Clay County Courier Files

Clay County Courier Files, 1930

Roy ROGERS, 10 year-old son of Willie B. ROGERS, a farmer of Ring settlement, suffered thigh bone fractures of both legs last Saturday morning on Highway 34 near White School house, when he fell beneath a wheel of a wagon heavily loaded with railroad tie timbers. Young ROGERS, enroute to Corning, driving his team and walking beside the timber laden wagon, stepped between the right front and rear wheels of the wagon, to permit his father to pass in an automobile. One of his feet was caught by the wagon's rear right wheel and he fell crosswise to Dr. NEWKIRK's office and Doctors NEWKIRK and LATIMER set the broken members.

Saturday, April 12th, has been designated as Corning's first Thrift Day by local merchants, who will sponsor monthly "Thrift Auction Sales" giving away merchandise from their stocks.
For each purchase of 25, 50, 75 cents or $1.00 these merchants will give their customers the same amount in Thrift Money, dollar-for-dollar. The Thrift Money to be used at Corning Thrift Auction Sales.
The first Thrift Auction Sale will be conducted on West Second Street, directly in front of Corning Bank and Trust Company building, Saturday, April 12.
Corning merchants who are members of the Thrift Day movement are: J.M RHEA Hardware, STEINBERG Store, G. GRABER, Corning Furniture Company, Corning Variety Store, LETBETTER Garage, BRIDGES Drug Company, BELFORD Garage and CORBIN Grocery.

Mrs. Guy B. CRUTCHFIELD of Corning is making preparations to sail for France next June 1st with an early continent of American Gold Star mothers and wives to visit graves of their husbands and sons, respectively, who lost their lives in the late World War. The remains of overseas veteran Guy B. CRUTCHFIELD lie in Meuse Argonne Cemetery, one of the eight American Cemeteries in France. All expenses of the trip are to be paid by the United States Government. Mrs. CRUTCHFIELD says that 30 days would be required to make the round trip, and approximately 14 days will be spent in France.

Many local citizens were aroused last Monday at 4:07 am by a meteoric shower lighting the heavens bright as day for a few seconds and followed by a severe disturbance of the atmosphere which rattled windows and shook buildings for many miles. A number of Corning people who witnessed the strange phenomenon, gave interesting accounts of what they saw, among whom were Missouri-Pacific Railroad telegrapher E.C. ELDRACKER with a number of travelers who stood on the station platform awaiting the arrival of Train Number 23. They report that a white hot object, traveling at a terrific speed, shot across the sky in a Northeast to Southeast course, apparently striking in the vicinity of Paragould. A rumbling noise followed, continuing for more than a minute and causing a disturbance which resembled heavy explosions. Later that day, several Piggott and Rector citizens came to Corning in search of the meteorite.
A quasi-iron object weighing 85 pounds, was found on Ray PARKINSON's farm, 11 miles Southwest of Paragould. PARKINSON's attention was attracted to a freshly made hole in the ground. Curious to learn the cause, the farmer dug into the hole and discovered the meteorite embedded three and one-half feet deep. The heavenly body was presented to Paragould High School where it is on exhibition.

At a mass meeting held in the Court House here last Tuesday evening, an almost completely new municipal ticket was named for Corning, results being the nomination of Attorney C.O. RALEY for mayor, to succeed H. Brooks SHEEKS; H.W. VANDOVER for recorder to succeed himself; C.L. BAILEY, D.L. OUSNAMER, O.H. TAYLOR, W.A. BOLLENBACHER and F.A. HAROLD for aldermen, to succeed C.E. SKINNER, W.D. BENNETT, T.W. WYNN, J.H. HARDESTY and J.M. OLIVER, Jr. A large number of local citizens attended the mass meeting. Corning municipal election will be held next April 1st.

Construction work was started last Monday morning on BELFORD's modern new garage and service station, located on the Northeast corner of West Second and Elm streets in Corning. M.J. BARTHEL and Son, Pocahontas contractors, are in charge of construction. This garage will be among the most modern between St. Louis and Little Rock, equipped to give complete automobile service. The building is to be one story, 40 by 100 feet, tile and mat-faced brick construction. A large show room will occupy the front of the building for stocks of auto accessories and equipment. The rear section of the building will be used for auto repairing, hydraulic grease rack, etc. The service station department will have six gasoline pumps. The garage will be the new home of J.B. BELFORD's garage and service station and will be ready for occupancy in about 60 days.

Another entirely modern improvement for Corning, nearing completion is W.M. LETBETTER's new auto service station, located at the intersection of United States Highways 67 and 1 in Northwest Corning. This new auto-service station will have all of the modern conveniences for tourists, found only in the best stations. The building proper is 24 by 24 feet, two story, of brick veneer construction and has living quarters for the operator. Ladie's and gentlemen's rest rooms are provided. The new LETBETTER station will carry the usual lines of gas, oil, automobile accessories, tires, etc.

Two new vehicle stop signs have recently been placed at intersections of West First and West Second Streets with Elm Street here. Corning City Council has ordered these additional stop signs placed.

A barn, containing a large quantity of hay, located on one of T.W. WYNN's farms in Richwoods community, was completely destroyed by fire last Wednesday evening at about 9:30 o'clock. WYNN estimates his loss at about $1,000.00, with only a small amount of insurance. Origin of the fire is unknown. O.E. ROBINSON and his family occupy that farm.

A United States Navy balloon, Number Three, one of 15 balloons which set out on a National elimination race from Houston, Texas last Friday, was viewed by hundreds of Corning people as it drifted Eastward, just South of this town last Sunday morning about 10 o'clock. It landed ten miles West of Piggott at 11:10 that morning. Lieutenants J.A. GREENWALD and W. BUSHNELL, pilot, both of Lakehurst, New Jersey, were in the balloon. The deflated the big bag and had it hauled to Piggott for shipment to Lakehurst. BUSHNELL, who holds the world's distance record for this size balloon, figured he and his companion had traveled 730 miles from Houston, remaining in the air 39 hours and 50 minutes when they landed.

The Fourth District meeting, American Legion, was held on Black River, three miles East of Corning, May 28, 1931. Meeting was called to order by T.G. BRIDGES, commander, Corning post.
Milton EDWARDS, Indiana Division and Richard John HAYS, Illinois Division, ages 91 and 84, both Civil War veterans, were introduced to the audience. Three hundred and 50 Legionnaires enjoyed the meeting and fish fry.

R. ADAMS, food products man, now is making regular trips through Heelstring settlement. Another food salesman from Moark went through here last week and both say that they are having reasonably good sales success. Well, everyone has to eat. We farmers should not worry, we sell the productss and when we can't sell them, what then? Eat 'em.

Lightning struck a cottonwood tree in Mrs. Ruby SMITH's door-yard on Tuesday afternoon of last week, during an electrical storm, followed by a clothesline clear across the yard and ran down an oak tree into the ground. That same afternoon, a herd of Reece SPINKS' hogs shocked by lightning, rolled down into a ditch and laid quiet. When they finally got up, they bumped against everything in their way. (New Hope News)

Extra.....Henri's lunchrom, first door South of Corning Bank and Trust Company. School plate lunch, .15 cents; regular plate dinner, .25 cents; Henri's original Pig-in-a-basket, .05 cents.

Corning friends of Mrs. Mae HAIZLIP, (the former Mae HAYS) now a noted St. Louis aviatrix, but fomerly a well-known popular Corning girl, watched the newspaper with close interest for results of the National Air Races held recently in Cleveland, Ohio, in which mrs. HAIZLIP won second place for Women's Aerial trophy, doing 165.22 miles per hour for a purse of $2,500. Mrs. HAIZLIP is prominent in aviation circles, having participated in many national races in recent years and winning many trophies. She is is wife of James HAIZLIP, an executive of the Shell Petroleum Company at St. Louis. He also is prominent in aviation. Mrs. HAIZLIP resided here with relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Howard HAYS for about six years and removed to Colorado n 1919.

I am returning to my beauty shoppe in Corning, after completing a two-week course in beauty school in Chicago, under personal direction of Mrs. Ruth D. MAURER of New York City, foremost of American Beauty Specialists. Mrs. Elizabeth COCHRAN.

The TENNER family just recently removed into a tenant house on Mrs. Myrtle LADD's farm here and are employed to pick cotton for G.C. FLANIGAN, as soon as his cotton opens. But, judging by slow progress our cotton is making, it will be several days yet before much picking will be done. Some predict that cotton picking here will be at only 35 cents per 100. That seems very hard on those who depend on cotton picking for their daily food. Still, at the present price of this fleecy staple, how can those who pay rent and expense of raising this year's crop even realize 35 cents over 100 to feed their own families. We are all hard hit, just alike, unless something better than the present market price is provided for the poor old cotton farmers. (Nelson School District)

Corning citizens witnessed a brief revival of the days of '49 here last Tuesday afternoon, ye old-time days, when men got their hides full of corn 'likker and tried to take the town. The exhibition was a disgrace to the good citizens of Corning and a challenge to law enforcement. The trouble started on West First Street, near the Crystal Drug Store and W.M. FOWLER and Company grocery. Several local citizens were attacked by one of the "drunks" and two others interfered with the arrest of the drunks. Deputy Sheriff J.M RICE and his brother, Porter, appeared first on the scene and arrested one of the drunks, then alderman D.L. OUSNAMER and Aubrey SIMPSON took another to the city bastile.
Police Chief IRVIN was called to the scene of disorder and with assistance of Deputy Sheriff RICE, arrested three more, one for drunkenness and two for interfering with an arrest. Fines and costs, totalling between $60.00 and $72.00 were assessed against three of the celebrators and two were assessed fines and costs for interfering with an officier, $7.00 against one and $16.00 against the other. Chief of Police IRVIN resigned the following day, to be temporarily succeeded by W.O. WAMPLER. Election of a regular police chief to fill the vacancy, will take place at the next regular meeting of City Council.

Members of the Clay County club at Arkansas State College are proud of their achievement of winning first place in the annual Summer-session Stunt Night, Friday, June 27, and the gigantic cake awarded to them as first prize the following evening. A crowd of more than 1, 000 people witnessed the stunt program in the armory.
Clay County stunt "Radio Station C L A Y" was by far , the most popular of the 11 numbers given. The program was broadcast from the main ballroom of the St. James Hotel at St. Francis, Professor Loren D. ROBINSON of Knobel served as announcer. The first number, a solo, "Was There Anything Wrong in That?" after the fashion of Helen KANE, was skillfully imitated by Miss Florence AMICK, Datto.
"Amos and Andy" of radio fame were imitated by Professor Harry L. TALBOT and Ulys MOORE from near Corning. In the midst of the program, a telegram was received from President V.C. KAYS of the college with "to cut all the smutty stuff and give baseball scores." Miss Doma SIMPSON, Rector, impersonated the messenger boy. Taylor LINDSEY of Knobel sang, "Sonny Boy" in much the same manner as it has been rendered by Al JOLSON. Tica ROBINSON, two-year old daughter of Professor and Mrs. Loren ROBINSON, acted as Sonny Boy.
A clever chorus, composed of men imitating follies girls, appeared and sang, "Painting the Clouds with Sunshine," to the complete satisfaction of the large crowd. The chorus included Professors Lynn McDONALD, Rector; H.E. NISWONGER and Oscar NISWONGER, Corning; Elmer JAMES, Moark; Cecil BOOKOUT, Rector and Dolpher TRANTHAM, Knobel.
Miss Estelle THOMPSON was pianist and Professor E.P. ENNIS, Corning is sponsor of the club.

Two heavy charges of high-explosive, set off simultaneously at midnight last Monday, totally wrecked two buildings and their contents, John N. LILLY's garage and Delco Electric storage house, both buildings located just a few feet to the rear of LILLY' s Store in Missouri, just across the Arkansas state line on Highway 67. Many people in Neelyville and Naylor report having heard the blasts.

On man is minus his trousers and wallet containing $300. and another was relieved of his suspenders and $4.00 by a burglar or burglars who entered four Knobel homes last Tuesday night. Local officers have been unable to find a clue or trace that might lead to the arrests of the "pants" experts.
The home of James COBB is believed to have been the first entered. He was asleep when the man entered his room. COBB found his trousers in the yard the next morning. His suspenders and four $1.00 bills are missing. COBB said that the thief either overlooked or purposely left 26 cents in a side pocket of his trousers.
Frank McCONNELL's home was next entered. Mrs. McCONNELL was awakened by a man standing in front of a dresser in her room. She called for help and her husband chased the robber from the house.
The robbery scene then shifted to the residence of R. WHITAKER. Mr. WHITAKER had just placed fuel in a stove and had returned to his bed when he saw a door to his room gently open. A man, wearing gunny sacks wrapped about his feet to muffle the sound, started to step into the room when he saw Mr. WHITAKER with head propped on his hand and elbow, gazing at him. The robber quietly closed the door and departed. This occurred at 11:55, Mr. WHITAKER said. About one and one-half hours later, a man crept into the home of Milan ASHBY, Knobel Missouri - Pacific railroad section foreman. He was awakened when he felt his trousers slipping from beneath his pillow and got a glimpse of the robber as he ran from the house. ASHBY is reported to have lost $300. in 20 dollar bills. His trousers were recovered the following morning.

A mad dog causing much trouble and worry in our community, since last Friday, was killed Sunday afternoon, after biting its owner last Friday. Several dogs are chained, having been bitten, also a cow owned by Grandma GREEN, a few of Reece SPINKS' hogs here and a calf of Hershel HART's at Knobel was bitten while he milked it mother. Carl MYERS, who owned the mad dog, was taken to Delaplaine, where a madstone was applied to his would and it stuck twice, reports say, but he was to go back there later. (New Hope District)

To my friends and former patrons. I have re-opened my cafe at the same location I formerly operated the Sunshine Cafe in my brick building opposite the Missouri - Pacific passenger station on West First Street and am ready to serve you. Regular meals, short orders, tobaccos, candies, etc. Drop in for a visit, you will like our home cooking. John's Cafe, John ERMERT, proprietor, Corning, Arkansas.

Employment of 12 more men this week by Wisconsin Pearl Button Company at their Corning Dixie plant, brings the force almost up to normal, with 45 cutters on the job. This company has instructed Manager J.N. HUGHES to operate the local plant throughout next Fall and Winter with a large force of workers. Weekly pay roll of the Corning Dixie Button plant totals more than $1,000.00.

Knobel American Legion Post will stage a big two-day reunion picnic and barbecue at Knobel next Wednesday and Thursday, September 2 and 3. Committees in charge have been busy for the past ten days preparing for this big event. Entertainments of all kinds have been arranged for, including carnival shows, ball games, boxing matches and contests, members of that post said. Governor PARNELL, Honorable Dwight H. BLACKWOOD and Senator CARAWAY are scheduled to speak.
Committees in charge are: Entertainment, Alfred PRINCE, Pearl MYERS, W.W. KELLEM; Concessions, Roy BARNETT, Taylor FRAINE, Clarence MASON; Grounds, George ALLBRIGHT, Taylor FRAINE, Henry ROBB; Exhibits, Clarence CHAFFIN, Sol LESTER and John JOHNSON.

Last Sunday a large crowd of local people gathered at Black River near Thwait Backout and enjoyed church services and a special dinner spread on the ground and that afternoon the following were baptized by Elder SHARP: Edward COLLINS, Herbert MALTBIE, Carl HIGH, Rector and Rab PIERCE, Mrs. Carrie MONTGOMERY, Mrs. Willie GATLIN, Mrs. LEVIE HINKLE, Mrs. Lillie Mae LAWRENCE, Misses Ruth GATLIN, Youva FRAZIER, Sadie PRICE, Lola COPE, Mary McDANIEL, Arvie BARRETT, Oma CALLISON, Juanita TYLER, Hazel HANCOCK and Gladys CATT. (Thorn Grove)

Roy VERDIER suffered a painful accident on Monday afternoon of last week, while riding a mule, which all of a sudden took a notion that he had rather not be ridden and pitched Roy up in the air, and he came down against a large tree, dislocating one of his wrists, and skinning his left hand. Roy says that it will take something harder and larger than a big tree to stop his from riding that mule. (Taylor School District)

Tom CATES wanted a "fiddle" so he concluded that the thing to do was to make one to his own liking.
the drought had come and all business was at a standstill. Tom is an all around handy man and generally he found himself busy repairing clocks and watches, with an occasional sewing machine to repair. Now, during the Depression, no doubt there were just as many watches and clocks that needed repairing as at any other time but the people had no money to pay for the work, so this sort of business was at a standstill. Tom wanted a fiddle and with no money forthcoming to buy one, he did the next best thing, in fact he could hardly have occupied himself at anything more profitable.
He made the violin, using his spare moments. He took four months at the job, using his pocket knife for doing most of the work. His hardest task was to find suitable material, as he had learned that the best violins were made of carefully selected woods. He found an old building that had been standing for more than a half century. Here he found a sill that was made of curly maple or sugar tree. The wood was in perfect stat, as dry as the proverbial powder horn, and not a worm hole to mar the appearance, but it was hard to work to carve a piece and shape the shell as it should be for the back. The smaller pieces of the curved sides were also made of the curly maple. Next came the top. He found an old friend up in the Ozark hills who had some spruce lumber that an old eccentric character had carefully saved to have it used for a coffin when he "shuffled off this mortal soil." So Tom procured a piece of this lumber, the very kind he needed and after a lot of hard work it was p!
laced in position and the violin was ready for a tryout.
Fine, wonderful and such exclamations of surprise were the words used by friends who were permitted to hear the tryout. Then the best musicians of the country were called in, some to listen, other to "draw the bow." Some of the old time fiddlers from the Ozarks heard about the "hand-made" fiddle and came many miles to see and hear it, all pronouncing it the best they had ever seen or heard. A country dance is not complete now without Tom CATES and his "fiddle." (Success)

William T. BOOSIER, Age 56, a well-known local timberman, was instantly killed last Friday morning by a falling tree which had been cut by two of his workmen on the O. LEWIS farm four miles Southeast of Datto.

County School Superintendent W. W. HENRY announces the following pupils of the Western District of Clay County as graduates from the Eighth grade for the school year just past:
Moark: Winfred RICHARDSON, Helen ERICKSON, Fannie TISDIAL, O'Dell RICHARDSON;
Williams: Nora EAKER, Roy SMALLEY;
Mager: Irvin DAVIS, Noel LUTTRELL;
Blue: Orla SIMMONS, Ray BREWER;
Success: Mildred McGREW, Genelda GYNGARD, Richard LYNCH, Tezzie Smith,Jr, Geneva JOHNSON, Noel HUDSON (diploma 1929):
Dell: Thelma PURVIS, Wilma TINSLEY, Rosalee NESBITT, Dora CHAPPELL;
Brazzell: Harvey SHARPE, Edith BROWN, Irene JACOBS;
Palatka: Roy BROWN;
Taylor: Ellen NISWONGER, Thelma SHEPARD, Thelma CRUTCHFIELD;
Knobel: Phelneas PRUETT, Gerald NIDEVER, Jerome TALKINGTON, Earl NIDEVER, Hebert DICUS, Altina BROWN, Earl DOVE, Sterl NIDEVER, Reuben ASHBY, Morris LESTER, Dorotha CARTER;
Brookings: Retha HUBBLE, Berneta DAVIS, Iva Jewell GATES, Doris SCHIMMING, Clara MAPLE;
Pirtle: Maxine COTTLE;
Peach Orchard: Leslie WEESE, Harold TOLER, Agnes TOLER;
Richwoods: Marvin BAXTER, Clyde STORY (diploma 1929);
Heelstring: Eloise PARKS, Jewell CURTIS;
Tipperary: Charles D. MABRY;
Datto: Kenneth AMICK;
Woodall: Carl ERMERT, Pansy Irene CREASON, Paul MABRY (last two diplomas 1929);
Corning: Woodrow DAVIS, Graham BLACK, Dean BULLARD, Elizabeth BLACK, Nida BIBB, Joy GOWEN, Novona TUCKER, Imogene SCRIVNER, Vecie MULHOLLEN, Velma GARRARD, Wyatt JOHNSON, Amby ROBINSON, Anna Sue BLEVENS, Carter RUFF, Thomas SMALLEY, Mary BOSHEARS, Catherine PENCE, Marie MOTSINGER, Edith TAYLOR, Cecil KING and Sarah BROWN.

Fire of unknown origin completely destroyed B.E. SMITH's store one of the oldest general merchandise establishments in Datto last Tuesday near midnight. The fire, when discovered at about 11:30 o'clock, had gained such headway that it was impossible to salvage any of the merchandise stock and local citizens directed their efforts to saving adjoining property. The front of D.P. DAY's store building, opposite the burned structure, was slightly damaged by heat which cracked much window glass.

Updated 27 Apr 2008