Snow, great gobs of it, fell steadily in Rome for five hours Wednesday afternoon a half century ago, indicating a white Thanksgiving Day Thursday. Some two inches fell, but most of it melted before the cold and clear holiday arrived, though the melted snow froze on the streets shortly after midnight.
Many Romans stated that they had never seen snow here as early in the fall, but refreshing their memories, they could recall some years before there was a half inch. The big snow of 1886 was less than a week later than the one currently fifty years ago. It began on December 3 and on the 6th 24 inches were reported. Ten inches fell January 19, 1893, and seven during the winter of 1911.
Thanksgiving passed quietly, with hundreds of turkeys roasted in Rome homes and church services were well attended.
In the afternoon a large crowd attended the football game between the Rome Athletic Club and the Highland Athletic Club of Chattanooga, which was won by the Rome players with the astounding score of 79 to 0.
In the unaccustomed surroundings of the former volunteer fire hall City Council had its regular meeting. The desks of the aldermen had been transferred from the big room across the hall because it was not sufficiently heated for comfort. Two fireplaces kept the smaller room cozy. It was true that the fireplaces smoked but so did most of the councilmen.
J.M. Ingram, of Kingston, made a claim against the city for $15 damages to his mule, which fell in a ditch in North Rome. The water committee reported in favor of extending the water mains on Branham Avenue in South Rome and appropriated $450 for sewer extension in the Seventh Ward.
Superintendent H.J. Arnold of the Rome Railway & Light Co. appeared before council to state that if Avenue A was paved within 1913, the company would tear up its street car tracks and build out Fifth Avenue, an unpaved street, to the West Rome trestle.
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The bodies of three small children were unearthed by workmen on North Broad Street, which was being rebuilt a half century ago. The bodies were in metallic caskets and they had evidently been buried many years before the Civil War. This portion of North Broad had once been a cemetery, as two other bodies had been found there prior to the current discovery while workmen were making excavations. A large crowd gathered. One of the bodies was in a splendid state of preservation. The caskets were almost rusted to pieces, but indicated the children had been of wealthy parentage. … While cranking his automobile, Dr. R.O. Simmons injured his hand, splitting the thumb and necessitating several stitches. … Mrs. J.E. Smith, of Silver Creek, wife of the pastor of the Lindale Baptist Church, was the victim of a painful and unusual injury when a glass jar of canned fruit exploded, badly injuring her hand. … Dr. Frank Cordle was painfully hurt while in Trion. He was being driven in a buggy to the depot when the horse became frightened and ran away, throwing the doctor from the buggy and causing a broken arm. …
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Romans read from London, England, that the possibility of an even greater war than that between the Balkan States and Turkey absorbed public interest. The warlike preparations of Austria were considered, as concerned England, to be appalling. England and France and Germany were striving to maintain peace among the powers.… Rome’s oldest citizen both in point of years and of residence, Judge Wilson Monroe Shropshire, 93, died at the family home on Sixth Avenue. For nearly 70 years he was a factor in the upbuilding and development of the city. … All this week fifty years ago motion picture people were in Rome taking pictures of the area, featuring the amusing antics of two Dutch actors. The pictures were to be shown in Rome and other cities. …
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