North Carolina Newspapers

A Ptptr with a Prestig* of ft Half Contury. A Coootyv Not a Cess* niwitj Papa* THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1930. County Court in Session t —9 Two Weeks Civil Term— Judge Devin Here This Week —The Fields Building Litigation Most Important of All ® Judgre Lyon became ill Thurs day of last week and court was adiourned. Accordingly, very few eases were disposed of last week. Only a few judgements in minor cases were entered. The hot weather was doubtless the undoing of Judge Lyon, who at the age of eighty, has been doing consider able work on the bench and who has prided himself upon his ability to achieve the tasks of younger men. However, the immediate cause of his inability to proceed with the -work of the court was a severe case of indigestion. Judge Devin, here this week, is in his prime, though no one would ever judge by his youthful appear ance that he was discovered as a sophomore at Wake Forest when this writer entered college in 1888, of 42 years ago. The 42 years looks more like his full age. Mrs. Moore of New Bern is stenographer this week, in place of Miss Speaight, who is the re gular stenographer and was here last week. The Fields case came up Tuesday morning. The question at issue seems to have been as to whether the furnishers of materials for the $42,000 Fields building here have claims upon the building superior to those of the bondholders. It is almost evident that somebody has to lose, as the building will not sell for indebtedness, which is $26,- 000, presumably including the in debtedness for the site, which is first and is safe, since the first mortgage on the land includes all that the sellers sold and the build ing too. The others have to get theirs from what is left over when the building is sold with the first mortgage hanging over it. In fast, •one or two sales have been made already, and the litigation is to settle the priority of claims. Quite a number of persons and firms are involved. The decision of the court will be found in another place in this paper if it is rendered in time for publication. ® home coming day at MERONEY CHURCH Last Sunday. Aug. 3rd., was home coming day at Meroney church, near here. An unusual large crowd at;ended. People from various places in North Carolina and Virginia were :n attendance. Services begun at 11:00 a. m. T .B. Beal, Sunday School Superintendent, spoke a few words of appreciation and thanks for the support the people had given in their recent building program. Rev. L. M. Chaffin, the pastor, preached a most soul-stirr ng sermon on “Our Record on High,” using as a text, Job 16:19—“My witness in heaven, and my record is on high.” A large number 'of people expresecl themselves on this being one of the best sermons they ever heard. Rev. H. T. Plyler, Busi ness manager of the North Carolina Christian Advocat, was present and led the morning prayer. In the afternoon, ex-senator J. R. Rives, of Sanford, led in the Home Coming Service. Graham Moffitt, of Sanford, led in prayer. Rev. M. T. Plyler was introduced who spoke on the Home Coming Day services, which was greatly enjoyed by all present. Others making short talks were: A. R. Rives, of Sanford; E. E. Mclver, of Greensboro; Charles J. Mclver, -of Burlington; George E. Rives, of Goldston, which were very instruc tive and helpful. The revival is being held this week, with Rev. J. H. Buffaloe, of Carthage, doing the preaching. C. W. Molt, of Mornersville, was a visitor this week in the home of T. B. Beal. Bobby Willett, of Raleigh, is visiting his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Willett. ' v Mr. and Mrs. J. V. Beaver, Mr. and Mrs. J. N. Nall and familv, of Greensboro, were week-end visitors in the home of T. P. Beaver. <s> CALL MEETING DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF CHATHAM COUNTY A meeting of the members of the Democratic Executive Committee of Chatham County is hereby called to meet in the Courthouse at Pittsboro, North Carolina, on Tuesday, August 12th, at 4 o’clock, P. M., for the purpose of electing a candidate for County Commissioner to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. R. J. Johnson. This the 4th day of August, 1930.. WADE BARBER, Chairman} . f ■\ The Chatham Record Lightning and Wind Storm . Pays Visit Pittsboro and vicinity was visited last Thursday afternoon by one of the severest electrical storms in its history. Tree after tree was struck in the community and a gas tank at the Justice Motor Company was set afire, but outed before an explosion occurred. 'Mr. George Brewer lost two of his fine oaks. Several trees were struck on Lan ius Hills, it is stated. 'There were several spurts of wind at high velocity during the storm. One of the trees at the Mrs. H. A. London place was badly dam aged. Other trees in the town suf fered from the force of the wind, while corn was laid low in fields where maturity was not advanced. The Methodist church had several window lights broken. The shock of the lightning broke several panes in the Brewer residence. However, all the damage was more than compensated by a fine fall of rain. Yet there are still at this writing, Monday, some sections of the county in need of rain. Mr. G. R. Farrell, three miles east of Pittsboro, reports since the above was written that lightning hit six trees in his yard. The near est to the house was only ten or twelve feet and the farthest no more than fifty yards. —1 22 Counties to Have Eight-Month School Raleigh, July 30.—“ With the vot ing of a special tax in Hyde county, there will be twenty-two counties operating an eight months school term on a county-wide basis during 1930-31,” said State Superintendent A. T. Allen today in a statement to the press. * During 1928-29 eighteen counties ran all their white school for eight months. These counties, according to Supt. Allen, were: Camden, Car teret, Currituck, Durham, Edge combe, Gates, Guilford, Henderson, Lenoir, Mecklenburg, New Hanover, Northampton, Pamlico, Pacquotank, Transylvania, Vance, Washington and Wilson. During 1929-30 War ren and Greene were added to this list, making twenty counties which operated all their schools for white children eight months or longer. “Supt. Inscoe informed me that three districts in Nash not operat ing but six months last year will run eight months next year. The voting of the tax in Hyde makes the twenty-second county to signify its willingness to give an eight months term on a county-wide basis to all the children. And in my opinion,” continued Supt. Allen, “since the state now participates in the extended term, there is no better time for the schools to be gin operating on a county-wide j basis.” There a v e a number of counties which have only a few pupils, less than 500, ;n schools not operating for as long as eight months during the year. Figures for 1928-29 show that Halifax had only 66 white chil dren not having the opportunity of an eight months term. Cumber land had 105, Scotland 164. Pender 177, Granville 207, Hoke 221, Ber tie 235. Forsyth 238, Hartford 264, Clay 284, Jones 296, Chowan 338, Tyrrell 366, An«on 413, Rutherford 423, Avery 439, Polk 451, and Dare 468, whilte children in short term schools. “More than 80 per cent of the white children now have the advan tage of an eight months school term. Those children not having this advantage are in the rural schools.” ***** ********** * H* Antioch News t 'e***.*********** The Revival begins at Antioch Christian church Sunday. There will be an all-day service and din ner on the grounds. We are expectl ing the male quartet from Asbury to sing for us. Mrs. Etta Fisher has returned home after spending a while with her sister, Mrs. W. B. Thomas on Moncure Rt. 2. Mr. Norman Dowdy of Durham is spending a few djays this week with relatives in this community. Mrs. Peggy Dowdy has returned home after spending a while with relatives at Bynum. Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Langlev of Pittsboro spent a while Sunday afternoon in the home of Miss Geanic Oldham. Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Thomas of Pittsboro spent Sunday with Mr. and Mrs. C. 'C Poe. Miss Lacy Johnson spent the week-end with relatives at Durham. -1! Miss Lena Siler has opened ‘*The Rearmore Liberary” in Siler City. She has chosen a choice lot of the newer books and rents them for a small fee. This institution should cause Siler City people and others who visit that town regularly to “read more”. As for Pittsboro peo p’e, it is as easy to get books from L ,he University library, but probably the average Pittsburgher would rind it more congenial to discuss books with Miss Siler. PITTSBORO, N. C., CHATHAM COUNTY, THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1930. Photo from Wide World Photos THE NATION’S CAPITOL FROM A NEW ANGLE A new and unusual view of the United States Capitol, made just before a recent rain storm. N Forges Check A Chatham Citizen Recklessly Buys Bill of Goods In San ford and Signs Wrong Name to Check. One -of Chatham’s citizens has become utterly reckless, it would appear, in the matter of getting money or goods at other folk’s ex pense. He went down to Sanford last week and bought quite a bill of goods from Isaacson, or rather from one of Isaacson’s clerks, and tendered in payment a check signed with the name of a Mr. Johnson, of Hickory Mountain township. Wnen the check had been accepted, a call was made by phone to the Page Trust Company at Siler City and the response showed no account for this Mr. Johnson. A call to the Chatham Bank showed no account. It then became the clerk’s job to find the maker of the check, and he hastened to Pittsboro and consulted Mr. J. W. Moore, car rier on RFD 2, who had no John son by that name on his route, but who happened to be the brother in-law of the man whose name was to the check. Accordingly, he accompanies the salesman to Mr. Johnson’s, who saw that he was not the man. But it happened that Mr. Johnspn had been in Sanford and seen the citizen in question leave the Isaac son store with a lot of goods. The salesman and Mr. Moore proceeded to Siler City to the home of the man suspected of forging Mr. John son’s name; thence out to a saw mill in the Brush Creek section, where they were told that the sus pect had not returned from San ford. Back to Siler City they go and await the return. The forger came to his Siler City home and had the goods with him. The sales man, rejoicing, got the goods. Joe Moore says he was a happy man. The buyer of the goods may or may not have the check back, as it was in the handy' of a Siler City qfficer when the goods were re turned. Before there is any legal step taken, if any is to be taken, we hesitate to call the name of the citizen. But in case suspicion should fail upon an innocent citizen, we are ready to state the name. It was lucky for the salesman and unlucky for the forger that Mr. Johnson happened to be in Sanford and see the forger leave the store with the goods. The latter had mis takenly given Mr. Johnson’s ad dress as Pittsboro RFD 2, which is Mr. Moore’s route; while the real address of the man whose name was forged was Siler City, RFD. If the case goeis to court, it will probably have to be a Lee county' case, and it should go, if people’s rights are to be protected against such scoundrels. <S> A General Fight There seems to have been a more or less general fight upon the grounds of Terrell’s Chapel, a colored church in Hadley township, Sunday. Quite a number of the bucks were involved and knives and stones played a part in the fracas. Dock Cotten, who claims to have been an innocent by-stander, received a blow from a flung stone which broke a rib, which in turn punctured the lung, according to his report of the doctor’s statement. Two sons of Dr. Farrell seem to have been on one side of the contest. One of them got a knife slash on his hand. Those fellows have disap peared, though they seem to have been the minority party. Dock Cot ten says there were five or six upon them at one time, but the Farrells seem not to have got hurt worse than the others. ■ It is personalities, not principles, that move the age.—Oscar Wilde. S. A. L. Spent 2 Million in N. C. Figures Given On 1929 Ex penditures in Five North Carolina Counties. According to figures recently is sued from offices of the Seaboard railroad, this road spent nearly 54,- 000,000 in five counties of this state during 1929, namely Wake, Chat ham, Lee, Moore and Richmond counties. This includes wages paid employees, county taxes, school taxes, city and town taxes, state franchise taxes, purchases, and in Wake county a special road district tax. The purchases include money actually paid firms and individuals in those counties and not the amounts of requisitions made out £ot supplies to be used in those counties but purchased outside these counties. Richmond county led the other counties in practically all the items. For wages paid employees this coun ty received $1,719,058.45 against Wake with $1,431,922.42, the next highest. In total taxes, however, S6OO. The former received $57,- Richmond lost to Wake by only 308.06 while the latter got $57,- 907.86. The Seaboard probably passes through more incorporated towns in Wake than in Richmond. In purchases this county received $73,871.21 against Wake’s $58,- 751.38. In the grand total Rich mond, with $1,850,237.72, outshines by S3OO Wake’s $1,548,651.66. So this county has not been treated so bad’y after all, perhaps. An itemized statement by counties follows, showing the amounts and different items of expenditures by the Seaboard during, the year *1929 in the five counties listed: Richmond—Wages paid employ ees, $1,719,058.45; county taxes,! $30,994.01; school taxes, $8,369.32; city and town taxes, $7,613.59; state franchise tax, $10,331.34; total taxes, $57,308.06; purchases, $75,- 871.21. Total, $1,850,237.72. Wake Wages paid employees, $-,431,992.42; county taxes, $27,- 216.23; school taxes, $12,028.92; road district taxes, $31.47; city and town taxes, $8,823.59; state fran chise tax, $9,807.65; total taxes, $57,907.86; purchases, $58,751.38. Total, $1,548,651.66. Chatham —Wages paid employees, $41,988.40; county taxes, $lO,- 818.98; school taxes, $2,421.92; city and town taxes, $295.67; state franchise tax, $3,547.21; total taxes, $17,083.78. Total $59,072.18. Lee—Wages paid employees, $61,- 325.48; county taxes, $10,505.89; school taxes, $4,459.37; city and town taxes, $664.97; state franchise tax, $4,402.36; totax taxes, $20,- 032.59. Total $81,388.07. Moore —Wages paid employees, $90,839.76; county taxes, $12,- 484.23; school taxes, $7,371.19; city and town taxes, $3,914.04; state franchise tax, $4,623.78; total taxes, $28,393.24. Total $119,235. The total expenditure in the five counties of $3,658,382.63. — Mr. L. B. Hester, Jr., is home for a brief respite from his work at Poughkeepsie Business College. This young man is taking a real course in accounting. He spent two years at the University or North Carolina and has been at Pough keepsie, one of the most noted business schools in the country for the past By remaining for the summer session he expects to complete the two-year course by January 1. He was in Pittsboro Monday, with his father, Mr. L. B. Hester, Sr. r ® Mr. W. Gerry Fields has just completed a neat six-room bunga low in West Pittsboro, which is to be occupie-d by Mr. Fred Justice. <*) The calf sometimes catches the wolf.—Russian proverb. Mr. Scott Advises In crease of Cows and. Pastures The following letter, received -by Mr. H. F. Durham, from W. Kerr Scott, farm agent for Alamance county, should be of interest to Chatham farmers in general. Mr. Scott writes: Dear Mr. Durham: Y-our letter of July 31st inquir ing about the possibility of the condensery received. A few days ago we had repre sentatives of one of the large con densery concerns here looking over the situation. They appear very much interested in what was go ing on and stated that they were seriously considering coming to this territory, but were not quite ready to say what they would do. We, of course, are very anxious for them to come and are doing what we can to interest them in coming to this section. The business men of Me bane are -doing everything they pos sibly can to induce them to come. In the meantime we are going right ahead with the development of pastures, development of the cows and increasing herds, know ing that reason they have not yet decided to come is because of the small number of herds, only medium pastures and a small vol ume of milk. I would suggest that you people go right ahead with development along this line and while it may be a temporary situation and you will find it hard to find a market for milk products, yet that is the reason the people are holding off, because there is not enough milk to be attractive to them. Just as soon as we hear anything encouraging we will let you know. Yours very truly, W. Kerr Scott County Agent. Graham, Aug. 2.' ® Death of Miss Jones Funeral services for Miss Leoda Jones age 36, daughter of the late W. W. and Cynthia Jones, died at her home in Staley early Friday Morning, were conducted from Rockey River Friends Church at two o’clock Saturday afternoon. Rev. J. T. Kenyon was in charge of the service, assisted by Mrs. J. T. Ken yon and Rev. T. F. Andrews, pas tor of the church. Miss Jones was a much beloved Christian character. During her illness she was always cheerfull and concerned about the wellfare of those about her. She joined Plea sant Grove Pilgrims’ Holiness Church when a girl and remained a faith ful member until death. The large crowd attending the funeral and the many flowers be - speaks the high esteem she was held in the community. She is survived by one brother, J. L. Jones, of Srer City, RFD, and one sister, Miss Gertrude Jones of Stanley. PzHl bearers were, C. M. Staley, C. M. Staley, Jr., W. E. McMasters, H. A. Holmes, S. W. Moon, and C. D. Ferguson. Flower bearers were: Misses Etta Langley, Othello Mace, Lillian Curl, Delia Mace, Rachel Kivett, Dorothy Fox, Sarah Staley, Elizabeth Fox, Clara Mace and Cladie Coble. Interment was in the church cemetery. W. P. Carter Cut Off In Prime Os Life Many friends regret the passing of Mr. W. P. Carter, who died at the age of 52 at Watts Hos pital last Friday morning, after an operation for appendicitis. Mr. Carter was a native of west ern Chatham. He maried Miss Lina Harmon, -sister of Miss Cordie Har mon, Mr. J. W. Harmon, Mr. Obie Harmon, and others. Mrs. Carter died just two years and two days prior to the death of her husband. He leaves two daughters, Mrs. Theodore Clayton of Roxboro and Mrs. Laura Burch. The latter lost her husband a little over a year ago. Hence Mrs. Burch has been bereaved of mother, husband father in a period -of two years and two days. For the past ten years «Mr. Car ter had been employed by the highway commission. He was located at Roxboro till a year or two ago, when he was sent to Pittsboro. Only recently he had been _ trans ferred to Roxboro again, and he -and Mrs. Burch were living with Mr. and Mrs. Clayton. Taken with appendicitis, he was carried to the hospital, but mani festly rather late for a successful outcome. The burial w r as at Mt. Zion Metho dist church last Saturday morning. Rev. J. A. Dailey conducted the funeral services. Employees of the highway commission acted as pall bearers. A large crowd was pre sent to pay last respects to a friend and former neighbor. A good citizen is gone. ■ ■ ■ ■ - Mesdames Cordon, Jerome, and Miss Carrie Jackson and the Cor don and Jerome children are spend ing this week at Wrightsville Beach. Subscriber* at Every Pesteffiea tsd All ft. F. D. Rentes is Cwl Cssatr •# Ckth^ VOLUME 52—NUMBER 45 Court House Catches Fire * Blaze Was Discovered Early’ Wednesday Morning—Orig inated from Box of Sawdust Used as Spittoon Small Hole Burned in Floor Fire Originating in a box of saw dust used as a spittoom burned a hole in the upper floor of the court house Wednesday morning and had begun to blaze upon the stair rounds when discovered by Mr. B. Moffitt, one of the jurors, who was using the grand jury room as a sleeping place. Evidently, there had been less spitting in the box than dropping of cigarette stubs, and the saw dust smouldered through the night. For tunately, it was five o’clock in the morning before it blazed and was ready to do business. If it had been twelve o’clock when it broke into flame, the probability is Mr. Mof fitt would not have discovered it till it was too late to save the building with the limited fire equip ment of the town. The hole in the floor is about the size of one’s hand. Mr. Moffitt and Mr. Berry Talley brought a pallet along with them to town when they came to serve as jurors and have been getting their meals at the case and pallet ting in the grand jury room. Mr. Talley was spending that night with Mr. W. E. Brooks and Mr. Moffitt held the fort alone. It was clearly fortunate that he had chosen this bunkinig The court house is not the finest in the state, but it is plenty good enough for poor kolk, and it is still there. However, we judge that a different kind of receptacle for cigarette stubs will be - —— Teachers Now Average Higher Scholarships Raleigh, July 30.—The rural white teachers of Mecklenburg coun ty retain first place among all rural ing the highest scholarship, accord white teachers of. the state in hav ing to the current issue of State School Facts, -official publication of the Department* of Public Instruc tion. The rural white teachers of Meck lenburg county now have average training equivalent to 3.73 years in college. Last year when this coun ty took the lead in this respect, these teachers had an average train ing of 3.44 years. According to School Facts, the average training of teachers in this county has in creased over a years and a half (1.62 years). Durham county retains its position of second place in respect to train ing of rural white teachers, the av erage scholarship for 1929-30 being three and a half years in college. Carrituck is third among the coun ties in training of rural white teachers. Other counties having white teachers employed whose average training is three Vears or more in college and their rang in this re spect are :Lenoir fourth, Guilford fifth, Gaston sixth, Warren seventh, Vance eighth and Pasquotank ninth. The average training of all white teachers in the state, School Facts points out, is now approximately two and a half years in college. In 1924-25 the average training of ru ral white teachers employed was only one year in college. Within five years there has been an im provement of one and one-half years in the average training of these teachers. The average training of rural col ored teachers has increased from less than high school graduation in 1924-25 to nearly a year in col lege in 1929-30. The rural colored teachers have improved their train ing during this five-year period one and one-fourth years. The County Statement No citizen should fail to study the statement of county finances appearing in this paper. You will notice that several districts have deficits, but the Record is informed that they are of several years standing and are gradually bein<? cut down. The bonded indebtedness of the subdivisions are in part covered by the sinking funds reported in another section of the statement. The tax rate has been held the same as last year’s rate, though the' poor fund has been besieged by scores of needy and numerous ones have been added to thq list of those drawing help for support. It will be noticed that the uncok lected taxes for, 1929 amount to over $53,000, to which sum penal ties for late payment will be added when collected. < The statement deserves study, and we believe that the commissioners deserve credit for pulling through as well as they have.