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PRICE
10 Cent a
71st Year ? No. 9
Franklin, N. C.f Thursday, March 1, 1956
Twelve Pages
Harden Obtained
As Speaker Here
John Harden, of Greensboro,
vice-president in charge of pub
lic relations for Burlington In
dustries, Inc., has been obtain
ed as guest speaker for the
Franklin Chamber of Com
merce's annual dinner meeting.
In announcing this develop
ment yesterday (Wednesday) ,
H. H. Onuse, Jr., said the din
ner probably, will be held the
last week In March or early in
April. Mr. Gnuse is chairman
of the dinner planning com
mittee. Serving with him are
Stephen A. Bundy and J. C.
Jacobs.
"Hie chairman said more def
inite plans wijl be announced
later.
Appoints Committees
Meanwhile, the chamber's new
president, Verlon Swafford, is
moving into the '56 work plan
by appointing his committees.
They are:
Publicity and Advertising:
John Crawford, chairman, J. P.
Brady, J. C. Crisp, and Clarence
Henry.
Industrial: W. W. Reeves,
chairman, H. H. Gnuse, Jr., and
W. <J. Burrell.
Community Development and
Beautlflcation: Holland Mc
Swaln, chairman, Bob S. Sloan,
Prelo Dryman, Mrs. Prelo Dry
man, Mrs. E. S. Purdom, and
Mrs. A. R. Higdon.
July 4 Celebration: B. L. Mc
Glamery, chairman, W. C. Bur
rell. and Harry C. Corbin.
Tourists: Paul Carpenter,
chairman, Mrs. Joyce Cagle,
Marshall Pettis, and Miss Las
sie Kelly.
Membership: Victor H. Perry,
chairman, B. L. McGlamery, and
J. Ward Long.'
Retail Merchants: Sam Gib
son, chairman, Bruce Bryant,
and Roy Moore.
Highways: E. J. Whitmire,
chairman, W. E. Baldwin, and
Erwin Patton.
Late News
and
Briefs
'RUBIES FOR THE DIGGING'
Cbwee Valley's rubles and the
Gibson and Holbrook mines
gained national prominence this
week with the delivery o t the
March issue of Woman's Day,
A gt P publication.
The magazine contains a
comprehensive article, written
by Russell A. Bell, about the
unique attraction of the ruby
mines.
A three-picture layout accom
panies the article.
? * ?
CLUB WOMEN MEET
Macon's home demonstration
women met yesterday (Wednes
day* at Iotla School for their
annual "Spring ' Federation"
with the Iotla, Olive Hill-Oak
Dale, and Franklin clubs as
hostesses.
A dress review featured the
federation.
? * ?
G. O. P. MEETING
A Republican meeting in the
Eliijay precinct is set for to
morrow (Friday) at 7:30 p. m.,
at Bert Mashburn's, it has been
announced.
, . ? ?
TAX MAN COMING
A state income tax represen
1 Native will be at the county
courthouse March 7 and 8 and
again on April 10 to assist tax
payers in preparing returns, it
has been announced.
? ? ?
NANTAHALA LOSES
Nantahala High's boys' team
? only one in the county to ad
vance into the semi-finals of
Smoky Mountain Conference
tourney play ? was defeated last
Thursday night by Cherokee,
50 to 41.
Nantahala played Cullowhee
in the pre-final consolation
game Saturday night in High
lands;
? ? ?
ATTEND RALEIGH DINNER
Sam Gibson, president of the
Macon Young Democrats Club,
and J. L. West, Jr., attended
the Jefferson-Jackson dinner in
Raleigh on Saturday as repre
sentatives of the party in this
county.
Basketball Games
Set For New Gym
It's official ? basketballs
WILL bounce this season in
Franklin High's newly compfet
ed gymnasium, although mo6t
other schools in the area have
packed up uniforms and equip
ment.
Coach Howard Barnwell an
nounced yesterday (Wednesday)
that two games have been
scheduled.
On 'March 9, teams from
Clyde A. Erwin High School in
Buncombe County will journey
here to help the local lads and
lassies christen the gymnasium
with fast breaks and hook shots.
School officials are expecting
upwards of 1,000 local fans, who
have been starved for cage ac
tion for the past couple of
years during the gymnasium's
construction, to be on hand for
the game. At 6:30 the Jaycee
boys' team are scheduled to
play; at 7:30, the varsity girls;
and at 8:30, the varsity boys.
The Erwin boys won their con
ference crown this season and
are highly favored to take the
tournament crown this week
end.
The second game is set for
the 16th with Murphy. The
girls play at 7:30 and the boys
at 8:30.
ARC Drive
Opens Today
Shooting (or an increased
quota of $3,730, the Rev. J.
Bryan Hatchett today (Thurs
day) kicks off the annual
American Red Cross fund drive
with the aid of several hundred
volunteer workers over the
county.
The county's quota was upped
this year because of the recent
floods on the west coast and
other incidents of disaster pro
portions, according to the ex
ecutive secretary of the Macon
chapter, Mrs. Elizabeth McCol
lum.
Campaign kits and materials
already have been distributed
for the drive, which will run
the entire month.
Local Car Dealers
Form Association
This county's five dealers in
new automobiles organized a
dealers' association at a meet
ing last Friday night.
The purpose of the Hew or
ganization, to be known as the
Macon County New Car Deal
ers' Credit Association, Is to
exchange credit information.
The group also will be affili
ated, it was announced, with
other credit organizations in
this and adjoining counties.
COMMUNITY TO MEET
The Higdonvllle Rural Com
munity Development Organlza
l tion will meet tonight (Thurs
day) at Cullasaja School at
7:30, it has been announced.
GOVERNOR COMING
North Carolina's chief execu
tive, Gov. Lather H. Hodges,
plans a visit here on March 9,
according to Frank I. Murray,
chairman of the county Demo
cratic executive committee. Gov.
Hodges will speak at 10 a. m.
at the courthouse. His last visit
to this area vaa for Franklin's
Centennial celebration last June
'Heart Sunday' Brings
$154.75 In Campaign
In a concerted drive Sunday
afternoon, adult and student
volunteers collected $154.75 foi
the annual Heart Fund cam
paign.
The "Heart Sunday" driv?
was led by Neil Finger and Bob
Carpenter, with the assistance
of Norman B. Smith, Franklin
High student, who enlisted the
aid of about 15 classmates.
Freak Storm (Twister?) Collapses
Elbert Bryson's Barn On Saturday
With a "terrible roar", a freak
wind storm almost wiped out
Elbert Bryson's small farm up
Bryson Branch about noon Sat
urday.
Bounding quickly out of the
south, the storm ? Mr. Bryson
vows it was a "twister" ?
swooped into the small valley
floor of the farm and in a
matter of seconds:
Collapsed the barn; tore a
brick flue from the house; up
rooted a sturdy pine, five ap
ple trees, (one fell on a shed)
and two pear trees; broke limbs
from three more trees; smash
ed a large beech tree into a
corn crib; tore the roof from
the garage; and whipped the
power line from the house and
up into a nearby tree.
House Trembled
The 81-year-old frame house
built by Mr. Bryson's mother
and father "kinda trembled, but
didn't move," he recalls.
When the storm struck, the
farmer was in the house alone.
"It was just a big roar . . .
it may have lasted seconds, or
minutes ... I Just couldn't
say.."
It was so dark outside, Mr.
Bryson said he was unable to
see anything.
In support of his belief that
he was visited by a toronado,
are twisted tree limbs and the
fact that damage was confined
mostly to an area of about 75
yards. The big wind hit no
where else. There were no vis
ible signs of damage to trees
on the hillsides surrounding the
farm. Limbs from the big beech
blown down near the flattened
barn were found between the
floor timbers and the founda
tion, Indicating the wind had
the building In the air when
the tree toppled.
Mr. Bryson figures his loss
might total better than $1,500.
Neighbors and relatives are
helping him mop up the dam
age and rebuild.
About 13 years ag?, a wine
storm of lesser force jumpec
into the valley and uprootec
some trees.
Recalling this, an.i surveying
Saturday's damage, Mi. Brysor
decided :
"If it happens again, I thinl
I'll just up and leave."
ONLY LIGHT DAMAGE
Wind on Saturday ? not
as extreme as forecast ?
caused only minor damage
elsewhere over the county.
Nantahala Power and West
ern Carolina Telephone offi
cials reported only minor
troubles.
TV antennas and tree limbs
fell in some areas.
A falling tree caused $200
damage at T. A. Oil's home
in Franklin. The house is in
sured, Mr. Orr said.
A FREAK STORM STRUCK THE farm of Elbert Brv
son. on Bryson Branch in the Cullasaja section, about noon
Saturday, nearly wiping It ou:. As pictureJ, his barn was
collapsed by the wind and the large beech tree at right
snapped off and fell across a corn crib. Mr. Bryson is sure
he was visited by a small tornado.
$100,000 Out-Patient Clinic
Planned By Angel Hospital
Retirement,
Promotions
Announced
A retirement and two pro
motions within the Nantahala
Power and Light Company fam
ily were announced this week
by the company president, John
M. Archer, Jr.
After more than 38 years'
service with the Aluminum
Company of America and its
subsidiaries, John B. Ray re
tired yesterday (Wednesday) as
' chief civil engineer. He Is being
succeeded by W. Russell Cabe.
' The promotion goes to H. H.
Gnuse, Jr., who has been with
the company since November,
1940. Effective today, he be
| comes vice-president in charge
of operations. Since early "49,
he has been vice-president in
charge of engineering.
Here 14 Tears
' Mr. Ray, the retiring chief
; civil engineer, has been asso
? elated with Nantahala since Oc
' tober 1, 1929, and he has lived
in Franklin for the past 14
* years. This tenure has seen
i him closely associated with the
: expansion program of the local
i power firm and he is well
i known throughout the territory
it~ serves. Before joining Nan
tahala Power, Mr. Ray worked
for Alcoa at Badin in this state,
in Tennessee, and in Surinam,
South America.
Started As Rodman
His successor, Mr. Cabe, is a
native of this county and has
been with Nantahala since No
vember, 1940. He started as a
1 rodman in a survey party and
1 has been continuously employ
l ed by the company since then.
On Thorpe Project
[ Mr. Gnuse also has been with
the company since November,
. 1940. He first worked as assis
tant electrical engineer on the
company's Thorpe hydro devel
opment in Jackson County. He
was made chief electrical engi
neer for the company in 1941,
and in 1949 was made a vice
president.
JOINS WILLYS COMPANY
J. C. Sorrells has joined Ma
con Willys Company here as
sales manager, it was announc
ed this week. Mr. Sorrells, until
recently with Bob Gaines Motor
Company, formerly was the
Chrysler and Plymouth dealer
here.
v j:
Angel Hospital, Inc., has announced plans for build
ing an out-patient clinic wing that will represent an
ultimate investment of about $100,000.
Dr. Edgar Angel, medical director, yesterday
(Wednesday) said construction of the new wing will
get under way within 30 days.
The one-story wing will be built off the southwest
end of the present hospital building, toward the
Rural Event
Now In Town
The rural community develop
ment plan is coming to town.
Competition between com
munities in rural Macon Coun
ty has wrought such changes,
it is believed a similar plan
would bring about improve
ments in Franklin, and a
Chamber of Commerce commit
tee is already at work on the
project.
A community development
and beautification committee,
named by Verlon Swafford, new
Chamber president, held its In
itial meeting Friday night.
Appointed to the committee
are Holland McSwain, chairman,
Prelo Dryman, Mrs. Dryman,
Bob S. Sloan, Mrs. A. R. Hig
don, and Mrs. E. S. Purdom.
At its Initial session, which
was attended by President Swaf
ford, the group discussed the
general outlines of the project,
adopted a resolution urging the
cooperation of all "to make
Franklin the cleanest town in
North Carolina", and asked for
suggestions, from adults and
children alike, as to how
Franklin can best be improved
and beautified.
Suggestions may be offered
to any member of the commit
tee prior to March 15. By that
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 12
Macon Soldier
Saves Life Of
Atlanta Youth
A Macon County soldier,
M/Sgt. Harold L. Baldwin, is
credited with saving the life of
a 14-year-old boy unconscious
from electrical shock in At
lanta.
In a letter to the sergeant,
the boy's family expressed their
appreciation for his quick
thinking on the morning of
February 3:
"Your cool-headed judgment
and courageous action in tak
ing command of the situation
where a young boy lay uncon
scious from electrical shock was
the single action that saved his
life.
"We, the family of Robert E.
Ward will be ever in your debt,
and our gratitude to you will
never be. to our satisfaction,
fully expressed . .
M/Sgt. Baldwin got this mes
sage from his commanding of
ficer at the Atlanta General
Depot:
. . Words fail to express
the gratitude and appreciation
to you, not only from the par
ents, but also from your mili
tary associates. Your quick
judgment and action reflects
great credit upon you, your or
ganization, and the United
States Army . . ."
The sergeant is the son of
Mr. and Mrs. Harley Baldwin,
of Franklin.
Baptist Pastors
To Hear Oakley
Minister Speak
The Rev. Frank Robinson,
pastor of the Oakley Baptist
Church in Buncombe County,
will address a meeting of Bap
tist pastors Monday morning at
the First Baptist Church here.
He will discuss plans for rural
church enlargement revivals
scheduled to be held through
out the association May 3-11.
The meeting is set for 10
o'clock with the Rev. M. C.
Wyatt, president, presiding.
ATTEND BOARD MEETING
Mr. ahd Mis. C. Banks Finger.
Mr. and Mis Roy Biddle. Jr..
and Mr. and Mrs. J. P Brady
attended the third quarterly
board meeting of the N C Junior
Chamber of Commerce in Fayette
ville over the weekend
nurses' home. Its cost is esti
mated at $75,000 and an addi
tional $15-$20,000 is earmarked
for fixtures and new equip
ment, Dr. Angel said.
From Foundation
Of the total investment, $11,
400 is expected to come from
the Ford Foundation, as re
cently announced for the hos
pital, and the remainder from
funds accrued by the hospital
board of trustees, the medical
director explained.
Formal application for the
Ford Foundation money already
has been made, Dr. Angel said.
But, even in the event that the
money is not released for the
project, construction of the pro
posed wing will go according to
schedule, he added.
Plans for the wing are being
prepared by Lindsey M. Gudger,
Ashevllle architect.
Four Offices
The main floor of the wing
will contain a large waiting
room (connecting with the pres
ent one on the southwest side
of the hospital), four doctor's
offices, six examination rooms,
two treatment rooms, a labora
tory, fluoroscope and X-ray
room, nurses' station, and med
ical records room.
Heating Plant
In the basement will be a
conference and record room,
storage facilities, and a new
heating plant to serve the en
tire hospital plant.
Construction will be concrete
blocks and brick veneer, to
harmonize with the present
building.
When the new wing is com
pleted, the space vacated by the
doctors in the hospital will be
used for administrative pur
poses, Dr. Angel explained.
Land for the new wing is be
ing leased to the hospital board
of trustees by Dr. Angel.
GOP SLATES
CONVENTION
Will Meet At County
Courthouse To Elect
Local Party Leaders
A Macon County Republican
convention has been called for
3 p. m. Saturday at the court
house, George W. Reece, county
chairman, announced this week.
The purpose of the meeting
is three-fold:
To elect a county chairman,
vice-chairman, and secretary
treasurer.
To name two members of the
state Republican executive com
mittee. Two alternates also will
be chosen.
To appoint five delegates
from this county to the 12th
Congressional district conven
tion, which will be held in
Hendersonville at 10 a. m.,
March 9. At the latter meeting,
two delegates will be chosen
from this district to the na
tional Republican convention.
The party precinct meetings
are scheduled for tomorrow
(Friday i, and Mr Reece ex
pressed the hope that a dele
gate from each precinct will
be present at Saturday's county
convention.
The Weather
The wevk's
recorded in
I ' . ,S. wrath*
Tudor N H;
ob<-?" ver: .'tin
LalMirutory .
Wed.. Feb
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wu Feb
Thursuay
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
temperatures and rainfall, as
Franklin by Mannon Stiles,
r observer; in Highlands by
II and W. Newton. TV A
I at the Coweta Hydrolojjic
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
22 49 28 _
54 20 ?
50 41 .17
62 39 .81
52 23
47 30 .50
60 36 .28
COWEETA
Temperatures
High Low Rain
22 50 20 _
55
48
59
51
50
45
22
39
45
24
30
37
.32
.49
1.00
.32
.45