? ? ???? i I^ iTil ??? 1
66TH YEAR
Oldest Weekly Paper
In
Western North Carolina
8ft* IfoWanb* Baconian
Clli-JLATION
A Year A ;o Last Week 2413
I as.t Week ------ 2522
VOL. LXVI? NO. 32
FRANKLIN, N. C, THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1951
FOURTEEN PAGES
Town To Ask
For Well Bids
Authorizes Committee
To Negotiate For
New Site
Moving to ease Franklin's
shortage as soon as possible,
the board of aldermen Monday
night authorized Town Attor
ney R. S. Jones to advertise for
well digging bids.
The water committee also was
empowered to negotiate for a
well site.
Alderman J. C. Jacobs, a
member of the three-man water
committee, told the board that
two state geologists and the
district health engineer, on a
visit here last week, recom
mended three possible sites for
a new well.
One site, according to Mr.
Jacobs, is on property owned
by E. J. Whitmire In East
Franklin, and the other two are
on land owned by Elbert Angel.
The alderman said the three
sites were approved by the ge
ologists and the health engi
neer.
Providing additional storage
tanks was discussed briefly. Ac
tion was deferred pending the
sinking of a new well.
A delegation of Franklin taxi
drivers appeared before the
board to ask what privileges
they are entitled to receive
under the -town's privilege tax
and recommended that the
board enforce one-hour parking
on town square and the areas
around the county court house.
Mayor Robert M. Dillard was
authorized to study the parking
problem with Highway Patrol
man C. M. Byrd and report his
findings to the board.
Harve L. Bryant, owner of the
offices occupied by the town,
indicated that he would like to
have the town offices vacated if
town officials could find other
quarters.
Other matters coming before
the board and action taken in
cluded paving Phillips street,
scraping Dowdle street, and lo
cating and blocking out Wilson
street, all turned over to the
street committee for study; ap
proved paying expenses of the
fire chief and one assistant to
the N. C. State Fireman's con
vention, not to exceed $120; re
leased John Jamison from an
$800 tax valuation, erroneously
charged; authorized the mayor
to write the Smoky Mountain
stages to inquire about the pos
sibility of a bus station in
Franklin; approved a $25 a
month raise for Water Superin
tendent Herman Childers; or
dered the day and night police
to alternate shifts monthly, be
ginning Wednesday; authorized
the day policeman to hire some
one to repaint the white traffic
lines in the downtown district;
and authorized the purchase of
four garbage cans to be placed
on the Main street.
State Safety Official
To Test Prospective
School Bus Drivers
An official from the N. C.
Department of Motor Vehicles,
highway safety division, will ar
rive here August 30 to Instruct
and test prospective school bus
drtvers and give certificates to
those qualifying, Holland Mc
Swain, county school superin
tendent, announced this week.
Testing will not apply to Ma
con County school bus drivers
who already hold certificates,
the superintendent said.
The official, C. W. Angel, will
receive applicants at the bus
garage at Franklin High school.
BRYSONS TO MEET
The annual Bryson family re
union will be held Sunday, Aug
ust 26, at the Cowee Baptist
church, Thad D. Bryson, Jr.,
president, announced this week.
Club Will Stage Benefit
Party For Flood Relief
A benefit bridge and canasta
party, proceeds of which will be
turned over to the Red Cross
for the Mid-West flood relief
fund, will be staged by the
Franklin Junior Woman's club
August 17 at 8 p. m. at the
Agricultural building, Mrs. Toim
Jenkins, president, announced
this week.
Tickets will be sold by club
members and may also be ob
tained at Frances' shop and
Angel's Drug store.
Two Boy Scouts
Will Receive Eagle Rank
At Court Tonight
Two Franklin Boy Scouts will
receive scouting's highest hon
or ? the Eagle Scout rank ? at
the Smoky Mountain district
court of honor tonight (Thurs
day) at the Franklin Methodist
church.
They are Pen Edwards, son
of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Ed
wards, and Herbert McKelvey,
son of Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Mc
Kelvey.
Although a Scout is only re
quired to earn 21 merit badges
for the Eagle rank, McKelvey,
14, and Edwards, 15, long ago
passed the 21-badge mark and
are now having a badge contest
among themselves.
To date McKelvey is leading
his troop-mate with 45 badges.
Edwards has 38. Both of the
Scouts are outstanding members
of the local troop and, accord
ing to scout officials, have been
almost indispensable in the Cub
Scout movement here.
McKelvey joined the troop in
April, 1949, and Is now a senior
patrol leader and deputy senior |
crew leader of the Explorer
post No. 2.
Joining the Scouts in Febru- [
ary, 1948, Edwards has worked
his way up to the position of
junior assistant scout master of
the troop and senior crew lead
er of the explorer post.
The Eagle awards will be
made by John D. Alsup, troop
committeeman, and badges will
be pinned on the Scouts by
their moUiers.
WANTS FOREST
SERVICE ROAD
TOBEHIGHWAY
Commissioners Request
Action From State
Officials
Letters requesting that the
Nantahala National Forest serv
ice road from U. S. 64 to the
Kyle school be made a forest
highway were mailed to high
way officials this week by the
board of county commissioners.
Should the road be approved
as a forest highway it would
be eligible for federal aid funds
for construction and mainte
nence, it was pointed out.
The road, unpaved for ap
proximately 17 miles, is the only
direct road leading to Kyle,
Aquone, and Flats, and is heav
ily traveled by tourists.
A delegation from Nantahala,
made up of Weimer Cochran,
J. R. Shields, and Warren G.
Deyermond, Monday requested
the board to take action on the
matter. The road is also heavily
traveled by residents of the
Nantahala community although
it is not the only road leading
to that community.
Letters were sent to L. Dale
Thrash, of Asheville, 10th high
way division commissioner, and
to E. L. Hooper, district engi
neer of the bureau of public
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 8
LEAVE ANSWER
TO SYMPHONY
UP TO PUBLIC
Committee Outlines Plan
For Underwriting As
Only Solution
Shall Macon County have the
concerts of the N. C. Little
Symphony orchestra again this
season?
A local Symphony committee
has decided to leave the answer
to that question to the people
of the county, and specifically
to leaders in Franklin, High
lands, and the county.
The committee outlined a
plan by which the orchestra
can be brought here, if people
want the concerts, and commit
tee members expressed the view
that there is no point in ar
ranging for the concerts unless
people do want them.
The Symphony group has
come to Franklin each year
since 1946, to give a free chil
dren's concert in the afternoon,
and a concert for adults in the
evening. It has been financed
in the past by membership
campaigns. Memberships, which
admit the holders to the eve
ning concert here and to any
other concert given in the state,
and which in the past have
financed the free concerts for
children, are $2 and up.
The difficulty in the past has
been that it was necessary to
raise enough money, months in
advance, to assure the quota ?
so that Franklin could be on
the orchestra's itinerary. And
while the money usually has
been raised and the concerts
have been well attended, in no
SEE NO. 4. PAGE 8
Van Raalters
Get $8,658 As Cost Of
Living Bonus
During July employees at the
Van Raalte plant here received
$8,658.02 above their weekly
wages as a cost of living bonus,
according to Norman Blaine, of
fice manager.
A breakdown of the figure
shows that each employee re
ceived approximately 15 cents
more on the hour for the quart
er. Similar bonuses have been
paid Van Raalters each quarter
since 1946, amounts varying
with the cost of living and sen
iority, the manager said.
In effect, Mr. Blaine said, the
extra payment means that em
ployees have received a five
cent per hour increase In wages
since the lirst of January, in
addition to a 10 cent hourly
increase granted In October,
1950.
He also said the company has
announced another wage divi
dend payment for October this
year.
Mars Hill President
To Address Week-Long
Baptist Youth Revival
A week-long youth revival
series will begin Sunday eve
ning at 8 o'clock at the First
Baptist church with Dr. Hoyt
Blackwell, president of Mars
Hill college, as guest speaker.
Services will begin each
night at 8 o'clock. Dr. Black
well's theme for the series, will
be "lhe Light of the World
is Jesus".
Curtain On Annual Flower Show
To Go Up Saturday Afternoon
The curtain will go up on the
annual flower show, sponsored
by the Franklin Garden club,
Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock
at the Agricultural building, and
the public may view exhibits
until 9 o'clock that night.
Committeemen pointed out
out that the show is a county
wide affair and invited all resi
dents of Macon County to enter
exhibits. All entries must be
registered at the Agricultural
building between 9 and 11
o'clock the day of the show.
Specified arrangements will
be Judged on the 0 basis of
flowers and accessories, they
said, and all other entries will
be judged by the flower only.
Ribbons will be awarded to win
ners In the various classifica
tions.
classification, will be at the
Agricultural building the morn
ing of the ihow to assist with
classifying exhibits.
Classifications are as follows:
Dahlias, largest and finest of
one variety; Dahlias, best dis
play of mixed variety; Zinnias,
large; Zinnias, small; Roses;
Yellow flowers; Gladioli, mixed;
Gladioli, one color; Snapdrag
on; Marigolds; modern arrange
ment; arrangement of fruits
and vegetables; mixed flowers;
corsages; wild flowers; African
Violets; potted plants; dish
gardens; shadow boxes; Tuber
ous Begonia; artistic arrange
ment; and Asters, miniature ar
rangement, children's arrange
ment, and miscellaneous ar
rangement.
Flower show committeemen
are Mrs. B. L. McGlamery, Mrs.
Angel, Mrs. W. E. Furr, Miss
Willis, Mrs. Zeb Conley, Mrs. W.
L. Nothstein, Mrs. Roy Geo
ghegan, Mrs. Ernest Fisher,
Mrs. Harve Bryant, Mrs- F. M.
Killlart, Mrs. J. L. West III. and
Mrs. Prelo Dryman.
Half Dozen Octogenarians At Reunion
Nobody, perhaps, enjoyed last week's 100th Siler "Family Meeting" more than the half do\cn
alert, spry octogenarians present. The six women pictured above have a combined age of 516 years.
Seated, left to right, are Mrs. Hattie R. Moore, ?0, of Richmond, Va., Mrs. Harriette Bryson
Knight, 88, who thought nothing of driving from her home in Asheville to attend the reunion,
and Mrs. George A. Jones, of Franklin, who will be 89 this month.
Standing are Mrs. J. S. Sloan, 85, Mrs. Myra Allman, 87, and Mrs. Lee Crawford, 87, all o"
Franklin.
Two other octogenarians, who frequently attend the reunions but were unable to be present
this year, are Mrs. Henry Slagle, of this county, and Mrs. Margaret Siler, of Cleveland, Ohio.
100TH MEETING
HELD BY SILERS
Kin Here From 16 States
For Reunion; Nearly
300 Attend
Members of the SiW family,
some 300 strong, gathered last
Thursday at the old home of
Jesse R. Siler ? "the house-at
the-foot-of-the-hlll" ? for their
100th reunion.
The "family meeting", as it
is called by members of the Siler
connection, has been held with
out a break for 99 years. This
year's session was the 100th, by
virtue of the fact that, many
years ago, the date was changed
from New Year's day to the
first Thursday in August, and
that year two meetings were
held.
Present for the centennial
meeting were persons from 16
states ? ranging from southern
California to New York, and
from Idaho to Florida ? and one
from Tokyo, Japan.
hte reunion is of descendants
of four sons and four daughters
of Weimar Siler, and this year's
meeting place was the home of
one of the four sons, who were
among the first settlers of Ma
con County. Incorporated in the
present home ? now the home
of Mrs. George A. Jones and
her son and daughter-in-law.
Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Jones, who
played hosts to the gathering
are the walls of an Indian cabin
which was on the site when
Jesse R. Siler and his wife came
to Macon from Buncombe coun
ty, 130 years ago.
The morning was spent in re
newal of old friendships, dis
cussion of family history and
incidents, and remarking on
what a long time? almost a
century in years, many centur
ies in change ? it has been since
that first meeting was held, nine
years before the outbreak of
the Civil War.
The minutes of all the 100
meetings have been kept, and
the records show that that
first gathering of four brothers
and their families was held at
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 10
O'Mohundro Has Heart
Attack, Seriously 111
A. B. O'Mohundro Is serious
ly ill at Elkln, where he suffer
ed a heart attack last week.
Mrs. O'Mohundro, who was call
ed to Elkln by his Illness, Is still
with him. Mr. O'Mohundro, for
merly In business In Franklin,
Is resident State Highway com
mission engineer at Elkln.
Staff /'hoi-' by J. /'. Hri/ily
OLDEST AND NEWEST ? Above are the oldest and youngest
members present at last week's 100th reunion of the Siler fam
ily. Mrs. George A. Jones, who will be 89 August 25, is shown
holding her great-great-nephew, George Chambless Kinnebrew,
four-months old son of Mr. and Mrs. George H. Kinnebrew, of
Birmingham, Ala. The meeting was held at Mrs. Jones' home, the
old Jesse Siler house, a part of which was standing as an In
dian cabin when Mr. Siler first occupied it 130 years ago.
Deyermond Appointed
Nantahala Principal
Warren G. Deyermond this
week was appointed principal
of the Nantahala (District 2)
school district, succeeding
Frederick II. McClure, resign
ed.
Mr. Deyermond, appointed
by district committeemen and
approved by the board of edu
cation, was a teacher and
coach at Nantahala High last
year.
Mr. McClure, of Walnut,
was appointed to the post in
May succeeding Carl N. Moses,
resigned. Holland McSwain,
county school superintendent,
said Mr. McClure gave no rea
son for his resignation other
than regretting being unable
to take over the position.
Cpl. C. W. Webb
Slightly Wounded In The
Korean War
Cpl. Charles W. Webb, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Allie Webb, of
Franklin, was slightly wounded
in action in Korea July 27 by
an exploring mortar shell, ac
cording to information received
by his parents.
The 22-year-old soldier, a
Franklin High graduate, enter
ed service in October, 1950, and
has been in the front lines since
landing in Japan In April. Prior
to joining the army he was era
| ployed at the Van Raalte plant
1 here.
WANTS TO BUY
SCHOOL LAND
AT HIGHLAND]
3oartl Sets Opening Date
For Macon County
i. c'-o'U
Th" r o M'y hoard of educa
ion Monday v.? the Town of
Highlands 20 days to raise $10,
100 it the to,:n wishes to pur
?ha e the old Highlands school
ro-erty, after turning down the
own's original p.oposition.
"he H'gh'ands board of alder
Tien offered to buy the prop
erty or IlO.OCO on terms of $5,
100 down and 01, 000 yearly, with
h ? :-i ll*f;e of prepayment.
However, the offer was re
3Cte l by the board "because
ve will need all th<> money we
can scrape together to open and
merate the new schools this
year."
The board announced that
Macon County schools will open
September 5 and close May 23,
1952, providing no time is lost
because of adverse weather.
Terms outlined by the school
jaid tor the purchase of the
i h-iinH- p op?rty include a
a h transaction aid a clause
tio'i'a* n:- Hint the property
?annot be re o'd.
Phon'd th-j d<"il >?o through,
the Highlands del nation said
the land would be used for a
city park.
If Highlands agrees to buy
the property final approval of
the school board'; action will
rest with the board of county
commissioners. An act of the
1951 legislature leaves final ap
proval of the sale of county
property with the commission
ers.
Approved during the meeting
was the sale of the old Watau
ga and Union school properties.
The Watauga property was sold
to th ? V/atair a Pantist church
NO 3 PAGE 8
Farm 1 our
Stop", \re Announced By
County A?ent
f'o \s lo be made on the an
nua! Mr> -on Conntv farm tour,
which sets under way promptly
a' 9 a. m. Wednesday, have been
lnnounred by county Agent S.
?V M n:!enhrll. who will con
dcji t 'lie dav-!ong tour.
Good poultry practices will be
studied on Unr.-y Pangles' farm
in tli? River Bend community,
including a brooder house, range
Mire- 'alino pasture, laying
house, and an egg storage unit.
a mteh blasting demonstra
tion will be given on Tom
Cabe's fnrm in the Cat Creek
community. Approximately 2,000
u tu rl? will be shot at one
!in>o. Mr. Mendenhail said.
Prmf that worn-out scald
can be converted to a green
farm with alfalfa, ladino clover,
and o cha d grass w 11 be seen
at Wallace Morgan's farm In
the Bethel community and Paul
. mitli's farm in the Riverside
community.
Future Farmers of America
and 4-H beat calve: and artifi
-iarv sired doiry calves will be
exhibited at the vocational ag
ricultural building.
Between stops the county
agent plans to point out things
of interest like alfalfa, ladino
pasture, corn, and land that has
been reclaimed by planting
trees.
Dinner will be served at the
Iotla Baptist church by mem
bers of the Iotla and Burning
town home demonstration clubs.
Everyone is invited to go on
the tour and transportation will
be provided for those who do
not own automobiles, the coun
ty agent said.
Last year's tour drew a rec
ord-breaking crowd estimated
at 450. and some 75 automobiles
made up the motorcade.
The Weather
Temperatures and precipitation for tfce
past seven days, and the low temperature
yesterday, as recorded at the Coweeta Ex
periment station.
High Low Pet.
Wednesday 88 65
Thursday 89 58
Friday 86 63
Saturday 87 58
Sunday 80 54
Monday 80 58
Tuesday 90 58 trace
Wednesday 58
Franklin Rainfall
(A ? recorded br Minwe SH1?? hi TV \ I
Rainfall for the week, Wed
nesday to Wednesday, none.
-?