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[. N. C, THURSDAY, JAN. CI, 1954
Truck Driver Hurt
In Gorge Plunge
Icy Road Causes
2 Vehicle Wrecks
Only Seconds Apart
A 25-year -old truck driver for
tbe J. L. CoJvlUe Construction
Company was Injured late
Thursday morning when bis
truck skidded on ice on
c*the Franklin-Highlands highway
and plunged 100 feet Into Cul
lasaja Gorge.
Seconds later, a 1950 Ply
t- month driven by a Colvllle me
?-?chanic also went out of control
-*apd followed the truck Into the
ravine. The driver, Hoy Lee
Thomas, Jr? 32, was not in
jured.
Tbe truck driver was Identi
fied as Black Sutton, of Whlt
tter. He Is recovering at Angel
Hospital from a fractured arm
and cats and bruises.
Deputy Sheriff Newell Pen
dergrass, who investigated the
accidents, said the mechanic
had been in Highlands working
on tbe truck and tbe two men
were returning to Franklin
when the accidents occurred in
a curve at the head of Cullasaja
Falls about 10:30 .o'clock. The
Colvllle concern, of Bryson City,
is working on the Franklin
Cowee Gap highway project and
has gravel stockpiled at several
points along the Franklin
Highlands highway.
The deputy reported the
dump truck, which was not
loaded, was demolished. Damage
to tbe Plymouth was estimated
at $350.
A treacherous glaze of ice
covered Macon roads Thursday
from about 10 a. m. to 2 p. m.,
when the temperature slipped
downward. Motorists reported a
number of "close calls", Includ
ing backward skids down
Franklin's Town Hill, but no
other accidents were reported
other than the two above.
The weather ? adding Insult
to Injury ^-blanketed the county
around-the-clock Friday with
heavy rain, causing the Little
Tennessee River and other
streams to Jump their banks.
High water damage was light
and most of the streams were
back to normal Sunday.
FARM SCHOOL
SLATED HERE
Three-Day Course
Planned February
By Raleigh Men
A three-day school covering
conducted here by specialists
all phases of agriculture will be
from N. C. State College Febru
ary, 22, 23, and 24, the county
agent's office announced this
week.
The school, which will pin
farming down as strictly a
scientific business, is planned
for the Agricultural Building
each day from 9 a. m. to noon
and 1 to 4 p. m.
Each subject taken up will be
discussed by a trained Raleigh
specialist, according to Assistant
Agent T. H. Fagg.
These subjects will include all
branches of agriculture, from
fertilizers an(l weed control to
engineering and irrigation.
Further details oft the school
will be announced later.
Deacons To Hear
Dr. Harrill Speak
Dr. W. B. Harrill, of Western
Carolina College, Cullowhee, will
address a county-wide Baptist
deacons' meeting tonight (Thurs
day) at the Cartoogechaye Bap
tist Church.
Supper will be served at 7
o'clock.
Scout Leaders
Set Meet Here
Adult Scout leaders of the
Nantahala Area Girl Scout
Council plan a board meeting
In Franklin Saturday afternoon.
The event is scheduled for 2
o'clock at the St. Agnes parish
house.
Mrs. J. M. Valentine, of High
lands, vice-president of the
council, will be In charge of
the program.
Only 8 Days Left
To Buy New Tags
If j?? riant like kmc Una*
r?B'ri better set a move on.
Just have eight
day* fcrft to purchase 1954 11
tnae plates through ?fae local
QareHa* Mater Club office in
the Weatem Auto Associate
StON. .
The deadline is January 31,
bat it's really the 3*th since
the 31st tails on Sandajr.
AS usual, the office is pre
paring f^r loaf lines the last
week. Baying now will elimi
nate this trouble.
Seme two thousand motor
ists still haven't purchased
tag* on. the basis of sales last
year, according to Verion
Swafford, manager. A total of
4,540 tags were sold at the
local office in 1953.
New tag sales Tuesday to
taled 2.348.
Mrs. Potts Speaks
Tonight At Cowee
Mrs. Eloise G. Potts, superin
tendent of welfare, will address
the Cowee Parent-Teacher As
sociation on "Juvenile Delin
quency" tonight (Thursday) at
the Cowee School. The meeting
is set for 7:30 o'clock.
Man Hurt In Truck Plunge Into Gorge
?Staff Phot* by J. P. Brad'
Treacherous ice, which covered Macon roads for several hours last Thursday, pitched this
dump truck from the winding Franklin-Highlands highway (US 64), down a 100-foot ravine into
Cullasaja Gorge. Seconds later, a trailing passenger car followed the truck down the embankment.
The truck driver. Mack Sutton, 25, of Whittier, is recovering from injuries at Angel Hospital. Hoy
Lee Thomas, Jr., 32, driver of the car, was uninjured. Both men are employees of the J. L. Col
ville Construction Company in Bryson City.
? Franklin Press Photo
County School Supt. Holland McSwain is shown presenting
a Distinguished Service Award key and certificate to J. P. Brady,
news editor of The Press, who was announced as Macon's "young
man of the year" at a special Jaycee-sponsored banquet Monday
night. At left is Jaycee President Vic Perry, whose organization
sponsored the award. At right is Thomas C. Posey, Asherille
Jaycee, who was guest speaker at the banquet.
Brady Named i oung Man
J. P. Brady, 28-year-old news
editor of The Franklin Press,
was named Macon County's
"Young Man of the Year" Mon
day night at the local Junior
Chamber of Commerce annual
Distinguished Service Awards
dinner.
This award is presented each
year to some young man for
outstanding service to his com
munity. Any man under 36
years of age, who has resided
in Macon County for the past 1
year. Is eligible and nomina
tions are made by the public at
large.
J. L. West, Jr., and Hall Cal
lahan, local Jaycees, received
"Key Man" awards for note
worthy service within the or
ganization.
T. H. Callahan, local manager
of Belk's Department Store, re
ceived a certificate of recogni
tion of his support and co
operation with the Franklin
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 4
Scouters Win Trophy For 7th Year
? tftt fk?lt ?v I. f . Bfadjr
years the attendance trophy at the annual
has been won by the Smoky Mountain Boy
Tuesday of last week, district Sc outers made it
12 showed up at the 33rd annual convention
the photograph above, H. H. Gnuse, Jr., of
chairman in 1953, is shown presenting the "al
trophy over to the 1954 district chairman, R. E.
of Franklin.
New Macon Rural Contest
Council Officers Picked
Iotla 13th Group
To Join In Contest
The large Iotla Community
organized Tuesday night, be
coming the 18th to enter the
1954 Macon County Rural Com
munity Development Contest.
Because of its size, the new
community plans a special
meeting Monday night at 7:30
o'clock at the Iotla School to
probe the possibility of break
ing the area into three or
more small groups. All citizens
of the community are urged to
turn out for this meeting so
boundaries can be established
and details worked out.
At Tuesday's meeting, the
community elected the following
officers: Ray Bennett, presi
dent; Sammy Holland, junior
president; Mrs. Claude Roper,
vice-president; Miss Nora
Moody, secretary-treasurer; Mrs.
Albert Ramsey, reporter; and
Sammy Holland, song leader.
Several other Macon com
munities are now in the proc
ess of organizing, according to
Assistant County Agent T. H.
Fagg, who is assisting with or
ganizational precedure.
LAWYER TALKS
DELINQUENCY
Jones Tells P.T.A.
Problem Caused By
Lack Of Interest
Juvenile delinquency stems
primarily from unsettled fam
ily backgrounds and the lack of
public interest until the prob
lem child has developed into
a full-fledged delj^quent.
This theory on a serious prob
lem was sounded here Monday
night by Andrew Jones, Frank
lin attorney, as he addressed 64
members of the Franklin Par
ent-Teacher Association on the
subject, "Juvenile Delinquency". j
Delinquency among the young
people of this country is a i
"local problem", the speaker de- I
clared, completely divorced
from a practical solution on
state and national levels.
While he admitted it "is dif
ficult to catalogue what creates
delinquency", the attorney ad
vanced several suggestions to ;
combat the problem.
He suggested establishing a
family counseling service
through welfare department
work; increased church activity
In marriages, assuring that |
couples are prepared to rear .
children to be social assets; In
creased use of guidance clinics
and counseling services In the
schools; complete overhaul of I
SEE NO. 2. PAGE 4
Faced with a rapidly growing
rural community contest this
year, the Macon County Rural
Community Development Coun
cil met Tuesday night of last
week to elect new officers and
iron out preliminary details for
the 1954 contest.
Walter Taylor, of Holly Springs,
was elected president of the
steering group, which is com
posed of presidents of all com
munity organizations and repre
sentatives of agricultural and
civic organizations in the coun
ty. He succeeds Erwin Patton,
of the Patton Community.
Picked to serve with Mr. Tay
lor were Charlie Sutton, of
Cl&rks Chapel, vice-president;
W. W. Sloan, of Nantahala
Power and Light Company,
treasurer; and Assistant County
Agent T. H. Fagg, secretary.
Civic representatives Include
Charles A. Conley, Rotary Club;
A. K. Kilday, Lions Club; W.
W. Reeves, V.F.W.; John Craw
ford, American Legion; and
Frank Plyler. Franklin Jaycees.
The above officers and repre
.sentatives constitute the execu
tive committee for the rural
contest. These two groups and
the community presidents make
up the entire council.
At the present time, 1954 con
test plans are still too indefi
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 4
Freak Mishap Kills
2 -Year -CHd Child
CHAMBER PLANS
FOR ,T^W YEAR
Conn ees Named
? To ? . Budget And
Nom._ :te Officer*
Committees to plan the 1954
budget and nominate a new
slate of officers were appointed
last (Wednesday) night at a
special meeting of the Frank
lin chamber of Commerce.
Member merchants attending
discussed several plans for re
vitalizing the Merchants Asso
ciation, which has been Inac
tive for several months.
SE& NO. 5, PAGE 4
4-H Council Picks
Officers For 1954
The election of officers, pre
sentation of achievement awards,
and a play were highlights of
Saturday's meeting of the 4-H
County Council at the Agricul
tural Building.
Nancy Cable, of the Franklin
club was elected president;
Carolyn Waldroop, Franklin
club, vice-president; Sharon
Swanson, Franklin club, secre
tary-treasurer ; Edna Earle
Stoudemire, Franklin club, re
porter; and Helen Setser, Car
toogechaye club, and Joyce
Gribble, Franklin club, song
leaders.
The 38 present for the coun
cil meeting saw the following
SEE NO. 4, PAGE 4
Y.D.C. ORGANIZER
C. Banks Finger
Mr. Finger, Franklin attorney,
has been appointed to the post
of district organizer (or the
Young Democrats Clab in the
12th Congressional district by
Y.D.C. .State President Horace
R. Karnegay.
Oh My! Those Wash Day Blues
? Staff Pk*t0 by I. P. Brady
Those well-known soap flakes that do anything are going to
have a lot of doing on the clothes line pictured above. After
round-the-cloek rain Friday, the Little Tennessee River hopped
its banks (not unusual, of course) in the middle of the night,
catching Mrs. Ruby Mashbnrn with her, if you'll pardon the ex
pression, clothes line down ? beiow flood level, that is. Mr*.
Mashburn treated the matter with resignation, "I should have
learned by now". From the back steps, her daughters (above),
Elaine and Agnes, ponder their mother's wash day blues. The
clothes were retrieved a couple of days later after tfc* waters
receded. The Mashburn home is In East Franklin nriar tb* Little
Tennessee bridge
Child Struck In
Head By Backing
Truck Tuesday
A two-year-old boy *u killed
late Tuesday afternoon In a
tragic freak accident at the
home of Bruce Bates In the
Prentiss Community.
The child, Ronnie 1m Queen,
son of Mrs. Ruby Queen, died
of a fractured skull en route
to the hospital after he ran
into a truck turning around in
the Bates yard about 5:45
o'clock.
The driver of the truck was
identified as 17-year-old John
S. Stamey. He was absolved of
all blame in the freak accident
following an investigation by
Sheriff J. Harry Thomas, Dep
uty Newell Pendergrass, High
way Patrolman H. T. Ferguson,
and Coroner G. R. Henson.
Details of how the tragedy
happened are vague, Sheriff
Thomas reported, but he sur
mised that the child ran from
the Bates house into the yard
and the path of the turning
truck. The sheriff said the child
and young Stamey were "great
pals" and the youth frequently
took the child for rides in the
truck.
The two-year-old apparently
struck the front bumper, Sher
iff Thomas said. There were no
eye witnesses. Pierson Stamey
rushed the child to the hospital.
He was pronounced dead on ar
rival.
Funeral services were con
ducted yesterday (Wednesday)
afternoon at 3 o'clock at the
Black Mountain Baptist Church
by the Rev. Raeford Wilson and
the Rev. James Sanders. Burial
was in the Pleasant Hill Ceme
tery.
In' addition to the mqther, the
child is survived by two broth
ers, Boise and Wiley.
Bryant Funeral Home was in
charge of arrangements.
EVENTS SPARK
DIMES DRIVE
Coming Benefits
Listed; County
Gears For Quota
Sparked by a number or ben
efits throughout the county, the
March of Dimes drive this week
started gaining rapidly on th?
county's $3,000 goal.
Cowee School led off the pa
rade of benefits for the dimes
drive Saturday night with a box
supper and play that channeled
more than $150 into the flghl
against polio. Chapel ( Negro I
School followed Tuesday nigh
with a benefit basketball game
These benefits are coming u;
this week and next:
Tonight (Thursday) thi
Franklin All-Stars and th
Franklin Teachers plan a rougt
and tumble basketball bout tr
the Franklin gymnasiufti begin
ning at 7:30 o'clock.
Saturday night at 7:30 o'clock
the Millshoal Township, undei
the leadership of the Rev. Le(
Crawford, will sponsor an ol<
time singing at the East Frank
lin School. No admission will bt
charged, but donations will bt
received for the dimes drive
An out-of-county quartet wil
be featured
Monday night between movies
(about 9 o'clock) at the Macon
Theatre, a special show of
string music and square danc
SEE NO 6, PAGE 4
The Weather ,
The week's temperatures and rainfall, u
recorded in Franklin by M*n?n Stile*
U. S. weather observer, and at the Coweeta
llydrologic Laboratory:
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wednesday 40 06
Thursday 37 16 .07
Friday 49 35 .83
Saturday 55 42 2.67'
Sunday 51 21
Monday 56 21
Tuesday 62 35 trace
COWBtTA
Temperatures
High Low Rata
Wednesday 37 08 ,
Thursday 40 It
Friday 54 27 M
Saturday 57 49 3.72
Sunday - 57 22
Monday 54 22
Tuesday 65 S3