The Tupelo journal., 1905-07-21
MISSISSIPPI MATTERS

or the crop is small and greatly in
need of dry weather and cultivation.
In some sections cotton Is turning vel
low as a result of excessive rains.
There is considerable complaint OF
scarcity of labor, especially in the del
ia. Some improvement in cotton is
reported from a few southern coun-
ties, but 1t has become evident that
more fields will have to be abandoned.
AS q rule corn has continued to i'm
prove, and young cor is quite prom
Using ove a considerable portion of
the State. but much in need of cult
walton. Some young corn on lowlands
has been drowned out. Old corn is
maturing south, but will give only a
fair yield. Peas, potatoes. meadows
and pastures are doing we'll. Sugar
are plentiful south, but generally poor
north"
Henry McManus, Hiram Aldridge,
Hiram Kent, Emmett McManus, Will
Kent, A. Adams. H. Hunt, j. Aldridge,
Will and Jack Norris and Will Har-
ward, all citizens of Franklin county,
were before United States Commits
sioner Moseley at Jackson last week
on indictments brought at the last
term of the Federal Court charging
whitecapping. They were placed under
bond of 1000 each. each going on the
bond of the other, as all of them were
able to qualify for this amount, after
which they were released and returned
home. At the last term of the court
about 800 persons were indicted for
whitecapping. all of them being resi-
dents of Franklin county. All but six
ty of them have been arrested and
have given bond for their appearance
at the next term of the United States
Court to be held in November.
The Supreme Court, in the case of
the Alabama e Vicksburg Railroad
VS.. Grigsby Thomas, he'd that the third
mortgage bonds of the old Vicksburg
& Meridian Railway, amounting to
81, 900, 600, were not valid. Those
bonds were issued in 1880, and were a
third mortgage on the property of the
road. In 1889 the road defaulted on
the payment of it's interest on the sec
ond mortgage bonds, and the bond
holders went into the Federal Court,
and a sale of the road was ordered,
this taking place in 1889. Under this
sale enough was realized to pay the
first and second mortgage bonds. but
the third mortgage bonds were
paid. At this sale all of the property
Of the road passed into the hands OF
parties who W the Alabama &
vicksburg road, which was organized
as the of the Vicksburg &
Meridian road.
Experienced oil men are preparing
to bore for oil near Wesson. PrOmi-
nent Wasson parties who have had
some experience in other oil fields are
convinced that there is oil near that
place. 1t is stated that some years
ago the Mississippi Mills dug for an
artesian we'll, getting down 1920 feet,
when they struck rock and had to
abandon the well. 1t is said the rock
they struck was %oil-bearing rock, and
IL they had ~persevered that they would
have brought in an oil well. The deal
to interest experienced parties in the
proposition has been on for some time,
and has now been closed up. The pip
ing has been ordered. and as soon as
it is on the ground the work of dig
ging the well will begin.
The Alabama & vicksburg road has
served notice on the Railroad Commits
sion of an appeal to the United States
Supreme Court in the celebrated
Vicksburg- Meridian grain rate cas- re-
Gently decided by the State Supreme
Court, wherein the railroad was or
dered to establish a fiat rate of 81
cents per 100 on grain and grain prod
ucts from Vicksburg to Meridian. The
appeal, of course, delays the enforce
ment of the Supreme Court mandate
requiring the railroad company to pro
mulgate the rate. and also has an i'm
portant bearing on the effort to secure
similar rates from Grcenville to towns
in the Aberdeen group.
The Southern Express Company and
the American Express Company have
been cited to appear at the regular
August meeting of the State Railroad
Commission and show why the
assessment of their property should
not be revised. The commission has
collected evidence through municipal
tax assessors indicating thst these
two companies have not made satisfac-
tory returns of their property for as
sessment.
The personal assessment roll OF
Union county shows the handsome
increase of $231s405 over that of last
year, the total valuation of personal
property in the county being 1868 .695.
This county has shown a remarkable
increase in tax values, and since 1903
the assessed value of personal prop
erty in that county has almost doubled.
A farmers institute is to be held at
Mount Olive on August l. and will be
conducted under the auspices OF the
Agricultural and Mechanical College.
The schedule of farmers Institutes
now being prepared by the Agricultural
and Mechanical College officials will
distribute these@institutes all over the
State.
The fire record for the month of July
will not be large, according to the re-
ports being received by Commissioners
Cole. There have, been two big fires
this month. one at Crystal Springs
and the other at Meridian. The loss
ratio in the State since last January
has been above the average, but not
as high as the year before, and while
the companies will make some money
this year, the amount of net profit will
not be very large. Last year the COM
panies were hit harder than any year
in which they have been doing bust
ness in the State, and many of them