The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1916-03-31
LETCHER COUNTY
AND WHITESBURG.
What is Happening in this
Rich Coal Territory
of Kentucky.

WHITESBURG, KY. March Gal
though high winds have blown since
Sunday splendid weather conditions
prevail throughout the mountains and
farmers generally are taking the adj
vantage of the fine weather and are
getting in readiness to plant bumper
corn crops, tend large gardens and do
an unusual amount OF work generally
this spring and summer. Truck grow
ing will occupy the attention of num-
Der OF our best farmers, especially po-
tato growing, number OF them spec
ializing on that commodity, step in
the right direction. In a number Of
instances farmers are getting wise to
the fact that 1t pays to put much of
their attention to the growing of veg
cables, etc, giving them splendid re-
turns.
The Cumberland Telephone & Tele-
graph company completed their lines
into Blackey the new town in the south
ern end of the county several days ago
and will reach Whitesburg within the
next day or so giving our town con-
nection with the whole outside world.
The completion of this line will add a
new epoch to mountain telephone con-
nection and prove of incalculable BEN
eft to the business interests of the coal
fields section, perhaps the most impor
tant OF telephone connections built in
Kentucky in years. From this city the
lines will be so on extended through
Kona, Seco Fleming. McRoberts and
Jenkins to Pikeville.
~ NJ
At an early hour Saturday morning
Lee Tharp aged about 81. of Quick
sand. Breathitt-co, was killed by an
L. & n. coal train at a point short
distance above the railroad station.
The occurrence Is considered very
mysterious. Some, however. believe
that Tharp intended boarding the train
for his home. while others asert and
believe that his acts were of suici-
dial intent. Instructions as to the dis
position of his body was left in a mem
orandum he carried in coat pocket.
Tharp was knocked by the pilot of the
engine quite little distance before
the engineer saw the body. The re-
mains were prepared and shipped to
Quicksand, his former home for inter
ment.
Tharp had been employed for awhile
on the county road work Immediately
above Whitesburg and had made many
friends in Letcher county.
I TT
1t is announced today at Seco that
The South East Coal Co. will start the
construction OF 80 additional miners
houses at once and the work is to be
rushed rapidly forward TO completion.
H. LAWYERS the manager Of the com
pany was up from Paintsville the past
week and made arrangements to start
the work Additional mines are to be
opened and a large increase in the
company's output is forthcoming.
1t is believed, also, that arrangements
are practically complete for the initial
work on the new plant, the develop
ment of the Tilden Wright tract be-
tween Milestone and Thornton. 1t is
generally believed that this work will
start April or soon thereafter.
TT II
Aunt Elizabeth Hale. aged 80, one of
Letcher countys best loved old women
died at her home at Colson on Rock
house west OF here after a long ill
ness She was the mother Of Elijah.
B. Hale and Nat Hale well known and
popular educators OF Whitesburg, and
the sympathies OF the entire commun-
ity goes out to these good men in the
death OF their aged mother. Aunt Eliz-
abeth was well known all over the
mountains.
tttt
A few days ago Dick Vance OF Crafts
Vile, this county shot and severely
wounded Cricket Collins a farmer Of
Carr's Fork. Knott county, point near
the Letcher- Knott border west OF here.
The shooting is said to have occurred
entirely without provocation. Vance
escaped to the mountains soon after
the shooting and has not been seen
since. He will be rewarded by friends
OF Collins. Vance has a family at
Craftsville.
tttt
Owing to the illness OF Judge John
F. Butler holding n special term of the
Letcher Circuit court he was compell-