The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-21
MAY RAISE DALLAS
 TAXABLE VALUES State Commissioners Meet With the County Board BOULDER IS UNVEILED Monument Is Dedicated to the Mem ory of Heroes of the confederacy.
 The Ceremonies Are
 Impressive.

Selma, April % 2O-(Special. )-'Raise Dal- las taxable values to within 60 per cent of their market values or else"--, is the sum and substance of the meeting of two of the state tax commissioners with the court of county revenue today.
 Judge Mitchell, chairman of the com mission, and Mir. Powell, one of the as- sociates, were present. Col. Harvey Jones being absent Judge Mitchell talked pleasantly enough, cracked an occasional joke or related an amusing experience, was Chesterfield in manner and deferen- tial to a marked degree, but the "hand of iron in the glove of velvet" was percepti- be enough and the Dallas county authori- ties were firmly made to understand that the valuations must be capitalized and raised. In reply to a query as 10 about what would be expected, Judge Mitchell stated that with Dallas valuation now at SlOO00,OcO and with an agreement among all of the board, the tax assessor and the tax commissioner that the present valua- tions were not 40 per cent of the market value, if the raises in Dallas approxi- mated about s5,OoO,OOO it would be unneces- sary for the state commission to return to this county
 It must not be o..derstood that the above was given out as an ipse dixit, or in the manner cold type portrays, but it Is the sum and substance of the meeting held here today and is about the same as marked the visit to Mobile few days ago. It was something of a surprise to the state commission to learn that there had not been a tax sale in Dallas county for twelve or more years, and this was about tho only surprise they found. That farm lands are given in for about a third of their value and city property for about 40 per cent was found to be the rule here, as elsewhere. and to persuade the county commissioners to raise these amounts considerable, was the mission of the state officials, and they were not backward about saying so. The message" as they themselves termed it, was given sugar. coated enough and interspersed with panygerics on Dallas patriotism and good citizenship and remark as to having both senators from Alabama in the United States Senate and the prominence of the county in official circles, but the pill was there, and be it said to Dallas officials credit it will be taken without a grimace, with the comforting knowl- edge that the dose is necessary.
 Boulder Unveiled.
 A large concourse of the citizens of Selma were led by the good women who compose the. local chapter of the Daugh- ters of the Confedracy to sacred spot of ground yesterday and beautiful exer- cses were held in honor of the heroes of the long ago. As the sun emerged from the clouds that had obscured 1t all day it's rays fell upon an assemblage of people at a spot on the Range Line road that was far different from that they fell upon that sad day in 1865. The Daughters of the Confectionery, ladies of the Memorial association, Confederate Veterans. men, women and children, were yesterday occu- pying the angle in the earthworlSs which in 1865 was manned by the brave and de- termined volunteers who had gone forth to help the heroic few of Forests command defend the city of Selma.
 For many years the line of fortif1ca- tions around this city marked in an un- mistakable manner the line of battle that was formed to resist Wilson in his deter mined effort to capture this city. These works were built of the dirt dug from the line and being of soft, sandy soil they have gradually been washed away, and In many instances plowed over until all that is now left of them are few angles and salents which were erected for batteries It has long been a cherished project with some of the women of the city to com memorate the valor of those who fell in the defense of Selma by some memorial that would resist the decay of time and stand as a testimonial of the love in which the memory of the heroes has all ways been held by the people of this city
 This plan appealing as it did to the patriotism of the people of the city met with hearty and ready assistance. Vol untary subscriptions were collected in sufficient amount to purchase the me- morial and Messrs R. IT. and W. c. Agee cheerfully dedicated the ground upon which it was desired to place 1t.
 Exercises interesting.
 The exercises yesterday were interest ing and instructive. Standing upon the mound where the boulder is placed the eye could take in the arc of the old fortifcatio and it could be easily seen that this city would have been almost impregrable with even a small force to man the works. As the sun came from behind the clouds at 4:3O o'clock, Rev J. c. Caldwell raised his hand for at tention and the large assemblage of citi- zens reverently bowed their heads as he invoked the blessing of God upon the occasion and the spirit and motives which prompted it. At the conclusion of the prayer Hon. A. D. Pitts delivered the memorial address His remarks received the closest attention throughout and were frequently interrupted by hearty applause Nil. Pitts spoke of the Confederate sol dier and his glorious record and then tol. the story of the battle of Selma, paying high tribute to the men who gave their lives in what they knew was hopeless struggle but who preferred death to seeing their homes invaded with out a blow being struck In their defense. A copy of this speech will be filed in the public library where the children of the city can refer to it when they study the history of the battle of Selma. At the conclusion of the address Miss Maud Hooper, a granddaughter of MT. Robert philrot laa faIl In, ALA