Friday, 7 July 1916--MYERS ITEMS--A debate was held at Baldridge school house Saturday night on the subject of women's rights. The negatives won. J. L. Dougherty was chairman, and the judges were Misses Nannie Ancel, Opal Avery and Mabel Harris. Affirmatives--Mrs. Whitehurst, Misses Clara Ancel and Miss Beulah Dougherty. Negative--Misses Jewel and Katie Dougherty and Dempsy Randall. J. C. Williams was called to Moberly on the 4th by the illness of his sister. J. L. and G. F. Dougherty with their families celebrated the 4th with their father, J. H. Dougherty. Friday, 7 July 1916--Joe E. Jones, who has had a good position in one of the best and biggest banks at Independence since he moved to that place from Higbee a year or so ago, spent the week here with his brother, Isaac, and family, and other relatives and friends, coming from Chillicothe where he spent the first of his two week's vacation. Having spent the most of his life in old Higbee, Joe is naturally interested in everything that interests Higbee people, and knowing of the Lozier-Rucker race for congress in this district, made some inquiries as to the probable outcome of the race while at Chillicothe. He informs us that all with whom he talked seemed to think that Lozier had the nomination salted down, and that the only question was as to the size of his majority. He stated that most of those with whom he talked stated that they believed Rucker had been honored long enough and that it was time to pass the honor around. Mr. Jones reports his parents as being well, but stated that his father was not quite as active as formerly and that he had lost the sight of one eye entirely. His father, he stated, was a great admirer of Hughes, the republican nominee for president, and would vote for him even if he had been the nominee on the socialist ticket, for the reason that Justice Hughes ' father, who was a Welshman, and a coal miner until he entered the ministry, was born in the same town in Wales as himself. Friday, 7 July 1916--Mrs. John Harriman is visiting in Illinois. Friday, 7 July 1916--Born, on the 4th, to Jno. Smith and wife, a son. Friday, 7 July 1916--Born, on the 1st, to Robert Gruber and wife, a daughter. Friday, 7 July 1916--Mrs. J. R. Herbertson of McKeysport, Pa, is the guest of her parents, Wm. Egly and wife. Friday, 7 July 1916--W. H. Bird and wife of Leavenworth, Kan., are the guests of their daughter, Mrs. John Egly. Friday, 7 July 1916--J. Edgar Smith is driving a big new Buick, purchased last week. He traded his old car in on the deal. Friday, 7 July 1916--A. T. Burton is the proud owner of a new Studebaker touring car, purchased Friday through Andrews & Burton. Friday, 7 July 1916--Jodie Douglass returned to Kansas City Sunday after a short visit with his parents, Joel Douglass and wife, of near Rucker. Friday, 7 July 1916--W. S. Walton and family left Monday for Hurdland, for a week's visit with Mrs. Walton's parents, H. T. Howerton and wife. Friday, 7 July 1916--Mrs. Wiley Crews, aged about 60 years, died at her home near Harrisburg Friday of last week, following a short illness. She is survived by her husband and two children. Interment was made at Harrisburg. Friday, 7 July 1916--Messrs Rankin & Solberg inform us that, beginning next week, they will operate the picture show but two nights a week--Wednesday and Saturday. Friday, 7 July 1916--Miss Nina Williams, who has a good position with the telephone company in Springfield, Ill, came home Monday for a month's visit with her parents, W. I. Williams and wife. Friday, 7 July 1916--Misses Bertha Andrews, Lillian Manuel and Elizabeth Hudson, who are attending the summer school at the state Normal at Kirksville, spent the Fourth with the home folks. Friday, 7 July 1916--Mrs. Stella Robb, widow of the late Jonas Robb, and A. P. Kellen of Drexel, Cass county, were married in Moberly on the 5th at the home of the officiating minister, Rev. W. A. Simmons. Friday, 7 July 1916--Glen, the 14-year-old son of A. Carson formerly of this place, while playing with a blank cartridge pistol at his home in Huntsville on the 3rd, shot his 11-year-old sister. One eye was put out and it is said there is little hope of saving the other one. Friday, 7 July 1916--Jake Williams and wife and Mrs. A. E. Avery were called to Moberly Wednesday by the illness of the latter's sister, Mrs. Prescilla Thompson, who makes her home with a daughter, Mrs. Ben Moberly. Her recovery is not hoped for. Friday, 7 July 1916--D. L. BARRON DEAD--Daniel L. Barron, one of Higbee's old and highly respected citizens, died at his home in this place at 8 o'clock Wednesday morning, July 5, following an illness of a year or more, the immediate cause of his death being dropsy, with which he had been afflicted for several months. While his death was looked for, it came as a great shock to his family and friends, as he appeared a great deal better the day before, and especially on the morning of his death, when he was much more cheerful and ate a hearty breakfast. Mrs. Barron had just left his bedside when she heard him gasp, and rushing back to the bed found that he was dead. Mr. Barron was in 73rd year. He was born at Killebegs, Donegal, Ireland, October 31, 1483 (Kathy's notes: I think they meant 1843). He came to America in 1861, and to Randolph county in 1872, where he resided until about ten years ago, when he moved to Inola, Ok. He was married on December 26, 1875, to Miss Fannie E. Maxfield. They were the parents of thirteen children, all of whom, with the mother, survive, viz: John, Taylorville, Ill.; Benj., Slater; Mrs. Geo. Shackleton, Montana; Mrs. Maggie Cornelius, St. Joseph; Mrs. Mamie Wilkingson, Mrs. Hugh Mooney, Mrs. Will Sperry, James, Emmett, Will, Francis, Bryan and Miss Della Barron of this place. Funeral services will be held at the Methodist church, of which deceased had long been a member, by the pastor, Rev. J. J. Copeland, today at 2 o'clock and interment made in the City Cemetery. In the death of Mr. Barron his family loses a kind and loving husband and father and the community an upright and honored citizen. The NEWS joins the community in condolence to the bereft. Friday, 7 July 1916--(Kathy's Notes: I am transcribing the following, because it marked a migration from the town of Higbee, in search of jobs. Many of these men left for my home town of Marissa, Illinois, but some went to Iowa, some to Wyoming, and others went to places unknown to me.)--MINE NO. 11 CLOSES--Like a bolt from a clear sky came the news Friday of last week that the Northern Central Co's mine here, known as No. 11, would close down Monday of this week, which day was put in by the men in squaring up their places and removing their tools. While the announcement came unexpectedly, it created no great surprise, as it has been the general belief for a long time that the mine has been a losing proposition form the day it was opened, and the wonder to many has been that the company did not shut it down long ago. Its closing will be a severe blow to Higbee, but not as great as it might be, for the property owners among the 360 men thrown out of the employment will be able to secure work at the mine of the Walton Coal Co, in the course of a few weeks, or as soon as increased trade will justify the employment of additional men. No one knows, not even Jas. W. Marshall, general auditor of the company in charge of the office here, whether the mine is to be reopened or not. The general impression is that it is closed for good. About the only hope anyone has for its reopening is in the fact that Floyd Moore and L. McElhany of the office force have been given a lay off of sixty days. We understand, but not from an authoritative source, however, that the company will make an effort to get a better price for their product from the Alton, their chief customer, failing in which the mine will be abandoned. Pete Walker, engineer, and Jas. Rankin, top boss, have been retained as watchmen to look after the property. Friday, 7 July 1916--Jesse H. White, son of Rev. L. M. White of Fayette, formerly pastor of the Baptist church at this place, was drowned in the Wabash reservoir at Moberly Friday night of last week. He swam across the lake once and started to swim back, but got a cramp in his foot and returned to the bank. After a rest of a few minutes he again started to swim back, and that was the last seen of him. After waiting for his return about half an hour, two companions who had accompanied him to the lake, one of whom did not go into the water, gave the alarm. The search for the body has since been kept up, but without success. A professional diver has been employed and has spent several hours every day under the water, and dynamite in large quantities has also been exploded in the hope of bringing the body to the surface. Friday, 7 July 1916--(Kathy's notes: The Higbee Blues beat the Mexico team, 4-3.) Friday, 7 July 1916--Mrs. P. W. Warford is seriously ill at the home of her son, Asa, near town, and her recovery is not expected. Kathy Bowlin, Additions, corrections, comments welcome.