Let's take a trip back in our past history 100 years ago, to the beginning of the new year in January 1923. From the archives of The Crittenden Press we find these interesting headlines.
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Court House News
Owing to the very favorable weather the January meeting of the County Court drew a big crowd from all sections of the county.
The examining trail of George Rushing charged with shooting Eugene Travis Friday night of last week was held before County Judge E. Jeffrey Travis and he was held under a $1500 bond for his appearance before the grand jury at the next term of Circuit County.
George Rushing plead guilty to the charge of carrying concealed deadly weapon and was given a fine of $50 by the court.
The will of the late Maurie Y. Nunn was filed for probate. Dr. Frederick W. Nunn was made administrator of the estate and the children of the deceased were made beneficiaries.
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Pool Tobacco House Opens
The tobacco warehouse of the Dark Tobacco Growers Co-operative Association near the Illinois Central Station opened Thursday for receiving crops of members of the Association. Mr. Sidney T. Dupuy is general manager and Mr. Henry K. Woods is bookkeeper.
In order to avoid a rush and to facilitate the handling of the tobacco this management requires that before a member delivers his crop he first comes and registers and have a date fixed to make the delivery. Enough crops have already been registered for delivery to occupy Thursday, Friday and Monday.
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Railway Agent Makes Report
During the calendar year there were received at Marion depot, 233 carloads of coal, or approximately 11,000 tons. There was shipped from Marion during the year, 64,439,915 pounds of fluorspar, or approximately 32,200 tons. This required approximately 800 cars to move these shipments. I am sure that everyone living in Marion wants Marion to stand at the front at all times and you can do your part of keeping the Marion depot up to the standard of I. C. stations by purchasing Round Trip Tickets when you start on a journey. Revenue is what it takes to keep a railroad office up to the standard and by purchasing round trip tickets you help increase our station's revenue and keep us at the front.
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Eastern Capital Invest in Crittenden County Mine.
Big deals have just been consummated and are announced by A. A. Northern of Hopkinsville, president of the Kentucky Fluor Spar Company, of this county, whereby practically unlimited outside capital has become interested.
The Kentucky Fluorspar Company was the first to begin the production of fluorspar on a commercial basis in Kentucky, 20 years ago. It is the third largest producer of fluorspar in the United States and the second largest producer of ground fluorspar and the only producer of ground spar in Kentucky.
Its activities have been handicapped for lack of adequate finances. Just last week a deal was closed whereby strong financial interest in Illinois, who are associated with eastern capitalists, became permanently interested in the holdings. The Kentucky Fluorspar Company owns and controls twelve properties, the largest single assembly of similar properties in the world.
Not only have the Illinois interests become associated with this company now, but an option to purchase out right has been given on four of the chief properties to one of the subsidiaries of the steel corporation. This is a six months option and it is believed the holders will close it, and this means the direct interest of the steel companies in the spar producing filed.
The purchase price under this option is reported as being half a million dollars. With the securing of this outside capital the fluorspar industry in Kentucky is expected to come really into is own for the first time.
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Measles Epidemic Covers County
From reports coming in it appears that Crittenden county is now in the grip of the worst epidemic of measles that has ever visited this part of the state. No community in any section of the county is exempt from the disease and physicians report a very busy time.
County Superintendent J. L. F. Paris reports that the epidemic has played havoc with the attendance at all the schools, especially of the rural schools, and that while there has been no official closing authorized, a number of teachers have closed their schools for want of attendance. While the attendance of the city schools has fallen off on account of the disease, the effect has not been so appreciable as in those of the county districts.
A few cases of influenza, many cases of grip, and severe colds are also reported.
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Bells Mines Now Scene of Activity
These old hills covered with boulders, black jack and oak, all but abandoned farms, indeed the old tramway used for getting coal to the river in the days of Robert E. Lee and the Natchez, are now covered for miles with scores of busy men, teamsters, engineers, machinists, electricians, miners, carpenters, a center of industry has sprung into being within the year and a good sized town of at least twenty dwellings are cozily housing men and their families who are reaping the reward of industry, taking a fortune from the treasure cove of the earth.
It seems impossible that all of this could be accomplished in a year and without steam or even a passable country road. Nevertheless it is true and nothing but a visit to the works of the Bell Coal and Navigation Company will make the size of the accomplishment comprehensible. It is stupendous. It is remarkable and every scrape of the hundreds of tons of massive machinery and equipment has gone through Sturgis and one out on the muddy trail.
Four men have always believed in the possibilities of this coal pile. One of them, Col. Scott, has passed on to his heavenly reward, but not until he saw the work started in fulfillment of his dream. Clarence Wilson of Sturgis has worked for years to get the mine in operation. W. K. Kavanaugh of St. Louis has long been a believer and was finally the angel to come with the fortune necessary to complete development.
Last but not least, through it all we have seen the patient smile, at time almost sad smile, but always a smile, of Superintendent Herbert. "Old, Man" Herbert the others call him when he is absent, but his reference has more to do with his position as daddy of the works than as referring to his age.
As a result of all of this belief and constant endeavor, three mines are producing coal, steel barges are taking it to market, doing all they can to supply the trade, while the work of development and new construction is going doggedly forward.
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J. N. Boston and Sons
Located in Marion is a modern and up to date building material company that has aided greatly in the development of Crittenden County. Their buying power enables this concern to go into the largest markets and secure large quantities which are offered at reasonable prices. Their mill work is un-excelled and their business is built upon years of good service.
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These are a few of the important things going on in our county at this time 100 years ago.
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