A look back

By Staff
Researched by Dr. Bill Stewart
The New Year sometimes brings important governmental changes. Most of the time, however, things stay pretty much the same.
1955 --Jan. 6, Hartselle will continue to have the mayor-council form of government in the New Year. Voters will remember that a little over a month ago they rejected a transition to a city commission by a wide margin. The referendum was widely interpreted as an effort (highly unsuccessful) to remove Mayor John Burleson.
1955 --Jan. 7, Former Alabama Governor Frank Dixon says he is strongly opposed to Governor-elect James E. Folsom's plans to propose a new state constitution.
1908--Jan. 8, Hartselle merchants have settled down to the New Year's business and are anticipating a big spring trade--much to the delight of city leaders anticipating higher business license revenue.
1916 --Jan. 9, Lovic P. Troup is Morgan County's new probate judge. He succeeds W. E. Skeggs who served in this position for 20 years.
1916 --Jan. 9, Morgan County, being one of the more affluent counties, paid more to the Alabama treasury than it received from the state last year--approximately $70 thousand paid in and about $65 thousand received back.
1910 --Jan. 10, Morgan County school students have better schools to attend than they did last year. Great improvements have taken place especially in the rural schools during the past 12 months.
1927 --Jan. 11, Motorists locally and around the state are now having to pay two cents more for each gallon of gas they add to their auto tanks. This makes the price of a gallon of gas frequently more than a quarter a gallon.
1908 --Jan. 12, The mandamus asked for by Mr. Woodward and others to compel Morgan County Probate Judge William E. Skeggs to issue saloon licenses in the Decaturs has been denied by Circuit Judge D. W. Speake. This means that this will be a very dry year (legally) in Morgan County.