CIRCULATION
2723
Net Paid
Last Week
Ijjigbl&ftbl JBaeonian
71st Year ? No. 19
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, May 10, 1956
Fourteen Pages
NEW LIBRARY
FUND NEEDS
MORE HELP
Miss Kelly Reports
That $4,000 Would
Finish The Building
A plea for donations to com
plete Franklin's new library
building was sounded this week
by Miss Lassie Kelly, chairman
of the local library committee.
About $4,000 more is needed
to complete the Job, she reports.
The over-all job is expected
to cost under $10,000, Miss Kelly
?stimated Monday. The commlt
LIBRARY BENEFIT
A Bunco party for the li
brary fund will be staged
Saturday at 8 p. m. at Kelly's
Tea Room by the past ma
trons of the Nequassa Chap
ter, Order of Eastern Star.
Advance tickets for the
party are on sale.
tee already has spent $4,500 on
the building, which is going up
on the county lot on Phillips
Street next to the jail. The
two-story 45 by 45 foot concrete
block structure is now under
roof. Lee Tippett is the builder.
While construction goes on,
the library is operating in a
small building owned by Miss
Kelly near her Main Street Inn.
It moved there from the old
Masonic Hall on Church Street,
which was razed to make way
for a new hall. Most of the li
brary's volumes are in storage.
Miss Kelly said the committee
plans to use the first floor of
the new building for the library
and the second as a meeting
place for small gatherings of
civic groups.
If donations come in as an
ticipated. the library will move
into the new building in mid
June.
Those wanting to make con
tributions may get in touch
with the committee treasurer,
H. W. Cabe, at the Bank of
Franklin.
Nantahala High Is Leading
Off Graduation Exercises
Nantahala High will lead off
'56 graduation events in the
county's three high schools with
its baccalaureate sermon Sun
day and commencement exer
cises Wednesday.
Franklin High's baccalaure
ate is set for the 20th and
commenncement the following
day. Exercises at Highlands
High are set for June 1.
Scruggs To Preach
The Rev. Gordon Scruggs, of
Murphy, will deliver the bac
calaureate sermon in the Nan
tahala auditorium at 7:30.
At commencement on the
16th, at 8 p. m., Miss Shelby
Nelson, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Carl Nelson, will give the
valedictory address. During her
four years in high school, Miss
Nelson maintained an average
of 92.1. The class salutatorian
is Miss Wanda Sue Gregory,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul
Gregory. She had a four-year
average of 91.2.
Nichols Is Speaker
Guest speaker for commence
ment will be L. B. Nichols, well
known Andrews businessman
and a former school teacher
there. He will be introduced by
D. L. Owenby, school committee
chairman.
Awards to the graduating
class of 20 will be made by
Principal R. C. Pipes and diplo
mas will be presented by Supt.
Holland McSwaln.
Band On Program
The Macon County Band also
will appear on the program.
Miss Juanita Passmore Soles
bee, who was third among hon
or students of the graduating
SEE NO. 2. PAGE 10
Mayor Proclaims May 26*
As 'Little League Day
.May 26 has been proclaimed
as "American Little League
Baseball Day" in Franklin by
Mayor W. C. Burrell to official
ly signal the opening of league
play here.
Meanwhile, league officials
are whipping into shape plans
for a full celebration, includ
ing a parade through town and
a ball throwing ceremony at
the East Franklin field. Howard
Barnwell Is In charge of ar
rangements for the parade.
A double-header Is scheduled,
with the first game at 2:30
o'clock.
Uniforms will be issued to
the members of the four league
teams on the 16th.
Zickgraf Hardwood Company
has donated 2,000 feet of lum
ber for building stands at the
Little League field behind the
East Franklin School and a reg
ulation fence is being erected
by the Franklin Jaycees.
Under league rules, all games
will be free.
The mayor's proclamation:
"Whereas, in our community
there is a great need for pro
viding recreation for the young
sters, and, whereas, the Amer
ican Legion Post 108 of Frank
lin has voted to sponsor Little
League Baseball in Macon Coun
ty in conjunction with the four
team sponsors and sponsors of
other operations of the league,
and, whereas, the citizens of
this community have demon
strated a tremendous amount
of interest to the extent that
many man hours have been ex
pended and many more being
expended. Now, therefore, as
mayor of Franklin, I declare
Saturday, May 26, "American
Little League Day" in Franklin
and do hereby invite everyone
to take part in the free double
header, parade, and all other
festivities that take place on
this historical day in our great
community."
LOCAL MOTORIST.S probably will be able to use US 23
441 between Franklin and Dillsboro by the week-end, if work
progresses satisfactorily. The highway is closed while high
way crews relocate the section near Cowee Gap that was
damaged by a landslide last month. The dotted, line in the
picture gives a rough idea of where the old roadbed went,
while the solid line shows the relocation job closer to the
mountain.
Free Concert By
County Band Set
In Gym Sunday
A free concert by the 68
member Macon County Band,
under the direction of T. A.
Orr, Is planned Sunday at 3
p. m. In the high school gym
nasium.
The county band Is made up
of band students from all
schools except Nantahala.
Principal Harry C. Corbin
said the concert Is being stag
ed for the public in apprecia
tion for the support given the
band by the Macon Couiity
Band Boosters Club after the
music department was destroy
ed in the high school gymna
sium fire two years ago.
The booster organization has
helped pay for nearly $3,500 in
new instruments to put the
band back on its feet.
Chamber Drive At One-Third;
Ruby Promotion Is Started
About one-third of the Frank
lin Chamber of Commerce's an
nual membership goal of $3,000
had been reached Tuesday as
the organization launched a
campaign to publicize the coun
ty's newest attraction, the Co
wee Ruby Mines.
Nation-wide publicity receiv
ed by the ruby mines recently
daily brings increasing numbers
from over the U. 8. and Can
ada. It has, in effect, opened
the area's tourist season pre
maturely.
Recognizing the potentialities
of the attraction, the chamber
president, Verlon Swafford, this
week reported that special
bumper stickers to promote the
ruby mines have been ordered
and should be here for distri
bution within two weeks.
Mr. Swafford said it is the
plan of the chamber to make
the names of Franklin and the
ruby mines synonymous in the
mind of the traveling public.
The recent article on the
mines in Woman's Day failed to
make any connection between
Franklin and the mines, al
though the town is in the cen
ter of the ruby country.
A number of inquiries by tel
ephone and by mall have been
received from other chambers
in this state and Tennessee in
regard to the mines, Mr. Swaf
ford said. These point to the
need of increased publicity on
the mines, he added.
Teams Working
To raise money for the cham
ber's '56 program, 10 teams of
volunteer-solicitors are working
under the chairmanship of Vic
Perry Memberships so far have
brought in about $1,000.
However, Mr. Perry said Tues
AT KENTUCKY DERBY
Dr. and Mrs. Edgar Angel
and daughter, Martha, and Dr.
and Mrs. Frank M. Killian at
tended the Kentucky Derby in
Louisville Saturday.
2* . '"im &
day that about 35-40 per cent
of membership potential had
been contacted by the teams.
Those helping with the cam
paign Include Bruce Bryant,
Bill Bryant, Jack Ragan, J. L.
West, Jr., B. L. .McGlamery, J.
Ward Long, Roy Moore, Paul
West, J. C. Jacobs, J. C. Crisp,
Prelo Dryman, Roy Cunning
ham, Bob S. Sloan, Bill Horsley,
Charles Ivester, and Bob Car
penter.
Roll Up For
Town Clean Up
For two weeks beginning
Monday, Franklinites will roll
up their sleeves and tackle
the town's annual clean-up.
The town is hiring addi
tional men and trucks to haul
trash. Residents are asked to
put all rubbish near the
street for easy collection.
The beautification commit
tee of the chamber of com
merce and the town axe
jointly backing the cleanup.
Students Will Take Over
Governments Here Fridav
County and town officials to
morrow (Friday) will step
quietly into the background
while students of Franklin High
take over their jobs in the Jay
cee -sponsored "Government for
a Day" project.
The idea behind the unique
experiment is to awaken the
students to the responsibilities
of public service and to ac
quaint them with jobs they
may personally hold someday.
In a hotly-contested election
at the high school this week,
the Carolinian Party registered
stunning victories in all offices
against the opposition Student
Party.
The Student Party failed to
elect a candidate for the 24
posts open.
Here's the Carolinian slate
that will take over the town
SEE NO. 4, PAGE 10
Essay Contest On County
Is Won By Miss Watson
Miss Emma Watson, Franklin
High senior and daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. John Watson, of
Franklin, Route 4, is the winner
of the essay contest, "Macon
County ? My Home, My Future."
For writing /the prize-winning
paper on the opportunities to be
found for young people here at
home, she. wins a gold medal
and $25 in cash.
In second place was Miss
Shirley L. Cabe, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Weaver Cabe, of Route
4. She gets a $25 U. S. Savings
Bond for her efforts. The third
place award of $10 in cash goes
to Joe Raby, son of Mr. and
rrwz"- 7 x* -vmzt'i
Mrs. Algie Raby, also o f Route
4. The runners-up also are
Franklin High students.
Sponsored by the Franklin
Jaycees and the Franklin Press,
the essay contest was open to
all high school students In the
county.
Judges for the contest were
selected by Robert C. (Bob)
Carpenter, who had charge for
the Jaycees.
Judges were H. W. Cabe, Wal
ter Dean, and R. S. Jones.
Awards to the winners will be
presented by a representative of
The Press at a chapel exercise
at the high school on the 22nd.
WINNERS OF the essay contest, ".Macon County ? My Home, My Future", are (L to R) Joe
Raby, third place. Miss Emma Watson, first place, and Miss Shirley L. Cabe, second place. All are
Franklin High students.
Highway May Open
By The Week-End
PARTY PLANS
CONVENTION
To Meet Saturday
At Courthouse T o
Plan For Primary
With precinct organizations
functioning, county Democrats
will move into convention Sat
urday at 2 o'clock at the court
house to plan for the party pri
mary on the 26th.
At meetings last Saturday in
the 12 precincts, precinct chair
men were selected. They are:
Franklin, Bob S. Sloan; Mill
shoal, Harold Cabe; Ellijay, Ed
Conley; Sugarfork, Ab Potts;
Highlands, Neville Bryson; Flats,
Ray Dryman; Smithbridge, Jess
Norton; Cowee, Milton Fouts;
Burningtown, Bob Parrish; Car
toogechaye, Eugene Crawford ;
Nantahala No. 1, Luther Jac
obs; Nantahala No. 2, Jim
Shields.
Scout Honor
Court Slated
A Smoky Mountain District
Court of Honor tonight (Thurs
day) at Cowee School is expect
ed to attract a large number of
Boy Scouts and their leaders,
according to the Rev. S. B. Moss,
of Franklin, district advance
ments committee chairman.
This will be the first court
held in the district since
March and Mr. Moss said an
increased number of advance
ments are on tap. Generally,
courts are held monthly, but
the district is gradually switch
ing to about six a year under
a new plan.
Tonight's court is set to start
at 7:30.
The next one is scheduled for
August in Highlands.
No Report Yet
On Burnside
The report on the cause of
Dr. O. H. Burnside's death had
not arrived from Raleigh yes
terday (Wednesday), according
to Coroner C. Jack Ragan.
Contents of the veterinarian's
stomach were sent there for
analysis following his sudden
death at his East Franklin
home Tuesday night of last
week (May 1).
Funeral services for Dr. Burn
side, who had lived here since
1942, were conducted Thursday
at 3:30 p. m. at the Franklin
Baptist Church by the Rev. M.
W. Chapman, pastor, and the
Rev. Bryan Hatchett, Presby
terian pastor. Burial was in Co
lumbus, Miss.
A native of Hattiesburg, Miss.,
Dr. Burnside received his de
gree in veterinary medicine
from Alabama Polytechnic Uni
versity. He was a veteran of
World War II as a captain in
the army veterinary service. Dr.
Burnside and his wife, the for
mer Miss Ruth Schenek, of
Trenton, Ohio, were married in
1948. Four, children also sur
vive.
Pallbearers were T. H. Fagg,
C. C. Sutton, George Doster, H.
T. Collins, R. R. Gaines, and
Harve L. Bryant.
Bryant Funeral Home was in
charge.
Doctors Opening
Office In Dillard
Drs. Gene Morton and Stan
ley Lanford have announced
plans for opening an office in
nearby Dillard, Ga., for the
practice of general medicine.
It will open Monday in the
office formerly used by Dr.
Neville.
The doctors plan to open at
2 p. m. Monday through Thurs
day of each week.
RECEIVE PROMOTIONS
The Bank of Franklin this
week announced the promotions
of Walter Dean and Robert C.
Carpenter from tellers to as
sistant cashiers.
Resident Engineer S. T. Usry
yesterday (Wednesday) said lo
cal traflic probably will be al
lowed to use US 23-441 between
Franklin and Dillisboro by this
week-end.
This section of the main
travel artery through the area
was closed last week so high
way maintenance crews could
relocate a large section of the
RUMORS UNFOUNDED
Rumors circulating here this
week that the highway near
Bryson City was closed be
cause of construction were
unfounded, according to high
way officials.
A construction job is under
way near Bryson City, but
traffic is moving through.
However, because of blasting,
motorists have experienced
brief delays.
highway near Cowee Gap that
was ripped out April 16 by a
sudden earth movement under
a large fill.
The engineer said the rain
this week failed to slow up
work on the project.
"Actually, things are going
better than we expected," he
declared.
Barring something unfore
?een, Mr. Ufry said, local ve
hicles can use the highway by
the week-end, although the
damaged section will only b?
gravelled, not paved.
In relocating the highway,
the centerllne has been moyed
70 feet closer to the mountain.
The landslide tore out about
200 yards of the roadway.
Going Is Rough
Meanwhile, with the detour
signs up, through traffic Is
moving east-west through Bry
son eity.
Most local traffic using the
Ellijay route into Jackson Coun
ty is finding the going rough.
Paving is now underway on the
Franklin side of the gap and
highway crews are relocating a
long section of this road on the
Jackson side.
Paving yesterday (Wednes
day) was more than halfway
up the mountain. Brief delays
were being experienced by
motorists using the road. With
out delays, the trip from Frank
lin to Sylva takes better than
an hour.
i
Late News
and
Briefs
FIRE AT KEENERS
tei overheated floor furnace
at %4r. and Mrs. Hershel Keen
er's apartment behind the A.
A. Sller's about 5:45 p. m. Tues
day brought out volunteer fire
men. Damage was confined
largely to soot and smoke.
? ? ?
COUNTY FEATURED
In the May 5 Issue of The
State, Editor Bill Sharpe, In his
column, "Murphy to Manteo",
covers a variety of subjects in
this county from the ruby dig
ging "boom" in Cowee Valley,
to ice skating in Highlands, the
annual Macon County Folk Fes
tival, and activities of E. S.
Purdom and ' the McNish boys"
in Way ah Valley.
OPEN HOUSE PLANNED
In observance of "North Car
SEE NO. 6, PAGE 10
The Went!
ler
Th?- week's tempe: atun v m ! rainfall. as
tcordwl in Franklin ly ! Stiles,
I', S. weather (?i.s??c\*: 1 ! Mands hy
Tudor N. Hall am! W ? V won. TV A
observer; and at th. (V. fiydrolngic
I jitmratory.
FRANKLIN
Temperatures
High Low Rain
Wed.. May 2
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
70
7:)
79
71
75
COV.EETA
Wed . May 2
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
68
79
75
70
76
64
>8
)7
6 ?
46
59
59
51
57
56
57
45
58
57
50
.11
1.30
.04
trace
.45
.02
1.47
.49
.63
.19
Don't Forget ? May 14-24 Is Clean - Up Time In Franklin