Memoried Glances: LaGrange in 1915 — Big prizes, officials prepare for Troup County Fair

Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 5, 2015

Memoried Glances

Julia Dyar

Contributing columnist

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Septembers past, 100 years ago.

From The LaGrange Reporter, 1915.

Front Page News

$2,500 to be Total Prizes — More and better displays and a large satisfied crowd ever day during the Fair week, Oct. 19–24, will be the results of the untiring labors of the men behind the 1915 Troup County Fair. Something like $1,500 will be given away in prizes for the best agricultural, poultry and cattle displays, and purses to the amount of $1,000 will be given on horse racing.

Mr. W. G. Cleaveland met with the directors of the Fair and arranged for the races to be held on Wednesday and Friday, three each of these days. The purse guarantees that the people of this section will be afforded the opportunity of seeing some of the best races possible and the cream of race horses from every part of the United States will come down to compete for the liberal prizes.

The county commissioners are considering the erection of an additional building at the fairgrounds.

Special Rates During Fair — All the railroads leading into LaGrange will arrange to give special rates during the big Troup County Fair, and this is expected to induce a large number of people to come here from a distance.

The genial agent for the A.B.&A. Railroad said, “I was a citizen of Savannah only a short time ago, but I am a full-fledged Troup County citizen now and you can count on me to help make this a highly successful year for the Fair.”

Such a loyal spirit is worthy of emulation. If every citizen of LaGrange will come in and offer to help the success of the Fair is assured.

Cotton Parade Wednesday — Mr. George Truitt made his annual cotton parade Wednesday morning about 9 0’clock. Eleven wagons carrying 44 bales of this staple were in the procession and the attention of all the people around the square was attracted.

Cannon Placed on New Base — The old wheels which bore the cannon at the foot of the monument on Court Square have worn out and this old firing piece is being placed on a new base of concrete about 2 1/2 feet high.

The newly constructed base promises to be good for a couple of centuries. The work is under the supervision of Mr. C. H. Sargeant.

LaGrange is Getting the Habit — The “Jitney Bus” habit has reached LaGrange. Already, one large, closed 45-horsepower Studebaker car has arrived in the city and has taken up a route between Dunson Mill and the Spinning Mill, a trip being made every hour. This is a 1916 model and four-cylinder car and can seat 16 passengers comfortably.

In about 10 days, two other large cars will be brought to LaGrange to complete the “Jitney Bus” force. They will be larger than the car that is here now, having a capacity of 20 passengers and will be run in another section of the city.

The cars belong to Mr. Walter Emery. They will be kept in the Troup Garage on Church Street.

High School Athletic Association Organizing — The boys of LaGrange High School and the seventh grade boys have organized an athletic association which should be of great interest to the people of LaGrange.

Strong, healthy, well-developed bodies are as necessary to good citizenship as strong, healthy, well-developed minds, and the two must go together to produce the all-around, perfectly balanced manhood of which the world is in need.

A program of clean, wholesome, outdoor sports for boys should now be encouraged by every lover of boyhood, and the parents and friends of these young men should extend a helping hand to them in the development of such a program.

High school authorities are now working with the students to raise money for proper uniforms for a football team.

Movement for Military Company Meets Favor — A considerable stir has been caused by the suggestion that LaGrange should have a military company again. The movement has met with general favor among the business men and the young men in the city.

As to the younger men, 93 have signed a list that has been circulated at the drug stores around town, to the effect that they will join a company if one is organized here. This is about 30 more than the number required and this number signed without any effort at all.

Dr. W. T. Herring, who has had much experience in organizing such a company, met with the proper authorities in Atlanta recently to get particulars about such an organization. He learned that at the present time there is not a vacancy in the state for a company, but there are several groups on probation. The adjutant general said that he would give LaGrange the first opening if a vacancy occurs.

Those who remember the old LaGrange Light Guards are excited about the possibility of such a group now. This famous old company once afforded much pleasure to its members as well as a constant source of pride for the city.

Julia Dyar, a retired journalist, is active in the Troup County Historical Society.