tkhdt n UNITED STATES W M WAR 1/1 BONDS W " AMD W STAMPS 1||l' AnL VOL. 55, NO. 4 WATAUGA FAIRIS NOT TO BE HELD ON ACCOUNT WAR Directors in Unanimous Agreement to Abandon Plans for This Year's Agricultural Exhibition in Interest of Nation's War Program The board o? directors of the Blue Ridge Fair Association met late last Wednesday afternoon and by unanimous consent abandoned plans for holding the annual Watauga county agricultural fair in Boone this autumn. The action was taken, it was said by the officials, as an effort to aid in the war program of the nation, and is in line with recommendations of the federal transportation authority, in regard to public gatherings. A large number of Carolina counties have taken similar action, and Oov ernor Broughton has recommended the temporary abandonment of the state fair to aid in relief cf transportation emergency. The local fair association had already set the fair dates for this year, the secretary was making rapid progress toward assembling the material for the premium list, and the officials regret that it is inadvisable at this time to proceed further. With the gasoline and tire situation growing more serious, it was the unanimous opinion that the fair should be called off as a patriotic move. The action taken only affects this year's exhibition, and was not for the duration of the war. Eight Months School Term To Be Continued There has been some discussion as to whether or not, in the face of he war emergency, the schools would continue to operate for eight inomns, ana rroi. w. l>. winKier has furnished The Democrat the following letter front Clyde A. Erwin, state superintendent of instruction, which clarifies the situation: "There has been absolutely no discussion here in official circles of the possibility of operating the schools for less than eight months. It is my candid opinion that there will be no letup in our educational program. We have some difficulty about transportation but the schools will certainly be kept open as fatas I can see now. "It will be the duly of every school to make their transportation equipment last just as long as possible because under presen t conditions when this equipment is worn out there will be no possibility of replacement until the war is over. In other words, every county and every school will have to conserve the transportation equipment which they have to the utmost limits possible because no county will be able to secure additional buses. Upoh every principal and every superintendent a serious responsibility to take care of this important item of equipment in order that there be no hind'ance to the maintenance of our educational program from this noint of vipw " Refreshments To Be Served to Selectees Fifty men, whose names were published last week, are to report for induction into the army next Friday morning, and the local Red Cross canteen corps has arranged to serve them refreshments in the home agent's office immediately after they report to the office of the selective service board. Golf Committee Makes Red Cross Donation Mrs. E. E. Garbee, president of the "Watauga chapter, American Red Cross, thanks the committee of the Green Park-Norwood golf course, Blowing Rock, for a contribution of $31.00, tha proceeds of a golf tourney held the week-end of July 4. The much-appreciated contribution has already been sent .-to national headquarters for war production work. U. S. CASUALTIES PLACED AT 44,143 SINCE WAR BEGAN Washington, July 21?The office of war information announced tonight that the United States armed forces have suffered 44,143 casualties? ' dead, wounded and missing?since the start of the war. The total includes 4,801 dead, 3,218 wounded and 36,124 missing. /ATA ndependent Weekly I BOONE, W, 'Down to the Sea' Slipping down ihe ways inio the water sideways, the U. S. S. Doyen, new naval transport, is shown as she was launched at the yards of the Consolidated Steel Corporation at Long Beach, Calif. The vessel is said to be the largest naval ship ever constructed here. SIX ARE TAKEN INTO U. S. NAVY Naval Recruiting Station to B< Established in Boone Every Three Weeks Mr. Charles C. Smart, chief ina chinists mate, and U. S. navy re cruitcr, conducted a recruiting of fice in the postoffice here Frida; ! and Saturday and accepted six mei I for enlistment in the naval forces ;as follows: James Ray Fox, Bosne. McCoy Hodges, Vilas. John Henry Harmon, Vilas. Walter Lee Brewer. Boone. Willie Fyrming Ferguson (color ed), Boone. Dell Anderson (colored), Boone. A sub-station for the examinatioi of prospective naval recruits will bi established at the Boone postoffici every three weeks, on Friday ani Saturday. The next naval recruite will come to Boone on August ' and 8. i An unlimited number of appliea I lions between the ages of 17 ant 149 are being accepted. There art I vacancies for both white and color ; ed. i .? I Oxford Singing Class | To Appear at Deep Gaf The Oxford Orphanage singinf class will appear the the Deep Gav school Friday evening, August 7, a 7:30 o'clock, in a musical program under the sponsorship of Ashler Ma sonic Lodge. The 14 children in the compan; are accompanied by the assistan manager, S. F. Paul, and the direc tress and matron, Miss DeRothi Hughes. The proceeds from a smal admission charge will go to th< benefit of the Oxford Orphanage. ! Dr. Len Hagaman To Enter U. S. Arm> Dr. Len D. Hagaman, forme: Boone physician and for the pas year director of the Caldwell-Burki health department, has been grant ed a leave of absence in order tha he may stand examination prepara tory to entering the U. S. ariny as ; first lieutenant in the medical corps Dr. Hagaman explained that hi thought his services would be o greater value to the army at thi time, and asked that a leave of ab sence be granted him. Deep Gap Family Loses Home in Fir* Mr. and Mrs. Linville Greene o Deep Gap, lost their home last Wed nesday in a fire which,' it was be lieved, started from burning soot ii a chimney. The seven-room house was com pletely razed, together with furni ture, clothing, etc., there be in scarcely nothing salvaged. Ther was no insurance. MRS. GEORGE FRITTS DIES Mrs. George Fritts, 37 years olc a resident of the Mabel communitj died at the home Sunday morning July 5, after a few hours illness. Funeral services were conducte from the home of Oscar Moretz a Mabel by Rev. Dallas Hodges an Millard Romlnger on July 6, an burial was in the Moretz cemeter; there. Mrs. Fritts was an industri ous woman, a good and generou neighbor. She is survived by th husband, four sons and four daugh ters. UGA Newspaper-Establish^ ATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAI I COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS REINSTATED HERE Action Abolishing Work of District Health Department is Rescinded; Many Offer Protest to Board of County Commissioners At a meeting of the board ot county commissioners held Wednesday evening, many citizens offered unanimous objection to the action ol the board taken on July 0. in abolishing the participation of Watauga county in the operation of the district health department. I A number of taxpayers offered i thf*ir nhinpfiruic ^ J ?w;vvvivih) w Uic UISLUUUIIU?u yuuuuo, n? v auu unc~4uai lei . ounces. Dr. J. T. C. Wright landed a 16-inch bass. These fish are only some of the larger ones reported to the Parkway Company, which at the close of the ; season will give prizes for the largest and heaviest bass, caught by . either of the 15 anglers entered in ; the big fish contest of the local con| cern. 1 U. S. SUBMARINE SINKS 3 JAPANESE DESTROYERS Washington, July 21.?U. S. submarines, attacking relentlessly 1 through the fog and rain of the North Pacific, have sunk three more i Japanese destroyers in the vicinity t of Kiska in the Aleutian islands, the , navy announced tonight. The latest successes?raising to 18 : the number of Jap ships sunk or > damaged by U. S. forces in the Aleutians?were made public in a communique which emphasized that : army and navy bombers are continu( ing to hammer away at the enemy whenever the weather permits. 3PRA Hunq cd and Eighty 1942 | S oni? n Venison Diet French South Pacific isle of New rations with venison, which they :ul here as to be almost a nuisance, god and dressed a 225-pound deer, vith the "bacon" in their jeep car. WOOL POOL SELLS OVER 17 TONS HERE I Fleece Nets Farmers 52 Cents Per Pound; Chatham Mfg. Co. Is Buyer Four hundred farmers and merchants sold 35.178 pounds of wool through the Watauga wool pool on Thursday and Friday of last week. The clear wool netted the sheepmen 52 cents per pound or a total of $18,165.91 for the entire pool. This was the most wool ever pooled in Watauga county and was an increase of 8,000 pounds over last year's pool. The Chatham Manufacturing Co. of Elkin, bought the wool and took it up at different points throughout the county. The wool and lamb pool has enabled the sheepmen of this county to receive more profit from their sheep. and as a result of better marketing, the sheep population has been on the increase in this county for the last few years. Fishing and Hunting i?r?nr\ I UUJJ LW 1T4W^I A liuaj* The Watauga Fishing and Hunting Club held a well-attended meeting last Friday evening, and a large number of new members were added to the list. The name of the organization was changed to the Watauga County Wildlife Club, and annual dues were fixed at $2.00. Those interested in the conservation and propagation of wildlife in this county may apply for membership at the office of the secretary, Paul A. Coffey. at the Parkway Company. President Lee H. Stout has called another meeting of the club to be held at the Parkway Company Friday evening of this week at 8:00 o'clock. All members and others interested in the organization and its ' purposes are urged to attend. ?? i Lambs Bring Good Price on Local Mart Farmers received 12 to 13'2 cents per pound for lambs, depending on quality, at the Watauga Livestock Market last week, it is said by L. H. Hollar, manager. Cattle also brought a splendid price, he said. Mr. Hollar urges farmers to patronize the local market, and states that there are always plenty of buyers and that the prices have been running uniformly high. GAS BUFFER ZONE IS SET UP BY O. P. A. Washington, July 20.?A 25 per cent cut in gasoline deliveries to filling stations in 162 counties bordering the rationed eastern seaboard area was ordered by the war production board today, effective Wednesday, when the new coupon rationing system will begin. The purpose, WPB explained, was to establish a "buffer zone" so that motorists living in the rationed area but near the border could not drive across it and fill their tanks. With their supplies limited, filling stations will have to restrict their sales. TWIN CALVES Mr. Ed Henson of Sherwood, who has fourteen cows, reports that the unusual has happened in that two sets of twins have been born, to make fourteen calves with the herd. -Eight $1.50 A YEAR BOND, STAMP SALE FOR HEROES DAY TOT A LS__ $2,726.75 . Celebration is Largely Attended: Band Concert. Patriotic Addresses and Historical Presentations Feature I.ocal Gathering The celebration held in Boone last Friday honoring the nation's heroes, and launching on accelerated campaign for the sale of war bonds ar.d stamps, resulted in the disposal of $2,726.75 worth of the securities, a checkup of local sales revealed. The various business places of the city joined wholeheartedly in the initial effort to coax additional funds into the war coffers of the nation. Mayor W. H Gragg was master of ceremonies at the celebration which was held on the postoffice lawn, and Dr. Amos Abrams of Appalachian College, delivered a rousing and inspiring patriotic address, calling upon the people to become aroused irom their complacent attitude, and enthusiastically and unitedly join in the fight against the totalitarian nations. A large crowd gathered for the exercises including many veterans of the World war, Spanish war, and an occasional member of the present army. Clyde R. Greene traced the history of Watauga's participation in past and present wars and the information he compiled along this line is reproduced here, as a contribution to the history of this region: We have gathered here this afternoon to honor the war heroes of Watauga county. We have many heroes of peace no less renowned than those of war; but we are now engaged in the world's first all-out war; so therefore, it is fitting that this afternoon be dedicated to the honor of only the war heroes of past and present. In the war that gave our nation its independence Watauga had a part, although the county itself was not formed until 1849- At that time very few people lived in what is now Watauga county. A careful study of available records reveal the names of several of our early settlers who had served in the Revolutionary war. We give you the following and there certainly are others whose names we do not have: Col. Nathan Horton. He was buried at old Three Forks church. He helped to guard the famous British spy. Major Andre, who negotiated with the American traitor, Benedict Arnold. John Greene (called John Moccasin to distinguish him from others jot" the same name). He later moved to what is now Mitchell county. William Miller loved on Meat | Camp and was one of the charter j members of Three Forks church. James Todd, died in 1814. Benjamin Bingham, who was at Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown. John Younee. He was a blacksmith and shod horses in Washington's army. Benjamin Blackburn settled on New River. John Holtzclaw, who settled at Valle Crucis. Benjamin Greer, who rescued CoL Ben Cleveland from Capt. Riddle on what is now Riddles Knob. Greer is referred to in Draper's History of the Battle of King's Mountain as being one of Cleveland's heroes and is said to have killed Col. Ferguson, i the British commander in that j memorable battle which is now referred to as the turning point in the American Revolution. Edward Moody, who is buried on Watauga River. Wm. Braswell, who was buried in what is now Avery county. Jones, who is buried in the same cemetery with Benjamin Blackburn on New River. | Wm. Davis. I John Adams, who was born in j France and came to America with I Lafayette. George, Absolom and Wm. Smith were three brothers who served in the army in Virginia and later moved to this section. Wm. Gragg, who settled in John's River i? Caldwell county and probably later liv^d in this county. War of 1812 We have found the name of only one soldier ft i Watauga county in the war of 1812?Moses Yarber, who served in McNeill's company and was buried on Watauga River in the same cemetery with Edw. Moody. In the Mexican War In the Mexican war of 1848, Col. Joe Todd was an officer. Others who were soldiers: George Wright, Benj. Pritchard and Nehemiah Oaks. There were certainly others, but we (Continued on page four)