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VOL. LXIX? NO. 36
FBANKXJN, N. G? THURSDAY, SEPT. t, 1954
FOURTEEN PAGES
LARGE COURT
TERM ENDS
ON TUESDAY
Prisoners Receive
Sentences; Actions
Of Court Listed
The longest Superior Court
term here In at least two years,
closed Tuesday afternoon and
Judge Walter E. Johnston re
turned to his home In Winston
Salem.
A "clean sweep" of both
criminal and cfrtl dockets was
made, according to Miss Kate
McGee, cleric of court.
With the opening of the term
Monday of last week, Judge
Johnston moved rapidly through
the large criminal docket and
its heavy number of motor ve
hicle cases. Civil cases were
sandwiched In between criminal
actions during the week, and
those civil cases remaining were
disposed of Monday and Tues
day before the term recessed.
Under the law, the term re
mains active through Saturday
in the event some pressing
matter' arises.
Spectator interest last week
centered around the trials of 10
prisoners from the Macon Pris
on Camp, all of whom figured
in escapes from the camp or
road gangs since the first of
the year.
Two of the men? Milton Pete
Austain and Rogers Harris ?
cited mistreatment at the camp
as the reason they broke out.
Both said they had been put
in "the hole" (solitary confine
ment) for no reason.
Interviewed after the trials
of the 10 ? nine of whom re
ceived additional sentences ?
Camp Superintendent John E.
Cutshall, pointing out that
nine breaks occurred prior to
his taking over the camp in
July, declined comment on the
prisoner's charges of mistreat
ment, but declared:
"I don't believe in punishing
them like that unless to keep
down violence."
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 10
1 1
Late News
and
Briefs
STORES CLOSING
Most stores and businesses
will close Monday for the ob
servance of Labor Day. Sched
uled Monday meetings of town
and county boards will be held
Tuesday, It has been announc
ed. Vie Franklin Chamber of
Commerce will close Its Infor
mation booth for the season
Tuesday. '
? ? ?
CATCHES BIO TROUT
A 23 -Inch Brown trout, one
of the largest reported this
year, was caught Monday eve
ning on the headwaters of
Nantahala Lake by Horace
(Red) Nolen, of Franklin. The
fish weighed four pounds and
was caught on a yellow grass
hopper. Mr. Nolen was fishing
with Henderson Calloway.
. * ? ?
IS OUT OF RACE
Jess Sanders, Republican can
didate for Macon Clerk of Su
perior Court, has withdrawn
from the race and the name of
Ray Swafford has been filed
for the post, George Reece,
G.O.P. county chairman, has
announced.
? ? ?
COMMITTEE to meet
The committee for the im
provement of Woodlawn Ceme
tery will meet tomorrow (Fri
day) at 3 p. m. at the home of
Mrs. Jess Conley. A report of
work done to date will be made
and future plans will be dis
cussed. ,
HOMECOMING SET
The annual homecoming at
the Liberty Baptist Church Is
planned Sunday, It has been
announced. An all-day program
Is scheduled, with dinner on the
grounds at noon and singing in
the afternoon.
? ? ?
FOR POLIO FUND
The V.F.W. Auxiliary Tuesday
night raised $28.45 for the
emergency March of Dimes at a
covered dish supper and "white
elephant" sale.
? Staff Photo by J. P. Brady
PROFITABLE FUN ? Digging for rubies at the Cowee Ruby Mines can be work or fun. At any
rate, a lot of people are beginning to take up this new down-to-earth hobby. Pictured above are
(L to R) Weaver Gibson, owner of the Gibson mine, Carrol! Gibson, his brother, Julia Ann Clink
scales, of Belton, S. C., Mrs. Hugh G. Bruce, of West Palm Beach, Fla. and Highlands, W. P.
Ayres, of Palm Beach and Highlands, and Mrs. Bill Clinkscales.
Ruby Digging Hobby Gives
New Popularity To County
The. regal ruby, a gem that
has colorfully figured In Ma
con County's history for nearly
three quarters of a century, Is
trying a new approach to pop
ularity.
Plenty of "rockhounds", local
and visiting, say this new ap
proach i& not only fascinating
but successful ? from both the
standpoints of the .ruby and
the "rockhound".
The approach is quite simple.
The ruby, once mined here
commercially on a fairly large
scale ,again is commanding the
spotlight through the relentless
Woman And Dogs
Have Troubles
In Court Here
Mrs. Jafus Allen Ordway and
her many dogs? a familiar sight
to Franklin! tes ? " are having
court troubles.
A Superior Gourt Jury last
Thursday found Mrs. Ordway,
who chose to ignore a retfent
health department edict and
keep her stray dogs, guilty of
violating Public Laws 1911, Sec
tions 12-13; dealing with the
existence of a nuisance and
failure to abate a nuisance.
Prayer for judgment in the
unique case was continued to
the December term of Superior
Court by Judge Walter E.
Johnston.
And, Mrs. Ordway, who for a
number of years has been a
leader In a move to establish
either a city or county dog
pound, says she will not get rid
of her dogs, which numbered
six at the last count.
. Entering a plea of not guilty,
Mrs. Ordway refused court-ap
pointed counsel when her trial
opened late Wednesday after
noon and she termed the health
department's charges as "pre
posterous".
On the stand, the 66-year
old woman said she took In
stray animals because "they are
a danger to the children of this
town when they run loose." At
times, she said she has had as
many as 10 dogs at her home.
8everal of Mrs. Ordway's
neighbors on Iotla Street ap
peared as witnesses for the
state and testified that a "ter
rible odor" came from Mrs.
OrdWay's home and that bones
littered the yard. These witnes
ses included Mrs. Nannie Offic
er, Terrell Hollman, Mrs. Fran
ces Pendergrass, Roy Pender
grass, The Rev. W. N. Cook,
and George Conley. /
Sanitarian H. T. Collins testi
fied the charges were brought
against Mrs. Ordway on the
basis of complaints received at
the health department. He said
she was ordered to get rid of
the animals In January and re
fused.
In denying the charges, Mrs.
Ordway said she has "always
tried to be a good neighbor."
Dr. H. T. Horsley, physlolan
to Mrs. Ordway's Invalid hus
band, appeared as her only
witness. The doctor testified
"there is an animal odor (In
the house), but nothing dirty."
He described Mrs. Ordway as an
"unusually sympathetic woman"
toward animals.
SEE NO. 5, PAGE 10
pursuit of rock hobbyists, or
"rockhounds".
The commercial idea in this
mineral-rich county apparently
never bore real fruit (mines
have been quickly opened and
almost as quickly closed since
the 1880's) but the hobbyist
angle seems to be budding and
possibly will blossom into a new
attraction for the county.
At the present time, the Co
wee Ruby Mines, in one of the
richest mineral areas in West
ern North Carolina and report
edly one of the few spots in
the United States where rubles
may be found, furnish the best
examples of the ruby's come
back.
Two strip ruby mines, one
owned by Weaver Gibson, the
other by Will Holbrook, are now
open to the public on a year
round basis for exploitation.
And some of the finds made
by visiting "rockhounds" have
been more than worth the $1
per day the men charge for
digging in the ruby beds.
And ruby digging is one hob
by that doesn't require a lot of
cumbersome and expensive
equipment. A little spare time,
a pick or shovel, and a bucket
is all that's needed for this
grubbing in the ground. Even
this is simplified for many vis
itors to the mine by Archie
Jellen, Highlands collector and
gem cutter. Mr. Jellen loans
the necessary digging equip
ment for the mere price of one
bucket full of dirt from the
ruby mine. In his spare time,
the gem cutter sifts through
this dirt In search of rubies.
Both the ruby mines are
drawing only small dally crowds,
but the owners expect business
to pick up considerably as the
word spreads.
An added inducement, It
should be pointed out that to
paz and blue sapphires also
have been unearthed at the Co
wee mines.
Oldtimers in the Cowee sec
tion still talk about a $65,000
pigeon blood ruby found in the
area in the late 18&0's although
none remember having seen It.
"I've heard about that stone
all my life," Carroll Gibson de
clared at the Gibson mine this
week, "and these old timers say
every word of the story Is true."
Weaver and John Gibson nod
ded agreement.
As near as can be determin
ed, the -first ruby mine was
opened in the Cowee area about
1880. The tales of how the first
ruby was discovered vary. This
colorful one, related by the
Gibsons, seems to be the favor
ite and the one most accepted:
One of the local boys visited
a still up on the ridge above
the valley and drank more
than his fill of moonshine. On
SEE NO. 4, PAGE 10
Mt. Zion Women Plan
Supper Saturday Night
A benefit "family night" sup
per will be held at Cartooge
chaye School Saturday night
under the sponsorship of the
Woman's Society of Christian
Service of the Mt. Zion Metho
dist Church.
Serving will begin at 6:30
o'clock. Proceeds of the supper
are earmarked for the church
building fund.
ALLISON GETS
PAVING JOB
Town Of Franklin
Gives Contract To
Waynesville Outfit
Allison Construction Company,
Waynesville, was low bidder for
1954-55 street work in Franklin
and has been awarded the con
tract, town officials disclosed
this week.
Scheduled for paving this year
are Wilkie, West Rogers, Edge
wood, and Ulco Drive. Also, a
section of West Main Street,
from Porter to Bidwell, and a
portion of Church Street, from
Iotla to Harrison Avenue, are
programmed for resurfacing.
These sections have been brok
en by travel and are badly In
need of repair, according to
Town Clerk C. O. Ramsey.
Funds for the projects, which
should be started by the Wayn
esville concern next week, will
come from the town general
fund and the Powell Bill allo
cation, Mr. Ramsey said. v
County Y. D. C.
Slate Ejection
Tuesday Night
Election of new officers will
highlight a meeting of the Ma
con Young Democrats Club at
the county courthouse Tuesday
night.
Also scheduled for the meet
ing, which Is set for 8 o'clock,
is planning campaign strategy
for the November election, ac
cording to Frank Plyler, presi
dent.
Other officers are Mrs. Mary
Jo Sloan, of Franklin, vice
president, and Louis Potts, of
Highlands, secretary-treasurer.
-?Stuff Photo by J. P. BraJy
NOW HEAR THIS? Coach Howard Barnwell (left) briefs his lettermen on the finer
points of football. They ?.t* (L to R) I>ennis Mehaffey, Richard Renshaw, Bobby Gregory, Bobby
Womack, Leonard Long, and Mark Domlte. The Panthers open their season here Friday night
against Clayton, Ga.
Board Seeks Building Bids
For New School Additions
Hire Agents
For Program
September 15 should see the
new farm and home extension
service program Into operation
here, according to W. E. (Gene)
Baldwin, chairman of the Ma
con Board of County Commis
sioners. t
Two of the three extension
service agents needed under the
broad new program designed to
give more personal touch to
farm and home life have been
obtained, the chairman an
nounced:
John Wrlnn, who has been
serving as assistant county
agent for more than a month
on a temporary basis, has been
hired as one of the two male
agents. The feminine side of the
new program will be handled
by Mrs. Margaret DeBruhl
Smith, of Baltimore, Md., a for
mer home agent in Madison
County. Mrs. Smith is expected
to arrive here by September 15.
The third agent is now being
selected.
Jim Flanagan, of Clover, S. C.,
has been hired to take Mr.
Wrinn's place as assistant agent
to County Agent T. H. Fagg, Mr.
Baldwin said. Mr. Flanagan,
who reported for work here
Tuesday, was graduated from
Clemson College in June. He is
unmarried and is a veteran of
World War II.
In announcing these new ap
pointments, Mr. Baldwin said
details of the expanded pro
gram are now being worked out
by the extension service in Ral
eigh.
Previously it had been an
nounced that the program,
which was offered to only one
other county in the western
district, would not conflict with
the work being carried on by
the present county and home
agents. Under the program,
these three new agents will pin
point their activities on individ
ual farms in an attempt to
personalize their services.
Macon and Madison were the
only counties in the western
district offered the opportunity
to take on the new program,
which will be financed by both
the county and the federal gov
ernment.
This county was able to ac
cept only through the gener
osity of a number of business
men and firms who contributed
more than $1,600 as the county's
share of financing the program.
The county commissioners were
unable to act on the program
since it was introduced here
after the 1954-55 county budget
had been adopted and there
were no funds set up for it.
The over-all program will an
nually cost about )15,000 ? the
bulk for salaries ? and the fed
eral government will provide
[ roughly $13,500 of the total, ac
cording to extension service of
ficials.
Bids for construction of 18 classrooms, two lunch
rooms, and a gymnasium are being asked this week
by the Macon County Board of Education under the
new school building expansion program.
If H?W <re !o iire with estirrater, County School
Sapt. Holtersd J-irSwtin ixl:i i.:sst:::cticn ehoaii be
under way on all structures in Oc;chtr.
Seven of the new classrooms are earmarked for
Franklin, four for East Franklin; one for Cartooge
GRID OPENER
FRIDAY NIGHT
Panthers Will Meet
Georgia Eleven Here;
Lineup Announced
Tomorrow (Friday) night at
the local stadium, Coach How
ard Barnwell will field his
light-weight and "rather green"
Franklin High Panthers against
Clayton, Ga., at 8 o'clock for
the Panthers' opening tilt of
the 1954 season.
When announcing the prob
able starting lineup yesterday,
Coach Barnwell said "the team
will be light and rather green
this year, but the fans can ex
pect to see a hard-working
group when game time rolls
around each Friday night." The
team will run out of the split
T formation.
For more than two weeks
now, close to 50 boys have been
working out twice daily under
the all-seelhg eyes of Coach
Barnwell and Coach Dick Stott.
With the opening of school
Monday, practice was cut to
one session daily.
Coach Barnwell said several
new men are expected out this
week now that school is under
way and he said the Panthers
possibly will field a slightly
heavier team as the season
progresses.
The probable lineup for the
non-conference opener: Herbert
McKelvey, left end; Geoirge
Barrett, left tackle; Harry
Thompson or Kenneth Brown,
left guard; Mark Dowdle, cen
ter; Zeb Guffle or Leonard
Long, right guard; Morris Jones
or Dennis Mehaffey, right tack
le; Bill Mendenhall, right end;
Bobby Jack Love or Crawford
Moore, quarterback; Bobby
Womack, left halfback; Richard
Renshaw, right halfback; and
Bobby Gregory or Buddy Mc
Clure, fullback.
Down Georgia way. It laf re
ported the Clayton team is
"pointing for Franklin".
Parking of automobiles will be
handled by members of the
Franklin Volunteer Fire De
partment and the Lions Club
will be in charge of admissions.
The Panthers have a 10-game
schedule this year, with five
home games and five away.
September 10, the locals will
meet Andrews for a conference
duel here.
chaye, and two each for Nan
tahala, Highlands, and Cdtoee,
according to Mr. McSwain.
The proposed lunchrooms are
for Co wee and Otto Schools.'
The gymnasium Is to replace
the one which burned early this
year at Franklin High School.
A portion of the funds to fi
nance this long-awaited building
program will come from Ma
con's first allocation of $163,
953.25 from last year's special
state-wide school building bond
issue, the superintendent said.
Mr. McSwain was in Raleigh
Tuesday of last week for a con
ference with state school of
ficials and he said he received
the "'go-ahead" from them to
get the program under way.
The $105,000 insurance money
from the gymnasium that burn
ed should cover construction of
that building, he said.
"This will give us nearly $269,
000 to start the program with",
Mr. McSwain explained, "and if
it is necessary to scratch around
and dig up more money to fin
ish the program we will do it."
The superintendent said the
new gymnasium will be one
story, and will seat roughly 2,
000 spectators.
Mr. McSwain said it will be
built in the parking area be
tween the site of the old gym
nasium and the vocational
building.
Bids for these projects will be
opened at the courthouse Sep
tember 22 at 11 a. m.
Under the bond issue passed
last October, Macon first gets
an allocation of $100,000 ($10,
000,000 divided equally among
the state's 100 counties) and
an additional $63,953.25 for
school enrollment during the
1951-52 school year.
Another $25,000,000 is to be
distributed later to the counties
on the basis of need and effort.
Will Build
Plant Here
Construction of a modern
vermlcullte plant, covering ap
proximately 20,000 square feet
of floor space, is expected to
get under way In Franklin in
October.
Plans for extensive mining
operations and the building of
the plant to process the mined
minerals were disclosed this
week by R. O. Llchtensteln, of
Franklin, president of the Car
olina Resources Corporation, a
Delaware concern. ?
The new plant will go up on
Depot Street between Dowdle
Wholesale and the Southern
Vermicullte Company plant, the
president said, adding that It
should be in operation by Jan
uary. Robert T. Pollock, New
York City consulting engineer,
Is now here supervising plans.
Also, the corporation is now
negotiating for about 2,000 acres
of properties In the Ellljay
Township for mining purposes,
Including the well-known "Cor
undum Hill", Mr. Llchtensteln
said. In addition to vermlcullte,
SEE NO. 6, PAGE 10
The Weather
The week's temperatures and rainfall, as
recorded in Franklin by Manson Stile*.
I . S. weather observer, and at the Coweeta
II ydr >logic Laboratory:
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed. (Aug. 25).... 91 65 ._
Thursday 91 63
Friday 93 64 ?
Saturday 91 65 .013
Sunday 90 64
Monday 89 56 .
Tuesday 81 49 !_
HIGHLANDS
Temperature
Htjgh Low Rain
Wed. (Aug 25V... 78 58
Thursday 78 57 .06
Friday 82 58 .00
Saturday 80 58 .11
Sunday 78 56 .if
Monday 79 49
Tuesday ... 73
?? . ~ I