The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-22

for such libraries, of which ,s12 500 has
been expended; thzt 15~01zlfbfafies hare
been provided for and 1859 established
ThasY97 counties haxeyDne or morespcs-
Libraries. That % purties have the
full number, eighteen of such libfares.1
No county is without a library. For
Supplementary libraries the state has
appropriated 5000 Of which 81 .035 has
been. expended. A thousand supple
mentary libraries have been provided
for and 207 established, e6 Of the coun-
ties having one or more of these and 81
counties having none. 1t is. reported
that 107~ libraries have been establish
edZ without state aid. The total mum
Der Of libraries in the rural schools in
the state Is 1885: The total expendi-
ture for1Ebraries, exclusive of private
aid, is s40,875, and the total number OF
volumes is, liz, 208. The state gives one
third. s19, the county a like sum and,
the school district the same +1~
The folder. BY. the state board Of ag-
riculture Is in great request The FIRST
edition is. of 20, 900 copies and these are
being sent all over the north west, in
various ways. = L~- !
No one hear appears to Know what
course may. be taken by the state text
book commission in regard to the adop-
ton of text books this year: The COM
mission meets July 1st.z 1t will have to
adopt all text books except ID. agricul-
Ature, since about two years ago it adop-
ted the excellent work, frAgriculture
for Beginners which has about three
years to run, all adoptions being for a
period of FIVE years Several other
books by North Carolinians will be
submitted, including the grammar by
Professor Smith of Chapel Hill and a
spelleT2by Professor Shipp Of Enfield,
as. wei. las, the new -child's history Of
the state by Professor d. H. Hill, of the
Agricultural and Mechanical college.
Mention has been made. of the fact
that. Secretary of State Grimes had
filed a petition before the corporation
commission ITO reduce the Bell Tele-
phone rates on long distance messages.
The corporation commission has serv-
ed the necessary papers on the Bell
company, which is given thirty days TO
file an answer. The petition applies to
the whole state. At present there are
I no rates fixed blythe commission. The
railway. commission, which ceased to
exist in 1899 when the present COM
mission was created did fix. rates. but
these ceased with the expiration Of the
railway commission. This is the first
time that any petition has been, filed
with the corporation commission ASK
ing that rates be made. The commits
sion has abundance of power to make
rates underlthe law which ereatedH.
II The state authorizes tIleGfeat Pee
Dee Electric and Power Company, with
headquarters at NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. g
it's name to. the Rockin gfhaIdsIP Power
t.Company.-a 1t is the purpose of the
Company to develop water power &on
The PeeDee rWEr. "s #s&f@ 81
At~thec, office Of tbs, adjutant general
it is learned that hota many discharges
f2of enlisted nansiasttte nattpnaliguard
/ are now beingffled. Some Qfthe com
panies are close to the minimum num-
Der of mes Observation-Disclosures
sgs,enIHistEmen ~esxGsSgsds slightly the dis
charges" ghert arg "a godz1nany rein
misunderstanding lis yet known as to
the encampment dates and a good deal
of interest is expressed regarding that
matter by the 1000 national. guards
men. ...,.-. 1870
United States District Attorney Har.
ry SkinnerIn no longer has his office al
Raleigh, his headquarters now being al
Greenville his home town. His former
rooms are taken by Judge Purnell ano
his stenographer, while Judge Pur'
nelPs old quarters are occupied by the
assistant and second, assistant district