North Carolina Newspapers

Il '''.i.,-;,.-f,-'.v.-.,.-..v;' 1 '.' ,'... 'jlX.v-... - MADISOU COUNTY RECORD. j. . Established June 28, 1901. , ' " FRENCH BROAD NEWS I , Established May 16, 1907. - Consolidated November 2, 1911 9 ea). MARSHALL, N. C, FRIDAYUNOVEMBER 18, 1927 CIRCULA1 1ON-200Q VOL. XXI THE ONLY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN MADISON COUNTY BUCKNER EXPOSES THE FALLACIES OF MDEWTT In, reply to the letter of Mr. N. B. McDevitt, published in the News Record last week, I wish to say that Jt repose every confidence in S. B. Xoberts, Ben Wae GahjNjan, R. A.J Edwards, the men who assessed the land in Madison County for taxes.' I believe they performed their duty honestly and the value which they! placed on the land is as high as it ought to be, and the tax listers list ed the personal property for taxes in due regard to the oath which they J took. The total assessed value of all the property in Madison County, includ ing the corporations, is $10,606,877. The assessed value of the land in Madison County is about $5,000,000. My article, to which Mr. McDevitt attempted to reply evidently tend ed ot lift the cover from off of Mr. McDevitt's political maneuvering and his attempt to try to mislead and' fool the people. It seems that in ex posing McDevitt's attempted scheme to mislead the people so infuriated him that hfe had something of a men he appointed Justice of the Peace a ana swore out seven warrants a j wu srainst the County Commissioners, all of which we are confident was without the authority of law. If taxes can be reduced by acts of the legislature sponsored by Mr. McDevitt, then why make the tax levy as he attempted to do, $1.75 on the $100.00? Why not cut it down to 50c or a less amount on the $100? There are certain things that the law compels the Commissioners to do in regard to levying taxes. The Com missioners are compelled under' the law to -levy, a sufficient tax to pay the interest on County indebtedness anil to provide for paying off the indebt edess of the County. The County Auditor, with the assistance of an ex pert sent out from the University of North Carolina, worked on the County Budget about six weeks and while the expert figured that the County , Commissioners should levy $1.00 on the $100.00 of taxable pro perty to take care of the interes antd sinking fund required to retire the indebtedness of Madison County, After much labor and investigation the Commissioners decided to cut the Tate to. . raise interest and sinking fund to 95c on the $100.00 of tax able property which raises the gross Bum of $100,765.00. The Board of Education provided in its Budget for a levy of 91c on the $100.00 of taxable property. The Commissioners cut this amount to 90a on the $100.00 which raises in taxes the gross sum of $95,461.89 and hte school board now says that it will hardly be possible for ' the schools to get through on this a mount. The total amount which will be raised to pay interest and create sinking fund to retire . bonds and the amount for schools, exclusive of the special school tax is $196,226.89. The $1.76 levy on the $100.00 tax able property provided by McDevitt's law would raise from all taxable pro perty in Madison County $186,62t.3. . W lUV30I uw .juerE on the County, indebtedness and create 4 ne sinning i una required . by , law to - indebtedness and the amount of. the scnooi budget which would be $11,000 less than Jidthingto'. ftj salaries of the County .officers to provide for the poor, to pay the Court expenses and all oher expenses incident to unhing the County, outside of the bonded m- debtedesa and the schools. - f It is true the assessed value of the Ui is fixed for. four years but when making up the budget and the amount ' of money required to be.raisAdby. . ' law, i4 the Commissioners, had fol v." ? lowed McDevitt's requirement "of ' 11.75 ftW on the, X100 AO wh ihIii -r---.-- -j- . T" iterat,that the only way the $tJ5 '. - . m. 1.UUIU UKVB UBEU.GUIUUUMI .V 1 l.l . . . X ould, .Before the final report" of. th? Commissioners who assessed the land for taxes, 9 have requested thera to make a re-assessment and put a value on the land high enough thatA the. Ux-1 es raised from and would have, made ' up the deficiency in the. amount of money jregniredrte be raised by law, CONTiNU0 DO FOURTH PACK) MDEvrrr Referring to Chairman WG", Buck" ner's advice and appeal to the Solici tor and his special appearance in the! Asheville papersi to the public in general, I have this to say: If the Chairman of the Board of Education and the Co. Supt. have vi olated the law, why don't you law them, Mr. Buckner? It was your du ty to see that they complied with the law, as you and your board list and levy taxes on the folkaor;tne money they spend. ' v'1-' You have recently put up a dupli cate of a bond you say you made as Chairman of the Co. Commissioners. If that duplicate is good and the su preme court holds the law constitu tional you bonding Co. will be called on to forfeit your bond; on the oth er hand, you did not give a bond as Chairman of the road Board and did not even after I appealed to you to give it. If you are convicted of not carrying out the road law as you ad mit, then you stand as having neglect ed and declined to make a $5,000.00 bond as required by law as Chairman of the road Board, and the taxpayers have lost by your negligence and re fusal. That beating 'round the bush about politics no politics in it. The rate of $1.75 was named for both Demo crats and Republicans and that 30c additional you levied on both Demo crats and Republicans. The road law was for the men deep in the bushes regardless of this political affiliation, and the bond required were for the benefit of all taxpayers regardless of politics, church affiliation of what ring' or band they belong o. The bonds would if executed properly in sure the laws being carried out and save the taxpayers of herafter deficits as has been the case. There is nothing personal or politi cal en my part in swearing out -the warrants' for the commissioners I ;Jnst wanCthe laws carried" out, re gardless of friendship or politics and I am under the impression that the Solicitor will do his duty even if you had not asked him to single you out and look into your case. Attorney John McElroy represent ed the State and read to the court the Solicitor's letter at the J. P. hearing. There was not even an indication that I represented the Solicitor as I am not an attorney "sorry." Chairman Buckner and the other members of the Board of County Commissioners are men of great pow er and influence in the County. They hire and turn off, UsV' property and levy tax, draw juries and ay yes and no to their friends and foes, but I see no reason why these gentlemen should have a right to run rough-shod over the laws that were made for the benefit of the taxpayers of Madison County regardless of politics. . So far as I am informed, the Chair man of the road Board, the Chair man of the Commissioners and the County Superintendent and the Chair man of the Board of Education, have not been required to give the $5,000. 00 bonds for the faithful performance of their -duties,' until the last legisla tore passed a bill for Madison Coun ty requiring them to 'do so, two Democrats and two. Republicans all bonded, or should be,' alike, to carry ont the lws No, more deficits if thai bonds are made, Yaur truly, N; B; McDevftt. CONVENTION 'AT."ANE FORK CHURCH -t OH UTTUE -PINE CREEK Ntnito U 10 o'clock A. M. Witt, have "some .interesting Sunday School discussion.' . , M Bring sandwichei -and cake. Cof fee will be served bv Committee; ToWaahip , expected UTt present. . wMISS MARY T. MORRIS, vTowiiship President. SUNDAY SCHOOL CdNVENTIOH '?'--. 'BitniviMi'rulBri .- : , " 1 " 4Ui Saaday ia NovwmW, at 10, jocfc a. sj. ., , :.-.,. ; "tA .yBS J, Jo, 5 ALDWINTownsbip Presidwt it- is astonUhinghow many coIleat Inn . t nmn a mrmr in vanu. ': ' - v if '"' :ii(VSV Pi COMBINATION CELEBRATION OF ARMISTICE DAY HERE Marshall was the scene of Patriotic Loyalty on Friday, Npv. 11, 1927. In addition to the celebrating of the Armistice, the unveiling of the beau tiful bronze marker in memory of Robert E. Lee, presented by the Pres idents and Directors of the French Broad and Citizens banks, and design ed by Mrs. J. M. Gudger, Jr., of Ashe ville, took place. Moat impressive were . the. .ceremonies. A most ap propriate and well planned program. arranged by Mrs. J. M. Gudger, Jr and Mr W. H. Morrow, was execut ed. The white-haired men in the gray and blue uniforms, the Spanish- A mot-loan War Veterans and Quite a large number of the khaki-clad World j Ma?ker was. unveiled was beauti War veterans were most prominent fAul y expresed and much applauded among the 2000 people gathered to do honor. Many prominent people of j Asheville, Hot Springs, and many j points in Madison County, were here. I Special traffic officers were furnished . by Marshall Camp No. 671, Woodmen j of the World, in regulation uniform. ; Captain Jack Edwards, of Asheville, ! commander of the Zebulon Vance Camp, United Confederate Vetemns, and Capt. George Lloyd, G. A. R., were color bearers, and official repre sentatives of the fast-departing ranks of the Blue and the Gray. Many other veterans of the Civil War were in attendance. During the splendid; address ofshaft taken from h bi'rthDface of Hon. Guy V. Roberts, of Marshall, who presented the Lee Marker, to prove that the animosity between the North and South had been superced ed by friendliness, he asked the nu- dience to witness the handclasp of these two captains, one of the Blue, the other of the Gray. Much applause was given as they clasped hands be- - 1 a' ..'tvU 4 Vi fore the Robert E. Lee Marker. The program has been printed be fore in this paper, but special atten tion and commendations should be given to, this program which was so beautifully carried out. The Rev erend Dr- Clarence Stuart McClellan, who has .been the much-beloved rector of! Calvary, Episcopal Church at Fletcher; for about seven years, and' who, by HJS. wise leadership, has in creasevjthe membership of that chujrch,. gaye, a, , feeling address on -'.WhV thear Memorials? ; All were CUbUiuioaiui Mrs. Gudger's address and ap propriate tribute to Robert E. Lee as A large key to the Town of Marshall was presented to Mrs. Gudger by the Mayor of the town. Time forbids our mentioning each one on the program as we would wish, but too much can not be said in praise of the work done by Mrs. J. M. Gudger, Jr., and Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Morrow for their untiring work to make the program the success it was. The Committees selected by these co operated well; as did the whole town of Marshall. The site upon which the Marker is erected on the Courthouse Green was given by the Commissioners of Madi SOn r,minr.V! fho hrtulHoi A I Zebulon Vance, N. C. War Governor, wnose home was about two miles from Marshall, was donated by con tributions from the ctitiaens of Mar shall. The fund for the purchase, of I the original die of the Lee Marker, now owned by the N. C. Division, u! j D. , C., was raised by Mrs. Gudtrer The stores, banks, and all public vV., V? buildings, and many homes were dec orated with the notional colors, and the Confederate flags and the Stars & Stripes' were waving everywhere, presenting quite a gala appearance. Following- the services Mrs. J. M. Gudger fet, organized a committee to take subscriptions for a tablet to be placed ort'h"'ether side of the Court house Greerron next Armistice Day, in honor of the boys who came back and in memory of those who remain ed. The names of all the boys who made the supreme sacrifice will be placed on it. The plan of Mrs. j Gudger, who made the first subscrip tion, is for every man, woman and child to subscribe one dollar. The following persons subscribed $1.00 each for the proposed tablet: Olie Kennedy. Paint Rock, $1.00; Major Tweed, White Rock, $1.00; Tony Anz,!in Marshall Walnut, $1.00; Dr. C. S. McClellan, Fletcher, $1.00; Mr. W. H. Morrswj.; $1.00; MtSv'.Guy V. Roberts, $1.00; Mrs. H. L."Story, $1.00; Mr. Harry Roberts, $1.00; A Friend, $1.00; Mrs. Clara Ramsey, $1.00; Mrs. J. M. Gudger, Jr., the first subscription. General Chairman Mrs! J. M. Gttd- ger, Jr. , Chairman Madison Co. Mrs. Guy V. Roberts, Vice-Chairman Mrs. Ralph Fisher. Treasurer Mr. C. Eugene Rector. Members Committee Marshall Mrs. Clara Ramsey, .Mrs. Carl Stuart. Hot Springs Mrs. Warren Davis. Mars Hill rMrs. Len Carter. Little Pine Creek Mrs, Wiley M. Roberts. Marshall, R. 3 Mrs. Leroy Tweed. Bluff, Spring. Creek Mr. G. Vance Russelt Joe Mr. Tift Stamey. White Rock -Mr. Major Tweed. Sandy Mush Mrs. Henry Roberts. English Mrs. Guy English. Walnut Mrs. C. A. Clark, JUrs. Sher: man Ramsey. The guests were entertained at the home of Mr! and Mrs. Will Mor row and Mr' and Mrs. Guy V. Rob erts. TakhigW'iJdiiail'Sik,: Morrow were: Capt. Jack- Edwards! Mr. Dillard, Dr. and Mrs. Hall, and Mrs. Scroop Stiles and daughter, May Madeline, all of Asheville. At the home of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Roberts: Mrs. J. M. Gudger, Jr., Dr. McClellan and Mr. Harry Roberts. HEAR MADISON OFFICIALS' CASE ON NOVEMBER 28 WARM ARdtTMENT BEFORE THE COURT IN CHARGES WHICH WERE BROUGHT AGAINST THE MADISON COUNTY. COMMISSIONERS. Last Saturday afetr a heated dis cussion by attorneys before Magis trate J3ams and a great crowd of the citizens of 'he county were present. judgment was waived and the case sent to Superior Court which opens hert Nov. 28 ni the case of N. B. Mc Devitt,; charging the county commis sion6rXwittising road funds con trary to law. The commissioners were arrested Monday,. of( , Jast week on chargts of levying an excess tax rate in tke county, and, .failing to expend road funds, ss provided by law. The '. charges were brought by Mr. N. B. McDtvitt of Marshall, repre sentative In the general assembly, who claimed In -seven warrants that'Hhe commi(sioner.had violated the' bw providing Cying Tpad 'fWrjiers and had fa'ioi app'repriaBKind spena road nroey as required, in the area where road tax is tollepted, me attorney for the commission ers was Guy.y. Roberts, of Marshall, while Mr, McDevitt was renreaentui by Jo J;iElroy, also of Marsh!!. After a, heated discussion between Mr. Roberts -apd ' Mr, f McElroy, the case was. moved. before: ,W:- JLr S4m magistrate, " instead v of Magistrate Bryan, who, was .et that ; timelpresid- mg over the court. Mr t. Roberts, the asked that thet:aas 4 dismissed be cause of laok- ftf jurisdiction of this conrfc;Afer,.both sides asked torde-" w sria wease was snt on to the .da;pam TM courfcrbom was cwrraW 'wii'rrterested 'cffisens of the oovatr WXW'nt.-W !- , The etfmmisskmers .claim that t&ev have carriedjjfut cttela fo:tbe7-best ?bfe.vrdrr..aot-cBow."- mggrnoUUd the Statutes: BUYS TOLL LINE MADISON TELEPHONE COMPANY CONTINUES IMPROVEMENTS OVER THIS COUNTY The Madison Telephone Company of Marshall, announce the purchase of a toll: line extending from Mar shall, to, Walnut and Barnard. The employees of the company have been engaged during' the past few days fax rebuilding this line and service hasv been restored to these thriving com- mumties. This acquisition together with the- reecent completion of an additional- copper circuit from Asheville to Ma-r shall is in keeping with the remark- abl rrowth of the telephone business During the past three month3 th. number of stations connected with- tft Marshall exchange has increase more than 100 per cent and the vol-. ume of toli business has kept pace. with the increase in the local stations The Marshall exchange is operated by Jt V. Erskine of Weaverville. itt conjunction with the Weaverville Telephone Company which also serves the towns of Mars Hill, Democrat Barnardsville and many other- North Buncombe communities. Mr. Erskine states that despite the present business depression that the total volume of business enjoyed by his associate companies fW the firifc nine months of 1927 ia the greatest in their history and shows; an actual increase of 27 per cent, over the same -period of 1925 and 1926 was sup posed to have been a banner business year in Western North Carolina. 'MARSHALL CRUSADERS' The a.bove is the name of a recent interdenominational organization ot Christian men of all the' churches in Marshall. The motto of the organi sation is "Marshall for Christ." The. ImtW expressea, the purpose of the, organization, which if executed wDt mean much for the betterment of -Marshall. When further prepared, members of this band will be avail able for service not only in Marshall but also in other distriets of Madison County and adjoniing counties, From what we can learn the Af lantic ocean seems to be the only spot in the world that is suitable for fly ing, and for landing, too. WADEREDMON HOUSE BURNED Fire destroyed the residence of Mr and Mrs. Wade H. Redmon Monday afternoon. Mrs. Redmon was the on ly member of the family at home when the fire was discovered and be fore she could get in touch with th fire department the fire had made toe much progress to be extinguished. Is; is supposed that the fire started itt the basement, where a fire was runningr to, heat some water. Practically all the furniture, clothing and so fortlt were destroyed. Mr. Redmon "aye he had spent around $20,000 H hie home and that ' he was carrying: $16,000 insurance on the residence and $2,600 on the furniture. ;, RED CROSS WORK Mr. Story, Editor, New-Rcord,'., ' V Marshall, N. C. " J While other communities are hav- ' ing their Red Cross drives, is it not sv ! ' good time to get our own stirrednp '.v and get a local chapter reorganiaedT ' There are so many ways in which " the - funds' raised ; through the Red. " Cxosl could be used right in bur own midst to better conditions it seeine T ' ta pity .'not to take advantage 'ol this opportunity. No telling either' wtrte ' we. ourselves may be needing 4vaid. " such as is being given in New; Engw , land sit "this' time.'- ',''."- , r Heretofore moneys bave gone ot - rom our- communttiesT the Nation- " al Red Cross for' which Ve have got-, 7 -ten- no credit, as we had no -local etw - gankatfon. While we do not wish : t " work fos credit in Itself sflfft think we feel more respectable td have part and showing in the , worth-while : ' taovfettients of theday.w r" ' t-Hopintf we ni-ta'alite1 t something about this, I m, ' ,'-' :;iwTo incertr7,";.'. -"; nV'.'