ESTABLISHED 1896. .
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MARION, N: C THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1917.
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VOL. XXI NO. 32
BIG FIRE AT OLD FORT
United States Leather Companyat
Old Fort Damaged to the Extent',
of Almost a Million Dollars. 'V'
One of Western North-Carolina's
greatest industrial plants suffered
to the extent of nearly one million
dollars Sunday afternoon when fire
of unknown origin T -practically
wiped out the Old Port tannery of
the United States Leather com
pany. uable machinery, were destroyed,
the entire loss being Variously esti
mated at from $750,000 i; to' $1000, -000.
This loss,' it is stated, is cov
ered by insurance. v;;;f J.;;
SEVERAL DWEUJNGS BURN;
Several dwellings, barns and ga
rages near the tannery -.were; de
stroyed and badly damaged by the
fire, and only ; the high pressure
provided by thV Old Fort water
works and the zealous efforts of
employes and residents, who fought
the blaze, saved the entire town
from destruction. There was a
high southwest wind blpwing, and
it carried sparks and embers be
fore it. There was no, loss of life
in the fire, but W. P. Goodson, a
colored man, dropped dead," evi
dently suffering an attack of heart
failure from the excitement!
The fire was discovered at about
1 o'clock Sunday afternoon in the
main building of the plant.. It was
not fully under control .until "about
5:30 o'clock, at which time the
blaze was confined to a certain
area. At that time a huge coal
pile, said to contain 1,500 tons,
was still burning. '
The large stores of acid wood
and tan bark were saved from de
struction. The leather storeroom
at the west end of the plant was
saved from the fire by a thicfi fire
wall. There were' at least three
buildings burned, among them be
ing the acid plant and the refinery
building. The greatest loss .was
in the destruction 61 costly ma
chinery. There was some , hides
burned, but the acid Wood and
oars lost is estimated atunder TOO
cords. -
W. P. Artz, of Old Fort, is the
general manager of the tannery,
and when asked his opinion of the
fire's origin, replied that it was
unknown, but that there were some
suspicious features of the conflag
ration. He said that in tW main
building the fire would appearj , to
in one part, then would jump
to another section of the plant.- A
thorough investigation will1 prob
ably be made. " ' " ;
The tannery is from 150 to 300
'feet from any other building, ; but
the wmd was so strong that the
e spread and destroyed or badly
damaged the houses of J. S. Brad
y' L- B- Moore, Lonnie Finck,
H. Green and Pat O'Eiley.i The
roofs of other houses caught "afire
0n dlffereQNt occasions during the
Afternoon, but a sharp watch was
ept and
2 this extra vigilance. Hams un
tDe Vicinitv fU
i . J v "o tauucry were
" heaps of smoking; ruins, and
- juried mat several gar-
were destroyed. - - C-
tiffVery avai!ahle watef connec
thQ was use, and at one time
liJTer? 115 many as eight large
Playing water on the fire.
TriA "owr system pro
ves a oeBMM - , . . , .
c-.wouio ux aoouu eignty
pounds to the square inch.' While.
the fire "burned ! the acid .plant,
there were .:no; explosions. '. The
huge anantity of acid wood and
bark, kept on hand by the tannery,
was stored in large sheds out f fom
the burned uildins, and the-fact
that that stock was saved, kept the
loss from reaching a much : higher,
figure than it did.
) There were . thirty cars of the
Southern Hail way company in the
danger zone, which were pulled
out. Most of these cars were
empty, but one wjts filled with gas
oline and might have caused a cost
ly explosion had the fire, reached
it. George Sandlin, dispatcher of
the railway, called a negro fire
man, employed by the tannery,
and an engine was coupled to the
cars and they were hauled to safety.
It is thought that the United
S tates Leather company . will re
build the damaged buildings.
There are from 300 to 500 men
emplayed at the tannery, which is
one of the largest manufacturing
plants in Western North Carolina.
Practically its entire supply of
wood and bark, used for tanning
purposes, come from the moun
tain woods of this part of the state.
R. L. C. Gibson Appointed County
Auditor List-Takers.
The board of county commis
sioners held their regular monthly
meeting at the court house Monday..
In addition to routine business
tax-listers aod assessors were ap
pointed for the different townships
in the county as follows:
Marion W. B. Ratliffe.
Montfords Morris Nanney.
Crooked Creek J. Y. Gilliam,
Old. Fort C. C. Burgin.
Broad River T. B. Ledbetter.
North Cove Rom Avery.
Nebo John Wilson.
Higgins Frank Witherow.
Dysartsville L. G. Price.
Bracketts W. C. Raburn.
Glenwood J. M. Haney.
R. L. C. Gibson, former Regis
ter of deeds, was appointed county
auditor. Mr. . Gibson will enter
upon bis duties at once. He will
have an office in; the court house
and will serve as clerk to the. board
of county commissioners.
W. H. Morris, W. B. Hudgins;
and ; Geo. A. Garrison were ap
pointed road commissioners, for
Broad River township. ,
7 The commissioners ordered that
two! steel bridges be built, one
across Broad: river near Vein
Mountain and the other across the
Catawba at the Reid place near
the mouth of- Crooked Creek, in
Old Fort township. .
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I Death of Mrs. Ada Con ley.
; Mrs. Anna; Conley, aged 59, died
very suddenly at the home of her
brother, G. C. Conley, three miles
east of Marion; last Thursday even
ing. She was a member of one of
the oldest and' most-orominent
families in Tthis section and well
known throughout the ' county,
Het h usbanf d d ied mo reith an thirty
years ago;, since which timeMrs.
Conley, has lived with her brother.
No children survive! ; 'X ;
" The funeral services were cpn--ducted
from the residence Satur
day morning at 10' o'clock by Rev.
Joseph: Fry and interment made at
the; family: burying ' jgrounds at
Murphy's Chapel. ' 7 ;" -
V; W. G. Hunter, 'of Nebo, was in
town on business Tuesday. ; '
COUNTY COMMENCEMENT
Large Crowd -Attertds Exercises at
Marlon Fine;Exhi)3its List 5
; of Prize Winners."
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- The climax of the county school
year was celebrated in Marion last
Saturday when all forces met to
gether for a grand school rally
and county commencement. The
weather and roads were favorable
and the streets were well packed
with holiday folks of all sizes. ,
The parade, though delayed by
late trains, came on! in due form.
Columbus persuaded Isabella of
lands beyond the sea; Miles btand-x
ish ,and iiis bapd tossed in , an ad
venturous Mayflower; .the noble
red mam disported himself amid
scenes of primitive savagery; ''Ole
Mammy" and " ' -Kentucdy Babe"
with a goodly company of picka
ninnies lolled before the! fireplace
of old plantation days (and don't
forget "the little haun' dawg").
Stroud town, eighty strong, rode
proudly in a gay and capacious
float drawn by four "richly ca
parisoned" mules. Hahkins was a
second with forty oxld. An army
of school children with banners
manfully braved the dust 'and
pierced the ether with ' their yells
both studied and impromtu. '
The lower grade contest in reci
tation and declamation attracted a
large audience, only a small part
of- which could be accommodated
in the courthouse; Mr. D. F.
Giles, former county superintend
ent, now superintendent of Wak&
county, made the address of the
day and was received with appre
ciative friendliness.
Ball ganaes for the boys and
rhythmie'games for the girls oc
cupied the children 'who lingered
through the afternoon.
Between 8 and 10 p. m. Will
and Lee- Early for affirmative, and
Cronje Laughridge and Elon Smal
ley, negative, in a debate at the
graded school between Stroudtown
and Dysartsville, a momentous de
cision was reached to the effect
that "The State of North Carolina
Should Grant the Right of '.Suf
frage to Women." Miss Camilla
Dobson brightened this portentous
prospect with an excellent piano
solo and a sympathetic rendering
of "The Ruggleses' Dinner Re
hearsal." A- comprehensive exhibit of
school work, both academic and
industrial, was presented on the
court room walls. Several schools
illustrated in their exhibits the ex
cellent and faithful- work accom
plished by their , teachers during
the year. The industrial work
proper, such as . basketry and
weaving, called forth considerable
favorable comment, and it is hoped
that this work and systematic sew
i n g may occu py a nermanen t place
in our school cou rses. It is grati
fying hat. a. representatiye of one
of the largest school supply houses
operating from coast to coast, pro
nounced McDowell's the prettiest
county exhibit he had seen.
r - COMMENCEMENT WINNERS. ; ,
Best progress in reading,; first
grade, Tola ' Jimerson of Garden
City and CatheririeHuhterof Ne
bo; joint honprs - Best progress m
reading, secpnd grade, ;' Ray Bow
man, Stroudtown; JBest progress
in writing, first "grade? - Willie
West, Clinchfield : scUool; 1'second
grade, Earl Hunt and Paul Lamb;
Clihchfield school, joint ; honors.
Best third grade Language book,
Dean. .Miller Clinchfield school ;
fourth grades Una Childers, Clinch
field school! ' Best- composition.
Conservation of Our Native Birds,
Dorothy Greenlee, Greenlee school.
Best composition, 2 Forest Conser
vation,, Henry v Wall, Greenlee
schooL Best essay. Ideal Rural
Life in'McDbwell; Ella Williams,
Greenlee school, , Best third and
fourth grade fecitation--(Jpdges
are requested to make this award
as if was overlooked)! r Best fifth
and sixth grade recitation, Freda
Taylor, Nebo. Best high school
Best -high school uusical num
ber, Camilla Dobson, Greenlee.
(Perfect attendance -Dock Good
and Justice Good, Woodlawn;
Leila Lonon, Lena Spencer Ethel
Hennessee and Pansy Hennessee
Pitts; Aannie Burnett, Hankins;
Lena Brown, Billie Brown, Nor
man Bird, Carl Brown and Biddie
Pricei Ashford ; Shirley Flowers,
Hubert Flowers, Ed Frisbie, Reid
Hildand Ada Norton, Stroudtown.
' Best school average! for year,
to be determined! Best schopl float,
Clinchfield school, Plantation Days.
Largest load of children, C. M.
Pool, Stroudtown; . uext largest,"
W.-A. Houck, Hankins.
Best school exhibit, Nebo.
Britt Hearings Closed Hearing at
Marion Last Week.
The Britt-Weaver controversy
was given a hearing here Thursday,
before Commissioner J. L, C. Bird
but no developments of importance
took placed One witness swore
that he voted for Weaver without
having paid"Tiis poll tax: . Two
other witnesses also testified as to
failure to comply with qualifica
tions for voters. Other than this
ho evidence of any value was un
earthed. About 30 witnesses were
subpoenaed and all but four or five
were Dresent. v " -
:. The last of the hearings in be
half of Mr. Britt in his contest for
a seat in congress was held at
Rutberfordton Friday. The hear
insjust closed lasted for period
of 40ilays and witnesses were; also
examined cat -Wa.vnesville, Hender-J
sonvilley ."Bryson .City Andrews,
Sylva, 4and two hearings held in
Ashey ille. - No date has ; been set
for the first hearing in" behalf of
Mr. Weaver who is now in Wash
ington attending the special session
of congress. Mr. Weaver's counsel
will spend thisweek pre pari ug for
examinatioio Cot witnesses-throughout
the dis'trict, it is stated, and
the hearings will probably ' begin
at' an early date. hirkyf-v
r i;Mrs. Rader Wins Piano. tef
Mrs. S C. Rader',1 formerly Uof
Marion and now post mistress ' at
Bay side, Caliii was the pinner of
the handsome Diahb given away, by
The People's Store of Areata, Can: ,
recently a$ the close of a' contest
which" had V been' running for six
months. The contest was especial
ly' spirited and' at . the close Mrs.
Rader won out with 1, 127609 votes
Jbrherl cedlt i nearla hundred
thousand,, more than her nearest
competitor! I Mrs. Rader has many
friends and relatives here who will
be glad to leanr of Ker - good for-
tune.
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CLARK IS AGAIN SPEAKER
Clark Got 217Votes and Mann Re
ceived 205 Control of House .
in Hands of Democrats.
Washington. ThV Democrats, with .
the aid' of four of the five Indepen'd
ents, organized the House when tna
new Congress assembled, re-elctins
Speaker Champ ClaVk, of 'Missouri,
and sweeping into office with him all
the other ' pemocratic caucus' noml
nees. - v. " ; .
m Mr. Clark received 217 votes against
, 205 for Representative Mann, the Re
publican choice forv Speaker, who not
only failed to receiye an Independent
vote, : but. lost the support of five of
his party colleagues. . v
All the Democrats present voted for
Mr; Clark and , were jointed by Rep
resentatives Hall, Progressive, Minne
sota; Martin, Progressive-Protectionist,
Louisiana; .London, Socialist, New
? ork and Randall, Prohibitionist, Cali
fornia. - The five Republicans who did
not support .Mr.- Mann were Represen
tatives Gardned, of- Massachusetts,
who. voted for Representative Lenrbot,
of Wisconsin; Gray, New Jersey, and ,
Dallinger, Massachusetts, who voted
for Representative Gillett, of .Massa
chusetts, and Haskell, of New York,
IS CHOSEN SPEAKER
: BY AID OF INDEPENDENTS.
CHAMP CLARK.
nd James, r of Michigan, who ; voted
"present." Representative Fuller, In
dependent, Massachusetts, voed for
Representative Lenroot. -v T -
' Nomihated By Schall.
- To the suprise, of the Republicans,
Representative Schall placed Mr.
Clark in nomination. For a ; time It
was thought that he had done so by
Inadvertency, but later ; it developed
he had acted through pre-arrange-? ,
ment with Democratic t leaders. He
asked 'permission to address ' the
House just after the first roll-call and
then after; declaring the international ;
situation . demanded united f support of
President Wilson, roused, tremendous
cheering by announcing that although
with his sightless eyes ho could be of
no use on! the battlefield he could at
least support the President by cast
ing a vote for. Champ : Clark.;
Representative Green, of Massachu
setts, presented Mr. Mann's name In a
brief speech and . Representative; Len
rott, of i Wisconsin, vthe Progressiye-;
Republican leader, seconded it. There
were no other nominations, and - In
just an hour and forty minutes after
the "House wag" convened , Mr.' Clark,
as he had predicted to the minute sev
era ldays ago, ; was declared elected
and - was ' escorted to the chair by a
committee headed by Mr. Mann. In a
brief address the Speaker pleaded for
united - action In the ' present crisis. .
I : Calling ;6f the roll was replete with
outbursts of applause -but the llon'as
share went to ' Miss Jeannette . Rankin,
of Montana, a Republican, and the
first woman to be r. elected to tho
House. -
The Sugar Hill school will close
Friday of. this week.- Anv enter
tainment will be given at the school
house Saturday night; - -The ; pro
gram1 consists of songs; recitations
etc. The public is cordially invited.