The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-03-10
They Will Run Pritch-
ard for Governor.
The FARMERS ST BACK
In TheirWork by the Snow and Heavy
Hains Consolidation Of the Negro
Normal SchOOls-Butler Advocating
the Constitutional Amendmenf-TOur
ofInspectiOn of h system
by the New Purchasers-Legislators
Compelled to Work Without Pay
Messenger Bureau,
Raleigh, n. c., March 6.


At the agricultural department it is
said that the farmers have not been
able to do any work this year, and
that they are six weeks behind hand.
Farmers confirm this statement. 1t is
really an odd condition of affairs, n
may cause trouble. The ground is SO
saturated with water that many wells
which two ears 6 were almost dry,
are now almost running over. Some
wells are actually overlooking.
News reached here today of the
death Of ex-Sheriff Luby Harper, in
Greene county. He was widely known
in that part of the state.
The republicans are talking quite
freely now about Senator Pritchard
being their party's candidate for gov
ernor next year. They say he is their
hardest fighter and strongest man and
that he "a do more than any one else
in antagoniZing the democrats in 1900,
when there will be a double fight-for
the ticket and on the question of the
ratification or rejection Of the cOnStl-
tutional amendment limiting the negro
franchise. The republicans will make
a desperate fight. Their national COM
mittee will give them an ample sup
ply of funds.
The negro normal schools, or rather
four of them, will be consolidated.
There are seven of these schools, and
they get $14, 900 a year. Two will be
merged into the Agricultural and Me-
chanical college at Greensboro and
thus effect quite a large saving, while
two others will be consolidated at
GoIdsboro. There has been complaint
- o~a two e
cient, and the consolidation is proposed
to remedy this.
Senator Buffers newspapers edito-
rails give the impression that it will
support the constitutional amendment
limiting the franchise and hat it be-
lieves the result will be he ratifica-
ton of the amendment and as a cOnse-
quence a future division of the white
vote.
General HOke says work Will quickly
begin on his railway from h Gran
berry iron mines to Lincolnton. All the
arrangements have been made.
Wednesday Mr.. John Shelton Will
liams and other members of the syndi-
cate which has purchased the Seaboard
Air Line, will be here, on al inspection
tour. The purchase is felt by all the
business men here to be a great step
forward for Raleigh. In eight months
the shortcut between Richmond and
RidgeWay will be in operation. Trains
are now running on twenty-six miles
of it. The extremely bad weather has
delayed work on it.
The speaker of the house announced
Saturday that members who are alb
sent without leave could be and would
be brought back from their homes If
necessary, to make a quorum. A lot of
them are said to have gone. The sixty
days for which 81 per diem is allowed
expired Saturday night. 1t was said to-
day that adjournment before Thursday
afternoon was impossible. All day yes
terday and until far into the night the
work of enrolling bills for ratification
today went IN n there was but lit
tie that was Sabbath-like at the CAPT
toll. This is always the case on the
last Sunday before adjournment. AS a
result of the hard work some $50 bills
were ready for ratification today.
The senate his week will have the
revenue and machinery acts. 1t may
or may not pass these as they came
from the house. The latter devoted
three days to the revenue act.