CIRCULATION
Net Paid
Last Week
3008
Wht IftifiWantos JHacotiiau
ON TIIE IN'SIDK ?
WHO'S BEEN WHERE AND
FOR WHAT?
Staff correspondents! of THE
PRESS keep the inside pages
of this newspaper- alive with
news about your friends and
neighbors Reud the inside
panes from top to bottom and
you'll know Macon County.
74th Year ? No. 25
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, June 18, 1959
Price 10 Cent*
Fourteen Pages
TONIGHT (Thursday), the Bos
ton Conceit Ensemble will play at
Western Carolina College at 8
o'clock. Many Macon music lovers
are planning to take in the co -
cert since it's just a hop and a
skip over the ridge.
QUICK SUMMER, wasn't it?
Quite a few pulled out sweaters
Sunday and Monday to knock oif
the chill of the cold front moving
through the area.
WHAT'S WRONG with F.H.S..
Class of '49? Got a reunion com
ing up Sunday and there hasn t
been too much response Don t
you want to meet old friends.
THE MAIN RUNWAY at the
Franklin Airport reopened Mon
day The 3,000-foot strip wasn t
disappointed either, because a
twin-engine aircraft dropped inf?'
a visit and officially christened it.
WOULDN'T TRAFFIC flow bet
ter on Saturdays in town if the
lights on Main and Palmer were
synchronized so traffic going from
Main to Palmer via Phillips
wouldn't snarl up at the Pal"1"
light and back vehicles into Main?
ATTENTION FRANKLIN town
fathers! Brevard is considering
the city manager plan of govern
ment. Canton just recently voted
it in and their new city manager
is on the job. Worth considering
for us?
STRAY DOGS are giving a lot
of folks in the Mulberry section
a fit, and they say no one will do
anything about them. Mrs. Walter
Mason knows of at least 12 stiays
roaming the neighborhood. Doyle
Long recently saw some people
dump dogs out in the community.
This is a ? Wad situation.
don SMITH has given the
rustic touch to his DeSoto Trail
Gift Shop in East Franklin.
ANOTHER ROCK shop is op
erating in town. Pat Henry, home
from school, for the summer, has
opened one in his fathers stole
building on the Highlands road.
SHAME ON ALL of you! To
think that you'd work so hairt
to raise money to build a youth
center in Franklin, and then be
too busy to turn out and help
get it started.
THE CHAMBER of commerce
is getting more and more inquiries
about the Cowee Ruby Mines.
Which just proves that steady
publicity pays off. The area has
received some wonderful publicity
this season, too, and it should be
reflected in the cash registers
at the end of the seaSon.
BUMPITY, BUMP over the cul
vert, detour! But, they're really
making headway now that the
weather is cooperating. Shouldn t
belong now before most will have
for? ottcn there was ever a detour
there.
FLAME AZALEA and mountain
laurel should still be beautilul
on Wayah Bald this week. Some
report the azalea color surpasses
any ever seen here:
THE COURTHOUSE meeting
seems to have been, a step in the
right direction ? if they just
keep on walking, or running, to
ward a solution.
FOR THOSE who wonder why
the fire sirerl sounds for long now
that the dial system is in use you
must remember that it cant
turned off at will, only by the
first fireman to reach the
SEE NO. 1, PAGE 12
AO AayS "MR. MACON! AN"
Hi-ya Neighbors:
Can't for the life of me figure what's happened
to this town, or its people.
No one seems to care about losing the railroad,
for one thing. They might change their minds if
they'd stop and think what a blow it's gonna be
just to the lumbering industry along the line.
And then there's the youth center. Folks were
hot and heavy for one ? even raised enough money
to build it. Now, the youth center project is gasp
ing for breath and might even die.
It appears folks are too busy thinkin' about
themselves to give a hang about things that might
help the future.
? It's a cryin' shame, that's what it is!
And I thank you,
Mr. Maconian
" r ? kku?-uk?> ?r.. w .
WORLD FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHER VISITS WAYAH BALD
Alfred Eisenstaedt (left), LIFE magazine photographer, who ranks among the top 10 photog
raphers of the world, visited Wayah Bald Friday while on a picture-taking tour of the .South.
Mr. Eisenstaedt was very impressed with the beautiful color of Wayah's stand of flame azalea.
Pictured with him is Hugh Morton, of Linville and Wilmington, a photographer of note, owner
of "Grandfather Mountain", and a member of the State Department of Conservation and Devel
opment. Also on the trip was Miss Betty Patterson, a LIFE reporter. White on Wayah, Mr. Mor
ton took a number of color pictures for post cards. (Staff Photo)
Big Talent
Hunt Show
Set Here
Advance registrations indicate
the "mountain talent hunt"
slated to open here tonight
(Thursday) won't go wanting
for talent.
Helped by area-wide radio
and newspaper publicity, string
bands, dance teams, and other
entertainers have kept a steady
stream of registration cards
pouring into the Franklin
Chamber of Commerce.
Planned for "under the stars"
in the Franklin High stadium,
the audition-shows will get
under way nightly at 8 o'clock.
On hand all three nights will
be Bob Cox, of St. Petersburg,
Fla., the talent scout who re
quested the three-night event
to see if he can find one, or
possibly two, mountain acts
suitable to take to the west
coast for movie and television
auditions.
He already has selected the
Smoky Mountain Cloggers to
make the trip. This is the Ma
con County dance team he put
on the Ed Sullivan show, and
he's convinced the group of
young dancers has what it takes
to lick Hollywood.
Mr. Cox has emphasized that
the acts he is now seeking must
reflect authentic mountain en
SEE NO. 2. PAGE 12
Jaycees Plan
4tli Celebration
Pians for conducting a Fourth
of July celebration have been
announced by the Franklin
Junior Chamber of Commerce.
Tentative plans Were made
for the annual event sponsored
by the Jaycees at a meeting
Monday night,
Because of a lack -of ? inter
est shown last year, the club
has decided not to sponsor the
contests held during the morn
ing and afternoon. However,
the night activities will be en
larged, according to R. M. Bid
die, Jr., Jaycee president.
Free square dancing, exhibi
tion dancing, a variety of
games, and a "Miss Fourth of
July" beauty contest are among
activities now being scheduled.
Mr. Biddle said more detailed
plans will be available as soon
as the Jaycee committee in
charge meets and decides upon
a program.
AN OPEN LETTER TO PUBLIC
(Editor's Note: The drive to build a youth center appears
to have fallen on its face. Materials and labor needed to
build the center have been on band for some time. How
ever, persistent pleas for volunteers to help prepare the
youth center site apparently have fallen on deaf ears. Not
one person showed up Saturday to work. Apathy appears
to be killing the project; hence, the following open letter
to the public from A. A. Brooks.) '
Dear Friends, *
Are we going to revive our almost gone community spirit and
put Franklin Memorial Park back in business ? or are we going
to sit back and allow the jungle to take o-er again? You al
ready .have a very substantial investment there, but we hope
no one is naive enough to expect any div!d>nds from an inop
erative business.
Dozens of children are using the limited facilities there al
most daily, but where are the parents, and the teenagers, when
we ask for some help to install additional playground equip
ment, erect a shelter, and do a few other things that will add
immeasurably to the usefulness and attractiveness of the area?
We have these materials on hand, and only need a little as
sistance to get them off the warehouse floor.
The starting of construction of the "Teen Center" building is
at a dead-end for the lack of about 30 "man or boy hours" to
finish moving the sod from the building site. Have we lost In
terest in this project too? Things like these which are begun
with a great deal of enthusiasm and left hanging in mid-air
like a forgotten skeleton should be a monumental answer to
the ones who have been losing sleep about why our young peo
ple leave town as soon as they can thumb a ride.
We won't get into the "tourist" angle, but will ask the Cham
ber of Commerce secretary to explain to us at our meeting why
so many of them are tourists, and don't hesitate with us long
enough to be classed as visitors.
Please bring your entire family (and a covered dish) and
meet with us Saturday at 7 p. m. at Slagle Memorial Park ?
and some of you might come down, at 9 in the morning or 2 in
the afternoon for long enough to lay a little sod on some fresh
dirt In the picnic area. It will Improve your appetite!
Cordially,
Allan A. Brook::, Chairman
? Building Committee.
AT EAST FRANKLIN ?
Annual 4-H Dress Event ,
Slated Friday Afternoon
East Franklin School will be
the scene tomorrow (Friday*
afternoon of the annual 4-H
Dress Review:
Sot to begin at 2 o'clock, the
review will be judged on the
Danish system, and ribbons will
be presented the winners.
Prizes have been donated by a
number of Franklin stores.
Narrator for the review will
be Glenda Lee. Union 4-H club
ber. Carole Wurst, of the East
Franklin club, will give the wel
come. Special singing also is
on the program, featuring Linda
Ledford, June Wells, and Mar
tha Blaine, with Nancy Cochran
as pianist.
Peggy Dills, of the Franklin
club, is chairman of the deco
rating committee. The social
committee is composed of mem
bers of the Clark's Chapel and
Cartoogechaye Jun; >r clubs.
Review divisions include Ap
rons; SP 'i't Cloti es; School
Dresses; Party or Ew' Presses;
and Other,
By divisions, 4-H'ers who
have made definite plans . to
compete are:
Aproas: Margaret Bailey,
Eunice Holland, Jane Hastings,
Margaret McCoy, Helen Marie
Slagle, Karen Houston, Lillie
'Carver, Betty Sue Tallent, Peg
gy Crisp, Janice CriSp, and
Pauline Morgan.
Sports Clothqs: Ida Mae
Ramey.
School Dresses: Jewel Fox,
Brenda Seagle, Elizabeth Am
SEE NO. 3, PAGE 12
WATER WONDER GETS A NEW FROCK FOR SEASON
This is the "new" Bridal Veil Falls on US 6 J between Franklin and Highlands. The differ
ence? The ro.id no longer goes behind the falls, although in constructing the by-pass the state
highway department left the ol<f road for those who would lite to use it. The by-pass, which
has just been completed, was prompted by icing during the winter. (Staff Photo i
RAILROAD
COMMITTEE
IS FORMED
To Raise Fund
For Legal Aid
At Hearing
A "Save the Railroad" com
mittee was organized by busi
nessmen here Monday nighty
Its sole objective will be to
fight the abandonment pro
ceedings instituted by the
Taltulah Falls Railway.
More than .a score of '<*al
businessmen, plus two ? |pre
scntatives of Hitter Lumber
Company, which ships over
the line, met in the confer
ence room at Nantahala Pow
er and I-ight <?n,Pan,y t?
organize and map strategy.
Bob S. Sloan, publisher of
THE PRESS, was elected
ehairman. W. W. Reeves Is
serving as treasurer.
To Raise Fund
The committee pi?ns to
raise a fund to hire legal aid
to represent Franklin busi
ness interests at lhe <"a "^'
ville, <;a? public hearing June
29 on the abandonment ap
plication submitted by
railroad.
A large delegation from
h?e "?o will attend the
'"itTs* the contention of the
"Save the Railroad'' commit
tee that the railroad, regard
less of its obvious
is nevertheless vital to tne
growth of the area.
' Oan vou think of a town
in this section that has grown
without a railroad?
tioned the chairman, Mr.
Sloan.
Moreover, the businessmen
feel the abandonment of the
line will cost the area dearly
in existing industry
ing, for example), not w
mention railroad
many from here, who will be
out of jobs.
Another Meeting
Another meeting "ill be
scheduled by the committee
SsuJK-TrS
see no. 4, PAGE 12
'Coon Hound s
Master To Get
S.P.C.A. Award
Luke ('hastain, the master
of Macon County's celebrated
'coon hound, "Old Tou.se", is
going to receive a .medal to
morrow (Friday) night for his
humanitarian efforts in free
ing the hound from a rock
cliff tomb last December.
The medal is to be present -
e.i at i special awards dinner
being held :it the Battery
Park Hotel bv the Asheville
chapter of the Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Ani
mals. Representatives .of the
Asheville Kennel Club and the
W. N. C. Veterinary Medical
Association also . will he on
hand.
Asked if he could attend
the function, Luke laughed,
"I'M go, but I'd rather be
'coon huntin."
During a 'coon chase, "Old
Touse" was trapped in a rock
cliff in Georgia, it took Luke
and his friends 18 days to
free the hound, whiwe day
to-rtay plight became a world
wide news happening.
Workmen put \valll>oan| in a room, in preparation for plastering.
(Staff Photos)'
AT TUESDAY MEETING -
Estimates Asked
For Courthouse
As the upshot of Tuesday
night's public meeting about
, the county courthouse, esti
mates of remodeling and new
construction costs are to be ob
tained and another open meet
ing held July 14 to further dis
cuss the matter.
Sixty-five persons, including
the threp-man board of coun
ty commissioners, were on hand
for the open meeting at the
courthouse.
The few who spoke up on the
issue were in solid agreement
that the present 79-year-old
structure is inadequate and that
something must be done to
protect records from fire.
A .solution fell into two sides.
Mi renovation of the present
building, and construction
of a new one
Neither side pressed; However,
appiii' nt.ly ehjiisini', to- Wait ;iinl
? ,3'e htvJ the < lUmati-.-, ;-,ie |*o
ing to run.
I.awyer <; A .1 >1 1" w'to .<!
-scribed In, xta.ipi V; ' und'-' id
ed . . . tut not in ? favor of a
pat i hed-up job7, wa . tl'v 01 ?
wli i su'1 l'/'s: ed that the i'oun y
commissioners eon'-uH. routine
. tors, obtain costs, and then ("ill
another public- jive "tine, t > go
deeper into the matter '
Board ?Chairman W. K. i G<'-nei
Baldwin, who presided at the
meeting, said Mr. Jones' >,m;
gestlon would be carried out
and he set the next meeting
The Weather
Th?? wn-k'M Nmix-ratur*- and rainfall fx* low
? r?> r?-<-ord?-d in i'lailkliri hy. Manwu' Stile*.
IJ. S. w< ather <d?*. rvi-r; in Highland* by
Tudor N. Kali himI W. C N-wton. TV A
t?ljwrvfnt; and at the Cflwetn Hyrlrol(>>rir
laboratory. Reading* are for th* 24-hour
iwriod ending at H a. en. of the day liNt**).
FRANKLIN
High
Wed,, 10th 81
Thursday 83
Friday 86
Saturday 87
Sunday 86
Monday 84
Tuesday 87
Wednesday
COWETA
Wed,, 10th 79
Thursday 80
Friday 80
Saturday 83
Sunday 85
Monday 80
Tuesday 82
Wednesday 86
HIGHLANDS
Wed., 10th 75
Thursday 78
Friday 78
Saturday 80
Sunday 76
Monday 78
Tuesday 82
Wednesday
* no record.
low Rain
51 00
53 .00
55 .00
58 00
48 .00
45 .00
50 .00
45 .00
52 .00
50 .00
49 .00
53 .00
45 .00
43 .00
47 .00
42 .00
56 *
50 ?
49 ?
56 ?
47
45 ?
53
49 ?
for July 14 at 8 p. m.
Here arc some points brought
out by Individuals at the meet
ing
Chairman Baldwin: The coun
ty Is not in shape at present
to handle a large bond Issue to
build a new courthouse and
jail. However, in three to live
years, as! the school building
bonds are paid .off. the county
probably would, be able to
handle a new issue
G. I. Ilouk: The lawyer said
he had ^checked the county's
bonded indebt: dness with Coun
ty Accountant Turn Iteisim and,
although they did not complete
the check, it is his personal
1 .pinion the county cannot.. a'
present, borrow enough I > build .
a rourtliouk' ,"in tine Willi ?Nl'1
ik-'tJ; of t he county 1 U- . ? !
it i , not only rjnr iioii ol ti.r
*'af(>ty ? <?t 1 1 "'im! , ) u! ?l!"rr (>i
O'.r* v : u i til' ? i ? ?<?' >r<i ; -irrivnu . 1
t i f ; ' . !0 * o' 1 i? '? oay
,1' I II ! :? Mil I 1 1 . i ?? !,J
be provided
i " K
i ; i I ' !.? r: at ? ?1. ' t ! ? ; >
i 1 ? ?.>.'< ? i i h;iv- : 1 i-i A
? ? ; ? 1 1 1, i i?r V. ? It' Hy <;.?
?i'. ' ' i i t i '? co'sr' ' ? >u. ' lit-:''
a.int in -Clay and li'.i?<:'V Viile
Il:'( I hr vVo. st >h" i; i a ill t
.) ? ( ' Kor" lls 1 1 ! iie present
courthouse is renovated "you'll
have the- same old, courthouse.
With thi1- same old spac" .
still wouldn't have wli it you
ii' i d we're already !>0 years
behind."
Wiley Clark: As a contractor,
he feels the present walls are
SEE NO 5. PAGE 12
Franklin
School Job
Under Way
Building Sound;
Project To Cost
$12,000
A face-lifting project on the
26 year-old Franklin Elementary
School is now in the mid-stages.
Supt. H . Beck estimates the re
novation is going to cost about
$12,000, However, stitch?in?
time project should prepare the
old school for many more year's
scrvice. he said this week.
The interior of the eight-room
school has been- almost gutted by
workmen. A I tr.at remains is the
llcor, partition stucioing, and the
i alters. All rooms will be replaster
(d. In addition, eafch will receive
m w blackboards and cabinets.
Mr. Buick -aid workmen found
Uu ol( J.;; ildini- to b< . oun-.i when
they, lad snipped it inside.
Tei myi ? .vu ic found only in two
. and this darn a ;e was not.
. i .? \'. nc'i v" I c ,-s tiiat -had
rotted l.av <? \> i ( placed wltiji
v.": n. 1 ! ' : ' finished.
, - . 1 :.ms call
job on
< ? w od
. painted
?. i ? ' i;:. my :mo?3
v t . miw'iod,'.'. i.e
r; c!;j i ci i . ?
i .r j -v ? ; ?: ? ??. , - ; e>x oil
the west end or .the building is
? oi r. '? 1 ?-ver. the
.lOClils V.ill lie:.'' i. . li coats cf
paint.
Mi. fJueck said ti ?e job will
fini hect before school opens this
full.
'1 he renovation is being done
by the school system's regular
maintenance crew, with extra
labor from some school janitors
and school bus drivers.
Doug Pearson
Ronnie Henscm
I
Two Franklin High rising seniors, Doug Pearson suitf Ronnie
llenson, this week are in Chapel Hill attending the annual Boys
.Stale. They are being sponsored by the American Legion. Doug
is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Pearson. Ronnie's parents an
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph llenson.