Newspaper Page Text
The Forsyth County News
VOLUME XXVI.
Buildings Razed in
Cumming Blaze Sat
urday Morning.
INCENDIARISM PROBED AS BUCK
ET BRIGADE CONQUERS
$25,000 FIRE IN BUSI
NESS DISTRICT.
Fire which broke out here Saturday
morning April 21at, at 3:30 o’clock
and which {or a time seriously threat-1
ened the entire business area, burned
property ‘valued at $25,000 and de
stroyed four store buildings before
it was put under control by a hastily
organized bucket and tub brigade,
our only water supply being from
wells as we have no water works.
A fire truck from Gainesville arriv
ed to late to be of any assistance, as
the fire had been conquered when it
arrived.
Origin of the fire is still a mystery
but a probe is being made to ascertain
if it was of incendiary origin to cover
up robbery.
The blaze was discovered in the
Southwest corner of R. P- & 1 c -
Otwell's store and had gained so much
headway at the time the fire was dis
covered that it was impossible to
enter the building, the adjoing stores
of S. M. Stripland, Claude Brooks and
the warehouse of R. P. & I- C. Otwell
were soon afire. The Store of Poole
& Orr next in line was kept under
control by the hard work of the early
morning fire fighters, however, their
entire stock was removed from the
building into the streets. The Motor
Company of Poy. P- Otwell suffered
damage from the smoke and water
as their entire stock of parts and new
cars were moved out.
The buildings were owned by Roy
P. Otwelli and Maynard Mashbuirn,
and a small amount of insurance was
carried on the buildings.
The Stock of goods of R. P. & I- C.
Otwell’s, S. M. Stripland’s, were com
pletely destroyed. The stock of goods
of Claude Brooks was damaged to the
extent of $200.00 with no insurance
and Poole & Orr’s damage has not
been estimated. -
The need of a water system was
stressed vividly by the fire, as it has
only been a few months since we had
an election for a water system with
the help of funds through the CWA
was defeated when the bonds were
to be validated.
Several citizens, among one of them
Roy P. Otwell, who was the heaviest
loser, stated that with an adequate
water supply the loss could have been
held to a minimum, if not extinguish
ed entirely within a short time after
the blaze was discovered.
Each one of the merchants has es
tablished temporary quarters in some
of the vacant buildings, with the ex
ception of S. M. Stripland, operator
of Cumming’s only Drug Store has
not reopened, due to 'the fact that
a location for his business cannot be
found until the buildings are rebuilt
which work will start in a few days.
Expression of Thanks
I wish to thank each and every
person who helped us fight the recent
fire which occured Saturday morning
about 4 a. m. While the loss sustain
ed is approximately $20,000.00 with
only $5,000.00 total insurance pro
tection on buildings and merchandise,
yet I am very thankful that it was
made possible through the help of
friends to save my other buildings,
and that I am in position to build
again, which I expect to start imme
diately. *
X expect to have these buildings
ready to occupy within 30 to 60 days.
So far as it is possible I expect to
use local labor and material in re
placing these buildings, thereby
leaving the money at home.
ROY P. OTWELL
There were 100.000 more persons
on relief rolls in March, 1934, than in
March, 1933, according to Harry L.
Hopkins, relief administrator, who
estimated that 4,700,000 persons are
now receiving assistance from the
government. Probably the chief cause
of the rise in the rolls was the de
mobilization of CWA workers. Mr.
Hopkins, who predicted the increase
some time ago, believes that May will
show a decline, with recovery being
speeded by the public works program,
road building, and the approach of
warmer weather.
Official Organ of Forsyth County and Town of Cummmg.
DEVOTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF FORSYTH, FULTON, CHEROKEE. DAWSON, LUMPKIN, HALL AND GWINNETT COUNTIES.
(County Population, 11,003)
CUMMING BUILDINGS ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY
FIRE WHICH DOES $25,000 DAMAGE
BARE WALLS SHOW HOW DESTRUCTIVE WAS THE
FIRE WHICH DESTROYED SEVERAL BUSINESS
HOUSES AT CUMMING EARLY SATURDAY APRIL 21.
ON LEFT IS SHOWN THE TWO-STORY BUILDING,
WHICH WAS OCCUPIED, LEFT, BY C. H. BROOKS’
LOOKING AT
WASHINGTON
PLAN ADJOURNMENT
TARIFF TO CAUSE DEBATE
NO CODE “RACKETS”
SILVER’S STATUS
LOANS TO INDUSTRY
PROBE POWER RATES
REPAYING DEPOSITORS
C. C. C. AND VETERANS
MILLIONS ON RELIEF
With the idea of an early end of
this session of Congress, congression
al leaders are working hard to com
plete action on items which the Presi
dent urges before adjournment. These
include stock market regulation, medi
cation of he Pe eral securities act, a
emergency appropriation of $1,500,-
000,000 for relief and rehabilitation
and extension of the temporary bank
deposit guarantee law' for another
<r
year.
While silver and closed-bank relief
legislation appear on the list doomed
to wait for the next session, the pos
sibility exists that insistent demands
for action may cause these questions
to bo taken up now. The Wagner La
bor bill, the Connery 30-hour week
bill, the railroads’ 6-hour day bill, the
Dill bill on communications, the Lewis
unemployment insurance bill, and the
permanent air mail measure go over.
While it seems to be the aim of the
leaders to finish the session by the
middle of May, there is one question
to be taken up which might cause an
outright effort to block the legislative
process and thus mean a much long
er session. This is the reciprocal tar
iff bill, the most controversial subject
in the program. Action on it will pre
cipitate prolonged argument although
the President is in an excellent posi
tion, with all measures absolutely es
sential to the conduct of the govern
ment so far along as to be unsuitable
targets for filibusters.
9
Taking cognizance of protests
against "racketeering” by code au
thorities in the forms of high salaries
to employees and unduly heavy ex
penses,” President Roosevelt has de
cided that General Johnson shall ap
prove all budgets and assessments
for financing the administration of
various codes. Industries under more
than one code will not be expected to
contribute to the expenses of more
than one code authority. This seems
CUMMING, CEORCI/. .THURSDAY APRIL 26th, 1934.
to be a natural development of the
code idea because unless some super
vision was provided, the opportunity
existed to take advantage of those
compelled to obtain membership in
the code organizations.
The agitation for silver legislation,
which is backed by the Silver-Farm
bloc, calls to mind the fact that an
international agreement was reached
at London last year for cooperation
among the great producing and hold
ing countries for restrictive action to
enhance the world value of the metal
In January, President Roosevelt with
held suggestion in regard to the furth
er use of silver in order to see what
effect the international agreement
would have.
The President is known to be op
posed to any action, until his has worl
ed out a purchasing plan, and Spea,.
er Rainey says the Chief Executive
“is as strong for Silver as I am”.
Nevertheless, the powerful silver bloc
is pressing steadily ahead with the
aim of lifting silver from the commo
dity status and making it primary
money. It is probable that this ques
tion may prolong the current session
of Congress.
By the treaty, the United States,
Canada, Mexico, Australia, and Peru,
the major producing nations, agreed
that none should sell any silver until
January Ist, 1938, and that they
should purchase or withdraw annu
ally 35,000,000 fine ounces from their
mine production for four years, be
ginning January Ist, 1934—the silver
withdrawn to be used for currency
purposes. This agreement has been
ratified by the countries affected with
the exception of Peru.
The holding countries, including
India, China and Spain, agreed to
limit their disposal of silver for a
four-year period. Spain had not rati
fied the pact by April Ist, which was
the deadline, but the Spanish Govern
ment had been given an extension of
thirty days. It was also provided that
sixty-six nations would refrain from
debasing their silver coins, use silver
coins, use silver for minor currency,
and take no measure to depreciate
the price of the metal.
GROCERY, AND ON RIGHT, A STORAGE ROOM OF
R. P. & I. C. OTWELL’S. NEXT IS SEEN THE REMAINS
OF THE BUILDING OCCUPIED BY THE TOWN'S ONLY
DRUG STORE, ON LEFT, THAT OF S. M. STRIPLAND
AND ON RIGHT, THE GENERAL STORE OF R. P. & I. C
The President is understood to
have approved the proposal of Sen
ator Glass to empower Federal Re
serve banks to make five-year loans
direct to going industries. While de
finite details are subject to adjur/t
--ment, especially with the Governor
of the Reserve Board, it is understood
(that something will be done to extend
Federal credit to industry so that
recovery may be accelerated by pri
vate business activity.
The Federal Power Commission has
been directed by Congress to investi
gate and compile the rates for electric
energy and its services to residential,
rural, commercial and industrial con
sumers throughout the county. Sen
ator Norris, of Nebraska and Repre
sentative Rankin, of Mississippi, were
each given a pen used by the Presi
dent in signing the resolution which
the Mississippian says is the first
measure of its kind ever passed in
the country.
He predicted that the publicity it
will give to the discriminatory and
excessive rates revealed will lower
the cost of light and power to the
consumers of this country by as much
as $50,000,000 a year to begin with
and, maybe, many times that amount.
In a letter to the President, Robert
C. Fechner, director of the emergency
conservation work, reports that the
C. C. C. now operates 1468 camps in
the United States, with an authorized
strength of 303,625 men. This includes
‘250,000 unmarried men between the
ages of eighteen and twenty-five, 28,-
225 war veterans and 25,400 expert
woodsmen. Since its beginning, some
thing like 600,000 men have been em
ployed, sending nearly $60,000,000
home for the support of dependents.
Generally, conservation work in the
United States is said to have been
advanced from ten to twenty years,
and forest fires were reduced to
seventeen per cent of the average for
the previous five years.
The effort to repay the depositors
of closed banks the full amount of
their money now tied up meets with
the disapproval of Secretary Morgrpi
thau, who points out that nearly one
half of the money would go to four
per cent of the depositors and that
the proposal, if enacted, would cost
the taxpayers from $1,250,0000,000 to
$2,500,000,000.
•
The idea behind the bill is for the
Government to take over the assets
of closed banks and release the money
to speed up recovery.
(City Population, 70„)
OTWELL'S. THE CONTENTS OF THESE BUILDINGS
WERE COMPLETELY CONSUMED, ONLY METAL
SCRAPS, BOTTLES AND BARE WALLS REMAINING.—
PHOTO BY KENNETH ROGERS. COURTESEY OF THE
ATLANTA CONSTITUTION.
CUMMING TO GET
HIGHWAY NO 9
PAVED SOON.
Bids on about $1,000,000 of highway
construction will be let by the High
way Board on May 10, it was announ
ced Tuesday by W. Eugene Wilburn,
chairman.
Contracts provided for the paving
of 11 miles between old Milton County
line and Cumming, widening and re
paving of four miles of the Atlanta-
Newnan Highway and paving of 13
miles between Gray and Eatonton.
Bids for paving the Gray-Eatonton
project were received by the board
on April 25, but were rejected because
bids on different types of paving were
desired, it was explained.
Paving of this project will complete
an all-paved highway between Macon
and the South Carolina line, via
Athens and Hartwell.
Other projects to be let call for
the paving of 6 5 miles on the Cov
ington-MonticeHo Highway, paving of
4.9 miles and widening a bridge in
Randolph County on the Cuthbert-
Dawson Highway and paving of 3.5
miles in Appling County on the Bax-
ley-Jesup Road.
Contracts will be let also for paving
of 1.3 miles in Pulaski County on the
Hawkinsville-Abbeville Road, and 1.7
miles in Calhoun County on the Fort
Gaines-Morgan Road.
The board will receive bids for
about 30 miles of grading and con
struction ol six bridges.
These projects will include 'trading
of 4.8 miles in Macon County on the
Oglethorpq-Butler Highway, grading
of 3.9 miles in Crisp County on the
Cordele-Abbeville Road, and grading
7.5 miles and construction of two
bridges in Harris County on the
Columbus-Warm Springs Higway.
With this road paved to the county
line will give the residents of Cum
ming a paved Highway direct into
Atlanta. We are hoping that it will
not be long before they start work
on the remaining stretch that will
lead us into North Carolina.
The President has signed the John
son bill, which bans the underwriting
in this country of securities of nations
which have defaulted on their debts
to the United States. Whether the act
applies to those nations that have
made token payments to this country
has not been decided. Finland is the
only debtor government which has
not defaulted in whole or In part. The
provisions of the law do not apply to
gny Federal government corporation
or one in which the United States
exercises controlling interest.
Tennessee Firecrackers
Will be at High School
Friday Night May 11.
Rapid fire ex/plosions of melody,
mirth and merriment will keep things
lively whTn the Tennessee Fire Crack
ers, famous troupe of radio Rtars, ap
pear in person at Cumming School
Auditorium Friday night May 11th,
under the auspices of the High School
Headed by "Curly” Fox, celebrated
trick fiddler, yodeler and heart-throb
ballad ist. the Firecracker brigade
likewise includes “Slim" Bailey, ec
centric comedian and announcer; Ira
Brown, banjo and guitar wizard;
“Tweet” Roark, left-handed guitatist
and harmonica specialist; and Jimmy
Brown, sensational buck and tap
dancer and harmonica king.
The mixture of oldtime music,
modern harmony, whirlwind novelties
and wholesome fun making that the
Tennessee Firecrackers crowd into
their statfe performance haw- tnade
them .a tremendous drawing raid
throughout the southeast. A 'record
attendance is predicted for their ap
pearance here.
R. P. & I. C. OTWELL'S STORE HAS
NEW & TEMPORARY QUARTERS.
The R. P. & I- C. Otwell Store has
been placed temporarily in the build
formerly occupied by the M. W. Webb
Restaurant. It directly opposite In
gram Moore Inc., Funeral establish
ment.
Mr. Otwell Is buying a complete
line of groceries and a good supply
of hardware (He will not buy any
Dry Goods while he is in the present
location because of the inadequacy
of the building). Otherwise his line
of goods will be much the same as it
was in the old location before the fire
destroyed it.
The firm will greatly appreciate
your patronage and loyalty. They
will "do their utmost to serve you in
a satisfactory way.
Asa result of the over-riding by
Congress of the President’s veto of
the bill containing increased allow
ances for thousands of veterans and
restoring to the disability rolls other
thousands who had been cut off in
the Economy Act last year, the Veter
an’s Administration has restored 57,-
000 veterans of the Spanish War, the
Boxer rebellion, and'the Philippine
Insurrection to the pension rolls. An
additional 122,000 will receive com
pensation increases so that they will
get seventy-five per cent of what they
were receiving at the passage of the
Economy Act in March, 1933.
NO. 17.