The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-04-16
NEW COURTHOUSE
 FOR BESSEMER
Explosion at Blast Furnace Causes Much Alarm in
 the City

Bessemer, April 15.-(Special )-Much in- terest is being taken in the meeting of the board of revenue of Jefferson county which will be held in their office in the Realty building on Monday. A number | of complaints will be registered in re- gard to the condition of the roads in this end of the county and in all probability the board will be asked for statement in regard to the erection of the new courthouse for Bessemer.
 The citizens of Bessemer were greatly alarmed this morning about o'clock when there was an explosion at No. l furnace of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company. The explosion was caused by the molten iron breaking through the furance and coming in con- tact with water caused the explosion. No one was injured
 The committee composed of Maj. T. T. Huey, chairman; Dr. Joseph S. Winters, Dr. George D. Waller, J. A. Snider and c. L. Dabbs, appointed at the mass meet ing held last Tuesday night to confer with the home guard which was organ ized in Birmingham last Monday night, is keeping in touch with the leaders Of the movement in Birmingham and are shaping their course after the policy used there
 Aanother mass meeting will be called for this week and the committee will recommend that the organization of a home guard in Bessemer be suboTdinated to the proposed scheme of organizing the county as a whole that is being agitated at present in Birmingham. Under the plan the whole county will be divided into precincts with a leader and regular organization in each district.
 A Birmingham firm has recently completed a rural director of Bessc- mer, showing that Bessemer has more than 1900 persons on it's rural de- livery routes. This will give some idea as to the population of this end of the country, which during the past few years has seen some phenomenal growth. Sloss, Feeders. Brighton, Jonesboro, pipe shop, nor any terri tory within the city limits are in- cluded in the above figures as these places are served by the city delivery Several patrons are served at each box and during the past year the num- Der of boxes installed is greatly In ex- cess of any previous year.
 Much interest is being manifested in the movement now on foot to have the residents of this city club together and lease land from the various cor porations in this district and plant staple crops on same. George H. Ste venson, secretary of the Bessemer Board of Trade has written to the Tennessee Coal. Iron and Railroad company, the Sloss- heffield Steel and Iron company. the Atlanta, Birming- ham and Atlantic railroad. the United States Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry company and the Bessemer Coal Iron and Land company in this regard, and it Is expected that they will lease their lands in this section cheaply At first the movement was intended to have the farmers of this section lease the lands at nominal figure with guar antees as to long leases, but has been broadened to include the residents in town. It has been pointed out that they can lease in groups and use the same stock, labor, implements and storage houses and by planting staple crops, such as corn, peas, potatoes and beans can eliminate much of the usual farm labor. Notwithstanding the fact that 1t Is believed that the venture would be a success financially it Is being pushed solely as an emergency measure and patriotic duty
 The local fire department has been busy the past two days and a number of calls have been answered. In the majority of cases the fires were caused from sparks on the roof and were ex- tinguished with very little damage to the property.
 Mrs. Ike Marks of Chattanooga is the guest of her parents in Bessemer for a few days.
 Sergt. Frank Powell has returned to Montgomery, where he will join his com pany, which is stationed there.
 Mrs. J. Heinberg has been removed to the Elizabeth Duncan hospital, where she is quite i'll.
 Harry Kartus has gone to Memphis, where he will be married tomorrow. Sam Marcus of Montgomery is the guest of his uncle and aunt, MT. and Mrs. Sol Erlick.