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ON THE INSIDE ?
WHO'S BEEN WHERE AND
FOR WHAT?
Staff correspondents of THE
PRESS keep the inside pages
of this newspaper alive with
news about your friends and
neighbors Read the Inside
paxes from top to bottom and
you'll know Macon County.
74th Year ? No. 23
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, June 4, 1959
Price 10 Cents
Twelve Pages
SS?:
MACON COUNTY got the
cover picture on the '59 booklet
of the W. N. C. Rural Com
munity Development Contest.
It is of Patton Valley taken
just below the new Methodist
church.
CONGRESSMAN David M.
Hall dropped by Thursday for
brief talks with friends over the
county. He went back to Wash
ington over the week end.
THAT UNUSUAL sun shining
Monday in Franklin attracted
a lot of people bent on soaking
in something other than rain.
Black clouds rimmed the howl
of the Franklin valley and It
appeared this was the only
place being blessed with the
sun.
THEY'RE HAVING a lot of
fun with Marshall Pettis, own
er of Woods Motel on East
Palmer, Prelo Dryman calls the
big mud hole at the foot of
the hill, caused by the culvert
construction, the Pettis' swim
ming pool and their answer to
pool construction at the other
motels. Marshall says its suits
him, adding that admission to
his is free.
HAVE YOU noticed the in
crease in hitchhikers around
here? Most of them are young
boys and all appear to have
seen better days.
ON EVERY corner the ques
tion is: "What's happened to
the Yankees?" And about the
only answer anyone can give
is, "They're in the cellar".
BUILDING IS going on every
where. Ed Coates is adding a
large wing to his restaurant on
West Palmer. W. C. Burrell al
so is building, or getting ready
to, a filling station, restaurant,
and motel on US 23-441 south.
A. G. Cagle, a well-known
restauranteer, will operate the
eating establishment.
LETS GET with some of
those big holes In the pave
ment. You could bury a large
horse in many over town.
MANSON STILES is Just wait
ing for a break in the weather
to move Into his new Texaco
station in "Loganville". You
can't pour concrete with six
inches of rain falling.
THE TOWN reports its new
"dispatcher" for police and
fires, Mrs. Thelma Edwards, is
doing a wonderful job. A two
way radio for her use in keep
ing in touch with the police
has been ordered and should
arrive soon.
MAYOR W. C. BURRELL took
off for a little vacationing
down Florida way bright and
early Tuesday morning.
MOST FRANKLIN High grad
uates, who were sure they'd
like loafing for a while, are get
ting bored with doing nothing.
FOR NO-COST reducing, you
might try doing 20 m.p.h. over
the bumbs and grinds of the
detour around the culvert con
struction at the bottom of
Town Hill. What a thrill!
TOURISTS ARE more and
more on the move. There's a
predominance of Ohio cars, too.
Some operators of tourist facil
ities feel, however, that con
struction on the highway be
tween Dillsboro and Gateway
is hurting business- here.
ALL THAT 'hot' talk about
another industry coming here
has died down.
IT APPEARS now that the
grass is doing much better than
anticipated at the Franklin Air
port and the main runway will
be opened sooner. A group from
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 12
stewidf /Cco< a*!//
SOUTHERN BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS
PICTURED ABOVE is a reproduction of the hew Blue Ridge
Parkway folder prepared jointly by Franklin, Dillsboro, and
Sylva. Ten thousand of the folders are now being given away
on the Parkway. "In The Middle of the Most" is the theme o 1
the folder amd points of interest in all three sections are stressetf.
THREE-NIGHT AUDITIONS ?
Franklin Will Be Scene
Of Mountain Talent Hunt
A three-day "mountain tal
ent hunt", with possible TV and
movie committments for the
best entertainers, will be held
here June 18-19-20.
Called by Bob Cox, of St.
Petersburg, Fla., the talent
scout who put the Smoky
Mountain doggers of Macon
County on the Kd Sullivan
show, the three nights of audi
tions are being held in Frank
lin because of its central loca
tion in the mountains of ,^uth
western North Carolina and
north Georgia. This mountain
area is described by Mr. Cox
Mr. Cox
SO SCiyS MR. MACON! AN"
Hi-ya Neighbors :
Recon when it conies to installment buying the
folks here aren't much different from folks else
where.
A feller said the other day the only reason he
didn't have an elephant is because you can't get
one on time.
Which brings me around to deciding that there's
a lot of .folks here who can remember when the cost
of high living was a hec.k of a sight lower than
today's high cost of living. -
, And I thank you.
, Mr. Macotiian
as a "veritable treasure of
Southern talent that cries out
for recognition."
The nightly shows, to which
the public is Invited, will be
held "under the stars" in the
high school stadium, or, if the
weather is bad, in the nearby
gymnasium.
Mr. Cox says he is particular
ly interested in mountain string
bands, square dance teams of
both the dogger and smooth
types, individual performers,
ballad singers, and. rock-a-billy
outfits.
"I must emphasize, however,
Mr. Cox says, "that the acts
must reflect authentic moun
tain music."
The talent scout has in his
possession firm committments
for July auditions in Hollywood
for mountain music entertain
ers from this section.
On the basis of their out
standing showing on the Sulli
van show, Mr. Cox plans to
take the Smoky Mountain Clog
gers to the West Coast with
him.
In order to round out the
auditions in a purely mountain
vein, Mr. Cox says he needs at
least two more mountain music
acts to take with him.
"The problem now is to find
these acts and get them to the
coast,", he says.
Proceeds from the three-night
show will be used to help pay
the expenses of the entertain
ers to the coast.
Mr. Cox will be here person
ally all three nights to super
vise the talent auditions.
Entertainers Interested in
auditioning during the three
nights are asked to register at
once, by mall, with the Frank
fin Chamber of Commerce.
Survey Of Broken
Street Signr, Being
Made By Police
A survey of broken and illegi
ble street signs in Franklin is now
being made by the police depart
ment.
The board of aldermen has
authorized the purchase of new
signs to replace Uiose beyond re
pair.
Fund Drive
Of Chamber
Doing Well
Three Collectors
Get $1,806, Rett
Unreported
With only three canvtssers
reporting, the Franklin Cham
ber of Commerce has $1,800 on
hand In its '59 membership
campaign.
Mrs. Lasca E. Horsley, exe
cutive secretary, describes this
as "an excellent start", adding:
"We Just hope the remain
ing seven workers can come up
with those kind of results."
Memberships in the chamber
this year were doubled, from
$10 to $20, to finance President
J. C. Jacob's "new look" pro
gram to stimulate tourist and
industrial interest In Macon
County.
In the process of being print
ed now is a picture-and-text
booklet on the county's indus
trial potential. At a cost of
about $600, the booklet is being
prepared by Stephens Press in
Asheville.
Tourist-wise, the chamber al
so has shared the oast of print
ing 10,000 Blue Ridge Parkway
folders with Sylva and Dllls
boro. These new folders are
now being distributed on the
parkway. Franklin's cost of this
joint project was $300.
Mrs. Horsley said local mer
chants and businessmen are
cooperating fully with the in
crease in chamber dues.
"I imagine they, as business
men, are aware of the increas
ed costs of everything ... we
haven't had a single refusal so
far."
The chamber's '59 budget is
$7,500, the majority of it ear
marked for industrial and tour
ist promotional work.
Sales Nearly
Half Of Quota
In just four months, Macon
County has nearly reached the
half-way mark in its 1959 Sav
ings Bond quota of $198,900.
With April's sales hitting $14,
724.30, tne total for the first
four months of the year rose
to $94,861.90, which is 47.7 per
cent of the quota.
MACON ENTRY
Miss Frances Alexander, a mem
ber of the '59 graduating class of
Franklin Hifh, has been selected
to represent Macon County in the
June Dairy Month princess con
test set for June 5 in AsheviUe.
The area beauty contest will be
held at Westcate Shopping Cen
ter.
Heading Monday
For Cullowhee
Some 70 .high school and ele
mentary students, who are con
sidered advanced students by their
teachers, Monday will begin a
six-week special education course
being offered at Western Carolina
College.
A school bus to transport the
Macon County students back and
forth daily will be driven by Don
ald Scagle. principal of Cowee
Elementary School.
The bus will leave at 8 a m from
the A&P on Palmer Street ir.
Franklin. It also will make aistop
at lee's Amoro in East Franklin.
School Supt. H Bueck said the
students are about half and half
between high school and ele
mentary grades.
Fur this special summer course.
Western Carolina charges a small
tuition fee. Classes will be held
daily from 9 to noon.
Ridgecrest Dedication
A combined dedication and
homecoming event is scheduled
Sunday at the New Ridgecrest
Baptist Church.
Special singing is planned In
the afternoon and quartets
and choirs are invited to par
ticipate.
CAN STILL PLAY, TOO -
Centenarian Plus 2
Mrs. Sarah Ann Ledford would play an accordian ? if she
had an accordian.
She's worn out three of the instruments, and lost her last
one in a fire.
And Sarah Ann Ledford, who was 102 years young the 22nd
of Miay, allows as how she could "play one a little right now,
if I had one."
"She talks about it all the time," says her son, Zemery
Crawford LedfortT.
A native of I>ucktown, Tenn., who came here from Ciay
County some 60 years ago, she lives with her sun on Framklin,
Route 2. A century plus two has slowed her gait, but slie still
shuffles about the house talking about everything from hrr
"young days" to the present.
Radio and television she tolerates, looking and listening only
at the insistence of some nu mber of the family.
"She'd rather talk," says Zemery.
Mrs. Ledford . . . Accordian Player
NOW AT $18,027,954 -
County's Tax Value Rises
And Will Go Even Higher
Courthouse
Meeting To
Be Called
A public meeting to discuss con
struction of a new courthouse, or
remodeling the present 76-year-old
structure, will be called some time
this month by the Macon Board
of County Commissioners.
Such a meeting was discussed
by the commissioners in session
Monday, but a date was, not set.
The board chairman, W. E. <Oene>
Baldwin, yesterday ? Wednesday'
said it probably will be called
within a week or so.
Budrets Approved
Departmental budgets were pre
sented to the commissioners, who
btudied and approved them as
presented. The county budget will
be adopted the first Monday in
July.
,Tlie commissioners also ap
proved a salary Increase for Lewis
Ray, who has been janitor at the
Agricultural Building for about
15 years. His monthly check was
increased from $35 to $50.
Babe Ruth Bali
Rained Out, But
Tries Again
Saturday's scheduled opening
of the Babe Ruth League here was
rained out and league officials
took another turn at battfog in
the season yesterday 1 Wednesday 1
afternoon at the East Franklin
field.
The scores of the double-header,
which sent the Corvettes against,
the Cardinals in the first game
and the Rexallites vs the Yard
birds in the second, were not avail
able at press time.
Gibson Coach
Sponsored by the local V.F.W.,
the Yardblrds are coached by
J. D. Oibson. Team members in
clude Buddy Burch, Ray Wyatt,
Jimmy Williams, Tommy Kiser,
John Swan, David Simpson,
Robbie Oibson. Michael W.
Hastings, Eddie Pruitt, Maurice
Stockton Wayne Tallent, and L.
T. Oibson.
Angel Drug Store sponsors
the Rexalites. Coached by F. O.
Crawford and Tommy Raby.
Members are Furman Ledford,
Larry Franklin, Ronnie Higdon,
George Tallent, Arlln Evltt,
Jimmte Simpson, Gene Young,
Johny Cabe, Jim Shope, Thom
as Brooks, Rlckle Norton, Alvln
Healy, Larry Young, Sam
Franklin, and Raddy Franklin.
Burrells Sponsor
J. B. Lenoir coaches the Cor
vettes, who are sponsored by
Burrell Motor Company. Mem
bers are Herbert Hurst, Wayne
Y'MIIK", Lane Dalton, Alex Cor
bin, Eddie Tippett. Dunne Hed
den, Nick cruse,' Billy Joe
Bates, Eugene Carpenter. Jimmy
Cabe, and Billie Brinkman.
The Cardinals are coached by
Zeb M 'haffey and are sponsor
ed by local Esso .stations. Son
ny Burrell, Steve Heafner, Ly
man Bryant, Jimmy Taylor,
Howard T. Stewart, Bill Plyier,
Ronnie Mashburn, Walter C
Taylor, Jr., Joe Hill, George
Mullonee, Morris Davis, and
Kenneth Reynolds make up the
roster.
Man Sought
To Organize
Minor League
W XNTEIi: Stimeone to
organize a minor league,
under the Little Lratur
program, in Franklin. Will
take about four hours week
ly.
The above "want ad" was
turned in this week by Robert
C. Carpenter, president of the
Little League.
He explained that there are
many boys with a desire to play
organized baseball who failed to
make one of the four Little
League teams this season. Each
team is limited to 15 players.
"A lot of good ballplayers are
just standing around wishing
they could play," he declared.
One volunteer could organize
and run the minor league and
put all of these boys on the
playing, field., he added
Anyone interested may get in
touch witti Mr. Carpenter at
the Bank of Franklin.
Macon County's 1959 tax valuation is $18,027,954,
an increase of $206,666 over last year.
County Accountant Tom llenson reports the valu
ation will increase several thousand more bccause
personal property listings are still coming into his
office.
Unlisted automobiles also are being discovered in
Town Privilege
Taxes Are Due
Privilege taxes are now payable
In Franklin and Police Chief Sid
Carter has been authorized to
begin collecting.
In session Monday night, the
board of aldermen adopted a
privilege tax schedule. Only one
change was made from the sched
ule used last year. The tax for
plumbers and electricians was
lowered from $7.50 to $3.75.
In other actions, the board ap
proved a project advanced by
Aldermen Bill Bryant and Prank
L. Henry. Jr.. to contact the
regional planning commission and
request some assistance in plann
ing an improved water system to
keep pace with the town's growth;
and gave permission to G. A. and
R. S. Jones, and A. B. SlaRle to
tap on the sewer and water lines
on the Zcb Conley tract.
Most Merchants
Cooperating With
Merchandise Request
Most merchants have cooperated
with a request by the town to
stop displaying merchandise on
the sidewalk, according to acting
Town Clerk Ray Swafford.'
A few. however, have not hon
ored the request, which was made
recently by letter to all merchants,
he said this week.
In the event anyone is Injured
by merchandise on the sidewalk.
Mq Swafford points out that both
the merchant and the town would
be liable for damages.
They're Heading For
'Farm-Home Week'
"Farm-Home Week" in Ral
eigh June 9-12 will find Ma
conlans on hand.
Th/v?e planning to attend in
clude Mrs. Maggie Corbin, of
Franklin and Holly Springs
Howe Demonstration , Clubs,
Mrs. W. N. Cook, Franklin
club, Mrs. Parker Gregory, Holly
Springs club, and Mrs. Florence
S. Sherrill, home economics
agent.
During the week, the 33rd
annual meeting of t!>e State
Federation of Home Demon
stration clubs will be hild and
the local club members plan to
take it in before returning
home.
Bundy And Langfitt
Elected Directors
Of Carolinas United
Stephen A Bundy and the
Rev D-?nn Langfitt have been
elected directors of Carolinas
United, the two-state United
Fund . organization for North
and South Carolina
Mr and Mrs. Lan?fitt were
in Charlotte Wednesday of last
week for a meeting of the orga
nization Mr. Ijannfitt headed
Franklin's U. F. drive last year.
Directors serve three years.
i
Corbin Given
Scholarship
Fred Corbin, a Maconlan who
instructs physics an(J chemistry
at Mars Hill Collgge, has been
awarded a National Science
Foundation Scholarship for
graduate study this summer.
Son of Mr. and Mrs. F"red J.
Corbin, of Route 5, he holds a
master's degree from the Uni
versity of North Carolina.
Graduated from Franklin High
in '47, Mr. Corbin attended
Mars Hill and Wake Forest,, re
ceiving his B. S. degree from
the latter In 1951 He Joined
the Mars Hill faculty in 1956,
after teaching at East Mecklen
burg High School, near Char
lotte.
With the scholarship, Mr.
Corbin will attend a special in
stitute in physics at the Uni
versity of Texas in Austin.
a cross-check with registration
cards supplied by the N. C. De
partment of Motor Vehicles, he
said. And, at least a dozen
automobile owners who forgot
to list their vehicles this year
have stepped forward since the
tax office announced plans In
May 21 Issue of THE PRES8
for imposing the $50 penalty
for unlisted vehicles. Mr, Hen
son has reiterated his promise
to overlook the penalty if
.motorists who failed to list ve
hicles will .supply the Informa
tion to his office Immediately.
Macon's 1958 valuation was
$17,821,288. ,
Following are the Individual
township valuations for '58:
Franklin, $6,516,041; Mlllshoal,
$718,266; ElUJay, $576,950; Sugar
fork, $199,703; Highlands, $2,
974.600; Flats, $190,181; Smith
bridge, $632,899; cartoogechaye,
$597,694. Nantahaia, $4,822,244;
Burningtown, $252,352; Cowee,
$547,024.
Pilots Helping
In Air Search
Local pilots are assisting in
the C. A P. search of Asheville
Hendersonville Airport for a
Beechcraft T-34 missing since
about 2 a. m. Tuesday.
Police Chief Sid Carter flew
a mission Tuesday afternoon.
Wednesday morning, A. C. Ty
singer, Jim Conley, and Steve
McConnell reported to the air
port and volunteered their
services.
The missing airplane was
piloted by T/Sgt, Alfred Bouch
er, of Albany, Ga. He was en
route to Augusta. A companion
of the airman in another air
plane turned back and landed
at Asheville because at the
weatHer T/Sgt. Boucher chose,
however, to continue and hasn't
been heard from since.
Meeting Called
To Make Macon
A Movie Star
A meeting to discuss a proposed
documentary film of Macon Coun
ty has been called for tonight
? Thursday) at 8 o'clock at Conley
Motor Company.
Backed by the Chamber of Com
merer the proposed film would
.fcatuie scenic beauty. historical
points, and tourist and industrial
facilities It would be shown on
television.
Ken Ktam\:ur'h. of D'morest.
Ga., who will, make ' i-r film, will
b" prevent, to explain the. pitjgram
?, !.(! will shew films. he has macte
In cit!i?r areas. Tourist facilities
promoted in the film would
finance the film: with the cham
ber of commerce serving only as
underwriter of the project.^
The Weather
lb.- tt-wlV ? . n? | i ? :i ml rainfall twlow
;? i ?? n?ird?il in hrunklin by M.tn-or Stiles.
S. *<-iithw obnt'rv??r. in Highland* by
! intor N Hall n n?l W (' Newton. TV A
?>ln. i vitk; m iii) it th?* (V?w.-tr? Ilv?1rolovir
laboratory. R*a?linir? are for th?- 24-hour
riot! ??riding at * a.m. of th?> day lifted.
FRANKLIN
Wed., 27th
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Wed., 27th
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday1
Wednesday
High Low
77
83
80
80
79
COWETA
68
76
82
79
70
80
80
Wed., 27th
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
HIGHLANDS
62
72
72
68
74
73
76
62
61
64
62
61
69
64
56
58
58
58
59
59
62
61
51
59
57
58
58
58
57
60
57
? no record