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w Series—Vol. Ill—No 39 OURMISERABLE ROADS Salty Talk by the Grand Jury- Commissioners Returned. We, the grand jury, chosen and sworn for the July term, 1904, Bartow superior court, beg leave to submit the following as a part of our general presentments of our labors for the present week, and recommend that the same be pub lished in the News and Courant. We recommend the appointment of I. Y. Davis as notary public and ex-officio justice of the peace for the 1425th district G. M., and John W. Edwards for appointment as notary public and ex-officio justice of the peace for the 14715 t district G. M. We have elected John H. Wikle } member of the county board dt education for Bartow county, to £ll the vacancy caused by the death of Col. J. G. M. Montgomery.- We find the roads of the county in deplorable condition, and it is eviaeut the authorities having this important matter in charge, the county and district commissioners, and the overseers, have been very negligent. We therefore present the road commissioners of each district in the county for neglect of duty, and ask that the necessa ry proceedings be had to bring them before the court to answer for their neglect, as provided by law. We would suggest, however, that in the event the district road commissioners have the roads put in good condition by the time the October term of the court convenes, and have performed faithfully all their duties, they be relieved of the penalties for former neglect of duty. It is the purpose of this jury at the October term to inquire into the conduct of the road over seers of the county, and where it appears they have been negligent and.failed in discharging their sev eral duties it wall be our duty to indict them under the statute in such cases made and j rovided. We find that most of the public roads in the county have been en croached upon by fences and culti vation. This is a violation of law. We call the attention of the county and district commissioners and overseers to this, and demand that they have all such obstructions removed at once, and the roads • cleared to the lawful width, ac cording to the class of the road, which classification is of record at the court house. We find that the alternative road law as embodied in sections 573 to 583,inclusive, Vol. I. Code of Geor ia. is ef force in Bartow county, and that said law, as it now stands, is ample to thoroughly work the roads; that the county authorities are clothed with full power and authority to secure good substan tial roads, and all we need is a strict enforcement of this law. The supreme court has decided that law constitutional. Under this, the county commissioners can levy a road tax, work a chain gang, require ten days’ work from each person subject to road duty, or col lect a commutation tax of not ex ceeding five dollars per annum from each; or for failure to appear and do faithful work may fine defaulters, or imprison or work them in county chain gang not exceeding ninety days. This pen alty can be imposed for failure to appear, or failure to do faithful work after appearing, at the time and place for road working. Some how the opinion prevails among 'some people that we have no road laws that can be enforced: that road hands cannot be compelled to work, nor furnish the common tools therefor; that they can shirk their duty generally without being subject to any penalty. This is a very great mistake, and the sooner at is understood the better it will THE NEWS AND COURANT. be for the county and the roads. The laxity that has prevailed is inexcusable, and should not longer be tolerated. On page 41 of the acts of 1903 will be found a law providing for the punishment of county and road commissioners and overseers for neglect of duty by the judge of the superior court. This can be put in motion upon complaint of one or more citizens. It would be well if some of our suffering people would resort to this law in our extremity. We find that it is not the want of road laws, or power to enfotce them, that is in the way, but the neglect of the authorities having these matters in charge. We-recommend that the coutitv commissioners put the county con victs on the public rqds as early as practicable, and first work the worst places; that, as soon as they can, arrangements be made to take state convicts under the new law providing for this, and organize a chain gang for permanent road work, in connection with the other modes provided by law. We have touched upon the mat ter of roads so earnestly because the necessities ot the case required it. This question of good roads is so important that it should enlist the attention and heartv co-opera tion of every good citizen, it has been too long neglected; there is no better time for reform than now. Give us better roads is the cry of the public. This grand jury has determined to do its duty as it sees it and as required by their oaths. Let the law be enforced, and our public roads will cease to be a shame and disgrace to us. We recommend that the county commissioners make a rule requir ing the commutation tax to be paid when the hand is summoned, so that the overseer may have time to ptovide a hand in his place. We request our members in the general assembly to use their efforts to amend the alternative road law so as to provide a commutation tax of not less than one dollar per day. This, in our opinion, would be just and equitable, inasmuch as the price of labor has advanced considerably in the last few years. Thomas Lumpkin, Foreman. James W. Knight, Clerk, POSTOFFICE ROBBED. Office at Calhoun Entered aad Cash and Stamps Were Taken. The postoffice at Calhoun was entered by burglars Saturday night and the safe blown open with nitro glycerine. About two hundred dollars in cash and six hundred dollars worth of stamps were taken. The burglars secured a heavy sledge, cold chisel and other tools from the black smith shop of Henry How’ell. With these they entered the building and hammered off the knob of the safe door. They then drilled a small hole through the safe dooV and blew it open by means of nitro glycerine. It is supposed that the robbery was committed by experi- blowers. Agents of the government are making efforts to apprehend the burglars. Death of an Infant. 'The death of little Lewis Mon fort Adair, the six-months-old son of Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Adair, oc curred at their home Tuesday morning at 3:30 o’clock. The lit tle one had been sick for several weeks with stomach trouble. The funeral services were con ducted from the home Wednesday morning at 9:30 o’clock by Rev. T J, Christian. Mr. J. A. Stover, of Atlanta, peut last Saturday in the city. GAKTERSVILLE, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 1904. ATLANTA PROPERTY Louisville and Nashville Makes Purchases. % DEALS BEING CLOSED. Consideration Said to be $400,000 —Question of Parallelling the State Road. Within the last few months Mr. D. F. McClatchey, of Marietta, acting for the Louisville and Nash ville, has secured options upon a number of pieces of property, ag gregating between twenty and thirty acres, says the Atlanta cor respondent of the Macon Tele graph. This property,when thrown into one tract, will make a strip of laud extending from the south ern limits of the city of Atlanta to the site or the new passenger de pot on Mitchell street. The pur chase price of the whole amounts to about $400,000, and yesterday Mr, McClatchey commenced taking up the options and paying over the money to the former owners of the property. It is said that all of the transfers will be made wtthin the next week or ten days. A cit izen of Cobb county, who claims to be on the inside of whai is going on. says that it is the intention ot the Louisville and Nashville to build a line from Wetmore, on the Atlanta, Knoxville and Northern, which property was a short time ago purchased by the Louisville and Nashville, to Dalton, a dis tance of about thirty miles, and that the same company would then construct a line to Cartersville and then op to Atlanta. This author ity says that the Louisville and Nashville desires to own a line Into Atlanta and an entrance into GREAT SPEECH OF HON. JOHN W. AKIN. No man in the Georgia legislature has more impressed him self upon that body and upon the state than Bartow’s able and brilliant representative, Hon. John W. Akin. Richly gifted, always ready and always equal to the occasion, he has long since become recognized as one of the ruling forces in the law-making body of the state. It did one good tc hear his masterly speech in support of the Joe Hill Hall railroad bill last Wednesday morning. Hon. Joe Hill Hall had spoken vehemently for his bill and Hon. Jack Slaton had spoken with equal vehemence against it. A number of other members had asked questions, and there was more or less disorder and lack of interest manifested by the body of the house, but when the gentlerca i from Bartow arose at his seat and said calmly and quietly that he had not intended to be drawn into the discussion, but the trend of things had forced him into it, there was perfect quiet and it could clearly be seen that the entire house was following the speaker with eager expectancy. With a finger pointing dramatically upward, Judge Akin ex claimed : “The question before the house is not one ot mere discrimination in freight rates as the gentleman from Fulton would have you believe, but it is whether or not the state shall exercise control over her highways—whether Georgia is a sov ereign state or the mere province of a consolidated empire ! ’’ The speech thrilled-and captured the house. It could clearly be seen before Judge Akin bad finished that the members were with him. His masterly effort had saved the bill from more than probable defeat, and when the vote was taken the bill was passed by an overwhelming majority. I bad strolled into the gallery by accident and paused to listen when I saw the gentle man from Bartow rise to speak. I was soon captivated. So were all those about me. “Who is that little fellow speaking, anyhow'?” asked one looker-on of his neighbor. “Oh, that’s John W- Akin, of Bartow.” was the reply. “Well, he is badly out of place in the Georgia legislature,” returned the other. “He ought to be in the United States Sen ate.” j. A. H. the new union passenger depot, now being constructed by the At lanta Terminal Company, acting for the Southern. He says that the Louisville and Nashville neither wishes to buy the Western and Atlantic nor secuie an exten sion of the lease on that property now held by the Nashville, Chat tanooga and St. Louis. This much information is given to the readers of the Telegraph for what it is worth. Whether the movement is intended to depress the value of the state’s property no one here EARLY HORNING FIRE The Gilreath-Jones Build ing is Consumed. PARTIAL INSURANCE. Water Supply Low Prevents Quick Extinction of the Flames —Of the Losses- The Jones-Gilreath building, on West Main street was destroyed by fire last Saturday morning. The alarm was given at about 2:30 o’clock and there was a prompt response by the firemen and the continuous ringing of the fire bell brought a large crowd to the scene. There was no water in the tower and the fire burned without any means of checking it for half an hour when a feeble stream with such force as the pumping process alone could give was put on the flame. From the lack of combustibles in the building and the heavy fire walls, the fire proved to be easily controlled and confined to the one building the roof of slate finally falling in and assisting the water in distinguishing the fire. The fire is supposed to have caught in the pool room of Morton Payne in the second story. The pool tables and furniture were well nigh ruined. Madison Milam, who occupied the east half of the lower floor, got most of his goods out. His insur ance was S3OO and losses SIOO or more. Mr. M, H. Gilreath, w-ho owned half the building, estimates his loss at SI,OOO with no insurance. Mrs. Lizzie Jones owned the other half and her loss was partially covered by insurance. seems to be in position to say with any degree of positiveness. A state house official while run' ning his eyes over a map today said that he could not see how the Louisville and Nash\ ille could build a line to Atlanta, and get around the provision prohibiting one line paralleling another within' a distance of ten miles, except at the terminals of the property. He argued that if the Southern would not stop the construction of such a line the state would do so in the event that the value of the West ern and Atlantic was endangered A BEAUTIFUL JEWEL The Pythian Order of Georgia’s Gift to C. M. Milam. Be it Resolved, by the Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias of Georgia: That a rising vote of thanks be extended by this Grand Lodge to Grand Chancellor C. M. Milam for the efficient and valuable service ren dered by him to this Grand Lodge and to the order throughout the Grand Domxin. We further recommend that this Grand Lodge purchase an appropri ate Past Grand Chancellor's Jewel and that the same be fittingly in scribed and presented to our worthy retiring Grand Chancellor. The above is from the proceed ings of the Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias of Georgia and tells its own story. The resolution was adopted unanimously. The great compliment in the recognition of the ability of Mr. Milam as the head of the order in GeTrgia, whom the organ or the order in Georgia calls “the best Grand Chancellor who ever held that office in this Domain,’’ is not alone shared by Mr Milam but by his Pythian C. M. MILAM. brethren at home and his home people in general. The Jewel bestowed upon him by the order is a beautiful emblem and is enclosed in a very handsome case. The following letter accompan ied the Jewel: Savannah, Ga., July 18, 1 !#O4. Hon. C. M. Milam, Past Giand Chan cellor, Cartersville, Ga. My dear Bro. Milam:—l forwarded to you on the 16th, inst., by regis tered mail a Pt s Grand Chan cellor’s jewel, as the gift of the Grand Lodge for the efficient and valuable services rendered our noble order. It gives the writer much pleasure to send you the jewel, and it was by unanimous rising vote that the pre sentation was made. Your labors have been many, and bore more fruit than any predcess or in the history of Georgia in the advancement of our cause. The Pythians of our Domain trust that many days will be granted you, wearing the jewel for the further progress of Pythianism. With kind regards, and well wishes, I am, Fraternally yours, Wm. H. Lkopold, G K. It. S. For a number of years before he ascended to the head of the order in Georgia, but while he was the head of the lodge in Cartersville his brethren were aware of his ability. He has ever been an un tiring worker, loving the work and mauaging every detail, even to the minutest, with the most consum mate skill and superior judgment. The great growth of the lodge in Cartersville to that point where it has been recognized as one of the very best in the state, it is not too much to say, has been due to Mr. Milam's superior guidance. As Grand Chancellor of the state he has evinced that ability he was known to possess to the great up lifting of the order. During his regrime some of the knottiest questions ever arising have come up for consideration and he has handled them in a w f ay to invoke the endorsement of the Grand Lodge. The proceedings of che Grand Lodge and the journalsof the order teem with facts complimentary to Mr. Milam’s regime. We append a few: Old Series— 25th Year The Pythian Tribune, of Chicago, says: While it is not our purpose here to enter into any discussion of the sub ject 111a ter, (though, whenever we do, we have a complete file of the docu ments, ) yet we can say that in dispos ing of the difficulty, which at one period reached the acute stage, Grand Chancellor Milam demonstated that he was big enough to deal with a question, absolutely without bias, and dv'cide it according to law. Instead of allowing ni high office to be used as an instrument of injustice, or himself as a tool or jimmy by which Pythian burglary could be accomplished fas in one flagrant instance ‘ ere,) he followed the line of duty irrespective of the falling of the chips, and did right first. But then, Brother Milam is a splendid Pythian and citizen, and not a eeature. When the questions involved came before the Grand Lodge of Georgia, Grand Chancellor Milam was unan imously sustained. The Pyihian Lodge Secret says: Never in the history of the order in Georgia, if in any other Grand Do main, has a Grand Chancellor more justly earned the title of Past Grand Chancellor. ***** Whateyer any individual or individ uals may have done during the past year, Grand Chancellor Milam was the guiding spirit and he alone should receive due credit for the good accomplished. * * * * The history of his aiministration should be written tip, as an incentive for the future, and we hope to men tion at various times some of the in teresting incidents in connection with his work. * * * * The vitality and energy displayed especially during the closing part of his ad ini Jstration, caused the insti tution of new lodges at such a rapid • rate that one was actually left out and had to be instituted the day after ti.e Grand Lodge adjourned. He had the Grand Lodge officers on the move, he had individual memoers on the move; no general in command ot any army ever displayed greater tac tics in Htrising at the vital parts to accomplish the greatest results. What the Grand Keeper of Records and Seals said about the Grand Chancellor: My report would not be complete without making special and particu lar reference to the magnificent work accomplished by our retiring Grand Chancellor. Brother Milam has served the Order faithfully, energeti cally and wisely; he has given the Domain the greatest number ot Lodges ever instituted in its history; his administration has been a busy one from the date he was installed as our Grand Chancellor, and we will miss him when his successor is elect ed and he lavs down the gavel as the executive head of our Order. S. M. GALLOWAY DIES. Passes Awav Tuesday Afternoon, at the Home of his Daughter. Mr. Samuel M. Galloway died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fred Gresham, at 6:15 o'clock Tuesday afternoon, of acute Brights disease. With his wife he had came up a few days ago from Atlanta, where he has been making his home for the last six years, intending to make a short visit, hoping for physical benefits from the change, having been in declining health for the last few years. He was taken suddenly very ill Monday night. He never rallied from the attack. He was 53 years old. He was a nephew of and was reared by that well known late citizen, Col. M. G. Dobbins. His wife was Miss Charlotte Milner. She survives him, as also do their five children, Mrs. Fred Gresham, Tom, Clarence, Sam aud Miles Galloway. Mr. Galloway has held govern ment positions, which he has filled faithfully, since he attained man hood. He was a member of the Baptist church. His funeral will occur tomorrow, Rev. W. A. Cleveland officiating, Mr. Monroe Neel and Miss Juliette Neel, spent Sunday m Adairsville.