The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-21
Information is Secured About
 Alabama Railroads
HUNDLEYS APPOINTMENTS
Matter Is Causing Considerable Dis. cusslon at State CapitaI-BasebaIl Muddle In Montgomery Re.
 vewed-corporations.
BY HERvEY w. LAIRD.


 hearings before the state board of as- sessment at the capitol this week have brought out a number of interesting t--iLgs about the Alabama railroads in particular and the Alabama valuations in general It has also seemed to bring out evidence of determntion on the part of the state officers to play the tax hear ings against the litigation that is pend ing in the United States court, with a view to getting at every expression of the common carriers with regard to their values
 It developed first in the case of the Atlantic Coast Line, which was given in la t year at sl5,000 mile for taxes and placed at $31 900 a mile in the papers in cou resisting the application of the new rate laws. Governor Conner asked Col. A. A. Wiley, attorney for the road. if h. expected the tax rate to be placed at th;-t figure. He replied that he could if he saw fit. That that was the value plS ed on the property and that at that figure the road could not earn any sort of reasonable returns on it's money.
 Perhaps the most interesting feature of tho hearings was the fact that the rail lines had secured abstracts of values both tax and commercial, in every county in the state, for given month of last year. IT, these it was shown that the other property is assessed at 40 or 50 per cent of It's real value. while that of the rail- ro.-1s ie at more than 50 per cent now. W hat effect this will have on the final values to be placed on the property is problematica1.
 Those Court Officers.
 e evident intention of Judge O.. R. Hundley, the new United States court jidge, in the northern district. to ap- point his court. officers. has been the subject of speculation about the capital cit and the government building for tho past week. along with the prospect of the confirmation of the new jurist, which now seems not only possible but likely. It is a straight tip that Hundley will name every officer of the four branches of the court, all of which amounts to fully $37,0 a year
 The contention has been that Judge Thomas G. Jones, the judge of the a judge of the northern district, will take a hand in the appointn- ent removal of the men in the offices. However. this may be. it is quite well established that the removals will take place and that tn, new men will get the good jobs Tho pieces include a clerk at Birmingham, ons at Huntsville and deputies at Tusca- loosa and Annlston, four referees, that of Birmingham earning $l0Gao a year, and a dozen or so commissioners. These ap- pointments will be made within the next week 1t is understood, and one of the leading men in the party in the state is to be the Birmingham clerk.
 Baseball Contention.
 I.obert J. Chambers. the president of the Montgomery Baseball club. is getting all the adx cruising that is coming to him, it seems. He jumped on Percy Whiting of the Atlanta Georgian Friday for say ing that Montgomery is likely to lose the franchise and today he lights on Bill Smith, the Atlanta manager, like a duck on June bug. because the latter talked rather ugly to Umpire Rim at the park Frilay afternoon.
 Those who know Chambers believe that he has only the best for the sport at heart. He has found that the persistent reports that the team Is going to lose it's place has hurt the business end of the situation. many who might be willing to help holding back for fear there Is so nething in the stories. He has also beei. charged by the public with keep ing order at the park It is known that thIs is the duty of the umpire but when the umpire falls to do 1t he has had 1t put up to him that it is his duty.
 There were disgraceful scenes more than once on Southern league grounds last year. in one of which, for bad talk. Montgomery lost not only a good ball player. but manager as well, and on more than one occasion Manager Mulla- ney was disciplined for bad behavior. These acts made the sport dangerous for ladies and Chambers took it with the promise that order would be kept He is trying to keep his promise.
 Chambers has lived in Montgomery practically all his life. is one of it's most popular citizens and successful business men, As head of a two-million dollar corporation. he has made good. He may make mistakes, but they are in the line of what he thinks the best for all.
 Wilson and Tom Martin.
 The many friends of Massey Wilson, for four years attorney general of the state, and of Thomas W. Martin, his as- sistant. will learn with pleasure that the two have formed a partnership for the practice of the law at Montgom- cry, and that they will occupy the offices of the late Speaker w. L. Martin, recent ly deceased. It Is of interest to note that MT. Martin served MT. Wilson in the state office for four years, and that he is now in the same place with Attorney General Garber at s3O0 year more money. MT. Wilson has been i'll for sev- eral months, and is only now getting so he can work. However, he seems to have entirely recovered. a thing his friends almost lost hope for. for while
 Another feature of the situation is that MT. Martin. who is engaged with the attorney general in the defense of the railroad suits against the state. will have tne advice of Mir Wilson. who is regard in the state, and has had extensive experience in construing acts of the leg islature in their relation to just con ditions as well as to each other He served far more than a real appren- ticeship after the last session of the leg islature in the many enactments which not stand the test of the courts.
 Mir. Martin is a leading man at the bar though only few years past his Insurance litigation, with re- gard to the failure of the Atlanta-Bir- mingham Insurance company, he has been pitted against older men but car ried his points well. The death of his father has placed him at the head of the family, duty he has taken up with that determination that has won him sue cess in business.
 Good for Education.
 The results in the betterment of school sentiment folio wing the conference for education in the south. at Pinehurst, N. C., week ago. being seen, and 1t is confidently expected that in short time there will be more school houses going up and more sentiment for local support than has ever been known In the