THE YANCEY JOURNAL
VOL. 4, NO. 35
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Last Farewell
BY MIKE MITCHELL
How fast time seems to have flown when one
looks back over a life. Only yesterday it seems that I
was born in a large General Electric plant at
Schenectady, NY. But, that “yesterday” was way
back in March of 1955.
1 was too young then to really understand what
was happening when they loaded me, bag,
baggage, and wheels, onto a flatcar and sent me on
my way someplace in North Carolina called Yancey
County. It seemed that there was a newly formed
railroad which needed an engine, and according to
the letters on my side, I was to be that engine.
An old steam locomotive met me at Kona—he
seemed friendly enough and told me his name was
"99’’--and pulled me on my flatcar to Burnsville
where 1 was unloaded and my wheels felt Yancey
Railroad rails for the first time. It was good to have
a home, and I felt like everyone was glad to see me.
Soon, I went to work pulling cars to Kona from
Burnsville and Bowditch. My crew was good to me
then and cared for my every need. Business was
good, and I stayed busy-and happy!
But, things took a turn for the worse. Business
fell off and my crew neglected me and treated me
badly. My wheels were worn; my engines were
dirty; my traction motors had little or no attention;
my face was dirty. Still, I was expected to run and
work. I was afraid that my railroad would be
abandoned, but it suited me if it was for then
maybe 1 could get some rest.
Well, to my surprise, some new folks took over
the railroad and it was like old times again. I got oil
changes and a whole lot of care. The track was
repaired and I no longer g<|£tny wheels crusty and
hurt from falling off the rails onto the ground. My
railroad had a whole‘lotJbf.ljusiness, and 1 had to
strain hard to try to keep up.
However, the years, all 21 of them, along with
the bad care I’d had for part of my life, took a
terrible toll. 1 was tired. My wheels were badly
worn; my traction motor on one of my ends just
gave out; my air pump would hardly pump any
more. 1 guess 1 had what you humans call “tired
blood”.
So, after all this time and the work I’ve done, I
am to be replaced by a bigger brother. Another
engine is to take my place, a bigger, stronger fellow
who can handle the increased business better with
his 600 horsepower than I ever could with my 300
horses. I am to leave Yancey County to go to some
place called Alabama and a new home after I have
some much needed surgery and recuperation.
Make this new engine-his name will be
#3-welcome as he comes to the Yancey Railroad.
And try to remember kindly every now land then the
Yancey Railroad #l, better known by my nickname
of “Blackie”. And, please hope with me that they
don’t put "R.1.P.-Rust In Pieces” on a tombstone
over me in, this place called Alabama. I’m still a
good engine, and 1 have worked hard-just ask me.
Farewell, Yancey County friends.
-Yancey Railroad #l, "Blackie"
Budget Meeting For
Local UF Campaign
Along with most cities,
towns and counties in North
Carolina, Yancey County is
now getting organized for its
annual community fund rais
ing campaign. Known locally
as the Yancey United Fund,
the simultaneous drives else
where in the state operate as
United Appeals or United
Way campaigns.
But whatever the names,
they are all essentially the
same, aiming to provide the
necessary financing of activi
ties and agencies that make
the local community a better
place in which to live.
A meeting to set up the
budget for this year’s appeal,
to elect officers, and other
wise get organized for the
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Thursday, September l at
7:30 p.m. at the Northwestern
Bank on the Town Square.
Interested citizens are urged
to attend. All organizations
which desire to be included in
the budget are asked to
submit their requests for
inclusion to Mrs. Ruby Smith,
Secretary of the Yancey U.F.
prior to the Thursday meet
ing.
The Board of Directors
serving for fhfs, the 22nd
annual campaign of the local
U.F. is composed of: Mack B.
Ray, Acting chairman, John
Martin, James Hoover, Dr,
Garland Wampler, Staunton
Norris, Bob Helmie, Rev.
Ralph Jacks, Hazen Ledford,
O.W. Deyton, Cara Cot,
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BURNSVILLE, N.C. 28714
Railroad Warning:
Look Out For Trains
Yancey and Mitchell
County residents and those
who live along the tracks of
the Yancey Railroad are
paying little or no attention to
North Carolina law concern
ing railroad crossings. There
are three major crossings on
US 19-E between Burnsville
and Spruce Pine, and motor
ists cross them with no regard
to .approaching trains.
Lutheran
Fellowship
Lutheran Fellowship and
Worship will be held at the
Picnic Shelter at Carolina
Hemlocks Sunday, August 29,
at 6 p.m. Fellowship will
include a picnic. Please bring
a dish. All Lutherans are
welcome.
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Touching Four States
Mr. Claude Leslie of Bakersville spent a week In Colorado
in July, accompanied by Paul Garland of Buladean. Pictured
here at a tourist attraction, Mr. Leslie straddles four states: his
left hand is in Arizona, his right hand is In Utah, his left foot is
in New Mexico, and his right foot Is in Colorado. The hole in
the center is exactly where the corners of the four states meet.
Cystic Fibrosis Drive
' \
Underway In Yancey
William K. (Bill) Hobbs,
Jfr, Campaign Chairperson
for the North Carolina Chap
ter, Cystic' Fibrosis Founda
tion, has announced the
following area campaign
chairpersons for the “Kiss
Your Baby” Campaign in
Yancey County: Micaville-
Windom-Newdale, Mrs. Don
Turman; Murchison and Pen
sacola, Mrs. Mary Melton;
Cane River, Mrs. Max Prof
fitt; Green Mountain, Miss
Lydia Deyton.
Campaign funds are used
to help support research and
care in children’s lung-dam
aging diseases such as asth
ma with lung damage, chronic
bronchitis, bronchiectasis,
childhood emphysema, and
systic fibrosis. Os each CFF
dollar, 6% is for administra
tion, 12% for fund raising and \
Lions Club
Dinner Set
The Burnsville Lions Club
will hold their monthly dinner
meeting at the Community
Building on Thursday evening
at 7 o’clock. Mr. Carlyle
Bledsoe, County Extension
Chairman will speak. All
visiting Lions art invited to
For many years, no trains
operated on the Yancey
Railroad Saturday, Sunday, or
at night. People got used to
the fact that the train would
slow and look out for them,
but such is no longer the case.
Trains may operate at any
time, seven days a week, day
or night.
On a recent Sunday,
guests at a home beside the
track had parked an auto right
on the track. The train arrived
and the engineer had a
difficult time avoiding hitting
the car. In another incident, a
young couple in a pickup truck
ran across in front of the
locomotive, narrowly missing
being hit. Another driver
froze on the track at Caney
Branch in front of an
approaching train.
In a recent interview,
General Manager J.V. Can
82% for the program (re
search, care, education, and
community service).
The major symptom of
cystic fibrosis is a salty taste
of the skin, frequently noticed
by parents when kissing their
baby. CF is an inherited and
incurable disease and can
affect not only the lungs but
also the digestive system. It is
believed that one in 20
persons are carriers of the
recessive CF gene.
Sales, Use
1
Tax Report
The report of Sales and
Use Tax collections by coun
ties for the quarter ending
June 30, 1976, was made
recently by J. Howard Coble
of the N.C. Department of
Revenue in Raleigh. This
report shows Yancey County
collections for the second
quarter of 1976 amounted to
$52,529.88.
This compares to Madison
County collections of $40,140.
and Avery County collections
of $52,015. for the same
period. Mitchell County led
with a total collection of $75
thousand for the same quar
ter.
non of the Yancey Railroad
stated: "People do not realize
that we cannot stop a loaded
train as they can their auto.
With our increase in business,
particularly the loading in
heavy stone originating at
Burnsville and mica from
Micaville, it is even more
difficult for us to stop a
tonnage train. Far be it from
the Yancey Railroad to want
to hurt someone or damage
their autos, but all I ask is that
the people familiarize them
selves with and obey North
Carolina law about railroad
crossings. Our locomotives
always have their headlights
on, bells ringing, and whistles
blowing at all crossings.
Please help us.”
Democrats
To Meet
There will be a meeting of
the Democratic Party on
August 30 at 7:30 at Democrat
Headquarters in Burnsville.
This meeting will be sponsor
ed by the Young Democrats,
but all County Democrats,
young and old, are urged to
attend.
Refreshments served.
Yancey Primary Election Returns
GOVERNOR
Democrat
Thomas Strickland 23
Jetter Barker, Jr. 8
Edward O’Herron, Jr 98
George Wood 167
Jim Hunt 1752
GOVERNOR
Republican
David Flaherty 447
J.F. Alexander 54
Coy C. Privette 85
Wallace E. McCall 20
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Democrat
Herbert Hyde 598
Jimmy Green 738
Howard Lee ■ 73.
John M. Jordan 184
E.F. Stephenson,Jr. 25
C.A. Brown,Jr. 128
Kathryne McCracken 63
Waverly Akins 65
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Republican
William S. Hiatt 384
Odell Payne 144
SECRETARY OF STATE
Democrat
Thad Eure U 99
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Dancers Perform ‘Raymoitda’
Dancers from the North Carolina Dance Theatre perform
“Raymonda.” They will be seen la Burnsville on Saturday,
September 4, in a performance at 8:00 p.m. at the Mountain
Heritage High School. Tickets an available at business places
THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 1976
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Vicki To Compete For Title
Vickie Lou Hughes and her great horse Copy’s Hot Pants are headed for the Tennessee
National Walking Horse Celebration in Shelbyville, Tennessee where she will compete for the
Juvenile World Champion Title. Vicki and her horse will perform before a crowd of thousands at
the stadium during the competition which is slated for August 26-September 4. She will be
showing on August 27, and if she places high enough, she will again appear in the Juvenile
Championship Show on September 3. Vickie is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Farrell Hughes of
Burnsville.
George Breece 614
SECRETARY OF STATE
Republican
Asa T. Spaulding, Jr. 291
C.Y. Nanney 218
STATE TREASURER
Democrat
Jack P. Jurney ~ 133
Lane Brown 567
Harlan Boyles 1034
STATE TREASURER •
Republican 1 '
J. Howard Coble 343
George B. McLeod 168
STATE AUDITOR
Democrat
Lillian Woo 504
Walter Erwin Fuller 260
Henry L. Bridges 935
COMMISSIONER OF
INSURANCE
Democrat
Joseph E. Johnson 631
Jerry Waters 136
John R. Ingram 1004
COMMISSIONER OF LABOR
Democrat
Bob Dunnagan 123
Virgil Mcßride
Jessie Rae Scott 1194
John Brooks 328
SUPERINTENDENT
OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Democrat
Benjamin Currin 498
Craig Phillips 1236
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I , MEMBER OF CONGRESS
Democrat
Bo Thomas 687
Glenn Brown 198
Roy, P. Gibbens 49
Lamar Qudger 1039
Michael Vaughn 118
MEMBER OF CONGRESS
Republican
Bruce Briggs 540
Walter Sheppard 45
Ralph Ledford 40
SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE
24TH DISTRICT
Democrat
Ronald W. Howell 1788
W. Kelly Johnson 176
DISTRICT COURT JUDGE
24TH DISTRICT
Republican
J. Ray Braswell 456
Indicated on the blue and pink pmow . ni j g fftr
performance Is cosponsored by the Toe River Arts Council and
15 c
Edwin D. Taylor 157
STATE SENATE-26TH DIST.
Democrat
Helen T. Reed 378
Robert Swain 1138
J. Howard Collins 354
I.C. Crawford 1184
REGISTER OF DEEDS
Democrat
Jean S. Buchanan 748
Grace M. Ayers 1311
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Democrat
Clay Miller 1567
Carlson John Tuttle 235
Alton W. Robinson 1683
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Three seats to fill
Wanda Proffitt 839
Artie Lee Peterson 411
Ken Laughrun 681
B. Dudley Robertson 480
Kenneth Hunter 1360
Tommy Robinson 1574
Garrett D. Anglin 1555
Hazel Gilley 597