85 years ago – Dec. 6, 1940: Health official oversees ‘rat proofing’ 

Dublin Courier Herald, Dispatch, and Press

H.C. Essick of the United States Public Health Service, who has been temporarily assigned to assist the Georgia Health Department in Typhus Fever control, is in Dublin to supervise “rat proofing” work here that is being done in business houses.

Mr. Essick, who is working with Sanitary Engineer Goulding of the local health office, appealed to all business houses to to take part in the rat proofing, pointing out that to be completely effective, one hundred percent co-operation is required. 

It is estimated that the rats’ costs in Dublin is $176,000 a year.

This is figured by using the city’s population as 8,000 and the Public Health Service’s estimate of $22 worth of damage a year by rats, so $22 multiplied by 8000 is $176,000.

A rat will eat about two dollars worth of food a year and will ruin 20 dollars worth, it is estimated, making the total loss $22 per year.

City labor is being furnished to do the work  with the full agreement of the Mayor and Council and Health Department. 

It is estimated that rat proofing a business house costs $4.50 and this includes the labor. Mr. Essick pointed out that with labor furnished the remaining cost is very low.

It is hoped that all business places will join in this program.

Work done so far, Mr.Essick said, is very good. The program got under way several days ago.

BETHLEHEM SCENE TO BE UNVEILED ON THURSDAY

The most elaborate display ever set up here will be unveiled at exercises on Thursday afternoon at 5 o’clock on the Court House Square. This will be a revealing of a replica of the Bethlehem Scene, as part of this year’s Christmas observance.

The scene, with life-size figures of the Christ Child and Madonna, the Wise Men from the East, their camels, and the beasts of the manger, overtopped with the Star of Bethlehem, which is suspended from the Court House tower, which was constructed at a cost of approximately $1500.

At the exercises,Christmas lights surrounding the square and throughout the business area will be turned on to usher in the holiday season. The Nativity Scene will be illuminated by the huge five-foot neon star and thousands of vari-colored lights strung in aluminum-coated pines about the square.

The program will feature an address on the story of the birth of Christ by the Rev. W.A. Kelley, District Superintendent of the South Georgia Methodist Conference. 

Preceding the program, the Laurens County Schools’ Drum and Bugle Corps and the Dublin High School Band will present a concert.

The public is invited to attend, and there will be no parking next to the Square on either Jackson Street or Jefferson Street from 4 p.m. to midnight, Police Chief J.W. Robertson has announced. This order will be in effect each day until after Christmas so that those who wish to see the scene may do so.

“We wish to have the cooperation of all  citizens in keeping the streets next to the square clear so that all who wish to do so may view the beautiful display,” he said.

The order does not affect space next to the post office grounds.

XMAS LIGHTS CONTEST

The city-wide Christmas home lighting contest, sponsored by the Dublin Garden CLub,  will be judged on December 17th, Mrs. CarlK. Nelson, President of the Club, announced today.

Entrants must register their names and addresses by the 16th.

Mrs. H.L. Cordell is General Chairman of the Contest, and Mrs. Marion Peacock is Chairman of the Committee of Judges. The judges are from out of town.

The contest is open to every one in the city, and the purpose is to stimulate interest in making the city beautiful during the holidays. It is hoped that everyone will have their houses decorated by the 12th when the down town lights will be turned on, but this does not have any effect on the actual home contest judging day, which is the 17th.

A grand award will be made for the most outstanding effect,and a second award will be made for the next-to-best. Only two awards will be made in the entire city.  

The first contest of this kind held in Dublin, which was last Christmas, proved a success, and an even larger number of entries is anticipated for this second annual contest.

FIRST TRAINEES LEAVE

Laurens County’s first contingent of selective service trainees, ten in all and all volunteers, left here today for Fort Screven, Savannah.

A brief ceremony at the Union Bus Station preceded their departure.

All members of the county’s two draft boards were present. 

After final instructions had been given the men by Board Chairmen Walter Daniel and I.F. Maddox, Draft Appeals Agent C.C. Crockett spoke briefly on their new responsibilities, and Rev. R.W. Eubanks led a short spiritual program. The Dublin High School Band also played.

Those leaving were Johnnie B.Peacock, Lacy Avant, Alvoid Mullis, Obie D. Myers, Lum Young, Eschel Frances Keen, Bernard Paul Stanley, eight from   Board 2.

William Henry Fuller and John A. Selph from Board 1 made up the ten.

Mr. Myers from Board 2 was appointed leader of the group to the point of induction, and Mr. Keen, also from Board 2, was named Assistant Leader.

Board Two’s original quota for the first call was set at ten, but selective service headquarters in Atlanta reduced the number to eight, and designated Board One to furnish the other two when it was found that Board Two would not have its full quota available.

ABOUT TO LEAVE EARLY

Laurens County kept up its reputation of willingness to furnish plenty of men for Uncle Sam’s army today when Draft Board officials had to get one man, not scheduled to go, off the bus with the ten volunteers set to go to Fort Screven.

Just as the bus was moving off, it was discovered that Isadore Totsy Baker, a colored volunteer who lives on Dublin, Route Five, had gotten on the bus along with the 10 men scheduled to leave today. Officials managed to get him off the bus by delaying it briefly.

Baker is scheduled to leave with three other volunteers on December 11. He explained that he had gotten the dates confused and thought that he was to go today.

He, along with Rufus Lamar Driscoll of Route Five, and Rander Smith of Route One, will leave  next Wednesday. 

CHRISTMAS SAVINGS GAIN

Approximately $20,000 in Christmas Savings Club checks have been distributed to some 500 depositors by the Citizens and Southern Bank today.

This amount represents an increase of about $4000 over last year’s Christmas Savings Club deposits.

Christmas buying is expected to receive an immediate stimulus as the savings club funds are put into circulation.

CHARITY GROUP APPOINTED

Representatives of various agencies in the city of Dublin and Laurens County dong charity work met at the Fred Roberts Hotel on November 26th to consider the report of a special committee which had been appointed at a previous date.

Dr. C.D. Graves was chairman of the committee, and his report showing the various agencies doing charity work and the persons responsible for the organizations was enthusiastically received.

Two special actions were taken at this meeting. One was that the report would be printed and distributed to all interested parties, and the other was the ordering of the appointment of a committee to serve as an executive committee for the group of representatives. The committee was to be appointed by Rev. Anthony Hearn, who had been elected as chairman to succeed Rev. J.N. Peacock.

The committee as announced by Rev Hearn is as follows:

Dr. C.D. Graves, representing the churches

Miss Essie Mae Cobb, representing the Department of Public Welfare

J.Frank Graham, representing the Laurens County Commissioners

Dr. M.Z. Claxton, representing the charity committee of the city

J.F. Hart, representing the public at large

Dublin City School Superintendent A.J. Hargrove is secretary, and Rev. Hearn is an ex officio member of the committee.

GOVERNOR’S STAFF

Three Laurens County men have been named to the staff of incoming Governor Eugene Talmadge. They will have the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

Named to the staff were W.H. Lovett, Dublin business man and representative in the Georgia Assembly; George T. Morris, prominent business man; and Elbert Mulllis, Laurens County School Superintendent.

The appointments were tendered in communications from governor-elect Talmadge.

All three were strong Talmadge supporters in the last gubernatorial campaign.

DR. HAMMOND GOES TO FORT BRAGG

Dr. R.A. Hammond, prominent Dublin dentist, left on Tuesday for Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, where he reported for service in the Medical Corps of the United States Army.

He has the rank of First Lieutenant.

Dr. Hammond, a native of Monroe, Georgia, came to Dublin about a year ago and opened offices for the practice in the dental profession. He has made for himself a prominent position in professional, civic, and social activities here.

He was a member of the Medical Corps of the U.S. Army Reserves and therefore was subject to immediate call for active duty. 

His wide circle of friends in this section regret his departure.

COURT HOUSE BOILER

Installation of a a new heating unit for the Laurens County Court House has been ordered by the Board of County Commissioners.

The unit, including a modern steam boiler with automatic water feed, will replace an obsolete type of boiler that has served for nearly 40 years.

While it is not planned to extend the steam heating to all parts of the building at once, the new boiler will be large enough to take care of such expansion when desired, it was explained. Only the auditorium is heated by steam at present.

Cost of the unit including installation and labor for remodeling the steam distribution system totaled $710.

Members of the Board are J.F. Graham, Chairman; L.O. Beacham,Jr., and Joseph R. Lord.

HEAVY VOTE IN JUSTICES RACES

Justice of the Peace W.H. White defeated D.G. Adams, 449 to 85, for a full four-year term as Justice for the Dublin District in Saturday’s election.

Mr. White had been elected without opposition earlier this year to complete the term of Rollin A. Stanley who had resigned, having served for only five months.

A.B. Sapp was winner for Constable of the Dublin District over J.S. Strange, 299 to 231.

Unusual interest was taken in the elections in several Laurens County districts, returns made at the office of Ordinary W.H. Adams showed today.

Heavy votes were cast in every district in which there was opposition.

Winners, according to the returns, were as follows:

Pinetucky:

R.A. Lowery, incumbent, over W.W. McLendon

Burch:

J.H. Parrish, incumbent, over C.W. Clark

Cadwell:

M.S. Mullis, incumbent, over Eschol Fordham 

Reedy Springs:

Thurman Grinstead over G.B. Knight, incumbent

Bailey:

Freeman Barron over W.A. Stanley

Carter:

H.S. Kaney over J.T. Chipley, incumbent

Elected without opposition were 

A.J. Windham – Lowery

H.M. Blankenship – Hampton Mills

J.D. Wilson – Dudley

J.J. O’Neal – Harvard

J.L. Manning – Burgamy

J. Dennis Rawls – Buckeye

J.D. Bush – Jackson

D.A. Autrey – Rockledge

W.H. Drew – Oconee

Carlton Senn – Smith

In the Constable’s races:

George Harden – Pinetucky 

Chesley Alligood  – Reedy Springs

E.E. Gilbert and T.F. Davis – Hampton Mills

T.R. Napier – Harvard

W.L. Rogers – Bailey

J.A. Fulford – Oconee

HEADS MASONS

S.V. Conyers, prominent Dublin insurance man, was elected High Priest of Harmony Chapter, No. 56, Royal Arch Masons, at the annual convocation of the Chapter last night.

Other officers elected for the 1941 term were the following:

Bruce Suggs – King

T.Coke Brown – Scribe

J.W. Long – Captain of the Host

W.W. Brinson – Principal Sojourner

R.A. West – Royal Arch Captain

S.M. Alsup -Treasurer

L.D. Woods – Secretary

The annual report showed a substantial increase in Chapter membership during the year now closing. 

BREWTON LOST IN TITLE PLAY 

Cuthbert’s Sowega League’s six-man football champions crushed Brewton’s Laurens County champs in Cuthbert, 90 to 6.

Charlie Waller, Cuthbert’s candidate for All-American and leading scorer in the Sowega League this year ran himself into a near collapse with seven touchdowns. He is a former Dublin boy.

Brewton’s only touchdown came in the second period on a Cuthbert fumble and a runback by right end Moye.

The game set a new high all-Georgia scoring record.

Seven touchdowns ran Waller’s season scoring mark to 132 points, 90 in regular Sowega competition.

Brewton’s lineup:

Walker      LE

Graham      RE

Moye        Q

Jordan      HB

J. Sapp     FB

W. Sapp     CR     

PAY CARRIER BOYS

Subscribers taking the Courier – Herald  from carrier boys in the city, this is a reminder, at their request, that they will have a much Merrier Christmas if they are paid up in full before Christmas.

Some subscribers do not understand that the boys must pay for the papers they take out – regardless of whether or not they are paid by the subscribers.

COLORED NEWS

The Progressive Club of Jackson Chapel CME Church will hold its next regular meeting at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Burke on Monday night,

December 9, at eight o’clock.

The President urges each member to try to bring at least one guest. An interesting subject will be discussed.

Millage Smith of Chicago, Illinois, was the guest of his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. James Thomas, and family of Dublin, Route 3, on Friday, November 29.

He was accompanied by his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Mack Troupe of Glenwood. They were served with a delicious dinner by the hostsess. He left for Chicago on Saturday morning, November 30, and took his parents with him, where they plan to make their future home. Their many friends wish them much success and happiness there.

Clarence W. May, popular son of Rev. and Mrs. J.S. May, was a visitor in the city the earlier part of the week. He was enroute to Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where his parents are now located and where he is making splendid progress in his vocation.

H.T. Jones, Jr. versatile son of Dr. and Mrs. H.T. Jones, Sr., visited his parents in the city on Monday of this week and was happy to announce that he is now the father of a fine daughter born last week. Mr. Jones is now a representative of the Atlantic Life Insurance Company and seems to be heading for the top.

The many friends of Mrs. C.L. Harrison, wife of C.L. Harrison, Guaranty Life Insurance Company Representative in this city, regret to learn of her continued illness and wish for her a speedy and complete recovery.

Notice: Laurens County Teachers:

Superintendent Elbert Mullis announced yesterday that Friday, December 12, will not be a holiday for the Laurens County teachers, therefore making it impossible for them to attend the District Teachers Meeting which will be held in Soperton, Georgia, on that date. 

RITZ THEATRE “BOOM TOWN”

Clark Gable    Spencer Tracy

Hedy Lamarr    Claudette Colbert

New Fall Prices

Matinee to 6 p.m.

Adults      20 cents

Balcony     15 cents

Children    10 cents

Evening Prices

6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Adults      22 cents

  Tax        3 cents

Total       25 cents

Balcony     15 cents             

Children    10 cents