WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
? An Independent Weekly Newspaper?Established in the Year 1888.
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VOL. LVII, NO. 34 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1945 $1.50 A YEAR?5c A COPY
RED CROSS WILL
START WAR FUND
CAMPAIGN MAR. 1
Watauga County to Raise $6,500
in Bed Cross Campaign Which
Starts March 1; General Coun
ty Organization Is Set Up
The Red Cross War Fund drive
i* to start in this locality and in the
nation as a whole on March 1, and
an effort will be made to reach the
national goal of $200,000,000 as
quickly as possible. $6,700 of this
atoount is to be raised in Watauga
county and Clyde R. Greene and H.
M. Hamilton, co-chairmen, have
made plans to launch an aggressive
campaign to raise Watauga county's
share at the earliest possible time.
A meeting of the workers is to be
held at the Gateway Cafe next Tues
day evening, at which time supplies
will be distributed, and instructions
given regarding the different phases
of the campaign.
Th? Organization
Mr. Alfred Adams has been made
treasurer of the campaign, while
Mrs. R. W. Watkins is publicity
chairman. The remainder of the or
ganization is as follows:
Town of Boone: Guy Hunt, chair
man; Mrs. Russell D. Hodges and
Mrs. M. R. Maddux, vice-chairmen.
Blowing Rock: Mrs. H. C. Hayes,
chairman. 4
Schools: S. F. Horton, chairman.
Rural sections: H. M. Hamilton,
chairman.
Churches: Rev. E. F. Troutman,
chairman.
Past Campaigns
It is recalled that in the -first War
Fund campaign of 1941-42, Wat
auga's quota was $1,500, and $2,
395.32 was raised; in 1043. $3,600
was requested, and the county gave
$5,800; in 1944, the quota was $6,000
and the amount contributed $7,
829.21, or more than a thousand dol
lars more than this year's quota. So
with this record of Red Cross sup
port here, it is felt certain that the
quota will be reached quickly.
The campaign which takes the
place of the pre-war Red Cross roll
calls, gathers money for the follow
ing activities: Overseas clubs, hos
pital service, prisoner of war serv
ice, home service work (aid to sol
diers, their families); field direc
tor and assistants; disaster work;
production of garments for military
personnel; canteens: recreation;
nursing service and blood plasma
development, and other relief acti
vities brought about by the war.
"Tweetsie" May
Suspend Operations
Elk Park?Officials of two rayon
companies in Tennessee whose em
ployees regularly ride 'Tweetsie,''
the 'narrow-gauge railroad passen
ger train which operates between
Johnson City, Tenn., and Elk Park.
Tuesday were preparing to appeal
to the office of defense transporta
tion for continuance of the train
after word was received Monday
night that suspension of service on
March 1 has been authorized.
The little narrow gauge train, one
of the few such remaining railroads,
is reported to be serving approxi
mately 600 workers of the North
American Rayon Corporation and
and the Glanzstoff Corporation at
Elizabethton, daily.
Elk Park residents expressed the
view Tuesday that suspenesion of
passenger service on the narrow
gauge line foreshadows suspension
of freight service.
W AC Recruiters To
Be Here Next Week
A recruiting team for .the Wom
en's Army Corps will again be in
Boone all during next week, it was
announced Monday from the Ashe
ville army recruiting office.
Lieut. Geo. Faulder and Cpl. E.
Jane Brown will be at the local post
office each day next week begin
ning Monday, to interview and re
cruit women of the area who are
badly needed at this time for special
(tuty with the WAC.
Ration Guide
PROCESSED FOODS ? Blue
stamps X5, Y5, Z5, A2 and B2, now
valid, expire March 31.
C2, D2, E2, F, 2, G2, now valid,
eotpire April 28.
H2. J2, K2, L2, M2, now valid,
expire June 2.
MEATS, FATS?Red stamps Q5,
R5, S5, no-v valid expire March 31.
T5, U5, V*., X5, now valid, expire
April 28.
Y5, Z5, A2, B2, C2, D2, now valid,
expire June .
SUGAR?Sugar stamp 34, good
for five pounds, expires Feb. 28.
Sygar stamp 35, good for five
pounds, expires June 2.
SHOES?Airplane stamps 1, 2
and 3 in Book 3, good indefinitely,
FUEL OIL?Period 4 and 5 cou
pons from last season. Periods 1, 2,
3, 4 and 5 from this season?all valid
for 10 gallons each.
GASOLINE?A-14 coupons valid
through March 21. Rationing rules
require that each car owner write
his license number and state on each
coupon in his possession as soon as
it is issued to him by his locsJ
rationing board.
Store Man&gei
W. W. CHESTER
CHESTER WILL
MANAGE BELK:S
Assistant Manager Local Department
Store Succeeds Bus
Crowell
Mr. W. W. Chester, popular mem
ber of the Belk-White organization
here for many years, has been nam
ed manager of their local depart
ment store, to succeed L. H. Crow
ell, who died recently.
Mr.' Chester has been employed
by Belk's for the past five and a
half years, as assistant manager and
has also been in charge of the shoe
department.
Mr. Chester, who has entered
upon his new duties, states that the
big store, which was closed two
months ago due to tbe fire, will pos
sibly open around the first of March.
The painting and carpentry work
has long since been completed, and
men are now engaged in installing
the new fixtures. Detailed announ
cement of the opening will be made
soon.
Sgt. Gilbert Ward
Is Given the Bronze
Star Award on Leyte
Master Sergeant Gilbert J. Ward,
25, of Huntersville, N. C., construc
tion lineman section chief for the
77th Infantry Division signal com
pany, has been personally awarded
the Bronze Star medal by Lieut.
Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger, com
manding general of the Eighth
army, as directed by the President
of the United States.
The award was made Jan. 1, 1945,
for meritorious service from De
cember 7, 1944, to December 26,
1944, in connection with an amphi
bious operation against the enemy
on the Island of Leyte, Philippine
Islands.
M. Sgt. Ward has been a member
of the 77th signal comparty since j
March. 1942, and has served over
seas since March, 1944. Besides the
Leyte operation, Sgt. Ward partici
pated in action against the enemy
on Guam in the Marianas.
Prior to entering the service in
September of 1940, he was emplay
ed as a farmer at Sugar Grove, N.
C. Sgt. Ward is a graduate of Cove
Creek High School, where he was
active in school athletics. His wife,
Mrs. Flowers Mast Ward, resides at
Huntersville.
Trade, Tenn., Man Is
Drowned in Florida
T-Sgt. Alfred Cornett, Jr., of
Trade, Tenn., 28 years old, was
drowned in Lakeland, Fla., a week
ago, when a boat which he occu
pied was capsized. The body was re
turned to the home neighborhood
for burial
Mr. Cornett had been in the serv
ice for five years and was to have
gone overseas last week. He is sur
vived by the parents, one sister, Mrs.
Lucy Armstrong, Washington, D. C.,
and Billie Cornett at home.
With Oversea Unit
Pvt. Arthur C. Moody, Jr.. ton
of Mr. and Mn. A. C. Moody of
Blowing Rock, who was trained
at Camp Blinding. FTa., and who
is now attached to ax
unit.
NON-ESSENTIAL
USE OF TRUCKS
IS NOTED BY ODT
AAA Official Says Shortage of
Truclcs and Gasoline in Coun
ty Being Surveyed; Says
Something Must Be Done
About Pleasure Driving
The Office of Defense Transporta
tion has made a very careful survey
regarding the critical shortage of
trucks and gasoline, W. W. Mast,
chairman of the Watauga County
AAA committee, announced here
yesterday.
This survey revealed that "unless
unnecessary travel by farm trucks
is eliminated there will not be suf
ficient gasoline to take care of the
critical needs," he declared.
Mr. Mast pointed out that "in
many instances, gasoline has been
issued for farm trucks, based on
the fact that the applicants received
consideration for such allocations of
gasoline by indicating that they
were taking care of the essential
hauling in the community, or of the
transportation of certain farmers.
Investigations revealed that at least
a^half dozen truck owners had been
issued gasoline for the same purpose
and in many instances farmers
were taking care of their own trans
portation."
The AAA leader cited cases where
gasoline hd been issued to appli
cants for pick-up trucks to carry on
farming operations and it was later
found that the trucks were used, 90
percent of their operations, for
pleasure driving.
"Something'must be done about
the gasoline that has been allotted
for essential used and used for non
essential purposes," he said. "In an
effort to eliminate such waste and
be assured that our most essential
transportation can be carried on, the
Watauga county farm transportation |
committee has been asked to review
all certificates of war necessity in
the county," he concluded.
INFORMATION FOR
DISCHARGED VETS
Veterans Are Entitled to Social Se
curity Benefits. Says
Adjutant
Men discharged from the armed
services are advised that in many
cases they are entitled to social se
curity benefits, by Beach Keller, ad
jutant of Watauga Post, American
Legion. To the end that they may
receive these benefits, Mr. Keller
advises those discharged to register
at the local U. S. Employment Serv
ice office.
It is also pointed out that veterans
are entitled to mustering out pay of
from $200 to $300, depending on the
nature of their service. Those who
have not received this payment
should get in touch with Mr. Lionel
Ward, Legion service officer, and
procure his aid in getting the sti
pend provided by the congress.
Mrs. Fred Carp Die*
From a Short Illness
Mrs. Fred Earp, 25, of Vilas, died
Feb. 5 at the Baptist Hospital, Win
ston-Salem, where she" had been ill
for about two weeks.
Funeral services were conducted
Feb. 8 from the Mt. Lebanon Bap
tist Church, by Rev. W. D. Ashley,
Rev. Raymond Hendrix and Rev. N.
M. Greene, and interment was in
the Danner cemetery.
Mrs. Earp was a member of Mt.
Lebanon Church for about ten years
and took an active interest in its af
fairs.
Mrs. Eanp, the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. T. T. Danner of Valle
Crucis, who survive, is also surviv
ed by the husband and one small
daughter, Linda; four brothers and
four sisters: Clay Danner of the
army; Rom Danner, navy, Bain
bridge, Md.; Jack and Tommie Dan
ner, Valle Crucis; Mrs. Lee Ander
son, Vilas; Mrs. Irene Coche, Ashe
ville; Mrs. Dave Minton, Valle Cru
cis, and Mrs. Clarence Earp, Vilas.
R. W. Watkins Recovers
From Illness in England
Mr. R. W. Watkins, former ath
letic director at Appalachian Col
lege, and who is now a club direc
tor with the American Red Cross,
has recovered from an operation re
cently performed in an English hos
pital, and is back at his work.
Watkins recently had the good
fortune to meet another Boone man,
the former Presbyterian pastor.
Major John I. Rhea, and the two
had dinner together in London.
Eggers Bill Receives
Unfavorable Report
A bill introduced in the General
Assembly on Feb. 5, by Representa
tive S. C. Eggers, and which was de
signed to fix the salary of thfl
sheriff of Watauga county at $2,500
per annum, within additional $<$00
for a chief deputy, was reported un
favorably by the senate committee
on salaries and fees, it has been
learned. The measure had passed
the house.
Brothers in Army
S-Sgt. Lloyd Earl Wmebaxger and Pvt. Leonard Laney Wine
burger. sons of Mr. and Mr*. Grover C. Winebarger of Meal Camp,
now of Lenoir. S-Sgt. Winebarger enlered the service in January.
1942. and was trained in Oregon. California and Colorado before go
ing overseas in August. 1944. He was wounded while fighting In
Germany in November, and has received the Purple Heart, but write*
that he i* now "back with the boys." Pvt Leonard Winebarger en
tered the service at Fort Bragg last November, and is now stationed
at Camp Wheeler. Ga.
MRS. HARRIS FS ON
WELFARE BOARD
Stale Board of Charities Reappoint!
Sherwood Woman on Local
Welfare Group
Mrs. Stanley A. Harris of Sher
wood, was renamed as a member of
the Watauga county welfare board
at a meeting of the state board of
public welfare held in Raleigh Mon
day. Mrs. Harris was named for a
term of three years under legislation
approved by the current session of
the General Assembly.
Before April 1, when terms of the
old board expire, the county com
missioners of each county will name
a second member to the board, and
these two appointees will select the
third member. The appointee of the
county commissioners will serve for
two years, while the third member
will serve for one year. After ex
piration of the first term* under the
new legislation alt appointments will
be made for three years.
The board also adopted standards
for inspection and licensing of pri
vate commercial homes for boarding
children and changed the procedure
of inspecting foster homes boarding i
children placed by local welfare de- ;
partments. Future inspections will i
be the responsibility of the county
welfare departments. Previously a
representative of the state board
made annual inspections.
Jim Rivers Sends
Jap War Implements
The Democrat has recently receiv
ed a box of souvenirs from the Pa
cific war, sent by Jim Rivers, chief
warrant boatswain, who has been on
duty with the navy in Pacific waters
for about 18 months.
The souvenirs include a .31 cali
bre Jap infantry rifle, with bayonet,
ammunition for same; the deadly
Jap knee mortar, helmet, some rice
bowls, field ration, a Jap battle flag,
and various other things gathered
from the fighting fields on the
Marshall Islands, Saipan and Guam.
The box was sent to Mrs. Rivers
who resides in Washington and for
warded by her to Boone for exhibit.
The souvenirs are being attractive
ly displayed in a window at the
Parkway Company, where much in
terest is being aroused.
Local Lions Club Makes
Plans For the Future
The board of directors of the
Boone Lions Club met at the close
of the club's regular meeting Tues
day night. The directors voted to
have the Lions sponsor a dance to
raise funds for the high school foot
ball team, and also for the program
for the blind in Watauga county.
The directors voted to make a large
contribution to the Red Cross War1
Fund campaign which will be pro
moted in March. Tentative plans
were made for the annual dramatic
program or show which will be
held in April.
. The club was happy to have the
following guests: Lieut. Ben Miller
of the Merchant Marine, a son-in
law of Lion Milt Greer; Ensign
Charles Mock of the Navy, son of
Lion C. H. Mock; Mr. E. P. T. Lar
son, manager of the Appalachian
Theatre, and Mr. Willis Chester,
manager of the Belk-White store in
Boone.
Lions Cratu William* and Milt
Greer had charge of the program
for the meeting Tuesday evening.
Ladies night is coming soon.
WARREN EXPECTED TO BE
SUCCESSOR TO MEEK INS
Comptroller General Lindsay C.
Warren will succeed Federal Judge
Isaac M. Meekins in the Eastern
North Carolina district upon this
resignation of the 70ryear-old jurist,
it is predicted by congressional lead
ers.
Judge Meekins announced last
week in Elizabeth City that he n>?"?
to retire. a
Exchanged
SGT. JOHN E. GUY
WATAUGA MAN IS
ON GRIPSHOLM
Sgt. John E. Guy of Reese, Among
Those German Prisoners Be
ing Exchanged
Staff Sgt. John E. Guy, son of
Mrs. Myrtle M. Parks of Reese who
has been a German prisoner, is be
ing returned to this country on the
exchange ship Gripsholm, it is learn
ed.
The Gripsholm sailed from Mar
seille, France, Feb. 8, and was to
have reached Jersey City on Tues
day of this week. She carries 665
civilians and 463 soldiers, all ill or
wounded who have been prisoners
of war. All were included in a re
i exchange of nationals between
the United States and Germany.
Steps are being taken for the ap
propriate reception of the repatri
ates, and for immediate physical ex
r.minations, settlement of pav ac
counts in full, presentation of any
awards which may have been
made and issuance of clothing.
Leave or furlough will be provided
each individual, if physical condi
tion permits, shortly after arrival in
the States, as well as continued hos
pitalization of those who need it.
MANPOWER ACT IS SHELVED
Washington, Feb. 20?The senate
military affairs committee today re
jected a new demand by President
Roosevelt for prompt passage of a
stiff work-or-fight bill.
in France
Sgt. Robert 8. Psrry, sob of Mr.
and Mr*. Roscoe Parry, ol Zion
?Ule, who wm inducted Jan. 23.
1M3. H* was trained at Camp
PldNtL Vs., Augusta. Ga, and
Camp Ellis. DL Ha
for eight
NATHAN HICKS
HANGS-SELF ON
VALLEY MOUNTAIN
Resident of Shawneehaw Town
ship Ends Own Life- by Hang
ing; Body Found After Search
is Instituted by Members of
His Family
Nathan Tolbert Hicks, 50 years
old, a resident of Shawneehaw town
ship, ended his own life by hanging
on Tuesday, the body having been
found three miles from the home on
Valley Mountain at 11 o'clock Tues
day. Coroner J. V. Caudill, Sheriff
C. M. Watson and Deputy Wiley
Day, who investigated the tragedy,
termed it a straight out case of sui
cide.
Hicks, it is revealed by officers, is
described as having been despon
dent and perhaps slightly deranged
for some time. The condition is said
to have grown apparently worse
since the death of his father, Ben
Hicks, a week ago. He left home
Monday and when he failed to re
turn, members of the family became
alarmed, and instituted a search for
him. The body was found suspen
ded from a locust lib near a road
way. Indications were that the de
ceased had fashioned himself a
crude hangman's noose, mounted a
rail fence, tied the other end of the
cord to the limb and stepped from
the fence.
Investigations revealed that he
had been in Banner Elk Monday and
had purchased the 30 feet of cotton
rope which was used as a means of
suicide.
Funeral services are to be con
ducted from the Presbyterian Chapel
at Banner Elk Thursday at 11 o'clock
and interment will be in the home
neighborhood.
Surviving are the widow and sev
eral children.
Thomas M. Wheeler
Claimed By Death
Thomas Martin Wheeler of Trip
lett died on Feb. 7. after a long Ill
ness, at the age of 74 years. Funeral
services were held at Mt. Ephriam
Baptist Church Feb. 9, at 11 a. m.,
by the pastor, Rev. Roscoe Greene,
assisted by Rev. Ben Triplett, with
Reins-Sturdivant taking care of the
arrangements.
Surviving are the widow, Julia
Cooke Wheeler, and four children:
Joe Wheeler, Triplett; Mrs. Doc
Cox, Triplett; Simon Wheeler, Cle
veland, Ohio, and Mrs. Don Hayes,
Deep Gap. There are nine grand
children and four great-grandchil
dren. He had been a member of
Mt. Ephriam^ church for a number
of years.
Fisherman's Banquet
Postponed to March 22
The banquet which was to have
been served in connection with the
B. W. Stallings fishing contest has
been postponed from Feb. 22. A
tentative date has been set for
March 22, at which time the bass
fishing prizes will be awarded.
A principal feature of the banquet
was to have been a movie film,
"Battling Bass." Due to the trans
portation embargo in the east re
cently the booking schedules on the
film have been so disrupted that it
could not be shown when originally
planned. Barring further complica
tions, however, the banquet will be
held on March 22.
Local Republicans at
Lincoln Day Event
Thirteen Watauga county Repub
licans went to Winston-Salem Sat
urday where they attended the an
nual Lincoln Day dinner, and heard
a political address by Congressman
Carl T. Curtis, of the first Nebraska
district. The following are those
from this county who attended:
Earl D. Cook, W. H. Gragg, A G.
Miller, Wm. Winkler, I. B. Wilaon,
Owen Little, John W. Hodges, Ken
neth Linne" Clyde Eggers, C. M.
Watson, J. E. Holshouser, Russell D.
Hodges and Clyde R. Greene.
Sgt. Hartsell Recovers
From Battle Injuries
S-Sgt. O. M. Hartsell, who is at
tached to a hospital unit, and who
was recently wounded while remov
ing casualties from the battlefields
of Belgium, under enemy fire, has
completely recovered from his
wounds, and has received the Purple
Heart award.
Sgt. Hartsell is well known in
Boone where he taught in the De
monstration School until he enter
ed the service.
PATTON CROSSES MOZELXJE
Paris, Feb. 20?Gen. Patton's 3rd
American army, slashing into or be
yond the Siegfried line on a 50-mile
front, surged forward 2 % miles in
rain and mud today and captarad
ten towns and entered five others
in a surprise new attack acroaa the
Mozelle river.