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VOLUME 79 —NUMBER 30
Tax Digest Doubles
Under Revaluation
Jones to Set Tax
Rate Within Days
The net digest in Chattooga County more than doubled
under the property revaluation program.
It jumped from $8,211,014 last year to $16,760,441.
These unofficial figures were released at mid-afternoon
Wednesday after over 18 months work at revaluating and
adjusting the assessments.
The gross digest didn’t quite
double—it went from $12,161,814
to $23,982,086. The figures do not
include the public utilities.
Now that the digest has been
determined, the county tax rate
is expected to be set almost im
mediately. County Commissioner
John Jones said he would begin
work on setting it today. The
county rate last year was 42
mills, including one mill for hos
pital bonds. This year’s rate
should be considerably lower.
The Chattooga Board of Edu
cation met Wednesday after
noon, just minutes after the di
gest was completed, to set its
tax rate for this year. Details are
included in another story in this
edition.
The pattern in Chattooga
County followed that in most
counties which have completed
property revaluation programs—
the digest has about doubled.
Under this program, property
is evaluated at 100 per cent and
the tax rate is lowered.
Under the former system,
property was evaluated or re
turned at about a third or less
its actual value and the tax rate
was high. In addition, maps and
other records were not kept and
some property was not returned
at all.
Those expected to benefit most
from the new evaluation are
those who own cars and no real
estate. The cars have always
been evaluated under a state
schedule of 40 per cent of value.
They will continue to be but the
rate will be considerably lower
than in the past which means
they will pay less taxes.
I
Uncle Ned’s
Notes
Well I noticed a truckload
of soap is being brought into
the county.
Looks like we mite git
cleaned up around here one
way if not another.
Are They Qualified? Read
About Candidates in News
Are they qualified?
That’s the question being raised today about can
didates for political office. And to find out about their
qualifications, read each week in The Summerville
News “The Offices . . . The Candidates.”
This week, the duties and candidates for state
senator and state representative are discussed. Next
week, the sheriff, justice of the peace and constable will
be the topic.
Find out what the duties are, read about the can
didates and then make up your mind.
Hike Turns Into Drama of Courage
What started out to be a
routine hike to High Point
tower Saturday turned out
to be a drama of courage
and stamina by a regis
tered nurse and two 13-
year-olds boys.
Mrs. Jimmie Kellett
V
L _ J
MBS. WATKINS
State Gives
$45,000 in
Road Grants
State approval for $45,000
worth of tar and gravel for
Chattooga County has been
given, County Commissioner
John Jones said this week.
The county is currently put
ting down the $35,000 worth
granted for last year but which
was not received until this year.
The $45,000 grant is for the cur
rent year, but the commissioner
said the speed with which the
state processes the necessary
papers will determine when it
will be put down.
Some of the paving will go into
each of the municipalities as
well as in the county, Mr. Jones
stated. An announcement will be
made as to which roads in the
county will receive paving, he
noted. The mayors and councils
will determine which municipal
roads get service.
Woman Held
In Shoplifting
Case Thursday
A woman has been arrested in
Summerville in connection with
shoplifting.
She is Mrs. Alma Smith and
she is charged with shoplifting
at four Summerville stores—
Home Store, Redford’s and
Southern 5 and 10’s two loca
tions.
Mrs. Smith, of a Martin St.
address, was arrested Thursday
afternoon upon warrants taken
by the managers of all the stores
involved.
Items found in a shopping
bag carried by the woman in
cluded toothbrushes, tennis
slippers, house shoes, a girls
shorts set, lard, sugar, corn meal
mix, two cakes and other items.
She was transferred to the
county jail and was understood
to still be there Wednesday. Of
ficer L. D. McCary, who investi
gated, said the case was a mis
demeanor.
Watkins, Atlanta nurse,
formerly of Summerville,
her nephew, Johnny Kel
lett, 13, and her Atlanta
neighbor, Mike Kolock, 13
were involved.
They left the home of
Mrs. Watkins’ parents, Mr.
and Mrs. Bill Kellett, on
the Silver Hill Road about
10 a. m. Saturday, headed
for the forest fire tower on
High Point a short dis
tance away. They took
only a rifle along.
When the trio had not
returned by m i d-after
noon, Mrs. Watk i n s’
brother, John, who is
Johnny’s father, began
looking for them. Having
no luck, he called on the
Chattooga Civil Defense
for aid that night.
After an hour and a half
after the CD group went
to work, John found the
wet and hungry trio. It
was about 11:30 p. m.
She fas
Henry Miller
Dies Sun. of
Auto Injuries
Henry Miller, 55, owner of
Summerville’s State Restaurant,
died early Sunday of auto in
juries incurred a week earlier in
Summerville.
Mr. Miller died at 8:15 a.m. in
Erlanger Hospital where he had
been taken after being involved
in an accident on North Com
merce Street at 5:45 a.m. Satur
day, Aug. 8.
In the meantime, Grady Jack
son Brady Jr., 21, Marietta, for
merly of Summerville, who was
the driver of the other car in
volved, remains in the Chat
tooga County jail on a proba
tion revocation warrant.
He was initially charged with
driving while intoxicated and
driving on the wrong side of the
road and was released on bond.
However, he was picked up
again, officers said, after the
revocation warrant was taken.
Details of his probation were not
immediately available.
Mr. Miller had lived all of his
life in Chattooga County and
was a veteran of Warld War II
and a member of the South
Summerville Baptist Church. He
had owned and operated The
State Restaurant for several
years.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs.
Annie Mae Miller, Summerville;
three sons, Henry Miller, Jr.,
Trion, J. D. and Lamar Miller of
Summerville; six sisters, Mrs.
Marinda Sitton, Mrs. Georgia
Cherry, Mrs. Emma RicharGson,
Mrs. Mamie Gilreath, all of Sum
merville, Mrs. Lossie Howard,
Rossville, and Mrs. Sallie Gil
reath, LaFayette; two brothers,
Wesley Miller, Princeton, West
Virginia and David Miller, La-
Fayette; five grandchildren and
a number of nieces and nephews
also survive.
Funeral services were held
Tuesday at 2 o’clock at the South
Summerville Baptist Church
with the Reverends Johnny Boat
ner, Robert Smith and A. A.
Tanner officiating, with burial
in West Hill Cemetery, Trion.
Pallbearers were the following
ministers: Frank Lewis, Glenn
Boatner, Gene Turkett, Emmett
Smith, E. A. Grant and Robert
Akins.
Erwin Funeral Home was in
charge of the arrangements.
Trion Lions
Elect Bryan
Roy Bryan is the newly elected
President of the Trion Lions
Club.
Others elected to office are as
follows: Gordon Jones, First Vice
President; Henry Bishop, Sec
ond Vice President; Sam Mc-
Cain, Third Vice President;
Stanley Buckalew, Secretary and
Treasurer; Jack Williams, As
sistant Secretary and Treasurer;
“Jug” Hayes, Tail Twister; and
M. G. Michael, Lion Tamer.
Named as two-year directors
are Ernie Freeman and Norman
McClellan. One-year directors
are Roy Fallis and Bunyan
Greene.
Saturday.
Mrs. Watkins and the
two lads had reached their
destination — the fire
tower, all right. But as
they started down the
mountain, a fog enclosed
them and they lost their
way.
In the confusion, Mrs.
Watkins fell and suffered a
hip injury which made it
almost impossible for her
to walk.
They had no food—but
they had plenty of water.
It rained off and on most
of the day and night. To
protect themselves from
the rain, the trio made a
lean-to. And they tried,
without success, to start a
fire with her cigarette
lighter. But the lighter
fluid was soon exhausted.
So they simply waited.
Periodically, Mrs. Wat
kins would shoot the rifle,
hoping it would bring any
rescue party to their lo-
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COL
■
I— 9H ;
LORAY BYARS
Loray Byars
Installed
By Legion
Loray B. (Buddy) Byars of
Summerville was installed Fri
day night as commander of
American Legion Post 129 for
the coming year. He had earlier
been re-elected.
Other officers elected and ap
pointed to serve with Com
mander Byars for the year 1964-
65 are: Senior vice commander,
Don Cox; Junior vice com
mander, Dan Tapp; Junior vice
commander, Troy Wesson; Ser
geant at arms, Carl Anderson;
adjutant and finance officer,
James A. Giles; chaplain, Dwight
Mauney; service officer, Ira
<Crook) Hawkins; historian, Jim
Leath; judge advocate, Bobby
Lee Cook; two year trustee,
Payne Calhoun.
Espy Resigns;
Woodard New
SRMA Prexy
Donnie Espy resigned Wednes
day as president of the Summer
ville Retail Merchants Assn, and
Jimmy Woodard, vice president;
was elevated to the presidency.
Harvey McCollum was named
vice president.
In addition, the meeting day
was changed to 9:30 a.m. on the
first Tuesday of each month in
stead of the first Wednesday.
Plans were made for the SRMA
to buy a large wreath which will
be placed at the main intersec
tion near the courthouse when a
member of the organization dies.
In addition, member stores will
be asked to display small
wreaths. This will be done in lieu
of closing.
A crackdown on shoplifting
was discussed by the merchants.
In his letter of resignation,
Espy said he was giving up the
position “due to several rea
sons”.
“I feel that an organization
such as this must have the sup
port of all directors to achieve
its purpose,” he declared. “Since
becoming president, at least
three of the directors have not
attended a single meeting. We
have failed to have a quorum at
least three different months. I
also feel that the president and
directors should get out and see
all the members of the Associa
tion during the month and get
their opinions. Due to changes
in my job, I feel that I don’t
have time to see the merchants
as I should. I believe the Mer
chants Assn, will be better off
with someone that has more
time and better cooperation with
the directors.”
Attending the Wednesday
(Continued on Page 4)
cation.
As it turned out, a shot
did just that. A party in
eluding Mrs. Kellett’s
brother heard it and was
able to find the wet,
shivering trio.
With the aid of the CD,
they carried Mrs. Watkins
and the boys out.
In the meantime, a CD
party of six got lost on the
mountain. With the aid of
car horns blown by those
at the base of operations
however, the six made
their way back by 1 a. m.
Sunday.
Mrs. Watkins received
emergency treatment at
Chattooga Hospital and
was released. She returned
to Atlanta the next day
and was back on the job
Tuesday.
But neither she nor the
two boys were likely to
soon forget their adven
ture on High Point moun
tain.
Y, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 1964
Mr. Gilkeson Resigns;
New Man Sought
Smith, McCollum
Named to Board
Herbert Gilkeson has resigned as administrator of
Chattooga Hospital and efforts are underway to find a pro
fessionally trained successor.
Mr. Gilkeson’s resignation will become effective after
giving the hospital board a “responsible time” to find a new
person.
In addition, the hospital board
has two new members—J. P.
Smith of Menlo and C. W. (Tip)
McCollum of Trion. It now has
no vacancies.
Gilkeson tendered his resigna
tion at the August meeting of
the hospital board held Tuesday
night. He said he had remained
on for the past two or three
years “only in an effort to catch
up on some of our creditors”.'
The resignation was accepted
but he was asked to remain on
the job until a successor could
be found. He agreed to remain
for “a reasonable” period of
time.
Dr. Herman Spivey appeared
before the board as a spokesman
for the county Medical Society
and Dr. Hugh Goodwin also was
present.
Dr. Spivey asked that the hos
pital board obtain a profession
ally trained administrator. He
said there was no personal
animosity but that it was simply
felt a professionally trained per
son who had a college degree in
that field, could more efficiently
and economically run the hos
pital.
It was brought out at the
meeting that some $60,000 is
owed the hospital.
The administrator also veri
fied a newspaper report that the
hospital owed some $33,000 at
the end of last year.
Board Member Mark Strawn
questioned the report, noting
that the newspaper figure was
considerably higher than any
figure he had ever heard con
cerning the hospital’s indebted
ness. The figure had been taken
from the 1963 audit.
Both Strawn and Glenn Hen
drix of Trion said they would re
sign from the board but they
were persuaded by other mem
bers to remain “for the time
being.”
Mr. Gilkeson reported that the
hospital lost about $3,560 last
year on Kerr-Mills patients and
about $3,341 on welfare patients.
He said that governmental pay
ments toward the care of these
patients just doesn’t cover the
cost.
JP and Constable
Races Underway
Nine men have entered the Summerville Justice of the
Peace race and four are running for constable in Trion.
But these are the only races that have developed in the
quickie campaign.
Qualifications were opened a week ago and closed at
noon Saturday. Voting will be
on Sept. 9 in the county-state
Democratic primary.
Those running for JP in Sum
merville are: Sanford (Pat)
Allen Jr., John Brock, James E.
Crouch, George E. Dean, William
Eilenburg, G. J. McGraw Jr.,
Levi F. McGraw, Pat McKeehan
and Joe Frank Thomason.
Running for constable in Trion
are: Robert H. Akins, Howard
Snag Barnette, Henry G. Cook
and Henry Hickman.
Thomas H. Langston is the
only candidate for Trion JP, and
John Fuller is the only candi
date for Summerville constable.
George W. Welch is the only
candidate for JP at Alpine
(Menlo) and C. W. Morrison is
the only candidate for JP in the
Dirtseller district.
In Seminole, B. P. Rowlls is
running for constable and M. D.
Battles is running for JP. Bob
Brison is running for JP in Gold- :
water and George W. Woods is :
running for JP in Dirttown. ।
No one qualified in any other i
district. ■
In past years, candidates for i
JP ran only in the general elec
tion and qualified with the ordi- 1
nary. However, under the new i
Georgia Election Code, this is ;
prohibited. They must be nomi- <
nated in a party primary or have I
a petition of five per cent of the i
I Here are some of the points
. brought out by Dr. Spivey and
i Dr. Goodwin:
i The physicians feel that the
hospital could get better equip
. ment and that they could get
’ “not better nurses but more
- nurses."
I A professionally trained hospi
■ tai administrator will cost more
i but he should pay his way in in
creased efficiency.
I Finances are a problem faced
i by almost every hospital. A
[ tight administrative organiza
tion is necessary in order to keep
the problems to a minimum.
A situation of apathy has ex
isted (in the hospital board)
with nothing much being done
month after month.
Doctors here tend not to hos
pitalize every sick person. They
feel that many persons in hos
pitals in many places don’t need
to be there. So much of this
means hospital insurance rates
rise.
Better rules and a better sys
tem of collecting money owed
the hospital would be helpful.
A second radiologist to serve
the hospital is needed. And a
pathologist is needed—however,
he would not come here. His
services would simply be used.
This will cost money.
Doctors here often send pa
tients to other hospitals because
the services of such specialists
as these (pathologist and ra
diologist) are not readily avail
able here. (A radiologist, who
reads X-rays, comes only once a
week here.)
The hospital need not admit
a patient (unless it’s an emer
gency) even if the doctor has
written “admit” on the slip. It
has a right to set its own rules,
such as a SSO admission fee, and
to turn away those who don’t
meet the rules.
It was also pointed out at the
meeting that many people have
the idea everyone is supposed to
get free service at the hospital
because it is a “county hospital”.
This is not true, however. Coun
ty taxpayers are helping pay for
the building and they help pay
(Continued on Page 4)
voters in their district.
The Chattooga Democratic Ex
ecutive Committee held a called
meeting a week ago and opened
the qualifications. This was the
third time qualifications had to
be reopened this year following
the original closing. They were
re-opened for candidates for the
new junior judgeship of the
Lookout Judicial Circuit and for
candidates for solicitor of the
Chattooga City Court, a post
which was left without a candi
date after the lone candidate
withdrew to enter the judgeship
race.
In the meantime, politics over
the county was still slow in
warming up. Many candidates
reported voters seem more inter
ested in the presidential election
than in the local races.
Among the most hotly con
tested races in the county are
those for commissioner and
sheriff. Six men are after the
$9,000-a-year powerful post as
commissioner and three are run
ning for sheriff, a post which
will go under the salary system
next year, paying $9,000.
Several issues are involved in
the commissioner’s race, includ
ing road service, taxes, county
attorney, area planning for in
dustrial development, county
buildings, civil defense and a
nursing home. i
A Prize-Winning
Newspaper
Better Newspaper
Contests
Read S’ville News Special
Section on Back to School
School days are almost here!
In this connection, The Summerville News is pre
senting a special “Back to School” section this week. In
it, you’ll find news about Trion and Chattooga schools
and about the back to school bargins available right
here in Chattooga County.
Don’t fail to study this section closely!
School Board
Sets 14 Mills
The Chattooga Board of Education late Wednesday
set a tax rate of 14 mills.
Last year, it was 22 mills. The lower rate is made pos
sible by the property revaluation program.
The figure is expected to produce about $140,000 which
is the county amount of the to
tal school budget for this year.
(The county puts in less than
nine per cent of the total, the
state making up the difference).
The 14-mill figure includes two
mills for retiring school bonds.
Included ih the county’s part
of the budget are funds to take
care of social security for
teachers, roofing of several
school buildings and a $10,133
Increase in the "chargeback” or
amount required by the state.
The total tax rate for the
county will not be known until
the commissioner sets the county
rate but this is expected to be
done within a few days.
In another step Wednesday
afternoon, the school board re
scinded its earlier action con
cerning the distribution of the
school’s milk business. Under
the present situation, the matter
falls back In the hands' of the
individual principals but it is
“recommended” by the board
that every milk processor be
given some business.
In a meeting held Friday af
ternoon, the school board:
Accepted the low bid of Bank
son Oil Company on gas, the
price being $14.32 per gallon.
Accepted the low bid of Bag
ley on tires, the prices being $40.-
95, $42.37 and $51.11 for the three
principal tire sizes.
Accepted the low bid of Cotton
States Insurance Company on
vehicle insurance, the annual
premium being $658.01.
Declined to make a bus route
change on the Lyerly Road.
Instructed the architect to
prepare change orders concern
ing certain wall and floor fin
ishes in the new Chattooga High
School.
Need Absentee Ballot?
Here Are the Details
Will you need an absentee ballot for Sept. 9?
If so, now is the time to apply. And you must apply in writing.
Applications for such a ballot must be made to the Board of
Registrars which includes Mrs. John Echols, Mrs. George Sitton
and Tommy Langston.
You can get an absentee ballot on two grounds: (1) You are
required to be absent from the county during the time of the pri
mary; or (2) you must have a physical disability which makes
you unable to go to the polls that day.
The application for an absentee ballot must contain: The
name and residence address of the voter; the address he desires
to have the ballot mailed to; the identity of the primary or elec
tion he desires to vote in; and, it he is inthe armed forces, his
rank, branch of service and serial number. The application may
be made by a father, mother, aunt, uncle, sister, brother, spouse
or daughter or son age 18 or over, but proof of such relationship
must be furnished.
Any person seeking a ballot because of physical disability
must accompany his application with a certificate of a licensed
physician, hospital administrator or Christian Science practi
tioner to the fact that he is unable to go to the polls.
The absentee ballots will be mailed to those who qualify for
them.
They must be marked in the presence of a postmaster, as
sistant postmaster, registrar, deputy registrar, U. S. consul or a
commissioned officer in the active service. The person before
whom the ballot is marked must see first that it is unmarked.
The voter must then mark it. but in such a manner that the per
son is unable to see how it is marked. It must be sealed in the
presence of the person. An Illiterate or physically disabled who
needs assistance may obtain it from the person before whom he
marks it.
In addition a disabled person using an absentee ballot can
appear before any notary public of Georgia and mark it.
The ballot must be given to the registrars before the day of
the primary.
10c PER COPY
»Children’s
, Program
j Discussed
r Preliminary steps were taken
1 Friday night toward the estab
-1 lishment of a program to serve
r the children and youth of the
community,
5 The Rev. Solon C. Couch, of
1 the Children and Youth Division
f of the Georgia Department of
; Family and Children’s Services,
was present to discuss the mat-
, ter.
A committee was named to
■ study the project possibilities. A
> vocational training program was
• one possibility suggested.
The Rev. Robert Franklin,
■ pastor of the Summerville First
s Baptist Church, was elected sec-
I retary. No other officers were
■ named.
TRION COUNCIL
MEETS TONIGHT
The Trion mayor and council
will meet at 6:30 p.m. today
(Thursday) at the Town Hall.
This will be the regular August
। meeting.
Surplus Food To Be
Given Out Friday
August commodities in Chat
tooga County will be distributed
this Friday, instead of last Fri
day as was announced earlier.
The surplus food will be given
out Friday morning at the Chat
tooga Fair Grounds to qualified
persons.