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Two Sections
VOLUME 79 —NUMBER 26
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AT COOSA VALLEY ANNUAL MEET— Two Chattooga
Countians, John Bankson and Rep. John W. Davis, are
shown with a group at the Coosa Valley Area Planning
and development Commission in Rome Wednesday,
July 15. The group includes (left to right) Georgia
Commissioner of Labor Ben T. Huiet, of Atlanta; Coosa
Vice Chairman Fred Starr of Rome; Senator Richard
Woman Killed
In Wreck At
Trion Sunday
A Trion woman was killed in
an automobile accident late
Sunday night just south of Trion
on U. S. Highway 27.
Mrs. Walter L. Lawson, 43, 94
Conway Drive, Trion, was dead
on arrival at the hospital, the
State Patrol reported.
She was driving a 1957 model
car southward on Highway 27
about 11:20 p.m. when Tommy
O. Wilbanks, 60, of 34 9th Street,
Trion, pulled into the highway
from Rossville Boulevard and
headed north, said the Patrol.
The vehicles hit head-on. Wil
banks was not reported injured.
Surviving Mrs. Lawson are her
husband; two daughters, Mrs.
John E. Payton, Route 1, Trion,
and Mrs. Max Roberts, Atlanta;
father and mother, Mr. and Mrs.
W. P. Ray, Route 2, Ft. Payne,
Ala.; two brothers, Billy Ray,
Noble, and Hobert Ray, Route 2,
Ft. Payne, Ala.; five sisters, Mrs.
Esteele Teague, Trion; Mrs.
Bessie Pearcey and Mrs. Mildred
Goodnight, both of Ft. Payne;
Mrs. Hazel Phillips, Cloudland,
and Mrs. Sue Shirley, Flat Rock,
Ala.; four granddaughters and
three grandsons.
Funeral services were con
ducted Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.
from the chapel of J. D. Hill
Funeral Home with the Rev.
Darty Stowe and the Rev. A. A.
Tanner officiating. Interment
was in West Hill Cemetery,
Trion.
J. D. Hill Funeral Home was
in charge.
Shropshire Given
Total of 8 Years
Tommy Lee Shropshire, Summerville Negro, was given
seven years for kidnapping and one year for auto theft late
Tuesday afternoon. Ine seven-year sentence was the max
imum possible since no ransom demand was involved.
Earlier in the day, Charles Johnson, Summerville Ne-
gro, charged with murdering
Cicero Jones, also Negro, was
found guilty of voluntary man
slaughter and given 10 to 20
years.
The trials were conducted in
Chattooga Superior Court with
Judge S. W. Fariss presiding.
Sol. Gen. Earl B. Self was the
prosecutor.
Shropshire had been charged
in connection with the abduc
tion on June 21 of a 17-year-old
Summerville white high school
girl. The girl, Glenda Martin,
escaped a short time later un
harmed.
She was the star witness in
the trial, although a Chattooga
Hospital nurse, Mrs. Ketha
Johnson, mother of three, testi
fied that a Negro matching i
Shropshire’s appearance tried toI
get in her car the same night. ;
The Martin girl was abducted
when a Negro forced his way:
into her car as she stopped at a
red light in downtown Summer-:
Ville. The Johnson incident oc-!
Senator Calls Growth
Os Area ‘Remarkable’
The establishment of 28 new industrial plants in the
Coosa Valley area during the past year is “a remarkable
achievement,” Senator Richard B. Russell said in Rome
July 15.
“The Coosa Valley, of course, has always been one of
the principal industrial areas of
the state,” he said, “and almost
half of its total employment is
in manufacturing. But this has
not deterred you from actively
seeking additional industrial
jobs to offset the continuing de
cline in agricultural employ
ment.”
Senator Russell was the key
note speaker at the annual
meeting of the Coosa Valley
Area Planning and Development
Commission which met at Berry
Schools.
John Bankson of Summerville
was installed as the new chair
man of the Commission.
Senator Russell saluted the
counties that make up the com
mission “for their foresight and
common sense” in working to
gether.
“Although our (Georgia’s) in
dustrial and economic growth of
recent years is gratifying, we
must not be satisfied to rest on
past accomplishments. We must
keep our eye on the future and ,
remain dedicated to the task of .
keeping Georgia forging ahead,”
he added.
“There is must to be done. Al
though Georgians today earn j
more money than ever before,
our per capita income still lags
curred about two hours after-the
Martin incident at the same
place.
Shropshire’s court-appointed
attorney, Donald Bennett of
Rossville, objected to introduc
tion of Mrs. Johnson’s testi
mony. The jury was excluded
from the courtroom while Ben
nett and Sol. Self argued the
point Self contended that in
troduction of the Johnson testi
mony would show a "common
scheme of plan” and that, as
such, was admissible. Judge
Fariss agreed with Self and
over-ruled the objection.
Mrs. Johnson said she had
started to work at the hospital
about 10:30 p.m. on the night in
question and had stopped at a
: red light near the North Com
, merce Street bridge. She said
she noticed a Negro man "mean
: dering” into the street but was
shocked when he jerked open
a door on her car and started to i
(Continued On Page 7)
©hr ^nmmerutllF New
B. Russell, the guest speaker; Mr. Bankson, new chair
man of the Coosa group; Rep. Davis; Elbert Forester,
assistant director, Employment Security Agency, Geor
gia Department of Labor, and honorary columnist for
The News; and Dr. John R. Betrand, president of Berry
Schools.
substantially below the average
for the nation.”
He pointed to the need for ex
panding research efforts in all
fields; discussed Georgia’s role
in space; said that water re
source development is “a must”
for Georgia; noted that water
pollution is a growing problem;
and reiterated that he did not
like the new civil rights statute
but urged citizens to abide by
its final adjudication and “avoid
all violence.”
“Violence and law violation
will only compound our diffi
culties and increase our troubles.
I am sure that the vast majority
of the people of Georgia were
shocked and outraged by the
brutal and senseless murder of
a Negro Reserve officer upon our
public highways a few days
ago. I am convinced that this
cowardly act was generated by
a demented mind and I trust
that the guilty party will soon
be apprehended so that we may
demonstrate to the world that
assassins, even if demented, will
not be tolerated in Georgia . . .
“We must not impede the
progress of our beloved Georgia
by acts of violence and forcible
(Continued On Page 7)
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PAVING CONTINUES LN COUNTY—
Warden John Frank McConnell (left)
and his assistants watch a paving op
eration in the Town of Trion as the
county-state paving project continues.
State Engineer Duward Tomlin is at the
right. About three miles of streets have
been re-surfaced in Trion and the work
in the municipality is completed. Paving
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, JULY 23, 1964
Trion Digest
Up; Tax Rale
Lowered
Trion has begun using the new
county property evaluations for
its own tax purposes and has
lowered its tax rate from 25 to
20 mills.
The gross Trion digest, under
the new appraisals conducted by
the county last year, is $16,859,-
362. Trion has decided to assess
on 40 per cent of the gross and
this gives a net digest of $6,-
743,745 on which the 20-mill rate
will be levied.
Last year, Trion used its own
tax records, not those of the
county, and the total digest was
$14,242,000. Taxes were levied
against 33 and one-third per
cent of this, which gave a net
digest of $4,700,000. The rate was
25 mills under that system.
The new rate was set Thurs
day by the Trion Council and
Mayor J. C. Woods.
Although the entire county
tax digest has not yet been com
pleted, the Trion phase has been
finished. The total county digest
is expected to be finished
shortly.
Hospital Board Plans
Reply to Grand Jury
Dalton Quits, But
Most Vow to Stay
One member of the Chattooga Hospital Authority has
resigned in the wake of grand jury criticism last week but
other members vow they will not quit.
In fact, the Authority Tuesday night tabled the resig
nation of one of its members, L. C. (Sadd) Dalton, and said
it would ask him to re-consider.
Mr. Dalton was not present at
the meeting.
Other members of the board
are: Harry Lee McGinnis, chair
man; Dewey Hammond, Glenn
Hendrix, George Doster and
Mark Strawn, who also was not
present at the July meeting
Tuesday night.
Members of the board said
they would have a formal reply
to the grand jury’s suggestion
that they resign when their at
torney, Ed Surles, returns from
Europe.
The grand jury, in its July
presentments, devoted much at
tention to the hospital, ending
by declaring that “if needed to
carry into effect the previous
recommendations, the present
board resign and a new board
be appointed’’.
The “previous recommenda
tions” had included suggestions
that the “whole financial struc
ture and operation” of the hos
pital be re-evaluated and new
policies and methods be substi
► tuted for those presently used
“where they would result in a
more economical and better op
erated hospital.”
Although the Hospital Au
thority took no formal action
Tuesday night, it was apparent
from informal discussion that
they felt the grand jurors had
not obtained sufficient back
ground and information before
attacking the board. They prom
ised the “full story” would come
out when their attorney returns.
Here is the complete grand
jury reference to the hospital:
“We, the members of the
Grand Jury by committee, in
spected the Chattooga County
Hospital, and found same to be
clean and in good order with the
exceptions hereinafter noted: A
new sterilizer is badly needed; a
new examining table is needed;
a new oxygen tent is needed;
adequate lighting in all spaces,
especially in the operating room
should be provided; a platform
rocker for babies should be pro
vided; a call system from the
nurses station to the remainder
of the Hospital should be in
stalled; filing cabinents in the
X-ray room are needed badly;
a Positive Pressure machine
should be provided; storage
space for maintenance equip
ment should be provided;
enough money should be kept on
hand to pay for supplies.
“We, the members of the
was underway at mid-week in the Dry
Creek area and Warden McConnell said
the Summerville paving will start Mon
day. Some five miles of streets in Sum
merville are scheduled for paving or re
surfacing. The state is furnishing the
materials for this project and the county
is doing the work.
Grand Jury, feel that the whole
financial structure and opera
tion of our County Hospital
should be re-evaluated and new
policies and methods be substi
tuted for those presently used
where they would result in a
more economical and better op
erated Hospital. We realize that
our citizens need a hospital, but
feel that we are entitled for the
same to be operated in an eco
nomically but up-to-date man
ner. We also feel that should our
hospital be completely air con
ditioned that we would attract
enough extra patients to pay for
its installation and upkeep. We
also feel that if needed to carry
into effect the previous recom
mendations, the present Board
resign and a new Board be ap
pointed.”
Board Os
Health
Re-organized
Dr. H. A. Goodwin, Roy Camp
and J. R. Dowdy were named
last week to the newly-reorgan
ized Chattooga County Board of
Health.
They were appointed by the
grand jury.
Under a new Georgia law,
boards of health are being re
organized over the state. The
term of Dowdy will be concur
rent with his term as mayor of
Summerville, ending Jan. 1, 1965.
Camp will serve for four years
and Dr. Goodwin will serve for
six years.
Trion
Re-Appointed
Hammond
James (Buddy) Hammond has
been re-appolnted chairman of
the Trion Board of Education
and Archie Brown has been re
appointed to a three-year term
as a board member.
The action was taken Thurs
day at the regular meeting of
the Trion Council and Mayor
J. C. Woods.
Mr. Hammond will have a
three-year term.
(Continued On Page 7)
Bidding to Start
Soon On Armuchee
Creek Project
Advertising for bids to erect,
flood controls along Armuchee;
Creek in Chattooga and Floyd |
Counties is expected to start in
September, Chattooga County
Commissioner John Jones has
been informed.
The U. S. Army Engineers noti
fied Mr. Jones of the plan this
week, pointing out that the
funds have now been made
available by congress.
Melvin W. Dovith, chairman of
the Acquisition Branch of the
Real Estate Division, told Mr.
Jones in a letter that the county
could now begin acquiring ease
ments. It was stated that any
condemnation proceedings would
be handled by the government.
About three miles along the
creek in Chattooga County and
some nine miles in Floyd County
are involved.
The creek overflows during
heavy rains, inundating some of
the best farm land in the two
counties.
200 Register
To Vote On
Final Day
Some 200 persons registered to
vote Monday on the final day of
registration prior to the Sept. 9
Democratic primary.
But total figures were not im
mediately available. They are
expected to be announced next
week.
Over 9,000 had been registered
before the May cut-off date. The
new election code for Georgia
specified that the registration
period should be re-opened and
continue through July 20.
Schools To
Open Soon
School opening dates have
been announced by Trion Supt.
A. J. Strickland and Chattooga
Supt. James Spence.
Chattooga classes will begin
Tuesday, August 25, and teach
ers will report Tuesday, August
18.
Trion classes will begin Thurs
day, August 27, and teachers
will report Monday, August 24.
Carter Teachers
At Summer School
Several teachers of A. C. Car
ter School are attending summer
sessions.
They include: Miss E. L.
Allgood and Mrs. M. E. Walker,
Tennessee State; B. J. Mosley,
Atlanta University; M. J. Brab
ham, Clafton University; J. N.
Eberthardth, Atlanta University.
Mrs. L. B. Lawson has just
finished six weeks of studying
French.
S’ville Takes
Another Step
On Sewerage
Drawings and plans for Summerville to halt its part in
polluting the Chattooga River have been completed and
submitted to the federal government.
The plans were formally approved by the Summerville
Council and Mayor J. R. Dowdy Friday in a called meeting.
They had just been completed
by Williams, Sweitzer and Bar
num, Rome engineers. On Mon
day, they were mailed to the
Home Housing and Finance
Uncle Ned’s
Notes
Lots ov folks talking about
votin’ fer Mr. Goldwater this
fall. I ain’t made up my mind
myself.
But I’ll say this. Unless we’re
careful how we mark the bal
lot, we’re liable to be votin’
against our Mr. Congressman
John Davis.
1 understand that we kin
“split’’ the ticket—that is vote
fer a Republican fer president
and fer Democrats the rest of
the way. But we’ve got to
watch how we mark that bal
lot. We shore want our Mr.
Davis re-elected.
10c PER COPY
JACK SHAMBLIN
(Photo Courtesy Trion Facts)
Shamblin
To Join CHS
Athletic Staff
Jack Shamblin, a 1956 grad
uate of Trion High School, will
be on the coaching staff at
Chattooga High School, Princi
pal A. L. Clark and Supt. James
Spence have announced.
He is the son of Mr, and Mrs,
Fate Shamblin, of Trion.
Richard Romine has resigned
from the Chattooga High coach
ing staff, Mr. Clark said. He
had served for one and one-half
years. Mr. Romine, formerly of
Menlo, has accepted a position
as a coach and biology teacher
In Dade City, Fla. Earlier, Paul
Quinn, former coach at Chat
tooga High, had resigned to
accept a position in Dade City
but has since accepted a job in
Lake City, Fla., Mr. Clark said.
Charles Lewis, another mem
ber of the CHS faculty, resigned
(Continued On Page 7)
! __Z.
• Agency of the government just
in time for the Tuesday dead
s Une.
> This step was the most con
crete taken to date in the ex
tensive and long-range efforts
to clean up Chattooga River.
Riegel Textile Corp, is working
along the same lines.
Summerville hopes to get some
federal aid in building a sewage
treatment facility, which would,
according to the engineer’s
plans, be located off the Bolling
Road near the Chattooga River.
A 15-acre site on property owned
by the Selman Estate was pro
posed.
Two stages were proposed—
the first being the construction
of the treatment center and out
fall lines and the second being
an expansion of the sewer sys
tem throughout the area.
Stage One would cost about
$669,000, of which $580,000 would
be for the treatment facility and
$89,000 for the outfall lines.
Stage Two would cost about
$469,000.
To finance Stage One, the en
gineers said the city might hope
to get $200,700 from the federal
government; $250,000 through
the sale of revenue anticipation
certificates, a step which would
have to be approved by voters
in a referendum; and $218,300
through an increase in water
and sewage rates.
However, it is pointed out, no
one knows yet just how much
can be obtained from the gov
ernment because the Appalchla
program now being considered
might provide more funds.
The estimated started date
(Continued On Page 71