The courier-index., August 31, 1917, Image 1

About The courier-index. (Marianna, Ark.) 1917-current

Image provided by: Arkansas State Archives

                
many improvements
ON COUNTY PROPERTY
COURT HOUSE HAS BEEN RE
pA,red—JAIL TO BE REMODEL.
ED—NEW BRIDGES BUILT AND
OLD ONES OVERHAULED.
Acting upon the theory that It wi!l
be several years before the people
of Lee county, through their consti
tuted authorities, will build a new
court house, County Judge J. A.
Plummer is very wisely making the
expenditures necessary to put the
present building in a good state of
repair, not only to make it a decent
place in which to transact the coun
ty’s business, but also to preserve the
property and prevent further serious
depreciation. While the structure is
a substantial one, beautifully located,
and is far from unsightly on the ex
terior, the interior of the building
has been in a deplorable condition.
In practically every office, in the
halls and jury rooms, the plastering
had cracked, crumbled and fallen off
in large sections. Recently the coun
ty judge had the walls and ceilings
repaired, new floors laid in the hall
ways downstairs and bought new
coverings for the floors in the offices,
the walls and ceilings in the halls
the offices were repainted and put
in a presentable and sanitary con
dition. Carrying out this policy of
preserving the county’s property
Judge Plummer last week let a con
tract to Thos. E. Hobbs to flat coat
teh walls and ceilings in the halls
downstairs, and In the large court
room and the five jury rooms up
stairs. The woodwork in the halls
and court and jury rooms will also
be repainted.
On September 10. C. N. Houck, ap
pointed special commissioner by
Judge Plummer, will open bids,for
the remodeling and enlarging of the
county jail. The structure will be
doubled in capacity, separate apart
♦- ~«n«tructed for whites and
mts made for sep
ations for women
dlities installed. It
t the cost of these
ill approximate $10,
, is a large sum of
money to expend on repairs. Judge
Plummer reasons it is economy to
do this work now, rather than per
mit the building to fall into a state
of delapidation which would necessi
tate the erection of a new jail and
the rebuilding of the court house
within a few years.
For more than ten years the jail
has been a disgrace to the county,
livery grand jury that has convened
during the last decade has recom
mended that the jail be overhauled.
The makeshift has deteriorated to
such a point that it has become im
perative to either reconstruct it or
tear the old jail down and build a
new one.
Judge Plummer has adopted the
same policy with reference to the
bridges in the ocunty. During the
past two yeafs many hundreds of
acres of fertile lands have been
opened to cultivation. Heretofore
there has been no pressing necessity
for the construction of bridges to
connect these lands with the mark
ets, but, since they have been put in
profitable crops it has been necces
sary to afford a means for getting
the products to market. In conse
quence Judge Plummer, with the
very valuable assistance of the land
owners, has built bridges across the
_ ai_a. __tVioao appfions
viuumo i mu owpt*»»vv --
from the main highways. In other
sections many of the bridges had be
come unsafe through long use and
the ravages of floods. Believing it
to be a policy of economy to make
the necessary repairs now instead ot
being forced to rebuild the bridges
later, the county judge has made
the appropriations to put all the
bridges in good shape and to build
new ones where traffic and crop con
ditions warrant the expenditures.
The iron bridges over the L’An
fT'Sile river and L’Anguille lake have
o'een repaired. Through vibration
and heavy use these structures had
become dangerous. They have been
strengthend, new bolts put in and
all necessary repairs made.
The following new bridges have
been built or old ones repaired:
Over Holcomb ba 'ou between Cody
and Tongin Spur, 100 feet.
Over Sims bayou on road from
' Haft bayou to Raggio, 130 feet, and
over same bayou two miles east of
tbe St. Francis river and three miles
south of Raggio, 100 feet.
Cox bridge betwreen Haynes and
Hingville over L’Anguille, 120 feet.
Bramble bridge on Moro and Brink
ley road over Big creek, 100 feet
New bridge to be constructed over
Cypress creek on new road north of
Hondo, 100 teet.
New bridge to be constructed over
Hi n Rondo and La .Grange
r° et.
:e to be constructed over
Hr i bayou between Council
R D. SMITH ACQUIRES
SEVERAL FINE TRACTS
BUYS G. R. BRICKEY PLACE OF
480 ACRES, MISS VERA LLOYD
PLACE OF 346 ACRES AND
OTHER GOOD TRACTS.
R- D. Smith, well known local at
torney and planter, has recently be
come the owner of several fine farms
in Lee county. He has just closed a
deal for the purchase of the G. R.
Brickey place of 480 acres, located
one mile south of Oak Forrest, the
consideration being $25,000. Tues
day he bought from R.' L. Mixon
and D. S. Clark, administrators on
the estate of the late Miss Vera
Lloyd, a tract of 346 acres near Oak
Forrest, the consideration being
$12,000. Through the Jchnston &
Hope agency he bought a tract of
160 acres near Oak Forrest, be
longing to E. H. Brewer of Little
Rock, the consideration being $5,000.
Johnston & Hope have purchased
from R. D. Jarratt the Otey place
of 740 acres, located near Aubrey,
the consideration being $30,000.
Robertson & Benham, local real
estate dealers have purchased from
Dr. E. C. Ellett of Memphis, 543
acres of fine cut-over land, one and
a half miles from Council, for $5,000.
D. E. Webb, who recently bought
the Haynie place and the Joe Nabors
place, near Marianna, has just closed
a deal with B. F. Latta for the prop
erty occupied by W. W. Chisum’s
grocery store near the railroad sta
tion, and for residence property east
of the store building, the oonsidera
. • i •_1 orA
UU1I UCiUfe
Robertson & Benham announce the
sale of a tract of 160 acres, recently
purchased by W. A. Pyron from D.
P. Hilton, to Manly Fox. Mr. Fox
recently purchased 320 acres three
miles west of Marianna, from L. C.
Nicholls of Blue Mound, 111. Mr.
Fox, who owns a large body of land
at Peters, expects to move on his
place near Marianna and make it
his home.
—-o— -
NEGRO KILLED TUESDAY
ON SKIDMORE RIDGE
Bassett Locket, a negro living oa
Griffis-Newbern's farm on Skidmore
Ridge, was shot and instantly killed
at two-thirfy Tuesday afternoon by
Jesse Britton, also colored. Britton
has so far eluded capture, but officers
state they expect to apprehend him
within the next few days.
From information gathered by the
officers it is learned bad blood ex
isted between the two negroes over
the alleged intimacy of Britton with
Lockett’s wife. On Tuesday after
noon Britton went to Lockett's home
and spent some time talking with
Lockett’s wife. When he came out
of the house it is stated Lockett
struck at him with an axe. Britton
ran to the side of the house and
Lockett is alleged to have drawn a
pistol and snapped at Britton. In the
meantime Britton got his gun out
and fired one time, the ball striking
Lockett under the heart, producing
almost Instant death.
and Bledsoe, 120 feet.
New bridge to be constructed over
Piney in Hampton township on Moro
and Monroe road.
The bridges to be rebuilt over Big
creek on Moro and Wheatley road.
One bridge to be refloored two
miles south of Moro.
One bridge to be rebuilt over Cow
bayou between Cody and Dansby.
Bridges over Sans slough between
Haynes and Marianna have been re
floored.
Hands from the county tarm were
employed in rebuilding bridge over
Flat Fork between Marianna and La
Grange.
Bridge across East Alligator at
Raggio repaired.
Two bridges between Marianna and
Aubrey on lower road have been re
paired. t „ .
Bridge over Cow bayou at t od>
has been partially refloored.
In this extensive improvement pro
gram the county has been materially
assisted by Mart Hill, Tom Conner,
J. E. Craigloe, Jim Spence, Aubrey
and Ben Curtis, Rolla Roebuck, Bob
Kinnard and others. These men
furnished piling and other materials
and some of them had the timbers
cut at their mills. Judge Plummer
also used materials from the old
L’Anguille river bridge here
Another substantial item in the fi
nancing of the bridge work was a
fund of $10,000 paid in on misde
meanor fines that were transferred
to the general fund.
Under the law governing the con
struction of bridges in Lee county
the road improvement district builds
and maintains all bridges under 60
feet in length nd the county builds
and maintains all bridges over 60
feet in length.
|_A DOSE OF HIS OWN MEDICINE_
I
MARIANNA BAND TO |
GET A LOVING CUP
COTTON STATES MERCHANTS’
ASSOCIATION MAKES SUBSTAN
TIAL EXPRESSION OF MUSIC
FURNISHED.
—
The Marianna Commercial Club
Band that went to Memphis last
week and furnished the music for
the annual meeting of the Cotton
States Merchants' Association has
been awarded a handsome loving cup
as an expression of appreciation on
the part of the members of the asso
ciation, for the splendid music fur
nished by the band during the con
vention. A resolution awarding the
cup to the local band was passed
unanimously by the association.
C. C. Mitchener, one of the mem
bers of the band, is in receipt of the
following letter from W. R. King,
vice president of the association.
nouiying mm Ul me awaiums ui me
cup.
“We very much enjoyed having
you with us, and thoroughly appre
ciate the splendid services rendered.
A loving cup in further appreciation
of the hearty co-operation of every
member of your band which aided
so much in the convention work,
will go forward in a few days.
“Hoping that you will find it agree
able and convenient to favor us in a
similar way at our future conven
tions, and with personal regards and
best wishes, I am
•'Yours ery truly,
“W. R. KING, Vice Pres. ”
Another very pleasing expression
of the appreciation upon the part of
the association for the services ren
dered by the band, came here Sat
urday in the shape of a telegram
from the officers of the association
to Mayor F. R. Dupuy. It follows:
‘ Your Marianna Commercial Club
Hand provided most excellent music
during our recent convention, and a
resolution was passed expressing our
u nnracin tinn of the services of the
band. Every member was always
ready and willing to play, and their
music added much to the success of
the convention. A most favorable
impression was created upon the del
egates present by the conduct of the
members of your band. We desire
to express our appreciation for the
help rendered us by the band.’
— -o—
DICK HARDIN IN COTTON
BUSINESS AT MARVELL SOON
Dick Hardin, wife and baby will
leaVe Marianna within the next two
weeks for Marvell, where they will
be located during the coming cotton
season. Mr. Hardin, who has been
working with Geo. W. Greenhaw in
the latter’s cotton operations here
the past nine years, has formed a
partnership with Mr. Greenhaw in
the Marvell territory, the business at
that point to be in the hands of Mr
Hardin. Th,e latter’s coal business
here will be continued, with a res
ponsible man in charge. It is the
intention of Mr. and Mrs. Hardin to
return to Marianna at the close of
the cotton season next summer.
-o—'
PATRIOTIC HUSBAND
“Buying Liberty Bonds?”
“Yep; still paying alimony.”—Yale
Record.
NEW SUPERINTENDENT
OF COUNTY SCHOOLS
PROF. L. L. HILTON OF MORO
TAKES UP WORK LEFT BY THE
LATE PROF. T. A. FUTRALL—IS,
UNIVERSITY GRADUATE.
Prof. L. L. Hilton, principal of the
public school at Moro the past four
years, has assumed his duties as
cqimty superintendent of education,
having been appointed to that po
sition by Gov. Brough, to succeed the
late Prof. Thos. A. Futrali. Prof.
Hilton is a native of Virginia. He
came to Arkansas in 1904 and located
in Washington county, graduating
from the University of Arkansas in
1911. He taught two years in the
high school in Fayetteville, and sub
sequently came to Lee county, where
he accepted a position as head of
the Moro schools.
Prof. Hilton stated to a represen
tative of the Courier-Index Wednes
day that for the present, at least, he
would maintain his office in the
room in the Lesser building formerly
used by Prof. Futrali, and that he
would spend each Saturday in his
office for the purpose of doing office
work and meeting teachers and di
rectors from over the county. On
account of the fact he is under con
tract to teach the school at Moro
u fra \ n this year and in view of the
fact that his appointment to the of
fice of county superintendent came
so near the time for the opening of
school, he stated he felt duty bound
to the patrons of the Moro school
to open the term on September 10,
and continue the school until the
directors could employ a man to
take his place. This arrangement
will be only temporary and has been
made in order that the Moro school
may be opened on time. As soon as
Prof. Hilton is relieved of the Moro
school, he will enter upon a vigorous
campaign to improve the school sit
uation in the county. He expects to
devote practically all his time to
visiting the schools, white and black,
and keeping in close touch with the
conditions. From time to time the
new superintendent will use the col
umns of the Courier-Index to keep
the people informed on the school
situation and for the further purpose
of enlisting public co-operation in his
efforts to advance the educational in
terests of the county.
-—o—
MARIANNA PEOPLE FORM
NEW OIL AND GAS COMPANY
A new oil and gas company com
posed of Marianna and Little Rock
people has recently been incorporated
under the laws of Oklahoma, and *s
known as the Marianna Oil Co. W.
D. Newbern is president; Arthur ( ot
ter is vice president; and Walter L
Brown is secretary. The other stock
holder is W. L. Brown, Sr., of Little
Rock. The company has an author
ized capital stock of $50,000, of which
amount $25,000 has been paid in. the
balance of the stock to be later dis
posed of for development purposes.
The company has purchased the oil
and gas rights on a tract of 180 acres
of land near Nowata in Washington
county, Oklahoma. There are three
producing wells on the property and
other wells will be bored in the near
future.
RONDO SCHOOL WILL
OPEN SEPTEMBER 10
J. A. LAMBERT OF HUNTER IS
NEW PRINCIPAL—WM. DEMO.
RET SELLS STORE TO ENTER
SERVICES OF UNCLE SAM.
Rondo, Aug. 29.—(Special Corres
pondence to Courier-Index)—The
public school of Rondo, under the
direction of Prof. J. A. Lambert, re
cently of Hunter, assisted by Misses
Ella Marchbanks and Leona Fant,
will open on Monday, September 10.
Prof. Lambert succeeds E. K. Wray.
Miss Marchbanks has been teaching
in the school the past five years.
She has charge of the intermediate
grades. Miss Fant will teach the pri
mary grade and have charge of the
music department, while Prof. Lam
bert will teach the higher grades.
Wm. Demoret, who came to Rondo
a year ago from Elaine, and entered
the general mercantile business here,
has disposed of his store on account
of the fact that he has been drafted
in the army. He has sold his busi
ness to R. L .McGinnis of Conway,
who will place his son, Lee, in
charge of the store. Mr. Demoret
uau v> ui ftcu uji a npiouuiu uuoiucon
here and his friends regret he is
forced to give it up. However, he is
a good patriot and says he is willing
to help fight Uncle Sam’s battles.
Dr. H. L. White, N. M. Blair, Chas.
Frank Hopkins and Mrs. Gus Camp
bell spent last week in Armstrong
Springs.
The Baptist revival that has been
in progress here the past ten days
will be brought to a close Sunday.
Elders Stegall and Burns have been
doing the preaching.
Miss Ida Howard, daughter of W.
L. Howard, returned home Sunday
from Elaine where she has been
visiting Mrs. Jas. E. Atkins.
Miss Minnie Malone, fifteen year
old daughter of Mrs. Finis Malone,
is seriously ill with an attack of
typhoid malarial fever.
Lathers Davis, a negro employed
on W. L. Howard’s place, was shot
in the face on Thursday of last week
by Will Cobb, also colored. A
charge of No. 5 bird shot was fired
at Davis, several of the shot taking
effect in his eyes. It is thought tha
sight in both has been destroyed. The
trouble between the two negroes
arose over a cow belonging to Cobb.
The animal had broken into Davis’
field several times. It is stated he
had warned Cobb to keep the cow up.
Finally Davis put the matter up to
Mr. Howard, his landlord, and the
latter advised him to shoot the cow.
He did so, and later when he re
turned to the field Cobb was there
waiting for him, and when Davis got
within close range Cobb fired at him.
Cobb was given a preliminary trial
and bound over to the grand jury
on a charge of assault with intent
to kill.
-o—*
SHE WAS WAITING FOR HIM
•Is your husband up yet?’’ inquired
the early morning caller.
“I guess he is,” replied the stern
woman at the door.
“Well, I’d like to say a few words
to him—”
“So would I. He hasn’t come home
j yet."—Boston Transcript.
THIRTEEN WHITES IN
FIRST DRAFT QUOTA
LOCAL BOARD GETS NEW ORDER
FROM ADJUTANT GENERAL
MEN ORDERED TO ENTRAIN
ON SEPTEMBER 5
The Lee county exemption board
Wednesday received orders from the
adjutant general of Arkansas to se
lect thirteen white men from the fir.it
draft and have them report to head,
quarters at Camp Pike on Septem
ber 5. The presumption is that the
authorities have not yet fully decided
where the negro troops will be train
ed, and for the present, at least, are
going to ask for only wljite men.
The local board held a meeting
Wednesday night and chose the thir
teen white men who will constitute
the first contingent of Lee county’s
quota. The men have been notified
to report to the board here at four
o’clock on Tuesday afternoon, Sep
tember 4, for entrainment on the
following day. Following is a list ot
the thirteen who were chosen:
Leonard A. Gillen water, Moro;
Samuel Mattox, Marianna; Benj. F.
Thompson, Aubrey; Clarence Ed
ward Davis, Council; Harry Casey
Simmons, Rondo; John Everett Mot
singer. Holly Grove; Thomas Ben
nett Freeman, Marianna; Jesse Law
son Hughes, Haynes; Harry Emmett
Draper, Haynes; William A. Austin,
Marianna; Eugene G. Smiley, Moro:
Wilkes Matthews Andrews, Monroe;
Jim Harris, Wheatley.
ALTERNATES—John Franklin Se
crest, Lg. Grange; Joe Hill, Goodwin;
Henry Jackson Belew, Marianna.
The local board has authorized
the publication of a revised list of
those who have hever reported to the
board for physical examination.
These men stand as deserters. It
is highly important they be located
for if they do not fill their places in
the ranks, it will be necessary to
draft other men to fill their places.
The public generally is asked to
assist ni locating these men. Any
person having information as to the
whereabouts of any of them should
communicate such information to the
local board at once. It is probable
if the men show up within the next
ten days they will not be severely
dealt with. If they continue to hid*
out they will ultimately be captured
by federal authorities and punished
as deserters from the army. Their
names and addresses are as follows:
Sam Whitfield, Brlckeys; J. P. Fos
ter, Askew; Virgil Lovelace, Brick
eys; Rider Gooden, Marianna; Syl
vester Plyers, Marianna; Sam Blak
eley, Council; Alex Wilson, Aubrey;
Willie Farris, Marianna, care C. E.
Yancey; Will I)avist Haynes; Van
Smith, Rosalee; Henry B. Whits,
Aubrey; George Robinson, Council;
Leon Sharp, Marianna; Will Jones,
Rondo; Charlie Collins, Brickeys;
Clifford Phillips, Rosalee; Henry Al
ton, Rosalee.
-o—.
LOCAL RED CROSS CHAPTER
NEEDS LARGER MEMBERSHIP
The membership of the local chap
ter of the Red Cross has been in
creased to 325, according to Mrs. f.
I. Morris, secretary. Mrs. Morris and
other leaders of the work here are
pulling for 600. The demand for
workers is very heavy. The local
chapter has a big assignment of
Red Cross articles on its hands and
is greatly in need of additional mem
bers in order that the garments may
the soldiers before the cold weather
begins.
On last Friday Mrs. Morris seat
six feather pillows to the Marianna
boys in camp at Forrest City. She
has other pillows on hand that will
later be sent to the boys.
The ladies sew every forenoon ia
their workroom at the city hall. A
most cordial invitation is extended
to everyone who is interested to join
in this noble work.
-o—
HALF-HOLIDAY SEASON
WAS CLOSED YESTERDAY
Under the agreement entered into
by the business institutions of Ma
rianna more than two months ago
to close ali banks and stores ou each
Thursday at noon from June 1 to
September 1, in order that all em
ployes might have a half holiday,
the stores and banks will hereafter
remain open all during the week
days, and the early closing on Thurs
day will be discontinued until next
summer when the matter will have
to be taken up again. The brief
respite from business each Thursday
afternoon has proved helpful to both
employers and employees, and it ia
generally agreed no firm has lost
any business by reason of having
shown this consideration to the
clerks. It is more than probable the
business men will cheerfully grant
a half-holiday next summer. j