Advertiser* Will Find Our Col umn* a Latchkey to over 1,800 Homes of Martin County. THE ENTERPRISE Watch the Label on Your Paper, As It Carries the Data Your Subscription E z p i r a a VOLUME XLII?NUMBER 44 'Mimaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, June 2, 1939. ESTABLISHED 1899 Authorities To Get First Look At Tax Books On Monday ? Late Reports Indicate Values In County Will Show a Small Cain ? Meeting in regular session here next Monday, the Martin Commis sioners are scheduled to get their first look into the county's basic tax structure?the listings by the sever al townships. Very little business is slated for the commissioners' con sideration at that time, but it is like ly that a varied number of problems will present themselves before the meeting is adjourned by Chairman J. E. Pope. The slot machine question has vir tually been settled, the Attorney General ruling that the commission ers do not have the power to refuse machine owners licenses necessary to the operation of the gadgets. It is likely that the operation of the ma chines will be discussed and that au thorities will instruct officers to maintain a close watch over the machines and to exercise to the lim it the county's taxing power. Late reports from County Tax Su pervisor S. H. Grimes will likely be encouraging to the commissioners in that they are expected to show that the property valuation in the county will remain about the same and possibly show a slight gain. Un official estimates released for the Williamston township listings indi cate there'll be an increase of ap proximately $80,000 in the district listings this year over those for 1938 The North Carolina Pulp Company property listings in the county are said to be around $25,000 greater than they were a year ago, and that figure combined with the gain in this township is expected to offset the losses that are being reported by several townships. About half of the townships have turned in their tax books already and most if not all the other list takers are expected to get their books in tomorrow Missionary Group In District Meeting D ; Here on Wednesday J ? Nearly 250 Delegate* Present For Institute in tile Meth odist C.hiireh Representing nearly every church in the Elizabeth City district, ap proximately 250 delegates and quite a few visitors from other churches in the area held an instructive and interesting institute in the Metho dist church here last Wednesday when Mrs. E. L. Hillman, State pres ident of the church's missionary so ciety, ably interpreted the legisla tion dealing with women's work as enacted by the recent uniting con-1 ference. A picnic dinner was served in the grammar school lunch room, and a special luncheon was provided the ministers' wives in the Methodist parsonagr. Special music by the Young People's choir of the local church was an added feature on the one-day program. Mrs. J. L. Delaney presided over the morning and afternoon sessions. The institute program follows: Devotional, Dr. S. A. Maxwell; ad dress of welcome. Mayor J. L. Has sell; response, Mrs. J. V. Roach; min utes of the past session, secretary. Departments of work: finance, Mrs. J. L. Delaney; social relations, Mrs. J. G. White; spiritual life, Mrs Earl Meekins. Hymn; children, Mrs. B. B Slaugh ter; study, Mrs. Gertie Matthews; Y. i W. groups, Mrs. W. C. Chad wick ;| hymn; address: "The Uniting Con ference", Mrs. E. L. Hillman. Lunch. Afternoon session: devotional; re port of annual conference, Mrs. Glen Pendleton; quartet, Winfall society; supplies, Mrs. W. J. Watson; Scar ritt college, Mrs. Leifch Sheep; hymn; World outlook and literature, Mrs. Charles Skinner; closing remarks, Mrs. E L. Hillman; doxology Library Will Get Valuable Addition The Williamston public library is to be the recipient in the very near future of a set of the new 1939 edi tion of the Americana. The board of directors of the local Kiwanis club voted last night to purchase the new set of books and make them available to the general public. "Hie policy of the library commit tee has been that of procuring those titles thai would tend to popularize the use of the library since its funds were so limited and the cost of ref erence material made it prohibitive with such a small budget. This set of reference books, which heads the Hsts for high school, college and pub lic libraries, will greatly supplement the set now had in our high school library, due to its just having been The library committee is grateful that they can not begin to build its reference shelf around this recogniz ed standard work and will be able to keep it up due to the annual sup plement that will come to the library for tba not Mb nan. ? Modern Slot Machine Offers Com petition for Lowly Nickel Re-introduced in the county main ly in and near Williamston yester day, the slot machine is now making a strong bid for the lowly nickel. Just how much keen competitipn the modern gadget will offer is prob lematical at this time, reports stat ing that after the Attorney General got through with his ruling there was little or nothing left, and that the machines are not attracting as much attention as had been expect ed Centered in Williamston, nineteen machines were "planted" in the county yesterday. Owners of the six teen gadgets placed in Williamston stores, business houses, hotels and filling stations paid the town treas urer $160, the county collecting $10 from each machine to boost the to tal tax to $350 for town and county. The machine was not invading oth er sections of the county, but the owners, making a test with the ma chines here, are expected to cover the territory within a short turn Unofficial reports state that two solid carloads of the machines were unloaded in one eastern Carolina town the early part of this week. Within themselves, the machines offer little opportunity for gambling, and because they are so tame and because they offer no immediate re turn, the gadgets are not expected to gain very much patronage. The State of North Carolina has delayed the collection of taxes for a few days, but in taking that ac tion the deputy collectors warned the owners of business houses where machines are located are spbject to indictment if proper licenses are not posted on or before the last of this month. No days of grace were allow ed by the town and county, the offi cers of the two political subdivisions before the first ball rolled. Report Upward Swing In General Business FARM LKADKR Claude T. Hall, of Ruxburo, who will br (turn the oath of office as a member of the North Carolina State Hoard of Agri culture at the next meeting of the board. He is one of the state's well-known farm leaders. Only Pour Cases Called in County Court On Monday .Slimmer Slump Is (Tnilc Kvi tlent in Crime Velivities In County Recently * Crime, as a general thing, is tuk ing a fairly long holiday in the county these days, the county recor der's court experiencing a slump that is common more or less to the quiet period enfping about the mid dle of July and early August I.ast Monday, Judge H. O. Peel called only four minor cases during the one hour the court was in ses sion. Only a small attendance was reported, and the proceedings at tracted very little attention. The case charging Johnnie Peel with non-support was again contin ued. Judge Peel last week set the case for trial last Monday, but con tinued it until June 5. Eli Evans, charged with an as sault with a deadly weapon, was sentenced to the roads for two months. Evans, arrested in Raleigh nearly two weeks ago, was wanted in this county for a knife attack on Willie James Johnson which took place following a quarrel in a crap game. Charged with the possession of il legal whiskey for the purpose of sale, J. R. Harrison was sentenced to the roads for six months. Judge Peel ordered the defendant to appear be fore the court on the first Monday in November and begin serving the sentence. Weldon Arnold, charged with be ing drunk and disorderly, was sen tenced to the roads for thirty days. Jack Neal, a second defendant in the case, did not answer when call ed and the court ordered his immed iate arrest. While liquor law enforcement of ficers had a fairly busy period last week, regular county officers and Jailer Roy Peel are enjoying the very next thing to a vacation as far as chasing criminals and caring for jail inmates are concerned. During tne past two weeks the number of arrests made in the seven-day per iods has hardly exceeded the daily average recorded in other periods. Very few persons, charged with vio lation of laws in this county, are in jail, and quiet rules the crime front all the way around. ? Mrs. Charles Daniel, Miss Julia Daniel and Mr. Don Johnson are spending the week-end in Shelby. Recent News From The War And Farm Fronts Is Bright ? Hope For Agriculture Renin | In Siierennful i.ontrol Note \t An Kurly Date 9 Behind the quietness surrounding the business front over the country and especially in the agricultural South at the present time rests a silver lining that is stirring the prog nosticates to action. Recent reports are really encouraging along all fronts ami with an election year in the offing, good times can reason ably be expected. However, in addi tion to that fact, the basic founda tions to general business are bright er than at any time in recent months. The fellows holding to the public pulse say a better feeling can well be recorded over the outlook for general business. While the current figures are a bit disheartening and while May, like April, is being writ ten off as a poor month, some im provement is expected in June with a gradual but steady climb to good business in the fall. It is explained that the war scare is just about over and that world wide confidence is being establish ed on a fairly substantial foundation. Strenuous efforts go forward to build up increased world trade. Coming to the national front, bus iness and government are working closer together to promote an in creased business program. Supple menting those efforts will be an ex tensive governmental program to meet actual relief needs and pro mote a general advancement pro gram. ? Consumers are already beginning to use goods faster than industry has been producing them. Reliable reports indicate that the national debt is not such a big prob lem after all. The forty billion dol lar debt is reduced to less than 30 when loans are taken into consider ation. Ten of the major government agencies have lent in the past few years approximately eleven billion dollars. Nearly half that amount has been repaid, and the earnings to the government approximate three quarters of a billion dollars. The rec ord of Uncle Sam as a banker is en couraging, and his further partici pation in the banking field is cer tain to have a favorable effect. Looking into the future for agri culture, the picture is not so dark, after all. Recent plans to call a vote on tobacco control carry hope for the tobacco sections. No panacea is even (Continued on page six) Local Library Gets Favoraltle Comment Inspecting the local public library yesterday, Miss Margaret Gilbert, of the North Carolina Library Com mission, Raleigh, commented very favorably on the work that had been done and the interest shown in pro moting the institution. "It is quite a credit to Williamston for its civic organizations and interested citizens to give such generous support in making the institution possible." Miss Gilbert also said that she knew of no place that had developed such an efficient service in such a brief time." A thorough review of the library commission during her stay here. Effective next Monday, the library will remain open from 10 a. m. to I p m and from 7pm to 8 o'clock each evening Next Monday night promptly at eight o'clock, all members of the book club are urgently requested to meet at the library for the distribu tion of books just received. Mrs. J. E. Cook announced today. Municipal Pool Is Formally Opened Here On Thursday Hundred* Crowd Bu*in Be fore Kuiu Forces Shut down in Afternoon Williamston's $24,000 municipal swimming pool was formally opened yesterday morning under the spon sorship of the local parent-teacher i association. Despite adverse circum stances, the event was quite success ful, the sponsors cleared around $80. $40.65 from the baby contest, $31 from the dance and about $19 from paid admissions to the pool. With the exception of the parade, planned ceremonies celebrating the opening of the pool were washed out here Thursday night Due to the inclement weather the pool was Trot opened at night and the scheduled street dance had to be held in the American Legion Hut. Several speeches were scheduled for the celebration but with only a small crowd on hand the speakers made their remarks short and sweet. Pete Fowden, master of ceremonies, introduced the mayor, John L. Has sell John had a pretty speech plan ned for the occasion but wet skies hid the moon, the surrounding hills and ravines and he made his usual timely and appropriate remarks brief. Mr. Hassell introduced Lee Wallace, area superintendent. Mr Wallace, before introducing Glen L. Bohtkitt, state director of operations, thanked Williamston and its citizens for the fine cooperation shown the employees of the Works Progress Administration since they first came to Williamston. Mr. Bobbitt spoke very briefly. He stated that it was alwuys a pleasure for the WPA to assist Williamston in whatever way possible "The people of Williamston are cooperative and hospitable and are worthy of the best." Mr Bobbitt said. Mi Fowden read the votes of the contestants in the baby contest spon sored by the Parentil-Teachers asso ciation. Bobby Coburn, with 2293 votes won the contest. He was spon sored by Patsy King and Nona Mel son. J. B. Taylor and Dora Twiddy were recognized for having sold the most tickets to the dance. Native Of County Dir.h In Pasadena David W. Corey, native of this county, died suddenly at his home in Pu.sadena, Calif., last week-end, the meagre reports received here giving little detailed information about his death. The son of the late Joseph and Hannah Jane Corey, he was born and reared in Griffins Township. When a young man he went to Beth el and learned the irish potato busi ness as an employee of the late M O. Blount, of Pitt County. Later he moved to Maine where he became a prominent figure in the Irish potato business. Ill health forced him to sever his business connections in that Stale and he moved and settled in California where he was promi nen tly" connected with a large gro cery chain as director of its extcn sive operations in the Irish potato business. Mr. Corey seldom returned to his old home for visits during the ap proximately forty- years -bo lived in other states. In addition to his own immediate family, he is survived by several brothers and sisters, includ ing Mr A. Corey, of Jamesville, and Mrs. Dora Roebuck, of Roberson ville. Jamesville Votes A Straight Ticket Showing a marked interest in a wide-awake town government, Jamesville citizens last Tuesday cast thirty votes for a new board of com missioners and for a nominee for mayor who moved away just a few days ago. It was rumored that the names of independent candidates would be written in on the regular ticket, but the voters were consist ent in their actions and it was a clean sweep for the convention nom inees. Nominated for mayor, Dr. W. T Gibson moved away several days ago, and the new commissioners will now fill the position by special ap pointment possibly at their first ] meeting this month. No policy for the operation of the town governmental activities has I been advanced by the newly elect ed officers, but it is generally under stood that the citizens are expecting j a number of changes in the old pol icies. The names of the new board mem bers are: Messrs. C. C. Fleming, Joe Holliday and O W. Hamilton. They" are succeeding Messrs. C. A. Askew, Claronce Sexton and Watson Waters. Moving To Northern Maft? Irish potatoes started moving to northern markets this week in quan tity with prices ranging from $1.90 to $2.35 per 100 pounds. Business Finns Will Observe Ha If Holiday Next Wednesday Following a well established cus tom. all local business establishments will observe a half-holiday sched ule during the months of June. July and most of August, the schedule to go into effect next Wednesday after noon and continue on the same day for the period designated. Granted by business owners and operators that their employees might enjoy a few hours of leisure each Wednesday afternoon, the holiday schedule has met with much success here during the past few years. It is hoped that the housewives and shop pers, in general, will continue to cooperate with the movement by ef fecting their purchases early each Wednesday and making it possible for the stores to close promptly at 1 p. m. on those days Stores and business firms cooper ating in the movement are: Modern Beauty Shop, Farmers Supply Co.. Bowen Bros.. Willard's Shot* Shop. Roanoke Chevrolet Co., Margolis Bros., Belk-Tyler's. Williamston Hardware Co.., Williamston Motor Co., Economy Auto Supply, Moore Grocery Co.. Barnhill Bros.. Woolard Hardware Co.. Manning and Wil liams. A and P.. D. Pender and Gold Star Store. Branch Bank. Guaranty Bank. Lindsley Ice Co. Mildred's Beauty Shop. Israel's, V.E.P., B S. Courtney. Ann's Variety Store, City Market Peele's. Jewelers. Darden's Dept Store, Rose's, B F Perry. FCX. Colonial Beauty Shop. Mc Clees Bros . G. W. Hardison, Proc tor Shoppe. Western Auto Store, Woolard Furniture Co.. Community Barber Shop. Citizens Barber Shop, Service Barber Shop, Hotel Barbel Shop and ?ity Barber Shop Halt Downward Trend In County Tax Values Local Township Property Values Show Icar^e Cain Com Lined Personal and Ileal Property Value* lnereaned By $81,810.00 The downward trend in county j property values reported by several' townships the latter part of last month was definitely checked in the report submitted by List-taker H. M Hurras for Williamston Township yesterday. If other townships in the county not yet reported will show only nominal losses, it is possible that county values will exceed those of last year, according to County Tax Supervisor S. H. Grimes following a study of the lists now on file in his office. The tax outlook, certainly as far as values are Concerned, looks far more encouraging now than it did a few years ago when the first of the town ships to submit the* 1939 list of val ue's reported a loss of approximately $15,090. Had that decrease been pro portionately maintained, a decrease of possibly more* than $200,()do could have been cxpeeteel in the county property values. With its total listings, exclusive of corporation values, aeleling up to $2,455,745, Williamston Township reported a gain of $81,840, both its personal and real value's showing increase's. The greater part of the gain is centered in real listings which incrcase'd from $1,890,265 to $1,754, 345. The 1939 gain over 1938 was only a few thousand dollars small er than the 1938 gain over 1937. I>ast year this township reported a gain of $88,694 over Uie listings of the year before. A comparative review of the 1938 and 1939 listings is as follows: 193H 1939 Personal $ C8:),?40 $ 701,400 Heal 1.890,265 1,754.345 _$2,373,905 $2,455,745 Personal Property by Races Whit.' $ 661,345 $ 679,080 Colored 22,205 22,410 $ 663,550 $ 701,490 Real Property by Races White $1,545,840 $1,607,945 Colored 144,425 146,400 $1,690,265 $1,754,345 lastings of individual items varied very little this year compared with those of 1938, as the following com parative table will show: 1938 1939 No. Value No. Value Hors<*s 20 1,725 45 4,460 Mules 350 44,510 420 50,700 Sheep 104 210 110 220 Goats 0 0 10 10 Hogs 1111 4,645 1568 5,085 M. Cows 104 3,800 76 2,635 Cattle 46 680 68 895 Cars 586 187,635 614 186,235 Dogs 237 269 Stocks 216,250 219,360 A gain (if nearly $24,000 was re ported in the value of articles in the process of manufacture. In 1938 these articles were listed at $93,645 as compared with $117,325 this year Start Construction On New Homes Here Shortly ? Placing material on their lot just recently, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Bow en plan to have construction work started for their new home on Watts of the Presbyterian church within a few days. They are building a one-story six-room frame house Mr Mrw Pn.Ui Spolght having a lot cleared on Martin Heights preparatory to starting con struction work on a new home there soon. Plans are fast shaping up for the construction of several other new homes here this summer and fell. IMPORTANT With much of the preliminary work already advanced, leading business men and other public spirited citizens will meet in the courthouse this evening at 7:30 o'clock to perfect the organiza tion of a live chamber of com merce. The importance and need for a chamber of commerce has long been felt here, and an unusual opportunity presents itself at this time to advance its organ! zation .Special invitations have been issued to business opera tors and a cordial invitation is extended the general public to attend and participate in the meeting. County-wide Drive Against Typhoid Cains Momentum llriillli \utlioritirM More IVopIc To (>cl I'rotrHion Entering its second week last Mon day, the county-wide drive against typhoid fever is rapidly gaining mo mentum. but health authorities point I out that more people should avail , themselves of the protection being offered. Up until noon, approximately 800'| had taken the vaccine in the offic.'S of the health department, pushing the total for the week up until that time to nearly 5,000, an increase of about 1,000 over the first week's rec ord. A misunderstanding held down day, hut those interested in promot ing the campaign are hopeful?ar rangements can !>