NEAL and Samuel Barnett look
on as Joe Wallace presents a
certificate of appreciation to Fred
Barnett (second from left) who
retired after 30 years as a
cooperative forest fire warden.
Mr '' May the message of that first
JP Yuletide, of love and peace and \ _TL
giving, fill your heart and home. \ 3
of this holy season. ^
TEAGUE MILLING CO.
Marshall
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Peace... ]
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s?
I To wish you the special gifts of
Christmas... PEACE...
J GOODWILL... ABIDING
j HAPPINESS.
I SEASON S GREETINGS FROM THE ^ |
DIRECTORS AND EMPLOYEES I
rmm OF ?
[yTW French Broad
Electric Membership Corporation
P.O. Box 337/Marshall, North Carolina 28753 j
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Federal Fire Wardens Retire At Hot Springs
(Continued from Page 1A)
Warden program began early
in the century due to extensive
fires, poor transportation and
communications and small
forest service staffing. Local
people signed up to be war
dens and recruited crews to
suppress fires in their local
area, many times taking in
dependent action and con
trolling the fires before the
forest service could get to the
site.
In his presentation Friday
night, Wallace pointed out that
in the early years most of the
French Broad ranger district
was in young reproduction
since much of the land had
been cut over prior to forest
service acquisition. Fires
destroyed many of these
young stands and growth
began only after fire oc
currence began declining in
the 1920s and '30s. "This ex
plains why about 78 per cent of
the timber on the district is
between 30 and 60 years old
and only about 20 per cent is
older than 60."
"The fire warden system
has contributed significantly
to the outstanding present
condition of our timber,
wildlife. watershed, and
recreation resources in the
area," Wallace continued, "in
many instances warden crews
were virtually the only
defense for protecting public
as well as private lands ''
Though modern radio
communications, highways, 4
wheel drive vehicles,
reconnaissance aircraft,
bombers loaded witn retar
dants, and helicopter attack
forces have decreased our
reliance on warden crews,
there are still many areas
where they can attack a fire
before or as fast as other
forces can reach the scene
"Immediate attack is
essential in the mountains,"
Wallace said, "because if you
don't catch a fire before it gets
rolling it will always get large
and go out the top of the
ridge."
Today forest fires are
located by observed planes or
lookouts which cover the
French Broad district almost
constantly during high fire
danger When a fire is seen
observers then advise fire
dispatchers as to location,
rate of spread and best access
routes and if the fire is in
rough terrain or long travel
distances are involved, a
retardant drop is ordered to
hold the fire in check until
crews arrive. Bombers from
Asheville or Knoxville drop
hundreds of gallons of
chemicals which help cool the
fire and reduce spread Water
where available, is used ex
tensively but after the modern
methods of control stop the
fire it is still the handtool crew
which does the dirty, tiring job
of mopping up, putting out
burning debris which could
rekindle the fire
The wardens and handtool
I
crews are the infantrymen of
the war waged against
wildfires
In Service
Harry W Walker, whose
wife, Maxine, lives in Mars
Hill, recently was promoted to
Army sergeant while serving
as a radio teletype operator
with the 37th Armor in Kat
terbach, Germany.
Sgt. Walker entered the
Army in February, 1975.
He attended Eastern
Kentucky University, Rich
mond.
GRADY GAHAGAN, left, and Joe Wallace
inspect Gahagan's fire tool box which is kept
by fire wardens for emergency forest fire
fighting.
Hot Springs Centers
(Continued from Page 1A)
the damage. Among the
volunteers were parents,
senior citizens, local students,
staff from the local day care
centers, a minister, Forest
Service personnel, firemen,
concerned citizens and 10
Mars Hill College students
who took on the terrible job of
hauling debris from the
basement. The center missed
only three days of operation as
a result of the flood. The
center then reopened in
temporary quarters at the Hot
Springs Elementary School.
However, the coordinated
efforts of volunteers and
county personnel allowed the
center to reopen at the regular
site after only two weeks of
cleanup operations.
Now the center has fresh
paint on the walls, new
linoleum, a repaired furnace
and a new freezer on the way.
Some new toys have been
donated by individuals and
church groups. The center is
still involved in the process of
trying to recover its losses.
Funds from the Disaster
Relief Program will be used to
replace many of the items
lost.
Despite the destruction of a
flood, the Hot Springs Day
Care Center remains a vital
part of the local community.
The people of this community
support their center because
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provides an opportunity for a
child to learn some important
facts about the world and
themselves in a pleasant and
creative environment.
fc/e 're wishing all our neighbors and
friends the best that Christmas has
to offer, and much more. Many thanks
for your loyal, cantkuteo patronage.
DAWN A. EDWARDS
OIL COMPANY
Marshall
Thanh.
and a
\ very
j Mem/
' Christmas
to all
our
loyal
| friends.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
FROM THE CODY'S
CODY MOTOR SALES
KERMIT and EDITH
KERMIT JR. and TEDDY
VARDON NORTON and
LANE OGLE
? ? ?
? ? ?
? ;
Fy-om our house
? ? ?
? ?
to your house,
bright blessings
?and warm
appreciation at
Christmastide.
A
WHJTEHURST-GRIFFIN
INSURANCE A
REAL ESTATE
AGENCY
Marshall
Tl ?'?at' ?ft
HE
spianv
CHRISTMAS .
A you worship with your family at
+ Christmas may the true spirit
of the season greatly bless you.
? * Sincerely, we extend our greetings.
A First
V Union
NATIONAL BANK
R. Bryce Hall
C. L. Rudisill, Jr. J
Bruce Murray
Mrs. Rosalene M. Tugman
Betty Reece
Janie Plemmons
Linda Chandler ?
Beth Worley
Ella Baker
Brenda Roberts
J. Leonard Baker
Ed L. Niles
W. C. Reeves
L. T. Sprinkle
C. D. Bowman
J. L. McElroy t
Selma R. Ramsey |
Grace S. English |
Allen Dunlap I
W. G. Egerton, Jr. y'.. . 1
Mrs. Mary Bell I
Robin Cole I
W. W. Shope, Jr. I
Dedra Morton 1
Debra Silver I
Carol Cleverer ? I
MARSHALL, N.C. WEAVERVILLE, N.C. |
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