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Summerville Mayor Sewell Cash (R) in
stalled three councilmen Monday night
for new terms of office. In November in
cumbent Hubert Palmer (L) was re
City Says It Can’t Afford
To Pay For Relocation
Of Utilities Along U.S. 27
The Summerville City
Council said Monday the City
can't afford to foot the bill for
relocating water lines along
U. S. Highway 27, which the
Georgia Department of
Transportation is proposing
to widen between Summer
ville and Trion.
The DOT last month sent
the City a letter seeking a
commitment from the
municipality to the effect that
it would pay the cost of
After Four Decades,
Volunteer Fir
Get A Raise H
The Summerville volunteer firefighters were given their first
raise in 43 years Monday night.
The firemen, represented by Leroy Alexander and John
Echols, were granted the increase at a meeting of the Summer
ville City Council and Mayor.
Since being organized in 1936, the City has paid the
volunteer group a total of S4O for each building fire they worked
and S2O for each grass or automobile fire. With 14 men in the
organization, the per fire payment for each man works out to
between $2.85 amr $1.42 eacK. depending on the type of fire.
“We're %king the same today as we were in 1936,” said
Alexander. ‘"We believe we're one of the top fire departments ir
the state and feel that a raise is justifiable.”
‘““We understand it's a volunteer fire department,” he con
tinued. ‘‘We're not complaining, but when you go into the hole
financially, it’s a whole different matter.” He explained that
since firemen pay their own %‘as.expense. the amount they are
paid often doesn’t even pay their gasoline costs.
‘““We appreciate the volunteer fire department and the work
they are doing,”’ said Mayor Sewell Cash. He noted that the city
and county underwrite tge cost of the department and said the
matter would be discussed in executive session.
The volunteers re?uested that the City begin paying the
volunteer group $l5O for ecach building fire they were called out
to, SIOO per each grass fire and $75 for automoflile cars. Follow
ing an executive session, the council ap%roved a rate of $25 less
than the requested amount in each of the three categories.
Gold And Silver Fever Spreads In Chattooga
By TOM KIRWAN
A Seventh Street resident
one day last week entered a
local shop carrying an old
10-fiound potato sack loaded
with rolls of half dollars.
In all, the f)re-1965 Ken
nedy halves—plus three loose
silver quarters—had a face
value of $892.25. The
shopkeeper paid handsomely
for the coins, and the local
man left with a check for
s6sl.2s—nearly a 700 percent
return on his investment.
Grinning as he stuffed the
potato sack back into his
Jacketegocket, the man said he
lanned to buy a shotgun he’s
Ead his eye on. ‘‘l'd rather be
having fun with it than letting
it lay up,” he chuckled about
the half dollars.
ONE OF HUNDREDS
The Summerville resident
is only one of hundreds of
local people who are cashin,
in as the price of gold ang
silver has s_}?"lrocketed in re
cent days. ‘‘This is the peak of
the gold and silver
Installs New Councilmen
relocating its utilities along
the route.
Mayor Sewell Cash said
the 22,000 feet of water pipe
which would have to be moved
would cost roughly $200,000.
“That does not include the
cost of fas lines, meters and
sewage lines,” Cash told the
council.
Councilman James Crouch
said that the city couldn't af
ford that expense. “‘Due to the
indebtness and expansion (of
business—as far as right
now,’ says Herbie Skelton,
probably the county’s biggest
trader in precious metals.
“It’s never geen like this.”
As gold went beyond the
8700 per ounce mark this
week, and an ounce of silver
leaped to around $35, scores
of Chattoogans have decided
the time is ripe to turn their
precious metals into
dollars—eagerly selling rinis,
coins, bracelets and virtually
| anything, including service
| pins given them by their
| employers—to take advantage
of the new highs reached in
the 'frecious metal market.
ypically, Skelton said, he
can pay S4O for a 10-karat
gold woman’s class ring and
SSO-860 for a comparable
man'’s class ring. A service pin
| will fetch from $lO to S2O.
! “] was a bit reluctant to
| advertise for service pins,”
! Skelton said, ‘‘but I've found
that pe(c)’ple are selling me
their old service pins and
| keeping the one that’s most
| recent. For example, if a
| man’s been at his company 20
The Summeruville News
elected to office along with new coun
cilman Earl ‘“‘Red’’ Parris (second from
left), and incumbent Dennis Cox.
the water system), I don't see
how the City could possibly
afford to refl)cat,e the water
lines on Highway 27 at this
time,” he said. He made a mo
tion that the City inform the
DOT of that,el(?l letter, and the
motion carried unanimously.
“I believe they’'ll come for
ward and do this for us,” com
mented Crouch after the vote.
In other business:
* Upon motion of new
councilman Earl Parris, the
council agreed to rename the
city iark in honor of the late
“Dick’” Dowdy, a former,
mayor. Parris said the naming
of the park in Dowdy’s honor
would stand as a tribute
recognizing his 12 years of
public service as mayor.
* The council agreed to
take bids for the construction
of a storage room behind city
hall.
* City resident Melvin
Foster was told the City
would install a 700-foot water
ipe to his home on Seventh
gtreet if he paid for the pipe,
estimated at $2lO. Foster was
also granted a license renewal
for his recreation center, Teen
Town.
* The purchase of two
cathodic gas system protec
tion devices, at a cost of $230
each, was a¥proved. Purchase
of a new re riFerator. used to
store chemicals, for the waste
water treatment plant was ap
proved.
* Upon motion of Coun
cilman Crouch, the council
voted to do away with its time
clocks. Crouch, who a year ago
pushed for the time clocks, in
dicated that the system, ‘as it
is working now,’ is ineffec
tive. Supervisors will continue
to keeg em(floyees’ hours, the
council said.
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Chattoogans are responding in droves to
signs such as this one. Dealers say that
they've become more and more busy as
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA 30747, THURSDAY, | JANUARY 17, 1980
Countylndustrial Authority
Agrees To Accept Gift
Of Fabrics America Plant
The Chattooga County In
dustrial Authority decidea
Monday evening it is willing
to accext ownership of the
Fabrics America plant in Sum
merville should the company
igo through with a plan to
donate the building and
grounds as a tax write-off.
The authority said the
move, if successful, will allow
it to lure industry here
without the need of spending
huge sums of money to
develop a site suitable for in
dustrial concerns.
The authority met in a
sgecial meeting Monday at
the request of Chattooga
County Chamber of Com
merce President Henry Wat
son. Watson explained at the
meetin% that Fabrics America
Group Chairman of the Board
Oldest Chattoogan Dies At Age 105
Donald Williams McDaniel, who at age 105 was believ
ed to be the county's oldest citizen, passed away at
Oakview Nursing Home early Friday morning.
He was born in Chattoolfa County in 1875 and was a
life-lon%lresident of the Holland community. Only recent
ly had he begun residing at the local nursing home. He
was a Baptist by faith. .
Funeral services were held Sunday at 2:30 p.m. from
Cedar Sé)ring Baptist Church. Interment was in Finley
Chalg)el emetery. ‘
allbearers were Matthew Crawford, John W.
Hudgins, Rell Mostiller, James Mostiller, Ozzie Hudgins
and g:?nmle Exum. j
Survivors include his breslor, Edward Mc¢Daniel of
Chattanooga, Tenn.; and several nieces, nephews and
other relatives and friends.
Price Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Riegel Tentatively Eyes
New Trion Subdivision
If the financial ar
rangements can be worked
out, several homes may be
built in a new subdivision in
Trion.
Trion Mayor Jake Woods,
'si‘;r)eaking to Summerville
ion Rotary Club last week,
announced that town officials
and Riegel Textile Corpora
tion representatives are work
ing on a tentative proposal for
such a development on Riegel
property.
Riegel executive Lane
Smith said Tuesday that
Riegel has surveyed the area
around the site of the old
Kingsmore home off Simmons
Street (where, incidentally,
Smith is currently building a
home) and that a plat map Eas
been developed.
“We're in the process of in
vestigating how to get the
money for the streets, water
and sewage lines,” he said.
“We'd love to have a subdivi
sion developed up there so
that we could make it
available to Riegel
Sign Of The Times
the prices of precious metals have
soared.
Meno Schoenbach had recent
l{n sent Watson a letter saying
!t at the company was, after
‘two years of unsuccessful at
tempts to sell the building,
willing to donate the property
to a tax-exempt governmental
unit.
Watson said the authority
was the logical body to receive
the gift because of its legal
st,anging and the fact that it
can provide a potential in
dustrial firm the financing
needed to ugdate the building.
The three authority
members present unanimous
ly agreeg to acc%pt the
building if offered and named
the Chamber to act as its
agent—charged with showing
the building to prospective
clients ang handling the
details of a lease or sale.
executives.”’
In all, he said, 34 lots have
been mapped out.
The proposal calls for the
construction of three new
streets, he said.
The biggest stumbling
block, he sai%, will be financ
ing the proposal. In all, he
estimatecf it would take in the
neighborhood of a half million
dolfars to finance the im
provements— streets and
utilities.
“It will cost a bunch of
money, and that's what we're
exploring now,” he said, ad
ding that perhaps a govern
ment grant of some sort may
be available.
He said that Riegel had
built a ‘‘splendid gevelo -
ment’’' at its Ware Shoalg.
S.C., plant and that its suc
cess can hopefully be
duplicated in Trion.
Mayor Woods said the
development, if constructed,
would be a big asset to the
Town because it would be an
additional source of tax
revenues.
Watson told the authority
that acceHLance of the Sro;;er
ty virtually represented a “no
risk’’ decision. He explained
that Fabrics America had
agreed to drain the plant’s
pipes and do whatever is
necessary to put the plant “'in
a static, dormant state, and to
secure it.”" It was noted that
the authority wouldn’t have
to take out lLiability insurance
on the property because
anyone hurt there would be
treslpassing—and would have
to climb a barbed-wire fence to
get to the property. The only
cost envisioned by Watson
was a nominal amount to pay
utilities so that the buileng
can be shown to prospects.
Watson reported several
developments in connection
with tlge 75-year-old plant:
* A Coosa Valley Area
Planning and Devefl)pment
staffer is currently working on
develoring plans for some
possible uses for the facility.
*At least one local in
dustry may be interested in
renting or leasing warehouse
space there,
* A marketing program for
the facility is in the works.
* Engineering studies
which map out the renovation
plans of a firm which
previously backed out of a
decision to buy the building
will be made available to the
Chamber.
Watson told the authority
that while the building needs
work—an estimated $300,000
to $500,000 in repairs, mostly
to the roof—"it's a lot more
than we have now.”
He noted that most of the
communities who in recent
years have been able to brinfi
in new industry typically ha
an existing building ready for
use.
Watson said he was op
timistic that the authority's
acceptance of the facility and
grounds is a step in the right
irection, a step ‘‘which will
help us regain tfie 350 jobs we
lost when Fabrics America
closed.”
Man’s Body Found In Car
A Summerville man was found dead in the
back seat of a Ford station wagon early Satur
day morning in the Dry Valley Community.
No foul play is suspected in the incident, ac
cording to reports.
Authorities identified the man as Delbert
Battles Barr, 40, of 13 Raymond St. He was
found in a car parked on the Harry Powell
Road, just nortfi of its intersection with the
Rocky Hollow Road, said deputies.
According to a report at the sheriff’s
department,%an and two other men had been
out drinking Friday night and ran out of gas
around 9 p.m. The two men left Barr ‘‘passed
out’’ in the back seat while they went to get
some gas, said the report. Around 4:256 a.m.,
two deputies on routine patrol, noticed the car
sitting on the side of the road and stopped to
investigate, the report said. They fnumfl)iarr's
years, he may sell me his 5-,
10- and 15-year pins and keep
his 20-year pin.’
“Some peogle are amazed
at the fact that what thefl
think is junk is wort
something, and what they
think is worth something is
really costume jewelry,”” he
said. ‘They like it when that
junk turns into dollars and
they get several dollars worth
of money they didn't know
they had.”
In just the past week, he
says, over 200 persons—and
perhaps as many as
300—have brought coins and
Lewelry to sell him. “It’s been
ectic,” he says with a smile.
Similarly, James
McNew——wKo buKs silver
coins—reports that he's
stayed busy—but not terribly
80—in recent days. ‘'l've had
two this morning,” he said
around 9:30 a.m. Monday,
“but I haven’t been swamged
like a regular coin dealer. The
coin dealers in Chattanooga
have been swamped (lately), I
understand.”’
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Donation Is Proposed
Fahrics America is proposing to donate its facility here
to'a tax exemrt entity. The plant (whose sign is shown
in photo) has been closed since 1977, and no buyer has
been found. The inset sketch is taken from a brochure
the chamber is distributing in hopes that a new in
dustry can be found to locate there.
New Gas Rates Go Into Effect
Natural gas customers in
Trion saw an 18-cent per MCF
increase irr their gas bills effec
tive Jan. 1, according to
Mayor Jake Woods.
This increase was passed
onto the gas customers
because Southern Natural
Gas Company, the town'’s sup-
body in the back and called the ambulance and
Coroner Earle Rainwater.
Barr's death is believed to be natural
causes, said the report. An autopsy was per
formed but the results were not known at
press time,
Funeral services were held for Barr Sunday
at 2 p.m. from the Chapel of Erwin-Petitt
Funeral Home with the Rev. A.A. Tanner of
ficiating. Interment was in the Summerville
Cemetery.
Survivors include his mother, Mrs. Thelma
M. Barr of Summerville; two sisters, Mrs.
Bobbie Lively of Lyerly and Mrs. Frankie Mae
Reynolds of Summerville; four brothers,
Ro{ert Barr Jr. of Trion and Gwynne Barr,
Ronald Barr and Donald Barr, all of Summer
ville; and several nieces, nephews, aunts and
uncles.
INTEREST SPURRED
The elevated prices have
helped to spur interest in the
precious metals, according to
jeweler J. V. Morris. “‘I think
all the publicity has brought
more people in asking ques
tions,” he says. ‘‘They’re more
conscious about what they are
buying.” Fourteen-karat (fold
chains, puff hearts and add-a
beads have sold brisky in re
cent weeks, he said. ‘‘Sales (in
precious metal jewelry) didn’t
seem to slow down much,”
despite the rising cost, he
sni(r But he noted that it’s
hard, with the price of ‘{(Old
tfmd silvelar leaping sol?uic ly,
or jewelry prices to keep up.
"W)e stillp have a pfew
customers buying jewelry at
old prices, and then we put a
new price on them when
they're replaced. We've sold
as much as last year; we didn’t
lose any ground).'
Trion jeweler Lorne Shives
reports that his sales of
precious metal items are
down, but that "money-wise,
we've sold more.”” ““Most
PRICE 20c
plier, increased their rates.
Mayor Woods also noted
that effective Monday no
trucks with more than two ax
les will be allowed on Tenth
and 11th Streets. This action,
agproved by the council,
should eliminate the truck
traffic problem on these
streets, said Woods.
customers are looking to sell,
asking how much (their
jewelry) is worth. I'm not in
that business . . "’
““People who are actually
buying (in gold and silver
jewelry) are still buying for
sentimental reasons,’” he says,
“not for investment purposes.
I don't think very many
ple are just speculating Wm
they are buying jewelry.”
The one question that
many Chattoogans—and in
deed‘., many Americans are
asking themselves is whether
the precious metal markets
have peaked, or if higher
prices are likely after a brief
pause or decline. There ap
pears to be no consensus.
“I think we’ll see higher
prices,” said one local resifient
who deals in coins. ‘lt will go
down a bit, first, but then
we'll see it take off again.”
“I'd hate to see %eople g 0
out and buy a whole bunch (of
gold or silver),”” said another
usinessman, ‘I just don't
think it's going to get much
higher.”