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Jfiawmian
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70th Year ? No. 9
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, March 3, 1955
Twelve Pages
? Franklin Press Photo
Franklin Annex (right) Takes Shape
NEW UNITS
GOING UP
School Construction
Moving Along Between
Breaks In Weather
Macon County's $269,028.91
school expansion program is in
various stages of construction.
Contractors report they have
averaged only about a day and
a half of work each week dur
ing the winter. For the past
few months, suitable working
days have been few and far be
tween.
Franklin High's roughed-in
$105,000 gymnasium is begin
ning to break the skyline, as
masonry work nears 30 per
cent completion. E. J. Whitmire,
general manager of Macon Con
struction Company, this week
said about 20 more working
days should see the masonry
finished. The gymnasium roof
will go on shortly afterwards,
he said.
Meanwhile, construction of 18
additional classrooms, to the
tune of $164,128.97, moves along
during fair weather.
The seven-room two-story an
nex to Franklin High is re
ported near the 50 per cent
mark. W. C. Norris is the con
tractor. The annex is going up
on the town side of the high
school building.
Macon Construction is build
ing additions at East Franklin,
Cartoogechaye, and Co wee. Mr.
Whitmire reported most of the
-work is under way on East
Franklin's four classrooms and
he estimated the job at 50 per
cent complete. From this Job,
he said, crews will go to work
on Cartoogechaye's one addi
tion. The site already has been
graded, foundations prepared,
and materials are on hand. The
same applies at Cowee, where
two additions are proposed.
Materials have been delivered
for the additions at Highlands
and Nantahala and construction
is scheduled to start as soon as
the weather permits. Two addi
tions are proposed at each
school.
RUMMAGE SALE .SLATED
A rummage sale will be held
Saturday at 10 a. m. on Rankin
Square under the sponsorship of
the Morrison Presbyterian
Church. Proceeds will be for
the church building fund.
New Municipal Building
To Be Built As Planned
Franklin's new municipal building will go up according to
plans and specifications, although sufficient funds are not on
1 hand for its construction.
Rather than revise the original plans and cut specifications
for the building, which ran about $12,000 above estimates, the
Board of Aldermen Monday afternoon awarded the $51,857 job
1 to the low bidders on "continuing contracts".
This means the town will use the $39,357.85 on hand and will
program, the remainder needed
to finish the building in the
1955-56 budget, according to
Town Attorney R. S. Jones. The
fiscal year begins July 1.
After bids were opened Feb
ruary 15, aldermen delayed
making any decision until the
special session Monday.
Roughing-in portions of the
building, which will go up on
the old Blaine lot at the inter
section of US 23-441 and West
M&in, was considered as a pos
sible solution at one time.
But Mayor W. C. Burrell has
clarified the board's feeling
about this approach:
"We felt it would be a crime
to cut-back on the building
after going to all the trouble to
plan something Franklin can be
proud to call its own."
The new building, which will
house the fire department, in
addition to town offices, has
been a top project of the pres
ent board for nearly three
years. This past fall, voters
passed a $50,000 bond issue to
finance its construction. Of the
$50,000, $10,000 was expended
for the site, and election costs
and fees consumed .roughly $2,
000. This left only $39,357.85 for
the actual construction of the
modernistic building.
Low bidders for the job were
Wiley J. Clark, general, $38,667:
J. P. Wurst, electrical, $3,640; C.
E. Holder, heating, $6,200; and
Holder, plumbing, $3,350.
M. Y. F. WILL MEET
The Methodist Youth Fellow
ship Sub-district meeting will
be held Monday at Asbury
Church at 7:30 p. m., Jerry
Norton, publicity chairman, has
announced.
'Third Time' Superstition
Catches Franklins Girls
The ancient superstition, "Third time's a charm", asserted
itself as a still potent idea Saturday night in Bryson City when
Franklin High's incomparable girls were hoodooed out of the
Smoky Mountain Conference Tournament crown by a believing
and determined sextet from Andrews.
Franklin's lassies, eastern division champs for the past three
years, were shooting for their third straight tournament champ
ionship. But Andrews, who had bowed to the locals in the finals
for the two previous years, just didn't handicap it that way. They
1 ?- "f"-' ? 1
time's a charm" with a decisive I
61 to 50 victory before a capac- I
Ity crowd In the Swain High |
gymnasium.
Earlier in the evening, anoth
er Macon County team, Nanta
hala, lost the consolation game
with Glenville, 46 to 38.
Miss Easy Shots
Coach Howard Barnwell just
didn't floor the same sharp
shooting team that powered to
division championships with un
defeated conference play over
a span of three seasons, and
this season held opponents to
a 28-point average. Easy shots
by Franklin's forwards rimmed
SEE NO. 2. PAGE 12
More Laurels
Count these among: basket
ball laurels gathered by Ma->
con teams during the 1954-55
season and tournament.
Making the All-Conference
team were Jodie Lenoir, Aud
rey Gibson, and Anna Setser,
of Franklin High, and Wanda
Gregory, of Nantahala High.
All-Tournament berths went
to Lenoir, Gibson, Setser,
Gregory and another Nanta
hala girl, .Shelvagine Cochran.
In boys' play, Franklin's
Willard Smith was named to
the All-Tournament team.
THE DISBELIEF registering on the f?.?es of Franklin's
cheer-leaders (below) explains the action going on at left. That's
an Andrews boy cutting down the basket following the Franklin
girls' defeat by Andrews in the conference tourney Saturday.
(For more tournament pictures, see Page 3).
? Staff Photo by J. P. Brady
MUST MOVE
LEFT HAND
MAILBOXES
Postmaster Reports
Carriers Cannot Go
Over Center Line
Roughly 50 per cent of the
1,703 rural mall boxes served by
the Franklin Post Office will
have to be moved to the right
side of the road, according to
Postmaster Zeb Meadows.
A recent ruling by the At
torney General of North Caro
lina furnishes the reason: mall
carriers, like regular drivers,
may cross the center line to
the left side of the road only
when overtaking and passing
another vehicle. Carriers cross
ing over the center line to
serve mall boxes on the left
side of the road are violating
Section 20-146 of the General
Statutes of North Carolina. The
ruling also makes no distinction
between a paved highway or a
gravel or dirt road.
Following, in part, is a state
ment from .Mr. Meadows deal
ing with the 'action:
"The traffic regulations appli
cable to other motor vehicles
apply to one driven by a mail
carrier In delivering the United
States mail. Section 20-146 of
the General Statutes of North
Carolina provides as follows:
" 'Upon all highways of suffi
cient width, except on oneway
streets, the driver of a vehicle
shall drive the same upon the
right half of the highway, and
shall drive a slow-moving ve
hicle as closely as possible to
the right-hand edge of the curb
of such highway, unless it is
impracticable to travel on such
side of the highway except
when overtaking and passing
another vehicle subject to the
limitations in overtaking and
SEE NO. 3. 1-AGF 12
Franklin-Georgia Highway
Looms As Hot Issue Here
Ramsey Will
Speak Here
D. Hiden Ramsey, of Ashe
ville, will be the guest speaker
at the annual dinner meeting
of the Franklin Chamber >of
Commerce the evening of March
25.
Announcement that Mr. Ram
sey, who is much in demand
as a speaker, had accepted the
chamber's invitation to address
the annual meeting was made
this week by Erwin Patton,
chairman of a committee ar
ranging for the event.
The dinner, which usually
draws 200 to 300 persons, is
tentatively set for the Slagle
Memorial Building, Mr. Patton
said.
At the meeting, Woodrow W.
Reeves and Frank B. Duncan,
last year's president and in
dustrial committee chairman,
respectively, will be honored for
their part in the chamber's suc
cessful effort to bring Burling
ton Mills' plant here. Burling
ton officials will be invited as
special guests.
The gathering also will mark
the beginning of the term of
the chamber's new officers: W.
SEE NO. 6, PAGE 12
Sunday Dinner Set
To Raise Money
A Sunday dinner to raise
money for a playground Is
planned March 13 under the
sponsorship of the Franklin
P. T. A.
The meal will be served in
the high school cafeteria from
12 noon until 2 o'clock.
Construction of a new 14-jnile stretch of US 2 J -441 south from
Franklin to the Georgia state line looms as a heated issue in
the months to come.
The facts point it up:
Last Thursday, Macon County was allocated $425,000 for a
seven-mile link of the Georgia project in 1955-56. This is $25,000
short of the original allocation of $450,000, which was "borrow
ed" by Highway Commissioner Harry E. Buchanan nearly two
years ago to push construction of US 23-441 from the Macon
McSwain In Raleigh
For School Talks
School Supt. Holland McSwain
has been in Raleigh since Mon
day, talking school problems
with state officials.
Prior to leaving Sunday, the
superintendent said his trip
primarily was to determine, if
possible, the status of the pro
posed distribution of $25,000,000
by the state for school construc
tion under provisions of the
1953 statte-wide bond Issue. The
allocation of the money has
been halted unofficially until
the segregation issue is aired.
He plans to return to his of
fice some time today (Thurs
day).
COMMUNITY MEETING
The Cowee Rural Community
Development Organization will
meet tonight 'Thursday i at 7 : 30
o'clock, at the Cowee School A
film will be shown by J. Fred
Bryson. county ranger.
JOINS BANK STAFF
Robert C. Carpenter has
joined the staff of the Bank of
Franklin. For the past four
months he has been associated
with his father, E. J. Carpenter,
in the insurance business. He
said this week he plans to con
tinue selling insurance as a
sideline.
? St* ft Ph0to by J. P. Brady
A 'BRUSHY BROTHER', Kenyon Hyde, shows his Franklin centennial badge to a "Belle of
the Bustle", Mrs. Hope Patton, who is using her badge to anchor her bonnet. Derby and beards
have become standard dress for the males, and the ladies of the town, as the centennial in mid
June approaches, will start breaking out old-timey clothes to add flavor to the celebration.
GEORGIA MAN
IS ELECTED
Brown Heads Group
Seeking Watershed
Survey Along River
Harry Brown, of Mountain
City, Ga., chairman of the Blue
Ridge Soil Conservation District
in Georgia, last Thursday night
was named to head a group of
interested citizens seeking a
flood control and conservation
project for the Little Tennessee
River drainage area.
Mr. Brown was named to the
post at a meeting of Macon
and Rabun County ( Georgia i
citizens at Otto School here.
Others elected to serve with
him are Tom Alley, of Otto,
vice-president; H. L. Frye, vo
cational agricultural teacher at
Rabun Gap School, secretary;
and Elmon Teague, of Pren
tiss. treasurer.
These officers are now in the
process of meeting with all
agricultural agencies in the two
counties and they plan at an
early date to make formal ap
plication to the governors of
North Carolina and Oeorgia for
a survey of the area.
SEE NO. 4, PAGE 12
Centennial Incorporated;
Badge Sales Dropping Off
Carson To Fete
Three At Supper
Carson community plans to
honor three of its "youngsters"
Saturday evening at a special
box supper and party at the
community building.
They are George Wallace, who
is marking his 89th birthday,
and Mr. and Mrs. John Cun
ningham, who are celebrating
their 60th wedding anniversary.
The public is invited to at
tend, it was said. Supper will
be served at 6 o'clock.
Band Benefit Meal
Set At Cartoogechaye
A covered dish supper ? the
proceeds earmarked for the
Macon County Band ? is plan
ned March 12 by the Cartooge
chaye P. T. A.
As a feature of the program,
a health skit will be presented
by the junior 4-H club of the
school. Serving for the supper
will be at 6 o'clock.
Papers incorporating the
Franklin centennial celebration
and earmarking any proceeds
for the Macon County Band
were mailed yesterday ( Wednes
day i to the secretary of state.
The papers, prepared by at
torney C. Banks Finger, list the
group of interested' citizens pro
moting the mid-June celebra
tion as, "The Franklin Centen
nial Association, Inc.''
Meanwhile, it is reported that
sales of centennial badges, par
ticularly those for women, are
slowing down. The badges are
being used to raise prize money
for contests and floats in the
opening day parade.
At a meeting last week, it
was voted to incorporate as a
non-profit organization and
give any profits to the band.
The band was selected, it was
explained, because of its coun
ty-wide make-up.
"Although we are celebrating
Franklin's birthday, we feel ;
that the entire county should j
realize any benefits from the <
celebration," Holland McSwain. j
SEE NO. a, P^GE 12
UUU'IVJ 1U1C I/O iyiillSUUX U 1X1
Jackson County.
With the project obviously
programmed for completion
under two different contracts
over a period of possibly three
to four years, the Franklin
Board of Aldermen this week,
in letters to high state officials,
protested against the "piece
meal" construction and urged
the "letting of this contract at
one time and in the near fu
ture."
The letter also put emphasis
on the fact that US 23-441, the
main artery of travel into this
area, has been under various
stages of construction for sever
al years.
W. E. (Gene i Baldwin, chair
man of the Macon Board of
County Commissioners, yester
day (Wednesday i said his board
probably would take some ac
tion on the matter in regular
session Monday morning.
A protest letter also is being
prepared by W. W. Reeves,
president of the Franklin
Chamber of Commerce.
^miliar ngurc
Although not announced in
the daily press. Commissioner
Buchanan told The Press by
telephone Tuesday he had re
quested "a similar figure" $425,
000 1 to complete the Georgia
highway project in 1956-57.
The commissioner coolly dis
approved of the reporter's use
of "borrowing" when referring
to the transfer of funds from
the Franklin-Georgia project to
Cowee-Dillsboro.
"If I hadn't taken that money
the DilLsboro highway couldn't
have been completed and you
folks would still be blocked off,"
Mr. Buchanan noted.
Of the proposed extra alloca
tion to finish the second link
of the Franklin-Georgia project
in 1956-57, the commissioner
commented:
"Then I'll be lending you
folks money."
The State Highway Commis
sion has given its approval of
the 1955-56 program, but proj
ects for 1956-57 have only been
recommended, it is understood.
Letter Prepared
A letter prepared Tuesday
and signed by Mayor W. C.
Burrell has been mailed to A.
H. Graham, chairman of the
highway commission, and copies
sent to Mr. Buchanan and Gov.
Luther H. Hodges. It follows:
"At a recent meeting of the
Board of Aldermen of the Town
of Franklin, a resolution was
passed directing me to write
you in regard to that portion
of U. S. Highway 441 which
goes through Macon County.
' As you doubtless know, sev
eral years ago a contract was
let on that portion of this high
way between Franklin and the
Cowee Gap at the Jackson
County line. This road was
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 6
The
?fccor
The Weather
e week s temperatures and rainfall. a,
^ Franklin by Manson Stiiej,
. . "eatliei ; "Wrvtr; i? llignlaruk hv
. x Hall .,t?l U ( . \ewton
er: an.l ? ,|lt. i-o*wa 1 K l"
TVA
Wed., Feb. 23
Thursday
^riday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
ruesday
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
63 42 .67
50
58
62
60
70
71
37 .27
22
22
46 .10
46 trace
51 .012
Wed., Feb 23
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
ruesdav
HIGHLANDS
Temperatures
High Low Rain
48 43 2.41
Ved.. Feb. 23
tiursday
"riday
aturday
unday
!onday
'uesday
46 38 .39
50 23
52 24
56 43
64 42 .29
63 46 trace
COWEETA
Temperatures
High Low Rain
64 44
46
56
61
58
69
70
42
24
24
43
51
56
.32
.26
.09
.10
.09