The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-06-25

efS Assembly.
Messenger Bureau, Park Hotel.
Raleigh. y. c.. June -
The public printing question is now
of special interest in view of the fact OF
the meeting this week OF the committee.
1t is not probable that the latter will
award any conracts or that any bids
will be asked for. In 1878 the contract
price of the printing was s34. 439. and
there was a bonus of Is per cent to
the state printer. who did no work, the
balance going to the printers. In
1885, the sum Of $50, 633 was paid, with
10 per cent. bonus as before. But in
1857. under the present arrangement
S43, 900 has been paid all going to the
state printers, who did the work. Nor
does this include the bills for the laws
and journals of the legislature OF 1897,
the bills for these not being in yet but
they will bring the total up to some
thing like $4,000, making the printing
cost from $4,000 to $4,000 more than
under the old contract. The job work
will be given out here to Barnes Bros,
for the sake of convenience. and as to
the larger work bids may be asked for,
if it is thought best. When bids are
asked for the gap is opened to people
who are not union printers. Those who
pay their printers only Sc week have
a great advantage over those who pay
union wages. The chances are that not
as good work will be done. The Code
of 1888 is an example of this fact. The
binding of that was done out Of the
state and half of it had to be done over
again.
State Treasurer Worth says that over
half the sheriffs in the state will at
tend the sheriffs' institute at Morehead
City.
Superintendent Smith, of the peniten-
tiary, says he is willing to let the
Southern railway have some of the
space at the northeast corner OF the
penitentiary grounds for the side tracks
which it desires.
Deputy Revenue Collector j. A.
Thomas made a raid near Apex last
night and captured a 60-gallon Illicit
distillery in operation and about 1000
gallons of beer. The moonshiners es-
capped.
The resignation Of Colonel Meserve
as q trustee of the institution for the
blind is accepted by Governor Russell.
1t turns out that it was the barn of
Vanstory and not his stables. at
Greensboro, which was burned Satur
day night.
1t is asserted that several convictS
have recently escaped from the peni
tentiary farms and that the vigilance is
net so great as formerly.
The Mooresvile and Mocksville link
Of the Southern railway is to be built
to take the place Of another track be-
tween Salisbury and Greensboro.
A silk mill at Salisbury is talked Of.
There is now only one in the state. 1t
is at Wadesboro.
Travel is unusually heavy on the rail-
ways. The number of excursions is
even larger than usual.
The Durham paper box company will
increase its plant and make boxes for
all the hosiery factories in the state.
Public school day. at the teachers
assembly yesterday was a success, with
we'll timed addresses by Superintendent
G. H. Mebane, George Butler, J. Y. JOY
ner, c. d. McIver, J. w. Bailey and E.
A. Alderman. 1t was stated that NORTH
Carolina is second in the union in the
amount {. white illiteracy, spends $L66
on each >nild: that the school terms
average twelve and three-Quarter
weeks, and that the pay of white teach
ers averages $3.50.
The Rowan knitting mills sold under
order of court have been bought by a
syndicate of Salisbury people.