The courier-index., November 09, 1917, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Arkansas State Archives

                
• * • • '•■ • ••
TWELVE PAGES THIS WEEK
WATER AND LIGHT
RATES ARE RAISED
_ss_
INCREASED cost of produc
tion FORCES LIGHT AND WAT
ER CO. TO CHARGE MORE FOR
SERVICES RENDERED.
Beginning with bills male th's
month, charges for water a;ul light
service will be slightly increased to
absorb at least a portion of the in
creased cost of production. Th‘s
action was decided upon at an ad
journed meeting of the city council
on Wednesday night when H. C.
Couch of Pine Bluff, president of
the Arkansas Light & Power Co.,
held a conference with the city
authorities and submitted to them a
statement showing the revenues re
ceived from the sale of electrical
energy and the increased cost of pro
duction, due primarily to the scarcity
and high price of fuel. The same
conditions that confront the light
company had to be reckoned with by
the city in determining how the
water works system is to be operated
without a deficit each month. When
the present schedule of rates for
■water and, light was made effective
more than hvo years the cost of
coal delivered here was $2.35 a ton. i
The same grade of coal now costs
$5.50 a ton and it is difficult to se
cure an adequate supply even at that!
advanced figure. Two years ago the ,
fuel cost was twenty per cent of the;
gross revenue. Now it is nearly
seventy per cent of the gross revenue !
Eight tons of coal are consumed!
each twenty-four hours in the opera-1
tion of the light and water plant.!
Each month 240 tons are consumed.
This means a fuel cost of $1,320 a
month, or $15,540 a year, based upon
the present price. The average'
monthly gross income from the sale
of electricity and water *s $1,833. j
Deducting from this the $1,320,
monthly coal bill, and only $513 is'
taft to nav all nfliAi* nnorotititr at. '
ponses, including salaries of mana- j
ger, engineers, firemen, etc. This
means both the water and light j
systems have been operated at a loss
for several months. In order to keep
the plants going, according to state- ‘
ments made by Mr. Couch and veri-j
fied by his records, his company has
been forced to take profits made at
other plants where operating expen-!
ses are lighter, due to the fact that
several towns are supplied from one
central generating plant, and apply
a port'on of the surplus to Marianna
and other isolated places where the ’
company operates plants.
Members of the council agreed
that the service cannot now be fur
nished at the same rates that seemed
adequate two years ago. Viewing
the matter from this angle, they pass
ed an ordinance making an increase
of one cent for the first one hundred
kilowatts.
The old rate was 15 cents per j
kilowatt for the first 20; 14 cents for
the next 10; 13 cents for the next 5;
and then dropped one cent per kilo-j
watt in blocks of ffve to 50 kilowatts, i
The rate from 50 to 100 kilowatts
was 8 cents per kilowatt.
Under the new ’rate made in the
ordinance passed Wednesday night
the oWnrare will be 16 cents p»r kilo
watt for the first 20; and 15 cents
per kilowatt for the next inn kilo-'
watts. This increase In the rate will
yield the company an Increase of
$288 a month toward the .. orption
of an increased coal cost of *656.
The city made a contract with the
Aritansas Light & Power Company
to cont'nue pumping water until such
as the city derides to formally
take over the water plant. It is
estimated It will cost about #70<l to
operate the water system, while the
cross revenue from the sale of water.
* he' present rates, is about
.50. "1th this condition facing the
elty it was deemed imperative that
the water rates be increased at least
enough to take care of the operating
expenses.
The old rates allowed 3,000 for *1;
■ * canons were cnargeu
for at the rate of 25 cents per 1.000;
and the next 36.000 at 18 cents per
housand. The council, by resolution,
the,rate in effect at Camden,
"Wch is as follows: 2.000 gallons,
for the next 10.000 gallons the
ate is 40 cents a thousand; and for
the next 25,000 the rate 1h 30 cents
tnn ,Han<*’ ^ request has been sent
,t,a,’1^en to get the full schedule
0 when the information arrives the
ew scale of rates will be made to
apply.
At the meeting of the council on
< uesday night Mavor Dupuy appoint
x , ,a ro'nmlttee composed of H. M.
Jackson F. N. Burke, I). L. Griffis.
H Daggett, Hugh Mixon and
M ■ *r> * ' ^1,n,mer to confer w ith
i.r , "ch <”i h p-oposition to sell
a electric light plant to the city,
conference was held in the direct
s ™om °f fhe Bank of Marianna
tin ,dneS(,ay afternoon, at which
“me Mr. Couch stated that in view
m the fact that the cltv had decided
m ret * n control 0f the w ater plant
e an i bw a«soc!ates had decided
v v ’Phi be willing to sell the
iry ti, . nFllf I'huit. When asked at
,.l ',r|ce and upon what terms he
nhv i ,hf' won,d epD It for actual
cant*1 Vi'!l|a,’nn n’u« twentv rwr
whi J , soina: val"p fhe basis upon
oich his comnanv bought tbe plant.
niat,‘”' 'van lnf''-nv'11y discussed,
d wiiile H’p coni'ni*ton tn no
W°l'iKion ,f ":,s apparent the mem
oers d t rot tldnk th*s a propitious
e s v1” tn fo»- the
r ’ ’’ o t’’» l’~’’t p--d newer
ditt '' la'°r when con
or" bocomc more nearly normal
INTERESTING LETTER
FROM T. B. FREEMAN
marianna boy at camp pike
thinks war will last sev
eral YEARS AND THAT 5,000.000
MEN WILL BE NEEDED.
Bennett Freeman, head of the Free
man stores in .Marianna and Blythe
ville, now serving in the army at
Camp Pike, has written the following
interesting letter to a friend in Ma
rianna:
While I enjoy thinking of home
and the people there, I am not sorry
that I am not there now, when our
country needs men so badly. In my
op'nion the war will last for several
years and at least 5.000,000 men will
be needed to defeat the Germans.
I am trying to make arrangements
now so that every man in my em
ploy can be ready to go when the
call comes. To do that it will he
necessarj for me to employ older
men with families who cannot go.
Every single man should go before
a married man with a family is
asked to serve.
While the majority of the men
here are patriotic and willing to
serve their country, it is deplorable
to notice that there are many who
do not hold a spark of loyalty and
complain of the camp life and are
not ashamed to proclaim that they
want to get out and go home.
I destroytd, just yesterday, the
affidavits of a man who married in
August and was trying to get out
on the grounds of a dependent wife.
We had another man who said he
was a busines man and had no time
to be fooling his time away in the
army. He finally got discharged on
the grounds of ‘‘physical disability”
and it was a good riddance to the
government, but we gave him plenty
of kitchen duty while he was with
us.
The government is providing well
tin . 1 t. C 1 t • .
inn iuuu in w uuir*
some and plentiful, the barracks clean
and well heated and in time they
will have plenty of clothes. In my
opinion, none of the men in the can
tonments will leave for France be
fore spring, but by then they will
be well trained.
Ever since I have been here I
have been an acting non-commission
ed officer. First, a corporal for a
few days, and then acting first ser
geant. None of us have our war
rants yet, but our appointment car
ries with it the same authority as
if we had our warrants. I have also
been called upon to do quite a bit
of work at headquarters of our regi
ment, which gives me a good inside
view as to the workings of the paper
work of our army.
My duties keep me busy all the
time. Sometimes I work nearly all
night, and frequently run right over
meal time. Whenever our major
says that a certain amount of work
must be out at a certain time, it
must be out regardless of what else
happens. However. I enjoy the work
as every new thing done gives one
that much more knowledge of things
military.
I hope to get a little time to
come home some time soon and see
all you folks. So far. the time has
not come when 1 could turn loose
and leave. 1 have plenty of nrivi
legos hut no time to take advantage
of them.
ST. FRANCIS OFFICE
SEEKERS GET BUSY
KINDLE FIRE UNDER POLITICAL
POT WITH EARLY ANNOUNCE
MENTS—LEE COUNTY CANDI
DATES SEEMINGLY SHY.
The pilitlcians in St. Francis coun
ty have kindled a fire under tlie po
litical pot and have started the cam
paign for nominations to he made in
the democratic primary election in
May. 191S. The Forrest City papers
contain the following political an
nouncements:
For county judge. James L. Scott;
' V J ■ tIMIIII t » H I IV, ilWMM UM
sheriff. Geo. P. Taylor: for assessor.
Lol A. Ellis, E. A. Altman, John M.
Nichols: for treasurer. Jas. M. Gil
liam.
So far no one has announced for
office in Lee county. It in assumed
Judge J. A. Plummer, C'rouit Clerk
Guy Apple. County Clerk E. VY. Kint;,
Sheriff Arthur ('otter, Treasurer VY.
W. Word and Assessor Bob Lindsey
will all be candidates for reelection.
Doddridge McCulloch and W. A.
Ell’ott, who represented Lee county
In the last general assembly, have
not indicated whether they would
he candidates for reelfict'on. Senator
VY. L. Ward, who represents this
senatorial district in the state senate,
's a hold over.
-u—
Fifteen members of the Sunday
school o>hss taught by Mrs. James
B. Cray in tho Methodist church in
England have enl'sied in the army
and navy, since tho war began.
the natter will be taken up with the
con'pan v and if pubpc sentiment
fen-ns to favor municipal ownership
of the light and power plant a move
np-t v'il be 'a-'vch'd t" form an
In nrovement district for the nnrpose
of issuing bonds and aciuiring the
property.
MARY PICKFORD PRESENTS AMBULANCE TO AMERICAN ARMY
Photo shows Miss Mary Pickford turning over her ambulance to the j
Red f'rosB, represented by First Lieut. Henry Woodward. Miss Pickford I
has already placed an order for a second ambulance and has asked a i
number of photo play stars each to contribute an ambulance and provide
for its maintenance in France.
HARRIS AND BURKE
BUY A BIG FARM
LOCAL FIRM PURCHASES 1,040
ACRES IN TEXAS TOWNSHIP,
FOR $60,000—TO WORK PLACE
NEXT YEAR.
W. P. Harris and F. N. Burke, com
prising he general mercantile firm
of Harris & Burke, who not only
operate a large store in Marianna
but who operate several large plan
tations, have just closed a deal with
Miss Virginia Gillhara of Alton, 111.,
for the purchase of 1,040 acres of
land in Texas township, known as the
Chap Harris and Morris Jones places,
located about six miles northwest of
Marianna, the consideration being
$60,000. With the exception of a
very small portion of the land, the
tracts are in a high state of cultiva
tion. There are twenty-nine houses
on the plantation, which is regarded
as one of the best pieces of farm
land in Lee county. Messrs. Harris
& Burke own the sixteenth section
between Aubrey and Oak Forrest and
recently purchased from R. D. Jar
ratt a tract of 720 acres that joins
their sixteenth sect on farm. These
tracts with the 1,040 acres just pur
chased from Miss Gillham give them
I two exceptionally fine plantations.
! It is their purpose to clear up all land
| not now in cultivation and to highly
! develop all their property, putting it
in cultivation just as fast as the
' land is cleared.
-o
DUNCAN BROWN DEAD
j Duncan Brown, one of the best
■ known citisens of Marianna, died on
' Tuesday morning about two thirty
I o’clock and was buried that afternoon
in Cedar Heights Cemetery. Funeral
services were conducted at the resi
dence of. Mr. and Mrs. George Ptlk
ington by Rev. W. K. Johnston,
pastor or the Presbyterian church
Mr. Brown was a native of Colum
bia. Tenn. He came to Marianna
about twenty-nine years ago He n «•!
served as deputy circuit clerk, as
justice of the peace for Independence
township, and for several years had
Iceen one of the office deputies In
the sheriff's office. He volunteered
his services to the government dur
ing the Spanish-American war. and
was encamped at ("hickamauga with
the Arkansas troops. He was n
brother of the late Hon. Jas. P.
Brown, one of the ablest lawvers in
this section of Arkansas. He was an
uncle of Mesdatnes. D. S. Plummer.
Oeo. Pilkington and .lov iiardawa- of
this city. Mr. Brown had t>ee» 111
for several months and during the
oast two weeks he was confined to
his bed at the home of Mrs. T’ilking
ton.
He was a kind hearted, generous
ntan and numbered his friends by
his acquaintances. His death re
moves a familiar character a-ound
the court house.
I'r. C. P. Brldwell of Malv^-p has
declined the call of the Preshvterian
church of North Little Rock.
WOMEN MAY VOTE
IN ANY PRIMARY
ONLY REQUIREMENT IS THAT
THEY PAY POLL TAX, SAYS
ARBUCKLE. POLL TAX MAY
BECOME DELINQUENT.
Little Rock. Nov. 4.—Women may
vote in any primary election, accord
ing to Attorney General J. I). Ar
bucklc, whether the primary is non-.
partisan or not. Mr. Arbuckle made i
this plain yesterday in a letter to!
Representative Carl Held of Fort |
Smith, who asked for an official opin
ion 'n view of the divergency of
view* in Fort Smith, where a city:
primary election will be held No-1
vemher 13. Under the commission
form of government the city primary
in Fort Smith is non partisan.
In reply. Attorney General Ar
buckle quoted extracts from the suf
frage act and said, in part:
•'You note that the act grants the i
r ght of suffrage to women in any'
primary election, under the laws of I
this state, and hence women should
be allowed to vote in your coming
primary election to select candidates |
for city offices.
"I note thut you say some people
say. women can vote in primary;
elections and some say they cannot. I
There may be some question as to
whether or not the act is entirely
in accordance with the constitut'on
o the state, but it is the policy of
tltis office when an act has been
nasseil which clearlv exnreses the
Intention of the legislature, unless
such an act is absolutely void on its
face on account of incompatibility
with tlie provisions of the constitu
tion. to hold such act constitutional
and thereby leave to the Supreme
Court the matter of passing on the
const iutlonality of the act.
In the opinion of this office,
therefore, women holding poll tax
receipts which have been issued not
later 'han the Saturday before the
fii>r Monday in July. 1917, should
he a’lowed to vote in your coming
primary election. In regard to the
IKilI taxes of women becoming delin
quent. these taxes can now become
delinquer: the same as those of
men as the law has been in effect
n sufficient length of time for women
to know the time in which these
taxes must be paid and must be
assessed."
I*. I.. Quick of Seeley. Cal., was
in Yell-Hie last week when a rain
fell. Me said It was the first rain
fall he had seen within eight years.
Mr Quick lives in an arid country
where cr«p fa'lures are unknown lie
cause all farm lands are Irrigated.
!T""b idsbv of Kur’ i’ ’' uf'ered
’ idiv Injured Vue® a ‘ v e when
a hors0 he was v d'ng -in wav and
threw hint aga nst a tree, livery ef
fort to relieve the injury failed and
a few days ago it was necessary to
amputate the injured leg between
the hp and the knee
COMPARATIVE COTTON STATEMENT
IJ. K. Clarkson, manager of the Marianna Cotton Compress
Company. Ims furnished th*' Courier-Index with the following com
parative cotton statement covering the past seven years including
this season, tin to November 7 of each year. The last column gives
total receipts for the seasons- 1
Season Receipts Shipments Stock Total receipts
i!ttM2 7 031 4.03* 2.945 14.133 ;!
191‘*.12 « i7S 3 780 3 198 14.377
191.,-’i 7.214 3.771 3.4*3 20 932 !
191415 ‘>27 ^ 913 5.414 17.144 !
1
HOW OUR SOLDIERS
SIOOD FIRST TEST
OUTNUMBERED FIVE TO ONE, AT
TACKED IN DARKNESS, THEY
FOUGHT HAND TO HAND WITH
GERMAN TROOPS.
With the American Army in the
Trenches, Nov. 6 -When this dis
patch arrives the United States will
have known that the Germans have
raided our trenches, killing three,
wounding five and capturing 12
Americans. Americans will know
that as war goes it was a small and
unimportant affair. But they should
know certa'n other things that the
army here knows.
The raid has been exceedingly
valuable to us. Aside from the fact
that we have had ^jur first taste of
real fighting, we know that our
troops are the real thing, possessed
of the finest courage and fighting
ability. And we know from our own
experience what sort of enemy we
are fighting. As for our soldiers,
they are splendid. The absolute
truth is that fewer than 40 Ameri
cans were attacked by 210 Germans
after being pounded for half an hour
by intense shell fire that pounded the
trenches in many places.
But these forty put up a game
Mt A .. A 1 f A _1
win uij ui nnioiitnuoi i/utiuiiQ
in the darkness, outnumbered five to
one. Though we had losses, so did
the Germans.
The Americans fought them every
m'nute, using rifles, grenades, bay
onets and revolvers, and there were
incidents such as should thrill the
United States with pride from the
Atlantic to the Pacific.
There was one soldier from East
St. Louis who was buried for hours
by a shell explosion, while another
man from Kansas, laboring to dig his
comrade out, was knocked down
three times by shell concussions, but
kept on digging even when ordered
into a dugout by his lieutenant.
Kept on digging until he was finally
joined by his comrade and the two
worked until they got out the man.
The Lieutenant was knocked down
five times by shell concussions as
he labored bes'de the Kansan. He
is now in the hospital in a serious
condition.
There was a sergeant from Michi
gan who was wounded by shrapnel
and shot through the arm, but kept
on bayoneting Germans as they came
until he fainted from the loss of
blood.
Another man. shot is the arm and
leg. the instant he left his dugout,
losing his rifle when he fell, drew
his revolver and killed two Germans.
These foes were so close their uni
forms were powder burned.
And these were new troops, many
of whom first learned ‘squads right"
a few months ago. and had never
been under fire before. They were
mostly just kids.
As the officers who went out with
them said “Well may we be proud
of them. They stood the test and'
left an example for those who fol
low'.” There is no doubt that the
Germans very carefully planned the
whole affa’r. Beginning at 2:5n
o'clock Saturday morning the Ger
mans laid a “box barrage" on a
small sector of our line. Box bar
rage is shell fire not only on the
support lines to prevent reinforce
ments. but also to the right and left
of the sector selected, thus complete
ly isolating the defenders, so our 40
men were penned in completely.
The the Germans came across No
Man’s Land, concealed by the driv
ing rain and pitcli darkness Reach
ing our liar bed wire they wrecked
*t at two places with heavy explo
sive charges and came through the
lanes thus created. In our trenches
tile bombardment had done consider
able damage. But our men, though
they had only been there a few hours
unaccustomed to the position, waited
in the dugouts letting the shells do
their worst until the German tn'an
try arrived. As they dashed out of
shelter they found the trenches In
darkness with Germans vaulting Into
the ditches flourlsh'ng long hladed
knives, clubs, grenades and revolvers.
Then began a fierce man to man
struggle in the darkness. Though
half stunned hv the bombardment
and greatly outnumbered the Ameri
cans were fighting superbly.
It was so dark that our men had
to wait lint*1 right on fop of their
adversaries, as otherwise friend
could not he distinguished from foe.
f'onolod with ihe sf-angem-ss of the
trenches was the fact that thev knew
the barrage had cut off all hope of
help.
The Germans managed to over
power and get awav with 12 men.
a sergeant. cor|*oral and 1ft men
the frst American prisoners they
have captured.
We have reason to believe that the
'merlcan counter barrage enpght thp
Germans in their wav hack to their
♦rnrch»s. so that they didn’t get off
scot-free
Regret though we ma the lo s of
oor men. it was a valuable bit of ex
perience the Germans have given
os '• Volt we eonld have gained in
«o other wav.
We a"» past the y h de>nic stage
f’-a'n’ng and are now an army
«"hich has become a fiehtme force,
'■'iehtiog carr'es with it just such
♦hings as th's.
The hie thing is that we made a
•'mod fight and showed that later we
•iCtt otpt-o p hotte’- ope. 'These n-ep
•• t,r, **•>ye their all that night will
he honored as thev deserve to be
honored here ana back home.
J. SHAUL PURCHASES
VACCARO BUILDING
PAYS $8,000 FOR BUSINESS STRUC
TURE TO BE OCCUPIED BV
MRS. L. SHAUL—GAMBRELL A
COMPANY TO MOVE.
Jacob Shaul yesterday closed k
deal with Gazzola Vaccaro if Forrest
City, for the purchase of the brick
store building on Fast Main street
now occupied by L. Wilenzick, the
| consideration being $8.ft00. As soon
i as Mr. Wilenzick vacates the build
| ing the structure will be remodeled
! and will be occupied by Mrs. L. Shaul
1 with her stock of general merchan
dise. The brick building on thk
southwest corner of Main and Pop
lar that has been occupied by thk
ShauIs for 37 years, is owned bf
W. H Newborn. He has leased It
to G. F. Gamorell & Co., who ark
l now In business on North Poplar
street. The Newbern building will
be improved with the Installation Of
a modern front, wdth large displaj
windows in front and on the sidk.
Gambrell * Co. expect to occupy thk
building immediately after the firat
of January.
Mr. Wilenzick has not yet decided
where he will be located after hk
leaves his present quarters.
**•*
Construction work on the large two
story automobile sales building and
garage of the Marianna Motor Co.
was started this week. Estes Vf,
Mann, architect and supervisor, ik
superintendirg the "ork and Edward
G'uI.ma* /.f <« k
J. W. Fielder lias the contract for thO
concrete work. The building is being
erected on the Shorten lot opposite
the Raptlst church.
• •**
Work has been started on Pugll
Govan’s modern bungalow on the Go*
van lot immediately east of JudgO
E. D. Robertson’s home on East Msttt
street. »
The Vaeearo building on East Main
street purchased yesterday by J.
Shaul, was erected more than thirty
years ago by Mr. Shaul and JulittO
Lesser. Mr. Shaul will have the
building remodeled and a new front
put in.
Estes W. Mann has drawn thO
plans for the remodeling of the At*
t k'ns building, recently vacated by
Hugh i^eary. The building has been
leased by the Freeman store. A
modern plateglass front, with coppof
setting and tiled entrance, will bO
put in. A large balcony will be on#
of the features of the Interior im*
proveinents. When completed thO
store will be one of the most modern
in Mar<anna and will be occupied by
the Freeman variet'* stock.
---o
WOMEN SHOULD SIGN
FOOD PLEDGE CARDS
FOOD ADMINISTRATOR FOR ARK*
ANSAS NOT SATISFIED WITH
RETURNS—ALL SHOULD JOIN
CONSERVATION MOVEMENT.
Hemp Williams, state food admin
istrator. Is disappointed at the poor
showing Lee county has made in tbo
matter of signing pledge cards to
conserve food. He does not believe
the people realize the seriousness of
th" sltuat'on—the necessity for co
operation with the food administra
tion forces for the elimination of
wuste and the conservation of food
products. The pledge card does not
force one to do without the things
necessary to susta'n life. It does not
even demand that all luxuries be
dispensed with, but It does seek to
band all the people together In the
common cause of f«>od conservation
and the use of desirable substitute!
for certain products that the govern
ment needs for the use of the army.
In a letter addressed to Houston
Potts of this city, Mr Williams saya:
“While It is true the canmalgn
closed the *th we are not going to
•quit.' You understand there are a
great many people who have not had
an opportunity of signing plodgd
cards that will be deligiiter to do so,
and we propose to give the delin
quents a chance to come In We also
want to know those who refuse to
sign after having had the nvittar
projierly explained to them Befom
this wa- Is over we are going to
know who it Is that Is disloyal and
unpatriotic, and among them we as
pect to find the 'traitors ' ”
Mrs C E Daggett, president of *h!
County Federal Ion of Community
Clubs. Is deeply interested in induc
ing the women of I .-■>« county to sign
the pledge cards, and It Is pro'able
a campaign will be put on to secure
signatures.
-o—~ -
James Gammon saw n flock of
wild geese al'ghf in a rice P^id p-ar
DeWftf He sltpoed up on them pnd
when th«v saw him the uffe s»-ed
to rfse. hut t"o bet ■ w snUsfdst In
the ht-avv rice and he cstight tlmm
with his hands
fn the.-e fe "rish knl'tlng dig!,
the editors of Kansu- a <• un'-eraal
in their enw of Goner lb of
Concordia. who has a wooden leg
ard can d-j-'t the ’■ in one sock
with print Bitro a Gazette.