Sell Your Tobacco
on the Boone Market
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, W*
VOLUME ^xvm. ? NO. 26.
Weekly Neumpaper ? Euablithed,
,
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY,
NEW NORTH CAROLINA CAR LICENSE.? When license plate* go on ule througout the state January
3, there will be 22 different styles, depending on what type vehicle the plate is to be attached. Only one
tag will be issued for each vehicle, and a motorist will be considered delinquent if be displays 1865 lic
enses after February 15. The coty is the iam?? except reversed from present tags? Mack on orange.
Burley Sales To Be Resumed
. . * ' ?* ) . ? ?$
Next Tuesday; Prices High
Sales Will be resumed next Tues
day, January 3, on the Boone bur
ley tobacco market following a re
cess since December 21 for the
Christmas holidays.
Boone warehouses are remaining
open throughout the holidays to
receive tobacco, and personnel are
on hand to unload the leaf and
place it on the floors with a mini
mum of delay, said Joe L. Coleman,
of the R. C. Coleman warehouse
firm, operators of the local burley
market.
More than two million pounds
were sold here before Christmas
for an average of near 168 per
hundred, highest in the history of
the market. Mr. Coleman pointed
out that Boone is the only market
in Western North Carolina thus
far to post an average of better
than |60 for ? single day's sale,
which occurred on Monday, De
cember 12, when 131,432 pounds
sold here for an average price to
grower* of $60.17 per hundred.
"Prices are expected to remain
high, and you will be sure of sat
isfactory sale* if you bring the bal
ance of your burley to Boone," he
said.
Mr. Coleman also wishes to re
mind growers that there is not
much time left to get free tickets
on the new GMC truck to be given
away at the close of the season.
"The more tickets you have, the
better are your chances to win,"
he said. Exact time of the drawing
will be announced later, but it is
not necessary for the winner' to be
present at the drawing.
More Die In Auto
Crashes Than Ever
More Americans were killed on
the highways last week end than in
any holiday period in history.
Safety experts, staggered by the
record-shattering total, called the
holiday "Black Christmas."
By 11:15 p. m. Monday, 557
deaths had been reported in traf
fic accidents. In addition, there
were 82 deaths in fires and 90 in
all other types x>t accidents. This
made an over-all holiday death toll
in accidents of 709.
i With the 78-hour holiday week
end still not ended, it was certain
that the highway death figure
would rise even higher ? perhaps
close to 600 ? as tired drivers head
ed home in vast numbers from
brief vacations or visits.
The previous high traffic total
for any holiday week end was (he
four-day Christmas holiday in 1952
when 558 deaths were recorded.
The worst over-all toll from ac
cidents of all kinds was 90S dur
ing the three-day Independence
Day celebration this year, when
drowning was p big factor.
Ned H. Dearborn, president of
the National Safety Council, said:
"We ?a? have dreamed of a
white Christmas but we have made
it black with a record o/ death,
destruction and disaster on the
highway by which no American
can be anything ?ut depressed,
ashamed and frightened.
"We can only hope that the
shock of this tragic and needless
toll will have a sobering effect
over the New Year's holiday and
throughout IBM." -
The council had forecast before
the Christmas period began that
860 American* would die in auto
accidents.
It had become apparent early in
the week end that the number of
traffic dead would rise over the
900 mark. Reports of deaths came
in regularly from the start? 0 p. m.
Friday. Its official end was mid
night Monday, a period of 78
hours. ?* v" ?
Only December 1, the nalion;had
been put on notice with a huge
effort to cut down traffic deaths in
a single day. Tbe date ? called
Safe-Driving Day ? produced 69
traffic death* in 24 hours.
The loss of life in motor vehicle
accidents during the Christmas
holiday period passed that figure
la IS hours. More than seven
(Continued oa page eight)
Edward Shoemake
Dies In Newland
Edward' D. Shoemake, 26, for
merly of Boone, died at Newland
Saturday, December 24, of a gun
shot wound in the head.
Avery County Coroner Barbour
said Tuesday that no ruling had
been made as to whether Shoe
make himself or another person
fired the shot, and that it had not
been determined whether an in
quest would be held.
Funeral services were held
Tuesday at th^Advent Church of
Boone Fork, conducted by the Rev.
Murray Coffey, and burial was in
the White Springs cemetery.
He is survived by his widow and
two children, Brenda Kay and Dar
iel Evyonne; three brothers, Ray,
Bill, and Bobby, all of Boone,
Route 3; and three sisters, Mrs
Paul Coffey, Granite Falls; Mrs.
Fred Farthing, Boone; and Mr%.
Joe Trivett, Charlotte.
License Cards
Being Issued
Ralelih, Dec. 26 ? The Motor
Vehicle* Department will begin
(ending out registration cards to
North Carolina motorists tomor
row.
Upder a revised registration
| schedule, new licenae plates will
go on sale throughout the state
Jan. 3 and extend through Feb. IS.
The new tags, which will be
black on orange, will be sold by
branch officea of the Carolina Mo
tor Club, and by motor vehicle
headquarters in Raleigh.
The new plates will be slightly
larger than this year's tags and
will carry the "Drive Safely" slo
gan Only oa% plate will be issued
It will be attached to the rear of
the vehicle. > %
Miss Foy Ingram, director of the
Motor Vehicles Department's re
gistration, division, said registra
tion i|) North Carolina has paaaed
the 1,600,000 mark? an all-time re
cord.
Christmas Brings Biggest Trade
In Boone History; Quiet Event
Bcnj. Bentley
Suffers Fatal
Heart Attack
North Wilkesboro. ? Benjamin
Franklin Bentley, 52, died unex
pectedly Sunday night at hia home
here.
He had been in apparently nor
mal health and hit death at 10:30
p. m. was attributed to a heart at
tack.
He was a member of a well
known Watauga County family. He
waa born April 14, 1904, a son of
John W. and Maggie Bentley of
Boone.
While a young man Mr. Bent
ley came to North Wilkeaboro
where .for many yeari he operated
Moore's Market prior to entering
business as a partner in the C and
B. Paper Comivny. In more re
cent yean be was sales represen
tative in this area for Salem Paper
Company of Winston-Salem.
Since coming to North Wilkea
boro Mr. Bentley had been a mem
ber of the First Baptist Church,
where he was a member of the
board of deacons and secretary
treasurer of the Boy Scout com
mittee of Troop 34. In the North
Wilkesboro Council of the Junior
Order he was a past councilor and
had held other offices, including
that of secretary at the time of his
death. He also was a member of
the Masonic Lodge in North Wilkes
boro. For many years he was a
member of the fire department
here.
Surviving arc his wife, Mrs.
Ruby Brown Bentlcjr and two aoni,
B. F. Bcntley Jr., and John Rich
ard Bcntley of the home; hia mo
ther; two brothera, Clyde Bentley
of Blowing Rock and Ruaaell Bent
ley of North Wilkeaboro, Route 4;
a sister, Mrs. Robert Bradahaw of
Blowing Rock.
Funeral service! were held Tues
day at the Firat Baptist Church
with Dr. W. R. Wagoner, paator,
officiating. Burial was in Mount
Lawn Memorial Park.
Pallbearers were Bradley Dancy,
Iaaac Duncan, Bill Miller, Bob
Farrington, Rex Handy, Homer
Brookahire, Ray Barnes and Ern
eat Trogdon. Honorary pallbear
ers were deacona and members
of the Berean Claaa of the Firat
Baptist Church, members of the
North Wilkeaboro Fire Depart
ment, members of the Junior Or
der and Bpy Scouts of Troop 34.
Select Listers
For Tax Duty
Edgar Edgar Brown, tax sup
ervisor of Watauga county, haa re
) eased a list of thoae named by the
Commissioners as tax listers for
the various townships.
The usual detailed schedule of
the list takers will be published in
the next edition of the Watauga
Democrat.
Listers are as follows:
Bald Mountain, Mrs. Russell
Vannoy; Beaver Dam, Linville B.
Norris; Blowing Rock, D. A. Klutz,
Jr.; Blue Ridge, M. 0. Coffey;
Cove Creek, Mrs. Hattie Lewis;
Elk, H. C. Hodges; Laurel Creek,
Dwight Cable; Mabel, Mrs. Blanch*
Wilkerson; Meat Camp, Wltliard
Norris; New River, Paul Edmisten;
North Pork, R. C. South; Shawnoe
haw, Lee Ward, Stony Pork Scott
Moretz; Brushy Pork, C. A. Clay;
Watauga. Mrs. Robert Pox.
Charles A. Harmon
Funeral Saturday
Charles Alexander Harmon, 73,
resident of Banner Elk, Route 2,
died at Watauga Hospital last
Wednesday.
Funeral services were held Sat
urday at 2 o'clock at the Zkm Hill
Baptist Church, and burial was in
the Harmon cemetery.
Surviving are the widow - and
three sons, Dayton, Roacoe and
Jeff Harmon, of Route 2,' Ban
ner Elk. There are four daugh
ters: Mrs. Reese Campbell. Nor
folk, Vgt; Mrs. Ed Moody. Butler.
Tenn.; Mrs. G rover Harmon, Le
noir; Miss Haxet Harmon. Lenoir.
}
Barley tobacco acreage faces a
IS per cent cut.
Children's Choir Concert Holiday Feature
Photo by Paul Weaton Studio
Second grade Christmas Choir at Boone Elementary School
The Appalachian Elementary
School closed {or the holiday sea
ion Wednesday, December 21, with
a chapel program, "Let's Keep
Christmas," by the second grade.
The choir, under the direction
of Mrs. Gene Wilson with Gloria
Hampton at the piano, sang a num
ber of traditional carols. Children
who sang in the choir were Tom
Adams, Susie Barnes, Bonnie
Teague, Mike Story, Terry Gragg,
David Payne, Joyce Payne, Carolyn
Presnell, Beatrfce Auton, Betty
Watson, Russell Robinson, Jackie
Lawrence, Louis Farthing, David
Arnette, Larry Cline, Keith Mc
Guire, Bobby Todd, Tommy Kirk,
Jimei Gourley, James Knight, Lin
da Henderson, Mary Coffey, Judy
Fletcher, Robert Fitch, Pasty Can
non, Margery Wood, Sharon Rosen
balm, Jimmy EUer, Carolyn Dyer,
James Caudlll, Buster Coffee,
Johnnie Coe, Shirley Eldreth,
Michael Wilson, Linda Gragg,
Laura Hodges, Lee Jackaon, Lyn
don Lackey, Linda Lyons, Bar
bara Parsons, Johnny Reece, Larry
Richardson, David Surrey, Allen
Wagoner, Gail Ann Watson, Clar
ence Wilson, Sonny Strickland,
Linda Greene.
Steve Hampton was announcer
for the program. Sara Hagaman,
Hilda Stokes and Mary Norris were
Speaker*. Rebecca Wright read
the acripture and gave the prayer.
The angel* were Marilynn Shaf
fer, Betty Jane Hayei, Wayne
Underwood, Gabriel. Linda Gail
Dotaon, Diane Miller, Janice Ayers,
Janice Lewia, Mary Darwin Marah,
DonnU Fidler, Bobby Shirley,
David Norria, David Thomaa. 1
Joseph was played by Harold D.
Davia and Mary by Shirley Hatley.
Shepherds were: Jimmy Brown,
Chris Beachley, and Michael Wil.
son.
Wise men were: Donald Bates,
Tommy Pease, and Hal Anderson.
Burley Growers Decide Today
4
On Future Of Market Quotas
Watauga County burley tobacco
trowen will register their deci
sion at the polls today, Thursday,
December 29, as to whether they
want marketing quotas and price
?upports in 1996.
All growers who produced bur
ley tobacco in 1959 are eligible to
vote in the referendum.
B. W. Farthing, chairman of the
Watauga County ASC committee
reminds farmers that if quotas are
approved by at least two-thirds of
Ihe growers voting, marketing
quotas ? with penalties on "ex
cess" tobacco, acreage allotments,
and price supports averaging 90
per cent of parity ? will continue
in effect for the 1996 burley crop.
If more than one-third of the
voters disapprove quotas, there
will be no marketing quotas, no
penalties on excess tobacco, no
acreage allotments, and NO PRICE
SUPPORTS for the 1996 burley
crop.
The Watauga County ASC com
mittee has named the fdlowing
polling places and community re
ferendum committees for the var
ious immunities:
Bald Mountain and Meat Camp,
Meat Camp Pilling Station? Mil
lard Stephens, J. W. Clawson, BU
ly Byers, W. F. Norriis.
Beaver Dim, Donley Hagaman's (
Store ? Howard Cable, Lynn Nor- ,
ri?, Joe Wilaon, Clyde Cornett.
Blue Ridge, Blowing Rock, Elk, ,
Stony Fork aqd New River, Cook ,
It Elrod'i Store ? Hugh Hampton,
W. H. Stanberry, J. F. Michael,
Milton W. Moretz.
Brushy Fork, Vilaa Service Sta
tion; Grady Bradley, C. A. Clay,
Hiram Brooka, Howard Dancy.
Cove Creek, D. E. Church's
Store ? J. M. Burkett, Otto Tho
maa, Clint Eggers, G. C. Norrla,
Jake Maat'f Filing Station ? Tom
Lawrence, Jack Henson, June Prof
fitt, G. B Miller.
Laurel Creek, V. D. Ward'a
Store ? Alfred Rominger, Robert
Hagaman, Ned Glenn, Clyde J.
Love.
North Fork, Ellison's Store ? C.
R. Wilson, A. N. Thomas, W. C.
South, Loyd Miller. t
Shawneehaw, L. L. Story's Store
? W. C. Smith, Hal Cook, Ed
Yates, Victor Farthing.
Watauga, Valle Crucis Co.' ?
Balph Church, Henry Taylor,
Claude Garland, Robert' Greene.
Polls will open at S a. m. and
close at 6 p. m.
Spending To Be
Surveyed Here
P?rt? of Watauga County will be
among the area* in which the Fed
eral Reterve Board will conduct a
1986 survey of consumer spending
and saving plans.
This was announced this week
by the Federal Reserve Board. Fur
ther details of the county's partici
pation in the survey were not avail
able at press time.
Parts of Forsyth, Stokes and Pitt
counties also will be included in
the survey, according to the an
nouncement.
The annual study helps the board
obtain information on family in
comes and financial status and con
sumers' views on their own pros
pective financial situations.
The confidential interviews have
proved helpful, the board aaid, in
appraising plans for purchase of
homes, cars %nd household appli
ances. They also help gauge the
general economic outlook.
Boone-Elk Park Road
May Be Built Soon
A new 22-foot-wide highway ap
proximately 18 miles long ia be
ing .planned between Elk Park in
Arery ? County and Boone in Wa
tauga County, according to an an
nouncement made by Ralph Wink
ler, 11th Division Highway Com
missioner.
The project, which is expected
to be completed ill 1M6, would
eliminate the t*t> steep mountains
of Bowers and Valley and their
winding, haxardous stretches on
the present highway, Winkler
stated * '
All necessary survey work has
been completed, maps of the pro
posed project hare been poatel,
and the awarding of contracts ia
expected to take piac* in the
spring of MM, he explained.
rhe* new highway ii scheduled
to be constructed over ? different
right-of-way to a point near Foa
coe, where ? new road fa under
construction between Linville and
Boone.
W inkier ,sald that the new high
way would bypass the main lec
tion of Banner Elk and "leave the
present highway near the George
Whitehead (arm south of the town
and passing ,n back of the village."
Actual construction wort is ex
pected to get under way in the
early summer of 1M6.
The new route, Winkler pointed
out, would retain the same number
as the present highway, Route 1M
Trivett Loses ?
House In Fire
Mr. M. P. Trivett of Rominger
lost hit home and it* content* by
fire December ISth.
The blare which originated in
a faulty chimney wai discovered
at S a. m.. and Mr. Trivett and his
wife were powerleaa to prevent its
progress. ,
The house and contents were a
complete loss, and Mr. Trivett
would appreciate any financial
help' which might be tendered in
providing himself and wife a new
home.
W. O. C.'s
President Eisenhower recently
issued an order designed to make
experts and consultants, serving in
the Government on a temporary
basis, either with or without pay.
toe the line on "conflicts o t inter
est" issues just ss regular govern
ment do.
MB
No Serious
Accidents;
Few Arrests
Christmas 1953 was observed in
generally quiet faihion in Wata
uga County, following hectic pre
Yule preparation* which saw re
tail aalea soar to an all time high
in 'dollar volume, according to a
concensus of representative Mer
chants.
Virtually all merchandise cate
gories registered gains in the re
cord Christmas buying, and the
opinion has been voiced that sales
probably would have been even
greater if many Appalachian Col
lege students 4ud not begun their
holidays earlier than usual.
Weatherwise it was one of the
warmest Christmas days ever re
corded here, with the unseaaonal
temperature climbing near the 60
mark at mid-afternoon.
Christmas services were well at
tended at all Boone churchea, as
hundreds took time out from the
exchanging of gifts and greetings
to go and hear once more the story
of the first Noel IMS years ago.
Although traffic fatalitiea were
reported to have broken all re
cords in the nation, Watauga coun
ty paased the entire* holiday week
end without a single auto death or
serious injury, said Sheriff Ernest
Hodges. There were several minor
collisions, he said, resulting in
more damage to the vehicles than
to their occupants, and only four
arrests were made, involving driv
ing under the influence of intoxi
cants and driving without . license.
Police ?hief Glenn Richardson
Complimented the behavior of the
public while within the city limits,
and reported that no arrests were
made by his force over the week
end. "We are pleased and grateful
that we did not encounter anyone
who needed arresting," he said.
Sheriff Seizes
Blockade Still
Sheriff E. M. Hodges and dep
uties seized a thousand gallon
whiskey distillery in Meat Camp
township last Saturday, which was
all cocked and primed for a
Christmas run.
There was three of four hund
red gallons of beer in the vats,
said the Sheriff, who skid the plant
was new, but had previously been
in operation.
No arrests were made.
To Take Part
In Conference
Blowing Rock James M. Storie,
principal of the Blowing Rock
School, has been invited to serve
aa a consultant at the annual meet
ing, of the Department of Elemen
tary School Principals at Denver,
Colo., in March.
Mr. Storie will lead a discussion
on the subject, "Evaluating the
Instructional Program" for the de
partment, a unit of the National
Education Association.
POLIO PROGRAM
The nation-wide polio vaccina
tion program, which began with the
free vaccination of first and sec
ond-grade children, is leaving the
schools for the private physician's
office and the public health clinic.
The free vac^nationa made poe
sible by the National Foundation
for Infantile Paralysis haa almost
ended. A $30,000,000 appropriation
voted by Congress so that no child
should be denied Salk vaccine (or
lacka of funds is available to state
health officers until February.
Nevada is the only state that re
ported that here would be no polio
vaccination given in public clinics.
Distribution there will be entirely
by private physicians.
U. 8. TRAVEL
Private automobiles carried
about ?7.8 per cent of all United
i