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They that give up es
sential liberty to obtain
a little temporary safe
ty deserve neither lib
ertv nor safety. ? Ben
jamin Franklin.
72nd Year ? No. 28
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, July 11, 1957
Price 10 Cents
Twelve Pages
JAYCEE PRESIDENT Bob Moore is shown crowning Miss
Nancy .Sutton as "Miss Fourth of July". The beauty contest to
select a queen to reign ever the festivities drew 17 contestants
and featured the night portion of the program in Franklin.
Thousands In Franklin
For Fourth Celebration
Crowds numbering at times
in the thousands turned out
last Thursday in Franklin to
celebrate the Fourth of July
with old timey contests, base
ball games, a beauty contest,
and square dancing.
With the Franklin Jaycees
staging the Independance Day
festivities, through the auspices
of the chamber of commerce, a
full day and night of fun and
entertainment reeled off virtu
ally without a hitch.
It was the largest crowd to
assemble in Franklin since the
1955 Centennial and many de
scribed it as the best Fourth
celebration ever held.
Uptown activities centered at
the west side of the courthouse,
which was roped off and light
ed for the occasion. The base
ball games, three of them, were
held at the East Franklin field.
Old Timey Contests
Old timey contests? including
the perennial greasy pole and
8- easy pig ? consumed the
morning houfs of the celebra
tion. Young and old took part
in the events like hog calling,
sack racing, clothes hanging,
and corn shucking.
A watermelon eating contest
for boys and girls sparked a lot
of enjoyment for everyone ?
eaters included, who found'
munching at watermelon with
hands behind their back any
thing but easy.
Jaybirds Win
The Little League Jaybirds
lengthened their lead in the
opening game in the afternoon
SEE NO. 2. PAGE 12
CART OOCi ECH A YE WOMAN ?
She's Had 98 Birthdays
After 96 of them, the fifth of
July is almost like any other
day to Mrs. Christine Elizabeth
Setser, of the Cartoogechaye
section.
So this year, after greeting
several birthday well-wishers
among family and friends, she
took a little nap to rest up a
bit. But, by late afternoon, she
was up and around again,
greeting folks who had come to
wish her "Happy Birthday" and
help eat the four birthday
cakes she received.
Widow of Andy Setser, she is
the oldest native of Macon
County and has lived all her
life within its boundaries. She
was born in the Cowee Town
ship and has lived in the Iotla
and Cartoogechaye sections.
Though thfe years have dulled
her hearing some and her eye
- <??*??? .V ? ? ' ???? . : ? ?? . ' a
sight is failing, and though she
uses a walking stick to get
about, Mrs. Setser carries her
years lightly. She still visits
regularly among her family, for
a day or even a week.
Her favorite daily pasttime is
listening to the radio. The
daughter with whom she #iow
lives, Mrs. Louise Waldroop,
says she is "terribly put out"
ii she misses the morning de
votional.
Furtheritiore, Mrs. Waldroop
reveals, though she's a Baptist
she listens to the sermons of
all denominations, explaining "I
am not selfish, I listen to them
all."
In addition to Mrs. Waldroop,
her children are Lawrence Set
ser, Mrs. Anna McGee, Joe Set
ser, Mrs. Nina Phillips, and .Mrs.
Kate Waldroop, all of this coun
ty.
Mr?. Setser
. . . Has 98 Birthdays
Board Boosts Franklin's Tax Rate 10 Cents
New Assistant
Agent On Job;
Boone Native
A native of Boone, Kenneth
Perry, has joined the county
agent's staff as an assistant.
He succeeds Roy W. Isley,
who recently resigned to accept
a job in Roanoke, Va. His work
will be primarily with the Farm
and Home Development Pro
gram.
A 1956 graduate of N. C. State
College, Mr. Perry was an as
sistant. agent in Ashe County
Tor a year before accepting the
job here.
He is married and his wife
will join him August 1. They
have taken the Davis apart
ment on Harrison Avenue:
O'ficers Get
Bootleg Car
Franklin Policeman Homer
Cochran captured a hot rod
b jotie:; car and 48 gallons of
non-tax paid whiskey early
Sunday morning.
Cruising west on West Main
Street, about 2:15 the officer
was surprised when an oncom
ing- automobile suddenly swerv
ed across in front of him and
went up Green Street at a high
rate of speed.
He gave chase.
At the intersection of Green
and Harrison Avenue, the speed
ing bootleg car went out of con
trol and hit a bank in the yard
at Curtis Pearson's. Officers
later found a broken rotor cap
in the distributor and surmised
that the impact caused it to
crack, stopping the engine. The
driver and at least one or two
passengers fled into the night.
Before going for help, Police
man Cochran made sure they
wouldn't return and drive off
again. He pulled out the ignition
wires.
A search by the Officer and
Chief Deputy Newell Pender
grass failed to turn up the
men.
A closer inspection of the 1939
Ford coupe revealed it was
powered by an Oldsmobile
Rocket engine with a four-bar
rel carburetor and 12-volt elec
trical system. It had a Georgia
license plate.
Si* of the 48 gallons of
whiskey in the car were broken
when it hit the bank.
'Fishermen'
Get Caught . . .
Two "fishermen" at Nanta
hala got caught themselves
last week when the sheriff
arrested them for being escap
ed Georgia convicts.
Sheriff J, Harry Thomas
a.nd his chief deputy, Newell
Pendergrass, apprehended the
men and held them for re
turn to Georgia.
The pair escaped from a
road gang near Milledgeville,
Ga., in mid-June and stole an
automobile. Posing as fisher
men on vacation, the two
were staying in the home of
a Nantahala man.
One of the convicts was
serving 20 years for a series
of breaking and entering
charges and the other was
serving seven years for armed
robbery, officers report.
Paving Under
Way On Highway
Paving on US 23-441 from
Franklin to Dillsboro got under
way Monday morning.
The highway is being kept
open to travel during the week,
but one way traffic is maintain
ed where the paving machine is
operating.
Midstate Contractors, of Hick
ory, was low bidder on the job,
which also includes some other
paving work in Jackson County
on US 23-19-A.
The Macon County portion
covers 7.24 miles.
RECEIVING CONTRIBUTIONS
The local American Red
Cross Is receiving contributions
for the victims of "Hurricane
Audrey", which left thousands
homeless. Persons wishing to
donate to this fund may leave
the montey at the A.R.C. office
in the Bank of Franklin build
ing or mall It in.
Chamber Plans New Booth
*
On Square This Season
Verlon Swafford, president of
the Franklin Chamber of Com
merce, has announced tentative
plans for building a new tour
ist information booth this sea
son.
Both county and town offici
als already have approved the
proposal to erect , the building
on the Town Square, where it
will be readily accessible to vis
itors.
Elu?p ints are now teing pre
pi ?d by H. H. Plemmons, on
i' "< u :? t if the chamber direct
or;.
A /edge system among local
m re Hants- probably will be used
to finance the booth's construe
tion, .Mr. Swafford said..
The booth will be of block
eonstruction with a native stone
or Needmore stone veneer, he
added.
Earlier in the year, the cham-,
fcer directors proposed to move
the old information booth next
to the old Munday building to
the square, but abandoned
them when notified that mov
ing the frame booth would be
in violation of tlpe fire zone
regulations.
Mr. Swalford said more de
tails on the size and type booth
will te available when Mr.
Plemraons completes the blue
prints.
School Principals G.t
Assignments Fey Yea;'
School principal-, have been
assigned by the board of edu
cation.
Harry Moses, principal at
Iotla last year, has been as
signed to Union School, succeed
ing R. A. Byrd, who has taken
a job in Marion next year.
Named to fill Mr. Moses' job at
Iotla is Alex Arnold, a former
Cowee principal, who has been
working as a rural mail carrier.
One of two newcoimers to the
system; is Frank Watson, who
has been appointed principal of
Highlands School, succeeding O.
F. Summer, who recently re
signed to teach fulltime in the
school. Mr. Watson is a native
of Dillsboro and has served as
principal at Dillsboro, Sylva,
and Glenville. Sixty-six years
old, he was 1 "tired at Glen
ville and taught last year at
MiiPihy. . He ; is a graduate of
We>te,n Carolina College, got
his master's from Peabody Col
lege, and did graduate work at
the University of North Caro
lina.
The other is Claire K. (Ikei
Olson, of Murphy, who is tak
ing over at Franklin High
School. Harry C. Corbin, Frank
lin principal for two years, re
cently was elevated to the post
rtr principal of District 1
(franklin > .
Principals returning to their
schools include W. G. Crawford,
Fa.it Franklin; Jerry A: Hall.
Nantnhala; Z. Weaver Shope.
Cullasaja; E G. Crawiord, Ot
to; J. Norman West, Cartooge
chaye; Don Seagle, Cowee; and
Addison R. Shepard, Chapel
(Negro, i
Of Course^ ?
<No Such A Ttatt
"Watauga Gap? Why there
ain't never been no such a
thing as Watauga Gap! It's Co
wee Gap!"
This statement ? from a man
who' lives nearly in the gap it
self ? is indicative of other Ma
conians' feelings when asked
about the correct name for the
gap in the Cowee Mountains
on the Dillsboro road.
Everyone querried agreed that
,the name Cowee Gap is the
only one they have ever heard
used for this geographical point.
However, all maps published
by the U. S. government? T.V.A.,
U. S. Forest Service, U. S. Geo
logical Survey, etc. ? list this
gap as Watauga Gap. According
to these maps, there is a Co
wee Gap, but it's located near
Whiteside, where the Cowee
Mountains gap at the point
they join the Blue Ridges.
The discrepancy in mapmak
ers' terminology and local usage
was brought up recently in a
letter to The Press from D.
Hiden Ramsey, of Asheville. Mr.
Ramsey said he "would not pre
sume to state what the proper
name is or should be . . . My
interest grows out of two facts:
"1. I have a tender spot in
my heart for Macon County.
? "2. I dislike to see major as
sets of scenery suffer from con
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 12
Glass Sliver
Removed From
Mason s Brain
A .Macon County man who
walks in his sleep had to
have a delicate operation in
Decatur, Ga., last week to
remove a piece of window
glass from his brain,
H. itay Mason, 23, of lotla.
was in critical condition for
several days following the op
eration at Emory University
Hcspital. He is now recovering
and is expected to be home
til s week end. He w?.s on the
operating table from 9:15 p.
p. to 4 a. m, Tuesday of last
,week.
Friday night, June 28, Mr.
Ala .in was walking in his
s!eep. His face smashed a
window pa.ne and some of
the glass entered the region
of the eye. -?
He was treated at Angel
Hospital, Dr. Charles H. .'vlose
ley aid a sliver of the pane,
about ;ii inches long, was re
move ( from Mr. Mason's eye
lid. There was a gash r.bout
two inches deep, the doctor
said.
Air. Mason remained at An
gel Hospital, where an X-ray
shewed a piece of glass had
penetrated the brain. Doctors
decided to send the pa.tient to
Emory.
He was taken tc Georgia by
his wife, Mrs. Dixie Mason,
and a brother. C. E. (Shorty)
Mason.
Phone Company's
Ch:ck Returned;
Was v\'t Enough
The Western Carolina Tele
phone Company, faced with a
foreclosure on its real property
in Macon County unless its 1954
taxes are paid by July 15, sent
a check last week only to have
it refused by the county.
The check was for $771.11 and
bore the notation "for payment
in full of 1954 taxes".
Chairman of the board of
county commissioners. W. E.
i Gene i Baldwin, instructed the
county accountant. Lake V.
Shope, to return the check.
In a : letter to the telephone
company treasurer, James H.
Bell, of Weaverville, Mr. Bald
win said the amount sent the
county was unsatisfactory. The
taxes amount to $1,407.27,- the
chairman noted, and "unless
that amount is received by the
15th (Monday, foreclosure pro
ceedings will be instituted.
The only real property the
company owns in Macon County
is a lot and building In High
lands. This would be subject to
foreclosure. Such items as
switchboards and other opera
tional equipment would have to
be attached for sale.
And Who Wouldn't Be Smiling About It?
0 1 jM II I II ? ''V ? 1 1~~
A beaming Stuart Newport, of Columbun. Ohio, nxnpirn with a quarter the 49S carat ruby
he found on the Fourth at the Shuler mine in t.'owee Valley. The stone will cut out to about 20
carats. Mr. Newj-jff had a smaller ruby cut while here and with it and the huge stone is plot
ting to net even with friends back home who teased him about dieting for rubies on his vaca
tion. He is manager of a laige jewelry store in Columbus.
Increase
Going For
Water Work
Aldermen Adopt
Largest Budget
In Town's History
Franklin's tax levy was upped
10 cents ? from $1.10 to $1.20 per
hundred valuation ? by the
board of aldermen Mpnday
night in adopting a record
budget of $129,251.53.
The chairman of budget com
mittee, Alderman H. H Gnuse,
Jr., says the tax increase is
earmarked for water extensions
and improvements. An alloca
tion of S18.500 is in the budget
for this pork alone.
A check of last fiscal year's
budget shows the new one for
1957-53 to te $14,214.71 higher.
Last year's figure was $115,036 -
o2. Town- Clerk C O Ramsey re
potts the town ended the year
i June 30 > with $134.72 on hand.
Increases Granted
Several town employes are
granted salary increases under
the new budget. Mr. Ramsey
and Water Supt. Herman Chil
dcrs both get S300 raise's, bring
ing' the former's annual salary
to S3.600 and the latter's to $3,
300.
Lester Thomas and Leonard
Thomas, garbagemen. both get
S60 more a year. This brings
the former's monthly salary to
$80 and the latter's to $65'.
About The Same
The amount allocated for
General Expenses is a"bout the
same as last year ? $10,685 as
compared with $10,710 in 1956
57. A breakdown of the budget
sets up $710 for the salaries of
the mayor and aldermen; $3,650
for salaries in the office; $300 in
salaries for the health officer
and town attorney; $700 for
office supplies and expenses;
$1,200 for general building ex
penses. including fuel, electric
ity. and telephone: $150 for jail
fees; $250 for a new adding
machine; $1,000 for insurance:
S525 for auditing and preparing
the tax list; $1,000 for the
town's share Qf Social Security
for town employes; and $1,200
for miscellaneous expenses.
New Officer Added
The Police Department's allo
cation is up $4,485 over last
year, $3,600 of, it for the salary
of a new officer. Police Chief
Sid Carter. Here's how the de
partment's $14,170 is to be
spent: $11,970 for salaries (three
full-time officers and one part
time ?; $600 for expenses, in
cluding uniforms; $1,500 for op
erating the police car; and $100
for miscellaneous.
$3,500 Less
A $2,360 outlay for the Fire
Department is $3,550 less be
cause $3,750 set up in last year's
budget erased the debt on the
fire truck This department's
funds are outlined like this:
S360. chief's salary; $1,250. fire
men salaries; $300. supplies: $50.
expensjs; $250. operation and
maintenance of trucks; $150,
miscellaneous.
Water Expenses
As previously- noted, expenses
are up in the Water Depart
ment because of plans for im
provements and extensions.
SEE NO. 1. PAGE 6
The Weather
The week's temperature* and rainfall below
j> re recorded in Franklin br Man-son Stilea.
U. S. w.Mther ohaerver: in Highlands by
Tudor N, Hall and W. C. Newton. TV A
observers: and at the Coweta Hydrolo*ie
Laboratory. Readings are for the 24-hour
Period ending nt * a.m. of the day listed.
FRANKLIN
High Low Rain
Tiiec.. July
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Sn turd ay
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
HIGHLANDS
76
82
89
89
85
89
92
89
Tucs . J liy 2
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday .
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
70
77
80
86
80
80
86
86
Tues.. July
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday r
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
COWETA
2
76
83
87
89
84
88
90
89
58
61
58
63
57
60
54
59
58
56
58
54
60
56
50
56
58
62
56
59
54
60
50
50
51
M
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trace
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