USA > Georgia > Floyd County > Rome > A history of Rome and Floyd County, State of Georgia, United States of America; including numerous incidents of more than local interest, 1540-1922, Volume I > Part 60
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Note: In a special election Sept. 19, 1901, John M. Vandiver was elected Tax Collector to fill the unexpired term of V. T. Sanford. In the dispensary election of Feb. 19, 1902, the majority for the dispensary system and against the open saloons was 269, the vote being 1.459 for dispensary and 1,190 against. In the dispensary election of Apr. 19, 1904, the majority for the dispensary system was 1,258, the vote being 2,231 for dispensary and 973 against.
Original names of Rome thoroughfares, First, Second and Third Wards. (Changes made about 1890) :
RUNNING EAST AND WEST.
Old Name.
New Name.
Old Name.
New Name.
Gibson Street
Gibbons Street
South Street
First Avenue
Howard Street. Second Avenue
Maiden Lane Third Avenue
Oostanaula Street. Fourth Avenue
Bridge Street Fifth Avenue
Etowah Street
Sixth Avenue
King Street Seventh Avenue
Lincoln or
Lumpkin Street.
Eighth Avenue
Alpine Street. East Second Street
Franklin Street East Third Street
Ross Street. No change
Cherokee Street East Fourth Street
Smith Street
No change
Brooks Street No change
RUNNING NORTH AND SOUTH.
Court Street East First Street
Green Street West First Street
Jail Street. West Second Street
Dwinell Street No change
Reservoir Street No change
North Boundary Street Ninth Avenue
Railroad Street. East Fifth Street
Agricultural Fair Association (For the Cherokee Country of Georgia and Alabama) .- Organized July, 1869, at Rome. The first fair was held in the autumn of 1869 and the second Oct. 11-14, 1870, at which time the directors were: A. A. Jones, president; Geo. S. Black, vice-president; B. F. Jones, secretary; Chas. H. Smith, C. W. Sproull, J. W. Turner, J. A. Stewart, W. F. Ayer, J. H. Dent, M. Dwinell, W. H. Jones, Dr. J. P. Ralls, M. H. Bunn, Wm. H. Stiles, Cicero C. Cleghorn.
458
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
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THE 28 PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Top, left to right, Geo. Washington, John Adams, Thos. Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, Wm. Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Jas. Knox Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, Jas. A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benj. Harrison, Wm. Mckinley, Theodore Roosevelt, Wm. H. Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren G. Harding.
459
MISCELLANEOUS-GENERAL INFORMATION
STATISTICS OF THE PRESIDENTS
No.
President
Party
Inaug.
Age
Yrs. Served
Religion
Death
Age
1
Geo. Washington
Fed.
1789
57
7y-10m-4d
Epis.
12-14-1799
67
2
John Adams
Fed.
1797
61
4
Unit.
7-4-1826
90
3
Thos. Jefferson
Rep.
1801
57
8
Liberal
7-4-1826
83
4
James Madison
Rep.
1809
57
8
Epis.
6-28-1836
85
5
James Monroe.
Rep.
1817
58
8
Epis.
7-4-1831
73
6
Jno. Quincy Adams
Rep ._
1825
57
4
Unit.
2-23-1848
80
7
Andrew Jackson
Dem.
1829
61
8
Pres.
6-8-1845
78
8
Martin VanBuren
Dem.
1837
54
4
Ref. Dut.
7-24-1862
79
9
Wm. Henry Harrison
Whig.
1841
68
1m
Epis.
4-4-1841
68
10
Jno Tyler
Dem.
1841
51
3y-11m
Epis.
1-17-1862
71
11
Jas. K. Polk
Dem.
1845
49
4
Pres.
6-15-1849
53
12
Zachary Taylor
Whig.
1849
64
ly-4m-5d
Epis.
7-9-1850
65
13
Millard Fillmore
Whig.
1850
50
2y-7m-26d
Unit.
3-8-1874
74
14
Franklin Pierce
Dem.
1853
48
4
Epis.
10-8-1869
64
15
James Buchanan
Dem.
1857
65
4
Pres.
6-1-1868
77
16
Abraham Lincoln
Rep.
1861
52
4y-1m-11d
Pres.
4-15-1865
56
17
Andrew Johnson
Rep.
1865
56
3y-10m-19d
Meth.
7-31-1875
66
18
Ulysses S. Grant
Rep.
1869
46
8
Meth.
7-23-1885
63
19
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rep.
1877
54
4
Meth.
1-17-1893
70
20
James A. Garfield
Rep.
1881
49
6m-15d
Disciple
9-18-1881
49
21
Chester A. Arthur
Rep.
1881
50
3y-5m15-d
Epis.
11-18-1886
56
22
Grover Cleveland
Dem.
1885
47
4
Pres.
6-24-1908
71
23
Benjamin Harrison
Rep.
1889
55
4
Pres.
3-13-1901
67
24
Grover Cleveland.
Dem.
1893
55
4
Pres.
6-24-1908
71
25
William McKinley
Rep.
1897
54
4y-6m-10d
Meth.
9 14-1901
58
26
Theodore Roosevelt
Rep.
1901
42
7y-5m-18d
Ref. Dut.
1-6- 1919
61
27
Wm. H. Taft.
Rep.
1907
51
4
Unit.
28
Woodrow Wilson
Dem.
1913
56
8
Pres.
29
Warren G. Harding
Rep.
1921
56
Bap.
Note .- The above information was taken from the World Almanac, New York, N. Y. It will be noted that the total in numbers is 29. This is caused by the fact that Grover Cleveland's name appears in two columns.
STERLING R. COCKRILL, once of Nashville, Tenn., and his "shack" on the Alabama Road, DeSoto, where he conducts a scien- tific truck farm. Mr. Cockrill farmed for years at Carlier Springs. He is a grad- uate of Cornell University and a cousin of Helen Keller.
460
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
SEVEN "HIGH ROLLERS" OF THE KIWANIS CLUB.
Top, left to right, Byard F. Quigg, superintendent of the Rome Public Schools; D. A. Nolan, in his uniform as a member of Rome Commandery, Knights Templar; B. A. Richards; C. M. Strange; bottom, J. Frank McGhee, Jr., Dr. A. F. Routledge, in his World War uniform, and Jas. W. Bryson.
AGRICULTURAL CENSUS REPORTS OF SURROUNDING COUNTIES COMPARED
Per Cent Increase
Per Ct. Inc. Imp. Land
Inc. in Land
Per Ct. Inc. in
Floyd
3,516
13.7
9.3
$6,799,309
143.6
Bartow
3,091
7.6
1.8
4,485,298
94.8
Polk
2,229
.1
None
2,814,629
94.6
Chattooga
1.870
.9
27.3
4,069,857
159.9
Gordon
2,736
3.0
2.1
5,186,926
148.0
Counties.
No. Farms. Since 1910. Since 1910.
and Buildings Since 1910.
Value
From the foregoing table, which has been tabulated by W. E. Bowers, County Agricultural Agent, from agricultural census reports of Floyd and adjoining Georgia counties, it will be seen that Floyd County leads in the number of farms and has made a much greater increase since 1910, with 13.7 per cent, than any of the other counties named, almost doubling Bartow, the nearest in gain to Floyd.
Floyd shows a creditable increase in improved lands during the last ten years, having 9.3 per cent more, or a greater increase than any of the surrounding counties, except Chattooga, which shows a 27.3 increase.
The increase in land and buildings since 1910 shows Floyd ranking third in per cent but greater in total increase, with almost seven million dollars. Chattooga has increased her value 159.9 per cent; Gordon comes next with 148, and Floyd has a 143.6 per cent increase. Bartow and Polk have about the same, with more than 94.
Mr. Bowers has received about 100 reports of different Georgia counties, and says that anyone who is interested in the agricultural census of any of these counties can get the report at his office .- June 29, 1921.
461
MISCELLANEOUS-GENERAL INFORMATION
FARM VALUES IN FLOYD SHOW ENORMOUS INCREASE
The Director of the Census announces, subject to correction, the following preliminary figures from the Census of Agriculture for Floyd County, Georgia : FARMS AND FARM ACREAGE
Jan. 1, Apr. 15, Increase 1920.
Farms
3,516
3,092
13.7
Operated by
White farmers 2,704
2,327
16.2
Colored farmers .. 812
765
6.1
Operated by
Owners and
Amount
$ 6,799,309
Managers
1,303
1,151
13.2
Tenants
2,213
1,941
14.0
Per cent
143.6
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
PRINCIPAL CROPS
Acres
Quantity
Farms reporting
domestic animals.
3,455
3,333
Animals reported :
Horses
1.761
1,511
Mules
5,029
3,673
Cattle
9,673
8,907
1909
6,707
6,216 tons
Sheep
417
1,053
Cotton
1919
51,523
23,474 bales
Goats
317
781
The figures for domestic animals in 1910 are not very closely comparable with those for 1920, since the present census was taken in January, before the breeding season had begun, while the 1910 census was taken in April, or about the middle of the breeding season, and included many spring calves, colts, etc .- June 28, 1921.
FLOYD COUNTY POPULATION TABLE.
A population table sent to John Camp Davis, of Floyd's delegation in the House of Representatives, by Senator Wm. J. Harris at Washington, shows some inter- esting facts touching the State, Floyd County and Rome. In 1790 Georgia's pop- ulation was 82,548, and in 1920 2,895,832, an increase of 286,711 people over the 1910 census, or 11 per cent. The increase for the United States was 14.9 per cent. There are 13,252 people living in Floyd County towns and 26,589 in the country; in 1910 there were 12,099 in the towns and 24,637 in the country; and in 1900 there were 7,291 in the towns and 25,822 in the country.
The table shows that Rome gained 115 people in 1920 over 1900:
Floyd County
1920.
1910.
1900.
Cave Spring, including Cave Spring town
2,142
2,253
2,283
North Carolina
1,259
1,249
1,206
Watters
2,418
2,353
1,224
Rome, including Rome city
14,150
13,696
14,035
Texas Valley
873
1,174
1,185
Barker's
1,101
1,081
1,098
Floyd Springs
618
1,301
1,096
Chulio
1,499
1,457
1,191
Etowah
1,544
1,215
892
Livingston
700
451
789
Mount Alto
2,548
2.046
1,122
Everett Springs
544
674
590
Foster's Mill
517
363
472
Vann's Valley
1.665
846
975
Howell's
1,382
1,270
1,045
Lindale
3,962
3,699
2,643
State Line
650
600
614
Glenwood
984
1,008
Armuchee
1,285
Totals
39,841
36,736
33,113
Corn
1919
36,315
520,865 bu.
1909
27,291
305,431 bu.
Wheat
1919
1,579
8.522 bu.
1909
27,291
305,431 bu.
Hay 1919
763
5,517 bu.
Swine
9,281
6,961
1909
38,150
13,955 bales
1910.
Per Ct.
FARM VALUES Value of land and buildings :
January 1, 1920
$11,535,030
April 15, 1910 4,735,721
Increase, 1910-20:
Jan. 1, Apr. 15, 1920. 1910.
Harvested. Harvested.
462
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
1
MEN WHO HAVE PUT ROME ON THE POLITICAL MAP.
Top, left to right, Milford W. Howard, native wood hauler of DeSoto, who was named rep- resentative to Washington, and wrote a book, "If Christ Came to Congress;" Judge Augustus R. Wright, in Federal and Confederate Congresses; Judge John W. Hooper, who befriended the Indians; Judge Jno. Henry Lumpkin, congressman; Thos. C. Hackett, congressman; Dr. H. V. M. Miller, "Demosthenes of the Mountains," United States Senator; Judson Claudius Clements, congressman and Interstate Commerce Commission chairman.
463
MISCELLANEOUS-GENERAL INFORMATION
GOVERNORS OF GEORGIA
Jas. Edward Oglethorpe
1732-43
John Forsyth 1827-29
William Stephens
1743-51
George R. Gilmer
1829-31
Henry Parker
1751-54
Wilson Lumpkin
1831-35
John Reynolds
1754-57
George R. Gilmer 1837-39
Henry Ellis
1757-60
Chas. J. McDonald
1839-43
James Wright
1760-71
Geo. W. Crawford 1843-47
James Habersham
1771-75
Geo. W. Towns
1847-51
William Ewen
1775-76
Howell Cobb 1851-53
Archibald Bullock
1776-77
Herschel V. Johnson
1853-57
Button Gwinnett
1777-77
Joseph E. Brown
1857-65
John A. Treutlen
1777-78
James Johnson. (Provisional)
1865-65
John Houston
1778-78
Chas. J. Jenkins 1865-68
John Wereat
1778-79
Gen. T. H. Ruger, U. S. A. (military governor)
1868-68
George Walton
1779-80
Richard Howley
1780-81
Gen. Jno. Pope, U. S. A. 1868-68
Stephen Heard, (Pres. Sen.)
1781-81
(military commander)
Nathan Brownson
1781-82
Gen. Geo. G. Meade. U. S. A. 1868-68
John Martin
1782-83
(military commander)
Lyman Hall
1783-84
Rufus B. Bullock 1868-71
John Houston
1784-85
Benj. Conley, (Pres. Sen.)
1871-72
Samuel Elbert
1785-86
James M. Smith
1872-76
Edward Telfair
1786-87
George Matthews
1787-88
Alexander H. Stephens
1882-83
George Handley
1788-89
George Walton
1789-90
Edward Telfair
1790-93
George Matthews
1793-96
Wm. J. Northen
1890-94
Jared Irwin
1796-98
Wm. Y. Atkinson
1894-98
James Jackson
1798-01
Allen D. Candler
1898-02
David Emmanuel
1801-01
Joseph M. Terrell
1902-07
Josiah Tatnall
1801-02
Hoke Smith 1907-09
1909-11
Jared Irwin
1806-09
Joseph M. Brown Hoke Smith 1911-11
David B. Mitchell
1809-13
John M. Slaton, (Pres. Sen.) 1911-12
Peter Early
1813-15
Joseph M. Brown
1912-13
David B. Mitchell
1815-17
John M. Slaton
1913-15
William Rabun
1817-19
Nathaniel E. Harris
1915-17
Matthew Talbott, (Pres. Sen.)
1819-19
Hugh M. Dorsey
1917-21
John Clark
1819-23
Thos. W. Hardwick
1921-22
George M. Troup
1823-27
Clifford M. Walker
1922
Fire Department in 1869 (Volunteer) .- James Noble, Jr., chief, W. T. Mapp, first assistant chief; R. T. Hoyt, second assistant chief; W. T. Seavey, secretary. Rainbow Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1 .- Mulford M. Pepper, president; T. S. McAfee, vice-president; E. J. Stevens, secretary.
Mountain City Fire Engine Co. No. 2 .- Dr. David J. Powers, president; Geo. Noble, captain; W. R. Fenner, secretary.
Hook & Ladder Co. No. 1 .- Ed. F. Shropshire, foreman; S. C. Anderson, assistant foreman; Robt. J. Gwaltney, secretary.
Attorneys, 1868 to 1894 (Partial List) .- Dan'l. R. Mitchell, John W. H. Un- derwood, Chas. H. Smith, Joel Branham, A. R. Wright, Edwin N. Broyles, C. N. Featherston, R. D. Harvey, Sr., D. B. Hamilton, Sr., Dunlap Seott, Dan'l. S. Printup, R. T. Fouche, Wm. H. Dabney, C. D. Forsyth, John H. Reece, Sr., Rich- ard A. Denny, Thos. W. Alexander, J. I. Wright, Christopher Rowell, W. W. Brookes, W. T. Turnbull, D. M. Hood, W. D. Elam, Wm. S. Hills, W. B. Terhune, James P. Perkins, R. R. Harris, Sr., Chas. W. Underwood, Jas. H. Spullock, J. Lindsay Johnson, Sr., Walter H. Mitchell, Hal Wright, Max Meyerhardt (City Court judge 1887-91), Linton A. Dean, Seaborn Wright, Hamilton Yancey, Jno. W. Maddox, Wm. H. Hidell and Albert G. Ewing.
Alfred H. Colquitt 1876-82
James S. Boynton, (Pres. Sen.) 1883-83 Henry D. McDaniel 1883-86
John B. Gordon 1886-90
John Milledge
1802-06
William Schley
1835-37
464
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
10
11
12
MORE SILHOUETTES BY EUGENE LE HARDY DE BEAULIEU.
1-Anna Hume, a descendant of the celebrated Hume family, of the English nobility; 2-Martha Shorter Cooley (Mrs. Walker I. Brooks) ; 3-Col. Alfred Shorter; 4 and 5-John and Eliza Hume; 6-Sarah Hendricks; 7-Mary Russell (mother of Jno. J. Eagan, of At- lanta) ; 8-Mary Hendricks; 9-Robt. Battey; 10-Dr. Geo. M. Battey; 11-Mrs. Robt. Battey; 12-Mrs. Geo. M. Battey.
465
MISCELLANEOUS-GENERAL INFORMATION
$750,000 FOR GOOD ROADS IN FLOYD
On Thursday, June 16, 1921, the voters of Floyd County, by an almost unani- mous vote, authorized an issue of $750,000 bonds for road improvements, following a resolution favoring the issue passed by the County Board of Roads and Revenues at its meeting May 11. A considerable part of this money has already been spent, and Floyd County is assured of a system of roads that cannot be excelled in Northwest Georgia. The program called for the expenditure of $616,000 on 257 miles of first and second-class roads, and the balance, $134.000, on second and third-class roads. It follows :
FIRST-CLASS ROADS
Miles.
Amount. $60,000
Summerville road, Armuchee to Chattooga line
5
70,000
Including a bridge over Armuchee Creek.
13
50,000
Cave Spring road to Alabama line
21
60,000
Including a bridge over Big Cedar Creek.
Bluff road to Alabama line
16
50,000
Chulio road to Bartow County line
8
25,000
Seney road from Lindale to Polk County line
7
30,000
Dalton road from Summerville road to Gordon County line
12
25,000
Cave Spring and Cedartown road to Polk County line
2
5,000
SECOND-CLASS ROADS
Floyd Springs road-Armuchee to Everett Springs at Pocket
17
25,000
Pope's Ferry from Calhoun road to Bell's Ferry
10
20.000
Plainville road from Calhoun road to Plainville
21/
4,000
Adairsville road from Calhoun road at Martin's store to Bartow line
21%
5,000
Hermitage road from Calhoun road at Watters to beyond Hermitage
4
2,000
Wayside School road from Calhoun road at Dr. Floyd's to Bartow County line
8
6,000
Freeman Ferry road from Kingston road to Etowah River.
4
4,000
Taylorsville road from Seney road to Bartow line
9
15,000
Foster's Mill road to Cave Spring road
6
5,000
Melson and Cave Spring road
7
8,000
Booger Hollow road from Six Mile to Pork County
8
8,000
River road from Alabama road at Hamilton's, Alabama road, to near Cabin Creek Bridge
12
20,000
Burnett's Ferry road from Pop Skull
7
15,000
Foster's Mill to Coosa River
7
7,000
Coosa from Alabama road to Lavender
3
2,000
Lavender road from Alabama road to Texas Valley
7
12,000
Redmond road from Summerville road to Texas Valley
7
12,000
O'Brian Gap road from Summerville road to Texas Valley
8
12,000
Little Texas Valley road from Armuchee to Lavender
10
15,000
Livingston road to Bluff road
4
5,000
Pinson's, Calhoun road, to Pope's Ferry road
4
5,000
Brown's Store, Holland road
3
4,000
Early to Ford's Bend
5
5,000
Culpepper's Mill to Everett Springs
3
3,000
Totals
257
$616,000
Historic Gavel .- The Xavier Chapter of the Daughters of the American Rev- olution is the possessor of a gavel made from the historic wood of the old La- Fayette House, Montgomery, Ala. The place was torn down in 1900 and the gavel was presented by Mrs. R. V. Mitchell.
City Marshals and Police Chiefs .- Samuel Stewart, before and after the Civil War; Dr. S. F. Powers, Jobe B. Rogers, J. B. Sills, Col. E. J. Magruder, Jas. C. Brown and J. B. ("Pink") Shropshire, marshals; Wm. H. Steele, Jas. A. Collier, H. H. Wimpee, Chas. I. Harris (first term), Henry J. Stewart (grandson of Col. Samuel Stewart), Wm. S. Simmons and Chas. I. Harris (incumbent).
7
12,000
Big Texas Valley from Crystal Springs to Texas Valley
8
Kingston road to Bartow County line
Calhoun road to Gordon County line
466
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
Congressmen in Rome .- On Apr. 23, 1909, a committee of Congressmen and other leaders sat down to a banquet as the guests of the Merchants & Manu- facturers' Association at the Hotel Cherokee (Armstrong). Among those present were Congressmen Jas. A. Tawney, of Minnesota; Geo. P. Lawrence, Massachu- setts; John A. Moon, Tennessee; John L. Burnett, Alabama; Gordon Lee, Georgia; and Jos. L. Ransdell, Louisiana; Senators A. S. Clay and Thos. W. Hardwick, Georgia; Jos. M. Brown, Governor of Georgia; Jos. M. Terrell, former Governor of Georgia; John Temple Graves, W. J. Spillman, of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Washington, and W. W. Finley, president of the Southern Railway.
J. N. King, president of the Merchants & Manufacturers' Association, pre- sided as toastmaster and introduced a number of speakers who discussed the question of opening up the Coosa River to navigation. Mr. King paid the following tribute to Rome:
"Surely the Great Giver of all good never delivered into the hands of mortal stewardship a section more favored, a fragment of this old earth more blest than this in which we live; a climate more healthful, or natural resources more abundant. Remarkable Rome !- remarkable in that she is not now a city of 50,000 souls instead of having to wait for that minimum of population. Re- markable Rome !- born under the blue canopy of a North Georgia sky, than which there is nothing more beautiful in Italy or Switzerland; in an atmosphere free from the extremes of temperature, and laden with the perfume of the blossoms of rare fruits and flowers; resting in a cradle of most exceptional natural ad- vantages, nourished by the rich and varied agricultural products of her fertile valleys, strengthened by the iron in her rugged hills; quenching her thirst in her own bubbling springs; clothed with the cotton grown in her broad fields; made warm by the coal within reach of her extended hands; with her beautiful head resting upon the mighty shoulders of old Mount Alto, her shapely feet bathed in the cooling water of the deep-flowing Coosa, and her graceful sides laved by the health-giving tides of the swiftly-flowing Etowah and Oostanaula,-surely, gen- tlemen, surely never was a city more favored, never were a people more blessed!"
After the Freshet .- Floyd County folks "did about" as a consequence of the freshet of March-April, 1886. Col. W. G. Gammon was chairman of the county board at that time, and he called his compatriots together in a special session. The minutes of A. W. Shropshire, clerk, show the following entries during April :
Ferry boats were ordered put on the Etowah at Broad Street and at Howard Street (Second Avenue), and Wm. M. Towers was awarded a contract to construct a foot pontoon bridge at the former site.
Capt. Wm. T. Smith was authorized to build a pontoon for passengers and vehicles. Pedestrians were charged 3 cents to cross, or 5 cents round trip, and vehicles paid 20 to 35 cents, round trip.
The Smith bridge cost $200 and the Towers bridge $169.27. The sheriff served an order on the city to erect the bridges.
Hines M. Smith, engineer, later constructed a military bridge at Broad Street from the old timbers of bridges that had been washed down the Coosa. He was allowed $2 per day for his services, but this was increased to $100 a month.
The Morse Bridge Co. got the contract for constructing the new iron bridges. The Broad Street bridge iron cost $5.75 per foot, and the iron for the Howard Street structure $4.55 per foot (erected), making $12,000 for the former and $8,000 for the latter; the total for both, with masonry at $12,000, was $31,030.
The Fifth Avenue iron bridge was built in 1887 by the Penn Bridge Co. for $24,914.
A bond election for bridges and other improvements failed June 3, with 1,719 for and 2,218 against, and two-thirds needed to carry; 2,997 had voted at the last general election. The bonds carried at a second election.
Three modern bridges, two of them (Second Avenue and Broad) of concrete, have since been erected.
9 atty
468
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
ROME'S SPLENDID WATERWORKS PLANT.
At top is the Fort Jackson filter station, and at bottom Sam P. Frye, superintendent, at one of the immense outdoor tanks. In center is a peek at North Rome from the plant elevation.
A FAMOUS FLAG .- Miss Sallie Howard, daughter of the Rev. Chas. Wallace Howard (owner of "Spring Bank" plantation and school near old Cassville, Bartow County), and sis- ter of the late Miss Frances Thomas Howard, author of "In and Out of the Lines," is the possessor of a hand- some water color sketch of the old bat- tle flag of the Eighth Georgia Reg- iment. The original flag, she says, was borne aloft in the following hec- tic engagements :
.
First Battle of Manassas, Seven Days' Battle, Second Battle of Ma- nassas, Chantilly, Boonesborough, Suf- folk, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg, Get- tysburg, Frankstown, various skirm- ishes on Jones Island, near Charles-
ton, Campbell's Station, E. Tennessee engagements, siege of Knoxville, at- tack on Fort Sanders, Battle of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, the flank movements of Grant, includ- ing Cold Harbor; Bermuda Hundreds.
AS THE WAR OPENED .- Rev. John Jones, pastor of the First Pres- byterian church, on April 13, 1861, wrote Rev. Dr. Palmer, Presbyterian minister at New Orleans:
"The war has opened. At this mo- ment the Charleston batteries are play- ing on Fort Sumter. I unite with you in praying for our native South. 'May the Lord cover her head in this her day of battle!"
469
MISCELLANEOUS-GENERAL INFORMATION
MAYORALTY ELECTION IN 1872 .*- For the 1873 term, Maj. Wm. Franklin Ayer was elected over At- torney J. I. Wright. A mixed coun- cil went in. The tickets follow:
For Mayor-W. F. Ayer; for alder- men: First Ward, Dr. G. W. Holmes and Terrence McGuire; Second Ward, Col. W. G. Gammon and W. L. White- ly; Third Ward, J. A. Stansbury and J. L. Camp.
For Mayor-J. I. Wright; for al- dermen : Dr. G. W. Holmes and A. Tabor Hardin; W. L. Whitely and Dr. R. V. Mitchell; Robt. T. Hargrove and Edward H. West.
CITY OFFICERS IN 1888 .**-
- Mayor-Maj. W. F. Ayer; city attor- ney, Junius F. Hillyer; city treasurer, Edward C. Hough; city clerk, Mitchell A. Nevin; chief of police, Capt. Ed- ward J. Magruder.
FREE BRIDGES .- How the toll bridges of Rome were made "free" is related by the late Judge Joel Bran- ham in his booklet, "The Old Court House in Rome," (ps. 24-26) :
On Dec. 5, 1872, the East Rome Town Co. obtained a conditional license from the Board of County Commis- sioners establishing their new bridge over the Etowah to East Rome as a "toll bridge." A bill of injunction had been filed against the company by Col. Alfred Shorter and Judge Augustus R. Wright, owners of the other bridges yielding an income, and who made the point that the Inferior Court had is- sued them an exclusive grant. Judge Robt. D. Harvey denied the injunction, and the decision was affirmed by the S. State Supreme Court and then the U. Supreme Court, ** where it was fought out by Judge Joel Bran- ham for the company and by Judge Wright in person for himself and Col. Shorter.
A. Thew H. Brower later purchased a large block of the company's stock and 20 acres of land on the ridge along the river below East Second Avenue, and at his instance the bridge was eventually opened to the public, toll free. Still later the county bought all the bridges and abolished the tolls.
* Authority : Election tickets.
** Authority : Tribune of Rome, Anniversary and Trade Number, Tues., Oet. 2, 1888, p. 4. *** 101 U. S. Reports, p. 791.
**** The Tribune of Rome, Anniversary and Trade Number, Tues., Oet. 2, 1888, p. 5. ***** Ibid, p. 3.
****** The honored father of Col. Graves, who died 32 years later in Washington, D. C., and was buried in Westview cemetery, Atlanta.
Thus was ended a controversy that had existed since 1835. As an old cit- izen said, "The cat was finally 'bell- ed.' "
CLERGYMEN OF ROME IN 1888 .****- Rev. G. T. Goetchius, Pres- byterian; Rev. Robt. B. Headden, Bap- tist; Revs. W. F. Quillian, W. M. Bridges and W. F. Robison, Metho- dists; Rev. C. Buckner Hudgins, Epis- copalian, and Rev. Father M. J. Clif- ford, Catholic.
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