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 61
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
THE TRIBUNE IN 1888 .* - When John Temple Graves came to Rome from the Atlanta Evening Jour- nal to establish the Tribune of Rome on Oct. 2, 1887, he had evidently im- bibed some of the lofty enthusiasm which was so prevalent among mem- bers of the Rome Land Co. and other "boom" organizations of the period. He gathered around him for his new paper not only 60 able stockholders (suggestive of the present-day arrays) but put on the payroll a producing force of 43 people, or three times as many as the experts say are neces- sary to put out a paper in a town the size of Rome. The 43 follow:
Col. Graves, editor and general mana- ger; Gen. J. P. Graves, assistant ;****** Houstoun R. Harper, city editor; J. Dan
REV. HARRY F. JOYNER, Baptist minister whose Maple Street Community House plan has attracted wide attention.
470
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
Cleaton, assistant; E. Fletcher Smith, night editor; Jno. G. Taylor, business manager; F. A. Webster, bookkeeper; Sam C. Whitmire, collector; Henry Thompson, office boy; Fred H. Wright, composing room foreman, and B. C. Edwards, Dick Dempsey, J. B. Spence, J. N. Swaggarty, W. H. Peters, B. C. Kelton, G. S. McAfee, A. B. Theo- bold, F. J. Estes, Tom Turner, W. B. Lathrop, C. A. Cook. P. A. W. Keel, Tom Barnett and W. H. May- neck, with Pete and John Roser as "devils;" Sam Whitmire, superintend- ent of machinery and press room; Oliver Elmore, pressman, Charlie Wright, feeder, and Henry Thomp- son, mailing clerk. In the carrier and delivery department were Simon Ray, Jimmy and Willy Elders. John and Henry Wright, John Harper, Bob
Moss, George Starr, Seab Higgin- botham and Hayes Ray; the Associat- ed Press reporters were Cothran Smith, Luther Gwaltney and Wirt Marshall.
The leaders in the movement for an up-to-date daily newspaper were J. W. and J. A. Rounsaville, Dr. J. B. S. Holmes and Dr. Robt. Battey. Dr. Battey was made president, and the other directors were Dr. Holmes, J. A. Rounsaville, Col. Graves, R. T. Armstrong, T. F. Howel, and D. F. Allgood. In addition to the directors, the stockholders were H. B. Parks & Co., Alfred S. Hamilton, Emmons, Mc- Kee & Co., Simpson, Glover & Hight, Elbert T. McGhee, R. G. Clark & Co., Chas. H. Cothran, C. Oliver Stillwell, Geo. M. Battey, Wmn. W. Seay, J. A. Smith, Jos. B. Patton, Robt. H. Jones & Sons, E. H. Colclough, Dean & Ewing, Wm. M. Towers, Almeron W. Walton, Joel Branham, T. J. MeCaf- frey, D. B. Hamilton, M. A. Taylor, Jas. T. Vandiver, B. T. Haynes, Mark G. McDonald, Henry A. Smith, P. L. Turnley & Co., W. H. Wardlaw, Jas. G. Dailey, Chas. D. Wood, M. A. Nevin, Wmn. H. Roe, Jas. Douglas, L. R. Gwaltney, A. MeGhee, Henry G. Stoffregen, Jas. D. Gwaltney, Wm. H. Adkins, Jno. T. Warlick, Jack King, J. T. Crouch & Co., Park Harper, R. J. Ragan, Jno. J. Seay, H. D. Coth- ran, Jno. Montgomery, David W. Cur- ry, Bradford & Watts, Lamkin & Funkhouser, Harper Hamilton, Capt. W. N. Moore, Wm. A. Wright, Jno. G. Taylor and Jno. H. Reynolds.
The Tribune of Rome was a mint of money from the start-for the stockholders to pay out. One day a "mass meeting" was held, and orders given to "cut to the bone." This was
done, and after struggling along for three years with
his "corporal's guard," Col. Graves departed for a different clime. In the meantime, Frank L. Stanton had broken in from the Smithville (Lee County) News, but his prodigous efforts to prop things up with poety availed little, and he escaped to Atlanta a short distance ahead of the crash.
"OWE NO MAN ANYTHING."- "The Cash System is Best for Mer- chant and Customers."-Messrs. Edi- tors : With your permission we take this occasion to set forth to our friends and patrons a few reasons why we ought to be encouraged in our re- cently adopted system, Cash. We be- lieve it is best for both merchant and customer. When we go to market with the cash, we are independent and can buy goods when we please and where we find goods at the lowest prices-we buy at reduced prices and divide with the customer. The cus- tomer is under no obligation to buy of us because of an unpaid debt, whether it is to his interest or not; merchant and customer stand on equal ground. Again, the cash system makes no bad debts. It is the good solvent
TELAMON CRUGER SMITH-CUYLER, a Roman who has traveled all over the world and is an entertainer without a peer.
472
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
customers that pay the merchant, who loses by those who don't pay. Trade is like the fluid in a spirit level-it will equalize itself-and competition compels merchants to sell as low as they can afford to, and if they can af- ford to sell at 25 per cent and lose 10 per cent for bad debts and law- yers' fees, then of course they can sell at 15 per cent profit when no bad debts are made.
By the credit system, bad debts have always been made and always will be made, and bails and attach- ments, and bills of injunction, and lawyers' fees and court costs, and liv- ery bills, and troubles with trust es- tates, and administrators and guard- ians create a heavy sinking fund in every credit house, and the loss is met by the promptly paying, solvent cred- itors. The credit system must employ a good bookkeeper and pay liberally for one. Day book, journal, ledger, note book, invoice book, cash book, bills receivable and bills payable and hundreds of dunning letters are indis- pensable-but with us "Othello's occu- pation is gone"-the bookkeeper is ab- sent behind the counter.
The cash system leaves no room for quarrels about settlements at the end
FRANK STOVALL ROBERTS, of Washing- ton, D. C., Roman of before the war, whose recollections of Rome have entertained hun- dreds.
of the year, for with us the year has no end; there are no long accounts to be astonished at, no family jars, no cloudy evenings at home because of the family's extravagance. The cash system saves the buyer a good deal by forcing economy upon him-his pur- chases will be less if he pays the money down. His family will buy fewer of the fancies that dazzle the eye, and will themselves begin a new system of economy. It avoids the necessity of performing that unpleas- ant duty of prying into everybody's financial condition and of refusing credit to clever men because we fear they can't pay promptly-perhaps never. We intend to make a fair and diligent experiment, to test its virtues thoroughly; we assure you that this is no trick fixed up to trap the un- wary, but an honest effort, worthy of consideration.
Finally, we say to our friends that there is one unanswerable argument which we shall leave untold. If you will call at our place of bueiness we will take much plaesure in giving you this unwritten reason, and will even make your pocket sensible of its truth. JONES, SCOTT, OMBERG & CO.
N. B .- Southerner & Advertiser, Banner & Baptist, Cassville Standard, Jacksonville Republican and Coosa River Argus please copy .- Jan. 31, 1860.
THE CARELESS SMOKER .- Will the next nation-wide crusade be against the use of tobacco? There are many who believe so. The other day I received a questionnaire from a New York company that makes a business of compiling information as to pub. lie opinion on public questions. It is getting the sentiment of newspaper men all over the country as to whether the anti-tobacco movement is favored or opposed by the people of their communities, wrote J. D. McCartney in the Rome Tribune-Herald Jan. 7, 1921.
To the average man it seems absurd that anyone should attempt to take his pipe or cigarette or cigar away from him. Twenty years ago the average man thought it silly to talk of taking away his beer-but they did it. It would not surprise me in the least if there should be legislation against the use of tobacco within the next decade. To be sure, tobacco never caused men to beat their wives, or lose their money, or neglect their chil- dren, or do the hundreds of other evils
473
MISCELLANEOUS-GENERAL INFORMATION
charged against liquor. But there are many people who consider that tobacco lessens the efficiency and impairs the mentality of its users, hence they re- gard it as a curse. Many more re- gard it as a nuisance.
Personally I do not favor anti-to- bacco legislation, having used tobacco in the past and knowing just how enjoyable it is. But as a non-user of tobacco at present I am aware that many smokers-in fact, most smokers -are utterly inconsiderate of the com- fort and convenience of those who do not smoke. As the non-smokers out- number the devotees of the weed, it is by no means improbable that leg- islation restricting the use of tobacco may be enacted. Certainly the sell- ers and users of tobacco might take a leaf out of the book of the sellers and users of liquor, who by abusing existing rights and privileges hasten- ed the day of their taking away. If saloonkeepers had all been decent and law-abiding, liquor would still be with us. If tobacconists and smokers would be law-abiding and considerate there would be no danger of legislation against tobacco.
There are laws in many states against the sale of cigarettes and to- bacco to minors. Those laws are con- stantly violated and this gives a just cause of complaint to the anti-tobac- co people and is a powerful weapon for their cause. The general indif- ference of smokers to the rights of non-users of the weed is, however, the main thing that strengthens the hand of the agitators against tobacco.
If there was an organization whose members were pledged to the decent use of tobacco, and the consequent consideration for the rights of others, there would be no need for blue laws to suppress smoking. To begin with, an accompaniment to the use of to- bacco is the constant and unhygienic spitting, half of it due to habit and entirely unnecessary. The expectora- tion may be aimed at a cuspidor, but it often finds its way to the floor. the sidewalk, or the rug. The prac- tice is disgusting and it ought to be stopped.
Smokers are constantly encroach- ing on new territory. They "light up" in cafes and restaurants at the con- clusion of their own dinner, without thought that they may be spoiling the dinner of someone else. They in- hale deeply and blow clouds of smoke all over whoever may be sitting next to them. They erect their smoke-
screen in every public gathering, even though ladies may be present. At banquets or lodge meetings they soon get the air so thick it can be cut with a knife and the unhappy non-smoker, compelled to attend, goes home with smarting eyes and aching head. They trail their fumes through business offices and homes. At the theaters they twist nervously until the intermis- sion, when they crawl over other peo- ple in a mad rush for a cigarette, then crawl back again, reeking with the fumes of tobacco. Such a thing as exercising a little self-restraint in pub- lic places, where the health and com- fort of others might be affected, never enters the head of the average smoker -and if there is a growing sentiment against smoking, it is the thought- less smoker who contributes most to the growth of that sentiment.
There is a more serious side to the question, and that is the loss of prop- erty and sometimes life due to the careless handling of fire. Just recall the many newspaper accounts of fires attributed "smoldering cigar butt" or "a carelessly thrown match." Look at the furniture in any public place or hotel. You will find desks scorched, furniture blackened, rugs
-
CAPT. CHAS. NICHOLAS FEATHERSTON, in his Civil War uniform. Captain Feather- ston was one of Rome's best lawyers and students.
474
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
with holes burned in them, polished surfaces showing scratches, all the work of the careless smoker.
The smoker has the privilege of freedom and full enjoyment now. If he continues to abuse it by making himself a nuisance to non-smokers, by burning carpets, scorching furniture, spitting on the sidewalks and setting fire to houses, it is problematic as to how long this freedom will continue. It is not beyond the bounds of possi- bility that the cigarette boot-legger may be a development of the future.
AS IT USED TO BE .- The Tri- Weekly Courier of June 24, 1860, re- printed the following as a jolt to the "weed mashers:"
"The Portsmouth Transcript ex. claims against the shameful desecra- tion of church floors and walls by thoughtless and mannerless tobacco chewers. We copy the last paragraph of the article:
" 'It is contrary to common etiquette to expectorate in a parlor. Why not in a church? We have seen a pious pew holder praising God and rolling his quid in the most delighted manner imaginable-spitting great jets of am-
BENJAMIN CUDWORTH YANCEY, police court recorder and probably the only na- tive-born mayor Rome ever had.
ber and groaning "Amen" in the next breath, singing half a line of a hymn and spitting and grunting the other. The vestibules frequently suffer and stains are everywhere visible. How much of the poetic beauty that shines along the pathway of religion and in- vests it with a charm which causes even the infidel to respect it will re- main if the filthy customs of pervert- ed taste are tolerated in its temples ? Why should a beautiful house be con- secrated to God, if it is to be desecrated by indecency? We should as soon see a man carry his bottle with him, and drink in full view of all, as to see him sit and squirt, or clandestinely dribble his disgusting expectorations amidst the pews and aisles of the sanctuary. The deed would be more decent, at least would not defile, as well as in- sult, the House of God.'"
FATHOMING A VACUUM .- AI- though C. A. Bundschu, North Rome meat market man shot in the head last Thursday night by Mark Johnson, tried to smoke a cigarette this morn- ing to soothe his nerves, the experi- ment was not very satisfactory, and the patient had to throw the weed away. His wife helped him fire off, but owing to the fact that the right side of his face is paralyzed, he could not get up enough vacuum or suction to make a draught to cause it to burn.
A discussion was started in The News office the other day concerning the physical aspects of smoking a cigarette. One man said that a cigar- ette is consumed because a vacuum is formed in the mouth of the smoker which causes the air to rush into the burning end from without and through the cigarette into the mouth and throat, causing combustion of the smoking materials and carrying with it the smoke. Another was of the opin- ion that no vacuum was caused, that it was entirely a matter of draft. If you will reverse the current, contend- ed this latter gentleman, you will find that you get an effect that is not caused by a vacuum. Smoke issues in increased volume from the end of the cigarette, or "pill."
Although the man holding to the draught theory seemed to have a good argument, the other dismissed the sub- ject by saying:
"You can't tell me that a vacuum has nothing to do with it. I could never come to any other conclusion."- Rome News, July 12, 1921.
475
MISCELLANEOUS-GENERAL INFORMATION
DAYS OF THE "HOWLING DERVISHES."-In few towns do the white and colored races get along bet- ter together than in Rome. This has not always been true. In Reconstrue- tion days, for instance, the situation was chaotic, to say the least. A citi- zen wrote the Weekly Courier of Thursday, Aug. 20, 1868, as follows: "Mr. Editor:
We have the most pious reverence for the Christian re- ligion and its honest votaries-we have been reared to esteem those who pro- fess and follow its teachings, as the salt of the earth. More than this, we have as little sectarianism and as large a charity for all Christian de- nominations as any one, but we must and do solemnly protest against the use now being made of the houses of religious worship by the colored pop. ulation of the city. Their manner of conducting religious service is not only a nuisance to those who live near, but it is a mockery and an insult to Him for whom these temples have been built. Let any one who has not heard those howling Dervishes in their night- ly orgies draw near some night and listen. A few minutes will suffice to convince.
"At a recent attendance we heard a whining voice sing out, 'I'm gwine to Heben on a white hos.' Another jumped up and echoed, 'Bless de Lord, here's a poor sister gwine to hell on a black mule.' One raises her hands and with eyes fixed on the ceiling screams, 'I see Jesus, I see Jesus, I see Jesus a lookin' at me.' Another re- plies, 'I see him, too, a lookin' out de winder at me.' Another cries, 'Bless de Lord, tell Jesus to send down a rope, and I'll climb up to Heben.' This last idea strikes a dozen or more with force, and they jump up and down, shouting, 'Send down de rope, and we'll all elimb to Heben.'
"Now, Mr. Editor, our observation long has been that the negroes who have the most of this kind of religion are the very meanest of the race. They are most idle, rougish and disobedi- ent. They will shout all night, on Sun- day night, and old Satan will possess them all the week after. The best ne- groes of the community are not of this sort, and there are very many good ones-negroes who make good serv- ants, faithful agents, and diligent la- borers. These have the sympathy of our race, and will always have it. They will be supported and protected by us. But there is a class, and it is much the largest class, who are idle and vie- ious, who make no effort to lay up a
dollar for winter or want or sickness. We are informed that our city fath- ers have expended within the last 18 months nearly a thousand dollars in burying the pauper negroes. A negro child died in the city on Thursday last about noon. The sexton was sent for, and he informed the mother he had his orders to bury no more at the public expense. The house was full of negroes. They sang over the child all night, and had a good time, but made no more demonstrations whatever to- wards its interment. Next day about noon the sexton called again and found no progress. He called on a negro car- penter near by, and told him he had better make a box, or some sort of a coffin. The carpenter utterly refused, and the sexton had to bury the child at last.
"The mortality of the negroes in the eity for the past year has been ten to one as compared with the whites, and it is not decreasing, but increasing. The charity practiced by our physicians among them has become a serious tax upon their time, and this is no small charity of this kind-hearted profession, for it is done among the most ignor- ant and negleetful of our population. What is to be done with them? Are
--
DR. ROBT. BATTEY, in the uniform of a colonel, Medical Corps, Confederate States Army, taken about 1863.
476
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
they under our care and protection, or not? If they are, then they ought to be under our control. Surely we have laws enough to reach the case. Will the city fathers, or the grand juries, or both take the matter in hand? We owe it as a duty to the negro and to ourselves. If pestilence comes among us, it will find an inviting field in these hovels, and from thence it will spread among us all.
"No, let the negro be made to un- derstand the laws of labor and the laws of society. Freedom has exhausted it- self in an effort to civilize him. There are many poor, very poor whites in our community, but they know they must labor and toil and struggle. They are generally cleanly and industrious -at all events, they live, and are not termed as paupers.
"Now we are not of the faith of Ariel-far from it-we believe the ne- gro has a soul. More than this, we believe, as a race, they are peculiarly religious in their notions, and what is most wanted is a control of them by reasonable and well-directed effort. They should not be allowed to become vagrants and paupers, nor should they be allowed to howl and whoop like Hot- tentots and savages, under the idea that such is the way to worship God. If, however, this way is their profes- sion, let them worship so far from our habitations as not to annoy or disturb our repose in the still hours of the night.
"We have said this much upon a subject that will have to be considered hereafter, though it is ignored now. The time has passed when the negro is considered superior to the white race. The time is almost at hand when he will take his own proper position, and be made to know his entire de- pendence upon his white friends. We fear that few of them will profit by any advice we may give, for their ele- vation has been so sudden and their ignorance so feasted by office seekers that they are not in condition to know the truth."
THE COST OF HIGH LIVING .- An exchange asks, "How civilized are we?" Not very, perhaps, when you consider that the big portion of our tax money (some say 95 per cent) goes into wars or preparations for wars, the big portion of the balance goes for luxuries and a measly sum, compara- tively, goes toward education and other things that benefit the masses.
The High Point (N. C.) Enterprise
presents the following amazing fig- ures :
"Americans are quite given to boasting of their large expeditures for public education.
"From the point of view of relativ- ity the boasting doesn't square with the facts.
"We spend something less than $1,- 000,000,000 a year on public educa. tion.
"In 1920 our tobacco bill was more than double this, and for face powder, cosmetics, perfumes, etc., we spent three-quarters of a billion.
"For every dollar we spend on pub- lic education, we spend 25 cents for ice cream, 50 cents for jewelry, 35 cents for soft drinks and 30 cents for furs.
"The $50,000,000 a year we spend for chewing gum is two and a half times the total expenditures for normal schools and almost exactly the same as all state and city appropriations for higher education.
"The U. S. Commissioner of Educa- tion points out that if we would smoke two cigarettes instead of three, two cigars instead of three, take two chews instead of three, and add the money thus saved to the teachers' pay roll, the salaries of teachers could be in- creased 120 per cent.
"As it is pretty generally admitted that our teachers as a class are crimi- nally underpaid, these figures are, to say the least, rather humiliating.
"'We think we believe in education,' says Claxton. 'No doubt we do believe in education in a way, but we have not paid and do not pay much for it.' "
Suppose we should spend 50 per cent of our tax money for education. Wouldn't we be well enough educated eventually to do without some of the luxuries, including wars ?- Rome News, July 18, 1921.
FREE RURAL MAIL DELIVERY ROUTES (Floyd County, 1922) .- No. 1, Summerville Road to Armuchee; No. 2, Calhoun Road; No. 3, Kingston Road; No. 4, Carlier Springs and Chulio; No. 5, Foster's Mill and Liv- ingston District; No. 6, Black's Bluff Road and Cave Spring; No. 7, Horse- leg Creek (Coosa River) and Burnett's Ferry roads; No. 8, Alabama Road, via Hamilton's and Shorter College; No. 9, O'Brien Gap and Redmond Gap Roads; No. 10, Chulio and Wax.
Miscellaneous --- 1920-1921 Chronology
1920
OCTOBER-
27-Rev. D. Coe Love, Presbyterian missionary, lectured at the Berry Schools. NOVEMBER-
2-Rome News flashed results of overwhelming victory of Harding for President on screen at Elite Theatre; Tribune-Herald flashed results on Lanham store.
5-Miss Margaret Romaine, soprano, in recital at Shorter College.
6-Brewster Hall, first dormitory at the Berry Schools, destroyed by fire at 7:30 A. M. Professors and students lost their clothing.
11-Thos. H. Johnston, dean of St. Philip's Cathedral, Atlanta, addressed Rotary Club at Brown Betty Tea Room on Irish and International affairs. Parade down Broad Street by Confederate Veterans, World War Veterans, Boy Scouts and others, celebrating signing of the Armistice with the Germans.
12-Rev. John H. Elliott, of College Park, started two weeks' revival at the First Presbyterian church. Hagenback-Wallace Circus disbanded for the season at Rome.
13-Football at Hamilton Field: Darlington School 14, Powder Springs 6.
14 (Sunday)-Ice on streets; 25 degrees. Congressman Wm. D. Upshaw, of At- lanta, spoke on "A Stainless Flag and a Sober World" at the First Baptist church in the morning, the Cave Spring Methodist church and Shorter College in the afternoon, and the Fifth Avenue Baptist church at night.
16-Municipal election; Miss Ava Duncan was first Rome woman to vote, and Paul I. Morris first man to vote, at court house. Conference announced change of Rev. T. R. Kendall, Jr., from First Methodist Church to First Methodist at Gainesville, Rev. Elam F. Dempsey, of First Methodist at Athens to First Meth- odist at Rome; Rev. J. R. King, presiding elder of the Rome District, superannu- ated, and succeeded by Rev. W. T. Irvine, of Augusta.
19-Branch chapter of the League of Women Voters formed at Rome with Mrs. Annie Freeman Johnson as president.
21 (Sunday)-Rev. Sam W. Small, evangelist, spoke at Fifth Avenue Baptist church, and Rev. John H. Elliott at Berry Schools.
25-Football at Hamilton Field: Darlington School 6, Rome High School 0.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.