12 The Cherokee Scout PAGES < and Clay County Progress Volume 80 _ Number 29 - Murphy, North Carolina, 28906 ? Second Class Postage Paid At Murphy, North Carolina ? Thursday, February 5, 1970 15C Per Copy 'Can't Let I hem Get By With It' Commissioners Crack Down On Car Dealers The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners Monday agreed to crack down on automobile dealers who have been Tiling a large inventory figure with the state tax office and a smaller one with the county. "We can't let them get by with it," one commissioner said, as County Attorney L. L. Mason was instructed to write letters to all dealers, asking them to attend the next commissioners' meeting to discuss the matter. "If they don't come, we're going to tax them at the figures they have listed with the state," Chairman W. T. Moore said. Car dealers have been listing their inventories with the state income tax offices at one figure, it was explained, and then listing a much smaller figure with the county list takers, therefore paying a much smaller tax in the county. It was further explained that this has been going on for several years but the county had not obtained the figures from the state tax office to prove it. Mayor Cloe Moore, of Murphy commissioners said, had complained that the Moore Dodge dealership in Murphy was paying its fair share of county taxes but if other dealers were going to be allowed to get by, Moore Dodge wanted a refund. Monday afternoon the commissioners had the figures from the state tax office and as they were passed around the table, the comparisons were obvious. Cloe and Ray Moore, doing business as E. C. Moore Dodge had listed an inventory with the state in 1969 as $53,199 and had listed with the county at $46,000. It was the smallest difference shown by any of the major dealers. "That's close enough," one commissioner said. "Well settle for that." At the other end of the scale, with the largest difference, was Jeff Brooks, doing business in Andrews as Reece Motor Company. He listed an inventory with the state tax office of $115,000 but listed only $6,000 with the county. The commissioners indicated that if the dealers do not come to the next meeting to make an adjustment, they will be taxed at the figure they have listed with the state for the past five years. The three commissioners from Clay County met with the Cherokee commissioners Monday afternoon to discuss the possibilities of building a regional jail to serve both counties. Andy Padgett, chairman of the Clay board, said three counties in the northeastern section of the state have been approved for a 50 per cent grant for such a project. "I believe we can get a grant like that for Clay and Cherokee," Padgett said. Chairman Moore of the Cherokee commissioners said he thinks the Legislature may also have to put up some money for jails in the future and a regional jail might get state funds. Moore further suggested that a new jail could be built directly behind the present Cherokee County Jail and said the regional jail inspector had approved of the idea. Moore said he and an architect plan to look over the site this week. The commissioners of both counties discussed the possibilities of how a regional jail could be financed and how it would be operated and then decided to write a letter to the commissioners in the eastern counties to find out more about their federal grant and discuss the jail further at a later meeting. In other action, the Cherokee commissioners: Approved a contract for an audit of county books by Grissette and Beach of Lenoir, at $9 an hour per man, plus motel and travel expenses. Approved a list of holidays for county employees. Accepted two road petitions and passed them on to the State Highway Commission, one for three-quarters of a mile in Notla Township, the other for Rural Road 1539 in the Upper Peachtree section. Bradley Files For Re-election William P. "Bill" Bradley, who represented Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Macon counties in the General Assembly in the 1969 session, has announced his candidacy for re-election, subject to the May Republican primary. According to Don Weaver, Chairman Clay County Election Board, Bradley filed for re-election, Jan. 29. He retired from the U. S. Navy 20 years ago after serving for 20 years. He operated an auto parts wholesale business f in Hayesville for seven years ' prior to his election to the ] General Assembly. He is in the j business of growing Christmas ] trees and has a building under ' construction, at present, in , which he plans to operate an aluminum awning shop. Bradley is a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church, a member of the Clay County ? Rescue Squad and the Yellow Jacket Club. it William P. Bradley During his term of office he served on the following committees: Commercial Fisheries and Oyster Industry, Election Laws, Finance, Public Welfare, Roads, State Government and State Personnel. He is the only Clay County candidate who has filed for the 1970 general electton.'' 4 Hurt n Wreck Four people were injured Sunday morning in an accident on US-19-129 near Topton. Corman Carroll Kilpatrick, 54, of Nantahata, was the driver of a 1969 Chevrolet involved and Tommie K. Ivey, Jr., 46, of Route 2, Lawrenceville, Ga., was driving a 1962 Chevrolet. Trooper Don Reavis, the investigating officer, said the Ivey car came out of a side road and collided with the ;Kilpatrick vehicle. He charged Ivey with failure to yield the right-of-way. Nell Bradey of Topton and CHlie Kilpatrick, of Nantahala, both in the Kilpatrick car, were injured. Ivey's wife, Bessie and teenage son Kendrick were also hurt in the wreck. All were taken to District Memorial Hospital in Andrews for treatment. Line Financed The Cherokee County commissioners will provide the extra money needed to lay an eight-inch water line to the Levi Strauss plant - but they won't have the money until next year so the Cherokee County Development Corp. is financing the deal. That decision was reached quickly in the commissioners meeting Monday at the courthouse, the development group to pay out $3,460 to Wells & West, the contractor on the pipeline job, and the county budget for the fiscal year 1970-71 to reimburse the development group. The new plant is about a mile beyond the town limits but wants town water service, at regular rates. The town could not afford to lay the line, so Levi Strauss agreed to pay for a six-inch line to get water service. "A six-inch line will carry only 350 gallons a minute," Merle Davis of the development group explained. "But an eight-inch line can carry 600 gallons a minute." The town board was in favor of an eight-inch line, which could serve additional plants and homes in the area as the town expands, if the extra money could be found for the difference, Levi's paying for the cost of a six-inch line. Davis added that the larger line will also serve to increase the town's fire protection area and can lower insurance rates in the section along the pipeline. Game Warden 'Fired', Investigation Begins Many Clay County citizens are boiling mad at the treatment of Game Warden Harrison J. Martin, crying "raw deal" at his forced, early retirement. Frank Forsyth, civic leader, senior vice president of Wachovia Bank and former State Senator of this district, has demanded that Clyde Patton, executive director of the state Wildlife Resources Commission, make a personal investigation. "We had our differences when 1 was in the Legislature," Forsyth said. "But last week I asked Patton to investigate personally and he said he would. He said he would begin immediately. "Patton's investigation may turn something up," Forsyth continued, "But if it doesn't and this is unjustified, I will go to the Governor. They're not going to jerk that boy around like that." Martin was recently given orders from authorities of the Wildlife Commission, Forsyth said, to make up his mind within four days to resign or be fired. It is not known why he was to be fired, but it is thought to be somehow connected with a personal altercation he had in October with a <3ay County man. Forsyth said he has been visited by "tnree or four" angry delegations from Clay County, protesting the treatment of the game warden, who had been a state employee for more than 20 years. T. N. Massie of Sylva, District Nine commissioner, said he knew the matter had been investigated, but that a commissioner had nothing to do with hiring and firing. "I'm sorry he resigned," Massie said, noting that he thought highly of all the men in his district. "I didn't know he had been asked to resign. He's been a good man. The fact is that it's up to the director or the Chief of Division to investigate and hire and fire," Massie said. He said the nine-member commission would hold a hearing if Martin requested it. Patton, contacted in Raleigh, said he had received a letter from Martin stating that he would retire in early March. Patton would not comment on the "forced retirement" charges by Forsyth . Nor would he talk about what his investigation turned up. "We've discussed the matter with Martin," Patton said, "and we decided it would be in the best interests of the Wildlife Commission, and of Martin, if he would retire." He would not discuss it further and no official reason is given for Martin's ouster. Martin had paid into a state employes retirement fund for better than 20 years and will receive some reduced retirement pay. Warrants Issued For Whiteners Warrants have been issued and officers are seeking two young Cherokee County men on charges of robbing their grandmother. Cherokee Deputy Sheriff, Dude Radford, who investigated the robbery with SBI agent James Maxey of Bryson City, says the warrants against Richard , 24, and Willard Whitener, 21, charge them with first degree burglary, a capital offense. Hie deputy said the warrant charged the Whiteners, cousins of Route 5, Murphy, with breaking down a door at Molly Whitener's home during the night hours of Jan. 16, entering the house and robbing her of more than $100 in cash. Students Tour Levi Plant u Last Friday a number of students from Murphy (.High School got acquainted with the operations of Vhe Levi Strauss plant as they were given guided tours Jof the facility. A group of students is shown here gathered around a sewing machine operator as the assembly-line process of sewing Levi pants together is explained. (Staff Photo) Truck Wreck Blocks Road State Highway Patrolman P. J. Miller is shown looking into the interior of a wrecked tractor-trailer rig which blocked traffic on US-19-129 just west of Marble in the wee hours Sunday morning. The 1968 White, driven by James Reid of Varnelle, Ga., was valued at $30,000 and declared a total loss. No charges were made by investigating Trooper Bob Ogle. The rig, loaded with latex filler compound, struck a rock wall. The driver suffered only a slight cut. (Staff Photo by Avett) Merchants Discuss Tow Plans Peachtree Street merchants and members of the Murphy Town Board met here Monday night to discuss the Townlift project and details of a compromise plan which will be presented to TVA's Regional Planning Department. The TVA planners showed drawings of a face-lifting for Peachtree Street about two weeks ago but local people can reject any or all of the plan. The main difference of opinions Monday night was the subject of trees. The TVA plan recommends planting 10 trees in concrete islands along the street. The islands would protrude 20 feet into the street and would eliminate a number of parking spaces. Peyton Ivie, chairman of the Peachtree Street Project, and others at the meeting were of the opinion that planting the trees as the TVA planners advise would cost too many parking spaces. Several alternate plans were discussed and Ivie called another meeting for 7:30 on Tuesday night of next week. At that time, a plan will be adopted which will then be presented to the TVA planners. In the meantime, Ivie named a committee to make the rounds with him and get a firm commitment from each merchant along the street as to what money they will be willing to spend in painting or other changes to their storefronts. The Garden Club whs the> designated to check with the Forest Service and nunerymen on what type of trees should be planted. The TVA planners suggested sycamores but those at the meeting felt that sycamores would be too "messy," putting out too much pollen and too many prickly balls. Charlie Johnson, Murphy Town Clerk, agreed to check with the State Highway Commission this week and see . how engineers felt about islands for the trees protruding out into the street. Ebenezer Child Loses Struggle For Life A nine-year-old girl from the Ebenezer section lost a valiant fight for lil'e and died Saturday morning en route to the hospital at Sylva. Linda Jo Hartness, the daughter of Mr. and J. W. Hartness, of Route 3, Murphy, was buried Sunday afternoon in the cemetery at Ebenezer Baptist Church after funeral services at the church. She had suffered from asthma since she was 16 months old, according to Dr. Bryan Whitfield, the Muphy physician who treated her at Providence Hospital. He added that she also had been treated for a heart condition. "As I understand it, she took sick Friday morning," Dr. Whitfield said.He said she was brough to Providence Hospital Friday night, laboring for breath, and at his directions, nurses administered drugs and began giving the child oxygen. A physician in Sylva had been seeing Linda Jo recently, so her parents Saturday morning decided to send her to the hospital there. The Cherokee County Ambulance Service began the transfer on Saturday morning, continuing to give the child oxygen on the way, but she quit breathing before the ambulance reached Andrews. Efforts at the District Memorial Hospital in Andrews to revive her failed. The Rev. Herbert O'Dell and the Rev. Verl Davis officiated at the funeral and pallbearers were the girl's classmates from White Church School. Surviving in addition to the parents are two sisters, Pamela and Paula Hartness,both of the home; three brothers, Johnny, Claude and Willard Hartness, all of the home; the grandparents, Mr. and Mr. Jack Hartness of Murphy and Mis. Lawson Graves of Cottage Grove, Oregon. Linda Jo Hartness Ordinance Revived Cherokee County's beer-can ordinance, which started but stumbled last fall, was brought back to life in the commissioners meeting Monday. On a motion by Jack Simonds, seconded by Emogene Matheson, the ordinance passed its first reading. A public hearing was set for the Courthouse at 7:30 p. m. on Friday, Feb. 13. The ordinance would make it illegal to possess an opened container of beer on any road or public parking lot in the county. It is designed to halt the tossing of empty beer cans along roads throughout the county and can be enforced by officers only after a hearing has been held and the ordinance has been approved by commissioners at a second reading. The ordinance passed a first reading last fall and a hearing was held, but the second reading was never made and the ordinance died. Check For Hospital Drive Miss Charlotte Oliver, the current Miss Cherokee County, presented a check for $200 this week from the Murphy Jacettes to the Murphy Hospital A uthority's drive for hinds to renovate Providence Hospital. Accepting are Bill Christy, left, MHA treasurer, and Murphy Mayor Cloe Moore. (Staff Photo)

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