North Carolina Newspapers

BIG FIRES IN THE SOUTH New Orleans and Hot Springs Visihd bv Disastrous Conflagrations, DOCKS AND TERMINALS BURNED TJp Illinois Central' Freight Handlln? rHciJitlcs In the Crescent City De stroyed. Cansinx a toss of Million of Dollar' Worth of Property Many Vales of Cotton Burn. f New Orleans, La. The -worst fire ever known in New Orleans, entail ing a loss in excess of $3,000,000, start ed at the docks and wharves of the Illinois Central Railroad, known as the Stuyvesant Docks, and occupying near ly a mile front on the Mississippi 'River, in the very centre of the city. The docks were built six years ago and named in honor of Stuyvesant Fish. President of the Illinois Central. They were- the finest freight terminals in the South, and handled more than lialf the grain trade of New Orleans and nearly half the total commerce of the port.- The toss- is confined' almost wholly to the railroad and the freight In its warehouses awaiting shipment to Europe. The freight terminals of the Illinois Central, including the immense grain elevators, the sugar sheds and the cot ton warehouses, were wiped out. The loss is estimated at from $3,000,000 to $4,000,000, and the fire, coming at this time, injured the export grain business of New Orleans immensely. The two elevators which were de stroyed had a capacity of over a mil lion bushels of corn, and both of them ,were partially filled. About fifty cot tages in the neighborhood of the fire were burned, and for a time it seemed that all that part of the city was doomed. The fire originated in the conveyor of one of the big elevators, and spread along the river front for a mile with lightning-like rapidity. Five thousand bales of cotton and 12.000 barrels of sugar were. destroyed. Ten ocean steamers, which were at the piers, were badly scorched, but were saved. So far as can be learned, no lives vere lost, although there were many narrow escapes. Sixty freight cars in the yards are a total loss. The local Fire Department practically threw up its hands early ; and the fire spread ;without interference until all the ter minals were destroyed. The Illinois Central carried its own fire risk and had, it is understood, $3. 000.000 in its sinking fund to the credit of its fire fund. The loss is almost complete. The docks with yards covered nearly fifty acres of ground. Officials of the rail road say that it will take the railroad nearly a year to restore its terminal facilities. HOT SPRINGS FIRE KILLS FIVE.' lilaze Destroy S3.000.000 Worth of Prop erty 2O0O Persons Homeless, Hot Springs. Ark. This city was visited by a disastrous early morning tire, entailing a loss conservatively es timated at $2,000,000 and costing the lives of five persons. The charred bod ies of thiee women were found in the ruin.? of the Grand Central Hotel next morning, and later the bodies of two men were taken out. In the South Hot Springs cottage district, which was destroyed, several persons are missing, but it is not known that any loss of life occurred there. The fire started in the Grand Central Hotel, at Central avenue and Chapel street, in the southern part of the city. A high wind was blowing and the flames quickly spread to the south and west. The Plateau Hotel, the Hotel Moody, the Gamier flats and several lodging houses were quickly destroyed. The fire department rendered good service until the water pressure gave out for two hours, when the area was left to the mercy of the flames. Duf fle's general store, one of the largest in the city, is a total loss. Over 100 houses were destroyed before the flames were checked. The district between Ouachita avenue and Prospect street was swept by the flames. More than ,2000 people are homeless. Fortu nately the cold weather has passed and springlike temperature prevails. The streets are filled with merchan dise taken from stores in the threat ened district. The main hotels, the Eastman, Park and Arlington, are safe, as are also both railroad stations. NEW NAVY FOR SPAIN. .Way Found to Build It Without In creasing Taxation. Madrid. It is understood that the Government will raise a loan to carry out its naval program without increas ing taxation. The scheme involves the expenditure of 500,000,000 pesetas. It was temporarily abandoned after its inception, but has now been taken up again. I taims at the establishment of a strong navy", with vessels of the latest types, the re-armament of the coast defenses and the naval bases in tLe Canary and Balearic Islands. Juryman Fined For Race Prejudice. Edgel Davis, the Iudian Territory cattleman who refused to serve on a Federal Grand Jury with negroes, was taken from jail at Durant, brought before United States Judge Humphrey and fined $50 for contempt of court. Davis' friends paid the fine and he was released. Canal to Cost $230,500,000. The engineering committee of the Panama Canal Commission unani mously recommends the construction of a sea level canal, which, it is de clared, can be accomplished in twelve years, at a cost of $230,500,000. Federal Insurance Control. , Senator Dryden, president of an in surance companj-, arranged to intro duce a trial bill carrying out the Presi dent's recommendation of Government control of insurance. FATAL MINING ACCIDENT Ovsr a Score of Repairers Perish' at Gary, W. Yju Explosion Canaecl by Firedamp CSas Com w In Contact With Torches Carried . ly the Workinen. Roanoke, Ya. A telegram was re ceived here from M. J. Caples, superin tendent of the Pocahontas Division of the Norfolk and Western Railway Com pany, saying that an explosion had oc curred in the mines of the United States Coal and Coke Company at Gary, W. Va., about i o'clock during the afternoon. It was not positively known how many men were in the mine at the time, but it was estimated that more than a score had lost their lives. The mines are on Tug Fork, a few miles from Welch, W. Va., being one of the largest operations along the Nor folk and Western Railroad. Only the carpenters and track repairers were at work with a few experienced men who were placing timbers m the mines. It was learned later that twenty-three were killed and that fifteen bodies had been recovered and every effort was being made; to, reach the other men. J. F. Snyder, chief clerk to Vice-President and General Manager N. D. Ma iler, of the Norfolk and Western, noti fied him of the; accident by wire late in the afternoon. Mr. Ma her is in Pittsburg, where the home offices of the United States Coal and Coke Com pany are situated. It is believed that the accident was caused by firedamp gas coming into contact with the torches carried by the workmen. GET MORE THAN I0D BODIES, Removal of Dead From Virginia Mine In Alabama Hampered. Birmingham. Ala. Up to noon on the third day after the accident 100 bodies of victims of the explosion at the Vir ginia mine had been recovered. Three more had been sighted. It will be im possible to reach all the bodies until the water is removed from certain parts of the mine. The bodies found last showed that the men were lying on their faces, some of them with coats and shirts about their faces in a vain endeavor to keep off the black damp. The day was another period of funerals at Vir ginia and other near-by mining camps. Relief committees from Birmingham and Bessemer are actively at work among the sufferers. RUSSIANS TO BLAME. International Court at Paris Censures Admiral Rojestvensky. Paris. France. Excepting Admiral Donbassol, the Russian representative, every member of the North Sea In quiry Commission signed the report giveu but censuring Admiral Rojest vensky for firing on the British fishing fleet in the North Sea. It was against Russia, although pains were taken to show leniency to Admiral Rojestven sky. The court flnds that Admiral Rojest vensky was not justified in firing on the British trawlers, but that he was justified in proceeding without stop ping to render assistance to the British fishermen. The decision says the delay of the Russian transport Kamschatka follow ing the breakdown of her machinery was perhaps the cause of the incident. The commander of the Kamschatka signaled to Admiral Rojestvensky dur ing the evening that he had been at tacked by torpedo boats. The admiral, therefore, had reasons to believe he might be attacked. ERIE TRAIN WTRECK. Tuxedo Express Goes Over Embank ment Near Paterson, N. J. New York City. Carrying more than 200 passengers and running at a speed L of almost a mile a minute, the Tuxedo f express, from Middletown, N. Y., to Jersey City, on the Erie Railroad, jumped the track at Warren Point, a few miles east of Paterson, at 8.05 o'clock in the morning, and plunged over an embankment twelve feet high. By a marvellous circumstance only one person was killed, but fully fifty were more or less seriously injured. Grace Matthews, sixteen years old, a stenographer, who lived in Suffern, N. Y., and worked in New York City, was crushed to death in the wreckage of the car in which she rode. REIGN OF TERROR AT BATUM. The Whole Caucasus Said to Be Seeth ing With Disaffection. Constantinople. Advices from Batum say that the Prefect of Police and sev eral leading merchants of that city have been assassinated, and that num bers of Ottoman subjects have been murdered by Georgian strikers. The Porte has drawn the attention of the Russian Embassy to the situation, and the latter has promised the necessary protection. Revolutionary manifestoes in favor of a republic are being circulated broadcast at Batum. Favors Sea Level Canal. -The successful completion of the Simplon tunnel may have an important bearing upon the project of General Wallace, Chief Engineer of the Pan ama Canal, to make that waterway a sea level canal by driving a tunnel four miles long under a mountain to divert the surplus waters of the Chagres River. Voted For .Nineteen Presidents. William W. Richards, who enjoyed the distinction of having voted at nine teen Presidential elections, died at his residence at Ogdensburg, N. Y., aged ninety-seven years. He was born at Hempstead, L. I. To Investigate Pulp Mills. Governor Higgins began an investi gation of charges that pulp mill men had denuded hundreds of acres of Adi rondack forests of their timber in vio lation of the law. IN THE LEGISLATURE Work That Is Being Done By the North Carolina Lawmakers. -. Passed Final Reading. At Tuesday's session the following bills passed their : final reading: To submit to the qualified voters of Bun combe county the question of issuing bonds for the improvement of public roads, and the establishment of a highway commission; to build certain iron bridges in Henderson county, and to apply certain funds; to amend the charter of the "town of Brevard; to ern Pines; to ratify all acts and pro cedings relating to the issuing of bonds of the town of Lexington; providing for the time of extension of taxes for building a new jail at Alexander coun ty; to prevent the obstruction of Peach Tree creek, in Cherokee county, by felling of trees; to protect game in Burke county; to prevent felling of trees in the streams of Ashe county; to define location of certain cuhrch es, in Catawba; fobidding sale of liquor-within two miles of a certain church in Columbus county; relat ing to the bird laws of Catawba; to protect waters of Brush creek, in Al leghany township; to incorporate the Oak Grove Cemetery, in Robeson county; relating to the hunting of deer in Hyde county; to regulate the sale of seed cotton in Mecklenburg; to pre vent fishing in certain townships in Haywood; to forbid the building of barbed wire fences along the public roads of . Yancey county without boards; to authorize the commission ers of Mitchell county to relieve aa ex sheriff; to provide fire escapes and protect human life (the bill amended by the committee was adopted); -joint resolution to petition the United States Senate to pass a law prohibit ing inter-State commerce in adulterat ed foods; changing the name of the Enterprising Banking & Loan Company to the Waxhaw Banking &' Trust Com pany; a resolution authorizing the ap pointment of a clerk to the committee, on justices of the peace. Mr. Vann offered a resolution of sympathy for Senator Beasley, in the misfortune which has befallen him in the mysterious disappearance of his son. Mr. Scales moved that the vote adopting the resolution be taken by rising, and the vote was unanimous. The president appointed on the com mittee to investigate the South Dako ta bond judgment and other bond mat ters Senators Zollicoffer, and Scales, of Guilford. In the House. In the House Tuesday the bill al lowing new trials for newly discover ed evidence, pending an appeal in criminal cases, came up, the first bill as unfinished business. Fowler, of Sampson, led off in a strong speech in behalf of the bill, declaring that as the law now is, a new trial could be granted in a case invovllng the title to a $3 bull yearling, but not In the case of a human life or human liber ty. Laughinghouse, of Pitt, opposed the bill, saying it was strange to him how lawyers could lose sight of the side of public protection of life and liberty in their terms and sympathize with criminals. Stewart, of Harnett, in defending the bill, also defended the legal profession from what he termed mere asaults from the last speaker. Laughinghouse stated that he had not attacked the legal profession, but had simply presented some plain facts re garding a good many members of it, who seemed to keep up in the lead. Other speeches in favor of the bill were by Murphy, of Buncombe; Robeson and Winborne. Those speaking against the bill were Redwine, Gower, Feim ster and Graham, of Granville. The previous question called, the vote was taken on the bill, and it was defeated by a vote of 55 to. 46. The bill had been up four different days during the session. Messrs. Winborne and Rober son had made about four speeches for it, and Judge Graham as many against it. It passed its second reading by a vote of 46 to 45 . about two weeks ago. The following bills passed final read ing:. To amed the stock law in Dup lin; to amend the charter of Clyde; to incorporate Pee Dee Valley Rail way Company; to incorporate Ashe ville & Northern Railway Company; to incorporate Raleigh & Southport Railway Company; to incorporate Southport & Northwestern Railroad Company; to allow Rutherford county to re-fund $100,000 of its bonded debt; to protect landlords and tenants in certain counties; to amed charter of Black Mountain; , to protect fish in Yancey; to amend charter of Farmers' Mutual Fire Association; to !icorpor ate Pine Top Banking Company; to re-incorporate Chowan Baptist Asso ciation; to protect game birds in Ma con county; to prohibit fishing in amend charter of the town of South North Fork of New River, in Ashe county. The Anti-Jug Law. A bill defining the place of sale of liquor, coming up on its third reading, the following additional counties were exempted from the operations of the act: Hyde, Alleghany. Washington. Nash, Perquimans, Stokes, Pitt and Tyrrell. There was considerable de bate between the two members from Buncombe. Mr. Murphy desired Bun combe to remain, under the operation of the McNinch law, and Glenn favor ed exempting it. The difficulty was finally adjusted by Mr. Glenn yielding and stating that he would introduce a bill-to fit the case, so Buncombe was not exempted. The bill then passed its final reading, and was ordered sent to the Senate. The House thei ad journed. There was but little accomplished Wednesday in the Senate. A few lo cal bills were introduced and a few passed third reading. At noon the House took up the Sen ate bill, known as the Vann bill, regu lating fishing in Albemarle and Pam lico Sounds, and it passed its final reading. Winborne Bill Dead. The bill providing that county com missioners can upon petition of citi zens of any school district order an election for special school tax for either race, came up, and Winborne explained it, stating that if the old de cisions of the North Carolina Supreme Court were followed, the bill would not accomplish the object that was in tended, but that since the old deci sions, the United States Supreme Court had rendered decisions which. made this. law now a constitutional one. He said that Governor Glenn heartily approved of this bill, and had received assurances that the State Su preme Court considered it constitu tional. Winborne said he had intro duced the bilrto take the place of his ill amending the State constitution. Simply meant either race could sup plement its regular public school fund by a vote of its own-property holders for additional taxation. The previous question was called on Graham's mo tion to refer, and the bill was referred to the committee on education, which means its death. For Statute to Ransom. In the Senate, bills were introduced to prohibit public officials from riding an passes or mileage books, or annuals; to incorporate the Methodist Protes tant College of North Carolina, Bills passed to allow connvicts to be em ployed on the public roads in McDow pll; to provide for the payment of rail road bonds of Cleveland; to prohibit the manufacture and sale of liquor at Yadkin ville. At noon Thursday the bill to punish barratry came up as the special order. Mr. Moore, of Gaston, said he had been compelled to bow his head in shame at the practices of disreputable law yers in his county, this practice being a disgrace to the profession, which had aroused contempt in the minds of the people; the State Bar Association not having acted against this class of at torneys. In the House, Chairman Roberson, for , the committee on appropriations, reported on the appropriation bills fa vorably for $5,000 for a statue of Gen eral Matt Ransom, available after next November; on the bill relieving the board of agriculture from paying $10, 000 annually to the Agricultural and Mechanical College; on $150 for Moore Mechanical College; on $150 for Moore's Creek Battle Ground, and $750 for tablets at the battlefield of Bethel and Chicamaugua. He reported unfav orably upon the bill appropriating $25, 000 for a hospital for epileptics and idiots: on the bill increasing by $1,000 the appropriation to the Oxford Orphan Asylum. The committee had agreed on a special appropriation of $2,500 in ad dition to the regular one for the Appa lachian School, at Boone. Bills were introduced to amend the road law of Lincoln county; to create a board of prison parole; to incorporate Cornelius; to charter the Appalachian Electric Company; to provide for a turnpike ,from North Wilkesboro to Boone; to 'prevent bird dogs from hunting at large during the nesting season and breeding seasons of birds; to regulate challenges when a special venire is drawn from the jury box; to prevent smuggling of whiskey and other liquors into Ruther ford county; to regulate fees of county officials in Camden; to amend the act of 1903. regarding the apportionment of ground. The bill was carried without opposition. Moore, of Pender, author of the bill, made a splendid speech. The committee, on appropriation at tached an amendment reducing the ap propriation to $150 and Moore asked that the amendment be voted down. Scales favored the bill carrying $200 with it. A bill passed relating to Pike's school district, in Robeson and Cumberland counties; bill to prohibit manufacture and sale of liquor within two miles of Spring Hope graded school district, Nash county; to abol ish all pilotage laws of North Caro lina relative to the Cape Fear river; to amend the charter of the city of Fayetteville; to regulate the sale of concentrated feed stuffs; to regulate the hunting of quail and other game birds in Edgecombe county; relating to office of treasurer of Henderson county; to secure compulsory school attendance in schools at Raleigh, Wake county; to regulate the appoint ment and duties of cotton weighers at Dunn; to amend public road law of Scotland; to amend prohibition law of Cumberland county; to place cer tain territory in Chatham under stock law; to incorporate the Methodist Protestant College; to add to the pres ent stock law territory in Pitt county; to provide for turning into the general fund one-third of the dispensary prof its of Pitt county; to define place and sale of intoxicating liquors in North Carolina. In the House a number of new bills were introduced. Good progress was made in committee of the whole on the revenue and machinery acts, school funds in Mecklenburg. The special order, the Scales reforma tory bill, was taken up, the galleries being filled with ladies. Senator Scales occupying a seat by Representative Gordon, of Guilford. Graham, of Gran ville, said there were three reform atory bills and all three should be referred to the committee on penal in stitutions. Mr. Green opposed delay, but the motion to refer was adopted by a large majority. In the Senate Saturday the follow ing bills passed their third readings: To permit the board of public works of Tarboro to Issue bonds; for the bet terment of the public roads of Pitt county; to form a school district in Cumberland county; to amend the charter of the town of Dunn; to au thorize the commissioners of Granville county to re-fund the indebtedness of Oxford Female Academy; to authorize commissioners of New Hanover coun ty to levy special tax; to protect the game of Surry county; to appropriate and consolidate the annual appropria tion to the Moore's Creek Battle Monday's Session. Bills were introduced in the House Monday vto give pensions to all ex Confederates worth less than $500:' to change the time of the fifth district courts; to incorporate the Yancey ville, Reidsville & Burlington Railroad; to amend the Iredell, school law; to prevent vicious dogs from going at large. Representatives from Wake made statements relating to charges of hav ing sneaked through . the Legislature a road law for Wake containing a sec tion affecting profits of the dispen sary. They denied this. A favorable report was made in the House on the bill for a State Immigra tion Department. All bills requiring inspection of illuminating oils were unfavorably reported. Governor Glenn sent in a message urging a State bureau of immigration; a strong law against vagrancy; for lessening the number of jury chal lenges; for the repeal of all divorce laws since 18S3; to increase Confed erate pensions to $300,000; a monumettt to Ransom; to erect a hall of record and to create the ofiice of State purchasing agent; . The Senate passed bills giving the right of way for a railroad from Hick ory to Catawba Springs; to amend the charter of Hickory Nut Gap, Ruther fordton and Asheville Railroad. 'The House took up as a special or der the bill to repeal the anti-jug law, except as to Cleveland, Cabarrus, Gaston and Mitchell. A number of amendments were offered. It was stated that the general anti-jug law bill had come over from the House, and tne motion was made that these be first taken up. This was not done The amendment was adopted that the bill should not affect pendinsr suits The bill then passed after an effort to add Caldwell, Yancey, Rutherford and Madison had failed. The anti J.. "1 111 A . jug Din was men taicen up, many counties being excepted. A motion to strike all these exceptions was lost and bills passed. Rowan (except bpencer and 'East Spencer), Stanly, uavie, Aiexanfler, are among the ex cepted counties. The bills passed to prohibit shipping oi nquor into prohibition territory un der fictitious names. Col. James L. Orr Dead. mm ureenvine, s. C, Special! Col. James L. Orr, one of the leading cot ton manufacturers of the South, died here shortly after 9 o'clock Saturday night as a result of an attack of erv sipelas, from which he has suffered for more than a week. A, few days ago his life was almost despaired of. but last mgni it was tnougnt tnat he might re S 1 -A- A . Am m . , - . cover. inis apparent improvement continued until late Saturday after noon, when he experienced a sinking spell, resulting in his death. The fun eral will take place here Tuesday. BRAVES HONOR A SQUAW. Snake Indian Woman Has Great Povh ers of Leadership. The party from the Creek enroll ment division of the Dawes commis sion which has been in the field for some time taking testimony relative to names on the allotment rolls met with a remarkable Indian woman. She has wonderful powers of leader ship and her fame for wisdom and valuable counsel has spread through Dut the entire Snake tribe. This woman's name is Fahne and she is a fullblood Snake. Her home .s at Hillabee, a fullblood settlement tvest of Eufaula. The braves of the tribe never undertake a hunting ex pedition without first seeking her ad vice. The Indians usually look with ontempt upon the advice of a 'squaw," and it is a most unusual oc currence to find an Indian woman sit ting in the council meetings of the ribe. Fahne, however, has this priv legc, her opinion always being asked on such occasions. She is 50 years old and has an enviable reputation or virtue and honest dealing. She is often consulted by Wachache, the chief medicine man of the Snake tribe, who is supposed to be in closest touch with the Great Spirit. To be taken into the confidence of the medi cine man would be considered an hon or by any of the men of the tribe. A woman who enjoys this distinction is considered by the tribesmen doubly honored. Muskogee correspondence Kansas City Journal. DIVED FOR A LOST WHALE. Engineer Went Down Twelve Times After Huge Mammal. The schooner Charles Hensen, which left San Francisco last spring, osten sibly for a whaling cruise, but really to trade for furs, has arrived. During her eight months' cruise she captured only one whale, which pro duced 2,200 pounds of bone. The furs fathered by trading were sent down some time ago. Another big whale was killed, but on account of the ice it was lost. The mammal, which was the biggest those on board had ever 3een, came up through one of the holes in the ice, and the crew killed It. Before it could be fastened it sank. . The crews of the schooners Olga and Charles Hensen, both vessels be ing operated by the same concern, were unwilling to give up such a prize, and Chief Engineer Porter of the Olga, go down and secure the whale. He equipped in a diving suit, offered to descended to the bottom of the Arctic ocean twelve times and fastened hooks to the whale. But when it came to hoisting it to the surface it was found to be an im possibility on account of the ice. The diver found the whale under a shell of ice, and the ice was forty-five feet in thickness. The crews exploded 600 pounds of powder in an effort to break tne ice. After trying for eight days they were compelled to give up. Life's Little Ironies. Jeremiah Harrigan of Hocksessin, Del., escaped the clutches of the hang man after the gallows had been erect ed upon which he was to die. A few weeks later he died from the effects of a badly frozen foot. William P. Steele of Princeton, Md., was killed while setting up a monu ment over his wife's grave. The stone fell upon him, crushing head and chest. It was suggested to the authorities of Seville, Spain, that the city should do something to help the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The idea was enthusiastically adopted and a monster bull-fight held in the organization's behalf. , After fruitlessly wandering over the hills of Utah for years, Patrick Sulli van, an old prospector, died of heart failure upon discovering a rlcli mine near Park City.- Pheasant Visits Chickens. A pheasant -was reaently seen among the chickens on a Great Barrington farm. On being approached the bird flew to the woods in th near vicinity and has not been seen since. ml 1UKIH Slfllt MM 1U 5 iitiiiii irrnir iiriirn nnrr rt Occurrences of Interest in Various Parte of the State. Charlotte Cotton Marl :et. These figures represent prices paid to wagons: Strict good middling Y..8.00 Good middling ..8 00 Strict middling .".7 Middling 74 Tinges ,. ..6 to 74 Stains ... .... ..6 to 7 Geneal Cotton Market. Middling. Galveston, steady 7 11-16 New Orleans, steady ,.7 Sarvannah, quiet 7 Charleston, quiet .7 NoTfoIk, quiet 7 New York, quiet ..7.90 Boston, quiet 7.90 Philadelphia, quiet 8.15 Houston, steady .7 Augusta, steady ....7 Memphis, steady ...7 Louisville, firm 8.00 Produce' Market. Chicken spring: Hens per head . . Eggs ... 20 35 22 25 1.00- Ducks Rye .. Oats .. .. 54 Oats feed 46 Cotton seed .- ,Tl Corn .. , 68 Former Tar Heel Suicides. Baltimore, Special. Among the pa pers of Capt. Wa S. Winder, a Con federate veteran aged 11 years, who shot and killed himself fn his home here Saturday, was found a clipping of the address by Dr. Wm. Osier, of the Johns Hopkins University, in which reference was made tx the uselessness of men over 60! years of age. Capt. Winder, who was; a bachelor, had led a retired and lonely life lor some years. His sight had practically failed and recently he had! suffered from in somnia. Lexington's Population. Lexington, Special. The officers ap pointed to take the census of the town have completed their returns, and the figures show that Lexington, now con tains 3,600 inhabitants. This Is about double the popidatioTi prior to the re cent extension of the corporate limits. Cleveland Comity Primary. Shelby, Special. The election; in this county Saturday for superintendent of public schools passed off quietly. Quite a lot of interest was manifested. Th present incumbent, J. A. Anthony, was opposed by Prof. B. T. Falls, prin cipal of the graded school here, Mr. Falls was victorious by a majority of about 182. Building at V. P. I. Burned. Richmond, Va., Special. Science Hall, at the Virginia Polytechnic In stitute, Blacksburg, Va., was totally destroyed by fire. By heroic effort the cadet fire brigade saved "No. 4." barracks, which were in great dan ger. The loss is estimated at $75,000; insurance, $12,000. Very little of the apparatus in the burned building was saved. One person was struck on the head by falling timbers and rendered unconscious. The origin of the fire is a mystery, but the theory is spontane ous combustion. Gen. Underwood Gets $16,000 New York, Special. The suit of General John C. Underwood, of Ken tucky, of the Confederate Memorial Association, for commissions on sums raised for the Association, was de cided in the United States Circuit Court in Brooklyn, by a verdict for $16,000 for General Underwood. The Association disputed General Under wood's claim that he was entitled to a commission on subscription of $100,- 000 obtained from the late Charles Broadway Rouss. Confederate Seal For Gen. Shipp. Lynchburg, Special.; Mr. John L. Lee, of this city, has sent for Mrs. Ed-' ward T. Ayers, of Washington, as a" gift, to Gen. Scott Shipp, of the Virgi nia Military Institute, a reproduction of the seal of the Confederate States. The original die was in the possession of Col. John T. Pickett, of Kentucy, who had the reproduction made. Dentists Elect Officers. Memphis, Tenn., Special. Officers of the ensuing year were elected by the Southern branch of tie National Dental Association, as follows: Presi dent, Dr. W. G. Mason, of Tampa, Fla.; first vice-president, Dr. N. N. Vann, of Attala. Ala.; second vice-president, Dr. R. Cowardin, of Richmond; cor responding secretary, Dr. J. A. Gor man, of Asheville; recording secre tary, Dr. John R. Beach, of Clarks ville, Tenn.; treasurer, Dr. B. D. Bran son, of Clark3ville, Tenn. A resolu tion requesting the national associa tion to hold its meeting next year -in Birmingham, Ala., was unanimously adopted. 23 Miners Die. Bluefield, W. Va., Special. As a re sult of an explosion in shaft No. 1, of the United States Coal and Coke Company at Wilcoe Sunday, 23 min ers are supposed to have lost their lives, and it is possible that the num ber will exceed this. Up to 8 p.'m. fifteen dead bodies had been taken from the shaft. A large rescuing par ty is in the mines. It is barely possi ble, but not likely, that some of the remaining entombed miners will be rescued alive.