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FRANKLIN, N. C., THURSDAY, DEC. 11, 1952
Begin Cowee-Dillsboro Road Survey
LODGE HOLDS !
ANNIVERSARY I
DINNER HERE
Event Marks 100th Year
Of Macon's Oldest
Fraternal Group
The oldest fraternal organi- j
zatlon in Macon County, Juna
luskee Lodge No. 145, A. F. and
A. M., celebrated Its 100th an
niversary with a banquet for
more than 150 persons in the
Franklin school cafeteria Tues
day night.
Many of those present were
deeply moved by the address of
Leon Gray, superintendent of
the Oxford Orphanage, who
stressed the idea that the by
products of Masonry were the
most Important contribution
that the organization had to'
make to the various commun
ities throughout the world.
Past Master B. L. McGlam
ery presided ovex the meeting
and presented to the group; E.
L. Hyde, outgoing worshipful
master; John Bulgin, Incoming
worshipful master; A. B. Slagle,
oldest member on rolls of Juna
luskee Lodge In point of service,
having been made a master
Mason in 1904; Bruce Palmer,
youngest Mason, having just
recently been taken Into the
lodge.
warmer masters oi tbe lodge,
H. Lee Guffey, Frank I. Mur
ray, C. Gordon Moore, J. Ward
Long, Mr. McGlamery, Mr.
Slagle, E. R. Bullock, H. H.
Plemmons and T. T. Love, also
were recognized by the group.
The event, r. McGlamery
pointed out, was of particular
significance to Mr. Bulgin, as
it enabled him to celebrate
three anniversaries at once?
the 100th birthday of the lodge,
which both he and his father
before him have been very ac
tive in, his taking over as mas
ter of the lodge, and his own
birthday.
Mr. Gray, principal speaker
for the evening, was introduced
by Holland McSwain, past mas
ter of the lodge at Yanceyville,
and present member of Juna
luskee Lodge.
In developing his theme con
cerning the value of the by
i products of Masonry, Mr. Gray
gave as an example the life of
George Washington Carver, who
studied to become a teacher and
whose principal purpose In life
was to educate Negro boys and
girls to enable them to make
a better living, yet who is best
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 7
MEANDERING
ALONG
MAIN STREET
Franklin's Main Street is
gaily lit with Christmas lights
again, and Mayor W. C. Burrell
yesterday called attention to the
fact that, as usual, the lights
were put up by employes of the
Western Carolina Telephone
Company and the Nantahala
Power and Light Company,
waiting on their own time,
without compensation.
Be expressed appreciation to
theae men, adding that the peo
ple at the town and the county,
who enjoy the lights during the
holiday Mason, are Indebted to
the employes of the two com
panies for this contribution of
their time and work.
? ? ?
That was quite a crowd gath
ered around the electric train
displayed by the Franklin Jay
cees in downtown Franklin
Saturday. A contribution to the
Jaycees' swimming pool fund
puts one's name In the pot for j
the drawing on the train on
December 20.
* * * i
The "skyscraper" at Franklin
Frozen Foods, Inc., is taking '
shape.
* * *
Sidewalk construction engi- ,
neers are gathering around the |
front of Prelo Dryman's store
building on Main Street, giving j
the usual advise on "here's how
I would do It."
154 Inducted
Into Service
Dilring Year!
The Induction of 10 men
Monday morning brought to 154,
the number of men sent into
uniform in 1952 by the local
selective service board, accord
ing to Mrs. Gilmer A. Jones,
secretary.
Apparently no slow-down in
drafting can be expected in
1953 for the board already has
received a call for 17 men on
January 12 ? the largest local
call since early last spring.
Men sent to Knoxville, Tenn.,
for induction Monday included
Gene C. Evans, L. E. Angel,
Marion Thomas, Jr., Kenneth
K. Boone, Charles D. Cross,
Bur ley L. Chastain, John L.
Wiggins, Cleo Dalton, Franklin
D. Lequire, and John L. Keener.
All inductees are given free
subscriptions to The Press, com
pliments of the Veterans of
Foreign Wars and American
Legion posts.
In giving the total number of
inductees, Mrs. Jones also said
board records show that 195
registrants enlisted In various
branches of the service in 1952.
She also said the board lists
31 reservists, who are subject to
recall to active duty at any
time.
DRAMA GROUP
HAS ARRIVED'
By WEIMAR JONES
The Franklin Community
Players organization definitely
has "arrived" on the dramatic
scene.
That was attested by the en
thusiasm of the audiences at
Friday and Saturday night's
performances of the group's in
itial play, "Dear Ruth".
First of all, the play was well
cast; most of the players fitted
their roles so well that the aud
iences often forgot they were
"play acting". Except for a
slight drag In the opening
scenes the first night? the per
Approximately 225 persons
attended the two-night run,
Friday and Saturday, of
"Dear Ruth".
The play, the first for the
new theatrical organization,
netted approximately' JIM,
which will be turned over to
the Franklin Jayeees' swim
ming pool fund.
formance attended by this re
viewer?It seemed well directed.
And members of the cast show
ed real acting ability, giving
promise of constantly improving
productions.
The only major criticism that
seems warranted was the fail
ure of some of the players to
add that extra painstaking ef
fort that always spells the dif
ference between something that
Is good and something that is
excellent. In some instances the
audience was conscious that the
players were having to concen
trate on remembering their
lines. Instead of having so
thoroughly mastered them as to
be able to concentrate on their
acting. They showed real stage
presence,, however, by being
able to ad lib in most such
cases without undue delay.
8pecial mention, it seems to
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 7
? Staff Photo by J. P. Brody
Friday morning on Burnlngtown, at the ripe ace of 75, Cicero Fouts, (right), of Franklin,
Route 3, bagged his first deer? a two-point back that tipped the scales at about 140 pounds.
The "young" hooter used a 10-ga.uge shotgun to down the animal. His hunting companions were
(left) I. M. Wilson and Rex DuvalL
Local hunters beat the brash for deer from last Wednesday through Saturday ? the finale
for deer this year? and several kills were reported. Frank Solesbee, of Nantahala, killed aq
eight-point, 218-pounder, in the Harrison Cot* section Saturday. He was hunting with Dallas
and Ralph Solesbee and Ralph Allison, of Hiawassee, Ga. Brice Roland, of Nantahala, bagged a
14-point buck m the Clear Creek section Saturday, and Lyman Gregory, of Franklin, downed
a 150-pounder near Wayah Bald on Wednesday. Two sailors from the battleship Iowa, Seamen
Kenneth F. Rogers and Edward Gregory, of Cmllasaja, went squirrel hunting last Wednesday and
returned with a six point buck. The mi was made on Cartoogechaye. The two are home on leave,
after spending seven months in Korean waters ? the battleship.
Boy Injured
In Car Wreck
On Saturday
Freeman Williamson, 18, of
Franklin, Route 1, was serious
ly injured in an automobile
wreck on the Murphy Highway
early Saturday afternoon.
The driver of the automobile
In which young Williamson was
a passenger, George Bates,
about 20, of Franklin, Is charg
ed with drunk and reckless
driving, according to Highway
Patrolman C. M. Byrd. He was
uninjured in the mishap and
was released Sunday under $600
bond.
Angel Hospital reported that
Williamson received a fractured
skull and is Improving.
Patrolman Byrd said the
Bates automobile apparently
was traveling toward Franklin
at a high rate of speed when
the driver lost control near the
"Twin Churches". The vehicle
traveled about 155 yards after
leaving the highway and over- i
turned twice, the patrolman, :
said. Hie accident occurred at 1
12:48 o'clock. 1
Patrolman Byrd and Patrol- >
man V. E. Bryson, of Highlands, i
were the Investigating officers.
. MKE SALE MATED
The St. Afcnaa Episcopal Awe- -
iliary will hold s bake sale to
morrow (Friday) at the Chil
dren's Stoop beginning at t a. ,
m? it has been announced.
'Aunt Jane' Bryson, Macon's
Oldest Citizen, Will Be 102
Y ears 'Y oung' This W eek-EncJ
She'll be 102 years "young"
Sunday!
Who? Why, Mrs. Martha Jane
Bryson, who Is more affection
ately known as "Aunt Jane",
and Is Macon County's oldest
citizen.
Already greeting cards from
friends and relatives all over
the country are pouring into
her white frame house on Bry
son Branch (Cullasaja), where
she has lived for 78 years.
And members of her family
are preparing to help "Aunt
Jane" celebrate her birthday
with a dinner party at her
home Sunday.
Despite her age and the fact
that she has been blind for
many years, Mrs. Bryson is still
very much interested in what
goes on around her and is up
for a few hours almost every
day. All of her eight sons are
still living. The eldest, Will Bry
son, is 77.
FOREST FIRE
REPORT MADE
Blazes Cost $81,500 On
Nantahalas, First
Estimates Show
Forest fires on the Nantahala
National Foirest from July 1 to
date cost approximately $81,500,
according to Supervisor E. W.
Renshaw.
Preliminary estimates Indicate
that about $34,000 was expended
for salaries, supplies, and mile
age fighting the fires, the
supervisor said. Damage to
timber was approximately $47,
500.
About $15,000 of the total
figure was spent in this coun
ty, Mr. Renshaw added.
November was the critical
month as a prolonged drought
got a firm grip on Western
counties. In the first 15 days
of the month, fires burned over
approximately 5,500 acres in
Macon alone, the majority na
tional forest land. A wind-fan
ned fire in the Telllco section
destroyed approximately 4,000
acres before fighters brought it
under control, with the welcome
assistance of rain ? a commodity
which at tbat time was becom
ing rare here. On the entire
forest as a whole for the same
period, an average of a fire a
day broke out.
Music And Christmas
Tea W31 Mark P.T.A.
Meeting Monday Night
Music and a Christmas tea
will feature a meeting of the
Franklin Parent-Teacher Asso
ciation Monday evening, at 7:30
3'clock at the high school.
The program will Include se
lections by the Franklin Band,
iinder the direction of S. F.
Beck, and Miss Alice Weaver's
music class. The tea will follow
the program.
SING SCHEDULED
The second Sunday sing Is
scheduled for 1:30 p. m. at the
Newman Chapel church, Carter
IV. Henson, president, has an
nounced. All singers are Invited
to attend.
Yule Contest
Plans Listed
By Local Club
Plans for the fourth annual
community Christmas decora
tion contest, sponsored by the
Franklin Garden Club, are be
ing shaped.
A new feature has been add
ed to the contest this year, al
lowing Franklin shops and stores
to enter window displays.
All homes and stores within
a mile radius of the city limits
are eligible to enter, club of
ficials said.
Mrs. Robert Korte has been
put In charge of registration
and persons wishing to have
their homes or stores the
stores the night of December
23 are asked to telephone her
at 10-W-3. Registration will
close December 22. Judges will
not be disclosed until after the
contest.
The three contest divisions
are: ?
(1) Best outdoor Christmas
scene ? tree, figures, and nativ
ity scenes. ?
(2) Most effective window and
door display.
SEE Ma ?, PAGE 7
Civil Cases
Moved Ahead
To Next Term
The civil session of the De
cember term of superior court
here failed to materialize ? all
cases scheduled for trial were
continued to the April (1953 )
term, according to Miss Kate
McGee, clefk of court.
Judge William H. Bobbitt re
turned to his home in Char
lotte last week soon after the i
end of the light criminal ses- I
sion.
Ten civil actions were sched
uled for trial, including three
divorces. The case of John
Wishon vs the Nantahala Pow
er and Light Company, which
has been marked by a series of
continuances and a mistrial,
was settled out of court. Mr.
Wishon, a mill operator, was
sueing the power company for
damages allegedly incurred
when the company erected a
dam on White Oak Creek, cut
ting off his water supply at the
mill. Terms of the settlement
were not disclosed.
Following are criminal cases
disposed of by the Judge on
Tuesday of last week, the clos
ing day of the session:
O. D. McClure, abandonment,
capias issued.
Marcellus Wood, abandon
ment, nol pros with leave.
Carl W. Tyler, non-support,
nol pros with leave.
Charlie William Paul, reckless
driving and manslaughter, first
charge continued, second not a
true bill.
Charles M. Hodgin, drunk
driving, six months suspended,
$200, costs.
Robert Bingham, drunk driv
ing, 90 days suspended, $100,
costs.
Robert Lamb, transporting
. and possession of whiskey and
abduction, six months suspend
ed, $200 and costs, first charge;
nol pros with leave, second.
Harold Swafford, non-support,
continued.
Austin Dills, assault with a
SEE NO. 5, PAGE 7
Crusade
Is Under Way; Cabe
Again Chairman
Henry W. Cake has been
a ppointed Macon County
cftiairman for tbr Crusade for
Freedom again this year. '
The Crmit for Freedom,
?a non- governmental organi
sation, seeks to get the truth
across the Iron Curtain to
the peoples of Russia and its
s a t e 1 i t e s. Powerful radio
broadcasts, leaflets carried by
wind, and ?Cher methods are
used. ,
It is financed by individual
donations, chiefly donations of
a few dafern or even school
children's nickels and dimes.
This cowty's 1952 quota is
$1U.
Mr. Cake believes this small
sum can |e raised without an
intensive campaign, and asks
that those who wish to con
tribute see him at the Bank
of Franklin. He hopes to
raiae the Id sum in the next
II days.
MACOnS OLDEST FRATERNAL
GROUP HAD DPS AND DOWNS'
Junalnskee Lodge, No. 145,
A. P. told A M , t be second old
est masonic lodge west of the
Blue Ridge Mountains, gave a
dinner here Tuesday night.
But it was more than just "a
dinner", for It marked the 100th
anniversary of the chartering
of the lodge, which has weath
ered three wars, had more than
its share of the "ups and
downs", and is still going strong.
Plans are now under way for
building a new Masonic Hall
to replace the out-dated one
used by the lodge since October,
1870.
A history of the lodge from
its formation in 1851 to 1947
was prepared by O. L. Houk,
worshipful master In 1946. and
it reflects the fellowship, hu
mor, and pathos of the lodge
as it became a t age.
According to Mr. Houk's his
tory, the Cherokee Indians had
opened the area to white set
tlers only about 30 years and
Franklin was a youthful 20
years old when the first meet
ing of the lodge was held under
a dispensation from the Grand
Lodge of North Carolina. The
meeting was held in a building
owned by J. T. Slier . on the
west side of the present Town
Square and those present in
cluded J. T. Slier, who served
14 years as lodge master. D. R.
Lowery, Stephen Munday, and
Felix Axley.
The lodge plunged Into or
ganizational procedure with a
vengence, meeting five times In
seven days. M. R. Slagle be
came the first man to receive
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 14
PLAN TO START
ON NANTAHALA
SURVEY JAN. 1
Highway Body To Offer
Prison Camp Plot
For Sale
L. Dale Thrash, 10th division
highway commissioner, anr
nounced here yesterday that:
1. Survey of the new highway
to be built from Cowee Gap to
Dillsboro has been started. He
could not say when the project
will be let to contract.
2. Survey of the Wayah Road,
which extends from the inter
section of the Murphy (US 64)
Highway via Wayah Gap to the
new Nantahala School, will be
started immediately after Jan
uary 1. The section is to be re
located and surfaced from the
end of the present blacktop at
Cold Springs to the school.
3. About 11 acres of land, a
part of the property of the
state prison camp here, will be
advertised for sale. This wood
ed property, unused for prison
purposes, fronts about 1,000
feet on the Bryson City High
way, and lies just south of the
intersection of the Bryson City
Highway and the road from
that highway to the prison
camp.
4. Survey of the proposed new
road from Franklin to the
Georgia line has been complet
ed, and the data are in the Ral
eigh office of the State High
way Commission. It will take
' several months, however, for
I the planning division of the
commission to complete work
on the plans and be ready to
advertise for bids.
BOARD ASKS
WORK BIDS
Town Hopes To Begin
Bonny Crest Job
By New Year
Franklin is advertising for
bids on the Bonny Crest sewer
project and town officials hope
to have construction under way
by the first ol the jear. "
At a special meeting Wednes
day night of hist week, the
board of aldermen authorised
Town Clerk C. O. Ramsey to
Invite bids for the Installation
of the n ew sewer line and to
order the materials needed for
the project.
Funds for the new line were
art up in the 1952-53 budget,
under water and sewer improve
ments. According to Mr. Ram
laey, about $5,000 already has
been spent by the town for
Improvements, leaving approxl
| lately $13,000 for the Bonny
'Crest project.
Citizens of the Bonny Crest
section, in the south end of the
town, have been pushing for a
sewer line for several years.
Many residents have had plumb
ing fixtures on hand for more
than a year, waiting for tbe
town to move ahead with the
project.
The job will involve about 7t?
500 feet of ditching and soma
SEE NO 4, PAGE 7
The Weather
The week's temperatures sad
recorded in Franklin by Mmum
U. S. weather ofceerver, and at the
Hydrolofic Laboratory:
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wednesday 56 34
Thursday 50 33
Friday 48 38 . 34
Saturday 63 24
Sunday 04 21
Monday 64 27
Tuesday 66 42 .02
COWHgTA
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wednesday 54 29
Thursday 48 28
Friday 52 35 .53
Saturday 63 22 .03
Sunday 81 20
Monday 60 27
Tuesday <2 36 .01