Sunday, May 3, 2015

100-year-old news highlights from The Monroe Journal from May 1915

The Monroe Journal newspaper in Monroeville, Ala., under the direction of Editor and Proprietor Q. Salter, published four editions 100 years ago during the month of May 1915. Those issues, which were dated May 6, May 13, May 20 and May 27, can be found on microfilm at the Monroe County Library in Monroeville, Ala. What follows are a few news highlights from those four editions. Enjoy.

MAY 6, 1915

Beginning the first week in May, merchants of the city began observance of the rule of six o’clock closing, except on Saturdays, thus affording proprietors and employees an opportunity for needed recreation.

The public square having been graded and the surrounding walks nicely graveled, the city fathers are having the square enclosed so as to prevent injury to the surface from travel by vehicles. When the square is laid out with walks and properly sodded it will become “a thing of beauty and a joy forever.”

A very interesting game of baseball was played at Uriah last Saturday afternoon between the Local and Jeddo players. Local was defeated, the score being 13 to 2. The pitchers were Lindsey Boon for Jeddo and Lander Lomax for Local, Gus Hightower, umpire.

MEMORIAL DAY: On last Monday, the 26th day of April, the United Daughters of the Confederacy celebrated Memorial Day in behalf of the surviving soldiers who 54 years ago marched to battle ready to lay down their lives for the cause they thought so worthy.
In the afternoon at the High School auditorium the old Veterans, as well as a large congregation of visiting U.D.C. members and other interested people from the adjoining towns were entertained for a few hours with a very interesting program. Mr. Biggs’ address of welcome, address by Rev. D.F. Ellisor and splendid readings by Mrs. Barnett and Miss Shell and last but not least Congressman Oscar L. Gray. Music was furnished by our High School Chorus Club and a splendid quartette by Messrs. Coxwell, Sowell, Henson and McDuffie. The songs were “Dixie,” “The Bonnie Blue Flag” and “Tenting on the Old Camp Ground.”
The audience was entertained from two o’clock until 4:30. The old soldiers went away feeling good over the day they had spent.
Graydon Simmons

MAY 13, 1915

Prof. G.A. Harris has been re-elected principal of the Monroe County High School for another term.

The Jeddo baseball players played McGill on last Saturday afternoon, McGill being defeated by a score of 11 to 0. And now you Jeddo players, listen to a word of advice, although good advice is rarely accepted by young men from anyone: Never let your continued success at the ball games ever influence you to go out to the ball ground to practice playing ball on the Sabbath day. We don’t know if any of you did this on last Sunday, and hope you did not although it came to us that the plan was proposed by some. We hope you went to church instead.

WEATHERFORD: At a late hour Sunday afternoon our neighborhood was startled by the news that the Weatherford Bridge so lately built across Little River at this point, had been almost entirely destroyed by fire. Mr. Ben Boone returning from a trip to Atmore, on reaching the bridge discovered that about 40 feet had been burned. Apparently the burnt portion had been torn away from the main structure, by that means saving the rest from complete destruction. Up to this morning no clue has been found as to the origin of the fire, but the prevailing opinion is that it was the work of an incendiary.

MAY 20, 1915

Rev. D.F. Ellisor left Tuesday for Montgomery to attend the annual session of the Pythian Grand Lodge as the representative of the local lodge of that order.

Mr. J.T. McCarthy, head of the contracting company that constructed that portion of the roadbed of the G.F. and A. railroad now in operation, was in the city Saturday. Mr. McCarthy informed us that he has ever assurance that the work which has been suspended for some time will be resumed very soon. The contract for the construction of the bridge across the Alabama River has been let and the material for its construction is now in transit. The big steam shovel used on the heavy grading in the vicinity of Monroeville will be transported to Pine Hill and worked in this direction, while the road bed already graded from Broughton northward will be made ready for laying steel. Mr. McCarthy will continue to maintain headquarters at Monroeville until the work is completed.

DRAMATICS: There will be an entertainment given by the Perdue Hill Dramatic Club Friday night, May 21st, Town Auditorium , eight o’clock. Admission 25 and 15 cents.

At a recent meeting of the County Board of Education of Monroe County a resolution was passed requiring Trustees to secure teachers for their respective districts not later than July 1. The resolution further provides that after July 1 the County Board will appoint teachers to all schools that have not secured them.

MAY 27, 1915

Active work on the construction of the Gulf, Florida and Alabama railroad was resumed last Monday. Construction camps are being established at various points along the line and the work will be pressed steadily to completion. That portion of the railroad between the present terminus at Broughton and a point near Monroeville which had been graded before the suspension of work several months ago is being made ready for to laying of steel to facilitate the transportation of material and supplies while station contracts are being let for filling in the gaps between graded portions north of this place.

High School Commencement: Following is the program of commencement exercises of the fourth annual session of the Monroe County High School:
Sunday, May 30, 11 a.m., Commencement Sermon, Dr. B.F. Riley, Birmingham.
Monday evening, eight o’clock, Concert by Music Department.
Tuesday, 3:30 p.m., Baseball, Monroe County High School v. Finchburg.
Tuesday evening, eight o’clock, Declamation contest.
Wednesday morning, nine o’clock and 3 p.m., Baseball, Monroe County High School v. Finchburg.
Wednesday evening, eight o’clock, Graduating exercises, Address by Dr. W.M. Murray, Brewton.

Mr. Thomas Forbes, the well known marble man of Selma, was transacting business here this week.

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