BOONE
SKETCHES
By J. C. R.
'IMITATION OF LIFE"
Maybe Darwin was right . . . who
knows? Anyway, as you casually
drift along Boone's one and only busi?
ness street you can't
help but notice imiS'
tations that cause
Kf your imagination to i
m "^? hark back to long, I
I' :*.^: M long tails . . . and]
cocoanut trees. For
p ^ J instance ... a polij||
tician trying to act
?f * Z Sr*' sS like a statesman . . .
a ^^ a c^lurc^iman of
IS 4 %liP^ modest influence
v -ff| JR posing as a leader of
Christianity ... a
newly-hatched school
"Jim" committeeman wearing
the troubled countenance of a
great educator ... a jerker of soda
who acts the part of a Bairymore
... a fair lady whose imitation of
the charming Garbo is not at all bad;
a sixteen-year-old miss who believes,,
sincerely, that she's as sophisticated
as a DuBarry ... a regular drinker
of whiskey engaged in an argument
for temperance ... a non-convincing i
minister who wishes Spurgeon was
half his horse-power . . . second-rate !
printers, plumbers, pair.tecs and nar- i
pen-tors modestly leading the world j
to believe that they're craftsmen of
the first water . . . little girls, little |
boys, young ladies, young gentlemen, i
settled men and women of middle j
years . . . all pretending they're just j
a notch or two further up the ladder j
than they really are. Maybe Darwin j
was WRONG . . . but monkeys, too, i
are great imitators!
THE PASSING SHOW
Mayor Watt Gragg, gallant as Jimmie
Walker and a whole lot larger,1
likes to entertain the ladies along;
Main Street (sorta like Clyde Hoey) I
. - nWri ho wnars a rose . . . morn-!
ing night and noon.
Dr. George K. Moose for the pasc j
twenty years has smoked two cigars ;
each evening before retiring . . . light- :
Ing the second from the charred butt j
of number one.
Ab Mullins came to Boone from |
West Virginia on account of Uie good j
fishing hereabouts . . . went into mc j
grocery business and now is 30 darn' i
busy he can't get a chance to enjoy j
his favorite sport.
Rev. J. C. Canipe of the Baptist j
Church keeps up with the news . . .
political and otherwise . . . and he can |
make vou laugh loud with his fun- j
ny stories, . . . clean ones, of course, j
Paul Coffey, since becoming a l'a-i
ther and bank cashier, is just a tri- i
fie more settled . . but can still \
make life "miserable" for his asso-:
dates . . . when he decides to ' pull"
one.
Chief Wiley Day and Sergeant
Pitts, who comprise Boone's police s
department, are a couple of Chesterfields
. . . elegant fellows . . . they
let people sing, in fact, enjoy it . . .
but insist that, in the future, vocalists
MUST carry at least a part of
ill** tun**
Dr. H. B. Perry knows his sheep!
. . . last week nineteen out of twentyeight
Ihmbs shipped to the Jersey
City market from his farms, brought
top money.
A group of ladies, fine ladies from
the Cove Creek section, stood high
on the cab of a truck outside the
fence at College Park . . >' and enjoyed
a ball game, a la' Scotch ... at
least, that's what's being told!
A former traveling man, who now
makes his home in Boone and who
wishes his name with eld from public
prints, recently gave the Sketch Man i
an interesting dissertation on the
comparative values of liquors, wines,
beers, etc. . . . opinions formed during
forty-odd years of regular imbibing
. . . and he closed by declaring
that nothing on the drink list, from
beginning to end, can compare with
the "sugar-head" of Northwest Carolina
. . . and he didn't even smile]
when he told it! Congratulations,1
dear county to the east.
FINDS PETRIFIED TREES
SO MILLION YEARS OLD
"* SEATTLE, WASH. ? Forests of
gingko trees, now native only of parts
of the Orient, thrived in Kittitas
County, Wash., 150 miles from Seattle,
about 30,000,000 years ago, Geo.
F. Beck, University of Washington
research student in geology, discovered.
He, found scores of petrified logs,
some of them turned to stone resem~
1 1 ? * -
oiaije upai uy cjieiiucai action or water
and lava floes that had covered
them.
Federal funds made possible excavations,
under Beck's supervision.
(Other discoveries included the skeleton
of a horse, about the size of a
Shetland pony, the skull of a rodentlike
animal and the leg of a deer-like
animal.
The chemical action preserved perfectly
the grain of the wood worm
holes and eggs of insects. The substance
takes a high polish, like quartz
or agate.
During the period. Beck said what
is now Washington changed from
tropical to sub-tropical, to a volcanic
waste, to glacial fields, then back to
.temperate climate again.
An
I "
VOLUME XLVII, NUMBER 3 _
POLITICAL CONFER]
Grand Old Party, Farmer-Labor
Their Guns at Roose
CHICAGO, ILL,.?That the 1936 na
ise of much action is being indicated
political conferences throughout the
Harrop, chairman, called a Farmer-L
land, State Senator George H. Beiuh
Conference which caused considerable
' at Chicago, Alfred Bingham, nation
right, Chicago University professor
"Third Party*' meeting to order.
HUGH HAGAMAN i
FUNERAL IS HELD;
I"uiher of Boone Physician Dies
From Heart Ailment. Is
Buried in Virginia.
Funeral services for Hugh Hagnman,
native Wataugan and father cf
Dr. J. B. Hagaman of Boone, were
conducted from the home at Lunen- j
burg, Va , Tuesday afternoon, July!
9. by the pastor of the community!
Baptist Church, and interment fol
lowed in the cemetery at Victoria.,
three miles distant from the Haga-1
man home.
Mr. Hagaman succumbed on Sun-1
day, the 7th, following a period of J
failing health extending over a period
of years. A heart ailment was
given, however, as the direct couse
of his demise. He was 72 years old |
and is survived by the widow and |
four sons: Dr. J. B. Hagaman, of
Boone; D. O. Hagaman, Lunenburg,
Va.; H. C. Hagaman, Stuanton, Va.,!
and R. H. Hagaman, Lunenburg, Va.
Mi. Hagaman was barn the Beaver
Dam section of Watauga County,
but moved to Ashe when a lad of
fifteen, and about twenty years ago
took up his permanent residence in
Virginia. During his residence in this
State he became a leader in his community,
and had served as postmasIter
and member of the Board of
1 County Commissioners. He was a
member of the Baptist Church, active
in his affiliation, and was a model
citizen. During the past tv/o summers
Mr. Hagaman had visited at
the home of his son in Boone, and
had made many new acquaintances,
who share the sorrow of his old
friends in the news of his demise.
MORTON GRAGG OPENS
NEW BUSINESS IN SHELBY
Gragg Super-Service, is the firm
name of a business enterprise being
operated in Shelby by Horton Gragg,
son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H Gragg of
Boone, who recently was in the employ
of the Standard Oil Company.
The new enterprise features Texaco
products, automobile tires, parts and
accessories, greasing, washing, and
all other lines found in an ultramodern
filling station. The location
is said to be one of the best in Shelby
and Mr. Gragg has good prospects
for a most successful business. He
visited with home folks in Boone last
Sunday.
JUNIORS TO SPRUCE PINE
The degree" team from the local
Junior Order Council is to journey to
Spruce Pine Monday, the 25th, to put
on degree work for the sister lodge,
it has b:. i announced.
Independent Weekly New:
BOONE, WATAUGA
ENCES HOLD STAGE
Group and "Third Party" Level
velt Administration.
i ' ( -T l.'WI.M '
^y-. v^i.- v 1, WltN U ? O.U.I-'.
f
f
jsafe' i | !
" ^SttMT ?M 1
tional political campaign gives promthese
days in the staging of varied
Middle West. At Omaha, Roy M.
.abor convention to order. At Cleve?r.
opened the Republican Crusaders
comment in O O P circles. And here
al secretary, and Paul H. Douglas, '
and permanent chairman, called a ^
LEGION HUTTO
BE STARTED SOONi
!
Legionnaires Announce Plan for j
Developing Properties in ,
Town of Boone. 1
)
According to information furnished
The Democrat by Adjutant C. W. '
Teal, Watauga Post of the American
I Legion has made definite plans for
i the construction of a hut in Legion
I PfirV fAV tVlA l-i f. rv... 1" "" ' ' *"
I - v.. .. v??v. HUIilV. Ul Lite lULrtl lit lit,
and materials for the building: have
already been ordered.
' The building1, which is to be 30x50
feet, will be constructed of wood, but '
foundations will be provided looking
to the rock-veneering of the structure
within the near future. A. basement
I wifi also be added later on. and the !
| building when completed will be thoroughly
modern and a fine improvement
to Legion Park.
Volunteer labor by veterans of the
Worlfi War will be used entirely in
the construction project and work is
expected to begin within a few days.
MECHANICAL GENIUS
Mr. Roby Owens, veteran local
blacksmith, tells The Democrat of
having discovered a mechanical ge!
nius in the person of Jesse. Ragan,
14, Boone boy. The iad, states Mr.
Owens, has only worked in his shop
for three months, but is now able to
make a horseshoe, shoe the horse,
and do general blacksmithing in ap-1
proved style. Mr. Owens says the ge-j
nius of the lad is beyond his understanding.
BOUND TO FEDERAL COURT
Five residents of the Laurel Creek |
section were hailed before U. S. Commissioner
Clyde Eggers last week on
charges of having violated the Federal
revenue laws. The following
were bound over to U. S. District
Court, which convenes this fall in
Wilkesboro, under bonds of $500 each:
H. A. Hagaman and wife, Hubert
Thomas and wife, and Don Dotson.
Tie charges, which involved the sale
of non-tax paid liquor, were brought
by Special Investigator Burnett of
the Alcoholic Beverage Unit.
SPAINHOUR'S SALE
Spainhour's Store utilizes page
three of The Democrat today to announce
their annual July Clearance
Sale, and according to Manager Harris,
his firm is holding out unusually
attractive inducements to the trade
throughout the entire line. The details
of the offerings will undoubtedly be
of major interest to thrifty shoppers,
and careful reading of the advertisement
will be profitable.
WM ?ks.
\ DE
spaper?Established in th
COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA,
/"I /V * IT T TTT-W"* V - -* I
OIL. LUKE LEA IS
REFUSED PARDON;
OTHER N. C. NEWS
Works Progress Program Begins.
Watauga County Is in
District No. 6.
GOVERNOR TURNS DEAF
EAR TO EXTRA SESSION
Ehringliaus Does Not Think Special
Assembly Necessary. North Carolina
Soil Sent to Russia.
Electric Chair Gets Two.
RALEIGH, N. C.?Colonel Luke
Lea, Tennessee publisher, financier,
World war hero and Senator, has not I
completed payment of his debt to the
State of North Carolina for conspiracy
and misapplication which resulted
in the failure of the Central Bank
and Trust Company, Asheviile, and
the request for clemency is "prematurely
presented," Governor Ehringhaus
states, in declining a narole.
commutation, or pardon for the distinguished
man.
' Everyone has been heard patiently
and considerately and without thought
or suggestion that the numerous appeals
might take on the semblance
of an effort to din us into a wearied
assent," the Governor says in his
statement. "The prisoner has everyright
to be proud of his friends,
though we cannot permit either their
prominence or number to influence
our action. We must be governed by
the record."
Citing that the claim of new evidence
establishing innocence is not 1
actual and that all the arguments J
have been presented in other form before
the courts as the case progressed,
UrUVCrilOX" diet iiigliuuS oldtcoi ?Tt? w tragic
in its effect upon hitherto respected
names and reputations; it is i
pathetic in its consequences to innocent
near and dear; it is touching ir.
its record of the love and loyalty of
blood and marriage an 1 service bond;
but the facts from which the jury
inferred a sinister co-operation and .
combination still remain and the le- J
gality of this inference has been approved
by the highest judicial tribune. J
Draws Governor's Sympathy
"There, are many elements in this
case that commend my sympathy; ,
the prisoner's brilliant war record, J
his good conduct in prison, and the ^
death of? his son, each an all make t
peculiar appeal. However, 1 cannot j
find in this presentation confirmation {
3f the contention that inuocency has
been conclusively shown."
The statement issued is made, j
Commissioner of Paroles Edwin M. .
Gill States, because of the promi- j
ncnce of the prisoner and the public- 5
ity attending the appeal for clem- {
ancy. Wallace Davis, president of the
Failing bank, has finished his sentenon
nnrl hao lw?nn
...... uwbii K.iv.iui;u. VUlUllCt I '
Lea fought his case through the Supreme
Court of North Carolina and j
the United States Supreme Court i
several times, and on occasion, practically
defied the State of North Carolina
to try to arrest him.
WPA PROGRAM BEGINS
State headquarters for the new
Works Progress Administration are
being set up in Raleigh in charge of
George W. Coan Jr., former Winston-Salem
mayor, and will be in the
Raleigh building formerly occupied!
by the CWA and ERA in about a!
week. Administrator Coan had a 1
meeting of about 100 relief workers;
last week, outlining the plans, and
said he hoped to have 15,000 people
off the relief rolls and on payrolls by
October 1st. He announced the diree(Continued
on Page 2)
QUADRUPLETS WILL NOT
APPEAR UNTIL AUGUST 2
The Keys quadruplets, famous Oklahoma
sisters who were scheduled
to have made a stage performance in
Boone on the evening of August 1st,
will not appear until August 2nd, it
is announced by officials of the Women's
Missionary Society of the local I
Methodist Church, which is sponsor- j
ing the event.
The program, which will consist j
principally of musical selections, has j
been most favorably received in oth
ci attnuris lu uie oiaie, ana it is Believed
that large numbers of Wataugans
will avail themselves of seeing
the famed quadruplets.
941.1 MILES OF HIGHWAYS
COMPLETED IN THE STATE
RALEIGH, N. C.?North Carolina
had 941.1 miles of highways completed
at a cost of $9,569,731, had
317.8 miles under construction at an
estimated cost of $3,520,537, and 40.6
miles approved for construction at an
estimated cost of $231,123 from the
Federal relief funds up to June 1st,
the Bureau of Public Roads reports.
In addition, this State had available
for new construction $1,361,226 out
of the 1934 fund of $9,552,293 and the
1935 fund of $4,840,941. which was]
avallat'e for the regular road system,'
feeder and municipal projects.
MOC1
e Year Eighteen Eighty-Ei;
THURSDAY, JULY 18. 1935
. .it
NOT A HIGHBROW I
Illinois High School Girl Wins 1
Trip to Europe.
NEW YORK.?Miss Beatrice Arm b
Frear, 16 (above), of Evanston t
til?-) Township High School, has s:
just set sail for a tour of Europe, w
maintaining; she is 110 "highbrow" ri
despite the fact that she won the j<
trip over 10,000 competing students w
in a League of Nations essay con- h<
test. Her ambition is to be a re- rc
porter. tl.
DEATH CLAIMS
CHARLES HENSON |
jo
We\\ Known Cove Creek Kesi-1c>
dent Succumbs to Chronic ^
Malady on Friday. ar
Charles E. Henson, 58 years old
uid a prominent citizen of the Cove nc
Jreck section, died at his home at Jc
jVniantha Friday afternoon, after an th
Jlness of about six months with an Hi
ncurable malady. m
Funeral services were conducted or
Saturdaj' at 2:30 from the Hcnson's ?1
ZHiapel Methodist Church by the pas-, pi
or, Rev. G. C Grahain, who was as-1
listed in Hie rites by Key. Fletcher of jhc
he Baptist Church. Interment was inj111
.he nearby cemetery.
Surviving, besides the widow, are'oi
line children: Russell, Mabel, Clyde, n(
?<>rd, Lucy, Ralph, Vance, Howard Cf
md Allen Henson, all of whom reside w
n tliis county. Five brotliers and P<
:hree sisters also survive, the broth?rs
all living within a radius of three b<
rniles: W. L. Henson, G. M. Henson, <3'
J. W. Henson, B. H. Henson, E. C. |
Henson; Mrs. J. W. Harbin, Tacoma, \A
Wash.; Mrs. S. A. Holler, Charlotte,!
and Mrs. J. H. Trivett, Piney Flats,
renri.
Mr. Henson was born and spent his | o;
life m Watauga County. He was aj.s<
son of the late Jordan and Martha > a:
E. Henson, united with the Methodist tl
Church early in life, and was faith- v
ful in his religious affiliations. He u
was intensely interested in education, b
and six of his children are school tl
teachers, while two more have graduated
from high school. He was a tl
farmer until ill health forced his re- n
tirement, was a good citizen and kind Ci
neighbor, and will be missed in his c
section of the county. h
h
Representative Swift ?
Is Dangerously 111
i
Representative Dean Swift is crit- c
ically ill at the home of a sister-in- a
law, Mrs. Hill Hagavnan, in Boone, j
where he came to be near his physi- a
ciar. several days ago. Information v
Wednesday morning was to the effect r
that Mr. Swift was in a coma and ^
practically no hopes for his recovery s
arc being entertained. t
Mr. Swift had an appendix opera- ^
tion while a member of the. General
Assembly last winter, and his weak- f
ened condition could not cope with ^
organic, ailments which followed. a
However, he had been thought to be t
improved up until a week or so ago. t
THREE STORES ARE i
ENTERED MONDAY NIGHT
The stores of John W. Hodges, (
Smithey's and Pearson's were entered 1
Monday evening, but so far as is i
known, no great amount of merchan- i
disc was taken. Cigarettes were miss- I
ing from Smithey's, it is said, while 1
the Pearson and Hodges warehouses
apparently didn't yield any loot. The ]
identity of the prowlers has not been ]
| established. ]
NEW RADIO AGENCl
The Farmers Hardware and Slip- i
ply Company has taken over an agen- I
cy for the Philco radios and announce
the receipt of the newest models of
the well-known equipment. Attention
'is directed to an advertisement appearing
today.
xni
$1.50 PER YEAR
tOY JOHNSON IS
INSTANTLY KILLED
IN AUTO COLLISION
'.esident Engineer for the State
Highway Commission Dies
Near Weaverville.
gpRONER'S .IURY SAYS
Y ACCIDENT UNAVOIDABLE
f&icr Boone Citizen Buried in I>iir
Wednesday Afternoon, Fol31
lowing Services at Weavervllle.
Shock to People.
W. Koy Johnson. 38 years old. reslent
engineer for the State Highway
ommission at Weaverville and for
lore than ten years a citizen of
oone. was instant! v kiii#?n "Yf/mrinv
/ening in an automobile collision on
le Weaverville highway near Lake
ouise. Mr. Johnson died from a fracared
skull, and the car he was drivig.
which was owned by the Highway
Department, was said to have
een demolished.
The accident in which Mr. Johnson
>st his life was termed "unavoidaIer'
by a coroner's jury Tuesday,
estiniony of Clarence Rogers, who
uv the accident, and of Raley Ellfat.
ho with his brother. Homer, was
ding on the truck with which Mr.
bhnson collided, was that Johnson
as driving at about G5 miles per
mr and was in the middle of the
>ad at the time of the accident, while
ic truck was pulled so far to fhe
ght that it broke the guard stakes
>wn. Homer Elliott was hurt in the
reck but was not sent to a hospital.
Funeral services for deceased were
sld Tuesday afternoon at the West
ur.eral Home in Weaverville and inir?
Lenoir today
Vednesday). ManyBoonc people arc
:pected to attend the obsequies.
Surviving- is the widow, the former
iss Eddie Kerley of Blowing Rock,
id four children.
Native of Lenoir
Mr. Johnson was a native of Le>ir,
and a son of Uie late Basccmb
kh:i3on, and Mrs. Johnson. For more
an ten years he made his home in
soiie, where he was engaged for the
ost part in engineering capacities
1 the. highways, and for a time was
lerator bf an ice manufacturing =
ant. Mr. Johnson recently moved
Weaverville from Marshall where
? had been stationed for several
onths.
Deceased was well known throughit
this section of the State, and the
i\vs of his tragic death was the ocLsion
for general sorrow in Boone,
here Mr. Johnson was unusually
jpular. He was a capable and useful
tizen and his cheerfulness and neigli^rliness
endeared him to his acjaintances.
.gricuutural students
on educational. tour
Twenty-seven agricultural students
f the Boone and Cove Creek high
:hools returned Saturday, July 13th,
fter a six-uay educational tour up
irough the Shenandoah Valley of
irginia and Washington, D. C. This
jur was sponsored by the Daniel
oonc and Cove Creek chapters of
ic Future Farmers of America.
Among places of interest visited on
le way up were: Virginia Polytechic
Institute, Virginia's State Agrin
Rural and Mechanical College,
ourl Manor, one of the large race
orse breeding establishments, the
ome of Sun Beau and Sun Briar, one
f whom won over S3!0.000 on the
rack: jviassanutien Cavcms.
In Washington the most important
laces visited were the Zoo, Museum,
lureau of Printing and Engraving,
'apitol, Halls of Congress and Sen.te,
White House, Mount Vernon, Arington
Cemetery, Lincoln Memorial
nd .I^aval Yards. The Boone boys
isited the I J. S. Department of Agiculture
experiment farms at Belts'ille.
Md. The Cove Cieek group
tayed in Washington a day longer
han Boone, and saw a big league
aseball game.
The boys from each chapter took
heir food, cooking equipment and
ents. The instructors, G. G. Farthing
ind R. G. Shipley, agreed with the
?oys that it was a most enjoyable
rip and hope that more boys will be
iblc to take advantage of such trips
n the future. The following boys
nade the trip:
From Boone: Billy Byers, Turner
5ross, Easton Greene, Ernest Houck,
^uu6?w xitxi i muii, xjuim iviiiier, jvior*is
Miller, Stuart Miller, Jack Mo*
*etz, Wilmer Moretz, Earl Tugman,
3crsel Scott, Guy Watson. Mr. N. L.
iarrison drove the truck.
From Cove Creek: Elmo Brinkley,
Ersel Atkins, Shelton Dugger, Bud
Mast, James Brown, Louis Farthing,
Robert Lewis, Lec McGuire, Tommy
Presnell, Lenwood Blair, Gilbert
iVard, Ray Wallace, Raymond Donnelly
and Howard Rowe. C'yde Tester
was the driver.
Once it was a mark of distinction
to occupy a penthouse in New York.
Now tenants want them so they can
have a "garden."