Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-02-15

y
handled it had made money. The ten.
ants there now never make less than
n bale to the acre, and they are try
ing to get the board to let them stay
there. Go and examine the books and
records of this farm made before they
had any idea OF Offering this place to
the state" said Col Murphy, land
see whether this has been a losing ven
tlre to all who have touched it. as the
governor alleges
Col Murphy said he wanted to sub
NIT an affidavit from Capt. J. 3. Avery.
He had stacks OF them. but this was
the only one he wanted to read On
asking if there was anybody present
who knew Capt Avery, several voices
from the audience replied that they
did. Capt. Avery said that he had
known the Cummins place for thirty
two years 1t was highly situated, had
fine natural drainage, there had new
er been a case Of swamp fever on the
place that he knew Of and the John
son grass was no particular disadvan
tage, in fact. it was his expert
ence that Johnson grass was some ad
vantage. as it held moisture He had
no interest whatever in the purchase Of
a convict farm. He considered that the
state had made very reasonable
trade. and if he could get the convicts,
or any other kind OF labor, he would
give $4,000 for the trade.
Mr.. Self, Dr. Goree and Sheriff
Gould, of Jefferson county, all spoke
in the highest terms Of the farm. Sher-
if Gould had gone Capt Avery $40,-
900 better and said he would give the
state $4,000 for her bargain.
"Now, senators and representatives y
thundered Col. Murphy, 'if you believe
what your governor has said about
the purchase Of this place. it's up to
you to call Sheriff Could" cloud ap
plause).
Col. Murphy again referred to the
statement of the governor to the ef
feet that he told Miller If he would
take no less for the farm, that the
board was going to buy it anyway. "Il
,, your governor was trying to tell the
truth" said Col Murphy, when he
made that statement, then little die
he understand the truth" (Cheers).
The governor wanted to designate a
committee composed of Col. J. F.
Smith, Capt. R. r. Rice and Capt. T
j. Phillips, to examine this farm and
make the purchase. Col Murphy told
him they had no authority to delegate
their duties. He said that they might
avail themselves ct the information
these men possessed, but beyond that
they could not 60 He then wrote to
two of these gentlemen asking about
INC SuhiIiiIio pldCC. IiC "ooiu AhN y
written to Phillips also, but at that
time did not know his address. A few
days later he saw that the governor
had appointed him county judge of
Jefferson county. Then he knew it
would do no good to ask him, for if
the reply did not jingule right, his res
ignation would be asked for. Uaugh-
ter).
Capt Bob Rice was born on the
place adjoining the Cummins place,
and had known it always. He had
farmed it for ten years and had been
all over it repeatedly. He knew it
better than any living man. Rice was
above the reach OF Influence, and had
no interest in any statement that he
might make, except a gentleman's re-
gard for the truth. He said there was
not poor acre on it; it was all good.
There was not better place anywhere
for convict farm. 1t was absolutely
worth twice as much as either OF the
others.
Leo Andrews had been farming all
his life, and had made money. He
had large farm, ard, SO far as John
son grass was concerned, it never
made any difference to him in buy
ing land He found that three years
cultivation would exterminate it com
pletely. Col Dickinson corrob0rates
all that these other gentlemen said
about the Cummins place.