North Carolina Newspapers

The Weather Today: The News and Observer. VOL. LIV. NO. 30. (Losi'fe ©DO lisDcmcp-iIDD GBfflcpcoiOoon® fPapso 0 © 800 [©©UDd sqddgD (BBreocOaiil^OD A DOUBLE HEADER RUSHES TO DOOM A Misunderstanding in Orders Results in Wreck and the Instant Killing of Four Men, ENGINEER LEAPS. DIES* Had He Remained on His Engine He Would Have Been Saved. Scene of the Derailment on the Southern Near Besse mer City. (Special to News and Observer.) Bessemer City, X. C , Oct. 28.—Thi* j morning about half past eight o'clock, about a quarter of a mile from this place, occurred one of the most disastrous wrecks the Southern Railway Company has suf fered in many years, when a double header through freight train running at a rate of speed of something like forty or fit' ! y miles an hour, ran into a newly made switch, killing four people, injuring two and completely demolishing engine No. 1103 and ten box cars loaded chiefly with cotton and lumber. „ , The following is a list of the dead: T. J. PETTUS, engineer, Charlotte. MARION McCOMBS, mill operative, Gastonia. J. B. HIGGINS, colored fireman, Blacks burg. JOHN THOMPSON, colored fireman, Spencer, N. C. The injured are: P. S. Phaff, brakeman, badly scalded and slightly bruised on face and arms; condition favorable. C- E. Tate, engineer on engine 1103, slightly bruised. Mr. T. F. Ray, of Gastonia, who was traveling with his friend. McCombs, and who was riding under a - box car next to the engine that was destroyed, was pull ed out of the wreckage, strange to say, without a scratch or a bruise. It has been somewhat of a difficult matter to ascertain the real cause of the wreck. Many of those in position to know differ wonderfully concerning it. It seems, however, that the flagman who was stationed with the workmen, a dis tance of a quarter of a mile this side of i Bessemer City, where they were either making a new switch or repairing an old one, had express orders to flag all trains except .‘it'), the fast mail. About the time 38 was sunnosed to be due the flagman, not knowing that it was two hours and a half late, started up towards Bessemer City, and while going he heard a train blow. Thinking it was 36 and knowing that it would stop at Bessemer City, he made no special effort at haste. When he reached the curve of I the road, about 100 yards this side of Bessemer City station, he beheld to his great surprise a double header freight dashing down the rail at a wonderfully high rate of speed. He flagged the train, but with no effect, because it was too near its doom, and the two engines puffing and panting, went hurriedly on to meet the inevitable. The death of all the railroad employes is deeply regretted, but the death of En gineer T. J. Pettus, of Charlotte, is par ticularly sad inasmuch as he could have been a live man at this moment had he not jumped from his engine, for the en gine on which he was seated was not in the least damaged by the wreck. He did though what he thought best, but his act cost him his life. All during the day great crowds have been at the scene of the wreck. It took until late this evening to remove all the debris, hence all trains going north were greatly delayed- Second Repoit cf the Disaster. (Special to News and Observer.) Charlotte, N. C., Oct. 28. —No. 74, a j northbound freight train on the Southern ; Railway, running a> a double-header, wa.s wrecked a short distance north of Besst- j mer City, early this morning, four men ; being killed as a result of the accident: I Engineer T. J. Pettus. colored fireman, C. j K. Higgins; John Thompson, unknown , t ramp. Injured slightly, Engineer C. E. Pate and Brakeman Pfaff- Tlie accident from details learned here ( wa-s a peculiar one due to an unusual cause. One of the many section gangs of the Southern Railway was at work on the track just uortli of Bessemer City. A rail, it is said, had been loosened by the gang and the engineers failed to re ceive 'proper warning. The two engines and ten cars were wrecked. The momentum of the train was very great, as it was running at a speed of perhaps thirty miles an hour, and wheu the engines left the track the terrible i force of the heavy freight behind crush ed and broke the big engines and the front cars piling them into a huge mass of debris and WTeekage. As soon as the wreck occurred assistance was wired for from Charlotte, and local aid summoned from Bessemer City. A special train left Charlotte shortly after the wreck, which occurred at 8:15 this i morning. On the train were Superintend ent H. Baker, of the Southern, a physi cian and ethers. Tom Pettus. the dead engineer, was well known u*re. He was married only i FOB BOOTH ) f CAROLINA, i Fair; Warmer. a few years ago and leaves a wife and child to mourn his loss. , Engineer Pettus ran between Spencer and Greenville, his home being in the. lat ter city. HOW FABKS BELD ’EM UP. " A Curious Combination of Czar and Eighway man according to Witnesses. (By the Associated Press.) New York, Oct. 28. —The first witness called in the present trial of Samuel Parks on the charge of extortion was Benjamin Thackara, who took the stand when court opened today. Thackara is the man who, it is alleged, was sent by the Tiffany corporation to see Parks to ascertain why the men employed by it stopped work on some buildings in this city last December. He told of his meet ing with Parks and of having asked him why the men had stopped work. Parks said, according to the witness, “Tiffany is fined SSOO and if you’re not prepared tc settle, send Tiffany to sec me.” Thackara said that he asked Parks to go and see Tiffany but that the accused replied: “You go back and tell Tiffany to go David Frazee, general superintendent, employed by the Tiffany studios, told of his interview with Parks in a saloon when Parks again said that Tiffany was fined SSOO. Later in the same day Frazee ac companied by Louis Schmitt, cf the Tiff any corporation, visited Parks in his own homo. Schmitt asked Parks, the witness said, why the “fine” of SSOO was imposed and Parks replied: “Now you’re fined SSOO and you are getting off light. It ought to be SI,OOO. I am not in this business for my health and you’re getting off easy.” Schmitt, according to the witness, then said: ”\Ve have to pay this money in order to do business.” “That’s about it,” said Parks, “but it is for ‘initiation’; that sounds better.” Louis Schmitt’s story of the interview with Parks was in the main corroborative of Frazee’s testimony. Parks told them that the fine should be paid and until it was not a bit of work would be done on the Tiffany jobs. The witness .-aid that Parks’ reply to his question as to whom the money would go, was “It goes to Sam Parks, and you can go to any of the firm that have done business with me arcl find out that Sam Parss’ word goes.” Schmitt testified that Parks refused to accept a check, when he suggested that method of paying the “fine,” - “You don’t think that I was born yes | terday. I want bills and you can them marked by Tiffany or Jerome or any one you like.” A stir went around the court room when the witness told of Parks' saying that he could employ non-union men. ” ‘Why, the union men will kieV I said to him,” the witness declared. “ ‘Never mind,’ replied Parks. ‘l’ve got 'those muzzled and if any one of them objects I will fine him SSO nr.i he can't get another job in the city’.” Schmitt then testified that he had gone alone to Parks’ residence .two days later and handed Parks an envelope containing the SSOO in bills and gold. Parks then said that the men would resume work the following morning, whieh they did. UHTBUF, DEOHBEB DI*Z He Eaya Hii Lifd Was Not Attempted by Toacano. (By the Associated Press.! | Mexiqo City, Oct. 28. —General Mena, j the only minister now in the capital, has received a message from President Diaz, | saying that the reported attack oil bis life jis absolutely untrue. He says Toscano ; was drunk and took a sensational way .of | celebrating. No one, not even the car I occupied by the President was hit. FJUB STICKS OF DYNAMITE Evidently an Attempt to Blow Up the Station (By the Associated Press.) Seattle, Wash.. Oct. 28.—Four sticks of dynamite with fuses attached, all ready lor lighting, have been found underneath the Tacoma-Seattle inter-urban railway station. The find caused great excitement, owing to recent explosions at night at nearby points, which, however, did no damage. The police think the station was to have been blown up tonight. American Railway Association (By the Associated Press.) Richmond, Va., Oct. 28.—The American Railway Association met in semi-annual session here this morning. About 125 dele gates. representing 279 railroads in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with 211.664 miles of trackage, were in attend ance. There were two sessions of the organiza tion today, both executive. No officers will be elected until the next convention, in April. The morning session was taken up with KALEIOH. NORTH CAROLINA. THURSDAY MORNINO. OCTOBER. 29. 1903. organization, electing new members and hearing the reports of some of the nine standing committees—executive, train rules, car service, arbitration, safety ap pliances, interlocking and block signals, statistical inquiry, standard dimensions of box cars and cipher code. The afternoon session was consumed by the reading of reports left over from the morning session and by a discussion of v he suggestions therein contained. A Raci Track Tangle. (By the Associated Press.) New York, Oct. 28.—The most compli cated affair in the history of an eastern race track occurred after the running of the last race at Aquenduct today. Stone wall, Oarsman and Payne finished heads apart, but Redfern, riding Oarsman, claim ed a foul, asserting that he had been bumped. He was followed by Higgins on Payne, who also made a claim of inter ference. After deliberation the judges and stewards disqualified Stonewall and placed Oarsman first, Payne second and Bob Hil lard, who ran last the entire distance and was beaten twelve lengths, third Akela, who, it is claimed caused the trouble finished fourth, but was disquali fied and Squid, the fifth horse, was com pletely overlooked in the placing. Two track records were broken today. Emergency, who won the Belle Rose stakes, clipped a fifth of a second off the old mark for five furlongs, while Lord I Badge reduced the mile to 1:40 2-3. Killed the Wife Instead of Husband. (By the Associated Press.) Jacksonville, Fla., Oct. 28.—While at tempting to secure her husband, who lived near Jennings, Fla., a mob of men shot to death Jennie McCall, a negro woman last night. The mob surrounded McCall’s house, and thinking he was inside, fired a volley into the house, instantly killing the wo man- A posse is reported to be in pursuit of the assailants. Georgetown Defaat* the Navy. (By the Associated Press.) Annapolis, Md., ct. 28.—Georgetown de feated the Navy today by a score of 12 to 5. Several of the midshipmen were slightly injured during the contest but none seriously, it is thought. LOU SLASHES TIME ho Do the Monk and Eauity, All Making Ntw Rt cord 5 :. (By the Associated Press.) Memphis, Tenn., Oct. 28. —The eight day meeting of the Memphis Trotting Associa tion was brought to a fitting close this af ternoun with the breaking of two addi tional world's trotting records. Lou Dil lon, Mr. Billings’ champion trotter, driven by her owner, went a mile to wagon in two minutes fiat, cutting a second and three quarters from the previous record made by herself, and the Monk and Equity, driven by Mr. Billings, their owner, low ered the world’s trotting record of 2:09*4 for the mile to pole to 2:08. The per formance of Lou Dillon in the mile trial to wagon was even more spectacular than the trial against time last Saturday, when she negotiated a mile in l:5S*/&. The trial today was made with the customary twt> runners to set the pace and the forward sulky carried a wire dust screen. As the horses drew near the last eighth pole the speed of the little mare was so terrific that Mr. Billings drew her from behind the forward sulky, driven by Doc Tanner, and the finish was made in a drive with the two runners alongside of the trotter, and all three horses flashing under the wire the barest noses apart. The start was made on the first trial and the quarter was reached in 29*4 seconds, the half in 59*4; three quarters in 1:29*6, and the mile in exactly two minutes. The spec tators gave the speedy little mare a great demonstration. The Monk and Equity, driven by Mr. Billings, went a mile in easy fashion to pole in 2: OS with a single runner, driven by Doe Tanner, to set the pace. At the quarter the time was caught in 32*4, the half was made in 1:04: three quarters in 1:36 and the mile in 2:08. J. K. Jones Predicts Victory (By the Associated Press.) New York. Oct. 2S. —At Tammany head quarters it was announced that former Senator James K. Jones, of Arkansas, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, had called at Mr. McClellan’s headquarters today nd expressed himself s satisfied that the Democrats were going tb win a tremendous victory. “The Democrats arc very fortunate in having a candidate of Colonel McClellan’s mental calibre,” said Mr. Jones. “His election is assured and will meet with the universal approval of Democrats throughout the country.” five Deaths, Fifteen New Cases. (By the Associated Press.) Laredo, Texas. Oct, 28.—A heavy rain last uight has complicated the yellow fever situation here. The official bulletin today shows the following results: New cases 15, deaths 5; total cases to date 580; total deaths 51. D. T. Roye, Superintendent of the Mi nera Mines, was stricken. today. Condi tions are bad at Monterey. There were five deaths and six cases there last Sunday and ten deaths and six cases on Monday. J UHION VETERAN of cm DIES Mayor Robert M, Thompson of Guilford County. FOR RIVERS ANDHARBORS Amount Expanded by ihe Government in This State —Funds Still Available. The Prcjec's for Bitter Waterways in the Fast, (Special to News and Observer.) Washington, D. C., Oct. 2S.—Major Rob ert M. Thompson, a native of Guilford county, N. C., died at his home in this city yesterday and will be buried to morrow. He served as Major in the Sixth Tennessee Union cavalry regiment dur ing the war, and was prominent in G. A. R. circles. During the last twelve yea’s until recently he resided in Brooklyn, N. Y., holding a position under the immi gration bureau. About a year ago he was transferred to another branch of the service. CHANGE OF SCHEDULES. An important change in schedules will go into effect Sunday on the main line of the Southern Railway. Two new trains (Nos. 33 and 34) will be put on between Washington and Charlotte, and a change made in the schedule of No. 39 (Atlanta Express), principal train out of Washing ton going South. Instead of leaving here at 9 a. m. as at present, it will leave at 7:10, reaching Greensboro 4:05, Charlotte 6:55 a. m.. and Atlanta 4:35 p. m. Also Reidsville, High Point, Thomasville and Lexington will be added to regular stops of this train. No. S 3, the new train out of Washing ton. will leave at 9 n. m., arrive at Greensboro 6:20 and Charlotte 9 a. m- No. 34, return train will leave Charlotte 9 p. m, Greensboro 11:59, arriving Wash ' ington 10:15 a. m. These trains will car iry sleeping cars and stops will be made iat Reidsville, Greensboro, High Point, j Thomasville, Lexington, Salisbury an.l !Concord. f An cider was issued today transferring | the line from Salisbury to Norwood and : l nion Copper Mines from the Asheville | to the Charlotte division of the system. I GILLESPIE’S ANNUAL REPORT 6..6 INSERT MERRITT. Washington, D. C.. October 28. The annual repoit of General Gillespie, chief of engineer’s, U. S. A. shows that during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1903, the government spent in North Carolina for river and harbor improvements a to tal of slOl 287.53, distributed as follcVs: Cape Fear (at and below Wil mington) S6S, 332.60 Neuse and Trent rivers S 029.74 Scuppernong river .... 6,991.90 Northeast and Black rivers 5,493.1? Pamlico an.l Tar rivers 4,947.13 Waccamaw and Little Pee Dee.. 1,891.33 Fishing Creek 1,488.22 Beaufort harbor 1,150.69 Cape Fear (above Wilmington).. 352.23 Contentnia creek 251.62 New River 138.07 Beaufort to New River harbor.. 119 96 Town creek , 97.55 Newbern-Beaufort waterway ... 3.67 Os current appropriations unexpended and still available there is $223,190.63 as follows: Cape Fear (at and below Wil mington) $85,933.13 Cape Fear (above Wilmington.. 49.647.77 Pamlico and Tar rivers 30.089.15 Neuse and Trent rivers 12,171.55 Beaufort and New' river harbor.. 10.329.68 Ocracoke Inlet 8,145.75 Waccamaw and Little Pee Dee.. 7,61194 Newbern-Beaufort waterway .... 6,300.00 Northeast and Black rivers 4,847.53 New river 3,233.29 Beaufort harbor 2,129.97 Scuppernong river 1,942.44 Fishing creek 522.88 Contentnia creek 286.55 On these rivers and harbors the chief engineer thinks $622,000 may be profitably expended by the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1905, as follows: Cape Fear (above Wilmington)... .$250,000 Cape Fear (at and below Wilming ton) 236,000 Neuse and Trent rivers 37,200 Pamlico and Tar rivers 33.100 Waccamaw and Little Pee Dee.... 27.500 Beaufort to New river harbor .... 11,325 Northeast and Black rivers 10,850 Scuppernong river 5,000 Beaufort harbor 4,225 Newbern-Beaufort waterway 4,100 Contentnia creek 1.800 Fishing creek 1-000 To complete existing projects the fol lowing amounts will be required: Cape Fear (above Wilmington). .$1,300,000 : Cape Fear (at and below il mington) SBo,ooo Neuse and Trent rivers 110,500 Newbern-Beaufort waterway .... 5.,000 Waccamaw and Little Pee Dee.. 53,000 Scuppernong river 4,000 Tlie improvements that have been and; are being made by the government in i North Carolina rivers and streams con-j sist of the removal of obstructions u j navigation and dredgiug to deepen •’nci; widen the channel ot the stream. V. hen | improvement began many oi the large* rivers were badly obstructed by old war blockades, and all of them bv snags, logs, and fallen timbers. These have now all removed, the channels deepened »ind the commerce carried ton them increased- Though considerable work has been done on the proposed waterway between (Continued on Page Five.) OUGGEHS Mk ,7:5- | BLOOD OF A PRINCE iGalliizin Wounded by the Blades of Assassins, COSSACkS TO THE RESCUE Ouring the S'ruggle the Prince’s Carriage is Whirled Away and the Assassins in Attemp’ing to Fly are Shot Dtwn. (By the Associated Press.) Tiflis, Russia, Trans-Caueasia, Oct. 28- —Prince Galitzin, Governor-General of the | Caucasus, had a narrow escape from as- I sassination yesterday on the outskirts of the town. Three natives stabbed the gov ! ernor-general thrice. They fled but were i subsequently shot down by Cossacks. Prince Galitzin was driving with his wife when the would-be assassins rushed . upon the carriage, daggers in hand. Two I seized the Governor-General and attempt ed to drag him from the vehicle, while the ' third man inflicted two ugly wounds on : the Fiance's head and a third cut on the I hand. i A Cossack who was in attendance upon' : the Prince, threw himself upon the assail ants. While a hand-to-hand fight was in progress, the carriage was driven off at a gallop. Uutimately, the assailants lied, followed by a mounted guard of Cossacks, who had hurried to the scene. The Cossacks chased the fugitives through the brush, firing constantly with their rifles. They killed one man in stantly. The other two were shot down and died soon afterward. After his injuries had been .dressed. Prince Galitzin attended a reception given by the citizens of Tiflis. There is little doubt that the thickness i of thi- cap worn by the Prince saved his ' life. EIGHTEEN TO NAUGHT L -lemson Thus Uses Up the A. and M, Team at Columbia. (Special to News and Observer.) Columbia, S. C., Oet. 2S.—ln the game of football today between A. and M. and j Clemson, A. and M. was defeated by a score of eighteen to nothing- The score, however, (joes not indicate the true strength of the two teams. A and M. gained much ground on Clemson and repeatedly carried the ball from one | end of the field to the other only to lose on a fumble. Clemson made all her ground on trick and fake plays: she could do nothing to A. and M. on straight foot. The features of the game were the work of Shannonhouee, Gardner, who played with a lame knee, and Welscb. For Cle| - ] son, Sadler, Sitton and Maxwell were stars. — DOWIE AS A POLITICIAN. Roids Balanca of Power in Chicago. Will Hold ! it in New York i (By the Associated Press.) I New York. Oct. 28. —John Alexander Dowie addressed a slim audience at the I early service today on the “eleventh com mandment,” his own addition Ij<> the cata logue, the wording being, “Love ye one : another.” At the “healing service’’ later, Dowie I said: “We have visited nearly every house in i New York, and we could d* it eight times in a year. It would take the churches ten , years to djo that.” After an attack on church newspapers, I he continued: "For many years I have held the bal ance of political power in Chicago and I control over 50,000 votes there. Whatever way I say the election shall go, it g>es and I shall have the some power here ; some day.” Fifty thousand votes would ; control the situation here if I had them, j and in five years I shall control that num ; her in this city. Dowie today settled with Robert M. Farley, who sued him for $1,060 for his legal services in defending the Dowie fol lower arrested for allowing his child to ! die without a doctor. Dowie has decided i so end his campaign in New York one week earlier than originally planned, ac- I cording to a notice posted at Madison Square Garden this afternoon. This was an announcement that all excursions from New York to Zion City will leave on Mon day, November 2. Five Killed in Street Fighting. I Bilba, Spain, Oct. 28.—During fighting, | which took place in the streets, five | strikers were killed and a large number | were wounded. The troops are guarding tlie banks and public buildings and are occupying trategi-; positions throughout the city in order to prevent the massing of strikers. Washington, Oct. 28.—William Farr, of Nashville, Tenn., who was indicted in that city, was arrested here today at the in let a n.ce of Post office Inspectors on a warrant charging him with using the mails for fraudulent purposes. PHKTE FIVE CENTS. •c::.0 BE BUILI Bl FEDERAL FUNDS Even if Not Placed Under Federal Control. THE LEVEE CONVENTION j This Body Pass?s Resolutions as Above, Favors Proposed Waterway from the Great Lakes to the Gulf and Then Adjourns, (By the Associated Press.) New Orleans, Oct. 28.—The Inter-State Mississippi River Improvement and Levee Association concluded its session tonight after adopting a series of resolutions m favor of government jurisdiction of the levee or adequate appropriations for their j speedy construction, if government con trol is not advisable, and indorsing the proposed waterway from the Great Lakes to the Gulf, and the Chicago sanitary canal as a part of that project. The fea ture of the morning session was Judge Robert S. Taylor’s appeal against the proposed movement for government own ership. At the opening of tlie afternoon session 1 the report of the Committee on Resolu tions was presented as follows: "Resolved, That in the judgment of this ; convention, the protection of the Missis sippi Valley from floods is of such na tional importance as to make it the duty of the general government to undertake it and press it to the speediest possible completion. If for any reason the ex ercise of some purisdiction at this time by the general government should not be deemed advisable then this convention urges most earnestly that Congress make at its approaching session such appropria tions as are recommended by the Missis sippi River Commission in its recent re port . ‘‘Resolved further, That the system of river improvements in the Valley of the j Mississippi, from its head waters to the | Gulf, and in the valley of the Ohio and other tributaries now provided for, and these which may hereafter be provided for by Congress, under the supervision of tlie United States engineers, moves our hearty commendation and should be pressed to completion without unnecessary delay. ‘‘Revived, That the attention of Con gress is invited to the serious disasters which have befallen those residing at or near St. Louis, Kansas City and other localities by reason of the recent great floods, and the Secretary of War is re spectfully requested to cause an inquiry ; to be made with a view' to the .prepara tion of suitable plans for the prevention of a recurrence of such injuries; “Be it resolved. That the convention of delegates representing the States of the great Mississippi Valley, from Duluth to the Gulf of Mexico, gives its unqua 1; * , °'* approval to the movement for the struct ion of a waterway connecting Great Lakes at the North with the . sissippi River and the Gulf of Mexico j the South. “We recognize the expenditure of thi five million of dollars by the sanitary t trict of Chicago as a practical demonst tion in the furtherance of this proje We express the hope that the Senate and Representatives in Congress from t various States renresented in this co vention. will give their encourageme j and assistance to Congressional legislatit lin favor of the completion of the water j way, to which the Mississippi Valley States have already given their appeal, and to which the State of Illinois and the sani tary district of Chicago are commit. ..1 as a matter of policy and by great financial expenditures already made.” Tlie resolutions were received with applause and were unanimously adopted. A committee was appointed to memo rialize Congress with the resolutions adopted. Piesident Scott then introduced Hon. Charles S. Fairchild, of New York, who said that as the government had aided trans-continental railroad, had taken up irrigation of the West, and is planning an isthmian canal, he believed the levee pro ject should receive equal attention from it. Mr. Richard H. Edmonds, editor of the Manufacturers’ Record, followed Mr. Fairchild. He said in part: “Proper leveeing of the Mississippi River will bring into cultivable condition thirty thousand square miles of alluvial soil upon which with the prevailing meth odas, may be raised double the present cotton crop of the whole country. The world is crying for more cotton. England and the continent are seeking to develop its cultivation in the heart of Africa. Even the president of the New' England Cotton Manufacturing Association at its annual meeting a few weeks ago express ed the hope that cotton production might be increased in other countries in order to increase the world’s supply, but here is a region which may be reclaimed by national work, large enough to produce twice as much cotton as the whole South now grows—a region which could add a billion dollars a year to tlie agricultural output of the country. That, however, is but a part of the value of this work- Proper leveeing would not simply mean that adding of 20,000,000 acres or mote of the mest fertile soil iu the world to cur national domain, it would mean un told wealth added to the region drained by the Mississippi and its tributaries and the whole country. Can any man imagine that any country in Europe, with such an opportunity before it would hesitate for one moment in embarking upon a plan comprehensive enough to measure up to such unbounded possibilities?” (Continued on Page Five.)