The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-16
MUCH AGITATION
 FOR DISPENSARY Twin Decaturs Are Discussing
 the Proposition BRIDGE IS TO BE BUILT Ii Is Proposed to Establish Dispen- sary and Use the Revenue for Wagon Bridge Across the
 Tennessee River
BRIDGE IS TO BE BUILT

Decatur. January 15.-(Special. )-There is considerable sentiment growing here in favor of the establishment of dis pensary for the two Decaturs, the rev enue therefrom to be divided between the county and the Decaturs. It has been suggested and the suggestion has met with a good deal of favorable comment, that the revenue derived from such a dispensary by the city be placed in sinking fund for the building of a wagon bridge across the Tennessee river here. Such bridge could be built, 1t is said, for sa0o,6O0, or perhaps less. Within few years. it has been estimated, dis pensary would bring in sufficient funds for the building of the bridge and at the same time would be the means of building many more turnpikes throughout the county. The establishment of such a dispensary here is being advocated by some of the local newspapers and by a number of the leading citizens.
 A wagon bridge across the Tennessee river would mean many thousands of dollars of country trade to the Decaturs that is now going to other places. Just across the river from the Decaturs is a vast farming section of country, as fine as is to be found in any part of Alabama This trade is going to other towns be- cause it is very difficult matter for the farmers to get across the river here with heavily loaded wagon, especially in the winter season, when the roads through the river bottoms on the oppo- site side of the river from Decatur are miserable.
 The Decaturs are now making a pull for country trade. For a number of years past country trade here has been very limited on account of there being no fur nishing stores in the Decaturs for farm CTS. This Is being remedies now by the establishment of stores of this character. Hughes X Tidwell are now building a large furnishing store for farmers in New Decatur ,and will be ready for business this season. Other smaller furnishing stores are springing up and strong pull is going to be made for country trade. With a wagon bridge across the river and with these farmers supply houses the Decaturs would soon become to be one of the leading agricultural towns of the state. Decatur has been for some time the third largest cotton center in Alabama, but the cotton re- ceived here Is mostly shipped In by rai and steamer, but little wagon cotton com ing here from the lack of furnishing stores in the past
 "The filing of suits yesterday to the aggregate amount of $2,300, GOO by the cred itors of Knight, Yancey & Co.,, the cotton merchants who failed here for nearly s6,0O00o0 last spring, against the Louis vile and Nashville and the Southern railroads, Is one of the biggest suits ever filed in Alabama, and will mean no end of litigation said lawyer here today Just when these suits will come up for trial is not known at this time. The filing of the suits created quite a stir in court circles. and came. somewhat in the nature of surprise. It is the talk of the Decaturs today.
 Tomorrow the following newly elected county officers will take their oaths of of flee and enter upon the duties of their re- spective offices: Sheriff, Dick McCulloch to succeed Thomas R. Shpp; probate judge, Judge William E. Skeggs, to suc- ceed himself; circuit clerk, Al Blackwell, to succeed James s. Fowler.
 Sheriff Thomas R. Shipp will accept position travelling salesman. James S. Fowler will remain in the circuit clerks office for a while, at least, as deputy clerk. Judge William F. Skeggs has served the county as probate judge for the past 16 years and on tomorrow will commence another term of office
 The New Decatur city council will spend S17000 in the construction of storm sewers. In South New Decatur storm sewer costing $S0c0 will be built and in West New Decatur storm sewer costing S9oO0 will be constructed.
 The New Decatur council au.horized bonds for the payment of the construc- ton of sidewalks in South New Deca- tur. The work was done by Left & Co. and cost the city s11, ,4G5.
 privilege tax of $1o0 a year was placed on the Decatur Water Works com pany.
 The council ordered the collection of one-fourth of the privilege tax from the soft drink stands This tax is $25O year on each one of these places. As there are a number of these soft drink stands in New Decatur this tax will amount to considerable sum of money.
 I. N Austell, a well-known and prom :nent grocery merchant of the firm of Pointer x Austel, died at his home on Ferry street at o'clock this morning atfer long illness. Some months ago MT. Austel had severe stroke of paralysis while seated at his desk in his store on Bank street and had to be car 1ied home. He had never been able to leave his room since. but for awhile inn proved to some extent Last night he had another stroke of paralysis and this resulted in his death few hours later. MT. Austell was a native of Tennessee. He had been in Decatur for the past eight or ten years. He leaves wife and son, aged about three year The ar engagements have not yet been made for the funeral The interment will likely take place here.
 c. C. Johnson, traffic manager of the Southern Bell Telephone company in De- catur has been transferred to Birming- ham, where he will have another posi- ton with the company there. Mr. Penick of Birmingham arrived here yesterday afternoon and will succeed MT. Johnson as traffic manager.
 w. R. Speer. superintendent of the North Alabama Traction company, who had one leg seriously injured by being knocked of of the top of a street car here while doing some work on the trolly wires. is able to be out on the streets on crutches. This is the first time in five weeks that he has been on the streets. For some time he was in a hopital in Nashville.
 Owing to the fact that there remains but a little over two weexs in which to pay poll tax in order to vote in the elections of the present year, many Nor gan county citizens are now crowdlng the collectors office and getting their re- he laxu mol tow