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1 ISiiflljlattbjS jWacottian
ON THE INSIDE ?
WHO'S BEEN WHERE AND
FOR WHAT?
Staff correspondents of THE
PRESS keep the Inside pages
of this newspaper alive with
news abqut your friends and
neighbors Read the inside
pages from top to bottom and
you'll know Macon County.
74th Year ? No. 16
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, April 16, 1959
Price 10 Cents
Sixteen Pages
%
A YOUTH CENTER "working"
is set Saturday at the town park.
If you've got even 15 minutes to '
spare, drop down to the park and ;
give a hand. Also, just in case i
you've forgotten to donate, the
building fund still needs contribu
tionsj
FROM MIAMI BEACH comes a ;
youth center donation from Mr.
and Mrs. Hogenmuller, who are
summer residents here "and are
very proud of your community".
Macon County is very proud of ?
Mr. and Mrs. Hogenmuller, and
all the other summer folks who
have contributed generously and
have shown their faith in our
community.
THAT AWARD of "excellent- :
plus" won by Miss Nancy Cochran '
in the state music contest is an
other feather in Macon's cap.
Nancy is to be congratulated for
this outstanding achievement.
IN THE news business, it would
pay to have a sharp nose like
"Queenie", who's a real queen
when it comes to tracking down
people.
ANYONE WHO has attended
one of those table-sagging covered
dish meals held by home demon- '
stration women will surely want
one of the new cookbooks they're
going to publish.
HAVE YOU made your con
tribution to the American Cancer
Society drive yet? Mrs. Lester
Conley, chapter president, is maic
ins her rounds for contributions.
MORE AND more foreign cars
are seen with Macon County
drivers. There's a lot of appeal
to economy this day and time.
THE FELLOW substituting last
week on the parking meter patrol
was James E. Hurst. He was giv
ing Mr. Conley a breathing spell.
COUNTY AGENT T- H. Pagg
had to take over a speaking en
gagement Monday in Jackson
County for an official who was
unable to attend at the last
minute. It was at the opening of
the "pilot forest" by the Mead
Corporation. Mr. Fagg's speech
wis in installments. He started
outside. Rain came and he finish
ed it in the barn.
APPEARING ON television is
getting to be "old hat" for Macon
County talent. A local trio and
junior dance team will perform
Saturday at 12:30 over WSPA-TV.
Spartanburg, S. C.
YOU'VE GOTTA hand some
thing to Nantahala Power for per
.servance. They're going to get
that line work done yet. We've
overlooked the company's possi
bilities as a rain-maker, however.
RUBIES SEEM to be coming
a part of our everyday life now. ,
It's no longer unusual there, that
is) to use ruby chips on place
cards at banquets and the like.
The visitors, without exception,
rave over them.
Sutton Elected
U.T.D. Chairman
New officers were elected Tues
day night at the annual Unit
Test Demonstration dinner at
Xotla School.
Jerry Sutton was named chair
man; George R. PatUllo, vice
chairman; Mrs. Woodrow Gibson,
secretary; and Bill Higdon, treas
urer.
About 40 attended.
SHOOTS SEIF
Darrell Tallent, 37. took his
own life with a 12 gauge shotgun
Tuesday at 11 p.m. at his home
on Jacobs Branch (Route 3). ac
cording to Coroner John Kusterer.
Mineral arrangements were in
complete yesterday (Wednesday).
Still No
Candidates
In Town
Registration Books
Open Saturday
In Franklin
Candidates yesterday (Wednes
day) were still playing the Al
fonse and Oaston bit in Franklin's
biennial non-partisan election.
No one had filed for mayor or
the six aldermen seats. Incum
bents, too, were "playing it pat",
preferring to wait until the filing
deadline Saturday before making
a move.
Registration books for the
election May 5 open Saturday at
the town hall. Mrs. Harold P. Cor
bin Is registrar. Judges will be
Mrs. Velma Conley and Mrs. Eliza
beth McCollum. The books will
remain open for seven days, ex
cluding Sunday, from 9 a.m. to
5 pjn., week days, and from 9
am. to 9 p.m., Saturdays. The
25tlj will be challenge day.
5 Fires
Reported
At least five forest fires broke
out last Wednesday, Thursday,
and Friday over Macon County
before rain Sunday eased the
critical situation, according to
County Ranger J. Fred Bryson.
One was set Intentionally, he
said.
Three of the five blazes broke
out Thursday, the ranger reported.
On this particular day, the fire
danger classification was "5", or
"just about as high as it gets".
About 63 acres were burned on
Matlock Creek; 133 on Sheep
Cove In Lower Burningtown; and
two acres at Muster Ground Gap.
in the Oak Grove section.
The day before, the 8th, 45
acres burned in the Iotla section.
Friday, an acre and a half
burned in the Walnut Creek sec
tion. This fire was intentionally
set. Ranger Bryson reported. He
said they found evidence indicat
ing that one' attept to start a fire
failed and only a small area
"about the size of a table" burned.
Rep. Halls
'Right Hand'
Coming Here
Congressman David M. Hall's
"right hand" in his district office
In Waynesville, Mrs. Edith P. 1
Alley, will be in Franklin next '
Thursday, the 23rd, for talks with 1
constituents.
She will be in the Veteran's i
Service office in the courthouse <
from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m? with <
time out for lunch between 12 and t
1. Interested women voters are ?
invited to a "dutch" luncheon i
with Mrs. Alley at Kelly's Tea
Room. j
Mrs. Alley will stay overnight j
with Miss Olive Patton, and will -
be in Highlands for the day on
the 24th.
Library Club Has
Charge Of P.-T. A.
Program Monday
In observance of "National
Library Week", the Library
Club at Franklin High will pre
sent a program for the Frank
lin P.-T. A. Monday night In
the school cafeteria at 7:30.
A slate of officers for the
coming year will be presented
by the nominating committee.
The Library Clftb also will
serve as a Joint host with the
social committee of the P.- T. A.
for a social hour after the
meeting.
So J ays "MR. MACONIAN"
Hi-ya Neighbors':
Puttih' down that" new floor in the old court
house alter the young lady fell through, is kinda
like the old business of shuttin' the barn door after
the horsfc is pone.
Now I'm worryin' about those pore folks sittin'
upstairs in the courtroom this week. Might be a
good idea for them and Judge Huskins to keep a
good hold on their scats, 'cause they may be drop
pin' through at any time.
And 1 Thank you.
Mr. Maconian
WORK ON BRIDAL VEIL BY-PASS BY STATE HIGHWAY IS MOVING ALONG
With- the break in the weather, state highway forces are
moving ahead with the by-pass of Bridal Veil Falls on US 64
between FrankHn and Highlands. The picture, taken from
the Highlamfe side of the widely-publicized water wonder,
shows the location of the by -pass. The oil truck indicated by
arrow is in the by-pass. The old road passing behind tfie
(alls will be left open for those wanting to use it. Several
curves on the approaches to the falls have been straightened
and the rood widened. (Staff Photo)
"Queenie"
Sniffs Out
Escapees
"Lawyer Green" (prison jar
gon for "Spring") beckoned
last week and five prisoners
made breaks for freedom.
Ont was shot in the leg by
a guard as he attempted to
escape with another youth.
"Queenie", the local camp's
bloodhound, sniffed out the
other four. "
Three of the five* made
their break from a road gang
Wednesday of last week about
12:30 p. m. on NC 28. "Queen
ie" found Jerry Strickland, 18,
of Brevard, and Billy Taylor,
20, of Murphy, Route 4, .about
9:30 that night on River
SEE NO. I. PAGE 8
On Again,
Off Again,
Again . . .
"If at first you don't succeed,
ry, try again," seems to be the
operating motto of Nantahala
?ower and Light Company.
Sunday the company scheduled
iome maintenance work on lines
>ver most of the county. Matter
>f fact, it was the third Sunday
hey'd planned the work. However.
>nce again the weather stepped
n and short circuited plans.
But, they won't give up. Once
igain, this Sunday, the mainten
ince w*ork is scheduled.
HIGHER THAN '58 ?
February Retail Sales
Taxes Are $11,116.26
Retail sales in Macon County in February of this
year were higher than in W58.
Gross sales and use tax collections for the month
totaled $11,116.26 this year, as compared with $8,
904.17 a year ago. *
January collections this year were $17,192.88.
The above figures were taken from The Retailer,
a monthly publication of the N. C. Merchants Asso
ciation.
DURING 1958 ?
$66,403 Is Spent Here
On Conservation Program
Gross cost-sharing here dur
ing 1958 lor Agricultural Con
servation Program practices
came to $66,403, according to a
summarization of the program
just released by the A. S. C.
office.
Following is a breakdown of
the practices, acres involved,
and the amount of cost-shar
ing advanced by the federal
agency:
Establishment of permanent
pasture or hay, 1,054 acres, $24,
645; vegetative cover in crop ro
tation, 153 acres, $3,624; liming
materials on farm land, 383
acres, $2,840; forest tree plant
ing, 50 acres, $600; pasture hay
improvement, 2,208 acres, $19,
Macon Sailor Miraculously Escapes
Being Washed Overboard From Ship
FP 3/c Mack G. Jones is
hicky to be alive.
Prom a hospital bed in
Birkenfield, Germany, the
young sailor last week wrote
of a harrowing experience at
sea in March.
Aboard the destroyer USS
Daly, he left the states March
17 for duty in the Mediter
ranean.
On the second day out,
about 2 a. m., Mack headed
for the bridge to report. The
ocean was running rc-ugh.
Suddenly, a huge wave
washed him overboard. He
managed somehow to grab a
life line as he went over.
Miraculously, the next wave
washed him back aboard the
destroyer. But, although it
saved his life, the wave
smashed him to the deck. He
slid about 40 feet and was
unable to get up. Mack crawl
ed for a ship telephone to get
help. The ship's doctor de
rided his leg was broken .and
it was put in a cast. Because
of the high seas, the injured
ralor couldn't be moved for
two days. Fhan the seas quiet
ed, he was transferred to a
hospital ship, where X-rays
showed the leg wasn't broken.
However, the knee was badly
twisted. From the hospital
ship he was sent to a hos
pital in Naples, and from
there to the one in Germany.
Doctors now think he may
have to undergo an operation
on the lef.
Be that as it may. Mack's
parents, Mr. and Mrs. John
W. Jones, of Franklin, are
thankful, "mighty thankful
that he's alive".
Mack Jones
116; tile drainage, 5,113 feet,
$534; winter Cover crops, 266
acres, $2,435.
The cost-sharing given by
A. S. C. for the practices rep
resented about 50 per cent of
the total cost of establishing
each, according to the office.
The farmer also performed all
the labor.
In the 1958 program, 1,282
farmers participated.
Club Women
Plan For
Dress Review
Macon's home demonstration
women are getting ready for
their annual Spring dress re
view April 29 at Cullasaja
School.
This year's theme will be,
"April Showers of Fashions". ?
The public is Invited to attend '
the review, which is set for J
2 p. m.
Narrators will be supplied by
individual clubs, according to
Mrs Florence S. Sherrill, coun
ty home economics agent.
Mrs. Vernon Bryson is chair
man of the , decorations com
mittee. Serving with her are
Mrs. Sammy Beck, Mrs. Lois
Anders, and Mrs. Dorothy Bow
ers.
Walnut Creek and Highlands
clubs will be In charge of re
freshments. Serving will be
handled by members of the
Higdonvllle club, with Mrs.
Fred Corbin, president, in
charge.
Judges are now being select
ed. Reyiew divisions will be
Fashions for Home; Play
Clothes; General or Street
Wear; Tailored Suits and Coats;
Best Dress; Special Occasion;
and Children's Clothes.
TRY-OUTS SLATED
Babe Ruth League try-outs
will be held Saturday at 3 p. m.
at the feast Franklin field.
Players also will be measured
for uniforms.
Help Needed
To Prepare
Center Site
An appeal for volunteers Sat
urday to remove nod at Franklin
Memorial Park on the site of the
proposed Franklin Youth Center
was sounded yesterday (Wednes
day) by Allan Prooks, chairman
of the building committee.
Bad weather hampered work
at the park last Saturday, al
though several turned out and
worked in the rain.
Construction of the' center
is expected to begin within the
next week or so.
Mr. Brooks said the morning
working hours wll I be 9 until
noon. In the afternoon, work
will resume at 2 o'clock. He said
any amount of time, even 15
minutes, will be welcomed from
volunteers.
Meanwhile, fundls to construct
the center are coming in slowly.
About, $1,000 is needed before
the work can begin. Yesterday
(Wednesday), Robert C. Carpen
ter, treasurer, reported about
$636 on hand. Most of the labor
and a large amount of materials
for the proposed center have
been donated.
Persons wishing to donate
either labor, materials, or cash
are asked to get In touch with
Mr. Carpenter at the Bank of
Franklin.
Miss Cochran Gets
High Rating From
State Music Judge
An "excellent-plus" was award
ed Saturday to Miss Nancy Coch
ran in the senior high school state
music finals in Greensboro.
Miss Cochran, daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Homer Cochran, of Pat
ton community, was accompanied
to Greensboro by her piano teach
er. Mrs. Margaret Cooper
The contest is sponsored by the
S. C. Music Education Association.
Mrs. Cooper quoted the judge as
saying Nancy gave a "beautiful
performance". ,
JURY IN SESSION ?
Judge Huskins Convenes
Court Term Here Monday
Judge Frank Huskins, of
Burnsville, resident judge of ihe
24th Judicial District, opened a
two-week mixed term of Super
ior Court here Monday morning.
Yesterday (Wednesday) morn
ing, the grand jury was still In
session in the Veterans' Serv
ice office.
Upstairs In the courtroom,
cases moved along rapidly. Most
of them on the criminal dock
et this term are for motor ve
hicles violations.
Trial of civil matters probably
will begin today. The civil dock
et lists 30 actions, including 15
divorces.
BYRD IS COMMANDER ?
V.F.W. Groups To Install
New Officers Wednesday
New officers of the local V.F.W.
Post and Auxiliary will be install
ed in a joint-ceremony next Wed
nesday night at the post home
on Palmer Street in Franklin.
George P. Byrd is the new post
commander, and Mrs. Grace
O'Mohundro heads the auxiliary.
A covered dish supper is planned
prior to the installation. All mem
bers are urged to bring husbands
or wives and a covered dish. The
meal will be servt 1 at 7 o'clock.
After the installation. Bingo will
be played, with proceeds going
for the purchase of dishes for the
post kitchen.
Officers to be installed with
Mrs. O'Mohundro are Mrs. Kath
erine Perry, senior vice-president;
Mrs. Pauline Garrison, junior
vice-president; Mrs. Elizabeth Mc
Collum, treasurer; Mrs. Mary Lou
Salain, chaplain; Mrs. Sallie
Jones, conductress; Miss Winnie
Bates, guard; Mrs. Clyde Slagle.
Mrs. Anne Murray, and Miss Eliza
beth Meadows, trustees: Mrs.
Rachel Fare, secretary; Mrs.
Helen Grant. Miss Meadows, Mrs.
C. M. Breedlove, and Mrs. Peggy
Christy, color beprers; Mrs. Marie
Barnard, historian; and Mrs.
Edythe Reeves, patriotic instructor.
To be in-stalled with Mr. Byrd
are Richard Slagle, senior vice
commander; Kenneth Clark, jun
ior vice-commander; Zeb Mead
ows, quarter-master; Dr. J. W.
Kahn, surgeon; the Rev. R. D.
Bumette, chaplain; Jack Hudson,
judge advocate: Larry Welch.
John O. Murray, and Vic Perry,
trustees.
ARMSTRONG TO SPEAK ?
Scholarship At Franklin
High To Be Recognized
Scholarship at Franklin High
School is to be Riven special
recognition by the Franklin Ro
tary Club.
The club will honor 40 students
? the 10 from each of the four
classes with the highest scholastic
ratings ? at*a banquet April 30.
Guest speaker for iiie occasion
will be Roy Armstrong, of the
University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill Former director of
admissions at the university, he
now is executive secretary of the
John Motley Morehcad Founda
tion. which annually awards a
number of coveted scholarships to
Chapel Hill In both capacities,
his work Ipas kept Mr. Armstrong
in close touch with high school
students.
It is planned to make the
banquet an annual affair.
As a further st?p toward recog
nition of excellence in scholar
ship, the club this year plans to
present the high school with a
valedictorians' plaque, to be hunt?
permanently in some prominent
place at the hish school. Each
year the name of the valedictorian
will be placed on the plaque.
This program for stressing the
importance of work in the class
room worked out by a committee,
was Kiven unanimous approval by
Rotartans at their meeting last
Thursday night.
It is felt it is in line with the
growing belief, all over the
country, that scholarship is the
central thing in school, and that
in the recognition that has been
piven. in the past, to such de
sirable things as athletic prowess,
leadership, good -citizenship, etc..
excellence in scholarship has been
under-emphasized, not only in
many schools but also In the
public mind.
HAD ACTIVE LIFE ?
Walter Gibson, Former
County Official, Dies
David Walter Gibson, a Ma
cori County native whose active
life spanned everything from
farming, mining, and many
years' service as a county of
ficial, died Friday (April 10 1 at
his home on Franklin, Route 3,
following a heart attack.
S'.'venty-eight years old. , hp
served four terms as a county
commissioner and three terms
on the board of education A
retired farmer and miner, Mr.
Gibson for 16 years was1 fore
man of Southern Mica Com
pany, of Franklin and Johnson
City, Tenn. He was a Mason
and a member of the Iotla
Baptist Church.
Funeral services for Mr Gib
son were held Sunday afternoon
at the Iotla church, with burial
'UNCLE BILLY' McCoy, Macon County's oldest living male
citizen, whose memory goe? all the way back to Sherman's march
during the Civil War, yesterday (Wednesday) celebrated his
100th birthday at his home in the Gold Mkne community. A pic
ture story of the still very active "Uncle Billy" will appear In
next week's PRESS.
in the church cemetery. Offi
ciating were the Rev. M. C.
Wyatt, the Rev. C. C. Welch,
the Rev. Paul Heafner, and the
Rev. Bill Sorrells.
Serving as pallbearers were
H. W Cabe, Oscar Ledford, L.
B Liner, Glenn Ray. Jess Shope,
and W T. Jenkins.
Born Feb. 15, 1881, Mr. Gib
son was the son of Joseph and
Mrs. Alva Allen Gibson. He was
SEE NO 2. PAGE 8
The Weather
Th<- t?-m|M r?t in,'* ,,nd rainfall hok?w
ar?* nvortb-d in Franklin by Mhii?mi Stile*. .
IT. S. w*ath#r observer; in lfiyhlnndn by
Tudor N. HftlJ and W. C. Newton. TV A
of>H?Tv?*n?; and at thf (VnrHn ffydrolmrir
Laboratory. R?adinirn are for the 24-hour
IM'riod ?*nding nt H a.m. of the day lifted.
FRANKLIN
Wed.. 8th
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Mi th Ixiw Rain
81 39 .00
47
55
55
51
36
33
28
80
73
70
64
56
57
Wed., 8th
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
COWETA
77
80
80
72
69
63
47
56
HIGHLANDS
Wed., 8th
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
74
74
64
66
58
39
54
.00
.00
.62
.82
.81
.04
.00
39
48
54
53
53
37
32
26
00
00
00
.73
1.86
.67
.01
.00
41
54
54
52
52
33
27
* no report.