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

Grady Gaston of Frisco City, at right on ladder.

29 YEARS AGO
JAN. 9, 1992

Frisco plant fire puts 272 out of work: Almost 300 people lost their jobs – at least temporarily – when the Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Co. plant in Frisco City was destroyed by fire Tuesday morning.
Sixty-five firefighters from seven departments battled the fire, which began just after 8 a.m. and was smoldering six hours later, according to Frisco City Fire Chief Larry Pugh. He said the fire “apparently started around an electrical panel in the shipping area of the plant, according to employees who discovered the fire.”

Four standouts on all-state lists: Excel High School’s Chris Casey, Ray Pharr and Steve Goodman and Frisco City High School’s A.J. White recently received post-season honors by being named all-state.
White, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound junior linebacker, was selected first-team linebacker by the Alabama Sports Writers Association and was listed as an honorable mention on the Birmingham News’ annual all-state team.
Goodman, Casey and Pharr were all first-team selections on the Birmingham News’ all-state team.

Preparing for trip: Monroe County’s Young Woman of the Year Katrina Keefer begins packing for her trip to the state pageant in Montgomery on Jan. 18. Miss Keefer, daughter of Larry and Meda Keefer of Monroeville, will leave tomorrow (Friday) and said she hopes her friends will remember her with cards and letters of support while she prepares for the pageant with other contestants.

54 YEARS AGO
JAN. 12, 1967

New 18-Bed Hospital Addition Is Now Open: An 18-bed addition to the Monroe County Hospital, which cost an estimated $364,000, has been completed and is now ready for occupancy, according to Harold Pittman, hospital administrator.
The hospital now has a total of 53 beds. Included in the new addition are two semi-private rooms and 14 private rooms. Construction work was started about the first of November 1965.
This is the first addition made to the hospital, which opened in April 1962, with a total of 35 beds. The extension was made to the two existing wings.

Patrick Henry JC Downs Jeff Davis: The Patrick Henry Junior College gained its second victory of the season Monday night with a 76-72 overtime win over Jefferson Davis of Brewton.
Leading scorers for Patrick Henry were Victor Norris and Melvin Middleton with 20 points each. They were followed by Steve Stacey with 13, Bobby Colquett with 17 and Larry Harris with 11.
Norris also led in rebounding with 17 and had help from Harris, who had 15.

Store, Post Office Destroyed By Fire: The Ike Williamson Store and post office at Megargel were destroyed by fire last Friday morning. The post office was located in the store.
Authorities reported that the fire was not discovered until the frame structure was almost totally destroyed.
The cause of the blaze was undetermined but postal authorities are continuing their investigation. The fire was reported about 1 a.m. Friday.

79 YEARS AGO
JAN. 8, 1942

FRISCO YOUTH MAKES GOOD AT SCOTT FIELD: Grady S. Gaston, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wattle S. Gaston, Frisco City, has been graduated with the new class in radio communications at Scott Field, Ill., according to an announcement made by Col. Wolcot P. Haynes, commandant.
The local youth, having been trained in all phases of radio work at the post, radio university of the army air corps, has been assigned to further duty at another station.
Scott Field is one of the Air Corps’ technical schools, which offers specialized training to enlisted men in the new army. After a regular course in radio, practically the equivalent of an advanced study at a commercial school, men are qualified to operate the radio sets necessary in the air force today.

Monroe High School Basketball Schedule – For All Home Games – Jan. 12, Evergreen; Jan. 20, Excel; Jan. 30, Uriah; Feb. 6, Frisco City; Feb. 12, Excel; Feb. 17, Frisco City.
The boys have begun work with a determination to have a winning team. The burden of having a winning team rests upon such prospects as Ted Easley, who played good ball for Red Level last year, Calvin Stevens, Francis McInnis, Charles Helton, Curtis Dean, Raiford Smith, Edgar Pullen, Landis McMillon, M.A. Barnes, Dan Jacobs, Newton Walston and others.
The girls team, under Miss Croley, a good player, as well as coach, is coming to the front rapidly. It is a joy to watch such sharpshooting artists as Misses Sylvia Parnell, Willie B. Parnell, Dot Simmons, Nelle Lee and others.

Miss Nelle Lee spent several days last week with relatives and friends in Atmore.

104 YEARS AGO
JAN. 11, 1917

The clearness of the atmosphere and mild temperatures Sunday night afforded most favorable conditions for observing the total eclipse of the moon. The lunar orb passed within range of the earth’s shadow at about 11:40, its disk first presenting successively a slightly flattened rim, full crescent and almost total obfuscation, which latter condition continued for some minutes, finally emerging again in full brilliance in the same gradual manner.

Mr. A.C. Lambert of Manistee was here Monday to deliver some of the excellent home-cured hams produced on his up-to-date farm. Mr. Lambert makes a specialty of Durocs, and it will be remembered, carried off several blue ribbons at the stock show last fall.

The first Sabbath of the new year was marked by material increase in attendance at the several Sunday schools of the town.

Mr. J.D. Rawls has removed his place of business from the Stallworth building on westside to the building next door to the post office on the north side of the square.

Mr. F.N. Grant was up from Uriah last week and treated himself to a brand new Ford. With his record crop of cane syrup and success in general farming, Mr. Grant resides on Easy street.

On Mon., Jan. 15, the date fixed by statute, Judge I.B. Slaughter will formally transfer to his successor, Mr. M.M. Fountain, the responsibilities involved in the administration of the office of Judge of Probate of Monroe County. Judge Slaughter has held this office for the last 12 years and retires from the position with the consciousness of having made an honorable record of which both he and his host of friends throughout the county have reason to feel proud.

129 YEARS AGO
JAN. 14, 1892

Copious rains have visited all sections of the county during the week. The creeks are out and the mails have been very irregular.

The prisoners who escaped from jail last week are still at large. Some of them, it is said, have been seen in the neighborhood of their homes, but have not been captured.

ROBBED ON THE HIGHWAY: Perdue Hill, Ala., Jan. 11, 1892 – Editor Journal, I was held up and robbed of $376 on yesterday evening near Limestone bridge on the Pine Orchard road by two white men. One of them is about six feet high and will weigh about 165 pounds and looked to be about 30 years old, light complexion, light hair and moustache and very quick spoken. The other is about five feet, eight inches high, weight about 145 pounds, dark complexion, dark hair and moustache, and has one or two front teeth out. They were both dressed in dirty clothes and had the appearance of tramps. I will give a liberal reward for their capture and confinement in the county jail. Please publish and ask other papers to copy. Respectfully, I.H. Spence.

We call the attention of the Commissioners’ court to the necessity of a bridge across the East prong of Limestone Creek on the road leading from Monroeville to Bermuda. This road is traveled by the U.S. Mail and citizens of the neighborhood, and in such weather as has prevailed for some time past, the crossing is both difficult and dangerous and at times impossible.