North Carolina Newspapers

f 1 Tj - A UnexctlU-J Climate tjitaurpaiised Scenery State Came Refuge 17 Peaks Over 5.CC3 Feet High Ideal Dairy , County Creamery, Cannery Excellent Highways Cheap Electric Power for Industries Law-abiding Citizenship VOLUME XUV FRANKLIN, N. C THURSDAY, JUNE 13, ! , ' NUMBER TWENTY-FOUR b r REAL PIONEER TO BEPRESENT Uncle Johnny Crawford Will Ride in Pioneer Float and Wearing Coat Made in 1810. Word has just been received at Franklin that Uncle Johnny Crawford who lacks only one year of being- as old as Macon county will attend the Centennial here next Saturday. Mr. Crawford is now a citizen of Clay county having moved there many years ago from Macon. Though 99 years of age Uncle johnny is hale and hearty and would easily pass for a man thirty years younger. In the Centennial parade Uncle Johnny will occupy the Pioneer float. This float will consist of an ox wagon and will head the parade. Uncle Johnny has announced his intention to wear hand spun and "needle and thread" made, coat fashioned in 1810 by Mrs. Margaret Rafferty SJiJer, great, great, great grandmother of the present gen erataion of Silers. 4 This coat" has buttons made of gourd. On the day of the Centennial Mayor George B. Patton will deputize sey cral additional police to assist in handling the traffic. Mr. Patton states that plenty of parking space will be available, but unless traffic is properly directed, he fears that there will be a confusion, especially on the part of strangers. ...... The committee is still receiving re nlies to invitations extended to prom inent men of the state to attend the Centennial. These replies indicate that hundreds of people from this and adioinine states, other than cm zens of Macon county, will be present next Saturday, June 15, to see and take part in the greatest celebration ever held in Macon county. Ladies rest rooms will be available at the court house, Joines Motor & Tractor Company, Bill Cunningham s store and other places. Mayor Patton is taking a great interest in the Centennial and has expressed himself as willing to help in all ways possible. He will see that the streets are cleanded and that traffic is handled in an efficient manner. ' , Mr. George Wallace will send his car thirty miles for two Confederate veterans. Those living near the old veterans are requested to see that these old soldiers get to town on that day. In addition to the floats mentioned last week the county game warden, J. J. Mann will enter a foat. This floatis an old wagon made by hand before the civil war. The warden's float will represent game conditions 100 years ago ., and those prevailing at the present time. MANY FLOATS TO ENTER PARADE That the people of Franklin and Macon county are enthuiastically en tering into the spirit of the Centennial is evidenced by the fact that many floats are registered for the parade. Perhaps the most unique of the floats will be that representing the. Pioneers of 'the county. This float will consist of ah ox-drawn wagon on which will ride men arid women dressed in the costumes of the Pioneers. The Chera "kee Indians from the reservation near Bryson City are also to have a float in the procession. Other floats to enter the contest for prizes will be the State Highway Commission, U. S. Forest Service with mounted guards Perry's Drug Store, The Cozad Ice Company. Ritter Lumber Company, Angel's Drug Store, S & L 5 and 10 Cent Store. The Nantahala Creamery, Maxwell Training School, The Con federate Veterans, Joines Motor & Tractor Company and the. Franklin Fire Department. .' Hon. Don Elias Accepts "Mrs. F. L. Siler, Chairman, Franklin, N. C. Dear Cousin Margaret: Received your letter and will be there on the 15th to old Macon's 100th celebration. Yes. I will make, ''. fifteen minute talk, but I will b in the same fix the man .was, who when told that he would have to rid fi wun nis motner-in-iatv to nis witevj funeral replied." Well, I will if I have to, but it Will take away All the pleasure of the occasion for m." I think, the. celebration a fine thirjg. PInrrrolv. f T - -1 J ; IT Vosotors Aftft.eirii'dllDD jg: -SDno e'iraieiramiiaD THE Mr, ways of TM01C0UNTY Franklin is Hub From Which Highways Lead in Five Directions On Shortest Route by 57 Miles Between Atlanta and Asheville. Franklin, located midway between Asheville and the western end of the state is the southern gateway to the mountains of Western North Carolina. This strategic location in the very heart of-the -Carolina-mountains is destined to mean much to the future of Franklin from both the tourist and commercial viewpoints. Elsewhere in this issue is a map showing the Asheville-Franklin-Atlanta Short Route This route is 57 miles shorter than any other road between the two cities. . Leaving Atlanta the highway passes through Decatur, Lawrenceville, Buford, Gainesville, Tornelia, Tallulah Falls, Clayton, Franklin, .Dillsboro, Sylva, Waynesville, Canton and on to Asheville. From Cornelia to Ashe ville,. the highway is paved the entire distance. Between Cornelia and At lanta there are two short sections of the road yet to be paved. These sections are graveled and passable at all times of the year. A double daily bus service is in . operation between Asheville and Atlanta with a schedule of seven hours for the trip. Private rrs have easilv made this trip of 215 miles in five1 and a half hours, This route is a part of the great National highway between Toledo and Miami. . Those .who visit this section should not fail to make the trip between Franklin and Bryson City over high way No. 286. From Franklin this road leads down the Little Tennessee river and passes around the point of the Cowee mountains a thousand feet above the horseshoe bend on the Little Tennessee. , This view is one never to be forgotten. In fact the entire distance is one of changing views. At many points the Great Smoky Mountains, site of the national park, are visible. . But undoubtedly the most scenic route east of the Mississippi is high way No. 28, between Franklin and Highlands.1 The grading on this route is now nearing completion. On leav ing Franklin -the motorist will travel along the Cullasaja river valley to McCoy's store nine miles from town. There the road enters the famous Cullasaja gorge' where the highway, blasted through solid rock, clings tc the face of an almost perpendicular cliff, several hundred feet above the river. Solid rock walls on the river side of the road make it safe for the nervous driver. In the gorge proper the Lower Cullasaja Falls can be seen just be low the roadwav. Above the falls are the cascades. At this point the highway crosses Brush creek and then following the stream closely passes along between towering moun tains to Kelly Falls and Raven Cliff. Below the cliff are the Narrows where the rivef runs swiftly between banks only five or six feet apart. Above The Narrows one soon reaches the Dry Falls of the Cullasaja, so named because a cavern exists behind the wall of water. Every effort was made' to have the highway cross the river through this cavern, but the danger of ice in the winter time made it inadvisablev to attempt this unique feat of engineering. However, the road passes near the falls and tourists may leave their cars and go down into the cavern. A short distance above the Dry Falls the highway passes under the Bridal Veil Falls which comes tumbling oil one ot Macon county's highest mountains in misty grandeur. ' Fro mthis point one reaches the Highlands municipal lake, a beautiful body of water 3700 feet above the level of the sea. Iwo miles more finds the traveler in the bautiful little city of Highlands, the highest .incorporated town east of the Missisvi." ". i-Tom 1-rankhn highway No. ZX lead's Southeast and west; highway No. 285, northeast and south, and highway No. 286, northwest. Thus one finds Franklin as the hub of a wheel from which highways lead in five different directions. ' -1 Death of Little Boy Little Frank Sanders, two years of a cp,' am! '?nn of Mr. ?nd ' Mrs. man THATRE WILL HOLD GALA WEEK Change of Picture Every , Night To Give Away $5.00 in Gold Each Night. The management of the Macon The atre announces that the week of June 17-22 will '.be Gala Week at their popular playhouse. There will be a complete change of program every night, and the manager asserts that he has secured for this week six of the year's most outstanding pic tures. The productions to be shown are Wild Orchids, with Greta Garbo; Three Week Ends, with Clara Bow; The Drifter, with -Tom Mix; Square Shoulders, with Junior Coghlan and Louis Wolheim ; Zane Grey's Ava lanche, with Jack Holt; Orphan of the Sage with Buzz Barton. Another unusual feature of the Gala Week is that each night some patron of the theatre will be given a $5.00 gold piece. This will be done by giving all purchasers of tickets, wheth er adult or child's, a numbered chance. At the conclusion of the performance each night, there will be a 'drawing by some child who can neither read nor write, and the holder of the lucky chance will then receive the gold prize. Also, on Thursday night, June 20th, every woman or girl patron who uses and adult ticket, will be given a niece of silver table ware free. - This. A " " J we understand, will be a regular Thursday night feature for the coming tiny-one weeks. . . With a oroeram such as that out lined above, . and with the free prizes as an additional drawing card, it would seem that the Macon Theatre should do an unusual business next week. '",.': JUDGE DEAVED OF EL PASCO TEXAS INTERESTED The Franklin Press, Dear Sir: Enclosed $1.00, please send me your paper. I being interested in a cele bration to occur there June 15, this year my great-grand-father was in Macon county 100 years ago. He married Susannah Smith and I under stand that some of the Smith descen dants still live in your county. J. M. DEAVER. CENTENNIAL PROGRAM Parade of Floats at 11:00 A. M. Note: Route changed as follows: Parade will form on Iotla street near home of 1 R. D. Sisk. Move south on Iotla street to court house, pass west of court house, cross Main street to Joines Motor & Tractor company, turn left in front of that building and pass across square, cross Main street and enter Iotla street on east of court house, out Iotla to' starting point and disband. Immediately after , parade, Atty. T. J. Johnston will deliver the ad dress of welcome and introduce the speakers. Mrs. Lynden McKee of Sylva, president of the state U. D. C. is first of the program to address the crowd from the speak ers stand located on the square near the fountain. Solo Dance. Address by James G. Stikeleath er, District Highway Cormnissioner. Music. ' Address by Don Elias, Publisher of Asheville Times. Dance The ; Minuet. Address by Hon. R. A. Dough ton, Chairman State Highway Com mission. Luncheon. Immediately after luncheon, Mo torcade to Bridal , Veil Falls on Highway No. 28, and then on to Highlands for . those who desire to make the trip. Matinee at Macon Theatre. Indian Ball Game. Square Dancing, Speakers Plat form, "Free to All." Tea Dance, Roof Garden, Scott Griffin Hotel, 5 to 7 P. M. Evening Dance, same place, 9 to '12. , Two Picture Shows, at Night. Staff photographers of the two Asheville dailies are expected to ha present. "The Penland Boys," mounted, .will act as field marshalls of the parade. ' i ri IT V rMri Saturday of This Week Macon County Celebrates its 100th Birthday-To the Confederate Veterans, to Form er Citizens, to World War Veterans, to Visitors, ths County Extends a Cordial Welcome. ROBINSON WAS DEVOTEDTOMt His Efforts Resulted in Building Railroad Was Member of House and Senate For Years Elec ted Lieutenant Governor. In Macon .county's history after the Civil War James Lowcry Robinson was one of the icadcrs who' gave their efforts to the rebuilding of the county and of the whole Western section of the state. He was a son of James and Matilda Lowcry Robinson, born Sept. 17 1838; his, mother was a neicc of Governor David L. Swain. He mar ried Miss Alice Siler, a daughter of Julius T. and Mary Coleman Siler. War broke between North and South while he was a student at Emory and Henry College, Virginia, and young Robinson volunteered as a private in a Western North Caro lina infantry regiment. He was in service till discharged on account of wounds, having been promoted 'mean tinte to a captaincy. Elected (as a Democrat) to the legislature in 1868 he represented his county and his senatorial district ..continuously until J880 when he was elected Lieutenant Governor with Thomas J. Jarvis as Governor. He was speaker of the House three terms and in 1876 was elected president of the Senate. He was a candidate for Congress, being defeated for the nomi nation by two or three votes by Thomas Johnston of Asheville. During this perior the building of the Western North Carolina railroad was ' the big issue in the western counties and Mr. 1 Robinson was one of the western men who at last won the fight for completion of the road west of Asheville to Murphy. In 1885 Richmond Pearsos attacked in the House Robinson's bill for the extension of the railway from Nanta hala to Murphy. Pearson said he would not give 15 cents an acre for all the land from Nantahala to the Georgia line; J. L.- Bell was Assistant Clerk of the House and he has thus described what 'followed: "The righteous indignation of Gov ernor Robinson was aroused his bill, was assailed but more, the mountain country he loved so wrell was ma ligned. I have never heard a forensic effort equal to his defense of his bill and his defense and picture of Western North Carolina" as he drew it her rivers, her valleys and her mountains as they rolled like petrifiied waves of the sea from Asheville to Murphy, It was grand, it was superb." He did not shrink from political battle but he was no bitter partisan and in every ' political race of his life he received no small vote from the Republicans of Macon county. Taking the speakers chair at the beginning of one session he said, characteristically, "Let us . remember in the hour of party triumph that 'He who ruleth "his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city.'" Mr. Robinson spent some of the last velars of his life in the West as a Special Indian ,Aeent. He died in Franklin July 8, 1887. On his retirement from politics in this state, a Raleigh paper said of him editorially: "Governor Robinson has continuously been in public life since 1868 and has been a leader in forming and carrving out the Demo cratic policv. His strong common sense, his familiarity with Ah .state and its wants, his open candor .and tact have made him a most valuable niember "of the legislature and leader in promoting the cause of education, the internal improvement of the statr and relieving the Eastern counties of Negro domination. The people of the extreme Western counties are most devoted to him on account of his valuable ccr, ;c(? in ,crur''nrT the Western North Carolina Railroad." Mrs. Brvson Returns T ' . , ' , , . Mrs link Brvson ' who has been with h drthtcr n; Tucson zona, lor ino past.. 4 wo years lm, returned to Franklin to attend the Centennial, of Macon countv. Her host of friends arc much .- delighted tl-it rt-c found it possible to be here IC3.CI3 II. P. Uaii! opeJ Water Power Abrasive Materials Copper, Timber Precious and Semi - Mica, Kaolin, Asbestos, precious Gems Abundance Good Labor Ample Transportation Facilities Pure, Clear Water Productive Soils 1 On Saturday of this week it will be the pleasure of Macon county to greet thousands who will be here to attend the 100th birthday of the county. In 1818 Jacob Siler and William Britton' became the first permanent white settlers in the terri tory now embraced by Macon county. Within a few months others followed and in 1820 Franklin was organized. In 1829 the county of Macon, named tor. that Driinnat son oi xorin Caro lina, Nathaniel Macon, was established by act of the legislature. For seventy eight years after the ofganrzation of the county Macon was indeed one of the "lost provinces." In 1907 the Tallulah Falls railway was completed, From that time until 1926 Macon county, economically speaking, was a part of Georgia. Then came Frank Page, James Stikeleather and J. C. Walker who built a road of concrete across the county which 1 connected with No. 10 at Dillsboro and thereby made Macon county in truth a part of the great vState of Mofth Carolina. During all the years of their isolation the citizens of Macon never became discouraged. The heritage of courage and high ideals handed down, to later generations bv the sturdy, pioneers who first settled in .the county are rooted deeply -in the minds and souls of the present inhabitants. First arl foremost they are a pious people as indicated bv the ' numerous churches scattered all over the county.; They have been eaually interested in edu cation as evidenced by the fact that Macon county was the first in the State to make education compulsory. Statistics prove, it is said, that Frank lin in proportion to its population, has more college graduates than any in the state. The nresent standard of teacher scholarship tn the Macon county high school out ranks that of several cities in North Carolina. Thus, it will be noted that the citizens of Macon HDuntv, despite the lack of transportation facilities, Var- -:A in na farp nf hpaw odd?. 1 lll Kill HI Durincr the seventv-eifrht years of their isolation a less courageous peo ple would have eiven up in despair. From the organization of the county until the present time the . latch strings on Macon county doors have ever hung on the out side as wel rnmincr sifms tn the wavfarer. And as the county celebrates its 100th .... .-"a birthday this welcome is as coraiai nnd sincere as it was a century ago. irmin Aforrm f-rmtitv OTPft its VlsitOM ifaiu a.a.i - and bids them locate in this, para dise of the world. n a nr nrrmrc Duaixu VLUVLJ TO QUIT BORIRG No Additional Watter Sud- ply for Franklin in Pros pectCitizens Must Vote With Present Supply. At its meeting Wednesday night of last week the town board decided to cease all efforts at the present time to obtain an additional water Supply for1 Franklin. The new we'll that has just been abandoned after costing the town more than $4,000 evidently acted as a deterrent in so far as boring other wells is concerned. One member of th board expressed the opinion that Frinklin must have- a gravitv system before strangers can be. induced . to locate here. He con siders it folly to bore holes in the ground for water when there are any number of strenrm that can be piped into town bv gravity. Just what the outcome w'll be is a matter that onlv' the. frt-ire determine. How ever, n; one nrontinent citizen stated, it Pt)pears ' th"t "it'zens of Franklin' must rkc " 'heir minds to vote bonds fo- a -'i-n water system or pi;ip'''f to get 'r'ons with the present supply., ' Man Drowned t Alex. Ufsthvis. ' ?4, of Prentiss was drowned . Sundav .'in' Lake Arbordale Art-.'two ' miles south' 'of Franklin. It is said that other h-thers were unable to save the drowning nmn. The de ceased w?-buried' at Fleasant 1 T ill MotkHv. X(- loaves p wife nnd t"-o rl-,:i i.-r '!-u,:-- , f ,i , ..f.f v..