The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-10-21

saturated cat with coal Oil, SET nre 10 IL
and turned it loose. The cat ran into the
residence of man named Lindsay, anu
set fire to that. the house being burned TO
the ground. a. NJ. Rydors house caught
and that was burned too. The total loss
was about three thousand dollars. :,
Jim Murphy, an old line wing, iamli-
iarly known as big Foot jim, hvng on
Bridge Creek, in Colquitt County, is GER
tainly the biggest and strongest man in
Georgia. He weighs 2S0 pounds stands
seven feet high in his stockings, ana
wears O number fifteen shoe. His strength
is almost phenomenal.
- A marvellous illustration of the pa
tience of the Chinese is found In the salt
mines In Central China. Holes about Blk
feet in diameter are bored in the rock ny
means Of primitive form Of iron drlll
and sometimes a period of forty years
elapses before the coveted brine Is reach
ed, 80 that the work is carried on from
one generation to another.
The phrase, "Worth its weight in
gold" no longer expresses the idea which
It was intended to convey. For there
are at least twenty su distances worth more
than gold. Berylium, for instance, Is
worth ten times its weight in pure gold,
and venadium is five times as costly as
the precious metal. Iridium, also, IS
more than twice as costly as gold. The
text books used to say that platinum was
the only metal more valuable than gold,
There is now bright prospect of the
establishment at Washington of great
University that shall be all that the name
Bishop Hurst, of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Ten million dollars will be
needed, and An appeal has been made to
the Church to subscribe that amount.
Bishop Hurst expresses confidence that
the sum can be obtained without difficult
ty, and when the large genumerical strength
Of the Church is considered, the faith of
the Bishop appears to be we'll founded.
S. V. White, who failed In Wall
Street the other day, came near being
successful In his attempt to corner corn.
A Chicago paper states that If he lad had
sufficient money to purchase 500, 900
bushels more, he would have had the
whole visible supply of corn In the coun-
try, and could have dictated his own
price for it. He held 7,000,000 bushels,
for which he paid 81, ,200, 900. The COM
paratively small sum of 5000, 1000 more
would have made him master of the sit
uation, and enabled him to add several
million dollars to his fortune. For the
want Of that amount the price dropped,
and his fortune was swept away.
- Rock Hill has set an example that
every town and city in South Carolina
could follow with great advantage. The
enterprising people Of that progressive
little CITY are determined to have the
trade of country friends ifgood roads will
bring it. The roads leading out Of town
in all directions will be thoroughly ma
cadamized for four miles at the expense
of the town, then the county commits
sioners will take hold and continue the
work for six miles more. Rock crush
ers have been bought and the work is
now in progress. It Is one Of the most
important movements that has been stated
in this State, and it will be watched with
keen interest by all the towns that want
the trade of the farmers. No town can
spend money to better advantage than in
the improvement Of its roadways.
- An unknown negro man was killed
near Seneca river last Saturday night.
He was stealing q ride on the North
bound Air Line passenger train, having
got on at Seneca as the conductor, w. Il.
Mooney, supposed. He was found on
the platform by the conductor just after
leaving Seneca, who asked him 10 come
in the coach and pay his fare. The con-
ductor passed on through the car, and on
returning to the platform he found one
shoe but the negro was gone. 1t Is sup
posed that he either tried to climb on top
the coach and fell, or jumped oil. The
train was running fast making about for
ty miles an hour, and he was hurled
headlong to the ground. When found
his head was crushed and one log broke.
Part OF his skull was found imbedded in
the end of a cross-tie which was struck by
his head. An inquest was held over the
body by Coroner Craig and a jury, the
verdict being death by misadventure in
falling from the train Ralhalla Courier.
- The Supreme Court of Minnesota
has filed decision finding the dealings
in grain futures illegal and void. The
finding is one Of ultra Importance, as two
ofthe largest boards Of trade in the coun-
try are now located at Minneapolis and
Duluth, the operators of which may now
repudiate their contracts with impunity
when on the wrong side of the market
unless they deal in real wheat, oats, and
other commodities. The case is that OF
Oscar Mohr and Anton Nielsen, dealers
on the Milwaukee board. The Supreme
Court finds as follows: "Contracts for
the sale and delivery Of grain or other
commodities TO be delivered at future
day are not per SO unlawful when parties
in good faith intend to perform them &C.
cording to their terms. But contracts in
form fer future delivery not intended to
represent actual transactions. but merely
to pay and receive the difference be-
tween the agreed price and the market
price at a future price of the commodity,
are void"
Mrs. R. J. Gaines had very pecul-
lar experienced ct her home below Roop-
vile. Ca, the other night. She said that
she had noticed cats peculiar actions
around certain bureau all the afternoon,
and she thought that a mouse was in the
bureau and that was the reason the cat
kept q continual watch at tho bureau.
Just about dusk Mrs. Gaines had occ3-
sion to SO into the bureau and opened a
drawer. Just as she did this she thought
Of the cats strange actions and, being ike