The Weekly constitution. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1881-1884, February 21, 1882, Image 1
X J
IB WEEKLY CONSTITUTION.
VOLUME XIT
TUESUDAY MOKNING, FEBRUARY 21, 1882.
PRICE 5 (JEN T.S
THE FLEECY FORCE
THAT WIELDS ITS SCEPTER LIKE A
MIGHTY KING.
An Hoar Passed in the New York Cotton Exohanse-
rbe Wild Howls of Iho Hob and the Quiet
Movements o the Belf-Poisod—
A Talk on the Crop.
Naw Yore, February 18.—{Special Cor.
respondcuce.J—For once, il never before or again,
tbe southern staple has come to the front In New
York and challenges universal attention.
Tho enormous operations of the past ten days,
aggregating according to record, over 2,000,(40
hales and really over 3,000,000, and representing
a tmasfcr of values equal to 8150,000,000, or, count
ing both ways £500,000,000, have startled even the
oldest operatom.atid provoked general inquiry.
At the cotton exchange everything was boiling
when I dropped in to-day. The din was deafening,
and hung like a cloud of clamor above a sea of
pale and desperate faces upturned. Men rushed
to nd fro, as if they were mad. shouted hoarsely,
and, to my ear. Inarticulately, buying or selling
millions worth of property by a nod. a shrug, and
expressing, in the violence of their gesticulations
and the furious rush of their work, the emotions,
the hopes and the distractions of the vast constitu
ency that, hidden in the towns and country sides
liung trembling on the (‘chocs of their uproar.
Here and there was a tmnqnil and self-contained
figure—moving quietly amid the storm and com
manding confidence and respect, through musterful
alienee and serenity. On a bench, doubled upasif
in pain, looking for all the world like a cross be
tween a countryman and a Jew, sat Sol Kangcr,
the audacious operator who cornered the English
spinners last August and commanded for thirty
days the supply of every mill in Christendom. Ho
never said a word, but looked out wearily upon the
turmoil, holding the some changeless front whether
r ' he was bleeding at every pore or amassing money
at every throb of the pulsing crowd before him—
wearing a sort of contempt upon bls«facc, but the
spirit of a tiger benealb it. John iuman
moved through the crowd, square-shoul
dered, erect and poised—bis haudsome face
lit with a smile, giving a pleasant word here and
there, noting the dri f is of the common is and watch -
fng the work of the brokers. Mr. Salter,of Latham,
_ Alexander «fc Co., a very sphinx, silent, impenetra
ble, absorbing everything and giving out nothing,
with a strong bud contingent behind him, watched
their interests soberly and coolly, and I fancied,
with nsbadcofanxie y—managing his brokers with
a sign ora whispered word. Lehman, a wire, de
termined little fellow, who has put Israellio blood
to tho front in the cotton world, was another
"quiet" one, working out his anxiety through his
lingeni,whieh were clinched.os if he had all the crop
it* his hand and was trying to get away. There were
a few other veterans who held themselves together,
but outside of these the ring was a howling mob—
sweating, shouting and suffering. Dr. Westmore
land once expressed the opinion, while looking at
tho stock exchange, that all broker, were crazy. It
certainly looked as if tlic mind of no man could
stand the racket of the coltou ring and still sit en
throned. In and out ol the cotton room 1 got some
opinions about cotton and the market which I ap
pend herewith.
I asked John C. Latham, Jr., the senior of the
firm of I-niliam, Alexander A Co., what lie thought
of the market.
"As ta the launedla c market I do not know.
.4 -- x 'Yi aresto cYatsSit Ww tlmt btc » disturl
•d It lately, but in time it must act on common
sense principles and independent of manipula
tion."
••What arc these principles?"
“Why simply two, a decreased crop and an in
creased consumption. The crop will not, in my
opinion, go above 5,500,000 bales, and will likelier
go below. We have sought tho most trustworthy
advices that years of experience and acquaintance
give us, and without exception they put the crop
between five and five and a half millions. At the
best this leaves it over a million hoick short. Now
Kllyson’s circular before me here puts the Increased
consumption of the mills of England aud the conti
nent at six thousand bales per week. This Is
300,000 extra bales needed for the year. Tlic in
creased demand in this country is at least 150,000
iHiles. Mr. Atkinson in his Atlanta speech put it
at 235,000. This added to the extra foreign demand
makes the extra consumption 150.000 bales with a
shortage of nt least 1,000,000, and the bales this year
average twelve pounds less than last year. That is
the situation, stripped of all speculative or outside
influence, t-ooner or later the market must get on
ita merits and the question of supply and demand
regulate the price. When this is done the price
must go up."
„ **Wha' are the influences that have kept tlic mar
ket down?"
•*ln ihe first place, it was overbought. Everybody
rushed in to buy early in the season, and especially
llie southern contingent, which is not generally a
strong holder. All heavy movements either way
intis’be liquidated. The liquidation of the exces
sive buying movement was hastened by the influ
ence of the enormous stock that had accumulated
in the hands of actuul on nets who held for Higher
prices. As tho market started down, weak or timid
holders went ont, and their cotton was put on tlic
market. The gcuenu liquidation had commenced,
and the more cotton was offered the lower It went,
and the lower it went the more holders were forced
to sell. The financial troubles in Paris, the caution
they imparted to Loudon, the demoralized condi
tion of the produce trade here—all these conspired
to help the downward movement.”
"Do you think the bottom has been reached?"
"I think the liquidation is about over. It has
lent wonderful unloading. The sales reported at
the stock exchange In two weeks amounted to over
2.000. 000 bales and there is fully one-third of tho
sales made that arc never reported. Not less than
3.000. 000 bales have been sold in the past ten days
or two weeks. In my opinion the past has bceu en
tirely wi|*ed out, and the market is now unembar
rassed by its influence. The early and excessive
buyiug has been followed by an equally strong
soiling movement, and the price of cotton will be
governed by legitimate influences.”
"Yoq think then the price will go up?”
“I do not say it will go up immediately. A
movement up or down must speud itself fully. It
fs just like starting a stone down hill.it doesn’t
stop naturally till it gets to the bottom. My opin
ion is that we have about reached the bottom, if
so there will be a reaction, a sharp one and a legi
timate one. The crop is heavily Aiort aud the con
sumption is heavily increased. There ia not an
idle spindle to day in the world, and none likely to
bo idle. The daily receipts are light and the end is
about in sight. The question of a heavy stock in
New York, or in America, will not influence the
market except to assist in its temporary manipula
tion. What does it matter where the stock is held?
After all it is simply a question of supply aud de
mand, and it must be tried on this. Whether the
stork is held to-day iu Hoboken or to-morrow in
Liverpool, makes no difference except on early
■peculation. 1 ho only real important ihirg is how
much cotton is there—not where it is held. The
spindles will seek it when they need it—no matter
where It is held, aud they are bound to need It,
need it all, and need more before we see another ,
crop."
Mr. Latham says: “It most not bethought that
all the men who have sold here lost. On the con
trary many of them have made money. The losses
have been heavy of course, bnt not of such nature
as to make serious trouble.”
Another gentleman of position says: "The Inhe
rent streng'b of the market is demonstrated by the
fact that over 2,000,000 bales have been thrown on
it at a time vghen there was general suspicion and
trouble in financial circles, and only drove the
price down a cent. Much of this cotton. Indeed the
bulk of it, comean the market in the most demor
alizing way. It was either sold by mtn whose mar
gins were out, or by brokers who hnd failed, and it
was consequently to bo sold at any sort ol sacrifice,
and yet every time the pressure was lifted the mar
ket recovered, aud its total depression doesn't
amount to more than a cent.”
"IIow has the heavy stock affected the market?"
"In no essential way, but in a speculative sense*
The English spinners have been trying to bluff the
holders of American cotton, and have succeeded.
Owing to the heavy stock they carried over they
hove been able to do without cotton longer than
we were able to hold it. Consequently it hns been
■book out But the situation is different now.
The cotton is held by strong hands—the stock iu
England and afloat is decreasing rapidly, aud the
shortage of the crop Is beginning to show Itself.
In the high contest between the spinners and the
holders we shall have a fairer fight and I think a
different issue. The rise may not come soon, but It
{scorning sure."
In the office of Inman, Swann & Co. we discussed
•be situation with the shouts of the brokers in the
ring falling on our cars.
5iaid Sir. John Inman, “I think tire price of cot
ton will be considerably higher eventually; but I
doubt il the bottom is reached yet. Any immedi
ate rally will be detrimental to future high prices,
if the market could hold where it is, or even work
a half a cent lower and stay there for a month or
so, we should have a much better rise when it did
come. By.that time, and on that basis, we could
have worked off much of the enormous stock that
is now held iu this country. We may have rallies
here and there, but do not look for a con: idem We
or permanent rise at once.”
Mr. Inman thinks the crop will be about 5,600,090
but docs not agree with others os to the large de
ficiency that this sized crop will produce.
Mr. W. n. Inman says: “If there are not over
5,500.000 bales, cotton will go to 13J-J cents before we
arc through with it."
He said further: “The south ought not to specu
late in cotton, however. I am satisfied the south
has lost $30,000 000 a year by. cotton speculation in
the past nine years. This immense snm she pays
yearly to New York as a tribute to her own persis
tency in doing what she ought not to do. Her peo
ple would be greatly better off if they had simply
raised the cotton and sold it."
Mr. James Swann said: "Is is my opinion that
tbo south is hurt much worse this year than she has
ever been before. Everybody down there has
bought—bought wildiy in many cases—and bought
heavily all the time. Many country merchants
own actual cotton that they have advanced on at
high prices, and this fall will force many of them
sell at a loss.” Mr. Swann shares the general
belief that cotton will go up sharply,but he has ad
vised friends not to buy within the past day or two.
He looks priees possibly half a cent or more lower.
The report of the agricultural department, pub
lished to-day, foots up a total of 5,150.000. This is
tho first February report ever made, and the de
portment announces that it is impartial, thorough
and as accurate as human endeavor could make it.
At this late point iu the seasou it ought to be j>os-
sible by appeals to intelligent persons In each lot
cality to tell approximately what tho crop will be.
The Brudslrect people still stick to their estimate.
They say -that the-rrop may tarn out a small
amount bigger than 5,018.000, but they can get no
information that will justify, much less suggest a
material change ol their figures. There is no ques
tion that the Bradstreet report is based on the most
thorough and comprelienslrt ever made. Mr.Ford,
the editor, is an authority on all financial and
commercial matters. The cotton reports are made
up by Mr. Todd, lie has an extensive basis
of comjiarisou—gets * reports from every coun
ty in which cotton is raised and figures
out the total on a sheet of paper bigger than a wall
map. Mr. Todd is mure positive thou ever that the
crop will not go over 5,100,000 bales. He will issue
no further reports this season, but will rest the case
where it stands. The receipts certainly reem to be
bearing out his estimate—the shortage for this week
being estimated at 70,000.
A SUMMING UP OP SUGGESTIONS.
Altogether the following is the summing up of
he situation here, as made from reports, rumors
and opinions:
1. If you are ont s*ay out. The outside is always
the safest side.
2. If you are iu, stay in. The market has seen
Us heaviest decline and will recover some, if notall
of the ground it has lost, and possibly go above tho
best figures it has yet seen.
3. if you have bougbtat figures very much higher
than at present, buy more at lower figures—always,
providing you have enough money to support your
bolding through a further decline of a half cent at
least.
I. The later months are the safest to buy, as they
will have more time iu which to recover. Mr.
John Inman thinks the acreage will to much less
next season, th n this.
5. The chauces are that for the next thirty days
cotton can be bought at almost any time within a
few points of its present range. There is a strong
belief that it will work higher rather than lower,
from this date, and a general belief that a half
cent from this point (June 11.95) will cover the low
estdrop.
6. The crop will more probably be below than
above 5,500,0(10, but that it will not vary consider
ably from this, either way.
Tbesc points cover the situation here asl am able
to get it, and there is general frankness of expres
sion. it is fair to state, though, that these points
are summed up by a man who, through a brief but
checkered career, has invested in cotton on what he
considered the best of information, seven separate
and distinct aud well remembered times, and iost
every single time. Indeed, 1 think my average in
cotton is eight losses out of seven “flyers."
H. W. G.
There Is one man in Atlanta to whom I wish to
send con-olatiou. He- is "long" of cotton and sad
Let him brace up. It may "come high." but the
spinners "have got to have it." IL W. G.
SOME VERY OLD FOLKS.
John Hoyt, ninety-four, is the oldest man in Gntf-
ton, N. H. 1
Mrs. Nancy Catons, of Dover, X. H., is dead at
the age of ninety-four.
Roderick Outlaw, of Morgan county, Ala., is ouu
huudied aud niue years old.
Mr. and Mrs. Barnet C. Finlay of Aewortb, N. H.
have observed their golden wedding.
Elisha Morey, of Holland, Mass., aged one hua
dre-d, the oldest inhabitant, died Tuesday last.
William Peters, of Salisbury. N. H., a minute-
man iu the war of 131A is dead at eighty-seven.
A Mrs. Riehards, who passed away recently at
Grafton, N. H., bad attained the age of ninety six.
Mrs. Effie Basmore. of Rockland Lake. N. I., died
on January 20, at the age of one hundred and two
years and four months.
Anson Barber, aged ninety, was frozen to death
in Connecticut recently, lie was an old soldier of
1812, and participated in several battles.
Mrs. Sallie Tilton, of Bristol, N. IL, Is quite fee
ble, and there is much duabt of her reaching her
one hundred and tir-l birthday, which would occur
in May next.
Mr. Adam Wirick, bom In 1793; Mrs Ann*Chris
tODnenu 1779; Major John Edwards, in iSUB: Mrs.
Carrie Fisher, in 1305, and Mrs. Adeline Wirick. In
lsoi, are members of one family, have lived in Jef-
feisou county for nearly sixty year?, and their ag
gregate ages at the present time is 407 years.
A SPELL OF GLOOM
CREATED
BY A FATAL
EXPLOSION.
The Thrilling Sensation Reported from Cartersville—
Explosion of the Boiler, Resulting In the Death
of Five Men, and the Serious Wounding of
Othere—The Very Latest Details.
crushed and was badly scalded about the
head and face. He may recover.
Henry Heclcsun was ba.Uy scalded about
the face. His right eye was knocked out and
■his brains were oozing from a hole in his
head. He presented a terrible sight, and if
not dead now, will linger only a few hours.
Elijah Henderson was badly cut in the back.
His left ankle was broken and his body
slightly scalded. He will recover.
Mason f homos was scalded and liis right leg
broken.
J. F. Mitchell, a white man who is watch
man, was slightly injured in the back of head.
After being viewed by the coroner and his
jury the bodies were. removed to their homes
and to-day their burials will take place. All
of the dead are colored.
No cause for the explosion can be assigned
at present. It has been, as is stated above, the
habit of the hands to congregate in the en
gine room to await the blowing of the whistle
and of all those who were there yesterday
morning there is not one who can tel'l
the tale, as all were killed except
the engineer,- whose condition is such as to
render him unable to speak. At the inquest
only three witnesses were examined. The
first was John Mitchell, the watchman, who
said:
"I fired the engine, which is my duty. The
necessary quantity of water was in the boiler
when l tired it this morning. The fire had
been in the furnace about 1 hours before
the explosion. There was then about forty
poumls of steam. The engine usually carried
about eighty to ninety pounds.”
Mr. Kendrick, the second witness, said that
he passed through the engine room about one
minute before the explosion aud that the
guage then pointed to SO pounds of steam,
and that the engineer seemed to be making
preparation to start his engine.
Mr. J. Z. McConnell said that the engine
worked all right the previous evening, and
that the safety valve was arranged to go off at
90 pounds. _ He said lie considered Engineer
Woods a skilled man and that he was at his
post.
Upon this evidence the jury returned the
following verdict:
OUT ON A TRIP.
We, the jury, find that the following named per
ms, Leonard Choice, Hard Hammond, R. Lee Pat
terson, David Richards and Mat. Borman, came to
their death on the morning of the I7th of February,
1882, in the car factory building, CaTtersville, Bar
tow county, Georgia, by the accidental explosion
of the boiler. The cause of the explosion is total
ly unaccountable to us, and a careful investigation
shows that no blame can attach to the company or
itsemployes. H. H. Hall, Foreman.
It seems from all that can be ascertained in
addition to the evidence deposed that the
engineer had just taken hold of the throttle
and that the wheels had begun to turn when
the explosion occurred. There was then, it
is generally believed, about eighty pounds of
steam on aud the boiler contained its usual
supply of water. The boiler was a
new one and was purchased by
the Georgia ear company, from the Carters-
ville car works, which corporation had bought
it from Lane & Bod ley, of Cincinnati. It was
considered first-class in every respect.' It had
been thoroughly inspected by Captain Flynn,
master machinist of the Western and Atlan
tic railroad, whose judgment is considered
almost infallible. It had passed under the
eagle eye of General Macltae, and was there
fore thought to be good. It was calculated
for a 25-hopse power engipc and was so used.
That portion of the building in which it was
located was about 00x60 feet, and just that
much of the buiiding was a total wreck. So
great was the concussion that the machinery
near the boiler was moved four feet, Pieces
of timber were thrown three, four and five
hundred feet. The ball which held the safety
v-i've down was thrown about one hundred
feet and then buried itself iu the solid hard
ground. Mr Foute’s residence, which stands
about 150 feet away, was perforated
by sticks and brick, and his yard fence looked
like a cyclone had struck it. One piece of
scantling, about five feet long, was driven
through the end of a house 300 feet away, and
a brick forced itself into Mr. Foute’s house
through the wall and plastering.
Mr. Robert Hockman, a young gentleman,
was standing near the engineer talking to
him when the explosion occurred. He was
clown clean through a door into the yard and
escaped uninjured, while a small white hoy,
who was in another part of the building, was
blown through a window.
Just beside the engine room was the office
of the company. In this were Mr. E. L. Lu
cas, the superintendent, and Mr. White.
Pieces of the boiler, timber and bricks flew
fast and thick about these gentlemen, and the
office was totally destroyed, but fortunately
neither one was killed. Mr. White escaped
without a scratch, while Mr. Lucas was less
fortunate, as two ugly scalp wounds will tes
tify. When the explosion happened he was
about fourteen feet from the engine, and liis
escape from instant death was wonderful.
Every window iu the building was shattered,
and for blocks around glass were broken.
Drs. Hamilton, Baker and Johnson, aided
by the other physicians of the city, were
among the first upon the grounds and did
everything they could to relieve the injured.
All during the day and night they labored
zealously iu alleviating the pains of the un
fortunate. Too much credit cannot be given
these medical gentlemen for their devotion to
the wounded.
The Georgia car company is a new corpora
tion but this does not interfere with their
success. They were making about one hun
dred cars per month, and will be in good
working order in a few days again. The
works were yesterday visited by Captain
Flynn, president of the company, and Mr. C.
T. Watson,the secretary and treasurer. After
a careful investigation of the wreck th«y
estimated theft - loss at about $6,000. They
say re-building will he begun at once.
The Hawaiian Sugar. »
San Francisco, February 18.—[Special.]—A ves
sel recently arrived from Honolulu with sugar con
signed to Williams, Dimond & Co., which is being
shipped by rail to 8t. Louis at a low rate of freight.
It is understood that, owing to the termination of
the contract between the California refinery aud
the Hawaiian planters, such of the sugar coming
here as is not taken by the refinery is free to any
buyers, and, tbc planters wishing to realize, a sur
plus is likely to go overland.
HUMOR.
OBSERVATIONS
THE ROUTE.
Bill Arp Takes in 8everal Counties in Georgia
and Seems Inclined to Let the Status Quo
Alone—His Opinion of Runaway Matches
—An Old Friend. Etc.. Etc.
The usually gay little city of Cartersville is
to-day clothed in a sable garb,and her thrifty,
busy streets wear a lonely, desolate and de
serted appearance, for upon the doors of many
homes hangs that sombre sign of death—a
bunch of crape.
Yesterday the angel of de&tti reaped a rich
harvest in that place, and to-day the tolling
of the bell and the muffled rumbling of the
hearse wheels will carry sadness and sorrow to
many a heart, and when the rays of the set
ting sun east their weird shadow over the
grave-yard there will be five new graves to
add to the superstitions dread of the home of
the dead.
Just at the southern end of Cartersville is
located the Georgia car company’s works, and
there it was that this terrible carnival of death
occurred. The buildings cover several hun
dred feet of ground, and in them about cne
hundred and twenty men are accustomed to
toil for their daily bread. Yesterday morning
after bidding their families good-bye for the
day, these laborers sought their place of
work, and with a laugh and smile, greeted
each other as they began preparing for their
daily task.
On the eastern side of the building is locat
ed the engine room, and in this the men
were wont to assemble until the hour^or
work was at hand, and it was this custom
which led to the death of all who were kill 'd,
with probably a single exception.
Seven o’clock was the hour for work,: ad
in many parts of the town persons were w ’it-
ing for the whistle to announce its arrival,
but instead of the usual shrill blast of the
steam as it escaped from the valve the wait
ing ones were startled by a loud rumbling
noise, the like of which they had never heard
before. Close upon this strange noise came a
terrible rolling and swelling of the earth
which was felt for miles around.
The noise and the jar made strong men
quail and look to each for on explanation,
but in a second the mystery was in a measure
solved by the large column of steam that
arose above the Georgia car company’s build
ings.- Then towards this place everybody
rushed. Men, women and children were
abreast in the ruce and many a step was
taken with that unaccountable feeling of hor
ror which seizes one who knows that tho life
of those he loves is in danger.
Arriving at the building the multitude was
astonished to find it one pile ol' ruins from
which men were rushing, shrinking and bh ed-
ing. covered with dirt and wounds. . >
A glance only was necessary to show -hat
terrible accident had happened. The
western side of the building was one
total wreck. The roof was piled atqut
sections, and the sides were igyne,
no one knew where. Pieces of iron ,md
timber were scattered around lice elu-is.-.but
amid all tY.s pieces of the taige4«v{<»r JwAfa
had given life to “the ponderous engine nuit
turned the machinery were seen, then the
horrible noise and terrible jar were under
stood. The engine had exploded and this
pile of ruins was the result.
Soon it began to be rumored that
many—how many it was impos
sible to tell, were buried under
the ruins, and that they were dying inch by
inch. This announcement put activity into
the crowd, and in a second a hundred brave
hearts and hands were battling with heavy
timbers and hot irons for the life of their
fellow-beings.
Piece bv piece, inch at a time, heavy logs
were rolled away, sections of the roof re
moved, uutil at lust a pile of human llcsh
was discovered under a half of the boiler.
This was found to be two colored men, Leon
ard Choice and Mat Bowman. They were
both dead, and upon them lay the* heavy
timbers of the building weighted down by
half of the boiler. Near by was' found
another, and yet further on anoth
er and another until six bodies
rigid in death were exposed to view. These
were removed to the lot around the build
ings, and then the work continued until four
more had been found and removed. The
last were still alive, and to them the people
gave their attention. Mr. E. L. Woods,
the engineer, whose home is in At
lanta, was found to be badly in
jured, and his death is anticipated at an
early hour. He was terribly scalded
about the head, face and breast and in addi
tion to internal injuries was horribly gashed
by the falling timbers and flying pieces of
iron. His nose was cut nearly ’ in.two and a
piece of one ear was gone. There was a ter
rible scalp wound near the left temple and
the skull was crushed in over the right eye.
His clothing was badly burned, and from the
position in which he was found—under a
heavy beam—his escape from instant death
was marvelous.
The dead as they lay in a row awaiting an
inspection by the coroner and his jury, before
being turned over to their friends and farni
lies, were viewed by a countless hosts of curi
ous persons aud a horrible spectacle it was
that met their gaze.
First there was Hardy Hammond, the fire
man. He was a large negro, as fine a speci
men of manhood as one sees in a life-time.
^lie back o£ his head was mashed flat, and a
portion o£ liis nose was gone. His right leg was
u roken,_and the shoe he had but a few hours
efore tied upon the same f jot was gone.
Next to him lay Leonard Choice, whose
condition was worse than Hammond’s. The
right side of his head was crushed fiat and his
left ear was gone. His face and body were
raw and his clothing were saturated with the
boiling hot water in which he was found.
Then, next in order, came Mat Bornar.- His
head was perfectly raw and the hair on one
side was entirely gone. His right leg had
been torn from the body and his brains were
slowly dripping from two awful wounds in
the side of the head. His hands had been
burned to a crisp, and every eye that fell upon
him glanced quickly away "from the sickening
sight.
Close beside Bornar rested jhe mutilated
trunk of Have Richards. His left leg and
right arm were off", and were piled beside the
body, that was ulmost as fiat as a pan-cake.
His head was crushed, and but for iris clothing
his identity could not have been established.
Bob Patterson came next in the row of
mortality. He was a young negro, and with
his father worked at tfie mill. They were both
! found buried close together under a pile of
timber, the son dead aud the father just alive.
I He was awfully scalded about the head, face
: and body. One leg was off and his charred good child aud a faithful little messenger.”'"Thank
I bead gave evidence of the fire in which it had you. ma’am: and 1 shall tell hertoothat I didn’t
j rested, while a hole through one creek indi- • **7 y° u Ior ten cents, because mamma told me not
cated the course some flying missile of death j . , . ... __ ,
had taken A house painter who is at work on a scaffolding
1 111.1 u d .. three stories from the ground, falls from it upon the
t Old BoO Patterson, the dead boys father, | sidewalk, wlre-e he iies iimp and apparently life-
was badiy scalded. His right arm and face ■ le -c . A crowd of benevolent folks surround him
were cut terribly. His lips were mashed and 1 and labor with him. till his pulse returns and eye-
iris left ear cone* One le-r was aKo broken ! lid* begin to flutter, when a good Samaritan places
£u t hones o?^his roi^ver^nr^nteTbiiiiSd ’ water to his lips. The sufferer (feeblyl-
1 t)U J,r. 0 R es °‘ h* 3 recovery are entertained. How many smiles has a fellow got to fall in th
* hllui L)we, u colored laborer, li&d one thigh ward before he gets brandy, durn ye?-—Paris Pape
Written for the Constitution.
I think I feel better about the state of the coun
try. A little journey down south has encouraged
me. for I found the people, especially the farmers,
doing better than I expected, considering the short
crop. I have been down as low as Marion county
and saw nobody about to perish, but on the con
trary the people seemed generally happy and hope
ful. Well, I did see an old beggar man in Macon,
and he looked so pitiful we all gave him a dime
apiece and he sat down in a chair to rest. Pretty
soon an old beggar woman came along and we gave
her a nickel all rouud aud the old beggar man gave
her a quarter. She showered upon him her special
benedictions, and he remarked that he considered
it every man’s duty to divide with the poor. That
shows how easy it is to be liberal with other people’s
money. The old man's charity reminded me of
Jake Kit-miller’s dream. He had a mill
and one night he dreamed he died and
went up to Saint Peter’s gate and knocked for ad
mission, and Saint Peter says. "Kitsmiller did yon
not have a mill?" "Yes, your worship,” says he.
‘And did you not sometimes take too much toll?”
says the saint. “May it please your worship,” says
Jake, "sometimes when the creek waalow and the
stones were dull, 1 did take a leetle too much toll,
but I always gave it to the poor.” The good saint
studied over it awhile and said, "Well, I reckon
I’ll have to let you iu, but its a mighty tight
squeeze.” This'encouraged Jake very much when
he waked up, and so he continued to steal from his
customers until one day he was caught at it and
put in jail mid punished, and then his uabors
turned him out of the church in spite of his dream,
and old Jake come to the conclusion he was not so
near heaven as he thought he was.
Buena Vista, the county*seat of Marion, is a good
old town with a court house in the middle, and
plenty of nice level suburbs all around to make it
bigger when the time comcth. lhey want it to
cornu now and have made up forty thousand dollars
towards a railroad to Geneva, which is twenty miles
away. They will get it before long. The time is
near at band when every county town will be on a
railroad line or have a little road
of its own connecting with one.
Buena Vista has a splendid country south and
west of it and suffered no drought last year. The
armers are in good condition and the oat crop is
large and beautifully green. The gardens are splen
did and I saw peas iu bloom, aud everywhere the
fragrance from the yellow jessamine perfumed the
air. But what surprised me most was the lively
interest which the people of that section manifest
in their schools. There is a high school there of
126 scholars In charge of Professor Iverson Bran
ham, quite a young man, tho son of Dr. J. R. Bran
ham, of Macon. His pupils love him and his pa
trons are enthusiastic over his success. The boys
all dress iu uniform and have their regular milita
ry drills. The girls also have a ealisiheuie dress
which is very pretty aud attractive. These perform
ances are merely incidentals for amusement aud
physical training, and are not allowed to interfere
\vith*t'.. ir select and solid course of education.
You seethe fishing creek is a good way off and
there is not enough birds’ nests to go around and
there is no railroad depot for the girls to walk to,
and no shows ever, go there, and so it was
thought necessary to get up something to
keep the young folks from stagnating. Mr.
Singleton. Jr., who runs the Argus newspaper, is a
mighty nice mjui ami ihe mail carrier told ineihcy
were g ing to send him to the icgislatu*^: TdtttuT
see as much of him as 1 wanted to for he said he
had an engagement with a lady for that particular
evening, which was all right of course, bat the mail
carrier told me it was a purty regular thing. But
he will be married the next time I see him and not
hare to run away with his girl either. It’sa mighty
bad sign to see so many elopements now a days, it’s
a sign that the feller aint much account or that the
felleress has been badly raised. Uf course there are
exceptions, but somehow I never had much respect
for a runaway marriage, and if I was a preacher
I wouldent officiate atone of ’em. It qll comes of
too much romance and signifies that somebody is to
blame or it wouldent nave to be did. There
was a couple run away last week in a naboring
county just for devilment, for 1 heard the old man
say that he and his wife had given their consent
and was fixiug to give ’em a wedding supper. He
said he told Adeline that Jim was a sort of a fool,
and now he knowd it. I wanted to remark that Ade
line wasent overcropped with sense herself, but I
dident. Its a poor example for a young girl to set
to the children who are to grow up andf call her
ISOS, and was therefore past bis 74th year at the
time of his death. Converted at 16 years of ace
and graduating from his college at 19. he entered
into the Methodist miuistry when 20 years old,
tuning the South Carolina conference. His abili
ties brought wim rapidly forward into broad iielda
of usefulness to the world. Many circuits and
stations cujoyed the services of the gifted aud
earnest young preacher. Colleges began to call
him to their chairs, and he was persuaded to ac
cept, in lS3i,the professorship of English litera
ture m Wofford college, where he remained
two years. Thegeneral conferenceof 1S10appointed
him editor of the -outhem Christian Advocate, and
after again serving his college as a professor he was
made chancellor of the Southern university in Ala
bama. W hile holding this position he wai elevated
,to the important office ot the Episcopacy in his
■church, by the general conference of 1SG0. thus in
varied labors he has faithfully, successfully and
bnlliantiy, served his generation. His national
gifts were of high order, and they had been dis
ciplined by a judicious aud thorough culture. Few
equalled him either with pen or tongue. His gifts
were in demand by papers, magazines, and reviews
not only of his own church, but of other denomina
tions. Whether before a cultured audience, or in
the presence of a mixed multitude, his oratory was
powerful to move He was remarkable for his
suavity of luauncts and presided over
the conferences with grace aud force*
His own people loved him and all people admir
ed and respected him. He labored with gseat
faithfulness until near two years ago his healiu be
gan to fail aud gradually his life ebbed away until
the final hour. We conclude this hasty notice of a
great and good man assured that it is not such a
full tribute to his memory as will be paid by the
religious press.
OVER A LUNCH.
A teacher says: "In one evening I counted
twenty-seven meteors sitting on my piazza."
Money often leads men astray—some of them will
run after a dollar; but a bound dog is more avari
cious—he will follow a scent.
The attention of the government has been called
to the fact that Adelina Patti's tour through the
country is a costly star route.
Never despair. Many a boy who goes aronnd
with a yellow patch on his blue pantaloons may
some day write a volume of poety in blue and gold
or have a silver plate on his door.
An Ohio girl sued a man for breach of promise,
and proved him such a mean scoundrel that
the jury decided that she ought to pay him some
thing for not marrying her.
"Previous good character” counts in Texas. A
man who was on trial for arson brought forward
witnesses (o prove that he had neglected two good
chances to steal horses, and the jury decided that
no such man could be guilty of burning a barn.
A little girl once took a letter from her mother to
an old lady friend. “Many thanks, my child," she
said; "you may tell your mother that you are a
mother, and no good ever comes c
The law is
A Little Episode In a Hallway Car.
Louisville, Ky., February 18.—During the pas
sage of a train across the connection between the
Southall street depot and the Short Line junction,
quite a flutter of excitement was occasioned by a
shooting sc rape* between two passengers, who fell
out about the lunch that both were engaged in de
vouring, and for a time the few passengers in the
coach kept their heads tucked dowu. with wonder
ful care not to raise them until the matinee was
over. One of the men, Mitchell by name, from
Alabama, had purchased a lunchcu and spread
the same on a scat, after which he invited
his uewly made friend, a Mr. Martin, of
Georgia, to take part. While so seated the
lunen fell to the floor, when Mitchell accused
Martin of kuockiug it off purposely. This brought
rough words, and finally blows, duriug which
many passengers, feariug there would be shooting,
left the car aud hunted those iu front and to the
rear. The men did finally draw their weapons,
and fired five shots each, and it is said that both
were slightly injured iu their arms. The confu
sion and ill shape oi the car prevented the passen
gers from interfering in time to prevent the shoot
ing, and, strange to say. no one outside the bclli-
ger nt- were touched by any of the stray shots.
Marlin, at Short Line Junction, managed to evade'
his opponent. Duriug the interval it was neces
sary to await a south bound train over the Louis
ville and Nashville, aud both meu evidently
journeyed south without iurther trouble..
A DISSATISFIED PRIEST.
lie Goes Into the Connubial and ltc»taurant BaslnoM.
IlARTFOitn, Conn., February 18.—It is reported
from Winsted, iu western Connecticut, that Father
Agudi, assistant priest of St Joseph's Roman Cath
olic church of that town, was married in New Ha
ven, January 31, to Bridget D. Welsh, of that city,
she had previously lived iu Wiuslcd, afid was a
member of the congregation of at. Joseph’s, but re
cently returned to the house of her father in New
Haven. The priest left Winsted the 3Ulli of Janua
ry, ostensibly to attend a religious convention in
Boston, and until this week was supposhk to be
still there. It appears, however, that lie went di
rect to New Haven, aud that the couple were mar
ried by a Methodist clergyman the following day.
They.are now living iu Bridgeport, and he is re
ported to have opened a restaurant.
THE PROFESSOR’S REALM.
very kind to let the young people run together in
this sort of a way, but after while when they want
to run the other way they canL
Talbolton is a lively town, and now has a branch
railroad of her own. New buildings are' going up
all about. Several warehouses have re
cently been built, and the twenty thousand
dollar hotel is well kept and is a substantial orna
ment to the town. Tnlbot county is on the heel of
the Blue Ride, and abounds in red land and oak
timber with here and there a deposit of iron ore.
There are many farmers here who never buy corn
or meat, but always have some to sell.
Judge Willis lives here beloved aud honored by
his people. Governor Towus lived here and Judge
Warner lived here iu his early professional life;
Benniug lived here, too, before he was married.
Hearing that the negroes had a protracted meet
ing going on with great excitement, I enquired how
long it had been uuder way. and they told me ever
since 1S65, which is about the protraciedest meeting
X ever heard of, but there is a lot of ’em in jail all
th same for stealing, aud 1 was a ruminating ' of
bow many more would be there if it wasen't for ”’
the meeting. Jesso. I. B. Gorman now runs the
only newspaper in the town, for he is the survivor
of the fittest and can’t be surpressed. He also runs
a farm and a saw-mill and a warehouse, and has a
guano agency, and holds levees and issues bonds,
and hasseveml more irons in the fire and keeps
’em all red hot. He is a whale, he is. They talk
politics a' Talbotton aud ore pretty much on Gov
ernor Smith’s line, that is to let the old stags rest
awhile and take up Borne men who haven’t been a
f ussin around. They talk kindly of Hammond and
Blount and Buchanan and Black, of Augusta, and
everybody is proud of Persons. Parsons
is their pet. They told me that when Harris
was running for congress, John Maunn told
the boys that Harris was distributing a sack of
guano to every voter in his own county, bat wusent
sending a pound outside of it and made em beiiev-s
it aud the last man voted against him. They swote
that they couldent be bought up w th a paper or
two of buncom turnip seed by nobody ior it was all
for buncom anyhow.
Butler is a pleasant village in the countyof Tay
lor, and has a very good trade of its own. They
have a prosperous college in charge of Professor
Dozier, a genti man highly esteemed by the entire
community, not only for his fitness ior the trust but
for liis kindness aud genial disposition. He has
over a hundred pupils iu his charge. It is pleasant
to see a community united upen a school or college
and they are so here. Competition is a
good thing generally but in all these modest, un
pretending towns it is better to have one high
school and one newspaper and one hotel. I met a
friend of the olden time a few miles from Butler—a
refugee from the foul invader In 1864—we run away
from Rome together and he got so comfortably fixed
near Butler that he concluded to stay. We are now
a good ways apart, but I found Bob Tomlin the
same big-hearted man he used to be. I spent a day
with him and perused his farm and was surprised
at his oat and wheat crop that spreads over hun
dreds of acres. He is another farmer who never
buys corn or meat, and all can farm in tne same
way if they will. What one man can do is possible
for another.
And General Warren is dead—a good man and a
great man. Who did not honor him in life, and
who does not feel sad at his death? There are now
but a few,very few.left of his kind. Thcsegrand old
statesmen dignified and adorned society like moun
tains adorn and dignify a landscape. General War
ren was a noble man—always true and sincere and
patriotic. He grew old most gracefully, aud has
gone to his rest, not under a cloud nor in a blaze
glory, but rather like the sun when its rays are
soitened and subdued by an Indian summer’s sky.
Bill Arp.
Harvard university has another gift—$100, €00 from
a rich Bostonian.
The cane was used on 1,415 public school children
at Sl Louis duriug the last quarter.
TSere are 12.643. pupils in th* public reft opto of
Mralpife.wi5fe-.-_
The univeafty of Tennessee, at Knoxville, has
just purchase* e fine $3,0'0 telescope. It is Mx feet
long and magnifies over 500 diameters.
The 810.000givenTo each of Hamilton and Yale
colleges by Hon. James Knox, of Knoxville, 111.,
will be paid over to the managers of those instilu- 1
tions about March I.
The Hartford theological seminary has sent out
24 per cent of its graduates os missionaries, stand
ing in this respect at the head of the list of theo
logical schools in the country. Oberlin comes next
with 19 per ceut and no other exceeds ten per cent.
The trustees of Vincennes university hare filed
with the governor their annual report. The infor
mation set forth is very meagre. During the year
188) 157 pupils were enrolled. The course Is simi
lar to that of an ordinary high school. This is the
Indiana university for the ostensible benefit of
which policy shops have been started, in various
pans of the state.
Amougst the educational reforms about to he car
ried out In France during the present year may be
mentioned the establishment uf five technical
schools, for cabinet-making, building industries,
scientific instruments, domestic economy for girls
and industrial chemistry. The latter school is of
particular importance, for hitherto the French man
ufacturers of chemical products have been obliged
to employ foreigners to direct the scientific depart
ments ol their enterprises.
Dr. William Everett, of the Quincy (Maas.) School,
says in the preface to a volume of sermons for the
boys that "a teacher of boys liasabundant cause to -
auxiety, for doubt, for vigilance, for misgiving. .\»
profession demands more faith in Provideui-6,
more appeals lor all possible oi:t»ide or inside
help. But there is none that teaches more truly
the duty of hope; that one of all the three which
the opposite theological schools of faith and love
seem to crowd out between their systems
IVofcssnr Limes Bearer, teacher of mathematics
iu tlie Hro klyu evening high school-’, baa invented
ashor.er and simpler method of finding the square
of a number than that generally louse. By this
method he can find the square of numbers of half
a yard or more long * y n simple mental process,
and write the required product wiii but little hesi
tation. This performance bus been tested and wit-
neared by many eminent mathematical authorities
who agree iu pronouncing it a great discovery.
Professor Boarer has been importuned to make hi.
method public, but he has as yet declined to do so
FASHION NOTES.
Bishop William M. \Vi C htmau. D.D„ LLD.
Not only the great community of Methodists in
this country, but many thousands of others, have
watched with painful anxiety the progress of the
sickness which terminated on the l&ih instant the
valuable life of Rev. William May Wigbtman, D.D.,
L.L.D., bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church
South. This very eminent Christian minister wa s
born iu Charleston, South Carolina, January a
New trains are pear-shaped.
Sufrano roses are again in fashion.
The new blue is called bleu-de-mar.
Gold tulle trims evening dresses.
Velvet dresses need little trimming.
Yellow diamonds are in great favor.
Guipure guimps are in new dresses.
Fcarl combs are a Parasian novelty.
“Sulpnr lace” is a new importation.
The English dress is worn by children.
Tulips are worn with street costumes.
Tiny humming-birds loop lace drapery.
Double trains complete French dresses.
Faille Is coming into fashion again.
A comb of rosees fastns up low c liffnraa.
Worth loops tulle drapery with birds.
Pink acacias trim garnet velvet dresses.
Scantily gathered frills trim new dresses.
French dresses are voluminous at the back.
A mammoth sunflower is the new valentine.
Oval necks are newer than Pompadour squares.
Twofpoints finish the back of new evening dresses.
Tan colored fluffy feather* appear on black bon-
neta.
Narrow mantelets, like scarfs, match new cos
tumes.
Violet velvet corsages arc worn with white moire
trains.
New bodies have short basques pointed in buck
and front.
Dresden china shepherdesses afford models for
Parisian toilets. •
India mull, with rosebuds, is used (or trimming
velvet bodices
Pink hyacinths are worn with pink, while, or
black dresses.
“Eighteenth century embroidery” is the name
given newbpen work.
Ecru Venetian embroidery is used on black velvet
and satin dresses.
Ladies with Titian red hair delight in black satin
and jet soilcttes.
White silk muslin is used for the entire ball dress
of debutantes.
A jabot of lace trims each side of the dfuare neck
of dinner dresses.
indistinct print
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