Net Paid
CIRCULATION
Last VVwk
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gty t Baconian
The editor who hollers
for more population
without regard to the
kind of population is a
fool who doesn't know
his own business.
?William Allen White
72nd Year ? No. 17
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, April 25, 1957
Price 10 Cents
Sixteen Pages
Bill Would Stop
Fee System Here
Houk Legislation
Would Put County
Officials On Salary
A bill to take courthouse 0(7
ficials off fees and put them on
salaries, and to separate the
functions of sheriff and tax col
lector, establishing a new of
fice for tax collections, was in
troduced in the general assem
bly Monday night by Macon's
Rep. G. L. Houk.
Representative Houk's bill
provides minimum and maxi
mum salaries lor all nine jobs
covered by the legislation. The
exact amount between the top
and bottom figure would be set
for each job by the board of
county commissioners.
The changes are to take ef
fect Oct. 7 of this year.
The sheriff's duties would be
confined solely to law enforce
ment. He would be paid be
tween $5,000 and $6,000 a year.
He would get an $1,800 travel
allowance, unless the county
?furnished him transportation.
Two Deputies
He would be entitled to ap
point a full-time deputy at a
salary from $2,400 to $2,700. He
would be allowed a second dep
uty at $1,800, who would act as
jailor and receive the jailor's
fees.
The salaries for the register
of deeds and the clerk of su
perior court, and one assistant
clerk each, are the same. The
range for register and clerk
Corbin Gets
District 1
School Job
Harry C. Corbin has bees
elected principal of District 1
(Franklin) , according to Erwir
Patton, chairman of the Macon
County Board of Education.
The district principalship has
been vacant since the resigna
tion two years ago of Ralph L
Smith, who took a job in Bun
combe County.
Mr. Corbin has been serving
Mr. Corbin
in the dual-role of principal o
Franklin High and Franklii
Elementary. An appointmen
will be made soon to fill thi
vacancy, Mr. Patton said thi
week.
Are Reelected
Committeemen of all thre>
school districts in the count;
have been reelected. They are:
District 1: Elmon Teague, H
L. Bryant, Sammie Bryson, Os
car Rickman, and Jess Shope.
District 2 (Nantahala) : D. I
Owenby, John Wishon, am
Howard Cross.
District 3 (Highlands): C. I
Mitchell, Tom Harbison, and Jo
Reese.
All principals of District
have been reelected for anothe
school year, the chairman re
ported, but have not been as
signed to schools. They are V
O. Crawford, Z. Weaver Shopi
R. A. Byrd, Alex Arnold, E. C
Crawford, J. Norman West, I
Harry Moses, and Addison I
Shepard.
Bueok Visits
Macon's newly hired scho<
superintendent, H. Bueck (pre
nounced Bick) visited here ur
officially Friday and talke
with members of the board *
education and commltteemc
from Districts 1 and 3. He mi
with District 2 commitUeme
Tuesday night to talk ovi
needs in that area.
Mr. Bueck and the preset
superintendent, Holland Mi
Swain, do not officially trac
Jobs until July 1.
would be $3,800 to >4,500. The
assistants would get from $1,
800 to $2,400, each.
Separale Job
The job of tax collector, now
held by the sheriff, would be
a separate function. To be ap
pointed by the commissioners,
Its holder would have the titles
of county accountant, tax su
pervisor, and tax collector. Sal
ary Is provided at from $3,600
to $4,800. A deputy tax collec
tor would be allowed $2,400 to
$3,600. , .
in addition to being register
of deeds. Lake V. Shope pres
ently has the duties of county
accountant and tax supervisor.
According to Representative
Houk, the bill was drawn after
comparative study with other
North Carolina counties. He
said he had found 27 counties
comparable to Macon in popu
lation, taxable property, and
such and that he based his sal
aries in this bill on those be
ing paid in the counties he
studied. . .
He said the bill had been
prepared in consultation with
the attorney general's office
(Franklin's George B. Patton).
Under the fee system used
now, the sheriff-tax collector
gets a percentage on taxes col
lected and on all checks writ
ten. It is two per cent on the
taxes, totaling about $200,000.
On the county's disbursements,
totaling $483,761, he receives two
* per cent In some cases, one per
cept in most.
(Both figures are for a year.
The lag between the amount
the county takes in through
taxes and the amount It spends
is made up through state and
federal money.)
rays Expenses
From the sheriff-tax coUect
or's gross, the Incumbent, J.
! Harry Thomas, now must pay
t the expenses of his offlce. to
cluding his own salary, that of
, an assistant tax collector, a
! full-time deputy, several part
time deputies, and motor ve
hide maintenance and opera
, register of deeds and
' clerk of court also receive their
pay through fees. The county
pays for a full-time cleric^ as
sistant to the register and for
part-time help to the clerk of
??For his duties as tax super
visor, a duty the bill will relieve
him of, Mr. Shope now receives
a salary of $1,500 a year. Foi
his duties as county accountant
a job that also will be merged
with that of the tax collector
he is now paid $600 a year. Mrs
Kate M. Wrinn, the clerk oi
court now receives no compen
sation for that office excep
fees. For a second duty, that ol
judge of juvenile court, she u
paid a salary of $900. Under Mr
Houk's bill, she would perforir
both jobs for the one salary set
out In the bill. ,
If the bill passes, all fees col
? lected after October 1 will gc
1 into the county treasury, anc
the officials' salaries will tx
8 paid from the county genera
3 fund.
e Monroe Native
y Accepts Church
HIGHLANDS ? The Rev. Car
R. McCain, assistant pastor o;
( the Palma Ce^a Presbyterlar
j Church In Tampa, Fla., has ac
cepted a call to the Highland
j Presbyterian Church.
e Since Its regular pastor, th<
Rev. R. M. Hart, accepted a cal
1 to South Carolina two year:
r ago, the church has been serv
i- ed by students from Columbli
i- Theological Seminary.
1. The new pastor Is a nativi
s, of Monroe and a graduate o
J-. Davidson College and Unioi
i. Theological Seminary. He ha
I. been associate pastor of th
Royal Oaks Presbyterian Churcl
In Marion, Va., and pastor a
)1 Brooksville, Fla.
?- Members of the oongregatioi
i- have been repairing the manse
?d including the Installation of til
it flooring, building more close
n apace, and painting and repair
it lng the heating system and th
n electrical wiring.
sr Mr. McCain is to be receive
at the July 23 meeting of th
it Ashevllle Presbytery in Waynes
ville.
le He will be Installed here at
date still to be set.
Easter Worshippers At Sunrise Services
m m m iw.i/'
? Pr?u ttUfl PIlOW i
HUNDREDS of Maconians observed Easter at sunrise services, large and small. The services j
atop Wayah Bald, Whiteside Mountain, Raven's Rock, and the Wiley Cte.rk hill in Bethel com
munity were all described as the most impressive in recent years, thanks to a near cloudless sky
and warm temperatures. The above picture was made on Wayah just as the sun came up over
the distant ranges.
May Designated As Month
For Chamber Fund Campaign
May has been designated as
"membership month" by the
Franklin Chamber of Commerce
to raise $4,500 for its 1957 pro
motional program.
Meanwhile, work already has
started on a face lifting at the
chamber's Main Street infor
Dr. Winstead's
Case Is Thrown
Out Of Court
The charge against Dr. G,
Ashby Winstead for driving
?under the Influence of a nar
cotic was thrown out of Super
ior Court last week on the
grounds of Insufficient evidence.
It had been continued from the
December term.
In Florida, where the Frank
lin physician has a 10-year
narcotics sentence pending. Gov.
Leroy Collins last week signed
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 8
mation booth In preparation for
its opening May 1.
Meeting briefly last week
at the Nantahala Power and
Light Company building, Presi
dent Verlon Swafford and his
directors planned for the fund
raising campaign and okayed
the painting, inside and out, of
the information booth. A new
sign also has been authorized
for the booth so visitors can lo
cate it easier. This probably
will be a banner spanning the
width of the street.
In deciding to hold the fund
campaign In May, the chamber
set aside established policy. In
the past, it has been customary
to open the campaign with the
annual membership banquet,
which was held last month.
However, because of the April
15 Income tax pressure, the
chamber directors decided to
postpone the drive until May. J.
C. Crisp is chairman of the
drive committee. He will be as
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 8
Murder Trial
Flops When Men
Plead Guilty
What was expected to be a
dramatic murder trial on Wed
nesday of last week was finish
ed 'in a routine way in but a
few hours after the two defen
dants and the state agreed to
a lesser charge.
All seats were taken in the
courtroom and many were
standing as Solicitor Thad D.
Bryson, Jr., read a first degree
murder charge against James
Howard Maney. Those looking
COURT RECESSES
Superior Court was recess
ed Monday following a clear
ing of both civil and criminal
dockets. Officially, the term
does not end until Saturday.
for a drawn out trial soon re
ceived other news. Through his
three attorneys, Maney agreed
to plead guilty of murder In the
second degree if the state would
reduce the charge to that. So
licitor Bry son agreed.
Testimony was given, but
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 4
Here's A Sure Sign That Spring's Arrived
e
? pnm sue noit
d The familiar harbinger of Spring, The Checkerboard, is out on Franklin's Main Street once
e again, proving that the season, which has been making overtures falsely for several weeks, flnal
i- ly has arrived. In most places, thing* like birds and early flowers are signs of Spring, but here
abouts nothing is more certain than the checkerboard. At the board are Delis Cogging (left) and
a Charles Whittington. Quietly studying the players' moves are Jim McSween (background), J. B.
Pendergrass (standing, right), and a couple of unidentified youthful devotees.
rhey're Off And
Running In Towns
Deadline Flushes
Candidates For "
Balloting May 7
As expected, Saturday's filing
leadline In Franklin and High- a
inds flushed out sizable slates L
or the biennial elections May 7. ^
Fifteen men filed in Franklin p
,nd 12 in Highlands. At press ?
Ime Wednesday of last week,
inly one man ? a Highlands In- c
:umbent ? had filed. A
Franklin Mayor W. C. Burrell c
s being opposed by W. W. g
leeves, hardware merchant and
i former alderman. r
Registration books will be
>pen in both towns through .
Saturday, which also is chal- I
enge day. *
Town officials pointed out 1
hat some voters are under the J
mpression if they are register
;d for state and national elec
,ions, they are for town elec- <
;ions. That is not true. The t
;owns have separate reglstra- I
tion books. 1
Four of the six incumbent
aldermen in Franklin are seek- ?
Lng reelection. They are A. G. ?
Cagle, J. Frank Martin, J. C. 1
Jacobs, and Prelo Dryman. Sam '
Gibson and J. L. West, Jr., did 1
not seek reelection.
Also filing in the race for the 1
six aldermen seats were Frank '
L. Henry, Jr., Sam Higdon, H. J
H. Gnuse, Jr., Dr. J. W. Kahn, 1
Dr. G. R. McSween, Victor fi. 1
Perry, Roy Lee Moore, William 1
P. Bryant, and Ezra C. Shook.
Highlands Mayor V. W. Mc
Hopefuls Voice
Street Opinions
Where do Franklin's hopeful
candidates stand on the one
way streets issue?
Four in interviews this week
flatly stated their opposition
to the system as it is now set
up. Three of the four say they
will let the coming referendum
in the town election settle the
issue, regardless of the out
come. The fourth feels a sub
stantial majority of the voters
in town must speak, for or
against, before he will change
his mind.
Five more men were either
uncommitted or undecided on
the streets issue. They'll let the
voters decide.
The 10th non-incumbent seek
ing an alderman seat, Frank L.
Henry, Jr., was out of town this
week and therefore was not
available for comment.
Members of the present board
of aldermen, in setting up the
machinery for the referendum,
voiced their willingness to let
the voters decide whether the
one-way streets will remain in
effect or not.
Following are the feelings on
the issue of nine of the 10 non
incumbents:
Mr. Reeves: Opposed the one
way streets, but says he plans,
if elected, to go along with the
majority, for or against. Per
sonally believes there is a more
practical solution to the traf
fic situation than a one-way
system.
Mr. Perry: Opposed to one
way streets. Declares a "sub
stantial majority" of the voters
must favor the one-way system
oefore he will change his stand.
Says he is inclined to put more
stock in the fpinions of busi
nessmen, who are directly af
fected by the one-way system,
than in a voter outside the
business section.
Mr. Higdon: Uncommitted oh
SEE NO. I, PAGE 8
Postal Receipts Up
At Franklin Office
Franklin Post Office receipts
showed an increase of six per
cent the first quarter of this
year compared with 1956.
Business amounted to $8,120.
25 for the period Jan. 11-Aprll
5, according to Postmaster Zeb
Meadows. For the same period
in 1956, the figure was $7,660.01.
Postmaster Meadows said the
Increase was not a significant
one.
slaglf. goes home
A. B. Slagle. who has been
hospitalized with a broken leg
since November, was released
from Angel Hospital and re
turned to his home Tuesday of
last week.
all is unopposed for reelection,
e is now lending his lirst two
ear term.
Incumbent commissioners bid
ing for their seats on the five
lan board of commissioners
re H. S. Talley, Carter Talley,
u W. Rice, and Tudor N. Hall,
he fifth commissioner, J. S.
otts, is not a candidate for re
lection.
Also in the race are Maurice
leaveland, Gene Houston, Curt
l. Wilson, L. C. Billingsley, A.
:. Patterson, Frank Crane, and
award Potts.
Fallulah Falls
Lost $43,001
In N. C. In '56
While making $7,578 on its
Jeorgia operations last year,
he TalLuLah Falls Railway Com
jany says it lost $43,001 in
tforth Carolina.
If the road is to continue to
lerve Franklin, virtually its
>nly North Carolina customer,
?evenues here must perk up
:onsiderably, according to H. L.
Brewer, receiver for the T. F.
"I feel quite sure," he con
linued, "the railway could make
i much better showing in North
Carolina if It could secure a
larger proportion of the busi
ness now being handled by
Dther means of transportation."
One of the things that run
up costs, according to Mr. Brew
er, is that on the 15 miles of
track from Dillard to Franklin
there are 14 wooden trestles.
"The railway has very little
revenue at either Prentiss or
Otto. You can readily see that
the cost of operation in North
Carolina far exceeds revenue
realized."
Here are the 1956 figures pro
vided by Mr. Brewer:
Ga. N. C.
Op. Rev. $244,421 $26,761
Op. Exp. 213.249 63,181
Result 4-$3 1,172 ?$36,420
Prop. Taxes $5,213 $454
Fgt. Car Hire 18,381 6,127
Net Result +$7,578 ?$43,001
A Backward Look
One of the best ways to
guage progress is to take a
look backwards.
Where were we yesterday,
last week, last year, last cen
tury?
In next week's Press, just
such a backward look will be
taken on .Macon County prog
ress in education.
Historical articles about the
schools of this county, with
interesting: old photographs
will appear in a section to be
issued in connection with the
local celebration this year of
the 100th anniversary of the
national and state education
al associations.
There'll be articles, pictures,
information you'll want not
only to read, but to clip and I
save.
LEAGUE BASEBALL
Officials and managers of the
Little League and Pony League
will meet tomorrow night (Fri
day) at 8 o'clock at Nantahala
Power and Light Company.
The Weather
The week's temperatures and rainfall below
are recorded In Franklin by Manson Stilea,
U. S. weather observer; in Highlands by
Tudor N. Hall and W. C. N?wt?n. TV A
obnervers; and at the Coweta Hydrolojri*
Laboratory. Rending* are for the 24-hour
period ending at 8 a.m. of the day Matad.
FRANKLIN
High Low Rain
Wed., April 17 62
Thursday 68
Friday 79
Saturday 80
Sunday 82
Monday 81
Tuesday 77
Wednesday ?
HIGHLANDS
Wed.. April 17 55
Thursday 58
Friday 71
Saturday 75
Sunday 74
Monday 71
Tuesday 70
Wednesday ?
COWETA
Wed., April 17 61
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
55
77
82
79
72
73
44
52
50
53
48
59
59
59
46
50
50
54
49
54
54
50
46
52
48
54
49
55
54
55
trace
.00
.00
.00
.00
.54
.29
.38
trace
.26
.19
trace
.00
trace
48
.00
.01
.IS
trace
.00
.01
.03
.23
?If