Newspaper Page Text
Entered as Second-class Matter at
the Sandorsvllle Postoflice April 27,
1880.
Sandersville, Washington County, Ga.
PUBLISHED BY
A. J. JERNIGAN & CO,
Proprietors and Editors.
THE MERCURY.
A, J, tTERNIOAN ,0 CO., Proprietors,
DEVOTED TO LITERATURE, AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL INTELLIGENCE.
Subscription: $1.50 Per Year.I volume vii.
H. N. HOLLIFIELD.
Flysiciao 5 sum,
SUBSCRIPTION: $1.00 rcr Annum,
SANDERSVILLE. GA., TUESDAY. APRIL 19, 1881. NUMBER 51.
SANDERSVILLE, GA.
Office next iloor to Mri. llarne's Millinorv
llorc, on Harris street.
HUY YOUIt
-FROM-
jE^isria-A.isr,
(None (jennino without our trade mark.)
ON HAND AND FOR SALB
SPECTACLES, NOSE GLASSES, Etc., Etc.
Watches, Clocks
ARl)
JEWELRY
BIPAiniD BY
JSU^2STIQ.A.3Sr.
E. S. LANGMADE,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
SANDERSVILLE, Ga.
n IV ItViNS, U. O. Kvami, ,T»
EYANS & EVANS,
ATTORNEYSAT LAW
SANDERVILLE, GA.
F, H. SAFFOLD,
ATTORNEY AT LAW,
SANDERSVILLE, GA.
Will practice in nil the Courts of tlia
Miilille Circuit, mid in the countie*
mrro iinliug Washington. Special at*
tention given to commercial law.
A NOTED ACTOR DEAD.
•/obu T. lEnvmnnil ttirain Kvnnnvillo. lod»—
11 h Wile I'rnsl rnteil,
Evaxsvii.i.k, IikI. John T. Raymond,
•lie reli'hiutcd m tor, died hero nt a
quarter In one Sunday morning, lie ar
rived Imre from tlic south Friday after
noon, ij n it a ill from nn intestinal disor-
'iir, ioiii|i'ieiiled with heart disease.
Aliout midnight Saturday night ho com
menced failing rnpidly, and beeamo un-
i onseious. He was iift'eniled by the mem-
hers of Ills company, who were grief
Mri, lien over the sail occurrence. Mr.
linynioiid's family live in New York and
me mil here.
•lolui T. Raymond was billed to appear
the opera house here last Friday from
Hopkinsville, Ivy., where he appeared on
lliiir-day iijelit. The previous night lie
appeared in Kaslivillc, Tcmi. Although
not at nil well, buffering from a severe
'old, he kept up, and it was not until 4
"dock in the afternoon of Friday that
hr consented at the urgent inquest of
physicians here, not tonppenr Ihat night.
*h' was in lied from that time until (lie
hair of his death. Friday afternoon ho
Irpt a little for t-he first time in several
l ' ,| . VH - Drs. Candel and Herr, who wait
'd a him, say that he was in a dying
|audition when he arrived here. The
uiinicdiate cause of his death was heart
'lisi'a-e, eoinplicated with severe cold,
n-rvous prostration and congestion of
•hr stomach and bowels.
A dispatch from a friend of Mrs. Rny-
I, in New York, to Mr. Walter j.
j :lll| h, Mr. Raymond's mnnager, stated
1 '"• Mrs. Raymond was so prostrated by
'hr news of her husband’s death that sho
"ns unable to give any directions, so it
"ns decided to take the remains to New
i ork.
A MINE EXPLOSION.
A Siul Accident by Which n V Mlmlciil
ol VusMcr Is Killed.
I’ottsVir.i.io. Pa , —A shocking neci-
nent occurred in the mine of the Chain
’’Thun collory, St. Clair, Mondav after
noon.
Aliss Rerlista Shniil. of-haron Springs.
N ) ., a student of Vassal - college, was
visding Nliss Minnie Keiter, of St. Clair.
n fellow-student. The two young ladies,
'n company with a young man named
llllr ry Short, and Ed'win Thomson, one
J 1 ' the operators of the collory. i iili-i !
nilni ' for the purpose of giving Mis
■ haul an opportunity to inspect thooper
, n llf mining coal'. The mine Imd no'
cn working for a week and none Inn
I’art.y of explorers were inside ai tin
, 11111 ■ An explosion of fin-damp wa
‘aau'd hv their lamps. Miss Kei'er w;>
■' 'M'** Sliiuil had a leg lr mcii ami
P |.]l B f)v hunted, but nitty recover. Shor'
1 I lures, uneonseioiis from many iniii-
[ CS| .md will probably die. Thumps' .
painfully but not sc riously I urt.
WOOL IlGALEltS’ MEETING.
an Fiiancisco Cal. A mootingwas held
‘' re Monday by persons interested in the
"not trade for the purpose of taking such
"Gum as would induce the interstate
'/an mcrce commission to suspend section
"iir of the interstate law so far as it re
ates to wool. Under the present inter-
prct'iUou of the law the rate on wool to
/''w ) ork and Boston is $3.70, whereas
ra * u was sixty-four and onc-linlf cents
!//••• • pounds. It wns claimed that
j , "ew rate was maintained the wool
"'nntry of California would bo destroyed,
mne surplus product could not be sent
. " "h profit. A committee was ap-
lmuteu to collect the necessary informa-
'>n and lorward it to Washington on
im. ne . 9( ^ a y next. The meeting then nd-
U r l ne( ' subject to the call of the com-
mittce.
HtAjjmm, Himilet, of Fall Moan-
Rtoivi 18 a tmbjaot for the hair re-
di. , s ' Re was ill for some time with
le ad t 0i i 6 1 ) ' J16 > atid tlio hair of his
cviln’oi ' ,t namatacha, eyebrows and
r ,i. ' ' a 1 ) came out, but there is no
u veturn. He would make
a on, i . 1 us return. He would make
f«e U»ug^' apht0 be ltibeled “ Be *
SOUTHERN PROGRESS.
THE IMPROVEMENTS IN VARIOUS
SECTIONS OF TMK SOUTH.
Muurncturina and Other Boaloora I*t*r-
Iloomlnt-New Railroad*, Etc.
A soap factory will be built at La-
Grange Ga.
The Presbyterians will build an $8,000
church ut Gainesville Fla.
An axe anil pick hnndle factory is to
be erected at Floyd C. H., Va.
O. A. Johnson and others will build a
large hotel nt Uot Springs, Ark.
Bowman & Spriggs are opening man
ganese mines at Tunnel Hill, Ga.
A company has been formed to build a
streot railroad at Mnryvillc, Tenn.
An ice factory and a cotton compress
are to bo built at Brookhavcu, Miss.
A company liaB been formed to build
a large wagon factory at Selma, Ala.
J. 0. Stevenson and others will start a
steam cracker fnctory nt Wilmington, N.
A stock company has been formed to
build a large rico mill at New Orleans,
La.
A broom factory will be started by II.
E. Carter and,). H. Copeland at Marshall
Ga.
Tho Presbyterians of Swcetwuter,
Tenn., will build a church to cost $9,-
000.
The Texas legislature has appropriated
$50,000 to build an asylum ut Austin,
Tex.
A $25,000 bank building will be erected
on Noble street at Anniston Ala., by D.
F. Constantine.
Tho Jesuits will build a fiuo church at
Macon, Ga. F, J. M. Dnly can give par
ticulars.
G. N. Henson, of Chattanooga, it is
reported, will build a furniture factory ut
Loudon, Tenn.
J. W. Bentz will erect a stamp mill
and hoisting machinery nt Bear Ark., ut
a cost of $10,000.
The Texns & Pucilic Railroad Co. will
build a round house and repair shops at
Muringouin, La.
Eagan & Co. are erecting brick works
at Chattanooga, Tenn., and have pur
chased machinery.
Tho Tensas, La., Laud Improvement
Co. hns been organized with a capital
stock of $11,500,000.
F. Mucnch, of Charleston, and ethers,
contemplate sturting a canning factory ut
Mount Pleasant, 8. C.
The Raleigh Street Railway Co. will,
it is said, build a short street car line at
Morehcud City, N. C.
B. F. Averv & Sons are building n
our story addition to their large plow
works at Louisville, Kv.
A wagon manufacturing company, of
Decatur, 111,, have decided to move their
plant to Littlo Rock Ark.
A $50,000 compuo; has been organized
at Fort Worth Texas to erect works for
manufacturing cur wheels.
Tho Knights of Labor Co-operative
Cigar Manufacturing Co. has been incor
porated at Covington, Ky.
The Georgia and North Carolina Man
ganese, Iron and Marble Co. has been in
corporated nt Nashville, Tenn.
The Little Rock & Ft. Smith Bailroad
Co., is to bo extended from Vail Btircn,
Ark., to Fort Gibson, Ind,, T.
Tl-s Carolina Iron Co., of Pittsburgh,
Pa., are erecting mnehinery to develop
mines at Kings Mountain, N. C.
Tho Fork Shoals, 8. C., Manufactur
ing Co. havo purchased considerable new
machinery for their cotton factory.
The Fort Neglcy M. E. Church, at
Clinttanooga, Tenn,, will erect a new
building nt a cost of about $20,000.
The Decatur Ala., Land, Furnace &
Improvement Co., nro negotiating for the
location of n rolling mill at that place.
The Central Railroad & Banking Co.
will erect another cotton compress at
Columbus, Gn., to cost about $05,000.
Simmons Bros, and others have pur
chased 100 acres of inarblo lands 8 miles
from Burnet, Texas, and will open quar.
ries.
Tho Tampa Hotel Co., capital stock
$50,000, lias been organized to build a
hotel at Tampa Fla., to cost about $150,-
000.
A company has incorporated at Greens
boro, N. C., to manufacture and sell to
bacco. Their paid-up capital stock is
$13,800.
Tho Chcrokeo Iron Co., of Cedartown,
Ga., A. West,president,will build an ad
ditional furnace, with u capacity of 100
tons daily.
8. L. Carter, L. II. Davis and brothers
of El l’nso Texas, have organized a stock
company to erect a powder factory at
that place.
Tho Hiuwasseo Railroad Co. has been
chartered to build a railroad from Chat
tanooga, Tenn., to the North Carolina
State line.
A company is being organized with a
capital stock of $50,000 to establish a
large dairy farm and creamery near Bir
mingham Ala.
William H. Ford, of Lynchburg, Va.,
has recently purchased a large tract of
timber laud near Rustburg,Va., and will
erect a bark mill.
Adou & Lobit have organized a com
pany with a capital stock of $500,000 to
build a large bagging and cordage factory
at Galveston Texas.
Tho Southern Car Heading and Illum
inating Co. has been chartered nt Nash
ville, Tenn., to build machines to light
and heat railroad cars.
Tho Little Rock & Texas Railroad Co.,
capital stock $5,000,000, bus been incor
porated at Little Rock, Ark., to build a
railroad from Little Rock to Racket!
City.
v k Mend and associates of Cincin-
n . « ftfsn non stock
nati, O., have organized a $50,000 riock
company to build a saw and planing mill
mill a sash, door and blind factory at De
catur Ala. ..... .,
rimttanooga, Tenn., will decide by
popular vote on April 21 whether or not
to issue the $500,000 of bonds for public
improvements recently authorized by tho
State legislature.
Tho Athens Mining & Manufacturing
Co., capital stock $1,000,000, 1ms been
organized nt Athens, Tenn., and secured
1,000 acres of land uml proposes to spend
$500,000 in building three large cotton
mills, a lnrgo woolen mill, water works
a $10,00 hotel, and a $10,000 school
building.
THE PRESIDENTS LETTER.
XVh«l Ibe Torouto Globe II.. to May ml
the Document.
Toronto, Ont.,—The Toronto Globe
of Monday says: The letter of President
Cleveland to the president of the fishery
union is a remarkable and important doc
ument. It is not such a letter m Ameri
cans interested in tho fisheries desired to
receive from the president, but the letter
was evidently intended as a warning to
Canadians, also. While we desire that
the rights of Canada bn firmly and effi
ciently asserted and maintained, wc liopo
that American fishermen will not be re
fused any privileges to which they aro
entitled, and that they will never experi
ence unjust or unfriendly treatment from
those employed in the protection of our
rights. It would bo folly, however, to
put out of sight the fact that many in
tho United States, including, apparently,
tho president himself and members of his
cabinet, assert that fishermen of the
United States have rights in our waters
which we believe they have not under
the terms of the treaty now in force, and
that thero are privileges to which they
nro entitled, iu the opinion of the presi
dent, to which we say they have no title,
whatever. From the misunderstanding
if wo assert what wo believe to bo our
rights, greater misunderstandings nmy
arise. This letter although studiously
modernto in tone, intimates plainly what
may follow. The position is, to sav the
least, exceedingly serious.
AUGUST SPIES DISAPPOINTED.
He Fall* to Elicit th* Support of tho Tur
ner’* A**oclatlon.
Chicago HI.,—A bitter set back wa*
given to the friends of August Spies,
who have been endeavoring to enlist tho
moral support of the Turners hero for him,
and his condemned friends, but the anar
chist sympathizers refuse to acknowledge
themselves defeated, and declare that
they will carry their efforts before tho
highest authority in the order, and make
the issue a national one uinong the Tur
ners. Spies was a Turner and a promi
nent one before his incarceration. After
the death sentence wns pronounced
agniust him and his companions, u friend
ol Spies, Chairman John Gloy and the
members of the Turners’ executive board
of this district, issued a circular to all
the subordinate Turning societies in this
vicinity, requesting them to notify tho
board whether they favored the adoption
of a resolution declaring the verdict
against the anarchists to be unjust, and
asking for a new trial. The result was a
storm of protests against the action of the
board. To-day the district convention
of tho Turners was held for the purpose
of deciding upon the question of impeach
ing and depositing the district executive
board, nnd especially John Gloy, chair
man, for over-stepping their authority
and disgracing their office. Seventy-seven
delegates were present, including repre
sentatives from every 'turner society
within a radius of fifty miles of Chicago.
After a stormy discussion, a resolution to
depose the executive board was carried
by u vote of 42 to 85.
A GANG OF SWINDLERS.
ST, AUGUSTINE’S BLAZE,
A GOOD PORTION OF THE OLD
TOWN IN ASHES.
RAILROAD THIEVES.
A BIOANTIC SYSTEM OF ROBVERV
discovered.
Messrs. Alfred Tyler and Samuel No
ble, of Anniston, Ala., and others have
purchased the entire property of the (’a-
lmba Coal Mining Co., for about $1,000,-
000, mid, in addition, 15,000 acres of
coal and iron lands. They will spend
about $1,000,000 in developing the prop
erties, opening new mines, etc. 500 coke
ovens will be built to supply the two new
furnaces at Anniston with coke.
Tho Iberia Opera House Co, capital
stock $20,000, hns been organizea at
New Iberia, La,, and will soon begin er
ecting an opera house.
The Brazoria Land & Cattle Co., of St.
Louis, Mo., are arranging to establish a
large abattoir on Dickinson Bayou, 10
miles from Galveston Toxas.
The l’nlatka & Northwestern Railway
Co., hns been formed to build a railroad
from Palatka Fla., to a point in Gadsden
county, with several branches.
It is reported that tho Popper Alining
Co. will resume tho development of their
mica mines in Stokes county and open
coni mines near StokcsbursL. N. C.
The Portsmouth, Va., water works
have boon purchased by Charles D. Ward,
of Jersey City, N, J., for $81,150, who
will complete the building of the works.
It is reported that the NotasulgnGrnn-
ito Co., capital stock $500,000, will bo
organized by Birmingham parties to de
velop granite quarries nt Nostasulgn, Ala.
The Fort Worth Texas Machine &
Boiler Works will build new works at a
cost of about $100,000. Plans have boon
prepared nnd work will shortly begin.
The Lttelc Rock Automatic Refrigera
ting Co., capital stock $75,000, has been
organized at Littlo Rock, Ark., by Logan
H. Roots and others.
New Y*rk Police Raid a Hen aad Make a
III* Haul.
New Yoke, City.—A den of a gang of
sawdust swindlers wns raided Wednesday
in West 47th street. The place was in
full operation nnd the whole gang was
arrested and locked up. There were
four of them. Tho prisoners are named
Joseph Little, W. J. Brown, George W.
Leeson and George Plotts. They were
found making up circulars into express
packages of alleged bogus money and
fitting out substitute valises, also sup
posed to be full of “greengoods,” but in
reality contained bricks and paper. The
house was a brown stone flat;, directly
opposite the police station. The opera
tors had two flats, one for work and the
other for bedrooms, luxuriously fitted up.
The police seized $2,060 in new, crisp,
genuine bank notes. Two men were
wrapping circulars and directing them
from a mercantile agency book. Six
drygoods boxes were filled with ad
dressed, stamped envelopes, most of them
to southern or western points; somo for
Manitoba. Answers to the circulars, as
found, were mostly from the same sec-
tipafi
Heavy l.a**e* With bat Small Inanraaoe-
Thn Old Catkedral, Built In 1703,
Burned-One Llf* I.oat.
St. Acodstink, Fla.—An alarm was
given nt 8:15 a. m. Tuesday for a blazo
in the laundry of tlic St. Augustiuohotel,
on the north side of the plaza. Tho
flames spread rapidly to tho kitchen and
then to tlic main part of the building.
The lire department consisted only of a
hook nnd ladder nnd truck ami one
Mnnsfleld steam engine, and was soon on
the scene, but it was impossible to do
anything to save anything, which was al
ready wrapped in the flames. The guests,
numbering ninety, and forty servants,
with tho exception of one Inundry wo
man, Bridget Bnrry, escaped. By this
time tho names had crept through the.
entire building and communicated to the
Edwards house and “Tho Cottngo ’ on
the north, frame buildings. These wero
soon reduced to ashes and the flames
swept on northward to the Planters’
house and the Florida house uuncx.
Here tho firemen and citizens, by heroic
efforts, succocded in preventing tho
Annies from reaching the main Building
of the Florida house, which is of wood
and only fifteen feet from tho annex.
The next buildings to go wero tho First
National bank aad one of the oldest land
marks in the ancient city—tho old Span
ish cathedral, just west of tho St. Au
gustine house. 'Ilio roof caught and soon
fell, destroying all of tho old historic*
relics in the interior. Tho old chimes
fell, too, their last work boing tho alarm
which summoned tho citizens to the scene
of tho conflagration.
At this time tho east wall of tho St.
Augustine house, facing Charlotte street,
fell, carrying tho flames to the Sinker
block on the opposite side, in which were
tho stores of Gonzales & Bcuhnyon; Moy
Yong’s restaurant; Vcdder’s museum;
Buck’s restaurant; Davis’s barber shop;
Golderangs & Co.’s cigar factory; and
Speizenger’s drug store. All were com
pletely destroyed. Next Chamberliu’s
grocery and Mrs. R. E. Carr’s residence
north of tho Sinclait block, were destroy
ed. Returning to tlio west side of the
street the flames reached the old county
courthouse on the north, which was to
tally destroyed. The records, however,
were removed and saved. Vedder &
Compton’s store and Welter’s restaurant,
on the west side, burned also; but here
the fire was checked, and ut 7:88 a. m.
was completely under control. The
losses, which will aggregate $250,000,
ore, ns nearly ss can now be learned, as
follows:
St. Augustine hotel, $160,000, no in
surance; old cathedral, $10,000, insur
ance $4,100 in New York companies.
The “Cottage,” $2,500, insurance $1,000
in the Hope Insurance company, of Lou
isiana. The Edmunds house, $10,000,
no insurance; Vedder & Compton Mu
seum, $8,000, insurance $500. The
court house, $8 ,000, insurance $5,000 in
tho Phoenix Insurance company, of
Hartford; Welter’s restaurant, $4,000,
insurance $1,000. On the building
owned by Airs. Smith, Mrs. B. E. Carr’s
residence anil store, $8,000, insurance
$5 ,000 in Boston compunieB' Chamber
lin’s grocery, $8,000, insurance $2,000;
Buck’s restaurant, $2,500, no insurance;
Gonzales & Benhayou, $5,000, no insur
ance; Davis barber shop, $500, no insur
ance; Alny Youg’s rostaurant, $1,000, no
insurance; Speizenger’s drug store, $2,-
000, no insurance.
The old cathedral, one of the most in
teresting landmarks in the city,was built
in 1793 and was in use for the puposes of
worship up to the time of itsdcstruction.
Besides tho losses above mentioned were
those of guests in the hotels, nnd numer
ous small losses which, although thoy
cannot be detailed, will bring the total
loss up to the aggregate before mention
ed.
Bridget Barry was the only person
whose life was lost. She escaped curly,
but returned to save clothing and was
not seen afterward.
WhalMol* Arre*i* Mad* In I’lltsbura, Pa.,
and Otkar Tam* Along Ike Line of
the Panhandle Rallrend.
PiiTSBono, Pa. The most important
arrests ever made iu this part of the coun
try were begun at an enrlv hour Mouday
morning, by which the ‘officers of the
Panhandle railroad have in custody the
most daring gang of railroad robbers this
country has ever known. How many
members belong to it are not known, but
they run up into the hundreds. Tluii
stealings extend over a period of two or
three years, and the amount stolen reach
es nearly half a million dollars. Simul
taneous arrests were mode nil along the
line of the Panhandle road between here
and Columbus.
Telegrams from Cadiz, Steubenville
and other places, report tho arrest at
those places of a large number of railroad
men implicated in the robberies. Spe
cials from Dennison, Ohio, report the ur-
rest there of J. R. Dunlap, loader of a
gang, and also of James and W. Colies,
with several thausands of dollars’ worth
of velvets and high priced dry goods in
their possession. The articles wero taken
from United States bonded cars en route
to Chicago, St. Louis and othor points
west. One Busby, tho worst man in the
gang, slipped his handcuffs anil reckless
ly threw himself from the train whilst it
was going nnd escaped.
Tho arrests have created tho greatest
excitement among railroad employes of
this city. The scenes about the jail doors,
where relatives of the prisoners had ga
thered to learn the causes of their arrests,
were of the saddest descriptions—wives,
children, parents, brothers and Bisters,
with tear-stained faces, stood around the
entrances to the prison eager to hear the
latest developments and pleading with
the officers for admission to tho jail to
ace tho prisoners, all of whom are em
ployes of the road.
A prominent officer of the Panhandle
road in speaking of the arrests said :
1 ‘These robberies havo been carried on
systematically for several years. The
company havo long been aware that there
was a leakage somewhere, and as early as
September, 1880,they quietly commenced
an investigatidn. Detectives wero placed
on the work. We had already discovered
that tho robbers were employes of the
company. In September there were
eighty crews of freight trains on the
Pauhandlo railroad, coming into Pitts
burg. Of these eighty crews, no less
than seventy-five were found to be
crooked.
“Depredations wero committed ull
along tho road,nnd losers reside nt points
as far west as Denver. Fences were es
tablished in this city where the stolen
property was taken and then sold, the
money being evenly divided among tho
crews. It is estimated that nt least
$200,000 worth of goods were tnkou, for
which tho company had to pay. In Au
gust last wo got a clue, and the company
determined to push it to the cud, De
tectives were employed, who followed up
every scent and finally wo had informa
tion upon which to proceed.
“When everything was reudy, wc de
cided to make a move ull along tho line
from Columbus to Pittsburg, and two
o’clock this morning wns fixed to strike
the blow. About eighty warrants were
issued for men in this city, and arrests
have been accordingly made. There were
over three hundred warrants issued, and
no doubt un arrest will be made on csch
of them in due time.
The men arrested include in somo in
stances whole crews. J. R. Dunlap,who
is regarded as a ringleader of the gang,
lias made n confession to tho detectives
in which he implicated several outsiders
nnd located fences nt Dennison, Ohio,
New Philadelphia and other places.
NIPPED IN THE BUD-
•Ab BI«otl«n Fraud Deter.tril iu .lorn«y City—
Entire Hoard Arrested.
DESTRUCTIVE FLAMES.
Mn*y Live* mud Muoli Properly l.oii by
Forest Fire*.
Atobibon, Kan,,—No less than fifteen
persons have been burned to death by
the prairie fires which, starting near Nic-
odemus, Graham county, have swept
northwest on an air line to Norton
county, destroying everythig in its path.
There is a great roaring sea of flume,
rolling in tremendous sheets under ihe
impetus of the high wind which prevailed
all day and night Saturday. Starting
on the south fork of Solomon river, in
Graham county, the fire swept north to
North Fork, which it crossed at Edmund
station, on the Central Branch railroad,
in Norton county, and at last accounts it
was still sweeping toward the northwest,
diagonally across Norton county, in the
direction of Decatur, tho adjoining county
on the west, carrying destruction and
death in its path.
Thousands of head of stock of all
kinds have been burned and thousands of
tons of hay, com and wheat, nnd from
100 to 175 houses and barns have been
destroyed. People living along tlic line
of the fire have been left homeless and
destitute. It is impossible to learn I lie
names of those who perished. Tremend
ous excitement prevails all through the
district, which extends the distance of
over sixty miles in length by two and a
half to seven in width with the fire still
spreading west and northwest.
JERSEY City, N. J.--fhe entire elec
tion board of the eighth precinct, second
district, Jersey City,whose polling place,
the 600th, is on Alcrccr street, was ar
rested Tuesday afternoon for tampering
with a ballot box. The board consisted
of Patrick Golden, Judge Patrick Mc
Ginnis and Owen AIcCabe, inspectors,
and Cormac T. Dolas, clerk, At the
noon recess Policeman Murphy sitw Clerk
Dolan putting the registry book into the
ballot box. The book contained about
thirty democratic tickets. The tickets
were folded and dropped into the box
beforo the clerk could be arrested, Alur-
phy took the registry book out and found
that about 85 tickets hud been curcfully
folded and placed between the leaves.
A number of citizens witnessed the at
tempt and great excitement prevailed for
a time.
A PRISONER MURBBREO.
Officer Murphy immediately sent for
assistance and the entire board, together
with the ballot box and registry book,
wero taken to the Gregory street police
station. Subsequently a new election
board wus selected in the precinct and
the voting proceeded as usual. Tho
prisoners were immediately arraigned
before Justice Stilsing. They waived
examination and were held in $1,200 bail
each to appear before the grand jury.
Alichael Kane, of 201 Wayne street,
made an additional charge against Dolau.
He swore that when he went to vote ho
was told that his name lmd been checked
and that some one had already voted for
him. The bail bond was then increased
to $2,400 for each of the prisoners.
Assemblyman Quinulty became their
surety.
Ripley, Misn.—An armed mob of some
twenty-five m6n from Union county
stormed the jail at this place Wednesday,
and shot to death, while in his cell, Bud
Williamson, charged with the killing of
John Collins, at New Albany, about a
year ago, the trial of Willianson having
been remanded to this county by a change
of venue. Williamson was about 22 years
of age. The killing of Collins, as the
evidence given in trial would seem to
show, was on the inspiration of the mo
ment and in the heat of passion. Collius,
also a young man, shot AVilliamson in the
same difficulty, and the* evidence was
very conflicting as to which one of them
■hot fint or whore tho blame lies.
MINERS BBNEF1TTBD.
Reading, Pa.,—For several years past,
fifty or more furnaces in th# Schuylkill
valley have been usif% immense quanti
ties of foreign ore and ore brought from
other states, thus causing almost an en
tire cessation of iron ore operations in
this section. The interstate commerce
bill, however, with its high freight
charges, has caused many furnaces to
use ore mined in eastern Pennsylvania,
and there is not a mine between here
and Allentown which is not being worked
to its fullest capacity. Over two thou
sand miners have steady work, and where
they formerly received 70 cents they now
get $1.10 to $1.25 per day.
THE TERAN DROUTH.
Til* Fearful Drouth Continue* with Mill*
Fro*p*ot ol Rain.
Ihe drouth now extends from the far
western grazing lands across the state for
a distanco of 800 miles, to the pine re
gions bordering on Louisiana, but de
creases in severity ns it approaches the
pineries, from which section complaints
aro of recent date. The general rains
which usually set in at the full of tho
moon, aro wanting, and tho cool, dry
winds of tho past fortnight continue to
prevail except in the district immediately
west and southwest of San Antonio, em
bracing Aledina, Bandera, Uvalde, Frio
and Itascosa counties, whero moderate
rains fell yesterday, but not enough, say
the dispatches from that vicinity. This
is one of the grazing sections of the stato,
where stock was dying.
Between San Antonio and the coast,
embracing such fertile counties as Guad
eloupe, UoBznles, Lavace, Colorado,
Caldwell, Bastrop and n dozen othors,
the drouth has assumed a serious aspect,
putting un embargo upon all agricultural
development, especially cotton, the chief
product of this section. One correspond
ent describes roadways throughout this
belt as covered to a deptli of several
inches with dust. The fields are barren
oven of weeds, while strings of cattle al
most too poor to stand up, aro traveling
constantly in senreh of grass and water.
hi Central Texas, embracing about
thirty counties surrounding Waco, Corsi
cana and Burnet, the situation is scarcely
less promising, all reports agreeing that
nothing but very early and pluntifulrains
will avert serious damage or fa : lure of
the crops.
In northern Hnd northwestern Texas
ths drouth is not ns scvorcly felt as in the
other sections, but complaints nro increas
ing daily. A slight sprinklo of rain fell
during thu week in Mitchell comity, along
the lino of tho Texas nnd Pacific road,
but no report of rainfall in the Pan Hnn
dle district has been received. One result
of tho drouth is the notable scarcity of
early vegetables at the principal points.
Anxiety over the situation is becoming
greater every day. Tlio wholesale houses
are calling their drummers off the road,
,as the country merchants refuse to buy
during the uncertainty of the crop out
look.
A SAD ACCIDENT.
A Y*un| 1.inly Ibe Nlaht B*f*r* U*r W*4-
dlac Day Accidentally Shot.
A special from Shelbyville, Tenn.,
dated Thursday, says: One of tho sad
dest accidents occurred last night that
has ever taken place in town. Mr. Allio
H. Ruth and Miss Carrie Sharp wero to
bo married tomorrow morning at 8
o’clock, all tho preparations for the hap
py event having been mode. Mr. Ruth
called Inst night to spend a few hours
with Miss Sharp.
He wns getting ready to leave for
home, and lmd put on his overcoat and
uinffler, nnd laid a revolver that ho had
brought with him on a table. She told
liini'to put it into his pocket, as she was
afraid of it, and handed it to him, when
the trigger caught somehow in her wrap
nnd exploded the chaige, the bullet en
tering her heart, killing her almost in
stantly.
She made an effort to call her lover’s
name, but fell in his arms nnd expired.
Miss Sharp was one of tho acknowledged
belles of Shelbyville society, and was
universally admired for her many graces.
Mr. Ruth is n son of Mayor W. Ruth,
und is one of the most promising young
business men of tho town.
There would seem to bo great blame
attached to M r. Itutli for carrying a pis
tol, but tho explanation is that the
neighborhood had been excited by ru
mors of a mad dog in the vicinity^ and
only n few nights before ho lmd narrowly
escaped a bite from a dog, and he had
curried the pistol to protect himself from
possible danger.
FOREIGNERS FIGHTING.
A Bl«*dy Hlot at a Christening Festival
In Denver, Col.
Dknveh, Col.—A bloody riot occur
red Sunday night between rival Swedish,
Polish and Hungarian colonies at 84th
and Blank street, which resulted iu the
fatal shooting of one man and the serious
wounding of several others. It grew nut
of a christening festivity. Wheu the
christening party lmd eaten and diauk,
they went out upon tho sidewalk and
made war upon the inhabitants of a
neighboring house. Others iu the neigh
borhood became involved und the up
roar became so great that it required a
detachment of a dozen police, armed
with Winchester rifles to quell the dis
turbance. Three or four police lirst
made their appearance, when the rio'ers
postponed their contention and j"ined
forces agaiust the common enemy. They
could uot stand against u platoon of l ifics
however, and about thirty were lodged
in the calaboose and some in the hospi
tal. But one or two of the prisoners
can speak English. They are all rngged,
dirty and spattered with blood, and
have the appearance of bolonging to the
lowest type of humanity. Many of them
arrived in Denver only a week ago direct
from Hungary, Poland, Bohemia anil
other ports of Europe.
A BRUTAL MURDER
Hopkinsville, Ky.,—A railroad con
tractor from Cerulean Springs reports a
horrible murder at a boarding house on
the Indiana, Alabama anil Texas railway,
about u mile distant from the springs.
Two laborers, Purdy and Tompkins,
roomed together upstairs. One night
recently cries for help and loud noises
were heard ia the room. Persons enter
ing found Tompkins alone. He talked
wildly and said somebody tried to cut
his throat. An examination showed only
some trifling scratches, und further
search showed Purdy covered up in his
bed with his skull beaten in. Tompkins
could give no coherent account, and de
nied all knowledge of the deed. Purdy
was known to have a large sum of money
in cash and postal orders. Suspicion
was directed to Tompkins, who was
searched and the money found on his
person. He wns placed under arrest. A
largo number of railroad laborers gath
ered, and with difficulty were prevented
from lynching him.
""■'is
THE MERCURY.
PUBLISHED EYERY TUESDAY.
NOTIOE!
AU Communications intended /br
this Paper must be accompanied bp
the /Sill name of the writer—net
necessarily for publication, but as a
guarantee of good faith.
We are in no way responsible for
Ik* view or opinions of correspond*
ante.
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
ITEMS or INTEREST FROM OUR
NATIONAL CAPITAL,
What le Bela# Dob* by the Head* of Dor
Oovoroaient—The Work** Review.
COL. lamont’s answer.
A delegation of Irish-Amcricans called
at tho white house Monday to invite the>
president to attend a meeting to be held:
in the city to protest ngoinBt the coercion
policy in Ireland. They saw. Col. La-
mont and were informed that wlmtover
the president’s private views on the sub
ject might be, it would bo manifestly
improper for him to attend such n meet
ing in his official capacity. Tho commit
tee were convinced of the wisdom of this
reusuuing, and withdrew without further
effort to see tho president.
The president uns accepted an invita
tion to review, on Monday next, a pro-
cession of colored people on tho occasion'
of the 26th anniversary of emancipation
of slaves in the District of Columbia.
THE NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT.
Mr. DeLeon, secretary of the national
drill, says he has written no general letter
on the subject of the participation of
colored troops in the exercises of the
May encampment and drill in this city.
Several commanders of southorn compa
nies have made inquiries regarding ths
mutter,nnd to each ho has replied accord
ing to the nature of the inquiry, but he
hns kept no copies of his letters. Ths
letters, however, have all been published
in southern papers. He has stated ths
ruling of the board of manngemont to
be that colored companies, regularly or
ganized as national guards, which applied
boforo the first of April, would have
their applications considered without
discrimination. *
The only colored companies whiclj
applied were one from the District of
Columbia and two of regularly organized
troops in Virgiuia. Mr. DeLeon says ha
bus also stated that thero would bo no)
social equality except such ns soldiers
might want. Virginia troops will form
a part of their state contingent under
command of Brigadier General Anderson
of tho First Virginia volunteers. Only
three companies—tho Montgomery True
Blues and Greys nnd tho Atlanta Rifles—
hive decided not to participate in the
drill. Two compnnics in Texns, two in
Mississippi and ono in North Carolina
mndo inquiries, but thoy have not an-
nouuced their withdrawal.
THE BURNT DISTRICT-
Hreal lltaut Done to Faraoor*—Rovoral
Lives Lost.
Lincoln, Neb.—Along tho branch line
of tlio Burlington nnd Mobile railroad, a
largo number of settlers havo lost their j
all by prairie fires. Railroad men say
that for miles every foot of ground is 1
burned over. Iu Sheridan and Com;
counties tho tiros have raged almost as
fiercely, and in one settlement four lives'
were lost.
The report reached the telegraph sta
tion, through a man who travelled thirty
miles, and he said that not one house in
three iu the tire tract remained unscathed.
Across the line iu Nebraska, Beavor Bot
tom has been on lire for two days. A<
large force of railroad grnders on a line
being built in southern Furnas county
were surrounded in comp by tho flij and
escape wus only limdo by tho greatest ef
fort, the men leuving their tents, clothes
and everything behind at the mercy of
the flames. One iiinn was so seriously
burned that ho cannot recover. A private
telegram to this city from an official of
the road in that vicinity estimates that at
least a dozen lives have been lost in tho
two days’ fires. Railroad officials are
very reticent as to the damage incurred,
but among homesteaders ana settlers in
northwestern Kansas, they must be very
great. Part of the town of Norcatier,
that was burned ill tho high wind, is re
ported to have been burned by inroads of
the prairie fire, but later advices say the
fire originated in the village.
BIRMINGHAM TO TALLAHASSEE.
Work to be Pushed Through ut Once—A
Gruud Trjank Line.
Albany, Ga.—Last Wednesday in this
city the Birmingham syndicate .paid to
tho original owners the $20,000 cash for
tho olaBainbridge, Cuthbort and Colum
bus roadbed from Cuthbert to Bainbridgo,
a distance of sixty-four miles. Several
corps of engineers will bo placed in the
field at once, and work will bo pushed
through. The Birmingham, Georgia and
Florida will be a grand trunk liue from
Birmingham to Tallahassee, with a branch
lino at Cuthbert to Albany, thence to
Brunswick. Parties who are iu a posi
tion to know say that this road lias killed
all hope of the Columbus Southorn.
This city is jubilant over tho prospect of
the connection, as we thereby get all we
wish without any trouble or expense.
A VILLAGE DESTROYED.
Baltimore, Md.—A steamer which
arrived Wednesday fiom the Rappahan
nock river, Virginia, reports the destruc
tion of the village of Farnliam by fire on
Monday last. The population was threo
hundred, and was entirely swept by tire.
It is situated about seven miles from
Sharp’s wharf, on the Rappahannock, nnd
midway between Heathsvjllo and War
saw. Among the heaviest losers are E.
L. Mozings, F. Mozings and It. L. Rey.
uolds, whose dwellings wore consumed.
The old Protestant Episcopal church
built in colonial days, and ono of the old.
cst houses of worship in the state, was
burned to the ground. The amount of
losses could not be ascertained.
VERMONT SHAKEN.
Burlington, Vt.—Two shocks of
earthquake occurred here Sunday, the
fiist rather light, at 2:80, and the second
ten minutes later. The second shock
was very heavy, resembling a concussion
from a large gun, followed by a jar of
fifteen Bcconds duration. The doors and
windows rattled, and those living in the
third story of the blocks say the building
seemed to sway to and fro. The people
ran into the streets in a pnuic, many sup
posing that a terrific explosion had oc
curred near by.
ii