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?v. .0 ?ch An Independent Weekly Newspaper? Established in the Year 1 888 <2, ?
VOL. LXI. NO. 33 ? BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 194fl~ FIVE CENTS A COPY
(bow* tfca
script! on will ?
data your paper win
HMJpCT
BY
ROB RIVERS
THE MARCH OF DIMES has
quickened its pace within the
past few days, and the campaign
has been takihg the spotlight in
the conversation along the street
. . . many have sent in subscrip
tions over the week-end, and lots
of those who had already con
tributed. are sending in a little
more . . . with the result that the
fund is not only about $177 short
the sum asked will be in hand
. . . but we should have more . . .
chip in, remember it's not
only a duty but a privilege to be
allowed to help a little child lay
down his crutches!
? ? a
MOST EVERYBODY has
bM9 out of step in the caval
cade of the shiny coins, but the
school kids, and they d00"
a magnificent 5 obi . . We. on
behalf of Bob Agle. and the
other people who hare been
?working on the polio fund,
-wish to doff our frazsled fedora
to these boys and girls who
lent their whole-hearted sup
port to the campaign, and chip
ped in the sum of more than
fifteen hundred dollars, going
pretty close to a third above
their suggested quota of $1,200.
and making the sum of $800
asked from them last T*?*
like "chicken feed." The kid
dies nipped into their scanty
allowances right along and put
daddy on the spot plenty to do
this outstanding job . . . and
didn't lack too much of raising
one-half the county's quota
The children did without a
good many Ico crown con#* ?nd
candy bars to aid their stricken
playmates ... We ought to
at least help them in a credi
table way . . . They have cux
ried too much of the burden.
Keep the coin coming!
? ? ?
THE GROUND HCJCT" sallied
forth last Wednesday in the
bright sunlight of a beautiful
winter day. and according to the
legend associated with the
"whistle pig", he should have
serried back into the bosom of
terra firma. just in time to es
cape the blizzard, which moun
tain men for generatibns ha >rc be
lieved would last for forty days
. . We had come to sort of <ie
oend upon the tough little ro
dent to tell us what the weather
was going to be, to tell tn?j
truth about the matter, but we vej
been let down Ground liog
day brought about the melting
of the snow and a new spell of
spring weather, which seems
destined to be around for at least
a few days yet. and we 11 have
to go back to the "Ramon cal
endar to get the low down on the
elements the hog has lost his
canning "shore nuff.'
SENATOR PERRY pays us a
brief visit and gives us some
of the oH-tbe-record informa
tion from down "RoUy" way
and says his bill to return Wa
tauga to absolute prohibition,
couldn't survive the committee
bearing . . . Too bad . . . Th?
senator was right! With the re
call of the balloting certain,
tu ^ plry that Wataogans
couldn't have what they want
ed. without the cost of an elec
tion ... but we also wanted to
side-step one of these wet ana
drr campaigns . . ? Liquor is
one subject which will bring
out more unreasonable and In
accurate statements from bott?
sides of the fence than any
other ... We hoped the tow
could be provided without all
this arguing over the
problem of what to do with
alcoholic beverages . ? ? AbJ?"
lute prohibitory laws sre what
Witiugins want. They should
gat them back without coat!
"YOU HAVE BEEN TOO
BUSY", said our visitor, "pro
moting individuals in the com
munity to give much time to the
promotion of the community."
. . . And a quick glance over the
h?dlimp of the last few years
would holster the truth of the
statement a bit perhaps . . . but
individuals are in fact the com
munity . . . the city can't progress
without somebody heading the
procession . . . 'Course we -{rant
you, there are folks In every
place who crave publicity . . .
fa elks, most everybody does . . .
from Truman to Thurmond . . .
whether it be in the New York
Times or the Woman's Washday
Aknanac . . . they just like to see
their John Henry's in cold, black
letters, but we wouldn't know of
any practical way to conduct a
newspaper without playing up
certain individuals ... it just has
(Continued on page 4)
NEW HIGHWAY POSTOFFICE
? . t- - , - f
View of the exterior and interior o f the new highway postoffice which is operating daily between
Boone and Greensboro, via Eikin. North Wiikesboro. Laurel Springs and West Jefferson. The
postal unit made its first trip last Friday, when numbers of local people took advantage of the
opportunity to inspect the vehicle. Postmaster John E. Brown. Jr., who worked tirelessly to se
cure the new service for the area, arranged a dinner for the visiting officials and others, which
was attended by the following: J. B. McGhee, district superintendent Railway Mail Service; A. C.
Bopsi. assistant general superintendent. Washington; Thomas R. Leman. president third division,
railway mail association; G. D. Martin, asaistsnt district superintendent railway mail service; W.
D. CorrelL. assistant chief of highway post office. Washington; C. J. Goldthorpe. White Motor Co..
makers of vehicle; J. W. Morrow. R. L. Pugh, W. E. Howell. G. W. Gaulden. Mrs Ed Anderson. Miss
Irene Morpbew, Miss Charity Barr, Wad Jefferson; Morris Walsh. North Wilkesboro Represen
tatives of local civic organisations were also present. Congressman Doughton was invited, but
the pressure of his legislative duties prevented his attendance.
Watauga Schools Surpass Their
Quotas For March Of Dimes
Barley Growers
Lose $368,676
Watauga county tobacco grow
ers sustained a loss of $368,676
during last year by their failure
to plant their full tobacco allot
jments. says R. C. Coleman of the
Mountain Burley Warehouse Cor
poration.
The figures, says Mr. Coleman,
are based on the fact that the
burley allotment in Watauga
county last year was 970 acres
and only 550 acres was set out.
This means that an additional
420 acres could have been plant
ed. Figuring an average of 2000
pounds to the acre and the aver
age price of $43.89, which was
this reason's local average, the
loss to the burley fanners
amounts to $368,676.
Mr. Coleman is insisting that
all growers plant their full allot
ment* this year in order that
they may enjoy the increased in
come from this crop.
Lieut. Gragg I* Cited
For Handling Truman
Plane at Fort Bragg
Lieut. Horton Gragg, son of
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Gragg of
Boone, was commended for his
efficiency in handling the plane
of President Truman at Fort
Bragg, during the Chief Execu
tive's surprise visit to General
Marshall at Southern Pines re
cently.
The commendation which is
signed by Col. Chester L Sluder,
expressed gratification for the
work of Lieutenant Gragg, and
stated 1 wish to congratulate
Lieutenants Peak and Gragg, and
all other personnel who partici
pated on this occasion, on their
creditable performance."
Lieut Gragg, who is an air
force veteran has been stationed
at Fort Bragg for some time.
Deputy To Assist
Taxpayers of State
Wade H. Lee of Lenoir, deputy
collector of revenue with the
State, will be in the grand jury
room at the courthouse February
17 and 18 for the purpose of as
sisting taxpayers with the. filing
of their State income tax return*.
Campaign Gains Momentum
As Quota Almost Reached;
Report of Magnificient Job
Of Schools; Some of Other
Recent Contributors.
Watauga County schools went
all out in their efforts in con
nection with the March of Dimes
drive and raised a total of $1,
542.36.
Last year the schools raised a
total of $600 but due to the in
creased quota for Watauga coun
ty, the schools doubled their quo
ta this year and agreed to raise
$1,200.
SubccripttotU. generally, to
th* March of Dim**, har* b*?n
coming in rather briskly for
the pest lew days, and now the
fund la only $177.22 short of
the goal of $3,900. The cam
paign will go on without inter
ruption until the goal is reach
ed.
Mr. Bob Agle and Mr. Herbert
Wey visited nearly all the
schools in Watauga county and
discussed the importance of the
drive and all the schools agreed
to take part in it. The results
of the coouperative efforts of all
the school children and teachers
in Watauga county resulted in
the raising of $1,200 and then ex
ceeding it by one-third. The $1,
542.36 raised is nearly one-half
of the over-all goal of Watauga
county.
The students and teachers of
this county are to be congrau
lated on the successful achieve
ment in the March of Dimes cam
paign.
Blowing Rock schools led the
(Continued on page eight)
Wataugans Hold
$1,189,506 Bonds
Watauga county people now
hold $1,189,506.50 in U. S. Gov
ernment bonds, according to in
formation supplied Alfred Adams
by the savings bonds division of
the Treasury department.
The report indicates that dur
ing the period May 1941 to Dec
ember 31, 1948 Watauga county
bought $1,699,293.50 in the gov
ernment securities. Of this
amount $509,787 were cashed in
during the period, leaving the
net holdings as of December $1,
IMS at $1, 180,506.80.
Beer, Wine Bill
Dies In Senate
Raleigh- ? The Senate commit
tee on propositions and grie
vances last week killed the bill
introduced by Sen. H. B. Perry of
Watauga to prohibit beer and
wine sales in Watauga County.
In a meeting following the
afternoon's Senate session, the
committee decided to give the
bill an unfavorable report.
An election on the question of
continuing beer and wine sales
in Watauga Obunty is scheduled
to be held soon. When he intro
duced the bill. Perry said he
knew the county would vote dry
and that he "just wanted to save
the taxpayers a little money."
?
Dates for Tri -County
Tournament Are Set
Thl Tri County High School
Basketball Tournament will open
at the College Gym March 2, 3,
4, and 5th. This is the annual
high school tournament for high
schools in Avery, Ashe and Wa
tauga counties, Avery county
schools entering the tournament
are Crossnore and Cranberry,
Watauga county. Cove Creek,
Bethel, Blowing Rock and Appa
lachian high school. Ashe county
schools are Elkland, Fleetwood,
Jefferson, West Jefferson. River -
jview, Nathans Creek, Virginia
[Carolina, Lansing, and Healing
Springs. Wilkesboro high school
will enter from Wilkes county.
This tournament will consist of
32 t^ams 16 boys and 16 girls.
Trophies will be awarded to first
and second place teams as well
as the All Tournament teams of
boys and girls. One trophy will
be given to the outstanding
basketball player displaying the
best sportsmanship. The trophy
is awarded by S tailings Jewelry
Store of Boone.
Last year winners were Jef
ferson girls and West Jefferson
boys. This year the outstanding
teams in Ashe county seems to
be West Jefferson and Nathans
Creek, along with Healing
Springs. The Virginia Carolina
girls will be out to capture the
girls championship.
Publicly reported cash divi-j
dends up 14 par ami last year. 1
* . ft, . ...
BIDS TAKEN AT
COLLEGE HERE
FOR SECOND OF
NEW PROJECTS
Laundry and Service Building
To Be Erected Soon at Ap
palachian; Giant Smoke
Stack for New Power Unit
Is Completed; A Vast Pro
gram.
last week for the second unit in
its permanent building program,
the laundry and service building.
The three lowest base bids on
construction, plumbing, heating
and wiring are being checked by
the architects before the final
contract is let, which is expect
ed to be within the-next week or
so.
The building will be a two
story structure, 140 feet long and
80 feet wide. The first floor will
contain machine shops and a
garage for maintaining the col
lege vehicles. The second floor
will contain woodworking shop,
a large supply storage, and the
laundry, doubling the capacity
of the present one.
During the past week the 150-|
foot stack for the new power
plant also was finished. The in
side diameter of the stack at the
top is seven and one-half feet.
The state has let the contracts
for three overfeed stokers, all of
which have been installed re
cently at the power plant. A
steam turbine with engine of
1000 horsepower is to be added,
together with a boiler of the
same power, to supplement the
(Continued on page 8)
AAA Now Supplying i
Pasture Grass Seed'
The Watauga county AAA
Committee is now issuing pur
chase orders f or pasture grass
seeds to all farms to the extent
needed on the individual farml
not to exceed the money that is
available for this purpose. The
seeds for which orders are being
issued are blue grass, orchard
grass, ladino clover, white clover
and Korean lespedeza. Credit
will be given for red top and al
sike clover when seeded for
pasture with approved mixtures
of the other seeds. All orders ex
pire April 15, 1949 and wilt not
be renewed or filled after that
date.
Orders for alfalfa seed will
also be approved for those farms
on which there will be additional
seeding of alfalfa this spring. No
orders will be approved for re
seeding or seeding land which
has been seeded before. No other
meadow grass seeds will be fur
nished.
The committee is also approv
ing orders for limestone on any
farm to the extent needed. Farm
ers are urged to place their ord
ers now for delivery at any time
wanted during the year.
For further information con
tact the local AAA office.
Benefit Box Supper
Yields Sum of $150
The box supper held Tuesday
night by the^Junior Order for
the benefit of the hospital, net
ted the amount of $150. Hamp
Blackburn was the auctioneer
and entertainment was supplied
by Frog Greene's band.
The Juniors have donated ap
proximately $50 to the March of
Dimes campaign.
Jack Storie is the councilor of
the Junior Order and Mrs. Edw.
T. Cole is presiding officer of the
Daughters of America, auxiliary
of the Junior Order.
Valentine Dance
Slated by Club
The Worthwhile Woman's club
will sponsor a Valentine benefit
dance at the Appalachian High
school on Friday, February 11,
from eight-thirty until twelve
o'clock. A local orchestra will
furnish the music. Refreshment
yrill be available at small cost.
Contests will be held during
the evening and prizes awarded.
A "King and Queen of Hearts"
will be chosen fr?m among the
young guests.
Square will also have a part on
the program.
It is the desire of the club
members that a great number of
parents will attend this evening
of entertainment along with
their young people as promotion
of youth activities to one of the
primary projects of the Woman's
club. .1
Agricultural Fair
Slated for County
Hospital Fond
Is Hearing Goal
Receipts for the expansion pro
gram at the Watauga Hospital
have now reached the sum of
$17,175.35, as against the estate,
li^hed quota of $20,000, a major]
arfkv<riH3
Owsley and family have arrived
and established residence in the
Joe Conn house in Daniel Boone
Park, and the hospital is almost
ready to render a full-scale and
approved type of service to the
area.
Additional room has been pro
vided at the hospital, the trus
tees say, by moving the nurses
from the thij-d floor. Some of
them will be housed on thei
ground floor while a number will)
live out in order that there may
be more bed space for patients.
Four townships have exceed
ed their quotas in the fund-rais
ing campaign, the first figure
given in each instance being the
amount raised, and the last the
quota:
Elk $228-$200; Watauga $1,
055-S1.000: Cove Creek $1,032.55
S 1 ,00ft: Beaver Dam $509.52-$500.
The ahnounts subscribed by other
townships are as follows: . |
Bald Mountain $119; Blue
Ridge $427.13; Boone $12,794.54;
Brushy Fork $294.85; Laurel
Creek $100.00; Meat Camp
$303.50; Meat Camp No. 2 $17;
New River $174; Shawneehawi
$110; Stony Fork $10.
Solomon Eggers
Funeral Is Held
I Solomon Eggers died at his
daughter's home at Mabel on
IJanuary 25th, following a short
illness.
Funeral services were con
ducted at Union Baptist church
Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock,
and burial took place in the
nearby cemetery. Reins-Sturdi
vant Funeral Home in charge.
Rev. Payne, pastor of the
church and Rev. R. C. Eggers
were in charge of the rites.
Survivors include the follow
ing daughters: Mrs. Verlie Cole,
Mrs. Hazel Greer, Mrs. Wilmetta
Thomas, Mrs. Nellie Cole and
Mrs. Ettie Sanders all of Mabel;
Mrs. Addie White, Yadkinville,
N. C. Three sons, Joe Hile and
Oley L. Eggers of Mabel and
Frank Eggers of Vilas. Also sur
viving are three brothers, Smith
Eggers, Trade, Tenn., George
Eggers, Beaver Dam and Monroe
Eggers. Hickory. There is one
half sister, Mrs. Bessie Adams of
Boone. Twenty-one grandchild
ren and a host of other relatives
and personal friends are left to
mourn his death.
Mr. Eggers joined Union Bap
tist church at the age of nine
teen. He was loyal to his family,
|friends and his church.
Hospital Guild To
Be Formed in City
A Hospital Guild will be or
ganized Sunday, February 13 at
2:30 p. m. at the Presbyterian
Church. At this meeting Dr. G.
K. Moose, president of the hospi
tal board of trustees, Mr. Moore,
hospital superintendent, and a
registered nurse will discuss the
value of such an organization to
the hospital. '
All women of Watauga county
who are willing to give time for
hospital aid are asked to attend
this meeting. Nurses aides, sew
ing and mending, and personal
service groups will be organized.
Those volunteering may select
the type of assistance they de
sire to render.
Permanent officers will be
elected and by-laws for the or
ganization will be adopted.
Earl Cook Now With
Winkler Motor Co.
Mr. Earl D. Cook has accepted
a position on the sales staff of
the Winkler Motor Co., and en
tered upon his new duties last
week.
Mr. Cook, who was the local
Ford dealer for five yean, has
had wide experience in the auto
mobile business, and Mr. Wink
ler feels fortunate in having
procured his services.
Modern plane too costly, syn
thetic pianea train Navy fliers. '
New Officers Are Elected as
Tentative Plans Made far
Holding County Fair, Can
celled Last Year b*y Potta;
Farmers Asked To Get
Ready.
At a meeting of the Watauga
Xgricuttuntf ~Fr U otftcQOs IvM
plans were made fot holding the
exhibition on September 14, 15,
16 and 17. ?
The fair, which was interrupt
ed by war's emergencies, and
which was revived last year, and
cancelled at the last moment due
to polio, is designed to supply
an accurate insight into the agri
cultural life of the county, and
farmers are asked to begin plan
ning now to have exhibits of field
crops, livestock and poultry com
ing on for the big show. The
directors are planning entertain
ment features also, and it is the
plans of the organization to stage
a full-fledged agricultural exhi
bition withiftjU the trimmings.
The fair Officials also urged
the farmers to plant their full
tobacco acreage this year, and
pointed to the loss in farm in
come by leaving too much tobac
co land out of production last
year.
The fair officials are: Robert
Shipley, president; Ernest Hill
ard. vice - president; Barnard
Dougherty, secretary-treasurer.
Geo. N. Henson
Succumbs Friday
George M. Henson, 74, died last
Friday at his home in the Sher
wood neighborhood after an ill
ness which had confined him to
his bed for the past two months.
Funeral services were held at
Henson'* Chapel Methodist
Church at 2 o'clock Sunday, by
the pastor, Rev. Mr. Folger, and
Rev. J. K. Parker, of the Pres
byterian Church, and burial was
in the" church cemetery.
The widow survives, with two
sons and one daughter: Don Hen
son, Sherwood; Lawrence Henson,
Vilas; Mrs. Aud Ward, Sugar
Grove.
Mr. Henson was a son qf the
late Jurd Henson and Mrs. Tlen
son and was born ih Watauga
county, where he resided through
out his life. He was a farmer
and builder, and had for 62 years
been a leading member of the
Henson's Chapel church.
Revaluation Nay
Be Extended Here
A bill to extend the time for
making the quadrennial revalua
tion and reassessment of real es
tate property in Watauga county
until 1950 or 1951. has been re
ported favorably by the finance
committee of the Senate.
The bill was introduced by
Senator Pittman for the benefit
of Lee county, and was amended
by Senator Perry to apply to Wa
tauga county.
Last Rites Held
For L. K. Davis
Funeral services for Lemuel K
Davis, son of Mr. and Mrs. John
Davis of Valle Crucis, were held
at the Holy Cross Church last
Thursday. Rev. Mr. Leach, pw
t?r of the church, was in charge
of the rites and members of the
Watauga Post American Legkm
conferred military honors at the
graveside at the Matney Metho
dist Church.
Mr. Davia entered the army
December 28, 1042 at the age of
20 years and was killed in action
on Luzon Island March 28, IMS.
The father and mother, four
brothers and four sisters survive.
The members of the family ex
press their thanks for the many
floral offerings and other expres
sions of sympathy, and are grate
ful to the Legionnaires for the
part they had in the services.
TAKES PASTORAL DUTIES
Rev. Harold L. Sanger began
his duties as pastor of tta C in
Creek Baptist church
January 29. He
sistant pastor of