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jl‘izfix)en’cy—Second Y ear.
St
Lk 0F HARMONY IN BOARD
L
DISSENSION IS REPORTED IN THE
STATE BOOK COMMISSION.
T
gaid to Have grown Out of Recent Book
Contracts. Fermer Commissioner
glenn Frequent Capitol Visitor.
A special to the Savannah ~Press
tpom Atiants sBYB there Is a strong be
lief among those in & jposition to do
;om” sood guessing that all 18 not har
;m,n:,.\.u_- in the state book commission.
The members seem to be under an
ggreement 10 stand together and do no
t;‘:kin;: except as & body, but that
there has been & small split is almost
certain. It 18 believed that Commis
sioner Merritt favered the Graded Lit
erature readers of Maynard, Merrill &
Co., and that Goveroor Terreli led in
advocacy of the American Book Com
pany’s readers. Ginn & Co. were nat
arally for Merritt in the last election,
g 5 the A merican Book Company’s peo
-l were 10 possession of the field and
opposing uniformity. Professor Glenn,
who was then state school commission
er, was opposed tO uniformity. That
pook influences have taxen & big hand
i state politics i 8 known to all poli
ticians. Contests for, rcommissioner
ships are largely fights betweea rival
book concerns. That being true, it is
reasonable to suppose a warm fight
over the state achool commissionership
is brewing. This thing may start in
the school book commission itself if the
breach growing out of the contracts
just made is not healed.
GLENN'S POSITION.
Former Stase School Commissioner
Glenn, who was defeatea by Mr. Mer
ritt, and who, like the American Book
Company, opposed uniformity, has
been 4 visitor at the capital a time or
twosince the book row started, and
admits he has been urged by friends to
enter the race. He has, however, ex
pressed no intention of rupning. But
lmark tha prediction: there is going to
be “something doing.’”’
ALBANY WOMAN BURNED.
Mrs. Brooks Caught Fire While
Bathing Her Baby.
Mrs. C. O. Brooks of Albany was se
verely burned a few days ago and owes
ber life to the prompt assistamce of
her sister. Mrs. Brooks was aeated
before a fire bathing her four-months
old baby. In some manner her dress
became ignited, and she did not real
ize her danger until the flames had
swept up to the back of her head.
Her first thought was of her babv,
and it was promptly placed where the
flames could not reach it. It was not
injured. ‘
Miss May Douglas, of Missouri, Mra.
Brooks' sister, was in the room, and a 8
the result of her efforts the flames
were extinguished before Mra. Brooks
was burned to death, Her burns are
very serious, however, covering her
back and hands.
SHOOTING IN SUMTER COUNTY
Ed Morgan Used Gun on Negroes
With Serious Effect.
In an altercation Thursday, near
Americus, between Edward Morgan
t}nd two of his negro farm laborers,
Peter and Columbus Gray, father and
80n, shot guns were used freely and
probably with fatal effect.
Peter Grav was shot in the mouth,
the muzzle of Morgan’s gun well nigh
Wuching him, while Columbus Gray
Was sprinkled by shot atv long range
by_ Morgan. Columbus Gray fired
Wice at Morgan as the latter returned
W 0 the dwelling house, missing him
iach time, but almost striking Mrs.
Morgan, Columbus Gray was jailed
Upon the charge of assault with intent
D(’ro,:)nu‘i;‘}‘;"'é‘i”.while Peter Gray will
UST PROVIDE FIRE ESCAPES
he Sale-Davis Opera House
Ordered Closed.
dT:;*: t‘;ltlmn v authorities have order-
L i}«:l e-D.avm opera house closed
nediate'provision is made for
“?a,“"' tafety to the theatre-going
üblie than is now offered.
Additional exits on both floors will
AV 10 be provided, as well as fire es
trp::tsfrom the balcony floor to the
PISCHARGED FOR SEEKING OFFICE
Phillip Whittlesey, who has been
ith the Centeal of Georgia railway at
Olumbus fop g number of years in the
Pacity of cashier, has been nctified
4t his seryices will not longer be |
F=ded. Mr. Whit lesy is a candidate !
""::"" “Oiector of Muscogee county, l
© s 15 said 10 haye caused the offi
THE DAWSON NEWS.
$350 FOR ONE POTATO.
Four Pounds Sold for Three
Times Their Weight.
At the Smithfield cattle show in
Englard the other day four pounds of
potatoes were sold for $3,000. This
was at the rate of about $1,680,000 per
ton, or three times their weight in
gold. One single potato sold for $350.
The farm of the raiser of the potatoes
10 question was much more profitable
than a gold mine., If he could get
guch prices for a season or two he
would be able to retire and live in
luxury for the remaindsr of his iife.
The explanation of the exvraordinary
price for these potatoes is that they
are of a new variety, and one which
has shown that it is not susceptible to
the disease thau for several years has
proved so disastrous to the potato crop
of Ireland and the rest of the United
Kingdom. By means of scientific
manipulation a potato has been evelved
that grows and flourishes while other
potatoes around it are dying of the dis
ease. Not only that, but the new po
tato is larger than the old and more
prolific. It is not to be wondered at,
therefore, that the new variety com
manded fancy prices, for seed purposes.
The principal food supply of a very
great number of people in the United
Kingdom comes from the potato fields.
The discovery of a disease-resisting
sort, which gives increased crops, is a
matter of greatest interest to Irish,
Scotch and Eaglish farmers.
A HUMAN PIN CUSHION.
Inmate of the Virginia Penitenti
ary Is a Puzzle.
Virginia's penitentiary boasts of a
human vin cushion in the person of
Henry Watkins, a voung mulatto, who
isserying ten yéars for burglary.
Dr. C. V. Carrington, surgeon to the
institntion, has just removed from va
rious portions of the mulatto’s anatomy
sixteen needles and pieces of wire.
When the man was on trial in Hast
ings court ;some days ago he feigned
insanity, but a commission of luc.cy
pronounced him sane. He was tried
and convicted.
After being removed to the peniten
tiary he complained ot pain im various
parss of his body. An examination was
made, and the foreign substances re
ferred tojwere found buried in his Hlesh,
where they had been placed by the
pegro himself.
The case has puzzled the authoritses,
there being ne reord of similar action
by any sane person.
DONKEY ENGRAVED ON BILL
Government Note of 1880 Supple
ments Eagle.
Though it may not be generally
known, a revelation unearthed at Los
Angeles, Cal., shows that for the past
twenty-three years the honors of being
the emblem of the United States have
been dividad between an eagle and a
donkey, says the Chicago Inter Ocean.
. This unexpected discovery may come
as a shock to those who, above all
things, hold the emblemn of their coun
try sacred, but a ten dollar bill circu
lating in Los Angeles and bearing the
Lengmving of an Ainerican eaq",lo and
another bird, sometimes called 2 Rocky
mountain canary, proves beyond the
shadow of a doubt that an undignified
practical joke has been played in the
‘ engraving department at Washington.
The bill was issued in the year 1880,
t during which time an Englishman was
in charge of the engraving department.
Whether the Britisher was one of that
type that still hold a grievance against
the United States or whether he was
' one who endeavored to show that a
‘ Britisher has a questlonable sense of
' humor is not known, but all the curren
{ ¢y that left the department while this
gentleman was in charge bore the un
patriotic plcture.
| The currency had been in circulation
for perhaps a year when the objection
able donkey was noticed by the depart
| ment and called in. Within twelve
months after the currency was tabooed
every bill was accounted for with the
exception of one. Bill No. A. 35,379,766
could not be located until the other day,
when it came into the possession of A.
0. Craig, a resident of Los Angeles.
Mr. Craig noticed the bill was unlike
the money now in cireulation and upon
reviewing the eagle that is engraved
upon the back found a large mule with
white nose and flapping ears.
Though the foremest characteristic of
the ignoble beast is similar to that of
the average American in that neither
will be driven to Go what they dislike,
still it #s doubtful if the designer im
provedupontheonglmlueaotv
ing the eagle on the mMODGY.
cials to make a change. He was told
that he would have to abandon his can
didacy or resign his place with the
railroad. He insisted that he did not
think it necessary for him to do eith
er. He was then informed that as be
continued a ecangjdate his services
would no looger be ‘needed.
Dawson, Ga., Wednesday, February 3rd, 1904,
A STATE FULL OF RATTLESNAKES
A Bounty of Fifty Cents a Snake Is Paid for Their Destruction in
Wisconsin. How People Used to Cheat the State. Required
to Present Four Inches of Reptile to County Official.
That section of the state of Wiscon
sin bordering on the Mississippi river
and made up of long stretches of deep
valleys (or eoulees, as the natives call
them), with precipitous wood-covered
hills, broken with numerous rocky
leéges, where the thin skin of the hill
side has been washed away by the tor
rents of water that rush dowo their
sides during the summer thunder
storms, seems to*be a natural habitat
for the repulsive ophidian commonly
known as the rattlesnake, says a New
ton, Wis., dispatch. So numerous are
they, and so great a menace to life,
that the county 1n which this village
is situated, Vernon, and the adjoining
county of Crawford pay a bounty of 50
cents for each rattlesnake killed. An
idea of the prevalence of snakes may
be had when it is stated that this
county last year paid out nearly $l,OOO
in bounties at 50 cents ‘‘a tail.”” When
the bounty was first declared the su
pervisors decreed that on presentation
to the county clerk of the rattles, as
the horny substance on the end of the
s‘rattler”’ is called, and from which the
spake takes its name, he should be au
thorized to issue a voucher for 50 cents
in favor of the person presenting it.
The farmers, however, fearful of los
ing the source of a considerable in
come, commonly caught the snake with
a forked stiek just back of the head,
and after churing the rattles allowed
the snake to go.
But as soon as the county law-makers
learned of this method of ‘‘exterminat
ing’’ the saakes the, law was revised,
so that now anyone wishing to collect
money from the county in the shape of
bounty must go to the town clerk wish
at least four inches of the tail of the
snake in addition to the rattles. The
town clerk cuts off the rattles and
THE SHRINKAGE IN FORTUNES
It Has Affected Winter Travel in
the South.
Two things show great shrinkage in
the fortunes of rieh people in and
about New York and Philadelphia.
One is the tax returns and the other is
the winter travel to Calilornia and
Florida.»
The shrinkage in fortunes that were
invested in securities was enormous
during the last year. Those who fol
lowed the stock market and noticed
the great decline in the prices of both
rallroad and industrial securisies can
understand this better than those who
seldom or never notice the quotations
of that markes.
And there were some failures in
which Philadelphia people particular
ly were interested, noticeably the
L.ake Superior Company and the as
pbalt trust. There are scores of fam
ilies in that city that were considered
rich two years ago and that are now
having a bard time getting the neces
saries of life. The fortunes of some of
the millionaires have been cut in half.
In the dispatches the name of one mul
timillionaire is given whose tax resurn
this year is not half as large as it was
last. And many who made quite large
returns iast year returned scarcely
anything this.
Tourist trains leaving New York
and scopping at Philadelphia are very
poorly patronized. In former winters
at this time of the year the travel to
Florida was always very heavy. Now
these southbound trains show that
economy is being practiced.
‘The sale of houses, yachts and pict
ures has been unusually large during
the past few months, showing that
many were hard hit by the decline of
the price of stocks.
.THE EARTH AS FOOD.
Is Formed into Cakes or Tablets
and Cooked.
Consumption of earth as food is said
to be common, ot only in China, New
Caledonia and New Guinea, but in the
Malay Archipzlago as well. The tes
timony of many travelers in the Oriend
is that she yellow races are especially
addicted to the practice. In Java and
Sumatra the clay used undergoes a
preliminary preparation for comsump
tior, being mixed with water, reduced
to a paste, and sand and other hard
substances removed. The clay is then
formed ioto hard cakesor tablets about
as thick as a lead pencil and baked in
an iron saucepan. When the tablet
emerges from this process it resembles
a piece of dried pork. The Japanese
frequently eat small figures, roughly
modeled from clay, which resemble
the animals turned out in pastry shops.
For high quality and moderate price
‘Joe Wheeler whiskey stands head.
gives a certificate to the snake hunter;
this certificate and the ratties must go
to the county clerk, as of old, for the
warrant on the treasurer. The fact
that 80 large a sum was paid out last
year speaks eloquently of the number
of snakes lurking in the valleys and
hills of the county.
Even if the snakes would stay im
their rocky fastnesses, and be content
to lay and sun themselves on the
ledges which outcrop on’every hillside,
they would still be disagreeanle neigh
bors, but their migratory instinct
seems to be very keenly developed,
and they are liable to be encountered
anywhere about the country. In addi
sion to this fact the rattlesnake is very
fond of company of its kipnd, and when- |
ever one is killed the experienced
dweller always looks for its mate, and
itis generally found in the immediate
vioinity. The remarkable fecundity
of snakes is well known, and it would
seem that Vernon county will bave an
endless task in paying bounties.
Before the county authorities took
action in the matter the farmers used
to make up hunting parties in the
spring, whep the warm sun shining on
the rocky ledges on the southern
slopes of the hills would tempt the
reptiles out of sheir dens, where they
hibernateln cold weather. Large num
bers of them would be slain at such
times, and in this manner the snake
population would be kept down in a
way. Now the farmers usually coufine
their attention to the snakes individu
ally, and when they visit the county
seat they almost invariably have some
rattles in their pockets, accompanied
by the town clerk’s certificate show
ing that enough of the snake had been
amputated in the process of acquiring
the rattles to ¢nd his career.
} COTTON WORRIES EUROPE.
Consul (eneral Mason Says Re
volt is Planned Across Pond.
“A revolt against American cotton”
is the title of a long report just re
ceived at the state department in
' Washington from United States Con
‘sul General Masonat Berlin, Germany.
Mr. Mason says there is a simultane
ous effort on the part of Great Britain,
France and Germany to emancipate
their textile industries from depeand
ence on American cotton. Not only in
Germany, but throughout Europe, he
says, tuere is a growing feeling of re
sentment against this dependence, and
a determination that their spinning
and weaving industries must be eman
cipated at any cost from such vasalage |
by the develooment of wholly new
courses of supply. |
It is announced that there are many
thousand square miles of land in East
Africa with soil and climate well
adapted for the cultivation of cotton.
Through the German consul at Gal
veston arrangements are belng made
te educate at agricultural schools and
on plantations in Texas a number of
young Germans, who before going will
sign a contract to spend & number of
years as superintendents of plantations
in the German African colonies. Col
iie labor from China will be employed
in case the native tribes prove 100 in
competent.
NOT A LIFE LEFT,
Awful Scenes at Warwick Mine
Disaster.
A Pittsburg, Pa., dispatch says
since the terrible catastrophe of the
Warwick mine of the Allegheny Coal
company seventy-five bodies have been
recovered and brought to the surface.
The week has been one of horror in
she little village on the hill above the
pit mouth, bu% evén while the black
ened bodies were brought from the
top of the skaft and taken on sleds to
the school house on the hill above,
where the undertakers were ready to
receive them, there seemed to prevail
in the community as a clutch that re
preseed their natural feelings of pas
sionate anxiety and sorrow the grim
realization that there is still much
work to be done before the full extent
of the catastrophe has been realized.
The Allegheny Coal Company, in an
official statement, positively admitted
all of the men #ho were in the mine
when the explosion occurred are dead.
When you feel blue and everything
goes wrong take a dose of Chamber
lain’s Stomach and Liver Tablets.
They will cleanse and invigorate your
stomach, regulate your bowels, give
you a relish for your food and make
‘you feel that in thisold world is agood
:place to live. For sale by Dawson
Drug Co., Dawson; Williford & Co.,
. Parrots.
STOKES IS FOR HEARST.
New York Multi millionaire Fa,
vors the Editor Candidate.
J. G. P. Stokes, the New York mil
i lionaire and philanthropist, is out in a
letter in favor of the candidacy of W.
R. Hearst for the democratic nomina
tion. Mr. Stokes says in partin his
letter:
~ “Mr, Hearst has maintained, and I
‘think rightly, that industrial issues
are at present of paramount interest
and importanee to the sAmerican peo
ple.
“‘He has emphasized the truth that
wherever the interest of individuals or
of groups are advanced by means that
disregard consideration of jusrice and
fair dealing, and especially when Lbe‘
interest of the majority are made sub
ordinate to the interests of the few, it
is right that individuals should use
fair means to arouse recognition of the
wrong.
“He stands for eonstructive raform, 1
not for merely destructiye criticism,
and his program is based upon funda
mental principles that in she main Ii
believe te be right.” |
" TO SAVE HIS VOTE.
Congressman Travelled 3,000
Miles to Pay $1.75.
Congressman W, S. Burleson of the
tenth congressional district of Texas
arrived in Austin from Washiogton
Thursday, having sravelled 3,000 miles 1
to pay his poll tax of $1.75, in order
that he might retain his privileges as
a voter and office holder in Texas.
The trip was necessary because he for
got to pay this vax before leaving for
Washington, »and when he tried to
have it paid by proxy he was informed
that under the present state law he
would have to pay it in person or for
feit his rights as a voter and oflice:
holder.
CLAIMS A WHOLE TOWN.
Texas Man Discovers Valuable
Legal Document.
Charles Wolf of Austin, Texas, has
discovered among old family papers
legal documents showing that he has
[aclear title to 30,000 acres of land in
Tom Green county, including the town
of San Angelo. The property Wwa¢
originally owned by the German
Turnige Company, which established
‘a colony on the land about 50 years
ago. The property is pow valued at
more than $1,000,000. Mr. Wolf has had
hig deed to the land recorded in the
county court at San Angelo prepara
tory to iossituting legal proceedings
for the recovery of the property.
RETURN OF FAV ORITE RING
Missourian Shipped Golden Circ
ler With Turkeys.
Just previous to the Christmas holi
days the biggest trade in the vicinity of
Bethel, Mo., was the dressing and ship
ping of turkeys to the eastern markets,
says the Kansas City Times. Hem‘yi
Fox, the Bethel buyer, shipped a car
Joad of dressed birds to Ckicsgo a day
or two before Christmas. He worked
late at night, with his bands, barreling
and marking them.
After the consignment went out Mr.
Fox missed a gold ring he had worn
during the barreling process and con
claded he must bave dropped it in one
of the barrels. The ring was a present
fram his wife, and he wouldn’t Jave
parted with it for many times itScost.
His name was engraved ‘inside the
band. He wrote immediately to his
commission house, but was informed
that when his letter came the turkeys
had already been distributed to pur
chasers all over the eastern and New
England states.
It looked like a case of the proverbial
needle M the haystaek to make any fur
ther effort. Mr. Fox gave it up. But
luck came from a barr@® that found its
way into the hands of an honest Yan
kee in Massachusetts. He found the
ring mixed in with his Missouri tuos
keys, and, as the seller hadn’t been of
fering any prizes with his goods, he
wrote the Chicago eommission house to
know if that ring was meant for a
Christmas present or was only an acci
dent. He said “H. Fox” was engraved
inside of it. The house explained the
situation to the conscientions New Eng
lander, and a few days ago Mr. Fox
was made happy by the return of his
highly prized ring. The very next ex
press out.of town carried a fat Misseou
ri turkey to the man in Massachusetts,
a belated Christmas present from Mr.
Fox.
WOOED AND WON ON FLYING TRAIN
Speeding southward, Charles A.
Snoke of South Bend, Ind., met Miss}
Elsie Caulkins of the same place on a
train Thursday night. While the train
plunged through the darkness, careen
ing on curves and speeding along like
‘mad through the mountains of Tennes
lsee,afind Georgia, he carried along bis
Number Twenty.
PLAN T 0 FIGAT WEEVIL,
METHODS THAT SECRETARY WILSON
EXPECTS TO FOLLOW.
How the Appropriation of $250,000
Made by Congress Will Be Used to
. Check the Little Inseet,
The secretary of agriculture has ap
proved the plans for the cotton boll
weevil invesuigation in the southwest,
for which a special appropriation by
congress of $250,000 has been made
‘available, Secretary Wilson believes
that the best methods for meeting the
ravages caused by the boll weevil will
be to put into actual practice the the
ories which have been accumulated by
the department during tne past two
years in the matter of improving cul
stural conditions, the planting of early
maturing varieties of cotton, substitu«
tion of other crops, ete.
This will involye the organization of
farmers in Texas and adjacent states
in such a way as to secure the cultiva
tion of tracts of cotton under specific
instructions from the department of
agriculture. Thus, a definite working
plan will be given to each farmer, the
farmer himself to furnish the seed and
fe tilizers if such are required. These
areas of cotton will serve as object les
sons and will be planted to show the
practicability of growing cotton de
spite the presence of the weevil, Sim
ilar work will be carried ob in Lou=
isiana, where the weevil has not yet
advanced. It is plaoned to have 8,000
or 10,000 farmers engaged in this work.
TOMB SADLY NEGLECTED,
The Last Resting Place of Presi=
dent Zachary Taylor.
¢s7. Taylor; died 1850."”
That 18 the inscription on the tomb
Zachary Taylor, twelfth president of
Unitad States, says the Cleveland
Press.
A correspondent who recently visit
ed the tomb of *“Old Rough and
Ready’ says for over half a century at
has lacked the care of a kindly hand
and is fast falling into decay.
Apparently nobody;cares.
The tomb lies five miles from Louis
vilie and is off the road. Ivy riots
over the ;weather beaten blocks of
granite. The fastenings on the door
}are red with rust. So far as is kncwn
'no key has turned the lock for fifty
years. Visitors are rare. It is doubt
ful if half a dozen -tourists visit the
tomb during twelve months.
And this neglected spot is the laso
resting place of the hero of the Black
Hawk and Florida wars. Here is the
dust of that great so'diec who, with
4,000 American ssoldiers, drove in re
treat 20,000 Mexicans under Santa An
na at Buena Vista. Here are the re
mains of the American Cortez and
president of the United States. He
who conquered the swamps and eyers
glades of Florida and made Mexico
surrender 18 forgotten by his country=
men. Not one in 10,000 knows the
place of his sepulchre.
The plaintive words of Rip Van
Winkle are appropriate: ‘“Howjsoon we
are forgotten when we're gone!”’
MADE ‘SULTA N VERY TIRED
He Did Not Know or Care About
the St. Louis Fair.
In the listof nations which are to be
represented at the world’s fair at St,
Louis Morocco probably will be miss
ing. According to information receiv
ed by exposition officials from Com
missioner Langerman, who recently
returned from Moroecco, the amount
appropriated by the sultan was $5,000.
Anent this appropriation an interest
ing story is told by Mr. Danforth, as
sistant to the cor)missioner, who
guotes the sultan as saving:
sHere is $5,000. Take it and do
‘'what you please with it. [ don’t care
‘'whether you use it for the world’s fair
or put it in your own pocket. I don’t
‘know where St. Louis is, except that
[it. is somewhere in the United States,
‘and I don’t care. Please tell Presi
!denb Francis, whoever he is, to stop
‘writing me letters about his fair, as 1
am tired of getting them.”
\ Those desiring to buy grain and hay
in large quantities will ao well to see
‘me, as I am representing %he best
‘houses in the country.
} T. O. WHITCHARD.
love-making at a much faster rate.
When the train reached Atlanta they
burried to the office of a justice, where
the pulaébione ot two hearts were
blended into one. Snoke, though &
%uat.ive of South Bend, had not met
' Miss Caulkins until Sunday. Both werg
‘going to Florida to spend the winter,
