100-year-old news headlines, highlights from The Wilcox Progressive Era in November 1922

St. Mary's Episcopal Church

Today marks the first Thursday of the month, so it’s time to take another trip back down memory lane for a look at some of the interesting things that happened in Wilcox County a century ago, way back in November 1922.

In the Nov. 2, 1922 edition of The Wilcox Progressive Era, publisher Stanley Clifford Godbold reported that “there are in and around Camden about 15 saw mills, three planing mills and two dry kilns for lumber. There is now awaiting shipment more than 1,000 carloads of lumber, which will be loaded and shipped and will bring the producers about $500,000, which is now tied up. A considerable amount of this money will remain here and go into circulation, and will help almost everyone, manufacturer, laborers, banks and merchants.”

Also that week, readers learned that “Mr. and Mrs. S.G. and Mr. and Mrs. Joe D. Springer were called to Tuscaloosa Sunday by the death of their brother, Jack, who was injured by a log rolling over a part of his body some days ago.”

In the Nov. 9, 1922 edition of the newspaper, under the headline “Historical Exhibit,” it was reported that “quite an interesting and historical exhibition of old and rare articles was shown at the Court House, during the Circuit Court session, by the ladies of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church of Camden. This exhibition was shown so our people can learn that Camden has some very interesting historical and valuable relicts.”

Also that week, it was reported that “Prof. Geo. Clark of Vredenburgh and Prof. Salter of Camden High School attended the ball game at Columbus, Ga. Saturday and were well-paid for the trip when they saw Auburn, their Alma Mater, win the game.”

In the Nov. 16, 1922 edition of the paper, readers learned that “Mr. C.A. Skinner, Camden agent of the L&N Railroad, says there was shipped from this depot in October, 64 carloads of lumber, 10 carloads of cotton seeds, nine carloads of cattle and 400 bales of cotton in October and 1,000 bales in September. Incoming freights are better than any time since he has been here. Passenger traffic is very good. The cotton receipts do not include shipments by the river and from Neenah and Estelle.”

It was also reported that week that “Robert E. Gordon, Esq., a leading attorney of Mobile, was in Camden, his birthplace and former home, last Monday and delivered a logical and eloquent address to a large number of county citizens, ladies and men at the courthouse, in behalf of support for the Mobile seaport amendment. He was warmly greeted by many friends, on his address, which was fine, and helped to carry the seaport amendment.”

In the Nov. 23, 1922 edition, it was reported that “Messers. Leon Spurlin, O.C. Weaver and Prof. Luckey motored to Greenville Friday to witness the Camden High School boys play Greenville a game of football. The game as lost to Greenville, 25 to 0.”

Also that week, readers learned that there “were 9,554 bales of cotton, counting round as half bales, ginned in Wilcox County, from the crop of 1922 prior to Nov. 1, 1922 as compared with 5,169 bales ginned to Nov. 1, 1921.”

The big news in the Nov. 30, 1922 edition of the paper appeared under the headline, “SNOW VISITS CAMDEN ON SUNDAY MORNING FOR SHORT PERIOD; COLD THROUGH DAY.” In that story, readers learned that “snow, in big juicy flakes, fell for more than two hours Sunday morning in Camden. For 20 minutes, the white flakes made almost a curtain and then for an hour or more fell with less fury. The snow flurry followed a night of frequent spells of sleet.

“Reports of the weather bureaus show that snow fell in many sections of the south Saturday night and early Sunday morning. The thermometer hit close to freezing during Saturday night and Sunday morning, and the weather continued cold and brisk throughout Sunday. The high point on the thermometer Sunday was 47 degrees.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. On the first Thursday of next month, I plan to take a look at the events of December 1922 in Wilcox County. Until then, if you get the urge to research the county’s past yourself, take advantage of the Alabama Department of Archives and History’s excellent selection of old newspapers on microfilm and other resources. Their friendly staff will be more than happy to get you started.