Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-05-08
Scraps and 5aets.

the steamer. 1t is supposed that
while the vessel was awaiting orders
pending the outcome of peace ne
gotiations she became lost and was
caught in the ice. The crew PROBABLY
urable to escape, so perished aboard
the steamer.
Charlotte Chronicles: There were
fifty railroad accidents during the
month OF March, according to the
report of the Interstate Commerce
Commissiop in which thirty-four
lives were lost. The only accident re-
corded in the south was at Gaffney,
S. c., in which three people were
killed. The accident accompanied by
the greatest fatality was at Abode,
Cal, twenty-five people losing their
lives. OF the fifty accidents, twenty
eight were collisions, which must be
considered somewhat of a reflection
on railroad management but OF
course some of these collisions were
due to failure to obey orders.
The national assembly Of Russia,
to which so many hopes for the fu-
ture of this country are pinned, will
be convened at the Taurlde palace In
st. Petersburg on Thursday, May 10.
Never before in the history Of Russia
has there been an assemblage which,
with the sanction and approval OF
the government has represented the
people. -. 1t would, therefore, appear
to be an experiment upon the out
come of which will depend the fu-
ture Of Russia. The national assem-
bly,, or duma, was granted by the
emperor Aug. 19, 1906, and, accord
ing to the official announcement, us
established for the preliminary study
and discussion Of legislative PROPOSE
tions,' which, according to the
fundamental laws, go up through
the council of empire to the su-
preme autocratic authority. The
composition of the council Of the en-
pire, or upper house, one-half ap-
pointed by the emperor and one-half
selected from the nobility and clergy,
would seem sufficiently pliable to
block the duma should 1t be in oppo-
sition to the crown. The govern
ment retains the power to promul-
gate temporary" laws during the
recesses Of parliament, and as the
parliament Is subject to dissolution
by the imperial ukase, the govern
ment is in a position in time Of stress
to rid itself of any obnoxious legisla-
tor and proclaim such law as 1t deems
necessary. Three hundred and sew
enty-one members have been elected
to the assembly, Of which the Con-
stitutional Democrats have a clear
working majority. The first and all
important matter to come up will be
the agrarian problem, and dispatches
seem to indicate the government will
accord with the assembly by propos-
ing the formation of a parliamentary
commission to elaborate plans for an
agrarian project. This will practically
mean the acceptance Of the decision
of the Constitutional Democrats.
IF bill recently introduced In
the house by Representative Pou Of
North Carolina, passes, patrons or
free delivery service in the rural dis
tricts will secure their mail boxes at
greatly reduced prices, the govern
ment selling the boxes at cost price.
The bill Is as follows: THAT 1t Is
hereby declared to be the duty OF
the postmaster general of the United
States to purchase for account of the
government all such mail boxes as
may be necessary in the operation
and extension of the rural free deliv-
cry service. He shall, at such times
as he may deem proper, ask publicly
for sealed proposals for the sale and
delivery, at such places as he may
deem expedient and in such quanti-
ties as he may deem expedient, Of
such mail boxes as may be neces-
sary for the operation and extension
of the aforesaid service, and he shall
award the contract for the sale and
delivery of said boxes to the person,
firm, or corporation making the low
est bid for the sale and delivery OF
the same; but the postmaster gener-
al is hereby authorized and empow-
cred to make such requirements re-
specting the bids or proposals for the
sale and delivery of the said boxes as
he may deem necessary for the pro-
lection Of the government Of the Uni
ted States. That after having pur-
chased for account of the United
States government such mail boxes as
may from time to time be necessary
to accommodate patrons Of said rural
free delivery service in the operation
and extension of the same, the post
master general shall provide for their
delivery to patrons of the free deliv-
cry service desiring to purchase said
boxes through the postoffice depart
ment OF the United States by the
postmasters thereof, and no person
shall be required to pay for any mail
box purchased a price greater than
the actual cost thereof to the United
states government"
The final report of the director
OF the census on the production of
cotton for 1906 was made public last
Tuesday. Today's report aggregates
the quantities included in each of the
ten preliminary statements. Includ-
ing linters and in accordance with
the custom of commercial communi-
ty, counting round bales as half
bales, the crop of 1905 is 1O,725,6O2
bales, as was announced some weeks
ago. When compared with the crop
Of 1906, that of 1904 was 27.7 per
cent greater; that Of 1908, &C per
cent less, and that Of 1902, O.5 per
cent greater. The average produc-
ton of cotton for the last four years
ll,399,323 bales, or 534,767 bales in
excess of the crop grown in 1905.
The production of every state except
Kansas, where the production is in
significant, is less in 1905 than in
1904. Measured in percentages the