The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-17
DALLAS FARMERS NAME DELEGATES Bad Weather Prevents Many
 from Attending NEE TING HELD IN SELMA City Officials In Atlanta to Look Into Feasibility of Having Paid Fire
 Department In That
 City.
MEETING HELD IN SELMA

ton growers of Dallas county met in con- yention at the court house today in ac- cordance with the plan formulated as the result of the New Orleans convention. Quite number of precincts were repre- scented and others would have been but for the miserable weather and the bad condition of the roads. Delegates from one Of the precincts were in the city, but mstook the hour of meeting and did not reach the court house until an adjourn ment had been taken. This was Marion Junction precinct, perhaps the most en- thusiastic part of the county in the mat ter of reducing acreage and commercial fertilizer. MT. M. F. Smith, one of the delegates, has in his possession an agree ment signed by every cotton grower, white and black. in the precinct, pledging himself to reduce the acreage from 20 to % per cent and to use no commercial fertilizer at all under cotton. Each of the siSners donated 25 cents to help defray the expenses of the organization. On the list are the names of sixteen negro farmers and these signed as willingly and gave their 25 cents as cherefully as did the whites.
 The convention was organized by calling Hon. J. F. Burns to the chair and mak- ing MT. J. B. Ellis secretary. It was de- clded to send four delegates to Montgom- cry to the state convention to represent Dallas, and D. B. Edwards. c. Kirkpat rick, John b. Tate and R. D. Berry were selected. By motion unanimously car- ried Hon. John F. Burns was added to the list of delegates.
 Resolutions endorsing the action of the New Orleans convention were passed and pledging Dallas county to the plan of re- duction of the acreage and waiting for 10 cents before selling cotton.
 City Officials In Atlanta.
 Mayor Atkins, Councilman Norris and Superintendent of the Water Company Worrel1 spent yesterday in Atlanta con ferring with the Southeastern Tariff asso- citation and inspecting the fire depart ment of that city with view to estab- fishing a paid fire department in Selma. If the tariff association will put Selma in the second-class a paid department will be established and upon the report made by these officials upon their return will greatly depend the future action along this line.
 On Trial for His Life. Two capital cases were called in the city court this morning, but the case ! against Henry McIlwain and Callie Mar tin, charged with arson, was continued until the next term of court The two negroes are charged with burning the house of Miss Maggie Blair. near Valley Creek church about year ago. The case against Sam Williams l charging him with the murder of Joe Quarles, was taken up and a jury se- cured. The evidence was then begun. Quarles was killed in his cabin near Pleasant Hill about year ago and sus- picion fell upon Williams.
 Plckwick Clubs Affair.
 The Piekwick club gave a most de- lightful affair last night at the Hotel Albert After the arrival of the guests Loves Message Contest was begun. telegraph blank was handed each lady and gentleman, and attached to it was an advertisement out of some mag azine The contest was to make up a ten-word valentine message from the words found in the advertisement. The prizes were awarded Miss Florrie Sterne and MT. Leo Maas. The judges had a difficult time in making up their decision | there being so many excellent messages composed.
 Basketball Game. | Probably the most interesting game of Dasket pail ever witnessed Tn Selma was played at the Y. M. c. A. last night be- tween the Howard college and Y. M. c. A. teams. The college boys came to Selma expecting an easy victory as they l had found at Scottsboro and other points, but when the first half ended in score of ten to ten the audience of about 150 people was in an uproar and the visitors seemed somewhat uneasy. The second half started out in about the same en- thuslasm and was a tie up to about the last five minutes. when the Y. M. c. A. boys began to show signs of weakening while the college team played hard to the end and gained the victory by a score of 19 to 13
 Howard college could not have sent a more splendid set of representatives than these young men, who have proven them selves to be perfect gentlemen, and who made many warm friends while here.