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The News - Record a
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SERVING THE PEOPLE OF MADISON COUNTY
75lh V?f No. 1? PUBLISHED W6EKCY IN THE COUNTY SEAT <| MARSHALL. N.C. THURSDAY, JUNE 3. 1976 15- P?r Copy
Fire Destroys Old jHot Springs Hotel
By JIM STORY
Fir* completely destroyed
the massive Hot Springs Hotel
Saturday night and left only
the scarred brick walls
standing. Flames were
discovered coming from the
hotel about 10:45 and Hot
Springs firemen aiswere* the
-'call immediately. However,
Carroll Anderson, Hot Springs
Are chief, stated that lack of
water at the lone fire hydrant
near the hotel made it im
possible for firemen to ex
tinguish the Are. He stated that
the main water line to the
hydrant had been "rusted
apart" for years and there was
absolutely no water at the
hydrant.
"The firemen did everything
they could but to little avail."
He said the Marshall firemen
were celled end reepooded
within SO minute* with three
pumpers but by thet time the
Are had engulfed the huge 50
room building." Anderson also
said thet two Hot Springs
female "firemen" ? Genelle
King and Linda Tull ? helped
battle the Are. He said that
Genelle King was injured
while helping reel in hose on
the Hot Springs Are truck but
the injury was not serious.
"We are most grateful to the
Marshall firemen for their
quick response and also wish to
congratulate everyone who
helped battle the furious Are,"
Anderson said.
Lee Fowler, who was
caretaker of the vacant hotel,
stated that most of the rooms
on the second floor contained
beds and that several valuable
antiques, including a grand
piano, were destroyed. Fowler
also pointed out evidence of
'shoe prints in the ground near
one end of the hotel.
The SBI and Sheriff Ponder
were on the scene quickly
where investigations started
on the likely cause of the fire,
thought by some to be in
cendiary.
Oddly enough, one week
earlier on Saturday night, May
22, firemen were called to the
same hotel where a fire was
discovered in the dining room
and hack porch. This hap
pened, also, about 11 p.m.
Firemen extingusihed the
blaze without flames
spreading to the main portion
of the hotel.
The hotel which burned last
Saturday night was started in
1924 and completed in 1926,
according to reports.
For the past several years
the huge brick structure,
adjacent to the Hot Springs
Bath House which originally
had 16 separate hot springs
bathing stalls, has been
vacant. The hotel was (or
merly a gorgeously-decorated
and furnished place with
splendid dining room
facilities. Meetings and
banquets were frequently held
and it was one of Western
North Carolina's most popular
and beautiful places to spend
hours, days and weeks. The
natural hot springs were piped
from the French Broad River
into the bath house where
hundreds of persons from
throughout the world visited
and enjoyed the healthful
baths.
In recent years the hold,
owned by the C. L. Rudisill
heirs, has been closed but
many visitors still liked to
drive through the huge lawn
from the highway Just to see
the grounds and hotel.
This particular hotel was
built near the site of the
original world-famous hotel,
which was destroyed by Are in
1921.
Will a hotel ever be built
back in the same location?
This is a question which can
only be answered in the future.
Testimony*, Resumes
In Teacher Trial Here
Testimony in the trial here of
six teachers, charged with
falsifyjqjyyttendance records,
resume^Fru&day morning
foUoWhjg,4 court holiday
Monday due to Memorial Day.
The trial began in superior
court here with jury selection
last week and is the result of an
appeal by the teachers from
District Court where they were
all convicts# Ast <?mber on
the charges and fisjed $90 and
costs.
Mrs. Jewel Church, the
former principal of Hot
Springs Elementary School,
testified Friday that she
falsified school attendance
records and directed others to
dothesame/
Mrs. Church was a witness
for the prosecution in the trial
of the six teachers, charged
with falsifying attendance
records to show a larger
enrollment. Mrs. Church has
also been charged in the case.
The defendants are Larry S.
Plemmons and Mattie Ray
Ramsey, who were teachers at
Spring Creek Elementary
School, and Vera B. Sumerel,
Elizabeth Staude, Isabell B.
Maynard and Frances Lee
Ramsey, who were teachers at
Hot Springs.
James E. Rice, pupil ac
counting supervisor for the N.
C. State Board of Education,
said he uncovered the falsified
records during an in
vestigation of the schools in
April, 1975.
Also testifying for the state
Friday was Robert Thomas,
an agent with the State Bureau
of Investigation, who also
probed the records case last
June and interviewed all of the
defendants.
Superior Court Judge Robert
D. Lewis of Asheville is
presiding. Defense attorneys
are Lamar Gudger, A. E.
Leake and Robert Willson.
District Attorney Clyde
Roberts is prosecuting the
case.
THE CHARRED remains of the first floor
which included the beautiful lobby and dining
room. (Photoby Jim Story) %
?
Horse Show Qn Island Saturday
The annual Marshall
Charity Horse Show, spon
sored by the Marshall Lions
Club, will be held this Saturday
on the Island. Officials state
that there will be two shows,
the afternoon show to start at 1
p.m. and the evening show at 7.
In case of rain, the show will
be held June ?, it was an
nounced.
Honorable David Bledsoe of
Fayetteville, will be the judge.
He is a member of the Racking
Hone Breeders Association of
' America.
Lloyd Thompson of
Asheville will again be master
T-V.
of ceremonies, and Roger
Wood of Marshall will be
ringmaster.
The show committee is
composed of Maurice
McAlister, John Corbett,
Roger Wood, Jerry Plem
mons, Ed List and David
Caldwell.
Mrs. Jerry Plemmons will
serve as show secretary.
Officials announced that a
veterinarian will be on call.
As in the past^ years, there
will be hamburgers, hot dogs,
candy, soft drinks and other
"goodies" available on the
grounds.
Officials have announced
that there will be 37 classes
with 19 showing in the af
ternoon program and 18 in
Saturday night's session,
including six championships.
Added this year will be high
point trophies which means
that the horse accumulating
the highest number of points
will receive a high point
trophy. Five points will be
awarded for first place, four
'second place, three for
third pla^two for fourth
place ancronefor fifth place.
Standard horse show rules
will be applied.
Proceeds from the event will
be used to further the Lions
projects for the visually
handicapped and blind, plus
other community projects.
Classes listed for the af
ternoon show are:
1. English Halter No. 1, two
years and under; No. 2, over
two years.
2. Western Halter, No. 1, two
years and under; No. 2, over
two years.
3. Lead Line (riders six
years and under)
4. Appakraea Halter
5. Pleasure Ponies (SO inches
and under)
6. English Pleasure (open)
7. Madison County Pleasure
(riders U years and under)
?.Potato Race
9. Ladies' Western Pleasure
(riders 17 years and over)
10. Pepsi Cola Race
11. Western Pleasure (16
years and under)
12. Juvenile Racking (riders
12 years and under)
13. Musical Tires
14. Gentlemen's Western
Pleasure (17 years andover)
15. Ladies'Racking
16. Appaloasa Western
Pleasure
17. Buddy-Pick-Up Race
18. Speed Racing
18. Barrel Race
The evening show will begin
at 7 with the !dUowh?
Droaram:
20. Lead Line (riders six
(CentlinedonPagel)
Bicentennial Edition Planned
Flam arc being made lor a
special Bicentennial Edition at
The News Record on July 1, It
was announced Ibis week by
Jim Story, editor.
Numerous historical articles
will be published and many
merchants and individuals will
have an opportunity to
congratulate the county during
this nation's 2S0th birthday.
A copy of The News-Record
will be placed In the capsule to
be buried during the first week
In July on the Mars Hill
Campus.
Plans are being mnde to
mall copies to every boxholder
in Madison County, at well at
many extra ceplet for tale.
All copy must be In The
Newt-Record office im
mediately at well at ad
vertising copy.
Old pictures of Interest
(mutt be clear for
reproducing) are needed with
"cutlines" and short articles.
"We will use at many at
possible In this special
edition." Editor 8tory stated,
"but It will take the
cooperation of advertisers and
the public to make this tssne a
reality."
County Mental Health
Center Is Dedicated
The Blue Ridge Community
Mental Health Center held a
ribbon cutting ceremony last
Thursday, officially opening
their new facility in Madison
County.
Present for the ceremony
were state representative
List on Ramsey and Ernest
Messer. Ramsey serves on the
State House Appropriations
Ceifemittee, while Messer is a
member of the Commission on
Mental Health Services. Also
attending were members of
(be agency's administration
board and representatives of
thestaff.
The Blue Ridge Community
Mental Health Center is under
the direction of the area
mental health board. The
K&
board consists of citizens and
county commissioners from
Madison, Yancey, and Bun
combe counties. Representing
the board for Madison County
were James Ledford, chair
man, county commissioners,
and Mrs. Elizabeth DuVall.
The occasion provided an
opportunity for a frank ex
change of ideas on the
problems which are faced by
local facilities and the
directions which area
programs are taking in their
effort to implement state and
federal guidelines. Most
recently, emphasis has been
placed on decentralization ?
the providing of services
locally, in clinics and half-way
houses, rather than in the
larger, more expensive state
hospitals. Both Messer and
Ramsey were in agreement as
to the fiscal benefits which
result from the new policy.
"Additionally," they pointed
out, "It is simply more con
venient to the consumer if
services are available in his
own community." Under this
plan only the more serious
cases would be referred to the
state hospital for treatment.
Others would be able to make
use of services offered at local
centers.
The facility, which is located
nest to the County
Health Department, is staffed
by a full-time psychologist and
a full-time nodal worker.
? *.?* ; i
Part time services apt
provided by a psychiatrist and
a physician's wKlS Other
psychologists and socW
, rhililriaJi
worKers iroin uiqnp
Services from Aaheville, and
two alcoholism couaaehts
complete the basic tegm. Onfei
a month a counss&r from
Vocational RehabUiUtioa
joins the other members of <$^
staff.
In addition to dirocthervfcsil
to clients, the office provtdMj
consultation services to otW
Juvenile Court and thejsch^A
be obtained by calling ***3
?
? Frederick F. Anderson,
principal of Walnut
become principal of Mart Hill
^BamenUry School on July 1,
replacing Fred Dickerson who
is retiring.*^
Anderson a native of Mans
Hill, la the eon of Fred W
his life to education la fee
Madia on County School
>m whic1 hi
Univwratty. la Ittt in ?w tlae
ot i R*7nU
?
for rammer ?; ly at the
University* Colorado
oo*? ackfrounc
? v of
o?ial Mtw
teaching oab year is
an assistant principal for three
yean, in id 4 a special
?at u tssistan
Principal for Instrwttoo He
taught night classes at Forsyth
lip
years nd served as Skadar
Si:
al -leftlth; t e Iter I rerT.LaG and
Ridg<
, rural programs. Bine Ridg Mental