|
As presented in the Sunday, April 5, 1959 edition of the Rome News-Tribune
04/05/09
Email this story to a friend
Those who went to town at night a half-century ago were scratching their heads to know the meaning of the red lanterns hanging on several telegraph poles on Broad Street. They meant that the poles were temporary things and reminded one of what was going on in the way of clearing the streets of wires. They were not actually telegraph poles, but were being used to support wires of the Rome Railway & Light Co. Since the widening of the sidewalk on Broad Street, the poles were almost in the middle of it, and the lanterns served a warning after dark. It was expected that soon the only wires on the main thoroughfare would be those which fed the trolley cars. The street lights were to be fed from side streets.
***
The dove of peace spread its white wings over City Council chambers last week in 1909, and an amicable adjustment was made of all measurement disputes between property owners and Council in regard to paying for the new paving on Broad and Fifth Avenue. … Paving on East Second Avenue had progressed as far as Fourth Street, and several residents of the avenue were placing concrete in front of their homes. These included Mrs. J.H. Harrison, T.J. Simpson, Dr. J.C. Garlington and W.J. West. … The anti-hog ordinance went into effect a half-century ago, and every porker in the city was required to be removed or else a case would be made against its owner. …
***
New automobiles would soon be as thick as blackberries in summer in the city of Rome, predicted the Tribune-Herald of 50 years ago. Almost every day some new “whiz-cart” flashed by John Jones and George Trammell had purchased big touring cars, while the Rome Motor Car Co. and Q. Wakely had acquired new runabouts. J.C. Porter had ordered a new White Steamer automobile to replace the one that burned a few weeks ago. … Frightened by the automobile driven by Dr. W.L. DeLay, two mules fresh from the country ran away on North Broad, throwing their heavy wagon across a telephone pole. The wagon was demolished and the occupants were thrown from the vehicle but were not badly hurt. … Will Mundy came over from Cedartown in his new E.M.F. Studebaker automobile, making the trip up in a little over an hour.
***
For the first time in a year the steamer Alabama made a trip to Gadsden the past week in 1909. Considerable difficulty was encountered by the crew in turning the boat, due to heavy cargo of merchandise and farming equipment for points down the Coosa. The steamer Dixie, which had plowed the waters for several weeks, was held up here for repairs. … City Council had advanced $1,500 to the Rome Board of Education so that the teachers could be paid on April 1 their salaries for March. The State of Georgia had failed to send the coin due 50 years ago, the school commissioner writing that the present appropriation was in the fix of Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard-bare, but he hoped to have the necessary funds soon. The state provided nearly $50,000 for Rome teacher pay in March 1959. … New farmers’ telephone lines connecting seven subscribers with the Cave Spring exchange running eight miles out to Forney had been completed, and a new mile-long telephone line was being run out the Calhoun Road to Model School and Hermitage.
|
