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MENIIE OF GITY
DP M,835 IN
YEARI9I2
Council Will Have Extra $450.-
000 to Spend if It Antici
pates 1913 Increase.
i
Tin city's revenue increased just
g30u.533.73 in 1912, according to figures
compiled today by Graham West, chief
rk to the comptroller.
On these figures the 1913 city budget
OH be based. The total actual reve
,a>< is $2,838,017.53.
Approximately one-half of this
.mount was anticipated and appropri
at'd when the 1912 budget was made
ip last January. The remainder was
apportioned later in the year.
If the finance committee of the new
uiministration anticipates an equal in- ■
, 'uase in revenue for‘l9l3—and city of- :
in ials generally agree that there will I
. an equal increase—the new- council i
II have $450,000 more ujoney to spend ■
than was available last January. - i
Treasury May Be Strained.
Mayor-elect James G. Woodward has i
.nnottneed, however, that lie will op
pose anticipating any revenue. If he,
carries his point, the treasury will be j
sorely strained.
Comparative figures of the city's j
• venue are as follows:
1912. 1911.
Paxes $2,053,939.33 $1,809,019,84 1
Licenses.. .. 216.400.28 218,861.12!
Water 430,022.96 373,219.39
Police court.. 82,654.96 81,406.45
War-beer li-
, i-nscs . . . . 55,000.0 c 54,675.00
Totals .. ..$2,838,017.53 $2,537,181.80
The tax assessors said today'theft-e
oould be a large increase in assess
ments in 1913, but they would not haz
... a guess. The officials expect a gain
ipproximating the $19,000,000 gain of
this year.
The water department will show an
increase in revenue equal to the gain of
tins year, $56,803.57.
No Other Marked Increases.
The other departments show no ap
preciable increases.
While the 1913 budget will contain
appropriations totaling more than $5,-
000.000, the actual money to be ap
portioned is the amount stated above.
The difference is made up by bond
money, the expenditure of which is al
ready specified, and placing assess!
ments for street and sewer work on
both sides of the finance sheet. The
total figures ar.e thus greatly increased.
Councilman W. G. Humphrey, of the
eighth ward, is expected to bo the new
chairman of the finance committee,
succeeding Aiderman John S. Candler.
Hut Councilman Humphrey nor any one
. Ise is absolutely sure whom Mayor
Woodward will appoint, and Mayor
Woodward won’t tell.
AUSTELL THORNTON
TO BUILD COUNTRY
HOME AT ASHEVILLE
ASHEVILLE, N. C„ Dec. 31—Aus
tell A. Thornton, formerly of Atlanta,
i la., who has resided here for the past
several months, announces that he will
build a modern country home on the
farm of 100 acres near here, which he
ecently purchased from Governor
cleet Locke Craig and Garland A. Thom
i-on, of this city. Mt. Thornton owns
oiisiderable property in Atlanta, and
will spend a portion of his time there,
although he will call Asheville his home
hereafter.
Mr. and .Mrs. Thornton are admirers
of good horses, and it is understood
that they will maintain large stables in
connection with their country home. At
the recent Asheville horse show their
animals won many valuable cash prizes
and premiums.
AUTOMOBILE CRASHES
INTO WAGON IN FOG
The dense' smoke-fog today was the
cause of an accident. Dr. Dan Y. Sage,
of 431 Washington street, was going
north in an automobile on the Wash
ington street viaduct in front of New
som’s stable. The coast seemed clear,
but he heard a rasping noise and felt a
jolt, A wagon belonging to W alker
Brothers, wholesale grocers at 2 Wash
ington street, had blocked 'a narrow
*assage and Dr. Sage had taken off one
of its wheels. The automobile lost a
tire and a fender.
WORST BLIZZARD OF 20
YEARS HITS NORTHWEST
>WATTLE, Dec 31.—Tht worst biiz
zard in twenty years is paralyzing rail
road traffic on the Northern Trans
continental lines. In some places
eleven feel of snow has fallen and a
high wind is piling drift- twice that
high. It. probabh will take several
days to clear the tracks of the < hicagn,
Milwaukee and Puget Sound. Mean
while all schedules are disarranged.
KILLS MOTHER-IN-LAW:
SLEEPS PEACEFULLY
KENDALLVILLE. IND . Dec 31. -Ed
ward Hart shot and killed Sarah Mc-
Bride. is mother-in-law. and fatally
wounded his wife. Reana, at their home in
LaGrange. Hart slept peacefully hi the
home where the tragedy was enacted and
was arrested after a posse searched six
hours for him.
MOVING DAY IN VIDALIA.
VIDALIA. GA.. Dec. 31. This is mov
ing day in this place, full' seventy-five
families having moved In and out m town
today. Most of the movers, however, are
fanners moving to their new locations foi
the coming season Several of the met -
chants have also secured new quarters for
coming year.
Oldest Sigma Nu Defends Secret Societies in Colleges
"FRAT’’ MEN HAVE GREAT DAY
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R. Low Reynolds Atlanta, on riji’lit, and A. C. Riley, Jr., Atlanta, delegates to the Sigma Nu
?onvention exchanging “official” greetings.
cnraom
GETGOmSITE
Secretary of State Makes Deci
sion in the Bitter Contro
versy in Murray.
Phil Cook, secretary of state, today
decided the famous Murray county seat
controversy in favor of Chatsworth.
In ruling in favor of Chatsworth and
against Spring Place, the secretary
threw out entirely the 427 votes cast in
favor of Eton, on the ground that Eton
was not included in the ordinary’s cal)
for a county seat removal election, and
that all votes east for it. therefore, were
merely no votes at all.
in the original call for this election,
it was stipulated that the contest
should be between Spring Place, the
present county seat, and Chatsworth, a
new town on the Louisville and Nash
ville railroad, which traverses the coun
ty. Afterward, however, Eton was In
jected into the fight, and the vote given
Eton, if counted, wquld have deprived
Chatsworth of the required two-thirds
of the vote cast.
The vote was divided as follows:
Chatsworth 862. Eton 427. and Spring
Place 155- Secretary Cook holds that
only 1.017 of these votes are legal and.
in that view, Chatsworth received 862
against Spring Place’s 155—0 r a clear
two-thirds and over in favor of Chats
worth.
This case lias attracted no end of
attention throughout north Georgia, and
feeling in Murray and W hitfield coun
ties has run very high because of it.
It was appealed to Secretary Cook some
two months ago. all three sides to the
controversy being represented by able
counsel at the hearing.
The case may be appealed to the leg
islature. but the impression is that Sec
retary Cook’s ruling means that Chats
worth will be the county seat eventual
ly. if not immediately. Since the case
was appealed, a large number of those
who voted for Eton have assured the
secretary of state that, as between
Chatsworth and Spring Place, they
much prefer Chatsworth.
POLICEMAN WHO CLUBBED
PRISONER TO FACE TRIAL
DALTON, GA., Dec. 31. Waiving
preliminary' hearing. Policeman Walter
Smith was bound over to the grand
jury on the charge of assault and bat
tery. J. S. Grider contends that the po
liceman unnecessarily clubbed him in
arresting him The policeman made the
SIOO bond required.
NEW ARMY AEROPLANES
TO BE ALL-NEW PATTERN
WASHINGTON. Dec 31 -Specifications
now being made up by the signal corps of
the I nited States army will bring into use
by the army in 1013 a type of aeroplane
entirely different from those at present in
commission . All that will he purr-based
in the future must have a streamlike or
torpedo-shaped body, with a wind shield
for the aviator ami passenger, and be
equipped with the latest radio-telegraph
apparatus. '
THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWa TUESDAY. DECEMBER 31. 1912
Theater Party and Ball to
Feature Closing Days of the
National Convention.
John Alexander Howard, of Tallahas
see, Fla., the oldest Sigma Nu in at
tendance at the fraternity’s convention
In Atlanta, is a firm believer in the fra
ternity as it exists In the American
college. He deplores the anti-frater
nity fights instigated by disgruntled in
dividuals and declares that if the true
meaning of the fraternity were under
stood by all there would be little cause
for friction.
"The fraternity is a. great institution
in its Influence on the average Ameri
can undergraduate.” declared Mr. How
ard today. "It fills a need in the life
of the college student which never
could be filled in any other way. Boys
naturally seek others of their klnd v and
ft is inevitable that this tendency
should find expression in the student
organizations which we know as fra
ternities. Wherever man is thrust he
casts about for congenial spirits. He
will find them sooner or later.
"Fraternity life, properly lived, brings
out manly qualities that otherwise
would He dormant or undeveloped.
Pride in the various groups of men and
the name of the orders stimulates men
to do their best in appearance and in
action.
"Good For Colleges.”
•VJnly good to the college can result,-
with members anxious to go out and
bring in prospects who are of like high
character and standing. Thus does the
college renew its youth, and the growth
is a healthy one.”
Yesterday was one of the pleasantest
days of the Sigma Nub' young lives.
Starting with the opening business ses
sion at 11 a. m. and ending with a big
banquet at the Piedmont at 8 p. m., the
day was brimful of Joy.
Especially joyful were the "pre” and
"post” trimmings of the banquet, the
main affair being most too dry' to wet
a single whistle. Water —water was
everywhere! "Pete" Daley and the
California delegates were the first to
make the discovery and the news
spread like wild fire.
E. Lee Worsham, state entomologist
and one of the most congenial spirits tn
this section, presided as toastmaster.
He spoke of the value of the fraternity
bond and introduced several enthusi
astic speakers.
Preston S. Arkwright, also a Univer
sity' of Georgia graduate, spoke on ‘rt'l’e
Opportunities of the College Men in the
South.” Rev. Albert H. Wilson, of New
York city, regent, talked of “Sigma
Nu—Her Achievements.”
Theater Party Tonight.
John W. Bull, of Nashville, took as
his subject "Fraternity Ideals in Col
lege Life.” Henry Tillman spoke on
"Choosing a Fraternity.” Thomas H.
Pickles, of Richmond, Ky., took the
subject "Brothers All.” Walter James
Sears asked “Shall the Fraternity Sys
tem Be Abolished?"
The officers made reports and there
were other speakers. H. E. Hibson, of
Philadelphia, chairman of icconunlttee
on fraternity houses, spoke on the need
of acquiring more homes for the chap
ters. and he will make a further report
at one of today’s sessions.
'Today and tomorrow there will be
business sessions starting at 10 o’clock
in mornings and at 2 in the afternoons
Tonight the delegates have reserved
the parquet ot the Atiauta tixeetet aad
?INDICTED FDR
KNftBE SLAYING
Veterinary and Undertaker of
Indianapolis Held for Killing
Woman
INDIANAPOLIS, IND., Dec. 31—Dr.
W. B. Craig, of the Indiana Veterinary
college, and A. M. Ragsdale, prominent
Indianapolis undertaker, were indicted
for the murder more than a year ago
of Dr. Helen Knabe, former state pa
thologist, by the Marion county grand
jury, which reported today.
The indictment of Dr. Craig for the
crime itself and of Ragsdale as an ac
cessory . closed a historical session of
the grand Jury, the secrets of which
were carefully guarded, but which
probed deep for facts.
Undertaker Her Administrator.
Surprise was occasioned by the in
dictment of Ragsdale, the undertaker
who was the administrator and settled
up the affairs of the lone physician
who was found on the bed in her apart
ment in the Delaware flats on the
morning of October 23, 1911. with her
throat slashed in a manner that In
dicated the hand of an expert with sur
gical instruments.
The police, after exhaustive work on
the case? declared it one of suicide,
while the coroner insisted that his in
vestigations compelled him to decide on
murder.
A silken kimono is said to figure
strongly in the evidence before the
grand Jury which returned the new in
dictments. Some pillow slips are also
involved, being articles that did not fig
ure in or were overlooked by former in
vestigations. >
Blood on Kimono.
Part of the evidence before the grand
jury is said to be the finding of human
blood, by' chemical analysis, in certain
of the garments of Dr. Knabe. even
after they had been washed.
The discovery of the blood spots on
the kimono might be taken to indicate
that Dr. Knabe wore the kimono at the
time of her death, but the witness who
found her says it was not on her at the
time. Many new witnesses were ex
amined by the grand jury which re
turne i the Indictments today.
FAILED WITH MORE THAN
$1,000,000 LIABILITIES
ATHENS. GA., Dec. 31.—The sched
ule in the Carr, Boyd & Co.'s failure at
Maysville lias been filed here with the
United States deputy clerk and shows
that the firm and individuals failed
with more than $1,000,000 liabilities and
but half that amount of assets. The
figures—liabilities, $1,039,204.86, and as
sets, $543,420.86.
will see “The Spring Maid” with their
young women friends.
The closing event will be the big fra
ternity dance given tomorrow night at
the Capital City club. Three hundred
Sigma Nus and one Representative of
each fraternity at Ten. will i>, present,
not to mention an army of society
beilee. „
DYNAMITLIIS OFF!
FOR U. 5. PRISON
I Special Train Takes Convicted
Labor Men From Indianapo
lis to Leavenworth. Kan.
I INDIANAPOLIS, IND.. Dec. 31.
| Thirty-three union labor leaders con
| victed of complicity in the McNamara
i dynamite plots are now on their way to
■ the Federal prison at I'ort Leaven
worth, Kans., where they will serve
their terms. The "dynamite special”
carrying the prisoners left Indianapolis
at 11:35 a. m. over the Pennsylvania
railroad.
The train was made up of two
coaches, one carrying sixteen prisoners
and the other seventeen, and a diner
and a baggage car.
The prisoners seemed in a cheerfu’
frame of mind and they spoke cheering
words to one another.
■ Attorneys for the nu n filed a writ of
error and a writ of supersedeas today,
but both matters were put over until
Thursday by Judge Anderson.
Guard For Each Man.
Each of the prisoners was accompa
nied by a guard on the way from the
Marion county jail to the train. How
ever, the trip was made without inci
dent.
In tile party on the "dynamite spe
cial” were some of the best known la
bor men in the country. Among them
i were Frank M. Ryan, president of the
International Association of Bridge
and Structural Iron Workers: Herbert
S. Hockin, formerly secretary of that
body; John T. Butler, vice president of
the organization, and Olaf Tveitmoe,
secretary of the California Building
Trades council.
Some called it the “dynamite special,”
others the “Leavenworth limited,” and
■still others the “arsenal train.”
The wives of the dynamiters stood
in the dusk of the train sheds clasping
their hands tightly until the last whis
tle shrilled its good-bye.
Then they turned back—alone.
Tearful Scene at Station.
Deputy- United States Marshal Ed
Schmidt said he feared no trouble.
There is a guard for each man, who
never leaves the prisoner. They sit in
double seats, the prisoner in front, the
guard facing him. Never for a moment
_ will this vigil relax until the somber
gate at Leavenworth swallows its new
est consignment of lives.
It was a tearful scene—that parting
at the station. Hundreds of spectators
crowded to the gates to watch. Both
| the convicted men and their wives bore
up bravely, however, and many dashed
I away the tears and tried to smile. Some
I of the smiles were wan and some of the
faces were pale with grief. The women
were attractively dressed and some of
c them in extremely fashionable mode.
The convicted conspirators, many of
them at least, looked like prosperous
business rnen off on a trade Journey.
The manacled wrists told a different
story.
GIRL COUGHS UP NEEDLE
IMBEDDED IN GOOSE
r
t ST. LOUIS. Dec. 31.—Mins Margaret
:l Bux, a telephone operator of Belleville,
B was dining on goose at her home last
_ night when she felt a pain in her throat.
, She coughed so violently that her mother.
Mrs. William Jenks, sent a hurry call for
a doctor. Before the physician arrived,
e however, Mias Bux had succeeded In
- taking fiom her throat the cause of irrl
f I tation, a large needle.
II How the needle came to be in the goose,
n Mrs Jenks, who cooked the fowl, can not
understand. The needle must have been
in the bird's thigh while it was living, she
believes.
1 LEAP YEAR FALLS SHORT
n ON MARRIAGE LICENSES
•
e DALTON, GA., Dec. 31.—Leap year
r has proved a severe disappointment to
Cupid In Whitfield county, for the sale
of marriage licenses shows fewer is
sued during the past twelve months
u than for any pther similar period In
, seven years. Just 176 marriage licenses
were issued here, as compared to 186 in
’ 1911, 199 in 1910, 187 in 1909,- 189 in
1908, and 209 in 1907.
' WOMAN KILLED IN FUN;
GLASS PIERCES NECK
o ——
. LOS ANGELES, Dec. 31 Falling on the
_ ragged edges of a glass door broken in a
playful bout with a guest over a box of
cigarettes, Mrs. Ortance Koetsch, a wid
ow, was almost instantly killed in her
d home in West Sixteenth street, when one
n of the long slivers of glass pierced her
ri neck. So unusual and dramatic was her
sudden death that several of her women
n guests became hysterical and fainted.
n FIND GRAIN SPECULATOR
: DEAD IN ROOM FROM GAS
o
( HIc'AGO, Dec. 31. —Charles Thrope,
a grain speculator, was found asphyx
iated in a rooming house at 661 Dear
born avenue. His death is believed to
have been accidental.
; TWO SURVEYORS DIE
WHEN MINE EXPLODES
t VINCENNES. IND.. Dec. 31.—A gas
e explosion in a mine at Bicknell killed
s Frank Stewart, county surveyor-elect,
q and fatally injured A. J. Frey. The
q men were surveying the mine. Both of
e Stewart's hands were bur ned off.
_ TWO BILLIONS U.S. EXPORTS
, FOR PAST ELEVEN MONTHS
WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 The value of
the total imports Into the I nited States
k for eleven months, ending with November,
1912. aggregate according to
a bulletin issued by the bureau of for
t eign and domestic commerce and labor
The value of exports from this country to
v all parts of the world for the -ame period
amounted to U,X43,»>l7?>S»».
EXPERT SANDS ON HOW
TO MAKE CITY STREET
DEPARTMENTEFFECTIWE
By Herbert R. Sands
El’tificni administration of the office of chief of construction
demands that it he tilled by a high-grade business executive se
lected solely on merit. It would be better were he to have a
technical engineering training also, but this is not essential.
When men such as this position needs can be persuaded to serve
the people in such an office the position must usually come to
them by appointment without the strife, and often taint, of politi
cal contest. The head of the department ehargd with building
and maintaining the city’s streets should he bound by no cam
paign obligations and have no political fences to tend. And yet
this is an elective office in Atlanta.
Such work can not be mixed with politics without just such
a result as Atlanta has experienced, ft is logically to be expect
ed. The chief of construction should be appointive and the best
man available in Atlanta or anywhere else in the I'nited States
should be eligible for appointment.
Bolstering Up an Illogical Structure
The two main functions of the depart menl comprise the con
struction and repair of streets, and toe construction and repair
of sewers and operation of sewage disposal plants. A recent or
dinance intended as a basis for reorganization of I In- department
provided for an assistant chief of construetiou. an engineer iu
charge of streets and another in charge of sewers. The latter
two positions are necessary, but assuming the head of the depart
ment to be efficient it does not seem that as a matter of organi
zation an assistant chief of construction is necessary. Such inter
nal reorganization can at best but bolster up an illogical siruo
ture. As indicated above changes are basic.
The men at the head of the bureau of street.-, and the bu
reau of sewers should be men of experience and recognized
standing in strevt and sewer construction respectively. If they
are also graduate engineers so much the better, but the prime
requisite should be experience. They might be designated re
spectively as superintendent of streets and supermlendeui of sew
ers. (’Fhe present position of superintendent of streets should be
abolished.) Salaries should be provided for these positions ade
quate to attract competent men. and they should be eontiuued in
office under civil service regulations. The forme)- would have
supervision of al) street work, both new work and repairing and
including sidewalks and curbs. I’he latter would have supervision
of all construction and repair of sewers. Cither construction and
repair work such as sewage disposal plants, crematory, etc.,
might be assigned to either of these two bureaus, according to the
judgment of the chief of construction, or retained under his per
sonal direction.
Should Be Strictly Accountable
• The superintendents of streets and sewers should be held
strictly accountable for results, and they ought, therefore, to be
allowed to nominate their subordinates, appointments being made
by the head of the department after a test of qualifications.
Pending establishment of a civil service commission such testa
might be conducted under temporary civil service regulations.
The city, through this department, is following a policy of
changing many street grades. Before approving plans for fur
ther changes of this character it would be wise to await the de
velopment of the plans of the newly created Atlanta i-ity planning
commission. No grades should be changed hereafter without the
approval of that commission, because only in that way can all
public projects co-ordinate in the development and beautification
of the city.
The old adage a “stitch in lime" is particularly apt when
applied to street pavements. A rut or hole in a pavement, if re
paired when it first appears, lakes but little time, and may be
done ala minimum cost; if such holes are allowed to remain,
however, vehicles continually drop into them, ami not only en
large the hole each day, but rebounding, strike the pavement
beyond with such impact as to start a second depression, and
thus a series of depressions result which become wry expensive
Io repair. Good economy, therefore, demands that a sufiichmt
appropriation be made available each year lo repair breaks in
pavement at once they appear.
COSMOPOLITAN LIFE
TO BE REORGANIZED
FOR BUSINESS FEB. 1
Reorganization of the Cosmopolitan Life
Insurance Company will be effected as
soon ns the necessary details, including
u decrease of ’ the $1,000,000 capital
stock, and an addition of a substantial
sum to the surplus, are arranged.
Heretofore known officially as the "Cos
mopolitan Lite Insurance Company,” the
rehabilitated cotwern will be called "The
Cosmopolitan Life Insurance Compan
with an addition of the article as the.
only change of title.
The stop toward a change of organiza
tion was made as a result of the litiga
tion Into which the affairs of the com
pany have been plunged. Every indica
tion as regards the volume and extent of
business done Is flattering, the stockhold
ers announced at a meeting held yester
day With $2,500,000 Insurance written
before the receivership Sult was filed last
fall, with business in sight to swell the
volume to $4,000,000, and with a new lease
on life which the reorganization will give,
the company will prosper, the stockhold
ers believe The newly organized con
cern will be ready for business Febru
ary 1.
The decision to reorganize, with other
details connected with the proposition,
was made at Monday’s meeting of tha
stockholders.
HUNDREDS OF CATTLE
BURN IN PRAIRIE FIRE
CENTER. N. D.. Dec. 31. —Prairie
fires are unusual in North Dakota at
this season, but one burned a strip
from one to three miles in width from
Hanger, this county, to the Missouri
river. There was a heavy wind and the
flames jumped over all the ordinary
"fire breaks."
Thousands of tons of hay were burn
ed and several hundred head of cattle
perished. The ranch of Thomas Hall,
leceuth elected secretary o' state, was
in the pstb of tha file, and lie lost
heavily.
’ QUAKER OATS CO. IS
PROBED BY U. S. IN
SEARCH FOR TRUST
CHICAGO. Dec. 31.—A Federal grand
jury Investigation of the Quaker Oats
Company, regarding certain transac
! lions which the government believe*
were violations of the Sherman anti
trust law. is under way here today.
The purchase of the Great Western
■ Cereal Company about a year ago by
tile oats conipahy is the point under
examination. It is the belief of the
district attorney ’hat the transaction
virtually made the Quaker Oats Com
pany a cereal trust.
i SAILOR IN U. S. NAVY
NOW WORTH $250,000
WEST HAMPTON. N. Y._ Dee. 31.
Knight Wheeler. son of the late Frcd
eiick M. Wheeler, and worth about
1250.000. has foi the last five year*
been an enlisted man in the United
States navy. His duties have been so
well performed that his friends are ex
pecting tun day to hear of his winning
a commission as ensign. He Is visiting
his mother and sisters at the magnifi
cent Wiieeler estate. He rose through
the various grades until now he is chief
i machinist on the Albatross.
BONITA MAKES HIT
WITH BIG COMEDY
• DURING THIS WEEK
i
I The Bonita, 32 Peachtree street, 1
. scored another big success on Mon
day when tlte initial performance of
"Tin Demented Wife" was presented to
standing room only, and the lobby I
packed to rite sidewalk.
This it truly om- of the best comedies
seen in Atlanta this season.
On Thursday the bill will change to a
’ rattling coon comedy entitled "Raxor 1
Jim." Beautiful new motion pictures
as usual. (Advt.)
5