The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-24
FOUGHT A PANTHER.
Party of Decatur Nimrods Have Ex-
 citing Adventure.

| | citing Adventure.
 | Decatur. Sept. 23.-(Special. )-while Icoon- hunting in the Tennessee Rive, bottoms four miles down the river ou
 the opposite side, Chat Noaks, of New IEecatur, and a party of other hun :ers claim that their dogs caught a pan
 ther and after a hard fight with the Idogs the panther escaped. Two of the ldogs were killed in the fight, which lasted a half hour.
 At the point where the panther WIS
 found the country Is quite wild. Dense Ioain brakes. containing many lcreo and wild jungle of underbrush sur
 rounds the country for many miles. Where the panther came from is
 unknown, but for some time, 1t is said
 this panther has been killing the stoc *
 of the farmers in that vicinity.
 A party of hunters left here today
 to hunt for the panther with a large
 number of dogs, in the, hopes of catch . ing 1t. It is believed that the panther
 escaped from some circus, though there
 has not been a circus in this vicinity | for some months.
 James Edwards and J. Douglas
 Scruggs are at Anniston. as delegates
 from the Business Mems League. in
 attendance at the annual State meeting
 of the Alabama Commercial and Indus l trial Association
 | The Business Mems League was only | organized few weeks ago, but 1t has
 already accomplished much for the
 welfare of the city.
 The league Is now figuring on estab- | fishing a ferry across the Tennessee | River and when this Is done they will
 make certain days of the week free to the farmers of Limestone County. The league will also join the farmers of Limestone County in building a good road through the river bottoms on the | north side of the river this road to | reach the ferry. At present the road | through the Tennessee River bottom Is almost impossible.
 The league will also give a free street fair here next month, about the goth. The attractions will be fur
 nished by the Robinson Carnival Com pany.
 The league will also establish free | wagon yard for the farmers who come | to the city.
 J. C.. McWhirter. of Fayetteville, | Tenn. has opened a new undertaking establishment In the c. E. Malone block | in New Decatur.
 New Decatur has passed an ordinance
 making it unlawful for horses and cows | to run at large. The ordinance takes | effect on October 6th. The city has had an ordinance against hogs running at large for some time. The receipts of the New Decatur postoffice during the past few years have increased very materially. At the commencement of Postmaster E. P. Jennings's term of office some seven years ago. the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company paved out | $450 per month for carrying the mail. Now the same service Is costing $365 per year and the gorverment in addi- tion to this is paying $2SO per year for messenger service between Decatur and New Decatur
 New Decatur now has three rural | routes whose carriers are paved $l71 per month, total. This makes &2,269 | per year paid out for mail service in
 New Decatur more than was paid out eight years ago. Besides this the
 salary of the postmaster has been in
 creased from $500 to $1,e00 per year. If the business of the office holds its own New Decatur will have free mall | delivery within a year. Chat Nosks and five friends came
 near being drowned in the Tennessee River yesterday
 They were crossing the river in a skin and when they had reached the
  bottom fell out of the boat By the presence of mind the men all jumped | into the water thus allowing the boat | to turn over and by holding to the side they swan safely into shore Several of them were nearly chilled to death when they reached the bank The Morgan County Telephone Com pany have built a line to Trinity and will extend 1t on to Memphis where they will have connections with the principal cities east of the Mississippi River.
 This company has been doing busi- ness in the Decaturs for the past few years and now have a large business here. They are independent of the Southern Bell Since the location of this company the telephone rates in the Decaturs have been decreased nearly half.
 The North Alabama Traction Com pany are building an electric line to South Highlands, popular resident suburb of New Decatur.
 W. K. Lancaster. formerly of Hunts ville. has opened a brokerage office in the new Jones & Echols block on Bank Street and will do a general brokerage business.
 Chief of Police J. M. Robinson of New Decatur Is attending the meeting
 -E-.- N-