Seek Bids on

Dam & Lake

The State Conservation Commission is now accepting bids for construction of a $35,000 dam and lake as part of a state park to be located near Chaffee. Bids will be opened in Jefferson City March 11.

The lake, to cover 36.6 acres, is being built by the commission under its small lake program as part of a 124-acre state park.

It is scheduled to be completed by July and will be open for fishing to all who hold Missouri Licenses.

Land for the park was purchased with money contributed in a drive led by the Scott County Lake Association Under Chairmanship of Steve Barton, Benton attorney. It was bought from J. P. Montgomery of Chaffee and Fred Siebert of Rockview for $6800.

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      Telephone Company

      to have Open House

Everyone is invited to visit the Benton Telephone Building Saturday March 2, for a behind-the-scenes view of Benton’s Telephone system. Robert M. McCollum, manager for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company announced today.

Visitors will see the dial equipment which allows Benton Telephone subscribers to dial each other directly.

    Rural Mail Carriers

Mr. & Mrs. Ben Adams attended a supper of rural mail carriers and their families the Scott-Mississippi County Association  given  by Mr. & Mrs. Levi Miller at the American Legion Hall in  Chaffee.   Mr. Miller has recently retired from service.  He was   presented a watch by the association.

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     Name for New School

The Board of Education for Scott County enlarged School District R-4 has decided to name the new consolidated high school, now under construction, between and Diehlstadt on Highway 55,  “The   Thomas B. Kelly High School”, in honor of Thomas B. Kelly a graduate of the  Benton High School, who gave his life for his country.

Kelly bequeathed a special fund to help other graduates of  his school receive an education provided they attended the Rolla School of Mines. Several boys from this  district  have taken advantage of this fund.

Man Dies of Burns

Jack Arnold,  24, a life-long resident of Benton and  an Air Force veteran, who    suffered burns over most  of his body died.

Jack was making repairs on an oil heater, when it exploded and enveloped his   body in flames.

The explosion ignited his clothing and that of his son, who was  in the room. It also caught the house on    fire,  but Mrs. Arnold  beat  out the fire on the child   and other placed in the room.

Norvel Cannon, a neighbor ran over and rolled Jack on  the ground until the fire was extinguished.  Jack was   taken to the hospital by his  brother, Tom Arnold where   he died.

Jack was born  in 1932 Benton, engaged in   farming with his father James   Arnold.  Married Janice Turk of Alabama.

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Fire Destroys House

Fire of an  undetermined  origin destroyed a frame house on the Earsel  Thompson property in the south part of Benton.

The house was empty except for some miscellaneous items stored in it.

The Benton Fire Department answered the call .

The building was situated on the old Hunter property.