The Leading Weekly Newspaper in Western North Carolina, Serving a large and Potentially Rich Territory in this state VOLUME XXXVIIL NUMBER 23. HOTHOUSE IS FINAL WINNER IN SELECTION Declaring his final decision in favor nf the Hothouse route as a connection from Cherokee county with Tennes see at Angelico Gap, in a letter to The Scout this week. Commissioner J. G. Stikeleather, of the Ninth North Carolina Highway District, stated that he had definitely made up his mind to recommend to the Stale Highway Commission that this road be selected. This action came as n result of the ons3ur.c?u2ent uf Suite Highway Commissioner C. N. Bass of Tennes see that the only permanent connec tion Tennessee would make with North Carolina would be at Angeli co Gap. At n recent conference with a committee of the I.ion's Club, Mr. Stikeleather stated that he preferred the Shoal Creek route, but the action of the Tennessee authorities compell ed him to make a selection of the Hothouse route. Ill his letter, Mr. Stikeleather stat ed that he would be in Murphy about noon on the 11th, but would have nothing to add to this decision. He arrived ahead of the letter and stated that he had written accordingly. His letter follows in full: Asheville, N. C., January 10, 1927. Editor, Cherokee Scout, Murphy, N. C. Dear Sir: After having conferred with Mr. C. N. Bass very fully on the matter of a Tennessee connection he advises strongly for the Angelico Gap on the ground that Tennessee will in the next 3 to 5 years build a new road up the Ocoee River which will make a better and shorter connection with Chattanooga. He states that in con necting with Shoal Creek this would have to be temporary and he states further that the Kimsey Highway is a scenic highway and that he does not feel it is a proper highway to carry the great trunk line travel that will come from Chattanooga, Murphy, and Western North Carolina. For this reason I am constfllined to select a connection with Angelico Gap, called the Hot House route as the one which 1 shall recommend to the N. C. State Highway Commission. My reason for suggesting the Shoal Creek route at the recent meeting in Murphy was that the expense of this route would be much less than the Hot House route and that the Shoal Creek route was the shortest in its connection with the Kimsey highway; however, in view of the position taken by Mr. Bass and of the fact that we cannot spend our money on the temporary connection I hereby, as above stated, offer my recommen dation for the Hot House route. I shall be in Murphy on Tuesday, the 11th, about noon and may call in your office j however, I expect to have nothing to add to this statement unless something develops in the meantime. Very truly yours, J. G. STIKELEATHER, Commissioner. This decision of Commissioner Stikeleather brings to a definite con clusion a problem of more than three years standing. There have been ad vocated in the county for this con nection not only the Hothouse and Shoal Creek routes, but also the Beaverdam route, all three of which connect with Tennessee. The matter ot selcting the particular route was left to Mr. Stikeleather and his engi neers. It was not until this week that Mr. Stikeleather made known his final selection. It is expected that the county will maintain the two other I routes so that after all the county B"._ i COUNTY COURT ABOLISHED BY commissioners Step Made Necessary On Account of Cutting Expenses of County At the regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners of Cherokee County, the General County Court was abolished by special order ot the board, to take effect as soon as the docket can be cleaned up and trans farred to the Sunprin? Court docket. This action was taken in view of the fact that the commissioners are seeking to curtail expenditures at every point possible. The burning of the curt house last year has brought on a lot of expense to the county, which made it necessary to take this action, it was announced. THREE STILLS AND 1 ,o00 GALS. BEER DESTROYED Sheriff Birchfield and Deputies Make Big Haul In Unaka Section Recently Three stills and from 1,500 to 1.800 gallons of beer and mash were recently destroyed by Sheriff D. M. Birch field and Deputies, Jim Rose, Cody Clayton and George Crawford. The stills were located under what is known as the Wolf Knob, near Unaka, and were located within one quarter mile of each other the offi cers stated. The stills were deserted at the time of the raid, but showed evidences that they had been operated for some time, and the officers were certain that the operators contemplated I continuing the gentle routine of mak ing moonshine, if about 1,800 gallons j of beer and mash could be considered 1 as any evidence. j No arrests were made. ALMANAC PREDICTED FLORIDA HURRICANES It may*hot be generally known, but it is a fact, that both of the recent Florida storms, namely, that of Sep tember 17th and that of October 19th, were predicted by Professor DeVoe in the 1926 Edition of the Ladies Birthday Almanac, published by The Chattanooga. Medicine Co., of Chattanooga, Tenn. and Murphy in particular will have three connections with Tennessee. The Hothouse route will make a short route to Chattanooga and other Ten nessee cities and it is expected to bring much of the Great Lakes travel by way of Murphy on its journey South and then back North. Mr. Stikeleather was enroute to Atlanta and Miami, Fla., wljen he stopped over in Murphy. He was accompanied by Roscoe Marvel of Asheville, President of the Appala chian Scenic Highway, and Kelley E. Bennett of Bryson City. In Atlanta his party expected to be joined by Major John H. Cohen, President and Editor and Harlee Branch, City Edi tor of The .Tonrnal, and the five were to proceed to Tampa to select a route for the Appalachian Scenic Highway from Atlanta to the Florida city. I'LL SAY SO! Grandmother: "I suppose you have to stay up very late at college." Grandson: "Yes, but really, Grand mother, it's worth it." TRADE AT HOME LEST THIS I | BE YOUR EXPERIENCE ALSO A well known citizen of Murphy, funding himself in need of some spec ial footwear to brave the wintry weather of January and February, turned to the catalogue of a well known mail order house where he found listed an eighteen inch boot at $7.95, which he considered a satisfac tory price. He forwarded his 'check ar.u in due course the boots came, but were sixteen inch instead of eighteen inch boots. He bundled them up and naid the nnfetag* for their return; also spent another two cents, some sta tionery and valuable time writing to explain to the mail order house that he had ordered eighteen instead of sixteen inch boots. He waited, and again in the course of time the said mail order house sent him the very same pair of sixteen inch hoots again. Again he bundled them up, paid post age for their return airain in the sum of 24 cents, and wrote another letter asking that his check in the sum of $7.1)5 be returned to him. He then went to a local merchant and found the merchant selling an eighteen inch hoot precisely of the same make and he thinks of better quality, for only $7.00. This particular individual will prob ably get his $7.95 back in a few days and pay for the boots at the local store, the store that pays tax to the county of Cherokee and Town of Murphy, that helps support Murphy's school and Churches and other simi lar enterprises, and put the 95 cents in his pocket. Hut h< will never get the 24 cents back he paid in postage on each of two occasions in returning goods he did not order nor will he get back the time and effort spent in ordering from the mail order house which pays no tax in Murphy and does nothing to support any of the public institutions and charities of Murphy and Cherokee County. But he says that he has icarned his lesson. If he has, it was cheap at that. No doubt others could relate similar experiences. WHO HAS READ THE SCOUT LONGEST? The Scout is in receipt of several letters this week in repard to the question "Who has read The Scout longest?" which was asked in these columns last week. A proposition was made to give one year's subscription to the five subscribers who had read this paper longest without intern: - tion. It is regretted that space dors n't permit to carry the letters this week. The proposition is still open, and the letters will be carried next week. How long have you been reading The Scout? N. C. U. Alumni Meet, Organize County Ass'n. At a meeting of the Alumni of the University of North Carolina of Cherokee County on January 7, the Cherokee County Association was formed with F. 0. Christopher as President, Ralp Moody as Vice-Presi dent and J. H. Axley as Secretary and Treasurer. Chase Tatham of An drews, N. W. Abernathy of Marble and D. wnitnerspoon of Murphy were elected members of the Board of Di rectors. It is expected that the an nual meeting of the organization will be held each year during the Christ mas holidays. POSTOFFICE RECEIPTS FOR YEAR $11,385 Records Show Gain in 1926 Over 1925 of $356.00 Says Postmaster Dickey Rcccips for toe iocai post office during the year 1926 are $11,385.86 according to information given out this week by Postmaster A. B. Dickey. These figures represent a gain over 1925 of $356.24, the books show. These receipts includes and is repre sented entirely by stamps, stamp paper and parcel post revenue actual ly sold in the local office, and does not include such items as money orders' fees and C. O. D. fees. The receipts of the local post office have showed a steady gain for the past several years, and Mr. Dickey is well pleased with prospects for even fur ther gain in 1927. The amount of mail passing through this post office daily is tre mendous, an average of 6,000 letters daily, incoming and out going, are handled which do not include tVe packages recoitcci and * disbursed*- at1 this office. This post office occupies a peculiar position in the Dept., being distributing point for offices in Clay county, N. C., Towns' County, Ga., and for the lower end of Cherokee county. The Post Office Money Order busi ness handled through this office is exceptionally heavy, averaging about $6,000 per month. This includes only . the Money Orders issued. During the | month of December there were 650 ! Money Orders issued by local authori ties, and 168 paid. The insured I packages for December number 883, I and Postmaster Dickey stated that j there were three ordinary, or unin i sured packages handled to every one j sured. Thest figures are interesting and present a l airly conceivable idea of the amount of business handled by Postmaster Dickey, and his efficient corps of clerks and tlso something of the amount of business Uncle Sam is receiving by the patrons in Murphy and vicinity. NEWS ITEMS OF LAST WEEK i January 5th. The United States landed more Marines in Nicaragua to protect American life and proper ty. President Coolidgc disapproves building of three new cruisers, backed by the House. British having trouble with Chinese. Mobs invade and overrun English Concession. United States and Brit ish Warships sent to shell Hankow. Jan; 6th. Six more warships and 400 more Marines sent to Nicaragua. The Navy department said the pur pose of this dispatch of additional troop3 and ships was to enable Ad miral Latimer to "thoroughly pro tect" American lives and property in the war-torn Central American coun try. Fire destroyed the Administration building of I