- ? 1 s?- - WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
1950 Population i,973 # An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1 888
SIXTY-SEVENTH YEAR.? NO. 9.
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1954.
TWO SECTIONS? !? PAGES
KING
STREET
BY
ROB RIVERS
A GOOD YEAR
Horn in the*West goes into the
homestretch with perhaps its best
year drawing to a close . . . Spon
sors of the historical drama are
highly pleased that receipts are
good ? enough to pay all operat
ing expense, etc., and to pro
vide a sum toward opening the
show again next year . . . This
year has been dubbed the "come
back year" since the perform
ances were crippled in 1953 by the
polio epidemic almost surround
ing Watauga county, and come
1955 the show is expected to
really be moving, and settled
down to one of the principal rea
sons for visiting northwestern
Carolina in the summertime . . .
Incidentally Saturday's King
Street traffic must have estab
lished some sort of record for
density as folks came to town 'to
do their pre-school shopping, and
others took a final fling into the
mountains for the last time prior
to the opening of the schools.
RARE AUTO TAGS
Sometimes we take to notic
ing the auto tags along tha
street and this roar wi n soon
thom from most every soction
of tho country . , . Saturday
wo spiod ono from Louisiana,
which stats, strangely enough,
is represented less around here
than any other stale, with the
possible exception of the upper
New England area. We seldom
see a car from Maine. New
Hampshire or Vermont, but do
see them from most other states
... Of course cars from the
neighboring stales of Tennes
see. Virginia and South Caro
lina are runners up to North
Carolina tags, followed closely
by Florida . . . From midwest
em Stales there are a consider
able number of visitors, and
from the Southwest and north
west. we've seen every State re
presented this year . . . Some
days we find tags from moat
everywhere. Again when the
traffic is equally heavy, every
thing is North Carolina . . .
Anyway there's something ex
citing about watching for cars
from distant areas, which inci
dentally give a fair notion of
what's going on in the tourist
industry.
TWEETSIE'S ENGINEER
Railroads and veteran railroad
ers are always good for recurring
features and comments, especial
ly when there's a bit of news
connected with those whose ca
reers followed the gleaming rails
. . . Sherman Pippin came by to
see us Sunday en route back to
Roan Mountain from Blowing
Rock where he had given an of
ficial christening to "Tweetsie
Jr." the little steam train which
has been placed in operation for
the amusement of the kiddies at
the Blowing Rock resort . . .
Sherm was happy that he'd been
invited to pull the throttle on the
one-ton engine, a faithful replica
of the big fellows, and enjoyed
the trip around the circle follow
ing the spike-driving ceremony
. . . The veteran engineer on the
Boone to Johnson City passenger
run, Sherman Pippin took his
train down during the flood of
August 1940 ... He was unable
to get her back to Boone that
evening, and the washed out
tracks were never rebuilt . . .For
fifty years Sherm pulled the
throttle and watched the drivers
roll down the slim tracks, over
tthc shoulder of the Grandfather,
through the old fields of Toe and
down through the Doe River
gorge, where the train wended
its way between high cliffs and
in and out of tunnels on its way
down to the Happy Valley of Bob
Taylor's boyhood . . . Living in
retirement# on his farm near
Roan Mountain, Sherm says he
gets lonesome for the railroads,
and on those occasions goes down
to Johnson City, and catches the
Tennessean, and "deadheads" in
the cab of the big diesels over the
country a ways, and squints his
eyes again far away over the sil
ver stripe of steel . . . Sherman
though, don't take kindly to the
diesels, with their motor-truck
kinship and their synthetic horns,
and likes to get up on the Nor
folk and Western where the big
moguls still burn coal, an^phave
the big throatly whistles which
are music to the ears of an old
(Continued on page two) <j
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Mayview Lake in Blowing Rock Sunday, when a large crowd gathered for the driving of the golden
spike. Sherman Pippin, Veteran engineer on Boone's former narrow-gage railway, came out of re
tirement at his Roan Mountain home, and drove the little engine around the circular track on her
first official run. Others present for the event were.G. T. Baker, president of National Air Lines;
T. H. Broyhill, of the Broyhill Furniture Co.; G. C. Robbins, president of the Blowing Rock Chamber
of Commerce, and Mayor Robert B. Hardin.
National Guard Unit, Armory
May Be Secured For Boone
There is a definite possibility
that a National Guard unit will
be established in Boone, provided
that the officials and others take
sufficient interest in the propos
al.
This information reaches the
Democrat through Boyd Dough
erty of thie city, who is a Na
tional Guard Lieutenant, and who
is now engaged in developing
sentiment in behalf of the propos
al. Since many communities are
out after the small number of
units which will be provided,
Lieut. Dougherty points out that
an active civic interest will need
to be developed.
The final decision, he says, will
be with Governor Umstead and
Adjutant General John H. Man
ning.
Enough members are now in
sight for the 60-man guard unit
which is contemplated, says
Dougherty, who points out that
these men would be available at
all times for emergency duty in
the event of fire, flood or other
disaster, and would be especially
useful in cases of forest fire. Also,
he said, a Guard Armory would
eventually be built by the Fed.
eral government, which would be
open for other public purposes.
The National Guard should ap
peal strongly to the youngsters,
Lieut Dougherty says. Those who
enlist before they are 18V4 are
draft exempt, are building ratings
for their two-hour weekly ser
vice, their uniforms are supplied
and they have two weeks at sum
mer camp with full pay.
Furthermore, it is stated, these
lads may continue their college
careers here at Appalachian with
out interruption.
Lieut. Dougherty states that
meefing"of d0c feeders will be
held soon to go into the matter
more fully.
Merchants To Gather
In Annual Outing
The annual Merchants Associa
tion picnic has been set for Wed
nesday, September 8, at the Horn J
In the West grounds beginning at
1 p. m., according to an announce- '
ment by the committee.
Availability of water, rest
rooms, picnic tables, and shelter
are all much better at Horn in
the West than at the originally
proposed site, Winkler's Creek, it
was decided.
Burl Greene of Belk's is gen
eral chairman, Hoovei* Cole of
A & P is chairman of the food
committee which also includes
Patsy Swift of the Gateway Rest
aurant and Hazel Jones of Boone
Drug Company. The recreation
committee is headed by Carl
Greene of City Market, assisted
by George Moretz of Andrews
Chevrolet. A special committee
has t>een appointed for the enter
tainment of the ladies headed by
Mrs. Frank Miller of Newton's
Department Store.
It is reported that Winklet Mo
tor Company has already chal
lenged Adrews Chevrolet for a
Softball game, and some of the
ladies are working up a Softball
game for the ladies. Horseshoe
pitching and volleyball will be
other recreational features.
"It is sincerely hoped," said
Stanley Harris, the association's
manager, "that Alfred Adams
and Watt Gragg can be gotten to
the picnic, because both have
claimed the horseshoe pitching
championship of Boone for a good
many years, and always when
there is any challenge it so hap
pens that neither of them can
get to the place. We are going to
try to la9so them and get them
there this time. Alfred calls it
throwing ringers, while Watt got
into the winning combination by
luck."
Dinner will be served at 6:00,
following which further recrea
tion will be according to the
desires of those present.
All merchants are urged to
come and ask their employees to
attend, whether or not they be
long to the association. Tickets
will be available shortly after
September I at 'the1 Merchants
Association office, it was an
: nounced.
Town To Receive
$11,929 Powell
Bill Payments
The town of Boone is to re
ceive $11,929 in Powell bill funds,
it was announced last week by
the Highway Commission.
Under the Powell bill, one half
cent of the .State's regular gas tax
must be returned to municipali
ties for improvement of the non
highway system streets.
The checks for a total of $5,
390,807 are to be mailed the mid
dle of September. Half of the
payment was made on a per capi
ta basis, based on the 1950 census.
The other half was determined on
local street mileage in eligible
municipalities.
Farm Council
Savs No Fair Is
Planned For 1954
The Agricultural Workers
Council of Watauga County wish
es to inform the public that they
have no connection with the Fair
'and Carnival that is now in the
county and is being advertised as
the Blue Ridge Agricultural Fair,
says Mr. Howard Williams.
The Agricultural Workers
Council has made no preparation
for a fair in 1954 and knew no
thing about the carnival until ad
vertisements were displayed, Mr.
Williams said.
Culbreth Gets
New Position
Marvin T. Culbreth, secretary
and director of Camp Sky Ranch
has accepted a position with the
North Carolina Society for Crip
pled Children and Adults. Mr.
Culbreth will be field representa
tive with the society is the west
ern half of the state, but will con
tinue to make his home in Boone.
This work will be organizational
since each county in the state
should have an active chapter
and there are a number of coun
ties where no real organization is
functioning.
For the past four years, Mr.
Culbreth has been director of the
Wesley Fellowship on the campus
of ASTC. The name of the new
director for the Wesley Fellow
ship will be released in the near
future.
Horn In The West Ends
Season Labor Day
The outdoor drama, Horn in
the West, will play through the
entire Labor Day week end to
accommodate holiday tourist traf
fic, show officials announced to
day.
The special SiAday perform
ance will mark theiirst departure
this year of the regular playing
schedule which has been nightly
except Sundays.
[ The Labor Day showing, Sept.
I 6, will be the last of the drama's
| third and, according to officials,
i "most successful" summer season.
Horn in the West, written by
t Kermit Hunter and produced and
| directed by the Carolina Play
makers of Chapel Hill, plays at I
I the Daniel Boone Theatre, locat-. !
? ed in the town of Boone, just off
| U. S. Highways 221, 321 and 421.
IJfiss Rivers Dies
In Charlotte
Miss Jamie Rivers, daughter of
the late Dr. James Rivers of
Boone and Taylorsville, died in
Charlotte August 22. relatives
here have been advised.
Miss Rivers had lived in Char
lotte for a great many years
where she was employed by R. S.
Dickson & Co. Funeral rites were
held in Taylorsville August 24th.
Miss Rivers was a niece of the
late R. C. Rivers, Sr., and Mrs.
J. W. Farthing of Boone.
Four Thousand To* Gather For
Annual Rural Electric Meeting
Annual Farm Bureau
Meeting Held Friday
The annual meeting of the Wa
tauga County Farm Bureau was
held at the County Courthouse in
Boone Friday night. I. B. Wilson,
president, opened the meeting by
welcoming the members and
others who attended.
Clyde R. Greene made a talk
on the membership drive which
is to be held Friday, September
24. Several members offered
their services to help with the
drive.
O. L.' Yates, representative of
the N. C. Farm Bureau, introduc
ed the speaker, M. A. Hester, who
has been president of the Forsyth
County Farm Bureau for seven
years. Mr. Hester is also chair
man of the Agricultural Stabili
zation Conservation committee in
his county. He pointed out that
Farm Bureau and ASC should be
closely associated with the other
agricultural agencies in the coun
ty. Farm Bureau has been in the
front lines for 22 years to help
farm people, Mr. Hester stated.
Other visitors at the meeting
included Carl Voss, vice-chair
man ASC, in Forsyth, and also in
surance agent for the North Car
olina Farm Bureau Mutual In
surance Company; Mis. Mabel
Marshall, office manager ASC in
Forsyth; and R. W. Shoffner, as
sistant direcfor, N. C. State Col
lege, Raleigh.
Door prizes were given to five
members who held lucky num
bers. Farmers Hardware and
Supply Company, gave the first
prize of a carpet sweeper to How
ard Dancy, Vilas. Henry Lea
Greer, Vilas, won the second prize
of $15.00 from Watauga County
Farm Bureau. Third prize of
$10.00 from Wilson's Feed Store
went to Mr. Voss of Winston-Sa
lem.
Larry Richardsorv Boone, won
fourth prize, a bag of Spartan
iced from Perry Tractor and Im
plement Company. Fifth prize, a
bag of 16% Milk Maker from Wa
tauga FCX Service, went to Mrs.
H. C. Icenhour, Jr., of Zionville.
At Uie close of the meeting Roy
Rufty of Hillside Dairy, served
the group with ice cream.
Blowing Rock
Meeting Is For
Tourist Planning
A meeting of all persons inter
ested in the tourist business has
been called for Friday noon, Sep
tember 10, in the dining room of
the Ranch Motel near Blowing
Rock.
Michael Taft, director of the
State Tourist Bureau, will attend
the meeting, at which several im
portant matters will be discussed,
including:
After season rates; advantages
and disadvantages of cut rates.
Next year's promotion of the
area as a tourist attraction.
How to get tourists to stay
longer in the area.
Advisability of a tourist clinic;
how to get the public, and es
pecially service station and rest
aurant personnel, to give better
information about accomodations
and the drama, Horn in the West.
Sight-seeing trips, fishing, and
other attractions.
The meeting will start with
lunch at 12 noon, and the business
session will begin soon after 1 p.
m. Those desiring lunch are re
quested to make reservations with
either the Boone or Blowing Rock
Chamber of Commerce.
Seasonally increasing market
ings and declining prices are in
prospect for hogs, particularly
until the middle of October.
Sheriff's Office Takes
Two Whiskey Plants
Sheriff E. D. Cook tells of the
seizure of two whiskey distiller
ies during the last few days.
The first taken August 23 on
Spout branch in Elk township,
was a small oil-barrel plant, and
no beer or whiskey was on hand.
Sheriff Cook was aided in the
raid by Marshal Watson and Dep
uty Sheriff Wiley Day.
In Watauga township on Au
gust 28th a 1500 gallon plant was
taken. Sheriff Cook, together |
[with Messrs Day, Watson and
Willie Miller destroyed the plant
which included three vats, a 1500
gallon tank, a 500-gallon distill
ery, a condenser and 1500 gal
lons of beer.
No arrest was made in either
case.
Total 1954 United States milk
production is expected to be 125
billion pounds, compared with
1$1.2 billion in 1953.
MILLION DOLLAR AIR SHOW? This unusual
picture was taken at Grandfather Mountain, as
thre# Army helicopters fly in formation over the
Mile High Swinging Bridge, the famous attraction
at the Blue Ridge resort. The helicopters above
are from Ft. Bragg's 8th Helicopter Battalion and
are taking part in Operation Mountaineer. The
Army will use Grandfather Mountain's mile higti
. parking area as ? heliport. Three weeks ago
I
Grandfather made the news when a pipeline was
dropped on the mountain by helicopter. It looked
as though that would be the first and last heli
copter flight on the mountain, but the Army plans
three landings a day, except Sunday, for the next
two months. The helicopters abovnare worth more
than >30.000 each ? thus the million dollar show
and the million dollar scenery ? (Photo by Hugh
Morton.)
CLYDE R. GREENE
Clyde Greene To
Head Boy Scout
Finance Group
Clyde R. Greene, Boone busi
ness man and citic leader, will
head the committee which will
conduct the Boy Scout finance
drive in Watauga county begin
ning October 5.
Announcement of Mr. Greene's
appointment was made at a meet
ing Monday night, August 30, by
Alfred Adams, regular finance
committee chairman of the Wa
tauga district.
Mr. Greene expressed confid
ence that Watauga's quota in the
drive can be raised, and announc
ed his special committee to con
duct the campaign. His appoint
ments included Frank Triplett,
Howard Holshouser, Howard
Steelman, Howard Cottrell, Glenn
Andrews, Dr. J. T. C. Wright,
Stanley Harris, and Howard Mast.
Dr. L. H. Owsley U vice-chair
man of Mr. Greene's committee.
Among the twenty prominent
leaders of Scout activities who
attended the meeting were John
G. Fulton of Walnut Cove, fin
ance chairman of the Old Hick
ory council, and Scout Executive
Courtland Baker of Winston
Salem and Field Executive Joe
Davenport of North Wilkesboro.
Milk production on North
Carolina farms during June 1954
was estimated at 174 million
pounds, the highest on record for
the month.
Ervin, Caldwell
Are Expected To
Make Speeches
More than (our thousand are
expected to be present for the
seventeenth annual meeting of
the Blue Ridge Electric Member
ship Corporation which will be
held at the Daniel Boone Theatre
Boone, Saturday evening at 2
o'clock.
United States Senator Sam J.
Ervin, Jr., and Harry B. Caldwell,
Master of the North Carolina
Grange, Greensboro, will be the
guesl speakers at the first annual
meeting of the Corporation to be
held outside of Lenoir in the his
tory of the REA cooperative.
In addition to the speaking, a
business session will be held and
a program of sacred music, will
be rendered by the combined
choirs of ten churches served by
the Blue Ridge Membership Cor
poration. At the close of the meet
ing a number of prizes will be
awarded, including a home freez
er, electric range, water pump,
television set, food mixer, and a
number of electric blankets.
Mr. A. F. Hurt, president of the
REA Corporation says that 3,250
miles of lines are now in use,
serving 15,200 consumers.
High Schol Band
To Give Concert
The High School Band will
present a concert Thursday after
noon at 3:00 on the Daniel Boone
Hotel lawn, it was announced this
week by P*rry Watson, band
master. This will the be first ap
pearance of the band this season.
Mr. Watson stated that a con
cert is scheduled each Thursday
at the same time for the band in
an effort to foster better relations
between the band and the com
munity. The public is invited.
Participants in the concert will
not wear uniforms for the first
performance, because the uni
forms arc being altered. Future
concerts are expected to be in
full uniform, Mr. Watson said.
A census of U. S. business set
for early 1955.
Booster Club To Hold
Year's Second Meeting
The Booster Club of Appala
chian High School will hold its
second meeting for the 1954-55
school year tonight crnurs.j at
the High School. Everyone who
is interested in actively support
ing the athletic program -of the
school is urged to attend at 8 o'
clock.
The club had its first meeting
last Thursday and the following
officers were elected: William E.
Pennick. president; Stacy Eggers,
Jr., vice-president; and A. B.
Crew, secretary-treasurer.
The purposes of the Booster
Club are announced as follows;
(1) to help promote interest in the
athletic program by getting more
people to attend the athletic
event-!; (2) to increase member
ship in the club itself; (3) to lend
financial support to the athletic
program; (4) to help promote bet
ter ideals of good sportsmanship
' iimong players and audience.
Membership in the Booster Club
is open to all who are interested
in the over-all educational pro
gram of the Boone schools. To
become a member a donation of
$10.00 is made to the Booster
Club Fund which will entitle the
member to admission to all home
athletic contests during the school
year; and members are erflkled to
all other functions, including the
right to have an active part ai
all club meetings.
Early indications are that the
Booster Club campaign is meet
ing with success, and all sports
iftinded citizens of Boone and Wa
tauga county are urged to show
their support of the athletic pro
gram at Appalachian High School
by joining.
United States citizens spend
about one-fourth of their income
for food.