North Carolina Newspapers

PtlW Sylvan News mio yott Can'-f Keep Tiobon a WorKfn^ Totttn; Lel’j VttU Together. UI^NEWS NOTES. JJ. MINER, Mgr. BREVARD, TRANSYLVANIA CO., N. C., FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20,1908. lVOL. XIII. NO. 47. PLANS OF WATERWAY BODY Canal Proposed Across Florida Peninsular for the Passage of Big Ships—Officers Elected for Ensuing Year. Columbus, Ga. — After a sessioa | narrov/est part of the peninsular could crowded with interesting features, the Mississippi-to-the-Atl antic Inland Wa- terwaj'-association adjourned to meet next year in the city of Jacksonville, Fla., at a date to be determined by the executive committee. The project of cutting the peninsu la of 'Florida in two by an east and west ship canal connecting the Atlan tic ocean and the Gulf of Mexico was the leading question before the con vention. Senator-elect D, U. Fletcher of Florida outlined the plans of the convention in a speech in which he said: “We must initiate waterway improvements in foreign countries by waterway improvements at home, if we maintain supremacy or even stand* ing in markets abroad. “It Is .believed that if each farmer would contribute for two years one cent for every bushel of corn and wheat he raises which would find its way through this canal, these contri butions would supply enough money to build the canal. This project is not new. The importance of a ship canal across the peninsula of Florida has long been directed to the attention of the maritine world. Such a canal would shorten about five hundred be selected, passing through a number of large lakes, and portions of rivers could De utilized. There are no engin eering diflBculties in the way. Nearly the whole work can .be done by float ing dredges. This canal would be a part of the contemplated inland wa ter circuit of the whole of the central and eastern part of the United States, east of the Rocky mountains. ‘One estimator says that the canal can be dug for $50,000,000. “It has been estimated also that more than 30,000,000 tons would pass through the canal yearly, which does not include the enormous traffic from Mexica, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, nor other countries which will use the Panama canal. A reasonable estimate for these other countries would be a total of 60,000,000 tons annually. “A complete national system of in- tercuastal canals ought to be construc ted as rapidly as possible. A transpor tation crisis is upon us. The demand for cheaper and quicked transporta tion must be answered.” The following officers were elect ed; President, Duncan U. Fletcher of Jacksonville, Fla.; vict president-at- large, Charles J. Swift of Columbus, miles the route from the Atlantic | Ga.; secreary, Leland J. Henderson, ocean into the Gulf of Mexico, espec ially to the gulf ports of the United States, and avoid the dangerous navi gation of the gulf stream through the Apalachicola, Fla.; secretary, G. A. Weterman, Pensacola, Fla.; honorary president, John Craft, Mobile, Ala., re tiring president. straights of Florida. By the construv-1 Vice presidents: Georgia, John A. dtraights of Florida. By the construe-1 Betjeman, Albany; Florida, J. H. travel of this northern continent | Drummon, St. Andrev/s; Alabama, G. w’ould be placed more than one thous-iG. Grosvenor, 'Montgomery; Mississip- and miles nearer to>the Central Amer-■ pa, Benjamin Humphries; Louisiana, ican rc;)ublics. [Warren B. Reid; Illinois, Robert Ish- “Tlie weight of opinion seems to be j am Randolph; vice president Nation- that a tide water canal is impractica- | al Rivers and Harbors Congress, S. ble because it would be impossible to 1 A. Thompson, Richmond, Ind. control the water and maintain uni- \ The name of the association was form depths. By the lock system the i changed from the Gulf Coast Inland canal controls the water, and the nav- j Waterways association to the Missis- igation is safe at all seasons. j sippi-to-the-Atlantic Waterw^ays asso- “Almost a straight line across the ! eiation. Horror Caused in (rermaay by Explosion of Fire Damp, Only Thirty-Five Miners Escaped. Hamm, Westphalia, Germany.—The r;reatGst mine disaster in many years in Germany occurred in the Radbod mine, about three miles from this place. There was a heavy explosion in the mine and almost immediately the mine took fire. There were three hundred and eighty miners working under the ground at the time, and on ly six escaped without injury. Thirty- five w'ere taken out slightly injured, and thirty-seven were dead v;hen brought to the mouth of the pit. The remaining three hundred and two have been given up for lost. The explosion, which was unusually violent, destroyed one of the shafts, which had to be partly repaired be fore the rescue work was begun. In addition, the flames and smoke proved almost insurmountable obstacles in the early efforts of the rescuing par ties. A special corps, composed of the men w'ho rendered such valuable aid in the terrible mine disaster at Coui- lieries, France, in March of 1906, ar rived on the scene shortly before noon, but were unable to enter the mine, being forced to await me re sult of the determined efforts of the firemen to keep the flames in check. Meantime heartrending scenes were being enacted at the mine when the dead and w'ounded were .brought to the surface, and there were similar scenes in the town where the injured were transported through the streets to the hospitals. It was decided that any attempt to rescue the entombed men was in vain, owing to the ir.ipossibliity of entering the galleries, and an order was issued to flood the mine. First reports indi cate that the accident was the result of an explosion of coal dust, but the statements of the injured men render this improbable, and it is not clear just what caused it. Of Twenty-Five P3r Cent is Asked by the Farmers* Union in Their Convention at New Orleans. New' Orleans, La.—The Farmers' Educational and Co-operative associa tion, in convention assembled, con cluded its consideration of the impor tant questions brought before it, and adjourned. The results of the convention may be summed up as follows: 'Resolution passed calling for the re duction of 25 per cent in the cotton crop and diversification of crops. Resolution unanimously adopted de nouncing “night riding.” Resolution passed calling for the warehouse system on an extensive scale and the formation of interstate companies. Resolution passed calling for the ap pointment of a committee of one from each state to confer with president of the United States relative to exten sion of rural free delivery and estab lishment of parcels post. • Authorized the building of a large central warehouse at New Orleans, where the planters of half a dozen or more states can store their cotton and hold it until they choose to sell. The committee representing the union in the warehouse matter fol lows; T. J. Brooks, Tennessee; G, R. Hightower, Mississippi; J. Z. Greene, North Carolina; J, W. Boyett, Jr., Louisiana; I.. H. O’Marion, Georgia, and L. H. Morris, Alabama. It was stipulated that the commit tee represcnnng the Farmers’ union should have at its disposal a million bales of cotton to sell whenever it deems the market capable of absorb ing that much. The matter of secur ing warehouse certificates for the cot ton and making them negotiable at lo cal banks was also placed in the com mittee’s hands. The convention also adopted a resolution urging all the states to ap point agricultural commissions such as exxist in Georgia. Li Sum Ling, editor of a paper at Hong Kong, China, addressed the con vention on trade relations between China and America. The address was mainly along the line of the advan tages which would .be enjoyed by both countries if closer trade relations were established between China and America. The delegates assembled here rep resented two million farmers, princi pally of southern states.. GOOD DTEWS FOR li^EMPLOYED. Reported That 600,000 Men Are Soon to Be Given Work. New York City.—The National As sociation of Manufacturers publishes in the current issue of American In dustries, its official magazine, a con tinuation of the statements on trade conditions contributed by its 3#000- members representing cv«ry branch of industry. The first series of these statements, showing improvement in commercial conditions, appeared in the October 15 issue of the magazine. Tli series now published indicates a con tinuation of this improvement and for the most part an optimistic view of the business outlook. Telegrams were also sent prior to the election to a number of Associa tions’ members, asking them to state specifically how many working m^n would be added to their present force by December 1, if nothing occurred to shake commercial confidence. A re sume of the information contained in these replies is also given by the mag azine as fololws: “The percentage of replies received indicate that an average of 135 men each will be added to the majority of manufacturing plants in the Associa tion by December 1. The percentage shows that at least one-half of the 3,- 000 members of the National Associa tion of Manufacturers expect to add to their present force more than 200,- OOO working men. “Taking this as a basia/^ says the article, “it is safe to assume that the 1^,000 manufactuories, which, accord ing to the census of 1900, employed an average of 100 men or over, each will add at least 50 per cent to the pres ent force; making a total in round fig ures of 650,000 men. In other words, with the continuance of business con fidence of ..6 ..6 ..6 ..6 ..6.... fidence the important manufacturing interests of the country will be ena bled to increase their present force by more than half a million workingmen to meet the market demands for their products. . PLUNGED TO HIS DEATH. Son of Henry Watterson Fell Nine? Stories and Was Killed. New York City.—Harvey W. Wat terson, a lawyer, and younger son ot Henry Watterson, editor of the Louis ville Courier-Journal, plunged to his death from the nineteenth floor of his office building at 37 Wall street. His body shot downward about one hun dred and ten feet and landed on the tool of a ten-story buildijig adje’ti-. ing. Almost every bone was broken, and the head crushed, and death was instantaneous. Louisville, Ky.—The news of the tragic death of Harvey W. Watterson created a profound impression in Lou isville, and the editor is sitting at his home benumbed by grief, while hundreds of telegrams from men of national prominence already, are pour- ins in, offering condolence and sympa thy. The bond between Mr. Watterson and .his son was an unusually strong one, their common interest in politics and national affairs beig very keen, ad the father’s satipfaction at the rapidly advancing career of the son was very great. CHIWE^BEATY PLANNED. United States and Japan to Respect jndependenc eof China. New York City.—The Herald gives prominence to a dispatch from Tokio that a report is prevalent in thee high financial circles close to the Katsura ministry that Secretary Root and Ba ron Takahira are negotiating a new treaty between the United States and Japan, the chief terms of which are that the high contracting parties shall respect the integrity and indepen dence of the Chinese empire; shall preserve the “open door” and shall agree that in default of a special ar rangement the passage of laborers of either nationality from the territory of one to that of the other shall be interdicted after it has been recog nized in the treaty that the presence of large numbers of loborers of each nation within the territory of the oth er is calculated to impair the friendly relations between the two states. FIVE FATAL WRECKS I Occurred in Various Parts of the Country in One D^y. 33 PERSONS WESE KILLED ColBsloi^ Near New Or!ec.ns Re»ulS;»£ in 11 Deaths—-Runaway Train au Wyozniiig Kills Nin'.. RATTLESNAKE GN MEND. For Gold Camp Borders When .Meat Was Exhausted. Sylvanite, New Mexico.—Sylvanlte, the newest gold camp of New Mexico, now considers itself strictly on the map in the matter of up-to-date dish es. The piece de resistance at one hotel recently was rattlesnake, and you can’t get that even in New York. The supply of fresh meat in the town ran out and the guests who pay $16 a day for board kicked for meat, william Godsmith, the proprietor, decided to have meat or bust, and hir ed everybody he could to go after rattlers. In three hours they got sev enty-eight snakes, for which they got 50 cents each. The snakes were great ly relished by the hungry guests. New Orleans, La.—It was a heavy price in human flesh and. blood that was paid for the errors of railroad trainmen when a Great Northern ex press crashed into the rear of a New Orleans and Northeastern local, at Lit tle Woods station, a fishing and hunt ing camp on Lake Pontchartrain, 12 miles from the city. Eleven dead and many more injured, some‘of them fatally, is the record of the wreck, which was attended (by un usually gruesome scenes in the for- bound swamps of the lake shore. To add to the horror of the situation, the wreck caught fire, and only the heroic work of the surviving passengers pre vented the cremation of those pinned down in the debris. No one on the Great Northern Ex press was seriously hurt, but those aboard the^ Northeastern local were not so fortunate. The nose of the big express engine had torn its way en tirely through the two rear coaches of the local, and the crash and the sound of splitting timbers was follow ed by the wails and groans of those pinned down in the wreckage wrought by the passage of the huge engine. Little Woods has no telegraph sta tion, and serious delay was experienc ed in getting a telephone message to New Orleans. Even then it was two hours before a rescue train arrived, and in the meantime the scenes around the smouldering wreck were heartrending. When the rescue party reached Lit tle Woods the scene that met their eyes was one of terror, desolation, death. The wreck had caught fire and the first efforts of the passengers and the few fishermen and hunters lounging around the Lake Pontchar train camp were directed toward sub duing the flames. In this they had^ .been partially successful, but little succor had been §iven to the badly injured and several of those died while lying beside the smoldering de bris. Rude bandages had been bound about their wounds in an effort to stop the fiow of blocd, and in many instances the later examination of the railroad surgeons showed that more than one life had been saved in this manner. None worked harder than the wom en passengers in this crude surgery. Tearing up underskirts, they hastily bathed the wounds of the injured and swathed them in bandages that stop ped the fiow of blood. It was the men who tore the cushions from the re maining seats of the wrecked coaches, but it was the women that tenderly laid out the injured upon them and gave their attention to nursing until the relief train arrived. The cause of the wreck will be defi nitely determined in an official investi gation by the authorities. Red Bluff, Cal.—In a collision be tween an automobile and a locomotive in this city four persons were killed and one slightly injured. The automobile carrying the Wil lard family and Mrs. Hayes was struck by the engine of a special train car rying General Superintendent Young and several division superintendets of the Southern Pacific railroad on a gen eral tour of inspection. Mr. and Mrs. G. K. Willard, their daughter. Miss Olive Willard, and Mrs. Irene Hayes were thrown a distance of 200 feet and killed. Miss Imogen Willard was thrown on the cowcatch er and was cut and bruised. The train men say that the automobile carried no lights. Boree, Wyo. — Nine persons are known to have lost their lives and three were seriously injured as the -result of a runaway freight train crashing into an engine on the Union Pacific railroad. Going down a steep grade, the train got beyond control and ran away for seven miles. With a deafening crasn that could be heard several miles, the engines came together. Thirty cars were piled in a heap and immediately caught fire. North'Bay, Ont.—The boilers of the lake steamer Temiskaming exploded as the vessel was making a landing at that village, killing five persons. Six men were badly scalded, but it is thought all will recover. Deep River, Conn.—Four are dead and many injured as a result of a train wreck near here. A work train carrying twentr-eight Italians ran into a freight. Bail was denied Charles W. Morse, the financier, who has been sentenced to fifteen years’ imprisonment at hard labor, and it now seems certain that the former multi-millionaire must re main in the Tombs prison at least un til December 3 next, when arguments on the writ of error that have been granted him may come up. Edward M. Morgan, postmaster of New York, who was shot by Eric H. B, Mackey, an escaped lunatic, - who then blew out his own brains, is on the road to recovery and his physi cians believe he will be out of danger cians believe he will be out in ten days or two weeks. Results obtained In tests of the Maxim silent firearms before the United States army board are report ed to have been encouraging, the ex plosion being only faintly audible. The muffling is obtained at some expense of velocity. Supposed yeggmen entered the insur ance and real estate office of W. A. Goldsmith at Greenville, S. C., chlo roformed the cashier and bookeep- er, T . E. McCullough, and went through his pockets. They found the keys to the safe, rifled the money drawer and set fire to the books and papers. The emperor of China, who has been suffering for nearly two weeks from an intestinal disorder, is report ed to be much worse. His majesty refuses foreign medical aid or to take foreign medicine. He is unusually weak, but in spite of this, he received the members of the grand council. He was propped up on pillows during the interview. Public business has been suspended on account of the indispo sition of the dowager empress. Instruction ■ in dancing is to be giv en Boston public school teachers. The department of school hygiene under Dr. T. L. Harrington is to institute classes in the Terpsichroean art at once. The dancing lessons are to be given to the aeachers in connection with the physical training of pupils of the normal, high and elementary schools. The French foreign office has been advised from Berlin that M. Camdon, the French ambassador, and Baron von Waechter, the acting secretary for foreign affairs have signed .. an agreement in settlement of the Casa blanca incident .The formula of settle ment as it was accepted consists of two declarations. The first provides that after the exchange of expressions of miitukl fe^et Th'ar the Intndent oc curred, the entire question of law and facts shall be submitted to the arbi tration of the Hague tribunal. The second declaration is that the country v/hose agents are adjudged at fault shall apologize to the other. President Castro of Venezuela has been advised by his physicians to go to Europe for medical treatment for the malady from which he is suffer ing. Whether he follows this advice or not depends upon the progress he makes toward recovery. Emperor and Empress Dse On Same Day THE PEOPLE TAKE IT QUIETLY Shortly After 5 O’clock, Sattird»7, the Emperor Breathed His Last— Prince Chun, His Brother, Now Bie* gent, May Be Accepted as Succes sor. Pekin, China, By Cable.—The Emperor of China died shortly aftei 5 o ’clock Saturday evening. As early as 3 o ^cloek iji the afternoon, . it was reported that the Emperoi. was so low that his death was re- TO HILL HEIi MOTaES. Daughter Employed Detective Who told Police of Murder Plans. Chicago, 111.—Miss Mac L. Otis, 36 years old, has been arrested, charged by the police with having instigated a plot to murder her mother, Mrs, Sarah Otis, 57 years old. According to the police, the mother was to have arrived in Chicago from Mauston, Wis., and a private detec tive, supposed by Miss Otis to be a “slugger,” had been employed to help her kill her mother. Instead of promoting the scneme, the detective notified Police t^otaln O’Brien. The mother is said to have money and life insurance, together worth $3,800. China’s Holer Dead. Washington, D. C.—Official notice of the death of the emperor of China has been received at the state department here and at the Chinest legation. He died suddenly in the imperial palace at Pekin, The emperor was but 25 years old and his health had been a matter of grave concern to the em pire. During the entire period of his reign his mother, the dowager em press, Tsu-Hsi, v/as the virtual ruler and she kept Kwang Su, who appears to have been a moral and mental weakling, in the background.The for eign legation in Pekin offered the ser vices of their skilled physicians, but their offers were declined by the em press dowager. DAMAGE BY FOREST FIBES. Hundreds of Thousands Worth of Tim ber Were Destroyed. Nashvile, Tenn.—^Forest fires are do ing great damage in this state. West ern Kentucky and Northern Alabama. Timber amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars have been de stroyed during the past ten days and the fires are reported to be still burn ing, and an immense amount of val- liabe timber in the West Tennessee river bottoms has been destroyed com pletely. In North Alabama, particularly in Limestone and Madison counties, large tracts of valuable timber and miles of fencing have been wiped out by the forest fires, which are still burning Man Dnde:y.es Fifteen Operations. New York City,—^William Smith, aged 38, is puzzling the medical fra ternity of Staten Island. He is a pa tient in St. Vincents Hospital, West New Brighton, W^'ithin a year Smith has undergone fifteen operations and he is now being prepared for a series of others. His hair has turned white as snow. He has been operated on for appandicitis, intestinal trouble and stomach trouble, has had his right foot and leg amputated and in the course of a few days will have his left leg taken off above the knee. By the time this has healed his right arm will be amputated and later his left arm will have to come off. He is suf fering from tuberculosis of the bone. Washington. President Roosevelt has issued in vitations for a notable “labor legisla tion” dinner to be held at the white house ^Tuesday, November 17. The guests will include many national la bor organization chiefs, several prom inent judges and executive officials, but it is understood President Gom- pers. Secretary Morrison, Vice Presi dent O’Connell and Treasurer Len- non of the American Federation of Labor, are not included. Postmaster General Meyer has es tablished a new division of the rail way mail service with headquarters at New Orleans, and has appointed H. M. Robinson as assistant aupertnten- dent of the new divisian. It will be known as the twelfth division and will comprise the states of Mississip pi and Louisiana and such railway postoffice lines outside of those states as may be assigned to it. Mr. Robin son was formerly assistant superinten dent of posts at Manila. The formal opening of the War col lege was signalized by an important address by Secretary Root, popularly known as the “father of the institu tion.” On account of the limited ca pacity of the lecture hall in wJiiich the exercises were held, the attendance was limited to the president and mem bers of his cabinet, members of the diplomatic corps, the officers of the army, navy and marine corps, and other leading officials of the govern ment. The New York Shipping company of Camden, N. J., was the lowest bid der for constructing the battleshhip Utah. Their proposition is for a twenty and three-quarter knot vessel at $3,946,000. The Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock company was the lowest bidder for installing machinery in the battleship Florida, being built by the government at Brooklyn, their bid being $1,517,000 guaranteeing a vessel of tw’enty and three-fourth knot speed. Rev. Dr. Alfred H. Harding, for the past twenty-two years rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal church, Washington, was elected bishop to succeed the late Henry W, Satterlee at the fourth meeting of the thirteenth annual con vention of the Washington diocease. The Rev, Charles H, Brent, bishop of the Philippines, who was elected twice declined both times, and Rev, Dr. Mann of Trinity church, Boston, elected at the third meeting, also de clined. In his annual report for the last fis cal year, Commis^oner Fred Dennett, of the general land office, recommends the withdrawal from entry of alj pub lic lands which may be irrigated which are not now capable of being utilized for homes.. garded as imminent. ^ The Foreign Board of the government has con firmed the report circulate^ Fri day that the Dowager Empress la also mortally ill. The Emperor had been ill for m long time and during recent audi ences with foreign representatives he was unable either to sit up on the throne or even in an erect position. It was evident for a long time that he would be unable to withstand a crisis which sooner or later must de velop in the disease from which he was suffering. Recent climatic ex tremes caused the develoment oi fatal complications that resulted in' his death. At the moment of death the Em- perer, the Dowager Empress^ own> death chamber chair was waiting in^ the courtyard. She, too, had been in a serious condition, and word that ,, was brought her earlier in the day that the Emperor was dying, caused^ her to collapse. This has prevented her from assuming the relationship of grand mother to the successor to the throne, which, according to the Chinese system would enormously augment her authority. There is little indication of emo tion among the people over the events which have been transpiring. The Emperor’s death and the prob able death of the ,Empre^ xrdthin a very short time have fiad but little effect upon the Chinese, who are pursuing the even tenor of iheir way without signs of ^mourn ing. Kuang-Hsu^s later life was a pit iable spectacle to his attendants. His feebleness had rendered hinj a mere puppet and he had suffered long from ill health, which was combined with fear and despair. Latterly he showed marked signs of mental dis turbances, and even went so far last August as to declare hims^ • mad. The foregoing dispatch from Pekin sets at rest the conflicting rumors of the past two days that have origi nated in Pekin and been published around the world. The Emperor ol China is dead. The report from London of his improvement probably roferre(^ to a temporary clitioii only. The Pekin message is th6 first iiuqualified statement to come from 'th« Chinese capital and' it specifi-* cally gives the time of the passing away of His Majesty. The regent is Prince Chun, the Em peror’s brother, and if he is accepted by the government before the Dow ager Empress dies, the likelihood oi any revolutionary outbreak in China will be materially reduced. Dowager Empress Dead. Pekin, By Cable,—Tsze Hsi An, I the Dowager Empress of China, the autocratic head of the government, which she directed without success ful interference since 1861 and with out protest since 1881, died at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon. The announcement of the Dowagei Empress^ death was official and fol lowed closely upon the announcement that Kuang-Hsu, the Emperor, had died Saturday at 5 o’clock in the af ternoon, but it is believed that the death of both the Emperor and the Dowager Empress occurred a consid erable time before that set down in the official statements. An edict issued at 8 o’clock Sun day morning placed upon the throne Prince Pu-Yi, the 3-.year-old son of Prince Chun, the Regent of the Em pire, in accordance with a promise given by the Dowager Empress soon after the marriage of Prince Chun in 1903. An edict issued on Friday made Pu-Yi heir presumptive. Prominent Confederate Veteran Dead Washington, Special,—Albert G Holland, a member of the first com pany organized in Washington to fight for the Confederacy, died sud denly in this city Sunday. Mr, Hol land took part in the first battle oi Manassas, fought valiantly until captured and sent to Camp Chas^ where he was released at the close ol the war. He was a member of the firm of Co{>eland &Co., and it waa said manufactured flags for the Fed eral government while it was his aim to destroy them during the war.