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J.J. MINER, Mgr. BREVAED, TRANSYLVANIA CO., N.a.FKIDAy, DECEMBER 18. woe. VOL. XIII. NO. 51
RtAT fUTURt
famous English Diplcmat On
SoitVs Progress,
THE KCN. JAMES BRYCE SPEAKS
British Ambassedor Called Upon For
an Jmprcmptv. Spcech Before lh6
.Southerr. Conunerci.?! Congress
Fredicta an Err* of Great Pros
perity For Tti". Section.
THE WORK OF CONGRESS
Washington, Spceial. — Expressing
the conviction that a great future is
about to daAvn upon the South, James
Bryce, the Biitish ambassador re
ceived a notable reception from the
delegates in attendance upon the
Southern commercial congress, follow
ing a speech in which he declared
that he is a well-wisher of the South.
The ambassador was the centre of
attraction, although his visit was un
expected. Mr. Bryce came into the
audience simply as a spectator, but the
audience soon noted his presence, and
immediately shouted * ‘ speech,
speech,” filled the air and ho was
compelled to yield to the desire of
ih^ congress.
‘‘Since I came here eighteen months
ago.’’ said Mr. Bryce, have twice
visited the South. I can hai*dly ex
press to you the contrast between
Avhat T personally witnessed twenty-
<;e\( 1 years ago and the pri^'S *ni. ccn-
diiions. Wherever I ha .^e l.c«*n in th>j
South I have been struck by the signs
of actnity, progress "nd development.
I t^ee land being brouJiht more and
more into cultivation; more and more
being done for agricultural methods.
I saw !h« resources of your soil, of
con! and iron, being brought to light
and I saw a new spirit in the South
wh’fh desires to make educational
prjgress commensurate with material
ievciopment.^'
The ambassador pointed out tLa
cnormouse difficulties with which the
South has had to contend since the
civil uar. “Now, however,” he con
tinued, ‘‘there is a great door open
before you and as one of the well-
uishers of the South, who believes
in its greatness as a flourishing and
important part of the country, I ven
ture to congratulate you on what is
being done and to say that still
greater prospects are before you.”
The afternoon session was presided
over by Judge George Hillyer, a mem
ber of the Georgia State Railroad
Commission, v»ho in a brief address,
reviewed the work of that bod>^' in
diealing with transportation cerm-
pajiies. The principal speakers were
WUliam J. Oliver, of Knoxville,
Tenn.; Clarence H. Poe, editor of
Th^e Progressive Farmer, Raleigji, N.
C.< find Dr. J. A. Bonsteel, of the
rnite<T Spates bureaiu of soils.
Congressional Summary.
The business of both houses of
Congress was confined largely to list
ening to the reading of the Presi
dent’s annual message but in addi
tion a few bills Avere introduced both
in the Senate and the House and in
the House a number of bills was sent
to conference, among them being one
providing for a new immigration sta
tion in Boston.
In addition, the Speaker announced
the apointment of Mr. Higgins, of
Connecticut, to a place on the com
mittee on the judiciary, in place of
Mr. Littlefield and of Mr. Martin to
a place on the committee on Indian
affairs in place of Mr. Parker, de
ceased.
For the first time during the present
Congress there Avas a call of the com
mittees of the House but no measure
was reported by any of them.
The miscellaneous work of the Sen
ate consisted in the niain of the ref
erence in executive session of about
1,500 recess nominations, which were
sent to the Senate by the President,
and the adoption of resolutions of re
gret on account of the death of mem
bers of the House who have passec’J
away since the adjournment last May.,
The Senate adjourned for the day ai
2 o’clock and the House at 2:35.
Census Bill Passed.
For nearly five hours the House
Representatives considered the billl
providing for the taking of the thir
teenth and subsequent decennial cen
suses, and passed it without materia?]
change. From the very outset of tho
debate it became evident that the
progress of the measure toward pas
sage would be impeded.
Pensions in Senate.
The session of the Senate was
chiefly devoted to the formal presen
tation of departmental reports and
the introduction of bills. The re
ports have been made public from
time to time and the bills numbering
352 were chiefly for the granting of
pensions.
Saturday’s Session.
The House of Representatives Sat
urday was in its old-time form. No
particular programme had been map
ped out, but under a call of commit
tees several r::easures in which the
members weTe especially intereste.d,
and in some cases vitally concerned,
were considered. With few excep
tions they engendered the liveliest
sort of debate, and it was d'isclosed
that the forces for or agaJnst them
Avere fully lined up for the fray.
Parliamentary tactics AveYj>» freely re
sorted to, with the r^«>ilf that iTve
times the roil wa% called.
’'J''he first ratJgle occurred eii rc?o-
PANAMA EXPLOSION
Results in a hkimber of People
Losing Their Lives
SCENES OF GREAT EXCITEMENT
Care of Our P.,esonrces.
Washington, "Specihl. — President
TiooseA*elfc and President-eliact Tafi
p\ibli<ely put themseh’es on record in
advocacy of the issuance of gurern-
ment bonds for the eonstruction of
permanent impiovements to conserve
the natirral resources of the natic^n.
Piosident-clect Taft presided at the
jbint conservation meeting at the Bel-
nsco Tlieatre in this city at Avliich
President Roosevelt made the princi-
’’•nl address. Mr. Roose\^e|t and Mr.
Premature Explosion of an Enormous
Blast of Powder Near Colon Claims
Ten Bead and Fifty Injured.
DUTCH miinm
Venezuelan Ship Towed Into
Port
PRILE CARRIED DUTCH FLAG
Colon, Bj”^ Cable.—A giant blast of
iynamite, already prepared for firing,
«^as prematurely exploded in the
workings at Bas Obispo Saturday,
fen men were killed and fifty injured.,
[t may be that others have been kill
ed, for debris is piled up in all direc-
ions.
Bas Obispo cut is about. 30 miles
from Colon, and the shock of the ex
plosion Avas distinctly felt here, as in
addition to that in the blast, 22 tons
>f dynamite Avas exploded.
Numerous reports are current as to
the cause of the accident but the of-
icial version from Culebra, which
jives an estimate of ten killed and
i’fty AA’ounded, states that during the
loading of the last hole of the blast
the dynamite in this cutting Avas dis-
L-harged, and the remaining 22 tons
vere exploded by concussion.
The holes had not been connected
•lectricfllly as the discharge of the
blast was set for 5 o’clock in the
afternoon. The last hole Avas being
oaded under th« supervision of one
)f the most efficient poAvder men in
the employ of the commission.
A passenger train had just passed
w^hen the explosion occurred, but it
N&S not in any way damaged.
The majority of the victims are
Spaniards.
Relief trains Avere sent to the scene
of the disaster and one which re
turned hefe several hours later
brought back the report that 45 of
the injured had been sent to Ancon
Hospital.
The officials on the train stated
that eleven dead had been found
labile many others in the gang of 120
who were employed in the cut were
nissing.
It was also reported by the train
men that the explosion was due to a
passing stearn shovel, Avhich hook
ed the wire leading to the immense
charge of dynamite. Whether or^ not
this AA^as the cause of th-5 accident,
a steam shoA’el and creAv, which Ixip-
pened to be on the scene were pimc-
tically buried under the mass of rocks
an^ eartli thrown up.
Gangt5 Avere soon .searchings for the
dead and assistin|;f the wonudefl.
Electric lights w^re set up and at
tti^ht -shorels Av^-e ^t \Vork re
fhe Gelderland Steams Into the Har
bor of Williamstad Towing the
Veneznlean Coastguard Ship Alex
Flying the Dutch Flag and Sport
ing a Dutch Crew.
ope Pins Blesses Mr. laft and Hit
Family.
Rome, By Cable.—Pope Pius bless
'd President-elect Taft and his fam
ily. The blessing Avas declared ii
he presence of Archbishop Glennin
of St. Louis, Avho told the Pope tha
?e had receiA^ed a .letter from Taf
n Avhich the President-elect express
d cordial friendship for the Cath(
ics. The Pope received the nev.- ^
vith unfeigned delight and pronoun* |
J the blessins: upon Taft «nd fami]>
fOR[ST mim
One of the Most Urgent Needs
of the Nation
THE DEMAND FUILY GONE OVER
lu'.ron fixing tfie boiilidary line
tAveen the StO-tes of Colorado, Okla-
homp ajid Ne^ ^^exico, Avhrch Ayas
ag) oed to st majorUy but not witlT-
out t'Avo roil calls, TJje Hoiise then
by a dtei«ive vote refused to furthD*’
consider the bill providing for, arbi
trary Settlement of disputes betAveefi
employers and employes.
Next turning attention to the bi-il
pi-oviding for the protection of aliens
in the Unit-cd States the sul/ject Avas
threshed cuf at length. The measure
ha-1 rough sailing and it ^vas ])assed
Uy a slim majority after the roll had
been called twice.
Map'y t^i^ ifn^n bave beeir seriously
fpiiV’ed, some of them probably fa-.
t<jiry^ r
iS-a.ditio» has it ^hat the 5^nama
‘RaiIVo\d cost one huiltian life for ev-
3iy tie, v/hat witlj^^ acwd^n’t^, insurrec-
•and disease, and the c<Thst_^ruc-
tion of the canal has noT; gane along
«vitbout exacting its toll.
There' have been a nuifibef’ of acci
dents in the last tAVo years, chief
among AA’hich was the premature ex
plosion of tlA'nnTnite at Pedro Miguel
in June. 1907, Avhieh resulted in Ihe
death of seA^en men and the injury
af a number of others.
W'illeamstad, Island of Curacao,
Special.—The Dutch cruiser Gelder-
and came into this port Sunday
norning towing the Venezeula coast
guard ship Alix with the Dutch flag
^ying and a Dutch creAV on board.
The Gelderland captured the Alix
Puerto Cabello on Saturday. At
:hnt time the Alix was lying close in
;hore and notwithstanding the threat
tvhich the Venezulean government
liad made to fire upon any of the
Dutch Avarships committing a hostile
act, the Gelderland steamed at full
5peed towards the guard ship and sent
an officer and guard in a laun<jh to
5eize her. No shots came from the
torts on land.
The crew of the Alix was put
ashore and the Dutch officer and mar
ines remained on board, the Gelder
land finally taking the Alix in tow
and steaming away with her prize.
The seizure of the Alix Avas in ac
cordance with the plans of the Hol
land government Avhen instructions
were issued to the three Dutch Avar
ships noAv in these Avaters to make a
demonstration off the coast of Ven-
czula and to capture any Venezulean
ships of Avar of guard vessels that
uhev might find.
The people of Curacao are greatly
rejoiced. The Governor of Curacao
>aid:
^•'The capture of our ||arships of
const guards and war vessls is not
be considered an unfriendly act
igainst the Venezuleans. It is mere
ly a reprisal against Castro’s govern
ment Avhich refuses to give satisfac
tion for his unfriendly acts toAvard
Holland.’’
It is learned from the officers of
the Gelderland that the battleship
Jacob Van Hemskerk and the cruiser
Friesland are now off La Guyra and
thajt further captures may be expect-
sd at any time.
Taft’s View of McKinley.
New Yofk, Special. — President
elect W'illiam H. Taft, speaking Sun
day night at the dedication of a Mc
Kinley memorial organ in Metropoli
fan Tempie, told to the audience the
story of his official association Awith
the late Prseident, and di6clared
reference to the Phifippine Island's
that the policy laid dow* by Mr. Me
Kijiley in 1900 had been the policy
of the present as it will be the policy
of his OAvii administration in the
White House. Mr. Taft will remain
here uittil Thursday, Avhen he leaAies
for Augusta^ Ga., to spend tte fiA»o
wee'ks preceding his proposed depart
ure to the Panama canal.
Wife of Millionaire is Arrestd Foi
Shoplifting.
New York, Special.—Mrs. Louis J
Schloss, wife of the Avell known Ne\A
York and Baltimore clothier, Avas ar
rested here last week for shoplifting
Different articles she had picked ur
amounted to about $16. She pleads-
nervousness and ill health. The ease
will be heard soon
Thomas F. Ryan Gives .$1,000 to
Uncle Remus Fund.
Atlanta, Ga., Special.—J. G. lis
ter, secretary of the “Uncle Remus”
memorial association, announced the
receipt of a contribution' of $1,000
from Thomas F. Ryan, of New York,
to the fund of perpetuating the mem
ory of Joel Chandler Harris. Mr.
Ryan Avas tendered and has accept
ed the vice presidency of the asso
ciation.
Mr. and Mjs.. Taf/t Given Reception.
Washington, Special. — President
elect and Mrs. William II. Taft Avere
tor the carrying out of expert plans
for ronservation of the nation’s re-
vnurces. An audience Avhich filled the
ilirnire and Avhich inchided Andrew
Carnegie, John Mitchell, Senators
Cor-grcs ?men and Ihe Governors of
f^overal States, applauded every senti-
ineut expressed.
raft gaA-e their unqualified approval ^ tendered a reception by Miss Mabel
Bcardman, a Washington society
lf>adev, at lier home on Dupont circle.
Tho function was one of the most
notable of the season, and among the
giic+>t Avere a large number of the rep-
resentatiA’e persons of the Capital’s
orficial, diplomatic and soeiol circlcs.
Crniser North Carclinrs Docked.
Norfolk. Va., Special.—The United
"‘aifs aniiored cruiser North Caro
lina v/as sufessfnlly docked in the
new dry dock at the Norfolk navy
ynrd, this being the first vessel to be
i'ccived since the completion of the
The North Carolina’s bottom
he scraped an'd cleaned.
Fanatics Fire on Police.
Kansas City, Mo., Special.—In the
siiadoAv of the city hall a riot in
''■'.hich religious fanatics and police-
Avere participants, and during
avhieh a liundred shots Avere fired re-
'^ulted in the dea*h of Policeman A.
Dalbow, probable fatal injuries to
aiul slight injuries to tAvo other
porsons. Those probabl}’^ fatally in-
.jined are John Sharp, known as
Adam God,*’ a street preacher;
Michael Mulkne, a patrolman; Lola
years Qld, and Patrick
tlark, a police sergeant.
The Evacuation Cuba.
Washington, Special.—At the War
Department the first details regard
ing the Aviithdrawal from Cuba of
the American army of pacification,
which has been oii duty there since
the fall of 190G, Avere made knoAvn.
The moA^ements of the troops will be
gin on January 1st and will be com
pleted by April 1st. —
Killed by Electric Shock.
Yorkville, Special.—Mr. W. F.
DoAvns, a native of Fort Mill, and
for the past three or four years head
machinist at the Tavora Cotton Mill
at this place, was instantly killed by
an electrical current. The electrical
current which is furnished by the
Southern PoAver Company, had failed
and Superintendent Ramseur and Mr.
DoAvns w’ere searching for the trouble.
The s'vvitch had been opeH«d~ and
Downs placed his hand on a wire he
supposed dead but it proved not to
be and he fell back lifeless.
The Dead. Total Fourteen.
Colon, By Cable.—The explosion Sun
day at B^r Obispo of 21 tons of
dynamite blast Avas the most serious
accident in connection Avith the build
ing of the Panama canal since the
Uni^ed States took control. A thor-
ono'h investigation Avith a vieAV to
fixing the responsibilitv has been or
dered and already officials are tak
ing evidence.
Crooked Wisconsin Banker Sentenced
Mihvaukee, Wis., Special.—John F.
Schulte, aged 38, former paying tel
ler of the First National Bank of Ra
cine, was sentenced to fiA^e years at
Fort LeaATiiAAwth by Judge Quarles.
Schnite embezzled $15,000, pleaded
guilty and asked for leniency. FiA’e
years is the minimum penalty. Scliuite
was arrested at CleA’eland on July 7.
A^mcrican Railway Company Asks
For a Charter.
IlaAvkinsvalle, Ga., Special.—Char
ter Avas applied for by a 'local attor
ney on behalf of interested parties
for a charter for ‘^The American
Raihvay Company,’*’ which proposed
buiWing a line from Abbeville, Ga.,
to Vfinchester, in Macon county, Ga.,
via HaAvkinsville and GroA’ania. The
proposed road Avill tra\'erse one of
the richest farming sections of the
St^te. It will tap the Seaboard at
.\bbeAdlle and the Gulf line at Haw^-
kinsville. Work wiU begin at once
it is stated.
1G03 Cotton Crop.
Washington, Speeiad.—The cro|:
reporting board of the bureau of sta
tistics of the Departent of AgTicul
ture has estimated from reports oi
correspondence agents of the bureaiv
that the total production of cotton
in the United States for the yeai
1008-9 Avould amount to G,1S2,970,00(
pounds.
Mail Carrier Badly Hurt.
Spartanburg, Specipjl. — Jesse L.
Wood, a Avell known letter carrier,
Avas throAvn from his buggy early
Sunday morninsr and seriously injur
ed. The horse Mr. Wood was driying
took fright on east Main street, just
in front of the First Presbyterian |
church. He Avas thrown violently to
the sidewalk and knocked uncon
scious. When taken to his home it
was diseoA’ered that three of his ribs
had been broken and one of his
shoulders terribly injured. He is
threatened with pneumonia, which
makes his eondtiion trebly worse.
Ohio Congressman Critically 111.
Wooster, O., Special.—The man
found unconscious in the chair car
of a Pennsyh^ania westbound train
here Sunday and taken to a local
hospital was later identified as Con
gressman Grant E. Mouser, of the
Marion, 0., district. Physicians de
clare he is suffering from uraemic
poisoning and acute congestion of the
kidnevs.
Governors and Prominent Men From
Every Section of the Country Ap
pear Before the House Committee
and Urge the Establishment of
Forest Reserves.
WiU Affect aU Catholics.
Manitowic, Wis., Special.—Judge
Calloupeck, in the county court de
clared the will of Thomas Calloghan,
void because he bequeathed money
for masses for the dead. The court
says no court could recognize such a
provision. The will was contested on
this ground alone. The case will be
appealed. The decision affects every
Roman Catholic in the country.
Mr. Kitchen’s Resignation Effectiv'
Day Before He Becomes Governor.
Washington, Speeiak—Representa
tiA’e W. W. Kitchcn, of North Caro
lina, Governov-elect of his State, haF
forAvarded ^o Governor Olenn his re
S'ignSii^ip^i as the Representative fron
the fi^th North Carolina district, U
take effect January llth. Mr. Kitch
in wilF be inaugurated Governor Jan
uarv 12th.
Hale Succeeds Allison.
Washingtofi, Specjal—A largely at
tended caucus of Republican Senators
unanimously elected Senator Hale,
of Maine, as chairnJan of the Repub
lican caucus to succeed the late Sen
ator Allison, of loAva. The positi -
carries AA’ith it the chairmanship ot
the Republican steering committee of
the Senate. Senator Halg*’s nomina
tion Avas the only one before the
caucus.
Washington, Special.—A distin
guished assembly of witnesses tes
tified before the House committee on
agriculture to the need of the Fed
eral government establishing forest
reserves in the White mountains and
in the Southern Appalachians. It
marked the opening of the fight in
this session of Congress for the crea»
tion of these reserves to protect tho
navigability of navigable streams, a
purpose which the committee conced
ed is constitutional.
Besides Governor Guild, of Massa
chusetts, who was the spokesman
untid he was compelled to leave the
city and turn his duties over to Col.
William S. Harvey, of Philadelphia,
Governors Chamberlain,, of Oregon;
Ansel, of South Carolina; Hoke Smith
of Georgia, and Johnson, of Minne
sota, former Governors George E.
Pardee, of California, and Blanchard,
of Louisiana, and Dr. Edward Ever
ett Hale, chaplain of the Senate, were
among thsoe who appeared. Chair
man Scott, of the committee, said the
committee appreciated the public
sentiment in favor of the project bat
that the problem of obtaining the
desired end was difficult.
Representative Scott explained that
the House committee on the judiciary
had questioned the constitutionality
of action on the part of Congress
looking toward the purchase of land
for the conservation of forests what
ever it might do toward protecting
the navigability of the streams of the
country.
Governor Guild, in responding, laid "
emphasis upon the ability of the gen
eral government to undertake pro
jects for the general welfare of the
country, saying the appeal come
from all quarters of the nation.
It is probably the first time in his
tory that the Governor of South Car
olina and the Governor of Massachu
setts have joined haiJd in hand to ap
peal to Congress for the enactment
of law for the general welfare of
the United States,’^ said Governor
Guild, as he bowed to Governor An
sel, of the Southern State.
President Van H^se ^ook the posi
tion that the peculiar rapidity of
erosion in the Southern Appalachian
mountains necessitated the establish
ment of a re^rve there, fot* the pres
ervation jof the navigability of the
streams aiid the protection of the
harbors. He gaVe it as his opinibn
that the crucial area to be purchased
was the lower slopes of the mountains
where the inclines are so sffeep and
erosion so rapid that their use for
agriculture is less important than the
preservation of the streams.
Will Welcome Battleships.
. Washington, Special. — President
Roosevelt will Avelcome the return of
tho battleship flee to Hampton Roads
from its cruise around the Avorld
about neon February 22d. Details
for the ocasion are noAV being Avorked
oiit. Admiral Arnold, cf the third
squadron of the Atlantic fleet will
meet home-foming ships Avell out in
tlie Atlantic and escort them to
Hampton Roads. After the review
tho men avIH jio to NeAv York and be
fiivGn a shore leave. —
tc
England Rushes More Troops
India.
London, By Cable.—Another heaA^y
draft on English home regiments foi
service in India Avas ordered by the
Avar office. The troops will be ready
to embark for India as soon as pos
sible as the threatened Indian up
rising is believed to be imminent. Fri-
Iday’s draft Avith the heavy rein
forcements that started foi; India last
Wednesday, has reduced m'any of the
home battalions to mere skeletons
and an xidditional call for recruits
will soon be made.
Death of Moses H. Cone.
Greensboro, N. C., Special.—Moses H.
Cone, knoAvn throughout the commer
cial world as a leader in the indus
trial deA’elopment of the South, died
suddenly Tuesday afierncon at 5
o’clock at Johns Hopkins Hospital,
ill Baltimore, Avhcre he had gone for
treatment Aa’c Aveeks ago. He had
been in ill health since his return
frcm a trip around the Avorld OA'cr v
year rs'o, but foAv ef his most inti
mate friends su?poeted that his con-
Avas serious.
WHEN CHARM ME^JSTS CHARiM.
Mr. Black—I done hab my rabbit’s
foot erlong, but she gimme de mah-
ble heaht Jes’ same.
Mr. Jones—Mebbe she done ha;b
her rabbit’s ^oot erlong, too.—Mil*
waukee Wisconsin.
Nine Injured by Bomb.
New York, Specia'l.—Creepirig over
the roof to an airshaft in the five-
sto«7 tenement at 330 fiixty-third
street, a Black Hand agent dropped
a bomb to the ground. The explosion
that resulted Avas terrific. The wallsl,
of the building reeled and tottered,
almost falling, and CA’^erj’^ window
within a block or more Avas shattered.
Nine people in the building and in
the street wece injured by the ex
plosion of the bomb, some of them
seriously, although it is not thought
that any of them will die. It Avas a
miracle that no one Avas killed out
right. The police are investigating
fhe case and they have come to th<‘
conclusion that the bomb dropping
was the work of the aam.e Black
Hand agent who three years ago kid
napped the small son of an Italian
banker, who owns and occupies a part
of the building, and that the motive
was revenge, the banker liaving re
fused to ransom his son. The bomb-
thrower made good his escape, but the
police belieA’e that they hav’e clues
which may lead to his capture, or pos
sibly to the breaking up of a Black
Hand gang.
Every Citizen to Become a Soldier.
Washington, Special.—Every male
citizen in the United States between
the ages of 16 and 45 is to become a
part of the military force of the
country and to be liable for militai’y
duty under the terms of a bill, the
passage of which has been recom
mended by the President in a special
message to Congi’ess. The bill pro
vides an elastic organization and, as
the President says, under its provi
sions it will be just as easy to raise
an army of 2,500,000 as of 50,000.