North Carolina Newspapers

ATAUGA DEMOCRAT ESTABLISHED IN 1 ?N rUBUSHED EVERY THURSDAY ?Y RIVERS POINTING CO HP ANY, INC m r* DNivDC TD rniTAB AMn Uivirvt) m *? C- WVEUS, JR., JEOITQR ANn uimx.. ?TCAN WVERS, ASSOClZZ,!^** M Indepeadent WmU? Ne* ? - Publlsbed /or DTYears by Stabert C. Ely era, fe/T SUBSCRIPTION HATES (EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY A, 1863) IN NOBTH CAKCL1NA One Time $3.09 Six Months $1.80 Four Months $U0 OUTSIBIE NORTH CAROLINA One Ymt SI* Months - $2.40 Pour Month! ? 12.00 All Subscription* Payable in Advaac* NOTICE TO SUSSQBIBEB6? In raywitiu change * aUm. it is important to mention the OLD, as well <i> the NEW mklreaa. filtered at Hie postoffice at Boone, N. C., as second Class matter, under the act of Congress of March 8, 1879. MEMBER NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION NORTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION The basis of our government being the opinion of the people, the very first objective should be to keep that right, and were it left to m* to decide wbeth r we <iould have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without government, 1 should not hesitate a moment to ehooae the Utter. But I should mean that every man should receive these papers irl be capable of reading them."? Thomas Jefferson. Grandfather's Gold A - ? / <1 TT O r> 1 _ _i 1 . _ 1 _?. A l. r it * t\ ic(juii ui uie u. o. ueuiugicai Survey, relayed to us through llir iam Rabb, State Travel Editor, says that gold exists in four places on Grandfather Mountain, where the formations are said to be one billion years old. And now a new flurry of activity is expected at the mile-high tourist center, when the rock-hounds begin to gather in the region. Over fifty years ago when Tom Williams and his family and some of his nephews came down from upper New York State to live in Boone's Yellow house, to engage in hard rock mineral prospecting, they centered their activities on the slopes of the Grandfather. Precisely where we do not know, but it seems to us it must have been around on the Foscoe side of the lofty hill. Their spon sors after a year or such a matter withheld further investment and the Williamses disposed of their barrows, their picks and shovels, and other equipment and returned to New York. im me mgni oeiore weir depar ture, as was the custom in thoee days, our daddy went down to say goodbye and wish them well. As a child we went along, and recall Mrs. Wil liams' remark: "If I had a million dollars I wouldn't hesitate to sink it in the vicinity of Grandfather. The ore is there, and can be found with money enough.'' And Charlie Wil liams, who called on us a few years ago, echoed his aunt's and his uncle's conviction that the innards of the great mountains were laced with the rich yellow fingers of gold. And ao the geological engineers find out through scientific methods what an old prospecting family found out by pecking around with chisels and picks and a little powder more than half a century ago. Besides gold, there is copper, feldspar, iron mica and lead. But the wealth of the old mountain is in the people who come to anjoy the resort Hugh Morton has created next to the clouds. Brotherhood Foundation Of System President Kennedy ffie ilonorary Chairman of Brotherhood Week, which is to be observed in Boone and throughout the country next week, says, "Human brotherhood is not just a goal ? it is a condition on which our' way of life depends." The President continues: "The question for our time is not whether all men are brothers. That quesition has been answered by the God who placed us on this earth together. The question is whether we have the strength and the will to make the brotherhood of man the guiding principle of our daily lives. Can we match our ac tions to our words? "We look for support and brother hood tp millions, hundreds of mil lions of Americans of different creeds, of different colon, who share our aspirations hut sometimes are not convinced that we believe strong ly in the doctrines that we preach. I believe as a nation we must be committed to these goals. "The Brotherhood of Man under the Fatherhood of God is a basic principle which has directed this na tion through many years and I am confident will direct it with increas ing vigor in the years to come. I urge all Americans to join a nation wide observance of Brotherhood Week." Of Valentines And Hearts Valentine's Day with its hearts in spires most lads to think of love, courtship and dainty morsels of chocolate candy. But to Robert Janus, the heart means an organ that does enough work in 12 hours (obviously a non union heart) to lift a 65-ton tank car one foot off the ground. Not content with such an unhappy comparison, Janus goes on to re port that the heart pumps blood through about 100,000 miles of blood vessels ? a distance equal to five round trips between New York and Sydney, Australia. A man's heart is only about the size of his fist, yet it pumps approx imately 1,800 gallons of blood through his body each day. In its first stage of development, the human heart is like the heart of a fish ? only a simple tube. Then it resembles the heart of a frog, then that of a snake. When it's fully developed, it * resembles the heart of a bird. Janus should know. He's science editor of World Book Encyclopedia. Mrs. Janus doesn't care ? she'd bet ter get her heart-shaped box of candy, or else. Bye, Bye Bluebird (Charlotte New*) The bluebird of Thoreau carried "the sky on his back," winging in then as be does now to herald the coming of spring, a symbol of hap piness for men, a thing of joy for little boys and girls who find those pale blue eggs nestled in some tree or post. ?Tragically, though, our "happy lit tle bluebirds" are diminishing ra pidly In number. The current issue of Audubon Field Note* reports that the eastern bluebird, which suffered severe losses in 1058, continue d*wn the pathway to extinction. {to jwpulatwB now is ieai than fO p*r cent of aormal, git "lowe* ewer recorded." 1 <5ereWwfltter storms have been t. blamed by some naturalists for the demise of these lovely feathered friends. But in something of an ironic foot note, the Audubon publication points out that pesticides also are suspect Long plagued by passer domesti cus, the imported house sparrow which usurps their nests, the blue birds are now called on to battle the weather and mankind. Few creatures can survive such an on si aught, and K is rather wd commentary that men, who value the - bluetoM most far Ms beauty and its a a? elation with the end of winter, maf share ta Mi destruction. Look long at th# aext bluebird ypu see. The memory may soon be all thafs left. From Early Democrat Files Sixty Years Ago February It, 19M. Now that we have asked for a special tax for the purpose of building bridges in aome parts of the county, is it not time for our people to build roads thereto. A bridge without a road leading there to is an awful failure. Did you ever think of that? J. W. Todd of Todd, who has been working in the coal fields of Virginia was badly hurt by an explosion of dynamite some days ago, but has sufficiently recovered to return home, where he it expected this week. Mrs. John F. Hardin left yes terday morning for Greensboro, where she will spend some time with her daughter, Miss Mary Lillington, who is now in school in that oKy. We are t<dd that application will be made to the board of 1 managers of the World's Fair at St. Louis for room to exhibit our historic old court house, erected by the pioneer settlers of Watauga. A committee of three will be sent to St. Louis to look after a suitable site and should it be put on exhibit it will prove quite a curiosity to civilized people. Prof. B. B. Dougherty and Capt. Lovill are off to Raleigh in the interest of a Training School for Teachers in Western North Carolina, that was to have been argued on Tuesday. As we are determined to keep the old courthouse as an "heir loom" how would it do to re pair the fence around the pub lie square. You know historic buildings are always kept up and beautified by taxation. Think of this; and remember the duty you owe to our old hull, erected by our fore-fath er*. Prof. L. G. Maxwell of River aide, brought ? three of his daughters up Monday and en tered them at Watauga Aca demy. Four men who make it their business to crack safes at the midnight hours were run down and caught with bloodhounds near Monroe last Saturday. This is the kind ot news we like to h?ar. Yes, it seems that the man who promised us the wood on subscription is still waiting for the roses to bloom. Thirty-Nine Ywrs Ago February U, 1924. Mr. A. K. Moore, a student at Trinity College was forced tO ahnnHnn hiq on aC count of eye trouble, caused by a powder burn be received in one of the battles in France. He is bade at the A-T.S. where he graduated last year. He hopes to be able to take some course* there, studying about half the day, that will be of great ad vantage to him when he returns to college. Mr. and Mrs. G rover Robbins gave a birthday party at their home in honor of their daugh ter, Lena Miller, when she celebrated her second birthday. Just One Thing By CARL GOEHCH "Hello, Jim; how are you feeling?" "Pretty good, Frank; and you?" "Oh, I'm feeling all right" And that's the end of the conversation. When we inquire into the health of one of our -friends we do so in a casual manner and without any great degree of interest. It's mostly dkpe for the sake of making conversation. This wasn't true, however, with the late Sher wood Upchurch of Raleigh, who was a nigged individual In many ways. When you asked him ? question he regarded it as his bounden duty to answer it, snd he always did. With Sherwood the conversation went something like this: "Hello, Sherwood; how are you feeling?" "Not so good, Tom. I had a rather bad night last ngiht and couldn't seem to go to sleep. Something is wrong with my stomach and my food doeen't agree with me. I went te the doctor last week and had a thorough - examination made. Sometimes, when I do any great amount of shading. I get ? split ting headache. Maybe 1 need to have my glasses changed. An other thing?" By this time the Mend would ?be beginning to aquirm, but Sherwood wouldn't 4urn him loose until he had completely exhausted the subject of tie personal health. We were pcesent an one ?e e?ian when he want through this procedure and asked hia why lie went into such detail. 'When folks ask me hew I'm feeling,* he replied, 1 take * AFTER ANOTHER for granted that they want to know, so I tell them. If they don't want to know, they've got no business asking me." A little story about the Um stead family. About forty years ago, John Umstead and the late Governor Bill Umstead went bird-hunting. After having walked a consider able distance, they sat on a rail fence to take a brief rest. In seating himself on the top rail, Bill dragged up his gun and ac cidentally discharged it The shot fanned John's face. They stared at each other for a moment and then went home. John didn't shoot another gun for fifteen years, and. Bill never fired a gun again. Poor Colonel Kinnel The Colonel is stationed at Fort Bragg. While on foreign duty he got bit by some kind of s bug and had to tike a lot of shots at Walter Beid Hospital when he got back hone. They gave him all sorts of medicine and finally cured him. But here's what happened. Prior to becoming ill, the top of his head was as dmi of hair as a billiard-ball. In recent months, however, it has started to sprout and he now has a good growth which stead ily la becoming thicker. V ?V Colonel Just knew whether it was the bug that caused this at whether it was acme combination ef *ots that lie took, he undoubtedly could make maap millions of ddQars. As It is, lie has to be satisfied with Ms own pe?on? impreve I Mr. T. Hill Farthing returned from the nurkcti the last of the week where he bought heavily for the spring trade. Hill is a good buyer and a great caterer to values. Goods from his shelves are always depend able. Dr. and Mrs. G. H. Jeffcoat were guests in the home of Mr. L. C. Norris on Tuesday night of last week. The home of Mr. Norris is truly a hospitable one. Miss Nannie Rivers will close her term of school on Sampson the last of the week and is ex pected home Sunday. Kit. F. A. Linney who harf ?pent several days with rela tives beyond the ridge, return ed to her home the last of the week. Mr. T. H. Coffey of Blowing Rock, who recently returned from Charlotte" Wfie#e" ie\4ok ? htfrftrt treatment for a few dlys, was in town on Monday and Tuesday looking after the interests of the Peoples Bank and Trust Company. He and some of the directors were checking up notes in that in stitution. Fifteen Years Ago February 1*, 1M8. Mrs. A. J. Ragan is ill with Influenza at Watauga Hospital. Mr. John W. Hodges has been iU for the past week at the home of a son, Mr. John W. Hodges, Jr. Mrs. L. H. Smith suffered a severely fractured hip in a fall on the streets of Blowing Rock Monday. Alter receiving emer gency medical attention at the Watauga ? Hospital, she was taken to Charlotte Memorial Hospital for treatment by a bone specialist. Mrs. J. L. Goodnight return ed home Saturday after spend ing a month visiting with her ions in Gastonia. She was ac companied home by Mr. and Mrs. Neil Goodnight, who spent the week end here. ? Mr. Clarence Trexler has re turned home from a Charlotte hospital, where he was treated for a complicated fracture of a leg, which was Sustained some time ago. He is well on the way toward recovery. Mr. and Mrs. Clyde R. Greene spent Sunday at the home of Dr. and Mrs. W. O. Bingham in Elizabethton, Tenn. Mrs. L. L. Norris of North Wilkesboro, spent the week eod with her daughter, Mrs. Carl C. Norris. Mr. and Mrs Harvey Owens ?f Gastonia, spent the week-end with Mrs. Owens' parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Cooke. |?| Mrs. Ralph Winkler, Mrs. Wiley Smith and Mrs. A R. Smith are spending a two weeks vacation in Miami. Fla. Mr. and Mrs. Meri Long spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. James Ceftey at their home in Sh tills Mills. Mr. and Mr*. Paul Nave have ?loved here from Franklin, N. C. Mr. Nave will be manager of Coble's Dairy at Sugar Grew. Mr. Ben Miller of the Merch ant Martee. is spending soeae time with Mrs. Miller at their home here. Mr. and Mrs. Ctrl Lewis and daughter, Alice of North Wll ke*oro, spent th? week end Vitfc relatives 1* the county. KING BY ROB RIVERS fy.' ' ? f X -'S Of Skunks . . There's A-Pienty Skunks, the dainty-stepping, odiferous little i which are better known as polecats, have about taken over Alleghany county, we hear, and a crash program is being undertaken to deplete the ranks of the little stinkers for the protection of the small game of the county. . . Lawyer Floyd C rouse says over MO skunks were killed on his farm one night a while back, and automobiles are crushing them, but they continue to re plenish, and feed on the young quail, grouse, rabbits, etc., left un tended while the mama creatures do their foraging. . . Trapping and poisoning is expected not to eradicate the creatures but to get their hordes back down to toler able numbers. Night Hunters . . Scarce And an old pole cat and possum hooter would opine that change* In the hahiti of mountain men have been large ly to blame, and the improved economic status of the country has worked to the advantage of the nlght-prowllag creatures of field and forest. . . Vied to be a lot of fan to get with a good group of boys and hound dogs and go out for the pos sums and the polecat* on the clear, crisp night* of early autumn, and to come back in dawn'* early light with a pos sum or two in a sack and a polecat maybe. In the latter ease one had to get hi* clothes off In the woodshed, or the barn. . . And besides the fun in .these night-time foray*, a good po**um hide would fetch a quarter sometimes, and a black skunk skin could com mand even a couple of dollar* ?even if the hunter did *poil twenty dollars worth of dothes and shoes and stuff. Nowadays . . A Difference But long ago the old kero sene lantern was hung on the peg, its smoky chimney never to glow again, the pos sum dogs are baying at the moon, and the guys who coan ed up the slim sycamores and shook out the grinning pos sums and waded into a polecat with a lethal frail, have be come bankers and lawyers and doctors and merchants. . , And a lot of them have followed the yapping perps into the misty chill of the last long night. . . v few I?jil Groups . . Like On links And on this possum hunting and pole cat circuit, there were groups who followed the swaying beam of the lantern and dreamed up dreaan of pos sums bigger than a big. M# groundhog, and they were like foursomes on a golf course. . . Coot Halgler, whose black and wholesome countenance would bust open In hilarious laughter at the slightest provocation, and who didn't like far time to be mentioned on a nighttime hunt, has shaken off the mortal cares. . . He vowed that the polecat stink would cure hi* colds, and loved baked possum, and yams. . . Cooge Lovill, one of the molt faithful of the old hound dog hunter*, who made about the best company around a warming Are you ever law, gave up the struggle some years ago. . . Carl Payne who could climb up a forty foot pop lar without a limb in sight, like a squirrel, to shake the grinning critter from his perch, and who found that the least possum always climbed the highest tree, died year* ago, and Jim Rivers, whose patience when the trails were cold, and there was nothing to eat,- was like uatp that of Job himself looks out from his desk, where he heads a corporation in the city, and we sometimes think of chill nights in the trackless forests and in the evening can Imagine that the lantern is trimmed and burning, that the dogs are ia good voice, and that the old friends are still around with tele* of the hunt And the skunks aad the poo sums have multiplied no end, and they stink up the high ways, before the whirling wheels literally grind them in to nothingness. . . Folks dont need the money from their pelts anymore, and good roast beef has taken the place a i browned possum. . . Only trouble about skunks is that the game's been neglected, and folks who used to hunt them are driving Cadillacs to gay parties and dance* and bridge games. ys * * * He Stopped . . And Flipped A Tone ?anker Alfred Adams stop ped at Walker's Jewelry Store to hay himself a Jaw Harp. , , The mum thing Mte ton ? ? Jew'i btf,ul which actual ly always cum Mt "fake" oi^? of the itm|t little e? traptlam which aritti him, strum m4 at eff a lew bar* of "Groundhog," with profession ai eaae, pocketed the little glaaaa aai ptnmM down the ataim! talking over the world of finance and business. . . For ? little relaxing, there's nothlnf to heat a little Juice harp mnfic, this is if one doat pick nothing. . . Hhe a haajer, that is. Uncle Pinkney HIS PALAVERIN'S DEAK MISTER EDITOR: You will recollect that here awhile back the felers at the country store was in favor of reducing each state to one Senator and cutting the. House members in half. It was figger ed that this move would pay off the national debt in about 10 year. Well, Mister Editor, I got some powerful new fodder fer this campaign. It is a well knowed fact that Senators and Congressmen has got to git votes, and to git votes they got to spread the gravy on pritty thick back home. Hie figgers has just been released on how thick the gravy is irtttw*- ?( ltt. The item I got here *?|ys that in, 1962 we had 2,538,390 civil ians ' working in Guvernment ofice*. This is ? increase of 46,049 over 1961 and they is estimating that in this year of 1963 the number will go up an other 20,000. This piece says it is now taking over $14 billion to pay these Guvernment work ers. Congressman Earl Wilson of Indiana says when he first come to the Congress 20 years ago, he was in a state of shock the first week from watching Guvernment secretaries polish ing their nails, reading movie magazines and writing letters to their boy friends. And he says it is twict as bad now. He claims that today, in addi tion to all them other things, they is busy working cross word puztles, walking around in the halls with transister radios hung around their neck, and some of 'em is even knit ting sweaters. It looks like the gravy is gitting too thick to stir and about the only way the tax payers can thin K down ? bit is to thin out them Senators and Congressmen. Farthennore, I aee by the papers where, while the Con gress was adjourned, we had 27 U, S. Senators and Congress men, some of 'em defeated in the last election, taking tours at Guvernment expense. They call 'em "fact finding" trips, but it seems they has to take their wives and relatives along to help git the facta. And I have took note. Mister Editor, that right now daring the cold weather, most of the facts that need finding out about is to the South where it's warm. In the summer time the facts shifts to the North. Senator Harry Byrd said last week that the 46,045 civilian workers the Guvernment add ed last year coat the taxpayers 1297 million extra, and that the 20,000 they was fiwering in aiding this year would coat another $112 million. That's nighty hard ap the taxpayers but I reckon it's aood jar the transister radio folks. We got ? heap af fine and bone* men in Washington, and we jot some that ttm't so fine. The felkra at the atorc is maintaining that if we cut the number in Mlf, we can kaap a bqttar watch an which is Which VMM truly, Dncle PMkney {MscKtrtght "Syndicate)