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The Alleghany Times Subscription Price $1 a year in advance DEVOTED TO THE CIVIC, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY Volume 9. SPARTA, NORTH CAROLINA,THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1934. 4 PAGES Number 51. r ThisWeek In Washington Washington, May 8. (AS).— Perhaps not the most important but in political circles one of the most interesting things being talk ed about here is the discovery that the repeal of Prohibition has not put the bootleggers out of business, and that the new taxes ,oh whisky and other liquors' are not yielding the revenues that were expected. The two facts are closely connected. Joseph H. Choate, Jr., direc tor of the Federal Alcohol Con trol Administration, reports that two-thirds of all the liquor being sold in the United States is being made in illicit stills, built in Pro hibition days and never licensed, so that only a third of all the liquor consumed pays taxes to the Government. The enforce ment unit has been so reduced that it is impossible to ferret out all these illegal sources of liquor and stop the flow from those sources. Their business thrives because the high tax on liquors makes it profitable to take chanc es on making and selling stuff which pays no tax. Fifty-Fifty Figfeng The remedy proposed for this state of things is to reduce the tax on whisky and gin, to a point where there would be no profit commensurate with the risk, in making it illicitly. If Mr. Choate’s figures are correct, and two-thirds of all the alcoholic ing no tax, then a reduction of the tax to one-third of what it is now would bring in just as much money, if it were collected on all the liquor manufactured. The question under discussion here is whether or not all liquor could be successfully taxed, even at a reduced rate. It would in volve spending a lot more than has been appropriated for the en forcement of the revenue laws, in any event. The real problem many think, is how people can be induced to drink more whisky; though the President has a plan to let liquor from abroad come in free of duty in the hope that it can be sold so cheaply that people will prefer it to the bootleg stuff at the same price. All in all, official Washington is waking up to the fact that the liquor problem is a real and ser ious problem, as much now as it was under Prohibition. A New Order Another major topic of conver sation is the marked change that has suddenly come over the atti tude of the Administration in the public utterances of its represen tatives on the general subject of social reforms. Criticism of the program under which social re generation was being emphasised far more than economic recovery, and realization that some of the most highly publicized recovery projects are not working as had been expected, is slowing down the social program and setting officials to hunting for new means of bringing business back. The indications now are that less stress will be put upon the demand for higher wages and more upon getting men back to work at any wage the industry or business can afford to pay; also that there will be less insistence upon higher prices for commodi ties, and more tolerance of price competition. The report of the NR A - com mittee on durable goods has been received with some concern. Un der this heading of durable goods come such things as locomotives, power plants, steam shovels, buildings, everything which is not directly consumed but is used to make or house or transport con sumer goods. Business has not increased in those lines, because there has been no new capital available with which to buy them. Such things need additional capi tal on the part of the industries using them. This condition is having an ef fect upon consideration of such things as easing up restrictions on new capital stock and bond issues, and upon the loosening of long-term credits. Foreign Trade Attention Much greater attention is be ing given to means of increasing and recapturing America’s for -eign trade. When Secretary Wal lace, -in his clearly-thought-out booklet, “America Must Choose,” pointed out that if we went in for economic nationalism we would have to take fifty million acres of land out of cultivation and find new employment for many millions of people; but that if we removed artificial barriers to foreign trade we could still -find and rebuild world markets for our surpluses. He attracted wide attention and general com mendation. That line of think ing seems to have been adopted by the Administration. President Roosevelt’s request for authority to readjust tariffs is a resuty of the determination to try to recover ofir lost inter national commerce, and probably will be granted. It does not seem (continued on page 2) Forest Fires Rage Over Large Area In North Carolina Flames Threaten Roaring Gap Resort. Many Homes Destroyed And Valuable Timber Tracts Burned A pall of smoke hangs over much of Alleghany county as grim evidence of the devastation wrought by the forest firet which have been burning in various sec tions of the county, as well as in Wilkes and Surry counties, for the past several days. Tuesday night and yesterday the fire was still burning in Arrabellow’s mountain and in several other places. Already several families, which were thought to be in the path of the flames, have been moved. A call for men to help was received at Sparta Tuesday. Thirteen houses were said several days ago to have been destroyed and it was reported that two or three citizens were missing, al though the belief has been ex pressed that no lives were lost in the fire. The fire was within one-half mile of Roaring Gap Saturday night but those who were in charge of the line of fighters battling the flames felt that the resort was safe unless the wind should shift. It is estimated that more than 300,000 acres of mountain timber have been destroyed. The fire, which had reached to within two miles of Roaring Gap, covered a stretch of over a mile Saturday morning in a few min utes when a sudden gale swept the flames before it. Workers saw their lines of defense jump ed by flying sparks and embers and were forced to withdraw has tily to spots nearer the resort i in order to escape with their lives. A new blaze or an extension of the Mitchell’s River fire start ed Saturday morning near Fancy Gap, eight miles north of Mount Airy. Calls for help were sent Satur day afternoon to Elkin and other places near the vicinity of Roar ing Gap when the flames appear ed to be getting beyond control. Fire hose was made ready to dampen house roofs and protect homes from falling sparks. Equip ment from the Elkin fire depart ment was rushed to the scene. The original Mitchell’s River fire which devastated that coun try Thursday and Friday, cover ing an estimated 300,000 acres, was well under control Saturday night, according to reports from refugees from that section. J. A. Spaugh, of Surry county, who lost his own home and an other dwelling house on his place, told relief officials at Dobson that he barely had time to rescue his three children, carried * off their feet by the gale, and drive away from the path of the fire. He stated that he did not have a change of clothes for himself or his wife and children. Several neighbors were in similar predica ments. Grover Southard, 40, whose wife gave birth to a baby girl in the rear seat of Dr. Paul Folger’s car whilo being driven away from the fire, remained be hind to fight the flames, and suc ceeded in saying his home when the fire split in two sections just as it reached the young farmer’s house. Inhabitants said that the fire which came from the western side of the Blue Ridge caused a draft reaching cyclonic propor tions when it struck cold air lay ers on Mitchell’s and Fisher’s rivers, creating. a small tornado which swept the flames before it across a four-mile strip of land between the two streams. Few Tenants Lose Jobs In ' State As A Result Of AAA Raleigh, May 8—Only a very few tenants have been discharg ed from farms in North Carolina as a result of AAA crop reduc tion programs, according to Dr. G. W. Forstei^ of State college. Dr. Forster* said that the funda mental cause of the shifting ten ant problem lies /in the economic conditions which have prevailed for years. “For some time,” said Dr. Forster, “financial difficulties have led tenants to move from their farms frequently to seek ‘green er pastures,’ while landlords have likewise been forced to discharge tenants who were not profitable.” Arizona Kidnapping Above is June Kobles, 6t daugh ter of a wealthy Tucson, Arizona, family, who was kidnapped as she left school and held for .$15,000 ransom. It was in Tuc son that John Dillinger and gang were captured last year and it is thought by some this was a Dil linger planned revenge on local police. Cannon Will Have Charge Of Pacific Area For 4 Years Bishop Kern Assigned To Group Of Conferences Which Includes Western North Carolina Jackson, Miss., May 5.—After being retained as an active bishop over an attempt by certain con ferences to retire hirp, Bishop James Cannon; Jr., Richmond, was today assigned to the Fifth Episcopal district by the quad rennial general conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, which has been in session here since Thursday, April 26. The fifth district consists of the Arizona, Pacific, California Orien tal Mission, Northwest and West ern Mexican conferences. Bishop Paul B. Kern was as signed to the group of confer ences which includes the Western North Carolina conference. Bishop Kern will have charge, in ad dition, of the Upper South Caro lina, South Carolina and North Carolina conferences. Bishop Arthur J. Moore was assigned to the Orient, Europe and Africa.^ *' Bishop Cannon addressed a prohibition rally here Sunday in Municipal auditorium In which reenactment ojf< national pro hibition ' and blamed , its break down principally upon lack ' of federal enforcement, He charg ed the church With apathy in not backing up a memorial sent by the Methodist church demanding “sufficient money and men to enforce prohibition.” he urged a militant for Congressman Takes Father On Visit To White House Tues. Washington, Mdy 8.—Frank W. Hancock, Sr., of Oxford, father of Representative Frank Hancock, was presented to President Roose velt today. Representative Han cock went with his father to the White House and they chatted briefly with the President just after his conference with sena tors on silver. The elder Hancock told the President he had had the pleasure of working for 14 Democratic candidates for President but aid ed none with a greater enthusiasm than the one who was nominated at Chicago in 1932 on the promise of a new deal’ to the American pebple. He told Mr. Roosevelt that his personal popularity as well as that of his administration is greater in North Carolina to day than it ever was. The President thanked Mr. Han cock for his kind expressions. The elder Hancock, who is here attending the American-Pharma ceutical Association, had another treat today which few American fathers have ' enjoyed. He saw his son preside over the House of Representatives. The Elder Hancock has been secretary of the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy fer 40 years, and is regarded as the dean of druggists in his state. Mrs. Rebecca Doughton Passes Away Thursday, May 3, At Laurel Springs Funeral Services At Laurel Springs Baptist Church Friday Afternoon. Condolences Received From Far and Near The passing of Mrs. Rebecca Jones Doughton, at her home at Laurel Springs, on Thursday morning, May 3, takes from West ern North Carolina one of its best known and best loved wo men. She was born on June 17, 1838, almost 96 years ago. On March 11, 1856, she was married to Capt. J. Horton Doughton, who preceded her to the grave 28 years ago. Though she lived quietly and unobtrusively in the home built by her husband and herself seventy-five years ago, yet influences had their beginning there that helped build a com munity, a county, a state and a nation. That home was always a center of religious, educational, economic and political thought. The men and women who went out from that home were destined to be leaders in thought and action in whatever sphere of life they might be thrown. Mrs. Doughton’s life was full to the end. All her thoughts were for the welfare of those about her. With her lived her youngest son, W. F., who was al ways very tender and considerate of her wants and needs. During the last week of her life, her ether sons, Congressman R. L. and Ex-Lieutenant Governor R. A., and her daughters, Mrs. F. Miller, Mrs. T. J. Carson and Mrs. W. A. Fender, were also-in constant attendance upon her. Besides the six children mention ed, she left 27 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchil'dren and one great great-grandchild. All the child ren, and all the grandchildren, ex cept five, attend -d the funeral services. Among the relatives in attend ance at the funeral were the fol lowing: J. Kemp Doughton, Balti more, Md,; James H. Doughton, Winston-Salem; Miss Mattie Doughton, Guilford college; Page Doughton and family, Greens boro; Joe Doughton and family, Greensboro; George* E. Doughton, Guilford college; Mrs. B. O. Ed wards, Asheville; Mr. and Mrs. J. Horton Doughton, Statesville; Mr. and Mrs. Claude T. Dough ton, North Wilkesboro; Miss Reba Doughton, Washington, D. C.; Dr. and Mrs. R. C. Miller, Gas tonia; Mr. and Mrs. Grady Mil ler, North Wilkesboro; Dr. and Mrs. Wayne Miller, Lenoir; Van Miller and family, Reece Miller and family and Mrs. T. 0. Mox ley and family, all of Laurel Spring’s; Mrs. L. C. Boyer and family, Charlotte; Thomas D. Carson, Washington, D. C.; George E. Carson, Elizabeth City; Miss Ivey Grace Doughton, Laurel 'Springs; Miss Bernice Doughton, 1 Philadelphia, Pa., and Walter ! Fender, Washington, D. C The floral tributes were many j and beautiful, and came from as ; far north as Boston, Mass., and as far south as Charlotte. Tele I grams and letters of condolence I i were received from persons in j all walks of life—from President Roosevelt to the humble citizen1 who was unable to attend the funeral. Delegations of friends from many of the towns in Pied mont and Western North Caro lina and from nearby Virginia were in attendance. The funeral was held Friday at 2 p. m. at Laurel Springs Bap tist church, of which the deceased had long been a member, by Dr. G. A. Martin, the pastor, assist ed by Rev. C. W. Russell, pastor of the Sparta Methodist charge; Dr. C. W. Robinson, North Wil kesboro, and Rev. J. F. Fletcher, Mouth of Wilson, Va. The lat ter two had long been friends of the family. A choir of chosen friends sang several of the beautiful old hymns with Mrs. Claude Doughton as accompanist. Grandsons of the deceased were pallbearers and granddaughters were flower bearers. Interment was in the Doughton family cemetery. As a fitting tribute to their mother, an appreciation of Mrs. Doughton’s life, to be prepared by her children, will be published at an early date. The following resolution was unanimously adopted by the Re publicans of Alleghany county: Resolved, that we, the Republi cans of Alleghany county, in con vention assembled, extend our heart-felt sympathy to Hon- R. L. Doughton and Hon. R« A. Dough ton and the other members of the family in the recent death of their mother, Mrs. Rebecca Doughton. New High Point In Auto Sales Reached In April For N. C. Raleigh, May 8.—North Caro lina reached in April the highest point in the purchase of new automobiles since September, 1929, and went to the highest point ever reached in one month in the number of new trucks purchased, figures announced by L. S. Harris, director of the Motor Vehicle Bureau, show. In April 4,950 new automobiles and 1,164 new trucks were' bought, as compared with 1,601 | cars and 394 trucks in April, 1933, and with’ 2,980 cars and 582 trucks in the preceding months of March, 1,934. This is three times as many motor ve hicles in April as in the April before, and nearly twice as many as in March New passenger cars for the first four months of 1934 reach ed 11,532, and new trucks 3,287 which is more than twice as many new cats bought during the first four months of 1933, 5,109, and nearly three times as many trucks, 1,225. NEW P. O. TO BE BUILT IN NORTH WILKESBORO North Wilkesboro, May 8.—The lot recently purchased in this city by the Post Office Department is being cleared in preparation for the erection of a post office building. J. G. Reins, postmaster here, has been appointed custodian of the post office property and a few days ago received order! to have the lot cleared of all build ings and private property. Information received here from Washington is to the effect that plans for the building have been completed and that contract will be let by the Post Office Depart ment for the erection of the build ing within the next few weeks ' The building will have an 84 foot front on C street and will be 50 feet wide. Dalton Warren To Address Voters Of County In Campaign Dalton Warren, candidate for I the Democratic nomination for the State Senate from the twenty ninth Senatorial district, will ad- j dress the voters as follows: Piney Creek high school, May j 12, 7:30 p. m., Prof. Leonard Halsey, chairman. Prathers Creek Township, at New Hope school house, May 18, 7:30 p. m., Steve Mitchell, chair man. Whitehead Township, at White head school house, May 10, 7:30 p. m., Oscar Caudill, chairman. ; Cranberry Township, at Laurel Springs school house, May 24, 7:30 p. m., Frank Doughton, chairman. Cherry Lane * Township, at i Franklin Royal’s garage, May 25, 7:30 p. m., Clyde Crutchfield, j chairman. Glade Creek Township, at Blevins Cross Roads school house, I May 26, 7:30 p. m., Charlie Rey nolds, chairman. Gap Civil Township, at the Courthouse in Sparta, Thursday night, May 31, 7:30 o’clock, J. B. Doughton, chairman. GOVERNOR FINDS MARKET ANXIOUS FOR N. C. BONDS Raleigh, May 8.—Upon his re turn from New York Saturday, Governor Ehringhaus said the state’s financial rating is such that an issue of 4 V» per cent, bonds would find a ready market. Charles M. Johnson, state treas urer, had said several months ago that the state was planning to issue funding bonds to take up the $12,300,000 in general fund notes outstanding. A 1933 statute authorized the Governor and the council of state to issue bonds to fund the gen eral fund notes. Plans are now being made to issue serial bonds maturing in two to fifteen years. Pacific Pals - Car] Johnson, 19, (above), went swimming at Long Beach, Cab, a few weeks ago. “Flipper,” 2-month old seal, exhausted on a raft, climbed aboard Carl’s back when he came alongside. Carl took the baby seal home, fed it muc#R milk . . . and now “Flip per" follow- Carl about like a puppy. Merchants Go On Record Against Sales Tax Tues. Pledge P’Ives To Withhold Support From Legislative Candidates Not Committ ed To Its Removal High Point, May 8.—North Carolina merchants, at the clos ing session ot their annual meet ing her: today, pledged them selves to withhold support from any legislative candidate who is not committed to the, removal of the general sales tax. Today’s session wits featured by a vigor ous denunciation of the principle of sales taxation by John 0. Wat son, president of the New York retail merchants’ council. With only one dissenting vote, that being no-t against the sales tax but against the principle of having legislative candidates com mit themselve- not to represent or use judgment but to definite policy, the merchants adopted that resolution and another pledg ing support to the President’s re covery program. They then launch'd into the open forum discussion which failed to de velop all the fireworks that had been promised from it. At the open forum J. Paul Leonard, of Statesville, executive secretary of the North Carolina Fair Tax Association, declared that the popular trend is definitely from the sales tax and that if the vote was taken now victory would be in the bag for the anti sal -s taxers- He spoke in vehem ent denunciation of Governor Ehringhaus for suggesting to farmers and school teachers in re cent addresses that they buy from those merchants who favor the sales tax rather than those who see its defeat. He said that there are efforts on foot to becloud issues with relation to the sales tax and he pleaded with the mer chants “not to be led astray.” Arnold Schiffman, of Greens boro, also speaking at the open forum, criticized sharply the prac tice of sending “politicians rather than business men to the state legislature,” and expressed the hope that a “better type of busi ness mind” will compose the 1935 legislature. Willard Dowell, secretary of the state association, closed the (continued on back page) DEATH ROW IN RALEIGH HOLDS 25 CONDEMNED MEN Raleigh, May 7.—The largest number of doomed men ever housed in the state penitentiary here was in death row today —25. The latest arrival was Joe E. Dalton, Hendersonville, convicted on a charge of slaying his wife. He is scheduled to die in the electric chair on Friday, May 18, unless gubernatorial action inter venes- Last Wednesday the state supreme court refused a request to grant a new trial in the case. FILIPINOS GET FREEDOM Manila, P. I.—The Philippine legislature voted to accept the Tyding-McDuffie measure which provides for the independence of the islands, after a decade under the administration of a transition commonwealth government, head ed by a Filipino Chief Executive. Judge McElroy 1$ Holding Court In Sparta This Week Several Cases Already Dis | posed Of While Others Of Importance Are On Docket Spring term of Superior court opened Monday morning, May 7, with Judge P. A. McElroy, Way : nesville, presiding. A record breaking crowd filled the town to overflowing and crowded the courthouse beyond i capacity . Many cases of minor j importance have been disposed I .of, and the court is now progress ing more slowly since the more important cases are yet to be | tried. judge McElroy has, so far, been lenient in his punishments. A number of more important cases have been disposed of, in cluding the following: Stat vs, Guy Osborne, assault with deadly' weapon; State vs. Loney Pugh, forgery; State vs. M. L. Pruitt, assault; State vs. Ray McMeans, abandonment and non-support; State vs. Freel Perry and Fletcher, assault, with deadly weapon; State vs. Joe Lint berry, driving car while un der influence of liquor, and State vs. Johnnie Washington. The jury came in late Tuesday night with a verdict of guilty of assault with a deadly weapon against Vas Lane and George Upchurch, who were charged with robbing John Mabe, an aged resi dent of the Stratford community. The case was hard fought and it is thought that the verdict was a compromise of the jury. The trial of Ransom Brooks and Yes Douglas, charged with numerous crimes ranging from impersonating jin officer to high wax robbery, commenced Tues day afternoon. The case of Fclger Wagoner, charged with murder, is yet to be tried. Teachers To Get Pay Checks For 8th Month Soon Raleigh, May 8,-—State pay checks will probably be issued to school teachers within the next two weeks for the eighth school month of the closing school year, LeRoy Martin, secretary of the state school commission, announc ed today. It was said that ap proximately two-thirds of the teachers will be paid from state funds, and that the remainder will be paid with federal appro priations. The federal fund distribution will be sup wised by Mrs. Thomas O’Berry, state relief adrfiinistra toi>. The federal fund totals about *500.000. Teachers paid b> the government, Mrs. O’Berry pointed ■outj will be those who have no other incomes. BAILEY BACK IN CAPITAL Washington, . May 8.—After several days of resting at his home in Raleigh, Senator Bailey returned to Washington today. The senior North Carolina sena tor is not in the best of health and he appeared quite sallow and drawn today when he came on the floor of the Senate. \ 'Who spends before he thrives will be[ before he dies.” __^.MAY fcWHU 7—Submarine sinks the Lut itania, 1,195 die, 1915. 8—Mt. Pelee erupts and lulls 30,000 people, 1902. 9— Admiral Byrd flies across the North Pole, 1926. 10— Gold Spike joins Central and Union Pacific Rys. 1869. 11— Irving Berlin, noted pop ular song writer, bom 1888. 12—U. S. Fleet bombards San Juan, Cuba, 1898. 13—Capt. John Smith settles Jamestown, Va., 1607.
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May 10, 1934, edition 1
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