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ESTABLISHED 1884 MAIL BOBBED BV NEGROES. Extraordinary Nealect of Ma con Postal Authorities. ALL OUR MAIL UNGUARDED. • I For the Lack of Transfer Clerks the Letters of 45,000 People Glu en OVer to Plunderers. The astounding neglect of the govern ment in the matter of mail sent to? Macin has just been revealed. The trouble does not lie with the Macon pOHtoffice, but with the failure of the gov ernment to provide transfer clerks. Again and again have petitions gone up io the department for such a clerk but 'without avail. 'Now, the folly of this government’ in difference is being shown. Two negro men engaged by the railsoad companies in transferring the mail at the eta Hon were yesterday sentenced to prison. Last night another one, Charles Spikes, wagon driver, was arrested and after an investi- gation, held in Postmaster Hertz's room, • was sent to the barracks. fit is now be lieved that a big combine of thieves has been working at the mail sacks for a long t ime. The present system or lack of system is this: The government having refused to provide a local transfer clerk, the mail ■pouches, on being brought to Macon by the railroads, are intrusted to negroes in the employ of the company. The negro drivers have the keys to the wagons. When a pouch to be robbed is selected It is usually one which appeal's to have been one worn by hard service. The strap, if weak, is seized by two strong negroes and broken. Tne contents are then examined and let ter taken out that appear to have money in them. As soon as the selection of let ters has been made the negroes pick up another of the many sacks lying around and put the rest of the letters back, snap a lock, of the many locks lying around, ■upon the new strap, and. toss the old pouch into a dark corner among many other pouches. It may be weeks after ward brier* a consignment of damaged pouches with “broken straps" ie> seat to the government. About a year ago Postmaster Hertz was asked by the department why it was that h< had returned so many damaged pouches. He replied that he bad returned none; that if any had been returned they had probauly had been sent back by the rail road companies. He was, therefore, re lieved of responsibility. He made, how ver, a quiet investigation and advised the department that the pouches had probably been tampered with at the railroad station and again renewed his request for a trans fer eJerk. The request was ignored, but the thieves go: wind of the danger and they desisted until about the first of August, when the department began to receive more dama ged mail sacks. A few days ago inspectors were sent here and hence the arrests. There is no telling how much has been lost by this thieves’ combine. Another warant for a negro named Ar thur Jenkins was issued this morning. The people of Macon are not so much interested in the apprehension of the thieves as they will be astounded on ’earning from The News that the mail of 45.060 people has been, in the dark hours of the night and in the dark places of hte city, intrusted to the entire custody of ne groes, who have not been appointed by the government and who are absolutely irre sponsible. IVstmaster Hertz says there should be a day and a night transfer clerk, each with a key to be used at the depots, while he holds the key at the postoffice end. This would seem to be the right plan. At any rate the department wil probably hear the complaints of Macon now. r GRADE OF ADMIRAL. Resoluiions Introduced in Congress to Re vive it. l|v Associated Press. Washington. Dec. 6. —The session of the senate today was mainly devoted to rou tine matters, the introduction of bills and the presentation of reports. Senator Morrill presented a petition from the legislature of Vermont, asking for the revival of the grade of admiral and the recognition of Rear Admiral Dewey. Mr. Hale, presented a bill to revive the grade of admiral and vice admiral. Senator Vest, of Missouri, introduced a joint resolution declaring under the con stitution that the United Slates has no power to acquire territory tobe held and governed as colonies. The house held a brief session today and adjurned out of respect to the mem ories of Representatives Northway, of Ohio and Love of Mississppi. Smoking Jackets for Xmas. Phillips. THE MACON NEWS. CLEVELAND’S YACHT, Had a Collision With a Transport Float this Morning. By Associaled Press. N» w York, Dec. 6. —The steam yacht Oneida, having on board her owner, com modore Benedict ahd ex-President Cleve land, was in collision with the transfer float off .he battery wall in the upper bay today. The yacht which sailed yesterday from Norfolk, had her bowsprit carried away. Messrs. (’leveland and Benedict land* d at the battery and the yacht con tinued on her way up East river. THE FARMERS’ CONGRESS. Governor Culberson of Texas, Made an Ad dress of Welcome. By Associated Press. Fort Worth, Tex., Dec. 6. —The Farmers’ National congress began its annual ses sion here today with several hundred dele gated present. After addresses of wel come by Governor Culberson and others the president of 'the congress, ex-Governor Hoard, of Wisconsin, delivered the annual address. A ROYAL DEATH. By Associated Press, Stuttgart, Dee. 6. —Pricess Frederick of Wurtemburg, mother of William 11., king of Wurtemburg, is dead. AT THE HUNTSX VILLE CAMP By Associated Frees. Huntsville, Dec. 6. —Major Clarence R. Edwards has been announced as the ad jutant general of the Fourth corps. Brig adier General R. Hall assumed command of the division. Lieutenant Thomas 'Campbell with fifteen men and company 17 of the signal corps were ordered to Anniston, relieving company 16. Private Mitchalm, .troop H, Tenth cavalry, died of 'typhoid fever. FIERCE BICYCLE RACING. All Contestants Close Together—Making a Heartbreaking Contest. By Associated Press. New York, Dec. 6. —A few minutes be fore 7 o'clock this morning every, man was still in the six day bicycle race -on the Madison Spuare Garden track. There are twenty-three in all. Rafferty decided to quit during the night. The average pace had dropped to about ten miles an hour, and every competitor has been .able to leave the wheel for a short rest. Miller was off seventy minutes during the night and Waller sixty-two. There was a elo-se tight tetween these two during the night in spite of the let up and the heart-break ing speed. Pierce was six miles ahead of Miller's record of last year. The snore of leaders at 10 a. m. was Pierce Milter 592, Waller 589, Stevens 565, Albert 564, Ginn 551, Nawn 556, Lawson 54G_ ENGINEERS FOR CUBA. Government Orders Gen. Bates to Send One Batal lion at Once. Gen Bates received word from the war department today to send one battalion of engineers to Cuba at once. The particular battalion will be the first of the Third Engineers under rhe command of Major Walker. This wil be exciting news to the boys of the Third now encamped in Macon. They are to sail on December 10 from Savannah. A HARD STORM. Lake Country Badly Injured by tne Recent Blow. By Associated Press. Cleveland, Dec. 6. —A heavy storm, which has raged throughout this- section for nearly forty-eight 'hours, has subsided and the weather today is clear and cold. There has not been such a general pros tration of telegraph wires in years as dur ing the past two days. The wind reaches a velocity* of sixty miles an hour. Detroit, Dec. 6. —The storm of Sunday and Monday has been succeeded today by another heavy snow storm. A big fleet of freight steamers is tied up near the lower end of the Detroit river waiting for higher water to enable them to get across the shallows. Heavy northerly winds have I lowered the water. INDIAN TREATIES. Cherokees and Creeks Willing to Enter Into Negotiations With Ik. By Associated Press. Washington . Dec. 6. —Secretary Bliss . has received a dispatch from the Indian . Territory indicating a change of senti ment on the part of some Indian tribes 1 with whom the Dawes eommisision has : been negotiating treaties. Dispatches said the outlook was-'more favorable and that j another meeting of the Cherokee council was about to be called to frame a treaty. The Creeks are also said to be preparing to negotiate another treaty. AMMONIA EXPLODES. Kills One Man and Injures Fifteen Others. By Associated Press. New York, Dec. 6. —An explosion of am monia on board the marine hospital ship Bay State today, as she was lying at the slip on the Brooklyn side of the upper bay, killed Robert Twiss and serious in jured 15 others. The accident occurred in the ice making plant aboard the ship, Twiss being charge of the machine. MACON NEWS TUESDAY DECEMBER 6 1898. RULE OWII, Legislation Proposed for a Territorial Government. NEW OFFICES CREATED. All Resident Portugese and Africans to Become Citizens of the United States. By Associated Press. Washington, Dec. 6.—The president to day transmitted to congress the report of the Hawaiian commision, consisting of Senators Cullom and Morgan, Representa tive Hi'tt, President Dole and. Justice Frear, of Hawaii, together with the text of bills drawn by the commission far the government of the islands as a portion of the United States. The preliminary por tion of the report mainly is descriptive of the Hawaiian Islands, the inhabitants, the existing institutions, public domain, pro ductions, climate, harbors, and shipping facilities, and the various conditions of general interest. The remaining portion is mainly devoted to a discussion of the legislation proposed by the commission, giving in an appendix various reports of sub-committees and copies of bills sug gested. Three bills have been formulated for the consideration of congress. The first and pricipal one outlines a general plan of government and the other two deal with subordinate questions. The main bill provides for the conversion of the islands into a territory of the United States, to be styled the Territory of Ha waii. The bill contains provisions for the government of the territory, giving it executive, legislative and judicial officers, governor, secretary of the territory, Unit ed States district judge United States dis trict attorney and United States marshal, to be appointed by the president and an internal revenue district and customs dis trict rented The offices' of president, minister of foreign affairs, finance, pubi c instruction, auditor general, deputy aud itor general, surveyor genet .1 and mar shal are .abolished Probably the most important portion >f the bill is the section defininh citizenship, which provides: “All white persons in cluding Portuguese and persons of African descent, and all persons descended from the Hawaiian race on either pate/aai or maternal side who are citizens of the re public of Hawaii immeditely prior tc the transfer of the sovereibnty thereof <o the United -States are hereby declared to citizens of the United States.'’ MADE AN AMBASSADOR. Powell Clayton, Our to Mexico Elevated. By Associated Press. Washington, Dee. 6. —The president to day sent to congress- the nomination of Powell Clayton of Arkansas to be ambas sador t o Mexico. Senor Romero, the for mer Mexican minister, having been raised to the rank of ambassador. Clayton’s promotion followed under the act of con gress. AS ENGLAND SEES IT, Britishers Express Satisfaction With Mc- Kinley's Message. By Associated Press. Landon, Dec. 6. —The afternoon news papers express satisfaction with McKin ley’s message with, the exception of his allusion to the Nicaraguan canal, which to the minds of the editors does not show sufficient appreciation of British treaty rights. UNLUCKY WEDDING. The Husband of Sibye Sande r son is dying of Liver Complaint. By Associated Press. New Y'ork, Dec. 6. —Antonio Terry, the Cuban millionaire, and husband ot Sybil Sanderson, the California prima donna, according to a private letter received in this city, is dying of liver complaint -at Nice. France. Mme Terry, who was stricken with paralysis several months ago. is reported to be improving in health, ~ WILLIAM OF'GERMANY. Indorses the Czar and Said He Had Acted Fair Between U. S. and Spain. By Associated Press. Berlin. Dec. 6 —The Reichstag was open ed today by Emperor William, who, after announcing the introduction of a series of social and labor bills and the completion of the organization of the army, said Ger many's relations with all foreign powers continued friendly and that the principal object of his policy would be to contribute to the maintenance of peace. Therefore, his Majesty hailed with warm approval the Czar’s magnanimous proposal for the furtherance of that object. Alluding to the war between £pain and the United States hie Majesty said that Germany's neutral ity was conscientiously and loyally ob served towards both belligerents. Men’s Odd Undershirt-. Half price. Clem Phillips. BOSSJCB Asks to Be Relieved, Pending an investigation. WIDOW OF MR. BARBOUR, Accuses Him of Driving Her Hus band to Death by Political Persecution. By Associated Press. Atlanta, Dec. 6.—Henry A. Rucker, rev enue collector cf Atlanta, who has been charged by Mrs. Barbour with being re sponsible for her husband’s suicide be cause of alleged political persecution, to day asked the 'Washington authorities to make a full investigation and he wants to be relieved of his duties as custodian of the building during the progress of the investigation. Mr. Barbour was a white man employed as janitor and was appointed from Wash ington. Rucker is a negro. TREES TO SOUTH AFRICA. A Georgia Nursery Fills a $2,000 Order For the Dark Continent. ■Atlanta, Dec. 6. —Prof. Scott, the state’s entomologist, was telegraphed for yester day to go at once to -Marshville to inspect a large shipment of fruit trees just re ceived from Alabama. There were 80,000 trees in the shipment and the orchard men wished to have them examined for scale and other insects before accepting them. -California does not allow any fruit trees u enter the state untl they have been ex amined by the state entomologist. This is because California has suffered from the San Jose scale which was introduced from Australia. After immense damage had been done the pest was discovered and now the state is using every endeavor to stamp out the insects which destroy the fruit and shade trees. Georgia has had a similar experience. The scale spread from California to the eastern states and was brought from the North down here. The loss to orchard owners in Georgia amounts to away above s■loo,ooo. Since the state employed an en tomologist the orchard men have learned how to detect and fight the pest. All fruit growers in the state are constantly on the watch for the insects. A bill is now pend ing before the legislature to authorize the entomologist to destroy trees and shrub bery found to be infested with the scale or other insects which kill or weaken the trees. Prof. Scott returned a few days ago from Berckman's nursery near Augusta, and he stated that while there Mr. Berckman shipped $2,000 worth of fruit trees to South Africa. Several years ago Mi-. Berckman gave a fTieiwl who was going to South Africa a plum tree. The tree was carried there, was planted, and when it grew larger it produced fine fruit. Such plums had never been grown, in South Africa. In the course of time Mr. Berckman received an order for some fruit trees from that distant country The Georgia trees yielded abun dantly and the fruit was large and finely flavored. Mr. Berckman has since re ceived numerous orders from Africa and last week filled one for $2,000 worth if trees. (It is a long trip and the trees will be two months making the journey, but with careful packing they will stand the trip very well. 'At this season tree life is dormant and if kept in a cool place the tree will live. It seems that the fruit trees from a Georgia nursery- are beter adapted to the South African climate than any other trees. Trees from England and the Euro pean continent do not produce such fine fruit. The entomologist has proved to be a val uable state officer. He has been the means of saving money in many an orchard. If taken holtf of in time the pests can usual ly be kept in check and prevented from doing much injury to an orchard. The fact that Georgia is sending fruit trees half way around the >.6rld shows the possiblities of the nursery business in this state. The agricultural department is running on short rations this month. There is no money for the entomologist’s expenses and ' he has to pay his own way or It has to be I paid for him. The railroads are so I greatly interested in his work that most 1 of them furnish him with free transporta i tion. The fruit crops furnish the rail ■ roads with a great quantity of freight and it is to the interest of the roads to do what they can to save the orchards from the insects. ANOTNER SNARL. Spaniards Continue to Complain Because We Draw the Lines. By* Associated Press. Madrid, Dec. 6 —The Correspondencia, semi-official, says the American commis sioners insist upon the discussion of mat ters which are not connected with the treaty of peace, namely* the extradition, commercial and literary conventions, etc. The Spanish government, it adds, is un able to yield and determined that such matters shall be discussed between the cabintes of Madrid and Washington. In conclusion the Correspondencia remarks: “The Americans are seeking profit by their victory in order to improve their own con dition.” A DELIGHTFUL TREAT. Promised Those Who Attend the M Fer- Straton Lecture. A delightful entertainment is promised those who attend the lecture of the Miller- St rat on combination at the Academy of Music December N Mr. Polk Miller will entertain with story and song on “The Old Times Down South.” Mr. Miller is one of the best delineators of the old-time plan tation darky who has ever been heard in Macon, and in his description of hi<s boy hood's happy days down on the farm, he introduces the most side-splitting stories and reproduces in a realistic manner those old plantation melodies, accompanied by* the banjo, which carry the older genera tion back to the days of their youth. The entertainment is in no sense a lecture, but rather an evening of story* and song. The other half of the evening will be occupied by the gifted orator. Mr. John Roach Straton. That Mr. Straton is a most •successful entertainer, the thousands who have heard him will testify. He blends the practical, poetic and humorous in an ele gant manner. The entertainment is for the benefit of the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Macon Hos pital Association to provide funds to equip the Gresham Memorial. The object is one that appeals to all and the -Academy* should be packed. Prices to orchestra floor 75c. to balcony 50c. which will be reserved. Seats can be secured commencing tenor row morning at Harry L. Jones Co.. '366 Second street. r GRAND JURY STILL OUT. Probably Superior Court Will Not Sit Un til After the Hollidays. The grand jury are still in session at the court houee and it is not known when they will complete their work. Judge Felton is in the city' waiting on the jury before he begins his session. It is probable, how e\ er, that he will not hold court again until after Christmas as it is only a few weeks off and it is thought thjt it will take the grand jury until that time to complete their work. All of the criminal cases are being brought before the grand jury and they will dispose of everything in the jail be fore making their report. Nothing has been done in regard to the case of Abner Taylor, who is under sentence to be hung and he will no doubt be hanged on the 16th. MERCER'S GYMNASUM Is Ready For Use —Fra- ternities to Meet this Afternoon. Mercer University has completed her gymnasium and will organize l regular classes this week lo be led by Mr. W. C. Mansfield and Mr. C. T. Turner The partitions have been taken out of the building in rhe rear of the college campus, which was formerly used for the summer school. Through the work and influence of the 1 oung Men’s Christian Association it has been well equipped. The students are taking every advantage of the gymnasium and expect to reap great benefit from it. However, this gymnasium is only the beginning of the gymnasium Mercer ex pects no have next- year. .Most of the funds have been collected for a $15,000 gymnasium. I't is to be erected just below the new building on the east side of the campus. The building wil be la three story brick one. The boys will have a running track on -the uppef floor and the second floor will be for the bathing room, while the first floor will be filled with 'the various kinds of gymnastic apparatus. The boys expect rhe building of this gymnasium to begin eoon and to be com pleted by the beginning of the fall term of next year. The friends of Mercer are glad to see her prosper and feel quite sure that she will soon rank formost among the colleges of the south. The fraternities at Mercer w-ill hold a . joint meeting this afternoon in the Y. M. C. A. room at the university to elect the editor in chief of the Kinetcscope, the college annual. The Alpha Tau Omega and the Kappa j Alpha fraternities have already furnished I their editors, so the fraternities contest • ing for the prize are the Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Delta Theta, Kappa Sigma and Sigma Nu. It has been previously ar ’ ranged by the fraternities that egch one shall furnish an editor in chief by drawing for.prize Mr. W. C. Man-sfield has been elected" to represent the Alpha Zeta chap ter of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity at their congress, whieh convenes at New , Orleans on the ?Bth, 29th and 30th of De cember. JUDGE ROSS’S SUCCESSOR. Judge Nothingham Sworn in for the City Court Bench. In the ordinary’s office this morning Judge W. D. Nottingham was sworn in as judge of the city court of Macon. Ordinary Wiley administered the oath of office. Those present in the office at the time were Judge J. P. Ross, the present judge of the city court, Solicitor General Robert Hodges, Hon. Hope Polhill, Mr. Thomas Ayer, clerk of the city court, Mr. Robert H. Smith, Mr. Emmet E. Barnes, and Mr. C. A. Ells. Judge Nottingham will assume charge of his duties on the first of January. Judge Ross will be in charge until that time. After taking the oath Judge Nottingham received the congratulations of the gentle men present. Stunning Bareains. In men’s underwear. Clem Phillips. PRl'f i FIVE CENTS TO SltfflßlT. Remarkable Facilities of Ma con's Weather Station. FOR WHOLE FRUIT SELT, Observer Gratified at the Advantages Macon Enjoys as a Distrib uting Point. • Weather Observer Collins is at a loss to know what will be done in regard to the observation platform that is to be built so that he can send out weather He has written the treasury department several times in regard to the matter, but has heard nothing from them. He also saw both of the representatives at Wash ington before tiny left and they promised to have things arranged on their arrivaJ. While Mr. Collins is unable to send out any reports yet he is making out a list of all the places that he wil have to supply with weather maps, and will have every thing ready for the work when hs plat form is built. Weather mans will be placed at different places over the city and wil be sent to all surrounding towns provided that they can reach the places by 7 o’clock at night. Mr. Collins says that he will be glad for the people to visit his office and that he will take pleasure in explaining the work ings of the different instruments. He say* that he is anxious to begin work, but that he will be unable to do so as long as the platform is not put up. Mr. Collins also says that Macon is one of the very best locations in the United States for a weather serivce, because the trains leave Macon for so many different points at 11 o'clock in the morning. Be cause of this fact the 10 o’clock predic tions can be mailed so as to reach all points iri all directions on the Southern. Central, Southwestrn and Georgia South ern, that a train may reach by nightfall. This will be an immense boon to the fruit and other farmers who will not need to consume money in telegraphic inquiries. As .Macon is the heart of the Georgia fruit belt the advantage of the station is ob vious. Mr. Collins was not aware of the true importance of a Macon station, nor did he realize the exceptional railroad fa cilities for the quick and wide distribution of weather reports until he came here and investigated the • situation. He is now most enthusiastic and wants to begin the work at the earliest possible moment so that he can prove to the people the advan tages they will enjoy from a well equipped station. RECORDER’S COURT. Macoi Continues to Be Very Free of Disor derly People. The police court brought out nothing of importance this morning and the cases on the docket were of the usual kind. Annie Walton was bound over to thee ity % court under a SSO bond on the charge of larceny. Calvin Cook was up on the charge of driv ing on the sidewalk, but was dismissed. Henry Harp and James Ray were arrested yesterday on thee harge of vagrancy, but when thee ase was tried this morning they showed up to be all right and were dis missed. W. C. Brown was fined $2.50 for being drunk. Bailey Bryant was given the same fine for the same offense. Charles Spikes, the man who is charged with rob bing the mails is held at the station house for safe keeping. COUNCIL TONIGHT. Probably that Friendless Home Appropria tion May be Shut Off. The city solons will hold their -regular meeting tonight. Up to the present not a petition has been filed to be presented and it is thought that nothing of importance will come ur». It is anticipated by some of the citizens that the annual appropriation to the Home for the Friendless will be taken aay by the council when the appropriations are made out in January. At present there is only one inmate of the home, and it is deemed a useless expenditure to appropriate over S7OO a year for the home when it is only benefitting one person. ELECTION BETS. The Exact Figures for the Benefit of Stockholders. It seems that a large numebr of election bets were made on the number of votes cast and the size of the majority. In or der that settlements may be made the News gives the figures: Anti 2,729 Prohi 1,426 Majorityl,3o3 DEMOCRATS SUSTAINED. By Associated Press. Columbus, Ohio, Dec. 6. —The supreme court today sustained the Otis law. under which the republican board of city affairs was ousted in Cincinnati and a partisan board appointed in its place by the Demo cratic mayor. Bath robes for Xmas. Phillips. T J I