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R. C. RIVERS, Jit., PUBLISHER
An Independent Weehiy Nwwpaper
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Entered at the paatoffiA af Boone, C., u sec end clan mail nutter, under the act of Congress of
March t, 187#.' &, . _ #
Water Vote Next Tuesday
a&Sszr
Voters of the town of Boone are asked
to go to the polk next Tuesday to decide
whether the town will issue $79,000
in bonds for the purpose of augmenting
and improving the town water system,
which is having a hard tiihc keeping up
with the demands of the growing Com
munity, especially during long dry per
iods.
The plan which the city is offering to
the voters has been widely discussed, ha*
been presented to an open meeting of the
voters, and has been workft out with the
approval a* the Health Departments It
would appear to be the most practical
thing to do in the premises to vote tor the
bonds, which, it is explained, are water
bonds and will not bring an increase in
land taxeft
For many' years city officials have
forked diligently trying to supply enough
water to meet the growing needs. In the
meantime, the old gravity system high on
Winkler's Creek, has been reduced to a
comparative dribble, but the foresight of
the administration in providing wells be
fore the streams began to dry, has pre
vented an all-out type of emergency in
the water department.
The proposal to be submitted to the
voter* Tuesday has been worked out care
. fuHy, and deserve* the approval of the
voter* of the town.
, Oertatnfy tfeis city ar no other c*i
enjoy continued growth without con
tinued expansion of its water system. A
commodity which used to flow In abund
ance over tha country and which was so
lightly regarded in the old days, has cotoe
to be relatively scarce, and this scarcity
has brought 'about one of the principal
problems of the modern economy. The
synonym "free as water" no longer apples,
even in the land of tall hilts and big trees,
where rushing brooks have alt but ceased
to run.
The Democrat joins with other public
spirited citizens in its approval of the
proposed bond issue. We hope that the
water bonds will get the overwhelming
sanction of the electorate so that the com
munity may continue to grow and prosper.
Pear sail Plan Meets Test
Saturday is the day~wh?n the voters of
the State will decide whether or not to
adopt the Constitutional amendment,
known as the Pearsalt plan, which is de
signed to meet the segregation crisis and
reduce the control of the schools to the
district itself.
In this immediate section where the
percentage of negroes is very small, and
where there has been perhaps more than
the usual degree of goodwill and fellow
ship between the two races, the issue
of whether the schools should be
integrated hasn't been a hot issue, as is
the case in the lowlands. However, one
may scratch a little beneath the outward
calm and find that most of the people
haven't yet decided that the welfare of
the two groups can best be served at this
time by mixed schools.
We don't know whether or not the Pear
sail plan will provide a solution for the
problems which have come about as a
result of the Supreme Court decision two
two years ago. The special session of the
Legislature thought it would, the Gov
ernor thinks so, and a lot of people of
both political parties are persuaded that
it* passage, even with the implication that
some schools might conceivably be closed
as public institutions, would prevent some
of the violence which is beginning to flare
in other sections of the South.
At any rata, the Stat* Legislature haa
acted in the- premise, and most of th*
people seem to be inclined to follow its
lead. At least, Carolina, where race re
lations. generally speaking, are better than
in most other section* of the country, has
taken some sort of action, and haa dis
claimed- violence as a means of resolving
the issue.
In any radical change, especially one of
such wide implications, mistakes will be
made, and the Pearsall plan ia not a cure
all. Believing, however, that it offers the
best hope for our schools, and for all our
children, white and colored, we shall sup
port it. '
Fifty Years Of Cooperation
For fifty years, American consumers
have had the protection of the Federal
law to insure that they receive the best
and purest food, drugs and cosmetics avail
able in any country. But even before the
advent of Federal regulation, they benefit
ed from,, the quality controls and high
standards maintained by reputable firms in
these industries.
This year, the Food and Drug Admin
istration, the nation's watchdog over high
standards in the production of food, drugs
and cosmetics, is observing the Golden
Jubilee of Federal protection for consum
ers. And, according to the Health News
Institute, one of the most important
themes in its anniversary celebration will
be the deserved recognition of the great
degree of voluntary cooperation it has re
ceived from the very industries it was set
up to regulate.
Recently, the Institute said, FDA Com
missioner George P. Larrick gave some
specific examples of this cooperation. Th?
drug standards contained in the U. S.
Pharmacopoeia, the National Formulary
and the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia, for
example, have been adopted by the FDA
for its own.
And in certifying drug* as to purity and
effectiveness, he said, if the FDA's analyst
and the manufacturer's analyst come up
with different results, they may Join for
ces and work side by side, atudying each
other's techniques, until the reason for
the difference is found.
Without this willing cooperation on the
part of industry, Commissioner Larrick
observed, "effective enforcement of this
country's food and drug legislation would
have been extremely difficult, if not im
possible, to achieve." That it has succeed
ed so well, the Institute adds, should call
for a vote of thanks from consumers for
both the FDA and the food and drug in
dustry.
It Could Happen ? Let's Prepare
President Eisenhower's proclamation of
September 9-1# as National Civil Defense
Week focese* attention on civil defense
needs in our oVn community.
No one likes to think of atomic attacks
on America by a ruthless enemy, about
cities blasted into roaring infernos, or
about millions of evacuated people stream
ing into the rural countryside.
Because it isn't the kind of thing we
like to think about, many of us refuse to
think about it "It isn't possible." Or, if
it is possible, "We c?nt hope to sorVivw."
This is the kind of reasoning that spells
defeat, even before attack. ?
You wooMn t stand by while your bum
was burning. If you could save even half
of it, you'd work to save half. We can't
stand by in our cofqmunity today, because
the threat of enemy attack is real and
there is something we can do about tt.
The enemy has nuclear weapons and
the mei m against America.
wait. Why should we? Let's get ready.
Our first job is to learn how to take
care of ourselves and our families in any
emergency. Civil defense can help ua with
that.
These facts cannot be denied: We're on
the potential battle fronts, right along with
the big titias The enemy can attack our
nation, hard and horribly. We can survive, <
recover, fight back to win ? If we are pre
pared. Civil defense is that preparedness.
ft i? up to us aa indivdwate, and to tbe
community as a whole, to see that we
have a civil defense organization strong
enough to insure our suprival.
When
attack, he won't
iWHAT GIVES IN THE SHADOW
f n>ifb
By Prtut Berdanier
Stretch's Sketches
By " STRETCH " ROLLINS
" The Life You Save
THE SMALL PERCENTAGE of motorisU who
drive without regard (or the life and limb of
r i m I ir^M their fellowrfan are, varadox
ically, a quite considerate
group.
When the U. S. Safety
ebuncit predicts, for instance,
that some 480 Americans will
die os the nation's highways
(hiring a given holiday week
eld, these drivers seem to
think it'i up to then to see
to it that the reputation of
the* gefttfcmen as experts re
mains untarnished by going
soon there will be two. Thus, atom-powered subs
will share with old Torms of transportation the
ability to rtin into one another.
How true. The itory goes that back ia the
1880s, or maybe it was the 1900s, there were
only two "gasoline buggies" in Kansas City.
But one day on the city's main thoroughlare,
they managed to collide.
, ?*. . . ? # ? I ? V . . ? ? i
AND ON ANOTHER automotive front, a cou
ple of fellow* have designed a "futuristic" car
that is only 43 inches high. "It's practioal," they
say, "and if we wanted to be ridiculous we could
design one that's only 24 inches high, provided
the driver and passengers would consent to 1m
flat." (Might save harrowing details, at that, as
both driver and car often end* up that way.)
"The only alternative," continued the designers,
"Would be to ^design the human body." (At last
report, they were working oil that)
out forthwith and reaching
tke predicted figure ? topping K, if humanly
paaatMt.
They Just' can't beat to" hivt the safety experts
proved wrong.
BY 1965, the Automobile Club of New York
estimates, there will be 81 million motor ve
hicles in the United States. 'Placed one above the
other, the can would make a column 66,000
miles high? more than a quarter of the distance
to the moon."
But many impatient motorists can't wait.
They make It all the way from this world to the
neit with only one car.
UP UNTIL NOW, another item state*, we
have had only one atom-powered submarine, but
MEANWHILE, BACK AT SPEED RANCH,
UNSUPERVISED, there ire people who actually
advocate changing all of our holidays to (all on
Monday, thereby giving people more "long waek
ends" in which to kill themselves, and some who
still argue that police "speed traps" are unfair
to motorists!
IN THE WORDS of a young man who appear
ed on a recent television show ? "How long,
America, how long?" *
From Early Democrat Files
Sixty Yeans Ago
September >, ISM.
The Popalitt convention meets in Boone today.
Mine* Nellie and Tate Blair of North Wilkes
bore are visiting their uncle, George H. Blair, of
New River.
The workmen are now engaged in tearing down
the old Methodist Church here. A more modern
pad convenient oae will be erected on the lame
site as quickly aa the work can be done.
Mr. E. E. Jurnoy of Waverlv. Tenn., died at
Elk Park on laat Monday at 2*. m. The body
'arrived in Boone at 9 a. m. Tueaday and was
interred here that day.
Bob Taylor is making a vigorous campaign
in Tennessee.
A fatal disease among cattle has broken out
in the vicinity of Charlotte and is spreading.
One man ban toil 10 cows from the disease,
which is supposed to be anthrax, whatever that
gUy ^ ? ?
Thirty-Nine If ears Ago
September 6. 1917.
Messrs B. R. Bryan and 0. Lester Brown have
tab? employ went with the engineering corps
now engaged in making a permanent survey from
Shults Milts to Boone, beginning on Monday
teat. TM? looks very aith like a railroad, but
| there has been no contract entered iMto buns?
the people and the company.
The annual meeting of the stockholders of
m Wataogt Cwmty Bank wn MM in (lie BeAt
bolMteg Tuesday afternoon J H. Mast. T. A.
T liawg, J. IV. Hertoft B. B. Dougherty, L. A
Orm+ V. F. ,* I ?m It W. C. Coffey and L. N.
Matt were elected to serve as directors far the
ensuing year. i jj f
Mr. W. Everette Beach, ion of Mr. and Vfn
A. W Beach of Boone, but for aeveral year* a
resident of Seattle, Wash , was married on the
22nd ult. to Miss Lola Edith Edwards of that
city. ,
Mrs. t. F. Hargett of Plheville, N. C? with her
daughters, Annie aad Ruth, is spending the week
with her daughter, Mrs. Frank Norris, in East
Boone. Rev. Mr. tfcrgett, beloved pastor of the
Boone Methodist Circuit thirteen years ago, will
join them the last of the week.
Fire Ford cars Were sold in the village Mon
day and one of the ageata said that 3ft could
have been sold as easily, if he couldAave de
livered them on that day. It is said that there
are now owned in Watauga wall over a hundred
Ford cars, to. say nothing of the heavier Ma
chines.
Fifteen Year* Ago
September 4, 1941
Edward E. Barry, 78, publisher of the John
son County News at Mountain City, Tenn., died
Sunday after a Ariaf iHness. ... Mr. Barry who
was well known Tn Watauga County, published the
Johnson County News for the past 26 years,
aftd prior to that time was engaged for many
years in the publication af The Tomahawk.
George Ragan, former resident of the Meat
Camp section, met instant death Sunday morn
about four o'clock when (truck by a loco
ve of a freight train near his home in the
vicinity of Matoaka. W. a . . . ?
Dr. Alonzo F. Myers, cfcalraan at the ?apart
ment of higher education. New Yerk University,
It spending some time lh this vicinity. Re is
one of the nation's leadiag educational Mfares.
and it chairman el the National Edueattan As
sociation. /
KINGISTREETlii
By ROB RIVERS
THE CLOCK . . WHO'LL WIND IT?
The Gastonia Gazette some time ago reminded us of the days
when the winding of the family clocl^ wan the prerogative of
the head ef the family? ? sort of rite which was performed
each evening about the time the last youngster was shepherded
iato the land of nod by a tiijyl and harassed mother, and which
somehow wasn't to be performed by anyone else, even though
a youngster had grown tall enough to stffid on a cane-bottomed
chair and reach the Waterbury on the high mantel. . . . Ours
was a one day creation, and the crank type key was used to
wind the timepiece, one side taking care of the weight which
caused the mechanism t6 run, while a cranking on the other
side caused the striking of tne hours. . . . And the Gazette re- (
minds that "a word of reproach could be wrapped up in the
remark that 'papa forgot to wind the clock'." . . We used to
wonder how any mortal man could always remember to wind
the clock, every night, years on end, at virtually the same hour,
and dutifully check th$ time with the pocket watch, which had
double cases, and closed with a snap, which often annoyed
the preacher when he was running overtime. ?
AND TtlEftE WAS A SOLACE In the quiet tick-tock
of the brass dock, with its blackened case, which Jim
Bryan had fixed a hundred times, and a re-survey of
the things which sh? Id be done around the house
when tht hoar was chimed. . . . There ought to be a
good weight clock in every living room, like they
used to have. . . . One of the things adds atmosphere,
and besides within th#case one can usually store a few
of the most important small items. ... . The only trouble
might be that since there has been no clock for so long,
pop would most certainly forget to wind the mechanism
at bed time, when he'd just stirred from a preliminary
television nap, and was trying the difficult trick of
getting ready for bed without being completely awake.,
RABBIT MORETZ QUITS THE TOWN
Rabbit Moretz, for a long time a mainstay in the local post
office, recently resigned his position, and moved his family down
Florida way, where they expect to reside permanently in the
land of the sunshine and the flowers. . . . And those of us who
' have fellowshipped with Rabbit throughout the years, as he
delivered the mail, come hail, high water, snow or driving
rain, are sorry he decided to go away. . . . Faithful to duty,
kind and courteous ta the patrons of the office, Rabbit went
about his daily rounds in high good humor and the arrival of
the postman in his case was apt to be good news, mail or no
mail. . . We shall wish for Rabbit the best in the sunnier clime,
and at the same time will entertain the hope that maybe he
won't be gone too long.
PROGRESS . . MAKES THINGS HANDIER
The machine age has brought along a lot of changes.
. . We note by the tv that a man cam now leave the
comforts of hi* bath room til thm>MT his electric
razor in his car. . ? Can procure a pen with which he
can sign ? check under water, can swim with his
watch on, and can stop his automobile with a slight
push on the brake pedal with a baton, if he happens
to have Mo foot ? Mo mirth when he reaches the
red light
A lOVINE ODDITY f . HAS FIVE LEGS
Mr. C. H. Blackburn, Jr., tells us that an attraction at the
livestock market in Boone next Tuesday will be a freak Hol
stein cow, which through some quirk of nature has five legs. . . .
, The two-headed calf sort of thing has appeared throughout the
years, but we don't remember having heard of an overabund
ance of pedal extremities in cowdom. . . . Anyway the two
year-old cow is normal in every way except that a fifth leg
. grew in between her hind legs, complete with hoof. . . The extra
leg, of course, has no locomotional function? fact is, it likes
about six inches of reaching the ground, but except for size,
is about like the other four.
So This Is New York
Joe Smith it a hard mm t?
find, I learned on laokiag br h*i\
Not only hat this mythical Amer
ican been nominated for high off
Ice but this columt has used his
name for years when it appeared
that the pronoun '1" seemed too
eoatpieuous. So whea it was an
nounced that a Colonel Charles
Cobb, former Kentw$ian, was set
ting up national headquarters for
Joe Smith for Vic* President here,
I went oeer to fee what wae going
on. At the address given, 140
West 42nd Street, the name of Joe
f Smith was not on the building di
rectory. neither was that of Col
onel Cobb. Se I caught the self
service elevator and rode all the
way to the top. An office door
with a chiropractor's name on it
was open. This gentleman had no
knowledge of Joe. On another
floor, a tailor looked mi ap aid
down as if I needed ? new suit ef
clothes. The* I clanked ttie stairs
to the penthouse and en route,
two cuddling pigeons ea the feel
looked at me with aome suspicion.
No Joe Smith there. I did find
an office, however, with no name
on it but wMh a persoaahte girt
insMe Miss Eauaa Echert, the
turned out te he. and said was
much interested in Joe Smith.
Oh the wan were two tiogans, one
saying: "We get toe toon old and
-Wert faseinaUs as I at til
aad watch * far hours " I thaafe
ed fee girl sad made ^ way te
the eietttor. Maybe Joe Smith
sms ap above there ia that clear
summer sky; or perhaps he waa
/
By NORTH CALLAHAN
down among thoat .imall-looking
iMAvinii ?Iahii An 4k? ti/la.
mvTing aiuii^ vii mr o ivj ?
walks. Or maybe he if just in the
hearts of the common people . . .
In the front of a candy store
near 5th Avenue is ene of those
new-fangled gadgets which serve
you sweets 24 hours a day. II
aeema hard enough to stay away
from them ? and aa expanding
waist-Hne ? for eight hoars, but
even death can be made easy, they
say. Anyway, after stopping in
front of the machine and looking
for awhile at its automatic mech<
anism which holds those sleek
looking. lethal chocolate bar*, 1
looked furtively around then
Jabbed in a quarter? and out cam*
a delicioua time-bomb of soma 300
additional calories!
New York ia not like that often
pictured in the movies, you will
And if you do not already know.
A young fellow from Georgia camfl
here for the first time and ar
rived at the Pennsylvania Station.
He entered a taxicab and when the
driver asked him where he want
ad to go, the lad replied ia his
beat movie hero manner, "Grand
Central Station ? and step on it!"
The oak ska* ant of the station
and went a* fast that the young
fellow spent moat of Um way to tho
station on UM floor
una catgaulas are gM to re- |
ceive new ideaa but they would 1
rather gat them ia their own .
way. th# rraaod It became often f
(Continued on page aeven)