North Carolina Newspapers

The Weather To-Day: RAIN; WARMER. The News and Observer. VOL.XLVII. NO. 92. LEADS ALL NORTH CAROLIAN DAILIES IN NEWS AND CIRCULATIONL ENTRENCHING AT MOPDER RIVER The Boers Confront Methuen in Increasing Number, BRITISH RECONNOITRE DRAWING THE FIRE OF SEVER AL BOER GUN'S. THE BRITISH QUEEN WARNS HER SUBJECTS Proclamation Gazetted Forbidding Them Giving Assistance in Any Way to the Trans vaal Under the Penalty of the Law. London. Doc. 27.—The War Office hero has received the following dispatch from Cape Town dated Tuesday, De cember 20th: “There is no change in the situation. Methuen reports that the enemy's force has increased and is engaged in en trenching throe and a half miles from his outlying pickets. “Methuen reootmoitereel with two squadrons of mounted infantry for two miles along the line and drew the tire of four guns and two Ticker's machine guns. Four horses were hit. “The Queen’s Christmas message was received with enthusiasm. “Gatacre is endeavoring to re-open communication with the Imhvc collier ies.” CHURCHILL GOES TO DURBAN. Loitrenzo Marques, I)oe. 27. —Mr. Winston l Churchill arrived here late last night and left for Durban by the shunt er Induna. ROBERTS AND KITCHENER. Gibraltar. Dec. 27.—The British steamer Dunoftar Castle, having oi, board General Lord Roberts, of Kanda har, coinmander-iu-cihicf of the British forces in South Africa, arrived here yesterday evening. General Sir H. ; Kitchener, who came from Egyyt to | .loin General Roberts as his chief of staff, embarked on board the Dimottar Castle and the vessel sailed early this morning for Cape Town. BRITISH SUBJECTS WARNED. London, Dec. 27.—The Privy Council held a meeting at Windsor Castle today, at which Queen Victoria proclaimed a warning to all British subjects not to assist the inhabitants! of the Transvaal or Orange Free* State or to sell or transport merchandise thereto, under penalty of the law. The proclamation was gazetted tonight. A RED HOT CHRISTMAS DAY. Chieveiey Camp, Natal, Dec. 25.—Al though the two armies were in sight of each other with the temperature 102 de grees in the shade, the British roda.v c ** joyed characteristic Christmas cheer. Gleenfeil and Kirkwood, of the South African Light Horse, left here yester day to inspect the patrols along tin* eastern hills. Their horses returned ai night alone. Colonel Donald, of the Royal Fusiliers, had his collar bone broken by being thrown from his horse while on outpost duty. The naval guns began shelling the Boer position at five o'clock this morn ing, using lynddite. The shelling con tinued about two hours. Ever since the engagement at Colcnso the enemy have been energetically am-1 proving their entrenchments. They can be seen gal I oping freely from hill to hill. Ladysmith also had a busy morning today, shelling the Boer position on Um bnhvana Mountain. ’Pin* business xztiyay bulwaiia Mountain. The bursting shells •were* plainly visible at Chieveiey. ORDERED TO SOUTH AFRICA. Halifax, N. S.. Dee. 27.—A /cable gram received from England today by the military authorities here orders the Leinster regiment, known as the Royal Canadians, now doing duty on fids sta tion to sail on January 30th Cor duty in South Africa. RHODESIAN RELIEF FORCE. London, Dec. 27.—The Rhodesian Mafeking relief force, according to a dispatch from Modiu-rti, Beehuanaland, dated Saturday, December 10th, was pro gressing slowly owing to the necessity of repairing the bridges, averaging one per mile. An intercepted Boer mail bag. it is added, shows that twenty Boers were kill ed and many wounded during tin* British attack on tin* Seejnani laager. Dispatches from Modder Rivet* repre sent Dutch disaffection in Griqualand West as growing very serious. In some towns the entire Dutch population joined tin* Boers. It is announced that the Boers have raised the siege of Kuruman and have all withdrawn to Magersfontein. The Cape Town correspondent of the 'rimes, under date of Friday, December 22nd, says: “Anxii t.v regarding the attitude of tin* •Colonial Dutch is steadily growing. They make no effort to conceal their sympa thy with the two republics*, and the only question now is whither if the ; military situation is not changed they will keep from open rebellion.” A FEW SHOTS EXCHANGED. Kimbenlov, De<*. 2rt h—Wednesday— .St 2:30 this morning detachments under Colonel IVakmaii, with three .Maxims and three seven-pounders under Major May, recoilnoirered. Leaving the en trenchments, the British advanced on Toll Ban. The Boer pickets lired and our Maxims replied, the Boers disap pearing over the ridge. Our guns then began to shell 'Poll Ban at a range of 2.500 yards. A Boer gun dropped four shells near our men. but did no damage. As the Boers wen* strongly entrenched we withdrew. Their guns are well placed. 'CONFIDENCE IN BFLLER. London, Dec. 28. —(Thursday.)—The Morning Post has received the following from Mr. Churchill, under date of De cember 2(ith. telegraphed from Chieveiey Camp, where lie has arrived: "All ranks have complete confidence in Sir Red vers Bnller, and there is a stem determination to succeed next time at all costs. A painful impression was caused by the announcement, of the change of eominandcr-in-chief and the soldiers here are resolved to vindicate their trusted leader. “The situation, nevertheless, is diffi cult. the Boer position being one of ex traordinary strength with high hills lined tier on tier with trenches and gal leries, rising from an almost iinforda ble river, and with a smooth plain in front. t "The enemy haw mil the ranges mark ed, and many powerful guns dominate tin* various points of the river, while the drifts are commanded by converging musketry fire from probably 12,000 Boers. There are I<> miles of wild, brok en country before reaching Ladysmith, which demands early relief.” SOUTH TnIHE LEM And North Carolina is Lead ing the South. Os the 183 Textile Mills Constructed or Con templated in the Last Six Months, This State Shows Thirty-One. Boston, Mass., Dec. 27.—The number of textile mills constructed or contem plated in the United States for the last half in 1809, as reviewed by the Ameri can Wood and Cotton Reporter, is 183 against 310 for tin* first half of the year. This makes a total of 260 mills for the year against 202 for 1 898 and 155 for 3807. The South still leads in the new mil 1 construction with a gain of 14 mills over the pumbeT for the first half of the year. The North has shown a greater increase, having an accession of 50 over the twen ty-live reported the first six months in the year. North Carolina, as usual, leads the list with a total of 31. Georgia comes second with a total of 21. Pennsylvania shows 19: Smith Carolina 3«i; Alabama, 1(5; Massachusetts, 13: New York. 9; Rhode Island. 8: Maine, 8; Mississippi,‘Tennes see and Virginia, <i each; Texas, 5; Con necticut, Louisiana and New Jersey 3 each: Ohio, Indiana, and litlinos, Kan sas, Maryland, Michigan, Now Hamp shire. New Mexico, North Dakota and Vermont one each. ARRESTED FOR ARSON. Is Stoy Responsible For the Augusta Fires? Augusta. Ga., Dec. 27.—W. C. Stoy was arrested late last night on a war rant sworn out by Chief of Police Hood, charging him with arson. Stoy is an excursion manager. The three disastrous fires in this city recent ly, their origins pointing strongly to in cendiarism, have greatly excited the peo ple. Recently a building was fired three times in one day in tin* lower .part of the city, and last night shortly before tin* big fire, the el partment was called to a residence on W. It on Way to a fire plainly incendiary, which was also a sec ond attempt on that building. Maine’3 Dead in Washington. Washington, Dee, 27. The remains of 151 sailors killed at the time tin* Maine was destroyed arrived here this morning over the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad in a special train of six cars. They were escorted by a guard of honor composed of twelve men from the battle ship Texas, including anijong them one of the members of the original Maine crew, Terry Shea. The remains were conveyed to Rossiyn, Yu., opposite the district line, and there were transferred to wagons belonging to the Quarter master's Department which removed them to the burial site in Arlington cemetery. The caskets have been placed in open hospital tents, and the guard of honor will be maintained over them, until they are buried tomorrow. The lmdy of Frederic C. lledzer, an or dinary seaman, is tin* only one which will not he buried at Arlington ceme tery tomorrow. The body of llblzer has been shipped to New York where it will be received by his relatives. About 'thirty requests were received by tile Navy Department for the bodies of tin* victims of the Maim* disaster, but in only ten of these eases had the bodies been identified. The* other twenty were either in the* Mst of unidentified dead or among the* bodies not recovered. Owing to the* confusion in which the graves were found when the dead were disinter red at Havana the Department has re luctantly decided not to extend to the relatives and friends- of the other nine positively identified bodies the privilege of burying the remains at home. Os the 150 bodies which are to he buried at Arlington tomorrow, (!3 were identified at the time of their interment in Colon cemetery. Ninety-seven of tom bodies to be interred tomorrow were never identified. RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 28, 1899. HE WILL SOI LEAVE THEM | THE LURCH Simonton Will Stand by the Railroads. I HEY MUST NOT BE TAXED REHEARING OF THE TAX CASE AT CHARLESTON. NO REVERSAL OF OPINION EXPECTED Argument Began Yes'erday and Will Probably be Concluded Today. Mr. Simmons Will Conclude the Argument for the De fendants. Charleston, N. C., Dec. 27. —(Special.) The re-argument in the action of tin* various railroad companies against the North Carolina Corporation Commission as ordered by Circuit Judge Simonton commenced this morning. The -railroad companies are* represent ed by .Judge Johnson, of Philadelphia, who represents all the railroads party to the suit; Copt. Charles Price, of Salisbury, who specially represents the Southern Railway; Mr. George Roun tree, of Wilmington, and Mr. Robert O. Burton, of Raleigh, representing the Atlantic Coast Line; and Maj. John D. Shaw, of Rockingham, who appears for the Seaboard Air Line. The defendants are represented by Judge Henry G. Connor, of Wilson; Mr. I*\ M. Simmons, .1. C. L. Harris and John \Y. Hinsdale*, of R deigh. The ground lor the re-argument is the rice at decision of the Supreme Court of North Carolina in the Abbott-Bed dingfield east*. In the former argument at Asheville*, X. C.. Judge Simonton held that the Corporation Commission had no power to assess railroad prop erty for taxation. The N ntu Carolina court decided that ilu* Commission did have this puw. i*. The* defendants con tend that Judge Simonton should re verse himself and hold the law as the Supreme Court has held it. The argument was opened by Judge Conner in a very clear statement of the contentions of the defendants. He* was followed by Judge Johnson in a very able and elaborate.* speech for the* plain tiffs. Mr. Harris followed Judge* John son in a very lucid exposition of flu* Abbott Keddingfiehl decision; and cited authorities to show that Judge Sim enton must follow the law of that case. Oapt. Price then made a short argu ment for the plaintiffs, as the* ground bad been so well covered by Judge John son. Col. Hinsdale then commenced his ar gument for the defendant* and before he concluded the court, at 2 p. in., ad journed urivi! tomorrow at 10 a. m. Me ssrs. Rountree and Burt* n will speak tomorrow for the plaintiffs and .Mr. Sim mons will conclude for tin* defendants. Judge Simonton has said that he lias the contentions well in his mind and the argument tomorrow will probably not he lengthy and exhaustive. It is tin* impression hen* that Judge Simonton will adhere to his former decision.* TAX REDUCED $10,000,000. Charleston, S. C„ Dec. 27. —Before Judge Simonton in the* United States Circuit Court -today is being argued the case of the railroads against the North Carolina State Corporation Commission. Judge Simonton recently reduced the* Corporation Commission's assessment of railroad tax values by te*n million. The commission now claims it has the right to fix such values and argu. s that the Federal court must accept the State’s construction of its ywn laws. L MENACED BY CLAN-NA-GAEL. on£ of Its Officers Talks of Projected * Invasion of Canada. New* York, Dec. 27. —Relative to the altitude of the Irish revolutionary so cieties toward the Government of Great Britain at the present juncture of af fairs, the Eventing Post today quotes an officer of (he Clan-Xa-Gacl as say ing: “England can only he* made to feel physical force, and we’re now going to give her some Boer treatment,. We dirt intend going out and sinking that first expedition from Canada to South Africa, hut thought it better to wait a little. We can mobilize our men without much difficulty for an attack on Canada and we are fairly well armed —•as well as the United States troops in the Spanish War. We have lots of Springfield -rifles and are bandy with the bayonet. "No decision has been arrived at yet. Everything will depend on the* imme diate* future. We have either regi iimms or companies all over the Uni ted States and are fairly well drilled, and a great many of our men *are in the militia. The* Ancient Order of Hi bernians has really nothing to do with this. It numbers about 250,000 and a majority of its members belong to our organization. All its officers do, and s<» of course it will act with us. We have* lots of men in the regular army -camps or club in every post—ami even if they were sent against us to stop us on the* border they would either march across with ns or give* its blank cartridges. “If it is decided to attack Canada we* shall do nil in our power to keep matters so secret as m t to embarrass the Government until we are actually on the border. The* French population in Canada would Ik* with us, and there are* numbers of our own countrymen ready to welcome ns. Canada would be an easy mark. We would have* the Canadian Loyalists on the run in a week." Civil Marriages For the Philippines. Washington, Dee. 27. —General Otis has issued a decree* authorizing the cele bration "f civil marriages in the Philip pines. He cabled Secretary Root to that effect today and the Secretary' prompt ly approved the* action. Heretofore all marriages were celebrated by the* Catho lic Church, so that Protestants and non- Christians were prohibited from mar rying. The decree* does not interfere with the Catholics who may be married according to their own rites, but ex tends .the privilege of civil marriage* io those who desire it just- as is practiced in the United States. Killed on a Trestle. Andersen. S. ('., Dec. 27.—While James Join's, his wife, t wo children, and brother-in-laAv wen* walking on a high tresale near here last night, a train sud denly came* upon them. Mrs. Jones was killed, her hotly being horribly mangled. •Mr. Jones with e>ne* of the* children, jumped headlong into the* swamp be low. The brother-in-law also jumped, ami the other child fell through the tri'stle*. All were badly injured, hut it is thought they will recover. WHITES UNDER ARMS Desperate Negroes Threaten Fort White With Fire, Infuriated Because of the Kil ing by the Town Marshal of Tern tohite, a Negro Who Resisted A r r f st. Jacksonville, Fla., I >ee. 27. —There is much excitement at Fort White, a town thirty miles from here over the threats of the negro portion of the population to burn the* town. Tin* negroes are excited because of the killing of Tom White*, who resisted arrest by the* town mar-, shah The* marshal acted in self defense, and the shooting is regarded as justifia hie. The white people have armed them selves and arc on their guard. GEN. CARPENTER RETIRED. Vacancy Left by Lawton’s Death Will be Filled Next Week. Washington, Dec. 27. —Genteral Gil bert S. Carpenter who was recently eon firmed as brigadier general in the regu lar army, has beam placed on the retired list oil his own application, after 30 years’ active service. His retirement leaves two vacancies in the list of brigadier gener als, and results in promotions in every grade of the* line. The two vacancies in the list of brigadier generate* will lie tilled on the re-assembling of Congress, by the promotion ami retirement of sev eral officers who nave distinguished themselves in action in the recent w ar. It is popularly supposed that Generals MacArtliur, Wilson, Le*e\ Wheeler, Bates, Young, Ludlow and Wheaton, all of whom hold volunteer -commissions, are to lie* made* brigadier generals in the reg ular establishment a.nfd that all but two of the number will he immediately re* tired. General Mae*Arthur will un doubtedly Ik* retained in active service, 'but the re us less certainty as to the iden tity of the other general officer to lie retained. The death of General Lawton left a vacancy in the* list of Major Gen erals of volunteers, which wifi be filled by the promotion of cither General Bates, General Young o* General Wheat on, all of whom are on duty in the Phil ippines. The appointment will be made early next week. RACE RIOT AT RIDGELAND. Two Negroes and a White Man Killed. Atlanta, Ga., Dee. 27. —A Constitution special from Oulumbiu, S. says: “News has reached here of a race riot at Rielgehuul, Buford county, in which, two negroes and a white man were killed and several others wounded. Ridge-hind is a small town on the coast, thickly populated by negroes.” Beveridge on the Guay Case. Indianapolis, Tad., Dee. 27.—Senator Beveridge today made* the following statement concerning Senator Quay: “The talk about Quay not having vote's enough to mvt him is nonsense, so are the* claims that he* has enougn wluit tlie* situation is: Nobody knows, what the situation is:. Nobody knows, for example, how I shall vote*. I know that a great many other Sena tors are* in exactly the same situation. The whole matter is a pure question of constitutional construction. All this talk about corrupt elections, has nothing to do with the case*. Quay is not claim ing through an election. He* is claim ing through an appointment by the* Gov e*rnoi*. The question is whether or not the* Geivernor 'had a constitutional right to appoint him. 1 have* not had time yet to give that ejucstiou tin* •special study which its immense* importance deserves. When 1 have done so, I shall know liow 1 shall vote, for that consideration and that consideration 'alone will determine the 1 matter. This also is the ease with a great number of other Senators.’’ DSSFOfiTH TALKS OF THE CAMPAIGN Bryan Will Head the Ticket of Course. SILVER’S LOST GROUND TRUSTS AND IMPERIALISM FILL THE HORIZON. THINKS ALL DEMOCRATS CAN UNITE NOW Chicago Will Hardly Get the Natiq/ial Conven thn, Which Mr. Danforth T' inks Will Meet Either at Kansas City or Milwaukee, New York. Dec. 27.—Elliott Danforth, Chairman of the Democratic State Com mittee*, returned to New York today after a trip through the South during which lie* talke d wit h Senator James K. Jones, Chairman, of the National Committee, and most of the chairmen of tin* South ern Democratic Sitate commit; os. This afternoon Mr. Danforth gave an Evening Post reporter the result of his observa tions and some information about next year's national campaign. “I found,” he said, “that the senti ment w as generally in favor of selecting some Western city other than Chicag. as the place for holding the National Convention. The members of the Na tional Committee have a strong feeling against Chicago on account of the. treat ment they have received from the news papers there since they established head quarters in the city in 1890. It looks now as if either Milwaukee or Kansas City will secure tin* National Convention. Milwaukee seems to be in the lead. "I also discovered that there is a gen eral feeding in favor of establishing the headquarters of the* National Committee in Washington. Senator Jones favored Washington in IS!H>. but gave way to Mr. Bryan who*was in favor of Chicago. In my trip through the* South 1 observed hue thing which will he- considered of particular interest in New York, namely that some of the leaders seemed disposed io insist on free silver as the* main issue of the campaign next year. They did not say that they had abandoned tin? It! to 3 idea, but they acknowledge that tin- situation had changed since 1890, and that the dominant issues next year will he trusts and imperialism. That is let say. tlie*y are unwilling to repudiate the* Chicago platform, but they see that new issues of far-reaching importance have* come up lately and that they should lie recognized. Even in Stafe*s like* North Carolina 1 found thu the anti trust and anti-imperialism ideas engaged the attention of the people more than the* free silver issues. In fact. I might: sum up m.v observations by saying that the sentiment of Democracy in the South is such that I am confident there will be little* trouble in bringing about a union of the Democracy of the whole country next yon*. “The* Democratic National Conven tion.” said Mr. Danforth, “will be held a short time after the Republican Con vention. according to custom. No mat ter wh n it is held there is no doubt about iihe head of the ticket. Every where* I heard only Mr. Bryan’s name mentioned. They are not talking about candidates for Vice* Frosieb nt yet. An Eastern uym will probably lie se lected.'’ LOCKETT ROUTS THE ENEMY. Puts to Flight Filipinos Entrenched Near Mentalban. Manila. l)e<*. 27. —10:15 p. in. —Colonel Lockett, with a force* of 2.5(H). including artillery, this morning attacked a strong force of insurgents entrenched in the mountains near Mentalban, about five* miles northeast of San Mateo. The enemy was completely routed, the Ameri cans pursuing them through the hills, amid which they deal in every direction. Four Americans were wounded. The* Filipino loss was large*, resulting from a heavy infantry and artillery fire for three hours into the* trenches. It is supposed that the insurgents wens those driven out of San Mateo on Hie* day General Lawton was killed. They numbered probably a thousand. A dozen line's of insurgent trenches covered the* steep trail through the hills and likewise the valley below, along which -the Americans passed. The main attacking party consisted of the Forty sixth volunteer infantry, a troop of cav alry mid artillery. Colonel Lockett com manding in person. The* rest of the com mand operated from remote points in an endeavor to carry out Colonel Lockett’s plan of throwing his line around the enemy and thus cutting off retreat. The nature of the mountainous coun try made it impracticable to execute this movement successfully. After the insurgents began to run there was a vain attempt to use artillery. 10:50 i*. m.—-It now appears that one* American was killed in the attack upon the Su’oig garrison yesterday by General A nta Ana. A CRUSHING DEFEAT. Washington. Dee*. 27. —Mail advices have reached the War Department in regard to the crushing defeat adminis tered h.v Wheaton’s brigade to the in surgents ne*ar San Jacinto, early in No vember in which engagement Major PRICE FIVE CENTS John A. Logan. Jr., l.ist his life. Ac •ordimr to the correspondent of tin* Manila Amerie die Thirty-third iu antry, under f Hare, eneounterod a force of the „»7 o tween San Fabian and Han Jn J brought on one* of the* shnrpe <* r merits of the war, re sulting i> ith of more* insurgents than ir \ tier fight since the Im>- ginnin v *0 insurrection. Th A raged for two hours, and at : •y' t'siein 77 dead Filipinos were fotii.V .ho trenches. Many wounded were t« id hidden in the high grass and •reck bottoms. It is estimated that over 100 insurgents were killed in -the* tight, from 20 to 30 being found dead together in several places. Twenty-nine prison ers ami 100 ritle*s were captured. The* Americans lost one officer killed and six men wounded. Tin* officer kille*el was Major John A. Logan, Jr., who was shot through the head during the first few minutes of the engagement, while at tin* head of his battalion which formed an advance* guard. lie* was in tin 4 act of assist ing a wounded soldier and was hit by a Mauser bullet, fired by a sharpshooter concealed in the top of a coeoanut 'i* v. He* die el a few hours later. 0 Coffee From the Plague Ship. New York, Dec. 27. —President Mur phy, of tin* Board of Health, at the meeting of the -hoard today, decided that the coffee which arrived on the bubonic infected vessel, J. W. Taylor, should be permitted to land. He decided that the coffee should be roasted in Brooklyn. DUEL ill THE STREET Two Men Dead and a Third May Die. Jesse Harden Cuts His Uncle's Throat From Ear to Ear. Came of Affray Unknown. The Parties Prominent. Huntsville*, Ala., Dec. 27. —In a stree*t duel at Deposit today two men were killed and a third probably fatally wounded. James Harden’s throat was cut from ear to ear by his nephew Jesse Harden. The former is dead. John C. Harden, a brother of the dead man. was serious ly cut by Jesse Harden, and as the* fight was drawing to a close, Mac Russell dis charged a haul of buckshot into the abdo men of Jesse Harden, causing death. All the* parties are well known and prom inent in politics. The cause of the light is not known. THE “SHADOWING” OF JURORS. Recorder Goff Protests Against it in the Molineux Trial. New York, Doc. 27. —Two things of interest, if not of importance, were de veloped at die trial of Boland B. Molineux today. The first incident was the protest made l>y Recorder Goff against the policy of “shadowing” adopted by the District Attorney. The jurors claimed that a defective lias been assigned to each member, and that the "shadows' had allowed their zeal to outrun their discretion. Assistant District Attorney Mclntyre in explaining the action of the District Attorney’s office said that fifteen de tectives had been selected to watch the members of the jury, lie said that it was the custom to employ men so “shadow” jurors during an important murder ease. It. is understood, however, that orders will be issued to “shadows” to give the jurors its little l trouble as possible in the future l . I iie* other incident of interest occurred during the cross-examination of Hand writing Expert Ames, of Sau Francisco, who is tile author of a book on “Biblical Myths.” Assistant District Attorney Osborne objected to this line of examination, and he Uecoreler rules that the law allowed no religious test of a witness. The day was largely devoted to techni cal examination of Handwriting Ex perts Ames and Tyrrell. Nothing new of importance was developed. TORPEDO BOAT STOCKTON. A Sister Boat to the Shubrick Launch ed at Richmond. Richmond, Ya., Dec. 27.—Despite the fact that it was snowing heavily, a large crowd assembled at the Trigg shipyard here this afternoon to witness the launching of the torpedo boat Stockton. 1 lit* Stockton is a sister boat to the Shubrick which was launched at the Trigg yard some weeks ago. Missi Katherine Stockton, the oldest un married daughter of the oldest son of Commodore Stockton, christened the boat, and the affair went off without the slightest hitch. The Stockton is 175 foot long, of 17 feet beam and 4 fern: S inches draft, and is expected to make on her trial trip 2d knots. BOUGHT BY THE DUKES. Ninety-Four Thousand Acres of Land in Lake County, Fla. Leesburg, Fla., Dec. 27.—Ninety four thousand acres of land have been recent ly purchased in Lake county, this State, by the Dukes of North Carolina. They expect to cut off and utilize the timber, plant the land in tobacco and eventually run a railroad across the country to eonueet with the Florida East Coast Railway.