North Carolina Newspapers

BOONE 1160 POPULATION 1.973 The education*! center at attract* *# of th? nation Hod.? but district A good place to live. WATAUGA DEMOCRAT An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1888 WATAUGA COUNTY 1W POPULATION 1LM1 teedin< agriculture! sad Livestock, deirvtnf and tr of paramount importance _ Sfe WVi-" Summer resorts of ~ * VOL LXV ? NO. 47. BOONE. WATAUGA COUNTY, NQBTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1953. 1Z PAGES ? 2 SECTIONS KING STREET BY ROB RIVERS VACATION TIME S-f .es of folks are absent from the community, taking annual vaaations in other sections of the mountains, or in coastal areas, ironically enough, right when the delightful breezes of summer time are making Boone and en virons so delightful . . . And while we will likewise later on, journey away for a day or two, we don't aim to miss too much of this summertime weather in Boone . . . When we look back on the hundreds and hundreds of gallons of fuel oil, and the tons and tons of coal which we have used to fetch us through the long winter months, we feel that these beautiful . days and cool nights, came too high to miss out on many of them . . . Rather feel that we should protect a moun tainous investment, when at the same time one can enjoy the ultimate in summer comfort right at home. WANTS LINVILLE ROAD Mr. J. L. Hartley, the sag* of th* Grandfather, and tha founder of th* tinging on th* mountain, which has b**n fea tur*d in th* national publica tions, was over h*r* Sunday, and dropped by to gat som* printing don* for th* songf*st. and talked briefly of other things, particularjy of a direct highway from Boone to Lin ?ille . . . Mr. Hartley, who loves the hill country and her people, sees in this proposed road a blessing to the Grandfather section, and a boon to the commercial life of Boone . . . This city, Mr. Hartley believes, would be the trading point for a large section of Avery coun ty. if the road could be con structed . . . Despite his 12 years. Mr. Hartley Is active and takes great interest in all the movements which are calculat ed to benefit the people of the mountains. THE OLD SWIMMIN- HOLE The youngsters and grownups too, for that matter, are spending more and more time at the pools on Watauga River and on Wink ler's Creek, whefe there's water enough amongst the rocks to af ford a fair swim . . . And again there's talk on every hand of the need for a municipal pool, where swim-time would be most every day, and would not have to wait on mom or pop and the family car . . . Last summer we were talking to a group of youngsters, and the subject ranged from classroom problems to civic im provements, and we steamed off right lustily on what we had done here in Boone in the way of civic development of one kind or another . . . We recited some staggering figures on just how much cash "we tlje people" had laid on the line . . . We got a fair hand, but one young colle gian looked long at the far hori zon, and there was a a tinge of sadness as she said: "what a heck of a swimming pool and recreation center that much money would have built!" . . . and another chimed in with the observation that "fun for the youngsters" wouldn't after all, be too profitable! . . . And it wouldn't be, measured in the coin of the realm, but we rather figure that it would be well sometime, for the community to dig down and do some things, "just for fun." SIGN OF THE WEEK Sign on the back of an auto mobile. in laitars about three quarters ol an inch tall: "If you can raad this, you're too dam close!" ODDS AND ENDS Dead song birds lying about the town, make us wish that the songsters could shoot back once in a while . . . Caravans of auto mobi lists visit the mountains Sunday to catch some cool air and vnjoy the wild flowers . . . Youngsters lie in the sun and suffer from the burns, in effort to get away from the pallor of wintertime. . . . Red boxes on some of the meter standards sup posi'd to be used for paying off parking tickets, we learn ? save a trip to city hall . . . R. F. Mc Dadc, former Boone merchant, sends us greetings from Los Ve gas, New Mexico, and from Wyoming cotpes word from Snooks and Virgini^L-innev, who were on the way to Oregon for a visit I Parkway Inspection Group Arrives. On Annual Visitation The Blue Ridge Parkway in spection tour is scheduled to bring some fifty persons to Boone and Blowing Rock on Wednesday of this week in tljeir annual vis it to scenic spots in Northwest North Carolina. The tour is sponsored for the third straight year by the Caro lina Motor Club, in cooperation with the National Park Service, Blue Ridge area communities, Virginia Trailways, Smoky Mountain Tours Company, and the Blue Ridge Parkway Associ ation. The caravan of sightseers, in cluding writers, motor club offi cials and travel bureau represen tatives from New York to Miami and several midwestern states got underway at Roanoke, Va. Mon day morning and will . end in Asheville Friday. The entourage was slated to swing through Virginia Monday and Tuesday, spend Tuesday night at Doughton P?rk, arrive in Boone Wednesday at 10 a. m? vis it the Daniel Boone Theatre, site of "Horn in the West," tour the town, and then proceed to Blow ing Rock at 10:45 (or an old fashioned picnic lunch at ConcT Memorial Park, sponsored by the Boone and Blowing Rock Cham bers of Commerce. Following the luncheon, they will move on to Linville and Grandfather Moun tain. The Thursday schedule will take them to Chestea View, Crabtree Meadows, Mt. Mitchell State Park, Pinnacle Gap, and the Vanderbilt Mansion near Ashe ville. On Friday the caravan will vis it Cherokee, the Ocanluftee In dian Village, Mountainside Thea tre, where "Unto These Hills" is presented, and the Great Smokv Mountains National Park Pioneer Museum. The tour will end in Ashcville with a dinner at the George Vanderbilt Hotel. Grace Home, Haven F or Alcoholics, To Open On Sunday May 31st at 3:30 p. m. will be the opening of the Grace Home, Inc. a Christian Home for women alcoholics and a dedication service. This home is situated on a knoll facing Grandfather Moun tain. It is bordered on two sides by the Julian Priced Memorial Park, property of the Federal government. There are seven acres in the property of lovely Highway Official Feted By Workers In Ashe County Mr. W. R. Winkler of Boone, newly-appointed Highway Com missioner. was honored at a din ner in West Jefferson Friday evening, given by highway em ployees of Ashe county. Attending from Boone, besides Mr. Winkler, were Mrs. Winkler, James Councill, division engineer, and Mrs. Councill. Others present were J. E. Doughton, assistant engineer; Carl Lewis, resident engineer; Paul DuPre, all of North Wilkesboro; Mr. and Mrs. Bill Austin of Jefferson. Messrs Winkler and Councill will be in Raleigh Friday where they will attend the monthly meeting of the Highway Commis sion. Health Office To Be Closed The local health department of fice will be closed Thursday and Friday, May 28 and 29. The mem ben of the staff are participating in the studies of Education for Responsible Parenthood on Thurs day and are attending the West ern North Carolina Public Health Association meeting in Marion on Friday. , Output of fresh vegetables dur ing the first quarter of this year was estimated at 7 per cent above 1952. wooded land and mountain streams and springs dashing ov er large boulders. The building is beautiful containing seventeen rooms in all. There are ten bed rooms which will accommodate twenty women. Already more have applied than can be taken care of immediately. The principal speech at the ceremony will be made by Mr. W. R. Willauer a prominent Christ ian layman of Spartanburg, S. C. Also expected are Senator Moore of South Carolina and Senator Hagen of Georgia, beside other interested and philanthropic men from North and South Caro lina and Georgia. The property h8s been ap praised at $60,000, although it on ly cost $32,000 without furnish ings. This ,has been made possible by the generosity of many busi ness men who furnished mater ials at cost or free of charge and also due to the fact that many Hebron Colony men have given their labor free. This home is open to any wo man who is an alcoholic, free of charge, providing she comes so ber, earnestly desiring help and will agree to stay for a period of eight weeks. If she is mentally sick or a drug addict the home cannot take her as it is not set up for that kind of care. The home is approximately one hundred miles from Charlotte, Asheville and Winston-Salem. It is located at Shulls Mills, N. C. which is seven miles from Blow ing Rock and nine miles from Boone. Hebron Colony, Inc for men alcoholics is also located near Shulls Mills, about a mile from the Grace Home. The following are members of the Board of Directors and the Advisory Council: Rev. E. A. Dil lar, president and director; Mrs. E. A. Oillard. secretary; Mr. Claude Best, vice-president, Chapel Hill. N. C.; Mr Herman Wilcox, treasurer, Boone; Mrs. W. R. Taylor, Norfolk, Va.; Rev. Wayne Monroe, San Mftteo, Fla.; Mr. C. R. Rigdon, Greenville, S. C , Mrs. Joseph Cannon, Blowing Rock; Mrs. D. W. Alderman, Florence, S. C.; Mrs. Frank Love, Shelby; Mr. W. R. Willauer, Spartanburg, S. C. New Horn Office To Be In Use During Week The new office building at the Daniel Voone Theatre is ncaring completion, and if expected to be ready for occupancy by the busi nes* Mid publicity offices of "Horn In The West" thU week. Just above the new building, which adjoins the upper parking lot, ground is being cleared for additional picnic table*. The en tire theatre area is now being cleaned and made ready for th? opening of "Horn In The West" on June 28. During the past few weeks, in creasing numbers of sightseers and picnickers have been noted at the theatre area. Mark Hodges, who has been on duty at the parking area for the past two Sundays to distribute folders and answer question* at^out the drama, reports that over 100 cars from six states brought visitors to the theatre last Sunday "Horn .In The West" folders arc now being widely distributed. Both the large folders and the small leaflets arc available 4o all residents of this area who wish to send them to friends or take them to conventions and meet ings. Anyone who wishes folders mailed to friends or business ac quaintances is Invited to mail or bring lists of names to the "Horn In The West" office. All seed displayed for sale 'in North Candida mutt have been analyzed for germination and purity. Health Dept. Gives Dates Of Other Clinics The Health department calls attention to the schedule of re maining immunization clinics to be held in the county. Attention is called to the changes which ap pear in a few dates. Remaining Clinic Schedule: Monday June 1, 2 to 3 p. m. ? Tamarack, Pearl Ellcr's store. Wednesday. June 3, 9 to 10 ? Green Valley School; 11 to 12. Winebarger Methodist Church; 1 to 2 p. m. Windy Gap, V. C. Harmon's Store; 2:30 to 3:30, Vic tor Ward's Store. Thursday, June 4 ? 1:30 to 2:30 p. m.. Rominger Postoffice. Friday, June 5 ? 9 to 10 a. m. Bamboo School building; 11 to1 12. Blowing Rock School. Monday, June 8?^1 to 2 p. m., Foscoe Store: 2:30 to 3:30, An drews Store, Grandfather. Victim Of Auto Crash Succumbs; Rites Saturday Mrs. Ooxic Cornett of Beaver Dam township died Thursday at the Baptist Hospital of injuries sustained in a two-car collision at Vilas May 9. Funeral services were held at the Bethel Baptist Church Satur day at 2 o'clock. Rev. Ed Farth ing and Rev. Mr. Crisp were in charge of the rites and burial was in the church cemetery. Mrs. Cornett, 52, was in a car with four of her children and two others when it collided with a car driven by Junior Simpson of Sugar Grove. Injured were her four children, Grovcr, Leo. Dixie and Steve Cor nett. Mr. Simpson, and Darrell Baird, his passenger. All of the injured except Dixie Cornett and Mr. Baird are still in the hospital, but arc reported to be improv ing. Surviving are the following sons and daughters: Grovcr, Burl, Bill and Steve Cornett of the home; Clinard Cornett, Toledo, O.; Mrs. Annavieve Hilberg, Wake field, Mich.; Mrs. Maxine Burns, Sugar Grove; Dixie and Leo of the home. Fishing Worm Cane Pole Reign In Angling Rodeo The lowly fishing worm and the cane pole will reign supreme on Wednesday, June 3, at the second annual Watauga County Fishing Rodeo, said B. W. Stal lings, Boone jeweler who spon sors the event for the small fry (ages 1 to 10)' at his Diamond S Ranch near here. No casting will be allowed, hetsaid, and all en trants must register and be ac companied by their parents. About 50 children entered the contest in 1952, first year of the | rodeo, and that number is ex pected to be doubled this year, he said. More and more "kids" throughout the county have been looking forward to this year's contest ever since the first one was held, he added. It has been suggested that the lake, which, so far as is known, is the only one in the United States dedicated to the youth In this age bracket, should bear an appropriate name. Among those suggested arc "Youth Lake" and "Lake Youth." Mr. Stallings will be grateful for other names to be considered along with those al ready submitted. 4-H Co. Council Meets Saturday The 4-H County Council will be hold in the Legion hut, Saturday May 30, at 10 a. m. 4-H Kummcr activities will be diacuiwcd and parenta are urged to attend. All 4-H club member* who are planning to go to camp in Way neiville or to 4-H Club week in Raleigh should make a special effort to be present. LIGHTER FUEL BURNS Baltimore, Md. ? A leaking can of lighter fluid in th? pocket of Carl Bawgui. If, brought first and aecond degree burnt to the youth. Stopping, to light a cigar ette, the fuel caught (ire, letting hit clothing ablaze. Prospects Brighten For New Manuf ac t ur ing P lant Man Buried Was Not Frank Shore; Identity Of Exhumed Body Sought The body of the man who was buried last Thursday as Frank E. Shores was exhMmed Monday, by Watauga County Coroner Rich ard E. Kellcy, and puzzled auth orities launched a widespread in vestigation to establish his in dcntity. The case is receiving publicity through press and radio, while the F. B. I. is checking finger- | prints taken from the dead man, but the investigation has proved fruitless thus far, said Watauga ! County Sheriff Earl D. Cook I Tuesday morning. Several reports of missing persons have been re ceived in his office, but none of the descriptions remotely resem bles that of the unidentified corpse, he said. Meanwhile, Shores had a fam ily reunion Sunday with the same relatives who wept at his funeral three days previously. "It's like seing a ghost," said his brother, J. Ballard Shores. "I was postitive the man we buried was Frank, and now that I have seen him alive, it's almost im possible to believe. "The dead man looks so much like my brother Frank that he even had two scars exactly where Frank has scars. Frank has odd shaped ears and this fellow's-ears were identical. It makes me shud der to think about it." J. Ballard wasn't the only mem ber of the Shores family to mis take the body of ap unidentified stranger for Frank: His mother, his sister, another brother, and even his wife, identified the body. They buried the man they thought was Frank in their fam ily plot near Boone last Thurs day, and it wasn't until Saturday, when J. Ballard met Frank face to face, that the terrible mistake was revealed. J. Ballard, who runs a motor court in Abingdon, Va? said tbc family became suspicious that something was wrong when they retcived a letter from Frank that had been written from his home 1 in Occana, W. Va., on May 14, | just two days before the body of the man they buried was found in Calhoun, Ga. He went to Occana immediate ly, found Fraijk alive and well, and brought him home to his family. Now, however, police are faced with the task of finding out just who was buried in Frank's grave. Sheriff Cook said a man who looked like Shores asked to spend the night in the Calhoun jail a week ago last Saturday, and they found him dead from a cerebral hemorrhage the next morning. Police in Calhoun learned that the dead man had told a waitress that he had a wife in Maryville, Tcnn. The case was quickly trac ed to Frank Shores' estranged wife, who lives in Maryville. Mrs. Shores was shown a pic ture of the dead man and thought it to be her husband. Both Mrs. Shores and J. Ballard went to Calhoun, identified the body, and had it shipped here for burial. "It's a shame about that other fellow," added J. Ballar^. "I hope they find out who he is. At least, w|p gave him a nice church funeral." , BRUSHY FORK BAPTIST CHURCH Dedication Of Brushy F ork Church Sunday The dedicatory service for the Brushy Fork Baptist Church are to be held next Sunday, starting with Sunday School and continu ing with an afternoon session. Historical Body Continues Drive For New Members The Southern Appalachian His torical Association Is continuing its campaign for new and renew ed membership*, and all persons interested in the work of the or ganization are invited to join. Dues arc $10 per year per per son, and each member is entitled to a season pass to "Horn In The West" as well as a vote at the As sociation's fall meeting when of ficers and directors are elected. Mrs. Lawrence Owsloy, mem bership chairman, points out that dues may be mailed to James Marsh, Association treasurer, or taken to Mr. Marsh at the North western Bank. The 100th membership for 1953 was received at the spring meet ing of the Association May 18, and since that time more than a dozen additional memberships { have been received. New System Of Paying Tickets To Start First Beginning June 1, a new system for paying parking tickets in this ^ity will be place d in effect. Red metal boxes, eight of them, have been attaced to meter posts in different sections of the town. If the parking offender will pay the police ticket when he gets it, he will be asked to deposit 25 cents in the box. If he waits, how ever as long as two days to pay, he will be assessed with the us ual dollar. Police officer Howard Camp, in charge of the meters, beleives that the new system will work out to good advantage for all. and says that the new tickets will contain the instructions. Hardy Goes To East As Drama Consultant I At the invitation of the direc tors of Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge, Man., William M. Hardy, general manage of Boone'i outdoor drama "Horn in the West" will spend two days of thia week in New EnglaA as' a consultant on management and promotion of outdoor dramas. Old Sturbridge Village, a re plica of a New England village of the early 19th century, is produc ing "The Devil and Daniel Web ster as a musical play In an out <Mbr amphitheatre. Mr. Hardy will leave 'Boone Wednesday afternoon and return to hia duties with "Horn in the Wc?t" on Saturday. Prior to becoming general manager of "Horn in the Went," Mr. Hardy was general manager of "The Lost Colony" at Manteo for two seaaons. Htbis executive secretary-treasurer of the South eastern Theatre Conference, and has served as a consultant on out door drama* for the Extcnsiorf Division of the University of North Carolina. His experience in the theatre also includes acting and directing with the Duke Players, the Durham Theatre Guild and the Carolina Playmak ers. Rev. R. C. Eggcrs, Rev. A. C. Moody and Rev. Grady Minton will appear on the morning pro gram. In the afternoon Rev. Vic tor Trivett, the pastor and Rev. Grady Hamby will appear, along with Dr. J. C. Canipe who is to deliver the dedicatory sermon. Church History The program for the day con tains the following concise his tory of the church: The Brushy Fork Baptist Church was constituted February 26. 1838 by Joseph Harrison and D. C. Harmon in a small school house which was located one mile from the present building with the following charter members: M. C. Harmon. Moses Ilatlcy, J. A. Hagaman. Sarah Reece, Susan Danner, Elvirah Holtzclaw, Eliz abeth Hicks. Sally Hagaman and Sarah Munday. The church was first ca'l <1 "hiladelphia. but after three months it was changed to Brushy Frrk. The f'rst church which was a log building, was erected in 1859-80. This building was sold to the county for a school house' in 1881. but it was still used for church services until 1889. At this time a second church was built on the grounds where the present churrh is located. In 1028 this church was remodeled and five Sunciay School rooms were add ed. This building was used until 1949 when the present church was > built. In the early days, when courts were few, the churches were the one great moral force in the com munity. They were strict in dis cipline and nothing seemed too trivial for the church to correct. Brushy Fork church is fortu nate in having its first church re cords preserved in their original form. They arc now very valua ble and are kept safe for future generations. The church, has increased in membership from the eleven charter members to the present number of one hundred Bnd nine ty-four. Th* Pastors The first pastor. D. C. Harmon, served for 24 years. The follow ing also have served the enurch as pastors: A. C. Farthing, E. F. Jones, J. L. Sherwood, E. M. Gragg. J. F. Davis, John Eller, Oney Trip let!, David Greene. Sidney King. S. L. Fox." J. M. Payne. Edmund Greene. D. M. Wheeler. L. A. Wil son, G. W. .Sebastian, R. C. Eg grrs. W. D. Ashley, J. C. Canipe. G. A. Hamby. Grady Minton, Tip ton Greene. A. C. Moody. The present pastor Is Victor Trivctt. I Memorial Service At Meat Camp The annua) memorial service will be held at Meat Camp Bapt ist Church Sunday, May 31, at 2:00 p. m. ' Rev. Hollingsworth, pastor oi Boone Baptist Church, will be the guest speaker. The Sunshine quartet will render the song service. ? J Resistance Co. Officials Confer With Local Group Another step was taken toward securing a new industry for Boone when ofricials of the Nat ional Resistance Corporation, of Philadelphia, met Saturday with members of the industrial com mittee of the Chamber of Com merce and President H. W. Wil cox. They said that engineers of the company would be here Tuesday of this week to look over a tenta tive site, check on water pressure sewage facilities, etc. The proposed new plant would engage in the manufacture of el ectric circuit breakers, in the el ectronics field, and employ about six hundred persons at capacity, seventy-five percent of whom would be women, it was said. William C. Guthrie, industrial representative of the division of commerce and industry, North Carolina Department of Conser vation and development, attended the meeting and indicated to the local committee that chances of the plant's locating here, appear to be extremely favorable. Also present wfcs a representa tive of Guest & Company, Gas tonia contractors who are slated to build the new plant when and if plans are completed. Lik* Labor Prospccit The officials were pleased with the results of the recent labor survey conducted by the Cham ber of Commerce, which elicited about 7.000 replies from Watauga County people who would be av ailable to work in the proposed plant. They were particularly im pressed by the scholastic stand ards throughout the county, as in dicated on the completed qucs tionairre, President Wilcox said. They pronounced the mail ser vice satisfactory, and said the mo tor freight service and Railway Express facilities would be ade quate for theirTieeds. They added that ten to fifteen tons of mater ial would be moved in and out of Boone daily when the plant goes into full production. Members of the Chamber's in dustrial committee are W. H. Grace, chairman, D. L. Wilcox, Stanley A. Harris. Glenn R. An drews and George C. Greene. Pfc. Harrell Dies In New York Funeral services for Pfc. Bob by G. Harrell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jake Harrell of Valle Cru cis, were held at 2 p. m., May 17, ut the Liberty Methodist Church at Matncy. . Pfc. Harrell died May 14 in the U. S. Army Hospital at Fort Jay, New York. He was 20 years of age. He became seriously ill April 1 while on a furlough visit from Walter Reid Hospital with a sis ter in New York, and was ad mitted to the Fort Jay Hospital, where he was a patient until his death. He joined the army on May 3, 1951, received basic training at Fort Jackson, S. C? was sent to Germany October 13, 1951. He returned to the United States on December 6, 1953, and was ad mitted to Walter Reid Hospital at Washington, D, C. Surviving besides tnc parents arc seven sisters and three broth ers: Mrs. Marjoric Rabon, Mar lon, N. C., Mrs. Ruby Brltt Akron, O., Mrs. Edith Townscnd, Patterson, Mrs. Lucy Bryant, Patterson. Mrs. Elizabeth Gregg, Kingsport, Tcnn., Mrs. Mary Hamel, New York City, Miss Katherine Harrell of the home, Howard, Henry, and Jack Harrell, all of Valle Crucis. LUCKY STRIKE UNDER orrrcE Bakesficld, Calif. ? The West ern Gulf Oil Company located a pool of oil directly under a wing of the firm's home office at Fruit vale, Cal. A rig, set up bekid? the building and dug at an angle, la producing more than 100 bar rel* ? 4*y?