The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-07
RIVER RATE WAR
 IS BIG PROBLEM
State Appears 10 Be Helpless
 In the Matter
DOG BITES BLIND MAS TER
Man Was Carrying Animal To Vet erinarian When He Goes Mad and Bites Master Whom He
 Had Led About Streets.

Montgomery, May e.-(speclal )-There is a merry old war on the rivers of the state, and where it will end Is a story that the shippers would like to have tad The Birmingham and Gulf Navigation company has cut rates to Selma and Montgomery to head off the Stapleton company of Mobile, which was putting in a boat and when this was done the Sta pleton did not go on, instead issuing a notice that 1t would lay up until such time as the legal Alabama rates are re- stored
 The outlook is that In the end there will be general demoralization on the two streams out of Mobile, the Alabama md the Tombigbee, for the reason that the state Is in no position to stop the war fare, recognized by all to be bad. both for the shipper and the boatmen. There was belief that no rates were reduced between Montgomery and Mobile but on Inquiry 1t was said by the president of the Birmingham and Gulf Navigation company that the rates to Selma would apply also to Montgomery.
 Pitiabie Case.
 Blind Slocomb, as he Is called. whose nome is in Mobile, presents one of the most pitiable cases that has come to the notice of the public Unable to see, he was led about the streets by dog. The dog became i'll and the master took him in his arms to carry him to the veterinarian. On the way a policeman saw that the an imal was mad and tried to kill him, strik- ing him with his club. The dog fell and. before the blind man could get out of the way, bit him in the leg.
 Slocomb was brought to Montgomery to the Pasteur department of the state health office to be treated for rabies his 1 dog in the meantime being killed, having been found to be mad. He bought here another dog and is trying to make his liv- ing selling pencils, being led about the streets as before by the dog. He Is given as much attention as if he had thousands the state department seeing to his ills and the Salvation Army helping out his financial difficulties. He will soon be out of the hands of the treatment, at which time he will have a new dog trained to lead him about the streets.
 1 Must Keep Values Up. The state tax commission has notified county tax assessors that wherever raises have been made in tax valuessin the past ] there is no authority to lower them if the property remains the same that 1t 1 was at the time of the said raise. It is noted that the law provides that "the val nations fixed by the court last year, or by agreement with the county tax com missioner, shall be the valuations for the present year. provided the property re- mains substantially in the same condition as to Improvements" The law Is then quoted in full for the information of as- sessors.
 l Lannon's Shortage.
 State Examiner Purifoy has made re- port on the books of J. M. Lannon's ab- l sconding superintendent of education in Geneva county, who has gone to South | America, so far as the state officers can | tell. The details of the examination will | not be made public until Gov. B. B. Co., mer who has gone to Birmingham, comes back to his office. Lammons is thought to have been about ss500 short when he left. He left many teachers unpaid and his books in rather tangled condition but 1t has been comparatively easy to get at the amounts that are due. The bond company will be cited to make good as soon as the papers are all made up.
 For Prohibition.
 After expressing regret that prohibition has not been as well received in cities as it should be, the Methodists of the Mont gomery district In conference on Thurs day adopted resolutions to the effect that the laws have worked wonders in the re- duction of the drinking habit, that it has reduced the sale of liquors to a remarka- ble degree and in a general way made good It is urged that pastors preach 1T the interest of the enforcement of the laws and that every moral aid be giver the officers to support the statutes. Go l ernor Conner and the legislature are com mended for friendship to prohibition laws
 Alabama News Notes.
 Thomas Tinney has been appointed min, examiner, with residence at Hargrove.
 w s. Nicholson of Livingston and B B. Barnes of Eutaw have been appointed trustees of the Livingston normal.
 Jake Wells will erect a five-story of flee building on the lot in front of tn, Grand theatre recently put up at a cos of $35, GOO.
 Rev. J. A. Stokes, pastor of the leadin, negro Baptist church, announces that s50,000 building will be erected entirely b, negroes. A T'uskegee graduate has mad the plans and a negro contractor will d, the work with negro mechanics.
 |
 | ArL.oc,, w,pfc Ra++Iachip