davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

lines in Shelby County outside of Mem
phis, the Cumberland Company's toll
line service is free. The public, Of
course, gets the benefit Of these conces
sions from the monopoly. Before the
construction of the Memphis Telephone
Company's plant, when complaint OF poor
service was made to the Cumberland
management the subscriber was told
if he did not like his service the tele.
phone would be removed. Now it is
quite different. Ask anybody ,at Mem.
phis.
But the Memphis Telephone Company
needs no defense at my hands. Its gross
and net earnings have increased each
month since it began operation, not
withstanding continued and repeated
anonymous assaults by Mr.. Humes Cum
berland monopoly. The Memphis Com
pany is now so strongly entrenched that
assaults from that source are regarded
as "boots."
Mr.. Hume and his company have
caused to be published far and wide the
same garbled extract published in your
recent issue purporting to give facts
from the Memphis Telephone Company s
report filed with the State authorities
at Nashville. But although the report
itself 50 shows, neither Mr.. Hume nor
his company possessed the honesty or
fairness to state that the plant was in
course of construction, incomplete, dur
ing the five months covered by the re-
port. With this addition to his state
ment, the Memphis Telephone Company
is proud of the showing made by that
report.
notice Mr.. Hume says that if the
local companies would do more building
and spend less time trying to sell out,
most of them would stop building, This
is queer statement for the represent
ative of company to make which has
beeu industriously engaged in buying
out independent telephone plants and
then increasing telephone rents to COM
pei the public for the avaricious monop-
oly thus established.
II Mr.. Hume desires diagram with
this statement, he can have it for the
asking, but the instances of such con-
duct an the part of his company are no
doubt too numerous to require citation.
Its immense capitalization of Twelve
Million Dollars speaks more forcibly
upon this subject than anything else.
The Cumberland Company is owned and
controlled by the American Telephone
Company, Of New York and Boston, as
are all Bell Companies. The capitaliza-
tion of these Bell companies is on a
basis of over S400 for each telephone
instrument. (See report Of Secretary,
independent Telephone Association.)
No wonder Mr.. Hume and his company
are restless. They fear the approach of
the independents in the South. The
North is already honey-combed with
them and the people are getting excel
lent service and splendid results. One
of the over-capitalized Bell companies
that controlling the territory Of the
State Of Michigan has recently passed
through receivership and court sale
and there are others coming.
In conclusion permit me to say that |
have great confidence In the future Of
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
TRIAL Of JOSEPH HAMMER
CONTINUES AT COURT HOUSE
THE EVIDENCE is DRY AND TEDIOUS AND NO
DECISION HAS BEEN REACHED.

The preliminary trial of Joseph Kami-
ner, charged with the burning of the
Miller building in this city several
we6ks ago, was begun before Justice OF
the Peace d. P. Montgomery at the
Court House last Wednesday, and the
hearing Of the eyide nee occupied the
better part Of three days.
The State is represented by Judge 5
X. Colemai and the defense by Messrs'
Gwin & Mounger, all of Greenwood.
Nearly afHof Wednesday and Thurs
day were consumed in hearing the wit
ncsses for luc prosecution, and much OF
the proceedings were dry and unintcr-
esting.
KaminGr Was arrested on the strength
, of well-thod chain of circumstances,
/ hinging largely Oh the partial identiti-
cation of q man who was seen on the
streets by Hon. Monroe McClurg near
~ he hour when the fire originated. Had
|hhis 'ftreB,itlcation been complete, the
broof Of his guilt would have been
lahnost positive when the State rested,
ibut the first witness placed on the
stand bd the defense was Mr.. Frank
SwayzeB who testified that he was the
man Sen on the streets. This was
strengthened by the testimony of Mr.,
G. I. Stein. who is positive that Hammer
did not leave his room during the entire
night.
Manylwitnesses were placed on the
stand by the state to show that the
stock carried by Mr.. Hammer in the
New st. Louis Clothing store was not
worth the money for which it was in
sured. The value of the stock was va
rionsly estimated by witnesses for the
State al from 81 800 to $5CC0 1t was
claimed that some Of the stock was OF
the secondhand or Cheap John vari-
ety-that much Of it had been worn and
afterw}rd repaired and rebound. This
was contradictcd by Mr.. Gilbert for the
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

lcncc from outside influences, aud to be
c,rsiytc6t ! mus, not be guilty Of that
which I worId not hermit in others"
nw,ot ,hont .,II nr this talk, Governor,
that Won would use the weight of your
onciaI ipOuencc 10 prevent the conhr-
,,,tion or ccrt,ip Judges who, It Is said
scc,,rrd thnir oppointmcnts by ques~
tion,hIn uolitirnl deals" asked your
.,rrosrordcnt
',rhrrr ls mo- truth in such talk. To
u.o , nonn,,r ynlqorism, that matter is
-, to tbc senate The Governor has
na,hin, ~ do with II, have heard
s,ncthirr If the nolitiral deals of which
,or s,a,k ,ut of NV own knowledge !
do M, ln,v ANYTHING. am sure, how
oy,r tbot when the matter comes up
r,r eor.i1or,tion by the Senate that all
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

Greenwood, and as thrce-fourths of the
business of every community is now
transacted by telephone, ! hope that
Greenwood may soon be the head center
of the Yazoo Valley Telephone system,
having many lines leading to and con-
tering here, so that it may no longer be
a mere telephone way station on through
lines TO Nashville ane Boston.
Very respectfully,
HARVEY MYERS,
Pres Yazoo Valley Tel. q Tel. Go.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
=
CAPT. PORT RTW0OD
BUYS THE MAGGIE
New Steamer Now Running from
Greenwood to BtIzoni
EXPECTS A FINE BUSINESS.
Local Steamboat Men Took a Needed
Rest During the Holidays, but All
Are Now Running.

Capt, p. b. Portwood has purchased
the Steamer Maggie formerly the prop
erty Of the Yazoo City TRANSPORTATION
Company, and the craft is already MAX
ing regular trips from this city to Bel
Zon. 1t is one of the b:st little boats
on the river.
Capt Portwood has been in charge of
the Steamer Jack Osborne for some
time and IS steamboat man Of large
experience, thoroughly.famiIiar with the
Yazoo river trade.
The Maggie will compete 18th the
Jack Osborne, giving the local merchants
the benefit Of competition in the Belz.-
ni.trade, and the conccnsus of opinion
is that there will be ample bus,pes,i for
both boats.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
THE MILLER BUILDING
WILL BE RESTORED
WIN Rise from Its Ashes Better
than Ever.

Tie handsome Miller building, recent
u destroyed by fire, is to be rebuilt, and
Nir. r. l.. Miller, the proprietor, says
that it will be better than before. The
two lots occupied by this building are
among the most valuable in the city,
but somehow the location has been un-
fortunate, three disastrous fires having
occurred there In the past several years.
1t is probable that the new structure
will be protected by fre-proof walls.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

defense, who formerly clerked for Kam-
iner.
Tia. eyidencea5l Mr.. J. d. Dickson con-
sS4ged more time than afi'Gf the rest of
the States witnesses combined. Mr..
Dickson owned the furniture stock
which was burned and was one Of the
first men to arrive at the fire. He be-
lieved that the defendant was guilty,
that the stock carried by the New st.
Louis Clothing Store was ovcr-insurcd,
and said positively that he could smell
the odor of oil when he first arrived at
the fire. The fire he said originated in
the front of the clothing store, His tes-
timony consumed more than dozen
pages in the handwriting of Mr.. Sam. Nj.
Stein, who took the evidence at the
instance of the court.
An Italian named Dantonc, who runs a
restaurant says that he was the first
man to the fire and gave the alarm. lie
claims that the flames originated in
the rear of the building.
Mr.. Hammers brother,who claims that
he owned the store, arrived from st.
Louis several days ago, together with
three other witnesses, all of whom testi-
fled that they had shipped Jos. Hammer
something in excess of seven thousand
dollars worth of clothing. The original
invoices and bills of lading wcrc produc
ed in court together with numerous let
ters from prominent bankers and mer-
chants Of ST. Louis, all tcstfying to the
standing and integrity of the Kami-
ncr brothers.
The case will rhaps be decided to-
day.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
Ginners'S Report.

Mr.. j. r. Bew, government gin repor'
ter. will make his final report commenc,
inr Jan. Is. Each ginner is requested
to report total number of bales ginned
Of the crop of 1908, mp to. Jan. II, and
average weight per bale; also estimate
the number Of bales to be ginned after
JANUARY II. Cotton ginners are re-
aucsted to prepare their reports and cs-
Inmates. Respectfully,
L.R. BEW. Special Agent.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
GREENWOOD ELKS
AFTER MISS COGHLAN
Movement to Purchase Outright Her
Date in this City.

Miss r )sc Coghlau will appear at the
Greenwood Opera House on Friday Jan
10Th in "Thc Greatest Thing in the
World" As we go to press we hear
ahere is Il movement on the part OF the
local Elks to get control Of her Green
wood date, and as there is no question
as to Miss CoghIan's ability and the eX-
celency of her supporting company, we
feel sure that her appearance here un-
der these conditions will be the social
and theatrical event of the season.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
A Rotten Aggregation.

"Morgan's Entertainers dispensed
disgust to respectable audience at
the Greenwood Opera House last night.
70 say that the performance was bad
does not express it. 1t was vile, naus-
eating and disgusting rotten beyond
expression. Better shows can be seen
in any city for the price of a glass OF
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
lTTA BENA DEPOT
DESTROYED BY FIRE
AQuantlty of Freight and Express
Consumed by the Flames.

!. The railroad depot at ltta Btna was
Boufned last Saturday morning between
Pthe hours,of / and 2 o'clock. NO one
!, Vas about the building when the blaze
4 started, so far as can be ascertained
and the origin of the FIRE is mystery
4 A quantity of freight and express was
DESTROYED.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
Raines' Lamp Contest.

The lamp contest whoch has been il
progress at Raines' Drug Store for scy'
eral weeks closed with the passing o.
the old year, and the handsome 1875 par
lor lamp was awarded to Miss Mabc
Smith, who received 1856 votes. Miss
Mary Swift, who was next in the race
received 780 votes.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
Drug Store Changes Hands.

TUE COMMONWEALTH learns that Dr.
j, l.. Halbcrt, of Gumison, has pur-
chased the drug store of DR.. j. W. Dula-
ncy, in this city, and will move his fam
ily here at an early date. DIR. Halbert is
a practicing physician and is said to be
4 splendid business man.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
DlcAson,s insurance Held un.

The insurance companies, it is Gnder-
stood, have refused to settle the claims
of tie Dickson Company, the basis for
the contest being the fact that the in-
voices wers destroyed, Suit has been
brought for the collection Of the pol
iricS
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

All of the local boats we're tied ND at
the Greenwood landing for Several days
during Christmas week, but they start
ed out on their regular trips promptly
Monday morning. Business is better
with the steamboats, than it has been
for number Of years.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
For Sale Cheap.

A fine square piano, In perfect condi-
tion and tune. Will sell for $500 on
easy payments If boughl at once. Call
on "A. WELLER q 20.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

WANTED Ambitious hoy to learn the
printing business. Small salary to be-
gin with, but rapid Advancement to the
right boy.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

Two unfurnished rooms, in a central
location, will be rented to gentlemen
only. Apply at this Office.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

II you want the very best 70 will
ask your dealer for Peters Loaded Shells
: aud. Cartridges.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

The pleasure of hunting is married by
poor ammunition. Moral: Use Peters
Loaded Shells.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
Aftermath of the Fearful Disaster

and the sad reality DEATH
friends is known But little change III the
except the missing accounted Tor
Total dead unidentified and 500 have been
identified; injured, missing, 385 Total 1143.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

Attorney General Wiliilm "Gl1I
Of Jackson, was a distugWs sh.d risitor {
the city on Thursday OF tl.s week.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

Mrs. W. s. NardauIu h rctucrct 7.
visit to her parclts in stlrkyiIic.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

vsNTED C0lored woman, to run hotel
Z boarding house for laborers at mill,
Il " III person. O. N. Malone, Mgr.
3uekeye Cotton Oil Co. dl2-tf
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

Mrs. 4. l.. 1Iou niger returned Ncdnc
day evening fro Naz5o CITY Were ST
spent the holidays the guest o1 sel
tive,
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
WAR DECLARED
Russia and Japan Have CIashed Il
Bitter Conflict.
Special Telegram:

Special Telegram:
Memphis, Jan. B. News
Of a formal declaration Of
war between Russia and
Japan was received here to-
day.
Wheat has advanced two
points, while stocks have
declined, as a result Of the
disturbance.
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

cured many chronic cases Of diseals,
and has hundreds OF testimonials 60
prove same.
Mr.. A. Il. Neal, of Whaley, was in town
yesterday and was caller at this
office.
Mr.. }. #. Otto, of Sidon, was an APP
preciuted visitor at THE COMMONWEALTH
office this morning.
80
Mr.. H. b. Dixon, of this Office left
yesterday afternoon for Wesson, having
been summoned to the bedside of his
mother, who is seriously i'll,
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02

The postolIicc and banks &ere closed
yesterday.
For SALE Rent, share and, labor con-
tracts. These forms have been approved
by the best planters Of che Delta.
Lincoln J. Carter's 'lfast Mail. which
appeared at the Greenwood Opera
House Wednesday night, drew fairly
good audience. 1t was good Ishoyg.
We call your attention to DE. 0, tpen-
heimers ad in our paper this " eek
The Doctor went before ). |B. h UNI
phrey and made sfldavit ths t he had
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
SHORT STORIES AfL(IAT.

The postoflice and banks we're closed
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
The best in Iiigh.Art Job Printing

COSTS 40 MORE THAN THE OTHER
KIND. THAT'S WHAT YOU GET
At THE COMMONWEALTH
The commonwealth., 1904-01-02
'
LURE.

sEsTERY
F1ug. A cure
hesc dread dis-
q mas bseus
Iid in sBnI-
cry and fiux
.ry instance, no
/ form, 8sy and
for xb cssntA
rER, IEisUh N
Vi nler M
xvi 4
iHlH, Ala A
other goods II
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-14

than a week. both the packers and the strike leaders took serious view of the sitaution today. Each side thought fully considered the arbitration chan nel of escape from the entanglement. Indeed predictions were ventured that an armistice might be arranged with in twenty-four hours. Such optimism. however, was received with good deal of increduilty.
 President Donnelly. of the Butcher workmen's Union. expressed regret that the packers offer to arbitrate had not been earlier. Had 1t been. he said. the strike might have been averted.
 The delay of the packers to agree to arbitrate." he said, ''is responsible for the strike. They did not make known their position until after the unions had declared the strike and then 1t was too late for me to do any, thing to stop the trouble. It will be an, expensive war. but apparently 1t win have to be fought out. We are stronger than 1t may seem. We have the whole country to draw upon for sustenance and have no dividends to pay If the packing plants are idle a month. It will eat up all their dividends for two years"
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-14
city and an accurate list of them ob- tained.
KING EDWARD IN PooR HOUSE.
British Sovereign Pnyu Visit to Home
 of Pauperu.


 London. July liking Edward yes- terday added one more to the many in- formally democratic incidents that have marked his relations with his poor sub jects since he came to the throne. Slip ping away from the crowded Newman ket race track. where he had been watching his own horses run, the King drove to a neighboring poor house. A minute inspection of the arrangements was made and some pointed criticisms were intermingled with amusing chats between the King and his pauper sub jects.
 Of one old woman the King asked Do you all agree well?"
 When she answered most positively in the affirmative. King Edward ban teringly voiced his surprise at this feminent Elysium. saying:
 What. never quarrel? Are you quite sure?"
 In the poor house hospital his majes- ty noticed a mandolin on a bed where a stable boy lay dying of cancer. In answer to the Kings question if he could play 1t, the boy said he would like to try the national anthem.
 Let us hear you" said King Ed ward, and, summoning all his remain ing strength, the boy sat up and play ed God Save the King" His majesty stayed by the bedside until the famil- far air was finished
 What the King said to the dying boy is not chronicled. but this mornings s newspapers say that when the King strode out and the hospital ward re- lapsed into its usual silence, the stable boy lay back on his bed and said
 T can die happy now"
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-14
LITTLE MEAT IN NEW YORK.
Famine Inevitable if the Tie-up is
 Long Continued.

New York, July t3.-The leaders and officers of the Amalgamated Meat Cut ters and Butchers Union in America, nearly 5000 of whose members went out on a strike today, are in confer ence at the local union headquarters It is reported that plan for the arbi- tration of the wage differences which caused the strike is under discussion The men that are out include the butchers, packers, carriers and cutters, members of the Greater New York locals of the Amalgamated Meat Cut ters and Butchers Workmen of Ameri- ca
 From the managers of the beef plants 1t was learned today that he beef sup ply is very low, some of the dealers having only meat enough to last fifteen minutes when the daily purchasers ar rive. Within a few hours the price of beef had gone up and cents a pound with indications of advancing further in another few hours.
 None of the dealers had a supply suf- ficient to last longer than a week and it is the opinion among the meat men that if the strike continues a meat famine Is inevitable.
 The possibility of a sympathetic strike of the Benchmens Association is feared. These men represent the cutters m small stores ana Sucn step would completely tie up the retail trade and directly affect families.
 The strike has also affected the local abbattoirs. and the places are at a standstill. Homer D. Call. National Secretary of the Amalgamated Union. will take charge of the strike in this city.
 The seriousness of the situation from the employers standpoint. was shown in a statement issued by the local man. ager for Swift & Co. He said: We have not advanced the price of any thing for the simple reason that we have not anything to advance the price on. am willing to pay 14 cents a pound for a car load of beef If can get 1t. but I cant get It."
 One of the managers for the Ar mours said: We have a great deal of meat on hand at present and are sup piled for two weeks. A meat famine will almost inevitably result if the diff ferences are not settled quickly: that is within two weeks, after that ti;ne is the strike Is still on, there undoubt- edly will be a big rise In prices"
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-14
AknrTaATIon IN SIGHT.
strikerSs New Arc wflIinx for an Adjo-

strikersfNeW Ake WIunk hOf an AdyNr
 Chicago. July 13.--Arbitration of the grievances which precipitated the gen. eral strike in the meat packing houses tonight to be in sight. and confer ence between employer and strikers will be held tomorrow morning.
 The initia1 step toward a settlement taken late fhis affernoon by the state Board of fArbitratton. When the mem bers of the Board reached Chicago, they at once went into conference with strike. and listened to the story of his side of the trouble. The members of the Board then interviewed the repre- sentatives of the packers and their side of the difficulty was heard.
 As a result of these two conferences Mir Donnelly sent a communication to the packers in which it was stated that the unions were willing to accept a settlement through a board of arbitra- tion. No reply Is expected from the employers before tomorrow, but 1t Is confidently expected that the reply will be conciiiatory because they offered to 'arbitrate the matters in dispute before the strike was called. &
 Mir. Donneliy decliared tonight that the offer of arbitration from the pack CTS had not reached him before the strike was called and that if the pack CTS will again make the same propo- sition. 1t will be accepted by the unions. The members of the State Board of Ar bitration said tonight that in their opinion all those in control of the struggle on both sides appeared anx- ious to adopt conciiiatory measures and n peaceable settlement of the trouble undoubtedly will be reached in short time.
 Shortly after II o'clock tonight, af- ter assiduousiy j dpg the feiephenes between tiIa heattsrArthfe of the ussiras and the packrrs tfie .stsass Board 6f, Ar- bitration arranged a meeting between the officers of the unions and repre- sentatives of the packers for 10 o'clock tomorrow morning.
The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-14
SITUATION IN KANSAS CITY.
Killing Is Resumed at One of the Pack
 ing Plants.

Kansas City. July 13.-At one of the six local packing plants. Armours. which were shut down yesterday IS a result of the butchers and meat cut ters' strike. killing was resumed to- day on a small scale. The other plants expect to be running soon with new men. The big retail dealers have made arrangements to do their own killing temporarily, and assert that there will be no increase in prices of meat at least at present. Quiet prevailed early today among the strikers.
 Although the strike was principally in the interest of unskilled laborers. a number of this class of labor at Ar mours did not go out yesterday. These men do not belong to the union. an ef- fort to organize them not having sue ceeded These unskilled laborers were put to work today in the killing de- partment. At this plant, 500 head of cattle and 1000 hogs had been bought and an early start on them was made, The management stated that they ex- pected to increase their force gradu ally.
 J. P. Cudahy. of the Cudahy Packing Company, in a statement, intimated