North Carolina Newspapers

AMERICA Pint, Laat and Always VOL XVIII NO. 21 The Sylva Her AND RURALITE? CONSOLIDATED JULY, 1943 SYLVA, N. C., WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1943 ALD $1.50 A Year In Jackson and THE SYLVA HERALD Dedicated To Progi wly# Service To Jackson Comity Swain Counties ? 5c Copy Drought Tightens Grip On Farming Land Jackson Walnut Logs Help In Fighting War By furnishing black walnut logs that can be made into gunstocks to carry the fight to Hitler and Hiro hito, Western North Carolina farm ers have found a new way to con tribute to the war effort. James Ray Orr, assistant farm agent in forestry for the 'State Col lege Extension Service, reports that farmers in Jackson county have already cut and sold 131,879 board feet of black walnut logs for this purpose. This record production was made between May 29 and September 25, and Orr believea that it will reach the 20tf,000 mark before Christmas. Their harvest has ariven the farm ers a return of $48,886, or an ave rage of $67.37 per thousand board feet for the logs they have already delivered. The farmers cut the logs on their own land and delivered them at a central receiving point in Sylva where they were measured and pur chased every Friday by the Wood Mosaic Company. The logs were then cut into flitches by the local mill and shipped to a plant that cuts out the gunstocks. Orr is helping the men in this work by visiting their farms, aid ing them in selecting the trees of commercial sice, and advising them as to how these logs should be cut to give the best quality of timber and the highest price. The Wood-Mosaic Company has a local office in Asheville, and has established other walnut-purchas ing yards at Hominy in buncombe county, Gilkey in Rutherford coun ty, Nebo in McDowell county, Bry son City in Swain county, Lenoir in Caldweltaounty^and North Wilkes boro in Wilkes eotrtrty J ~ ' ? Meal^AsllubFor Making Of Staves Among the many enterprises for which Jackson county has been found ideal, there is one which has received little publicity, "but which is important and far-reaching. That is the making of staves, coop er's supplies and equipment. W. C. Hennessee, manager of the firm of Hennessee and Welch, with its plant one mile east of Sylva, says that, after inspecting many locations, he finds this point the perfect hub for cutting and fash ioning staves. He explains ~ that oak is the one wood that should be used, and that the oak of this section is right both as to quality and quantity. Asked if his outfit's activities could in any wise be harmful to preservation of Western North Carolina forests, Mr. Hennessee smiled ? as at The Herald report er's ignorance. "Harmful," he chuckled, "that's exactly what we are not." He went on to show how most of his cutting is on government forest service lands, and that only trees squar ing 16 inches or upward are ever hewn. Every safeguard, said the stave man, is thrown around the present forest and that of the fu ture, with mature growth the only stage considered. "Harmful !" Mr. Hennessee laughed once more; <rMan, that word sticks in my craw. Why, the average tree we use is 200 to 300 years old, though occasionally, when in reckless mood, we may take a century-old infant if it squares the right inch-measure and forest welfare seems to warrant the cutting." Mr. 'Hennessee says that the acute metal shortage is drawing heavily upon his production for oil containers of oaken staves, sup planting the once popular metal drum. The utmost care is neces sary, he explained, in choice of wood, especially for hogsheads de signed for penetrating liquids. The staves then must be not only oaken, but each one must be of the same species. "Yes," he concluded, "we are busy now, trying to do our bit, trying to supply our regular cus tomers as well as furnish wooden containers in place of steel and aluminum drums. Whatever the future holds for our industry, there will always be an insistent demand for the oaken stave, found at its best right here in our own moun tains." Mrs. Vernon Hoyle and little daughter, Betty Jean, visited her sister, Mrs. Roy Beck, last Thurs day. Bond Salesman BENJAMIN CHAS. REESE, son of Mr. and Mrs. dennie Reese, sold $20,875 in war bonds during the recent Third War Loan Drive. He was awarded a prize for his work. Mary Cole StiUwell was sec ond. Both are students of the Sylva Elementary school. This school was first place in the school contest by selling: $56,388.25, an average of $145.19 per student. Bobby Hall Given Majority Vote As Student Senator ??y Lands Legisla Year-Book Editors, ! Are Chosen In Annual Bal lot t At Cullowhee. In the annual election hekTThurs iday, October 7th, five upperclass-j men were chosen to serve on the (staff of the Catamonut, Western l Carolina Teachers College year book, and to offices in the student/ I government. Those elected were: Anne Blalock, Editor of Cata mount. Doris Ghormley, Business mana ger of Catamount. Hilda Brown and Bobby Hall, Senators from Senior Class. . Carolyn Blankenship, Senator from Sophomore class. senior, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. B. Blalock, of Kings Mountain. Graduated from Grover high school in 1940. Major in college. Business Education, minor, English. Clubs on campus, Business Education, I. R. c. Bobby Hall, son of Mrs. David Hall of Sylva. Graduated from Sylva high school in 1940. Major, English; minor, History. Clubs on campus, Secretary of W. C. Players, English. Marshalls Club and is in Wno s Who in American Colleges and Universities. Getting A. B. j degree and finishing at end of fall j quarter. Is in Naval Reserve, with base as yet unassigned. Hilda Brown, daughter of Mr. and Mrs c. E. Brown of Clyde. Graduated from Clyde high school where she was salutatorian in 1940. Major, Grammar grade. Clubs on ' campus ; A. C. E., B. T. U., Council and Journalism. She is a senior. ^ P'ankenship, daughter ?i Mr. and Mrs. o. F. Blankenship ofFairview. Graduated from Fair I view high school in 1942. where she Tf?u?VanuICto.rian- College clubs: I Alpha Phi Siirma, Secretary and j^*"8"Ter W. A. A., and Business {education, secretary and treasurer pX^?re class- Major, Business iwiucation- minor, history. and MLGA0r^le^:dau?hter of Mr. hwJ*li o' J Ghormley, of Rob vinTS! v Gr?duated 'ron> Robbins ville hijfh school in 1940. College H.i, !i s^cr?tary ?nd treasurer En*. Journi*i Bu8'ne?8 Education club, (:Iub (typirt). Baptist choir Asst. m Business Education ca'?on^Bm!^' Maior;. Business Edu cation; minor, English. Cline C. Stewart, Jackson coun ty lad attached to a Virginia army unit, has just been made first class private. Son of Mrs. Pearle Stewart, of Erastus, Pfc. Stewart also has four sisters living in this community, Mrs. Orville Henderson, Mrs. H. L. Stewart, Miss Lucille and Blan che Stewart. Florida Resident Is Killed When Car Leaves Road Three Others Are Injured At Point Near Cashiers; Mrs. W. E. Martin Dies On Way To Harris Hospital. Plunging off the highway , last Thursday at a point about two miles east of Cashiers, a motor car left the road over a low embank ment, carrying Mrs. W. E. (Mat tie) Martin, of Winter Green, Fla., to her death, and injuring three oth er occupants, Mrs. Mattie Story, also of Winter Green, and Mrs. Alma Dovell and Miss Julia Chap man, both of Orlando, Fla. Mra. Martin, who was lushed to Sylva, died before reachiing Har ris Hospital, and her companions were carried to Transylvania Hos pital, Brevard, where Mrs. Story was said to have received a leg fracture and dislocation of the shoulder. Mrs. Dovell and Miss Chapman were reported as suffer ing from bruises and shock. Mrs. Martin was found Kav. received a head injury, though it was thought, by Sylva physicians who made the necessary examina tions at Moody Funeral Home, that the cause of death was internal in jury. Jackson county officers, who has tened to the scene of the accident, reported that a bus had Just met the death car; that the driver, glancing into his rear-view mirror, noted its sudden disappearance from the highway; stopped his ve hicle, and investigated. The car had not overturned and the cause of its leaving the con crete roadway could not be definite ly established, as there were no actual witness to the tragedy. Passengers on the bus said that it The occupants of the car were said to have been visiting in Black Mountain. The body of Mrs. Martin, who was a widow of 68, was sent last Saturday morning to Orlando, Fla. to be cremated. ' 4-H Clubs Gather With Agents For Routine Sessions Twelve recent meetings of the 4-H clubs have been announced, as showing a degree of interest highly pleasing to County Farm Agent G. R. Lackey and Miss Margaret Mar. tin, home demonstration agent. The topic fdf each gathering was the S|*me, "Why 4-H boys and girls should buy War bonds and stamps," i and the discussions were said to be 1 both intelligent and thorough. Mr. Lackey said that all the club ! groups are permitted to function ' as much as possible en their own. I Each boy and girl president is noti fied in advance, as is also the prin cipal of the respective school, and the executives sit in largely in ad visory capacity. The results, de clared Mr. Lackey have fully jus tified such procedure. Following treatment of the war bond topic, the farm agent led a discussion with the boys on poultry culling, while Miss Martin and the girls held a session on keeping of records. Meetings were held at Qualla, Wilmont, Barkers Creek, Savan nah Webster, Beta, Cullowhee, John s Creek, Tuckaseigee, Oak Ridge, East La Porte, and Glen ville. Service Boy From Webster Finishes Training For Air Herfcert T. Vance, son of Mrs. O. Vance, of Webster, has com pleted his course of studies as an aviation mechanic at Amarillo, Texas, the Army Air Force Tech nical Training Command. His graduation from this tech nical school now fits him for air plane maintenance and he . will be sent to some air base where he will i assist in keeping America's Flying Fortresses in the air for Allied victory. In addition to completion of the schedule of academic and practi- ! cal studies as an aviation mechan- j i heen thoroughly drilled I in military taotics and defense and a course of physical training: that has conditioned him to meet all j requirements of an American sol dier. Iron and Chrome Company Soon Ta Announce Plans The Smoky Mountains' Iron and Chrome Co., a Pennsyl vania Corp., which recently bought the Wilson property near Webster are now erect ing a smelter for the extrac tion of nickel and chronium. The work is in its first stages of development and plans for future development of this property will be announced at an early date, J. J. Miller, gen eral manager of the Corpora tion stated. The company is also pros pecting on the Fisher property at Addie to determine the ad* visability of the installation of another smelter at this point. This property is under optibn to Mr. Miller by R. U. Garrett, Dan Moore, Jas. Mallence and R. R. Fisher. Sylva Mayor Asks That Local Women Answer Army Call Issues Proclamation At Re quest of Governor Brough ton, Relaying War Depart ment Summons For 600, 000 Applications For WAC Service. Tn response to an urgent call from the war department, Gover nor J. Melville Broughton has ad dressed a letter to Mayor Herbert Gibson, asking that this community supply every available applicant for the Women's Army Corps, popu larly called the "WAC's." J The army is making an intensive campaign for 600,000, womenaux men of certiin^ duties ,\ thus making place for the latter in actual fight ing assignments, The N. C. Company will be sworn in by the Governor at the State Capitol, will go through basic train ing together, will carry the N. Q. Flag as part of the color guard, will wear a N. C. insignia on the uniform. This group will train at historic Fort Oglethorpe, near Chattanooga. Qualifications for enlistment: American women citizens between the ages of 20 and 50. Have two years high school education. Have no children under fourteen years of age. Be without dependents. North Carolina wants three re cruits from each county by October 15th. MAYOR'S PROCLAMATION TO THE PEOPLE OF SYLVA: It is with great pleasure that I, Herbert Gibson, Mayor of Sylva, heartily indorse this city's partici- 1 pation in the nation-wide all-states | campaign for the Women's Army Corps' recruiting drive. You doubtless know there is a tremendous need for WAC's. Gen eral Marshall stated recently: "Commanders to whom WAC's have been assigned have spoken in the highest terms of their efficiency and value ? in 155 kinds of Army jobs." This statement is indicative of the excellent job the Women's Army Corps is doing. However the present objective is to release more thousands of sol diers for combat training. In order to accomplish this, each state v^ill participate in the campaign. Like wise each city and county. Our office of Civilian Defense has been designated by Governor Broughton as the recruiting agency in North Caroilna. Our city's participation in this nation-wid? drive is needed to as sure the success of this program. Our county has been selected to enlist three recruits by October 15. I feel sure that the people of Sylva will waht Jackson County and North Carolina to lead all others in the nation-wide enlistment drive. Herbert Gibson, Mayor. Hunter Announces Home Coming Date President H. T. Hunter, of West em Carolina Teachers College, has announced that annual home-com ing day exercises will be held on October 30th, and has appointed the following committee to arrange the program: Dr. H. P. Smith, Mrs. Addie Beam, Ralph Sutton and Mrs., C. C. Buchanan. October 30 was chosen as the date of this event in view of the fact that many graduates who are now serving in the armed forces, indicated that date would suit them best. 4 Plumer Lowe , Jackson\ County Boy, Reported Prisoner Of Japanese Japs' Prisoner PLUMER LOWE, of Addie, re ported missing nearly a year and a half ago, is now announced as prisoner of Japs. Sylva Resident Receives Honor At Annual Meet Mrs. R. U. Sutton Is Award ed Life Membership Badge By Parent-Teachers Asso ciation In Asheville Con ference. m ,_,?%?.? ^ ' ,| I, gj , , At the annual conference of Dis trict Number One of the North Carolina Congress of Parents and Teachers, held at the First Pres byterian Church in Asheville last Thursday, Mrs. R. U. Sutton, of Sylva, retiring district director, was presented with a life member ship pin. The presentation was made by Mrs. E. N. Howell, of Swannanoa, state field representa tive, who expressed to Mrs, Sutton the appreciation of the congress for the outstanding work Mrs. Sut ton has accomplished during the past four years as district director. Mrs. T. Allen Luther was nomi nated to succeed Mrs. Sutton. C. W. Phillips, of Greensboro, state president of the congress, was the principal speaker. He spoke on "P. T. A., 1943 Edition." In dis cussing the philosophy of the or ganization, he emphasized the im portance of the local P. T. A., say ing the movement is from the peo ple up, not from the national offi cials down. He mentioned these aims for the P .T. A. organization this year: (1) increase in mem bership; (2) more education for members through studying the P. T. A. bulletin, magazine, and study course material; and (3) more fel lowship at the meetings. Mr. Phillips predicted that the P. T. A. would be influential in in- 1 crcasing the school term from nine months to twelve month, with children beginning kindergarten at the age of three; inlarging the curriculum; and in providing school facilities that will allow for com munity recreation, thereby decreas ing opportunities for delinquency. Jackson County representatives attended from Sylva, Webster and Qualla Parent-Teacher organiza tions. i Baptist Minister Will Be Guest At Methodist Event j The Speedwell Methodist church j will observe the unveiling of its plaque honoring the community boys in service on Sunday, October 17th at 2:30 o'clock. Rev. B. S. IHensley, pastor of Scotts Creek Baptist church, will be the speaker, j The public is cordially invited. Pvt. Frank W. Moody is now re ceiving training at Camp Barkley, Texas, where he will remain for three months. Prior to induction into the Army, Pvt. Moody was employed by the Tennessee Valley Authority at Fon tana Dam. Mrs. Edward Dunn had as her week-end guests, her mother, Mrs. W. S. Hampton and Mrs, W. S. Hampton, Jr., of Leicester. I Son Of Southern Railway Section Master At Addie, Has Been Announced As Missing Since May 6, 1942, Now Known To Be In Enemy's Hands. Reported nearly a year an (J a half ago as missing since May 6, ' 1942, Sergeant Plumer Lowe, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Lowe, of Add if, hns .iust heen announced as prisoner of the Japs, according to | a message received by his father i from the war department. Sgt. Lowe, who is 22 and who ' first served two years in Panama, | is a member of the regular army, | having joined while quite a youth, in June, 1937. At the expiration of his term in the .Canal Zone, he visited home, his father being section master for the Southern Railway. That was the last time the young sergeant's relatives saw him, as he promptly re-enlisted, was sent to the Philippines, and there saw three more years' service. Mr. Lowe, who talked with The Herald reporter at the Southern station, told with kindling eye of his son's membership in the little group that made their gallant last stand be fore yielding to the overwhelming horde of Jap invaders. "He was bound to have been in it, there at the very last," said the .railway man, "and I somehow have the feejing Jthat Plumer will come safely out of it." Sgt. Lowe wrote a letttyi receiv ed in November, 1941, fol.'twed by a ratflogram the next ? IfrWmberr merely stating: that he wug all right. There were two otWer let ters, dated in May, 1942, just be fore the war department's tele gram of regret at having to re port the JacksOn county boy as missing. Following that was the year and five months of silence until the recent message announc ing the lad's capture. Sgt. Lowe, who was born in Swain county, was educated there and in Missouri, though he has many friends and acquaintances in Jackson county. A brother, Bueal, is also in the service, somewhere in the South Pacific. Another brother, Eugene, is a resident of Canton. The pres ent Mrs. Lowe, the sergeant's step mother, is well known to local peo ple, as are three sisters: Mrs. Brad Shuler, of Spartanburg, S. C.; Mrs. Jesse Truitt, Buffalo, S. C.; and Miss Emma Lowe, now a stu dent in a Charlotte business col lege. John M. Bradley, As Grandfather, Rejoins Service J. F. Corhin, commander of Wil liam E. Dillard post, American Le gion, has received a letter from a resident of this county, which he regards as most impressive and well worthy of publication. He has asked that it be printed in The Herald, with his heartiest wishes for the success of the grand father, John Minor Bradley, who is enjoying another "crack" at former enemies of the first World war. The letter follows: Sylva, N. C., September 22, 1943 Post Commander J. F. Corbin, Sylva, N. C. Dear Mr. Corbin: I am wondering if there is anoth er world war veteran that is now serving in this second war, in this district, that has grandchildren. My husband, John Minor Bradley, spent 18 months overseas in the first war; won the highest medal France could give; and is now back in, wanting another crack at the Japs and Axis. I am for him, every inch of the way. Sincerely yours, (Signed) Mrs. Stella Bradley. P. S. He belongs to the Legion, but in Anderson, S. C. Power House Club Has Monthly Meet The Glenville Power House Home Demonstration club met Thursday, October 7, 1943 at the home of Mrs. Mary Waldroop. Miss Margaret Martin, Home Demonstration Agent, demonstrat ed and discussed "Meat Canning." Potato Digging Is Problematical In Hardened SoiL Little Complaint Is Heard From Jackson Farmers, Who Are More Interested In Winning the War Than In Useless Lament. Prolonged drought has Jackson county and its environs in a grip both hard and dry. "Just like a brick ' is the description heard from farmers alluding to the soil in every section of the community. One planter tersely remarked that the frost could come, and welcome, as there is nothing left to bite. Fortunately, the earlier crops were harvested before the present rainless season approachcd. but" potatoes both sweet and Irish, are said to be dubious crops unless rain falls in sufficient volume to soften tlx*1 ground for digging. It w:)uld take blasting powder to get at mine,'' was one man's com ment, while another declared that he had no experience in mining and didn't know what to do about it. Farm agent G. H. Lackey says that Jackson*county is most for tunate that the early plantings re ceived sufficient watering to bring them through, as late corn did not have a chance and autumn grazing for cattle was dried out some weeks ago. This, of course, means that additional feeding has become nec essary much earlier than in normal weather. About the middle of September a "million dollar rain" fell, but that was inadequate in view of the pre vious dearth of moisture. Most im pressive is the attitude of prac tically every Jackson man who tends the soil. Of the many inter viewed by the Herald reporter, none has seemed at all sorry for himself. ? One farmer, who tills many acre^ said: "Rain? Why, man, it's shrapnel- oil. t hr*e of my sons?right now, for all I know. What s a little dry spell compared with that?" He even joked about his potatoes, and that is the position the major ity hold. Winning this war is the uppermost thought. The arm 11 of apples is noted more and more frequently, as they pass through, often in trucks bound for points in Georgia and Alabama, service men will have the prefer ence from orchards of this vicinity it is said, though this fruit will be available during the coming weeks in reasonably good quantities, con sidering the shortness of the apple crop. Jarrett Is Still Unconscious As 5th Week Begins Showing a degree of vitality both pleasing and amazing to his nhv sicians, Robert P. Jarrett, still critically ill in Henry Grady Hos pital, Atlanta, has entered the fifth week of unconsciousness, following a motor wreck in which he and his wife were injured. It is said by the doctors that every day he thus gains is favor able to the former resident and na tive of Dillsboro, though the final outcome is as yet problematical. Mrs. Jarrett, who was also re ported in grave condition shortly after the wreck, and who received nb fractures, among other injuries, has steadily improved, having left ? h?8pital over two weeks ago. . * Jarrett, of Dillsboro, father ol the wreck victim, is still in touch by phone with the Atlanta hospital, receiving news of his son's condi tion at least once a day. Ground Limestone Is Available For Jackson Farmers Farm agent G. R. Lackey has announced that ground limestone is now available to farmers of Jack son county. Mr. Lackey, who was emphatic expressing satisfaction that this product is now obtainable, said that this should be of vital interest to every person who tills the soil in this community, , being one of the most important items in the AAA program, especially at this season. The farm agent pointed out that pound limestone has to be brought here from Tennessee; that it Is highly valuable in soil building and that he earnestly desirtii every - Jackson farmer to have all to which he is entitled. Since ground limestone has to . a?otted, he urges all who are ? interested to get in touch with him $ at his office in the court house.