McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1916-07-14

there were always many papers on his
desk awaiting his attention. and was
never too busy to talk about dear old
McNairy and its sweet memories for
him.
General Wright feels the weight
of years somewhat, and told the War
Department some months ago that he
wanted rest; but they insisted that
he stay with them awhile longer. A
man of his ability and character is a
valuable asset in times like this, when
the adquate defense of our country is
such a live question, and they evidently
set great store by his wisdom
in experience in the great game of
national defense. Long may he re-
main, to reflect glory upon the land OF
his birth, and to plan for it's protec-
tion.
A man of less than half the age of
General Wright; a slender, dark
skinned boy of about forty, knocked
at my Office door here the other day.
| never had seen him before, but when
he said he was from McNairy, and was
a son of Glenn Lea, you may be sure |
"sat up and took notice." This was
AL Lea, who was born over about
Gravelhill. where my dear mother
used to go to church when she was &
girl. AL used to ride horses at the
county fair races at old Purdy, but
he had higher horses in view, and
went to Shreveport, Louisiana. He
was United States marshal and post
master there, and went to Chicago
first in 1912 and then again this year,
as Louisiana delegate to the Republi-
can National Convention. That's 60
ing some, as they say here, for
Gravelhill boy. But that is only the
first chapter, so to speak, of a career
which will probably put Al Lea away
up in the Vanderbilt and Rockefeller
class before he gets through.
| He came to see me in company
with a dapper looking financier from
Wall street, with whom he had been
comforting about getting capital to
work the new oil fields in Louisiana.
He represented nine independent oil
producers in that rich field. In fact,
there were three fields, Caddo, Red
River, and some other that have for
gotten, that he had on bis string.
The Red River field, the richest of
them all, has brought in eighty-fve
gushers, or spouting oil wells, and
millions are in sight, for the use Of
all oil products, from the crude Pc
troleum to the gasoline, kerosene and
other refined articles, is increasing
every day. He told about how some
old chap from McNairy tried to get
him to buy a piece of oil land near
Shreveport. If he had taken the mans
advice he would have made $4,000.
| All the producers want is capital to
work their territory and start q re-
lfnery; and Wall street has enough
money to finance an empire; all it
wants is sufficient security for its
loans. The outlook seemed to be
| favorable to Mr.. Lea's cause while
here. But in the midst of worldly
cares he did not forget his religion,
and attended Sunday school in Brook
lyn. He hurried back home to take
up the business at that end, but
said he was coming again. He will
have Indigestion for a couple Of
weeks from the broiled lobster and
pate de foie gras that those money
Ejugglers treated him to while here,
and it will take a piece Of good old
corn pone and bowl of creamy clab-
ber to get him all Strengthened out
again.
/ Mr.. Lea did not have much to say
about the Convention at Chicago,
but remarked that the delegates
seemed to be in more serious and
business-like mood than they were
four years ago. They felt the re-
sponsibility resting upon them to get
down to 'brass tacks," do their work
well, and get home, and that is what
they did.
The chaos in Mexico has greatly
interfered with the oil business in
that troubled country, and that makes
it all the more probable that the
Louisiana fields will be developed to
> the fullest extent. II our McNairy
r friend has no bad luck, he will cer-