Newspaper Page Text
THE
CHATTER
-80 X.,.
Local-County-State
By the Office Boy
It happened on a Sunday after
noon! It has been termed the
greatest tragedy of it’s kind in
the Nation! We had not been well
for sometime, but kept going,
so after Sunday School and
Church we had lunch with Sister
and Husband, came home and took
a very dear friend, who was ill,
a little drinking glass with built
in straw, which made it easy for
those in bed to use. Also some
of the Springs first daffodils. On
out with another of those plastic
glasses to another friend, a pa
tient at Newton County Hospital.
We had to park three blocks
away, so many cars. It was most
unusual, but as we came back
we found people standing around
outside, dazed on account of this
great tragedy!
A lady walked blandly up to me,
expressionless, and called me
by name. I could not place her
for the moment. "We have three
nephews in this, and we can only
find one!" Facing the emergency
room entrance, we noted people
crowded all the way to the street
outside.
Needless to say we walked
calmly into our dear friends
room and gave her the little
package we had for her, and left
immediately. We heard from an
Atlanta reporter, who stopped
me, all the sad story. Petrified!
We stood! This could not have
happened! Eleven dead and no
count of the wounded rushed to
Newton County Hospital, Rock
dale County and DeKalb Gene
ral, in Decatur.
Caldwell and Cowan Funeral
Home had the bodies of two fine
young people, a young man and
a young girl unidentified for some
time. The Mother whose son was
not found came. She could not
identify him as her son even,
until!--She saw in his coat pock
et an initialed handkerchief that
her loving hands had embroider
ed initials on for her son. As of
early Monday afternoon the young
lady’s body had not been recog
nized by those looking for their
own. Hie body was recognized
and claimed late Monday P. M.
We received a telephone call
from the National Press Club
(Continued Page 7)
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Rep. J. R. Smith of Barnesville, member of the Motor Vehicles
Committee, talks with Jimmy Cheek of Covington who was manag
ing the track for owner S. R. “Shug” Campbell Sunday afternoon
when the run-away “funny car” plowed into a crowd of spectators
leaving 11 dead, five critically injured, and nearly 50 injured.
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Newton County Commission Chairman Jack Morgan, Rep. Chappell Mathews of Athens, a State Patrol
man, and J. E. Bohannon (right) listen to veteran drag and “funny car” driver Arnie Beswick compare
the Atlanta Speed Shop Drag Strip with the Yellow River Drag Strip and explain why he as a driver
considered the Speed Shop Strip safer for drivers and spectators.
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Th fprise, Established 1865 —The Covington Star, Established 1874—The Enterprise, Established 1902, and The Citizen-Observer, Established 1953
VOLU
Rotary v- J
Names New
Officer Slate
In the Tuesday Luncheon meet
ing of Covington Rotary Club at
the Teen-Can, presided over by
Rotary president Jim Morgan,
the new slate of officers for
1969-70 was presented by the
Board of Directors and unan
imously approved by the Club.
Named to serve for the en
suing year were: Jack
Christian, president; Jim Mor
gan, vice-president; Bob Mit
cham, treasurer; Billy Smith,
Secretary; and two new directors,
E. M. McCart and Howard Brooks.
Installation of officers will be
held at a Ladies Night program
the last week in June.
Among visitors introduced by
Sgt. at Arms Paul Beyer were
Alton Jolly, guest of E. M. Mc-
Cart; Gene McDaniels, guest of
Mel Cagen; Lou Karman, guest
of Bill Barnett; O. K. McCarter,
guest of Jim Calahan; and the
following club guests: Jackie
Matthews, president Future
Teachers of America Club, and
Mork Wynn, Citizen of the Week,
both of Newton County High
School; and John Gleaton a visit
ing Monroe Rotarian.
Program Chairman J. W. Rich
ardson presented Carlos Meyer,
Athletic Director of Oxford Col
lege, and members of his Gym
nastic Class, who entertained the
group with various feats in phy
sical fitness development. Those
participating were Earl Ward of
Clearwater, Fla.; Jeanette Krom,
Port Washington, N. Y.; Judith
Aycock, Jacksonville, Fla., and
Janis McCollum, Decatur.
This was the second consec
utive program highlighting in
stitutional activities presented by
Mr. Richardson. Last week’s
program on the School of Care,
presented by Oxford Baptist
Church pastor, Rev. Kent Anglin,
cited the outstanding work being
conducted for mentally retarded
children by the church. The pro
gram has been featured by state
newspapers; and is making a
splendid contribution in commun
ity service.
T COVERAGE OF NEWS, PICTURES, AND FEATURES OF ANY WEEKLY IN GEORGIA
11 Killed At Yellow River Drag Strip
Covington
Homes Tour
On Sunday April 20th from 1
to 6 p. m. Covington opens its
doors for the 3rd Tour of Homes
featuring both historic and com
temporary homes. The Coving
ton Service Guild in endeavoring
to continue its service to the
community is sponsoring the tour
this year. General chairmen
for this event are Mrs. Bruce
Donnigan and Mrs. Malcolm
Kessinger, Mrs. William Briggs,
advertising Chairman, Mrs. B.
D. McCoy and Mrs. W. K. Bar
nett, Publicity Chairmen, and
Mrs. William Womelsdorf, Jr.,
Ticket Chairman.
By spotlighting these homes we
are focusing attention on all of
Covington. Whitehall, the home
of Mr. and Mrs. N. S. Turner,
has already been the cover pic
ture for Garden Gateways, the
magazine for the Federated Gar
den Clubs of Georgia. Spot an
nouncements advertising our tour
will be on radio throughout the
state. Every year the Atlanta
newspapers highlight the tours
in conjunction with the Georgia
Garden Clubs and Covington will
be included in this feature.
At this time the entire tour
includes the homes of Mr. and
Mrs. N. S. Turner, Jr., 2176
Monticello, Mr. and Mrs. R. R.
Fowler, Clark’s Grove, Mr. and
Mrs. W. T. Greer, Jr., Martin
Street, Mr. and Mrs. Charles
N. Elliott, 401 Flat Rock Trail,
Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Callaway,
3255 Legion Drive, Mrs. Frank
Miller, 1164 Floyd Street, Mr.
and Mrs. R. H. Patterson, 603
Floyd Street and the sanctuary
of The First United Methodist
Church, 1113 E. Conyers. Watch
the Covington News for a diffe
rent home to be featured each
week.
The picture this week is the
First United Methodist Church.
The sancturary of this church
was used for a hospital for Con
federate soldiers brought down
on flatcars from the Battle of
Atlanta. Because of its Southern
architecture it was also used as
the setting for the movie, “A
Man Called Peter.’’
Tickets may be purchased in
advance from any Service Guild
members and at Morcock and
Banks Insurance Agency in town.
Tickets may be obtained on April
20th, at headquarters, Newton
County Courthouse.
Legislature Committee Visits
2 Drag Strips In Newton Co.
Stunned by the physical
evidence of Sunday’s tragedy at
the Yellow River Drag Strip near
Covington, yet determined to in
itiate legislation requiring ade
quate safety precautions in the
future, members of the House
Motor Vehicles Committee toured
the accident scene and also the
Atlanta Speed Shop Drag Strip
west of Covington Monday after
noon.
Chairman Bill Williams of
Gainesville led the investigation
and was accompanied by local
Representative W. D. Ballard,
Jack Morgan, chairman of the
Newton County Board of Com
missioners, and Newton County
Sheriff Henry Odum.
Crumpled chain link fence,
The Covington News
COVINGTON, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1969
Skid Marks Help Tell Tragic Story
*
Till i
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SKID MARKS on the Yellow River Drag Strip show where Houston Platt’s car left the asphalt and tore
down the chain-link retaining fence. Spectators lined the bank near the fence, shown by the group of
men on the bank. The men are standing near the finish line. The blood-splattered truck and car in
the photo were towed away later in the afternoon when the owners failed to show up.
broken posts, beer cans, drink
bottles, snack wrappers, shred
ded pieces of clothing of victims,
and blood splattered terrain was
all that remained after the worst
disaster in the annals of racing
history in the United States.
The powerful Camaro “funny
car” dragster had roared out of
control at 180 m.p.h. and plowed
into a crowd of spectators leav
ing 11 dead, five in critical con
ditions, and nearly 50 injured
from the crash and flying debris.
At the Yellow River Strip a race
car driver told the committee
that faulty track conditions had
caused the Sunday afternoon dis
aster. While looking at the At
lanta Speed Shop track, Arnie
Beswick, a “funny car” driver
from Morrison, 111., told the com
mittee that the slick track at
Yellow River Strip, which was
partially sprinkled with sand in
spots, had caused the powerful
Camaro “funny car” to get out
of control and into the crowd of
spectators.
Rep. Williams said that legis
lation was being drafted to re
quire drag strip owners to carry
liability insurance of at least
$1 million against spectator In
jury or death.
“I don’t think that we are qual
ified to sit down and write stan
dards for these drag strips, but
If we require them to have in
surance, the Insurance com
panies will make sure the tracks
are safe,’’ Williams said.
“Houston Platt is one of the
best drivers in the business and
I’m here to try to see that stock
car racing gets an even break,’’
Beswick said.
Beswick also said that spec
tators were standing within 10
feet of the race trackwhen Platt’s
car soared out of control,
“even after being warned to move
back, because of the danger, be
fore the race started.”
According to Beswick, san
ctioned tracks keep spectators 60
feet from the racing pavement
and have metal or concrete guard
rails.
The Yellow River Drag Strip
owned by S. R. Campbell, Jr.
of Covington, has operated for
11 years without serious Injury.
(Continued Page 4)
Resolution
Whereas it has been brought to our attention in a very tragic ®
g: manner the dangers of racing events being held in Newton g
:g County, wherein spectators were not afforded proper pro- g
•g tection; :g
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that:
:g L Effective this date, all racing events are temporarily g
suspended and forbidden to be held in Newton County, g
g until such time the Georgia General Assembly, now inig
:g session, acts to protect the general welfare and safety ;g:
:g of the public. g
g: 2. In the event the Georgia General Assembly, now In
session, fails to enact safety measures concerning rac- g
g: Ing events, this board will pass safety rules and regula- :g
g< tions of Its own concerning racing events in Newton Coun- g
:g ty. g:
g; THIS FOURTH DAY OF MARCH 1969. gj
NEWTON COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
g: Jack H. Morgan, Chairman g
THIS WAS THE ill-fated area of the bank at the right of the track
where Platt’s car left the track and crashed into the spectators at
Yellow River. The car apparently rode the top of the chain fence
। Editorial . 2
Obituary 6
Society 9
I Sports 17-18
Legal 21-27
Classified. 25-27
Worst Tragedy In Racing
History As Car Hits Fans
BY 808 GREER
Death rode a "Funny Car” dragster Sunday afternoon at the Yel
low River Drag Strip near Covington. Eleven persons have died and
at least eight others are patients in area hospitals after a race car
suddenly left the drag strip and ripped into spectators.
Driver of the dragster, a 1969
Camaro, was Houston Platt who
is well-known to drag racing fans
throughout the South. It was es
timated that his car was traveling
at a speed of 160-180 miles per
hour when it zipped off the right
side of the strip, and up the bank
and topped a chain-link fence,
finally hitting some cars. Rac
ing in the opposite lane was Frank
Oglesby.
Fans at Yellow River had tak
en their point of view along the
retaining chain fence. It was re
ported that some of the spectators
had gotten over the fence and
some of them were victimsofthe
careening car.
The ages of those killed rang
ed from four years to 65 years.
The youngster, James Richard
Bonner, age 4, of Greensboro,
was apparently atop his fath
er’s shoulder and was swept off
by the racer.
Nine of the 11 were identi
fied Sunday afternoon and night
at Caldwell & Cowan Funeral
Home, and J. C. Harwell & Son
Funeral Home in Covington. Two
of the victims were identified
the next day at the Caldwell &
Cowan mortuary.
The list of persons killed at
Yellow River Sunday follows:
Harold Ruffner, Decatur, age
about 19, Jeff Watkins, Decatur,
age 9, Frank Wessinger, Bow
don, age about 19, Edgar Vernon
Loftis, Marlon, N. C. age 65.
James Richard Bonner, Greens
boro, age 4, Ronald Jordan, Ken
nesaw, age 18, Kenneth Atkins,
Graham, Ala., age about 19,
Dolly Harrison, Atlanta; age 15,
Jimmy Breedlove, Lawren
ceville, age 17, Weldon Winslow
Price, Jr., Union Point, age 17,
Dianne Tinsley, Atlanta, about
18.
The aftermath of the Yellow
River horror-scene quickly shif
ted to Newton County Hospital
after the Injured were taken In
convoys by the four funeral home
ambulances of Covington (Cald
well - Cowan, Harwell, Lackey
and Young’s).
Robert Mitcham, Newton Hos
pital Administrator, said the lo
cal disaster plan was quickly
put into operation. He said the
shift change at the hospital takes
place around 2 p. m. and it was
just a few minutes after 2 when
the dying and Injured starting
arriving. Immediately, eight
full-time and part-time nurses
were called in to aid in the sit
uation. Also laboratory and X
ray personnel, operating per
sonnel and orderlies reported.
Mitcham said that four nur
ses volunteered their services
and came quickly to the hos
pital. They were Mrs. Louise
McGlboney, Miss Kathryn House,
Mrs. Mary Ballard and Miss
Jane Stinchcomb. Two licensed
practical nurses of Conyers also
came to the hospital to help out.
They were Mrs. Thelma Diggs
and Mrs. Hayes.
The Hospital Admlnstrator
commended the Newton Hospital
Auxiliary and the Newton Mini
sterial Assn, for their work dur
ing the afternoon. Seven of the
nine members of the medical
staff were on hand for the em-
and hit fans and cars parked along the retaining fence. As of Tues
day 11 persons had lost their lives and some 10 others were In
area hospitals in critical condition.
Price 15£
♦♦ ♦ ♦
ergency. Also, a Dr. Streeter
and his wife, of Atlanta, who
were visiting friends in Coving
ton, reported to the hospital and
volunteered their services. Dr.
Tommy Crews of Augusta was on
hand to help out in the emer
gency.
Mitcham said “Our county
ought to be proud of the nurses,
doctors and all personnel for
their ready response. The Mini
sterial Association preachers did
an outstanding job also.”
Sheriff Henry Odum, Coving
ton Chief of Police Hinton Bai
ley, and Civil Defense Director
R. T. Floyd, all had high praise
for the fans, public and all who
helped In the tragedy.
Members of the Covington Fire
Dept., CD Rescue Unit, Citi
zens Band Club, State Patrol,
Porterdale Police Dept., Oxford
Police Dept, and many nearby
law enforcement agencies were
on hand during the afternoon at
Yellow River and in Covington.
A noticeable degree of co
operation was shown as the road
was cleared from Yellow River
to the Newton Hospital for the
ambulances to make fast runs.
Police sealed off the various in
tersections In order that the in
jured could be taken to the hos
pital quickly.
Lewis Caldwell of Caldwell and
Cowan said that he made se
veral trips with the injured and
dying, and “I didn’t have to load
a single person into my ambu
lance. I drove up the track and
the Injured were quickly loaded
and someone would tell me to
‘get going.’” Some of the in
jured were also taken to the
hospital In cars and trucks.
Sheriff Odum said yesterday:
‘‘The way the public helped out
Sunday was remarkable. The co
operation of everybody was won
derful.”
Chief Hinton Bailey stated:
‘‘We appreciate all the extra
help who volunteered during the
emergency Sunday. Especially,
we appreciate the help of Por
terdale and Oxford Police.”
Law enforcement officers had
high praise for the four funeral
homes of Covington who rushed
ambulances to the scene. Cald
well and Cowan, J. C. Harwell
& Son, Lackey Funeral Home
and Young’s Funeral Home, all
made numerous trips with the
dying and Injured people to New
ton County Hospital. Some of the
more seriously Injured were then
taken immediately to DeKalb Ge
neral Hospital, Piedmont and
Georgia Baptist in Atlanta.
News of the tragedy spread like
wildfire over the radio and Tele
vision across the nation. ABC-
Radlo in New York led off their
5 p. m. newscast with the Yel
low River story and ‘‘at least
nine persons dead and 50 in
jured.” Radio stations in Chi
cago (WCFL), Cincinnati (WCKY
and WLW) also had reports of
the racing wreck and deaths dur
ing the afternoon.
Newton County Sheriff Henry
Odum’s voice was featured on
many of the radio and TV broad-
(Continued Page 4)