8H)* Ifoblanfe* Baconian
PRICE
10 Cents
70th Year ? No. 49
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, December 8, 1955
Sixteen Pages
? Press Staff Photo
DEPUTY tax collector Tom Benson is shown depositing Macon's
check for $19, #22.76 from national forest receipts. The amount is the
largest for any county in the state. The bank teller is Mrs. Mary Otto.
Search On
For Macons
Young Man
"Macon County's Young Man of
the Year" is once again in the
spotlight.
For the fourth year, the Frank
lin Jaycees are seeking a young
man, who, in the opinion of a
secret selection committee, has
made outstanding contributions to
his community during the past
year.
When he is found, the Jaycees
plan to award him a "Distinguish
ed Service Award" at a special
banquet in January.
Jaycee C. Jack Ragan is chair
man of the Jaycee committee
promoting the search. However,
the selection of the young man
will not be made by Jaycees, but
by a committee of local men and
women. Mr. Ragan said the pur
pose of his Jaycee committee is
to serve as liason for the selec
tlon committee and individuals
and organizations making nomi
nations for the award.
Any young man not over 35
years may be nominated. Mr
Ragan noted. A statement must
be prepared, outlining the nomi
nees accomplishments and contri
butions for the year.'
La.~t year's winner was Edwin
T. Williams. Franklin High teach
er.
Yule Cantata
Practice Begins
Voice* from the Methodist, Bap
tist. and Presbyterian church
choirs in Franklin are now prac
ticing for the third annual Christ
mas cantata.
Sponsored by the Franklin Jay
cees, the program is set for the
evening of December 23 at the
Methodist church.
As in the past, admission will
be a toy. or any gift of food or
clothing. for the needy. Items
collected will be included in the
Christmas baskets distributed by
the Jaycees.
The Rev J. Bryan Hatchett,
who is handling arrangements for
the Jaycees. said the cantata will
feature traditional Christmas se
lections
CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
A Christmas program will high
light a meeting of the Cartooge
chaye P, T. A. Tuesday at 7:30
p. m. at the school, it has been
announced.
Forest Check
Arrives Here
Macon's bank account got a
$19,022.76 shot in the arm this
week when a check for this
amount was deposited by Tom
Henson, deputy tax collector.
The check is the county's share
of national forest receipts, which
are annually divided among coun
ties having national land within
their boundries.
The money is pro-rated on the
basis of the county tax structure.
Receipts are mainly from the
sale of timber stumpage. but also
include minor amounts from
special use and mining permits.
Macon's check is the largest
in the state, according to forest
service officials. In second place
was Montgomery County, with
$18,608.44
Of the state's total of 1.113,831
acres of national forest land, this
county claims a high of 147.868
acres of Nantahala National For
est.
Amounts received by other coun
ties in this area include Cherokee.
$10,474.56: Clay, $7,612.42: Gra
ham. $13,758.02: Jackson. $3,568
02: Swain. $2,055.39; and Tran
sylvania, $623.94.
Total state allocation was $146.
699.31.
IOTLA SUPPER MEETING
A covered dish supper will fea- '
ture a meeting of the Iotla Rural
Community Development Organ- '
ization Monday at 6:30 at the '
Iotla School, it has been announ- i
ced.
OUT OF DRIZZLE ?
Walking Vagabond Visitor
Out of Friday's chilling drizzle
strolled a vagabond from Arizona,
who claims to have walked nearly
36.000 miles in this hemisphere
since the mid-40's.
His slight and lean boety angled
forward against the pull of a
65-pound pack on his back.
"Sraokey" Cameron ? a man of the
world ? entered Franklin from the
direction of the Little Tennessee
River bridge in the middle of
the afternoon. In the downpour,
his progress through town was al
most unnoticed ? his presence was
tipped off by a quickthinkin
motorist who gave him a lift into
Maron County.
Rain dripping from his cap.
"Smokey" imparted this informo
tion about his life and times to
an equally wet reporter:
He has worn out 22 pairs of
boots and 21 pairs of moccasins
in his strolls through 44 state*;
Canada, Alaska, and Mexico. "No,
I've never worn out the seat of
my pants from riding, " he de
clared.
He said he is 69 years old (70
next month), although he ap
peared to be in his 40's. "Walk
ing's kept me young." he explain
ed.
He's half Apache Indian and
half white.
He started walking after his
family was wiped out in a cattle
stampede in Arizona. "Walking
keeps your mind off things." he
philosophized.
He had $2.50. If a room for
the night ended his financial
grasp on life, he declared he would
have to eat "Vitamin X." which
turned to be a box of snuff.
"Smokey" Cameron and his
vitamins disappeared down th;>
highway Saturday morning.
Destination: Florida.
? Prraa
TALKING WITH "Smokey" Cameron, the walking varaifond from Arizona, are IL to Ri Ronnie Ma
aa, 1!. his lister. Sharon, 9. and Eocene Dowdie. "Smokey" appeared in Franklin on Friday.
GEORGIA BID
IS EXPECTED
THIS M ONTH
Is Second US 23-441
Link In Series From
Line To Tallulah Falls
A contract for construction of
another link of US 23-441 from
Mountain City to Clayton, Ga?
is expected to be let on Decem
ber 16, it has been learned here.
It is understood that the right
of-way for this new section which
will tie-in with the recently com
pleted one from the state line
to Mountain City, has been clear
ed.
Another tie-in project from
Franklin to the state line is a
bout to begin.
The Georgia project is the
second of three planned sections
from the state line to Tallulah
Falls, Ga.
Girls Win
Both Games
Franklin's lassies started their
climb to basketball laurels this
week by winning both games. The
boys, however, split their first two
clashes.
Meeting Webster last Thursday,
the girls won 43 to 27. with Caro
lyn Dowdle taking high score hon
ors with 18 points. The lads also
topped Webster 54 to 42, with Wil
lard Smith pacing the way with
20 points.
Tuesday, the girls dumped Cher
okee 28 to 20 under the 13-point
shooting of Mavis Gibson. A 53 to
39 defeat was suffered by the boys.
Crawford Moore was high scorer
for the locals with 12 points.
Friday, the Franklin teams play
in Bryson City and Tuesday in
Glenville. The ?'girls' game is set
for 7. the boys' at 9.
Auto Groups
Are Leaders
In Business
Motor vehicles accounted for
more than a third of Macon Coun
ty's 1954 retail sales of $9,970,000.
A breakdown of total sales
shows the automotive group reap
ed $2,392,000 of the total and gaso
line service stations an additional
$1,414,000 ? giving the two allied
groups a $3,806,000 slice of the re
tail pie.
Other shares:
Twenty-three food stores, had
sales totaling $1,481,000.
Eleven eating establishments hit
$268,000.
General merchandise stores, 2o
of them, took $786,000.
Nine apparel and accessories
stores did a business of $590,000.
In furniture, home furnishings,
and appliances, 12 stores took in
$333,000.
Eight businesses dealing in
lumber, building materials, hard
ware. and farm equipmentt shared
$873,000.
Drug stores and proprietary
stores ? four listed for the year
? had sales of $306,000.
Thirty-four other -retail stores
took in $1,527,000.
These figures were furnished by
the Bureau of the Census, Depart
ment of Commerce, in a prelimin
ary report.
Forgotten
That Dollar?
Forgotten something?
A dollar, maybe?
A dollar for those 100 Christ
mas seals mailed you last week
by the Macon Tuberculosis Asso
ciation.
From 900 letters sent out. the
campaign has brought in only
$211. according to Fred Domfle.
chairman.
Officials Of Two States
Slate Watershed Survey
A preliminary field examination
uf the 90.000-acre Little Tennessee
River watershed has been sche
duled for Tuesday and Wednesday
by officials of this state and Geor
gia.
This survey is being conducted
in connection with an application
filed in early November for R
watershed program on the Little
Tennessee according to W. L. Har
per. of Franklin, who is with the
soil conservation service.
If the recommendations arising
from this survey are approved in
Washington. Mr. Harper saitl
funds will be released to finance
planning of the watershed pro
gram.
Department of Agriculture per
sonnel here and in Georgia are
seeking to interest the federal
government in sharing in the cost
of the watershed control and con
servation project under the Water
shed Protection and Flood Pre
vention Act.
In general, the proposed pro
ject would provide for straighten
ing and cleaning out the Little
Tennessee River channel and long
range development for a system of
terracing and drainage for the
area to benefit the landowners
and to conserve water and soil,
it has been explained.
The governors of both states
have been requested to back the
program.
Newspaper Gets
Historical Award
A certificate of merit has been
presented The Franklin Press for
its Centennial Edition
The award was made by th >
N. C. Society of Local or Count\
Historians at its annual meetiti"
Friday in Raleiuh "for meritor
ious historical activities in th"
newspaper field . for contin
uing active interest in the publi
cation of outstanding feature
articles in local and North Cam
liri history."
The Press was one of two news
papers in the state to receive .<
-ertificte and the onlv weekly.
The other was the Greensboro
Daily News.
Published iust prior to Frank
Hp's tnnth birthday celebration ir
mid-June. the edition was the
lamest in the historv of the new
paper '48 paces i and was com
nnse'l largely of local historical
features written by county citi
zens.
MEETING POSTPONED
The Union P T. A. meetin':
has been postponed from tonight
'December 8> until next Thursday
at 7:30 p. m. A Christmas pro
?tram will be presented.
ALLOCATION
DISCUSSED
Purchase Of Land
Near High School
To Be Investigated
The Macon County Board of Ed
ucation took no official action in
session Monday morning, but dis
cussed several matters.
A portion of the meeting was
devoted to discussing, in general
terms, how the county's share of
Che 50,000,000 school building al
FIGURE ANNOUNCED
Macon's share of the
final $50,000,000 for school
building expansion has
been announced as $152,
027.87.
Supt. Holland McSwain
was not available for
comment (Wednesday)
when the amount was dis
closed by the State Board
of Education. He is at
tending a superintendents'
conference in High Point
and is not expected back
until Friday.
location will be spent. Since it still
is not known just how much Ma
con is to receive, no definite plans
were made. This allocation ? the
second in the state-wide bond is
sue for school expansion ? is be
ing made to counties on the basis
of need, effort, and ability, accord
ing to Supt. Holland McSwain.
Board members also decided to
investigate a plan for purchasing
about four acres of land owned
by Frank Leach near Franklin
High School. If the land can be
obtained, it is the board's idea to
utilize it for playground space
and future expansion of the high
school. The property is across the
street from the south end of the
building.
HI-ADS AGENTS
T. H. Faff 1
County agent for Macon. Mr.
Fagg is the new president of the 1
W. N. C. County Agents' Assoc ia t
tion for 1956. He was elected to the j
post at an agents' meeting Tues- t
day and Wednesday of last week i
in Asheville.
Murder T rial Slated;
Cases Are 'Moving'
? ? ?
Laws Protect,
Not Punish
Protection, not punishment, is
behind North Carolina's motor
vehicles laws, according to Judge
Dan K. Moore.
In his charge to the grand jury
here Monday morning, the jurist
placed special emphasis on the in
creasing number of traffic viola
tions, both here and elsewhere,
and allied highway death toll and
injuries.
He labeled the mounting death
toll a "tragic situation . . . that
seems to be getting worse."
Motor vehicles laws were passed
for the purpose of -attempting to
reduce deaths, Injuries, and prop
erty loss. Judge Moore explained,
and to protect those who use the
highways.
In taking violators of the laws
to trial, he said the court is not
simply seeking to punish the in
dividual. Unless the laws are en
forced, it will become increasingly
dangerous to operate a motor
vehicle on the highways.
He declared it is the duty of
each citizen to aid in the enforce
ment of the laws; first by obeying
them personally, secondly, by as
sisting officers with enforcement.
Law enforcement has become
such a "tremendous undertaking,"
that despite the conscientious ef
forts of officers it is impossible
for them to do the job.
Fred Hannah was appointed
foreman by the court.
Members Included Ralph Crun
kleton, Bert Zachary. Prank J.
Crane. Lex Vanhook, George W
Nix, Don Watson. Soby Roper.
Joe Reese. Carl E. Bateman. Call
Donaldson. B. P. Waldroop, T. A
Bat?nan. Bronce L. Roper, John
H. Campbell. Wiley gtamey, and
J. E. Hicks.
HOPES ARE ON
HOLLY SPRINGS
Macon Community In
Area Rural Contest;
Awards Luncheon Set
Holly Springs is carrying Ma
con's hopes in the W. N. C. Rural
Community Development Contest
and when the winners are announ
ced in Asheville on Saturday more
than 25 from here plan to be
an hand.
An awards luncheon at the Bat
tery Park Hotel is to be featured
by the disclosure of the top com
munities in the area. Cash awards
totaling $1,750 are to be made.
Tickets to the luncheon are be
,ng distributed to community
leaders by County Agent T. H.
Fagg.
Placing in the money in the
W. N. C. contest is nothing new
:o Holly Springs. As the leader
n the development program ir.
his county, it won an honorabl"
nention < $ 1 00 > in the 1954 event.
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 8
Solicitor Thad D. Bryson, Jr.,
yesterday (Wednesday) morning
said the murder trial of Mrs.
Hazel Stuffel and two others prob
ably will begin today.
The grand jury Monday return
ed indictments against Mrs. Stuf
?le, 34, Mrs. Gertrude Shelton, 54,
and Gene Autrey Stuffel, 14. la
connection with the October 22
pistol slaying of Kenneth Tom
Shelton near Franklin. Officers
say Mrs. Stuffel has admitted the
shooting.
Shelton, 54, was Mrs. Shelton's
husband and the step-father of
Mrs. Stuffel.
Meanwhile, the solicitor report
ed criminal trials were "moving
along" and he predicted the dock
et probably would be disposed of
today.
Judge Dan K. Moore is presid
ing. The term opened Monday.
Cases acted upon through Mon
day include:
Roy Lewis Watson, Jr., driving
after license revoked. 4 months
suspended, $200 and costs, license
suspended three years.
John David McGaha, speeding,
prayer for judgment continued,
costs.
Jimmy Thacker, fraud, nol pros
with leave.
Add Thacker, fraud, prayer for
judgment continued, costs.
Charlie Ray Dlllard, speeding,
prayer for judgment continued,
and costs.
Andrew Pierson Wilson, drunk
driving, improper brakes, prayer
for Judgment continued. $100 and
costs.
Jesse Garland Ledford. drunk
driving, prayer for judgment con
tinued, $100 and costs.
Arnold B. Garrison, drunk driv
ing, prayer for judgment contin
ued, $100 and costs. t
Arnold Ray Dilli, drunk driving.
90 days suspended. $100 and casts.
Ch?rle? Marshall Mlncey, drunk
driving, 90 days suspended, $100
costs.
Samuel Lawson Shook, aiding
and abetting drunk driving, alias
capias Issued.
Paul Everett Buchanan, speed
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 8
The Weather
The week's temperatures and rainfall, a a
reeordrd in Franklin by Maneon Sti'ew.
U. S. weather observer: in nifrkland< hj
r\i<ior N Hall and W C. TV A
observer; and at the Cowe?'l* HydroJojcic
Wed.. Nov
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wed . Nov
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
30
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
08
10
30
41
53
28
27
2j
1 .37
44
4)
40
64
63
58
58
COWEETA
Temperatures
High Low Rain
30 41 09
44
47
64
65
54
54
10
:9
40
52
29
27
.60
.19
.58
.41
TAI.KIMi AFTER butt wfek's K K. \. and 411 dinner honoring vlock show supporters here are (L to
Ri Bobby Tramif. who wu mwtrr of ceremonies. Jtmn G. Flanacan. assistant agent in rhutt or 4-H
boy*. Wayne Proffitt. vocational agriculture teacher, and II. T. Gryder, of Asheiille, western lUrM voca
tional agriculture nptnkor. The (roup Ik standing la a clever display pttpartd for the dinner by the
F. F. A. and 4-H members. The dummy in [ foreground holds a calf made of straw. (Se? Story
rago 1(1.