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To Service
For Progress
(Ehernkfp ?>rnut
EADING WEEKLY NEWSPAPER IN ???.. " ^
Our Aim: ?
A Butter Murphy
?r ? -w?r ^ ^ ^ ^ t mer County
THE LEAPING WEEKLY NEWSPAPER IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. COVERING A LARGE AND POTENTIALLY RICH TEURITORY
VOL. 25.-NO. 28. MURPHY. N. C. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY ?. 1941 3? COPY-SI * PER YRAR
WPA BEGINS WORK
ON EXHIBIT HALI.
AT FAIR GROUNDS
$12,332 Project
To Be Completed
By Late Summer
WPA crew of about 20 men begam
excavation work last Friday pre
paratory to laying foundation; for
the new exhibit hall on the leal fair
grounds. Concrete pouring is expect
ed to be under way by the end of
?his week. The building is expected
to be completed in time for the next
County Fair.
The $12,332 project was approved
oy the WPA last November, but
workmen had not been avilable until
this time to begin the actual work.
Larger crews will be added as the
work demands, and completion of the
project is frseen in August or Setp
< ruber.
L. E. Barnett. district WPA sup
ervisor who has charge of this work,
and a Raleigh official conferred with
County and Fair association officials
Tuesday on arrangements to go a
head with the construction work.
Materials for the present stages
of construction are ready for use and
other materials will be brought in
as needed. Machinery and men are
being called to the job as fast fts
they are needed.
The new exhibit hall will be a
stone structure 65 by 110 feet, to be
located along^tha upper side of the
fair ground*, nhir the back entrance
The building will have hardwood
floors so that it can be used as a
gmnaslum for school athletic class
es and activities, dances, and general
community use.
Plans also call for a steam heating
plant to be installed under one cor- j
Jier of the building, and a small
basement for storage purposes. There
will be entrances on either side, and
at one end a small wing will be add- I
<d later for use as dressing rooms
when the building is put into use as
a gymnasium.
The project calls for the erection
of additional cattle sheds, new fences
and possibly a grandstand. Various
improvements to the entSi* fair
wounds are also included in the
plans.
?-o
EPISCOPAL SERVICES
Services at the Church of the
Messiah, Episcopal, will be held at
? P. M., next Sunday evening by the
Rev. Rufus Morgan.
Sheriff Loads Calves
Too Heavily in Truck;
Three of Them Die
Three calves dead was the price
paid by Sheriff Townson for loading
too many into a track for the Knox- I
ville market one day last week.
All told sixteen calves ranging in
age from one month to five montl-s
old were in the truck which was
loaded at the Townsend farm near
Marble. By the time the truck re
ached Andrews three of the calvei
were dead or in a dying condition.
The dead calves and four othero
were unloaded. Then the truck pro
ceeded on to Knoxvllle.
The value of the calves lost was
about $35.00.
0
T. and N. C. Railroad
Bought in Entirety
By W. T. Holland
When Alderman and lumberman
W. Turner Holland of Andrews was
a little bit of a shaver Santa Claus
brought him a tin "steam engine" a
tin coal car and a couple of tin pas
senger coaches. The whole business
was less than three feet long and
there were no tracks to go with it.
The train wouldn't run. either, unless
you pushed it?but young Holland
thought it was grand. He shoved it
around the house and in the yard
until he wore out the wheels.
Also he announced to his family,
that when he grew up he was going
to be a railroad man. He wasn't sure
wheather he would be a conductor
or an e*steeer.~He thought that
maybe he'd be both.
Well, that boyish announcement
has come true;?for on January 20.
Mr. Holland became sole owner of
the entire Tennessee and North
Carolina Railroad. The system covers
26 miles of track between Andrews
and Hayesville, and the new owner
already has begun improvements
which will make it 100 per cent ef
ficient. Incidentally he plans to
change the former schedule of run
ning whenever the engineer and
crew got ready to a couple of round
trips every day except Sunday. May
be, if business warrants, the trains
will operate Sunday too. Although
the line is a single tracked, the
trains can pass each other by using a
switch, at Peachtree.
The road equipment consists of
two engines, two coal cars, two flat
cars, a caboose and one passenger
coach. The road will carry no pas
sengers, however, and so the pas
senger coach will be torn down and
converted into another flat bed car.
There also is a machine shop, com
(Continued on Back Page)
Ground Hog Appears; Verdict A Mystery
-But Usually He's A Rotten Prophet
Wee Willie Groundhog followed
his age old custom, and came out of
his hole on Sunday to make his an
nual prediction regarding the weat
her for the next si* weeks.
The time honored rule is that if
he is able to see hi? shadow, he dives
back in his hole to sleep for six weeks
more. Those six weeks are supposed
to contain plenty of oold weather,
and then some.
If. on the other hand his little
body casts no shadow, he stays out.
and Spring is supposed to be Just
around the corner.
Last year Mr. Groundhog was 100
Per cent right. He came out on Feb.
2. as per schedule: stayed out just
a few seconds and then went back.
"It's gona to be cold" he murmured
in groundhog language?and brot
her* and Sisters, he sure spoke a
J^mrthful. RveryboiTr- iri these parts
**? thai.
Whether he stayed out or went I
back in his hole on Sunday is a mat
ter of doubt. Some say he could see
his shadow early in the morning.
Others say that he might not have
come out until mid-day. when the
skies were gray, and there was not
a shadow cast in all the County.
Whatever Mr. Groundhog did. his
actions should not be taken seriously,
for the record book shows him to be
a rotten prophet. In the last 50 years
he has been more than 50 per cent
wrong.
In 193P 'or Instance, he stayed out.
and those who believed in him pre
pared for an early spring. That made
it Just too bad for them, because we
were needing fires in April.
In 1M8. on the other hand he
dived back in his hole?and slept
through one of the nicest and ear
liest springs in a dec ado He missed
It in 1937 too.
All told, he's over-rated.
WHAT OUR
LEGISLATURE
IS DOING
Editor's Not?:?This la thr fourth |
of a series of werkly snnimrin on |
the activities of the 1941 General I
Assembly.
Taxation, as usual, occupicd a pro- I
minent place in the Legislature last '
week, with emphasis on gasoline and j
auto license taxes: and with substan- I
tial changes proposed in collection
and foreclosure
A bill which would allow local
units to dispense with tax certificate
sales, and assign the lines, was re
ported unfavorably. Another measure
setting a limitation of ten years from
due date of taxes on foreclosures to
enforce tax liens on real cSUte, pd.v>
td its second reading in the House.
Auto license fees would be revised
by a bill to fix fees for trucks and
trailers used for agricultural pur
poses art $5 and $2 respectively. An
other bii: would exempt trucks used
in national defense projects from all
contract hauler fees, if used within
a radius of 30 miles of the defense
project.
Gasoline used in school busses
would be exempted from tax, as well
as gas owned by a licensed distribu
tor and destroyed by cartastrophr
under two other bills.
Automobile junk yards would be
licensed by the State, with charges
ranging from $600 to $10 under an
other bill. This measure would pro
hibit counties, cities and towns from
such yards at all.
Hospital care for highway acci
dent victims would be provided un
der the terms of a proposed act
which would set up a fund by addine
50 cents t:> the cost of auto tag li
censt.-v Persons injured in any high
way accident would have their hos
pital bills paid out of this fund to
the extent of $3 per day. for a maxi
mum of 21 days.
Under the terms of a highway bill,
the State Highway Commission
would be directed to construct or im
prove. or both, roads connecting the
county seat with the largest town
in the county, where the county
seat is not the largest town.
A bill, endorsed in substance by
the administration, would prohibit
the sale of fortified wines" in all
counties not operating ABC stores.
A measure was offered to allocate
the entire $1 additional cost in cri
minal cases, half of which has been
going to the SBI and the Statistics
Division of the Justice Department,
to the Law Enforcing Officers' Be
nefit and Retirement Fund.
Another measure would authorize
State Highway patrolmen to execute
warrants issued by J. P's anywhere
in the state without indorsement.
A third law enforcement bill would
make madatory a jail sentence of at
least five days for second and sub
sequent offenders convicted of driv
ing while under the influence of li
quor or drugs. A fourth would per
mit the issuance of search warrants
for gambling on lottery tickets, books,
papers and documents.
Another measure designed to ex
pand and improve the public school
system would allow the State School
Commission to provide for a twelfth
grade where requested by the County
Board of Education.
The institution of msrrriago would
be accommodated by a bill extend
ing the time for physical examinat
ion for seven to thirty days before
date of presentation of cer.'ificate
and requiring non-residents to un
dergo the physical examination re
quired of residents, and by a measure
arranging for the marrying official
to give copies of the marriage li
cense to the couple at time of mar
riage.
Under another bill Maternal Be
(Conliirard on Back Pace)
Rough Road Riles 'cm;
They Borrow Scraper
?and Land in Lock-up
Mr William Ball and Mr William
Newman, both from distant parts,
both employed at the Nantahala
Dam. and both living in the remote
fastnesses of Granny Squirrel Gap. T
were trudging their way to town, cel
ebrating a day off. They were walk
ing ui. and the road, u new one. was
plenty rough.
Taint right. Bill." quoth Newman.
"What ain't right. Bili?" asked
Ball
Why. this here mountain goat
trail they rail a road". Newman ex
PmmTmu. "ilr'o au lull ui iuxnps 1 leel
like I'm on a roller coaster. Some
thin' oughta be done."
"Yeah." quoth Mr Ball, "?but
what?"
They trudged along in silence un
til. all of a sudden, they came upon a
huge serapcr belonging to Gregory
and People, road contractors. The
scraper was standing idle, and the
same idea hit the two Williams at
the same instant.
"If you can't drive her. I can."
said Bill Newman. "I can?but let's
(Continued on Back Page)
O
Legion Seeks Vets
For New Service if
War Comes Again
Veterans of the first World War
may serve again: if and when we get
into the present cnflict. The Ame
rican Legion has prepared a quest
ionnaire in which all former soldiers
I are asked to state just what services
they are best qualified to offer.
The questionnaires have been sent,
to Winslow Mclver. secetary of the
legion post in Murphy, and to the
Legion Hut. in Andrews. All veterans
whether members of the Legion or
not. are asked to contact whichever
place is more convenient, and fill
out the blanks which will be sent to
Department Headquarters, for future
references.
The listing of qualifications is
! NCT compulsory. Neither does it
I obligate the vetran to accept a call
' for his services, should one come. It
| is merely a voluntary means of pre
j paredness, to be used "just in case."
No military duty is involved.
FAHALYSIS FUND
DRIVE IS SUCCESS
IN THIS COUNTY
Birthday Ball Most
Colorful, Largest
In History of Event
Cherokee county responded spl
endidly to the campaign for funds
to fight infantile paralysis rturint:
the past few days The largest con
tribution came fr-m the birthday
dance vhich grossed $193 00 while
smaller amounts were deriiA-d
through the march of dimes drive
With all expenses taken care of.
a net amount of $100 is already ac
counted for and later returns arc
expected to bring this amount to
$150 as this county's contribution to
the Flfci't Infantile Paralysis fund
President Rossevelt's birthday was
celebrated in the most enjoyable and
successful br.ll in its history in the
county Saturday night as crowds
turned out from all this section for
the two dances held in Andrews.
More than 150 couples attended
not including entertainers and per
sons aiding in staging the affairs.
Although the aances were started
earlier than usual, because the date
fell on Saturday night, the crowds
were really responsive. Visitors came
from several adjoining counties tend
towns and two states to join the fes
tivities.
H. Bueck. chairman of the March
of Dimes and Paralysis fund drives in
this county, expressed mild elation
at the apparent success of the cam
paign.
Dancing to the music of Vincent
Wright and his twelve piece band
the crowd seemed to gain enthusiasm
as the two dances progressed in the
gaily, but appropriately, decorated,
decorated gymnasium and Youth
building. The gym contained a large
crowd at all times during the dance,
while square dancers kept the Youth
building's walls bulging, as they
danced four sets to the music of the
Marble string band.
The costumed presentation of old
English and Danish folk dances by
members of the John C. Campbell
Folk school. Brasstown. at intermiss
ion of the round dance, proved to be
the feature entertainment presented
(Continued on Back P?je)
Tom Mauney Tells of Strange Day;
Believe It Or Not, He Vows It's True
Let it be said, at the very beginn
ing that the Scout does NOT vouch
for the truth of what follows. The
tale is told by Tom Mauney, tireless
I demon of internal revenue collections
I and equally tireless with rod and
gun.
The other day, Mauney says, he
and Georgia friend were hunting on
a farm near Hiawassee. Reaching
the top of a hill, they saw an old
man plowing in the valley.
"We can't hunt here,, said Mauney
"there's the owner of this farm, and
hell run us off."
"Oh no. he won't!" said the other
sportsman. "That old fellow can't
run anybody, anywhere?he's stone
Wind."
"I don't believe it" Mauney said,
"because that old man was plowing
a straight furrow without even a
stumble." So my friend took me over
and introduced me. Sure enough, the
old man had been blind for nearly
50 years. He sarid he never had any
trouble getting around the farm,
though, because he could still re
member where everything was.
"He told me he was 78 years old?
and then he invited us up to the
farm house, to meet his dad We
went, and found the father?who was
98?chopping logs for firewood."
"While we visited a hound dog
came lazing up. He sniffed at me.
and I noticed that his toe nails were
three about three inches long I
asked about the animal."
V/ell sir, according to the 98 year
old gentlemen, he had hit that dog
over the head with an axe, when
the animal took a fit. and had
thrown him 80 feet down an aban
doned mine shaft, believing him
dead. He explained that the sh?ft
was used as a grave for anything
that died on the place?mules?chic
kens, anything, because throwing the
bodies down was easier than digging.
"Eight months after the dog had
been thrown down the shaft the 98
year old father said, he was passing
the shaft when he heard a whining.
He couldn't see the bottom of the
shaft, but the noise kept up. and so
finally he got a foot rope, tied a
basket on one end. and let the bas
ket down."
"When he hauled it up. the dog
was inside: a little thin, but other
wise healthy. He said the animal
evidently had survived the blow from
the axe. and had kept alive by eat
ing the carrion thrown down."
"He said the dog's toenails had
been normal when he was thrown
down the shaft. He added that he
believed they had grown to three
inch length because the shaft gave
the dog only a few feet to move *
round in."