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An independent Weekly Newspaper ? Esta
BOONE, WATAtlGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA,
FIVE
THE DEMOCRAT
la your best and moat econo
mical medium or advertising
With mora than 1.600 paid-up,
cash subscriptions, your me*
aa?? toes to 13.000 people, on
the universally uaad basis of
Ova readers to aach subscriber.
VOL. LX, NO. 25
KING STREET
? 3y._
Rob. Rivers
Crowds of shopper* grow larger
each day as Christmas drawr
nearer . . . processions of buyer?
wending their way in and out of
the modern stores and shop*
along the street . . . friendly
merchants and courteous helper?
giving exacting attention to tht
wishes of their patrons . . . man
carrying express wagon, tin
soldiers, roller skates, and biff
sack of odds and ends . . . kiddie?
counting the days till Santa will
arrive, and anxiously scanning
the skies, hoping for snow . . .
pop scared stiff a blizzard will
hit . . . mom laying in the proven
der against the period of festivity
. . . and most folks in the com
munity looking forward to an
old-time Merry Christmas.
? ? ?
Minister of Gospel, a friend
of many years. Bravely concern
ed over the commercialisation
of Christmas, and expressing
the belief that the true mean
ing of the day is being lost
in the quest of money . . . holy
hymns being used for trade
promotion* . . . few churches
open on the natal anniversary
of the Prince of Peace. . . . win- -
ing rniH Htntng well-to-do
friends, perhaps having too
little care for the unfortunate
... To one who reguarly pro
motes the commercialisation oi
the holidays, the Man of God
brought a disturbing thought
. . . perhaps we aren't thinking
In Just a straight line of the
birthday of the Babe of Beth
la ham . . . likely don't practice
enough of the philosophies and
preachments of the Ifazarene
. . . these being sufficient to
solve all the world's vexing
problems . . . Wish we did . . .
If we could catch the true
spirit of Christmas and hold it
through the year, we would
have traveled a long way in the
right direction.
? ? ?
REV. SAM MOSS, whose un
worthy parishioner we are, de
livering Christmas sermon, inter
persed with a lovely program ot<
Christmas music . . . shaking
lands with old friends about the
churchyard, and asking for the
last lines of Preacher Sam's ser
mon, which went something like
this:
"A window filled with thingi
'V., . Dr*aa ? for thos* alraady
? d . . . books for
ftw who nad too much . . .
floli clubs for thos* who play
loo much . . . tools of labor for
thos* overworked . . arm
chairs for p*opl* who r*st too
much . . , Christmas cards to
r*plac* th* lattars wa ara too
dull or Mlfiih to pan . . . mora
things ? for people already
dragged and blindad by them
. . . the faces of poor children,
their noses flattened against
the pane ? hungry *y*s devour
ing the things they need and
want, but can never have . . .
young people walking past and
giving the windows a dull and
contemptuous star*? because
they are already overloaded
with things they no longer en
Joy . . . Why this Christmas
window? . . . Because one clear
night a mother looked out of a
stable at th* stars, and held
cloae to her bosom a child born
to tad the world that m*r*
things do not count . . . God *f
the Ages, will we thy children
amr learn?"
? ? ?
LAYING IN the family Christ
mas tree . . . getting out the
lights and trimmings stored near
ly ? year ago . . . finally, after
much sighting and adjusting,
?siting the oedsr perpindicular
. . . working half the night help
ing the kiddies string the lights,
hang on the colored balls, and
all the rest . . . admiring handi
work from arm chair . . . oc
casionally rising to make slight
. . . shifting the silver
star atop the topmost bow, the
better to catch the light . . . look
JMk op a Yule log to lend its
warming glow Christmas morn
Jn* . . . all of them too dry . . .
and finding trouble in locating
"our traditional fat goo*e for the
ChrMntf dinner.
# * ' ? 1 *<V:
T*U*rs busy naahing tobacco
cherki after ngolar banking
hours . . . flipping out puwibws
-of osMtuif notes to spssd th*
thing up .. . bad a family ba
te* we'd *v*r sssn a hundred
- 4oilar bill . . . will folks have
the issnwir Wnln? > to do with
_?ot ?onay ^again? Installment
DRESSES FOR EUROPE "
In response to the urgent need of the distressed peoples of
Europe for textile products, U. S. mills, under a voluntary pro
gram initiated by the American Cotton Manufacturers Association,
have' contributed enough cloth to make the equivalent of a quar
ter of a million dresses. Officials are shown inspecting some of
the cloth prior to shipment to Europe.
COUNTY FIRST
IN SEAL SALE
Watauga L~ads Stat* of North
Carolina in Reaching T.B.
Seal Quota
Watauga was the first county
in the State of Nortty Carolina to
reach its quota in * the annual
Christmas Seal Sale, it is learned
by Rev. James McKeown, county
chairman of the cajnpaign.
On December 10th, when the
first reports went in, Watanga
had received $870, one-third over
her quota of $600, This report
did not include the money re
ceived by the chairmen in Bethel,
Sugar Grove, Valle Crucis or
Blowing Hock.
The chairman asks that all who
have not sent in theij: many for
seals, do so at once; so that the
campaign may b? closed.
MRS. D.C MAST
DIES SUNDAY
Ritas for Sugar Grove Woman
Are Held at Core Creek
Tuesday Afternoon
Mrs. Nora Mae Mast, 73 years
old, a resident of Sugar Grove,
died at Watauga Hospital Sunday
evening. . Mrs. Mast had been ill
for a number of months, and her
condition had grown gradually
worse during the past several
Jays.
Funeral .services were con
ducted Tuesday at 2:30 from the
Cove Creek Baptist Church Tjy
the pastor, Rev. Mr. Middleton,
who was assisted in the rites by
Rev. R. J. Starling of the Metho
dist Church, and interment was
in the Mast cemetery.
Mrs Mast was born in Wa
tauga county, and was a daugh
ter of the late Sheriff David
Baird and Mrs. Baird. She was
well known in the county, where
she has wide family connections,
and a host of friends, attracted to
her by her sterling traits of
Christian character.
Surviving Mrs. Mast are the
husband D. Charles Mast, and
two children: Dave P. Mast,
superintendent of welfare, Sugar
Grove; Mrs. Joe Phillips, Detroit.
One brother and four sisters sur
vive: T. C. Baird, Valle Crupis;
Mrs. W. W. Mast, Valle Crucis;
Mrs. Alice Shull, Mountain City,
Tenn.; Mrs. Lydia Moore, Lenoir;
Mrs. Jack Horton, Rlva, Md.
Johnnie Hollars Wins
Quarterback Award
At a meeting of the Boone
Quarterback Club and the 1947
Appalachian football squad,
Johnny Hollars received "the
most valuable player" awai'd
which is piven annually by the
local elub. This award is based
upon his value to the team
throughout the past season as
well as his co-operation to the
coaches and fellow players. The
Quarterback Club invited the
entire squad to participate in this
voting.
J. C. Honeycutt was runner-up
in this contest, with Co-Captain
John Kirk and Blois Grisaocn also
receiving votes.
Dogers name Durocber man
ager, ShottMi farm uwixil1. ? '
A AAFARMERS
HOLD EffifflON
' .?? '
Agricultural CommlttHi Ai*
El?cled In Various Neighbor
hoods of County
At the county AAA committee
election at the AAA office Dec
ember 10, delegates from the
twenty communities elected the
following committee for the 1948
agricultural conservation pro
gram year; Ned Glenn chairman;
Dwight Cable, vice-chairman; H.
Neal Blair, regular member. The
two alternates elected were H. E.
Greene and J. M. Burket.
Delegates representing the
twenty communities were elect
ed by local farmers in each
community at elections held pre
vious to the county election. De
legates elected to the county con
vent. on were; Bald Mountain, W
S. Miller; Beaver Dam 1, Asa L.
Reese; Beaver Dam 2, t). F.
Greene; Blowing Rock, Q. B.
Cannon; Blue Ridge, M. O. Cof
fey; Boone 1, Joe McNeil; Booae
2, Harold Henson; Boone 3, Avery
H. Moretz; Cove Creek 1, J." M
Burkett; Cove Creek 2, John K.
Perry; Elk, N. G. Wheeler; Laurel
Creek 1, Howard Edmisten;
Laurel Creek 2, V. C. Harmon;
Meat Camp 1, Tom Jafckson;
Meat Camp 2, O. G. Winebarger;
North Fork, W. C. South;
Shawneehaw, J. L. T r i p 1 e 1 1;
Stony Fork, W. S. Moretz; Wa
tauga 1, Bun A. Hodges; Wa
tauga 2, C. P. Moore.
Also at these community elect
ions the following community
committee consisting of a chair
man, vice-chairman and regular
member were elected, being list
ed in their respective order: Bald
Mountain, W. F. Norris, W. S.
Miller, Page Trivett; Beaver Dam
I, Sanford Creed, Clyde Robin
son, G. D. Matheson; Beaver Dam
2, Conley Norris, George SmKh
erman, Fonso Tester; Blowing
Rock, Q. B. Cannon, Charlie
Spann; Blue Ridge, M. O. Coffey,
S. C. Ford, F. L. Hampton; Boone
1, Grady Bradley, Martin Her
man, C. L Billings; Boone 2, G.
D. Stilwell, B. H. Beshears,
Harold Henson; Boone 2, Avery
Moretz, Stewart Brown, Greene
Smith; Cove Creek 1, J. M. Bur
kett, Bert Mast, M. L. Warren,
Jr.; Cove Creek 2, John K. Perry,
Allen Adams, John B. Sherwood;
Elk, N. G. Wheeler, Jim Hayes,
Albert Greer; Laurel Creek 1,
Howard Edmisten, Charlie W.
Mast, Clyde Love; Laurel Creek
2, Miles A. Ward, Ray Harmon,
Ronald Ward; Meat Camp 1, Tom
Jackson, 3. W. Clawsod, Vaughn
Tugman; Meat Camp 2, O. G.
Winebarger, Ernest Moretz, John
F. Greene; North Fork, W. C.
South, Sam S. South, J. M.
South; Shawneehaw, J. L. Trip
lett, Ira Townsend, Marshall
Farthing; Stony Fork, W. 8.
Moretz, Thos. Fafathild, H. X.
Gnaw; 'WfcMflla l. Bun '.i|.
Hodges, Frank Taylor, Edward
Bairdi' Watauga 2, N. F. Church,
L. A. Calloway, Andrew Ellis.
CANNERY OPEN FRIDAY
The Cove Creek community
cannery, ti has been announced,
will be open for business next
Friday.
Chemical industry discounts
possibility of World War HI.
U Pound of butter coats >-4 hour
wqrk, AFL reports. ? > y
')
STOCKINGS TO)
BE FILLED IN
HOMESOFPOOR
Empty Stocking Fund Beach
es Satisfactory Proportions
as Woman's Club and Lions
Make Plans to Distribute
Holiday Cheer
When jolly St. Nicholas comes
around next week, stockings of
nore than one hundred children
of the county will be filled with
the goodies, toys and the like,
which would have remained limp
but for .the Empty Stocking
Fund, which this year has reach
ed sufficient proportions to take
care of the needs of the kiddies
of the area, who otherwise would
have speent a cheerless Yuletide.
Under the sponsorship of the
Woman's Club, candies, fruits,
nuts, toys and items of clothing
will be delivered to the destitute
families by members of the
Lions Club. Hundreds of usable
toys were received when Mana
ger Bob Agle of the Appalachian
Theatre conducted his annual
matinee, when the kiddies of the
neighborhood were asked to pre
ent a toy rather than a ticket.
More than three ^hundred dol
lars have been received for the
fund, and when the contributions
are completed, it is thought the
amount may reach as much as
our hundred dollars, this being
the first time in recent years the
.'unds on hand appeared to be
adequate for doing a bang-up job
of playing Santa Claus to the
unfortunate little children upon
whom good fortune has failed to
smile.
GAUM CAFE
SCENE OF FOffl
Small u Mai.
Buiinstg DtaMcTb ^
ThfMtlWMd
* "f.^b^^roke out in the
day eveninB Tay Cafe Sun"
r7 evening, and which couW
caused a major catastrophe
trictI*u,C6n^r ?f 019 business dis
S^'ajr.rM
w &,<>&?
ina! unable ^ determine a
logical reason for the fire ?nH
1,1114 sP?"taneo? com
bustion could have beer, th?
cause. The building was dSiaiS
considerably, . good dealo??w
Panting will be necessary Tnd
stored furniture on the^ec^d
water. W8S ged by fire ?""J
On Monday afternoon the house
trailer, occupied by J C W TrH
near Hurley Warehouse N^
was destroyed, all clothing etc'
Sh?^ ^ flame- A Ule
floor had been laid in the trailer
anrt was being cleaned with gat
obne The fume, ignited f ronf^
eaa he*ter.
oartmlnf KtreU Say* 016 "** de
partment has considerable new
equipment and is striving to pro
th? ^u^r?Pfny ?f U,e P^Ple of
wants^T^' department
?*nts at present, he says, is y,e
^operation of the public. Th^e
fi? ?Per*i!,t 1,1 chMln< down the
S"*-* when it is answering
who otherwise into?
wiU ?1^1? WOrk of the firemen!
the^ "-*1
fi_0 "y* The minimum
the <?!"t ?? ?3 and
. co,t. Mr. Cottrell takes oc
casion to compliment the police
UM Operation
m Keeping the curious back a
distance from the fires.
Mother of Mrs. Bond
Die# in Richmond, V*.
tuSedX &A?
R- B. Watkins, which occornj
lre on December 8th ?
I Kun*?l ?ervices were conduct r
Wth from Raleigh
t^- !y rch Mr* Watkins was
Hje We of Rev. R. B. Watkins.
heen^iT ?* ^ chupch. ">d had
oeen ill for some time
ciaUve^of X?" B?"d ** ?PP^
J^eof the many kindneMe,
sre* s^vJL.r,Mta'
frSr IT6^ ,et" 900 donations
^ U-l?J^$ic * twoT^T
to aid treatment of deep cancers.
Democrat Will Be
Issued on Monday
N<xt VNk'i edition of the
Watauga Democrat will ba
published on Monday, ao thai
? the publisher and itafi may
enjoy thai* only holiday period
of the yaai.
Advertising oohunns will ba
composed chiefly of Christmas
greeting ads. Copy and cuts
will ba supplied, and advertis
ers a re requested to co-operate
fully with Jna publisher in this
early edition. No ads can ba
r calved altar Friday. News
contributions should ba
brought or telephoned to the
office as rapidly as they occur,
and routine organisation mat
ters cannot ba handled later
than Saturday.
RUES HELD FOR
MRS. GREENE
Mrs. David Green* Pumi Sun
day; Funeral is Held si
Mount Vernon
Mrs. David Greene, 64 years
old, died at the home in the
Mount Vernon section Sunday
morning.
Funeral services were conduct
ed Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock
from the Mount Vernon Baptist
Church, by Rev. R. C. Eggers,
and interment was in the
Critcher cemetery.
Surviving -are the husband and
two children, Vilas and Mae
GrSf^ne, of Boone. One brother
and four sisters survive: David
Woo ten, Blowing Rock; Mrs.
Dora Welch, Deep Gap; Mrs.
Nannie Combe, Mrs. Martha
Thomas, Washington State; Mrs.
Lunda Hartley, Coshocton, Ohio.
CHAINLEflTER
HELD ILLEGAL
Postofflc* Department Warns
?. Participants of Violation of
Federal Law*
The newest chain letter scheme,
which is reportedly operating in
Boone as well as elsewhere, is
occupying the attention of the
postoffice department, and Post
master John E. Brown, Jr., re
quests the publication of the fol
lowing clarifying statement
which he has just received from
the Washington authorities:
"The Department has received
complaints that a new chain let
ter scheme is spreading through
out the Nation. This scheme dif
fers from those previously en
countered in that participants
are warned not to forward the
chain letter through the maila,
but to keep the letter and send
$2 to the person whose name
heads the lost of 10 appearing
thereon.
"It appears that the originators
of this scheme have the errone
ous belief that by not sending
the letter through the mails they
will escape prosecution.
"The Department invites at
tention to the fact that deposit
ing any matter, including money,
for transmission through the
mails in furtherance of this
scheme, is a violation of 18 Unit
ed States Code 336 and 338, the
postal lottery and fraud statutes,
and participants are subjecting
themselves to possible prosecu
tion as well as fraud order action
under 39 United States Code 259
md 732."
Fire Chief Warn*
Against Fire Hazard*
_____ <
Howard Cottrell, fire chief,
suggest* that residents of the
community take every precaution
against fires during the holidays.
He suggests that Christmas deco
rations not be placed near stove
pipes or electrical appliances,
that Christinas light wiring be
cswefully checked. It Is also sug
gested that wood and coal heaters
<tre not overloaded where their is
a possibility of a fire starting.
Gets Big Back on
N- J. Hunting Trip
Paul W. Fox of Banner Elk,
was in tftwn Tuesday exhibiting
a nine-poipt buck which he killed
on a hunting trip in the vicinity
of Chataworth, N. 3. He waa
accompanied on the Journey by
Robert and George Wax. ,
Shortages will cut '4t road con
struction SO per cent, says builder.
Burley Auctions End
For Holidays Friday;
Resume Sales Jan. 5
* v * * * -? *'. ?** ? *
? -i . . i *? #
"Cuke" Picker
Paul Porter, 4, son of H. D.
Porter, Ruskin, Fla., helps his
daddy raise cucumbers for mark
et. With his wistful look he )s
aiding in the {gathering of the
first crop for shipment to north -
em markets. ,
W. H MICHAEL
ENDS OWN LIFE
Harry Mlchasl Is Adjudgsd ?
Suicida; Family B1?m?
IU Health
William Harry Michael, 39
years old, resident of the Ma'tney
section of ShaWneehaw township
was adjudged a suicide last Wed
nesday afternoon when his body
was found at the hdme<The Ipafl
from a 20-guage shotgun hsd
entered the chest in "the region St
the heart and death was thowght
to have been instantaneous. C^s
oner Richard E. Kelly, who cos
ducted the investigation term A3
the death a clear-cut case of
suicide and did not hold an in
quest.
Members of the family attri
bute the suicide to ill health. Mr.
Michael had been seriously in
jured several months ago, when
a truck on which he was loading
cabbage backed^ into another
vehicle, catching' him between.
Jie suffered severe chest and
spinal injuries from which he
had never recovered.
Funeral services were conduct
ed Friday at 11 o'clock from the
Bethany Baptist Church by Rev.
Raymond Hendrix and interment
was in the church cemetery.
The widow, one Son and one
daughter, Charles and Ruby
Gwyn Michael, of the home, sur
vive.
Edward Paul Lund
Dies in Pennsylvania
Edward Paul Lund of Goulds
boro, Pa., who lived moat of hia
life in Orange, N. J., died Wed
nesday, December 10th, after a
long illness. He was 64. Born in
Orange, Mr. Lund operated a
garage in the Brick Church sect
ion of East Orange before moving
seven years ago to Gould* boro,
where he was president and
manager of a silver fox and mink
farm.
He was a former member of
East Orange Lodge of Elks, Corin
thian Lodge, F. and A. M., and the
i Lions Club.
Surviving are hia wife, Mrs.
Norm Mart Lund, two daughters,
Mrs. Allen Driscoll, PJ., of Somer
ville, N. J. and Mr*. Jack E.
Pool* of Goulds boro, Ph., a sister
Mrs. Brita Eriksson of Callfon,
N. J., two brothers, Victor and
Harry Lund of East Orange, N. J.
Mrs. Lund is the former Nora
Sue Mast, of Valle Crucis, daugh
ter of the late Mr. and Mrs.
Robert Mast. She is the sister of
A. Newton Mast o i Sherwood.
Rev. Bruce McGraw of Somer
ville, N. J. conducted services
Friday at the Weatherhead Fun
eral Home, Orange, N. J. Burial
was in the Rosedale cemetery of
that city.
CANDLELIGHT SERVICE
A candle-light service, "Spread
ing the Light", will be presented
by the young people of +r*cm
Lutheran Church Sunday even
ing at IM. You are invited to
take pert in ? this traditional
Christinas service.
Sales Pass Three MHH?
Pound Mark Today; Ml
Sale Held Thrrnqk- Fri
day; Pre- Christmas PuUnd
age To Be More Than TblW
and a Half Million
Sales on the floors of the
Boone burley market will de
finitely pass the three million
pound mark with sales today
(Wednesday) and warehouse of
ficials state that the banner sea
son will have seen the turnover
of more than three million and a
half pounds of weed when the
auctions close for the holiday*
with the sales Friday.
Receipts are continuing steady,
and prices for the better grades
are still, hitting the top brackets,
warehousemen say. The ware
houses will remain open for the
receipt of tobacco throughout the
holidays and the post-Christmas
sales will get under way January
8th. f
General satisfaction is being
expressed over the price received
for tobacco this year, and it is
anticipated that there will be no
break in the market during the
last half. Warehousemen are urg
ing the farmers to continue to
bring their burley to Boone for
Quick sales, no waiting to unload,
and for the best prices and most
courteous treatment.
SHU SEIZED
BY OFFICERS
Sheriff. OHlc* TikM ' 01141
Whlskay Plant on Mountain
Naar Boon*
V.I-- '
Chief deputy A. H. Church and
C. L. Smith captured a 58- fall on
whiskey distillery on the water*
of Howard's Creek, just across
Howard's Knob from Boone, and
destroyed 350 gallons of mash, in
a raid made Tuesday.
No arrests were made, it was
said, and evidences were that the
plant was being moved a short
distance to a new location when
the Sheriffs officers arrived. All
equipment was taken, including
several dozen fruit jars. The
boiler was fashioned from an oil
drum and the worm was of cop
per. The still was reported Sun
day, according to Sheriff Watson,
and cut on Tuesday.
Wildlife Club Enjoys
Movies and Awards
Essay Contest Prize
The Watauga Wild Life Club
held its regular monthly meeting
at the courthouse in Boone, Dec
ember 15, at 8:00 p. m. for the
purpose of enjoying some moving
pictures of hunting and fishing,
for awarding the prize in the
essay contest sponsored by the
Club, and for the purpose of
transacting some important busi
ness.
The club thoroughly enjoyed
three short films, one on quail
shooting, trout fishing and bass
fishing. The r^eeting was then
called to order and the following
items of business were transact
ed: The prize in the essay con
test was awarded to Miss Peggy
Joyce Teague, a seventh grade
student, at the B<t>one Demonstra
tion School. A check for $25.00
is being mailed to her. The club
afre?d to recommend to our com
missioner, Floyd C rouse, Sparta,
N. C., that the quail season be
closed on January 1, but that the
grouse season be left open. Tbe
club agreed to invite the next
district meeting of Wild Life
Clubs to be held in Boone. The
date will be announced later. The
club also agreed to endorse the
idea of releasing a large number
of brown trout in the headwaters
of New River.
Gifts For Orphan*
Are Needed Promptly
Those wishing to give a: little
money for the benefit of the
children at Grandfather Orphans
Home on Christmas Day, are
asked to leave it with Oujr Hunt
or Rob Rivers immediately, so
that Christiaas may be a UtUe
more enjoyable for these asm
tain children in a worthy local
jvstiiwUoo.
. .' ? ; '