( t-v
I.
DEDICATED TO MACON
County and the Welfare
of id Good People
1 1 f A; f
ESTABLISHED
IN 1885
Oldest North Carolina Newspaper
West of AihevilU
tb-
II
P1WORUSS1VB
LIBERAL
INDEPENDENT-
VOL, XLVr, Number 38
FRANKLIN, N. C, THURSDAY, SEPT. 10, 1931
$1.50 PER YEAR
PROVIDE FUNDS
TO FIGHT FIRES
Commission Votes 1-Cent
Tax for Protection
Of Forests
JAIL BIDS INVITED
Six Applications for Tax
Releases Are
Approved
The Macon county commission
ers, at their regular monthly meet
ing Monday, ratified an agreement
. with the State Department of
Conservation for cooperation con
trol of forest fires in this county.
Untcr terms of the agreement,
half of the expense is to be borne
by the county and half by the
state. A fire warden is to be
employed at an expense to the
county of not more than $000 a
year. The warden will have charge
of reporting forest fires and re
cruiting fire fighters.
In ratifying the agreement the
county- commission pledged itself
to levy a one-cent tax to cover its
share of the cost. It was esti
mated that this tax would bring
between $600 and $700 annual revenue-.
The board also approved a pe
tition, signed by 30 residents of
the Clear Creek school district, to
admit that district under the pro
visions of the stock boundary law
of Highlands township. ,
Open to Jail Bid
Taking cognizance of several in
formal proposals for the operation
of the county jail, the commission
ordered the matter opened to pub
lic bids. Each bid must be ac
ccmpsnied by a bond of $1,000.
VV. M. Edwards, the present jail
or, h paid 80 cents a day for each
prisoner committed by the county
, and 90 cents a day for all prison
ers from outside the county. Sev-
eral ' persons have approached the
county commissioners with propos
als to operate the jail at a small
er cost.
Tax Releaae Authorized
Six tax release applications, three
of them involving land adjacent to
Lake Emory, were approved by the
commission. . The releases apply
only to the 1931 valuations. Mrs.
W. W. Sloan was exempted to the
extent of $400 in valuation, Mrs. S.
L. Rogers, in the amount of $250
valuation, and Mrs. J. S. Sloan
$1,200 valuation.
R. L. Liner also was granted a
tax release of $350 valuation.
REUNION HELD
BY DESCENDANTS
OF G. W. GRAY
The descendants of G. W. Gray
held a family reunion at the old
home place on the last Friday in
August. AH the brothers and sis
ters were present except II. R.
Gray of Clear Lake, Wash. '
The morning was spent in con
versation reminiscent of days gone
by and in taking photographs of
the family. A bountiful picnic din
ner was served under the large
walnut trees near the spring. All
seemed to enjoy the day thorough
ly. '
Those present from out of the
county were : Mr. and Mrs. James
B. Medford, of Wayncsville, Mrs.
E. G. Ferguson, Marion, N. C, Mr.
Elam Gray, Lyman, Wash., Messrs
Lee and Robert McConnell, Atlan
ta, Mr. Roy Gray, Clear Lake,
Wah. Mr. Daniels. Atlanta. Mr.
Tom Lcdbetter, Cullowhee, Mr. and
Mrs. M. N. Long, Washington, Oa.
AU KtOTlCE FOLKS IS
NEVER ARRESTEE TOR
SPEEDVN Oh IE
STRAwHT AtV
14 ARROW
m
A
Highway Body Planning
To Remove Old Franldin '
Bridge to Corundum Hill
The State highway commission
is planning to remove the old iron
bridge across the Little Tennessee
river on the outskirts of Franklin
to a point across the Cullasaja
river near Corundum Hill. The
Press was authoritatively informed
Wednesday.
The new bridge, a modern con
crete structure, is expected to be
opened to traffic in the near fu
ture. The concrete approaches al
ready have- been completed, and on
ly a few finishing touches remain
to be done before the bridge itself
will be finished.
Other Plant Suggested
Two other proposals for the use
of the old bridge have been ad
vanced, one of these being a re
quest submitted by a group of
citizens in a petition that the
bridge be left where it is. The
purpose of this request and the
signers of the petition could not
be learned Wednesday, but it did
become known that such a petition
had been presented to the high
way commission and had aroused
a considerable amount of dismay,
as the commission had been con
templating moving the bridge to
Livestock Producers of
County To Meet Sept. 18
SCHOOLS OPEN
FOR 117 TERM
Manual Training Course
Is Now Offered in
High School
Franklin schools opened for the
1931-32 session Monday with an en
rollment of 352 in the elementary
grades and 332 in the high school.
This enrollment was expected to
be considerably increased before
the end of the week.
A new feature of the school this
year will be a manual training
course offered pupils in the voca
tional agriculture class. A well
equipped shop has been set up in
the basement of the school.
"The shop is a part of the vo
cational department," said Earl
Meacham, instructor of the voca
tional class, "and the students will
be taught to make things with
tools. It is the aim of the instruc
tor to have every boy build and
equip for himself a home farm
shop. This does not necessitate
a separate room but does require
the student to assemble all his
tools and keep them in good re
pair. The purpose of the shop
will be to train the boys along
the line of practical utility, teach
ing them to make things useful' on
the farm."
The boys will be taught, not only
to use wood working tools but also
to repair harness, farm implements
and work with metal, etc.
McGAHA-TIPPETT
FAMILY REUNION
TO BE HELD SOON
A McGaha and Tippett reunion
will be held at the home of W. A.
McGaha on Cowee. Sunday, Sept.
20. This is their first reunion and
all members of the two families
are requested to come and bring
well filled baskets of lunch.
Annual Home-Coming Day
Held at Liberty Church
BY W. H. DALTON
On last Sunday was celebrated
the third annual Home-Coming and
Old Folks' day at the Liberty Bap
tist church on Cowee.
Early in the morning they be
gan gathering, and, oh, the joy
and happiness of friends meeting
with friends and clasping hands
with each other once more at
about 10 o'clock the song service
began and it was not long until
the church was crowded to over
flowing with people from far and
near. After a short song service
there was given an invitation to
one and. all that wished to do so
to make a Bhort talk of which
manv Hid and nraisinc God for the
opportunity of the occasion and
some -point more in need of a
bridge. Two such locations have
been under consideration, the one
at Corundum Hill and the other
down the Little Tennessee at Etna
in the Oak Grove section. A pe
tition in behalf of the latter loca
tion was recently circulated by D.
C. McCoy and submitted to the
highway body.
Corundum Hill Favored
Highway engineers, it has been
learned, tentatively recommended
that the bridge be removed to
Corondum Hill. It was reported
that they expressed the opinion
that the structure was too short
to span the Little Tennessee at
Etna.. However, it was indicated
that the commission realizes the
necessity of a bridge across the
Little Tennessee at this point and
hopes soon to find means of re
moving and abandoned structure
from some other point in the state.
The cost of moving the Franklin
bridge to Corundum Hill, not ex
pected to exceed six or seven hun
dred dollars, will be borne by the
new highway maintenance fund,
$28,000 of which has been allocated
to this county.
Experts Scheduled To
Address Gathering At
Courthouse
A meeting of the livestock pro
ducers of Macon .county will be
held in the court house on Fri
day, September 18, it was announc
ed Wednesday by Fred S. Sloan,
county farm demonstration agent.
A definite time for the meeting
has not been set but Mr. Sloan
said it probably would be held be
tween the morning and afternoon
court sessions.
F. R. Famham, dairy extension
specialist of State college; 'F. H.
Jeter, agricultural extension editor,
and John W. Goodman, district
farm agent, are expected' to be
present to address the gathering.
A representative of Swift and com
pany also is scheduled to be pres
ent for the purpose of discussing
direct purchases from the farmers
of beef cattle, hogs and sheep.
Mr. Farnham will discuss meth
ods of cattle raising by which pro
duction can be increased and costs
lowered.
The exact hour for the live stock
meeting will be announced in next
week's issue of The Franklin Press.
Mr. Sloan is anxious for all
those in the county who have
livestock to sell to attend this
meeting. He also asks that all
those interested in a cooperative
carlot shipment of potatoes or in
the purchase of lime come to the
meeting and discuss the matter
with him.
Last week the farm agent sold
a carload of sheep for Macon
county growers in Atlanta, getting
a net price of $364 for 134 head
with a top price of 6 3-4 cents
The cost of selling the sheep and
shipping them. ttt Atlanta was only
50 cents on the 100 pounds, he re
ported.
H. T. McKown, of Atlanta, buy
er for Swift and company, -'is ex
pected here Tuesday to make a
survey of the livestock situation in
this vicinity.
the great home coming in the
sweet by and by.
At noon there was spread
bounteous dinner and after thanks
had been returned by John E
Rickman, was relished by all pres
ent. The evening service consisted of
singing songs and music by quar
tets which was enjoyed very much
by all until the hour came to part
Trusting that we all may be
privileged to meet again at the old
home church, the prayer of the
Writer is that we all may be pres
ent in the great home coming when
our blessed Lord shall come aain
on the clouds' arid all His trusting
children shall rise up to meet Hiin
in the air and all be together in
that home prepared by the Father.
GTCOY LOSES
DAMAGE SUITS
Cases Are Non-Suited
After Week's
Hearing
M'COY TO APPEAL
Special Term of Court
To Convene Here
Monday
Judge V. F. Harding granted
the tleknsc a tioii-suil last I ri l iy
noon in Macon county superior
court after a week had been spent
in hearing testimony lor the plain
tiff in the McCoy damage suit
eases.
W. L. McCoy, Franklin attorney,
the plaintiff, sought alleged dam
ages totaling $Ki,0U), charging the
defendants with a conspiracy to
ruin his business, professional and
personal reputation. This litigation
was an outgrowth of the Hyatt-
McCoy case which attracted wide
attention six or secn years ago,
in which l'erry Hyatt charged Mc
Coy with alienation of his wife's
affections. Hyatt obtained a judg
ment but died while an appeal by
McCoy was pending in the North
Carolina .Supreme Court.
Defendants
Defendants in the eases non
suited by Judge Harding last week
were J. 15. Justice, administrator of
Perry Hyatt's estate; Hyatt's wid
ow and brothers ami sisters, ami
various attorneys who had been
employed either by Hyatt or Jus
tice. The latter were George 1'at
ton, of Franklin; T. D. Urysoii,
formerly of Bryson City but now
on the faculty of the Duke Uni
versity law school; C. C. 1'oindex
ter, formerly of Franklin' but now
of Asheville. J. E. l'erry, of
Franklin, ami .Boyd Sutton,' of -De
catur, Ga., executors of the estate
of A. VV. Horn, another attorney,
were also named as defendants in
the cases.
Judge Harding, in granting a
non-suit to the defense, ruled that
the evidence submitted by .McCoy
was insufficient to carry the case
to the jury. McCoy and his coun
sel filed notice of appeal to the
supreme court.
The August term of court was
adjourned immediately after com
pletion of the McCoy-Justice cases.
A special term of. civil court is
scheduled to convene next M on
lay, when the calendar for the
August term will be taken up when
it was left off at adjournment.
Eighty-seven cases are listed for
hearing. Judge Cameron McKrv,
of Asheville, has been assiuged to
preside.
DEATH CLAIMS
JOHN J. BLAINE
On Wednesday evening, Sept. 2,
John J. Blaine.- passed into the life
beyond. Born May 5, 1.861, he
lived to be 70 years of age. He
was the son of James M. and
Matilda C. Blaine of Macon coun
ty. He joined the Baptist church
March 9, 1879; since that time la
had been a devoted .member of the
church, having served in the ca
pacity of church clerk and also
superintendent of the Sunday
school at Mt. Hope church for
many years. ,y
His death brought deep grief not
only to his Immediate, family but
to a large circle of 'friends 'who
had known him. through many year1-
of a long and useful life. In his
going his church lost a loyal and
faithful member.', ami the comniun
ity a highly respected Christian.
How long his influence will live in
the lives of his relatives and friends
and the good it will do as ' the
years pass cannot be estimated.
He was married to 'Elizabeth
Beaver, of Cherokee county, Feb
ruary, 1892. To this union were
born two boys and three girls:
Canaro of Jacksonville, ' Fla., Dave,
of New York City, Mrs. Emory
McDonald, of Asheville, Mrs. 'lorn
Jones, of Franklin, and I'earl,
Tallahassee, Fla.
TO OBSERVE HOLIDAY
Beginning at sundown Friday and
continuing until the evening of
Sunday, orthodox Jews will cele
brate Kosh Hashanah, which cor
responds in the Hebraic calendar
to New Year's day. Two Frank
lin stores, M. Blumenthal's a;d
Polly's, will remain closed Satur
day in observance of the holiday.
Deer Season Closed
In Macon for 2 Years
A cloed teaton on deer in
Macon county for two yeirt ha
been ordered by the State De
partment of Conservation and
Development, according to ad
vices from Raleigh. The order
was itiued following a heir in g
here on August 26 on petitions
signed by a number of residents
of the county asking that deer
hunting be prohibited. Deer have
become ahnott extinct in this
county . except for those planted
in the slate game refuge and
on the Nantahala National For
est. It has been felt for some
time that the season should be
.closed for at least two years to
give the deer a new lease on
life.
MRS. J. S. HENRY
LAID TO REST
Funeral Held Tuesday
For Holly Springs
Woman
. Mrs. F.lmira Henry, 91 years old,
died at her home at Holly Springs
Monday morning at 7 o'clock after
an illness of several years, ami
was buried at the Holly Springs
Baptist church Tuesday morning at
II o'clock with the Rev. A. S.
Sohsbcr conducting the funeral.
Mrs. Henry was the daughter of
J. D. and Sallie Franks and was
born in Cherokee county in 1840
;nd moved to this county in early
childhood. She was married to
John S. Henry in 1805. Mr. Henry
died about fifteen years ago.
The deceased was the oldest
member of the Franklin Baptist
church, having joined in PiA, and
lived a very consecrated life. She
was well known and highly esteem
ed throughout the county.
Mrs. Henry is survived by one
sister, Mrs. Lizzie Wildes, of Bum
ingtown, and several nieces and
nephews.
NEW TENT SHOW
TO PLAY HERE
ALL NEXT WEEK
The blithe Mr. Baxter blew into
town this week and announced that
lie was bringing another tent show
here next week. The debonair ad
vance agent, however, is no longer
with the 'Reno outfit. This time
he is bringing to Frank I in the Jack
Norman Players, featuring Hud
Davis, called "the south's funniest
black face comedian," and a com
pany of 25 people.
The opening play Monday uiglit
will be a four-act comedy drama,
"Cheating Women." Baxter, who
is well known in Franklin, having
come here with the Reno show
each season for the past five or
six years, changed troupes a month
or so ago. Take it from him, the
Jack Norman' Flayers are the equal
of anything under canvas.
Public School Session
Opens At Highlands
The Highlands public school
opened Monday with more than
a hundred pupils enrolled. The
exercises wire opened with prayer,
following which, "America'.'' was
sung. Interesting, talks were made
by the Rev. W. T. Potts and Prof.
Summer,'' principle. The teachers
ate as follows :
High school (). F. Summer, F.
C. Ilentz and Miss Jennie Bird.
I iuiuuar 'grades Mrs. Jack Hall,
Mis. Mack Pierson, Miss Bertha
Williams, Miss Amy Henderson
and Miss Beatrice Mozely.
New Pastor Is Heard at
Franklin Baptist Church
The first worship under direction,
of the new pastor, the Key. Eugene!
Filler, at the Baptist church, was
In ld at the usual hour last Sunday
morning. About 150 people we're
present, which just about filled the
main auditorium. livery part of
the service was carried out orderly
under the general outline contained
in the initial issue of the church
bulletin. A special feature was a
iolin solo by Dr. Cunningham, ac
companied by Miss Ledford at the
piano.
In his sermon Mr. Eller stressed
the . importance of the touch of
Christ in faith, referring to the
time when Jesus asked in the
Town Tax Rate
Tentatively Set
At 75c on $100-
MRS.17.B.LEN0R
DIES SUDDENLY
Funeral To Be Held at
3 P. M. Thursday
At Home
Mrs. Florence Lenoir, 78, wife
of W. B. I.enoir, died at her homo
about four miles out on the Mur
phy road Wednesday morning at
0 o clock. Her 'death, cause! bv
a heart attack, was sudden.
Funeral set vices w ill be ii .-ld at
the home Thursday aftcrm -on at
.1 o'clock and interment will be in
the local cemetery.
Mrs. Lenoir, before her marriage,
was Miss Florence Siler, daughter
oi wie late Air. ami Airs. John
Siler, was born and reared in Ma
con county, was a woman of high
character, and one well liked by
all who knew her. She was mar
ried to W. B. Lenoir on May 27,
189(1, and to this union were born
two children, Ben Lenoir, of Frank
lin, and Mrs. (ieorgc Jones, of
Norfolk, Va.
Mrs. Lenoir's father was one of
the four Siler brothers who were
pioneer settlers in this section dur
ing the early part of the last cen
tury. She herself was the next to
last surviving member of her gen
eration of Silers.
DEATH CLAIMS
J. T. IVINSTEAD
Confederate Veteran Dies
After Long
Illness
James T. Winstead, father-in-law
of VV. D. Barnard, chairman of the
Macon county board of commis
sioners, tiled about 0 ocloctf Wed
nesday morning at the Barnard
home in the lotla section. Mr.
Winstead, who was 87 years old
and a Confederate veteran, had
been ill for several months.
Funeral services will be held in
the lotla Methodist church, of
which the deceased was a member,
at 11 o'clock Thursday morning
with the Rev. H. L. Freeman, pas
tor, officiating.-.
Mr. Winstead, who served dur
ing the War between . the-.States
with Company I, 39th North Caro
lina regiment, saw action in many
of the major battles of the war.
Mrs W. D. Barnard ,a daughter
of Mr. Winstead, is his only sur
vivor. KnterUiins Mission Class
The mission study A class of the
Franklin Baptist church met last
Thursday at the home of Mrs. Joe
Palmer.' "Missions in, Nigeria,", is
the book now being studied by the
group. The discussion at last
week's meeting was lead by Mrs.
John .Moore, Mrs. Murray and
Mrs. Conley. Mrs. Eugene Filer,
wife of the new pastor of the
Franklin Baptist church, will be
the teacher at the next meeting of
the study class.
Following the discussion a social
hour w.as enjoyed Delicious re
freshments were served by the hos
tess."'",""'"'""" '" --
crowd, "Who touched me ?" Pos
sibly many had jostled against Him,
as many do now, but without the,
touch of faith ithe full power of
Christ cannot bie operative. '
An. invitation to membership at
the close of the service resulted
iu six accessions, Mr; and Mrs.
Eller by letter, Mrs. Dave Blaine,
and two of her children, Doyle and
Louise, and Miss Helen Joines, all
by statement pending the arrival
of transfer letters from churches
in other localities.
The night service was well at
tended, and the pastor preached
an interesting sermon on the woe
ful effects of sin.
Personal Property To Be
Levied on For
Back Taxes
BUDGET DISCUSSED
Utilities Company Fails
In Effort To Get
Revaluation
A lax rate of 75 cents on the
$100 valuation was tentatively
agreed on for 1931 by the town
council at ill regular monthly
meeting Monday night in the town
hall. This is the same rate in
effect for 1930.
While it was estimated that a
levy of appDoximately $1.05 would
be necessary to - meet all of the
town's obligations for the year, it
was felt that an. increase in the
rate would be unnecessary, as tnc
town has about $12,000 in uncol
lected taxes on its books. Police
Chief Bob Henry was instructed
to proceed with levying on person
al property with view to collecting
some of these back taxes, and it
was indicated that action soon
would be taken to force collection
on real property. '
The budget, which, it is thought,
will ' have to be approved by the
county government commission be
fore it goes into effect, calls for
a total outlay of $40,685. Of this
amount $23,470 is for payment of
principal and interest on bonds is
sued for the municipal power pro
ject and is taken care of by pay
ments from the Northwest Carolina
Utilities company. The balance, or
$12,215, is the amount which must
be raised by taxes.
Can't Cut Budget
The town council showed a dis
position to reduce expenditures, but
most of the items iu the budget
were either fixed or regarded as
absolutely necessary, meaning that
there was no place to cut without
seriously impairing the functioning
of the town government.
Utilities Request Refufttd
An auditor representing the
Northwest Carolina Utilities com
pany appeared before the council
with a request for an agreement
on the valuation of the company's
real property in Franklin. He also
asked approval of an itemized
statement of the company's equip
ment, which he valued between
$10,0X) and $11,000.
The council interpreted this ap
proach from the power company
as an attempt to bring about a
lower assessed , valuation of the
company's property in the town.
It flatly refused to accept any new
valuation basis, contending that
only last year it reduced the pow
er corporation's . valuation from
$50,000 to $37,500, which at the
time seemed thoroughly agreeable
.V. . ... ..... .
The council, collectively and in
dividually, expressed the opinion
that valuations should not be al
tered, lest it become necessary to
increase the tax rate. i
As yet the county has 'not set
its tax rate for 1931, on account
of delay in receiving budget esti
mates from its accountant. R. C.
Birmingham, of Charlotte, but it is
understood that the rate is expect
ed to be approximately $1.21, as
agaiiist $1.45 for 1931.
RCGERS FAMILY
TO HOLD NEXT
REUNION HERE
More than a hundred descendants
of David Rogers, one of the pioneer
settlers of Western North Caro
lina, held a family reunion Suaday
at the home of Lee Hooper at Cullowhee.-
Among those present were
a number of Macon county con
nections of the family.'
The 1932 reunion, it was decided,
will be held at the home of Mr.
and Mrs. Lee Leach in Franklin on
the first Sunday in September.
David Rogers was one of the
first white settlers west of Bun
combe county. He made his home
in the beautiful Cullowhee valley.
MRS. HETTIE STANFIELD
Mrs. Hettie Stanfield, 28, died
at her home on Cullasaja last
Tuesday. She is survived by her
husband and three small childretn