North Carolina Newspapers

AS GAZ ION! A ETTE PUBLISHED EVERT BIOXDAY, WEDNESDAY AND-FRIDAY. VOL. XXXVIII. SO. J 38. GA8T0NIA, N. CV FRIDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER 28, 1917. 2.00 A YEAR Df ADVANCH, IMI'ORTANT NOTICE TO 4 GAZETTE SUBSCRIBERS A large number : o' Gazette' subscriptions expire xhe first or January and many, more during the month. ..Those of our read- era whose subscriptions ' expire at this time will save the pub- i Ushers much trouble and will prevent the probability of miss-. ing any- copies of the paper if they will send or bring In their renewals at once. ' .To take off and then, within few days, put back on a large number or names .; on our mailing list la no small task and. requires several days " work.' . Hence we ask. all of our readers whose subscriptions ex- pire at any date In the month of . January to favor us by sending In their renewals at once. Ad- dress all communications to The Gazette Publishing Co., Gas- tonla, N. C. ' - . "' 4 V' SHOBT LOCAL ITEMS ':. . . ' - Just three more days. . Then you'll be writing It 191,8. That Is If you don't forget to do , 80. Mr. P. W. Hand, of Lowell, was a business visitor in town yesterday. Mr. Dave Oalg, of Statesvllle. was in town yesterday. ' v-Miss Marie To rrence. who is spending the winter In New York - city, Is at home for the holidays. Mr. W. 'A. Bryan returned this ' morningto Durham after a visit to his sister, Mrs. W. Y. Warren. Miss v Bess , Withers returned Tuesday from Broadway 'where she visited homefolks. ; Dr. Otis Lineberger, of Raleigh, spent a few days in the city with relatives this week. Miss Julia Elam, of the City Hospital staff, left this morning for Statesvllle to visit homefolks. Miss Lantle Abernethy, of ML Holly, route two, spent the holidays here with her brother, Rev. G. P. Abernethy. 4 , ', . Misses Sallle and Nell Dixon, of Charlotte, are spending a few days with their aunt, Mrs. H. M. . Eddie man. ' Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Jenkins and Miss Willie Jenkins spent Christmas day In Charlotte as the guests of Mr. and Mrs. R. D. Craver. Mr. and Mrs.' J. S. Whitfield, or Albemarle, are spending the Christ mas holidays here with their daugh ter, Mrs. Fred. Rawlings. Mrs. it. W Langford and chil dren left Wednesday morning for Atlanta to spend several days visit ing relatives. , . Mr. and Mrs. George R. Hopper returned yesterday from York, where they spent several days visiting rela tives: 1 Mr. Clyde Brawley, of the coast - artillery corps at Fort Caswell, spent the holidays in the city with his - parents, Mr. and Mrs. Mack Brawley Mrs. A. E. Wolts and children are spending the holidays with rela tives at Granite Falls. Mr. Wu . also spent a day or so there. - Lieut Wilson McArver, of Camp -Jackson, Columbia, S. C, 'Is spending a few days here with his parentsMr. and Mrs. T. R. McArver. Sgt F. Morrow, of Camp Wordsworth, Spartanburg, S. . C, : spent Christmas day here with his '.parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. Morrow. Mr. Paul Harmon, who Is sta " - iioned at Fort Caswell, was the guest Christmas day of his uncle and aunt, Mrs. C. Morrow.' v . v Miss Mary Harmon and Miss Ethel Howe, of Kings Mountain, have been the guests this .. week of Mr. and Mrs. C. Morrow. ..",- v There was a "sklft" of snow last night about 8 o'clock not 'y- enough to make ' a show on the ground however. ' v ' Miss Maude Fayssoux, of Green- . vllle, 8. C, is spending the week-end - here with her mother, Mrs. J. R. Fayssoux. -'. V) .. . x Mrs. L.' C. Davis and Miss Annie v. -. Davis spent Tuesday and Wednesday , in Charlotte as the guests of Mr. - and Mrs.jE. S. Fayssoux.. C - Sgt. John McCullougn.Jor Camp Greene, and Miss Annie MeCuIIough, . of Pinevffle, are visiting their sister, Mrs. H. Gilmer Winget c . . Mr. T. S. Royster, the popular 1 rural carrier on route one from Bes - - semer City,, was a business visitor tn 1 the city yesterday.' -. - .. , At Main Street Methodist churca V Sunday morning Mrs. Lucy - Jordan Taylor will sing. At night Miss Rata Mason will amg, - v t . Mr. "Kenneth Bablngton returned - Wednesday from 'Raleigh Where he .-"spent a few days with link. Bablng- " ton, who is visiting homefolks there. Master R. B.-Bablngton, Jr., Is ... spending a few days' with his grand mother, Mrs.' A. E. McLurdV at Stan- ' ley.--;;;.:-;:;;-: xf Mr. and Mrs. R. H: Spurrier and children of Charlotte, spenV the Christmas holiday in the city as the ' guest of Mrs. Spurrier's parents, Mr. : " and Mrs. J. B. Boyd. : - " , ' ' Dr. and Mrs. I.' W. McLean and little son, J. W., Jr., of Panama, ar rived last night to' spend some time with Mrs. McLean's father, Mr. A. P. Rudlslll, at his home near Dallas. ' Mrs. J. B. Steele and children left Wednesday , f or Yadkin Valley where they will spend several weeks with Mr. Steele s under, Mr. H. A Steele, who is in very feeble bealtn . i-Mr. and Mrs. George W, -Dalley and little son, of -Charlotte, '"have been visiting their parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. W.. Daley and Mr and Mra J. K, White.. K ';; - Mr. and Mrs.' Leonard Timmons and son. of Pinehurst. spent the holt days here with Mrs. Timmons' mother Mrs. . W, D. Barrlnger, at her home on West Airline avenue, v Mrs. . James A." Estrldge has as her guests her sisters, Miss Ruth Seabock, of Roanoke, Va., and Miss Grace Seabock, of Hickory. . .. They will spend several weeks here. -i Mr. Robert I Durham, of the faculty of Martha Washington Col lege, Abingdon, va., is spending a few days in the .city as the guest of his mother, Mrs. B. F. Dixon. Mr. Floyd C. Todd left yester day for Athens, Ga., where he will be engaged for two weeks or more In stalling new machinery for the Athens Manufacturing Co. . Ldeut. J. Wilson McArver and Sgt.' E. R. Warren have returned to Camp Jackson, Columbia, S. C, af ter spending the holidays here with their parents. Have you joined a Christmas Savings Club for next year? If not, there are three such clubs In town asking you to do so. It's a splendid way to sare money. Mr. Hazel Long, who Is at home from Ersklne College, Due West, S C, spending the holidays with home- folks, has as his guest his classmate. Mr. Lb H. McDanlel, of Covington, Tenn. An important meeting of the merchants of Gastonla will be held tonight In the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce. It la hoped that all the merchants of the city will be in attendance. - Mrs. Frank L. Wilson has had as her guests during the holidays her sisters, Miss Jessie s Stockard and Mrs. Hardee Stockard, a niece, Miss Margaret Stockard1, and a nephew, Mr. Ralph Stockard. all of Graham. v Mr. George A. Gray Is building a beautiful home on the New Hope road east of the city in the Baglng ton Heights section. It is near the handsome new home of Mr. Charles D. Gray, recently completed. ' Mr. J. B. Hatcher returned yesterday from Winston-Salem 'where he spent Christmas. Mrs. Hatcher remained over for a more extended visit to her mother, Mrs. D. D. Trivette. Miss Mary Goode, of Ruther ford College, will arrive in the city Sunday to be the guest for the New Year holidays of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Jenkins at their home on South Marietta street. Dr. L. N. Patrick is having ma terial placed for the erection of a handsome modern residence on the New Hope road opposite the ortho paedic hospital site. The work or construction will be commenced at an early date. On Christmas Day Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Burke entertained at dinner at their home In Bessemer City,' their guests being Mr. and Mrs. B. F, Ormand and Mr. Theron Ormand, or Gastonla', and Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Payne, of Elmina, Texas. Mrs. E. C. Wilson had as her guests on Christmas day Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Lineberger and Mr. Rob ert Michael, of Lincolnton; Miss Ma ry Bhlpp, of ' Hendersonvllle, and Misses Elizabeth and Eleanor Ran kin, of Charlotte. f Mr. F. H. Cunningham, former ly manager of the Ideal Theater here left today for Monroe to take over the management of the Strand Thea ter, formerly the Bru-Nell, which is now owned by Mr.' Cunningham and Mr. J. White Ware, of this city. . Prof, and Mrs. Edgar Long and children, of Due West, S. C. are spending the' holidays here with Prof.-Long's parents, Mr. and Mrs. L. H. Long. They will return to Due West next week. : Mr. Hazel Long, who is a student at Ersklne, Is also at home for the holidays. . , Mr. and Mrs. Dana J. Caldwell and little daughter, Cornelia Eliza beth, of Columbia, - S. C, hare re turned home after being the guests during the Christmas holidays of Mr. Caldwell's parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Caldwell, at their home on Colum bia street. . - , . Her many friends will be glad to learn that Miss Carrie Morris, who has teen confined to her home, ror the past three weeks by Illness, is improving and is now able to sit up. She expects to be able to return soon to Charlotte where she teaches in the city schools. - , '-" Mrs.' W. H. Burbury, of Sparta, Tenn., arrived last night to visit her sister, Mrs. T. W. Wilson. Messrs. Henry, and Forrest Duff,' of - New York; brothers of Mrs. Wilson, are also here for the .holidays as is also Mrs.: Wilson's son, Mr. Henry Wil son, who. is a studeut at Davidson College.' . - - - Sgt. H. A.' Query was in town a short while Wednesday from Camp JacKson, Columbia, S. C. He was spending his Christmas vacation .with i friends at Belmont where- he " was formerly superintendent of. the' pub- lie schools. . His - many .' Gastonla friends were delighted to see him again. Sgt. Query , will try for the officers training camp in January. "Clarence E. Shlves, of Winston- Salem and Robert Sholar, of Besse mer City, left yesterday , for Fort Caswell to join the Coast Artillery Corps. John J. Gardner, or Cherry ville, left this morning and Ernest O. McSwaln will leave Sunday for the same place to enter. this branch' of the service. All four enlisted at the local recruiting station. ; Miss Maude Rankin is spending a part of the holiday season in New York city. She left Christmas day and was joined at Danville, Va., by her sister-in-law, Mrs. Vivian P. Rankin. The latter was visiting rel atives there after having been on a visit to her husband's parents, Mr. and Mrs. John O. Rankin, here. She went from 'New York this week to her home In California. . ' . Mr. Theron Ormand, a member of Company A, 115th Machine , Gun Battalion at Camp Sevier, returned to camp last night after spending a furlough of several days with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. P. F. Ormand, at their home on West Airline avenue.- On Wednesday Mr. Ormand had as his guests af a Chrismas din ner a number of members of his com pany who were at home on f urlougn. Miss Pauline Fayssoux, who has made her home with her sister, Mrs. Walter R.' Jones, In Rockingham Tor the past three years, arrived Mon day accompanied by Mrs. Joues and little son, Walter Jones, Jr., to spend the holidays with their moth er, Mrs. T. M. Fayssoux, . Sr. Miss Fayssoux will not return to Rock ingham, having accepted a position as secretary to Mr. W. D. Anderson, or the Loray Mills. Mrs. Jones and son. will leave for their home Sunday. Mr-andMrs. L. A. States had as their guest for two or three days this week Sgt. John Burnls Brown, who is temporarily at Camp Greene. Sgt. Brown Is a chemist and is mak ing the rounds of the Southern camps analyzing the foodstuffs used by. the army. His home Is In Illi nois. Sgt. Brown is to be married soon to Miss Bertha States, of Cr bana, Illinois, a niece of Mr. L. A. States. Because of unexpected delay in getting some materials the contract or will not have the new First Asso ciate Reformed- Presbyterian church building ready for occupancy Janu ary 1st as had been expected. The congregation had hoped to hold the first service in this handsome new structure on the first Sunday In Jan uary especially because of the fact that on that day they celebrate the 24th anniversary of their pastor, Rev. Dr. J. C. Galloway. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Thorpe had as their guests Tuesday and Wednes day Sgt. W. J. Hall and Sgt. W. M. Day, of the British army. These of ficers are instructors of machine gun firing and trench mortar work at Camp Sevier, Greenville, S. C. They arrived in the United States about a month ago from the Western front, where they participated in a numoer of the big drives during the past two years. Gastonla's second municipal Christmas tree was a decided suc cess. The exercises were held in front of the Armington Hotel Sun day night at 6:30- o'clock. The sing ing, under the direction of the la dles of the Gastonla Music Club, was excellent. The ministers participat ing were Rev. J. H. Henderllte, who made the address, Rev. H. H. Jor dan, Rev. Dr. J. C. Galloway and Rev. W. C. Barrett The crowd was a large one and all present enjoyed the event Immensely. Mr. J. F. Thomson Is building a six-room residence on Sojuth Ches ter, street, adjoining Mr. w. U Bal thls property on the south. Mr. H. F. Oakley has the contract. Mr. George W. Brown Is preparing to build a six-room residence on the same street and adjoining Mr. Bal- thia nn th north. Mr J K ITaIIap has Che contract for this, house. Mr. Thomson recently sold nls residence on West Main avenue to Mr. J. B. Atkinson, of Lenoir, who will move to Gastonla as soon as be can secure his house. NEW IMPETUS GIVEN ARTILLERY RANGE New impetus was given the artil lery , range proposition Wednesday when Wilbur W. Smith, representing the topographical department of the quartermasters corps, arrived from Camp Greene, under orders .from General Dickman, commanding gen eral at the camp, to make a survey of the entire range and camp sites. Mr. W. T. ' Rankin, representing the Chamber of Commerce ' committee. went over the matter thoroughly with Mr. Smith, giving all necessary in formation for the making of the sur vey, except that which, must be se cured by field work. Mr. Rankin has devoted much time and effort" to the entire proposition. '"'. In the meantime the judge advo cate's office is handling", the ' lease proposition with headquarters. Gen- eral Dickman is hopeful that artillery units may begin work on the range as soon as better weather arrives. The work of making the surrey will take one or two weeks.-' ' , - . . . '- l!!SOGIALCIRCLES LATEST EVENTS IX WOMAN'S WOE J VI D. C. MEETING TOMORROW. ' Gastonla Chapter United Daugh ters of the Confederacy will meet to morrow afternoon at 3 o'clock in the chapter room at the . Chamoer of Commerce. At this meeting plans for the annual Lee-Jackson Celebra tion on January 19th will be made. ,r SOCIAL MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT. The Senior B. Y. P. V. pf the Loray Baptist church will hold its Christmas social meeting tomorrow night at the home . of .their pastor. Rev. G. P. Abernethy, in West Gas tonla. Each member of the union has been given the privilege of in viting one or more friends and it is expected that there will be a large crowd present and that (he occasion will be a most delightful one. a CHRISTMAS TREE AT FRANKLIN HOTEL. , Christmas Day was greatly enjoyed by the guests at the 'Franklin Hotel. A large Christmas tree had been plac ed In the parlor and this was tilled with gifts, there being more Vthan one hundred. The guests assembled In the parlor on Christmas morning and, after the distributionr of the gifts,, the proprietress, Mrs. S. F. New, was presented with a purse of gold from all the guests as a mark et their appreciation. . v LIEUT. J. O. RANKIN WEDS WINSTON GIRL. His hosts of friends. In Gastonla were surprised a day, or so ago to learn that Lieut- John O. Rankin, Jr., son pf .Mr. and Mrs. John . o, Kankin, of this city, was . married last Friday night In Winston-Salem, his bride being Miss Placid Dun ford, a popular and attractive young lady of that city. The news came as a surprise not only , to Lieut Kan kin's friends but to his family also, He was at home on a visit just a few days prior to his marriage but gave no Intimation either to his family or Mends of his intentions. The groom returned to Camp Sevier, Greenville, S. C, where he is an officer in Com pany A, 115th Machine Gun Battal ion, R, G. Cherry, captain. Mrs. Rankin will Join him there. It will also be a matter of Interest to Mr Rankin's friends to know that he was only a few days ago promoted to the rank of lieutenant ADAMS-POTTS WEDDING IN ATLANTA. In a quiet but beautiful home wed aing solemnized at tne nome or tne bride's mother In Atlanta on Thurs day, December 20, Mr. Robert W. Adams and Miss Helen Potts were united In marriage, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Dr. Lyons, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of that city. The bride is the only daughter of Mrs. Frank M. Potts, of Atlanta, and is a highly ac complished and attractive young wo man. She is a graduate of Brenau College, and attained first distinction In art at that institution. Hand somely engraved wedding .announce ments were Issued, reading asv fol lows: Mrs. Frank M. Potts announces the marriage of her - daughter " Helen to Mr. Robert W. Adams on Thursday. December twentieth, nineteen hundred and seventeen Atlanta, Ga. Mr. Adams isthe son of Mr. and Mrs. John H. Adams, of Gastonla, and has been for the past several years a traveling salesman for the Westinghouse Electric Co., with headquarters in Atlanta. He has hosts of friends here who will be in terested In the news of his marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Adams arrived In Gas tonla. Sunday night and were the guests of the groom's parents until Wednesday, when they returned to Atlanta. LKEPER-8TOWE WEDDING. A wedding of Interest to a large number of people not only in Gasto nla but in the bride's home town and over the county was solemnized at Belmont Christmas eve at 7:30 o' clock when Miss Zoe Stowe became the bride of Lieut. Ned Leeper. The ceremdny was performed at the home of the bride's sister, Mrs. R. P. Washam, by Rev. J. T. Dendy, pastor of the Behnont: Presbyterian church. The wedding was a quiet hjme affair and was witnessed by a number of the friends and relatives of the con tracting parties Before the entrance of the bridal party Mrs. Robert Cox sang "I Love Yon Truly," the accompaniment be ing played by Mrs. N. A. Orr. Dur ing the ceremony Mrs. Orr played softly a selection on the piano. There were no attendants. The tows were taken in front of an Improvised area, decorated with ivy and cedaf, with a background of potted plants. The bride was most becomingly, gowned In white crepe de chine. -She wore a veil and carried a bouquet of lilies of the valley and bride's roses. Lieut Leerer Is a member of the graduating class of the A. and E. f College at Raleigh. He attended the omcers' reserve training camo . at Fort Oglethorpe last summer where he was commissioned as a lieutenant He is a son of the late John F. Leep- EIYE INJURED 111 . . BAD AUTO WRECK Five, people were more or less painfully injured In a head-on colli sion between two automobiles about 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon near the fair grounds on the New Hope road Just east of the city. . Both cars were almost completely demolished and the occupants count their escape from death as almost miraculous. ' Rev. J. W. Whitley, pastor of the East Gastonla Baptist church, was driving one car and Mr. Harry Mc Graw, of Gaffney, S C.. was driving the other. Mr. Whitley was coming Into town while the other car was going towards Belmont Mr. Whitley p sustained a severe bruise on the back of his head and other painful wounds. Mrs. Whltfey, the only other occu pant of the car, was also badly cut and bruised. In the car with McGraw were Misses Iva Lineberger-; and Olivia Short, both nurses at the City Hospital. Mlss Lineberger was car ried to the hospital In what was be lieved to be a serious condition, her wounds having bled very profusely. It was necessary to administer n anaesthetic in primer to;., dress " her wounds, which consisted of a num ber of very painful cuts on and about the head. Miss Short also sustained painful cuts and bruises but was not as seriously injured as Miss Lineber ger. Mr. McGraw was able to re turn on a night train to his home at Gaffney though suffering consider ably from his wounds. . : . - ' Jyst how the accident occurred is hardly " known, the explanation - be ing probably that, In the gathering darkness, the drivers of the machines did not see each other In time to a void the collision, GASTGH TO HAVE NEW JEWELRY STORE Gastonia's newest business enter prise Is the Winget Jewelry Company which will open for business '- next week In the building on West Main avenue to be vacated by H. M. Van Sleen, the jeweler, who moves' Into one of the new buildings of the Na tional Realty Company 4i few doors further east. The new firm is com posed of Messrs. J. Sidney Winget, Arthur K. Winget and H. Gilmer Winget and will be managed by Mr. J. Sidney Winget The building will be refurnished and refitted through out with handsome new fixtures and will be stocked with new goods throughout. Mr. Winget has already purchased his goods and expects to be ready for business within a very few days. Watch and jewelry re pairing will be done and small musical Instruments will be handled. Mr. Winget Is an experienced hand in the jewelry business, having held a responsible position for the past eleven years with the Torrence-Mor-ris Company, Jewelers. He la well known to tr- buying public and this, together with his experience, is suf ficient guarantee that the new firm will be a success from the start AMKRICAX AVIATORS TRAINING IX EGYPT. (By International News Service.) PARIS, Dec. 28. American avia tors are learning to fly at the British aviation school in Cairo. Egypt Many have already received their commissions. One American aviator was in the air convoy which accom panied General Allenby when he en tered Jerusalem. MAKE TRENCHES WIDER TO BALK THE TANKS. (By International News Service.) LONDON, Dec. 28. In an effort to balk the British tanks Field Marshal Von Hlndenburg has ordered the German trenches widened to 20 feet so that the tanks' cannot cross them. GARFIELD WORKING ON A NEW PLAN. (By International News Service.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.' Fuel Administrator ' Garfield is working but a new plan of coal distribution to consumers. Coal shipments .will hereafter be given the most direct routing and . every effort ' wUI be made to assist the State distributors. er and has a large circle of friends. The bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G B. Stowe and is a young lady of charming personality and has a host of friends here; For the past year or two she has been stenogra pher tn Mr. Charles D. Gray's cotton office. . : ' ' - : ' IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ' GAZETTE SUBSCRIBERS 'A large number f Gazette sabscriptions expire the first of January and many more daring the month. , Those of our reao rs whose . sabscriptions expire at this time will sare the pub- Ushers much trouble and . will prevent the probability of mlss- ing any copies of the paper If they win send or bring In their renewals at once. . To take off and then, within a few days, pat back on a large number of names on our mailing list is no small task and requires several days work. Hence we ask all of oar readers whose sabscriptions ex- pire at any date In the month of January to favor as by sending In their renewals at once. Ad- dress all communications to The Gazette Publishing Co., Gas- tonla, N, C. ' . .. , eOLSIOT PEACE FLAIIS ACCEPTED (By International News Service.) , STOCKHOLM, Dec. 26. A wireless message, evidently sent out from Pe trograd and picked up today,, stated that the Central Powers have accept ed in principle the Bolshevlkl peace terms. . The Austro-German - envoys are quoted as saying that Germany. Is "opposed to war of conquest and rs willing to negotiate peace without annexations or indemnities If the. Al lies will guarantee not to exclude Germany from international agree ments after the war." Fighting has broken out at Irktsk, Siberia. V will cos ti;;e . TO RAILPl'J) FriLEG (By International News service.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 26. Presi dent Wilson and Mr, McAdoo confer red for some time today arranging the -final details for taking over the railroads tomorrow. It was after wards learned that Mr. McAdoo will devote practically all of his time for the next, three months to bringing the roads to their highest possible er flclency. No general financing scheme will be necessary at present, it Is be lieved, r Officials here today declared that no railroad ''can stand on its own bottom.'.', : A v cordial reception . has been given by the country and the railroads themselves to the Pres ident's move, which Is very gratify ing to the administration, , ' . , ' RUSSIANS HAVE RELEASED GERMAN CIVILIAN PRISONERS. (By International News Service.) STOCKHOLM, Deo. 28.A num ber of German civilian prisoners,, re leased in Russia by the Bolshevlkt government, arrived . ' at Haparanda today on their. way , to Germany. More than a score of German army officers and . twice, as many German and Austrian peace delegates 'are reported to have arrived at Petro grad. A meeting to discuss ques tions relating to the armistice will be ,held Wednesday. , QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. '' (By International News Service.) LONDON, Dec. 28. The official announcement of the war office to-, day states there Is nothing special to report from the Western front TODAY'S COTTON MARKET. , . (By International News Service.) 1 NEW YORK, Dec 28. The cotton market opened this morning - wlta January contracts selling at 3&.60. May 2.57. SURGEON GENERAL'S REPORT. ' ' (By International News Service.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 8. There were 21 more deaths in the national army last week than the week be fore, Surgeon General Gorgas an nounced today. Deaths in the na tional guard decreased by 45. Pneu monia took the largest toll. ' . MINISTER EGAN ARRIVES. . ( By International News Service.) AN ATLANTIC PORT. Dec. 25. Minister Egan and his wife were a mong 500 passengers who arrived' here on a Danish steamer today. PRESIDENT 61 YEARS OLD. (By International News Service.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 28. Presi dent Wilson celebrated : his 61st' birthday anniversary today by put ting In. his usual hard day's "work. He received , many congratulatory messages. v . ..'" v; FRANCE FIRST TO ANSWER. ( By International News. Service. ) PARIS, Dec 28. France was the. first nation to answer the Austro- German peace proposals. Foreign ' Minister Plchon announced In the Chamber of Deputies that France will refuse to enter Into a treaty with Germany on the basis of these proposals. The speech was enthusi astically received. - I lager-Payne Marriage. - "At the parsonage of Main Street Methodist church Monday Mr. F. 5. Hager and Miss Juanlta, Payne, botn of Bessemer City, were united in mar riage by Rev. . H. H. Jordan. Th bride is the daughter of Mr. and tlrs. J. T. Payne, of Bessemer City. -