An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1 888
VOL. LX1, NO. 47.
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1949.
ii
FIVE CENTS A COPY
KING STREET
BY
ROB RIVERS
?' JQE HARTLEY, one of the
old-timers of the community,
who wandered off the home re
servation many years ago to
establish his home down in
Hickory, visited with us the oth
er day, and brought back mem
ories of the old days with his
reminiscences of the horse and
buggy era ... He reminded that
it was he and Jesse F. Bobbins,
who pulled the first power-pro
pelled printing machine across
from Lenoir with four straining
horses, to supplant the old Wash
ington hand press in the Demo
crat office . . . The little mach
ine, which was powered by a
gasoline engine, weighed onto
about a couple of tons, but ft
took two days to bring it over
the hill . . . Mr. Hartley says the
load mired down solid in the
mud at the Wade Rogers place, a
mile from its destination, and
was pulled on into town the next
morning . . . The gasoline press
was used for a number of years
. . . automobiles hadn't brought
about any gasoline pumps in the
area, and five gallon containers
were sent over the hill to the
publisher from the Lenoir Hard
ware Co., along with an occas
ional bit of lubrication . . . B. T.
Brannock had bought a big gaso
line ? threshing machine, and
sometimes he loaned a bit of gas
from his can for the press run
down at the Democrat office . . .
It being Watauga county's cen
tennial, we came to reflect a bit
on Boone of a few years ago, . . .
the talk of the old printing press,
and other small gossip about the
old days, caused us to take a
rather long look back along the
way at a sleepy little village,
which later grew up . . . and to
think of the friends of long ago,
whose places have been filled
by the inhabitants of a hustling
little city, which in no way re
sembles the smug little neighbor
hood of our elders.
THERE WAS THE BLACK
BURN Hotel. the canter of
community life . . . the big
general (tore, where every
manner of merchandise
devised up to that time could
be bought for cash or on the
cuff . . . Mr. Blackburn telling
a good joke, and giving down
with sage advice and sound
logic . . . The pointed roof of the
old courthouse. where the
"Magic Lantern" show packed
the house, and was the talk of
the town for days . . . Court
Clerk Thomas Bingham, with
his spectacles resting across
his forehead . . . Sheriff
Bill Baird with the well bar
bered chin-beard . . . The old
Methodist Church with its
pointed spire, just below the
Blackburn ho--.se . . . The Lovill
law office will. Captain Lovill.
and William R. defending the
folks who had done wrong . . .
Lawyers Dick Fletcher and E.
S. Coffey and F. A. Linney . . .
The old public well out in the
street near the courthouse, and
our ancestral home, which had
never seen a paint brush, and
which has housed four genera
tions of Riverses , . . The old
Horton house across from the
Democrat office . . . Mrs. Etta
Horton, who knew all the good
Civil war tales, and her neigh
borly family . . . The old Demo
crat office with our dad toll
ing over hit type cases, and
running a town farm on the
side . . . J. M. Morels' store and
residence . . . The Bryan House,
and Squire Bryan calling the
hands from the fields with a
blast from his hunting horn . . .
The Linney law office and
home, and the old Crack Coun
cill house where the postoffiee
stands . . . The Blair hotel,
with Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Blair
entertaining the guests . . . the
big dinner bell above the kit
chen part of the house, and the
"yellow house" just below,
which had housed the village
saloon before our day . . . The
Councill blacksmith shop, and
the ring of the big hammers on
the anvil . . . the old log jail
on Depot Street, the Critcher
hotel, and the "brick row."
used aa a hotel annex . . .
ON DOWN THE STREET
Jones' Cottrell's store, and the
R. M. Greene house and variety
store . . . J. C. Fletcher's home,
and Cook Brothers store, and
St. Luke's Church on the corner
of King Street and the Blowing
Rock turnpike . . . the old
school building in the chicapin
bushes somewhere behind the
Methodist church lot . . . Wa
tauga Academy, and the stern
discipline of the school masters
. . . The Baptist church with the
fish on the spire, ... invariably
referred to oy the negroes as
"Mr. Coffey's Church out of
deference to W. C. Coffey, on
whoae land it was built . . . The
old Methodist parsonage, where
Rev. J. H. Brandell, Rev. B. H.
Hargett and other able circuit
riders lived . . . The Dougherty
mill, and the Daniel Boone Oak,
and the big trees along the
street . . . The wagons stuck in
the mud . . . the old plank side
walks, built around the shade
trees . > . walkways later made
of white sand and gravel . . .
(Continued on page 4)
HE PREFERS HERMITHOOD
'
"Civilisation? You can h\re it) 111 itay right her*." 33-year-old
Paul Makuihak uyi in efxect as he is questioned by District At
torney Miles McDonald in ills hermit "hideaway" in a Brooklyn
tenement in which he had spent 10 years as a recluse. His high
school year book photo (inset), taken 12 years ago, shows how
he looked two years before he decided to eschew the world and go
into ?olunlary seclusion.
Winkler, Baird To
Head Road Drive
Finals Set At
Appalachian Hi
Fifty - four are candidates
for graduation at the commence
ment exercises to be held for
Applachian High School at the
College auditorium Friday May
27, at eight o'clock. The follow
ing members of the senior class
are expected to graduate:
Nora Austin, Betty Ruth
Barnes, Annie Cooke, Hazel Cor
nett, Elsie Greene, Irene Greene,
Kathleen Greene, Reba Greene,
Mary Sue Greer, Mary Jo Gross,
Nell Gross, Lovonne Hampton,
Rosella Hampton, Evelyn Hart
ley, Margaret Haves, Fairy
Hodges, Sylvia Hollars, Betty
Honeycutt, Joan Hughes, Bar
bara Jones, Gladys Jones, Mary
Frances Klutz, Juanita Norris,
Nell Norris, Ava Lee Payne,
Reba Smith, Lois Townsend, Bet
ty Jo Turner, Betty Vannoy,
Mary Lee Watson, Lawrence Bar
den, Ted Barnett, James Besh
ears, James Bradshaw, Roscoe
Brown, Bill Buchanon, Claude
Carlton, Marvin Casey, L. M.
Cook, Herb Davidson, P?ul Ed
misten, Ray Greene, Lawrence
Greene, Dale Gross, Phil Hughes,
Donald McCracken, Paul Miller,
V. J. Moretz, V. C. Payne, Law
rence Phillips, Dennis Teague,
Howard Tugman, Hal Vannoy,
Donald Warman.
The baccalaureate sermon will
be preached by Rev. Sam Moss
Sunday May 22, at 8 o'clock at
the Baptist Church.
Pre-School Clinic
Immunizes 169
To date 169 children have re
ceived examinations and im
munizations at the Pre-School
Clinics; 118 were vaccinated for
Smallpox, 107 for Diphtheria and
65 for Whooping Cough.
If your child is unable to at
tend a Pre-School Clinic please
take him to your family doctor
or bring him to the local health
department on a Wednesday or
Saturday morning for a check
up.
No child will be allowed to
enter until he is immunized eith
er by having had the disease or
the vaccination for Whooping
Cough, Diphtheria, and Small
pox.
Talent Contest Set
For Blowing Rock
An amateur talent contest will
be held at Blowing Rock, on
Saturday May 28 at 8 o'clock at
the school. The proceeds will
benefit the American Legion
Auxiliary.
Larry Walker of W. B. T. will
be master of ceremonies and
Mrs. Walker and two other com
petent persons will be judges.
Any person or persons desir
ing to enter should address their
application to Luda C. Gragg,
Sec. American Legion Auxiliary.
No entry fee is being charged.
Boone talent is welcomed to
the show. Cash prizes will be
awarded.
Piano Students T o Give
Recital Monday Night
Students of Mrs. Boone will be
heard in recital Monday evening
May 23 at 7:30 o'clock m College
auditorium. The program pro
mises to be entertaining and in
cludes a dance number by Mollie
Agle. All friends of music are
cordially Invited.
Newspaper is called backbone
of advertising for all products.
Boone and Valle Cruris Men
Have Accepted Leadership
For Scott Program.
Raleigh. ? The names .of those
who have accepted co-chairman
ship of Watauga County's Com-|
mittee for Better Schools and
Roads were announced here this
week by John Marshall, executive
secretary of Better Schools and
Roads. Inc.
They are Frank Baird, Valle
Crucis, and W. R. Winkler, Boone.
The chairmen will spearhead a
county drive for voters' support
of the Better Schools and Roads
jrogram which faces its biggest
test on June 4 when the people
of* North Carolina will vote on
the issuance of bonds for schools
and road building. ? ?
Their appointment and accept
ance as leaders of the local effort
marks another step in the State
wide program to inform all Tar
Heels of the need for better
chools and roads and to impress
upon all voters the significance
of the June 4 election for the
economic and social life of North
Carolina.
By their acceptance of . co
chairmanship they also became
directors in the non-profit, non
partisan citizens' organization.
Better Schools and Roads, Inc.
The co-chairmen took as their
first job the encouragement of
voters to register for the election.
In this connection, however,
they pointed out that no special
registration is reauired. Any cit
izen now on the registration
books can vote, and citizens who
are not already registered may
do so on May 21 at their polling
places, they said.
Many Attend Meeting
[Of Citizen*' Group
The Watauga County Citizens'
CommitMe wet last Tuesday
night at the Gateway Cafe. Twen
ty persons were present, includ
ing representatives from the
Town Board of Boone, a repre
sentative from Blowing Rock,
and six of the law enforcement
officers of the town and county.
An Informal discussion on the
general theme of law enforcement
in the county took place. The
group tried to discover ways and
means of implementing the en
forcement of the county dry laws
that have been passed in the re
cent referendum. The general
sentiment of the group was one
of commendation for the efforts
and the work of our present of
ficers. It was stressed that loyal
citizens must cooperate if the
laws of the county are to be en
forced.
Several specific suggestions
were made. It was stressed that
in order to enforce our dry laws
citizens must be willing to report
any known violations and sign
warrants when necessary. The
issue is one involving a great
measure of individual responsibi
lity in the matter of cooperation
and enforcement. It was also
suggested that the committee
make definite efforts to check on
all penons receiving suspended
sentences for violations of the
liquor laws and be prepared to
report at the next session of court
concerning the way in which the
sentences have Aeen observed.
Efforts will be made to secure
information in such instances.
The committee will meet again
when the officers designate the
need for a meeting and the time.
JUNIORS TO PRESEKT FLAG
A WD BIBLE TO SCHOOL
The Junior Order will present
a Bible and flag to the Cove
Creek School m appropriate
ceremonies Wednesday May 20
at 8:40. The public is invited.
MANY BEING
ASKED TO GO
TO ASHEVILLE
PARK HEARING
Congressional Committee To
Hold Hearings in Asheville;
W. R. Winkler, Member
Park Commission, Anxious
For Completion of Parkway
Mr. W. R. Winkler, of Boone,
member of the State Park Com
mission has invited a number of
town and city officials, represen
tatives of civic groups and others
to attend the public hearing of
the House Public Lands Com
mittee in Asheville May 21.
Mr. Winkler states tnat Wade
E. Brown will be the spokesman
for the local delegation, when
the twenty-five member congres
sional committee, headed by
Chairman Peterson of Florida
will hold hearings on matters
pertaining to the parkway and
parkway property in general.
The meeting of the congres
sional group, the first such gath
ering ever to be held in the area,
was arranged by Representative
Monroe Redden, at the insistence
of the State Park Commission,
In its efforts to secure the early
completion of the secenic park
way, and additional funds for
the Smoky Mountain National
Park. A number of witnesses
from this immediate area are
expected to testify.
Democratic members of the
Public Lands Committee are:
Peterson, chairman; John R.
Murdock, Arizona; Clair Engle,
California; Redden; Toby Morris,
Oklahoma; Ken Regan, Texas;
Lloyd M. Bentsen Jr., Texas;
Compton I. White, Idaho; Walter
S. Baring, "Nevada; Reva Beck
Bosone, Utah; Fred Marshall,
Minnesota; Harry P. O'Neill,
Pennsylvania; Wayne N. Aspi
nall, Colorado; John E. Miles,
New Mexico; E. L. Bartlett, Ala
ska and A Fernos-Isern, Puerto
Rico.
Republican members are:
Richard J. Welch, California;
Fred L. Crawford, Michigan;
William Lemke, North Dakota;
Frank A. Barrett, Wyoming;
Dean P. Taylor, New York; Jay
LeFevre, New York: A. L. Mil
ler, Nebraska; Wesley A.
D'Ewart, Montana; Norris Poul
son, California; John Sanborn,
Idaho, and Joseph R. Farrington,
Hawaii. ?
Avery Officer Is
Fatally Injured
Elk Park. ? Max Daniels, chief
deputy sheriff of Avery county
for the past six years, died in a
hospital here shortly before 4 p.
m.. Monday. He was 45 years of
age.
Daniels was fatally injured Sa
turday night when an unidenti
fied driver of a speeding automo
bile resisted arrest and started his
car, dragging the officer a short
distance along the highway be
fore he was thrown clear.
Daniels, driving a pick-up truck
owned by James Farthing, over
took and halted the speeding au
tomobile. The occupant scuffled
with the officer, pulled clear and
drove away. Farthing, who was
driving Daniels' automobile, wit
nessed the scuffle.
The automobile, a blue Chev
rolet, reportedly was bearing
Louisiana license plates.
Farthing took Daniels to the
hospital here, where examination
disclosed hjs sixth vertebra was
broken. He had been paralyzed
from the chin down.
Daniels had been wounded in
another arrest attempt near New
land about three weeks ago.
Surviving are the widow, Mrs.
Delia Hopkins Daniels; two sons,
Bill and Phil; the mother, Ml*.
F. W. Gaines, all of Newland, a
brother, Bruce Daniels, mayor of
Newland; five sisters, Mrs. R. H.
Massey, Mrs. S. B. Lacey, Sr.,
Mrs. Finley Banner and Mrs.
Sam Ray of Newland and Mrs.
Ted Blalock of Rock Springs,
Wyo.
Join the "Bonnet
Club" Is Urged
Last Thursday the members of
the Home and Garden club on
their trip to the Biltmore estate
at Asheville were 100% in the
Bonnet club. They attracted
much attention.
Bonnets are beginning to ap
pear on the street, both the poke
bonnet and split bonnet. The
1849 type was the poke bonnet
Many variations, lace and ruffles
were used. Colors were pastel
prints in small sprays, ana thin
materials were moat common.
Bonnets and dresses were often
of the same material.
Bonnets are on display in the
Fashion Shop. They are being
made by members of the Home
and Garden club for $1.50, $1.79
and $2.00 each. For special or
der* call Mrs. R. H. Harmon,
telephone 238-W.
Rise in total employmr-tt seen
in second quarter of this year.
Steel shipments reached peak
in March.
DEFENSE UNDERSECRETARY
Stephen T. Early. press secretary oi the lata FDR. U I worn in as
undersecretary of defense by Defense Secretary Louis A.- Johnson
in the presence of officials and Early's immediate family. L*it to
right are Early. Mrs. Early and Johnson.
Books To Open As
City Election Nears
Charleston. S. C. ? "Tarry at
Boons until your bearda bo
grown," is the order of iba Ma
ton at that western North Caro
lina town as it makes prepara
tion for celebrating the 100th
birthday of Watauga County.
Daniel Boone made his headquar
ters there from 1760-1769. To
remind the thousands of tourists
already flocking to the Watauga
section of the mammoth celebra
tion to be staged July 5 through
July 10. Watauga men have pled
ged themselves 'to grow beards.
One of the finest "crops" has been
achieved by Lt. Wade E. Brown.
USNR of Boone, former state
I senator, county attorney and at
torney for that town, who did
'not let his annual two- weeks Na
val Reserve training duty at the
Sixth Naval District legal office
here interfere with the cultiva
tion of his distinguished beard.
(official U. S. Naval Photo.)
I
Goforlh To Speak
To C. Of C. Group
Highway Commissioner Mark
Gofotfh of Lenoir, will speak at
the monthly meeting of the
Chamber of Commerce to be held
at the Skyline Restaurant Thurs
day evening at 7 o'clock.
Commissioner Goforth is ex
pected to discuss the road situ
ation in Watauga, while Repre
sentative S. C. Eggers will ex
plain the road and school bond
situation.
Candidates for pioneer and
queen of the centennial will be
named.
[Local Merchants To
Attend Charlotte Meet
The Boone Merchants Associ
ation directors met In the Sky
line Cafe Tuesday, and maae
plans to attend the State Mer
chants Association Convention
in Charlotte next Monday and
Tuesday. Among those planning
to go from Boone are Mr. ana
Mr*. Howard Cottrell, Mr. and
Mrs. J. C. Cline, Mr. and Mrs.
Clyde R. Greene, Mr. and Mrs.
Cobb Cline.
President Cottrell appointed
Wood row Greene, D. M. Ed mis
ten to a special committee to a
plan to try and keep the Watauga
county trade in Watauga county
and Boone.
"We should keep our money
here in this county where it w}ll
work to build a better home com
munity for us, rather than send
ing it to other towns to world
for them, as we do when we
shop away from home," said Mr.
Cottrell.
Woodrow Greene was appoint
ed to work with other civic or
ganizations in ridding the town
of some unsanitary and unattrac
tive practices.
| No Candidates Have Yet
Been Placed in Field for
Election on June 21.
The election for the town of
? Boone will be held Tuesday
June 21, and registration pf
those who have not hitherto par
ticipated in a municipal election
will start next Saturday, and re
main open at city hall each Sat
urday including June 11. June
18 is challenge day.
Mrs. W. G. Hartzog is the re
gistrar and the boon will be
open at city hall on. the dates in
dicated. J. C. McConnell and
Russell D. Hodges are the judges
of the election.
' A mayor and members of the
three-man city council will be
elected. Neither political party
has called a laminating conven
tion at this time.
143 Collegians
To Gel Degrees
Friday at 10:30 a. m. Dr. B. B.
Dougherty, president of Appala
chian State Teachers College,
will confer degrees upon a class
of 143 graduates, 135 whom are
from 54 North Carolina counties.
The commencement address will
be given by Dr. Clyde A. Erwin,
State superintendent of public
instruction.
The commencement program
will include the processional, the
traditional hymn "Holy, Holy,
Holy" which is always used at
Appalachian commencements; the
invocation by the Rev. Sam
Moss, pastor of Boone Methodist
Church; an anthem "Listen to
the Lambs" by the Appalachian
cappella choir under tne direc
tion of Virginia Wary Linney ;
the graduation address by Dr.
Erwin; the "Hallelujah Cnorus"
by Handel, sung by the choir;
the conferring of degrees and
awarding of diplomas by Dr.
Dougherty; the benediction by
the Rev. J. K. Parker, pastor of
James I. Vance Memorial church
of Boone and the recessional.
New Parkway Link
Is Open For Travel
The Craggy Gardens section of
the Blue Ridge Parkway and the
deadend section of the Parkway
from Wagon Road Gap westward
from the Waynesville-Brevard
Highway, will be opened to the
public on Saturday, May 28, it
was announced this week by Sam
R. Weems, superintendent of the
Parkway.
Both sections, however, will re
main open only during the dura
tion of rhododendron and laurel
blooming time along each route.
Parkway officials said that con
struction work along the Craggy
Gardens section would continue
during the period the roatl is
open and warned motorists of
heavy road equipment that will
be travelling over this route.
They urged motorists to operate
their vehicles with caution in
that section.
The Craggy section will be
closed to traffic after 9 p. m.
each day because of the fact the
Parkway crosses the Asheville
watershed. The Parkway will be
closed beyond Craggy Gardens.
The only available approach to
the Craggy Garden section from
Asheville at present is via Elk
Mountain Road and Parkway of
ficials have asked that motorists
drive carefully over this stretch
because the road there is not of
standard highway width.
The Wagon Road Gap section
is approximately four and one
half miles long and is said to one
of the most beautiful along the
Parkway. It may be reached also
via the old Pisgah Motor Road,
an extension of N. C. State High
way 112 out of Candler
SCOTT, REECE,
GREER SLATED
TO SPEAK AT
JULY AFFAIR
Leaders Accept Invitations To
Supply Oratory for Cen
tennial Celebration; White
ner Writes County History;
Other Committees Are
Named.
Governor W. Kerr Scott has
accepted an invitation of the Wa
tauga Centennial, Inc., to speak
during the celebration of Watau
ga county's 100 years of exist
ence, according to an announce
ment by Stanley A. Harris, pres
ident of the Centennial. Ten
tative date for his appearance
here is July 6, second day of the
celebration on the ASTC athletic
field.
Others who have accepted In
vitations to speak during the cel
ebration include Dr. I. G. Greer,
executiv vice president of The
Business Foundation of North
Carolina, native of this section,
and former head of Mills Home
Orphanage at Thomasville; and
Carroll Reece, ex chairman of
the National Republican Commit
tee. Mr. Reece will speak Tues
day, July 6 and Dr. Greer will
proDably make his address Sa
turday, July 9.
Mr. Harris stated that Dr. D.
J. Whitener, historian for the
Centennial, has submitted 144
typewritten pases of history to
the Publicity division, which in
cludes Wade E. Brown and Mar
vin Culbreth. along with him
self. This history will be pub
lished in the official programs.
The writings include a complete
history of the county, the Ap
palachian State Teachers College,
names of the first settlers ana
first officers of the community
and a list of the families who
lived in Watauga in 1790.
The Centennial committee met
Tuesday when reports of the sale
of advance tickets were made.
It was reported than more than
500 season tickets have been
sold in Boone alone. The com
mittee decided to continue sale
of. advance tickets at reduced
rates until 700 had been sold in
Boone or until June 4, whichever
is the shorter. Mr. Harris stated
that no season tickets will be
sold at the reduced rates after
that time.
Mr. Harris attended the cen
tury celebration* of Forsyth and
Alamance counties last week.
The dramatization of their found
ings were produced by the same
:ompany which has been secured
for the production of "Echoes of
the Blue Ridge.." He returned
home enthused over the successes
of these celebrations, and said
that if the people of Watauga
county are as interested in their
celebration here July 5-10 it will
"be a marvelous success." He
estimated more than 150,000 wit
nessed the parade in Winston
Salem Saturday.
He said both the spectacle
"Forsythorama" and "Almanace
Heritage" were complete sell
outs, with standing room being
sold in both instances.
The following committees have
been appointed by Mr. Harris:
Finance Division, Fred Gragg,
Miss Ellen Coffey
Official Program, Bob Agle
Novelty committee, W. R. Rich
ardson
Queen and Pioneer Contest
committee, Watt Gragg
Advance Ticket sales, Richard
Kelley, Alfred Adams
Reserve Seats, W. W. Chester
Concessions, Russell Hodges,
Sr.
Publicity Division, Wade E.
Brown, Marvin Culbreth
Press committee, Rob Rivera,
Mrs. Ruby Ellis, Joe Minor
Speakers committee, Gordon
Winkler
Spectacle Division, Dr. J. T. C.
Wright, W. W. Williams
Talent committee, Howard
Walker, R. W. Watkins
Costumes and make up, Mrs.
B. W. Stalling*, Mrs. Wm. Mathe
son. Miss Lucy Brock
Properties committee, S. F.
Horton. John Howell
Construction, Perry Greene
Special Events, Howard Cot
trelf, Robert . Hardin
Hospitality committee, R. Di
Hodges, Jr.
Traffic and Safety, Chief of
Police Verne Greene
Housing Mrs. Erie Adams.
Crippled Children's
Clinic Friday Morning
Dr. John S. Gaul will be at the
local health department office on
Friday morning. May 20 at 9:00
a. m. to conduct the Crippled
Children's Clinic.
We would like to have every
crippled child in Watauga county
attend this clinic.
DR. ERWIN WILL
SPEAK SATURDAY
Dr. Clyde Erwin, state super
intendent of education, will kpeak
in the courthouse in Boooe Sa
turday, May 21, at 2 o'clock, in
behalf of Governor Scott's road
and school bond program. - Ev
erybody is invited to attend.