Thursday, January 8, 1975
BLOW THE STACK
It was learned last week that the Martin Explosive Corporation, of California, will bring down the smokestack at the old Marlinton Tannery at 8 a.m. January 8. We’re sorry we didn’t know in time to let all our readers know. The Charleston Daily Mail promoted a contest as they previously had done for the Charleston Bridge, to see which citizen or former citizen of Pocahontas would set off the charge.
Wednesday, Mayor Ed Rexrode drew the name of Joe Laskey, of Marlinton, who will set off the 46 charges to lay the stack over toward the vats and river. Mr. Laskey is manager of the Hanover shoe top sewing operation in the Shrader building…
REMINISCING
The smokestack at the Marlinton tannery will come down this Thursday. We have gathered some accounts from The Pocahontas Times during the time of construction and completion of the tannery. Also, we have contacted some former workers for their remembrances concerning the smokestack. Some people hate to see it come down but it seems necessary so plans can be made for new buildings. In later years the smokestack, would deteriorate and cause much damage in removal. Now, it poses no such problem.
Wayne Jackson, of Buckeye, remembers the building of the smokestack and the workers looking so small against the big structure. His family was moving to Elk at the time, and they were riding in a hack – with fringe around the top – up the west side of the river. He remembers asking his father if those were little men and if they had little tables to eat on.
Carmen Sharp said a Chicago firm about 1964 had a contract for tuck pointing 120 feet of the smokestack and putting steel bands on it. This probably does not include the square base. …
Shannon Withers said he always heard it was 150 feet high and six feet across the top, and when it was finished, a man sat down and ate his dinner on top. There was a ladder inside…
The smokestack was completed March 3, 1904.
The tannery began operation September 1, 1904.
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Harlan Kinnison, a son, Clark Hill.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. George Broce, of Lewisburg, a daughter, Cynthia Dawn.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Jason Bauserman, of Bartow, a son, Jeremy Donald.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Young, a daughter, Jennifer Lynn.
DEATHS
Verle Eula “Pig” Pyles, 67, of Baltimore, Maryland; he had worked 35 years for the West Virginia Department of Highways including in Pocahontas County as Supervisor. He was a Navy veteran of World War II, a member of Oddfellows, Masons, American Legion, V. F. W. and a member of the Linden Heights United Methodist Church.
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Mrs. Grace Julia McLaughlin, 79, of Mountain Grove, Virginia. Born in Pocahontas County, a daughter of the late Joseph Newton and Virginia Duncan Friel. Funeral was held from the Chapel of the McLaughlin Funeral Home with interment in the Warm Springs Cemetery.
