Everyone involved with conducting our annual Fourth of July observance sure gave a sigh of relief when this year's event came to a close. One who has never been involved in helping to put on such an activity can not possibly imagine all of the work that is involved and the details that must be worked out by those in charge.
On behalf of our City Council and all of our citizens, I want to thank Jake Bennett and members of the Tourism Commission, the Cupp Family for arranging for Saturday's outstanding program including its participants, our local entertainers, Leroy Ruiz, our city crews, Rescue Squad, police officers and everyone who helped in any way. And I especially want to thank Jerome Smith, Jerry Hyslope, Mike Johnson and the fellows who did the actual igniting of our fireworks during such a dangerous time.
The strong thunderstorm with its potentially lethal lightning began to move into our area a few minutes before the singing was scheduled to conclude. And some felt for safety's sake that the fireworks should be postponed due to the danger the lightning presented to those fellows. (A bolt of lightning striking the entire cache of fireworks could have been catastrophic.) But they were determined that they were not going to see so many folks disappointed and especially not all of the kids who were so eagerly anticipating their start. They insisted upon lighting the rockets, etc. and they continued to do so right on through the lightning and rain until completion. Thankfully all went well. (I know it's probably a terrible thing to say, but several in attendance have commented to me that the lighting bolts added greatly to the affects of the fireworks.)
I have said it before and I am saying it again, no town is more blessed in having outstanding city employees than is Jellico, and we need to let them know just how much we appreciate them. Down through the years I have lost track of the number of times that they have worked on their own time to help with tasks that they thought would benefit our town.. Like everyone else, they cannot possibly do everything that needs to be done or everything that they would love to see done. But they sure give it the old college try!
I have really had the responses from readers since my last column. Some wanted to know if I had discontinued writing since I did not get out an article for a couple of weeks (I just took a few days for a short vacation). Others took me to task for calling the old Gay Theatre on North Main Street the Capital Theatre (which it later became after being relocated to the present site of Rite Aid Drug). I knew better but Father Time just has a way of playing tricks on the old memory bank. And I received numerous e-mails from readers pertaining to my request for a "Veterans Are Not Fonda Jane" bumper sticker. The e-mail poured in from all over this country from folks who read my column on the Internet - citing locations where those and other similar bumper stickers can be purchased - ranging from Lisa Casey at our local Netlink server to Kenneth Reynolds who stated that he is a Marine Corps Veteran of Vietnam but who did not list his physical location. But he did include his e-mail address. Thanks to you Mr. Reynolds and to all of our Vietnam Veterans for your service. I doubt if any of you will ever forget Jane Fonda's treachery and especially what she did to our Americans held prisoner of war.
Two of my former students also signed on to give me possible Internet vendors including Denny Bridges in Lexington, Kentucky and Bryan Hackler who did not give his physical location but who also listed his e-mail address..
It is always interesting to hear from Bryan because our stories seem to be much the same - once possibly even liberals who have now become so conservative that we have moss growing on our backs. (We taught Bryan well at Jellico High!) He stated in his e-mail, "Even though Vietnam was before my time, I realize what a slap in the face her (Fonda's) conduct was (and still is) to everyone who has served in our armed services."
After taking a few well-deserved digs (at least in our estimation) at some of our country's most liberal politicians, he concluded by commenting on our town and encouraged us to, "Keep up the good work you are doing. PS I enjoyed your words about Barton Siler. Although he and I graduated in the same year, I hardly knew him. However I thank him for his service to our country and I appreciate all the kind words you have for him and all of our armed forces". (Barton's sister who now lives in Lafollette came to see me as did his closest high school friend who lives and works in Paintsville, Kentucky. Both came to thank me for those words - and talk about something that can really humble a person.)
As the Veterans group who conducted our Fourth of July presentation of our National Colors and Flags representing our Armed Forces were talking prior to the start of that ceremony, our troops now need our support more than ever. As the patriot Thomas Paine wrote during the American Revolution when things were not going so well for the Americans, , "these are the times that try men's souls" - and we sure don't need to lessen our support now for our fighting men and women who are in harm's way.
An interesting e-mail came in from Martha Anderson Harrison, who stated that she is former resident of Oswego, born in 1925 and now living in Pensacola, Florida.. She named some of her relatives living in Jellico including Lee Davis and Police Officer Jeff Smith and expressed her hope that Rarity Mountain will be help to our local area... She ended her correspondence with a very nice compliment, "You are doing a great job. I wish to thank you!"
Jake Bennett informed me that one of the sponsors of the group of young people here this summer from Colorado made it a point to tell him of the great amount of improvements that have been made to the appearance of our town since they were last here just two (2) years ago..
During both of my campaigns for the office of mayor, I have emphasized several goals for our town. But the most important one of those goals by far is developing a new "can do" attitude among our folks that we can bring our town back. And according to the fellow from Colorado, he could both see and feel that attitude now coming into play in Jellico.. If that is true, then ninety percent (90%) of our battle is won.
I tend to think he is right because a citizen told me last weekend that he has lived in Jellico for the past thirty-five (35) years - moving here long after the collapse of the coal industry and the golden years of our town - and he said that Jellico now looks the best and has the most life than it has ever previously had during all of those thirty-five years. But we have to stay at it!
Lisa Casey also sent me an e-mail dealing with a subject that I have written about before, Jellico, Texas that once bloomed and then almost completely disappeared from the map - something we sure don't want to happen to Jellico, Tennessee.. According to Texas historical information advertising the ghost town of Jellico, "In 1881, the town's founder, Robert Emmett Wilson, bought property here. In 1888 he built a store on the north side of the Keller-Grapevine road. In 1897 the town was named after the Jellico ranch - which has been named after a town of that name in Tennessee.
'At its height, the town's post office served about 300 people. The Jellico general store closed in 1912 as neighboring towns like Keller and Grapevine grew. According to the Handbook of Texas, the only reminder of Jellico today is a shopping center Jellico Corners".
I was out of town at the time so I did not receive an e-mail forwarded by Joe Brown in time to act upon it. According to that e-mail, "Rumor has it that the Tuskegee Airmen are going to be flying into the new Williamsburg Airport on Friday, July 1 or maybe July 2..
'Just thought that the local people would enjoy coming out to see them. They are presenting a plaque to the honor of one of the original flyers who was from Williamsburg.
'Rumor also has it they are going to be giving rides. I think they are bringing old WWII planes. Hope someone goes out and takes pictures, etc.."
I certainly hope that someone took some photos as well. The Afro-Americans who served with the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II and who posted such an outstanding combat record, are finally receiving the recognition that they so richly deserve.
And mail of the old fashioned US Post Office variety came to me from Rev. James Kilgore, Church of God Mountain Assembly, who commented on my earlier article citing the fact that both Hank Snow and Johnny Cash included Jellico in their versions of the song, "I've Been Everywhere". Although Snow did not write the song, I have always understood that he insisted upon including Jellico. (And as I wrote then, Snow was actually here in the very early 1950's).
Rev. Kilgore even went so far as to furnish me the words to the song including the verse that includes Jellico: "I've been everywhere man: crossed the deserts bare, man; I've breathed the mountain air man; travel - I've had my share, man; I've been everywhere; I've been to: ………..Jacksonville…Springfield…Bakersfield…Shreveport…Hackensack… Cadallac… Fond du Lac….Davenport…..Idaho…..JELLICO..…Argentina…..Catalina, (etc.)."
Rev. Kilgore also furnished me information verifying something that I once wrote concerning the two best known "unknown" songwriters in the history of music - Boudleaux and Felice Bryant. And his information also verified the fact that their songs produced something like 600 hits recorded by most country, popular and even "pops" recording artists. When Felice passed away a few months ago following Boudleaux in death, she had one of the biggest funerals ever conducted in the city of Nashville. And the media at that time reported that sales of their songs had already exceeded $ 500,000,000 and could possibly reach the one-billion dollars mark within the next several years.
But their biggest money maker was a song that they wrote only for fun, started to throw away but kept in the back of a notebook for eight (8) years just in case they might need a line from it.. Eventually the Osborne Brothers talked them into allowing them to record it and the rest is history for Big Orange fans. I once had the pleasure of being in their company following a University of Tennessee football game and they were still in a state of shock with the unbelievable success of "Rocky Top" that eventually became their biggest money maker..
I was walking in the park the other day and although my broken ankle is healing very slowly, I can still feel the affects. Charles Violet stopped in his truck and jokingly told me that he used to see me walking very fast and carrying a cane that I didn't need. Now I walk slow and look like I need a cane." Ouch! But he's right on in my case! And its seems to me that more and more folks are reaching that state! Father Time? Nah, can't be! (Might be contagious!)
E-mail me at: mayor@jellico.tn.us
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