BOONE
1*M POPULATION in
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1888
WATAUGA COUNTY
1W0 POPULATION lt(S4l
J
of paeamount import* no? I
Summer laaorta w fiHW
SIXTY-SIXTH YEAR. ? NO. 18
BOONE, WATAUGA <yUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1953
12 PAGES? 2 SECTIONS
Christmas Opening* .
Plans Are Being Made
KING
STREET
BY
ROB RIVEFtS
THE END OF THE RUN
Mack Luttrell, veteran em
ployee of the Linville River rail
way ? the narrow guage ? in later
years known as the route of
Tweetsie, has hung his lantern on
the wall, and retired, after thirty
five years railroading back and
? forth across the North Carolina
Tennessee line with the same
company . . . Mr. Luttrell has
come back to his home in Boone,
where he established residence
over thirty years ago, to enjoy
his retirement . . . Starting his
railroad career at Pineola, where
he fired for a time, Mack's career
was largely as brakeman and
conductor ... A railroader at
heart, _ Mack loves the engines
and the trains and the long rails,
and stayed right with the job
even after the narrow guage had
been reduced only to a feeder
line for the rayon plants at Eliza
bethton . . . And we're glad
Mack's come back home, and hope
he'll enjoy his well-earned rest.
WRONG SIDE OF THE METER
Croup of visitors to th* town
park thair car lengthwise in
th* cantor of th* sidewalk,
early in th* availing, and while
away th* tim*. as lato strollers
circl* th* vehicle . . .
HERE AND THERE
Man with dead leg offering
pencils to passersby, hii face
pinched purple by the cold . . .
Fellow who'd been away from
this section for many years, stops
to find out if anybody knows his
"relations" down in Wilkes . . .
Icc forming on weeds and wil
lows, licked by the waters of
Boone Creek, as thermometer
dips to 18 . . . The congestion on
Saturdays at the candy and toast
ed nut counter in the dime store
. . . Householders busily engaged
ill readying the place for Thanks
giving, and making long range
Christmas plans . . . Man back
from Abingdon, where he sold
his cows, replies to query: "Yep,
. about the same over there . . .
Just like Coca-Cola a nickel (a
pound) wherever you go." . . .
The modern and immacutely
clean offices of the Doctors Haga
man ... Father and son have
their separate quarters, but use
the same x-ray and laboratory
equipment . . . The bright red
berries on the holly bushes at
the postoffice . . . Merchants
start plans for B u r 1 e y and
Christmas opening . . , Stray
puppy dogs having hard time
finding homes . . . New poles be
ing placed by Bell Telephone to
carry the ^enlarged cables . . .
And ftie long files waiting turns
to get free chest x-rays, as unit
nears the end of its stay here.
? DO YOU REMEMBER?
An old timer might b? om
who can nmimbn when a rat
room waa known aa a watar
closet ... Ha alao might recall
when a hunter went out ior a
pheasant rather than a grouse,
when partridges hadn't become
quail, when a blue Jay was a
jar bird, and thsr cardinal a red
bird . . . Chipmunks look the
same, but thSy were known as
ground squirrels, and wood
chucks were ground hogs or
"whistle pigs."
? HOME AGAIN .
Hoy ^Jragg, who was born
across the street from the Demo
crat office, and who stayed
around the print shop with the
Rivers boys during many a hap
py childhood hour, has returned
home, <kaviag retired from the
Navy, after serving 21 years . . .
Hoy came to re us, and brought
with him ? lM of memories of
the so-called "good old dayi.1'
. . . Hoy and his brother Victor
liked the old newspaper office,
and the boxes full of type, and
while they got under one's fe<rt,
and sometimes in the hair a lit
tle, we loved the kids, and they
liked us, and we felt mighty hap
py when Hoy came rushing in t<^
lee Us the other day . . . His boy
hood friends hadn't been forgot
ten in the quickened tempo of
another age.
(Continued on page four).
e
The Boone Mercjunts Associa
tion is making preliminary plans
for the Christmas trade program,
details of which are to be an
nounced shortly.
The advertising program is to
start soon, and a series of prizes
'will be given away in connection
with a radio program each Satur
day starting November 28. These
gifts will probably involve the
distribution of $50 in cash, and
the opportunity to receive a prize
is open to all. One does not have
to purchase anything to compete.
Other gifts will be awarded on
Christmas eve, and $50 is to be
given away before the tqt>acco
sale each Monday morning, start
ing November 30.
Boone merchants have made
ample provisions for the Christ
mas trade, and the lines they will
display will likely be the Urges'
ever shown here.
Burley Grading
School Is Slated
Tobacco is the t>ig cash crop on
many Watauga farms, but in
many cajes it could bring more
money if it was sorted and pre
pared for market more carefully.
Mr. Roy R. Bennett and Mr.
Harold Nau, Extension Tobacco
Specialists, will work with farm
ers in Watauga county on Friday,
November 13, on the preparation
of tobacco for market and show
ing the difference in varieties.
Grading and stripping demon
strations will be held at Roby
Vines' farm, near Bethel school,
Friday morning, November 13,
starting at 9:30 and at Tom
Ward's farm in the afternoon at
1:30.
Each of these farmers has
grown thirteen different varieties
of burley tobacco this year. The
tobacco specialist will assist with
grading and weighing as many of
these varieties as possible.
Weather
During thif first week of No
vember, forest fires continued
their destruction. There was no
relief from the lack of rain. Tem
peratures reached a low for the
winter with a minimum of 16 de
grees on Saturday, according to |
Dr. Arnold Van* Pelt. Daily re
ports are :
Max. Min. 6 p.m. Date
65 37 45 Nov. 1
70 33 43 Nov. 2
67 33 47 Nov. 3
65 38 47 Nov. 4
50 32 35 Nov. 5
40 25 35 Nov. 6
35 16 29 Nov. 7
Precipitation: Nov. 6 ? Trace of
snow.
Over 80 per cent of the Strate
gic Air Command personnel is |
Reserve. i
D. Charles Mast
Taken By Death ^
D. CHARLES MAST
D. Charles Mast, 86, of Sugar
Grove, farmer, died at his home
at 10:30 o'clock on Thursday
morning, November 5, after a re
latively short period of illness.
Mr. Mast was born in Watauga
County on Cove Creek January
30, 1867, son of Finley P. and
Rhoda Smith Mast.
Mr. Mast was a member of
Cove Creek Baptist Church
where he attended services dur
ing his life. He was teacher of
the men's Bible class for many
years and up until the time when
poor health caused him to relin
quish this activity.
Surviving are Mrs. Tom C.
Baird, sister, Valle Crucis; Dave
P. Mast, son, Sugar Grove; Mrs.
Joe P. Phillips, daughter, Detroit,
Michigan; seven grandchildren
and eight great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held in
the Cove Creek Baptist Church,
the institution closest and dearest
to him throughout life. The Rev
erend Harold Songer, pastor, of
ficiated. He was assisted by the
Reverend Cecil Glenn, Perkins
ville, and Rev. Mr. Bush, Henson's
Chapel Methodist Church.
Masons of Snow Lodge, No.
363, had charge of the burial ser
vices. Dr. J. T. C. Wright ied
the order through a vfery impres
sive ritual in placing to rest one
of the oldest members of the lo
cal lodge.
Health Council
To Meet TonigKt
A meeting of the planning com
mittee of the County Health
Council is called by the president,
Dr. John Martin, for Thursday
evening, November 12 at 7:30 p.
m. in the court room, for perfect
ing plans for obtaining a Health
Center for Watauga County.
Grant Of $10,000 Is
Made To Hospital
Stanley A. Harris, chairman of ]
the building committee for the '
Watauga Hospital, has announced I
a grant of )10,000 toward the im- <
provement of the local hospital. 1
The program includes a new i
Nurses' Home, a beautiful 21-bed I
brick structure erected with the 1
cooperation of the North Carolina
Medical Care Commission, a new :
furnace for the hospital, a mod
ern diagnostic x-ray unit, to- i
(ether with steam tables so that i
patients meals may be served hot. i
The Nurses' Home it rapidly i
nearing completion and the new
furnace and oil tanks have al
ready arrived. The Nurses' Home,
including furniture, will cost <
about 184,000. The other improve
ments are estimated at $2',000
The 110,000 grant from Duke
Endowment is on the condition
that a total of 1104,000 be raised, i
Including this tlO.OOO from :
Duke approximately $101,000 if
either in hand or definitely
pledged. It is up to the people of
Watauga County and friends of
the Watauga Hospital not only to
pay up the present pledge, but
some $3,000 additional' must be
.secured. The original plan was to
Hiave the funds on hand by Nov
ember 1st, but the committee
found it neceisary to apply for
an extention of time. The Duke
Foundation, with their usual con
sideration, hat extended the time
limit to May 1, 1954, and has ad
vised us thai their $10,000 will be
available either on May 1, 1954,
t?r anytime between now and
May 1st that we can advisc^hem
our $94,000 has been secured.
(63,000 of this is coming from the
N. C. Medical Care Commission.
G. K. Moose, chairman of the
Board of Trustees of Watauga
Hospital, has expressed his ap
preciation to the people who have
so generously^ contributed, and
especially to the N. ?. Medical
Care Commission and the Duke
Foundation for their help.
It is hoped that as many people
in the county as possible will
contribute to this building fund,
so that the other $3,000 may be
in hand in the near future. If the
present heating plant should
break down, as has been expect
ed, before the new furnace is in
stalled, it would be a serious
handicap, and certainly the pro
posed x-ray will add greatly to
the efficiency o^that department
at the hospital. TEvery citizen in
Watauga County ought to have a
little part in this program. Twelve
individuals and firms have given
$1,000 each. If all of us would
contribute on the basis of our
ability there would be no dif
ficulty in completing the fund. It
is our hoipital. Let's have it the
very best.
Surry Farm Agent
Speaks To C. Of C
On Area Effort
N. M. Smith, Surry County
Agent, addressed the regular
monthly luncheon meeting of the
Boone Chamber of Commerce
Tuesday in the Gateway Restaur
ant, and advocated full support
of a proposed organization com
prising nine northwestern North
Carolina counties.
The organization, with repre
sentatives from each of the coun
ties, would promote agriculture,
industry, and tourist attractions
on a area basis in Alexander,
Alleghany, Ashe, Forsyth, Surry,
Stokes, Watauga, and Wilkes
Counties. ?
? Mr. Smith said there are many
projects needed for the develop
ment and promotion of the area
that cannot be handled properly
on a county basis, and declared
that the entire section needs to
organize and advertise its advant
ages in the agriculturtl, industr
ial, and tourist fields.
Amongt the needs he cited were
a large a'rea area livestock mar
ket, grain storage facilities, a bet
ter forestry program, more his
torical markers, and industrial
plants that will employ more men
than women.
President H. W. Wilcox presid
ed at the meeting, and Mr. Smith
was introduced by Clyde R.
Greene.
Harvey E. Deal
Dies On Friday
Harvey Eugene Deal, of Sher
wood, died November 6 at Wa
tauga Hospital, following a long
illness. He was 8# years of age.
Funeral services were held
Sunday, November 8 at Henson'j
Chapel, conducted by the Rev.
R. A. Taylor of Gastonia, and the
pastor, Rev. Busch.
Mr. Deal was a prominent citi
zen of the Cove? Creek lection,
where he had been active in civic
and religious affairs. He was a
Justice of the Peace for many
years, and had served as Sunday
School Superintendent and teach
er. ?
Survivors include his widow,
Mrs. Nellie Deal; two sons, Lt. J.
M. Deal, USN, Charlotte; and
Lester Deal, Sherwood; and a
half-sister, Mrs. Mary Combs of
Vilas.
Scout Council
Meets Tuesday
The Old Hickory Cotincill met
Tuesday at Winston-Salem at
Ardmore Methodist Church. The
annual council meeting was held
at 4:30 p. m. The banquet was
held at 6:30 o'clock. ?
Attending from Boone were:
Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Owsley,
who is vice-president of Watauga
district; Mr. Cecil Miller, finance
chairman; Mrs. B. W. Stallings, :
district commissioner; and Rev.
J. T. Shackford, district chair- ;
man.
?
"Messiah" Again
To Be Broadcast
The Appalachian College Choir i
under the direction of Mrs. Vir
ginia Wary Linney has received
an invitation from the Mutual 1
Network for it* annual presenta
tion of excerpts from the Christ
mas portion of Handel's Messiah, i
The broadcast this year will be
on Sunday, December 6 at 12 to
12:30 Eastern Standard Time.
The local performAce will be
Sunday night December 13 at 8
o'clock at the Baptist church in
Boone.
Annual Christmas,
Burley Edition *
To Appear On 26th
The annual burley tobacco
optning and Christinas (hop
ping edition of tho Democrat
U scheduled to be published.
November 21. ?
Advertising aolicitation and
other work will atari on this
edition during the current
week, ft the end that the add
ed pages will bo completed
during next week.
The publisher would greatly
appreciate the full cooperation
of the advertisers in this ad
vance promotion.
Burley Auctions To Star
Moriday, November 30th
Ten Wataugans
In Draft Call
Following is a list of those who
have been chosen by the draft
board to fill Watauga county's
miliary induction call for No
vember:
Harold E. Steelman, Owen T.
Tilley, James M. Miller, Albert
P. Harmon, James E. Wilson, Ir
vin E. Stevens, Norman D. Hold
er, Robert H. Ward, Jerry G. Cof
fey, Edward J. Hayes.
Mayor Proclaims
Education Week
With a world-wide struggle
now going on between the forces
of democracy and totalitarianism,
and with our government engag
ed in an action with other peace
loving nations of the world to
preserve the democratic way of
life, it is appropriate and most
imperative for all of our schools
to emphasize the important posi
tion that education plays in "Gov
ernment Of, By and For the Peo
ple."
This year, the North Carolina
Teachers Association in coopera
tion with the National Education
Association, the American Leg
ion, the United States Office of
Education, and the Notional Con
gress of Parents and Teachers is
making a special effort to empha
size in our schools the responsi
bility and obligations of citizen
ship. This is indeed an appropri
ate program at any time in our
schools, but it is particularly
noteworthy this year when so
many of our young men and wo
men are paying the supreme
Sacrifice. I endorse this program,
and I want to urge that all of our
citizens join with the teachers of
our schools in the ceremonies de
signed to impress firmly in our
minds the true significance of the
American Way of Life and the
true meaning of "Government
Of, By, and For the People."
Therefore, I, Gordon H. Wink
ler, Mayor of Boone, N. C., do
hereby proclaim November 8-14,
1953 as AMERICAN EDUCA
TION WEEK.
Over 4,000,000
Visit Parkway
Roanoke, Va? Nov. 9 ? The
Blue Ridge Parkway has had
nearly 4,000,000 visitors this year
? an increase of 18.4 per cent
over the same period last year.
Officials estimate that between
300 and 500 thousand mofre peo
ple will visit the scenic drive this
year before it closes.
This year's visitors generally
were better behaved, less inclin
ed to violations and less liable Jo
have accidents, parkway officials
report. With half a million more
visitors in 1953, records show 23
fewer court cases and the acci
dent total reduced by 12.
Parkway visitors came from
nearly two dozen foreign coun
tries and from nearly every state.
As usual the states along the
Eastern seaboard sent the bulk
of visitors, but Ohio and Illinois
were close on their heels,
Narth Carolina led all states
with Tar Heels accounting fir
one-third of the almost four mil
lian visitors. This is a 17; per cent
increase in North Carolina visi
tors over the same period in 1952.
FIRST CHRISTMAS SEALS? Miss Helen Underdown. local chair
man of the T. B. Christmas Seal Sale, is shown selling the first
sheet of seals in the county to Postmaster Lyle Cook at the post
office. Mrs. Frances C. Francis, executive secretary of the Alleghany,
Ashe, Watailga Tuberculosis Association, is seen in the center. The
three urged everyone to buy Christmas Seals this year to help fight
tuberculosis.? (Staff photo by Joe Minor.)
One Of 3 Escapees Is !
Returned To Prison;
Weston To Play
At UNC Pageant
PAUL WESTON, Hammond org
anist of Todd and Boone, who
will play for the University of
North Carolina Beauty Pageant
Wednesday and Thursday of this
week. Mr. Weston, who op
erates the Paul Weston Studio in
Boone, at one time was employed
by the Sheridan Hotel chain as
musician, and more recently play
ed the musical scores for Wa
tauga County's Centennial in
1949.
COST OF LIVING UP
The cost of living set another
new high record for last month,
according to the Labor Depa'rt
ment's Bureau of Labor Statis
tics, which announced that its
consumer price index reached
1 1 5.2 in mid-September, a rise of
two tenths of one per cent over
the record August level. This was
the seventh straight monthly in
crease.
Disaster Loans Can t
Be Made After Dec. 31
The authority for making dis- 1
aster loans to?rmers in Watauga
county will expire oij December
31, it was announced by Jen
nings B. Robinson, County FHA
Supervisor. The purpose of this
program is to provide emergency
credit to assist farmers in those
areas that have suffered a serious
nroduction disaster as a result of
floods, storms, drought, etc.
Any farmer in a disaster area
who has suffered significant dam
age* as a result of a production
disaster is eligible to receive a
disaster loan provided he is un
abley to obtain credit from com
mercial banks, cooperative lend
ing agencies or otht>r responsible
sources, to continue hit farming
operations.
Disaster loans may be made for
the purchase of feed, seed, fertili
zer or other essential farm and
home operating expenses.
Each applicant must certify in
writing that he ha* suffered dam
age as ? result of a disa-ter und
that he is unable to obtain the
loan applied for from other credit
sources.
Applications for these loans
may be made at the county of
fice of the Farmers Home Ad
ministration in the County Court
houae.
One of three prisoners who es
caped from the state prison camp
near Boone last Thursday was
recaptured at Mount Airy Mon
day night, according to a report
by Etrgcbe Holla'ft",' camp stew
ard.
Wayne Joycc, 23, of Pilot
Mountain, was nabbed in a re
staurant in the edge of the Surry
County town by state highway
patrolmen about. 24 hours after
he had fled from a wrecked car
Synday night at Sparger's Orch
ard, near Mount Airy, Hollars
said.
A Mount Airy ambulance driv
er carried two other occupants of
the car, Raymond Gunncll and
Jay Bennett, both of Mount Airy,
to a Winston-Salem hospital and
then notified sheriffs officers af
ter the men said that two of tr.e
escapees, Joyce and Leonard Tho
mas, 17, of Mount Airy, wore in
the car at the time of the acci
dent, according to a report from
Mount Airy.
When captured Monday night,
however, Hollars said Joyce told
officers that he had left Thomas
and the third escapee, O. G. Bene
ficld, 21, of Burke County, in
Richmond, Va., Saturday where
the three had driven a 1948 Hud
son automobile stolen Friday at
gun point from Walter Winebar
ger, farmer of the Meat Cainp
section, about nine miles north
east of Boone. Joyce left the Hud
son at a Richmond used car lot,
and stole another car from the
lot, the one that was wrecked
near Mount Airy, he said.
Hollars said the men reported
nick last Thursday, and when he ,
opened the door of the infirmary (
to let the cook in with their lunch,
they rushed him, overpowered
him and took his pistol. Then they
locked him in the infirmary, and
went to the camp office, where
they pulled the safe to the mid
dle of the floor, tore the telephone
from the wall, and fled into the
mouhtains.
Hollars said hi# Smith's 38
Special was the only gun taken.
He also reported that the camp
bloodhound, reported poisoiM
by the escapees Thursday, had
died three days before the esrape,
but did not discount tlm possibi
lity that the men haa the dog
poisoned in planning their es
cape.
Carter J. Farthing, camp super
intendent, was in Boone getting
the mail at the time of the es
cape.
In Raleigh, Prisons Identifica
tions Officer J. D. Wilson said the
three convicts have records as
trouble makers. It was Bene'
field's fourth escape and the
third break for Joyce, he said.
Joyce was serving Jthree sen
tences, 16 months from Surry
County for driving drunk and
driving after his license was re
(ContiQued on page lour)
Coleman
Envisions
High Prices
The first sales on the floors of
the Mountain Burley Warehouses
will be held on Monday, Novem
ber 30, it was decided at a meet
ing of the Burley Sales Commit
tee last week.
Sales will be held in Boone
on Mondays, Wedncgdayi and
Fridays, it is announced by R- C.
Coleman, president of the Moun
tain Burley Warehouse Co., who
says that a full set of buyers will
be on hand for the auction!, rep
resenting the seven big tobacco
companies. Maximum competi
tion, says Mr. Coleman, means
maximum price. ?
"With the quality of tobacco I
have seen in the tri-State burled
area," says Mr. Coleman, "if the
farmers can get their tobacco
stripped right, graded right, and
delivered to the warehouse dry,
they are going to get the very
best price."
Warehouses will be open to re
ceive tobacco on and after No
vember 16, and the first sale in
Boone will be at Farmers Burley
no. 1.
Mr. Coleman says, "Let me em
phasize what Joe has already
said. Keep your tobacco barn at
tight as possible from now until
tobacco is stripped. Every tim*
the tobacco gets in case it turns
a little red, and the redder it
gets, the lower the price; and
.every time fog drifts into the
barn the tobacco will go into case.
It is important, too, when pos
sible thai you start to strip the
tobacco when you think the wea
ther is going to clear. Tobacco
stripped at the beginning of a
rainy spell is likely to get too
damp, and wet tobacco never
brings a good.' price."
Mr. Coleman assures the many
hundreds of farmers who bring
their tobacco to Mountain Burley
Warehouse that they will receive
every possible courtesy and g?t
the best price possible.
Last Rites Held '
For Frank Greer
Frank Scott Greer, S9, of Vilas
Route 1, died at his home on Sat
urday, November 7. He had been
in ill health for some time.
Funeral services were held
Sunday, November 8, at the
Mount Lebanon Baptist Church,
conducted by the Rev. Lawrence
Hagamun and the Rev. Ronda
Earp. Burial was in the Danner
Cemetery.
He is survived by his widow,
Mrs. Mary Crcer; two sons, Char
les J. Greer, Charlotte, and Ron
ald Greer, Vilas; four daughters,
Mrs. Alma Leviner, Charlotte,
Mrs. Mabel Greeifc, Kannapolis,
Mrs. Bruce Kelly, Wilkesboro,
and Mrs. Pearl Coffey, Hickory;
I wo half-brothers, five half-sist-<
;rs, and eleven grandchildren.
? a
2700 Chest X-Rays
Are Made Here
An x-ray survey has just been
completed in Watauga County
with a total of approximately
2700 pictures taken by the bus
located on Main Street. It in im
possible at this time to give the
total number of pictures taken
by the bus located on the college
:ampus. Much credit for this sur
vey is due the volunteer citizen*
and college students who man
ned the buses.
This survey was made possible
Dy the State Board of Health and
the Tri-County Tuberculosis As
sociation, making it possible for
nany persons, including those
whose work required an annual
:hest x-ray, to get this at no cost.
U. S. JOB CUTS
A total of 209,866 civilians lost M
their jobs in Government em
ployment in the last fourteen
months, leaving a total of 2.401,
)12 civilians working in the ex
ecutive agcncies. at home and
abroad, as of September 30th.