Clay County Courier Narratives 1953 - 1972

Submitted by Danny Moore

1953
Recent real estate sales locally included the Long Lake area south of Corning purchased from T. M. Caldwell and L. J. Schultz, of Caruthersville, by Vernon Presson, Kennett farmer and businessman. Also included in the transaction were 50 acres formerly owned by Finnis White and 80 acres owned by James R. Moore of Caruthersville. The total of 549 acres changing title included Long Lake, about 80 acres, four cabins and boats located three miles south of Corning and on the southwest side of the lake and formerly operated as a fishing resort by Mr. Caldwell. Caldwell purchased the lake and acreage around it 14 years ago, later selling an interest to Schultz, Total price for the 549 acres and lake resort to Mr. Presson was $17,500.
The two bandits who boldly robbed the Farmers and Merchants Bank at Reyno last Tuesday morning, apparently made a complete getaway, taking $33,090 with them. Arkansas State Police said the $33,090 loot took in the holdup was the largest in the history of Arkansas crime and that bank robbers had obtained only $96,000 in the last 15 Arkansas bank robberies. This was the second robbery of the Reyno bank in the recent months. On August 20 two men obtained $17,414 in a holdup at the bank.
Corning will have the newest type dial telephone system available about July 1, T. B. Hollingsworth, division manager of the Southwest States Telephone Company, informed this paper early this week. The present switchboard type of service will be transferred into the automatic Stromberg Carlson XY dial equipment in June of this year at a cost of approximately $82,000, Hollingsworth said.
The Farmers and Merchants Bank Officers at Reyno have employed the service of an armed guard at the bank since a second robbery of the bank on December 30. The guard will remain on duty until a complete and modern burglar alarm system is installed, which will enable employees to sound an alarm from many places in the bank if a bandit decides to attempt a third robbery. Glenn Brown, vice-president of the bank, which has operated successfully since 1911, weathering the depression and bank crashes, said that additional measures are being taken to protect the bank and employees from the danger of robbery, which includes permanently closing all openings to the building, other than the entrance facing US 67.
The second of two men charged with the $33,090 robbery of the Farmers and Merchants Bank at Reyno has been arrested Monday night by FBI agents and St. Louis policemen, at a tourist court in suburban Valley Park. James was picked up after Carl Hamlin, Jr., 19, also of Peach Orchard, surrendered Saturday to Randolph County Sheriff Rex Harper at Pocahontas. M. W. McFarlin, agent in charge of the Arkansas FBI office, said that $10,060, of the bank money had been recovered in a woods near Hamlin's home. The money was buried in half gallon and quart fruit jars and represented about two thirds of Hamlin's share of the loot.
The Pontiac dealership for Clay County and adjoining garage has been sold to Wilford G. Horton, 31, of Paragould. Sales and Service will continue to be operated in the building at junction 67-62 owned by O. C. Clark.
A new farm equipment dealership opened in Corning this week. It is the Clay County Equipment Company, Oliver farm equipment dealers, in the bottling plant building on West Second near Main Street. Owners of the firm, which also have a dealership at Knobel are Leo and Edward Sellmeyer, M. M. Huddleston and Lester Pugsley. Huddleston, manager of the local dealership, has moved with his family from Jonesboro.
Fred Ahrent, Corning, Route One, former Clay County Farm Bureau president, has been named to go with a group of Arkansas farmers on an all expense paid trip to Washington, DC, this Friday. The trip is a reward for outstanding farm organizational leadership and its purpose is educational.
The Corning School District voted down a proposal to increase its school millage tax two mills to construct cafeterias, rest rooms and additional classrooms in four wing schools by seven votes, 535 against and 527 for the tax. Thomas George was elected school board member in the district, defeating Paul Moore by a slim margin of 28 votes. Aubrey Arnold, unopposed, was elected county board member.
The Corning High School was officially admitted to the North Central Association of College and Secondary Schools at the Association's meeting in Chicago last week.
The city council, in a joint meeting with commissioners of Corning Water and Sewer Improvement Districts last Wednesday, discussed ways and means of improving the quality of Corning's water supply. The present supply, which is pumped from the Layne 120 foot well, although pure, has a high iron content and after entering the mains becomes discolored with rust.
Construction work on seven concrete and steel bridges on US Highway 62, between Corning 'Y' and Pollard, was started recently by the S. M. Dickson Construction Company of Warren. J. D. Norman of Warren is construction superintendent. He will reside in Corning. Three bridges will be built between Corning 'Y' and McDougal. The other four will be between McDougal and Pollard.
Kenneth Pettit was elected the new president of the Corning School District Board of Education at the meeting held Tuesday. The other members are Dan Harold, Lloyd Brown and the newly elected member, Thomas George. The board reduced the number of teachers in the district for next year from 58 to 56.
C.H.S. graduates: Philip Hawkins, Opal Garrett Thaddeus Clark, Maxine Alphin, Betty Roberts, G. E. James, Joe Joyner, Cloyce McElrath, Loren Goodman, Charles Lee, Hannah Boyd, Bobby Rider, Laverne Williams, Darrell Hicks, Nancy Hackett, Fred Harold, Vernon Bain, Jerry Fischer, Clydean Dunning, Mary Ann David, Earl Carnahan, Margaret Stafford, Sidney McFarlin, Celesta Johnson, Helen Hart, Jack Mann, Mildred Belyew, Nellie Williams, Raymond Morrison, Betty Boshears, Pauline Bauschlicher, Dean Cox, Madolyn Blackwood, Dorline Miller, Jane Gerrish, James Gerrish, Louise James, Mabel Roberts, Lester Fielder, Betty Hance, Betsy Smalley, Earlene Rahm and Billy Motsinger.
Dr. and Mrs. J. S. Schirmer, owners of the Corning Research Hospital, Inc., last Thursday negotiated and conveyed the hospital premises, Block 2000, Matthews Addition, to the Evangelistic and Benevolent Society of the Church of God in Arkansas, principal offices in Hot Springs.
Two young bandits pleaded guilty Monday to robbing an Arkansas bank and were sent to prison for terms of 15 and four years. Federal Judge Thomas Trimble sentenced Vernon James, 21 year old St. Louis gunman who tried to fight his way out of jail nine days ago, to 15 years in federal prison. James' accomplice in the robbery of the Reyno bank, Carl Hamlin, 19, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment.
Private George Wells, 22, formerly of Moark, was killed May 13 on Heartbreak Ridge in Korea.
Huang Yang-Hsien, 26 year old Chinese Nationalist civil engineer, was here this week studying highway construction on Highways 1-W and US 62 now under construction near Corning.
A law requiring a three day waiting period for all marriage licenses will go into effect Thursday in Arkansas.
Bob L. Ward, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Ward, city, received his M. D. from Washington University, St. Louis, at graduation exercises held there last Wednesday.
Daniel Henry Satterfield, nine year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Satterfield, Moark, died June 13 of polio at the Children's Hospital in St. Louis.
The new pastor for Corning Methodist Church, Byron A. McSpadden, and his family are moving into the recently built parsonage, Thursday.
A 63-year old northeast Arkansas postmaster was indicted Monday by a federal grand jury at Little Rock on a charge of embezzling $18,567 in post office and postal savings funds. He was Bland P. Bryant, former postmaster at Success, a town of less than 300 persons, near Corning.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Blackburn, city, recently purchased the first automobile they have ever owned, a 1953 Chevrolet sedan. However, they are experiencing a rather predicament, as neither Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn nor sons, Jimmy and David, know how to drive. Mr. and Mrs. Blackburn have been taking lessons and hope to soon be able to enjoy advantages and pleasures afforded by owning a new car.
William Martin Fowler, age 66, well known and highly respected former Corning merchant, died at his home in Kennett Sunday evening. He first came to Corning in 1903, establishing a restaurant on west First Street. Later he entered the grocery store business which he successfully operated for about 25 years, retiring from business in 1940. He was active in the Masonic Lodge for many years, serving as worshipful master and other offices. He was active in the Baptist Church here for many years and was also city councilman.
A man and a 17 year old girl were held here today on federal warrants naming them as material witnesses in a case stemming from, the $33,000 robbery of the Farmers and Merchants Bank at Reyno last December 23. The pair, Edmund Slezak, 25, St. Louis and Miss Jackie C. Taylor of nearby Fenton, Mo., were arrested Friday at the request of the FBI. Police said about $2,800 in new bills was found in their possession, $2,330 of it sewn inside a rag doll at Miss Taylor's home. Slezak and the girl told them, police said, that the money was given them by Vernon T. James, 21, of Pea Ridge, one of two men charged with the robbery. James had pleaded innocent.
The City of Corning is installing a two way traffic light at the intersection of Highway 62 and Second Street this week. The light will be operated during the hours when the traffic is heaviest and turned off when the flow of traffic is light, Mayor Frank Johnson informed this paper. Another light is to be installed at Junction 62-67 but is being held up pending cooperation from the State Highway Department.
R. L. Conyers, 21 year old McDougal resident and employee of the State Highway Department, is being held in the county jail at Piggott, charged with the shotgun murder of his father in law, Ezra O'Guin, age 52, of near McDougal.
Reyno - Burglars struck again, unsuccessfully, at the Farmers and Merchants Bank here last Thursday night. Burglars attempted to force open the front door of the bank during the night.
A contract has been let to the Reynolds Williams Construction Company to blacktop Highway 62 from Corning 'Y' to Pollard, at a cost of $235,000.
It took four men only three days to move the 12 rooms and two bath house that was formerly the Corning Methodist parsonage.
Farm folks in the vicinity of Rich Acres, about two miles west and southwest of Corning are no doubt keeping their doors locked and window screens secured, after the reported "visit" in that area by a Negro man sans clothing one night recently.
The Cleo Satterfield grocery store building on US 67 North was destroyed by fire early last Friday morning.
Henry Beecher, who resides near Spur Four, five miles north of McDougal, claims he saw a panther cross the road near his home last Monday afternoon.
A new addition, located in north central Corning, known as Fisher's First Addition, has been added to the corporate limits of the City of Corning. Included in the new addition are 5.6 acres, which have been accepted by the city council and streets and alleys dedicated to the city by Kenneth Fisher and Jessie Fisher.
Shop for food the Courier way and make substantial savings. Some of the best buys advertised in the ads in this week's issue are: stew beef, pound 19c; beef roast, 39c; celery, 10c; oranges, 29c dozen; tomatoes, two cans for 25c; crackers, 19c pound; red potatoes, 50c peck; tuna, 19c a can.
Daniel William Wilkerson, age 67, was found dead on the living room floor at his home in Moark Monday. He was born in 1885 in Corning. After his formal schooling here, he was employed at the old La Crosse Button factory and Steinberg's general merchandise store. For many years he had operated his general mercantile store at Moark until last year when he sold out due to ill health.
Dr. J. S. Schirmer, well known practicing physician here for the past 17 years and director of Corning Research Hospital, has been named by Attorney General Tom Gentry, in a suit filed here Monday, charging him with practicing medicine without a recognized license and administering cancer treatment considered by the medical profession as ineffective.
One of the most shocking and unprecedented deaths ever to occur here was that of Dr. Hiram L. Blood, age 74, who died of a skull fracture Saturday at 7:20 p.m. when he was hit by a mail sack thrown from south bound Missouri Pacific train No. 25. Dr. Blood, who was associated with the Corning Research Hospital, was standing on the platform south of the station when the bag struck him, knocking him to the asphalt pavement. He died about 30 minutes later.
Mrs. J. L. Taylor was selected "Woman of the Week" by the local Business and Professional Women's Club in conjunction with National Business Women's Week, October 11 through 17.
Efforts are again being made here to unearth a legendary safe or mental chest containing loot from a bank robbery in Missouri during the era of Jesse James and his band of bank robbers. The spot where the search is being conducted is on the western bank of Black River, just north of the old Colony Ferry, between Lost Lake and the river, about one and one-half miles upstream from the Highway 62 bridge. The digging is being done by Pleas Beckham of McDougal and Floyd Sells of Pollard, who have been cutting timber they brought from Roy G. Barnhill, owner of the land. Equipment being used is a truck with winch, scoop, conveyor, derrick, power water pump, lumber and other materials for walling in the hole as it deepens and other equipment. A previous effort to recover the "loot" was made about 28 years ago, according to Bert Clarkson, Route Two farmer who worked on the project. Others were Henry Dobbins, Chester Clemmons, Tom Crawford, Dan Schickles and others, as Clarkson remembers, of McDougal and Hickoria communities. The venture gained nationwide publicity with front page features and pictures in one Chicago paper. The story broke that one of the men in the deep hole, feeling at arm length through mud, felt a corner of what he thought was a large metal chest as it seemed to shift in quicksand. All further efforts to recover the chest were in vain, it is generally thought here. The digging operation extended from midsummer until weather became too cold to work in the muddy pit. Some reports are that the hole was 25 to 30 feet deep and was walled up with concrete to prevent water seepage. Another report handed down from late Marion C. Clarkson, early settler here, is that efforts were made before the turn of the century by a man who claimed he knew the bank robbers. All were either captured or killed and he had information that indicated the treasure was buried at the Garden Spot, a short distance north of the present operation. This spot, river men tell, has been dug up at various times for the elusive loot as well as for hundreds of Indian relics. It was one of the largest Indian burial grounds in this part of the state.
A Missouri Pacific Lines signal crew is installing automatic safety gates at the US Highway 62 grade crossing here. Work started early this week.
The City of Corning is having constructed a new tile and concrete block building to house the fire truck and equipment. It will also have rest rooms, providing, for the first time, comfort stations in our city.
Mrs. Rita Butler, city, has unofficially received word that her brother, Pfc Charles Ray Tyler, died in a prisoner of war camp in Korea. The word came from a fellow prisoner of her brother who came to tell her. He said he was with him when he died of a disease and that there were others who were dying of this same disease at the time. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Palmer Tyler of Reyno.
Dr. J. S. Schirmer, operator of a cancer clinic at Corning, has been ordered to give a deposition to a representative of the state attorney general's office at nine o'clock next Saturday, according to Eugene Warren, handling the case for the state.
NBC television cameramen were at the digging site for the Jesse James loot Wednesday morning, shooting 300 feet of movie film for nationwide television broadcast. The cameramen were at the camp, one mile north of Black River bridge, for over two hours, taking pictures of the 23 foot deep by 12 foot square hole. Other scenes also taken were of equipment being used, including a two ton truck and winch, two water pumps and other equipment in operation, removing the seepage water and sand from the bottom of the treasure hole. Also filmed were armed guards and the diggers. Jesse James stories, like Captain Kidd thrillers, have always ranked as A-1 priority with people the world over. The Courier story two weeks ago about a group of men setting up camp and, after 27 years, renewing efforts to recover bank bandits' loot supposedly buried on the bank of the Black River near here, was certainly no exception. The news spread like fire in a hay field. Other information released by AP news service Monday related that visitors at the camp would pay a $1 fee to inspect the hole where the legendary loot is being sought. Another report by AP was that the diggers were within five feet of the loot and would probably unearth the treasure this week. Gene Wirges, news editor-photographer for the Paragould Daily Press, covered the story for his paper with pictures of the eight men at the "treasure camp". All were armed with guns warning signs were posted. A photo of the 12 by 12 foot hole showed two of the men at the depth of about 20 feet. The Courier credits Wirges report as one of the best we have ever read of modern day legendary treasure hunting, in reprinting the account of one of his regular trips to the site of the diggers. Ever since the Daily Press broke the big story nationally last Thursday, a number of appalling questions have developed. For example: (1) How did the 13 farmers who originally dug for the fabulous loot in 1926 learn its whereabouts in the first place. (2) Why, after bringing the chest to the surface as claimed, did the 13 farmers suddenly abandon the project, never to return. (3) How did the present crew of treasure seekers learn the exact location of the loot, 27 years after it was reported seen? (4) How much farther do the present hunters figure to dig before unearthing the treasure, and why? These and many other questions were answered in detail in exclusive interviews by the Daily Press staffer Friday afternoon and night. In order, here are the answers in detail: (1) L. C. Sells, father of Floyd Sells, both of McDougal. is 68 years of age and in good health. All of his senses seem sharp and he does not bat an eyelash when he says frankly: Sure, I saw the treasure chest, in fact I was the man who originally found where it was located. Having heard the many Jesse James' treasure stories for years, I decided to see a fortune teller. "I went to Newport and the fortune teller told me the treasure was there and even backed up the stories on where it was located. But, just to check, I went to see another fortune teller and got the same story. 
"So, with 12 other farmers, we formed a partnership to make the excavation. We dug some 36 feet and finally found the chest. It was shaped like a suitcase, about three and one half feet long, 18 inches wide and eight inches thick. 
"It was very heavy and required almost all of us to put it to the surface by using tongs. Just as we got it to the top, it slipped and crashed to the bottom of the pit. It struck the south corner of the hole and disappeared. 
"It may seem strange that we walked away from the treasure but there was a reason. We had worked for over two months and there was a lot of disappointment in the group. We had spent a lot of money and were discouraged and had lost a lot of time. We went to the bottom of the pit and could poke the chest with six foot sticks. But the going had been plenty rough and we did not know what to do. I went back to the fortune teller again." The fortune teller said it was best we did not get the money then, because two of the 13 men were planning to kill the other 11 of us and take all the money. The fortune teller suggested we wait for two months and give the "two evil men" a chance to drop out willingly. "After that, I suppose we were afraid." Sells said.
And that was how the whole deal began and how it was abandoned in 1926. But how about questions three and four. 
It has been explained that Mr. Sells told the story to his son (Floyd) and that he and Pleas Becham, a 28 year old sawmill operator, are spearheading and financing the project. But how did they find the right place to dig? George Emerson, 60, one of the six men still working on the heavily guarded job, is known in the camp as a "diviner". It was with a divining rod that he located the treasure, the men said. Emerson, a slightly balding, chunky man, demonstrated the divining rod for the Daily Press staffer Friday night. Here's how the divining rod functions, according to Emerson. Divining rods are used primarily to locate water underground, but only persons with a God-given gift have the power to be diviners, Emerson said. First, a diviner takes a stick about three or four feet long and stands erect holding the small limber end of the stick just at his forehead, so that the heavy end falls and forming a horizontal line to the rear. Then, the diviner's power comes into play. The stick will swing to the direction where water is located. Next, the diviner takes a forked stick and bends the two fork ends in his hands, so that the stick is shaped much like a stethoscope. Then, the diviner walks slowly in the direction of the underground stream. When the stream is reached, the stick turns directly toward the ground from its former horizontal position, Emerson said. Having located the stream, the diviner then takes the straight stick and holds it horizontally about six inches above the ground. Then, Emerson says, the stick begins counting the number of feet it is to the well. The counting is done as the stick bobs vertically. Emerson used a peach stick to demonstrate for us.
Now in order to hunt treasure with a divining rod, the divining rod, the diviner must "kill the water's affect on the rod," Emerson said. This is done by using two pairs of heavy water soaked gloves, he added. When searching for gold or silver, the divining rod is slit at the end not held by the diviner and a small piece of gold or silver is inserted in the slit. Emerson says this is done because a large treasure will attract the small piece in the diving rod. He declined to say what he used at the treasurer site, but illustrated with a half dollar. At the reputed treasure site, Emerson used his diving rod and the stick counted 30, indicating 30 feet deep. Friday the men had reached 22 feet, but the wall of the old excavation collapsed and about ten feet of water rushed into the new project. It was pumped down to about five feet when they left late Friday. In addition to Pleas, Floyd and George, the other three men working on the job are Fred Emerson, 28, Charles Emerson, 19, and Bill Samples, 53.
From the Arkansas Gazette-Buried treasurer never looses its appeal. Right now in Arkansas near Corning some fellows are engaged in an interesting adventure. They are digging a shaft through drifting sand, seepage water, dead trees, roots and mussel shells at a spot once covered by the waters of Black River. The sought-for gold and silver are said to be in a chest three feet by 18 inches by eight inches. In 1926 the chest is said to have been recovered but slipped from the tongs that were holding it and fell back into the excavation and buried itself. The preferred story is that Jesse and his gang, hotly pursued after a robbery in Missouri, dumped the chest in Black River. How it was carried on horseback-maybe at a gallop-we do not know. Another story is that the treasure was on a steamboat that sank, and a third is that a Union or Confederate force dumped the strongbox to save it from capture.
Construction work began early this week on a modern, 16 unit tourist court on US Highway 67 north of Corning. The court will be owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. R. O. Smith.
Corning telephone subscribers will officially be on dial system tonight after ten o'clock. After the switch is turned by your Courier editor, Mayor Frank Johnson will make the first call over the new system to Congressman E. C. Gathings at El Dorado.
The Arkansas Supreme Court has granted Dr. Jacob Sass Schirmer of Corning a delay in his fight to retain an electric [medical] license in the state. The high court ruled that it must study briefs in the case before it can determine if Schirmer must sign a deposition. 
The six men who have been digging for Jesse James' treasurer three miles northeast of Corning since October 12 are of the opinion that they will reach the treasurer this weekend. The diggers have been using an improved sand pump since a series of complications set in when they reached the depth of about 24 feet. Progress has been slow since that time, with five or six stoppages due to seeping water and sand. Emerson told AP newsmen on a recent visit to the camp, that the diggers have received letters from 12 states since the digging operation was shown twice on Dave Garroway's national TV show from New York. Emerson said that one man who claims he is Jesse James III, grandson of the Missouri badman of nearly a century ago, wrote from Manitou Springs, Colorado. He wrote that Jesse died in Texas in August 1951 at the age of 107, contrary to historical reports that he was killed by Bob Ford. Jessie III said the body was buried in Grandbury, Hood County, Texas. The relative said he had been told by Jessie that the James gang had ambushed a Union Army ambulance filled with a regimental payroll while the ambulance was on a ferry crossing a river somewhere in Arkansas. The younger James said Jesse told of Union regulars coming up and he kicked the chest into the river, then he and Cole Younger, another notorious bandit, jumped overboard and swam to shore. Emerson said the letter suggested the diggers might be near the treasurer.
Homer J. Pillow, the friendly mail carrier with a friendly smile and favorite of many, will retire December 1 after faithfully serving his patrons on Pollard, Route One, and Route Two, Corning, for over 42 years.
Circuit Judge Charles W. Light of Paragould was prohibited by the Arkansas Supreme Court, Monday, from hearing charges that Jacob Sass Schirmer of Corning was practicing medicine in Arkansas under a license obtained by fraud. The action was contained in a per curiam order in response to a petition by Schirmer for a writ of prohibition. The Supreme Court declared that the Electric Medical Board of Examiners had exclusive original jurisdiction in matters of valid licensing. There was no formal opinion but, said the court, one will be issued.
Six treasurer hunters on the Black River near here, after six weeks of fruitless digging, temporarily have abandoned their search for gold buried by Jesse James because of a partial collapse of the 22 foot wooden shaft and a shortage of money, it was learned Monday.
The treasurer seekers found some object in the hole ten days ago by means of a metal rod, but have been unable to reach it.
Carl Launius, local city mail carrier for the past several years, has been appointed as Rural Route Number Two carrier. He replaces Homer J. Pillow, who retired December 1 after serving 42 years.
Charles Bowers was elected head of the Corning YMCC for 1954, succeeding John O. Black.
A 20-foot dragline was brought from Paragould Tuesday to the Jesse James Treasurer Hunt, one mile north of Highway 62 Black River bridge. Digging for the treasurer is being resumed after the diggers ran out of money and a shaft in the hole caved in about three weeks ago. Money for the rejuvenated search is being supplied by 51 year old Herb Lipps, a wealthy Enid, Okla., cattle broker.
The Country Store was burglarized early Saturday morning with a loss of $734.

1954
Sam L. Manatt, former Blytheville attorney, Ohio banker and a solicitor in the US Department of Agriculture, Little Rock office, took over the controlling interest of The Corning Bank early this week. He is the new chairman of the board of directors and succeeds E. Vandover as president. Mr. Vandover has headed the bank since 1938. Stockholders who sold their controlling interest in the local banking institution were, Mrs. F. B. Sprague, city, Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Lamb, Lakeland, Florida and Mr. and Mrs. H. N. Ratcliffe, Dexter, Mo. They had been the principal stockholders since the death of the late F. B. Sprague, who was president of the bank until his death in 1938. Mr. and Mrs. Manatt came here from Keota, Ohio, where he has been president of the Security State Bank for the past six years.
O. L. Woods, head of the Woods' Companies here, was named to spearhead a move to organize a rice farmers' marketing association in western Clay and Butler counties, at a meeting held here Monday night. Plans also include a fund raising program to provide rice growers in this area with a rice drying plant and storage for about 400,000 bushels of rice. The proposed plant would be built near Corning at a cost of some $350,000 or more and would serve farmers in this area who have over 7,500 acres in rice production.
Sam L. Manatt was elected president of The Corning Bank and O. J. Harold, cashier, at the annual election of officers held Tuesday. Sam L. Manatt, Jr. was elected vice president. Other officers were Mrs. Edith Toalson and Mrs. Helen Walker, assistant cashiers. Bookkeepers retained are Miss Anita Carter, Mrs. Margina Handley, Mrs. Virginia Guthrey and Miss Betsy Smalley. New stockholders are Sam L. Manatt, Mrs. Sam Manatt, Sam L. Manatt, Jr., and F. B. Manatt. Other stockholders and former members remaining on the board are M. G. Hoffman, L. G. Black and John O. Black.
E. W. Cochran, president of the CIDA, has been notified by a representative of a company which manufacturers men's caps and ladies' hand bags that the company is making preparations to establish a plant in Corning.
H. E. Burton, who came here from Roswell, New Mexico, last year and manages his 640 acre farm four miles west of McDougal, will mix irrigated row crop farming with rice farming this season. W. B. Heaton, Burton's son in law, who recently bought the Lon Kilbreath 160 acre farm south of McDougal, and moved here from Roswell, will also irrigate a part of his row crops. Cotton and beans are the principal row crops the Burtons and Heatons plan to produce this year.
About 90 citizens attended a mass meeting at the school auditorium Tuesday night to hear a report on the recent survey for proposed improvements and extensions of Corning's water and sewer districts. Water Commissioner Brooks Sheeks gave a history of the properties since construction in 1927 and up to the present time. Mayor Frank Johnson cited the need for making our water and sewer properties modern and efficient to meet the growth of our city, install water and sewer treatment plants, extend water and sewer service to a large portion of our city not now being serviced. The council has also agreed that the demands of the State Board of Health be fulfilled and that the city should show good faith and meet requirements of the Chancery Court ruling handed down last fall, to stop the sewage nuisance and health hazard on the Mills property or face a court ruling that will enforce stoppage of the sewer outlet if the city does not act in good faith before the next court term. City officials, he said, are also definitely in favor of ending the nuisance of water unfit for laundering purposes and unpalatable for drinking due to high iron content which oxidizes when it enters the water mains. Total cost of the proposed improvements would amount to an estimated $329,850 which would be paid in 30 years or less by a revenue bond issue to be paid by revenue from the water and sewer systems at an interest rate of 3.5 percent or less if sold at auction, Mayor Johnson said. No taxes on any properties would be in force. In lieu of property tax, all costs would be paid by the users of water and sewer service.
The Corning Volunteer Fire Department was recently reorganized with Whitney Bailey, fire chief, and John (Gaspipe) Conner, secretary. 
The $330,000 water and sewer bond issue was voted-in Monday by a majority of almost six to one. The vote was 270 for and 47 against.
The Arkansas Supreme Court this week refused to prevent Pulaski Circuit Judge J. Mitchell Cockrill from reviewing the State Eclectic [Electric] Medical Board's conduct of an investigation into validity of a medical license held by Dr. Jacob Sass Schirmer of Corning.
The death of a Knobel flier was brought out in a trade of information by Americans and Chinese Communists. The Reds said that H. D. Weese was among three Air Force men killed when a B-29 Superfort crashed near the Yalu River 18 months ago. The Air Force said the man referred to would be Lt. Henry D. Weese of Knobel.
About 250 construction workers reported for work on the 400,000 bushel grain drying plant north of Corning this week. Most of these workers will remain on the job for some two to three weeks and sleeping rooms or rooms with board are needed. 
Fire of undetermined origin destroyed Knobel school gymnasium Sunday morning about 11:30. The gym had served the Knobel community for all civic and school functions for 12 years and was a tragic loss to the people of that area.
The State Highway Department on January 11th gave the go-ahead sign with the issuance of its official work order for construction to begin on US Highway 67 between Corning and Pocahontas.
The YMCC members voted unanimously to contribute $1,000 for the purchase of a site for a proposed rice drying plant sought in this area by rice growers. Considerable discussion followed the proposal made by YMCC President Chas. Bowers.
One of the features of the Lions Club Minstrel to be presented in the High School Auditorium Thursday, February 11, will be a Baby Contest. This feature promises to be a side-splitter with the "babies" all dressed up in rompers, diapers and cute little dresses. There are six of these babies who will entertain you with their mannerisms. They are D. A. Snider, A. L. Drilling, C. R. Black, Sr., John Gallegly, J. B. Belford and Lem Scrivner. A black baby will also do his stuff. He is John A. Magee.
Fire of undetermined origin nearly burned out the main business block at Knobel Sunday night, causing damage estimated in excess of $50,000. Destroyed were the Cunning Drug Store and Fountain Room, Malone Restaurant, Calhoun Restaurant and Tyler Barber Shop.
Water and Sewer Commissioners Brooks Sheeks, C. R. Black and W. W. Hastings met with Mayor Frank Johnson and Alderman A. L. Drilling, the latter two to work out some means of meeting the demands of Gus Mills, plaintiff in a court action docketed for trial in next month's chancery court, to remove an alleged nuisance at the out-fall of the city's sewerage on his property at the south end of West Fourth Street. The commissioners were of the opinion that the city should be planning now to meet with the residents and decide upon the best move to meet the needs of the outgrown water and sewer systems. They recommended that only permanent improvements be planned and made, as patchwork, stopgap improvements only tend to cost the tax payer more in the long run. 
Construction work will start in the near future on a $400,000 rice drying plant and ten 40,000 bushel capacity elevators on the west side of the Missouri Pacific tracks, north of Corning. The Clay County Rice Growers Cooperative Association, headed by O. L. Woods, plans to have the 400,000 bushel plant ready well in advance of the next harvest season. Finances for the plant have been raised by sale of common and preferred stock amounting to $208,000, bought by rice producers in this area. An equal amount of money, secured from the Federal Intermediate Credit Corporation of St. Louis, will provide the balance and make possible the construction of the $416,000 plant. Roy and Everett Thomas, large scale rice growers here, and other local citizens, handled the sale of local co-op stock..
Seventy members of the YMCC went on record Monday night as favoring a survey of Corning's water and sewer districts and having an estimate made for installation of water and sewer treatment plants, necessary extensions to all residents of the city and any or all repairs of existing property. The city has out grown the present system to the extent that only 60 percent of the homes are being serviced, or 450 homes within the district borders and some 225 homes outside. Money is now on hand to retire the outstanding $9,000 in sewer bonds due in 1953 and 1954. Water district receipts, the $11,000 water bonds due at maturity, can be purchased or money placed in escrow and the two districts dissolved and the property turned over to the city. A bond issue would have to be voted that would provide the entire city with water and sewer service, payable by revenue earned from service charges, each month. Property tax, which as been in effect since the bond issue of 1926 would be void, when and if a new bond issue is voted in, with no property tax levied on any property in the new water and sewer districts. The $247,000 bond issue voted down three years ago was proposed on the same basis, or payable through revenue earned by service charges, with no property tax, or no mortgages on any real estate. The water and sewer systems only, to be mortgaged for the improvements.
A new electrically operated automatic proofing machine is now in operation at The Corning Bank that just about does everything but make change at the tellers windows. The machine has been installed to increase the efficiency of the service to patrons of the bank, Sam Manatt, Sr., president, said. O. J. Harold resigned his position as cashier Monday. Replacing Harold is Sam Manatt, Jr., also vice president and a member of the board of directors. Don DeArmon started as teller-bookkeeper Wednesday morning.
Mack Blackwood, local hardware dealer, was elected member of the Corning School Board of Directors for a five year term. He was unopposed. Retiring from the board is Kenneth Pettit.
The financial structure of The Corning Bank has been increased to $250,000 as a result of a recent meeting of the board of directors. Board members John O. Black, L. G. Black, M. G. Hoffman, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Manatt and Sam Manatt, Jr. agreed on adding undivided profits amounting to $50,000 to the bank's financial backing, to make it one of the strongest financial institutions of any in a city the size of Corning.
Travelers Motel, just completed on US 67 North, will be formally opened Sunday, March 28, with an open house from one until four in the afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. R. O. Smith, owners of the new, modern motel, invite the general public to call and inspect the plant.
Eighty acres were plowed, disked and made ready for planting on the Ralph M. "Snooks" Crafton farm north of Corning last Wednesday. Seven of Crafton's neighbors and five tractor drivers from Ring district pitched in to see how quickly they could get his land ready for the 1954 crop season. They all worked like mad from 6:45 Wednesday morning until six that evening, only taking out time for lunch and an occasional stop for minor adjustment or repairs. It took 11 hours and 15 minutes (about seven acres an hour) for the eight tractors to prepare the 80 acres for planting, probably a record for neighbor-exchange help around here. Farmers on the project with their tractors and equipment were Lester Crafton, Eddie Poe Crafton, Bill Phelan, Elmer White, Snooks Crafton. Drivers, other than above mentioned, were Jake and Jim Beecher, Bill and William Weaver and Ray White all of Route Two, Corning. They will continue to swap labor and equipment until all eight have their soil ready for planting. 
Dan W. Harold elected president of school board; many wing school improvements to be started soon.
Sterling L. Gazaway, 18, son of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Gazaway, former Datto residents, died of strangulation Sunday afternoon at Forrest Park, St. Louis. Gazaway was eating a hot dog sandwich when he became choked. 
Tony Miller, 13 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Miller, died Tuesday afternoon of complications resulting from third degree burns he received April 13 at a local barber shop. The youth was cleaning a sink with gasoline when the bottle hit a drainage pipe and broke, spilling the gasoline liquid. A nearby open gas heater ignited the fumes and both legs were burned from the hips down.
YMCC President Charles Bowers announced at Monday night's meeting that a Federal Agriculture Office (ASC) will be open June 6 in the jury room on the second floor of the courthouse here. A new jury room will be made by closing the stairway at the west entrance.
Edgar Van Buren Sheeks, prominent civic leader and local business man for the past 30 years, died at the Lucy Lee Hospital, Poplar Bluff, Tuesday. He was 54. He was widely known for his interest in the Democratic party and his interest and work for better highways. He was a dealer for the Ford Motor Company, the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company and the Texaco Oil Company since he entered business 30 years ago. A member of the Pine Bluff Shrine Temple, he also was a 32nd Degree Mason, at Little Rock. He served as a deacon and Sunday School teacher at the First Christian Church where he had been a member since 1914. 
Eight more blocks on West Main Street are being asphalt hard surfaced, Mayor Frank L. Johnson informed the Courier this week. This new improvement will give the city an asphalt surfaced street from West Second Street to the 67-62 junction with the exception of one block, he said. It is anticipated that the one block not yet secured on the cooperative basis of 50-50 city funds and property owner funds, will be obtained soon in order to give motorists and property owners on West Main advantage of a hard-surfaced street from the Mo-Pac tracks to the junction this summer.
A contract to complete hard topping Highway 1- West from Corning 'Y' to Paragould has been let by the Arkansas Highway Commission to D. F. Jones Construction Company of Little Rock. The bid of $337.935 schedules 11.4 miles of grading, drainage structure, gravel base and asphalt surfacing. Also included in the contract is practical elimination of four curves and construction of one concrete bridge.
The Clay County Electric Cooperative crew of electricians, under supervision of manager Adolph Lillard, are installing permanent electric facilities at Wynn Park which will complete the circuit for electric power, lights and switch boxes.
Some 285 men started pouring the concrete forms Wednesday, June 23, at the Corning Rice Dryer plant, working 11 and one-half hour day and night shifts. The daily pay roll is estimated at $6,555.
R. E. Pogue, former agriculture instructor at Knobel schools, became superintendent there starting July 1. He replaces W. M. Maupin who is superintendent at Vanndale.
Corning youth, Clarence Alford (Sonny) Dodge, 16, drowned while swimming, in Black River here last Thursday. The youth had been swimming with another Corning youth, Jimmie Lumpkins, 13, at Black River Camp, just north of Highway 62 bridge. Both had been in the river most of the afternoon, using an inner tube for support as neither could swim very well.
Local residents sweltered Tuesday when the mercury rose to a new high of 107 degrees this season. The previous high was on Monday when the thermometer read 105 degrees.
Water and sewer bonds amounting to $330,000 for construction of a new water treatment plant, sewer treatment plant, enlargements and improvements to Corning's water and sewer systems were sold here Friday to the Lewis W. Cherry Company, investment brokers, Little Rock. The Cherry Company was the only bidder. Interest rate was three and one-half percent. Mayor Johnson said that bids for the construction work would be let in September if no unexpected delays are encountered.
The Lions Club placed an order Friday for permanent type steel bleachers with seating capacity for 800 persons at Sprague Field.
The tragic and untimely death of Joe Joyner, popular Corning young man who was killed near Pensacola, Florida, last Monday, brought shock and grief to the people of our communities. His death occurred shortly after a 1954 Buick sedan in which he was a passenger sideswiped a house trailer on US Highway 98 at Camp Navarre, Fla., at 2:45 Monday afternoon. Joe, 18, and three of his companions, James H. Rhodes, 17, Fred Harold, 19, and Herbert Smith, Jr., 17, left here Sunday pulling a speed boat on the back of the Rhodes Buick, enroute to Panama City, Florida, where they planned to deep sea fish and vacation.
The long legal battle over the eclectic [electric] medical license of Dr. Jacob Sass Schirmer, former operator of a cancer clinic in Corning, ended Monday when the aging and ill man surrendered his license voluntarily. Despite the voluntary surrender of the license, the attorney general's office asked for and received an injunction from Circuit Judge J. Mitchell Cockrill, canceling the license permanently on the ground it was obtained by "fraud and deceit." The judge ordered the Arkansas Eclectic [Electric] Medical Board to revoke the license which it must do without choice, or be in contempt of court. Schirmer, almost 70 years old, was not in the courtroom
A new eight room house is being built at the west end of Harb Street, south of Wynn Park, Mr. and Mrs. Rex Morgan, owners.
Members and officers of the Corning Young Men's Civic Club met Monday night and voted to allocate $5,135 for Corning civic betterments. The major part of the contributions came from the net profits of the 1954 July 4th Homecoming.
The Corning Board of Education at a recent meeting, authorized a course in driver education to be started in the local high school beginning September 1. The instructor will be Tobie Adams, who worked as basketball coach and science instructor last year.
J. B. Webb, 29, employed as caterpillar driver for the J. W. Black Lumber Company, died at 12:30 a.m. Monday morning in the Brandon Hospital from injuries sustained when his 1947 Chevrolet sedan crashed head on into an Arkansas Motor Freight transport truck on US 67. 
Albert Evans, 29, was killed almost instantly when a transport trailer loaded with heavy cypress lumber overturned, pinning him under the side, crushing his head and shoulders. He had loaded the lumber at Hopkins' sawmill and was enroute to Illinois. He lost control the truck just after he had passed the Black Creek bridge on the Lutheran Church road, two miles west of Highway 67.
Frank Littrell, 24, St. Louis resident, was shot and instantly killed at six o'clock last Thursday morning at the home of his brother, Alfred Littrell, who farms on the Floyd Smith farm, six miles west of Corning on Highway 67. Jim Henderson, 32 year old disabled veteran of St. Louis, admitted the fatal shooting to officers and has been returned here to face charges.
Three pearls recently found by mussel shell diggers in Black River near here represent the greatest find in 20 years. N. N. Steinberg, local shell and pearl buyer, who bought the pearls, said one weighs 132 grains, one 101 and one 35 grains, the smallest almost perfect. The pearls were removed by shell diggers working below Brookings, Skaggs Ferry and the Ark-Mo state line on Black River. They have sold approximately 25 tons of shells to Steinberg so far this year. Steinberg is the former operator of a pearl button shop here, he employed about 26 men with a payroll of about $36,000 annually.
Buel Smith, general manager of the Million Motor Company, Pocahontas, for the past ten years, purchased the Bennett-Sheeks Ford Motor Company here last week. The first local Ford agency franchise was issued to the late W. D. Bennett in 1912. The agency was operated on east Highway 62, where the M and O Seed Company is now located. In 1925 a quarter interest each, was sold to the late Ed V. Sheeks and his brother, Brooks Sheeks. The company weathered the depression and grew under competent management of Ed Sheeks with Miss Edith Bennett, the Motor Company's accountant. Later it was moved into its present quarters in a modern brick building. Later Ed V. Sheeks acquired the interests held by his brother, Brooks Sheeks, and Mr. Bennett, making him sole owner.
Dr. N. J. Latimer, pioneer and local physician for the past 56 years, will be honored at a dinner by the Corning Young Men's Civic Club next Tuesday night, About 12 other guests, all over 70, are invited to be present for the occasion, which will take place the evening of the day which has been officially declared "Dr. Latimer Day" according to announcement by YMCC President Charles Bowers. An account of Dr. Latimer's early life and many of the varied experiences during his long practice, dating back to the horse and buggy days, which was prepared by Mrs. Cecil Eaton, Jr., with the help of Dr. and Mrs. Latimer, follows, in part: Dr. Newton J. Latimer was born on a farm near Dresden, Tenn. At a very early age his parents moved to Lake County, Tennessee, and bought a farm near Tiptonville. His father died when he was 15 and he then moved with his mother to Corning. Later his mother married again and they then moved to Newbern, Tenn. He finished high school there and worked at various jobs during high school and summer vacations. Dr. Latimer had decided at a very early age that he wanted to become a doctor. He had saved enough money to pay his way into the University of Nashville Medical School, Nashville, Tenn. He then took the Clay County Medical Board examination and received his certificate to practice. He practiced in the Eastern District until he had made enough money to enter the Kentucky School of Medicine and graduated from there in the class of 1895. He later attended the University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky., taking the senior course and graduated from there in the class of 1896. He returned to the Eastern District and practiced medicine until he returned to Corning on January 30, 1898. It is but natural that a man in the practice of medicine in Clay County, which essentially is a rural county, should have many memories from all his years of practice, and Dr. Latimer does have such memories. His first calls were made on horseback and he later graduated to a horse drawn buggy. He saw the first automobiles come into the county: in fact, he owned one of the first. He also saw the arrival of the telephone and electric lights.
The Corning Grain Drying Association's 440,000 bushel capacity plant took its first load of rice Wednesday afternoon at two o'clock. The 450 bushel load was from an O. L. Woods' rice farm. The second and third loads were brought in by Thomas Brothers who are among the largest producers of rice in this area. Their two loads contained some 592 bushels.
The Baptist Mission, sponsored by the First Baptist Church in Corning, will conduct a tent revival here September 19-29. The tent will be located at Fourth and Walnut streets, across from Dodd's Grocery. Rev. Andy Heskett, pastor of the church and mission, will do the preaching and Rev. H. W. Johnston, Association Missionary, will assist by leading the singing.
Dr. N. J. Latimer, dean of Arkansas' rural physicians, was honored at a dinner sponsored by the YMCC here, Monday night. Other old timers, all over 70, and several of them octogenarians, who shared the honor with the beloved physician, who has practiced medicine here for 56 years, were W. W. Henry, former superintendent of Corning school; Elder R. L. Powell, missionary Baptist minister in our area since long before the turn of the century; Uncle Tom Elliott, one of our oldest farm owners; Charles Bailey, local tinsmith for over 50 years; J. H. Magee, Corning furniture dealer; J. M. Rhea, retired hardware dealer and sportsman; Fred Bowers, pioneer barber who is still active as a farmer; Harry Harmon, Spanish-American War Veteran; and W. M. Webb, who still enjoys a good day's fishing on Black River. Dr. Latimer was one of the first in this part of Arkansas to become successful enough to make the changeover from horseback and horse and buggy travel to automobile, over the worst possible dirt roads. The doctor also had a bicycle with a third wheel attachment upon which he traveled as a Mo-Pac physician north and south of Corning on the main line's tracks. Many times in the winter, Mrs. Latimer prepared hot bricks to add to his comfort in zero or lower weather, especially during night calls, when the too-few physicians were drafted into 24 hour service all over the many communities they served.
Dr. Latimer responded to President Bowers' request for a few remarks. He told of experiences and hardships our present day generation would find difficult to believe. Only those who sat at the special table for the "old timers" had better insights of conditions in the era 60 years or more ago. One incident the aging doctor told of was when he was called to remove the leg of a 40 year old woman. No hospital service was available and the operation had to be done to save her life. After arriving at the house of the woman, he said that facilities were anything but conducive for preparation for a major operation. He ordered the grandmother to use an iron stove poker to drive two brothers of the woman and force them to build a fire in the kitchen stove for the purpose of sterilizing his medical instruments. He had to perform the operation on the kitchen table. It was a miracle, Dr. Latimer said, that she got well, adding that, no doubt, the guardian angel was present for the occasion. Dr. Latimer explained that doctors in those days were called upon for surgical and medical feats which demanded a world of courage, combined with their medical skill. "It was a day of do-it-yourself or leave-it-alone and there was no choice but to serve with the help of the higher power." he said.
Construction work was started Monday on the greatest municipal improvement ever attempted in the City of Corning, the expansion of our water and sewer facilities to all corporate limits, the construction of a modern water treatment plant, and a sewage disposal plant. These vast improvements will, no doubt, prove a boon to our city and offer local residents the advantages of one of the most modern, sanitary and efficient water and sewer systems existent, even in cities much larger than Corning.
Missouri Pacific passenger train Number Three for the past 50 years, made its last run from St. Louis to Little Rock, Monday afternoon.
Sunday afternoon the Business and Professional Women's Club room was the setting for a lovely tea in observance of National Business Women's Week, October 10-16. Guests for this occasion were the women teachers of Corning School. The tea honored the B. and P. W. Club's choice for Business "Woman of the Week," Mrs. Ann Hutchins.
Wid Rice has been appointed as temporary deputy sheriff for the Western District, replacing Bill Seagraves, who is now a patient at the state sanatorium. 
Jessie W. Arnett, 77, commercial fisherman, was found dead in his cabin on Black River near here Tuesday afternoon. The body was found by Grady Walker and Uncle Ted Dahmus, downstream fishing camp operators. Circumstances indicated he died by his own hand. A .22 caliber rifle was beside his body, which was found on his bed. The bullet passed through his head near the right eye. He was thought to have been dead about two weeks when found.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Elmer Sorrels were totally burned out when the house in which they resided, four miles west of Corning, on US 67, burned at about midnight, Saturday night. 
Starting December 1, the city waterworks system is being shut off from two p.m. until five p.m. every day, Mondays through Fridays, until further notice. This inconvenience to city water patrons is necessary in order to install cut off valves, and make necessary installations to our present water system. 
O. L. Woods was elected to head a committee for industrial development in the Corning area, sponsored by the YMCC. Woods, president of the Corning Grain Dryers Cooperative Association, headed the drive here last spring and summer that resulted in construction of the nearly half million dollar grain drying plant north of Corning.
An estimated $976,500 will be spent in Clay County on bridge and road construction if offers made by the State Highway Commission are acceptable to the county, according to highway officials. Two projects have been programmed. One is for construction of a bridge and approaches on Highway 62 at the crossing of Black River, east of Corning at estimated cost of $705,000. The second is for widening and strengthening of Highway 67 from Corning to the Missouri state line at an estimated cost of $371,500.
Sheriff-elect Leon Beaton announced this week that Willard Cobb, Route One, Corning, will be the chief deputy for the Western District, effective January 1.

1955
Fire completely destroyed the recently remodeled ten room colonial-style home of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Manatt, Sr., in west Corning early Sunday morning.
Tax liens have been filed by the federal government against Jacob Sass Schirmer, former eclectic [electric] doctor, his wife, Helen, and Corning Research Hospital, Inc., Corning, to freeze any property, rights to property, stock, securities and other goods until Internal Revenue Service receives settlement of an alleged tax debt. The tax collection agency claims that the Schirmers owe $8,762.86 in income taxes and costs from 1949 through 1952. Mingled into the dispute is the status of the $400,000 cancer hospital in Corning, which Schirmer is to have deeded the Church of God in May, 1953. The hospital here was closed about January 1 when the staff and patients were transferred to a clinic near Atlanta, Georgia.
The entire Corning area was deeply shocked Sunday, by news of the tragic death of Charles S. (Skeet) Ward, widely known and respected owner and operator of Ward's Taxi Service here. His death came at the last railroad crossing south of town when his cab was struck train Number Four at about noon, Sunday.
William Melvin Letbetter, prominent Corning businessman for 55 years, died Saturday, January 22. Born in Gainesville, Arkansas, June 22, 1877, he came to Corning from Knobel 55 years ago. He established one of the first automobile agencies here and for many years owned and operated the Letbetter's Blacksmith and Machine Shop. He also served on county and local school board and city council. He was the oldest member of the Methodist Board of Stewards and was one of the most active members in affairs pertaining to his church during his long span of years.
Mr. and Mrs. R. O. Smith, owners and operators of the Travelers Motel on US 67 North, are having constructed as soon as possible, three units directly in front of their motel, across Highway 67. New structures will include a modern restaurant, a service station and a modern swimming pool.
Mrs. Ruth Belford has been, appointed Deputy County Revenue Collector for the Western District of Clay County, effective February 16.
State Revenue Department auditors were here early this week closing the books at Magee Furniture Store where John A. Magee conducted the car and truck license office, prior to Mrs. Belford's appointment by Governor Faubus. The office is now located in the assessor's office at the courthouse here.
Mayor Frank Johnson announced at the YMCC meeting Monday night that the city council had approved the purchase of another fire truck.
The Steinberg two story house was practically destroyed by fire of undetermined origin Tuesday night after flames started in a spare room in the second floor apartment occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wilson and children and Miss Jean Branum. Mrs. Marie Watkins and three small sons, who occupied the lower floor, saved most of their possessions, however, there was considerable water damage. The Steinberg house was somewhat of a landmark here. The date it was constructed is not known. The owner, N. N. Steinberg, said the late Mr. and Mrs. Joe Steinberg bought the house from a Dr. Harris in 1903 when it was a two room structure, adding on several rooms. Later, in 1910, the pioneer Corning merchant again rebuilt the house, making it one of the finest here at that time.
Jacob Sass Schirmer, former owner of a cancer clinic at Corning, Tuesday paid the government $3,341.56 in back income taxes through his attorney who said Schirmer had offered to make a settlement on another $8,762 tax claim. The $3,341 payment lifted two tax liens the Internal Revenue Service placed January 18, against the Corning Research Hospital, Inc., in which Schirmer and his wife were major stockholders. The couple deeded the hospital two years ago to the Church of God.
James J. Creason, Jr., 29, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Creason, city, was killed last Saturday morning when a two-engine Trans-World Airliner on which he was co-pilot, crashed into a 10,000 foot towering cliff near Albuquerque, N.M.
State highway engineers are completing a survey for construction of eight steel reinforced concrete bridges, from Corning to Junction 62-1W. Included in the program for Highway 62 improvements will be a new bridge over Black River two miles east of Corning. Three bridges will be constructed between Corning and the new Black River bridge and four the other side of the river to Junction 62-1W.
The Corning Bank, last week, installed the latest type night depository on the north front wall of the bank building for convenience of local businessmen to deposit money after banking hours.
At a meeting of the Corning District School Board last Tuesday night, a decision was reached that may mean the reduction of four school bus lines and the dropping of all music, athletics, and drivers' education from the school program. The drastic reduction is contemplated as the only alternative to the school's financial problem brought about by the cutting off of around $13,000 in state aid money. This reduction of state funds was brought when the Arkansas General Assembly removed poultry and livestock feed from the two percent sales tax, and due to the fact that several million in surplus funds that were given to the school districts during the past two years are now exhausted. The total shortage of the Corning district will be $19,380, as pointed out by Dan W. Harold, president of the school board. 
Clay County Judge Ernest (Buck) Thomas distributed over 30,000 pounds to destitute people in Clay County last weekend. Distribution of the relief food was allocated to destitute families as follows for each person: butter, one and one-half pounds; cheese, two and one-half pounds; shortening, three pounds; dry milk, four and one-half pounds; beans, two pounds; and rice, one pound.
Fire, thought to have started from a recessed gas wall heater in the bathroom, completely destroyed a two story, eight room house in north Corning, early Friday night. Mr. and Mrs. Glenburn Walker, owners, had remodeled the house at a cost of some $1,200 and moved into the house two weeks before.
The Fitzgerald Drug Store was sold to Gerald G. Morgan last week by the former owner and operator, Earl L. Fitzgerald. Mr. Morgan states that he will take over the operation of the business April 1. The new owner, a registered pharmacist, comes here from Paragould. A native of Piggott, he is a World War II veteran, serving first as a pharmacist mate in the Navy and later as a first lieutenant, US Army Medical Service Corps in the Korean War.
The efforts of Edward Sellmeyer and Don Byers to secure a solid block of oil leases from the landowners east of Knobel have met with almost 100 percent cooperation. Kenneth Kramer of Knobel, Route One, and Effingham, Ill., who is one of the largest landowners around here, is pushing the oil effort to the utmost.
Construction work is soon to start on a. modern, fan-shaped swimming pool at the Parkview Tourist Court, O. L. Woods, the owner, informed the Courier.
The Corning Lions Club is sponsoring a contest called "Jackpot Jones." Merchants in the Corning area are cooperating with the club in the presentation of the contest which enables everyone to participate and have an opportunity to win a huge jackpot of prizes. Clues will be posted in all stores participating in the contest and anyone wishing to get in on the contest and the fun is welcome to go to each place of business displaying the Jackpot Jones posters. The contest closes May 6.
The Missouri Pacific Railroad Company this week paid to the Tax Collector a total of $23,911.17 for 1954 taxes, the largest item of which was for school purposes, amounting to $19,099 or 53 percent of the total. Other large taxpayers in Clay County, recorded on the tax books here are: Mississippi River Fuel Co., $10,739; Texas Eastern Gas Co., $10,701; Arkansas-Missouri Power Co., $10,163, REA, $6,769; Fort Smith Gas Co., $13,308; and Frisco Railroad, $2,990.
The Irby Butane Gas Co. opened its doors for service here Wednesday, April 20, in the building south of the Fort Smith Gas Company. J. D. Fisk, former manager of the Rector store, will move his family here and manage the local store.
Mrs. Birdie Parrish, 54, burned to death Thursday morning as her home in the Hastings Addition was destroyed by fire.
Corning's new water treatment plant, soon to be put into operation, will do away with some of the nuisances which plague housewives and can be a bother to everyone. These nuisances are caused by iron, hardness, unpleasant odors and alkali in water. They interfere with cooking and washing, stain bathroom and kitchen fixtures and utensils and can make taking a drink of water an effort instead of enjoyment.
Members of the C.H.S. Senior Class, 1955: Harry Belyew, Jimmy Blackburn, Richard Cantwell, Kenneth Darr, Charles Decker, J. H. Ermert, Gene Goodman, Lowell Hawkins, Rudolph Johnson, Lynn McSpadden, Tarrell Parrish, Tommy Ward, Donald Patterson, Donald Perrin, Ronald Perrin, Don Richardson, Robert Sherman, Jimmy Smith, Jerry Talkington, Eugene Taylor, Billy Walls, Edna Ainley, Carol Jean Branum, Alice Burnett, Nancy Burton, Alice Cooper, Adelaide Danner, Muriel Egan, Wanda Elders, Louise Ermert, Lynn Estes, Doris Gambil, Patsy Goodman, Sandra Gowen, Janetta Hale, Sharon Harold, Madolyn Hogard, Nancy Johnson, Shirley Kimball, Imogene Little, Frankie Luter, Margie McFarlin, Claudette McGrew, Patricia Nettle, Nettie Lou Patterson, Almarie Pringle, Sandra Ruff, Edna Sears, Barbara Snider, Irene Taylor, Shirley Thaxton, Shirley Towell, Peggy Ward, Rosemary Watson, Vanita Whitson.
A pencil sketch by Dr. Amy Barnett of Crowley, La., of an old log cabin that stood just south of the old Corning cemetery has produced an interesting story from another pioneer citizen. The cabin was occupied by a Mr. and Mrs. Spurlock. Mr. Spurlock cut wood for the Iron Mountain Railroad and hauled it to the north wood yard just across the tracks from the cemetery. He was struck by a train and killed, and his widow filed suit against the railroad company. She received judgment but was unable to collect. Finally, Gid West, the deputy sheriff, made the collection by a reasonable native way. While the local freight was standing at the station with the train crew of the locomotive on the switch track, he padlocked the first car of the local, a Texas cattle car, to the rails and the train crew was unable to move the train until the judgment was satisfied. After much frenzied telegraphing, the railroad company agreed to have a check in the next day's mail and the local was un-padlocked.
The City of Corning officially turned over the operation of a new, completely equipped 1955 Ford fire truck to the city fire department, Tuesday evening, just before practice of stringing hose at McCauley's Store. Mayor Frank Johnson and city councilmen made the presentation and Fire Marshal Whitney Bailey and volunteer firemen were in charge of the drill.
The Bennett-Sheeks Oil Company properties in Clay and Greene Counties and the Angle Service Station were sold by Mrs. Ed V. Sheeks to the DX Sunray Oil Company of Tulsa, Okla., Monday, October 3. The oil company which operates a bulk station in Corning and 14 retail outlets in Clay County and a bulk station and ten outlets in Greene County, was first organized in 1925 by the late W. D. Bennett, who also operated a Ford agency. Later Ed V. Sheeks bought a half interest in both businesses and, in 1931, took over the two companies which he enlarged.
B. D. Bone, farm operator and former implement dealer of Paragould, has entered into a partnership with his brother in law, Mack Blackwood, in the Blackwood Furniture and Hardware Company here.
Gerald Grider, 30, father of three small children and attendant at the Duncan Esso Station, Junction 62-67, was fatally injured at about 6:30 last Thursday evening when a steel rim from a truck tire struck him as he was repairing the tire.
Safe-door crashers, adept in the criminal art of opening safes with a small sledge hammer and steel pry bar, introduced a new method of obtaining money, over $1,000 cash, from three local business establishments last Saturday night or early Sunday morning. Entered were the Knobel Milling Company, Mo-Pac station and Morgan Pharmacy.
L. H. Woolard reported finding crude oil in water taken Tuesday at 350 feet in a test well being drilled on his farm on the north side of the state line at Big-T Road.
Bring the family. Join Corning's first annual Christmas parade Friday, December 16, 3 p.m. Music by Coming's two school bands. Santa Claus invites all his little friends to join him in the parade.
Dr. Newton J. Latimer, age 86, participating physician for over 65 years, died at his home here Thursday following an illness of several months.
A modern medical clinic is now under construction on the southeast corner of West Second and Olive, for occupancy of Dr. John Cash about July 1. Arlie Taylor, owner of the property, is having added-on to the present brick office building on the site, additional rooms to make a total of nine for the clinic, which Dr. Cash, a 1954 graduate, U. of A. Medical School, will use for general medical practice and minor surgery. Dr. Cash is finishing his internship at Hillcrest Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The new water and sewer rates went into effect as of June 1, O. J. Harold, manager of the local office, said. Billings for the current month are based on the new rate of $2.75 per month minimum for water and $1.50 per month for sewer inside the original district.
A new concrete block building is being constructed at the rear of the Russell-Ermert Funeral Home. The new building will be in three sections with a five foot concrete runway to the main mortuary building.
Corning's Water and Sewer Department employees are busy installing 400 new Rockwell water meters over the city's recently reorganized and enlarged water and sewer district. The meters were purchased at a cost of $30 each.
James Howard Key, age 43, salesman for the Arkansas-Tennessee territory for American Tea and Coffee Co., was killed instantly at 11:45 Sunday night when his 1955 Oldsmobile sedan he was driving went out of control and crashed into a tree in the front yard of the G. A. Jimerson residence just south of the Junction 62-67.
Randolph County authorities reported that an unsuccessful attempt was made last Wednesday to enter Farmers and Merchants Bank at Reyno. The lock on the front of the door had been tampered with, police said. The bank at Reyno has been the target of two successful daylight holdups and a night time break-in the last three years.
The recently constructed nine room clinic building occupied by Jack Q. Cash is now open on South Second and Olive Streets one block north of the court square, with the most modern equipment and fixtures available. Mrs. Leon Foster has been employed as office nurse.
A dynamite cap explosion caused the loss of three fingers on the left hand of nine year old Robert Pounds and multiple lacerations about his body and that of his two and one-half year old sister, Dorothy Fay, who was standing nearby. The accident occurred in the front yard of the home of Mrs. Susie Lex near the north end of Corning Lake. The two children were exploding toy pistol caps on a piece of iron just before the explosion.
A Missouri Agriculture Department road block was set up Monday at the Mo-Ark state line on US 67 for boll weevil infested cotton souvenirs. All passenger cars are being stopped at the north end of Shelton Oil Company Station to determine if cotton samples they may have are boll weevil infested.
Mrs. Frank Johnson has been chosen "Woman of the Week" by the Corning Business and Professional Women's Club.
Effective October 21, 1955, the Arkansas Highway Department bridge an Highway 62 and the Missouri Pacific bridge, both crossing Black River, will need not be opened for passage of vessels. This ruling was published in the Federal Register September 21, 1955. Both bridges were constructed to be turned for Black River traffic in years past when larger boats were in use. In recent years the only occasion for turning the bridges was for federal snag boats, the last occasion being about six years ago.

1956
L. F. Cochran, owner of the Cochran's Super Market, was selected to be president of the Corning YMCC for 1956, succeeding Winfred D. Polk.
Mrs. Norma Weir, local housewife and mother of two small children, was seriously injured when her 1951 Ford sedan overturned on the gravel road in front of the Bunny King farm home three miles northeast of Corning about 1:30 last Saturday afternoon.
One of Corning's oldest large residences, the home of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Black, was almost destroyed by fire abut two o'clock Tuesday morning. The property is owned by Mr. and Mrs. John Oprishko of Chicago and was unoccupied at the time. The original house was built by Mr. and Mrs. Black about 1910 and later remodeled by them to make it one of the finest residences in Corning. It remained in the Black family until about three years ago when C. R. Black, Jr., sold it to Mr. and Mrs. John Oprishko. The house had 11 rooms and three baths, full basement and carport. 
James C. Jimerson, 18 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Jimerson of Corning, recently became the first Corning Boy Scout to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout, highest rank in Scout advancement.
Corning will become a seventh-class city sometime next month providing plans the city council has been working on the past five years don't go amiss.
Two Corning business houses were victims of another visit by safe bursting burglars early Monday morning, possibly between three and five o'clock. They were the Morgan Pharmacy and the Ben Franklin Store.
Richard Ermert, unopposed candidate for member of the Corning District Eight School Board, was elected Saturday without an opposing vote.
In an early Sunday morning raid on a farm house southeast of Corning on Corning Lake, Clay and Butler County officers took Leroy Sandage, 21, former Poplar Bluffian, in custody on charges of shooting two St. Louis policemen in a holdup there Friday morning. He was arrested with his wife, Virginia Ruth Sandage, 17, by Deputy Sheriff Willard Cobb of Clay County, night police officer J. A. Julian of Corning, and Trooper Howard L. Rhodes and Sheriff Bill Brent of Butler County, at the home of Mrs. Gertrude Schneider across the Corning Lake on the former Bracken farm.
The Corning Research Hospital, nationally known cancer clinic, which was operated here prior to 1954 by Dr. J. S. Schirmer, will be offered at public auction for payment of delinquent Internal Revenue taxes. Sale will be held on the premises Thursday, March 29, 1956, at 4 p.m.
William Anthony Laux, 77, retired Illinois Central Railroad employee was fatally injured when struck by a car on US Highway 67 North near the John Ermert home, Friday evening, about seven o'clock. He lived in the Arnold Addition.
The Internal Revenue Service public auction of the Corning Research Hospital last Thursday did not effect a sale of the property, however, a group of 17 Corning businessmen made a bid for Internal Revenue Collector Gus Fulk, Jr., of Little Rock, to submit to the regional office there.
A new residential building development looks promising in the new Mills Addition at the south end of West Fourth and Fifth Streets with 20 lots sold in recent months by Gus Mills. Purchasers were Perry and Lowell Poyner, six lots; Aubrey Brown, three; Lester Neely, four; Earl Riggs, two; Cecil and Hovie Eaton, three and Bryan McCallen, two.
Construction. work on a new 90 by 35 foot Community Building, across Second Street from the northeast corner of the Court square has started. The building, which is being built by Corning Masonic Lodge, will be of block and brick construction, will have a brick front, plaster walls, concrete with tile floor, white, fireproof composition shingle roof and will be equipped with the newest type year-around air conditioning and heating plant and two rest rooms. L. F. Cochran, chairman of the building committee, said the committee has $9,000 in cash and pledges and that the building will be ready for occupancy by July 1. A. W. Ahrent is in charge of construction.
Charles T. Bloodworth an attorney for more than 50 years, died at Poplar Bluff Hospital Friday night of a heart attack. He spent his childhood in Thayer and Doniphan, later taught school in northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri. He was postmaster at Corning for a time and was prosecuting attorney for Butler County, Missouri, for a time. He was publisher of the Clay County Republican newspaper here for several years, was a delegate to two Republican conventions, received a citation from President Theodore Roosevelt for supporting his presidential campaign and was attorney for the Missouri Pacific for 40 years. He was a Spanish-American War veteran and member of the Poplar Bluff First Methodist Church. 
Funeral services were held last Wednesday at Cabool, Mo., for Sterling Price Lindsey, age 78, former Corning banker, and president of the Cabool State Bank. He came to Corning with his parents and all family possessions in three covered wagons in the fall of 1886. The elder Mr. Lindsey and four of his sons, including Sterling Price, successfully operated a stave mill here. At the age of 15 the deceased began his career, working as porter at the old Iron Mountain Railroad station here. His first job in banking came when the late W. D. Polk employed him as bookkeeper. He became assistant cashier four years later and soon became cashier of the Bank of Corning. His next position was to take charge of a small bank at Naylor. His next position was to head the First National Bank here of which he soon had controlling interest and was elected vice president. In 1929, after the bank was consolidated with the Bank of Corning, he moved to Missouri and in 1934 purchased controlling interest of the Cabool State Bank, assuming the presidency. He became a member of the Corning Christian Church in 1897, and served as superintendent of the Bible School 25 years and was Men's Bible School teacher at Cabool Christian Church the past 20 years.
The Corning Research Hospital was sold for delinquent taxes by the Internal Revenue Service here last Thursday to M. B. Ainley. Gus Fulk, Jr., collector, opened the public sale at one o'clock announcing that the lowest bid acceptable would be $4,000. Ainley was the only bidder. The hospital property consists of one city block, four buildings and foundation for a fifth structure. The old building, which originally housed the Corning Hospital, later operated as the Corning Research Hospital for cancer treatment by Dr. Jacob Sass Schirmer, has 11 rooms on the second floor and ten rooms on the ground floor. Adjoining the old building is a modern well-constructed wing of some 30 rooms, most with connecting baths, which Dr. Schirmer had built before he closed the hospital and moved the equipment and staff to Atlanta two years ago.
The Reverend George H. Hink has accepted the unanimous call to be pastor of the First Baptist Church, Corning. He plans to be in field on June 1 and to preach his first sermon as pastor on June 3.
Dr. Joseph Sain, graduate of the University of Tennessee Dental School and recently separated from his tour of duty with the US military services, plans to move here June 14 and set up his dental office in the State Theatre building.
The first test well on the O. L. Woods' tract in section four, on what is known as the Big-T Road near the Ark-Mo. state line, is now being drilled by Ark-Mo Development Co., a local corporation organized by local persons, to explore for and determine if there is any oil in the area of Corning.
Harry Eugene Lee, 17, son of Mrs. Emil Fear of Datto, died while swimming at 1:30 Sunday afternoon at Current River Beach.
The Corning Bank will observe its 25th anniversary this year and in order to celebrate this occasion, the Bank has purchased and erected a beautiful new chime clock, which chimes the quarter hours and strikes the hours. The clock is an anniversary gift to the people of this community from the bank to show their appreciation.
Funeral services for Loren Russ were held June 29 on the lawn of his home in the shade of trees that he planted in his early youth. The beautiful chimes on the Methodist Church two blocks away played familiar hymns, while songbirds created an atmosphere of joy rather than sorrow, which is exactly the way he would have wanted it. He was born in Hannibal, Mo., January 30, 1885 and came to Corning after his father, Albert, a hardware merchant, died in 1901.
Mr. and Mrs. James O. Craig have moved here from Trumann. He is the new high school principal. Mrs. Craig will teach in the third grade.
Sam L. Manatt, Sr. was elected president of the Corning Chamber of Commerce and Brooks Sheeks, vice president, at a meeting of the board of directors, Wednesday morning.
William Schliep, 21 year old employee of Black Hardwood Yard here since February, died Saturday night shortly after his car collided head on into a car driven by Charles Rathenberger of Alexandria, La. The accident occurred about midnight as Schliep was driving his car south on Highway 67 about four miles north of Corning. Danny Bennett, 17, a passenger in the car suffered a broken right ankle, head injury and body bruises. 
One of Corning's landmarks, the Latimer building on West Second Street, is now being razed. Built in 1898 by a Mr. Potter of Piggott, it housed one of Corning's early drug stores. It was of brick structure, and like many buildings of that era, it was 45 feet high with 13 inch solid brick walls and yellow cypress and floor joists. Instead of steel, ceiling joists were 26 feet long, cut from first-growth yellow cypress which long since has vanished from this part of the country. Flooring of the old Latimer Building was also of yellow cypress. Bricks were made at a kiln located in south Corning at that time, and mortar was made from Black River sand and lime. The building was occupied for a number of years by Potter's Drug Store. The stock and fixtures were later purchased by R. E. L. Brown, Corning druggist for about a half century. Mr. Brown moved the drug store stock and fixtures to the corner of Hop Alley and Second Street, the building now occupied by the Family Shoe Store. After the drugstore was moved, the building was used for storage space, except for a time when the lower floor was occupied by the Corning Times which was consolidated with the Clay County Courier. The second floor was used as a lodge hall for about 30 years. Dr. N. J. Latimer bought the building in 1909, after he set up practice in the building for some 60 years, until his death last year. Bricks from the above building are being salvaged by Sylvester Walls who bought the structure from the Latimer estate. They will be used for construction of an "old brick" house for Mr. and Mrs. F. B. Manatt on Columbia Street and another structure, Walls said.
Melvin Yamnitz took charge of the local IGA market today, having recently purchased the stock and fixtures from Norace Adams and George Rahm.
Charles Fauver Ainley, Corning, is one of 126 students at University of Tennessee Medical Units in Memphis, who was graduated at commencement exercises on Monday, September 24. The son of Mr. and Mrs. M. B. Ainley, he received a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. 
Members of the Business and Professional Women's Club chose Miss Birdie Sullins as their "Woman of the Week" at a dinner in her honor at the Town House last Thursday evening.
Loss from fire which destroyed the Datto Co-op Gin Sunday afternoon was estimated at well over $40,000. Corning and Pocahontas fire departments answered an alarm, however, it was too late to save the main building.
Jerry Ray Guthrie, seven year old child, was fatally hurt Saturday when he fell from a mule and was perhaps struck by the mule's hoof. The child, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Guthrie, was riding with an older brother, who was on another horse, when he fell from the animal.
Roy and Everett Thomas, owners of the Thomas Brothers Hardware and Farm Supply store here, have purchased the brick building on the corner of West Second and Highway 62 from Mrs. Ann Hutchins.
Lonnie Ralph Ballard, 14, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Ballard, city, died instantly last Thursday afternoon after being struck by a truck on Highway 67 in north Corning. Lonnie, a ninth grader, enroute home from school, ran in front of a truck driven by Harry Belyew, Jr., of Landmark community, as he attempted to cross the busy highway to reach his father's auto repair shop. Lonnie was seriously injured about five years ago when he was struck by a car at almost the exact place on the highway. 
Champ Clark was appointed municipal Judge by the city council at a meeting, Monday night. He succeeds W. M. Wisdom, who died while in office.
William J. Maddox, local letter carrier, retired from active duty Friday, November 30, after completing 30 years of continuous service in Corning and except for three illnesses, he has remained on the job ever since. Maddox saw the postal service grow from a village with two trips over the route daily into the town as it now exists with three carriers making deliveries daily. He has worked under four postmasters, namely George Stanfield, Luicille Stanfield (acting), J. H. Magee and Earl Polk.
Alvey G. Nance, well known Corning businessman, for over a half century, died at his home on West Third Street early Thursday, December 20. He was one of Corning's early meat market owners, operating his own business establishments for many years. In later years, before ill health forced his retirement, he operated a food store on First Street and helped other merchants operate their markets. He came to Corning at the age of 12.

1957
Members of the Chamber of Commerce were unanimous in a move to investigate and seek installation of a radio station for the Corning trade area, Monday night. Sam L. Manatt, president of the Chamber of Commerce, headed the discussion concerning the proposed station. 
Woodrow Edington, Route Two farm operator, is the new deputy tax assessor for the Western District.
Edna Kay Burch, 11, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Burch, was killed accidentally instantly Sunday from a bullet of a rifle held by her 16 year old brother, Robert. The boy had received the .22 pump rifle recently and had been out shooting it Sunday morning. He returned to the family home at Current View community and was ejecting shells from the gun when it accidentally discharged. The girl was in another room. The bullet passed through a door and struck the girl just under the left eyebrow.
The Reverend Curtis K. McClain will arrive in Corning with his family Tuesday, January 29, to begin his pastorate of the First Baptist Church, Corning.
Steel construction work on the new 719 ½ foot steel and reinforced concrete bridge over Black River east of Corning on Highway 62 was recently completed with the final heavy steel suspension girder placed in the center section of the bridge.
A clock thought to be well over 300 years old, with all working parts handmade of wood, is creating a great deal of interest at the Johnson Jewelry Store. It is the property of Porter Sells, whose great-grandfather brought it to America from Germany. The ancient timepiece was all hand-carved, including all the intricate gears, cogs, etc. which show little or no apparent wear, due to type of wood used, accuracy of carving and consistent use of heated wax to lubricate the parts. Sells, who is 75, said the clock has been in his family for five generations. As handed down to him, information relates that his great-grandfather brought the clock with his household possessions. when he joined a colony of 300 German and Irish immigrant families who pioneered their way by oxen-driven wagon train from the Virginias to Kentucky before the state was admitted to the Union in 1792. The colony broke up in Kentucky and the Sells family proceeded with others to Tennessee where they settled, and where Porter Sells' grandfather, Thomas, was born, one of ten children of the elder Sells who never learned to speak English. Port Sells now rents his farm and resides south of Corning near the lake trestle.
Mrs. Opal Keller, 36 year old wife of Thurman A. Keller, farmer residing on Route Two, Corning, died at Doctors Hospital, Poplar Bluff, Monday morning from burns suffered in a flash fire at her home Sunday afternoon. She was burned in a flash fire which followed an explosion of tractor fuel oil which she poured over live coals in a stove at the family home near Hickoria.
Mrs. Ada Pritchard, who was 85 on her last birthday, November 26, has the distinction of being Corning's oldest businesswoman. Mrs. Pritchard remembers Corning when it was so full of ponds that foot bridges were built to get from one section to the other in town, and boys skated on a pond in front of the present high school building. Third Street was then the last street west. She came to Corning with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Adams, from McClain County, Kentucky, in 1880 and settled in Heelstring community. There were no roads, just trails at this time, and they were sticky gumbo mud except on the ridges. The Post Oak road between Corning and Richwoods was later planked, but as time passed it wore out and there was mud again. When she first moved to Corning there were no schools between here and Reyno. The country was covered with white oak, red oak, red gum and black walnut trees. She remembers when a large walnut tree was cut and loaded onto a flat car to be taken to the World's Fair in St. Louis. School districts were later formed in Richwoods, Woodall and Moark communities, she said, and a large rough box church stood at Richwoods, pastored by a pioneer Methodist preacher named Phipps. In 1891 she married Dr. R. Pritchard, a practicing physician here, in a ceremony performed on June 17 in the Corning Methodist Church, then a frame building by the Rev. DeJalma Leake.
Arthur Murphy, age 62, Black River fisherman, who resides in his cabin just south of the Missouri Pacific bridge three miles south of Corning, was reported fighting for his life in a St. Louis Veterans Hospital, Wednesday, as a result of a gunshot wound he received early Sunday night while sitting in his cabin. He was shot under mysterious circumstances which officers in their investigation have found no definite leads. He was seated at his dining table eating a fish sandwich at seven Sunday night when someone fired a bullet through a rear window. The bullet entered his back near the left shoulder, passed through his chest just above the heart, and lodged under the skin near his windpipe. No motive for the attempt to kill Murphy has been advanced other than robbery. He recently sold about 25 acres of river front land where he lives to Ralph Mitchell of Paragould and deposited $400 in the Corning Bank about two weeks ago, after making the sale.
The St. Matthew's Lutheran Church congregation has purchased the 50 by 150 foot vacant lots on US Highway 67, north of Sprague Field, for the future site of a new, modern church building. The property was sold by H. M. Day.
Floodwaters from the Current and Black Rivers, east and west of Corning, have caused untold damage the past ten days since both rivers reached highest overflow stages since 1947. Success was practically isolated. The only contact with the outside world was one mail truck daily, which had to be pulled through floodwaters two days to reach the community 12 miles west of Corning.
The Corning Junior Chamber of Commerce, recently organized, will meet at the school cafeteria, Friday night, to adopt constitution and by-laws. Thirty four members joined at the first meeting with about 45 more potential members here. Officers are R. D. Shelton, Jr., first vice president; Eddie Poe Crafton, treasurer; Dr. Jack Cash, president; Gerald G. Morgan, board member; M. B. Ainley, Jr., board member and Sam Manatt, Jr., board member.
Mrs. Mary E. Keller, wife of L. K. Keller of Hickoria, died Monday morning at Doctors Hospital, Poplar Bluff, from burns received while burning trash at her home earlier that morning.
P. A. Fitzgerald, familiarly known here as "Grandpa" celebrated his 91st birth anniversary Monday, April 15, by pursuing his favorite pastime, that of working at his newsstand in the Morgan Pharmacy.
The Chamber of Commerce met Monday to authorize the deeding of the new addition of Corning Cemetery to the City of Corning. The property is being transferred by C. R. Black, who financed and supervised the new addition in the north end of the Cemetery.
Fifty-six graduate from Corning High School: Jimmie Bartlett, Darlene Goodman, Harold Crawley, Maxine Onstead, Jane Goodman, Ben Baker, Glenna Hawkins, Donald McFann, Shirley Phelan, Danny Bennett, Betty Jean Herring, Phillip Selig, Nancy Wisdom. Wilma Smith, Jimmie Ermert, Catherine Holt, Letha Wiedeman. Jerry Berry, Patsy Smith, Harold Bauschlicher, Jerry Ermert, June Ward, Helen Crawley, David Blackburn, Darla Jean Glass, John Briney, Jr., Celestial Jackson, Anita Roberts, Betty Ruth Catt, Mack Laughlin, Gwendylene Bartlett, Farris Ward, Carolyn Watson, Grant Robertson, Phyllis Cavenar, Marilyn Ahrent, Thelma Prince, Richard Shepard, Jo Ann Leonard, Don Wilson, Harold Wales, Ladoin Johnson, Ruth Harpole, Doris Roach, Louise Guthrey, Loretta Jackson, Sandra Bowers, Dana Sue Rhodes, Rebecca Phelan, Barbara Jean Pierce, Caroline Moore, Patricia Ennis, Donna Moore, John Sherman, Vessie Lee Brooks, Virgil Shepard, Imogene Cochran, Frank Dodge and Donald Hubbard.
The first car to cross over the new US 62 Black River bridge after it was officially opened to traffic last Thursday was driven by Cecil Eaton.
Napolian B. Conway, age 76, drowned in Black River, Friday afternoon, May 17, when he accidentally ran his car into the river. Conway, who operated a store and fishing camp on the river had been sitting in his car, and the accident occurred as he was moving the car out of the sun.
L. F. Cochran completed a transaction which changed ownership of the 40 by 75 foot building housing the Cochran's Super Market to F. E. Belford of Reyno. Cochran did not sell the stock and fixtures but has leased the building from Belford. He purchased the business location in 1947 from the late W. M. Fowler.
The average daily attendance in the Corning School District was 1,467 during the past school year. This is an increase of 46 students over the 1955-56 year.
The city council has adopted a resolution whereby property owners may now have streets running in front of their property paved with asphalt at a low cost of $100 per 300 foot block.
The Corning Jaycees met at the Clay County Electric Co-op general office building Tuesday night and passed on plans to clear off and provide a picnic area at the lower end of Corning Lake for public use, H. J. Pillow, Jr., in charge of publicity, said. E. Button has agreed to lease the land without charge, and the Jaycees will clean up the land, construct a boat dock, permanent concrete picnic tables, trash receptacles and other improvements to provide a suitable lake front picnic area with ample shade trees.
Carl T. Walker, former principal of the Corning High School, will return to the local school this year to again serve as principal, a position he held from 1949 until 1956.
Local barbers are raising prices of haircuts from 75 cents to $1, effective Thursday morning of this week. 
The Board of Directors of the Corning Chamber of Commerce met last Friday, electing John Allan Magee, president and Buel Smith, vice president, of the Chamber for the ensuing year.
Two young men dressed in similar jackets and caps held up the Jo-Jo filling station at 3:30 Monday morning, robbing the attendant Leroy Thomas of $114 and after forcing a juke box and soft drink machine, emptied the tills of an estimated $30 to $50. They overlooked several rolls of silver coins in one of the machines, Roy C. Barnhill, owner, said.
The Rhea Hotel and real estate, located on West First Street here, was recently sold to A. L. Drilling by the former owner Mrs. C. E. Rhea. Drilling said he plans to tear down the building in the near future. His plans for building on the site are indefinite, he said. The Rhea Hotel is one of Corning's oldest business structures, which formerly was located on East First Street north of the Sam Neill concrete building. It was originally operated as a hotel by the late Joe Carter and was built by D. N. Thomas, early Corning building contractor, about 90 years ago. The building was brought by C. E. Rhea and moved to its present location about 32 years ago.
The Northeast Arkansas Livestock Marketing Association's first annual feeder calf sale will be held September 16 this year in its own new facilities which are under construction four miles southeast of Corning on Highway 135.
The DX Oil Company's agency here was sold Monday to Mr. and Mrs. Luther M. Burpo of Cache Lake community. Former owners and operators were Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Hester.
Members of the Business and Professional Women's Club have named Mrs. Tula H. Mahan as their "Women of the Week".
Mrs. Myrtle Snider, teacher in Corning Elementary School, has recently sold her first novel, "Miss Myrtle Was Paid," to the Comet Press Publishing Co. of New York. The book is to be released in November.
The Knobel Milling Company was burglarized last Wednesday night when thieves knocked the combination off the company's safe to get only $55 in change.
Aubrey Arnold suffered a compound fracture of the left leg, below the knee, when a bean cleaner tank loaded with beans fell on him at the Corning Co-op Gin last Saturday afternoon.
Construction work of renovating the courthouse steeple is underway here with workmen now replacing old woodwork, shutters, tuck pointing the brick walls and other necessary repairs, on orders from County Judge Frank Carpenter. A 60-foot scaffold is being used by workmen on the job.
The heaviest death toll of any highway accident ever to happen here took the lives of six Maywood, Ill., Negroes, six miles west of Corning on US 67 on Thanksgiving Day. The accident occurred near the Grassylead Church at one o'clock Thursday afternoon.
Lowell F. Cochran, Corning business civic and church leader for 17 years, died Thursday, December 12, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis.
Historical Facts About People of West Clay County in 1890 in the April 25, 1957 issue of the Courier. The following is reprinted from one of the few copies still in existence in this area entitled, Biographical and Historical Memoir of Northeast Arkansas, printed in 1889 by the Goodspeed Publishing Company. The book is owned by Jack Hurst of Rector. It contains a wealth of rare information about prominent citizens in northeast Arkansas at that time. The information here is only a token of the voluminous data contained in the book and only about people mentioned in our immediate vicinity. 
"Clay County lies in the northeast corner of the State with a strip of broken or hilly lands, averaging between seven and eight miles in width, known as Crowley's Ridge, extends through the county in a southwesterly direction from its northeast corner. The village of Knobel is 181 [281] feet above sea level, and this is about the, average elevation of all except the hilly portions of the county. The highest point in the county may reach an elevation of 400 feet above the sea. The entire county was originally covered with a dense forest, consisting of several varieties of trees. Some trees of the largest kinds of timber measured four to six feet across the stump. Much of the timber has been cut into logs and floated down the streams and thus shipped away; and since the county has been traversed with railroads, a great deal has been cut into lumber and shipped by rail, and there is yet a seemingly inexhaustible supply. The soil of the entire county is moderately rich and fertile. At present the cutting and shipping of logs and lumber, with the running of many sawmills in the county give employment to a large number of men and forms a source of considerable revenue to the people of the county. Surely, "Cotton is King" in Clay County, as it is the moneyed crop, and the source of the greatest income.
"In 1880 the real estate of the county was assessed at $468,651 and the personal property at $224,717, making a total of $713,278; and the total taxes changed there were $10,022. By 1889 the taxable, property and taxes charged had more than doubled. There are 26 saw mills and eight have factories within the county.
"In 1880 the population of Clay County was, white 7,191, colored 22, total 7,213. Since that time immigration has so increased that the population at this writing (1889) is estimated at about double that of 1880.
"The settlement of the territory composing Clay County began about the year 1832, but increased very slowly for the first 20 years after which it advanced quite rapidly, until the outbreak of the Civil War. Among the first settler in the western part of the county were John J. Griffin, who located on Black River in 1832, and Abraham Roberts, who settled a few years later near the present site of Corning.
"Having lost the county seat, the people of Corning and the western portion of the county, finding it difficult to reach Boydsville, commenced to consider the question of dividing the county into two districts. Consequently the legislature, by an act approved February 23, 1881, provided that the county should be divided into two judicial districts, the east and the west.
"Clay County was organized as Clayton County, in accordance with an act of the General Assembly, approved March 24, 1973. By an act of the General Assembly of the State, approved December 6, 1875, the name of Clayton County was changed to Clay. The county seat was originally located at Corning, on the lot of ground now occupied by the present courthouse in that place. A temporary frame courthouse, 22 by 40 feet, containing two rooms was built. A common jail was also erected; subsequently the question of removal of the county seat to Boydsville, a more central point, began to be agitated, and on the 30th of June, 1874, an election was held for the purpose of submitting the question to the electors of the county. The majority voted for removal and the court declared Boydsville, to be the county seat. However, such strong resistance to this decision was manifested that no permanent removal of records was made for a long time. Finally, after a pause of a few years, the question was again submitted to the people at an election held May 22, 1877, on which occasion the majority again voted in favor of the project and the court again declared Boydsville to be the county seat, to which place the records were soon removed and placed in a temporary courthouse.
"Following is a list of the county officers of Clay County, from its formation to the present time (1889) - Judges: T. M. Holifield, E. M. Royall, Robert Liddell; Clerks, T. L. Martin, W. H. Smith, R. Liddell; Sheriffs, William G. Akers, E. N. Royall, E. M. Allen, J. A. McNeil, B. B. Biffle; Treasurers, William Little, James Blackshare, John Bearden, N. J. Burton, W. S. Blackshare, J. S. Simpson and A. L. Blackshare; Coroners, J. Cunningham, J. J. Payne, J. N. Cummins, H. W. Cagle, Dallas Taylor, D. G. See; Surveyors, W. C. Grimsley, E. M. Allen, Jr., A. J. Caldwell, E. M. Allen, A. Williams; Assessors. E. N. Royall, J. S. Rodgers, W. H. Mack, J. W. Rodgers, Henry Holcomb and J. S. Blackshare.
"Politically the county of Clay, is strongly Democratic. The local bar of Clay County consists of G. B. Holifield, Boydsville; F. G. Taylor, G. B. Oliver and J. C. Staley, Corning; John Jones, Peach Orchard; H. W. Moore, Greenway and J. A. Barlow, Rector.
"Only two men have been legally executed in Clay County for the crime of murder. They were hanged, one in south Corning and one in north Corning. Other crimes have been committed within the county, for which the perpetrators have received lighter punishments.
"The territory over which Clay extends was slightly over run and devastated during the Civil War of 1861-65.
"Of the towns of the county, Corning, the seat of justice for the Western District was established in 1873. It contains the courthouse and jail, six general stores, two drug stores, one grocery, three saloons, one livery stable, four hotels, one stave factory, two cotton gins with grist mills attached, one wagon shop, one blacksmith shop, two shoe shops, three church organizations, Methodist Episcopal, Christian and Baptist, with but one church edifice, belonging to the Methodists, one school house, post office and a population of 600.
"The Corning Index, a six-column folio weekly newspaper, at Corning, was established in the fall of 1887. It is published by Clyde C. Estes and edited by his father, E. D. Estes, in an acceptable manner, indicating ability and force.
"Some of the first settlers of Clay County are as follows: S. W. Alexander, manufacturer and dealer in lumber, railroad ties, wagons, agricultural implements, car material, etc. at Corning; J. H. Allen, farmer and stockman of Clay County; Captain John J. Allen, merchant, sawmill operator; Joshua Bare, farmer and stock raiser of St. Francis Township; W. F. Barnes, undertaker and furniture dealer of Corning; Zachariah T. Bearden, merchant; B. B. Biffle, sheriff of Clay County; Sylvanus Bishop, wagon maker, painter and farmer; James Blackshare, farmer; W. S. Blackshare, milling and stave manufacturer; Larry Boshears, planter and stockman; Giles Bowers, carpenter and builder of Boydsville; C. Fred Brobst, the present mayor of Corning; J. W. Brown, farmer.
"William C. Cochran, merchant of Greenway; Robert L. Coleman, proprietor of Piggott Hotel; G. W. Cook, a successful agriculturist and stockman; Joseph Dudgeon, proprietor of the Dudgeon House;. Frederick Ermert, farmer; John M. Gleghorn, farmer; W. T. Griffith, lumber man and postmaster; J. W. Harb, merchant; Marcellus Ketchum, hotel keeper and farmer; John S. Magee, farmer; W. R. Paty, farmer; Dr. Henry C. Redwine, physician; Isaac Reed, blacksmith and wagon maker; B. H. Sellmeyer and Brothers, merchants; A. R. Simpson, M. D., physician and surgeon: J. B. Smith, planter and stockman; C. W. Woodall, planter and stockman; and William Wynn, planter and stock dealer."

1958
The Magee Company, manufacturers of framed pictures, has moved into the Hastings metal quonset building on West Second Street, across from the Corning Co-op Gin.
Corning area residents will have an opportunity to decide whether or not they want a factory with sizable payroll in the near future, as a result of plans presented by the industrial committees of the Corning Chamber of Commerce and Junior Chamber of Commerce at a joint meeting held Monday night.
The Corning Junior and Senior Chambers of Commerce are now seeking pledges for $50,000 to underwrite a factory building for the Corning trade area. If you are interested and desire to contribute to the factory fund proposed to employ some 200 persons at annual pay roll of approximately $400,000 please contact the Secretary, Chamber of Commerce, Corning.
The Federal Communications Commission has received an application for a new radio station at Corning. Eulis W. Cochran of Corning asked permission to operate a station. It would be a daytime station and would broadcast at 1260 kilocycles on a power of 500 watts. A four and one half acres plot at the south end of West Second Street was a recently purchased from Gerald Dudgeon of Detroit by Cochran for the site of the radio station.
Dr. H. W. Morrow, is the new dentist taking over the offices and practices of Dr. Joe Sain. Dr. and Mrs. Sain are moving to Lakeland, Florida, where he will practice dentistry.
At a meeting of the Four Seasons Garden Club Thursday, Mrs. Charles Cox, chairman of the committee to place a wrought iron arch over the entrance to Corning Cemetery, announced that the total amount of money needed, $547.50, had been raised.
The city paved some 35 and three-fourths blocks last summer with some extra construction work on street sides, according to Mayor Frank Johnson.
At a special called meeting the city council approved purchase of two lots on Main Street between West First and Second Streets, between Oliver and Co. and King's Radio and TV Shop, from L. U. King. The property, 100 by 150 feet, facing Main Street, will be used in the near future for the construction of a modern city hall building, Mayor Frank Johnson said.
A new motor driven rotary sewer cleaning machine has been purchased by the City of Corning at a cost of $1,400. The machine will remove roots as well as clean out sludge and other objects from the sewers, some as old as 30 years, which have been operating about 50 percent of capacity, causing stoppages in the lines and causing backups in some homes in some sections of the city.
Donald Joe Herren, age 24, was killed instantly early Tuesday morning when he apparently jumped off Mo-Pac Mail Train No. 37. His body was found two hours later, lying some 300 feet north of the railroad station by Olen Richardson, driver for Gulf Oil Company as he was reporting for work.
Work was started Tuesday on a new Cash Clinic and Morgan Pharmacy Building on the corner of West Second and Pine Streets, across from the Clay County Cotton Company building. It will be in two units; one will be a 32 by 72 foot structure that will house the offices of Dr. Jack Q. Cash, with adjoining rooms for complete laboratory and x-ray facilities, delivery rooms, waiting room, rest rooms and four examination rooms. The ten-room section will face West on Second Street. The Morgan Pharmacy will occupy the pharmacy building which will be constructed on the corner of West Second and Pine, with entrance on the northwest corner. It will be 40 by 40 feet in size. The two buildings being built by Dr. Cash and Gerald Morgan will be modern in every respect. J. D. Taylor is the building contractor. 
Sam B. Neill, age 85, retired businessman, died at his home in east Corning Saturday night. He was one of Corning's early business leaders, operating several businesses during his active years. He came to Corning to attend school. Later he worked at the long extinct Ferguson Wheeler Store for many years, then was a partner in the grocery business here before becoming a traveling salesman for the Scudder Gale Grocery Co., St. Louis, Woodard Hardware Co., Cairo, and Gilderwood and Hasser Hardware Co., St. Louis. He operated his own wholesale grocery business here for five years before retiring. He was one of Corning's first street lamplighters before the turn of the century, when he carried a six foot ladder and five gallon can of oil to light Corning's scattered 24 oil street lamps.
The Crystal Drug Store, one of Corning's oldest business establishments, was sold by the Loren Russ estate last week to Loren Garland, operator of the drug store. It was originally operated well over a half century ago as Staley's Drug Store and has since been operated as a drug store by P. L. Oliver, T. G. Bridges and the present owner, Loren Garland.
The two story concrete block building housing the Rhea Rooming House, on West Second Street, has been sold to Mr. and Mrs. Eulis Cochran.
Construction work was started Wednesday morning on a 35.6 by 47.10 foot brick building to house the offices of Dr. Reginald Smith and Dr. R. E. Smith, father and son physicians. The new building to face south on Elm Street, next to the Crystal Drug Store, will have two separate partitions of offices.
Funeral services were held Saturday for Jonathan Michael Rhea, age 86, who died Wednesday, March 23. He was owner and operator of the Rhea Hardware here from 1906 until 1946 when he retired. A member of the Christian Church here for over 50 years, he served as official board member and treasurer. He was also a member of the Masonic and Oddfellow Lodges. He was a son of Dr. and Mrs. Jonathan Michael Rhea, early settlers in Maynard, where Dr. Rhea was a practicing physician. After the death of his father, Mr. Rhea moved to Corning at the age of 13. Working as a clerk in the Oliver and Company store here for many years, he entered the harness business after the death of his father in law, D. W. Vickery, a pioneer harness maker and dealer here.
The city water tank is now undergoing a thorough reconditioning, repairing and repainting. The entire tank, inside and outside, is being renovated, with the Dixie Tank and Tower Company workmen, of Memphis, doing the work. All seams which were riveted in the 30 year old tank are being electric welded which the tank company estimates will repair the tank to condition that will compare with a new one. It is estimated that further repairs will not be necessary for 30 years.
James H. (Doc) Bolen, Gobler, Mo., was sentenced to ten years in the state penitentiary during a continued term of Clay County Circuit Court here Tuesday. Bolen was taken into custody last November while driving here to Corning with stolen firearms and other merchandise in his possession.
Acreage for cucumber production will be signed up with local farmers Saturday, April 26, by the Corning Junior Chamber of Commerce, with the goal of 150 acres to be planted on or about May 10. S. Stahl of Springfield, Mo., who originally planned to move his pickle plant here this spring but was unable to close out his business and property holdings there in time, will buy the complete acreage at prices originally contracted, or $1.50 per bushel for cucumbers ranging in size from three-fourths inch to one and three-fourths inches in diameter. Stahl plans to move his plant here as soon as he can sell his holdings at Springfield.
A record attendance of 65 were present at the Monday night meeting of the Junior Chamber of Commerce when final plans were completed for the Teenage Road-E-O. Members of the Jaycees voted Leon Foster, manager of the Corning Rice Drying Co-op, as Jaycee of the Year in Corning.
One's hobby rarely turns into a profitable source of income for the family, but the John Allen Magee family's hobby of picture framing has done just that. The Magees became interested in framing some prints for their own home five years ago, and the venture was so successful and interesting that they decided to frame pictures for display in the Magee Furniture Store. The prints were framed and finished by hand which was a slow and tedious process, turning out about two dozen per week. The venture at first was a hobby to John Allen and Rachel Magee. The business has grown until today it can be classified as a growing industry with outlets in practically all of the 48 states.
Mrs. Tom Dodd died Wednesday morning of third degree burns received last Thursday morning when her clothing caught fire from a lighted burner of a gas range while cooking at her home on West Third Street.
A DeMolay Chapter will be organized here Saturday afternoon with approximately 20 Corning boys being initiated into the DeMolay order. Officers will be installed and temporary charter issued for the local chapter during the afternoon ceremony.
Candidates for graduation at C.H.S.: Jimmy Arnold, Charles Black, Joe Keith Bridgeforth, Floyd Buffington, Don Brewer, Eugene Cavitt, Alvidean Clarkson, Marvin Cobb, Willis Coleman, Bill Couch, Bob Davis, John Ed Ennis, Donny Forrest, Buddy Guthrey, Norman Handwork, Danny King, Jimmy Kirby, Aubrey E. Mansker, Jr., Darrel Parrish, Charles Phillips, Tommy Pond, Reuben Reed, Richard Robinson, Jimmy Talkington, Louie Walls, Jerry Williams, Kenneth Paul Willis, Kippy Woods, Sharon Bellah, Peggy Jean Besson, Genendal Bolen, Betty Boyer, Ida Mae Brownfield, Jane Burton, Amelia Byars, Berdie Jean Cato, Kay Frances Cochran, Judy Huddleston, Vauntila James, Marcia Johnson, Mary Julian, Linda Kimes, Joyce long, Wilma Lunsford, Bettye Mason, Joyce Mitchell, Janet Morrison, Sharon Ruff, Willie Sheeks, Winnie Sheeks, Carolyn Smith, Nina Lee Smith, Norma Thomas, Shirley Thomas, Lolita Tyler, Nancie Wright.
Mrs. J. W. Baynham recently sold the Corning Novelty Company building, where she manufactured pool tables for a number of years, to the J. W. Black Lumber Co. Mrs. Baynham is retiring from business after 40 years, on account of failing health. 
Polk Chevrolet Company has been officially appointed Pontiac dealers for Clay County.
Scottie Manatt, 14, is the second Corning Boy Scout to receive the Eagle award. The ceremony was held after a dinner in Scottie's honor held by the Troop 10 committee at the Towne House.
Announcement is made that Mr. and Mrs. C. T. Johnson of Middlebrook have sold their extensive farming interests, 1,200 acres located near Middlebrook and 880 acres near Poynor, Mo., to Dr. R. L. Wood of Corning. The sale included the purchase of about 250 head of purebred Hereford cattle and 50 registered Hampshire hogs.
Miss Zerna Marie Blackburn, 17, was named Miss Independence Day at the homecoming celebration on July 4th. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Blackburn.
Dr. R. L. Wood, retired physician and member of the American Medical Association, has become one of the largest land owner-farm operators in northeast Arkansas. Dr. Wood had acquired farm and timber land totaling 6,526 acres as of June 1, 1958, value estimated at more than $750,000. Dr. Wood retired due to ill health in 1950, moved here with his wife in 1955 and started buying land shortly after his arrival. Dr. Wood's holdings in west and north Randolph Counties to date are 40 acres of cleared land bought from W. H. Foster; 30 acres adjacent to the Brownfiel farm bought from Freda Belford; 300 acres purchased in 1956 from J. H. Foster southwest of Corning now in rice and beans; 80 acres southwest of Corning in 1956, mostly in woods; 503 acres bought from Joe Kieser, east of Neelyville, which is uncleared; 784 acres from Walter Adams, Knobel and 48 acres from Gladys Cooper, Knobel, in 1955, which is predominately in rice with small allotment for cotton; 565 acres on the Wild Hog Road southeast of Corning from C. R. Fortenberry in 1956 which is in rice and beans; 890 acres bought from J. Gallegly, in rice beans and cotton; 1,101 acres of rice and beans with small cotton allotment bought from Walter Hastings in 1955.
Dr. and Mrs. B. C. Page and son, William, have moved to 307 West Fourth Street and he is now associated with Dr. Jack Cash in the Cash Clinic here. Dr. Page is a graduate of the U. of A. Medical School. He interned at the University Hospital in Little Rock and has been practicing medicine the past three years at Bauxite.
The announcement is made of an agreement between the Corning School Board and the Board of Stewards of the First Methodist Church for the use of two class rooms by the high school during this coming year. The high school plant is no longer adequate to house the rapidly increasing enrollment in the upper six grades of the school. One more additional classroom outside the campus, other than the two at the Methodist Church, may be necessary, according to M. D. Forrest, superintendent. If this is true, there is a possibility that a room over the bank may be used.
The Cash Clinic is now located in its newly constructed pink Roman brick building located on West Second Streets, one block north of the former location.
Dr. Ray Stith is the new optician in Corning. He has offices in the former location of Dr. Luther Petty in the Scrivner Building on West Second Street.
Double funeral services were held at the Moark Baptist Church Sunday afternoon for Clifford Otto Dunn, age 51, and his wife, Minnie Lee Dunn, also 51. They were killed last Thursday morning when their car was hit by another car driven north by L. J. Spearman, 22 year old Negro of Milwaukee, who received only minor injuries.
Five hundred and 47 men and women between the ages of 18 and 40 registered for employment here last Thursday and Friday when the Chamber of Commerce-sponsored registration day was held in the move for industry in Corning. Representatives of a shoe factory, tentatively planning to locate in Corning, were on hand to interview the applicants and give sampling IQ tests to two out of every five of those registering. The five factory representatives who gave the tests and registered the applicants said the tests were above average.
The first baby born at the new Cash Clinic here was Charles Richard Beck, seven and one-half pound son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Beck of Rockford, Ill., born at noon Wednesday, August 27, 1958. Dr. B. C. Page was the attending physician.
O. L. Woods was reelected president of the Board of Directors of the Corning Grain Dryers Association here Monday. He is one of the original organizers of the $530,000 plant constructed here four years ago.
Work should be completed on a Clay County Highway 62, east of Corning, project within the next ten days. The project begins approximately one and one-half miles east of Corning and extends approximately 1.799 miles easterly across the Black River partially on the new location of Highway 62 to the Junction of Highway 135.
Details for the location of a shoe factory in Corning have not been completed. However, the Corning Industrial Development Commission is working with shoe plant officials and details are expected to be completed within a few days. Members of the Corning Industrial Development Committee are: Sam Manatt, president; J. E. Ballenger, secretary; Jim Richardson, vice president. Board of directors are O. L. Woods, Leon Foster, Buel Smith and Bryan McCallen.
Lonnie Smith is the new minister of the Corning Church of Christ, following Boyd Morgan who recently resigned to take the ministry of the Kennett Church of Christ.
Miss Edith Bennett has been named "Woman of the Year" by the Corning Business and Professional Women's Club.
M. D. Forrest is the new president of the Corning Chamber of Commerce, succeeding John A. Magee.
Two weeks of intensive work has brought our factory fund drive committee to within approximately 80 percent of our goal. We began the fund raising campaign with the full realization that the last ten thousand dollars would be the most difficult to come by. Practically all of the larger donors have come through, and now we must look to the small contributions to reach the goal. We need to wind up our drive in ten days if at all possible. You who have not yet contributed, please give us a boost on this last ten thousand. We want to be in a position just as soon as possible to report to the company that we are "ready to go." 
Dr. R. L. Wood bought the Foster Welding and Blacksmith Shop from Gerald Foster. He plans to construct a concrete and steel building on the comer of a ten acre plot, north of the Harold Implement Co. on US Highway 67 North, he recently purchased from L. A. Scrivner.
Mack Blackwood and B. D. Bone, owners of the Blackwood and Bone Hardware and Furniture Store, have bought the 100 by 134 foot lots located on West First Street from A. L. Drilling and will soon start construction of a 70 by 100 foot modern concrete and brick building to house their store.
E. W. Cochran and son, Bob Cochran, have purchased the 50 by 150 foot lot located to the rear of the present location of the Blackwood and Bone Hardware and Furniture Store from Mack Blackwood and B. D. Bone.
D. A. Snider was reelected city marshal for the seventh term in Tuesday's municipal election, receiving 292 votes. His opponent, Joe Julian, received 107 votes. In the only other municipal race, Ed C. Eldracker was reelected city councilmen by a plurality of only four votes over his opponent, W. T. Garland, Jr. The count was, Eldracker, 193 and Garland 189. Other councilmen elected without opposition were Sam Manatt, Jr., Dan T. Lynch and Thomas George. Mayor Frank L. Johnson; city recorder, O. J. Harold and city attorney, Bryan McCallen were reelected without opposition.
Dr. Jacob Sass Schirmer, age 73, died at Atlanta, Ga. Saturday morning where he had operated a clinic for the past four years. Dr. Schirmer operated a hospital in Corning from August 1, 1936 until he moved to Atlanta in 1955.
Sebald Stahl and son, Fred Stahl, of Springfield, Mo., owners of the Springfield Pickle Co., were here Saturday to confer with members of the Corning Jaycee committee in the interest of locating a pickle processing plant in Corning. Sam Manatt, Jr., Jaycee committee chairman, conducted the meeting which was attended by other Jaycee members and local businessmen interested in the proposed plant here.
The Corning Industrial Development Corporation has completed negotiations and signed a contract with the Clayton Shoe Co. of St. Louis for the construction of a modern steel, brick and aluminum building to house the company's factory here. It will be located on the airport property, just west of Wynn Park, purchased from O. L. Woods, and will be 150 feet wide and 200 feet long, to cover 30,000 square feet of floor space, at a cost of $75,000. Brown and Shortlee, building contractors of Newport were the successful low bidders for the general contract. J. D. Taylor, local building contractor, is subcontractor for the concrete work. Other subcontracts are to be let for installation of electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning facilities. At the outset of the operations, the Clayton Company expects to employ some 100 to 150, with 60 percent women and 40 percent men. The plant is being constructed and equipped to employ 300 or more workers, who will be added according to the demands of production. Financing was accomplished by subscriptions from local civic minded citizens in the amount of approximately $85,000, Corning's share in the $150,000 building project. Of this amount $75,000 will be paid for actual construction of building and purchases of real estate and the remaining $10,000 will be used to pay legal service fees, plus expenses incidental to sale of the bonds to provide the balance of construction costs and incidental expenses. The Clayton Company has contracted to retire the bonds in the next 12 years, paying interest at the rate of four an