i
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TODAY and""
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PATENTS cclebraticr
They have been holding a celebration
in Washington for the centennia
of the American patent system. 1
wish I could take time out to attend
for tile U. S. patent office was on*
of my playgrounds when I was a hoy
and my uncle was commissioner ol
patents. I learned more, I think
from tlic exhibits of models of early
inventions than X ever learned ir
school.
Many folks have a wrong idea
about patents. They think they are
intended to create monopolies. The
exact opposite is true. The word
"patent" means "to make public." Ir
return for disclosing the secret oi
his device or process so that anyone
enn use it, Uncle Sam gives the inventor
the sole right to use it for 17
years. After that it is public property.
America is one of the few countries
where the owner of a patent does not
have to pay an aimual tax on it
That is one of the reasons why we
are the most inventive people in the
, wuiiu. -1-iie otner is mat we naa tc
invent machines t.o do our work because
we wanted more work done
than there were men to do it.
*. * *
' INVENTIONS .... the public
In 1841, Henry L. Ellsworth, then
commissioner of patents, in his annual
report to congress, 3aid that the
patent office would soon be unnecessary,
since there was nothing much
left to invent. Just a few of the inventions
since then arc the telephone,
electric light, gas engine, phonograph,
airplane, photographic drj
plate, motion pictures, radio and
about a million and a half other devices
for which patents have been issued
since Mr. Ellsworth's time.
For years the patent office refused
to consider applications for patents
on flying machines on the
ground that it was impossible fox
men to fly. They still refuse p.pplications
for "perpetual motion" madaliiva
Uiiicas 5?C-Oi'upttiiicu"" by a
working model. No Inventor has yel
produced a model that works.
A patent, however, ia no prool
that an invention is valuable. The
value of any invention depends en
tirely upon whether it meets a pub
lie demand.
From time immemorial inventor!
have been trying to find some way
of storing the energy of sun heat
In sunshiny countris it Is easy tc
heat tanks of water by the sun's rays
and many patents have been prantec
on solar engines. Most of these
however, cost so much in proportior
to the power generated mat it doe;
not pay to build them.
DrL Charles G. Abbott, sf -carj
of the Smithsonian IT ate ol
Washington, however, th: _ks he haf
solved the problem. At uie patent
centennial he showed an engine rur
by sunpower which may point th<
way toward conservation of fue
when the earth's supplies of coal anc
oil arc exhausted.
Nothing could be more useful thar
costless power. I hope Dr. Abbott
is on the right track.
* * *
GLARE under control
One of the most promising of the
new inventions shown at the patent
centennial is a method of taking th<
glare out of automobile headlights
Scientists have long known that
light can be 'polarized"?that is, sc
reflected that the light beams art
parallel and go In one direction only
But all previous methods of doing
this have been too expensive anc
cumbersome for general use.
The new device is the result 01
years of work in two great Indus
trial research laboratories. It is 1
simple transparent sheet of a nev
kind of material which can be use<
instead of glass In motor headlights
and wi't project their beams in i
atraignt line ahead Instead of lnt<
the eyes of approaching drivers.
This one invention alone, when i
comes into general use, will be worti
untold money for its-value as a pre
venter 01 motoring accidents
* *
SOUI D death raj
Another amazing new thing is i
device which produces sound wave
at a pitch too high for the humai
ear to detect. These vibrations o
"ultrasonic" sounds have remarkable
powers of penetration and can evei
cause death. Dr. R. W. Wood o
Johns Hopkins laboratory, who de
' vtdoped them, showed how passlnj
these ultrasonic wavofct. through :
tank of water would kill all the fis]
in the water. That suggests a pos
sible use in killing the larvae of mos
quitoes In their breeding places.
Amazing new industrial compound
can also be found by these wavei
Oil can be mixed with water, an
powdered coal which has been sua
pended in water is consolidated Int
a solid lump by means of the new vl
LYCHF
I Win
jL 3L J
An I
VOL : L.VIII, NO. 24
: STATE MANAGED
! LIQUOR SYSTEM
IS RECOMMENDED
, Commission Proposes County
r Elections on Whiskey Sales;
i Rum Would Be sold at County
Ouerated Stores in Packi
age Form
t Raleigh, Dec. 20?-The liquor study
[ commission recommended today that
L North Carolina have a state-superf
vised alcoholic control system com.
posed of county-operated stores for
. sale of original package goods, with
r. sale of whiskey bv the drink pro.
hibited,
A. model bill bearing approval of
. four of the seven members of the
; commission was included in the report,
permitting each county desir
. ing to do so to hold an election on
t the liquor question and providing
t that the state should get 20% of the
. net profits of the stores with the
s counties getting 80%.
Three members of the commission,
L.. R. Varser of Lumberton, Chas. A.
Hines of Greensboro, and John Rob
. Kiaun v>iia.noLLe, proposed mat tne
i bill require a state-wide referendum
on the liquor question and that in
case of defeat of Lhe proposal for
county stores the present Pasquol
tank and Niw Hanover laws, under
which stores operate in 18 counties,
, would be repealed auto latically.
Victor S. Bryant of Durham, cliairr
man, along with Thos. W. Raoul of
I Asheville, Donnell Gilliam of Tar
boro, and R. F. Beasley of Monroe,
approved the county option law.
The proposed state liquor board
would consist of a chairman, to be
paid $6,000 a year for full-time
i work, and two associate members to
get $2o per day for days actually
worked. The members would he ap
pointed by the governor, for three( -
year tci ma after the first bcarti:
members, who would serve three,
two and one year terms respectively.
J The state board would have the
i veto power over practically ail ac
tion of the county boards, being
empowered to supervise the local
unit stores, fix prices, remove board
members, supervise purchasing by
n county stores, fix opening and closr
ing hours, approve or disapprove salaries
of county board members, and
, limit the number of stores in a coun
! ty beyond one at the county seat.
1 No manufacture of alcoholic beverages
having more than five per
: cent alcoholic content by weight
i would be permitted in the state but
beer up to five per cent content and
, 'natural wines" could be made.
County stores would not be allowj
ed to advertise, and no radio broadl
cast with matter in it tending to adi
vertise beverages with more than
? five per cent alcoholic content would
1 be allowed.
I All salaries and expenses incurred
under the liquor act would come
i from the proceeds of sales of alco
liolic beverages. All receipts would
go into general state and county
funds.
! LICENSE PLATE SALES
I AHEAD OF LAST TEAR
The sale of license plates on the
' opening days of sale have run about
50% ahead of a year ago. Those
who buy plates ahead of the last few
" days before January 1st save them'
selves the great inconvenience of
: standing in line for hours waiting to
be served. Forty thousand more
vehicles have now to be licensed
than in any former year, meaning a
greater jam if motorists wait for the
1 last rush.
' It is now a well understood policy
that no extension of time is given
' for use of old license plates on
1 streets and highways on or after
* January 1st.
The co-operation of motorists will
be greatly appreciated.
WATAUGA GIVEN BIG
SUM FROM NEW DEAL
r Seven North Carolina counties this
* year had received well over si.000.
8 000 in cash as a result of new deal
I legislation, according to official figr
urea released this week.
e Hie grand total received by the
II state through the agricultural ad1
justment administration from May
- 12, 1933, to July 1, 1936, is $32,5
428,101.63 in rental and benefit pay1
ments.
1 Watauga and surrounding counties
received the following:
" Watauga, 310,732.47; Ashe $18.132.90;
Wilkes, $33,220.83.
8
!. bratlons.
d This is still a scientific discovery,
i- which needs to be adopted to praco
tic.al use before it classes as an inL
vention.
USTMi
AUG.
Independent Weekly News;
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNT
"i
Greet
In this period of the glad Yuletic
the publisher deems it a privilegi
to wish for them all the pleasure:
The labors of the year have brou
able to serve the community and
the approval of our friends.
We thank each and every one foi
filled with merriment, and a New
TFIIMAN AHA1MS ISli
AUiaiilAi Ail L *JL X Kiflk/ AK7
DEAD AT AGE OF 78
One of County's Most Promin^
ent Citizens Succumbs to
Protracted Illness
Tillman Adams, well known and
esteemed citizen of Vilas R. F. D.,
died at his home Friday morning,
after a period of failing health covering
a period of almost a year. Mr.
Adams was nearly 7S years old.
Funeral services were conducted
Saturday at 11 o'clock from the
Brushy Fork Baptist church by the
Reverend W. D. Ashley and inter- 1
mcnt was in the Ward graveyard
nearby.
Surviving are one son and one
daughter: Arthur Adams, Vilas; Mrs. i
General Hodge3, Hodges Gap; two <
brothers, Amos and Enoch Adams of i
Vilas; two sisters, Mesdames Han- i
nah Ragan of Elizabethton, and Vio- 1
let Greene of Vilas. i
Mr. Adams was born and was
reared in the community in which he i
died. He was the son of David and 1
Mary Adams. He was a devout <
member of the Baptist church. He
was first married to Miss Nancy ]
Trivett, daughter of Elijah Trivett,
who died more than 30 years ago.
Later he was married to Miss Alverta
Bradley, who succumbed ten l
years ago. j
Mr. Adams was a farmer by oc- I
cupation and succeeded in his avo
cation. He was one of the county's i
: most substantial citizens, a leader in :
constructive community thought and
action, a good neighbor, a kind hus- 1
band and father, and an exponent of <
all those things which would be of '
(Contlmasd on page 8.)
VS TO
05E
japer?-ablished in the
Y, NOBMMCAROLIN A. THURS
irr j of the Se
; I >* $jSS|
p, ,. "" 1
/ ' - . - . . .. ^
iiSIs
le, as JL-ne Democrat pauses for i
> to extend the .greetings of the
s of the season.
ght to us pleasure and satisfaet
the county, and satisfaction in
: their contribution to our succes
Year of joy, happiness and pro
REPORT THAT COLLEGE
PAPER TO QUIT, DENIED
Mr. Eugene YVike, editor of the
Appalachian, student publication
at Appalachian College, tells The
Democrat that there is a current
report that his publication will be
discontinued following the Christmas
holidays.
Mr. YVike states that if there is
any change in the publication of
the Appalachian, it will be from a
weekly to a daily, and that there
is absolutely no foundation in fact
for the report which has been
heard.
REPORTS BIG INCOME
FROM TOBACCO CROP
Mr. W. D. James, prosperous farrier
of Sugar Grove, tells The Democrat
that from less than an acre
seeded to hurley tobacco, he has sold
A'ced to the amount of $434. The to
mcco was sold to a dealer, and refold
on the Abingdon market.
Mr. James states that from the
remainder of his crop, something'
like two acres, his receipts will be
considerably more than $800.
DEER HUNTERS HOST
TO NUMBER OF FRIENDS
Messrs. Ab Mulllns, Arthur Ham?y
and Pat McGuire were hosts to
sixty men of the town Friday even- j
ing at the Daniel Boone hotel. A ]
venison supper, with all the trimmings,
was greatly enjoyed by the
Invited guests, the gentlemen having
recently returned from Morehead
City with three fine bucks at. the
close of a four days' hunting trip,
rhe hospitality of the gentlemen was
greatly appreciated.
EVER
Mori
rjLY 'J
: Y ear Eighteen Eighty-Ei
1DAY, DECEMBER 24. 1936
lason
?'- mm
1*^1, /
i brief period in its usual labors.
acrciauu LU lib loycll ilieuub, iinu j
I
ion . . . pleasure in having been j
that our services have met with j
;s and wish for them a Christmas
sperity.
N. 0. SECURITY ACT
IS PLACED IN FORCE
State Unemployment Compensation
Law Approved by
Federal Government
Raleigh, Dec. 20.?North Carolina's
unemployment compensation
law, approved by the federal government
yesterday, provides for an
annual state tax on the pay rolls of
some 8,000 employers in order that
j their 350,000 workers may be more
I "socially secure."
Within the next few days, the
state unemployment compensation
commission, created by the act passed
by the recent special session of the
general assembly, will begin collecting
a .9 per cent levy on the 1936
pay rolls of most employers of eight
or more persons. The tax will increase
to 1.8 per cent in 1938 and
all subsequent years. The levy will
| go into a fund which, after January
11, 1938, will be used to "tide work
ers over" when they are unemployed.
Charles G. Powell, secretary of
state, will be sworn in, possibly
early this week, as chairman of the
compensation commission. He is
succeeded as secretary of state by
Thad Eure of Winton, who was named
to that position in the recent general
election. Eure, who would have
taken office January 7, accepted an
appointment from Governor Ehringhaus
to serve out the brief unexpired
term.
Mrs. J. B. Spillman of Greenville,
will serve with Powell on the commission,
as will A. L. Fletcher, state
commissioner of labor, an ex-off!cio
member.
The North Carolina compensation
(Continued on page 8}
VONE
RAT
ght
S1.50 PER YEAR
CONSTRICTION
ON PARKWAY
IS PROGRESSING
Large Section of Highway Will
Likely Be Completed Next
Year; Congress Must Provide
Additional Funds
Favorable weather has enabled
all of the eonlrttOtors who have
worlfintr nn Choih Cfhio
- O
Scenic Parkway jobs in this section,
of the state to make excellent
progress. According: to reports, all
of the contracts in North Carolina
are at least up to schedule with
some of them considerably ahead of
the stage they agreed to reach by
this time. With a continuation of
weather during which work may be
done, all parkway contracts in this
state that have been awarded should,
it is said, be well along by the end of
1937. with the earlier jobs between
the Virginia-North Carolina line
nearly completed.
Over 35 miles of the parkway is
now under cons tract from Buck
Creek gap in Yancey county past
Mt. Mitchell and across the Big
Blacks to the end of the Ciuggies.
No more money is on hand, it is understood.
for additional contracts.
Whether the incoming congTcss will
make further appropriations for the
work on the parkway remains to be
seen. Since President Roosevelt is
known to be very favorable to the
completion of the Parkway, there is
a widespread impression that large
additional sums will be forthcoming
in time to permit work on more sections
of the project to start next
spring. Surveys and estimates of
the cost have been made so that
many miles coukl be immediately advertised
for bids, if the money was
available. Originally started as a
work relief project, -the parkway is
believed by those closest to the undertaking
to have been shifted from
that basis to one of the major im
provemonts fostered by the administration.
If that is the case, work on
the parkway will continue uninterrupted.
But several years will be
required to complete the job.
No estimate has been made public
by officials who are informed as to
when the parkway might be open to
traffic, if funds are provided without
delay. Present indications are
that no contracts will be let for the
sections of the parkway between the
vicinity of Linville and the Buck
Creek gap for some time to come.
Meantime, with the completion of sections
already being built, the existing
state highways across Avery, Mitchell
and Yancey will have to carry
greatly increased traffic.
Some sections of these highways
are now unsuited for the traffic on
them. Local industrial developments
j along the route will greatly increase
I uiu iiuutu'.i ui v.ni c auu uucks unilift
these sections. The state highway
and public works commission is said
to appreciate this situation and will
j doubtless take steps to remedy it.
John Smith, Matney
Citizen, Dies at 47
John Edgar Smith, well-known
farmer of the Matney community,
died Thursday of last week, -after a
long illness. He was 47 years of age.
Funeral services were conducted
Saturday morning from the Liberty
Methodist church by Rev. Mr. Murray
and Rev. Dwight Edminsten, and
interment was in the cemetery nearby
Surviving are the widow and one
son, Heath Smith, one brother, Bill
Smith, Matney; two sisters, Mesdames
Blanche Michael and Annie
Yates of Matney.
HOLIDAYS BEGIN A.T
LEES-McRAE COLLEGE
Banner Elk, Dec. 23.?Christmas
holidays at Lees-McRae College began
at noon Tuesday with the departure
of students and faculty for
varied destinations. The college will
rAsvn&n ATI Tannow R ow) ?!"
.r? ?? vwtuuijr l?, unu vi?wca W1U
be resumed on the morning of the
6th, according to announcement by
Leo K. Pritchett, dean and registrar,
before the holidays.
All of the college dormitories are
now closed, and will not reopen until
January 5.
The first semester examinations
will begin on January 19 and end on
January 23. On the following Monday
the second semester will open.
Mail is carried to outlying islands
in the Hawaiian group by fishing
sampans under contract with the
government.