The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-20
PAVING CONTRACT
 DECLARED ILLEGAL
Meridian Will Change Plans fer
 the Streets
GAR SHOPS ABOUT READY
Armour Packing Company Has Estab- lished Building and Repairing Shops In Meridian, Employ
 ing Many Workmen.

Meridian, Miss. March 19.-(Special) News reaching here by wire from Jack son this afternoon that the commission of attorneys appointed to pass on the legality of the contract existing be- tween the city and paving companies for the paving of certain streets, that same was illegal, was received with mingled interest here where the fight for and against the paving for nearly year has been bitterly waged be- tween factions about equally divided in numbers. Mayor Parker made his i campaign against the permanent form of paving adopted by the preceding ad- ministration and will advocate macadam as the material to be used in awarding the new contract.
 The car shops of the Armour Pack ing company, one of the latest acquisi- tions of industrial Meridian, will be ready for active operations within 10 days. Very quietly but very effectively the company, with large force of men, have come to the city and the shops have been erected so rapidly that citi- zens were surprised upon the an- nouncement today that they had been completed and that the machinery was being installed The shops are located on site adjacent to the Mobile and Ohio tracks at the western corporate limits of the city. Fifty skilled car builders and repairers are to be given steady employment and the new indus try is one that Meridian feels proud of. A. B. Chadwick is superintendent of the shops and it was under his per sonal supervision that they have been built
 Capt. John A. Webb of Jackson. member of the Mississippi railroad com mission, spent yesterday in Meridian. He was here for the purpose of inter- viewing shippers with regard to de- murrage with a view to getting up uniform system for interstate business Captain Webb is also a member of a committee appointed by the interstate commerce commission for the same pur- pose which brought him to Meridian. It is hoped to inaugurate a system whereby it will be no trouble in ad- 1usting differences between railroads and shippers.
 Mrs. Eunice M. Lockwood of Crystal Springs was in Meridian yesterday on private business. While here she spoke quite enthusiastically of the silver ser wee that the commission had selected to be presented to the battleship Mississippi She has charge of the ar rangements for the purchase and states that the service will be placed on ex- h1bition in this city at the establish ment of the successful contracting JeWeler just as soon as it is completed by the Philadelphia manufacturers.
 Company D, of Meridian, Second Regi ment Mississippi National Guard. is get ting itself in shape for inspection next Wednesday night by Lieutenant Danforth or the United States army, whose head quarterssare at ? ort McPherson. Atlanta Nightly drills are being held, and it is thought that the company will stand the crilieal test Of the expert army officer with flying colors.
 Following vigorous complaint of con- tracing electricians in Meridian. who have paid a city privilege tax of s25 and state and county tax of $50, that cleo tricians and workmen who had paid no privilege tax at all were doing work il, the city, Mayor Parker announces thai nothing can be done in the matter. pro. Vided the men who are taking work do it themselves, do not employ help, and have no place of business He states that the Mississippi supreme court has already passed on such case and held that such individual employment requires no privi- lege tax.
 Ben Scurlock, the negro who shot q bullet into his brain with a target rifle Wednesday accidentally, died at local hospital
 Mrs Martha Reed, wife of W. A. Reed. died at the family residence at Poplar Springs, q suburb of Meridian, yesterday. Death was due to pneumonia Deceased was seventy-three years old She was an enthusiastic church worker
 pr Jenkins Lloyd Jones of Chicago. editor of Unity, and secretary of the parliament of religion held during the Columbian exposition, lectured before a crowded congregation at Temple Beth Israel tonight.