*[
ADVERTISERS
As a medium through which
to sell your wares The Demox
crat is unexcelled in country
Ncwsaperdom. Our subscribes
arc readers and Buyers.
VOLUME XXXVI
Bills for Parks Have
13 _ n 1 **
oeen i~assea m nouse
With President's Signature Measure
Will Become a Law State Le<
Movement Due Investigations tc
he Made in Mountains.
A Washington dispatch of the 1 t?th
tc the Greensboro News gives us tht
following "park news."
In the house today the TemplarParker
Bill passed. It had already
v passed the sc.ate and is now ready
for the signature of the president,
which it is believed will be forth
coming, as it is understood President
Coolidge is heartily favorable toward
\ tb ohi'l.
Leaders ir? the Movement
Representatives Weaver. Dough
ten and Bulwinkle all introduced bills
providing for national parks iti the
Statt of North Carolina, and Representative
Temple introduced one providing
for a park in Virginia. Agree
ment was finally reached between the
North Carolina., fenrc.-see and Virginia
dclepulions and the Temple bill
was "o :: mended as to embrace the
Blur Mountains of Virginia,
the Smoky Mountains of North Carotin;
ami Tennessee and other areaim-haling
Grandfather Mountain and
the I11 villi- Gorge. Thi amended bill
was introduced and passed r th?.
senate When it came to "st
it was substituted for the - ?;]
and passed.
Weaver an AdvocMr.
\V oiivor who has -t
of the forenu A advoca ~ ^
part projects, and is di
end.; foi the passageas
any man in C'ongres
plaining ir.? provisions
he said "Thi bill confc
upon the m i rotary of tin
take preliminary steps townrcis un.
atlection of one or more national
parks in the eastern Appalachians.
*T" i. I'll .. if : ? . ...I.lii.I.
? (itr i>*u 41 * 11 uoes not csiuuusii ui
create such national parks but pro
vide*- that the secretary of the interf
ior may apopint ;? c unpijssion or
^ five members composed of a rcpresen
tative from the interior department
and four national park experts, who
shall serve without compensation, to
examine the Shenandoah Valley area
of the Appalachian Mountains it!
Virginia, and tin Great Smoky mour
tain area in North Carolina and Tennesse.
and such other Appalachiar
areas as the commission may deter
mine upon in North Carolina anc
elscw here.
Maj Investigate
"The Secretary of the interim
through this commission may ir.ves
tigat* suitable areas, receive definite
offers i>f donations of areas of lam!
secure options and determine tht
boundaries of lands which he may
recommend for the purpose of national
parks.
"1 have introduced H. R. 10898
which embraces the Smoky Mountair
area. Representatives Doughton anc
Bulwinkie of North Carolina havt
introduced bills presenting the Lin
ville Gorge and Grandfather and tht
Roan Mountain areas. The present
bill provides an appropriation of 20,.
000 for the purpose of investigating
all these areas by the secretary of tht
* interior with a view to determine
^ more exactly the necessary boun
darics and lands which may be rec
ommended and ail other data ant
information relative to the establish
ment of these great parks.
"North Carolina has a number oj
areas that are well worthy of con
federation in this respect. The greai
Grandfather and Roan mountain are*
including the Linville Gorge woulc
undoubtedly meet the requirement!
of a national park. The Great Smoky
mountain area is the most primitive
of all the vast range in mountain:
in the Appalachians. It has now be
come accessible through the construe
lion of highways by the state of Notl
Carolina and the state of Tennessee
It is the greatest mountain mass eas
d f thp Rnplfipu Thu nnifprn T Tn it.*/
States has no national parks. To visi
any great national park one mus
now almost cross the continent. I
would seem but wise and just tha
the national government should nov
undertake the project of establishing
for the health and recreation of thi
people some great parks in the con
gested areas of the east.
"The project of establishing thes*
parks iniated by Dr. Hurbert Work
the present secretary of the interior
He is to be commended for his fore
sight in this respect.
Assurances have been given b;
those who will have much to do wit]
choosing the areas that the Grand
$1.50 Per Year BOONE,
I MRS. ELIZABETH GREENE
PASSED AWAY SATURDAY
Mrs. Elizabeth Greene, widow of
-'the late Rev. David Greene, died at
i her home on Meat Camp last Satur*
day after an illness covering: a period
of two years. Interment wa? made
in the burying ground at Meat Camp
V Church on Sunday, the funeral services
conducted by Rev. L. C. Eggers
and L. A. Wilson. Mrs. Greene
was s? venty eight years of age. and
59 years of her long life was spent
as a consistent and devoted member
' of the Baptist church, and her Christian
influence will be greatly missed
m her community.
' She is survived by two children,
I Mrs. H. 8. -Jones of Zionville R. F.
I)., and Mr. K M Green of Boone.
She numbered her friends by her acquaintances
;*id her departure has
I brought sadness to many hearts.
Comrade Sunday School Class
Holds Quarterly Meeting
! The Comrade Sunday School class
' o i "he M. E. Church held their quar
ceny ousifviss ana social meeting: on
last Friday night at the Critcher IK> j
tel.
the meeting was called to order
1 hy tin president, Mrs. A. E. South,
after which Miss Billy Todd presided.
Tin treasurer Mrs. A. K. South
1 jrad a very pleasing report for th'
past year. Officers for the ensuing
I year were elected as follows:
Mrs. A. K South, president; Mrs
!i W. (i. Hartzog, vice president; Mr.
! A. K. South. Secy-Treas.
There wore several discussions as
to something definite 10 work for in
j the coming year. After the business
meeting a social hour was enjoyed,
followed by refreshments.
' *
| KF.V. W M. BAIRD DEAD
Rev. \V. M. Baird of Mat.r.ey a
local minister of the Seventh Day
Adventist church died at his home
last Monday in the 68th year of his
1 age. Mr. Baird was a native W
gan, ami has always bene considered
an upright, honest c hristian gentle
'.man. H< leaves two children, Mrs.
Pies. McGhinnis of Vilas, this coun1
ty, and Miss Libbie Baird, who has
1 , beer. holdi:ig a position at Albemarle
1 this state, for a number of years.
Both were present when the end came
1 Miss Libbie arriving Sunday evening.
1 LIVINGSTON CI.OB
MEETS WITH MISS AVETT
On Monday afternoon February
Iti, the Livingston Club, tin young
ladies Missionary Society of the
' Methodise church met with Miss,
' Louise Avett and Miss Anr?i< Lee
' i Trivett at Miss Trivefct's 'none. . The
I reports of the treasurer and the secretary
were encouraging, showing a
! balance in the treasury and an in1
crease in membership.
I Miss Ruth Avett, a student at Da-,
venport College, Lenoir, N. t. and j
Miss Virginia Jenkins of Lexington,
N. C were visitors. Miss Jenksas talk'
ed very interestingly on activities at
" Scarrit and on various phases of the
? Sunday School work.
A pleasant social hour followed the
J business meeting and at that time
" Misses Avett and Trivett served de|
licious refreshments.
BLONDE BESS OPINES
"Fellow at our boarding house cir^
cles the globe several times e\ ry day
" i It's Mike?the goldfish."
ti
i father and Linville Gorge sites will
1 j have the most careful consideration.
>: Competent men will be appointed on j
f the commission to inspect the various;
* . sites, and it is believed' the entire pro- ,
5 1 posed park area, including vast ter
ritory in the Appalachian range of
c mountains, will be inspected with a j
t view of recommending the best of
- these to be constructed into national1
t parks.
1 Representative Doughton, w ho'
t has been deeply interested in the
t proposed projects, today declared
fr -11 *V e- . . ' ?
- i ?,????. c*n mr in nis snouia
t be considered. He said
v "Dr. Temple who was a member j
I of the unofficial commission and who
s will undoubtedly be a member of the
- park commission yet to be appointed,
assured me personally that all the
e* sites proposed in North Carolina, in?
eluding the great Grandfather and
the Linville Gorge sites will have
- adequate consideration. He said the i
commission would make a careful j
y inspection of all the proposed park!
h areas. His assurance is gratifying to
me and my section of the state."
watauca county, north ca
OUR WEEKLY
OF L.EGISLA
(By M. L. SfllPMAN)
Raleigh. Fob. IT.?The fight <?veri
re>t rioting the state iliscassior. <.f the
evolution bar measure, the forward
inarch along legislative paths of the
$20,000,000 bond issue for roads bill
together with a companion measure
to increase t.he gasoline tax from
three to four cents a gallon, decision
of the house committer not ?> recommend
the establishment of a state
' onstabulary. and various other mat ter:
of more or less importance occupied
the time of the General As
> nibly dining the past week.
The road bond issue passed in the !
nato on all readings. A companion
measuie introduced by Sams of Foryth
'.vho also introduced the bond
bill, provides for revision of th<- rcg
uintions having to do with the control
oi the highway fund for an increase
the gasoline tax from three to
tour cents to finance the new road!
bond issue. Passage of similar men
sure in the house is expected without!
any difficulty, thus carrying out with
out any difficulty hJovernor McLeans j
plans in this particular without, any
change.
"Evolution" was disucssed .t length!
before committee last week and fin-1
ally a vote revealed that th< education
committee was deadlocked 1(5?
.o 16. Representative Tobe Connor!
stunned into the breach with a noir-'
alive vote, he? being chairman of the!
onmiiUee. The bill was thus sent'
ack to the house with an unfavor-j
abb report. Its proponent win aver!
that evolution should bo taboo in the
schools of North Carolina entered a
minority report and the measure will
h ive a special hearing on this report
Tuesday night at eight o'clock, when
th" subject will be up on the floor
of the House.
Redisricting the state was provided
for in a measure, finally passed
by the House creating four additional
judicial districts with judges and so-'
lieitors. The mil when first introduced
provided for seven new districts'
but was killed by the house on its
second reading. Representative Pete
Murphy of Rowan succeeded in getting
a motion to reconsider the vote
by which the original bill failed on
second reading adopted. When t)i
bill again came up in the house it
was amended to provide four instead
of seven additional districts and \va>
passed by a safe majority. Chief a
nn n.g the arguments presented against
it was that of economy, it being
averred that the extra districts will
increase the cost of the slate govern
ment by more than $50,000 a year.
Its proponents argued that the conditions
of the dockets in various conn!
ties made an increase a necessity.
The proposal to establish a state
constabulary was made by Rcprescn '
tative Wade who introduced a bill in
line with recommendations of the
social committee which investigated
this suoject. An unfavorable report
on the bill was returned but it will
be up again on a minority report.
However the House does not appear
to think well of the proposition and
will more than likely sustain themajority
report.
A sales tax. independent of the
revenue bill was sent up in the House
by representative Jackson of Madison
on Saturday who would tax cigarcigarettes
candies, cosmetics, and oth
er minor purchases. The bill providing
what are commonly termed nuisance
taxes went to the finance committee.
It is well named in the opinion
of a formidable group of legislators
and others.
The seriate passed a bill which reduced
the personal property tax ex-!
emotion from $300 to S50. over the!
protest of many senators. It is predicted
that this bill will have a hard
road in the house which will probably
show greater consideration fori
the "ninety and nine."
Financial legislation is expected to
occupy the center of the stage during
the coming week. The revenue]
bill, it was indicated, will provide'
for a fifty per cent increase in the;
income tax rates, but the other chan
ges in the bill from the report of j
the state hoard of assessments have
not been made public. The budget
report for the next biennial period
containing the appropriations for departments
and institutions., is aisd
expected to be presented by the ap-|
propriation committee of the House,
K?JL![NA. THURSDAY FEBRUARY
,
RESUME
TIVE EVENTS '
OF LOCAL INTEREST
Br. Mr. Greer, a bill to b?* entitled
an act to repeal chapter 154 Private
Laws, section 1923, relating to the
corporate limits of the town of Blow- '
ins: Rock.
whici oas had it for soruo time.
The following; public bills, have j 1
been ores, nted during the week:!
An act to amend sections Chapter
136 mi folio laws of 1523 t?.nd
sections Consolidated Statutes relat- i
lug- to public; schools; act requiring 1
vaccination of dogs against rabies, t
act creating a department of state ?
poli. < . providing f<?r the appointment
of i superintendent thereof together <
with the personnel which will cor.- stitut.
the force defining expenses
connected therewith; act providing
for he construction of a bridge a- 1
cross lower Chowan river and to pro- :
vsde for the issuance of $000,000.00
bonds of the state to pay the cost of
the .-aiiii? ; act to amend section 918
Consolidated Statu t s relating to ser
vice of subpoenas and summonses of
juror: act to regulate the sale of
leaf tobacco and seed cotton; to re-,
peal chapte 1135 Public Local Laws 1
of N. ( - session 1021. relating to a
high\va\ commission for the county
of Pamlico; an act t?? authorize the
issuance of highway bonds of the
Slate, to provide for apportionment
of Highway revenues and to incrcas
the same and to amend Chapter two
Public Laws of the regular session
1921 providing for construction ami
maintenanc e of stale highway system
and to amend section I chanter 188
Public Laws 1 923 providing for oer- ( 1
tain sinking fund payment; act to amend
banking laws of the state as set
forth in chapter 5, volume 3 of Con-j
solid a ted Statutes, being also chapter t
four of the public laws of 1921 as
amended; to amend article ten of
chaptc five, volume three Consolidated
statutes of 11)21: to refund to 1
domestic corporations income taxes
for the years 1921 and 1922, to prohibit
insurance of the lives of infants
under six years of age; to amend
section 7407 Consolidated Statutes
by dispensing with the fee for
the registration and transfer of statebonds
and certification; to authorize
temporary bonds and notes to state
exchangeable for definite bonds and
notes; act creating a department of
state police, providing for appointment
of superintendent with personnel
which shall constitute the force
defining their powers and duties,
making appropriation fur the expense
connected therewith; to amend
section 2295 and 2290 of Consolidated
Statutes relative to advancement
to children from estate of insane
persons: ar. act authorizing the transfer
of certain of the dangerous insane
from the state hospitals to the
of the United States Government; an
act to allow counties, cities and
towns, in any county in North Caro-j
lina. to charge and collect license and
privilege taxes for selling or otherwise
disposing of horses or mules
therein by non-residents of said coun
ty, in addition to the license and :
, privilege taxes ow charged by the
! state, or thai hereafter be imposed
in Bertie county; to repeal chapter!
, 1-10, Public Local Laws of 1921 which
amended chapter IIS private laws of
1919, prohibiting the sale of certain
, drinks within a half mile of Mount
1 Gould landing in Bertie countv on
f the day of the annual Fanners* Union
or Farmers* Alliance picnic held
there every year; an act to regulate
the profession of public accounting
in the state, to prescribe its practice ;
so as to afford protection to the
public; to repeal chapter 157 Public
Laws of 1923, entitled, "an act to
create a State Board of Accounting
' and prescribe its duties and power
to prescribe for the examination and
issuance of certificates to qualified
applicants, with the designation of
| certified publicaccountants and to
I provide the grade of penalty for the
t violations of the provisions thereof;
an act to prevent the operation of
garages in the same building where
a livery stable is kept; to amend
chapter 82 section 4285 Consolidated
Statutes in reference to reinstating
mortgages and deeds of trust in case
of f-aud, to prohibit the use of pub<Continued
on page three.>
19, 1325. 5 Cts. aCopy
kVai&uga Potato Acreage
To be Greatly Increased
Coui.t\ A^ent States That Larsfe
Nuniber? ol New Members are '
Coming in Daily.?Price of Seed 1
Shows Steady Advance
T.be farmers of th count\ are go- |
ng irit the potato business this year <
n a business-like proporl ions. The
Potato Growers Association is plan- t
.ing *his year to market a considerit>le
percentage of its potatoes as
?at stock a soon as dug. The
- ?>1, : litv is that more seed will be ]
requ rvd for the county than the, i
\ssoc ation now has in storage. - .
T: county agent has been worklig
the freight rate from Boone '
L*j ions points in the south during
:he two years i.ha the has been here ' <
inri : . has succeeded in getting the i
f rate from Boone to principal J i
iriue- in South Carolina. Georgia.:
\ na. Mississippi Louisiana, Flo]
rida. a rate that is cheaper than haul,
iiig truck to the nearbv towns.
Uur freight rate to the cities in the j
state* named run from *50 cents to \
60 vents per hundred which will en
ur farmer*- to disp? < of an I
ted amount, of potatoes at a, l
i her that ecti ? of t be country J
product- f-o th'.-:n:--ei.es. Flor; i
gins shippii.t: A nrii and May;
h Carolina in Ma.% 1 the first i
f . eastern Cure i ii tune and j
iui> tnd Virgin.* in i'> and then
ft-: of August. The next largest'!
prod:: dUg .*VCliOil 111 Oid'.-l* '*" New 1
Vorh which doe* not begin to ship
until the latter pan .?t" September ;
lea the latter nan .if August. ,
and 'he fir>t *?f September with a
scarcity of potatoes oti the market.
It i* the purpose of the Association .
I his year to grow not onh >etfd po- ,
Lato? - hut also atii.g stock in place ,
on the market just as *o<? as they
:? ? ?? )-i :i? I v I i 11 i?r
The marketing of table stock po-j
l aloes will in this way furnish the
farmers an outlet for any off grade
potatoes 01 some that do not come 11
up to the perfection *?f seed. It will
also enable him to dispose of enough
of his crop to cover produe ion cost.
The Association plans to go* a potato
grader and pass all potatoes
over :t before they are shipped.'
therein placing on th?- market standard
brand product and ship in standard
hags. In this way Watauga will
be able to get on the map as a potato-producing
-e n. We have al\va.\s
known that potatoes could In
grown here l.tit obi production has
been limited to the number of bushels
that could in wagoned or trucked
down the frtour.tain.
The farmers of the county are show
ing il . appreciation of this situation
1 . ' .lying eed and plantii c operas
io: on a much larger scale than
heretot'O.1 Several car loads of seed
have . . shipped this week and e\
era! cars have also been sold to the
local farmers of this county. Mr. ;
Blair, j.-treas. of the local branch
of thv A?ooiation states thai at the
present ate it will only be a few days
before i'.i their seed is soiil. it is
probal that a car i?f Maine seed
will hive to be shipped in to supply
the local demand.
Due t the tremendous production
of poi:u > over the United States
during li*24 and the consequent low
price .1 which they soid on the mar- .
ket, t .! large producing sections are
reducing their acreage this year so
that :i price of seed has remained
unust .. iy low just at this time. How
ever .e demand is increasing at ai
rapid tte and the price has advanced
more than SI.00 per bag so states
thes county agent. Because of this
advance it will also be necessary for
the iccal association to advance its
price. However Mr. Steele states that
due tu the fact that a large number
of farmers have spoken to him for
seed ir. -y will wait until the 23rd day j
of February before raising the price,
to local growers. This week the price
is $3.00 per bag. next week it will
be *.">.25. The price of Maine seed
delivi red in Boone just now is around
$4 per bag.
Th< banks of the county being interested
in increasing the money flow
in Watauga county are interested in
the di clopment of this potato industry.
The Watauga County Bank
in a letter issued* the first of the
month states:
"According to the usual trend of
things. i".':5 i? going to be'the lowproductior
year for potatoes with the
price correspondingly high. The
present demand for seed potatoes and
the consequent low price is evidence
"THIS WEEK*
by Brisbane, world's highest
salaried editor is a feature we
carry, handled hitherto by only
the metropolitan Dailies.
Read this, column weekly.
NUMBER SEVEN
NEWS ITEMS FROM THE
APPALACHIAN SCHOOL
A snow storm cam-.* to Boone on
Wednesday and Thursday and c.r. the
formei day v. as accompanied with rubor
severe thunder and lightning.
Some unknown persons broke into
M r. Dork Mast's store Oe night the
past w? . while he was attending
hurch, and >tole $1200 io $1500 in
>oes and thing, with perhaps 6th;r
things.
At. ?f * I minor g?b^1 I'* tT vr
Muggins, conducted devotional service
arSi made a very timely and impressive
talk to the- student body.
On Friday afternoon from 3:30 to 5
/clock the First Year Cooking Class
with Mi Daie in charge, gave u.
Valentine unity in the Home Econom
ics department rooms with ihe family
and Mr. E. A. Poe, architect, as
quests. In a contest Hunting candy
hearts. M. Ruth Dots on of the Art
Department, won first prize. Delicious
refreshments were served and
La-k: v. made by Professors B. B.
Doughertj. -j. M. Downturn. J. D
Rankin . : Mr. Poe.
A number of friends of Mr. and
Mr J. A Sproles from Wilkesboro
Boone on Sui May and
spent the day with them, and were
in-.i. u ae Critter Hotel for dinner.
The i" ir.g interesting announcment
abou: two of Boone's fine youg
peopl- been sent out: "The Honor
01 . presence requested at
he marriage of ML> Carrie Hurt on
o Mr. i? in Brown Bingham on Sat
uday the :wenty eighth of February
ui eight < clock in the evening. Meth?di
-t church, Boone, North Carolina"
Miss Carrie Coffey gave a Valentine
parts on Thursday LVening in honor
>f Miss Horton at which one of the
principal features was a linen shower
i>f most beautiful embroidery for the
In ide-to-bo. A musical program was
given and a contest was put on in
*vhich the prize was won by Miss
iluth Cottrell, the prize being a sil'.t
r thimble which she presented to
the bride-elect. ?
In a basket ball game here on Saturday
night between Lenoir High
School girls and the Training School
giris the score stood 16 to 1-1 in favor
of the Boone girls.
I. M. Dow num.
DYNAMITE USED IN
SEALING HIS GRAVE
Cave- City, Ky. Feb. 18.?Sealed in
his. perpetual tomb. Floyd Collins
sicens tonight in peace. Buried alive
he endured for days the terrifying
solitude, praying that somehow, he
would escape the impending doom.
Unable longer to withstand the tortures
of body and spirit he died alone
trapped in the jaws of the cave, the
wonders of which he discovered.
Realizing perhaps that the valiant
efforts of scores of persons to rescue
him would be in vain, he met death
gamely, his jaws set. A few hours,
or maybe a day or two after death
had ended his sufferings, rescuers
broke open his sarcophagus. .
Plans were made to bring out the
body, but the risk was too great and
the caverns he knew and loved so
well became his crypt. With simple
funeral services yesterday his body
resigned to the cave that would not
release him.
The boom of detonating dynamite,
the dull thud of huge boulders; looscued
from their centuries old bed on
the desolate hillside, as they tumbled
in and sealed the new pit, was as the
drawing of a colophone to the heroic
work of the rescuers.
. .Today a few flowers strewn about
the mouth of Sand Cave and a few
spectators wandering aimlessly about
had reolacrd the meachanical eauio
ment and the jaded workers of yesterday
.
Boss: "I'm smoking a terrible lot
of cigars these clays."
Stenog: "I'll say you are?if that's
one of them.
that the growers in the large planting
centers are cutting down their acreage.
All these signs may fail but they
indicate strongly that 1925 is going
to be an excellent time to plant.
Plant potatoes for seed and if they
fail to pass inspection ship them as
table stock. We shall be glad to have
you talk this matter over with us or
with your county agent. Either of us
will lend you every assistance possible."
This sounds like a farmer who is
not able to make his start is going
to have an opportunity to, if he will
I