30 Years Ago
Week of December 10, 1992
Pendleton Deer Harvest Hits Record 3,402
For 2 Weeks
Firearms Season
A record all-time deer kill may have been set in Pendleton County during the firearms season the last two weeks.
A total of 655 deer were checked in last week during the second week of the season. Last week’s harvest added to the 2,747 killed the previous week brings the total for the two weeks to 3,402. Last week’s kill of 655 compares with 247 taken during the second week of the firearms season last year.
This year’s kill is up dramatically from last year’s 2,041, and it exceeds the previous high of 3,245 set in 1986.
Reed Hammer, Department of Natural Resources game manager for Pendleton County, attributes the large kill this year to factors: mast is scarce and deer are not far back in the woods but out in the open where they are more susceptible to the hunter, and regulations this year permit the killing of a second deer of either sex.
Despite the large kill, officers report less hunting pressure this year than in previous years.
Several trophy deer have been taken this year.
DAHMER
The folks who live out in the country and have a TV receiving signals from an antenna some distance will find the small gauge open copper wire almost impossible to buy. The writer had this problem and through the goodness of the heart of Reed Hammer and Eddie McLain, they knew how to overcome this problem.
40 Years Ago
Week of December 9, 1982
Byrd’s Eye View
By U.S. Senator
Robert C. Byrd
Relief For Our
Footwear Industry
Recently, when I was in West Virginia, I went to the Parsons Shoe Company in Tucker County, which now employs some 150 West Virginians.
When the plant was operating at peak capacity, there were twice that many employees, but a downturn in our domestic footwear industry—brought about largely by the unfair trade practices of foreign shoe manufacturers—has caused massive unemployment at Parsons and at other shoe companies in our state.
Relief from these unfair foreign trading practices and from the flood of cheap shoes coming into the United States must be forthcoming for our shoe manufacturing industry, which comprises a vital portion of the economies of six West Virginia counties.
Over a year ago, import relief for a portion of our domestic shoe industry—relief offered some protection from cheap imports—was terminated.
Since then, over 20,000 footwear workers have been thrown off their jobs, and today, over 60 percent of our domestic market has been taken over by foreign imports.
I also described for US Trade Representative William Brock the plight of 325 West Virginians who worked at the Bata Shoe Company in Elkins, which was recently forced to close its doors because of the troubles in the domemtic shoe industry.
Because of the barriers overseas, foreign footwear cannot enter most countries of the world, and consequently, much of it is diverted to our country, which affords little or no import protection.
Week of December 9, 1982
Corridor H, if Ever Built, Will Go Through
Pendleton
Construction Is Doubtful
If the highway known on paper as Appalachian Corridor H is ever built, it will follow the southernmost route from Elkins to Strasburg, Va., the state department of highways has decided.
But the lack of federal funds for highway building has pushed the possibility of starting the $329-million project far into the future.
DOH will take 1-1/2 years to complete the final version of the EIS, which is the southern route that will continue east from Elkins, pass through Wymer, Seneca Rocks, Petersburg, Moorefield and Wardensville to Strasburg, Va.
The highway was first proposed in 1965 as a way of lining Interstates 81 and 79.
The northern route would follow a course via Montrose, Parsons, Thomas, Mt. Storm, Baker and Wardensville.
DAHMER
On Sunday morning, many here were surprised to see a snowfall of eight and one-half inches with a chilly 16 degree temperature reading. On Monday morning, the coldest spot appeared to be eight below zero at John Harper’s, Alva Harper’s and Wilbur J. Seveir’s, all of Moyers.
50 Years Ago
Week of December 21, 1972
DAHMER
Saturday we had a real old time winter day, with howling winds and whirling snow and low temperature that chilled both man and beast to the bone.
Carlous Puffenbarger of above Sugar Grove who was never known to butcher a poor hog, received 36 gallons of lard from three hogs and this does not include the hog heads.
Probably the oldest man in Pendleton County is Dr. R. L. Thacker who will observe his 95th birthday December 29.
EDITORIAL
Because
It’s Christmas – – –
We rejoice in the sound of the words and the glory of the message: “— on earth peace, goodwill to men.” But we do not always feel the meaning in our hearts and put it to work in our lives.
One who did was Henry Van Dyke, the late American clergyman, writer, and poet whose famous “Story of the Other Wise Man” has brought joy and inspiration to thousands of people over the years. Among his writings is a piece called “The Spirit of Christmas,” and we think you’ll like it as much as we did. We are happy to print it, from us to you:
“We are thinking of you today because it is Christmas—and tomorrow because it will be the day after, and so on through the year. We may not be able to tell you about it every day, but that makes no difference, the thought and the wish will be here just the same…”
“Because it is Christmas”—so many things follow. “Because it is Christmas”—the world stands still for a while, in reverent memory of the Christ child’s birth. “Because it is Christmas”—we hope anew for peace on earth, goodwill to men. “Because it is Christmas”—we resolve that the Spirit of Christmas will stay with us throughout the year.
Of course, the Spirit of Christmas should not be confined to a single day—nor is it. For all those who truly believe in “good will to men” honor it in their hearts and live it in their lives, every day of the year. They cherish the continuing warmth of friendship, the ever-new rebirth of the Babe who lived to teach us peace and love. And though friends may be far away or seldom met, that too “makes no difference”—the steady flow of hope and goodwill continues to bind together those who put their trust in the power of loving kindness, and in all that we mean by humanity.
60 Years Ago
Week of December 13, 1962
100 YEARS AGO
By LON K. SAVAGE
Editor’s Note—The following is one of a series of articles on the Civil War. Each weekly installment covers events which occurred exactly 100 years ago.
Lee Crushes Burnside
At Fredericksburg
Gen. Robert E. Lee, his staff gathered around him, stood on the ridge of Telegraph Hill 100 years ago this week just west of Fredericksburg, Va., and gazed down through the lifting fog below. It was almost too good to be true.
Off to the left below him stood the town of Fredericksburg, shrouded in the mist. To his front, a plain stretched from the hill on which he stood to the Rappahannock River beyond. Ponton bridges led across the river to another range of hills rising on the river’s other side. To his right and left, nestled in hillside rifle pits and gun emplacements, Lee’s 80,000 men waited patiently.
It was 10 a.m., December 13, and as the fog rose, the suns rays fell to the plain, where they glinted off thousands of bayonets. There, fully in Lee’s view, the huge Federal army of Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside, 100,000 strong, moved to and fro, flags and pennants waving, bands playing, all preparing for a hopeless attack on Lee’s hillside position.
Lee’s troops had watched during the past two days as the Federals put up their pontoon bridges and crossed the river. The Rebels had shot at the construction crews, harrassing them until Burnside finally shelled Fredericksburg with his artillery. Then the Federals crossed, as the Confederates took position in the hills, their guns zeroed in on the plain that the Federals had to cross.
Burnside ordered his men forward in two attacks, one on each of the Confederates’ flanks, and the men moved resolutely forward to the slaughter.
To Lee’s left, the Federals poured from the streets of Fredericksburg, yelling “Hi, Hi,” and swarmed across the plain toward a sunken road and stone wall, behind which 2,500 Confederates waited in an impregnable position.
The Confederate artillery and muskets volleyed into the charging Federals, knocking them down by scores, but new waves of men followed them. Six times the Federals charged, according to one general’s count, and the blue clad bodies piled three deep at points.
A Federal officer, viewing the scene from a Fredericksburg church steeple, cried, “See how our men, our brave fellows, are falling.” And another described it: “The whole plain was covered with men, prostrate and dropping, the live men running here and there, and in front closing upon each other, and the wounded coming back.” Not one armed Federal reached the stone wall alive, but 5,000 fell in the attempt.
Off to Lee’s right, Federal Gen. George C. Meade led another attack with equal vigor but with little more success. At one point, his men broke through the line of “Stonewall” Jackson, but Lee quickly sent forth reenforcements, drove the Federals back and patched the hole.
The sun set early that short December day, and the attack melted away to the cries of the wounded and dying on the frozen battlefield. In all, more than 12,000 Federals and 5,000 Confederates were casualties.
Next day—it was Sunday—Burnside was near tears. “Oh! those men! those men!” he wailed, referrring to the dead and wounded. “I am thinking of them all the time.” Then, facing up to the harsh realities of war, he withdrew the remnants of his army across the river whence it had come.
Next week: Grant is halted.
70 Years Ago
Week of December 11, 1952
DAHMER
Charles W. Hoover, who will soon be 79 years old, is still active and keeps in good spirit and can relate old time stories accurately and well. He will always remember the deep snow which fell in 1889, or sixty-three years ago, when he was living in the home of Henry Rexrode (Uncle Henry). His son, Aaron, and Z. J. Bowers and others had gone across Shenandoah Mountain with wagons to haul goods from Harrisonburg back to Pendleton. They camped on the Virginia side when the snow fell, and it took them several days to get back with the horses. Mr. Hoover was left at home to take care of the feeding. The first morning after the snow had fallen, Uncle Henry wanted Charley to go to the “Old Place” and feed the cattle, which was quite a distance from home. Uncle Henry concluded to walk out on the old porch. He did so and in some way or manner fell down off the porch into the deep snow with a big kerchug! and a real cooling off, and a new experience for Mr. Rexrode and one to be remembered by Mr. Hoover.
New Four–H Club
Is Formed at Riverton
A group of Riverton youth met with the assistant county agent Ken Bragg at the home of Mrs. Lela Ruddle and organized a new Four-H club under the name of “Dixie Hustlers.” Officers are Sue Phares, president; Joan Ruddle, vice president and song leader; Norma Jean Raines, secretary and treasurer; and Charles Robert Teter, reporter.
Mr. Bragg explained the different projects to the new clubbers and led them in learning the pledge and a club song.
Mrs. Ruddle is the club leader and Mrs. Estyl Ruddle is assistant. Mrs. G. E. Teter and Mrs. E. B. Phares comprise the adult council for the club, which will meet on the third Thursday evening of each month at 7:30 o’clock.
