r
VOLUME 37.
SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1918.
Number 1
G U AT KM A LI AN CA PITA L
DEMOLISHED BY QUAKES. I
Many Persons killed by Falling Walls
Last Saturday. Cablegram to Navy
Department Sunday Said 125,000
Persons were Wandering Homeless
in the Streets of the Ruined City.
Washington, Dec. 30. ? Guatemala
City, capital of the little Central
American republic of Guatemala, has
been laid in ruins by a series of earth
quakes beginning Christmas day and
culminating last night in violent
shocks which completed the work of
destruction. A cablegram to the navy
department today said 125,000 people |
were in the streets without shelter, j
and that a number were killed by
falling walls.
Navul vessels in Central American
waters have been ordered to the
stricken city to render all possible
assistance.
\ Following is the brief dispatch
1 which brought the news of the cas
trophe: *
"Bad earthquake yesterday finished
the work of others. Everything in
ruins and beyond description as a
.result of last nights shock. One hun
jdred and twenty-five thousand people
are in the streets. Parts of the coun
try are Very cold and windy. Tents
are needed badly. Quite a number
killed yesterday by foiling walls."
The shocks probably occurred be
tween 5.57 and 7 o'clock last night.
Violent quakes were recorded at that
time by the seismographs of the
Georgetown university observatory
and the distance was estimated at 1,
900 miles from Washington.
Over 80,000 Persons are Homeless.
San Salvador, Dec. 30.? Guatemala
City, capital of the republic of Guate- j
mala, has been completely destroyed I
by an earthquake. Many persons were I
killed in the disaster, some in their ;
homes and others in the streets.
/The Colon theatre, which was filled
wkh people, collasped. There were |
many casualties among the audience.
Various hospitals and asylums and
the prisons were badly damaged and
many patients and prisoners were |
killed.
The railroad depot, sugar mills
postoffice, the Amerclan and British
legations, United States consulate
and all the churches in the city have
been leveled.
Deep fissures open in tne middle
of the city.
The inhabitants jn panic have fled
from the capital. More than 80,000
persons are homeless. The stock of
provisions in the city is scant and aid
is required promptly.
The Salvardorcan government has
suspended the official New York cele
bration and entered into mourning
in sympathy with Guatemala.
CHILEAN NITRATE
FOR THE FARMERS.
?????
War Board Purchases Will He De
livered At Cost Beginning
Next Month.
I
"Washington, Dec. 29. ? Deliveries of
upwards of 100,000 tons of Chilean
nitrate, purchased through the war
industries board, under the food con
trol act for sale to American farmers
at Cost, probably will begin in Jan
uary. Secretary Houston said today
that' the board arranged some time
ago for the purchase, but until recent
ly l.t had not been able to obtain
transportation facilities. Ships now
havei been secured for the delivery at
American ports during January of
18,Ot)0 tons, and assurance has been
gK'en that tonnage to bring in the re
mainder soon will be available.
While the price has not been defi
nitely set, the secretary said it prob
ably will be approximately $75 on
board cars at the seaboard. All sales
will be for cash, and farmers will
have to pay rail freight charges, the
State fertilizer tag fee, and any other
local charges.
The Department of Agriculture
% now is arranging for the distribution
of>the nitrate, which will be sold only
to farmers for their own use during
the coming season and generally not
in excess of the amounts used by
them heretofore.
Death at County Home.
Mr. G. M. Hinton, the keeper of the
County Home, informs us that Mr.
Bridge Oneal, an inmate of the
Home, died December 28th, and was
buried in the County Home Cemetery
on the 29th of December.
TELEGRAPH MAY BE NEXT.
Government Control of Roads Neces
sary to Eliminate Friction, Pou
Says. Will Vote Against Suffrage
Amendment. Fourth District Con
gressman Smiles Politely at Oppo
sition Rumor.
(News and Observer, 28.)
Not only is it very probable that
government ownership of railroads
will be made permanent after the
war, but it is equally likely that ex
press companies, telegraph and tele
phone companies will be taken over by
President Wilson in the near future,
according to Congressman Edward W.
Pou, of Smithfield, who was in the
city yesterday on business.
"It was absolutely the only thing
for the government to do in order to
eliminate friction between the various
lines," Mr. Pou said. "At present, I
believe that it is a temporary move
for war purposes but popular demand
is most likely to bring about a perma
nization of the venture when the war
is ovor." ?
Mr. Pou does not think the govern
ment will assume control and opera
tion of other public utilities right
away but is of the opinion that the
express companies, telegraph and
telephone companies will necessarily
have to come under government con
trol and direction in order to prevent
any clogging of wheels in the machin
ery of war.
Suffrage is spnjething the Fourth
District Congressman is against and
he doesn't hesitate to say that prohi
bition and equal rights have hindered
war preparations in Congress no- lit
tle. Mr. Pou does not think the suf
frage amendment will be submitted
to the states by Congress and foresees
its defeat when it comes before Con
gress next month. Like prohibition,
Mr. Pou thinks the suffrage question
is one for the States to settle among
themselves. He is agreed however,
that a vote for prohibition and a vote
against suffrage are hard to reconcile.
Any number of petitions and me
morials have been addressed to the
Congress signed by thousands of wo
men who want the vote, Mr. Pou says.
Recently in the home town of Mr. Pou,
Smithfield, a suffrage organization
has been formed but he hasn't been
moved to favor the issue.
Mr. Pou smiled politely when ques
tioned about the rumored opposition
of J. M. Brqughton, Jr., and so did Mr.
Broughton.
"That's funny," Mr. Broughton said,
when asked about this rumor last
night. It is generally known that the
Congressman from this district is go
ing to have some opposition and the
name of Solicitor Herbert Norris is
often heard in connection with the
Congressional race this fall. Mr.
Broughton, however, is very busy in
Wake as recorder and as head of the
Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. He
has no political ideas right now.
Scarcety of Food Forces Reduction
Civilian Rations.
Washington, Dec. 29. ? Further
reduction of civilian rations in Euro
pean countries today is reported nec
essary.
Information received by the food
administration said the wheat short
age in France was becoming alarming
and that Maurice Long, Minister for
General Revictually, had indicated a
decrease of 20 per cent in the bread
ration soon would be imperative.
Denmark also is looking forward
to a reduction of the bread ration be
cause final figures for the cereal har
vest show a total of only 62,000,000
bushels, or 20,000,000 bushels less
than in 1916.
Food supplies in Switzerland are
falling off to the danger point, the
food administration's information
said. The Swiss now may have only
a pound and a half of sugar per per
son each month, half a pound of
bread daily and one-fifth of a pound
of butter monthly.
Death of a Soldier Boy.
The body of Mr. Charlie Johnston
son Tuesday where he died Sunday
after an attack of measles and pneu
monia. Interment was made at the
old family burying ground near the
home of his mother in lower Johnston
Wednesday the funeral services being
conducted by Rev. Exure Lee. He is
survived by his mother, Mrs. Mar
garet Johnson and several brothers
and sisters. ? Benson Spokesman, De
cember 27.
IN GRIP OF THE STORM-KING.
Eastern Part of Country Has Coldest
Spell of Weather in Recent Years.
Thermometer Drops to 26 Below
Zero at Korthfield, Vermont. Only
a Little Above Zero in Fayetteville,
Raleigh and Smithtield.
The country has been in the grip of
the Storm-King for the past three
days. The South has had a most
severe cold spell, the coldest in many
years. A snow storm swept through
the East from New York on down the
Atlantic coast and on to New Orleans.
Florida had more snow than has ever
been seen there by many of the older
inhabitants. In New Orleans the
thermometer registered 19 above zero
Sunday.
At Bristol, Tennessee, the tempera
ture fell to many degrees below zero,
while at Northfield, Vermont, the of
ficial figures showed 2G below. Boston
showed 14 below, while it was 13 be
low in New York, the coldest weather
seen there since 1880.
The coldest weather Eastern North
Carolina has had in 19 years prevailed
through this section. Early Sunday
morning the thermometer in Fayette
ville registered 2V& degrees above
zero. In Raleigh it was only one
above and the same temperature was
registered in Smithfield.
Sunday was the coldest day felt
here in a great many years. Some
of the older people say they never
saw a colder day. The highest point
the thermometer was able to reach
all day Sunday was 17. Monday
morning it was a little warmer, the
thermometer standing at 4 above.
Some of the citizens of the town state
that their thermometers went way be
low zero.
There is a slight change today for
warmer weather. The sun has come
out and helps to make the atmosphere
somewhat warmer. Snow still lies
on the ground and is likely to be here!
for several days unless there is quite
a change in temperature.
NEWS NOTES FROM KENLY.
Kenly, December 29. ? The Sunday
school of the Methcdist church will
give an entertainment in the church
Monday evening at seven-thirty. No
gifts will be handed out to the stu
dents of the school; rather, each mem
ber will be expected to carry a gift
to be donated to relieve suffering chil
dren in war countries. The program
is being arranged by the Mesd'imcs
C. P. Jerome, A. J. Broughton, and
II. F. Edgerton.
The other Sunday schools of the
community have already given their
holiday entertainments.
The Kenly State High School will
re-open for the spring term on
Wednesday morning, January 2. The
community is to be congratulated
upon the fact that Superintendent M.
B. Andrews has just been successful
in purchasing fifteen tons of coal for
school use.
The Red Cross campaign, which j
closed Christmas Eve, was a decided I
success; one hundred and twenty
members were enrolled. The work is
still going forward. The executive
committee is now planning to orga
nize an auxiliary branch among the
colored people of the community the
first of the week. Also, the young
folk of the Kenly school will be taken
in as a body as soon as the school
re-opens.
Though the holidays passed away
very quietly, it is interesting to ob
serve that three couples of our pop
ular young people were maried during
the Christmas season; Mr. Fred Ed
gerton and a Miss Sullivan of near
Pine Level; Mr. Arthur Boyette and
Miss Pennie Edgerton; and Mr. Her
man Pittman and Miss Rossie Out
land.
Several business changes are being
contemplated for the New Year. Mrs.
Maggie Pope, who for several months
has been conducting a hotel in the
Edgerton building, has decided to dis
continue business; she has accepted
a position as housekeeper for a re
tired minister in Robeson County.
Mr. S. H. Alford has already bought
the stock of goods owned by the
Messrs. J. Q. Boyette and Son, and
he took charge of the business several
days ago. Other changes are being
rumored, but the details are not yet
known.
Barfiold-Porter.
Mr. E. H. Barfield and Miss Roxie
Porter were marriel at the bride's
home on Christmas Day by the Rev.
T W. Siler.' _
VETERAN EDUCATOR IS
TAKEN BY DEATH.
Hon. John C. Scarborough Passed
Away at Nooo Yesterday at Mur
freesboro. Did the Pioneer Work
of the Present Educational System
of the State.
(News and Observer, Dec 27.)
Hon. John C. Scarborough, for
many years State superintendent of
public instruction, died yesterday at
nntn at his home in Murfreesboro.
He had been in poor health for several
months and owing to his advanced
age his death was not unexpected. He
was about seventy-five years of age.
Born in Johnston County he was a
pupil in the schools of that county and
from that county entered the Con
federate army, serving all through the
war with great courage and gallantry.
At the end of the war with his Con
federate blanket as an overcoat he
entered Wake Forst College, where
he remained until he graduated.
After graduation he served at Wake
Forest for some time as tutor and
later served as principal of a number
of schools.
In 187G he was nominated by the
Democrats and elected State Superin
tendent of public instruction. This
was the year when the State was re
deemed from carpet-bag misrule, and
Professor Scarborough went into of
fice along with Vance and other noted
figures of that day.
He found the State's educational
system in ruins and it was he who did
[the pioneer work laying the founda
i tions for the present complete and
j far-reaching system. Major Finger,
: later himself State superintendent of
i public instruction, was chairman of
| the educational committee in the Sen
ate, and he and Superintendent Scar
borough collaborated in the formula
tion of the school law providing for
jthe present county superintendencies
[and the county organization in gen
! eral.
' Professor Scarborough served for
two t^rms ^nd was later re-elected,
serving for one additional term, when,
in 1896, he was defeated by C. H.
Mebane, the fusion candidate. In the
interim he had served, by appointment
of Governor Fowle, for a part of a
term as Commissioner of Labor and
Printing, succeeding Mr. W. N. Jones,
who resigned.
Dr. J. Y. Joyner, now State superin
tendent of public instruction, was a
great admirer of his predecessor in
office, and heard with profound sorrow
of his death, though not with surprise
as it was generally known that the
veteran educator's end was near. "'He
was a man of- solid worth," said Dr.
Joyner, "unswervingly true to his con
victions and intensely devoted to his
State." Dr. Joyner said that Pro
fessor Scarborough's work in rough
hewing an educational system out of
the chaotic conditions of reconstruc
tion was a work of immense value to
the State and to the cause of educa
tion.
It has been known for some days
that Professor Scarborough was seri
ously ill and a few days before Christ
mas members of the State Depart
ment of Education and some of the
superintendents conceived the idea of
sending the former superintendent a
Christmas remembrance. It was de
cided to let the remembrance take the
form of a purse and a sum of nearly
seventy dollars was dispatched to
Mrs. Scarbarough on Christmas Eve
as a token of appreciation of her dis
tinguished husband.
After retiring from his second
period of service as State superinten
dent of public instruction, Professor
Scarborough served for about ten
years as president of Chowan Baptist
Female Institute at Murfreesboro,
now Chowan College. Later, for sev
eral years, he was county superinten
dent of public instruction of Hertford
county. For the past few years his
health had been so poor that he could
not do active work of any sort.
Professor Scarborough was for
many years prominent in Baptist cir
cles in the State. He served for three
years as president of the Baptist
State Convention, was a trustee of
the Thomasville Orphanage from its
organization to the time of his death,
and he had been a member of the
board of trustees of Wake Forest Col
lege for twenty-five years. In recent
years owing to his declining years he
bad not been customarily active in
the affairs of his denomination.
He married Miss Julia Moore, *f
Johnston County, who survives hinl
;?s do the folowing children: One sonji
Hartwell V. Scarborough, of Burling
ton, and two daughters, Mrs. Frank
Lawrence, of Kinston, and Mrs. Rus
sell Nicholson, of Murfreesboro. He
also leaves a brother, Rev. Charles W.
Scarborough, of Murfreesboro.
THE NEWS IN SELMA.
Selma, N. C., Dec. 27th.? Mr. and
Mrs. M. R. Wall spent Tuesday with
friends and relatives in Wilders town
ship.
Mr. G. A. Morgan returned today
to Petersburg, Va., after spending the
holidays with his family here.
Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Talton and
children, of Clayton, were here Tues
days to spend the day with relatives.
Mr. Walter Hamilton, of Fremont,
was here this week to spend the holi
days with his brother, Mr. Daniel
Hamilton.
Mr. W. L. Stancil spent Christmas
Day with friends in Wilders township.
Mr. Ed. Creech is home from Bing
ham High School to spend the holi
days with relatives.
Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Godwin spent
Tuesday with his mother, Mrs. P. A.
Holland, in the Sanders Chapel sec
tion.
Mr. John Foster, Jr., of the U. S.
Navy, left Monday for New York
after spending the Christmas holi
days with his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
J. W. Foster.
Miss Ola May Sanders and her sis
ter are spending tl'.e holidays with
Misses Lovie and Ruby Griffin.
Mr. N. E. Edgerton, Chairman of
the Red Cross Christmas Drive, re
ports that Selma was called on for
two hundred additional members and
that with the aid of loyal workers two
hundred and twenty-seven new mem
bers were secured, 184 white members
and 43 colored members. He says
that special mention should be made
of the interest and work of the colored
people in proportion to their means.
They have shown by this work loyalty
and patriotism unsurpassed. Mr.
Edgerton wishes to# extend through
these columns, personal thanks to all
who worked and contributed to this
fund.
Misses Pearl and Lucile Harris, of
Clayton, spent the holidays here with
the family of Mr. H. D. Hood.
It is not the purpose of your cor
respondent to be a kicker or a knock
er against local administrations, but
the conditions in our local police de
partment that have been called to our
attention within the last few days
are deplorable; and if 'the conditions
exist as they are reported, our town
administration should get busy and
see that these conditions are remedied
speedily, and that the policing of our
town be put in the hands of capable
men.
It is rumored that quite a few
changes will take place in our town
the first of 1918, among the several
business housees. Roberts, Corbett
and Wcodard, who have for the last
ten years have been doing a big time
business, will cut out the credit part
of their business January first, and
do a strictly cash business. Lee
Henry Company, will move their
stock of goods to Wilson, N. C., where
they will continue in the same line of
business. Mr. Wade Brown who has
been connected with the Johnston
County Farmers Union will open a
hardware business on Raiford street
and possibly other changes not yet
announced.
120 Deaths from Pneumonia.
Macon, Ga., Dec. 29. ? Camp Wheel
er headquarters announced tonight
the death from pneumonia of three
soldiers during the last twenty-four
hours. According to base hospital re
cords, there have been more than 120
deaths from pneumonia at the camp
during the last seven weeks.
Board of Stewards to Meet.
Rev. T. W. Siler, pastor, requests
us to announce that the Board of
Stewards of Newton Grove circuit will
meet at Newton Grove church at 11
A. M. on Friday, January 4th, 1918.
J. T. Futch Dead.
Mr. J. T. Futch, living near Smith
field, died Wednesday of last week
and was buried Friday afternoon at
Yelvington's Grove Free-Will Baptist
church. He was a farmer, but spent
part of his time working at the car
penter's trade. Mr. J. H. Woodall in
forms us that Mr. Futch wyVved for
him ir._ch of the time foy the pasf'
' -ears.
NATION-WIDE SURVEY OF
STOCKS OF FOOD STUFFS.
All Holding in Excess of $250 to be
Reported on Pain of Criminal
Prosecution.
Washington, Dec. 30. ? All dealers,
manufacturers, warehousemen, hotels
and other institutions having on hand
more than $250 worth of foodstuffs
must report to the bureau of markets
of the department of agriculture,
giving a detailed statement of their
holdings tomorrow, Dec. 31, with a
comparision of holdings on the same
day last year.
A statement tonight by Charles J.
Brand says every effort has been
made to send schedules to the firms
and individuals who handle the food
supply of the country, but that fail
ure to receive a schedule does not ex
empt anyone from complying with
the regulations. If schedules are not
received by January 2, application
application Nshou!d be made to the
bureau of markets or one of its
branch offices. Failure to report
holdings makes the offender liable to
prosecution.
The bureau is making a nation
wide survey of food supplies for the
government's use in planning conser
vation, utilization and production.
Petrograd Jubilant.
London, December 3Q. ? Dispatches
from Petrograd say that the city was
given over today to a celebration of
the peace negotiations. The watch
words were: "Down with interr
tional inperalism! and long live t i i o
Third Internationale.!"
A telegram received in Petrogt . '
from Novo Tcherkack, capital of 1 ie
territory of the Don Cossacks, ; n
nounces that General Knlcdines, who
recently resigned as hetman of I lejfe
Cossacks on the ground that th< roMi
was opposition to him at the front h a.-"
bt reelected by oG2 out of a tutul
of t>38 vote-*.
Moscow reports that r-'.Iway cY
munication with the south has b? en
stopped, sections of the tracks havjng
been destroyed, and that no food sn p
plies are arriving. I
The Petrograd Den states that (vhe
Cossack leader Karauloff. former
member of the duma, and his brother
have been murdered while journeying
from Vladikavkaz, in Ciscaucasia, to
Yekaterinodar to attend a Cosss? k
military gathering.
All teachers, male and female, iu
the municipal schools of Petrogri d,
have gone on strike as a prott st
against the proceedings of the Bolsh
eviki, and intend to remain awiy
from the schools pending the openi ig
of the constituent assembly.
It is reported that an autonomo y,
government has been formed in Tn <
estan, with M. Tvnyssvaiff, a mem
ber of the second duma, as premi' r.
The Siberian district congress at
Tomsk has elected a provisional gov
ernment, headed by President Pota
nin, with a coalition cabinet which in
cludes constitutional democracy.
Mortality Figures Among U. S. S< -
diers Show Low Death Kate.
Washinpton, Dec. 29. ? Figures coi 1
piled at the office of Surgeon Gener it*
Gorgas and made public today sh< w
that with more than 900,000 soldie *s
in training in this country from Sep
tember 21 to December 14, there were
only 1,391 deaths from all causes, i n
average rate of less than two p.'r
1,000.
The record shows that the avcrai e
strength of the army in the Unit?d
States during the period was 916,7:
men. Among the 202,009 regula
there were 144 death; there were 4! >4
deaths in the 387,233 national arn v
and 753 deaths in the 327,480 N.
tional Guardsmen.
Parker-Hawes.
The following announcement K >' I
been received here:
Mrs. Katherine Hawes will g've in
marriage her daughter M?ry Taylc r
to Mr. Ralph W. Parser, Thursda
afternoon, the third of January, Nin?
teen and eighteen, at her hone, Ash< -
ville, North Q.rolina.
Mr. Parkev is a brother of Mrs. I .
H. Brook*.
A Good Reason.
Pat ? "Say, Mike, over in Africi 1
there is a beautiful bird with larg
wings, and it can't fly."
* Mike ? '"Why can't it fly?"
V** SLfcv
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