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71st Year ? No. 36
Franklin, N. C, Thursday, September 6, 1956
Twelve Pages
REVEALED BY OLD LETTER
28th U. S. President Once Visited Here
Traveled 15 Hours By Stage
In the summer of 1879, Ma
con County was visited by a
young man who was later to be
come President of the United
States.
July of that year found the
youthful future President
"perched high on the Blue
Ridge"? in Horse Cove. He de
scribed it as "apparently North
Carolina's jumping-off place".
Only 22 at the time, he had
studied at Davidson College,
and just the month before had
been graduated from Princeton
University. In October, he plan
ned to enter the "University of
Virginia, at Charlottesville.
There he would study law,
which he considered "on the
main road to Congress". (He
was never to serve in Congress,
however, but vaulted from a
governorship to the Presidency.)
On this, his first ? and, as
far as is known, only? trip to
Southwestern North Carolina,
he was accompanied by his
mother, a younger brother, a
younger sister, and the latter's
three children.
It had been a long, hard trip
from Wilmington, where the
youth's father was pastor of a
Presbyterian church. To reach
Horse Cove, the party had
traveled "about twelve hours
on the cars and fifteen in a
stage over rough, ill-kept moun
tain roads".
"Alone, I could have enjoyed
it In a measure at least", he
wrote a friend; "but for deli
cate ladies and children It was
trying In the extreme."
"We have certainly found a
cool resort, however", the let
ter continued," and are very
comfortably housed here in
Horse Cove."
The letter was to his good
friend of Princeton undergradu
ate days, Robert Bridges. And
though it was 77 years ago that
Woodrow Wilson spent that
summer vacation in Horse Cove,
probably nobody in Macon
County ? and perhaps not a
score of persons in the entire
country ? knew about It until
that hand-written letter turned
up recently. It gave his address
as "Horse Cove, Macon Co.,
North Carolina" and was dated
"July 30th, '79".
The last page of the Letter (a
photostatic copy of which ap
pears herewith) was among
original papers, letters, etc., In
a recent Library of Congress ex
hibit, arranged to mark the
centennial of President Wilson's
birth D. Hlden Ramsey, of
Asheville, saw a reference to it
in the Quarterly Journal of the
Library of Congress, and wrote
The Press. A letter from this
newspaper asking the Library
for a photostatic copy brought
the reply that the letter might
not be reproduced without the
permission of the World War 1
President's widow. That permis
sion was granted, and The Press
finally obtained for publication
the full text of the only letter
ever written from this county
by a future President.
Before the Bridges letter
came to light, however, there
was a suggestion ? plain for all
who could read ? of Wilson's
visit to this county. How it
escaped attention until now no
body knows. It Is in Ray Stan
nard Baker's "Woodrow Wilson
? Life and Letters". On page
111, Volume 1, of that work Is
this quotation from a letter to
another Princeton friend, Char
les Talcott:
"I leave in about a week",
Wilson wrote from Wilmington,
"with my mother and small
brother for the Blue Ridge. Ad
dress me (and please write
soon) at Highlands, Macon
County, North Carolina (via
Walhalla, S. C.). I'll tell you
about the region we are to visit
when I know more about it. It
is as yet new ground for me."
That letter was dated July 7,
1879. If young Wilson did leave,
as he planned, within a week,
Continued on Page Three ?
How Important?
(EDITORIAL)
-/
How much should you and I permit ourselves to be influ
enced, as we prepa-re to go to the polls .Saturday, by the past
ten days' incidents on the segregation-integration scene?
We suggest that Macon County voters, in making up their
minds to vote for or against the Pearsall Plan constitutional
amendment, should discount the importance of these inci
dents. It seems to us there are two good reasons for that:
First, there is a strong possibility that the incidents them
selves, as well as their significance, may have been exag
gerated. by the daily press, the radio, and television.
Second, those incidents are incidents only ? they are NOT
arguments. And the arguments, both those for and those
against the Pearsall Plan, that were valid before these in
cidents took place probably are just as valid today.
In short, let's use our minds in deciding this thing. This
newspaper has taken a position on the Pearsall Plan; but
it is not half as interested in which WAY the voters cast
their ballots as in WHY. For the only way we can decide
this or any other public question, right, is by hard, honest,
calm thinking ? by all of us.
Seme Psychological Warfare Works
? Prt'Wk -? .ft W'oLi
GRIM KEMINUER ? The psychology behind seeing this wrecked automobile at the intersec
tion of US 23-441 and ITS 64 in Fre.nklin apparently workea on motorists traveling through over
the Labor Day holidays. The highway patrol, which erected the display, reported only seme mino
mishaps. There was little indication here that a holiday was in progress ? ninst restaurants p.nd
motels reported "normal" business and traffic was about average for a week-end.
Above is a photostatic . copy of the last page of a letter Wood
raw Wilson, at 22, wrote from Macon County's Horse Cove, where
he was spending a vacation. The "Thomas W." in the signature
at first is confusing, but persons familiar with President Wilson's
life will remember that it was years later that he dropped the
"Thomas" from his name, and thereafter signed himself simply
"Woodrow Wilson".
Light Vote Is Anticipated
In Amendments Election
All outward signs point to a
light vote in Saturday's general
election here, according to J.
Lee Barnard, chairman of the
elections board.
He said "very few" new regis
trations were reported by the
registrars of the county's 11
Rrecincts when the books for
the election closed on the 25th.
Saturday's is the first of two
general elections slated in the
state this fall. Voters will de
cide the fate of four proposed
constitutional amendments. Pub
lic officials will be elected at
the general election in Novem
ber.
A new registration was not
required and voters who have
cast ballots in past elections
may vote in this one.
The four proposed amend
ments are contained on one bal
lot.
First is the special session
school amendment (Pearsall
amendment i, which would au
thorize education expense grants
for private education and would
authorize "local option" vote in
suspending operation of public
schools.
The other three are regular
session amendments. One would
allow limited compensation of
members of the General As
sembly; the second would
change the date for convening
the General Assembly from Jan
uary to February; and the third
would authorize a married
woman to exercise jaewers of
attorney conferred upon her by
her husband.
Polls will be open from 6:30
a. m. to 6:30 p. m.
Scholarships
Awarded Dills
And McClure
Kenneth Dills and Monroe
McClure, both of Franklin,
Route 5, have been awarded
$150 Sears-Roebuck scholar
ships to N. C. State College.
They plan to leave for Ral
eigh this Saturday. Both are
Franklin High School graduates
and will major in veterinary
medicine at State.
Kenneth is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Briscoe Dills and Monroe
is the son of Elmer McClure.
G. O. C. Post
At Prison On
24 Hour Alert
The Ground Observer Corps
post at the Macon Prison Camp
is now on 24-hour alert
Three eight-hour shifts of
skywatching and reporting air
craft movements are being
handled by two honor grade
prisoners and the camp staff,
according to Supt. John E.
Cutshall.
Prior to this, the observation
post has operated only on a
limited basis during the day.
HICKORY KNOLL PICNIC
The annual Hickory Knoll
picnic is set for the fourth Sun
day in September < 23rd ? at the
A P. Cunningham spring A
singing will follow at the
church. In the event of bad
weather, lunch will be spread in
the basement of the church
Schools Open
Smoothly
On Tuesday
Tuesday's opening of the
county schools clicked off
smoothly and without incident,
according to Supt. Holland Mc
Swain
First day membership was
estimated at 3,754, with 2,886 in
the elementary grades and 868
in the four high schools.
Mr. McSwaln said present
trends indicate membership is
going to be below first esti
mates of about 4,000 in all
grades.
He estimated that probably
100 more will enroll as the
school year gets under way.
This would bring membership
up to an estimated 3,850.
First day figures were avail
able from all schools but Nan
tahala.
They were Franklin High, 868;
Franklin Elementary, 404; East
Franklin, 375; Cullasaja, 320;
Union, 249; Otto, 233; Cowee,
239; Cartoogechaye, 284; Iotla,
222; Highlands High, 84; High
lands Elementary, 294; Chapel
High, 7; Chapel Elementary, 52.
Fair Catalogues
Coming Out First
Of Next Week
Copies of the '56 Macon Coun
ty Fair catalogue will be ready
for distribution the first of the
week.
Meanwhile, details of the
two-day fair September 28-29
are dropping into place under
the supervision of the fair
steering committee and exten
sion service personnel.
Set for the Franklin High
gymnasium, the fair and its
many areas of competition is
open to every man, woman, and
child In the county. Here Is
some general information re
leased this Week.
Booths will be upstairs in
the gymnasium.
Booth space will be the
same as last year ? six feet
deep and eight feet wide.
Each booth will be divided
by 2 by 4's and the respon
sibility for the built-ins of
each will be up to the com
munity or group sponsoring
it.
Booths may be set up Wed
nesday and Thursday (26th
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 12
Double Meaning; ?
Ammons Couple Marks Date
September 4 (Tuesday) had
double meaning for Mr. and
Mrs. Elias V. Ammons.
It marked the Golden Wed
ding Anniversary of the couple
and also Mr. Ammons' 79th
birthday.
Sunday, at the Holly Springs
home of their son and daugh
ter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Owen
Ammons, more than 60 friends
and relatives turned out to help
the couple celebrate the double
anniversary.
Present were Mrs. Ammons'
brother and sister, Wiley Sellers
and Mrs. Charlie Bolick, both
of Route 4. who were members
of the wedding party 50 years
ago. They were married in 1906
at the old family home-place,
which is now occupied by Mr
Sellers. She is the former Miss
Margie Sellers.
Residents of Holly Springs for
48 years, Mr. and Mrs. Amnions
went west soon after their mar
riage, settling in Oregon, where
he had worked as a sheep herd
er before returning home to
take a bride. They stayed in
Oregon about two years..
Mr. and Mrs. Ammons have
three sons, Paul and Owen,
both of Route 4, and Rogers
Ammons, of Waynesville.
Mr. and Mrs. Ammons
One-Way Streets
Being Considered
FIRST GAME
IS FRIDAY
Panthers To Meet
Clyde Erwin High
On Home Ground
That special brand of cheer
ing reserved only for football
will boom from the Franklin
High Stadium tomorrow (Fri
day) night when the Panthers
open the 1956-57 season here.
At 8 o'clock, Coach Richard
(Dick i Stott will field his Pan
ther pack against Clyde Erwin
High in a non-conference game
that is expected to pack the
stadium
A sure bet to accompany the
Buncombe County team here is
the Clyde Erwin principal,
Ralph L. Smith, a one-time
Franklin principal. He rarely
turns down an opportunity to
visit here.
Meanwhile, as the opening
game approaches, Coach Stott
reports his squad, although
handicapped by inexperience, is
"shaping up good" and will be
ready to let Clyde Erwin "know
they've been in a ball game".
Three co-captains have been
elected by the team. They are
Wlllard Smith, Robert Alexan
der, and David Pollock.
Coach Stott gives his prob
able starting lineup for the
game as:
Mitchell Houston, left end;
Bobby Cabe, left tackle; James
Murray, left guard; Edward
Shatley, center; Robert Alex
ander, right guard; Larry
Potts, right tackle; David Pol
lock, right end; Willard Smith,
quarterback; Bruce Houston,
left halfback; Gilmer Henry,
right halfback; and Darwin
Hussey, fullback.
The team will run out of the
split-T.
Others who probably will see
action in the game are Gary
Clark, Jim Henry, Frank Mc
Swain, Lamar Mason, and Rich
ard Setser, the coach reports.
The game will be the first one
for eight of the boys listed as
probable starters.
Would Give Relief
To Traffic Problem;
Water Is Discussed
A one-way street system to
relieve traffic congestion is
now in the planning stages In
Franklin.
The street committee was
handed the problem Tuesday
night by Mayor W. C. Burrell
with orders to "work something
out." A discussion of the wors
ening municipal headache by
the board of aldermen preced
ed the mayor's action.
While details of the system
have not been set, traffic prob
ably would flow one-way west
on Main Street from the in
tersection of Main and Palmer
at the foot of Town Hill to
Harrison and Main on the West
end of town. Palmer Street
would be one-way east from the
intersection of Palmer and US
23-441 on the west end to Palm
er and .Main.
Aldermen A. G. Cagle, Prek)
Dryman, and Sam Gibson make
up the street committee.
Adequate Water
An adequate water supply ?
still another pressing headache
for the town ? came in for con
siderable talk at the meeting.
Possible solutions centered
around a new well or a pump
ing station on Cartoogechaye
Creek, with the latter receiving
more favorable support.
The board plans to have an
engineering firm come here and
run an estimate of cost for a
pumping staton on the creek
and a filter plant nearby to
process the water for consump
tion.
Approve Railing
Also approved for immediate
erection was about 180 feet of
railing along a section of side
walk on Iotla Street with a
sharp drop-off.
The board also cleared up the
case of the missing U-turn sign
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 12
Late News
and
Briefs
Girl recovering "*
Miss Judy Blaine is reported
recovering satisfactorily from a
second heart operation at
Emory University Hospital in
Atlanta, Ga.
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Doyle Blaine, she underwent
the delicate operation Wednes
day of last week on the main
artery of the heart.
? ? ?
GETS DOCTORATE
Thomas F. Corbin, Jr., of Cul
lasaja, received his doctor of
philosophy degree from Ohio
State University at exercises
Friday.
? * *
GETS BIG BASS
Roy Pendergrass. of Franklin,
hauled a big smallmouth bass
out of Nantahala Lake on Aug
ust 26 after a 15-minute fight.
The bass was 22 inches long
and weighed five pounds and
two ounces. Mr. Pendergrass
was using a 4-pound test line
and a black plug.
The Weather
The week's temi^-aturea ami rainfnll. aa
T ror?|?l in Franklin by Manson Sti^ea,
r w^athpr observer; in HiKhla-jds by
luilor N'. Hall an.J W. C. NVwton. TV A
rWrvfr; arnl at the Coweta Hydroloijic
I JirH>ratory.
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed.. Aug. 29 86 60
Thursday 85 60
Friday 90 62
Saturday 88 61 .06
Sunday , 39 61 _
Monday 87 56
Tuesday 86 61 trace
HIGHLANDS
W*d.. Auu'. 29 _ .12
Thursday
Friday _
Saturday .26
Sunday
Monday _ _
Tuesday -L trace
Wednesday " .07
i NOTE: Temperatures at High
lands not available.)
COWEETA
Wed.. Aug. 29 85 59 .02
Thursday 85 57 trace
Friday 88 57 .02
Saturday 85 58
Sunday 85 56
Monday 82 54
Tuesday 84 59