The Weekly constitution. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1881-1884, February 07, 1882, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextVOLUME XIV TUESDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 7, 1882. PRICE 5 CENTS TOPICS DISCUSSED BY THE PHILOSOPHER OF CHERO- kEE, GEORGIA.. Tbs Terming Million, of Xnrops Pouring in Upon un-IIo Prefers Increase of Population by tne Ola Method—The Flocking of Peoplo to tbs Cities. Written for The OotulUulion. I see that the St. Louis Republican is somewhat alarmed, and wants to know whether It is good policy to encourage the tremeudous 1low of immi- gmtion going west all the time with increasing numbers. He trauts to know if there is nut some doirahlc limit to thin sort of business, and are we not in danger of losing our Amerleon name and nationality, 'theseare very nice conundrums to put ton man now. It is most loo late, but 1 don’t blame him. The wonder is that those western people huventcecn ihedanger long ago. Thousands of these immigrant* come as paupers, aud hungry, and filthy and diseased. Nearly all of the foreign ers come poor, and those who can work will work anywhere for most anything, and this reduces the wagea of our own people by an unnatural compe tition. How they do swarm to the west. Day uf:er day the trains groan with ’em, and the cry is still they come. Well. I don't blame the poor creatures for they are Just human, and If we are to take a great big heulted, charitable view of the matter, we must let cm conic just a* long as there is room for them and safety for us. If they puli down the wages of our people there is no law against it. Thereto no tariff to protect the labor of an Ameri can citizen from this foreign competition. Our tariff protects the proprietors but not the workmen. It protects the plow hut not liie plowman. This question of a desirable limit to population is a conundrum too hard for me. Man is a very sociable tort of an animal, and most all of us like plenty oi nabors, but they are crowded over in Europe, and the government encourages cm to go. The pot is boiling ovfcr and the teum falls to us. By and by we will bo overrun, too, and there will Iks no further west to go to. Somehow I always did didike these great big bloated cities, and I can’t see what makoa folks want to crowd together so close for. It is not licaltby, aud it brings poverty and suffer ing and crime. 1 like to see a state speckled and doned all over witli small, thriving towns—towns Inrge enough to support two or three churches and as many rchools. I dbn’t like to sec a city grow so large as to absorb und dry up and freeze out the naboring villages. Augusta is large enough and so Is Savannah and Macon and Columbus and Rome. Atlanta is getting most too big. She lias outgrown herself, and stuck her legs too far through her breeches. Bhe Is not ready for a fire or a pestilence She attaches more Importance to population than anything else, and brags ubout her forty thousand souls. I've wondered many a time what makes folks in a city want more folks to come there. WUat do you want with & 103,000 people in Atlanta? Would you take a mil lion if you could get an. Is tbeiv anygood reason for wanting any more than yon have now. 1 can’t see the good poliey of running alter people and begging 'em to come to our state, und especially to our cities.* I like a large family, but I like a larg * house for 'em, and us -ooii as they can ]Kiddle their own ca noe it’s best for ’em to start out. X don’t want to be ns lonesome ns was Robinson Crusoe. I don’t fancy the feller 1 saw away down in Florida last winter, \vi.o »m figuring-m -d because another feller lmd moved in fifteen miles of 1dm. rut I think we have gol enough people in our state to do for ihe present, and ai we need more I think mure will s'* • ,Ai--I* '*■ ife 11 T jr'iiov 1 1 think so. When we raise our population from the cradle we are prepared for ’em by the time they grow up, for they have bet-ii woiking 'along with us all he time, but when folkB crowd into a young city there is nothing ready for ’em. Neilherstrects nor pave menu, nor water, nor sewers, nor lire defenses, and so when trouble comes nobody is ready for it. Better go slow and build as you go. ’Ihe country ought l > till up taster than the towns. There are too man- merchants and not farmers enough. Fanning is not progressing like it ought to and it is awin mainly t«> the lack of capital to farm with. The capital of the country lias gone to town. Land lords have rented out their land to niggers und poor white folks who can buy a r nper, ora dril. or a harrow, or a horse rake. Well there was a short crop last year and the farmer was hurt, but the merchant who carried him was hurt the worst aud lots oi'em went under X was ruminating over this when I lookup Dr. Felton’s big speech that he made the other day in Augusta and he assumes firstly that we want a dense population and secondly that we can't get emigrants to come here because our state is solidly democratic. Therefore he wants us to bust up the concern und go for the independents and national ize the people mid then immigration will flow south like it flows west aud we will all gel rich and so on and so forth. Now while 1 don't admit that we hanker after that sort of immigration 1 can’t see that our polities has anything to uo with It. Tile doctor hud Ills own way in these parts for six years and nol-odv moved here to ri*erik of. .More foils came to southern Georgia than did to m-itnern Georgia, where the doctor and Fmory Speer had nationalized polities and made it at least powerfully mixed. No, sir; the reasons wnv immigrants don’t come south are numerous and peculiar. They nreuot thinking about politics, for New York has been n democratic state for half a century, mid so was Missouri and Ohio. In the first place the western railroads all had subsidies of government lands cud they sent their circulars all over the civilised world a d advertised their lauds, and they have llieir agents in New York anil at all Hie r.v>rts and they almost force these forreigners to (ho west in order to sell them land. They carry them west for Minin'! nothing—much cheaper than they can travel south—and the lauds are cheaper when thev get there. Now w c see that the Southern Pacific is doing the same thing, and emigrants arc . flocking to'lexis by thousands mid buying hinds from Texas railroad companies, notwithstanding Texas is solidiv democratic. The town of Abilene has now 2,000 inhabitant, and a year ago it didn’t have a house. It is all bosh alxiut our politics keeping immigrants away. Next the doctor says (hat our solid politics keeps capital away. Why 1 reckon there is some solid demoeralic capital ut the north, and I can't see why our democracy should scare that away. The republicans haven’t got all the money. We have been calling them kindlv t ver since the war, and declaring our good will and iovalty, but • wry four years their republi can politicians raise the bloody shirt on a pole and call us barbarians and murderers and outlaws, and that is what kept capital away and people too. But thank the Lord that game is about played out. and now capital is coming and coming rapidly. Capital don’t fare anything about our politics. Capital don’t care whether Hr. F< Ron goes to congress or atavs at home. 1 ret. Von our politics and politicians and our aubematorod und congressional conven tions will compare favorably with New York aud Ohio and Pennsylvania or any other northern state. Polities i« a fraud and a trick everywhere, hut don't let us saddle our poverty on the organized democracy. I have no doubt the doetor thinks it is the devil's brother-in- law and 1- oks upon the failure of last year's crop as a visitation ol Providence upon democratic in- iqnitv for what Is bom in tbn- flesh is bred iu the hone and it would take a mighty pure democrat to command re-peet from an old line whig. Now li t ns hold on awhile. Wc are doing pretty well considering and more northern capital has beeu invented in Georgia in the last twelve months than iu five years preceding, idont bear of any northern man who has moved here making any complaint about out treatment. Major McCracken did have a little skirmish with your city council about his railroad but that has been amicably set tied and am glad of iu I traveled through the country one day with the major and lie-rd him raj as he looked at ihe wheat fields all rough witli coni stocks and bad plowing ’’You must have a blessed country down here iu Geor gia for If we put our wheat iu ihegiuond mat way in Ohio we would not «.x- pect to make Ihe seed we planted." Jesso. Thai is what is‘.he matter We want no better farms, but we want belter farmers and belter farming and 1 con’t believe an independent succeeds any better in that line than a regular democrat. At least they dou’t in my neighborhood. Bill art. COLONEL B* B HINTON tion: I see in your paper of this morning the fol lowing paragraph: •• The Hon. B. B. Hinton, of Americas, Is men tioned ns Hti independent candidate for governor. We welcome Mr. Hin'.ou to the track, luascrub race every cuiry adds to the interest and excite ment.” Upon what authority the above was inserted I ca not c -njccturc. I know that 1 have never said or done anything intentionally from which such a thing might be Inferred. 1 am now arid have ever been, so far as I am in formed, in perfect accord with tbe democratic party. I know of no reason wliv I should not continue to act with it- I know of but two great parlies, the democratic and republican; to exercise the elective franchise, 1 must act with one or the other of these parties. It would be strange indeed not to have made a choice long since. I have no hesitancy in saying that T em by in stinct. as well as by education, u democrat. J abhor the idea of centralism and cling with fouduessto tlie idea of ]>>cul st.te government, so far as the same - ui" be consistent with the consti tution of these United States In the ranks of the democracy I find the wealth and intelligence of Georgia citizenship men whose patriotism has never been quest! lied, wnose statesmanship is acknowledged, whose character, whether in or out of office, without soot or blem ish—v.ilh such au array of virtue and intelligence i am willing to be found co-operating. I would not 1- uve such an organization unless I could know tliuta better one could la; presented. It cannot and will not be insisted upon seriously that the republican party presents a greater array of intelligence und virtu . even by its most ardent supporters, tiierefore holds out no inducement. It is claimed by a few that the independent movement is a kind of eclectic something in which is embodied the real friends of the government, and by the success of which movement all wrongs are to be healed and'all defects corrected. Well, if this were true, it might be the duty of all good cit izens to joitit. But I urn slow to believe that u movement com posed so largely of republicans and containing so small a portion of tho-e whose antecedents were democratic, can lay el-lms to so great a virtue. Rut if this were true, I would like to know how any one could become a member of it since it is without organization. Every man for himself,with no well defined plans or purposes. Organization from the very nature of things would destroy its independent feature, and with this destroyed all the virtue claimed for it must disappear. i'rue, viie few who presume to speak for it insist that conventions arc humbugs covcued in fraud und brought forth in corruption, and that if any good thiug should be attained it would be acciden tal rather than by design. They propose a caucus instead. Well, what is a caucus but a convention in miniature form? in my opinion much more to be avoided than a large convention composed of men cho en for their intelligence and virtue. A caucus composed of a few men might advise that each of the members com posing it should be voted for for some important office. This caucus, composed of self- constituted members, witobut even asking the opinion of those by whose votes they hope to be elected, present themselves as proper candidates, and I venture the assertion if any one claiming to be an indeianideni should fail to see the wisdom of that self-cou'iitiucd candidate, such au one would be read out of the party, t see uu.uiio; in mis .o commend it to my mind The late attempt at coalition is uotninove.lt seems to me, to be attractive to a true democrat It is all effort, if I can understand it, upon the part of the republicans to swallow up and gather to its folds the few-democrats not in accord w ith the op guirized, or vice versa. For one I would not like to swat tuv the r. publican party if I could, and 1 «iu equally averse to being swallowed bv them. So after surveying the whole ground I do not sec any reason why l should abandon the organized. 1 have been with them a long time und love them. I have not cast a vote since the close of the war except for the regular nominee, save only in the last race for governor. 1 voted for Governor Colquitt and took an active interest in Ills election after the convention ud- tourned without having made a nomination. In li nt case 1 laid no nominee for whom to vote, lienee o-.st my lot with what I conceived to be the will of the people. 1 presume 1 ain not to be regarded disloyal to Ihe organized on that account, it only remains forme to say lara not tin independent Can didate for governor. I ho no this (rank d -vi.O ,'' in Isreprcseu tu lions liereaitor. protect mi lost B. B. Hinton. NEWS FROM THE NORTH, Tko Areite Heston* Giving up It* Dead. Nkw s York, February 2.—[Special.]—The Hemld furnishes tlie following: Paius, February 2.—The following important dls paten was received direct this morning from Lieu tenant Daneuhower. at Irkutsk. Our three b.iats left Seraeowsky island on the morning of September 12th, bound for Barkiu, ninety-five miles distant. We got clear of ice at noon. There was then a heavy gale from the uurtheost, aud the boats dis persed. During the night the capture's boat, which was loaded deeply, lost her masts and sails. We made land on the evening of the 17th. In shallow water the boat was abandoned, two miles from the beach, und our party waded aud reached the deserted village of Eagopp. We carried our 1-jg books and proceeded south on September 19th. Lieutenant Del.ong' lust record, which »e have found, reads as follows Saturday, October 1,1SS1.—Fourteen officers ana men on the Jeuiieile reached this hut on Wednes day, September 2Sth, and having been forced to wait for the river to freeze over are proceeding to cross to the west side- this mom log, on their journey to reach some settlement on the l eua river. 1 have two da: provisions but having been fortunate euou ili thus far to get game in our pressing needs we have no fear for the future. nur party are all well, except Hans Erikson, whose toes have been amputated iu e useqtiei.ee of a frost bite. Other rrecords will be found iu several huts on the east side of tbe river, along which we hare come from the north. “George W. DeLoxg. Three other records have, been found. Eriksou died on October 7th The party were iu great dis tress for want of food. Noros aud X in deman u were sent ahead for relief on October the 9th l hey marched south for fifteen day . and were found in a starving condition un October 2-tih by three natives, who toot them to the settlement, and they could not make themselves understood. The news of them reached u. on October 29th. Immediate search was commenced, and the party were traced to the wilderness on the west bank oi the Lena. Tlie na tives refused further work, and a return to Boloti eng* was necessary to get Ku-siau assistance on N.ovember 2Sth. A large foree is now searching, having to dig out everything, the ground is deeply covered with snow. The wilderness is devoid of game. Yet. prompt aud efficient action was takeu by ihe Rus sians. Every effort is being mad'e. Jcak Cole is tranquil to-day. He is violent otilwat limes, lie has softening of the brain. M. leftHyc is ruined and my right one is badly ini paired. The other men are well. Jonx Daneniioweb, A POLITICAL UPHEAVAL. Denies that lie I* an Independent i’andkitf for toT- rrnor. and Nay* fie will Stick to tie Old Dt-nec* r*er. We print with pleasure the following cord from Colonel B. B. Hinton. The rumor that he denies was copied iuto Tbe Constitution rom the Lutupkin Independent: Atlanta, February 2, 1SS2.—Editors Constitu- IN THE SNOW. REAL ROMANCE IN THE CAR. Lair on Her Way to Her Own Weddles, 8cow- bound and Unable to Proceed—How tho Weary Dzy» Were Paa»ed—Baked Apple* and Biscuit as the Bill of Pare. Philadelphia Press. I don’t mind telling you about an incident connected with one of those snow blockades, didn’t think much of it at the time, but since thought it worth remembering. One day I found myself at Smethport, the county seat of McKean county, Penn., wait ing for a train to Bradford. The only train I could get was on tlie Bradford, Bordell aud Kinzua railroad, and as business was some- hat pressing, I had to go. It had been snowing steadily for some hours when I went to the station late in the afternoon, and f had fears that the train might not get through to Bradford before morning, for the road runs through a mountain forest all the way, and there are some pretty %teep grades, a few miles out. Well, a3 I couldn’t do any better, ’ determined to run the risk. There were only a few passengers, all of them oil men but one, and that one a young lady. She sat alone in the ladies’car, for the men wanted to smoke and so kept themselves in the smoker. There were only two passenger cars, a baggage car and an engine in the whole train, for you see a narrow-gauge engine can’t drag very many cars up the side of a moun tain. Weil, down in the valley, where the road was level, we made good headway, but as soon as we got into tlie woods and struck the first grade we crept along like a snail. It began to snow harder than ever, and such snow I never saw before. It came down in fiakes as largo as an egg and as soft as feathers—just the kind of snow to stick and block things. I was beginning to wish I hadn’t started when I felt the train come to a stand-still. The railroad men began to swear and the engineer tried to go ahead. The train jerked, and jostled, and dragged it3eif a hun dred yards up the grade, and came to a stand still. * The train men and the oilmen held a council and decided to run back to Smeth- port, but that was easier talked about than accomplished, ihe rear car hadn’t been backed 300 feet before it ran oil' the track, and there we were. We couldn’t go ahead and we couldn’t go hack. We couldn’t tele graph for help because we hadn’t an instru ment, and even if we had, the wires were al ready broken with the weight of show and falling limbs of trees. By tlie time we came to a stand-still for good it was pitch dark and still snowin.. though all Greenland had moved down on us. There was nothing to do but to sit down and wait for morning. We pulled up the seats and nnide beds of them and were about to make ourselves comfortable for the night when “Judge” Cowan, a driller, jumped up with a half yell.' “Well,” said he. “we’re wtklRJi'jhfd. I - i plaint. It was mighty hard to think of her shut up there in a suow bank when she should be attending her own wedding, and the boys felt nearly as bad about it as she did. In the morning the judge made the impor tant discovery that the provisions had given out. Being healthy men, we bad made short work of the apples and the biscuits. There was just enough for breakfast and dinner for the young lady. The men were terribly hun gry when this became known. It is amusing to think of the melanclmly manner in which they wandered around tlie baggage car, pry ing into every corner, ransacking the boxes and overhauling the barrels. It wasn’t at all funny then, but was a thing of remarkable seriousness. By dinner -time the men de clared themselves half starved, but there was nothing to eat. The day was spent in look ing our at the blankness of the snow and in trying to beat a path away from the train. Night came, and the men went hungry to bod. There were the most discordant grum blings among them until tlie judge came in and said that the young lady had eaten the last- half biscuit for supper, and then they forgot their own hunger in genuine pity for her. Even a hungry man will sleep, and the little party never awoke until the cold, gray dawn was creeping in through tiie car windows. The judge was nowhere to be found. Search \vas made, but no trace of hint, could be seen. There were no tracks leading away from the train, foi the simple reason that the drifting snow during the night had covered everything from sight. But the judge had gone—that was certain. One of the railroad men ventured to say that the judge had given the crowd tlie slip and had started back to Smethport. The fellow never repeated his little assertion, for he was dumped into the snow headfirst by tlie oil men so quick that he didn’t know what had happened. I don’t knowhow the young lady felt that forenoon, but I know she must have been ter ribly hungry. The men were beginning to get weak from lack of food, and almost cer tain starvation stared the party in the face. Hunger isn’t a pleasant thing. I never want to feel It as I felt it at that time. The snow, as bright and beautiful tut it was, became hateful to look upon. There was no breakfast on that third day ami no dinner, and when the shadows of the fourth night began to fall there was no supper. Tlie coal was almost gone. Another day would leave us without lire. There had been no sign of the judge all day, and although the men felt that he had gone for help, yet they began to fear that he had rover reached Smethport. Every one was downhearted andyeady to rush off into tiie snow in the hope of forcing a way out of once thinking of the woman alone in tiie other car.” With that he bolts through the door and goes into the other car. The young lady was in there in the dart-, the trainmen even having forgotten to light- the lamps. The minute the judge came through the door she calls out, “How long before the train will get to Bradford, conductor?” Madame,” says he, “I’m not the conductor, and I came in to say that we’re stuck fast in the snow, and will have to stay here all night and perhaps longer." With that she gives a little gasp of disappointment, and probably had a little cry all to herself while the judge was lighting the lamps. You see, she had come all tlie way from some eastern city— Philadelphia, I think—to meet her lover.'and by the delay of a snow blockade she might miss her wedding day. When the truth was known tlie boys were sorry enough and would have done anything in their power to help her out of the difficulty, but what could a handful of men do against a mountain of snow? After her first disappointment the young lady was brave enough and was not at all afraid of staying in the car all night, provided there was a iire, so that she could keep warm. The judge said he guessed he could fix things up comfortable, and went to work making a bed out of tiie seat-cusbions and three or four overcoats borrowed from the men. By the time he got tilings in shape he had learned that her lover was an old friend of his. From that minute the judge took her under his own special protection and relieved the con ductor of the responsibility of her safe arrival in Bradford. He made the rest of the men go to bed aud sleep, while he sat up all night tending the fires and keeping watch over his new lound charge. The -night wasn’t very cold, but the way it did snow was a wonder. Before morning the cars were half covered under, and by daylight one side of tbe train was out of sight. You see we were iu a fix with no hopes of ge’ting out. , Along toward 9 o’clock in the morning the young lady woke up and asked how soon the train would get through, and the judge, who had made a careful survey of the surround ings every half hour since the night before, answered in a good natured way that the train might be delayed a week for all lie could see at that time. Would yon believe me? If that woman didn’t burst "out crying! But she was as bravo as a man the next min ute and she even smiled when the judge pro posed to go and hunt for something in the way of breakfast. It wasn’t much of a break fast, but it was tlie best the train could afi'ord. A box of biscuits was found in tbe bag gage car, along with a barrel of apples. Every box and barrel in the car was broken open, but not another eata ble thing could be found We had an elaliorate bill of fare that day—apples and biscuit for breakfast, biscuit aiid apples for dinner, while for supper we had baked apples and toasted biscuit. It snowed all day and nobody left the cars. At night the judge ap pointed a relay of men to keep the tires going and to gauge the weather every half hour, he himself taking the first watch. During tlie night it stopped snowing, and truly, and it was high time, for it seemed as though tlie whole stock of snow had been exhausted. In the morning we had a sumptuous breakfast of apples and biscuit The more impatient of the men, seeing that the snow had ceased falling, made an endeavor to beat a path up the track, bu^they might as well have stayed in the cars. In the afternoon they tried again, and, the snow being somewhat settled, they succeeded in getting some little distance from ' the train. You, being a city man, would naturally ask the horrible place. Tlie young lady never once flinched, and although her face bore plainly the traces of hunger, yet she spoke not a word of complaint. The men were in their most despondent mood, when all at once the judge tumbli d through the door with something in his hand. It was a rabbit. How lie caught it no true knew, for he was half fainting from hunger and benumbed by the cold. The boys soon had him warmed, wiien he told his story. He had struggled through the snow all d.jy and had by rare good fortune caught the rabbit. The'men soon had the animal skinned aud nicely roasted and the judge him self carried it to the young lady. She would Dike only her share, however, and insisted that the meat, scarce as it was, should be fairly divided among the party. In the afternoon of the next day a gang of railroad workmen, armed with shovels, and reinforced by four locomotives, a snow plow, anu M. passenger car. worked a path down the grac v und came, upon our engine and train. no siirij ofjriife alrenj the prs and the rescuing party that had started out from Bradford early in the morning of the second day of the storm, working toward us night and day, thought that the relief had come too late. But the snow-bound prisoilers were alive, and tlie very first man to rush into the rear car of our train was the young lady’s lover. It would be useless for nie to at tempt a description of the meeting, for the young lady just threw her arms about his neck ancl cried for very joy. When he led her out of her prison and carried her in his arms to the passenger car of the relief train, the men of both parties set up such a cheer that made the mountains eeho and re echo again, and the frightful way in which those four locomotives joined in tlie chorus with their steam whistles would have awaken ed the dead.—Letter to Philadelphia Times. WOLFFS WAYS OF TWIN STEEL. LINES THROUGH THE S *UTH. Cleric who Became a Merchant. Grew into Banker, Developed into a Railroad Manager, and Now Commands Pub io Attention A TERRIBLE CASUALTY. The Supreme Court of Louisiana i’lajs IXaeoe with Decision* liud OUlcer*. New Orleans, February 2.—Soon after the arrest of tlie Italian bandit Exposito, Gayet- tane Arditio waylaid, shot and killed Tony Labruzzo, who was charged with having be trayed Exposito to the police, and hence be came a victim of revenge. Arditto was tried and convicted, receiving a sentence for life. On appeal to tlie supreme court the verdict was set aside yesterday and a new trial or dered, on the ground that under the law all cases should be allotted by hazard between two judges of tlie criminal courts. This decision renders illegal every con viction had in the New Orleans criminal court since tlie adoption of the constitution of 1879, although some of the convicts liav suffered death. Chief Justice Bermudez ren dered the decision. Several weeks ago the same jury decided tiiat Dr. J. C. Beard was not coroner of the parish of Orleans because lie had not filed his oath of office within the given time after his election, and therefore lmd forfeited the office. In'the trial yester day ol the son of Addison Coiuack, who shot young Borrio for calling him a negro, the de- j why we didn’t get out and walk back to ! ?/• ® ve w©m down this afternoon tc tense,under supreme court ruUngldecidtdthat j Smethport, but when I tell you that the ^toff byffiJ'bratU^tefnT'mmbl 0 ^ "^by An Exploaton to a Coal lliue—Several Killed. CoalfieLd, Va., February 4.—An explosioS oc curred at the Grave shaft of the Midlothian coal mines, about a mile and a half from here, about 1 o’clock yesterday. Thirty-two men were caught in the shaft, and there is little or no hopes that any of ' them will be gotten out alive. The gns testers went down neatly to the bottomnf the pit three times, but were forced to return on ac count of the smoke and gas which was suffocating, t hey report the pit atire, but will try agiin to-dav to reach the unfortunates. The news of. the auasier rapidly spread and soon a crowd had gathered at the shaft and the scene was most distressing as nearly every one had some relative or friend among the buried miners. The cause of the disaster is not positively known. Some attribute it to gas. others say the boiler iu the pit exploded. George SI. Dodds, the super intendent, states that the gas testers mad- an examiuatiou yesterday morning aud re ported that there was gas to burn. There is no doubt, however, that those not killed by the ex plosion will be suffocated by the black damp and smoke, with whien the pit is choked and tnrough which no fresh eircau yeuetrate. The following is a fist of victims: Whites -William H. Marshall, bottom boss. James E. Hall, Thomas M. Hall, George Jewett, Jr., A. W. Jewett, James Brown, Joseph Coaruew. John Morris,* James .shields and Richard C'oghill Colored—Richard Mor gan, Robert Bhiford, Samuel Cox, Pleasant Stewart, Benjamin Brooks, Alexander Logan, Peter Hopper, Major X'oliard, Solomon Laylae, squire Bright, John Greer, Lewis Hobbs, Daniel Hammonds, Isham Groves, Thomas Summells, Albert Hughe-, James Mills, Jell'Coleman, Fred Anderson. The shaft in which the explosion occurred is nearly six hundred feet deep, running about three- fourths of a mile in latteral direction. The Mid lothian coal mines belong to the estate of the late H. H. Burrow^, of New Yoik, aud cost twelve years ago between i100,000 and ioOO.uOo. Richmond. Va., February 4.—Information re ceived here this morning from the Midlothian mine 'disaster is of the most discouraging nature. There is no earthly hope that any of the entombed are now alive. Every effort is being made to eater the pit, but it is impossible to K-ach tne point where the men were for several days, and perhaps weeks. Tbe explosion destroyed all the apparatus inclu ding that used for ventilation, and this will have to be replaced before successful operations are re sumed. As may be supposed, this frightful calam ity has east the deepest gi-iom over the village of Midlothian, where most oi the miners have their homes A majority of the victims were married men. aud in many cases their families are left without support aud dependent upon charity William H. Marshall, bottom boss was a son of an old English miner brought here by an Knglisn company operating the mines fifty years ago. He was aged »5 an-’ had a wife aud four children. James E, Hall, deputy bottom boss, was a native of Chesterfield cou.ity, was about 40 years of age. The two Jewels were young men aud sons of English miners. Jos. CVarnew was of Welsh extraction; his father was killed in au ex plosion in the same shaft in 1670. John Morris, aged twenty, was the son of a blind Englishman who lost his eyes in ihe pits! • t telegram from the coal field in relation to the mine disaster at Midlothian, says that siuperin ten- dent Dodds and two others went down into the shaft about noon, hut returned before reaching the bottom, they found no indications of fire. An other party of five went down this ufternoon to re- wus the Montgomery, Ala., February 8.—[Special Corres pondence.]—Everybody knows that Fred Wolffe is the financial agent of the Erlar.ger syndicate Everybody docs not know exactly what that syndi cate Is, although they do know that It is engaged iu the building of railroacs and the development of acquired mineral and forest properties iu the south. Fred Wolffe lives here. He caifie to Moutgomery thirty-two years ago, engaged in business a clerk, then as a merchant, and so on through the various stages of commercial life until now he is banker, financier and executive of the Erlanger syndicate. The use of the word syn dicate has come to embrace the plan of everybody that has a dollar to lend, and all consolidatious of interests that propose investments. I suppose the name finds itsold derivation just as the word sen ate does, but perhaps its existence is continued on a stronger aud firmer basis of business integrity than that which finds its best knowledge from the higher house of congress tunong the people. There was a syndicate that floated the national debt. They sent it booming iuto the world of credit at the very time the measure of the north’s prosperity was shown In, and was sought to be known in dollars only. One oi the Seligraans was of that syndicate, and his eftbrts among the great force of financial warriors of the time, General Grant has said, was not less oi service than that of any man’s. * Perhaps I wouldn’t cite him except that the name belongs as does that of Wolfle, to the class called Hebrew. The connection is ap parent. Seligman senior died two years ago in New York, and his funeral oration found vent in the speech of eloquence of Master Felix Adler, the apostle of Intellectual and ethical culture. Among the attendants at the ceremony held in Seligmau’s Tnirty-fourth street residence was Wolffe, then un known except as a modest banker of undiscovered qualities for good. Wolffe had further assured re lations to Seligman. First he was a Hebrew; he belonged to a syndicate, he is a pushing, self-made man, he has broad-gauge ideas as to possibilities iu a business way, aud he rather indicates than as sumes one who meets him of his latent qualities and capabilities. Last night I called on him at his house. The hour was late, it is true,, and he had suffered from a vaccination that took and took, as I learn, and it was not until to-day that I met him at his hanking house here. His hank, ittg house dou’t look like a hank. Its visitor, so far as I could observe, is confronted by one of the bluest-eyed men I ever saw, but outof whose cobaltoplics shine shrewdness be yond the consideration of the newspaper inquiry* Extetior. interrogatories enable one to know that he is the bank manager. He seems to stand be tween tlie facts that Mr. Wolffe is or is not engaged, and the chances that the visitor may or may not see him. As a bank manager I would like to have his indorsement (on paper). As a railroad man’s messenger I don’t approve of him, although I dare say he is a good feUow. His name is Oppeuheimer, or something. Eutering Mr. Wolffe’s office one sees a business place, several big valises full of papers and a pile of railroad guides are on the fioor. au old; shrewd faced, too-long-talking, mid-country lawyer chin ning for a fee, a £icasaut, busy booking secretary, a chilly stove, a long table with papers, and Wolffe himself in a plain office chair over a business- appearing desk; are the features of the place. It impresses me that there are no maps, nor projections of railroads on the wall, nor profiles of coalmines, nor prospectus of schemes to build cities. A11 this is favorable. But to the vis itor in my capacity the absence of what one would cali cosiness, and the half-hand way in which the chief occupant deals first with the one visitor and another impresses adversely as he talks to the old lawyer who pleads for a fee. I have here to study the man with this result Short and thick of bodv, full waisted, short necked, full beard, a trifle bald, round faced, eyes far apart, deep set and half blue and gray: strong, resoluto mouth and a cast of countenance that indorses his race as named just now. Presently he says to me with urbanity: “At your service.” He rises to point the chair where I may sit with my face much more in the light than his. Business men all fix the light that way. His band is in a sling. Too much protection against small-pox as I ha 1 e just said. He bows and waits. Then begins the interview: “Sick, Mr. Wolfe?” ‘‘Katiier have the small-pox,” he grumbles. He adds that he has recently had protective bo vine virus applied, and that it has given an exam ple of a remedy as serious «s the malady it is de signed to prevent. He has been laid up ten days, or practically that long, and in the meantime, so "he explains, everything has been going at sixes and sevens, aud this final day of business presents such an accumulation o' troubles that he does not know what to do “Never mind” he continues, pushing out a box of cigars. “Soon I shall be in New York where forever after I shall dwell with Montgom ery as the outpost of my residence. Mean while dis- pa'tchcs are flying iu arouad him very fast. He reads, then talks on. After a[while he gives me his attention, for 1 have seen that, he is talking against lime, while he conducts a process called thinking, none of tlie criminal judges, clerks of court, ! snow was neck high to a tall man and as soft force of the explosion. This party remained below jury commissioners, or sheriff, were legally in ! as feathers you will not wonder that we were till after t o'clock, when they came up and and I blurt out: “Mr. Wolfe, what do you propose to do with your railroad prospects?” “To complete them with dispatch,” he replies, “aud thus carry out the first aud Best plau for the development of Uie south.” “And wnatdo those plans embrace?” Yourquestiun is over a broad field In awordap- proximaiely S.uOu miles of railroad each half crossing tbe other at right angles, one going with the me ridian, the other with the parallel.” “Take the north and south line. “From Cincinnati to Chattanooga over the Cin cinnati and Southern, the line for tlie most part owned by Cincinnati, but leased to and operated bv the Erlanger syndicate. Thence southwesterly over the old Alabama and Chattanooga road to Meridian, Miss., nearly 800 miles, ’t hen by a road now building to New Orleans that will be completed In a few months. This line we propose to force iuto one of the first places os the direct route of travel from New Y'ork to the south and southwest. To that end its equipment shall be elevated to the highest standard, and the schedule time of its trains advanced beyond anything we have yet had in this couniry. All of the line of this road has life mile by mile along its route. I mean that every mile of country it traverses supports its own mile. See?” “Yes;butdoc8theas yet uncompleted link be tween Meridian aud New Orleaus promise to do that?” "I should not speak definitely as to that It is, however, so far assured tnat T can answer in the afliimative on the mala. There will be a sv. amp or two not productive of returns for being penetrated. Nevertheless the line is of itself heal hy, and for the most part easy of operation, and no grades at any place that reduce the profile of transportation below a fair remunerative figure.” “And what you propose this line wUl carry as through freight?” “Northerly from New Orleans, sugar; from the cotton country, that product, from the north all sorts of stores and merchandise, bound to the southwest, Mexico aud the Spanish main. From the northern points on its line, coal, iron, aud the products of the rich mineral and agricul tural couniry through which it passes.” ‘• where will this road be operated os to matters of executive direction?” “Cincinnati will be the headquarters of the whole srsp*m.” * Now, os to the factors therein." “Well, this one is only a side issue, as Colonel Sellers would say. Only a s de issue, in fact The other lines as proposed are ftom Kansas City, Mo., over a line now surveying ank partly contracted for through Missouri’s rich coal q| terrifo h assured P® 511 ' 8 of importance to the ■ ‘> N >l'®annot say that. The harborof Brunswick is indubitably the best on the coast, and the natu- f” ra«nlt of things is to make it also the most im portant,” "iuu propose to ship cereals from there?” "1 es, and other products, especially cotton. Ar kansas is now the second cottou growing state in the union. Wc reach to the grain country of the northwest, and the livestock territory too, whose problem of wealth no man can figure ” "You will have to build Mocks for ships, ware houses for your merchandise, elevators for the grain and so on at Brunswick.” "That will oi course be done. It is not necessary that one man shall do that, or that the svudicato proper should do it. The necessities will o*f course have their response, but the work will be within the influence If not of the syndicate." “How long is this line to be?” “Approximating 1,500 miles.” “its grades?” “A maximum of not more than 50 feet.” “Bridge at Memphis?” “Not within the near future." “Grants or anythiug of value from cities, coun ties or towns?” “Nothing of Importance.” “Bo you look for transatlantic passengers?” “Not many, except as emigrants. Wc expect to have hundreds of tnousands of them. ’ “Will you sMl them land?” ‘'8eil them anything. This line proposes to reach Montgomery. The 50 miles between Selma and Montgomery, although owned substantially au i understand it, by the Wudley interest, is leased by the Baldwin and Alexander interest—the L. N. and S. in fact. “Well, what of that?” “Is that link to go in with what you spoke of as Mr. Wadley’s help to these?” “That is not important I take it. Either 50 miles may be built, orit subleases, or something.” 1 may remark just here that this interview as to statements was read to Mr. Wolffe previous to pub lication and indorsed by him as to fact. He would not, however, give further details as to the project of linking Selma and Montgomery. I learned from other sources thill the Erlanger people arc making every effort to obtain this fifty mile, and only the intermediate influences of Mr. Wadley, who trims sails with Louisville and Nashville and the Great Southern, as well ns with the Erlanger people, have prevented an emeute. To continue: “Mr. Wolffe, what is the best of the plan?" “Well, our western branch. It will cross the state of Mississippi to Vicksburg over the existing Toad, thence it will build what is not yet complete oi the line to Marshall, Texas. It then proposes uu asso ciation with the Texas Pacific to reach a point on the guU of California. Its interests on the western part of tliis line are with those of ex-Secretary Windom, senator now. “How much is embraced in that part?" “All of the road to be built from a point on the Texas Pacific southwest to the gulf of California. That part of the road will be several hundred miles in length. It traverses a territory rich with aurifer ous metals and equally valuable products of forest, soil and mine. The port (and I as interviewer, de cline to try to name it, and it is not yet put in the maps) is as good ns Brunswick, and opens up a Pacific and Atlantic route practically inde pendent of all others. More than this, thetermi- nus at New Orleans oi the line division will be fed by the Southern Pacific, and the network of the Erlanger system will draw upon every southern, -nth western, west aud northwest territory for its life.” “ Do you not regard the gulf cf California port end road to it through Mexico os a utopian scheme?" "Nioutall. It is an advanced idea of the grand possibilities of that region.” “With your quick knowledge of values, Mr. Wolffe, and of an opportunity, why do you not utilize in this state iu rare possessions of water routes?” "Why, so we propose to do. We are building seventeen miles of road from the Alabama and Great Southern road to a point on the bluffs cve Alabama rivers. From there wo propose to barge awl to Mobile, New urleans and the jetties. That plan is already in operation.” Tell me, you who speak of begirtiug tlie conti nent, where, on where, do you get the money, aud how muclr doesit cost? I can’t say how much it will cost Our syndicate has issued shares in London that have all been taken ud to the extent of £50,000,000. Taken at par, too. There is no trouble about get ting money. Responsible people have to only hold out their bauds and drop goes the money by miL- • lions.” What is the name of your syndicate In-il* per title.” The South Texas Mexlco.Gulf of Califor nia improvement railroad and transporting company (limited) I wrote down the words I could catch, and see ing that Mr. Wolffe was out of breath 1 forbore to ask him to fill in the blanks. Brielly summing up the plans of the Erlanger people they may be put thus and in the fallowing classifications: A railroad southerly through Kentucky and par of Tennessee to Chattanooga from Cincinnati, now iu successful operation, owned by Cincinnati in fact, but leased and operated by the Erlanger syn dicate. A railroad from Chattanooga to Meridian, Missis sippi, nearly 300 miles long, running southwesterly from the former place, tracer*Ing the richest min eral lands of Alabama. Originally built by Bos ton, dabbled iu by tlie state and forced to a receiv ership in the person of Mr. Wolffe. By a new line now building from Meridian to New Orleans. To be finished say in twelve months. A line now surveying from Kansas City south easterly to Memphis, thence to Selma and Mont gomery and to Brunswick via Albany, tills line in short portions to use some of line Non. 3 aud 2. From Meridian to Vicksburg, thence across to Marshall on the Texas Pacific, by that connection to the gulf of California to the Pacific and com merce of the south Pacific ocean. A line of barges on the rivers of Alabama to fetch coal to Mobile, New Orleans and the jetties, with the int- ntion of driving out the flotillas that bring the ■ iltsburg coals 2,600 miles over the dangerous currents to barges of the Ohio and Mississippi rivC-rs. This iu brief presents the prospects oi the syndi cate known us the Erlanger. Of its internal arrange ments, its composition, its internecine feuds, and the dangers that beset it no ono can know who is not of its body. How far will it succeed? Ihe pregnant womb of time holds the answer. In tlie shifting consolidations and rapid manipulations of which the railroads of the south huve re cently been the shuttle there is a chance for anything and all things of change. As I arose to leave Mr. Wolffe said: “Hold on a moment. Have a cigar? Tell the people who read this interview Uigt we are notcaliing upon home capital. Ours is so much money from a foreign country. And say—want a pass?” “No. I’ll wait till you get ;to tlie guH of Cali fornia.” “All right Good night." "Good night” Ross. aids aud northeastern Arkansas to Memphis, aud iheuee southeaserlyt | _ _ HHP _ io Selma by a line there iu connection with Mr. office, they all having committed the same • helpless \Ve could do nothing but. go back reported there was slight prospect of reaching that Wadle ’s interests in the Central of Georgia and laches for which Be*rd was denrived of his tn nnr fiw Ivdrpri annlw fnrthp third poruon where men were entombed to-nignt. The by addlUonal construction to Brunswick. The lociies ior wnicii j^.ra wab uepntea oi aw to our fires ana uakea apples tor tne imra miners are « tl u at work, however, aud ventilation southeastern extension of this line is to be com- officc. Much consterna^o.i has beeu caused xi'ght* Ihe men sat up half the night in atSp.m b&d beeu restored to the bottom of the • pleted within a year or a little more The line by tiie application of the facts to law. The their car discussing a way of escape. Stranger, shaft. The sorrow-stricken relatives aud fxitnds of j north ancl west from Selma is to be finished in 30 criminal judge took the case under advisement, I am proud to sav that not a single man the viciims and many people from the surrounding ! months ” _ .oju u cjuusutcuiiou has oeen nad witli the ex- thought of himself; it was all for tiie young country are about the mouth of the shaft anxiously | S I fhp a ?nSSS! 0 t!! ecu live and chief iu^tice with the view m Wlv We cnnld that (nnlr the imnrii wailing and watching. This disaster has left 27 I road? W ould it not be fairer to the investors to evujve ana caiei justice, wuu tue view to laay. U e could see that sue took tiie linpris- w jd oWS an d jqs orphan children. Subscriptions ' allow the country to organize its centres, construct A Revere Snow Storm. Washington, February 4.—A severe snow storm set in here this morning about five o'clock. At ten p m. it still con'iuues, and snow has fallen to the depth of twelve to fourteen inches ou the level, undin many parts of the city it has badly drifted. Reiiorts from Baltimore, New York state and other points show that the storm is quite as severe at those points. FnEiiEiucKsnuBG, Va. February 4.—A severe northeast snow storm has prevailed in northern Virginia for fifteen hours pait, and is still raging. The snow is twelve inches deep on the level and is drifting badly. # Peteesburg, Va.. February 4.—Snow fell here to-day lo the depth of four inches and was followed by a rain storm which extended as far south as Weldon, and as far west as Lynchburg. At points west along the line of Norfolk ana Weston snow fell to the depth of 14 inches aud trains in every direction at e delayed. Brutal Treatment or a Little GlrL Sterling, III., February 2.—It has been discov ered that a man and woman named Seymour, liv ing in the village of Rock Falls, have been horribly multreating a fatherless girl seven years old, whom they were supposed to be taking care of. The child small for its age, and Seymour compelled her to feed and take care of a horse and bring coal. He confined her in a cellar at times all day without food or clothing, except a tbiu dress, aud punished her with a horsewhip until the surface of her body was block and blue. Sometimes he would toss her to the ceiling and let her fall on the floor. No spe cies of cruelty seemed too severe to udopt toward tlie child, 'l he villagers last night made a deter mined though unsuccessful attempt to lyuch Sey mour, but both he and his wile have fled. A Jail.ttrcttklnc ITIguml.t. New York, February 2.—A Richmond special says: “In making the rounds of the state prison r uesday night the officers discovered that tlie bars of a window of the cell in which Thomas A. Mar vin, bigamist, was placed was sawn in two. Marvin is suspected, but as there are two other convicts In the cell it could not be fixed upon him. extra cling those concerned from a grave Ui lemma. onment and tbe delay verv much to heart, although she never uttered a word of com- have been started in this city for the benefit of the its lines between them aud then to make one line stricken families. by consolidation whose resultant road would reach found. Throngii tlie lee. Deteoit, February 2.—On Wednesday Nelson Docker arted^acros the Crooked lake. In Birr* county, pu-iu.ug a cutter bef-ire him containing hi* wife i d two-year-old boy. Wien near the middle of the lake, in crossing a place only recent ly frozen over, the ice broke aud all wero drowned in fifty fee. water. The bodies have not yet been

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Weekly constitution. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1881-1884, February 07, 1882, Image 1