The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-12-28
TROUBLE ABOUT
NEW JUDGESHIP
Democrats Fear HundIey Will
Get the Plum
OFFICIAL is BADLY NEEDED
Central of Georgia Wins Interesting
Case In City Court of Montgomery.
Fire Destroys Stock
of Whisky.
OFFICIAL IS BADLY NEEDED
BY HERVEY w. LAIRD.

Montgomery. December z-(Special)-
There is trouble about the establishment
of a new federal jud-eship in Alabama,
and the reason is said to be the pre-
sumption that if created the appointment
will be given to Hon. Oscar Hundley
erstwhile democrat and recent convert to
republicanism.
The story goes that some of the Ala
bama congressman are holding back their
approval of the proposition for fear
Hundley will be named. Mr.. Hundley was
In Montgomery yesterday and is report
ed to have talked the matter over with
Charles Scott. one of the referees of the
President, and put him wise" on where
the opposition was to be found
There is no question about the need of
the additional Judge. The present force
can not possibly do the work. The Ala
bama Bar association, at its meeting In
Montgomery last summer, passed reso-
luton urging congress to give the new
judge. 1t is reported that the main trou-
BILE is the fear that Hundley will get the
honor.
Hundley was a member of the Alabama
senate from Madison county, elected as
democrat, when he went to the republic
can party He was called upon by his
democratic constituents to resign blu. he
refused to do so and served his term out. |
He has been very active IN Alabama re-
publican circles and made number of
speeches for the ticket in close states dur
ing the recent campaign.
Central Wins Case.
The Central Railway of Georgia wins |
in a suit against the State of Alabama. |
The city court of Montgomery has de- |
cided that the road is not liable to the |
state license of $1,000 placed upon the |
sleeping car companies operating over the |
lines of the commonwealth. This decision |
is an adjustment of controversy exist
ing for long time. The Central of Geor- |
gia operates it's own seepers, not using |
those of the Pullman or other companies. |
1t was contended that the road was liable |
not only for the railroad license but for |
sleepers as well. The money was put in |
the hands of the treasurer and suit |
brought in friendly way to recover it |
on the ground that the payment for the |
read proper covered sleeping cars also. |
The court has held with the road. The |
case will be taken to the supreme court |
for final decision in order that there |
may be no controversy in the future.
Costly Blaze.
Fire destroyed much of the stock of |
j. c. Booth. grocer and whisky dealer, |
on Commerce street last night The loss |
will be about $4,000 The insurance Is !
not up to the loss, but it will be pretty |
we'll covered. The fire was in what Is
known as the wholesale block and for |
some time a number of the best build
1ngs of the city were threatened. Booth |
was burned out some time ago at another
place. He says he cannot account for the |
blaze, as there had been no fire in that
part of the store where the fire originated. |
The building was owned by ]. F. Gay and |
was well insured.
ovens History Plan.
Thomas M. Owen, director of the Ala
bama department of archives and his |
tory, who left here yesterday for Chi |
cago, will present to the meeting of the |
American Historical association the Ala
bama plan for the preservation of the |
history of the state. This plan org- |
mated with Dr. Owen, and contemplates
that the state shall, by a paid officer |
and regular department gather, file |
and list all the historical facts of the |
state and keep them In such way as they |
Will be of the greatest use to the people. |
The only other plan now In use is that |
large appropriation to the STATE Histor- |
zeal association, and through this pre-
serves and properly files the historical |
matter of the state. The Mississippi de-
partment was modelled after that of Ala
bama, and several other states expect to |
adopt it.
Compromise Probable.
The long drawn-out shortage case of
John Case former tax collector of Mo- i
bile county, will no doubt be settled next |
Thursday, when a conference of all the
parties interested will be held here. The
first examination of the state examiner
showed a shortage OF $S90S 81. The exam
liner for the surety company making the
bond showed much less than this. and the
state examiner was sent back, as the
governor said he did not want an injustice
done. At this second trip a book was
found, not in evidence the first time
which recorded a number of Attachments
This reduced the shortage to between
$500 and $1,000, with interest from July l.
1900 1t is quite likely that compromise
will lbe reached Thursday by which about
$500 will settle the claim.
Old Fort Morgan Guns.
There will pass through the city this
week one of the historic old guns of Fort
Morgan, now obsolete which did duty so
long during the trouble between the
states. These guns have been taken up
and moved to Mobile, where all but one
will be mounted as curiosity.
That one will be shipped to Tennessee
for one of the G. A. r. camps and will be
mounted and preserved The guns were
originally ten-inch smooth bore but were
converted into eight-inch rifles by the
federal government by the Insertion of
a steel tube. They weigh 1880 pounds
each and are interesting samples of the
old time engines of destruction. -Four of
these old guns remain at Fort Morgan
and are used for saluting.
viii Again Use Elevator.
The grain business will receive a new
impetus in the restoration to service of
the big grain elevator on the upper Mo-
bile and Ohio docks at Mobile. Vice
President e. L. Russell OF the Mobile and
Ohio, has given 1t out that contract
has been made to put 1t back to service.
F'itzhugh & Williams Of Vicksburg. Miss,
have gained control of the elevator. 1t
will be put in first class shape and given
a capacity of 100000 bushels of grain.
A dryer will be put in and this will be
o. great benefit says Colonel Russell, to
the trade. This improvement will cost
large sum.