North Carolina Newspapers

7 A- S'. 4 . 2L THE DAILY CITIZEN Itclivcrecl to Visitor in nny part of the City. DAILY C Arrvir BOARDING, WANTS, For Rent, and Lost Notices, thie lines or less, 25 Cents for each insertion. Out Mwiilli Two Weeks, or Icsk.. VOLUME V ASHEVILLE, N. C, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, i88g. NUMBER 180. ( t : Lc i ZEN THE MERTKS, Till-MILKMAN. HK HKAKI) MII.ING IK THIi ( 4U1.SON COT TAtil-:. I'OllltM to KUIIIC nMllie Man Who llrove J he Walton CougUliii Kc Nciiillcs (lie One Who Went mio the Mouse. CniCAi'.o, November 7. The first wit ness called tu the stand tliis morning in the e renin trial was Coroner Hertz, who held the inquest over the hodv of lr. Cronin in June lust. He testified to hav ing held such nil iii(iiest, nnd identified the trunk whieh is in the evidence. William Merles, the milkman, was culled to the stand. He is a short man, with a while nitiHler knotted around his neck, and he wears a sallow coiored heard to match his coniilexlion. "Do yon remember May 4, last ?" "Yes. I do. I was on the east side of Ashland avenue, near the Carlson col lage, about 8.3(1 o'clock. I saw two men drive up lo the Carlson cottage in a buggy. When I came about, lifty or seventy-five lect from the cottage, the buggy was just in front of the collate, and it slopped. One of the fellows not out of the buggy and went up to the front gate, and went through it and up the front steps. It looked to me as though he had some key, or something like that, in his hand, and that he opened the door himself. As soon as that lellow stepped in. the other fellow that was sil ling in the buggy turned the horse around at once, and got away just as quick as he could do it. I diil not take any notice of the fellow that went into the house, tu see whether he had a hat 'in or a cap, but 1 noticed he had on a dark brown overcoat, but he had cuffs, and it looked as though he had a dark brown coat. As soon as that lellow that was in the buggy turned his horse to go away, I could see his face better. There is a gas light there on the corner, and it was light and I could see his lace." "How near were von to him at that time?" "Oh, just from the street to the side walk, as I was very near theCarlsnncot tage. When they stopped, 1 was about seventy-live feet away. I went on, walk ing towards liiem. 1 went smith to the grocery store on the corner of Ashland avenue. I was there about hall an hour, .Jien 1 came back again, and when 1 .enuic aboul a half a block nearer, then I hcar.l somebody nailing in the cottage, .as if thev tvere nailing boards together. J heard them when 1 was hall a block "Hid you ever sec these parties since you saw them driving up there?" " "Yes." "1 lo you nee them now ?" "Yes sir. Thai one I indicating Kuuzc) was the one that was driving the wag.ui, and that big one there I indicating Coughlin I looks like the lellow thai was going into the house " On cross examination the witness was soon confused by questions which were rapidly fired at him. To suggestions of counsel for the defence, he asserted w ilh eiiual readiness that the weather was clear and that it was cloudy, ami looked like rain, but he was positive that il did not rain, and he stuck to his story of two men in a buggy, and explained how he determined the date upon which Ik saw them, nnd heard sounds of driving nails in the Carlson cottage. Fur ther cross examination elicited the act that the witness did not see the face of the man who got out ol the buggy and entered the Carlson cottage, and that his subseoiient identification of Coughlin in the coiintv tail w; , t i.:. i I. bv view of his back, which resembled that of the man who went into the cottage. Assistant superintendent Frank Mur ray, of the I'inkerton agency, was called, iti" said that oiulie ajtcruoon of llieday .niter Cronin disappeared, Coiikliti, with whom Dr. Cronin was associated, em ployed the agency in the case. The wit ness went to o'Snllivan's house and had Mlalk with him. O'Snllivaii denied that he had sent any one with his card lo Cronin the night before, and related the storv of his engaging Cronin to attend his men, substantially as it has been told heretofore. After tins witness had been cross-examined a recess was taken. IIAMF. HALL. The 1Htliiil J.eiiBne Contract Hlltnctl tor Three Venn. Ni'.W YoliK, November 7. The National Smse ball plaver's eoulerciice was con tinued at the Fifth Avenue hotel to-day. AH the delegates were present. At LM.'i o'clock the convention took a recess, and olm Morrill announced that the eon tract form had been agreed upon, and the pin vers signed for three years, which is satisfactory to both capitalists and pin vers. The contract is virtually the same as the old league contract, with the ex ception that the reserve clause was stricken out, as the one on term service provided for from one to llnec years. It was saiil iiilhc corridors of the Filth Avenue hotel this morning that the players were not meeting with the hearty co-operation expected. Telegrams were sent to Clarkson and Kildbounie, at Boston yesterday, asking them to take some stock in the players National League; iieithermadenny reply. A. U. Johnson, who had been acting temporary president, would undoubtedly Jiave been elected permanently to that position, had he not stated that his busi ness interests would not permit him to accept. John Morrch is now spoken ol as the most likely person to be elected permanent president. Cannot ico to Fayeltevllle. Vavkttkvm.i.k, N. C, Novenilicr 4. The following announcement will appear in t lie Observer, of this city, tomorrow: "The committee on invitations to the centennial of the ratification by North Carolina of the constitution have re ceived a letter from Jefferson Davis written in a pencil and from n sick bed regretting his innbility on account of impaired health, to be present at the celebration. The KeHull In Iowa. Chicaho, Novemlier 7. A special dis- t. .... f..u t.M,.u lovvn to the caicn noui ' journal trep.l snvs: While the democrats , Vlaim their entire State ticket is elected, , the indications to-day are that the result , on the State ticket, except governor, is doubtful, and that the republicans will , have seven majority in the house undone in the senate. Cut Hit Wife's Throat. Savannah, On., Novcnilx-r ".Albert Mareacuthis wife's throat Irom ear to ear early this morning, killing her in stantly. ' The woman had been to a fes tival with her sister and a young man escorted them home. It is supiMiscd that the deed was caused by jealousy. 1 he murder was not discovered until several hours later and the murderer cscni-ed. lUUUAll I IIH HI NCOMIli;! What a Plucky Hon of Our (irand Old Comity tins none. The following romantic story we clip from the New York World of the -frill instant. As to its truth we have no in fouuation but there are men ofthe same name now numbered amongst our most enterprising busimss men: Win. Cooper, who is stopping at the Coleman House, has had a remarkable career. Horn in Huiicombe County, North Carolina, and reared in Texas, the opening ofthe civil war found hitn carry ing a musket in the Confederate ranks. He was severely wounded during the war, and he hiis since gone tliroujh enough to kill a dozen ordinary men. ust alter the war a Mexican "greaser." on the frontier ill Texas, sent a bullet clean through Cooper's head. He was picked up for dead alter Cooper's com panions had strung up the Mexican. Hut Cooper didn't die, and a lew years later found him penetrating the jungles of Africa. He carried with him a stock of merchandise and made a small fortune bartering for skins. He has been around the world several times and speaks half a dozen languages. Twice Cooper has landed in New York with something like jjiKMl, Dill) to his credit, bin each time he was buncoed out of it by so-called friends. Hut he is once more oil the road to fortune, and this time he means to stay there. Three years ago he went to Mexico almost strapped. He journeyed into Southern old Mexico almost to the boundary line in Central America, very little is known about this part ol Mexico -day. Il is inhabited by the Aztec Indians and the majority ol them are wild and warlike. Cooper had an idea that ptccious stones could belouud there, and while he was searching lor lliein he stumbled on to what has proved to be a verv rich find. He learned the Aztec language and gained the friendship ol the Indians. In the extinct crater of a vol cano he found a large deposit of onyx and mosaic agate. The onyx is worth a square loot and the mosaic agate is still more valuable, flic supply is apparently inexhaustible and Cooper has made arrangements with the Mexi can Government which givcshini a mono poly ol the business. The mosaic ngnli is a very rare stone. A stone sonicwhal resembling it was louiul in Adrian's villa in koine, which was built many hundred years befou Chrisi, None is known to exist anywhere now except in Mexico. An illustration of the beauties of our tariff system is found in the fact that although not a single piece of onyx or mosaic agate can be found in this country, Mr. Cooper has to pay a duly of 4," percent, ad valorem on every pie-c he ships into the lintc'l States. The question is asked. Whom docs this pro tect, when tiie duty is simply added to the price of the stone ? ohio i:i.i-;c no. The I. utest Calculations on Tues day's ltattle. Coi.r.Miu s, ()., November 7. The indi cations are now, on figures received at republican and democratic headquarters, that the republicans will elect all the can didates on the State ticket with the ex ception of I'oraker and possibly the lieu tenant governor. The republican committee sent out telegrams to the county chairmen for the vote on the respective caniiidates in the comities, and they have heard from thirty-six out of eighty-eight counties. The returns show thai in lliesc counties the balance of the ticket, without much vaiiance in the figures, lias received 11, (i.V.i votes more than I'oraker, or rather, the head of the ticket has run behind that much. On the figures it is estima ted that Campbell must have a plurality of at least 12.0(10. The returns show that all the candidates below lieutenant governor ran aliout 1 ,11(111 ahead of the ticket in four counties alone, thus mak ing the contest very close and uncertain, with a strong probability that some of the republicans may pull through. I.ntnpson, republican candidate for lieu tenant governor, was badly cut by the liquor inures- of Cincinnati. He was charged with being a prohibitionist, while on the Reserve, in the vicinity of his home, where the prohibition senti ment is strong, his sentiments were known to be in lavor of taxation anil regulation as against prohibition. lie was placed between two lires. and to this is atrilmted the small vote received by him compared with the other repulicnu candidates. Chairman Neal, ofthe demo cratic committee left for his home in Hamilton this afternoon lo attend n jolli fication meeting to-night. The com mittee received but little information during the day as to the Statetieket, but concede that il is very close, and thill unless Campbell's plurality runs above 10,0110 the chances are in favor ofthe re publican. They have hopes, however, that the ticket is safe, but can give no figures on tin re-tilt further than to say thai the average gain lor the ticket in fifty counties is about MO, which, it it keeps up, will elect the entire ticket. While figures arc yet meager, the election of republican candidates fur treasurer, attorney general, and school commis sioner is regarded as certain by the re publicans. The official vote is coming in, and the result will lie ascertained by to-n orrow'. CVTM HI! THKOAT, A Condemned criminal Trie to F.scape the uallowH. Komk. Oil., November ".This morn ing shortly after the sheriff told I'ig Yain that the Coventor would not inter fere furt her with his sentence to be hanged, the jailer's attention was attracted to the peculiar manner in which "Fig" was bidiling his brother good bye. When the brother left the jailer went to the con denied man's cell and found him silting on n cot cutting his throat. Hefore the knife could lie taken from him he had cut an uglv gash on his neck and one on his arm. " He bled profusely for a time, but upon invc.-tigation his wounds proved comparatively slight. He was agilin taken to Sunnnerville, Chatta nooga county, where he will lie hanged to-morrow. Mayor Hlanton'i Court. On they came. It was a crowd. Their name was legion, but they were of that kind that pay as they go, and they both paid and went. The Mayor was there to receive both them and their money. Some objected to the accomodations, but there always will lie n few who never can appreciate a good thing. After nil their wants had been attended to with that courtesy and politeness for which Asheville is noted, it was found that $:1H.(MI had been added to the fund. THE FICOF.KAL COI'RT, "Three Mouths and One Hundred Oollars." Three months and one hundred dollars! This was the sentence which was echoed and re-echoed from the walls of the old court room. Its frequent reietition car ried dismay to the heart of many a rug ged, unshorn and unshaven mountaineer. The law was being maintained, mid the poor fellow who made noises around houses at night to call the attention of the inmates to the bottle of whiskey sur reptitiously stowed away in some fence corner, or who caused the mountain dew to mysteriously reveal itself at the foot of some old blackened stump, now heard the knell of all his hopes pealing forth in those six sad words: "Three mouths and one hundred dollars." When the words "not guilty" now and then lifted the gloom caused by this paiu giving monotonous refrain, there wasjoy that one poor devil had escaped from the incshes which the law had prepared for him. Three mouths and one hundred dol lars! The last sentence had been imposed and the crowd streamed from that dis mal room into the free, open air. Hut as they strolled down Fatton avenue, a gang of darkies was met breaking stones on the street. "It is a hard day's labor," sang one, nnd back from the others came the deep response, chanted in uni son, "yes;" and many a man, thinking ol the scenes he had witnessed, felt his very soul vibrate in sympathy with that pa thetic "yes." PF.KHO.N4I. Mi;.STIN. Hon. Kopi Klias, of Macon enmity, is in the city. The postmaster , at Marion, N. C, Mr. Oeorge V.. Yancey, is stopping at the ('.rand Central. Dr. J. M. Stevens, of Leicester, a man well known and very popular among all Ashcvillians, is in the city. Mrs. W. H. Marx and her two young children left yesterday to visit her father, F. J. Fox, Ksq., of Kaston, I'a. Mrs. Young and her daughter Ivstclle. who were stopping nt Mrs. Natt Atkin son's left for Chicago yesterday. Mr. WalterJ. Oilpatrick.ofthelledford Journal, nnd Mr. Oeo, K. Mears, both of Bedford, Me., are at the Winyah Sanita rium. Mr. C. II. Comstock, a prominent mer chant of Knoxville, is now at the Orand Central hotel. He has come here to spy out the land, and if satisfied with the outlook will locate here. Mrs. Tiernan, who has been at the Swananoa for the past few days, has left for Mexico. She will there join her hus band, I'rof. Tiernan, the noted mineralo gist, who is prominently connected with :i silver mine in that country. Kindergarten Society. The Asheville Free Kindergarten and Childrens' Aid Society met in the hall of the Young Woman's Christian Temper ance I'niou, in order to formulate plans to increase its effectiveness, and to regu larly organize the society by the election of officers. The following officers were unanimously elected: For president, Mrs. S. Westray llattle; for vice-president. Miss Rose Chapman, and for secre tary a'nd treasurer, Miss Newton. The society deserves the thanks of all good citizens and merits their earnest co operation. This is a work which nffects us as citizens, ami attacks an evil which is felt by all and which can be only met in this way. We hope that the meetings of the society will be largely attended. The next meeting will be held in the same place on November 10, at :!." p. m. The society has now a strong and en ergetic body of officers and nothing but good, solid, substantial work can be ex pected from it under its present manage ment. A Venerable Apple Tree. We clip the followingfroin the Farmers' Voice: Seven bushels of apples have been picked this season from an apple tree on the Denver proerty at Leicester. The tree was planted 127 years ago. Western North Carolina has long sus tained a most favorable character lor its fruit, especially its apples. It may not enter the contest in the matter of age of its trees, but can easily beat the record of bushels. Note the following which was handed us by the first friend to whom we showed the above statement: "There is an apple tree on the place of John A. Orsborne, in Henderson county, Irom which one hundred bushels of ap ples have been gathered lor two suc cessive years. Mr. W. I). Miller picked them." We hope friend Miller will authorize us to fully vouch for this remarkable state ment, which now reaches us at second hand, and that our other apple men will sjieak out if any of them can beat it. Another Hencdivl. Mr. 0. M. Matins and Miss Maggie D. Harding of this city were married in the Central Methodist church at eight o'clock yesterday morning. The church was thronged with the friends of the bride and groom. Tiik Citizen hastens to extent its congratulations. The newly married couple left on the Spartanburg train for Charleston where they will sK-nd a few days. These Are Applet. I Mr. OeorucS. McCandless. front Yancev county, near Hurnsville, had for sale in town yesterday a load of the famous "Gloria Mundi" apples; two of which measured 15 and 154 inches in circum ference and weighed two pounds each. They are not only very large, but of de licious flavor. Mr. McCnudless is noted I for his fruit. ASHEVILLE MATTERS. HOW HAMI.KTS A HIC CONVIvR. TKII INTO CITII-.M. An Interview With an IntelllKeut f eiitleman. Who Talki Freely ol AITalrH In Which all ourCltizeiiH Should Feel a Lively IntcreM. For several days past a gentleman of most agreeable appearance may have been seen leisurely strolling around this town and evidently taking pains to form a just opinion of the things about him. A reporter of this paper was so happy as to make the visitor's acquaintance on yesterday, and the conversation which ensued was so thoroughly enjoyed by the poor scribe that he is confident that hi. readers will he gratified by it repetition of those portions whichstick in his mem ory. If it were possible to repeat the whole verbatim the space dc ted lo it would be well used, but the stranger's modesty was too great to allow a note book to appear, and his permission to give a brief synopsis could only be ob tained on the pledge of concealment ol his name nnd residence. After the salutations customary be tween gentlemen followed the customary remark : Reporter Charming weather we havt to-day, Mr. A. Mr. A. Indeed you may sayeharming. and safely use any stronger adjective without risk of being charged with ex travagance of expression. In fact, I was induced to visit this section by seeing the meteorological reports of Dr. von Ruck, which I regret are no longer published. They contain statistics which every man in this State should endeavor to spread abroad. Reporter Why, sir, you surprise inc. Some of our readers complained that they were dry and lacking in interest. Mr. A. On the contrary they were ol deep interest to me, and to many in my neighborhood. 1 took particular pains to compare them with the reports from other stations, and as a result I decided to collie iiere, partly on account of my health, which was beginning to be deli cite, and a stay at one of your comfort able hotels for three weeks has enabled this delightful climate to be thoroughly enjoyed, and my improvement has been most marvelous. Reporter 1 .11111 gratified to lc.irulh.it Tiik ClTIZI-N is read in your distant home. Mr. A. It is indeed, and no belter pa per is read there, nor elsewhere. Indeed. 1 cannot express my surprise to find a daily of its character in an inland town of the size of Asheville. I can scarcely see how it can be supported. Reporter Oh, sir, you discourage me. We have all, from editor to devil, an in tense interest in our paper, and hoped that it would meet with the degree of support it deserved. None of us ask any thing more in its behalf. Mr. A. Well, I did not intend any dis couragement, but I know how difficult it is to i duce many men to sec their true interest, or to realize that $(i paid for an annual subscription to a real live, sincere, respectable paper is destined to bring them a larger return, by many fold, than any other investment they can make. Now I would like to ask you, if it is not taking a liberty, how many of your mer chants have Tin: Citizkn each morning left at their place of business and also at their residence? Reporter I regret to say, sir, the num ber is very small. All of them seem to cherish friendly relations to us, but they think it enough to have one copy for the use of all their clerks, and then take what is left of it home at night to their wives and children. Mr. A. Exactly. I am not surprised at your statement. This feeling prevails in almost till small towns. I have in my life known only very few cases where it was otherwise, aild in these the develop ment of every material interest was most rapid and continuous. Of course these towns possessed great natural advant ages, but none any greater than those of Asheville. They, however, appreciated the importance of making known these advantages, and that there was no wis dom in a spasmodic attempt nt "writing up," as it is usually called; spending hun dreds of dollars for a column in some metropolitan journal. This docs no good. Hut a regular plain statement of facts, day after day, accomplishes wonders. Indeed, were I a resident of Asheville I should at once set about providing means to have Tin-: Daily Citizkn sent in all directions, regularly, to prominent men in every town in the I'nited States. After a complimentary of six months you would be astonished at the nutnlier of those who would become regular suh scriliers. Provided, always, that your paper continues to deserve it as it now docs. Anil you would also lie surprised to see the iiiiiiiIkt of good, valuable im migrants who would thus be induced to visit von, and in many cases to liecomc residents. Reporter What is theimpressioii made upon you by the business outlook of Asheville ? Mr. A. Well, I cannot sav that I was extravagantly encouraged at first sight, but 1 am beginning to look upon the sit uation more hoicftilly. You have many obstacles to overcome, perhaps greater ones in proportion to your means than are seen in most towns. Reporter To what do you esieciallv refer ? Mr. A. The chief of all is the bad con dition of your streets nnd sidewalks. 1 have walked almost through the entire town, and have watched the work whieh is lieing done in various places. It seems well designed nnd honestly executed, but I fear your material is very inferior, and for this reason it is poor economy to in vest more money than is absolutely re quired to Keep up repairs, with t his stone which is now being used. I think it may do well for sidewalks, and, in fact, it is evident that those made out of crushed stone, as those on North Main street and bridge street, arc far more durable than the brick, which are wearing out rapidly, and certainly more comfortable than the so-called Hugging that "tries men'ssoles" in other places. While your stone may answer for sidewalks, it is most unfit for your streets, resulting in alternations of i mul and dust. Reporter What would you suggest then, as a remedy for the bad streets, which we all acknowledge and deplore? Mr. A. It would depend upon a great many considerations, and I am not suffi ciently acquainted with your surround ings to feel couiieteiit to advise. It seems to me that Belgian blocks should be used, if thev can be obtained .-it a cost within your reach ; or perhaps limestone might be obtained on better terms The chief cost in cither case would lie the rail road freights, and I should think the Richmond and Danville would be dis posed to make as favorable termsasthey could do, to encourage an improvement which would inevitably tend to increase travel over their lines. Reporter How do the railroads here compare with those of your Northern : home ? r ! Mr. A. Here again I am indebted to; Tiik Citizkn. Arriving sonic time ago in i Charleston. S. C, I remembered having seen the schedule of the Northeastern j railroad, and decided to take passage by it to Columbia. And indeed, I have never traveled over il swifter, smoother or bet ter managed road. 1 stopped ill Colum bia a few days, ami thence went to Char lotte, N. C, and so reached Asheville by way of the Western North Carolina rail road. 1 heartily endorse all that Tiik Citizkn has ever said about this line. Indeed the schedule is most remarkable, considering the mountainous section it traverses ; and a sight of its tortuous course, doubling upon its tracks limcnnd igain, and disclosing views of beautv and variety, was enough lo repay all the expense and fatigue of my journey. Reporter Will you permit me to ask in what line of business you have been engaged ? Mr. A. Oh, yes! I have no objection to tell vou. Not many years ago I set tled ill , which was then a mere hamlet. In selecting it for a home, I was influenced by its natural attractions, which, I thought, gave promise of great development, but 1 did not anticipate its marvellous growth in population, wealth and prosperity. Soon after I bought : property there, which 1 did to the extent 1 ol inv limited means. Several other men took the same view as I had done, and , made it their home also. We determined to inaugurate a liberal business spirit throughout our young community, and our first move was lo establish a good ! newspaper. I was selcelcd as president ofthe company. We chose as good an editor as was attainable. We gave the I latest and freshest news, in a truthful J straightforward manner. We instructed , the editor to comment on current topics! ill a fair spirit, to Ik-afraid of no rascal, j but never to say il wind that might of-' fend an honest man. We each subscribed I to as large a number of copies as we I could ; vc all advertised liberally; nnd j thus, and as I believe, chiefly bv this . means, the eitv of- to-dav occu pies the same ground that was filled by i the hamlet of when 1 went there. I Reporter Perhaps you will kindly; make a few suggestions as to the get up i of your paper. I am sure Tiik Citizkn! will gladly consider any such, nnd per- i haps may be able to adopt them. j Mr. A. Well, then, while you have a very fair paper, I think you can improve on it, and when you add lo its atlrnc-j lions, you may be assured that you add to the prosperity of Asheville My first complaint then is that you do not givc t'air plitv to idiot your patrons. 1'nin teutionally, no doubt, but surely you discriminate against your advertisers, and in favor of your readers. You should allow those merchants who would write the most attractive ads to place them on your front page, and your news matter should be divided between all four pages. I'nless you are well posted in journalism, you can hardly know to what a high de gree of art the science of advertising is brought. All merchants who deserve the inline realize its absolute importance in the successful management of their business. Y'ott have real merchants here, such, for instance, as the Racket Store. I have watched his business, and he evi dently knows what he is about. Nor is he alone; I have straggled into Whit lock's and Hlnntnn's, and at each louiul a well selected stock of clothing, ill which I expressed no surprise, because they had each invited me to call, showing that they were not afraid to have their goods inspected. And thus I have looked around your town quite generally, and 1 find that each nnd all of your advertis ers have on their shelves more than they profess to have in your paper; but I must say that the fault is yours that they do not make their professions come up to their attractions. Modesty is an excellent trait of character, but in this world of business a merchant must not "hide his light under a bushel" if he wishes customers. So 1 think you can improve your piqier by merely doing jus tice to your advertising patrons. Let it be understood distinctly that you ask no advertisements of clap trap or shoddy humbugs, and as far as possible that you will reject them. That you will make it your special duty to visit your advertis ers occasionally, so thill you can slate positively on your own personal respon sibility whether or not they have mis stated their wares. The merchants must appreciate this treatment, and you will soon find your columns filled with ads that will vie with each other in bright ness and liberal display of real wit. Reporter Have you been able to form an opinion of the manufacturing inter ests of Asheville ? Mr. A. Yes. I have been much pleased with the developments in this line ; they nil seem young in veins, but arc man aged on sound business principles. I am particularly pleased with a call at the ice factory, the milling company, the cot ton factory .and furniture and lumber works, and only regret that my stay is too short to visit all the others. Reporter I am glad to hear your fav orable opinion Manufactures here are new, and to some extent an experiment, and is gratifying to hear a stranger pre dict their success. All of their proprie tors are friends ami patrons of Tiik Cit izkn. Mr. II. T. Collins, of the ice and milling company, is one of our most lib eral advertisers, and Messrs. Oraham and Avery nrc stockholders in our com pany. Mr. A. Oh! You need not tell me that. I knowcnoiigh of business to understand that such men as they realize the value ofa paper such as yours, and their suc cess will only give farther proof that their judgment is as correct in this as in other matters. What is your opinion of the agricultu ral outlook of this country ? Mr. . It is surely good. The farmers are alive to their interests. Their Alli ance, if kept within its legitimate sphere, and out of politics, must do them im mense good. The tobacco interests promise splendid results, hut here there is danger of overdoing it good busi ness. My observation is that a crop may be produced which exceeds the de mand, glutt the market, and thus causes a tumble in prices. Nor is this the only danger; but often the planter runs his land too long in this crop, and the result in a few years is seen in the large tracts of worn out lands, such as fringe the railroads in Virginia, especially be tween Lynchburg iiuil Danville. II your people will only cultivate small pieces of their mountain lands each year, not keeping it in tobacco for more than two crops, then devoting it to grass and cat tle, they will surely make money by get tin;; higher prices for their crops, and still having an attractive and beautiful country left them. I know that this course has been followed to advantage; I have visited Alexanders, ami noted the condition ol some of the surrounding farms. It is very evident that the owner, who, I hear, died quite recently, was a practical business man and a good farmer. Hut I have imposed upon you too long. So now good-bye. Send me Tin; Citizkn regularly until 1 return here, which I hope to do within two months, for the balance of the winter and perhaps to make it my home. Farewell. LOYAL TO AHHF.VII.LF.. How a lroniiiient Citizen Speaks ff His Travels. "Oivc me Asheville for scenery." It w.-is Mr. R. R. Raw-Is, the genial rind witty proprietor of the Swanuatioa, who made this remark. He has just re turned from a mouth's vacation and is brim full of life and enthusiasm for every thing that relates to Asheville. Well, he ought to be it good judge of scenery. A coaching trip through the most pictur esque spots in New Jersey and Pennsyl vania would make any one a good critic of nature. Think of visiting the Switch back, Delaware water gap, Lake Hopal eong. where Lotta's cottage is reflected in the calm, liiirror-like.expanseof water, ami of closely skirling along the shores of the Delaware until Philadelphia is reached. He has done it and hiis come back as much in love with Asheville as ever. "Well, why shouldn't 1 ?" he replied, when his friends expressed their surprise ill his undiminished belief in Ashcvillc's superiority, nticr having been put to such a lesi. " Why S. 13. Hakes, the pro prietor of the Hristol house, corner of Forty-second and Fifth avenue, New York City, says there arc only three places fit to live in Asheville, Iluntsville, Ala., and New York City. Ha! ha! Yes, 1 admit that it may In- a little far fetched, but not so very much after all." "By the way, Hroadhead, the proprie tor ofthe Delaware Water Oap house, is thinking of coming down here. At least lie intimated tliat to me when I was there." "Speaking of l is coming here reminds me of what Mr. Clarke, the assistant general passenger agent of the Pied mont Air Line, said about the prospects fortius winter's travel. He said that they were making preparations for, and expected more travel on their roud than they had had for several years. Then he went on to say that the Asheville hotels advertised less than anv others and asked the reason why. I told Clarke that it was simple enough, as we were full at any rate." And Mr. Rawls was right. Asheville could c.'isilv support auot.ier hotel. One of our largest hotels alone turned away from eight hundred to one thousand guests during the months of April and May of this vear. Col. J. M. Ray, of this city, who was visiting in the blue grass region of Ken- tuekv nnd Tennessee, has returned. He expresses himself enthusiastically on the , ,. r , ' . . blue grass, the quality of the stock, and I the large prices they bring. HEAVY CONFLAGRATION. HALF MILLION HLAZli PKTKRSIIIKG, VA. The Jlosl ncHtructlve F.ire Since the War The Total Lohh Ih Kf -timated at Sri)o,uon-Iiihuthiicc About Sj.io.owi, I'KTKHsm Hr,, Ya., November 7. This city sustained the heaviest loss by fire to day it has experienced since the war. Flames were discovered by a policeman about three o'clock this morning in rear of the store of A. Roscntock Co., or Oeorge II. Davis & Co. Owing to the density of the smoke, the officer could not tell in which it originated. Soon the dailies burst out of Roscnstoek's front door and spread themselves with 'frightful rapidity. An alarm was sounded, and the whole fire depart ment responded, but being unable to make much headway, help was asked from Richmond. That city sent two en gines, but tile fire was practically under control befo'-e their arrival, the train hay ing been delayed en route. The buildings in which the fire started were located in what is known as the "Iron Front" block, on Sycamore street, near Tabb. The block consisted of five stoics, each five stories high, and wps the handsomest in the city. The block Wits soon ii mass of flames, which com municated to the buildings on each side, anil swept across the street consuming six teen places of business before they were stopped. The total loss is estimated at $."i(l(). 0(10, and insurance is estimated at .1511,0(1(1. AIIi:VlLLi:H LATF.HT. The l.iilerrtrlse of th- IreHy-U-riau Church. The committee of the Presbyterian church of Asheville who had been author ized to purchase an organ, have at last completed their work. The contract was awarded, through their manager, Mr. F. Crosby, to the Roosevelt Organ Co., of New York City. The organ is to be finished either on or before the first of May, and will be all in order by the time the Ocncral Assembly meets, on May 15, IK'.Ml. The organ will have nine speaking stops, four couplers, three mechanical ac cessories, six pedal movements, and two manuals I or key boards. I It will be run by water power. The width of the organ will be nine feet and nine inches, the depth ten feet and ten inches, and the height sixteen feet and eight inches. The Roosevelt Organ company has been established comparatively recently. It wiis first started in 1N72 and has been modeled upon the latest foreign studies ill scientific organ building. The cofn pauy is now working on a $51), 000 organ, which is being erected by them lor the Auditorium at Chicago. The re nowned organist Clarence Eddy will play upon this organ, when it is comple ted. This fact alone is a sufficient guar antee of the value of the work done by the company. The organ now ordered by the com mittee, will be the finest in Asheville, al though not the largest. It is more ex pensive than those of other makes, but this is caused by its recognized superior ity to other organs in the quality of its tone, its finish, and the Advantageous patents over whieh no other hitihlcr has control. I-IIWAKII WKUIIIM Dl'.AU. TltiH Popular Younic Man Kxpired Last iiiiht at 7.30. Death is ahvays sad, always a shock. To the old even it is frequently unexpec ted; to the young or, as another has expressed it, those "who die before the dawn," it is as il frost, blighting the plant in its tenderness; but to a young man who has but climbed to that point in tile journey of life where its charms and nossibic achievements lie in all their al luring attractiveness betore Ins vision, it is indeed a terrible visitor. Such was the case with young Edward Weddiu. A young man of more than or dinary popularity ; bright, capable, am bitious; surrounded by opportunities to advance himself to places ol trust and confidence among his lellows, and pos sessed with the pluck and manhood to embrace them, the sudden ending of his career calls forth far more than ordinai v commiseration and regret. He had been a patient and luqictul sufferer from that dread disease cancer, for a number of months, during which time he was unable to attend to his du ties as manager of the Southern Express office in this city. A trip to Philadelphia a few weeks ago for the purpose of hav ing an operation performed, and his re turn without its having been done, pre pared his friends for the worst, and they knew the end was only a matter of time. His stricken mother and sisters have the profound sympathy of all in their sore bereavement. His age was 2;i years, 1 1 months and 1.1 days. COMPARATIVE VAI.VK8. Properly In ANhevllle Teu Veant Alto and Now. The side of real estate to-day contribu ted its quota towards showing that property in Asheville is rapidly increas ing in value. It has made gigantic strides in the last ten years. Take this as an illustration. Yesterday Mr. V. P. Hlanton bought of Mr. W. W. Barnard for $4,000 the town lot situated on the corner of Water and Pulliam streets This lot has a frontage of thirty feet on Water street nnd a depth of forty feet, nnd has on it a livery stable. This same lot was sold on October 6, 1886, by E. i Jones and Clapp for $1,400, and was sold by Mr. E. Sluder ob October 4, j 1881, for $502.50. Thus the last eight I years has seen this property gain $3,500 '" val,,e' This means an increase of 700 iter cent, on the original investment, . Uhatdo vou think of that? Is Asheville ' booming It has on seven league boots.