Echoes of the Past is a collection of historical articles curated from The West Virginia News, The Greenbrier Independent, White Sulphur Star, and other publications archived since 1852. You may be exposed to content that you find offensive or objectionable. For historical accuracy, articles are reprinted in their original form, and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the publisher.
1922 – 100 years ago
Killed a big copperhead
James Cline, who works at Camp 55, on the Curtin lumber railroad, was in town the last of the week and reported the killing by train crew number two, between Camps 46 and 47, last week, of a very large copperhead snake, probably the largest seen in this section for many a day. The snake measured 44 inches in length, and 114 inches around the largest point. Vol. Dorsey, the engineer, is reported to have left his engine “on high gear” when the reptile was encountered, but returned and proceeded when the monster had been dispatched by other members of the crew.
Mr. Hanna’s rattlers
Lem C. Hanna, formerly of Greenbrier but now employed at a timber operation at Stark, in Boone County, sends The News the rattles from two rattlesnakes which he killed near Blair, Boone County, one having eleven rattles and a button and the other with nine rattles and a button. Lem defies Pocahontas, Monroe or Greenbrier to beat them. It may interest Lem to know that Governor Morgan, while here July fourth, indicated a desire to possess one of these sets of rattles and the set of eleven rattles have been presented to him by THE NEWS.
Two dead in Summers
Earl Gillian and Guy Kersey are dead and Allie C. Gillian and Mose Burdette are lying wounded in a hospital in Hinton as the result of a shooting affray which. took place at Sandstone, Summers County, at five o’clock last Sunday afternoon. The tragedy was the climax to a drunken brawl. Kersey, with another man, whose name is said to have been Ward, were riding past Allie Gilian’s house. It began to rain and they alighted and took shelter under the porch of the house. Mrs. Gillian demanded that they leave, saying that she did not want them on the place. The two Gillians, with Burdette, who is an uncle of Kersey, tried to evict him.
1947 – 75 years ago
Wall of Hinton building falls; No one injured
A most unusual accident occurred at Hinton about 6 o’clock, when almost all of one sidewall of the two-story Keaton Laundry building collapsed, leaving a gaping aperture from foundation to roof and fully 50 feet long.
No one was injured, though all employees, were still in the building, but had left their machines.
Ronald Keaton, 14-year-old son of the owner, who lives next door, had started around the side of the residence when the wall cracked and tumbled into an excavation almost at his feet.
The unsupported edge of the second floor, used for storage and parking the laundry’s trucks, sagged heavily, but no one was on the second floor at the time. Damage to machinery was light, but O. I. Keaton, owner of the plant, estimated damage to the building at from $6,000 to $10,000. Keaton attributed the collapse partially to an excavation being made beside the building for a new addition.
Brothers and sisters wed
Brothers married sisters in a double ceremony performed in Trinity Methodist parsonage here Tuesday afternoon by Rev. George M. Curry. John Wallace Burns and Mary Lewis Persinger, Emerson Andrew Burns and Hazels Gertrude Persinger, all of Fort Spring, were the young people married.
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1972 – 50 years ago
3 die in hijack attempt
By DONALD B. TILACKREY SAN FRANCISCO (UPI)Two foreign-born hijackers and a passenger died in a shootout Wednesday when FBI agents rushed a jetliner on a remote runway of San Francisco International Airport.
FBI agents surrounded the Pacific Southwest Airlines jetliner after the gunmen demanded $800,000, two parachutes and a flight plan to Siberia as ransom for 86 passengers.
FBI agents identified the hijackers as Dmitrov Alexiev, 28, Hayward, Calif., an independent cab driver at the San Francisco airport, and Michael D. Azmanoff, also 28, who recently moved to the Bay Area. The FBI said both had come to the United States in the 1950s and 1960s but did not say from where.
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1997 – 25 years ago
Last two shows of summer at GVT
Greenbrier Valley Theatre is opening the last two shows in its summer season. “The Learned Ladies” opened Thursday, July 10, and “Talking Pictures” opens Saturday, July 12. Both shows perform at the GVT Barn Theatre, Route 219 North of the Greenbrier Valley Airport. All performances are at 8PM.
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Executive session questioned in Spa City
A possible violation of the state’s Sunshine Law threw a personnel decision made by the White Sulphur sic rings City Council into question Monday night.
Over the objections of an attorney, a newspaper reporter and the employee whose future was under discussion, council members voted unanimously to adjourn into executive session to talk about a personnel matter.
The matter regarded White Sulphur Springs police officer Jerry W. Smith, who was suspended with pay in March for alleged criminal actions. Smith’s position was modified in late June to suspension without pay. The council adjourned to executive session despite the objections.
Said Mayor John Bowling regarding the newspaper reporter’s and Smith’s objections, “If that’s the law, then I’m going to violate the law.”
