/Editor's Column
Last week I came across some interesting
statistics on Madison County that tell a lot about
bow we are living, and what direction we seem to
be moving in. The Center for Improving Mountain
Living, at Western Carolina University, has col
lected these numbers, as they do each year for 28
western North Carolina counties.
The v> population level of Madison County
seems to have "bottomed out" finally, after
declining for\lO years between 1960 and 1970. It is
now listed as 17,200, virtually the same as it was in
1960. Of these people, nearly 4,000 are under 15
years old and about the same number are over 55.
The most recent population figures for the
three principal towns are given as 640 for Hot Spr
ings, 1,880 for Mars Hill, and 1,070 for Marshall.
Each town has grown since 1970; Hot Springs by 2
percent, Mars Hill by 15.8 percent, and Marshall
by 9 percent.
A breakdown of industrial employment by
place of work reveals the following: 750 workers
in manufacturing; 690 in government; 390 in
various services; 380 in trade; 150 in finance, in
surance and real estate; 130 in transportation,
communications, and utilities; and 20 in construc
tion.
One apparent distortion of the report is in the
total unemployment rate, which is given as 4.7
percent in 1977. This figure is almost surely too
low, ignoring the many Madison residents who
have never chosen to register for unemployment
benefits and also these whose unemployment
benefits have been terminated.
Of the total number of people employed in the
county, 6,060 are wage and salary earners, while
1,100 are listed as farmers ? down 17.3 percent
from 1976. ?? ' - .. \ ..
In total personal income, Madison County
does fairly well. The total has grown from $30
million in 1969 to $68 million in 1977. Based on 1972
as an index year of 100, Madison County's total in
come grew to 182.3 in 1977, compared with 164.6
for all of Western North Carolina.
For individuals, this means that per captial
personal income has grown from, $1,809 in 1969 to
$3,943 in 1977 (this includes every person in the
county working or not).
Housing shows one of the most rapid changes
of any economic indicator. Mobile homes lead this
category in growth, with the number increasing
494 percent between 1960 and 19T70, from 52 to 309.
Year-round, one-uni( houses increased 8.3 per
cent, from 4,626 to 5,009. At the same time, the
people living in this units have spread out for
more elbow room. The population per occupied
unit has dropped 12.8 percent, from 3.6 1 3.1.
The report also includes a number of other
economic indicators, including retail sales (up
moderately since 1972), new and expanded in
dustry (substantial increases when Deringer and
Micro Switch moved in the early 1970s), and pro
perty tax levies (up substantially in the last
decade).
The report makes dry reading for those who
don't enjoy going through numbers and charts,
but it is rare for so much basic data about
Madison County to be found in one place. And only
by knowing facts like these can we decide what we
as a county should be doing for ourselves in the
future.
AN UNUSUAL VISITOR came to Madison
last week from faraway Ecuador. He was Gonsalo
Bustamente, a representative of the Southern
Development Program of that country. Southern
Ecuador is the poorest part of the country, and
Gonsalo's job is to try to improve the economic lot
of the mostly rural population. Part of the region
is mountainous (2,500 to 10,000 feet), inhabited
mostly by small, subsistence-level farmers grow
ing plots of corn, beans, sugar cane, yucca,
potatoes and tomatoes. Gonsalo is trying to en
courage them to use better farming practices
(contour plowing, fertilizing, crop rotation) and to
cooperate in growing cash crops on larger plots
than they can handle individually. The extension
service in Madison County is offering similar ad
vice to local farmers, encouraging the growth of
strawberries, tomatoes, and ornamentals as cash
crops. Gonsalo's agency is also trying to develop
local craft cooperatives, helping the considerable
local talent make and sell textiles, dresses and
other clothing. "The biggest problem in this
region," he said, "are the very strong middlemen,
who take most of theprofits and the lack of good
markets." * }
Erosion Control Workshop
Land and water are both
necessary ingredients in the*1
environment. Protecting land
and water from erosion and
sedimentation is important to
prevent loss of valuable top
soil and degradation of the
water quality in streams and
lakes. ^
A workshop on erosion and
sedimentation control wiM be
held Sept. 21, 9 a.m. to noon, in
the lecture auditorium of
Ashe.ville-Buncombe
Technical College.
Sponsored by the local
chapter of the American
Society of Civil Engineers and
the Land-of-Sky Regional
Council, the workshop is plan
ned especially for local con
tractors, developers, con
sultants, elected officials, and
other interested individuals.
Speakers include Harlan
Britt of the North Carolina
Department of Natural
Resources and Community
Development, and Richard
Connor of the U.S. Army
The workshop is one of the
events of the third annual
French Broad River Week
(Sept. 16-22). There is no
charge to attend. However,
advance registration is re
quested. To register or receive
more information, please con
tact Sherrie Montgomery at
the Land-of-Sky Regional
Council, (704 ) 254-81 Si
Heard And Seen ....
By POP^
I didn't see the Erwin-Madison football
game last Friday night at Erwin but the 20-0
defeat of the Patriots had its bright spots...
it was again the defense which was outstan
ding while holding the strong Erwin War
riors to one touchdown in the first three
quarters before yielding two TD's in the
final period. Actually, the outcome of the
game was not decided until 11:07 minutes
was left when the Warriors iced the game.
The Warriors rushed for 290 yards up and
down the field but could only cross the goal
line three times. Mike Hens ley's punting
average of 43 yards on fkicks was also a
bright spot. This Friday the Patriots travel
to Edneyville and I'm expecting the
Patriots to bring back a victory. .
Most every day I walk down to Roberts
Pharmacy between 11 a.m. and noon for my
usual cheeseburger or fish sandwich,
and having a good time... for this reason it's
a pretty good placeio eat., and speakipg of
eating, I always enjovgaing up on the
bypass to MaryVittifSurant... not only is
the food delicious but the "atmosphere" is
always pleasant... Louise, always happy
and full of witty remarks, Lettie, Annie and
?m- jitssSw:
me and knows what I want. After doing this
for so long I've grown accustomed to the
others who eat there about this time each
day. As a rule, Dot Reeves and I get there
about the same time. Then back in the
booths sit Peggy, "Tug", Helen, Altha,
Elsie, Leta, Ruby, Agnes and other gals...
and, of course, Ruby is always in the kit
chen doing her chores and sometimes Faye
is also working... they all seem to be happy
During this week's observance of
"French Broad River Week", we are all
proud of the great interest and efforts made
in making the French Broad more attrac
tive - and clean. Much work has already
been accomplished in clearing the banks of
tfie river, making the river more visable to
motorists between Marshall and Asheville.
The brush and trees have grown back quite
a bit but the scene is much better than in
former years. As this week is being observ
ed, however, let's be sure that those who are
enjoying the river be very careful...
especially if they are riding Kayaks, rafts,
Miss George Named To Farm Post
Dr. T.C. Blalock, director o f
the N.C. Agricultural Exten
sion Service, and O.M. York,
chairman of the Rutherford
Baled Tobacco
Deadline
September 28
Burley tobacco growers who
are interested in marketing
baled leaf during sales days
this year will have through
Sept. 28 to sign up at the
Agricultural Stabilization and
Conservation Service Office
W.B. Zink, executive direc
tor of the Madison ASCS, notes
that there are four changes in
the programs for 1979:
?Each producer will be
guaranteed price support on
1,500 pounds or 20 percent of
his farm marketing quota,
whichever is larger, (instead
of S percent last year).
?Any unwanted quota will
be apportioned to producers
desiring to sell more than 20
percent of the farm marketing
quota from a state pool in
stead of a county pool.
?Sales of baled leaf will be
held every day, instead of on
five specified days, as last
year.
?Individual bales in a lot
must be identified.
If there are any questions
regarding this procedure, for
baled tobacco, producers
should contact the ASCS Of
fice. :
County Board of Comm Li
the appointment of Rebecca
George as assistant borne
economics agent in Ruther
ford County
Miss George, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. William G.
George, is a recent graduate
at Mars Hill College with a
bachelor of science degree in
home economics.
Miss George, who began her
duties in Rutherford County
on Sept. 4, replaces Denise
Greene, who is teaching home
Hospital News
Tisha Penland, 4-year-old
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ed
die Penland of Marshall,
returned to her home Satur
day from Memorial Mission
Hospital where she spent
several days receiving treat
ment for an eye injury.
Mrs. Bertha Marler has
returned to her home in Mar
shall from Memorial Mission
Hospital where she was a pa
tient for several days.
Ernest Sawyer of Mars Hill,
is a patient in St. Joseph's
Hospital where he has
undergone surgery.
? Dwight Ledford, 12-year-old
son of Mrs. Cindy Ledford of
Route 7, is a patient in
Memorial Mission Hospital
where he underwent surgery
Monday.
Ralph Chandler of Mars Hill
is a patient at Oteen VA
Hospital, where he is undergo
ing treatment for a detached
retina.
The News -Record
NON-PARTISAN IN POLITICS (USPS 388-440)
ALAN H. ANDERSON. Editor
JAMES I. STORY, Editorial Consultant
And Columnist
Published Weekly By
Madison County Publishing Co. Inc.
BOX 369 MARSHALL, N.C. 28753
Subscription Rates
In Madison And
Buncombe County
Subscription Rates
Outside Madison Co. '
12 Mos. $4.00
6 Mo*. $3.00
12 Mos. $8.00
6 Mos. $6.00
3 Mos. $4.00
(PLUS 4p*rc*nt U.S. Salt* Tu)
Second Class Privileges Authorized
At Marshall. N.C. 28753
economic# at Chase High
School, according to G.E. Bid
dix Jr., county extension
Miss George will have 4-H
Man Charged
In Robbery
At Betsy's Gap
A high-speed chase from
Madison to Haywood counties
ended in the arrest of a
suspect on a breaking and
entering charge Sunday.
Kenneth Trantham of the
Hemphill section of Haywood
County was charged with
breaking into the home of Er
vin Massey of the Betsy's Gap
community in Madison Coun
ty, Mad)soir~$heriff E.Y.
Ponder said.
Massey reported $1,500 and
a .22 caliber rifle were stolen
from his house. The rifle and
part of the ginseng was
recovered, Ponder said.
/
Club responsibilities and At
will a! rn mi? the a<*?
borne economic* work with
Eugenia Ware./ :h
Miss George la a native of
Man Hill and waa an outstan
ding i-H Club member in
Madison County. She will
reside in Forest City. -a
REBECCA GEORGE
Oil SITTLZ1
w# nus nc.
THE AMERICAN
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<'
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Get rid of that disagreeable service charge.
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v * .
BANK**