North Carolina Newspapers

Watch the Label On Yoor P»P« Aa It_ Carries the Data Whan Your Subscription Expiree VOLUME XXXVI—NUMBER 86 FEW CHANGES IN LINE UP OF FIRMS HERE THIS YEAR Roanoke Chevrolet Co. Has Assumed Agency Here; Few Others ♦—— The New Year finds Williamston's business line-up about the same as it was last year, the few changes effect ing no noticeable departure from the business activities followed during the past year. Organized a few days ago, the Ro anoke Chevrolet Company has taken charge of the Chevrolet agency on Washington Street here, Mr. Lee House, manager of the Better Chev rolet Company here for some time, re turning to Robersonville, where he will center his activities in the future. Mr: J. Claude Leggett is making preparations to move his soda foun tain and accessories from the C. O. Moore store to the York Building on Washington Street. The place he is is for rent effective Febru ary 1. It is understood that plans for the opening of a grocery in the Culpepper -•owned store, formerly occupied by J. A. Manning and Company, are being considered. The office of the Norfolk, Baltimore & Carolina Boat Line has been moved from the old Carstarphen store to the H. G. Horton office building next to the old Farmers & Merchants Bank Building. Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Smith are mov ing from the Roanoke Hotel to the Cowen home on West Main Street. As a whole the changes in business and places of residence are fewer this year than in many years. While a goodly number of tenants are mov ing, the number is not as great as it ordinarily is, it is understood. MARTIN FARMER SERIOUSLY" HURT J. F. Jackson Struck by Hit and Run Driver Near Dardens Saturday Mr. James F. Jackson, prominent Martin County farmer of the Dar dens section, is in a critical condi tion from injuries received when hit by a hit-and-run driver on Highway Mo. 90 near his home last Saturday afternoon. Suffering a badly crushed leg, a blow on the forehead and other painful injuries. Mr. Jackson was re moved to a Washington hospital where he is getting along as well as could be expected, reports received here today indicated. Officers investigated the case, but no arrests have been made. It is be lieved by officers that a ran down Mr. Jackson, the driver speed ing from the scene without stopping. He was struck as he walked on the shoulder of the highway between the Jordan store and his home a short distance away. Mr. Jackson is about 76 years old, but was very active for his age. Mrs. Jackson, J. S. Jackson, an only son of Sumpter, S. C., and a daughter, Mrs. E. S. Mizelle, of Plymouth, were cajled to his bedside. Congress Opens Session in WBshington Tomorrow The second session of the 73rd U. S. Congress begins in Washington to morrow with a belief prevailing among the masses that the body will uphold the policies of President I- ranklin D. Roosevelt, as a whole. Leaders in both branches of Con gress were in Washington yesterday holding conferences preparatory to the opening of the session tomorrow. It is predicted that the legislative body will handle its work rapidly this term. "7 Bureau Replenishes Supply of Auto License Tags Here ♦ Experiening -one of the greatest rushes since the bureau was establish- ( ed here several years ago, the local automobile license station yesterday •old out all plates of certain classes. | • The supply was replenished before * the day was gone, however, and the tale continues rapidly today. Ingredients Used Ifn "Dry Curing" oi Pork Salt, sugar and salt peter are used in what is commonly known as the "dry cure" of pork. For each 100 pounds of meat use 8 pounds of salt, fi ounces of salt peter and 3 pounds . ' of sugar. Brown sugar is preferrei. Mix the ingredients thoroughly and jub half of the mixture on the meat, pack in a clean ves*l with skin down except top layer. Thi» should hate the skin aide up. Repack the megt after seven days and rub on the other hah' of tfcc mixture. Allow three days curing for each ponnd of meat in one piece and then pat in smoke- THE ENTERPRISE 1 Method of Securing Tobacco Payments Outlined With the sign-up (or a reduced tobacco acreage in this county nearinc completion, farmers are now verifying their tales and ap plying for their equalisation mon ey, it was learned from the office of County Agent T. B. Brandon today. The first sales slips were delivered today, a rush marking the early activities. Approximately 4,500 slips have been prepared by the local ware houses, and they will be delivered by warehouse employees to the farmers upon the presentation of Form T-28, issued by the coun ty agent's office. After getting his sales slip, or form T-42, from ( OLD YEAR PASSES 1 Other than for the tooting of a few automobile horns and the ringing of atill fewer bella, the old year passed away quietly in this section. Old residents said yesterday morning that another year came into existence with lo people showing as little concern as they had ever seen. Sound sleepers retired for the night were not even disturbed, and the light sleepers were only troubled for a few minutea. Big celebrations were reported in many sections of the country, especially in the larger cities. HORSE AND MULE PRICES TO GO UP Secretary of Association Is Advising Farmers To Buy Now * "Men who need horses or mules fori next spring's work should buy them at once, as prices. are practically cer tain to advance from S2O to S4O p«r head between now and April Ist,''said Wayne Dinsniore, secretary of the Horse Association of America, in an address at Chicago December 6th. j "Every available horse and mule old enough to work will he at work in harness next spring," he continued,' "and a great many two-year-old colts will also be bfoken and put into work, i although it is not customary nor de-1 sirable to work young animals until they are three yiears old. The short-! age of work animals, however, and the urgent need for cash is inducing*a good many farmers in the principal horse and mule producing states to .«ell off some of their older animals and put the two years olds into serv ice, especially where they are large, well grown and vigorous. "This is feasible, particularly on the farms whene it has been a set policy to raise enough colts each year to per mit of selling the older animals at five or six years of age; for by crowding the colts from the time they ane born until they are two .years of age they will weigh from *>oo to 1,200 pounds, even as two year olds, and can be broken and put to work. The scarcity of work horses and mules, which has been increasing for several years, and which has .been ap parent to men thoroughly familiar with the horse business, became evi dent to dealers who had to buy horses last spring, as they found it more and more difficult to buy animals for re sale. Many buyers report that they have to drive two or three times as far to purchase a carload of horses or mules and they also have to pay from sls to S2O more for them than they did a year ago." TOWN BOARD IN ! REGULAR MEET Cooperation of People It Asked in Ridding Town Of Rat Menace » ! An uneventful session marked the ' first meeting of the new year for the | town commissioners here lest evening. I Plans for the construction of a new * warehouse at the river wharf here un- I der the CWA system were discussed ! and approved. No cash outlay by the town was ordered for the project, which is to cost slightly over SI,OOO. ' The anti-rat campaign was dis i cussed and employees wene instruct ed to distribute several hundred I pounds of poison immediately. Little interest has been shown so far on tha I part of the people HI connection with the movement. They are again urged ,! to take an active part by purchasing ;! traps and applying other methods in - helping to rid the town of the costly •J and dangerous rodens. The coopers t tion of every one with the employee! - handling the campaign will he appre ciated by the authorities. Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, January 2, 1934 the warehouse, the farmer carries it to the county agent, who, in turn, sends it to Waahington, where checks will be prepared and mailed to the owners. No specified time for the deliv ery of the slips hat been men tioned, but farmers will receive their checks earlier by handling the preliminary work aa aoon as possible. A farmer who sold tobacco on foreign markets can get form T-28 from his county agent and mail it to the warehouse where he sold, or to the county agent in the county where the warehouaa is located, and form T-42 will be returned to him. 'CODE DRAWN UP AND SUBMITTED BY WAREHOUSES Unfair Methods of Compe tition Are Outlined in Recent Proposal Washington.— Proposed warehouse charges, varying for each type of leaf, and the classification of unfair meth ods of competition are contained in a code submitted to the Farm Admin istration reoently by the tobacco ware house industry. The hour and wage provisions of the code, submitted to the NRA, out lined a 48-hour week, with seasonal exceptions, and a minimum wage of 2ti cents an hour for unskilled labor. A minimum weekly wage of $lB would be paid clerical employees except on markets that last year sold less than 7,000,000 pounds, where the minimum would be sls a wpek- Racket Is Ruled Out Payments to individual truckers to induce them to deliver tohacco at a particular warehouse came ffrst in the list of "unfair methods of competi- This practice was described as a "racket" by F. C. Clay, of Lexington, Ky., secretary of the National Asso ciation of Tobacco Warehousemen. Joe Eagles, for 35 years operator oi Wilson, N. C., warehouses, termed this alleged practice the "greatest evil" in the industry. Eagles said individual truckers in each community made a practice of contracting with farmers to haul their tobacco to market. The truckers, Eagles said, would then contact all of the warehouses in that area and promise to deliver thjs tobaoco to their floors for a commission. To protect themselves from their competitors,' Eagles said it was cus tomary for each warehouse to agree to pay a certain commission to the trucker, with the commission varying according to the bargaining ability of the two. Then, Kagles said, if the farmer specified a warehouse to which he wanted his tobacco delivered, the trucker would take it there and, in ad-' ilition to the hauling charge paid by the farmer, would collect his commis sion from the warehouseman. In the event'the farmer did not specify a warehouse, the trucker carried the to bacco to the warehouse which had agreed to pay him the highest com mission. "This is nothing but a racket," Mr.' Eagles said, "as it is if no benefit to the warehouseman or the farmer. The States of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia have laws fix ing warehouse charges, but other •tates in which the code will operate, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee Kentucky, West Virginia, and Mary land, do not. PLAN TWO GYMS IN THIS COUNTY ♦ Williamston and Oak City Project* for CWA Are Approved • Work on a gymnasium for the Wil liamston school was started yesterday and plans for the construction of one in Oak City are going forward, it was learned yesterday. Th« gymnasium here will cost ap proximately $7,002, the amount inclod -1 ing labor and all materials. Most of the money will be received from the ' CWA, the remaining amount to b« raised.locally. It i« understood that several hundred dollars have already been pledged. The Oak City project i* awaiting approval by authorities in Raleigh, an as soon as the plans are approved, work will be started on the building, which will cost approximately f6,114. The building will be of wood con struction. * COUNTY EVENTS OF IMPORTANCE ARE REVIEWED ♦ 1933 Generally Considered Best Year Since 1928 in IThis1 This Section . i »While there were no really startling I Martin County news during the past year,' there were several events of far raching importance, which, in the opin ion of The Enterprise staff, are cen tered around IS developments. Some of the events, in the making over a period of months, will probably ap pear of little significance, but when they are carefully considered one at taches more importance to them. In January last year hundreds of farmers were holding thousands of bags of peanuts. The action alone in creased the farm revenue by thousands of dollars. On February 7, the county commis sioners asked that county foreclosures of mortgages be delayed, saving a number of hard-pressed home owners. A program designed to help the needy help themselves was outlined in the courthouse here the 24th of Feb ruary. £ev*ral hundred gardens w*re prepared, and many stomachs were turned from the relief list. The bank holiday, decreed on March 6, with its far-reaching effect all over the country, did not create much ex citement here, hut business was car ried on under a decided handicap un til the institutions were reopened on the 15th of that month. Judge Hunt Parker called for an investigation of Martin County guar dians' accounts on February 24. While no prosecutions resulted from the in vestigation, many accounts were put in proper shape and the public was advised of what was going on. Beginning in April, a series of ton ail clinic* were held throughout the county for needy children. At first hand, these clinics do not appear of any great importance, but when one considers that probably a life or sev eral lives w.ere saved and the health of several hundred unfortunate chil dren was improved, the importance of the clinics cannot be overlooked. On June 13, a huge canning pro gram was put under way, resulting in the preservation of approximately 33,- 000 quarts of fruits and vegetables. Farm cooperation was given serious consideration on the 27th of June, when more than 500 cotton farmers started signing cotton reduction con tracts. County tax sales were halted by an injunction on August 4, preventing what is believed would have been the largest sale ever made in the county. The county tax rate was fixed by the commissioners on August 7, the levy showing a reduction of $44,000. Probably the high spot in the events was the anti-typhoid campaign con ducted in the county during the mid summer months of June and July. More than 12,400 people received pro tection free against the fever and diphtheria. In a financial way the opening of the tobacco markets here on August 29 stand out as a big thing. Events were taking place thick and fast about that time, and the markets were closed the following Friday for about three weeks. In the meantime, one of the greatest cooperative drives ever heard of developed throughout the county. More than 1,500 farmers rushed to sign acreage reduction contracts, and the campaign was 100 per cent effective. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were received by Martin farmers as a result of the drive. On September 19 more than 3,000 white children entered the several schools of the county, an event that is taken as a matter of course, but one of untold importance. And then came a marked increase in tobacco price*, the local markets pasting the parity-price point «(ith receipts on October 31 averaging well over 20 cents a pound. Trade showed a marked increase in volume during the last two montha of tnc year, bringing to a close what is rightfully referred to as one of the most successful years aince 1928. In addition to the events listed, The Enterprise, during 1933, carried thous ands of news items of general inter est to every citizen in the county. The new year is on, and one will find! «t profitable and entertaining to havej the events placed before them twice each week as they occur throughout the period. * ♦ George Harrison, Jr., in Auto Wreck Mt Kinston George Harrison, jr., miraculously escaped serious injury last Friday when his car was struck by another in Kinston and turned over several times. The young man escaped with a small cut on his head and two on bia leg. Young Harrison's ear was struck by another machine entering the high way and was damaged almost beyond Repair. County Taxpayers Profiting By Imposition of Sales Tax Local License Big Business in Past Week A marked increase has featured the business at the local state au tomobile license bureau during the paat few days. With no days of grace allowed, automobile owners have been flocking to the bureau for their tagt, but tome of them ware too late. Several were direct ed by Patrolman Rodman to jut tice of the peace offices, where they were relieved of about $6 each. Last Saturday night the local bureau had told 2,064 licenses, CAR OWNERS ARE CITED FOR USING '33 LICENSE TAGS Three Drivers Scheduled to Appear Before Justice'' Hassell Tomorrow Venturing forth upon the highways and streets throughout the state yes terday, nearly 2,000 motorists were tited to report to the courts for fail ure? to buy ami display 1934 license tags on their cars. Only three local drivers were cited before justices of the peace here dur ing the day, but more than 100 others ■were stopped during the day, Patrol man Archie Rodman said this morn ting. The three drivers, Mr. Herman iowen, Miss Hazel Brown, and a col ored man from Bertie County, are scheduled to appear before Justice liassell tomorrow. As a rule the teourts arc lenient in such cases, and it is believed those cited to appear ■ will be instructed to purchase plates land be dismissed. Governor Fhringhau.i, who person ally notified the people of the State back in November that the law rigidly complied with, yesterday received some pleas for relaxation of the law, but turned a deaf ear to all of them. "1 think t lie re is widespread accept ance of the situation,' 'declared the Governor. "We have no desire to harass any one, but the law is written with unmistakable plainness, and 1 do not think that the governor or any one else should undertake to change the law. We shall keep faith with those who bought their licenses on time. "1 regret that some people have been inconvenienced, but 1 think that, on the whole, it is probably a good thing that this has happened as it has, for it is well enough for the peo ple of the St,ate to realize that when the State says something, it means it. "This experience has shown that the Highway Patrol can function. 1 think that .it will take little more time to clear up the automobile license situ ation and we shall show that we are equally in earnest about reducing the nuraber«of highway'deaths, by dealing with all those who violate the traffic laws." MARTIN FARMER TAKES POISON Nat Cherry Recovering In Washington; Says He Did "Ugly" Nat Cherry, Martin County farmer living on Highway No. 30 near the Beaufort County line, iti getting along all right in a Washington hospital following an attempt to end his own life by taking bichloride of inercusy tablets last week. Cherry is said to have been away from his home for several days, and to have been drinking "more than usual." Late last Thursday he went to a Washington hospital and asked to buy bichloride tablets, stating a sore leg needed to be bathed with the solution. He was refused by the nurse, who was later ordered by physicians to let him have the tablets, 'j About 9:30 that night he went to the police station in Washington and complained of feeling ill and asked for a place to He down. In a short while he admitted having taken four tableta and stated he wished to die and did not wish to be bothered. He was taken to th* hospital and the con tenta of his stomach pumped out. He is regarded as a good citizen when not drinking. He has a wife and several children. Yesterday, Mr. Cherry is said to have admitted he did "ugly." 1,807 for cart, 194 for trucks, and 83 for trailert, representing a cash sum of 930,826.80. Lait Saturday wat the butieit day of the teason, the bureau collecting $9,000 in cold cath. The number of cars on the street* was considerably smaller yesterday because new plates had not been purchased by the own ers. However, ten of the num ber carried' old tags. During the itext few days, the bureau will, in all probability, sell between. 700 and 1,000 plates. BEGIN TEARING DOWN ANCIENT STORE MONDAY Carstarphen Store, Long a Landmark, To Be Made Into Gymnasium The C.% I). Carstarphen Company store building, for years and years a shopping center for this section, is being torn away from its site on Smithwick (once known as Sixth Street) and Main Streets. Civil Works Administration workmen started yes terday morning on the task of tearing down the large two-story structure and moving the material to the high school grounds, where it will be used in the construction of a gymnasium The present .structure was erected by the late William Henry Carstar plicn hack in 1872, the building being looked upon as a marvel in the archi tecture of the town during that per iod. The huilditiK replaced a smaller one that was destroyed hy fire. Just when the first store wa-> built, no one seems to kmfw, but it must have been close to a century ago. It is under stood that a man named J. F. l'inner sailed up the Roanoke Kiver to this point with a stock of goods and start ed the business. Mr Carstarphen lat er, or about the time of the opening-, was associated with Pinner, accord ing to the best information 'obtainable. Following the burning of the old store, Mr, W. H t'arstarphen con structed the present building. Upon the death of Mr. William Henry Car- Itarphen the late I'. 1). Carstarphen took charge of the business and op erated it until his death in May, 1929. Mr, l\ K. Hodges yesterday called an event that impressed him greatly when a boy. Mr. Carstarphen was handling a few Christmas toys, and a few hoys bought small whis-| ties. When they started blowing them the noise worried old l)r Torn l'ugh.l The doctor gathered up all the cliil-, dren he could find and went down anil bought all the whistles, instruct ing the children to blow long and loud ( right near Mr. t arstarphen. Mr.' Hodges was one of the children in' the group. SHORT MEET OF COUNTY BOARD! * . Commissioners Finish Up By Noon for First Time ( In Many Months — U Holding their first session of the current calendar year here yesterday, the Martin County commissioners completed their work by the noon hour and adjourned one of the short est held in years. There was very little for the author ities to do, and the business was of only minor importance. Miss Sleeper, home agent, read her i monthly report. William Henry Modlin, World Wari Veteran, was relieved of poll tax in Jamesville Township, j A. M. Small wood, colored, was al lowed $3 per month. The board made recommendations asking the North Carolina State High way Commission and Public Works Administration to take over a certain road in Hear Gfass Township near the home of Calvin Ayers. Alice Joyner, colored, Goose Nest Township, was relieved of taxes on 1932 valuation from SBSO to $420, and 1933 valuation from $567 to S2BO. The following citizens were chosen to serve as jurors at the next Tues day session of the county recorder's court: C. D. Perkins, of Hamilton; G. H. Forbes and Paul Dixon, of Cross Roads; Jasper Perkins and Hy > man Warren, of Robersonville; and , I.ewis Taylor, of Bear Grass. ESTABLISHED 1898 * REPORT FOR 3- MONTH PERIOD IS SUBMITTED Tax for Months of July, Au gust and September Was $4,287.36 ♦ 1 - That Martin County people are profiting as a whole from the general sales tax is exemplified in a recent report of Commissioner of Revenue A. J. Maxwell, showing the sales tax collections for the months of July, August, and September and compar ing them with the tax lifted from property. According to the report, the sales tax collections in those three months amounted to $4,287J(>. If the old form of tax had been in effect during that time, Martin County property own-, ers would have paid or been scheduled to pay $12,6'i225, or a total annual amount of $50,7(> J. Surely, the three months are not representative ones, for Martin Coun ty purchasing power was at a low point. It would appear that an amount just twice the sales tax collections .would come nearer representing the true condition. After increasing the amount by twice, then Martin prop erty owners would benefit by several thousand dollars under the sales tax scheme. The report gives the following fig ures ; Sales tax collections: July, $1,223.85; August, $1,171.58; September, sl,- 891.93; a total of $4,287.36. Property tax relief afford as follows: district levies, current expense, $24,- \ 698; 15 cent county-wide levy, $23,327; current expense for six-months schools, $2,744; a total of $50,769. Mr. Maxwell offers the following comment: "Figures given represent the actual reductions in dollar levies which were relievd in your county by reason of the fact that the State of North Car olina took over the operation of the entire eight-months school term. In taking over our school*, the state re duced 'the cost of operation in the schools, which amounted in 1932 to approximately $23,000,000, to approx imately $10,000,000 for 1933, thereby resulting in a saving to the taxpayers of the state of approximately $7,000,- 000 in operating; cost. The property lax relief afforded for the entire state Amounted to $11,47b,540 as shown by the above tabulations. "Sales taxes 'collected in your coun ty for the first three months are be low the average collections for the entire year as our collections are be ing improved from month to month. Hut, after allowing for the reasonable increase in the sales tax collections in your county which are anticipated, it will be observed that the property owners in your county are relieved of property taxes in the considrable a mount skivvn and that the sales tax collection in your county will be far less thair the property tax relief af forded. "The sales tax payments are made by all of the people in the county rather than those who happen to be owners of property. "In 1932 property owners in the stale were assessed $11,476,640 for school operating cost. This is now entirely eliminated. In 1932 the state was required to contribute $12,000,000 added to above amount for school op erating purposes, in doing this, in a two-year period, the state incurred a 'deficit of over $15,000,000. "By enactment of the sales tax and economies and consolidations in op eration of schools, the state is on a sound financial basis, its revenue now exceeding its expenditures and prop erty has been entirly relieved of all operating ccntt of schools." p • Board of Education Has Routine Session The Martin County Board of Edu cation members met in regular session here yesterday, but uo official .acts were handled other than routine mat | UTS of no threat importance. Altera tions for- the Jamesville and Farm ,Life Schools were considered, but no definite action was taken, the authori ties postponing further consideration 'pending the distribution of adidtional CWA fundi, if any. All members of the board were pres ent for the meeting. 12 Bushels of Potatoes Returns 14S Bushels R. E. Hawthorne of Alleghany County reports securing MS buthate of certified seed kith potatoes from 12 butheU planted, and says the crop graded over 90 per cent of U. S. Itto. I'e.