VOL. XI., NO. 32
"REMINISCENCES."
Biographical and Historical Sketch
by Dr. P. S. Hicks, Treating of
Local Persons and Scenes.
We dug pits and threw up breast
worksall night. We remained there two
weeks and were released and fell back
about two hundred yards where the
second breastwork was formed. The
place we had just left was where the
mining and blow up took place. I saw
it but it is too tedious to describe here.
At that place I was appointed gunner,
to fill the place of Corporal Slate, who
was killed by a stray picket—shot in
the night Letween our lines and the
yankees' while out getting Irish pota
toes. I went from forge driver to water
carrier, and from water carrier to gun
ner. To be a gunner was on the line
of promotion, but that kind of promo
tion didn't suit me. A gunner in artil
lery is a most responsible and daring
position in a battery.
At this period of the war soap had
become an object, and was much
needed. I was in possession of a se
cret for making soap without lye or
grease, so now was the time for me to
show what I could do —get a position to
make soap that would wash me away
from the front and giv.e up my place
as gunner. I precsed it and it worked
well. I told my captain of my skill in
making soap and ho at once endorsed
me for that purpose, and said I was the
right man for that place, and gave me
permit to our Colonel, John C. Haskell,
of South Carolina. I went at once to
his tent, and he asked me in. I made
him acquainted with my ability as a
soap-maker and he at once approved my
application, exempted me from ail other
duties and from answering roll gall, and
gave me a permit or" pass, to go and
come from Richmond or Petersburg at
will, and to have my headquarters to
suit my convenience. I was to furnish
my own chemicals and furnish our bat
'.alio.M jtfisni. ;,ad tt:
profit. Soap was greatly in demand in
and around Richmond and Petersburg,
and from that time on to the close of
the war, about twelve or eighteen
months, I had the best position of the
kind, to be in. the war at all, of any man
I knew. I drew all the clothing I need
ed. I drew no rations at all but messed
with the commissary and had plenty to
eat. That is a grand thing for a soldier
they say. Time passed on and at last we
moved to the north side of James river,
four miles below Richmond on Game's
farm, near the place where I first went
in camp when I first entered the
As I said before my quarters were with
the commissary at the wagon yard.
On Saturday evening the Ist of April,
before the surrender on the 9th, we got
orders in our camp to be across Mayo' 3
bridge by 9 o'clock that night and to
leave all of our tents and most of oir
cooking utensils and to move with &s
little other burden as possible. I packed
up, put all the soap I had on hand in
our commissary wagon and gave niy
tent and other camping things to an old
citizen. I took my blanket, my knap
sack and one oilcloth, canteen and tin
cup, and bid good-by to Gaine's farm
and then let out for Richmond. I took
one man with me—Smithwick —a man
of my company who had been disabled
from the explosion of a" cannon. He
had been home on a furlough and had
come back after a discharge, but no
time then to talk about a discharge.
We let out for Richmond on our own
hook, and got there a little after dark.
Things were in an awful condition when
we reached Richmond. The saloons
had been taken by the marshails, all
the whiskies, brandies, etc., confiscated
and poured out into the gutters of the
streets and it was rushing and roaring
down the sidewalks as if it had been a
shower of rain. I could hear and see
soldiers scraping and dipping up whis
key with their tin cups, drinking and
pouring some into their canteens.
Orders had come from headquarters
to secure all good horses from the citi
zens and take them along. It was a
terrible time in Richmond that night.
Horses were hidden in dwelling houses
and even many a parlor that night was
packed full of horses. There were lots
of burglars and plunderers at work that
night. I had a watch that I had left in
a shop for repair, but was afraid to call
for it as the door was closed and was
afraid of being shot, so I went on until
I got to the corner of 14th and Main
Street, which leads to Mayo's bridge.
If lam not mistaken on that corner
there was a large brick building and at
that time it was used as a storage for
Confederate goods, clothing, shoes, etc.
There were a number of soldiers stand
ing around the building crying out.
"throw out some more, or we will break
in!" Yes, there were a lot of men up
stairs at the windows throwing out
shoes and the soldiers below were
9ke i/iceku Mount Hieeord.
scrambling for them. I stopped a min
ute and viewed the scene. Smithwick
proposed to me to stop over all night,
said we might make something worth
staying for. I told him he could stay If
he wished, but I must go on, so he de
cided to go with me. I had not gone
but a few steps before I stumbled over
a pack of nice clean underwear lying in
the middle of the street. It was a God
send to me, for just about that time I
needed them. We crossed the bridge
and stoped all night at a place known
as McDonalds Hotel, a large wooden
building in the center of Manchester,
but was used as a hotel at that time.
Smithwick and I slept on the second
floor in a large room with the doors
open all night so as to keep a lookout
and to listen. Smithwick was asleep.
I was lying in the east door, as it was
looking down James river, my elevation
was such that I had a good view. I
think about midnight, I saw a tremend
ous flash of light in the element at the
same moment a terrible jar. It was
the "Merry Mack" the noted Confed
erate war ship. It was evacuated and
blown upon purpose by the Confederates
to keep it from falling in the hands of
the Yankees. The jar frightened Smith
wick and gave him the night mare and
he galloped off hollowing "we are gone,
we are gone." I woke him up and told
him we were not gone yet but soon
would be. We slept no more that night,
we could hear a hollering and fussing
ov*.r in Richmond all the balance of the
night.
Next morning I went to Richmond to
see how things were getting along.
When I got to the foot of the bridge
there were three or four generals who
seemed to be consulting over the con
dition of things. I spoke to them and
asked if it would bd safe for me to
cross. One of them asked me which
side I wanted to be on, I told him the
side I # was on. He then told me If I
crossed it would be at my own risk that
he did not know how long it would be
before the bridge was burned.
' (Tv> W continued. / *
State Farmers Union Organized.
Charlotte, April 1. —Preliminary steps
were taken here today at the convention
of the members of about a score of
county unions to formally organize the
North Carolina Farmers' Union, the
twelfth state to be thus added to the
ranks of the union now numbering two
million farmers. The opening exercises
were held at ten o'clock in the morning
and were open to the public.
The farmers immediately thereafter
went into secret session, and tonight
completed and adopted &• constitution
for the state organization. There will
be meetings tomorrow when a full quota
of officers will be elected and the state
union formally launched. There are ap
proximately one hundred delegates
present. Mr. Barrett, national head of
the union stated that the preliminary
work in this state nad been more prom
ising than in any of the other eleven
states organized. There are several
delegates from the mountains of Che
rokee, while the entire state is likewise
well represented. The membership is
confined not alone to cotton planters
but to all farmers and agriculturists
and none others are eligible. The
organization claims its origin in Raines
county, Texas, lour years ago. Mr. G.
W. Fant, of Texas, has been in the
state five months perfecting the organ
ization of the counties. There are over
five hundred members in Mecklenburg.
Russell Williams Hilled in Runaway.
J
Thursday morning Russell Williams,
the 17-year-old son of ex-Deputy Sheriff
James Williams, of Nash county, met a
violent death in a runaway near his
home at Hilliardston, Nash county.
The young man was hauling fertilizer
from the railroad station, to his home,
when his team got unmanageable and
ran away. He was thrown from the
wagon against a tree and his skull was
crushed, causing instant death.
Deputy Sheriff Williams was officer
under Sheriff Warren for a long time
and 13 a well known and prosperous
farmer of Nash county.
Post Office Receipts.
The receipts for the year ending Mar.
31st, at the Rocky Mount postoffice
amounted to $17,626.27, against $15,-
084.63 for the previous year, a gain of
$2,350.64, or about 17 per cent for the
year. Considering the general depres
sion in business throughout the country
for the last half of the year the increase
in the postoffice receipts in Rocky
Mount shows up well for the city.
When you are looking for high grade
shoes, 6f course Cochran's is the place
Edwin Clapp's, for men, leads.
A Newspaper For The Home.
ROCKY MOUNT, N. C., 1
HIS BODY HORRIBLY MANGLES.
J. E. Holmes, Young Car Inspector,
Instantly Hilled on the Yards at
South Rocky Mount. *
Mr. J. E. Holmes, a young man from l
Mt. Olive who came to take a position
as car inspector on the yards at South
Rocky Mount only two days before, was
instantly killed while attending to his
duties early Friday morning. He was
under a box car on a track in the mid
dle yard, adjusting a coupling when the
engine to take the train out came back,
and, striking the "string" with much
force sent the cars back several car
lengths. Holmes was caught unawares
and was thrown across the track and
was run over. He was horribly mangled
and died instantly. Both legs and one
arm were cut off, and a part of his
right side was mashed off by the wheels
Pieces of his body were scattered about
for some distance. These were gathered
up and placed in a coffin and sent to his
people in Mt. Olive. Mr. Holmes was
apparently about 24 years old and un
married. ,
Nr. R. L. Davis Speaks on Prohibition
Rev. R. L. Davis, State organizer
for the Anti-Saloon League, addressed
an audience of several hundred in the
First Methodist Church Sunday after
noon, in which he sounded a clarion call
to arms of the friends of the cause,
cautioning against the danger of in
difference, and appealing to the voters
of the east to join the aroused west in
rolling up a majority for prohibition in
State election 26th, that will for
ever pu? Tv- • m North Carolina x' e
questioi. « ho sal; and manufacture
of whiskey in the State. He pictured i
in graphic style the evils of 'in
temperance and its great financial
cost to the State. In voting prohibition,
the speaker said,' the manhood, that
best of all assets of a ccrrimunity,
"' ioiy..*-'.- " 1 .1 t y • *"\ - "ife!
having temptation removed.
Mr. Davis told of the progress of the
campaign ar.d wss especially enthusias
tic about tho west. He also address d
audiences at North and South Rocky
Mount, Sunday, in vvhicn much interest
was manifest in the work in each placo „
Will Shoot Projectile Over 300 Miles
London, April 1. —The government
expects today the report confirm!; g
the claim of W. S. Simpson a well
known metallurgist, who his i vented'
an electric cannon that is capable of
throwing a projectile 300 miles. Col.
Maude, one of the foremost authorities
is now testing the said gun today-
"The cannon will revolutionize all
naval construction, forcing its aban
donment of armour, making the speed
the primary requirement of all fighting
vessels, the gun is very simple in con
struction and with it it will be possible
to bombarb Paris from London."-
The inventor, Mr. Simpson, said the
gun represents as great an advance over
the ones used now as the electric light
over the candle.
Simplicity in its constructions, han
dling prime factors. It is cheaper than
ordinary artillery and lasts one hundred
times as long. The weapon develops a
velocity of thirty thousand feet per
second and experts say it can discharge
fifty shells of 50 poundseach per minute.
An Unusual Case el Trespass.
A rather extraordinary case of tres
pass was tried before 'Squire Harris,
Tuesday, in which the defendant is a
young man who works at the A. C. L.
shops at South Rocky Mount, and the
trespass consisted in his going to the
home of his sweetheart after being for
bidden by the father, who objected to
his suit for the young lady's band. Mr.
B. F. Weaver, father of the young
lady, was prosecutor and the defend
ant was Willie Joyner. There was no
bitterness on the part of the prosecu
tor. the action* being brought in the
court rather to show the ardent young
suitor that he must respect the father's
wishes in the matter. Judgment was
suspended on the payment of the cost,
but the young man was warned that a
fine of $25 would be imposed if he re
peated his visit.
A Narrow Escape.
(Tarboro Southerner.)
Lonnie Pittman, colored, who is em
ployed by E. Miller, proprietor of the
Cyclone Department Store, masticated
two rat biscuits with relish this morn
ing, and two hours later learned of his
mistake. He hastily went to the Edge
combe drug stbre, where J. K. Hollo
well administered antidotes.
Although his condition is serious, he
will recover. Pittman ate the poison
ous biscuits, thinking they were cakes.
URSDAY, APRIL 9, 1908.*
Published Every Thursday Morning'.
SOCHY MOUNT HASH,OOO POPULATION
Marvelous Growth of the City Since
1900 When Census Showed Only
, 2900 Inhabitants.
The city of Rocky Mount and its
environs now have a population of 11,000
This is a conservative estimate
based upon a police census just com
pleted showing a population within the
corporate limits of 7,882. This census
reßgrt does not include the suburban
population of the Falls, the settlement
west and southwest of Little Raleigh, a
large part of Happy Hill and 300 living
beyond the corporate limits, near the
cemetery, numbering fully 3,000 in all,
of whom are in the jurisdiction
of the recorder and work within the
limits of the city.
The census of 1900 gave Rocky Mount
a little more than 2,900 and the growth
of the city within seven years to 11,000,
or an increase of nearly 400 per cent,
is onparalelled in the history of North
Carolina and is incomprehensible to
people not familiar with the city's
growth. This growth has been steady
and permanent, and business and home
building have kept abreast, until now
stands a real live, bustling little city
where only a decade ago there was a
struggling little town.
The report of Census taken J. H.
Cuthrell shows by wards, within the
corporate limits the following :
riivt ward: whites, 368; colored, 870.
Second ward; whites, 629; colored, 1218
Thr.d ward: whites, 1587; colored, 347.
Fourth ward: whites, 1266; colored, 404.
!?itth ward: whites, 362; colored, 133.
Sixth ward: whites,*42s; colored, 274.
That o al population within the city
i■' ): .s is 7882. On the Nash side of the
'ailroad there are 3908, and on the
Edgecombe side, 3975. There are
'6S3 whites and 3246 colored residents
vi' hin the city limits.
r h 7,£iTtbiupfio/WC
The many friends ofV Hon, Mark S.
GriSn, Nash's representative in the
legislature, will be pleased to see the
following extract from a personal com
munication Mr. Griffin received a few
days ago from Hon. E. J. Justice,
speaker of the House:
"It gives me great pleasure to say
that I found you one of the most faith
ful members of the house of represent
atives of 1907. You were almost always
in your seat and attentive to your legis
, lative duties, and according to my
opinion you voted right on every propo
sition. I congratulate you on the record
y?u made, and will be surprised if your
constituents do not endorse it.
With best wishes, always I am,
: Very truly yours,
E. J. Justice."
Anti-Saloon League Meeting at Nash
ville. *
Monday the Anti Saloon Leagne
gathered at .Nashville and perfected a
compact county organization to wage
an aggressive campaign for State pro
hibition in Nash county There were
representatives from every township
and much enthusiasm prevailed in the
meetirg. Dr. Mercer, Rev. D. H.
Tuttle and State Organizer R. L. Davis
made elequent speeches for the tem
perance cause and others made short
talks. It was the opinion of a large
majority of those present, who came
from all parts of the county, that
Nash will give a prohibition majority
on May 2oth.
Deatb of Aged Lady.
The remains of Miss E. H. Bartine,
who died in the home for aged and in
firm ladies in Raleigh, Tuesday, were
brought to this city where she lived up
nntil a few years ago, and after the
funeral in the Presbyterian church
were taken to the Batt's family bury
ing ground, three miles from the pity,
and buried yesterday. Miss Bartire
has a brother, Mr. David Bartine, liv
ing in Nash county, five miles from
Rocky Mount. She was a New Jersey
lady and came south a number of years
ago to escape the rigors of ttye north
ern climate. • Miss Bartine was 92
years old, and was an art teacher for
many years.
P ■■
Death oi lis. Boscoe Page.
Mrs. Roscoe Page died at her home
on Pearl street Monday night at 10
o'clock, of kidney trouble, from which
she had been a sufferer for several
months. She leaves a husband and one
young child to mourn their loss. Mrs.
Page was only 20 years of age. The
funeral took place from the home Tues
day afternoon and the burial followed,
in Pine View cemetery, ,
f
Rocky Mount Wins From Warrenton.
Rocky Mount High School team de
feated Warrenton High School team on
the local diamond Friday by the score
of 6 to 3, in the fastest game played here
so far this Reason. The locals were
much more effective with the willow
and secured seven hits off Weeks, while
Avera only allowed two. Avera's
pitching was one feature of tne game.
Beginning strong his speed and control
was all to the good, only showing a
slight weakening in 9th inning. Gunn's
brilliant stop at short and quick throw
under adverse circumstances was a
feature also. Jordan and Hobgood both
caught a beautiful game, but Jordan
had the best of it in throwing to the
bases.
The game was spirited from beginning'
to end, and, notwithstanding the cold
wind prevailing, a targe crowd of rooters
were in attendance and felt fully repaid
for their discomfort. Rocky Mount has
not lost a game so far ' this season and
in defeating Warrenton it takes much
pride, inasmuch as V 1 arrenton won
from Trinity Park High Sthool, and is
a strong team.
Score by innings: R H E
Rocky Mount 300 000 300—6 7 1
Warrenton 000 100 002—3 2 5
Batteries: Rocky Mount, Avera and
Joidan; Warrenton, Weeks and Hob
good.
Umpire: Williford.
Time: 1 hour and 35 minutes.
Wiiscn High Schoo! Beats So. Ry. Mt.
The Wilson High School didn't do a
thing to the South Rocky Mount A.. C.
L. team, at Wilson, Saturday. The
Railroaders succeeded" in blacking the
score only once while the Wilson boys
formed a continuous procession and
marched around the bases 23 times.
y • If' . \ \ "
The protracted meeting at the M. E.
church closed last week with five new
members added. Rev. Mr. Everton as
sisted by Mr. Browning preached, some
very able sermons.
Eld. A. J. Moore filled his regular
appointment at the Baptist church Sat
urday and Sunday and preached good
and true gospel sermons, free from all
fanaticism, with peace and good will to
all mankind.
Mr. and Mrs. McDearnian, of Rocky
Mount, come Saturday to spend Sunday
in the hospitable home of Mr. M. J.
Battle.
Mr. and Mrs. R. U. Brooks, of Nabh
ville, were here last week on a visit.
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Turnage, of
Farmville have been here visiting rel
atives.
The beautiful residence of Dr. J. C.
Braswell on corner of Pippin and White
Sts., is nearing completion and when
finished it will be quite an ornament to
that part of our town.
Mr. W. H. Bond's show-case in his
store was robbed on Saturday evening
and two watches taken by two negro
thieves. They were spotted Monday
morning and arrested and bound over
to next term of superior court of Edge
combe county.
Poor old Brund and Rover begin to
howl whenever the church bell tolls as
if they have a presentiment that the
governor is going to make! a prohi
bition speech.'
We were glad to meet on our streets
Sunday Mr. Walter Ruffin, of Tarboro,
one of our former young townsmen,
now assistant register of deeds.
The governor with all of his brilliant
fanatical prohibition oratory will never
be able to defeat the peerless American
patriot and statesman, Lee S. Overman
for U. S. Senator. The idea of asking
150,000 American freemen to vote for a
State prohibition law and debar them
from manufacturing brandy and cider
from their fruits to save 2000 drunkards
who have to take "Keeley cure," is
simply preposterous and absurd. Fan
aticism in its ultra form. We heard a
doctor in Richmond who was a close
observer say not long ago that he made
it a point to watch certain subjects,
and the only difference between a whis
key fiend and a cocaine fiend was that
the whiskey fiend would get sober and
if he had done you a wrong his first
thought was to make amends, apologize
and shake your hand and the cocaine
fiend would rob, steal, murder, and
commit suicide.
"Rolyat."
If you are looking for shoes, try
Cochran's, where the largest stock and
the most beautiful Oxfords are kept;
PRICE 5 CENTS
HAPPENINGS IN POLICE COUBT.
Comedy and Tragedy of a Week as
Enacted In Calamity Hall Before
Mayor Tborp.
Archie DeKayser, colored, who was
charged with being a blind tiger, by his
sister, was discharged upon preliminary
hearing, for lack Of evidence. Will
Rackley, a colored youth, was given 30
days on the roads for vagrancy, Thurs
day morning, and Jimmie Battle, a 12-
year-old negro boy, was discharged for
throwing rocks at a woman with the
proviso that his aunt give hira a sound
thrashing under the eye of a policeman,
which was done.
Saturday morning Mr. T. K. Red
mond pleaded guilty to assault, in strik
ing Mr. J, W. Philips, and was fined
$lO. The two have been conducting a
saloon business at the corner of Tar
boro and Washington streets under the
firm name of Redmond & Philips,
and decided to dissolve, when in an
altercation growing out of a disagree
ment Mr. Redmond struck Mr. Philips.
Parties interfered and stopped the
row. An offender against the ordinance
forbidding teams being left unfastened
on the street was fined $2 dt the sams
session
Booze was at the ottom of mast of
tt\e cases before the recorder Monday
morning, and the docket was pretty
heavy. Besides some sanitary law of
fenders there were: Baldy a
colored boy, lor trespassing on 'he
property of tne Tar Riv. r Lumber C >.;
not guilty, as it was shown the boy lived
on the company's tract and worked for
them; VVright Battle, xoiored, whom
liquor inspired to go to the house of his
wife, from whom he is separated, and
start trouble, $lO fine with the injunc
tion that a road sentence would be im
posed next time he appears at the bar;
Lige Blackley, for tanking up and
whipping a womon, 60 days; Sara Perry
6nV* Richard Battle,- twA Spring llope
each in default of $lO fine; Sam Smith,
fast driving, due to drinking also, $10;
and Estelle Guild and Lula Wrigftt, dis
orderyl, $7:50 each.
Madison Mitchell, "Snow," as he is
familiarly known, was the first mourner
in the recorder's court Tuesday morn
ing, and the charge was.the same that
has been preferred against Snow divers
times. A3O days' treatment was ad
judged well and fit for hirr) for
his latest offense. Dave McDongall.
colored, was fined $lO for driving over
the fire hose, Monday afternoon.
Intemperance Death's Prime Minis
ter.
Addison tells us that on one occasion
Death determined to choose a Prime
Minister. All the diseases were per
mitted to come before him and argue
their claims for the position. First
came consumption and urged his claim,
showing the thousands he killed in a
year and mantaining that though his
work was slow it was *ure. Gout hob
bled up and put in his claim. Asthma's
inability to speak was a strong but
silent argument in her favor. Fever
plead with burning words her claim.
War, pestilence, famine and plague
showed the thousands they slew in a
day.
While all were pleading there was
heard the sound of music and dancing
and a beautiful woman entered the room
and thus addressed all of these diseases!
"Stand aside ye band of sickly pretend
ers and let me, your lawful mistress
take my place." Do not I freed and
nurture you all! They asked her name
and she answered "Intemperance." On
hearing this they all went away and
Intemperance assumed her place as
Prime Minister of Death a position she
has held ever since. Destroy her work
in the "Old State on 26th of May.
D. H. Tuttle.
P. 0. Money Orders For Past Year.
The Rocky Mount postoffice handled
during the past year, closing Mar. 31st,
14,098 money orders, aggregation $92,
101.30, divided as follows: Domestic,
14,052 orders ane $90,0(59.64 handled; in
ternational orders, 40 and $2,091.67
handled. Some idea of the amount of
business done at tne local office can be
gathered from the above figures, which
are for only one branch of the business.
Early Horning Services.
Rev. D. H. Tuttle will conduct ser
vices at the Ist Methodist churcb every
morning next week week from 6:15 to
7 o'clock. The subject for Easter ser
vice will be an early morning scene in
the New Testament] Everybody in
vited.