Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--A LETTER FROM MILLER PYLE--Mrs. H. C. Eubanks received a letter about ten days ago from her brother, Miller Pyle, who is with the signal corps in France, and who has been in the hospital since June 28 from being gassed, in which he stated that he was slowly recovering, but that it would likely be two months before he would be able to go on duty. He was able to walk, he stated, but like an old, old man, as he was burned from the waist down. Mrs. Eubanks received another letter from him this week, under date of August 22, which follows: I left the hospital on August 5, but have not reached my company yet. I had to stop and stay ten days. Then I made another start and traveled 200 miles and had to stop again, and am still here. Will probably complete the trip by September 1. Sure will be glad to get my mail and pay, as I have had neither since June. Will be so glad to get back and see all the boys again. Of course there are a few who will not be there. However, our losses have not been very heavy. I feel about as well today as usual, and think in time I will entirely overcome my injury. The weather is fine and the Yanks are giving the Hun all they want and then some. Tell everyone to write to me. Sergt. 1st Class M. Pyle, Co. C., 1 Field Signal Battalion, A. E. F. France Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--THE FLAG POLE A CERTAINTY--If there be those who thought the question of a 100-foot flag pole would end only in talk when it was found that such a pole, and a flag in proportion would cost $500 or more, when a 75-footer was objected to, have another think coming for the pole and flag have been ordered and the money necessary is in sight, there being $250 in the bank, $130 additional reported raised among the employees of the Walton Mine and $81.50 among the men at Mine No. 11. Whatever may be left will be donated to the Red Cross or the YMCA. It is hoped to raise the pole next week that the concrete foundation, which is to be seven feet in diameter and ten feet deep, may be thoroughly set by Oct 12, the day the flag is to be raised. Mayor Thomason, T. D. Williams and Jesse Whitmore, who were appointed as a committee to take the affair in charge and make all necessary arrangements, have let no grass grow under their feet and have about everything arranged except a speaker for the occasion. They will endeavor to secure Paul Prosser of Fayette for that part of the programme, an if they succeed folks can depend upon it that it will be speech worth walking twenty miles to hear, for as an orator Prosser is without a peer. It is to be hope we will have pretty weather for the occasion, but weather or no weather, the flag will go up on October 12, so make your arrangements in be here, for the flag goes up to honor the boys from Higbee and vicinity who are now "over there," and others in the service. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--To prove that he had not turned in a false alarm in regard to the finding of what appeared to be the petrified remains of a prehistoric snake in a coal mine near Roanoke recently, mention of which was made in our issue of two weeks ago, Mine Inspector Evan Jones made a special trip in his car and brought the snake to Higbee, where it has since been on view in his front yard. All who have seen the find are pretty sure it was a snake when the world was young, although it is possible that it might have been a tree. The formation, which had to be removed in sections, is about twenty feet long, the sections being from two to eighteen inches in length. The piece forming the head is about as perfect a snake's head as one could imagine, and a monster snake is the first thing one thinks of on looking down the entire length of the thing. The top side of the rock, from one end to the other, contains pits about a quarter of an inch in depth and about half an inch apart, making it appear all the more snake-like. The first ten feet is round and is some four or five inches in diameter while the latter half seems to have been flattened out. Some of the sections carry a reddish colored core, about an inch in diameter, which some take to have been the snake's backbone, while others think it may have been the heart of a tree. >From one end to the other, however, no evidence of any limb can be found. The NEWS, with Mr. Jones' consent, reported the matter to the Smithsonian Institute at Washington, the director of which has asked that one of the sections be sent him that it may be positively determined just what the find really is. Should it prove a desirable addition to similar collections it will be accepted. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--FIVE STURGEON BOYS FROM ONE FAMILY IN THE WAR--A service flag flying at the home of George Mathis is the symbol of more service than any single flag being flown in this section, for the reason that Mr. Mathis has five boys in the service of Uncle Sam, three of them in the navy and two in the army. Lacky Mathis, who is home on a visit, comes from the University of Texas, at Austin. He is undergoing training and instruction there to fit himself for an air observer. Sherman and Curtis Mathis are both at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Illinois. Frank Mathis, also in the navy, is stationed at New York. Dallas Mathis is with the quartermaster's corps at Fort Logan, Colorado. The parents of these boys have a right to feel proud of them. All are big, healthy youngsters and good to look upon--Sturgeon Leader. These young men are nephews of W. W. Brundege of this place. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Born, on the 25th, to Mr. and Mrs. Tyre Fowler, a son. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--J. H. Bagby is wearing a smile these days that will not come off, he being made a grandfather for the first time by the birth of a son to Mr. and Mrs. Carl Davis on the 26th. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Just before going to press we learn that James Jones, who was shot Tuesday evening by Wm. Chism, an account of which appears on the first page, was unconscious and that his recovery was doubtful. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Riley Land, who drove one of the cars in the man hunt Sunday, acquired the title of "speed demond" by making a record run. When Marshal Williams returned to town he found that Moberly officers had started to Moberly with his woman prisoner, intending to place her in jail there for safer keeping, and asked Riley to overtake their car. The latter, after advising everyone to hold on, left town at 65 miles an hour, slowing up only for curves, and went up "Sunshine" Hill at over 40 miles an hour. He overtook the car before it had gone half the distance. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Walton received a letter this week from their son, Clarence, who has been in training camp in Massachusetts for several months, stating that he had about recovered from a very severe attack of influenza, and was able to be out, though very weak. His knee, which he dislocated at Camp Funston, still gives him a great deal of trouble. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Joe E. Jones of Independence was here Tuesday, the guest of his brother, Isaac, being on his way home from Chillicothe where he spent his vacation. As he had but two days in which to fill out and return his questionnaire, he had to rush home and could spend but a few hours with old Higbee friends. He informed us that his father's sight is still failing, and that he has lost the sight of one eye entirely. This is sad news, indeed, to Mr. Jones' host of Higbee friends and all join the NEWS in the prayer that his sight will be spared. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Mrs. G. M. Nichols attended the funeral of Del Hart at Moberly Tuesday. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Omar Lynch returned Monday to Camp Funston after a few days' visit with his parents south of town. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Will and Esry Lusby returned Monday to Camp Funston after a short visit with their parents near Yates. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Eugene Robertson, who is in the Navy, and who came home from New York on a ten-day furlough for a visit with his parents at Yates, returned to his duties Monday. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Mrs. Jacob Grapes of Burton was the guest of her sister, Mrs. Jas. Dougherty, the first of the week. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Mrs. Russell Pickering of Higginsville, was the guest of her father, Lud Newman, during the week. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Joe B. Jones received a message Thursday of last week from his brother-in-law, E. N. Meyer, of Washington, Ohio, advising him of the death of his father. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--The residence of Sam Major of Fayette, during the absence of the family Friday of last week, was destroyed by fire, together with most of its contents. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--Mrs. W. D. Burke and Hawkins Dougherty were the holders of the tickets that drew the diamond rings given away Saturday night by the Princess Stock Co. Kathy Bowlin, Additions, corrections, comments welcome.