Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY. OCTOBER 14. 2010 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 3A
Memorial to the men killed in the
Pickens marble industry unveiled
By Mimi Jo Hill Butler
In 2004 when I began work
on the National Register nomina
tion for the village of Tate and
the Georgia Marble Company,
questions began to arise about
early workers, risks of the work
with the heavy stone, and when
and where were the most casual
ties. Having grown up in Tate, I
was aware of some of the work
men killed from 1955-1994.
However, casualties in the years
from 1885-1955 were totally un
known.
The Marble Valley Historical
Society, Inc. began to submit ar
ticles asking Pickens County
and surrounding areas for infor
mation about men killed. By
2005, plans were underway to
identify as many of the men
killed in the industry, learn about
their jobs at GMC and find a way
to honor their memory. The 28th
Marble Festival Pickens County
Progress edition (Oct. 2 2008)
provided additional documenta
tion of the project.
The monument, which was
unveiled on Sunday, Sept. 26 by
the Marble Valley Historical So
ciety, Inc., has been a work in
progress since 2005. Many local
residents submitted names of rel
atives and others, some of which
were only recorded in family
Bibles due to lack of local obitu
aries. None of the locally buried
casualties had a mention on their
tombstone identifying the cause
of death. Some submitted names
were eliminated because their
deaths were documented not to
be a direct result of an accident
The new monument to honor the Pickens County men
killed in the marble industry was unveiled on September 26.
in the marble industry. Also it
was impossible to document
those men who “died on the job”
of other causes like heart attacks.
Death certificates provided no in
formation. Several residents
thought the monument should in
clude every deceased former em
ployee of the marble industry. A
walk through the church ceme
teries of Pickens County evi
dences hundreds of these former
marble company employees.
Each worker contributed signifi
cantly to the success of the indus
try. From 1886 until 1986, the
marble industry was the largest
employer in Pickens County.
By early spring 2010, 30 men
had been identified and work on
the monument’s engraving was
begun. In early August, a query
from the State Government of
Minnesota identified a 31st
death. J. Felix Arthur, buried
alone without family at Bethesda
Cemetery in Nelson, was killed
while working with the Blue
Ridge Marble Company employ
ees on the Minnesota State Capi
tol Building. A St. Paul, Mn.
newspaper account stated that he
was returned to Nelson Georgia
for burial. His family moved in
Texas within weeks of his death
and there were no local descen
dants. Local newspapers were
not available for 1898 and Geor
gia did not begin death certifi
cates until 1919. A second
employee was killed in 1956,
dying at Coker Hospital in Can
ton. Despite four requests in the
Progress for names since 2005,
Duffey V. Sparks was not re
ported until the past week. Both
Sparks and Arthur have been
added to the back side of the
monument. Following the dedi
cation ceremony on Sept. 26,
John Carver, researcher from
Cherokee County, submitted two
additional names which he had
found in early issues of the
Cherokee Advance. The names of
Rashe Roe, killed in 1886 in Nel
son, and Barney Brackett, killed
in 1906 in Marble Hill, will be
added also to the back of the
monument in the near future.
Almost 100 descendants of
the deceased, MVHS members
and others participated in the
dedication service which was
held at the Tate United Methodist
Church Fellowship Hall due to
heavy rain. Family members of
16 of the deceased workers were
among those in attendance. Par
ticipants in the service were Ruth
Wall, MVHS president. Rev. Von
Hinton, Mimi Jo Butler, project
coordinator, and Peggy Perdue,
MVHS treasurer. All in atten
dance joined in unison for the
prayer of dedication. A reception
followed. Some descendants
later went to the monument site
to unveil the monument.
The beautiful monument was
hand carved locally and will be a
tribute to a “forgotten chapter” of
Georgia Marble Company his
tory. Appalachian Monuments
set the monument on Tate Estate
property in Tate.
Jasper Elementary School
Fall Festival
Saturday, October 23 rd * From 2-5pm
at Lee Newton Park
Hayride ~ Inflatables ~ Games
^ Fond dr Fun/
Sharptop Arts Association
sponsors Wine & Art Event
By Linda Barnes
The corks will be poppin’ as
the Sharptop Arts Association
hosts the first annual Wine & Art
Event in the Sharptop Visionary
Gardens. The Gardens are lo
cated directly behind the Sharp-
top Art Center, 68 D.B. Carroll
Street, Jasper. The Wine and Art
Event will be held Saturday. Oct.
23, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Wine tasting, a silent auction,
food, entertainment and a live art
auction are all on the schedule
for the evening. Guests will have
the opportunity to taste wines
from four of our own North
Georgia wineries. They include
Three Sisters Winery, Wolf
Moimtain Vineyards, Frog Town
Cellars, and Sharp Mountain
Vineyards. Each winery will pro
vide a tasting of each of their
special wines, red and white,
chosen for this occasion. On
our patio area you will also have
the opportunity to sample many
delectable foods prepared espe
cially for the evening. The Allen
Christopher Jazz Ensemble will
fill the air with music.
Come stroll through the Gar
dens. Your senses will go wild as
you see the creativity that is
evolving. Many of the vistas
have started their installation.
The garden itself is contained by
a fence recently painted by Ren
ner Construction. Metal artist,
Darrell Reddy, has already
graced the garden with a whim
sical angel wall as seen in the en
closed picture. Kathe Hall is
working on applying her creative
mosaic art to one of the walls in
the garden. Royce Haley and
Byron Hamilton of the Burnt
Mountain Trading Co. have in
stalled a wonderful water feature
that will provide a relaxing
venue for years to come. The
Master Gardeners are making
progress on their vista with a trel
lis and stone-work. Hemlock’s
Landscaping has definitely put
their mark on the garden with
walkways and stonework. Oh,
one other item of pure fantasy...
be sure to see the artistic face
created by Dee Boggus. You
can’t help but smile as you
gaze into the eyes of this phe
nomenal creation. The detail will
amaze you. With the cooler
weather, several other vistas will
start to develop before our eyes.
Handgun class
Pickens County Sportsman Club
will be offering a handgun safety &
informational course at the Scout Hut on
Pioneer Road in Jasper
(rd. between City Park and Piggly Wiggly)
Day 1 - Oct. 23 rd from 9-1
Day 2 - Oct. 30 th from 10-12 at the range
For Registration information call
770-428-6675
Cost $25. 00 - Must be 21 years of age.
with plantings, art elements and
seating.
The Sharptop Arts Annual
Member Show is currently on
display inside the arts building
presenting many opportunities to
start your holiday shopping in
addition to the auction.
Tickets for the event can be
purchased at the Community
Bank of Pickens Coimty on Cove
Road, Burnt Mountain Trading
Company and from any Sharptop
Arts Association Board member.
The cost of the ticket is $30 per
person. Proceeds from the event
will be used for the future devel
opment of the Sharptop Arts Vi
sionary Gardens.
The Sharptop Visionary Gar
den will be a valuable asset to the
community when completed. It
will be open for all to enjoy. It is
a garden created by the commu
nity for the community. If you
have not participated in this proj
ect up to this point, please feel
free to join us. You might con
sider purchasing a legacy brick
or sponsoring a garden element.
By doing this, you, your loved
ones or your company will have
a permanent recognition in the
garden. Sharptop Arts Associa
tion is dedicated to the apprecia
tion and development of the arts
in Pickens County. Fundraisers
throughout the year help provide
the working capital that is
needed to showcase the talents of
many artisans, offer art classes to
young and old and open up a
whole new world of art to all.
All of the exhibits are free for
your enjoyment. Sharptop Arts
Association is a non-profit
501(c)3 organization and all do
nations are tax deductible.
We hope to see you Oct. 23,
5:30 p.m., for a very special
evening that includes wine tast
ing, art auction, good food,
music, faces of new and old
friends. What more could you
ask for? Enjoy it all, right here in
your community.
The Sharptop Arts Associa
tion invites you to join us in the
Visionary Gardens. Sharptop
Arts Center is located in down
town Jasper behind the Old Jail
on D.B. Carroll Street. We are
open every month on Thursdays,
Fridays and Sundays from noon
until 4 and on Saturdays from 10
to 2. For more detailed informa
tion about these events and the
many fun classes offered through
the Sharptop Arts Association,
call us during our business hours
at 706-692-0101 or visit our Web
site at www.sharptopartsassocia-
tion.org any time.
Northwest Georgia Regional Commission
Request for Proposals (RFP)
All Program Services
The Northwest Georgia Regional Commission (RC) is soliciting Re
quest for Proposals (RFPs) requesting bids for a contract and/or
contracts to provide services for the elderly in the Georgia Counties
of Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Floyd, Gilmer, Gor
don, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Poke, Walker and Whit
field.
Bids may be submitted for one or more counties, or any combina
tion of counties for a four year contract beginning July 1,2011 and
concluding June 30, 2015. A one year contract, beginning July 1,
2011 and ending June 30,2012, will be awarded containing a con
tingency clause permitting renewal for each year of the remaining
contract based upon satisfactory performance.
Services include; but are not limited to:
• Community Care Services Program, Care Coordination;
• Elderly Legal Assistance;
• Long Term Care Ombudsman;
• Elder Abuse & Consumer Fraud Prevention;
• Flomemaker Services, Respite Care, Adult Day Care;
• Caregiver Program (Community/Public Education, Material
Aid, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren);
• Senior Community Service Employment Program
RFPs are due Friday, December 10,2010 by 4:00 p.m. No propos
als will be received after this date and time. Fax Proposals are not
acceptable.
A Bidder’s Conference wil be held at the Northwest Georgia RC
Conference Room to offer technical assistance in completing pro
posals. The Conference will be held on Monday, October 18,2010,
beginning at 10:00 a.m Unit Cost Methodology Training will be pro
vided at 2:00 p.m. Contracting for services will be contingent upon
Northwest Georgia Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging
receiving funds from Georgia Department of Fluman Services. To
receive a Proposal Packet, contact Northwest Georgia Regional
Commission, Area Agency on Aging, P.0. Box 1798, Rome GA
30162-1798 or call 706-295-6485. Specify service(s) for which
proposal will be made.
The Northwest Georgia Regional Commission is an equal oppor
tunity employer and is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination
in its operation.
M/F/H/F
COUNTY MANAGER
Required by 5 man commission
• Not subject to Sunshine Law
• Open meetings not required
• Does not answer to the voters
• No community ties
• Typically high turnover
Paid for by Forward Pickens
A Sole Commissioner Advocacy Group
the perfect balance between
health & care.
Piedmont Physicians Group
is pleased to welcome
Asim Kidwai, M.D., and
Islam Eltarawy, M.D.
Dr. Eltarawy and Dr. Kidwai are joining Dr. Schwartzman
at Piedmont Physicians at East Ellijay, 97 Hefner Road.
Asim Kidwai, M.D.
Family Medicine
Dr. Kidwai received his bachelor of science degree in biology
from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and earned his medical
degree from Universidad Iberoamericana in the Dominican
Republic. He completed his residency at Memorial Health
University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia, where he was
chief resident of inpatient service and the vice-chair of the
quality improvement committee. Dr. Kidwai is certified in
advanced cardiac life support, pediatric advanced life support
and neonatal resuscitation, and a member of the American
Academy of Family Physicians, Georgia Academy of Family Physicians and the American
Medical Association. He is a devoted medical volunteer in the community and has aided in
numerous medical relief efforts. Dr. Kidwai is fluent in English and Spanish.
Islam Eltarawy, M.D.
Family Medicine
Dr. Eltarawy earned his medical degree from Alexandria
University College of Medicine in Alexandria, Egypt. He
completed his residency at Mercy Health System in Jamesville,
Wisconsin, where he served as chief academic resident and was
a research fellow at the University of Pittsburgh Medical
Center. Dr. Eltarawy is certified in advanced cardiac life support,
trauma life support, neonatal life support, and life support in
obstetrics. He is a member of the American Academy of
Family Physicians and board certified in family medicine.
Dr. Eltarawy is fluent in English, French and Arabic.
Piedmont Physicians at East Ellijay are
currently accepting new patients and
welcome most major insurance plans.
To schedule an appointment,
for adults or children of all
ages, call 706.635.1400.
□□
DU
PIEDMONT
PHYSICIANS
EAST ELLIJAY
97 Hefner Street • Suite 202
East Ellijay, Georgia 30540 • 706.635.1400
piedmontphysicians.org
) 2010 Piedmont Healthcare 00963-0910
