The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-20
COMER AND PARTY
 VISIT MADISON Met At Huntsville By Brass
 Band SASSAFRAS OIL PLANT pr. A. s. Allen Is Fined $50 and Costs On the Charge of Committing An Assault With Weapon On
 John Tanning.
SASSAFRAS OIL PLANT

Huntsville, March 19-(special)-A monster public reception and welcome was rendered Gov. B. B. Conner. superin- tendent of Education Gunnels and Au- ditor Brandon, members of the state high school locating board this after noon at the Elks' theatre. The citizens here are all of the opinion that the county high school should be located here and they were determined by their en- thusiasm to impress the fact upon the visiting officials.
 Governor Conner and party passed through this city yesterday afternoon and went to New Market and Meridian vile where sites were offered for the proposed school. A committee of citizens of Huntsville, headed by Mayor Smith went up to Meridianville today and re- turned with the party and when they ap- preached the city limits they were met by brass band and escorted up town.
 The morning was spent in the inspec- tion of proposed school sites. Several handsome offers have been made and the City Council has backed the proposi- tion by an offer of $500 per year toward the maintenance of the school.
 The governor and party left late in the afternoon for Gurley and from there will go to Scottsboro.
 A large plant for the dstillation of sassafras oil is being established in this county near Monrovia by the American Extract and Vinegar company. Several car loads of machinery have been re- ceIved here and hauled out to the To- calty and the plant will be in operation within the next few days. The new enterprise will use all of the sassafras root that can be obtained and it will furnish a market for thing that can be found here in abundance and has never before been worth gathering.
 Dr. A. S. Allen of New Market plead guilty in the law and equity court to the charge of committing an assault with a weapon on John Tanning and was fined $50 and costs, which was paid. The case was compromise, charge of as Sault with intent to murder having been withdrawn. Dr. Allen shot MT Banning at New Market last year and for long time 1t was believed that the wounded man would die Dr. Allen spent con siderable time in jail. The cause of the shooting has never been explained.
 w. L. Humphrey, manager of the Elk theatre, and George Overrocker, elec- trician of the Edisonia, have leased Casino park for the approaching season and will install first class line of amuse- ments. The new management will give the park and pavilion a thorough over hauling and will have 1t ready for open ing on May 1.
 Joseph S. Drlscoll, a well known farmer and citizen of Morgan county, died yes terday at his home near Getup after a lingering illness with stomach trouble. His widow and eight children survive him.
 From 12,O00 to 15,0O0 acres of farm land in Madison county have been leased dur ing the last few weeks to agents for two oil companies that intend to develop this field. Both companies expect to begin sinking wells when they have secured 10000 acres each, it is said. and in some sections of the country there is some eX- citement over the matter.
 A syndicate of English capitalists and at least one other concern are now talk ing an unusual interest in this section and their agents are expected here soon to be- gin taking options on lands