Snowstorm provides challenge to students ... and more
Originally published: June 21. 2009 3:01AMLast modified: June 21. 2009 12:10AM
Snowstorm provides challenge to students
We wrote recently about a true local story by Douglas Scott Clark of Maryville which was published in Country magazine.
His younger brother, Buddy Earl Clark, now a resident of Catonsville, Maryland, wrote a story about the two of them in a severe snow storm. Douglas rewrote the story and submitted it to Country Extra where it was published recently.
The Clarks had moved from the Wildwood area to Singleton Station Road near Lakemont but they continued to attend Porter School. Their father took them daily to Rockford where they caught the Porter school bus.
One warm November day, the heating system at school failed, school let out at noon and the bus brought them to Rockford where they got off in six inches of snow. Unable to call their father, they headed the three miles to home. They finally reached home safely but older brother Doug taught his younger sibling a valuable lesson, "Don't give up, no matter the odds!"
After that close call, their parents enrolled them in Kit Carson Elementary School which was much nearer to their home.
Pittsburgh area has pipeline to Blount
While we are not strongly attracted to genealogy, we do enjoy an overall look at it to better understand history and how the westward migration occurred.
Both sides of my family ancestors followed the very common route to settlement in Blount County. Born in England and reaching the United States in the late 1600s, they landed in Delaware then went a short distance westward to Pennsylvania. From there, over the years, they came south through Virginia and Cumberland Gap to Blount County.
In writing about local history we have also noted how our early industry had its roots in western Pennsylvania. J. W. Fisher, grandfather of John W. Fisher who grew up on High Street, brought the first industry. He moved from Manns Choice, Pa., to Newport and established the Schlosser tannery at Walland about 1900. Manns Choice, known for its Coral Caverns, is located in southwest Pennsylvania, not too far from Pittsburgh.
Needing tree bark for the tannery operation, Fisher went to Pittsburgh and advised Col. W. B. Townsend of the opportunity to log the Smokies. Col. Townsend and fellow investors came to Blount County, established Little River Lumber Co. and its subsidiary Little River Railroad in 1900, the same time the tannery began operation. Little River Lumber annually sold the tannery 280 box car loads of bark needed for tanning.
Very soon afterthat, about 1910, ALCOA, headquartered in Pittsburgh, decided to locate an aluminum smelter in Blount County because of the nearby unharnessed Little Tennessee River. The company designed the world's first plan to harness an entire watershed, planning dams on the river which begins in north Georgia, flows through western North Carolina into Blount County and the Tennessee River. Smelting aluminum requires large quantities of electricity. The smelter began operation in 1913.
In the course of all this activity, Babcock Lumber Co., which is also still headquartered in Pittsburgh saw the lumbering opportunities. It built a major sawmill operation in Tellico Plains and in 1915 opened its Tennessee headquarters and a major mill operation in Alcoa.
All of these industries came from southwest Pennsylvania.
More than 30 years later, ALCOA brought Harrison Construction Co. to Blount County from Pittsburgh when it was building the North Plant, so essential to producing aluminum for airplanes in the World War II effort. One of the people who came with Harrison was Carle M. Davis who was later president as was his son, Mike, who recently retired.
In talking with Mike about the migration, he gave me a clipping about his great grandfather, John N. Davis for whom the highest peak in Pennsylvania is named. Mount Davis is 3,213 feet above sea level. Located in Somerset County, it is between Manns Choice and Pittsburgh.
John N. Davis wasa well known surveyor and timber cruiser who was agent for a firm that purchased several thousand acres of timber in the area. Davis was District Superintendent of Public Schools in Elk Lick Township and a German Baptist (now known as Brethren) preacher.
According to the clipping from the Casselman Chronicle of Springs, Pa., in the early 1920s a dedication ceremony was held with a flag erected on the peak.
John Davis volunteered for service near the beginning of the Civil War and served in the 171st Pennsylvania Regiment. Shortly after his term of service was completed, he was drafted into the Union Army. Electing not to serve, he followed the common practice of employing a substitute at a cost of $2,000 to take his place in the army. In the years after the war, he did extensive surveying in southwest Pennsylvania.
It appears Blount County may have had a direct pipeline from southwestern Pennsylvania.
Johnny Johnson is Citizen of Year
Johnny and Jodi McTeer Johnson returned to their native Blount County, retiring in Townsend some months ago, but Johnny can't live down his past.
They returned to Morgan City, Louisiana, this past week where Johnny was honored by the Rotary Club as Citizen of the Year.
Johnny, who lettered in baseball and swimming at UT, is a co-founder of Oceaneering International, the largest firm in the world involved in under water projects.
While much of its work is with oil rigs at sea, it recovered the black box from an Air India plane at 15,000 feet deep, helped with recovery of the Challenger Space Shuttle, and assisted with recovery of the Civil War Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley, first ever to sink a ship.
Railfans have good summer opportunities
Railroad fans who enjoy riding trains of yesteryear should be pleased to know that 77 restored railroad operations in 36 states are offering trips with a meal included this summer. Railfan and Railroad magazine did the computation of opportunities.
These are basically tourist-oriented operations and does not include Amtrack or other regularly operating lines such as the Alaska Railroad.
America's love for trains didn't die as the railroads essentially ended passenger options in favor of the much more profitable hauling of freight.
Effort would save Pearl Harbor tower
A non-profit organization, Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor at Ford Island, Hawaii, is seeking donations to preserve the world-famous airfield control tower on Ford Island.
Neglect and corrosion accelerated by salt and wind now endanger the tower, a survivor of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. Structural engineers warn that this survivor of the attack on American soil may soon collapse without immediate restoration.
While any donations will be appreciated and put to use, the group specifically requests donations of $19.41 and $41 because of the symbolic meaning. One of the most appealing requests is for $100 which in return will bring the donor a three-DVD boxed set "Remember Pearl Harbor," featuring exclusive color footage which sheds new light on the attack.
An extra feature of the DVD set is "Stories From Battleship Row," telling what happened aboard eight battleships during the attack. Because of the receipt of the DVD, not all of the $100 is an allowable deduction for income tax purposes. The receipt showing donation made will indicate the amount deductible.
Since the museum's Hangar 37, Phase I Grand Opening on Dec. 7, 2006, more than 200,000 have visited. The museum lists the Dec. 7 attack as the defining moment of our nation in the 20th century, a day the "sleeping giant awakened," establishing its role as the defender of freedom in the world. The museum address: P.O. Box 29988, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96820-2388.
U.S. cavalry's last charge was in Mexico
It was 90 years ago this month - June 16, 1919 - when the last major use of a wholly American cavalry unit in mounted combat occurred.
Some 3,600 troops fought their way 15 miles into Mexico after a Mexican revolutionary faction led by Francisco "Pancho" Villa harassed residents of El Paso, Texas. The U.S. reprisal, limited by initial orders to 15 miles, came after the rebels, in a nine-year-old effort in Mexico, fired on U.S. troop headquarters and a ricocheting sniper round killed Pvt. Sam Tusco in the command post.
During an attack on Ciudad Juarez by U.S. forces, including artillery, Pancho's forces "scattered like quail," leaving more than 200 dead. Returning back to the U.S. the forces found more than 50 abandoned Mexican saddles, 300 horses and burros and 100 rifles, some of German make.
The cavalry had pursued the Mexicans at full gallop, losing 40 horses that died due to sheer exhaustion.
A recent story in the VFW magazine details the attack and questions some of the casualty figures.
Earlier Pancho hadbecome notorious to Americans for killing 16 U.S. citizens in Columbus, New Mexico, in 1916.
The June 1919 event is referred to as the "last charge" of the U.S. cavalry but that is not entirely correct. Some 300 troopers rode 50 miles into Mexico Aug. 18-14, 1919, pursuing bandits who had kidnapped and held for ransom U.S. aviators.
In view of the extreme Mexican drug war violence occasionally drifting north of the border, such reoccurrences could be in the offing.
Vancouver is getting ready for Winter Games
Tickets are already on sale for the 2010 Winter Olympics to be held in Vancouver, Washington.
It was only in 1994 that the tradition began to hold the Winter Olympics and the Summer Olympics on different years, with two years separating each of the events.
The first recorded Olympic Games was held at Olympia in ancient Greece in 776 B.C. They were held every four years for 1,000 years.
The modern Olympic Movement started in 1894 when the French educator Pierre de Coubertin brought together a group of sports and philosophy leaders from around the world for the International Athletic Congress. The group later became the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and decided to revive the games.
In 1896, the first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens, Greece. At that time it included only summer games.
The first winter sport to be included was figure skating in 1908. By 1924, enough winter games had been added to stage the first Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix, France. For the next 68 years, the summer and winter games were held the same year.
Six quarters coins honor U. S. territories
As most readers know, this year the U.S. Mint is following up its 50 state quarters by issuing six other quarters honoring U.S. territories. They are for Washington, D. C.; American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianna Islands, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.
The new quarters give rise to new quiz questions and answers:
Which two territories were together dubbed the "Island of Thieves" due to the natives' propensity to seize European landing boats?
Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. First discovered by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, these islands were home to the Chamorro People, who had no conception of private property.
Which territory was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493 during his second voyage to the New World?
Puerto Rico. After Christopher Columbus arrived in Puerto Rico during his second voyage on Nov. 19, 1493, it turned into an important Spanish stronghold and port. It became an unincorporated U.S. Territory in 1900.
Which territory was developed under the watchful eye of George Washington and today is specially designated as a federal district?
District of Columbia. The U. S. Constitution provided for a federal district, distinct from the states, to serve as the permanent national capital.
Dean Stone is editor of The Daily Times.
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