Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 5, 1907 Page: 2 of 8
eight pages : ill. ; page 22 x 15 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
THE POLK COM ENTERPRISE
By MANRY A WEST.
LIVINGSTON, : : TEXAS.
FROM ALL OVER TEXAS
It is said that Grayson County pro-
hibitionists are urging forward a gen-
eral State election, encouraged by Ala-
bama and other States.
The Greenville banks have not limit-
ed payment of checks during the
flurry and Thursday cashed all the pay
checks of the railroad men.
The steamship Korea, which ar-
rived from the Orient in Honolulu Fri-
day night, has $750,000 in Japanese
gold for San Francisco.
The Wichita Falls and Northwest-
ern Railway System is now open for
freight and passenger business be-
tween Wichita Falls and Frederick,
Ok. *
■Mrs. W. P. Hendrick, the wife of a
■well-to-do farmer, living one mile east
of Rogers, drank carbolic acid Tues-
day morning about 3 o’clock, living
only a short time.
The National banka of New York
City, it is now understood, have ar-
ranged to subscribe for about $20,-
000,000 of the new three per cent Gov-
ernment certificates.
The issue of $15,000 worth of school
bonds for the purpose of bullldug a
achoolhouse at Teague has been ap-
proved and registered, aud the same
are now ready for sale.
The first act of the Oklahoma Cor-
poration Commission was to notify tho
Fort Smith and Western Railroad to
comply with the two-cent fare provi-
sion of tho Constitution.
About 400 men employed In the
shops of the New York Central and
Hudson River Railway at West Albany
have been laid off. This la about a
fourth of tho entire force.
At a recont meeting of tho Texas
Association of Ice Cream Makers it
was resolved to ask for a standard
formula that would in every way con-
form with the pure food laws.
Wednesday afternoon at the Long
Bell tram, Shreveport, Scott Meade,
master mechanic for the Long Bell
Company, met with an accident which
caused his death in a few hours.
The Teddy Bear Maker’s Union, New
York, the latest labor organization, has
decided to make a demand for the
closed shop In the Teddy Bear Indus-
try, now that Christmas is coming.
Chester Beatty, the 25-year-old son
of S. R. Beatty, noar Granger, while
out hunting last Thursday was acci-
dentally shot by a companion and died
In a few hours from the injuries.
The Farmers’ Union Warehouse
Company of Boyd has been char-
tered, with a capital stock of $2000.
Incorporators, D. Thompson, R. L.
McClain, T. W. Smith and others.
The Senate committee investigating
charges of frauds in the sale of Kick-
apo Indian lands completed the exami-
nation of witnesses at JShawnee and
many frauds have been unearthed.
Game Warden H&bermacher has, on
a ruling from the Attorney General,
sworn out a warrant against Otto
Sens, proprietor of the Tremont Ho-
tel, Galvestol, for serving wild ducks,
killed by himself, on his hotel table.
Congressman S. B. Cooper of Beau-
mont has appointed as his private sec-
retary Robert A. John Jr.
State Senator A. B. Mayfield of Me-
ridian, Bosque County, will be a con-
testant against Jack Beall In the
fifth district.
Will Smith, a Waco man with a fam-
ily, was shot and mortally wounded
Friday by Jim Smith, a young man
A shotgun was used. The trouble
originated over the ownership of a
building.
I A total of forty-nine life insurance
companies have qualified to do busi-
ness in this State during 1907, but
twenty-one of that number withdrew
because of the Robertson law, leaving
twenty-eight now engaged in solicit-
ing insurance in Texas.
«
Owing to the excessive rains of Sat-
urday and Saturday night, the dam of
the immense reservoir just completed
by Karnes Brothers & Bennet at
Teu-s, was partially washed away
'unday.
NO SI NOSV3S PHI
STATE PUTS BARS UP.
TO REDUCE ACREACE.
AGAINST SPECIAL CONTRACT IN-
SURANCE COMPANIES.
SMALLER ACREAGE AND 15c MIN-
IMUM THE FARMERS’ CRY.
Weighed In the Balance and Found
Wanting—The People to Be Pro-
tected from Graft.
President of Oklahoma Farmers’ Un-
ion Says Farmers Must Become
Independent of Cotton.
Austin, Tex.: "I have concluded an
investigation of the subject of the sale
by life Insurance companies In this
state of what are known as ’special'
or ’board' contracts, 'special income'
contracts and stock Insurance com-
panies aud stock in agency or securi-
ties companies in connection with the
writing of policies of insurance, aud
have become convinced that it is the
duty of this department to refuse to
relicense any company which pur-
poses to continue to mako use of any
of these plans of writing insurance,”
said Commissioner of Insurance Love
Wednesday, ' and 1 am today sending
out to such of the companies doing
business in this state u letter ndvis-
lug them of the position of the depart-
ment.”
The letter which Commissioner
Love referred to is as follows:
"You are hereby respectfully ad-
vised that all life insurance compan-
ies dealing to procure licenses to tran-
sact business in the State of Texas
for the year 1908 will be required to
accompany the application for such li-
cense and the annual statement of the
company for 1907 with a full and spe-
cific statement, signed and sworn to
by the president and secretary, show-
ing:
"1. Whether or not it Is the purpose
and intention of the company under
the authority of license applied for to
write or sell or to authorize its agents
to write or sell what are commonly
known as 'special' or ‘board’ contracts,
pr ‘special income’ contracts, or any
contracts of a similar nature, wheth-
er writen In or as a part of the policy
of Insurance or separately therefrom.
2. Whether or not it is the purpose
and intention of the company under
the authority of the license applied for
to sell or to authorize or permit Its
agents to sell shares of stock in such
companies or in any agency company,
securities company, or other corpora-
tion whatsoever, as an inducement to
or in any kind of connection with the
writing of policies of insurance.
“3. Whether said company is bound
by any contract or agreement, either
directly or through any of its agents
to pay any portion of percentage of Its
premium income to be collected within
this state under the license applied for
to any agency company, securities
company or other corporation or asso-
ciation whatsoever, or to any one for
the use and behalf of any such cor-
poration or association.
"You are respectfully advised that
this information Is desired for the rea-
son that this department will not
grant or renew a license to any life
insurance company which purposes
or intends t#*wrlt» or sell or to au-
thorize its^agewts to write or sell such
‘special’ contracts, ‘boar*’ contracts,
or ‘special income’ contracts, or any
contracts of a similar nature, whether
written as a part of the poliy of in-
surance or separately therefrom, or
which shall sell or authorize or pernrt
Its agents to sell shares of stock in
the company or in any agency com-
pany, securities company, or other cor-
poration, as an inducement or in con-
nection with the writ'ng of policies of
insurance or which maintains an agen-
cy contract with any agent Or agents
doing the same, or which is bound by
any contract or agreement, either di-
rectly or through any agent or agents,
to pay any portion or percentage of its
premium to any such corporation or to
any one for its use and benefit.
“And the doing or permitting any
of these things by any company after
it has been licensed for the year 1908
will be regarded as ground for the for-
feiture of such license ”
Galveston, Tex.: A reduction of cot-
ton acreage and 15c as a minimum
price will be the battle cry of mem-
bers of the Farmers’ Union from this
time until the new crop is in tho
ground. When this is accomplished
the fight for 15c cotton will be con-
tinued until that price Is secured, or
until producers have indisputable evi-
dence that it cau not be secured un-
I til a more opportune time. Such was
the drift of the conversation of Mr. J.
j A. West of Shonee, Ok., president of
the Oklahoma Farmers' Union, and O.
I H. Mathews, member of the State
i board of the Oklahoma Fanners’ Un-
j ion, when Interviewed at the Cotton
Exchange Monday. Both gentlemen
have been In attendance at the eon-
| ventlon at New Orleans, and having
never visted Galveston, made it a
point to visit the port through which
the bulk of their crop is exported.
While here Mr. West stated that he
; had taken the oportunlty to consult
with Col. W. L. Moody with reference
i to shipping cotton to Galveston to be
j held for further orders. Mr. West ad-
mitted that u great deal of Oklahoma
cotton had been shipped to Galveston
' and stated his belief tlmt arrange-
ments, now being considered, would
j probably bring a great deal more of
the staple to this city.
"We decided at our New Orleans
1 convention that we must reduce the
cotton acreage of the country at» an
! aid to our campaign for a 15c mini-
| mum," said Mr. West. "We therefore
have been instructed and will instruct
| every member of our organization
| throughout the entire cotton belt to
1 start the campaign at once. Our bat-
j tie cry will be 'Reduce the cotton acre-
! age; diversify; grow enough of every-
thing else to make you independent of
cotton and then hold your cotton for
15c.’ If we can educate the cotton
producers to such a program cotton
will be our money crop, the proceeds
of which the farmers can use to buy
luxturtes, buy more land, pay off old
mortgaes or use as they see fit. We
believe that our campaign will be suc-
cessful, and that every producer of
cotton, whether or not he be a mem-
ber of the Farmers’ Union, or other or-
ganization, will profit greatly thereby.
TAFT’S NARROW ESCAPE
Railway Employe Discovers on Open
Switch Just in Time.
Krasnoyarsk, Siberia: It was
learned here today that the train up-
on which Secretary Taft and his party
were traveling over the Trans-Siberian
Railroad from Vladivostok to Moscow
had a narrow escape from being
wrecked Sunday at Cita.
A switch In front of the Taft train
stood open when it should have been
shut, but an emrJoye discovered the
circumstance one minute before the
train arrived, and closed the switch
and kept the train on the proper rails.
Had the train been thrown on to
the siding it would have crashed into
a number of freight cars.
CONDUCTOR FATALLY HURT.
Brakeman's Legs Crushed in a Wreck
at Muldoon.
Fiatonia, Tex.: The Aransas Pass
Railroad had a t»d wreck near Mul-
doon, eight mi’es north of here, this
morning about 10:30. The cause of
the accident is not known. One car
and the caboose went into the ditch
Conductor Beattie is fatally hurt.
Brakemau May had both legs crushed.
All tralnR are delayed.
—
WOULD BE SUICIDAL
CALVIN DISCUSSES ALLEGED NEW
MORTGAGE CLAUSE.
Merchants of the State Are Assisting
Farmers of the State in the
Holding of Cotton.
Houston, Tex.: Relative to the pub-
lication to the effect that many mer-
chants of the state who have been
carrying the farmers and taking mort-
gages on their cotton had inaugurat-
ed a move to have a new clause in-
serted in the mortgages requiring that
tile farmers sell their cotton as soon
as picked, Manager Calvin of the Far-
mers’ Union Cotton company, and for-
mer state president of the union,
stated that if such a move was being
launched he had not heard of it.
“The merchants of the State,” he
stated, “are very friendly to the farm-
ers and are assisting them in every
possible way in this move to hold for
higher prices. Should there In reality
be an attempt to force the farmers to
sell their cotton as soon as picked, it
would be suicidal. The market is usu-
ally very weak at the time the first
cotton is picked. The spinners are
usually supplied at the opening of the
season and should the farmers begin
dumping their cotton on t.he market
right away the price would never
reach an equitable basis.
“The truth of the matter is that on-
ly about 50 per cent of the farmers
of the state must get help from the
merchants to make their crop. From
all I can learn fully 25 per cent oi
those who secured aid from the mer-
chants have been able to meet their
obligations, and there is no attempt on
the part of the merchants who have
not as yet been paid to force the farm-
ers to sell save In a few Isolated cases.
“It would not be absolutely neces-
sary for the merchant to make his pa-
per fall due right at the opening of
tho cotton picking season, anyhow.
Why can’t he have his paper mature
later on in the season?
“There are being all kinds of stor-
ies circulated just now, and they are
for no other purpose than to force tho
farmer into a stampede. The farmers
are going to remain steadfast and they
cannot be frightened. It is to the in-
terest of ever business man in tho
South as well as to the Interest of
every farmer that the farmer secure
a fair price for ids cotton, and the
merchant or business man who at this)
time will attempt to force the farmer
to dump his cotton is not his friend,
and the farmer will not forget him in
the future.”
BIG FIRE IN HOUSTON.
THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILLION
DOLLARS LOSS.
INSURANCE IS VERY SMALL.
Three Persons Were Hurt But None
of Them Sustained Injuries
Which Will Be Serious.
A FARMER KILLED.
Lawrence Ferrefl Is Dead and Charles
H. Leuschner Under Bond.
Marlin, Tex.: At Otto, a few miles
north of Marlin, a young farmer 30
years old, nawed Lawrence Ferrell,
was shot and killed. The discharge
from a shotgun entered his head and
deatli followed instantly. He leaves'
a wife and several small children. The
tragedy occurred at about 6 o’clock
Wednesday morning.
Charles H. Leuschner admits firing
the fatal shot and has given bond in
the sum of $3000. Ferrell resided on
the farm of the failier of young
Leuschner.
LAST GRADE RAISING BONDS.
Issue of $770,000 Was Approved by the
Attorney General.
Houston, Tex.: The most valuable
block in Houston was visted by lire
Sunday night, starting at 11:30 and
raged for three hours, destroying prop-
erty to the estimated value of $750,000.
The Houston Theatre building with,
its entire contents, that of the United
States federal court room and all the
court records and the business estab-
lishments of a number of merchants,
real estate agents, lawyers and doc-
tors, with all their papers and furni-
ture, were a total loss. There were
more than 100 occupants of this build-
ing alone.
Three people are known to -have
been injured, but none of them seri-
ously, while there were numbers of
rumors to the effect that several peo-
ple were caught in the federal court
room and roasted beneath the redhot
bricks of the wall which fell in after
the flames had been raging about an
hour.
The block Is the most centrally lo-
cated in the city, bounded by Main,
Preston, Fannin and Congress, and the
half of the block fronting on Fannin,
the theater side of the building, is a
total loss, while two of the buildings
fronting on Main street were greatly
damaged; the stocks in at least one
instance were a total loss.
The fire originated from a mysteri-
ous explosion, which was heard by
dozens of people, and one man, H. J.
Larson, deputy county clerk, who was
standing at the corner of Main and
Congress, states that following the ex-
plosion the roof of the Dunn building
seemed to go up several feet and then
settle back, and the flames quickly fol-
lowed. Just whether the explosion oc-
curred in the building or in the small
alley in the rear of this building and
alongside the theater, or if in the
building, just where are matters of
doubt. At any rate, the Dunn building
was the first affected, and^the flames
quickly spread to the rear of the build-
ing occupied by the S. L. Sam Dry
Gods store, at the same time speard-
ing to the upper floors of the build-
ing owned by C. Pillot and to the The-
ater building, fronting the other street,
all of the having frontage on the al-
ley.
Persons hurt: W. D. Van Wagenan,
Harry Lee, J. B. Cochran.
Property destroyed: Houston the-
ater building, Pillot building, on Main
street, J. C. Sellers’ (old Pilot) build-
ing, Mrs. Annexa Miller’s building,
Dunn building, Mrs. Jones’ bu'ldlng.
Origin: Explosion either in the
Dunn building or in the alley which
ran alongside the theater building.
Loss: Estimated at about $750,000
Insurance: Estimated at $250,000.
ALEXANDER KILLED.
Jack Essary Was Arrested on a
Charge of Killing.
Laredo, Tex.: Arturo Alexander, son
of late John B. Alexander, one of the
oldest and wealthiest citizens, was
killed Thursday night at his home in
Austin, Tex.: The last of a $1,230,000 1 Palaox, thirty miles above Laredo.
series of Galveston grade-raising
bonds were approved for registration
by the attorney general’s department
Tuesday. The last of “Series C” Is
an issue of $770,000, dated Oct. 1, 1907,
being for forty years with a ten-year
option at 5 per cent. The bonds were
brought here by J. D. Kelley, city sec-
retary of Galveston, and Benton Groce,
assistant cashier of the Galveston Na-
tional Bank.
The total amount of the bond Issue
for grade raising was $2,000,000. The
work on raising the grade of the city
has been going on two years, and will
require two years more before com-
pletion.
Woman Burned Near Weatherford
Weatherford, Tex.: A telephone
message from Poolville Thursday
morning stated that Charles Reyn-
olds of that place had received a mes-
sage that his sister, Mrs. Annie Moore,
Hying at Rock Creek, had fallen into
the fire and had been teribly burned,
narrowly escaping death in the flames!
Diamond Mine In Burnet.
Burnet, Tex.: A stranger and min-
eralogist by the name of Ernest claims
that he has found a bonanza in a dia-
mond mine in western Burnet county,
from which he has taken some of the
finest specimens in the world. This
correspondent has found no reason so
far to believe the report is a joke.
Elgin, Tex.: Tuesday afternoon and
night a heavy rain fell. Wednesday
has brought a beautiful, sunshiny
day. We have had five weeks of raiDy
weather.
Jack Essary, a young man, whose
family recently settled in Webb coun-
ty, was arrested by the Sheriff Friday
charged with the killing of young Al-
exander.
FLEAS DID NOT PERFORM.
Charges of Swindling Filed Against
the Proprietor.
San Antonio, Tex.: Alleging that he
was “buncoed,” in that he paid 15c
admission to the so-called flea clreus
on last Sunday, M. F. Thomas, super-
intendent of the Southwestern Tele-
phone Company, has filed charges of
swindling against the proprietor of the
circus. The spieler claimed'that the
fleas pulled carriages, juggled gold
balls, danced, walked tight ropes and
did many other things. Mr. Thomas al-
leges that he paid his admission and
that the fleas did not perform.
Rock Pile for Negro Women.
Fort Worth, Tex.: The rock pile
treatment for negro women convicted
in the Fort Worth corporation court
is the latest innovation planned by
Police Commissioner Mulkey. Mr,
Mulkey says he will introduce thi$
method within the next few weeks ot
dealing with negro women whose con*
duct is in violation with the laws.
Boy Dies From Burns.
Ballinger, Tex.: Roy Dyce, the nine-
year-old son of a widow, died here
Wednesday night after much suffer-
ing, and the remains were shipped on
the evening train today to Mount
Calm for burial. He fell into a bed
of live coals about a week ago.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Manry, E. J. & West, W. L. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 5, 1907, newspaper, December 5, 1907; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth659579/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.