davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
AMERICAN CONCESSIONS in
MEXICO ARE CANCELLED

Washington, Feb. GA decree is
sued by the governor of Aguascalien-
tes cancelling various concessions
held by American smelling concerns
and other foreign interests in that
state has resulted in a protest from
the state department to the Mexican
de facto government. The decree,
designed to increase state and ma
tional revenues, states that the con-
cessions, granted by the former "dic-
tatorial government" were illegal
and in some cases had been secured
by bribery. The state departments
position is that the action of the state
government in arbitrary reversing
the terms of the contracts is unjust.
Protests previously made to Car
rama regarding other DEGREES Of the
state governments have been answer
ed in several cases by the declaration
that they were issued without his
knowledge or consent and that steps
would be taken to correct the situa-
ton.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
KENTUCKY JUDGES EDICT
PERTURBS SOCIETY WOMEN

Madisonville, Ky, Feb. 9.-Society
matrons of Madisonville were per-
turbed today over instructions deliv-
cred to the Hopkins county grand
jury to investigate all bridge parties
and "indict every woman, 10 matter
who she is, if she is caught playing
cards for booty
"The card table is the ruination of
many boys" said Judge Carl Hender-
son, who delivered the charge, "and
that card table is in the home"
He spoke of the influence society
women exercise on the city and di-
rected the jury to stop this terrible
crime
Investigate the society gambling
first and then go after the poor neg
ro and ignorant class of people" was
Judge Henderson's concluding state
ment to the jury.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
SPECIAL PENSION
OF $1,000 A MONTH
PROVIDED FOR WAR VETERANS
OVER 65 in BILL PASSED
BY HOUSE

Washington, Feb. Especial PEN
sions of SO a month each and places
on a roll of honor for former soldiers
who are holders of medals of honor
and over 65 years old are authorized
in a bill introduced by Representa-
tive Sherwood, of Ohio, and passed
today by the House. 1t is estimated
that not more than 1000 veterans
come under the provisions of the
measure.
Another pension bill, designed to
benefit widows of Spanish-American
war volunteers who served more than
ninety days, aroused much discus
sion and finally went over until next
Wednesday without action. 1t would
grant widows whose incomes do not
exceed $3.50 year, pensions of S12 a
month and SO additional for each mi,
nor child, without regard to the
cause of soldiers death.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
MANY VACANCIES
IN LEGISLATURE
SHELBY COUNTY HAS ONLY FOUR
OF DELEGATION OF ELEVEN
QUALIFIED TO SIT

Nashville, Tenn, Feb. 9.-Ten men,
bers of the legislature have resigned
their places in the law-making body
and two others are holding lucrative
state jobs which may disqualify
them from sitting, should an extra
session be called.
Shelby county would be the hardest
hit of any county because out of a
delegation of eleven, only four are
qualified to sit in session. Six mem
bers of the delegation in the house
and one in the senate have city jobs
and according to the provisions OF
the city charter of Memphis would be
disqualified from being legislators
even if they hadn't resigned.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
NOMINATION OF WILSON
To Be UNOPPOSED
THIS PREDICTION EMANATES
FROM CHAIRMAN McCOMBS
OF NATIONAL COMMITTEE.

st. Louis, Feb. 9.-That President
Wilson would be renominated with
out opposition was the concensus of
opinion of members of the su0-cOm'
mittee of the democratic national
committee, who met here yesterday
to arrange details for the democratic
national convention.
The committeeman agreed in ad-
vance of the meeting not to select a
temporary chairman and that task
probably will not be taken up until
May. Senator James A. Reed of
Missouri, however, is being discussed
as a possible choice for temporary
chairman, the committeeman thinking
it would be fitting that the state in
which the convention is held should
furnish the temporary presiding Off
Ger.
The committee met shortly before
noon in executive session and this af-
ternoon inspected the coliseum, con-
sidering desirable alterations.
Robert Ewing, publisher of the
New Orleans States, was appointed
chairman of the press committee for
the convention, and James Preston,
sergeant at arms of the press gallery
of the United States senate, was ap-
pointed vice-chairman.
Chairman CcCombs said to news
paper men that President Wilson
would be renominated and that no
opposition to him had developed in
any quarter.
The committee adopted a resolu-
tion to invite former national COM
mitteemen to attend the convention
as honor guests.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
SEEKING ENDOWMENT FOR
COLLEGE AT MARYVILLE

Maryville, Tenn, Feb. 9.-President
S. T. Wilson of Maryville College has
received notification of the condition
al appropriation made the directors
of Maryville College by the general
education board, at it's meeting re
Gently held at New York, of $4,000
toward the endowment of the institu-
tion. The condition specified by the
general education board is that from
other sources Maryville shall secure
within a specified time, additional
contributions to it's funds, to amount
of $225,O0O, making a total of $780,
900. The general education board in
1907 appropriated $4,000 toward
total of $227,0OO to Maryville's funds.
The effect of this forward fund, as it
was called, was to launch Maryville
on a new career of efficiency and
service.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
TAX PAYERS
HMWH r..v
Of THE COUNTY
FILE BILL IN CHANCERY COURT
AT JONESBORO AGAINST
COUNTY COURT
.ENJOIN JUSTICES FROM
ENFORCING TAX LEVY
OF IS CENTS ON THE 500 MADE
AT JANUARY TERN.

The taxpayers of Washington coun-
| ty are apparently of the opinion that
| their county court acted rather has
tily, and without regard to the stat
utes on governing the workhouse
commission levy or the wishes of the
taxpayers of the county, as they
have filed a bill in chancery court at
Jonesboro enjoining the court from
enforcing the levy made at the Janu-
ary term of the court. The levy was
made at 75c on the 800.
The bill sets forth that the act of
1913 and the acts amending it only
provide for a maximum levy of $1O0
and that the court has heretofore
levied this full amount and therefore
the power of the act is exhausted.
That the act provided for an election
and the court made the levy in spite
of the fact that an election had been
called on the matter on March 18th,
and they did so without awaiting the
result of such election; that the acts
provide that the special levy shall
only be made at the April term of
the court and that the courts at
tempt to make such levy before this
time, is in violation of the statute and
therefore is void; that the title of the
act limits the authority to such levy
only as may be voted by the taxpay-
ers at any election held on the ques-
tion; and that the. provision of the
act that if an election is not held the
court may make the levy anyway, is
void because it is repugnant to the
title and body of the act.
The action of the citizens in filing
this bill and the granting of the in
junction by the court. will no doubt
mean much in the election to be held
on March 20 on this matter. With
decisive vote against the levy the
workhouse commission cannot afford
to enforce a levy which the people
have said they did not want. Attor-
neys have been employed and it is be-
lieved that the county court will be
careful what action it takes on the
matter.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
SEWER COUNTY
PEOPLE ARE PLEASED
FARM DEMONSTRATION AGENT
PROVIDED; BUSINESS MEN
AND FARMERS MEET.

Sevierville, Tenn, Feb. To-day at
l D. M, more than 400 farmers and
business men gathered in the circuit
court room and listened attentively to
the address of Mr.. D. T. Hardin, of
the extension department of the Uni
versity of Tennessee, who has ac-
companied Mr.. c. l.. Doughty, farm
demonstration agent for Sewer coun-
ty, and is organizing this county into
community centers for the purpose
of promoting agriculture.
The problem of supplementing the
salary of farm demonstrator for
this county has been for some time
past a topic of general discussion
among the farmers of Sewer county.
and happily and unsolicited by the
general public, the Bank of Sevierville
appropriated $500 and has made pos
.sible the carrying on of the work in
this county. This is the first bank in
the south that has undertaken such
an aid.
Great interest was manifested in
the meeting and a number of farm
ers spoke in approval of the plan and
pledged their cooperation to the
agent. Mr.. c. L. Doughty, the agent,
is a young man fresh from the U. of
T. and comes we'll recommended and
has impressed the farmers that he
means business.
Supt. A. o. DeLozier, of the Sewer
county public schools, is greatly in
terested in the movement, and is high
ly elated that the schoolboys of this
county may have boys corn clubs.
Among the gentlemen who spoke at
the meeting were Messrs. S. A. Allen,
John Rambo, John Norton and J. A.
Kyker. Supt. A. o. DeLozier pre-
sided.
Circuit court convened today with
Special Judge w. o. Minis, of New
port, presiding, and Gen. J. P. B. Hol-
loway, of Morristown, looking after
the interests of the state.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
THE SOUTHERN SPENDS
MUCH ON IMPROVEMENT
FOR EVERY DOLLAR COLLECTED
IN SOUTH, SAYS REPORT, IT
SPENT SLIT.

Washington, Feb. 9.-For every
dollar which the South paid to the
Southern Railway company for trans
portation during December, 1915, the
company paid to individuals and in
dustries located in the south for la
Dor, material, supplies, and other
purposes $1.17, this being due to the
large amounts expended for construc,
ton purposes.
The total amount disbursed by the
company during December for labor,
material, supplies, and other pur-
poses, was $5,S61,5 SIG, of which $5.-
082,687 or 86.71 per cent was paid to
individuals and industries located in
the south, this being $743,4 in ex-
cess of the total moneys paid by the
south for transportations, according
to figures announced by Comptroller
A. H. Plant.
The expenditures by the company
during December for improvements
to its roadway and structures
amounted to $685. ,626.6S as against
$843, ,504.46 during December, 1914,
and $192,512.45 during December,
1918.
During the six months ending with
December the expenditures for inn
provements to roadway and struc-
lures were $3,437,391.4O as against
$4, ,436, ,216.17 for the same period in
1914 and $1,4S2,653.23 during the
same period in 1913.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
URGES PASSAGE
OF POWER BILL
TO PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT OF
WATER POWER BY PRIVATE
CAPITAL MAIN OBJECTS.

Washington, d. c., Feb. 9.-Senator
Shields, of Tennessee, addressed the
senate today urging prompt passage
of his bill designed to accelerate inn
proyement of navigable rivers and
promote development Of water power
by private capital. The measure
would remove the restriction which
now requires a special act of con-
gress to authorize the damming of a
navigable river and would enable the
secretary of war to issue permits fol
the construction of private dams and
power plants. 1t also would give the
interstate commerce commission ju'
risdiction over the interstate traffic
in power developed on the rivers.
Senator Cummins suggested thai
fiyers not practically open for trans
portation purposes be eliminated from
the provisions of the measure, ever
though they be listed as navigabl'
streams on the maps OF the war DE
partment.
A report read by Senator Shields
from the committee on commerce
said the bill provided way to opel
to commercial navigation many riV
ers which could not be improved TO
years by the ordinary method o
treasury appropriations.
He read a number of reports var
ously estimating the potential unde
veloped water energy of the countr
from thirty to sixty million horse
power. A large percentage of tn
40S,OO0,O00 tons of coal used annu
ally would be saved by the more eS
tended use Of water power, he said,
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
CAPTAIN LEROY REEVES is AP-
POINTED MAJOR AND JUDGE
ADVOCATE
FEDERAL INSPECTION
Of STATE TROOPS
GENERAL ORDER NUMBER TWO
HAS BEEN ISSUED

The appointment by Governor Rye
of Captain LIE Roy Reeves of John
son City to be Judge Advocate in th'
National Guard with rank of Major
has been announced.
At the time of appointment Captain
Reeves was the Quartermaster of tht
Third Regiment, having previously
received the retired rank of Major
He is well known in National Guard
circles, and was the designer of the
Tennessee State flag adopted by the
Legislature in 1905.
General Order No. has been issued
from the office of the Adiutant Gen
eral of Tennessee, giving the dates OF
the 1916 annual Federal inspection
of the various organizations of the
Tennessee National Guard. The COM
panies in this immediate section OF
the State, which form part of the
Third Infantry Regiment, will be in
spected by Capt. w. N. Hughes, Jr.
u. S. A., on the following dates:
Company H, Bristol, Feb. %.
Supply Co., Johnson City, Feb. "a,
Company F, Johnson City, Feb. "a.
Company NJ, Erwin, Feb. 25.
Company E, Hampton, Feb. 26.
Company D, Elizabethton, Feb. 26.
OF these the oldest is Company F,
which was organized at Johnson City
in 1903, and from the first has been
recognized as one of the best com
panies in the State. Its first COM
mander was Captain (now Major)
Reeves, under whom it participated in
the Tate Springs encampment of 1908
and the Bull Run, Va, maneuvers of
1904, and saw service at the Tracy
City mining disturbance of 1905.
Captain Reeves resigned in 1906 and
was succeeded by Captain William H.
Hodges who had been lieutenant in
the company, and who resigned after
some years, being now the Adjutant
of the Third Battalion of the Third
Regiment. He was succeeded by
Captain Robert G. Lusk, who had
been first lieutenant in the COM
pany, and who is still in command.
Under Captains Hodges and Lusk
the company has taken part in ma
neuvers in Georgia and Alabama and
in Tennessee at Copper Ridge and
Shocks Gap, and in other encamp-
ments at Fountain City. 1t has never
missed an encampment since It was
organized.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
TO DE HELD FEBRUARY 29-PRO-
GRAM WILL THEN BE
ARRANGED
by THE CHAMBER
Of COMMERCE
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS ELEC-
TED AT LAST MEETING

The Chamber of Commerce held it!
regular annual meeting at its clul
rooms on Tuesday night.
New officers and directors were
elected for the ensuing year. as fol-
lows:
President, c. l.. Marshall.
VicePresident, H. w. Johnson.
Directors-J. A. Summers, r. H
Evans, w. ]. Barton, Lee +. Miller
Allan Harris, II. d. Gump.
Steps were taken looking to the
formation of a Department of High
ways for the Chamber of Commerce
The question of the confusion re-
sulting from the use at Johnson City
of two different standards of time
was under discussion, and a commit
tee was appointed to confer with the
Board of Mayor and Aldermen and
others in an attempt to improve this
situation.
Steps were also taken for the ap-
pointment of a committee to confer
with the postmaster and others in the
interest of better facilities for out
going mail.
At the suggestion of A. R: Johnson,
Esq, who addressed the organization
on the subject, Feb. goth was desig-
mated as johnson City Day." and a
committee was appointed to arrange
a program for that day in the inter-
est of the general advancement of
Johnson City.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
HE WILL BE DECLARED NOMINEE
FOR CONGRESS- IN FIRST
DISTRICT TODAY.

Bristol, Tenn, Feb. 9.-It is as
sumed as certain that Congressman
Sam r. Sells, of the First Tennessee
district, will tomorrow be proclaimed
by the republican district committee
the nominee of the republicans for
reelection.
The time for candidates to file ex-
pired without anybody filing in op-
position to the congressman.
The committee meets in Greeneville
at / o'clock Thursday afternoon to
make the nomination.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
ATHENS EDITOR A
JOHNSON CITY VISITOR

Mr.. Ellsworth Wilson, editor of the
Athens Post and chain of weekly
was in Johnson City Tuesday
in the interest of the club house to
be established by the country news
paper men of Tennessee. Mr.. Will
son is one of the best newspaper men
in East Tennessee and is editing the
oldest weekly in Tennessee.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
GEORGIA DELEGATION
IN CONGRESS PROTEST
AGAINST INDICTMENT IN OTHER
STATES THAN GEORGIA OF
THOMAS E.. WATSON.

Washington, Feb. 1O.-The house
members of the Georgia delegation in
congress today sent written protest
to Attorney General Gregory against
what they said they understood to be
the department of justice intention
to seek an indictment in some other
state against Thomas e. Watson of
Georgia on the charge of having vio-
lated the postal laws by circulating
obscene matter regarding the Leo
Frank case.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
ELECTION IN ROGERSvnLE

At the municipal election held in
Rogersville recently Gale c. Kyle was
reelected mayor without opposition,
The following were elected board of
aldermen: f. J. FISHERMAN, Henry
P. Nelson, ]. B. Murrell, T. ]. Price,
A. S. Ray and Vance Hale. The two
members of the old board who failed
to be reelected are Gale Armstrong
and Jas. o. Phillips.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10

D. NJ. Walters of Johnson City has
announced himself as a candidate
for sheriff of Washington county, sub
iect to the will of the republican
party. Mr.. Walters is now deputy
sheriff. He is one of the best known
citizens of the county.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
TENNESSEE COURT
BILL Is APPROVED

Washington D. c., Feb. 9.-Senator
Shields reported favorably from the
Senate committee on the judiciary to-
day the bill introduced by Senator
Lea in December to establish a term
of the district court for the Middle
district of Tennessee at Winchester,
Tenn, on the first Monday in April
and the third Monday in November.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
A. \. sHOUN, OF
GREENEV|LLE, Tenn.
WILL SERVE AS CHANCELLOR DU
RING INABILITY OF CHANCEL-
LOR II. n. HAYNES.

Chancellor Hal II. Haynes of the
first division, having certified his in
ability to serve Gov. Rye, appointed
A. N. Shoun of Greeneville to act as
special chancellor until Chancellor
Haynes is able to serve again.
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10
FOR THE STATE, SAYS THE FOR
ESTER OF THE GEOLOG-
ICAL SURVEY
VALUABLE TIMBER
TO Be CONSERVED
by CAREFUL MANAGEMENT BY
OWNERS

r. S. Maddox, Forester of the State
Geological Survey, in an announce
ment made public today, says:
IN West Tennessee much of the
soil is sandy, and subject to rapid
erosion. In fact a great deal of the
cleared land there has suffered i'm
mense waste from erosion, and the
Forestry Division of the State Geo
logical Survey has devoted most of
its time toward the improvement and
reclamation of these eroded lands.
Throughout the rest of the State
the sandy nature of the land is not
so pronounced, but the soil is gray
ely clay which does not yield so
readily to erosion as the sandy soil
of West Tennessee. However, the
land once cleared but now badly
washed throughout the rest of the
State is of much Importance both be-
cause of it's big acreage and the loss
through it, in production to the own
ers. Its present condition is evil
dence that it has seen better days,
that it has given way, perhaps slowly,
to waste, and is now classed with the
non-productive and under-productive
land. 1t represents land that once
grew timber-valuable poplar, wal
nut, oak, ash, Eastwood and chestnut.
But the question now is not SO much
what it used to be, but what it is now,
what is to be done with it. 1t is pri-
vate property, owned and managed
chiefly by the farmer, to whom the
State has entrusted it through a title
of ownership. Therefore it is the
farmer who must be looked to to re-
store the unproductive waste land
to production and profit. 1t is the
farmer who must cease to clear his
woodlands recklessly. The constant
wearing away of the cleared land and
the continuous distinction of the tim
bered areas mean double waste. Its
importance confronts both the pres
ent and future. Since the land area
is limited, being just so much and no
more, therefore the increase in popu-
lation, the consequent need of in
creased production, and the continu-
ance of prosperity demand that our
woodlands and farm lands be proper
ly cared for, protected and built up"
The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-02-10

The governors of all the states in
the Union and the Mayors of the
principal cities have been invited to
attend and appoint delegates to the
Thirteenth Annual Convention of the
American Road Builders Association
at Pittsburg, Pa, during the week
beginning February 2S.
This meeting will be known as the
Sixth American Roads Congress and
in connection with it there will be
held the Seventh National Good
Roads Show. Mayor Armstrong of
Pittsburg has become so much inter-
ested in the forthcoming convention
and show that he has written per-
sonal invitations to the mayors of
some 5000 cities, to be present and
participate in the proceedings of the
convention and show and also ap~
point delegates.
1t is proposed to make the opening
VA thC <AAiACllCdh NOOu EbOduS SOH-
gress at Pittsburg, Pa, on the even
ing of Monday, February 2Sth, under
the auspices of the American Road
Builders Association, largely a Pitts
burg and Pennsylvania demonstra'
tion in favor of good roads. To this
end not only will the delegates and
visitors be expected to be present
but the general public will be cordi-
ally invited to attend. A special To-
cal committee has been appointed to
select the speakers for the occasion
This committee consists of former
State Highway Commissioner E. A.
Bigelow, James Francis Burke and
George S. Oliver. Among the speak
ers will be men of national favor and
it is expected that this meeting will
give decided impetus to the move
ment for improved highways.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-12-07
Is AMERICANS ON
TORPEDOED VESSEL
Italian Steamer Palermo sunk
Off Spanish Coast-Left
New York Nov. Is.

Madrid. Dec. 8, via Paris.-The Italian
steamship Palermo, with - Americans on
board has been torpedoed off the Spanish
coast one sailor. reported 10 be AN Amer
lean, was wounded by shell ana died i'm
a hospital at Palafrueel, Spain where
the survivors We're landed. Three others
were seriously wounded by the torpedo,
The Palermo, 9-M3 tons gross sailed
from New York ON November u for
Genoa and Spezla.
The Italian steamship Palermo left
New York Novekhcr 10 for Genoa and
Spezia and was last reported as passing
Gibraltar on November ~. She carried
no passengers but had on board u Amer
lean horse tenders. In addition to horses
she carried general cargo.
The ship was armed. II was said here
at the offices OF Hartheld. Solari & Co,
agents of the NaviGazione Generate
ltaliana, owner II the Palermo. She car
ried two three-inch rifles mounted aft.
These guns" said Mr.. Solaro, were
carried for defense only"
Besides SIS mules and 1853 horses. the
Palermo carried !, IS? cases OF "r. y. T."
a powerful explosive. and tons of NUM-
tons and war supplies.
Before the war the Palermo was en-
gagged in passenger service between
Naples and Palermo. Italy, and this port