North Carolina Newspapers

TUBLIsnED BY ROAKOKE PCBLISHIKG Co. "FOR GOD. FOR COUNTRY AND FOR TRUTH." C. V, Ausbon, Business Manager. VOL. II. PLYMOUTH, N. C, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1890. NO. 2L THE NEWS. John Petyon, of Carthage, til., wants a divorce from hip wife because she tried to t poison lilm. Mrs. Wlo. Wellhausen and her sevon-year-ol J son wcie drowned in a well iu Marine city, Mich. -John Bigham has fccen Bentcnceil to hard labor at the Detroit House of Correction, for impersonating his brother and securing a pension. By an explosion in the Bessemer department of the Otis Steel works, in Cleveland, O., a number of workmen were spriously injured. Three men went through a train standing at a small station in Kansas City, and. relieved the six passengers of their valuables. Two men were fatally and others seriously burned by hot dnstfrom a coke oven, while at work in Pittsburg.- The Interstate Commerce Coin mission, in the case of Ithe Board of Trade of Chicago, complainants, against the Chicago ; and Alton Railroad, and seven other railroad companies, defendants, and the Armour Pack fug Company and eighteen other 'packing companies, and the board, of railroad com missioners of the State of Iowa, as intervenors, decided in favor of the Board of Trade of Chicago.- The Chicago grand jury returned indictments against George H. Lipe, the son of millionaire Clark Lipe, of Denver, on the charge' of forging his mother'slname.- The foreign iron andsteel manufacturers inspected the iron works at Birmingham, Ala. Isaac Ellis was convicted ot bigamy in Petersburg, Va., and sentenocd to three years in 6tate prison. Chief ot Police Ilennessy, of New Orleans, was shot and killed by Italians. The Navy Department has decided to award the contract for furnishing the forgings for the batteries of the new battle-ships to the Bethlehem Iron Work", of Bethlehem, Pa. A terrific storm swept over Max ton and Hasty.'N.C, several houses being demolished, one person killed and several hurt. Pat. .t Gorman, foreman oc the gas depart ment of a steel company in Cleveland, Ohio, was "roasted 5 to death. Lowenthal & Son, wine merchants, of Louisville, Ky., have won a test case against them for selling original packages. A hoy robber stole $100 from maif sacks near Ukiat, Cal., and was after wards captured. Congressman Wilson, of .Washington, lost his pdeketbook, containing $10,000 in sccuritips and other valuables. Jose Castro was arrested nt Stonewall, Cal., on the charge of murdering a.M ex ican judge- Ferdinand Hesse and James Kelly were drowned in Fan Claire river. Dynamite is - being used in Mariinsvilje, Ind., to blow away liquor saloons. -The American Christian Convention at Marion, Ind., adopted plans for, the buinling of a ditinctively Christian university.- The committee appointed by tha Frcsbyki ian General Assembly to revise the ConfesMiu of Faith closed its first session in Fittsburg.and will meet again in Washington, February 4. Fire in Fairport, Ohio, de stroyed the business section of the town, doing $75,(KXJ damage. 2The first sod in the con struction of the Roanoke and Southern Rail road, was turned at Roanoke. Charles Queen, an actor, was sentenced to eighteen months' impri-onuietit at Trenton, N. J., for counterfeiting.-! It is now learned that the engagement between Miss Winnie Davis and Alfred Wilkinson, of Syracuse, N. Y., was broken because of the ill health of the former. Co!. Herbert A. Harroll, of the U. S. A., retired, djed in .Chicago.- Sparks from a threshing machine caused a lire that destroyed the big barn of Kinzer Bender, Jr., near Heller's Church, Lancaster county, Pa. Loss $6,0p0.v Ed ward Bal bach, one of the leading smelters and refiners, t'ied in Newark. N. J. A. M. McRae, secretary aud treasurer of the Security Loan and Snvings Company ot St. Catharine, Out., is a defaulter to the extent of$25,000. The thirteenth annual conven tion of the carriage builders .of the United States opened in Chicago, and -.two hundred manufacturers made displays of their no vcltks in the carriage line. At the annual meeting of the American Street Ra'lway Association, iu Buffalo, N. Y., two-thirds of the street railways were repre sented, and all the electrical manufacturing companies. In Braxton county, W. Va., the floods swept away thousands of rails, and ' ruined the crops. Will Walton was found murdered at Beaver Brook, near Danbury, Conn. In a wreck on the Lehigh Valley Railroad, ut Centralia, Pa., both locomotives and a number of freight, cars were destroyed. A conductor, an engineer and two brakemen were injured. The one hundred and forty fourth annual session of the Eastern Synod of the Reformed Church in the United States convened at Reading. The twenty-sixth annual meeting of the Loyal Legion opened in St. Louis. Charles H. Teom and George H. Shinn, notorious de perndoes, who had recently escaped from San Quentin prison, California, were captured in Cnicago. The postorfiee. at Chicog has been condemned. -During a tight among Poles, at a wedding, near Iron Mountain, Mich., one man was killed. In a dispute about religion, in Chi cago, one policeman shot find killed another. The American Brewing Association was incorporated at Sair Francisco, with a capital of thiee million dollars. An explosion of cheniica's in the establishment ot II. K. Mul ford & Co., of Philadelphia, caused a loss of $5,000. There was a small panic for a while. A DARING ROBBERY. An Eighteen-Year-old Boy Holds Up an Overland Stage. The overland stage was robbed the other night eighteen miles north of Ukiah, Cal. The WellR, Furo & Co.'s trasuie box and the United States mail sacks were taken. While the robber was cuttiug the mail sacks open Driver McDaniels snapped a pistol at him. but it would riot go off. The robber retreated and fired two shots ot the driver, neither of which took effect. The robber was caught at Gloverdale He proved to be a boy about eighteen year old, and a stranger in this community. He travelled over mxty mi I eh afoot before he was captured, lie succeeded in tM mi,' :t'Mit from die stage. He has admitted that he conuaittcd the crime. MGHTFUL HOTEL FIRE- Over a Score of Lives Lost in a Burn ing Syracuse Building. : Fir Break out at Midnight In the In land Hotel Meeplng Oueita Awak ened Only to be Suffocated. What proved to be the most disastrous fire that has visited Syracuse, N. Y., for many years was discovered in the Leland Hotel at 12.30 o'clock in the morning. ' An eye-witness of the fire says it is positive that at least twenty-five persona have lost their lives, and many more have been more or Jess injured. One woman was being low ered from a window by the aid of a rope. She had reached a point opposite the third story, when the rope became ignited from a burning sill parted, and, the woman fell to the pavement, her brains dashed out, and her body flattened into a shapeless mass. So great was the confusion and excitement that the identity of those killed and injured is wholly unknown. Frankary, of Glens Falls, N. Y.. has been identified as one of those that were burned to death. Many lives were lost, caused by peo ple, crazed with fright, lumping from win dows. One man says he saw six people jninp from diliereiit wiudows on the Fayette street side of the building within a space ot foar minutes, and the sight sickened him with its horror, and he was compelled to leave the spot. The building was provided with both iron fire-escapes on the outside and roped on the inside, which were the menus of saving many lives.- Burnet Forbes, a stock broker of Syracuse, escaped into the street almost entirely naked. He was slightly injured about the hands. He loses a gold watch valued at $500, and all of his clothing. One woman was found with a nursing baby in. her arni, crouched in a stairway, where she had been overcome by smoke. She was removed by the firemen, and it is impossible to say what her name or experience was. The fire is said to have started in the kitchen. The building will be a total loss. It was built two years ago at a cost of $150,000. It was six stories high and contained 400 rooms. It is impossible to learn how many guests were in the hotel at the time the fire broke out. The total loss will not fall short of half a million dollars, and the building is partially covered by insurance. It is impossible to learn as to how much insurance was named on the hotel furniture or what the private and individual losses will be. JUSTICE MILLER DEAD. Another Vacancy on the Bench of the United States Supreme Court. Jnstjce Miller, of the Supreme Court of the United States died at 10.52 P. M., at his resi dence in Washington. s Samuel Freeman Miller was born in Rich mond, Ky., on April 5, 1816. His father emi grated from Reading in 1812 to Richmond, Ky., where the future justice of the Supremo Court was born. Hismother was the daughter of parents who had removed to Kentucky from North Carolina before her birth. H:s early years was spent upon a farm, but the drudgery of agriculture was a source of dis content to him, and employment in a drug store gave him the opportunity for reading medicine. He graduated in the medical de partment of Transylvania University when 22 years of age, ami entered upon the practice of medicine in Knox county, Ky. He had been married in the meantime, and had begun the study of tho law, and was admitted to the bar in 1847. In 1862 President Lincoln appointed Mr. Miller as associate justice ot the Snpreme Court. The sole remaining oppointee of Mr. Lincoln on the bench is Justice Field. Among the opinions written by Justice Miller was that in the New Orleans slaughter house cases, which maintained the validity of the national powers under the new constitu tional amendments. Iu the 28 years of his service on the Supreme Bench Justice Miller dilivorcd opinions on a large number of cases involving high questions of government, and his lucid and weighty words have nestled them, perhaps, permanently. Judge Miller has been regarded as the firmest friend on the Supreme Court of the reserved rights of tho several states. His position on the electoral commission of 1677 gnve more satisfaction to Republicans than Democrats, but to those who have watched the career of the stricken justice his impartiality has seemed as conspicuous a his common tense aud his legal ability. AN HEROIC ENGINEER. Crippled In an Explosion, He Saves An other Train. An engine attached to a Chicago and Erio westbound freight broke down at West Point, Ind., and engine No. 60, manned by Edward Murphy, engineer, and George Kirby, fire man, was sent out from Huntingdon to take the train on to Chicago. When in a deep cut about two miles west of the city the engine exploded. The front end blew out and was thrown a distance of 400 feet. f Engineer Edward Murphy was badly scalded, but jumped off. Hislegs was broken by the fall.-. Fireman Kirby was blown from the engine cab back over the fender and upon the track. He is so badly burned and scalded that his recovery is doubtlul. The engiue ran about 700 feet, the wheels keeping the track. The explosion was heard for tniles. and in a few minutes quite a crowd had gathered. The first man to arrive found Engineer Murphy crawling up the track on his hands and knees with a lantern to flag vestibule train No. 8, which was due in a few minutes. The passenger train was stopped at the en trance to the cut. Murphy's presence of mind and heroism saved what would have been a terrible wreck. A a)UEL WITH REVOLVERS. John ItlcUary Shoots Dead a Man Who Made L,ove to his Wife. For a long time Oscar Birringer has been paying marked attention to the wife of John McRary, at Lexington, N. C. Recently Bar ringer wrote a loving letter to Mrs. McRary, which was intercepted by her husband. He at once challenged Barringer to duel. The men, with their seconds retired to a se cluded spot, near Lexington. Revolvers were the weapons chosen. At word from the sec onds the men began firing. Alter both had emptied their five-shooters Rirranger fell to the ground dead. Mcltary had aimed well, and had sent three balls into the body of his victim. McRary has lied from Lexington, nud.hi whereabo its arc still unknown. Mcliry'8 wilu wept bitterly over the body of Barringer. ABOUT NOTED PEOPLE. Legitime. ex-President of the Hvtian Re- luhlie. is writing a history of the events which led to his downfall. , General Butler is fond of good dining and is himself an accomplished cook. He can broil a lobster to a turn. The original of Longfellow's "Village Blacksmith" is Henry Francis Moore, who is still living at Medfork, Mass. John Jacob Akmstrong Astor, the four-year-old sou of William Waldorf Astor, had his name changed to John Jacob Astor. Congressman John E. RcssELL,of Massa chusetts, is accompanied in all his campaign ing by his wife. When he speaks she occupies a seat on the platform, and she is considered fully as shrewd a politician as her husband. , Gcstav Freytag, the most distinguished of German novelists, lives in the pretty town of Wiesbaden, where he occupies a handsome Villa. He is now a tall, broad-shouldered man of fifty-eight, with a fresh, healthy color and fair hair. Frank Stockton, the novelist, lives in a roomy house at Madison, N. J.. He is a methodical man in his literary work, devoting the early part of each day to his writing. At times he suffers from weak eyes, and on such occasions he dictates his stories to his wile. Queen Christina, of Spain, is fond of the opera, but dislikes appearing before pu hi ic audiences. She overcomes this difficulty by having her chamber connected by telephone with the opera house, and in tuis way she listens to the performance without having to appear before the public. Governor Hill, of New York, is one of the poorest of platform speakers. He lacks the quality of sympathy, and his utterances are oil studied with a view to producing an immediate effect. There is nothing spon taneous or graceful in his platform oratory. Emperor William, of Germany, is re ported to have given away no less than 150 decorations during the twenty-four hours that he spent with the King of the Belgians, at 0tend, the distribution ranging from the Grand Cross of the Red Eagle down to the Ribbon of the Order of Merit. King Humbert's hair has become snow white, much to the distress of Queen Margue rite, who is most anxious that her husband should follow the example of his father, and the fashion common among elderly Piedmon tese officers, and dye his hair. Her pleadings were, however, of no avail. Pbincebs Mettf.rnich's clever daughter, Antoinette, who was married five years ago to Count Waidstein-Wortemberg, died very sud denly last week nt Vienna, from disease of the heart. The deceased Princess was im mensely popular in Viennese society, where her handsome figure and conversational abil ity fully atoned for her lack of personal beauty. M. Alphonse Datjdet is now quite re covered from his recent illness and is busily engaged in a new novel as well as a play, the latter beingintended for theGymnase Theatre. In the forth-coining work the question of divorce will be analyzed, especially in its relations to the situation of children of parents who have been separated by law. M. Daudet is now in his Villa at'Champrose, a rustic retreat on the banks of the Seine near Cornell. THECountessof Aberdeen, who contributed so much to the popularity of her husband's vice-royalty of Ireland during the late ad ministration of Mr. Gladstone, is to become an editor. A new penny monthly magazine, for young women and mothers, is to be brought out at the end of the year under the auspices of the Haddo House Association, which has now grown to such dimensions as to need an orgau of its own, and the Countess, who is president of the association, will edit it. The Countess visited this country two years ago. MURDERED BY DAGOS. The Kew Orleans Chief of Follce Shot Down on Ills Doorstep. Chief of Police Ilennessy, of New Orleans, was shot at the entrance of his home about midnight, and died within a few hours. He had only a short time before parted from Captain O'Connor, of the Boylan Protective police, who heard several shots fired, and im mediately altcrwards the chiefs cry for him to come to his assistance. Captain O'Connor 6ays: I hurried towards the spot whence the cry came and found tlie cbiet sitting on the doorstep of a house on Basin street, between Girod and Lafayette streets. As I came up he said to me: v"Tuey have given it to me, and I gave them back the best I could." Bending over the chief, I said to him: "Who gave it to you, Dave?" He replied, "Put your ear down here." As I bent down again he whispered the word, ".Dagos." The tragedy was one of which the chief and his more initimato friends had regarded as within the range of probability for some years past, and for two or three years has al ways been accompanied by some trusty friend on his way home. He walked to the door of his residence, and pausing a moment to draw his latchkey from his pocket, turned into the doorway. It was while in this position, his side turned toward his assassins, that the first two shots, the weapons being double-barrelled shot guns, one barrel of each being fired at a time, rang out. As quickly as the ambu'hed men could cock the iruns. the second barrel was fired. j Chief Hcnnessy had a remarkable police i career. He was instrumental in breaking up 1 the Italian vendettas, and securing the con- vietion of a number of the Dagos for murder. Four of the assassins have been arrested . and identified as Antonio Scaflidi, Antonio j Bagnetti, Sebastiano Incardono and Pietro Maestro. . MARKETS. Baltimore Flour City Mills, extra.$5.10 $5.25. Wheat Southern Fultz, 10U102 Corn Southern White, 54($56c, Yellow, 57(ii5Sc. Oats Southern and Pennsylvania 42Ki43c. Bye Maryland and Pennsylvania 747(5c. Hay Maryland aud Pennsylvania 10"UO$11.00. Straw Wheat, 7.00$7.50. Butter Kastern Creamery, 2223c, near-by receipts 1314c. Cheese Eastern Fancy Cream, 10(311 Western,9ie. Eggs 20(a) 21c. Tobacco, Leaf Interior, 1(&$1.50, Good Common, 4$5.00, Middling, 6(5$8.00, Good to fine red, 9$11.00. Fancy 1 2 (gj 13.00. New York Flour Southern Good to choice extra, 4.00$5.75. Wheat No. 1 White 1.00 1 .OOie. Rye-State 5860e. Corn-Southern Yellow, 55551c. Oats White, State 4550c. Butter State, 12(a19e. Cheese State, 68fc. Eggs 2 1 (4 22c. 1 Philadelphia r lour rennsyi vama ! fancv, 4.50(cg$5.00. Wheat. Pennsylvania and Southern Red,1.001.00ic. Rye-Pennsylva-' nia, 56(S)57c Corn Southern Yellow, 528(a) 6.11c. Oats 41 43c. Butter State, 23(d2tSe, Cheese New York Factory, 1010ic. Eggs State, 2222Jc. ' j ( CATTLE. Baltimore Beef 4.25(a$4.45. Sheep 3W$5.(0. Hogs-4.50('i$4.70. ' New York Beef CV.ifa $7.00. Sheep 4.00fTft$.).25. ilo4.20i !.!)(, . rASTLtBF.nTY Hoef 4.40fV(.f 1.70. Sheep w i'gs-4.:o(,: ,t.tM. SOUTHERN ITEMS. IXTERKSTIIfGt NEWS COMPlt,EL FROM BIAJKY SOURCES. Farmersin Dickinson county, Va., are losing much of their fodder on account ot the rains. Steps for the prompt construction of the AVest Virginia & Pennsylvania Railroad have been taken. An immense deposit of salt is reported to have been found near Brookneal, in Campbell county, Va. Five prisoners made their escape from the county jail at Winston, N. C, by boring through the walls, and are still at large. A Northern firm has contracted to build an electric railway in Wvtheville, Va., and a franchise of the streets has beeu secured. The Petersburg Va., council has authorized the expenditure of 1,000 before the 1st of July, 1891, to induce manufacturers to locate there. As a result of the recent meetings conducted in Lynchburg, Va., by the Rev. Sara Jones, three hundred and two persons professed con version. Pennsylvania miners are prospecting in the vicinity of Clear-nring, Md., and procuring rights to operate the iron ore mines in that vicinity. Several prominent business men of Dur ham, N. C, have donated $25,000 for a graded school building, and $10,000 for a hospital in that town. Seventy-five acre in North Danville, Va., were sold to a syndicate with a capital of 100,000, who will improve the property for the market. A large number ot prominent men met at Wythcville, Va., and organized a construc tion company to build the Virginia & Ken tucky Railroad. It is reported that the Norfolk and Western Railroad Company contemplates the erection of not less than twenty new hotels along their lines in Virginia. The Arlington, Alexandria and Mount Ver non Railroad, chartered by the last legisla ture, expects to begin the work ot laying its tracks early next spring. The bonded debt of Raleigh, N. C, is now $210,000; assessed value of property, $4,435, 448; tax rate, $1.13. This is an admirable showing as compared with other towns of liko size. A German carp, weighing twenty-five pounds, was caught by a man namd Hesser, in the Potomac river, near Paro Paro, Md. This is the largest fish ever caught in that section. Willis Hepton, living in Granite Hill, near Ellicott City, Md., has a pumpkin vine bear ing seven large pumpkins, the largest of which measures six feet and a-half in circum ference. H. T. Campbell, of Sherando Va., while sinking a well on his lot, struck a vein of manganese about twenty-two feet below the surface. It is pronounced to be of superior quality. The railroad from Christiansburg to Blacks burgK in Montgomery county, Va. will be commenced very soon now, and when com pletedj will opeu up the finest coal and mineral lands iu the State. J. M. Eyler, of Emmittsburg,' Md., has several red-pepper stalks in his garden of the variety known as the improved red pepper, on one of which is 119 peppers; another has SO, and ktill another 79. There is considerable excitement in North Carolina over the recent murder of Mr. Atkins and his aged mother at Aulander, in Bertie county. Official notice has been lodged at the executive office. A reward will be offered for the criminal. Mr. Moss, engineer of the Shenandoah Val ley Road, is surveying aline from Middle burg to Upperville, through Ashby's Gap. to the Shenandoah Kailroad. If this line is adopted, the road from Front Royal, Mark ham, etc., will be abandoned. Col. D. D. Johnson, agriculturist of the West Virginia State University, has estab lished an experimental station on the farm of Sir. John T. Colston at Charlestown. The purpose is to test the comparative values of different varieties of wheat and corn and the fertilizers used upon them.' The board of aldermen of Raleigh, N. C, has passed an ordinance reducing the city taxes twenty cents on the $100 valuation of property for the next two years. This reduc tion is the result of the decision of the Su preme Court whereby municipal corporations are allowed to tax solvent credits. Near Hairston, Halifax county, Va., John Medley, an old colored man, was in the habit of burying his savings in an old iron pot under a tree near his house. On going to make another deposit, he found that his bank had been rifled of its contents, which amount ed to $400. W. A. Bradby, chief of the Pomunky iribe of Indians, who live on the York River Rail road, made his annual visit recently to the "Great Father," as his people call the gov ernor of Virginia. It is his custom to present his Excellency with some tribute, and he brought him a fine bunch of sora this time. The machine shop and other works of the Richmond and Danville Railroad Company, in Alexandria, Va., are very busy just now, and the force at work there is being increased. Several locomotives and tenders are being rebuilt, and a number of freight cars and passenger coaches overhauled and put in order. As Mrs. Henry Soyster, of Cumberland, Md., was returning from market the heavy transom over the door was not properly fastened after being cleaned, and fell, striking her on the back of the head, knocking her senseless, and causing her to fall in such n manner as to prevent the door from being opened by her husband, who was following. Iler injuries were painful, but not serious. While six persons on horseback were pass ing over an unfinished bridge near Webster Springs, W. Va., the structure gave way and they were precipitated into the Elk River, 40 feet below. Five of them were badly injured, two probably fatally, and two horses were killed. Mrs. George Dyer and Mrs. Andrew Miller received internal injuries, which will probably cause their deaths. The Cumberland Mills Manufacturingcom panv near Fayettesville, N. C, have recently repaired their five story factory and added twelve high speed English plaid looms. One of the fine-t '"Brush" dynamos has been nut in. It contains tour hundred lights, with a capacity of one hundred and twenty-eight thousand cnndle power. The company is tar ahead in all of iu productions and the out look is very bright. At Weston, W. Va., a young man named Charles Williams, who was to have been mar ried in a few days, committed suicide by tak ing an overdose of laudanum. He had been acting strangely for about a week, and it is believed that his mind was affected. He had ninVe all arrangements for his marriage to Miss Annie Welsh and had his house furnish ed, and everything was in readine s for the coming event. Edward T. Martin, a prominent business man of Birmingham, Ala., was dangerously shot by a woman callinghersclt Mrs. Clarence. O'Martin. She asserted that Clarence Mart in married her in Texas several years ago. The woman called on Martin and ma le some de- mands upon him which he relnned, and she drew a revolver and shot him. The woman has beeu arrested. She refuses to make any statement. A sensation was created at Greensvile, S. C, by the escape from jail of "Bill" Howard, who is under sentence of death for the murder of a confederate in the moonshine whisky business over a year ago. Howard's wife was allowed to spend the night in the cell with her hus band. Next morning Howard, dressed in his wife's clothing, came down the stairs of the jail with an infant in his arms, and leaving the baby at a relative's house he fled before the jailor had discovered the trick that had been played on him. Mrs. Howard, who is a buxom mountain girl of 17 years, occupies the cell vacated by her husband, whose capture is hardly possible. G0VERNMENTCR0P REPORTS. October Estimates of the Yield of the Ce reals and Cotton. The October estimates of yield per acre for the entire breadth of cereal crops, as consoli dated by the Department of Agriculture, are: Winter wheat, 10.8 bushels per acre; Spring wheat, 11.5; the wheat crop, 11.1; oats, 19.8; barley, 21; rye, 11.8 bushels. The condition of corn is 70.6, instead of 70.1 last month; buckwheat, 90.7, instead of 90.5; potatoes, 61.7 instead of 65.7; tobacco, 85.4, instead of 82.4. There is practically no change in the general average of condition, except a reduction of four points in potatoes, and an increase of two points in tobacco. The effect of Winter frosts upon wheat is shown by the low rate of yield to have, been severe. The figure would have been lower but for the reduction of area by plowing and planting of the worst ifields in other crops. The crop made a verv low yield throughout the South, where acreage is small. In the Ouio Valley the variation in yield iu differ ent counties, as on farms in the same county, has an extraordinary range from five to twenty-five bushels, and in extreme cases lrom one to thirty bushels. One county in Illinois "claims the best erop iu years," and another "a poorer crop than was expected." Soils in good condition that had thorough tillage made the best yields. The October statistical returns report a material decline in cotton prospects and a fall in general percentage from 85.5 to 80. The State averages are as follows: Virginia, 92; North Carolina, 91; South Carolina, 83; Georgia, i- loncia, 81; Alabama, tsu; Missis sippi, 75; Louisiana, 83; Texas, 77; Arkansas, 80; leonessee, bd. The largest deterioration has been in Ten nessee, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana, the fertile and productive bottom lands of the Mississippi Valley. The cause is too much rain. Excess of moisture, coupled with lack of sunshine and reduced temperature, delays opening, causes immature boils to drop and full grown ones to rot, and induces sproutiug of the seed. The same cause discolors the open cotton, near the ground, aud discharges the coloring matter of the bolls, staining the fiber. The valne of the crop will be some what reduced by discoloration. The high expectations of the early season were first reduced by early droughts, and later more seriously by more or less continuous rains, from North Carolina to Eastern Texas. In the more Southern districts there is some complaint of the boll worm, with little men tion of the caterpillar. The effectiveness of insecticides, when persistently applied, is fre quently attested. DISASTERS AND CASUALTIES. A pespatch from Burlington, Iowa, says that La Grippe has struck that city again. Two deaths have been reported. The boiler of a gin house at Luella, near Griffin, Georgia, exploded, killing Isaac Breed and John Retd, and fatally injuring John H. Stillwell, owner of the engine. All the buildings on the Minnesota Ex- Cerimental Farm, at Hamlin, were destroyed y fire. The fire was caused by the explosion )f some chemicals. Loss, $35,000; insurance, $20,000. Owing to an open switch a passenger train collided with an engine on the Northern Pa cific Railroad, near Helena, Montana. Engi neer Masser was killed, and his fireman was severely injured. During a fire in a grocery store in St. Louis, a tank of coal oil exploded. John Brady, Rosa Pulaski and Jennie Herrick, were so badly injured that it is feared they will die. Eight others were injured, six fire men and two spectators. AN explosion occurred at the saw mill oi the Ducey Lumber Company in Muskegon, Michigan, as the fireman was getting up steam. Four of the six boilers exploded, wrecking the mill and throwing the other two boilers far from their foundations. Six men were injured one, firman Yerger, fatally. The cause ot the explosion was low water. During a race at the fair at Canton, Ohio the stallion Bismark, valued at $5.0O0( and owned by William Myers, collided with a buggy which was bfing driven across the track. The shalts of the buggy penetrated the horse's breast, killing him instantly. Myers, who was driving, was thrown and trampled upon, and is supposed to be fatally injured. The tow i of Cheviot, Onio, is lighted by gasoline at night. On Fridiy night Edward Conner, one of the lighters, started on his trip on alight cart drawn hy one horse. In the cart were 92 pint cans of gasoline. At the first lamp one of the cans became lignted. The whole lot exploded. Horse and man caught the burning fluid. The man, badly burned, was thrown from the wagon, while the horse, on fire, ran through the streets until he dropped dead. Two freight trains on the Santa Fe road, collided near Ethel, Missouri. The train going east was loaded with Texas cattle. Sev eral steers were killed, and others escaped from the cars. The latter became enraged when they saw the dead ones. The trainmen escaped unhurt, but had a hard time to get ont of the way of the angry steers. The cat tlo had to be shot before the crew con Id get near the wreck. Thousands of dollars' worth of freight and rolling stock were destroyed. TORTURING THE ARMENIANS. . Deprived of Food and Prevented Prom Sleeping. A despatch from Constantinople states tha arrests of Armenians are still being made and that many of those who have been taken into custody have been shockingly maltreated and torture 1. Among other cruelties to which the prisoners been subjected is the withhold ing from them of all food. They have also been deprived of sleep. Persons suspected of disloyalty Rre arrested upon information being lodged against them by any spy. The Armenian recently arrested for at tempting to murder aa arehpnest in the Koomkapon quarter of Constantinople, was found dead in his cell. It is alleged that his death was the direct result of the tortures in flicted upon him. 'J he ipi!icils at Vau, Armenia, are ttill arming the I urks, and outrages upon the Ar menians there are of lrctiuent occurrence. STATE OF TRADE- ' Improvements in All Branches of Business Throughout the Country. Hallway Enrntngsfor September Wheat Advanced Bank Clearings for the , Week Business Failures. General business us reported in special -telegrams to Bradstreet's, has been somewhat more active during the week, noticeably in groceries, general dry goods, clothing, and hardware. Cotton and woolen gooda manu facturcrsin many instances look confidently . for higher prices at au early date. The late ad vance in boots and shoes is sustained, though rough leather is accumulating and is lower. Tobacco is active and prices tend pwaf Under the new tariff, imported cigars will, it is reported in the trade, cost 3 cents more apiece, and American made cigars of imported tobacco 4 cents moreapiece. An earlyiadvance of prices of cigajs is expected. Almost all farm, produce is in active demand at very generally advancing quotations, and fruits are ail marked up aud decidedly scarce. Anthracite coal costs 10 and 15 cents more per ton than it did a week ago, and is moving freely. Salt meats are in demand West and South at improving prices. Hogs and cattle are lower or unchanged at western markets. September's iross railway earnings are more encouraging than those for Augustas an increased gain is shown over September . lastyear, when transportation was Very active. The South Western, Southern and Granger Companies make the better exhibit in the order mentioned. The trunk lines are the only group showing a decrease from Septem ber a year ago. Only one-seventh of the com panies reported show decreases, and except the New York Central, these are small. Total . earnings of 143 roads for September aggregate ' $41,568,482 on a total of 8t,978 miles, a gain of 7.2 per cent, in earnings and 2.8 per cent, in mileage,thefraininearningsbeingtheBuiailert: except August of any month in 1890. For nine months earnings aggregated $321,654,982 on a total of 83,731 miles, a gain ot 10.1 per cent, in earnings and 2.8 per cent, in mileage. Last year the gain in earnings for nine months was 8.9 per cent. Bank clearings at fifty-three cities for the week are $ 1,206,477,633, a decrease from this week last year of 4.7 per cent New York city's clearings, which constitute 58.2 per cent, of the grand total, are less than those lor tne UK.e penoa iasi year oy o. jer uenu while at forty-two other cities, the gain is 15.t per cent. .. The foreign dry goods market is active and priceB tend upward. Domestic dress goods are in fairly active call from agents and some low grades are stronger in tone, foreshadow ing an advance. Prices as a whole are firmly held. Woolen men's wear goods are stronger in tone. Wool is active ou immediate eon sumption demand and lower grades are 1 cent higher, while prices generally tend upward. , Wheat has advanced 2Jc, corn lie, and oats 1c on the week, notwithstanding the reaction following a sharp advance Stocks of wheat available increase very slowly; only-one' quarter as last as they piled up in October, lSSO. The increase of available wheat last week was 1,171,000 bushels. Exports of wheat, both coasts, and flour as wheat, equal 1,516, 759 bushels, for which Pacific ports are largely responsible. Last week the total was 1,593,900 bushels, and one year ago, 1.845,8y8 bushels. The total shipped abroad July 1 to date is 27,276,960 bushels. In a like period of 1889 it was 27,685,105 bushels, and in 1858 U was 35,019,196 bushels. There have been 1,126,435 bushels ot' Indian corn exported this week, against 879,449 bushels last week. Small stocks of raw sugar restrict sales. Raws are quiet, strong, and unchanged. Re fined is in good demand, and refiners are closely sold up. Brazilian coffee moves in a narrow way, both speculatively and for actual lots. Business failures reported to Bradstreet's number 183 in the United States this week, against 192 last week, and 243 this week last year. Canada had thirty this w eek, against twenty-six last week. The total number of failures in the United States, January 1 to date is 7806, against 8737 tin a like portion of 1889. - ' . A TRIPLE TRAGEDY. Wife and Perhaps Child Poisoned and the Man Shoots Himself, The residents of Perth Amboy, New Jer- -sey, are horrified over a double" suicide and supposed murder which occurred there. For some time past Gader Showdash and his wife lived most unhappily together, quar- ' rels being frequent betweeu them on account of the husband charging the wife with infidel ity. The accusation seems to have been ut terly groundless, and Mrs. Showdash re proached his wife with her infidelity, aud the quarrel that followed between them was more than usually bitter. After Showdash left his home to go to work his wife soaked the heads of a quantity of matches in water and swallowed tne poison-' ous liquid. Her moans attracted the atten tion of the neighbors, and medical assistance was speedily summoned, but all effort to save the woman's life was unavailing, andkhe died in great agony. hen Showdash reached his home His wife was dead. Stricken with re morse at theawlul result of their quarrel, he procured a revolver aud shot and killed him self. During the excitement produced bv tha tragedy the young babe of the couple was for gotten, but when the people in the house had recovered from their first terror the child was sought for. To their horror it also was found to be dead, and, although it is not yet known positively, it is supposed tnat tno mother be tore she killed herself administered some of the poison to her babe. FLOOD-SWEPT KANAVHA " v Great Damage la the VaJIey House Washed Away, News from the valley of the Little Kanawha in West Virginia, states that the recent flood was a disastrous one The river at Grants, ville is 22 feet and rising rapidly, and th West Fork river is clear over its banks, and doing great damage. V- Ten dweiling-bousei had passed Grantaville, and tens of thoosands of logs were swept away. The same story of loss comes from the valley of every stream emptying into the Ohio between Steubenville and rarkersburg. In this county alone eight bridges were carried away. Farmers n tier great loss, and roads arc badly damaged, while railroad traffic is nearlv at a standstill The loss in Ritcnie county is pat at $100,04), and in Barbour, Taylor and Marshall at as much more. The total loss in the state is probably $400,000. . The French cabinet has charged M. Roche, minister of commerce, to fnme a ibiil to ba introduced in the Chamber of Deputies, rising a maximum tsriif upon exports into Irauce, and giving the government power to tuaks concessions to those countries wLoe govern ments in their tariff l&wainvvr French pro duct. '