The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-21
Granferd Would Favor General
 Repeating Act
TRADE FOR BIRMINGHAM
Frank V. Evans Suggests That Ten nessee Towns Get Better Rates Into Walker County Than Brming-
 ham-News of Jasper.
By FRANK V. EVANS.


 Jasper, February 2O.-(Special.) 1.-The os. tensible purpose of Governor Conner to call a special session of the legislature does not meet with general disapproval in this county. While the average intel ligent taxpayer objects to the burden of expense he expresses the belief that it would prove an economical stroke to undo much that the present legislature has done and make an entirely new start.
 Representative Cranford of this coun- ty was heard to say that he might favor an extra session to pass a general repeal ing law of all acts passed by the last session.
 The movement in Birmingham to draw or induce trade to that city to which her merchants and manufacturers seem naturally entitled is attracting some at tention and consideration in this imme- diate section. It is a well-known fact that Memphis and Nashville flood the towns of even so near a county to Br- mingham as Walker and results are seen in the shipment of goods from the Ten nessee cities to these towns. An investi- gation of the cause of this successful competition with Birmingham is worthy of thought. Is 1t freight rates? Is it better terms and lower prices of com modties? Is it an absence of the invit- Ing hand of Birmingham, or the energy of her business men? Of course it would be natural for Alabamians to give prefer ence to Birmingham. especially this sec | ton of Alabama, which is close enough to boast of close kinship with Alabama S greatest city. The new Business Men 8 league of Birmingham would perhaps do well to study out this proposition.
 The records of the probate judges office of Walker county show that double the number of mortgages were filed in this county in January, 1909, to the number filed in 1906; and that each year the num- Der increases. Your correspondent in- quired as to the cause of this and was informed by an observant man that 1t did not necessarily mean hard times or increased indebtedness "In the first place." said he, many of these mort gages are for part payment on land transfers and many of them are given by farmers who prefer to borrow ready money and pay cash for goods to the old plan of having supplies furnished them by merchants at the former high credit prices. The new plan works better for all parties concerned"
 The promised visit of J. s. B. Thomp- son and other railroad officials to Jas per next Thursday is attracting much interest here, as such visit inspires hope that this town is to receive some relief in the matter of depot accommodations, and better schedules on the Northern Alabama railroad. Perhaps no town in the south touched by three grand trunk railroads suffers so much from poor pas senGer depot arrangements as does Jas per and certainly none has such poor schedules afforded as the Northern Ala bama gives to the people along this end of the line. Persons from the southern or southwestern part of the county, who must come to the county seat over the Southern, can only reach Jasper at 690 D. m, and must remain over night and until 4:30 p. m next day. Passengers from the northern part of the county can come and spend just two hours in Jasper late in the afternoon. And morning news papers less than zen hours old are not obtainable along the line of this pe- culiarly arranged branch railroad of the Southern.
 Walker county is an excellent mission field just now for work by some strong and vigorous apostle of good roads. The people here have their eyes wide open to the importance of improved highways They have been stimulated by the move- ment in Jefferson, Tuscaloosa and Blount The the trouble seems to be that they do not organize. The county commissioners have been so taken up with the building of the splendid new courthouse and the payment therefore without issuing bonds that they do not seem to realize the importance and necessity of making g. move toward modern road construction
 While Senator BanlIhead was spending his recess here at his Jasper home he aroused much interest on this subject but our people seem to be waiting ac- ton by the state and federal govern ments; whereas they should go to work for themselves and thereby gain en- couragement from these sources.
 There are eight banking institutions in Walker county, three of which are To- cated in Jasper, Of these there is only one national bank. All have recently pub lished their sworn statements, and they show healthfu condition, notwithstanding the talk of hard times. While many of the coal mines of the county are run ming on short time, there is evidence of recuperating industry and business and it is confidently expected that the early spring months will show a general re- vival along all business lines The lum- Der mills of Walker county are unusually busy-the Manchester company running double shift
 The supreme court having affirmed the decision of Walker county, in the case of T. l.. Long Vs. the County Commis- sioners. in the matter of the contract for construction of the courthouse, that much discussed case is finally dismissed from the dockets.
 The effect of this decision is that the right and duty of the commissioners were clearly performed in awarding all con- tracts and ordering payment for same and the county auditor must now ap- prove accounts and the probate judge is- sue the warrants for the contracts
 The commissioners court will now go on making improvements and completely fitting up the courthouse. They will at once contract for inside blinds for all windows and will place linoleum on the floors of the upper court rooms
 Work of improving the grounds is pro- gressing as rapidly as the weather will permit.
 Gardening promises to receive unusual attention in Walker county this year The truck and fruit growers of this section especially around Oakman, have met with marked success for several years and this fact has stimulated the people to go forward with the industry With Bir- close by trucking should prove immense toal in