CIRCULATION
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Year Ago Last W?ek - 25*5
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VOL LXVII? NO. 32
FRANKLIN, N. C., THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1952
TWELVE PAG1
Youth Dies In Plunge
Monday Over Waterfall
Recover Body Of Tourist
In Pool At Base Of
Dry Falls
A 19-year-old sightseer slipped
and plunged 125 feet to his
death over Dry Falls late Mon
day morning before the horri
fied eyes of his wife, mother
and father, and younger broth
er and sister.
Volunteers recovered the body
of J. B. Kilby, Jr., of Augusta,
Ga., from a deep pool at the
base of the falls at 2:45 p. m. ?
some three hours after the
youth plummeted over the falls,
a top scenic attraction in Ma
con County that annually draws
thousands of visitors.
An estimated 100 persons lin
ed the steep banks of the can
yon below the falls as men
searched for the body. Many
tourists unsuspectingly came
down the winding path to view
the falls, only to learn of the
tragic accident.
Young Kilby and his family
were returning from a week
end visit in Knoxville, Tenn.,
their former home.
The youth's 18-year-old wife,
Virginia, begged him not to
walk out over the falls, accord
ing to persons on the scene at
the time of the accident. He
apparently slipped on the moss
coverecf rocks at the top of the
cascade.
An eyewitness, the Rev. R. E.
Brown, of Raleigh, superinten
dent of the Raleigh Methodist
district, said in a statement to
Jack Laros, Highland district
ranger, that he heard a scream
about 11:30 as he reached the
first turn in the path leading
to the falls and turned in time
to see young Kilby topple over
the brink. The minister said
the youth flipped in the air,
struck the rocks below head
first, and then disappeared from
view in the water below.
The distance from the top of
the falls to the rocks where he
hit first is about 75 feet. The
body was found in a small
seething pool carved out by the
falling water some 50 feet be
low that point.
Sid Carter and Willard
Crisp, both of Highlands, some
of the first on the scene, dived
for the body in a large pool
below the falls for more than
an hour. Mr. . Carter received
treatment for cuts and bruises
suffered in his search for the
body:
Radioman Third Class Earl
Baty, of Highlands, on leave
from the navy, located young
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 12
Floridian
Racks Up Hole-ln-One On
Local Course
Ernest C. Wilkinson, of West
Palm Beach, Fla., Joined the
ranks of golfdom's fabulous
' here last Thursday afternoon
when he chalked up a hole
in-one on the local nine-holer.
Mr. Wilkinson, a guest at the
Franklin lodge, laced a fire
iron shot into the cap on the
153-yard No. 4 hole. He round
ed out the day's play with a
two over par 38.
JacK Martin and Stotts
Gilbert, owners of the lodge,
were playing with the Flor
idian when he made the one
in-a-million shot.
The Weather
The week's temperatures and rainfall, as
recorded in Franklin by Manson Sales,
I*. S. weather observer, and at the Coweeta
flydrologic Laboratory:
COWEETA
Temperatures .
High Low Rain
Wednesday 92 60
Thursday 84 60 trace
Friday 81 62 .05
Saturday 85 60 .12
Sunday ' 88 52
Monday 86 57 .24
Tuesday 84 61 .21
Wednesday 61 .12
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wednesday 94 64
Thursday 88 65 .28
Friday 82 65 44
Saturday 88 63 .10
Sunday 90 55
Monday ... 88 60 .03
Tuesday 88 65 1.23
Sen. Kefauver
Guest At Highlands Club,
Leaves Today
Sen. Estes Kefauver, of
Tennessee, a leading, but un
successful contender for the
Democratic presidential nom
I ination, is a guest at the
Highlands Country Club.
The amiable senator, whose
name has almost disappeared
from newspapers since the
nomination of Got. Adiai
Stevenson at the party's Chi
cago convention last month,
is just resting ami playing
golf, the club reports.
He arrived Friday and plans
to leave sometime today
(Thursday).
MAYORISSUES
STATEMENT ON
SEWERCHARGE
Says Move Made As Way
To Financing More
Facilities
Mayor W. C. Burrell this
week issued the following state
ment in explanation of the de
cision of the Franklin board of
aldermen to make charge for
sewerage service:
'.'Due to the fact the disposal
plant which the Town of
Franklin is now using is badly
in need of repairs and is in
adequate, the tdwn board de
cided that, like most other
towns in Western North Caro
lina, they would have to put on
a sewerage charge to maintain
the sewerage system and pro
vide for the increasing number
of customers.
"The town board felt the
sewerage charge was the only
fair way to provide for mainte
nance and expansion of the sys
tem, whereas had the necessary
funds been raised by addition
al taxes those who did not use
the sewerage system would
have been taxed.
"We are sorry this explana
tion did not get in the paper
earlier. Due to my absence
from town, I was unable to get
it in last week's paper."
RAISE GIVEN
GARBAGE MEN
Town Board Authorize!
Clerk To Advertise
Back Taxes
In regular session Mondaj
night the Franklin board oi
aldermen:
(X) authorized Town Clerk C.
O. Ramsey to advertise delin
quent 1951 taxes.
(2) granted town garbage
employes a $10 a month raise.
(3) accepted a bid submitted
by Radford Jacobs, offering the
town a 12 per cent discount on
gas and oil.
(4) accepted a bid submitted
by Macon Construction com
pany to furnish and deliver
gravel for town paving projects
at $1.50 per ton, provided Alli
son Construction company
would standby its bid of 60
cents per square foot for pav
ing.
The town plans to use Powell
bill funds this year to pave
Macon avenue, Green street,
and others, depending on how
far the money goes. In accept
ing Macon Construction com
pany's gravel bid, the added
provision was made in view of
Allison's bid to furnish gravel
for $2.50 per ton and paving
for 60 cents per square foot.
Mayor W. C. Burrell was asked
to call the Allison company to
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 6
PLAN BAZAAR
A bazaar ? featuring hand
made things, including foods
will be sponsored tomorrow
(Friday) at 10 a. m. by the
Women's Society of Christian
Service of the Franklin Meth
odist church at the show room
in the Nantahala Power and
Light company building, it has
been announced.
BAPTISTS OPEN
MEETINGTODAY
Plan First Session This
Morning At Oak Grove;
Friday At Iotla
Representatives from Macon ^
County's 42 Baptist churches ?
will gather this (Thursday) j
morning at the Oak Grove
church for the opening session '
of the association's 49th annual
meeting.
Tomorrow they will meet at '
the Iotla church for an all-day j
session.
Today's session gets under j
way at 10 o'clock and features
a number of reports on the as
sociation's work this past year.
Special speakers slated for the
opening session include Dr. W.
K. McGee, director of the de
partment of religion of the N.
C. Baptist hospitals; M. A. !
Huggins, general secretary of j
I the Baptist state convention; ;
W. C. Reed, general superin- j
tendent of the state Baptist
orphanage; L. L. Carpenter, ed
itor of the Bibical Recorder;
and B. Frank Hasty, a member
of the staff of Wake Forest
college.
Tomorrow's session, which
begins at 9:30 a. m., in addition
' to reports, lists addresses by the
? Rev. Charles E. Parker, a for
mer pastor of the First Baptist
i church here, who is represent
ing the Council on Christian
Education: M. H. Kendall, rep
resenting Mars Hill college; and
James M. Hayes, superintendent i
and chaplain of the state Bap
tist homes.
Moderator J. Horner Stock
1 ton will preside ever the two
day meeting.
1IT IK
Welling Uels
First Cluster
For War Duty
, Capt. M. G. Welling, who re
j cently returned from duty in
Korea, has been awarded his
. first cluster to the Bronze Star
. medal for meritorious service in
, Korea, according to an army
announcement received here.
In Korea Capt. Welling was
commander of Company K, 7th
Infantry regiment, 3rd division.
His wife is the former Miss
Katherine Godwin, of Frank
[ lin.
| A veteran of World War II,
I he wears the Purple Heart and
l the second award of the Com
bat Infantryman badge. He re
ceived the Bronze Star cluster
In recognition of service in Ko
rea from February 1 to June
r 15, 1952, the announcement
' said.
NO DRAFT CALL
Macon County will receive no
draft call in September, ac
cording to the local selective
service board.
A five-man induction and 22
man pre-inductlon examination
contingent will be sent to Knox
vllle, Tenn., Wednesday.
?Stiff Photo by J. P. Brad'
A 19-year-old sightseer Monday slipped and plunged to his death over
Dry Falls, Macon's top scenic attraction on US 64 between Highlands and
Franklin. The arrow in the photograph shows the approximate spot where he
slipped? the dotted line indicates his path of fall to the rocks below. (See Page
12 for photograph of volunteers searching for his body at the base of the falls).
Are Opening
Flower Show
In Highlands
Mrs. Byron Simonson, chair
man of the ninth annual High
lands flower show, has an
nounced the completion of final
plans for the show to be held
at the Museum of Natural His
tory building Saturday and
Sunday.
The committee calls atten
tion ' to several new classes in
the schedule. One is a class
called "Highlands Favorite
Flower Pot". The Southern
Highlands have given us many j
quaint customs and sayings,
among them, "making a flower
pot",, a saying used to indicate
an artistic arrangement of
flowers, usually containing mix
ed flowers, simply arranged. It
is also thought of as a "summer
bouquet". This class has been
added in recognition of the
ability of many individuals to
make an artistic "flower pot"
or "summer bouquet", the com
mittee said.
A class for novices, those who
have never won a blue ribbon
in an artistic division of a !
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 6
'HILLBILLY DAT
BIG SUCCESS
Highlands Out-Shines
Hollywood; Plan Day
As Yearly Event
(See Pictures on Page 6)
Highlands out - Hollywooded
Hollywood's "typical" hill-billies
Friday in an hilarious all-day
"shindig" that apparently made
Dogpatch a rank amateur til
the realm of hillblllylsm.
Not only was the "highest In
corporated town in Eastern
America" filled to the brim with
uninhibited, raklshly - dressed
townspeople and vacationers,
even motorists just passing
through became intrigued by
the activities and stopped for
the day, invading stores in
search of glneham, flop hats,
overalls, bandanas, (anything
with a movie hillbilly flair)
and joined in the fun.
It didn't take long for the
uninitiated, those "pore on
fortunate human beans" dress
ed in every-day clothes, that It
was "Hillbilly Day" in High-j
lands and that those not dress
ed accordingly were (sob> des-|
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 6
FLYING SAUCERS, YOU. SAY? Shucks, those things are outdated around Macon County.
Flying teacups are the vogue here now. C. Ranks Finger, locaJ attorney and vice-president of the
Franklin Javcees, is shown above piloting the latest model across town square on his way to the
courthouse.' But, don't take it seriously, it's just a trick shot turned out by The Press photo
grapher. ""
" V >
.>*?
Years First
Polio Victim 1
'Doing Fine
Macon Comity's first polio
case for the year was reported
this week by the local health
department.
Wanda Jeanette Willis, two
year-old daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Howard Willis, of Iotla,
was taken to the Ashevllle Or
thopedic home Friday where
her illness was diagnosed as
polio, Yesterday (Wednesday)
the healtta department reported
she was "doing fine".
WANTS KIDS TO
ATTENDCOWEE
School Board's Action
Protested By Rote
Creek Delegation
A delegation of men and
'women appeared at Monday's
meeting of the county board of
education to protest the hoard's
recent decision to send children
in the Rose Creek community
to Iotla school instead of Co
wee.
September 3 was set as the
opening date of county schools.
An over-all classroom short
age in the school system is be
hind the board's action in send
ing Rose Creek children to Iotla
school, according to Chairman
Bob S. Sloan.
He explained that both Iotla
and Cowee schools have eight
classrooms, and added that an
increase in attendance this year
will make it necessary to hold
(?lasses in the school auditor
iums.
If Rose Creek children were
nllowed to attend Cowee school
this year. Mr. Sloan said it
ivould mean that 10 classes
would be held at Cowee and
anlv eight at Iotla.
"We have attempted to even
things up." he explained, "by
having nine classes at each
school. It seems right to equal
ize it rather than have over
:rowded conditions at one
school."
During the meeting, a male
nember of the delegation re
narked, "our kids go to Cowee,
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 12 ,
-ARM TOUR
SLATED FOR
NEXT WEEK
Vill Feature Livestock
And Community Visits,
Agent Says
The annual Macon County
i'arm and Home tour is slated
August 15 and this year will
leal primarily with livestock
tnd progress made by commun
ties in the W. N. C. Rural
Community Development con
?8t, according to County Agent
J. W. MendenhalL
As In the past, everyone In
Jje county, businessmen and
farm men and women alike, Is
nvtted to make the tour with
lie county agent and review
he county's agricultural prog
ress.
Special emphasis will be plac
id on both beef and dairy cat
tle and stops will be made in
the Carson Chapel and Holly
Springs communities. Both com
munities are entered In the
rural development contest.
Lunch will be served by the
Holly Springs women at the
new community center. A small
sharge will be made.
Following lunch those attend
ing will assemble at the voca
tional agricultural building at
Franklin High school for a beef
and dairy cattle shew.
The motorcade will get under
way at the Agricultural build
ing promptly at 9 a. m.. the
county agent said.
DRAMA GROUP
IS ORGANIZED
Murray Picked Temporary
Chairman; Plan To
Give 'Dear Ruth'
The Community Players,
amateur theatrical group vas
organized here Tuesday night,
and plans were made to pre
sent "Dear Ruth", Broadway
and motion picture comedy, as
the organization's first produc
tion.
Tryouts for this first of a-,
proposed series of plays will be
held the evening of August Iff,,
and it is hoped to present "Dear
Ruth" the last of August or
early in September.
Frank I. Murray, Jr., was:
chosen temporary chairman of
the new organization.. .
A second meeting will be
held at the Nantahala building
next Tuesday night to perfect
the organization and make de
tailed plans for the first pro
duction.
The Community Players Is a
non-profit organization, which
will seek to stimulate Interest
In dramatics, give local talent
a vehicle, and provide enter
tainment for the community, It
was explained.
Waterless
\
Weaverville Gets Help
From Franklin
An almost waterleas Weav
erville rot a helping band
last week from Franklin ? an
other small town that knows
what it means to have its
water supply approach ten.
Hard-hit bv the drought,
WVav^nril1' nln' Ti'le^s west
of Ash(vi!'?, borrowed a
pumpinp and purlfvi-n outfit
from Fr~nk'in to hu Id up its
dirp'ni'h'ne lvr.'er vooly.
The loan ra'j'cln't have
, come from a more under
standing: town. Onlv last year
Franklin was a'most down to
its last drop ??' water during
a dry soell. A new well solved
it' problem.
S'.fAUT KT' MON SLATED
Thf cr\ r' - reunion
will ' 1 - : iv at 'lie old
h'<? : * the la-? Joe
pn.? .. . ??., r-acl. ac
c ? ri "ah - :e.u?nt by
r C ' ? Mi-5 -? Ada
Smart and i?ez Woody
v ' : ? ; ? Oi t .> - i:\mily
sathering.
REVIVAL ST \KTS
A '.'""k-Ionu yoi'h revival
?er;e star' . S'lrv'ay evening at
the Firs* Baptist church with
preaching bv *he church pastor,
the Rev. M W. Chapman. Serv
ices nr? planned nightly at 8
o'clock.