Thursday, June 23, 1938
(EIjf (Chmikrr ?rmxt
Official Organ of Murphy and Cherokee County,
North Carolina
PI BUSHED FI ERY THURSDAY
AtUered in Hie Post Office ai Murphy, North Carolina,
w second class matter under Act of March 3, 1891.
SAM CARR Editor
I. A. LEE Ouner and Business Manager
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Muiphy. North Carolina. Thursday. June 2J. 1933
OUR PRESSING NEED
A authority on conununity betterment planning recently
visit, d Cherokee county. In connection with his
duties he discussed a number of pohlcms designed to make
Murphy and Cherokee county more advantageously aces.
Sible t North Carolina's swelling tourist trade.
Many logi al deductions wer made which ill time.
ie ?ciroiii.i lti-rtvp Vfiv foeneficial to the county.
n praviiww ,
Ijitcr when the survey is ciM.if.ktc:! it '? planned to pre
sent i: in detail in an effort to follow out the theoretical
principles proposed.
But on important problem which was appa rontly j
overlooked. <>! which iliil not come under the jurisdiction
< r the proposals, is the local highway situation.
It has l,i n repeat idly pointed out that Murphy serves
.
as a hut'" of five important main highways. Inasmuch
as four of the?** b ad directly into the state, visitors gain j
th ir first impressions of North Carolina here.
Two of the most important of the five highways are
ir a sad state of affairs, and another, fortunately, will \
< u be opened to take care of all kinds of traffic.
hlb fere nee is specially made to the highways leading
int.. Murphy from Georgia and Tennessee. The condi:
?>n the Culberson-Blue Ridge road has often been i
brought to attention in the past. The Duektown Basin |
highway f rom tin* state line to Ocoee is also unpaved an !
uninviting to the tourist.
At long last it appears that improvements on the
Ashevil'e highway will soon be ended and that traffic will
flow from that section unimpeded But at Murphy i s
entic ment ends.
It appears that, no matter what iho kick may be
against th,. North Carolina highway division, they hav
more than met their obligations to the neighboring stat-of
Tennessee and Georgia.
Th fiist aim of Cherokee county citizens, therefore,
should be to implore the Surrounding states to improve
their highways leading to North Carolina's state line; and
in that one movement, it is felt, Cherokee county's most
pressing problem will have been met.
As for the road leading to the Hiwassce Dam, extensive
improvements can be expected soon. At least we
hope so!
mr 9 * * *
A NEW "COMMUNITY BUILDING"
It appears at this time that Murphy will soon have
its long-awaited community building, gymnasium, public
building, or call it what you will.
Many have generously loaned their cooperation to
this project. The county and town of Murphy have
agreed to jointly sponsor the project. Definite plans for
the project have been dawn; and the fedeal appropriation
at this time seems a certainty.
It is hoped soon to give more complete and detailed
information to this important public building.
Roughly the sketcho f the project includes a large assembly
room appropriate for a public gathering or basket- I
hall court; a kitchen; several smaller adjoining rooms that'
/ on k/> ni'/irl ? ? . ? * *
uovu iui a iiujiiuci ui purposes, ana snowers.
INFANT DEATH RATES IN CHEROKEE COUNTY
The ever-interesting University of Nothr Carolna
"News Letter" presents, in its most recent issue, some
figures very flattering to Cherokee county.
According to a table Cherokee county ranks second
of the hundred counties of the state in low rate of child
mortality during the year 1936. There were 443 births
rerorded in this county during that year. Of this number
14 died giving the county a death rate of 31.6 per
1,000 births. The lowest county had a death rate of
29.1, and rates increased for the 100 counties to 123.8.
An interesting note accompanying the table stated:
I "Note especially the low death rate in most mountain
counties and high rates in many extreme eastern counties."
Thus one gathers from this table that the old, moun.
tain country is still a mighty fine place to live.
The Cherokee Scout, Murphy, North G
ANTI RANSOM LAW IN KIDNAPING DISCUSSED
Most of us will expi rience a sorrowful gratification
at the speed with which the death sentence was meted
ut by the Florida court to the kidnaper and murderer of
:> vear-old "Skecgie" Cash. Coming as it did only nineteen
days after the kidnaping was discovered, it seems
likely that a new record has been set in cases of this
character.
Meantime, the succession of brutal kidnapings
throughout the country is bringing home to all of us the
validation that, even with the splendid work of the Fed
lal men worthy of all the praise it receives, a kidnaping
case that is marked "closed", with the victim dead, is
i r-'. i d siiiv wav hut hannilv or iustlv.
Observers of our difficulties with this particular
phase of crime are more and more strongly averring
that, r;o matter how proficient our agencies for tracking
down the heartless kidnapper, the necessity for their activity
will continue to arise so long as there is a chance
for the criminal to exort money in the process. There is
no way to remove the possible profit element, in this view,
except to make it illegal to pay a ransom.
The regulation would naturally stop the practice, in
which both local officials and Federal men for obvious
and creditable human reasons join, of giving the kidnaper
a sort of official "King's X" until the family of the victim
lias made contact and, if possible, paid a ransom for
the return of a loved one.
Canadian police enforce regulations to this effect,
r.nd this position seems to us to be worthy of the consid.
; ration of our legislators. Certainly we are not doing a
very good job on the basis we are on and if there is a
possibility of improvement it may be wise to try new
measures.
.
In a nutshell, the changes proposed would seem to
pose thL. question. "Is it worth while to subject n fe\*
parents and a few kidnap victims to the extra hazards
which these changes would mak inevitable, with the hope
that this extra hazard would become a lasting contribution
to the greater safety of others who also might be threatened
with the cruel menace of kidnaping??Knoxville
Journal.
THF N ANT AH Al A N ATIHN A1 PORF^T
A great deal of interesting material i.s being distri- J
hutcd free lately by the officials of the Nantahala Nationa1
Forest.
It is significant to note thatthe Nantahala National
Forest i.s coming rapidly to the front as one of the most
publicized and one of the most delightful governmert
conservation and recreation grounds in the country.
The literature descibes, for the most part, the many
attractions to be found in its confines.
Few of us who live in or near the Nantahala National
Forest realize the many wonderful opportunities it offers
for picnicing and camping, firgin timber, fishing and hunting
and its gorgeous scenery.
The Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, the John B.
Rryne Memorial tower, the Winding Stairs with its high,
mountain waterfalls?these and many more attractions
await but a short visit to thrill any lover of nature.
Information and literature may be obtained by writ,
ing to Ranger William Nothstein at Andrews, N. C., or
to the Nantahala National Forest headquarters, Franklin.
N. C.
Let's tell our friends of the awe-inspiring Nantahala
National Forest.
"TAKE CARE OF TODAY"
Our friend, G. W. Candler, submitted this article
under the above caption which he recently found in an issue
of "The Dixietvoe":
"Once a famous writer wrote,? "Our grand business
undoubtedly is: not to seek for that which lies dimly in the
I future, but to do that which lies clearly at hand."
Now isn't that good, plain common sense. Such adIvice
is worth listening to, for if the business man of today
could banish his fear of what tomorrow might bring, we'd
all see a different trend of affairs in today's business
world.
"We hear of wars, and rumors of wars. We heaT
of ruinous government regulations, and of unheard of
taxation. We hear of labor movements, political battles,
and business monopolies.
"So we sweat and stew ami cramp our wee minds
full of fears for the future. When all in the world we
reed to do is to quit worrying about tomorrow and do
the task of today.
"Let that which is dimly in the future take care of
itself. Let us be concerned with that which lies clearly
at hand. Thus shall we save ourselves a passel of gray
hairs and replace our worried minds with peace and
contentment"
arolina
J. T. Hayes, c
Second Olde^
In Nation, Rc
Has Served Actively in
Than 56 Years; Fathei
The distinction of being: the second
oldest postmaster, from the standpoint
of service, in the United States
belongs to Jefferson T. Hayes, of Tomotla.
Cherokee county, who has ser.
ved actively in that capacity for
more than 56 years.
When the post office was established
some few years before 1860,
Mr. Hayes* father, George W. Hayes.
Sr., was appointed first postmaster.
The post office was discontinued dur
ing the War between the States how.
ever and George W. Hay is, Jr., served
as postmaster from its re.establishment
in 1868 until 1870.
These facts and liianv interest inc
phases of the colorful life of the
Haves family were divulged recently
when Mr. Hayes* record of service
was called to the attention of Wythe
M. Peyton, Ashevilie postmaster and
president of the North Carolina Association
of postmasters.
Mr. Peyton inquired of the post
office <i partment at Washington, DC.?
to see if Mr. Hayes was the oldest
postmaster from the standpoint of
service, but is was learned that a i
woman in Oxford, Mr., has been serv-1
tag since May 9. 1877 and holds the |
record.
Lives In Old Home j
Mr. Hayes, now 75, lives on the
original Hayes homestead which was ,
built in 1855, and which has housed ,
thy post office ever since. Ton otla.
r. rural community, is five miles east'
of Murphy on the Ashevilie highway. |
The postoffice serves between 35 and :
-10 families.
George W. Hayes, Sr., settled in
Tomotla in 1855. Several years later
the post office was established b> i
serve a large rural co nun unity, and
Mr. Hayes was named postmaster. |
In 1861, however, it was necessary
to discontinue the post office during
the War between the Suites when
acts of lawlessness were prevalent.
Tho elder Hayes went to war. He
was captain of the 22nd North Caro- j
liiia cavalary, and formed the second
company. He served from 1861 until!
IXAS A f ? *- ? * 1
..vine mi xuuougn. lio saw
l ho need for added protection for
women and children. So he began n
tedious trek to Raleigh to attend a
session of the general assembly. Stopping
over in Franklin, however, he.
became seriously ill and died.
From 1808 until 1870 George W.
Hayes, Jr., acted as postmaster. He
gave up the position to attend the
University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill.
Tells Of Experiences
When "Jeff" Hayes took over the
post office in 1882, it was one of the
few in Western North Carolina, although
post offices had been established
in Murphy and at Valleytown
(now Andrews) a distance of 18
miles.
In a recent letter to Mr. Peyton,
Mr. Hayes pointed out many of the
interesting changes that have taken
place in his post office and in the
United States mail service since that
time.
Back in those days the mail was
carried from Ashcville to Franklin
one day, and on to Murphy the next. I
This two-day service was contrasted
with the six hours it requires a letter t
to be carried between these two j
points today.
"Then we had no central o~ 4 ^
uvvuuai* I
ing office," Mr. Hayes said '"At the
end of each quarter we settled up
with the mail contractor. If I was
due the government anything I paid
it to the mail contractor and took his
receipt for it- In turn I took his receipt
and sent that in with my quarterly
report. Then we got 60 per cent
of all the stamps we sold. The mail
was all in one big bag. I had to look
over all the mail to find out what was
Murphy."
"I was allowed 15 minutes to sort
the mail end many cold nights we
gave the mail carrier a cup of hot
coffee and something to eat while he
waited for the mail to be sorted."
Not until the Southern railway was
built through the Nantahala gorge
and extended to Tomotla did the
horseback rider mailman give way to
more modern rueiiiods.
Many tales of hardships that the
horseback carriers had to suffer are
recalled by Mr. Hayes. "A number of
times," he said, " I had to knock his
(tho mail carrier's) feet loose from
>f Tomotla, Is I
>t Postmaster I
icords Reveal I
This Capacity For More I
r Was First Postmaster 1
he frozen stirrups of his saddle. I
Citizen Was Weekly I
"People would come on :??ol or I
horseback for miles to get their mail. 3
The Asheville Citizen was hen a I
weekly paper and the day tlu- paper |
came they would come for nr.Vs tr> I
I hear the news. Then we had ro tele. I
1 erarh office, no nV?on*>
_ . r ?- oiuy way
of communication was by letter.
There were no paved road and no
snow scrapers, and many times the
mail carrier could not cross th? Nantahala
mountains on account f the
deep .snow between Fran"- and
Murphy.
Mr. Hayes said he serves as many
people now as he did back in his first
days due to a more thickly >.tiled
population. I
The aped postmaster said hi does
not recall any of the mail carriers
ever having: been held up or lobbed
or meeting with any serious accident
during: the lonely and dangr<
over the mountain wilds. "Wh\ there
was not one hundredth of devilment
in those days that there is today,"
[ he asserted- ''Nobody ever heard tell
1 of kidnaping or such things.*' He reI
calls that one of the most popular
| and longest-serviny mail riders wsa
Will Enloe.
Although Mr. Hayes' duties prohibit
I him from taking any activ ; art in
! any political campaigin or holding any
other public office, his judgment of
community affairs is highly respected
throughout this section. Many visitors
come to sec him at his home
which is on a hill about 100 yard- off
the highway and overlooks the broad
Valley River valley.
Meaning It Unknown
The name, Tomotla, is an Italian
word, Mr. Hayes explained, but its
meaning is unknown T.oeal
however, never think of the name
without connecting the name of
4 Jeff" Hayes with it, for he is one
of the best-known men in ( h- > :ce
county.
Mr. Hayes' father, who cm . to
Cherokee county as an orphan <52
from Georgia to live with iv; tivt.,
served in the slate legislature 1G
years. The late A. H- Ha. a
brother served eight years in the 1'. gis.
lature from Swain county.
The elder Hayes introduced the "ill
i* the general assembly that bn -ht
the first public highways int. his
section of the state.
In those days, Mr. Hayes said, the
land was so high that it was almost
impossible to buy property to build
roads. So under Mr. Hayes* plait the
slate purchased all the property, and
would give so much land to pe^ons
who would build a public highway
; through it. That was back in the
times of slavery and slaves were ?-cd
to a great extent on reod work.
Mr. Hayes the youngest of nine
children has two sisters living in
Cherokee county.
After divorcing her husband, who
was out of work, Mrs. Mary Ridden
of Kansas City sent him $25 with her
"best wishes."
Don't Blame the Car
Less than 10 per cent of the
fatal and non-fatal crashes on our
highways last year were causca
by mechanical failure, according
to The Travelers Insurance Company's
analysis of the 1937 automobile
accident experience.
In more than 90 per cent of th
accidents, the vehicle was fotito
have Wen in apparently Co
condition. The trouble lay
human failure.
'In the vast majority of cases
is the driver or the pedestrian ar.
not the car that causes aceidT: -.