The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-17
Messenger Bureau,

ance Statistics for This Sfate-Immense
Profits Of the Companies
Messenger Bureau,
Raleigh, n. c., Dec. Ii.
A legislative official was asked today
the question:: What are the populists
talking about?" He is a populist and
ought to know. He replied: DO not use
my name and 1 Will tell you. They are
saying they don't want any more fu-
sion with the republicans. That is the
milk in the c%ocoanut."
State Librarian Cobb. of the populist
committee, was asked why ne made so
absurd a statement as to say SO, 900
populists would vote their tickets if
there are no side issues" He replied:
They will come up whenever needed,
We will press the button and they
will do the rest. We expect recruits
from both the old parties" This is
absurd, for there are not at this mo-
ment 10000 populists in the state.
The supreme court will at it's next
term pass upon the power Of the rail-
way commission to regulate the freight
rate on cotton. This comes UP in the
shape OF an appeal by the Seaboard
Air Line from the recent order reduc-
ing rates.
The joint committee Of the legisla-
ture this morning began the annual
examination Of the state treasury.
The Baptist convention, which end
ed it's session yesterday, is pronounced
the best one ever held in the state, in
all respects. Next year it meets at
| Greeneville.
Joseph F. Scott, H. NJ. Blackstone
and Fred. c.. Pettigrove, all members
of the Massachusetts Prison Reform AS
ISOLATION, are here. They inspected
the convict camps in Georgia and dis
like the system in. vogue there. The
real power there is the physician at
the camp. They visited the penitenti-
airy here and will have a look at the
convict farms. They say Massachu-
sets, owing to the clamor Of the peo-
pie against manufacturing by con-
victs, is beginning to try outdoor Ia
Dor in a small way. .' a4ar
There are fifty-five prisoners in the
small county Jail here, nearly all fed
eral prisoners or persons sent from
other counties for safe-keeping. The
| jail is over crowded, and United States
District Attorney Aycock says arrange
ments ought to be made for keeping
| the excess of prisoners in the peniten-
| tiary.
Before the supreme court this week.
the most interesting case is that of
| Rhyme against Roberts, involving the
constitutionality of the act of the last
| legislature, which %confers civil juris-
diction pon a judge of the criminal
circuit court. In this case the act gives
| Judge EWart civil power.
The term of the United States court
here ended yesterday afternoon. There
were ITO criminal cases tried, and twen-
| ty-flve persons were sent to jails, sew
en- to the pententiary at Columbus, O.,
and two to the refOrmatory at Wash
ington. 1t is remarked by the court
officers that the grand jury was the
poorest ever seen here. 1t is said that
one of it's members had been indicted
for mOonshining. One juror admitted
that it was the poorest jury he had
ever seen, n that against some men
ready to submit no true bill was found.
1t is learned that DR.. Kirby H.
Smith, about whom so great a scandal
was raised at the p~ententiary, has re-
turned from New York to Goldsbore,
and says he is going south, presum-
ably to Florida, where he lived ten
| years.
The Baptist state convention raised
$4,000 for the completion Of the Bap-
fist state female university mere. This
imposing building will certainly be
completed next summer.
The shoe factory at the Farmers
State Alliance at Hillsboro regularly
began work yesterday, after over two
| years idleness.
The state commissioner Of agricul-
J ture says there are now 1000, 900 acres
| of waste land in the southeastern
! counties, which if in timber, wOul
| yield returns at the rate of obout $780,
900 a year. The loss is due to lack of
care in growing pine trees on these
| lands.
At n meeting Of the Raleigh cham
Der of m this evening, Robert
C.. Strong read a paper on fire insur-
ance rates here, prepared at h re-
quest of the organization. He says the
amount of fire losses paid here annual
ly averages $6,O73, while s4G,O 900 is an
nually paid in premiums; that the
| Southeastern Traffic Associations
| claims Raleigh has a lower rate than
| any place in the state, while the rate
| at Greensboro is only half Of that here.
| The companies claim they make only
Z per cent. in their business (taking
the entire state) on capital invested.
| Last year $35, 900, 900 was written and
the premiums were $7s7, 500, while the
losses paid aggregated 1913, 600, making
a gross profit Of $474 500. The cost OF
| doing business was about $145,475
leaving a profit OF 1929, OPS. The report
says many citizens here find the rates
so high that they carry their own in
surance. AS a rule, the companies will
not lend their money in this state. The
money made by the companies in this
state goes altogether outside of it, to
be invested at a. less rate Of interest
tina woul be paid for it here.