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VOL. XU? WO. ? ~ FRANKLIN. N. C? THURSDAY, FKRRUTRY 7, 1M6 ft.M PER YEAR
MAPLE SPRINGS
SCHOOL BURNS
IN NIGHT FIRE
3-Room Building Falling
In When Neighbors
Discover Blaze
The Maple Springs school
building, in the Skeenah sec
tion, was burned to the ground
early Thursday morning.
The three-room, one-story
frame building accommodated
about 90 children.
It was the second time with
in six years that the people of
that community have lost their
school building as a result of
fire.
The blaze was discovered
about 4 a. m. by persons who
live nearby, but by the time
residents of the community could
get to the schoolhouse, the en
tire structure was in flames,
they said, and when teachers
and children came to school
about 8 o'clock, nothing was left
standing but a few smouldering
uprights. i
Since the building was fall
ing in when the first persons
arrived at the scene, it was not
possible, it was said, to get any
clue as to where or how the
fire started.
Mrs. Pauline C. Holland, prin
cipal of the three-teacher
school, said there were only
small fires in the stoves when
she and the other teachers,
Mrs. Kathryn Jones and Mrs.
Mildred Swafford, dismissed
school about 2:15 o'clock Wed
nesday afternoon, kicked the
building, and left.
The children of the commun
ity will be sent to other schools,
at least for the time being, ,
Supt. Ouy L. Houk said Thurs
day morning, but added he had
not had time to work out the
details. " !
The building was fully cover
ed by insurance, he said.
Do You
Remember . . . ?
(Looking backward through
the files of The Press)
SO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
The familiar tone of the
Episcopal church bell rang out
last Sunday for the first time
in many weeks. The Rev. J. A.
Deal has been sick a long while
and unable to conduct services,
but we are glad he has suffi
ciently recovered to be at his
post again.
The cry of "Fire" caused the
Franklinites to assemble in j
short order about "Uncle" D.
Cunningham's residence on East !
Main street Thursday evening.
A few buckets of water soon
subdued the flames and a great
conflagration was narrowly
averted.
It was a Maine preacher who
rose in his pulpit recently and
said: "As the choir is absent
today we will sing Praise God
from Whom all Blessings Flow'."
25 YEARS AGO
Briefs from the knowledge
Hill Echo, Franklin graded
school paper:
Curtis and Thompson, under- !
takers, "We do our work speed- \
ly and cheer-fully", signed
Speed and Cherry.
School for the Brainless.
William L. Crawford, founder.
Mr. Thomas Porter is not as
frequent a visitor at Summer
Hill lately.
Extra! Extra! Mr. Lonnie
Crawford came out of hiberna
tion on last Monday for the
space of about five minutes.
10 YEARS AGO
Town authorities have decided
to put a stop to motorists' driv
ing over fire hose, and have
adopted an ordinance empower
ing the mayor to fine violators
up to $50 without the necessity
of proving actual damage.
The Franklin Methodist church
was presented 150 new Metho
dist Hymnals, a gift from the
young people's class of the
church. ?
The groundhog who lives In
Highlands was certainly unable
to see his shadow If he ven
tured out of his den Sunday.
-Snow Saturday night and Sun
day reached a depth of 6 %
inehw.
People Of County
Donate $2,179 In
Polio Fund Drive
Macon County raised near
ly a thousands dollars more
than its quota in the March
of Dimes campai(n, which
ended last week.
Contributions by organiza
tions and individuals in this
county to the fund to fight
infantile paralysis totaled
(2,179.93, J. H. Stockton,
county campaign chairman,
announced this week. The
quota that was assigned the
county was $1,215. Thus this
county gave $954.83 more
than was asked of it, ex
ceeding its quota by nearly
79 per cent.
A detailed statement of the
donations will be made pub
lic next week, Mr. Stockton
said.
BRYSON IS OUT
FOR SOLICITOR
Two Others Sesk Post;
Announcements Due
In Local Races
The political put in Macon
County, which has been quietly
simmering for several weeks,
came to a boil with the an
nouncement, a few days ago, of
Thad D. Bryson, Jr., that he is
a candidate for solicitor of the
twentieth Judicial district, sub
ject to the Democratic primary.
It was the first formal an
nouncement here of a candi
dacy, but with the primary, set
for Saturday, May 25, less than
four months away, announce
ments for county offices are
expected to follow rapidly.
The Franklin attorney seeks
the post held for the past 16
years by John M. Queen, of
Waynesville. Solicitor Jueen has
made no announcement so far
of his plans. The district com
prises the seven southwestern
counties of the state, Haywood,
Jackson, Macon, Swain, Clay,
Graham, and Cherokee.
Meanwhile, two other candi
dates for the Democratic nom
ination for solicitor announced
this week. They are Dan K.
Moore, of Sylva, and W. Roy
Francis, of Weaverville.
Mr. Bryson, a native of Bry
son City, moved to Franklin in
1939, and has practiced law
here since that time. He is the
eldest son of Judge Thad D.
Bryson. who was on the super
ior court bench in this state
for seven years, and who since
1926, has been legal adviser and
professor of law at Duke uni
versity.
T. D. Bryson, Jr., was born
In Bryson City, October 15, 1903,
attended grammar and high
school in Bryson City, and was
graduated from the University
of North Carolina. Admitted to
the bar in 1925, he practiced in
Bryson City until 1939. when he
removed to Franklin. He has
had an extensive practice in
the courts of this region.
He was married to Miss Caro
lyn Forbell, of Rockville Center,
N. Y., in 1928, and he and Mrs.
Bryson have four children, Gail,
Anne, Thaddeus Dillard, IV, and
Frederick Edgar, who live in
Bryson City.
Mr. Bryson, in making his an
nouncement, praised Mr. Queen
for his long and efficient serv
ice as solicitor.
New Operators
Take Over 2 Gulf
Service Stations
Two Oulf service stations
here changed hands in a double
deal announced this week.
Erwln Patton, recently return
ed from service in the armed
forces, bought the Franklin Fill
ing station, on Palmer street,
from Frank Reece, and Mr.
Reece, in turn, bought the sta
tion at the foot of the Town
Hill, East Main and Palmer
streets, from O. B. Burrell.
Mr. Patton and Mr. Reece
have taken active charge of
their new businesses. In Mr.
Patton's case, It was a return
to his old Job, since he owned
and operated the Franklin sta
tion before entering the service.
The station at the foot of the
Town HU1 Is being enlarged
and on the upper floor, Mr
Burrell plans to operate a fend
?r and tody repair business.
CLOTHING PILE
AT COURTHOUSE
STILL GROWING
Donations For Relief Pour
In; Drive Here Will
End Feb. 23 I
The pile of boxes and bun
j dies of old clothes, in the
courtroom on the second floor
of the courthouse, this week
continued to grow larger and
higher, as Macon County people
contributed garments to the
Victory Clothing Collection for
overseas relief.
Meanwhile, Jos. Ashear, coun
ty chairman of the campaign,
announced that he had received
authorization by telephone from
Atlanta and Washington, to
continue the collection through
J February 23. The drive over the
county ended January 31, but
additional time was given this
country, since the campaign here
| was late starting.
The contributions are coming
from all over the county, Mr.
Ashear said, explaining that he
is receiving telephone calls and t
mail from various sections, ask
ing where donations may be
left. He explained that the
courthouse is the central depot,
but that most community stores
have agreed to act as collec
.tion centers, and that the
clothes will be picked up from
these stores.
In many cases, he added, a
: single family has sent in a box
j of clothing, and later, on find
| ing other garments that could j
be spared, have sent second,
! and even third, packages.
The Boy Scouts continue to
i assist in the drive. One group
Den No. 2, Cub Scouts? already
I has collected more than 300
garments and carried them to
the courthouse.
Fornrfr F ranklin
Man Is Awarded
Bronze Star Medal
Edwin J. Bradley, of Black
Mountain, has been awarded
the Bronze Star for "meritor- j
ious achievement in connection !
with military operations against
the enemy on Luzon, Philip
pine Islands, from 9 January
1945 to April 1945".
Mr. Bradley, now a civilian
i employed in the transportation
| corps at Moore General hos
pital formerly was a first ser
geant in the army. He was re
leased on points in July, 1945,
after five and a half years serv
ice.
He is a former resident of
Franklin, and attended high
school there prior to entering
| military service.
#
Icenhower Infant Dies
After Brief Illness
Jimmy Floyd Icenhower. six
day old son of Mr. and Mrs.
Clarence Icenhower, of High
lands, Route 1, formerly of the
Oak Grove community, died at
the Angel clinic Thursday morn
ing of last week, at 3 o'clock. |
He entered the clinic about j
noon on Wednesday, suffering |
from pneumonia.
Funeral services were held at
the Buck Creek Baptist church
i Thursday afternoon at 3 o'clock,
] with the Rev. Frank Reed, of- j
I ficlating. Burial followed in the
church cemetery.
Surviving are the parents and
the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs.
Judson Icenhower, of Oak
Grove, and Mr. and Mrs. Floyd
Hudson, of Highlands, Route 1.
Potts funeral directors were in
charge of the arrangements.
The Weather
The official temperature read
ings and the amount of rainfall
on each of the past seven days,
and the low temperature on
Thursday, follow:
Wednesday 54 44 .58
SEEK SUPPORT
FOR SYMPHONY
100 Membership* Will
Bring Orchestra
To Franklin
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
High Low Prec
56 41 .37
48 20 0
50 18 0
59 17 0
51 31 .23
O A
64 32 0
Thursday
30
Letters, asking support of the
North Carolina Symphony So
ciety, will go out this week-end
to approximately 200 civic
minded persons and music lov
ers in this county, E. J. Car
penter, county chairman of the
society's membership campaign,
announced this week.
Membership in the society
will entitle the member to at- ,
tend any concert of the orches
tra, and the plan is to raise j
$500 in this county, and thus
bring the 21 -piece orchestra to
Franklin for a concert this
spring. In addition to the reg- j
ular concert, the symphony
group will play at the public
school without charge.
Memberships are $5 each, and
Mr. Carpenter pointed out that
persons joining not only will be
buying admission to concerts of
the orchestra here and at other
towns in this region? if they
wish to attend other concerts
but also will be lending their
support to a worth-while cause.
The society, because it is recog
nized as contributing to the cul
tural life of the state, was giv- I
en -an appropriation by the leg- j
islature. and Gov. R. Gregg
Cherry is honorary chairman of
the membership campaign.
Interested persons not reach- 1
ed by letter are requested to '
forward their memberships to
Claude Bolton, treasurer, at
Franklin.
Commissioners Act
On Two Petitions
For Highway Work
The board of county com- (
missioners, at Monday's meet
ing, approved and referred to
the State Highway Commission
two petitions for road work.
One petition asks that the
road from the Negro school -
house, round the river, and to
the Andy Reid station, be hard- '
surfaced
The other seeks the re-grad
ing of a road leading from the
Georgia road, just beyond the
Fleming service station, to the
Setser road.
Bronze Star Medal
Holder Discharged
From Army Service
Pfc. Edward Carpenter, of
Dillard, Ga., who won the
Bronze Star medal for heroism
in action, has been discharged
from the army, according to an
announcement received here
from Port McPherson, Ga.
Pfc. Carpenter, who served as
a driver in the army service
forces, also holds the Good Con
duct and Victory medals. < and I
his service ribbons reveal that
he served in the Asiatic-Pacific, j
American, and Philippine liber
ation theaters.
In civilian life, he was a
farmer.
Births Outnumber Deaths
In County Nearly 4 To 1
Births in Macon county last
year outnumbered the deaths by
almost (our to one, figures com
piled by Lake V. Shope, vital
statlstlo registrar, show.
A total of 437 births during
1945 were reported from the
county's 11 townships, as com
pared with 111 deaths.
Both births and deaths last
year were approximately 22 per
cent fewer than the year be
fore. The 1944 totals were:
Births, 562; deaths, 135.
Last year's totals reveal a
birth rate for this county of
about 29 per thousand popula
tion, and a death rate of only
7.5 per thousand.
The ireatest ratio of births
to deaths was reported by
Sugarfork township, where 27
births and only two deaths were
recorded.
The 1945 figures by townships
j follow:
Township Births Deaths
Franklin 225 65
Millshoal 11 4
Ellijay 18 2
Sugarfork 27 2
Highlands 18 8
Flats 5 1
Smith Bridge 32 5
Cartoogechaye .... 31 7
Nantahala 29 3
Burnlngtown 15 6
Cowee 28 8
Total*
4)7
U1
Four Prisoners Shot
In Escape Attempt
Daltons
To Hold Golden Wedding
Celebration Sunday
Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Dalton,
well known Macon county
couple, will observe their Gold
en Wedding anniversary Sunday
at their home in the West's J
Mill community. Mr. Dalton has !
served as Macon county sur- ?
veyor for 35 years.
The celebration will be mark
ed by the presence of their
children and grandchildren, and
one great-grandson. During the
afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Dalton
will be at home to friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Dalton were
married 50 years ago Wednes
day -Feburary 6. 1896. Since a
family reunion was planned for
the occasion, however, It was ,
decided to celebrate on Sun- !
day, when all the members of
the family could be present.
The Dalton's have nine chil- j
dren, 12 grandchildren, and one j
great-grandson.
The children are Mrs. Frank ,
Holbrook and Mrs. Ralph Shel
ton, both of Asheville; Rogers
Dalton and Crawford Dalton, of :
Gastonia; Lyman ' Dalton, of |
Greenville, S. C.; and Mrs. Rob
ert Morgan, Lon Dalton, Carl
Dalton. and Joel Dalton, all of I
Macon county.
Mrs. A.Daves,
Macon Native,
Is Dead At 95
Funeral services for Mrs. Ad
die Daves, 95, who died in Com
merce, Ga., Saturday, following
a very brief illness, were held
at the Burningtown Baptist
church Monday afternoon at 2
o'clock. The Rev. George A.
Cloer, pastor, officiated, and in
terment followed in the church
cemetery.
Mrs. Daves, who was the for
mer Miss Addie Younce, was
born in the Burningtown com
munity, on December 22, 1851.
Surviving are six children,
George Daves and John Daves,
of Commerce, Ga., Route 2;
Mrs. Maggie Humphries, of New
Holland, Ga.; William V. Daves,
of Piedmont, S. C.; Joe Daves, 1
of Franklin. Route 4; and Mrs.
Meddle Griffin, of Commerce,
Ga., Route 2. Also one brother,
Joe Younce, of Franklin, Route
4, survives.
Plan W. S. C. 5. Meeting
Saturday In Bryscn City
An officers training day for
the officers of the Woman's So
ciety of Christian Service, of
the Methodist churches of the
Waynesville district, will be held
at the Bryson City Methodist
church on Saturday, February
9.
The meeting is scheduled to
begin at 11 o'clock and to
adjourn about 3 o'clock. This
important meeting is being
held so that both the old and
new leaders of the local so
cieties may discuss their prob
lems and aims with the district
leaders, it was explained.
Ladies of the hostess church
are arranging the lunch at a
nominal price, and all leaders in
the Macon county churches are
being urged to attend.
Robert J. Angel,
Now On Saipan, Is
Given Promotion
Robert J. Angel, 19-year old
son of Mr. and Mrs. Zeb Angel
of Franklin, who is in the army,
stationed on Saipan. has been
promoted from the rank of ser
geant to staff sergeant, his
parents have learned. He is in
the ordnance heavy mainte
nance.
Sgt. Angel, who has been in
the service nearly two years,
and overseas for six months,
recently sent his parents a copy
of "Target", tiny dally news
paper issued by the army group
on Saipan. Sgt. Angel hopes to
get back to the States and be
discharged In June.
Another son of the Angels
Pvt. Richard Angel, 18. in the
Air Transport Command, U now
?n route to Europe for duty
I his parents understand.
Officials Believe Pistol
Was Smuggled Into
Camp By Visitor '
Authorities at the state prison
camp here believe a pistol, used
by Frank Beach, a prisoner, in
an escape attempt Tuesday
morning that resulted in the
wounding of four prisoners, was
smuggled into the camp, per
haps by a Sunday visitor.
Beach, 26, one of 18 prisoners
on a truck, suddenly drew the
pistol, leveled it at two guards
in a trailer following the truck,
and demanded that the guards
put up their hands, J. R. Over
ton, superintendent of the pris
on said. He said that Beach,
who fired first, shot four times
at the guards, but none of his
shots found their mark. The
guards, James Sanders, of
Franklin, and Clarence Craw
ford, of Franklin. Route 3, fired
their shotguns into the truck,
and Beach and three other pris
oners were wounded.
The incident occurred on the
Murphy road, just outside the
city limits, shortly after 8 a. m..
while the prisoners were on
their way to work.
Officers at the camp suspect
James Hackney, about 25, one
of the men on the truck,, of be
ing implicated in the escape
attempt, and evidence indicates
that the gun was smuggled to
him, it was said. Hackney, they
said, entered state prison with
a three to five year sentence
from an eastern North Carolina
county for robbery, and escape
attempts and other trouble had
added to his term until now he
has 35 years ahead of him.
Hackney and the four wound
ed men have been sent to the
state prison in Raleigh. Nick
Fezados. the most seriously
wounded, was sent Thursday
morning.
Fezados, 24, given 10 years
for robbery in Almance county
in 1944, was struck in the right
shoulder and right chest, with
one of the bullets entering the
lung. Dr. Edgar Angel said at
the Angel hospital, where the
men were taken for treatment.
Two of three bullets were re
moved by Dr. Angel Wednesday
morning.
Harold Gunter, 25, also sus
pected of being involved in the
escape plan, suffered an abdom
inal wound. He was serving 10
years from Edgecombe county
for larceny.
Bobby Cable. 26, sentenced in
Cherokee county in 1942 to 10
to 15 years for robbery, suffer
ed a wound in the left leg.
Beach, serving 11 to 20 years
for larceny in Edgecombe coun
ty, had the middle finger of his
right hand shot off.
Authorities said they suspect
ed none of the men, except
Hackney, Beach, and Gunter, of
being involved in the plan to
effect an escape.
The prison camp here now
houses a total of 58 prisoners.
Clinics
For Horses And Mules To
Be Held Next Week
Horse and mule clinics will
be held in this county Febru
ary 13 and 14, it was announc
| ed this week by Sam W. Men
denhall, county farm agent,
with Dr. M. M. Leonard. Ashe
ville veterinarian in charge.
In. announcing the clinics, Mr.
Mendenhall pointed out that
farmers who have their work
stock treated regularly for
worms and Botts report that
it is well worth the time and
money. He added that there is
no charge for the examination,
and only a small charge far
treatment. Animals to be treat
ed should not be fed for .at
. least 18 hours before treatment.
The schedule for the clinics
' follows :
Wednesday: 10 a. m., at Mrs.
J.M.McCracken, Rabbit Creek;
2 p. m., Clyde West's, Cowee.
Thursday: 10 a. m., R. C. En
j loe's Cartoogechaye ; 2 p. m.,
i Wiley Clark's, Ellijay; and 4
? p. m., Jess Thomas', Franklin.
At the peak training load in
the Fourth Service command 10
quartermaster market centers
, were established, purchasing
? millions of dollars worth of per
' Uhable foods. Since V-J Day,
, that number has been cut to
1 flva.