OTEHBTCW CMRISTMAjS
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT ilFH
4)650 An Independent Weekly IV etc* pa per . . . Seventy-Sixth Year of Continuous Publication Dec; 23 37 9 .62
VOLUME LXXV1? NO. 2C BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY. DECEMBER 26, 1963 10 CENTS PER COPY 20 PAGES? 3 SECTIONS
White Christmas
Monday as the Democrat goes to press, the area is exper
iencing what perhaps will be the heaviest snowfall of the
season. Three to four inches accumulated before mid-morn
ing, and forecasters have the notion that maybe six to ten
inches will fill. Prospects for continued below-freezing temp
eratures would seem to insure a white Christmas. ? Staff
photo.
NOTED ECONOMIST PREDICTS
Babson Sees Good Times ,
Tax Cut , Johnson Winning
By ROGER BABSON
I am still emotionally upset
as I make this forecast after the
brutal assassination of Presi
dent Kennedy. I, however, will
try to submerge my emotions
and base this forecast of 1964
on the facts as I interpret them.
OUR NEW PRESIDENT. I
state emphatically that Presi
dent Johnson may accomplish
far more constructively before
November 1964 than our late
President would have been able
to do. President Johnson under
stands better how to handle
Congress, and has the confi
dence of businessmen. There
fore, I am reassured as to the
first ten months of 1964.
ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.
At the Republican Convention
' j in the summer of 1964, there
will be a conflict between Gold
water and Rockefeller, and per
Eggers Old Home
Burned Down In
Saturday Blaze
The former S. C. Eggers
home, which stood by the side
of Mr. Eggers' present home,
one miles west of Boone on 421.
was completely destroyed Sat
urday noon by a Maze of un
known origin, which might have
originated from an oil stove in
the building.
The two-story frame house,
Mr. Eggers said, was built by
Mr. Clay Trivette about 1900,
and was occupied for many
years by the Hines family,
pioneer residents of this area.
Mr. Eggers and his family lived
there until recent years and all
their children were born and
reared in the old home, and he
says that there was consider
able sentimental attachment to
the bouse.
Two families occupied the
house, but both families were
sway at the time of the fire.
Some of the furniture was sav
ed from the downstairs area of
the burning building.
Mr. Eggers . says the total
lost wm about $20,000. It was
ptrtUftr cover* * lwoam
i M ?
haps others. For this reason, Mr.
Nixon may slip in and get the
Republican nomination. Certain
ly President Johnson will se
cure the nomination of the
Democratic Party; he is a far
sighted man, and knows politics.
Therefore, with the Republicans
nominating any one of the three
leading names mentioned above,
I now forecast that President
Johnson will be elected Presi
dent of the United States in No
vember 1964. AU of this gives
me more assurance that 1964
should be a good year.
TAX CUT. A tax cut will be
enacted sometime during the
coming session of Congress; and
It will surely be made retro
active to January 1, 1964. The
tax cut should help consumer
buying; it may even increase
general business.
CIVIL RIGHTS. Some sort of
a civil-rights bill will be passed
by Congress during 1964. The
Administration wants to please
the South and hold its Demo
cratic votes there, but the civil
rights bill now before Congress
is not satisfactory to the white
people of the North. Therefore,
I forecast that whatever civil
rights bill is passed before the
election of 1B64 will be consider
ably watered down.
NEGRO PEOPLE. The Negro
will continue to make progress
and get more, but I predict that
the gains will have to come
largely through changing atti
tudes of the people. Otherwise,
the situation will be much like
the prohibition problem which
the good people of the nation
thought could be solved by legis
lation. Such reforms take place
only as the minds and hearts
of the people are changed for
the better.
GOVERNMENT SPENDING.
Of course, in the long run, the
survival of a nation should de
pend upon its spending less than
it takes in. Nowadays, however,
it is unfashionable ? for con
sumers or government ? to have
balanced budgets. Therefore, I
predict that 1964 will see a big
ger deficit than this year's.
DEPRESSION. Whether for
better or for worse, the voters
have been taught to belive they
can and should get something
for nothing, and only a severe
depression could ultimately
change this belief. I, however,
took for no depression in 1904.
AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK.
Although crops, prices, and
farm income may be basically
dependent on the weather, much
of the world is short of food.
Russia's and China's heavy pur
chases of grains will do more to
I bolster U. S. farm income than
I will government - supported
Dr. Fail Joins Staff
Of Lenoir Hospital
A personable, well-qualified
young physician is the latest
addition to the medical profes
sion of Caldwell County.
Dr. Philip Fan, who has been
practicing in Blowing Rock for
the past few years, joined the
staff of Dula Hospital Dec. 1.
Dr. fail, a native of South
Carolina, spent his childhood
near Orangeburg at Branch
ville, where his widowed moth
er, James Frank Fail has
her residence.
tfpon graduation from Ugh
school ft* Joined the United
State* Navy and was with it lor
two years near the end of
World War II. In Japan he waa
stationed at Hiroshima for ?
time after the war.
Dr. Fail did his undergradu
ate work at the University of
South Carolina. He not only hat
a medical degree but also a
pharmacist's degree. After re
ceiving his college diploma he
practiced pharmacy in Colum
bia. '
. He then returned to school,
entering the Medical College of
'? (AMtJttMd an page six)
prices in 1964.
DOW-JONES INDUSTRIALS.
I forecast that the stock market
as measured by the Dow-Jones
Averages will make a new high
in 1961, but may sell lower after
the elections. However, readers
must remember that the Dow
Jones Industrial list, which
everyone seems to think rep
resents the market, may be very
deceptive.
SPECULATIVE STOCKS. Of
the approximately 1550 stocks
listed on the New York Stock
Exchange, a majority have been
going down while the Dow-Jones
list of 30 which everyone
watches have been going up.
This is due to the purchase of
Dow-Jones issues toiday largely
by trustees, pension funds, mu
tual companies, and others that
prefer fairly conservative and
dividend - paying companies. I
forecast that stocks not in the
(continued on page four)
Democrat Takes
First Steps In
Expansion Plan
The Architects Engineers Col
laborative of Boone and Hickory
are nuking plans for the re
building of the Watauga Hard
ware structure neit to the
Democrat, which will become a
functioning part of the news
paper property.
A* soon as plans are com
plete and bids can be taken,
work on the atractnre will be
gin, and should be completed
in a few weeks.
Printing preases and other
eqoipment naed in commercial
printing will be moved ta the
rear of the building, which will
connect with the present Demo
crat composing room. The front
will give as more roam far of
fice supplies, which we have al
ways handled an a limited scale
mare aa a service to oar cus
tomers.
This la the first step In a
long-range building and expan
M yragratt * the Pwntwfc
HH? ?'
$50,000 TRANSACTION
New Hospital Site Is
Part Of Greer F arm
Sale Of Present
Plant To State
Is Authorized
A site has been chosen for
the construction of the new
Watauga County Hospital, Jack
D. Cobb, vice-chairman of the
hospital Board of Trustees, an
nounced Thursday.
The site, known as the Greer
property, is located on Deer
field Road near Highway 321,
just outside of Boone. "The
site," Cobb said, "contains eight
and one-half usable acres, at a
total price of *50,000."
Purchase has not yet actually
been made, but the trustees
have an option on the site,
Cobb said. Actual construction
will begin as soon as final plans
for the new structure are com
pleted by Holloway and Reeves,
Raleigh engineering and archi
tectural firm.
The hospital, a $1,500,000
project according to original
estimate*^ jm* ra?de possible
through the passing of a $500,
000 hospital bond Issue in the
county Sept. IB.
Purchase of this site, listed
as Site No. 3 among the nine
originally proposed for the hos
pital, has been approved by the
North Carolina Medical Care
Commission.
In a letter dated Dec. 10,
Bruce K. Jones, engineer for
the North Carolina Medical
Care Commission in Raleigh,
had this to say about the site:
"This site is on rolling
ground, but is more level than
any of the other eight sites in
spected by the Commission.
The sewer system is less than
two-tenths of a mile away, and
city water is adjacent to the
site.
All of the site would be us
able (or hospital purposes, and
its dimensions are such that
there would be no difficulty in
locating a building on the site
in a way that would allow for
future growth and expansion.
"This appears to be the most
desirable of the sites inspected,
and although the acreage is less
than some of the other sites, it
is with the knowledge that all
of the site would be usable.
"Its approval is recommended
by the Medical Care Commis
sion."
Jones further stated that the
(continued on page six)
Mrs. Jas. Hodges
Dies in Lenoir
Mrs. Florence Hodges, 86, of
Boone, widow of James G. Hod
ges, died at 4:30 p. m. Saturday
at the home of a daughter, Mrs.
Ollie Greer of 809 E. Harper
Avenue, Lenoir, where she had
been making her home for a
short time.
She was born in Watauga
County to Wesley and Adaline
Gragg Presnell.
Mrs. Hodges was a charter
member of Oak Grove Baptist
Church at Boone.
Surviving are four sons,
Dewey and Curtis Hodges of
Boone, and Jones and Grady
Hodges of Hickory; two other
daughters, Mrs. James Moore of
Lenoir and Mrs. Dwight Hays
of Boone; 29 grandchildren; and
28 great-grandchildren.
The funeral was conducted at
2 p. m. Monday at Oak Grove
Baptist Church by the Rev. C.
O. Vance and the Rev. Mr. Mor
gan. Burial was is the church
Five persons were injured, two of them
critically, in the wreckage of this Volks
wagen early Friday morning. Photo by
Flowers.
Five Are Injured As Car
Goes Over Embankment
Democrat Editorial Printed
In Congressional Record
An editorial from the Wata
uga Democrat! written on the
death of President Kennedy,
has been printed in the Con
gressional Record, according to
a letter from Senator Sam J.
Ervin, Jr., who writes as fol
lows:
Mr. Rob Rivers
Editor Watauga Democrat
Boone, N. C.
Dear Mr. Rivers:
On December 11 I delivered
a eulogy of the late President
Kennedy on the floor of the
Senate. Following the eulogy,
I placed in the Congressional
Record a number of articles
and editorials from the North
Carolina press, including one
which you sent to me.
Your thoughtfulness in pro
viding me with the material
which I included in my state
ment, is appreciated. I think it
is highly appropriate that such
articles and editorials be made
> permanent part of the record
of the Senate as evidence of the
esteem and affection the peo
ple of the State had for our late
President.
It occurs to me that you
might care to have a bound
copy of these proceedings,
therefore I shall send one to
you at such time as copies are
received from the Government
printer.
With all kind wishes, I am,
Sincerely yours,
SAM J. ERVIN, JR.
New Auto Tags
To Go On Sale
New automobile license tags
will go on sale at Boone Cham
ber of Commerce office Janu
ary 2.
All persons are requested to
read carefully the instructions
enclosed with their license re
newal cards as to information
concerning proof of liability in
surance.
Pete Hagaman,
Local Builder,
Dies Suddenly
Orville Orin (Pete) Hagaman,
94, well-known retired building
contractor, died from what was
believed to have been a stroke
last Tuesday at his home at
Forest Grove, in Beaver Dam
township.
Mr. Hagaman bad been in
ill health for several years, but
no recent change for the worse
in his condition had been noted.
Mr. Hagaman worked as a
builder all his adult life, most
ly in Watauga County. He
worked during the war years
as a draftsman with Fisher
Body Corporation in Detroit
(continued on page six)
Arkie Hampton
Rites Saturday
Emanuel Arkie Hampton, age
83, died Dec. IB at his home on
Route 4, Boone. t
We was a farmer and life
long resident of Watauga
County and the son of Jordan
and Rachel Coffey Hampton.
Funeral services were con
ducted Saturday at 2 p. m. at
Mount Vernon Baptist Church
by Rev. E. 0. Bustle. Burial
was in Mt Vernon cemetery.
Survivors include his widow,
Mrs. Mary Ann Storie Hampton
of Route 4, Boone; four sons,
Dallas of Lenoir; Luther of
Germany, Charles and Herbert
of Boone; six daughters, Mrs.
Ray Brown of Boone, Mrt. Wil
ma Greene of West Point, Va.,
Mrs. Ronda Coffey of Blowing
Rock, Mr*. Carroll S. Lamkin
(CoataiMd cm Hl> tour)
Five persons were injured
about 3 a. m. Friday when the
1958 Volkswagen in which they
were riding plunged off an em
bankment on Highway 105 near
the Watauga River Bridge.
Investigating Highway Patrol
man George Baker reported
that Conley M. Williams, of
Landrum, S. C., was going south
Bulletin
Debra Williams, five-month
old passenger in the 1151 Volks
wagen which wrecked Friday
morning on Highway 1IS sear
the Watauga River bridge, died
Saturday night at Watauga Hos
pital, despite roand ? the - clock
efforts by surgeons to save her
life.
The girl was said to have
been suffering from loss of
blood and a respiratory condi
tion brought on by overexpos
ure to the cold weather Friday.
Her death was the seventh
traffic fatality on the county's
highways since September 3 .
Mrs. Virginia Williams, mo
ther of the dead child, remains
in serious condition at Wataaga
Hospital, but is said to be much
improved.
on 105 when he ran off the
road onto the right shoulder,
ran down the embankment, and
struck a large rock. The vehicle
bounced across the creek and
landed on its top.
Admitted to Watauga Hospi
tal were two passengers in the
(continued on page six)
Stores To Gose
For Christmas
Herman W. Wilcox, President
of the Boone Chamber of Com
merce and Merchants Associa
tion, reports that stores will
stay open today (Monday) until
9 p. m? but will eloa* at their
regular hours tomorrow, Christ
mas Eve.
The stores will close two
days for Christmas, Wilcox
said ? Wednesday, Christmas
Day, ttd Thursday, Dec. 28.
Stores will also be closed all
day Jan. 1, N?w YaV? Sty.