BOONE WEATHER
IMS Hi Lo Sao* Pi«c. e
Jan. 12 44 20
Jan. 13 44 22
Jan. 14 37 22 tr.
Jan. 15 31 12 tr.
Jan. 18 26 18 3 22. \
Jan. 17 21 0 8 .62 j
Jan. 18 19 12 tr. .01 if
FGK BEST RESULTS
advertisers invariably use the col
umns of the Democrat. With its fufl
paid circulation, intensely covering
file local shopping area, it is the
best advertising medium available.
Seventy-Seventh Year of Continuous Publication
An Independent, Weekly Newspaper
•Nearest inch qi snow
18 PAGES—3 SECTIONS
10 CENTS PER COPY
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 1965
CONTRNTS COFYRIG!
RIVEKS PRINTING t
VOLUME LXXVII— NO. 30
ARCHITECT’S CONCEPT of the $697,401 headquarters
facilities for Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation.
The two buildings in the background are planned for future
construction. - „ _ •' ‘ ,, ,.. P \ . , ■
A HIGH VOLTAGE WIRE FELL ACROSS A
TRUCK adjacent to the burning Fox '
Brothers Grocery, when firemen were res
cuing a car which was parked behind the
building. The fireman was warned to stay 1
inside, since the wheels of the truck acted
as conductors. Another fireman was nearly
hit by the wire which fell off the back of
the truck as it pulled the car forward.
(Rivers photos.)
the building housing Fox
Brothers Grocery on Highway
421 about one mile west ol
Boone was destroyed by fire
Sunday afternoon about 2 p.m.
According to Ben Fox, part
ner in the business, it is be
lieved that the fire started at
a faulty Quo and quickly spread
throughout the frame building.
The Fire Department was
summoned by Jf. D. Miller, who
lives near the site, biit their
efforts were to no avail in
saving the building or its con
tents.
No water was available and
both fire trucks of the Town of
Boone made several trips fear
water to try to quench the
flames. Much emphasis was put
on keeping the gas pumps
doused to prevent explosiem.
The Fox Brothers recently
purchased the building from
Mr. Pink Hodges, had done ex
tensive repairing and remodel
ing and had set up a grocery
business. They had been ope
rating in the building for
about two weeks. Partial insur
ance coverage was carried on
the contents, but none on the
building itself.
A truck which was parked
near the building and platform
scales was saved from the fire*
(Continued on page four)
Crm>.
Mu
FIREMEN MOVE IN ON FOX BROTHERS GROCERY,
; about a mile west of town on Highway 421. The blaze was
reported around 2 p, nj. on Sunday, The city's two trucks
(250 and 500-gallon capacity) each made three trips to town
for water, there being none available at the scene of the
fire. * 4 - «?>*- * .
The contract has been award-!
ed for a new headquarters
building by the Board of Di
rectors of Blue Ridge Electric
Membership Corporation. C. E.
Viverette, General Manager,
made the announcement follow
ing the board meeting Satur
day, January 16.
The modernly designed, total
electric facility will be con
structed by Guy Frye and Sons
of Hickory, at a cost of $697,
491. The general contract price
includes Hie grading, construe
t i o n, electrical, mechanical,
plumbing, landscaping and
fencing.
The new facility will be lo
cated on Highway 321, North,
at Zack’s Fork intersection, on
property formerly known ' as
the Triplelt Dairy Farm. Con
struction will begin immediate
ly and will be completed early
in 1966.
The new headquarters facility
will house the Caldwell district
operation and the general of
fices of the locally owned corp
oration. The cooperative serves
in an eight county area of
Northwest North Carolina and
has district offices in Boone,
West Jefferson, and Sparta.
This building is designed to
meet the expanding needs of
the organization for the next
ten years and will enable Blue
Ridge Electric Membership
Corporation to render technic
al assistance and control in
formation to neighboring elec
tric membership corporations.
It will provide adequate space
(Continued on page four)
C. Of C. Honors
Herman Wilcox
Where**, Herman W, Wilcox
has served for many years as
President and for a number of
years as Executive Secretary or
Manager of the Boone Chamber
Of Commerce; and
! WHEREAS, during this time
he has worked diligently and
effectively for the growth and
expansion of Boone and r U
Watauga County as a tourist
paradise; for bringing industry
to our County; for the expan-!
sion of Appalachian State
Teachers College, for larger in
come for our farmers and for
the genera! good of all our
people; now therefore !
BE IT RESOLVED, that an
expression of our appreciation j
to him is hereby given as we
thank him for his faithful and
rewarding devotion to Watauga
County through ilis services
with the Chamber of Commerce.
Adopted this the 12th day
of January. 1964.
Boone Chamber of Commerce
Col. Clyde Miller, President
••' • •, ’ ' ■
jV v ..\v^'
•H. • i}
2 Manslaughter
Cases On Docket
.' Two hundred and fifty traffic
violation cases were disposed
of at the Monday session of Wa
tauga County Superior Court
which convened Monday with
Judge W. K, McLean presiding.
Among the cases to be tried
this week are two manslaughter
cases. Lewis Marvin Combs of
Sugar Grove will be tried in
the death of Mrs. Lucile Potter
Main, 39, of Sherwood result
ing from a head-on collision on
the Silverstone Road about 15
miles west of Boone October 20.
James Edward Bentley of
Caldwell County will be tried
on charges of manslaughter in
the death of Rhonda Oxendine
who was struck by Bentley’s
car near the golf course in Blow
ing Rock July 13. Oxendine
died of injuries sustained in the
accident December 9.
A complete list of judgments
on the cases heard will be pub
lished ia next week’s Demo
crat.
Blowing Rock Dimes
Leaders Are Named
Watauga County March of
Dimes Chairman George Tho
mas has announced that Mrs.
Jay Greene and Miss Nancy
Trexler are co-chairmen of the
March of Dimes drive in Blow
ing Rock.
SNOW LADEN PINES on ASTC campus. (Rivers photo.) ...
The Boone tobacco market
closed out on Friday. Jan. 15
with a total of 4,981,871 pounds
sold for $2,751,905,48.
The market opened at Mourn
tain Burley, Big Burley and
Farmers Burley on Nov. 30. The
first snowfall came to the coun
ty that,day, The night of Jan.
i 15, when the market dosed,
| the second snowfall hit here.
Sales Supervisor Stanley A.
; Harris has reported pounds and
leash receipts turned over to
; him for the final week of sales
as:
At Mountain Burley, Jan, U*
15: Monday—202,952 pounds at
$114,233:30; Tuesday —184,540,
$95,541.12; Wednesday — 179,
3. E. JOJNES, JB.
Given Honor
At U. of Tenn.
J. E. Joined, Jr., student at
the University of Tennessee,
Knoxville, has been named a
floor representative of Melrose j
Hall Addition Dormitory at UT, j
according to word from Bober! j
D. Collins, Resident Advisor &
Melrose.
Mr. Joine? has been selected
for this duty, says Mr. Collins,
for his leadership, scholarship
attainments, and personality.
His duty will be to aid In help*
lag organize special functions
at the dorm, as well as being
added to the regular staff.
Mr. Joines is the son of Mr.
[ gad Mr* J- £• Joined at Boon*
266, $79,792.96; Thursday--129,.
086, $57,660.86; Friday—24,988,
$10,190.14,
Total sales at Mountain Bur*
ley; 720,832 pounds at $357,
418.38.
At Big Burley, Jan. 11-15:
Monday—88,914 pounds at $50,
077.87; Tuesday — 76,350, $34,
504.00; Wednesday — 95,558,
$42,282.24; Thursday, 74,820,
$28,553.62; Friday — 6,328, $1,
667.90.
Total Sales at Big Burley;
341,970 pounds at $157,085.63.
Total market sales for the
week of Nov. 30 to Bee, 21 were
3,919,069 pounds at $2,237,401.
| 47; for the week, Jan. 11-15, 1,
062,802 pounds at $514,504.01.
Receipts Rundown
At Mountain Burley, Nov. 30
to Dec. 4—1,007,015 pounds at
1596,055.96; Dec, 7-11—1,020,
662, $588,041.17; Dec. 14-18—
622,402, $342,774.42; Dec. 21—
97,146, $50,288,56; and Jan. 11
15-720,832, $357,418.38.
Mountain Burley’s over-all
total: 3,468,057 pounds at $1,
934,578.49.
At Big Burley, Nov. 30 to
Dec. 4—458,052 pounds at $266,
213.10; Dec. 7-11 — 430,020,
$243,466.71; Dec. 14-18 — 266,
760, $141,596,54; Dec. 21-17,
B. M. Eggers, 91,
linnet Monroe Eggers, 91, of
Route 1, Banner Elk died Sat*
urday, January 16, at the Can*
non Memorial Hospital in Ban
ner Elk. ■ ■
He Was a native of Watauga
County and had spent hia en
tire life here. He was the son
of William and Hannah Wilson
Eggers, and a member of the
Clark’s Creek Baptist Church.
Surviving are six sons:
Charles of Lynchburg, Virginia,
Clint of Ziouville, N. C„ Ray
and Clyde of Banner Elk, Clay
of Goldsboro, Jim of Clinchoo,
Virginia; 2 daughters, Mrs. Em
ma Byrd, Route 1, Banner Elk,
Mrs. Hannah Byers, Lancaster,
Ohio; one sister, Mrs. Lottie
Calloway, Banner Elk, fifty-two
grandchildren, 106 great grand*
(Continued on paga four)
012, $8,965.01; and Jan. 11-15—
341,970, $157,085.63.
Big Burley’s over-all total: !
1,313,814 pounds at $817,326.99. j
C. H. Thomas, 82,
Dies On Friday
George Hamilton Thomas, 82,
a retired farmer of Zionville
Ht. 1, died Friday morning at
the home of a daughter, Mrs.
Dean Isaacs of Zionville.
He was born in Watauga
County to Jasper and Polly Wil
son Thomas.
Surviving besides Mrs. Isaacs
are two sons, Lee Thomas of
Boone and Grant Thomas of
Glen Burnle, Md.; four other
daughters, Mrs. Raymond Oliv
er of Zionville, Mrs. Howard
Snyder of Baltimore, Md., Mrs.
Blaine Warren of Portsmouth,
Va., and Miss Shirley Jean Tho
mas of Boone; 11 grandchil
dren; nine great-grandchildren;
a brother, Alfred Thomas of
Zionville; and a sister, Mrs.
Graydon Campbell of Zionville.
The funeral was conducted
at 2 p. m. Saturday at Union
Baptist Church by the Rev.
Barney Oliver, the, Rev. R. C.
Eggers and the Rev. Arnt
Greer. Burial was in the church
cemetery.
Much to the delight of young
sters, ski dope owners and
participants in winter sports,
and to the disdain of others, ten
and one-half inches of snow
was dumped on Boone and Wa
tauga County Friday night and
Saturday, and more was falling
Monday.
Flurries were expected to
continue through Monday night
With two or more inches of new
snow accumulation.
Driving conditions were haz
ardous in all parts of the State
Friday night and Saturday with
numerous accidents mulling.
'The Highway Patrol warns driv
ers to be particularly cautious
driving on the slick roads.
State highway maintenance
crews were out en masse clear- ,,
ing roads, working around the
clock making most roads and
highways passable with chains.
Numerous accidents were re- |
ported. Wrecker crews were
busy all weekend pulling cars
out of ditches and out of drive
ways. Most of the accidents
were minor, with little damage
reportedly done to most of the
vehicles. Most of the accidents >
were attributed to extreme road
conditions and the inexperience
of drivers to drive on slick
roads.
Temperatures fell to six de
grees Sunday morning with
thirteen degrees registered
Monday morning.
Youngsters who had not here
tofore been able to enjoy their
Christmas sleds, and skiers,
who had not had the opportun
ity to try their skills, were tak
Winter Sports
Participants
Like Weather
mg full advantage of the snow
fall; both slopes reported capa
city crowds over the weekend
with many remaining to enjoy
the facilities this week.
Schools in Watauga, Ashe
and Wilkes counties were clos
ed Monday and Tuesday due to
the existing road conditions,
and unless there is a warming
trend before Wednesday, tt is
likely schools will remain dos
ed.
Funeral Is Held
For Mrs. Swift
Mrs. Dora Shull Swift, 90,
of Vilas, Route 2, widow of Lee
Swift, died Friday morning at
Watauga Hospital.
She was born in Watauga
County to George P. and Mary
Grider Shull.
Surviving are a foster daugh
ter, Mrs. Ethel Stewart of Win
ston-Salem; two foster sons,
Stanford Creed and Cecil Swift
of Vilas; eight foster grand*
children; and 12 foster great
grandchildren.
The funeral was conducted at
2 p. m. Saturday at Beaver Dam
Baptist Church by Dr. Wilson
Stewart and the Rev. Bennie
Greene. Burial was in Reece
Cemetery.
Mothers in Boone, Blowing
Rock and surrounding areas will i
begin the annual Mother’s i
March of Dimes at 6 p.nL onj
Monday, Jan. 25.
Mrs. Harvey Ayers, chairman
of the march, advises that the
group will stop at residences
where porch lights are left
burping, and will try to get toj
as many houses as possible.
“The funds raised by the
“Marching Mothers,” explained j
Mrs. Ayers, “will help support ]
scientific research In this coun- j
try and abroad —* research to j
find causes and preventives of j
birth defects. Moony will also 1
go to finance the network at
March of Dimes-financed birth
defects centers where latest
treatment techniques are avail*
able to birth defect children—*
often saving them from life
long disability.
"Birth defects are the most |
serious childhood health prob» f
leni in the United States to
day.” The March of Biiaes is al
ready doing something about
this problem, it can do much
more if everyone hi Watauga
County wil greet the Marching
Mothers with a contribution on
Jan. 23.
' (Continued on jȣ* ism)
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