Our Aim:? f /|T 1 1 w Dedicated
(l lip (HhprflRpp krniti ifzz
THE LEADING WEEKLY NEWSPAPER IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. COVERING A LARGE AND POTENTIALLY RICH TERRITORY
Ml'RPHY. N. C THURSDAY. MARCH 22. 1940 5i ? OPY?S1.M PEK YKAK
ANDREWS SENDS
MAYOR ON TOUR
AFTER INDUSTRY
Three Firms Reported
Interested; Murphy
Mapping Campaign
Mayor Tillitt of Andrews will leave
in the next few (lavs fnr ? two
tour of Northern cities, making per
sonal contacts with industrial heads
who have expressed interest in es
tablishing plants and factories in this
section.
One of the firms, reportedly in
Philadelphia, is said to have requested
the Mayor to brine detailed descrip
tion of the land offered, a statement
ns t" whnt concessions will he made,
by the town, and n contract from the
NanUV.nla Pnwer and I-igh! Company
statinp what power rates will be.
At ?i>-i othor firm" nlso are
! said to be actively intereste.1.
This is the result of .in intensive
mail campaign which has been con
ducted by Andrews for several mon
ths. Mayor Tillitt has sent out near
ly JO.OOn letters, written by an N. Y.
A. typist, and accompanied by a fol
der teliing of Andrews' advantages.
So many responses have been re
ceived that the Town Board authoriz
ed him to visit some of th< writers,
and try to close arrangements.
According to Mayor Tillitt. the
town of Andrews will take steps to
acquire r.ny land sought by an in
coming industry, and will lease it to
the industry for 99 years, at St per
year. This will do away with land
taxes.
i However, it will NOT do away with
taxes on the building, or on the ma
' chinery and profits. Also, land will
be leased only for the site of the
plant Land to house the workers will
-?have to be purchased. The workers
yijrill buy local materials and hire local
labor to build homes; and will pay
taxes on the improved property. Also,
a goodly proportion of their pay
~*?-ehecks will be to local merchants. All
retold, everybody will benefit.
P The Murphy Chamber of Com
merce will shortly send out two sets
of folders; one intended to draw tour
ist trade; the other seeking to attract
industry.
The touris* ' ty:ii be profuse
ly illustrated, a:v' n-; *cd on attrac
tive enameled paper colored sky-blue.
Tho industrial folder will contain
"facts and figures; a straight-away
statement of what the town has to
offer to business.
Secretary Fred Christopher will
get a list of prospects from the U. S.
Department of Commerce, in Wash
ington, D. C.
^Murphy To Be Visited
t|By Travelling Library
?
The travelling exhibit of Children's
Books, made available through the
k publishers, and sponsored by the
North Carolina Library Association
I 'will be shown in the library in Mur
phy from Wednesday through Satur
day next week.
The exhibit will be particularly in
teresting to parents starting libraries
for their youngsters, or choosing
books for gifts.
Pastor?' Conference
To Be Held March 31
A Ministers' Conference will bo
held in the Mt. Zion Baptist church,
two miles Bouth of Marble, on Sunday I
March 31. Dinner will be served by
the church, and there will be an all
day program, beginning at 11 o'clock,
?8 follows:
Morning?Song service and devo
tional, led by Victor West; Election
?of officers; Song by Valley River
Quartet.; Address by the Rev. Algie
West; Song; Address by the Rev.
Robert Barker.
Noon?Dinner.
Afternoon, 1 p. m.?Song service
and devotional, led by the Rev. Jim
Truett; address by the Rev. H. H.
Hyde; address by the Rev. Paul Lov
ingood; Song by Valley River Quar
tet; Addre?!s by the Rev. E. F. Baker
THIEVING VISITOR
DRIVES OFF WiTH
FARMER'S $100 COW1
Something new in the line of thiev
ery came to light in the Kairview sec
tion. near Andrews, when James Lu
ther, a farmer reported that a S100
heifer had been stolen from his barn
Sunday night. %
Mr. Luther told poJice he heard the
truck drive into his yard, and later
drive away; but did not go out to in
11?. <)i<l n A> iliennviir V> 5 ?1
loss until Monday morning. The
tracks of the truck were plainly vis
ible.
The heifer was one of several high
grade cattle which Mr. Luther keep?.
Andrews authorities and Sheriff Carl
Townson are investigating.
MINE "DROWNED"
AS SHAFT OPENS
HUGE RESERVOIR
Investment of $20,000
By Firm Seeking T ale
Is Feared Doomed
Weber. MrGanr. and company of
Ph:ladelphia, Pa. who have bren min
ing for talc on Junaluska Creek near
Andrews, struck what seemed insur
mountable difficulties last Wednes
cav when the horizontal shaft tapped
a reservoir of water reaching the pro
portions of an underground river.
Prospecting operations of the com
pany are estimated to have c^st be
tween $10.000 a?:d S20.000 in mater
ial and labor.
The most reliable information con
cerning the difficulties seems to be
that workmen drilling stone for the
purpose of blasting the shaft pene
trated a reservoir of water. The fore
man investigated and instructed the
work to proceed. Following the shoot
ing of the stone, however, there was a
deluge that drove the workmen from
the shaft.
Ropes were attached to the mach
inery and an attempt was made to
haul it out. but the shaft flooded so
rapidly that complete recoverv was
impossible . It is reported that the wa
ter filled the shaft to the moutb and
overflowed, in spite of the powerful
pumps used.
It was said, last week that the ma
terial would be remored to the J. K.
Stover property at Rhodo. and new
activities started. This report how
ever, could not be verified.
Herman Weber, partner in the
corporation. visited the drowned
mine. His plans have nat been made
public.
Girl BasketbaJlers
Finish Splendid Season
The Murphy girl's basketball team
has just finished a most successful
season. They finished second in the
Tri-State league, just one point be
hind the leaders, and although beat- |
en for the title by Hayesville, they |
won three of the six places on the All 1
tournament sextet. Captain Zimmer
man was named as guard and the J
Misses Geneva White and Nellie |
flavis were chosen as forwards.
Miss Whitrf was high scorer throu- ,
ghout the tournament, and also ?cor
ed the most points in any single j
points in any single game.
Miss Higdon, the coach, faces tough '
sledding next year, however. All the
regulars except Esther Pipe will bo j
lost by graduation.
Employers Of Children
Warned By Miss Dean
Mix? Linnetta Dean, County Sup- .
erintendent of Public Welfare, warns i
that numbers of children are being
employed without s?euTing* Employ- '
men t Certificates. She adds that the j
law requires a certificate for every
employee under 18 years of age. ex- i
cept in the esse of agricultural or i
domestic work, where only the con
sent of the child's parent or guardian
is required. For boy boot-blacks, and
selling. Miss Dean says, the minimum
age is 14 years.
HAYES RETIRES
AS POSTMASTER
AFTER 58YEARS
Gets Letter of Praise,
From Farley; Also A
Signed Photograph
Jefferson T. Hayes ha.?* retired a*
T.ostmMtor Ht Tomotl:? ?fti*r kmir
years of service and has been suc
ceeded by his daughter Lelia Hayes
r;ho is the third generation and the
fourth Hayes to have occupied that
position since the post office was es
tablished in 1855.
Mr. Hayes is justifiably proud of
his record, the seconci oldest in the
United States, and of his rating of
.P4 efficiency. The veteran Post ma ?t
rr has received an autographed photo
! end a letter from Postmaster General
Farley. The letter says:
"It has come to my attention that
you are retiring from postmaster at
Tomotla. North Carolina after serv
ing in that capacity for 58 yers.
4,!t gives me much pleasure to
compliment yon on having rendered
| loyal and faithful service to your jrov
I ernment.
44I wish to extend my personal con
gratulations ami hope you will enjoy
mnnv years of happiness and content,
j "I am enclosing an autographed
. photograph. in the thought that v- u
may desire to have it as a memenvo
J of the closing years of your service.**
I Mr. Hayes was commissioned pnsi
? master at Tomotla on May 1, 1882.
j He is the oldest postmaster in North'
i Carolina in point of service and i*
! surpassed only bv Miss Marv Stewart
! of Oxford. Maryland who hah served
? two years longer. She is also retiring.
Hardly less remarkable is the fast
that the Tomotla post office was es
tablished and has always been run by
members of the Hayes family. The
first post office was established in
1855 with George W. Hayes, Sr.. fa
ther of the retiring postmaster, in
charge. He abandoned the post office
for the battle field during the Civil
War, and retired at the end of the
war with the rank of Captain.
Energetic and ambitious he had
, made a name for himself in Cherokee
] county hving come here as an orphan.
I He served for years with distinction
j in the North Carolina legislature
? where he sponsored bill for good
| roads, schools, and good govern
; ment.
An interesting story of imnartial
ity was told this %yeek by Jefferson
Hayes, member of the Cherokee
Countv school board in connection
with disposal of an abandoned school
house in the Fairview section be
tween Andrews and Murphy. The
building is located the opposite
side of the River from the highway.
A representative of the Methodist
church tried to buv tho building ?but
this would leave the Baptist?: without
a place to worship. The Baptists also
wanted to buy. but this would haw
left the Methodists in the same fix.
Also the sale of school property is i
intricate and expensive legal process.
So. instead of making a sale. 'h<
Board declared the abancloned school
a community building, to be u?=ed for
~">rship by all.
When the war ended Georee W.
i Hayes. Jr., brother to Jefferson. was
; appointed to reorganize postal ser
j vice in Tom o tla. After serving- a
I Dumb( r of -opr? ro?itrned to at
? tend college and appointment was
| gr'vcn to Jefferson, then 21 year*
! old.
Besides beinfr Postmaster, Mr.
| Hayes has for years been prominent
in both communitv and Count \ af
i fairs. Hp now serves on the County
| School Board, and is frequently con
. suited on community and County af
fairs.
At the ape of of 78. Mr. Hayes is
| as mentally alert as ever, and has the
1 "pep" of much younger m?n. Al
though a slight lameness requires the
use of a cane, he generally prefers
walking to driving: his car.
SCHOOL BUILDING
CONVERTED INTO
CHURCH FOR ALL
DRIVER SMASHES
LIGHT ON SQUARE;
LANDS IN LOCKUP
Ono of th<- iron lamp-post? light
ing th< public aqnare was shattered
to smithereens about midnight last
Saturday, and as a result J. P. Robin
I son. of Atlanta was locked up charjr
I'd with drunken driving.
Ho was held in the County jail un
til Tuesday, when his wife came to
| Murphy from Atlanta and scoured
] his release on bond. According to
. f UUVC |*it*u Ifuuucwu, III?
I wife "sure did irive him down-the
I road". She told her husband, Johnson
1 says, that "if he had been at home
where he belonged, instead of out
' with a drunken crowd on honky
' tonks" the accident never would have
j happened.
i Robinson will be tried durinjr tho
April term of court. He also will be
required to pay for the street light;?
about $67.
TEACHERS PLAY
AGAINST PUPILS:
MEN ARE BEATEN |
Feminine Athletes Do
Better And Defeat
'B Team 14 To 6
There was a big- call for linament ?
in Murphy drug stores this week,
following two basketball same? be
tween the masculine and feminine
school teachers. and their punils.
The ladys. playing against ihe **B"
team were victorious. 14 to 6; but
I ho men came out a bad second best,
Veati-n by the seniors 32 to 13.
Fouls were virtually forgotten in I
1 both games, and as exhibitions of
skill, they were entitled to a ratimr
of minus two?or maybe less. But
the sight of Messrs Bueck, Wright. ?
and Carroll trying to run. and the !
gazelle-like leaps of Miss McCracken j
caused startled wonder. Miss Higdon
led th<* feminine teachers in scoring
with eight points; while Miss Mc
i Cracken was second with four. Mrs.
I Bueck came in as a substitute in the
second quarter. She made an attrac
tie appearance, but definitely will
never be "All-American".
.
Miss Overton and Mrs. Allen turned
in stellar performances, as did the
Misses Whitaker, Mallonee and Veal.
The men teacher? "couldn't take it"
and had to ring in three outsiders;
James Mai lonce, Dale Snodgrass and
"Dutcby'' Zimmerman a? substitutes.
Coach Pitzer made nine of the 13
point scored by his team.
Proceeds of the games will go to
ward a banquet for the players. The
lineups;
]?ady teachers:?Allen. Overton.
Adamft. McCracken, Bueck, Higdon,
Whitaker, Maiionee and Veal.
B-Team:?Gullev. Voyles, Pipes.
Berong, Beavers, Hall. McCltire. and
Howell.
Male teachers:?Carrol. Chambers.
Bueck. Maiionee, R*. Pitzer. Wright,
Zimmerman, Snodgrass and J. Mai
ionee.
Seniors:?Newton, Tinney. Wilson,
Mintz, Simmons, Taber. Barnett. and
Dickey.
APOLOGIES?
In last week's issue of the Scout
there was a story concerning a col
lision of a school bus and a milk
truck, near Ranger. The story may
have created the impression that the
bus driver was to blame. The Scout
intended no such reflection. Happily
the crash was slight, and no one was
injured ?
Weaver's Hat In Ring;
New Candidate In Race
A leter from the Hon. Zeb Weaver
to th?? Scout announces that he is a
candidate to succeed himself as Con
gressman from this District. In the
samo mail come* a lenfrthy letter
from Mr. Earle Donnahop. Asheville
Attorney and Democrat, announcing:
that he is a candidate for the same
scat. Donnahoe is ah advocate of the
Townsend Plan.
COUNTY MOURNS
AS D. S. RUSSEII
DIES IN ANDREWS
Founder and Six Times
Mayor Of Town Laid
To Rest Wednesday
Andrew- bun? d its first citizen
Wednesday.
With th<* Board of Aldermen and
leading citizens from all Cherokee
County joining in solemn tribute,
David Samuel Russell, founder of the
town, its first Mayor, and six tiroes
elected to head the local government
was laid to rest in Andrews cemetery.
He died Tuesday morning, at six o'
clock. following an illness of several
months. He was 83 years old.
Symbolical of the affection and re
spect with which the dead civic lead
??i was generally held, the Revs. Dulin,
Baker and Huddle, pastors of three
Andrews churches, joined in conduct
ing th<* services. The Forysth Funeral
home was in charge of arrangements,
and Masons, clad in lamb-skin aprons
paid their last honors as the body was
lowered into the grave. Mr. Russell
was on*? of the oldest members of the
order in the County. Recently he was
given a certificate, at a special moef
?ng of the Andrews Lodge, marking
half a century of active membership.
? It was 56 years ago?back in 1884
when Mr. Rtishell then 27 years
old. and a surveyor for the Southern
Railway, rode horseback into this sec
tion. looked down from a m aintain
top into the valley where Andrews
row lies, and decided" "This valley
?hall be a city?and .-hall be my
home."
Recently married, and thru living
at Old Fort. N C. he moved to what
was virtually a wilderness; brougM
the railroad into the County, and
founded a settlement that now is An
drews.
Resigning his railway position, Mr.
Rushell at first became a merchant.
Later he branched out into real es
tate. and insurance. He retired from
active business about six years ago,
but never ceased to keep an active
interest in all pertaining to the
town's welfare.
The present village of Topton was
named by Mr. Russell who secured
the establishment of a post office
there while his store was 1 octet! at
that point. He was the first postmas
ter.
His interest in good roads made
him a pioneer in that field in this
section. He obtained passage by the
legislature of a bill creating a spe
cial tax road district here?the first
such district west of the Balsalnr
mountains. He was made a member
of the Cherokee county road commis
sion when that body was formed.
Honorarv pallbearers: Dr. Fred
Herbert. Georjre Hoblitzell. Bpn
Grant. .l^hn Zed Whrtaker,
H. M. Whitnker. W. C Pnndlin. W B.
Fisher. !>r. W. C. A! v -ow, Dr IT. Pnr
t pMp. Percy B. Ferebee, .T -lin W.
Walker. G. William Cover, A. B.
Chandler. Sr.. Zeb Gonlcv. I. B. Hud
son. .T. H. Christy. W. T. Holland.
John A. T.it ham. Judgp Felix Alley of
Wjivnesville., M. W. Bell.of Murpbv.
W W. Ashe. Clvde H. .Tarrett, D H.
Til'itt. R. T. Healon. G.ilushn Pnll
<nm. H. H. Hyde and C. F .Wood
ward .
TIr was born ir. Carteret county
June 4. 1856. and grrew up during the
Reconstruction period in the south:
When he reachod maturity, he ramc
to the mountain? of Western North
Carolina and located at Old Fort
where he enpraged in the furniture
business. On September 14, 1881, he
married Miss Hnttie Blackwelder,
who passed away here May 2, 1933.
They celebrated their polden wedding
anniversary in 1931.
He is survived by five daughters.
Mrs. Luther Nicholson, Mrs. J. W
Brown, and Mrs. Edna Tatham.
Andrews: Mrs. Carmon S. Johnson,
of Asheville. and Mrs. Mary Barnes,
of Eueene. Ore., and one son, J. Dil
lard Russell of Lynchburg, Va.
Active pallbearers: W. D. Whitafc
er. Dr. H. E .Davis. Lee Watkins.
Wade Recce, Zala Adams, and Prank
Bristol.