The Franklin Times
Published Every Tuesday & Thursday
Serving All Of Franklin County
Phone GY6-3283
Ten Cents
L^ui^rg, N. C., Thursday, March 6. 1969
(Twelve Pages Today)
100th Year-Number 6
Franklin Travel Income
Near Double In Decade
Franklin County has increased its
overall income from the traveling pub
lic 82 percent in the past decade and
growth from tourist travel alone has
jumped 95 percent since 1958.
The county registered a total of
$927,000 in tourist travel spending in
1958 and $1,812,000 in 1968. This
represents only .26 of the total state
I distribution, however.
Total spending including county
travelers was $2,229,000 in 1958 and
$4,050,000 in 1968 and this, too,
represents only .26 of the state. The
county ranks 71st in travel income
now and was 66th in 1958.
Employment of persons serving the
traveling public has not risen in line
with the rise in income. In 1958, there
were 273 persons employed by busi
nesses serving travelers and in 1968 the
figure had risen to only 294.
The annual income of North Caro
lina's travel industry nearly doubled
? a . ? ?
Youngsville
Elections *
Ordered
Youngsville - A resolution calling &
regular election for Mayor and Town
Board or Commissioners was adopted
at the monthly meeting or the Youngs
ville Governing Body held Monday
night ot this week.
Mrs. E. J. Pearce was appointed to
serve as Registrar and Mrs. W. R. Evans
and Mrs. T. E. Lindsey to serve as
Judges at the election to be held at the
Town Hall on May sixth, 1969. Reg
istration period will be from Friday,
April 18, through Friday, April 25.
Final riling date for candidates is
set for Saturday, April nineteenth, at
twelve noon.
Mayor W. M. Roberts welcomed as
guests at the meeting Exeedtive Direc
tor or the Franklin County Industrial
Development Commission, Mr. Ken
neth Shubart. and two survey engi
neers, Mr. Troy Doby and Mr. James
Wilson. Mr. Doby explained to com
missioners a county wide water system
survey and appraisal; answered ques
tions raised by commissioners and
Mayor. He stated that survey reports
should be complete in June with
copies available for towns in the coun
ty.
Local business included lengthy dis
cussion on building permits and codes;
fire regulations; business permits; and
proposed new zoning ordinances, and
curb and gutter work to be done on
main street.
Town Commissioners W. T. Moss,
E. J. Pearce. J. T. Allen, M. D. Hoyle
and D. H. Cyrus, Sr. were all present
for the meeting.
during the past decade, but the in
crease in additional travel firms and
new jobs they created was less than
half as great, according to State Travel
Director Bill F. Hensley.
The director said annual spending
by travelers in North Carolina in
creased from $360 million in 1958 to
$696' million last year. During the
same period, he pointed out, the num
ber of travel-related firms in the State
rose only 34 per cent -? from 16,940
to 22,680.
There was a 43 per cent increase in
the number of- persons employed in
the travel industry -- from 67,547 in
1958 to 96,700 last year.
The comparisons are based on
special compilations in the 1968 North
Carolina Travel Survey, which shows
the industry's growth both on the
State level and by individual counties.
'The survey may indicate that the
increase in North Carolina's travel
economy has been due largely to the
general increase in the travel market
rather than to any significant effort on
the part of the industry to provide
additional travel facilities," Hensley
said
He pointed out that only five coun
ties increased their number of travel
firms by 100 per cent or more during
the decade and that five other counties
actually had fewer persons employed ?
in the'travel industry last year than in
1958. In the latter fase, however, each
county realized afteast a 50 per cent
increase in the amount they receive
annually from travelers. .
In terms of total tnvel expendi
tures, including the amount spent by
North Carolinians traveling within
their own state, thirty-one counties
had an increase of 100 per cent or
more during the period. Graham had
the greatest growth percentage (548
per cent), followed by Swain with 237 '
per cent, Camden with 21 8 per cent,
Cherokee with 215 per cent and Dare
County with a 200 per cent increase.
Mecklenburg, the State's most
populous county, also was the county
which received the greatest amount of
income from travelers. In 1968, travel
ers spent more than $74 million in
Mecklenburg, almost double the
amount spent in 1958.
Although the urban areas of the
Piedmont registered highest in total ,
travel expenditures. Hensley remarked,
a significant increase in travel spending
was also noted in the coastal and far
western counties. Buncombe County
received more than $43 million from
travelers in 1968, an increase of 143
per cent over the amount spent in
1958. Cherokee County's travel in
come rose 215 per cent, from less than
$1 million in 1958 to more than $2.7
million last year. Swain County had a
237 per cent growth rate in annual
spending, from $1.2 million to nearly
$4.5 million.
Checking Remains
Wide Moore, left, and Franklin Coroner Jamet Edward* are ihown above
examining remains uncovered by Moore'* earth fnoving craw* thia week. The
diicoverie* were made at the lite of Moore'* aand piU on East River Road. Edwards
Hid the remains were old and that he would take them to Raleigh for further
examination. He said he believes the earth-moving equipmentv^ineovered some
unmarked grave*. At least two tkull* and possibly a third were uncovered with
other bone*. i
Photo by Clint Puller.
To Be Sworn Today
Newly appointed County Commissioner Robert Lee Burnette, left, is shown
being congratulated this morning by Clerk of Court Ralph S. Knott following the
announcement by Knott that he was naming the 69-year-old business partner of the
late George Harris to fill the unexpired term. Mr. Harris died last week while serving
as Chairman of the Board. He and Burnette operated a lumber business in the
Sandy Creek Township. ? Photo by Clint Fuller.
Fountain Comments On High Taxes
Washington, D. C. J . . This week,
I'd like to discuss briefly a subject of
vital importance to all of us. That
subject is taxes.
Most of us feel that our taxes are
too high, especially when weighed
against what we get in return for them.
I'm inclined to agree. As Chairman of
a subcommittee concerned with seeing
thaf certain departments spend their
public funds wisely and efficiently, I
am constantly fighting waste and inef
ficiency at the Federal level. As a
matter of fact the Government Opera
tions Committee, of which I am a
member has just reported that its
investigations during the 90th Con
gress resulted in savings of more than
$2.5 billion.
All in all, we probably are paying
'the highest taxes of our lifetimes
although the Federal income tax is not
as high now as it was 10 years ago,
even with the surtax which all of us
want to get rid of as soon as possible.
State, county, city and special dis
trict taxes, however, have been rising
steadily over the years. When added to
the Federal income tax, we undoubt
edly do have the highest overall taxes
in history.
Most of us know this. Most of us
continue to pay up while at he same
time hoping for more equitable treat
ment someday.
But not everyone pays his fair share
of those taxes. There are loopholes in
our tax laws so big that any qood tax
attorney can find fantastic savings for
the big rich or, as they are often called
today, the "super rich." Included
t *?
Lions View
'Thinking' Film
Kenneth Schubart. Franklin Indus
trial Development Director and a
member of the Lou is burg Lions Club,
preiented a program to his club Tues
day. Schubart showed the group films
on the subject "Thinking". The pro
gram was designed to show how ideas
are developed.
Pointing out that every service
comes first from some idea. Schubart
explained that because today's services
are so competitive, successful thinking
must go on or business failure could
result.
'Too many people feel that crea
tive Ideas must come from the Ben
Franklins, but small unimportant
people can also create", it waa said.
In developing ideas, it was said that
necessity is the mother of Invention
and that every sound plan will be
useful sooner or later because it fills a
need. Conformity should be avoided
-and continlous experimentation
should be encouraged in he develop
ment of sound Ideas, It was said
The Lions were again reminded that
the club will visit the Boys Home at
Lake WaccWnaw on April 13.
' i
among these are some of the huge oil
companies which, by design, can legal
ly write off millions that otherwise
would be paid in axes.
Many of you have written to me
about your concecn over the taxes you
must pay and the taxes that others get
around by using legal loopholes.
Happily, Congress is concerned
about this situation also. Chairman
Wilbur Mills of the House Ways and
Means Committee-where all tax legis
lation must originate-has made tax
See FOUNTAIN Page 8
Bill To Allow County
Ordinances Passed
Legislation to grant North Caro
lina's counties the power to make
ordinances was enacted Wednesday by
the Senate after an unsuccessful at
tempt was made to change the effec
tive date of the bill.
In contrast to the one - hour debate
Tuesday, the bill caused little com
motion as It was given final approval.
Sen. Ruffln Bailey. D - Wake, sent
up an amendment to change the effec
tive date of the bill from next July 1
, to Jan. 1, 1971.
Sen. Jack White, D-Cleveland, who
steered the measure through the Sen
ate, strongly opposed the intendment,
saying, "We must put some confidence
in county boards."
White told the Senate, "If you
don't like any ordinance that county
boards adopt, you can come back here
in 1971 and do away with it."
After the bill's passage, White said,
"I'd like to thank all the members
because It's taken a long time to pass
It."
The measure is the first of a pack
age of bills to give local governments
more home rule authority.
Alert Community Man
Named Commissioner
Robert C. Burnette Succeeds
Business Partner On Board
Clerk of Court Ralph S. Knott has
announced the appointment of Robert
Lee Burnette, 59-year-old farmer and
lumberman, to fill the unexpired term
of the late George H. Harris on the
Board of County Commissioners. Mr.
Harris, serving as Chairman of the
Board died last week.
Mr. Burnette was a business partner
of Mr. Harris in the Burnette-Harris .
Lumber Co. and lives in the Alert
Community. A native of Franklin
County, Mr. Burnette is a member of
the Mt. Grove Baptist Church where
he has served for several years on he
Building and Grounds Committee. He
attended Gold Sand School and has
been a farmer-lumberman for about 40
years. He and his .wife, Mrs. Pattie
Moore Burnette, whom he married in
1930, have three children, Richard of
the Alert Community, Mrs. Joyce Ann
Ayscue of the Gold Sand Community
and Mrs. Carolyn Lane of Franklin,
Va.
Knott said he Is pleased to have Mr.
Burnette accept the appointment and
says he Is confident that he will serve
the county well. He said he carefully
considered every name recommended
to him in light of the appointment. He
also explained that he wanted to select
a man from Sandy Creek Township in
as much as Mr. Harris was a resident of
that Township. It was learned that
several names were mentioned from
Hayesville Township which with
Sandy Creek makes up the District.
"I want to work for the betterment
of the county". Mr. Burnette said in
an interview this morning. "I will need
to get more information on many
things. .1 will need to learn and I had
rather wait until I have gotten settled
before commenting on tome things",
he added.
He said he thought the Board of
Commissioners should look into sug
gestions made by interested citizens.
Asked about a recent request by Times
Editor Clint Fuller for a study to be
made of county employees salary
schedules, Mr. Burnette said he felt it
should be looked into. He also said he
felt the canceled electrical inspection
program should be studied. He de
clined, however, to make any definite
committments asking that Ift be al
lowed to get settled in his new posi
tion before making more definite
statements.
Mr. Burnette will be officially
sworn this afternoon at 2 P.M. when
the Board of Commissioners meet in
special session in the Comml*ioner's
room in the courthouse.
Franklinton
Native Dies
In Pittsboro
John Oliver Newell, Jr., 42, for- ?
merly of Franklinton, a livestock
dealer and horseman, died at his home
on Rt. 3, Pittsboro, Monday. Accord
ing to reports Newell died of injuries
sustained in a freak fall at his home.
He also maintained a home at 1308
Canterbury Road in Raleigh.
A veteran of World War II, he
recently established an insurance
agency in Raleigh.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs.
Ouida Brantley Newell; two daughters. ,
Jennie Newell of Albuquerque, N. M.
and Ouida Simmons Newell of the
home; two sons, Larry Stephen and
John Oliver Newell, II, of the -home;
three sisters. Mrs. Benjamin Merritt
Horton of Silver Spring, Md., Mrs.
William Brooks Parham, Jr., and Mrs.
John Felix Green of Franklinton; one
grandchild.
Graveside services were conducted
at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Fairvlew
Cemetery in Franklinton by the Rev.
Horace Jackson.
Mother Gets Reply From Justice
Department On Quest For School Aid
The United States Department of
Justice filed contempt of court, charges
against the Franklin County Board of
Education last January only after a
"careful and objective" investigation
by the Federal Bureau of In vestige
tion, according to an Assistant Attor
ney General. *
The information is contained in a
letter received by Mrs. Lucille M.
Romero, a mother of five. In answer to
a plea made to President Richard M.
Nixon asking his help in the preven
tion of the destruction of the Franklin
County school system.
The letter, written by Assistant
Attorney Geberal Jerris Leonard Mon
day, states. "Since this case Is now
before the Court, it would not be
appropriate to comment on the merits.
I wish to assure you, however, that the
contempt proceedings by this depart
ment now pending were instituted
only after careful and objective investi
gation by the FBI, which included
interviews of numerous white and
Negro teachers, pupils, and other per
sons with knowledge of the facts".
The Board of Education said short
ly after the charges were made that the
FBI was here last October investigating
the school situation but no member of
the Board was contacted or Inter
viewed. The FBI did Inform the Board
Chairman that they were conducting
the Investigation. One Board member
said he -Is at a loss to determine what
persons "with knowledge of the facta"
were contacted.
In * prepared statement the Board
?aid, "It seem* to u> that If this
investigation revealed any discrepancy
that the logical recourse would have
been for the Department of Justice to
inform the Board of Education before
this late date".
Mrs. Romero's letter to the Presi
dent was pasaed to the Department of
Health, Education and Welfare for an
answer. Lloyd R. Henderson. Chief of
the Civil Rights Section then turned it
over to the Department of Justice and
Maceo W. Hubbard. He In turn re
ferred it to Mr. Leonard.
The Board was charged last January
with conducting segregated classes in
Integrated schools and of ordering
Negro pupils to sit at the rear of
school buses. The Board vigorously
denied the charges saying they "are
not true" and that 'The Board of
Education emphatically denies that
there is any racial discrimination what
soever In the Franklin County School
System".
The Board termed the charges as "a
form of harrassment against the Board
of Education and the people of Frank
lin County".
Mrs. Romero, whose husband was
killed in. Lima, Peru in 1965 while
serving as coordinator for the Con
ference of American Armies", wrote
Mr. Ntxon: "It seems that if something
Is not done soon. Mr. President, our
county school system will be de
v
stroyed. Since September our schools
have been 100% integrated and peace
fully. What more can they ask?"
The reply received by Mrs. Romero
this week apparently closes the door
on any assistance from the President.
The letter, as one observer put It, hat
fallen into the same hands that have
rapped Franklin County for years.
War Victim
Rites Sunday
Funeral services for Army Sjt. John
W. Thomas, 20, of Louisburf will be
conducted Sunday at 2 P.M. from the
o u.u
Baptist Church,
conducted by Rer.
O. H. Brodie. Bur
ial will follow, with
full military
honors, In City
Cemetery. 0
" Thomas, ion of
Mrs. Mattie Mae
Thomas of the
Mineral Springs
scviiuu, was Kiuru
in combat in Viet THOMAS
nam on February 22, 1969. H? re
portedly stepped on an enemy booby
trap while on a combat mission. He
entered service on October 28, 1967
and arrived in Vietnam on November,
1968
I