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Volume 101 Number 25
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AN ACT OF GENEROSITY C&S Bank of Jackson President Frank Barnes, left,
hands Butts County School Superintendent William B. (Bill) Jones a check for $3,000 to assist
materially in the air conditioning of the Jackson High School auditorium. Cash donations
have also been received from other Jackson businesses and industry. - Photo by Jerry
McLaurin.
JHS Auditorium To
Be Air Conditioned
The Jackson High School
Auditorium is a wonderful
edifice ... to look at; during
the hot sultry days of
Jackson’s late spring, sum
mer and early fall it can be
rather uncomfortable to sit
in. Soon however, it will be an
edifice wonderful not only to
look at but even to sit in
serving the entire com
munity with anew air
conditioning system.
Citizens of Butts County
have squirmed, finagled,
bartered and scraped in
efforts to raise the funds to
finance the estimated $12,000
McCormick Bros. Open New
Appliance - Electronic Center
McCormick Bros., Inc. has
expanded again in Jackson
with the Grand Opening
Thursday, June 20th, of
McCormick Electronic and
Appliance Center at 125 E.
Second Street.
McCormick Bros., Inc.
originated in Butts County
with the charter granted in
1972. this corporation orig
inally operating as McCor
mick Bros. Furniture Cos.
Mr. William L. Jenkins
joined the corporation as
manager of the furniture
company and was later
promoted vice president of
the corporation.
In 1973 Clover Credit
Company was opened to aid
the public with their financial
needs.
Vacation Pay at Avondale
Mills Over $35,474,000
Avondale Mills hourly
employees at the Indian
Springs Plant at Jackson are
receiving a total of $35,474.91
this summer as vacation pay
during the period that the
plant is closed for its annual
vacation.
Company-wide, Avondale
is paying $1,011,985.48 in
vacation pay. The average
PLEASANT GROVE
HOMECOMING SUNDAY
Homecoming will be ob
served at Pleasant Grove
Congregational , Methodist
Church on Sunday, June 23rd
with dinner served following
the morning service.
Singing in the afternoon
will begin at two o’clock, and
the pastor, Rev. Frank
Smith, extends a cordial
welcome to everyone who is
interested in good music.
cost of the new air
conditioning unit. Friday,
June 14, Butts County School
Superintendent Bill Jones
received $3,000.00 of this as a
donation from the C&S Bank
in the person of C&S Bank
President Frank Barnes.
“C&S is pleased to make
this donation to the school. It
is one that will benefit
everyone in the community
rich, poor, black, and
white. We are anxious to do
our part as good citizens.”
said Barnes.
In addition to the donation
from C&S, $2,700 has been
Later McCormick Elec
tronics was opened to
provide better service to
customers of the furniture
company and to the general
public. At the same time it
was realized Jackson needed
a well-equipped appliance
repair service with this
facility originally located in
the rear of Clover Credit
Company. A tremendous
volume of repairs soon made
feasible the establishment of
McCormick Electronic and
Appliance Center. This new
business will provide the
public with sales and service
under the same roof, as well
as allowing additional space
to offer the public a bigger
and better selection of
furniture and accessories.
amount of vacation earnings
received by each employee
comes to $241.93.
Vacation pay, profit-shar
ing, insurance and medical
benefits and retirement trust
benefits contribute toward
making Avondale employees
among the highest paid
textile workers in the world.
ROBERT CLARK GROWS
BIG ZUCCHINI SQUASH
Robert Clark of Jackson
Lake brought a specimen of a
Zucchini squash in the
Progress-Argus office Mon
day. The squash was green in
color, measured 16 inches
long and 12 inches around. It
was a fine specimen of this
type squash.
Mr. Clark reporjed a “fine
garden.”
raised within the school
largely through the Atlanta
Children’s Theater; $2,000
has been pledged by Avon
dale Mills; $2,500 was
pledged by the Van Deventer
Foundation and SI,OOO from
the Mclntosh State Bank.
Jones said, “We should
have the money by the time
the equipment has arrived
for installation.”. The labor
costs for installation of the
cooling system will be
reduced by using employees
of the school system to work
with Max Perdue and
Herbert Shapard, system
installers.
Mr. Jenkins announces
that the Electronic and
Appliance Center will feature
such name brands as Gibson,
Sylvania and others, plus one
of the most modern equipped
service departments in Butts
County which includes over
$30,000 in parts and acces
sories to enable fast service
and quick repairs locally.
McCormick Bros, also oper
ates a radio dispatch service
truck for fast service in the
field.
Mr. Robert Burpee is
manager of the Electronic
and Appliance Center. After
26 years service in the U. S.
Navy, he retired to Flovilla
where he operated a general
electronic and appliance
repair service.
Balloon Rally
In Griffin
On July 4th
Some 30 giant balloons,
standing 70 feet high and
approximately 50 feet across,
containing 60,000 cubic feet of
air, will take part in the Hot
Air Balloon Rally in Griffin
on Independence Day.
There will be two events on
the 4th, at 7:30 a m. and at
7:00 p.m., in Griffin’s City
Park. The balloon event is
part of the Jaycees picnic.
The course of the balloons
is dictated by wind currents
and it is possible that some of
the balloons will be visible
from the western portion of
Butts County or from
Jackson itself if they float far
enough east.
Jackson, Georgia 30233, Thursday, June 20, 1974
Barnett’s Bridge Is Unsafe
And Will Be Closed At Once
By the time you read this,
Barnett’s Bridge will prob
ably be closed for all time,
eventually to be replaced by
anew structure, construction
of which is hoped to be begun
by January 1975.
The Department of Trans
portation, Highway Division,
Thomaston District Office,
has ruled the ancient
structure unsafe for travel
and has asked the Butts
County commissioners to
close the bridge as quickly as
possible.
Billy Sutton, clerk of the
Butts County commissioners,
said Monday that the bridge
will be closed as soon as signs
can be erected and other
steps taken to officially close
the bridge. Mr. Sutton
estimated that the bridge
closing could take place as
Rev. Burton
Is Pastor
At Stark
Rev. Franklin Gail Burton
was assigned as pastor of the
Stark United Methodist
Church at the annual North
Georgia Conference last
and will move into the
new parsonage this week,
being the first pastor to serve
Stark as a one-station
church.
Rev. John Huggins, former
pastor of the Jenkinsburg
Charge of which Stark was a
part, was assigned to the
Tallapoosa, Georgia, United
Methodist Church.
Rev. James Jackson has
been appointed to the
Jenkinsburg Charge and will
move into the parsonage at
Jenkinsburg. He will serve
the Jenkinsburg, Flovilla and
England Chapel United
Methodist Churches.
Rev. Burton was born
November 23, 1944 in
Philadelphia, Mississippi. He
attended Neshoba County
Schools and East Central
Junior College. In 1965 Mr.
Burton was appointed to the
Oxford Parish and attended
the University of Mississippi.
Since that time he has
served several churches in
Mississippi and graduated
from the University of
Mississippi. He is presently
enrolled at the Candler
School of Theology in Atlanta
and will be ordained an Elder
at the June session of the
Mississippi Conference.
His last appointment was
the Haddock-Sunshine
Charge in Haddock.
Rev. Burton will work
toward his Master of Divinity
degree while serving as
pastor at Stark.
Rev. Burton is married to
the former Linda Faye
Billings and they have two
children, Franklin Gail Bur
ton 11, and Christy Lin
Burton.
early as Monday and by
Tuesday for certain.
In a letter dated June 13th
to D. W. Bailey, commission
chairman, Roy E. Brogdon,
P. E., District Engineer,
wrote:
“This will confirm the
conversation between you
and representatives of this
office yesterday and further
express our concern for the
safety of residents in the area
who use Barnett Bridge (I. D.
018-0763-006.11) to cross Lake
Jackson on FAS Rt. 0763.
“Due to damage caused by
weathering and repeated
overstressing of the struc
tural members of the truss
by heavy loads, it is no longer
safe to travel.
“The damage is such that
each trip now, even with a
normal automobile, causes a
637 State Candidates Take
Aim at August 13th Primary
The die is cast and the time
for procrastination over! The
June 12th deadline for
qualifying is history and 637
candidates filed to run for
State offices 533 Demo
crats and 104 Republicans.
Sixteen candidates are
seeking the Governor’s post
and these include a former
Governor, a former Lt.
Governor, two State Senators
and a former U. S. Senator.
Twelve Democrats quali
fied for the Governor’s post
and four Republicans. The
list of gubernatorial candi
dates in alphabetical order
is as follows:
DEMOCRATS
GEORGE BUSBEE
State representative and
attorney from Albany. House
majority leader who passed
up a sure shot at the House
Speaker’s office to run.
DAVID GAMBRELL
An Atlanta attorney and
party worker for years, he
was appointed to the U. S.
Senate, later lost race for
permanent job to Sam Nunn.
BUD HERRIN A Jesup
contractor making his first
political race.
THOMAS IRWIN Non
practicing Atlanta attorney
who has unsuccessfully
sought a number of political
offices.
HARRY JACKSON
Columbus industrialist and
state senator.
BERT LANCE Calhoun
banker who resigned as
Garbage Collecting System In
County Is Now Working Well
On June 1, Butts County
acquired anew. long awaited
for and greatly appreciated
service. Approximately 50
solid waste disposal units
have been placed at strategic
locations throughout the
county.
“Everyone is using the
units to their capacity and
they seem to be very pleased
with them,” said County
Commissioner Bobby Taylor.
Placement of the units was
based on an estimation of
disposal demands in a given
area. These estimations, of
course, are subject to change
as more information is
received. So. should the unit
in your area not be adequate
in size, rest assured that a
little more deterioration of
the structural members with
increased sagging of the deck
and the possiblity that it
could totally fail at any
unknown moment with tragic
results.
“For these reasons we
have no alternative except to
insist that the bridge be
closed to traffic.
“We have explored the
possibility of making repairs
that would allow temporary
continued use of the bridge
but find this impossible due
to advance rusting of some of
the critical members.
“However, the replace
ment bridge has been
programmed and prelimi
nary engineering authorized
for the survey which we will
begin on the day the bridge is
closed.
commissioner of the Depart
ment of Transportation to
run.
LESTER MADDOX
Former governor who is now
lieutenant governor.
B. J. PARKER Atlanta
area contractor who entered
race at last minute Wednes
day.
BOBBY ROWAN State
representative and farmer
from Enigma.
GEORGE T SMITH
Former lieutenant governor
and Marietta attorney.
JENNINGS (JID) Thomp
son IV Former state
employee who is running
because he says God told him
to.
RONNIE THOMPSON
Former jeweler and gospel
singer who is mayor of
Macon. (He is on both
Democratic and Republican
ballots).
REPUBLICANS
BILL COOLIDGE
Structural engineer who is a
DeKalb County commission
er.
HAROLD DYE—Former
top official with the state
Department of Industry and
Trade who ran unsuccessful
ly for mayor of Atlanta in
1973.
HARRY GEISINGER
DeKalb County advertising
executive and state repre
sentative.
GEORGE LANKFORD
Businessman and Cobb
County commissioner.
larger one will soon replace
it.
The units will be serviced
on Mondays and Fridays
each week unless conditions
require a later change in
schedule.
Originally, County Com
missioner Dave W. Bailey,
W A. Duke Jr. and Mr
Taylor submitted orders for
a truck and disposal units
and planned to employ truck
drivers to service them. The
orders were submitted to the
Trucking Company of Geor
gia about the first of
January, 1974 and delivery
was guaranteed within 90
days. However, as June
approached there was no
sign of truck nor disposal
$6.18 Per Year In Advance
“We realize the incon
venience to the people in the
area but want to again assure
you and them that the risk of
continued use of the bridge
far outweighs any temporary
inconvenience caused by its
closing.
“We ask your concurrence
and support in this action and
pledge the continuing effort
of this office toward comple
tion of the replacement
bridge at the earliest possible
date.”
Mr. Sutton said Monday
that the commissioners have
been prorhised that work on a
new bridge would likely
begin by January 1975 or
earlier if possible.
Barnett’s Bridge crosses
Tiissahaw- Creek channel on
Running as Democrats for
the office of Lieutenant
Governor are State Senator
Max Cleland. State Senator
Frank Coggin. Mary 7 Hitt, Dr.
J. Denis Jackson. Bill Laite.
Zell Miller, E. C. Mitcham.
State Representative Lamar
Northcutt. Bill Salem and J.
B Stoner.
Candidates for the Lieu
tenant Governor's office as
Republicans are State Re
presentative John Savage
and Windell Whitmore.
In races of more local
interest. Sixth District Con
gressman John J. Flynt, Jr..
D. will be opposed by Newt
Gingrich, R, a history
professor at West Georgia
College, who is on leave of
absence.
In the race for State
Senate. District 17, three
Democrats are vying for the
post in what is expected to be
a torrid race. The protago
nists are Peter Banks.
Barnesville attorney; L. A.
Mallory. Jr.. Thomston busi
nessman and former senator
and representative, and Jim
M. Steele, of Hampton,
former Henry County com
missioner. Incumbent Sena
tor Bethel Salter of Thomas
ton did not qualify for
re-election.
In the race for Representa
tive. District 76. J. R. Smith.
D. of Barnesville. incumbent,
is opposed by C. L. Simpson,
D.
Incumbent Marvin Adams.
D. of Thomaston is un-
units and it was learned that
an additional truck should be
ordered as a back up to the
first truck should mechanical
difficulties be encountered;
this naturally meant added
expenses.
Asa result, the County
Commissioners turned to the
possibility of contracting
with a company to handle the
service. Solid Wastes Inc.,
located in Doraville, was
contracted for the servicing.
Each month the county pays
them $45 per four yard unit,
$55 per six yard unit, and $65
per eight yard unit. After
considering the cost and
maintainance of two trucks,
50 disposal units and em
ployees to operate them “we
Jackson Lake and is on a
widely travelled road that
connects the Keys Ferry
Road to the Old Jackson
Lake Inn-Stark Road While
the bridge is closed it will
cause some inconvenience
with detours necessary by
Stark and the Keys Ferry-
Road to reach areas of the
lake that would formerly
have been accessible by
passage over Barnett’s
Bridge.
Engineers from DOT em
phasize that even with the
weight of a normal automo
bile the old bridge might give
way at any moment and
plunge cars and occupants to
the bottom of 40 foot deep
Jackson Lake.
opposed in his bid for
re-election to District 79.
A three-man race is
shaping up for District 73
where incumbent Ray-
Tucker. D. McDonough at
torney. is being challenged
for his seat by Richard E.
Craig, D. and James T.
Henry-. R. Worthville Militia
District, Butts County, is in
District 73.
Of interest to many Butts
Countians is the race for
District 80 where incumbent
Representative Denmark
Groover. D. of Gray, is being
challenged by Benson Ham.
D. prominent Forsyth at
torney. In the last race. Mr.
Groover narrowly won over
Mr. Ham.
Good new-s to his many
friends over the Circuit is the
fact that Flint Circuit Judge
Hugh D. Sosebee. D. of
Forsyth, qualified for re
election and is unopposed.
Andrew J. W r halen Jr., D,
of Griffin, incumbent Judge
of the Griffin Circuit,
qualified and is unopposed.
At least 15 of the
candidates have accepted
invitations to appear at the
political rally in Jackson on
Saturday. July 6th. Among
those who will be present are
Harry Jackson, Lamar
Northcutt. Bud Herrin, Peter
Banks. Jim Steele. Bobby-
Rowan, Bill Coolidge. Bert
Lance. David Gambrell, Bill
Laite, Jennings Thompson,
John Savage, Thomas J
Irwin, and Zell Miller.
will be saving money in the
long run," said Taylor.
“The idea of the disposal
units has been around for
sometime and people in the
county have been asking for
them." said Clerk of the
County Commission Billy
Sutton. “The service will be
financed from funds of the
Revenue Sharing Plan,” he
said.
However, there is a sour
note to add to this otherwise
sweet story. There have
already been reports of
abuse and improper use of
the disposal units. The door
of the units, located on the
side, can be opened simply
by lifting a lever. Garbage
should be placed into the unit
there; not tossed up on top or
along side the unit. Should
the disposal unit be full,
which is unlikely, garbage
contained in a properly
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