Hi Mmhmi at? ^t?|niK.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3 1903.
The Sumte?- Watcfirzan wag toundeG
io 1850 and the True Southron in 1866.
The Watchman and Southron now has
the combined circulation and influence
of both of the old papers, and is mani?
festly the best advertising medium in
Sumter.
The year 1903 has thus far been not?
able for a succession of disasters in the
United States. Hundreds of lives
have been lost and millions of dollars
worth of property have been destroyed
by floods, storms and fires.
There is not much choice between
Christians who butcher Jews for
Christ's sake and Moslems who mas?
sacre Christians in the name of Ma
hommed. The Russians equal the
Turks in savage ferocity, the only
difference being the objects of their
cruel hatred.
The dispensary constabulary under
the new administration has cost con?
siderably more money for maintenance
than under the old easy-going regime,
but the results in one particular at
least have justified the additional ex?
penditure-the value Of the contraband
liquors seized by the constables has a
greater rate of increase than the ex?
penses of the force. At the same time
the sales of the dispensaries have
materially increased.
|The Democratic party appears to have
fallen into that hopeles state where the
would-be leaders spend their time
bickering over men to the entire
neglect of measures and principles.
The party now seems to be without a
well defined platform of principles and
drifts along helplessly, unable even to
put up a half way fight in opposition
to the rank corruption and misgovern?
ment, of the "Republican freebooters
- who have well defined ideas and unity
of purpose in concerning the plunder?
ing of the government. If the so-call?
ed leaders of the Democratic party
.could get together on a platform of
fcasie'democratic principles, tariff re?
form, honest administration of the gov?
ernment and the drastic punishment of
the robbers and plunderers who now
fill the offices, the rank and file of the
people might take some interest in
the party and rally to its support with
-something like the old time enthusiasm :
-but so long as this bickering over
?Billy Bryan and Grover Cleveland
continues, the Democratic party,
or at least what is left of it will con?
tinue to drift hopelessly along with
never a hope of reaching any port or
accomplishing anything. At present
the Democratic party stands for scarce?
ly anything of larger dignity than an
inharmonious aggregation of ouf? who
are clamoring to get in, who damn the
^Republicans not so ranch an account
.o? their false doctrines and corupt
practices as on account of their posses?
sion of the offices.
If the city should decide to purchase
the water works plant we do not ap?
prehend that there will be difficulty in
floating fy* per cent bonds at or above
par to pay for it. If the plant costs
$100,000 the income from private con?
sumers and the amount now paid
annually by the city for water rent
will more than pay the interest on the
bonds and the running expenses of the
plant. If the city owned the water
system the number . of fire hydrants
could be indefinitly increased without
increasing the annual fixed charges a
dollar-the only expense involved being
the first cost of laying new mains and
putting in additional hydrants. The
purchase of the. water works looks
like a good business investment, to say
nothing of the many other advantages
to be derived from municipal owner?
ship of the system, not the least of
which is the simplification of the
sewerage problem that now confronts
us.
Weekly Crop Bulletin.
Columbia, June 2.-The week end?
ing 8 a. m., Monday, June 1st, had
a mean temperature of 76 degrees,
which is practically normal. There
were no excessively hot days, no ab?
normally cool nights. The winds were
generally light, although high winds
accompanied thunderstorms, in places,
that lodged wheat and oats. There
was more than the usual amount of
cloudiness; the sunshine averaged
about 40 per cent, of the possible.
Parts of the Stase had copious and
beneficial rains on the 26-27-28th, but
farts of the western, northern, (except
the extreme north eastern ones) and
the eastern, east central and southeas?
tern counties had insufficient amounts
and there crops are suffering, not so
muchain the last two divisions, except
"truck in Charleston county that needs
iain urgently. Parts of the Savannah
valley counties are also suffering for
rain. Hail damaged crops in parts of
Dorchester, Edgefield, Marion and
Saluda com Jes.
The reports from different sections
sis to crop conditions vary greatly.
They are favorable from points that
had beneficial rains, and unfavorable
from places that had insufficient
.amounts. The favorable ones include
by far the larger area.
The general condition of corn im?
proved as to color and growth, bnt
stands continue irregular, and are still
being injured on bottom lands by
?worms. Upland corn has good stands.
Some corn has received its last work:
ing, and has been laid by, though this
is exceptional, as all corn is small for
tlie season.
The condition of cotton as to stand,
color and growth has improved gen?
erally, chopping is well advanced and
has been finished in places, while in
other places cotton is just coming up.
In Colleton county, fields have been
plowed up and planted to corn owing
to the poor stands, and their grassy
condition^ but generally fields are
free from grass and are well cultivated.
Sea-island cotton is thriving.
Tobacco is not making satisfactory
growth. It is buttoning low, and
lacks a healthy color. Localities that
had copious rainfall report an improve?
ment in these conditions. Bice is do?
ing well. Oats harvest is general, and
the crop is better than expected, though
not a full crop. Spring sown oats are
failures. Wheat is ripening and its
condition remains, very poor. Melon i
vines are rusting in Charleston Coun?
ty, and are small for the season else?
where. Peaches are ripening about
two weeks earlier than last year; their
quality is about average. Some re?
ports indicate excessive rotting of
early varieties. Gardens need more
rain. The general condition of minor
crops is very promising.
Local Weather Report
For 24 hours ending 7 p. m., June
2, 1903:
Temperature: Maximum, 80; Mini?
mum, 61; Mean, 71. Precipitation,
1.44. Character of day-Partly cloudy.
Direction of wind-Southeast.
Sun rises, 4.53; sun sets, 7.02.
Forecast for 36 hours ending 8 p.
m., Thursday, issued from Washing?
ton, D. C. :
For Sumter and vicinity-Partly
cloudy tonight and Thursday. Sta?
tionary temperature.
WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Heavy rains are reported from wes?
tern and central South Carolina,
northern Georgia and eastern Mis?
souri, and light showers from the
Carolinas Georgia, Tennessee and the
lower Missouri Valley. The depres?
sion noted yseterday in the Rocky
Mountain region remains nearly sta?
tionary. Unseasonably low tempera?
ture continues over the Great Plains
ind western parts of the cotton belt.
The following heavy rainfalls are
reported: Columbia 3.12, Greenwood
2.68, Atlanta, 1.52, St. Louis?, 2.14,
nmter 1.44. The highest temperature
was 90 at Spokane, the lowest 40 at
Bismark.
F. Prescott-Bullock,
Local Observer,
U. S. Weather Bureau.
The heaviest rain within the me?
mory of the oldest inhabitant fell at
Wedgefield last night. Farm land was
seriously damaged, whole fields being
washed down to hard pan, the grow?
ing crops being totally destroyed and
the land left valueless for planting
this year.
Mr. Brand Much Better.
The Augusta Chronicle says: '"'Mr.
R. A. Brand, at Pinehurst sanitarium
in North Augusta, was reported to be
better yesterday than on any day since
the operation was performed. It will
be some weeks, however, before Mr.
Brand is seen on the streets again as
the operation was quite serious. His
vacation extends until August 1st."
WEATHER IND GR?PS.
Weekly Report of the Agricultu?
ral Bureau in Washington.
Washington, June 2.-The weekly
srop bulletin of the weather bureau
says:
The States of the lower Missouri
Valley and portions of the Mississippi
Valley, have suffered much from
heavy rains, especially Iowa, the eas?
tern portions of Kansas and Nebraska,
and Western Missouri. Drought con?
tinues in New England, the northern
portion of the Middle Atlanttic States,
and in Florida, and rains are needed
in portions of the Central Gulf States
and in Southern Texas.
In the eastern portion of Kansas and
Nebraska, and in Iowa corn fields
have been badly washed out and mucli
replanting will be necessary. In Iowa
the acreage will be materially reduced.
In the Southern States corn has ex?
perienced a very favorable week and
is largely laid by.
Winter wheat on low lands in the
eastern portions of Kanass and
Nebraska and Northwestern Missouri
has sustained injury from floods, but
on the whole the crop has made satis?
factory advancement. Harvesting is
general in Texas and has begun in
Arkansas and North Carolina.
Further improvement in the condi- j
tion cf cotton is generally indicated, j
but the crop, as a rule, is from two to
three weeks late. Better stands are
reported from the Carolinas, Tennes?
see, Alabama and portions of Missis- !
sippi Louisiana and Texas. In Ar- '
kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri the
Crop is grassy. Cut worms are causing
damage in Central and Southern Tex?
as, and the boll weevil is reported
this week from a number of addition?
al counties in that State.
The week has been very favorable
for transplanting tobacco, and this
work has made rapid progress in the
Ohio Valley and Middle Atlantic
States, where the bulk of the crop
will be set during the present plant?
ing season.
HAGOOD NEWS NOTES.
Hagood, June 2.-Yes, you know all
about the terrible hail storm, more
than the writer, just the edge of it
struck us. The hail storm moved to
tbe South of us ; we could hear its roar
and see the almost continuous flash of
the lightning. I have not heard what
is the extent of the damage but it
must be considerable. As it moved
toward the east it seemed to grow
more severe.
Crops are looking well. Most peo?
ple have cut their oats which were
quite fair, everything considered.
There is some sickness in our com?
munity, but none of a serious char?
acter.
The eldest daughter of Wesley Wil?
son of New Hope community died last
Friday of typhoid fever.
The school exercises of New Hope
came off as announced in your most
excellent paper. It was a most splen?
did occasion from start to finish,
everyone, visitors, parents, and chil?
dren were delighted Dr. Brown was
there with an address well suited, a
most happy selection for the occasion
and people. Yes, my expectations
were satisfied. The school had a good
programme which was carried out fully
but we will not weary your readers
with it.
ONE HONORED KILLED BY TORNADO.
Terrible. Destruction in Gaines?
ville, Georgia.
Wreck of the Gainesville Cotton Mills
500 People at Work in Mills When
Tornado Struck Building-Prop?
erty Loss $300,000.
Gainesville, Ga, June 1.-A tornado
of terrific force struck Gainesville
this afternoon out of a clear sky,
causing a fearful loss of life in this
city and New Holland and White Sul?
phur. As near as can be calculated at
this hour the figures are eighty-five
men, women and children dead and
perhaps forty more fatally wounded,
with a property loss of something like
8300,000.
The death-dealing storm appeared
suddenly a little before 1 o'clock, and
within two minutes it had killed
nearly a hundred persons, torn two
stories from the five-floor brick factory
of the Gainesville Cotton Mills, de?
molished almost two hundred cottages,
razed two brick stores to the ground
and blown down innumerable outbuild?
ings. By what appears to be a miracle
the tornado's fury was confined to the
outskirts of the city, the main busi?
ness and residence portion not being
touched. Torrents of rain accompani?
ed the wind, but within five minutes
after its first onslaught the sun was
shining upon a scene of fearful de?
struction.
The list of the dead is confined
mainly to operatives of the Gaines?
ville Cotton Mills and the Pacolet Cot?
ton Mills, and two-thirds of them were
women and children.
WORSE TH?N~ FIRST REPORTS.
Gainesville, Ga, June 2.-The six
thousand inhabitants of this city have
just begun to realize the extent of the
appalling disaster of yesterday. It
now seems certain that the death list
will not be much short of one hundred ;
perhaps somewhat over a hundred,
considering the number of dangerous?
ly wounded, whose chances for re?
covery cannot now be calculated. But
through all the gloom and desolation
that surround the town like a pall of
darkness there radiates a beam of hope 1
and encouragement-hope that the .
death list may not be so numerous as
reported ; and encouragement to those ;
who are so bravely and devotedly assist- 1
ing in the work of relief.
The story of the storm's work of
desolation has already been told. All :
that remains is the compilation of an [
accurate list of the dead and the 1
chronicling of the burial of the vic?
tims. Figuring from all available ?
sources and g'iving credence only to 1
those reports which are believed to be ;
trustworthy, the following is a sum?
mary of the effects of the tornado in :
Gainesville and its environs:
One hundred killed.
One hundred and fifty injured ; of ?
whom probably twenty will die.
Eight hundred homeless, their resi?
dences having been wiped out of ex?
istence.
Property loss of about half a million
dollars, none of which was covered by
storm insurance.
A concise and accurate statement of
the casualties cannot be rendered for
several days, but the physicians in at?
tendance believe that it will not go
very far above? one hundred, although
twenty-five or thirty are desperaely in?
jured and may die within the next two
or three days.
The death list so far compiled in?
cludes 2 at the Pacolet Cotton Mills,
at New Holland, all of whom were
killed in the demolition of the com?
pany's cottages: and 36 at the Gaines?
ville Cotton Mills near the Southern !
Railway station, where the tornado [
first struck.
FATAL TRAIN WRECK.
EXCURSION TRAIN GOES HEAD?
LONG INTO WASHOUT.
Conductor J. J. Clements and Four
Negro Passengers Killed -
Thirty-Three Injured.
ENGINEER'S MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
Accident Caused by Heavy Rains Ac?
cumulating Flood of Water Against
Fifteen-Foot Embankment.
The most disastrous wreck the
Atlantic Coast Line has had in years
occurred at 9.50 this morning between
Cain Savannah flag station and Wedge?
field, two miles from the latter place.
The wreck was oaased by a washout
of a fifteen foot embankment for a
space of forty feet in width. The train
wrecked was an excursion running from
Nichols, Marion'county, and was load?
ed with negroes. The engine, No. 66,
in charge of Engineer George Wilson
plunged into the washout and the bag?
gage car and two coaches piled in on
top of the engine. The engine is a
complete wreck, the cab being smash?
ed to pieces and the cars were broken
into kindling wood. The scene is one
of complete wreck and ruin. The es?
cape of Engineer Wilson and his fire?
men Mack Douglas with their lives
was a miracle. Both were injured,
but not fatally, Engineer Wilson's
worst injury being a scalded arm.
All told there are five dead and thirty
three injured-seven seriously.
The dead are : Conductor J. J. Cle?
ments, of Florence; Frank Ross and
his wife Minnie Ross, colored of Lat?
ta; Joe Davis, colored, t>f Marion, and
Ned Weston, colored, of Marion.
The first four were taken from the
mass of wreckage dead, while Weston
died on the relief train while being
brought to this city.
THE JAIL DEPOPULATED.
All Lee County Prisoners Taken to Court
in Bishopville.
The jail is now almost depopulated
there being but two prisoners now in?
carcerated there and these are negroes
who are held for minor offenses.
The deserted state into which our
prison has fallen is due to the removal
this morning of all the Lee county
prisoners who were taken to Bish?
opville to be present at the opening of
court today.
The Lee county prisoners who have
for some time made up the majority of
the jail population are all held for
serious offenses and if they are brought
to trial at this term of court in Bish?
opville, matters will of necessity have
to be rushed if all of them are tried
this week.
The prisoners who were taken to
Bishopville on Monday were as fol?
lows:
Belton Stokes, murder: Nagarah
Jackson, arson; James McDonald,
malicious mischief; Spain Kelley,
murder; Edward Jones, murder; Alice
Rodgers, accessory before murder.
It is not thought probable that Spain
Kelley will be tried this week, al?
though the unexpected may happen.
It has been intimated that he may
not be tried in Lee county at all, that
there may be a move made for a
change of venue to this county and
that the trial will be held in Sumter.
It is to be hoped for the sake of the
taxpayers that this report will prove
unfounded for if the change of venue
be granted Sumter county will have to
pay the entire expense of the trial, al?
though it is a Lee county case.
The Charity Association.
A meeting of the Executive Com?
mittee was held on Monday
evening of last week. Re?
ports of the Secretary and the Treas?
urer showed funds in hand amounting
to about one hundred and fifty dollars.
The unusually small demands for
charitable assistance have enabled
the Society to continue its work,
though its field of operations has been
narrowed by scarcity of funds. The
amount on hand, with uncollected
subscriptions, will possibly meet de?
mands of regular beneficiaries for the
next four months, although the list
has been somewhat increased. Should
much sickness arise this summer as
was the case last year the Society will
be seriously handicapped by scarcity
of funds. The Committee is anxious
to awaken in the community a more
general interest in their work. There
should be three times the present
number of subscribers. If the sub?
scriptions be small a little from a
lavge membership will aggregate a sum
sufficient for the needs of the society.
Mr. H. Harby resigned his office as
vice president on account of inability
to attend to the duties. Mr. Geo. D.
Shore was elected to fill the vacancy
thus created. Although there has not
been that hearty support which was
expected the Society will faithfully
endeavor to continue its b?n?ficient
work.
There is sad need for organized,
systematic work in Sumter, as in all
cities, large and small. It will not be?
come less necessary. In fact, it is
more likely to increase with the growth
of the town. Spasmodic charity can?
not meet demands. It is incumbent
upon all who are blessed with a rea
sonable degree of prosperity that thoy
give a small part of their substance to
alleviate the want and suffering of
their less fortnate fellowmen.
Although Sumter escaped the storm
Monday night other sections of the
county suffered quite severely.
Glenn Springs Mineral Water is na?
tures specific remedy for Liver trou-1
bles.
Glenn Springs Ginger Ale contains ;
the Mineral Ingredients of Glenn
Springs Mineral Water.
?HIRT WAISTS, 1-3 OFF.
This is the opportunity you have been waiting for, and this
is the time you need them. We have just effected a settlement
with
THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY CO.
For a case of waists that were due to arrive the early part of
February, and which, for some unaccountable reason, known
only to the railroad people, were sixty days in transit, and for
this reason we declined to accept them, unless at
A DISCOUNT OF 33 1=3 PERCENT.
Which they- finally agreed to accept, and wishing to dispose of
them as promptly as possible, we have decided to
Give all This Discount to Our Customers
Which means that you get them at least
Ten Per Cent. Less Than the Actual Cost.
The case contains quite an assortment, some
FINE MADRAS AND PIQUE
That were intended for early spring trade, but are just the
proper thing for those who contemplate a trip to the moun?
tains or seashore. There is also a limited quantity of pongees
BOUGHT TO SELL AT $5.00.
The greater portion of the case, fortunately, consists of
flEDIUn AND FINE LAWNS
Bought to sell from
$1.00 to $3.00.
The offer practically means tbe selling of
$1.00 Waist at - - 67 Cents.
1.50 " " - $1.00.
2.00 " - - 1.33.
3.00 " . - - - 2.00.
5.00 " - - 3.33.
They will be shown on our centre counters tomorrow, and
at these prices a large percentage of them ought to be found
nest day in the hosme of ladies who are seeking
The Best Values Ever Offered in Waists.
O'DONNELL & GO.
White Stone Lithia Springs.
The best Lithia Water in America, the largest
and most modern brick hotel in the Carolinas
or Georgia, the coolest resort in the State.
All modern improvements, electric car line
from Southern Ry. to Hotel. Well shaded,
pleasant grounds, scenery equal to the moun?
tains, and all amusements found at first class
watering places. Come to White Stone Lithia
Springs for health or pleasure.
Read what the noted Dr. L C. Stephens, who stands at the
head of the profession in South Carolina, and who was presi?
dent of the State Medical Association, also president of the
Medical Board of Examiners of South Carolina, until he re?
signed to move to Greenville, says :
Greenville, S C , October 10, 1902.
After a service of one season at White Stone Lithia Springs,
as resident physician, I do not hesitate to say that the effect of
the water upon those who drink it for any length of time, has
been perfectly marvelous Invariably an increase both in flesh
and appetite was perceptible in one week, proving it to be a
mineral water of undoubted powerful tonic property. Its pe?
culiar adaptability to diseases originating from disorders of the
kidneys, bladder and liver, such as dropsy, Bright's disease,
diabetes and uric acid calculi, and all forms of dyspepsia, rheu?
matism and gout, is to be expected from the splendid analysis.
It has been noted frequently that visitors before coming here
had to follow every meal with some form of corrective, or con?
fine themselves entirely to predigested foods ; soon discarded
these entirely, being delighted to find that the water alone
nature's own remedy-sufficed.
Of the many who drank this water this season for ten days
consecutively, not one but experienced decided benefit and a
perceptible gain in weight, varying from two to five pounds.
L C. STEPHENS, M. D.
Columbi?, S. C., October 1, 1902.
Mr. J. T Harris, White Stone Springs, S. C.
Dear Sir : Your favor of the 8th ult. was duly received.
In reply thereto I would say that it affords me much pleasure
to add our words of commendation to your springs and all its
surroundings. Our visit there last August was highly enjoyed
and greatly appreciated by us all. We derived much benefit
from the use of the water, and we can say without hesitation,
that we have never used any mineral water with greater bene?
fits. The actionn of this water on both kidneys and liver was
very marked and beneficial.
We are also pleased to add our commendation to your hotel,
and all of its surroundings We found the building all that
could be expected, and fully up to your representation. The (
table was well kept and afforded us entire satisfaction. We would
without hesitation commend it most favorably to any one seek?
ing a mineral water of this character ; and we trust that you
will enjoy a future of great prosperity for this enterprise so well
started ; and which deserves the patronage of our people.
Yours very truly, W. A. CLARK,
President Carolina X. Bank.
For rates and particulars, adddress
WHITE STONE LITHIA WATER CO.,
May 13 White Stone Springs, S. C.