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VOLUME l NUMBER 7 _ LEXINGTON, MISSISSIPPI Thursday, March 12, 1839 —-- ■ - - -- ' - ' ' .. ..'. ■ -- - - - ^—W——— I ————————————mm——wmmmmt——— "County Loses $5,000 In Recent Forest Fires An estimated $5000 has gone up in smoke during the past few months in Holmes county through forest fires, Fritz Frizell, Area Forester with the Miss. State For estry Comimssion, said this week. Over 150 acres of forest land has lx >en burned off in the county kill ing thousands of planted pines and ci-.eeking the growth of larger ones. Most of the fires were started by carelessness and some of them deliberately. Mr. Frizell said this time of year, with the wind so high, fires get out of control easily and he cautions farmers to be very care ful when cleaning off land to start their plowing. mutes.. aver Mtahnes By Chester Marshall Lexington Rotarians couldn’t have acquired a better speaker for their annual Rotary Ann night banquet last Tuesday night. Tom Q. Ellis, Native Holmes countian, Clerk of the Miss. Supreme Court for the past 30 years, and renown the world over for his leadership ; in Masonic Orders, is considered one of the best in the field. Pro gram chairman M. B. Brown is to be congratulated. Mr. Tom Q., who is the brother of our own Reedy Ellis, always amuses his audience, with the quip that he was bom out in the country from Bowling Green. The Methodists up at Acona are kinda celebrating the 75th anni versary of their church. The WSCS ladies have had some commemo rative plates made with an etching of the two-story frame church building on the face of the plate and a brief history of the church on the back. They have done right well with their project of selling the plates. As of last Friday, they had sold 96 plates at $2.50 a piece. A lot of Holmes county history is wraped up in the Acona Metho dist Church. Established in 1874, a lot of Methodists in Lexington and all over the county joined the church there. Speaking of history, our county is blessed with an abundance of it. Volumes of books could be writ ten about some of the families of our county whose grandfathers and great-grandfathers helped to settle this part of the country. We are in the process of getting up a story on Mrs. Mattie Julia Noel Lipsey, which we think will be in teresting to our readers. The Brochure on Lexington which is being distributed by the Lexington Chamber of Commerce is very attractive and eye-catch ing and should be very enticing to some industrial prospect. The bro chure gives pertinent information about the town and is illustrated with pictures. Politics in the county are pep ping up a bit. Candidates are stir ring about in a faster pace, and before long coffee drinkers won’t even have to reach for their change. In one week’s time Ben Moore Hammett has been observed shak ing hands in Tchula, Durant, Pickens and in Lexington. Has anybody else noticed the resemblance of Mayor Allie Povall and Lt. Frank Ballinger (Lee Mar vin) on M Squad? There are still no clues to the Mystery of the Red Bands. KING SIZE COKES NOW POPULAR PRICE Roy Gelston, manager of the Lexington Coca Cola Bottling Com pany announced last week a reduc tion in price of the King sizq Coca Colas. Mr. Gelston said the price of the big 10 ounce bottle of Coke is now on sale in the area at the 'regular price of 6c each, the same as the 6 ounce bottle. “Firebugs are again operating in the area,” Mr. Frizell said. “Last week, during a 5 day per iod 10 fires were deliberately set between Lexington and Durant.” Mr. Frizell said it is a felony to deliberately set a forest fire which is punishable by a $1000 fine and 2 years in jail. To let a fire get a person’s own land is a misdemeanor and is punishable by a $500 fine and 90 days, plus costs. High winds and careless match es are the greatest enemies to the county’s young pine crops, the Forester said. On March 4th alone, over 550 acres were burned and this in cluded 250 acres of planted pines all of which were from 1 to 3 years old and all were killed. On this day eight fire crews fought fires until past midnight. Fire crews from Humphreys, Yazoo, Attala and Carroll counties help ed in fighting the fires. At this time of the year, Mr. Frizell said 12 men are on duty at all times checking on forest fires. Permanent duty men in clude Mr. Frizell, Dispatcher W. E. Malone, who is in charge of the tower art Franklin, and Boswell Peacock, • crew leader. A second ary fire tower is maintained at Providence. Gary Moore Is Guest Speaker For Banquet “Forty years of service”, is the way State Commander, Gary Moore described the progam of the American Legion when he spoke to the Daniel W. Beall Post and Auxilary at the banquet celebrat ing the Legion’s fortieth birthday on March 5 at the Ab Taylor Memorial Home. Post Commander J. H. Warner acted as master of ceremonies. Mrs. H. G. Diggs, auxiliary presi dent presented a beautiful birth day cake, decorated with the em blem of the American Legion, to the Post. Invocation was given by W. B. Kenna, after which the ladies of the auxiliary served a delicious banquet meal Commander Moore adressed the group, followed by Mr. J. G. Jacob of Goodman, who made a few remarks in his usual witty manner. Mrs* Oliver Passes Sunday Mrs. Lorena Clark Oliver, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Bessie Barton Sunday, March 8 at 9:30 a.m. She was 8§, and had been ill for several years. Mrs. Oliver was bom April 6, 1869 at Ackerman. For the poet 16 years she had made her home with her daughter here. Services were held Monday at 2:00 p.m. from the Providence Baptist Church in Choctaw County, with the pastor Rev. Fletcher of ficiating. Burial was in the church cemetery wtih Southern Funeral Home of Lexington in charge of arrangements. Surviving other than Mrs. Bar ton are: fuor sons, G. W. Oliver and T. H. Oliver, Columbia; J. W. Oliver, Ashland; B. O. Oliver, West Point; one daughter, Mrs. Fannie E. Starnes, West Point; one sister, Mrs. Bertha Pace, Wi nona, 17 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren. Pallbearers were: T. E. Hearn, Isaac Barton, Earl Barton, Ernest Harrison, Albert Sanford and M. D. Bruce. Coxburg Scouts On Overnight Campout Eighteen Boy Scouts and their leaders from Coxburg will go on an overnight campout this week end at Pierce’s Pond. Scoutmaster I. T. Gardner and Institutional representative R. S. Richmond will camp out with the scouts*. The Coxburg Troop will prac tice their scouting crafts and study for merit badges in prepara tory to the annual Mateleho dis trict Camporee to be held at Hol mes County Park April 17, 18, 19. HIGH SCHOOL DAY AT HJC 26th The annual High School day for visiting seniora from this area has been set by authorities at Holmes Junior College for Thursday, March 26th. Large groups of stu dents are expected to begin arriv ing on the campus by 8:45 to 9 a.m. Registration will open at 8:45 at the Home Economics building. Student leaders will meet the buses and groups arriving cm the campus and escort them tc proper places for various activi ties during the day. An entertainment program is planned at the auditorium at 10 a.m. A briefing of curriculum will be given following a welcome by the student Association president, William Holder. President Frank Branch will give a few brief re marks on the course offerings and all students interested in particu lar fields will be given an opportu nity to go further into this work with the Department heads in separate meeting. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN Red Browning kneels beside the heav ily damaged car which was en volved in a two car accident Sat urday night about 7 o’clock at the Country Club road intersection on highway 17 in Lexington. Rueben Netherland, driver of the car pic tured was seriously injured and is still in Baptist Hospital in Jack son. He received a broken knee cap and bruised neck. Driver of the other car was E. B. Tuber ville of the Coxburg community. Both cars were damaged heavily. Mr. Netherland, who owns the Crown Service Station in Lexing ton had just balanced the wheels on the car he was driving, a 1957 Oldsmobile, which belonged to Harden Irvin, and was trying it out when the accident occurred. Among the first to the scene of the accident were Nat Blaylock, Dink Wilson, and two Holmes Junior College students, Wade Austin and Murphy Johnson. Both Mr. Netherland and Mr. Tuberville were taken to Holmes County Comunmity Hospital, Mr. Netherland was transferred to the Jackson Hospital and Mr. Tuber ville is still a patient at the Hol mes County Hospital. Another Candidate In Race For Supervisor In District Five This Week Cancer Drive Luncheon Tue., March 17 The Holmes Couny Cancer Cru sade for 1959 will get underway with a Kickoff Luncheon at the Ab Taylor Memorial Home on Tuesday, March 17 during the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Jeff Wiliams, District Chairman will meet with the chairmen of each community and distribute lit erature. Serving in this area with Mr. Williams are Mrs. Hunter Cade, county chairman and Mrs. Leon Armstrong, co-chairman. Mrs. Vernon King and Mrs. A. P. Carroll are city chairmen. The Cancer Crusade will official ly begin April 1 and continue throughout the month. A. Q. Lassett Drowns A. Q. Lassett, 20, former resi dent of Lexington, was the victim of drowning Thursday, March 5 in Panama City, Fla. Mr. Lassett suffered the fatal accident while working for Fredericks Dredging Co. of that city. His body was not found until Saturday around 11:00 a.m. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Lassett of Richton and was married to the former Nancy De vine of Lexington. He had made his home here for several years prior to going to Florida. Services were held Sunday at 3:00 p.m. from the Richton Bap tist Church with the Rev. G. W. Lassett officiating. Surviving besides his parents are his widow, Mrs. Nancy Devine Lassett, a daughter, Wanda Sue, and the folowing sisters and bro thers: J. W. Lassett, Lexington, Mrs. Winston Taylor, Dallas, Tex as; James Lassett, Lucile Lassett, Charles Lassett, Brenda Lassett, Barbara Lassett, Patricia Lassett, and Robert Eugene Lassett all of Richton. Following the lunch hour group? will be conducted by student on a campus tour of various building and the general physical plant. A period of games and dancing wil follow in the student center to con elude the d#ys activities. Counfie' in this service area are: Carroll, Attala, Holmes, Montgomery, Grenada, Webster, Choctaw, and Madison and Yazoo which are neutral counties between Holme: and Hinds Junior College. Politics warmed up a bit this week, especially in the Tchula area, with the announcement of another candidate for Supervisor for District 5. Jim W. Cunningham threw his hat in the ring for a second tiy for the Supervisor’s office. Mr. Cun ningham was an unsuccesful can didate for tbs. cCice four years ago, but says he is entering the race again this year in response to the many requests that he do so from his many friends. Mr. Cunningham will have as his opponients encumbent W. W. Salley, Richard Byrd, former Sheriff, Ray S. Melton and D. E. Rickels. Last week E. R. Buchanan of Cruger announced for Justice of the Peace, opposing encumbent J. B. Kelly in District 5. Announcements for the Sheriff’s office have so far remained static with only three out for the race. Ben Moore Hammett, Coyier Far mer and Mrs. Andrew P. Smith, wife of the encumbent are the only candidates announced for the of fice. Four candidates have announ ced for the Beat I Supervisor’s of fice, which includes the Lexing ton area. Encumbent Roy Brown is being opposed by Clower Johnson, former road foreman when Earl Fowler was in-office, Le§ Mayo and Peyton A. Jones. Lexington Florist Is Member Of F.?,D. The Florists Telegraph Delivery Association announced today ^hat Watson’s Flower Box has been ac cepted as a member of the asso ciation. Mrs. Irene S. Watson is the owm er of the new F.T.D. shop. The Association, whose winged Mercury trade-mark guarantees absolute customer satisfaction, now has approximately 11,000 members in the United States and Canada who handle flowers sent by wire. Through Interflora, Watson’s Flower Box can have flowers and plants delivered to any point in the civilized world. Watson’s Flower Box is the only Florist in Lexington that can offer this service to their customers. In addition to Lexington, Watson’s Flower Box serves Tchula, Cru ger, Pickens, Ebenezer, Acona and Blackhawk communities. W. H. Scott To Judge In Band Contest W. H. Scott, director of the Lex ington High School Band, has been named judge for the State Solo Band Contest for the sixth year. Director Scott will be one of the two judges at the district contest to be held in Tupelo Saturday. March 14. He will judge the Wood wind instruments and Oilie Wil liams Assistant Band Director at Mississippi State University will judge the brass instruments. vA>ntest3 are held each year in 8 districts throughout the state tvl. Scott is getting the Lexing on High School Band in shape for the annual Band contest. The Lexington Band will compete against bands of their size on March 30 at Jackson. . “DINO”, a revised television script by the • noted playwrite, Reginal Rose, will be presented by j Holmes County College dramatics j department, under the direction of j Mr. Glenn L. Vernon, Thursday, | March 12 at H.J.C. Shown during tryouts for the play are from left John Lee, Wade Austin and Betty Johnson. Photo Curtesy erf Hie Growl. - . - I County Farmers Have Until Monday To Make Choice For ‘59 Crop Tom Q. Ellis Speaks To Rotarians Tom Q. Ellis, Clerk of the Miss. Supreme Court for the past thirty years, blasted the U. S. Supreme Court Judges in a talk at the an nual Rotary Ann banquet in Lex ington Thursday night. Mr. Ellis criticized the decisions handed down in recent years by the nine judges especially those concerning communism in the United States. Citing 39 cases in which communists were involved, the speaker said, the judges ruled in their favor in 36 of them. Mr. Ellis, who is a native of Holmes county and a renowned Masonic leader the world over, used as his subject “There’s a Gold Mine in the Sky. Touching a bit on juvenile delinquency, he said most of our young people are not as bad as they say, and they are getting better all the time. The speaker told how Internat ional Communism is infiltrating our country and said something should be done to put a stop to this before they take over. He kept the Rotarians and the ladie amused throughout his speech with jokes. Mr. Ellis Was introduced by his long-time friend W. B. Kenna. Will Barrett, president of the Ro tary Club, presided. M. B. Brown, was program chairman. I Services Wed. For W. L. Upchurch, Jr. Services for Walter L. Upchurch, Jr., 37, were held Wednesday af ternoon at 3 o’clock from South ern Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. P. D. Bragg officiating, assisted by Rev. Roy Raddin of Tchula. Burial was in Odd Fel lows Cemetery under the direction of Southern, with Masonic honors at the graveside. Mr. Upchurch died at the Vet erans Hospital, Jackson, Tuesday, March 9, at 3:45 a.m. He had been a patient there for the past three years and four months. He was bom October 27, 1921, at Chattanooga, Tenn., but had spent most of his life in Lexing ton. He was a member of the First Baptist Church. Member of Lex ington Lodge No. 24, having served as Past Master in 1950. A vet eran of World War n, serving in the Army Air Corps. For a num ber of years he was in the Theatre business, as manager of the form er Star Theatre. He was circula tion manager for the Commercial Appeal for this area. He had also worked for Southern Funeral Home and did some crop dusting. Surviving are: his widow, Mrs. Josephine Holder Upchurch; one son, Buddy Upchurch; his mother Mrs. Edna Adams Upchurch; two brothers, Clarence “Sparkey” Upchurch and Billy Adams Up church all of Lexington; two sis ters, Mrs. Elsie Marks, Tchula and Mrs. Martha Julia Rone ol Senatobia. Pallbearers were: Roy Brown, Bill McLellan, Jack White, Ver non Hathcock, Marion Argueles and Herman Flowers. Cotton Farmers in Holmes county are this week being re minded that Monday, March 16, is the last day operators of upland cotton farms may elect a choice, in writing between the 1959 (A) and (B) allotments and price supports for their farms. W. P. McWilliams of the ASC of fice said the farmers in the county have been slow in making their choice. Of 1950 allotments in the county something like 1000 have not indicated their prefer ence by written statement. Mr. McWilliams said that if a choice is not made, the (A) alio ment automatically applies. (A) is .the regular allotment on cot ton acreage with 80 percent sup port and (B) plan offers 40 per cent in acreage with a 65 percent of parity support. Notices should be filed by mail or by person at the ASC office in Lexington before the deadline. Of fice hours are from 8:00 A.M. to 5 P.M. Monday through Friday. Tchula Senior Play Friday The Tchula Senior Class will present the annual play Friday night, March 13, at 8 o’clock in the High School Auditorium. The play “Galloping Ghosts” is a mystery comedy in three acts by Dora Georgia Thomas and Wil liam Ellis Jones. Characters in the play are Pat Lee who plays the part of Miss Elizabeth Barton; Billy Hutton, as Richard Barton, Billy Moore as Thomas Barton; Jimmy Johnson as Philip Barton; Jane Gwin as Patricia Barton; Betty Sue Gil lespie as Berkeley Barton; Nancy Howard as Mrs. Melinda Todd; Nancy Bardin and Marie Farrell; Bruce Stone as Stephen Dykes; Dorothy Mae Eakin as Madam Dupre and Buster Liberto as Al bert. P. C. Foose Passes Peston C. Foose, 62, died Sun day night in the St. Dominic Hospital at Jackson after a brief illness. He had been a resident of Jack son for the past 22 years. He was a retired switchman for the IC railroad, having served 36 years. He was a former resident of Tchula. Survivors are his wife, Mrs. Josephine Miller Foose; two sons, P. C. Foose, Jr., and Charles Foose, both of Jackson; one dau ghter, Mrs. B. R. Runnels, Hous ton, Texas; three sisters, Mrs. R. G. Williams, Jackson, Mrs. W. C. Smith and Mrs. Abbie Mae Booth, both of Tchula. Services were held Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. from Baldwin runei Home Chapel. Burial followed in Lakewood Memorial park. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH The Reverend Frederick C. Fowler asistant pastor to Dr. John Reed Miller of the First Presby terian Church in Jackson, will be guest supply pastor at the 11:0C a.m. service February 22, at th First Presbyterian Church in Lex ington. Everyone is cordialy invited to attend. i Lexington Methodist Men C To Lend Equipment To Sick The Lexington Methodist Men’s Club is sponsoring a project which will be of benefit to the sick and bed ridden citizens in the commu nity. The club, with Parham Williams, Jr., Wallace Johnson and Chal mers Richardson as committee men, will act as a lending library for sick equipment, such as hospi tal beds, crutches, wheel chairs and any other type of equipment they may obtain. The organization is depending on donations from people in the area who may have equipment of this type lying around in their at tics or which are not in use to lend them to the club. Permission has been granted to store the equipment at the Armory. The committee will accept any usable type of sick equipment and will act as distributors to those in need of such equipment. The club has recently had the donation of a wheel chair from Mrs. M. E. Blake and the chair is now available to anyone who might need it.