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

Lurleen B. Wallace

30 YEARS AGO
OCT. 24, 1991

Water-tank construction to begin soon: Dismantling of the city’s oldest water tank is a big step in a major expansion of Monroeville’s water system, according to manager Johnny Snyder, who expects construction of a new tank on the same site to begin in a few weeks.
The 100,000-gallon water tank at Cherry and East Claiborne streets was taken apart piece by piece by Utility Service of Perry, Ga. to make way for a new 2-million-gallon tank. Completion of the new tank will bring the available supply to three million gallons a day, Snyder said, an added supply that should meet the city’s water needs for the next 10 years.

Shields ends streak of 18 losses to Tigers: J.F. Shields High School’s Panthers shocked everyone but themselves Friday in Monroeville when they defeated Monroe County High School 15-0 to end a string of 18 straight losses to the Tigers.
Shields last defeated MCHS in 1973, winning 20-12. The Panthers finished that season with a 9-0-1 record and ranked seventh in the final state 2A poll.
(Top players for Shields in 1991 included Jerry Calhoun, Richard Chatman, Edward Easley, Lamont Easley, Ernest Hurst, David Jones, Darius McCorvey, Darryl Nettles, LaDerrick Odom, Robert Sanders and Byron Watson. Top MCHS players were Greg Betts, Daniel Glenn, Devin Harris, Jeff Howard, Michael Lang, Larry McCorvey, Travis Owens and Kelvin Roberts. Melvin Pete Jr. was head coach at Shields, and Keith Cardwell was head coach at MCHS.)

55 YEARS AGO
OCT. 27, 1966

HELPS MUSEUM: Mrs. Anna York of Monroeville helped the Monroe County Museum and Historical Society recently when she donated this volume of Indian Tribes of North America, which was printed in 1842. There are a total of three volumes. Mrs. Rance Carr, president of the society, accepted the gift for the society.

Blacksher High Bulldogs Make Excel High Fifth Straight Victim: The J.U. Blacksher Bulldogs rode over the Excel Panthers to the tune of 27-0 at the Panthers homecoming game Saturday night. The win was the fifth consecutive for the Bulldogs and the fourth straight opponent they have held scoreless.
Uriah didn’t hit the scoring column until the second period when Keith Cardwell, the Bulldogs quarterback, found halfback Tommy Cartwright with a scoring aerial.
(Other top Blacksher players in that game included Ronnie Petty and David Wiggins. Top Excel players included Tommy Jordan, Terry Stacey and Stanley Wilson.)

Wallace Bring Campaign Here: Gov. George Wallace and his wife, Lurleen, will bring their gubernatorial campaign to Monroeville Wed., Nov. 2.
Mrs. Wallace is a Democratic candidate in the governor’s race for the Nov. 8 general election.
Both Gov. and Mrs. Wallace will make a talk in front of the new courthouse at 10 a.m. Wednesday. This is the Wallace’s second trip to Monroeville this year, the first being in the Democratic primaries.

QUEEN IS CROWNED: Claudia Kilpatrick, a senior at Frisco City High School, was crowned Homecoming Queen during ceremonies at half-time of the Frisco City-Evergreen game Friday night. Crowning Miss Kilpatrick is last year’s queen, Cecelia Harrison. Miss Kilpatrick is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Neil Kilpatrick.

80 YEARS AGO
OCT. 23, 1941

SMALL BLAZE TUESDAY DESTROYS OUT-HOUSE: Fire destroyed a small out-house back of the residence of Rev. D.E. Edington Tuesday afternoon. The fire department promptly answered the alarm and soon had the blaze extinguished. The fire apparently started from burning trash nearby.

Mr. A.C. Lee spent the weekend with his daughter, Miss Alice Lee, in Birmingham.

JAMES D. McMILLAN RECENTLY COMMISSIONED NAVAL AVIATOR: James David McMillan, only son of Dr. and Mrs. C.H. McMillan of Beatrice, was among those graduating from the United States Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Fla., on Oct. 14.
James was commissioned ensign as Naval Aviator in United States Naval Reserve and will join the U.S. Fleet in San Diego, Calif.

BARBECUE SUPPER AT MASONIC HALL TONIGHT: The members of Alabama Lodge No. 3 will entertain at a barbecue supper at the Lodge tonight (Thursday) at eight o’clock. All Masons and members of the Eastern Star are extended a cordial invitation.

Private Francis L. Hawks Jr., son of Mrs. F.L. Hawks of Frisco City, and Private Lelland S. Driscoll, son of Mrs. J. Driscoll of Frisco City, were graduated Oct. 11 from the Air Mechanics course of the Chanute Field branch of the U.S. Army Air Corps Technical Schools in Illinois. Driscoll and Hawks enlisted in the Air Corps Sept. 20, 1940 and are assigned to Eglin Field, Fla.

105 YEARS AGO
OCT. 26, 1916

Hallowe’en Party: Ghosts, spooks, goblins and witches too, all join in this message to you: Come take a stir at the witches’ brew, taste of the fortune cake with me, see what your fate for the year will be. Come to Eliska schoolhouse on Hallowe’en to spookiest party ever seen. Admittance 15 cents. Refreshments free. Saturday, Oct. 21, at eight o’clock.

MONROEVILLE-ATMORE BATTLE TO A DRAW – High School Teams Pull Off Hot Contest With Even Score: Sports lovers of Monroe County were given a real treat on last Friday in the football game between the local boys and the team of the Escambia County High School. The Atmoreites came with the run-away score of two weeks before fresh in their memory and were confident of another easy victory. The home boys with that same score as a thorn in the flesh had been doing some real work for two weeks and had trained with a determination to give a good account of themselves. They met their opponents, not overconfident but in a real football fighting mood. The teams were quite evenly matched, and from the jump the game was hotly contested.

Rev. A.J. Kempton has received a unanimous call to become pastor of the Baptist church at Roy for the ensuing year. Mr. Kempton has signified his acceptance of the offer.

Commissioners J.W. Davis of Jackson and W.J. Tompkins of Grove Hill, and Messrs. P.B. Bush and J.C. Hybart of Gosport, were here Tuesday inspecting our roads with a view to the construction of a modern highway connecting the county seats of Monroe and Clarke.

130 YEARS AGO
OCT. 22, 1891

Frost was reported in the early part of the week.

The weather is growing distressingly dry, no rain having fallen here for nearly two months, and wells are going dry. Many steam mills in various sections are forced to haul water great distances in order to keep their machinery in operation. Cotton is opening very rapidly and Nov. 1 will find practically all of it gathered.

A little nine-year-old son of Mr. Sirmon Dean was drowned last Friday at Mr. Elijah Gulsby’s mill, about six miles northeast of Monroeville. Mr. Dean, who was working at the mill, sent the little boy to get him a drink of water. Becoming alarmed at his delay, the father went in search, but found only the little boy’s hat floating on the pond. The water was quickly drawn off, and the little fellow’s body found at the bottom. The distracted parents have the heartfelt sympathy of the community.

Circuit Court will convene Mon., Nov. 16. The dockets both civil and criminal are quite heavy and it is probable that the court will extend far into the second week.

In the election of Hon. E.R. Morrisett as Captain last Monday, the Monroe County Corps made a wise selection. Capt. Andrews, the retiring Captain, surrenders the sword and epaulettes to a worth successor. Capt. Morrisett, we learn, accepted the election, upon which we congratulate the company.

The County Alliance meets in quarterly session at Buena Vista today. Messrs. Kolb and Adams were expected to attend.