WATAUGA COUNTY
In the Heart of the Northwest- r *
em North Caroline winter and
summer tourist resort area. % :
VOL. LXXXI—NO. 23
Ah Independent Weekly Newspaper . . .
DEMOCRAT
Eighty-First Year of Continuous Publication
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1963 10 CENTS PER COPY
BOONE WEATHER
MM BUSwenastl
Noe. 26 60 22 I
Not. 27 56 27
Not. 28 66 46 tr.
Not. 28 66 84
Not. 30 47 30
Dee. 1 45 32
Dee. 2 64 32 M
30 PAGES—3 SECTIONS
8S&68SSB
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What a tree! Since blank and white’film seldom draws much at
a line between the green of a tree and the green of grass,
some of the men spread a line beside the 35-foot Frazier Fir
about to be moved from-the former Dick Bingham homestead.
The principals in the story are Ray G. Farthing (second from
right), owner of the tree, and R. Vann Massey (fourth from
left), purchaser of the tree and manager of Tarrytown Mall
In Rocky Mount. (Staff photo)
Frantic Search Ends In Watauga
Perfect Yule Tree Is Found
Burley Prices Higher Than
Ever Before On Boone Market
. Burley tobacco prices were high and steady the first
four days a* tbs Boone Market. >.. »
According to Stanley A. Harris Sr., sales supervisor
the local tobacco board totrades, Farmers Burely Ware
house sold 1,345,174 pounds for $989,700.38 or an average
of more than $73.50 per hundred pounds. Harris pointed
out that a great many baskets sold for $77 per hundred.
The average for the first four days was about $2-per
hundred better than ever before. Also, the price was just
as good Friday as on Monday.
Monday’s sale was to be at Farmers warehouse with
each day’s sale beginning at 9 a. m. Harris pointed out
that sale days are Monday through Friday with no sales
at all on Saturday. This is contrary, and serves as a
correction, tor incorrect information earlier received
by the newspaper.
Harris added that after Monday, “we hope to sell the
crop the same day the farmer gets it in—before 2
o’clock.”
SnowCarnivalPlans
Are Going Forward
The North Caroline Carnival
Committee met at the Boone
Chamber of Commerce Tues
day, Nov. 19, to plan the Snow
Carnival proposed for Boone
Jan. 17, 18 and 19, the be
ginning of National Shi Week.
James Hastings, Boone Rec
reation Director, headed the
committee.
Robert Bingham elaborated
on Snow Carnival plans at the
Chamber of Commerce board
of directors meeting Tuesday.
He said a parade is planned
for Friday, Jan. 17, and an
art showing of regional scenes
Is scheduled for that night. Also
on Friday, an apres ski dance
is planned at Blowing Rock Ski
Lodge.
Saturday ata closed luncheon,
certified beauty judges will se
lect a Queen to be announced that
night at the Snow Ball at Seven
Devils.
Promotion of the event will
cover a five-state area, Bing
ham said and the N. C. Travel
Council, a division of the State
C & D Board, will hold a press
conference in Raleigh to help
launch the ptfcllcity. Tentative
(Continued on page two)
BY RACHEL RIVERS
Two days before Thanksgiv
ing. a three-day search through
much of the surrounding moun
tain range ended in Watauga
County near the Ray G. Farth
ing home between Vilas and
Sugar Grove.
Hunted was a 35-foet&h*iiftle/j
mas tree to be the seasonal
core at interest at Tarrytown
Mall, a Rocky Mount (N. C.)
shopping center. Hunter was R.
Vann 'Massey, Tarrytown Mall
manager, who explained he had
flown to Hendersonville Satur
day before Thanksgiving.
From there he drove to
Burnsville and subsequently
traveled to Roan Mountain, to
Volney, Va„ and to Mt. Rogers
near White Gap. He arrived in
this vicinity Monday night and
thanks to John Gilliam and L. E,
TuckwiUer, Massey found his
tree.
100 BANDS
It was Ray Farthing’s 35
foot Frazier Fir, which he ex
plains Is a native of the Grand
father Mountain-Roan Mountain
area.
When it was painted white and
hung with lights last week. Cong
ressman Jim Gardner was to
have traveled to Rocky Mount
Friday to turn on the lights and
get Rocky Mount officiaUy on its
way toward Christinas.
Massey said more than 100
bands and choirs appear at the
Mall during the Yule season and
the lighting and the music are
synchronized. Consequently, the
lights turn blue when low notes
are played or sung and change
to red in response to high notes.
Last year 700,000 shoppers
enjoyed the tree display and this
year an Increase in traffic is
expected. It’s one part seasonal
business and one part Tarrytown
Christinas Music Festival, an
event of which Massey says Ms
firm is quite proud.
The shopping complex has
300,000 square feet, an amount
Sale Of Christmas Seals
Said To Be Brisk In Area
The IMS Christmas Seal
Campaign goes Into Its fourth
week with a gratifying response
from many persons and firms
who have answered their Christ
mas Seal letter generously.
Announcement comes from
. Tom Doughton of Sparta, Dr.
C. E. Miller of West Jefferson
and Charles H. Blackburn Jr.
of Boone, who are serving this
year as co-chairmen of Alls
ghany-Ashe-Watauga Tubsrea
loels Association.
"Your support of the pro
grams provided by tbs Christ
mas Seal Campaign enables an
active hand In hand effort of
tfa* local Tidmrculosls and Bm»
juratory Disease*, the North
Carolina Tuberculosis and Res
piratory Diseases and the Na
tional Tuberculosis and Res
piratory Diseases Associa
tions, Combined efforts are
quite important in the help to
control the problems as they
relate to tuberculosis and other
respiratory diseases," theyan
nouneed.
Tuberculosis, chronic bron
chitis and emphysema are
greatly aggravated by smoking
and air pollution, according to
the U£. piddle Health Service.
Almost 48,000 new active cases
H tuberculosi* were found in the
J3. in • recent year, with
10,000 active cases end over
>30,000 errested cases.
Chronic bronchitis affects
ibout four million persons. Em
j*ysema, a chronic respiratory
disease, is so crippling that it
is second among disabilities for
which workers are given So
cial Security benefits.
"These facts point up the.
need for your continued support
of the Christmas Seal pro
grams," said Ruth Draughon,
local director at Alleghany
Ashe-Watauga TB and RD As
sociation. i
which will double in a forth
coming expansion.
Congressman Gardner’s
appearance in Rocky Mount was
his first public function since
running for Governor on the Re
publican ticket. Massey said.
Formerly, the Rocky Mount
firm had depended on the State
of Vermont*#** trees-,-'last week
being its first, seek-and-uncov
er mission in North Carolina’s
mountains. Massey was en
thusiastic about his find and
said one of the main purposes
of making the selection here was
to draw attention to Watauga’s
splendid forestry.
A television station had of
fered to buy film of the project
if it could be supplied. But
everything happened so quickly,
by the time the moving operation
was underway it was too late
to get a local cameraman to the
scene.
Massey also planned a
massive newspaper publicity
program, but because the local
newspaper maintains only an
offset darkroom not geared for
production of prints, it was un
able to be of immediate help.
Film containing other local
shots could not be spared until
after it was professionally pro
cessed early this week.
The whole event wound up not
getting the scope of coverage
needed prior to Gardner’s
appearance in Rocky Mount,
but Massey left with a praise
worthy fir mounted onto a trac
tor trailer. And who knows? He
(Continued on page two)
CAPSULES OF WATAUGA County tacts released since spring from government agencies re
veal a great deal about the average local household and its Inhabitants. Taxable property amounts
to <3.534 per capita, and Increase of 67.9 per cent in a five-year period In which the national
rise was 37.3 per cent. All together, Wataugans spend <5,350,000 for food, or 20 cents out
<tf every dollar spent in local retail stores. (Expenditures in restaurants are not counted in
that figure.) Watai«a County pays 86 cents for every dollar in government aid sent here. A
record of <1,830,000 is paid yearly in Social Security cash benefits to 2,443 Wataugans. After
allowances tor personal taxes, local residents bad a net spendable income of <31,761,000
la 1967; and they spent <2,190,000 tor gas, oil and automobile repairs in 1967. Farm Income tor
tost year totaled <6,206,000 or <1,002 per person. Staff photo)
-> . ..... ■s.iv.ji:.''.';
Santa Claus Is Coming
\
. : Jf
Gay Christmas Parade
Big Saturday Feature
Clowns, Bands
And Politicians
Horses, Floats
Boone’s gala Christinas pa
rade will organize at the Horn
n the West grounds Saturday
ifternoon, start its march at
1 p. m. and get uptown about
1:15, according to Jim Hast
ings.
Hastings is in charge of this
fear’s procession, billed as a
record event both in size and
quality. G. D. Barnett has of
fered to be director of the pa
rade, which will feature horses
and clowns, bands and poli
ticians and all manner of floats.
Among the features will
be the Charlotte Drum and Bugle
Corps, the Watauga High School
and Appalachian State Uni
versity maiching bands, Bob
bies Majorettes of Bristol, the
Carolina Clowns androck’nroll
music, courtesy of Jimmy Hig
gins and group.
Television cowboy star Fred
Kirby and Joey the Clown will
be here as will Congressman
Jim Broyhill of the 10th Dis
trict.
And, of course, Santa Claus.
FLOATS
Floats include Tweetsie R R,
Seven Devils, Grandfather Golf
and Country Club, Invershiel,
Coca-Cola, Beech Mountain, Pet
Milk, Pepsi Cola, Homecoming
Queen Ollie Jackson of Watauga
High, the new*'1ifiss'"Watauga,
the Mecklenburg Jaycees and
WATA.
Other special units will be
choirs from the Boone United
Methodist Church, Midget Foot
ball players, 4-Hers, Boy and
Cub Scouts, the Girl Scouts,
a trusty fire engine, a few an
tique cars and some horses
arranged for by Hiram Brooks
and the Rev. Edd Crump.
Kays Gary plans to ride in a
(Continued on page two)
New Officials Take Offices
Monday was the first day in office for Watauga County’s new officials. Seen from the left
(front row) are Judge J. E. Holshouser Sr. and Judge Ray Braswell, Magistrate Ralph Greene
and Tax Supervisor Carlton Lyons; (second row) County Commissioner Gene Wilson, Magistrate
Fred McNeal and Commissioners Kenneth Wilcox and Perry Greene; (third row) Magistrate
Hade Smith, Tax Collector Ralph Hayes and Veterans Service Officer J. W. Norris. The District
Court Judges preside in the five-county 24th District. A former County Commissioner, Lyons
served as Boone’s Chief of Police until being appointed Tax Supervisor. The city vacancy soon
is to be filled, according to Mayor Clyde Greene, (Staff photo)
Watauga Court Term
Will Convene D ec*19
The first term of District
Court in Watauga County will
be conducted at the Courthouse
Thursday and Friday, Dec. 19
and 20, Judge J. E. Holshouser
Sr. of Boone presiding.
The first session under the
new District Court system will
be Wednesday and Thursday,
Dec. 4 and 5, in Mitchell Coun
ty with Chief District Judge
Ray Braswell in charge. The
two men were elected in the
24th District which involves
Avery, Madison and Yancey in
addition to the two counties al
ready named.
On the homefront, Clerk of
Court Orville Foster said this
week the full-time vacancy re
maining in the minimum staff of
magistrates for WataujaCounty
has been filled. The name of
William Hade Smith of Route 1,
Banner Elk, was suggested by
Foster and approved by Judge
W. E. Anglin, senior regular
resident Superior Court Judge.
The other full-time magis
trate is Ralph Greene and the
pail-time official is Fred Mc
Neal. Starting full-time salary
is $4,800 per year with $2,400
allotted for McNeal’s services.
A roster of local office hours
was being made up this week
but no final schedule was re
leased Tuesday.
Court will be held in Avery
County, Dec. 12 and 13, by Judge
Braswell. Judge Holshouser will
hold court Monday and Tuesday,
Dec. 16 and 17, in Yancey
County, then in Watauga later
that week and in MadisonCounty
Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 30
and 31.
The January schedule is as
follows: Jan. 6 and 10, Mitch
ell County, Judge Braswell; 13
through 17, Avery, Judge Hols
houser; 20-4, Yancey, Judge
Holshouser; and27-31, Madison
County, Judge Braswell.
Feb. 3-7, Judge Braswell
will preside in Watauga County.
Local magistrates have some
authority in both criminal and
civil matters (Nov. 28 issue),
but work under the direct super
vision of the District’s judges
and according tp a set scale of
penalties for certain offenses.
The new system became
operative in the 24th District
Monday, Dec. 2.
Court Of Honor
Set For Tonight
A District Court of Honor will
be bold at 8 Thursday night in
the courtroom of the new Court
Dr. H. C. Evans, president of
Lees McRae College, will be
present for the awards program
being sponsored hr Boy Scout
Troop 109. An Eagle rank will
be conferred on a Scout that
night and Scoutmaster Joe
Miller of Boone says the special
ceremony for the event will be
most Impressive.
[iriv .-J ... . .» ■ ■ ; ; • ; ijl
Town Acts On Contractor
Damage, Garbage Pickups
The Town of Boone released
statements Tuesday pertaining
to the work of contractors within
the city limits and also a forth
coming change in city garbage
operations.
The first statement was “to
notify all contractors perform
ing work within the town limits
of the Town of Boone that they
shall be held responsible for
the cost of repairing any streets,
sewer and water lines, and wa
ter meters or any other proper
ty of the Town of Boone which
the contractor may destroy,
break or damage to any degree.”
Due to the continuing increase
in garbage pick-upand shortage
of equipment and man, begin
ning Jan. 1, 1969, the Town
will no longer be able to enter
private driveways in residen
tial areas to pick up garbage
at the house.
“All citizens are asked to
please co-operate by placing
their garbage cans beside the
city street abutting their prop
erty in order to speed up the
process of garbage pick-up.
“It is necessary that this
method be followed in order
that the trucks may cover the
required territory and stay on
schedule. Property owners are
asked to furnish a sufficient
number of regulation garbage
cans with lids to hold their
amount of garbage without spill
ing onto the ground.
“Any loose trash and garbage
scattered on the ground will be
left for the property owner to
clean away.'
Two Injured In
Crash Of Cars
A two car accident at the
intersection of Faculty Street
and Route 105 last week re
sulted in more than $600 dam
ages and sent two people to
Watauga County Hospital.
According to Police Chief
James Lyons, James Wilson
Beach, SO, of Boone had stop*
ped at the stop sign on Faculty
before entering Highway 105.
He then drove his 1964 Ply
mouth into the side of a 1964
Renault driven by Lowell E.
Staley of Butler, Tenn., who
was driving north.
Injured were Staley and Ron
nie Russell Howard, both in
the Renault.
Lyons said that no chargee
were placed and tha accident was
termed unavoidable.