The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], May 06, 1915, Page 3, Image 3

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

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, VISIT NEXT WEEK OF!
OF GREATJOMENT
Probably Means Tennessee
River Will Become Great
est Energy Producer
PROBLEM IS GREATER
THAN AT NIAGARA
Quantity of Electrical Energy Pro
duced Will Be Far Greater Than
Now Produced At Ni
agara River
By HOLLAND
New York. May 5.-On May 10 there Is to
begin an inspection of those reaches of the
Tennessee river, which are bounded by
Sheffield. Chattanooga and Knoxville
which is to be realty a national investi
gation. For the federal government at
* Washington, both in its executive and
Its legislative departments, is to be rep
resented at this visit as well as the Secre
tary of War and some of the distinguished
engineers of the army and representatives
of the committee on rivers and harbors.
There is sentimental and somewhat dra
matic purpose in this visit. For it is
hoped that as a result of it there may
be developed in east Tennessee and north
Alabama water power energy convertible
‘ into electric energy which will yield a
greater power of commercial practicabil
ity than has already been developed on
the banks of the Niagara river.
Only a quarter of a century has passed
since the attention of the late Dr. Cole
man Seilers, the distinguished engineer
- of Philadelphia; of George Westinghouse,
E D. Adams and other men of great scien
tific attainments, was fixed upon the stu
pendous current which is in the Niagara
river with intent to learn whether some
portion of its energy could so be captured
and utilized as to make available electric
energy sufficient to maintain large manu
facturing plants and also to operate trol
ley lines as far away as Buffalo, as well
as to furnish facilities for light and heat
and power. The engineers were persuaded
that invention had advanced so far that
1 the Niagara current offered a commercial
ly practicable proposition. Upon their
word, J. P. Morgan and others gladly
financed the proposition. When the work
was well advanced Lord Kelvin. England’s
greatest man of science, visited Niagara
and after two or three days’ inspection de
clared that there had been developed tlie
world’s greatest power plant.
Some years later other capital and other
men of science deemed it feasible to de
velop electric energy by capturing some
part of the power in the rapids at Mas
sena .Springs. New York state. Nature
* herself furnished facilities for developing
that work which were not furnished at
Niagara, for one of the little rivers whose
source Is in the Adirondack mountains,
and which flows into the St. Lawrence at
Massena Springs, was found to be of
m avail as a means of carrying off the water
whose energy had been captured at the
dam. At Niagara, it was inevitable that
a deep and long tunnel be constructed for
that purpose. The little river at Massena
does the same work at no cost for con
\ struetion. There, too, is developed very
k largo electric energy and manufacturing
plants are there established.
k. _ ii i_ _
resources could be developed were not
then available. If it should be determined
that there can be devlopd in this rgion im
provements which will provide a depth of
six feet through the reaches with a cer
tainty that by and by this may be in
creased to nine feet, then it will be urged
that Congress would be justified in ap
propriating the money, even though the
amount be millions, whereby the naviga
tion of the Tennessee may be secured
through long reaches which by reason of
rapids bas e made navigation impossible.
The engineers are inclined to the opinion
that by the construction of dams and locks
the river may be made navigable while at
the same time this construction will fur
nish stupendous power. Some estimate
that it may ultimately reach as high as
the equivalent of 700,000 horse power.
Some of the problems which must be
worked out before the plan can be as
sured are more difficult than any which
were presented either to the enginers or
to the men of finance when the utilization
of the energy of the Niagara liver and
later that of the St. Ijawrence river was
under discussion. At Niagara, us at Mas
sena Springs, there were only compara
tively simple engineering problems. The
men of Invention in the ti«-ld of electricity,
and especially Nikola Tesla, had perfected
apparatus which, great as it was, never
theless was sure with economy to do the
work. For instance, Mr. YVestinghouse
pointed to a turbine wheel, saying that it
was capable of developing .'M0 horse power
in electric energy, converting the energy
of Niagara river into that electric power,
and there were to be 10 or 15 of these tur
bines. But at Muscle Shoals along the
Tennessee river there is among other
things to be considered a sufficiency of
water even in the dry season. The Ni
agara river and the St. Lawrence river
never run dry. Then, again, it would be
necessary in some way to recoup the
United States for financial advances, and
a plan by which this may be done has been
I partly worked out.
On the other hand the development of
this region, both in the way of navigation
of the river and of the utilization of pow
er. is likely to result in the building of
great manufacturing plants which will
utilize the natural resources that are in
the vicinity. There will also be a great op
| portunity for the manufacture of fertlliz
[ ers. and in such amount as to be of the
j greatest benefit to the cotton industry of
j the south. The visit, therefore, of the
representatives of the national govern
ment to the Tennessee valley region may
result in what in time will become the
greatest power-producing section to be
found anywhere t*st of the Mississippi
river, as well as opening reaches of the
I Tennessee river hitherto unavailable for
| navigation purposes to vessels which draw
not more than six feet.
OFFICERS’SCHOOL
PERSONNEL NAMED
Montgomery, May 6.—(Special.)—An
nouncement of the executive personnel
of the officers’ school, to be held here
June 7 to 12, was made today at the
office of the adjutant general. Col. G. J.
Hubbard, at ting adjutant general, will
be the chief officer in charge of the
camp, and Maj. T. C. T>orke will he his
assistant. Maj. G. C. Scherer, of Mont
gomery. will be the quartermaster and
Capt. A. L. Quina, of Mobile, will be
assistant quartermaster.
The officers’ school this year promises
to be the most successful in point of
attendance and in the character of in
struction offered the state has ever held.
Practically every one of the 150 officers
of the Alabama National Guard is ex
pected to attend the school. The course
of instruction will deal principally with
modern methods of warfare as practiced
by the European nations. The camp will
be in charge of five United States army
officers, who will be designated later by
the war department.
. a.» * o 111 > VUIIVOOC
When the plants at Niagara and a litttle 1
later at Massena Springs were completed
and well demonstrated the commercial j
practicability of capturing water power'
for conversion into electric energy equiv
alent to thousands of horse power men of
acience stated that similar work was prac
ticable In many parts of the south, and
especially along the Tennessee river. But
while it was commercially practicable,
i nevertheless there remained the imperative
necessity for very great financing. At Ni
agara there was no question of navigation,
i'anada had built a canal around Niagara
Falls and another around the rapids of the
St. Lawrence between New York state and
i anada. But in the case of the Tennessee j
river there was offered opportunities fori
so capturing the energy as also to make
available the improvement of the river for j
navigation purposes.
, If it can be determined by'the represen
tatives of the government who are next
week to visit the Tennessee river region
) that there can be such co-operation as will
make it possible so to utilize the energy
that is in the Tennessee river current as
I to make available ultimately the equiva
■ * lent of 700.000 horse power, also to make
the Tennessee river navigable at that
point, then there will have been achieved
both a public and a private work which
f V- WHIVH CMC icpirocuicu uj iiianuiav
w turing establishments on the banks of the
Niagara river and of the St. Lawrence, j
The Tennessee region is far richer in j
natural resources than is the valley of the j
St. Lawrence or the territory con
tiguous to the Niagara river, and for
n long time there has been recognition of1
that fact. But the means by which these
\ # "■ 1 ■■
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____ I
FIRST STEAMBOAT TO REACH CORDOVA
I
The river vessel “Nugent reached Cordova Tuesday after passage through the completed IjOcU 17 on the
Warrior river. The boat carried government engineers, who were making an inspection. Secretary of War Oar
rison’s party will visit lx>ck 17 next Thursday, going by’water from Cordova. The Birmingham Chamber of
Commerce party will go by rail to Salter’s Bluff and thence to the lock by steamboat.
ETHEL FULMER’S BODY IS
SHIPPED TO TALLADEGA
Relatives Take Charge of Remains of Victims of Suicide Pact.
Examination of Davis’ Pockets Produce Interesting
Results—Further Details of Tragedy
Anniston, May 5.— (Special.)—At the
request of relatives, the body of Ethel
Fulmer, the woman victim of the sui
cide pact which culminated at Wel
lington yesterday, was shipped this aft
ernoon to Talladega for the final ob
requies.
Relatives of W. H. Davis, the man,
have asked that his body be turned
ovet to the Johns Undertaking com
pany of Birmingham.
An examination of Davis’ pockets
produced interesting results. Wiitten
in ink on tlie face of his watch were
i these words: “The end—1:30 p. m.“ It
is supposed that it was at this hour
that the poison was taken. In the cor
ner of his handkerchief he had writ
ten in ank also the following: “In mem
ory of the girl I love. This was the
last present she had made me.”
The bottle which contained the poi
son was found beside the body on the
bed and the letter was left on a tabic.
The letter was partially in the hand
writing of Davis, but most of i't seemed
to have been written by the girl. Da
vis requested that his mother be kept
in Ignorance of his act. He stated
that she was old and the shock would
kill her. Both requested that no min
istei be allowed to lake part In the
funeral services and that no flowers
be placed on their graves. The le
quest was also made that both b
burled in the same casket and in tho
same grave.
Their Own Story
The following is the letter left by the
man and woman, part in tlie man's writ
ing and paif in the woman s. It tells
their own story:
Birmingham. Ala., May 3, 1915.
To Whom It May Concern:
The undersigned parties have on this
day of May 3, 1915. decided that life, being
so unbearable, and not being allowed the
privilege of staying together in peace;
and that tlie financial trouble of both
have come to such a point as not to allow
either to be happy, or to be left alone
i to get through without being pushed, that
this is the best way to be together.
We defy the world to try to pgrt us
j. now. The law and no one else can have
i anything to say and talk about us now.
! We are not crazy as some people, may
J think and say. We are merely doing as
jour hearts dictate to us. Why, oh. why,
j is it that me people mate before they
I find the right one?
To save the physicians the trouble of
examining, we have gone by the way of
cyanide of potassium, the only sure and
unsympathetic poisoning known. We
meant to go. W. H. DAVIS
ETHEL FULMER.
P. S.—As our last request we wisn
to both he buried in the same casket
and in the same grave. As the last
moments of our lives were spent to
gether, w e wish to always be to
gether. and further, it is our wish
that no preacher be allowed to con
duct the funeral services <if any i hut
that tlie services be conducted by the
Red Men. Tecumseh tribe. No. 21. and
further, that there be no flowers at
any stage of the game for us. The
flowers could not be strewn in the path
of life—they will not do any good aft
erward and will be only an insult to
us both. .
L am glad to know that we are not
by ourselves, for the financial con
ditions of the whole country have
caused many others to do as we have.
1 cannot stand the strain any longer.
I have intended doing this many
times within the last two years, but
have just now found a companion i«»
go with me into the great beyond,
from whose borne no traveler shall
return. Life is not life, it is merely
existence forced on a being without
ills or her consent. The money grabbers
of the world and' financiers force or
make the conditions under which the
work shall exist. So farewell, cniei
world, farewell.
ETHEL FIJIAIEH,
W. H. DAVIS.
Our remains are not worth shipping to
Birmingham, so bury \ts here with the
least possible, expense. Notify Mrs. Alice
D. Davis, til'o First avenue. Birmingham.
Ala Also Mrs. E. M Fulmer, 720 Ethel
avenue, Birmingham, AML
There is none who lias any interest in
th© Acme Plumbing company, so my wife
is at full liberty to dispose of same ns
she sees fit. Also there is a deposit with
the city which she may need. Please do
not ever let my mother know for she is 6f>
years old and the shock would kill her.
Her address, however, is Mrs. H D
Davis, care of Georgia School of Tech
nology, Atlanta.
Tf there is anj’ law in the state of
Alabama that requires the wishes of the
dead to be carried out. we wish
it to he enforced to the extent that
we be buried in the same casket.
E. F.
W. H. D.
Anniston, May 6.-(Special.)—Hiram
Sides, a farmer who lives near Feace
burg, was struck by a south bound pas
senger train on the Louisville and Nash
ville railroad Tuesday night and severely
injured. He was picked up and brought to
Anniston, where he was taken to St.
Luke’s hospital for treatment. Mr. Sides
was returning home from Anniston in a
wagon ami was crossing the railroad at
a point betweeen Leatherwood and Mahlep
when lie was struck by tiie train.
It is said that trains at the point
where the accident occurred are concealed
by a cut and a curve aad that there are
several dangerous crossings on this line
between Anniston and Alexandria. Citi
zens who come to Anniston by way of the
Alexanddria road have for years eom
uluined of thes crossings.
After finishing the criminal docket
Tuesday afternoon civil cases were
taken up b> the. United States court
in the federal building. The first case
on the civil docket was that of Mat
tie Byrd, who sued the Anniston Elec
tric and (ias company for $25,000 for
personal injuries sustained when one
of the street cars of the defendant
struck a wagon in which the plaintiff
was riding. The jury awarded the
plaintiff $75.
Alter being out all Tuesday night,
a jury which heard the evidence in
the case of W. F. Mann vs. the Louis
ville and Nashville railroad, failed to
agree and were discharged by Judge
Grubb. Mann a^ked for $50,000 Jam
ages as a result of being run over by
a train in Talladega on the 14th of
March, last year. Mann lost a leg anti
sustained other injuries in the acci
dent Tlie Jury, it is understood, were
evenly divided, six being in favor «'t
allowing heavy damages and^six oth
erwise. The plaintiff was represented
by Riddle & Burl of Talladega and
the defendant by Knox, Acker, Dixon
& Sterne of this city. The federal
court adjourned Wednesday morning
and the majority of tho court official*
l»u Jm—dlMaii lo*- Blmlniiwii.
/- # . •
WjV .la — ' K'Jf $<-■* i •..
/
Two 1 Birmingham, Ala.
Stores") Jacksonville, Fla.
More new wash neckwear
“Um-m! Peaches and cream,” said one of our
salesmen when he opened up the boxes.
And it is just about as apt a description as any of
us could give on paper.
Make your selections from white, light
colored or the shades you'd term neu
tral. They're ALL BEAUTIFUL,
and they're all
pgg The P°rter guarantee of
m \ best value in Birmingham
— 'y \ J „ applies to EVERY item
in the abundant new
Everything Men and Boys Wear stocks. This guarantee
eliminates ALL risk on
your part, for you have
only to say so and your
money will be refunded
WILLINGLY if you have
the slightest cause for
1922-1924 First Ave. “In the Heart of Birmingham” dissatisfaction.
In Ordering GooiIb IMfiue Mention THE AfiE*HERAI,D
HUNTSVILLE
Huntsville. Mfcy 6.—(Special.)—Miss Alice
MeCravey of Huntsville has been chosen
sponsor of Nathan B. Forrest camp of
Sons of Confederate Veterans of this city
for the reunion at Richmond. Miss Louise
Hall of Gurley has been appointed maid
of honor. The camp has elected J. Walter
Byrne of Huntsville and Col. W. M. Hund
ley of Belle Mina to represent the organ
ization at the reunion as delegates.
The county commissioners have received
many propositions for the construction of
new roads in all parts of Madison county,
indicating a greater good roads sentiment
at present than ever before. With a pike
system of 400 miles, the people in even
the most remote sections are anxious to
have the system extend to their places and
to aid them in getting what they want,
the county commissioners sometime ago
agreed to construct pikes anywhere on
agreement of the people to give tight of
way, do the grading and rebuild fences.
This proposition has been eagerly accept
ed in many localities, and the county is
unable to keep up with the demand.
The model state highway to he con
structed this year will be built over the
Big Cove mountain, reducing the grade to
4 per cent and the distance by a long
stretch. A construction contract will he
awarded May 22.
The residence of Jim Robinson, one of
the old landmarks of this city, on Mill
street, was burned yesterday afternoon by
a blaze that started in the kitchen. The
loss was $120).
The city commissioners have arranged
ith‘» final details for the high school
i bond issue and the' money is expected to
I he ir. hand in a few days. The new
school is expected to be built and ready
for opening at the next session.
Mississippi Bankers* Meet
Jackson, Miss., May 6» —{Special.)—'The
twenty-seventh annual convention of the
Mississippi Bankers' association assem
bled in the senate chamber at the state
capital yesterday morning at 9:30. Henry
Hart of the Bank of Winona Is president;
S. J. High of the Peoples Batik and Trust
company of Tupelo, vice President; Thom
as H. Dickson of Vicksburg, secretary; E.
P. Peacock of the Bank of Clarksdale,
treasurer; chairman of the executive com
mittee. J. A. Bondi of the First Nations*
bank of Gulfport; district vice presidents,
Forest Prather of Baldwin, R. P. Tucker
of Tutwiler, R. <\ Kink of Greenwood. 0.
A Tolbert of Ackerman, W. D. Fook of
Forest. F. G. Wisner of T^aurel, F. NT.
Kills of Hardehurst, T. B. I^ampton of
Jackson.
* -«»« ——~~
A Man of High Position
From the Boston Transcript,
She—I miprht marry if I could ftnd a
man F could look up to.
He—Well, there's the man in the moon.
FREE LECTURE ON
Christian Science
SUNDAY, MAY 9th, 1915
LYRIC THEATRE
Mr. Willis F. Gross, C. S. B.
'*"■* ' r
: Of RomIOh, Mmm.
Member of the Board of lectureship of the Mother Church, the First k
Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston. Mass. m
Auspices of Christa in Science Society. „
jracuiT a^mirtGiwi aiJI