The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1921-10-06

The quarterly county court CON
vened at 10 o'clock Monday morn
ing in regular session, Judge John
Y Peete presiding, and Charles P.
Simonton, clerk, acting in that ca
racity Rev. L. j. Sheriff., pastor
Of the First Presbyterian church,
offered the opening prayer, after
which the judges report was read
and adopted.
The court, by a vote Of % to Is,
made an appropriation of $1,000 10
employ Mr., G. S. Hollingsworth as
farm demonstration agent for the
year beginning December /, 1921
Mr., Hollingsworth has been serving
as county agent for the past two
years, but the banks in Upton coun-
ty contributed his salary of ST. 800
per annum, which is in addition to
the amount he receives from the
federal government. Before the
motion was made to make the above
appropriation Hon. L. e. Gwinn adj
dressed the court in favor of the
employment of Mr.. Hollingsworth
by the county. He dwelled at length
upon the splendid record of the
county agent in interesting the farm
ers in diversified crops, growing
strawberries, dairying and better
stock breeding. The motion to make
the appropriation was offered by
Esq A. M. Moose and was finally
passed, after an amendment to the
motion by ESQ. c. W. Beasley to
only appropriate 5000 to the coun-
ty agents salary was defeated. Esq.
Beasley offered the motion with the
conviction that the banks Of the
county would be willing to con-
tribute an additional 5000 to make
up the salary of $1,000.
The matter of fixing the tax rate
for 1921 consumed most of the
courts time in the afternoon session.
The majority and minority reports
of the budget committee were sub
mitted for consideration. Every
phase of the tax question was dis
cussed and debated by the members
Of the court, and an agreement was
finally reached to increase the coun-
ty rate from 81 cents to SO cents. The
court was divided on the question.
since much has been said of the econ
omy in county expenditures. The
increase was needed for the main
tenance Of the rural schools for
longer terms, while the tax levied
for other county purposes, were, in
some instances, reduced. The tax
rate, which includes 35 cents on the
$500 worth Of property levied by the
state, will be $1.34 on the s100 for
both state and county combined.
On motion Of ESQ. C. w. Beasley,
the court passed an order providing
that the county Judge shall purchase
all lumber to be used in every dis
trict Of the county for emergency
bridge purposes. He will also. under
the ORDER, have charge of the emerg-
ency levee work done in the various
districts of the county. Heretofore,
the magistrates Of the respective dis
tricts they represent had charge of
the emergency work, and it was the
opinion Of the court by centraliz-
ing the authority in one person pur-
chases of lumber, employment of
labor, ETC., could be done more eco
nomically by the county judge.
Court adjourned to meet again
Monday to complete the unfinished
business, such as appropriations and
levees. The court will also hear the
road case Of John d. Roe in District
No. 3, who is contendng for dam
ages to bis property by the opening
of new road in that district
through his farm. He was allowed
$500 damages by the jury Of se-
view when his property was con-
demned for road purposes, but he APP
pealed the case to the court.