19
H The Leading It
I Vol. XL v.?No. 8.
I POWER COMPANY
I APPEAL FOR 1931
I IS UNSETTLED
B Former County Attorney Asked For
W Brief of 1931 Appeal By
e State Authorities
I Tin fact that an appeal of the
IJ South-.rn States Power Company
E from the assessment of ks property
1 in Oct ke county, filed in 1931, is
I ?tiil nn ettled and pending before the
I State lh ii i of Assessment at Raleigh
9 came to light here last week when
| the state authorities requested Don
| Withers}, ion, county attorney during
1 1931 an 1932, to submit a brief of
1 thi questions in dispute and t?he apI
peal argument used then by the counI
ty commissioners in -their efforts to
F have the assessment of the power j
company's lands sustained.
; Twr weeks ago, the Southern
St r Co., owner of the development
furnishing power and lights
for the town of Murphy, and holder
j in eminent domain of the riparian
- right- >!' the Hiawassee river in Cher|
okee county, and the Cherokee Land
& Development Co., a subsidiary com
pan.v oiganizea ior noiaTng the lands
acquiied above the water line, served
notice upon E. C. Moo're, chairman
of the county Commissioners, through
their attorneys, -Martin & Martin, of
A>hcville, that they were appealing
from he assessment valuation placed
upon their lands by a recent order of
the hoard.
When the new appeal of the power
ivinpuny was submitted, the State
Board ot Assessment, discovering t.hat
it had never rendered a decision in
the appeal of the 1933 assessment,
mailt the request upon the former
county attorney.
The appeal of the Southern States
Power Company irom an order of
the board of equalization of Cherokee
county, dated June 15, 1931, was!'
?, *insi a 20 pei\, nt..increase in th'- j
assessed valuation of Its property in j
the county.
1'. L. Padgett, register of deeds);
and clerk of the board. of county
commissioners, said the records show- j
cd the power company had paid taxes
upon its property for -the years 1931
and 1932, wit*h the exception of the
30 percent increase. He said the question
of the increase was still unset-tied
and pending before the stat.e
authorities.
A;, affidavit of E. L. Townson, L.
M. Shields and J. Lovingood* ,
momK. 1 *U . 1 --J - e ?
ui uic uuaiu ui county cuiumissiuners
in 1931, when the former
eppeal was taken, shows that the power
c mpany paid $10, $84 and $100
an acre for some of the lands it has
acquired by condemnation proceed- 1
ings.
Th- Southern States Power Com- !
pany, formerly known as the Carolina-Tennessee
Power Company, the 1
affidavit reciter, owns 0 available dam 1
^tes on the waters of Cherokee County.
Two are located on the Hiawassee J*
rivt'r, between Murphy and the Ten- 1
nessee line, a distance of about 25
miles. Two others are located on the v
Hiawassee river above Murphy, one i
known as the Axley dam site, and the p
other as the McCombs site. Two more v
ar?* located on the Notla River, one fc
known as the Fox dam site, and the c
other is the site of the pfresent dam t
an.; power house which furnishes c
eledtrical energy for the town of
Murphy. This latter development was t
originally constructed by the town t
cf -Murphy as a municipal plant, but g
was late V sold to the Carolina-Tennessee
Power Company, and is now
owned by its successor. The Southern ^
States Power Company. ^
fhe affidavit further recites that j(
when the lands of the power company fo
were listed and assessed for taxation r,
in 1927, although the Machinery Act t<
?f the* General Assembly for that y\
- -"M-'icu tne county supeiviaiw ^
!il taxation and the assessors, in mak- j
tnjr valuation of property, to "consider
each j,icce or par -I. its advantapes
as to location, quality of soil,
luanti y of standing: timber, water
Privileges, water power", etc., yet
the "water power privileges and wat- .
?er power adaptabilities'* were not
n *n*? consideration in making '
the valuation for gene'r^l assessments 01
for that year.
Because of the failure of the coun- SI
ty officials in 1927 to comply with j*'
tnf ?r?visions ?f the machinery act c
'elating to water power valuation. ^
the affidavit alleges, considerable
comment was caused among the citizrs
of the county, who generally w
*elt that the btfrden of taxation had c?
not been distributed equally between
tne power company and other tax tt
Payers. As a result, in 1928, the
- Continued on page 4) th
" 0
w
Ift tf
7 eekly Newspaper in Western North
Mutphey, r*>
PARENT-TEACHER
ASS'N ORGANIZED
AT PEACHTREE 15
Aparent-teacber associali !i was
organized last Friday aft-moon at
Peachtree, with Mr . \V. . Witt,
president; Mrs. Iron - <har. .
president; and Mrs. R. T Lovingood,
sicretai y-treasurer.
R. C. Pipes, prinlapci had rhar. of
lhe program rendered hy : ot
the various gfrades. He in'. I i > I
Mr.-*. H. Bueck, Mrs. J. H. Hampton,
a past president, and Mrs. Th mas S.
Evans, all of the Murphy ParentTeacher
Association, who m -hort
tals prior to the organization.
Mrs. Bueck explain <1 th : t cm
and principles of the ?>.- > ia* n. MrHampton
told of some the work
don at Murphy, and Mr-. K.an.- extended
an invitation
to visit the Murphy as
About fifty oarent- vv . pi.-, n:
and affiliated with th. new ionization.
Penuh-tree is local ej about 7
miks southeast of Murphy ami i- ne
of he mos progressive communiies of
the County. It has a c : ilida ed
school with six teacher- h o <1 in a
modern fire proof building.
Crop Loan Supervisor
To Be in Cherokee, C'ay
S. S. Williams, Fi Id Supetvi-ior
fo'r the Crop Production I :: Office,
has announced the following .-chedule
for Cherokee and Clay Counties.
Monday Septembtr 2.~>th, Andrews,
Post Office, li to 0:30 A. M. Marble
Post Office, 10 to 10:30. .Murphy,
County Agenis Offie . Court House,
11 to 12:30 AM. Culberson, Hyatts
Store, 2 to 2:30 P.M.
Tuesday, September 20th; Brasstown,
Scroggs Store, to 11:30 A. M.
10:30 to 12 A. M.: Shooting Creek,
Post Office 1 to 1:30 P. M. All the
above are on Eastern time.
See the Field Supervisior at the
most convenient place and time, as
your meeting with Aim will be to
your advantage.
90 CENT'TM
RATE FOR 1933
FOR CHEROKEE
Lowest County-Wide Rate In Many
Years?$2.00 Set For
County-Wide Poll
A tax rate of ?0c per $100 valuition
was fixe 1 as the county-wide
evy for Cherokee by the Board of
bounty Commissioners, composed of
2. C. Moore, chairman; F. O. Scroggs
ind T. T. .Johnson, at an adjourned
neeting lv re last week. The levy
ists 40c f r debt service, 19c for
ehools, and -He for general or current
expenses.
This repr -en's the lowest countyvide
rate I. vied in several years, and
s made possible by the strict economy
iolicy adopted by the board when it j
vas inducted into office 'ast Pec em>er.
The commissioners have sue-1
ceded in cutting by fifty per cent
hie general operating expenses of the
ounty.
Additional levies for special disricts
range from 15c in Valleytown
ownship to $1.10 in Hothouse townhip,
while an extra levy was made
i Ndtla township. The additional
?vics include: Murphy township, inerest
and sinking fund for road
onds, 40c; Valleytown townsnip, initrest
and sinking fund for railroad
onds, 15c; Beaverdam township,
[>ad debt service, 00c; Shoal Creek
nvnship, road debt service, 65c; and
fothouse tofnship road debt service,
1.10. A county-wide poll of $2 was
vied.
The assessed valuation of the counT
this year is off nearly three-qugrrs
of a million doltafrs, according
? figures complied in the office of
. L. Padgett, register of deeds, who
now working on the tax books for
033, preparing them for turning
per to the tax collector.
The total real and personal proprty
listed this year amounts to $5,50.019.
with c< rporation firms yet
> be added. This latter item last
jar. Mr. Padgett said, amounted to
2,413,760, and information from the
ate Corporation Commission said
is item would be off about 20 per
int. If the estimated figures of the
>rporntion commission are correct,
lis will give the county a total asssed
valuation of $7,381,827 for
)33, as compared with $8,063,071,
e total amount for 1932. J
t Carolina, Covering a Largr and P
I. C., Friday, September 2
REGISTRARS j
AND JUDGES
I ARE NAMED;
' Candidate* For Referendum Must I
Be Certified By Midnight
October 7th
i Registrars and judges of election j
for the 24 precincts In Cherokee were i
named here Monday by the county
board of elections for holding the |
el ction on November 7th. The election
board is composed of Josh John-j
a, 1 Murphy, chairman; E. B. |
King, of Topton, and 1?. B. Morrow, j
! Violet. Mr. Morrow was not present ,
a* Monday's meeting ot hoard. 1
Registrars wtre appointed at a
meeting held last week, and Monday
met with tb^ flection board and appointed
the judges of election. The
registiation books for the county will1
be open only ont day, Satuiday, October
28th, Josh John-on, chairman
of the board, said and Saturday, No- 1
v.niber 11th. ?
I JayMr.,
Johgson said it was mandatory
under the law that th candidates i
hearing *he standards of -.he repealists
and drys be ceitified to the hoard ,
of elections by midnight, October
7 th.
The Murphy north ward precinct !
was ordered lemoved i" th* r^urt I
house for the November * kvtion, and
voteis of that ward will east their I
ballots there. The booth and ck-etjon I
(.Uicials of the north and south wards |
will < ccupy separate rooms in :*he
court house, and Mr. Johnson said i
this move was made to save the extra
rent expense which had heretofore
ben incurred by holding the north
ward balloting down town. The Culberson
precinct voting place was rent*
wl from th*- old place to the liarley
Shields building.
Several of the precincts have vacancies
j\ *ite judges of election, and
Mr. Johnson said these would be filled
by the registrar for the precinct
where tin vacancies occur. The election
officials follow:
Andrews, outh ward, Mrs. Dan
I Tatham. registrar; John Barker and
G. B. Hoblit/.ell. judges.
Andrews, south ward, Chase Tatham,
registrar: \V. W. Ashe and F.
W. Swan, judges.
B'rasstown, Voyd Hogan, registrar;
John Mas-.n and Ben Chastain, judges
Beaveidam, Luther Waldroup, registrar
. and W. M. Roberts, judges.
Upper Beaverdam, John Walker,
registrar; Fred Radford and Leonard
Walker, judges.
Bu'rnt Meeting House, J. W. Hatchett,
regis;tar; J. L. King and Clyde
Cullu!>on, O. C. Shields, registrar; i
K. B. Barber and Frank Silvey, judges |
Ebeneeztr. Lola McDonald, registrar;
Joe Allen judge, (another to be
named).
Grape C:oek. George Rogers, registrar^
Joe Allen judge, (another to be
named).
Hangingdog, Rollin McDonald, registrar;
A. E. Palmer gnd Dewey Kephart,
judges.
Hothouse, John Newman, registrar;
Harley Shields and Tom Cole, judges.
Liberty, W. F. Hill, registrar; (two
judges are to be named).
Long Ridge. Mrs. B. B. Morrow,
registrar; Fred GraMam and A. J.
I Morrow, judges.
Murphy, south ward, Mrs. W. T.
Cooper, registrar; Arthur Akin, judge
(another to be named).
Murphy, north wa'rd, Mrs. J. V.
Brittain, rcgi?rar; Noland Wells and
and Sam Akin, judges.
Marble. J. H. Bryson, registrar;
S. H. Parker and Algia West, judges.
Ogreeta. Fred Martin, registrar; J.
P. Johnson and W. J. Taylor, judge.*.
Peacihtree, *W. E. Moore, registrar;
H. B. Elliott and Walter Witt, judges.
Shoal Creek. W. W. Barton, registrar;
Oscar Taylrfr and Walter Anderson,
judges.
Tomotla. John Keener, registrar;
J. H. Carper and G. G. Stiles, judges.
Topton. Mrs. E. B. King, registrar;
D. B. Wright and Frank Conley,
judges.
Vest*. Willis Floyd, registrar; (two
judges to bt named).
Walker School House. J. W. Kilpatrk-k,
registrar; Homer Davidson
and C. A. Kilpa trick, judges.
Boiling Springs, Will Mintz, registrar;
Bonnie Davis and Floyd Arms,
judges.
ARTICLES OMITTED
A number of articles had to be <
omitted this week because they could
not be set in time to let us get the
paper out on schedule. They will be
carried next week.
t #rp
otentially Rich Tern lory in This Sir
2, 1933.
FUNERAL RITES
HELD FRIDAY, 15,
FOR T. R. ALLEN
Funeral service.- for Tolliver Robert
Allen, 66, prominent Murphy citi'
z- n, were held last .Friday afternoon
at 2:30 at the Baptist church, th
| Rev. T. F. Higgins, pastor of th- Meth
I odist Church, officiating. Interment
was in Sunset cemete'ry.
Mr. Allen, better known a.- "Bud",
died at his home at 6 o'clock Thursday
morning of intestinal llu. He had
been ill about a year, and some five
weeks ago his condition became serious.
He was carried to t.he hospital
bu' was informed his- condition was
beyond the aid of medical science,
and was brought home about ten days
before his death.
Born in Madison county, June 24.
1867, Mr. Allen moved to Murphy
county, June 24. 1867. Mr. Allen
moved to Murphy about 29 years ago.
He was engaged in buying and mar- I
keting poultry, and did quite an extensive
business in this line.
He was martied three times, and
is survived by his wife, a son, Corb-tt
Allen of Coraopolis, Pa.; a step
(laughter, Pauline Allen of Murphy.
Dr. Hill Receives
Letter From Jeffress
Dr. J. X. Hill, prominent Murphy
physician and civic leader, has received
a letter from Chairman E. B.
I..fr. . r, .
I ui iiiv mate rugnway ami
Public Worl&i Commission, relative
I to -the Culberson-Georgia connection.
The letter, in part, says: "1 hope
1shortly to forward a court house map j
n route 28 between Ranger and Cul- :
I berson, and we ex pi ct to go forward :
with this project a-t the earliest possiI
l ie moment."
The letter concludes with the statement
from .Mr. Jeffreys thai he hopes I
lateV to come to the western part of |
the State and will certainly come to i
Murphy.
PATMANADMITS !
LEGION POLICY
IS RIGHT ROAD
Texa* Congressman and Famous Veteran's
Exponent Comes Out in
Support Of Legion Policy
Washington, Sept. 21. (Special) ,
?-Wright Patman, member of Con- j
gr.ss from Texas, American Lvgion- j
naire and outspoken critic of the j
policy of moderation which The j
American Legion adopted following '
the passage of the Economy Act, I
makes an "honest confession of error"
in an article to be published in
the October issue of The American
L gion Monthly.
Declaring frankly that "I was
wrong and National Commander >
Johnson was right," Representative j
Palman now gives his unqualified |
endorsement to a policy of moder- [
ation. Only that policy, he says, made
possible the revisions in the Economy
Act which restored to disabled veterans
and dependents of decease 1 I
veterans manv of thc? henpfj^^ wKJ/.'K i
were to be taken from them.
"It was the sportsmanlike thine to
do, the patriotic thing -to do. as we
see it now in the full light of all later
circumstances," he says.
Future Safeguard
Mr. Pat man adds that the continuation
of that policy will keep the door
open to the Legion to prevent future
injustices and cruel-ties to disabled
veterans and dependents through regulations
promulgated under the
Economy Act.
"I actually believed that first report
which said that National Commander
Louis Johnson had not only
endorsed the Economy Act but bad
pledged the full supoort. of The
American Legion in its "enforcement,"
Mr. Patman writes, adding: "I was
furious. I voted against the bill, be
iivtiiijc ?'ut\ u was a uruiai aim an uIImericful
proposal and that it-i enactment
would be a monumental mistake."
Mr. Patman continues:
"I was still hot under the collar
when I began to realize the truth. Out
of the smoke of rumors I got the
truth in t^ie Commander's own words,
the ?Jatements he issued at the proper
time. Mr. Johnson did not endorse the
Economy Act. He opposed it and the
entire Legion organization opposed
its enactment. It was only after the
(Continued on page 9)
" . . H -- > -
lit
\te
$1.00 YEAR?5c COPY
COOPER AND
BIRCHFIELD
ENTER RACE
Murphy Men Being Put Forward As
Candidates On Referendum
November 7th
Harry P. Cooper, World War veteran
and prominent .Murphy lawyt'r,
and L>. M. Birchfieli, widely known
law enforcement officer and game
warden for Chcroke-:. Clay and Graham
counties, both leading Democrats,
are being put forward by their
friends as opposing candidates for
nomination by the repealists and dr.vs
respectively, on the pr hibition and
convention referendum November 7,
and petitions u"r-_ being circulated in
the county advocating their selection.
| Several other candidates art being
I mention'.d for '.he nomination by the
j repealists. prominent among which
'are G. W. C>\u* Jr., of Andrews.
'Democrat and re; re.-ontatirv from
'Cherokee in the last session of the
I Genual Assembly, and X. W Aber,
nathy, of Marble, a leading RcpubliI
can and fotmer sheriff of the county.
However, only Mr. Cooper and
Mr. Bfrchfield hav-. definitely been
put foiward by their friends for the
nominations.
Mr. Cooper, present district commander
of The American Legion, has
long b en an ydvocate of the repeal
of the lSth Amendment .He was form
orly mayor of Murphy for two terms.
As e< un.y ampaign managei f<>r
Senator Robc'rt R. Reynolds during
Tc u;n-off primary last July o- d the
genual election in November, he was
instrumental in helping carry Cherokee
county for the Democratic ticket
for the firs' time in more than fifty
yea rs.
Foil-wing: the election. Senator
Reynolds appointed Mr. Cooper as
his Washington Representative, and
after > veral months service, he resigned
and resumed his law practice
at Murphy.
M \ Birchfield, an adrent advocate
of the prohibition law, was chief of
police of Murphy fo'r many years, and
was sheriff of Cherokee cour.'v icr
two years. Far several years followingthe
World War, he was criminal investigato'r
and inspector for the Southern
Railway, and is at present game
warden for the three most western
counties of the state.
While ht was sheriff of the county.
Mr. Birchfield was a terror to t%he
bootlegger and blcckader alike, and
has probably done as much if not more
than any oth< r man in the cpunty
to stamp out the illicit liquor traffic
in Che'rokee.
The petition being circulated will
require appoximately 130 names of
qualified voters to make tin nominations
Jcgal, and it is estimated that
this number will be easily s cured.
However, if other candidates enter the
field, it is understood th- candidates
receiving t.he largest number of qualified
voters will be declared th. nomininees.
Candidates hav- uniii midnigh
of October 7th to certify :o the
election board, and this boa'rd will de
ciare me opposing: nominees.
Legal Separation
Agreement Filed By
Dr. and Mrs. Adams
An agreement of legal separation
was filed here this week between Dr.
Edward E. Adams, prominent Murphy
physician. and his wife, Mrs.
Lilla Adams, who have been living
apart since September, 1032. They
were married, in Knoxville, Tenn.,
home of Mrs. Adams, in April, 1925.
The agreement specifies certain
sums of money arc to be paid Mrs.
Adams instead of alim ny, and are
to be discontinued after a period of
two yea'rs. They relinquish all personal
and property rights and claims
upon each other which may have been
HV.<|uiivU limit. lliv li?\> 11 y I Vfl.-UII 01
their marriage.
Custody of their only oh?ld. Edward
Jr., was given to Mrs. Adams,
with the understanding that he can
visit his father for alternate monthly
periods during the summer wh ii
he is not in school, and during the
time he is visiting his father is to be
taken care of by some competent
woman agreeable and acceptable to
Mrs. Adams. The father is. to support
his son and provide hi ?<'
cation, and has the right to designate
the college to which he may go.
The reason given in the covenant
for separation is that they could not
live tog.ther aimably, and the covenarts
cf Vie legal separation were
mutually agreeable to both.