Cherokee County's Best Buy'
and C/dt/ County Progress
kl I .7 1Q/ / SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID
Volume 76 Number 34 Murphy, North Corolino Marcn \f ,170b 12 Pages This Week AT MURPHY NORTH CAHOLINA
Jaycees
Re-Schedule
Basketball
The Murphy Jaycee spon
sored benefit basketball game
scheduled for last Friday has
been re-scheduled for tonight
(Thursday).
The Jaycees will play the
High School Faculty in the
first game at 7:30 p.m. in the
High School Gym followed by
The Independents vs TheTex
ana Five.
AO proceeds from the bene
fit basketbaU game will go to
ward the purchase of a me
chanical rebounder. This
piece of equipment sharpens
the reflexes of players and is
highly regarded by coaches
throughout the country.
Murphy HighCoachJim Mc
Combs expressed a desirefor
this piece of equipment sev
eral months ago but found
there was no money in the
athletic fund to make the pur
chase.
The Jaycees heard about
the rebounder through inter
ested basketball fans and de
cided to raise money for its
purchase.
Jaycee James Hughes is
chairman of the project and
expects a large crowd to at
tend. Tickets for the game
may be purchased at the gym.
GOP Convention
Set For Tonight
The Town of Murphy Repub
lican Parly will hold its con
vention in the Cherokee Coun
ty Courthouse tonight (Thurs
day) at 7:30 p.m.
Purpose of the convention
will be to nominate a candi
date for Mayor and six can
didates for the Town Board
of Commissioners to run on
the Republican ticket in the
Town of Murphy elections to
be held on Tuesday, May 3.
Democratic Women
To Sponsor Supper
The Democratic women will
sponsor a supper Satuday night
March 26th.
Tickets are now on sale at
the Cherokee Cafe and tickets
will be available at the door.
The women will start ser
ving at 7:00 p.m. at the Elem
ent tary School Lunchroom.
Tickets are priced at I1.2J
each.
Racing With Red
By: Red Schuyler
Cale Yarborough, South
Carolina's contribution to
Stock car racing, almost broke
his role as bridesmaid Sunday
in Rockingham. Once again,
for the third time, Cale was
runner-up for the big money,
and two times consecutively on
a track that has staged only
two races.
The hard luck that has "do
gged" Banjo Mathews down
through the years seems to
have rubbed off on Yarboro
ugh. "Banjo" being the car
owner and builder of the car
bearing number 27, is now
retired from racing as a
driver. As well as I can re
member, Banjo, never has
appeared in the winners circle
of any race that 1 have witne
ssed and I've been to quite
a few. Sooner or later hard
luck is going to get tired of
riding Yarborough's back
and when it does, Yarborough
is going to make a lot of
fans forget about their present
idol. For a driver to have
driven as hard and lead as
many laps as Yarborough did
Sunday, it seems like a shame
that he didn't win. But as dri
vers and race fans will tell
you, it's the man leading the
last lap and gets the check
ered flag that gets most of
the "long green stuff."
1 remember one race in
Bristol that Lorenzen only led
one lap and that was the last
lap. As I recall it was in the
3rd Annual "Volunteer 500 "
in 1963. In that one, Richard
Petty led most of the race,
then blew his engine on next
to the last lap. With Freddy
a close second, and Petty
coasting as far as he could on
his blown engine, Lorenzen
over took him in the final lap
and won the race.
After five hours and 500 laps
and 500 miles of racing in the
1st annual "Peach Blossom
500" Sunday, only 13 cars were
still running when Goldsmith
took the checkered flag.
Forty-four started but.thirty
one fell by the wayside as
the day wore on. Only three
of these cars were factory
backed. These were Gold -
smith in a Plymouth, Yarbo
rough in a Ford and Pearson
in a Dodge Charger.
It was a great day for some
of the fellows that you never
heard about who run as ind
ependents. Bobby Allison who
is in his first year as a Grand
National Driver was third and
picked up $4,250. Harold Smith
of Dayton, Ohio, was fourth
and John Sears, a local boy
was fifth. In the last of the
race, it would have been in
teresting to see how they would
have come out hadIsaccs,De
rringer, Paschal, Lorenzen,
Ned Jarrett, Marvin Paunch,
Curtis Turner, Tiny Lund,
Dick Hutcherson and Sam Mc
Quagg been running at the end.
It was "dog eat dog" for the
first 36 laps. Goldsmith, the
pole sitter, took the lead on
the first lap with Pearson on
his bumper followed closely
by Isaccs, Turner, Hutcher
son, PanchandYarborough.At
the end of 20 laps it was Gold
smith leading, Pearson and Is
accs swapped positions as did
Hutcherson and Turner. Panch
and Yarborough were still
sixth and seventh. At the end
of 39 laps Isaccs took the
lead from Goldsmith. Pear
son, Hutcherson and Turner
were 5th and 6th and Leroy
Yarbrough starting in thel8th
position had now moved up to
7th place.
At the end of 40laps Turner
was leading, Yarborough was
second, Yarbrough was third
and Dug Cooper was fourth.
On the 37th lap, Bub Str
ickler spun out and before
the smoke settled, Isaccs and
Hutcherson were involved.
"Hutch" continued to racebut
Isaccs car was totaled. The
caution flag flew for eight
laps and during this time the
leaders made pit stops. At the
end of 50 laps Yarbrough was
the leader with Paschal se
cond and Pearson third.
Goldsmith was now running
in seventh place. At the end
of lap 58, Paschal took the
lead and held it for,31 laps
when Sam McQuagg took over
Continued on Bock Pogo
The flimsy house in the Texana section was consumed within minutes after a fire broke
out, and neighbors were unable to yet into the place. I'hoto was taken before firemen arrived
on the scene.
Sitter Leaves, Child Burns To Death;
Three Escape Flaming House In Texana
A two-year-old girl, one of
four small children left at
home while their mother went
to a hospital to visit a fifth,
burned to death Wednesday
afternoon, March J.
The victim was Wanda
Y vette Jackson.
With her in the house, but
escaping tne tlaines, were
three brothers, one an infant
and the others 4 and 5 years
old. Coroner J. C. 1 own
son was told that the o-year
old carried the infant out while
the other ran to safety.
The coroner said an adult
with whom an arrangement
had been made to stay with the
children while the mother went
to the hospital apparently did
not carry out the bargain.
The flimsy house in theTe
xana section was consumed
within minute- after a fire
broke out, and neighbors were
unable to get into the place.
lhe dead child was the
daughter of Jackie and Ella
Blackwell Jack; on. Her bod)
was found under a bed.
Graveside services were
held Ihursday, the followinj
day, at 2:00 p.m.
'Bear Creek junction', New Tourist
Attraction, To Open Near Topton June 1
A new tourist attraction
named 'Bear Creek Junction'
located near Topton is sched
uled to begin operations by
J une 1.
The new travel objective is
designed and produced to give
the highest possible pleasure
and entertainment to the visi
tor in the region, real genu
ine things to do, see, and en
joy. It will feature two big
projects of nationwide in
terest, each able to stand on
its own characteristics as a
rare wholesome, stimulating
point of interest.
To be built is an authemc
railroad terminal spreading
over torty acres of scenic
forest terrain. Special among
its outstanding fea'ures will bc
a real genuine railroad mus
eum, one of such historical
distinction no traveler can af
ford to pass it by. This mus
eum will have authenic, valu
able displays of railroad
equipage, including locomot
ives and other units of rolling
stock, things reminding the
old-timer of the long ago,en
lightening to the younger gen
eration.
Chief among the fun-making
agents at this newest develop
ment will be a real, genuine
steam train, providing the
visitor a round-trip, nine
mile excursion across one oi
the most scenic areas of the
Great Smoky Mountains, a
close-to-hand view of high
mountains and deep valleys
which, until now, have lain
hidden from the average pass
er-by.
The railroad museum ana
the old-fashioned steam tram
will revolve in activity around
an old-time) depot, with its
loading platform, built along
side a single-track, standard
guage line laid almost half
a-century ago by the Graham
County Railroad Company,
Inc. This short-line railroad
has provided, since 1925; in
dustrial transportation for the
lumber industries of Western
North Carolina, for the com
munity at large, operating be
tween the county seat of Rob
binsville on U. S. Highway
129 and the little town of
Iopton, 12 miles distant on
U. S. Highway 19, where it
connects with the Southern
Railroad. This industrial ser
vice will continue as usual,
but this year a special line
of sight-seeing cars will share
the rails, and come June first
a big, bright-lettered sign
over the new depot down the
track will dub the metropolis
of beautiful Nantahala National
Forest as "Bear Creek Junc
tion."
The chief charm of the Gra
ham County Railroad Company
throughout the years has been
a pair of Shay-type, 70-ton,
steam locomotives called
"side-winders," sonamedfor
their unusual design and con
struction, an amazing inven
tion (the first true Shays were
rolled off the ine in 1880)
equipping a steam engine with
almost unlimited power and
strength, at the cost of speed.
Their service to the lumber
industries of Western North
Carolina, and the region it
self, has been mainly the re
gular transfer of cargo over
12 miles of 60-lbs. rails be
tween Robbinsville and the
narrow junction carved out of
the mountainside at Topton, a
spot scarcely large enough to
allow for a wye or turntable.
Here, the old Shay awaits the
arrival of the Southern's han
dsome modern Diesel, swaps
orders with the Southern's
engineer, delivers her goods
and promptly reverses herself
) nose her way back home.
She may be transferring
uch things as great carloads
f lumber ranging in size and
(eight from chips and wood
'ulp to the biggest, heaviest
ogs fresh out of the forest,
ank cars empty or filled with
is so products, box cars
lacked solidly with merch
indise front the James Lee
Jarpet and Rug Company at
Jobbinsville. She may be tak
ng back home large shipments
:q tally important to the bus
iness firms in the area, or
small packages essential to
the comfort and happiness of
people living no farther away
than the local Post Office, or
something intended to be dro
pped off at the house- by the
; ide of the road.
Upon occasion, uia aiae
wiruier Number 1925",named
for the year of her purchase
by the Graham County Rail
road Company, and her sister
companion, "Number 1326",
named for the year of her or
iginal purchase by the Alum
inum Company of America,re
purchased by the railroad in
1940 have supplied individually
or by teamwork means of solv
ing the most difficult logging
problems facing the world of
forestry, the job of bringing
out of the deep forest speci
mens of hardwood lying felled
and ready for market, yet, on
the ground, too big, heavy and
unwieldy even to be moved.
Sidewinders" assignedtothe
job have gone into the almost
impenetrable wilderness co
untry on rails laid tempor
arily, and have accomplished
through their unchallengeable
strength and steam power what
appeared to be the impossible.
But thiscoming June, this pair
of faithful old Shays will
assume a new role. They will
take precedence in a new type
of performance, assigned now
exclusively to a new, easier,
more glamorous role, that of
transporting bright-colored,
sight-seeing cars filled and
alive with gay, happy,laughing
ticket-holders, an unpredict
able human cargo which they
have never obliged before.
Before or following the
steam train ride, visitors will
linger leisurely in the railroad
museum, charmed by this
real, genuine exhibition of ra
ilroad equipage, memorabilia
marking the hey-day of rail
roading in this country, relics
dating far back in history,
housed in six or eight large
railroad cars. The intrinsic
value of this museum will be
greatly augmented by an as -
emblage of old - fashioned
steam locomotives. Pullman
cars, sleeping coaches, din
ers, displayed on stationary
rails outside.
Responsible for this feature
lending great dignify and Infl
uence to the new travel ob
jective in the Great Smoky
Mountains in John B. Veach
third in line of four generat
ions engaged in extensive lum
ber interests, first in Ne?
In Mayor's Race
Moore Defeats Williams By 2 Votes
As Democrats Elect Their Candidates
Over 200 Town of Murphy
Democrats made their choice
Tuesday night of the men they
wish to represent them on the
Democratic Party ticket in the
forthcoming May 3rd generai
election.
Two candidates, Cloe
Moore and Wallace P. Will
iams, were nominated tor
Mayor, resulting in what many
old-timers said, "was the
closest race we've seen at a
Democratic convention in
many years."
The final talley in the
Mayor's race showed Moore
coming oui on top by the very
slim margin 01 two vote-, The
voting went 114 votes for
Moore, and 112 for Williams.
After the decision of who
would represent the Demo
cratic Party as a Mayor-cand
idate, the tloor was opened for
nomination for members of the
six Town Commissioners.
Those nominated were:
Wallace P. Williams, Francis
Bourne, Jr.; W. T. (Bud)
Brown; Kenneth Godfrey; W.A.
(Dub) Singleton; Jerry Hat
chett; John Carringer; Ben E.
Warner, Jr., and Roberi P.
(Pete) Akin.
Here is how the voting went:
Williams led the ticket with
146 vote ; Brown, 143;Bourne,
132; Hatchelt and Godfrey,124;
and Singleton, 112.
Williams and Brown were
ork and Pennsylvania, ;ince
924-25 throughout Western
^orth Carolina. Mr. Veach is
iresident of theHardwood Co
rporation of America.
Mr. Veach is in the pro
:f^s of acq:i.,ng photos of
railroading and lumber op
erations to be reproduced and
lisplayed m the museum.
The Citizens Bank and I rust
Company isofferingprizesfor
pictures brought to its bank in
Andrews, Sylva, Murphy,Hay
esville and Robbinsville.
Prizes as follows: 1st place,
$10.00, 2nd place $7.50, 3rd
place $5.00
The pictures will be on dis
play in each of the banks for
two weeks beginning today and
prizes will be awarded o
Marrh 31.
All photos will be carefully
displayed in the hanks, then
reproduced for the museum
ar.d returned to the owners
undamaged.
Newly Elected Town Of Murphy Democratic Candidates
ELECTED AT TUESDAY NIGHT'S DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION to represent their party in
the forthcoming May 3rd general election are: (L-R) Jerry Hatchett, Francis Bourne, Jr., as
Councilmeri; Cloe Moore, for Mayor; and Wallace P. Williams, W. T. Brown, W. A. Singleton
and Kenneth Godfrey for Councilmen.
tiic two newly elected mem
bers.
Both Mayor-candidates re
marked that during the count
ing o! the vote that they knew
it was going to be close.
Moore, who has served on
the Town Board of Commis
sioners for the past seven
teen years, said, "There are
so many things that need to
he done that at the present
no particular project has
priority over the other." when
asked about future plans if
elected Mayor of Murphy.
Williams, who was parti
cipating in his first politi
cal venture stated that he
had been beaten by the best
man in Murphy, and that he
knew it was going to be a hard
race.
"1 am happy with the out
come of the Mayor's race,"
Williams said, "and very
pleased to have been select
ed as a candidate for election
;o the Town Board of Commi
ssioners. I will do every
thing in my power to help
make Murphy a better place
to live and work."
In other orders of business
at Tuesday night's convention,
Herman Edwards was elected
Chairman of the Democratic
Party, Mrs. Edward Reynolds
was re-elected as Vice
chairman, and Juanita Weaver
was elected Secretary.
Burley Vote May Cost Clay
And Cherokee Counties $40,000
lhe failure of the acreage
poundage control system to
gam grower approval in last
Thursday's referendum can
mean an income loss to Clay
and Cherokee burley growers
ranging upwards to nearly $40,
000 in the 1066 crop year. The
defeat of the program will cost
growers in the two counties
about 20 acres of their allot
ments this year.
The program failed to draw
wo thirds ol the votes cast in
he hurley belt which will mean
hat all hurley allotments not
:overed by the minimum
growers provision will be cut
15 per cent for the current
crop year.
It is feared that in the future
the minimum growers pro
vision may be lowered to allow
across-the-board acreage
cuts.
While 74% of Clay and Cher
okee County farmers voted in
favor of the program, the nat
ional percentage was only 58%.
There was only one state
Tennessee - which voted
against acreage-poundage but
its vote was big enough to
make the difference.
The biggest bur ley tobacco
tate-Kentucky- went 73 per
ent in favor of the program,
orth Carolina favored the
rogram by 69 per cent.
As the acreage-poundage
rogram was developed, it
ave North Carolina more than
ts share of the national quota
nd was clearly to the advan
age of local farmers.
The fact that the new pro
;ram was complicated and
lifficult to understand partly
iccounted for its defeat.
ASCS officials do not know
vhen another referendum will
)e called. However, if yields
?er acre continue to increase
and supply continues to exceed
demand then another acreage
reduction may be in order
again next year.
Lions To Celebrate 40th
Anniversary Tuesday
The Murphy Lions Club will
elebrate 40 years of dedicat
d service, Tuesday, March
2 with a dinner meeting at the
Murphy Elementary School
ocial activities will begin at
:30 p.m. and dinner at 7:00
.m.
Claude M. Devorss, inime
liate past president of Lions
nternational will give the
nain address.
Also attending are John L.
Jack) Stickley, pastpresident
-ions International: Doctor M.
lenderson Rourk, Lions In
ernational Director; Norman
rrueblood, State Secretary
rreasurer; Lawrence C. Sto
<er, District Governor of
31-A; members of his cabi
net and other Lion visitors
from the 39 clubs of District
31-A.
Among the honored guests
will be a charter member, Mr.
Bryan W. Sipe, who served as
the first secretary of the club.
While Lionism was in its
infancy the Murphy Lions Club
was sponsored by the Ashe
ville Lions Club and receiv
ed its charter February 26,
1926 and has a record of ser
vice dating back to its begin
ning. Old timers will remem
ber a recreation park that
was built in the vicinity of
where the Rimco plant is to
day.
The club has always parti
cipated in sight-conservation
and at present Is sponsoring
a monthly sight-conservation
clinic. Through die White
Cane Drive the Murphy Club
helps support the North Car
olina Association for the
Blind and for many years has
bought glasses for those who
are unable to purchase them.
The club has built and stock
ed two concession stands for
blind persons to operate. Al
though blind work is the prin
cipal concern of Lions, the
Murphy Lions Club has parti
cipated in many other pro
jects, such as, helping var
ious agricultural projects,
sponsored the County Fair,
sponsored Horse Shows,help
ed support the summer re
creation program including
sponsorship of the swimming
pool in cooperation with other
civic clubs of Murphy, spon
sors a Boy Scout Troop, owns
several wheel chairs which
are furnished those in need
free of charge, and distrib
utes over 125 baskets of food
at Christmastime.
AFI Announces
Improvements
L. O. Reed, Manager of
Andrews Funriture Indust
ries, Inc. of Andrews, announ
ced Friday, March 11, that a
substantial number of improv
ments will be made in wages
and fringe benefits at thehuge
cabinet plant taking effect
Monday, March 14.
The company, a subsidiary
of theMagnavoxCompany,will
put into effect a fringe bene
fit progam, which includes
seven paid holidays, paid va
cations, shift bonus, overtime
provisions, and many other
improvements.
The company also is revis
ing its wage and job classi
fications. "Upon impliment
ing this program," said Mr
Reed, "the Andrews employ
ees will be receiving theSUn
dard Fringe Benefit Prograti
which exists at the other cabi
First Methodist Begins
Revival Week Sunday
The First Methodist Church
of Murphy announced this week
that Dr. Embree H. Blackard
of Asheville will be the speak
er at the Revival Meeting to
be held March 20th through
March 25th, 7:30 P.M., each
evening.
Dr. Blackard received his
Doctor of Divinity Degree
from Emory University in
1934; completed his residence
work and passed comprehen
sive examination for Ph.D.,
Yale University. He has been
a member erf Study Group in
Palestine, in the Orient, and a
member of the Christian Cen
tury World Seminar.
He has been a delegate to
the World Conference on Faith
and Order at Edinburgh: to die
World Council of Churches at
Amsterdam, Holland, and the
Methodist World Conference.
He is past president of the
Board of Education,Baltimore
Conference and Western North
Carolina Conference as well
net plants of the company."
Upon the completion of our
reclassification of our job and
wage structure, we will be
providing one of the finest
programs in the industry and
area.
The plant opened in Decem
ber of 1965 and currently em
ploys about 340 people.
The company plans to em
ploy in excess of 500 by Dec
ember of this year.
as Conference Board of Evan
gelism and is now a member
of the Joint Radio Committee
of the Methodist Church.
He has been preaching since
1925 when his first pastorate
was at the Melrose Church,
Kansas City, Missouri. In 1931
he came to the Wilson Mem
orial Church, Baltimore,
Maryland, wherehe stayed un
til 1936 when he came to the
Western North Carolina Con
ference. He has held past
orates at High Point, Char
lotte, Gastonia and Asheville
and has been District Superin
tendent of the Charlotte Dist
rict and is presently District
Superintendent of the Ashe
ville District.
Dr. Blackard is a member
of the Board of Trustees of
Emory University, Brevard
College and Lake Junaluska
Assembly and a member of
the Board of Managers of
Home for Aged, Charlotte,
N. C. He is also a member
of the Rotary Club.
The public is cordially in
vited to the services. A song
fest of familiar gospel hymns
will open the services each
night.
"The Commission of Evan
gelism and members of the
church feel very fortunate In
having obtained such a well
trained and widely traveled
person as Dr. Blackard to