MOOllK COUNTY’S
LEADING
NEWS-WKEKLY
THTl?
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A Paper Devoted to the Upbuilding
VOL. 20. NO. 2«.
Aberdeen
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PINE&LUM
PILOT
FIRST IN NEWS,
CIRCULATION &
ADVERTISING
of the Sandhill Tern tor V *■
*'■« ,Sj- ^
th Carolina
Soiifhorn Pines. North (’arolina, Friday, May 30, 1941.
Pinehurst
COUNTY FINANCES Portrait of Judge Wm. J, Adams
HEALTHY, CURRIE j Presented to N. a Supre^ Court
TELLS KIWANIANS
Bonds Command Top Rating,
Debt to Valuation Ratio Among
Lowest in State
CITES TEN YEAR GAINS
Dies at 102
‘Aunt Mary” Letterlow, Col
ored, Recalled Civil Vi^ar
Days, Seaboard’s Coming
The chairman of the Moore county's
Board of Commissioners, Wilbur H.
Currie, told miembers of the Sand
hills Kiwa^is Club on Wednesday
that their county is as well organiz
ed and well financed as any in North
Carolina, that its bonds now have a
top rating with investment bankers,
that its ratio of net debt to valuation
is one of the lowest in the state-
Mr. Currie showed by comparative
figures over a period of ten yoara
what had been accomplished in the
way of debt reduction in the coun^.
The total gross debt in 1930 was 5712,-
000, which included courthouse and
county bonds, .school and road bonds.
The Sinking Fund reduced this to a
net debt of $638,775. In the ten years
J347.000 has been paid off which, with
new bonds issued for school build
ings, leaves a gross debt today of
$433,550 or, with $78,000 in the Sink
ing Fund, a net debt of $355,550, a
decrease in the decade of $283,225.
Revenues Decrease
Tax revenue ten years ago was
“Aunt Mary” Letterlow, believed to
be the oldest/t-esident of Moore county,
died at the home of her great grand
daughter near Aberdeen last week
and was buried in the colored ceme
tery near Niagara on Wednesday af
ternoon.
"Aunt Mary’s” age was not defi
nitely known but she was supposed to
be 102 years old. Friends recall her
stories of exciting adventures of Civil
War days when she was already
"growed up,” of how she drove ‘‘ole
master’s bosses’’ to the swamp left
them tied while she helped carry
hams and side nieat and corn to safe
hiding places so that Sherman's men
could not get them.
“Aunt Mary" lived on a little farm
near Niagara and recalls cooking for
the "hands" that laid the first rails
for the Seaboard railroad when it
came to the county, and she liked to
tell of the thrill of seeing the first
train with its small wood-burning en
gine on its initial trip over the road.
She remembers when Manley was the
pilnclpal trading center of Moore
county and Southern Pines "hadn’t
Chief Justice Stacy Accepts Gift
Memorializing Distinguished
Career of Carthage Jurist
A portrait of William J. Adams,
former Associate Justice of the North
Carolina Supreme Court for many
years, was presented by the family to
the State Supreme Court on Tuesday
of last week, the seventh anniversary
of the death of this distinguished cit
izen who was a resident of Carthage.
The presentation was made by an
associate on the bench. Judge L. R.
Varsar of Lumberton, who reviewed
the caieer of Mr. Adams as a lawyer
and jurist. The portrait was accepted
by Chief Justice Stacy.
Judge Adams* service to his county
and state were outstanding. His opin
ions appear in 25 volumes of Supreme
Court records.
Many relatives and friends of Judge
Adams were present for the cere
mony. Among those from Moore coun
ty were three nieces, Misses Mae and
Bess Stuart and Mrs. W. E. Evans;
a nephew, Stuart Evans; Mr. and
Mrs. U. L. Spence, Judge and Mrs. H.
F. Seawell, Mrs. M. G. Dalrymple, S.
R. Hoyle and L. B. Tyson. Many mem
bers of the Moore County Bar were
prevented from attending by impor
tant court cases being tried at fhe
time.
TEN KILLED IN
AUTO ACCIDENTS
IN COUNTY IN ’41
FIVE CENTS
Noore County Orgtf.iizes
Service Unit To Promote
Army and Civilian Morale
Mrs. Delia M. Lyon of Pinebluff
Latest Victim as Cars !
Collide on Corner
SANATORIUM NURSES HURT
Speed Sign-Up
lural Property Owners Urg
ed to Return Cards For Land
Use in Maneuvers
Though County Chairman R. P.
Beasley and Captain John K. Gal
braith of the Army are meeting with
favorable response to the Army's re-
$254,937. Today it is $240,018. The even been thought of."
levy has decreased $14,919. The de-! Her wants were few and simple;
crease comes from levies for school
Bringing to ten the deaths from au- j
tomobile accidents in Moore county'
thus far this year,
Mrs. Delia M. Lyon of Pinebluff and
Staten Island, N. Y., was fatally in
jured in Pinebluff last Saturday af
ternoon. She died in the Moore County
Hospital on Tuesday morning.
Mrs. Lyon and Mrs- Katherine
Brooks of Pinebluff entering New
England avenue from Plum street just
as a car driven by McDonald Wihit-
lock and containing the Misses Brown i
and Strickland of the Pinebluff Sana-' some have postponed signing the
torium nurses' staff approached from! pp^'niis.sion cards," Captain Galbraith
the direction of the lake, the cars j told The Pilot this week. "We must
colliding. Mrs. Lyon suffered a punc- urge all rural landowners to get their
tured lung, brocken collarbone and cards to us promptly. If they have
ribs. Mrs. Brooks, who was driving I lost them, they can get more from
J. Talbot Johnson, County Chair
man, Announces Plans.—Pres
ident To Talk Tuesday
TO RAISE $600 IN MOORE
Plans are being made to perfect the
Moore county unit of the United Ser
vice Organization, anl already com-
cittees have been named in South
ern Pines and other towns of the coun
ty. The plan for bolstering soldier mo
rale in the army camps was outlined
quest for the use of farm lands for
the big military maneuvers here this Chai'rman J. Talbot John-
Fall, many landowmers have not sign- ^ Aberdeen at this week's meet-
ed up. Some have lost or mislaid their; Sandhills KiwanU Club,
cards, some have delayed signing for I promptly voted its endorse-
more information on the subject.
ment and ajd.
‘We have not had any refusals, but Morris L.
^Rhe was an honest soul and rendered
support, largely taken over by the
State, and roads, also now State-
maintained. The levy for cost of gov
ernment has increased due to hoapi-
t«l «upport, welfare work, increased
aid to. poor, and loss of revenues for-
inerly collected by the county, now
going to the State.
In addition to the decrease in taxes
levied, ABC money Is being applied
principally to new school buildings,
vocational education and the repair
f»f old buildings, Mr. Currie said.
A total of $67,275 of bond matur
ities will be paid off during this fis
cal year, including $47,000 of court
house and county bonds. Thiss will
l««ve only $47,000 unpaid of the origi
nal $150,000 bond issues for the court
house.
The net debt to valuation in 1930
was 2.35 percent; today it is 1.69 per
cent, which really means, in the light
of the 20 percent flat reduction in real
estate values of 20 perccnt made a
few years ago, an adjusted percent
age of 1.35 percent, one of the lowest
in the state.
Chairman Currie was presented to
the Kiwanis Club by Howard F. Bums
of the Program committee.
KLEV'EN MORE FROM MOORE
CALLED VP FOR SERVICE
Eleven Moore county young men
are off for their year of Army traln-
mg next Friday, reporting to the
Draft board at Carthage and going on
to Fort Bragg for induction. They
are Leila James Hinson, West End;
James Joseph Wallace, Route 1, Cam
eron; Ray Morris Bobbitt, Manley;
Odla Lee Morgan, Eagle Springs; El
sie Elbert Brown, Route 1, Eagle
Springs; James Walker Williams,
Route 1, Carthage; Henry Edison
Callahan, Vass; Charlie Egbert Cole,
Route 1, Sanforxl; George Alton Man-
ess. Route 2, Hemp; Dennis Howard
Gamer, Hemp, %nd Coker Debs Blue,
transferred from New York.
ELIZABETH FLETCHER IS
BRIDE OF CHAS. A. YOUNG
faithful service to her white friends
for more than three-quarters of a
century.
Baccalaureate Sunday,
Graduation Tuesday
Southern Pines High School To
Gradaate Class of 41
Next Week
Ml’- and Mrs. Doc Belton Fletcher
of Pinebluff this week announced the
marriage of their daughter, Elizabeth
Lydia, to Charles Arthur Young of
Southern Pines on Sunday, April
20th at Cheraw, S. C. Mrs. Young has
been associated with the Agnes Dor
othy Beauty Shop in Southern Pines
for five years, and Mr. Young has
been with the Carolina Power & Light
Co. here for aboiit three years. They
will reside in Spartanburg, S. C., af
ter July 1st.
A mass meeting to sign up rural
property for Army use In Fall maneu
vers was held last night in Aberdeen.
School closes (n Southern Pines
next Tuesday, and one of the largest
Senior classes in the High School's
history will receive its diploma Tues
day eveuing in the school auditorium.
The following will receive diplomas’
William Alexander, Charles Wesley
Austin, Harold Stanley Austin, Rob
ert Elwyn Bailey, Elizabeth St.
George Bamum, Kathryn Cloanla
Boney, William Boney, Peggy Izlar
Broome, Raymond Cameron, Susan
Flarriette Chatfield, Francis Council.
Clyde Thomas Dunn, Robert War
wick DuRant, Alice Crosby Eddy.
Paul Jeanette Greene, Mary Grey.
June Holt, Gertrude Agnes Jacobs.
Robert B. Kelils, Harry Klabbotz.
Warren D. Matthewe, Lillian Irene
McCain, Ruth Beverly McFarland.
Lois Morrison, John Scott Newton,
Norma Jean Palmer, Margaret Ellen
Pierce, M.'rie Louise Porter, Cather
ine Porter. Catherine Prizer, James
Franklin Rosa, Myra Elleft Scftt,
Marjorie Anne Shepard, Gladys Mel-
ita Snipes, Boyd Starnes, Albert Kel-
log Stebbins, III. Josiah Allen Swett,
•Anna Bertha Tobdn. Gene Ruth Van
Camp, 'Vivian Hliabeth Wilson, Jes
sie Louise Windham.
The conunencement sermon will be
delivered this Sunday night at the
Church of Wide Fellowship by the
Rev. Dr. C. C. Weaver of Winston-Sa-
lem, former president of Emmery and
Henry Collegeand for many years
pastor of on? of Charlotte’s leading
Methodist churches. Dr. Weaver is
the father of Superintendent Philip
Weaver of the Southern Pines
Schools. The service opens at 8:15
o’clock.
Monday will be Honors Day, with
exercises at the school auditorium at
11:15 a. m. and with class day ex
ercises that evening at 8:15 o’clock.
On Tuesday morning the Seniors will
present a new flag and staff to the
school with suitable exercises on the
campus at 11:15. The program for
Tuesday night’s {n^aduation exercises
Processional, Miss Selma Stegall;
Invocation, the Rev. F. Craighill
Brown; Song, Glee Club; Presentation
of Speaker, County Chairman Wilbur
Currie; Commencement Address, Dr.
Kenneth Joseph Foreman; Song,
Glee Club; Presentation of Diplo
mas, Dr. George G. Herr, School
Board Chairman; Song, Glee Club,
and Benediction, the Rev. Voigt Tay
lor.
ABERDEEN’S FIRST
12TH GRADE IS
GIVEN DIPLOMAS
Lieut. Col. H. R. Pierce of Fort
Bragg Speaker at High
School Graduation
Aberdeen High School graduated its
first 12th grade this week with fit
ting exercises on Monday night fea
tured by an address by Lieut. Col. H-
R. Pierce of Fort Bragg and the pre
sentation of awards and diplomas.
This term ending the first year of 12
grades in the school, the coveted pig
skins were given to both the 11th and
12th grade graduates.
Those awarded 11th grade diplomas
were Louise Caviness, Lucille Davis,
Becky Deaton, Mary Spencer Harring
ton, Ciara Kirk, EJrwin Kirk, Jennings
Kirk, Sara Smith, Louise Thompson,
Ann Warner. Twelfth grade diplomas
went to Patricia Berg, Clayton
Brooks, Frances Hearn, Ernestine
Mirks, Louise Martin, Gayle Meanor,
Emma Jane Melvin, Virginia Paris,
John Patrick, W'alter Patrick, Gwen
dolyn Pickier, Belk Troutman and Ma
rie Tyson.
Medals for various honors won by
the students during their school ca
reers were awarded to Teensie Sham-
hurger, Martha Lou Bryan, Mary
Spencer Harrington, Patricia Berg,
Becky Deaton, Margaret McNeill,
Louise Martin and Emma VaVn Bos-
kerck. County Superintendent H. Lee
Thomas presented the medals and di
plomas. J. Talbot Johnson introduc
ed Col. Pierce at the graduating ex
ercises.
Dr. A. C. Reid of Wake Forest Col
lege preached the commencemene an-
mon at impressive exerciss last Sun
day night.
Class marshals were Mary Page,
Catherine Rowe, Hazel Melvin, Mar
garet McNeill, Clifton Wilson, Mar-
th.a Lou Bryan and Ruth Harden,
with Evelyn Gamer, Sandy McLeod,
Ruth Lawhon and Sara McLeod as al
ternates. Janet Farrell and John Clif
ton Blue were Senior Class mascots.
Seventh grade exercises were held
last Friday night, with songs by the
Gcammar School Glee Club, directed
by Miss Mildred Reed, and recitations
and declamations by Gene Morgan,
Doris Gamer, Sandy McLeod, Peggy
Pennington, Teensie Shamburger,
Max Wicker, Ruth Rarden, Martha
Lou Bryan, Sara McLeod and Lillian
Maxwell.
DOG VACCINATIONS
It’s 'dog vaccinaticn time. A new
rabies vaccine developed by the U. S.
Public Health Service and being used
here has necessitated an increase
from 50 to 75 cents in the charge. All
dogs must be vaccinated, imder the
law.
her car, was cut about the head, and
the Misses Strickland and Brown re
ceived head injuries. Only Whitlock
escaped without damage.
Mrs. Whitlock was the daughter of
Cyrenius F. and Harriet Bot.sford Ma
son of Rushford, N. Y., and was a!
graduate of Rushford High School i
and State Teachers’ College at Al- j
bany, N. Y. She was married to
Alonzo G. Lyon in 1909, the couple
making their home in Staten Island.
Mrs. Lyon taught school in New York
City for 30 years until her retirement
due to ill health, at which time she
came to Pinebluff. She was a mem
ber of the Presbyterian Church and
the Daughters of the American Revo
lution. Two sisters survive, Miss Mar.
ion C. Mason of Alfred, N. Y., and
i Mis. C. Huber Watson of Andover, N.
' Y.
Funeral .services were held Wednes
day afternoon in the Powell Chapel in
Southern Pines, conducted by the Rev.
E. M. Harris of Aberdeen and Dr. W.
A. Parsons of Pinebluff, after which
the body was sent to Staten Island
There have been seven fatal auto
mobile accidents in the county sinci*
Januai-y 1st, resulting in ten deaths;
figures far in excess of the corres
ponding period in 1940. Pinebluff has
suffered the loss of two of its citizens
in these accidents, John W. Pickier
having been killed on April 18th
postoffice or rural mail carriers.
Please impress upon them that the
closing date is June 15th, and we
want to see Moore county 100 per
cent by then.’’
Mrs. D. S. Ray, Sr., Dies
After Extended Illness
j Native of Cary Had
! Moore County Her Home
i Since Childho<»d
Hodgkino
and Mrs. Clara Pushee head the
Southern Pines committee which
comprises, to date, the following oth
ers: Miss Birdilia Bair, Mrs. Nelson
C. Hyde, Mrs. Barbara Lansing, Mrs.
George London, Mrs. James J. Spring,
Robert L. Hart, Miss Millie Monte-
santi and Mrs. Frank W. McCluer.
The drive for funds in Southern Pines
will take place next Wednesday fol
lowing President Roosevelt’s broad
cast on the subject on Tuesday night.
Governor Broughton, working
through Robert M. Hanes, State
chairman, is perfecting an organiza
tion in every county in the state. J.
Talbot Johnson, acting chairman for
Moore county, is arranging for com-
I mittees in the towns of Southern
I Pines, Pinehurst, Pinebluff, West EJnd,
Final Judgment Entered With i Carthage, Hemj) and Aberdeen, and
Mrs. Nichols Holding First ] expects to be able to name the mem-
' Lien on 47 Acres 1 bers of his committee during the next
jfew days. The United Service Organ-
A final judgment was entered in; ization for National Defense is made
Superior Court in the case of the j up of six agencies which have united
Citizens Bank & Trust Company and j in the common cause of bettering the
Harriett E. Nichols, executrix of M. | conditions for the morale of our sol-
G. Nichols, and others versus the diers. These organizations are the
COURT ORDERS
DISSOLUTION OF
COUNTRY CLUB
Young Men's Christian Association,
the National Catholic Community
Service, the Salvation Army, the
Young Women’s Christian Associa
tion, the Jewish Welfare Board, and
Relatives and friends filled the
Carthage Methodist Chtirch last Sat
urday afternoon for the funeral of
Mrs. Lura Pleasants Ray of Niagara,
widow of the late Dan S. Ray, former
Mnore county register of deeds, whose
death occurred last Friday afternoon
in the Moore County Hospital. Mrs. j pro-rata.
Ray had been in ill health for some
time.
Born in Cary 76 years ago, Mrs.
Ray had been a resident of Moore
county «ince childhood, spending sev
eral years in Aberdeen and Carthage
before moving to Niagara. Of pioneer
Southern Pines Country Club, Inc.,
and the Town of Southern Pines, and
the club was dissolved as a corpora
tion.
The Court found that the Southern
Pines Country Club was due Mrs 1 the National Travelers Aid Associa-
Nichols the sum of $25,710.44; that tion.
Mrs. Nichols had a first lien on aj The objectives of these combined or-
46.9-acre tract and was entitled to' ganizations are to aid in the Defense
have the purchase price of $1,000 paid program of the United States by setv-
to her in full as credit upon the said'ing the religious, spiritual, education-
mortgaged indebtedness. j al, and social needs of the men and
The following unsecured claims women in the armed forces and de-
were recorded: Donald J. Ross, $1,500; jfense industries, and to contribute to
Emmett French, $394; Citizens Bank the maintenance of morale in Ameri-
& Trust Company, $840. j can communities.
The Court decreed that the above j The United Service Organization
Made ’all of the claims against ’ plans to set up 339 Service Groups
the property, other claimants being | adjacent to camps, naval stations,
barred from collecting as they had'and defense industries, throughout
neglected to file their claims within'the United Statei and its overseas
the time prescribed by law, and the'bases, so that the influence and com.
sales of the property to Mrs. Nichols fort of the American home commun
were confirmed.
It was ordereu *hat Mrs. Nichols oe
paid the full sum of $1,000 from the
sale of the 46.9-acre tract and that
other moneys be paid the creditors
Other Judgments
In the case of Marion C. McNeille
and other members of the Pinebluff
Maternal Welfare Committee versus
Aaron Little, a permanent injunction
was signed, restraining the defend
ants from interfering with the plain-
stock in this section, she had endear, j tiff’s use of the premises leased from
ed unto hei-self a wide circle of friends , him for the welfare work,
throughout the entire county, as evi- | The case of i^eston Blue and Wade
denced by the profusion of floral ] Mitchell, charged with manslaughter,
tributes at the services. The Rev. W. was continued, Mitchell to give bond
G. Farrar of the Carthage Methodist of $,'>00, and the case to be tried first
Church and the Rev. Emest L. Bar. j at the August term,
her of Bethesda Presbyterian Church,
Aberdeen officiated, and the bearers
were Edwin T. McKeithen. Neil .A.
McKeithen, Norfleet Pleasants, Dan
Carter and Ralph Caldwell. | The Southern IMnes High School
Mrs. Ray leaves three daughters, i Alumni will Sponsor a dance after
Miss Elizabeth of Niagara, Mrs. O. F. i graduation exercises on Tuesday
Taylor of Winston-Salem and Mrs.' night, June 3rd at the Civic Club, hon-
Vic Huggins of Chapel Hill, and three 1 oring the graduating class of 1941.
sons, Ervin L. Ray of Asheboro,' Refreshments will be served during
Norfleet Ray of Niagara and Dan S. j the evening and dancing will be en-
Ray, Jr. of Southern Pines. Also sur-| joyed until 1:00 o’clock. All alumni
HIGH SCHOOL .ALUMNI TO
GIVE DANCE FOR SENIORS
viving are three sisters, Mrs. N. A.
McKeithen of Carthage, Mrs. Ralph
of the school are Invited. Music will
be by the High Schol Recording Sys-
Leach of Aberdeen and Mrs. Rena lem, and admission will be 25 cents.
Sims of Winter Garden, Fla., and a i —
brother, Emest L Pleasants, Aber- B.\NKS CLOSED
deen, and ten grandchildren.
Mrs. Ray was buried beside her late j Moore county banks will be closed
husband in the Carthage Cemetery, all day today, FViday, Memorial Day,
ity may be brought to those who
have been associated from their
homes to service of their country.
“Vital Enterprise” *'
Of this program, President Roose
velt has said: “There is no enterprise
more vital to the well-being of mil
lions of young people who are rally
ing to their country's call.”
Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of
War, referring to the organization
says: "Military morale cannot be sep
arated from civilian morale. We can
not establish one standard for our
soldiers and for our defense workers
and quite another standard for our
citizens and ourselves. The great task
of spiritual re-armament yet remains
to be done. Let us make this cam-
paign a demonstration of aroused and
united America.’’
Frank Knox, Secretary of the
Navy, in giving his full support to
the organization, says: “We owe
something to those men, and above
all else We owe them the duty of see
ing that the surroundings in which
they undergo training shall be such
that they will come out of this diffi
culty which lies ahead, better equip
ped to discharge their duties as
American citizens, as American fath
ers, as leaders of the future, than
they would be if we were indifferent
to their welfare.”
"France was supposed to have had
the finest army in the world. ItB"Mag-
Staoy Ritter pleaded guilty to
drunken driving and was given 90
(Pleat* turn to pagu tight)