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ON THE INSIDE ?
Staff correspondents of THE
PRESS keep the Inside paces
of this newspaper alive with
news about your friends and
neighbors Read the Inside
panes from top to bottom and
you'll know Macon County.
74th Year ? No. 51
Franklin, N. C., Thurxky, December 17, 1959
Price 10 Cent
Sixteen Pages
THERE'S A horse-burying hole
in the pavement on Bldwell Street
that's making everyone unhappy
but the fellows who sell tires.
CLEMSON FANS might like to
know that WBTV will televise the
Clemson-Texas Christian game
from Houston at 3:30 Saturday.
JAYCEES ARE selling some of
those delicious butter mints again.
A couple of years ago they
couldn't get enough for folks who
wanted to give tins of the mints
for Christmas presents.
UNDERSTAND the Promelettes
"did us up brown" when they were
on TV in Greenville Saturday
night. Hunter Young fans are still
swooning over the smiles he used
to captivate the audience as his
band played for the small dancers.
HAVE YOU paid for those TB
Christmas seals you're using on
your cards? Figured you might
have forgotten to send in your
check for 'em.
GROUPS GIVING baskets to
the needy this Christmas may ob
tain toys for them by stopping
t>y the welfare department and
picking out what they want. .These
are the toys repaired by Mrs.
Olson's eighth graders and there
is a wide variety.
THOSE WHO missed Sunday's
-performance of Handel's "Mes
siah" will be able to hear a re
cording over WFSC Sunday after
noon at 4:30.
? ?
DR. FURMAN Ansel promises
the "three little kids and the one
big kid" who sent him a Christ
mas card that he'll light up his
big Christinas tree again this
year.
YOU CANT say that Macon
County lsnt trying Its damdest to
keep the cars rolling over the
Tallulah Kails.
A LOt OF the communities
are erecting Christmas scenes,
even though there in no contest.
This shows ? good spirit.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS along
Main Street mm to carry out the
simplicity of the celebration.
Decorations in other towns are
much too gaudy, suggesting the
commercialization of Christmas
that tries to bide the true mean
ing.
WISH THE weather would set
tle down and quit being woman
like fickle. It's that hot-and-cold
Stuff that breeds flu and bad
winter colds.
MANY FOLKS with the taste
of turkey still In their mouth say
they're going to have ham for
Christmas. Still others say they'll
have turkey soup from the
skeleton of their Thanksgiving
bird.
HEAR THAT'S a real estate
office Lee Woods is building at
the end of his Town Motel.
WIIXi WONDERS never cease!
The town washed the streets one
day last week. The old tank truck
has been fixed up and fitted with
p. pressure spraying unit, so we
can assume this street washing
will be routine in the future in
stead of rare.
APOLOGIES TO Rabun Gap
High for our reversing the scores
of the basketball game here last
week. Rabun beat the Franklin
boys in the non-conference game.
AFTER 49 days in Duke Hos
pital recovering from a heart
operation, little Melaine Hooper
arrived home last Thursday as
chipper as a cricket and ready to
start back in the first grade after
the first of the year.
WAYNES VILLE Mountaineer,
noting that Judge Patton spoke
his mind last week about the old
courthouse here, thinks we need
more men of the judge's calibre.
ON TALLULAH FALLS -
Maconians Testify
At L C. C. Hearing
A large delegation of Macon
lans searching lor a remedy to
the financial sickness threatening
to kin the Tallulah Palls Railway
were in'' Oainesville, Oa? last
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
for the Interstate Commerce Com
mission hearing on the proposed
abandonment of the 57-mile
freight line.
Ten In the delegation, Includ
ing two lawyers retained by the
local "Save the Railroad Com
mittee" testified during the two
and a half days of testimony be
JOINS BURLINGTON
Jim JL Brogden, Macon Coun
ty native and former assistant
football and baseball coach at
HAmptoa Blch School, Hamp
ton, Va., has accepted a posi
tion In the peraonnel depart
ment of the Raeford plant of
Pacific Mills, a division of Bnt
ington Industries. A graduate of
Franklin High and Western
Carolina, he is married to the
former Misg Rebecca Murray,
of Franklin. They have two
children. Rebecca Lynn, 2, and
Deborah Fae, 10 months. His
brother, Ed Brogden, lives on
Route 4, and a sister, Mis. J.
P. Norton, Jr., resides in Rabun
Gap, Ga. Mr. Brogden is the
son of the late Mr. and Mrs.
J. A. Brogden.
Panthers
Win Both
Cage Tilts
With two games remaining be
fore the holidays. Franklin High's
lads and lassies chalked up vic
tories over Sylva and Cherokee
this past Week.
Friday night in the local gym,
the girls led off the night's twin
bill by soundly whipping the
Sylva girls 107 to 10 in a game
that was Franklin from the start.
The half-time score was 62 to 3.
The boys followed up with 56 to
34 victory, after trailing by only
one point. 25 tawC4, at the half. 4
Tuesday night in Cherokee, tne
local teams continued winning, the
lassies By a score of 80 to 32 and
SEE NO. 1. PAGE 8
PRENTISS SING
The third Sunday singing con
vention will be held at the Pren
tiss Baptist Church Sunday be
ginning at 2 o'clock. Several visit
ing singers and local groups will
be present. J. L. Sanders is in
charge of the program.
(ore I.C.C. Examiner H. J. Blond.
Talcing the stand were J. C.
Jacobs, president of the Franklin
Chamber of Commerce. Clyde
Clark, manager of Franklin Min
eral Products, Rufus Snyder, local
coal dealer, Wayne Faulkner,
of Zlckgraf Hardwood Company,
Kenneth Clark, contractor, Ervln
Patton, representing Nantah^la
Creamery, and W. W. Reeves,
hardware merchant. Handling the
legal chores were J. H. Stockton
and O. L. Houk. both of Franklin,
and Park Low, of the N.C. Utilities
Commission.
Others There
A strong delegation from Clay
ton, Oa.. was present, as well as
representatives of many towns
along the Tallulah Falls line.
This latest hearing stemmed
from a ruling last June by U.8.
District Judge Boyd Sloan that
a 1933 certificate of abandon
ment held by Southern Railway
on the Tallulah Falls was Invalid.
Southern owns the picturesque
line, which has been in receiver
ship since the early '30s.
Losing Money
H. L. Brewer, the receiver, testi
fied before the examiner that the
Tallulah Falls has been losing
ground financially since 1956, a
year when the line hauled 4.S95
loaded cars. This year, he explain
ed. cars numbered only 2,787.
Should the I.C.C. rule against
abandonment, a lawyer for the re
ceiver said it would be agreeable
with his side to abandon only the
IS miles of track in North Caro
lina.
Mr. Brewer told the examiner
the abandonment of the N. C.
portion would permit the railroad
to salvage the ties and rails for
use on the Georgia segment. This
would cut expenses substantially,
he said.
Quick To Oppose
North Carolinians present were
quick to oppose any such arrange
ment. They presented figures to
show that net revenue on the
North Carolina portion of the line
was in excess of <65,000 for the
year. Operating costs, pro-rated
for the N.C. section, according to
the receiver, came to $43,000 for
1058, but Mr. Brewer contended
that N.C. should carry a propor
tionate share of the cost of op
erating the Georgia section as
well.
These three points were brought
out by those opposing the aban
donment:
1. Business along the line from
Cornelia, Ga? to Franklin would
suffer and In some Instances be
destroyed. It is understood that
several small businesses and in
dustries threaten to close down
if the railroad is abandoned.
2. Growth in the area needs rail
service to continue to attract new
business and industry.
3. The area has enough business
to support a railroad if service
can be assured.
After the I.C.C. rules on the
new petition, the decision will
rest again with Judge Sloan. It is
understood it will be about six
months before the I.C.C, an
nounces its ruling.
P.-T.A. MEETING
The East Franklin P.-T.A. will
meet tonight (Thursdayi at 7:30
at the school..The students of the
second and third grades will pre
sent the program. A social hour
is planned following the meeting.
So SayA "MR. MACONIAN"
Hi-ya' Neighbors :
Some congratulations are in order for the grand
?i ?
jury. Its report doesn't parrot those of some past
ones and it actually has some new ideas to offer.
F'irtstance, that recommendation about an audit
orium for Franklin High is a sound one. And the
suggestion that the county commissioners put an
architect to work on estimates for the courthouse
is even better.
With Judge Patton dorn' the prodding, it's about
a sure bet that some of these things will be carried
out.
And I thank you,
Mr. Maconian
ON POWER DEAL ?
No Intentional Delaying
By Duke, Archer Declares
I s there some foot-dragging in
the filing of the application with
the N. C. Utilities Commission for
the sale of Nanthala Power and
Light Company's electric distribu
tion system to Duke Power Com
pany?
John M. Archer, Jr.. Nantahala
president, says "definitely not",
explaining that the delay has been
caused by "a couple of unfore
seen operating problems that have
to be ironed out".
He said W. B. McGuire, Duke's
president, was sincere when he
made a statement in September
that the application would be filed
at once.
"None of us were aware at the
time of these problems," Mr.
Archer declared this week.
The application is a Joint paper
and must be signed by of flea Is
of both Nantahala and Duke, he
explained.
Once the application is filed, a
public hearing will be set by the
utilities commlsson.
Talks To dab
Meanwhle, Franklin Rotarlans
are pondering some points and
answers brought out by Mr.
Archer when he was the club's
guest speaker last Thursday night.
He traced the growth of Nanta
hala Power Since it was chartered
in 1929. including the purchase
of other systems, to the present
point where Its service area covers
all of Graham and Swain, prac
tically all of Jackson and Macon,
the eastern portion of Cherokee,
and a very small area In Clay
County.
The Nantahala president said
electric service has been svailah'e
to every person In the area for
several years.
Statistics Given
Here are some statistics he
brought out:
On Dec. 31, 1M& the company
was serving 1,28# cult? nrfc, as
compared to It, 014 Dae. 41. IM8
Kilowatt-hours sold to residential
customers In- 1638 totaM 916,
(07, at an average rat* ot J J>c per
KWXf. and In 1W8. SS.Ud.229 M
an average of 1.8c per KWH. Cony
mercial customers purchased in
1938, 707,467 KWH at an average
rate of 4.2c, and in 1958, 16,436.833
at an average of 2.2c per KWH.
Industrial sales in 1938 totaled
10,511,472 KWH. as compared to
56,796,560 in 1958. Sales to other
customers in 1938, such as Hay
wood Electric Coop., Western
Carolina College, and the Town
of Highlands, amounted to 356,
059 KWH, and In 1958. 9.584,961
KWH.
1.500 Miles
At the end of 1938, Nantahala
had in operation 103 miles of
distribution lines, as compared
with 1.500 miles on Dec. 31. 1958.
Mr. Archer said during the
period covered by the history, the
company has Invested a total of
about $33,000,000 In Western
North Carolina.
"This In Itself represents a very
definite contribution to the wel
fare of this Western North Caro
lina area. When we first started
operations here, the only utility
service was by several small.
Isolated companies. We now have
a well-integrated operation which
has made utility service available
to every person in the area; and
up to this time we have been able
to provide adequate power for the
rapid growth of Western North
Carolina."
Explains Rales
The Nantahala president also
explained how Nantahala has
been able to provide power at at
tractive rates.
"There are several factors in
volved," he told the Rotarlans,
"however, the greatest, one that
has contributed to your savings
and which dwarfs all others Is
that Alcoa has been in position
to absorb at its Alcoa. Tenn.,
plant all of the excess power not
needed in the Nantahala utility
business, thereby being responsible
for a large part of Nantahala's
total revenue. Without this
revenue, most of which has been
In payment for secondary power,
your electric rates would not have
been kept at the present level.
"None of the secondary power
generated and sold to Alcoa could
have been sold to others In this
area, and only because of the
peculiar nature of the operation
of an aluminum smelting plant,
which, unlike most other Indus
tries. has a dally load factor of
nearly 100 per cent, enabling it
to advantageously use large
quantities of secondary power in
conjunction with its other power
faculties and contracts. During
periods in the past, the
tlon of aluminum was far
In excess of market requirements:
however, Alcoa continued to use
all our ween power to smelt
aluminum, which was stored until
market conditions permitted Its
sale. \
Questions-Answers
Here are some of the questions
answered by Mr. Archer:
Q: If dams provide cheap power,
should they not be sold to a utility
for public use since they were
built under power of eminent
domain?
A: When Bill McGuire. of Duke,
was here a few weeks ago he whs
asked the question why his com
pany was not buying all of Nanta
ha la's hydro plants rather than
just the four small ones. He re
SEE NO. 2, PAGE 8
MRS. LEDFORD D!ES AT 102
Death Silences Her Beloved Accordion
Death has silenced the ac
cordion 102-year-old Mrs. Sarah
Ann Ledford loved so much.
She died Tuesday of last week,
December 8, after an illness of two
weeks at the home of a son,
Zemery Crawford Ledford, on
Route 2.
Mrs. Ledford's accordion was an
important thing in her lift. Last
June, in a feature article appear
ing in THE PRESS following her
102ncJ birthday, her love for the
accordion was mentioned, alona
with the fact that ^he'd lost her
last one in a fire. At the time she
was sure she coulri "pi:; one ,i
little right now if I lihri or.e."'
A couple of months lat.r, Mrs.
JeaneUe E. Daley: of Phoenix.
Ariz., who read the story., pur
chased an. accordion .' o . M.s. Led
ford 'end it was pioniptiv 'Jelivi:;
ed- Tile few months sine.- this
generous t^ft arrived jii-r ? happy
ones Indeed for Alr.sl Ledljui, h.i
family reports:
Funeral services for M Led
ford, a native of DUrktowrj- Tenn .
were conducted the uft.;rr.c:;n of
the 10th at the Union Methodist
Church by the Rev. Earl Crowe,
pastor, the Rev. Claude Ledfont,
the Rpv. James Sanflers, and the
Rev. Fred Sorrells. Burial was in
lie church cemetery. Grandsons
" rvinK as pallbearers w.'re Gor
don. Herrell, Clyde, David, Bryan,
?iti.d Efnr.ix Ledford,
Surviving, in adcjiUon to her.
.<? >n. are 19 fcrandchildreh, 24
m at-Bi andchildrcn, and six great
iai at-irrancchildien.
Ai rangetficnii were handled by
Potts Funeral Home.
TEAM OF YOUNG MACON COUNTY SQUARE DANCERS PERFORM ON TV GREENVILLE CHANNEL SATURDAY
Channel 4, Omnvillf, ,S. C.. was Jammed with Macon County fares for
a while Saturday when the Promeiettes danrerf on Bob Poole's show "Carolina
Promenade Party". The young dancers, who ranged in age from si* to nine,
are <L to R) Betiy Canity, Joe Sanders, Linda Stanley, Mike Waldroop, Jlnger
Sanders, Jerry Wallace, Debbie Bowman, Jimmy Cunningham, Donna Sanders
Mark Crawford, Nancy Ruth Crockett, Donald Waldroop, Susie Stinson, Mark
Gidney, and Stevie Bowman. Although he's in the picture, Mark was unable
to make the trip to GreenTille. Also dancing were Billy Crawford and Pat lant.
(Staff Photo)
FINDS PRISON CAMP UNSANITARY' -
Jury Asks Courthouse Action,
Auditorium For High School
* * * ? ? ?
NO CIVIL TRIALS YET ?
Criminal Docket Keeping
Superior Court Jumping
Although this week had been
scheduled for trial of civil actions.
Judge George B. Put ton yesterday
(Wednesday) was still hearing
cases on the criminal docket.
Two cases, one involving the
kidnapping of Dr. Herbert Koepp
Baker by two escapod prisoners,
the other an attempted rape,
could well take up the rest of the
week, according to Solicitor Olenn
Brown. '
Te solicitor yesterday morning
said an unusual number of Jury
trials have slowed the court's
progress on the criminal docket.
There were four Jury trials In one
day, he said.
Judfte Patton convened the two
week term of Superior Court De
cember 7. ?
In early November, two teen-age
prisoners broke from a road gang
near Highlands and forced Dr.
Koepp-Baker to drive them to
freedom. As he approached the
police station on the way through
town, the minister yelled for help
and stopped the car. The youths
ran, but were captured by the
police chief and fire chief, who
were in front of the town hall.
MANY TURNED AWAY ?
'Standing Room Only'
At Christmas Cantata
It was "standing room only" at
Sunday night's presentation of
Handel's "Messiah" at the Frank
lin Methodist Church and several
hundred who arrived late return
ed home when they saw the
church "bulging at the seams".
An estimated 700 managed to
get Inside and the church was
filled long before time for the pro
gram to begin. More than 100
stood up at the rear of the church.
In the aisles, and In the vestibule.
Still others listened from outside.
Featuring voices from the choirs
Yule lighting
Judging Slated
Night Of 23rd
Although no prizes are being
awarded this year, a Judging of
Christmas lighting and decora
tions In Franklin will be held the
night of the 23rd by the garden
club.
Neither are separate divisions
for public buildings, businesses.
and residences planned this year.
All will be judged as a single
classification, according to the
contest chairman. Mrs. Prelo J.
Dryman.
It Is not necessary to register
a business or home in advance
of the judging.
of local churches, the cantata
was directed by Samuel F Beck.
The organist was Mrs. L J. Neal.
The program was praised as
one of the finest ever staged here.
Soloists and the nones they
sang Included Dr. Thomas J.
Huff, "Comfort Ye My People";
Mrs. C. E. Henry, "Then 8hall
The Eyes of the Blind Be Opened"
and "He 8 hall Peed His Flock";
J. L. Fesperman, "But Who May
Abide The Day of His Coming"
and "Why Do the Nations Rage?";
Mrs. Charles Oldney, "Ther* Were
Shepherds" and "Rejoice Oreatly,
O Daughter of Zlon": and Mrs.
Julian Maddox. "I know That My
Redeemer Llveth".
In addition to the soloists, mem
of the chorus Included Mrs. John
Bultrln. Mrs. C. D. Corbln. Mrv
R. P. Cunningham, Mrs. Ollmer
Crawford. Mrs. E. C. Harmon.
Mrs. Charles Ledbetter. Miss Har
riett Murray, Miss Joy McCollum.
Mrs. W. W. Sloan. Miss Sarah
Smart. Miss Margaret Swan, Miss
Penny Taylor, Miss Lyn West,
MLss Esther Wallace, Miss Betty
Ann Bulgln. Mrs. Wlllard Oreer.
Mrs. Neal Johnston. Mrs. Jack
Powell, Mrs. Jerry Sutton, Roy
M. Riddle, Jr.. the Rev. Robert
E. Early, Phil McCollum, Jack
H. Powell, Curtis Pearson. Dick
Slagle, Fred Bulgin, Prelo J. Dry
man, Marttl Hanpakoski, Spike
MHddox, L. J Neal, Douk Slagle:
Ch illi's Slagle. and the Rev. R R.
S.tandley.
OTTO MEETING
Tile Otto P-TA. will meet at
the school tonight 'Thursday) at
7:30. A special Christmas pro
pram 'AIM be presented by the
first nnd second grade classes. A
tnemorlal gift will be presented to
the school by Gline Holland In
memory of his wife. Mrs. Pauline
Cabe Holland.
noSPFJ. KINGING
A community gospel singing
will be h< Id Saturday night at
7 .10 at. the Co wet' til Baptist
/? l< " r f h Several out-of-town
aioluis, inc luding the Bailey Fam
ily. of Oreer. S, C . will be present.
J I.:. Sanders Is in charge of the
program.
Foreman Howard Stewart and
his grand jurymen recommend
that a licensed architect examine
the old courthouse to fix costs
of repairing or rebuilding and that
the county commissioners be pre
pared to report these findings
to the grand jury at the April
term of Superior Court.
This particular recommendation
concerning the 79-yearold court
house is a follow-up suggested to
the grand Jury by Judge George
B. Patton In his opening charge
December 7. At that time the
judge charged that county officials
were dragging their feet in taking
steps to find out what approach
should be taken.
Audit Rooks
The grand Jury also recommends
that books of the Justices of the
peace be audited by the county
each year and the adult published
In the local newspaper. While
grand Jury proceedings are closed.
It Is understood that a committee
appeared before the Jurymen and
suggested this action be taken.
An unsanitary prison camp was
reported by the Jurymen inspect
ing that Institution. This com
mittee reported the camp "in a
very unsanitary condition", dusty,
floors wet and dirty, kitchen
equipment in bad condition, and
cell blocks dirty. It also suggested
a central heating system in the
cell block. Some new kitchen
equipment also was recommended,
along with other repairs.
School Auditorium
Biggest need at Franklin High
reported by the Jurymen was an
auditorium. At present, the stu
dent body holds assemblies in the
gymnasium. Other recommenda
tions for the schools included In- 1
terlor painting for the high school
building, flors repaired in the
elementary building, construction
of a walk from the bus stop td
the building used for retarded
school children so they win M
protected from traffic, and root,
repairs. Interior painting, and bet
ter lighting In the office buildlni
of the school superintendent.
Koodi End oriel
Even the food in the county
Jail has the endorsement of the
Inmates, according to the Jury r?
port. "Focc! commended by the
prisoners." it. says. The Jail wai
found to be "extra clean". Need*
include a light In the bathroom,
new blankets on beds, and a re
pairs on a heater lock.
Schools Closing
For Holidays;
Events Listed
Christmas holidays officiall]
start tomorrow 'Friday) afteij
noon at the end of the school daj
for the county's several thousam
children.
Classes will be resumed Mon
day, January 4. according ti
Supt. H. Bueck.
The week end is expected t
produce a heavy influx of college
students and others attending is
stitutlons outside Macon County
Many already have arrived.
Decorations Up
Christmas decorations ar,
springing up all over the town an
county. Franklin Garden Clu
has erected A scene on Ranki
Square and many churches an
communities are displaying hoi
SEE NO 3. PAGE 8
The Weather
Wed.. 9th
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Wed.. 9th
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Wed.. 9th
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
franklin
High LOW RAI
64 21 .1
61 25
50 31
60 45
50 38
57 19
50 26
29
COWETA
55 24
62 27
58 35
55 45 1
57 34
51 18
57 27 , ^
51 28
HIGHLANDS
55 30
52 29
45 34
50 40
44 30
48 20
38 28
* no record