The Waynesville Mountaineer i
q q Published Twice-A-Week In The County Seat of Haywood County At The Eastern Entrance Of The Great Smoky Mountains National Park q ,j
71st YEAR NO. 5 12 PAGES Associated Press WAYNESV1LLE, N. C., MONDAY AFTERNOON, JAN. 16. 1956 $3.50 In Advance In Haywood and Jackson Counties
Civil Court
On Browning
Timber Case
The second week of civil court
convened this morning, with two
uncontested divorce cases being
tried before the court took up the
case of Joe Browning against the
Weissinger Lumber Company.
Judge J. Will Pless is the pre
siding judge.
Browning is seeking recovery
of the value of 50,000 feet of
chestnut logs, an outgrowth of a
logging operation contract about
two years ago. The case went to
court about 18 months ago, and
has been continued' until today.
Slated to follow the Browning
Lumber Company case is the case
of Alex Martin against Dr. R. H.
Stretcher, the outgrowth of an op
erating agreement concerning the
Waynesville Bowling Alley.
Lawyers said they expected the
Browning-Weissinger case to take
most of the day.
As yet,, there has not been a
single jury trial in the term of
court, except the jurors sit as a
jury in uncontested divorce cases.
A compromise settlement was
reached Friday of $6,000 in a $75,
000 suit filed in a fatal auto acci
dent last May which took the life ,
of Charles W. Gidney, 52, Canton
barber.
The suit was brought by Gid- '
ney's widow against Charles H.
Leatherwood, 17, of Waynesville, 1
and Leatherwoods' mother, Mrs.
Corrie Cunningham. i
Leatherwood was named as the
driver and his mother as owner
of one of the autos in the two-car .
collision in Clyde. I
The settlement was reached af
ter the plaintiff's case had been 1
rested in a jury trial. J
Leatherwood still is under a s
manslaughter charge filed follow- J
ing Gidney's death.
Among the divorces granted last
(See Court?Page 6> ,
Tire Rolling i
Damage Laid >
To Six Boys :
Six teen-age boys of Clyde were :
slated to be .given a hearing this s
afternoon before Police Court
Judge L. H. Cagle. charged with i
malicious mischief and destruction >
of property, growing out of sever
al incidents this past week in t
Clyde. 1
Patrolman W. R. Wooten said '
the boys had admitted rolling *
heavy tires down Mulberry Street,
and damaging two cars more than c
$50. Patrolman Wooten said the 1
cars were parked in the driveway (
of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Rob- a
ert 'Pete' Akin, and were owned
by the Akins.
The defendants have agreed to
pay for the damages and have J
tendered an apology to Mr. and
Mrs. Akin.
The six boys also admitted 0
throwing rocks at the home of Dr.
C. A. Downs, and doing similar
damages in South Clyde on last
Tuesdaiy night.
Patrolman Wooten said the boys
also admitted taking the Jack and
Jill Kindergarten sign at Lake
Junaluska and putting it up in r
front of the Clyde High School.
Atkins Shackford
Is Author Of J
Book On Crockett d
< c
A book, "David Crockett, The r
Man and the Legend." by James e
Atkins Shackford of Raleigh will s
be published in May by The Uni
versity of North Carolina Press, ac- r
cording to a publicity release re
ceived from Chapel Hill, r
The author is well known here
where he has a number of close i
relatives and where he spent sum- '
mer vacations during his boyhood.
Shackford recently retired as 1
(See Atkins Shackford?Page 6) J
CONSTRUCTION OF 50 MORE ROOMS at Lam
buth Inn on the Lake Junaluska Assembly
grounds is now well under way. The yellow brick
addition, which will cost $250,000, is scheduled to
be completed June 1.
(Mountaineer Photo).
Building & Loan Increases
Dividend Rates To 31A%
Canton Man
Loses Life
[n Madison
Funeral services were held
Sunday for Robert Charles Wilde
;f Canton, who was injured fatal
ly in an automobile accident in
Vladison County Friday.
The State Highway Patrol r?
>orted that Wilde was riding In
i car, driven by Glenn Green, 17,
>f Newport, Tenn., which skidded
m an icy place on the road and
>verturned down an embankment
ibout four miles north of Mar
ihall..
The accident occurred as Green
ittempted to pass a truck on the
larrow Route 25-70.
Services for Wilde were held at
he Rocky Branch Church on Al
ens Creek with the Rev. Milton
iollifield and the Rev. W. L.
iueen in charge.
Members of the Canton Ameri
an Legion Post conducted a mili
ary service at Bon-A-Venture
>etery. with the Crawford Funer
il Home in charge of burial.
3ay wood GOP To
Meet Tuesday
Plans are ail set for a meeting
if Haywood Republicans Tuesday
light, 7:30, in the commissioners
oom here.
Elmer "Red' Miller, chairman of
he executive committee, said sev
ral matters of importance were
o be brought up, and a large at
endance is expected for the
nee ting.
Chairman Miller will preside.
Divorce Granted'
No time was lost In the court
[ranting Richard Addington a
livorce from Eva Love Addington.
"Rich" is a well known colored
ook, and gardener. During the
outine questioning, the court ask
d "Rich" how long he had been
eparated from his wife.
"Thirty years, yer honor," Rich
eplied. ?
"Divorce granted," ' the court
uled.
The Haywood Home Building and
Loan Association today is announc
ing an increase in dividend pay
ments. The new rate is 31* per
cent, according to L. N. Davis, sec
retary-treasurer of the 36-year-old
institution.
The new interest rate on savings
is retroactive to October 1 of last
year, Davis announced.
The announcement of the ne#
interest payments came as the an
ual statement was compiled, which
showed the institution has doubled
its assets since 1951. Assets are
now more than three million dol
lars, with almost $200,000 in cash
and government bonds, with $2.
800.000 in first mortgages, and
about $60,000 in other assets,
Davis also announced that 1955
was the best in the 36-year history
of the association.
The interest payments are made
October. 1. and April 1, he explain
ed. Details are explained in an
advertisement in today's issue.
The annual meeting of the asso
ciation is set for Tuesday night,
when the shareholders will elect
directors, and the directors will
later name officers for the coming
year.
Officers include R. L. Prevost.
president; C. N. Allen, vice presi
dent; Mr. Davis secretary-treasurer,
with Miss Elsie McCr'acken. assist
ant. and Miss Anna Jean Crocker,
clerk. ' ?
The directors are: C. N. Allen.
W. A Bradley. J. W. Boyd. W H
Burgin. L. N. Davis. L. M. Killian,
R. L. Prevost, J. Ray, C. J.
Reece and A. T. Ward.
Apple Orchard
Demonstrations
Slated Thursday
A program dealing with prun
ing of apple trees and phases of
orchard management will be held
at 10 a m. Thursday on the Cosby
Frady farm in Francis Cove.
In charge of the program will
be Melvin H. Kolbe, fruit special
ist from N. C. State College, who
will demonstrate pruning of trees
of various ages, and will discuss
orchard management, spray re
commendations, and fertilization
of apple trees.
CDP Officials To Discuss
Program For 1956 Tonight
County CDP officers and direc
ors will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in
he courtroom to lay plans for the
956 Community Development Pro
ram- in Haywood County, accord
lg to Bob Tippett, assistant farm
gent.
Mr. Tippett said the CDP offi
ials will discuss ways to carry
n "a bigger and better" CDP pro
ram this year, and will set up
oals to work toward.
"We are starting early this year
j that we will have the entire
ear to accomplish our aims," the
ssistant agent added.
R. C. Sheffield of West Pigeon
; chairman of the county CDP
roups for 1956. The Rev. C. L.
Kay" Allen of Aliens Creek is vice
hairman, *rs. Roy Robinson of |
rhickety is secretary, Mrs. Walter
Rhodarmer of South Clyde is
treasurer, and Mrs. James Medford
jf Ratcliffe Cove Is reporter.
Officers of the board of direc
tors are: Jonathan Woody of
Waynesville, chiarman; R. C. Fran
ks of Ratcliffe Cove, vice chairman:
VIrs. Raymond Caldwell of Iron
Ouff. secertary, and W. J. Stone
)f Canton, treasurer.
Members of the board are: Rich
ird Bradley of Hazelwood. Troy
WcCracke* of Upper Crabtree,
Phyllis Hartman of f&unook. Bob
Francis of Francis Cove, Mrs. Mark
Ferguson of Fines Creek. Miss Kate
Robinson of Clyde, Mrs. J. M.
Wells of Canton, and Mrs. Kenneth
3. Fry of WaynesvUie.
County Agent Virgil Holloway Says:
Careful Planning, Long Range Study
Held Essential F or Successful Farming
Sun Ends
Prospects Of
Heavy Snow
Snow started fatting in Waynes
vilte this morning shortly after 9
o'clock and gave prospects for a
while of being a deep one.
However, the snow stopped a
bout 12:30 and then was follow
ed by a bright sun, which made
short work of the fallen flakes.
Snow here measured three
fourths of an inch on the court
house lawn.
Owner Tom Alexander of mile
high Cataloochee Kanch told The
Mountaineer this morning that
the snowfall up there stopped at
two inches and began to clear up
this afternoon.
Superintendent of Schools Law
rence B. Leatherwood said he had
instructed principals in county
schools this morning to use their
own judgment concerning the
early dismissal of school to enable
school buses to make their rounds ?
early if the snow continued.
Fines Creek, however, had only 1
one inch of snow this morning and '
school officials there said classes .
probably would not be dismissed J
until the regular time.
billy Mcelroy
TOM COGDILL
Waynes ville Fire Loss
In 1955 Was $12,940
Big Travel Gain
Set On Highway
19-23 For Month
Route 19-23 west of Asheville
felt the weight of 86.270 cars,
buses and trucks in an average
24-hour period last month.
The figure came from a report
of the State Highway Commis
sion which listed 19-23 among
the seven major highways in the
state showing big increases in
traffic volume during December.
For the year, traffic across the
state jumped eight per cent over
1954. the previous record year
for highway and road traffic in
creases.
The report stated that the
heavy flow of traffic was reflect
ed in a 10 per cent increase in
the number of motor vehicles
registered in the state and a
nine per cent gain in net reve
nues from taxes on gasoline and
Diesel fuel.
Alexander To
Invite Honorary
Tar Heels Here
Tom Alexander, owner of Catal
oochee Ranch, will accompany
Governor Hodges to New York
Friday to formally invite the Hon
orary Tar Heels to meet at the
Ranch next October.
Governor Hodges will be the
speaker at the University Club
Friday noon.
The group will return to
Raleigh Friday night, with Gover
nor Hodges stopping off in Wash
ington for the weekend.
Fire losses in the Waynesville i
area ? exclusive of Hazelwood ? i
during 1955 totalled $30,265, ac- i
cording to Town Manager G. C. i
Ferguson of Waynesville. i
Of that total. $12,840 in dam- |
age occurred within the Waynes- |
ville town limits, the remainder ?
$17,425 ? in this portion of the |
county. I
The most costly fire was that |
which destroyed the home of Bill |
Frazier on Daisy Ave,, at an esti- |
mated loss of $6,000.
Waynesville firemen also joined 1
the departments of Hazelwood. j
Canton, Clyde, and Sylva in fight- (
ing the blaze that destroyed the
No. 1 plant of the Unagusta Furn- J
iture Co. November 30, causing |
damages of $750,000.
In 1955 the Waynesville Fire
Department answered 68 alarms ?
of which 46 were from homes and
businesses within the town limits.
During the year the department
added to its facilities with the
purchase of a new $12,000 Ameri
can-LaFrance-Foamite fire engine
with the latest in fire-fighting
equipment.
The department now consists of
a fire chief, assistant chief, 18 vol
unteers, and two drivers.
Commissioners Handling
Routihe Matters Today
The commissioners were in ses
sion today, for their regular third
Monday meeting.
Only routine matters were slat
ed to come up, mostly tax matters
as property owners sought to clari
fy some point before listing.
Chairman Faraday Green said
the board might confer later in
the day with the Board of Educa
tion on some matters, but that was
pending.
Two Local Men Appointed
To U.S. Naval Academy
Records Taken
From In Front
Df FHA Office
Friday the 13th was an unlucky
lay for Mrs. Frances Rose White,
secretary of the Home and Farm
Administration office in the court
house.
Mrs. White brought to work with
her some records, including can
celled checks. She put them on a
stand just outside her oftice door
ss she unlocked the door Friday
morning. She went on in and hung
up her coat and went back out to
jet the records, and they were
gone.
At first it was thought it might
tie a prank being pulled by a
Friend, but later officers decided
that it was not a prank, as the ma
:erials, worthless to anyone else,
lave not been returned!
[ce Blamed
For One Of
Two Wrecks
Two wrecks were reported over
he weekend ? one resulting from
ce, and one from speeding, accord
ng to reports of the State High
way Patrol.
Two cars collided because of ice
>n the Martins Creek Road in the
Fines Creek area about 9:20 Sat
jrday morning.
Patrolan W. R. Wooten, investi
gating officer, said that the two
?ars were damaged about $125
?ach. and involved no injuries. No
ndictments were made due to the
ce on the road.
Tom. Ferguson, 27, Route 1,
Ztlyde. was driving a 1946 Ford,
ind met Burnahd Woody Ferguson.
17, in a 1951 Pontiac. As the driv
;r of the Pontiac applied his brakes
he skidded across the center of
Ihe road, and the driver of the
Ford went intfr a ditch to avoid
the skidding car.
Three officers at 12:01 Saturday
night, coming to Waynesville from
Maggie, met * speeding car near
rurpin's Chapel. They went back
and found the car, whose four oc
cupants had narrowly escaped
(S*e Wrecks?Page 6)
, . ii >? ,i , ,
Congressman George A. Shuford
has announced the appointment of
two Haywood men as principals
for entrance at the United States
Naval Academy at Annapolis. Both
are college engineering students,
and WTHS graduates.
The two are Billy McElroy, and
Tom Cogdill.
McElroy is a freshman at State
College, where he is majoring in
engineering. He graduated from
WTHS last May and is the son of
Mrs. Paul MiElroy and the late
Mr. McElroy of Lake Junaluska.
Cogdill, a second-year student
at Mars Hill, is majoring in engin
eering, is a graduate of WTHS of
the class of 1054. He Is the son of
Mr. and Mrs E. R. Cogdill,
Waynesville.
This is the first time two local
men have received the appoint
ments at once for the Naval Acad
emy.
McElroy was a member of the
WTHS band two years, a member
of the Key Club, annual staff, and
for the past two seasons has been
a life guard at Lake Junaluska
pool. He is on the soccer team at
N. C. State. Prior to entering col
lege, he worked in the composing
room of The Mountaineer.
Cogdill played quarterback for
the Mountaineers, was president of
the student council, and a mem
ber of several clubs. He was a
leader in 4-H Club work.
Revival Services
Set This Week
At Baptist Church
A series Of revival services, bas
ed on the Sermon on the Mount,
will be conducted at the First
Baptist Church of Waynesville this
week by Dr. Henry E. Turlington,
professor of the New Testament at
the Southern Baptist Seminary at
Louisville, Ky.
Morning services will be held at
7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday,
Thursday, and Friday and evening
services nightly at 7:30.
The public is invited and those
attending are asked to bring
their Bibles.
Hollo way
Outlines U. S.
Farm Trends
Hard work, careful planning and
long-range study are among the
essentials neeessary for the farm
er of today to make a success, Vir
gil Holloway, county agent, told
Rotarians here Friday as he dis
cussed the national farm trends
and their effects on Haywood Coun
ty.
Holloway said there was a bright
side to the present agriculture pic
ture, as well as the dark side.
He said the fact that the popu
lation is increasing, and people are
eating a higher quality of foods
are among the brighter points of
the farm outlook. Also, people have
the money to buy the quality foods,
and exports are increasing, he
pointed out.
Production per man, machine
and animal is far greater than it
was even five years ago, the agri
culture specialist said.
"We are due for some type of a
new national farm program, and my
prediction is that it will be the pro
posed soil bank," Holloway explain
ed.
"In my opinion, the proposed na
tional soil bank program will not
help too much here in Haywood
County, because the soil bank pro
(See Farming?Page 4)
Van C.Wells
Heads Local
Soil District
Van C. Wells of East Pigeon was
elected chairman of the Haywood
County Soil Conservation District
for 1956 at a meeting last week
at the courthouse. He succeeds
Herschel Rogers, whose term as
SCS supervisor expired last year.
Other officers chosen were:
D. J. Boyd of Jonathan Creek,
vice chairman and treasurer, and
Joe Davis of White Oak. secretary.
The soil conservation supervisors
adopted a budget of $227 for this
year, which will be raised by so
licitations, and approved a financial
report made by Mr. Boyd.
The supervisors' annual report
will be made this year on Feb
ruary 10. it was pointed out, and
will contain a list of conservation
accomplishments of the SCS. the
ASC, and the county agent's of
fice, and will discuss the results of
Soil Stewardship Sunday, the Fin
er Farms Program, and the new
Christmas tree project.
Among letters authorized by the
supervisors were one to Mx. Rog
ers, retiring chairman, commend
ing him for his three years ser
vice as supervisor, and one to each
vocational agriculture teacher in
the county, urging them to enter
a team in the FFA land-judging
contest.
The soil conservation supervis
ors will meet again February 1 to
discuss highway erosion control
with representatives of the State
Highway Department.
RELUCTANT TO POSE for their picture. these
duclu who had been feedin* on corn aloiur the
north shore of Lake Junaluaka took to the air in
a hurry when they spied a Mountaineer photos
rapber at a window in the aaaerably auditorium.
In this group were black ducks. Mallards, and
Mergansers.
(Mountaineer Photo).
Virginia Firm Low Bidder
On Parkway Link Project
The low bid for construction of
the 1.836-mile North Carolina ter
minal link of the Blue Ridge Park
way has been submitted by Ralph
E. Mills Co., Inc.. of Salem, Va.
It was $350,666.
The Mills bid was one of 10 on
the project opened Friday by F.
W. Cron. district engineer for the
U. S. Bureau of Public Roads
here.
The link will range northward
from Ravensford, planned ter
minus of the 477-mile North Caro
lina-Virginia scenic highway, on
U.S. Highway 441 In the Great
Smoky Mountains National Park.
Ravensford is near the park's
eastern entrance on the North Car
olina side.
The bids will be reviewed by
the roads bureau's division office
at Arlington. Va., before the con
tract is let. This will be done In
the next 30 days.
The project calls for grading,
drainage and laying crushed stone.
The paving work and the build
ing of a bridge across the Ocona
luftee River on the new link will
be In separate projects.
Bida on construction of a 2.82
mile link tying in with the termin
al section will be opened at the bu
reau office here at 1:30 p.m. Jan.
27.
Highway
Record For
1956
In Haywood
(TO DATE)
Killed0
(1955 ? 0)
Injured ... I 3
(1?55 ? 5)
Accidents... 16
<1955 ? 12)
Loss... $6,980
(This information compiled
from rweorda of State High
way PatroL)
. The
Weather
I
SNOW
Windy and colder with snow to
day. Tuesday, mostly cloudy and
quite cold.
Official Waynesville tempera
ture as reported by the State Test
Farm:
Date Max. Min. Pr.
Jan. 12 ?. 39 28
Jan. 13 31 24
Jan. 14 45 10
Jan. 15 _____ 51 11