any people in any country, and it is with much pride that I notice the names of the graduating class of the Graded School. It is a pleasure to me to remember having met the two who stood highest in that class, and prouder still that one is a first cousin of mine. Well done, Lillian, I hope you may reach the height of your ambition. That Memorial Day address of Capt. Douglass (as we always knew him from my childhood) was very fine. I always knew him as a noble gentleman and a lively fox hunter but had no idea he could make such a talk as he did, but I guess be is | not so bashful since he became Senator. Well, I had started to write something of iny trip through Texas but after reading all that interesting news from home I could not get mv mind on anything else until I acknowledged my gratitude to you for such a treat. I had hoped to give you a few lines about the first of every month, but having been so very busy over since I came and the failure to get your first paper caused me to get behind at the first. I am very sorry that I was not. able to give you a full description of the State capitol of Texas, but the magnificecnc of the building so dazzled my mind that my notes were scattered all over a memorandum book. I notice that I did not even give the cost of the building and that is a very important factor with all close observers. You will remember that they were a very long time getting ready to start this wonderful building and there were a great many bids put in and considered. but Texas had more land at that time than anything else and the custodians of that great State were very much opposed to going so deep in debt at that time, so they wanted a company to build the capitol just as their plans called for for so many acres of land instead of so many dollars, and at last a company was formed at Austim, most of the incorporators were Austin people. So this building company agreed to put up the building as per the plans submitted for three million acres of land. This land was all specified and was laying in various counties over the i State. Some of it was worth nine, ten and fifteen dollars per aero while ' some was not worth more than one dollar per acre. Tho valuo of some , has increased wonderfully while some is as cheap as when the contract was made. However, the great capitol was completed and the contractors say it cost them 8,644,000 but the contractors never went broke, so it Is i safe to say they came out all right, as the average price of the land they , got only cost them a little over one and i a half dollaas per acre, hut still Texas has millions of beautiful land, some very valuable but most of it is very , dry pasture land and is leased out for a lona term of vears to the nettle w y ~ """ ' men of the northwest. Texas has given away more land than most of the States contain, but they oar\ ? * E?a?B<Vke.C?k ^a?D%.a?BOHO!3 : Tr\nM i : I vninf I INSUR ? 0 m S At low is issue 5 Wm. A. NICHG I BANK tea; hardlv ni iss it yet. especially in the north\wnt. Vou see Texas never had any U? itcd States government land at I all b<c ms ? when Congress was fighting to !.? )? Texas out ol the Union beeau \ Texas was very much in <1< bt at that time having been cauryiiig u the war with Mexico and trying to \ carrv on their own government as - n the Texas Republic. That i why they were admitted as a State with the proviso that Texas should pay all | her own debts and own all the. public! I nul within her borders. Well, there was another very i strange sight which nior my gaze i when I first landed at the capitol of Texas. It seemed to me to he the greatest place on earth for people to tell the truth, these truths seemed to be painted on the signs over some of the doors and 1 was at n great loss to know why the people were so truthful at Austin, as 1 had been across the State once before nml i learned that the people of Texas or of any city of Texas were any more truthful than my "old friends and relatives of South Carolina, but this question kept me guessing for several hours hut I didn't say anything to any one about my curiosity till my brother came for me and we were going out of town. (1 should say city as some one in Texas might hear what 1 am saying.) Well as we were going out of the citv I observed more of these signs on various houses so that made my curiosity more intense. 1< in ally I told my brother that I had seen the most truthful and appropriate j sign over a saloon in the citv of| , ** I Austin that 1 had ever seen any j where, but I had also seen the same | kind of a sign over a livery stable j and restaurant. lie asked what it j was. L told him 1 saw the sign over a saloon as Dam Saloon but when 1 saw the Dam Stable and the Dam Restaurant it \vas two much for-me to swallow at once. Later on 11 learned that there was a Dam Hotel, Dam Bakery, Dam Shop, Dam Park, Dam Dance Ilall, Dam Wagon Yard, Dam Ball Ground, Dam Race Track, Darn Street and Dam Street Cars. There had been a great many others of like notaritv but none of them are as popular as they were a few years ago. I don't know whether there was a ''Dam Church" or not, but there certainly would have been ere this if the craze had kept up until now. The cause for all these dam signs was a very largo and costly dam built about five miles above the citv which sunnlied the citv with / 1 r? " J " water and elcetric lights. The dam was across the Colorado river, about four hundred yards long, was built from a solid bluff of rock cn the south side of the river and the earth was dug away on the north side for neat ly one hundred yards until they reached a solid bed of rock to join the dam to. It "had just been built when my brother went out there ten years ago and it lasted for about seven years. There was a beautiful building about five stories high south of the dam on the side nearest the water which was used for tho officers, otc. There was another joining it used for the engine, dynamos and pumps. 'The dam was by far the largest and most expensive I had ever seen. It was seventy feet high but was not very wide at the bottom, probably sixty feet and the upper side was perpendicular and the lower side was gradually curved until it made nearly a half circle. The outsido of all the dam was of fine cut stone and eement but the inner material was of all shapes and sizes and not well cemented. They claim the water was backed up the ; river for fifty miles though it seems j incredible to inc. 'They called it the great Niagara ot Austin, Texas' They have some advertising literature at Austin yet hut they never boast of it any more. It cost o 'er a bullion dolors and has put the city " ^ OOnOSOB^O&tBOE9l9IIOIOItn \DO 1 ANCE j rate g ?d by iLSON & SON, [ :ers. i o?waw?nc??? greatly in debt. There had been very heavy rains and the river was very high so the dam burstcd in June throe von is nim ~ ?-.-I- -c _ _ _ , .-u w * v/ t vi 11V/ >1 III ^ LU UU11 (J I j the eitv and farming lands along its entire length below the dam. The Superintendent's hoy had just come to tin- pump room to {day when the dam burstcd. There were five in in the building when the ilood came and all were drowned except one whom the wave; washed out the door in Time for him r,> be saved alive. There was a great mass of the dam taken out in one solid body and carried down the river for more than one hundred feet and it still stands there like a mountain of cemented stone right side up just as though it had been carried there by gentte hands. 1 spent several days and nights at the Confederate Home and would be glad to tell you of it when L have tiiue. I must bid you all adieu with best wishes for Tut: Timks and all of i*s reading. \V. (1. Bailey. j Good, keep the ball rolling old man, you are doing fine.?Ed.] Pistol arid Dog Law. Mr. Editor:?The attitude which The Times has assumed in regard to the "pistol toting" habit is commendable. The effect, if the new law is enforced, will soon be felt iu the town, county and State and in a few years hence the ever ready pistoi will be a relic ot the past. There may be in the hands of the evil doers thousands of such out tno btate, out a strict enforcement of the law will gradually diminish the supply and the youth of 1 today will never ''enjoy the pleasure" of owning a ''gun*' a* 1ms been the j desire of nearly all boys. Would bo. I glad to see the day when wo can I meet in a body at church and other I places and the useless pistol be absent. An unenforced law soon becomes obnoxious and in a short time the en- ? aetment is forgotten. Should trial and conviction result in each offence, such a law would be kept fresh in the minds of the people. Out little city enacted an ordinance in regard to wandering useless dogs and since the law was to go into effect, it seems that the number of these animals has increased. It is yet dangerous tQ go out on the street as you are liable to be attacked by one of these pests. It is not the intent of this article to censure the authorities if duty in this particular has been neglected, should there exist an ordinance to that effect. If there is no remedy to diminish the number of these wandering animals there should he a law to compel the owners to guard them, otherwise an excuse arises for the ever ready vnmn/lu ivtioli l?.?o U~ ? 1 . V...VXJ 1IUH/U IKli> UCCII UAeiClSeU in many an unsolicited case. Being lcoicnt in the enforcing of one lair, stimulates the violation of another. Bespecfully, Citizen. Look Pleasant, Please. Photographer C. C. Harlan, of Eaton, ().. can do so now, though for years he couldn't, because he suffered untold agony from llie worst form of indigestion. All phisicans and medicines failed In help him till he tried Electric Bitters, which worked such 'wonders for him that lie declares they are a godsend to sufferers from dyspepsia and stomach troubles. Unrivaled for diseases of the Stamach, Liver and Kidneys, they build up and give new life to the whole system. Try them Only 50c Guaranteed by F. C. Duke druggist. FURMAN UNIVERSITY, GREENVILLE, S. C., Will becin the next session on WnilnM. day, fteplember 17th, 1,902. Location convenient and healthful. Courses of study elective or leading to H. A. or M. A. degrees. Full corps of instructors and ample Iness accommodations. For " other information apply to the president, A. L\ Montacue, L. L. D. 29-8tp,