j w
VOL. 52, NO. 24
GREYHOUNDBUS
TARES TOURISTS
OVER PARK ROAD
Newspaper Men and Photographers
Accompany Local
Group on First Tour of Scenic
Highway; Current Issue of
"Highway Traveler" Boosts
Northwest Section
A group of Boone citizens an-1
about ?5 Appalachian College students
are passengers today on the
first bus to traverse any part of the
Blue Hidge parkway. The bus is
one of Greyhound's standard equipment
and is making just the one
trip under a special permit from
the National Park service in connection
with matters pending between
the bus company and governmental
agencies. ~
Before leaving Boone this morning
for the trip, photographs of the
bus were taken at the tobacco warehouse
during the opening sale and
on the campus of Appalachian College.
Honesty compels the statcmciTt
that while the warehouse
scene is interesting, the college
background with dozens of beautiful
giris is much more attractive.
These pictures will be used in a publicity
campaign being initiated by
Greyhound.
Western North Carolina and the
parkway is given a big boost in the
current issue of The Highway Traveler,
publication of the 17 associated
Greyhound lines. Four full pages
are devoted to pictures and glowing
descriptive matter giving distant
readers some conception of the
scenic grandeur of this section.
Three quarters of a million copies of
this magazine arc being distributed
by the 4.6C0 ticket offices of the
Greyhound lines, and by hotels,
travel bureaus and other agencies
throughout the United States.
The traveler has d.ne much during
the past few years to advertise
North Carolina as u year iound vacation
land, but the current display
is more elaborate and attractive.
Ten thousand extra copies of this issue
are being distributed by the
Atlantic corporation, which operates
in eleven eastern slates. Copies
are available at the local bus
Station.
Some idea of what the parkway
> will mean, to all .of western North
Carolina in tourist trade is gathered
from figures just released by the
National Park service at Washington
on attendance during the past
cummer and fall when 97,000 automobiles
carried nearly 300,000 visitors
over tho completed sections of
cut- ? ' <
uis mugniitccni road.
Breakdown of these figures show
that 12,000 cars and nearly 40,000 of
the visitors came from states other
than North Carolina and Virginia.
This despite the fact that the parkway
has many unfinished links and
little except purely local publicity
lias been given to its attractions.
With completion next year of the
entire road from Front Royal, Va?
to Blowing Rock, N. C., soon to be
followed by completion of the re
mainintr links by way of Asheville
to the Great Sntoky Mountains National
park, this section will have a
great deal more to offer to the tourist
Mr. J I.. Giln-.er, vice-president
of flic Atlantic Greyhound corporation,
is here this week accompanied
. by newspapermen gathering data
for a greatly enlarged publicity
program tor the attractions of western
North Carolina.
NAME CARO-JEAN INN IS
CHANGED TO WATAUGA
Mr. J. O. Cook, who recently purchased
the Caro-Jean hotel property,
announces the change of the
name of the well-known and popular
hostelry to the Hotel Watauga
and Cafe.
The hotel is enjoying a fine patronage
and Mr. Cook is rendering
his guests splendid service.
GO DEER HUNTING
Messrs. Craig Holler, Kenneth
Linney, Richard Kelley, Dr. Har
mon. 'Bernard Dougherty and Flucn.
Stewart constitute a k.
expedition into the Pisgah National
Forest this week. Reports coining
to Boone indicate that Craig Holler
and Baxter Linney have each killed
deer.
COVE CREEK AND BETHEL
DIVIDE BASKET BALL BILL
A hoys' basketball team from
Bethel high school was defeated by
the Cove Creek club Tuesday night
by the score of 24 to 20. The game
was played in Cove Creek gymnasium
and attracted a large crowd.
A strong girls' team from Bethel
later in the evening crushed the
Cove Creek girls under a score of
33 to 3.
Cove Creek will play a doubleheader
with Mountain City Saturday
night in the local gym.
"HANSEL AND GRETEL" TO
BE GIVEN AT VALLE CRUCIS
The faculty and students of Valle
Crucis School for Girls will present
a play, "Hansel and Gretel," on
Monday afternoon, December 18, at
3 o'clock. The public is cordially
invited to attend. No admission
will be charged.
ATAl
An Independent V
BOONE, WATA
Next Issue of Democrat J
Will Appear Tuesday ^
The next issue cf the Watauga
Democrat will come from i
the press next Tuesday afternoon, *
rather than on Wednesday, so
that the force may get affairs in .
shape akout the shop for the *
Christmas vacation, the only time
in the year when those respon
sihle for the publication of the
county paper have a few days off.
Contributors, advertisers and
job printing patrons arc urged Jo
take note of this change and be
ready with their "copy"* this
week. Positively no advertising t
matter can be received after noon 11
on Mondav, and routine contribu- c
lions, organization reports, etc, i
must also be in the hands of the i
printer by that time. Job print- t
ing required before the holidays
must of necessity be produced
this week. Complete co-opera f
tion in this regard is asked. i
a
^ (
THEATRE TO GIVE
I CHRISTMAS PARTY ?
i
Five Hundred Tovs and Quanti- '
ties of Confections to Be Dis- ;
tributed Christmas Eve <
Hundreds of children are expect- J
cd to gather at the Appalachian ;
Theatre Sunday afternoon, December
24. at 2 o'clock, at a community 1
Christmas party, when 500 toy3 de- v
livered at a recent benefit matinee c
in lieu of tickets, will be distributed, j
t
MORE TOYS NEEDED
Later advices indicate that a 1
number of toys are yet needed r
for the Christmas parly, and if <
those wishing to donate these s>
discarded toys will gel in touch r
with Miss Marguerite Miller ot :
the county welfare office, she
will coiicci the gifts. It is urged r
that the people be libera!, in this
regard and notify Miss Millet at
once, so that all the needy children
attending the party will be
well provided for.
n
when countless bags of confections a
will, be bunded out to the needy h
children, as they enjoy a program ?
of especially prepared Christmas e
rungs and recitations.
Manager C. H. Trotter believes
that with the continued co-opera- t
tion of tiie people, the Christmas t
party will he a highlight of the s
holiday season and perhaps the ^
most successful event of the kind v
icver neicohere. The program is be- J
| ing arranged carefully and will be ^
one thai will bring joy to the kid- ,
dies.
The Democrat is now taking do- J
nations to the Christmas party fund
and asks all the people of the community
to contribute a little to provide
some of the confections for the I
needy children. Full co-operation of a
the people is requested. "
01
Parkway Link Expected s
To Be Ready By Spring 5
Washington. Dec. 11?The -40- J
mile link of the Blue Ridge park- '
way connecting Roanoke, Va., and 4
the Boone-Blowing Rock-Linville J
resort areas of North Carolina is '
expected to be completed early next r
spring, the National Parks service
stated today.
Grading and surfacing of the
southernmost sections in Virginia
are scheduled to be completed early
in the winter. During the last year. t
this 37-mile gap was closed to traf- t
fie, and the use of the state high- j
way through Hillsville and Galax (
was necessary to reach the North j
Carolina sections from Virginia. t
t
"IN THE NANTAHALAS"
ON SALE IN BOONE
"In the Nantahalas," a short novel x
of mountain life by Mrs. F. L. 5
TowriSend, mother of Rev. Paul ;
Townsend, is being offered for sale locally
by Mrs. J. A. Norton.
The attractively-bound volume J
treats sympathetically on life in the
southern highlands, and, according '
to reviewer, "when the last chapter '
has been read, the reader' feels that *
he has been breathing a pure at- '
mosphere and has been mingling '
with characters who in their wdak- '
ness or strength can stir the noblest
impulses of the soul.'
"In the Nantahalas" was first
published in 1910, and since that
time has had several reprintings. 1
REXALL STORE MAKES 1
MANY IMPROVEMENTS >
The Roone Drug Company, the '
city's oldest mercantile establish- '
ment, greets the holidays with a
completely rebuilt and redecorated
store interior. The mahogany furniture
has been replaced with fix- |
tures of the most modern design, i
done in an ivory tint, and the in- 1
terior presents a most pleasing ap- (
pearance. i
JGA
/eekly Newspaper?Estc
UGA COUNTS'. NORTH CARC
?OURHOMESRAM)i
\S FORESTS BURN
VT BLOWING ROCK
Iomcs of Miss Annie Bowie and
C. G. Beck in Path of Flames;
Fire Engines From Boone and
Lenoir Join Fighters in Mountain-Top
Conflagration
A raging forest fire, sweeping up
0 Blowing Rock from the Johns
fiver gorge, was brought under
ontrol Friday, after four homes
end a bowling alley were destroyed,
md 2.500 acres of timberland burn'd
over.
After fighting the blaze since
Thursday night about 11 o'clock.
1 rem en from Blowing Rock, Boone
mrl Lenoir, aided by CCC boys and
volunteers, brought the fire under
ontrol near the base of the blowing
oek.
f o n??? '
i mvciic. town councilman
ind insurance man. said the homer,
lestroyed included these of H T.
Hall of Charlotte, Guy A. Cardwell
if Wake Forest, and Miss Annie
Bowie of Blowing Rock and Atlana.
Ga. A bowling alley owned by
tlrs. H. C. Merchant was destroyed
ind the home of Col. C. G. Beck of
Savannah, Ga., was about threeourths
destroyed, making repairs
lifficult. Mr. Prcvette said. The
oss to homes was about $12,000 and
'revette said he thought some inurancc
was in force on all of them.
None of the cottages were occu>ied
and while several buildings
vere in the path of the blaze, they
vere saved. It is estimated that the
lamage to timber was $50,000. Seiitus
damage was done to the shrubbery
which abounded at the head of
he gorge.
The fire originated in the Johns
liver gorge and swept a path to the
idge of dwellings before fire fightrs
could be organized. Both Boone j
nd Lenoir fire departments re- ]
aained en duty throughout the
light
Three Are Injured
In Auto Accident
Miss Pearl Thomas of Trade. Tfplessee,
received severe facial injury,
nd Mr. and Mrs. Fred Musgssve,
,Jso of Trade, were less ser'.u-'sly,
lurt, in an automobile . accident.
vhich occurred near the coup" y
lome on highway 421, Saturday aft- |
moon.
Information is thut the atitorr.o
ile, occupied by the Musgrnves. '
-lis:; ThAnias and two children, left |
he highway as an effort was made
o pass a truck. Miss Thomas was
everely cut about the face and nead
nd one wrist was badly lacerated.
4r. and Mrs. Musgraves' Injuries
cere confined to severe hruiies.
.'heir two children were uninjured,
'he injured people were immediatey
brought to a local hospital 'or
reatment.
Resources of Local
Bank Show Increase
Total resources of the Boone
iranch of the Northwestern Bank
re more than $130,000 larger than
n December 1st, 1038, according to
: comparative statement issued by
he institution this week. T h e
tatemeul also shows that deposits
eachod a peak of $623,000 a few
[ays ago.
W. D. Farthing, cashier, points out
he fact that depository liability of
he local branch hps increased from
1266,000 at the beginning of busiless
on July 1st, 1937, to the present
ugh figure.
Teer Low Bidder
On Parkway Link
Nello Teer, Durham contractor, is
eported as being the low bidder on
he constiuction of 8.4 miles of the
Jlue Ridge Parkway between Deep
Jap and Blowing Rock. Unofficial
nformation is that the bid was in
he neighborhood of S400.000. Contracts
are to be let in January.
BAND TO GIVE CONCERT
The Appalachian high school band
vill give its major concert of the
'ear on Monday evening, December
8, at 7:30, in the college auditorium,
['he concert will include the annual
3and Boasters Club drive. Included
in the concert will be a "Ragrime
Wedding," given in rhythm
md rhyme. Tharon Young will
rlay the part of the bride, John T.
Sing the groom, spencer Quails the
jride's father, and J. B. Hagaman
he preacher. All parents, friends
md band boosters are urged to atend.
BURGESS GETS CONTRACT
Melvin F. Burgess, local contracor,
has been awarded a contract for
he construction of rural electric
ines near Suffolk, Va., the price beng
$150,000. Work will start about
he first of the year and Mr. Burgess
topes to have the work completed
arly in March.
CHRISTMAS CANTATA
A Christmas cantata will be
;iven at the Baptist church Wedlesday
evening of next week, under
he direction of Prof. Roberts. A
-andlelight service will be featured
tnd the public is invited to attend.
"r<
DEM<
iblished in the Y ear Eighj
5LINA. THURSDAY, DEC.*
*
(Tobacco }f]
As Local IV
Million Po
' ~~
BRITAIN FIGHT
|!
I
Off Ihe English Coast?Bri
gaged in the fight against subixia
(depth charge) into place.
J "
Bank To Remain
Opien For Farmers
The Northwestern Bank has
announced that beginning today
it will keep one toller available
lor the purpose of handling the
tobacco checks of the farmers,
j from 2 o'clock until the close ol
] the market each day.
j Mr. W. D. Farthing, the cash
ier, in making this annonnce;
nterJ advises the business men
jj. lhat thj*"i?rvJBe IU sclelyinr lb?
farmer* .and asks them and all
other* to abide 17 the 2 o'clock
closing hour. Without ihe full
I co-operation of tha business peopie
in doing iheir banking just
I as herstofore, the bank will be
I unable 10 continue giving the
'farmers this special service.
Compiela co-'DjScraliOn Is asked."
lWEstockmart
has good season
Two 10% Dividends Paid to
Stockholders; Horse and IHulc
Sales Planned tor Winter
The Watauga Livestock market,
which closed for the season last
\1T?,J 1 -1 J
wcuiivsuoy, so La ncany $iuu,uuii
worth of cattle at its twenty-seven
weekly auctions which began in
May. Manager Lester Carroll says
that livestock auctions will be resumed
in the spring, and that during
the winter months a number ol
borse and mule sales are planned.
President W. H. Gragg has issued
a financial statement which indicates
that stockholders in the new
enterprise have already received i
10 per cent dividend, and that an
additional 10 per cent will be paid
within the next few days.
Indebtedness of $400.05, the re
port continues, has been retired
and $135 in equipment, supplies and
improvements added to the property;
$100 has also been set aside foi
| rebuilding the sale ring.
Farmers and local business men
[ are highly gratified with the new
venture, which has drawn cattlenier
from a wide area during the sale
season, and has been instruments
in attracting the attention of breeders
throughout the southeast to the
fine quality of stock bred in Wat
auga county.
HANDICRAFTS CENTER GIVES
DEMONSTRATION EXHIBITS
Watauga Handicrafts Center i:
giving a demonstration exhibii
mi v . ~ - -
| i uursuay tnrougr. Saturday of ttir
week, in the store next to the Boone
Drug store on Main street.
A small modern loom has beer
placed in one of the windows. Il
was made for the center by Mr. Bert
Townsend of Clark's Creek. Students
are weaving linen towels anc
runners on it.
Linens, scarfs, hooked rugs and
woven rugs, wood carvings, pewte:
and silver, baskets of fine needles
reed and whiteoak splits have beer
brought up from the center and are
on display and may be purchased.
The building is loaned througl
the courtesy of Dr. G. K. Moose.
Trade Citizens Are
Hurt in Auto Crash
Mose Main and a son of Trade
Tenn., were injured Monday even
ing when the automobile in whiel
they were riding overturned neai
Vilas. Mr. Main was severely cu
about the head and face, while th<
son received several bruises ant
scratches. Cade Wallace, also o:
Trade, the driver of the car, wa
uninjured.
2CRA
^en Eighty-Eight
i, 1939
rings Avera
Iarket Opei
unds First
S THE U-BOATS
iish sailors aboard dcsiroyer enirines
shown hoisting an "ash can"
STOKKS TO STAY
OPEN EVENINGS
Extra Salespeople Added So
That Merchants May Take
Care of Holiday Trade
Beginning this (Wednesday) even
ing tlie mercantile establishments ot
the city will remain open until nine
5- eloc-k. according to Mrs. 5'uby Ellis,
secretory of the Merchants AsLocictiqn,
in "t ruer that holiday shoppers
inav be taken care of after
sapper time. Extra salespeople
have been employed, stocks are Svstematicnllv
arranged and the makipg
of irift purchases will be a pleastire
this ye&xyvt.
-Tlie Xjcinocsdt tpdav ;_is.. devoted
largely to advertising messages and
other Christmas features, and a perusal
of the pages provides further
i proof that Boone is the logical shop
ping renter ot northwestern Carolina.
Indication,; are that the Christmas
trade this year will be larger
than during any recent holiday period,
arid a cordial welcome awaits
the shopper.
j 359 Red Cross
Members Secured
I Complete reports from the recent
Red Cross roll call campaign indicate
that 359 Watauga people paid
in dollar memberships, and that the
' sum of eight dollars was listed as
j contributions. Boone supplied 265
I of the memberships. Cove Creek 35
Blowing Rock 20, Beaver Dam 23
I ami Valle Cruets 111.
The following are the names o)
the members which had not been reported
heretofore: Mrs. W. F. Mil1
ler. Jr., Mrs. Elsie Hagaman. Mrs
; Ruth McConnell, I.ee Stout. R. A
1 Mariship, Russeil D. Hodges. Geo
P, Hagaman. Berniee Gragg, Ler
Wilson, A. E. South, Robert Agio.
[ Grace Petmell, Elizabeth Bridge, H
T. Webster, 51. M. Hamilton, George
| Farthing, Marguerite Miller, W. H
Walker, l.ionel Ward. King Street
Grocery, J. E. Joines, Mrs. Clar:
[ Simpson, Mrs. Ruth Isaars, Mr;
Bryan Collins, Mrs. J. M. Gaither
[ Thursa Steed. Rev. John Rhea, G
' E. Luther, W. S. Lookabiil. Louis:
1 Lookabiil, Mrs. Margaret Vance
Mrs. Howard Mast.
Baptists Organize
To Benefit Hospital
The executive committee of th<
; Three Forks Baptist Association ha:
I! passed a resolution asking all tin
; I churches of the association to maki
I a soecial oamnaien Purine f 1, t
month of January for the enlarge
i m ->t program of the Baptist hos
pilt.1 in Winston-Salem.
A committee composed ot Rev. D
. M. Edmisten. chairman: Rev. Jl. C
i Eggers anc! Wade E. Brown, will ar
range the details, and ;-irtu?r ;n
I nouncement will be made la'.r n
the month.
Present plans call for the con
| struction of a $200,000 additc n ti
. the hospital plant, which will ap
proximately double its capacity.
i
Christmas Seal
Sale Is Startec
1 The campaign for the sale o
Christmas Seals under the auspice
, of the National Tuberculosis asso
- ciation, is going on this week an<
1 solicitors will canvass the town am
r county offering the stickers, thi
I proceeds from which will go to th
; prevention and cure of tuberculosis
1 Mrs. G. K. Moose is again count'
t chairman and bespeaks the usua
i full co-operation of the people ii
this worthy movement.
L X*
SECTION
A?EIGHT PAGES
ge 18 Cents
as; Quarter
Dav's Sales
j
[SATURDAY SALES
! ARE ANNOUNCED
Four Hundred Thousand Pounds
of Weed on Way to Floor;
Large Crowds Attend Initial
Sales and Satisfaction Is Expressed
by Growers; Prices at
j Other Points Given
The Mountain Burley Tobacco
warehouse conducted its first
sales Wednesday morning and
at noon, on the basis of morning
sales, the weed had brought
ar. average of 18.2 cents, a somewhat
higher average price than
was reported on Tuesday from
other burley markets. The high??,
* -1 ' *"
i v.ol udwvei oi luuacco syia ior
27 cents, and the low four cents,
there being a very small amount
of the low grades offered. Most
of the weed ranged between 10
and 25 cents.
By (he time the sales close this ' ?iii
afternoon. Hardy Brothers say more
than 250.000 pounds will have been
sold, and conservative estimates are
that 400,000 pounds of hurley are on
the strings of trucks now being unloaded
into the warehouse floor.
In a drizzling rain tohaeco farnv
crs from three states continue to arrive.
and huge loads of the weed are Vjw s
narked all about the warehouse and K
on nearby streets,;,', bcrge crews ot
I men followed close behind the Wtttj- '
jjEtiorteer moving the purchases of
different manufacturers into the
prize rooms in the basement, as new
baskets take their places on the
floor, battle delay will be expert-,
diced lit-the unloading of the'?09 -> ~
waiting fr'ueSs:
. There will be four more sales this
week, the buyers from the five different
companies being present ou
each stale, and due to the amount of
tobacco being marketed, there will
be a full sale on Saturday, for the
convenience of the farmers who arc
anxious lo dispose of their crops before
Christmas.
Wednesday constituted more or
I icss ui a nonauy m uoone as Business
men joined with hundreds of
farmers on the streets and on the
[ warehouse floor. Conversation?
overheard indicated that growers
were well pleased with the amounts
of their checks, comparing them
with receipts on other markets.
Sales On Other Marts
At Ashevilie, the only other North
Carolina hurley market, opening
sales brought an average to growers
of 517.34. Other average priee3
teported on neighboring markets follows:
Johnson City, Slfi.42, Morristown
$15.18. Knoxville $16.12, North
Tazewell $17.If). Opening prices at
Lexington. Ky., averaged $17.55
Closing Law Changed
During Tobacco Sale
| The city commissioners, at noon
Wednesday announced that effective
immediately the law requiring business
houses to close at 12 o'clock
at night had been repealed for the
duration of the tobacco market seai
son. During this period cafes, fill1
I ing stations or other places of busi
J ness may lemain open all night if
; Ihev like.
The action of the city council was
j taken when visitors to the town
. | '-omplained that they were unable
I | to secure food during the night
; while they waited for their tobacco
, j to be placed on the warehouse floor
. I
n nomh 'mri tt>
i uwiui/n. lxur
| Mis. F. A. Linney of Bocne. ac'
rompanied by Mr. anil Mrs. W. L
- Maihcson of Moorosville, and Mrs.
- H. C. Payne of Taylorsville, arc on
a trip to various points in Florida
. and will be away for the next scv
era! weeks.
Prevette Cites Aid
> Of Fire Fighters
Mr. C. S. Prevette. member of
the Blowing Rock city council
and president of the fire depart.
menl in that town, expresses ap1
preciation to the Boone tiro department
in the following words:
? "On behalf of the Blowing
Rock fire deoartmonl aud the
town. I wish to express sincere
, appreciation for the valuable
. help of the Boone fire department
in our recent conflacrralion. Without
outside aid we would have
lost at least 25 buildings, and wa
are very grateful to both Boone
, and Lenoir for lheir generous
and effective co-operation."
1
" 'A
life : Ljti.
MwBmk** H