y " ' ' ' ' '' i . ' ,
'0-
PROGRESSIVE
LIBERAL
INDEPENDENT
VOL. LI I, NO. 4
FRANKLIN, N. C, THURSDAY, JAN. 28, 1937
$1.50 PER YEAR
4
DEBTFUNDING
TERKTALKED
Tentative Agreement on
Refinancing Bonds v
Reached
A tentative agreement for refund
ing Macon county's bonded .indebt
edness . of approximately $9(X),()00
was reached Ln Raleigh vSaturday at
a" conference between representa
tives of the county and holders of
a majority of the county's bonds.
The negotiations were conducted
with the aid of the local govern
ment commission.
An outline of. the refunding plan
was given The Press-Maconian this
week .by C. Tom, Bryson, register
of deeds and clerk to the county
board of commissioners, who, to
gether with George B. Patton,
county attorney, represented the
county at the conference.
- Terms of Plan
The tentative agreement, Mr.
Bryson explained, provides for set
tlement of defaulted interest now
amounting to $149,(XX) at 50 cents
on the dollar. New bonds at 4.75
per cent interest would be issued
in place of the present ones, which
carry an average nucivoi mi.
npr cent. The new bonds would
mature over a period of 30 years.
Mr. Bryson estimated that under
this plan the county's annual in
terest payments would be reduced
approximately $7,750 a year, in ad
dition to the saving of $74,500 on
defaulted interest.
Refuse Lower Interest
Mr. Bryson and Mr. Patton cn
alcavoreoT' to" persuade representa
tives of the bond holders to agree
on a reduction of interest to 4.5
pcrv cent, but they steadfastly de
clined to go .below 4.75 and coun
tered with a proposal to cut to
50 per cent, instead of 60 per cent
as previously proposed, the basis
of settlement for past due interest.
Before the tentative agreement
becomes effective, it will have to
be approved by a majority of the
bond holders and the county board
of commissioners. The largest bond
holders are The Royal Neighbors
of America, The Woodmen of the
World 'and a group represented by
the Municipal Council.
Negotiation of the refunding plan
is expected to require several
months', time.
SAYS NO EFFORT MADE
TO INFLUENCE LEGISLATION
..In -a letter to The Press-Maconian,
received yesterday; C. Tom
Bryson,' register of deeds and clerk
to the county board of commission
ers, explained that the purpose of
a trip to Raleigh fast week by him
und George B. Patton, county at
torney, was solely for negotiating
for a refunding of tfrc county's
bonded indebtedness and had noth
ing to do, pro or con, with legis
lation sponsored in the General
Assembly by R. A. Patton, the
county's representative.
Mr. Bryson's, letter follows:
"It has becrt called to my attcn
( Continued on Page Ten)
Franklin
Produce Market
. LATEST QUOTATIONS
(Prices listed below are subject
to change without notice.)
Quoted by Farmers Federation, Inc.
Chickens, heavy breed,, hens 13c
Chickens, light weight, lb...' 11c
Kggs, doz.' ........ 17c
Corn, bin ... 90c
Wheat, bu. .....$1.15
"Potatoes, No. 1 ...$1.20
Field peas, bin .$1.50
Crowder peas, bu. ." .$2.50 ,
Yellow Mammoth Soy
Jlcans, bin,.......,... $1.50
Lorida Beans, bu ....$1.65
Onions, bu . 60c
Quoted by. Nantahala Creamery
Butterf at, lb. . . . . . . .y . 30c
Peaches Bloom
Warm Weather Causing
Nature Freaks
The freakishly warm weather for
January has brought out peach
blossoms in some sections of the
county, it was, reportecj this week
by Luther Anderson, Lake Emory
correspondent, .
Mr. Anderson said he. had seen
the peach blossoms with his own
eyes aiid that some' trees, early
varieties, had aiready shed their
blossoms and small peaches were
forming. ":
He quoted Mrs. Harriet Sanders,
94-year-old resident of the Watauga
section, as saying that never be
fore had she seen peach blossoms
in January.
Many early flowering shrubs al
so are in full .blossom throughout
the county ' and maples and some
other trees are threatening to bud
any day, unless the weather turns
colder. .
DEATH CLAIMS
R E PATTILLO
Well Known Rabbit Creek
Farmer 111 For
15 Weeks
Funeral services for Robert E. j
Pattillo, 57, well-known Macon
county farmer, ' who 'j died at '1
o'clock Monday afternoon at his
home in the Rabbit Creek section,
were held at 2:30 o'clock Tuesday
afternoon at Bethel .Methodist
church.
Mr. Pattillo had been confined to
his home for 15 weeks with bron
chial asthma. He had been improv
ing for several days but on Mon
day morning suffered a severe at
tack of asthma, followed by a fatal
heart attack.
The funeral was conducted by.
the Rev. W. B. Underwood, pastor
of the Franklin Baptist church, and
the Rev. J. 'J. Edwards, pastor of
the Macon county circuit of the
Methodist church. The church was
overflowing with those who had
come to pay their last respects to
Mr. Pattillo's memory. Members
of , the Junior Order of United
American Mechanics served as" pall-,
bearers and conducted the rites at
the graveside. Burial was in the
Pa'ttillo family plot in the church
cemetery. . ' '
Served in U. S. Army
Mr. rattillo was .a member of
Millshoal Council, Junior Order of
United American Mechanics, and
of the Holly Springs Baptist church.
During his . youth he served in the
infantry of the United States army
in the Spanish-American war. An
attack of fever, while stationed in
Florida, prevented him from seeing
active duty in Cuba.
Mr. rattillo, a native of Morgan
county, Georgia, was married in
April, 1904," to Miss Ida Harring
ton of this county. They'came here
to make their home about 25 years
ago. In recent years Mr. Pattillo
devoted his efforts to farming, for
merly having been employed by the
Central of Georgia and the South
ern railroads. He at one time held
a position in the construction of
the hydro electric dam at Tallulah
Falls, Georgia.
Surviving Mr. Pattillo are, his
Widow, a daughter, Mrs. Allen Siler, J emCv
three sons, George R., Robert U7M?;,
and Joseph H all of this county ;
three brothers, W. A. Pattillo of
Macon, Ga.; Dacosta ' Pattillo,, Mil
lidgeville,,,Ga., and Roy G; Pattillo,
of Jacksonville, Fla. -
Among those attending the funer
al from out of town were Mr. and
Mrs. W. A. Pattillo, Miss Georgia
Hicks, Mrs. J. K. Pattillo and
Frank McCullpugh of Macon, Ga.
Two Square Dances Planned
To Raise Paralysis Funds
Harley R. Cabe announced yes
terday that plans, had been com
pleted for two dances' to be held
in Macon county in -observance of
President Franklin D. Roosevelt's
55th birthday. He said he expeqted,
record crowds at both partie&one
to be held at Kelly's '.Tea Room
in Franklin, and the other at
Helen's Barn in Highlands.
Funds raised at the dances will
be devoted to local and national
infantile ' paralysis relief, 70 per
cent of the proceeds to remain in
this county and 30 per cent to go
to the Warm Springs commission
to finance - infantile v medical x re-,
search. ' ' ,'.
This, is the fist time that Macon
county has joined in , this national
Hoey Urged To Name ;
Alley to Supreme Court
RALEIGH, Jan! 27. Representa
tive R. A. Patton of Macon county
was a member of a group of west
ern lawmakers who Monday pre
sented a request to Governor Hoey
for appointment of -Superior Court
Judge Felix E. Alley, of Waynes
ville, as a member of the state
supreme court, Kelly E. ;.Bennett,
state senator from this district,'; al
so was in the group. :
Members of the supreme court
would be increased from five to
seven members under terms of a
bill ' passed by the house and now
before the senate and the governor
would be authorized to appoint two
associate justices. '
it A petition signed by seven mem
bers of the "Macon bar, urging
Judge-Alley' sLappQjntrxient.i'tQ. the
high court, also has been present
ed to the governor, along with
similar petitions from other west
ern counties.
PROTEST FILED
ON PATTON BILL
Measure Cutting Jailor's
Fees Attributed
. to 'Spite'
Representative R. A. Patton's
bill to abolish turnkey fees for
Macon county's jailor, a measure
attributed to "personal spite" in a
letter of protest signed by a num
ber of prominent residents, has
been referred to the senate com
mittee on salaries and fees ' after
passing the house, according to. in
formation received herethis :week.
The bill not only would abolish
the turnkey's fee of 60 cents for
admission . of each prisoner, to. the
jail,, but would also limit to 15
cents each . meal and s45 cents a
day the amount paid the jailor for
boarding prisoners. The jailor, John
Dills, now receives under a contract
awarded by the county commission
ers 75 cents a day for each pris
oner. ' 1 " ,".
Protest Measure
A letter protesting . against the
measure was sent to Kelly E. Ben
net, senator from this district. It
was signed by Sheriff A. B; Slagle,
Ras Penland, Harley R. Cabe, clerk
of court; W- D. . Barnard, former
member of 'the' board of commis
sioners ; C M. Moore, county
Coroner; R. S. 1 Jones and Gilmer
A. Jones, attorneys ;, J. R. Morri
son, chairman of the. county board
of elections;' J. Frank Hay," town
attorney; Dr. W. A. Rogers,, county
uemocrauc qnairman ; anu . c.
oody; ,
The letter reads: - .
"It has been '. the custom of this
county for the county board of
commissioners to ,set .the" fees "for
the jailor, as conditions permitted,
which has been, vand js .now, satis
factory. We hive' " ah honorable
board of commissioners, c-f sound
judgment, taxpayers and who 1 have
(Continued mN Pg Tn
movement to honor ' the president
and to raise funds for the cause
closest to his heart.
Dr. W. A. Rogers is chairman of
the birthday party committee for
the county and Harley R. Cabe is
head of a committee in charge of
arrangements for the Franklin
dance. At Highlands, the party is
being prompted by C. C. Potts and
Henry Oeaveland.
Use of Kelly's Tea Room has
been offered by Miss Lassie Kelly
without charge and. Mr. and Mrs.
Sam Wilson, . owners of Helen's
Barn at Highlands, also are making
available this hall -without charge.
Local musicians in each community
have donated their t services in sup-
plying music.
CONFEDERATE
VETERAN DIES
Samuel Taylor Ramsey, 90,
Succumbs After Foot
t Amputation
L
. Samuel Taylor Ramsey, 90, one
of the five remaining-Xonfederate
veterans in Macon county, died
shortly before noon Saturday at
the home of his son, Robert Ram
sey, at Tellico.
Mr. Ramsey, despite his age, had
beert active .until he became ser-
r
lously ill four days before his
,death: An infection,, which develop
ed into gangrene, necessitated the
amputation of his right foot on
Friday, the shock of the operation
proving too great for the old man
to withstand. ' I
Enlisted at 17
Mr. Ramsey, son of the late
John and Patsy Bryson . Ramsey,
was born, at Tellico, February 22,
1847. At the age of 17, he enlisted
in Thomas' Legion, , famous in
Western North Carolina annals of
tjie War between the . States. He
was a member of Berry's 69th
regiment. ,
His death leaves in this county
only four Confederate veterans,
A. M, Shope of Prentiss, J. M.
Daves , of Clarke's Chapel, Sam
Pickelsimer of Tesenta, and J. W.
Caldwell of Iotla. In addition to
these, there are a number of wid
ows and one negro bodyguard, Jim
Deal of West's Mill, who accom
panied his master to the war.
Mr. Ramsey joined the Cowee
Baptist church early in life but
later became a charter member of
the Tellico Baptist church which
he had served in as a deacon since
1884. ;
Leaves 5 Children "
On October 10, 1869, he was mar-,
ried to Miss Nancy Emmalihe Par
rish of this county. They had
seven children, five of whom sur
vive George, Robert, Harley and
James Ramsey and Mrs. Vance
DeHart, all of Tellico. ln addition,
there are 37 grandchildren and a
number of great grandchildren.
The funeral was held at 3
o'clock Sunday afternoon at Tellico
Baptist church with burial in the
church cemetery. The Rev. W. B.
Underwood, pastor of the Franklin
Baptist church, conducted the rites.
Pallbearers were Albert Ramsey,
Jack Weyman, Clyde . West, Floyd
Ramsey, Crped DeHart and Wade
Moody. ,
LINGERS TO MEET SUNDAY
o The regular fifth Sunday singing
convention will be held at the
courthouse Sunday, Starting at 10
o'clock in the rooming, it was an
nounced yesterday by J. M. Raby,
president of the convention. Mr.
Raby expressed the hope that the
weather would permit a good at
tendance. .
MACON PASSES
RELIEF QUOTA
$444.75 Raised for Flood
Victims; Fund Is
Still Growing
donations to the Macon county
chapter of the American Red Cross'
for relief of flood victims in the
Ohio and Mississippi valley states
totaled $444.75 this morning and
contributions were still coming in,
it Was reported by the Rev. J. A.
Flanagan, chapter chairman.
News of the tremendous extent
of the disaster, brought by newsr
papers and radio, stirred deep sym
pathy among the place of this
mountain county and they opened
their pocketbooks in the spirit of
generosity similar to that manifest
ed a year ago when, the city of
Gainesville, Ga., was nearly wiped
out by a tornado.
' When the first appeal came from
national headquarters of the Red
Cross, asking that the Macon
county chapter raise $60 for aid of
the flood victims, that sum had al
ready been surpassed in voluntary
contributions. A large envelope,
dabeled for Red Cross flood relief,'
and placed on the counter of Per
ry's Drug Store was soon filled
with silver change, $1 and $5 bills.
Wednesday morning, another ap
peal came from the national Red
Cross asking Macon county to raise
five times its original quota and
again that sum had already bien
passed. The appeal in the form of
a telegram from Admiral Gary T.
Grayson, national Red Cross chair
man; follows :
Grayson's Appeal
"Flood suffering has already
reached unprecedented proportions
with relief needs steadily mounting.
Under these conditions impossible
now. name final goal for funds only
limited Red Cross assistance must
be maximum generosity American
people. Every possible member na
tional Red Cross staff now assign
ed to field for relief duty. I call
upon all chapters to assume full
initiative their respective jurisdic
tions and mobilize every commun
ity resource of personnel and or
ganization to raise promptly larg
est possible amount. Report daily
amount raised. 'For your informa
tion in view present known needs
your goal should be not less than
five times quota originally assigned
you." ,
Ridh and Poor Give'
People in all walks of life, young
and old, well-to-do and poor, help
ed to swell the relief fund. Em
ployees of the Zickgraf Lumber
company chipped in $27.25, the
American Legion Auxiliary con
tributed " $31-30, employees .of the
W. M. Ritter Lumber company at
Rainbow Springs, sent Mr. Flana
( Continued on Page Ten)
WHERE TO LEAVE
DONATIONS
The Rev. J. A. Flanagan,
chairman of the Macon county
chapter of the American Red
Cross, has designated the follow-,
ing places of business in Frank
lin to receive contributions to
the flood relief fund: The Bank
of Franklin, Perry's Drug Store
and" The Franklin Press.
In Highlands, flood relief do
nations may be left with the
Rev. Frank Bloxham or the
Highlands Drug Store.'
Admiral Cary T. Grayson, na
tional Red Cross chairman, has
appealed to the American people
for $10,000,000 to aid flood vic
tims. Although Macon county's
latest quota of $300 has been
passed, a much larger quota is
expected to be assigned on ac
count of later reports indicating
that the loss and suffering in
the afflicted states is' many times
greater than at first thought.