North Carolina Newspapers

WATAUGA DEMOCRAT ESTABLISHED m J888 PUBLISHES EVERY THURSDAY BY RIVERS PRINTING COMPANY, INC R. C. RIVERS, JR., EDITOR AND MANAGER JEAN RIVERS, ASSOCIATE EDITOR An Independent VW*** Newspaper TCwuned lor 45 YeVrs by Robert C. Rivera, Sr. SUBSCRIPTION RATES (EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1, IMS) IN NORTH CAROLINA One Ye?r _.l *3 09 Six Months 81.80 Four Month* *1.30 OUTSIDE NORTH CAROLINA One Yew $4.00 Six Months $2 50 Four Months Sgi $2.00 Subscriptions Payable in Advance requesting change of address, it is important to mentis tt* pLjp, as wcU as the NSW a<Mres?. Entered at the postoffice at Boone, N. C? as secong class mister, under the act of Congress of March 3, 1879. MEMBER NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION NORTH CAROLINA PRESS ASSOCIATION New Plant Is Coming The announcement that the Mel ville Shoe Company's board has def initely approved the proposal to con struct a Blue Ridge Shoe Company plant in Boone, comes as good news to this entire area. The accomplishment comes after many weeks of hard work on the part of the members of Watauga Citizens, Inc., and other citizens of the community and county, who, in typical Watauga fashion, joined to gether in producing the cooperation and the finances necessary to induce the selection of Boone as the site for the important new manufacturing es tablishment. All these people are to be commended for their enterprise and generosity in bringing about this new industry, which is calculated to mean so much for the county. Already a personnel training pro gram is under way, and is presently being enlarged so that competent workers may be ready when the plant is completed. To be located on the Gordon Wink ler property near the International Resistance Co., the factory will em ploy near three hundred people, and will bring a payroll ot the county of something near a million dollars a year, to further enhance the pros perity and the economic well-being of this part of the country. And in welcoming the Melville corporation to this community, we feel that they have made a de cision of enduring worth to them. They will find a good and diligent labor force, and a community of good neighbors, who will be cooper ative and zealous for the welfare of the new enterprise. We shall wish for them the great est success with their newest manu facturing unit. Wastelands Along The Pavement A couple of Boone citizens went out the other day and gathered in %ee carloads of miscellaneous de bris collected along a two-mile stretch of highway 194, and a picture of a station wagon full of the stuff was carried in the Democrat last week as a reminder pf whatrllttir bugging is doing tc detract from the beauties of this region. Beer cans, papers, bottles, packing cartons, contributed to the mas? of rubbish gathered by tbese people, who are most hopeful that some movement may be started that would induce people to qujt casting their garbage along the picturesque moun tain roads. And the outlying streets of the town get their share of the litter, just the same as do the highways, and in spite of a fine sanitary crew, the problem of keeping the town clean is gigantic. And in the county, we know of no way, except that of appealing to the people who un thoughtedly contribute to this dis graceful littering of the countryside. Now that the time is almost here ' for the annual cleanup campaign - in the town, we are hopeful that the litterers will desist at least through the tourist season from despoiling the prettiest area in the country. In town the people usually keep their home premises clean, and put in some erftra licks during cleanup week. This they will do again. With indications that travel into these mountains will be the heaviest this year in history, the benefits to be accrued through presenting a clean countryside are enormous. Reducing Farm Fire Threat One of the most serious problems the modern farmer faces is the threat of fire. Last year fire destroyed more than 110 million dollars worth of farm property and killed nearly 8,500 persons. What's the answer? According to the Water Systems Council, an ade quate supply of water could have markedly reduced fire loss. The council says that (1) Water supply is the critical factor in fighting farm fires. (2) first fevy miny|e? of any fire are the most crucial. What you do before the fire department comes often means the difference be tween saving your buildings and total destruction. How much water does it take to put ou{ 4 fire? Assuming it is ex tinguished soon after starting, it may take as little as a hundred gallons or so. On the other hand, if un checked, 60-80,000 gallons may be necessary. Many fire prevention au thorities suggest a minimum of 3, 000 gallons of water on hand at all times. Best bet here is an electric water system, which continually sup plies water under pressure. A farm pond or swimming pool can double as excellent water reservoirs, often supplying the 60-80,000 gallons that could be needed. An adequate water supply is nec tary even after the fire department has arrived. The average pumper, for instance, only carries about 300 gallons of water with one inch hoses. Many companies also have tankers ? converted oil trucks ? which can carry an additional* 2,000 gallons. Once this supply has been exhausted, though, the pumper must couple to a new source. Corn Without Cultivators (Christian Science Monitor) Technological progress maj sug gest isctwrip* to most pewpia, but nowhere has it wrought greater change than on tfte Athenian farm. The city boy who grew up on the land finds in % largely un, familiar world if he looks into some Of the periodicals devoted to modern agriculture. For example, the farm Journal features aq Wt|c}f> 9b0.pt "Corp Without Plowing." Corn without plowing? Why, in former President Truman's generation that wopld have beep practically like farming without ffrmiftg. flow POulcJ you keep the weeds down except witb a cultiyatqr? Well, it turns out that tillage can be omitted if the land is sprayed Wtth weeq-luJUng chemicals pefore the corn is planted. Experimenters in Ohid have found that they can still get yields of around 100 bushels to the acre. Ttys cost is about the S?nw to? question is whether the farmer has something more useful to do with the time he saves. Here and there it would be' easy fqr a newspaperman to wax nostal gic ?b?ut the earth squishing up between hare toes as 9 farm boy fol lowed a patient hprae down the corn raws, put the lament probably would be written not with a lead pencil but on ?n electric typewriter. And the writer might be wondering how long before a computer will tell him what fcejp to tap. Need For Intensive Analysis From Early Democrat Files Sixty Years Ago April M, 1943. S. B. Dugger of Vilts, has bought the mercantile business of Roger & Combs at Vaughts ville, Tenn., and moved to that place. S?ow the IStb of April and a heavy wood fire seems quite strange, but such are the condi tions here now. Dr. Pariier was down from the Rock last week on professional business. Sheriff Baird left Monday for Statesville and Raleigh. He took Phillips and Walser, who were convicted of larceny at the last term of court, to the Iredell chain gang, and Roby Warren, who submitted for murder in the second degree, to the peniten tary where he will serve a term o( five years at hard labor. We are again in the midst of another cold "snap" and the In dications are today (Wednes day) that a considerable freeze tonight is almost certain. Attorney E. S. Coffey and family returned from Morganton Tuesday. The closing exercises of Wa tauga Academy begins today and closes with a concert tomorrow night. The program is quite ela borate; the students have taken considerable pains in preparing for the occasion and a very pleasant time is expected. Two violators of the Internal Revenue Laws from Caldwell. Messrs, Crump and Bolick, were tried before Commissioner Bry an on Monday charged with re tailing. They were both found guilty and are now biding their time in jail awaiting the next term of the Federal Court that convene* in States vilie next Monday. Mr. Charles H Doughton died recently in Alleghany county at the age of 100 years. He survey ed the land for the county when Alleghany was formed. Remember the date of the meeting of the trustees of the Training School for Teachers. Blowing Bock, Friday, May 19. Thirty-Nine Years Ago April 17, 1924. The roses and shrubbery or dered by the Boone Chamber of Commerce have arrived and are being distributed and it is "first come, first served" with Mr. W. H. Gragg. If you do not secure yours, do so at once if you c^n before they are all taken, as you can npt hope to get these at the price asked from other sources. Mr. J. S. Winkler has opened up and nicely arranged in the Ellis building the lottie stock of merchandise formerly owned by W. A. Thomas. Fresh groceries will be added to the stock and it will be made to pay as much as possible of the outstanding liabi lities. Capt. E. F. Lovill left yester day morning for Baleigh, where he is attended the State Demo cratic Convention, which is in session in tlje capital city today So far as we know he is the only one of the list of delegates nam ed to attend. Just One Thing By CARL GOERCH AFTER ANOTHER Now that the General Assem bly is in session, it is interesting to note the attitude of some of the memhers in connection with appropriaitons and taxes. Some of the members apparently are willing to be extremely liberal when it comes to contributing to operating expenses of various institutions and agencies but, at the same time, they are opposed to any. increase in taxes. Reminds us of a conversation we had a few years ago with Mr. Sherwood Upchurch of Ra leigh, now dead. Sherwood was quite a char acter. He stopped us on the street one day and said: "I be lieve 111 run for governor." "On what platform?" we in quired. "First, M advocate automo bile license plates at one dollar each." , "ThM F?lW g* y OH Mm vot*s of thousands of auto owners." "Second, I'd advocat? doing away with the gasoline Ma" "That would get you the vote* of thousands of mqre *uto owners." "Third, I'd advocate doing away with the sale* tax." "One hundred thousand more votes." "Fourth, I'd advocate an In crease of 25 per cent ' in the salaries of school teachers." "Practically every school tea cher in North Carolina would vote for you. But tell us, Mr. Upchurch, if you're going to do *11 thfse things, where would you get the money with which to run the various department* of state government?" He waved his hand airily, "I'm not interested in all that," was hit answer. "I'm merely going to give the people what they want; let them worry about the rest of it." Two prominent Easetrn North Carolinians are Vivian Whit field and Vivian Whitfield ? husband and wife who h?ve ex actly the same name. This is unusual, but Rev. W. H. Goodman of Edistp Island, S. C., can beat it. He tells us about the father and stepmother of Scott R. Knox of Bear Poplar, N. C. Father's name was Robert Cowan Knox. Stepmother, before she got married, was named Robert Cowan. (Robert is a rather un usual name for a girl, but it sometimes happens that girls ar? given ty>y?' names.) The lady was named Robert Cowan. The gentleman was named Robert Cowan Knox. They got married. The lady is now Robert Cowan Knox, and her husband is Rob ert Cowan Knox. Rhode Island is the smallest state in the Union. Practically every state has a motto. Rhode Island's motto is "Hope." Just four letters. Small est motto in the Union. Practically every state h?s a state flower. Rhode Island's flower is the violet. One of the smallest flowers in th(* coun try.; I And now Boone to to luve a bakery. Mr. Frank Critcher ha* purchased all the paraphernalia necessary for a bakery which will be put in operation in the basement under the store of the Boone Drug Co. This will be an other needed addition to the town. Mr. Charles Younce has begun work on his new home in the Buena Vista addition to the town. Several other new build ings in that popular section of the town are planned (or this season. Mr. Barnett, one of our groc ers, is erecting a new store buiWing oo t lot mtWnta* tta Dr. Bingham property. He will move his stock from his present stand just as soon as the new building can be completed. Mr. George Greene is lust completing a comfortable home ia the east Boone section. Mr. C. p. Farthing and family have returned from a few dfys visit to relatives in Raleigh. The Democrat last week, con cerning the establishment of an ice plant ia Boone, somewhat "mussed up" a local item. Just the same, the ice and cold stor age plant that will be owned and operated by Messrs. E. IS- Habn and W. Boy Johnson will be In operation in the very near fu ture. Fifteen Years Ago April IS, IMS. Mr- and Mrs. Lee Paget and Mrs. James Morrison of New land, were Sunday guests at Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Angel. Mrs. J. D. Councill returned to her home here Thi^rsday af ter spending 10 days visiting with Mr. and Mrs. R. H. DeVault and Mr. and Mrs. Prank Councill in Bristol. Mrs. Lou H. Taylor, Mrs. H B. Perry, Sr., Mrs. Naomi Farthing, Miss Gertrude Perry and Miss Nancy Taylor attended the Ala lea Festival in Wilmington over the week end. Lieut, and Mrs. Horton Gragg, who have been stationed iq Ok inawa for the past two years are with homefolks here for 60 days, before going to Polk Pay- t etteville, Lieut. Gragg's new post of duty. They were met in Chi cago by Mr. and Mrs. W. jj. Gragg, parents of Lieut. Gragg, and the group spent two or three days there before returning to Boone. Mr. Q. L. Adams of Miami. Fia., it ? guest this week of Mr and Mr?. p. b ARg?l Mr. and Mrs. Joe Brexnay of Cleveland, Ohio, announce the birth of a son on April 3. Mrs. Bresany is t^a former Miss Chloe Eggers. Mr. Poly W. Moratx is ill a{ his hcuqr here and information is that while his condition is not too serious, he will likely be confined to his home for sever al (lays. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. H. King an nounce the birth of ? daughter, Conie Sue, on April 10, at Wa tauga Hospital. Mrs. Alice Bobbins left ftu) day for Bristol, Tenn., where she will spend several days visit ing with friends and relate*. Mr. and Mrs. Y. F. Greene have returned to their hopqf at Deep Gap after spending the w^ter in Miami, Fi|, * IT w m mrm On one of our Infrequent visits to Sparta, we had a talk with veteran Mayor Glenn Nichols, and learned that as a youngster he lived at the Jim Smith place the other side of Poplar Grove, went to school to Monroe Francum, and later to George Sudderth while visiting an uticle, George Nichols, in the virinity of Sandy Ftats Schpol ... As a lad he* walked to Boone and watched Bob Rivers, tye first, set type hy hand antf print the Demo crat without benefit qf mechanical power. From Alleghany . . Many Cape The Nichols faulty came from AUegluny la 1>K ?ad left la UN, close U the time that others (rm Alleghany >?**? TO >!?? . . Alex Woody moved to the loot .1 Pine Hill, aear Shall* Mills, while Sam and John Phipps established reside ice below him on the river . . . Marion Phipps, who U*J at Primitive Baptist meetings, settled at Foscoe along with Joe Phipps aad Dr. Phipps . . . Dr. Bafus BricfceU aba went to Foscoe. All -Hard SheU" Bap tlst?. they had a church at Dr. Brichell's, Mr. Nichols says, hnawu as Baptist Valley Church, which was destroyed in the flood of MM . . . George Caadlll came aad lived near Valle Cruris, and Woods Young aad Pleas Andrews settled in Watauga township. Old Neighbors . . Gn Aw?) Mr. Nichols' family had as neighbors at Poplar Grove the Jim Smith family, Capt. Bill Hodges and Hits SaUie, J. M. Hodges, later a physician, and the Sam Lamberts, all of whom have long since died ... Mr. Nichols, who is approaching his eightieth year, came back to Boone for four summers at Appalachian Training School, as he was preparing himself to b? a teacher ... Be pursued this vocation in Alleghany county for more than twenty five yws, aad expects to b$ elected mayor again when the election comes up this spring ... A sort of king pin irt Democratic party politics, Mr. Nichols has on}y held coun ty office once? as Coroner . . . He has served on the deitHota board, on the Democratic Exec utive Committe*. and "always marks in the circle." . . He has been a Justice of the Peace for thirty years, and tries most of the folks who run afoul of the law in that section, is A Notary Public and presently has a string of callers, for whom he is filling out tax forms, and many others to whom he gives advice on a variety of personal problems . . Visitors to the Nichols office are greeted by a friendly dog, the Justice's con stant companion, which is a cross between a Spaniel and a fice . . . Strange thing, the dog stays at his owner's heels all day, is all ready to go when work time comes . . . But when it's Sunday, and the Master of the house reaches for his Sun School quarterly and Bihle, the dog don't budge, stays right at home till Mr. Glenn gets back * ? * His Town . . It's Growing Mr. Nichols says his town is dotal all right, it enjoying good growth, that he i? toon to initiate a cleanup campaign and plans are In the formative stage for a municipal parking lot, to siphon soma of the traffic off the streets ... Ho says a heap of folks mm to Sparta from the Parkway dar ing the summer, and ho sees a sustained growth for tho tfwn . . . "We have mo county debt, yon know," Mayor Nichols said, aa he recalled that when the courthawe was hupwsd la 1931, a new one was built without Issuing ho^ds or owing the tax structure . . |4e jrvery ffffx'Txa s TT~ ?TTT*"r .* ,T w " 77**] ? tie Wfaw kh bmrx tourist traffic for the coming sum go to Sparta much, like we used to wheif wf went once typ anh\le to Vp ***** to Congressman BonxhMi, hat we enjoyed t h e fellowshipplng with the Mayor, no enC ? * ?' Front Alteghjiar ? ? We Have Profited , ?; The movement to WaUufa county which started, to far as we now, about three Score and tpn yeari ago, has dpne a lot for Watauga, and many ?* AVe?^"y couP*y * ? ? Tf? are happy that f^sp In recent year*1 we have had the privl '?f? ?{ Httfl "W more Alleghapians . . . Among the many who have established homes and/ or businesses here, we ? might mention 0. K., Wayne, \Voodfow and Glenn Richardson. Eropry Joines, Fin is Wagner, Glenn Andrews and their families, who have con tributed so generously to the development and growth and tone of the community . . . Sparta is a lovely town, and we couWnt ever wish Mr. Glenn any hard luck, but if any more of his folks decide to leave, we hope they move this way . . From the industry and char acter and labors of such people has our section of the State grown and developed, and prospered beyond the fondest dreams of the strong moun tain men who went before. Uncle Pinkney HIS PALAVERVS'S DEAR MISTER EDITOR: 0)ur boys in Washington has been gitting deeper and deeper in debt now fer about 30 year and I been wondering what would happen if we final went plum busted. I recollect in 1924 that Germany went bankrupt and was trying to spend print ing press money that wouldn't buy nothing. Well, I see where the House Committee on Guvernment Op erations, whatever that is, has come out with the figgers. This agency says the U. S. holdings, as of June 30, 1962, was worth $299.4 billion, and butted agin our national debt of $298.2 bil JfcHV made us $1.2 billion in black. They rive a list of our hold ings and tfce tifo bfc<est was 772 million acres of real estate worth $8Q billion, and holdings owned by the Defense Depart ment worth $188 billion. Farthermore, this Committee says these figgers is based on purchase price and would be way low on the market today. Fer instant, they say the 18 acres around the White House cost original $1,000 and is list ed at th^t price in the hold ings. But I see in the papers next day whire tome Republicans in the Congress claims these figgers was worked up by the Democrats and ain't to be trusted. But any way you look at it, Mister Editor, Democrat or Republican figgers, our holdings is just one-half of one per cent ahead of what w? owe. I ain't no authority on money when you git above *10, but it looks to me like we're gitting the red ink and the black ink mighty close to gether. I was giving these Items to the fellers at the country store Saturday night and Ed Doo little allowed as how the aver age taxpayer, unless he had went to Harvard or some of them fancy colleges, couldn't even add and substract such figgers, much less understand 'em. Ed says he has quit try ing to read Guvernment fi nances since them Congress men put the tally sheet in orbit. Clem Wetwter said It was all he could do to keep up with the price of hog* since we crowed the New Frontier. Fer instant, he told t??s feller* he sold ? hog Ust year and went to tow? to te?t out the price <? *?us?e- Be ??i.d he sold another hog la*t week Ux the s?me price and went to town to test it out ?n sausage and it IfM up 2 cents * pound. What hp wants them fellers on the Jloua? Committee on Guvern ment Operations to tell him is who is gitting that extra 2 pent. I reckon. Mister Editor, the fcflings the fellers at the coun try stprp has got on this matter is a pritty good cross-section of opinion everwhere in the natiop Guvernment spending and the public debt haa got pluqi out of the range where a average citizen can under stand It "/ Yours truly. Uncle Pinkney ( MicBMghtt 'Syndicate )