Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-07-19
OLD NORTH STATE.
THE FIGHT AGAINST THE RAIL-
WAY ASSESSMENTS.
SEVERE ELECTRIC STORM.
aou.cs struck-Cotton-MiIl Company
Formed-Mysteriou Disappearance
of valuable Historical Documents
PoIificaI-PersonaI and General.

RALEIGH. n. c., July 1s.-(special)-
John d. Shaw, Of counsel for the Sea-
board Airline, was here to-day on his
way from Flat Rock, where an order
restraining the Corporation Commission
from increasing the tax assessment on
railways from S32522,OoO to si2,514,OO0 was
granted by Judge Simonton, returnable
at Asheville, September Goth. Major
Shaw said: THE railways were represent
ed as follows: The Southern by Colonel
Henderson and Captain Charles Price; the
Atlantc-Coast Line by Robert o..
Burton and George Rountree; the Sea-
board Airline by ex-Judge Leigh Il.
Watts and myself. We question the right
Of the Corporation Commission 10 origi-
nally assess property The act Great
ing the commission IS very defective,
indeed Another claim we make IS, that
the assessment Of property is grossly
unequal; that while railway property is
assessed at 100 per cent, other property is
assessed at only CO per cent. OF its
value Yes, and we are prepared TO
show that in many counties other pro-
perty is actually assessed at less than 60
per cent. of its true value.
The electric-storm here yesterday was
severe. Lightning struck the bathing
pool at the City Park and stunned seve-
raj men and boys j. Il. UZZle and his
son were both affected, the former for
several hours. Lightning struck the tall
spire Of the EdintOn-Street Methodist
Episcopal church, but did not do it any
damage.
a cotton-mill company. formed here
will operate the Falls of Neuse mills
About so horsepower is furnished by
the river there about nine months in
the year.
The monthly bulletin of the State Agri-
cultural Department will, i'm future, ap-
pear in book form with very attractive
cover. The August number will contain a
complete list of the manufacturing indus
tries in the State During the two years
Of the Fusion regime the Bulletin went
through the mails free, but this was
fraudulent. II was not in any sense a
government publication, but entirely by
the State.
Walter II. Neal, Of Laurinburg, is here,
and says that i'm the new county Of Scot
land not fifty votes will be cast against
the constitutional amendment limiting the
negro franchise. lie declares that not
five men In the county will vote against
it, and that the negroes are taking no
manner of interest in politics.
The Ladies Confederate Memorial AS
ISOLATION Of Raleigh has from year to
year since 1868 deposited I'm the State
Library the annual addresses. which are
always on the life and services of some
North Carolina general. 1t is now found
that all are missing. None are In the
library nd
never be replaced. What has become Of
them Is a mystery. The new librarian
says he has never seen them.
The Progressive Farmer. one Of the
leading Populist organs, says, editorially.
that while the Democratic party will de-
clare for, and the Republican party
against the franchise amendment, the
Populist party will leave it TO individual
voters for decision
The State Veterinarian and the Acting
Entomologist will, I'm their tour OF the
State which began to-day. examine all
the principal orchards IN which any dis
ease has appeared.
State-Chemist b. w Kilgo Of this state
IS now president Of the National Associa-
ton Of Agricultural Chemists. Of which,
up tn July 9TH, he had been the vice
president.
To-day's crop bulletin says there is in
creased diversity in the condition of
crops throughout the State. The i'm
preston conveyed by the majority IF
reports is that the drought has been re-
newed in most northern and central cOun-
ties. and counties I'm the west, with una
bated severity. There was almost an
entire absence OF rain from Monday O0tn)
to Friday Qith followed by local show-
ers Saturday and Sunday, chiefly I'm The
central and eastern portions Of the State,
which were extremely beneficial though
poorly distributed. I'm many western
counties no rain occurred. and the con-
dition of some crops is deplorable. The
temperature was comparatively low the
first OF the week. followed by 4 gradual
rise eliminating in excessive heat i'm the
west. where Charlotte and other points
reported maximum temperatures Of 100
degrees. The amount OF sunshine was I'm
excess Of requirements Generally crops
continue well cultivated, though he
ground Is too hard and dry now in many
counties, and it is impossible TO sow field
peas.
Threshing is finished in many counties.
and the work commenced in others.
Spring oats were saved nicely, though
many fields were cut too low to yield
well. Hay-making progressed very faV-
orably; meadows are falling rapidly in
the west.
Cotton IS now suffering from drought
I'm Mecklenburg and some other counties.
elsewhere. though slightly checked by
cool nights early in the week, it is stil
growing fairly well. Blooms are abun-
dant and very few reports of shedding
have so far been received. Early corn
has been very badly damaged by drought.
and on uplands I'm western sections is
beyond recovery; even there, however,
lowland corn continues thrifty. Early
corn is also beginning to deteriorate I'm
the north portions Of the central and
eastern districts. 4 great many CORE
spondents still report corn i'm good con-
ditOn and caring well: where destroyed
by army worms a good deal has been re-
planted laying by is practically finished.
Tobacco is very good in the Southeast
where it is ripening rapidly; cutting and
curing in this section are we'll advanced.
with generally excellent results from the
early crop. The crop is late and irregl-
far in the Northwest. Peanuts and rice
continued TO grow Dicely.