Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

mmnhhhhhhnh ?4fl UNION AND SUBURBS HAS * 11 >N|| "W" ^ TT ~T "W "T "V /^\ 1C %* f H W' "Igr ff ^ t^T m UN,ON AND SUBURBS MAS I S i I Hh I | 1x1 I 1 \j I I \ /I H V 1 :;ssrs;ax; f II 1 11 JLi U l\,'lUli. I 1 1V1 fjL ). :: * . * ? 1 . YOU. LY. NO. 45. ^"'CW, UNION, SOUTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1905. /fcl.OOA YEAR. ~ 111 CENTS ' Makes the Farmers happy ; place to depos't your surplu The best Safe that Money ( protected against Burglary large Firm and Individual F protect our customers) ma lutely secure. We somen \ # Wm. A. Nicholson FIRE FIEND' FEAR -? Union Tire Hoi fV |. Dwellings Pre * ,* : f : * Twelve Thousand Dol erty Destroyed?E to Death?Wa, ' V x of an Inc .Wrapped in flames, the Xjnionf; fire house and several adjacent i # dwellings, were utterly destroyed v shortly after midnight la^t Sunday night, and valuable property I The awful scream of the fire- 1 whistle awoke the people of the 1 city only a few minutes after the < fire started, but the heroic work i of the citizens and the energetic s l-l- _ ? 1J J tJiiuns ojl me lire company couiu i not prevent the destruction of i the fire house containing the i hose wagon and other valuable i equipment, three dwelling houses and stable belonging to the city, i in which were eight mules, all i burnt to death. The desperate I work of the firemen, assisted by 1 the citizens generally, prevented . further spread of the flames. 1 The undertaking establishment s of M. W. Bobo, the Briggs prop- < erty, and the stores beyond, as 1 well as the law offices on the side i of the court house and the gro- 1 eery store of Mr. Porter were in ; imminent danger, but were i saved by the efforts of the fire- i ? fighters. The hose belonging to : , the city was demolished in the . flames, and nothing could be i done until the hose belonging to ; the Excelsior Knitting mill was secured and then a persistent < fight against the fire saved the houses imperiled. The flames spread rapidly. The firehouse was reduced to ashes before the majority of the people who had been aroused by the alarm arrived on the scene. The two horses of the fire company were saved by John Turner, the negro, who slept in the firehouse and had charge of them. He was just awakened in time to do this by the noise of Policemen Moseiey ana uavis nattering on the door to try to save him. These two gentlemen first perceived the fire from Sharpe street, and immediately hastened to the fire. The mules were simply roasted to death. In the haste made to save the negro and other supposed inmates of the fire-house they were lost sight of. The stable was attached to the firehouse, but without connection between. The law offices of Messrs. Jas. Munro, J. A. Sawyer and Magistrate W. W. Johnson were in great danger, but prompt and f pnrpful work nrpvp.nt.pd t.hpir dp - struction. Afl the books and JV furniture were moved out as a r*# precaution, but no damages were r sustained in the loss of any documents or furniture of any sort, the only traces of the fire being on the woodwork in the rear. The sole occupant of the fire ,v house was John Turner, the nef "jy7i1 " 1 r rr -*** COTTON and prosperous. A safe is is with THIS BANK. :an Buy, which is also by Insurance, and our Resources (all of which ke your deposits absor YOUR BUSINESS. & Son, Bankers, 8 ???? S !HJL WORK ise and Three y of Plames. lars Worth of Propight Mules Roasted s it the Work endiary? gro, who went to bed about eleven o'clock, as he was very tired, having been kept up to a late hour the previous night by the fire on Church street.- He :ha?light or th^da^^md he is very positive that he heard no me enter during the night. The inmates who sleep in the upper itory were by chance absent, and t was very fortunate that they ivere, for they would have been n great danger of being burned to death. The suspicious circumstances point very strongly to incendiarism in the origin of the fire. It begun and reached a terrible extent in less than twenty minutes. A. prominent citizen passed by the fire-house shortly after 12.30 and 3aw nothing wrong and no signs af any fire. The only thing that J j-i? iic iiutiucu w<ts mat tue upper story was lighted and against the window he saw the figure of a man moving about. Nothing 9eemed amiss; for he naturally thought that this person was 9ome member of the company just coming in, but investigation 3hows that no member was there at that time of night. This still would strongly indicate the presence of an incendiary. It was then 12.30 when the gentlemen passed by, for he remembers distinctly having looked at his watch a very few minutes before. The fire had already started and was well on its terrible way when the alarm was given just at the hour of one. The fire, therefore, must have started within twenty minutes and it seems impossible that with no wind blowing and under ordinary circumstances the fire could have gained so great a headway in so short a time. It is suspected that the front premises had been secretly saturated with gasoline or some other combustible liquid and that the great and rapid progress in the short interval was due to this cause. Another strange fact in the chain of circumstantial evidence was that on the previous night the house occupied by the fami nes 01 roncemen Lander McUow an and C. B. Gregory was alsc burned down. The activity oi the police in the arrest of mis creants, especially those wh< have dealt in the illicit sale oi liquor, is the generally suspectec cause of the., venom and vengeance which resulted in the de struction of the house of the po licemen and the city fire house This is merely conjecture but iJ the fire was of incendiary origir this is the most reasonable am natural hypothesis for the cause The loss, both to the city am ! to individuals, was heavy. Th< town of Union had insured the following property in the New York Underwriter's Agency to the amount below given'. Barn $ 500.00 Tools 100.00 Eight Mules 1080.00 Feed 100.00 Four Sets of Wagon Harness 75.00 Street Sprinkler 540.00 And in the Springfield Fire and Marine Insurance Company the following equipment was also insured for the amounts stated: Fire Department $1500.00 Reel Wagon 600.00 Two Horses 400.00 Deducting the amount for the horses, which were saved, the total amount of insurance will be $4,495.00. It has been estimated.. that the total loss to the city in the fire amounted to about . $6,300.00, and that the loss and ! Hamnirp tn thp hnilrlinrra burned or partly burned was in the neighborhood of $6,000.00, making the total loss amount to j about $12,300.00 The three dwelling houses belonged to the Union Cotton Mills and the one occupied by Mr. W. J. Hames was insured for household goods to the amount of $600.00. Mayor McNally called a special meeting of the town council on Monday morning, and it was resolved by the council that 2,0000 feet of hose should be purchased immediately for the use of the company to replace that destroyed in the fire. It is very probable that the city will erect within the next year a suitable brick building for the fire department to take the place of the one burned down, which was constructed rather cheaply of pine. It is probable that the police headquarters and the fire department will be housed^ under^tjae sanvv roof wind was not blowing when the fire occurred, for the absence of the fire department service and the excitement of the flames would have in all probability resulted in the utter destruction of the greater part of the business portion of the town. It is greatly to be regretted that the fire occurred, for the department was a very necessary adjunct to the city and will be missed. The organization, however, will continue, pending the erection of the new fire house, and it will still render service in case other fires occur. The matter of the origin of the fire is being generally discussed in all quarters. John Turner, the negro, says that he went up stairs about eleven o'clock to put out the lights and that there was nothing suspicious to be seen. Several members of the department had been there during the evening, but there were no cigar or cigarette stumps lying around. He declares that all was well when he went to bed. He saw no one prowling about and heard no out-of-theway noises. When awakened by the flames, he was almost suffocated with the smoke, and was ! slightly burnt in the neck in ' getting out the horses. He dedeclares vehemently that he noticed a strong and peculiar odor similar to that of kerosine while ' he was getting the horses out. ! There was no kerosine or other - combustible in the house save a ' very small amount of kerosine in the lanterns which were attached I to the reel wagon. The negro alsc says that the fire undoubtedly - began down stairs or rather about ' the landing where the entry was that led to the second story. He s saw the flame there first and ! noticed that they went in s t steady sheet upward to the roof. It was not the custom at the - fire house to lock the door which ) led to the second story and thus access to the interior of the - building would have been verj > easv. It is an assured fact that the fire progressed at a most unusual speed and this fact itself is strongly indicative of the worl< of an incendiary. The insurance of the Unior cotton mill houses amounted tc al>out $2,500 and the losses ol household goods amounted tc about $1,300 with insurance amounting to about $825. There 5 was damage from water to the STRONG , MEETING OP COTTON ASSOCIATION. Union Cotton Growers Still Sticking to the Stcndord?-Successful Organization in This County Determined to Ur hold the Vcflue of Cotton~Strong Speeches. The regulfcr monthly meeting of the Union County Cotton Association was held Monday in the court house and the spirit of the session was highly encouraging. The meeting was called to order by President F. M. Farr and after the preliminary business had been transacted, there were heard the" reports from each township in the county in regard to the collection of the tax of three cents per bale from the members of tre association, this tax being for the defraying of the expenses of the general as a ?~ j *-i- - suciittiuii, /v cunsiaeraDie amount was collected and this went to show that the people of this county are sincere in their purpose to hold cotton till the day of eleven cent cotton shall dawn. Judge Jiason M. Greer then read the following letter from President Harvie Jordan: TO COTTON GROWERS AND BUSINESS MEN OF THE SOUTH. With only partial and crude organization hurriedly perfected last February, the Southern Cotton Association has saved millions of dollars for the South in maintaining the price of cotton at good figures, brought to the bar of Justice certain officials in the United States Department oi Agriculture at Washington foi man fouto^the cotton reports, started a wave of research and investigation into the uses and values of the Soutlvs great staple to the spinners and consumers of the world and built up an organization which is today feared and respected throughout the cotton trade of Europe and America. If all these things could be accomplished in a few short months under well-nigh insurmountable ditliculties, how much more can be done in the interest of the growers of the South through systematic organization in every cotton growing county and the loyalty and support of the cotton producers and business interests of the South. Each individual is an important factor in the creation of an organization powerful enough to maintain the supremacy of the South in the future control of the great monopoly which she possesses. Each individual should feel it a personal and patriotic duty to stand shoulder to shoulder with his neighbors in an effort to maintain the price of cotton at profitable figures and contribute thereby to the success of his individual interests and the prosperity of his country. 1 The world's cotton trade is combined against the producers of cotton. The value of their | staple which the entire civilized world depends upon for clothing 1 is made a daily football to be , kicked about at will in the speculative exchanges of the country. ' No product from the soil is more 1 useful to mankind, none receives harsher treatment at the hands ! of the buying and speculative world. The farmers of the South ; have solved the problem of its | production through individua ; effort. They can likewise solve the problem of its marketing b> 1 full and systematic organizatior through the Southern Cotton As5 sociation. For the Associatior 1 to be effective it must have the \ active support and co-operatior * of the growers in every cottor producing county. It has re ceived the endorsement and com j mendation of the entire press oJ ! our country, the business inter; ests and all other Farmer's Or k ganizations in the South. 11 The specific object of the As f goods of Turner & Mayfielc ) amounting to fully $300. Mrs J M. A. Briggs had the misfortum i to lose, without insurance t< i cover, her stable and kitchen. F. M. FARR, President. T Merchants and Pis Successfully Doing Bu; Is the OI.DKST Hank 9 a hns ii capital and surp I is the onlv N ATIONA I B has paid dividends ? E pays KOI? It per cent B B is the only Hank in Ui fl hos llurfflar-Proof va V pays more taxes tliHn j^W^ARNESTLY SOI sociation is to regulate the supply of raw cotton to meet the legiti mate demands of consumptior ??J ii-- ? * ' > rtuu iiiaiutctiu uie price 01 tnc staple at profitable figures to th( grower; to encourage proper fa cilities for handling the staph both as to finance and storage to seek and open up wider mark ets for the consumption of oui cotton; to bring about direci trade regulations with the spin ners of the world; to furnish th( | growers with correct informatior as to acreage in cotton each year, condition of the plant during 1 growing seasons, the yield oi each crop and its distribution the cost of handling, cost ol | manufacture, price of cottoi goods and every phase and detai of the cotton industry. The As sociation will advise each plantei the minimum value of his staph each year and advise and assis him in getting its true worth 1 The Association will place al this information in the hands o: its members so as to keep then l posted as to an intelligent under i standing of the value of th< i staple and the best ways an< t means to secure practical an< J profitable results. The past worl of the Association has . provei already its enormous value to th' i farmersof the South., It pierced f with a ray of sunshine and nope' ; the dark clouds that hung s< threatening over the South las ' spring. Through its efforts th< silver lining is broadening acros: the horizon each day and tin future now looks bright an( happy. No man should be ; laggard in the great movement i The consuming world is wait i ing and watching for an oppor i tunity to pierce a vital spo through the protecting armoi i which the Association has throwi ' around the farmers of the South s In the coming elections to bi i held in all the civil sub-division l of the cotton growing countie ? and parishes of the South on tin first Saturday in December, le every man respond to the call o duty and to be present to enrol his name and elect men, goo( and true, to represent you at thi county or parish meetings calle< on the second Saturday in De 1 cember at your county site. Pa; > your annual dues and let tin world understand and know tha you, as each individual, will giv< your support and influence to i cause organized to protect you; ' interest from the dominatinj hands of those who would will > ingly keep you as slaves an< i serfs to multiply their ovvi ' wealth. Stand up for your fire I sides and your homes. Protec ; the great monopoly you posses s from the rapacious grasp of for eigners and grafters. Join th> Southern Cotton Association an< i become a factor in the cause o 5 progress, prosperity and free i dom which is now within ou i grasp. The immediate co-oper i ation and support of every mai > is vital to the success of the As 1 sociation. Do not delay, but ac i promptly with your neighbors r In all civil sub-divisions or coun i ties that we have not organized - bring them into line at the com i ing annual election the first Sat i urday in December. Literature ? Constitutions and By-Laws wil i be promptly furnished on appli - cation to the President or Secre - tary of your State Divisions o f the headquarters, Southern Cot ton Association, Atlanta, Ga. Yours truly, Harvie Jordan, Pres. - Richard Cheatham, Secy., Snnt.Viprn ('nffnn AooAoinfirtr 1 Announcement was then mad . relative to the approaching ele( i tions in each township and at th (Continued on page 5.) . ??S' J. D. ARTHUR, Cashier. I 3rl E ' I inters National Bank, iiness at the "Old Stand." i Union, lus of $l(f\000, I. Hank in Union, mountiiiK to jajU.tuO, . Iutorest on deposits. iiion inspected by an olllcor, nit. and Safe with Time-Lock. A I.I, the Hanks in Union combined. LICIT YOUR BUSINESS. Destroyed by Fire. 1 The old Meador house, the J iropert.v of the Meador family ; who once lived here, until lately occupied by the families of po* licemen Gregory and McGonv, ' caught fire Saturday night and " was almost totally destroyed. l* The Union fire company art rived on the scene and succeeded - in saving a portion of the house J from ruin. The kitchen id 1 rear apartments of the house ? ! WPl'P biivnpri owow ond r.-.o.. ? uithj auu yjmy Lilt: > front portion remains. As the house was only one story, no j trouble was experienced in get1 ting nearly all of the furniture J out. The people on the spot beI fore the firemen arrived assisted " in the removal of the household r goods and thus little was lost, ? the whole amount lost not being t over $75.00. It is supposed that the fire was J the work of an incendiary as the II two male occupants of the house \ 1 are active members of the police ) " force and have been alert in the ? detention and trial of a good J many miscreants latel# * I There was no insuranG4>J$ the k house as far as can be learned. ? The neighboring houses we*e not ; 6 damaged. \ ' u?' olsay '<ook_r t -?!? * Ration. At.dowu* ; v a 3 Hon. Arthur L. Gaston of the a sub-committee of the house now \ employed in the investigation of i the South Carolina dispensary was here Monday on professional . business. He is a member of _ the house from Chester and a t very popular attorney in that city r and county. -1 The dispensary investigation . I nas not oeen lately heard from e1 but it continues to go on. Mr. s i Lyon, the leading prosecutor, is s j quite ill at Abbeville and his dis9 ability has caused some delay, t Another hitch in the work is due f to the Farnum case in which the 1! decision has not yet been rend\ ered. This case will settle the 9 j point of law as to whether this \ dispensary investigating commit_ tee of which Mr. Gaston is a y member can legally summon q witnesses and compel them to t appear. It seems that a techni9 cality is involved in that the i resolution was concurrent and r | did not receive the reading three t times. i The Dispensary Matter. i The affairs of the dispensary t in this county have been settled s temporarily until the United - States Circuit Court convenes in e Richmond when action may be :1 taken by the parties locally inf terested in the case. The order - obtained from .Judge Pritchard r was in the nature of a transfer. >_ 'PVip lpcriclnfuvo r\f fV?o ^ _ ..nwmvuiv U1 Lllb kJkatC UUIln venes in January and so short is i- the interval between then and t now that it is to be doubted if . little change in the status of the i- dispensary in the counties in 1, i which it has been voted out will i- be made. The county of Oconee -1 has just voted the dispensary !. out by an overwhelming majority 11 and other counties are soon to i- | try the issue. r Tne Townsend Building. The new Townsend building is progressing rapidly and will soon i be comnlntpd Thr> u>a?1' , ^ Mi l\/l\ WV/IIV j is practically done and the interl* ior will soon he started upon. e The rooms are lar^e and capacious and will m ike handsome e store 'rooms. The whole upper _ front will he used for club ^ooms by the Clover Club.