Today in Johnson City History, Monday, November 4, 2024
Farming thoughts, a ballot omission, football scores and more
Thursday, November 4, 1886: The Comet reported lots of agricultural news in this particular issue of the newspaper. “With cropping, save among exceptional farmers, farms grow poorer; with sheep they grow richer.”
“Colts and other young stock love the fresh air and sunshine as much as romping boys and girls.”
“To raise cattle you must get your land in good condition. There’s no use talking about doing it on barren fields.”
“When the turkeys are regular fed every evening they learn to come home, which is a very good thing for them to do.”
“Some farmers get discouraged at the low price of an article and stop raising it; the best plan is to keep at it and trust to the rise in price.”
“Most farmers have learned that cut hay or even straw wet and sprinkled with meal is better feed for working horses than whole grain and hay.”
“Try to raise something of almost everything, and hence if one thing falls another comes out well. We don’t believe in putting all the eggs in one basket.”
“No soil, no matter how rich it may be, is available for plant use until it is very finely pulverized. Hence, much crushing, stirring and culture are necessary.”
“A man, to succeed at anything, must give himself wholly to it; and one reason so many farmers drag along, barely keeping soul and body together, is that they have no high ideal of their calling.”
“He who intends to succeed in agriculture must be an early man; early in rising, early in getting in his crops, early in reaping them, early in meeting his men, early at fairs, early in markets, early at home and early to bed.”
“Grass responds surprisingly to top-dressings of manure or litter of almost any kind; and perhaps manure spread on growing grass is subject to less waste, goes farther and accomplishes more than it does by any other mode of application.”
“No good farmer will pasture his mowed fields much; some of the very best farmers we know do not pasture them at all. Better far grow a patch of corn-fodder to cut for your cows. If you want a good crop of hay next year don’t pasture the fields much now.”
Tuesday, November 4, 1924: One hundred years ago today, the Johnson City Chronicle reported election-related news. The dateline was Elizabethton and the date was November 3. Readers learned that “Political circles in this county expressed amazement learning that the name of E. E. Butler, candidate for state senator, had been left off the ballot and comment was freely made on all sides that the influence of his opponent with the election board caused the omission. A warning has been issued thorough the press, and just what the result may be has not yet been determined.
“C. L. Marshall, chairman of Republican headquarters for the first congressional district, stated that the matter had come to his attention and had been investigated as far as possible, and that he had found that even when the attention of the election commissioners had been called to the omission, they had refused to have the ballots reprinted, and that he had also found that representatives of Mr. Butler’s opponent, N. T. Perry, were going over Carter county (sic) advising the voters that thew (sic) had no right to write the name of any candidate on a ballot, and that to do so would result in the ballot being thrown out. ‘I can hardly believe any sensible voter would take any stock in this, however, ‘ said Mr. Marshall, ‘since the constitution gives this right, and a space is left on the ballot for that purpose.’”
Sunday, November 4, 1934: Ninety years ago today, the Johnson City Press reported several college football scores from the day previous. Some of those scores were as follows: Vanderbilt bested George Washington by a score of 7 to 6.
Georgia shut out Florida, 14 to 0.
Another shut out game was North Carolina over Georgia Tech. North Carolina scored 26 points.
Alabama beat Kentucky, 34 to 14.
Yale beat Dartmouth, 7 to 2.
There were three more shut outs featured. Illinois scored 7 over Army, Minnesota scored 34 over Michigan, and Pittsburgh scored 19 over Notre Dame.
Saturday, November 4, 1939: Eighty-five years ago today, the Johnson City Chronicle advised readers that “Law of the Pampas” was playing at the Liberty Theater, while the Majestic was showing “$1,000 a Touchdown.” “Mystery Plane” and “Phantom Patrol” were showing at the Sevier, and “Heritage of the Dessert” was playing at the Tennessee.
Saturday, November 4, 1944: Eighty years ago today, The Elizabethton Star, which is still in publication, reported that “Mrs. Dorothy Graham Morrell, wife of Roscoe Morrell, yesterday filed suit in circuit court for $10,000 for personal injuries allegedly received when she tripped on an uneven sidewalk September 25 in front of 301 Watauga avenue (sic).
“The pleading, filed by Atty. M. S. Bangs, lists injuries to Mrs. Morrell’s ‘arm, leg, back and internal injuries which have caused her extreme pain and expense of doctors, X-rays, hospitalization and disruption of her household duties.’
“Claiming that one block of the sidewalk was ‘several inches lower than the one next to it,’ and that this caused her to fall, the plea demands trial by jury.
“The Morrells live in an apartment in the Alex Shell home at Roan and F streets (sic).”
Friday, November 4, 1949: Seventy-five years ago today, according to the Johnson City Press-Chronicle, “Two children were treated at Appalachian Hospital late Wednesday for injuries sustained in their respective homes. They were released after treatment.
“They were Elaine Watson, three-year-old daughter of Henry Watson, city, route (sic) 2, whose right arm was caught in a washing machine wringer, and Mark Cooper, 13-month-old son of C. M. Cooper, 200 West Locust street (sic), who spilled a pan of hot peas onto his chest and arms.”
The Appalachian Hospital was the forerunner of Memorial Hospital, which was the forerunner of the Johnson City Medical Center.
Sunday, November 4, 1956: Big, black, bold headlines greeted the readers of the Johnson City Press-Chronicle. “Soviet Forces Attack Hungary”.
Monday, November 4, 1974: Fifty years ago today, the Johnson City Press-Chronicle informed readers that “Yesterday’s record-breaking high of 81 is hardly typical fall weather, but nonetheless, enjoyable.
“Moderate temperatures are in the forecast with a slight chance of showers today increasing to 70 per cent on election day.”
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