Georgia Historic Newspapers

    CHRISTMAS IN TEXAS.
KA\rHE LIFE—A STORY OF RE
SENTMENT AND MURDER.
A THRILLING episode of two men who
WERE IN STRONG CONTRAST.
STORY OF A HANDSOME
AND UNFORTUNATE
BOY. *
Buena Ventura Ranche, Crockett
County. Texas, December 24, 1890.—[Spe
cial.]—I was spending Christmas at Dos
Ilermanos sheep ranche in Southern
Texas.
It was a big and beautiful ranche in a
beautiful country. Fine open valleys and
draws, and cosy sheltered hollows, clothed
with rich mesquite grass and the various
little weeds that the dainty and fastidious
siieep loves, were llanked and buttressed
by low, conical, or humpy, flat-topped,
Egyptian looking hills. The plains, too,
were only a couple of miles to the. north-
card, and looking from them toward these
low pjiatuidal hills, with the everlasting
silence about, aud the sunlight lying soft-
over all the landscape’s face, with its
brooding loveliness, its majestic serenity
and repose, seemed to wear a significance,
a smile of inscrutable meaning, like that
of Egypt, hut lacking the awe, the dread
that Egypt inspires. *
The house—a iarge a’-'d comfortable one
for this almost semi-tropical region of
tents and two Ihree roomed box-houses—
was full and running over, and a half
dozen young fellows were, camped in a lit
tle hollow dose by; the weather was de-
iiuhtful, fairly meriting the adjective su-
perb, one day followed another, warm,
soft, brilliant, the air dry, crisp, and
bracing, like the brightest and best of Oc
tober weather in the Middle States.
ibe boys had worked hard all day long
on the g:id, when we arrived, rigging
ii'igs, making lances and arranging seals
for a grand tournament on Christmas eve;
i i' ij body was tired and by mutual con-
sem we went to bed early to be ready for
the next day’s festivities.
U hen the contestants all rode up and
saluted, my eye was at once caught by two
figures that came from a tent a little apart
from the general camp in the draw.
One was a big Saxon blonde, six feet
two or three inches in height, with his fair
skin burned to a uniform dark red, from
which a pair of fine honest eyes looked
out with startling blueness. His features
were of a singularly large and regular
mold, with a throat and chin so beautiful,
a mouth so heavy yet correct, and a nose
so high between the eyes that it gave him
a slightly bucolic look, like ancient Apol-
los. His proportions were more hue and
just than you would often see in so big a
man; he carried his head ami shoulders
magnificently, aud his bearing in the sad
dle was past criticism.
Reside him rode a boy who might have
been 20; lie was of ordinary size, slightly
bill strongly built; bail a pale olive face,
great black eyes and clustering, dark hair.
It was a face that somehow appealed to
you,although so full now of life and spirit,
it had a suggestion of keen sensitiveness,of
hidden capacity for suffering. He was on
an uncommonly fine and spirited black
pony, his saddle was of superb and ornate
Mexican workmanship, and a big white
sombrero, [glittering with silver, shaded
the splendid eyes. White they paused in
front of us I saw him look among the
spectators as though seeking some one,
then an electric smile flashed over his
face, he raised the big hat and touched a
knot of red ribbon on the side of it. I
looked up and saw Louie, the pretty 17-
year-old daughter of the house, blushing,
and bowing, 1 smiled to myself.
“Who are they?” I asked Mrs. Flint,
and she replied quite as if I had indicated
them, “Oh, David and ” “Goliali!” 1
interrupted.
“No, indeed, David and Jonathan. The
tall one is Paul Melton,a young sheepman
over on Live Oak; and the boy is his in
separable, a sort of protege, and a partner,
1 believe, in a small way.
“Mark used to driuk and gamble, 1
think, and young Melton got hold of him,
straightened him up, and he has held on
to him ever since. They are always to-
jjeti.« r; you never see one without the
other.”
.u.iik—I don’t believe I ever knew his
other name—carried off the most rings,
and rode up glowing with victory to crown
Louie queen of love and beauty.
As 1 looked away from the pretty pic
ture. 1 saw the blonde giant standing near
in a studiedly unconcerned attitude, but
with with an expression of an affectionate
pride on his great, frank face. After this
we had a general display of horsemanship,
and a great deal of skylarking.
There is no finer sight, to my mind than
a troop of well mounted men; there is
nothing arouses my enthusiasm and ad
miration more than fine riding. This is
true of a single horseman, and the en
thusiasm and enjoyment increases in a
geometrical progression with the number
of horsemen engaged.
Here there were twelve or fifteen, among
the best riders I have ever seen, all
mutated on fine and well trained horses.
It is very easy to taik about picking up
handkerchiefs and quarters from the
ground, leaping on and off a horse, or
hanging on one side of him and firing
from under liitf neck, all the while going
at full gallop, but there are not so many,
even among thorough going cowmen, who
call perform these feats, as is supposed.
However, there were several in the party
that could perform all these and many
more to a lmiration; there was no poor or
even mediocre work. Young Melton’s
riding has something magnificent; he sat
like a tower on his strong iron gray and
as he came sweeping down the track the
impression of force and power was tre
mendous, overwhelming—he was like an
embodied thunderbolt. lie bore, down
upon two fellows who were racing, ran the
gray b.-tween them, grasped right and left
and went on with a man on each arm
while the two horses sprang away with
empty saddles. Everybody applauded
Luillv: “Melt’s scooped the. whole race.
Hurrah for Melt!” “Whal'd ye leave the
horses for, Melt?”
But the boy was a very form for the
eyes of young love to linger on. The spare
yumc outline, the lithe, springing grace,
tlie light alertness and Vigor, and tear-
lessness! He seemed a glowing incarna
tion of youth and love and valor. Whether
he bent forward or back, twisted sideways
or sat erect, he seemed just poised in the
saddle; every movement, every attitude
charmed and satisfied the eye with its
perfection of unstudied grace, like the
something ineffable in the slant of a Lira s
wing, the turn of its glossy head or the
glance of its quick, bright eye.
The big fellow rode as finely as a man
could ride, but there was something more
than horsemanship in the boy’s riding.
We danced that night to the peculiar
ENQUIRER-SUN;
and beautiful Mexican music. A harp,
a viol and two violins, played by Mexi
cans who were musicians all the time and
shearers in the season, comprised our or
chestra. We had the Gondorina, La Po-
lima, soft, dreamy waltzes, with their sin
gular intervals, piercing sweetness and un
expected and tender accompaniaments.
I saw my boy waltzing with Louie.They
came past me once and both young faces
were flushed and bright with smiles. Pres
ently thpy passed again—walking—and on
Mark’s face was the shadow that some
how I had felt a prescience of from the
first. The light was gone from his eyes,
and the color and smiie from his lips.
Louie was chattering gaily and laughing
up to him, but he looked past her, with a
look of fierce pain in the great black eyes,
at a young man,a new comer, on the other
side of the room.
“Come and look at the tables,” whis
pered Mrs. Flint. We went out, and in
running about, helping, arranging and de
vising, forgot the boy for the time.
Presently I slipped out onto a side ve
randah, to cool my heated face a moment
in the soft and chilly air. The full moon,
the great, white Texas moon, rode almost
up to mid heaven, pouring' its flood of
white radiance down through the silent
and crystal air. It was like the sublima
tion, tne apothesis of daylight;the beauty,
the lustrous effulgence, without the harsh
or unlovely details. Almost simultaneously
with my opening the door two men rushed
together just in front of me with knives
in their hands, and the next instant the
towering form of young Melton dashed
noislessiy onto the porch. He plucked
them apart as though they had been two
kittens, held the stranger in his right
hand, fairly shaking the knife from his
grasp, and pushed Mark gently, but has
tily, toward me, against me, and through
the open door.
“Don’t, Melt, don’t,” said the boy, “one
of us has got—”
“Wait with him till I come back,” said
young MeltoD, and away he went, carry
ing the other fellow, like a rat, by the
back of the neck.
Mark turned on me a look of agonized
desperation, a face drawn and blanched
and blackened almost beyond recognition,
all the beauty and softness struck out of
it; the great lustrous eyes blazing, the fine
sensitive features quivering fiercely.
I slipped my arm through his aud we
walked silently up and down the sileut
hallway. I could hear his heavy, gasp
ing breath. I could feel his heart leap,
and his frame tremble,and was still striving
to think of some word to say that might
soften the savage thrust it must have been
that tore him so, when Melton came up
to us, and with a grasp of his hand and a
kindly look from his blue eyes, drew Mark
away.
“Hullo! Where’s Jake Shackleford?”
called some one, just as the pair went
through the gate.
“Oh, I sent Lum home with him; he’d
got too much and was noisy,” I heard
Melton rejoin in a lower key.
After they had left the crowd behind I
saw Melton’s great arm thrown across the
boy’s shoulders and was sure I heard a
choking sob.
An hour later I saw them at supper, and
I do not think the others found anything
amiss; but to me there was visible a fleet
ing but frequent shadow on the boy’s face
and a pathetic solicitude and concern in
his big friend’s manner.
The next day, which was Christmas, the
men went bear bunting up a very wild
and rocky cannon, while such of us wo
men folk as liked to ride and were fond of
sport set off to find a certain wild cat that
held forth in a low bluff some six or eight
miles away across the plains. Mr. Melton
was our guide and protector, while Mark
was dragged away by the bear hunters.
As we rode home in the late atteruoon,
full of scratches and glory, with a big cat
skin and a tiny, snarling puff of a kitten
as trophies, Mr. Melton aud I got far
ahead of the others, and this is the story of
Mark’s troubles, as he told it to me:
“ His folks moved out to Esperanza, a
couple of miles above my sheep camp,
about four years ago. They were New
England people. Everybody hated the old
man on sight. He was a mean, close fist
ed, cold-blooded, snakey sort of fellow.
His wife was a warm-hearted woman, but
she hadn’t much sense. She ran the house,
and him, too, though, when it came to the
pinch.
•• One day the old man, who was abus
ing Mark, was so outrageous and insult
ing, and called him such vile name3, that
the boy went and got down a gun to shoot
him. His mother screamed, threw her
arms around him and held him. I reckon
she was wild with terror, and she took
Mark off and told him how she was not
his mother. His own mother was a poor,
pretty young servant girl she had in the
first ears of her marriage, and whose
ignorance and youth her husband bad
wronged. The girl had died and she had
raised and loved Mark as her own.
“Now, there was a nice thing for a 16-
year-old boy to have to bear. He came
down to my camp the next morning and
told me about it. He sat about like some
poor dumb creature that’s been one-half
killed by a bad shot. It must be so, he
said, for this fellow Jake Shackelford that
came out with them and was afterward
discharged by his father, had told some
other people.
“I was awfully rushed with shearing,
and before I knew it the boy had gone. He
never was home again, but weut up to Es
peranza and got a place in a lumber yard.
“He niUde some awful bad plays and no
wonder. He got drunk and got to run
ning with a gang of pretty tough men. Rut
the old lady always loved him; she
wrote to him, and finally weut up to Espe
ranza bought him an outfit and sent him
over to East Texas to school. He was
away two years. He hadn’t been back a
month, keeping books in Esperanza, when
he saw Louie Flint, whom Jake Shackle
ford was crazy in love with. Anybody
would love the boy; of course Louie pre
ferred bint, so Shackleford, like the Jow
dog he is, went about telling his tale, and
the next I heard of Mark he was all broke
up and drinking again.
“1 went up and got him to go down to
my ranche with me. He’s been with me
ever since. I’ve got a bunch of cattle and
he has charge of Litem. He never drinks,
nor gambles nor swears; he’s got lots of
erit and courage and he’s all life and go;
but there is something like a woman about
him that makes him more to me than any
brother could ever be.
“Can’t he ride the prettiest you ever
saw? That saddle and sombrero of bis
are both premiums he won at roping con
tests and tournaments. He
We were within half a mile of the house
with one or two rises aud dips between it and
ourselves. Suddenly a shot rang out on
the still air, then another. My compan
ion started, beckoned me, stuck spurs into
his horse and launched forward like an
avalanche. I followed as fast as I could,
but I was fully five minutes behind him as
I rode over the last rise.
COLUMBUS, GEORGIA SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 28, 1890.
I There, in the hollow, was a group of
men, standing in the full glory of a prairie
sunset, the golden splendor all about -and
npon them. In the midst knelt young
Melton beside Mark’s motionless form?
Mark’s head was on his arm. I rode up
and dismounted. The big tears were run
ning down his face as he tried to staunch
the bleeding of a great wound in the bov’s
breast.
“O, Mark! O, Mark!” he said.
In a moment later the fathomless eves
unclosed and gazed long and calmly into
the West; then turned suddenly toward
Melton with a look in their lambem
depths, which I can never forget.
Melt, I m glad,” he said; then after a
pause,” “It’s better.”
The look of yearning love and trust
slowly faded from his eyes; then a mist
clouded their splendor, he turned his
cheek upon Melt’s arm and breathed no
more.
Four men rode up on streaming horses.
“Where is he?” said Melton, rising and
stauggling with his sobs.
“He turned and fired on us, and we shot
him,” said Mr. Flint. “Bennet’s bringing
his body in.” Alice MacGowan.
HOW CONGRESS KILLS TIME.
SOMETHING ABOUT CLOCKS—A BIRMING
HAM MAN’S SCHEME.
^ Washington, December 26.—[Special ]
Congress kills time by nearly a thousand
clocks. At the hour of noon more thau
10,000 strokes of tiny bells sound through
the great buil ling. On all ordinary occa
sions 12 o’clock is the beginning or the
end of the day at the capitol. For the
committees it is the close pf the day; in
the halls of Congress the morning hour be
gins just when the last bour of the morn
ing has closed. When the ball drops at
meridian on the dome of the observatory,
when the whistles sound and the belis
ring throughout the city and the workmen
everywhere begin to rattle their dinner
pails, the hands of the electric clocks at
the capitol spring straight to the hour of
12, picking up a moment of lost time or
dropping a moment they have marked too
soon.
when reed's hammer falls.
At meridian exactly, unless otherwise
ordered by a vote of the House, the Speak
er’s gavel falls, and it is the time for morn
ing prayer. High noon is the hour of
hours in this marble temple of law and dis-
or ler. All the capitol clocks must mark
that punctually, if no other hour in the
day, and all the bells must strike in unison.
At noon Congress has its birth and at noon
it expires. It is only on extraordinary oc
casions like the present, when Congress is
hardly its natural self, that it meets from
day to day at any other hour. All com
mittees, unless they have received some
special dispensation, cease to have power
to act as committees when the clock on
the mantel strikes twelve. Action taken
after that would have no binding force.
Therefore, the official clock, whose state
ment as to the hour cannot be disputed, is
ou the mantel in each of the hundreds of
committee rooms.
AN IMPORTANT FACTOR.
The clock enters very largely into legis
lative business. Besides starting the
House aud Senate on their daily courses
and ending the power of committees, it
measures off the allotted portions of time
for bills whose fate depend upon the use of
the moments to its credit, and it cuts Con
gressional eloquence into sections varying
in length from one minute to sixty.
CLOCKS UPON CLOCKS.
It takes a variety of clocks to keep time
for Congress. Some of them are old and
curious, some are very rich and ornate,
while others are plain, every-day clocks.
The most committee room clock is the
square black stone, worth from $25 to $35,
but in a number of the more important
committee rooms are old, ornamental
clocks, rich with carving or perhaps sur
mounted by bronze statuary, often of a
highly artistic character.
THE WAYS AND MEANS CLOCK.
In one of the committee rooms there is
a clock, on the top of which reclines in an
attitude of grace a Grecian goddess a foot
and a half loDg cast in bronze. In the
room of the committee on ways and means
is quite a handsome clock, surmounted
with bronze figures of astronomical sym
bolism. Many of these, clocks are works
of art, designed especially for some con
spicuous place at the capitol by some am
bitious ytist, and, like the ornate bronze
staircases, have been stuck away in dark
places, where they can be seen by but few.
THE SENATE AND HOUSE CLOCKS.
The Senate clock is but a dial against
the base of the gallery over the door. The
dial is of blue enamel, ornamented with
gold stars. The House clock is more
ornate. It is of bronze, about four feet
high, standing in bold relief above the
main entrance. It is ornamented with
wreaths and scrolls of bronze. Above it
a spread eagle perches on a shield, and on
either side stands a bronze figure as tali as
the clock itself. One is that of an Indian
and the other is a figure in pastoral garb.
It is not by this clock, however, that the
Speaker measures the time consumed by
members in debate. On his desk is a little
chronometer, not much larger than a
watch, which measures out the minutes
used iu debate. A similar timepiece lies
on the clerk’s desk. In the Senate the pre
siding officer measures the time by a little
hour glass, the sands of which run out in
just five minutes.
MR. DUPRE’S BIG SCHEME.
A Mr. DuPre, of Birmingham,. Ala.,
who claims to be at the head of what is
known as the Hollander syndicate, is here,
and proposes to have government assist
ance in building a water-way from Bir
mingham to the sea, at Mobile. His plan
is to dig a canal from the Warrior at a
point above Tuscaloosa to connect with
the waters of the Tennessee, and by using
the surplus discharge of that noble stream
create a navigable stream to Mobile, and
at the same time reduce the volume of
water that discharges into the Mississippi,
and contributes to overflow the low lauds
about New Orleans.
much iron and steel and coal has been
sold in South America from England can
be estimated. We know that those coun
tries have recently gone into bankruptcy,
together with that delicious “ republic,”
so called, of Guatemala, for somethin 0 '
more than $500,000,000.” 3
A VERY ROSY VIEW.
“If Birmingham had a water route such
as the Dutch syndicate proposes to create
from that city to the gulf, these vast sums
iu gold that England has been taking out
of the coasts and islands of the gulf of
Mexico and out of South America, would
be flowing in shining streams of silver and
gold into Birmingham.”
“Birmingham and the co-terminus min
eral regions of Tennessee and Georgia,
given free access by a wator-way for heavy
freight to the gulf of Mexico, to Africa
and South America, will furnish a gold
basis for the fiat money of the wildest
Greenbacker.” E. P. S.
A JOKE ON GOY. JONES.
HE RECEIVES A DOUCEUR FROM STRANG
ERS.
Gov. Jones was the victem of an amus
ing mistake the other day. He had occa
sion to go dowD town at. an unusually early
hour, aud finishing his business, weut to a
restaurant for breakfast. He then pro
ceeded to the Capitol at an hour
long before the officials usually put in
an appearance. At the steps lie was ac
costed by a gentleman with several ladies,
presumably Northern visitors, who re
quested him to show them to the top of
the capitol building. Governor Jones had
a heavy overcoat on, buttoned up to the
chin, and deciding not to make himself
known, escorted the party through the
capitol and to the top. On descending the
gentleman thanked him and handed him
50 cents. The Advertiser thus tells the
result: The Governor was considerably
shocked, but held to the coin. About this
time the colored janitor, who was standing
near, smiled very audibly—so much so as
to attract the attention of the visitors
They asked him what he was laughing at.
“Dat am the Gubner, aud you been payin’
Gubner Jones to show you round,” he re
plied. The stranger doffed his hat
and approaching Governor Jones
tendered profuse apologies, saying
he did not expect to see the
Governor at so early an hour
the morning. He said that it had occurred
to him that his guide was of an unusually
commanding presence and intelligence,
but he reflected to himself that many
Southern gentlemen were in reduced cir
cumstances and accepted such positions
about public buildings. He and the ladies
with him were very embarrassed at their
mistake. The gentleman gave the Gov
ernor bis card, and the latter soon put the
party at their ease about the mistake. The
visitor wanted to relieve the Governor of
the half dollar, but the latter remarked
that he intended to keep the money and
devote it to the monument. The stranger
was so overcome that he declared that he
should not only have that, but a $50 check
besides, for the same purpose, provided he
would not tell the story.
THROUGH TWO STATES.
HAPPENINGS IN GEORGIA AND
ALABAMA.
A CHINESE DISASTER.
THE STEAMBOAT SHANGHAI BURNED AND
MANY LIVES LOST.
London, December 27.—Furtl er ad
vices from China as to the burning of the
steamship Shanghai, near Woohoo, in the
province of Nghan Holi, about fifty miles
from Nankin, show that the disaster was
much more serious than at first imagined.
The earliest advices received stated that
the victims consisted of about sixty na
tives, together witli several European offi
cers, who are supposed to have met death
either in the flames or subsequently by
drowning while attempting to escape from
the burning vessel. It now seems that
the number of lives lost will amount to
over 200, and all lost their lives by drown
ing. A terrible panic appears to have oc
curred among the Chinese passengers and
the crew as soon as the alarm of fire was
heard, and the panic increased terribly
when the flames spread beyond control of
the terror stricken crew. The few Euro
pean officers on board the Shanghai seem
to have done their best to maintain some
kind of order among the Chinamen, but
without result. The large majority of
those who lost their lives did so by jumping
overboard in order to escape the flames.
The others met death through the swamp
ing of clumsily lowered and overcrowded
boats.
A XV ATER-WAY INDISPENSABLE.
A water-way to the Gulf front Birming
ham and the mineral regions of Georgia
and Tennessee, Mr DuPre thinks is indis
pensable to the achievement of the mine
and furnace owners of those sections. He
declares they have now enough iron to
gridiron two continents with steel rails,
but'they no longer can afford to pay rail
way rates 250 miles to tide water. The
railroads levy $2.00 on every ton of iron
and coal transported this distance, while
it could be barged down for 25 cents or at
a maximum rate of 50 cents per ton.
THE BRITISHERS GET THERE.
English ships now sell $49,000,000
worth of coal and iron and steel each year
along the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico
and of the islands hedging in it. How
BANKER KEAN’S DIMINISHING ASSETS.
Chicago, December 27.—It was
thought that the mark in S. A. Kean’s
bank assets had been reached, but the sum
to be distributed among depositors has
been greatly diminished by upward of
$100,000. It looks much as if from 5 to
10 per cent, will be all the creditors will
receive. Of the original figures, $270,000
or thereabouts, for bills receivable, $135,-
000 vanished early, it being found that a
large amount of Kean’s personal notes,
accommodation paper of his friends and
worthless claims were included. Now,
the expert accountant, who has been go
ing through the bills receivable, reports
that fully $80,000 consist of protested
notes whereof the makers are entirely in
solvent. Many are long past due, some of
them more than a year. In addition to
this, $10,000 on deposit at the American
Exchange Bank of New York has been
applied on Kean's paper held by it. A
Boston bank did the same thing with
$3,500 in its vaults.
THE STRIKE EXPECTED TO COLLAPSE.
Glasgow, December 27.—Freight traf
fic has not yet been resumed on the rail
roads, but there is a slight improvement in
the amount of passenger traffic clone. The
Caiedeitan railway officers say they antici
pate an early collapse of tile strike. They
state that ttie body of the locomotive engi
neers and firemen among the strikers will
resume work Monday, and others have pri
vately asked to be reinstated. The strikers
generally express confidence in their pros
pect.
The Caledonian Company yesterday en
gaged 20 English engine drivers. Various
railway companies expressed a willingness
to treat directly with the men; but they
decline to allow any officers of the Union
to be present at auy interview which may
take place.
At a meeting of citizpns of Edinburg to
day, a committee was appointed to confer
with the railway directors and representa
tive men, with a view to a settlement of
the disputes between the men and the rail
way companies.
A HEAVY LOSS.
Atlanta, December 27, [Special.]—
J. R. Kelly, a Jonesboro merchant, was
robbed of $4,800 last niglit. He had placed
the money under his pillow at home and
then left the house with his wife. 'When
the twe^eturned the place had been broken
into aim the money was gone.
NEWS OF INTEREST ABOUT OUR NEIGH
BORS CULLED FROM EXCHANGES
AND PARAGRAPHED.
The registration list of Richmond county
shows only 1859 names.
Tom Arter has been re-elected City Clerk
of Macon.
The Catholic fair which has just closed
in Augusta realized, after deducting all
expenses, $4,615.55.
President George Work, of the Macon
street railways, is still in jail in Philadel
phia in default of $20,000 bond.
Dr. J. W. Barrett, a prominent physician
of Taliaferro, is dead. He was fifty-seven
years old, and had been ill two mouths.
The president of the Georgia Telegraph
School at Senoia has telegraphed Governor
Northen to withhold his signature to the
Boifeuillet bill until he could see him.
Savannah celebrated Christmas with
some flue raciug at Thunderbolt Driving
Park. The Morning News says that the
grand stand was crowded to overflowing,
and the track was lined with people on
both sides.
The Governor has been asked to pardon
Henrietta Grier, a negro wiman sent to
the penitentiary in 1869 from Bibb county,
for life, for murder. At the time the
crime was committed the convict was a
mere girl and she has served ovei; twenty
years.
The Savannah Fire and Marine Insur
ance Company, a solvent and successful
concern which has gone out of business on
account of proposed adverse legislation in
the Georgia Legislature, has ar
ranged to reinsure its risks in the Hart
ford Insurance Company, of Hartford,
Conn,
Yamaeraw, a historic precinct of Savan
nah, had a lively Christmas. One of the
leading features of the day was a pitched
battle between a squad of Italians and a
band of negro fantastic paraders, in which
one young Italian was stabbed and had his
skull crushed, and another was shot in the
back.
Hon. D. P. Wells, the representative
from Marion county, has in his possession
one of the finest and rarest violins in the
country. It bears the stamp of the far-
famed Stradivarius and the date of 1716.
These Stradivarius violins are so very rare
that one in perfect order recently sold in
Europe for $10,000, and they are eagerly
sought, after by all violinists, but a genuine
oue is seldom found. Mr. Wells does not
know the history of the violin before it
came into his hands. He bought it from
a tobacco hauler who came through the
country with a caravan of wagons from
Virginia. Since he has had the instru
ment it has been examined and played by
many fine judges of the points of a violin,
and they have all pronounced it a re
markably fine specimen. He recently
had it examined by an expert,
who pronounced it a genuine
Stradivarius. Its tone is remarkably
strong and sweet, and with the exception
of a small crack on one side it is in per
fect order. Mr. Wells says it is not for
sale, but thinks that an offer of $10,000,
such as was recently paid for a Stradivar
ius abroad, might induce him to part with
it.
An Americas dispatch of Friday, says:
One of the cars on the electric railroad met
with a frightful accident at 12 o’clock to
day. In crossing the high bridge over the
Savannah, Americus and Montgomery
railroad, near Leeton Park pavillion, two
miles from the city, the car left the track.
It was moving rapidly at the time and its
great momentum caused the motorman to
lose coutrol of it. After traveling the
bridge for thirty feet, the car jumped from
the bridge to the ground, about fifteen ft et.
The car was occupied by a number of per
sons, out for an airing. Fortunately, no
one was killed, but a number were in
jured, among them the following: Hon.
W. M. Hawkes, arm broken; Mrs. T. N.
Hawkes, internal injuries, not fattCl; Nel
son Hawkes, cut on head; Mrs. Simpson,
badly bruised in several places; son of Mr.
Murray, arm broken. Ugly rumors are
circulating as to the cause of the accident,
which are withheld, as the matter will be
officially investigated. It is the second
accident which has occurred at the same
place and in the same manner. In the first
accident no one was hurt, as the car re
mained on the track.
IN ALABAMA.
Wedowee wants a railroad.
The Journal says there is not a vacant
house in Montgomery—that is a house of
any pretension.
The Greensboro Beacon, the third oldest
paper in the State, has just commemorated
its 55th anniversary.
Dr. W. M. Fenley, of Village Springs,
has purchased the L. B. Hanna place at
Blountsville, and has moved there with his
family.
At Attaila, the compress cannot now
keep up with the business, and is likely to
run till the first of March, on account of
the large crop of cotton.
Colonel Hatch, who runs the rock
crusher between Bangor and Blount
Springs, has purchased a quarry between
Village Springs and Compton.
Coosa has at present five bar-rooms, but
it is understood that after January 1st the
number will relapse to three. Reason:
not sufficient patronage.
Eufaula Times: Mrs. George Smith,
who lives over Captain Gorton's store,
corner Broad and Orange streets, was
curiously poisoned. She has been quite
sick, but was better last night. Her sort
and daughter were also poisoned, the for
mer’s eyes being so swollen that he could
not see at all and his eyeballs shut out
from the view of others. The daughter
was not so badly afflicted. But the curious
part is the cause of this trouble. It came,
the physicians say, from inhaling the
smoke of swamp sumach, by some known
as “thunderwood.” A recent load of wood
Mrs. Smith bougiit produced the trouble.
All the parties were much better last night
aud will recover.
This from the Momtgomerv Advertiser :
B. W. Walker, the receiver in the case of
the Government vs. Mobile and Girard
Railroad Company, et al, has brought suit
against Martin H. Suilivan, of the firm of
The Sullivan Lumber Company, at Pensa-
sola, Fla., to recover the value of 4,000,000
logs alleged to have been cut from railroad
lands in Baldwin and Escambia counties.
The value set by the reciever in this suit
for the logs is $1,000,000. Papers were
served on Mr. Sullivan on the night of the
19th as he passed thorough the city
en route to New York. Messrs. Roque-
more, White & McKenzie and Stringfellow
& LeGrand appear as attorneys for the
receiver.
OOMMERUIAL REPORTS.
Local Cotton.
Enquirer-Sun Office, i
Columbus, December 27, 1890. J
(Corrected daily by Carter <6 Bradley.)
Cotton market dull, unchanged; good mid
dling 9%c. middling 8%ft8%c, low middling 7%o,
strict good ordinary 7c, good ordinary 6%o.
RECEIPTS. SHIPMENTS,
Today .To date. Today .To date
By Rail 151
“ Wagons 24
"(River 127
Factory takings.. u
25,-038
2' .880
15,333
0
37,103
0
1,232
5,327
43,712
Totals 302 63,206
Stock Sept. 1, 1880 590
Receipts to date 63,206—63,796— Stock.
Shipped to date —43,712— 20,084
Sales today, 75; to date. 29,119.
31a rfc.ee aaiHirni ojr TiUci"Av-b.
New York, Dec. 27.— Noon—Cotton market
dull, sales 77 bales; micidiing uplands 93 l-6e,
Orleans 9%c.
Futures—Themarket opened quiet, eaey, with
sales as follows: December delivery 8 82c; ,Iai>-
u.vxy delivery 8 8lc; February delivery 8 tie;
March delivery 8 82c; April delivery 902 c; May
delivery, 9 06c.
4 p. m.—Cotton dull; sales today 47 tales,
middling uplands 9 3-16c, Orleans 9%c; net
receipts at all ports 45.172: exports to Great
Britain 2288, France 11,203, continent 6704;
St ck 80 ,832 bales.
6f. x.—Cotton, net receipts 2295, gross 10016.
Futures Closed easy; sales 34,300 bales as let-
lows:
December delivery 8 81:g8 82c, January de
livery 8 82 u 8 83c,February delivery 9 (KVa 9 Ole;
March deliver} 9 15<i9 16e. April delivery 9 30^
9 31c; May delivery 9 i0o9 41e, June delivery
9 SOct9 51 : Juiv delivery 9 51X5,9 60c, August
delivery 9 5Da9 60c; September delivery 9 i3a)
9 45”'.
Freights to Liverpool firm; cotton 5-3M.
Galveston. Dec. 27—Cotton, mi id i g 9 3-I0e;
net receipts 6733. gross receipts 6733, 6cues 1425;
stock 111,703 bates; exports to Great Britain 7639;
coast ; France ; Spinners 0;
market qui t.
Norfolk, Dec27.—Cotton, middling 8%e; net
receipts 2968, gross receipts 2968; sales 1253; stock
50,782 hales; exports to Great Britain 1325, coast
975; continent —, market steady.
Baltimore, Dec. 27.—Cotton, middling 9%o;
net receipts . gross receipts 124: sales —;
stock 13 983 baton .exports Great Britain ,coast-
w s 225, continent —; market nominal.
Boston, Dec. 27.— Cotton, middling 9 3-I6e;
net receipts ,684 gross receipts 4212; sales 0; stock
—: exports to Great Britain 54 bales; markefc
dull.
Wilmington, Dec. 27.—Cotton, middling 8%o;
Ret receipts 767, gross receipts 767; sales 0; stock
21,660 bales: exports to Great Br tain . conti
nent—, coastwise 00; market dull, nominal.
Philadelphia, Dee. 27.—Cotton, middling*
9 %c; net receipts 106, gross receipts 106, sales
, stock 8266 bales; exportsito Great Britain
bales, market quiet.
Savannah, Dec. 27. — Cotton, middling 81*0,
net receipts 7727, gross receipts 7727, sales 1200;
stock 129,446 bales: exports to Great Brilain 87 8;
coastwise 840, continent ; market dull.
New Vkleans Dec.27.—Cotton.raidding 8 13-’6c;
net receipts lg,3'5 gross receipts 20,0:8, sales 37UO;
stock 306,024 bales; exports to Great Britain
4888, France 11,203, ooastwise 897, continent ;
market quiet.
Mobile, Dec. 27.—Cotton, middling t%c; net
recciDts 997, gross receipts 997, sales ltMl: stock
47,334 hales; exports coastwise 758 bales; market
dull.
Memphis, Dec. 27. — Cotton, middling 8%e;
net receipts 3727, shipments 24,967; sates 67.3;
stock 181,532 bales; market easy,
Augusta, Dec. 27—Cotton, middling 9e;
net receipts 1344; shipments 1356, sales 383;
stock 52,419 bales; market quiet.
Charleston. Dec. 27.—Cotton, middling 9%o;
net receipts 2812, gross receipts 2812,(sales 600,
stock 61,370 bales; exports Great Britain ,
Fran e , coastwise 1012, continent , mar
ket steady.
Atlanta, December 27.—Cotton, steady, mid-
dling 8%c; receipts 895.
vlh'im .tun '5.....is. New York, Dee. 27.—
Noon—Stocks dull and firm; money easy at 4
@5 per cent; exchange—long $4.79(3 ; short
•r4.83.2j ; state bonds neglected; government
bonds dull and steidy.
Evening—Excnange quiet, S4.80F4.84 money
easy, 4gfc, last loan at 3 per cent; government
bonds dull, g-eady; uew 4 per cents 122%, 4*4 per
cent* u 314 hid state bonds entirely neglected.
Coin in me sub-treasury $148,298,006; currency
$4,(8t.000.
Closing quotations of the Stock Exchange:
Alabama I Kinds, class A, 2 to 5 103%
“ “ class B, 6s 105
Georgia 7s, mortgage
North Carolina 6s 1TC
“ “ 4s 93
South Carolina Brown Consols 99
Tennessee 6s 102*4
“ 5s 96
“ settlement, 3s 69*4
Virginia 6s 50
" consolidated 47
Chioago and Northwestern 1,03%
“ “ preferred )34
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western 129*.
Erie
East Tennessee, new stock
Lake Shore 1C 8^4
Louisville and Nashville 72
Memphis and Charleston 39
Mobile and Ohio 25
Nashville and Chattanooga 92
New Orleans Pacific, lsts 84*4
New York Central 99
Norfolk and Western preferred 62
Northern Pacific 21
“ “ preferred 62
Paoiflc Mail 3i*4
Reading
Richmond and West Point Terminal 15%
Rook Island f 8X2
St. Paul 49%
“ preferred It'3Jk
Texas Pacific 13%
Tennessee Coal and Iron 29%
Union Pacific 41%
New Jersey Central v 99%
Missouri Pacific E9%
Western Union Telegraph 74*4
Cotton Oil Trust Certificates 15%
Brunswick 18%
Mobile and Ohio. 4s 69%
Silver certificates 102
Grain—Chicago, Dec. 27.—Cash quotations
were: Flonr steady, spring patents 84 20(8J4 75,
winre' do $4 64X55 95, bakers S3 30(53 35. No.2:
sorinc wheat 88*/4@-c, No. 2 red 91c. Coin,,
No. 2 47%c. Oa 8. No. 2. 39%C.
Future". Opening Highest Closing
Wheat—December.... 89% 89% 88%
May 97% 97% 90*4
Corn — D. cember 47% 47% 47%
May 61% 51% 60%
Oats — December 40% 40% 39%
May 43% 43% 43*4
Cincinnati, O., Dec. 27—Wheat fair e'emaiul:
No. 2 red 95% r .a—c. Corn heavy; No. 2 mixed
51c. Oats steady; No. 2 mixed Bio.
Baltimore, Dec. 27.—Flour dull—Howard
street and western superior $3 00@4 00. extra
$3 60@4 40, family 84 50,55 00, city mills. Rio
brands.extra 85 IXI'aS 15. Wheat, Southern quiet;
Fnltx 95c(a$l 02, Longberry 98c(a$l 02, western
firm. No. 2 winter red, spot and December
96%c. Corn, southern, white 5o(S58%c, yellow 54
58%c, western nominal.
Provision*—Chicago, Dec. 27.—Mess rork
?82 10(28 12%. Lard 85 70. Short rib sides,
loose, ?4 5024 75: shoulderB, ?4 25(24 36; short
clear sides, $5 12.
Futures. Opening Highest Closing
M.Pork—December .. 8 10 8 12% 8 12%
May II 00 11 02% 10 82%
Lard — December...
5 82% 5 82%
6 42% C 42%
January
May
Ribs—Deeember..
January
May .
5 81 %
6 37%
6 02%
5 67%
02%
5 67%
5 7D
Cincinnati. Dec.27.—Floi.i,moderate df maud;
family $3 8524 : 5. fancy 34 452 4 75. Pork steady,
850 25. Lard firm,|»5 52%25 75%c. Bulk meats
steady: short rib sides t5 07%. Bacon steady;
short clear sides S6 00.
sugar and Collie — New York, Dec. 27.—
Sugar—raw quiet and steady, fair refining C 4%c;.
centrifugals 96 test 5%c; refined quiet,
C 5%a—c.extra C 5 3-16(25 5-16C, yellow 4 15-I0a5;
white C 5 7-16(25 9-10c, olf A 5 7-16C, mould A
9%c. standard A 6 15-16c, confectioners A 5%e,
cut loaf 6%c, crushed 6%c, powdered !,%",
granulated 6c, cubes 6%c. Coffee—options
opened firm, December $16 30a ; January
$ (2 ; March $ (a, ; May $15 35.
Spot rio dull but steady: fair cargoeg 19*ic; No.?
17%c.
Wool ar.d Hides—New York, Dec, 27
Hides quiet—wet salted. New Orleans selected.
50 and 60 pounds, 5%@6c; Texas selected, 50 and
60 pounds, 5%(26c. Wool easy and dull,
domestic fleece 34<249c, pulled 27234c, Texas
18225c.
Fetrolenm- New York, Dec. 27—Petrolenm
quiet and steady ;Parker’g $7 10,refined, all ports
87 25.
Cotton Seed OH—New York, Dec, 27.—
Cotton seed oil steady; crude, off grade, 19@
20c: yellow, off grade, 25226c.
Rosin and turpHittne—New York, Dec. 26.
—Rosin dull and steady; strained,common to good
$1 42%21 47%. Turpentine quiet, 39%C.
WILMINOTON.Dec. 27—Turpentine steady,36%e.
Rosin firm; strained $1 10; good strained
$1 15. Tar firm; $1 55. Crude turpentine firm;
hard $1 20, yellow dip $1 90, virgin $1 90.
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