North Carolina Newspapers

J The News ! Devoted to the J Upbuilding of l Drills- rVhaintv l f ii Tht News x It XJnsarptttt&g ta n O S Kate Low. OFFICIAL JOURNAL QP POLK COUNTY. INDEPENDENCE IN ALL THINQS. v SUBSCRIPTION PRICE $i.oo PER YEAR, IN AJWAKCD. n I i 5 r VOL. X. COLUMBUS, N. C., THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1904. NO. 24 SIXTY DIE Most Fearful Disaster In History of Southern Railroad, CAME WITHOUT NOTICE Head-End. Collision near New Market sends many Souls To The Great Beyond Hospitals Filled with The Wounded. Knoxville, Tenn., Sept., 24 Running una Uoad-Bed in a supposedly high condition of maintenance and having alM)tit them every safeguard known to modern railroading, two trains on the Southern Railway carrying heavy lists of passengers, came together in a frightful head -end collision near Hodges, Tenn., today sending fifty-four' people to death and injuring 120, sev eral of whom will probably die. Traia Vrrw of 15 Urld f Blaaae. This appalling loss of life and maim intr of the living, resulted, apparently, from the disregarding of orders given co the two trains to meet at a station which has for a long time been their regular meeting point. The claim of failure to see eikher the station or signals could not be set up by the engineer of west-bound train, were he alive to enter a plea of defense, as the aceiuect happened in broad daylight and, according to the best information . obtainable he had the order in a little frame in front of him as his monster of iron and steel rushed past Newmarket and soon after came full upon an east- bound passenger train making for New- j mark, in compliance with instructions to meet west-bound train, which car ried the sleepers from the east for Knoxville, Chattanooga and other southern cities. Engineer ef Trail IS May Uitc Heen Dead. The possibility exists that the ill-fated engineer may have been asleep or that death had suddenly taken the sight from his eyes before Newmarket was reached. But nothing is known save that the orders were not obeyed. The trains were on time and not making over thirty miles an hour, yet the impact as they rounded a curve and came suddenly upon each other was frightful., Both engines and the major portions of both trains were demolished and why the orders were disregarded or misinterpreted will probably never be known, as the engineers of the two trains were crushed, their bodies' re maining for hours under the wreckage of the monster locomotives,, which but a short tine before had leaped forward at the touch of their strong-hands upon the throttle. Some of the bodies have not yet been recovered and many remain unidenti fied. . - Knoxville, Tenn., Sept 24 The crash took place this morning at 10:18, about one half mile west of Hodges, and 18 miles east of Knoxville. At 9 o'clock tonight it is known that fifty-four lives have been lost in the crash and 120 Persons injured, about 20 of whom will die, according to reports at the Knox ville hospital, to which institute all of the seriously were removed. Workers at the scene of the wreck bad at this hour recovered all the bodies, except. those of the engineers and the passengers whose lives were crushed out in the smoker of the east bound train. Many bodies of the dead cannot be identified and it will be some time Sunday before the list of dead is completed. The I II-Fa tod Traias. The collision, which is the worst dis aster in the history of the Knoxville division of the Southern Railway, oc curred between eastbound passenger No. 12 and westbound passenger No. 15 from Bristol. No. 12 was a heavy train carrying three Pullmans, two day coaches and a mail r and baggagae car. No. 15 is a light local train. The great est loss of life occurred in the heavy eastbound train,' while In the westbound train only the engine crew were killed The wreck was due to the failure of the IN RAILROAD WRECK westbound engineer t read his passing orders correctly. The trains were to have passed at Newmarket, but Engin eer Kane ran through that place with out stopping had gone only two miles, when the collision occurred. The trains struck each other on a sharp curve and were running at a speed of about forty miles an hour. Relief Train Front Knexrille. Relief trains, were dispatched from Knoxville within an hour. All physi cians in the vicinity of the wreck were doing what they could when the local company physicians arrived. The first train arrived here from the scene of the wreck at 4:20 o'clock, bringing about 70 of the injured. Six of the injured aboard had died while- enroute to this city, and after their bodies were taken off, the train proceeded to a point near the general hospital, where ambulances were in waiting and a large force of physicians were, ready to receive the wounded. The next arrived shortly after 8 o'clock. It brought the bodies of 43 dead. The six who died on the train bringing the list of dead up to 49 and there are at least six more at the scene of the wreck, none of the bodies of the trainmen having yet been re covered. " A SerwL Bjr A Pauragtr, John W. Brown, of Rogersvillo Tenn , a newspaper editor, tells a most graphic story of the wreck. He was in the rear coach of the westbound train and had no intimation of the wreck until the terrible crash came, accompanied by a fearful jolt. All the seats' in the car were torn loose by the momentum and people and seats were hurled to the front end of the car. When he re covered from the shock he heard the screams and groans of the dying and injured coming from the front of the train. Ilerrible Tragic Scene "I left the car," said Mr. Brown, "as soon as I could, and walked to the main part of the wreck, It was the most hor rible I ever witnessed in my life. I saw a woman pinioned by a piece of split timber which had gone completely through her body. A little child, quivering in death's : agony, lay beside the woman. I saw the child die and within a few feetof her lay a woman's head while the decapitated body was several feet away. Another little girle, whose head was horribly hurt was piteously calling for her mother I have since learned that she was Lucille Con ner, of Knoxville, and both her parents were killed In the wreck I heard one woman, who was terribly mangled, praying earnestly to be spared for her children, but death relieved her suf ferings in a few minutes It. was a most horrible, tragic scene. Meene Beggars Description. " Both engines and all coaches of No. 15 were demolished, the smoker and baggage car completely so. The sleepers remained on the track undam- age. The scne around the wreck beg gared description. Both engines lay to the north of the track, jammed to gether into one mass of indescribable ruins. The cars, which were demolish ed, were piled up on the wrecked en gine. I saw women who were perfectly frantic frying to find their husbands. For relatives who were buried in the wreck. I saw one woman discover her sister lying in a dying condition. 1 never heard such frantic screams as she gave when she made the discovery. Forty-eight hodies were counted before left for Knoxville." A BIT OF MR. GUDGER'S WORK. Result, of the Congressman's Ex cel lent Efforts in a Short Time. Capt. 1$. H. Kirkpatrick, secretory to Congressman Gudger, was recently asked by our representative about the editorial of the Asheville Register regarding the es tablishment of Rural Free Delivery Routes in the 10th Congressional District. Mr. Kirkpatrick states that while the ed itor of the Register professed fairness, his statements were at variance with the facts in the case and very unjust to 3Ir. Gudger Mr. Kirkpatrick read the following letter: 'Post Office Department, Fourth Assist. Postmaster General, Washington, D. C, Aug. 12, 1904. Hon. J. M. Gudeer. Jr., Asheville, N.C. Sir: In compliance with your request of July 29th, you will find enclosed list of ru- ral routes established in your district and of applications pending. Very respectfully, : C. A. Oonbad, Acting Fourth Asst Postmaster Gen." The list above referred to shows that there was in operation in the district at that time, Aug. 12, 42 routes. r, Mr. Kirkpatrlck then read letters from Mr. Bristow, the fourth assistant postmaster general, to Congressman Gudger notifying him that there had hp. en fKtahlishri1 ir. his district between March 1st, 1904, and Sep- temhtfr 15th. 1004 1Q routes' twnin Mnrnli I , j j - two in April, two in June, five in July, six m August and two m September; that ac- cording to the letter of Mr. Conrad to Mr. T. L. Greene, as published in the: Register, tnere nave neon estaonsned in tue district ii uuSu Av.u9 ua ui auuvu, - i newrouiesmcu ceuaimy were not en- dorsed by the late Mr. Moody, thus raising the number established, since Mr. Gudger has been in congress, to 23. : Prom the facta above set forth It will be seen that not one single route was estab- nsnea in inis aistnci irotn Marcn 1st, iywj, vaSsed the county several times. The to March 1st. 1901. This was Hno nnt trill,, .j . 1 i. I lack of effort on the nart of MrJ Gudger. tor he worked incessantly, but to the inves- ligation of the stealage and corruption of Machen, the superintendent of free cleliv I enes, for during tnat period very few routes were ordered established. ! During the eighteen months that Mr. Guda:er has been iu congress there has been established 23 routes, just as many as dur ing the entire two years of Mr. Moody and Mr. Gudger has now pending more than 20 petitions for rural free delivery service nud it he is as .-uccessful in the succeeding six months as iu the last, there will he in oper ation at the end of his term more than CO free delivery routes in the district and by the end of Mr. Cadger's second term the district will be a net work of rural free de livery routes. Mr. Kirkpatrick stated that under a new rule of the department loutes could le es tablished from ten to tweuty.four miles in length and that under this rule communi ties that haye heretofore been deprived of this excellent service could petition the de partment aDd have their 'mails delivered them on the same terms as if they resided on a longer route. This shows what a democratic represen tati ve has done in a republican congress and is an indication that the people mav expect even better service during Mr. Gndger's second term Judge Ewart's Paradox. "Book T. Washington uas more i sense than both "of us," was the recent statement of Judge Ewart in referring to the ability of himself and Congress man Gudger. This is the sentiment of the republican candidate for congress who declares that be will bolt his. party caucus if it should attempt , to enrran- chise the negro of the South. Can you reconcile the two statements? Are they not as paradoxical as the Judge's recent statement to j the effect that he is in favor of good roads, but opposes the Brownlow, bill?' In all seriousness, can a white district, com posed of sturdy Southern 6tock, send a man to congress who openly admits that he has less brains than a negro, and yet would desert his party because it saught, in substance, to pay a similar compliment to the Southern negro? Judge tiwart is a iree-Dorn ouin Carolinian: the blood of the An do- Saxon flows in his veins. He asserts his claim to the heritage of Lis, fathers when he announces his intention to bolt his Dartv caucus ratner man paruci- nate in a villainous attempt to deprive the white men of the south of his lawful orerogative. How then can the Judge, with amazing "sang froid," declare that he is mentally inferior to a negro? The plain facts of the case are that t ll the repuoiican congressional cdnuiuawj UI lUC XCUtU uianivu uujw bu . .1 !. few democratic votes dj i a enouncing the republican part, because it would enact sectional legi.iauon. m w same time he would appease nis re- publican allies by throwing a little sopp.iair - to Bfioker T. Washington, the protage and "bosom friend" of president Ttoose- velt. We never suspected the judge of having an ambition to distinguish him- self as an acrobat, but it is now evident that he has. The Citizen has faith enough in the intelligence of the average North Carp- linian to know that he will not allow himselftobe tbrjrt. double play. .No doubt the Judge's intentions to dou are siauero cuuugu, . . . ! V. hut the sad part of it all lies in the fact tbat be wlllneyer get a chaace to bolt I Citizen. mWW ills, Short Ske ch of The Democratic Candidate for Representative in Polk County. ty- . A HARD WORKING DEMOCRAT. Has Always Worked! and Aided in h Enterprises Calculated - 'r to Build Up Polkf County. f That which is being' most discussed in Polk coiintv political circles todav is the coming joint canvass, of the county by the legislative candidates of both parties. Considerable interest is being uispiaj 6y. ana lb is prODaDie mat tne debates will be wfell attended. Of course, both parties Shave confidence in their nominee to 'handle the other fellow." John W. McFarlandt the republican nominee for Representative, has can- last umo was iwu veaps ago, wiieu tie Lnnnf - t. ahua v,on r ya P. Morris. The citizlns of the countv know Mr. McFarland's ability as a de- bater ' V 0La V- THOMAS CLINGMAN MILLS. The Democratic Candidate for Repre sentative in tolk Counts. -i- : Thomas C. Mills, the democratic can dite for Representative, has never tour- ed the county raakiiig speeches, but he has earned tne name;-oi oeing a gooa speaker. His personal friends say he I . i u j ,i .i : j I is a muuu uuer auu jj.uio F""cu speaker .J friends have everv confidence in him and predict that he will make a vigor- ous campaign. " short sketch op t. c. mills. ' Thomas C. Mills, was born near Try- 0D) on September 18th, 1856. He was married in tienaersc marrieu in nenuersyn cuuuty auu spent 1 fT Jl L J3 a. fourteen years of his life there. The remainder of his days have' been spent in Polk countv and he has alwavs been . . , , , '..v,.. tbat was calculated to build up and ad- ib lavur ui auu wuicu iui cvci jtuiiijj vance his native codnty in anyway. He has her welfare always at heart and does not tire Of working for her ad vancement, or the interest of her citi zens. Mr. Mills is now? serving his third term as Town Commissioner of Tryon This fact proves what the citizens of his own iovn idid oi ms aointy u mr. ju.ms.is urcpiucuu w. mo tum county telephone cpmpany and to his untiring efforts is-m a great measure due the success of tte telephone system tnat is in a great measure aue ime sue- uojuunp j"uom vuu giving so much satisfaction in the coun ty. When few people had any expecta- tion of a telephone system inPolk county, Mr. Mills took up the matter and by hard work made the telephone a reamy in itoik county. rPVrtm a a - WW rs Via j ntrni riann o jl. . I hard working democrat. He has serv- o -r nn tkA amiok .nmmUtono o r,A Jo u.,,p no, ? membe jOf hdistrict dem- - Aa ,u fcW urm oi orowmee imis. ne is a goou ..i j?: i ii business man, andjjif sent to the legis- ture will make a Worthy representative for Polk county, j Fearful Odds Against Him : , nmAAUT f on nlr1 anlrliir . n&me o J J Hlavens, Veraitles, O. For years he was troubled with Kidney disease ,'155 V, . i,im .... i.u iwi in -hort and I r . ... . . , . now he tesunes. "va on me roaa 10 com plete recovery."- Best on earth for Laver - tSrKSSTaS. 6O0. I nnorontPYl hv all rinir!ial9 . first GUII III WEST FIRED POINTS IN PARKER'S LETTES OF ACCEPTANCE. Already the national govern ment has become centralized be yond any point contemplated or imagined by the framers of the constitution. How tremendously all this has added to the power of the president It has developed from':year to year until it almost equals that of many monarch. The issue of imperilaism which uQfi u,, ft,,llof . , thBt .uPou the country involves a decision whether the Maw of tne lanc or the rule of individual caprice shall govern. The principle of imperialism mav f 1 .J rrivn tmoq f-v Vrillir.-.t i ; give rise to Drilliant, startling, dashing .results, but the principle democracy holds in checkthe brilliant executive and subjects him to be the sober, conservative control of the people. Een now the argument most frequently urged in behalf of the Dingley tariff reform, generally, is the necessity of caring for our in fant industries. Many of these industries, after a hundred year8 of lusty growth, are looming up as industrial eiants. In their case, as least, the Dingley tariff invites combination and monopo ly, and gives justification to the expression that the tariff is the mother of trusts. Ihe toleration of tyranny over others will soon breed contempt for freedom and self-government and weaken our power of resist ance to iusigious usurpation of our constitutional rights. There is not a sentence in the republican platform recommend ing a reduction in the expendi- tures 01 tne goyernment; not a hine suggesting that the increase f, fl n , f f, wol, jQnnrfmoi. - .o. AAAnm: loon nc AiU111 .vw,vw aoovj 000,000 in 1904, should be in quired into ; and not a paragraph calling fora thoro ugh investiga- tion of those departments of the government in which dishonesty haa r. Qti i;artirtOQi I . . tion be demanded or shall ex- travagauce be encouraged? Shall the wrongdoer be brought to bay by the people, or must justice wait upon political oligarchy. bhall our government stand for equal opportunity or for special privilege 9 glmll it reman a government of law or become . one of individual caprice? Shall we climb to the rule of the people, or shall we embrace beneficent despotism? . If called to the office of presi dent, I shall consider myself the chief magistrate of all the people and not of any faction, and shall ever be mindful of the fact that on many questions of national rnliov thprp n.r( hnnoat difTprpiifs ... r nnin,nn I hftllPVft ill Ol UpilllUll, i UOllCV IU patriotism, good sense and abso- ute siucerit of all the people. i shall strive to remember that he serve his party best who "serves his country best. - How strikingly the contrast in Jud parker ietter with the Hit.at.nriiil wodnntion of nreaident dictatorial production of president Roosevelt. It is a clear indication that the democratic nominee WOU1U Uflim UtJaUB UU 11UUU1 1UIU the executive department and give the country a wise, economical admiustration. The people everywhere are rallyins; around I l " 2. J 1 J a1 t i nis biuuuuiu auu too cuauues v gUCcess are growing brighter every day. The indication are oeeidly ittlACiwatu. VfRGIHIA BY HON. H. G. DAVIS Candidate For Vice President Ad dresses Large Croud , in Native State. COMPARES JWO PARTIES. Democrats Administered The Gov ernment With Prudence--Re- publicans Wasteful and ' Extravagant. Wheelinff. W. Va.. Sent. 22. The democratic campaign was opened here oy lion. Henry G. Davis, the vice presi- dental candidate. Mr. Davis arrived from his home at Elkin last night, ac com pained by Hon. Charles A. Towne of New York; Hon. George T. McGaw and Hon. William P. Cam pell, who are leaders of the West Virginia democracy and other prominent democrats of the state. There was a general gathering of demoarats from all sections' of the State today for an informal conference. Mr. Davis annouueed that it was not his intention to make many speeches while on his tour over the country cam paigning. t(I am not much of a speak er and rather dislike the task," said Mn Davis. My intention is to get around among the people and meet them with as little public speech mak ing as possible. We have with us here Senator Charle3 A. Towne, of New York, who is one of the most able ora tors I know of. He will be with me for a short time. He will do the public meeting talking and it will be my aim to meet as many voters personally as is possible. I make more friends in that way than by getting up before an audi enceand making a speech." t Mr. DaTi.'i Speech. Following are extracts from Mr. Da vis' speech. In comparing the two great parties he said: "The democratic party always admin-, istered the government with prudence and economy. The republican party is a party of extremists and has been wasteful and extravagant in its expen diture of governmental funds. More money is being collected in the form of taxes than is necessary for an econo uiaL management of the government, both national and state, and if the re publican party is continued in power still larger taxes and greater expenses will follow, as their leaders tell us they propose to persue the same policy in in the future as they have in the past. "The expenditures for the fiscal year 1904 were greater than for the pre ceding year and the appropriations al ready made for the year 1905 are larger than those for. 1904, and this notwith standing the fact that no river and har bor bill was passed at the last session. Apparently in a futile attempt to keep down ex enses and also to revent ex am inatipns into the postoffice and land rauds, congress at its last session was brough ito a close earlier than in any ong session since lobO. ' ' He then re viewed the government reports on the revenues for the past year, declaring that the revenue for the past year, de claring that the revenues are falling off while the expenses have been great - v increased. Both parties, he said, are committed to the gold standard and it is no longer an issue before the peo ple "Republican speakers," he said, : ac cused the democratic party of being free traders. - From the days of Jeffer son, in 1800, to those of Lincoln, in 1860 the democrats pratically controlled the government. , During all that time with the exception of "a short interval im mediately following the war oi loiz, the expenses of the government were paid almost entirely from customs du ties. There was practically no in ternal revenue then, and yet under those democratic tariff laws, the coun try prospered grew from a nation of 3,000,000 to one of 30,000,000 of happy and contented people." He reiterated his belief " in a tariff that will yield sufficient revenues for the economical and proper expendi tures of the government," in which he believed "incidental protection to our industries is right and proper." After citing the tariff on coal as evi dence against a protective tariff he con tinued: "That the tariff, as a whole, needs revision is plainly manifest. Combin ed as it is at present with trusts, it per mits of two large a profit on many ar ticles, of production, stifles individual enterprises, brings on strikes and dis turbs generally the business interests of the country. Many manufacturers under present conditions sen tneir goods cheaper abroad than at home." He enumerated many articles which he said were sold cheaper abroad than in this country. , The Btftce laaae. He regretted that th34 national plat form of tne republican party raised the race issue and continued: The southern people, who have to bear whe burden of this question, were dealing with it in moderation and fair ness; but its unfortunate aeitatien by republican leaders - has made its solu tion much more difficult and hindered the efforts of those who honestly striv ing to aid the colored people in uplift ing their race. A large majority, over a million of the voters of this country are democrats. McKlnley received ov er 864,000 votes more than Bryan and this was the largest majority ever giv en a presidental candidate. There are however, as shown by the last census, two million male negroes in the United States of a voting age." 4 1 i t 4 ' K .4 -V IV, V; . i ..