More old short stories and random facts

The Sheets Family

The Sheets family lived on Butler Street and was comprised of the parents and nine sons and daughters and their spouses. They all lived together in the one large home. In the evenings they played music on the balcony that entertained the city for hours. A gentleman named Walter Allen was their drummer.

The family owned Sheets and Son Lumber Company, which was located on the East side of the railroad tracks on Common (Main) Street.

Members of the family were: Father, Alfred Sheets, Sr. – born in Ohio in 1822; mother, Elizabeth Goulbourne Sheets, born in Ohio in 1828; Alphonse Masson Sheets 1846-1888; Edwin Fossett Sheets 1848-1913; Charles Weaver Sheets 1851-1932; Mary Goulbourne Sheets 1853- 1927; Frank L. Sheets 1855-1931; Harry Sheets 1857-1898; William Sheets 1859-1917; Hobart L. Sheets 1861-1938; Hattie Sheets 1864-?; Joseph Goulbourne Sheets 1866-?; and Alfred Sheets, Jr. 1869-1952.

The nine younger Sheets sons also organized and composed the first baseball team in Atlanta. John Walker often played as catcher with them; Mat Walker and Snow Groves also played. The pitcher was Park Nichols from Iowa.

Atlanta Mayors, the first 100 years

J. F. Christian was Atlanta’s first elected mayor, serving 1876 to 1879. L. J. Bailey was mayor from 1879-1881, at which time the records for all city elections were lost until 1887.

A list of mayors since 1887 and the dates they served includes: J.W. Groves 1887-1889; G. O. Albright 1889- 1890; J. K. Oden 1890-1891; R.R. Lockett 1891-1892; W. A. Scott 1892-1893; R. B. Baker 1893-1895; W. B. Figures 1895-1897; R. E. Boyle 1897-1899; W. F. Ford 1899-1901; H.F. O’Neal 1901-1902; R. J. Daniels 1902-1903; R.P. Dunklin 1903-1905; R.J. Daniels 1905-1907; L.F. Allday 1907-1913; John J. Ellington, Sr. 1913-1917; B.H. Singletary 1917-1921; T.A. Howe 1921-1923; S.C. Mays 1923- 1927; H.F. O’Neal 1927-1929; J.W. Hanner 1929-1931; Dr. D. C. Johnson 1931-1937; T.R. Richey 1937-1939; G.H. Chamblee 1939-1943; J.W. Hanner 1943-1947; Abe M. Mays 1947-1951; F. P. Ellis 1951-1963; W.M. Kennedy 1963-1969; Russell Alexander 1969-1971; Bonny E. Roark 1971-1973.

The Great Fire of 1887

Everyone has heard of the Great Chicago Fire that gutted Chicago on Oct 8-11, 1871. However, it is a little-known fact that there was also a “Great Fire of Atlanta” that occurred in 1887.

The Atlanta Fire was a series of fires which were intentionally set over a period of months and eventually destroyed a large section of the thriving young town.

The first account of the local fires, which was printed in a 1929 issue of the Citizens Journal and written by Mrs. A. W. Gorman, related the events as follows: “Two fire bugs invaded Atlanta in 1887, who seemed to have no motive for burning the town except to enjoy the surprise, distress and unrest of the citizens, and the thrill of seeing the fire and mixing with the excited population. There was not just one fire, but a fresh one in an unexpected place every few nights, without regard as to what kind of a house they stuck a torch to, it they could have a fire thrill. So promiscuous were the fires set in unexpected places that every part of the town was patrolled, and each resident kept watch over his own home.

“But in spite of all the precautions, the Porter livery stable on a most conspicuous corner was set afire and burned. On the southwest corner a saloon was kept in a house John Law had built, and a man slept in a room above. When the fire maniacs set it on fire, one of them climbed a porch column to awaken and get the man out.

“The old post office, kept by John O’Farrell when the town was in its infancy, was claimed by the fire, as was the last business bouse built by John A. Odell in 1875 when he went into the mercantile business.”

Although Mrs. Gorman failed to name the “fire bugs” or tell how their identities were learned or even what their punishment consisted of, evidently they were apprehended, eventually, because she added “the nerve strength of the people was almost to the breaking point before the culprits were discovered.”

The 1929 story concluded that “the fires seemed disastrous to the struggling young town trying to keep its head above the breakers. But what often is most discouraging and grievous at the time proves to be the silver lining as the cloud unfolds.”

To back up this claim, Mrs. Gorman noted that by 1929 brick buildings with plate glass fronts were standing where business houses had burned previously, and nearly all the new houses were made of brick as the old wooden structures were torn down.

Local Telephone Franchise Granted

An ordinance passed by the City Council in session, May 6, 1901, granted a contract to R.B. Walker and Associated, the right to construct and operated a telephone exchange in the City of Atlanta, Cass County, Texas, setting out rules of setting poles, erecting wires, maintaining and operating methods. Rates were set at $2.50 for business telephones and $2.00 for residence phones. Construction of the exchange to start within 30 days. The office was located above Hughes General Mercantile on Front (East) Street [where Luigi’s Restaurant is now located].

H.F. O’Neal, Mayor; J.B. O’Farrell, Secretary-Treasurer. Aldermen: B.H. Singletary. A. Crossley, G.W. Willis, J.T. Chamblee and Charles Carney.

First Ordinances of 1889

The first penal and civil ordinances of the city of Atlanta were published in book form and approved August 6, 1889. The law firm of W.T. Scott and Buck Baker was employed to codify these ordinances and prepare them for the printer.

Some of the articles are in part as follows:

Article 27: If any person shall ride or drive stock over the streets or alleys in a fast gait that a trot, pace or cantor, practicing physicians accepted, he shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not less than five nor over twenty-five dollars.

Article 19: No person shall sell any wares, goods, or merchandise at either private or public sale on any public street, alley, or sidewalk in this city, and any person violating this ordinance shall be found guilty of a misdemeanor and fined any sum not to exceed fifty dollars.

Article 57: If any two or more persons shall assemble in a public place within the corporate limits of this city on the Sabbath day and engage in any game with ball, marbles or other amusement, each shall, on conviction, be fined not to exceed ten dollars.