Newspaper Page Text
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VENIN vF
By Quimby Melton
Today, Jan. 30th, Is the 97th
birthday of the Griffin Daily
News. The paper was establish
ed by Archibald M. Spights in
December 1871 and the first is
sue printed on Jan. 30, 1972.
Three years from today will be
the Centennial of the birth of the
Griffin Daily News.
When the Griffin Daily News
began publication there was al
ready a daily paper r.ere, — The
Middle Georgian. It was owned
and edited by Col. J. H. Logan,
Col. W. S. Mangham and J. J.
Hunt. On July 9, 1872, Speights
bought the Middle Georgian, and
It was published as a semi-week
ly; J. J. Hunt was associated
with Speights in publishing The
Griffin Daily News and the semi
weekly Middle Georgian. Later
the semi-weekly was discontin
ued.
Speights and Hunt sometime
later sold the Griffin Daily News
to Nathan C. Monroe, who in
turn sold it to a group of 1 o c a 1
men, who sold it to Col. J. D.
Alexander, Eugene P. Speer
bought an interest but Speights
bought back his share. He then
sold a half interest to C. A. Nil
es who later bought Alexander’s
interest. On Jan. 1, 1882 Mr. Ni
les sold to Douglas A. Glessner
and for 28 years he edited and
published The Griffin Daily
News.
In 1889 Mr. Glessner bought
The Griffin Sun, another daily,
from W.E.H. Searcy and mer
ged it with the News. The Sun
•had been founded in 1877 by W.
R. Hanleiter and W. W. Randall,
who sold it to Searcy.
— + —
On the death of Mr. Glessner
in 1910 the paper was sold to Col.
J. D. Boyd who died within a
few months. His widow, the late
Mrs. Anna Blount Boyd, remain
ed owner and publisher until
August 1924 when she sold to
Judge C. C. Givens, owner of two
newspapers in Kentucky. Judge
Givens on an automobile trip to
Florida had “car trouble” and
remained overnight in Griffin
while his automobile was being
repaired. Later on his way
home, having been impressed
with Griffin, he stopped here sp
ent several days and bought the
papers from Mrs. Boyd.
In 1925 the paper again chan
ged hands. Quimby Melton, be
gan negotiations with Col. Giv
ens shortly after Christmas,
1924, closed the deal in January
and took over on Feb. 1, 1925.
For many years Douglas Gless
ner had the distinction of having
operated the Griffin Daily
News longer than any other per
son. But today The Meltons —
father and son — have that dis
tinction. On Saturday Feb. 1,
they will have been the owners
and operators for 44 years.
Those 44 years have been ye
ars that have endeared Griffin
and Griffin people to them. Con
fidence in Griffin and Griffin
people has Increased year by
year; that’s one of the chief rea
sons we will continue to work to
make The Griffin Daily News a
better paper, one that serves
the community better, every day
of our life.
The expansion and improve
ment plans, announced sometime
ago, which should be in full op
erations by early summer, is an
example of this confidence in
and love for Griffin.
Unless Good Evening is mis
taken the Griffin Daily News is
the oldest business in Griffin
that operates under the same
name as when it w’as started.
Country Parson
JJ
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“I wish we would spend as
freely to improve lives as we
do to lengthen them.”
Copyright 19M, by Frank A. Clark
Israel Denies
Bombing Iraq
By WILBORN HAMPTON
United Press International
Baghdad radio said seven
Israeli planes bombed Iraqi
troops stationed in Jordan
today. Israel flatly denied the
report and observers in Tel
Aviv said Baghdad radio
obviously spread the word to
cover up events in Iraq.
Only Wednesday night Israeli
Defense Minister Moshe Dayan
said Israel must do everything
possible to save the 2,500 Jews
still living in Iraq and
apparently ruled out any
reprisal raids for the hanging of
seven Jews on Monday.
Dayan said further trials of
innocent Jews were being
conducted in Iraq now despite
worldwide furor against the
execution of 14 men in Baghdad
Monday, nine of them Jews, on
charges they spied for Israel.
The United States was parti
cularly interested in Israeli-
Iraqi developments because
Iraq is now holding two U.S.
citizens, an American oil
engineer and his wife. They
were identified as Mr. and Mrs.
Paul T. Bail, formerly of
Houston, Tex.
Howard G. Mayes, father of
Mrs. Bail, lives in Huntington.
W. Va., where he said he had
been notified of his daughter’s
arrest by the State Department.
He used the word "espionage”
but the State Department said
it had not been informed of any
charges against the Bails.
Today Baghdad radio said
seven Israeli planes attacked
the 10,000 to 20,000 Iraqi troops
stationed in Jordan since the
six-day Arab-Israeli war in 1967
and that one plane was shot
down in flames. Jordan also
reported two Israeli reconnais
sance planes were driven back
from Jordan.
There was speculation in
some quarters Israel had begun
retaliation strikes against Iraq
despite Dayan’s ■ speech to an
audience of labor youth in
Jerusalem Wednesday night.
The Israeli army issued a
formal statement saying it
“categorically denies any know
ledge of any air force raid
against the Iraqi expeditionary
force based in Jordan.” A
spokesman said the Baghdad
report w’as “a lot of hot air.”
UPI correspondent Eliav Si
mon toured military areas
around Tel Aviv today and said
he saw no evidence whatever of
unusual military of air activities
on this day which the Jews
were observing as a day of
public fasting and prayer in
memory of the nine Jews
hanged Monday.
Simon said the belief in Israel
was that Baghdad radio broad
cast the report to stir up anger
among Iraqis against the Jews
and to cover up the political
turmoil that has wracked Iraq
for many years, including
reported antigovernment plots.
The hanging of the 14 men on
Monday brought condemnation
from many nations of the world
—the United States, Britain,
France and from Pope Paul VI
and United Nations Secretary
General Thant. Most of these
had asked Iraq not to carry out
the executions.
Iraq officially rejected the
statements as interference in
Iraq’s internal affairs and said
further spy trials would be held.
Dayan in his speech said:
“It is established that further
trials of innocent jews are being
staged by farcial procedures
and that persecution of the
helpless, defenseless community
continues without respite.”
The United States went before
the United Nations Wednesday
to protest the mass executions
in Iraq and to warn that they
apparently were designed to
“intensify the very explosive
atmosphere of suspicion and
hostility in the Middle East.
The British government said
LBJ Left
His Brand
See Story. Page 16.
DAILY NEWS
Doily Since 1872
today It is urgently considering
what action it could take on
humanitarian grounds to help
Iraqis still awaiting trial on spy
charges.
In denying the Baghdad radio
report of an air raid one Israeli
source said: "Israel is still
relying on Jehovah rather than
jets.”
Iraqi artillery hit one Israeli
plane which was “seen going
down in flames,” the Iraqi
broadcast said. It said the
10,000 man Iraqi forces In
Jordan suffered no losses.
In Beirut, Middle East
observers said the reported
attack could been seen as
Israeli reprisal for the Baghdad
execution of nine Jews among
14 Iraqis hanged Monday for
allegedly spying for Israel. The
hangings and Israeli charges
that the Iraqi “farcial” spy
hunt goes on made Iraqi-Israeli
relations the current crucial
point in the Middle East crisis.
There was no word from
Israel on the Baghdad radio
report of the air raid. Iraqi
forces have been stationed in
Jordan since the 1967 Middle
East War and have been
blamed by Israel for much of
the recent border fighting.
In Jerusalem, Foreign Minis
ter Abba Eban said Wednesday
night the “farcical” trials go on
despite worldwide protests.
"But this country must do
nothing to provide Iraqi rulers
with excuses to Injure them
(Jews in Iraq),” Defense
Minister Moshe Dayan said.
Riot Control
Funds Sought
By CHARLES S. TAYLOR
ATLANTA (UPD—The State
Department of Defense said to
day it needs more money to
buy riot control equipment,
such as shotguns and disabling
gases.
Maj. Gen. George J. Hearn
presented his request for a bud
get of $1,096,700 in the next fis
cal year to the joint House-
Senate Appropriations Commit
tee.
Chairman Jamies “Sloppy”
Floyd of Trion questioned
Hearn on the requested in
crease in funds for National
Guard unit equipment.
Hearn explained that about
SIO,OOO of the extra money was
needed for shotguns, riot con
trol gas, cameras and chicken
wire.
Weather:
FORECAST FOR GRIFFIN
AREA — Possibility of thunder
showers tonight. Friday cloudy
and mild with showers.
LOCAL WEATHER — Esti
mated high today 68, low today
41, high Wednesday 45, low
Wednesday 33. Rainfall .02 of
an inch; sunrise Friday 7:36,
sunset Friday 6:12.
#★★ ★ ★
Hunger Strike
KRONACH, Germany (UPI) —
Willi Muehl, a 28-year-old
bricklayer, went on a hunger
strike a week ago today, hoping
to persuade his wife not to
divorce him.
Hlg died of malnutrition
Wednesday night.
GRIFFIN
Griffin, Ga., 30223, Thursday, January 30, 1969
Cars Collide Head-On
In Fog; Four Injured
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(Griffin Daily News Staff Photos)
Four men were hurt in head-on collision of these autos this morning.
He later explained the cam
eras were needed to record on
film any riot scenes and the
chicken wire was needed to
fence in National Guard equip
ment to protect it against Molo
tov cocktails.
Hearn explained that the ex
penditure for the special riot
control equipment was in addi
tion to equipment supplied by
the federal government. But he
said the main concern was to
disable rioters rather than to
kill them. He said shotguns and
the chemical Mace could do
this job better than rifles sup
plied by the government.
An additional several thous
and dollars is needed, Hearn
said, to finance special riot con
trol training for the officers and
men of National Guard units.
On the committee schedule
for hearings today were the
Revenue Department, which is
asking for $13,775,100 in the next
fiscal year and $14,707,300 for
the 1970-71 fiscal period; the
Parks Department, $4,346,800
and $4,430,500; Forestry Com
mission $6,037,000 and $6,598,-
400; Department of Defense sl,-
096,700 and $1,133,200; Forest
Research Council $502,300 and
$467,400; and the Budget Bu
reau $311,800 and $334,800.
In other budget action Wed
nesday, State Safety Director
R. H. Burson appeared be
fore the joint 88-member com
mittee in a plea for more state
highway patrolmen.
"The demand on the uniform
division is approaching the sat
uration point,” Burson declar
ed.
He asked for more money to
hire at least 200 additional
troopers and to riase the begin
ning salaries of patrolmen and
GBI agents from $452 to SSOO
per month.
“We are in dire need of more
troopers on the highways,” he
told the legislators.
Burson said the demands on
the State Patrol had been in
creased tremendously in recent
years because of civil unrest.
He said local authorities call on
the patrol at the first sign of
any trouble.
Also Wednesday, Atlanta Rep.
Charlie Carnes said he will pro
pose a bill designed to triple
the state’s revenue from taxes
on intangible property to near
ly sl2 million annually.
Carnes, head of a five - man
subcommittee of the House
Ways and Means Committee,
said his group studied the in
tangible tax situation in Geor
gia and recommended increas
ing it tenfold in some categor
ies.
Intangible taxes are present
ly paid on stocks and bonds,
money on deposit and cash on
hand, stockbrokers’ collateral
loans, accounts receivable,
long - term mortgages and
patents.
‘Home Rule’
Tax Measure
Defended
ATLANTA (UPI) — House
Ways and Means Committee
Chairman Quimby Melton, who
favors his home rule proposal
over any kind of sales tax as
aid for local government, said
today if lawmakers want it
boths ways, “one wouldn’t pre
clude the other.”
Melton said he is “definitely
opposed to any extension of the
sales tax.”
Both his proposal — which
would open the door to almost
any type of local taxation ex
cept sales and payroll taxes —
and statewide or local option
sales tax measures are cur
rently before the committee.
The Griffin legislator defend
ed his home rule tax plan
against critics who said elimina
tion of sales tax from local ap
plication would leave local gov
ernments without a major mon
ey source.
“Home rule provision would
not be as limited as people
think,” he said. Melton listed
22 possible local tax sources
compiled by the State Revenue
Department—including taxes on
entertainment and admissions
to sports events, hotel and mo
tel, parking meters, coin oper
ated machines and cigarettes.
“If we had had home rule
proposed three or four years
ago, the cities would have
hailed it as a savior measure,”
Melton said.
The Georgia Municipal Asso
ciation favors Gov. Lester Mad
dox’s proposed one-cent state
sales tax increase over any
local option or home rule plan.
Vol. 96 No. 25
Appliance
Pick - Up
Set Friday
City officials reminded resi
dents north of Solomon street to
day that abandoned appliances
would be picked up Friday.
People with appliances they
wish to discard may set them on
the curb and city sanitary work
ers will pick them up Friday.
Last week 148 appliances were
picked up in that half of the city
south of Solomon street.
The appliances will be com
pressed at Goldstein’s junk
yard then buried in the city’s
land fill.
Unless the appliances are com
pressed, they cannot be put in
the landfill, city officials said.
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Lin Thompson (1), and Lee Roy Claxton (r) present pin for seven gallons of
blood to John Lane, an automobile salesman, who already has started on his
eighth gallon pin. The Red Cross bloodmobile program awards donors a pin when
they reach the gallon mark. Claxton and Thompson, co-chairmen of the blood pro
gram, reminded Griffinites the bloodmobile would be here Tuesday.
Three Were On Way
To Experiment Meet
Four men were injured in a
head-on collision on Everee Inn
road this morning shortly after
8 o’clock. They were treated at
the Griffin - Spalding County
Hospital.
Injured were Morris Slaton,
59, of Reynolds, Ga.; Gurvis Di
xon Locke, 61, of Route One,
Butler, Felton McCarty, 53, of
Oglethorpe, Ga.; and Frank
Bogle, 75, of Route One, ebulon.
Slaton and McCarty were in a
car driven by Locke. They were
traveling north and were on
their way to a meeting at the
Stuckey building at the Georgia
Experiment Station. They are
employed by the Georgia De
partment of Agriculture.
Bogle was traveling south. He
apparently was trying to pass
another car in a heavy fog that
covered Griffarea this morning,
investigators said.
Locke had a cut on his chin
and a laceration on his hand. He
complained of chest pains.
The extent of injuries to the
other men was not known this
morning. A police officer said
Slaton and Bogle were the most
seriously injured.
The two automobiles were de
molished.
Officers investigated another
accident while clearing the
wreckage of the first accident.
No one was injured. Damage
was estimated at S4OO.
Two JacKsou Buys were injur
ed Wednesday morning when a
car struck them as they were
waiting for a school bus two-ten
ths of a mile east of Jackson on
Georgia 16.
Michael King, seven, was br
ought to the Griffin-Spalding Co
unty Hospital with a broken leg.
Barry Mark Fincher, 10, was
treated at the Sylvan Grove
Hospital in Jackson for cuts on
his head.
The two were standing in the
driveway of the Dobson King
home on Route Two, Jackson,
when a car driven by John
Paul Cook, 40, of Monticello,
skidded on wet pavement, ran
Seven Gallons
out of control and struck the two
boys, a state patrol report said.
The report said the car over
turned in a ditch after hitting
the boys.
Damage was estimated at sl,-
150.
Lodge Asks
Withdrawal
Os Troops
By GEORGE SIBERA
PARIS (UPD—The United
States called today for a
withdrawal of both American
and Communist forces from
South Vietnam and suggested
setting up a Demilitarized Zone
(DMZ) as the opening step
towards peace.
North Vietnam promptly re
jected the suggestion of a DMZ
as “ill-intentioned.” The Com
munists did not immediately
reply to the suggestion of U.S.
chief negotiator Henry Cabot
Lodge for withdrawal of troops,
but in the past they have
refused to discuss the matter
until political questions are
settled in Vietnam.
The negotiators from North
and South Vietnam, the United
States and the Viet Cong, took
four hours to make their
opening speeches at today's
second session of the Vietnam
peace talks. After a brief break
for coffee, they continued their
discussions for the first time
since the talks opened Saturday
without prepared texts, which
are released to the public.
The South Vietnamese delega
tion leader, Pham Dang Lam,
joined Lodge in the call for a
truly Demilitarized Zone and
claimed the Communist state
ments in Saturday’s opening
session of the expanded talks
were simply “empty insults
without foundation.”
(Griffin Daily News Staff Photo)