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WATA
An Independent Weekly Newspaper . . . Seventy-Third Year of Continuous Publication
VOLUME LXXIII? NO. 28
PUCE: FIVE CENTS
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY. NORTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, JANUARY It, 1M1
Jan. 4 21 33 33
Jsn 8 48 90 |
Jan. ? 40 U 40
Jan. 7 40 33 43
Jan. 8 42 25 25
? ? "J* , M ?
FOURTEEN PAGES-TWO SECTIONS
NEWLAND FIRE. ? Top picture shows where post office (fore
ground) and cafe stood before the half -million dollar fire which
?Photo By Flowers Photo Shop
destroyed a block and a half of Newland's business district early
last Wednesday morning. Bottom shows rear of Smithey's Store.
Newland Business District Is
Ravaged By Raging Flames
A half million dollar fire (wept
through Newland's business dis
trict early Wednesday morning,
destroying ten business establish
ment*, the post office and three
apartments. Virtually a block and;
a half of the town was totally de
stroyed, and several other build
ings were in jeopardy before the
fire was brought under control.
The fire alarm was answered by
the Boone Volunteer Fire Depart
150 Cases To Be Tried At
January Superior Court Term
The one- week criminal term of
Watauga Superior Court will con
vene Monday January 23, with
Hon. W. K. McLean of Aaheville
thte Judge presiding.
About 190 caaei are on the dock
et, Clerk of the Court A. E. South
says.
Speeding leads the list of indict
mcnti, followed by other traffic
violations. There are ten case* in
volving breaking and entering.
A list of those who will perform
jury duty during the term follows:
Bald Mountain: J. B. Miller,
Wade F. Norris.
Beaver Dam: J. M. Sherwood,
Marshall Edmisten, Davo Haga
man, Fonto Testa*.
Blowiag Rock: Glenn Presnell.
Roy Holder, Ronda Hartley, Law
rence Bollck.
Blue Ridge: Billy J. Cook, Joe
R. Hayes, Perry Ashley. /
Brushy Fork: Claude Baird. Qly
Farthing. W. M. Hodge*. '
Boom: Mrs. Mabel Tfe. Brown,
Mrs. Pawl L Bingham,\ Jpe /Bow
ser, G. R. Andrews. J. V. CaWdlll.
Cove Creek: Bert Mast. FrtM L.
Greene, Mm. Mary Harris, to*
Nannie Swift
Elk: Virgil Greer, Glenn Trip
lctt.
Laurel Ercck: Howard Edmis
tcn, Ray Ward, Roosevelt Presnell.
Meat Camp: Billy Byers, Noah
Johnson, Paul Moretz.
New River: Ted Clawson, Staple
Collina, D. M. Edmisten, Jr., Mrs.
Grant Greene.
North Fork: Grant Snyder,'
Glenn South.
Shawneehaw: Victor Farthing.
Stony Fork: Worth Greene,
Thomas Fair-child, Ralph Moretz.
Watauga: Howard Mast, Jr., Ray
Aldridge, Tom R. Townscnd.
NON-UNION CAKE DISPUTE
Quincy, Mass.? A union official
complains that the 590-pound cake
for President-elect Kennedy's In
augural party is being prepared by
a non-union bakaiy.
The caks Is scheduled to be
baked in the shop of Ernest i.
Montilio, who is donating the elab
orately decorated confection.
The secretary of Local 20 said
his organization is "embamascd"
by the situation.
Mrs. C. M. Stiles visited Mr. and
Mrs. A. Lee Gibson in Greensboro
the past week end.
mcnt, the Blowing Rock Tire De
partment the Ncwland Fire De
partment, the Jayceea new fire
truck stationed at Croisnore, the
Spruce Pine Fire Department, and
the departments of Elizabethton,
Wm. H. Smith
Dies At 83
William Hall Smith. 83, a resi
dent of Boone since 1938, died at
the home of a daughter, Mrs.
George Elmore, in Durham, on
Tueaday, January 3.
The funeral was held at the
First Baptist Church in Boone Fri
day at 2 p. m., and interment was
at Mount Lawn Cemetery.
He was bom in Blackburg, S.
C., the son of John Ferrell Smith
and Martha Carolina Marrow
Smith. In 1904 he waa married
to Alice Woods of York, S. C?
who survives, as do one daughter,
Mrs. George Elmore of Durham;
three sons, Hall Smith, Jr., of
I Brevard, Frank Smith of Loxby,
Ala., and Dr. Burke Smith of
Charlottesville, Va.; four sister*,
Mrs. C. J. Sanders of Badin, Mr*.
J. C. Scwcll of Kershaw, 8. C? Mrs.
B. F. Shyttc of Wilmington, and
Mrs. J. C. Nelson of Camden, 8.
C.; seven grandchildren and four
grcat-?randrhildren.
Funeral services were conducted
by the Rev. J. Boycc Brooks, the
Rev. J. K. Parker, Jr., and the
Rov. Edwin Troutman. Active
pallbearers were Wayne Richard
son, Dr. Francis Hoover, Dr. Ray
Lawrence, Geot*e Judy, E. Ford
(continued oo page three)
Tcnn., Marion, and Morganton.
Also on the scene were the Burke
County Rescue Squads.
The firemen were hampered in
their fight by a strong wind which
fanned the blaze, causing it to
spread, and lack of sufficient wat
er. When the town's resevoir ran
low, the departments formed a
hose line to nearby Toe River and
pumped water from there in fight
ing the fire. The temperature was
in the low twenties, further hamp
ering the fire fighters.
Almost nothing was saved from
the business establishments. Just
a handful of personal effects, a
few cash registers, and the fire
proof post office safe with its con
tents intact, was all that was re
ported saved. The buildings were
gutted, and an entire rebuilding
project will be needed to get them
back ready for business. Parts of
the loss were covered by insurance,
but at least one operator reported
not having a cent of insurance, and
he doubted if he would ever get
back in business.
The buildings burned were:
The Poet Office.
Dot and Eathcr'a Beauty Salon.
Newland Hardware and Supply.
Army and Navy Specialty Co.
Sinclair Pool Room.
Newland 5 and 10 Cent Store.
The Sandwich Shop.
N. B. Smithcy Store.
Lovett'a Radio and TV Shop.
Scenic Theatre.
Newland Restaurant. /
The three apartments were
occupied by Leonard Braswell, who
with his family had Juat moved in
two days prior to the fire; Frec
(cdutlmMd on page three)
CROP SALES TOP LIVESTOCK W
Watauga Farm Income In
'60 Reaches. $3,841,099
Increase Seen
In Spite Of
Economic Dip
The Watauga county farm
income is estimated at $3,841,
099 for 1960, as compared
with $3,700,436 for 1959.
These figures come from
the County Agricultural
Agent's office, and represents
a gain of $140,663 for 1960
over the preceding year. .
Higher prices for tobacco,
broilers and some forest pro
ducts, plus a favorable grow
ing season for vegetables and
small fruits, offset the lower
price received for livestock
and vegetables.
Crop sales, led by a near
million dollar tobacco crop,
brought $1,642,575; sale of
livestock and livestock pro
ducts amounted to $774,874;
poultry and poultry products
amounted to $1,123,650; for
estry products sales amounted
to $240,000; and sale of other
farm products brought $60,
000.
Some of the outstanding activi
ties and accomplishments for 1960
as reported by County Agent L.
E. Tuckwiller and his staff, are
as follows:
797.3 acres of tobacco was pro
duced by approximately 1,600 Wa
tauga county farmers that wi'.l sell
for almost a million dollars.
Nine special tobacco demonstra
tions were conducted to try to
improve farmers' income from to
bacco.
Strawberry sales amounted to
approximately $17,300 in 1960,
and more than 40,000 certified
plants were added for the 1941
mrvcBi.
Five farmers produced 3.5 acres
of trellised vine-ripened tomatoes
in 1960, and the acreage is ex
pected to increase in 1961 and
should add leveral thousand dol
lars to the farm income.
The Northatate Canning Com
pany paid producers more than
>24,000 for cabbage for kraut in
I960, and increased the size of
their plant and expect to increase
production in 1961.
Watauga broiler growers pro
duced about 1300,000 birds in
1960 that told for a grosa return
of near <900,000.
Beef cattle producers sold ap
proximately 279 calves and yearl
ing steers in special sales in 1960.
The Watauga purebred Here
ford breeders sold 62 Iota for $10,
632.90 in their 18th annual sale.
Sixteen commercial cattlemen pur
chased purebred bulls in this sale
and fourteen purchased purebred
heifers. ?
At least three clean pedigreed
Hereford herd bulls were purchas
ed by Watauga purebred Hereford
breeders in 1960.
One herd of Charolais beef cat
tle was started in Watauga county.
One dairy production and mar
ket survey was conducted and
change* in marketing procedure
were maide. Interest in milk pro
duction seems to be increasing at
this time.
A Dairy Herd Improvement As
sociation was organized for Wa
tauga County and 126 cows are
now on test. In addition, three
herd* with 37 cows are on Welgh
A-Day A-Month test.
The Watauga Cooperative Breed
ing Association bred 988 cows arti
ficially to proven bulls in I960-,
this Is an increase of 93 cows over
last year.
Four farmers sold 12 heifers In
the proven sire bred heifer sale
held at Enka.
Nine' dairy and liveatock farm
ers built permanent type silo* to
improve their feeding program.
Watauga farmers purchased and
(continued on page six)
IN THE CREEK. ? Delmar Richard Crowder, 24, of Charlotte was driving this 1900 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
when he aparently lost control of it on a curve, 10 mJes west of Boone near Sherwood Saturday evening.
Investigation showed the car ran off the left shoulder after the driver lost control, turned over on iu
top in the creek, and then rolled back on its wheels. Crowder and his passenger, George Elilott Bradshaw,
also of Charlotte, suffered internal injuries. ? Photo Flowers Photo Shop.
Development Group Told That
Specialized Training Necessary
Dimes Containers To
Round Up Loose Coin
The 1961 New March of Dimes
put in a bid to round up all the
loose change in Watauga County
during the month of January as it
Mrs. Dunn Dies
In Washington
Mrs. Stella Dunn, 84, of Spokane,
Washington died December 22 in
a hospital there after a long ill
ness.
Mrs. Dunn was a daughter of
the late Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Mast
of Valle Crucis and had made her
home there before going to Wash
ington several years ago. She was
a member of the Valle Crucis
Methodist Church.
Surviving are one daughter,
Mrs. Lee Stout of Waynesville;
Three sons, Carl Kohnle of Gran
ite Falls, Charles Dunn of Spo
kane, Wash.; and First Lieuten
ant Ernest Dunn, stationed at Fort
Benning, Ga. Also surviving are
14 grandchildren and five great
grandchildren.
The funeral was conducted in
Greenacres, Washington, Decem
ber 24.
began distribution today of coin
collectors throughout the area.
Volunteers will place containers
in stores, supermarkets, restau
rants, offices and other appropriate
locations to collect funds in The
National Foundation's fight to pre
vent crippling diseases, announced
Jack Feimster, campaign director.
"One vote can often decide an
election," he said. "And, whq
knows? Perhaps one full coin col
lector might contain just the few
extra dollars needed for a medical
researcher to discover part of the
answer as to why one out of 16
children born in this country is
born with a significant birth de
fect.
"Every coin you give is a per
sonal contribution to The National
Foundation's program to prevent
the crippling of birth defects,
arthritis and polio. It is only with
widespread public support that we
can eliminate these cripplers thru
medical research, patient aid and
professional education," Feimster
declared.
"Whenever you see one of our
coin collectors, please say YES to
the New March of Dimes by drop
ping in som of your loose change.
And, remember bills fit in the
slot, too."
Oregon River Yields
Body Native Wataugan
Jacksonville, Oregon ? The body
of Riley J. N orris, 64, Jacksonville,
whose pickup plunged Into the
North Umpqua River 7Vi miles
west of Steamboat Nov. 18, was
found Saturday.
Sheriff's deputies report the
body was recovered about a mile
below the Lone Rock Bridge near
Glide by fisherman Bernard Rog
ers of Roeeburg.
Norria' car was found tat the riv
er more than a month ago, and a
search wan made for the body, but
it could not ba found. Sheriff Ira
Byrd ordered regular patrols1 of
the rivet- to watch for the body.
Morris was born in Bmm, N. C.,
July 27, ISM. iuid had been a resi
dent of JaduwnvUte, Ore., sine*
1903.
He was married to Dorrii McKcc
at Jacksonville on Dec. 15, 1919.
He wai employed by the Harding
Construction Co. of Stay ton. He
was a member of the Crater Ea
gles Lodge at Medford.
Surviving are his wife. Doris,
Jacksonville; two daughters Mrs.
William Boat wick, Sunnyside,
Wash., and Mrs. Louis Applebak
er, Jacksonville; a son, Kenneth,
Medford; a brother, Ivan, Spring
field; four aistcrs, Mrs. Custer
Laurancc, Rose burg, Mrs. Frank
W. Long, Opal, Calif., Mm Myra
McDowell, Eugene; and Mrs. Boy
Loffland, Provo, Utah; seven
grandchildren; and two great-grand
children.
Specialized education came m
for considerable discussion Friday
when the Northwest North Caro
line Development Association be
gan working in its seventh year
of development work. The meet
ing held in Wilkes county, was
attended by nearly all directors
and co-workers from the 11 coun
ties covered by the association.
The directors, In approving in
principle the development of spec
ialized education, to win more
industry for the section, approved
the idea brought before them by
Dr. W. H. Plcmmons, president
of Apalachian State Teachers Col
lege, and Dr. H. S. Decker, head
of the college's Industrial Arts
Department.
Terming it a "notion" that he
wished to "toss into the associa
tion's work hopper," Dr. Plem
mons said that specialized train
ing for skilled and semi-skilled
jobs has become essential in sup
plying personnel to new and ex
panding industries." Where such
programs are in progress, he add
ed, they are a "strong selling
point" to prospects.
Dr. Plcmmons said such special
schools as those operating in Win
ston-Salem, Burlington and Hic
kory are serving urgent needs in
this field. But all institutions
must be assisted, he asserted, "if
we arc to meet the expected up
surge of education."
Dr. Decker told the association
directors that, if a special com
mittee could be set up, it would
have the additional advantage of
encouraging financial aid from
foundations and other groups.
He said the need for specialized
training to fill Industrial jota
grows greater each year because
about 50,000 young men and wo
men must leave North Carolina
farms for other means of liveli
hood.
The impotrance of the field of
education in the association's de
velopment work was cited by sev
eral directors. John Forlincs, of
Granite Falls, president of the as
sociation, said the matter will b*
reviewed at the board's February
17 meeting in Elkin.
Other sessions scheduled arc:
Agriculture division, February 2,
Elkin YMCA; industry, January
26, Wilkes Hotel. North Wilkes
boro; travel and recreation, Jan
uary 27, place to be decided! com
munity development and youth,
February 10. Wilkes YMCA.
In connection with the general
goals of the association for thia
year, Wayne Corpenlng said that
(continued on page six)
'??ST'- ???