Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 January 1902 — SOUTHERN. [ARTICLE]

SOUTHERN.

The Theater Vondome, in Nashville, Tenn., was gutted by a fire, entailing a loss estimated at $50,000. The fire was caused by a live wire falling across the drapery on one of the boxes. The boiler of nn engine on the Central of Georgia Railway exploded at the shaps in Macon, Us., killing five men and seriously Injuring twelve others, three of whom probably will die. The feed mill and plant of Werner, Moore & Co. in Richmond, Va., burned and is a total loss. The fire was caused

by water coming in contact with lime a* a result of the overflow of tho James river. Chief Engineer John Lee and three negroes were carried through a break in the Columbus, Ga., dam while investigating flood damages. Three of the negroes, Frank Harvey, William Bussey and Matthew Dixon, were drowned. The boiler in the South Pennsylvania Oil Company’s pumping station at Harry Rhoden’s in Doddridge County, W. Va., blew up, scalding to death Harry Rhoden, a pumper for the company; Merrick Frick, who ran a string of well-cleaning tools, and Del Ash, his assistant. On account of the almost total failure of grass and the high price OfLfeedstuffa in that section of Texas, over 100 head of horses and cows have been killed in San Antonio during the last sixty days to prevent them from dying of starvation, their owners being unable to buy feed. Taking the census figures of production as a basis, it is estimated from reports of 411 correspondents that the boll weevil destroyed cotton in Texas during the past season as follows: Southwest Texas, 100,000 bales; east Texas, 7,500; central Texas, 45,000; coast district, 00,000; total, 242,500 bales. A collision of freight trains on the Texas and Pacinfic road at Keithsville, La., resulted in the death of Fireman W. J. Daniels, injury to two trainmen and the destruction of a carload of race horses being shipped from New Orleans. One racer killed was George Arnold, winner of the Christmas handicap. A duel was fought in Franklin County, Miss., between two well-known young men, C. P. Shell and Robert Thomas. Several shots were exchanged, strictly in accord with the code duello, and Thomas was wounded in the right arm. He is one of the leaders of the Thomas-Ashley feud, which has been in progress some time. O. E. Painter of Washington, l'a., en route from Beaumont, Texas, ca Lexington, Pa., became suddenly deranged on board a New Orleans and Northeastern passenger train as it was entering Meridian, Miss., nnd proceeded to clear the coach of all passengers by beating several unmercifully with his fists. He was finally restrained by the police.