Ijigljlattii;* 3Bac6.80 over '54, when the figure was $34,754.21. Mail boxes on ine rural routes jumped to 1,840 during the year ? 255 more than in '54. The postmaster said the influence oi community development Is responsible for most of the in crease. Before communities started mail box projects as many as four and five families used the same box, he explain ed. Rural Route 2 absorbed the largest number of new boxes, 130, for a total of 430, The other routes increased as follows: Route 1, from 308 to 340; Route 3, 350 to 376; Route 4, 312 to 380; and Route 5, no increase from 315. Postmaster Meadows said the fourth quarter of '55 (October, November, December) showed the largest increase in receipts because of Christmas. This peri od's receipts came to $12,354.83, an increase of $1,022.03 over the '54 fourth quarter's $11,332.80? .almost half the 1035 total in crease of $2,606.80. A comparison of figures for the third Quarters of '54 and '55 i shows receipts were only slight ly higher during quarters other I than the fourth. The '55 quarter i gain?d only $21.03 over the period year. LOCAL MAN WILL BUILD BELK'S STORE Burrell Gives Plans For Erecting Building On Used Ca.r Lot Here W. C. Burrell this week an nounced plans for erecting a building for Belk's Department Store in Franklin. "As soon as weather permits", Mr. Burrell said construction of the 50 by 160 foot one-story building will begin on his used car lot between Macon County Supply Company and Burrell Motor Company, Inc. He estimates the cost of con struction at $50,000. The building will be of con crete block and steel construc tion, with brick veneer. It will have a full basement. 15-Year Lease In acknowledging that his company and Mr. Burrell has "struck a bargain',, Belk's Man ager, T. H. Callahan, said Mon day a 15-year lease will be signed. He said the plans for the new building more than double present floor space at Belk's which now leases a Main Street buildin ; irom Joe Ashear. Present floor space is 7,000 square feet. In the new build ing it will be 16,000. Mr. Callahan said the build ing front will be of glass and aluminum. Belk's present lease with Mr. Ashear is until 1953, the man ager said. The store has been i.i its present location since opening in 1945. FRIDAY FIRES Franklin's fire truck rolled out on alarms twice Friday. At 7:45 a. m. firemen extinguish ed a minor blaze at the Hays Block Plant on the river, and at 3:30 p. m. fought a brush fire at Lawrence Myers' on Bonny Crest. ROTARIANS DISCUSS ? What Community Needs What are the chief needs of i this community? These answers to the question came out of an unplanned round table discussion at last Thursday evening's meeting of the Franklin Rotary Club: More recreational facilities and events, especially for the young people. Industry that would provide ; more jobs, especially for men. Steps to avoid having US 23-441 "closed for the next two years" while it is being rebuilt, between here and the Georgia line. Some method of creating | closer cooperation between j .Macon County's two towns, Franklin and Highlands. A county-wide little base ball league. Be&utification of Franklin and environs. Some project that would bring people of all classes and groups together, working for the common good. "When people learn to know each other, they learn to like each other." While the recreation sugges tion appeared to meet with general approval, one or two members commented that there seems no problem of youth here having something to do ? "they are never at home now." Project Damaging There was no general discus SEE NO. 2, PAGE 5 Back Over Your Shoulder Remember this 1912 baseball team in Franklin? Front row ? Sam Franks, Lewis (I.uke) Angel, It. L. Cajver, Frank Graves, and Jack Johnston; back row ? Ken Cunningham, Claude West, Tont Kay, 'jrady Siler, Karl ".Mutt" Mundav, and Jack Crisp. The mascot, sealed, is "Tuck" Angel (Dr. F>nnan), HOLD ON THERE! Don't let those income tlx forms sop.d you into the pictured situation of J. L. West, Jr., Franklin businessman. Why beat your brains out? From now until April 16, each Monday the Internal Revenue Service office in the post office building will have representatives ready to assist taxpayers with their problems. (Soon after the picture was taJien, Mr. West caught the hint, put down his mallet, and dumped his problems into the capable hands of the revenue men). Forget Those Gadgets - '55 Weather Was Average Regardless of what your as sortment of weather gadgets (including trick knees, rheuma tic limbs, and dandruff) 1955's atmospheric behavior only par red the course. E. A. Johnson, forester in charge of Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, Monday leafed DECEMBER DATA You were C.10 degree colder H Lif'jmhpr, 1955, than you >Vvre for the same month in 54. The average mean tempera ture (Coweeta reading) for 1955's December was 37.15, as compared with 1954's 37.25. Accordingly, December, 1955, offered more extended cold spells ? but despite this 1954's December had lower tempera tures (although, statistically, 1955 was colder ? pardon us while we throw ourselves into the Little Tennessee). through some records, did some rapid calculations on the add ing machine, and announced: "It was about average." There were a few instances, however, when it was in the rough; instances like: FINGER TO PUSH STOCK Has Charge Of Area Sales For Governor's And Jaycee Program A Franklin attorney, C. Banks Finger, has charge of stock sales in the western district for Gov. Hodge's brainchild, the Better Business Development Corporation. A concerted drive by the North Carolina Junior Chamber of Commerce is expected to move $100,000 in stock skaters and spectators, those pentup emo'ions that formed dur inpr the warm Southern months find expression in Mi Kovnet's flashing skates as he executes an amazing series of ice-capades cai ciliated to twist an ordinary skater into the shape of a pretzel. And it brings back a lot