North Carolina Newspapers

e r ? I THE DEMOCRAT U your best ud moat econo mical medium of advertising. With nacre than MOO paid-up cash subscriptions, your mes sage goeo to 13.000 people, on the universally used basis of five reader* to each subscriber. An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1888 IMPORTANT! \ The data on your . sililiaas label shows the date your sub scription will expire, and ftg date your paper will bo stopped unless sooner renewed. The Democrat is operating strictly on a cash In advance basis. VOL. LXn ? NO. 26 BOONE. WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1950 12 PAGES? 2 SECTIONS v KING STREET BY ROB RIVERS ? THE OLD YEAR recedes into the shadows, as the New Year dawns, bringing with it bright prospects of continued good business, resultant prosperity and freedom from a shoo tin' war for another twelve months . . . A few fire crackers were explod ed about the town as the old year died, otherwise the transition to the first page of a new calendar came without fanfare . . . South ern folks haven't yet accepted the dawn of a New Year as the time for whoopee, most of the gay parties being staged during Christmas . . . While the Associa ted Press gives down with the happenings during the first half of the twentieth century, we find wide diagretment as to whether the fifty year period has ended or not . . . Glancing back through the files of the Democrat we find that the Boone church bells tolled out the nine teenth century at midnight Dec ember 31, 1900 . . . Consequently, we would submit that the half way point in the twentieth cen tury will not have been reached until December 3i, 1950 . . . In cidentally Boone folks didn't take the expiration of the nine teenth century too seriously . . . They apparently went to bed unperturbed, for when the mid night hour arrived, the ringing of the bells "caused quite a rif fle in some of our homes, the re sidents thinking a fire alarm was being sounded." . . . However a lenghty editorial hailed the New Year and the new century, and the closing paragraph said: * ? ? "IT WOULD SEEM that the nineteenth century, wonderful century, has left but little for the twentieth century to achieve ... so great has been her inarch in the line of pxo grees. but "God has indeed made man. and man has sought out many inventions," and it U impossible to connive what the brain and brawn of American grit and energy may yet ac complish. We await develop ments." ? ? ? NEW AUTO TAGS put in their appearance with the usual rever sal of the figures and field of the traditional orange and black. . . . Wish the department of motor vehicles would provide a bit of variety, so's we'd figure we had something npw and different ev ery time we sent a check- . . . Recalling the first transaction we ever had in re motor license. . . . The Rivers lads had managed to gain ownership of an oversize motorcycle back in the old days, and found out one had to have a tag. . . . The license business was handled at that time through the office of the Secretary of State, and in return for our two dollars. Hon. J. Bryan Grimes sent us a handsome plate about four inches square, a sort of gray and blue combination of baked enamel . . .1 and we tied the tag onto the| spluttering machine, which turn-| ed out to be a sort of model for all-American cussedness . . . andl sometimes when the weather was' dry we would be able to ride a few miles over the alleged high ways, scaring every horse we met out of his wits, and incurring the anger of all the teamsters in the community, and then the thing would stop dead cold for a spell. . . . On one such occasion 'Squire' Bryan suggested "a stick of dyn-| amite ought to start her." . . .) And we wouldn't have cared much, 'cept for that shiny new license plate, dangling from the] rear, which set us apart . . . we were lads of record down Roily; wayf" . . . and we pushed and grunted and cranked, and some times the big motor would take off like a jet . . . on off days, we would get a flat dejected pop or so . . . and walk_ 1CEW YEAR'S EDITIONS carry the news of the killed and wounded during lha open season on lha nation's high war* ? ? ? Good holiday trade Bean am dopeslers tally lha score on the past year . . . Congress man Doughton sees need of curbing tax chiselers as boon to the nation's treasury . . . Con gress gets down to business again as the President renews demands for remainder of Fair Deal program . . . Governor Dewey noi to run again, gets headline, although the deduc tion would hare been obTious to any high school kid . . . Mont Glorier, who raises fine apples orer at the Valla Cruris orchards, has our thanks for a fin* basket of Rome Beauties . . . Jim Brown hands us a fine pea and pencil set in the hopes that our penmanship may be improved a bit, and we thank Mm . . . Kiddies trek back to school Monday, some of them hugging up those big super slxe dolls, which Santa distri buted so generously . . . ? Bloodshed Boxscore On N. C. Highways Killed Dec. 20 thru Dec. 28 21 Injured Dec. 20 thru Dec. 20 340 Killed thru Dec. 20 this year 026 Killed thru Dec. 20. 1040 730 thru Dec. 20. 1040 9,467 thru Dec. SO, 1040 7,062 HOW OLD DO YOU FEEL? Remember the long and dance child o 1 "Baby Take a Bow?" Do you recall "The Little Colonel" and "Little Mix* Marker?" Here the signs divorce paper* against actor John Agar in Loa Angeles superior court. Burley Sales Started On Local Mart Today DR. JAMES A. JOKES Dr. Jones Will Hold Radio Hour During January, February and March tne Presbyterian Hour will have as the radie preacher Dr. James A. Jones, pastor of the Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte. Dr. Jones is a native of North Carolina. He was educated in Davidson College, Union Semin ary in Virginia and in New Col lege in Edinburgh, Scotland. The programs in this series will be aired over some 100 stations co operating with the Southern Re ligious Radio Conference and will be produced in the newly-opened cooperative studios of the Protes tant Radio Center. The general emphasis of this series will be "Christianity Be gins with You." This program may be heard in this community over radio station WSOC next Sunday morning at 8:30. Aulo Tags May Be Secured Here Automobile license plates are now available one day a week at the city hall in Boone, and in Blowing Rock, as a special con venience to the motorists of the area, it was learned the first of the week. Inspector Allison, of the State department of motor vehicles will be here each Thursday morning to issue licenses, take> care of matters pertaining to mo- J tor vehicle titles, and render other official services to the citizens. Mr. Allison will be in Blowing Rock each Thursday afternoon for the same purposes. Wayne B. Ferguson * Joins FHA Staff William A Smith, Watauga County Supervisor for the Farm ers Home Administration, ant nounced this week that Wayne B. Ferguson of Jefferson, has been appointed assistant county supervisor and has assumed hU new duties with the office here on part-time basis. Mr. Smith expressed pleasure: at having the addition made to the staff since the work load for the county has increased. He has had no assistant since July 1947. The State'* farm income from [tobacco is about five times as | large am its income from cotton. Prices Expected To Be as Good as Before Christmas; Houses Are Filling The first sales of the New Year are being held on the Boone bur ley tobacco market Wednesday morning, and word from Mr. R. C. Coleman, ware houseman, is to the effect that the prices are expected to be fully as high during the remaind er of the season, as before the holidays. Since the holidays tobacco has been steadily rolling into town, and the houses on the local mar ket are now rapidly filling for the January sales. Due to the dry weather existing during the first part of the season ana the tardiness of the grading opera tion, many believe that the post Christmas poundage will be rath er heavier than usual. Mr. Coleman points out that farmers may get a quick sale and courteous service on the local floors. Three big warehouses now available, guarojuee a minimum of congestion, and there are no long delays. Farm ers are invited to bring their to bacco, get their checks and re turn home in the minimum length of time." Junior Order Ladies Night Daniel Boone Council 129, Junior Order, observed the an nual ladies night Monday even ing, at a banquet at the Gateway Cafe, and the meeting featured a public installation of new of ficers. Dr. W. G. Bond, Clyde R. Greene and W. H. Gragg spoke. The following new officers were installed: I. S. Ayers, councilor; Ned Norris, vice-councilor; Jimmy Greene, recording secretary; Gurney Brinkley, chaplain; Henry Austin, conductor; Mace Fletcher, warden; Basil Shore, inside sentinel; Bill Hodges, Jr., outside sentinel; W. C. Greer, treasurer; Gill Phillips and Rus sell D. Hodges, trustees. Federal Government Aids School Lunches Raleigh. ? The Federal Govern-! ment during 1949 donated to. North Carolina schools and insti tutions enough carloads of food' to make up a train about four miles long. This was disclosed last week in a report released by Jay P. Da vis, marketing specialist with the State Department of Agriculture. Davis said the state received 19,057,858 pounds of food, pur chased under the school-lunch and farm price support programs. The food wis distributed to 1,723 schools serving lunches to a total of 334,613 children, and to 93 public and charitable institutions having 21,337 inmates. Davis also reported that 120 carloads of food are on their way to North Carolina for distibution | early this month. Of the 1949 total poundage, about 45 per cent of it wai ac counted for by Irish potatoes. Fresh apples and pears represent ed about 18 per cent. Included in the shipments was some 2,000,000 pounds of process ed cheese and 280,000 pounds of icreamery butter. More than 500 new members will be inducted Into the North Carolina 100-Bushel Corn Club at its annual meeting in Ralaifh later this month. / DOUGHTOH TO BACK DRIVE AGAINST TAX LAW EVASION Ninth District Solon Thinks if All Tax Money Due Gov ernment Collected, Budget Might Be Balanced; Tax Increases Are Held Unlikely Washington ? New backii^ for a drive against tax chiselers came today from chairman Doughton (D., N. C.) of the House Ways and Means Committee. "If the government collected every dollar owed it under pre sent law, it is my hope and opin ion that we could just about bal ance the budget," Doughton said after arriving here for the open ing of Congress. He thus aligned himself with Rep. Forand (D., R. L), who call ed earlier this week for a crackdown on persons who evade paying their federal taxes. For and said he believes that if en forcement were stepped up and existing loopholes in the tax laws plugged, the government might channel and additional $5,000,000,000 a year into its money bags. Doughton said he feels confi dent Congress will give the trea sury "every agent it needs" to check up on possible violators. As chairman of the committee that originates all tax laws, Doughton is a position to press a drive against "leakage" before considering any tax program proper. On other matters relating to the nation's finances, Doughton said: 1. The people are "clamoring" for tax relief and economy in government. He himself wants a balanced budget, insists on cut ting spending. 2. Congress should act imme diately on the question of excise taxes ? the levies applied either at the manufacturers or retail er's level on such items and ser vices as transportation, light bulgs, luggage and telephone calls. But if those taxes are re duced it may be necessary to find other sources of revenue. 3. On the prospect for a tax in crease: "There wasn't much sen timent around here for increas ing taxes when Congress ad journed. In fact, there seemed to be a lot of opposition to it." Meanwhile a federal reserve board report on how consumers spend their money showed that American families pay out as much for federal income taxes as they do for automobiles, furni ture and home appliances. Out of every $100 of family income, $9 foes for federal income taxes and 9 for the three classes of pur chases listed. New Hospital Trustees Named Three new members of the Board of Trustees of Watauga Hospital were elected to take office January 1, at a recent meeting. Those elected, each of whom will serve for a three year term are: Dewitt Barnett, Herman R. Eggers and Stanley A. Harris. They replace Clyde R. Greene, John Howell and Dave Mast, whose term expired the first of the year. Howard Gragg of Meat Camp was elected to fill out the unex pired term of Earl Cook, who had asked to be replaced. Ac cording to the charter and by laws of the hospital, three new trustees are elected each Janu ary 1, and three are retired. The full board of trustees is now constituted as follows: G. K. Moose, W. R. Winkler, J. H. Winkler, Wade E. Brown, A. E. South, Howard Gragg, Dewitt Barnett, Herman R. Eggers and Stanley A. Harris. MOOSE CHAIRMAN HOSPITAL BOARD Dr. G. K. Moose was re-elected chairman of the board of direc tors of Watauga Hospital at the initial meeting of the new board Tuesday afternoon. Other of ficers elected were: W. R. Winkler, vice-chairman; Wade E. Brown, secretary; A. E. South, treasurer. Boone Business Back To Normal Business activity in Boone settled down to routine Tuesday following the New Year's and Christmas holiday periods, and a general note of confidence is be ing sounded in retail circles as to the continued good business pro aspects for 1950. Most of the stores were closed Monday as were the postoffice, bank and other public offices. Business during the Christmas season is described as being un formly good in the business dis trict. SITTING PAT The countenance of Pat Valentino prove* Joe Louis' right still packs a terrific wallop. Pat takes a 10-count after being propelled through the ropes in a Chicago bout. NewC.ofC. Directors, Officers Take Over SPEAKER SAM WEEMS j Mrs. Grace Hardin Rites On Tuesday Mrs. Grace Blackburn Hardin, a member of one of the area's leading families, and widow of the late Henry J. Hardin, died at the home near Boone Sunday afternoon, following a prolonged illness, which had been critical for the past several months. She was 61 years old. Funeral services were conduct ed at the Boone Methodist Church Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. The pastor, Rev. Sam B. Moss, was in charge, and Rev. E. F. Troutman, pastor of the Grace Lutheran Church, assisted in the rites. Interment was in the fami ly plot in the community ceme tery. One son and one daughter survive: Joseph Hardin and Mrs. Wilson Boiling, both of Boone. The mother, Mrs. M. B. Black burn of Boone, survives, with two sisters, Mrs. J. W. Jones, and | Mrs. Jennie Critcher of Boone. There are four grandchildren. Mrs. Hardin, a daughter of the late Manley B. Blackburn, and Mrs. Blackburn, \tfas reared in Boone, and was educated at Ap palachian. She was married to Henry J. Hardin and the family had lived on the ancestral Har din farm on Howard's creek, near Boone, for many years. Mrs. Hardin was well known through out the county, and had attracted widespread and enduring friend ships. She was a member of the Boone Methodist Church. Flake Bowles Fitaeral Sunday Funeral services for Flake Bowles, ffrmer assistant county agent for Vatauga county, are to be held at the Sulphur Springs Baptist Church at Hiddenite next Sunday at \ o'clock, and burial will be in he church cemetery. Mr. Bowlq was killed in the early days f the war when a plane in wHch he was flying crashed in th* Mediteranean. The body was tenaorarily interred in a European g^veyard. Deceased Krved as assistant farm agent hei. for two years and was popular throughout the county. He existed In the aic corps October 3, 1942, and was a pilot at the tme of his death, although it ian known whether or not he was t the controls of the ship at the une of the fatal crash. ltlh CWD AT M Woodbury, i>nn. ? Mrs. Nor man Cole, wb is 80, gave birth to her slxteeth child, a daugh ter at her ,ome, on December 20th. All ht one of the children are lltfc. Annual Meeting of Chamber Of Comerce Set for Tues day; Weems To Speak A new board of directors, and officers of the Boone Chamber of Commerce will be installed at the annual meeting of the organ ization in the basement of the Methodist Church Tuesday even ing, January 10, at 7 o'clock. Chicken dinner will be served by the members of the Eastern Star. The new directors are: Wade E. Brown, D. L. Wilcox, Clyde R. Greene, W. H. Gragg, Wayne Richardson, Paul Winkler, Frcd Church, Guy Hunt and I. S. Ayers. Rev. Edwin Troutman will be in charge of the installation ceremony. Mr. Sam Weems, superintend ent of the Blue Ridge Parkway, will speak on the Blue Ridj"' Parkway, <'.s relates to the inter ests of Boone people, and Dr. Leo K. Pritchett of Appalachian Col lege will speak on the activities Boone should pursue in order to maintain a continued growth. Special music will be provided by Ithe Tourists' Association of the Chamber of Commerce, and Miss Pat Ellis will appear in some vo cal solo numbers. Dinner reservations should be made promptly with Secretary Harris, telephone 200, as early as possible. Mr. Weems' long record of gov ernmental service, and his long tenure with the Park Service, would indicate his knowledge of the Blue Ridge Parkway as re lates to the communities near the right of way, and his observations should be constructive. He has been in Government service since the fall of 1933 when he became associated with the Farm Credit Administration and assigned to the Federal Land Bank of Baltimore. It was in re cognition of his proficiency as a land appraiser with this agency that he became associated with the Blue Ridge Parkway in the summer of 1935 when he was "loaned" to the National Park Service to acquire land for this first national parkway project. He resigned from the Farm Credit Administration in the fall of the same year to accept the position of project manager of the Parkway. In this capacity Mr. Weems was engaged principally in the acquisition and development of the recreational areas in the Parkway, notably Smart View and Rocky Knob in Virginia and Cumberland Knob and The Bluffs in North Carolina. A suc cessful and commendable accom plishment of this important as signment led to his transfer and promotion to the position of as sistant superintendent of the Parkway in March of 1938. He became acting superintendent in early January of 1944 and on April 8, 1944 he was promoted to the position of superintendent. Between his graduation from the Georgia School of Technology (Georgia Tech) and his entry in to government service, Mr. Weems was a member of the En gineering Department of the Nor folk and Western Railroad with headquarters in Rounoke, Vir ginia. WLCOX AGAIN HEADS C. OF C.i Herman W. Wilcox was re elected president of the Boone Chamber of Commerce at a meet ing of the new board of direc tors held Tuesday afternoon. Russell D. Hodges was elect ed first vice-president; Ira Ayers, second vice-president; Al fred Adams, treasurer; Stanley A. Harris, secretary. q U. 8. S. KENTUCKY The Navy has no plans to com plete the unfinished battleship Kentucky, which was under con struction when World War II ended. The ship will be moored in the Norfolk Navy Shipyard at Portsmouth, Va., after being floated out of her building ,drr dock in February. The wawlup is now about 80 per cent finish ed. i *???? ijJjKo I . - ? ? 'Jk March dimes IS GEARED TO (REACH RECORD DURING MONTH |Jim Taylor Makes Preliminary Announcement; Polio Cam paign Will Start January 16; Double Contributions Needed To Meet Emergency The 1950 March of Dimes cam paign must hit a new high, "if the nation is to undo the ravages of the blackest toll of infantile paralysis in its history," Mr. Jim Taylor, Watauga County March of Dimes Director, said this week in urging everyone to double his contribution to the drive this month. The year 1949, Mr. Taylor said, was the most severe in the 12 year history of the National Foundation for Infantile Paraly- ? sis. With more than 40,000 per- ' sons stricken, epidemic aid fundi of the National Foundation were virtually depleted, he pointed out, and it was necessary to con duct an emergency drive for the first time in the organization's history. t The county director declared that the epidemic drive provided stop-gap funds barely enabling the National Foundation to carry on through the last three difficult months of 1949. But if those who were stricken are to continue re ceiving help, resources must be replenished in the forthcoming March of Dimes, January 16-31, Mr. Taylor said. "The financial problems involv ed in caring for polio victims are increasingly difficult not only be oause of widespread epidemics but also because of soaring medi cal and equipment costs." he said. "Only an enormously success ful March of Dimes appeal will enable the National Foundation to provide continuing care for the thousands already stricken while at the same time preparing for any eventuality 1950 may bring. The year 1949 has taught us that we must be alerted for extremes." There also is urgent need for funds to continue the National Foundation's all-embracing re search program aimed at ferret ing out means of prevention and control of this crippling disease, Mr. Taylor declared. Mr. Taylor announced that all local and county committees for this year's campaign will be ap pointed Saturday, January 7. Barter Group Here On Monday On Monday night, the lyceum series at Appalachian State Teachers college will present the Barter Theatre's production of "The Imaginary Invalid" by Moliere. Frederic Warriner, who has been popular with Appalachian audiences in past performances here, will play the lead as Argan, the hypochondriac. Elizabeth Wilson, who has played leading roles in Barter summer produc tions, and who is a very fine character actress, will play a major role as Toinet, servant to Argan. A number of the supporting characters have appeared in pro ductions at Appalachian before. Mell Turner was with the "Ham let" troupe here last year, and went to Denmark with the same eroup to present the play at the Danish Drama Festival in Elsi nore. Ernest Borgnine has been with Barter for four seasons and also played with "Hamlet". James Andrews, named by Henry Fonda as the 1948 Barter award winner, has appeared at Appala chian twice. He is a talented musician and vocalist. Also in the production are Herbert Nelson, one of Barter's best known leading men; Joan DeWeese, named Barter award winner by Louis Calhern in 1946; Phena Darner; Nancy Watts; Mac Shaw; Woodrow Romoff; and Cliff Collier. This play by Moliere is a very funny comedy, and it is expect ed that a capacity audience will be present for its performance on Monday night. Holidays End At Appalaciiian Christmas holidays ended for Appalachian State Teacher* col lege students on Monday even ing, and classes began on Tues day morning on schedule. Stud ents and faculty had been on holiday a In cap December 21. The present quarter schedule will be as follows: Mid-term examinations will be held on January 10 to 21st; final exami nations begin on February 22; and the quarter will end on Fri day at noon, February 24. The college enrollment for the Sear has now reached 1288, the irgest in the history of the In stitution.