Clay County Courier Files, 1938

Submitted by Rita DonCarlos

Two tons of scrap iron donated here Monday. Corning Boy Scouts will do the loading. Those who made scrap donations, Wednesday were:
Datto School, 700 pounds; Tom BLANTON, Route one Corning, 600 pounds; C.C. RICHARDSON, Route one Corning, 700 pounds. Between 6 and 7 hundred people were present  at Corning's Salvage Rally Thursday, August 27. Scrap material began piling up in the salvage pen in the square at Second and Vine early in the week and was filled to capacity, Thursday, with the overflow being piled on a nearby vacant lot.

Rev. B.C. FEW acted as chairman of the program. Rev. Harold GRAY gave a rousing address to the hundreds of eager ears, on the significance and national importance of the occasion, followed by invocation. Other timely and interesting talks on the grave national crisis and interest were made by George A. JIMERSON, president of Corning Young Business Mens' Club, Rev. B.C. FEW and T.G. BRIDGES, commander of Bishop L. GAGE Post, American Legion. The Boy Scouts also sang two especially arranged songs during the program. They were Billy POLK, Carroll COX, Jodie GALLEGLY, Buddy BRIDGES and Jerry BUTLER.

The newly-organized Girl Scout troop members, under leadership of Mrs. E. J. COX and Mrs. C.R. BLACK, Jr., were active in the program with Miss Sallie BLACK addressing the gathering, pledging their assistance and asking for suggestions as to how they could make themselves useful.

At the close, Rev. FEW read the honor roll of names of the 178 men from Corning who are scattered in all parts of the world in service for their country.

Peach Orchard will hold its Junk Rally, Saturday, Sept. 5 with Honorable Roy RICHARDSON of Hoxie as speaker. The drive for scrap iron, rubber, and other salvage material is well under way and it is estimated that they will exceed their quota with in the next few days. A program has been arranged fro music by Delaplaine Glee Club and the local band. Corning Boy Scouts will assist in the flag-raising ceremonies. A unique feature at the rally is that everyone is requested to have a spoon, a cup and a bowl, the occasion being free stew made and served by the local Legionnaires. At 4 o'clock a fat calf will be awarded.

Dr. J. S. CAMPBELL, state veterinarian, made laboratory tests on local dairy cows, Friday and has officially stated that no trace of Bang's disease was found. He conducted the tests for: ADAMS Dairy, 25 cows; W. O. HETTLE, 5 cows; W.E. POLK, 1 cow; Tezzie SMITH, 1 cow; Norace ADAMS, 1 cow. More testing will be done.

A couple more calls from Uncle Sam and there won't be any news from these diggins to report, only of old men, women and children. Two more boys from this township leave for Little Rock this week, Ed GRADDY and Guy JULIAN. Boys, we wish you oceans of luck. (Elmont)

Jim BRACKEN caught a 100 pound alligator gar in Murphy Lake. The gar, about 6 and 1/2 feet long was taken in BRACKEN's seine and practically demolished the net, causing him to lose a fair size catch.

Miss Annie Rie TAYLOR, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. W.O. TAYLOR of Corning, enlisted in the United States Army Nurses Corps and is stationed at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. So far as we can learn, Miss TAYLOR has the distinction of being the first girl from Clay County and perhaps Northeast Arkansas to become an active member of Uncle Sam's Army. She was given the rank of Second Lieutenant, the rank of all graduate nurses in the service.

Four more of our local boys got their call for the Army service. They are Henry STOKES, Sam BANKS, George WRIGHT and Vern SHEPARD.

William Cleabert COLLINS is the first Clay County boy to have been killed in action in the Philippines according to  word received here by his uncle, Harry COLLINS.
William Cleabert COLLINS was born in Corning, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William COLLINS who resided in Corning for many years. Young COLLINS was employed at the local STEINBERG Pearl Button plant, leaving for St. Louis about two or three years ago, where he resided until he enlisted in the United States Army.

Tire inspectors for the Corning, Piggott and Rector areas of Clay County were elected last Thursday night at a meeting of Clay County Defense Council. F. R. WISDOM of The B.& W. Chevrolet company on Highway 67 in Corning will be the tire inspector for the Corning area..

Two Corning business firms were burglarized in the early morning hours last Saturday and Sunday, netting the robber or robbers, approx. $650.00. The first theft was reported at 1:30 Saturday morning when local night marshal, Frank WOOLARD, on his regular checkup round, found one of the front doors of the Angle Service Station open. E.V. SHEEKS, owner and M.D. HEPPE manager of the service station, were called and in investigating they found that the cash drawer had been unlocked and between $150.00 and $200.00 in cash and checks were stolen. Further investigation showed that entrance was made by prying boards loose in the rear of the building.
The second robbery occurred in the State Theatre, between closing time, 1:30 Sunday morning and daybreak. Gordon HUTCHINS, one of the proprietors of the theatre was notified at 6:00 a.m. Sunday by a member of the trucking firm making film deliveries. One of the large doors to the entrance of the building had been forced open, breaking the lock.
Investigation by deputy Sheriff R.R. RUFF and City Marshall F.S. ROTHE discovered that the safe on the second floor had been skillfully opened, either by someone who knew the combination or an expert safe-cracker, incurring no damage in the operation. Manager HUTCHINS reports that all by $50.00 of total receipts for the Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances were stolen, amounting to approximately $450.00 of which $150.00 were negotiable checks. The $50.00 was left by the robber in the cash box.
Hutchins informs us that insurance was in force at the time of the robbery.

Updated 27 Nov 2008