The Alleghany Times
TO THE CIVIC, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY
Volume 10. SPARTA, NORTH CAROLINA,THURSDAY, MAY 24, 1934. 4 PAGES
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Number 1.
Looking At
Washington
AIDS HOME BUILDING
LABOR ENCOURAGES STRIKES
30-HOUR WEEK PROBABLE
DARROW’S ;NRA REPORT
^.5(kOPS LITTLE INDUSTRIES
10,000,000 OUT OF WORK
9 REPUBLICANS WIN
WAJ5H. BUSINESS GOOD
WAR DEBTS UNCOLLECTABLE
The construction industry has
been slowest in recovering and
officials insist that the great bulk
of those ordinarily engaged in
this line are unemployed, making
up the largest group still depend
ent upon relief agencies. From
a total of eleven billion dollars
a year the construction aggre
gate has dropped to three; resi
dential construction has fallen
from $3,000,000,000 a year to
$300,000,000.
Anxious to spur the construc
tion trades the President advances
the plan to make home improve
ment loans, organize k>w-cost,
long-term financing for construc
tion purposes and the insurance
of building and loan association
stock where it is found. “Many
of our homes are not fit for
human habitation,” said Mr.
Roosevelt, in urging the measures
for the protection of the health
and safety of the people.
A more militant policy is to oe
tried by the American Federation
of Labor, which is dissatisfied
with delay of the Wolman board
in disposing of grievances in the
automobile industry. Strikes will
not be prohibited; in fact, “let
them strike” is apt to be the
keynote of efforts to secure satisr
factory industrial agreements.
Labor leaders declare that so long
as employers know they can wait
on the findings of a board they
will stall but if they know a
strike is popping they will do
something to get together.
Indicative of the new attitude
is the effort in the House to pass
the Connery bill, providing a
compulsory 30-hour work week.
Effort to force a vote May 28th
got under way with every indi
cation that the bill would pass
the House. Whether it becomes
law depends upon the adjourn
ment of Congress. If the Senate
completes its schedule and quits
early in June the bill' would prob
ably be lost; otherwise, it will
pass, unless the administration
interferes.
The public works-unemploy
ment relief fund for the fiscal
year 1935 is set at $1,322,000,000
in preliminary figures, which take
into consideration the various ap
propriations already made, which
include sums for crop loans, farm
credit, veterans’ benefits, flood
control, and some of the total
involved in the Independent of
fices act, passed over the Presi
dent’s veto. It is admitted that
total expenditures this year will
fall under the estimate made in
January and that the deficit will
be at least $2,500,000,000 short
of what was predicted.
Something of a squabble de
veloped when it became known
that a special board, including
Clarence Darrow, had submitted
a report on NRA’ activities, which
was being held up until a cer
tain government official could
study it. When criticism of the
action became somewhat pro
nounced Gen. Johnson assumed
the blame, saying that he had a
right; to examine the document
and give his reply • at the same
time that he gave out the report.
Criticism o fthe effect of the
NRA upon the small business
man, with charges that the vari
ous codes work hardships upon
the “little man" and the asser
tion that monopoly is being stimu
lated by code control were con
sidered damaging, when coming
from a board of review set-up
to inquire into the fate of the
small business man.
There is also current comment
upon the fact that Darrow engag
ed Charles Edward Russell, Soc
ialist leader, to pen the draft of
(continued on page 2)
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State To Receive
Over $23,000,000
From PWA Funds
Will Also Share In $1,125,
000,000 Fund Established
By Legislative, Executive
And Special Allotments
Chapel Hill, May 22.—North
Carolina will directly benefit
through grants by the federal
emergency administration of pub
lic works to the extent of $23,
870,000, Dr. Herman G. Baity,
state engineer for the PWA in
North Carolina,- announced re
cently that he had been informed
in a letter from Harold C. Ickes,
federal administrator of public
works in Washington, D. C. This
total includes federal and non
federal allotments.
In addition to this amount, Ad
ministrator Ickes’ communication
stated that North Carolina will
share in the fund of $1,125,000,
000 established by legislative,
executive and special allotments.
Administrator Ickes informed
Dr. Baity that in addition to the
non-federal projects handled
through the latter’s office, PWA
records show that:
“Allotments for federal proj
ects in North Carolina total, to
March 15, 1934, $19,920,000
This includes $9,522,293 which is
North Carolina’s share of the
$40,000,000 earmarked by Con
gress for highway construction.
“Of the $200,000,000 alloted
for work-creating loans to rail
road companies the best esti
mates obtainable indicate that
$70,000 of this fund benefits the
state of North Carolina directly.
“In addition to the foregoing
allotments and expenditures North
Carolina will share, to a large
extent, in the benefits to be de
rived from legislative, executive
and special allotments from the
$3,300,000,000 fund set up in
the act. Approximately $1,125,
000,000 of the original appro
priation has been allocated to the
civil works emergency housing
corporation, the farm credit ad
ministration, subsistence home
steads, federal alcohol control
administration, administration of
the petroleum industry and other
activities.
Secretary Baity announced that
state non-federal projects handled
through his office which have
been approved to date amount
to $4,123,500.
Administrator Ickes explained
that the information was being
made available “in order that a
true and complete picture of the
PWA situation, as it applies to
North Carolina, may be present
ed.”
Murder Trial Ends
In 32-year Verdict
For Young Bausell
Bernace Bausell, charged with
the murder of his father-in-law,
T. Eugene Cornett, at the lat
ter’s home near Rural Retreat,
on January 13, was found guilty
by a jury in Wythe County Cir
cuit Court, Wytheville, Va., Fri
day and his punishment was set
at thirty-two years in the peni
tentiary. The jury deliberated
two hours and fifty-six minutes,
having received the case for con
sideration at the convening of
court Friday morning.
Court had remained in session
Thursday until 8:15 p. m. in
oorder for lawyers’ arguments to
be concluded. Masterful pleas
were offered by both prosecution
and defense counsel. Joseph C.
Shaffer opened for the prosecu
tion and was followed by Thomas
F. Walker for the defense. M. J.
Fulton, relative of Cornett and
porominent Richmond attorney,
followed with an eloquent and
moving plea for conviction. Clar
ence Bums, for the defense, fol
lowed. Stuart B. Campbell put
forth a strong plea for acquittal
and the case was closed with the
argument of W, Paul1 Parsons,
Commonwealth’s Attorney, who
asked for the death penalty.
Bausell and his father, Henry
F. Bausell, who is under joint
indictment with his son for the
Cornett murder, will be confined
in the Bristol jail awaiting the
elder man’s trial, which is ex
pected to be held near the lat
ter part of June.
Sentencing of Bernace Bausell
was deferred by Judge Horace
Sutherland until after the father’s
trial and the sentence will then
be suspended, it is said, in order
to permit an appeal in behalf of
the son.
Man Killed As He
Falls In Path Of
Steam Shovel Mon.
An appalling accident occurred
in Independence about 9 o’clock
Monday morning when James
Robert Vaughan, Jr., 30, son of
J. R. Vaughan, Roanoke, Va.,
was instantly killed as he started
to climb upon a steam Shovel to
hold up some wire in order for
the .shovel to pass. He slipped
and fell in the path of the shovel
which passed over his body. The
shovel belongs to the Albert
Brothers, contractors, of Salem,
and was being operated on the
Lakes-to-Florida highway out of
Independence.
Mr. Vaughan had been with
Albert Brothers since they have
been at Independence.
After the body was taken to
an undertaking establishment and
prepared for burial, it was taken
to the home of his father in
Roanoke Monday afternoon.
The accident is said to have
been unavoidable. A man named
Lanford, who was operating the
shovel, suffered a nervous stroke,
it is said.
The deceased is survived by
his parents and a sister, Mrs.
Richard M. Moore.
Funeral services were conduct
ed at the home in Roanoke yes
terday (Wednesday) morning at
10:30 o’clock by the Rev. Francis
Hume Scott, pastor of the First
Christian church of Roanoke.
Governor Of Va.
Extends Clemency
To Posey Sexton
Death Sentence Imposed
Upon Murderer Of Sheriff
McKnight Commuted To
Life Imprisonment
Posey Sexton, who was con
victed of the murder of Sheriff
C. C. McKnight, of Grayson
county, Virginia, by a jury in
the Grayson court on March 10,
1933, will not die in the electric
chair as the jury recommended
and as he was sentenced by Judge
Horace Sutherland, Galax. Gov
ernor George C. Peery, of Vir
ginia, on Wednesday of last
week, commuted Sexton’s sen
tence to life imprisonment, ac
cording to a letter addressed by
the governor to Mr. and Mrs. D.
C. Sexton, Independence, parents
of the condemned man; S. B.
Campbell, Wytheville, defense
lawyer; H. P. Burnett, Common
wealth’s Attorney; Judge Suther
land and Major R. M. Youell,
superintendent of the penitentiary
at Richmond.
Sexton was sentenced to die
on June 15 of last year but on
June 7 Governor Pollard grant
ed a reprieve of one year and
Governor Peery gave, in the let
ter, as a reason for his action
the fact that the Governor’s Ad
visory Board on Mental Hygiene,
after observing the condemned
man during the period of re
prieve, had advised him that, in
its opinion, Sexton is mentally
deficient to the extent that he is
not responsible for his conduct.
Sheriff McKnight was killed
late Sunday, March 5, 1933
at the home of Tom Isom,
east of Independence. Judge
Sutherland called a special term
of court for March 9 to try Sex
ton and on Friday the jury re
turned the death verdict.
TO CLEAN CEMETERY AT
ELK CREEK SAT., JUNE 9
Announcement has been made
that Saturday morning, June 9,
has been diosen as the time for
cleaning the cemetery at Elk
Creek. j
Those who are interested in
the care and preservation of the
Elk Creek cemetery are expected
to be present at that time to
assist in the work.
NEW SERVICE STATION
OPENS FRI. IN SPARTA
Sparta Service Station, a new
and up-to-date automobile ser
vice station, owned by the West
Jefferson Chevrolet company, re
I cently built on Main street in
I Sparta, opened for business Fri
day. This station has been leased
and is being operated by W. G.
Fender. Shell products are be
ing sold.
The station is new and modem
in every respect. Modem rest
rooms have been provided and
the latest in tanks and equipment
has been installed
A Gracious Gift, A Song and a Rose
In New York, on Mothers’ Day, amid a great profusion of
beautiful flowers everywhere the beloved Ernestine Schumann
Heink (left), symbolized a fitting tribute to Mrs. James Roosevelt
(right), mother of the President, when at the end of her song
dedicated to Mrs. Roosevelt, she presented a lone red rose to
the gracious guest of honor.
The North Carolina State Highway System;
Its Extent, Maintenance and Administration
by Harriet M. Berry
Secretary, N. C. Gnod Roads Association
The North Carolina Highway
System was a dream long in in
ception which has gradually
reached a splendid fulfillment.
Had it been started in 1905 in
stead of 1921, it would have!
saved the counties, townships, |
and road districts around $250,-1
000,000, which represents bonds
issued with very little result ex
cept the debt.
This system, together with the
county roads, now represents a
distance of 59,000 miles, twice ■
around the world and one-third |
around again. The state system
consists of approximately 8,000 ]
miles of hard surfaced road and
3,000 miles of gravel and sand
clay. This huge project is under
the care and general supervision
of the State Highway Commis
sion and its effectiveness is gov
erned by the funds all'oted for
maintenance and construction of
new roads and bridges for which
there are demands in every coun
ty. Many miles of the hard
surface are now showing signs
of disintergration (especially the
black top asphalt roads, of which
there are 3,200 miles) because of
lack of appropriations by the
1933 legislature sufficient to keep
them up to standard. ’ This with
drawal of appropriation for main
tenance and shutting down of all
construction accounts for the
large surplus now being held in
the general fund as a paper sur
plus. It will take a large part
of this surplus to bring these
hard surface roads back to effic
iency, in addition to appropri
ation for the general maintenance
of the system.
There seems to be much mis
information as to the cost of
overhead of the State Highway
Commission, salaries paid and
general setup. There are now
about 4,500 employees in the
Highway and Public Works De
partment including employees in
the Highway Commission pro
per, and employees in the Prison
Department, who look after the j
care and guarding of 8,000 pris
oners (State and county)- The
highest cost of administration
during any one year was .$257,548
in 1925-26, while during the past
fiscal year, it ran only to $180,
900. This includes all the divis
ions of the central office and of
the division engineers’ office. The
largest salary is that of the
Chairman, which amounts to
$6,000 per annum. Under his
direct supervision comes all the
administration work of the Com
mission, maintenance, construc
tion under Federal Aid and gen
eral administration. Establishing
prison quarters at strategic points
throughout the state is another
detail which should be taken into
account in estimating the service
rendered the state by the Chair
man of the Highway Commission.
Following the era of the dy
namic Frank Page, wno hewed
his way through the rocks and
shoals oi political pitfalls to
bring to completion about 5,000
mil'es of hard surfaced roads, and
(continued on back page)
Mt. Airy District
M. E. Conference
Holds Annual Meet
The annual district conference
of the Mt. Airy district, M. E.
Church, South, of which Rev.
A. C. Gibbs is presiding elder,
opened Tuesday in the Rural
Hall church, of which Rev. C. M.
McKinney is pastor. The Rev.
Mr. Gibbs was in the chair.
The conference was composed
of delegates and ministers from
Alleghany, Surry, Wilkes, Stokes,
Yadkin and Ashe counties. Re
ports of committees were heard
on tihe opening day. When the
roll call of ministers in the dis
trict took place all were found to
be present except one.
The conference was largely at
tended, it being, estimated that
some of the sessions were at
tended by nearly 1,000 persons.
Dr. W. A. Jenkins, of North
Wilkesboro,- delivered a sermon
Tuesday night and Wednesday
morning at 11 o’clock, Dr. Paul
N. Garber, of the school of re
ligion at Duke University, Dur
ham, preached on the subject:
“The Christmas Conference.” Dr
Garber gave many interesting
facts about the first annual con
ference of Methodism held in
Baltimore, Md., on December 24,
1784. This subject was selected
by the speaker in view of the
fact that 1934 marks the sesqui
centennial of American Metho
dism.
At noon Wednesday the women
of the Rural Hall charge served
a picnic dinner to the conference
visitors.
The conference came to a close
with the termination of the Wed
nesday afternoon session.
Associate Justice
Of Supreme Court
Passes Away Sun.
Raleigh, May 22.—Judge W
J. Adams, 74, associate justice
of the North Carolina State Su
preme court, died unexpectedly
Sunday in Baltimore, Md. A
supreme court session scheduled
for Monday was cancelled in
respect to the fallen jurist.
The state paid tribute today
to'the memory of Judge Adams.
Funeral services were held in j
Carthage and Governor J. C. B.
Ehringhaus, Chief Justice Walter j
P. Stacy and other state officials;
planned to attend.
Governor Ehringhaus announc
ed today that he would probably
name Adams’ successor after the
tribute has been paid tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the governor declined
to discuss the successorship.
If Ehringhaus follows the lead
of the late Governor Kitchin,
former Governor Morrison, and
former Governor McLean, the
choice would fall on Major L. P
McLendon, of Durham, who was
successful manager of his primary
campaign against R. T. Fountain
in 1932.
| The names of Judges Michael
i Schenck, A. M. Stack, John H.
Clement, Wilson Warlick, M. V.
Barnhill, and Attorneys A. Hall
; Johnson, of Asheville,, U. L.
Spence, of Carthage, and Wallace
W. Winbome, of Marion, have
been mentioned as possible- suc
cessors to Justice Adams.
Adams’ term was to have ex
pired next January 1.
Joint Meet Held
At Independence
By M. E. Women
The Women’s Missionary soc
ieties of the Methodist churches of
Sparta and Independence, were
very graciously entertained at a
joint meeting Friday afternoon,
May 18, at Independence, by Mrs.
H. T. Smith and Mrs. T. E.
Brannock, as joint hostesses, at
Mrs. Smith’s home.
An interesting program deal
ing with The People’s Central
institute of Bio de Janeiro,
Brazil, was presented by the lead
er of the Sparta organization,
Mrs. Sidney Gambill, assisted by
Mrs. Carlisle Higgins, Mrs. Dal
ton Warren, Mrs. John Cheek,
Mrs. Vance Choate, Mrs. Lola
White, Mrs. It. E. Black and Mrs.
Jay Hardin.
Following this program the In
dependence society provided ex
cellent eptertainment for the
group. Mrs. Kyle Cox gave such
an interesting reading that an
encore was demanded. Mrs. C.
R Carson rendered a vocal solo,
which was greatly enjoyed.
The hostesses served delicious
refreshments in two courses to
about 35 guests. Special guests
of the occasion were Rev. C.
W. Russell, pastor of the Sparta
Methodist church, and Rev. C.
H. Browning, pastor of the In
dependence Methodist church.
Wooten Asks That
Applications For
Work Be Renewed
Director Of National Reem-;
ployment Service At N.i
Wilkesboro Says Renewal
Necessary Every 90 Days
R. L. Wooten, director of the
National Reemloyment Service at;
North Wilkesboro, states that all
names in his files must be re
newed every ninety days if the
applications are to stay in the,
active file.
Mr. Wooten is director of the j
Reemployment Service for five
counties: Wilkes, Alleghany,
Ashe, Watauga and Alexander.
His office is maintained in the
city hall at North Wilkesboro.
T ae Reemployment Service at
North Wilkesboro will furnish the
labjr for PWA projects in this
district. Under the old set-up
a National Reemployment Ser
vice was maintained in each
county, then later reorganized in
to districts and the files from the
offices in the counties men
tioned above were placed under
Mr. Wooten’s care in North
Wilkesboro.
The continuous renewals are
necessary in order that the files
at the office may include the
names of people who are_ still
unemployed and who are still
hoping to get employment through
his office.
Attention is called to the fact
that a personal call is not neces- j
sary for renewals. Renewals
may be made by letter, telephony
or personal call'. Skilled labor
ers are asked to give particulars
of the training and experience
they have had, especially in the
case of machine operators.
TWIN OAKS MAN INJURED
IN AUTO ACCIDENT SUN.
George Petty, Twin Oaks, was
painfully but not seriously in
jured Sunday morning, about one
half mile from Sparta on High
way No. 18, when the roadster,
he was driving left the road and
overturned against the fence.
Petty received a severe cut on
the neck and several bad bruises
but no bones were broken.
LOW BIDS ON PROPOSED
ROAD PROJECT APPROVED
A news dispatch from Raleigh
states that low bids on nine road
and street projects were approv
ed on May 15 by the State High
way and Public Works commis
sion and have been sent to Wash
ington, D. C., for consideration
of the Federal Bureau of Roads
Among the low bids approved
at Raleigh were those for the
project which would provide for
the widening and paving of 5.81
miles of route No. 26 from a
point near Twin Oaks toward
Roaring Gap. Low bids on this
project were as follows; Nello
L. Teer $73,252; Structures, R.
B. Tyler, $5,127.45.
Governor R. A. Dough ton,
Sparta, attended the meeting in
Raleigh.
Fire In Chicago
Burns Forty-Two
Blocks Saturday
Stockyards Razed By Most
Disastrous Fire That City
Has Had Since The Holo
caust Of 1871
Chicago, May 19.—This city’s
most disastrous fire since the city
destroying holocaust of 1871
wiped out 42 square blocks of
Packing-town and the adjacent
area tonight with a loss estimat
ed at from $10,000,000 to $25,
000,000.
The conflagration starting as
did the historic fire of ’71 in
the stockyards area raged un
controlled for four and one-half
hours. Not until 7:30 p. m.
(C. S. T.) did Fire Marshal
Michael Corrigan, directing efforts
of 2,000 firemen, declare that
the blaze was under control.
Every available piece of fire
fighting equipment in the city
was thrown into the melee. Fire
men off duty and on vacation
were hurriedly summoned to the
fight.
Despite its wide sweep, the
blaze did not attack any of the
major packing companies plants.
They were located in a westerly
direction from the flames which
started near the western limits of
the mile square yards, apparently
from a carelessly tossed cigarette.
No deaths were reported but
three persons were reported
missing. Officers and physicians
carried through the heavy pall
of smoke and embers, 25 serious
ly injured firemen and spectators.
They were taken to hospitals
as were a score of others who
had been stifled by the oppressive
heat and fumes. Three of the
casualties were in a critical con
dition.
At least 1,200 persons were
rendered homeless.
A score of famous landmarks
in Packingtown—seat of the
world’s greatest meat packing
industry—and dozens of cottages,
shops, stores and office buildings
were attacked or demolished by
the flames that swept with vol
canic fury from the eastward
into the heart of the yards and
on across Halsted street into a
residential and commercial
neighborhood.
Hundreds of cattle, sheep and
hogs, trapped by the scorching
wave, perished in their stalls
but others were herded to havens.
Pens, corals, runways, plants,
sheds and other wooden structures
in the yards burned like paper
boxes in the wave of fire.
Smoke at the height of the
fire could be seen as far away
as South Bend. Ind., by aviators.
The flames were clearly visible
from the tops of taller Loop
buildings, five miles to the north.
ELEVATOR IMPRISONS
FARLEY AND FRIENDS
Washington, May 22.—The in
formation leaked out today that
an elevator took Postmaster Gen
eral James A. Farley and four
fellow Democrats for a ride and
imprisoned them in the cellar of
the Post Office Department for
30 minutes. Farley, Senator Jos
eph O’Mahoney (D). Wyo., “Wild
Bill” Lyons, a Post Office Depart
ment employee; Ambrose O’Con
nell, Farley’s executive assistant;
and William Bray, Farl'ey’s sec
retary, were the ones who fell
I 5£>«fc
Seem-t&bfi
p anywhere
What is the use of running when you art
not on the right road?"
n
MAY
21— Amelia Earhart fliea
across the Atlantic, 1932.
22— George Washington re
fuses American throne,
1782.
23— Steerage rates from Eu
rope priced at $10,1904.
M—English hang Capt. Kidd,
famous pirate, 1701.
40/>V't>V.46—Lake E™ four feet
rSfjTEr- in ten hours, 1840.
26—AL Jolson born, call*
^ “ loudly for Mammy, 1886.
27—Charles Lindbergh mar
ries Anfte Morrow, 1929.
twn