From Days Gone By Dec. 31, 1926

 December 31, 1926.

    A big fire in Kite destroyed the large lumber plant of Carr & Howard, manufacturers of lumber and naval stores. It was a large outfit working between 15 and 20 men and turned out a large quantity of lumber and pine products. The origin is not known. When discovered it was full ablaze. With the mill machinery, plant and fixtures went a lot of lumber. They did not have insurance.

    A small blaze in the home of Josh Linder, colored, brought out the fire department and put it out before much damage was done. The membership of Union Hill church are making arrangements to rebuild. The location will be a little further eastward from the old one.

    The Farmers Bank, after closing its doors December 22nd, did not open for business Thursday morning. A note on the door said, "This bank placed in the hands of the superintendent for liquidation". It was signed by R. B. Bryan, J. T. Miller, R. R. Martin, W. C. Chester, W. H. Raley, L. D. Downs and C. M. Dent, directors of the bank. The closing came as a surprise in financial circles. President Raley stated that depositors had withdrawn a lot lately by degrees, there was no "run" made, the reserve did not come up to legal requirements. They are awaiting an audit before conferring further on a reorganization.

    The South's celebration of the Christmas festivities was not without its tradgedies. Forty-two are dead from accidents and shootings and as many more badly injured. Firearms exacted a heavy toll. Seven were shot to death in Florida and other accidents put that total to eleven. Alabama had six deaths. South Carolina five killed. Georgia had five killed and Kentucky and Tennessee reported four deaths each.

    Wrightsville came close to losing its school building to a fire on Monday afternoon. The blaze was smouldering beneath the floor of the primary room on the second floor, an axe ripped up the floor and the bucket brigade saved the day.

    Enroute to Atlanta Mr. J. H. Rowland's large touring car carrying himself, Sheriff Claxton and Dr. H. B. Bray left Milledgeville and came upon a detour sign placed beyond the turnout and swerving his car into the detour it overturned. Rowland and Bray were pinned under it. Sheriff Claxton extricated himself and worked to get the others out. Some blacks close by rushed to help remove them. Rowland was not hurt bad but the Sheriff and Doctor were hurt in the breast and were laid up in the hospital.

    Well, the divorce mill certainly did grind in Georgia in 1925 when there were 2,057 divorces granted by the Georgia courts. This was an increase of 155 over 1924. There were 28,095 marriages performed last year as compared with 32,491 in 1924, representing a decrease of 4,396, or 13.5 per cent. In 1925 there were 175 marriages in Johnson County and in 1924 there were 154. Business picked up a little in the last year. Year before last  three divorces were granted in the county to nine last year. Fulton County led the divorce mill last year with 568 granted.