tlurp hy Carnegie Library 4-73 Peachtree Street Murphy, N.C., 28906 Happiness Blooms On A Muddy Field ...Bulldogs Beat Hendersonville In Playoff, Story Inside The Cherokee Scout ? n ltt and Clay County Progress 14 Pages - 15' ner rnnv ?rj DEHORN THE BLUE DEVILS'.!! Volume 79 ? Number 16 _ Murphy, North Carolina, 28906 ? Second Class Postage Paid At Murphy, North Carolina ? Thursday, November 19,1970 Clay Opposes Two-County Jail By Wally Avett Staff Writer Clay County is apparently dead-set against the idea of building a regional jail at Murphy to serve both Cla> and Cherokee counties. Leading the opposition tc the regional jail idea is Clay Sheriff Hart sell Moore, whe says he has been fighting against it for 18 months "and 1 don't know 10 people in the county who are for it. "No more personnel than I have to maintain a lockup here and haul prisoners to Murphy would be too much of an expense on Clay County," he says. A Superior Court judge has closed the Cherokee County Jail except for use on a six-hour basis and state jail inspectors have said the Clay jail also should be closed. However, at the present time the small eight-bed Clay jail is in use and two prisoners sent there from Murphy last week for safekeeping promptly escaped. Earl Parker, 18, of Andrews, and Russell Jones, 21, of Robbinsville, were both charged with breaking and entering in Cherokee County. Sheriff Moore showed this reporter a door in the second floor of the Clay jail which does not have a working lock and is secured by a padlock-and-chain arrangement. He said Parker and Jones somehow picked the padlock andescaped, stealing a car from Jones Ford in Hayesville. They got out early Thursday morning and were recaptured in Graham County a few hours later in the Jones Ford auto. They are now back in their cells, charged with additional counts of escaping and auto theft, and a new padlock has been added to the chain on the door. Sheriff Moore and other Clay citizens who expressed themselves as against the regional jail idba mention several aspects of the plan which they don't like, such as the difficulty of making bond in Cherokee for a man who has been arrested in Clay County. However, their comments indicate that local pride and the vague fear that somehow Clay will be consolidated into Cherokee County are their main concerns. "People see this jail at Murphy as the first step jaycees biate * Christmas Parade 'Us the season to be jolly ? are 14 floats entered for the only 30 more shopping days antil Christmas and the appropriate decorations are already visible on the streets of Murphy. And the Murphy Jaycees Christmas Parade, set for Wednesday afternoon of next week, promises to be "thebiggest and best ever," according to Dick Davis, Jaycee president and parade chairman. ?The parade will be held at 4:30 Wednesday afternoon, Davis said, with awards to be given to first and second places ia both the commercial and non commercial divisions. The theme for this year's parade is "The Spirit of Christmas." At the present time there parade, Davis reported, along with four bands and several beauty queens. Area Scout troops are also expected to be entered. Horseback riders are welcome, Davis noted, "But there has not been enough attention in the past to appearance of horse and rider. The horses should be decorated in some manner and the riders should be costumed appropriately." ? Parade programs will be circulating in the streets for the benefit of spectators before the parade, Davis said, and of course the fat man in the red suit, old Santa Claus himself, will climax the event with candy for the youngsters. toward consolidation" ofthe two counties, Sheriff Moore said. And several others said cost was no concern, they wanted Clay County to have its own jail at Hayesville. The sheriff said Clay people simply didn't want to have to drive to Murphy to see a friend in jail. During the past six months or so, the commissioners of both counties have met several times and discussed the regional jail idea, which would bring a 50-50 matching grant from the federal government if one jail is built to serve both counties. Andy Padgett, chairman of the Clay commissioners, says the grant has been assured. However, Padgett is going off the board of commissioners and much pressure is being brought to bear againt the three men who will take office as new county commissioners in Clay on Dec. 7. A meeting has been called for that afternoon in Murphy, which will be attended by newly-sworn Clay and Cherokee commissioners, and also state officials, at which time a decision is expected on the jail. W.T. Moore, chairman of the Cherokee County commissioners, said Tuesday if Gay backs out, the jail will be reduced in size and built by Cherokee County. The proposed regional jail would cost about $250,000, according to Padgett, with a temporary lockup in Hayesville. Cherokee voters have approved a $100,000 bond issue for Cherokee's part and Gay's part would come from the local oneeek Warden Harley Martin ays. He noted that a total of 93 leer were killed on his refuge ast year during the two-week ;un season. The week season for irchers has just ended, he said, ind the bowhunters at Fires Ireek managed to kill only one [rouse and one small buck, ilthough they were eligible to hoot deer of either sex. The Cherokee County warden, J.J. Jefferies, says this hould be about an average ear for deerhunting in this ounty. Deer in Cherokee are parse, he said, except for oncentrations around the "anther Top area and along the Tres Creek refuge boundary on 'eachtree Mountain. amounting to around $30,000. Padgett pointed out that at the current rate of more than $3,000 a month, the one-cent tax would provide all of Clay's part by next February or March. Day in and day out through the year, Clay averages about one person a day in jail; the average at the Cherokee jail is about six or seven, according to Cherokee Sheriff Claude Anderson. To provide for this average population and also have separate facilities for women and juveniles, the state jail inspectors have advised that the regional jail should have about 32 beds. Chairman Moore of Cherokee says if Clay turns down the regional jail approach,he believes Cherokee can build its own jail for about $ 150,000. He says he has already instructed an architect to draw up a separate set of plans for a smaller jail if Cherokee has to build it alone. The state jail inspectors, here in Murphy at a meeting earlier this month, said if Clay builds its own jail, it "will cost in the neighborhood of $100,000." Padgett says Clay County has cooperated with Cherokee in Tri-County Tech, in the regional library and health programs and that a regional jail is the most practical step. "It is definitely not taking a step toward merging with Cherofeee County," he said. ? Gay Sheriff Hartsell Moore...locks front door of jail. End Nearing For Channel 5 ? The Asheville television channel, received in Murphy as Channel 5, may be taken off the air. That was the message Tuesday from Bill Pfeiffer, a vice president of WLOS-TV in Asheville, which installed the translator on Fain Mountain and began beaming the signal into Murphy in June. Viewers in the Hanging Dog-Unaka area and also some' on US-64 West, have complained to the Federal Communications Commission in Washington that the new signal on Channel 5 has disrupted their reception of Channel 5, Atlanta. They have petitioned that the FCC order the Channel 5 translator taken off the air, Pfeiffer said, and that may be done shortly. He said his station has not received an order from the FCC to close down the translator but they fear such an order may be coming soon. Condemnation Cases Aired The twn-wpplr fprm rtf in niml * in ? nniA- -n?inn Superior Court here in Murphy wound up last week hearing civil matters, Judge Frank W. Snepp Jr. of Charlotte presiding. The two cases which went before a jury both involved the State Highway Commissioners and landowners who lost ground in the widening of US-64 to the Tennessee line. Emory Shields and other trustees of Temple Baptist Church had contested the settlement offered by the SHC UI UYU VUU1V Ul a |A1UI SCNIUII and a jury had decided that $8,000 was a fair price for the church's land taken by the highway. That verdict had been set aside and the case was heard all over again last week. The jury found that $8,000 was a fair price for the land involved. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Presswood took the SHC tocourt in the other case and the jury ruled that the land the Presswoods lost to the road was worth $2,305. Bringing in the Asheville ignal was a project of the lurphy Jay cees and when word f the petitions against the tation spread, the Jaycees egan circulating petitions in up port of the Asheville signal. "So far about 600 names ave been sent in to the FCC in upport of Channel 5," Pfeiffer aid. He suggested that another 00 or 800 names in support of he translator might influence he FCC to leave it on the air ind local Jaycees indicated ruesday that they intend to try o get that many names this veekend. Pfeiffer said if the Channel 5 signal is ordered .topped there are several dternatives, none of them very ittractive. The station could lust forget about Murphy, he aid, pointing out that a similar situation arose in Franklin, the signal was stopped there by )etitions in 1964 and has only -ecently began serving franklin again, the return due a favorable petitions. If Channel 6 is stopped, he laid WLOS could apply for mother channel, which would irobably be 13 and send its signal into Murphy on the high side of the band. He noted, lowever, that the low band lumbers give wider coverage ind if they are forced to go to 13, he area served will be reduced, rhe application would have to >e made to the FCC, he added, ind might take months for ipproval. WLOS could also install a wo-way translator on the Channel 5 frequency, he ?xplained, which would beam a signal into Hanging Dog but this vould probably have to be done with the same one-watt power vhich now is approved for the ranslator and again would esult in a smaller area of average. And the added that many of hose who signed the petitions against Channel 5 have ndicated that this would lotplease them anyway because they would rather have he Atlanta station. "Enough people there just apparently dont want us," he said. Lawrence Richardson Moore...100 years old Clay's Oldest Citizen Marks 100th Birthday By Mrs.Neal Kitchens Staff Writer Over two hundred of the Moore clan, met at Hinton Rural Life Center last Sunday to honor Lawrence Richardson Moore, Clay County's oldest citizen, on his 100th birthday. When the grand old man of the mountains entered he was met with a standing ovation and a thunderous applause. When his little great-great granddaughter Kecia Melancon ran to give him a kiss of greeting, it brough tears to his eyes. The tables were loaded with home-cooked food. The dinner that was scheduled for 12:30 was postponed for an hour since so many well wishers just had to greet "Uncle Lawrence" and congratulate him. He was seated at the guest of honor table where a huge birthday cake was ready. When the 100 candles were lit the cake cabin, in the Tusquitte section of Clay County. He was the son of Captain "Irish Bill" Moore who served in the Confederate army, and Hattie Gash Moore of Macon County. He had nine brothers and sisters. Two of the children died with typhoid fever when small. Most of the clan lived to a ripe old age. His father died at 87, his mother at 97. His sister Mrs. Magge Moore was almost 99 when she died, another sister Mrs. Jennie Nolan of Franklin died at 91. He has one brother Bill Moore, 85, and a sister Mrs. Nannie Smith, 82, still living at Hayesville. In 1892 Moore married the former Miss Donie Ledford. They were the parents of five children. The youngest son Fred L. Moore died in 1968. The otherfour present were Mrs Ben Phillips, Mrs. Leanord Smith, Mrs. Bass Hyatt and Frank Moore all of Hayesville. Frank and family are living today in the house built by his grandfather "Captain Bill" looked like a small bonfire. As the group sang happy birthday, flash bulbs were popping so fast that it resembled 4th of July iireworks. Moore then rose and returned thanks asking God's blessing on this great occasion. After the dinner he was presented with gifts and cards. The celebrity received a card of congratulations that was personally signed by Richard M. Nixon, President of the United States. He was presented with a letter of congratulations from Governor Bob Scott of North Carolina which included the following quote "My the butterfly of happiness light often on your shoulder. To commemorate this day I am sending you a Tar Heel pin, the emblem of North Carolina which I hope you will wear in the future years." He also received a telegram of congratulations from Governor Lester Maddox of Georgia. Lawrence R. Moore was born Nov. 15th, 1(70 in a log 0 live to be 100. He has always been a good ranager. He never believed in ivestments that would not eturn profits. Today as his ocial Security checks come in e wants them promptly eposited in a savings account 3 draw interest for he is saving up for his old age." As a younger man he was a armer, merchant, anddid lacksmith work. His main obby was gold mining. He still wns an interest in the Gold fine tract on Matlock Creek in he Tusquitte Valley. He worked n the mine until it burned down. Jntil recent years he enjoyed tanning for gold in this Gold fine branch. He had another hobby of oUecting Indian relics. He had 1 large collection which he in ally sold two years ago. This le has regretted since he misses Moore is a member of the Wted Methodist Chcrch whore Moore. It is 90 years old, a large white two-story frame house, that stands just SO feet from the log cabin where "Uncle Lawrence" was born. Mr. Moore's first wife died in 1943. He married Mrs. Lou Howard in 1945. They lived together until she died in 1965. His step-daughter Mrs. Ethel Talbott of Vienna Virginia flew down for the celebration. She said "I love this great man who has brought such a deep meaning to my life." Since the death of his last wife he has lived with his children. The Moore home used to be the meeting place for the younger generation where he played the organ and the group sang. He believed in young people having a good time.. He is a man of keen wit. His oldest daughter is now 77, and recently remarked "I wonder who will take c. are of me when my children are dead. Looks like I'm gonna outlive the whole bunch. He had a great ambition superintendent for 40 years. He was also a teacher and steward. A lifelong Democrat, Moore has never voted an absentee. He went to the polls Nov. 3 where he marked his own ballot without die assistance of glasses. He says he has seen many changes in his life time. He had a special interest in the space age and enjoyed seeing man land on the moon. Today he spends much of his time reading, watching television and listening to the radto. He has a large collection of pocket knives which he spends a lot of time sharpening. When a friend or neighbor stop in to virft hi banters them to trade ~ as the many more[l expected to celebrate. With a twinkle in his eye he ranged