Dedicated To Service For Progress - (Uhe VOL. M? NO. M THE LEAD.NC WEEKLY NEWSPAPER 1N WESTERN north CAROLINA, COVERING A LARGE AND POTENTIALLY RICH TERRITORY Our Aim: ? A Better Murphy A finer County MURPHY. N. C. THl'RSDAY. MARCH 20. 1941 5r COPY? $1.50 PER YEAR 22 Workmen Rescued From Tunnel Cave-In Utah Employes are Trapped 11 Hours At NantaKnlj* Dam A large crew of workmen labored frantically for 11 hours Sunday night clearing away earth and stone from the Bcachcrtcwn tunnel to rescue 22 men who were trapped while work ing on the construction of the Nan tahala dam. The men. employes of the Utah Construction company building the project for Nantahala Power and Ljght company, were rescued at 4 o'clock Monday morning after being sealed in by the cave-in about 40 feet from the entrance of the tunnel. The trapped workmen remained calm during the ordeal, although they faced a real danger in the back ing up of water in the funnel. Ray Dickson, foreman of the afternoon tunnel crew, said the water would have drowned the men in a few hours htlH thpr rinf twn Finding the cold, damp air very uncomfortable, the men tried build ing a fire. However, the smoke made breathing so difficult the fire was soon extinguished. Attempts at sleep were made despite the discomforts caused by the cold, dampness and smoke. The telephone connection with the outside was broken and the air shaft was damaged but partially function ing the tinio the men were entrapped, i : elrcLiiC rower connection from the outside was in perfect working order and because of this the work men had lights while the large crew of men outsicie worked franctially clearing away stone and earth for their rescue. Mr. Dickson, the foreman of the trapped men, returned to work Mon day afternoon after a few hours of rest. Those trapped were: Ray Dixon, foreman, Larry Bittely, Frank Brooks Wilburne Moore, Paul Padgett, John Bradshaw, Dug am West, Roy Garrett, B. Smiley Eckell Rowland, Troy Crothers, Red Ramsey, Gar West, Bunny Howland. Carl Flouquist. Latham Pulliam, Willard Hanney, Sum Crisp, Jake Cabe, Sonny Moore, K. B. Russell and Neville Wiggins. The Nantahala Power and light company is a subsidiary of the Alu minum Company of America. o A thief who took J. H. LeBeck's corn planter In Chico, Cal., over looked certain attachments, and Le Beck advertised in a newspaper, in viting the thief to return for the re mainder of the equipment. LAMP IN THE VALLEY A Novel of Alaska ByArthur Stringer Carol Coburn, ? Mfca?ferat'8n daughter, while returning to her native Alaska to teach and estab lish an unproved claim, is rcscucd from annoyance by Sidney Lan der. Lander is an engineer for the Trumbull Company, which is fighting the Coburn claim. He breaks with Trumbull, but re main* engaged to Trumbull's daughter, Barbara. There is still another woman in the cane ? and then there's Sock ?je Schlupp, the rip-roaring old timer? all woven into this tbrill -n* story of the Federal Colony on latest American frontier. Its great reading! See Inside Jackson Dav Diners IV XlVrUi 1. Li. tauiuc T. L Caudle. United States district ] attorney has accepted an invitation to be the principal speakci at the annual Jackson Day dinner which will be held in Murphy at the Re?al hotel Saturday night. March 22. ,\t 7 o'clock. Chairman Maitox has announced that plans are complete for a Rood program for the evening with several local speakers in addition to Mi. Caudle. An invitation has been extended to all democrats of the county to attend this dinner which is staged annually to supplement party funds to offset campaign obligations and prepare for future campaigns. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Mr. Editor: Will you kindly publish I the following? MURPHY'S FUTURE To The Citizens Of Murphy : I do not know whether or not the citizens of Murphy realize that the geographical location of Murphy j with its natural resources and what different enterprises have done for it, is one of the most advantageous locations in Western North Carolina for making it one of the leading cities in the Western part of the State. X list a lew of its principal advan tages: We have superior climate. This is a natuial gift. Our scenery is not surpassed any where in the Untted States. This is a natural advantage. We have the only town in the State west of Charlotte that has competitive railroad services, except possibly Winston-Salem. We have cheap electric power. We have one of the most beautiful inland lakes in the United States. Murphy's business growth and up build for the past fifteen years has been phenominal. With the railroad facilities and the cheap electric power together with our natural resources, climate and scenery and citizenship, we should make Murphy a center for business enterprise and a place for those seeking health, pleasure and business. It strikes me that if we can by some means advertise Murphy's superior advantages we will see a great growth in the next few years. It has been reliably stated to me that the TV A contemplates building an other large dam near Murphy, and it is a question of only a short time until work will be started, either by the TV A or Aluminum Company of America of the Fontana Dam. The Chamber of Commerce. Lions and all citizens should contact lead ing hotels and business houses in South Carolina, Georgia. Alabama. Mississippi. Tennessee and Florida and Eastern North Carolina and seek to get the tourists and business men to come to Murphy. Let all citizens get together and cooperate through out this entire territory. We should advertise our hotels, tourist camps, and homes that will accomodate tourists. Real Estate is not getting any cheaper in and around Murphy for the reason there Is a steady substantial growth. Now is the time to work to get people to buy sites for business houses and homes. These are my views. A subscriber o? ? W. L. Sumpter of Memphis. Tenn., is still wearing the pair of shoes in which he married 22 years ago. Six lital City and County Bills Passed by State Legislature 1 Twelve Volunteers To Leave Mar. 25 To Fill Draft Quota | Twelve men are scheduled to leave I Murphy on Tuesday. March 25. (or Fort Bragg ior the current draft call from this county. This group, as in previous calls, is made up entire ly ol volunteers. The men to iea\ie Tuesday utc ? Paul Burnatte of Andrews Rte. 1. Clarence Brucc Carver of Andrews. Warren Fred Taylor of Murphy Rte. 2. Woodrow Wilson Clayton of Mur- [ phy. Arthur Enoc.i Postell of An- 1 draws Rte. 1. Ernest Hughes of Mur phy Rte. 2. Clarence John Hampton of Ranger. Lewis Brendle of Murphy. ? Hubert Ledford of Marble Rte. 1.1 Ray Pickelsimer of Patrick. Finlay I Carter Nelson of Vests, and Charles , Walter Stuart of Murphy. Another call for 13 men from this county is expected around April 8, the secretary of the draft board re ports. Eight men have volunteered for this detail but five more are needed. To date all men sent from this county under the selective draft hove been volunteers, the last detail mak ing a total of 36 men. Counting volunteers, a total of 475 questionaires have been mailed to draftees in this county, which num ber is expected to lake care of the county quota through the month of June. I Land Use Committees Meet With Officials In Planning Of Procedure Meetings were held on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday of last week in various sections of Cherokee coun ty in connection with the land use program now underway all over the state. John W. Crawford and J. W. Green of Ihe land use staff in Raleigh, were present art these meetings and at a special meeting in the Martins creek ares where efforts are being con centrated as an example of develop ment of this program. These men will make the first report of pro gress in this county. The meeting at Martins creek was held for the purpose of working out a procedure to follow in the carrying out of the program, including the development of such problems as are confronted in pastures, low farm in comes live-?t-home program, soil erosion control and community spirit. The Martins creek meeting and all other meetings of the week were at tended by committeemen engaged in the work of this program. o Agents Will Organize 3 Watershed Areas Three meetings for organization of watershed areas in the agricul tural extension program of North Carolina arc being held in communi ties of this county during this week. The first meeting was held in the Hangingdog area Thursday. March 20. at the Grandview school at 1:30 o'clock. Two other meetings will be held today 'Friday* , one at TJnaka school at 10 a. m.. and the other <?t Hopewell church at 1 :30 p. m. for the organization of Upper Persimmon creek area. o In the recorder's court at Kannap olls. N. C.. a man was convicted of driving a tractor while in an intoxi cated condition. New Measure Provides for Refunding Tax Money Lost in TV A Acquisition BAKER BEING HELD AT BRYSON CITY FOR THEFT OF CAR Rilph Baker was taken to Bryson City by a memc?r of the FBI Sunday to stand trial in federal court for the theft of an automobile allegedly taken one night last week in Murphy The Mr belonged to Richard How ell of Murphy. Baker was arrested in Towns coun ty. Georgia, by Sheriff Townsnn Pa trolman Smith and Sheriff Smith ot HaNesville. Only damagts to tiie c ir reported u'pro a m|scj^g rpdlo wH HHd a few hinges of! trunk which lie said ho threw in a Georgia lake. o JIMMY LIVINGSTON WILL PLAY DANCE HERE THURSDAY Local dance enthusiasts will have an opportunity to swing and sway to the rhythninic strains of the music af Jimmy Livingston's orchestra in the Cjiuu?3(uili Tiiui buay night. March 27. The dance which will last from 9 until 1 o'clock, is being sponsored by the Murphy Womans club, the proceeds to be given to the library fund Livingston, who is nationally known from radio and recordings, has played for Muphy dances several times before and he and many of his band have friends in the town. It is an exceptional opportunity for local dancers to have this prominent band here. Admission charge will be $1.00 per couple. Annual Stockholders Meeting Of Federation The annual meeting of the stock holders of the Farmers Federation will be held Saturday. March 29, in the Asheville court-house at 10:30 S. m. Reports will be heard from Prof Clapp, Guy Sales. Jack Gattis, Da mont Clarke and the chairman of the county committees. Amendments to By Laws will be considered and directors elected. Music will be furnished by the fe deration string band. Coffee and sandwiches will be served after the meeting. o FOLK SCHOOL VISITOR I Mrs. Theodora Ward of Alstead, New Hampshire, was a visitor act the John C. Campbell Folk school several days last week. Mrs. Ward came to study the experiment the school is making in rural education and to | consider the possibilities of applying its principles in starting a folk school on her New Hampshire farm. OBSERVES ANNIVERSARY ! A. Q Ketner. county farrr agent, observed his seventh anniveisary in that office on March 17. Ketner. a native of this county, has served in his present capacity since the resignation of Weaver Gray, former agent. A great deal of progress has been made since Mr. Ketner took over this office and the fanners and busineses people of Cherokee county extend fellciations upon his completion of the 7th year. Duties And Salaries Of Town Employes Regulated By Bill important bills concerning Murphy and Cherokee rounty. intro duced by Representative J. D Mal lonee Jr . were passed in tile last session of the state legislature which adjourned Saturday niRht. An act to regulate distribution of fund* to replace taxes lost to the i -tmty when the TV A came into control of large tracts of land in the Hiwnsset' basin : r.f r*' " it" i-rpr!*^ ance to local citizens other mwtiro? mriudcu one to regulate the duties and sal aries of employes in the town cT Murphy; an act to do away with taxes against outside rural electrifi cation service: another measure to cut out penalties against delinquent taxes in the county and its munici fpMt'.rs; an act validating the re funding of outstanding bonds and a note of the town of Murphy. Upon the acquisition of lands in the Hiwassee basin by the TVA Cher okee county lost approximately ?iu,uuu in tax collections, and the state of North Carolina lost approxi mately $3700 An act passed by con gress relating tc a" lands acquired by the TVA allowed about $33,000 to replace these lost taxes to the state but only allowed the county about $3400. The new measure provides fen equitable distribution of this refund so that this county will receive a just amount for taxes lost. The meas ure, in actuality, provides that the state board make an accurate evalu ation of the lands involved, deter mine a fair tax as if it were owned by ? a private corporation, and make a' right division of the tax funds. This? bill will, in fact, return to the county ? its just income from this arrea. This bill is now in effect. A bill which probably received the greatest attention of the citizens of' Murphy was that which reorganized and regulated the offices and duties of certain city employes. This measure provides that the term of office of the mayor and the board of town commissioners shall be reduced from two years to one year. It also provides that tho collection of water rents, light rents, etc., bo made by the town clerk who shall make bond in the amount of taxes to be collected, likewise for tho new duty of collecting light rents. The clerk's salary is set at a maxi mum of $100 per month. In connec tion with this act the office of tho electric department will be cvmbinol (Con tinned on Back Page) The Weather Vane Listed below are maximum and minimum temperatures and precipi tation for the past week compared with similar data for last year: Temperatures 194* 1941 Max. Mln. Max. Mln. March 12 54 45 56 33 13 55 45 53 39 14 55 34 47 35 15 50 25 50 30 16 65 23 57 33 17 75 24 53 24 18 70 34 43 16 Precipitation 1?40 1*41 Total for week 1.88 0.73 Total for month to date 3.48 3.17 Total for year to date 10.76 7.4?

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