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VOLUME XCV — NUMBER 111
Trion Bill Givi
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The Georgia Senate Tuesday approved a bx.."’~ ,ned to
give elderly ?:ion homeowners a greak on their a. valorem
taxes. The bill, passed by the Georgia House last week, is ex
pected to be signed by Governor George Busbee, officials said.
The bill, House Resolution 544, would amend the Georgia
State Constitution if a majority of state voters favor it. It
would authorize the Town to grant a homestead exemption of
$2,000 to residents age 65 and older. The proposed amendment
further ¥rovides that the homestead exemption could be in
creased for that age group (up to $4,000) if six of the Town's
seven elected officials—its 5-member council, mayor and town
recorder—agree to such action.
The Town Council several months ago passed a resolution
granl’.in§l the exemption to elderly homeowners in the Town.
ut at the time the council and mayor didn’t realize that the ac
tion would require approval from the General Assembly, the
governor, and voters statewide.
Town Attorney Ed Surles explained to The News Friday
why the issue must be decided statewide: ‘‘The Constitution of
the State of Georgia doesn't provide any exemptions from
municipal taxation; although it does provi(l'e the counties with
such exemptions. Many cities have them (homestead exemp
tions) but to get them it requires a constitutional amendment.
The legislature has no authority to grant a town homestead ex
emption, and any amendment has to be voted on by the people
in the general election in November."
The council and Mayor Jake Woods said the exemption is
needed to help elderly residents on fixed incomes to cope with
inflation—which in recent months has been at the 13 percent
level on an annualized basis.
At the monthly meeting of the town council on Jan. 24, con
cern was expressed over the fact that the issue would be decided
statewide rather than solely on the local level. Some voters,
council members observed, have a tendency to vote against con
stitutional amendments—perhaps because they don’t unders
tand them or to protest the want,h of small print reading on is
what is sometimes referred to as a ‘‘bedsheet ballot.”
The last vote on general constitutional amendments saw
most of those proposed go down in defeat. A clerk at the
Georgia Secretary of State's office in Atlanta said Friday that
of 36 amendments considered statewide, only 15 passed—or
41.6 gercent. If the measures passes, statewide, what will its ef
fect be?
According to Mayor Woods, it's difficult to say hecause no
.one knows exactly how many residents would gain a tax break
from the measure. The U. S. Census doesn’t readily show how
many Trion homeowners are 65 and older. However, Woods said
that the tax digest was reviewed with “‘our guessing at ages”’
and that he estimated that the measure would reduce the
Town'’s tax revenue ‘‘by at least $5,000”’ and perhaps as much
as SB,OOO.
A home which has a gross value of SIO,OOO today has a tax
able value of $4,000 (40 percent of the gross value, which is set
by law). With the current Town millage rate set at 16.5 mills,
the homeowner would pay $66 in Town taxes.
If the homestead exemption is approved, his gross taxable
value would be trimmed to SB,OOO, which in this case would
result in tax of $52.80, or a savings of $13.20.
Other features of the bill provide:
* The exemption would not take effect until 1981.
* The Town homestead exemption must be applied for
before it can be allowed.
* To be eligible for an exemption, a resident must reside in
the home.
* Upon apé)licat.ion for the exemption, evidence must be pro
duced to verity the resident’s age.
Poll Of Local Residents Points Up
Opinion Split On Drafting Women
By PAM PURCELL
Over half of the residents
contacted in a random poll
conducted recently by Fl)xe
News said the (l;m't think
women should Ke required to
register for the draft.
Of the 20 people (10 women
and 10 men) contacted during
a three-day period, only two
were undecided about the
issue. Eight of the men con
tacted were against the pro
posal, while two thought
women should have to
register. Five of the women
phoned were aFainst it, while
three were in favor of the re
quirement.
The silit of ?inions found
here in the random sampling
reflects the growing debate
over the issue. President
Carter has said he will an
nounce his decision on the
matter within the next few
days. No matter what his deci
sion is, apparently a lot of peo
gle will be disapfiointed by it.
ational polls show that the
country is roughly split on the
issue.
One Trion woman against
the Eroposal explained: ‘I
think that registration
depends on the individual. If
they (women) want to
(register), they should be able
to. Women want equal rights.
If allowed, they should be
drafted. That would be equal
rights. I'm not for it.”
A Summerville woman
said, “In a way I don’t think
they (women) should be
drafyt.ed, unless it comes to a
case where they had to have
them. I just don't think they
should be drafted.”
A former military man ex
lained, ‘‘No, thei shouldn’t
ge drafted. I fought in World
War I and it was almost over
before I saw a WAC (Women's
Army Corp.) They shouldn’t
be on the fighting lines. I've
been up there and seen what
happens. They don’t have any
business up front, only in the
back.”
Another female opinion
The Summeruille News
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voiced was, ‘‘Without they go
ahead with this liberation
business, I don’t think women
should be drafted. If they do
that (pass ERA) then they
sshouldp participate in anything
men do. I don’t think they
should be drafted if ERA isn’t
passed.’”’
One Alpine man said he
hadn't %ieven the idea of
women ing drafted that
much thought. After a pause
he said, ‘I don’t think women
should register. I just think
that's not the thing for them
to do. I think there’s enough
men around to do that par
ticular job.”
A Summerville grand
mother commented, “I don't
think they (women) ought to
(register). Girls seem like they
want to go after the same
things boys do. I don’t think
it's much worse for the girls to
go as the boys. I have both
SUMMERVILLE, CHATTOOGA COUNTY, GEORGIA 30747, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7. 1980
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Chattoogans awoke Wednesday to a
winter wonderland as the first
measurable snow of the year trimmed the
county and much of tKe rest of north
Georgia in better than an inch of the fluf
g' stuff. Above, Jerry, David and Marty
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Grand Jury Binds Over Half
Of First Cases Presented
The February term of the
Chattooga County Grand
Jury ‘“true billed” 37 cases
out of 74 considered through
Wednesday morning.
Cases that are ‘‘true
billed”’ are bound over to the
Superior Court for trial.
Ages and address of per
grandsons and grand
aughters eligible for the
draft.”
“Women should be at
home in place of in service,”
said a local women. ‘‘Some
women don’t have the nerve
(for war). They would have
nervous breakd):)wns."
Two Summerville men
agreed that women ‘‘just
shouldn’t” be required to
register for the draft.
“Women should be at home
with their children,”’ added
one of the men. ‘I think there
would be a lot of paperwork
for them to do in offices and
they shouldn’t be drafted. I've
been in service and I'd go
agaln if I had to. I guess they
should register if they want
o,
A young man said, "I
don’t think they should be
drafted. It don’t seem right to
me. I don't know why, %)ut it
Snowballs And Snowmen
sons whose cases were
presented were not available
at press time in all instances.
Those found below were cur
rent at the time of arrest.
Cases bound over for trial
include:
* Henry “‘Fuzzy’’ Fowler,
45, of Route 4, Summerville,
just doesn’t seem right. The
could register and worK
around offices, but not
fighting.”
Another man agreed
women shouldn’t be drafted.
However, he said if ERA is
passed, then women should be
required to refiisber. “If they
want equal rights, they should
have to register.”
“I don’t think they
(women) should be drafted in
to service,”” another local man
stated. “‘I just don’t think
that's a woman's job. I'm not
in favor of that (drafting). Ilt'd
be all right to register them.
There are jobs they can do. In
sofar as fighting I wouldn’t be
for that.”
When asked his opinion of
women being draft,eg a local
man said, ‘“Not women, no. |
just don’t think they should
When men go off to war
(Continued On Page 7-A)
Gary of Maple Drive, keep snowballs fly- l
ing in their front yard. %elow, Denise, |
Teresa and Roger Abernathy (L-R) give |
their snowman and snowboy some |
realistic touches. They are the children of |
Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Abernathy of Kel- |
ly Street. |
charged with murder. Fowler
is al%eged to have shot Billy
Gene Gentry of Rome on Sept.
2 in the Subligna area.
* Chris Green, 18, of Route
1, Lyerly; Greg Martin Hamp
ton, 17, of 43 Lyerly St., Sum
merville; and Charles David
Wilson, 28, of Route 1, Cedar
Bluff; all charged with
burglary. The trio is alleged to
have burglarized Copefand's
Cotton Batting Corp. in Lyer
ly in October.
* James Roy Ashworth,
38, of 706 W. Washington St.,
(Continued On Page 7-A)
A local resident never ex
pected to find ‘‘buried
treasure’’ while cleaning out
from under his residence.
Glenn Downes, the new
owner of Myrtle's Apart
ments on Georgia Avenue,
discovered a gfass jar of
money under his house about
two weeks ago. The money in
cluded 44 silver half dollars
dating from 1915 to 1945, and
a large amount of crumbled
pieces of currency. The bills
were very fragile and covered
with mud, but the corners
showed them to be sl, $5 and
$lO bills.
“We were just cleaning out
some scrap metal from under
the house, trying to tidy up,”
Downes explained. ‘I told the
two boys I had helping me to
be careful, that there- was a
well somewhere under the
house and I didn't want them
to fall in it. One of the boys
thought he'd found a sewage
hole. I went over and found
that it was a glass jar in a
gallon paint bucket buried up
in the ground.
“I put my hand in the jar
and Fulled out some mud and
stuff, continued Downes.
“The next time I pulled my
hand out there were some
silver half-dollars in it, Then I
realized the mud and stuff was
currency. I was so surprised
that I raised up and bumped
my head on the house,”
The currency was wet and
in pieces, said Downes. The
coins, however, were in fairly
good shape, considering the
jar was almost filled with
water and mud.
Downes said he doesn’t
know who buried the money,
why or when it was buried.
“Myrtle (Sizemore), the
former owner of the apart
ments, said she didn’t know of
anyone burying money,’”’
Downes explained. '‘She
operated these apartments for
40 years. She said it could
have been a tenant that didn't
Cache Of Old Currency Found
Gift Of Building To
Industrial Authority
Said To Be Near
The Chattooga County Industrial Authori
ty should take possession of the Fabrics-
America building and surrounding property
within 30 days, %‘,huttooga Chamber of Com
merce President Henry Watson predicted
Thursday.
Watson explained that preliminary paper
work necessary for Fabrics America l('l,roup to
donate the property and building to the local
industrial authority is being completed and
that the property “‘should be deedeg within 30
days.”
The corporation recently offered to give
the building away to a suitable governmental
unit after failing to find a buyer for the
75-year-old plant. The firm will be able to take
a tax deduction in connection with the gift.
Meno Schoenbach, the chairman of the board
of the company, laid out his proposal to Wat
son in a letter l;sl month. The chamber subse
(}uently agreed to act as the property’s agent
if the industrial authority was agreeable and
wanted to accept the building. On Jan. 7 the
Local Schools Get Boost
From Unexpected Funds
Local school systems will receive over
$67,000 this month through windfall construc
tion funds the state recently released for
‘renovation and expansion of existing school
buildings, but not for teacher salaries,
The Chattooga County school system will
receive $56,339.36, while the Trion gity school
system will receive only $812.58, according to
Georgia Department of Education data.
According to State School Superintendent
Charles McDaniel, the fungg will be
distributed to 172 of the state’'s 187 school
districts,
Chattooga Superintendent Bill King said,
1 was surprised when I received the in%orma
tion about the funds. I'm happy we're getting
it. We hadn’t expected it. I suppose the funds
will be used for various renovations and im
rovements at several of the county schools.
fl)‘he final approval of where the funds will be
spent will be discussed at the next school
board meeting Monday night."”
Trion Superintendent lgill Kinzy said, ““I'll
recommend at our next school board meetin
Feb. 19 that the money be put in our hazars
and reserve fund, which we already have set
up. Hopefully the money will be used for im
provements on the high school in the summer
of 1981.
“Out of sl3 million, I was disappointed
that we didn’t receive more,” continued Kin
zy. ‘“However, it's based on how many
buildings you've built with school building
authority money, and we haven’t built many.
trust banks. By the latest coin |
being dated 1945, I guess the
money was buried Lfit year.
That was the end of the
Depression and a lot of people
di(fi)'t trust banks.”
Since the discovery,
Downes said, he has sold 22 of |
the coins. However, he's held
on to the newer-looking coins,
including a 1915 Barber Half
valued at $137.50 in a coin
book. According to the book,
there were only 138,450 of the
Barber Liberty Head Halves
minted, making it a rare coin.
The coins, Downes said, are
now in a safety deposit box at
the bank.
Downes believes the
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Claire, Glen and Chrissie Downes (L-R)
examine some of the crumpled bills
recently found buried in a glass jar
(shown on the table) under their
money was placed inside the
jar, which in turn was placed
in the gallon paint bucket and
then buried in the ground,
leaving only a small portion of
the top visible. But when the
jar was found, neither it nor
the bucket had a lid. Due to
heavy rains flooding the place
over the years, Downes
speculated, water finally erod
ed the lids.
After finding the money,
Downes made three calls to
Atlanta and three calls to
Washington, D. C., before he
finally found the correct
department to talk with con
cerning the money. He said he
decideg to ship the currency
Examines Buried Treasure
authority met and agreed to follow that
course.
In the meantime, according to Watson,
workmen have been moving equipment from
the building and are preparing for the transi
tion, Fabrics America is "‘putting it into a dor
mant state,” said Watson, taking precautions
such as draining water pipes and similar
details.
Watson said he believes the next step is to
find a tenant for the building. “We need to
find someone to lease it to," he said, “‘and the
sooner the better.”
He said he favored a lease arrangement
rather than a sale. *'l don't think it should be
sold; By leasing it it can be a continuing
source of revenue for the industrial authority
and the chamber.”
In all, the building has 196,000 square feet.
He estimated the bufiding's worth at around a
half-million dollars, but added that a com
parable building would cost about S3O per
square foot to build new—or over $5.8 million.
We're glad to get some of the funds; we need
ed them.”
McDaniel said, ‘“The money can be used to
renovate and expand existing school
buildings. But, school districts have previous
ly been advised that they cannot take the
money and use it to fund teacher salaries.”
McDaniel noted, however, that these unan
ticipated construction funds might allow
school officials to shift local monies already
earmarked for construction to more general
school needs.
Money . the state borrowed to build new
schools dating back to 1961 was paid oif early;
McDaniel explained. Now the last payments
from the hazard and reserve funds lzept to
cover those loans are being returned to, the
school districts, he added.
“Earlier last year an initial distribution of
some $42.5 milllon in hazard and reserve
funds was made to 154 systems,’ said
McDaniel. ‘“This final payment depletes the
funds which had been invested in U.S.
Government securities maturing in January.”
The early pay-out plan was worked out last
year when unanticipated federal funds were
received allowing the state to set aside $lO5
million for investment with the interest going
to gay off school bonds. The investment now
reg aces reserve funds set asidé when the
school bonds were originally sold. All districts
werenot included in the windfall because not
all participated in building programs which re
quired the bonds, said Mcßamel.
| to Washington, D.C., this
week so the government can
reclaim it, 'l%w government
will also be able to tell him ex
actly how much money he
found. He estimated the cur
rency to be worth between SSO
and SSOO. Hopefully, Downes
said, the government will
reimburse him for the curren
cy.
Since the discovery,
Downes has not been back
under the house, but says he
will be soon.
Mrs. Downes concluded,
“It's a shame someone saved
all that money during such a
hard period ofyLime and never
got to spend it."”
residence on Georgia Avenue. The jar
also contained 44 silver half dollars
dating from 1915 to 1945.
PRICE 20c¢