Net raid
CIRCULATION
Last Week
2596
Wht ISjiahlatiVs JHacouimt
VOL. LJ V III? NO. 43
FRANKLIN, N. C? THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1953
TWELVE PAGES
ENGINEER
SPEAKS ON
ROAD WORK
Usry Discusses
Present And Future
Construction Jobs
Present and future highway
construction In Macon County
was reviewed by Resident Engi
neer S. T. Usry at last Wednes
day night's meeting of the
Franklin Rotary Club.
In addition to covering phases
of highway work in this coun
ty, the engineer also announced
that Macon Counstruction
Company, of Franklin, has
started preliminary clearing on
the $807,296 project from Cowee
Gap to Dillsboro (US 23), an
extension of the US 23 link
from Franklin to Cowee Gap,
which is now in the final stages
of construction.
When traffic will be able to
move over the new links from
Franklin to Dillsboro is indefi
nite, Mr. Usry explained:
"It is possible that the whole
road to the Tuckaseigee River
Bridge will be paved by next
fall, but I fear that the paving
on the Jackson side .of the proj
ect will have to be held over
until the Spring of 1955, just
as the Macon side of the proj
ect is having to be delayed un
til next Spring."
As for. using the highway
whil? construction is going on,
the engineer said it will be im
nossib'.? most of the time until
grading is completed on the
Jackson, side.
Las* week the State Highway
Department completed 1.55 miles
of paving on US 23 and 64 in
side the Franklin city limits
and put down a 30-foot strip
around the county courthouse
at a cost of $16,158.50. Careless
drivers ? turning sharply or ap
plying brakes too hard ? already
have damaged some of the new
surfacing, the engineer pointed
out, and he urged drivers to ex
ercise caution until it has time
to cure.
Other projects discussed by
the engineer Included:
Georgia Highway
The $450,000 allocation for re
locating a new stretclv of US
23-south from Franklin to the
Georgia state line was trans
ferred to the Cowee Gap-Dllls
boro project in order to rush
this construction to completion.
Therefore, Mr. Usry said, there
are no present funds for this
project although the field sur
vey and preliminary plans have
been completed. However, he
Commissioner Harry Buchanan
hopes to have the necessary
funds by the time the Frank
lln-Dlllsboro project Is complet
ed. The plans call for the pro
posed highway to swing left
near the city limits and connect
with US 64 about a half-mile
west of the traffic light at the
intersection of US 23 and 64. !
But it is possible that later
conditions may dictate another
route for this connection, he
added.
?? ?J avunu
Tihs 12-mile stretch across
Wayah Gap to the Nantahala
section probably will be con
tracted next? maybe next sum
mer The field survey has been
completed and funds appropri
ated. but plans have not been
completed, Mr. Usry said The
new stretch tentatively will be
gin at the end of the present
black top at Cold Springs on
the Wayah Valley side and will
ru nto Fiesty Branch, near Nan
tahal. School.
Franklin-Cowee Gap
Die Person, Inc., of Monroe,
completed structures on the
project last week and all that
remains is the removal of the
detour bridge on Rabbit Creek,
where a culvert has been in
stalled.
Grading of the- roadway is
practically complete, except for
a deep cut at Cowee Gap.
About 20.000 cubic yards of
rock still has to be moved in
the cut. Barring bad" weather,
the cut should be completed by
December. Some grading still
has to be done from the Little
Tennessee River Bridge to the
city limits, but it will not be
done until Spring so traffic can
use the present pavement this
Winter.
SrP VO ? PAGE 12
Radio Cements FriendshiD
it
For Young Woman And Dog
Call radio what you may, but
its a pretty wonderful thing to
Louise and "Rita".
Louise is Miss Louise Wood
ard, a pert brownette of 31, who
has been blind since birth.
"Rita" is her new seeing-eye
dog ? a beautiful brownish-red
Doberman Pincher who seems
to be haughtily aware of her
Importance and the fact that
she is the first seeing-eye dog
to come to this county.
And radio cemented this
friendship, which to the out
sider looking in seems to be a
pretty wonderful thing also.
Miss Woodard, daughter of
Mrs. M. A. Woodard, of the Oak
Grove community, tells the
story this way:
Listening to the radio one
night, she heard about the
Pilot Guilde Dog Foundation, a
charitable organization in Chi
cago, 111., which provides money
for seeing-eye dogs. She imme
diately sent the foundation a
letter, requesting a dog An ap
plication blank arrived from the
foundation; she filled it out I
and returned it; and the next
thing she knew she received a
plane ticket and instructions to
fly from Asheville to Columbus,
Ohio, and train with a dog
But 'Rita" doesn1' enter the
picture yet. Louise's first dog
was a German Shepherd, "but
she proved unsatisfactory be
cause she would not mind and
would chase other dogs."
Then came Rita", a four
year-old who belonged to ,1 man
who died and was turned back
to the foundation. Rita ' knew
the ropes ind this friendship
was born
.Miss Woodard has just re
turned to her mother's home,
with "Rita" at her side.
In her 31 years of darkness,
this spunky Macon County
young woman has managed to
lead a full and enjoyable life.
She attended the State School
for the Blind in Raleigh, work
i ed as a grader for the Ashe
ville Mica Company lor two
years, and also was employed
In Charlotte for some time.
' But honestly. I don't know
how I have gotten along with
out her", she reflected, patting
"Rita" lovingly.
Wilkie Named
Police Chief
In Highlands
Burt Wilkie, of Sylva, was ap
pointed chief of police in High
lands at a meeting of the town
board Monday night.
Mr. Wilkie, who will take over
his new duties on November 1,
succeeds the late M. A. Nelson.
Frank Crane is serving tempor
arily as police chief.
MACON JURY
DRAWN FOR
WOOD TRIAL
Accused Slayef
Of Jackson Sheriff
On Trial In Sylva
A special jury was selected >
from a venire of 100 Macon
County men Tuesday in Sylva
to hear the murder trial of 56
year-old Demos Wood, who is
charged with the July 2 shot
gun slaying of Jackson County !
Sheriff Charles Griffin Middle- |
ton.
Serving on the jury are J. W.
Gribble, John Edwards, Norman
Evans, John Kusterer, Lester
Holland, Jake Waldroop, Lef
ferts Higdon, Elbert Houston, J.
L. Miller, Glenn Ray, B. B.
Scott, and L. B. Liner. The al
ternate juror is J. C. Bryson.
Sheriff J. Harry Thomas and
his deputies spent Monday aft
ernoon and night rounding up
the venire i on orders of Solic
itor Thad D. Bryson. Jr.
The murder tiral is being |
heard by Judge Francis O.
Clarkson at the Jackson County j
Superior Court term, which I
opened Monday.
95 Students
Make School
Honoi Roll
Ninty-five Franklin High
j School students made the hon
or ? roll for the srading period
'just ended, with the 11th grade1
i leading with 23 honor students.
To be eligible for the honor
| roll. Principal Ralph L. Smith
j explained that a student must j
! maintain an average of 90 in
| class work: making as many j
A's as B's, or three A's for each
C. Under the grading system
j used, an A is 95-100; B, 85-95;
C, 75-85.
The honor students, by grades,
are:
Twelfth: Clara Belle Ander
son, Charles Baldwin, Luetta
Browning. Betty Cabe. Annette
Dalrymple, Annie Dills, Thad
Dowdle, Ben Edwards, Ruth Ed
wards, Richard Gibson, Jeanne
Henson. Marilyn Henson, Mari
lyn Higdon, Bea Johnson, Nancy
McCollum, Eugene McDonald,
Holland McSwain, Jr., Mildred
Morgan, Maxine Peek, Jlmmie
Sherrill, Carlene Sorrells, Paul
Sorrells. Norma Jean Welch,
and Bill Zickgraf.
Eleventh; Catherine Alexand
er, Nancy Angel, Birdie Lee
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 12
Franklin-Robbinsville Game Shots
These three pictures show that Friday night's game here between Franklin and Robbinsville
wp.s rougher than the 0 to ^ score indicated. Kuth teams put up stiff ground and aerial attacks,
but were unable to muster up a scoring punch. In the top picture, Hack Vic Teague is shown
charging through the line with an unidentified Kol>b nsville player riding his hack. The bottom
two pictures illustrate the trouble receivers on b ith teams had holding on to the ball. The un
identified Robbinsville man dropped his p?.ss, a did the Panther (right).
Survey Of Macon's Labor
Potential Slated Nov. 6-7
X SUPOAlf nf \fio.n C niinfi'' - t ? ill 1- ? ' 1 *
Communities
Will Honor
Contributors
A two-purpose barbecue din
ner will be given November 7
by the 13 communities entered
in the Macon County Rural
Community Development Con
test, honoring local business
and professional men who con
tributed prize money for the
contest.
The dinner, which will be
held at the Franklin High
School cafeteria at 7 p. m., also
will feature the awarding of
$1,025 to the winning commun
ities in the contest.
Guest speaker for the dinner
will be F. H. Jeter, of Raleigh,
extension service editor, accord
ing to an announcement made
this week by County Agent S.
W. Mendenhall, ^secretary of the
county contest council.
Other features of the dinner
are still being worked out, he
said, and will be made public
later.
Women of the 13 commun
'ities will prepare and serve the
.meal under the supervision of
the council
In addition to Mr. Menden
hall, the council is composed of
Erwin Patton. president: Walter
Tdylor, vice-president; and W.
W. Sloan, treasurer. Presidents
of the 13 communities also
serve on the council.
The deadline for the contest
is November 1. Judging will be
over a three-day period. No
vember 2. 3. and 4.
Five Citizens
Receive Safe
Driver Awards
Five Macon County citizens
have been awarded "Safe Driv
er" awards in line with a state
wide traffic safety program.
Highway Patrolman H. T. Fer
guson this week presented cer
tificates to Boise Hall and H.
W. Cabe, both of Franklin,
James C. Myers, of Franklin,
Route 3, and Mrs. Louise S.
Holt and T. C. Harbison, both
of Highlands.
The patrolman said he select
ed the five from among motor
ists here after observing their
safe driving habits both in the
city and on the open road.
.. ..4a . ju .-5 iauiu; jj'jLCUtiai wui UC ldUXlCIl^Ul
on a county-wide scaie November 6 and 7 as the Ilrst step !>y
,the Macon County Industrial Committee toward preparing a
I comprehensive study of the county's industrial picture.
All citizens between the ages of 18 and 50 are urged to visit
the designated registration place in their community and fill
out a labor survey blank. Hours will be 9 a. m. to 4 p. m., each
day. ,
Registration will be handled by volunteers at the following
GARDEN CLUBS
HOLD MEETING
Franklin Club Host
To District Women
Here On Tuesday
; Tuesday, the Franklin Garden
| Club was host to a meeting of
District 1. N. C. Federation of
Garden Clubs, at the Franklin
Presbyterian Church.
Approximately 100 women
| from clubs in Asheville, Canton.
I Tryon, Waynesville. Rosman,
and Brevard, were present for
[ the district meeting, which was
the first held here since the
j local club federated with the
i state organization some three
: years< ago.
I Registration opened at 9:30.
! and the business session got
j under way at 10. The meeting
] was called to order by Miss
j Louise Ballard, district director.
The invocation was given by
the Rev. J. Bryan Hatchett.
Presbyterian pastor. Background
! music was furnished by Mrs.
Margaret Cooper, pianist, and
i Miss Alice. Weaver, vocalist.
The women were welcomed
by Mrs. R. G. Lichtenstein,
Franklin president, and the re
sponse was made by Mrs. F. J.
Lhata, president of the Kenil
worth Garden Club. Asheville.
Highlight of ' the morning
session was an address by Mrs.
E. A. Palmgren, state president,
who also reported on her re
cent trip to a garden club board '
meeting in New York and a '
visit to the Botanical Gardens
of the United Nations. 1
The session also was marked J
by reports from club presidents. |
Folllowing adjournment, the 1
women attended a luncheon at '
Panorama Court, where Mrs. '
George Little, state chairman 1
of awards, presented the Kenil- '?
worth and Rosman clubs with ]
awards for year books. The Sky- '
land club won the attendance
award.
A report on the progress of '
the Elizabethan Garden was (
made by Mrs. J. B. Clanton.
state news director. She show- '
ed pictures of some of the out- '
standing features of the 16th |
century English garden, which *
is being developed on the Car- c
olina coast. >
The Waynesville Council of |
Garden Clubs extended an in
vitation for the next district '
meeting to be held in the fall '
of 1954 '
TEAM FIGHT ,
TO DEADLOCK
'New Look' Displayed
Bv Panthers In Game
With Robbinsville
A vp' it r.i/ed Franklin Hiah
football teaiv. cropped up ? here
Friday r.i'.ht and battled to a
0 t.,o 0 d acilock with ; smooth
ivorklnu ?>!>. .??.?? Robbins
ville High.
The Panthers definitely dis
AiruND r.AMtl
.The Franklin II is It Panth
ers attended the Georsia-L.S.
I". game in Athens Saturda.v
as nuests of Bulldog Coach
Wally Butts. The trip was ar
ranged by ('. S. Brown, of
Franklin, long-lime friend of '
the roach Butts. This Satur
day the team will attend the
Western Carolina College
I.enoir Ithvne game at Cullo
whee as guests of W.C.C.
Coe.-h Tom Young.
played a new look " for local
football fans as the game rock- ,
ed back and forth between the '
SEE NO. 4, PAGE 17
locations in the county:
Highlands: Town Office.
Gneiss: Post Office.
Cullasaja: Bryson's Store.
Millshoal: Holly Springs Com
munity Center.
Watauga: Crawford's Store
Franklin: County Courthouse
and Shook's Shell Station
Cowee: Rickman's Store
Tellico i Lower Burningtown :
Morgan's Store.
Nantahala: Aquone Post Of
fice and Nantahala School.
Otto: Post Office.
Prentiss: Union School.
Cartoogechaye: Cartoogechaye
School.
Volunteers from the Lion.?
Club. Franklin and Highlands
Jaycees, Rotary Club. Junior
Woman's Club. Veterans of For
eign Wahs Post, and American
Lettion Post will take charge o i
the registration for the indus
trial committee. n
Once the results bf the libo:
survey are tabulated, they will
be coupled with other peitinen:
facts about the county and
printed in booklet form for the
inspection of industry/
This additional information
already has been compiled, ac
cording to Mrs. Lasca E. Hart
ley. chamber of commerce sec
retary. The facts and figures
cover all facts of the count."
and its economy, from tax rates
to rainfall.
Both the commerce body ani
the Town of Franklin have ear
marked $250 for the printing of
the booklet.
"While the amount of money
we have on hand is hardly suf
ficient to cover the cost of the
entire project, it nevertheless
gives us something to work
with", commented Frank B.
Duncan, industrial committer
chairman, at a meeting Wed
nesday night of last week.
Mr. Duncan said the commit
tee hopes to receive funds from
Dther organizations interested
in the project from the stand
point of giving the county a
solid foundation to stand on
ivhen interviewed by prospective
industry.
"Our main concern at present
is to get the information down
in black and white where it
:an be studied," he added.
In addition to Mr. Duncan.
>ther members of the commit -
:ee are John M. Archer, Jr., C.
3anks Finger, Lewis Patton, and
r. P. Brady. The committee wa3
>rganized last spring
Highlands C. C.
slates Election
ruesday Night
The election of directors will
eature a meeting of the High
ands chamber of Co.mmerc >
ruesday night at 7:30. ar.l
omeone attending stands to r-5
?eive a free membership in tl;a
irganlzatlon. according to Pre -
dent . V \V McCall
Mr. McCall ^aid the meetir t
s open to the public and ever' -
ine is invit-'d to vote in tlv 1
?lection:
The nominating committee >
omposed of Dr Jessie M Hei -
!en John B..,rnette and \V. 1*
robb
A 'drawing wijl be held at ?:?.?
?lose of the meeting to dete -
nine who will receive the fr a
nembcrshlp.
The election of directors hi i
jeen changed from the Sprir.?
o the Fall, the president ex
plained. so "the new directors
a ill be able to work out a ?"'!
program far the coming yea; "
TWO KILL ,'DEER
Edward Frahks and T. A. T -
son. both of Arden. were ar
rested on Puck Creek Saturday
by Patrolman H T. Fergus
and were charged with killing
a deer out of season. A prelimi
nary hearing has been set for
October 30 before Justice of the
Peace Sam J. Murray.
Don't Forget Labor Survey Registration On November 6 and 7