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SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MADISON COUNTY program ... Page 8
76th Year No. 10 PUBLISHED WEEKLY IN THE COUNTY SEAT AT MARSHALL, N.C. THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1977 , 5' Per C?P*
Road Money Under Siege
Madison County will lose
ova- a third of a million
dollars a year if the state's
large Piedmont counties are
able to convince the General
Assembly to change present
formulas for allocating money
for secondary road im
provements to counties.
Under the present formula
being used, Madison would get
$R2,000 this year. If
legislators agree to the change
wanted by the state's largest
counties. Haywood would get
only $305,000 - a loss of
$231,000. Allocations annually
are expected to run in that
range.
Rep. Ernest Messer and
Rep. Lis ton Ramsey are
helping research the effect of
the proposed change and are
informing legislators across
the state about the plight in
which mountain counties
would find themselves.
Presently, secondary road
funds are allocated by the state
on a formula incorporating the
mileage of unpaved roads and
the cost of construction. It
gives mountain counties a
break, because the cost of
building roads here is much
higher than it is elsewhere
across the state.
The formula being proposed
would consider only the
number of miles of paved
secondsrd roads. That would
favor Piedmont and Eastern
counties where most secon
dary roads are already paved
and where construction costs
are lower. It would mean they
would get more money to
maintain existing roads while
Mountain counties would lose
money they are counting on
both to maintain existing roads
and to pave others for the first
time.
The 44th House District,
served by Messer and Ram
sey, for example, would get
$1,008,000 a year less than they
are now receiving if the
proposalgoes through.
Haywood's allocation this
year under the formula now in
effect is $477,000 If the proposal
advanced by a member of the
Mecklenburg delegation and
supported by delegations in
large counties is adopted,
Haywood would get only
$246,000
Jackson County's allocation
under the present formula is
ISM,000. Under the new for
mula it would be $263,000.
Swain County's allocation
now is $170,000 ; under the new
formula it would bellOl.OOO.
Mecklenburg County gets
$133,000 under the present
formula and would get $375,000
under the new formula.
Forsyth gets $262,000 now and
would get $404,000.
"About every one of the
mountain counties would be
penalized by this formula,"
Messer told the Mountaineer
this morning. "There will be a
bill introduced in the House,"
I'm sure," he said.
"I've heard it rumored that
Gov. Hunt is for it.
"The fight is being led by
representatives of the largest
counties who stand to profit by
a change.
"The law has the allocation
(Continued on Page 8)
TIMOTHY CHANDLER
KENNETH BISHOP
CHARRED remains of the 1968
Nova in which the bodies of
Kenneth H. Bishop, 18, and
Timothy Chandler, 17, Madisor ,
High School seniors, were found
fatally burned early Sunday
morning on Skyway Drive in
Marshall. (Staff Photo)
2 Madison High Youths
Fatally Burned In Car
Two popular Madison Ifgh
School seniors were found
dead early Sunday morning in
a burned car on Skyway Drive
off the Marshall by-pass.
The victims were Kenneth
H. Bishop, 18, and Timothy
"Tim" Chandler, 17, both of
Route 2, Marshall (Ivy Hill
Section).
Sheriff Ponder stated that
the two were last seen alive by
friends about 11:90 p.m.
Saturday night on the Marshall
by-pass.
Marshall firemen were
notified that a car was on fire
on Skyway Drive at 1:45 a.m.
Sunday. Seven firemen and
two fire trucks went to the
scene where they found a 1988
Chevrolet Nova engulfed in
flames. Inside the burning
inferno wet* the charred
remains of Bishop and
Chandler. Further in
vestigation revealed that
Chandler's body was found
under the steering wheel and
Bishop's body was beside
Chandler's. It was stated that
the car belonged to Chandler's
mother.
It was speculated that
Chandler drove the car off the
sid* of the road in a slight
curve and that the two, who
were close friends, may have
fallen asleep with the car's
motor running and that they
may have suffocated before
the car caught fire.
Ponder said that the cause of
the fire was unknown, but the
car had reportedly caught fire
earlier in the week. One
relative speculated that the
two boys could have been
listening to the tape recorder
in the car and fell asleep. It is
doubtful that the exact cause of
the tragic fire or the cir
cumstances of the tragedy will
ever be known j.
Both young victims were
highly respected by
classmates and school of
fi rials Both boy* had
ticipated in athletics during
their high school years.
Recently, both of the young
men had joined the Mt. Zion
Free Will Baptist Church.
FUNERAL8
WEDNESDAY
Funeral services for both
victims were held at two
o'clock Wednesday at the Mt.
Zion Free Will Baptist Church.
The Rev. J. B. Rhinehart, the
Rev. Mack Revte and the Rev.
Larry Coatee officiated. Burial
was in the Mt. Zion Cemetery.
Classmates were pallbearers.
The Bishop survivors are the
mother, Virginia Bishop;
and the grandmother, Mrs.
Mary Lee Bishop, both of
Route 2, Marshall.
The Chandler survivors
include the parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Clifford Chandler, Route
2, Marshall; one sister, Mrs.,
Teresa Sharp of Mars Hill; the
paternal grandparents, Mr.
and Mrs. Patterson Chandler,
Route 2, Marshall; and the
maternal grandmother, Mrs.
Faye Norton, of Route \.
Marshall.
Bowman Funeral Home was
in charge.
Mars Hill College Dormitory
Destroyed By Fire Last Week
By JIM STORY
Treat Hall, the 71-year-old
building on the Mars Hill
campus was gutted by flames
early Wednesday morning of
last weak despite efforts of
Mars Hill and Weaverville
firemen to extinguish the fire
Fortunately, no students
were living in the dormitory
although the 2S-room wooden
structure was furnished with
each room containing 2 beds, 2
mattresses, 2 chairs, a chest of
drawers, a dresser and a desk.
The origin of the fire is un
determined, but college of
ficials suspect arson and an
investigation was ordered by
the North Carolina State
Bureau at Investigation.
College officials stated that
the large building, one of the
few landmarks on the beautiful
campus, was officially valued
at $150,000 but was insured for
only $50,000.
The dormitory was destined
for demolition, located on the
spot chosen by the college, for
a new administrative building.
The fire was spotted by two
college security guards and an
infirmary nurse who notified
the Mars Hill Fire Depart
ment.
Bill Zink Jr., a captain in the
department, stated that the
alarm was received about 2:90
Wednesday morning and
firemen arrived at the scene
minutes later with 3 fire trucks
and 18 firemen.
"When we arrived the blaze
was entrenched in the interior
of the building,"Zink said.
Phillip Briggs, fire chief,
notified the Weaverville Fire
Department which responded
with 2 trucks and 12 firemen.
Firemen brought the fire
undo: control about 6 a.m.,
despite freezing conditions.
Zink said that firemen
remained until about 9:30 a.m.
with at least two firemen
remaining on the scene all day.
Mars Hill firemen pumped
about 1,300 gallons of water per
minute on the burning building
for 2 hours. Through these
efforts, the entire building was
not destroyed.
No students have lived in the
three-story structure since
January, David D. Oh ring,
dean of student development,
stated.
"The building was being
remodeled for use as an ad
ministrative building until a
new administrative building
can be financed. The
remodeling began a few days
ago," Gehring said. "The
firemen should be applauded
for doing such a fine Job under
trying circumstances,"
Gehring said
Flames from the burning
building were visible several
miles away, and smoke from
the fire could be seen from 10
milssaway
Mars Hill College Infor
mation Director Walter Smith
said the building was not being
used for housing, but that its
loss will cost the school
bowing space Urn ^ of
Mars Hill Gets $55,516
To Assist 8 Social Agencies
A $55,516 grant has been
awarded Mara Hill College to
assist eight different social
agencies in Madison and
Yancey counties in their ef
forts to help individuals,
families mmt communities
become self-sufficient.
The Title XX, Social
Security Act grant is from the
Division of Social Services of
the N. C. Department of
Human Resources It is to
a flexible training
program deatgied last year
around the nee* of other
* H, i
UMiege faculty wui wore
with h training advisory
committee composed of
representatives of the eight
Tide XX agencies
They are Polly Taylor of the
Yancey ^ County Heahh
Mar* Hill Handi-School,
Theresa Zimmerman of the
Madison County Department
of Social Services, Frank
Herbert of the Hot Springs
Health Program, Laurie
Ihomsen of the Hot Springs
Unaka Center (an adult day
activities project), and Judy
Sears of the Madison Care Day
Care program.
The new program was
rtsMgimd around the needs of
workers In rural Madison and
we ?? ...IsW sS. ?
Yancey oourm witn cue
workers' full participation.
"Moat training programs In
ISM are on urban
S?^7Se
frainind f ? -i . la^ I
degree program. Mare mi
College la one of two in
?titutions In Weetern North
Carolina that offer* a bachelor
of social work degree, included
in the evening education
program. Stipends and tuition
are available to currently
employed Title XX workers in
Madison and Yancey counties
who wish to enraO in the BSW
program.
the second part of the
project consists of extensive
in-service training. This half is
directed by Dore Hansel, a
social worker for a number of
years in Florida who moved to
Madison County two years
ff
TREAff HALL the 71-year-old
dormitory on the Mars Hill
College campus, was gutted by
fire early Wednesday morning of
last week No students were
residing in th? wooden structure
at the time of the fire Top picture
ont o building
following fire. Bottom picture
ikfcTof the buiW ng. (Pho oby Jim
Tolley
To Chair
Drive
Charles R ToUey of Walnut
has been named chairman of
the annual drive for funds
which is to begin April 1 for the
Madison County unit of the
American Cancer Society.
Tolley is manager of the
French Broad Electric Cor
poration, serves as scout
master for the Marshall troop,
a member of the Marshall
Lions Club, the Walnut
Presbyterian Church and is
active in many civic en
deavors. He is married to the
former Miss Sandra Landem
and they have a daughter,
Caroline Leigh.
Officers of the Madison
County unit are Mrs. George B.
Shupe, president; Mrs. Tom
Wallin, viespresident; Mrs. K.
0. Buraette, secretary; and
Bliss Pat Fisher, treasurer.
Other officials include
Dl?ka? SS^.r\- ?1A _ _ J ?
tucKcy Mci/Gvtct ana jerry
Plemmons, evmta;
Mis. Nancy Wilde, educational
dbector; Mrs. Fays Ramsey,
services chairman; Mrs.
^W^OnmK^put
sf^ssira^ ?2* SEJ
Coomsr, Mis. Dale Piers,
Dr. PUmee^ Steen, Dr. J. Betas
Dr. Robert Adams. Mrs
Elizabeth Clayton, Mrs Haae
fettles, Bill Phillips, Mis
Grovpr OoanflAl Mrs JT 1
iZZ* BaETMrsGfern*