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

USS Pocono

34 YEARS AGO
NOV. 5, 1987

Dry spell, arson killing many trees: Arsonists and dry weather have taken a heavy toll on Monroe County’s forests. One of the largest fires in memory destroyed trees on hundreds of acres below Frisco City Monday and Tuesday, and two firefighters were injured.
Gary Cole, county supervisor for the Alabama Forestry Commission, said Tuesday night that 28 forest fires had been reported in the county since Friday morning, including 23 thought to be intentionally set.
Although damage assessments were not complete Tuesday night, Cole estimated that 400 to 600 acres of trees had been destroyed – a word that he does not use loosely.
“This was probably one of the biggest fires in Monroe County’s modern forestry history,” he said. “I’ve been here 12 years, and this is the biggest fire we’ve had.”

Repton gets win at Blacksher in second half: Senior tailback Carl Stanton scored a pair of touchdowns in the second half to lead Repton to a 13-0 victory over J.U. Blacksher High Friday at John Sawyer Memorial Field at Uriah.
Repton’s offense, which was stymied by Blacksher’s gambling defense through the first half, took advantage of Stanton’s two big plays in the second half to raise its win-loss records to 7-3 on the season and 2-1 in the 1A Area 2 standings.
(Other top Repton players in that game included Robert Douglas, Chris Lane and Leon Rudolph. Top Blacksher players included Winston Jaye, John Kline, Joel Lambert, Mike Lambert, Johnny Morris, Anthony Nero, Anthony Norris, Craig Sims and Wayne Stacey. H.L. Watson was Repton’s head coach, and Keith Cardwell was Blacksher’s head coach.)

59 YEARS AGO
NOV. 1, 1962

New Mortuary Is To Be Built Here: Plans covering the construction of a new funeral home in Monroeville were announced this week by Julius Johnson.
The funeral home will be located two miles south of Monroeville on Highway 21 and will be 160 feet off the paved highway. A flower shop will be built adjacent to the funeral home.
Construction is scheduled to begin right after Nov. 23 when bids will be opened. Present plans call for the building to be completed within six months from time construction begins.

MCHS Tigers Down Grove Hill 13-7 Friday: The Monroeville Tigers rolled to their fifth consecutive victory and their sixth of the current season by a score of 13-7 over Grove Hill.
On the third play from scrimmage, Tiger halfback Andy Andrews tore off left tackle and raced 65 yards to score.
(With a few minutes left in the game, with MCHS trailing 7-6, fullback Coy Tatum scored the winning touchdown, and Louie Hayles added the extra point. Other top MCHS players in that game included Calvin Brown, Larry Godwin, Paul Griffen, Tim Jones, Rudy Nettles and Ray Owens.)

Frisco Citian Serves Aboard USS Pocono: Marine Cpl. Seaborn A. Smith Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Seaborn A. Smith of Route 2, Frisco City, is serving with battalion landing team 2/6, embarked in the amphibious command ship USS Pocono, which took part in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) fall training maneuvers Sept. 23 to Oct. 3 in the Mediterranean.

84 YEARS AGO
NOV. 4, 1937

Mr. Wilbur Owens, formerly of Evergreen, is making preparations for the opening of a store in the Brantley building across the street from the First National Bank. He will carry a complete line of International Harvester parts and machinery.

Monroeville Wins From Frisco City: Coach T.C. Huckabee’s Monroeville Tigers won a hard fought game from Frisco City last Friday night, making the fourth victory for the season.
Monroeville kicked off to Frisco City, and they were held when Frisco City punted, and Captain Joe Carnathan carried the ball 53 yards for the first Monroeville touchdown. The score for the game was Monroeville 47, Frisco City 0.
Johnson Lathram and Joe Carnathan were the outstanding players for the Monroeville team.
Monroeville has won over Wallace, 32-0; Uriah, 33-0; Excel, 6-0; and Frisco City, 47-0.
The Monroeville team will play Camden at Camden Friday night, Nov. 5.
A game which is creating much interest is the one between Monroeville and Beatrice, to be played Fri., Nov. 12, in Beatrice. This game will determine the county championship.

FISH FRY: Every ex-serviceman in Monroe County is invited to attend a fish fry, to be given by American Legion Post No. 61 on Tuesday night, Nov. 9, at the new Legion Hangar. Be sure to come and have a night of fun and a good fish supper. Only ex-servicemen invited.

110 YEARS AGO
NOV. 2, 1911

Ground was broken on Wednesday, Nov. 1, for the erection of the County High School building. Excavations are now being made for laying the concrete foundation for the main walls. Contractor W.E. Ward is superintending the work in person, which is equivalent to saying that it will be an honest job. Mr. Ward says the work will require about four months to complete provided weather conditions are favorable and there are no unforeseen delays in procuring necessary materials.

Death of Hon. N.A. Agee: Noah Alfred Agee, one of the oldest and best known citizens of South Alabama, died at his home in Selma on Thursday morning, Oct. 26, aged 84 years. Mr. Agee was born at Claiborne, Monroe County, and resided at that place all his life until about eight years ago when he removed to Selma. He was prominent in public life in the county for many years. He was elected to the lower house of the general assembly of Alabama in 1853 and to the state senate in 1857 and was one of the ablest and most active members of those bodies. He was admitted to the bar in 1850 and practiced law in Monroe and adjacent counties until the infirmities of age prevented him from longer engaging in active work.
Mr. Agee was a profound scholar, a deep and original thinker and was gifted as a writer.
For a number of years prior to and after the war, he was connected with the state press, editing for a time the “Claiborne Southerner,” a newspaper which wielded an extensive and potent influence in its day, and holding a similar position in the early 70s on the “Monroe Eagle,” also published at Claiborne. The love for newspaper work acquired in early manhood never forsook him, and had he devoted himself exclusively to the profession he would doubtless have won distinction as one of the foremost editors of the state.

134 YEARS AGO
NOV. 4, 1887

The first frost of the season was noticed on the 31^st.

EXPLANATORY – We are considerably delayed in issuing The Journal this week by circumstances over which we have no control. Our weekly supply of paper arrived several days behind time, which unfortunate circumstance we as sincerely regret as any of our readers. We hope it will not occur again.

Rev. T.J. Peacock, Grand Lecturer, closed a series of Masonic lectures in the lodge at this place Monday.

Mr. A.B. McCorvey, Carlisle’s popular postmaster, was in the city this week.

County court will convene Monday. The fall term of the circuit court will convene on the 14^th inst.

Judge Sowell has recently had a new roof put on the White House.

BUENA VISTA: Messrs. Jno. W. Pharr and Jas. T. Finklea started out last Sabbath evening for a pleasure drive, but, to their sad disappointment the horse became frightened and ran away with them. Mr. Pharr received some serious wounds about the face and neck, but we trust he sustained no permanent injury. “Jimmie” was more fortunate as he sustained no injury at all, and suffered no less except perhaps a few buttons – only gained a little swift experience.

President Cleveland has issued his annual Thanksgiving proclamation, designating Thurs., Nov. 23, as a day of thanksgiving and prayer.