Newspaper Page Text
VOL 1-NO 75.
THOMASV1LLE, GEORGIA, FRIDAY MORNING, AUGUST 9, ’.889
§5.00 PER ANNUM
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A Letter From the Land o’ the Sky.
Mum-iir, N. C., Aug. 3, 1880.
Euitok Ti.mes-Entkiiprisf.:
T left Tliomasville on the 20th of
June, and with the exception of one
handed me by a friend at the restau
rant of the “Grand Union,” in New
York, I have not received a copy of
your paper. I have anxiously looked
for it by every mail since I reached
here, but it conics not. If you knew
what a pleasure it affords one away
Irom home to receive and read his
home paper, I feel assured you would
not fail to send it.
Mr. Hugh McIntyre and wife arc
here with me. I am glad to be able
to report him much improved since
coming here. He is without doubt
one of the best and most exemplary
young men I have ever known. I am
proud of him as a representative of
Thomasville. I have driven with him
and his wife forscvcral hours—without
the least complaint of fatigue—over
rough and rocky roads, and up the
“Valentine boulevard,” to an altitude
of two thousand feet, where we had
a grand panoramic view of the sur
rounding country, in the perfecting
of which Judge Hopkins, of Atlanta,
who had been with me over the same
roads, thinks “nature, has exhausted
herself.”
Murphy, just now, is suffering from
a type of fever looking very O/p/im'Ji/.
Th» physicians attribute it to the ex
cavations made during the hot weath
er for building purposes. While I
am willing to endorse, in some meas
ure, this view, yet, if called upon for
my opinion as to the best sanitary
step to be taken, I would recommend
a .HuiiviiijIiI'I rlimiiuriiiig rnnjluiji'utiou.
We arc not the least uneasy about
the fever. We arc a mile from Mur
phy. The rapid Iliwusscc flows be
tween us, and the “microbe,” to reach
us, must be an expert swimmer.
The rainfall throughout the country
is excessive. I wrs informed, at the
signal bureau in Washington, that in
all the Atlantic states the excess for
the present year, above the normal
for several years, lias been seven
inches.. The longest dry spell wo
have had- here since my arrival on the
21st of June, wns./imv <hnj». Since
then it has rained not less than once
or twice daily. Blessed are they who
reside up on the hill tops, far away
from nil trained ponds nnd lowlands,
which holds the water that falls dur
ing the summer, nnd when the rnins
cease in the fall, generate and elimi
nate the germs of disease and death.
Tha excessive rainfall for the past
two or three mouths, and which still
continues, may lie thus explained:
The prevailing winds have been from
the southeast. The distance traveled
by the winds has been a thousand
miles ii: excess of normal. The mean
humidity has been seven and a half
per cent, in excess of normal. Thus
it appears that, to an uncommon ex
tent, vapor laden winds from the sea
have swept over the continent. These
chill upper currents, rob them of
their freight and drop it to the earth.
The meteorological conditions upon
which this rainfall depends still exist,
and no one can predict when the
windows < f heaven” will be closed
and the showers cease.
There is said to be more sickness in
the- mountain regions of the South
than usual at this season.
In mingling with my medical con-
lercs, representing the various sections
of the country, I find that there is a
very strong influence at work to boom
the mountain regions of the West ns
health resorts for pulmonary invalids.
While 1 am ready and willing to ad
mit that no one locality in our coun
try will prove a putticm for the con
sumptive, anil many would derive
more benefit at one place than another,
l am satisfied that Thomasville, by
her works, has established in the pub
lic mind a faith in her climatic ad
vantages as a whiter resort so strong,
that it would require a cyclone of
competition nnd opposition to inju
riously effect her. California and
Colorado and Canada are as familiar
with her climatic advantages as arc
Georgia aud Florida. I predict a
larger influx of visitors next winter
than ever before.
I have stated that we were not in
Murphy, which is our post office. We
have the good fortune to be at “Fair-
view,” the charming residence of
Prof. William Beal, who, with his
kind, good daughters, never tire in
their efforts to please and make their
guests happy.
At 1 p. m. to day the temperature
was 70°. The temperature of the
water was 50°. Fire has several
times seemed comfortable to some of
the guests. Very truly,
T. S. II.
P. S.—Since writing the above I
have received your piner of the 30th
ult. Many thanks. T. S. II.
GEN.ALGER ON ALASKA.
The Michigan Millionaire Gives Some In
teresting Facts About That Country.
From the I)et r oit Tribune.
“A strange thing,” said Gen. Alger
last night, on his return from bis trip
to Alaska, “is the lack of information
among our best posted people con
cerning the geography of Alaska.
The steamer on which wc took pas
sage carried ioo persons, all on the
same mission, namely, sight-seeing,
and all equally ignorant ol the topo
graphy of the land toward which they
were journeying. Our boat was a
small r.iern-whee’cr, and the emire trip
was inland; that is, wc did not put to
sea. The coast is a perfect kaleido
scope of small islands, and the boat
picked its wiy between the entire dis
tance of t,20o miles from Tacoma to
Sitka. Only in one place, in Queen
Charlotte’s sound, did wc get a glimpse
of the ocean. . ~
“During the entire trip the weather
was delightful. On a July Jay al
5ilka ibe thermometer registered 62
degree at noon. The air' was clear
and dry, and daylight prevailed almost
all the time. There is less than two
hours ol actual darkness in the whole
twenty-four. Mrs. Alger 1 breaded a
needle and did some line sewing on
the deck of the boat at 12 o'clock at
night with no oilier light than that
furnished by the heaven-. That
would be a great country for courting
—a young man could sit it out all
night. Not a drop of rain fell during
the twaive and a half days dint we
were out from Tacoma. The ciptain
said that was his tog'h trip, and the
first one without rain.
A remarkable feature of ihc coun
try is that there is scarcely an acre of
land that is inhabitable. Alaska is a
great pipe, and Sitka, the scat of gov
ernment, is situated about the center
of the stem. Of the vast interior little is
known, but the stem, extending south
ward along the coast, is little more
than a mass of islands, rocky and
barren except for a dense growth of
cedars. It is impossible in all that
great country for a person to secure
title to an acre of land or a stick ol
timber. It all belongs exclusively to 1
the government. Of course, in due |
time that will be rectified, as it should
be right away. j
“Alaska’s mineral resources are ;
immense, and I have no doubt will, in I
the future, be extensively developed
Wc visited the lamous Treadwell mine
on Douglass Island, opposite Juno,
and 150 miles from Sitka. This mine
is owned and operated by Senator
Jones, 1). O. Mills and an English
syndicate. They are working 240
800 pound stamps and turning out
$2,400 in gold every day. There are
a great many placer mines that are j The freight <h-pot was a «ph-ndid structure,
ami was tilled to the roof with rahm-
irch.mdifc, very little of which was
arc an isolated class ol people, with
nothing to do or do with. Their only
means of communication with the
outside word is by the steamer that
arrives once a week with the mail.
What they need is a system of cable,
and this ought to be furnished at once
by the government, as no private
cnterprTsc can afford it. There should
also be a government steamer at
Sitka, and as soon as possible a line
of, teamers plying between San Fran
cisco and Tacoma and Sitka. A wag
on road or railroad through such a
country is utterly out of the question.
•1 learned at Sitka that Alaska has
a total population of 32,000, of which
16,000 are Esquimaux, 12,000 In
dians and 3,000 or 4,000 white per
sons. In the interior the country is
not inhabitable on account of the
mosquitoes, which often drive bears
and other wild beasts to the coast dur
ing the summer months. Its only
value to the government is its mineral
resources and its fisheries.'’
Gen. Alger found at Sitka a Pres
byterian chapel and mission school,
the latter having 150 native pupils,
representing 20 different Indian tribes.
There was also a Greek church, estab
lished when the territory was under
Russian control. He saw no eviden
ces of the immorality that, it is assert
ed Irom some sources, exists among
the inhabitants of these coast towns
at d mining camps. It was formerly
the custom of Indian parents to sell
their female offsprings to the highest
bidder, but this practice has been ef
fectually stopped.
^—
A Great Fire.
Fire is a good servant, but it is a
bad master. Wc take the following
from the press report of the late great
fire at Spokane, W. T:
The wires are now in such condition that
somewhat Culler particulars of Sunday's
conflagration cun lx* given. The fire started
it o’clork in flic afternoon in the roof
of n lodging house on Railroad avenue, three
loors from Pc«| street. A dead calm pre
vailed ftt the time, and the spectators sup
posed that fireman would speedily hrin the
flumes under their control. This could
have Wn done if better precautions hud
hern taker, hut the superintendent of the
iter works was out of the city, and for
me reason the men in charge failed to
•'pond to the rail for more pressure.
THK WHOLE BLOCK ABLAZE.
The hrat. created a current of air, and in
less than half an hour the entire Iduck of
frame shops was enveloped in flames and
horning shingles nnd other debris filled the
iir. igniting several of the adjoining Mocks.
\t the same time the opposite block to that
n which the fire originated, in which stood
he Pacific hotel, one of the handsomest
-tinctures in the northwest, took fire. It
was now 10 o’clock, a high wind prevailed
Horn the southwest, and it was evident that
the entire business portion of the city was
in danger.
Ill ILIUM.s BLOWN I i’.
Mayor Firth ordered that buildings be
blown up with giant powder, to check the
spread of the fire. This order w as speedily
put into execution, and explosions added to
the reign of terror. The picture was a
weird, grand and awful one. as block after
block yielded to the demon of destruction.
The sky was overcast with black clouds. A
strong wind sprang up from the northeast,
fanning the fl ames furiously, while nn up
per current continued to carry burning em
ber' in the opposite direction.
J INK STItrcTU'tKS CONSUME!).
The (Iraud hotel, Washington block,
Fugle block. Tull block, new granite block,
ru-hing building, Falls City opera house,
Hyde block, all the banks, and in fact every
house from Railroad avenue north to the
liver, and from Lincdn street east to Wash
ington street, with the exception of a few
buildings in the northeast corner, were to
tally destroyed. Meanwhile, a sudden
change in the direction of the wind carried
the fire southward across Railroad avenue,
and destroyed the Northern Pacific passen
ger and freight depots and several cars.
rents of wind met, causing a whirlw ind of
fire that seemed to penetrate the clouds, pet-
forming all sorts of fantastic gyrations. In
this manner the appalling monster held
high carnival until about 10 o’clock, when
the Howard street bridge over the river
went down. The boon^>f logs took fire and
burned for hours on the surface of the river.
Many times flying pillars of fire covered the
river, igniting the mammoth lumber and
flouring mills that lined its hanks; but
by heroic efforts its career w as checked
the south side of the stream.
EKAHEUL DESOLATION,
Looking backward, however, the behold
er witnessed a scene of desolation that was
fearful to contemplate. Fragments of
naked walls of what were four hours before
magnificent structures of brick and granite,
stood like grim sentinels, Over the surface
of the burning sea all was devastation and
ruin.
The burned district embraces thirty
blocks besides the depot. The only brick
houses left'standing are the Crescent block
and American theater. Schools and
churches, the college and hospital were be
yond the lines of the burned district and
were not lost.
THE LOSS FULLY $10,000,000.
It is impossible at this writing to estimate
the loss with any degree of accuracy, but
it will not fall short of $10,000,000, with an
insurance of about one-fourth that amount.
paying well, and coal has lately been
discovered. The fishing industry has
the lead at present, and the company
having a monopoly of that business
has already paid to the United States
government six-sevenths of the origi
nal purchase price of the territory.
“Sitka has a population of about
800, including the governor and
United States officers, and four-fifths
of this population are Indians. They
It is Some Time Off.
Wc take the following from the
Atlanta correspondent of the Savan
nah Times:
It is reported that the election of J. If.
(iuerry as Judge of the Patuuhi circuit, re
mover; him front the race lor Congress in
that district against Col. Turner, the pres-
cut incumbent. Senator Wooten is looking
seriously on this place, and it is wry prob
able that he will enter the race. II he does,
it is said that (Surrry will throw his strength
to him, for the aid rendered him by Senator
Wooten, in his race for the judgeship.
Negros to go West.
Ati.anta, Ga., An". (1.—A negro
Colonization society, consisting of
seventeen clubs anti about three thou
sand members, 1ms been organized in
Atlanta.
The object is to secure homes in the
West. Conventions will lie held as
soon as other sections can arrange to
send delegates.
Emperor William, ol (imnaiir. is a very
lii'arly i-ulrr nn.l dl iliki-r. Ik- run. limes all
i-imriiiotis amount ol nn-ai, bn-i- ami wine
rvrry ilay, ami is never troiiMeil with indi
gestion. Me Jirel'eis a pipe to a ci;;ar, ami
sllnivs-an element of greiilllt-.-s l,.v detesting
cigiin-tles.— Ivx.
The aversion to cigarettes is a very
strong point in Ills favor.
A young lady who recently visit
ed Mrs. James K. Folk, at Nash
ville says: "Mrs. Polk is one of the
most hcnuliftil old ladies that I ever
saw. Her hair is white, perfectly
white, and her laugh —ah, there was
never so musical a laugh! She is
eighty two years old, and she receives
every one who calls. She says she
always will sec company. And she
dresses with exquisite taste, too. Her
gown was, when I saw her, of hlack
silk and lace, nnd line white laces.
__ ♦ - j
There was hardly a quorum in the
house Monday, and it was only with
great effort on the part of the speaker
that a legal vote could lie secured.
Several important hills were conse
quently tabled. The same old, old,
story. Anil yet the members were
elected, it is to he presumed, with the
understanding that they should attend
to their business. Every Saturday
and Monday, during the session, costs
the tax payers of Georgia 83,uni).
And yet lmt little, if any, business is
transacted on tlieso days, on account
of membersabsentiug themselves.
so veil.
A SCUM: OK TK it non.
Tin- li-ri'il'ying shrieks of a d^zi-n locomo
tives mingled with the roar ot die flames,
the bursting ol' cartridges, llic booming ot'j
Riant powder, the hoarse shouts of the men
and the pitiful shrieks of women and chil
dren added to the n ild excitement ol the
hour. hooking upward a brand and migh
ty river of* flame was seen “against the jet
black sky. Occasionally two uppodng eur-
Tlic street cars at Lyons, in France,
are hereafter to be operated by a sys
tem of compressed air, which has been
found to work satisfactory in Nantes
and other French cities. The cars arc
said to run smoothly and with little
noise, while the machinery is simple,
and docs not require a skilled mechan
ic to superintend it. The cost is less
than with horses, steam or electricity.
Gen. I). II. Hill hits, on account of
ill health, resigned the presidency of
the branch college at Milledgeville.
He is a loss to that institution.
PRICES!
■AT-.
LEVY’S
Our Mu. Levy is now
in New York making
Fall purchases, and
lie has sent us word
to KNOCK DOWN
PRICES on all sum
mer goods, and make
room for our immense
Fall and Winter stock
that is coming. So,
from now on, a 11
Spring and Snmmer
goods go at old
“Knocked Down
Prices.”
Remnant table full
of choice bargains
every week.
Lev ys
Dr; M Him
Mitchell House Corner.