v> ? ^ ' r - ? A\.
>ti ? An
DEMOCRAT
An Independent Weeklj?Newspaper?Established in the Year 1888.
VOL. LVII, NO. 31 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY I, 1945
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$1.50 A YEAR?5c A COPY
COUNTY LEADS
STATE IN SIXTH
.WAR LOAN DRIVE
Ftna) Figures Indicate Watauga
Went Over With 430% of
Quota; Only Three Other
Counties Sell as Much as
400% of Quota; Prizes Given
Final reports for the Sixth War
Loan campaign in Watauga county
indicate that 430 percent of the
quota was subscribed, thus placing )
Watauga ahead of all other counties
ot the state on a percentage basis.
Only three other counties raised as
much as 400 percent of their quotas.
They are Cherokee, Graham and
Henderson.
Total sales of bonds in Watauga
were $503,272.29, against a quota of
$117,000, while in the E bopd sales
12S percent of the quota of $84,000
WAS scud, or $105,581.25 in this type
of security.
Prizes Given
* highly organized bond sales
efanpaign was conducted through
the schools of the county, and last
week and the first of this week. Dr.
D. J. Whrtener, chairman of the
school committee, assisted by Clyde
R. Greene, Sixth War Loan chair
man, and Alfred Adams held meet
ings at the participating schools and
presented the prizes given by the
Boone Merchants Association. Two
prizes of $5 each were given to the
boys and girls of the larger schools
of the county, $5 to the student who
sold the greatest value In E bonds,
and another to the student who sold"
bonds to the greatest number of
people. In addition to these the
Farmers Hardware and the North
western Bank offered as county
wide prizes two $25 bonds, one to
the student who sold the greatest
amount of bonds, and the other to
?he student who sold bonds to the
greatest number of people.
Those who received prizes of $5
are: Bethel school, Janice Hay Swift
and Bobby Wilson; Blowing Rock,
Tony Lentz and Buddy Councill;
Boone Demonstration, Martha
Councill and Billy Crawford; Boone
Hifh, Mary Elizabeth Barnes and
Nancy Snull; Cove Creek, Emogene
Harmon and Mary Sue Walsh; Deep
Gap, Jane Moretz and Don Harrold;
Green Valley, Baxter Proffit; Mabel,
Verlie Brown and Jackie Trivette;
Valle C rue is, Carolyn Mast and
Sue Farthing.
Buddy Hollar of Boone Demon
stration School, and Joan Mast of
Cove Creek, each received a $25
bond in the county-wide contest.
Superintendent S. F. Horton, the
principals and teachers of the coun
ty worked patriotically in this phase
of the war loan campaign. Altogeth
er more than 100 school children in
the county participated.
POLIO CAMPAIGN
TO BE CONTINUED
Mor* Than $1.000 Reported; Chair
man Believe* Quota Can Bo
Reached
Due to the extended cold weath
er over the nation, which has slowed
up the campaign for funds with
which to combat infantile paralysis,
the campaign which was to have
dosed today, has been extended to
Feb. 15, states County Chairman
Howard Cottrell
, Mr. Cottrell believes that Wat
auga county will raise her quota of
tl,740, and states that more than
$1,000 has already been collected,
on the basis of meagre returns from
the county. Only two churches have
reported their collections, and 24
icnool districts are yet to be heard
trom. In addition, there are no fig
ares yet on the contributions of local
business men and on collections at
the theatre.
Mr. Cottrell insists that all those
who desire to he'--> in this worthy
cause make their contributions at
once. Checks may be mailed direct
to him at Boone, if more conveni-|
ent
This Is Last Day
For Old Auto Tags
Today, January 31, is the last
day that 1944 automobile license
tags may be displayed legally, says
Patrolman Miles Jones. The state
had granted a 30-day extension from
January 1, for the new tags, but Of
ficer Jones states that after today
those found driving vehicles with
out the 1845 tag will be cited for
violation ot the law.
Ration Guide
MEATS, FATS?Red stamps QS.
R5, S5 expire March 31; T5, U5, W5
and X5 expire April 28; Y5, Z5, and
A2, B2, C2 and D2 expire June 2.
PROCESSED FOODS ? Blue
stamps X5, Y5 and A2 and B2 ex
pire March 31; C2, D2, E2, F2 and
G2 expire April 28; H2, J2, K2. L2
and M2 expire June 2.
SUGAR?Stamp 34 expires Feb.
28: stamp 35 expires June 2.
FUEL OIL/?Periods 4 and 5 be
came good January 29.
SHOES?Airplane stamps 1, 2
aud 3 in Book 3, good indefinitely.
GENERAL KENNEDY TO PRESENT
SERVICE CROSS FOR SGT. EGGERS
SGT. CARROLL D. EGGETRS
Pic. Olma Greene
Killed in Action
Pfc. Olma D. Greene, age 22.
ton of Mr. and Mr*. L. C. Greene,
of Boone, was killed in action in
Luxembourg, Germany, on Jan.
11. according to a telegram re
ceived from the office of the Ad- |
jutant General by the parents. ,
The official message stated that
a letter would follow.
Pfc. Greene enlisted in the '
army May 31. 1943, and took
training at Camp Ha an, Calif.. |
and Camp Gruber, Oka. He went
overseas November IS, 1944.
He is survived by his parents,
and the following brothers and
sisters: Pvt. Herman S. Greene,
with the American army in Italy;
Enxer and Loretta Greene, of the
home: Wiley and Berlin Greene of
Blowing Rock; Osteen Greene, of
Hainesville, Ga.; Mack Greene, of
Boone, and Coy Green*, of Meal
SPECIAL MEETING
JUNIORS SLATED
Past State Councilor Snyder to De
liver Address at Meeting
Next Monday
Daniel Boone Council No. 129, Jr. j
O. U. A. M., will meet in special ses- j
sion Monday evening, Feb. 5, at 7:30 j
o'clock, at which time Past State
Councilor C. W. Snyder of Winiton
Salem, will speak, and several can
didates will be on hand.
This is the first Junior meeting j
to be held since the organization's |
hall was' redecorated, and it is |
asked that each member attend atj
this time, and note the wonderfully I
improved appearance of the lodge j
room.
Past Grand Master
To Be Honored By
Local Masonic Lodge
James W. Payne, past grand mas
ter, will be present at a regular com
munication of Snow Lodge No. 363,
A. F. & A. M., to be held Friday
evening, Feb. 2, at 7:30 o'clock. On
this occasion Mr. Payne will be
presented with an honorary certifi
cate of membership in the lodge.
A full attendance of the member
ship is desired.
Second Yank Army
In Battle of Louzon
Gen. MacArthur's Headquarters,
Louzon, Jan. 31?Another American1
army was thrown into the battle for
Louzon Monday morning when ele
ments of Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eich
elberger's new eighth army swept
to a completely unopposed landing
just north of Subic bay on the west
coast. By nightfall they drove 11
miles inland toward a junction with
the sixth army which is within 30
miles of Manila.
The eighth army Yanks, landing
at San Narciso and San Antonio to
seize five miles of beachhead 60 air
miles northwest of Manila, took an
airfield at San Marcelino in their
quick drive to seal the fate of the
Japanese retreating to Bataan and
to capture the vital Subic bay naval
base. .
Not a man was lost in the amphi
bious operation, which caught the
Japs completely by surprise. Not a
Japanese gun nor plane attempted to
interfere or even observe as the 38th
and 24th division troops hit the
Zambales coast beaches lined with
flag-raising, cheering Filipinos.
7MO MILES OF RAILWAY
REHABILITATED IN EUROPE
Paris, Jan 28.?U. S. army engi
neers have rehabilitated 7,000 miles
of European railroads .for use by al
lied armies as supply routes to the
western front, it was. announced to
day.
The engineers restored 5,000 miles
of double track and 2,000 miles of
single track in France and Belgium
Including all majof rail networks in
allied territory and reconstructed
172 major rail bridges destroyed by
bombing or enemy demolition.
American Legion to Sponsor
Program for Presentation
Ceremonies in Posthumous
Award of Distinguished Serv
ice Cross to Vilas Man; Com
mander Snow to Participate
A Distinguished Service Cross
has been awarded posthumously to
Sergeant Carroll D. Eggers, son of
Mr. and Mrs. George C. Eggers, of
Vilas, according to information com
ing from the office of the Adjutant
General, and Watauga Post, Ameri
can Legion, is formulating a pro
gram for a public ceremony, at
which Brigadier General John T.
Kennedy, commanding general at
Fort Bragg, will present the medal
to the parents of Sgt. Eggers, who
distinguished himself in a battle in
France last July.
Single-handed, Sgt. Eggers pour
ed withering machine gun fire into
the overwhelming ranks of a Ger
man unit, driving back the foe twice
before being struck with a bullet in
the jaw. He called an ammunition
carrier, and bade him support him,
while he drove the Germans away
for the third time, after which a
sniper's bullet entered his brain. His
efforts held the enemy until his
comrades were able to bring up a
unit with 81-mm guns.
Program February 8
Local Legion officials have plan
ned for the presentation of the
award to be made the father of the
dead soldier at the Legion hut on
Thursday evening, Feb. 8, at 8
o'clock, and a program is being
planned for the occasion.
George K. Snow of Mount Airy,
state departmental commander of
the American Legion, will be pres
ent and introduce General Kennedy.
Lionel Ward. 17th district comman
der, will present Mr. Snow, and will
be in charge of the gathering. How
ard Steel man, post commander, will
make brief remarks, as will S. F.
Horton. The assembly will sing the j
National Anthem and America, and|
i prayer' will be offered by Rev. J. I
C. Canipe, local Baptist minister,1
| and the benediction will be by Rev.
J. K. Parker, Jr., of the Presbyter
I ian Church. The program details
| haven't been completely formulated
yet, but all friends and others who
desire may attend the cereihonies,
the first of their kind ever to be
I held in this city.
About General Kennedy
General Kennedy, a South Caro
! linian and a holder of the Congres
sional Medal of Honor, the only
medal higher than that which he
will present to Mr. and Mrs. Eggers,
is a graduate of West Point and
served in the Philippines. He served
in Mexico in 1916 and with a field
artillery unit in France during the
first World War, seeing action in
the battles of St. Mihiel and the
Meuse-Argonne. Other medals he
received were the Distinguished
Service Medal, the Silver Star, the
Order of the Purple Heart and the
Etoile Noir from the Fiench Repub
lic. He has been commandant at
Fort Bragg since December 2, 1941,
which is the largest field artillery
center in the world.
Bitter Cold Weather
Again Visits Region
Wednesday morning the mercury
dropped to eight degrees above
zero, after a "short period of milder
temperatures, and weather reports
indicate that the frigid wave will
grip the eastern section of the Uni
ted States for a couple of days yet.
The mountain section has had the
toughest winter for years, the in
clement weather having been abat
ed only briefly since the first snow
fell back about November 20. High
winds and below freezing tempera
tures, with considerable snowfall,
have made the winter here unusu
ally severe. Householders, however,
have been able to get a fairly ade
quate supply of coal so far, and
transportation has been maintained
for the greater part of the winter.
*
U. S. Job Agency
Places 255,655
Ralsigh, Jan. 29?Breaking all
previous record* in finding jobs for
men, the U. S'. Employment Service
of the War Manpower Commission
in North Carolina made 255,055
verified placements in non-agricul
tural jobs in the state in 1944", ex
ceeding the 1943 record of 201,390
by 26.fi percent.
Or. S. J. Dorton, state WMC di
rector,.said the placements last year
were about three times the number
in 1938, and thit 15,275, or 5.6 per
cent of them, were war veterans.
Of the total placements, 159,OM
were men and 96,597 were women.
Placements of physically handicap
ped persons totaled 5,598.
MARRIAGE DECREASE
IN IMS ESTIMATED
Washington, Jan. 29?The ce:
bureau estimated today there w*re
about 1,441,000 marriages in 1944, a
decrease of 136,000 from 1943.
It was a rough preliminary esti
mate, based on the fact that in
cities of 100,000 or more, about 514,
000 matriaf* licenses were issued
during the year .a decrease of 9 per
cent from 1943.
BURLEY MARKET
CLOSES BANNER
SEASON TODAY
Total Sales Are Near Five Mil
lion Pounds at Close of Tues
day's Auction; Almost Two
and a Quarter Millions of Dol
lars Paid Growers
The Mountain Burley Tobacco
Market ends its current season here
today, with total sales far and away
ahead of any year in the market's
history.
At the close of the sales Tuesday
afternoon figures indicated that 4,
798,200 pounds of tobacco had been
sold, which total comes in striking
distance of doubling last year's sales
of a little more than two and a half
million pounds, with Wednesday's
sale figures not yet available.
The growers of this section have
been paid a total of $2,238,756.46
for a season average of $46.66 per
hundred pounds. Should 5,146,000
pounds have been auctioned last
.season's total sales would have been
doubled.
Warehousemen are highly pleased
with the results of this season's
sales, the totals being rather ahead
of their expectations at the begin
ning of the season. There is rumor
to the effect that additional ware?
house space may be provided by
next year, but there is no confir
mation of such a roport at the pres
ent time.
Mr. R. C. Coleman, warehouse op
erator, takes occasion to thank the
farmers of the belt for their fine[
co-operation, which has enabled the i
local mdfket to show such a spec-1
tacular growth, and expects to be I
back on the job next fall, with the j
same fine, friendly, helpful service,;
which has made the local market !
such a favorite with all burley grow
ers who have sold on the local |
floors.
Red Army Drives to
Within 73 Miles Berlin
London, Jan. 31?The first White
Russian army thrust within 73 miles
of Berlin yesterday when it captur
ed the Brandenburg province town
of Stolzenberg in a 20-mile dash
down the valley' of the Netze river
from Driesen.
The capture of Stolzenberg was
announced in the regular nightly
communique broadcast from Mos
cow, which made no point of the
fact that it represented the Russians'
closest approach to the Nazi capi
tal.
Early today, the Moscow radio an-1
nounced that the Red army was
less than 50 miles from Stettin,
Berlin's port on the Baltic. Stolzen
berg is 52 miles south east of Stet
tin.
First and Third U. S.
Annies Launch Drive!
Paris, Jan. 30?The American
First and Third armies smashed into
the outer defenses of the Siegfried
line today in an attack approaching
major-offensive scale and gained as
much as four miles on the frigid,
snow-covered western front. ,
Starting as a series of local I
thrusts, the assault picked up speed |
and, after several additional divis-1
ions were thrown in, eventually in
volved well over 100,000 men. It
further increased the pressure along
a 40-mile front on German military
leaders who already are robbing
their westwall defenses to bolster
positions on the crumbling eastern
front.
The doughboys overran a number
of Siegfried line outposts and front
line correspondents said the Ger
mans had previously evacuated the
positions.
Promoted
Cpl. B1 an c. Aldrldga. son of
Mr. ud Mrs. Horatio Aldridg* of
Buan Elk. who wm iwmIIt Pro
moted to his pmini rank. His
paraals aro in racalpi of a latlar
from Cspl. R. A. Basilar, air
cprpa, la which ha slatas: "'Hanry/
as w* bars In tha offlea call him.
haa baan working with as for
wall orar a yaar and hat ham
doing a sasarb Job." Cpl. Aldrldga
is In (ha Eorofiaaa araa.
Boone Laundry Razed
By Fire; Loss to Owners
$25,000; Plan to Rebuild
Wounded
Pfc. Marl D. Aldridge, ion of
Mr. and Mr*. R. J. Aldridge, of
Banner Elk. was wounded in
France December 15th. HU par
ent! have received word thai he
is now in the hospital in England,
and Is making normal Improve
ment.
MRS. TAYLOR DIES
IN BATON ROUGE!
Native of Boone Succumbs in Louisi-1
ana: Interment in Boone
Cemetery Sunday
Mrs. Emma A. Taylor, daughter of
the late Dr. W. B. Councill and Mrs.
Councill of Boone, died Thurso**
from a sudden illness at the home of
a son, David P. Taylor, Baton Rouge,
La. Mrs. Taylor and her daughter,
Miss Margaret Taylor, had gone
from Asheville for a- visit with her
son.
Funeral services were conducted
Sunday at 1:30 from the Church of
the Ascension in Hickory, with ihe
Rev. S. B. Stroup in charge, fol
lowing which the body was brought
to Boone and interred in the family
plot in the community cemetery.
Mrs. Taylor was a native of Boone,
was the wid?w of the late James
Taylor of Valle Cnicis, and was the
last member of the immediate fam
ily of Dr. W. B. Councill. She had
lived in Hickory for many years be
fore going to Asheville.
Surviving are two sons and a
daughter: Weston Taylor, Monroe;
David Taylor, Baton Rouge, La., and
Miss Margaret Taylor, Asheville.
Mrs. Taylor's mother, Mrs. W. B.
Councill, died ten years ago at the
age of 102.
Says County Farm
Meetings Are Being
Attended by Many
The series of farm meetings,
which are featuring food production
needs, other topics, together with
entertainment features, arc drawing
5ood crowds .according to County
Lgent Harry Hamilton, who asks
that farmers avail themselves of the
opportunity of attending one of the
remaining meetings on the sched
ule-, which follow:
Bamboo School, Thursday, Feb. 1,
at 2 p. m.
Cove Creek High School (lunch
room), Thursday, Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m.
Bethel High School. Friday, Feb.
2, at 2 p. m. I
Mabel School, Friday, Feb. 2, at [
7:30 p. m.
Local Triple-A Group
Cites Egg Goal for '45
The War Food Administration has
announced a revised farm egg pro
duction goal for 1945 of 4,350 mil
lion dozen eggs, according to W. W.
Mast, chairman of the Watauga
County AAA committee.
"The revised goal takes into ac
count the recommendations made at
state meetings called to discuss 1945
?[oals, as well as the Additional needs
or eggs from 1945 production that
have developed since the prelimi
nary goal of 3,920 minion dozen
suggested in November," Mr. Mast
Stated.
Mr. Mast pointed out that the re
vised U. S. goal of 4,350 million
dozen eggs?while slightly less than
the 1944 record production?would
provide 347 eggs for each civilian
in 1945 which u equal to the con
sumption Jn 1944 and Is an increase
of 49 eggs over the pre-war 1935-39
average^: onsumption. "The goal will
also provide for all militafy require
ments for shell eggs and for mili
tary and lend-lease needs for dried
eggs from 1945 production. The 129
million pounds carry-over from 1944
of dried eggs is available to meet the
balance of iend-leeee program," he
stated
Early Morning Blaze Sweeps
Through Big Laundry Plant*
Equipment and Building Said
to Be Total Loss; Much Laua
dry Burned; Owners Looking
Into Possibility of Rebuilding
Structure and Restoring Serv
ice
The Boone Steam Laundry, the
only plant of its kind in a wide
area, practically burned to the
ground, in a blaze which was dis
covered around 1 o'clock Friday
morning, inflicting a loss to the
owners of some $25,000.
The fire originated in the boiler
room on the south side of the big
irame building, and when the fire
was discovered was sweeping
through the structure. The fire de
partment a prevented the spread of
the flames to the property of the H.
F. Greene Lumber Company on
either side of the lmtndry, which
was already doomeirwnen the alarm
was sounded.
A portion of the walls of the
building are standing, but the loss
is total, the owners state. The large
amount of machinery was rendered
useless, and some thousands of dol
lars worth of finished laundry was
in the building, ready for delivery.
The exact loss could not be stated,
but the $25,000 figure is believed
conservative.
Tht^ business, which served a
tyide area, even outside of Watauga
county, was owned by Messrs. W.
H. Gragg and Emory Joines, the lat
ter having took over a half interest
in the establishment only a few
weeks ago. The owners are making
an effort to 'locate machinery with
which to resume service, and in the
event the equipment can be secured,
it is stated that plans will proceed
for the resumption of service, as
soon as quarters can be arranged.
Opsn Office
In the meantime the laundry has
opened an office in the Linney stone
building on Main street and Mr.
Joimts will be on hand there every
day. An arrangement has been
made with a laundry in a neighbor
ing town to handle at least a part
of the local concern's business dur
ing the emergency, and Mr. Joines
states that everything possible will
be done .to aid in giving the people
some kind of laundry service. With
in a few days it is likely that there
will be further information as to
the reopening of the business.
The laundry, which was estab
lished more than 20 years ago, has
enjoyed a wide patronage, particu
larly in Watauga and Ayery coun
ties. and represents a huge loss to
its owners as well as to the people
of the area.
FARMERS MUST
FILE BY FEB. 15
Deadline is Given for Filing
ports to Receive Payments
Under AAA
February 15, 1945, is the last date
that fanners may file 1944 perform
ance reports as a basis for receiving
payments earned unc^r the 1944
AAA program, according to a state
ment by W. W. Mast, chairman of
the Watauga County AAA commit
tee.
"The Watauga County AAA com
mittee is very anxious that every
farmer in the county receive the
payment that he has earned by par
ticipating in the 1944 program. Only
500 of the 800 eligible farmers in
the county have filed performance
reports and signed application
form?," he stated.
Mr. Mast pointed out that the
Watauga County AAA office is open
each week day from 8:30 o'clock
a. m. to 5:30 p. m., and that every
farmer who has not filed perform
ance report and signed application
form is urged to call at the county
office and do so at the earliest pos
sibly date. :%
Ce'Jinu Price* On
Cattle Established
Effective as or January 29, 1M,
the OPA and the War Food Admin
istration have been directed to es
tablish an "over-riding" ceiling
price on cattle and calves of $18
per hundredweight, Chicago basis,
according to information received
by W. w. Mast, chairman of the
Wataugn County AAA committee.
"This ceiling price will remain in
effect until July 2, 1948, at which
time the ceiling price becomes tlTM
PT chte?*? ,f|t