Newspaper Page Text
The Jackson Herald
By John N. Holder.
DR. CRAWFORD W. LONG STAMP DAY BRINGS THOUSANDS
Post Master General James A. Farley Paid Warm Tribute To This Great Physician
Jefferson Warmly Congratulated By
Visitors on Success of The Occasion
More than ten thousand Geor
gians, and some from other states,
were in Jefferson Monday to see and
hear tribute paid one of the world’s
greatest men, Dr. Crawford W. Long,
first man ever to use sulphuric ether
as an anaesthetic. The honor for
the discovery was definitely settled
for all time when the United States
Post Office Department commemo
rated the event with the issuance of
a 2 cent stamp, bearing the image
of the great benefactor, and Jefferson
sponsored a great celebration and
witnessed the first sale of these
stamps by James A. Farley, Postmas
ter General of the United States, to
Mrs. Eugenia Long Harper, daugh
ter of the late Dr. Long.
Jefferson had made extraordinary
preparations to celebrate the day
with pomp and ceremony, and no
one will deny that success crowned
the efforts of those who worked so
faithfully and so untiringly. There
was not a hitch in the day’s program.
Jefferson turned out en masse to
greet their distinguished visitors
and the word “Welcome” was on
every face and in every hand shake.
Gazing over the throng of people
who crowded the public square and
listened so intently to the speakers,
one would have called the day “Home
Coming Day” in Jefferson, for al
most every family entertained visi
tors, members of the family group
who had returned to enjoy the cele
bration that had made the old home
town, small in size and located in
the foothills of the mountains, fa
mous.
The day, around which Jefferson
ians had planned forsa great event,
dawned with over-clouded skies,
and at intervals heavy April show
ers flooded the earth, and the color
ful decorations were be-drenched
and presented a slatternly appear
ance, but soon the sunshine broke
through the dark clouds, and smiling
skies, with cool western breezes
presaged an ideal day.
From early morning, all roads
leading into Jefferson were filled
with traffic as the throngs arrived
to pay homage to Jefferson’s most
distinguished citizen.
The center of the festivities was
on the public squarqe where a plat
form w T as erected for the speakers
and visiting dignitaries, and prior to
the arrival of Mr. Farley, and other
speakers, the huge crowd was enter
tained by music made by the Gaines
ville High School band. Because of
the late arrival of Mr. Farley’s
train, the opening of the program
was delayed, but the crowd was hap
py and good-natured and greeted
friends whom they had not seen in
many years. Venders of balloons,
whistles and sandwiches mingled
through the throngs.
But soon music by the charming
group of young girls known as the
Winder Drum and Bugle Corps her
alded the arrival of the motorcade
from Athens and the procession
drove around the park and assumed
seats on the platform, amid greet
ings of applause.
Rev. A. B. Elizer, chairman, re
ceived the guests and was Master
of ceremonies.
On the stage were notables of
politics and civil life. Postmaster
Jim Farley was, of course, the lead
ing figure.
L. W. (Chip) Robert, treasurer
of the Democratic committee; Sena
tor Richard B. Russell, Congressmen
Robert Ramspeck and Paul Brown,
were present from Washington.
Present, too, was Sinclair Jacobs,
of Atlanta. His father, Joe Jacobs,
was an associate of Dr. Long.
On the stage were Governor Riv
ers, Mrs. Rivers, and former Gover
nor Eugene Talmadge.
Among Atlanta physicians on the
platform were Dr. Frank Boland,
Dr. George H. Noble, Dr. E. G. Bal
lenger, Dr. C. E. Ruskin, Dr. E. H.
Greene, Dr. C. W. Roberts.
Present, too, were Dr. W. H.
Myers, president of the State Medi
cal Society, from Savannah, and Dr.
V. C. Daves, Vienna; Dr. A. A. Rog
ers, Commerce; Dr. S. T. Ross, Win-
SINGLE COPY sc.
der; Dr. Bruce Shaefer, Toccoa.
Also, President Harmon Carldwell
and Chancellor S. V. Sanford of the
State University, Mrs. L. G. Hard
man, Sr., of Commerce, M. D. Col
lins, Ajbijt Nix, Congressman Paul
Brown.
The Colorful Parade
“ The blowing of a whistle where
Washington street enters the public
square announced the approach of
a colorful parade of elaborately dec
orated floats, an outstanding fea
ture of the day’s program.
A country doctor on horseback,
typical of the day when the discov
erer of ether anaesthesia practiced
in the vicinity of Jefferson and
Jackson County, lead the parade. He
was appropriately dressed and had
complete equipment including sad
dle bags.
Danielsville citizens built an au
thentic replica of Dr. Long’s birth
place for the first float—which told
the story of his boyhood.
Shrubs and flowers on the Dan
ielsville float came from the home
place which still exists on a bluff
just east of Danielsville.
University of Georgia students,
riding in an old fashioned carriage,
represented Dr. Long and four of his
most intimate college class mates.
They were driven by Earl Johnson,
old Jefferson negro.
Besides Dr. Long, students imper
sonated were Alexander H. Stephens,
Henry L. Benning, Howell Cobb and
Herschel V. Johnson.
Stephens was Long’s college room
mate and most intimate friend of
those days. Stephens was for many
years a representative in the United
States Congress, vice-president of
the Confederate States of America
and governor of Georgia.
Benning, eminent states rights
advocate, was a member of the
Georgia Supreme Court and major
general in the armies of the Confed
eracy.
Coibb was a representative in the
United States Congress and speaker
for two years, he was governor of
Georgia, secretary of the national
treasury under President Buchanan,
president of the Provisional Con
gress of the Confederate States and
major general in the Confederate
armies.
Johnson was representative and
later senator in the United States
Congress, judge of the Superior
Court of Georgia, governor of Geor
gia, vice-presidential nominee in
1860 and senator in the Congress
of the Confederate States.
Jefferson citizens were in charge
of two floats—one showing the
“ether parties” and the other the
first operation performed without
pain to the patient.
Jefferson also decorated the last
float, which was staged by 15 Bre
nau College girls. They represented
the angel of mercy and attendants—
symbolizing the blessings of ether
anaesthesia for all mankind.
Then the foats vividly depicted
five phases of the life of Crawford
Long, and added much color to the
day.
The Program Begins
Chairman Elizer introduced Col.
John C. Turner, who gave the ad
dress 'of welcome. Ralph McGill,
representng the Atlanta Constitu
tion, said of Mr. Turner:
“Looking at him, and hearing him
speaking there, one realized with
something of a shock how close to
our present is a part of our past
which already seems to have been
ages gone and now is remembered
through old books and ancient leg
ends.
Colonel Turner was ushered into
this world by Dr. Crawford W. Long,
given a resounding spank to set him
yelling, and then given back to his
mother. Colonel Turner was a
romping youngster of 10 when one
June day Dr Long went on to meet
the Greatest Physician and to re
ceive the commendation, “Well done,
thou good and faithful servant.”
After this in rapid succession,
speeches were made by Dr. C. B.
Lord, Dr. Frank Boland of Atlanta,
JEFFERSON, Jackson County, Georgia.
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—— ■—
Dr. William H. Myers of Savannah,
T. T. Benton, Governor E. D. Rivers,
Col. H. W. Davis, Chancellor S. V.
Sanford of Athens, Abit Nix and Dr.
Harmon Caldwell of Athens, George
W. Westmoreland, Senator R. B.
Russell. The latter introduced Hon.
James A. Farley, who was given
loud applause, and who then ad
dressed the audience.
Praising the discoverer of ether
anaesthesia for surgery, Mr. Farley
said in part:
“Certainly, the world was made
richer for this man’s life. Even had
he not been the discoverer of ana
esthesia, Crawford Williamson Long’s
intense ambition to do good would
stand as a monument to his profes
sion. His unselfish devoton to duty
—in the face of successive obsta
cles and disappointments—throw a
welcome spotlight on man’s all too
often forgotten humanity to man.
“ ‘The mills of the gods grind
slowly, but they grind exceedingly
fine’ is a familiar quotation. Today,
the world acknowledges Dr. Long's
benefaction to mankind. Now,
through this commemorative stamp
his fine face, his distinguished name,
and his great contribution to human
ity will be known to millions more
who will honor and bless him.
“ ‘The measure of true greatness,’
said your Dr. Garnett Quillian of
Atlanta, ‘is determined by what one
does, the spirit in which one does it,
and its usefulness to the world.’
“Dr. Long’s work stands along
side that of Jenner, Lister, and Louis
Pasteur. His spirit of faultless hu
mility reminds us, perhaps, of that
great Frenchman. Dr. Long’s con
tribution in overcoming the tyranny
of pain is of immeasureable value.
Surely, I would not be far wrong in
thinking that his service to human
ity deserves its own memorial in the
far-flung heavens of man’s achieve
ment.
“This stamp carrying the image
of Dr. Long first issued today, is of
the two-cent denomination and is
red in color. I commend it to you
as a well deserved national tribute
’ M- M
James A. Farley, Po*tma*ter General
to one of your best-loved and most
famous sons; its color is most ap
propriate in symbolizing the ‘red
old hills of Georgia’ which you have
so widely memorialized in song and
legend.
“In conclusion, may I refer again
to the words of Dr. Long, embodying
the noblest concept of duty and
responsibility in the heart and mind
of man—words which are chiseled
deeply in the marble base of the
Crawford Long statue in the capitol
at Washington for countless thous
ands to see and consider —‘My- pro
fession is to me a ministry from
God.’ ”
Mr. Farley reviewed the dis
covery of anaesthesia, and recalled
the first operation on James M.
Venable on March 30, 1842.
Dr. Myer* Speech
Dr. William H. Myers of Savan
nah, president of the Georgia Med
ical Association, said that 98 years
ago “in this community occurred
one of the world’s most important
events.”
He added:
K ‘When Dr. Long demonstrated
the power of ether to make surgery
painless, he opened anew field of
science. This was the first step of
the three factors what constitute the
basis for the marvels of modern
surgery.
“ Pasteur’s discovery that diseases
and infection were caused by bac
teria was the second step, and Lord
Lister’s discovery that antiseptics
and asepsis made surgery safe was
the third step.
“We are here today to dedicate
an issue of stamps to the memory of
this pioneer in medical research.
These stamps bear the likeness of
this great man and are additional
evidence of the gratitude of a people
and a nation for this illustrious
Georgian, who, in the appropriate
words of the late Dr. J. C. DeCosta,
“was an honor to his alma mater, an
ornament to his profession, a glory
to his country, and a benefactor to
the human race.”
Daughter a Distinguished Guest
In the front row on the platform,
listening with wrpt attention to all
the wonderful tributes paid Dr.
Long, sat a beautiful, well-preserved
old lady, Mrs. Eugenia Long Harper,
only surviving child of Dr. and
Mrs. Long’s large family. At the
conclusion of Mr. Farley’s address,
Mrs. Harper stood, amid loud ap
plause, and received from the hands
Thursday, April 11, 1940.
of Mr. Farley a sheet of the stamps,
on each of which was an engraved
portrait of her illustrious father,
She thanked him and sat down, her
eyes blurred with tears and memo
ries, while the great crowd cheered.
The tie with the past is short.
So short that the living daughter
of the man who gave us a triumph
over pain would stand and receive
from one of the heads of our govern
ment, the Postal Department’s tri
bute to her father.
She could look across the square
and see there a plaque in the wall
of a building which stands on the
site where, on March 30, 1842,
James M. Venable, friend of the
young doctor but recently home
from college, laid himself down,
sniffed an ether-soaked handkerchief,
went to sleep and had a tumor ex
cised from his neck, feeling nothing
at all. And knowing nothing.
Occupying places of honor on the
reviewing stand (also were Mrs.
Maud Long Baker of San Antonio,
Tex., and Edward Crawford Long
of Athens, grandchildren of Dr.
Long, and Col. James R. Venable
and Mary Venable Womble of At
lanta, great-nephew and great niece
of James M. Venable, the man who
first had an operation under an-
aesthesia.
Guest* Entertained At Lunch
With the playing of the National
Anthems by the visiting bands, the
program came to a close and the
invited guests were carried to the
Harrison Hotel, where a beautiful
ly planned luncheon was served to
about seventy-five persons.
John N. Holder was master of
ceremonies at the luncheon and in
troduced the guests, who were
James A. Farley, Ambrose O’Con
nell, Roy N. North of the Postal
department in Washington; Mrs.
Eugenia Long Harper of College
Park, 'Senator R. B. Russell, Wash
ington, Governor and Mrs. E. D.
Rivers, Atlanta, Dr. and Mrs. Frank
K. Boland, Dr. Edgar D. Shanks,
Congressman Robert Ramspeck, Rev.
Nat. G. Long, Dr. C. W. Roberts,
Dr. E. G. Ballenger, all of Atlanta,
Mrs. L. G. Hardman, Sr., L. G.
Hardman, Jr., Judge W. W. Stark,
L. L. Davis, of Commerce, Miss
Moina Michael of Athens, Congress
man Paul Brown of Elberton, Lester
Hosch of Gainesville, Mrs. Maud
Long Baker of San Antonio, Tex.,
A. S. Hardy, Sr., of Gainesville, Dr.
John S. Golden of Ellijay, Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Dennis of Eatonton, Dr.
S. T. Ross of Winder, Henry Estes
of Gainesville, H. A. Carithers of
Winder, D. A. Moseley of Daniels
ville, H. P. DeLaperrier of Hoschton,
Charles I. Reynolds of Washington,
Ga., Miss Leita Braselton of Brasel
ton, Senator Walter Whitehead of
Carlton, Mrs. E. R. Harris of Wind
er, L. W. Roberts, Jr., of Washing
ton City, J. T. Wier, Athens.
Local people who also attended
luncheon were Rev. A. B. Elizer, C.
T. Storey, W. H. Smith, Mrs. F. P.
Holder, Dr. C. B Lord, Mr. and Mrs.
H. I. Mobley, C. E. Hardy, Mrs.
John N. Holder, Col. George W.
Westmoreland, M. M. Bryan, Col. H.
W. Davis, T. T. Benton, Dr. J. T.
Stovall, W. P. Frost, L. B. Moon, J.
L Anderson, Mrs. Byrd Martin, R.
S. Johnson, L. J. Lyle, A. O. Hood,
J. E. Randolph, A. S. Johnson.
tt t t
Stamp Day Note*
Warm praise was bestowed by
everybody upon Rev. A. B. Elizer,
general chairman, who worked for
weeks to make the celebration such
an outstanding success. In this
work, he was ably assisted by well
chosen committees who worked long
and faithfully. The committee in
direct charge of plans was composed
of Rev. A. B. Elizer, chairman; G.
W. Westmoreland, vice-chairman;
Mrs. Byrd Martin, secretary; Stan
ley Kesler, treasurer; R. S. Johnson,
Mrs. M. M. Bryan, C. E. Hardy, J.
C. Turner. We are unable to give
a list of the members and chairmen
of the score, or more, of committees
who so ably assisted in bringing to
a successful conclusion Jefferson’s
greatest day. Every one was cog
nizant of the high purpose of the
occasion and that gave the event a
complexion vastly different from
most community celebrations.
Vol. 63. No. 43.
Ralph McGill of the Atlanta Con
stitution, A. S. Hardy of the Gaines
ville News, Johnny Jones of the
Fort Valley Leader, Hubert Dyer
of the Royston Record, Mrs. P. B.
Trawick of the Commerce News,
Tom Arnold of the North Georgia
Tribune, were among the newspaper
editors we saw circulating among
the crowd. Photographers were al
so very much in evidence taking
pictures of the crowd and points of
interest.
tt t t
Governor E. D. Rivers was kept
busy during his stay in Jefferson au
tographing cards, letters, blank en
velopes, etc.
tt t t
Former Governor Eugene Tal
made made brief remarks when in
troduced and his friends were gen
erous in their applause.
tt t t
The collection of antiques and
a few articles once belonging to
Dr. Long, on display in the Long
headquarters and in thd store win
dows, created much interest. The
cradle in which Dr. Long was rock
ed, now belonging to Mrs. W. D.
Tutt of Elberton, was greatly admir
ed. Also there was a collection of
wonderful manuscripts, bearing up
on the history of Dr. Long’s life,
which are of historic interest. W. H.
Smith collected and prepared this
display.
tt t t
Souvenirs of handpainted china,
painted by Mrs. Stanley Kesler,
found ready sale. On each piece
of china was painted, either in brown
or blue, the old mulberry tree and
the old well that stood just in front
of Dr. Long’s Jefferson office. Tho
tree was cut down many years ago
and when water works were install
ed, the well was filled and covered
with cement paving. Older citizens
remember the tree and well and
were charmed with Mrs. Kesler’s re
production in paint of these old
landmarks.
tt t t
Jeffersonians are vociferous in
their praise of Messrs. Rogers, N;'b
lack, Baird and others, who came
here ten days before the Stamp Day
Sale to plan for the event and to
get the thousands of letters ready
for cancellation and mailing. They
were so courteous and accommodat
ing in permitting all who desired to
pass among the staff of workers,
and learn first-hand how stamp sales
are conducted. It was a revelation
to everybody.
These workers labored day and
night at the stupendous task of op
ening, reading and servicing these
requests for stamps that came from
every state in the union and every
country in the world. The local em
ployees were delighted with their
“bosses” and were especially de
lighted to be associated with D. R.
Niblack, who was reared and educa
ted in Jefferson, but who now holds
a responsible position with the de
partment in Washington City.
tt t t
The decoration committee is great
ly indebted to the Gainesville
Chamber of Commerce, and especial
ly to Heyward Hosch, for assistance
rendered in securing flags used in
the decorations. Had it not been
for this gracious courtesy, the town
could not have been so splendidly
bedecked for the eventful occasion.
tt t t
People who are ignorant on the
subject of phalitelics can not under
stand all this commotion about the
issuance of anew kind of stamp,
but when they are told that stamp
collecting is the biggest business in
the world, it is easy to comprehend
why there are so many people en
gaging in the business. President
Roosevelt is considered the greatest
known philatelist. His collection of
stamps is probably the most valua
ble in existence.
The Sales Monday
Four hundred thousand stamps
were sold in Jefferson for the first
day cancellation and one hundred
and sixty-one thousand letters were
serviced. This was the greatest
number ever sold at a First Day
Sale for any stamp. Five hundred
million Crawford W. Long stamps
were issued by the Postal depart
ment.