VOL. II.
McCROKY, ARKANSAS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 8, 1903.
NO. 40
The severe cold weather has killed
many young orange trees in Flor
ida.
Seven men froze to death at dif
ferent points in Pennsylvania De
cember 27.
F. W. Ruckstuhl, chief sculptor
of the St. Louis world's fair, has
resigned, owing to differences with
the directory.
It is possible to state on excellent
British and German authority that
the Venezuelan customs will not
be seized before January 9, in order
to allow time for the arrival of
more warships. Even then it is not
quite certain that the powers will
determine to take this step, al
though it is likely they will do so
unless Castro yields.
me international mercantile
Marine Company, organized by J.
P. Morgan and with Clement A.
Griscom as its president and direct
ing chief, took actual control Jan
uary 1 of the management of the
various lines combined, says a press
dispatch from Philadelphia. One
of the first moves of public import
ance, Mr. Griscom says, will be a
rearrangement of sailings to give
a fast passenger and mail steamship
from both sides of the Atlantic each
day except Sunday.
Hilario Placido, a Filipino spy,
who was of great assistance to the
United States troops in capturing
Aguinaldo, has been sentenced to
life imprisonment for murder. Pla
cido was made nominal command
er of the body of American troo;>s
engaged in the capture of the Fili
pino chief. This was necessary in
order that the enemy might pre
sume the blue coats to be captives.
On reaching the Filipino headquar
ters Placido rushed in and threw
Aguinaldo to the floor when he was
soon under capture.
During a blinding snow storm a
freight and passenger train on the
Grand Trunk railroad collided near
Wanstead, a small station not far
from London, Ont. Twenty-eight
passengers were killed outright, and
about thirty injured. The respon
sibility for the accident has not been
definitely fixed, but it is believed
to have been due to a telegraph op
erator, who gave an order to the
freight to pass No. 5, the Pacific
express, at Wanstead, and failed to
duplicate the order and give a copy
of it to the conductor and engineer
of the express. Instead of this the
conductor of the express had a
clearance order, telling him to .run
right through. The freight train
stopped at Wanstead to sidetrack
and was telescoped by the express.
The blinding snowstorm which was
raging rendered objects invisible at
the distance of a few feet.
President Castro, in his reply to
the powers, through United States
Minister Bowen, gives practically
an unqualified acceptance -of their
proposals to arbitrate under accom
panying conditions. The nature of
the reply is said to be satisfactory.
The blockading question is now the
gravest problem of the moment. It
is thought a continuance of the
blocade will greatly facilitate con
clusions of the arbitration prelimi
naries'. Throughout Venezuela
conditions are lamentable. Castro's
mandate is the only law and he
shows scant mercy, lie has filed
the jails with his political oppo
nents. Executions take place every
where. The soldiery is able in this
way to gratify personal spite or dis
appointment. Within sixteen miles,
of road close to the capital eighty
five corpses were recently counted.
These unfortunate persons were
been either hanged or shot. The
country elsewhere reeks with the
dead. Castro seems entirely irre
sponsible and is likely to yield to
any mad impulse. United States
Minister Bowen, who has been han
dling this delicate international
difficulty with consummate skill,
dreads what may happen in Cas
tro's present frame of mind.
|
l ' •
The various courts at Cleveland,
Ohio, were forced to adjourn for
several days on account of the scarc
ity of fuel.
Z. K. Greening, postmaster at
Cornland, 111., shot and killed him
self when asked by a post-office in
spector for $1,400 that should have
been in the post-office funds.
Mrs. Jessie Benton, Fremont,
widow of General Fremont, died
last week at her home in Los An
geles, Cal. Mrs. Fremont left three
children, Commander Fremont of
the United States navy, now in
Washington; Captain Fremont, who
is with the army in the Philippines,
and her daughter, Miss Isabel, and
also a grandson, Midshipman Fre
mont.
Governor-elect Bailey of Kansas
is in a peck of trouble, due to a
fake perpetrated by a newspaper
friend. This friend published an
item stating that the newly elected
chief executive was desirous of be
coming a benedict, and for several
.weeks he has been receiving daily
cart loads of proposals from mar.y
section of the country. He has been
compelled to employ an assistant
secretary to answer these letters,
and has also given out a statement
to the press, praying that no more
such missives be. sent him.
The Russian government is face
to face with the grave question of
how best to feed 15,000,000 peas
ants. These distressed peasants are
scattered over numerous provinces
in central and eastern Russia, and
partly also in the southeast and
along the Volga. The worst fea
ture of the horrible situation is
that some fathers of families are
seeking persons who will buy their
children. It seldom happens that
a hoy is sold, but cases are becom
ing alarmingly numerous of men
celling their women relatives. The
Russian government has appropri
ated $10,000,000 for the relief of
these people, but this will not pre
vent thousands from dying of star
vation.
In reviewing the textile progress
in the south for the year just closed,
the Manufacturer’s Record shows
that there were additions of 1,119,
284 spindles and 31,867 looms. It
is notable that of these additions,
which indicate an investment of
$22,38,;,680, established companies
have 752,344 spindles, or about 67
per cent of the total. Other ten
dencies noted are reviewed as fol
lows: The low-grade goods that
have in the past engaged the' atten
tion of the southern jirilla* do not
attract the new companies, but they
plan for producing the liner grades
of cloth. Many of them aim at this
high-class production and several
mills already established arranged
during 1902 to reset their machin
ery and to improve their equipment
so as to enter into the trade iq high
class product.
Every American should glory in
the vast improvements in all
branches of trades and wonderful
figures given in the treasury depart
ment covering the past year. Sum
marization of the various receipts
shows total receipts from all sources
in 1902 to be $567,684,339. Last
year they were $582,817,312. The
expenditures in 1902 were $495,
462,188 and in 1901 were $478,
995,314. The decrease in receipts
from internal revenues for the cal
endar year amounts to $44,000,000,
although it was thought that the
war revenues’ repeal bill would make
a cut in the internal revenue re
ceipts of at least $70,000,000. This
estimate was based not only on the
returns from the internal revenue
last year, which was a phenomenal
one, but due allowance had been
made for the expected increase in
business. The internal revenue re
ceipts indicate wonderful increases
in the amount of goods subject to
internal taxation manufactured in
this country.
The cable between San Francisco
and Honolulu is now completed, the
first message having come through
on Thursday night. The message
was from Gov. Dole to President
Roosevelt and was purely a formal
greeting. The line is now open for
business.
During the year just closed,
4,000 new oil wells were completed
in the state of Indiana. Of this
number 631 were failures, so far
as the securing of a flow is con
cerned, but produced in the end a
flow of gas large enough to pay the
cost of drilling the holes.
Caleb Powers, who is shortly to
be placed on trial for the third
time for complicity in the murder
of Governor Goebel, has appealed
to his friends for financial assist
ance. Powell, who was twice con
victed, has been in jail three years,
and the expense of his former trials
has exhausted his means.
Mrs. B. Lane, of Deatsville, Ala.,
shot and killed a negro burglar
named John Watkins. Mrs. Lane,
who was alone, awoke and found
the negro ransacking the house. She
ran from the house, and went to her
father’s. Watkins followed and at
tempted to kill Mrs. Lane, but she
secured a shotgun and emptied both
barrels into his body.
iauinus immoDi, rue great aero
naut, declares the time is fust ap
proaching when the building of air
ships will be as common as the
nowaday construction of ships. Du
mont at present is at work on an air
ship which he declares will easily
carry a dozen persons and will be
used in transportation of passen
gers ini Paris.
Brig. Gen. Hasbrouck of the ar
tillery, recently promoted from the
rank of colonel, will retire in order
that the pesident may fill the vacan
cy by advancing another of the old
colonels who served during the
civil war. This is in keeping with
the recommendation made by Sec
retary Boot and indorsed by the
president in his annual message
that officers who served in the civil
war should be allowed to retire at
an advanced grade. Bills arc pend
ing in congress making this provis
ion.
There has been much skirmishing
and many fierce sallies on the part
of the sultan’s troops around Fez,
at which place the rebels have shut
in their ruler. The rebellion is rap
idly spreading throughout the prov
inces and from all reports to the
advantage of the insurrectionists.
The Spanish troops at Cadiz and
Algeciras have been ordered to pre
pare to move- on short notige. The
British warships, Canopus and Il
lustrious, and cruisers Bacchanta
have-been ordered to join the de
tached fleet at Gibraltar. The sit
uation is assuming serious aspects
and grave consequences are facing
the several powers whose interests
are at stake.
Recently published estimates of
the production of pig iron in the
United. States during the calendar
year 1902 put the total production
at 17,500,000 tons. This is an in
crease of nearly 2,000,000 tons over
last year, and is more than double
the production of 1896, three times
that of 1886, four times that of
1881, six times that of 1879, eight
times that of 1875, ten times that of
1872, and' twenty times that of
1865. The steel production of the
year is estimated at 15,000,000 tons,
which is practically 50 per cent
more than that of 1900, nearly three
times as much as that of 1896, ten
times as much as that of 1884, arid
twenty times the production of
1878."
The crown Princess -of Saxony,
who deserted her husband and five
children for a teacher named Giron,
has taken quarters in Switzerland.
The princess says her husband was
brutal and that she has no regrets
for her actions.
Oliver Wideman and his wife, col
ored, were hanged by a mob near
(<reenvyiod, S. C. They were ac
cused of murdering W. K. Jay, a
prominent fanner. Wideman and
his wife lived on Jay’s plantation.
Cast of State Institutions.
The reports of the board of trus
tees of the various state institutions
have been completed and give tbc
figures for the past two years.
They arc interesting and worthy
the attention of every taxpayer in
the state.
The reports are as follows:
DEAF MUTE INSTITUTE.
Current Expenses—Appropria
tion, $40,000; expended, $23,898,
37; balance, $10,101.63,
Details—Clothing expenses: Ap
propriation, $5,000; expended, $1,
964.53; balance, $3,035.37.
Traveling Expenses—Appropria
tion, $2,000; expended, $1,071.47;
balance, $928.53.
Gallaudet College Expenses—
$358.11; balance, $341.89.
Improvement Expenses—Appro
priation, $2,000; ‘expended, $190.
60; balance, $1,809.40.
Waters Expenses—Appropria
tion, $2,000; expended, $602.78;
balance, $1,397.22.
Library Expenses—Appropria
tion, $300; expended, $29; balance,
$271.
To erect new deaf-mute building
—Appropriation, $80,000; expend
ed, $(52,066.35; balance, $17,933.65.
INSANE ASYLUM.
Current Expenses—Appropria
tion, $130,000; expended, $92,029.
10; balance, $37,970.90.
Details—General repair expenses:
Appropriation, $5,000; expended,
$1,003.79; balance, $3,996.22.
Contingent Expenses—Appro
priation, $600; expended, $302.43;
balance, $297.57.
BLIND SCHOOL.
Currnt Expenses—Appropria
tion, $33,000; expended, $22,040.
57; balance, $10,959.43.
Details—Clothing and traveling
expenses: Appropriation, $7,000;
expended, $4,448.61; balance, $1,
556.39.
Necessary Repairs—Appropria
tion, $2,000; expended, $865.04;
balance, $1,034.96.
New Boiler House, Steam Plant
and Laundry Building—Appropria
tion, $3,000; expended, $2,467.25;
balance, $532.75.
Pipe Tunnels, Extension and Re
setting of Old Boilers—Appropria
tion, $2,000; expended, $1,425;
balance, $575.
Remodeling Old Steam Plant and
Laundry for Infirmary—Appro
priation, $2,000; expended, $1,
475; balance, $525.
New Boiler—Appropriation, $1,
100; expended, $913.40; balance,
$186.60.
New Concrete Floors—Appro
priation, $750; expended, $390.75;
balance, $359.25.
Remodeling and Building Smoke
stack—Appropriation, $600; ex
pended, $7.50; balance, $592.50.
The Coroner’s Verdict.
The coroner's jury which held an
inquest over the remains of two
victims of the explosion in a Hot
Springs pool room, rendered the fol
lowing verdict: “We, the jury em
paneled to investigate into the
cause and manner of death of Billy
Helwig, find that lie came to his
death in the explosion caused from
the careless handling of high-pioof
gasoline in the Turf Exchange pool
room, and that the responsibility of
the explosion is placed upon the
Waters,Pierce Oil Company, the Ar
kansas Gas and Light Company and
Leo Mayer and Eddie Burke, of
New York, proprietors of the pool
room, each being responsible
through their employes.”
Murder Suspected.
The police of Little Rock are
puzzled over the mysterious disap
pearance of G. F. Austin, a young
man from Pittsburg, Pa. He was
in good financial circumstances, his
family relations pleasant and his
friends adhere to the theory that
he was murdered and the body ■
made away with.
Value of Penitentiary Property.
The state penitentiary board held
a meeting last week in the office of
the chairman, State Auditor T. C.
Monroe. By mutual consent the
contract with J. E. Little for leas
ing of convicts was canceled. H. T.
Hawkins and T. B. May, who were
recently appointed by the board as
appraisers of the penitentiary prop
erty, made their report before the
board. It is quite lengthy and the
following is an itemized summary of
the whole:
Old penitentiary .$ 7,973.92
' Tailor shop . 3 029.22
Blacksmith shop .... 286.00
Cell building . 2,403.85
! Office building . 631.20
J'sew penitentiary
Hartford camp
Houston camp
Conway camp
Tattle and
camp .
J.’eakley camp
Cummins place
Oermott camp
Total ....
StLe farm
P’i»ce,
etc.)
Grand total
$15,2-79.6-1
_$105,644.34
_ 467.14
_ 388.81
. 823.65
Lollie
. 6,353.82
. 16,166.74
_ 4,253.13
_ 202.85
.$149,508.12
(Cummins
Maple Grove
$140,000.00
.. ..$289,580.00
The Good Roads Convention.
The fact that a number of gov
ernment and state officials who have
practical knowledge of road build
ing will be in attendance at the
good roads convention to be held in
Little Rock on the 21st and 22d
of January, has aroused general in
terest in the movement throughout
the state. County good roads con
ventions are being held over the
state, and each will be represented
at Little Rock by large delegations.
The main object to be obtained is
the putting on foot of some practi
cal plan to secure better roads.
Arkansas is progressing in every
way, and great improvement has
been made in her highways in re
cent years, but yet the work is in its
infancy. There is no other one
thing that brings greater returns
than good roads, and the interest
manifested by the people at large
in the forthcoming roads con
vention is assurance of the accom
plishment of much good.
mysterious uisappearance.
Great mystery continues to sur*
round the disappearance from Lit
tle Rock of Geo. F. Austin, the aud-;
itor for the Home Water Company.
Mr. Austin was last seen at 7
o’clock Wednesday evening, Decem
ber 17, and at the time was inquir
ing for the rent of a boat at a fish
erman’s dock on the river front, but
did not secure one there. He was
in poor health at the time and his
disappearance has continued to
cause great regret and much alarm
for’* his safety on the part of his
friends. A reward of $500 has been
offered bv the chief of police at Lit-:
tie Rock for his body or for inform-;
ation leading up to its recovery if
dead.
Evidence of Prosperity.
As an evidence of the growth and
prosperity of Arkansas, nothing
bears greater weight than the re- ,
port of the postmaster, W. S. Holt, j
of the Little Rock office. During j
the past six years the total receipts
were just double the former figures.
This is indeed gratifying and should
be appreciated by every citizen of
the state.
Bud Garrett, a farmer, residing
near Texarkana, was assassinated
on the 2d inst. He had been to
Texarkana on business and was on
his way home when some ofie ap
proached from behind and shot
him through the brain.
SACRED PICTURES IN RUSSIA.
Peasants Carry Them Through the
Streets to Invoke Blessings.
A picturesque ceremony is per
formed in times of public distress by
the peasants of various parts of Rus
sia, says the Syracuse Herald. They
bring from the churches the sacred
pictures which adorn the walls, or
the silken banners which rest on the
altars, and carry them in long proces
sion to the prayer booths which they
have erected in appropriate places. If
drought is ruining their harvests they
build these votive booths near some
river; if too much rain has fallen they
build them in a neighboring field; if
pestilence has smitten their villages
they build them in the burying
ground.
The moujiks of the village then
gather about the church. With bared
heads they wait while certain of their
number enter and bring forth the sa
cred picture. This is often heavy, as
in many instances it is framed in gold.
But the peasants are not discouraged
by its weight. They have made a
rough frame in which they place the
picture. Then the bearers grasp
poles which are slipped through the
frame, after the manner of a palan
quin, and stagger with their sacred
load over the rough road. The rest
of the moujiks fellow accompanied
by their village priest, who leads in
the prayers and chants. When the
booth is reached the peasants kneel
round the picture, supplicating for
relief, and the priest sprinkles the
field, river or burying ground with
holy water. After this service the
picture is carried back to the church
in the same solemn procession.
THEIR FORTUNATE ESCAPE,
Young Couple’s Experience Lacked
Something of Being a Tragedy.
They had walked half way through
the park at a smart pace, and she now
sank on a shaded bench; he seated
himself beside her. They were en
tirely alone, says Smart Set, save for*
an old man at one end of their seat,
immersed in a book. Their agitated
conversation continued.
“Oh, it is too dreadfyl!” siic shud
dered, covering her face with her
ha^ds, as if to shut out some unbear
able sight.
“Fearful!” he agreed, deeply
moved and mopping the profuse per
spiration from his brow.
“Horrible!” she added. “I cannot
bear to think of it. The loss of hope,
happiness, perhaps even life itself”—
“Hush!” he interrupted, gently.
“Let us strive to think of it no more,
or it may grow to prey upon our
minds.”
“Pardon me,” said the old man on
the end of the bench, his watery eyes
distended in lively apprehension;
“has there been some awful disaster?
Have you been forced to look upon
some awful tragedy?”
The young couple regarded each
other in some confusion. Hesitating
ly the youth answered:
“No, sir. You see, we have just
become engaged, and we were talking
of what a calamity it would have been
had we never met.”
No Pension for Corns.
A veteran of the Spanish war re
cently appealed to the secretary of
the interior, claiming a pension on
account of corns that he had con*
tracted by wearing army shoes. The
department, after an exhaustive
course of reasoning, comes to the con
clusion that corns are not a pension
able disability. The decision says:
“Corns are inconvenient, but are
seldom incapacitating, and when
they are the remedy is Eimple and
within easy reach of anyone. The
soldier's patriotism ought not to ter
minate with his military service. It
should prompt him to go to a
chiropodist rather than to the pen
sion bureau.”
Talking Through the Body.
To talk through a human body—or
a row of human bodies, for the matter
of that—is one of the weirdest of the
electrician’s feats. If a telephone wire
be severed and the two ends be held
by a person, one in each hand, but far
apart, it is quite possible for two in
dividuals to carry on a conversation
through the body of a medium aa
readily and distinctly as if the line
had been properly connected.