Stack removal is called ‘end of era’

-Sequoyah County Times, Dec. 10,1998

From the files of Your Sequoyah County Times

25 Years Ago

(From the Dec. 10,1998, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —“It’s the end of an era,” John Ellis, president of Sequoyah Fuels near Gore, said last week as the smoke stack on the uranium processing plant was being dismantled.

The “stack” as the remaining employees at Sequoyah Fuels refer to the structure, was built in 1968-69 when Sequoyah Fuels was constructed by then-owner Kerr-McGee Corp.

Ellis said the stack was a little over 150 feet tall, and was constructed in 22foot sections.

Since the uranium-processing plant is no longer in operation, maintaining the stack has become a problem, Ellis said, and it was decided to dismantle the structure.

Ellis said a preliminary survey indicates there is some contamination inside the stack, and further surveys will be taken when the stack is totally dismantled and on the ground. If that contamination is determined to be dangerous, the stack sections will be bagged and stored on a concrete pad until the NRC approves Sequoyah Fuels’ decommissioning plan.

—Roland Lake is expected to be producing water for Roland residents by February, if the weather cooperates, David Redden, Roland city administrator, said this week.

Roland’s new water source and growth in the town are closely linked, Redden said.

Roland Lake will cover 54 acres, be 65 feet deep and will provide 800,000 gallons of water per day. Roland residents currently use about 300,000 gallons a day, and the new lake and water treatment plant are expected to meet the needs of Roland for the next 75 years.

Growth in Roland, during the last four years especially, has been phenomenal, Redden said.

“I think the water project did and will have an impact on growth,” he said.

50 Years Ago

(From the Dec. 6,1973, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —Sequoyah County’s roads and highways were near normal Sunday despite President Nixon’s request that motorists stay home, a spokesman for the county sheriff’s department said this week.

Leo Matlock, county deputy, said he could not see any significant cutback in the number of vehicles on the highways despite the threat of serious energy shortage nationwide.

A mandatory closing of service stations on Sunday was not enacted to date, though numerous facilities around the state and nation closed voluntarily in an effort to conserve dwindling energy supplies.

Some stations in the county were closed Sunday, but around Sallisaw, it appeared managers chose to remain open to serve interstate and local patrons with their products.

75 Years Ago

(From the Dec. 10,1948, issue of the Sequoyah County Times) —With only a matter of two weeks and a few days left until Christmas, local stores report an onslaught of Christmas shopping business.

Shoppers seem to be taking more time to shop according to several different clerk’s opinions, and they are also demanding better quality things than last year.

And then of course there’s the not to be forgotten windows full of toys that look bigger and better and brighter than ever this year with more children wanting different new toys because they are available.

Yes, Christmas shopping Sallisaw is in full swing and if there’s any slump in Christmas business through the nation, it sure didn’t get to Sallisaw.

If you don’t think so, why just walk through the stores, especially on Saturday, and try to get a clerk.

—How a Sallisaw woman became the first elected woman county attorney in the history of the Southwest, was dramatized last night at 6:15 p.m., over KV-OO on Ken Miller’s program, “Assignment Southwest.”

Mrs. Amelia Patterson Frye, our incoming county attorney, was the featured personality.

100 years ago

(From the Dec. 7,1923, issue of the Sequoyah County Democrat)

—Hus Andrews and Gordon Hall, two youthful store looters who robbed Mayo & Company hardware store last week are now in jail. They were caught in Van Buren, Ark., a few hours after they had successfully looted the store of guns and ammunition.

The boys entered the store from the rear early in the evening and after arming themselves with rifles, pistols and ammunition they caught a freight train east. The boys were noticed at Van Buren by George Roberts, Missouri-Pacific special officer and their arrest followed. They confessed to the official, who in turn notified the local police officials. Night Patrolman Chuculate went to Van Buren on the Rainbow Special and brought the “looters” back to this city.

Andrews is 18 years of age and lives in Morrilton, Arkansas and Hall is 17 years old and hails from Fort Worth, Texas. They met in Fort Smith a few days before looting Mayo’s store and passed through this city the night before the robbery, according to their statement. They returned to this city and decided to go hunting, but they needed guns and ammunition, so they decided to make their selection for the proposed hunting trip at Mayo’s.

—The December term of district court began to grind Thursday morning when Noah Mefford’s case was called for trial. He is charged with shooting to death of Tom Manly early this fall.

The first three days of the present

SEE term of court were devoted to civil matters and arranging the defendants that are to be tried during this term of court. The corridors at the county temple of justice have been jammed with court fans, witnesses and others who have business to transact this week. Many of them stay around the courthouse all day, waiting their turn to appear in the courtroom, either as a witness for the state or defendant or to be on time in order to get a good seat in the spectator department.

Hogs Cause Murder Mefford, it is alleged shot Manly with a .32 caliber pistol following a dispute over some hogs. The shooting occurred near Gore in September. The case has attracted much attention among the people of the west end. More than fifty witnesses were subpoenaed in the case.

Mefford is a middle-aged man and has lived in this county several years.