From Days Gone By Nov. 19,1914

November 19,1914.

    An interesting picture was sent to the paper of Mr. J. A. Jeffers family of Roanoke, Alabama. Mr. Jeffers was a prominent citizen of Wrightsville in the 1880's when he was local agent of the W. & T. Railroad. Albert Jeffers is one of the best all round men in the country, according to the editor, morally, socially, and in business he has few equals. He was with the Central of Ga. and was fast nearing the top round. His services started with the Central in May 1881 when it was known as the Central Railroad and Banking Co. of GA. He severed his ties with the W. & T. after 4 years and accepted a position at Leesburg, GA. till 1889. Then transferred to Midway, Alabama then to Roanoke. He is Sunday School Superintendant at the 1st Baptist Church at that place, a Royal Arch Mason, and past Chancellor K. of P.

    Mrs. Jeffers is the former Miss Susie Davis, daughter of Dr. & Mrs. Chas. Davis of Harrison and comes of good old Southern stock. The photograph was taken December 26, 1912 and included Eugene, 22; Charlie, 20; Irene, 19; Mae Lillie, 17; Claribell, 15; joe,12; Jack, 10; Kathleen, 9; Ruth, 7; Mary Thenie, 5; J. A., Jr., 3; Clare, 1; Willie, 6mos; Mr. Jeffers, 45; Mrs. Jeffers, 40; and Mr. Jeffers mother, 75.

    As of November 1st there were 17,387 bales of cotton, counting round as half bales, ginned in Johnson County from the 1914 crop, as compared with 15,244 in 1913.

    The small house on North Myrtle Avenue owned by Mr. Cornellee, with all household effects, was destroyed by fire Tuesday night. The family was absent at the time and it is not known how the fire originated. Mrs. Mollie Johnson and family will move to Judge Faircloth's house on East Elm st. and Mr. T. Johnson and family will occupy the cottage on the hill fronting Railroad street.

    Mr. & Mrs. Leon Lovett announced the birth of a daughter on November 16th. State Superintendant J. O. Martin of Covington was here this week conducting the teachers institute.

    Theo, the little daughter of Mrs. Mae Parker is recovering from tonsillitis. Mr. & Mrs. Carl Claxton arrived in the city and the latter is quite ill with pneumonia at the home of Carl's parents, Mr. & Mrs. L. J. Claxton on East Elm Street. Mr. J. E. Jackson of Atlanta will be in town Monday for the purpose of buying horses and mules. He will be at Linder's Stables.

    Master Ed Wesley Tompkins has lost his Shetland pony, "Bessie", which was one of the smallest of its kind. She gently pulled a miniature cart and hearts are saddened of her death.

From Days Gone By Nov. 12, 1914

November 12, 1914.

    The entire business section at Scott was completely destroyed by fire last Saturday night. It is believed to have been incendiary in origin as one of the stores, owned by Mr. Purvis, the Scott Grocery Company's door was open, the stock disarranged and the safe door battered and tampered with. The loss is estimated at more than $40,000 with only $12,000 insurance. A determined effort will be made to apprehend the guilty parties and a reward may be offered.

    The following are the heaviest losers with value of buildings and stock also insurance carried respectively. A. J. Stewart $8000/$3500; Scott Grocery Company,$6000/$4000; Davis Mercantile Co., $3000/$500; Scott Hardware, $7000/$4600.

    The pecan crop in Johnson County is one of the best ever been produced in this section. Some of the trees yielding over a bushel &more. Some very good ones of the paper-shell variety are on the farm of Mrs. Mabel Blount. They were small but very meaty. Messrs. J.H. Rowland and J.V. Snell each have bumper crops of the large variety. Pecans home raised are selling here at stores for 25 cents per pound.

    The Masonic Grand Lodge of Georgia convened in Macon on October 27,28. The meeting was called for the purpose of organizing a Masonic Convention in the 12th Masonic district. A vote was then taken for Master and that honor went to S.A. Scott of Adrian, and H.T. Downs, of near Wrightsville was made Secretary which was very complimentary. Scott and Downs are both highly esteemed citizens of Johnson County.

    Miss Louise Lovett is quite the artist. Under the instructor Miss Annie Taylor at Warthen College, Lovett painted a large bunch of magnolias, lying as it were on a table, and so true were the flowers to nature you imagined you could inhale their perfume. "Clean up day" was observed at the college this week.

    Mr. W.E. Blankenship, owner of a grocery business in the Kent building on the west side, has retired and disposed of his stock to F.C. Lord & Son. Mr. Charles Morel took the exam at the State Board of Optics and is now a full fledged optician.

    The Johnson County Medical Association solicited donations of money, cotton, corn, hogs, or produce of some kind to help the doctors meet their obligations to their patients.

    Veteran D. S. Blankenship, the janitor at the Court building was honored with a birthday dinner to celebrate his 77th birthday. Mrs. Roser Stephens is sick at her home in the city. The Vivola Theatre is hosting Billie "Single" Clifford and Company of 25 in their musical show "Believe Me."

    The W. & T. Railroad will pay cash for cut railroad crossties. Farmers can do it in their spare time. Mr. "June" F. Martin and Mr. W.I. Brantley have grown some fine buck yams and banna yams. Mrs. B. E. Jordan has a huge crop of pears, pomegrantates and late watermelons. Mr. Amos Heath, just outside of town has some luxurious cane and potato patches and some fine fat hogs feeding in the pea fields.

    "Possum" hunters are out every night in this section, and many nice juicy fellows are being caught and are quite a luxury on some tables.

From Days Gone By Nov. 5,1914

November 5, 1914.    Mr. J. H. Rowland gives his views on the present state of affairs concerning the cotton problems.

    "As I am asked many times, almost every day, what the farmers are going to do. It has caused me to do a great deal of thinking and figuring. We are all aware of the fact that this is a time when we should stop and think.

    During the past 90 days all kinds of provisions have advanced from ten to 25 per cent, and cotton has declined over 100 per cent. Cotton seed 40 per cent lower, the lumber and shingle business have gone bad. So we can readily see that what we have to buy is high and getting higher, and what we have to sell is getting lower. We should ask ourselves is how can we remedy it?

    We know that our cotton has cost us 8 to 10 cents per pound to raise it. Why should we sell it for 5, 6 or 7 cents, and then put right out to make another crop that will cost us just as much and even more, and take chances? There would be just as much reason in selling the mule for which we paid $200 for $100, and going out and buying another for $200 as there is in selling cotton or other produce for half its cost and trying to make more at the same cost and possibly more.

    When we have corn to sell and can't get its worth we store it away until there is a market to warrant selling it. Then why not do the same with our cotton? Almost every farmer has a safe place to store it. But you say you can't hold it, I owe it, and I will be sued. This is good spirit but there are exceptions in all rules and all good businessmen are willing to do all they can for their customers. They know that we can't pay if we are forced to sell our cotton at the present prices. When we will get into trouble is when we sell it, sham it around and have nothing to show for it except the debts that we made in making it.

    They say we have too much cotton. Then lets lay it aside and make something to eat. Then we won't owe so much. Meat is high, lard is high, beef is high, sugar is high, flour, seed wheat, rye, oats, peas, sweet potatoes, irish potatoes and corn are all high. We can raise all of these articles and save buying them. Then why not do it? Why not start now? This is the time.

    Let's all plant enough wheat to run our farms, plant rye, oats and raise hogs and beef cattle then next year cut out three fourths of our cotton crop and fertilizer bills and make few other debts. Then in 1915 cotton does not reach over 5 million bales, they will realize there ain't too much cotton . The price will rapidly advance.

    This is the way I see it. However, everyone has a right to his own opinion and should possess enough self confidence to exercise it. But it is high time that the southern farmer should look deep into the things that so materially effect our financial, as well as our social welfare."