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Columns a Key to 1,600
. Martin County Homes
VOLUME xxvm—NUMBER 99
Fire Destroys Robersonville
i Livery Stable; 21 Horses and
Mules Lost; Damage $25,000
Loss Partially Covered
By Insurance; Hap
pened Friday
A fire in Robersonville Friday night
Lurned the large livery stable known
as the Grimes Stable, together with
21 head of horses and muie6.
Ihe fire was discovered about 6.30
F.iday afternoon while Mr. Jo'ih
James, who was returning the jtables,
was at supper. He had only bii-. a
way a short while when the flames
were seen sweeping all through the
building.
People near by rushed to open the
stables and let the stock out, but
were unable to do so, and everything
with was a total loss.
The horses and mules were seen
running around inside with the sweep
uig tongues of Are lashing over them,
until they finally fell in the consum
ing fire.
The building was mostly of wood
and sheet iron and burned rapidly. It
was a very large building and but for
Ihe heroic efforts of the new fire com
pany of Robersonville the Adkins k.
Bailey Warehouse sod the coopera
tive tobacco warehouse would have
been consumed also.
The building was estimated to be
worth SB,OOO, With $5,000 insurance,
and belonged to Mr. W. P. Deans, of
Hefidersonville.
The horses and mules were insured
for SIOO each, but most of them were
worth much more than that.
The litle cigarette is supposed to
have been the cause of the fire.
Plan Organization of
Merchants Association
At a meeting of local merchants
held at the mayor's office Monday
night the question of organising a
merchants association was diiew—ed
at length, after which every merchant
present voted to go into a permanent
organization. E. P. Cunningham was
elected permanent chairman and
Charles A. Knight secretary.
The secretary was directed to cor
respond with the State association for
uiformation as to regulations of mer
chants' associations.
The meeting adjourned it was de
cided to postpone perfecting the or
ganization until next Monday night
in order that a larger representation
of the merchants of the town would
be present
MRS. EDWARD CLARK TO
BE BUBIED AT 4 TODAY
Weldon, Feb. i6.—Mrs. Margaret
Lillington Clark, wife of Edward
Thorne Clark, a crother of the late
Chief Justice Walter Clark, died here
this morning at 9.46 o'clock. The
burial will be in the Thorne Cemetery
near Wilmington Tuesday afternoon
at 4 o'clock. Mrs. Clark is survived
by her husband and three children,
Lillington Clark, of Roanoke Rapids;
David M. Clark, mayor of Greenville;
and Mrs. Felix Graves, of Washing
ton. Before her marriage she was
Miss Margaret Lillington, of Yadkin
County.
Mrs. Clark is very happily remem
bered in Williamston, where she vis
ited her daughter, Mrs. Graves, sev
eral times during her residence here.
The sympathy of a large circle of
friends goes out to Mrs. Graves, who
was both daughter and companion to
her mother.
Mrs. George Riordan, of Batimore,
arrived Sunday night to visit her par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Eli Gurganus, for
several days.
STRAND
THEATRE
The manager of
The Strand will be
forced to discontinue
the 15c show on
Wednesday unless
the attendance in
creases. If you want
the 15c show be pres
ent tomorrow night.
GOOD PROGRAM
Two Shows—7 and 9
TOMORROW
NIGHT
** '
THE ENTERPRISE^
RULES ANNOUNCED
OF QUEEN CONTEST
Contest Will Be Held at East Carolina
Exposition At Greenville;
April 5 to 9
Following are the rules and regula
tions governing the queen's contest at
the fourth annual Eastern Carolina
Exposition and Automobile Show, to
be held at Greenville April 5-9, 1926:
1. No young lady can i>e a candidate
in this contest, who lias not passed her
17th birthday by April 1, 1926.
" 2. Only single young ladies are eli
gible to participate in this contest.
3. All entries must be formally reg
istered with the secretary-manager,
Newel G. Bartlett, Einston, N. U not
later thabliarch 10, 192*.
4. The name of the candidate must '
be accompanied by a letter from aome
local organization or individual, rep
resenting the town, certifying to the
tact that the candidate whose name t
U sent, is the official representative of •
that particular town. 1
6. Only one candidate from each 
town outside of Pitt County will be
eligible to enter. i
6. The Pitt County representatives J
are to be prorated as follows: Green- 
ville, 6 candidates; Farmville, 2 can- 
didatoa; Ayden, 2 candidates, and each
ol the other towns in Pitt County may I
enter one candidate each. The towns I
of Farmville, Ayden, and Greenville i
must enter their full quota of candi- i
dates, in order to qualify.
7. Method of voting. All candidates i
must report for the parade Monday I
afternoon, April 5, at 2 o'clock. Fail- !
ure to comply with this rule will die- '
qualify any candidate to further par
ticipate in the voting.
8. The candidates will be introduced ,
from the stage for the Arst time Mon- i
day evening at 8:15. All candidates
must report for this first introduction i
oi else forfeit their rights to partici
pate in the voting. The candidates
will not be required to report, again
until Thursday afternoon lo« another
presentation from the stage, and then
again Thursday night for the last
time.
9. Each admission ticket will have
a coupon attached representing as
many votes as the worth of the ticket
in pennies. The coupon will be sep
arated from the admission and the
name of the two candidates written
on it( the choice of the holder of the
ticket). This ballot will be carried to
the ballot box, which will be in charge
of a competent person on the inside of
the exposition building, and there
placed in the barrel. The ballot box
booth will be opened from 2 p. m.
Monday, April sth, to 11 p. m. each
day until Thursday night, April Bth,
at 41 o'clock. It will then be closed
and the ballots turned over to a com
mittee who will have charge of con
solidating the votes.
10. The winners will be announced
Friday evening, April 9, at 7 o'clock,
on the inside of the exposition build
ing.
11. There will be two queens elect
ed; one from Pitt County and one
from outside Pitt County.
12. Each of these queens will be
crowned and presented with a |6OO
diamond ring Friday evening, April
9, at 8.80.
18. All candidates will be the guests
of the Eastern Carolina Chamber of
Commerce at the annual luncheon on
Thursday, April Bth, at 12.30 p. m.,
in Greenville.
guests of the good ladies of Green
ville the entire week, if you care to
remain. _ s
For any further information write
Eastern Carolina Exposition head
quarters, Kinston, N. C.
Prisoner Is Awarded
Damages of $50,000
A jury at Elisabeth City Saturday
awarded Joe Swindell, a convict, >60,-
000 damages against J. B. Farrior, of
Wilson, N. C., for alleged personal in
juries. Farrior, it was charged, ahot
and permanently disabled Swindell
more than a year afo while the latter
was in the Elisabeth City jail awaiting
trial for an alleged offense against
Farrior's grand-daughter.
15 KILLED IN SOUTH LAST
WEEK BY AUTOMOBILES
The Associated Press figures show
85 deaths in automobile accidents in
the South last week, and 272 injured.
North Carolina registered four of
the deaths and 34 of the injured.
1 Louisiana lad in the death list with
1 6 killed outright.
Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, February 16,1926
7,481,262 POUNDS OF
TOBACCO SOLD HERE
$1,823,249.32 Paid to Farmers for
Golden Weed; Season's Average
Was $21.86
The Williamston tobacco market
sold 7,481,262 pounds of tobacco dur
ing the past season, bringing $1,823,-
240.32, not including scrap. The aver
age for the season was 24.86 per hun
dred pounds.
This is the best season the William
ston market has ever had, and with
pending prospects the market may be
expected to sell 12,000,000 pounds
during the coming season.
One of the most substantial and
reliable tobacco buyers in America
happens lo be located on the William
ston market, in the person of W. 1.
Skinner, who not only buys but drys
the tobacco he buys in his own steam
plant, enabling him to buy all grades
and all types to good advantage.
Efforts are now being made to en
large the warehousing equipment for
the coming season.
i
Recorder's Court '
Has Short Session ,
The Recorders Court wa9 in ses- t
sion for a short while this morning, i
Judge Smith presided and Solicitor t
Peel prosecuted the cases. Only five
cases appeared on the docket. i
There were charged of assault 
made against Perlie Hardison and i
John Lilley, but after going over the j
evidence the solicitor nol prossed both 
cases. 
The case against Kelly and Heber ,
Davenport, which charged thorn with (
larceny, was tried, but there was no (
incriminating evidence brought out,
and they were found not guilty. |
Will Rogers plead guilty to larceny (
und the court required him to pay
the costs of bringing suit and to pay
$5 to C. C. Rawls and $2.50 to W. E.
Terry.
J. S. Hardison,was found guilty of
maliciously tearing down a fence.
Judgment was suspended upon pay- i
raent of the costs of the action. i
Guest Day Observed
By Missionary Society
Guest Day, which is observed once
each year by the Woman's Christian
Missionary Societies, was observed by
the local organisation yesterday. Mrs. (
A. R. Dunning entertained the society
which has about twenty-five members,
and their guests for the day, number
ing about fifteen.
After the regular business session
the following program was_ reuiered
by several of the memlx-io oi the
Mission Rand;
"Jesus Bids Us Shine," Song.
Scripture reading, led by Mary A.
Dunning.
Sentence prayers, by the children.
"Children Across the Sea," a dia
logue by five girls.
"Three Little Maids from Japan," a
song.
"A Lesson in Arithmetic," reading.
Miss Esther Harrison also read "A
New Earth."
The following girls took part in
the play: Misses Edith Peel, Nellie
C. Harrison, Grace Manning, Mar
jorie Brown, Christine Manning, Eula
F. Hftiley, Myrtle W. Brown, Jose
phine and Eva Harrison, Mary A.
Dunning, Ollie Marie Robertson, John
nie Edmondson, Margaret Britton.
Mrs. Dunning, assisted by some of
the young ladies, served fruit salad
and sandwiches.
•THE MERRY WIDOW"
DRAWING BIG CROWDS
"The Merry Widow," which was
shown at the Strand Theatre last
night and will be there again tonight,
is one of the best pictures seen here
in a leng while. It is a strong play,
i and wonderful acting makes it a thril
er.
A resident of Williamston who has
recently returned from New York
saw the picture here last night be
. cause she had been unable to pro
' cure a seat for the show while in the
metropolis.
TOWN TEAM TO PLAY
f HERTFORD HERE TONIGHT
t The Williamston Town Team will
I play the Hertford Town aggregation
r tonight at the Dixie Warehouse. A
r good game is promised all who at
t tend- >
MONDAY 28th ANNIVERSARY
OP SINKING OP THE MAINE
Monday was the 28th anniversary
t of the sinking of the battleship Maine
i in the harbor at Havana, Cuba, when
i. 206 officers and men lost their lives,
f The United States, Great Britain,
and Cuba all joined in paying tribute
li to the memory of those who lost their
February Presents
Variety of Weather
February has furnished us a
great * ariety of weather so far—
snow, hail, wind, rain, thunder,
lightning, cold, hoi. fair und
cloudy. '
Four thunder squalls the first
11 days in February compares
well with June and August.
Some of the prophets say it
means a good crop year and lots
of lish, while other* .'.ay w hen it
thunders up the river it scares the
lish away and means too much
rain for crops the balance of the
year. Both ma> be wrong.
MUST CONVERT
WAR INSURANCE
Ex-Service Men Haveilintil July 2nd
to Reinstate or Convert Their
War Risk Insurance
Washington, Feb. %3. —In a recent
letter to General Frank T. Hines, Di
rector of the U. S. Veterans llureau,
President Coolidge bus expressed his'
unqualified aifprovul ol' the campaign
recently inaugurated by the bureau to
bring lo the attention of ull ex-service
meu and women the desirability of
immediate reinstatement and conver
sion of their war risk insurance.
Commenting upon the insurance is
sued by the government, I'rejident
Coolidge said, "It is unnecessary for
me to dwell upon the merits" of life
insurance, and the benefits which
would come to all veterans and their
dependents by their taking advantage
oi the liberal provisions made bjTlrh*-
government in the matter of insur
ance."
Under the terms und provisions of
the World War Veterans act of 1924
all yearly renewable term insurance
twar-time insurance) must be 1011
verted, if now in force, or reinstated
ami converted, it lapsed, into some
form of United States government
life-insurance on or before July 2,
1926, after which date no applica
tion for reinstatement and conversion
can be accepted.
The provisions ft r
are so lenient, the teiins of the poli
[tries so liberal, and the premiums
tl eiiKselves so low as to bring some
one of the six converted policies with
iii reach of every veteran, and director
Mines is concerned in seeing that
every man or woman entitled to this
insurance be advised of his or her
rights in connection with it before it
too late.
Roanoke Is Being
Cleared of Debris
United States Government Rivers
anl Harbors Boat No. 14 is now en
gaged in clearing overhanging trees
and floating logs from the Roanoke
River at Hamilton.
The boat carries a crew of about 10
men, and they will be engaged in im
provements from Williamston to
Hamilton for several weeks. No work
has been done on the upper Roanoke
for. several years, and much work is
necessary to make shipping
The government has never spent
much on improving the waters of the
ltoanoke. It is estimated that what
expenditures have been made have
come back many times in lower
freight rates, '■ ;
State Supervisor To
Visit County Schools
Miss Susan Fulghum, State super
visor of the white elementary schools
will be in this county this week. She
will visit the Oak City and William
ston elementary schools. She will
work with these departments and also
investigate the libraries for the pur
pose of making appropriations this
year. Last year she appropriated SSO
tc the Williamston school and she will
recommend .Jamesville and Oak City
rehools this year.
Hamilton Principal 111
In Wilmington Hospital
Superintendent J. L. Jories, of the
Hamilton School, is in the Walker
Memorial Hospital, Wilmington, for
an operation for appendicitis His
friends wish him a speedy recovery.
Frank Hassell Here tor Week End
Mr. Frank Hassell, of Wilson, spent
the week end visiting his father, Elder
Sylvester Hassell. Mr. Hassell is
practicing law in Wilson, where he
stands not only liigh in his profession
but as a leading citizen of that town.
Mr. Warren Here Monday
Mr. Hyman Warren, of Roberson
ville, paid us a pleasant visit Mon
day. Mr. Warren is traveling in the
interest of a tobacco-curing" stove,
which is highly recommended by
many people who have used them.
_ Luth«t Burbank, Famoaj Horticun
•a,
Hera h the yrea* "Plant Wliard," snapped while pa n tnepee
flon tour of his wonder gardens at Santa Roea, California. Lite world,
to whldt ha has given (toneless plums; mdli— oranges, and » h«n»
(I red other "fruits of his labors," la glad to hear he wU) not settle, aer
.will his gardens be sold as was reported.
ANNOUNCE NEW
PRICES ON FORDS
Closed Models Reduced; Open Cars
Advanced; Fordson and Chassis
Trices Remain Same
A new price list for Ford passenger
cars, including a material reduction in
the prices of closed cars, was an
nounced last week by Edsel 11. Ford,
president of the Ford Motor Co. The
new prices became effective Thursday
morning, February 11.
.Jjifra biggest reduction is made in
the price of the Fordor sedan, which
is dropped from $669 to ss6t>J a re-'
duction of $96.
A reduction of S6O also is made-in
the Tudor Sedan, which is cut from
SSBO to $620, and the price of the
coupe is reduced from $620 to S6OO.
In the open-type cars the price of
the touring car goes from $290 to
$3lO and the runaliout from $260 to
$;290.
All the above pricou are f.o.b. De
troit.
| "Demand for closed cars since the
improved type in colors were intro
-1 m l has been constantly increasing,''
said a statement accompany the an
nouncement. "With greater output
of these types, costs have lessened,
and it is the policy of the company
tn give its customers the benefit of
ull reductions in production costs. A
slight increase is made In the prices
of open cars."
There will be no change in the price
of the Model T chassis, the Ford ton
j truck chassis or the Fordson
il was stated.
Fertilier Test To Be
Made Near Here
Mr. E. Y. Floyd, of the department
of agriculture is in Williamston to
day. ,1 • 1
Mr. Floyd has arranged to have a
fertilizer test for tobacco this year.
The demonstration will be conducted
by Mr. Walter Gurganus on Mr. L. 11
Harrison's farm, between the Stand
ard Oil Tanks and Skewarkee church,
in a place convenient for farmers to
observe during the growing season,
Mr. Floyd says they will use about 10
different kinds of fertilizers on the
test plot and an accurate account will
be kept of all the costs of the test,
as well as the outcome of the crop.
Internal Revenue Man
To Be Here 24 and 25
The United States Internal Revenue
llureau will have a representative in
Williamston February 24th and 25th,
to assist income-tax payers in mak
ing out their income-tax reports.
He will also be at Robersonville on
February 23; Windsor, 26th; Plymouth
23rd and 24th; and at Washington
on March 1 and 15.
People required to list their incomes
will find it a great help to have an
expert advise them just how to make
out their returns.
Athletic Association
Met Here Thursday
The Martin County Athletic Asso
ciation met at the Williamston Grad
ed school last Thursday afternoon.
Among the things of importance
that were brought up was the basket
ball schedule which was made out,
and which will be printed in The En
terprise at an early date.
Mr. E. H. Robinson, of the Colonial
Life Insurance Co., of High Point, is
in town today.
Miss Mildred Harden spent the
week end in Windsor with Miss Rosa
lie Rhea.
County Commencement
To Be Held In April
The annual county commence
ment will take place) this year
in April.
I'lanu are beinK formulated and
rules and regulation* for enter
ing the various contests will noon
be mailed the teachers throughout
the county.
Much Activity Seen
At Virginia Beach
A member of our statf has been
the guest of one of one of Virginia
Beach's pioneer citizens, and one of
its ablest, Dr. Kdgar Morrison, dur
ing the past week and fcivtss here a
lew observations:
"Never having visited the beach in
the winter, 1 expected to And on this
visit everything i(uieV and calm ex
cept the ocean on stormy days, as I
hud heard that of Virginia Beach as
wall as most of our near-by watering
places. But never in my life was 1
more mistaken. 1 have not been to
Florida, but I did read Dr. -Dave's de
scription, and. Virginia Beach has cer
tainly got some of the Florida spirit.
And the only tiling that Florida has
got on Virginia Heach is that she is
bounded on three sides by the 12-
mile limit and Virginia Beach by just
.ne; but Virginia Beach is only a few
miles distant from one of the best sea
ports in the world.
Ueal estate dealers are just about
as numerous at the beach now as
visitors were at the height of the
season four or five years ago. Dr.
Morrison is getting ready to lay the
foundations for several new build
ings and before the first brick will be
laid they will all have been rented,
and mostly to reputable real-estate
Elbert Peel, Jr., Has 1
Birthday Party
Elbert Peel, jr., celebrated his (
luurth birthday yesterday afternoon i
at his home on ilaughton Street. i
The weather being ideal for such
an occasion, the forty little guests
played outdoor games from 3 until i
4:30, when they were invited invited
into the dining room. The dining table
was decorated with a birthday cake
ior a centerpiece and there were burn
ing candles on valentine stands. There
were places arranged with ice cream,
cake, and candy for refreshments.
Numerous presents were presented
the little fellow by his friends.
I MUCH DAMAGE IN NASH
CAUSED BY CYCLONE
Kocky Mount, Feb. 16.—Thousands
of dollars of damage but without loss
of life or injury is reported to have
attended a cyclone which swept across
a section of Nash County in the Reid
Store and Gold Uook section yester
day afternoon. ~"r~
Harris stables and outbuildings were
demolished by the twister, which eye
witnesses describe as being attended
by dark clouds and high winds,, al
though there was no- straight path ap>
parently traveled and it seemed to dip
down here and there with tremendous
fury for a few momenta. Among the
losers of buildings and outhouses in
the vicinity were Van Watson, M. G.
Moore, E. W. Iteid, and Sam Edwards,
while a negro church near the farm
of Mr. Keid is said to have been to
tally wrecked. On the farm of Sam
Edwards a negro tenant house which
was unoccupied at the time was
i oaught in the fury of the winds and
was carried from its foundation a
good distance, being entirely demolish
' t:d and even the foundation sills were
hurled from their places by the wind's
fury.
Watch Label on Your
Paper; It Carries Date
Subscription Expires
ESTABLISHED 1898
POE BEGS FARMER
TO SAVE HIMSELF
Says No Mistake As Bad Or Cowardly
AM TO Fail To Sinn L p Now
~ For New Association
Or. Clarence Poe, editor of the Pro
gressive Farmer, last Saturday warn
ed the largest mass meeting of farm
ers which have gathered during the
present campaign for a up of 65
per cent of South Carolina tobacco in
to a new association, that they must
sign the contract immediately or go
back to the deprivations and condi
tions of destitution which they met
in the thirty years before they sought
and gawd relief by cooperative mar
kiting.
"No mistake that we could make
would be as bad or sowardiy as ly
ing down and suying that we could
not work out our own salvation, 'if
we go "back to the auction system, its
evils wll be multiplied. The buyers
will tell you that you tried to get
your freedom and didn't have the eour
a«e to do it. They will lay on bur
dens ten times heavier than before,"
l>r. I'oe told the farmers from six
counties of the South Carolina belt
who gathered Saturday at the court
houses in Lumberton and W hileville.
(..olden Opportunity
"You have a golden opportunity to
continue the gains and to do away
with the mistakes which you have
made by your assocation in the first
tour years of cooperative marketing,'"
said Dr, Poe, pointing to the fact that
although people said no tobacco farm
irs could get strong men to carry on
their business and had predicted that
they could not grade tobacco, secure
funds, or build an association that
would last a year, the tobacco farm
ers have nevertheless worked out the
best grading system ever devised for
tobacco, they have gained a remark
able position of credit with the. great
financial institutions of America, and
hae increased their first cash payment
from 86 to 66 per cent of banker's
valuation until the association's first
cash,' payment last season was more
than the entire average received lor
tobacco by South Carolina belt farm
irn In (U2l, the year before tne asso
ciation was organized.
The Last Chance Now
•Stating that he had been criticized
lor poifttiug out what re garded as
mistakes in the management of the
present association, Dr. Poe said that
the tobacco farmers of South Carolina
and the border counties now have a
thance to build a cooperative market
ing association for tobacco which will
be a true democracy of farmers, one
in which full publicity and free dis
cussion of problems by the members
shall be the rule, an association which
will mean real self government among
tobacco farmers and will set up the
machinery whereby they will make
themselves masters of their own in
dustry.
The editor of the Progressive Farm
ei warned the farmers and business
men that if they fail to give every
possible moment in the few days that
remain to signing up the necessary 65
per cent that they must take the
wrong fork of the road and abandon
the voice which they had in naming
the price of the tobacco of this sec
tion and go hat in hand to the buyers
to ask, "How much are you going to
condescend to give me for what 1 pro
duce?"
Secretary M. O. Wilson, of the To
bacco Growers Cooperative Associa
tion stated at Saturday's meetings
that the situation is very serious be
cause only about 15 per cent of the
necessary tobacco acreage had been
signed up to last week. Only immed
iate and continuous action of the
fanners in every tobacco producing
county of the South Carolina belt
from now until March Ist can pre-
I vent the serious financial depression
which appears certain to accompany
. 11l cent tobacco this summer in case
{ the present sign up fails, according to
, his prediction.
i Junior Order To
Meet Thursday
3 The Junior Order will meet Thurs
j day night in their rooms over the H.«
0. peel Jewelry Co. All members are
requested to attend, as there are im
portant matters to be brought up.
?
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: Haritßonw
i