VOL. I NO. 7
SYLVA, N. GM DECEMBER 17 1915,
$1.00 THE YEAR IN ADVANCE
MAINTENANCE
OF ROADS
The maintenance of our public
roads is not only a serious question
in Knrth Carolina but other stares
are confronted with the same prob
lem and are trying to solve it. In
West Virginia, lumber wagons have
been doing a great deal of damage
to the public roads md the county
engineers are now putting in force
an act recently passed at the extra
ordinary session of the last legis
lature, which is as follows:
"Section 8, Chapter 8, pf the acts
of the legislature of this state, en
act d in the second extraordinary
session of 1915: Where it is requir
ed that persons, firms, etcmaking
continuous use of any piece of
the county road, or driving thereon
any vagon, etc., and by such use
are causing more than the usual
wear, such persons, etc., may be
compelled to put thereon a section
man or men and keep or assist in
keeping said road in such repair as
the court may order.
"Any person disobeying or refus
ing such orders shall be adjudged
guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon
conviction thereof fined rot to ex-
ceec j$50, or imprisonmont, or b th."
This act of the West Virginia leg
islature is a move in the right di
rection, but I am still of the opinicn
that the "Wheel Taxr method of
furnishing a maintenance fund and
of controlling the damage . that ve
hides do: to roads, is by far the
most practical and effective one.
We tax all the people- of tie
counties for the construction of
roads but it is the users of the roads
that should pay the greater part of
the cost of the Maintenance i j th se
roads and this will bev accomplished
by the "wheel tax," all the revenue
therefrom being used for road main
tenance arid for no other purpose.
Vehicles will pay a 41 wheel tax'
according to tljef amount of damage
that said vehicles can do to- the
road. Thus a wagon capable of car
rying 4000 pounds and with wheels
haying tires "? to 2?If2" in width
would pay amtich greater tax than
the same capacity wagon whose
Wheels have tires. ''6: .wide. Then
againf the front whSel of such a
wagon did not have the same tread
as the rear wheels, the tax would
be still lower. The heavier the load
the wagon will hoi X. the higher in
proportion, will be the ''wheel tax"
and the wider the tirev the "wheel
tax" will be proportionately lower.
With automobiles the horsepower
and weight of machine will deter
mine the wheel tax.
An equitable scale of the wheel
. tax can be devised which will not
work a hardship on any one and
the revenue derived from it will
maintain the roads.
Joseph Pyde Pratt, Secretary,
State Highway Commission.
NOTICE
The first Quarterly Conference, for
Sylva andDillsboro will be held at
Dillsboro Sunday night Dec, 19th
7:30 P. M. and Monday morning 9.30
A. M. By consent of the presiding
Efderthe change was made from
Sylva to Dillsboro.
G. H. Cristenberry pastor,
JESSE UPTON AND
POIKER CRISP CASES
BEFORE SUPREME COURT
Raleigh, Dec. 15. "Your client
seems to be Tying to thin the popu
lation out" Chief Justice Clerk said
yesterday when attorneys for Jesse
Upton began to argue his appeal
from a manslaughter sentence of
four years.
The twentieth district was up. It
was the last of the appeals and three
capital, cases, none convictions of
murder in the first degree, however
were being presented. The remark
was generally relevant but specifi
cally so in the light of Mr. Upton's
wide use of f he gun. He shot his
father-in-law. What he was doing
for the laws was a good deal.
ypton's attorneys plead former
jeopardy. Wjien the prisoner was
put on trial and after the prelimin
aries began, attorneys s w a juror
in the box who was known to have
beeri summoned from another coun
ty. Fearing that the raising of this
question would invalidate the trial,
that it was plainly illegal, the state
and private prosecution asked the
withdrawal of that juror. It was
agreed, the proceedings up to thai
time thrown out and a new start
taken. Thomas S. Rollins arguing!
the case for the state, contended
that all of this was done by agree
ment of counsel and that everybody
waaaUsfieigSBut, after conviction
attorneys for the defense raised the
question of former jeopardy and the
issue was argued. ,
Porter Crisp's case was presented
in an appeal from a conviction of
manslaughter.
Crisp and the deceased Buckhan
non fought over a game of poker in
which Crisp laid his money down
and told the dead man to take it.
Crisp had laid down his pistol in the
presence of other players. The test
imony was not agreed upon but he
showed that the deceased jumped
either at him or for his pistol In the
struggle Buckhannon was killed
The defense appeals on the ground
of the elements of justifiable homi
cide. CHR1STENBERRY-F0GLEMAN
A marriage of more than local
interest was that of Rev. G. H.
Christenberry and Miss Fannie Fog
leman, which occurred yesterday
afternoon at 3 o'clock at the Central
lethodist parsonage, Rev. J. H.
Earnhardt, pastor of the Central
church, officiating. There were only
a few of the close friends of the
contracting parties present, among
whom were the bride's brother, Mr.
P. A. Fogleman, of Danville, Va.
and Miss C. E. Dameron of the same
citv. Mr. Christenberry is the new
ly appointed pastor of the Method
ist church at Sylva. He once held
a pastorate at Biltmore and has
numerous friends in and around
Ashevilie who Wjll be interested to
learn of his marriage. He is a mem4
ber of the Western North Carolina
conference and is -regarded as a
strong preacher and splendid pas
tor. Miss Fogleman is a native of
Randolph county, this state. Rev.
and Mrs. Christenberry will be at
home in Sylva after a short honey
moon spent in and around Ashe
vilie, -Citizen, v
GALLOWAY SAYS BE
IS HEM TO WORK,
Deputy Collector of Internal Reve
I
.iue ,i.A. Galloway yesterday visit
ed friends at- headquarters of the
raiding force and the -marshal's of
fice here for the first time since he
was seriously wounded on Thanks
giving day by alleged blcaden.
Mr. Galloway declared that he felt
as well as he ever did in his life and
that he is anxious to again take up
the work of mountain climbing in
pursuit of those who manufacture
alcoholic liquors contrary, to the
provisions of the federal statues.
The officer hopes to take up the
trail again on Decemjjtr 20.
Mr. Galloway's physician does not
encourage him to resume his acti
vities in the woods now that he has
only one eye to guide him to the
haunts of the moonshiner but the
raider believes that he is as fit as
ever.
The doctor stat ed yesterday that
an x-ray examination was necessary
to locate the No. 4 shot that pene
trated Galloway's head, passing
through the optic nerve of the left
eye, lodging behind:the nose.--Gazette.
Ti i i h"h n i
one isiras: iwiea
Dear kiddles, Cbrfetriiaa will soon 4.
bz here, . i
Che happiest time of all the year. J
4 UZhUc vom arc enjpyfag your
CbHstmas toys
v Christmas Joys,
Please tbinh of the wee birds out
in tbe snov?,
VJbert cruel winds whistle and
fiercely blow.
Siim fw Xtx jh aiih f rt
tbe shy ;
dben we've nothing to eat we
frec2e and die. j.
so warm,
Sheltered from cold and tbe blind
ing stcrm.
You'll bivj mcrry Cbristmas"
and plenty to et
Ob, pler.se give yotir' Uttle bird
friends a trsatl
Cde're so hungry. Dear little bid
dies, please
Rang us some Cbristmas out on
tbe trees.
YOUR LITTLE BIRD FRIENDS.
'lHvHI:aV:;:HW
Old fasbjfened Christmas
The backlc's flattie has died away;
. The-tmbers into, ashes drift.
Outside the snows are eddying, gray,
And 'piling fast in many a rift.
White robed is now the cedar tree
"Where once the catbird nightly sang,
And from the eaves by two and three
The icicles like arrows hang.
The shadows on the somber wall
Flit, cross and dance amid the gloom,
And streaks of ghostly color fall
In changing hues about the room.
The spiders in the corners dim
Within their webs the closer cling, ,
And from the mantel's oaken rim
A pair of children's stockings swing.
.'er field and forest, lane and road
Fast and still faster swirl the snows,
And in the barn loft snugly stowed
A drowsy rooster wakes and crows.
The clock strikes twelve, and midnight
wanes.
While winter skies stretch cold and
drnr.
Frost flowers blossom on the panes.
The snows float by and disappear.
And then across the roof tree swells,
Borne by. the winds that fall and rise,
A sound of many hurrying bells,
A sound that ebbs and peals and dies.
And next ado wn the chimney creeps
The children's saint, in all the, lands.
And, true to all the trysts he keeps,
White bearded on the hearthstone stands.
Ernest McGaffey in Ladies' Home Com
panion. to
, The Supreme Gift.
Feat not, my friend, giving more than
1 )yur Sue;
Remember the gift presented to you
Ift the long: ago and try to be true
When 'Christmas comes.
William Lytle.
EMERGENCY TAX TO BE
C0NT1NUEDJ0RFECAST
Washington, Dec. 15. With the
introduction in the house of the re
solution to continue in effect the
present emergency tax which ex
pires by limitation on December 31,
for another year, the first steyj was
taken to carry out the action of the j in Macon county desired by the
caucus of the house democrs ; United States as part of the forest
Monday night. ' ! reserve- The various tracts total
wj u u , j fl 651 and a fraction acres.
When the house met today after ! rp. , - , . . , -c
j f 1 I he defendants, numbering about
Kitchin majority leader, was ready
to offer the resolution. A vote will
probably be reached by Thursday.
Its passage by both houses not later
than Saturday, when congress plans
adjournment for the holidays was
predicted today. Gazette,
SPEEDWELL
The writer had the pleasure a
few days ago, of taking i drink of
water out of a spring on top of Blue
Ridge between Hamburg and Cash1
iers. This spring is famous to me,
from the fact, that part of the water
runs south into the Atlantic ocean,
and part runs north, through the
Tuckaseigee, Tenn., Ohio, Mississppi
and into the Gulf of Mexico. The
south branch of this spring runs
between the gieat Chimney Top
and White Side mountains, and thes
'north branch "corn e 6 verllf uek
aseigee falls. Chimney Top, White
Side, Shortoff, and Yelfow Mountain
are grand old mountains. They
stand head and shoulders above all
the surrouding mountains, and it
looked to me as if nature had ex
perimented in making all - h rest
before these were formed. On the
north side of the White Side mount
ain is the Devils Court House. The
writer when a boy thought that
this was the place where the Devil
held his courts, but alas! it is only
a gorge filled with caves and beauti
ful scenery, the home of the wild
cat and bear. In case the state
should add these majestic mount
aihs to its domain, this would be a
good place to test the titles. The
government no doubt will take this
section as a part of its national re
serve. Messrs. R. J. Crawford, John B.
Miller and Rev. R. L. Cootk spent a
night with the writer on their way
to Sapphire bear hunting; As they
came up Cullowhee their dogs tried
to attack an automobile and if the
dogs had not been tied they would
have tried to put the automobile
up a tree. I imagine that these six
dogs will give a bear all kinds of
amusement, from a foot race, Ito a
fight, and from a fight to tall timb
er. Rev. J. L. Teague was in Speed
well Monday arranging for his ap
pointments. J. M.Rigdon of Tuckaseigee visit
ed Speedwell one day last week.
Deputy Marshal Roane was in
Speedwell one day last week.
Rev. W. T. Potts and wife of
Highlands passed through Speed
well Sunday afternoon.
J. H. Matthis and Manley
of Canada visited Speei
few day$ ago.
Born to Mr. and Mrs, c
ernethy a girl.
Z.
ii e Tn
rnunrMM
u. o. 1U UUnULHl
MACON CO. LANDS
The federal government has insti
tuted condemnation proceedings
against A.J. Griset of Rabun Gap.
Ga., and others in Macon county,
N. C, Georgia and Washington state
who hold or are supposed to have
some title of tracts of timber land
100. are notified to appaar in the
District court at Ashevilie on Janu
ary 15. 1916, to defend their claims.
; As appraisal 'commission will be
appointed to place a value on the
land and all lawful claimants will
be compensated.
Most of the large boundaries ac
quired in this territory by the For
est Reserve commission have al
ready been passed upon by the
Geological survey and the title has
become vested in the Uncle Sam.
There still remain numerous scat
tered tracts like those mentioned
above.
The papers in the case ware for
warded from the office of United
States Attornev W. C. Hammer to
United States Court Clerk W.S. Hy
ams. Gazette;
SNOW DOES DAMAGE.
" lie -ii
is winter
fell last Saturday, to the depth here
of about five inches and back in the
mountains many pi aces to the' '
depth of eight inches.
The snow in and around town
did considerable damage to the '
telephone and; electric wire. The
wires being broken by the weight
of the snowr arid quite a iiu n er of
the poles falling.
Mr. Swift, manager of the tele
phone service here has had rim
working every day and they have
notgflft all the lines straightened
out yet. r
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY EXCURSION FARES
SbUTHEJRN RAILWAt
Premier Carrier of the South
Round trip tickets will be sold
December 17th to 25th. inclusive,
1915, with final limit to reach orig
inal starting point prior to mid
night January 10th, 1916.
For further information and Pull
man accommodations call on your
local agent, or address the under
signed. W. V. Dorsey.
Agent, Sylva C.
J. H. Wood, Div. PasstfAifent,
Ashegk N. C.
553Cs
Luther Snyd(
the city Thursday1
Mack
in the city
Ed R(
farm
111
rsi snow 10 iair in
. vw.K.f!!;'j n "J
Brown where W this Weil5ag save
J J 'ggtiylMSW Player
aK..0 Ab- PMcaecs5? lofe do,
to tflriii'n .t.r,r:isaMfliiW ir
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