100 Years Ago
As it appeared in the Fifty Years Ago column in the Monday, April 24, 1967, edition of the Rome NewsTribune
Such a strong display of public sentiment in favor of the Federal Highway between Rome and Menlo was shown at a good-roads rally in Summerville this week fifty years ago that construction of the road was practically assured.
The meeting was addressed by Judge T.E. Patterson, chairman of the state highway commission; Judge John W. Maddox, a former Chattoogan, said that he was talking to his homefolks and would be the height of folly for Chattooga to miss this chance when counties all over the state were clamoring for the government money.
Those from Rome at the meeting were A.A. Chapman, Mr. and Mrs. John M. Graham and Dr. J.N. Cheney and S.L. Graham.
*** Taxicab lines running on regular schedule between Rome and Calhoun and Rome and Kingston were established this week a half century ago.
Establishment of the service was undertaken by the Rome Chamber of Commerce, that organization believing that a quicker and more frequent means of communication would be appreciated by the business and traveling public. The fare between Calhoun and Rome was $1.50 for the round trip and Rome and Kingston, $1.
*** Chief of Rome Police Simmons reported that there had been many complaints about chickens running at large and that he wished it made plain that there would be no chickens allowed to run at large in the city, nor cows nor other animals, and that gardens, vital to the war effort, must be unharmed. …. The feature attraction at the Elite theatre this week a half century ago was “The Green Light on Stone Mountain,” a multiple-reel photo drama. Apart from the local interest, points of general interest were the scenes showing where Gutzon Borglum was carving his monument to the Confederacy. …
Sunday, April 23, 1967
Miss Chattooga Forestry Queen title awarded to Martha Floyd
SUMMERVILLE, Ga. – Miss Martha Floyd has been crowned Miss Chattooga County Forestry Queen. She was crowned by Toni McNair, 1966 queen. Miss Karen Wilson was runner-up.
The contest was sponsored by the Chattooga Band Boosters Club. Kelly Tanner is president of the club.
The 17-year-old high school senior from Chattanooga was chosen from a field of 19 contestants, Miss Floyd will compete in the Miss Georgia Forestry contest at Jekyll Island, June 4-5-5 which is part of the annual meeting of the Georgia Forestry Association.
The state winner will receive a $350 scholarship to the college of her choice in Georgia. Both the state queen and runner-up will receive numerous gifts. The association will host the contestants at a luau on Sunday evening and a luncheon and banquet on Monday. During the year, the queen will attend various functions of the Association. When the queen is unable to attend, her alternate will serve in her capacity.
Miss Floyd, following graduation, plans to enter Shorter College in Rome. Her major will be psychology.
The queen is a member of the Glee club, editor of school annual and Beta Club. Her hobbies include music, horseback riding and swimming.
Miss Floyd is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Floyd of Summerville.
The current “Miss Georgia Forestry” is Jane Brooks of Chatsworth.
Judges for the pageant were Frank Craven, Macon; Mrs. David McLain, Rome; Mrs. John Dickinson, Rome; and Mr. and Mrs. Mike McClain, Rome.
Master of Ceremonies was Wayne Smithson and entertainment was furnished by Mrs. Neil Taylor on the piano and the signing of Nelson and Nelda Dowdy.
Miss Pine Seedling was chosen the evening before the contest for Miss Chattooga County Forestry. In the 6-9 age group the winner was Julia Brison, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Brison of Holland. Taking the crown in the 10-12 age group was Terry Tredway, daughter of Mrs. Delores Tredway.
Wednesday, April 26, 1967
‘Sinkhole Season’ back in Florida
BARTOW, Fla. (AP) – James Whitten was still frantically dialing movers when the floor dropped out of a bedroom in his $15,000 house.
Whitten and his wife left home on the run, minutes before a bedroom and another room, walls, furniture and all, crashed into a gaping hole that had suddenly opened under their home. Neighbor Melvin Prine’s carport collapsed into the hole, too. The Prines also evacuated.
The chasm was so deep that a 25-foot ladder didn’t touch the bottom. Truckloads of filling material are being dumped into the hole. Area residents are nervously watching their own houses for the wall cracks that were Whitten’s only warning.
Whitten’s catastrophe was the most spectacular thus far in the springtime “sinkhole season” which central Florida has come to dread. Other recently opening sinkholes gobbled up a water main at Winter Haven, a house near Lakeland and a section of State Road 548.
Geologists blame sinkholes on the region’s network of underground rivers flowing through limestone which saturate and erode hunks of the limestone crumble into the streambeds and, all of a sudden, a yawning hole opens in a field, a street or under a building.
Friday, April 28, 1967
Calhoun moves closer to Region 7-AA crown
Coach David Patterson’s Calhoun baseball team clinched at least a tie in Region 7-AA Thursday afternoon with a 7-2 victory over Ringgold, while Dade County captured the Region 3-B North crown with a 2-1 decision over Trion.
Calhoun picked up its 11th victory of the season against one setback and sixth win as compared to no defeats in region action. Jerry Bearden was the winning hurler for Calhoun as he allowed six hits and two runs.
The Jackets scored enough runs in the opening frame to claim the victory. Three big markers pranced across the plate in that frame, but the winners were far from being finished.
A solo counter in the third and fourth placed the score at 5-1, while two more in the sixth put the game out of reach for Ringgold. The losers scored in the third and sixth.
Ringgold made three errors in the first inning sandwiched by a pair of hits and Calhoun was in the victory column. Charles Walraven started with a single, three errors followed and then Lloyd DeFoor laced a double to finish the scoring.
Walraven was the leading hitter for Calhoun with three hits in four attempts, while DeFoor came through with a pair of hits in four trips to the plate.
Calhoun will be hoping to cinch the region crown Tuesday when they travel to Dalton.
Dade county’s Rich Chumley allowed Trion but one hit in hurling his team to the Region 3-B North championship. The lone hit was a single in the fifth inning when Trion pushed across its only tally.
Dade scored in the third inning when Jerry Pace rapped a home run, and then came back with a solo marked in the fifth to win the game. Rusty Oliver rapped a single, stole second base and then scored on Cooper’s one bagger.
Trion’s scoring came in the fifth when Charles Lowery walked, moved to second on Bob Adams’ single and then scored when Mike Chastain’s grounder was bobbled.
Chumley was winning hurler, Chastain suffered the loss.
100 Years Ago
as it appeared in the Fifty Years Ago column in the Monday, April 24, 1967, edition of the Rome NewsTribune
A beautiful wedding solemnized this week was that of Miss Elsie Warfield of Thomaston to Mr. William Wyatt of Rome. Rome attendants included C. J. Wyatt, best man, Robert Wyatt and Harlan Starr, groomsmen. On their returns from a honeymoon trip, the couple would reside with Mrs. F.R. Wyatt on Fourth Avenue. … Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Ortwein announced the birth of a boy at their home on Perkins Street on the north side.