The Smoky Mountain Times
Volume 86 — Number 52 - Bryson City, North Carotina - Thursday, September 18,1969
Around
Town
We were so busy last
week congratulating our
"flower girt" on the new
addition to her famiiy that we
completely forgot to put her
picture in her "flower talk"
column. Having the baby
didn't change her facial
expression that much. The
black square in the "flower
talk" head is the space left for
Judy's picture. We simply
forgot to put it in.
****
FOOTBALL: Football, is
the topic of the week around
Swain County this week.
Scores of football fans will get
their first look at the '69
Maroon Devils first place
contenders for the Smoky
Mountain Conference and
possible candidates for the
State Dbube "A" title. We may
be thinking a little big, but we
have watched our boys score
three victories this year; two
by very decisive measures and
one against the long-time rival,
Cherokee. The Devils meet
Andrews here Friday night in
one of the toughest battles of
the season. Game time is 8:00
and we suggest you come early
if you want a seat.
"Many times patents try to
threaten their children with the
iaw and paint the iawman as a
boogieman.' This is the wrong
thing to do. Lawmen are to
protect, not terrorize. Children
should be taught to respect the
law and lawmen for what they
are. Not out of terror. Children
should know that if they are in
trouble or need help, the law
will help them..
****
The State Highway Patrol
report usually run in this
column will not be found this
week. Miss Patsy Barnes, the
State Highway Patrol's "Girl
Friday ", is on vacation, and
Mr. Hooper, driving license
officer, at the local station, is
not up to par with his
secretarial duties. We
understand all the book work
could very possibly be found
on Miss Barnes desk awaiting
her return.
****
The season of the Mites and
Midgets got off to a good start
last week with both teams
winning their games. The
second game of the season is to
be piayed this Saturday night
here on the home field when
the Cherokee Braves bring their
teams down to meet the
"Little Devils" on the Swain
High field. Game time is 7:00
for the Mites and 8:00 for the
Midgets.
****
Dr. PhiHip's
Guest Speaker
For MCEA
On Thursday evening
September 18, the iocai NCEA
Unit wiii hoid its annua! Pubiic
Reiations dinner at the
Boundary Tree Lodge at
Cherokee.
The guest speaker wiM be
Dr. A. Craig PhiMips, State
Superintendent of Pubiic
Instruction. He wiM be
accompanied by the three
Assitant Statp Superintendents
- Dr. R. Max Abbott, Dr. H.T.
Connor and Dr. Jerome H.
Me!ton. Mr. AC. Davis,
Comptroller of the State Board
of Education and Mr WiHiam
Peek, Administrative Assistant
wii! aiso be present.
Representatives from
Jackson, Macon, Cherokee,
Graham, and Ciay Counties are
to be at the meeting aiong with
representatives from the
various civic and educationally
related groups from Bryson
City and Swain County.
Unity Center !n
A$hewi)!e Has
Mew Minister
The Reverend Florence
Anderson of San Jose, Caiif.,
has been named minister of
Unity Center of Asheviiie,
Room 609, Northwestern Bank
Buiiding, succeeding the Rev.
Aima Golenan sho has been
nimat^r for tha past two years.
There is a regular 11:00
o'clock Sunday Service to
which aii are weicome. Two
classes are heid weekly, one at
7:30 Tuesday evenings, and
one at 11:00 AM Wednesdays,
using Truth books. Counseling
is given by appointment.
"Dial a Prayer for Lhity" will
be initiated in the near future,
Mrs. Anderson said.
Andrew's
Wiidtot:
invade Swain
Friday Night
8 P.M.
This truck was part of Swain County's 4th fatality accident of the year. The
truck received approximately $200 damage to the front fenders and the right front
tire.
The crumpled remains of a 1963 Ford that claimed the lives of two Swain Co.
teenagers in a truck-car collision Friday night is pictured above.
Two Teenagers Became County's
5th & 6th H!ghway Fatatities
Two teenagers became the
fifth and sixth Swain County
highway fataiities Friday night
when their 1963 Ford coUided
head on with a tractor-traBer
truck ending a high speed chase
by county and state police
officers.
Roger Amoid Ensiey, 17, of
Bryson City, Route 2, was
driving the car in which he and
a companion, Mias Frances
Lynn Gutscher, 19, of Bryson
City, formerly of Montdair,
California, were kiBed,
according to officers.
According to State Highway
Patrol Sgt. W.L. McDonald,
investigating officer, the two
teenagers passed him on a Mind
curve approximately IK mBes
east of Bryson City with their
iights tamed out.
McDonald stated that he
gave chase to the vehicle and at
the same time radioed Highway
Patrol Officers in the area and
asked for assistance. As
McDonald and county officers
continued their chase and
other Highway Patrol officers
began to dose in, the Ensiey
vehicle apparently went out of
control leaving the ieft side of
U S. 19 and collided with a
tractor-trailer truck driven by
William Fowler of Dalton,
Georgia as it came back across
the highway.
The Ford vehicle was
completely demolished as the
truck ripped the top and left
side open.
The truck, a 1965
International 4000, received an
estimated $200 damage. The
vehide was owned by C & J
Leasing Moesan^waapnlHngn
trailer far FiBer Sdssassshae of
Dalton, Georgia.
Sendees Bar Ensiey were
hdd at 3 p.m. Monday in
Governors Island Baptist
—
7he A ufumn Co/ors tn Great SynoUrtes
Are A "Tree-mencfous" Show
Year after year, the
changing fall foiiage in this
denseiy forested nations! park
practices the oid adage "one
good turn deserves another"
bringing vacationers from far
and near to see this
unparaileied dispiay of nature.
Woodiands featuring more
kinds of trees than in a!! of
Europe give rise to an array of
colors exciting to behoid.
This season, while glimpsing
Mother Nature's handiwork,
visitors can take advantage of
an extra measure of enjoyment
through a recentiy introduced
auto tape tour especially
geared to Park travel. By the
use of a simp!e-to-operate tape
recorder, sightseers motoring
through this wildlife sanctuary,
along the transmountain
highway in either direction
Some Mountains, As We!! As Men, Are Ba!d Headed
There are bald-headed men -
everyone knows that. But they
are not alone in this sad, cruel
world. They have companions.
There are huge bald-headed
mountains in the Great
Smokies of Western North
Carolina and Tennessee.
Aptiy enough, they are
caHed "Balds" and scientists
don't know what caused their
troubie either.
On fiat or gentie tops, high
treeiess meadows grow,
thousands of feet above giant
trees. Lush grass and some
smaii shrubs grow here.
As in the case of baid
human beings, scientists, in
seeking a cure, have theorized
about the causes of high
mountains piains. So far no
magic eiixirs have been
produced to remedy the
defects of the baid-pated
giants.
One theory has iightning
striking the mountain, forest
SB! Director Visits Loca! Otticers
Charles Dunn, State Bureau of
Investigation Director from Raleigh
stopped by Bryson City this week on a
tour of the western most counties of
N.C. He is pictured above (third from
left) meeting Swain County Sheriff,
Vincent Gasaway and Bryson City
Poiice Chief, Car) Arvey. Aiso pictured
is James Maxey, resident agent for the
SBL
fires, ravages of wind and ice,
insect swarms, fungus, and so
forth. But in other piaces trees
grow back after such episodes.
One idea has hot, dry speiis
robbing the high iand of
sufficient moisture. And stii!
another guesses that sheep and
goats must have cieaned the
high ridges. Sheep and goats
seidom eat big trees, however.
There ate no sheep and goats on
the baids now but stii! no
growth of any significance is
detected.
Mountain farmers did use
some of the baids years ago for
cattie grazing. Yet, in other
areas, now in the Great Smoky
Mountains Nationai Park, in
former pasture iands both
higher and iower in eievation
than the baids great forests
have sprung up again. The
baids remain baid.
Thunderhead Mountain is
the iargest baid in the Great
Smokies. Gregory Baid is
considered the Park's finest.
Some of the great heath baids
dispiay azaieas, rhododendron
and iaureis. They are
sometimes caiied iaurei siicks
or even iaurei "heiis."
There are many iegends of
men being iost forever in these
great thickets. Granviiie
Caihoun of Bryson City, a
veteran mountain man, can teii
of many of them.
Siier's Baid on the North
Caroiina side is said by iegend
to be the site of the famous
Deiozier goid mine.
So baid headed men may
take confort. Some of the
most majestic and beautifui
sights in the world are baid and
nobody knows what causes it.
between Cherokee and
Gatiinburg can now team
about what they are iooking
at-whiie tooking at it from
their moving vehictes. The
commentary of portabte expert
Peter Thomas deats with the
tovety wooded stopes as wett as
Sandtin Named
Meta! Company
Vice-President
The Consohdated Meta!
Company of Ashev!!!e
announced that this week
Harold T. Sandtin, who has
been associated with them for
the past two years, has been
promoted to Vice-President of
the Company.
Prior to Mr. Sandiin's
coming to Asheville, he was
associated with Four Square
Community Action in Western
North Caro!ina and a!so
engaged in private business for
nine years.
He is past president of
Bryson City Jaycees and active
in civic work. He attends St.
John Episcopal Church in
Asheville.
history and prominent features
of the region, Indian tore, and
explanations about the hurt's
fascinating animai life. The
more than 150 kinds of trees
cioaked in their faii spiendor
rate informative descriptions in
a 30-mile guided tour cram full
of deiights.
The popular Park is
particuiady Messed with
iuxuriant woodlands. Although
many of the peaks in Great
Smoky Mountains National
Park stretch to more than
6,000 feet there is no
timberline. Thus, as guide
Thomas points out, there are
none of those ghostly, barren,
treeless regions found on the
great peaks out west. From
bottom to top, notes Thomas,
the Great Smokies here in
North Carolina and Tennessee
are a horticulturist's heaven.
Among the wide variety of
trees are Frazer magnolia,
yellow buckeye, and eastern
hemlock -all growing to record
size, as well as red spruce,
yellow birch and mountain ash.
The list goes on and on. This
time of year skies are usually
clear, the temperatures
invigorating, and the colors
guaranteed to elicit oohs and
ahs around every tum.
in traveling through the 800
square miles of brilliant
yellows, golds,s^teds, and
oranges, the Park's auto tape
tourist quickly discovers from
his recorded passenger that
there's far more color attached
to the region than the
pigmentation of the leaves.
Part of it stems from the
cultural history of its mountain
people. Interesting anecdotes
about past and present
residents and their customs are
provided, along with wound
effects and mood music
generously sprinkled
throughout the narration.
Cost of this Auto Tape Tour
is nominal. The equipment,
powered by any auto's
cigarette lighter, can be rented
at Cooper Court M)tel in
Gatlinburg or Boundary Tree
Lodge in Cherokee. It is
returned at either of these
locations, both of Route 441.
Times FHA Begins 69-70
Activities
Church. The Reverend
Kenneth Jenkins officiated;
buriai in Jenkins Cemetery.
Paiibearers were Biii Duvsii,
Hersheii H?att, Jake Jones,
Buddy Cgie, Sam BirchCeM,
and Car! Jenkins.
Surviving are the parents;
Mr. and Mrs. Veriin Endey,
three brothers; Earnest,
stationed with the Army at Ft.
Jackson, S.C., and Hsrvey R.
and V.L. Ensiey, both of the
home; a sister; Mrs. Linda
Waiker of Gastonia; and the
grandparents, Mrs. Zena Ensiey
and Ruben Baii, both of
Bryson City.
The body was taken to the
tamHy home by BiH Moody
Funerai Home of Bryaon City
where it remained untB the
hour of services.
Arrangements for Mias
Gutacher were aiso under the
direction of the Bryson City
Funerai Home.
CheroHree /Man fs Shot To
Deo^ /Moncfay /Morn/ng
A 44 year old Cherokee
man became the fifth shooting
victim on the Cherokee
Reservation this year when he
was shot to death in his hone
Monday morning.
Glenn Woodard McConneQ,
a resident of the McCoy
Branch R& in the Birdtown
section of the reservation, was
killed about 8:00 Monday
morning when he returned
home after tearing for work,
according to authorities.
The Cherokee poiice and
rescue unit was called in about
8:15. Upon arriving at the
resident and finding the body,
the Cherokee poiice notified
Swain County Sheriff Vincent
Gassway, who in turn notified
FBI officers and the county
resuit of a domestic arsMaent
according tofhe Sheriffs
Department. Further details
are being withheid until the
investigation is complete.
The body was brought to
Moody 's Funerai Home in
Bryson City where it was
examined by Swain County
medieai examiner, RE.
Nordiing- Nordiing stated that
the cause of death was a singie
buliet wound to the left kidney
of the victim.
Funerai services were heM
at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday in
the Bethabara Baptist Church
in Cherokee.
The Rev. James Ruttis and
the Rev. Johnny Driver
officiated. Burial was in
Birdtown Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Hilliard
Sneed, Roland Crowe, James
Ledford, Joseph and Jess
Murphy and Marvin Maney.
Members of Steve
FHA Begin:
1969-1970
Activities
The Swain County Cahpter
of Future Homemakers of
America participated in
planning the FHA District
Raiiy to be heid October 18 at
Western Caroiina University.
The iocai cahpter officers met
with officers and advisers from
Buncomb, Haywood, Macon
and Jackson caounties at Camp
Laboratory on August 23 to
finaiize pians for the raiiy, at
which about 1,000 girls are
expected. The Swain Chapter
has been invited to participate
on the program.
On September 4 the chapter
advisor, Mrs. Caroiyn Buff, not
with advisers from Macon and
Jackson caounties to pian an
officers workshop for the three
county area. This workshop
wiii be heid at Syiva Webster
High School on October 2.
The iocai chapter officers,
which are, President Joyce
Martin, Vice President Betty
Winchester, Secretary Treasure
Linda Catos, Reporter - Judy
Jones, Historian - Maty Long,
Recreation Leader Sue
Shuier, and Photographer
Harriet Wright, met and voted
to hoid the ciub membership
drive September 15 22. The
ciub wiii hoid a "Get
Acquainted Picnic*, at Deep
Creek on September 26.
Youngdeer Poet No. 143 of
American Legion conducted
military graveside rites.
Mr. McConneii was a
veteran of the Korean War
Surviving are the widow,
Mrs. Veima Ledford
McConneii; a son, Scott, and
two daughters, Nancy and
Gienda McConneii, aii of the
home; six brothers, Marvin of
Tiger, Ga., Tom of
SummerviHe,S.C., Ciyde of
Detroit, Mich., VirgH of
Anderson, S.D., Gordon of
Asheviiie, and Henry
McConneM of Ciayton, Ga.;
three sisters, Mrs. S.T.WHiiams
of Flwence, S.C., Mm Mary
Garnett of Miami, Ha. and
Mrs.MyrtieRsy of Durham.
Search For Dennis Martin
Otficiaiiv Ciosed By Parh
The search for 7-year oid
Bantda wMeh bam
luna 14.1909 in Gmt Smoky
Mauntains Nationai Phrk was
offieiany cfoeed September 13,
1969, according & Pbrk
Superintendent Keith Neiiaon.
Aa many as 1,400 p^aona
were activeiy engaged in the
search in the Orst few weeks
foiiowing the youngster's
disappearance during a hiking
trip with Ms CamBy. Units of
the Tennessee Nationai Guard,
a Green Beret detachment,
Army heiicopters, and
numerous voiunteera assisted
park rangers in what became
one of the largest scaie search
operations in the history of the
Nationai Park Service.
FoHowing the major aii-out
search effort during June,
a** invahed, ywere aasigaad
fuHtime dutie^ !n continuing
the search, Neiison said. During
the three months that the
search has been und##3y, no
trace has ever beed&Madof
the boy since his
disappearance.
According to
Superintendent NefitMa, the
Nations* Park SerMte had
expended approxirndteiy
$65,000 to date on this search
operation, which is exdqsive of
sii manpower and e^futptment
costs absorbed by tHd&any
other organizatinaa and
indhnduais who contributed to
the overaB search.
Sherri!! Mamed Personne!
Manager At Maonavox
Magnavox Want Manager,
Cad DeHart has announced the
appointment of Wiiiiam Joe
Sherriii as Manager of
industriai Reiations of the
company's Bryson City
faciiity. SherriH fiiis the
position vacated by the
transfer of Eimer Miiier to the
Magnavox Cabinet Piant in
Flora, Mississippi where he wili
assume the duties of industrial
Reiations Manager.
Sherriii, a 46 yearoid native
of Bryson City, has been with
the Department of North
Carolina Motor Vehicies since
1955. His duties induded:
supervision and training of
schoo! bus drivers;
responsibiiity for bus safety
and iiaison work with the
Highway Patro! and civic
groups in a 6 county area. Prior
to this work with the
Department of Motor Vehides,
Sherriii served for 3 years as
teacher and coach in the Swain
County Schoo! System.
He attended eiementary and
high schools In Bryson City,
snd Gardner-Webb Jr CoUege
and graduated horn #*atem
Carolina University with a BS
degree in educatiMh He
presentiyservesasandMMrin
the First Baptist ChdMb and
coaches a midget &6tbaM
team. He is aiso past pThddent
of the Jaycees.
The Shenriiis h#e 2
daughters, Eiaine and Connie.
Mrs. SherriH is Sunday School
Superintendent at the First
Baptist Church.
Magnavox
ViP's Visit
Area
The Magnavox Companies,
Bryson City and Andrews,
were hosts to the (bp
executives of the company
whiie they were here for a
meeting Tuesday and
Wednesday, September 9 and
10. The executives arrived by
piane at the Andrews Airport
and transportation was
provided by Management
officials of Bryson City and
Andrews to Nantahaia Inn
where they spent Tuesday
evening and night. The moating
was held Wednesday at the
Andrews Plant. They departed
from Andrews Wednesday
afternoon at approxiahdMy
5:00 p.m.
Those in attendance war*:
Mr. Platt, President, add *B
corporate officers of the
Magnavox Company and Ms
subsidiaries representing atants
throughout the United Stalina
and London, England.