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The Georgia Record. VOL I. EXGOV. ATKINSON DEAD. Former Chief Executive of Georgia Passes Away at His Home In Newnan. ANNOUNCEMENT CAUSES SORROW THROUGHOUT STATE Dying Statesman Was Surrounded By Family and Faithful Friends--A Brief Sketch of His Life. Ex-Governor William Y. Atkinson died at his home in Newnan, Ga., at 9 o’clock Tuesday morning. The end came peacefully. The dying man was surrounded by all the members of his immediate family and many of his friends. He had been slowly sinking for several days, and Monday after noon his physicians announced that he could not recover. His sickness lasted about fifteen days,during which time every attention and care that medical skill could offer and loving hands could bestow, were given him. The circumstances surrounding his death were peculiarly sad and have cast a gloom over the city of Newnan and community, and censes sorrow throughout the state. Early Tuesday morning it was conceded that in a few hours the great man would pass away, and his anxious and inquiring friends formed an almost unbroken chain as ■3 Wr /'5 Who Died at His Home in Newnan, Ga., Hast Tuesday. they went to where the statesman lay, hoping for some ground for hope. Sorrow was depicted on the counte nance of those advised of his condi tion, and the expression on their faces was evidence that the end was near. The announcement that death had brought to an end a career that had found success and fame in Georgia politics and stilled the heart that was generous and liberal in the distribu tion of affection, was no surprise to the friends of the governor at the capitol, for nearly all the beads of’departments had but recently returned from New nan, where they went to inquire into Mr. Atkinson’s condition and to offer their services and sympathy to Mrs. Atkinson. The last great effort of Mr. Atkinson was made in the supreme court about three weeks ago. He appeared before that body to argue for the people of Newnan iu the Atlanta and West 1 oint railroad rate case. It will be remem bered that he spoke for several hours before the court and delivered a pow erful speech iu favor of his side of the question. He had not been well prior to mak ing this speech and he appeared be fore the court under the disadvantage of ill health, but he stood for hours on his feet discussing the controversy with great force. His last illness began shortly after his return home from Atlanta and at first it was thought that he had only a temporary sickness to contend with, but after a few days the disease devel oped into dysentery and his physicians began to take steps to check the dis ease and it was thought that he would be brought around all right. A week ago his condition became more serious and the friends of the ex-governor w’ere told that he was a very sick man. Other physicians werd called in and everything possible was done to save the patient, but to no avail. His rela tives and intimate friends watched at his bedside day and night, and he want ed for nothing during his sickness. He brought his great vital power into the fight for life and resisted to the last the grasp of the hand of death, but it was too muoh for him, the victor of a great battle of the same kind a few years ago. Telegrams expressive of condolence poured in from every quarter of the state, from men of high and low sta i tion in life and from those who, for | getting petty differences, join in prais ing the high qualities of the man. Sketch of His Life. William Yates Atkinson was born in Meriwether county, Ga., on the 11th of November, 1854, at the little post- EX-GOVERNOR ATKINSON, office of Oakland, whither his parents had removed from Brunswick county, Va. His father, John P. Atkinson, was a native Virginian, a man of sterling traits and irreproachable character. On his father’s side he is a descendant of the Sudys, the Yates and the At kinsons, who settled in Virginia in the colonial days. He is named for Wil liam Yates, one of his ancestors, who was a professor in the William aud Mary college in Virginia iu the early history of that institution. H“ is the sixth of eight children. The death of his father left ,him on his own re sources at an early age. Nothing daunted by the difficulties that await ed him, without means and without influence, he set to work to educate himself. Mr. Atkinson was first elected to the legislature in 1886, and from that time on his career may be summed up as follows: He was for years a leader in the legislative halls and party councils. He was a member of the general assembly for eight years. Twice president of the democratic state convention. Four years chairman of the state democratic executive committee. Two years speaker of the house of i representatives. Five years president of the board of trustees of the Georgia Normal and I Industrial college and a trustee of the ! University of Georgia. And before attaining the age of 40 years was governor of Georgia. In 1880 he married Miss Susie Cobb Milton, of Florida. She has indeed been a helpmeet to him. ATLANTA, GA., SATURDAY, AUGUST 12. 1899. CONSIGNED TO GRAVE —4- Remains of Hon. W. Y. Atkinson Laid to Rist at ffiewnan, Ga. L FUNERAL SERVICE LARGELY ATTENDED Many Prominent Georffl ' i» Deliver Fit ting and Appropriate Eulogies (her the Distlnguishmi Dead. The mortal remains of ex-Governor William Y. Atkinson ware laid to rest iu the cemetery at Newnan, Ga., Wednesday afternoon, and the last offices of the living for the dead were performed by those who had flowers for the bier, eulogies f>r his lifework and tributes for the statesman who had passed away in the meridian of life. Newnan saw its g.eatest day of mourning. All the stores in the town w ere closed, and peop e came from many miles around to attend the funeral. Many distinguished Georgians were present. Among them Governor Can dler and all the state house officials; ex- Governor Northen, Senators Clay and Bacon, Judge W. M. Henry, President George C. Smith, of ths Atlanta and West Point railroad, Colonel P. H. Brewster, Judge John P. Boss, Mr. Harvey Johnson, Major J W. Warren, Congressman W. C. Adamson, Judge James Willis, Mr. J. E. Dunston, Mr. J. G. Truitt. Judge Candler came f'om Fairburn, where he adjourned court, with the entire bar and the jurors serving in his court. In adjourning court the judge paid 9 tribute 'los. l e::- governor, saying he had known him for fourteen years, and had never known a man more loyal to duty and to friends. Many members of the ex governor’s staff' were present. All the colored porters at the capi tol attended the funeral in a body. The Newnan courthouse was heavily draped in mourning. All business was suspended, and never before in its history had the little city seen a sad der day. The body was borne to the Metho dist church, where the funeral services were held. A number of the ex-gov ernor’s friends, those who had been closest to him in life, made short ad dresses, in which many high tributes were paid to the memory of the man whose work on earth had forever ended. It having been the request of Gov ernor Atkinson that the Masons should have charge of his funeral, the Masons of Newaan turned out in a body, and the last rites were performed by them at the grave. The services at the church were con ducted by the Rev. Dr. Stacy, of the Presbyterian church, who has been the governor’s pastor for several years. He was assisted by Rev. K. C. Adams, of the Baptist church, and Rev. W. J. Cotter, pastor of the Methodist church. When the church services were end ed the body was borne to the village cemetery, where it was confided to the grave. There were many beautiful floral offerings, one being a sword from the members of his staff, and another from the governor and the statehouse officers, which was a large design of the seal of the state. There in the quiet city of the dead he will rest from a life that had its high rewards, but which had its strug gles, and the grave will always be the tenderly cared for sepulcher of a man who was dearly beloved by the people of Newnan. MINERS RESUME WORK. Coni Creek Company. However, Still Ke fufteM to Recognize the Union. The miners in the coal mines of the Coal Creek company returned to work, after being out three day The union miners declined to work for the com pany because a scale w hich really in creased the prices for ■ ork done by them had not been off ially passed upon by their union. T e scale gave them 45 cents on the ru r , of the mine, where they had reeei 1 44 cents. The difference was setth I by the com pany allowing the men a I beck weight man to be paid by them. The company, however, continues to fail to recognize th ' union in the mines. Both union and non-union men are employed. STORM IN THE WEST INDIES Two Hundred Lives Reported Lost On the Island of Porto Rico. ’ OTHER ISLANDS ALSO SUFFER FEARFUL DEVASTATION General Davis Sends Report to War Department and Suggests Relief For Sufferers. A dispatch by cable from Ponce, Porto Rico, received Thursday morn ing, says the town was almost destroy ed by a hurricane which broke over i the south coast at 1 o’clock last Tues day morning and swept northwest. J There was no abatement for nine I hours, the greatest damage being done , between 8 and 10 a. m. The wires ' were down and communication with the interior for a time was carried on by couriers. Almost all of the frame buildings of Ponce are down, the bridge is swept • away and there is no communication I between the port and city proper. | Damage to the port is estimated at i $250,000. Two natives are known to have been drowned. The records and property of the custom house are ruined, and all the vessels are ashore. At Aibonito very little remains standing except the cathedral and barracks. Four natives perished and three United States soldiers Were badly injured. As the town is with out food, government relief has been dispatched. El Cayey was leveled to the ground, 200 houses being demolished. Two United States soldiers were injured ; there, and many cavalry horses killed. At Catano the entire plant of the | Standard Oil Company was ruined. ■ The loss on the property is $200,000. | At Bayamon a majority of the houses i were destroyed and the rest were I flooded. Two hundred cattle were I killed and the railway was seriously i damaged. The village of Carolina was literally i razed. At Cagua four persons were killed. A courier from Humacao, capital of I province of that name, on the eastern i coast of the island, reports awful dis- I truction there. The loss to property i is estimated at $500,000, but this is ■ the least item in the disaster. The I courier brought an official report from Captain Swift, of the Fifth United j States cavalry, who said: “Humacao was totally destroyed by I the hurricane. Forty-six bodies have been recovered and there are many more in the debris. Eight privates of i company C were injured, two fatally, j North, a discharged private, is miss j ing. At the port of Humacao eigh ' teen bodies have been recovered. ! Eight hundred people are starving ■i here.” Three persons were killed nt Las I Piedras and five at Junco. Couriers from the other districts are anxiously expected at the palace. The i steamer Slocum, Captain Thomas, en , route from Mayaguez to San Juan, | was caught in the storm, but her pas sengers and crew were saved through the heroism of Mr. Single, the first of ficer. The coffee crop is ruined and the loss will reach millions. Very great injury has been done also to the or ange crop. No definite returns have yet been received from the southern sections of the island, apart from Ponce. It is certain, however, that the food sup plies in the stricken districts have been destroyed, and in these quarters the quantity of government stores on hand is small. Relief wagons will be sent out in various directions. TRANSPORTS IN RESERVE. Preparationji Made For Hurrying British Soldierg to South Africa. The St. James Gazette (London) says all the shippingjjeompanies under charter to the British admiralty for transport purposes have been notified to hold all their transports in reserve for the immediate dispatch of troops. The steamer Dunera has been or dered to be in readiness Saturday to ship a detachment oY horse artillery to South Africa. NO. 7. Gen. Davin Send* Report. The secretary of war received the following report from General Davis, commanding in Porto Rico, regarding the cyclone. San Juan, Porto Rico, August 10.— Hurricane of extreme violence passed over Porto Rico yesterday. The prin cipal military loss at San Juan, of the temporary company barracks wholly destroyed, some quartermaster’s prop erty damaged. No personal injuries reported yet, but all wires are down. No injury to shipping here save two small schooners sunk, two sailors drowned. San Juan lights tempora rily disabled. “Cable reports from Ponce say all shipping is ashore. Custom house sheds badly damaged and goods stored therein. Messengers from two interior posts tell of barracks unroofed and personal and public property damaged. The losses by the inhabitants is very great and extreme suffering most re sult. The last hurricane as severe as this was in 1876. when, owing to the loss of houses, fruit and provisions, there was famine. I would suggest public notice in the United States to the effect that con tributions of food, clothing and mon ey for the destitute would be received with the greatest gratitude and will be applied strictly to relief of desti tute. Have appointed a board to supervise destitution. There are many thousands of families who are entirely homeless and great distress must fol low. (Signed) “Davis, “Commanding.” Montserrat Visited By Hurr cane. Advices from St. Thomas, the island of Montserrat (D. W. I.) was com pletely devastated by a hurricane Monday. All the churches, estates and villages were destroyed and near ly 100 persons were killed. In addi tion many were injured end rendered homeless and terrible distress exists among the sufferers. As later advices come in from Mont serrat it is seen that the first reports conveyed only a faint idea of the suffer ing of the people and their deplorable condition. The administration ap peals for help. At LaPointe-a-Pitre, island of Guad aloupe, immense damage was wrought and according to a report not yet con firmed 102 persons were killed. In the island of St. Croix, the largest of the Virgin islands, the de struction was appalling. It was chiefly wrought at the west end, where the smaller houses are a tangled mass of wreckage. Thirty pessons were killed and the inhabitants are iu great dis tress. Storm Visits Guadnloupe. Advices received at Paris from La Pointe-a-Pitre, island of Guadaloupe, state that the cyclone did enormous damage in the interior of the island, a number of coffee and cocoa estates be ing devastated. Le Mourie, a suburb, was half destroyed. There were a number of fatalities. St. Jean advices say the cyclone caused great destruc tion in Porto Rico, whence it passed northward to Dominica and thence to Cape Haytien and the eastern end of Cuba. ENCOUNTER WITH YAQUIS. State Troops Route Bad Indians, Killings Several of Them. A special to The Chicago Tribune from City of Mexico, Mexico, says: The state troops have had another encounter with the Yaquis near Medano, defeating them with a loss of several killed. The state troops did not lose a single man, but Lieutenant Francisco Calles died from sunstroke during the forced march mado to over take the Indians.