THIS PAPER ISSUED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS, ONE DOLLAR A YEAR. -
Volume XV Lenoir. N. C Friday, May 9, 1913 No. 53
CORN AND POOR LAND.
Why Do Fanners Perit
Wasting Their Time
' and Labor.
in
(Southern Planter.)
So much has been written and
said concerning the growing
of cor.n that one would think all
the farmers of the South would
be rolling vegetable matter into
their soils with big plows run
ning from eight inches to twelve
inches deep. It has been prov
ed, without a shadow of a doubt,
that deep plowing in connection
with large quantities of organic
matter ensure the best crops of
corn at the least expense per
bushel in every 'community in
the upper South. And yet in
every community the majority
of farmers are not preparing, in
the above manner, for big, cheap
corn crops, and the majority of
them are not harvesting big
corn crops, but are contenting
themselves with five, ten, fif
teen and twenty bushels per
acre.
I very much doubt, if the low
grounds be excluded, whether
the Piedmont counties of Vir
ginia and the Carolinas would
average eight bushels of corn
per acre; and every bushel of
corn grown under these condi
tions costs not less than one
dollar wx bushel, saying noth
ing about rent of land.
This is a plain statement of
facts that cannot be controvert
ed, and I am sorry indeed that
the facts are such as they are;
for it is not, as I have hinted, a
necessary condition. Almost
every acre of land in this sec
tion, having a good clay sub
soil, can bo made to produce
from thirty to seventy-five bush
els of shelled corn, and this
without expense that is beyond
the reach of the average farmer
of the section who owns his
land.
It cannot be done in one year
nor in two years. But within
six years every man who will
have his Jeye constantly on an
average upland crop of fifty
bushels per acre can reach that
point without a great deal of
outlay of- cash. The drainage
of the land, then the deep break-
in and the vegetable matter
will do the trick.
I was passing a field recently
that the owner was having
broke for corn, and, one-half of
the field couldn't by any possi
ble ineans.make a good crop be
cause of being water-sobyh'ed.
One week s work last writer,
when the farmer was doifg ab
solutely Jnothing, would have
dug the ditches and hauled. the
poles to have thoroughly under-
drained that piece; and then a
crop of sixty; bushels per acre
would have been assured, while
under the conditions as they are
eight bushels per acre will be a
big crop to expect. What corn
tjhis farmer grows in that field,
simply because of lack of prop
er drainage, will cost him $1.10
per bushel, while a week's work
in January, at a cost of $15,
would have insured corn at
seventeen to twenty cents per
bushel, and the drainage, work
would have given results for
ten years at least.
Then this man was plowing
the upper portions of that field
with a one-horse plow a depth
of exactly 2 1- inches' (I meas
ured it when he wasn't looking),
and under no conditions of weath
er can a man hope to produce,
on stiff clay land, more than fif
teen bushels of corn per acre
with that depth . of breaking;
and he will be playing In the
AN OLD NINE TO BE RE-WORKED.
The old Blue Ridge Mine
formerly operated by the Blue
Ridge Mining Company has been
acquired by Mr. Alexander P.
Bourne and as soon as new ma
chinery can be bought and in
stalled mining operations will
be resumed on a rather large
scale. The Nibelung Gold Min
ing Company is the name of the
new firm that will develop this
property which is said to be
very valuable and rich in ore.
Mr. George W. Jackson of Ruth
erford, Maine has been in the
County now for more than a
year, quietly prospecting around
this mine and he is to be the
new manager of this recently
organized company. The fact
that this property has been inves
tigated thoroughly by an expert
lends color to the belief that it
is going to be a paying propo
sition and one that will mean
much to Caldwell county.
This mining proierty is situ
ated about half way between Le
noir and Morganton and is on
route 3 from the latter place.
best of luck if re grows ten
bushels. There is, in such soil,
no place for corn roots to de
velop; for it is very seldom in
deed that corn roots, in our
stiff Piedmont clays, penetrate
much deeer than the land is
broken. And there is no possi
bility o, holding moisture enough
in two and one half iuches of
soil to ensure a decent corn
crop, even were the roots left
undisturbed to penetrate every
inch of the top soil for the en
tire season.
This, of course, is never done,
for the corn must be worked;
and in this case, with the one-
horse plow that will cut every
root, practically, that starts a
cross (between) the rows. Only
after the crop is laid by will the
feeding roots secure any food
ffom anywhere except in the lit
tle ridge on which the row is
planted.
The Creator does wonderful
things for the erring man on
the land, but He will not change
His laws of plant feeding, and
we will do well to follow nature's
hint and plant deep rooting
plants on deep soils.
i he writer has been noticing
farm crops quite closely for
thirty live years, and has never
yet seen a big crop of corn pro
duced on land that was deficient
in vegetable matter; and his
general observation has been
that the more well-rotted vege
table matter there was in the
top fifteen inches of soil the
larger the crop of corn produc
ed.
The man who was plowing the
piece of land herein mentioned
has had opportunity for observ
ing soil conditions more years
than I have, and yet he was
burning what little vegetable
matter there was laying on the
top of his land. He surely
must be lacking in observation
or else have a big grudge against
himself, his family and his soil
If these conditions could not
be changed there would be no
use in everlastingly harping on
them. But they can be chang
ed by any able bodied man who
has the will to exert himself,
after having made a study of
th growth and feeding of
plants. Poverty is a handicap,
but by no means an insurmount
able obstacle.
The main thing is the under
standing and the 'will to do;
we already have the under
standing; now let us acquire the
will to do, and ten years
hence Piedmont farmers will
have less reason to fee" asham
ed of the corn crops produced
in their section.
A. L. French.
MR. J. FRANK RABB PASSES.
One of Lenoir's Substantial Bus,
ness Men Sucumbs After
Short Illness.
Our pnminnnitv was creatlv
shocked Tuesday morning by
the announcement that Mr. J. !
Frank Rabb had passed away at
his home in the western part of
town at 8 o'clock. For more
than a week Mr. Rabb had been
ill with a complication of diseas
es and his relatives, friends and
neighbors had been very appre
hensive of his condition and
were not altogether unprepared
for the sad message.
Mr. Frnnk Rabb was one of
the most substantial business
men to be found in the town of
Lenoir. He was president of
the Blue Ridge Bending Com
pany and actively interested in
other successful commercial
businesses. Because of his busi
ness sagacity, sound judgment
and discretion he accumulated
considerable property, which he
always gave liberally to any
charitable or good cause. The
deceased was a splendid citizen,
honorable and just in his deal
ings, charitable in his views and
sympathetic in his nature. As a
member of the Lutheran church,
he was ever faithful, loyal, de
voted and generous.
He was a brave Confederate
soldier, serving through the
Civil War. At the time of his
death the deceased was entering
the 74th year of his age.
In 1801, Mr. Rabb was united
in marriage to Miss Sarah Arndt
and from this union ten
children were born, six of whom
still survive. The surviving
members of the family are the
wife, Mrs. Rabb and two sons,
Mr. John Rabb of Texas, Mr.
Logan E. Rabb, and Mesdames
T. C. Wakefiled, G. R. Boyd, J.
Russell Powell and Miss Rhoda
Rabb, all of Lenoir.
The funeral services were con
ducted from St. Stephen's
church Wednesday morning at
ten o'clock by the pastor, Rev.
J. F. Deal. The character and
popularity of the deceased were
attested to be the large con
course of people present, and
the beautiful and lovely floral
offerings. The nail bearers
were Messrs. J. H. Beall, J. C.
Seagle, H. T. Newland, S. F.
Puette. F. C. Curlee, J. G. Hall,
F. P. Moore and F. H. Coffey.
The bouv was laid to rest in
Belleview Cemetery.
Official Result Of The Town Election.
The final results of the town
election on Monday show no
change in the results as given
in our columns when we went to
press on Tuesday. Below we
give the official vote as report
ed by the inspectors of election:
For Mayor; Mark Squires, 177
E. A. Poe, 27.
For Town Commissioners;
Logan E. Rabb 191, George F
Harper 188, Otis P. Lutz, 187,
J. Harper Beall, 187, Jacob A.
Bush Jr., 192, Ed. A. Aber
nethy, 188, E. D. Pulliam, 190.
For Trustees Lenoir Graded
School District; C. T. Squires,
197, V. H. Beach, 190, J. E.
Deal, 197, J. M. Bernhardt, 174,
W. B. Watson, 192, F. P. Moore,
22, J. W. Whisnant, lift, C. B
McNalry, 194.
Dr. McNairy and Mr. Whis
mint were elected for a term of
three years, Messrs. Bernhardt,
Watson and Deal for a term of
two years and Messrs. Squires
and Beach for a term of one
year. Mr. Moore was no can
didate and the vote given him
was only complimentary.
SPLENDID SCHEDULES.
Chair Car to be Run Between
Raleigh and Lenoir by
Way of Charlotte.
(Charlotte Obsener.i
The best Summer schedules the
Charlotte ueoole have ever
I known have been arranged by
'the railroads, and it is to be
j hoped, arranged for good. It
i worth while to airnin refer to
the excellent run of the trains
on the Seaboard. The outgo
ing morning and incoming af
ternoon trains for and Irom Ra
leigh are ierhaps the greatest
commercial convenience that I
road has yet placed at the ser
vice of the public. A connect
ing track is this week being laid
at Lincolnton so that a chair car
will be run through Charlotte
between Raleigh
and Lenoir.
The new morning train for the
west is the one that will please
Charlotte most. By it, one can
eave the city at 9:10 o'clock,
ifter having gone over the morn-
ng mail, and connect at Lin-
i t t i
cointon lor Newton or nicKory,
taking the mountain bound train
on the Western North Carolina
oad at either point. Or, one
an go on to Iiostic and there
atch the train for Marion. At
that joint, one can catch the
same train he could have caught
at Newton or Hickory and go
on to Asheville, or he can catch
the train for Switzerland or
Johnson City. By the route
from Bostic to Marion, the trav
eler will get to see some of the
prettiest mountain views in the
State views that are off the us
ual course of travel. The old
routes by Interurban and by the
Southern to Gastonia for the
western connection, as well as
the route by States ville are
still open, convenient as ever,
but requiring an earlier start.
Charlotte never before knew
such all around, good fitting
schedules and they will come in
to full appreciation during the
season now at hand.
That Forty Thousand.
(Charlotte Observer.)
The Observer has suggested
that Governor Craig string out
that $40,(XX) Senator Simmons
has secured from the Govern
ment for the building of a
stretch of good road, between
Charlotte and Chimney Rock or
Hickory Nut Gap. It wants to
emphasjze the suggestion.
This section of the State needs
to be opened up. Aside from
its scenic attractions, it is the
most direct and practicable route
to the mountain metropolis of
Asheville. Two things of re
cent occurrence add to the
claims of this section for recog
nition. The County of Ruther
ford, in which Chimney Rock is
located, has voted $25,000 in
bonds to build good roads.
This is more backing than the
Government requires. For a
second reason, Col. John T.
Patrick has gone up to Chimney
Rock to build a hotel and de
velop that section after the
manner of his Southern Pines
development. The road could
follow no better man than Pat
rick. The invitation of this
particular section of the State
is so strong that Governor
Craig could scarcely resist it.
Again The Observer woild so
licit his careful consideration of
this proposition.
Julian Hawthorne in writing
poetry in prison to revenge him
self on those 'who placed him
there.
REFORMED CHURCH MEEllNG.
(Special to The Times.)
Greensboro, May 5. Rev.
Shuford Peeler, pastor of the
Greensboro Reformed Church,
has returned from China Grove,
where he attended the annual
North Carolina classis of the
Reformed Church in America,
which began its sessions last
week. At the afternoon session
Saturday, the matter of divid
ing the classis came up for dis
cussion, the Potomac synod at
its last session having ordered
such a division. After an ani
mated discussion the classis re
solved not to abide by the or
der of the synod, deeming it to
the best interest of the church
tnat no division be made at this
tune. The committee report
relative to whit the synod's
debt !s to Catawba College was
made. The amount due as a
greed upon by the joint commit
tees of synod and classis was:
Principal, $vs,91bN4; interest,
22; total, 12,1.")2 (Mi. The
report was- accepted. The re
lort of the committee on mis
sions was made and was accep
ted. The classis will donate to
the High Point church $500 on
its new building and to Concord
$200 for sustenation; and to the
Catawba charge $225 for suste
nation. The next annual clas
sis of the church will be held
with the Rockwell, N. C. church.
Rev. John Ingle of Blowing
Rock, was dismissed to the Con
cord presbytery, and S. W. Beck
of Landis, was dismissed to
Philadelphia. Rev. M. M. Noo
cher was received from Cheney,
Kansas.
Southern Railway' Improvement.
Asheville, N. C, May 7. Bet
ter facilities than ever before
given for reaching the tourist
resorts of Western North Caro
lina are provided in the summer
schedules and through car ar
rangements just announced by
the Southern Railway.
Great improvements will be
made in the service between
Salisbury and Asheville. The
parlor cafe cars now Operated
on trains 11 and 12 will be trans
ferred to trains 15 and Hi and
full dining cars will be operated
between Salisbury and Knox-
ville on trains 11 and 12. Ob
servation cars will be placed in
the Norfolk Asheville line op
era ted between Salisbury and
Asheville on trains 11 and 12.
Trains 11 and 12 will be oper
ated in two sections between
Salisbury and Asheville whenev
er justified by the business dur
ing the early part of the season
and about July la second sec
tion of these trains carrying the
Pullman cars and dining car
will be operated daily, making
only the important stops.
Beginning June 1 a through
coach will be operated between
Charlotte and Asnevine on
trains 29 and 40 between Char
lotte and Spartanburg and on
trains 9 and 10 between Spar
tanburg and Asheville.
Death of W. M. E.te.
Mr. William M. Estes ofCol-
lettsville, died at his home Mon
day evening at 8 o'clock after
an illness of several weeks with
tvphoid fever. The deceased
was in his 8;ird year and from a
constitutional and physical
standpoint had but few equals in
that section of the country. Mr.
Estes was honest and upright in
all his dealings and the commu
nity has lost a good, dependable
citizen. The deceased was the
father of six children all of
whom survive. The interment
took place Tuesday afternoon
in the Collettsvillo cemetery.
NEWS ITEMS OF INTEREST.
Interesting .Reading Matter of
Local and National Affairs
in Condensed Form.
Wilmington, May 5. Special.
Albert Highstnith, colored, who
shot and killed Julius Sumpter,
also colored, at the latter's
home last night, was captured
by the police about three miles
from the city toil ay. He had
planned to catch a train on tne
edge of the city Jjut officers were
too close on him. It is alleged
that he killed Sumpter with
whom he boarded because the
latter asked him for his week's
board.
Columbia, S. C, May 5. A
negro named Powell Davis was
brained here this afternoon an
axe being the implement used.
A negro woman named Ruth
Grant came to tin police sta
tion and gave herself up stat
ing UAl she was the one who
used the axe but later stated
that another negro named John
Chapman had committed the
deed. The latter negro is now
being hunted by the police and
is expected to be in custody be
fore many hours.
San Francisco, May 5. Ton-
ko Takeishi, a Japanese aviator,
who was trained in the United
States, was instantly killed to
day while making a landing
from a flight in Japan, accord
ing to a cablegram received by
The Japanese-American, a lo
cal Japanese daily. Takeishi
endeavored to land at the Gov
ernment reservation. Turkaku-
sa, and his biplane struck the
ground with such force that it
was smashed to pieces and the
aviator crushed beneath it. Ta
keishi was making the trip to
day for The Osaka Asahi, a
newspaper, and the paper, the-
cablegram states, subscribed
$5,000 for the support of his
family when the news of his
death was received.
Free Show for All The Veterans.
The will be a special matinee
at the Princess Theatre tomor-
row afternoon from 2 to 4 o'clock
to which all the Confederate
soldiers will be admitted free.
There will be the usual three
good reels of pictures and also
a splendid extra, The Close of
the American Revolution, put on
especially for the. benefit of the
old soldiers. This is a show
that no Veteran can aford to
miss. The usual admission fee
will be charged for others.
KaDell-Kitchfield Make Good.
Although some of the farces
produced by the KaDell Kritch
field Tent show have been seen
here before, the performances
on the whole are good easily
worth more than the price asked.
They are showing this week in
Shelby to crowded houses. The
bunch of actors and equilibrists
are'of unusual excellence for a
ten cent show.
The company is nearly the
same one which was here a year
ago. Miss Ola KaDell wins ap
plause on the trapeze. The
blackface and character corn
medians are capable and the
ladies of the show skilled and
pleasing. - Shelby Highlander.
Still, why should Congress be
agitated? It is a "message"
that the President reads nol a
riot act.
Occasionally there is a ten
dency to get the question of suf
frage slightly eonfuseu with
that of dress reform.
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