Newspapers / Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.) / July 25, 1963, edition 1 / Page 1
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DEMOCRAT VOLUME LXXVI? NO. 4 An Independent Weekly Newspaper . . . Seventy-Sixth fear of Continuous Publication Hi SI 82 82 87 so a 78 S3 81 95 SO 80 80 97 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1963 It CENTS PER COPY 18 PAGES? 3 SECTIONS Disastrous Fire Part of the charred remains of The Myitery Hill Museum of Mountain Life still smoked Sunday afternoon after a flash fire destroyed the large frame building and restaurant that morning. Many irreplaceable curios also were destroyed. ? Rivers photo. "Mystery Hill" Structures Destroyed In Sunday Blaze A small building housing a gravitation phenomenon, an an cient telephone, two curios more than 100 years old, a side saddle and an ox-yoke were all that remained of the Mystery Hill Museum of Mountain Life, mid-way between Boone and Blowing Rock, after fire broke out Sunday morning. According to co-owner Bu ford Stanley of Boone, the fire brvke ont about 10 a. m., af ter 11 people had just finished the guided tour through the muieum. One person who ?u inside the building when the fire started escaped injury. Stamey says he believes the blaze was started by defective electrical wiring; he reported that blue flames burst from the switchboard after he heard a popping sound. The monetary loss, partially Lionel Ward Dies; Is Called Suicide Lionel Ward, well-known dis trict veterans service officer, shot himself about 11:49 a. m. Friday at his home in Boone and died about 7:30 p. m. in Watauga Hospital, Sheriff Dal las Cheek reported. No reason had been found for the act. Sheriff Cheek said. Coroner Richard Kelly declar ed the death ? suicide and stated that no inquest would be necessary. According to the Sheriff, Ward called his (Ward's) of fice at the County Building in Boone and told a girl who took the call that he was going to shoot himself. The girl telephoned the sheriff who, in turn, went to the County Building ? a rock structure which sits ? few yards from the sheriffs office. Sheriff Cheek stated that "af ter calming the girl down enough to find out what was the matter," he ran back to the Sheriffs Department where he phoned the Ward residence, hoping to "talk him out of it" However, after the phone rang "five or six times," the sheriff and jailer J. C. Brown drove to Ward's home, about one-and-a-half miles west of the county building. At the Ward house, Cheek and Brown found all three out side doors locked from within. However, Brown detected a small slit in the rear screen through which he inserted a pocket knife to lift the latch. Cheek entered the house first and found Ward lying on a bed in a bedroom. A bullet had entered the right tem ple and passed through the opposite side of the skull. He was clutching a .22 calibre rifle. No note was found, Sheriff Cheek said. He did note, how ever, that it was commonly known that Ward's health was not good Cheek also said that it is believed by some that Ward could have retired several County Surpasses Savings Bond Quota Watauga county people have subscribed to 100.8 per cent of the county's Saving* Bond quo ta for the entire year, says A. T. Adams, county bond sales chairman. Sales totalled *60,720, Mr. Adams said. . LIONEL WARD yean ago on 100 per cent dis ability. Ward had been out of his of fice Thursday because of an attack of asthma, jailer Brown stated. ? ? ? ? Ward became Watauga vet erans service officer in 1920 when the county's first Amer ican Legion post was organized in Boone. He had been post Commander, Post Adjutant and a member of the VFW. He did the job without pay until 1944 when the state Vet erans Commission was estab lished and such positions were put on the state payroll. Besides Watauga he had been serving nearby counties which have no veteran officers. Born in Watauga County on June 26, 18M to the late An drew Jackson Ward and Came ( Continued on page eight) covered by insurance, is be tween $12,000 .and *15,000, be saiiL However, curio* housed in Ike large frame building de stroyed by fire, cannot be re placed. Stamey and co-owner, R. J. Underwood, were unable to place a value oil these ob jects. Erected about eight years ago by W. F. Hudson of Flor ida and purchased by Stamey and Underwood of Boone five years ago, the large frame structure also housed a restaur ant in which new equipment recently was installed. The small building that sur vived damage, called The Mys tery Hill, gives an illusion of defying gravitation. This curi ous structure stands southeast of the building razed Sunday. The owners reported that 30,000 people visited the mus eum last year and that business had been equally good this sea son. They plan to rebuild as soon as possible, although they do not think the curios, which were displayed to demonstrate how mountain people lived in the past, can be replaced. Local Lots Sell Easily Mr. S. C. Eggers, local realtor, tells the Democrat that last Saturday morning he sold at auction fifty-four lots in the Snaggy Mountain sub-division for $10,000. Saturday afternoon he auct ioned off 47 lots on 421 bypass in just 20 minutes, marking the most spirited selling he has enjoyed in his long ex perience. These lots brought a total of $8,100. When the sale was finished, buyers were still left, Mr. Eggers said. The demand for good realty in Watauga continues on the upgrade, Mr. Eggers said, and added that at least half the lots sold Saturday went to people from Florida. Yoders Have Guests Mrs. J. M. Hall, Mrs. Hazel Hall and Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Barber of Winston-Salem were recent visitors in the home of Dr. and Mrs. J. C. Yoder. TO TAKE LONG STEP FORWARD $5 Million Buildings To Be Constructed At ASTC Dr. Wilson Sees OK In Bond Vote Dr. H. M. Wilson told a din ner meeting of the Boone Lions Club on July 18 that a formal request for Federal funds for a new Watauga County hospital has been made, which, if ap proved, will make S1V4 million available for the hospital. He stated that the Federal Government might assist be cause Watauga County is con sidered part of a depressed area, but that Federal assistance will come only if voters support the bond issue in September. The $800,000 bond issue rep resents only 48 per cent of the cost of the urgently needed hos pital, said Wilson. Crowded be yond capacity, the present hos pital, which was designed to accommodate 38 patients, is serving 80 patients. Displaying an architect's drawing and blue prints, Wilson told the Lions that the hospital board plans to start the new 100- bed hospital this fall if Wa taugans vote for the bond issue in September. Major J. H. Thomas, newly elected president of the club, ?wured Dr. Wilson that the Lions Club will do every it can to help the people of Watauga County have their new hospital. Thomas said he feels sure the bond issue will be approved. Civitan Club Announces Committees Newly installed Boone Civi tan Club president William G. Spencer has announced the 1963-64 standing committees. These are the folks who are responsible to their club for each area of work done by the Boone Civitan Club: Attendance and membership: Oscar Danner, Jr., chairman, Norman Critcher, and Kay Farthing. Program: Gwyn Hayes, chair man; Bob Davis, W. B. York, Howard Edmisten. Youth Activities: Carl Fidler, chairman; W. C. Richardson, Ben Fox, and Ed Norris. Finance: Phil Smith, chair man; Bobby Sherrill, Charles Isley, and Joe Mast. Fruit Cake: Bobby Sherrill, chairman; Max Fox, J. C. Pitts, and Ernest Dancy. Pancake: Charles Isley and Joe Mast, co-chairmen; Bay Luther, Henry Taylor. Publicity: Roy Isley, chair man; and Town Greer. Benevolence: Norman Crit cher, chairman; Ned Glenn, and Custer Wallace. Other 1963 officers include president-elect, Edgar Greene; secretary, Oscar Danner, Jr.; treasurer, Phil Smith; sgt.-at C Continued on page eight) Record First-Half Sales Are Reported By IRC's President PHILADELPHIA ? Record first-half tales of *14,407,872 were achieved by International Resistance Company, President Walter W. Slocum announced today (Ifonday, July IS, 1963). The previous record for a sim ilar period was *14,286,212 set in 1982. Net earnings amounted to *743,385, or 51 cents per share, as compared with *1,168,873, or 80 cents per share in the 1962 period, both calculated on the 1 1,462,209 shares outstanding when the period ended on June 23, 1963. In a report to stockholders, the IRC official attributed the lower earnings to "deliberately increased expenses for market ing, development, and facilita tion for the unusual number of new products ? the life-blood of any company ? to be intro duced this year." Mr. Slocum noted that "first half earnings have borne the brunt of extraordinary expensei aa predicted; and, second-half earnings should show signifi cant improvement." He further stated, "We shall enter 1964 with all facilities in top shape for competitive oper ations, extraordinary expenses reduced to normal, with new and improved product lines to market, and with excellent pro spects for substantially improv ed earnings." Construction Accident Donald Eugene Cooper of Asheboro and Don nie Richard Dellinger of Lawndale were in jured Friday morning at the construction site of the Boone plant of the Blue Ridge Shoe Co. on Greenway Road when a steel bar joist on which they were standing (upper right of picture) fell to the ground. ? Rivers photo. Ttvo Men Are Injured As Steel Joist Falls From Frame Work Dr. Curtis McGowan at Wa tauga Hospital said that Don ald Eugene Cooper of Ashe boro suffered a broken les and bead injuries and Donnie Rich ard Dellinger of Lawndale suf fered ? possible spine fracture and possible internal injuries after a steel bar joist at the construction site of the Blue Ridge Shoe Co. suddenly fell Friday morning. Witnesses said two other welders were also standing on the steel cross-pieces, bridging the bar joists on the construc tion that will house the new shoe plant this fall, when the accident occured. One end of the beam struck on Cooper's leg, witnesses said, then bounc ed, striking him on the head and also striking Dellinger. Onlookers reported that the two other men jumped clear of Mobile Museum To Visit "Horn" The "Mobile Museum of His tory," officially dedicated by the Governor on June 11 at the Legislative Building in Raleigh, may be seen at the Horn in the West grounds July 30-Aug. 3. Made possible through the Carolina Charter Tercentenary Commission, the State Depart ment of Archives and History and the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., the museum has 12 exhibits which trace North Carolina's development prior to the Rev olutionary War. In addition to the exhibits, colonial artifacts will be dis played. Mrs. Murry To Visit Russia Mrs. Howard Murry of Valle Cruris is one of 80 American home economists who will visit the Soviet Union in August to inspect institutions related to family life. The group, believed to be the largest group of women from one profession to go to the U. S. S. R., leaves New York on July 18 for a major stop in Paris, July 22-27, for the 10th International Congress of Home Economics. Mrs. Murry will return on Au?ust 18. the beam and were not injured. Cooper and Dellinger are said to be employes of Newton Steel Erecting Co., a subcon tractor to N. C. Monroe Con struction Co. W. C. RICHARDSON Richardson Lt. Governor Of Civitans W. C. (Woody) Richardson of the Boone Civltan Club is the new Lt. Governor of Zone 3 of the North Carolina Civi tan District. He is Past-Presi dent and has been program chairman and chairman of youth activities committee for the Boone club. Lt. Governor Richardson will serve Boger City, Lincolnton, Lenoir, Hickory, Statesville, Wilkes, and the Boone Civi tan Clubs. His main re sponsibility is to act as a lias ion between the clubs and the Deputy Governor and Gover nor of the North Carolina Dis trict of Civitan International. Woody will hold training meet ings for the Officers of all club* in zone 3. He will visit each club periodically and hold zone meetings and work with other zone Lt. Governors in the area and district meetings. The selection of Lt. Gover nor Richardson from the Boone Club is an honor since the Boone Club has only been or genized since October of 1900. Broyhill Gets 100% Rating In ACA Tally 'Washington, D. C. ? Repre sentative James T. Broyhill of the 9th Congressional District of North Carolina was given a 100% rating for his voting rec ord during the first six months of the 88th Congress by Ameri cans for Constitutional Action. According to ACA, Congress man Broyhill has voted consist netly for sound money; for local self-government, and for a pri vate, competitive market. These scores are unofficial and have been calculated from the votes contained in ACA's Congressional Record Digest and Tally. The official ratings will not be compiled until Con gress adjourns for the First Ses sion and will be published in the ACA-Index 1963. Ten House votes on issues, which in ACA'* opinion have ,a bearing upon safeguarding "the God-given dignity of the individual and promoting sound economic growth by strength ening constitutional govern ment," are included in this pre liminary evaluation) Such issues as expansion of rules commit tee, public works acceleration, feed grains program, increas ing the debt limit, and an addi tional $459,500,000 for area re development act were used in the analysis. Americans for Constitutional Action is a nonpartisan political organization which recently hon ored 154 Republican and Dem ocrat members of the United States Congress for their not able voting records in support "of legislative measures which serve to sustain, strengthen, and defend the spirit and principles of the Constitution of the Unit ed States as these were defined by the founding father* of our Republic." Visiting Trwtauaa Rev. and Mrs. Edwin Trout man and family of Jacksonville, Florida are spending the week with Rev. and Mrs. Edwin F. Troutman. State Funds, Borrowed Money Used Appalachian State Teachers College will take a long step forward as another building program for the local campus was made possible through ac tion of the General Assembly. This building program dur ing the 1963-65 biennium, in volving over $9 million of state appropriations, Is scheduled to get underway in the near fu ture as soon as building plans, bids and loans have been com pleted. The Board of Trustees of ASTC met recently to decide if the college would proceed with construction that required the borrowing of money. Their decision was to construct the following buildings: Construction With Borrowed Money Two dormitories for 500 wo men to replace Lovill and White Halls at a cost of $1, 374,300. The college will have to borrow $549,300 of this amount. Replacement and enlarge ment of facilities for health and physical education at a cost of $1,187,00. One fourth of this amount will be borrowed by Appalachian. A student center to be con structed at a cost of $1,025,00. This building is 100 per cent self-liquidating. A dormitory for 300 men to be constructed at a cost of $825,000 of which the entiie entire amount is self-liqui dat ing. Construction With Entire Amount Appropriated Renovation of Old Science Building and convert to general use. The state appropriated $75,000 for renovation and $3o, 000 for furniture and equip ment. The state appropriated $375, 000 for construction of a build ing for administrative offices. $880,000 was appropriated for enlargement of library facili ties. $14,000 was appropriated for seats for the auditorium in the present adminiitration build ing. $696,000 was appropriated for an addition to or expansion of the present cafeteria facili ties. Construction of a Nursery School Building was approved at a cost of $72,000. $125,000 was appropriated for equipment for the Kew Science Building. $80,000 was appropriated for repairs to the power plant and distribution system, replace ments for steam heating system and purchase of a boiler. The General Assembly added $600,167 to the general operat ing budget of the college for the 1963-35 biennium. Badgley Visits Young GOP The Watauga County Young Republican Club will bold its regular monthly meeting at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 25, at the court house in Boone. Guest speaker will be Donald Badgley, recently announced candidate lor the Republican nomination for Governor. Mr. Badgley is a resident of Greensboro and was one of four Republican representa tives elected by Guilford Coun ty to the IMS General Assemb ly A large crowd is qyycted.
Watauga Democrat (Boone, N.C.)
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July 25, 1963, edition 1
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