The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-06
SAMPLES OF NEGRO RULE
WHERE CONGRESSMAN WHITE. C0L0RED,
HOLDS SWAY.
Shameful Mismauagement and Insulting Con-
duct. $4,000 Worth of Mortgages in
a Trash Pile. BIackgl ar led
/, Panuhl,ran
a Republican.
Baskerville Citizen.)

ago that | need not give the date. |
held down Il case Of good fiat" long
primer as a comp" on the Rocky Mount
Mail, which was the first paper ever
printed here, / think. The Mail was
presided over by a female, one of the
advanced guard of those who to-day
clamor for woman's rights. We could
not agree and separated. If she has
regretted it she has failed 10 so inform
me.
Everything has changed except the
railroad which runs through the CEN
ter of the town and is the dividing line
between Nash and Edgecombe, two of
the foremost counties in the State.
Rocky Mount was then mere village.
To-day it is one of the three leading towns
on the Atlantic Coast Line between VIII
mingtOn and Weldon. Its population. in
Guiding suburbs, is perhaps 1000. The
Rocky Mount cotton mills, one of the
largest in the State, are located here.
1t is fine cotton market, and to my
surprise / find it a large tobacco market
The leaf sales in the warehouses here
aggregate about eight million pounds an
nually. It's people are progressive, thrifty
and hospitable.
A CONTRAST.
The postmaster here under Cleveland
was an ex-Congressman Hon. Il. II.
Bum. Mr.. Bum was succeeded lit
tie more than a year ago by Israel ID.
Hargett Hargett is a negro ana was
formerly school teacher. He was not
appointed because he was capable OF dls-
charging the duties of the office. lie
was appointed because he was negro,
and because Congressman w. I'll. Whlte,
4 l. tod n
endorsed him, and because Senator
Senator pritchard endorsed him.
WHAT BUSINESS MEN WANTED.
The business men. the white people, |
urged the selection of a white Republi-
can. There were two such men i'll the
town either of whom would have made
a capable postmaster. One w. w.
Watson, also a negro, and special pet
of Congressman White, was named as
assistant. 1t is stated that White real
" wanted Watson made postmaster but
he could not make the bond.
Hargett, who came here from New
bern, had to go to that town to make
his bond as postmaster. Target Is
not a bad man: he is simply incompe-
tent. He was forced to appoint Wat
son his assistant.
FROM BARROOM TO POSTMASTER
Watson stopped running barroom
to take charge of this postoffice. lie
ran a bar in Whitakers, twelve miles
north of Rocky Mount. Later he ran
one in Battleboro with another negro
as partner When he was made assls-
tant postmaster here the bar at Battle
boro was closed and Watson's partner
went back to Whitakers and opened up.
sUBORDINATES BEGIN STEALING
Harget had not been in office longer
than a month or two when negro
clerk he had employed was arrested
for robbing the mails. He was rrled.
convicted and sent to the penitent4arT
for two years.
SHAMEFUL MISMANAGEMENT.
The management Of the Office here
has been shameful from the beginning
and the people have beseiged Washing
ton with ptitions asking for change.
but Congressman White still stands by
his man. About six weeks ago an IN
spector was sent to examine the Of
fee and investigate the charges. when
he arrived here a gentleman asked him
to please look in the office and give
him his mail. as he knew there was
q quantity of it there, but he had been
unable to get it. He was soon handed
by the inspector, number of letters.
postal cards and second-class matter.
ONE MILE. IN 10 DAYS.
On November 10th last a letter was
mailed to Rocky Mount cotton mills cd
dressed to the Bank Of Rocky Mount
inst one mile distant, containing checks
aggregating 81 400. On December Bro.
thirteen days later, it was delivered to
the bank with the explanation that IT
had been ''found in our trash pile"
THREE MONTHS FROM WASHING
TON.
On Nav %, 1898, J. III. Rufin, treas
urer and manager of the Rocky Mount
Mills mr. Ruffn is n son of the late
Judge Ruffin, so distinguished as jul
rist) sent an order to the postoffice
here for 1000 Especial request" envelopes.
June Sth he wrote the postmaster asking
why they had not been delivered. On
July 18th and on August 1sr other in-
quires were made. None of these re-
ceived a response, and the envelopes
were not receiyd until about August 10.
INSULTING PROMINENT BUSI-
NESS MEN.
Mr.. Ruffn sent the mill check to pay
for the envelopes. The postmaster sent
word the check could not be received,
that he must have the money. Mr..
Ruffin received notice that there was q
registered package in the office for him.
He filed out the order for its delivery
on the bottom of the notice with ~
mcneil and sent boy for it. The order
was returned with the statement that
the order must be signed in ink. Mr..
Ruffn told me to-day that since this
negro has been postmaster he has re-
ceived at his mill not less than 300 or
400 letters which were plainly addressed
to other persons in Rocky Mount ana
not a few of them to persons living IN
otner towns.
CANNOT GET THE MAIL
John M. Sherrod, prominent btSl-
ness man here had yaluahi" registered
package sent him, plainly addressed.
1t was never delivered. but Was returned
II writer ''cannot be delive ed.
$4,000 IN A TRASH PILE.
s. L. Roland q dealer i'm farmers