GENERAL NEWS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Newspaper: The DeFuniak Herald
The W. O. W Unveiling
The monument erected to the memory of our deceased sovereign S. B. Padgett, late a member of this camp, will be unveiled at Sandy Creek church on next Sunday, January 18th, 1914, at 12:30 o’clock p.m. All camps and visiting members are cordially invited to attend and participate.
Duncan Wilks
Clerk Camp No. 46, W. O. W.
Ponce de Leon, Fla.
—The DeFuniak Herald, Jan 15, 1914; Page 1.
In Memoriam
That duties faithfully performed merit recognition is well understood, and because of a fidelity to the welfare of our little Library through a long term of years, the membership of the Ladies’ Library Association wish to thus publicly comemorate the name and good works of Mrs. Melvina Banfil.
She was a charter member of the Association and for many years both president and librarian, and to her continual watchfulness and attendance much of the success of the growing institution was due. Always ready with help or advice, the membership looked to her as the mainstay of the Association, and that her later years were clowded with the loneliness and misunderstandings of a failing intellect only makes more bright and sweet the memory of her unfailing efforts to further the work of our organization during the prime of her womanhood.
We are also called on by an All Wise creator to mourn the loss of the Honorable Wallace Bruce, a life honorary member, who contributed many choice volumes to our collection. What he meant to this community can only be appreciated to the full in the years that are to come, but in our hearts the memory of his encouragement and approval will ever remain. “Gone! Yes, but only on, The infinitudes of God to cos.”
- Mrs. N. Manning, Pres’t.
- Pearl E. Stanley, Sec’r.
—The DeFuniak Herald, January 22, 1914; Page 2.
THE HIGHWAY
The hard road camp is located on the Glendale road, across the Old Mill creek, about a mile and a half north of town. The Herald walked out to the camp over the right-of-way Tuesday and found the men–about eighteen in number—in charge of “de walkin’ boss,” busily engaged in putting up tents and getting ready to commence active work on the road the next day.
The crew is in charge of Messrs. Gaddis and Noble. We did not see either of these gentlemen as they happened to be in town on business, but their “walkin’ boss” is a very intelligent colored man, who was able to tell us a whole lot we didn’t know about road-building.
The route of the road on which the crew is now at work runs through the west side of Mr. Hugh Prescott’s field.
—The DeFuniak Herald, December 19, 1912; Page 3.
Laban Martin, who edited the “Signal” in DeFuniak Springs twenty years ago, was in the city a day or two the first of the week. “Labe” is now in the tombstone and monument business, and doesn’t look a day older than he did the first we saw him. He looks as if he might be good for a hundred years yet, which is another proof of the truth of the old adage that “Only the good die young.”
—The DeFuniak Herald, December 19, 1912; Page 3.
A bunch of Gypsies were camped in the court house yard for several days the past week.
—The DeFuniak Herald, December 26, 1912; Page 1.
Mr. W. Crawford, knowing the editor’s fondness for the ‘possum, brought us the biggest and fattest one last Saturday that we ever saw. Weighed about twenty-two pounds, and as fat as butter.
—The DeFuniak Herald, December 26, 1912; Page 1.
The editor of this fierce and un-terrified periodical was too poor to afford a turkey for Christmas this year, but our old friend Cilty Crawford, from over on Alaqua, brought us about the biggest ‘possum last Saturday we have “ever hiern tell of.” The aforesaid marsupial will grace our table just as soon as our father gets down from Birmingham, which will probably be next Thursday.
The DeFuniak Herald, December 26, 1912; Page 1.
Boys Corn Club School
A Boys’ Corn Club School will be held at Columbia, S. C., at the time of the meeting of the National Corn Show, January 27th, to February 8th, 1913. Two boys from every county in the Southern States are eligible to attend. More than 1000 boys are expected. Arrangements have been made for caring for the boys in every way, even to the best of medical attention. The boys will be assembled in groups of 20 and placed directly under a man charged with their care. Reduced rates have been secured from the following named places to Columbia and return:
- Jacksonville……….$ 9.65
- Lake Butler………… $11.20
- Lake City…………… $9.90
- Madison……………. $10.05
- Pensacola…………. $17.05
- Plant City…………… $15.35
- River Junction… $12.20
- Trilby…………………. $14.60
The expenses after arriving in Columbia will not exceed $12.00 for everything. It would be an easy matter to raise the small amount necessary to send one or two boys from each county. Almost every citizen would contribute.
The school will be conducted under the auspices of the Exposition and the United States Agricultural Department authorities. The school will be one of instruction and pleasure. The State Agent of the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs will be there and look after the Florida boys.
Every county in Florida having a Boys Corn Club should be represented at this great gathering of boys from all over the South.
—The DeFuniak Herald, December 26, 1912; Page 1.
BIG LAND DEAL
Concerning the sale of fourteen thousand acres of land in northwest Walton county, to be used for colonization purposes, the Pensacola Evening News of last Thursday has this to say:
West Florida lands are selling now like hot cakes on a cold morning, and with each and every sale an increase in the value of the property in this section of the state is noticed. Recent deals evidence the fact that the capitalists and promoters who have been developing other sections of the country are now directing their efforts to this section of the South, especially West Florida.
The very latest of the big deals involving West Florida acreage was that which was consummated in Florala last night by John Allyn Campbell, of Chicago and W. M. Cram and Henry Hollman, of Berlin, Ont., the latter two representing Canadian colonizers. Mr. Campbell, who is a very frequent visitor of Pensacola by reason of the fact that he is the holder of much West Florida land, arrived here this morning in company with the Canadian buyers, and to a few of his most intimate friends made known the facts that he had disposed of fourteen thousand acres of land in Walton county, near Crestview.
The tract includes the town of Garden City, a new settlement that is being developed by Mr. Campbell, and an area of land extending for seven or eight miles on both sides of the railroad extending from Crestview to Florala. It is understood that the lands brought from five and a half to seven dollars an acre, averaging six dollars an acre for the whole tract. $84,000 in cash changed hands.
WILL COLONIZE LANDS
The big tract of Walton county land was purchased by a number of rich German farmers in Berlin, Ontario, Canada, through Mr. W. M. Cram, an attorney of Berlin and Henry Hollman, also of Berlin. When seen this morning
by an Evening News representative Mr. Campbell, who is land agent for the Mobile and Ohio railroad, having headquarters in the Congress Hotel, Chicago, stated that the purchasers of the lands are well to do. Many of them
will move to this section to develop their land. Mr. Cram, the purchasers attorney, who arrived here this morning with Mr. Campbell, will leave tonight for Berlin, Ontario. Mr. Hollman left this morning. Mr. Campbell, however, will remain here for several days.
—The DeFuniak Herald, January 4, 1912; Page 2.
Mr. Archie Ray, of Rat Head, was visiting in the city [DeFuniak Springs] Saturday.
—The DeFuniak Herald, January 1, 1913; Page 1.
An Augury
If Newyears Day dawns faire and cleare,
It doth betide a happy yeare;
But if, perchance, it then should raine,
It doth make deare all kinds of graine.”
This is an old English rhyme which probably means about as much as “Chick-my-craney-crow,” but who shall attempt to say how many people anxiously regard the state of the weather each Newyears Day as an augury of the succeeding three hundred and sixty-five days? We confess to being just confortably superstitious, as any fellow has a perfect right to be who was raised in the “back woods” of middle Alabama. We are not quite so superstitious now as we used to be, nor can we now recall to mind one half the “signs” and omens with which we were perfectly familiar thirty years ago. It is now possible for us to pass a graveyard at night without an attack of “buck ague,” and we can even listen to the inspiring twitter of the screech-owl without conjuring up a string of dire consequences “too numerous to mention.” We can now look at the new moon over our left shoulder with a perfectly steady nerve, yet we wouldn’t have been guilty of such wanton recklessness thirty years ago for a page advertisement and a dozen cash subscribers.
“Signs” never failed in those days. If a dog howled at night, and there wasn’t a death in the neighborhood within three days, it simply proved that the neighbors were contrary. It didn’t injure the reputation of the “sign” a particle.
But most of the delightful superstitions of our boyhood have gone glimmering. Our little city has been very aptly termed “The Boston of the South” on account of the superior intelligence and refinement of its people. For twenty years we have lived in DeFuniak, shed our dazzling intellectual radiance over its people, attended the Florida Chautauqua, and imbibed culture and other family groceries till we have shed most of the entrancing superstitions that clustered around our early youth. We have actually absorbed “culture” till we could scrape it off our person with a splinter and have come to regard even the existence of a “bogie man” with a great deal of skepticism. But we still cling to our fondness for possum and buttermilk, and hold to our belief in the auguries of Newyears Day with a tenacity that would do credit to the most confirmed haruspices of ancient Rome, and we are not going to believe that a day as perfect as this Newyear could be the harbinger of anything but the year of happiness and prosperity that such a perfect day should portend, and to show our faith by our works, we shall today have for dinner at Chateau de Cleveland a feast of hog jowl and peas, as this is said to be a potent charm against evil spirits, “hants” and other vermin.
To all of our readers we extend our heartiest wishes that the year may contain all of the perfection of happiness of which such a beautiful day should be typical. May you be prosperous enough, and honest enough, to pay your debts, thus enabling the other fellow to pay his, so that we may all enjoy a happy new year.
—The DeFuniak Herald, January 1, 1913; Page 2.
Hon. John H. Pedigo, speaking of the trials and tribulations of the country editor who only has about ‘steen pounds of type with which to set his paper, tells this one on Lee Payne of the Touchet Pioneer: A tramp printer dropped into the office and Lee put him on the case. Then the editor rolled up his sleeves, took a hitch in his belt and began grinding out two and three liners chronicling the fact that Gaiser, Hanson, Harmon, Seachris, Pritchett and a score or more other notables had visited Walla-Walla on certain days of the week. “I am out of cap W’s,” remarked the printer. “Change Walla-Walla to Garden city,” remarked the editor. In an hour or so the printer made known the fact that the cap G’s were exhausted. “Change Garden City to county seat, lower case,” said the managing editor,” who continued grinding until his usual two columns of departures for and returns from Walla-Walla were completed.
— Exchange.
—The DeFuniak Herald, January 1, 1913; Page 2.
The Grand Jury
To the honorable J. Emmet Wolfe, Judge of the Circuit Court of the First Judicial Circuit of Florida in and for Walton County.
We, the Grand Jurors of the State of Florida, lawfully selected, empanneled and sworn, inquiring in and for the body of the county of Walton, having completed our labors at the Winter term of the Circuit Court for said county, respectfully beg leave to present this our final report and ask to be discharged. We have diligently enquired into matters that have come to our attention, and in all cases where the evidence justified it we have found true bills in all other cases we have found no bills. We have examined into the manner and method of conducting the public business in the Court House and in the County Jail. We found that the officers having offices in the Court House keep their records and papers in a neat and businesslike manner. We would recommend, however, that the tax collector be provided with a suitable vault in which to safely keep the records and papers of his office. In the event of fire the records and papers of his office would be a severe loss to the county. We also found that the county jail is neatly and cleanly kept, the prisoners are well fed and cared for. We also visited the poor farm of the county and found that the farm is properly conducted and everything kept in a sanitary condition. We found there are seven inmates at the farm and that the sum of $56.00 per month is set apart for the up keep of these people. This small sum is entirely inadequate for this purpose. Some of the inmates are invalids and all of them are entitled to more than they are getting. We would recommend that the board of County Commissioners set apart and provide at least $10.00 per inmate per month for their upkeep, totaling $70.00 for the upkeep of the seven inmates now at the farm. The invalids at the farm are also in need of medical attention; two of them are kept in one small room from which an offensive odor comes. These two inmates could be separated and separate rooms provided for them. Also, there is need at the farm for three additional comforts, three bedsheets, three pillow slips and one chamber. These things should be provided by the board of County Commissioners at once. We wish also in conclusion to thank the officers of the court for the many courtesies and attentions show us in our deliberations.
Respectfully submitted,
- Allen L. Hart, Foreman
- W. F. Hall, Clerk
—The DeFuniak Herald, January 22, 1914; Page 1.
Contributed by Michael Strickland