North Carolina Newspapers

v'faf'V:''-'-".'-;-''' c S 1 THE DAILY CITIZEN THE DAILY CITIZEN BOARDING, WANTS, For Rent, and Loit Notion, three lines or leas, 25 Cent! for Q each innertion. Delivered to Visitors In any partXof the City. One Month Sue. Two weeks, or lew 25c. VOLUME V. ASHEVILLE, N. C, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1889. NUMBER 218. APPALLING DISASTER. EXPLOfUON UK THE TANK AT THE CAS WORKS, i Two Men Killed i Others tMlghtly j Woniidtd-MtatementH of Fore man Davis and Walter T. Spears Inquest Nol Concluded. Persons living a mile away from the luwn were aiarucu ycaiciuujr iiiui mii about seven o'clock by a loud report coming from the direction of the gas bouse, and knowing that there had been trouble with the gas the night pre vious, it was feared that the trouble was there. These surmises were found to be correct, and many reached the scene of tbe explosion in a few minutes. A fearful spectacle met their sight. The gasometer was a total wreck, and among tbe debris were the bodies of two men Lewis Guthrie dving, and Will. Gates dead. Of the two other men engaged in work on the gasometer at the timeof the accident, WaltSjiears was badly burned and Geo. W. Davis escaped miraculously with his life. George W. Davis, the foreman at the works, stated to a Citizen reporter that a leak was discovered in the stand-pipe inside the gasometer the evening before, and that water broke in. The gns was drawn off he believed all of it, as the gasometer was on the bottom, and wa flooded. lie came up town tor assistance am met Walter ai'KAKS, who got a man named VVnx Gatks, and they all went to the works, where they were joined by Lewis Gl'THhic, who had been employed there about a month. They drew the water from the gasome ter Itj order that a man might get inside to slop the leak. Mike Kelly had been engaged to make the repairs. The plates were then removed bv Speaks, and as hi laid the same aside all of the party lean ed over and looked in the hole as I stiaightened up I felt the gasometer rising, and saw a small blaze from the lantern, and jumped backward and out ward. All of us were standing on the y&sumeter. As I fell I heard an explosion and iiiiv the gasometer go up about thir teen feet, I arose and came around the tank, were I saw the bodies ofGATEsand Guthrie lying on the ground. Gatks os dead, and Guthrie was slightly breathing. Both werecarriedtotheoffice. Gi'TMkik's body was carried home; but be ceased to breathe a few moments after leaving the yard. Davis' eyebrows were singed and his hat was covered with charred tar, showing how close he was to a frightful death. Walter L. Speaks went to work last night at 9 o'clock in company with Wm Gates and Guthrie. Was employed by Davis. Worked all night at pumping water from around tank. Had two lanterns to tee how to work, About 6:4-0 o'clock this morning Davis ordered man-hole removed; one lantern was then on top of tank; tank was down to bottom; all three of us took off bolts of man-hole; Davis was near by. We then lifted tbe cover from man-hole As we slipped cover off man-hole, the ex plosion occurred ; I did not smell any gas. Explosion was very loud. Davis and I jumped off of tank, on s6uth side, side nearest to man-hole. Gates and Guthrie ran across the tank and seemed to be try ing to reach the house. I think they lost their presence of mind. Had they jumped as I did thev would have escaped, 1 cannot tell what in duced them to run across the tank their doing so, certainly cost them their lives. I did not fall hut retained my feet as I sprang off of tank I felt it rising. 1 ran immediately across branch, then looked back and saw flame for first time. I got burned by a small flame which emerged from man hole before explosion. My injury is now very painful, my face on right side and rieht arm being severely burned. The hair on right side of my bead is burned, also. The tools used by the unfortunate workmen, and large fragments of the frame of the gasometer, were found scat tered all over the yard. Guthrie leaves a widow and four little ones; they live but a short distance from the scene of the accident. Gates was unmarried, and lived with his parents in the southern part of the city. With their usual promptness the fire companies were ready, and before the fire bell had given many strokes the Hook and Ladder Company were on the scene of action, the Hose Company following almost immediately after. Though ready for any emergency there was little that they could do, as the flames were confined to the tank. They rolled several barrels of oil and other combustibles away from the fire, thus preventing other explosions, attended to the removal of the bodies, and with their hose played on the flames until they were extinguished, Mr. J. G. Martin, president and Messrs. Penuiman and Patton, directors of the Company were promptly on hand, and all possible efforts made to alleviate the grief of the afflicted families. Prompt and decisive action was also taken to enable the company to meet the demands of its patrons in as short a time as possible. Telegrams have already been sent to procure the needed machin ery and such skilled workmen as may be required. The supply of gat will be stopped only for a very short time. CORONER'S INQUEST. Coroner W. D. Hilliard impaneled a jury of inquest consisting of Messrs. J. A. Conant, F. A. Hull, W. G. McDowell, R. A. Long, W. R. Bearden and J. K. Miller. G. W. Davis and A. G. West sworn. G. W. Davit took the stand and said : "My work is repairing, and teeing that gut it properly grrnd., I enrptoyea GsM and Spears last night ; I was looking for Mr. M'Donnell to get hose to draw water from tank; Guthrie was already at work ; we first got the gas out of the gasometer; we then began drawing out water which was finished at 6 o'clock this morning; we were all near the man hole; n lantern was burning five feet away; the cover was removed; we looked into hole, and suddenly a small flame seemed to Hart out of the man hole; the explosion occurred instantly; I had barely time to call to others to run ; Sjx-ars ran on same side with me ; I did not know that any one was killed for some time ; I found Guthrie first; he was dead ; Gates was breathing still." Question by Mr. Hill. What was the condition of the works on yesterday? Answer. "We had trouble in getting the gas to enter the holder;! reported this to Mr. Arthur, and he told me t have the water drawn off, ami prepare for repairs to be made this morning; 1 did not think there was any gas in hoi der; I had taken every precaution to get it all out; cannot account for the explo sion ; had drawn gas out of holder here tofore, and used same means as now; have never opened man-hole with a light burning near it ; did not. know of any whiskey being near us last night ; no one seemed to have been drinking. I am not superintendent or manager. but merely employed to do outside work I never do anything without applying lor instruction to Mr. Arthur or Mr. Jones. I can only attribute the explosion to gas that exuded from the tar which had condensed on the bottom and sides of the tank, which might have risen in the gas ometer as the water was drawn out. A. G. West's testimony was not mate rial, referring only to the position of the bodies of Gates and Guthrie; West did not perceive nnv sign, of whiskey; he reached scene soon after explosion. Capt. McLoud explained the construc tion of the tank, and the jury adjourned until Monday to procure the testimony of Speais. FIFTY-FIRST CONURESg. Both Houses Adlourn Until Jan- nary 6, 1890. Washinguon, December 21. SENATE. After some routine business, Mr. Sher man moved to go into executive session. Mr. Morgan ottered a resolution call ing on the President of the United States ir copies ol all correspondence between he United States and Brazil, and of all other papers on file in the State depart ment relating to the recent change ol overnment of Brazil, and said that he lesired to submit some remarks Mr. Sherman declined to yield for that purpose. Mr. Morgan 1 regard thismovement to go into executive session I as a delib erate attempt to cut us off from any con sideration of the resolution, the one de bated yesterday), and, as the senator from Ohio is chairman of the committee on foreign relations, to which committee a motion has been made to refer it, I do not think that he is justified in this course of action. I propose ( on his motion to go into executive session ) to test the question whether or not there is a voting quorum here, because, if we are not to have any consideration on this side ot the chamber, I shall insist that the other side suffer just as much by that form, ol tactics as we do. Mr. Sherman disclaimed the imputa tion, and said that if the Brazilian reso- ution could be debated and voted on he had not the least objection, but there was no quorum present to decide anv controverted question. Mr. Morgan admitted that 111 the ab sence of a quorum his resolution to recog nize the republic of Brazil would neces- ianlv 110 over till after the holidays, but he desired that the information called for n the resolution which he now offered might be obtained for the purpose of in- lornnnL' the country ot the situation ol the Brazilian question in the State de partment, out he wished to submit in connection with it a statement from H. W Hilliard, of Augusta, Ga., former min ster to Brazil, which he had received from that gentleman this morning in the hane ot an interview in the Augusta Chronicle. He also wished to submit the speech of Mendonca, of Brazil, (as re- iiorted in the mornme papers), in re- ponse to the toast, America all rcpuli- lican, delivered at a D.inquet in .New York. Mr. Sherman said that he had no ob jection to the adoption ot the resolution ust offered it tt were acted upon without liscussmn. Mr. Morgan "If tbe senator will allow me to put into the Record thiscommunica- , 1 , 1 . n:n 1 1 1 , , lion mm mr. nuiiaru, ana ttlbo inc statement which I will add" Mr. Sherman "I do not think it fair for the senator to do that. Let him put Mr. Hilliard s statement in the Record. Mr. Morgan persisted no further, but furnished to the official let otters copies of papers containing Mr.Hilliard's state ment and Mr. Mendonca s speech, and then his resolution calling for correspond ence was agreed to. Mr. Spooner ottered a substitute for Mr. Morgun's resolution as to the recog nition of the Brazilian republic to be re ferred to the committee on foreign rela tions. It declares that the action of the President in according diplomatic recog nition to the present provisional govern ment of Brazil, and in instructing the United States ministers to extend, on the art of this eovernment. a cordial and formal recognition of the new republic as soon as a majority of the people of Bra zil should have signified their assent to its establishment and maintenance, mer ited and received the unqualified approba tion of congress. Mr. Morgan suggested that there was something in Mr. Spooucr's proposition to point a moral and adorn a tale." Mr. Call save notice t nat immediately after the holiday recess he would ask the senate to take from the tuble the resolu tion offered bv him for the appointment of a committee to report legislation nec essary for the protection of the people in their right to homes oil the public lands of the United States, in Florida and else- here. Mr. Teller gave like notice in reference to his resolution for an open session of tbe senate. The senate then proceeded to the con sideration of the executive business, and at 2.45 adjourned till Monday, Jauuary 6th. HTXWE. Tbe berate was treated to a spicy little discussion this morning be tween Mr. Holman, of Indiana, and Mr, Mills, of Texas. The discussion was pre cipitated by the statement from Mr. Car lisle, of Kentucky, to the effect that in offering the resolution yesterday for the appointment ot J. K. Hill as assistant door keeper, he had fixed the salary at q-z,uuu, Dencving that that was the sal ary which had always been received by the other special employe, Mr. Clancy. (Clancy has been a republican minora v employe). He had learned that this was a mistake and that Clancy's salary had been $1,500. He therefore moved to reconsider the vote by which the reso lution was adopted in order that the house might determine whether it would reuuee mil s salary to 3i,o00 or in crease Clancey's salary to $2,000. Tin vote having been reconsidered, Mr. Hol man, of Indiana, moved to reduce Hill's salary to $1,500, and he urged the neces sity of preserving economy in the expen ditures of the public money. Mr. Mills said that that was the same old speech he had been listening to for the last sixteen years. Every session the house was treated to a speech on economy which was to beapplied to the officers of the house and the smaller offi cers of the government ; but whenever it came to applying economy to the expen diture of hundreds of thousands or mil lions of dollars, the eloquence of the gen tleman was lost to the country. Could the American people be protected from excessive exiienditures only by cutting down the salary of some poor fellow about the house of representatives. He had fought against reduction of the pay of the officers of the house and increase ofthe pay of the officers of the senate which the gentleman from Indiana, as a member of the committee on appropria tions had permitted to be done year after year. He believed in common with all English speakinir neonle that the American house of representatives was the breath of the people, and he believed in maintaining its equal dignity, power and equal rights. (Applause.) If hei should ever succeed in getting to the sen ate there would lie somebody in the sen lie would still teel that he was kin to American democracy, and that this house should be preserved in equal dignity and equal rights to the senate. Mr. Holman said that il the gentleman intended to practice economy thev must begin with the details which came before congress tor consideration. The dignity of the house, had it been assailed during me iust six years wnen nancy had bcei receiving $1,500. had the gentleman from Texas felt it necessary in order to preserve the dnrnitv of the house durim. those six years to increase the salarv. If the house had been more considerate in tbe expenditure of public money than the senate had been, it was to the great nonor ana aignity 01 this body. Mr. Hobnail's motion was acreed toby a vote of 96 to 70, and the resolution as amended, was adopted. Mr. Cumminirs. otNcw York, oresented the Oetition of the irnvernor nnH ririronc ot New Jersey tor the relief of Mrs. De lia Parnell. Referred. Mr. McComas, of Maryland, from the committee on appropriations, reported tne uistrict ot Columbia appropriation bill. Printed and recommitted. This is the first time in the history of the house wnen at tne nrst regular session, the gen eral appropriation bill has been reported uciorc ine nouuays. 1 ne nouse adopted a resolution re questing the United States treasurer to receive the cash and assets in the ser geant at arms office as a special deposit unm me lurtncr order ol the house. A proviso is inserted that nothing therein contained shall affect Lcedora's liability. The District of Columbia appropria tion out was reported back and laid on the table tor the present. At his ownreauest Mr. Wike. of Illin. 01s, was relieved from duty on the com mittee on elections, and Mr. Wilson, ol Missouri, was appointed to fill the va cancy. The seaker then announced the stand ing and select committees of the house. The Seaker also announced the ap pointment ot Messrs. Mason, Cogswell, Strubie, Turner, of Georgia, nnd Wilson, of West Virginia, as a committee to in vestigate the ballot box forgeries under tne isuttcrwortli resolution. Mr. Cheadle, of Indiana, resigned from the membership of the committee on Claims, and his resignation was accep ted. The house at 2.45 adjourned till Janu uary 6. Verdict In the Navassa Case. Baltimore, December 21 The jury in the Navassa case as to the murder ol Thomas N, Foster, have rendered the following verdict: Henry Jones guilty of murder in the first degree; C. Ozar Fisher, Ed. Smith, Chas. H. Smith, alias John Ward ; Alfred Jones, alias "Texas Shorty; Edmund Francis, alias "Blue- ball;" James Johnson, alias Tom Welsh, Alfred Brown and Amns Lee, guilty of manslaughter. James Phillips and Moses Williams, alias "Dakota," not guilty; and not agreed as to lames Toscer George S. Key, Charles H. Davis, alias Poinpey, Steve Peters, James II. Robin son, alius "Now." Edward Woodford nd Norman Wooster, alias "Juggler." George S. Key was onvicted of murder on the nrst trial, nnd was only tried a second time as matter of form as ac cessory to the murder of Foster. The Brazilian President Dvliig-. London, December 21. A privatecable despatch received here from Rio Janeiro states that marshal Deodora deFonseca. chief of the provisional government of nrazil, is dying, the question as to who will succeed is engaging serious at tention. It is believed that the change in ministry which would follow marshal De Fonseca's death would lead to serious complications. The World's Cotton supply. New Yokk, December 21. The total vis ble supplv of cotton for the world is 3,044,531 bales, of which 2,647,181 are American, ngamst 2,772,535 and 2,523.- 035 bales, respectively ,last year. Receipts at all interior towns are 204,463 bales; receipts from plantations, 206.539 bales: crop in sight 4,704,177 bales. Sapper at Weavervllle College. An elegant supper was given by the faculty of Weaverville college to the stu dents and a number of thealumiui, in the college building. About two hundred and fifty were present. Each member of the faculty was presented with a present by the students as a testimonial of their appreciation of their work during the past term. 1 be occasion was a most enioyaoic one ror an wno participated. I be college will be closed tor a week dur ing tbe holidays. W. C. T. V. Let no W. C. T. U. member fail to at tend the Anniversary meeting at tbe Y. M. C A. ball to-morrow, at 4 p. m. OUR PAST AND FUTURE. AHHEVILI.K'f BUSINESS MEN INTERVIEWED, The Results ofthe Year Now End ing aud the Prospects for 1890 JUMt Enough Despondent Ones to Show Our Future Assured. There is a bum and a bustle, a rattle and roar, a vim and a go about Ashe- ville merchants which makes the visitor think but once nbout tbe scenery and cli mate nnd then turn his attention to the shop windows. Good gracious 1 Look at JACOB'S DRl'G STORE. i nat is tbe toug.iest sort of a pill to swallow. If there are not aprons, mou .'hoir cases, tidies, aud lots of fancy art icles, hanging just out ofthe reach of some mustard plaUrs, "which wouid lain draw them down. But there comes the proprietor himself, with jaunty step. Hello, old man ! I tee you are dealing in dry goods'. The pill business must be pretty bad this year. Do you have to throw these articles in as prizes for the man who is able to takethe most of your medicine without experiencing anv ill effects, or are these rewards for the doc tor who sends you the most tions ?" prescnp- "No, sir; those are the proiierty of the ladies of the Christian church, who have put them on sale here." "Well, if you arc endorsed by thctluirch I guess your wares must be all right. only from tbe clothing there one would think you spelled it w-e-a-r-s. But how has your business been during the year?" I can t complain. Our sales have never been larger. We have more pre scription work than he can attend to. and the hardest part of the business is to find some place to invest the profits." Mr. Jacob's statement is perhaps a lit tle overdrawn, but constant association with doctors is not conducive to making one state a case accurately to the public. Leaving him to the arduous task of in vesting the profits, let us step into the store of II. REDWOOD & CO. There behind those counters, piled up with dry goods, clothing, boots, shoes and no tions, is the man we want to see. "How has our business been during the present year compared with thatoflast? We can truthfully say that oursaleshavc increased 25 per cent. Not only that, but we are keeping a finer line of goods than ever before. Our trade has clamored for it, and we have been compiled to keep them in order to supply their wants. The increase of population has brought with it a growth in taste and style ot dress." That speaks well for a place. Where the luxuries of life are in popular demand the merchant ought to make a few dol lars. As an old Greek, when asked why he was working, said, "I am working to cam money to buy food to get more strength to earn money to buy food to get more strength to earn, etc." And that is what we are all doing. It takes lots of courage and nerve to keep walk ing through this dreary treadmill of ex isteuce. But this isn't a place for moral izing, but for more realizing. That is what we are doing in Asheville. If you don't believe it, walk into the store of F. P. MIMNAt'GH. Listen to what he says: "I deal now only in dry goods and carpets. My business has been running five months, and I have no cause to repent having opened a store in Asheville. Business is especially good considering the time I have been here. The finer lines of goods have the best sales. There is no Southern town, and I have visited them nil, that can support and demands a finer quality of merchan dise than Asheville. The better grades of carpets are especially in demand, ow ing to the great amount of building now going on. I can hardly fill the orders which I have received lor furnishing en tire houses with carpets. Even in this small space of time my business has crown so that I intend to use the second floor of this building for millinery and dressmaking." Asheville seems to offer pretty good in ducements for new merchants, according to Mr. Mimnaugh's statements. Now we will go to SAWYER'SCLOTHINGSTORR And see what they will say to this all im portant question. They are not the men who, when a customer returned with his suit and complained of the fit, said, Why, we have sold ten suits to various parties who saw you withthoseclothes," while the customer went away rejoicing and kicked himself around three blocks for not being able to appreciate a good, snug, New York fit. No, they are not the men, but they seem to sell suits, all the same, for one said: "Is business good? Well, it was an oft" day to-day, and yet I sold four suits of clothes myself. That isn't doing very bad, is it? I am not very sad because the business is picking up, although it did compel me to add a large line of dry goods and carpets to my present stock." Hello there, Citizen man! How are you ?" And out ou thesidewalkappeared Mr. Chedestcr's beaming countenance. talking to the customers who were stroll ing into the store of CI1RUESTEK a SON. Glad to see you, Mr. Cbedester. I was just after you with a shotgun in order to bag an item." "Come in and I'll see what I can do for u. What is it you want ?" "J ust tell me if that report is true about your making such large tales du ring the past year." Ha! ha!" and Mr. Cbedester rubbed his handt complacently. "Our business it to big we can't tell you anything about It averages 50 per cent, more than any other year. The sales amount to 43O0 every day except Saturday, when we take in $600. We are keeping the largest stock we ever had before. But don't forget my hotel, THE GRAND CENTRAL. The number of arrivals is nearly as large in winter as in summer. The class of patronage is better and every day you will see seven or eight States represented on the register. Our receipts are 50 per cent, greater than any other winter and the number of guests have become so large that we have added to our force as caterer Capt. Sprague, who was formerly at the Round Knob hotel. I should say we are doing well. The hotel has just netted me $35 a day during the summer. Going? Hold on a minute," and Mr. Chedester returned with a handful of cigars, which made the reporter wish he could call there on a like errand eveiy blessed day. With a cigar iu his mouth and a happy, contented look in his eye. he sauntered into B. H. COSBV'S JEWELRY STORE. Mr. Cosby said : "I was connected with Mr. Cowan for ten years, and have been in business for myself since Fehruary two years ago. Trade has increased since I took hold of it and shows a considerable increase over last year. I have sold a great many fine watches, and in some branches of the business the fine lines have been far ahead of any other." Having been a frequent visitor at the mayors court, the reporter was not afraid to go into ulanton's clothing store. It was hardly necessary to ask him whether business was increasing. Every man that has been fined by him will also find him. They will take especiul pains to suit him by getting a suit from him, ind it will amount to more than $5 too, for there will be added a goodly amount of "costs." Yet they will continue to court him. He said, "I have been in bus- ness since the 1st of September. I have done a larger wholesale business than 1 expected, and intend to increase my stock next fall and do a bigger jobbing business than I have heretofore." KELLY 8t STRACHAN, who are plumbers, nnd steam and gns fitters, were next visited. They do not wear the traditional diamond pin, but they plead guilty to doing a very large and increasing business, and no one can tell how long it will be before we see something sparkling in their shirt bosom. BROWN, Gl'DGER & CO. was the next place which our reporter filled with tobacco smoke, and between the blue wreaths which floated around the store, he heard a voice saying words which cai ved their way through the dense clouds and pierced bis ear. They were these: "Our trade is better than we ever have had. The increase has been made in the city proper. The main thing which has caused it is the fine line of ladies' dress goods, which we carry, and which has been instrumental in call ing attention to our other lines." The reporter waited for 110 further work, as they did not keep cigars, but backed out under the protesting canopy of the smoke and took n peep into the store of MANN, JOHNSON k CO. This firm deals in furniture. They stated that they bad been having a pretty good business during the past year, but had remained very nearly sta tionary without any falling off iu their trade. It certainly would seem strange if they did not hold their own in the severe competition they have to con tend against with their fine line of goods. But the question awaited a great many more answers, and it was HERRING & WEAVER who were invited to see how the shoe would fit. They kindly put it on and said it was several sizes too small for them, and that they needed a bigger shoe to measure their business by. Mr. Her ring said : Our business has been steadily in creasing ever since we started in it three years ago. The trade we have demands not the finest quality of shoes but the best quality. They do not necessarily re quire a very nne shoe, but they want a good one, and we have no calls for the cheaper grades. Of course the warm weather is hurting us somewhat, but the winter is bound to come, and we will be ready for it if it turns up here next July." It was very gratifying to learn that there would always be one place where shoes could be obtained, suitable for all kinds of weather. Lost in thought, the reporter was just about to cross to the other side of the street, when his eye caught sight of the NEW OPERA HOl'SE. How his eyes feasted upon and de voured it, as he thought of those pood times he would have when it was fin ished ; the free passes he would work and how he would lounge back in the com fortable parquet chairs and enjoy the show, without paying a nickel. Don't say Asheville is not going ahead with a boom worse than that made by the ex plosion yesterday morning. What surer sign than this, when people demand something tliey can spend their money on. Where money it easily spent, it is easily made, and we hear that Ashsville is going to have a class of theatrical per formances which will repay every one to Invest their money in. Well pay your money and take a seat alongside of the reporter, who doesn't intend to pay anything. Such a pleased expression flitted over his face at this thought that he detctermined to have it caught and fixed at once, to be hied away to LINDSET a BROWN, the photographers, who have combined their fercea and cas uaJct crott grained citizen, who wears a continual pained expression, look like an angel with a twelve foot halo. In answer to our gen tle query, he replied : "Our business has been at least a quar ter greater than the past year, apfl the holiday season set in we have been unable to attend to the wants of our cus tomers. The sale of views is an import ant branch of our business, but we sel. ten views of Asheville and its immediati vicinity, where we sell one taken else where." Then the reporter left to escape bein crushed in the rush of patrons and has tened over to the ASHEVILLE ICE & OCAL COMPANY, Here he met with neither an icy or cold reception but was told that thi company had secured the sole agency foi the Jellico coal and were now supplying all the manufactories in town. Their total output showed that the manu facturing industries must be increasing in size as their coal business has largely increased. Quantities of this coal art shipped to outside points by thecar load. The ice industry has just been basking in the hot sun of the past few weeks and this was the only enterprise, whose proprietor did not grumble at the heat. That is a very good idea, when it be comes very cold, the coal trade jusl whoops her up, and when it becomes very warm, the ice industry takes the lead and makes things howl. But next door is the store of N. J. LANCE, who say s : "I formerly kept a store at Hot Springs, and then moved to Asheville be cause 1 thought there was a better busi ness opening here." The store will be opened on the first ol January for the sale ot general merchan dise. But he is not the only new man here, for entering the handsome McAlet building, there was found the photo graph gallery of MR. J. W. CRAWFORD. Although just starting, he seems to be well pleased with the prospects, and vainly quoted rates to the reporter, who though he admired his work, had left his pocketbook at home. The next place was that of KOPP a LICHTENRERGER. "1 hear you have just started in busi ness here," queried the reporter. "Yes, and we arc agreeably surprised at the amount of trade which we have secured We are selling goods as staple articles ot which at first we only kept samples." Not having been asked to sample any thing the reporter moved on to MITCHELL'S SHOE STORE. "How is business i was asked. "You don't mean to have nerve enough to ask that in this state ot tne weather, was the answer, and the reporter hastened onward as rapidly as if he had lieen as sisted by a forcibly extended boot. At PFLHAM'S DRUG STORE every face was smiling and joyous. All said that they had done the big thing of their life, when they moved from their old quarters a short time ago, and that business was so brisk now, that they had no time to think of the business in the old quarters. MR. MAX UARCl'S sold his stock of gents furnishing goods to Mr. C. H. Mark, on the 17th of this month. Tbe latter gentleman will re main here until the first of January, and then will remove his goods to Anniston, Ala., where he has a store. Mr. Marcus says that he has been in business for two years, but that the competition was too great for him to make any profit and that he thought the increase in the num ber of stores exceeded the growth in the population. FULENWIDER St DHO. is another new shoe store. They said that the business had been as good as could be expected, considering the state of the weather. According to them the people demand a better class of goods and so they have done away with the cheaper grades. WILLIAMSON & CO. Were interviewed and replied as follows: "The sales are better. Perhaps not greater in the total amount, but better in the class of goods sold. An artistic line of furniture is now demauded, which we could not have put on the market before. We carry double the stock we did before, and the class of goods we keep has en tirely changed. A new and great demand has sprung up for fitting up houses with carpets, pictures, furniture, etc., from top to bottom. THE ASHEVILLE HARDWARE CO. Owns the store formerly belonging to Mr. J. R. Hill, nnd have only been open two weeks, but they certainly wouldn't risk the amount they have in their venture il they didn't think that theiroutlay would be refunded. The reporter had now almost finished his beat and his cigar that remained was to get the opinion of the BALTIMORE CLOTHING STORE. Flinging away his butt, which a gutter snipe quickly seized on, he entered and beard tbe following : "The sales have not been quite as good, owing to the warm weather. The people demand more now for their money, on account of the low prices which close competition hat developed. We hnve sold more goodt during the year, but the profits are a great deal less. Still we willcome out a little ahead of last year's profits. MORE ANON. Important Notice To members of the Library Associa tion: The Asheville Library rooms will be closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The spring session of the public schools will not begin nutil January 6, 1890. PERSONA!, MENTION. The Rev. T. A. Morris, of Arden Park, was in the city yesterday. Mr. W. G. Corpening, a contractor on the Three C's railroad, is at the Grand Central. Mr. George B. Carter, of the Detroit Lithrograph Company, is stopping at the Grand Central. Mr. Geo. A.Jones, a prominent lawyer if Franklin. N. C, was in town Friday 'in important business. Mr. George E. Lee is at the Grand Central. He is the depot agent of the R. and D. R. R. at Old Fort. Mr. N. H. Broyles, who represents the Greenville Patent Medicine Company. has registered at the Grand Central. Among the guests at the Grand Cen tral is Mr. W. T. Spaugh, who is one of the owner" of the Salem Iron Works, at Salem, N. C. J. D. Robertson and wife leave the city to-morrow morning for Augusta, Geor- ia, to spend the holidays with their daughter in that city. Mr. and Mrs. Brown left for Harrison burg, Va., on Friday night on account of a telegram which summoned them to the bedside of Mr. Brown's father, who is very seriously ill. Mr. John Gray, of Ellijay, K. C, and Mr. J. C. Weaver, of Cartoogechaye, Macon county, N. C, two of the best farmers of Macon county are in the city on their way to visit relatives in Weav erville. Mr. Swan L. Burnett nnd Mr. J. H. Burnett, of Del Rio, Tenn., are staying at the Grand Central. They are large lumber dealers and have come to Ashe ville on business connected with their firm. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Chickering, of Grand Rapids, Mich., are at the Swan nanoa, and have brought their son with them. Mr. Chickering is looking after the purchase of certain lands and mines in Western North Carolina. Mr. N. L. Barnard, owner of the cele orated Iotta farm in Macon county, N. C, is in the the city. This farm com prises about two thousand acres; five hundred, of which are bottom lands, and under plank fence. Mr. Barnard ap preciates the value of grasses and has the greater part of his place in timothy, orchard and herds. He devotes his at tention to the raising of mules for the South Carolina aud Georgia markets, and has on hand, at present, over one hundred head, of which twenty-five or thirty are ready for the iwkct. Flattering Recognition. Our friend R. R. Porter, to whose name and good qualities it is always a pleasure to refer, because in doing so there is the well merited fullness of sincerity, has just had one of those recognitions of his business value, as well as personal worth. He is one ot the travelers for the large wholesale hat house of C. W. Tborne & Co., Richmond, and enjoys the friendly rivalry of twelve other travelers for the same firm. A year ago it was pro posed to contest for the largest business done by the young men for the house during the year, and Mr. Thorne offered as a prize, a handsome cane to him who should lead in sales during tbe year. Yesterday a handsome ebony gold headed cane was received with the dona tive inscription handsomely engraved, "C.W. Thome to Robert R. Porter," with the acknowledgment that Mr. Porter had led all his active and intelligent competitors by the sum of $8,000. This was a handsome recognition of valuable service. ODDS AND ENDS. Many of the young ladies from the Asheville Female College will spend the holidays at their homes. About twenty five left the city yesterday. The orchestra has arrived at the Battery Park, and plays for the guests during the day and evening. It makes an additional attraction to that de servedly popular hotel. Mr. R. F. Mclntire petitioned the board of aldermen on last Friday night to have tbe name of the street running in front of his residence changed. Accord ingly Short street, will hereafter be known by the aristocratic title of Dukes' street. Religious Notices. Rev. C. C. Cofer, of Tennessee, will hold services in the Christian church at 11 o'clock a. m. Central Methodist church Sunday school at 9.30 a. m., service at 11 o'clock a. tn. and 7.30 p. m,, as usual. Rev. G. C. Rankin pastor. French Broad Baptist Rey. Dr. Ag ne w, of Bethlehem Presbyterian church, Philadelphia, will preach at 11 o'clock a. ni., and the pastor at 3.30 o'clock p. m. instead of 7.30 p. m., the change being caused by the shutting off of tbe gas. Riverside M. E. church, South Divine service at 11 o'clock, conducted by Re. W. M. Kerr, at night by the pastor. North Asheville, service at 11 o'clock by the pastor. Everybody invited. Sab bath school at each place at 3 o'clock p. m. C. M. Campbell pastor. Christmas at the Hospital. Friends ofthe hospital do not forget the patients at the boapital are depen dent on yon for the good things to make thit Christmas a pleasant one. Turkeys, cake, fruits or anything good to cat, will be most acceptable. Remember the sick, needy, homeless, at this holiday season, when to much it done to make your borne bright sod cbeesfeL ...