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VOL. LXIX? NO. 28
FRANKLIN, N. C, THURSDAY, JULY 8, 1954
TEN PAOIS
? Staff Photo by J. P. Brad -
THESE FIVE VIVACIOUS BEAUTIES were reaching for the
"Miss July 4" title in Saturday's beauty contest at the Franklin
Stadium. They are (L to R) Misses Carolyn Cochran, Naomi El
liott, Sarah Corbin, Frances Huscusson, and Margaret Crawford.
Miss Huscusson was picked as winner.
Independence Day In County
Marked By Stadium Program
Although a temperature of
90-plus nearly vulcanized July
4 celebrants In Franklin Satur
day morning, some 350 of the
more hardy turned out at the
stadium for the annual beauty
contest and field events.
Several thousand more ? a lot
of them tourists seeking heat
relief in the mountains ? chose
to sweat out the day walking
the streets in the downtown
area. Even after dark, traffic
and pedestrians made about a
normal Saturday in town.
Brief relief from the blister
ing heat came in the early aft
ernoon with a short, but wel
come, thunder shower, which
rained out the scheduled ball
game between the Franklin All
Stars and Whittier. The game
was the only afternoon feature
of the Fourth celebration.
Shortly after eight, another
oudden downpour broke up
square dancing on the Town
Square, sending dancers and
spectators scurrying for their
automobiles and homes.
So epcied Franklin's organized
celebration of Independance
Day.
Beauty Contest
The crowning feature of events
staged at the stadium was the
selection of "Miss July 4" from
among five young ladles.
Comely Miss Frances Huscus
son was picked for the honor
by a panel of judges selected
from the audience. She was
sponsored by Macon Construc
tion Company.
Runnerup was Miss Naomi j
Elliott, the Panorama Court
entry.
The other three contestants
entered in the parade of beauty
were Miss Margaret Crawford, j
sponsored by Reid's Esso Serv- 1
Ice, Sarah Corbin, Belk's De- ,
partment Store, and Carolyn
Cochran, Junior Woman's Club.
The contest was supervised
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 10
4TH ACCIDENTS
ARE REPORTED
Honeymoon Delayed,
Auto Demolished, But
Only One Is Injured
A small rash of traffic acci
; dents broke out in Macon over
the long Fourth week-end ? de
laying a honeymoon, demolish
ing one automobile, knocking
1 another into a river, opening a
i search for a hit and run driver,
but injuring only one of the 13
persons involved.
Carter Eugene Wilson, 16, of
i Highlands, lost control of his
pick-up truck on NC 28 about
five miles east of Highlands
Friday evening and overturned
on the highway. He told High
way Patrolman A. A. Lewis he
turned to look at a vacuum
cleaner in the back of the truck
and lost control. Two nieces of
young Wilson were riding with
him. All escaped injury. The
patrolm'an estimated damage to
the truck at $250. The driver is
charged with driving on the
wrong side of the road.
A 1951 Pontiac driven by Bob
Wesley Dean, 30, of Atlanta,. Ga.,
was demolished about 2:45 p. m.
Saturday on NC 28 (north} near
the home of Wade Arvey, when
it skidded on the highway in a
light rain and overturned. The
driver, his wife, and four chil
dren, stepped out of the wreck
unhurt, according to Highway
Patrolman H. T. Ferguson. No
Qharge was made against Mr.
Dean, he reported.
A honeymoon was briefly in
terrupted about 7:45 p. m. Sat
urday on the US 64 (Franklin
Highlands), when two automo
biles sideswiped, dumping one
into the Cullasaja River still on
its wheels. Patrolman Lewis
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 10
Dr. Hursh Recalls Coweta
Early Days In Interview
Macon County owes the de
velopment of the unique Coweta
Hydrologlc laboratory to a
long-drawn-out controversy be
tween the Army's corps of en
gineers and the Forest Service.
The circumstances were re
called by Dr. Charles R. Hursh,
In an interview here.
Differences of opinion about
the relationships between for
ests and flpods and soil go back
to the days of President Wash
ington, Dr. Hursh pointed out,
but the controversy did not be
come bitter until the 1907 Miss
issippi River flood.
That catastrophe suggested to
many people, among them for
esters, that the flood was man
made ? due to man's cutting of
the forests. Others, among them
army engineers, said no; the
solution was merely to build the
dykes along the Mississippi to
higher levels.
Tempeft flared. Words grew
"hot.
The Forest Service conducted
a study at Wagon Wheel Gap,
Colorado. That study, launched
about the beginning of World
War I, covered a number of
years. The Forest Service an
nounced its findings ? favorable
to Its side ef the argument;
\
? Courtesy A she: ille Citicen
DR. CHARLES R. HURSH
the army engineers came back
with the assertion that the data
had been misinterpreted.
Then, in the bottom Of the
depression, Coweta was estab
lished. And within three years
Its careful measurements and
recordings of causes and effects
had resolved most of the argu
ments. The facts spoke more
8EB NO. 1, PAGE 7
STORMS HH
MACON OVER
4TH HOLIDAY
Power, Telephone
Damage Is Cited
From Wind, Rain
The long Fourth week-end
dumped a load ol contrasting
weather on Macon County ?
blistering temperatures, offset
by lightning, wind, and rain
storms.
Two violent late afternoon
storms Saturday and Monday
brought service headaches to
the Nantahala Power and Light
Company and the Western Car
olina Telephone Comuany.
Light damage was reported
over the county in the wake of
storms. Broken tree limbs, some
uprooted trees, and twisted TV
antennas indicated the force of
the blows.
Lightning caused most of the
trouble for the two utilities in
the Saturday storm. Mac Whit
aker, of the power company, re
ported the zagged streaks of
lightning, which at intervals
filled most of the sky, blew
fuses on tap lines over most of
the system, keeping crews work
ing until after midnight re
storing service.
Monday's heavy wind storm,
which roared over the Cowees
without warning. buffered
Franklin and Highlands for
about 15 minutes before giving
way to heavy rain. Power in
the downtown Franklin area
and in the residential area
north of Main Street was off
for 52 minutes. Mr. Whitaker
said a tree limb blew into the
sub-station unit on Iotla Street
and burned out insulators. Serv
ice on the two other lines feed
ing Franklin was not disrupted.
The high wind twisted TV an
tennas, bowled garbage cans
over, tore some small signs
down, and ripped a small sec
tion of roof from the annex of
Macon County Supply Company.
Harve L. Bryant said damage to
the roof was about S50.
Several trees were uprooted
in the storm's path from Frank
lin to Highlands and a number
of tap lines were knocked out.
On the other hand, the tele
phone company's troubles from
the two storms was more local
ized, according to Frank Dean,
plant manager. Lightning Sat
urday blew a number of fuses
and knocked several phones out,
he said. Monday's wind storm
blew limbs over some lines in
the Franklin and Highlands
area, but most of the trouble
was in the Bryson City and
Sylva areas.
Company crews were mopping
up spotty damage over the
county Tuesday and all service
was restored by nightfall.
CORBIN GfcTS
LOC AL SCHOOL
Is Named Franklin
Elementary Principal;
Byrd Sent To Union
/
Harry C. Corbin, Union School
principal for the past two years,
will take over the principalship
of the Franklin Elementary
School this fall, under a plan
to make the school self-admin
istered.
In the past, the large elem
entary school has had no prin
cipal and has been adminis
tered by the principal of Frank
lin High School.
R A. (Art) Byrd, 1953-54
coach at Franklin High, will go
in as principal at Union. How
ard Barnwell, veteran Swain
High coach, recently was hired
to coach athletics at the high
school beginning this fall.
Mr. Corbin and Mr. Byrd
both were recommenced for
their new posts by the district
committee and the recommen
dations were approved Monday
morning by the County Board
of Education, with slight mod
SEE NO. 4, PAOE 10
Roane- W atson-Enloe
Families To Resume
Reunion On Sunday
The annual Roane-Watson
Enloe family reunion, discon
tinued during World War II, Is
being resumed, and members of
the three families will meet at
the home of Jess Enloe, Sr.,
Sunday.
A basket picnic lunch at noon
will be one feature of the day's
gathering.
County Tax Rate Increased 20 Cents;
Schools Receive Five Cents Of Boost
?Stm/f Photo by /. P. Brady
A $3,760 HOUSE TRAILER burned Wednesday afternoon of last week on US 64 near Wallace
Gap while being pulled to Alabama. The owner, John H. Elliott, Jr., of Aiken, S. C., shown talk
ing to Highway Patrolman A. A. Lewis by the wreckage of the aluminum mobile home, detected
smoke and unhooked his car. Soon after the trailer broke into flames. Mr. Elliott set his loss at
$4,500 and said it was partially covered by insurance. Defective brakes are believed to have caus
ed the fire.
FOLK EVENT
SCHEDULED
Entertainers Urged
To Register; Parade
Planned On July 29
Advance planning for the 2nd
Annual Macon County Folk Fes
tival the nights of July 29-30-31
at the Frajiklin Stadium is now
under way and the sponsoring
Jaj'cees report interest is run
ning high.
Entertainers planning to com
pete in the various features of
the three-night festival are
asked to register with Frank
P'yler at Farm and Home Sup
ply Co. Cat Little Tennessee
River bridge i at once so the
entire program can be prepar
ed in advance. Deadline for
registering is July 20.
Because of the success of the
festival last year, which drew
several thousand spectators de
spite bad weather, the Jaycees
this year have added several
new features for amateur en
tertainers and are scheduling
an afternoon parade in the
downtown area on the opening
day.
Civic clubs and businesses are
invited to enter floats in the
parade, which will be judged for
originality in carrying out the
spirit of the folk festival. A
S10 cash prize will be awarded
the winner.
Although festival competition
is open only to amateur local
talent, the Jaycees have signed
"Pan Handle Pete, The One
Man Band" to entertain each
of the three nights between
acts. "Pete" also will be on
hand for the opening day pa
rade.
As last year, the festival will
see some of the top square
dance teams, clog dancers,
string bands, and individual
string musicians trying to out
do each other for cash prizes.
Two new features are a spe
SEE NO. 5, PAGE 10
School Tax Levy Not Enough;
Program Cut-Backs Expected
Overton Sent
To Run Prison
Camp In Polk
J. R. Overton, superintendent
of the Macon Prison Camp for
nearly 10 years, yesterday
i Wednesday i was transferred to
the Polk ' County camp, near
Tryon.
Supt. Cutehaw, of the Polk
camp, will take over the opera- j
tion of the cajnp here.
Mr. Overton, a native of Char
l lotte, said his family will re
' main in Franklin for about a
month before joining him at
| his new post.
DR. NEVILLE
DIES IN GA. j
I Dr. L. Neville, 70, widely
known physician, died of a
heart attack in his office at
Dillard, Ga.. last Friday after
noon.
Dr. Neville had a large prac
tice in this county, as well as
in Rabun and Towns counties
in Georgia. A native of Dillard,
he had practiced medicine there
for 43 years.
Funeral services were held
Sunday afternoon at the Dillard
Methodist Church.
Survivors include his widow,
the former Miss Carrie Cannon,
and one daughter, Mrs. Edwin
Warren, of Dillard.
SUNDAY SING
The second Sunday singing
of the southern division of the
Macon County Singing Conven
tion will be held at the Asbury
Methodist Church, at Otto, be
ginning at 1:45 p. m.. it has
been announced.
The 38-cent levy given the
schools for operation in 1954-55
will not be sufficient to carry
out the Board of Education's
planned program, and some
cut-backs probably will be
made, according to County
School Supt. Holland McSwain.
Mr. McSwain said yesterday
i Wednesday i the board had
j hoped to get 53 cents of the
new $1.40 tax rate, giving the
system an operating budget of
an estimated S100.000,
Under the new budget the
schools will receive about $73,
000 for the year.
Earlier in the year, the school
board requested $80,000 for
1954-55 in order to set up a
$20,000 school maintenance pro
gram. organize vocational train
ing at Highlands and Nantahala
and add another vocational
teacher at F.ranklin. and pur
chase three new school busses.
This request did not include
the $21,000 estimated revenue
from court fines and forfeitures
and forest receipts, which the
commissioners included in the
new $78,000 school budget.
"We had hoped to get $80,000
for our program." Mr. McSwain
said," in addition to the esti- j
SEE NO. 7. PAGE 10
Asheville Man
Gsts Store Here
A. L. Cox, a native of Ashe- j
ville, has been named manager j
of Bower's Department Store in
Franklin and is expected to ar- j
rive here in about two weeks.
He succeeds R. L. West, who
left Tuesday to take over the |
management of a department
store in Whitmire, S. C. Mr.
West was manager of the
Franklin stare for four years. |
Mr. Cox is transferring from
a Bower's store in Lenoir, com
pany officials said. He is mar
ried and has two children.
" PMutt/ P. >n(i
ITS 19M-M? OFFICERS INSTALLED last week, the Franklin Lions Club Is looking to a Me
ter and better year of service to the community. Meeting for the first time Frfcfcy night, the
new officers are (L to R) B. B. Scott, secretary, Jack Angel, 1st rice-president, Elbert Angel, pres
ident, FarreH Pen land, treasurer, and Jim Goodwin, Tail Twister. Absent when the picture waa
made were C. Banks Finger, Sad rice- president, Robert Korte, 3rd rice- president, and John Davis,
Tall Twister.
The Macon County Board of
County Commissioners .Monday
upped the tax .rate 20 cents ?
from $1.20 to $1.40 ? and adopt
ed a $210,000 budget for 1954-55.
XJf the increase, five cents
goes to schools and 15 cents to
the debt service fund. All other
levies in the tax rate structure
are the same as last year.
Property valuation was in
creased $400,000 ? from $14,600,
000 to $15,000,000.
The 20-cent increase in the ?
tax rate for the new fiscal year
was brought on by the recent
school building program, ac
cording to Chairman W. E.
(Gene i Baldwin. In 1952-53 the
school system received 72 cents
of the tax rate. In that year,
the chairman explained, the
county debt service fund was
cut to three cents to provide
funds to complete the school
program.
To compensate for this, the
commissioners are this year giv
ing the debt service fund the
biggest share of the tax In
crease. Fifteen cents of the 20
cent boost goes to this fund,
raising the levy for the fund
from 30 cents to 45 cents.
The remaining five cents goes
to the school system, giving it
an increase of five cents over
the 1953-54 levy and 38 cents
Of this year's total tax rate.
1 Last year the schools received
SMALLER BUDGET
A 113.591.64 budget? $1,837.
50 smaller than last year ?
was, a.doptetf Tuesday, night
for 1954-55 by the Franklin
Board of Aldermen.
The tax rate remains un
changed ? SI. 10 per hundred
valuation.
30 cents of the S1.20 tax rate.
Of the 38-cents for the
schools. 23 cents goes to cur
rent expenses and 15 cents to
capital outlay. The latter figure
was 10 cents last year.
Earlier in the year the Coun
ty Board of Education request
ed a levy that would raise <?80,
000 for operation and mainte
nance of the schools in 1954-55.
The 38-cent levy set up for
schools in the new budget
should bring in an estimated
S&7.000. This figure, when
coupled with an estimated $21,
000 fro.rri court fines and for
feitures. forest receipts, and in
tangible taxes, should give the
schools an operating budget of
$78,000. Mr. Baldwin said, add
ing:
'That's pretty close to the
figure they asked for."
Last year the school system
did not get to use revenue from
the courts and forest receipts
for operating expenses. The
money was obligated for com
pletion of the Chapel (Negro)
School.
The rest of the tax structure
is set up as follows:
General Fund. 20 cents: Pau
per Fund, three cents; Health,
five cents: Farm Demonstra
tion, three cents: Home Dem
onstration. two cents; Fire Pre
vention, one cent; Veterans
Service, one cent; Public Wel
fare, 15 cents; Public Welfare
Administration, seven cents.
ASHED TO RESIGN
Ja-mrs G. Wright, game pro
tector in this county since
March, 1953, announced yes
terday he has resigned, by re
quest. He said he had de
manded a reason for the re
quest, but had had no reply,
from the N. C. Wildlife Re
sources Commission. The res
ignation is effective July IS.
Allen Bridges, of Sanford, has
been named to succeed him.
The Weather
The week's temperatures and rainfall, aa
recorded in Franklin by Manson Stilaa,
U. S. weather observer, and at the Coweeta
Hvdrologic Laboratory
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wednesday 92 48
Thursday -... 96 54
Friday 95 59
Saturday 93 64 .41
Sunday 90 61 1.20
Monday 92 60 21
Tuesday 88 57
UUWSSTA
Temperature*
High Low Rain
Wednesday 89 46
Thursday 91 S3 .....
Friday 90 57
Saturday 87 61
Sunday 17 M fl '
Monday 92 M
Tuesday - 86 SI JS