The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-07-04
TWO Conventions
OF REPUBLICANS
Party Is Split Wide Open in
Hartselle Meeting.
CONTEST TO BE MADE
T.. p. Jennings Heads One of the Con-
! ventions and w. w. Nelson the
Other-Both Elect Delegates
to other Conventions

Decatur, July ESPECIALLY 1.-The mass
meeting of republicans, which convened
in Hartsele yesterday afternoon resulted
In a split of the party in this county. Two
conventions were held and two sets of
delegates were elected to the district and
state conventions and two county execu-
] tive committees were elected. One of the
conventions was headed by E. p Jen-
nings and the other by w. w. Nelson and
the result will be a contest to determine
who Is who.
| Both conventions Endorsed the national
administration and likewise both conven-
tons Endorsed Joseph o. Thompson OF
| Birmingham. state chairman, and P. ID.
Barker of Mobile, national committee
man from Alabama Both conventions
were held in the town hall of Hart
selle. John Knox Walker of Decatur, a
nephew of Congressman Dick Austin OF
Knoxville, Tenn, was elected secretary
of the Nelson convention. In the Nelson
convention were Postmaster William
Moseley of Decatur and Postmaster Will
liam A. Warner of New Decatur, while
in the Jennings convention was Postmas-
ter S. l.. Sheriff. of Hartselle. These
three postmasters were the only federal
officeholders who took part in the con-
vention.
Prior to the meeting of the county
conventions there was a meeting of the
Jennings executive committee held in the
Hartselle postoffice at which a wrangie
came up over the right of this commit
tee naming the temporary organization OF
the Jennings convention, but after some
considerable discussion it was decided
that the committee did not have this
right Therefore the convention elected
e. p. Jennings chairman of the Jennings
convention.
Contrary to expectations the Jennings
convention did not nominate county
ticket nor did they indorse any indie
pendent candidate for county office.
In these conventions were ten appli-
cants for the postofficss of Decatur and
New Decatur. Each one of these ap-
plicants' is of the opinion that he will
be appointed.
There Is again considerable OH eAcile-
ment in this county owing to the fact
that many oil options are being taken
in various parts of the county. Just
who the options are being taken for your
correspondent has been unable to learn,
but it is said they are being taken by
parties from Knoxville Tenn. Neither
can it be learned what they intend to
do with the option.
1t was demonstrated several years ago
that there is oil in this county. AT
Hartselle. Falkville and near Trinity sew
eral wells were sunk several years ago
but the capital behind the movement
was limited and as a result the wells
were put down only few hundred rect.
In all these wells, however, small guam
titv of oil was found. At Hartselle a
considerable amount of gas wa' found
and when lighted it would burn twenty
feet high. Natural gas was also dlscov-
cred in New Decatur, but no efort mas
ever been made to give 1t thorough
test to prove whether or not gas EXISTS
here in paying quantities.
The Fourth of July will be observed in
the Decaturs tomorrow In a fitting way.
| 1t will be Homecoming day Tor the De-
caturs and already a number or FORMER
Decatur people who now reside IN other
states have arrived.
The festivities will ~ommence in the
morning with a parade of about 100 IN
dustrial and business floats. Then there
will be speaking, dancing. barh>cue din
ner, a ball game, races and other amuse-
ments during the day. At Light there
will he dancing and fireworks at Oakland
park.