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VOL 33 SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY, JULY 28, 1914 Number 43 the births,exceed deaths. Estimated That 80,000 Are Born in This State Each Year. State Death Rate Exceeds That of the Govern ment. Raleigh Times. June statistics received by the State Board of Health show that during the month there were in North Carolina 6,753 births and 3,535 deaths. The births exceeded the deaths by 3,218. That would make the yearly excess of births over deaths in this j State 38,616. According to June’s figures, the total number of births in one year would be 80,036. Of course the months will vary, but it is the es timate of the Board or Health that there are approximately 80,000 births in North Carolina annually. Basing the deaths on the same figures; that is, multiplying the month’s figures by twelve, the annual death toll would be 42,420. The annual death rate for North Carolina, according to figures given out at the office of the Board of Health, is 18.24 per thousand against a death rate of 14.4 per thousand for the entire United States. The strict registration law will bring the death rate up. In this way it will evident ly increase. The registrars will be on the job and will report every death. Heretofore all were not re ported. If the figures gotten by the government were complete, then the death rate of the country would be ap parently higher. In North Carolina there are 1,400 local registrars, 1,700 physicians, 700 undertakers and 1,400 midwives. Up on all of these the State is depend ent to a more or less degree for ac curate statistics concerning deaths and births. The vital statistics law is working well. The State Board of Health is all the time getting into closer touch with local conditions. WARMER WEATHER THIS W fcfciv. Weather Conditions Will be Generally Fair Over the Whole Country, is the Weekly Forecast. Washington, July 26.—Warm and generally fair weather over the whole country was forecast tonight by the weather bureau for the first half of the coming week. "The next disturbance of impor tance to cross the country,” said the bureau report, “will appear in the far west Monday or Tuesday and move eastward, crossing the great central valleys Wednesday or Thurs day and the eastern states near the end of the week. This disturbance will be attended by local showers, thunderstorms and cooler weather. There are no indications at this time of a disturbance in the West Indies.” nHtiKK Uln MUWUil Thrift Society Shows Americans Are Terribly Extravagant. The recently formed American So ciety for Thrift, which is to hold an international congress at San Francis co next year, has made a tabulation of thp annual cost of the alleged ex ... - '£ ..ces of the American people, les, according to this author ,s- $600,000,000 a year, or less than twice as much as cigars and to bacco, which are set at $350,000,000. Intoxicating drinks cost $1,700,000, 000, and soft drinks, such as those sold from soda fountains, at one fifth as much, or $350,000,000. Chew ing gum costs $25,000,000, and confec tionery $87,000,000. Theatres, in cluding moving-pictures and similar entertainments, are rated at $600,000, 000, while the “extravagance” in ho tels, restaurants, tango teas, etc., oi that sum more than necessary for comfortable subsistence, is rated at $400,000,000. This makes a total oi more than $4,000,000,000. And this amounts to $40 per capita, $200 pel family, or one-fifth the total expendi tures of the American people for al purposes.—Boston Herald. Woman of 84 Swims Daily. A woman 84 years old has been en joying the cool waters of one oi Youngstown’s municipal swimming pools. She is Mrs. H. Jarm. Shs visits Lincoln Park and takes hei plunge daily.—Youngstown (Ohio) Dispatch. UNCLE SAM GOT HIS CENT. Threatened Prosecution if Former Postmaster Didn’t Meet Shortage. Luther H. Clifton, for seventeen years postmaster at Blades, Del., re ceived word from the Postoffice De partment at Washington today that he would be prosecuted if he did not pay a shortage of 1 cent. He settled, and escaped trouble. The affair was peculiar. Clifton was succeded as postmaster last No vember by Caleb R. Cannon. The accounts were gone over by an expert when the transfer was made, but it was impossible to learn the amount of cancellations, this being the basis upon which the postmaster’s salary is fixed. The report of the expert finally was that the government owed the retiring official 1 cent. Today, how ever, the department sent word that the debit was the other day about, and threatened prosecution for nonpay ment. Clifton paid the money to his successor and got a receipt.—Seaford (Del.) Dispatch to New York Sun. LED ONE CHOIR 58 YEARS. Close R. Palmer, Now 78, Still Leads Singing in His Church. Nashville (Mich.) Dispatch. At the little Maple Grove Method j ist Church in Barry County, a man j of 78, with long flowing beard, leadsj the singing. He is Close R. Palmer, pioneer resident, Civil War veteran and for 58 years leader of church ac tivities in Maple Grove. In this peri od he has sung at some 500 funerals. Mr. Palmer was born in Livonia, Livingston County, N. Y. He moved to Jackson County, Michigan, in 1851, and four years later moved to Maple Grove, at that time a wilderness. There were only a few families in Maple Grove then. They built houses of logs and had to contend with In dians. Deer were plentiful and veni son formed one of the chief articles of food. Wild turkey, too, were nu merous. When Mr. Palmer was 18 years old, the few families in the vicinity of his home organized a church society and services were conducted in a little schoolhouse, and not far from the site of the present Methodist Episco pal church. Mr. Palmer was selected to lead the singing and he organized a choir of a dozen members. Later, after Mr. Palmer married Miss Mary Baltz, choir practice was held in the Palmer home three times each week. Maple Grove could boast of some good singers and the music at the little church was talked of for miles around. Today only three members of the memorable group of singers are left. But every Sunday finds Mr. Palmer in his old place near the pulpit, taking the lead in the song service and ener getically urging the little congrega tion to join. His vo.ice is not so strong as it used to be, but what he lacks in volume of tone he makes up in enthusiasm. DENVER BOY A PRODIGY. Amazes Scientists By His Wonderful Memory. Cleo C. Smith, a Denver boy, is amazing scientists by the marvelous retention of figures in his brain. The Denver New Psychology Society has just subjected him to a severe test during which, for more than an hour, 100 persons bombarded him with ev ery statistical question they could think of. He never once failed in a correct answer. They found that he could give the population of every city in the world over 90,000, the lengths of all rivers, the heights of all mountains, the num ber of miles of railroads, the number of farms and the population by na tionalities in each State of the Union and the population of every city in the United States over 20,000.—Den ver Correspondence to New York American. One Thing or the Other. Scribbler—England has discovered a new poet who is also a digger of sewers. Wigwag—When he isn’t laying a pipe I suppose he is piping a lay.— Philadelphia Record. CAPT EDWARD PARKER DEAD. End Came Yesterday at His Home in Burlington. He Was a Prominent Lawyer and Confederate Soldier. This morning’s News and Observer carries the following article which will be read with regret by many of this section: Burlington, July 27.—There died at his home in Graham today at one p. m., Edward S. Parker, well-known lawyer, large-hearted citizen, belov ed friend, devoted father and hus band. Mr. Parker was taken with an acute stroke of paralysis last night. Dur ing the night he made a valiant fight, and the morning found him rallied and better. But with the passing of the day he weakened, and at a little past noon succumbed. This stroke was one of the several that have come to him during the past four years. Mr. Parker was a strong man, and few knew of the fights he had to make against these attacks. !•__•_1.1_ ..... . .1 _ n iwi mo gviug i/ucic paoocvi a, me of seventy-six years of faithful and beneficient service. Born in Cumber land, spending his early days in Har nett, he gave to Alamance the pride and prime of his life, and for it Ala mance is better. To him she owes much that has made for her best in terest. For his passing she is in grief that is sincere and lasting. As a befitting recognition to the benefit of this life of service lived among them, the people of Alamance honored this large-hearted man. For a long time he was solicitor of this judicial district. The seeming paradox of lawyer and honest man was no paradox in the life of Edward S. Parker. It was a blending of the true and the good in manhood with the intellectual vigor of a great mind that built for him the legal practice that covered this whole country hereabout. Men said of him that in him at least could be found the honest lawyer. Mr. Parker was a Confederate sol dier. He was the first sentinel of the war between the States to be sta tioned in North Carolina. Near Beau fort, at Fort Macon, when the senti nels were first posted, he was the first of the first. Rising beyond ser geant to captain, he exemplified in the war that cool courage and level headedness for which he was held in regard at the bar. On one occasion he, with a party of others, was tak en prisoner, and taken aboard a pris on ship belonging to the Federal forces. Rigid enforcement of silence kept the men helpless for awhile, but later through a system of signs they formed a plan to seize the ship and put the Federals in their irons. At a time appointed each man fulfilled his part, and the ship was taken, the Federals thrown overboard, and the vessel made a Confederate ship. Hearing of this episode, Scribner’s a few years ago wrote to Captain Parker asking him to write it for them in great detail, offering him a large stipend for so doing, but he with his characteristic modesty would , have nothing to do with giving pub licity to a matter in which he was such an active power. There survive the widow, two sons, and one daughter, an attorney of great ability and recognized talent. He is one of the prominent lawyers in no less a city than New York, be ing general counselor for the Ameri can Tobacco Company before its dis solution, and Mr. E. S. Parker. Jr., an attorney at Graham, a leader of the bar in this county. The daughter is Miss Mamie Parker, who lives at Graham with her mother. Mr. Parker’s friends over the State are many. For his death the State herself as well as this community is poorer. His life was a pattern to be followed, his great-hearted public spirit an attribute to be emulated. New University Faculty. Atlanta, Ga., July 26.—Six Metho dist educators of the south it was announced today have been selected as members of the theological facul ty of the Methodist university which is to be established in Atlanta. As made public by Bishop W. A. Chan dler, chairman of the executive com mittee, the selections are, Dr. W. J. Young, Richmond, Va.; Dr. Plato T. Durham, Charlotte, N. C.; Dr. H. C. Howard, Tuscaloosa, Ala.; Dr. W. A. Shelton, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Dr. Andrew Sledd, Greensboro, Ala.; Prof. W. A. Stuart, Charlottesville, Va. THREE THOUSAND AT FAIR. Selma Melon, Tomato and Better Baby Exhibits Finest Ever Seen in Johnston County. Selma, July 27.—Selma’s third an nual melon, tomato and better baby fair was a grand success. All por tions of old Johnston were represent ed. The crowd is estimated at three thousand or more and not a single arrest during the day. Melons, tomatoes and babies were in evidence everywhere, and one moth er exhibited her twelfth child, a fine one about- six months old. On the front of the stage were four 300-pound blocks of crystal ice. In one block a large melon, in one musk melons and canteloupes, in an other ripe and green tomatoes, and in another a baby doll. With this before you, you need not be told that the oc casion is the Selma Melon, Tomato and Better Baby Fair. The informa tion before you is a beautiful picture indeed. The fair is indebted to the Wood Bros. Ice Co., for this hand some display. The reunion of the old Scarborough students with their old teachers of 43 years ago was one of the features and was enjoyed by both teachers and stu dents. Several could not come and wrote letters of regret to that effect. The Wyatt chapter of the U. D. C. gave the old vets a dinner—a good one. The Kenly band made the music, our military company the drill, the concert by the fire companies, basket ball in the morning, baseball in the afternoon composed the out door sports. The melon exhibit was fine—both kinds. No finer tomatoes ever grew anywhere. And the babies, the babies, the ba bies. Over forty entered the contest and a finer lot was never seen. We cannot in this give you the prize win ners in any department. After dinner the doctors announced that all exami nations had been made. Each mother was requested to take seats on the stage and to undress the baby to the diaper; they did so, and now comes the most interesting part of the fair. Over 1,000 people were in the building now to hear the report of the prizes. Excitement runs high. Every mother now arose, including the mother with her twelfth and held her darling in full view of the excited audience. At this point some man on the stage grabbed a little tot and waved it up and down naked before the audience. Another grabbed another—a real live, strong-lunged baby, and he at once raised the old baby rebel yell, “What is home without a baby?” The band caught on and struck “Dixie.” This set the old vets afire and they yelled as in 1860-1865. Women waved their hats, handkerchiefs and fans, every body yelled and it looked as though the very frame work of the building had caught the impulse of the mo ment and began to creak or squeak. It was a grand sight—old men were heard to say it was the grandest sight they ever saw. The invitation is again extended to all to be with us on each July 24th. You will be pleased. BULL CLIMBED TO THIRD STORY. San Francisco Flat Dwellers Are Terrorized By Animal. An unruly bull broke loose from a bunch of cattle here recently and, dashing through the downtown busi ness district with a vaquero in full chase, galloped up Nob Hill and but ted into a fashionable apartment house hallway, shivering the door with his head. To the terror of the tenants, he kept on up three flights of stairs, butting in doors whenever the turns were too sharp. On the fourth floor the vaquero cornered him, but it was necessary to back him into a woman’s bedroom before he could be turned around and led downstairs.—San Francisco Chronicle. _ The most careless and superficial ! readers do not remain untouched by i the books of life; they fail to under stand them, or to get the most out of them, but they do not escape the I spell which they all possess, the pow | er of compelling the attention and ■ stirring the heart.—H. W. Mabie. I would rather be than seem to be. —Motto of the Earl of Winterton. NATIONAL DEBT IS HEAVY. Its Weight on People Felt Much More Than That of States. Washington, July 24.—The debt of -he national government is a greater fnancial weight upon the people of >ach State, except of Arizona and Massachusetts, than the obligations of the State in which they live, ac ’ording to statistics issued yesterday oy the census bureau. The figures showed that on June 10, 1913, the per capita debt for the 18 States amounted to $3.75, while that of the national government was 510.59. The total debt of the State governments on that date was $422, 796,525. An offsetting item was $76, )80,571 in sinking-fund assets. The national government had a to tal debt at the end of June last year amounting to $2,916,204,914. Howev or, less cash in the United States Treasury available for the payment of debt, than would be reduced to $1,028,564,055. The report showed that only in Arizona and Massachusetts does the State debt, less sinking-fund assets, amount to more per capita than that of the national government. In Ore gon the per capita State debt is 4 ] cents; Kansas, 14 cents; while in | Pensylvania it is nothing, because the sinking-fund assets exceed the total debt. New York has a per cap ita debt of $9.05 due largely to the cost of the Erie Canal. AT 112 HAS 723 DESCENDANTS. Arkansas Woman Celebrates Birthday With 120 of Them Present. Mrs. Elvira Waldron, of Marion County, has just celebrated her 112th birthday anniversary at her home on Sister Creek where she has lived 44 years. One hundred and twenty descend ants were present at the celebration, including children, grand-children, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. She is the mother of sixteen chil dren, eleven of whom are living. Her oldest son is 83. She has in all 723 descendants. She is the widow of John Waldron, who was a Confeder ate soldier and died in 1890. Mrs. Waldron was bom in Ohio County, Ky., where she lived until coming to Arkansas. That was the only time she has moved. She has a brother living, Elias Gregory, of Louisville, Ky. She has never worn glasses. She frequently walks 5 miles a day.—Mountain Home (Ark.) Dispatch to New York Sun. WOMAN LEFT NUDE BY THIEF. Pretty Girl and Her Uncle Are Forc ed to Disrobe. Held Up in Automobile. Kansas City, Mo., July 2J.—Miss Mildred McDermitt, an attractive young woman of 20 years, and her un cle, J. H. McDermitt, were held up and forced to take olf all their clothes by a lone highwayman, who stopped their automobile at a dark and lonely spot in Cliff drive last night. Mr. McDermitt and his niece were driving slowly when a dark form sprang from the shrubbery along the road and ordered them to stop. “Stop that automobile, or I’ll kill you both,” commanded the man, point ing a revolver at the occupants. He wore no mask. “Well, he was not exactly a gentle man," said Miss McDermitt, as she told her story of the hold-up. “He took my diamond necklace, a brooch, and a gold bracelet. Then he told me to extend my fingers so he could get my rings. After taking two rings he started to relieve my uncle of his val uables. He got a Shriners’ ring and a $175 diamond pin from him. “Then came the worst of all. He asked us whether we wore tailor-made clothes, and then demanded that we disrobe. We pleaded with him, but he emphasized his threat with his revolver. “He wouldn’t let us stop when we had taken off our outer garments— we took off our clothes until we didn’t have anything on—not even our shoes. “I’d like to see that man punished— you bet I would—to the very extent of the law.” A little too wise they say do ne’er live too long.—Thomas Middleton. LIFE CRUSHED OUT BY TRAIN. jirl Operative of Henderson Mill Rushes From Building to Her Death. Henderson, July 24.—With the thoughts of one more day's work be hind her and in a happy frame of mind, Lucy, the 14-year-old daughter of Henry Wilson, a mill operative, quit work in the Hariett Mill No. 1 shortly after six o’clock this after noon, ran out of the building across a side-track of the Seaboard Air Line railroad and a moment later was crushed to death beneath the wheels of two cars being pushed by a switch engine. Her sudden and tragic death was witnessed by a number of employ es of the mill, where the young girl worked. The track runs in front of the mill and but a few feet from the door. At the time of the accident a switch en gine was backing two cars to a point beyond the mill and was almost di rectly in front of the door when the young girl rushed from the building. Eager to get home for her supper and presumably to prepare for an en gagement in the evening it is thought she never saw the slowly moving train. The engine crew saw her as she dashed just in front of the moving cars and the engineer applied the emergency breaks at once. The en gine came to a standstill immediately, but too late to save the young girl’s life. The wheels of the two cars had passed over and torn her body almost to fragments. Death was instantane ous and she probably never knew what struck her. The engine and cars were not traveling at a very fast rate, but enough to bring death. The unforeseen death of this young girl has cast a gloom among the op eratives of the mill. Full of life and very popular among her friends her place will be hard to fill in the esteem of loved ones. The arrangements for the funeral services have not yet been made. AGE LIMIT FOR JUSTICES. President Wilson Wants Man Not Over 60 Years Old. Washington, July 23.—President Wilson wants to find a man under 60 years to fill the vacancy on the Su preme Court bench, caused by the death of Associate Justice Lurton, al though a man slightly older would not be rejected. When Senators Simmons and Over man today presented the name of Justice Walter Clark, of the North Carolina Supreme Court, who is 68 years old, the President outlined his ideas. So far as is known the Pres ident has made no definite selection from the many names presented. Secretary Lane and Attorney-Gener al McReynolds are still said to be foremost Governor Dunne of Illinois was indorsed for the vacancy by Senator Lewis, who called on President Wil son. Representative Dickinson of Mis souri, presented a telegram from Governor Major and indorsements from the entire Missouri delegation in Congress and many lawyers in his State supporting W. W. Graves, of the Missouri Supreme Court. PROHIBITION IS DEFEATED. Texas Defeats Resolution to Have Prohibition Amendment Election. Dallas, Texas, July 26.—Prohibition was defeated yesterday in the state primary, according to additional re turns today. Jake E. Ferguson, the anti-candidate for the nomination for governor, increased his lead to 20,000 over Thomas H. Ball, the prohibition candidate. The returns indicate a fin al majority for Ferguson of about 30,000. The resolution to have a state con stitutional prohibition amendment election was running behind tonight, with prospects that final figures w’ould show its defeat by about 10,000. Proved Truth of Proverb. She—A proverb says that fruit is gold in the morning and lead at night, meaning that it’s bad for one in the evening, I suppose. He—That’s right; Look at the trouble Adam got into eating an apple after Eve.—Boston Transcript.
The Smithfield Herald (Smithfield, N.C.)
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July 28, 1914, edition 1
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