Established 1885
1802 Circulation
Oldest North Carolina
Newspaper West of
Buncombe County
Affording Advertisers
Thorough Coverage
of Macon County
PROGRESSIVE
LIBERAL
INDEPENDENT
VOL. LVI, NO. 2
FRANKLIN, N. C THURSDAY, JANUARY f, 1M1
$1.50 PER YEAR
Broughton's Inauguration
Follows Assembly Opening
Both Houses Pass Bill
Authorizing Salary
Increase
The oath of office was admin
istered to North Carolina's new
governor, J. Melville Broughton,
in a colorful inaugural ceremony
Thursday morning in Memorial
auditorium, Raleigh, attended by
members of both houses, more
than 200 ranking state officials,
and a crowd of thousands.
Following the ceremony, Gover-t
nor Broughton and ex-Goverrior
Hoey reviewed a parade in which
1,000 uniformed troops and motor
ized units from Fort Bragg, plus
the regiment of 1,300 ROTC troop
from State college. State college
band and many high school bands
took part. The new governor will
be feted at a public reception at
the executive mansion Thursday
night, and at the inaugural ball
immediately following.
Both houses of the legislature
convened at noon Wednesday for
what the new lieutenant governor,
R. L. Harris, predicted would be a
short and speedy session.
Odus M. Mull of Cleveland
county was elected speaker of the
house, and John D. Larkins, Jr.,
president pro-tem of the senate.
They were nominated in Demo
cratic caucused last night.
SUrit Of Official RaUcd
Both the senate and the house
rapidly passed a bill, introduced
by Senator Gold of Guilford, rais
ing the pay of the treasurer audit
or, secretary of state, and . super
intendent of public instruction by
$600 a year, making their salaries'
$6,600 annually.
Gold read a letter from Governor
Hoey describing , the proposal as
"simple justice" and saying he
heartily recommended the increase.
No opposition was heard in the
senate, though the house engaged
in snarp aeoate oetore passing tne
measure. .
The state budget is", the chief
matter to be acted upon by the
legislature this session. Some cap
itol city observers are predicting
that a record expenditure will be
: authorized.
State dry forces also announced
this week that thev intend to
make liquor one of the chief ssues
t ot thu session, lhe drys are seek
"j ing a state-wide referendum to
, ban the sale of spirits, fortified
' wines, and possibly beer.
As the session opened, attention
centered on the fight for the
principal clerkship, reading clerk
ship and sergeant-at-arms of the
house. Dan Tompkins, former rep
resentative from Jackson county,
is a candidate for reading clerk.
As The World
KA Brief Survey of Current
1 and Abroad.
CAIRO, EGYPT
Britain's mechanized desert cav
alry "hell on . wheels" set the
stage for the pounding of Tobruk
from land, sea and air, Italian
bane 60 miles west of Bardia, cap
tured last week. '
The British say 94,000 Italians
have been captured, killed or
wounded since the African offen
sive began on December 9, with
the addition of 30,000 with the fall
of Tobruk, expected shortly. The
British report 600 men killed and
wounded. Disposition of thousands
t prisoners, a major problem.
...',
LONDON
R. A. F. bombings from Norway
to the Mediterranean are reported
on supply bases, troop concentra
tions in Germany, Italy and oc
cupied countries; and munition fac
tories. Halted somewhat by bad
weather, Germany continues de
structive bombing of London and
other cities Bombing of Dublin
has called forth protests from the
Eire government to Berlin, who
denies responsibility. Additional
losses are reported of Brkish ship
ping. .
SOFIA, BULGARIA
Concentrations of Nazi troops
in Rumania continue, but the Bul
garian ministry is reported to have
rejected German requests for pas
sage of troops through Bulgara.
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GERMANS IN ITALY
Italy's defeats in Albania, where
the Greeks still hold the offensive,
and in North Africa with British
sweeping victories, has called for
help from Mussolini's axis partner.
Many Nazi troops and planes are
reported to have gone to the res
cue of It!.
Town Board
Considers Further Street
Improvement
Replacement of the drinking
fountain at Main and Phillips
street, the progress and possible
extension of - the street improve
ment program, and the traffic
problem in the business district
were among the matters discussed
by the town board at the monthly
meeting Monday night. Mayor
John O. Harrison presided.
The aldermen empowered the
water committee to either replace
the old fountain, which was re
moved when the street was recent
ly widened), or to erect a new
atone fountain.
Street Improvement
After reviewing developments in
the street improvement program
since the last meeting in December,
the board decided to take steps
to eliminate the "bottleneck' on
Green street where the right-of-way
narrows from 12 to 9 feet in
passing between the property of
Victor S. Catway and that of Rufe
Green. The board also agreed, if
possible, to improve Hillcrest Drive,
West Boulevard, West Main, and
nue with Green street, under the
present program.
More stringent enforcement of
traffic ordinances, particularly the
ones regulating parking and for
bidding the unloading of trucks
from Main street, was vigorously
advocated by several members.
Dr H. T. Horsley, town phy
sician, reported that the general
health of. the community was good.
The aldermen approved payment
of the bills for the new town safe,
additional fire hose, and safety
helmets and coats for the volun
teer fire department
County Commissioners To
Recommend Road Repairs
In their regular monthly meeting
here Monday, the county board of
commissioners decided to recom
mend to the state that the road
through "Womacktown," joining
the Georgia road and the Mur
phy highway, be improved.
The commissioners also approved
payment of a number of bills.
Mrs. Margaret Ordway, county
NYA supervisor, appeared before
the board to ask the county to
build suitable quarters for NYA
students, but the' commissioners
did not take action on her. request.
Turns
Events In State, Nation
BUDGET MESSAGE
President Roosevelt submited to
congress a record peacetime budget
of $17,485,528,094.
PRESIDENT CREATES
THREE FLEETS
"The Atlantic fieet, the Pacific
fleet,, the Asiatic fleet will rep
resent the U. S. Navy in the
oceans around the world, begin
ning February 1. Yesterday Presi
dent Roosevelt created the three
fleets, ordered each manned on a
war basis, with an increase of 42,
000 men.
AUSTRALIA AND U. 5.
SEEK MUTUAL DEFENSE
It. was disclosed yesterday that
Australia and the U. S. have been
conducting talks for mutual de
fense in the Pacific, and were ex
changing naval attaches.
LORD BADEN-POWELL,
SCOUT FOUNDER, DEAD
Lieut, Gen. Lord Baden-Powell,
84, founder of the Boy Scouts and
Girl Guides, soldier, author, sculp
tor, distinguished for his brilliant
defense of Mafeking, South Africa,
died in Kenya, Africa, after a long
and distinguished career.
HARRY HOPKINS
GOES TO LONDON
President Roosevelt ha sent
Harry L. Hopkins, former secre
tary of commerce and WPA ad,
ministrator, as his personal repre
sentative on a mission to London.
It is understood that Mi. Hopkins'
dose friendship with the president
will enable hm to bring back in
formation valuable in relating the
economic and military needs of
the two nation '
CITIZENS ON THE RECORD
Under this head The Franklin Press and Highlands Maconian will
print comments of citizens on matters of public interest. Suggestions
of queries will be appreciated. ;;.-
THIS WEEK'S QUESTION
"WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THE
FREQUENT ESCAPES FROM THE COUNTY JAIL?"
' , ' ' I: ' ' '
DR. H. T. HORSLEY; "I think the answer is pretty simple. The
present jail should be made escape-proof by repairing it. It looks to
me like the right kind of steel would stop these escapes."
' ".-.v.' ' :. i . '
BEN M'COLLUM: "Looking ahead to the future, the only solution
worth anything would be to build a new courthouse and jail combined.
Under the present conditions of the jail now, the county should put
in bars of the type used in Georgia jails where the bar is encased in
a cylinder." ,
' . '. ,( ;
JIMMY HAUSER: "I think the present jail .structure is inadequate.
About the only satisfactory means would be to build a new jail con
forming with state and federal regulations."
JOSEPH ASHEAR: "The jail should be fixed by covering the walls
and ceilings of each cell with 20 guage sheet steel, bolted from the out
side, which could be done cheaply enough to be practical. This would
pay for itself in the long run because it will mean that there will be
no expense to the county eithsr in repairs or in the tim of officers
taken' from their, regular duties to hunt for these birds."
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BEN WOODRUFF: "There's not but one thing to do, build another
jail." ' '
Measles Epidemic
Health Officer Offers
Preventive Measures
By DR. E. N. HALLER
District Health Officer
. The opening of Highland and
Walnut Creek schools was indefi
nitely postponed this week because
of measles in the respective com
munities. Approximately 50 cases
ver the county have been reported
to the county health office here
in Franklin.
It is best for your child not to
get the measles, because of the
uncertain after-effects, or compli
cations. .
The more common afflictions
following measles are : ear absces
ses, deafness, weak eyes, sinus
trouble, pleurisy, pneumonia, tuber
culosis, rheumatism, heart trouble,
and many other conditions.
When pneumonia develops dur
ing an attack of measles the out
come is always uncertain.
If you want to avoid the meas
les, follow these health rules:
1. Keep your children at home
as much as possible during an
epidemic
2. Do not go visiting, as you
may bring the germ home to your
child.
3. Beware of any child with a
cough or head cold.
' 4. Sterilize all eating utensils
with hot water.
5. Report all known or suspect
ed cases of measles to your county
health department.
If your child gets the measles
be sure to carry out the following
health rules:
1. Call in the family doctor at
once.
2. Notify your county health de
partment promptly.
X Put the patient in a separate
room away from other members
of the family.
4. Sterilize the patient's eating
utensils with hot water.
5. All other children at home
are to remain there during the
quarantine.
J. S. Robinson
Dies In NTT. Hospital
Tuesday Night
Julius S. Robinson, member of
a prominent Franklin family, died
in a New York hospital early
Tuesday night He was 69.
Funeral services will be held at
the 'Franklin Methodist church
Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.
Burial will be in the church ceme
tary. Mr. Robinson left here in No
vember, accompanied by his sister,
Mrs. William D. Hobart, intend
ing to visit Mrs. C C Daniel,
another sister, in New York and
then go on to California with
Mrs. Hobart for the winter.
The body is expected to arrive
here Saturday and be taken to
the Robinson home, Dixie HalL
where it will remain until the hour
of the funeral
Mr. Robinson was bora here in
Franklin, the son of the late
James Robinson and Alice Siler
Robinson. For many years he oper
ated a general store here. He was
also a deputy collector of internal
revenue while the bureau of in
ternal revenue was located in
Asheville, and was connected with
the business department of the
Asheville Gtizen-Times for somt
years."
Survivors besides Mrs. Hobart
and Mrs. Daniels include brother,
Chwlti K, HobieiOB of Atbsvule.
Funeral Services For
William A. Norton. 81
Funeral services for 1 William
Albert Norton, 81, were held at the
Asbury Methodist church at Otto
On Wednesday afternoon at 3
o'clock. The Rev. J. C. Swaim, pas
tor, was in charge of the services.
Interment was in the church ceme
tery.; Mr. Norton, a well-known and
highly respected citizen of Macon
county, died at his home in the
Coweta section on Wednesday
morning at 2 o'clock following a
lingering illness of several months.
Born on October 3, 1859, a son
of the late William Pulaski and
Rosetta S. Howard Norton, Mr.
Norton was a farmer and a man
who took an active interest in all
community affairs. He was chair
man of the - Macon . county Demo
cratic executive committee for sev
eral years. He wast a member of
the Asbury Methodist church.
Mr. Norton was married to Miss
Louisa A. Bradley in August 1881,
who preceded him in death on
June 19, 1939.
. Pallbearers included Joe Bradley,
Robert Carpenter, Grady Bradley,
Charles Shope, John Dills and
Prince Curtis.
. Surviving are seven children, five
daughters, . Mrs. Charles Stewart,
of Franklin; Mrs. Archie Cole,
Anderson, S. C; Mrs. Fannie Fos
ter, Demorest, Ga.; Mrs. Robert
Stewart and .Miss Mamie Norton,
of Coweta ; two sons, Lex Norton,
of Charleston, S. C, and Frank
Norton, of Coweta.
STEAM LAUNDRY
TO OP! HERE
Modern Plant Will Be
Operated By Paul
Carpenter
Paul Carpenter, proprietor of the
Economy Cleaners, announced this
week-that he would open a mod
ern &team laundry here in Frank
lin shortly.
Mr. Carpenter has already pur
chased the necessary . machinery
and will install it in his present
olant on the sauare here. The
laundry will employ around seven
persons in the plant itself, at tirst,
rfpnrndinir noon the volume of
business. It will be arranged so
that it can be expanded by the
addition of more machines if war
ranted.
The laundry, the first to be
established here in a number of
years, is planned to be adequate
for the laundry needs of Frank
lin and the vicinity. It will pro
vide faster, more convenient serv
ice than has been possible hereto
fore, r
According to Mr. Carpenter's
present plans, the plant will be
ready for operation around . March
1. ,
The laundry will be a valuable
addition to the present business
enterprises here, and should result
in considerable saving in time and
expense to the community.
"Life Of Christ" Will Be
Shown Here Next Week
The Life of Christ," a motion
j picture patterned after the famous
Oberammergau snd Freiburg Pas
Mn plays, will be presented in
i the auditorium of the Franklin
. Methodist church here next Tues-
day, January 14, t 7 JO p. m.
William LvHigdon
Passes In Asheville Last
Monday Morning
. Funeral services for. William
Logan Higdon, 73, prominent citi
zen of this county, were conducted
at the Sugarfork Baptist church
on Tuesday afternoon at 2:30
o'clock v
Rev. C. F. Rogers, pastor of the
Franklin Baptist church, and the
Rev. J. L. Stokes, II, pastor of
the Franklin Methodist church, of
ficated. Interment was in the
church cemetery.
Mr. Higdon died in an Asheville
hospital Monday morning, after
suffering a stroke last Friday. He
had been in ill health for the past
three years.
He was born at Higdonville in
1867, the son of the late Joseph
and Margaret Berry Higdon, and
spent most of his life here in the
county His first wife, the former
Miss Emma O, McDowell, died
in 1922. Some time afterwards he
married Miss Mary Siler who sur
vives him.
Mr. Higdon spent the early part
of his life as a farmer and as a
teacher in the county public
schools. Later he became deputy
revenue collector for the western
district, and at one time was a
government timber appraiser, tie
moved to Asheville a short time
ago to make his home with his
son, Joe Higdon.
During his: lifetime, he served
several terms on the county board
of education and the town hoard
of aldermen.' He was also a former
director of the Bank of Franklin.
He was a member of the Sugar
fork Baptist church in early life,
later moving his membership to
the Franklin Baptist church. He
was a member of the Junaluskee
Lodge No. 145 A. F. & A. M,
who had charge of the services at
the grave.
Active pallbearers were Henry
W. Cabe, T. T Love. Harley R.
Cabe, Sheriff A." B. Slagle, C. Tom
Bryson, and George Dean. Hon
orary pallbearers were the follow
ing: Dr. Frank T. Smith, M. D.
Billings, James Dryman, Gus Leach,
John O. Harrison, A. L. McLean,
Frank Moody. Mark L. Dowdle, W.
D, Barnard, R. L. Bryson, John
E. Rickman, Harve L. Bryant.
Guy L. Houkj James E. Perry, T.
W. Angel, Jr., Dr. Edgar Angel,
J. Horner Stockton, Alex Moore,
R. C. Brooks, T. W. Porter, James
M. Carpenter, Gilmer Jones Rich
ard S. Jones, W. T. Moore, Jack
Weyman and W. T. Tippett.
Mr. Higdon is survived by his
widow, Mrs. Mary Siler Higdon,
and the following children: Fred
H. Higdon, Mrs. H. M. Straine and
Miss Hazel Higdon, all of Sacra
mento, Calif. ; William L. Higdon,
Jr., of Salinas, Calif.; George Hig
don, who resides in California;
Mrs Philip S. Hoyt, Mrs. Albert
L. Ramsey, Frank M. Higdon and
Lyman C Higdon, all of Franklin:
and Joseph. Higdon of Asheville
r if teen grandchildren also survive.
Other survivors are: His mother,
Mrs. J. H. Higdon, of Higdonville;
four brothers, James L. Higdon, of
Cultasaja, Sam Higdon of Sylva, T.
B. Higdon of Atlanta, and Mack
Higdon, of Alberta, Can ; and
three sisters, Mr. John Fulton of
Gneiss, Mrs. Eva Keener of Cul
lasaja, and Mrs. Dennis Higdon of
Webster.
Postal Receipts
Show $1,284.61 Increase
For Past 12 Months
Postal receipts at the Franklin
postoffice here totalled $14,24222
durincr 1940. an increase of 1 2ftn2
over the total receipts for 1939,
according to Postmaster Thomas
W. Porter.
December was the best month
in the history of the postoffice,
Air. rorter said. Tout receipts for
the month were SI .908.62 or WIS 72
more than in December, 1939.
Mr. Porter also made, public a
letter from M. H. Aekerman.i nnt
office inspector in charge of the
Atlanta division, congratulating the
Franklin postoffice on its splendid
showinsr in a recent insnretion
The Franklin postoffice received
a rating of 922 per cent, 1.4 per
cent above the average rating of
second-class postoffices in North
Carolina and & per cent above the
average rating of second-class post
offices in the Atlanta division.
The Life of Christ" is pre
sented by the National Bureau for
Religious and Educational Films
under the auspices of the Frank
lin "Methodist church. A silver of
fering vill .be taken to defray
traveling expenset, '
JAIL BREAK
OCCURS AGAIN
Three Prisoners Escape
'Through Roof
Sunday
Refusing to bother with the slow
and tedious method of sawing
through the cell bars, three pris
oners at the county jail here broke
through the roof to freedom early
Sunday morning.
They were : Kenneth Raby, 25,
of Franklin, brought to the jail
on December 7 for breaking his
bond on an assault charge; Victor
Carter, 50, of Sylva, who was
scheduled to be tried on forgery
counts in Macon and Jackson coun
ties; and Charlie Burgees, Frank
lin negro, who was committed on
January 2 in connection with the
theft of automobile batteries valu
ing $50 from Burrells garage.
The three men aoDarrmlv usrd
the plumbing fixtures in their cell
to stand on while tearing a hole
in the cell's tin ceiline. 'i'httv thn.
pushed their way through the com
position roof of the jail and made
ropes of their blankets to reach
the ground. The escape was
thought to have taken
5 a. m.
Before taking their departure,
the three contrived to jam the lock
on the door of their cell, reached
through another cell in which John
Jones was being held at the time.
The door huA tn Ju (nrA
-w. .WVVU V &U
entry when the break was dis
covered at breakfast time by John
Dills.' the iailor L. j:j
not hear the men leave.
The break, the fourth since last.
April 15. brought the total of '
escaped prisoners to nine, one of
whom has been recaptured.
DIM a t rriTPiin
rillHL LEWM .Y
FIGURES GIVEN
Official 1940 Count Gives
County Population
As 15.880
Official 1940 census returns re
leased this week by William Austin,
director of the census, show that
on April 1, 1940, Macon county
had a population af ltMn and
Franklin a population of 1,249.
rreiiminary returns early this
summer gave 15.894 for th rountv
and 1,250 for Franklin.
According to' the census report,
Macon's population incrra4H In 1
per cent during 1930-1940, as com
pared with a 6.1
from 1920 to 1930. The county's
population was 1J.672 in 1930, and
the amount of "increase in the 10-
year period was 2,208.
franklin's population increased
14 per cent, or 155 run (mm
1930 to 1940. .
In the state as a whole, urban
areas grew more rapidly than rural
districts during the past 10 years,
with 20.3 per cent increase as com
pared to 10 per cent increase for
the rural population. The sUUrV
total population was 3,571,623.
There were 26 incorporated cities
of 10,000 or more, five (Burling
ton, Greenville, Hickory, Lexing
ton, and Reidsville) having reached .
this size since 193a Hickory had
the most extensive growth of any
city in the state, with 83 per
cent increase, while Charlotte be
came the first city in the state to
exceed 100,000.
Ninety-one of the 100 counties
gained population during the 10
year period, Alamance leading
with an increase of 362 per cent.
The smallest incorporated town
in North Carol
the census,, was Dcllview in Gas
ton county "whose total population
was eight ,
Christmas Chib
Makes Report
At meeting last week of the
executive ccmmittM ,k. it.
---. tuc atitfcua
county Christmas dub, the chair-
naney K. tabe. reported
that bags of candy, nuts and fruit
were distribute tn t its j
by the committee. Over 200 chil-
aren received gifts from the
rranklin tree.
Christmas baskets . .
eltlerly people and families numb-
uig more xnan 150. ,
The generous response from the
people of the county to this meth
od of scattering Christmas cheer
insures the continuance of the
Christmas club this year. A bal
ance was reported in the treasury.
- i
An army, according to Napoleon,
travels on its stomach. Not the'
army ; of unemployedit tmeU via
in tatyaa.