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CIRCULATION
Lut Week
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70th Year ? No. 15
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, April 14, 1955
Fourteen Pages
? S?tt PkM* hy J. P. Brady
HALF OUT OF THE WATER is the 1949 Plymouth which carried an elderly Illinois couple to
their death in Lake Sequoyah near Highlands last Thursday. A woman passenger cheated death
after being in the submerged automobile more than 40 minutes. The crowd is standing around
the area where the victims were given artificial respiration.
hJderly tourists rerish
When Auto Sinks In Lake
Picturesque Lake Sequoyah, near Highlands, last Thursday
claimed the lives of an elderly tourist couple when their auto
mobile plunged into the lake and floated for a short time on the
surface before slowly sinking out of sight as they screamed for
help.
The victims were identified as Mr. and Mrs. Orin Evert Har
mon, of Kewanee, 111.
Passing motorists cheated the small resort lake out of a third
victim by reviving Mrs. Harmon's sister, Miss Bessie Longmire,
with artilicial respiration. The slight 71-year-old woman was the
last of the three to be removed ?
from the automobile, which was
submerged in some 12 feet of
water more than 40 minutes
while motorists and Highlands
citizens worked frantically to
bring it to the surface.
Anxiously watching the drama
unfold were Mr. and Mrs. R. B.
Capperrune and their daughter.
Miss Doris Capperrune, who
were with the Harmon's, lead
ing the two-car party when
tragedy struck. They were re
turning from Florida. Mrs. Cap
perune is a sister of Miss Long
mire and the late Mrs. Harmon.
'Floating On Water'
There were no known eye wit
nesses to the early afternoon
tragedy. A State Highway De
partment truck driver, Sam
Jacobs, of Franklin, came along
moments after the automobile
careened down the steep em
bankment into the lake near
the dam.
'T heard a horn blowing and
I looked over toward the water",
Mr. Jacobs told a reporter at
the scene.
"I stopped and I could hear
them hollering for help . . .
just before it started nosing
down."' |
He said the automobile was
"floating on the water" when 1
he first saw it and he could
see at least two of its occu
pants "waving their arms." ,
Mr. Jacobs said it was "close '
For a news roundup and
picture on "Macon's Week of 1
Wrecks", turn to Page 4. '
1
to 2:30" when the accident hap- ?
pened.
More Help Arrives I
Minutes later, Franklin Mayor 1
W. c. Burrell and an employee, 1
W. T. (Tommy) Jenkins drove
on the scene and helped start i
rescue operations.
"Bubbles . . .big ones, were
bubbling up", when they arriv
ed, the mayor said.
The first rescue attempt was
made by a "Mr. Owens", said
to be from Gainesville, Ga.,
and a salesman for the Inter
national Fertilizer Company. He
reportedly made three attempts
to free the trapped trio from
the 1949 Plymouth before quit
ting because of cramping in
the cold water.
As the minutes ticked off, Mr.
Jenkins, a former highway pa
trolman, and an unidentified
guest at the Paxton House in
Highlands tied a rope on the
bumper to pull it out. The rope
broke.
A winch on the town-owned
Jeep and a steel cable finally
pulled the submerged automo
bile partially out of the water
so the three could be removed.
The mystery man managed to
open a door and he and Mr.
Jenkins removed Mrs. Harmon
and then Mr. Harmon. Henry
SEE NO. 2. PAGE 4
'Dead iMan'
Gets A Lift
A "dead man" was reported
lying at the side of US 23-441
(south) in the Norton stretch
Friday morning.
Upon investigation, Chief
Deputy Newell Pendergrass
found "the body", as reported,
crumpled on the shoulder of
the highway. But a vigorous
shaking of "the body" arous
ed an Indian who identified
himself as John A. VVampler,
40, of Greeneville, Tenn. He
told the officer he had walk
ed from Clayton, Ga., and had
a "spell" some time during the
early morning.
The "dead man" chatted
breezily with the officer and
a reporter on the return trip
to Franklin.
"You know". Deputy Pend
ergrass commented after let
ting the Indian out on NC 28,
"I'll bet he was just waiting
for some one to give him a
ride."
Centennial
King-Qusen
Contest On
i
As the latest feature of the
joining Franklin Centennial, a
30unty-wide "King and Queen
Df Centennial" contest will of
ficially open May 1.
All community groups and or
ganizations are invited to nomi
nate a couple to compete in
the penny-a-vote contest.
In brief, the contest rules
are:
Men nominated must be at
least 55 years "young" and
the women 50 years. They
need not be man and wife,
but each organization is re
quested to nominate r. man
and a woman to com/fete as
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 4
HIGHWAY VS.
WEATHER
State Engineer Says
Good Weather Needed
To Speed Way ah Road
All that's needed now to "get
things rolling" on the construc
tion of the Wayah Road is good
weather, Resident Highway En
gineer J. S. Caldwell, of Mur
phy, said in a telephone inter
view Tuesday night.
With "the right kind of
breaks", the engineer said all
grading should be completed
and base stone in place by Oc
tober. If this schedule is met,
paving of the nearly 12-mile
project from Cold Springs on
the Franklin end to Feisty
Branch in the Nantahala com
munity should follow in the
spring, he added.
But, since the project got
under way last October, con
struction has been sandwiched
between sieges of winter weath
er. The contractor, Taylor Con
struction Company, has only
been charged with 90 full work
ing days, Mr. Caldwell said.
Most of the grading is under
way on the Nantahala end. .Mr.
Caldwell estimated that about
one-third (80,000 yards > of the
dirt moving job has been com
pleted.
He said work on the Franklin
end is to begin at an early date.
Meanwhile, workmen have in
stalled about 60 per cent of the
culverts and drain pipe on the
job. On the average, the proj
ect lists about one culvert or
p:po every 400 feet, the engineer
said While many of them will
divert small mountain streams,
most are being installed to
handle surface run-off during
rain, he explained.
P. T. A. Members
Will See Movie,
Hear Safety Talk
Members planning to attend
Monday night's meeting of the
Franklin P. T. A. will see a film
on tuberculosis and hear a pub
lic safety talk.
Mrs. Frank Shope, public
health nurse, will show the film.
W. W. (Bill i Sloan is to give the
safety talk under the sponsor
ship of the local chapter of the
American Red Cross.
The meeting is set for 7:30
in the school cafeteria.
? Staff l'h0to by J. P. Brady
HUNDREDS of Maconians and visitors marked Easter, 1955,
it four sunrise services over the county ? atop mile-high Wayah
Bald, spectacular Whiteside Mountain, "Raven's Rock", and at
the Iotla Baptist Church. Shown is a group of young people
huddled under blankets as the crisp mountain air on Wayah
made way for the sunrise.
Deadline
For Filing
Is Saturday
Political activity far the non
partisan biennial elections May
3 in Franklin and Highlands Is
picking up as the Saturday
deadline for filing nears.
Three more Incumbent alder
men tossed their hats into the
circle in Franklin Tuesday night.
They are J. C. Jacobs, Oscar
Ledford, and Frank Martin, all
seeking their third two-year
term. W. K. (Ken) Hooker, Van
Raalte official, also signed with
the three. He has been appoint
ed to serve out the remainder
of Alderman Erwin Patton's
term. Mr. Patton resigned last
week to serve on the county
board of education. Alderman
A. G. Cagle filed last week and
he also Is seeking his third
term, as one of six on the
board.
Mayor W. C. Burrell still Is
unopposed for his post.
Tate Files
At presstime, only two men
had filed for the five commis
sioner posts in Highlands.
J. Phil Tate filed this week
and incumbent Commissioner
Carter Talley penciled his name
for another term last week.
V. W. McCall, former town
clerk and now cashier with the
Highlands branch of the Jack
son County Bank, Is still the
only candidate in the .race for
mayor.
PLANT OPENS
TOWN OFFICES
To Work Employment
For Burlington Plant
Through New Address
C. B. Hussey, employment
supervisor, announced this weet
that Burlington Industries. Inc.
has taken office space in th<
Nantahala Building in Frank
lin and that all application!
and interviews for employment
at the hosiery plant are being
handled at the new address.
Since the opening of the Burl
ington training program here
February 1, this phase of em
ployment has been handled at
the training room in the V. F
W. Building on West Palmer.
The concern's new offices are
210 and 211. The Nantahala
Building is at the rear of the
courthouse.
Commenting on the progress
of the program, Mr. Hussey
termed it "very successful '. He
said 22 womeh are now in
training. Only two are being
hired each week.
Employment for men at the
new plant, which is scheduled
to go into operation in early
summer, still is in the indefi
nite stage, Mr. Hussey explain
ed. He said it probably will be
the latter part of May before
the employment of men is an
ticipated. Definite information
on this will be released "just
as soon as It is available", he
declared.
L. B. Oran, who has been
with the Harriman, Tenn.
plant, is now on the job as
supervisor of the training pro
gram.
Slated to arrive here tomor
row (Friday) is Vance Rucker
who will be office manager. He
has been connected with the
Harriman plant.
In Final .Stages
Meanwhile, construction o!
the three million dollar plant
just outside Franklin is moving
into the final stages, according
to J. P. Whitt, Jr., construction
supervisor for Daniels Construc
tion Company.
Although seriously hampered
by the weather. Mr. Whitt said
"we'll make it" under the April
15 deadline for having the plant
under roof. All but the office
section was under roof last
week.
The supervisor said finishing,
as far as his company Is con
cerned. should be completed in
three to four weeks.
Installation of air condition
ing and other equipment will
be handled by other companies,
he said.
BAKE SALE FRIDAY
The St. Agnes Episcopal Aux
iliary will hold a bake sale Fri
day at the Children's Shop, be
ginning at 9 a. m.
NEW SCHOOL
BOARD GOES
IN THURSDAY
Erwin Patton Gets
Chairmanship ; Clerk
Gives Oath To Men
The new three-man Macon
County Board of Education was
sworn in last Thursday night
in a brief ceremony by Miss
Kate McGee, clerk of superior
court.
She administered the oath of
office to Erwin Patton, O. F.
. Summer, and ?. C. Sutton and
, the board then went into of
[ ficial session and elected Mr.
Patton chairman.
No other action was taken.
This new board was appointed
' by Rep. G. L. Houk to replace
, the five men nominated in last
spring's Democratic primary.
The bill was ratified April 4.
1 Discussing the replacement
bill after introducing it in the
house March 18, the local rep
i resentative said "special cir
. cumstances" over the school sit
uation here (the "yow-yow . . .
. that has reacted adversely on
! the schools in the county, even
, down to the classroom, level.")
were behind his decision to
name an entirely new board
| and cut the ? membership from
1 five to three.
Open Navy
Recruiting
Unit Here
A U. S. Navy recruiting office
opened Tuesday in Franklin to
serve the six-county area of
Macon, Jackson, Swain, Clay,
Cherokee, and Graham.
The office is on the second
floor of the post office build
t Ing.
: Chief Gunner's Mate W. F.
, Horn, a native of St. Louis, .Mo.,
: is in charge. He is being assist
? ed by Chief Boatswain's Mate
s John Prine.
t Office hours are set at 8 to
; 5:30 Monday through Friday
and 9 to 12 noon on Saturday.
Both the chiefs plan to move
. their families here about May 1.
Albsrt Ramsey
Gets Haywood
Agent s Post
Albert L. Ramsey, a Macon
, native, has taken over duties
! as assistant farm agent in Hay
, wood County.
Since last October, he had
. been the assistant T. V. A.
agent for ? Madison. Yancey,
Mitchell, Avery, and Watauga
' counties, with headquarters in
| Burnsville.
Before taking the T. V. A
post. Mr. Ramsey farmed in the
Iotla section.
Vehicle Cases
Dominate Docket
Prentiss
Post Office
Is Closing
Governmental economy final
ly 1s catching up with the small
Prentiss Post Office. It will
close April 30.
One of four to be abandoned
in an economy move in the
past 14 months, the Prentiss of
fice earlier sidestepped a clos
ing order, but saw its star route
discontinued. This was a Sep
tember 1, 1954, order which was
rescinded by the U. S. Post Of
fice Department.
But the latest order appar
ently will stick. Postmaster
John Cunningham already has
taken a job with Franklin Feed
Mill.
Most of the patrons of the
postoffice are to be served by
Route 2.
This leaves the county with
six post offices, four in the
southern end. They are Frank
lin, Highlands, Gneiss, Otto,
Aquone, and Scaly.
The three other small offices
closed in the last 14 months are
Cuilasaja, EUijay. and West's
Mill.
In closing the offices, the de
partment has reported mail can
be more efficiently handled
through rural routes.
Mobile X-Ray
Unit Sets Visit
Here In May
May 3-11 are the dates set
for the visit of a mobile X-ray
unit in Macon County, accord
ing to Fred Dowdle, chairman
of the Macon Tuberculosis As
sociation.
A schedule of stops for the
free service is now being worked
out and will be announced
later, he said.
Mr. Dowdle plans to work
transportation arrangements
through the community devel
opment organizations.
New Scout Troop
A new Boy Scout troop has
been organized in Franklin with
the Rev. Bryan Hatchett as
Scoutmaster and Dr. J. L. Hill
as assistant.
The latest addition was form
ed from two patrols from
Franklin, Troop 1. and as yet
has not been assigned a troop
number.
The Presbyterian Men's or
ganization is the troop sponsor.
Mml t J'hmto by J. V. Brady
Mis? Fmma \V?.4son, Franklin High junior (left), and Mrs.
Frank Martin are shown discussing their trip to New York City
for a tour of the United Nations. Miss Watson was awarded the
trip for winning a recent essay contest sponsored by the Amer
ican Freedom's Association. Mrs. Martin was the sponsoring
teacher. The two left yesterday (Wednesday) and plan to re
turn Sunday.
Judge Moore To Open
Session Here Monday;
Civil Docket 'Light'
A break-down of the criminal
docket of the April term of
Superior Court, which opens
here Monday morning at 10,
shows motor vehicles law viola
tions hold sway over all other
cases.
Of the more than 200 cases
listed for trial, more than three
fourths have motor vehicle con
nections, the majority of these
speeding and drunk driving.
Presiding over the term will
be Judge Dan K. Moore, resi
dent judge of the 20th Judicial
District.
The civil docket, which in
terms past has been disposed
of between criminal proceed
ings, rather than going into
second week trial, is "light" this
term, according to Miss Kate
McGee, clerk of court.
Cases listed for trial, through
Tuesday noon, included:
Lester Reed, J.r., reckless driv
ing; Reed T. Hill, speeding 70
mph; J. R. Rollins, speeding 60
mph; Jessie Dover Gillespie,
speeding 55 mph (truck); Fred
S. McNichen, speeding 65 mph,
careless and reckless driving;
Charlie Rhodes, assault with a
deadly weapon; David Kalona
heskie, assault with a deadly
weapon; Eddie Cleo Dalton,
drunk driving; Claude C. Beeco,
drunk driving; Allen Taylor, Jr.,
speeding 65 mph; John Howard
McCoy, operating vehicle on ex
pired registration; Guyther F.
Bramlett, Sr., speeding 65 mph;
Roy Lee Lewis, no operator's li
cense; Willie Wykle, transport
ing whiskey; Troy Lee Crisp,
aiding and abetting transport
ing whiskey; Edward Leslie
Price, speeding 70 mph, operat
ing motor vehicle on expired li
cense plates; Melba Jane Wel
born, no operator's license; Roy
Edward Kinsey, permitting non
licensed person to drive.
Robert Warren Munger, drunk
driving; Henry Lee Butler, aid
tog and abetting drunk driv
ing; Claude Martin, abandon
ment; Delis Holland, no oper
ator's license; Wayne David
Millsaps, no operator's license;
Leslie Leroy Johnson, drunk/
driving; James Robert Shirk,
speeding 65 mph; Robert Harold
Wood, reckless driving, improp
er operator's license and regis
tration; R. L. Anderson, aban
donment;' Freeman A. Watts,
drunk driving; Donald Billy
Owenby, drunk driving; Ray
Prince, careless ^nd reckless
driving, speeding 80 mph; Leon
ard C. Swanson, Jr.. transport
ing whiskey, attempted jail
break; Mrs. James A. Ordway,
abatement of nuisances; Clyde
Jerome Simonds. drunk driving
1 2nd offense > ; Clinton R. Suttle,
non-support; Emma Sue Stan
ley. no operator's license; Earl
Clifford McCoy, aiding and
abetting to no operator's li
cense: Dewey Clint Teague,
speeding 80 mph, reckless driv
ing; La wton- James Brown, reck
less driving, speeding 75 mph:
Jay Bryan Houston, speeding 65
mph, violating restriction; Dav
SEE NO. 4, PAGE 10
The Weather
The week's temperatures and rainfall, as
recorded in Franklin by Manson Stiles,
f S. weather obsct ver; in Hi^.ilamU i- ?
Tnd. r N. llall a Mi! W. 1 Newt.v \ T\ \
observer; and at the Coweeta Hydrol-^i.
Laboratory :
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed., Apr. 6 67 47 2.19
Thursday 57 48 .32
Friday 69 26
Saturday 71 28
Sunday 67 40
Monday 74 50 .82
Tuesday 75 39
HIGHLANDS
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed., Apr. 6 60 46 .84
Thursday 62 40 1.28
Friday 58 27
Saturday 62 28
Sunday 58 40
Monday 64 47 1.90
Tuesday 66 43 .76
COWEETA
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed., Apr. 6 67 45 1.37
Thursday 60 50
Friday 66 27
Saturday 69 29
Sunday 65 41 1.24
Monday 72 51 .45
Tuesday 74 40 .70