~?r- ?? *1
L10 ?
)undation For Infantile
iralyais spent over $20,000
far Wilkes Polio Victims in
[?948. Goal of the January
impaign is $10,000.
The Journal-Patriot Has Blazed the Trail of Progress In the "State of Wilkes" For Over 42 Years
OUR CITY
North Wjlkesboro has a
trading: radius of 50 miles,
serving 100,000 people in
Northwestern Carolina.
jtol. 43, No. 73 Published Mondays and Thursdays NORTH WILKESBORO, N. C., Thursday, December 30, 1948 Make North Wilkesboro Your Shopping Center
Making Progress On New Presbyterian Church Building
MMHWMMiMiMMiIiU*""- 1
This picture shows work well under way on the new church auditorium for the
First Presbyterian church in North Wilkesboro. The religious education building,
which has been acclaimed as one of the best in the south, was erected several years
ago. The auditorium structure is of native stone construction and a splendid type
of structural work is being accomplished under direction of A. A. Cashion, build
ing committee chairman. ?(Photo by Lane's Studio).
HIGHWAY POSTOFFICE WILL BEGIN
OPERATION FEBRUARY 4TH FROM
GREENSBORO VIA HERE TO BOONE
Starting dates for the opera
tion of two highway postoffices
which ^11 use Greensboro as a
terminus were announced by J.
B. McGee, district superintendent
Cor the Railway Mail Service.
The Greensboro-Boone route
will he gfftftarTVbi Maty1
the Greensboro-Warsaw route on
February 5.
The highway postoffices are
completely equipped mail trucks
and are equipped in the 6ame
general way as a railway mail
car.
Authorization for the new mo
torized post offices was received
yesterday along with the dates
tor starting the service. However,
plans for the new step had been
announced previously.
The highway post office run
from Greensboro to Boone will
Include stops at Guilford, Ker
nersville, Winston-Salem, Yad
kinville, Boonville, Elkin, Ron
la, Roaring River, North Wilkes
boro, Halls Mills, McGrady, Laur
b1 Springs* Transou, Wagoner,
Jefferson, West Jefferson, and
rodd.
The motorized post office will
begin its run at 3:30 a. m. each
day except Sunday. The convey
ance will arrive in Boone at
10:45 a. m. It will leave Boone
at 1:45 p. m., and arrive in
Greensboro at 9 p. m.
le, the Greens
leave GreenBboro at 6 a. m. and
arrive in Warsaw at 12:20 p. m.
It will begin its return trip at
1:40 p. m., arriving in Greens
boro at 8 p. m.
Establishment of the route rep
resents successful culmination of
efforts of the Wilkes Chamber of
Commerce, North Wilkesboro
Postmaster Maurice E. Walsh and
other groups and individuals a
long the route from Greensboro
to ?oone. When highway condi
tions are met, the route may be
extended to Johnson City, Tenn.,
which would improte mail serv
ice from this area1 to the mid
west.
The highway postoffice will
carry and work all types of mail,
and will be in addition to present
mail transportation facilities in
this area.
Thieves Enter
Stores and Take
Pennies, Nickles
Thieves Monday night entered
t w o wholesale establishments
here which contained great a
mounts of valuable merchandise
and took nicklee and pennies, Po
lice Chief J. E. Walker said here.
At Eller Brothers store on
Forester Avenue thf building was
entered by breaking a door lock.
A Coca-Cola vending machine
was entered and the money box,
containing a small quantity of
nickles, was taken.
Carl A. Lowe and Sons store
on Forester Avenue was entered
by forcing a lock on a side door.
There the top of a Coca-Cola
rending machine was torn off
but the money box containing a
few nickles had not been reach
ed. A small quantity of pennies
elsewhere In the store was miss
ing. At neither store was any
merchandise missing, according
to a preliminary check.
Chief Walker said the robber
ies were probably work of Juve
niles.
Stockholders Boll
Club Meet Tonight
Stockholders of North Wilkes
boro baseball club win meet to
Mght, seven o'clock, In the office
if Attorney Larry 8. Moore.
Purpose of the meeting will be to
elect a board of directors, who
wfll name manager and business
manager for the 1949 season In
the Bine Ridge Baseball league.
o?:
Called Meeting Of
V. F. W. Post Here
Blue Ridge Mountain post of
Veterans of Foreign Wars will
meet in a call meeting tonight,
eight o'clock, in the office of Key
City Wholesale company on the
corner of Sixth and B streets. A
large attendance is urged.
Optimist Club
Met Tuesday
Treat Junior Optimist Club
Members And Other
Children
The Optimist Clulb of North
Wilkesboro held its regular
fourth Tuesday meeting this week
at Hotel Wilkes. The president,
Maurice E. Walsh, presided.
The meeting opened with in
vocation (being spoken by Dr.
John T. Wayland, and the mem
bers enjoyed singing several fa
miliar songs.
As no program had been ar
ranged for the after-Christmas
meeting of the club, the program
was used for round-table discus
sion by members.
Christmas Treat
The club gave the members ol
the Junior Optimist Club a
splendid treat on Thursday eve
ning before Christmas. This treat
consisted of a generous amounl
of fruit, candy, and nuts, and
was greatly appreciated Iby the
Junior Optimists. Some of the
treat was not needed for the
Junior Optimists, amd this wat
distributed among the children ol
needy families.
The next meeting of the clut
will be held on Tuesday, January
11th.
New Years Eve
Service Friday
By Young People
Watch night service will be
held Friday night, 11 until 11:30
p. m. at the First Baptist church
by young people of the First
Methodist, First Presbyterian and
First Baptist churches. The pub
lic is cordially invited.
o
Inspection Lane
The Auto Inspection lane !|
now operating in North Wilkes
boro and will remain here
through January first to give all
an opportunity to have their cars
inspected before the January
first deadline.
Two Wilkes Men
Badly Injured In
Highway Mishap
John And Grant Dillard In
Car And Truck Crash
Near Winston-Salem
Winston^Salem. ? John and
Grant Dillard, both of North
Wilkesboro, Route 1, the Hays
community, were injured yester-,
day when their automobile col
lided with a Charlotte tractor
trailer on U. S. Highway 421 a
bout two and one-half miles west
of the Winston-Salem city limits.
Both men were taken to Bap
tist Hospital by ambulance. John
Dillard was reported last night as |
being in "very critical'' condition,
having suffered severe head in
juries. iHe was still unconscious |
at 9:30 p. m. Grant Dillard had j
regained consciousness last night
but was being held for observa
tion as to possible internal in-1
juries.
State Highway Patrolmen said
the Dillard car was traveling
east on 421 and was rounding a
curve Just east of the intersection
of 421 and Highway 67 when it
met a tractor-trailer driven by
James Lloyd Finley of Marlon.
The truck was owned by the
Bruce Johnson Trucking Com
pany of Charlotte.
Patrolmen quoted eyewitness
es as saying the tractor-trailer
skidded and jack-knifed on the
curve and that the automobile
collided with the left side of the
trailer. The automobile was dam- j
aged beyond repair, and damage
to the trailer was estimated at!
between $700 and $800. Both'
rear wheels of the trailer were
knocked loose, patrolmen said.
Finley was charged with reck
less driving and placed under
$1,000 bond for appearance in.
Winston-Salem Municipal Court
February 15.
Broadcast Sunday
From First Baptist
Church service radio broad
cast Sunday morning toy radio
station WKBC will be from the
First Baptist church, with Dr.
John T. Wayland, pastor, deliver
ing the message.
Rites Held Sunday
For R. W. Gwyn
Who Died Dec. 24
Was Cashier Of Bank Of1
North Wilkesboro For
Over Half Century
iRichard Walter Gwyn, for
more than half a century cash- i
ier of the Bank of North Wilkes- j
boro, died Friday night, Decern-j
ber 24, 8:45 o'clock, at his home
in this city.
Stricken with cerebral hemor-!
rhage December 10, Mr. Gwyn'
remained critically ill until his'
death and did not regain con- (
sciousness.
Mr. Gwyn was born in Elkin.1
His father was Richard Ransom
Gwyn, who was in mercantile
business and was engaged in
manufacturing at Elkin, and his
mother was Mrs. Mollie Dicker
son Gwyn. In his youth Mr. Gwyn
attended Davis Military Academy, j
which was located in Winston-1
Salem. Fbom that school he came j
to North Wilkesboro in 1898 to
be with his sister, Mrs. J. E. Fin
ley. Mr. Finley at that time was
president o' the newly organized
Bank of North Wilkesboro, and
the young Mr. Gwyn was given
a job in the ibank. He was 19
years old at that time.
The young man rapidly advanc
ed in work of the bank and was
made cashier of the bank, a po
sition which he held throughout
the remainder of his long and
useful life.
At the time Mr. Gwyn came to
No^A Wilkesboro the town was
a miding village at the end of
a railroad, and bis life and work
contributed greatly to the growth
of the town and community.
In the bank Mr. Gwyn became
known as one of the most able
bank executives in the state, and
in that capacity he made the ac
p of thetiMUttaW^OT
northwestern North Carolina. Mr.
Gwyn was known a* a keen judge
of character and he placed great
value on character in business
dealings.
In addition to his bank connec
tion, Mr. Gwyn figured promi
nently in business life of this
community in other lines of en
deavor for many years. With Mr.
J. R. Hix Mr. Gwyn purchased
the Vaughn-Hemphill wholesale
firm here in 1905, which operat
ed successfully for many years.
He was vice president of Turner
White Casket company for many
years.
With, associates Mr. Gwyn was
a stockholder in (American Fur
niture company at the time it was
established and held the office of
treasurer of that manufacturing
company until his death.
Throughout a greater part of
his life Mr. Gwyn was connected
with insurance business. He was
a partner in the Gwyn-Colvard
Insurance agency which was in
business here over a long period
of time and in more recent years
was vice president of Sentinel In
surance Agency here. He was
also engaged to some extent in
brokerage business in North Wil
kes boro.
Faithful to his church, Mr.
Gwyn during a greater part of
his life was a member of the
board of stewards of the First
Methodist church in North Wil
kesboro. He was also deeply in
terested in civic life and every
movement which he deemed in
the interest of welfare and pro
gress of his community. He was
a charter member of the North
Wilkesboro Kiwanls club. He was
also a member of the Knights of
Pythias lodge In North Wilkes
boro.
Mr. Gwyn on Nov. 25, 1896
married Miss Tate Blair, of
North Wilkesboro. She and two
sons and two daughters survive.
They are Mrs. Margaret Coffey,
Mrs. R. M. Brame, Jr., Richard
W. Gwyn, Jr., and W. Blair
Gwyn, all of North Wilkesboro.
There are seven grandchildren,
Carl Gwyn Coffey, Miss Blair
Coffey, Nell Gwyn Brame, Bobby
1 and Richard G. Brame, Carolyn
, Gwyn and Richard W. Gwyn, III.
Also surviving Mr. Gwyn is one
sister, Mrs. T. J. Lillard, of
Charlotte.
An impressive funeral service
was held Sunday afternoon at
the First Methodist church.^ Dr.
Gilbert R. Combe, pastor, con
ducted the service and burial was
in Mount Lawn Memorial Park.
Pall bearers were grandneph
ews: Pat and Charles Williams
land Frank Blair, of this city,
t Alexander Smith, Alee Chatham,
? Jr., and Tommy Chatham, of
?
Died December 24
R. W. GWYN
tf.F.W. Purchases
WILX Building
For a Clubhouse
Addition Will Be Construct
ed; New Year's Eve Par
ty Friday Planned
Blue Ridge Mountain Post of
Veterans of Foreign Wars has
purchased the building and land
of radio station WILX just out
side of this city near highway
115.
Property Included in the deal
is the block building formerly
used for broadcasting and four
acres of land.
S. L. Whitaker, commander of
the post, stated that the property
will provide an excellent place for
post meetings, and that the post
haB plans for an addition to the
sembly hall. The property was
purchased from Edney Ridge, of
Greenfcboro, wh0 owned and ope
rated the station here until it su
spended operations a few months
ago.
Post Plans Party
Blue Ridge Mountain post of
Veterans of Foreign Wars will
stage a new year's eve dinner and
dance Friday night at Carolina
Restaurant, Commander Whitak- ' i
er said. The Carolina Harvesters,
of Stony Point, will play for the
dance, which will follow the din
ner at eight o'clock. V. F. W.
and Auxiliary members and their
friends are invited, but reserva
tions must be made with Carolina
Restaurant or any member of the
V. F. W.
Tax Listing Will
Get Under Way
In Wilkes Jan. 10
Listing Will Begin In All
Townships On Same Date
This Year
J. C. Grayson, Wilkes county
accountant and tax supervisor,
has announced that tax listing
will get under way in all town
ships in Wilkes county on Mon
day, January 10.
iAII property owners are re
quired to list their property both
real and personal, which they
possess on January 1, 1949.
A list ot list takers and their
appointments will be published
later and all 'are asked to watch
this newspaper in order to ibe
prepared to list on the most con
venient date.
Tax listing for Wilkes county
in North Wilkesboro township
and for the town of North Wil
kesboro will be done at the same
time at the North Wilkesboro
town hall, beginning January 10.
W. P. Kelly will be list taker for
the town of North Wilkesboro.
Banks Here Will Be
Closed On Saturday
Bank of North Wilkesboro and
the Northwestern Bank here will
be closed on New Year's Day, Sat
urday, January 1, which has been
proclaimed a bank holiday.
Elkin.
Honorary pall bearers were
stewards of the First Methodist
churcfc.
At Mr. Gwyn's expressed re
quest, flowers were not need in
the funeral.
William Gray
Heads Club la
'49
New Officers And Directors
Elected At Meeting Tues
day Night
William Gray will head the
WiLkesboro Business and Pro
fessional Men's Club for 1949.
rhe young furniture iperchant
ivas elected to the position of
president, .succeeding Dr. G. T.
Mitchell, at the cluib meeting held
ruesday evening at the Wilkes
aoro Woman's clubhouse.
Other officers elected were:
Kyle Hayes, vice president; R. R'.
hurch, secretary-treasurer; E.
El. Spruill, assistant secretary
;reasurer. Directors elected were
is follows: Fred Henderson and
E. R. Wright, for a term of one
rear; Bill Phillips and Warner
Miller, Jr., for a term of two
rears; W. B. Somers and Carl
Bullis, for a term of three years.
Dr. G. T. Mitchell presided at
:he meeting, and E. R. Wright
served as secretary: The meeting
>pened with invocation being
spoken by Charles C. McNeill.
A fine dinner, featured (by de
licious ham, was served the club
members by ladies of the Wom
an's Club, and attendance was
Fine, taking intQ consideration the
holiday activity.
Band Movement Gains Momentum
William T. Dong, superinten
ient of the Wilkesboro district
schools, gave an interesting re
port on the progress being made
by the high school band. He stat
ed that regular practice sessions
are being held, and that much
progress is being made. Mr. Long
spoke of the need of larger In
struments for the hand, and it
was suggested that a committee
be appointed to investigate the
needs of the band, and to devise
ways and means of giving finan
4 This committee,
appointed by -President Mitchell,"
is as follows: A. R. Gray, Jr.,
chairman, Edward Mclntyre, Fred
Henderson, W. B. Somers, and |
Hadley Hayes.
Open Discussion
No program had been planned
for the meeting and it was plann
ed that the half-hour program
period be consumed by a business
session, and open forum discus
sion by members. Following the!
transaction of business, President i
Mitchell called on members to
give their views on any matter j
which pertained to the welfare ]
and interest of the town. Those I
taking part in this open forum!
discussion and speaking on mat
ters of public Interest were: J.
B. Williams, Kyle Hayes, E. R.
Spruill, Robert Smoak, Claude
Kennedy, A. B. Somers, Hadley
Hayes, Edward Mclntyre, W. T.
Long and Robert M. Gambill.
Dr. Mitchell, the retiring pres
ident, thanked the club members
for the fine co-operation extend
ed him during the period he had
served the club in that capacity.
The next meeting of the club
will be held on Tuesday, January
25th, at seven o'clock.
o
Furniture Makers
Getting Ready For
Chicago Exposition
Representatives of furniture |
manufacturing plants in this vi
cinity will leave this week for
Chicago, where they will show
their 1949 furniture models in
the furniture exposition begin
uing Monday.
Those going from here and the
companies they represent are: N.
0. Smoak and Robert Smoak, of
Forest Furniture company; J. R.
Hix, Richard Johnston and R. W.
Gwyn, Jr., of American Furni
ture company; Edd F. Gardner, |
of Carolina Mirror Corporation;
Henry Moore, Ivey Moore and |
Ray Hoover, of Home Chair com-1
pany; John E. Justice, of Oak
Furniture company, who is also
president of the Southern Furni-1
ture Manufacturers Association.
o
Plon Squore Dance
New Year's Eve At
Moravian Falls I
All are Invited to the New
Year's Eve square dance to be
held Friday night, beginning at
eight o'clock, at Moravian Falls
community house for benefit of
the community house fund.
Support the Y.M.C. A.
Club President
'WILLIAM GRAY
Holiday Wedding
Trip Has Tragic
Ending For Girl
Bettie Sue Hall, Of Halls
Mills, Victim Highway
Accident In Virginia
Holiday wedding trip of Miss
Bettie Sue Hall, of Halls Mills,
Wilkes county, ended in death
Saturday night at Staunton, Va.,
from injuries received in an auto
accident near there Saturday
morning.
Her fiancee, Burton Edwards,
of Whitehead, Alleghany county,
was critically hurt and was hos
pitalized at Staunton, Va.
Ernest Edwards, of Sparta,
driver of the car which carried
the wedding party, was only
slightly injured. According to in
formation received here, the car
he was driving s&idded on icy
pavement, hit another car and
overturned. Others in the car
were his wife and her twin sister,
Miss Elsie Edwards, of White
head, who was also critically
hurt and is in a Staunton hos
pital.
J. W. Hall, father of the acci
dent victim, said that they had
with them a marriage license for
the state of Maryland. According
to his information, they intended
to be married in Maryland and
visit relatives in Washington, D.
C.
Miss Hall is survived by her
father, J. W. Hall, of Halls Mills,
three brothers and three sisters:
Glenn Hall, High Point; Mrs.
Glenn Wyatt, North Wilkesboro;
Mrs. Hardin Owens, Halls Mills;
Wayne Hall, Winston - Salem;
Miss Imogene Hall and Jimmy
Hall, of Halls Mills.
Funeral service was held Tues
day, one p. m., at Rock Springs
church. Rev. Monroe Dillard and
Rev. Jimmy Bryant conducted
the service.
o --
Holidays Quiet
In This County;
No Bad Accidents
The Christmas holiday season
passed very quietly in Wilkes
county.
Although traffic was heavy
throughout the holiday period,
no bad accidents were reported.
The highway patrol had few calls
to Investigate accidents and the
few reported involved only minor
property damage and no serious
injuries.
Offices of chief of police and
sheriff reported a quiet week
end, with no more than usual
number of arrests. No major
crimes were reiported in the coun
ty.
Last Rites Today
For J. W. Crysel,
Killed In Pacific
Funeral service for Pfc. John
Walter Crysel, who lost his life
in action while serving with the
marine corps on Iwo Jima, was
held today, two p. m., at Union
Methodist chnrch.
Pfc. Crysel was a son of Mr.
and Mrs. Jerry Crysel, of the
Cricket community of Wilkes
county.
Rev. C. J. Winslow, pastor, was
assisted in the service by Rev.
Watt Cooper, First Presbyterian
pastor here and former naval
chaplain.