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Newspaper
Decatur Daily
Location
Decatur, Alabama, United States of America
Date
Jan 04, 1940
Page
2
Hopkins noted four factors likely to prevent liquidation of inventories including slower price advances, farm income gains from December staples, steady construction activity, and higher capital expenditure commitments. He said Christmas sales rose due to payroll gains and extended buying, while December orders fell in basic industries and firms shifted to replacement purchasing.
The article profiles Attorney General Murphy who took office January 2, 1939 and pursued reform across the Justice Department. Initiatives included counter espionage expansion, anti racketeering probes, civil liberties protections, regular district attorney reporting, and high profile cases like Tom Pendergast. Debates over his loyalty and leadership followed confirmation hearings.
Minneapolis fire officials opened an exhaustive inquiry into yesterday's Marlborough hotel disaster that killed at least 19, injured 25, and left three unaccounted. Early findings point to a garbage chute explosion from a cigarette, with the blaze sweeping three floors of the 45 year old 3015 East Fifteenth Street building. Nine injured are in critical condition as 13 of 18 victims are identified, while families and departments list names of the deceased including Otto Franke and Carl Wetsell among others.
Excavation for the basement of the Moerson county jail started after a two day snow and cold delay. A Berney Jones of Montgomery is the contractor for a building costing over $72,000. Decatur Iron and Steel Co. will furnish equipment. A A Munsell, construction superintendent, said remaining gear would be on site within days. The jail will adjoin the courthouse west side and house 100 prisoners, touted as one of the era’s most up to date facilities.
Born in a two room house at Beach Harbor Michigan on April 13 1893 he studied law at the University of Michigan and began his political career supporting Woodrow Wilson in the 1912 campaign.
New York markets show irregular activity with leaders retreating after an early advance. Transfers totaled about 850000 shares as profits were booked and overall close figures turned to losses for most issues. Chicago crops slip for wheat and corn firm, hogs down 10 to 15 cents.
Trading in cotton futures in New Orleans was irregular with profit taking hedge selling and foreign buying offsetting price fixing. Closing prices were steady down by 2 points to 2 points lower with notable activity in January May July October and December contracts.
Prime cottonseed meal futures (41 percent) closed steady in Memphis with f.o.b prices at 30.25 for January 30 delivery, 29.10 for March, 28.95 for May, 28.80 for July, and 27.00 for September. Sales totaled 3,600 units.
New Orleans reports a steady cottonseed bias with bids for prime crude oil types. Prices cited include January 6.50 and May 6.69 with ongoing bids in early 1949 style notation.
New Orleans market report shows spot cotton closing steady with sales of 2,506 bales. Prices: low middling 10.31, middling 11.41, good middling 11.76. Receipts 11,881. stock 877,123.
Butter prices stay steady at 657 755 with unchanged fees 9 894. Receipts sit at 17 while other prices show no change. This market note records current status as of January 4 with no alterations toRates or valuations.
Chicago market report lists live poultry prices for various weights and breeds. Hens and colored varieties show slight gains while lighter birds attract modest increases, with geese over 12 pounds priced around 11 to 12.
U S Dept of Agriculture notes in Nashville Tennessee market results January 4 year. Calves steers and heifers mixed prices 6 25 to 9 25 with good yearlings to 8 50. Cows and bulls range 3 25 to 6 50 with vealers top. Hogs 500 head market steady to 10 cents lower weights 900 pounds and above 4 75 to 5 75. Sheep steady with fat lambs to 8 25 and fat ewes 2 00 to 3 00.
Chicago wheat futures fell amid moisture in the drought region. May wheat closed around 1.05 to 1.04 7-8 per bushel with declines across near contracts. corn advanced slightly while oats showed marginal changes.
Chicago market report lists cash wheat with No 1 mixed at 60 to 65 cents, No 2 at 65, No 1 yellow 59.25 to 60, No 2 58.75 to 59, No 1 white 65.60. Oats No 2 white 42.42. Sample grade 40.50 to 41.50. Soybeans No 2 yellow 1.12. Barley ranges 54 to 68 nominal. No 3 65. No 2 68 nominal. Timoth seed 4.40 to 4.65 nominal. Red clover 12.50 to 15.00 nominal. Red top 8.50 to 9.00 nominal. Alsike 14.00 to 17.00 nominal. Alfalfa 17.50 to 22.50 nominal. Illinois prices included.
The CIO's American Communications Association declared opposition to the merger of Western Union and Postal Telegraph and urged a Senate investigation of the companies and the FCC. ACA president Mervyn Rathbone criticized the FCC as aiding the merger, while the Commercial Telegraphers Union accused the CIO of backing the plan due to a contract with Postal.
Prospects of increased trade with Soviet Russia were examined hopefully today in confidence that negotiations in progress in Moscow would be successful.
A blaze at the Point Street Grammar School in Providence sent 540 students and 20 teachers fleeing. Fireman Thomas Mazelhurst was critically injured by a collapsing wall. Principal George Thompson sustained minor burns while guiding children to safety as flames spread through the boiler room and upper floors. Some students sheltered in Tyler Parochial School as fire escapes were used.
President Roosevelt attacks critics on budget balancing and signals possible flat income tax of five percent on existing taxes. He argues for targeted defense spending, warns of potential relief requests if business lacks growth, and discusses parity payments for farmers tied to prices, while noting debt concerns and the need to avoid excessive retrenchment.
Decatur residents receive notices on assessments penalties and homestead exemptions. Local figures include Dr M B Lazenby improving after surgery, and Billy Weaver and Hazel Grizzard among ill or recovering residents. Community events include a district missionary institute at Hartsville and church services, with several local visits and farm and city business notes.
The text argues that a 42 billion dollar national debt figure is misleading. It notes 19 billion incurred in a specific period, with cash, gold for debt redemption, and government assets reducing net debt to 35 billion. It stresses tangible assets and earnings offset debt, asserting no anxiety about the future.
Garner Pride presided at the De catur Kiwanis Club indicating a 1940 outline focused on personal service and a Big Brother movement. New member Rev. D. C. McNutt joined, with guests Marion Vickery C D Cottingham and Edgar F Bradford from Chicago.
Postmaster R T Sheppard reported the Decatur office processed a record 101 277 outgoing pieces over December 19 20 and 21 1939, with daily counts of 32500 40000 and 28717. The 1938 trio totaled 87000, marking the 1939 peak as the biggest mailing rush known.
The project expands services in the area north of Nashville by linking with the Kentucky Utilities Company and adding transformers at multiple locations to improve electric service reliability and capacity.
President Roosevelt sent to the Senate today a slate of six diplomatic and state department nominees along with undersecretaries and assistants. Charles Edison would serve as secretary of the navy, with George S. Messersmith named ambassador to Cuba and Breckinridge Long as assistant secretary of state. John Cudahy becomes ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg, James H. R. Cromwell named minister to Canada, and R. Henry Norweb moves to Peru. Daniel W. Bell would be treasury undersecretary, John L. Sullivan as assistant secretary of the treasury, and Al J. Wirtz plus Grover Bennett Hill recommended for top interior and agriculture posts respectively.
The Most Rev Samuel A Stritch archbishop of Milwaukee is appointed by Pope Pius XII to succeed the late Cardinal Mundelein as archbishop of Chicago The apostolic delegation announced that the Most Rev Moses K Kiley bishop of Trenton will become archbishop of Milwaukee
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