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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 about your friends and
neighbors Read the inside
pages from top to bottom and
you'll know Macon County.
74th Year ?
No. 32
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, August 6, 1959
Price 10 Cents Twenty-four Pages
Doors Of County Fair Open Here Today
OWNERS OK sports and for
eign cars in Macon County (and
there are plenty i are urged to
turn out Sunday afternoon for
the organization of an area
club Organizational plans are
in i story on the inside of this
issue.
1 ALLULAH FALLS Railway ?
the old Total Failure ? was fea
tured m Sunday's Atlanta Jour
nal-Constitution Magazine, with
several pictures and a story of
a reporter's bouncy j ride over
the line. / ?
THE DISTRICT Liltle League
tournament, in whicl. Franklin
lost out in the first round, was
won by Canton 17 to 2 over
Sylva
HOMER COCHRAN ended his
19th year Friday with the town
police department. It also was
his last day with the force. He
was one of two men relieved
from duty recently by the
town.
FOLKS HAVE got so used to
skirting the culvert construc
tion at the foot of the hill
many automatically turn on the
detour, although the road is
now open.
THAT NEW rhodolite mine of
Gene Crawford's in Wayah Val
ley turned up a nice five
carat rough stone for Steve
Brown, of Columbus, Ohio. The
stone is reported to have been
flawless.
IT'S NOT official yet because
of the snarl of Raleigh red
tape, but the Farmer's Home
Administration office in Frank
lin Is closing and will begin
operating part-time the 14th of
this month.
ADVANCE PEEKS Indicate the
county fair is going to ecllpise
all others in all departments.
Its growth has been slow, but
when quality runs high who
can complain?
A LECTURE SERIES is open
ing this week at the Jay Ham
bridge Art Foundation at near
by Rabun Gap, Ga. August 12,
Robert L. Scranton, of Emory
University, will talk on "The
Greek Meaning In English
Speech" and August 15 on
"Living Greek".
THAT LITTLE League cnam
pionshlp clash next week may
not get the publicity of the
World 3eries, but you can bet
your bottom dollar the boys
playing will have as much en
thusiasm as the big leaguers.
TOO BAD "The Red Stocking
Revue" couldn't have played
Franklin for a week. The Jun
ior Woman's Club could have
.cleared a lot of money for
shoes for needy children. If you
missed the revue you missed
an excellent show.
ISNT IT wonderful to know
that the road from Franklin to
East Franklin doesn't have a
"culvert kink" in it any longer?
IS ANYONE going to do some
thing about fixing up the
grounds around the Macon
County Health Center? A large
parking lot is really needed to
keep cars off the narrow street
A TRAILER PARK is what
the Kay Montagues have in
mind behind their Dixie Grill.
That's what all that dirt haul
ing has been about.
HANSON STILES is pumping
gas from his brand new Texaco
Station, and Phillips 66 has
taken over his old stand.
SIGN PAINTER Walter "Cof
fee" Hall has put up a new
sign on his own place of busi
ness on US 64. He's had it
ready for some time, but has
been too busy erecting others
to put it up.
WHY DONT you go to Ashe
ville Friday night for the
Mountain Youth Jamboree and
root for the Carson Cloggers?
A little support by the home
folks might help them win.
A LOT OF Maconians are
eruising over Asheville way to
watch the Tourists play ball.
The new Sylva -Balsam highway
makes traveling east almost a
plea^urr
so
sayA
MR. MACON! AN'
Hi-va Neighbors:
Maybe it's a good thing this day and time to
harp on quality instead of bigness. The county fair
shows that quality leads to a .steady and healthy
growth. It looks like Macon County, with quality
and patience, someday will have a fair that will be
the pattern for other places.
' See you at the f; '
iuai loss To M.
Ranger J. Fred Bryson (left) and John M. Dayton, service for
ester of .Sylva, are shown working on an institutional exhibit for
the fair.
PLANT PLAN OKAYED ?
Aldermen Step Toward
Vote For Water Bonds
Preliminary steps were taken
Monday night by the Franklin
Board of Aldermen toward
floating a water bond issue.
Engineers present at the
meeting pointed out the un
feasibility of a gravity flow line
from the Wayah watershed, as
proposed by some, on the
grounds that a 12-inch main
would cost in the neighborhood
of $325,000, almost as much as
a new filtering plant. Anything
under 12 inches would not carry
enough water to the town, the
engineers said.
Aldermen then voted to pro
ceed with plans for construct
ing a filtering plant and pump
ing station on Cartoogechaye
Creek, near the Franklin Hos
iery Company, along the lines
proposed in a survey made in
1956 by the Harwood-Beebee
Company, a firm of consulting
engineers. The estimate at this
time for a plant capable of
pumping a million gallons of
water was $335,000. An engi
neer with the company Mon
day night told the aldermen
the job probably could still
be done for that amount.
Aldermen authorized the Har
wood-Beebee firm t(^ prepare
plans and present them to the
North Carolina League of Mun
icipal -les for approval for a
bond issue.
If this approval is received,
the town officials can then take
the steps necessary to have a
bond election to get voter re
action to the proposal
THREE GAMES SLATED ?
Jaybirds And Wildcats
To Meet For Championship
A three-game Little League
championship play-off between the
Jaybirds and the Wildcats has
been scheduled.
The Jaybirds were winners of
the first half of the season and
the Wildcats the last half.
First game of the play-off will
be Monday at 3:30 p.m. at the
Little League field near Franklin
High. The second will be Satur
day, the 15th, at 3:30. and the
third Wednesday, the 19th, at the
same hour.
AT FRANKLIN STADIUM ?
'Festival Week' Coming;
Entertainers Are Called
Donn K. Langfitt, chairman of
the Jaycee-sponsored event.
The chairman said the admis
sion, as in years past, will be 25
cents for young and old.
"We like the idea of keeping the
price down sd everyone can come
to the festival," he explained.
''This also makes it easy on those
who want to come all three
nights."
Cash prizes and ribbons will be
awarded the winners in all
categories!
A new platform for performers
will b; constructed next week at
the stadium and a pine backdrop
will be erected to enhance the out
door setting.
All entertainers interested in
competing in this strictly Macon
County festival are asked to regis
ter in advance with Mr. Langfitt,
Bob Bryson. or Dr. J. L. Hill, Jr.
SMART REUNION
The annual Smart family re
union will be held Sunday. August
9, at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Earl Smart, near the Wells Grove
Baptist Church. Lunch will be
served at noon and drinks will
be served by the host and hostess.
Relatives and friends are invited
to attend.
stadium, according to the Rev.
Next week is "Folk Festival
Week" in Macon County.
Dance teams, musicians, bands,
and other performers already are
sharpening their talents for tho
eighth annual Macon County
Folk Festival August 13-14-15 "un
der the stars" in the high school
'YOU MEAN THIS IS FOR ME?"
In early June, THE PRESS ran a short feature story on Mrs.
Sarah Ann Ledford, a centenarian plus two. She loves to play
an accordion and has worn out three of the instruments. The
last one she had was lost In a fire, so the story related, and she
was sure she could "play one a little right now, if I had one."
Well, Mrs. Ledford has an accordion, thanks to the generosity of
Mrs. Jeanette E. Daley, of Phoenix, Ariz , the former Miss J earn -
ette E. Moses, of this county, who read- the wtnry arm decided
to boy her one. It was delivered to Mrs. Ledford Friday. She
opened the package, her fingers running along the keys, and she
asked. Just as the photographer snapped the above picture, "You
mean this is for me?" Sitting with her are her granddaughter,
Audrey Ledford, and her great-granddaughter, Diane Atiderson.
Oh yes, she CAN play it. (Staff Photo)
Working on the Higdonville 4-H booth Tuesday afternoon were
(1 to R) Patsy Finney, Sarah Jane Berry, and Diane Clay.
CANT HEAR THUNDER -
Judge Is Troubled'
By Old Courthouse
Macon County's ancient and
controversial courthouse "troub
les" Judge George B. Patton
and he "hopes something won't
happen to us before something
is done" about it.
That's the way the Superior
Court Judge and Franklin na
tive put it to the grand Jury
In his opening charge here
Monday morning.
And he warned that a judge
is coming some day "who won't
understand you" and who will
embarrass Macon County by
closing the Courthouse
His Own Way
In his inimitable and folksy
way, Judge Patton had much
to say about the old structure,
which is 79 years old and has
been condemned for many
years.
A modern and growing coun
ty like Macon, saddled with
such a courthouse, is all far
behind . . . it's like driving a
1919 Model T . . . having to
push it off to get it start
ed . .
As resident Judge of the dis
trict, "I'm ashamed to invite"
people to the courthouse for
hearings.
The courtroom is so noisy
"you can't hear thunder with
the floors squeaking . .
Macon County will never get
anywhere on building a new
courthouse, or repairing the
present one, by having a meet
ing attended by 15 or 20 peo
ple who take no action.
Macon is too good a county
to just dp nothing about the
situation "If you want to let
Macon te the laughing Stock of
the whole state" then don't do
anything.
"I understand from the coun
ty attorney that the county is
planning to do something . . .
I hope something won't happen
to u-s before something Ls done.
The county commissioners are
all good, dedicated men who
want to "save you money . . .
and I'm In lavor of that . .
are going to do what the peo
ple want." If enough people
want .something done they'll see
that it Is done.
The fault is "mine and yours
. . . the people", not the county
commissioners. "Those we put
in office do what the majority
of the people want done."
Fire could easily destroy every
record in the courthouse. "It
would take continuous court for
10 years to clear up the law
suits as a result." (Judge Pat
ton at this point called atten
tion to the "smart-alec" who
built a fire in the hall of the
courthouse last winter.)
Repair or build a new one?
The judge said he was not con
cerned with either, but "no
one will ever know (which to
do) unless some definite action
ls taken."
Pointing out that the judg's
chair was donated by T. B
Higdon, of Atlanta, and the
lawyers' table came "from
somewhere . it wasn't
bought, I know that", the Judge
challenged the Jurymen to find
a "chair that's fit to grace a
decent courthouse in North
Carolina and I'll eat your hat,
brim and all!"
Other Points
Judtfe Patton also covered a
number of other subjects, from
people to speeding on Palmer
Street and other places
Citing Macon County's .small
crime rate, as compared with
other sections, he1 called this a
"bouquet for the citizenship of
this county".
' The law is no stronger than
the will of the |>eoi>|n to set"
that it is tarried out f.'irly and
impartially." he declared.
Judge Patton s i id U " chjr
icter of the people of Western
,-Jorth Carolina is a credit to
ihe entire world. He attributed
this strong moral fibre of the
people to the churches.
If the rest of the people in
the world were like those here,
the judge commented that
atomic weapons could be turned
SEE NO. I, PAGE 8
'Flying Rebels'
Trying Again!
Georgia's "Flying Rebels" arc
going to try again.
They've scheduled another ruby
digging fly-in here for the week
end of August 15-16.
Bad weather cancelled one the
flying club planned in July.
Under the direction of the
chamber of commerce, plans are
again being made to accommodate
the Georgians. Transportation will
be furnished under the supervision
of the Macon Search and Rescue
Squad.
The visiting flyers will be
foecial suests of the Jaycees at
the Macon County' Folk Festival
Saturday night
Ruby digging in Cowee Valley
will be the order of the day botn
Saturday and Sunday for the Vlst
tors.
Mrs. Ed Bradley (left) and Mrs. Jack Cansler put long hours
an preparing Iotla community's exhibit, which features church
life. (Staff Photos)
JACOBS TO PRESIDE ?
Macon Baptists Opening
Annual Session Today
With a theme of "Advancing
For Christ", the 56tli annual ses
sion of the county's largest church
group, the Macon Baptist Associ
ation, opens today 'Thursday*.
Two churches. Wells Grove and
Holly Springs, are hosts to the
two-day meeting, which will be
highlighted by reports of local
and state nature by Maconlans
and out-of-town speakers.
Opening Session
Today's session will open at 9 30
ajn. at the Wells Urove church,
with the association moderator,
J. C. Jacobs, presiding.
Appearing on the program dur
ing the morning will be the Rev.
Lewis Howard, pastor of the Holly
Springs church: the Rev. Melvin
Brooks, pastor of the host church
Mrs. John Campbell, associational
clerk: the Rev. R. R. Standley,
pastor of the First church; Fre'i
Corbln, chairman of the commit
tee on committees: the Rev. C.
T. Taylor, field worker for the
association; the Rev. E. C. Wilkie.
area missionary of the Baptist
State Convention: Mrs. J. D. Day
ton. member of the Cartoogechaye
church; the Rev. W. A. Cloer, pas
tor of the Cartoogechaye and
Longvlew churches; Mrs. Cliff
Cook, member' of the Wells Orov?
church; Mrs. Fred Jones, member
of the Longvlew church; and Dr
Douglas M. Branch, executive
secretary-treasurer of the BaptUt
State Convention.
At 11:30, the annual message
will be brought by Mr. Standley.
Afternoon Program
Following lunch on the gmunds.
a scripture-prayer by Bert Craw
ford will open tlie afternon por
tion of the program.
Speaking will be Mrs. Ruby
Young, member of the Ellijay
church; Dr. W. R. Wagoner, gen
eral superintendent of the Baptist
Children's Homes of North Caro
lina: the Rev. M. C. Wyatt, pas
tor of the Iotla church; the Rev
James Hayes, superintendent of
the N. C. Baptist Homes for the
Aging; the Rev. C. T. Taylor. Dr.
W K. MrQee. director of denomi
national relations at Baptist Hos
pital in. Winston-Salem: Uie Rev.
SEE NO. 2, PAOE 8
Tax Revenue
Shows Business
Going Good i
June was bustin' out all over
here business-wise i
An analysis of sales and use tax
collections show a gross figure of
$14,98099, as compared with (
$12,845.39 for June of 58.
The June figure also represents
ed an increase over May. when
collections came to $13,091 30.
MACON COUNTY'S MOVIE ?
The Majestic Nantahalas'
Showing Is Slated Here
The prrmicr of Miicon ( ?un
tv's new documentary movie,
"The Majestic N:intuhulas", is
set for August I []H at the .Mi
(<>n Theatre in Franklin.
I ilnied ? >r Sf)00 In Ken St.ini
haugh. of !>em<?rest, Cia.? f ??r 1 1??*
(harrier of commerce. the II
minute eolor film is li> he used
to promote Mar on County and !
its inan% attractions in other '
M'ctiofLs of the country. It also
will l?r u.tfd cn tr lcvisinn. 1
Mr. St..ml>nugh filnxii por
tio'.s ot the Jarnrrl "Ilairio I
? a'w-o" rlurinfc I>ri lormance of
' I ii to I In so Mil's" at ( licrok'i'
.iu-t for the .Macon County
n-ovic.
? I
THEY'LL BE DRESSES FOR DANCING
Friday night at I hp Mountain Youth Jamboree in Asheville, the
("arson (.loggers will have on their best bibs and turkers, the
boys in checked shirts and blue j<vin_s and the girls in darts
with the name of the teftm silk screened an them. Above, Mrs.
Alice Kav, who helped the girls nuke their skirts, shows one
Meal Tonight;
'Show Day'
Is Friday
Winners' Being
Picked; Opening
At 1 O'Clock
Judges are hard at work this
? Thursday) morning at the Ma
con County Fair, which officially
opens to the public at 1 o'clock.
Exhibitors have been placing
exhibits and preparing booths
since Tuesday. An amusement
company has been operating rides
on the grounds at Franklin High
since Monday night.
In short, things are about ready
for the three-day event.
Supper Tonight
Highlighting activities tonight
will be a beef and pork barbecue
supper at the Vocational Agricul
ture Building near the gymnasium
at 8:30. Proceeds from the meal
are earmarked for the fair.
Judges busy awarding premiums
and ribbons this morning Include
Paul Gibson, agricultural agent of
Jackson County; T. A. Brawley.
agricultural agent of Cherokee;
Rufus Vick. agricultural agent of
Clay: Jack Lyday, agricultural
agent of Swain: Morris L. Mc
Gough. executive vice-president of
the Ashevllle Agricultural Develop
ment Council: Miss Anne Benson
Priest, home economics agent of
Transylvania; Jack Early, assist
ant agent in Jackson: Bill Teague,
assistant agent in Swain; Mrs.
Betty Stiles, assistant agent In
Jackson; James Patterson, beef
specialist from the N. C. Extension
Service In Raleigh; Miss Ethel
Oarnette, crafts teacher at tha
Cherokee Indian School: Miss
Freda Dean Morgan, assistant
agent in Clay; Mrs. Louise Miller,
of Highlands: and Siler Slagle.
Dr. J. H. Fisher, Mrs. T. J. O'Neil.
Miss Jean Hemphill. Mrs. Anne
Murray. Mrs. Virginia Hendry,
and Mrs. J. Ward Long, of Frank
lin.
Friday Shows
Tomorrow (Friday) is "Show
Day" at the county fair with four
shows scheduled : sheep and swine.
12:30 pjn.; dairy cattle. 1 pjn.;
beef cattle. 2 p.m.; horse and mule,
3 p.m.
A pet show will be held Satur
day at 9 am.
Open At 9
Doors to the fair wilt open at
9 Friday and Saturday mornings.
Maconlans may view exhibits until
10 p.m. Friday. The fair will close
at 3 p m. Saturday.
I
Flower Show
Winners Were
Not Available
The Franklin Garden Club's an
nual flower show was held yester
Jay "Wednesday" in the high
school cafeteria. using a theme
>f "Our Mountain jewels".
Winners wi re not ^available at
jress time.
KOGKRS RKINION
The Holers family reunion will
:>e held Silndav. August 9. at the
iome place of Theodore Rog *rs on
ioute 5 in the Bethel community.
\1P relatives are invited to come
ind .brim a picnic lunch.
ALL-DAY SINGING
An all-day singing convention
the southern division of Macon
bounty will be held at the Gold
Mine Baptist Church Sunday.
\ugust 9. The program will begin
it 10 a.m. The public is invited
,o come and bring a picnic lunch.
rh* f <>mp*ratur*>* and rainfall below
ire rwordwl in Franklin by Manm>r Stile?,
LT. S. weather oha.rv.-r; in Highlands by
Fndor N. Hall and W. O. Newton. TV A
>bHervern; and at th* Cow<?ta Hydroloirie
l/iiborartxy. Reading* are for the 24-Kour
P*-riod end i nir :it rt a.m. of ?he day listed.
The Weather
FRANKLIN
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wed., 29th
High Low Rain
88 63 .00
90 06 .00
90 65 .00
89 64 .00
85 63 .46
83 65 .00
85 66 .00
Wednesday
67 .00
COWETA
Wed., 29th
87 56 .00
88 58 .00
91 62 trace
89 58 .00
89 58 .00
89 58 .00
82 60 .00
83 5? .04
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday