The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-28

Raleigh. y. <. January -
State Chemist ". a. Wtthers says the
state experiment station viii this week
begin analysis or an the food products
on sale IN North Carolina. l. first takes
up sugar, having bought in open market
here some OF all kinds on sale, This new
movement Is regarded as imppgant. as
1t IS believed that there IS much adul;er-
alton OF various foods.
II has been reported that several oTi-
cia9s OF railways other than the South
ern have been summoned before the rail-
way commission this week to give evil
dence regarding the issue OF free passes.
II Is an error. The new commissioner
have 50 far directed their entire attack
against the Southern railway.
II has also been reported that the COM
mission had issued an order f~orbidding
families of railway employees. This Is an
error also. as the commission has not
Yet taken up that matter. The railways
have asked that it be passed on ana the
question settled.
Revenue Collector Simmons retires
February LIST. and Carl Duncan COMES in.
SPECIAL Agent Lay will supervise the
u EAAaS wv Vi A84t olAANt- JIG 8fF 'A4as
three special agents in the country who
do this particular line of work.
There is no end OF talk about the Won
derful weather. 1t is one Of the most
open winters ever known in this part Of
North Carolina. Fall sown crops look
well, but there * entirely too little wheat
and oats. Thrifty farmers are cleaning
lands and considerable blowing il done.
There appears 10 be not the least concert
of action as 10 reducing the acreage in
cotton: in fact. one hears Hutle talk in
this section abou the matter.
1t was expected when the penitentiary
bought the phosphate mine at Castle
Haynes that a large force OF convicts
would be put in there and the output OF
the mine be made larger than ever be-
fore. but so far very little mining seems
to have been done.
What little fear there was in this city
regarding smallpox has entirely abated.
as news comes from Wilmington that
there is no epidemic.
T.. Y. Patterson. of Winston. is elected
chief marshal at h next commencement
of the university.
1t is believed that the shops of the Sea-
board Air Line here will be rebuilt. 1t is
alleged that one of the reasons for their
not having been rebuilt Immediately after
the fire, which destroyed them in the
spring of 1896. was that Investigation
showed that fire TO have been of incen-
diary origin.
H. G. Ewart feels perfectly certain that
ne will get the appointment as United
States judge.
A gang Of state convictS was today sent
to the stone quarry here, belonging to the
state. from which the city is taking
granite for street improvements. These
cOnvictS will get Out stone to be used on
the streets around the capitol square.
At the agricultural department it is
said that the sales of fertilizer tax tags
are very large; but yet not quite so large
as last spring, which broke all records.
The farmers institutes which are to be
again held this year by the board of ag-
%ricuiture will not the secretary of the
board says. begin before August.
The Southern railway today filed excep-
tionS to the reduction of the freight rate
on cotton on the Western North Carolina
railway, which the railway commission
ordered ten days ago. The Southern says
the present rate is just and reasonable:
that it is no more than "a proper return
for the service expected to be rendered.
The Southern also filed exceptions tC
the reduction of IL % per cent. in the
rates of freight On fertilizers in carload
lotS. The exceptions say the present rate
is reasonable: that it is not too much fol
the service expected: that a reduction OF
fertilizers whiCh constitute so large q
part of the freight business would i'm.
pair the revenue and make it Impossible
for the read TO earn a fair return on its
investment, and also that it would reduc.
the Southern'S revenues in this stat,
$20, 900, and that this is not Just and rea.
| ~Sonable unless there is a tory
rise in rates of freight on some cthel
| commodity.