Newspaper Page Text
Vote AGAINST Charter Day After Tomorrow!
I
Official Chattooga County
Publication For 75 Years
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VOLUME 75— NO. 17 < g
City Prepares for New Charter Vote Saturday
EDITORIAL
THE CITY CHARTER
It has always been our thought that upon receiving
a challenge, the challenged were given the choice of
weapons and place if battle.
Such is not the case in a letter received from M. H.
Copeland, Mayor of Summerville.
As can be seen in the letter, Copeland set the stage
before issuing the challenge. The Summerville News has
no intention of placing its representative on that stage in
an official capacity as a debater.
Just for the record, here is the letter:
Summerville, Georgia
May 19, 1959
The Summerville News
Summerville, Georgia
Gentlemen:
The Summerville News has attempted to interpret the
proposed city charter through editorials and columns. I
feel that these interpretations are misleading the public.
I feel the issue presented by this vote is so vital to the
future of the City of Summerville that the public should
be given an opportunity to hear this charter discussed and
explained in a public meeting. Therefore, I challenge the
Editor of the Summerville News to a public discussion of
the charter at the courthouse in Summerville on Thursday,
May 21, 1959 at 7:30 p.m. and invite the public to attend.
I have asked Judge F. H. (Pete) Boney to moderate this
discussion and to give the public the opportunity to get
up and speak on the charter.
I urge the public to be at this meeting and see what
the charter says and not what someone says it says. In
the event the Editor cannot appear the discussion will still
be held for the benefit of the public.
Yours very truly,
M. H. COPELAND
Mayor. City of Summerville
Despite what Copeland says, The Summerville News
has brought the voters of Summerville an honest ap
praisal of the new' charter. We are completely against
it as we can see nothing in it to assist the City. It will not
solve the economic ills of Summerville, it will only add
to them. There arc sections within the charter which
are dubious and there are others which we believe to be
unconstitutional.
Last week it was implied that the voters should either
ratify the new charter or face the consequences. Impli
cation was made that unless the charter is given the green
light, Summerville will be faced with (1) an increase in
taxes, or (2) legalized beer sales.
We would like to call your attention to Section 20 of
the charter. It deals with various lines of endeavor which
the City of Summerville would have full power and author
ity to license, regulate and control. The list embraces
everv business line and the word “beverages” is included.
" By what stretch of the imagination could anyone
think that Summerville could not have legalized beer
sales under the new charter just as easily as under the
present governing authority?
When a municipality faces a financial crisis, the pros
pect of increased taxes is always prevalent. Voting for the
charter would by no means diminish that possibility in
Summerville.
Adherents and proponents of the charter are grasp
ing at any opportunity to muster favor for the conglom
eration of words which will do absolutely nothing to pull
this City from its financial dilemma.
This newspaper fully believes that Copeland placed
himself out on a limb when he reportedly said that the
financial predicament of Summerville could have been
averted. He reduced that limb to a flimsy branch when
he is reported to have said that “unless there is a change
in the present operation, it will be necessary to either
raise taxes or legalize beer to obtain the needed revenue
to meet the city’s obligations.” As far as this newspaper
is concerned, Copeland committed political suicide the
moment he started talking.
It is up to the voters to decide whether or not they
desire this charter. We ask that they turn out in force
day after tomorrow and cast their ballots overwhelming
ly against the charter.
The Summerville News will abide by their decision.
Officers Destroy Another Still . ..
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—Staff Photo by Harris
State Revenue Agent Herman Evans, Chattooga County Sheriff Fred Stewart and Deputy Sheriff
Paul White destroyed another still near Summerville last Thursday. The illicit whiskey opera
tion was in Haywood Valley, approximately nine miles from the city. Over 100 gallons of "uncut’
whiskey were brought into Summerville by the officers and poured out in front of the Chattooga
County Courthouse. The picture shows the officers at work destroying the still at the operation
site.
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SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GA., THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1959
FBI Arrests
Two On Auto
Charge Here
Federal Bureau of Investiga
tion agents arrested two men
here Tuesday and carried them
to Rome for an appearance be
fore Rowell Stanton, Commis
sioner of the U. S. District
Courf, Northern District of
Georgia.
The two men, W. R Coker and
J. L. Strickland, waived a pre
| liminary hearing and were re
। leased on bonds of $3,000 each.
The bonds were signed by J. L.
I Broome of Trion, according to
Commissioner Stanton.
Commissioner Stanton said
that the men were charged with
conspiring with each other and
I unidentified parties to commit
[an offense against the U. S.
| Government and with receiving,
concealing and storing a 1957
automobile. The auto was in in
terstate commerce between
Michigan and Summerville,
Commissioner Stanton said.
CITY LAYS PLANS
FOR NEW SIO,OOO
IOAN IN FEW DAYS
Following City Council ap
proval for the City to negotiate
a short-term note for SIO,OOO,
City Clerk Sam Sitton said to
day that action would be com
pleted on the loan within the
next few days.
Sitton said that a personnel
vacancy at City Hall has caused
City Hall workers to be pressed
with extra work and that final
plans for the loan will be made
as soon as the personnel problem
is alleviated.
A vacancy at City Hall will
probably be filled today from a
list of applicants who have been
interviewed by Sitton.
In a recent statement, Mayor
M. H. Copeland listed the City’s
indebtedness at the present time
at $41,000.
JORDAN ELEVATED
TO TOP SPOT IN
LOCAL JAYCEES
Kelly Jordan, president of
Jordan Department Store, Inc.
here, was elevated from vice
president to the top spot of the
Summerville Junior Chamber
of Commerce in an election held
last week.
Other officers named were L.
N. Gregg, internal vice-presi
dent, and George Lane, external
vice-president.
Jim Hawkins was elected sec
retary and Roy Joe Thomas
was named treasurer.
Jimmy Duff was selected as a
new director.
A nominating committee had
(Continued on Page 5)
Jail Construction Continues Here . . .
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—Staff Photo by Harris
Chattooga County Jail construction was hampered last Thursday when a portion of a new' brick
wall at the left of the building as shown above toppled to the ground. Workers were busy re
pairing the damage when the photo was made.
Summerville School
Closing Set May 26
Graduation Pland Have Been Completed;
Seniors Get Diplomas On Monday, June 1
Graduation plans for approximately 75 seniors at
Summerville High School have been completed, it was
announced by school officials here this week.
Summerville High Scho 011
Principal E. M. Blue said that a
dress rehearsal for the seniors
would be held at the High
School on Thursday morning,
May 28, at 9 o’clock.
Baccalaureate services have
been scheduled for the High
School Auditorium on Sunday
evening, May 31, at 8:30 o’clock.
The speaker will be Rev. Roger
McDonald, pastor of the First
Baptist Church.
Graduation exercises will be
held at the Auditorium on Mon
day evening, June 1, at 8:30
o’clock. The five top-honor
graduates will be the speakers.
They were previously identified
as Joe Williams. Delaine Tucker,
Carol Ballenger, Maxine Gard
ner Latta and Brenda Espy.
Joe Pitts, chairman of the
Summerville High School Board
of Education, will deliver di
plomas to the graduating
seniors.
Meanwhile, Summerville
schools will operate on a full
day’s schedule on Monday, May
25. On Tuesday, May 26. the
schools will be open for a half
day and will then close for this
year.
Principal Blue said today that
local teachers will be at work
for several days after school
ends next Tuesday at noon.
Savings Bond
Sales Steady
The sale of U. S. Savings
Bonds continued steady here ac
cording to reports just issued by
the Atlanta office.
Total 1959 sales in Chattooga
County amount to $123,445.
The sale of “E” Bonds last
month amounted to $37,105.
A goal of $380,000 has been set
for, 1959 sales in Chattooga
County.
LOCAL CONTESTANT
GETS EUROPE TRIP
Mrs. Margaret Osgood of the
Summerville Hotel will go to
Europe next month with ex
penses paid as a prize in a con
test sponsored by an Atlanta
travel agency.
Mrs. Osgood gave the nearest
correct answer as to the cost of
such a trip to include visits to
England, Belgium, Germany,
Switzerland and France.
The trip will be made by air.
SCHEDULES GIVEN
IN CLEAN-UP WEEK
OBSERVANCE HERE
City Clerk Sam Sitton today
posted a final schedule of trash
and refuse pick-ups by city
sanitary workers as the city
prepared for ‘‘Clean-Up Week”
starting Monday, May 25.
Sitton said that workers will
collect trash and debris in the
First Ward on Monday, May 25.
They will work in the Second
Ward on Tuesday of next week
(Continued on Page 5»
The Long and Short of It! — I he High and Loir of 11. . . .
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—Staff Photo by McConnell
HOYT LECROY STEVIE CHAPPELEAR
Drums Cornet
All members of the Summerville High School Band and the
Summerville Elementary Band have been working hard for a
concert to be presented Friday evening, May 22, at 8 o clock.
Entitled "An Appreciation Concert,” the musical program will
SCOUT CAMPOREE
DRAWS YOUTHS IN
WEEK-END EVENT
Boy Scouts from five Chat
tooga County troops attended
the spring “Camporee” held last
week-end at the Trion Golf
Course.
Representatives were drawn
j from Troop 7 and Troop 71 in
i Summerville, Troop 38 and
i Troop 101 from Trion, and Troop
106 of Mountain View.
Cool weather Saturday night
' failed to hinder the Campfire
program led by Scoutmaster
Ralph Holt.
After cooking breakfast on
I Sunday morning, the Scouts
I were led in a worship service by
I Reverend Roger McDonald, pas
tor of the First Baptist Church
I here.
Contests were held Sunday in
| boiling water, making fires with
flint and steel, first aid relays
and a compass course.
The camp was broken-up at
[12:30 Sunday afternoon with an
। inspection. The Camporee was
considered a success and offi
(Continued on Page 51
16 Pages
Two Sections
SUBSCRIPTION RATE $2.00 PER YEA
Large Electorate
Turn-Oul Expected
Polls Open at 7 A.M. Saturday .Morning;
\ oters Have Until 6 P.M. for Balloting
Upwards of 1,500 voters are expected to converge on
the polls at the Chattooga County Courthouse here Satur
day, May 23, to cast ballots in a city-wide referendum on a
proposed new Charter for Summerville.
It was previously announced
PIONEER CITIZEN
CITES OPPOSITION
TO CITY CHARTER
M. M. Allen, Sr„ a pioneer citi
zen of Chattooga County and
Summerville, this week voiced
strong opposition to passage of;
the proposed City Charter at the i
polls on May 23.
Mr. Allen, who recently cele
brated his 90th birthday, was'
born a few miles west of the
city. He has been a resident of
the city for the past 56 years, i
A former member of the
County Road Commission, Mr.
Allen told the News today that
he was in complete disagreement
with the abolishment of Sum
merville’s Ward system as called
for in the new Charter. “A coun
cilman elected under this provi
sion would do more for his own
; neighborhood than he would for
the rest of the city,” Mr. Allen
I said.
Long active in business and
civic circles here, Mr. Allen said
I that he did not like the “differ
ence in pay proposed for a new
| Mayor and the salary to be paid
I a Councilman.”
। “Not only that,” Mr. Allen
' added, “I do not think that
: Summerville can afford a Mayor
1 making S4OO a month with an
unlimited expense account.”
‘‘lt is not worth S4OO a month
ito be Mayor of Summerville,”
j Mr. Allen concluded.
CLEMENTS NAMED
TO LEAD COUNTY
GROUP 2ND TIME
Doctor C. A. Clements of Trion
has been named to serve another
year as Chattooga County chair
man of the Tuberculosis Com
mittee.
Continuing to serve with him
; will be: Mrs. Bunyan Green of
Trion, Seal Seal Chairman; Re-
(Continued on Page 5>
SHIRLEY WALKER BOBBY SMITHSON
Piccolo Bass Horn
be held at the High School Auditorium. Members of the Bands
have worked many hours preparing for a superior musical per
formance and are selling tickets. Supporters of the Band are
urged to attend this last concert of the school year.
! by city officials that the polls
would open at 7 a.m. Saturday
: morning and will close at 6
o’clock in the evening.
The voting will be handled by
I three election managers chosen
I by City Council two weeks ago.
They are Justice of the Peace
Arch Warren. Paul Byars and
Evans Scoggins. Warren is in
charge of the group.
Registration closed May 2 for
city voters expecting to partic
; ipate in the referendum.
Youth Hint In
Scooter \\ reck
Danny Ray Floyd, teenage son
of Mr. and Mrs. Smith Floyd,
| Cox Street, Summerville, re
' portedly suffered minor injuries
Tuesday afternoon when his
motor scooter collided with an
i automobile.
The mishap occurred on the
one-way stretch of Union Street
; near Howard Weems’ Garage, it
' was reported.
Young Floyd, a Summerville
I High School student, is a mem
ber of the Band.
i Local police had no details on
; the mishap at press time yes
! terday.
Merchants Hold
Called Meeting
The Summerville Retail Mer
। chants Association held a called
meeting yesterday morning at
■ the Georgia Power Company.
Details of a project discussed
at the meeting will be an
i nounced shortly, it was reported.
AMERICAN LEGION
The American Legion will hold
a regular meeting tomorrow
; night at the Chattooga County
Memorial Home.
All Legionnaires are urged to
attend.