The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-29
BILLING ASSETS
 ID BE SOLD SOON  Committee Named to AppraiSe Mineral and Farm Lands FIGHT ENDS IN BALDWIN Judge Brown Revokes Fines and Prison Sentences of Sheriff Arm
 strong and Clerk Voltz.
 Other News.
FIGHT ENDS IN BALDWIN

 It is remarkable that of TIP creditors only $40 have filed proved claims. These repre- sent about $375, 900.
 There was d meeting of representatives of a majority of the creditors at the office of Referee Stratton this morning. at which W. w Crawford. Joseph F. Johnson and w. W. Willoughby, all of Birmingham, were appointed to appraise 2o.14O acres of mineral and other lands in North Alabama belonging to the estate. This will take some time, and will be the most important service to be rem dered prior to the sale.
 In the meantime Trustee H. c. David- son of this city is busy looking into number of details that have to be worked out in the winding up of the very ex- tended estate and the settlement with the large number of creditors.
 Last of Fight
 The last of the fight in Baldiwn coun- ty over the location of the court house. by which Bay Mnette. where the court house is now, defeated Daphne, the old time seat of government. was made pub lie last evening when Judge Samuel D. Brown of the circuit court revoked the fines and prison sentences of Sheriff Arm- strong and Clerk Voltz. These two of ficers had refused to have records on hand and serve in their capacities in court term called at Daphne. In conse- quence Judge Brown put a number of fines and jail sentences upon them.
 This will likely be the end of the fight in this county, one that at one time al most went to the point of civil war. The people of Daphne became so angry at their county friends at Bay Mnette that a posse was organized to go over and take the county records by force. However cooler heads prevailed.
 Examining Teachers.
 The first examinations for teachers of the public schools of the state for the new year will take place next Monday, the first day of the month and the year. The time will extend over three days. Examiner W. F. Feagin of the depart ment of education has been busy several days sending out the lists of questions to county superintendents who will not be allowed to open them until the day  back of the envelopes.
 There are at present held in the state 77S certificates to teach school, besides the fact that in many of the city school dis- tricts teachers take the local examlna- tions and are not forced to have state authority Of this number about one seventh hold first grade certificates, while the balance are divided between second and third grade. There are of this number about $50 teachers at work, leaving about 200 at other service which is more remunerative. During the present year there were 5150 schools in the rural communities, which did not take in the city and separate districts.
 During the present year there are 67s,- 07o children of school age in the state. though the average attendance will not exceed one-third of that amount. The fund for these little ones Is s1,Os5,O63, with $l75,s97 to come in addition in the thir- ty-three counties which have levied the special tax.
 New Railraod.
 Montgomery is greatly interested in the probability of getting another railroad which is now looked upon almost a certainty The Vanderbilt Lumber and Southwestern Railway company, has be- gun work for a survey from Hopewell in Cleburne county, to this city, making line 150 miles long to pass through fine section of country and to develop timber resources. There are some of the largest bodies Of timber In the south on the proposed line.
 This movement has lent additional in- terest to the effort of Congressman Wiley to get half a million for the Alabama river He has asked for that amount in five years, s100,000 year. and with some show of being gratifled The fact that 1t is needed ot meet the constantly growing tao att-N uI piN m more help.
 This railroad company wants to get It's | finished lumber to Montgomery to float down the river to the sea and the road is projected for that service more than to build rail line for general traffic. Good Convict Contract. l The best convict contract ever made in the south possibly. certainly in Ala bama, has just been closed by the state in the leasing of fifty men to A. B. Steele | & Co., of Atlanta. to be worked in lum- Der mills at Dothan. Ala. The price IS 1 s3O net This is received by the state l over and above all expenses, and the state appoints the guards and warden and dictates the policy of management The next best contract to this is to some turpentine contractors which nets the 1 state s26 per month each.
 ] Steele & Co are owners and operators of several enterprises in the south In | addition to the mill work at Dothan they are building a railroad from Dothan to | St. Andrews Bay, Fla. They wanted the men to meet the competition so stiff now in the lumber trade. The product of the l mills is in great demand and there is every effort to get it. Free labor has proven so unreliable that the mills have been forced to pay high prices for the | convicts.
 The contract made today with Steele 6s Co. runs three years.
 Committees Named. | The following committees of the Ala bama Library association were an- nounced by the president, Dr. Thomas M. | owen, this afternoon:
 1 Travelling Library Committee = Dr. | Thomas M. Owen, chairman ex-offcio; Miss Rosa Steiner. Miss F.. F. Andrews, Mrs Eliza M. Little, Miss Dolly Kirk, Miss Laura NJ. Elmore. Mir. Armstead Brown, all of Montgomery. 1 Library Extension--Dr. Clarence ]. Owens, Anniston chairman; Mrs. Kate M. Jarvis, Selma; Prof. s. A. Ellis, Blr- mingham; George w. Jones, Mobile: Miss Taccoa Cozart, Montgomery: c. ". Daugette. Jacksonville: George w Dun can. Auburn.
 School Libraries-Miss Lulie Jones. Flor | ence. chairman: Miss Frances Higgins, | Selma; Prof. w. c. Blasingame East l Lake.
 Memoirs-Prof Joel C. Du Bose, Biz [ mlngham, chairman; Miss Mary N.