MOfiEEI LIBRARY
MDBSHX H C
"A!\l>, IjO, THE STAK, which they ?? in tin- eaM. went before
them, till il nmt and Mood over where the vounj Child ???. When
they MH the Mar, they rejoired with exceeding great joy."
(Matthew 2:?>-IO)
"AM) THEKE ^ EIRE IN THE SAME EOl'NTRY *l?eplierd* ahidiniE in the field, keeping walcli
over llieir flwk by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon litem, and the glory of (lie lx>rd
shone round about them: und they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, fear not, for
behold, I bring you good tiding* of great joy, which *h:ill be lo all people/* (Luke 2:8*10)
"KOK I MTO M)l ??? liorn 111 i % tla> in lilt* ril% of Datitl a Satiour.
wliit-li i? r.liri-l llit* Lurtl. Vmi llii* ?luitl In* ?ifftt unto >o?: %r ?liull
find llif Babe trapped in twaddling rl??ilie?. I>ii?t: in a uumger.M
(Luke 2:11-12)
antahala Sale
To Duke OK'd
By 4-1 Vote
RALEIGH - The State Utili
ties Commission granted per
mission Monday to Nantahala
Power and Light Co. to sell
Its distribution lines to Duke
Power Co., and retain its
main generating facility.
^The 4-1 decision was ac
companied by a sharp, 56
[>age dissent from Com
missioner Thomas Eller, who
contended, in effect, that the
ictlon severely compromised
the principle of eminent do
main.
By not disposing of its gene
rating facility, Nantahala was
left to continue supplying pow
sr to its parent firm. Alum
inum Co., of America, which
?uns a plant across die line
n Tennessee.
Opponents of the deal con
ended that the state had pub
ic service in mind when it
;ave Nantahala the power of
nmlnent domain to condemn
iroperty in its Western North
Carolina Service Area when
: constructed its facilities.
Nantahala, proposing to sell
he distribution facilities and
ther property for 4 million
lollars, told die commission
ts power capacity would not
:arry it through 1965.
The commission, in giving
>uke the franchise to Nanta
isla's service area in the
nountain counties of Jack
on, Macon, Graham, Chero
lantahala
ioss Hails
lecision
FRANKLIN - J. M. Archer,
(resident of Nantahala Power
I Light Company, hailed the
orth Carolina Utilities Com
lission's approval of the
nsfer of Nantahala's dis
lbutlon facilities to Duke
fower Company as being in
best interests of all con
Mr. Archer said, "The peo
|le of Southwestern North
olina can now enjoy the
|any benefits offered by Duke
er Company, including an
crease in the supply of power
Iready available for future
|xpanslon needs, accelerated
dustrial promotion and as
rance of the return of the
|ld Nantahala rates for a
erii- d of three years.
"Duke's record for per
ading new industry to locate
its service areas should
dp make it feasible for the
sung folk ot Macon, Jack
Swain, Graham, Clay,
Bd Cherokee Counties to find
itable employment at home,
stead of educating our sons
daughters for the benefit
other locales, we can now
old this valuable reservoir of
ent for the future develop
?nt of this six-county com
? lty'"
I Archer said that he was also
(eased that the many loyal
~ faithful people who work
kr Nantahala will continue
i be employed. "Present ar
ements provide," said
Archer, "that some of
personnel will <be trans
?o Duke Power, where
service records will be
thereby allowing
i opportunity for advance
lit In the larger utility. The
Nantahala employees
I remain with our company
It continues to be a good
orate citizen and em
? in the area."
l"Duka's acquislton of the
hala facilities," said
"will almost be like
a new business to the
It unity, and Itcan reason
be expected that the fut
employment of Duke and
hala will be greaarthan
previously enjoled bv
Jhala alone." |
kee. Clay and Swain, directed
Due to place into effect for
three years, the rates which
Nantahala had charged before
July 16, 1961.
On that date,Nantahala ap
plied for a 33 1/3 percent
rate Increase which it plac
ed into effect under bond.
The commission has not ruled
on that application.
"After the three year mora
torium," Eller said, the im
plication is that Nantahala's
former North Carolina cus
tomers "would be stepped up
to the much higher Duke
rates."
He also said it had been
implied that "if public op
position to the 'sale* were
withdrawn, or if the Utilities
Commission should approve
the 'sale' Nantahala would
withdraw its extortionate
'bonded' rates and make re
funds of all the excesses ex
tracted from its customers."
E tier's dissent ranged thru
the development of the Nanta
hala firm and through a de
tailed discussion of the law of
eminent domain and its
connection with public, rather
than private, service.
He wrote, "there simply is
no other way" that the firm
could have blocked, control
led, backed and diverted the
streams of North Carolina."
"Now," he continued,
. "Nantahala strips all pretense
* of interest in the public of
"csicni t^iui in ^aiuuna, uts
cards Its prose, forgets its
pronouncements, allegations
and commitments, and asks
this commission to . , .divert
the use of substantially all its
vast locations and its extensive
water and land rights, from
the public purpose for which
they were obtained to a use,
and for a purpose, which is
primarily private and for the
direct and primary benefit -
not in a special preference of
a private holding company in
another state. And, somehow,
the majority purports to ap
prove such diversion."
Eller said, "the actual is
sue here should turn more
on what Nantahala is keeping
than what it is selling."
"Were Alcoa proposing to
sell, he added, "and Duke
proposing to buy, ownership
and control of all that which
Nantahala has devoted to
public utility service in this
state, whether by stock trans
fer or by conveyance of all
assets impressed with the
public trust, the great issue
In this case would be sub
stantially eleminated."
Citing a 1952 case in which
Nantahala requested a rate in
crease for all industrial cus
tomers- except Alcoa, Eller
said, "This commission ap
proved the increases in toto.
Both me Supreme Court and
Superior Court reversed this
commission in toto, using per
haps the strongest language
ever directed by sujwrlor
authority to this commission
and a public utility under its
regulation."
He added. "I cannot, of
course, speak for the others
but for me, Alcoa's motive
is again embarasslngly ob
vious: It has all along need
ed all the low-cos t hydroelec -
trie power it can get for its
aluminum plant in Tennessee
? ? ? ? ?
The three-year-old case,
which along with the rate pro
posal, ran into 5,444 pages of
transcript, was termed by
Eller as "among the most
critical ever raised in North
Carolina."
He charged that the major
ity has foundered "under the
muse of technical ex
pediency."
"The people's use of their
greatest natural asset appears
lost forever," he said. "The
cancer of private appease
ment now has so trespassed
upon the body of public prin
ciple until, as in accomplished
seduction, the only course re
maining is to whimper In ti?e
voice of the wandering wind."
The Cherokee Scout
AND CLAY COUNTY PROGRESS
Volume 73 - Number 21 Murphy, North Carolina, Thursday, Dec. 20, 1962 16 Pages This Week Published Weekly A"mubpmy'k'o?' c a5ol*na
Early Paper
Next Week
Next week's edition of The
Cherokee Scout and Clay
County Progress will be
sent to the Murphy Post Of
fice Monday, Christmas Eve
night, Dec. 24. Joe Ray, Mur
phy postmaster, has informed
the newspaper that postal em
ployees will not work Christ
mas Day, Dec. 25. The mail
will be delivered as usual on
Wednesday, Dec. 26.
Rural Route and city deli
very patrons should receive
their newspaper on W ednesday
next week.
The Scout office will be
closed Tuesday and Wednes
day, Dec. 25. and 26.
"Die newspaper for the week
following will be published on
Thursday, J an. 3, and the Scout
office will be closed Tuesday,
Jan. 1.
All advertisements and
news copy for the early edi
tion Christmas week must be
in the Scout office by 9 a.m.
Monday, Dec. 24.
All copy received on Mon
day stands a chance of not
getting into the paper.
* ?
Bells **?
Ringing bells in churches,
for solemn and glad cere
monial occasions, goes back
to about 7 A.D.
In early Britain church
bells tolled for an hour on
Christmas Eve. announcing
to Satan the coming of
Christ. At midnight, joy
, ous peals heralded Christ's
birth.
WEATHE
Date
H
L
Perc.
12
20
-2
0.02
13
27
-7
0.00
14
40
11
0.00
15
47
9
0.00
16
50
30
0.05
17
59
24
0.00
18
69
21
0.00
FORECAST
- Thursday,
overcast, showers and oc
casional rain: Friday, partly
cloudy, cooler; Saturday and
Sunday, chance of showers.
Christmas Eve,
Christmas
Services Set
Services of Holy Com
munion will be held at 9:00
a.m. Christmas Day, Tuesday,
December 25, at the Messiah
Episcopal Church in Murphy.
The service will be conducted
by the Rev. Bruce C.reen of
Copperhill, Tenn.
Evening Prayer and Carol
services will be held Christ
mas Eve. Monday, December
24, at 11:00 p.m.
According to Rev. Hamilton
Whitter members of all other
denominations are cordially
invited to attend these
services
MOTHER AND CHILD -I
Dean Mlntz, a senior at Mur- J
phy High School Is the artist'
that drew this line drawing
of Mary and the Infant Jesus.
Mlntz is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Everett Mlntz of Mar
ble.
MURPHY WOMAN'S CLUB members, with husbands as
guests, held their annuel Christmas party at die New Regal
Hotel Monday, Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m. Special guests were
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bruce.
Mrs. Max Blakemore, president of the dub, presented a
check for $338.00 K> Mrs. Bruce for the purchase of an
audiometer. Mrs. Bruce, speech therapist in the Cherokee
County schools, will uss dm audiometer to Mt the hearing
of her pigitls. She (hanked die club on behalf of (he teachers
and students for the gift.
Pictured above, left ? tight are Mrs. Ken Lovtngood,
Mrs. Preston Henn, Mrs. Blakemore. Mrs. Bruce,
Charier* Davidson, and Mrs. CHeaar L. Dodson. (Scout
PhoB)
Damaged Text
Commissioners Name
County Tax Listers
The Cherokee County Board
of Commissioners met in a
speclil session Monday, Dec,
17. to name list takers and
listing places for the forth
coming tax listing period
which begins in January.
,. Llst takers for the
Murphy Township are Milt
English and D. V. Carringer;
Shoal Creek - Waiter Ander
son and A, A. Williamson;
Beaver-dam - Lester Taylor
and Mrs. Lottie Murphy; Hot
house-John Hampton andMrs.
Geraldine Lominac; Notla -
J. H. Montelth and Arnold
Hughes.
Following some discussion
the two Republican members
of the board passed on the Rev
Weldon West and Mrs. Posey
Crisp of Marble as the list
takers for Valleytown Town
ship. W. T. Moore abstained.
In other business, a blanket
bond of $5,000 was placed on
the commissioners.
Lloyd Ramsey's, in antici
pation of being named a deputy
sheriff, request to buy State
Trooper R. N. Ensley's patrol
car from the State Patrol
after the car was turned In,
was turned down. The state
stated that patrol cars are not
sold to private Individuals.
A bid by theCoIumbia Tower
c'-tq0'1 ln *e nmount of
$785, to repair and electrify
the courthouse clock was
tabled.
Request by landowners for
additions to four county roads
were turned down by the State
Highway Commission because
right-of-way agreements coult
not be obtained.
In a copy of a letter to Ben
Roney. Director. Secondary
Roads, State Highway Com
mission. Raleigh, from F. L.
Hutchison, Division Engineer,
it was recommended that the
addition of the Loudermilk
Road not be added to the sec
ondary road system because
Mr, J. G. Whitmore refused
to sign the Right-of-Way A
greement.
In another letter, the ad
dition of the Postell Road
was turned down because Alice
G. Crowell and husband, Carl
Gibson and wife, refused to
sign the Right - of - Way
Agreement.
The addition of the Jenk
ins Road was turned down be
cause Mr. J. C. Hensley. Jr?
would not sign the Right-of
Way Agreement, according to
a copy of a letter received
the commissioners voted to
publish In Murphy and And
rews newspapers a notice of
the list takers and places of
listing taxes rin all the var
ious townships.
The commissioners agreed
to pay lvie Funeral Home
$75.00 each for two funeral
services conducted recently.
On a motion by L. N. Cole,
and seconded by W. T.Moore,
the Christmas holidays were
set for Tuesday and Wednes
day, Dec. 25, and Dec. 26,
and New Year's Day, Jan.l.
The commissioners agreed
to donate (10 for Christmas
decorations in the courthouse.
The salary for John Donley,
tax stg>ervisor, was set at
(360.00 and (40.00 travel ex
pense, Instead of (400.00 per
month as set two weeks ago.
On a motion by L. N. Cole
and seconded by W. T.Moore,
Hobart Hughes, Chairman of
County Board of Elections,
will be notified to move the
board of elecdonsoffice from
the present location on Ten
nessee Street to the sheriff's
office in the courthouse.
The sheriff will move his
office into the State Highway
Patrol office.
Lee Shields and his daugh
ter, Eunice, met in closed
session with the commission
ers. The purpose of their
meeting was undisclosed.
by the commissioners.
Likewise, the addition of
the Old Mill Roed was turned
down because Mr. W. B.
Shields would not sign the
Rlght-of-Wey Agreement.
Mr. Hutchison celled to Mr.
Roney's attention In all cases,
that Ted Jordon, of Robbtna
vllla. Sum Highway Commis
sioner, had given his approval
on the bottom of each letter and
also on the Investigation re
port.
John Donley, tax super
visor, was given authority ?>
purchaae one each of the of
ficial used cat km1 truck red
and blue books and national
farm tractor and implement
book for use to evaluating
automobiles and trucks for
tax purposes. He was author
ised to use the trade-la value
of the vehicle.
On a motion by W. T. Moore
and seconded by L. N. Cola,
Record
Cold
Subsides
Record-breaking early aea
ion cold Invaded the tri-atata
irea last week, causing tiie
nercury to nimble below aero
>n two successive days.
Murphy's low Thursday was
-7, with Andrews reporting a
-9. The polar frigidity brought
many breaking water lines,
rozen canned goods, and clo
sed schools.
The top temperature for
Murphy's coldest early win
ter day on record was 27,
giving an average for die day
of 10 degrees. Wetfaesday,
Dec. 12, the mean was one
degree lower, with a range
from -2 to 20, producing an
average of 9.
Schools in Murphy and In
Cherokee Co tatty and otiter
nearby areas ware dosed ?
In Andrews?
difficulty of
Friday's
_ f beta
aturday*s 1
ch mil dei
helng 11
and Saturday's 9.
rain was la
closing days of the