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VOL. LXV1I? NO. 43
FRANKLIN, N. C., THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1952
COMPANY SEEKS
RATE INCREASE
FORTELEPHONES
Hearing By Utilities
Group Slated For
December
A rental rate increase of $1.25
per month for all classes of
service is being sought by the
Western Carolina Telephone
company, which serves Frank
lin and Highlands.
The company's application for
the boost will be studied by
the N. C. Utilities commission
at a hearing in Asheville on
December 2.
According to R. E. McKelvey,
manager of the company, the
increase, if approved, will apply
not only to the Franklin and
Highlands Exchanges, but to
other exchanges throughout its
system.
He explained that the rate
hike will bring, in a gross an
nual revenue of $117,218, of
which the company will net
$52,397 after state and federal
taxes.
The application also requests
permission to increase connec
tion fee for telephone service
from $4 to $6.
Mr. McKelvey said the in
crease is "essential and neces
sary" to adequately and rea
sonably furnish telephone facil
ities to the public because of
the increase in labor, mate
rials, and supplies, the growth
and demand for service, and to
carry on and complete the com
pany's improvement and ex
pansion program.
A new rate schedule was put
into effect by the company in
December, 1951, which was de
signed to bring in a gross in
crease in revenue of $40,189.44.
Present rates are (residential
rates apply to both Franklin
and Highlands):
In Franklin: business (one
party), $7.25; business (two
party), $6; business (four par
ty), $5; business (rural), $5.
Residential (one party), $4.25;
residential (two party), $3.50;
residential (four party), $3; res
/ ? 1
1UCI1LUU UUlttl 90.
In Highlands: business (one
party), $7.25; business (two
party), $6; business (lour par
ty), $5; business (rural), $6.
Approval of the application
rests with the utilities commis
sion, which also sets the effec
tive dates of changes.
In addition to Franklin and
Highlands, the company serves
Bakersvllle, Bryson City, Burns
ville, Cashiers, Cherokee, Cullo
whee, Hayesville, Hot Springs,
Marion, Marshall, Mars Hill,
Sylva, and Weaverville.
Neely Named Registrar
For Highlands Precinct
Harry Neely has been ap- 1
pointed registrar for Highlands
precinct for the general elec
tion November 4, It has been
announced by Slier Slagle,
chairman of the Macon County
board of elections. Mr. Neely
succeeds Louis Edwards.
PROTECTOR RESIGNS
Claude Penland this week an
nounced his resignation as
Wildlife Protector in Macon
County and expressed his ap
preciation to the public lor Its
cooperation during his four
years' service. His successor has
not been named.
OLD MILL BURNS
The old roller mill ? a well
known Macon landmark on the
old 'Georgia highway ? was al
most totally destroyed by fire
about 3:30 a. m. Tuesday. Fire
men kept the blaze away from
the .nearby ice plant. The old
mill, built about 1906, was
owned by Burch Monteith, and
was in the process of being
torn down and moved to anoth
er location.
CIRCUIT CONFERENCE SET
The first quarterly conference
of the Highlands-Cashiers cir
cuit of the Methodist church
will be held at the Cashiers
Methodist church Sunday at
noon following the 11 o'clock
worship service. The Rev. W.
Jackson Huneycutt, district su
perintendent, of Waynesville,
will conduct the service and
preach before convening the
conference.
il ii I iimii !? 1 1 i ? ?nirrr imi"p nn m ~ I
?Staff Phot* by J. P. Brad'
A dirty, tired, and hungry Herbert McKelvey, missing for more than 35 hours in jungle-like
Blue Valley, near Highlands., wolfs down a plate of bacon and eggs under the watchful eye of his
father, R. E. McKelvey, and the three men who found him camped on a, sand bar in the mid
dle of a creek about 3 a. m. Monday. The 16-year-old Eagle scout had been missing since Sat
urday afternoon after going squirrel hunting clad only in a T-shirt and d'ungarees. (L to R)
Clyde Bingham and Romulus Carpenter, two of the three who found the scout, Herbert, his fath
er, and Odell Owens, of Satolah, Ga., the third member of the search party. More than 100 men
and two airplanes combed the forest for the missing boy.
Local Squad
Plays The'
Game Friday
The Franklin High Panthers,
who climbed aboard the come
back train last Thursday night
by polishing off Robbinsville
25 to 0, play "THE" game of
the season here tomorrow (Fri
day) night.
Bryson City's Swain High Ma
roons ? the high-flying grid
machine that has jerked the
Smoky Mountain conference
crown out of the hands of the
Panthers for the past two sea
sons ? will invade the Franklin
stadium for a game that should
make history.
Gametime is 8 o'clock and
sports are urged to turn out
early if they expect to find a
seat. More than 2,000 are ex
pected to overflow the stadium.
In Thursday's game in Rob
binsville (scheduled for Friday,
but set back because of a N.C.
E.A. meeting in Asheville, which
closed schools here Friday so
teachers could attend, the
Panthers, still smarting from
their 14 to 0 defeat in Sylva
the previous Friday, operated
with clock-like precision. The
local squad used its "Paydirt
Pals^T Henderson and Keener,
to shove over touchdowns in
each of the four quarters. Hen
derson, a hard-driving fallback,
mowed over for three of the
scores and kicked an extra.
Keener, a mainstay in the
Panther offense, racked up an
extra.
VOTE PROJECT
IS UNDER WAY
Local N.C.E.A. Sending
Questionairres To
Eligible Voters
A project to determine the
percentage of eligible voters who
cast ballots in the last election
and who are registered to vote
in the November general elec
tion has been launched by the
local N. C. Education associa
tion.
Questionairres have been sent
into homes by school children
and the results will be tabulat
ed by the civics classes at
Franklin High school, according
to Mrs. Frank Martin, chairman
of the local N.C.EA. citizenship
committee.
The project is one phaze of
the organization's citizenship
education program and is be
ing undertaken in an effort to
stimulate interest in the elec
tion and to bring eligible voters
to the polls.
Results of the project will be
made public later, the chair
man said.
FEED MUX SOLD
The Franklin Feed mill was
sold this week by Bruce Palmer
to L. E. Kilday, of Oreeneville,
Tenn. The mill will be operated
for the new owner by his
brother, A. K. Kilday. No other
changes in the plant personnel
are contemplated. It -was said.
ROTARY HAS PUSHED MANY
PROJECTS IN PAST 25 YEARS
me rranran Kotary ciuo,
which last (Wednesday) night
celebrated its silver anniver
sary, has engaged in a wide
1 "VW J MB**???
DR. SYLVESTER GREEN
variety or community activities
daring Its quarter-century ex
istence, minutes of the organi
zation reveal.
The celebration, a ladles'
night-dinner, was highlighted
by an address by Dr. C. Syl
vester Green, of Chapel Hill,
executive vice-president of the
Medical Foundation of North
Carolina.
Minutes of the club's early
years throw interesting side
lights on the times. For ex
ample, in the late 20's, the club
entered into a contract with
Mrs. Laura Watkins, now of
River Rock inn, to provide
luncheons (the club then met
at noon) for 40 cents per
plate. And in 1934, when the
club was host, its first and
only time, to a district assem
bly, the directors, after much
deliberation, finally approved a ;
fee of $2 for serving each of J
the visitors three meals ? two
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 12
Masonic Lodge
Plans Program
A special program celebrating
the 200th anniversary of the in
itiation of George Washington
in the Masons is planned by
the local Masonic lodge Tues
day at 7 : 30 p. m. at the East
Franklin school, C. H. Bolton,
chairman of publicity, has an
nounced.
The public is invited to at
tend the special program, which
is being held state-wide by Ma
sonic lodges.
County School Supt. Holland
McSwain is the scheduled
speaker.
Saturday Is Night For
Halloween Carnival At
Cowee, Love Announces
A Halloween carnival, under
the sponsorship of the school
and its parent-teacher associa
tion, is planned Saturday night
at Cowee school, Principal T. T.
Love has announced.
Festivities, including a box
supper, cake walks, Bingo, and
the usual spooks and goblins,
will get under way at 7:30
o'clock. Proceeds from the car
nival -will go to the school.
Everyone is invitede to attend
and get in on the fun.
Eagle Scout Lost 35 Hours
? In Blue Valley Found Safe,
Just Tired, Dirty, Hungry
YOUTH DIES
AT DRY FALLS
Waynesville Sightseeer
Drowns In Pool At
Base Of Cascade
Dry Falls, one of Macon
County's top scenic water at- J
tractions on the Franklin-High
lands highway, claimed its sec
ond victim of the. year Sunday
afternoon.
Ronald Lanning, a 19-year
old Waynesville sightseer, slip
ped on wet rocks about 2:30
o'clock while climbing along the
edge of the small pool at the
base of the cascade and drown
ed before companions could
reach him.
Young Lanning's half brother
and two cousins made an at
tempt to pull him out with a
makeshift rope of shirts, but
were unsuccessful, according to
investigating officers.
Artificial respiration admin
istered by Dr. Sherman Pace, of
Highlands, failed to revive the
youth, whose body was recov
ered about 5 o'clock ? nearly
two and a half hours after he
slipped and plunged into the
pool.
A coroner's jury empaneled
at the scene ruled accidential
death after hearing the testi
mony of eye witnesses.
The Waynesville youth's body
was located with grappling
: hooks in about 15 feet of water
| by State Highway Patrolman
V. E. Bryson and Jim Blakley,
of Highlands.
Early in August a young
sighteer from Augusta. Ga., slip
ped while walking across the
.top of the falls, which annu
' ally draws thousands of visitors,
land plunged 125 feet to his
I death.
Cartoogechaye School
Plans Halloween Fete ?
A Halloween carnival, with
the proceeds earmarked for the
school, will go into full swing
Saturday night at 7:30 o'clock
at the Cartoogechaye school, it
has been announced.
Fishing, Bingo, fortune tell
ing. guess cake, picking the
ugliest man and the prettiest
girl present, and selection of a
prince and princess and king
and queen head the evening's
fun.
Set U.N. Day* j1
Observance
Here Friday i
United Nations Day ? a red j 1
letter date in the pursuit of ! 1
world peace? won't be ignored j !
in Macon County.
A county-wide observance is '
planned tomorrow (Friday) |
afternoon at 2 o'clock at the j ?
Franklin High stadium and a '
j large turnout is anticipated.
(Editor's Note: Both Eisen
| hower and Stevenson will be on
a United Nations program Fri- '
day night at 9:30 EST over the
CBS network).
C. J. Setzer, Jr., an official
of Champion Paper and Fibre
company in Canton, is the
scheduled speaker. A veteran of
World War II, Mr. Setzer was
Grounded twice while fighting
in the Phillipines. His appear
ance here was arranged by the
local Veterans of Foreign Wars
post. He will be introduced by
Weaver Shope, principal of
Cullasaja school.
The U. N. observance will get
under way at 2 o'clock with a
drilling exhibition by the
Franklin band. A flag raising
will be conducted by members
of the local American Legion
I pusi.
Weimar Jones, editor-publish
er of The Franklin Press, will
extend the welcome, followed
by a presentation of flags by i
Franklin Girl Scouts. A Swedish !
dance is planned by fourth
grade pupils.
Robert (Bud i Siler, son of
Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Siler, will
read the Declaration of Human
Rights.
The Rev. A. Rufus Morgan,
i rector of the St. Agnes Epis
! copal church, will give the in -
; vocation.
j Parents throughout the coun
ty are urged to bring their |
children to the observance.
Mrs. S. F. Beck is in charge
of the program.
Republicans Will
Hear Nominee For
Congress At Rally
Hugh Monteith, of Sylva, Re
publican nominee for congress
from the 12th congressional dis
trict, is scheduled to be the
principal spftker at a rally of
Macon Republicans here Tues
day, according to George Reece,
chairman of the county party.
Dr. R. E. McArdle, of Washington, D. C., chief of the U. S. Forest service, (left) was an
-unofficial" visitor on the Nantahala Forest here Tuesday of last week, dropping over from
Asheville where a Joint convention of the American Forestry association and the N. C. Forestry
association was in progress. In the center is C. A. Connaughton, of Atlanta, regional forester
(Region 8), who accompanied Dr. McArdle here, and at right, Nantahala Supervisor E. W. Ren
shaw.
VlcKelvey Object Of Big
Search; Became Lost
While Hunting
A 16-year-old Franklin Eagle
scout, lost for more than 35
lours in jungle-like Blue Vai
ey. near Highlands, was found
ay a three-man search party
?bout 3 a. m. Monday camped
an a sand bar in a Georgia
ireek in true scouting tradition.
Unaware that he was the ob
ject of a full-scafe searching
operation involving more than
100 men, a dirty, tired, and
hungry Herbert McKelvey and
the three who found him hiked
into a rendezvous camp set up
by search parties in the heavily
wooded valley about 4:20 o'clock.
At that moment the scout's
father, R. E. McKelvey. was at
the opposite end of the camp
helping organize a systematic
search to be launched at da$
break.
"Here's your boy", announced
Odell Owens, of Satolah Ga.,
who along with Clyde Bingham
and Romulus Carpenter, both
Franklin taxi drivers, found the
missing scout.
Owens' casual remark was
electrifying ? stunned silence
men huddled around the large
camp fire stared at the scout
who disappeared Saturday ait
ernoon while squirrel hunting
and who now stood smilir.g at
the edge of the camp. His
father vaulted the fire to reach
him ? John Edwards, who took
Herbert and two other Frank
lin scouts into the valley Sat
urday for a week-end camping
trip, hugged him roughly
Someone ^ho\ed a plate of ba
con and eggs into his hands ?
searchers were preparing to eat
breakfast and tackle the under
brush cn a iu.l stomach at
dawn.
Herbert, who today is thank
ing his lucky s'ars for his scout
training, tailed to return Sat
urday night after telling his
camping partners. Ben Edwards
and Robert 'Bud' Siler. he was
going sa.uirrel hunting fcr a
little while. When he tiicn't
show up at dark, the two Scouts
started searching for him In
the dense underbrush and
treacherous cliffs of the valley.
After scouring the area Sunday
morning, the two sounded the
alarm on the outside and an.
all-out search started
i^ar toaas 01 volunteers merg
ed on the area, bloodhounds
were brought in. and airplanes
piloted by Grant Zichgrsf and
Bill Phillips, of Franklin, buaz
ed up and down the valley
Sunday afternoon until alter'
dark. Others in the FrankMn
Highlands area and Georgia
were preparing to join in. tfce.
hunt when word went owt that"
the missing boy was safe and:
sound.
On a "hunch", the three men'
who found Herbert, took to tbe
woods after dark, yelling at in
tervals as they went along. It'
paid off ? about two miles ftom
the rendezvous camp (two
miles in Blue Valley is about
like 20 anywhere else* the
Scout, camped for the night on
a sand bar in Holcombe creek,
answered back, leading the men
with his voice.
"You sound a little hoarse,
son", remarked the Scout's
father at the rendezvous camp.
"You'd be hoarse too", Her
bert explained grinning, "if
you had yelled like I did."
As he tackled his second
plate of eggs and bacon, the
Scout, who . had braved two
nights in the damp and chilly
forest clad only in a T-shirt
and dungarees, related how his
Scout training pulled him;
through the rough spots and
how he shct and roasted a
small winter bird with his 22
and ate wild grapes.
"No. I wasn't very scared, r
saw the planes circling and S
knew they were hunting for
me. I built a fire (a good Scout
always carries matches) bat I
guess they thought tbe smoke
was light fog hanging over the
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 18
Are You Eligible To Vote? Saturday Is The Last Day To Register