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Indications point to the early resumption of work on the highway leading from Hartsville to Lafayette. The war stopped work after it had been started near the Macon-Trousdale Line, a mile below Hillsdale. This was largely completed to the Dry Fork bridge. Under the new set-up, it is expected that work will begin soon on the Hartsville end of the unfinished stretch, which is seven or eight miles long. This work, it is reported, is to start on the Dixon Springs Highway, two or three miles east of Hartsville, near the old Winston farm, using the present highway that leads through Mungle’s Gap, part of the way, thence coming on north to the present highway not far form Linville’s shop. This would place the highway on the east side of Big Goose Creek all the way from near Lafayette to the Carthage-Hartsville Highway.

Surroundings for a new bridge across Dry Fork at Meadorville, and another across the Ferguson Branch nearby, have been made, drilling having been done to determine how deep it is to a solid rock foundation. Plans now are for a two-way bridge at each place now spanned by a one-way bridge.

About eight o’clock Friday morning, a near fatal tragedy occurred at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Jenkins in Lafayette, when Mrs. Jenkins’ granddaughter, two year old Jean Taylor, used a hammer on a dynamite cap. The resultant explosion mangled the child’s left hand so badly that a surgeon at the Lebanon hospital had to remove half the thumb, and all the front finger and the little finer on that hand. The palm of the hand was also badly injured, but the doctor is trying to build this up.

The suffering baby was rushed to the office of Dr. Howser in Lafayette, who gave first-aid treatment and sought to stop the flow of blood and then sent the baby to the hospital. The time required on the operating table was nearly three hours and the child came near dying from loss of so much blood. However, she is now able to be up and to run about the hospital.

The injured child is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Taylor, of Morgantown, Ind. They and one other child, a half-brother of the injured baby, had arrived at the Jenkins home only four hours before the accident. The seven-year-old half-brother, Norman Edward Davenport, found the caps in the top of the Jenkins woodshed, where Mr. Jenkins had hidden them after doing some blasting a well. He gave one of them to the little girl who used the hammer on the cap, with dire results.

While Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Russell, who have resided near Lafayette for some time, were absent from their home Sunday morning, the small frame house owned by them burned to the ground. A call to the Lafayette Fire Department was heeded, but the two fire engine arrived too late to do anything toward saving the building. The fire was discovered by a neighbor at the basement and nothing was saved from the house. There was not a cent of insurance and Mr. and Mrs. Russell lost all their belongings, including their stored fruit, potatoes, etc.

Friends of this couple, both of whom are growing old, are contributing to their help. Anything that can be used by these two will be appreciated. Contributions in the form of cash can be mailed to or left at the Times office. Give these two a lift in their old age, with anything that can be spared, clothing, food, furniture. Such donations as these mentioned last should be give directly to Mr. or Mrs. Russell as we are too crowded at the Times office to care for such items of help

The following forty-eight native Macon County men were killed in action, or died of wounds, in World War II.

Pvt. Thomas W. Bowman; Pfc. Connie B. Brawner; Pfc. William Hesson; Pfc. Clessie L. Perdue; Pvt. Willie Collie Nixon; Pvt. Robert Wix; Pvt. Louie Cook; Pvt. Willie Matthews; Pvt. Edward C. Matthews; Charles Reese Parkhurst; Lt. Cecil Raymond Robertson; S/Sgt. Blonnie R. Cooper; Sgt. Freedom D. Nash; Pfc. James E. Dyer; Pfc. Jesse L. Cothron; Pvt. Leslie S. Harper; Pfc. Cordis Gregory; Pfc. Jasper T. Smith; Pfc. Albert H. Smith; S/Sgt. Don C. Leath; Pvt. Leland Thomas; Pvt. Paul R. Walrond; S/Sgt. Fred Vance Cothron; Pvt. Coy Carter; Pvt. Lenzley R. Barber; Pfc. Hubert Carter; Pfc. Willard C. Gulley; Pvt. Dillard E. Gulley; 1st, Lt. Harold H. Tucker; T/5 Leonard H. White; Cpl. Elvis E. Fuqua; Cpl. Lewis Davis; Pfc. Claudia R. Steen, Pfc. C.H. Gregory; Pvt. Woodrow W. Cherry; Pvt. Edgar L. Casidy, Jr.; Pvt. Cortest Johnson; Pvt. John (Pat) Parker; Pfc. Jesse D. Denham; Pvt. Aaron Morgan; Pvt. Clyde Huffines; Cpl. Prentice Morrow; Pvt. Hobart Raymond Harper; Hooper Harwood; Arville Frost; Pfc. Delmar C. Deckard; (rank unknown Leon A. Carr); (rank unkown Andrew Jackson Lovelady.)

Compiled by Mrs. Ethel Herald war Correspondent for The Nashville Banner, and The Nashville Tennessean in World War II

Approximately 1,000 Macon County men volunteered or were drafted in World War II.

Miss Mildred Petty, aged 22 years, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Orvin Petty, who reside between Lebanon and Carthage, died early Monday morning at a Nashville hospital as the result of injuries received about one o’clock Sunday morning, just over the line Davidson county in Williamson county. With her at the time was a man named Kennedy, who is reported to have said that Miss Petty fell from his car, when he turned a corner suddenly. He was arrested on a charge of involuntary manslaughter and was later released under bond of $1,000. His attorney would not let the accused man make a statement about the happening.

The remains were brought to Peyton’s Creek Baptist church at Monoville for funeral services on Tuesday afternoon with Elder Phocian Gibbs in charge. Burial was made in the Dixon Springs Cemetery.

Miss Petty leaves in addition to her parents, two sisters, Mrs. Lewis Rankin, of Hartsville; Miss Ruth Allen Petty; two brothers, R.H. and Charles Petty, all of near Lebanon; and three of the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Nixon, of near Monoville; and Mrs. J.T. Petty, of Chestnut Mound. She was a relative of the Nixon’s of this county.

Three and a half years ago Miss Petty and one of our Macon County soldiers, Rodney Smith, of near Lafayette, were married, the wedding taking place while he was at home on furlough. After his discharge from the Army early this year, they lived together for perhaps a month, separating and later obtaining a divorce and Mrs. Smith resuming her maiden name.

Two weeks ago Edgar Lee Eden, aged 12 years, lost both eyes in the explosion of a bottle into which he had dropped some hot ice and then screwed the cap on the bottle. The resultant explosion sent glass flying into the boy's face and both eyeballs were split by the sharp glass. He was rushed to Nashville where both eyes had to be removed by a surgeon, leaving him stone blind the remainder of his days.  He has recovered in a physical way, but is now left in a world of total darkness with no hope of ever seeing again. He sadly expressed his wish not to come back to Lafayette because he could not see his playmates and friends. He is to be pitied and a movement is underway to raise a fund to help the boy who is expected to try to enter the school for the blind. All who want to help this child are urged to send their donations to this paper, designating it as a gift to this child. Proper credit will be given through the paper from time to time.

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