Newspapers / Watauga Democrat. / Nov. 23, 1922, edition 1 / Page 1
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"."r."1 ; KMCY In itST m Established ia 1888. , ? . A Nou-Partieaa Family Newspaper. Devoted to the Best liUmU ol Boon, and , Watauga .County, "the Leader of Northwestern Carolina." - Published Weekly VOLUME XXXIV 4 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH.- CAROLINA, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 1922 . f , NUMBER 4' '' v.'y 1 v't -i v- 1 .n 1 OURPION MOUNT Probably Um FirstGCd Dirt Toll Turnpike ia tkoStat to takrtho PUm of tko Ooll Plank Roadt) Jam. C. Hrir and William A. Lenoir Laborad Tog other ia Early Highway Devalopmoat. W.vScott in News. and. Observer. Of all the turnpikes absorbed by the Dixie Highway and converging upon' it, perhaps the most, famous and popular in the state is the Le noir and Blowing Rock (old Caldwell and Watauga) Turnpike, extending from Lenoir to Blowing Rock. It was incorporated by the Legislature in 1845 and was, as far as I amj&l to discover, the first graded dlffxolT turnpike inaugurated 4iv the State to take the place of the old planlroads of which there were quite a 'number in those sections of the State where . the terrain, (to employ a word Jthat has come into our vocabulary through . the Great War) was suitable for easy grading. Naturally there were more of these plank roads in the eastern and central portions of the State the level and gently rolling sections than the west. There was at east one in the west and that one west of the Blue Ridge from Asheville to. Greenville, South Caro lina, which was by an act of the Legislature in the early fifties, chang ed to a graded dirt turnpike. From 1850 to 1859 over a dosen of these turnpikes were authorized in the mountain country by the dif ferent general assemblies, one, at least like the Caldwell and Wa tauga Turnpike, extending from a point in the upper Piedmont section in Wilkes across the Blue Ridge to Jefferson in Ashe County, but the others were all transmontaine extend ing between points in Norh Caro lina or from points in North Caro lina, to points ih Virginia, Ten- v hessee, Georgia or South Carolina, all on the Appalachian plateau except that a few going into South Carolina and Georgia did' cross the Blue Ridge. In the case of all or nearly all of these turnpike companies, as in the case of the Caldwell and Wa tauga Turnpike Company, the State subscribed a small amount of stock and the working capital derived from the sale of stock was sup plemented by the work of the road hands subject to road work, on the lines of the roads, for their con struction, which supplement was almost negligible, from the fact that a great part of the work of con struction was performed through sparsely settled sections. The Cald well and Watauga Turnpike Com pany was evidently the pioneer in this industry and constructed the first dirt road toll turnpike in North Carolina. Tho Evolution of Roads. Comparing the road as it was first completed and ready for use with it as it is now, we have the most per fect illustration of the doctrine of evolution. At the foot of the Blue Ridge, where the road started up, the elevation is about 1200 . feet, and at the crest of the ridge where the road crosses, the elevation is about 4200 feet, an elevation of 3,000 feet to negotiate in building the road. The distance ia now about 12 miles and a rise of 260 feet to the mile has been graded down to a "trotting road on the up grade; what the distance was when the road was first completed , is a matter of speculation, but from time to time, many times since, the grade has been softened till it makes ap proach to a level road by distribut ing and grading the rise of '250 feet to the mile over the whole distance. As at first' constructed there were long and dreary climbs, then level stretches, and sometimes "lost mo . tion" by going down when going up should have been the order of the day. Nearly eighty years ago the pro gressive citizens of Caldwell and Wa tauga counties rallied under the war cry of 'goo'' roads" and not a automobile in sight put their good money in the enterprise, some work ing out their subscriptions by build ing sections of the road, and backed it up with enthusiasm. This was all public spirit. There was no "direct profit in it. It may be stated broad ly that, from 1845 up to 1890 and almost as broadly up to the date f its sale to the State all the money received from tolls on this road, after deducting the payments made to the toll-gate keepers was spent upon keeping up and- bettering the road and that it. had paid no officials ex cept the toll-collectors. . , In 1846-7 the road was laid off, (surveyed) by Col. James Clarence Harper, who in 1856 became its pres ; ident and superintendent, a position which he held at the time of his death in 1890. A man of large af fairs. manufacturer, merchant, , planter, often a member of the Gen . eral Assembly, chairman of the Jbuilding committee of the Western AINROAD TOBACCO FACTO RIES 20 MILLION Annual Report of 'State Comia-toa or ShJpman Shows Value of To bacco Factories la State to be Ovor Twenty Million Dollars. RaleighThe annual value of ma nufactured tobacco products in this State for 1922 is $214,830,848, an increase of 497 per cent in-13 years Labor Commissioner M. L. Shipman finds from figures gahered for his new year book. He is listing the to bacco industry seperate from the mis cellaneous group of manufacturing enterprises for the first time and the information he has gathered is inter esting. Fifteen tobacco manufacturing es tablishments have a value of $20,- 115,034. Their yearly payroll is $14,027,661. The wages of ,610 male employees on a daily average range, from $5.04 to $1.71 and of 6,657 women, $3.07 to $1.48. WATAUGA ROAD WORK. There are now working on the good roads of Watauga six forces of hands, five on road construction and one bridge gang., all of which are. getting along very well indeed. The macadam road from Boone to New River has been given a tar fin ish." The crew on the Boone and Blowing Rock road have about com pleted the grading to the Farthing farm and are now driving piles for a heavy concrete bridge across Boone Creek, the specifications having just arrived from the architect. Mr. Bradley and his force on Cove Creek are pushing the gravel bed making ready for the crusher, which will be on the job in the next few. days. while two crews on the Boone Trail next to the Wilkes line, are doing hard-surface work as fast ' as men and-money can do it This is all very encouraging indeed, as the good roads are one of the main things that have brought Boone -and Watauga county into prominence. The eyes of the country are evi dently on this' section. North Carolina Hospital at Morgan ton, and one of its most important directors until his death; for many years a magistrate and the chairman of the board of education ol the county; a member of the board of directors of the State Peniten tiary, a member of the court of claims, along with Major Husted and Mr. R. H. Battle to adjust claims against the state, a member of the 42nd Congress. Colonel Harper ne vertheless laid more stress upon what are often popularly considered minor duties, which fell upon his shoulders viz., being executor or administrator of all the small estates in his neigh borhood and being guardian of the children connected therewith; being superintendent of the Sunday School and such important trusts. For over 30 years he served as president and superintendent of the Turnpike Com pany without salary and often when the tolls were insufficient to cover necessary work in the road, he ad vanced the money to pay for the extra work and never asked for re payment Second only to Colonel Harper in devotion to the upbuilding ef the turnpike was his dear friend and connection by marriage, Colonel Wil liam Avery Lenoir, a grandson of the old Revolutionary patriot of Kings Mountain fame, General Wil liam Lenoir. Colonel Lenoir, who died in 1860 owned thousands of acres of land in Caldwell and Wt tauga counties, including the great Grandfather Mountain along the crest of which runs the line be tween the two counties. His passion was good roads, and among those he- hunt at his own expense is a beautifully graded road from Lenoir to the summit of beautiful Hibnten Mountain which also belonged to him. From its source, Yadkin Springs at Blowing Rock, the young.Yadkin riv er plunges down the mountain, par allelling the turnpike here and cross ing it there, until it reaches a point on the mountain side, hard by the turnpike near Wahoo Spring, when it finds it has been riding for a fall, for over a picturesque precipice there it passes on as the 'Vater comes down , at Lodore." All along here the forest lands belonged to the estate of Colonel Harper and are now the property of his grandsons, John H. and James Lenoir Cilley of Hickory, and Gor don H. Cilley of Philadelphia, Penn. There is a happy thought, whether originating with the Cilley boys or with Mr. Page and Mr. Upham, I know not, but it is about to be real ized in a beautiful fountain to be erected at Harper's Falls and dedi cated to the memory of James Clar ence Harper and William Avery Le noir. This fountain, tt is expected, will overtop the famous "Andrews CHRISTIANS NEED RED CROSS AID Million Christians Driven From Asia : Minor by Victorious Turks Ask American Rod Cross Headquarters For Immediate Relief. Washington Upon the Quick char ity of America largely depends the fate of a million Christians driven from Asia Minor by Turkish mili tary success, it is declared by Na tional Headquarters of the American Red Cross. Greece either will be a sepulchre or a place of rebirth for these stricken people, whose desper ate plight is further depicted in a cablegram received by the Red Cross from Vice-Chairman A. Ross Hill, di recting relief work from Athens. . King George of Greece through Dr. Hill, sent thanks to the Red Cross for its aid and expressed the appre ciation of his people to the Ameri can people. The Red Cross is rap idly perfecting its organization in Greece, said Dr. Hill,s message which went on to state: "Hundreds of thousands of refu gees are filling the Greek Cities and towns. These consist largely of mo thers with children who, with old people, are sole remnants of once flourishing populations driven jnto sea by the Turks. These miserable women, cold, hungry, despairing, and shelterless, walk the streets with ba bies clinging to their skirts. In ma ny refugee centers, women who lost sons and husbands gaze from leaden eyes. Their little children are only hostages for the future of that ele ment .of Greek people who first es tablished themselves in Asia Minor three thousands years ago. "In many barracks, children and old people lie day and night, flies eat ing at sores on their bodies and fa ces, their future black. 'King George thanks the Ameri can Red Cross for its help and ex tends the appreciation of his nation to the American people. "Smallpox is spreading from one concentration camp to another and meanwhile 'Greece is awaiting new floods of refugees. The race is on between American Red Cross sup plies and these fresh shiploads of people. The Greek Government has telegraphed its representatives in all countries asking the utmost help of every nation immediately. IN BEHALF OF OUR MOUNTAIN SCHOOLS The Durham Herald of the 14th has quite a write-up of the Annual Shower Box Work, given by the Wo man's Auxiliary of St Peters Church held in that city. As two of our prominent mountain schools are dis cussed, we make the following ex cerpts. James A. Robinson, 'Old Hur rrygraph" being a great friend to our people, our schools and our wel fare generally, it is a pleasure to us to quote: j At the invitation of the auxiliary James A. Robinson was called upon to speak on the Patterson School at Learerwood in the Hannv Vallev the school for worthy poor mountain boys without means to educate themselves Mr. Robinson opened his remarks by saying: "When vou talk about the Patterson School you are talk ing about my sweetheart, and I am glad to sneak '8 word too. in corrf- mendation of .this great and noble work among the mountain, boys." He amused his hearers with some Happy Valley folk lore, and oath etic incidents about the school and read a description of the. Hannv Val ley, the situation of the schol. its work, its accomplishments and its purposes and aims. He also. read a touching: letter from Kate L. Cam bell, secretary of the school descrin- tive of smaller boys and how they were progressing. The letter had visible effect uoon his audience.' Mrs. James A. Robinson was on- pointed to speak on the Valle Cru- cis school and she performed the task in an admirable manner. She gave a word pictuceof the "vale of Valle Crucis is derived: the anion did work for mnnntaln onVlo nrkink - - wd nmvu the late lamented Miss Mary, Corner naa accomplished; the work as it is groins: forward now: the enthusiasm of Miss Graves unon whom Miu Horner's mantle had fallen; the ed ucational and domestic culture the school is Derformlnflr. and tha im mediate needs of this institution to carry on the work. 0vr" at Rnnn1 Vnnh ' A sugeestion as. to an inwrinrinn to be placed upon the base of the fountain is given herewith: "Erected in memorv of Pnlnnal James C. Harper and of Colonel William A. Lenoir; laborers together in building the first of the good roads in Western North Carolina." ONE DAYS WORK FOR THE ORPHANS Annual Appeal is Mad to Contri bute at Loast Ono Days Salary to tbo Orphans List of North Car olina Orphan Asylums. The ' most pitiful, the most ap pealing sight in the world is that of an orphan child without a home. And this condition constitutes him a most serious menace to society. When the lights are brightly burn ing in your home on Thanksgiving night, when the children's hour lias come, spare an instant thought for those little ones homeless, without father, without mother, set adrift through no. fault of their own to find what harbor they may and let conscience say whether your duty to them has been discharged. Consider those children of yours look at them now that little tot so bravely struggling so bravely against the Sandman, those of larger growth struggling with the lessons for the morrow. ' so started on life's road, to become fine useful citizens, with all opportunities before them. - Turn your thoughts for a minute ?-just a minute from this sweet picture to some ill-clad, shivering, hungry, wistful little object out in the dark. Through no fault of it that other child is denied all that is given yours. Your child is safely harbored in your home. When the right time comes it will sail over life's seas with a strong body, a clear mind, a saving knowledge of and love for Jesus Christ our Lord. That other one out there in the dark, perhaps peering through your bright windows, will be denied all these blessings, unless this appeal reaches your heart and soul, and un less you do these things which the Father of the fatherless expects you to do in the name of his own belov ed Son. How can you do this, how can you give that your charity will reach di rectly to the homeless orphan and how much should you reasonably be asked to give? You are asked to give as a Thanks giving offering, the equivalent of one day's Balary to some one of the North Carolina orphanages or home-placing institutions all of them doing a work greatly blessed of God. If that amount is larger than you can afford, you are asked to make SOME contribution in money and send it to the orphanage you prefer or through your church or fraternal society. You are asked to do this in His name for those of His unfortunates so sorely needing your aid and your comfort. And remember, please remember, on this Thanksgiving Day and on all other days that the North Car- Una orphanages are quite unable to care for hundreds of homeless little ones simply through lack of means with which to do it. So let this Thanksgiving Day ap peal reach your heart, and consider what may be done about it. For if you will earnestly consider the mat' ter look at it as a personal prm lege, an opportunity to render ser vice, such as Christ Himself would do you will find happiness in your thoughts for many a day afterward List of Orphanages in the State. Baptist Orphanages Rev. M. L. Kesler, Thomasville. Methodist Orphanage Rev. A. S. Barnes, Raleigh. Presbyterian Orphanage Rev. E McS. Hyde, Barium Springs. Methodist Orphanage, Winston Sa lem. Thompson Orphanage Rev. W. H. Wheeler, Charlotte. Methodist Protestant Home H. A. Garret, High Point. Christian Orphanage Charles D Johnston, Elon College. Oxford Orphan Asylum R. L. Brown, Oxford. Odd Fellows Home C. O. Baird Goldsboro. Eleida Orphanage Reverend Lu cius B. Compton, Asheville. Pythian Home C. W. Pendler Clayton. n Children's Home Society J. J. Phoenix, Greensboro. Nazareth Orphan's Home Rev. A S. Peeler,- Crescent. Falcon Orphanage J. A. Culbreth Falcon !' Free-Will Baptist Home Rev. C G. Pope.Middlesex. Nazareth Orphanage Rev. G. A Woods, Nazareth. Mountain Orphanage R. D. Bed inger, Balfour. , Grandfather Orphanage J. M Holcorabe, Banner Elk. Union County Home Rev. E. C Synder, Monroe. St. Ann's Home SiBter Mary Claire, Belmount.. Alexander Home Mrs. L. Brown McKoy, Cor. Sec. Charlotte.' Maxwell Orphanage Geo. L. New ton, ranuin.' ,v , BANDITS GET BY IN $800 ROBBERY Mortanton Posoffico Was Entorod on Monday Night of Last Week The Bloodhounds Fail on TrailFellow Talked too Much In Jail Morganton News- Herald. The moBt daring burglary in this section in recent years was committ ed Monday Night, sometime between midnight and daylight when the Mor ganton po8toffice was entered from the back door, the big safe blown open and its contents rifled. The door- of the safe lay as a wreck on the floor,vidently blown off by ni tro glycerin. The wreckage was discovered about 6 o'clock Tuesday morning by "Judge" Bowers one of the clerks whose work takes him first to the office. Another clerk Alex. Shuping was there until midnight. Dr. J. R. Anderson who lives near, heard what he is sure now was the explosion at about 2:30 Tuesday morning. Checking up the loss Tuesday it was found that the culprit or culprits got around $800 in stamps and 'in money $500 of this being stamps. $40 pf the amount stolen was Sunday School money placed in the safe Mon day by Eubert Setzer who is treas urer of the Methodist Sunday School. A book of blank money orders, a few registered letters, checks and valu able papers were also missing. There has been much local snecula- tion as to whether or iA the deed was committed by an expert hut the tools used seemed an argument to the contrary. A crowbar, sledge hammer chisel and other tools found in the building and at the window which had been prized open were identified as having been taken from the Huff man & Butlers blacksmith shop on King Street and the Oxford Machine Shop, both of which had been broken into during the night. Bloodhounds were brought from Asheville Tuesday to be used in the search for the burglars. They took the tiail to the blacksmith shop but could not locate it further. Tuesday afternoon Oscar Williams, a Morganton man was arrested and put in jail because of suspicion talk. t is said that he knew of the burg- ary Tuesday morning before the news got noised around generally. This with 'the fact that he made certain inquiries at the office on Mon day were the grounds for the sus picions held against him. Williams has not 'been giving a hearing but is held awaiting the arrival of a postoffice inspector. The burglary was the one topic of conversation on the streets Tuesday and since that time. THE NEW SILVER DOLLAR Two Bits. The new silver dollar is being dis tributed. It is just as hard to get as the old ones and much harder to hold onto. It doesn't accomplish as much as. the old silver dollar did six or seven years ago, but it is a pret ty thing to have around the house. The design is very artistic, if you are laboring for art instead of mon ey, but the eagle seems strange. He has his wings clamped down tightly and he is a sorrowful, repentant, dis appointed chagrined bird. He hud dles on his pile of sticks, apparently mooning over the follies of a mis spent life. He has no spuz, no pep, no kick. Critics say the eagle's bill is too large and is out of proportion, but this criticism will not be taken se riously, for most bills are too large these days and we have become quite accustomed to them. The Goddess of Liberty on the op- verse side of the coin is a pretty young flapper with an interesting pout, whose back hair needs atten tion. The new Goddess is easy to look at and is quite ornamental, but she lacks the old Goddess' look of grim determination and fearless in itiative. The new Goddess is a cling ing vine, a sort of breach-of-promise type, an exotic hot-house creation The old girl was an Amazon, who would not take any back talk from anybody. Under the eagle is the motto, "Peace." The eagle himself is as peaceful and as dismal looking as a modern husband, but, the word "Peace" is out of place on a dollar. A dollar in America knows no peace from the day it is minted until it goes back into the melting pot. It is chased to death and has no rest. The new design does not suit ev erybody, but that makes no differ ence. No man can keep a silver dol tar long enough to examine its de sign closely, and most don't know whether the eagle is a bird, a turkey or an English sparrow. Mary Lee Home (Colored) Ma ry Lee Byerly, High Point. Orphan Home (Colored) Rev. W. J. Poindexter, Winston. Orphan Home (Colored) Henry P. .Cheatham, Oxford. , . CREAMERY TO BE IN BOONE Bloomfield Nebraska, Man Expects To Put ia Modern Creamery tm Boone "on His Own Hook" Ex. pects Only Some Encouragement. Prof. I. G. Greer who has been very much interested -in a creamery for Boone tells the Democrat that the prospects are brightening very much as the days go by for the es tablishment of a plant in our good town. A Mr. Van Aukin of Bloom field, Nebraska visited here in the summer looking out for an ideal lo cation for a creamery and when he took in the situation in Watauga and Boone he wasjatisfied. He is a man of means andTproposes to put up all necessary money himself, his only requirement being that our farmers purchase as many as 75 cream sep erators, he to pay them the very highest price for their cream. Mr. Van Aukin says that Watau ga has the cows and is in the best butter making section of America so there is no reason why a creamery should not make good in Watauga. It is his intention to make his home here if the farmers of the county will meet with his requirements furnish the cream and he will do the rest. Understand he does not sell nor he is no agent for any company sell ing cream seperators, but to make butter he must have cream, and the farmers will use their pleasure as to where to buy the seperators.. This would be another real asset for Watauga and we hope our peo ple will give the promoter all the en couragement necessary. , OUR TRIP TO FLORIDA I think very few people realise ' how far north Boone is and yet it is in what is known as the South, By comparison I find that in our run from Boone to Miami, Florida last week we covered about the same dis- -tance as we would had we gone north east to New York City, or north to London, Ontario, Canada, northwest to Chicago or west to about 200 mile beyond the Mississippi River. In a bout four and one half days we trav elled one thousand and two miles, an average of 225 miles per day. We have made practically the same trip eight or' nine times before and this is much the best time we have ever made especially considering that the roads at the south end of the line were the worst we have ever found them. Our Nash Four showed its thoroughbred qualities by keeping a steady speed of from 25 to 35 miles per hour over practically all condi tions of roads and never failing when put to the hardest tests or giving a moments trouble of any kind. We used an average of one gallon of gas every 18 miles, and the whole ex pense for the family of five with a heavy load of baggage and supplies was less than fifty dollars or not quite ten dollars apiece and we stop ped at comfortable hotels and had good fare. We have never before gotten through for less than one hun dred dollars before. We find thou sands of cars on the road headed for the south, carrying people of every class, and every variety of equip ment. More than ever before they are- camping out at night which of course cuts the expense about half and camp grounds are being provid ed all along so it is really a fine way to travel. The cost of living is some what lower than it has been in Flor ida for several years. Rents here are some higher than there but the difference is about made up by us not having to buy any fuel for heat ing. We find an unusually heavy crop of oranges and grrpe fruit just getting ready for market and the peo ple are just getting ready to plant their main crop of all kinds of veg etables. Cheap, easy and quick fa cilities of transportation between this country and the western North Carolina mountains would bring un told benefits to both. The Miami people like the western North Caro lina mountains in summer and many are telling me of their trips to Ashe ville and vicinity during the past year. Boone and surrounding coun try can get them if she wants them. H. W.' HORTON. COL. WATTS MISCOUNTS. Col. A. D. Watts, who has hand led the mathematical side of politics in North Carolina for many years has found that he has made a mis, count in" the Democratic State ma jority. Instead of a 75,000 plural, ity as given out by Mr. Watts, a few days ago, the figures may go. as high ' as 85,000. . ; - .--j The vote as it now stands lor the respective state tickets ia: Democra-. tic 225,000 and Republican 141,009. Figuring on a maximum majority ia each county, the Democratic State. J majority may reach 100,000. I The Constitutional Amendment pre ' I posal, increasing the pay of Legiila- . 1 tors, lost by nearly four to one, ' i-:tv:"V ''.. v.r '. r:r;'Iy''t-i 'S!'U
Nov. 23, 1922, edition 1
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