Echoes of the Past is a collection of historical articles curated from The Virginian Review and other publications archived since 1914. You may be exposed to content that you find offensive or objectionable. For historical purposes and accuracy, articles are reprinted in their original, unedited form, and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the publisher.
100 Years Ago
September, 1923
Local Business Men Organize Kiwanis Club: R.B. Stephenson Chosen President of New Organization
Business Men of this city met last night in the social rooms of the Silk Mill and organized a Kiwanis Club.
A field representative of Kiwanis was present, as were about a dozen members of the Clifton Forge Kiwanis Club. After the meeting had been opened and the object of the club explained, the question of the election of officers was taken up, and the following were elected as officers and directors of the club:
Commonwealth’s Attorney R.B. Stephson was unanimously elected president; the Hon. George A. Revercomb, vice-president; R.C. Littleton, secretary, and C.R. Karnes, treasurer.
75 Years Ago
September, 1948
Skipper of Sunken Ship Rescued After Radar Locates Him in Bay
Shaken and weak from his exhausting nine hours in the waters of upper Chesapeake Bay, the rescued skipper of a sunken small freighter arrived in Norfolk today aboard an Old Bay Line boat and was met by his wife, mother, father and sister— bringing him clean, dry clothes.
Eyes were wet all around as Richard Christy, of Crisfield, Md., 34-year-old captain and part owner of the 55-foot C.A. Christy which was swamped by heavy waves south of James Island, embraced the members of his family in a cabin of the steamship City of Norfolk.
This vessel had discovered the boat captain shortly before midnight when it picked up an unexpected impulse on its radar screen. The C.A. Christy had swamped about 3:30 p.m., and the only other man on the boat, Carroll Clayton Evans, 18, also of Crisfield, had been picked up by the tug Hawsie B around 8 p.m.
Mountaineers Aiming for Winning Season
“I feel we possibly can have a winning season” Coach Ed Scott of the Clifton Forge Mountaineers said in a Sunday telephone interview about his team’s 1970 prospects. He feels William Byrd will be the team to beat in the Blue Ridge District this year.
Scott says he has decided on his starting offensive and defensive line-ups after observing his team in two game-type scrimmages, the most recent last week against Waynesboro.
Although some “little changes” have been made in the basic offensive and defense used by the Mounties last year, Scott says there is no major difference.
25 Years Ago
September, 1998
Sweet Springs Citizens Angry Over Juvenile Center Proposal
A proposal to build a juvenile detention center in Sweet Springs, W.Va., is still under study, a state senator told angry residents Thursday night.
Most residents of this small farming community that straddles the West Virginia-Virginia line 25 miles southwest of Covington have been in a furor since Monroe County commissioners and the Regional Jail Authority both approved construction of the 25-bed, $4 million juvenile facility last month.
The proposed detention center would house 18-to-21-year-olds convicted as juvenile offenders and it would be built on state-owned farmland near the Andrew S. Rowan Memorial Home. Nonetheless, Sen. Leonard Anderson, D-Summers County, told about 100 opponents that packed the former firehouse last night that construction of the detention center may never occur.
