Thursday, March 9, 1950
Last Friday was another day down in the settlement. The trip was once upon a time a 10-day journey over and back to Fairmont. The occasion was a party and a bit of pageantry in connection with groundbreaking for a twelve million dollar addition by the Monongahela Power Company to their plant in Riversville.
The mayors and the editors of almost a score of communities were invited in, and most of us came. In the mid forenoon, we all stepped from chariots by the banks of the Monongahela. It had come on to rain. There on a plot between railroad and river, were a goodly company gathered for ceremonial breaking of ground…
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The unusual happened up at the farm home of neighbor Forest Underwood on Beaver Creek. On March 1, it was their good luck to have their good young Guernsey cow bring twins – both heifers. They are of average size, rich cream yellow with white faces and are doing fine. They have been named Dawn and Dreama.
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Over in Grant County, the report comes that foxes are afflicted with mange. Out of 23 recently trapped, only six were in good physical condition. This is one of the ways in which nature cuts down wildlife populations when it becomes too heavy.
FIELD NOTES
Here it is Friday morning again, with the thermometer on the zero mark. Ten days ago, farmers were bringing in word of hearing grouse drumming and other signs of spring.
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Turk McLaughlin, Harry King and the rest make report of eleven foxes killed on Red Lick and Gay Knob. The estimate is there are fully a hundred foxes remaining. This report is from a single pack of hounds. Several other packs have been operating on Elk Mountain, with good success.
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Last Tuesday afternoon, Fred Trainer, of Rider Gap, was in town with three head of wildcats. He had been down the National Forest road beyond High Top and got the cats on the head of Meadow Creek. One was a big tom, weighing 27 pounds; the other two were females and much smaller. The week before he got a bobcat which had fed heavily on fresh deer meat.
Recently Mr. Trainer put his hounds on a smart old bobcat. The dogs would put him up a tree, and then he would jump out ahead of the hunter. This was kept up until some eight miles of forest was traveled before he was brought down.
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Neighbor Clark Young said his interest was aroused by reference in last week’s paper to the ghosts of Droop Mountain. In his young days these were common topics of conversation. He mentioned a big old farmhouse, occupied by a prosperous family. The length of the threshold of the front door was an almost solid row of the old time cut nails. The big idea was to keep out ghosts. That it worked is well proven by the fact that ghosts no longer pester there. I take no stock in the belief that a mere row of rusty nails would keep out a ghost which could pass through solid walls regardless. However, cut nails properly driven, in the dark of the moon as token of words fitly spoken, by a man born with a veil, is something else again.
BIRTHS
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Leonard Moses, a daughter Linda Zora.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Moore, of Marlinton, a daughter, Dorrine Sue.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. William Sherman Beard, of Hillsboro, a daughter, Katherine Ann.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Lester Stonewall Turner, of Cass, a son.
DEATHS
James Webster “Webb” Palmer, aged 55, of Marlinton; funeral held from the home of his sister, Mrs. Edd Jackson; burial in Mountain View Cemetery. The deceased was a son of Mrs. Rosa Palmer, of Marlinton, and the late George William Palmer.
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George W. Lytton, died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Z. M. Hanks, at Covington, Virginia. The funeral was conducted in the Loving Funeral Home at Covington with graveside service at Arbovale by the Rev. Harry Blackhurst, of Cass, who has been a friend of the family for many years… Mr. Lytton was one of the early bench carpenters and many of the buildings, both in his former home and in the county, stand as monuments to his skill.
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Bedford W. Alderman, aged 67 years, died at his home on Anthonys Creek. Burial was in the Alderman family cemetery on Douthards Creek, the service being conducted from Coch-ran Creek church. The deceased is survived by his wife and 10 children. Thus, note is made of the passing of an upright, industrious useful citizen.
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News has been received of the recent death of John Howard, aged 86 years, at Foundford, Michigan. He was a brother of the late Judson Howard, of Buckeye, whom he used to visit. He was a newspaper writer and the author of several books.
