EMOCRAT
An Independent Weekly Newspaper . . . Seventy-Fifth Year of Continuous Publication
BOONE. WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY FEBRUARY 7, 1963
10
Per Copy
16 PAGES? t SECTIONS
DORMITORY CONTINUES CLIMB.? The new sevenstory
girls dorm being constructed on the east edge of the ASTC
campus spirils upward as work crews make progress in cold
February winds. College officials are hoping the dorm will
be ready for occupany by September. One of four new
dorm* to be erected on the Kmc hill between East Hall and
the Winn-Dixie store, the building will cost in excess of
$750,000 and will house 300 girls. ? Photo by Gaddy.
Industry To Be Topic Of C. Of C.;
List Of Suggestions By Members
Discussion of Boone's pre
sent industries, and possible
future industrial plants, will
comprise the program at the
monthly meeting of the Cham
ber of Commerce at Daniel
Boone lim next Tuesday mma.
it is announced by L. E. Tuck
willer, program chairman.
Mr. M. E. Thalheimer, presi
dent of the Blowing Rock Ski
Lodge, will give the Chamber
Spencer Miller
Dies Saturday
Spencer McCoy Miller, 70
year-old Boone businessman
and retired postal employe,
died Saturday at Watauga Hos
pital after a long illness.
lie was the owner and opera
tor of Boone Transfer Co.,
Woodcraft Novelty Co., and a
Boone lumber company. He was
a veteran of World War I.
Miller was born in Watauga
County to John and Josie King
Miller.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs.
Ola C. Miller; three sons, Larna
and J. D. Miller, both of Boone,
and Lester Miller of St Louis,
Mo.; one daughter, Mrs. Betty
Joe Shore of Blowing Rock;
five brothers, Will and Charles
Miller of Zionville, Thomas
Miller of Yadkinville, Frank
Miller of Boone and Otto Mil
ler of Southwick, Idaho; three
listers, Mrs. Ed Greer, Mrs. Hu
bert Greer and Mrs. James
Reece of Zionville; and 11
grandchildren.
The funeral was conducted
at 2 p. m. Monday at Boone
Methodist Church by the Rev.
Preston Hughe* and the Rev.
E. F. Troutman. Burial was in
Mt. Lawn Memorial Park.
a brief report of the progress of i
the winter resort, which is now
in its first full year of opera
tion.
A more definite anouncement
about the new industry is ex
Pfgtqrt U be made at this meet
ing.
President Herman W. Wil
cox expresses his appreciation
to all who made the labor sur
vey such a success. Many con
tributed time so that it might
be carried on efficently.
air. - Stanley A. Harris has
been re-named secretary of the !
Chamber's Industry Committee.
Some Suggestions
Following are the suggest
ions turned in at the last mem
bership committee. They will
be assigned to the various com
mittees for consideration:
? Would like to see each
store be responsible for side
walk area in front for clean
ness.
? Let's get behind enlarging
the corporate limits of Boone
? 1963 is the time.
?Have week set aside as col
lege week to recognize stu
BlowingRock
Asks For Bids
The Town of Blowing Rock is
seeking bidders for the con- 1
struction of a sewage treatment
plant and the installation of ap- i
pi iximately 14,000 feet of sewer i
lines. :
In addition to the treatment 1
plant and sewer lines, the pro- <
ject will include 65 manholes, i
almost 1,000 feet of lines around !
the plant and access roads. i
Bids must be at the Blowing i
Rock Town Hall by 11 a. m. i
March 4. 1
dents and faculty.
? Try to get ordinance past
ed to get rid of all over side
walk hanging signs.
?Get employees of stores,
etc., to pwfc; off street and
leave parking for customers.
? Get the Town to wash the
streets more often.
? Put a sign on Main Street,
pointing to office of Chamber
of Commerce.
? Office of the Chamber of
Commerce to stay open until
B p. m. while the Horn in the
West plays.
(Continued on page six)
ASSEMBLYMEN.? Ira T. Johnston, left, We?t Jefferson I
Democrat, who U representing Watauga, Aibe and Alle- 1
Eh any in the State Senate. Jamee E. Holshouser, Jr., right, i
Boone Republican, it Watauga '? Repreaentative in the Houae
of Representatives. Both men will take the oath of office in
the new State Houae today (Wednesday). Mr. Johnston had J
previously represented Ashe county in the Legislature, 1
while Mr. Melsbower is entering upon a tint term. I
Broyhill Gets
Party Position
Congressman James T. Broy
hill (R-NC) was named Thurs
day as a member of the Repub
lican Policy Committee of the
House of Representatives to
serve as one of the committee's
nine regional members. Broy
hill was elected unanimously to
the important post by the eight
Republican Congressmen repre
senting eight Southeastern
states. His election marks the
first time that a frpshman mem
ber of Congress has been se
lected for one of the regional
positions on the committee.
Commenting upon his elec
tion to the committee, Broyhill
declared, "I am very grateful
for the confidence my ' fellow
Republicans from the Southeast
ern states have shown in be
stowing this honor upon me.
It will be ? great privilege to
serve the Southeastern states
as their regional representative
in this high Republican council.
[ am deeply mindful, too, of my
responsibility for reflecting in
the committee the dynamic and
vigorous spirit of Southern Re
publicanism that is so apparent
in these states today."
Brewer
Trial Is
Upheld
Ralegh, Feb. 1.? Tb? State
Supreme Court, quoting from
the Bible, said yesterday, "No
man can serve two masters" as
it upheld the conviction of Kidd
Brewer and two other Raleigh
men on chargcs of influence
peddling.
Brewer, 54, a onetime candi
date for lieutenant governor,
was convicted last July 17 along
Stay Granted
Raleigh, Feb. 4 ? State Sup
reme Court Chief Justice Em
ery B. Denny signed a stay of
execution yesterday permitting
the three defendants in the
Burch-Brewer highway signs
case to appeal to the U.S. Sup
reme Court.
Denny granted Raleigh busi
nessman Kidd Brewer, former
state highway engineer Robert
A Burch and his son Bobby a
80-day stay in which to file pap
ers asking the nation's highest
court to review their case.
with former state highway en
gineer Robert A. Burch and
Burch's son, Bobby. The
charges stemmed from state
highway-sign purchases.
Defense attorneys said an ap
peal would be taken to the fed
eral courts.
Brewer, ill at home with in
fluenza, had no comment on the
court decision. He and the two
Burches have been free on bond
since their conviction which fol
lowed a lengthy trial.
Former State Atty. Gen. Mal
eolm Seawell, who represented
Brewer, said he plana to ask the
state Supreme Court for a stay
of execution pending prepara
tion of an appeal to the U. S.
Supreme Court.
In sentencing Brewer and the
(Continued on page six)
South 's First Ski Queen To Be
Selected In B. Rock Contest
The South's first beauty
?ueen of skiing (the snow kind,
that is) will be selected in a
wntest at Blowing Rock Ski
Lodge Saturday, February 18.
The contest to select "Miss
Southern Ski Queen" will be a
departure from the typical
?outhem beauty pageant as sym
bolized by bathing suits and
evening gowns. The contestants
will wear ski attire.
And, for a portion of the
ludging, the southern belles will
to put on skis. For many it will
9e their lint try.
The contestants, dressed in
form-fitting ski pants and snug
sweaters, will be assisted by a
professional instructor as they
put on the skis, take a few sim
ple steps and take the skis off,
all under the critical eyes of
the judges. Iliis portion of the
contest will be designed to stim
ulate the contestants' "first" ski
lesson.
It will come after they have
appeared before the judges in
doors in typical "after ski" at
tire, including the stretch panto
and tight sweaters or jersey*
SHOE MANUFACTURER PLEASED
1400 Seek Jobs During
Local Survey Of Labor
Many Workers
Want To Return
To Watauga Co.
More than 1400 persons regis
tered for employment last Wed
nesday at the Watauga County
Courthouse. Northwestern Bank
recorded an additional 180 ap
plications Thursday and H. W.
Wilcox, president of the Cham
ber of Commerce, reported that
applications "are still coming
in by mail and otherwise."
Applicants were interviewed
Wednesday by officials of the
Blue Ridge Shoe Company and
the North Wilkesboro Employ
ment Security Commission of
fice representatives, Glenn An
drews, president of Watauga
Industries, and committee mem
bers.
Blue Ridge Shoe Company
employs men and women in the
manufacturing plant which
makes loafers and other types
of shoes.
The industrial representa
tives reportedly were more
than pleased with the turn-out.
Wilcox quoted them as saying,
"You (Watauga County) have
proved your point. You have
sufficient labor for two indus
tries; plenty of fine male and
female labor."
Sixty percent of the appli
cants were men, Wilcox said.
Stated Alfred Adam*, chair
man of the Industry Committee
and assistant vice-president of
Northwestern Bank, "We ex
pect some positive action from
this prospect within a few days."
Andrews added that Wata
uga Industries is ready to
build a plant whenever the
decision is made to come to
Boone, and plans have been ap
proved.
A sheet of ice covered the
county streets and roads Wed
nesday morning, closing schools
in Watauga and surrounding
counties, and giving rise to
some doubt by the representa
tives from North Wilkesboro
that a sufficient number of ap
( Continued on page six)
Rites Held For
Alonzo Payne
Alonzo C. Payne, 72, native
Wataugan, died in an Ashe
ville hospital last Thursday af
ter a lingering illness.
Funeral was held at 1 p. m.
Sunday, Feb. 3 at the Reins
Sturdivant Funeral Home in
Boone. The Rev. Marshall Har
grave officiating.
Burial was in the city ceme
tery in Boone.
A son of the late Rev. J. M.
Payne and Mrs. Payne, deceas
ed was born in Watauga county,
and resided in Boone for many
years where he attended Appa
lachian. He left Boone over 40
years ago, and was a laundry
owner in Marion, Va. before
his retirement a few years ago,
when be established residence
in Asheville.
(Continued on page six)
Judging will be baaed entirely
on the glrla' appearance, poise
and grace? skiing ability or ex
perience won't be a factor.
Girls between It and 28 from
the Carolinaa, Georgia and Ten
neaaee, including a number of
beauty-titleholdera, are being in
vited to participate.
In addition southern* newspa
pert and television stations are
invited to nominate one contest
ant each.
The conteat will begin at 1
p. m. with the indoor portion
(Cootinued on page six)
? .
MANY WANT LOCAL JOBS.? Scenes taken
in the Watauga County courtroom as men
and women came to register and thereby
indicate their willingness to work in a pro
posed new Boone factory. At the peak of
the registration procedure, the courtroom
was filled, and many stood in the hallways.
? Staff photos.
Blue Ridge Electric Shows
Big Growth During Past Y ear
C. E. Viverette, General Man
ager of Blue Ridge Electric
Membership Corporation, with
headquarters in Lenoir, report
ed today that the growth of Blue
Ridge Electric Membership Cor
poration in 1962 in electric
power sales was 8.33 Vi over
1961 while the national average
for the industry was 8.1%.
Viverette stated the largest
percentage growth was with
the seasonal consumer-members
with 18.6%. The farm and rural
residences had an 11.9% growth.
He stated that the large num
ber of all-electric homes con
nected in 1962 counted for much
of this growth and the all-elec
tric home is expected to have
a tremendous impact on the
growth of Blue Ridge Electric
Membership Corporation in the
future.
Bine Ridge Electric Member
ship Corporation sold 134,228,
000 kwh In 1962 and had total
revenues of $2,365,799. The mar
gins for 1962 were $222,556, a
23.1% increase over 1961. This
amount will he credited to the
members, capital credits ac
counts and on the eight-year
rotation policy will be returned
to the members in 1971. Mem
bers will receive this year their
capital credits accrued in 1954.
At the close of December,
Blue Ridge Electric Membership
Corporation had 19,611 con
sumer-members, an increase of
3.3% over 1961. It had 3,700
miles of line in its eight-county
service ?rea.
Vlverette said ail trends were
favorable and if these trends
continued, it would mean the
cost of power to the members
would be reduced again. The
last rate reduction was in 19U.
Neil Faries, Manager of the
Watauga District operations of
Blue Ridge Electric Member
ship Corporation, stated that
the number of consumer-mem
bers served in the Watauga Dis
trict increased from 4,768 in
1961 to 4,994 in 1962 and the
sale of power increased from
39,179,000 kwh to 40,535,000
kwh.
Farm Group
To Meet Mon.
There will be a meeting of
the agriculture committee of the
Worth wet t North Carolina De
velopment Association Monday,
February 11, at 2 p. m., in the
Gilvin Roth YMCA in Elkin, ac
cording to Wayne A. Corpfcning,
chairman of the agriculture di
vision of the aisociation. J
Dr. C. E. Bishop, head of
agricultural economics depart
ment at N. C. State College and
(ConttaMd ob pago six)
March Of Dimes Report
Is Given By Mrs. Greer
I wish to thank each person
who participated in Watauga
County's 1963 March of Dimes
campaign for their cooperation
and enthusiasm that enabled
this campaign to be successful.
HOD figures for Watauga
County with the Activities,
chairman and amount listed in
that order are given below:
Bowling ? Jake Jacobs, $58.00.
Faculty Basketbal Game ?
Carl Fidler, Jack Groce, $108.00.
Square Dance, Blowing Rock
?Mrs. Richard Gragg, Mrs.
Wm. Bolick, $102.00.
Telerama ? Mrs. Randolph
Phillips, $125.00.
Teen-age Dance, Blowing
Rytck ? Mrs. W. C. Courtney,
$20.00.
Collection Basketball Game,
Blowing Rock ? Susie Greene,
$13.63.
Coin Containers, Boone and
Blowing Rock, *78.20.
Mother's March, B 1 ow i n g
Rock, Mrs. Harvey Ayers, Mrs.
Phil Smith, Junior Woman's
Club (other helpers) $171.00.
Mailers ? Mrs. Earl Petrey,
unknown at this time.
Total amount collected ?
$755.29.
Thank you for your helpful
ness throughout this year's
MOD campaign ? Mrs. Joyce
K. Greer.