The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-24
ATHENS POLITICS.
Two Tickets Out, for the First Time In
 Many Years.

Athens, March 22.-(Special )-For the first time in a number of years there are two municipal tickets in the field for Athens, and the interest, while not very much aroused yet. will be pretty lively before the third day of April. There are two candidates for Mayor, Mitchell Russell and Col. Merit K. Clements, and there are two tick cts for Aldermen. One was nominated at a, caucus and the other was put on by petition. The question of making known the receipts and disbursements of the town will enter into the race. There are a large number of people of Athens who think that the City Coun- cil should publish a monthly or quar- terly statement of the city dispensary. and let the people of the town know what their whiskey establishment is paying, and this never having been done has brought about the question of two boards There is a disposition growing to make the city dispensary support a large public school. such as Is supported by other towns of the State. and this is most likely to enter into the next campaign in this county. Also a live issue Is that of dividing the profits of the dispensary between the town and county and turning all tho revenue Into the educational fund.
 cuu6 ihS IT tue ISe tmpunI OI fertilizer that is being ha,ied from Athens by the farmers of this county. they have not entered very heartily in- to the movement to lessen the area of cotton, for the quantity Is as great If not greater this year than usual. and evinces a desire upon the part of the farmer to raise cotton and buy hay and meat. The farmers who have been holding their cotton have been turn ing it loose the past week and the streets of Athens have resembled the busy season in the midst of cotton sell ing time. The farmers though having lost heavily by their holding are as usual thing in good spirits and are talking of the next crop and hoping for good prices.
 The members of the Baptist Church in this place have called Rev. J. War ren Bates to the pastorate. He was here this week and preached for them twice and gave entire satisfaction. and he was extended a unanimous call by the congregation. which he has under advisement and 1t Is believed he will accept He halls from Macon. Ga. and is a man of splendid educational at- tainments and a genial gentleman. He is a comparatively young man and has a fine field here The congregation Is small but 1t has recently completed one of the handsomest little churches m Ine oldlC anu lAS COHS C5 AS growing.
 The local telephone company in this place, owned by Eugene Horton, has been sold to the Bell Telephone Com pany, and the new company will take charge at once, just as soon as the City Council ratifies the franchise as transferred by Mir. Horton to the new owners. The local system was put up a few years ago, has grown to be one
 d extended its lines in almost every di- rection. reaching almost every section of the county. and a new line eighteen miles in length is now being construct ed. The Bell people, 1t Is understood. will put in a new board and greatly add to and enlarge the plant, making it the equal of the larger cities. MT. Horton retires from the business to de- vote himself to his stock ranch. which is growing to be one of the largest in the county.
 A fight that come near resulting dis astrously occurred between two women at the cotton factory north of this place a few evenings since, when one woman hit another on the head with bar of iron, producing a serious and danger ous wound. The wounded woman ran a boarding house and the affray arose over the effort of the woman who welded the Iron bar trying 10 peat heE board bill. 1t is alleged The landlady held to the baggage of the boarder. and as a result the fight and injury fol- lowed
 The great question of union or non- union of the. Presbyterian churches of the country was discussed from both standpoints by the elders of the Pres byterian congregation at meeting held for that purpose few evenings since at the Presbyterian Church In this place and after full and free discus sion of the question by the leading men of the congregation, a vote was taken and the question of union car ried by a vote of about two to one. This enables the representatives of this congregation to know how to vote at the next regular meeting of the Pres byterys