Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-03-26
GRAND BARBECUE
WEDNESDAY TO
CELEBRATE new
BRIDGE OPENING
Thousands Expected at Great CeIe
bratiOn at River People of 3
Counties Invited

A grand barbecue, to which the peo-
pie of all southwest Georgia and espec-
tally those of Sumter, Dooly and Crisp
counties are invited, will be held at
the new Flint river bridge, between
Americus and Vienna, next Wednes-
day, April 2, to celebrate the compile
ton and opening of the finest bridge
in Georgia.
This was definitely decided upon
Tuesday afternoon at a joint meeting
of the county board of Sumter and
Dooly counties at the bridge, at which
some of the final details of the project
were cleared up. The Dooly commits
sioners declared that all of Dooly
county would be at the barbecue,
bringing their share of the shoats and
eatables, and the Sumter commission
ers assured them that~this would be
we'll represented.
Chairman N. A. Ray, of the Sumter
board, stated that he had appointed
l.. A. Morgan, famous barbecue artist,
as superintendent of this feature of the
celebration and receiver of shots, and
the donation of about 16 pigs fer the
feast was announced at the meeting.
At the same time Mr.. Ray asked the
Times-Recorder to announce that ev-
evrybody is asked to attend and all are
expected either to furnish pig, weigh
ing between 40 and IS pounds, money
| for the purchase of pickles and bread,
! or a basket dinner. Reports on pig or
money donations are to be made to
Mr. Morgan
Plans are being made to entertain
several thousand people. The celebra-
ton will be held on the Dooly county
side of the bridge in the big grove,
where ample parking facilities for all
the automobiles in this section of
Georgia are available; where shelter
houses for the women and children
are handy; and where fast flowing
artesian well will provide water for
all.
A program of entertainment and
speaking will be arranged for the oc-
casion. Congressman Chas. R. Crisp,
of the Third district, has accepted an
invitation to make an address and 9TH
er features will be announced later.
The final fills in the approaches of
the new bridge were made Tuesday
afternoon, although limited traffic has
been allowed to pass over the struct-
ure by the use of planks at the ap-
proaches since last Saturday, and gen.
eral use of the bridge is now per-
mitted. Very little work remains to
be done about the structure, a few
finishing touches still to be added to
the ratings and the fills of the ap-
proaches to be widened slightly. The
last of the work will be completed be-.
fore next Wednesday and the convicts
gangs which have been camped there
for months building the bridge will be
ready to move. The convicts and their
overseers will be kept there, however
until after the barbecua 50 that thav
may have an opportunity of paticipat-
ing in it, This was decided on by the
commissioners as the best way they
could show the men their appreciation
for their good work
The new Flint river bridge is a
magnificent structure, characterized
by w. r. Neel, state highway engineer,
who recently inspected it, as the finest
bridge structure in Georgia. 1t is 100
feet long. of solid concrete except for
a huge steel span across the river
proper. 1t is above the high water
mark and will be monument to the
progressiveness of both counties for
generations. 1t cost the counties Joint
ly $1,000, according to latest figures,
exclusive of the convict labor which
was put into it, 1t is the only bridge
across the river between Albany and
Montezuma.