100-year-old news highlights from The Wilcox Progressive Era

Steamboat Peerless on the Alabama River.

What follows are 100-year-old news excerpts from the Aug. 30, 1917 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era newspaper in Camden, Ala.

Ruthven is a new post office, established near Usery Lumber Co. about 11-1/2 miles from Pine Apple and Schuster.

The teachers at the Wilcox County High School the ensuing session will be Prof. Claude Hardy, principal; Miss Carlotta Stuart, first assistant; Miss Lady Portis, second assistant; Miss Minna Palfrey, home economics; Mrs. Hardy, music.

The bridge over Strait Creek on the Camden and Pine Apple Road, which is one of the main thoroughfares of the county, has been down for some time. The attention of our worthy County Commissioners is called to this matter. The bridge should be rebuilt.

The Alabama River is again getting very low. The damage done by the recent river floods was very light. The steamers Peerless and Burke are now engaged in the Alabama River trade.

The County Commissioners’ court will meet in special session next Friday for the purpose of arranging means and methods to complete that portion of the Jackson Highway that’s in Wilcox.

Mrs. Henry Miller of Camden has sold over 200 chickens that were raised in her yard in town. Poultry raising is a nice side line proposition for our country ladies.

Mr. K. Henry of Atlanta, and with the reliable shoe firm of J.K. Orr & Co. of that city, visited Camden recently. Mr. Henry is a grandson of the late Osborne Henry, who resided in Blacks Bend.

Dr. Clarence Jones of Mobile is visiting his wife and daughter, who are visiting in the home of Hon. and Mrs. W.C. Jones at Camden.

FURMAN: Our citizens are taking a great deal of interest in the Red Cross work. An auxiliary has been organized for the purpose of doing real, helpful work. The women are sewing and knitting for the soldiers, while the men show they are willing to do their “bit” by aiding financially.

McWILLIAMS: Mr. Arthur L. Nettles, who is an operator for the Illinois Central Railroad at Lambert, Miss., is with home folks.

OAK HILL: Mr. Archie F. Jones, who has been taking a business course in Montgomery, has enlisted in the army. He was a recent visitor to Camden.

LAMISON: It grieves us very much to see all of our young men leaving, but we are sure with such a noble, brave people, the cause will be won. Messrs. Pittman and Grover Dickson, Evans and Leslie Autrey, Flavie Harris, Carson Kratzer and Lucy Dunn are among the first to leave for France.

PINE HILL: Lt. W.P. Bledsoe, who is at home on a visit to his parents, the Rev. and Mrs. J.O. Bledsoe, is now commissioned a first lieutenant, passing the examination successfully at Fort McPherson.

On Wednesday evening, the B.Y.P.U. entertained at the home of Mrs. W.D. Autrey in honor of Julius Miller, one of the First Alabama Regiment, who is visiting his mother, Mrs. A.A. Miller and other relatives.