Hill and Owens, popular clothing merchants, believed in being up-to-date and had placed an order for a machine with the National Cash Register Co. … The Etowah Vehicle Co. was awarded the contract to build the body of Rome’s new automobile police wagon. It was to take ten weeks and cost $500. … Henry Rodgers, stepson of J.L. Wallis, lost control of his bicycle and ran into one of the horses of number 4 hose company at the corner of South Broad and Pennington Avenue. The horses were being exercised when the accident happened, and the lad was seriously hurt when the horse he struck kicked him. … The sewerless and waterless condition of “Hell’s Hollow” was depicted in eloquent terms to city council by Judge W.J. Nunnally. This street was in the rear of West Eighth Avenue, and its official name was Reservoir Street. Judge Nunnally’s plea so touched council that the question was referred to the street committee for action.
The most sensational city council meeting of recent years was held Monday night fifty years ago, the heated discussion arising over the adoption of a meter by the Board of Public Works and an injunction by Mortimer Griffin.
The meeting was marked by a lengthy and startling discussion of the water meter ordinance by Mr. Griffin, during which he was frequently interrupted, personal encounters were narrowly averted several times, and the chief of police was called in to preserve order.
Mr. Griffin accused the superintendent of not advertising for bids for the meters, saying that he wrote only two of the thirty different meter companies. He claimed that the meter recommended by the superintendent and water inspector was the meter of a company that had the reputation of subsidizing former employees of the city, and that they had not given his a chance to bid with the meter he represented.
Inspector Ranson heatedly denied that he had recommended any meter, and Col. Copeland defended his colleagues on the Board of Public Works. Angry words ensued between Mr. Griffin and Mayor Ben Yancey, with other members of council joining in, until finally Alderman Vandiver arose to urge postponement of discussion. Alderman McDonald moved for an executive session, and the police chief was asked to clear the room.
Judge John W. Maddox deferred for two weeks the hearing of Mr. Griffin’s suit to enjoin the Board of Public Works from making a contract for the water meters with the National Meter Co.
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A hasty departure from a burning automobile, with narrow escape from a terrible death, was made by C.W. Jones.
He was driving the Mitchell car owned by Paul F. Smith to the Lock and Dam when from and unknown cause the auto caught fire and the gasoline tank under the seat suddenly flared into a blaze. Mr. Jones leaped from the car, but the flames caught his trousers and burned them from his body. He received painful leg burns. … While he held J.B. Porter at bay with a pistol, an unknown man, after gaining entrance to the store of J.B. Porter and Son at Silver Creek, plundered the store and left, disappearing up the railroad tracks. Mr. Porter was roused in the middle of the night by the intrusion and had gone to investigate. … A small boy named Griffin who was riding a bicycle was run over by Dr. A.C. Shamblin’s automobile as it turned the corner into Fifth Avenue on the west side. The boy attempted to get out of the way, but in some way turned back again and got in front of the machine. He was knocked off and dragged when he grabbed the side of the car. Dr. Shamblin took him to Curry Hospital and bandaged his head wound. …
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At the ice cream festival in Lindale held by the Baseball Club, Miss Maggie Mehaffy won in the popularity contest over the other four contestants, Misses Minnie Brown, Jamie Plumber, Letha Pierce and Corrine Hayes.
A picture of the Baseball Club with its 1912 manager, Miss Lillian Duke, appeared in the Tribune-Herald.
Not only did Miss Duke argue with the umpire but followed her team to each game. Members included George Campbell, Carl East, Bill Douglas, Louis Parker, Roy Cook, Frank Roberson, Carrick Cook, Ferrell Freeman, George Chafin and Earl Donaldson. … Friends of Leonard Todd, one of Rome’s well-known businessmen, were getting busy on his behalf to have him named postmaster, as they believed Woodrow Wilson would be elected president. …
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