Other Voices
THE NIGHT THEY SHOT OUT THE REDLIGHT IN SARDIS
By F. Leslie Jenkins Jr. Burke Banter Boy

These are more things I have remembered. Before 1934, all the streets in Sardis were dirt. No pavement existed until the highway was paved through Sardis north to Alexander and on to Waynesboro and south to Hiltonia and Sylvania.

My memory even reaches back to the time just a year or two before when travelers to Savannah didn't incur a paved road until they were in Chatham County, and that road was wide enough for only one car. When two cars met each would have to get two wheels off the pavement to pass. The same was true if one happened to be Augusta bound - just dirt until Augusta was reached.

The new paved road through Sardis brought much joy, more traffic and higher speeds. So, Sardis residents decided they had to deal with the problems created by this wonderful modern convenience.

The City Fathers voted to buy and hang a traffic light at the intersection of Railroad and Girard avenues. Soon up it went, Sardis' first traffic light. How modern can you get? What a great city we were becoming.

At the time of the installation of the light, Sardis had only two policemen, a day man and a night watchman - and they walked.

The day cop was either Frank Davies or Sarge Grange. The night watchman was Charlie Whitman.

As luck would have it, most drivers ran the red light purely by accident, but one day a brash young fellow ran it deliberately, not once but several times, and exceeded the speed limit each time.

The policeman made a case against him. Court was held and the mayor, who was also the judge, fined him a total of $5.00 plus costs.

He refused to pay the fine on the advice of his employer, Mr. Tom Smiley. The mayor instructed the cop to throw the young man in the calaboose. Upon rethinking the matter the fine was paid, but the story doesn't end there. Several nights later, the red light was shot out. Night watchman Charlie Whitman swore it was Tom Smiley who did the shooting. Another case ensued. This time it was against Tom Smiley, who was thought by many to be an outstanding and upright citizen, but, so I'm told, also the same person who had shot and killed two men. I am not completely sure of the outcome of the case, but I do know Mr. Whitman and Mr. Smiley traded some harsh words.

At any rate the light was repaired and served for many years, never to be shot out again. Today, we're proud to say only one traffic light still graces the streets of Sardis. It is in the same location. Today, Sardis has more than one policeman and they have patrol cars. They will still get you for running a red light. The fine is still $5.00, (adjusted for inflation). 70 years makes a difference.

Shortly after this event happened, a fellow came riding through Sardis on a motorcycle. He hung around a spell and became our first motorcycle cop. They called him "Geechee" because he was from the South Carolina Low Country. But that's another story.

The names of the active parties mentioned here have been changed, but otherwise the story is true.