Old newspaper excerpts from The Monroe Journal newspaper of Monroe County, Alabama

19 YEARS AGO
MARCH 21, 2002

Monroeville Area YMCA Executive Director Jan Feaster helps Christie Proust and her son, Michael Osbourne, move a rug they donated into the new YMCA building Tuesday afternoon. Holding the door open are YMCA staff members Susan Hornady and Lisa Stanton. The YMCA staff were moving into the building Monday. Plans are to hold the grand opening April 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the ribbon cutting set for 11 a.m.

Tigers perfect in area play: Monroe County High School’s baseball team improved to 3-0 in area play and 10-8 overall last week after a win over area rival Greenville High School. MCHS beat Greenville 11-1 Friday in Monroeville.
Taylor Ryland led MCHS at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and a RBI. (Ben) Busby improved his pitching record to 3-4, striking out four batters in five innings of work.
(Other top MCHS players in that game included John Bohannon, Travis Granberry, Daniel Harper, Brett Pate and Matt Wright.)

Rikard’s Mill reopening: Rikard’s Mill on Highway 265 in north Monroe County will hold its annual reopening celebration April 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities at the 1845 grist mill will include a barbecue cookoff, music from blues to bluegrass, a dog show, arts and crafts and more. Arts and crafts will be for sale throughout the park with crafters presenting everything from handmade lye soap and candles to homemade furniture. Blacksmith Mike Johnson will make creations out of iron, and the mill will be grinding away, producing cornmeal and grits as it did 150 years ago.

43 YEARS AGO
MARCH 17, 1977

Rescuers break ground: Members of the Monroe County Rescue Squad held an informal ground-breaking ceremony on the site of their new equipment building Tues., March 1. Squad Capt. I.W. Williamson, Andy Byrd, Claude Wilkerson and M.J. “Pete” Beard conducted the ground-breaking. The building is being built on land across the street from the present rescue squad building.

Brief visit: Professional quarterback Joe Ferguson, who hands the football to O.J. Simpson for the Buffalo Bills, made a short and unexpected visit to Monroeville Thursday. Ferguson was on his way to a speaking engagement in Pensacola – via private aircraft – but a low ceiling made for almost impossible flying conditions. A traveling companion of Ferguson’s remembered a buddy from school days who lives in Monroeville – David Frost – and called him and asked him to rent them a car. Frost, who is a faithful Buffalo fan, hurried to Sales Ford and rented a car to take to Ferguson to Monroe County Airport. Ferguson and company then followed Frost to Repton where he pointed them toward Pensacola.

Ten cars derailed from a St. Louis & San Francisco (Frisco) Railway freight train Sunday afternoon near Fountain, blocking normally sparse rail traffic for almost 24 hours.
The cars derailed about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, 5-1/4 miles north of the Fountain depot. The train was en route from St. Louis, Mo. to Pensacola. There were no injuries.
The train was one of two (one northbound and one southbound) freight trains that run non-stop through Monroe County each day on the Frisco line.

69 YEARS AGO
MARCH 20, 1952

Management Of LaSalle Hotel Will Change: Monroeville’s only hotel, the LaSalle, is slated to have new managers soon.
Mr. and Mrs. David Katz have announced that they completed plans for purchase of the hotel and will assume management within the next month.
Mr. Katz stated the hotel will undergo a number of improvements when they begin its operation. They plan to establish residence in the hotel.
Present managers are Mr. and Mrs. Ed Shaver.

The pop of leather against leather has been heard sounding across the J.U. Blacksher High campus in Uriah this week as Coach Frank Killian directed 28 Bulldog gridders in their second week of spring training.
Practice began Mon., March 10, and will last for a consecutive three-week period.
Back for workouts this year are eight veterans of last season’s squad. Those players include the following lettermen: guards Robert Brantley and Robert Brooks, end Clyde Hines, right half Eugene Madison, left half O’Neil Smith, quarterback Aubrey Grant, fullback Vernon Smith and tackle Ted House.

New Local School Principal Is Named: John Stewart, a 33-year-old Cherokee County, Ala. native, was named this week to assume duties as new principal of Monroe County High School and the Monroeville Elementary School on July 1.
Mr. Stewart will replace Randolph Vickery, principal of the local schools for the past nine years. Mr. Vickery is resigning to accept assistant administrative duties and supervisory duties in the county.

94 YEARS AGO
MARCH 17, 1927

SMALLPOX PREVAILS: Several cases of smallpox have recently developed in the vicinity of Ollie school and a number of additional cases are likely to occur. When the disorder first appeared, it was mistaken for some milder form of eruptive disease and no special precautions were taken to prevent its spread. Dr. Harper being called to treat a patient afflicted with a type more virulent than others in the community, diagnosed as genuine smallpox. He advised general vaccination and the suspension of school until the malady subsides, which advice we understand has been acted upon.
One case of smallpox developed in Monroeville some 10 days ago, that of Mr. William Faulkenberry. This patient has been isolated and there has been no further developments in the city.

William Henry Hudson has been advised by Congressman McDuffie of his nomination to the Annapolis Naval Academy. His friends hope that he will successfully pass both the mental and physical tests necessary to entrance.

Mr. J.U. Blacksher of Uriah and Mobile circulated among Monroeville friends Thursday.

The work of grading the extension of the Manistee & Repton Railroad to connect with the main line at Monroeton is progressing satisfactorily. Mr. Bugg expects to have the road in operation within the next three months.

The Tunnel Springs amateur players will present the play “The Dust of the Earth” at Beatrice school auditorium on March 22 at 8 p.m. The performance at Tunnel Springs given recently before a packed audience was a marked success.

119 YEARS AGO
MARCH 20, 1902

The Monroeville Institute is now in charge of its third principal since the opening of the current term. Prof. J.A. Barnes, who succeeded Miss Belle Rankin, took charge of the school on Monday.
The retirement of Miss Rankin, The Journal learns, is due to a disagreement between herself and the board of trustees. The trustees say the disagreement led to a request for Miss Rankin’s resignation. Miss Rankin insists that she was discharged. As neither have complied with our request for a signed statement, The Journal will not undertake to present either side of the controversy.

Mr. E. Broughton purchased a fine pair of mules on his recent trip to Mobile and is prepared to deliver freights promptly and at reasonable rates.

Confederate Veterans: The meeting of the Geo. W. Foster Camp of Confederate Veterans has been postponed until Sat., March 22, at 3 p.m. Every member urged to attend. Business of the utmost importance. – F.M. Jones, Adjutant.

The Journal regrets to learn of the death of Mr. John DuBose, an old and highly esteemed citizen, which occurred near Franklin on March 5, aged about 82. Mr. DuBose was at one time county superintendent of education.

Dr. G.G. Scott of Mt. Pleasant was a pleasant caller at The Journal office while in town last week. Dr. Scott reports farm work badly behind on account of the excessive rains.