niyp
Paid Circulation
2990
. Average for December 1959
3%* UjiflWatib* JRaamian
si
ON THE INSllJE
Staff correspondents of THE
PRESS keep the Inside pages
of thU newspaper alive with
news about ypur friends and
neighbors Read the Inside
pages from top to bottom and
you'll know Macon County.
75th Year ? No. 1
Franklin, N. C., Thursday, January 7, 1960
Price 10 Cent
Sixteen Pages
A GROUP of Boy Scouts from
Florida cancelled a proposed out.
ing here during the holidays be
cause of the weather.
THE SAGE of the Nantahalas,
"Uncle Billy" McCoy, along with
a couple of other centenarian*, Is
featured in THE TOBACCO
.NEWS, a publication of The To
bacco Institute. "Uncle Billy" Is
shown puffing away on an after
meal >eigar, one of his many
pleasures of more than 100 years
of living.
REMEMBER those Tallahassee,
Fla., Girl Scouts who "camped
?out" one night last summer In
the V.F.W. Building here? WeU,
they're the subjects of an article
appearing in the January Issue of
the official Girl Scout magazine,
THE AMERICAN GIRL. It tells
about their ruby mining activities
and the like. Good publicity for
us!
IT TRIED hard to snow all day
Monday but about the best Winter
could muster up in the Franklin
area were fluffy rain drops that
melted on contact with the
ground.
CHRISTMAS business was bet
ter for most merchants, although
theincrease was slight. An average
of about 5 per cent is the word
along the main stem.
WORK ON Marshall Pettis'
motel on East Palmer is moving
along. He and Mrs. P have moved
into their combination office
apartment and the front office
staff at THE PRESS across the
6treet can watch their television.
WONDER WHAT'S going to
happen along the Little Tennessee
one of these days when a real
gully-washer comes? They're doing
some more dirt filling along the
bank near Hays' block plant.
THE HIGH closed sides on' the
Little Tennessee bridge constitute
a real traffic hazard ? even more
now that more business Is going
up around It.
FRANK DUNCAN'S new shopp
ing center on West Palm?r Is
coming along. Brick masons are
starting on the ground level.
TUESDAY used every trick in
the book to produce snow. But,
even the weather can't make out
at times.
BETTER MARK that February
15 deadline for license tags on
your calendar. You might be one
of the forgetful.
HOW ABOUT listing your taxes
right away. Then, the listers won't
have to sit around until the last
of the month and be covered up
in the closing days.
THE TOWN'S decision to install
a traffic light at the intersection
of Palmer and Maple is a wise
one. There have been many acci
dents there.
ALL THAT remains of Christ
mas is a wisp of artificial snow
here and there in store windows
and tinsel that dropped from dis
SEE NO. 1. PAGE 8
the old year in review
It Happened Here. . .
From PRESS File#
(Why MT "Nothing ev?r happens here"? It really isn't
true, you know- As * prosperous, growing county Macon has
more than Its share ot happenings. Still don't believe it?
Thai we suggest that you read the following month by
month chronology ol 1958, keeping in mind as you read that
the items listed are Just a few of the more important things
that took place.)
JANUARY : Dewey Corbln
penned a ballad about Macon
County's celebrated 'coon hound,
"Old Touse", who earlier In the
season was freed by his master
after being trapped 18 days In
a rock cliff . . . frozen lakes
turned, Highlands Into the "Sun
Valley' of W. N. C." . . . assets
In 1958 climbed to an all-time
high of $1,566,269.55 at Macon
County Building and Loan As
sociation . . . Jack Cabe, of
Holly Springs, took top corn
growing honors during 1958,
harvesting 140 bushels to the
acre . . . Macon County ended
up seoond in the state in the
sale of Savings Bonds . . . Rep.
James M. Raby left for the Leg
islature with nothing "cocked
and primed" . . . wind and rain
pounded the county, with 3.27
inches of rain falling in Frank
lin in a 24-hour period . . .
FEBRUARY : Miss Rebecca
Reeves and Miss Barbara Wal
droop were named as valedic
torian and salutatorian, respec
tively, at Franklin High School
. . . the Rev. Don K. Langfitt,
Presbyterian minister, was pick
ed as "Young Man of the Year"
in Macon County and was hon
ored by the Jaycees at a ban
quet ... J. C. Jacobs was elect
ed president of the Franklin
Chamber of Commerce ... Dr.
G. R. McSween was elected
president of the Franklin Youth
Center Association ... a union
organizer charged that he was
beaten, kidnapped, and escort
ed out of town by a group of
men who entered his motel
room . . . Joe W. Bowers' '49
Chevy met a mule on US 64
east. The mule lost . . . High
way Patrolman H. T. Ferguson
was bruised and battered in
Catawba County when he was
hit head-on by a truck as he
drove toward home with a new
patrol car from Raleigh. The
officer said his seat belt saved
his life . . . mail delivery start
ed in Franklin . . . Eddie Sut
ton. of Cullowhee, star back
with the professional Washing
ton Redskins, was guest speak
er at the annual Rotary-spon
sored football banquet . . . Ma
con County's Barry C. Hawk
ins, with more than 65 years'
service, was honored as the
"dean" of the cooperative
weather observer corps of the
U. S. Weather Bureau . . . local
stockholders organized to op
pose the sale of Farmers Fed
eration . . . two law officers,
Policeman c. D. Baird' and
Deputy Newell Pendergrass went
to Washington to testify in the
alleged mistreatment of a un
ion organizer here . . . Rep.
David M. Hall underwent a
kidney operation at the navy
hospital at Bethesda, Md.
MARCH: "Now is the Time to
Beautify Macon County" was
adopted as the theme of a
county-wide beautlfication pro
gram . . . three acres of land
and an eight-room house near
Franklin High were purchased
by the school board . . . sale
of Farmers Federation was suc
cessfully blocked and a Frank
AO saijs 'MR. MACON! AN"
Hi.-ya Neighbors:
I, for one, am not in favor of heavy industrial
ization. Progress for progress' sake, at the sacri
fice of more basic things, I'm against. But, Macon
County needs several small industrial ventures that
will employ men. Thanks to our two hosiery plants,
job opportunities exist for qualified women, but
it's a cryin' shame to think that our men, educated
in our own schools with our own tax dollars, have
to leave the state to get employment.
Somewhere there is a happy medium between
industry, tourists, and agriculture. This point, how.-,
ever, can never be found unless we can produce
job:- for our men f< ?1 k . Our lumbebring industry,
for example, lend- itself to a plant that produces
charcoal bricks. But. ha- anythihg been done'*
\ We'll never get there ii all were willin' to do i.?
wring our hands and tell other folks how s:
things are. So, let's all resolve in '60 to bend or
barks to the wheel and work toward locating i'
dustries that will put male Macoi^ians to work
Macon County, for Macon County.
Jin man, Bruce Bryant, who ac
tively fought the proposed sale
to the Farmers Cooperative Ex
change, was elected treasurer
when the old offlceers were
ousted and new ones put In . . .
the parliamentary procedure
team of the Franklin chapter
of Future Farmers of America
won In Federation competition
for the third straight year . . .
James S. (Jim) Goode, pub
lisher of THE HIGHLANDER In
Highlands, died ... a survey
revealed that Macon County
was in the top spot in the state
for counties with 15 or more
dairies keeping some type of
record and production testing
. . . Nantahala High's cagers
were defeated by Jamestown
High, of Martin County, in the
state Class A baskethall tourna
ment in Winston-Salem . . .
Major C. A. Speed, of Raleigh,
director of highway safety for
the State Department of Motor
Vehicles, was guest speaker at
the annual membership meet
ing of the Franklin Chamber
of Commerce . . .
APRIL: Mrs. Harold Corbln
was elected president of the
Franklin Junior Woman's Club
... an all-out campaign was
under way to raise money and
materials for building the
Franklin Youth Center ... a
National Labor Relations Board
examiner conducted a hearing
here Into charges that Frank
lin Hosiery Company had de
nied employes their rights und
er Taft-Hartley law . . . R. M.
Biddle, Jr., was named presi
dent of the Franklin Junior
SEE NO. 2. PAGE <
GUARD SHOOTS
PRISONER IN
ESCAPE TRY
Teen-ager Isn't
Hurt Seriously;
T ransfer Set
Guard Jerry Dills shot and
wounded a teen-ager prisoner at
tempting to escape from a road
gang Monday afternoon on Buck
Creek Road, according to John E.
Cutshall, superintendent of the
Macon Prison Camp.
The wounded youth, Donald Lee
Fur man, is hospitalized in Frank
lin, but will be transferred to the
state prison hospital in Raleigh
soon, the prison official said yes
terday (Wednesday).
Shot from the guard's shotgun
struck him in the back and chin.
He was not seriously hurt, how
ever. The escape attempt was
made about 2 o'clock.
Supt. Cutshall gave Furman's
home address as Route 2, Bel
haven, N. C., and said he was serv
ing a 3-10 year sentence for break
ing and entering in Buford Coun
ty last November.
4-H Council Meeting
Called For Monday
To Map '60 Program
A special planning meeting
of the 4-H County Council has
been called for tomorrow (Fri
day! at 3:30 p. m. at the Agri
cultural Building.
Top item on the agenda is a
program for '60. Presiding will
be the new council president,
Robert Enloe.
COWEETA SINGING
A singing convention will be
held Sunday, January 10, at the
Coweeta Baptist Church, begin
ning at 2 p. m. Several groups
are expected, according to
Gene Southards, president, and
the public is Invited.
NO SET QUOTA ?
'New' Dimes Campaign
Opens In Macon County
With three causes as Impetus,
the "new" March of Dimes cam
paign is under way in Macon
County.
This year's money is going to
help wage a medical war on not
only polio, but birth defects and
arthritis as well ? hence the
"new" March of Dimes. A "Let's
Strike 'em Out" theme is being
used.
Slated to run the entire month
of January, the local drive is beinc;
headed by Victor H. Perry, coun
ty chairman, and Mrs. Marie Bar
nard. drive chairmiy. with the as
sistance of the V.F.W. Post and
Auxiliary.
V.F.W. members Saturday dis
tributed the March of Dimes coin
collectors In downtown stores.
About 75 were put out In Frank
lin and nearly a dozen are being
sent to Highlands.
Mr. Perry and Mrs. Barnard an
nounced this week that more than
1.000 "mailers" will go out before
long, requesting contributions. A
number of benefits are in the
planning stages, including a
"Mothers' March pn Polio" under
the sponsorship of the Franklin
Junior Woman's Club. School
children also will assist in raising
money.
This year's March of Dimes has
no set county quota. The organi
zation is not a participant in the
local United Fund. ' i
STRETCHING HIGH to put her dime in the "March o-f Dimes"
coin collector is four-year-old Honda Lee Henson, daughter of
County Accountant and Mrs. Tom Henson. The collectors haYe
j?en distributed orer the county by the V. F. W. (Staff Photo)
PASTOR RESIGNS
The Rev. Donn K. Langfitt,
pastor of the Franklin Presby
terian Church for more than
two and a half years, announc
ed his resignation Sunday to
accept the associate pastor's
post at Trinity Presbyterian
Church in Arlington, Va. He
will take up his new <futies
February 1. During his pastor
ate here, Mr. Langfitt has been
active in civic affairs. He or
ganized United Fund and last
year was warned "Young Man
of the Year".
Schools Get
Present'
From Court
A $10,439.90 "Christmas pres
ent" went to the county schools,
compliments of a generous
"Santa Claus", the December
term of Superior Court.
Heavy with criminal actions,
the two-week term, by law,
turned over the following to
the schools:
Fines, $5,315; forfeiture*, $4,
169.50 ; jury taxes, $264; solicit
or fees, $592; and highway pa
trol fees, $94.80.
A special term also Is sched
uled In February to hear civil
actions Judge George B. Patton
was unable to work into his
busy schedule during the De
cember session.
State President
Will Speak On
Retarded Children
Charles Waddell, of Ashevllle,
president of the North Caror
Una Association for Retarded
Children, is scheduled to speak
here Monday night.
He will address a 7:30 meet
ing of the local chapter of
N.C.A:R.C. in the Franklin High
library. The public is invited to
attend.
Mr. Wadell will outline the
association's goals for retarded
children.
State's New
Wit holding
Bites Checks
Stale withholding lax, a product
of the last General Assembly, will
begin nibbling at pay checks in
Macon County this week.
Local reaction to this newcomer
is one of resignation:
"Might as well not gripe about
it," came the sage comment of
one Maconian, "my deductions
slip already is longer than my pay
check . .
Meanwhile, as employers pre-,
pare to take the first bite out of
employes' checks, the district rep
resentative of the N. C. Depart
ment of Revenue, Robert L. Curtis,
invites employers who have not
been visited by the department
and registered for the new income
tax withholding plan to stop by
his office in the Franklin Town
Hall. His telephone number Is
LA 4-2159
First Youngster
Is 'Cracker'
From Clayton
Angel Hospital's first baby 'and
maybe Macon County's first i is
a "Georgia Cracker".
Mr. and Mrs. Billy Allen Moore,
of Clayton. Ga? had a daughter
on the 3rd.
FAMILY DINNER
The Franklin P.-T. A will
sponsor ?> family dinner as a
fund-ralslhg project Sunday,
January 10, In the high school
cafeteria from 12:30 to 2 p. m.
BELATED
PROTEST
IS FILED
County Fathers
Disapprove Sale
Of Company
Somewhat belated disapproval
of the proposed sale of Nanta
hala Power and Light Company
facilities to Duke Power Com
pany has been registered by
the three-man board of county
commissioners.
In session Monday, W. E.
(Gene) Baldwin, John Roane,
and Wiley Brown approved a
resolution stating, In part, "the
board Is of the opinion that It
would not be to the best In
terest of the people of Macon
County for the Nantahala Pow
er and Light Company to sell
Its distribution system and a
portion of Its generating plants
to the Duke Power Com
pany . .
The board secretary, Lake V.
Shope, was directed to send a
copy of the resolution to the
N. C. Utilities Commission,
which must rule on the sale.
The resolution has been mailed.
The proposed sale was reveal
ed In early September and op
position came from many quar
ters, including a protest from
the Franklin Board of Alder
men and several civic and serv
ice groups.
Machine Okeyed
By Aldermen
Franklin will be able to spot
patch holes in streets before long
without having to import asphalt
mix or hire a paving contractor.
In regular session Monday
night, aldermen approved the pur
chase of a portable asphalt kettle
designed for spokpatchinu. Town
Clerk Ray Swafford says the unit
will cost In the neighborhood of
$1,000. In the past, the town has
hauled asphalt mix all the way
from Waynesvllle to do spot-patch
ing. or has left the Job up to
contractors working on streets dur
ing the season. Now, with the new
?unit and weather permitting,
holes can be repaired without
delay.
Alderme nalso approved the in
stallation of a traffic light at
the intersection of Palmer and
Maple, where a number of acci
dents have occurred in the past.
It is also felt that the new light,
will cut down on attempts to
"beat the light" at the intersection
of Palmer and IJS 23-441.
A low bid of 13 cents per gallon
was accepted from Nantahala Oil
Company for heating fuel for the
town hall.
The town ;i! o plans to put up
new rectal street marker posts
aerl police are now conducting a
survey to determine where they
ate needed, either as replacements
or - n new streets.
MARTHA DID GOOD JOB!
Jurymen Drawn
For Special Term
Five-year-old Martha Jamison
drew 30 Jurymen Monday for the
special term of Superior Court
here the first week In February.
Martha did a good Job too: even
lrew the name of her daddy, John
Jamison.
Other Jurymen drawn were
Aaron Hedden. of Route 1:
Pritchard Peek, of Route 5: Gor
don Ammons. of Route 2; George
H. Wallace, of Route 1; Furman
Allen, of Route 4; Algia Raby. of
Route 4; T. T. Henderson, of
Route 5; Hayes Holland, of Route
5; W. R. Parrish, of Route 3; Paul
Guy, of Route 3; Guy Clouse, of
Route 4: Earl Rickman, of Route
3: Charles Swafford, of Route 3;
Luther E. Young, of Route 5:
Wiley Ashe, of Route 2; Everett
Mash burn, of Route 5; Howard
Stamey. of Route 2; Frank W.
Crisp, of Route 5; Vester Ledford,
of Route 3; Fred Guest, Jr., of
Route 2; Orover Angel, of Route
5; C. H. Chastaln, of Highlands;
Fred J. Corbln, of Route 5; Frank
W. Ouffey, of Route 2; Algla
McCall. of Franklin; Wiley An
derson, of Route 1; Garland
Willis, of Route 4; Zeb Carpenter,
cf Route 2; and John D. Crisp,
of Franklin.
Judge George B. Fatten, who re
quested the special term to take
care of civil actions pending, will
preside. The term will open
February 1.
NAMING 5 DIRECTORS -
C Of C Election
Is Under Way
A mall election to pick five di
rectors lor the Franklin Chamber
of Commerce is new under way.
Results should be available next
week, according to the chamber's
executive secretary, Mrs. Last a E.
Horsley.
The 12 men nominated are Bill
Bryant. Bobby Joe Corbln, Bob
Korte, Bill Garrison, Frank Jami
ison, Bryant MeChire, B. L. Mc
Glamery. Bob Moore, W. W.
Reeves, Bob 8. Sloan, Don Smith.
and Elmon Teague.
Two-year terms will go to the
two men receiving the highest
votes and the other three will
serve one-year terms. The two
hold-over members of the board
are J. C. Jacobs, who also Is
chamber president, and T. Y.
Angel.
The new directors will elect a
president from their number at
a meeting the third Thursday in
January. '
Ends 40 Years' Service ?
MAC0N1AN J. B. RAY FETED
AT PARTY BY EMPLOYES I
Employes of the records ac
counting office of Southern Bell
Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany In Charlotte surprised their
Cullowhee
Game Here
Franklin High's lads and lassies
will open the new year tomorrow
?Prlday> night on their home
court as hosts to Cullowhee High.
The Mills will play at 7:30 and
the boys game will follow.
Another home game with Clay
ton, Ga . is scheduled for Satur
day ?night.-. This is a non-coiifer
cncc clash.
Tuesday night. Hie l^fh. th?
Panthers Journey to Webster for
games
MARRIED 39 YEARS ?
Grays Take Buggy Ride
To Celebrate Anniversary
Mi and Mrs.. J S. Gray, of
Route 2. recently donned Sunday
best, and [> sed for a 39th wedd
im: anniversary picture in a
buKKy, in remembrance of the
biiKKy ride they took together
Dec. 2S, 1!I20, from the home of
the bride's parents to the newly
wiii's first home on Route 2 'Hick
ory Knoll community),
One of the Gray's' two daueh
tcrs, Mrs. Frederick CunnniKham.
was on hand to help the couple
celebrate The other daughter is
Mrs. Orjrn Berkman. of Minne
(i polls, Minn. Their son. Eugene,
lives in West Jefferson. Another
.son, George. was killed in action
during World War II. The Gray's
have five grandchildren.
After 39 yens, the Grays have
acquired a formula for a success
ful marriage. Mrs. Gray says "Al
ways plan things together," add
ing "We have always gone to
church together."
m A t? mSK
The j. S. Grays in their hupgv.
boss, J. Bryan Ray, with a "This I
Is Your Life" party December 22. 1
Mr. Ray, a native of Macon |
County, had Just completed 40 [
year's service with Southern BelL
He Is the son of the late Mr. and |
Mrs. Charles Ray.
Master of ceremonies for tho
occasion was Hershel Ledford, a
supervisor In the department and
another Maconlan. He Is the son
of Fred Ledford and the late Mrs.
Ledford.
Mr. .Ray was cited as having
taken a number of new Southern
Bell employes who came from his
native mountains into his home
and, besides furnishing them with
room and board, he and.Mrs. Ray
served as counselors and made for
tlicm a "heme away from home".
He is one of 16 charter members
of the Cafolinas Telco Credit
Union, which was organized in
1935 as the Federal Telco Credit
Union with a total subscription
of $84. The name was changed
to Carolinas Telco Credit Union
in 1937 an dhas since grown to
a present capital of $4,000,000.00
and a membership of approxi
mately 0 500 employees of South
ern Bell Telephone and Telegraph
Company and the American Tele
phorte and Telegraph Company In
North and South Carolina Much
credit was qiven Mr. Ray for his
untiritm work and interest in the
union. '
Members of the' family from|
Macon County who attended the
party were Ml. Ray's brotl
Oran Ray, and Mis. Ray,
sisters, Mrs Gilmer Setser and
Miss Viola Ray, and a nephew.|
Brent Southard.
The Weather
Wed., 30th
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
FRANKLIN
High Low
39
47
37
47
49
37
37
32
28
17
32
37
25
31
34
Wed., 30th
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
COWETA
39
40
48
38
37
43
38
40
HIGHLANDS
Wed., 30th
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
l Tuesday
iWednesday
|No
32
41
32
46
48
38
40
28
22
19
31
55
24
30
33
26
25
2J
30
34
26
29
32j
Sfo record.