From Days Gone By March 11, 1929

 March 11, 1929.

    All the ladies of the city, the PTA, and the Civic League are meeting with county officers to formulate a plan to beautify the courthouse lawn. Dr. J. W. Flanders, Ordinary, and School Supt. Linton Hutcheson have called the meeting. The Hastings Seed Company sent a list of flowers they have, and the cost will be paid by private funds.

    The Wrightsville Commercial Club held a meeting at the council chambers, the object is to offer a strong invitation to the Harvey S. Firestone Rubber Manufacturing Company to locate a branch of its plant in Johnson County. They also elected officers for the year. President, Mayor James M. Cook, Vice-President Dr. J. W. Brinson, Secretary C. D. Roundtree. Dr. Brinson and Mr. Roundtree and Dr. Bray were instructed to wire an invitation to Mr. Firestone of the City and County's many advantages, inducements and backing to come and investigate this locality. Mr. Firestone is expected to put a plant somewhere in the state or in the south.

    The Board of Trustees of the Wrightsville District High School met and elected every teacher on the faculty for another year. Heading the list was Supt. J. W. Williams. Under his leadership the school has made rapid strides. The Wrightsville High School is now the county high school and pupils may come to it from anywhere in the county. Williams is responsible for putting a modern Home Economics Dept. in and helped with consolodated school work. He and Supt. Hutcheson are working to put all county schools under one system.

    Grady Dixon, son of Mr. Cliff Dixon, was badly injured. He had his mule hitched to the buggy and when he untied the mule he threw the chain in the buggy. He had the lines and as he was climbing in the mule dashed off throwing Dixon against a tree fracturing his skull. Dr. Vickers attended him and he was sent to Claxton's Hospital in Dublin.

    Mr. W. D. Sumner was a heavy loser when fire broke out in his small barn and with his water tank low the flames spread to his larger barn and he lost both. He had no insurance and the loss was a large one. Judge J. C. Harrison lost his barn and contents earlier losing 100 bushels of corn, fodder and some seed. He was able to let his stock out saving them. Another fire started near the Keel Lumber Company's big saw and planer mill at what is known as the M. E. Cawthorne home where Mark Colbert lived. The wind was blowing west and saved the lumber plant. The mill kept running while the fire was being fought. The Colbert's saved most of the contents but the house was destroyed.

    Judge Camp ordered the postponement of the March Term of Superior Court. County-wide sentiment was to put it off on account of there was little business to be done at this time. The Judge said he could hardly go against the universal sentiment of the people.

    Wrightsville's basketball girls closed the season with only one loss, the championship game as Chauncy beat them 27 to 14. They had to settle for a second place trophy.

    In a general row Monday night in the home of Willie Screws when Tommie Screws and his sons, Gordon and Earnest, and one Pauline Phillips went to Willie's to get clothes worn by Phillips boy. There must have been some bad feelings in the Screws family for when they went to leave Willie started firing shots at the quartette, why is not clear. Earnest got a bullet threw the hand and his father, Tommie was hit in the chest lodging in his lung. His recovery is doubtful, another bullet grazed his nose. Tommie works on the farm of Carl Claxton just across Cedar Creek from town. Late Tuesday Earnest swore a warrant out for Willie Screws who works for County Agent Crow. Willie plead self-defense and tells a different story than Earnest.