A Non-Partisan Family VOLUME XXXIV SPANISH WAR REUNION CHATTANOOGA, SEPT. 16 (By A -^uciated Press) National ofHcers of the United Spanish-American War veterans who have already made reservations to attend th* annual encampment here September 10-20 are Antonio Entenza. national commander-in-chief; Thomas J. Kennedy, chief of staff; George A. Marshall, adjutant general and George D. Moler, quartermastergeneral. The national commander has written Major Ellsworth. Tennessee, commander-in-chief, concerning the tentative program, as follows: "Your outline of the program to be followed at the national encampment is very pleasing indeed ahd meets with the hearty approval of the commander-in-chief." The Patten hotel has been designated as convention headquarters while most of the sessions will lieheld in the Billy Sunday tabernacle, it is announced by Major Ellis, who is serving as cbairmaq of arrangements. The 'tentative program i- as follows : Sunday. September 16: Arrivals registration and assignment: patriotic exercises and addresse- at the Tivoli theatre 1 n the evening. Monday. September IT. All day business session; address of welcome, Governor Austin Peay, of Tennessee; Mayor A. W. ('hamherlv--* Oth anniversary of the bailie if dhickarOauga, September 3 8, 1 >r?- . and Events of '08; t veiling: Illuminated night parade; all-south era show, jubilee singers, cake walk jug band, etc. Wednesday. September 11>?Biistr.es. ssioii in forenoon; memorial hour 11 r?? 12 ?\,!ock: presentation ? : historic tablet t.? the city of <*hatt&nooga b\ department of New \ ork afternoon: Pa ratio, military features business session of the Military Older of ike Serpent; evening: Ball annual crawl of the Military Order ol the Serpent. Thursday, September 20: Busines: session in forenoon; trip to Lookout mountain in afternoon; sunset tea or Point Lookout. Anumber of noon today luncheon: are being: arranged by the vomer for the woman's auxiliary deiega tions. Additional attractive features wii be available, including individua and party trips to Lookout mountain Signal mountain. Chickamauga park Missionary ridge and many points o scenic and historic interest in an< around Chattanooga, with moonligh steamboat parties and uancing dowi through the grand canyon of ih Tennessee. Delegations from various section of the United States are expected. AUDITORS FIND THAT STAT] HAS DEFICIT OF ONLY $85,468.13 By Associated Press. Differing with the auditors emploj ed by the state in their interpretatio of the result of the audit the joir house and senate committee by th last legislature to conduct an aud of the state's finance made its repoi here this afternoon, to the couns< of state, headed by Governor Mo: rison, and in the presence of th full committee, the counsel of stat and representatives of the press. The report of the auditors con mittee found that there is an a cumulated deficit, in the gener fund of June 30, 1923 of $85,468.1 which "deficit will in our opinic be more than taken up by the re enues applicable *to the period prito December 31, 1922 which h; been since collected out not iaK< into account by the auditors f the reason that the auditors toi into account only such revenues were collected up to and includu May 18, 1923." The committee's conclusion on t condition of finances as of Jut v 1923 were predicated or. the elin nation of the acAjfSK on liabilit: of current devenues of a note i $710,000 outstanding for a deficit the special* school fund. fn elii nating this note from the outctandi committee found that the special s -ion of 1921 has passed an act i v ; k - )t Wv Newspaper Published in ai BOONE. ! WATER AND SFAVERS FOR BLOWING ROCK I * In compliai&e with a call issued by i Mayor Robbins of Blowing Rock, a | meeting of the citizens and ethers inj terested in a water supply for the : town met at the public school hou-e Friday ever ins to :!i '.us? the matter. A resolution was unanimously passed by the meeting r.* ^ make a preliminary survey "t the I sources available for a water .^uppl and to report to the tnay ?r and commissioners as soon as practicable. A (number of gentlemen made remarks I upon the necessity of an ample rva ter supply for the town, which is :m perative if the place continues to. ?row and develop into the health and I pleasure resort it is capable of being Haven't Acted Yet. The town commissioners have not yet acted on the resolution, hut tht ' mayor, who showed by his enthusMs- i tic remarks that he is highly in favor of making the survey, thinks they j will act favorably and make it. In ; case the town does not take nctive I steps it is probable a private company will he formed and ask for a j franchise to supply the town with' water and sewers. There are a numj her of available source.- and it will ! ? i comparatively easy undertaking,' if gone into properly. Mr. Newcombe of l'. .' hurst ; V'l Blowing Rock made some interesting remarks, showing how water and sewers had been secured in the town of Plnehurst amid the sandhills, and said it would *?e a small matter to procure it for B'owi i.ig Rock, compared with t!- undertaking at Pinehurst. Left to Highway Commission The matter <.f widening Main ' S street through the village came up for discussion, and it se< mod to !> the sense of the meeting for the Inirl.ii.'ii' I'limmi.ci'.i ? '.? *? !*?* it thought neoe.ssary in that n-sp?- r? gardless of the different opinion.- and' wishes of the citizens. The matter of active co-operat 011 ! u ith the Western North C. . *V.. roc., organization was d:scr.>;cd. and Mr. \V. L. Alexander. thi direi; v f,? Watauga, a.-ked the hearty support '; and co-operation of the people off Blowing Rock in the efforts of the organization to give more publicity : our attractive part of tlu country., Largt* Number Visitors at the Rock ^ The town is now in the midst of a ' pleasant and prosperous season. The number of visitors is large and more L i are coming in daily, and the delightk I fui weather is being enjoyed by ail J to the fullest extent. There seems I to he less disorder and friction here 1 : than for many years, and the people "I ail seem to he enjoying good health. ' Horseback riding, which declined to ' a marked degree upon the introduc^ tion of automobiles, is coming back * | stiong, and daily cavalcades are seen ? | on the streets and beautiful drives. ^ especially those over the magnificent ^ ; Cone estate. Some real estate is changing hands ami a number of new summer homes are in contemplation e | before the opening of another season. The lack of adequate water and sewer facilities is retarding the developments here and property owners are realizing that some active work ? must be done to remedy thi condition if our town is to come into its own as a health and pleasure resort. ?By H. C. Martin, in Lenoir Newsr* Topic. n kt! G.J. Harrington and Miss Berlie lt Eliis, both of Alexander county, were happily united in marriage at the ^ Baptist parsonage, July 17th. Ceremony was performed by Rev. F. M. r" Huggins le :e thorizing the borrowing of an amount a- of $710,000 to provide for the fund? c- to take care of this deficit in the spe al eial school fund. This amount die not represent excessive expenditure? >n of revenues for the current year oJ v- 1921, and th special session recogniz or ing this fact, did not provide for it as but directed that it be funded by th? sn current borrowing to be renewet or from time to time and eventually ok liquidated by any surplus revenue as that might arise in the future. Thi fig was made necessary in order to pro vide for the six months school tern he which was made mandatory by law ie, Th^jiUcKtors employed to make th tti- examination as to the state's finance ies on the other hand concluded that o 'or December 01, 1923, the date o in which Corporation Counsel Maxwe ni- said that there was a $5,000,000 dc r.g ficit in the state finances, whic es- charge caused the present audit to b iu- I . I exists 77,194.75. i id for Boone and Wataug* WATAUGA COUNTY. NORTH Ct ROAD WORK IN WATAUGA COUNTY Feeling that the public should be! kept informed about the road work of the county we take thi? method to! set out some of our aims. This year we will have about $3,-! ">00.00 for upkeep wrok in the county. This sum being realized from th?- advalorem tax of 4 or "> cents on each SI00.00 of assessment. This is,' as you will at once realize, entirely inadequate to maintain the public oads of Watauga County one year even if we do just as little as possi-1 bie. If some are inclined to think' tnat we are not. doing enough on any certain section of road just remember j above figures. Next year we will be in better) shape so far as funds are concerned. The present road law will allow a, rate of 15 cents per SI 00.00 of as-1 - s.-ment. Assuming that the assessment this year is approximately what it was last year the road tax will amount to from ten to twelve thou-J sand dollars. Thi-- maintenance money will be used in all townships accordin to the taxes paid by each tcwiishm. taking into consideration also the mileage of loads kept up by the State Highway 'oiutmsvion in the several townships. 1 Soto towi >hips have several miles of road that is maintained by the State, while othc*rs have nor. A provision in tht lav. p - ?d by last s? of :1 ti- A-ably provides that ?re-re a. towni t> did not receive its prop- r; ionate if:nt of the money derived from the >ul? of the first ?2Ub n'jo.pb of bonds '.hat more bonds must be Issued to e-; ia!i?e those townships. 'By the v av. :nt: av. has teeth in it, tor a I> ?:.*11 % ! ? ; i ;|< .I 'Jli'lcHi |; me "unly (' i..: i; fail-. 1 to issue ^aid \ ends) \that lav. finding thai -jmo township- had jec?af their pari ?.f ih<* money :r??ra th? fiv-t b$nd- tin < -unty Oom i t - kfllr I . ...?n mure bondiB. This nhpjv> will soon he available it's a tremendous ; ;?,-k to Keep up :!.< toad? .i? th? C???inl\ o\o." it* * amp y supp lied with the "v-ln : \v:rh": l ot Ik ine ' \'ei ? I *v.:. ready rash i i r.sore diftjeult. Ag?o about over the Conr.tj wo oftj hear th - m m.-ak that then* 1 "Free Labor" on the roads n<"Free Labor" l as not been abolish ' ; but "Forced Labor" has. No mar. . now forced by the rron hand of ' law to do service on the roads, ! . every man ;r*. the Country is her- ' invited to do tree labor on me ro.ro by his door. When you see ai danjr 1 j ous hole in a bridge nearnuur hom I or a large rock in the road won't \ . ! remedy that condition? It will or.y cost you ai few moments of your time while possibly it would cost the Con: I ty%dollars to do the same work; often we would have to go miles > i get to the point, of needed repairs 1 \lv nriiv.flrv ohiert in writinor this i 1 ride is to ask the whole-hearted cooperation of the entire citixensliip I the County in this work. Y\ e wan I to see every citizen from Wilkes to Tennessee and from Ashe to Aw: o interested in ROADS. What can w? do without your cooperation? It'? not so much the dollars and cents you get out of this work, but the c?>v dition the roads are kept in. Foii??v? citizens if it appears to you that w are not paying enough per day au work remember our motto is 4*Tfc? most good roads for our dollar" Friends, when we build new ter . along any public road remember . leave at least 25 feet between the fences otherwise they will soon h to be torn down. Thre is much '?:tudents. married a few days ago Ai><> or. Saturday Mr. Henry Grt -i . Secretary of the Watauga H :!? : - arid Loan Association, anc Mr.-.. Floy Mast, both of Boone, were married. Happiness to them. I The Methodist people of Boone are rejoicing over the prospect of geti tir.g i.Mto their new Church on next Sunday the 29th In fact all the people of Boone of all denominations ar erejoioing with the Methodist that they are about to get into their Church after the long hard struggle :n l,n:Mir;g it. The people here feel tnat th** LORD has been the great soar of h? Ip in this great task, other..'it could not have been acconv. .-bed. The Methodist Church ^ of ti We.-tcrn North Carolina < >> ft' with individual friends ia var parts of the State have helpe . people here most liberally,! iv .ll:- r the importance of the work. T?. ami each one of these ri : p. hear wish lo express the dcej e-v yr:/ ' : v . also t ; the good Baptist fri and other noble hearted p the .siiHer->? thuivks < exl i.-*" <5 for their liberal help. With or ?'t our Methodist people henv.. ay. "The Lord bless ea< h ?<: di Ah- art y welt omc r- hei : b> : I?-?i t i. -ill former oi--s r.'.'i friends hjfer e?nd everywhere t.' ;? ' i< o on next Sunday or ar.y J. M. ilOWXl M CELEBRATION OF GOLDEN WEDDING July 17th Mr. urn! Mr- J. lin of Lioonc. lohrated thvii Li' u Wcdd.ng aijlflversaty. : ujuiu-r ??f relatives ami friend? - i: -embied in honor of ih?- occasion, he childteii of tnis worihy oid coapU bringing well-iilied baskets ami ; number of handsome presents U brighter this day for their parents Mr Norris is the son of David Norri: whose son. William Norris, came witl !.is wife from Virginia as one of tht ; firsi .scluvia v>f \Yr.ta::.ga ' 'cur.ty Mrs. Norris was Miss Miriam Lou netta Crowell, daughter of John an* Elizabeth Crowell. of Union County and grandaught.er of Michael an< Jane Crowety who were among th< tirst settlers of Halifax, and wer* descendents of Oliver Croomwell. Mi and Mrs. Norris reared ten childrei two oi wnom nave uieu i t cei:i.:> Those of their children present at th Anniversary were Mrs. Pyron. o Charlotte, Mrs. Norris' only livini sister; Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Norris, o Sands; Mrs. McCoy Moretz and Mi J. F. Norris, of Charlotte; Dr. an Mrs. R. K. Bingham. Boone; Mr. an Mrs. K. A. Link, of Lenoir; Mr. an Mrs. Cooke, of Boone, and a numbe of friends. A most sumptuous dinne was served which aii present greatl enjoyed. Besides the eight livin i children Mr. and Mrs. Norris liav ' .12 grandchildren ana 11 great grant j children. J. M. DOWNUM. A.NOBLE BENEFACTION ' Mr. Lawrence S. Holt, the Burlinj " i ton philanthropist, has added $100 | 000 to the $400,000 sum set aside ' I few years ago and made the deed < trust conveying it irrevocable ar I self-perpetuating. The income is d vided among the Protestant churchi j of Burlington, the Thompson orphai ' age, the Valle .Cruris School, S ! Mir,-'.. P^turcnn Christ Church School at Arde While the gift to the Episcop church at Burlington is much largi than to the other churches, all them are remembered and the gen rous giver voices the hope '"mat some future time the whole of chri ? tendom might enjoy church uni i- and the whole body of christencio - might dwell together in fratem Christian low." It is a nobie ben faction and planned with the the n oughness and far-sightedness f which Mr. Holt is noted.?New s a: | Observer. mart: Northwestern North Carolii 1923 POST OFFFCE TO CHANGE 1 HANDS SATURDAY Oi: ."-.? r.n'.ay r.e*\ the Post Office r: Bf?4>ne wi!J change hands. Mr. vV. . D. Farthing. taking th. place of Post Master John E. Biwr:. who has for ' the p;i>* four years served this com- t mum*;. ?n thai responsible capacity ? :i. a n > satisfactory manner. Mr. Brown, possibly, has had his fault-. ! hut speaking: personally we can truthfully -ay that his administration has i beer, a decided success so far as The Democrat force is concernsi. Our bush - relations have been rnos* ! pleasant, and. regardless of the ceas! less grind. John Brown invariably, i greets us with a smile, and was never , < too busy to give us an attentive ear. . I His helpers have also given entire I satisfaction. i Mr. Farthing, the in-going Post. Master has had considerable ex peri -, f ence in Post Office work, as well as ! being assistant cashier in the Watau- j iZa f'oanty Bank for several years. Ther.' is no better qualified man. dos- | sibly in the county than he for this : particular work, n^i we besp-ak for him an administration most satisfactory to the Government ai;*: to his constitution*.* at Large. A- Mr. Brown steps down and ou: The Democrat giadij v.elcoms M; Farth-! ing v - the custodian of - nee 1 ' Pic.--a: I. agreeatia . a? eotrania* irg a ways, -uch i> Dwdlv Farthing. He iI gladly welcomed. Mr. Fairing ha | not sab! so much to ?ii, but we are tolo ' Mr B. H. Wat-i i'i t e . tts his a-,: tut t KILLS ?VIFE AND TWO BABIES. SLASHES SELF ( ? iml'.ki, Teiiii.. July 'J.2. Mrs. Opliir hugger, aged .*b>. he: tw chi Kfldrci.. a boy of foui ami a girl of tv.. . ar*. dead and Optra Dug- >. 1 he husband a.r.d father, is Avinu here to j !::vrirv as the* r Mil: of .. fit in" it.; sMU'hotia j.m il.v |).\rt o:' Hugger \ I'Lkjlji.vr. : w t<> lb*' jnu>m, made r". i fi i\. : u rnrc-t h* throats of ? w :i ?:uui of Mr. a; <: Mpa. V\ !. an* 1 la.nh... i ai I ;u : ;' ? *e{. M : ?. a > si>ier :<> slain won .an. ' According to Jacobs Hugger v.ho *! came to this section recently v. ? h. * his farn;!\. . Piainsv:!!.- lVv.a<. ' ' had hoop in Na- iile for a week j ..ca.rch.ir.;>: f-*** ?%v?rV Re returnee. - from that city only a few days ago i and st; I that he had been nubble' to secu?v a job. working on!\ one 1 day ol ... week in Nashvilie Jattjeohs .-est i that I'-ggor bad brooded ejo\er his inability to secure enploy' ! ment and that thi; is believed to have * affected ins mind and resulted in to day's tragedy. c After cutting the throats of his I w4fv' two children. Dogger used ?:the saniv raxor to inflict three ugly : m wounds upon himself. slashing his *-j throat, cutting his abdomen across d and also slashing his left arm. He d i was removed to the hospital here, i d where tonight attending physicians r I stated that he was net expected to t survive the night. y g ' * JOHN EARLY. LF.PER. SAYS l" GOOD BYE TO HIS EASTERNBRANCH HUT lota: Early, the leper, has again said goodbye to the little hut on the 5- hanky of the Eastern branch, where i,- he made his home during his various a or. tine nn- tits in Washington, and >f left f -r the federal leprosarium at id Carville. La. Accompanying him are i-: a public health service physician and esj an attendant. .Earl;* made a strong protest II agai? his transfer when notified d. to prepare- for the trip to Louisana. n , but later agreed to go voluntarily. a' A Dolicenwii had been detailed to as er i sist t public health service man in of (taking him from the quarintine to i the uuion station, but his services were unnecessary. * at _ I The government hopes to keep 1 Eaiiy m the federal leprosarium with. : opportunity to again escape lTn and omit to Washington. Early; lal showed up in Washington about a ie- week ago. walked into the district >r_ build i1 g and' asked for Health Officei William C Fowler. He toki D: or: Fov. It i thr* he recently spent severe r*u i days at Asfa^yifle and had vir'toc ; Fry, . l is former horn-. at ia. ?Established in 1888 NUMBER 29 *ARENTS' DAY AT THE BOONE PUBLIC SCHOOL The teacher? and the admini.- raof the public Spool arc- very ai.x jtti that the purer?.- vh-it. the : bat. as parei ts? > on owe . to youa r.. i:ren t< manifest a keen hilt-rest ! the educational efforts a their beia:!. Xfcere ic a Mtror.t: tendency a', present to shift the entire responsibility of child training oh the school. Ihi "is iinf rtunafce. There should be t.V? keenest type of cooperation be-* tween the home and the school. To . >?vu4?^%. v/vpvjatiuii ?inu tt pitrental interest in school life, the teachers are setting: aside one day next week as "parents day." The children will notify y of the exact date in iue time. The work on that day will not be out of the ordinary rnr will be typical of what; i> done every day. This, they feei. is what y >u should see. Please make an effort to t?e prespiit some time during the so roe iaj. CHURCH OPENING Next Sunday marks the date of the first services ;; ti 1 e\v Methodisi ehrurch in Boone. The large auditorium, with a comfortable seating capacity <>? T.'n. Ire Sunday School rooms or the ;?v>t floor an <1 s* pastors study . ?vi!i he completed this week, and the e?njr loiflted for opening w: : ecrivr at 11 m. At a Sjaucclt r*i?.<.*ing he.d Monday evernf .. cci rnitiee imposed of Dr. poir.write to: r. 'rlkatloti a kisto.'y of Mic Methodist chi rcb in Ho e Its yunv at to the pfjrosent. which wiii ;?}>?> ar in These coium.: prompt .y next, week We have .eiftrcd that dinner w!|j| 1'' ^ei Veti dfi the gyour.ik.. Sit;..lay . The public .> cordially invited to present at this service. Tie- Ik: < .. extend.- c. : jrrat i. itioi > m.?- -ruilK members of rlu ? t urd. \yhd ha\:r vo. Ill -< 1 ... 1" 1 A" lln.it- . - 'i . in< ir. erecting thi^ mag dive ut laH.ssf . i v. i,rship. and t.o 11.v pasltufe v. h?, ha> sto.At J?v t A delcgntioi of . <.ul 7" r- . i ." irn'r.r fr?;nu:> from Ajauiaeee louutj r.vadod v thi-.t ? .mi;, ate--, nt, Mr. Scojfc pent Thnr-day and Friday ir. Bo.?n?*. F'iday ivcrninc our agom. Mr. -'ann Steel. headed the l??ioi autotwf HDP'rciatoteei. which were responded to by Agent { Scott, of Alamance. Ho said their long trip through several Virginia Counties, was much enjoyed, bait when they arrived at the State line, j coming out of Tenn, a shout arose from every member of the party as they got the first whif of North ! Carolina air in thisVpiendid ar.d progressive county of atauga. They seemed to enjoy their vaaS. to Watau! ga very much, and our people enjoy; ed just as much having them with j us. The contest singing at Wiikesboro : was well attended last Saturday. ' There were three counties represent!ed: Wilkes, Alleghany, and Watauga. The Little River choir of AlexanIder county, led by Prof. Thomas Webster won first prize of $105.00 anu mi' ruiiuitti v* i uuini, ui W atbuga County, led by Prof. Z. T. Greene \vo*. m-ooi;? L . a lev. c.\>