Newspapers / Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.) / Aug. 5, 1920, edition 1 / Page 1
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H 1 - - Advertising Rates on Request. DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF BOONE, AND WATAUGA COUNTY. 1.00 Per Year VOL. XXXI. BOONE WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C., THURSDAY AUGUST 5, 1920. NO 42. Druxs Of taa Lead To Uncovering Wiiltk. , Spruce Pine, N. C. special of July 25 to The Greensboro News. Because an old womau dream ed dreams and saw visions of a wonderful coal deposit in a block substance which out-cropped on a bill side near her shanty, the purest deposit of mica schist in the , world, and worth millions, was discovered two miles north east of here. Old "Aunt" Maggie Carroll lived all alone in her little shanty two miles from the village. Now all the neighbors regarded 'aunt Maggie as "queer", and some went so far as to say that she was crazy, for it was well known that she was obsessed with the idea that the little bills that sur rounded her shack contained hid den somewhere in them rich poc kets of gold or of stones of fabu bus value and fit for the crown of a queen. These riches mere ly waited for discovery by some fortunate person, she thought, and ever and anon she pottered around the hillsides, poking here and there, and hoping some day to be this fortunate person. ' Now it happened that one day on a hillside so overgrown with mountain laurel bushes as to be almost impassable that she no ticecfa peculiar blackish prma .tion outcropping above the earth, at once she came to the conclu sion that she had been mistaken concerning the richest in the hills that it was coal that lay hidden, and not gold nor precious stones. Forthwith she made preparat ions to test her conclusions. In some manner she secured poseasion of a stick of dynamite, and a pick on her shoulder, she crawled back to the point of her discovery. With the pick she prepared a crevice in the forma tion, and tamping down her ex plosive, she lighted the fuse and retired to await results. - Minutes past and nothing hap 'paned. Growing impatient, she returned to the-spot and began in a feeble way, it is true, for she was about Beventy years old, to attempt to dig up the dynamite with the pick. Should the pick strike the concussion cap on the explosive the old woman would be blown to atoms and her dream of mines ended, but she contin ued her dangerous occupation. - In his home hotfar away, Char , ley Gunter, the owner of the land on which the old woman had been prospecting, Wrd the blows as 'she attempted to remove the dy namite, and with difficulty crawl ed through the laurels to investi gate. He arrived in time to save i the old woman and hear the story she told. Examining the forma tion where the explosive had been placed, he saw that it was a deposit of mica schist used ' principally in making rubber I roofing almost pure. The old woman had been right, the hill contained riches, but it was mica . and not coal as she had thought. . . With a ordinary coffee mill Mr. "' Gunter ground a quantity of the formation into ft kind of coarse : powder, and through the efforts of R. R. Deut of Blootnsburg, " Pa., submitted to the rooting trade this after years of exper imenting as to the best way to prepare and market the format ion which had been miraculously uncovered. The trade liked the samples submitted and orders sufficient to take the output of p mill for a year came in. The rooting Mica Co. was for " med with Mr. Gaither, Mr. Dent and D. L. Dandley as incorpora- -, tors. About five months ago the . company's mill was placed in op d eration andls now turning out the 4 finished product at the rate of ten tons a day. Retailing at $40.00 a ton. the value of a week's product is about $3,000 and there are millions of tons of the depos it in easy access. . ., The extent of the deposit can be imagined when it is stated that it is known that it txtends a lialf-mileto the north-east, that its extent in the opposite direc tion has never been tested, and the vein is 42 feet thick. Geologists heard of the deposit, which was said to prove 90 per cent, pure and unlimited extent, and came to investigate. On the scene they never failed to mar veleven though the learned fel- ows are not supposed to appear surprised at anything. They had never seen or heard of a similar deposit, for in most instances, mica schist does not prove more than 15 per cent pure, and at the mine near here it is near here it is nearer 100 per cent. Another thing which makes it a veritable treasure to its owners is that the deposit is just under the surface of the earth about 8 inches, and is, therefore, re moved without difficulty. Mica, however, is not the only valuable product taken from the mine for occasionally some very valuable aqua narine crystals better known as the North Carolina diamouds are found. Geologists who have visited the place state that when the water evel is raached in the process of removing the formation that the stones will be found in a large quantity. At the present the owners of the mine are making prepara tions to double the outputoT their mill and to begin the manufac ture of the water-ground pro duct in much demand by the.rub- ber trade. The product wilt sell at around $100.00 per ton, while the present only brings $40.00 for a like quantity. Looking to the carying out of these plans in the near future a site has been purchased abi Jt a quarter of a mile from the mine and a survey niade for the loca tion oi the mill. The site is loca ted on Toe river and eleccricity developed from the water power of this stream, will be used in the operation of the machinery. Con nection has already been secur ed with a narrow gauge, railway wnich will be easier and cheaper the marketing of the product. Before another year has passed, it is thought, therefore, that with tle manufacture of the product for the rubber trade, the mine will be producing hundreds of thousands dollars' worth in the finished product each month- Vision and Norah Carolina. . Dr. Clarence Poe's address to the North Carolina Press Associ ation at Waynesville recently on the subject, "Vison," is one of the finest and most inspirational addresses on the progress and future of the state delivered in many years. One cannot read this beautifully written and thoughtful address without a thrill of pride in the Old North State. '. After recounting some of the recent feats of progress in the State, Mr. Poe says: 'In view of all these facts, I repeat that North Carolina is fast becoming a rich State and is destined to become infinitely richer. Her climate is the climate in which the great civilization of the world have been nourished "The glory that was Greece "And the grandeur that was Rome." He points out that Raleigh and Charlotte have the same mean annual temperature as "The E ternal City" of the Caesars; Wil- mington is just one degree cooler than Athens or Jerusalem, and Greensboro and Weldon have the temperature of France; while Asheville has very nearly the mean annual temperature of London and Paris. North Carolina lacks iron and steel but it possesses potential water power that -will last long after the coal fields of other states shall have been exhausted. Dr. Poe quotes from Bion But ler who speaks of a "conspiracy of Nature to make North Caroli na a Great State." He cites the wonderful improvement of Edu cational facilltie in the State, and says that in the future North Carolina young men and women will be '"decently equipped at last as they confront the mighty tasks that call to them. The future is bright for in creased accumulation of wealth, but the State must realize more its possibilities for civilization building. What shall it make of its riches? asks Dr. Poe. Here is where the editors of the state must render service. "Mere wealth," he says, "is but the body for a commonwealth; we must search elsewhere for its soul. As with a man so with ' 'a State, there is only a ghastly fail ure unless within the outward show of either we find the glow and ardor of a spiritual flame, a breath of Almighty God, Him self, a divine passion for the quest of truth, beauty and righ teousness." As examples of the ways in which editors of the State can help make North Carolina great, Dr. Poe says they should aid in the educational work of the State its highway development, its pub lic health work, its child welfare work, its taxation reforms, its work for farmers' wives, in pre serving its history, in helping build up its recreational facilities and in extending its library ser vice. Winston Journal. CENTRAL OHIO FARMS. We have sold several farms withiu the last few months to North Carolina people, and we desire to announce that we will send to any one interested, our catalogue free of charge, upon request for same. This section of very fertile land, is a natural grass and clo ver soil, in fact in the limestone and heavy clay districts, blue grass and clover become self seeded, and just naturally grow well, all through this section are fine flowing springs and creeks, plentiful supply of pure water the year around. The wonder ful hay, corn and forage crops, the silo, thb climatic advantages, the ready markets for farm pro ducts within easy. reach, these things mean profit for stockmen and dairmen. There are few sections of the United States where a greater variety of crops can be grown and where the danger from fail ure is less. A total crop failure in this coun try has never been known. In this land of promise, with our re markable variety of crops, WE ARE SAFE. . Write us for the free illustra ted and descriptive catalogue with free list of farm bargains. Address: E. A. STROUTFARM AGENCY, Blake V. Mizer.Mgr., Shelby Building, COSHOCTON, OHIO. Delco -Light THB COMPLETE ELECTRIC LIGHT . and Power plant. - The safest, surest and most economical form of light and power. Watauga Motor Co. Carolina's In the writings of Henri Fab re is a passage which runs: "Histo ry celebrates the battlefields up on which we meet our death, but scorn to speak of the plowed fields whereby we thrive. It knows the names of the king's children but it cannot tell us the origin of wheat. That is the way of human folly." Four years ago in North Caro lina we elected a governor whose inaugural address did not men tion famous names or a single field. Instear, it said this: 'The small fa.m, owned by the man who tills it, is the best plant bed in the world in which to grow a patriot. On such a farm it Is possible to produce any thing from two pecks of potatoes to the hill to a President of the United Strtes." Three-quarters of that address was devoted to the agricultural needs of the state and gave the state assembly this program for its guidance: A law to end the evil of tenant ry through the exemption from taxation of notes and mortgages up to $3000, if given in good faith for the purchase of a home. Provide the StateHigliway Com mission with a force of engineers to examine water poworc and ad vise farmers wishing to install watei and ltghts in their homes and ryral communities desiring, to establish telephone hervicees. Petmit the use of rural schools as community centers and appro priate $25,000 annually for rfree motion picture services. Give rural communities the right to incorporate and thus en able them to perform many func tions impossilble as long as they need legal entity. News Letter. A Sensibly Directed Movement. The good roads organizations and citizen enthusiasts have ar rived at a sensible program for legislative attention and one up on which the State will bo goner-' ally agreed. It is for a concen tration of forces at Raleigh on the day set for the opening of the special session, the undertaking being crystalization of sentiment for a State system of permanent roads, with branches connecting up all of the 100 counties. There will be no demand upon the Leg islature for any set amount of money for tV? prosecution of this commendable program. Instead the General Assembly will be pe tionedforthe passage of a law whereby the desired end may be secured, with a clause in the bill providing for the amendment ne cessary, mere is no uouot a- bout State sentiment for a com plete system of highways and there is no doubt about the fact that if the special session should not find time to provide the nec essary legislation, that duty will be imposed ujxm the Legislature that comes in next January. It is reasonable to suppose that the ambition of the gtxd roads peo pie is to be realized, that being for the materialization at Raleigh on August 10 of a gathering of people of such proportions and quality as to leave no doubt in the minds of the Legislature of the earnestness of the good road. sentiment prevailing among the people. The devotion to the cause that has been manifested by Col KirkWrick should find reward in the dispatch from Charlotte of at least a trainload of local gooc roads enthusiasts. The Obser ver. Mr. and Mrs. C. F. McKinney, of Leuisburg, N. C, are stopping at the home of Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Councill. The health of Mr. McKinney has been slightly im paired, and he is here for rest and recuperation. - Nancy L. Culler. The subject of this sketch was burn Feb. 21, 1856, and died May 20, 1920. She was married to J. Culler Nov. 26, 1870, and to this union were bom eleven children, nine of whom survive her. She professed faith in Christ and uni ted with the Baptist church at Doe Ridge about the year 1895. She later moved her member ship to Rich Mountain church where she lived a consecrated life until her death. - In the death of this dear sister the church and the commuhity in which she lived have sustained a great loss. She was loved and held in the very highest esteem by all who knew her. Her love and deqotion toher family could not be surpassed; and the fithf ul and untiring attention that she gave her offlicted husband was marvelous. By day and by night she was found by his bedside tenderly caring for him and wat ching for his release. But at that time when it did seem that her place could not be tilled and ohe work done that had fallen in to her loving hands, ahe was stricken with pneumonia and in a few days was released from all sorrow and care, and went home. As her pastor' for a number of n"mber of years, the writer learned her worth; not so much for her finacial suppport as for her ability to appreciate and her faithfulness to the welfere of her church in every respect; and may we emulate her noble life. To her two daughters, who have talfen the place of their de voted and loving mothef, by the bedside of their afflicted father, our hearts, 'go out in sympathy. She was laid to rest near her home in the presence of a sym pathetic congregation to await the resurrection. "Jesus saith unto her, I am the resurrection and the life: he that bslieveth on me JJiough he were dead, yet shall he live." Inspiring end con soling thought that our loved ones will come again. L. C. WILSON, No Mooe Primaries oor Editor Johnson. That Editor Archibald John son, ot (Jharity and Children, is thoroughly disgusted (and right- y so) with the State-wide prima ry law, is clearly set forth in an editorial in that paper which fol- ows: "We have passed through a po itical campaign that has certain- y has brought no blessing to the state. The primary system which we borrowed from South Caroli na, has not made good.' They told us when they passed the law that it was the only Democratic meth od, that it would stop tho corrup tion of the old convention plan, and by allowing the people to ex press their choice for a candi date would be a correct expres sion of the public feeling. Don't you belicva word of It. It is a breeder of strife and discension. It divides friend'against friend. It brings discord into peaceful communities and engenders ill feeling and bitterness in merri- bers of the same household. A family row is the meanest and bitterest kind oi row; and the pri mary brings disharmony and all manner of evil. Furthermore, it is a fertile field forjhe corrup tion on the electorate. It .takes money, and lots of it, to conduct a primary campaign. A man must be rich who aspires to public of fice, and he must make heavy drafts on his friends to meet the necessary expenses of the cam paign; and blockade liquor plays an important part in the con duct of the campaign. Underlie old pla"n, at theVorst, there was Jolly To Think About. A news item in yesterday's pa per told of the arrival at Lenoir of the surveying party that mapping out the line of the elec tric road from Mount Holly to Blowing Rock. Within a short time the survey will be comple ted to the mountain village and the promoters of the enterprise will then be found in readiness to take the next step in furtherance of the enterprise. When infor mation of the organization of a. company to put this project thru ' was first divulged it attracted doubtful attention it was one of the things that looked too good to be true but with the progress ive developments confidence be came established and the project is now discussed in anything but doubtful terms. Usually in pro posed enterprises of the sort it is the promoters that do the talk ing and with the dying down of tho talk comes tho dying out of the enterprise, itself. It has fail ed because the public did not res pond to the talk with the money the talk was expected to produce. But all the talk that has been done about the proposed electric railroad to Blowing Rock has been done by the public. The company lias done none of it. This is accounted for by the fact that the company has all the money it needs to build, equip and operate the line. All it wants is for the the public to buy the tickets and pay the freight after the road is in operation, and this being the situation, we may know very well that the electric rail road from Mount Holly to Blow ing Rock is a coming institution. As a matter of course there will be a traffic arrangement by whjch the cars of the mountain electric road will operate between Char lotte and Mount Holly over the track of the interurban which plies between Charlotte and Gas- tonia through Mount Holly. The completion of this road is one of tho jolliest things the people in this part of the state are given to take into anticipation. Charlotte Observer.' Mr. L. P. Ham by, of Lenoir, was over last week: helping to harvest the hay crop on his New river farm. He says the yield is not'so abundant as usual, but tho quality of the hay is A No. 1, as there was not a drop of rain fell on any of it after it was cut. Mr. George Critcher, of Statesville, with his friend, Mr. JamesAnderson, of that city, returned to his hame the fiirst of the week after a few days visit . to home folks and friends in Wa" tauga. usually only one day's debauch, and all was over. There was no opportunity for ripping up the personal records of opposite can- , didates of the same political household. Through many weary months we heard the partisans of the candidates in the late cam paign, hurling epithets into each other's faces. Semntiinos as saults on character were made that were as malicious as they were false. ' These things, breth ren, ought not so to be. We are air hurt by such campaigning. Our business, our schools, our churches suffer. Our social or- der is poisoned, and it will take , years to bring us recovery. Let us have the thing repealed. It may suit Sooth Carolina, but not this state. We love peace they revel in a row.- Lei us raise up and demand the Legislature to wipe the primary ,law off t h e statute books and forget nnd for- " give the dark past." , : . V- ' Y. - w 0 .--. VI I
Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.)
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Aug. 5, 1920, edition 1
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