The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-23
NEW COAL MINE.
Alabama Steel and Wire Company
 Strike Rich Vein.

Gadsden. Aug 22.-(Special. IA new coal mine has been opened up at Az toona by the Alabama Steel and Wire Company, which promises to be the best one yet opened up by this company Tn that section. The vein Is five feet thick at the opening and is growing larger as it goes farther in. The vein Is east of the Underwood property. and also east of Altoona Valley. The mine expert says that the new mine will prove to be the very best in the State, while the quality of the coal cannot be excelled. This seam of coal is in the 0adsden district.
 W. H. Poe died at his home near Fort Payne a few days since at the advanced age of s2 years. Mir. Poe had been III for only two weeks when death claimed him. Mir Poe was a pioneer citizen Of DeKalb County, having moved to that county when there were only three families of white people living between wauhatchie and Attalla.
 The steamer Alabama. which carried an excursion from Baskin's ferry to the locks had an accident on the return trip when near Keeiing's Island, some four miles below Gadsden. A valve In the boiler blowed out and created con- siderable excitement among the excur- sionists, and scalding a little girl about the face and hands but not seriously 4 negro deck hand became frightened and fearing that the boat would sink jumped Into the river and attempted to swim the river but sank to the bottom. The boat was repaired and continued on tn etrip.
 Leroy c. Harding. the wildcat banker. who started banks at Attalla, Fort Payne and Clooinsville, about eighteen months ago, and who skipped with all the moneys of the three banks after operating them a few months. and who later was arrested and convicted for obtaining money under false pretense in Hamilton County, Ohio. and who is now serving a term in the United States prison, is seeking a pardon. In an in- terview with a reporter Harding says: My home Is in Florida and know noth- ing more about this Blazer case than what I learned after my first arrest, Until brought here under arrest l had never been in Ohio. l am doing tune for some one else and I hope to get pardon" At the time Harding blowed the bank at Viaduct, Fla, he was known as Blazer, and 1t was this last lob that put the detectives on his track. He is a desperate man. He has never been tried on the bank wreeking cases but will when his term expires in the Ohio prison.
 l.. S. Gray, postmaster at Attalla, has rendered his resignation as postmas- ter to the authorities in Washington. after a service of eight years It Is stated that there was some trouble be- tween the Department and MT. Gray, which led to his rendering his resigna- ton which was accepted. He will re- main in charge until his successor is appointed There are already three applicants for the place, John J. Ste phens, J. c. Brasher and J. H. Wesson, but 1t is generally conceded that John J. Stephens, who Is brHher or Post master Stephens, of Gadsden, will re- cefve the plum. The Attalla office Is a presidential one and pays a good salary
 The B B. s. Grocery Company of At talIa, which does a wholesale business. will open up their main office in this city on the lst of September, with w. H. Burnett in charge, but they will continue to operate a branch office in AttaIIa. This gives Gadsden five whole sale grocery firms.
 During the month of July the Ala hama Car Service Association report shows that the railroads entering Gads- den. Alabama City and Attalla handled 4.4S9 cars, as follows: In Gadsden. l.. and N, S66; A. G. S.. 1.162; Southern I2s; N. C. and St. L.. 31; Chattanooga Southern, 33. a total of 2,2s7. In Ala hama City, L.. and N, 604; A. G. S., 793; Southern. Al; N. c. and St. l-' i, a total of 1850. In Attalla the l.. and N. handled 4; A. G: S.. 2Sl south ern, 15; N. c. and St, L.. 2. total of 3O2' At Keener the A. G. s. handled SS2 cars of iron ore. In the lime dis trIct across the Coosa River from Gads- den the l.. and N. did good business. handling 215 cars, 5S at Cobb City, l26 at LaRarde and 31 at Rock Springs.
 Altoona, the new mining town on the T. and N Is on a boom and the post oftica fs a fair index of what Is being done The present fixtures have grown foo small for the business of the office and as a consequence Postmaster R. D. standfield came to Gadsden today and n,,rcbased from ex-Postmaster w. s. GtandIfer the old fixtures of the Gads- den postofice which MT. Standiter had on his hand when the city was made free delivery office and all the old fix tures were discarded. MT. Standfeld savs Altoona Is growing rapidly and new people are moving In daily.