The Franklin Times
Published Every Tuesday & Thursday
Serving All Of Franklin County
Telephone Gy 6-3283
Ten Cents
Louisburg, N. C., Thursday, July 31, 1969
(Eight Pages Today)
100th Year-Number 48
Research Group At Pinnell Farm In Cedar Rock
Tobacco Research Group Visits County
More than two hundred people
visited the Pinnell farm in Ka stern
Franklin County Wednesday after
noon, as the Research on Wheels group
passed through this area. The group
consisted of chemical company re
presentatives, plant disease specialists,
extension personnel, farmers, business
leaders, and news media representa
tives. Included were representatives
from across the United States and two
foreign countries.
The guests were welcomed to
Franklin County by County Extension
Chairman, C. T. Dean, Jr. Dean intro
duced C. E. and F. W. Pinnell, opera
tors of the Pinnell farm and explained
that the research being conducted was
in cooperation with the Pinnell 's.
Franklin County Extension Agents,
Plant Disease Specialist at N. C. State
University and the chemical com
panies.
Two demonstrations were observed
on the Pinnell farm. The Area Soil
Fungicide being conducted is designed
to obtain information on performance
of certain chemical soil treatments on
control of black shank infested soil
and their effect on yield and quality of
tobacco. Fifteen treatments were used
in the test and they were replicated
four times. F. A. Todd, Extension
Plant Pathology Specialist at N. C.
State University, explained the treat
ments and method of application to
the group. Several new material! are
showing promise of controlling the
dreaded black shank disease.
The purpose of the variety test it to
demonstrate and obtain information
on the relative resistance of varieties to
black shank, Granville Wilt, Fusarlum
Wilt, root knot or a combination of
these diseases and tolerance to brown
spot. The variety test includes 17
varieties replicated four time. It in
cludes the popular released varieties,
the four new ones released for 1970
planting and N. C. Breeding line 1076.
As the group viewed the variety test
and saw all four rows of the non
resistant Hicks Variety dead, Dr. C. J.
Nusbaum, Professor of Plant Patho
logy at N. C. State University, pointed
out that we woul4 be unable to row
tobacco in North Carolina if it were
not for the disease resistant varieties
developed by research.
After the two field meetings the
group were treated to ice cold water
melon under the shade of a large oak
tree near the Plnnell residence The
watermelon slicing was courtesy of
Specialized Agricultural Publications,
publishers of the Flue Cured Tobacco
Grower.
Out of county news media rep re
sentatives with the tour group included
Bill Johnson of the Progressive Farm
er, Luther Broaddus and John Beck of
Specialized Agricultural Publications,
Wally Ausley of WPTF, Ray Wilkerson
and Verne Strickland of Channel 5 TV
and Tobacco Network.
The following chemical companies
were represented: American Cyanamid
Company, Chemagro Corporation,
Dow Chemical Company, E. I. DuPont'
De Nomours & Company, Geigy Agri
cultural Chemicals, Great Lakes Chem
ical Corporation, International Min
erals & Chemicals Company, Mobil
Chemical Company, Morton Chemical
Company, Pennwalt Corporation, Nia
gara Chemical Company, Shell Chemi
cal Corporation, Union Carbide Cor
poration and WSR, Incorporated.
The tour will conclude Thursday
afternoon after stops in Nash, Wilson,
Edgecombe, Martin, Greene and
Wayne Counties.
Participation in the federal Food
Stamp Program continued its down
ward spiral here in Franklin County in
June according to latest figures reieas
ed this week by the Consumer and
Marketing Service of the United States
Or Were They?
Those Were The Days, My Friend
By Clint Fuller
Timet Managing Editor
Fill 'er Up
i ii
They were talking In the checkout
lane at the tupermarket about the high
cost of food and other thingi now-a
days. "Thingi sure aren't like they use
to be", said one. "Those were the
good old days." said the other.
Aa the song goes, those were the
days, my friend; we thought they'd
never end.
Forty years ago -1929~when Louis
burg celebrated its sesqui centennial a
shopper could pick up six bars of
Octagon soap for a quarter and fresh
ground coffee was going on weekends
three pounds for a buck. You can still
get about four bars of soap for slightly
over a quarter but try the coffee bit.
A pair of overalls cost a dollar and
the ladles could Buy a new fall coat for
$6.95. "All kinds of washing powder"
was selling six boxes for twenty-five
cents. Mattress t|cking--for those in
need of such--could be had for just a
dime a yard. Of course, you were
expected to do your own sewing.
Gasoline for the proud car owner
was pumping at 20 cents a gallon and
one brand advertised "Punch, Power,
Speed. Except for the sales tax -two
cents-just added and a slight Increase
to about forty cents a gallon, things
haven't change much. Oh, yea, you
could buy tires In 1929 from $4.60 to
93.00. The latter were the premiums
of the day.
Atwater Kent waa big In radios and
the new six cylinder Chevrolets had
reached a quarter million in the United
l'
States. You could buy a Chevy Roads
ter for $525. If your taste ran more to
the fancy, you could get a liew Essex
for $695. Luxury came higher.
Man hadn't reached out for the
moon but the St. Louis Robin flew for
420 hours and 20 minute* to set a new
endurance flight. record And the keep
ing-up-withthe-Jones thing was Illus
trated by an ad suggesting you "Elec
trify your favorite old oil lamp".
Electricity was here.
Straw hats were going for a dollar
fcnd you could get a rear fender put on
your Model T Ford for $1.75. This did
not Include, of course, the cost of the
fender.
Up in New York, the Borough
President had issued a call to Henry
Ford to use his automotive genuis to
help abate the litter caused by people
dumping used automobiles along the
streets and vacant lots. The concerned
politician said most of them were
Fords.
Tobacco was having troublt. A note
in the local paper told that science had
brought In a report that smoking is
harmful and it has brought in a report
that smoking is beneficial. Take your
choice depending on whether you are
a smoker or nonsmoker. The more
thin? change, the more they remain
the same, they say.
Another note of Information con
tained in the issue waa that "curing
tobacco Is in progress In Franklin
County at this time". Hie time was
Franklin Grouped With Wake, Durham,
Orange In New Highway Alignment
Franklin County was placed in a
highway group Wednesday with Wake.
Durham and Orange counties as Cover ?
nor Bob Scott announced the new
alignment of his Highway Commission.
The membership of the new Commis
sion jumped from 14 to 23 by action
of the General Assembly this year and
the Governor named the new Commis
sioners last week.
In swearing-in ceremonies held in
Raleigh Wednesday, Governor Scott
announced which Commissioners
would "look after" which counties.
Kaleigh building supply executive Clif
ton L. Benson, a former Commission
vice chairman under Governor ferry
Sanford, will handle the four-county
group including Franklin.
Benson represented the Fifth Divi
sion under Gov. Sanford and Franklin
was In Benson's district.
Tom Ellis, Chairman of the Vance
County Commissioners, was also
sworn Wednesday to the Highway
Commission. He will represent the
four counties of Vance, Granville. Per
son and Caswell.
Franklin Commissioner Norwood
Faulkner attended the ceremonies
Wednesday with several others from
the area. Asked to comment on the
new alignment involving Franklin,
Faulkner said, "I believe we've got the
best opportunity of getting some roads
we've had in a good while. I think Mr.
Benson is interested in the county and
he has led us to believe that he
certainly will see that we get our
proportional share during this adminis
tration -both primary and secondary."
Faulkner said that Benson told him
Wednesday that he was "proud to have
Franklin" among his counties. Faulk
ner also said he told Gov. Scott that he
was pleased to have Mr. Benson as
Commissioner for Franklin County.
The Governor told the new Com
missioners he wanted them to "work
at the job. Go out see folks and listen
to complaints." He also told them he
wanted them to "go out and look over
road problems first hand."
"I want to get the plans off the
drawing boards and the pavement on
the ground," the governor said.
The new commissioners went Into '
Informal session in the commission
meeting room almost immediately
after the swearing in ceremonies. They
Use Of Food Stamps Continues Drop In County
Department of Agriculture.
The figure* show that participation
was 2,805 in May and fell t<) 2,778
families in June. There were 2,942
families participating in the program
here in April.
August. This certainly hasn't changed.
If you were looking entertainment
the newspaper said: "If you crave
mystery and romance don't fail to see
the senior play, "Yimmie Yonson's
Yob". Of course, there w<s always the
Tom Mix or Hoot Gibson western at
the movie house for those with dis
criminating tastes.
There was some bitterness noted in
a remark of the day whlch^said: "It
must be great to be a Hoover Demo
crat with present status of social mat
ters in Washington City". Like we said.
Few things change.
Life, of course, was lea* complicat
ed. Fewer cars. Fewer repair bills.
Taxes- high for the time-were not a
major problem. Disorder in the street
was nothing more than the weekly
locking up of the town drunk and
thousands turned out for the July 4th
celebration of Loulsburg'?L150th birth
day. You see, there was no television.
Wonder if the people' knew just how
blessed they were?
Everybody to their own opinion
and a fellow who by-llned a column in
The Times as "J.T.Says" seemed to
sum up the never-changing faces of the
area when he wrote:
"We arrived In Loulsburg at 7. I
never saw such a tough looking bunch
In all my life. I laughed>-W. I busted
my suspenders. You should have been
with us."
Yes, sir. We should have, indeed.
were briefed on highway department
policy and personnel.
"I have no objection to us meeting
socially the night before a commission
er meeting." Faircloth said. "But 1 am
opposed to discussion of highway busi
ness anywhere but in this building
where it's supposed to be.
"That way I think we can avoid a
lot of confusion and keep everything
clean, open and above board." he said.
"Everyone can know exactly what's
going on."
Faircloth also said there would be
no "last minute additions to the com
mission agenda on the day of a meet
ing. as has been the case. I don't think
its fair to the commission or the other
people to act on something before
we've all had time to study it."
The commission will be divided up
into a number of standing committees,
Faircloth said.
A division of responsibility could
increase the commission's efficiency
and save everybody time, he said.
He said he would shortly announce
the appointment of committees from
the commission membership to study
and be responsible for primary, secon
dar\ . and urban roads and equipment.
The commission will continue to
meet as a whole. Faircloth said, but
members of the various committee*
within the commission will be res
ponsible specifically for highway busi
ness assigned to their committee.
Under the previous commission
there was no such division of labor.
The Scott commission has nine
more members than its predecessor, as
a result of legislation enacted by the
19B9 General Assembly on the gover
nor's recommendation.
Both Scott and haircloth contend
that increasing the si is of the commis
sion from 15 to 24 members will also
increase its effectiveness since indivi
dual commissioners will be responsible
for less territory.
The boundary lines for the existing
14 highway divisions were not altered
by the Scott enlargement plan, but
were maintained for administrative
and engineering purposes.
? Consequently, some commissioners
will be responsible for counties in
more than one division.
New Highway Alignment
What Does It
Mean To Franklin?
By Clint Fuller
Times Managing Editor
'The roads that most need paving
and Improvement will be the first ones
to be paved and improved- all over the
state." The words are those of High
way Commission Chairman Lauch
Department of Agriculture food
programs aided 213,807 needy persons
in North Carolina during June, 4,157
persons less than the number that
received food assistance in May but
57,011 persons more than the number
that took part in the programs a year
ago
The report said that 74,523 persons
in 38 counties took part in its food
stamp program and received $498,733
in bonus coupons.
C&MS' family food distribution
program aided 139,284 persons in 59
counties. The foods distributed had an
estimated retail value of $1.5 million
and included dairy products, canned
and dried fruits and vegetables, canned
meat or poultry, grain and cereal
products, as well as other items such as
peanut butter and scrambled egg mix.
C&MS officials generally attributed
the decreased participation during
June to increased agricultural employ
ment opportunities.
Alamance, Columbus and Stanly
counties have been designated to begin
participation in the food stamp pro
gram and plans are now being made to
set an opening date. Columbus County
now takes part In the family food
distribution program.
Haircloth of Clinton, reported in an
intervier by WE, THE PEOPLE this
month.
Based on this premise, the new
alignment of counties which places
Franklin in a group with Wake, Dur
ham and Orange should mean little. If
road funds are to be ailoted according
to need. Franklin is in excellent posi
tion to be a recipient.
However, on April 18, 1969, Mr
Faircloth said in a speech here: "Un
fortunately you've been in a district
with Wake and Durham. They've had
the Commissioners, they've had the
money and they've had the road
work." This arrangement doesn't
change in the new alignment. Only
Orange County has been added.
He also said in that April speech. "I
do think and I'm going to suggest it to
him (Gov. Scott) . . . that counties of
equal size and influence be placed in a
group with a Commissioner." This
suggestion apparently fell on deaf ears.
Franklin has little in common with the
counties of Wake, Durham and
Orange.
For as long as can be remembered
the power has shifted with almost each
administration from Wake, back to
Durham. During the Dan Moore
administration. Wake received far less
than in previous years as Durham
collected in excess of $20 million.
During this four-year period and in
cluding the largest road bond program
in North Carolina history, the five
Have Not counties in the Fifth Divi
sion received a promise of "at least
one significant road project" as Com
missioner J. B. Brame of Durham put
it. All Franklin and neighboring Vance
received was a promise of improve
ments to NC-39. The project wis never
started.
In the. new alignment, Franklin has
the second largest number of miles.
Wake has 275.68 miles of paved pri
mary highways. Franklin has 154.70;
Orange has 118.76 and Durham has
105.45. Franklin is third in total road
See FRANKLIN Page 6
Bunn Asks Bids On Water Project
Bunn Mayor W?yne W. Winstetd
has announced that Bunn it calling for
bid* on its $270,000 water project.
The announcement asks for bids on a
foundation for the tank, the 260,000
gallon elevated storage tank Itself, well
supply and water mains.
Bids are to be opened on the
project at 2:30 P.M. August 20 at
Bunn.
Officials of the Town of Bunn
adopted a resolution accepting a feder
al grant of $136,000 and a federal loan
of an equal amount in a special meet
ing June 23. The money Is to be used
to install a water system within the
town limits.
Announcement of approval of the
requests by the Economic Develop
ment ? Administration was made last
June 20 by Congressman L. H. Foun
tain. The Congressman's office wired
the information as follows: Economic
Development Administration approved
$135,000 loan and $135,000 grant to
Town of Bunn to install public water
system serving 30 acre industrial park
site and town and residential area*.
Loan and grant payable In 40 years.
Will cover project coat."
The project will consist of one or
more wells located northwest of Bunn
and a 200,000 gallon water tower, to
be located to the southwest in the
vicinity of the church on NC-39 at
Bunn. Water lines will be run the
distance of NC-39 through the town
limits to Old Bunn and will consist of
a ten-Inch pipe. Six-Inch pipes wiU be
laid to serve connecting streets and
lines will be laid to the Industrial park
near the Bunn High School and Bunn
Elementary Schools.