The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-10-16

which is now being driven through the
Blue Ridge section in this state near
Marion a the road is open n in op-
Grafton from Johnston City, TIM. ID
Altapass in Mitchell county in this
state, a distance of about > miles
There are Il tunnels through the
ridge, one OF these, named in honor OF
Governor Vance being completed.
Thousands of men are doing the tun-
nelling, the work being extremely
heavy. very costly and Of a very high
type of engineering and construction.
In one mountain there are two tun-
nels very close together.
= Secretary Thomas B.. Parker Of the
State Cotton Growers Association
came down from Hillsboro today and
says ice and heavy frosts made them
selves felt there. Speaking about cot
ton and injury by frost he said the lat
ter would reduce the top crop, as ii is
called, all the way 10 the gulf. He
added that there was really no top
crop in North Carolina this season and
that tee grow I'll was about ended be-
fore the frost came anyway. Secre-
tary Parker went on to speak about
the yield of lint cotton this year and
said it was probably the poorest he
had ever known. The reports to him
show that this compliant Is general
throughout the North Carolina cotton
belt.
Announcement has been made that
President Harvie Jordan of the South
ern Cotton Growers Association will
deliver an address here on the 18th
irCf 1otfpr from him IN Editor
Clarence H. Poe OF the Progressive
Farmer says that he cannot come on
that date because Of conflict with the
Georgia state fair for which he has
previously been booked, but hat he
will be here on the 18th inst and asks
hat the date be changed. He says
hat he will be accompanied by Presi-
dent E. D. Smith of the South Carolina
division of the association and Presi-
dent S. A. Witherspoon of the MisSis-
sippi division.
Raleigh Lodge No. 735 OF the order
Of Eiks will hold memorial day exar-
cises, Sunday November 2, the annual
address to be delivered by General w.
w. Handron of Tuscaloosa, Ala. Gen
eraf Brandon is a very attractive
speaker and is very prominent IN mill
tary and political circles in Alabama,
, having commanded a regiment during
the wal with Spain, being now adju-
tant general of his state and having
recently been nominated by the demo-
Gratis for auditor over three opponents.
He has been district deputy of the
Elks for Alabama and last year deliv-
cred an admirable annual address be-
fore the lodge at Birmingham.
The aldermen of this city have had
before them for about a year the
question of either buyiC" the present
water works system winch is privately
owned or constructing a new one.
There have been differences as to the
price Of the present plant The time has
nearly expired within which the city
can purchase it. The price named by
the company has been considered too
high by the city.
Always heretofore there have been
thousands of people at the State fair
grounds the Sunday before the fair,
the fakirs, coming in Saturday after
noon and Sunday and working that
day. This time the management will
shut down on the Sunday business and
allow no work whatever to be done in
: side the grounds and also forbid the
selling Of soft drinks and lunches
there