w
VOL. 52, NO. 29
U S PLAYGROl'ND I
IS PROPOSED FOR
MOUNTAIN AREA
Thousands of Acres in Tennessee
Valley Authority Would Be
Embraced in Recreational Development
Outlined by Roosevelt;
Propertv in Six States
Washington. Jan. 16?Thousands
of acres of land in North Carolina
and five ether southern states will
fccccme a part of a giant national
playground under a recommendation
of the Tennessee Valley Authority,
which was submitted to
congress today by President Roosevelt.
ine proposal, ir adopted, would
convert the area encompassed by
the TV A development into a new
great national playground, which
would attract millions of voters to
the section.
"Many of our citizens and even
government officials hold a belief,"
the President said in a special message
to Congress transmitting the
report, "that the purpose of the act
creating the (Tennessee Valley) Au- 1
thority was primarily the develop- |
ment of electric power.
"It is perhaps time to call attention
to this utter fallacy."
Additional objectives, Roosevelt
said, were to control flood damage
?estimated at $20,000,000 annually J*
?and to make the river navigable.
In its broader sense the TV A was
formed, he continued, "to raise the
standards of life by increasing social
and economic advantages in a
given area." c
Power development, the President
declared, was only a part?"and ultimately
only a small part"?of the
social and economic effort in the
Tennessee watershed.
With his message he transmitted
a study prepared by TVA on recreational
possibilities in the area. The
report called attention to the fact
that TVA's lake had supplied the
region with "the one element which
nature omitted from an otherwise
lavish recreational possibilities in .
the area.
The land and water domain of
TVA in the six states, exclusive of
that in the Wilson reservoir area in
Alnl\nrr?:? Ilot.-irJ in Ow
971.500 acres.
- 'The Tennessee river lakes cut
through the heart of a region already
rich in scenic and recreation J
{resources," the report said, "a region 1
y-oRtuining the Great Smoky Moun- 1
tain National park, the millions' of c
cres of national forests, the historic s
battlefields of Sliiloh and Lookout *
Mountain (Tenn.) and the resorts of
the Asheville (N. C.> area."
Creation of the TVA lakes had J
provided, the board said, a hunters'
and fishermen's paradise. Highway
improvement, it added, have brought t
tourists into the valley in increasing s
numbers. c
The report said that TVA was I
prepared to develop recreational fa- t
cilities%snd activities in the follow- t
ing territories:
Tennessee, 169,000 acres; Alabama, i
252,500 acres; Kentucky, 108,000; '
North Carolina, 23,500; Mississippi,
.11,500. and Georgia, 7,000.
Changes in Income
Tax Laws Are Cited ]
The effect of the enactment of the '
public salary tax act of 1939, is that ^
the wages, salaries and compensation
of all officers and employees of E
the different states and of their po- I
Jitical subdivisions, agencies and in- r
struraentalities without exception. c
are to be included in gross income ?
for the taxable neriod beginning ,
De-ember 31. 1938. '
The following individuals much ,
each make, under oath, a return:
1. Everv individual who is single
and hod an income of ?1.000. or ev- *
erv individual who is married and
rot living with husband or wife
with an income of S1.006, must file
an income tax return. I
2. Everv individual who is mar-1 ii
ried and living with husband or 11
wife, with an income of S2 500 or ! F
over, must file a return (either joint- a
ly or separately whichever they v
elect to do). t
Income derived from wages, sal- I
aries. dividends, interest and annui- p
ties should be filed on Form 1040A.
Income from the operation of a i
business, rents, sales of capital as- a
ets. etc., should be filed on Form
: 1040.
The public salary tax -act of 1939
is new and may be confusing to t
state employees never having filed <
a federal income tax return, and ?
any one desiring information may j
secure same by writing to the col- r
lector of internal revenue. Greens- ]
boro, or one of his deputies. a
All taxpayers must file returns on t
or before March 15, 1940, for the j
year 1939. j
Blanks may be secured from the c
Greensboro office or from R. L. j
Clay, deputy collector, Boone.
W. F. SHERWOOD STRICKEN
Mr. W. F. Sherwood, prominent ?
merchant of the Cove Creek sec- t
tion of Watauga county, has been r
confined to his home with a right i
serious ailment for the past several t
days. His many friends will be y
glad to know that his condition to- 1
ft day is thought to be somewhat im- c
proved. p
ATAl
An Independent W
BOONE, WATAUi
TOMMIES NEAR TH
Somewhere in France.?Here ar
lines in France. A relief party is se
photo was passed by the British cent
FARMERS BENEFIT E
BY SETTING TREES
I I
530 Can Be Earned Under Soil < |
Conservation Program by t
Planting Eroded Uand *
Any fanner in the county can A
arn $30 on the soil conservation s
>rogram this year by sotting trees on
heir eroded land, says County Farm ^
Veent Harry M. Hamilton, Jr. This j
30 payment doesn't interfere with
he regular soil building allowances, j
herefore, a farmer can still get lime c
ind phosphate on his general soil s
tuilding allowance. ^
The trees can bo purchased from r
he state nurseries by applying r
hrough the county agent's office. _
Che prices of the trees that are best | ~
idapted to Watauga county are lo- f1
ust, yellow poplar and white pine,
Jr. Hamilton says. Yeilow poplar
ind locust may be obtained for
2.00 and white pines for $3.00 per
housand."
One thousand trees arc sufficient |
u ski one acre, according lo the Q
ounly agent. The payment for seting
one acre of trees is $7.50. conselucntly
each farmer in the county
an earn payments for setting four
icres of trees. Farmers may also
ibtain trees free of charge through j/j
he TVA by applying at the county i,(
igents' office before February 1; |?
lowcver, there is no payment for vc
rees furnished free of charge. ]K
There are a number of farms in wi
h e county where reforestation hi
hould be done, therefore, all farm- di
rs who have an acre or so of steep m
bin eroded land are urged to call
ly the county agents' office and ur
liscuss this forestry problem. se
bi
Poultry Course To
Be Held At Lenoir
in
? ~ in
The State College extension serv- of
ce is holding a one-day poultry w
hort course at Lenoir on Tuesday, of
anuarv 23. The program will start gr
I 3:30 a. m. The short course for fo
his section of the state was held at or
Sonne last year. nc
The county agents are making be
ilans to attend this short course in
.enoir and it is hoped that a large ar
lumber of people from Watauga le
ounty will also attend this valu- ar
ble poultry meeting. All the peo- as
ile from Watauga who plan to at- ar
end the short course are urged to gr
ontact the county agents' office be- ju
ween now and Tuesday morning. di
m
SLOWING HOCK P.-T. A. m
TO MEET FRIDAY NIGHT j ^
The Blowing Rock Parent-Teacher R
Association will meet Friday inn.il
n the school auditorium with Mrs.
louglas as the principal speaker. (.
she will use for her subject, "Standrdizing
the Elementary Library,'
vhich is the aim of the P.-T. A.
his year. Mrs. Ingle, the school liirarian,
will be chairman of the
rogram.
All members and those interested VJ
11 the organization are invited to
ittend this meeting.
MRS. J. C. MILLER R
Mrs. J. C. Miller, aged 61, died at ill
he home on Blowing Rock R. F. D., C
Saturday and funeral services were w
onducted from the Middle Fork m
Japtist church on Monday. Internent
was in the nearby cemetery,
'he survivors include the husband
ind the following sons and daughers:
Brown Miller, Shulls Mills; th
onas and Stokes Miller, Blowing a;
lock, and Miss Agnes Miller; step- m
hildren: Elmer Miller, Mrs. Jessie hi
'ord and Ford Miller, Blowing Rock, se
te
TO ASSIST TAXPAYERS A
A representative of the United U1
Itates internal revenue service will
ic at the Boone Drug Co., on Fehuary
23-24 for the purpose of assistng
local income tax payers in filing
heir returns. The filing period this ?F
ear has been set as from February
5 through March 15, and the offi- 20
ials are anxious to render the taxlayers
every possible assistance. ">
JGA
eekly Newspaper?E
GA COUNTY. NORTH CA
E FRONT LINES
e British troops near tho froxi
en coming up the trench. Thi
sor.
lurley Brings Hieh
Prices on Boone Ms
Mountain Burley Warehouse
VTonday and Tuesday sold 122.8
lounds of leaf and farmers of 1
;ection received S21.133.42 f
heir offerings. Prices ranq>
rom S8.G0 nor hundred to S37.
Wednesday's sales totaled betl
ban 69.000 pounds and prit
vere said to have been somewl;
tronger. One warehouse ei
)loyee ventured that the avera
would be well above S18.00 p
mndred.
Large loads of tobacco ha
>een streaming into town throug
iut the day. and prospects are lb
ales will be large duriiig f
veek. The local warehouse w
cmain open as long as any ie
emains unsold in the burley ar?
ROUSE SEASONT
CLOSED MONDA
uail and Rabbiis May Bp Tajl
Until Feb. 15: Large Carry
over of Birds Seen
The open season on grouse clo
onday, after several weeks of
?st shooting that has been affo
cal sportsmen in a number
Kirs. County Game Protector V
im Casey slates that the inclem
Gather of the past month has k
inters from the field, and be p
i: i:, a recora carry-over ot
ountains" choice game birds.
Quail and rabbit may be tal
itil February 15th throughout I
ction, and the large coveys
rds which have provided hut
en with excellent sport this s
n are said to have withstood
id, snowy weather of recent we
fine manner. Mr. Casey, in thai
g Watauga hunters for their
icration with bis office, ag
arns citizens that it is a violat
the law to buy or sell quail ;
ouse, and that rabbits may be s
r consumption in North Carol
ily. He also reveals that gro
:w in possession of hunters rr.
s used before January 25th.
Protector Casey announces t
lgling for non-gaine fish is n
gal throughout the winter moni
id that the trout season will oj.
usual, on April 15th. Licen
e necessaiy for the taking of n
one fish, and a new supply
st been received which are to
stributed amongst county sal
en at an early date. These licen
ay be used throughout the y<
r. Casey expects angling to be
ptionally good this year, ;
ates that Charlie Smathers of
oone hatchery, will release m
an 75,000 fingerling trout
ountain streams between now ;
ie season's opening. Repleni
ent of waters in recent years !
stored trout fishing to old-ti
oportions and record catches w
ported during the past season.
1LLIS SMITH PLANS
TO RUN FOR GOVERN
Raleigh, Jan. 14?Willis Sm:
aleigh attorney, said today he
aitely intended to enter the No
arolina gubernatorial race, <
ould make a formal announ
ent "near the end of the week.
BOONE P.-T. A. TO MEET
The Parent-Teacher Associatior
le Boone schools will meet The
ly evening, 7:30 o'clock, in the 1
castration auditorium. One of
Eh school departments will p
nt a puppet show, and other
rtainment features are in pros pi
full attendance of members
ged.
Benefit Dance
The Tuesday Night Club u
onsor a dance at the county bui
g next Saturday night Janu:
i. The festivities are to begin a
clock ,and proceeds will be it
r local charitable purposes.
' ??> $?? " - . * 5 iKT ' J - v
DEM<
.stablished in the Year Eight
.ROLINA, THURSDAY, JAN. 18;
ID. HNLEY MAST
"i DIES AT HOME UN
VALLE CRUCIS
Long Illness Ends at 5 o'Clock
Wednesday Morning; Leader
in County's Religious and Civic
Life; Funeral Services
Thursday
D. Finley Mast, 82, life-long resident
of the Valle Cruris community
and one of the county's mosl
orominenl citizens, died at his home
Wednesday morning at 5 o'clock
following an illness of more thar
thrre years. His condition had bee1
considered serious for the past week
Funeral services will be conducted
from Valle Crucis Methodisl
church Thursday afternoon at 1
o'clock, and burial will follow in the
Mast cemetery near the deceased
man's home. The Masonic order
will have charge of the services
Rev. J. W. Parker, pastor of the
d Watauga circuit, and Rev. E- Dargan
s Butt of the Episcopal church, will
_ also be present.
Survivors include two sons .Ton r
Mast of Vallo Crucis, and Claude L
Mast at' Patterson, and a niece, Mrs
,_i Eddie Lund of Summerfield. N. J.
who was reared at the Mast home
Mr. Mast was a son of the lalt
on Andy Mast, was born and spent hi;
03 entire life at the ancestral hornt
he which throughout the years became
or a center of community activity an;
ad a favored retreat, for summer visi00
tors to the mountain section. Ho
:er became a member of the Methodis
:es church in early manhood, and foi
lat more than half a century served o;
t?- | superintendent of the Valle Cruet;
ge i Sunday school. His activity in rei?r
lig.ous work had caused him to be
looked upon us one of the county'.:
ve outstanding churchmen,
b- Mr. -Mast '.vus a member of Snow
,ai Lodge, A. E, & A. M., and had been
h? especially concerned with its fraterta
nal activities. He had never held
lit public of lice.
>4. Mis. Moist, often referred to a.
- ' Aunt Josie, passed away in Fob~f
ruary, 1936. The products of her
j. ancient loom had found their way
into leading homes of the nation
and her fine, charitable traits ;>1
XT character had made her the favorite
i)I of thousands of visitors to the val>
j'f
icn,iMew Officers Are
Installed By Juniors
At a regular council meeting held
J?" at the Junior Order hall Monday
night, the following officers were
rc(J installed for the ensuing term: Russel
D. Hodges. Sr.. councilor; R. K
Osborne, vice-councilor; Richard E
en Kclley, secretary ;.R. D Hodges, Jr.
1 - assistant secretary; W. O. Robertson,
Jj?" financial secretary; Clyde R. Greene,
tnc treasurer; S. B. Greene, conductor,
R. D. Shoemake, warden; Howard
ten Shore, inside sentinel; J. C. Canipe,
his chaplain; T. A. Weaver, outside senlinel.
W. C. Greer was re-elected as
its- a trustee for a period of eighteen
ea- months.
the Wallace Gentry, district deputy
eks for the third district, paid an offitk
cial visit to the council. He made
ch- an interesting talk on the advisabili
am ty of the Juniors of North Caroline
ion taking over and maintaining tin
md Junior Order orphanage at Lexing
old ton, N. C.
>na IV]r. Gentry stated that the Junior;
use of the third district, composed oi
us I Mitchell, Avery. Burke, Caldwei
and Watauga c nties, are favorably
hat impressed with this movement. Hi
ow urged that each council send repreIhs,
isentatives to the special stale coun
en, cil meeting which will he held a|
ses .Lexington on Thursday, January 18
on- I
has MRS. BROWNLOW HICKS
be SUCCUMBS MONDAY
sos 'Mrs. Brownlow Hicks of Romin
ar. ger, died at her home Monday night
ex-i January 8, following an illncs:
ind which began January 3. She ha<
the been in failing health for threi
ore years. Interment was in the homt
in graveyard. She was 64 years of ago
md Mrs. Hicks was born in the Ro
sh- minger neighborhood, a daughter o
has the elder J. M. Presnell. She i;
me survived by her husband, three sons
ere Martin and Barney of Beech Creek
Claude of Rominger. There ar;
three daughters, Mrs. Nancy Presnell,
Beech Creek; Mrs. lalee Hicks
and Mrs. Anna Lou Presnell of Rominger.
There are 33 grandchildrer
and eight great-grandchildren sur
itn, viving, together with six brothers
de- end two sisters,
rth Mrs. Hicks belonged to the Zion
ind Primitive Baptist church. She was
ce- a faithful member throughout the
years, and was well known anri
highly regarded by the people ol
her community.
i of LEE GRAVELY ENTERS
trs- RACE FOR GOVERNOR
Rocky Mount, Jan. 12?L. Lee
the Gravely of Rocky Mount, formallj
ire" entered the gubernatorial race todaj
en~ and pledged himself to a 12-point
ect- platform which included planks op
posing highway fund diversion anc
the three per cent sales tax.
Gravely was the fourth Democra
to enter the field. Others are J. M
Broughton, Raleigh attorney; Lieu
'hi tenant Governor W. P. Horton o
Id- Pittsfcoro, and A. J. Maxwell o:
"Y Raleigh, state revenue commission
1 ? cr. Broughton paid his $105 filint
fee today. Horton and Maxwel
had filed previously.
3CRJV
een Eighty-Eight
, 1940
Df/dghton To
Congress At I
=, ?+
... - v
! TO RETIRE
\ ,
W*- $?? t<
' Hd
WMpfM MB n
Bftit"wfflHlMnil flair raK ^
JcBra s
|K aBM^BS
bbksimib . jraoi
^ &ggn B
9 ^tSSH U
iwwS9n^9BBB9M^ ?&SI c
I
Congressman Robert L. Dough- c
ion. who has announced his intention
of retiring from congress at y
> the end of his present term, after IV
having served the district for 30 a
> years. t]
I FRED OSBORNE \
SLAIN IN W. VA i,
J Boone Coal Dealer Believed to J,
Have Been Victim of L'u- u
, known Assassin j
s
[ Funeral services will be held at c
Oak Grove church Thursday after- f
i uonn at 1 o'clock for Fred Osborne, t
local coal dealer, who died in a Co- ;
burn, \V. Va., hospital Monday nr.'ht.
Interment will be in the Hine r
, cemetery. ( v
Osboi-no, according to reports ?
reaching here, was loading coal late v
Friday evening at the R. A. Rich- c
mond mine. Attendants at the tip- f
pie were absent for a few minutes v
and when they returned found Os- s
"borne in an unconscious condition
; I suffering from a blow in the back p
of the head. The owner of the mine a
took the injured man to a Coburn t
hospital where he received treat- r
ment hut never regained conscious- p
' ness. Richmond accompanied the v
body to Boone and expressed the j,
opinion that Osborne was attacked
by some unknown assailant who $
doubtless mistook him for one of the a
mine employees. He slated that lo- v
. cal officers are attempting to apprehend
the guilty man. Osborne is 1
survived by his parents, Mr. and n
. Mrs. W. O. Osborne of Todd. c
~ s
Language, Forensic
Tourney Announced
0
1 Prof. K. E. Garbee, president of j
the Appalachian High School Asso- j
i ciation, has announced the third an- t
nu;il Language and Forensic tourna- t
ment, which is to be held at Appa- ),
lachinn Coiler* on Mondav. January i
; 22. All forensic events will be snon.
sored in the tourney, including Engi
lisli and French examinations, and c
' two trophies arc to be presented to (
1 the winners. Elkland high school 1
won both these trophies during the
last two years, and should they B
t win them again, they will be en- i
. titled to permanent ownership of
the plaques. c
At least 14 of the 16 high schools s
r in Ashe. Avery and Watauga coun- v
ties are expected to participate in j
- the toumametrt.
Dr. Amos AbrcSns will be chair- .
. man for the tournament and Max )
1 Hovis. college student chairman. :
j AHMED PLOT AGAINST ^
UNITED STATES IS FOILED ,
f New York. Jan. 14?-A plot to J
> overthrow the United States gov,
ernment with bombs arid other arms <
; ?some looted from the arsenals of i
, I ii. : i?u -1 1
. ij iv oiuij' iujlu vvtus CUiUgcU 10- J ?
night against 18 members of the 11
. "Christian Front" who were arrest- i
cd and accused of revolutionary in- t
i tentions. s
The 18 men were charged speci- t
i ficaliy with conspiracy to create a
revolution and overthrow the gov- I
i ernment. \
> J. Edgar Hoover, chief of the bu- r
reau of investigation, said they in- r
1 tended to bomb and shoot their way c
I to power and set up a government c
similar to Hitler's dictatorship over c
Nazi Germany. 1
The plot, he said, was aimed t
t against Jews generally and involv- 1
: ed seizure of key government agen- i
cies such as federal reserve banks, ?
' post offices and vital public utili- 1
t ties.
1 MRS. SIMEON GRAGG J
Mrs. Simeon Gragg, aged resident t
t of the Foscoe neighborhood, died at c
. the home Sunday morning, and
- funeral services were conducted c
f from the Watauga Baptist church 1
E and interment in the Foscoe grave- 1
- yard. Among the survivors are t
; Messrs. Sylvester Gragg of Boone; r
1 Burgin Gragg of Shulls Mills and I
Mrs. Ed Hollificld of Shulls Mills.
T
$1.50 A YEAR
Retire From
Cnd of Term
eteran Ninth District Solon
Announces Decision to Retire
From Public Life; Chairman
of Ways and Means Committee
Has Served District Ably
for Thirty Years
Representative Robert L.. Doughn
of the ninth district, dean of the
lorth Carolina congressional delegaon
and chairman of the ways and
leans committee, made public Tuesay
his decision to relinquish his
Irenuous public duties at the expiation
of his present term on Deceiner
31 of this year.
The announcement was conveyed
hrough a formal statement made
vailable to the press in the house
ross gallery, Mr. Doughton's col?agues
being unaware of his pendlg
retirement, although they had
nderstood it was a step he had long
onsidered. Representative Doughan,
who is 75, was disinclined to
sk re-election two years ago, but
resident Roosevelt prevailed upon
im to serve* through the nmcpnt
ongress.
The President states that he is not
c-t lully reconciled to the idea of
Ir. Doughton's planned retirement,
rid said he would be very sorry if
he Carolinian goes through with it,
ecause he would hate to lose him
:om the house membership. The
'resident added that Mr. Doughton's
ongressional services had been of
r at value.
.Mr. Doughton's formal statement
ullows:
"Thirty years ago the people of
ur congressional district elected me
n> represent them in the congress
f the United States. At every binnial
election since that time, they
iave seen fit to re-elect me to this
ame responsible office. For their
onlinued loyal support, I am prooundly
grateful, and for the many
ukens of their trust and confidence,
express deep and sincere thanks.
"I now feel that the time has arived
when I should acquaint them
I'ith my future political intentions,
ionic months ago I decided that I
could not seek re-election. This deision
has been made known, conidentially,
to a few of my friends
cho understand my motive and portion.
'Taking this step Ls particularly
ininful to me because of the veritblo
deluge of requests I have reived
recently urging me to seek
e-election. Never before in my
:ubl:c life have I received so many
.arm assurances of support and
jyolty. Because of these generous
lersonal messages I have every roaon
to believe that were I to sock
nother term I would be re-elected
rithout doubt or difficulty.
"This announcement has been deayed
beyond the time when nor
nally it would have been made beause
I have fc-lt that the voters
hould have at least one year ol
reetlom from political discussion
egarding my successor.
"Whether my official activities
luring these 30 years have earned
or me a needed rest, others must
udge. I do feel, however, that
should now take life easier than
he arduous duties of my present
losition will allow. Moreover, my
ong-neglected private business bady
needs attention.
"For these and other less irnportint
reasons, it is my intention to
lose my congressional career at the
nd of my present term of office,
December 31, 1340.
"I shall continue to take a deep
irid. I hope, active interest in pubic
affairs."
Congressman Doughton went to
ongress in 1910 and has been conisteoBy
returned to his seat by the
roters of the district, by huge maorities.
The veteran congressman
s in top physical condition and
;ince his brief illness a year ago,
ias not missed a day of work and
las lunged into the crucial issues
if this session with his usual
,-igor. There is no hint of his 75
ears in his appearance or in the
ihysical and mental power he comnands.
Asked what he felt to be his outlanding
achievement during the
hrce decades of his service, Mr.
Doughton expressed the belief that
he two things which had brought
lim the greatest happiness were his
land in the passage of the social
ecurity act and the development of
he Blue Ridge parkway.
For the past eight years Mr.
Doughton has been chairman of the
cays and means committee, the
nost imDortant covernmental com
nittee existing. He has served unler
and intimately known six presiients.
He went to Washington unier
the administration of President
raft and has served continuously in
he administrations of Presidents
ffilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover
ind Roosevelt. Only Representative
:abath of Illinois, has served in the
muse longer than Doughton.
He has ably served the nation durng
the two most crucial periods in
nodern history?the World War and
he recovery administration of Presilent
Roosevelt.
But today, Doughton was not conemed
primarily with the historic,
le was looking ahead. Ho said he
loped to do some writing and felt
hat the record of some of his exicriences
might be of some value,
fe said he thoroughly intended to
(Continued on page five)