1969 1970 VOL. LXXXII—NO. 28 Watauga democrat An IndePendmt Weekly Netc* paper ... Eighty-Second Tear of Continuous Publication BOONE WEATHER 1970 Hi Lo Prec. Snow '69 Hi Lo Jan. 6 35 28 .04 1-in. 31 9 Jan. 7 30 - 34 2>4-in. 28 12 Jan. 8 — A .02 14-in. 42 12 Jan. 9 8 -9 .03 14-in. 45 30 Jan. 10 25 -4 .03 14-in. 30 11 Jan. 11 38 10 30 12 Jan. 12 32 25 .19 14-in. 31 11 BOONE. WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1970 10 CENTS 20 PAGES—2 SECTIONS Varying Temperature Reports Snow Piles Up In County AsMercuryHits Bottom HOCKEY, ANYONE?—It was the middle of Thursday afternoon and the section erf tennis court left when the Highway Department shifted Faculty Street last year was Iced over. Enter Clay Smith Geft) and Johnny Hoggard, skating over the surface that feels tennis shoes in mild weather. Both are freshman students who hail from Greensboro and they attracted much attention as they fought the puck back and forth. It wasn't the best surface, as Hoggard conceded the second time he got up. The wind had whipped up irregular ridges of ice as the freeze set in, but then what else was there? Johnny said he tried the court after midnight that day, but it wasn’t ready then, Citaff photo) In The snow that fell last week in Watauga County was stiff and crunchy beneath the sub zero wind that raced In durii® the night of Jan. 7 and 8. The two-day siege of bitter weather featured a minus-18 degree temperature and de veloped lots of problems as hundreds of Wataugansawoketo find their cars immovable and themselves temporarily or wholely marooned for the day. And some who made it to town found their cars could not make the trip back home without the aid of a tow truck. Many who caught rides to work were caught in the same predicament. DR. LEN D„ HAG A MAN Takes Post On Area Heart Unit Dr. Len D„ Hagaman has been named medical representative for the Watauga County Heart Fund unit. Dr. Hagaman’s appointment was announced by Mrs. Wade Wilmouth, educational chairman of the unit. A native of Boone, Dr. Haga man opened his practice here (Continued on page two) in a second-hand way* So harsh was the weather near Blowing Rock that the slopes at Appalachian Ski Mountain closed last Thursday, but the next day they opened again, according to the Boone Chamber of Com merce, Unaccustomed to such severe weather, householders did what they could to keep the indoors livable, but in some cases this was impossible. Householdcir cuits blew out regularly and as the overload on electricity began to grow, New River Light and Power Company in Boone issued a bulletin. MISCONSTRUED With school children at home, the electricity overload in Boone was particularly acute last Thursday and Friday. But there was never a short age of power, says Grant Ayers of New River Light and Power. That misinterpretation occur red, even though the intent of the company was to warn people against overloading their own household systems. The power popped off and on in Boone a few times those two days but Ayers explained the company was ‘‘switching,” or hooking feed lines to auxiliary sources. In this way, they were able to better distribute the drain of power in town. Ayers pointed out that many used stove eyes to generate ad ditional heat. Another condition reported during the storm was the use of floor heaters to supplement overworked fur naces. “By doing that,” Ayers ex plained, ‘ 'They were overload ing the circuits in their houses burning their own equipment out,” Added to this was the prob lem that most houses wired earlier than 10 years ago have to strain to supply the power required for modern appliances even under normal conditions, Ayers said it was with this in Church’s Store Is Sold To Robinson The ownership of Church’s Store Monday was transferred to John Robinson, long-time businessman in Boone. Former manager of Crest Store in Boone and part-owner of Hunt’s Department Store since June 1, 1969, Robinson said he bought out the interest erf Fred Church and traded his irierest in the department store for Guy Hunt’s interest in Church’s. The price of purchasing part interest was not disclosed. Church will remain with Robinson as manager of the West King Street business ona semi retired basis. “Our desire is to keep all our pres ent customers and make many new friends,’* Robinson said. “We are going to try to give them the best values that we possibly can and the best service.” He added he was glad to be associated with Mr. Church. A long-time horseman. Church enjoys trading horses and having them shown in local shows, A native of the Brown wood community, he is married to the former Lois Dunn of Chicago and has been in business “on the street’* for 20 years. Speaking of Robinson,Church said he was happy to have the business “in such good hands,’* For the present, the new owner contemplates no change of name for tiie business, Robinson was associated with Crest Stores for 17 years, 15 of those years in Boone, “We are glad to be back among the friendly people of Watauga County,” Robinson said. He and his family live on Bamboo Road at Holiday Hills, Two of their daughters are mar ried and four children remain at home, Robinson is vice-president of the Boone Chamber of Com merce and a member of the Boone Lions Club, The family attends Greenway Bajrtist Church, mind that TVA, Duke Power Company and Carolina Light and Power called on users of electricity to conserve power during the abnormal cold. But that meant “Be conservative as far as the wiring in their own houses goes’* Ayers said. IQs company was kept busy checking out reports of power failure. The lines remained in tact though, and failures were traced to overloads within (Continued on page two) ROBERT BINGHAM Governor To Install Boone Man Head YDC Gov. Robert Scott will install new officers of the North Caro lina Young Democrats in Win ston-Salem, Saturday, Jan. 17, Five officers will be install ed; Robert Bingham of Boone, president; Charles WinCberry of Wilson, vice president; Jud son Davis of Winston-Salem; secretary; Miss Peggy Wall of Raleigh, treasurer, and Floyd Ammons of Fayetteville, na tional committeeman. The activities for the instal lation will be at the convention center, in Winston-Salem with registration in the Hotel Robert E. Lee. Activities will include a hospitality hour from 1 to 4;30 p, m. at the hotel. All other events will be at the Convention Center, There will be a reception from 5 p, m. to 6 p. m. and Scott will invest the new of ficers during an installation program from 6 p, m, to 7 p, m. The dinner will begin at 7 p. m. Auto Tag Sales Slowed By Snow Sales of 1,194 auto license plates through Saturday, Jan, 10, were reported by the Boone Chamber of Commerce, Chamber Manager Fred Mc Neal reported that other plate sales included 298 for private trucks, two for motorcycles, 21 for farm trucks, and 49 for trailers. Me Neal said the sales were low due to the recent bad weather. Official Nine Below Reported In Boone Friday Somebody said it was 20 de grees below zero on Howard's Knob last week and everyone was quick to compare the plunges of the murcury at their own homes and businesses. The official low reading given by U.S. Meteorologist Joe Minor erf Boone, were minus 4 degrees last Thursday, minus 9 on Fri day and minus 4 againon Satur day. But at the county’s higher elevations, rock bottom tem peratures were recorded. The word came through Mrs. Patsy Brown, Snow Carnival secretary who rdeases ski and weather in formation through the Boone Chamber of Commerce. Friday’s report was; Appa lachian Ski Mountain, winds of 30 mph and minus 14 degrees; Beech Mountain, minus 17 de grees; Hound Ears, minus 11; Seven Devils, minus 18; and Sugar Mountain, minus 8. Wrecker services, heating and plumbing companies and Samaritans with jumper cables were the heroes of the two days. While ASU coeds battled the severity of life in the dorms by running hair dryers, one male student forlornly reported having turned on a popcorn popper to generate heat in his room. mere was me man wim me new double-insulated house. With his new furnace going full blast, a blazing fire on the hearth and two electric heaters he still was unable to get the house above 45 degrees. The wind swirled about so sharply that it was assumed the snow was blowing rather than falling. But Minor’s report list ed one inch of snowfall Tues day, two and a half inches last Wednesday, and a half inch on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Minus 18 degrees last was recorded in Watauga on Sun day, Jan, 30, 1966, However, the cold snap was short lived with temperatures in the teens recorded for the day before and the day after. But last Friday, as one merchant aptly said, “The only thing going on here is the rent, heat and lights,“ Schools Closed Six Days Due To Raging Storms Watauga County school chil dren had missed a total of nine regular schooldays through Tuesday, School Supt, Dr,Swan son Richards reported. And predicted warming sun rays were expected to help clear up icy problems on side roads Tuesday, thus allowing schools to re-open Wednesday, The latest school closings still would set the last day of classes on May 27, Richards said. FODDER STACKS CAST GHOSTLY SHADOWS ON THE SLOPES OF RICH MOUNTAIN, fctaff photo) »•»■» »» » » » » » »■» ■» <»»»»»■»■» Third Of Tax Listing Forms In Watauga County Returned MAIL BAGS FULL— Watauga County Auditor J.C. Lyons empties another incoming mail bag full of tax listing forms for Mrs. Jef fery E. Felshaw in the courthouse. (Staff photo) e Ski Conditions Good In Area All five Watauga area ski cen ters reported good skiing con ditions Tuesday with prospects tor lively action all this week. This is the first full week of activity at Sugar Mountain since the area’s newest resort opened last Friday. Officials were hop ing to have the mile-long lift for the events slope opened by today. The following reports are based on the ski reporting ser vice from the Boone Chamber of Commerce for Tuesday, Jan, 13, At Appalachian Ski Mountain, the beginner and intermediate slopes were open with a 40 inch base for good skiing con ditions, Temperature was 15 degrees. Man-made snow was beir*’ laid on the events slope. All slopes at Beech Mountain were open with excellent con ditions, Temperature was 20 de grees. Seven Devils reported all slopes open with good skiing conditions. The base was 15 18 inches with little powder. Temperature was 16 degrees. Hound Ears, open only to members and guests, reported slopes open and a temperature of 16 degrees. At Sugar Mountain the begin ners and intermediate slopes were open with excellent con ditions, The base was 24 inches at 12 degrees. Nearly one-third of the new tax listing forms for personal property have been returned to the Watauga County tax super visor's office, according to R„ C. Lyons. Lyons estimated Friday that the stiff has received and pro cessed some 5,000 of the forms. "Mail bags have been cram med full nearly every day week,” the tax supervisor said. Lyons noted that "99 per cent of the forms returned” indi cated that taxpayers are choos ing the new percentage method for listing personal property for taxes. Under the new plan, taxpay ers have a choice of listing their property fully or taking a figure of ten percent of the as sessed value of the house they own and occupy. If they rent they may check a block that figures on an amount equal to ten times their monthly rent, Lyons said that among those who have sought assistance from his office in listing their personal property individually, "the majority found that their personal property amounted to more than ten per cent of the value of their house." The new plan, or percentage method, already is in use in a majority of North Carolina counties, Lyons has said. Its purpose is to put everyone on Frozen Sprinkler Brings Fire Alarm Sub-freezing temperature was blamed for a fire alarm Sunday from a Howard Street warehouse, A nozzle of a sprinkler system in the warehouse owned by Farmer’s Hardware ap parently had frozen and burst during last week’s cold spell. When temperature’s rose Sun day afternoon, the broken noz zle caused the fire alarm to Cecil Greene of the hardware firm said the first alarm went off about 4 p, m. No damage was caused by the sprinkler system, he said. The ware house is rented to IRC, on equal footing in listing personal property for taxes. Lyons said his office mailed out nearly 17,000 tax abstracts at the end of December. They arc due to be returned with a postmark no later than Satur day, Jan. 31, in the pre addressed stamped envelopes enclosed with the forms. The new system lias elimi nated the need for the usual procedure for appearing before a tax lister to give in taxes. Helpers to assist taxpayers in each township will be available for consultation begin ning Monday, Jan. 19, Lyons said. Zero Weather Chills Temple Of Justice Boone’s zero weather was too much for a pipe in the boiler room of the new courthouse; it froze Thursday night and turned the building into a near refrigerator. It was well into the afternoon before heat began to return to normal. As Tax Supervisor J.C. Lyons explained it to a fellow em ployee, “Just one little line burst during the night.” Lyons said the boiler room, located in the basement on the east side, has a louvered open ing to allow plenty of fresh air for combusion inside the fur race. Insulation on the boiler and heat pipes is designed to hold all the heat in the heat ing system, leaving none to escape to the boiler room. “There was just too much air in the boiler room at minus 15 degrees,” Lyons said. Ap proximately one-half the venti lation opening was closed off until warmer weather, he said.

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