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?ft* l&taltl&ttta jMaconian
ON THE INSIDE ?
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. 53
Franklin, N. C., Wednesday, December 30, 1959
Price 10 Cent
Eight Pages
f ? O taken for granted -
School Bus Fleet
Has Really Grown
THAT MILD weather over the
holidays was misleading. Winter
is just beginning so don't put
your long handles In moth balls
yet.
WHAT'S worse than a rainy
Monday? Answer: A rainy Mon
day after Christinas, that's what!
A MACONIAN, Joseph Moses,
who is In Los Angeles. Calif., for
the winter, writes that he got to
attend the recent Shriner benefit,
sonsidered to be the Number 1
talent event of the year anywhere.
He got to see a number of big
movie and TV stars perform, in
cluding Bob Hope, Steve Allen,
Jimmy Durante, Danny Thomas,
and Sammy Davis, Jr.
DID YOU know that travel is
N. C.'s third largest Industry ?
and probably Macon County's
Number 1? A 20-page pamphlet
has just been issued by the Travel
Council of North Carolina, which
reveals, among other things, that
the dollar value of travel in the
state in 1958 ws $360,000,000 an
increase of 135 per cent in 10
years, and that the totarih revenue
of the travel-serving industry (In
cluding non-transient business>
-vas $723,000,000 in '58. Whew!
THE CHILDREN'S Home Socie
ty, which gets a boost here
through the Junior Woman's Club
via the United Fund, has placed
64 children in Macon County
since it was started in 1917.
THAT'S A mighty pretty display
the garden club erected on Rankin
Square this year. They had plans
for a huge lighted Christmas tree
on the top of the Indian Mound
but some of the members felt
vandals would find It too much of
a temptation. >"
SATURDAY, January 2, marks
the day on which total gasoline
tax collections in North Carolina,
just since the beginning of the
new year, will reach the sum of
$808,000 ? meaning that Tar Heel
motorists now pay as much gaso
line tax within two days as they
originally paid in a whole year,
according to N. W. O'Haver, chair
man of the N. C. Petroleum Com
mittee. ">
WEIMAR JONES, of THE
PRESS, in a publication called
GRASSROOTS EDITOR, takes
the "No" side of the question, "Is
the Weekly Press Too Conserva
tive?"
WHERE IS it? The garden club
has misplaced its nativity scene,
the manger scene they used to
put up each year in the field near
Angel Hospital. Anyone knowing
its whereabouts is asked to tele
phone the club president, Mrs.
S. R. Simpson.
ADDISON HEWLET, of Wil
mington, all-but-announced candi
date for governor, was here one
day during court week shaking
hands and meeting voters. Show
ing him over the western area
were former solicitor Thad D. Bry
son, Jr., and Rep. Marcellus
Buchanan, of Jackson County. Mr.
Hewlett was speaker of the House
in the '59 General Assembly.
By MISS MARGARET DAVIS
(Staff Writer)
Any Macon County family liv
ing more than a mile and a half
from school takes the school bus
system for granted. And why
shouldn't they? ,
. Every week-day morning, ex
cluding special holidays or ex
ceptionally bad weather, a familiar
orange bus rolls up to the bus
stop, picks up the children, and
transports them safely to school.
In the afternoon, they arrived
safely home abroad the same bus.
Without this service, it would be
safe to say that quite a number
of Macon County children would
be unable to attend school or
would be greatly handicapped in
attending. Therefore, the import
ance of a good school bus system
is self-evident. Following are some
facts and figures on Macon
County's school bus service:
The first school busses in Ma
con County were introduced In
1937. Robert L. Blaine, chief
mechanic at the county school
bus garage can recall at a mom
ent's notice the exact year each
new bus was added In the coun
ty. Mr. Blaine started working
in the county garage shortly after
the first buses went Into use.
Starting in 1937 with 10 buses,
the Macon County fleet has now
risen to 50. Two other mechanics
besides Mr. Blaine work full-time
at the county garage keeping the
buses In running order. The coun
ty garage is located near the
Franklin High gymnasium.
Student Drivers
Among the 50 school bus drivers
In the county are several high
school students. Student and adult
drivers have to pass driving tests
before being issued a school bus
license. All this caution shows
up in the safety record compiled
during the 22 years of school bus
operation in this county. During
that time, the list of injuries re
ceived by passengers ends with
one broken arm and a few bruises.
Also, the service of the drivers
is often a notch above that re
quired.
Awarded Pin
The present driver with the
longest record of service, George
Wilson, was recently rewarded a
22-year service pin by the Nation
al Safety Council.
An average number of 2,940
pupils are transported daily by
Macon County buses, at an operat
ing cost of $11.56 per mile; the
average number of miles each bus
travels each day is 36.41; the
average number of students trans
ported per bus is 61 ; average miles
per gallon of gasoline per bus is
6.37; the cost of repair parts in
cents per mile per bus is 1.400.
(The above figures are based, on
the school year 1958-1959.)
FORMER PRESS EMPLOYE ?
'Nath' Pennington, War
Vet And Electrician, Dies
Albert Nathan Pennington, 51,
died in a local hospital December
24 at 4:30 ajn. after a lingering
illness.
Born in West Alton, Mo., he was
the son of Albert N. and Mrs.
Inda Klnsland Pennington. An
electrician, Mr. Pennington was
employed for 14 years by the Nan
tahala Power and Light Company.
He was a veteran of World War
n.
Mr. Pennington worked for sev
eral years in the '30s In the print
Shop Of THE FRANKLIN PRESS
when the newspaper was published
by Blackburn Johnson.
Funeral services were held in
the Holly Springs Baptist ptfurch
the afternoon of the 25th. Officiat
ing were the Rev. C. T. Taylor
and the Rev. Judaon Duvall. Pall
bearers were Eb Bullock, Claude
Leatherman, Paul West, Fred
Guest, J. Ward Long, Doyle
Blaine, Jim McCollum. and John
Bulgin. Burial was In the church
cemetery.
Surviving are four brothers,
John Pennington, of Route 5,
Clyde Pennington, of Route 5,
Curley Pennington, of Dillard, Ga.,
and Colman Pennington, of De
troit, Mich.
Bryant FUneral Home was In
charge of arrangements.
STANLEY RECOVERING ?
Dehart Free On $1,000
Bond In Shooting Here
Ray Dehart, 24, of Route 2, is
free under $1,000 bond in con
nection with the Saturday night
shooting of 29-year-old Cecil Stan
ley at the Stanley home on Car
toogechaye Road.
The Injured man is reported
recovering at Angel Hospital from
a .22 rifle wound tfiat entered
his left side and came out his
back. Details surrounding the
so AayA "MR. MACON! AN"
Hi-ya Neighbors: '
Gotta few New Year's resolutions I intend to
keep.
I resolve:
? To holler and holler and holler some more until
something is done about that dad-blamed old court
house ... to call a spade a spade regardless of who
holds the hand . . to urge the formation of a live
wire tourist group to promote Macon County .at
tractions. including our tourist "salvation", the
Cowee Ruby Mines . . . to boost this area as a won
derful place to settle down and faise kids, away
from the temptations and pressures of the big
towns ... to help the garden club turn the Indian
Mound from an eyesore into a top-flight attraction
worthy of the largest remaining mound in the State
of North Carolina . . . to fuss &nd fume about
water, holes in the pavement, dirty streets, and
other nagging annoyances until something is done.
F :t, all these resolutions won't be worth a hill of
1. - if the rest of you Maconians don't pitch in
i. back me up on some of those you believe in
i - Let me know when you think I'm off of center.
Kappy New-Year! /
\And I thank you,
Mr. Macohir.n.
shooting have not been cleared
up.
Sheriff J. Harry Thomas said
Mr. Stanley related the following
incidents, to him in the presence
of S..BI. Agent P. R. Kitchen,
of Waynesville, who is assisting
in the investigation:
Two car loads of youths, at
close intervals, arrived at the
Stanley home to get Mr. Stanley's
sister-in-law, Miss Alice Runlon,
19, of Mt. City, Ga., to go riding
with them. The girl could not de
cide which group to go with and
returned to the house. Mr. Stan
ley came out and asked the youths
to leave and one car left. The
other stayed, its occupants declar
ing the automobile had a dead
battery. An argument started and
Mr. Stanley took the .22 rifle
he had with him and used the
butt to smash out a window in
the car. He also opened the door
on the driver's side and went
through the car. As he emerged
on the i other side, he must have
accidentally discharged the gun
and shot himself.
Sheriff Thomas said the investi
gation into the shooting incident
is continuing.
Cagle's Robbed
Over Holidays;
Probe Under Way
An investigation is under way
into a break-in at Cagle's Restau
rant on US 23-441 sometime late
Christmas night or early the next
morning.
Sheriff J. Harry Thomas said
about $70 in small change was
taken from the cash register, a
cigarette machine, and a cigar box
in the kitchen.
Entrance was gained to the
restaurant by breaking a lock on
the front door.
Buy Tags
Early And
Avoid Rush
"Get in the swing of the New
Year by buying your license tags
early," is the advise of Verlon
Swafford. manager of the local
branch office of Carolina Motor
Club, which will put I960 tags
on sale starting Saturday, Jan
uary 2.
Motorists will have until Feb
ruary 15 to purchase new tags.
However, if they will obtain them
well in advance of the deadline
the ywill avoid the inevitable de
lay and confusion at the last
minute, the manager said this
week.
The '60 plate is yellow with
black numerals and letters.
January
Is Listing
Month
January is tax listing month, in
Macon County.
An advertisement giving town
ship listers and their listing
schedules during the month may
be found elsewhere in this issue.
Tom Henson, county tax super
visor, warns all who own property
that failure to list is a misde
meanor, subject to a fine or Im
prisonment upon conviction.
Phone Employes
Vote Down Union
By a vote of 56 to 43, employes
of Western Carolina Telephone
Company have turned down repre
sentation' as a bargaining agent
by the United Mine Workers of
America, it has been learned here.
Balloting was held December 17
In Sylva and Marion under the
supervision of Louis Perloff, Peld
representative of the National
Labor Relations Board. A common
ballot box was used so the votes
cast in the two towns cannot be
given individually.
It is understood employes were
transported by the company to
the polls under a company-union
agreement.
Winners
Announced
The B. L. McGIamerys won first
place In the Christmas lighting
contest sponsored the- night of the
23rd by the Franklin Garden
Club.
Second place went to the Good
low Bowmans and third place to
the Hall Callahans.
No prizes were awarded this
year by the club.
t
Death convertible is hauled f rom Nantahala River, fender smashed and top crushed.
> (State Highway Patrol Photo)
An Apology,
A Promise
The year-end holidays always
play hob with newspaper dead
lines.
So this is an anticipated "We're
Sorry" from THE PRESS to its
more than 3.000 readers.
For the past two weeks, the
newspaper has observed early
deadlines. setting up Its publica
tion date by more than 24 hours
in order to serve readers in ad
vance of the holidays.
This week's "New Year's
edition" is just eight-panes ?
the smallest to come out of 21
East Palmer Street in several
years. It was produced in a day
and a half so employes could
observe the long Christmas week
ead. Many other papers over
the state just skip this edition
because of the trouble involved.
However, Publisher Bob 8. Sloan
felt the newspaper owed it to
subscribers to publish the events
of the week end.
Unfortunately, because of the
early deadlines, the news reports
from the newspaper's many
community correspondents are
missing. However, they will ap
pear next week when THE
PRESS gets back into publica
tion stride, with rrgular dead
lines and news- and picture
filled editions.
M'COIXUM GRADUATED
James G. McCollum, Jr.. son
of Mr. and Mrs. J. G. McCollum.
of Franklin, was. graduated from
recruit training December II at
the U.S. Naval Training Center.
Great Lakes, 111., it has been an
nounced. 1
FIRST SINCE AUGUST OF '58 -
Holiday Visitors Killed Sunday
When Auto Goes In River
OVER THE HOLIDAYS ?
Property Damage Wrecks
Reported, No Injuries
Two highway accidents invol
ving considerable property dam
age. but no injuries, occurred over
the holiday week end, according
to Highway Patrol Pic. H. T Fer
guson.
Saturday, about 5:45 p.m.. cn
US 23-441 near Cartoogechaye
Creek bridge. Mrs. Pauline B
Parker. 35. of Lakeland. Fla . lost
control at her car and struck
one being driven by Sanford
Mann, of Route 2. Mrs. Parker
told the patrolman she lost control
when a two-wheel trailer she was
towing began "snaking". She is
charged with reckless driving Mr.
Mann's '57 Oldsmoblle was dam
aged about $600 and damage to
Mrs. Parker's 59 Chevrolet sta
tion wagon was estimated at $500
Percy Webb, of Route 1. has
been charged with improper pass
ing as the result of an accident
? n US 64 near Cartoogechaye
School about 1:15 p.m. Sunday
Patrolman Ferguson said Mr.
Webb, driving a '51 Chevrolet, was
passing Ernest M. Schultz, of
Route 3, Hlxson. Tex.. In a straight
when an approaching car caused
DRAWING FROM SON'S WORK RECORD -
She's The Oldest Dependent
Parent Getting Social Security
A Macon County native, Mrs.
Texie Ramsey, 93, is the oldest de
pendent parent in Western North
Carolina receiving benefits under
Social Security.
Mother of the late Charles O.
Ramsey, who was town clerk of
Franklin, she is receiving these
benefits on the work record of
her son. who died June 4, 1959.
Mrs. Ramsey, who lives with a
daughter in Sylva. has been re
ceiving $73.50 a month since July
1959, according to, George Lein
wall, county representative of the
Social Security Administration.
Prior to September 1958, par
ents were barred from receiving
Social Security benefits if the de
ceased wage /earner was survived
by a spouse or children under
18, Mr. Leinwall explains. How
ever. under the 1958 amendments,
the dependent parents of deceased
workers who are survived by a
spouse or children under 1 8 ? wer**
qualified to receive dependent par
ents' benefits.
T _____________
George Leinwall talks with Mrs. Ramsey about Social Security.
(Staff Photo)
him to cut back too quickly and
strike the Schultz car. Damage
to the Schultz car was about $150,
to Mr. Webb's, about $100.
State Okays
Two Highway
Projects Here
Two highway projects have been
tentatively programmed for Ma
con County during 1960, one that
will provide a shorter route be
tween Andrews and Franklin.
A 6.5-mile project In Cherokee
and Macon will Join the paved
secondary road south of Aquone.
cutting the traveling time a good
bit between the two towns.
t
The other Is a small job in
volving the KtablizaUon of em
bankments for 0 5 mile south of
the .Jac kson Macon county line.
This ts near Cowee Gap in the
sefction where v,me landslides
have o< "urred since the new high
way Has completed several years
ago.
in approving the projects, the
State Highway Commission said
it Is hoped they can be let to
contract during 1960.
Grady Siler Succumbs;
Services Slated Here
Grady Siler, a road supervisor
with the U. S. Forest Service
here for many years and a
nephew of Ernest Rankin, died
Monday night about 8 o'clock
In Royston, Ga., it lias been
learned here.
Funeral services will be held
today (Wednesday) at 3 p. m.
at the Franklin Presbyterian
Church.
Rites Fbr Childers
Infant Are Conducted
Funeral services for Clifford
Lee Childers. Jr., infant son of
Clifford and Mrs. Dollie Taylor
Childers, of Franklin, were con
ducted by the Rev. C. C. Welch
nt the home of Mr. and Mrs. Neal
B Childers. paternal grandpar
ents. December 24. ,
Pallbearers were Kenneth Led
ford and Lawrence Cogglps. Burial
??? in W5odlawn Cemetery.
Surviving besides the parents
and the . paternal grandparents
are the maternal grandparents.
Mr. and Mrs. Allen Taylor.
DRVMAN'S F.NTERTUN
Mr. and Mrs. Prelo Dryman
entertained with a Christmas
partv at their home Tuesday
night of last week honoring
their son, Richard, -nd his
guest, Miss Marilyn Mixon, of
Hampton, Va. Twenty-three
guests attended the party.
A couple visiting relatives tor
the holidays became Macon
County's first highway fatalities
In nearly a year and a half
when their convertible plunged
Into Icy Nantahala River early
Sunday morning.
The victims were identified
by the highway patrol as Jimmy
Clarence Painter, 27, and his
expectant wife, Mrs. Olestla
Eugenia Holloway Painter, 21,
daughter of Champ Clark Hol
loway, of Aquone.
Pfc. H. T. Ferguson, one of J
the Investigating officers, said
the accident apparently hap
pened about 2 a m. as the
Painters, who lived In Niagara
Falls, N. Y., drove toward Nan
tahala from Andrews, apparent
ly to visit Mrs. Painter's father.
The '59 Ford' Convertible ran
on the left shoulder of the
road for about 48 feet betore
striking the bridge railing. It
knocked out about 12 feet of
railing before plunging about
12 feet Into about six to eight
feet of water, the officer said.
The convertible landed upside
down, pinning both occupants
Inside.
The wreck was not discovered
until about four hours later.
After C o'clock Mrs Dorothy
Waters spotted the vehicle in
the water and reported the ac
cident.
Patrolman Ferguson said
Maurice Lee Pearson saw the
Painter convertible pass through
Topton between 1:30 and 2,
helping the officers pin down
the time of the accident. Mr.
Pearson .also disclosed that he
noticed the broken bridge rail
when he drove to J^antahala
shortly after 2, but did not stop
t n investigate.
The bridge was the second
one below Nantahala School.
Child Safe
Members of the Macon Search
SEE NO. 1. PAUE 8
CULLASAJA MEETING
A meeting of the Cullasaja
Rural Community Development
Organization will be held Tuesday
night. January 5. at the school,
it' has been announced. Plans will
be made for the spelling bee with
Covee on the 7th.
Tbp week'* t'-niiKiatur.* and rainfaH betow
art? (itti in Franklin by Mannor. St i lee,
U. S. weather olmervrr: in Highlands by
TiMl.tr N. Hall and W. C. N,*ti.n. TV A
oWfverw; anil at tho CWeta Hydrolocie
Uihdratory. TtaadinK' are for the 24-hour
period ending at 8 a.m. of the day listed.
Spots Wreck
The Weather
COWETA
Tues. 22nd
Wednesday
High Low Rain
51 26 .00
49 25 .00
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
61 36 ,41
HIGHLANDS
id 40 18 ?
48 29 .05
56 35 .00
61 36 .00
58 51 .58
Tues.. 22nd
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
40 22 ?
43 32 ?
46 41 ?
52 35 ?
45 37 ?
56 47 ?
* no record.