The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-02-24

The Mayors Court had short session yes
terday. There was only ooe negro on the
mourner's bench and be had. 10 answer 10 20
more serious charge than that Of removing
boards from bridge on :he streets and using
The same for fuel He was adjudged gulty
and sentenced to pay fine o! So or serve
fur days on the streets.
Why Will you buy bitter nauseating tonics
VIXEN Groves TaSteless Chill Tonic is as
pleasant as Lemon Syrup. Your druggist is
authorized to refund the money in every case
where it fails to cure. Price, SO cents.
The TWO new ice factories both appear to
be certainties, foT both have contracted for
lots and the arrangements for the installation
of the refrigerafiog plants are goiog forward
in business-ike manner. The combined out
put of the three factories-the old and the
two prospectve-wil be about forty-tlve
tons every twenty four hours.
The chain gang did excellent work on
portion of the Stateburg road between Shot
Pouch branch and the city limits, but other
portions of the road are very little if at
all improved Where the saod was re-
moved from the 1Sad and the clay put on
and leveled down q firm, bard roadway
has been secured, while where toe clay was
thrown on top of the heavy sand bed that
formed the road the result was something far
different. Those who have had occasion to
use the Stateburg road recently can compare
the different portions of the road and form
their own opinions as 10 the results obtained.
The idea has eottep abroad, since the pub
lica ton in this paper of extracts from the
report of the Clerk Of the County Board of
Commissioners, that the county is about
$4,000 in debt. This is not true, for, while
there were unpaid claims aggregating
that amount when the report was COM
piled, there was money in the coua-
ty treasury, collected for the fiscal year
1895, sufficient 10 pay all debts contracted
during that year The county has not money
on hand to pay the debts of 1897 as soon as
contracted, but from the taxes collected in
1897 all debts contracted during the year will
be paid.
X very pleasant affair was the oyster sup
per given oy Monaghan Hose Co., No. 2. to
the young ladies and gentlemen who took
part in the Capt Dick" entertainment.
There were about forty persons present, in
cluding the members of Monaghan Squad,
who comfortably filed the dining room Of
the Sumter Restaurant The room was
tastefully decorated with flowers and vines
for the occasion. The supper consisted of
oysters served 10 various etyles and other
dslcaces. The supper was graceful COM
p!ineut to those who aided Monaghan Hose
Co. in making "Capt. Dick" success, and
it proves that appreciation is not one CT the
obsolete vir.ues-uot With tie Monaghan
SQUAD at-all events The evening was very
1r voted
the sCapt. Dick" banquet as great success
as the drama itself.
The Court House is undergoing the usual
ante court sweeping aud securing, and 1t
will be in a. presentable condition as posi-
BILE when Court conyenes To look at the
dilspidated and antiquated temple of justice
one would never imagine that at one time it
was the hapdsomest and most costly court
house in the State. 1t was, however, and
many, many years ago the SHUTTER Court
House was regarded as model OF beauty,
magnidcence and convenience, in the shape
of Court House Times have greatly
changed since that remote aud frugal day,
and now the Sumter Court House is pointed
ost as warning and not as an example.
But it is to be repaired-some day. and we
all look forward to that day aud say as little
as possible concerning the present.
Every community has its quota of iuven-
tive geniuses. Sumter's latest is matter Of
fact young person who proposes to develop
an infinite amount of power to operate man
ufacturing establishments of all sizes and
descriptions by boring artesian wells. He
has well developed theory and demonstrates
it to mathematical certainty by means OF
a volume OF 6gu,es. He elucidates the
matter to such simple folk MS editors aud
'ssuch like" who are not expected to appre-
ciate higher mathematics and mechanics by
simply saying, that energy is required to
force artesian water three feet above the sur
face OF the ground and that his plan "bas TO
do'' with the concentration, development,
conversion and utilization of this energy
which is unquestionably present in iuexhaus-
tible quantities. Look out for an artesian
power trust next.
The matter of the utmost importance to
Sumter at this time is another railroad out
let by meaus Of which competing freight rates
could be obtained. Every business man in
the place koows what it is to have competing
lines and what is to be without ther, aud
having this knowledge re-enforced and indel-
liby Impressed upon their Intelligence by The
severe teachings Of costly experience, they
oa,nrally desire the advent of the Gag when
Sumter well be ouce more nnbotted The
Ohio River Charleston railroad must in
time build from Camden to some point that
will afford q more direct and quicker
outlet to the seaboerd. The city of Sum-
ter is that point, if the extension from
Camden stops short of deep water, and
even though the OR & c. capitalists should
determine TO build an independent road direct
to Charleston, that road would pass through
Sumter What is wanted is the assurance
that the road will be built and equipped at
90 very distant day. Railroads are built for
business, and if the owners of the road were
reasonably sure that the extension from Cam
den would prove paying investment they
would not delay building it day, therefore,
it would be we'll for the people who want the
road to come to Sumter to get together and
see how much freight they could give the road
per year for term OF years, making their
estimate on the amount of freight they have
received or shipped iu past years. A COM
muncatloo of this sort would very probably
hav corno infsnenoa vhothar ~ al