North Carolina Newspapers

Advartiaara Will Fnd Oar Col an ■ Latchkey to Ortr lisltaa Hoadrad Martin Cw»ty Haanaa VOLUME XXXVI—NUMBER 51 EARLY SALES AVERAGE $11.22 Estimated 170,000 Big Decline in Value of Farm Products Is Shown in Survey 3 CROPS IN THIS COUNTY ONCE WORTH $3,000,000 Bigger Crops Sell For Less In 1932 Than Smaller Crops Sold for in 1931 All farm crops in Martin County, with the exception of truck and other garden crops, sold for a total of sl,- 636,842, or $48,670 less than the same crops sold for in 1931. When the atreage is considered, the 1931 crop brought much more money than the 1932 crop did. In 1931, 65,641 acres were planted to 12 crops in this coun ty. Last year there were 70,330 acres planted to the same crops, or an in crease of 4,689 acres, yet the total value was decreased by $48,690. The four main crops, tobacco, pea nuts, corn, and Cotton, sold for sl,- 493,846 last year. In 1931 the same crops sold for $1,585,532. The crops of wheat, oats, rye, soybeans, cow peas, Irish potatoes and sweet pota toes, constituting 8,289 acres in 1932, sold for $142,996. In 1931, 5,969 acres of the same crops sold for $111,885. At one time Martin County farmers "Were setting three crops each vahted at more than one million dollars. This was the only county in the state to produce three major crops, tobacco, peanuts, and cotton, worth more*than a million dollars each, the tobacco crop alone carrying a value of nearly $3,000,000 in each of several years. Not one of th* three has passed the million mark in value recently. A study of acreages planted to the various crops in this county during the past 12 years shows one main ac tion, with a slight variation making itself noticeable during the past two years. During most of that period, every available acre, almost, was plant Ed cither to tobacco, cotton, peanuts, ing to the 1930 census. An illiterate or corn. The number of acre* planted ii one who confesses the inability to to strictly food crops was hardly wore read ami write. How many near-it than a side line with the farmers Without a single exception, acreages were increased to certain crops bring ing good prices the year before, and acreages were decreased to thunf crops bringing low prices the preced ing year. The growers were as reg ular in their acreage variations as the pendulum of a clock is regular in its stroke. They would swing from first one side to the other. Peanut prices were low last year, and, as a result, there is a marked decrease in the acreage to that crop this year. It is all in the game, and no one person or group of persons is to be held accountable. MARTINS WIN SECOND HALF Locals Win 16 and Lose 7 Games During Second Hilf of Seanon Defeating Colerain here last Friday afternoon, JO to 7, and Edenton the following day by a 6 to 0 count, Wil-1 liamston's baseball team won the sec- ( ond half in the Albemarle League, I gaining the right to battle Edenton, J winners of the first half, for •"ham-1 pionship honor* in the "little world •erie*" starting here this afternoon. ' Colerain, with mostly all local tal ent, made it interesting for the Mar tins last Thursday. 'Once or twice the visitors nearly upset the game for the local*. White, for Colerain, al-| lowed 12 hits, while his teammates | got eight off Herring. The mighty O'Brien was hit at ran- { dom here last Saturday afternoon in the eight innings of a scheduled dou-| ble-header, and the local* won by a •core of 6 to 0. Brake batted for the circuit, hi* third four-bagger of the week. Earp made a two-base hit and a three-bagger. Latham and Uz sle hit safely three out of four times at bat, the team touching O'Brien for 14 hit*. Cherry fanned eight men and allowed three scratch hit*. Rain fell in torrents, dosing the fame after the eighth and ending the season. Wiliiamston won 16 games •nd lost 7 in the lact half of the sea ton. \ -1 nri-ii7 irMTrppDiQr . a lamEi ELi 1* 1 Eilv* fV 1 ijLj . -a~. —— Farming in Martin County The following table gives the acreage and values of Martin Coun ty crops for the years 1931 and 1932: 1932 1931 Crop Acreage Price Acreage Price Tobacco .... 10.066 1908,758 13,271 $755,651 Peanuts .... ... ........ 22.483 292,279 21,578 513,556 Corn 21,476 158,493 19,788 191,152 Cotton ..... 8,016 134,316 5,035 , 113,288 Sweet Poutoes 1.595 53,975 1,180 47,790 Irish Potatoes ". v 439 47,109 * 453 24,915 Soybeans 4,570 30,893 2,598 18,550 Oats . .... 848 6,445 1,382 17,828 Cfetwpeas . 710 4,345 . 326 2,445 Rye 14 137 17 179 Whpat _ ... . 13 92 13 178 Totals 70,330 $1,636,842 65,641 $1,685,842 COUNTY RANKS 95TH IN NUMBER OF ILLITERATES Nearly 3,000 Martin People Over 10 Years Unable To Read or Write Martin County, the section enjoying the grjpaterft farnling of any in the country, ami with its modern school buildings in every dis trict, ranks 95th among the counties in illiteracy. In 1930 there were 2,861 people in the county 10 years of age and over unable to read or write. The number represents 17.4 per cent lof the population. The white illit- Jcrates constitute 8.7 per cent, while the negroes unable to read or write I constitute 27.2 per rent, or more than 1 out of every four. Ten per cent of all the people in the State of North Carolina 10 years of age and over arc illiterate, accord- literates there are in the slate no one know*. But certainly there are far more people who ran barely read and write than there are who cannot read and . write at all. All told there was more than 236,- .000 people 10 years of axe and over who are illiterate. There were 241,- 000 in 1920. In other words, the dumber of illiterates declined only slightly. The percentage of illiteracy has been on the decline for decades, but there has been little change in the number for a half-century or more. There are more than 93,000 native white illiterates in the state. Eighty three thousand of these are adults, 21 years of age and over, and 10,000 are white children from 10 to 21 years of age. During the last 10 years there | was a decrease of around 11,000 in na ! tive white illiterates in the state. There are more than 137,000 illiter ate negroes in the state, or almost exactly one-fifth of all negroes 10 years of age and'over. The number of illiterate negroes in the state in creased by nearly 4,000 during the last 10-year period. This was due mainly to large migrations of negroes from Georgia and South Carolina over into the southern part of the Piedmont qountry. Illiteracy among negroes, as among native whites, is an adult problem. , Eighty-five per cent of all illiterate negroes are 21 years of age or over. Ninety per cent of all white illiterates are 21 years of age or over. Drunken Man Shoots Three Friends Near Free Union Affado Cordon, Dallas James, and Abrahma Pearce, all colored men liv ing in the Free Union sectio«»-of this county, were painfully but not ser iously shot by Early May Boston there last Sunday. Boston, said to have been intoxicated, shot the men as they appeared on the scene and for some cause that had not been determined this morning. Cordon wa* shot in the leg. Jame wit peppered in the arm by the sho from Button's gun, and Pearce wai 'spotted all over the back of his head when he fled from the scene. Boa ton wa* at his home, and his victtaa were said to be friends. Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, August 29,1933 SCHOOL TRUCK MILEAGE LOWER Re-routing of Trucks Will Decrease Distance By About 100 Miles The distance of school truck routes in this county' has been reduced by approximately 100 miles, it was learn ed this week, following the rerouting of the 34 busses serving the several Martin scluibls. Routes are yet to be established in one or two districts, but the mileage there will be changed very little,' if any, it is believed The reduced mileage is the direct result of recent the state-wide law prohibiting county authorities provid ing transportation for those children I living within two niles of a school | house or that distance from a truck route. The trucks will serve those living within two miles of a > route only where the children live on that route. In gther words, trucks have been operated extra mileage to' haul a child or several children a milej J and even less in some cases. Now the tracks will take a direct course in so far as it is possible and children living within two miles on either side of the route will have to make con-j nection by walking to the truck route. Many complaints are expected from both parents and children in some sec tions, but the new ruling was insti gated by the lawmakers in an efTort to ] effect operating costs in the trans-] 'portation system. Use Lard and Sulphur To J Kill Some Poultry Insects The sand flea or stick-tight flea among poultry can be treated very, effectively by rubbing the infested parts with a mixture of two parti of, lard and one part of finely powdered' sulphur. The insect breeds in shady, sandy places under outbuildings snd in chip piles and these places should! be sprayed with kerosene or wired off so as to exclude the birds. Considered Best To Cut and Plow Under Stalks Tobacco stalks which are allowed to stand after harvest furnish food and breeding places for a large num ber and should be plowed under or cut immediately after har vesting. Where the stalks are green it is best to plow them under as | these green stalks supply a certain 'amount of plant food to the soil. Proper Curing Witt Save ! the Sweet Potato Crop If a sweet potato grower can con trol the temperature and ventilation in curing his crop, he cap save his po tatoes, says I. I. Crawley, of Morg anton, route I, who i* building a 500- bushel storage house this summer. Tobacco Growers Organize In Effort To Raise Prices Tobacco farmer* of Craven* and Granville Counties have organized county association* to aid member* in bargaining for better tobacco price* thia fall. • Pounds TOWN LINING UP SOLIDLY BEHIND N. R. A. CAMPAIGN Volunteers Are Visiting the Business Firms Here This Morning While messages continued to pour into Washington front all parts of the country today, indicating that the nation has lined up solidly behind the President's Emergency Re-employ mcnt campaign, the local committee was receiving pledges of 100 per cent support from the citizenry of this community. ".America has gone to war," said W. C. Manning, chairman of the local or ganization of the National Recovery Administration drive. "Yes; that's exactly what has happened. We-are at wa ragainst as cruel and malicious an enemy as ever attempted to riddle Old Glory. Just think for a moment of the suffering and death that have come from this frightful depression ■of the last four years. | —"We simply must get our people ! hack to work," continued the cliair | man, "and this present drive will do it. Here in Williamston we hear ' words of praise and encouragement on 'every hand front those who have stud ied the plans and realise that they are practicable and economically sound. 1 refer, of course, to the two 1 , plans for the adoption of the indus trial codes and the so-called blanket I code. "Very briefly the situation may be explained in this way: In order to build up the nation's buying power to keep pace with the increasing com modity prices, there must be, whole sale re employment—not some time in the near future, but right now. So President Roosevelt, acting under the Industrial Recovery Act, first entrust ed to GeneraK Hugh S. Johnson the organization of the vast task of work ing out acceptable industrial codes. This work lias been progressing rap idly and satisfactorily. Then in or der to speed things up still'more and get men back to work more quickly throughout the nation, thus raising the mass buying power to keep pace with increasing commodity prices, Presi dent Koosevelt inaugurated the blan ket code. This was quite fully gone into in his recent nation-wide radio addressV "The members of our local organi zation here in W'illiamston have tak en off our coats, rolled up our sleeves and we have pledged the administra tion in Washington to work to the limit to get every working man and | working woman in the town back to | work before many more weeks. "We are getting wonderful >ncour agement and 1 am sure that I shall have the honor of reporting to Presi dent Roosevelt and Recovery Admin, i istrator Johnson that Williainston has no slackers in this great drive to put an end to the depression and all the misery and suffering that have gone with it. I "Yes; America has gone to war— and, as usual, America will win." Local Milk Prices Advance To Offset Higher Feet Cost 1 Experiencing a marked increase in feed prices and labor costs, local dairy . owners are finding it necessary to ad | vance their prices. Beginning Fri- I day of this week the dairies will charge I 14 cents a quart for milk, the price I schedule varying as to quantity on 1 the 14-cent basis. The two-cent in- I crease a quart falls short in offsetting the production costs, the dairymen I pointed out. _ N. R. A. Program Planned for Kiwanis Meeting Hex The local Kiwanis club will holds its regular luncheon at 12:30 tomor row in the Woman's Club hall. A program having to d with the Na tional Recovery Act has been plan ned and it should prove of interest to everyone especially to business men. Series Services Underway In Everett Baptist Church Rev. James H. Smith, a former pas tor of the Everetts Baptist church, started a series of services there last night. The public is invited to attend the services continuing through this week. —o — O— —O — —o — —o — —o — —o — —o — —o — Farmers Say Lit No Tags Turned County Tobacco Farmers To Meet Here Friday Morning In an effort to boost tobacco prices now being received in East ern Carolina, tobacco farmers are holding organization meetings throughout the belt this week. Martin farmers are called to meet in the courthouse Friday morn ing at 10 o'cloctc, when resolu tions will be offered and delegates■ are selected to attend a State meeting. The success of the movement rests with the farm ers and all are urged to attend. Already in several counties the growers have organized. They will be represented at the State meeting scheduled to be held in Raleigh Wednesday of next week. The State meeting is to be a con ference and not a speech making affair and only those official del egates named by the county JAIL ALLEGED ROBBER HERE Coley King Awaits Trial in Connection with Everetts and Oak City Robbery * Coley King, young white men al leged to have taken part in various robberies in this county several months ago, was jailed here last Sat unlay by Sheriff C. H. Kocbuck. He is scheduled to face trial at the next term of superior court convening here September 18. King, captured in Southern fines about three weeks ago, is said to have robbed several stores in Kveretts and Oak City. T. C. Poole and'Geo.. Berry were found guilty of part ici pat - ing in the robbery when they were tried before Judge Hunt Parker here last March. One or two others be lieved to have been connected with the robberies have not been arrested. Local Ball Team Pitchers Have Successful Season ■J The VVilliamston baseball club es tablished splendid pitching records during the Albemarle League season, the four main pitchers winning 3(1 and losing 16 games during that time, which combined with the One win pitched by Elliott gives the club a per centage of .660. There was also one tie game. Kugler, with 11 wins and 3 losses, for a percentage of .786, led the club. It might he pointed out that he got several favorable "breaks," getting credit for one win with one pitched ball. Praetor won 4 and lost 2 for a percentage of .667. Cherry was next with 9 wins and 6 defeats, for a per centage of .600. Herring won 6 and lost 5, for a mark of .545, Ch«rry also pitched one tie game; and El liott, who only played one game with the club has a record of 1,000, winning his only start. Organize Community Bible Class and Singing School ♦ A Bible and singing school, or ganized iu the Lilley's Hall communi ty of Griffins Township, is attract ing numbers weekly, Simon Lilley, one of iht-urgani*ers, said re cently. The neighborhood gathering* are attended by about 75 of the com munity people on an average. The school is serving (he community as a place of recreation as well as prov ing of much value in the spiritual up lifting of the community. Escapes Unhurt When. Automobile Turns Over bick Cherry, pitcher on the local baseball team, escaped inur'y when ki* "Car skidded and turned over on the Everetts road ust out of town early last Saturday night. The car I was not badly -daigaged. Local Floors meetings are expected to attend. If the State meeting is proper ly supported by the farmers throughout the belt, advantageous action is expected to follow. Ap peals will be addressed to the tobacco administration in Wash ington where it is believed some steps will be taken to bring about better prices for the present crop as well as the one next year. At the present time the con trol of acreage and production is being considered, but new plans may develop in the county meet ings and the one to be held in Raleigh. Farmers from other counties as well HA those in Martin are in vited and urged to be present at the meeting Friday morning at 11 o'clock in the Martin County courthouse. LAW AGAINST FIRE - LIGHTING STRENGTHENED Unlawful To Hunt Game in Boats by Use of Torch or Other Lights With the opening of the hunting reason only a few days distant, Colin ty (ianic Warden limes calls the at tent ion of hunters to the new law passed by the last legislature in con nection with hunting by lire-lighting oil the rivers, creeks, and other streams in Martin, Bertie, Beaufort, and Washington Counties, The act reads: "Section 1 That it shall lie unlawful for any person or person* to hunt with gun any wild animal or wild fowls, or game of any kind in the night time hy lire light, electric light, flashlight, lantern, lurch or any other kind of artificial light | whatsoever in or from any boat, canoe skilf, Or any other kind of craft float ed on water, on any of the livers, creeks, streams, or cither bodies of water of the counties of Bertie, Mar tin, Washington, and Beaufort. "Se\ 2. That when more persons than one arc engaged'in the offense set out in section one of this act, any one of them may be compelled to give evidence against all others concerned, and the witness upon giv ing such information shall be acquit ted and held discharged from all pen alties and pains to which he was sub ject by his participation in the of fense." The teeth in the act are found in section three which reads as follows; "That it shall constitute prima facie evidence of the violation of this act if any one be found ill the night time on any of the rivers, ■.reeks, streams, or other watercourses, with gun or guns, in any boat, canoe, skiff, or I other craft, with any artificial light or lights or any material or equipment used in fire-lighting as set forth and defined in the first section of the act." Persofts violating the provisions of (lie act shall be guilty of a misde meanor and upon conviction shall he fined or imprisoned at the discretion of the court. it is understood that a similar law oil the buojcs. tnaltiitu. hunt ing from boats by artificial light un lawful, but the new act puts more teetii in tlie law. T. W. Holliday Is First Farmer To Sell Tobacco Mr .T. W. Holliday, Janiesville Townsliip farmer, was the first to ar rive here yesterday with tobacco for sale today. He had approximately 500 pounds of the golden weed. Deliveries to the warehouses here were brisk during a greater part of yesterday afternoon, but no record breaking quantity for , the initial sale was anticipated at that time. ESTABLISHED 1898 LOWER GRADES MUCH HIGHER THAN YEAR AGO No Dissatisfaction Report ed on Local Floors This Morning • Tobacco -.ales were underway throughout 'lie Eastern Bright Belt today, with several of the markets reporting heavy offerings, with prices ranging only slightly higher than those on opening day last year. As far as it could be* learned at noon today, no specific complaints -had been made bv farmers against the sales, but very few were praising the prices received. Offerings of inferior quality were commanding prices estimated to b>* .from about 4(1 to 50 per .cent higher than were paid for similar grades last year. Good quality tobacco was be lieved to be lower in price, very few piles bringing more than 20 cents a pound. Two-cent tobacco last year was selling today for as much as 6 cents a pound. Approximately 170,000 pounds of the golden weed are on the floors here today., with the quality said to be the best in several years. In the first hour of sales this morning, 23,690 pounds were sold for $2,758.01, a re sulting average of $11.22 per . 100 I pounds. These are actual figures tak en from gross returns. The prices are not boosted, and as compared with j t lie first hour sales last season they I .ne exactly $1.20 per hundred pounds .higher Hut the quality is believed to j lie considerably better than that of I last season, and in the final analysis 1 1he 19.13 prices are little higher, if any j than those last year While no dissatisfaction was report- I 'd, there were disappointed tarniers w lien the prices fell below the 15-cent ' uvealge mark Most of the farmers I selling early today had little comment to make, but many said they received more money than they had expected lliey would receive. As a whole, the farmers are saying nothing, but they are shaking their lu ads. I hey stale the inferior grades are higher, but the advance on those grade-, is being subtracted from the prices for better grades. (ireenville, with the largest break in the history of the market, report ed around 2,000,000 pounds on the floors there today, and that the block could hardly be cleared before some time tomorrow. The price average was estimated at between 9 12 and 10 cents. Fanners had very little to say, taking the operations as a matter ot course. No tags were turned early in the day, a report stated. Robersonville reported around 210,- 000 pounds on its floors today, with the average price estimated at about 11 cents a pound. 1 he VV. I. Skinner Tobacco Com pany and the Export company were principal buyers on the • Witliamston maiket, the large domestic concerns buying very little. Unfavorable weather prevailing in this section during the pa»t few days has delayed the farmers in prepar ing their crops for market, and as a re-.ult comparatively light sales are expected during the next several days. At noon today there was doubt if all the offerings could be sold before closing time. • «• Former Martin Man Gets License To Practice Law • ■ l'aul K Waters, former Martin County boy, was one of the large number of young men passing the recent State Bar examination en titling him to practice law in the courts of this Jie is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Warren W. Waters, of Janiesville, and is -connected With the Smith-Douglass Company at its branch in Kinston. Miss Rosalie Inman, a student at N. C. College,'-Greensboro, is spend ing a few days here with her sister, Mrs. J. E King and Mr. King.