Dedicated
To Service
For Progress
_ (Ehprokfp j^rottt
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THE LEAPING WEEKLY NEWSPAPER IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. COVERING A LARGE AND POTENTIALLY RICH TERRITORY
VOL 52. ? NO. 31
Ml'RPHT. N. C. TIU HSDA V. If BKI WRY 27. )<M|
?V ( OPV ? si.r>? PER VI AK
$10 Prize Offered for Name
For New Lake Near Murphy
Contest is open to all;!
No charge to enter,
and Rules Simple
The Murphy Chamber of Com
merce. in cooperation with the Nan
lahala National Forest, has an
nounced a contest to select a suita
ble name for the recreation area
now being constructed on the Per
Mmmon creek of the Hiwassee reser
voir. A prize of $18.08 is offered for
the best name submitted.
The contest is open to any person,
regardless of age, living in Cherokee
county, except thr directors of the
Murphy Chamber of Commerce and
their families, or employes of the U.
8. Forest service and their families.
All contestants are subject to the
following rules:
1. No name of a living person will
be considered.
2. Entries must be mailed, or
brought to the office of the U. S. |
Forest service in Murphy.
3. All entries must be sealed and j
have the name and address of the
sender plainly written on the paper,
and entries must be rendered not
later than April 15, 1941.
4. The decision oi the judges will i
be final, and all entries become the I
property of the U. 8. Forest service.
The winner of the contest will be !
announced In the April 24 edition of
the Cherokee Scout, and the award
will be presented on the date of the
opening of the development.
Plans are now being made for a
huge opening celebration on the day
the recreation center is opened to
the public.
NEW RULE EXPANDS
MATTRESS PROJECT
A new ruling concerning the mat
tress project in Murphy was recently
passed whereby more mattresses are
available to those families who have
been limited heretofore
The new rule makes the provision
that families of more than three
members may secure three mattress
es
The local mattress factory has
turned out 1507 mattresses since the
project was started, having made 92
during the past week.
Plans are also under way for a
comforter project to start soon in the
county, and those who have mattres
ses may also get comforters to be
made under the same plan.
Helen Wells Honored
Miss Helen Wells, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Nolan Wells, was initiated
in the Chemistry Club of Woman's
college In Greensboro on Tuesday,
February 18. Miss Wells is a fresh
mam in the college.
The Weather Vane
Listed below are dally maximum
and minimum temperature and pre
cipitation for the pant week compar
ed with similar for last year:
TEMPEEATOTTO
1940 1941
Max. Mil Max.Mln.
Feb. 20 40 32 44 19
21 38 32 46 14
22 34 29 43 16
23 52 16 50 9 1
24 49 36 46 13
25 45 34 54 32
26 66 14 50 22
PRECIPITATION
194? 1941
Total for this week 0.32 trace
Total for month to d?te . .3.60 0 80 ]
Total for year to date . . . 6.93 4.03
Project is Scheduled
to be finished soon
a* Work is Rushed
Although construction has pro
gressed rather slo*l7 through the
winter on the recreation area at Per- j
simmon creek, the spring months arc
expected to speed up the work. t?d
completion of the project ,-hould bt
reached by early sumrr.c
Soundings have been completed loi
the foundation of the dam. and work
men are expected to start pouring
concrete within the next ten days,
probably the last of next week or
the first of the following week.
Materials for actual construction of
the dam are now on the site, and
about 35 men. of the local CCC unit,
are at work on construction.
Pouring of concrete in the dam
will be starr ted at the center and
bottom of the structure, with the
ends following. Extra speed will be
required in order to complete the
work befo.e the waters of the Hi
wassee dam reach rull height, as the
water level of the larger dam will
reach within two feet of the spillway
top of the small dam. The walkway
across the small dam will reach three
or four feet above this level.
The large concrete and stone dam
will be built so as to hold a constant
level lake of approximately 65 acres.
This lake will provide fishing, swim
ming and boating. The principal rec
reation developments will be located
on the east side of the lake.
The full picture of the develop
ment. as it will be when completed,
starts on highway 294; at the point
where a drive turns off at Persimmon
creek bridge. About one half mile
out thi sroad there will be a parking
lot. fro mwhich a large stone stair
case will lead into the area.
At the foot of these stone stairs
two trails will lead out, one to the
left and one to the right. The trail
to the left will lead to the bath
house, and the trail to the right will
follow the edge of the lake to a beau
tiful picnic unit, and the ncontinue
for the complete circuit of the lake.
The bathhouse will be a large, com
modious building, housing berth and
toilet facilities for the recreationists.
In front of this building is a large
sand beach leading to the water. The
swimming area graduates from one
to four feet in depth. The sand bot
tom area is 200 feet long and 50 feet
widee, providing a safe place for the
beginner or non-swimmer to play in
the water. Just beyond is a diving
j platform where the expert swimmer
I can enjoy diving and swimming to
the utmost. The water here is much
deeper.
The bathhouse trail will continue
south to a beautiful handhewn tim
ber shelter. Surrounding this shelter
will be 22 picnic tables. Including
some with simple fireplaces for those
who wish to cook picnic lunchees.
Freseh, cool, pure water will be
piped to convenient stone fountains
about the are?.
o
Meetings of 4-H Clubs
Scheduled for March
Two meetings, one of the Home
Demonstration club's county council
for Feb. 28, and one to be conductcd
by the food expert. Mrs. Cornelia
MorrU, for the clubs March 4, ha\-e
been postponed indefinitely, Mrs. Al
llne King, home agent, announced
thi* week.
These experts and officials who
would have conducted these meet
ings, have been called for special
work in the defense program and
will be unable to hold the meetings
until later.
BLUE RIDGE ROAD
PAVING PROJECT
GETS NEW BOOST
Joe Ray Enlisting Aid
of Leading Citizens in
Campaign by Mail
Joe E. Ray. president of the Mur
phy Chamber of Commerce, attended
the annual banquet of the Ashevllle
chamber of Commerce given at the
Battery Park hotel in Ashevllle Sat
urday afternoon, and at the same
time made several contacts with of
ficials in behalf of Murphy and de
velopment of this section.
Ray addressed the gathering brief
ly in behalf of bringing about the
paving of the 12-mile stretch ol
gravel road from the North Carolina
line to Blue Ridge in Georgia. This is
a contract on which the state of
Georgia has fallen short in the past
seven or eight years.
He also contacted E. L. McKee.
highway commissioner for this dis
trict. and Mr. Stikeleather. former I
commissioner.
Stikeleather recalled the agree
ment between the two states with
reference to the paving project, but
said no binding or definite written
contract existed.
McKee promised his support of the
drive for paving of this Georgia
stretch of road during the remainder
of his term of office. He also ad
vanced reasons for the halting of
work on the Topton stretch of road,
now in process of construction, and
stated work would not be resumed
for about thirty days, due to Incle
ment weather. This delay is proving
very costly to Cherokee county, be
cause many tourists and other trav
elers refuse to cioss the streetch.
Ray also state dthat, in coopera
I Continued on Back Page)
WHAT OUR
LEGISLATURE
IS DOING
'Prepared by the Staff of the Institute
of Government
The biggest news of the eighth
legislative week was the introduction
of the long-expected liquur referend
um bill and the passage of the rev
enue act.
The liquor bill calling for a state
wide vote next November 4 on the
question of prohibition, was intro
duced in the House by Representa
tive McGowan of Pender County on
Friday, together with a bill to re
strict the importation of liquor and
wine into the State.
The revenue measure was given
final passage Thursday when the
House concurred in a batch of minor
Senate Amendments. The biennial
budget appropriations measure is ex
pected to emerge from Committee
this week. The thirty-odd other bills
parssed during the week, most of
them local in nature. Included acts
creating a Motor Vehicles Depart
ment and a State Marketing Author
ity.
Of the 170 bills introduced during
the week, the preponderance of pub
lic measures, once more, related to
roads, commerce, education and ag
riculture, plus a goodly sprinkling of
municipal and county legislation.
One bill affecting local units would
place every county and municipality
whose governing body does not notify
the Retirement System's board of
trustees otherwise by January 1. 1942.
under the statewide teachers' and
state employees retirement system.
This would mean that municipal and
county employees would receive pen
sions. contributing 5 per cent of their
salary while the town or county ap
' Continued on Back Pare)
Two Workers Killed
In Slide at Nantahala
HIGH SCHOOL RADIO
PROGRAM GETS NEW
SPOT ON SUNDAY
The radio program recorded by the
Murphy schools for broadcast on Fri
day. March 7. has received such rec
ognition by radio authorities at
WWNC In Ashevtlle that it has given
3 better spont on the schedule Sunday
night
In a letter this week to C. D. Kil
lian. who directed the recording here,
Mr Mcintosh, program director of
the station, stated that he preferred
to place this broadcast at 6:30 to
7 o'clock Sunday night, one of the
most desirable spots on radio, in
stead of the former schedule of 2:30
to 3 o'clock Friday afternoon.
Miss Virginia Richardson, whose
voice has been recognized as ex
tremely suitable for broadcast, car
ried the connecting announcement
burden of the program, and this par
ticular clear feature was held largely
accountable for the recognition the
program received.
Maslntosh also suggested that pic
tures and news articles be furnished
for the daily papers in publicizing
the program.
Committees Nearing
Full Membership in
New Power Project
A check-up of committeemen j
working in Suit, Culberson. Wolf ,
Creek and Persimmon creek com
munities on the rural electrification i
project recently begun there shows
a total of 120 memberships paid, with
the one ramaining community. Ran
ger. not reported as yet.
These memberships represent the
sum of $221.50 guaranteed revenue
monthly, which is short of the a
mount needed. $340. The Ranger re
poit is expected to bring the total
up, however, until only $50 will re
main to be subscribed. Enough sub
scriptions have been promised, but
not paid yet. to more than reach the
necessary quota.
An official of the Blue Ridge Elec
trification association, which Is pro
moting the system, stated that re
sults from the project have been ex
tremely gratifying, and shows greater
promise than any project yet under
taken.
Many of the residents of these
communities have been holding back
until the system is installed with the
idea in mind of receiving the service
cheaper. This cannot be done, the of
ficial stated, as late entrants will be
charged an average of that paid by
original subscribers and will actually
cost them much more.
Those wishing to become members
may contact the committeeman serv
ing their community or the county
agent, A. Q. Ketner.
o
Methodist Churches
Will Note Sunday ag
'Day of Compassion"
More than 1900 Methodist church
es in North Carolina will participate
in a nation-wide observance of Day
of Compassion on March 2. Special
sermons and services will emphasize
the extraordinary world situation.
It is expected that North Carolina
churches will contribute $41,000 on
this day in the $1,000,000 drive to re
lieve human suffering. One half will
be used for overseas relief. The moth
er Church in Britain will get $250,000.
The remaining fourth million will be
used in meeting religious needs in
draft camps.
John Nichols, Allen
Lovingood Crushed
by Rock Avalanche
Two men. John Nichols. 26. of An
drews, and Alien Lo\ingood. 39, of
Marble, were killed Sunday night toy
a rock slide in the stone quarry on
the Nantaliala Poower and Light
company dam project at Nantahala
Both men were employees of the
Utah Construction company
Both men were killed while clear
ing loose stone after ? ulast it
reported Nichols died instantly, but
Lovingood. who was completely bur
ied. lived for almost two hours while
workmen frantically tried to uncover
him.
Following the tragedy it is said
that 21 fellow employees of the two
victims quit their jobs.
Tlie quarry crew of the construc
tion company had bten dynamiting
the walls of the quarry for stone, it
was said, and Nichols and Lovingood
had gone to the top of the quarry to
release some loose rock that had
failed to fall when blasted.
Apparently the amount of stone
loosened by the blast was more than
they estimated, and a huge avalanche
of stone, from gravel to boulders, car
ried them to their death at the bot
tom of the quarry, witnessees stated.
Lovingood was conscious during
the entire two hours he was buried
and the heroic efforts of the company
doctor, who crawled under the rtiass
himself to administer a hypodermic,
only affected a lessening of the pain
until merciful death took him.
Final rites for Lovingood were held
at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon from
the Marble Baptist church. He is
survived by his widow; three daugh
ters. Mrs. Warren Stepp. Mary Nell
and Madeline Lovingood. all of Mar
ble: three sisters. Mrs. Julia Bcttis
and Mrs. Cora Anderson, of Marble,
and Mrs. Lee Git-by of Aquonc; four
brothers. Mildred. Charlie and A.
Lovingood, all of Marble and Nathan
Lovingood of Davidson.
Pallbearers were: Messers W. B.
Dockery. Foreest Abernathy. Pearley
Arwood. Wayne Anderson. Fred Bar
ton. Gordon Parker.
Funeral services for Mr. Nichols
were held from the Andrews Metho
dist church Wednesday with the Rev.
Dulin and the Rev. Baker officiating.
He is survived by his widow and two
small children: his mother, Mrs. E.
A. Nichols, two brothers, Paul and
Adam, all of Andrews.
Pallbearers were: Messers J. D.
Kinsey, Clyde McJunkins, Marvin
Pulliam, Lee Pulliam. Ned Pulllam
and Ed Newmon.
High School Dramatics
Class Enters Tourney
At Western Carolina
Four members of the Murphy high
school dramatics class, under direc
tion of Miss Evelyn Brown, will com
pete with ten other western North
Carolina schools in the ar.nuil dra
matics tourney at Western Carolina
Tcachers college. Cullowhec, Friday
and Saturday.
The local comigent will present
"Pink and Patches", a one-act play
by Margaret Bland. The cftst Is com
posed of Elizabeth Franklin. Mattle
Lou Crisp. Leila Mae Stiles and Ed
gar Darnell.
Awards will be made at the end
of the tournament to the best group
presenting a play, and one each to
th best boy and R'r^ actors appearing.
The tournament is sponsored by
the Western Carolina Playerea of
Cullowhee.