The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-12
Messenger Bureau,

Messenger Bureau.
Raleigh, n. c.. November 10.
OF the 212 gold mines in the state. A
are now reported TO be in active oper-
alton. Stanley county leads in produc-
tion. 1t is ascertained that the actual
weight of the biggest nugget ever
found in the state, known as the Reed
nugget, actually weighed 34 pounds
troy. 1t was weighed by avordupois
weight.
DR.. george w. Blacknall died at his
home here at o'clock this morning,
aged So years, after two weeks illness.
He was a native of that part of Gran
vile county which is now Vance and
was for many years a physician of
ability, practicing mainly in Franklin
county. He was the manager OF the
Kittrell hotel, the Marlborough house
at Raleigh and the Atlantic hotel at
Morehead, at various times. For four
years past he had been in the revenue
service under Collector Simmons as
general storekeeper and gauger. He
was faithful official and very popular
in the office. He was in the same ser
vice during President Cleveland's first
administration.
Governor Russell today received a
telegram that Judge Coble. at States
vile, had decided that l.. c. Caldwell
is entitled to office as chairman of the
railway commission, vice j. W. Wilson.
The case now goes to the supreme
court. The decision was not uneX-
pected.
w. H. Deaver, of Asheville, who was
convicted of embeZzlement as mags-
trate last week, gets a position as a
gauger in the revenue service.
The Governors Guard left at 2:20
o'clock this morning for Rockingham
as a guard for John Evans, the negro
charged with rape. A telegram was
sent the company at Maxton to be
ready for call this morning to go to
Rockingham, and Captain Jones re-
piled that his company would be ready
to leave at o'clock. Captain Crawford
went in command Of the Governors s
Guard.
There is to be quite a change in the
uniforms Of the state guard; the trous-
ers to be dark blue, like the coat; the
dress coat to be done away with and
| the blouse heightened two inches to
longer used, but buttons Of horn, COW
cred by flap, to take their place; the
helmet to be abolished and the present
forage cap, stiffened and with a POM
| pom, to be used for full dress occasions
| The new drill regulations for the
| manual Of arms will be issued the
state guard December 1st.
Miss Molander, the Finnish lady, who
| is to teach "sloyd,' or manual work
| to the blind here, is the greatest teach
er in the world Of that speciality.
Taxes are said to be paid with re-
| markable promptness this year.
Senator Buffers declaration that ne
wants a law enacted against the CIV
ing of free passes on railways even to
| newspapers for advertising, will. no
/ doubt, cause a discussion. The popu-
lists have made nothing by their anti
| free pass fight save to get themselves
| laughted at, and Governor Russell is in
| the same box.
The State Luther League met at
Salisbury this morning.
The Biblical Recorder says in a iead-
ing editorial that after a careful sur
vey Of the field it finds very little OPP
position in this state to an educational
qualification for voters.
Bill Arp, the Georgia humorist. who
is a North Carolinian by birth, is now
| on a lecture tour in this state.
1t is said by Superintendent Mon
| cure, Of the Seaboard Air Line, that
he finds the Cumnock coal superior tC
the Pocahontas for locomotives, In
point of economy.
| William Westmoreland, wanted fol-
shooting Revenue Officer Worrell al
Hillsdale, Va, has been captured fr
Montgomery county. He is credited
with killing five men.
| Superintendent Smith. of the peniten
| tiary, says the two convicts (trusties
who made their escape from the build
ing two nights ago. would have ended
| their terms in about three months He
| says this is the class of convictS wht
! escape, and that not five get away
| year who are under the guns" that is
| guarded.
Smith got back today from the Roam
oke farms, and says there is a suddeI
and gratifying improvement in th'
health of the 700 convicts there: so tina
there are only fifty Of the chronic case.
| and twenty of those with slight at
tacks, the others being at work thi.
week picking cotton or hauling corn
Smith makes the astonishing Statement
| that IF cotton was ~ cents / would
| have made enough to run the stat.
| government" He says the cotton croI
will be much heavier than was expect
ed, If he can ever get ii picked tha
on one farm, Catalonia No. 2. ther,
is a solid field of 500 acres not We
touched. Not half the cotton has beer
picked over the first time. He says NJ
free labor has been employed to picl
cotton on these farms. as the people
| in that section object to il.
Among tOday's arrivals of attorney.
i to attend the SIlnFemQ cn1Ir. are Coo
NJ. Rose, r. p. Buxton, H. L. Cook, n
A. Sinclair. n. w. Ray. OF Fayette
Vile: DR.. George J. Robinson, OF Smith
field; John D. Shaw, Jr, of Laurin
burg.
Members of the democratic stat,
committee, which meets here on tn,
30th instant. say the object is to lool
| over the ground and make a careful re
| view Of the situation.
Before Judge Allen as referee at New
Bern, an interesting case comes up to