Y July 13, 1923

 July 13, 1923.

    By an overwhelming vote the representatives of counties along the proposed Augusta link of the Jeff Davis Highway recommended that the route from Abbeville to Augusta be adopted as an official Augusta link of this highway. Grounds for this vote were that this route is the shortest for the link, it is almost wholly the road followed by Jeff Davis in his flight after the fall of the Confederacy. Every county pledged it's help in building the road. Reps from Montgomery and Treutlen were on hand to urge the route through McRae, Mt. Vernon, Soperton and Swainsboro but they were in the minority.

    Johnson can hardly afford to miss being on the Jeff Davis Highway. This great Southerner passed this way only once but he left an indestructible path behind him on the pages of history. He came along here not far from our town and traversed the county from one side to the other. He went on into Lauren's, crossing at Blackshears Ferry on a Saturday night, camped under a big tree where the court house now stands in Dublin and went South through Lauren's to Eastman, which establishes beyond any dispute the logical route for the proposed Southern highway to go.

    Seven store houses, one as a dwelling were burned up at Scott before daybreak on Saturday. The fire started by an unknown cause in the store of Mr. D. G. Smith and soon spread to adjoining stores causing a loss of about $25,000 only partially covered by insurance. A stiff breeze fanned the fire on and a quick succession of 7 buildings went up in smoke. Hard work saved the church to the South and the Central of Ga. Depot which caught several times. Three large brick stores in the center of the block on the south side of the railroad stopped the further spread of the fire. The losers in the fire were D. G. Smith, W. B. Moorman, Riley Graham, J. M. Hammock, Arthur Hammock, J. J. Harrison and Schwalls Drug Co.

    The banks released their statements of condition. Bank of Adrian $128,006.64; Citizens Bank of Kite $149,815.86; Bank of Wrightsville $351,019.34; Farmers Bank $154,890.18; Exchange Bank $274,029.71. Mr. Wiley Cheaves files for bankruptcy.

    Wrightsville ran up the score at Sparta 11 to 4. Wrightsville plays at Dublin today and tomorrow at the fairgrounds here. Some of the best players on the amateur lines are here for these two days.

    Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Jenkins had a girl Emily Grace on June 20th. James Lester Barnes is the name of the son born to Mr. & Mrs. Ray Barnes on July 7th.

    Mr. W. S. Criswell died at his home near Bay Springs. He was 75 and leaves a wife, two sons and a daughter. He was buried at Piney Mt. Mrs. Celia A. Price, wife of James Perry Price died June 23rd, born March 13, 1883 she was 41. They married March 2, 1899 and had 11 children with 5 preceding her to the grave. Those living are Alvin, Ervin, Estin, Eugene, Henry and Woodrow. She was a member of Oaky Grove. She had been in declining health for several years.

    The biggest Elk on Earth, from stem to stern, with an equatorial line that stretches a full 80 inches came through en route to an Atlanta convention. He is Mr. W. T. Brinson of Waycross who tips the scales at 600 lbs. This is the first time he has attended a convention because of his inability to go through doors on Pullman. He came in a Lincoln car with his wife and daughter and visited relatives here and at Bartow. He is a turpentine man and has amassed a fortune in the business at Beach, Ga. He is probably the largest man in the world today. He is 6 ft 1 inch high, 80 inches around the belt, wears a no. 10 shoe and a 7 3/8 hat. He has been married twice and has 5 children.

    The program of the cow, the sow and the hen is being installed everywhere. In our good county it has a determined foothold and our people have learned on it to depend to a great measure already.