Watch The Label On Your
Paper. As It Carries The Date
Your Subscription Ciplraa
THE ENTERPRISE
Advertisers Will Find Our Col
umns A Latchkey To'Over 1.800
Homes Of Martin County.
VOLUME XLIY?NUMBER 33 ff'illiam?ton, Martin County, North Carolina, Fritlay, April 25, 1941. ESTABLISHED 1899
Suj>erior Court In
Final Term Session
Wednesday N i ? h t
K?hk (her Domestic \niiiiaU
And Pet Settled Alonu
With Other Cases.
?
Handling a varied calendar of cases
ranging from a $15,000 damage suit
down to one involving a claim to a
50-cent dog, the Martin County Su
perior Court ended a "short two
weeks term here Wednesday eve
ning Several cases were continued,
but the court, created by special leg
islative act, removed a fairly large
number of actions from the files
The court, sitting three full days
last week and three days this week,
attracted more spectators than usual
the old courtroom being fairly crowd
ed during one or two trials.
The $10,000 damage suit brought
by Willie l>ee Chesson against the
Town of Robcrsonville climaxed the
cases as far as judgments were con
cerned. but disputed ownership of a
cow and a 50-cent dog was the unus
ual highlights in the court this week
Chesson was awarded a judgment
in the sum of $2,500 in his suit against
the town. Trial of the case was start
ed Tuesday morning, the jury re
turning its verdict at 5:35 after de
liberating the issues fifteen minutes
The plaintiff called nine witnesses
and the defense called six Alleging
that the town was negligent in leav
ing a ditch or a canal across a street
unmarked and unguarded, the plain
tiff brought out in the evidence that
the superintendent of streets had
been notified of the existing danger
and that he had answered that any
one who could not see the ditch
"ought lo run into it." The defense
maintained that the plaintiffs own
contributory negligence caused the
accident that broke his neck and in
jured Miss Marjorie Bunting, driv
er of the car The defense also main
tained that the car was running
without lights at (he time of the ac
cident Apparently serving as a de
tective prior to the trial, Leighton
Nelson defense witness, gave a de
tailed record of Chessons activities
following his release from a 39-days'
stay in a hospital. Dr E L. Roberson,
plaintiff's witness, stated that Clies
son would have a slight curvature
in Ins neck and that he would have
10 per cent stiffness in his neck.
Tried in two courts during recent
months, the case of Mrs. Allie Tay
lor against Mrs Nora Grimes was
settled by a jury in Judge A Hall
Johnstun's court Wednesday after
noon. when Mrs Grimes was de
clared the owner of a red cow. Ac
cording to the evidence. Mrs Taylor
gave Mrs Grimes a cow some time
ago Mrs Grimes was to keep and
feed the cow and have the milk, but
Mrs Taylor was to have the calves
Mrs. Taylor received two calves
when the mamma cow in some way
broke her neck and passed out of the
picture. Mrs. Grimes maintained
that Mr Taylor said that she could
keep the third calf which was very
small at the time. Mrs. Grimes rais
ed the calf, feeding it from a bottle
at times, and at maturity the animal
was claimed by the plaintiff When
the defense attorney spoke. Mrs
Taylor wept, and when the plain
tiff's attorney spoke, Mrs Grimes
wept It was just another of those un
fortunate cases.
That some people think more of a
dog than some people think of their
own children was well demonstrat
ed in the court Wednesday afternoon
and evening. Opening the case at
3:45 that afternoon, the plaintiff, J
C Miller told the jury that he bought
a dog from Joe Glenn, paying him
$10 for the six-weeks-old bull ter
rier. The very next day, October 18,
the dog was stolen from his leash at
the laundry. Several months pass
ed, and Miller learned the dog or a
dog very similar to his was in the
possession of Sam Godard, the de
fendant A claim and delivery pro
ceeding was started, and Justice J
L Hassell declared Miller was own
er of the dog. The defendant appeal
ed and the case went to the "big"
court where Miller had witnesses
identify the bull terrier as his own.
The defendant maintained that he
bought the dog from a colored man
and paid a dollar for him. Called to
the stand, the colored man said he
bought the dog for fifty cents from
a colored man in Robersonville. The
defense called witnesses who testi
fied they had seen the dog in the cus
tody of the colored man before the
dog was missing here. Taking the
case about 5:50 that afternoon, the
(Continued on page six)
Funeral Saturday
For George Steele
Funeral services were conducted
in Raleigh last Saturday morning
at 10:30 o'clock for Mr. George
Steele who died in a hospital there
the previous day Pneumonia, de
veloping after a goiter operation
performed a month ago. caused his
death.
Survivors are ,Mrs. Steele, the.
former Mrs. Allie Hadley Rose, of
Williamston, and five children by
his first wife, Mrs. C. A. Kimbrey,
Misses Nancy and Juliet Steele and
James Steele, of Raleigh, and Mrs.
Cary Jenkins, of Panama.
Mr. Steele was an engineer with
the state highway department.
Spread of Blue Mold Favored
Bv Rains and Cooler Weather
The rapid spread of blue mold in
Martin County tobacco plant beds is
being anticipated today following
rains yesterday and lower tempera- ,
ture readings. Definite reports could
not be had from many areas in the i
county up until noon today, but the
mold was said by some farmers to be
gaining a foothold rapidly in their
plant beds, and that an extensive
damage was to be expected
It is now expected that transplant
ing in this county will be delayed at
least three weeks, and if the attack
is very severe the small plants will
die and result in a general shortage,
certainly in some sections of thej
county and possibly over the county. !
as a whole.
Several farmers stated yesterday j
that their plants were about ready j
for the transplanter. It could not be
learned today whether blue mold had
made its appearance and delayed the i
transplanting schedule As far as it
could be learned no tobacco has been
transplanted in this county, but
transplanting has been started in
Beaufort on a very small scale.
Control methods, fairly new to this
section, are being tested possibly by
eighteen or twenty farmers, most of
whom are relying on the spray
treatment Several of the farmers
using this method, started spraying
a few days ago. W. H. Everett spray
ed 5,000 yards on his farm near Pal
myra yesterday morning. Spray
equipment can be had for $.10 up to
$125 The other recommended con
trol method is applicable at about
the time or right after the mold
strikes The cost of treating with
paradichlorobenzene ranges around
$6.40 per 60 square yards for the sea
son. Farmer Heber Jenkins, of near
Rohersonville. is demonstrating this
method
STIRCKON
Fishing his rock lines early
Wednesday morning, James
Straw bridge pulled up a 11 1-2
pound sturgeon, the first report
ed caught on the Roanoke this
year. The sturgeon, measuring
38 1-2 inches, was caught when
it passed the fishing line and
tackle, the hook entering the
right finn socket.
The sturgeon at one time was
caught in large numbers in the
Roanoke, but few are tkken from
the stream now:? ]
Local Post Office
Receipts Decrease
Tor First Quarter
More Money (mm-n To the Mail
Order House* During
Period, llottever
\ . ?
For the first time in Severn I years;
postal receipts at the local office re- j
fleeted no gain for (|?, f,rst qUartei I
but the stamp sales for the past ,
months of January, February and !
March actually show a slight I
decrease as compared with those for
the corresponding period in 1940, ac
cording to a statement issued this I
week by Postmaster Is'slie T. Fow
den riie decrease is not at all alarm
ing. Mr. Fowden went on to explain
and be is confident the office this ,
year will experience the greatest j
business in its history Quite a few j
business houses, in a hurry to get
their 1940 bills out, bought stamps!
and had the cheery notices in the '
mails before the last day of Decern-'
ber. This is a slight departure from
old customs for most business
houses
I-ast quarter stamp sales amount
ed to $4,939.58 as compared with
sales amounting to $5,022.70 in the
corresponding period, 1940 The first
three months sales, just about $80
short of the $5,000 mark, were $83.12
under the first three months' figures
for 1940.
A comparison of stamp sales by
months for the first quarter in 1940
and 1941 follows:
1940 1941
January $1,842 56 $2,003.63
February 1,484.36 1,365.20
March 1,695.78 1,570 75
$5.022 70 $4,939 58
While stamp sales were reflecting
a slight decrease, money order busi
ness handled by the local office con
tinued to climb, the January total
approaching or establishing a new
record for the month. The amount
of money sent to mail order houses
jumped from $19,87572 in the first
three months of 1940 to $23,706 95
this year, a gain of $3,831.23
A comparison of money orders
sold in the two quarters:
1940 1841
January $ 5.855 14 $ 9,114 99
February 6,497.17 6,365 58
March 7,523.41 8,226.38
$19,875.72 $23,706.95
Starting Work On
New Bank Building
Construction work on a new build
ing for the Branch Banking and
Trust Company here will gel under
way next Monday, the contractors,
D. J. Rose and Son, of Rocky Mount,
having already placed a temporary
office and tool house on the main
street lot between the Watts Thea
tre and the Woolard Hardware Com
pany.
Materials are being placed on the
site today, and workmen will start
laying the building foundations next
Monday Measuring 99 feet long and
30 feet wide, the building will be
of brick and stone construction and
oqe story high The five-foot alley
between the new building and the
Woolard Hardware Company is to
be paved
Plans call for the completion of
the building on or about the first of
August. No cost estimate was made
public, but It is understood the proj
ect will represent an outlay of about
$26,000.
Tenth Draft Call
To Take Four Men
From This County
Draft lloanl To
Ken Kef?i*truut* at Me^'l
iiif? Here Tin* l'\oiling
The tenth draft call is expected to j
take four young white men from this |
county on May 16. according to ad
vanced information gained here yes
terday The call has not been official- I
ly filed with the county draft boarrbj
office, but official notice is expect
ed shortly. The eighth call, received |
in this county last week, is to take
four colored volunteers from here
on May 8th. The eighth call takes J
no white trainees, and as far as it
could be learned here today the
tenth call will take no colored train
ees No ninth call v\ as received 111
this county.
The four colored men will be se
lected in order from a rapidly di
minishing volunteer lift. Draft Board |
Clerk Marion Cobb stating that there
are only a few more left oil the list,
that a heavy call will necessitate se
lections from the regular draft j
group Three white volunteers are
in line, and a fourth man will be tak
en from the draftee list to fill the
May 18 quota The three volunteers' I
names are, Billie John Davis, of |
HasseII, Albert Earl Lewis, of Wil
liamston Route 2, and Dossie Griffin,
of Kveretts John Clayton Johnson,
of Robersonvitle, is next in line on)
tin- draft list
Tonight at 8 o'clock the draft I
board is meeting to reclassify about
fifteen registrants and consider ap- |
peals for deferment Five of the
number have married since they |
were classified and the change
their status virtually means they
will be grouped in Class 3-A. Six of
the number are asking occupational
deferments, and two are claiming
dependency as a basis for reclassi
fication. The board will also classi
fy thirteen registrants whose ques- |
tionnaires were left untouched at tin
last meeting pending an investiga
tion of claims of dependency. The
investigations had been virtually |
completed yesterday.
? &
College Glee Club
Here Sunday Night
J O
1
As part of the spring tour of East
ern North Carolina, the Glee Club
of Atlantic Christian College will
sing in the Christian Church of Wil
liamston Sunday night, April 27th
They will be in Elizabeth City in
the morning. The group this year,
under the direction of Professor John
Winston Fontaine, head of the music
department of the college, has al
ready sung in Farmville, Vanceboro,
Kinston, Belhaven, Arapahoe and I
Robersonville, and will continue its |
tour to Raleigh, Goldsboro and oth
er towns in the eastern part of the |
state.
The Glee Club will sing "O for the
Wings of a Dove," by Mendelssohn;
"Lead Kindly Light," by Dudley
Buck; "Still, Still with Thee," by
Nevin; "List the Cherubic Host," by
Gaul; "Fling Wide the Gates," by
Stainer; "Dust, Dust and Ashes," by
Nathaniel Dett, and "Flee as a Bird"
by Danna
TKe members of the club, which
will be accompanied by Miss Vir
ginia Dare Adkins, of Wilson, are
Wilma Williams, of Elizabeth City;
Janie Perry, of Robersonville; Ruth
Peele, Mary Catherine Houston, Jes
sie Stephenson, Anna Ray Conyers,
and Edna Earle Reynolds, of Wil-1
son; Margaret Garriss, of Margar
ettville; Ernestine and Christine
Gardner, of Saratoga. Charlotte
Thomas, of Elm City; Elizabeth
Browning, of Washington; Audrey
Rouse, of Kinston; Betty Miller, of
Cumberland. Md., Catherine Rough
ton, of Tarboro; Elbert James, of
Wallace; Howard James, of Grimes
land; Liibi Castro, of Oracoris, Puer
to Rico^Clyde Broughton, of Mer
ritt; Charles Harrison, of Williams
|ton; Elmer Mottern, of Asheville;
Charles Byrd, of St. Paul, and Phil
lip and George Banks, of Arapahoe.
British And Greeks
Made Last Stand At
Thermopylae Pass
SerioiiMH>n of W ar lirou^lil j
Lh?M'r Home H\ Kerent
Kuropean 1*1 vents
After making a last stand at his
toric Thermopylae Pass. British and |
Greek forces this morning virtually
threw in the sponge to give the Ger
man hordes a free pass to Athens,
the fall of which was expected at
any time this afternoon. Turning to
ihe hills just as the Persians of old
did. German forces flanked the en
emy and the defenders withdrew.
Late reports state that German mech
anized equipment was sailing down
the main highways toward Athens
just a few miles away It was claim
ed that the British had evacuated
early today large numbers of men
and big quantities of war material.
However, the Germans claimed tbuj
large quantities of war equipment
had been captured.
During the meantime, conditions
similar to those at Dunkirk, were re
ported at the Greek jxirt of Piraeus
where women und children were
bombed while trying to reach safer
positions Refugee ships were dam
aged and many women and children
were killed by Nazi bombers there
Germany, while virtually taking
control of Greece, is said to have paid
dearly for her gains One report de
clares that nearly all of Rumania
has been flooded by German wound
ed. that public buildings and many
homes were being used to treat the
wounded estimated to numbci as
high as 270.000 men The Gorman
dead will number in excess of 70.000
in the Greek drive, it has been es
timated
While the Balkan picture offers
nothing but gloom and stark disap
pointment. the British are reporting
favorable trends in the battle of
Africa, both in the east and in the
north.
Turkey is being lined up as the
next, victim of Hitler., possibly by
peaceful means or by a bloody at
tack It has been reported that Ger '
many has issued an ultimatum to
Turkey, demanding the surrender of
the Dardanelles and other conces
sions
The drive on land is fast setting
the stage for a great war on the At
lantie, and the seriousness of the sit
nation strikingly reflected in recent
events, is being brought closer to our
own shores. Secretary of State Cor
dell Hull and Secretary of Navy
Erank Knox said last night that the
Allies must have American helfj
now. that some way must be impro
vised to get needed supplies to Brit
am and her Allies There is a sweep
ing move toward convoys, and while
the slow to act American people have
veered away from such acts, they
are now waking up to the danger
lurking at our own shores and are
favoring the convoy and even more
daring aid to beleaguered England
and her Allies Mr. Hull said last
night that "events have shown be
yond possible question that the safe
ty of this hemisphere and of this
Country calls for resistance wherever i
resistance will be most effective."
Hull and Knox spoke as reports de
clared that 40 per cent of American
aid to Britain is being sent to the
bottom of the sea
It was unofficially announced in
Washington today that Greenland,
taken under the protectorate of this
country only recently, may already
be occupied by Axis forces Greece
may be in the hands of Hitler today,
but it is rapidly becoming apparent
that this country is sharing a simi
lar danger British Ambassador Hali
fax stated today that the Battle
of the Atlantic is now certain to be
the most critical one of the war, that
England will be unable to handle it
alone.
The only bright spot in the late
(Continued on page six)
Man, M'antad In County,
Is HfilitinK Extradition
Simon* Cowan, wanted in this
county for alleged abandonment and
non-support, was arrested in Suf
folk a few days ago, the office of
the sheriff was notified here this
week. Cowan is fighting extradition,
Sheriff C. B. Roebuck stating today
that papers are being prepared to
extradite him.
Dean Herring To
A (hires* Seniors
Here Wednesday
Dr. Herbert Herring, Duke
University dean, will deliver the
main address in the aeries of lo
cal commencement eaerclses
neat Wednesday evening at eight
o'clock. D. N. Ilia, principal of
the achoola, announced thia
morning.
Sunday morning at II o'clock
in the high school auditorium,
Rev John L. Goff, local Christ
ian church paator, will preach
the commencement aermon, us
ing aa his topic, "Living in a Cris
is." The several churches will
hold no services that morning
and the congregations are Invit
ed to worship with the seniors at
the high school.
Farm Leaders Speak
To Bi-State Meeting
(Indifference Is Said
To Be Threatening
Peanut Referendum
Homier. Kvuiim uiiiI State Farm
Leader* in Miirfree*l>oro
For Meet WedneMluy
a
Addressing farmers from Virginia
| and North Carolina in the auditor
ium of quaint old Chowan College
Wednesday afternoon, state and na
tional farm leaders declared that the
j peanut program is facing what is be
! tieved a strong opposition' in some
areas and pointed out that the appal
out indifference on the part of a
vast majority of farmers in the old
peanut areas is threatening the ret
I erendum set for tomorrow in this
and many of the other thirteen pea
nut producing states.
Realizing the apparent indifference
facing the program, prominent dirt
farmers in this State and in Virginia
I called the meeting, and brought be
fore the assembled group Congress
man Herbert Bonner, Administrator
R. M Evans of the Agricultural Ad ,
Ijustment Administration. Cal Huth
inson, director of extension in Vir
ginia. Dean I O. Schaub. director of
extension in Ninth Carolina, com
missionors of agriculture from the
j two states, officials uf UU1 urowefri I
I Peanut Cooperative, state commit
1 teemen and others. Martin County
was poorly represented, hut other
counties to the north and east were '
(there is large numbers, pledging to'
participate in a badly needed drive
to get out an overwhelming vote to
j morrow
Briefly addressing the meeting.
Congressman Bonner said that it
was a long trip from Washington to
Murfreesboro and back in a single
day, but that he felt it his duty. Con
gressnieh would not have voted for i
| the bill had they believed the farm j
?rs dul not want it The congressman,
xpressmg his appreciation for tin-!
support accorded him in the past and j
expressing the hope for a continued
support in tlu' next year, stated that !
we have launched on a vast sea. that
I we must put-our shoulders to the
oar and pull for a planned produc ,
tion fen all crops. "I urge every far
mer to study the-problem-ami?
Saturday," Mr. Bonner concluded
Porter Hardy, state AAA commit
teeman from Virginia, declared Sat
urday. April 26. is the most import
ant day in history fur the peanut i
growers "Quotas will put peanut
I production on a business basis," he
said, adding that without quotas, the
edible trade price may actually drop '
I below the oil trade price. "We have!
got to get out . a big and favorable
vote. There is the possibility of an
unfavorable vote in some states to
the South, and if we lie down we 1
will lose," he concluded.
Pleading for support of the pea
| nut program. Hutchinson, extension j
director for Virginia, outlined the
seriousness of the situation facing the !
agricultural South. "We can't go
through what we are going through
now without some one having to pay
the pi ice. There are still scars in1
Virginia from the Civil War and the
World War. We must get ready now
to meet the emergency facing us Ad
justments made in the past 10 years
as they are related to production con
trol and a shift to soil conserving !
| plans are minor compared to those
I reasonably expected in the next 10 !
and 20 years. We spent the past 75 |
years doing things that are proving
economically unsound. We are try
ing to balance agriculture, labor and
industry, we are trying to unscram '
ble the eggs that were scrambled
through economic fallacies in years
gone by We must learn to adjust our
selves to meet new emergencies. We
have got the brains and resources to
live and live well in this country, but j
j we must apply more brain work
This is riot the end, we must keep go- I
ing."
Dean Schaub, briefly addressing
the meeting, explained that without
quotas farmers will have no re- |
course whatever, the law clearly j
stating that without control no di
version program will be possible. The I
diversion program held up prices. It ^
is now vote quotas or everyone for
himself. "I hope every farmer will >
vote," the dean said, adding that
(there was apparently little interest
in the referendum.
The main address of the afternoon
was delivered by R M. Evans, AAA
I administrator from Washington
j There has been too much attention
given production and not enough to
(the economic side of the problems
facing civilization," Mr. Evans de
dared. "We can hang together and
succeed, but to work separately we
will go down to ruin Disaster has
(overtaken those who refused to
change and make adjustments in ac
cordance with needs."
Addressing the peanut growers di
rectly. Mr. Evans said that they had
the finest machinery for handling
I the peanut program than for any
other crop. It was quite apparent that
the peanut farmer has much to gain
with the program and that he has
much to lose without it.
Mr. Evans scored a major point for
(Continued on page six)
M \<;\Z1>KS
A cull is being issued by the
local Woman's Club for old max
aiines and possibly other read
BiijC material for distribution to
the army hospital patients and
library at t-'ort Bragg The local
cluh building will be o|?en each
morning Irom 9 a. m. to 12:00
n<Ntn except Saturday and Sun
day for the receipt of magazine*
that are old but not too old.
A public collection offers
about the only opportunity of
getting reading material into
the hands of an army of men.
and ItM'al people are urged to
support the movement.
Mrs. Ret tic Lillt'N
Dies Vt Daughter's
r
Home List Evening
l-iintral Senirt'* \r?- Uciny
llcl<l \l Son', lloinc Tlii?
\flcriiooii
Mrs Bottle Griffin Lilley. highly
respected citi/on of Griffins Town
ship, died at the home of her daugh
ter, Mrs.~TT Hoy I Manning". itiere
early last-evening following .1 coin
paratively short illness Mrs. Lilley
was visiting in the sick home of her
brother, Mr. Simon Daniel Griffin,
a little over two weeks ago when
slie was taken ill suddenly. She had
been suffering with rheumatism for
sotiie tune Pneumonia and coiiipti
rations resulted 111 her death
The daughter of the late Joseph
and Louisa Perry Griffin, Mis Lil
ley was born 111 Griffins Township
eighty years ago today. In early wo
manhood she was married to Joshua
Koberson One son, Luke It Holier
son. of Washington City, sut vivos this
union Her second marriage was to j
John F Lilley who died about tw?
ty years ago. Five children. Mrs j
Lloyd llardison, Mis. W A Manning,
Mrs F Hoyt Manning and Frank
Lilley, all of this county, and Gil
belt lalley. of N< walk. N J , sin
vivo this union. She al*o leaves two;
brothers. Messrs Simon Daniel Grif
fin. of this county, and A T Grit
fin, of Goldsboro, and one sister, Mrs
Finina Coi-ev. of Griffins Township, j
and thirty six grandchildren and,
nine great grandchildren
Mrs lalley was a member of the
Primitive Baptist Church at Smxlh
w-ick Creek-'for a long number of |
years, remaining faithful to its doc
trines and teachings until the end
Despite the weight of advancing ;
years, she found time to visit and j
comfort the sick, to do neighborly
acts for others Her life, marked by
a beautiful simplicity, was spent in
the service of others. A devoted mo
ther and companion, she was a good
Woman and one who held the respect :
of everyone, regardless of color or
station in life
Funeral services are being con
ducted at the home of her son, Frank I
Lilley, this afternoon at ,'t o'clock by |
Elder P. E. Gctsinger and Hev W
H. Harrington, County Baptist nun- |
ister. Interment will follow in the
old Lilley family .cemetery near the
home.
Peanut Referendum
Scheduled Saturday
Thirty five thousand North Car
olina farmers are eligible to vote
Saturday in tin first peanut refer
endum in history. If two thirds of |
the growers voting 'throughout the
peanut licit- in tire nation approve the
plan, mar keting quotas will be in |
effect on the next three crops of pea
nuts, including the 11)41 wrop
E. Y Floyd, AAA executive offi- |
tor of N C State College, says that]
all producers who shared 111 the
proceeds of the 1940 peanut crop
which was picked and threshed by
mechanical means are eligible to east
their votes in community polling
places which will be set up and staff
ed by farmer'-committeemen of thej
AAA
Each owner, tenant, and sharecrop
per is entitled to one vote. If quotas
are approved, each farmer can grow
without penalty in 1941 the maxi
mum production on the acreage al
ready allotted him under the Agri
cultural Conservation Program. In
addition, he may grow peanut* on
acreage taken out of cotton and es
cape the penalty if he delivers the
excess peanuts to an agency desig
nated by the Secretary of Agricul-1
ture to ciivert surplus production into |
oil.
Floyd emphasized the fact that the
government will support the peanut
market with u diversion program or
loans, or both, only if quotas are ap
proved. Last year the U. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture spent about 10 j
millfffff dollars in diverting excess
peanuts into oil. If quotas are reject
ed, the law recently enacted by Con
gflress prohibits any diversion or
loan program on the 1941 crop.
Rain Checks Forest
Fires In This \n<l
Surrounding \reas
\ |>|iro\iiimli-l\ 2.1KKI \rpc?
Of %<mhI> Iturne.l Since
Fir?l of Month
purest fires, breaking ihi! in var
lous parts ??f tin- chip it y during the
past three weeks, have been defi
nitely check first 'by a hard working
ton st fire patrol and secondly by
timely showers th.it started falling
yesterday noon Official estimates
are not yet available but preliminary
reports would indicate that at least
2.000 acres of timherlaods were
burned over and that the damage
will run well into the thousands of
dollars
Since April ! tin- county Jo rest
fire service headed by Warden Mar
vin L.eggett has handled fifteen fires.
Fourteen <?t the fires had been
brought under control prior to Wed
im sday. ami forces were working on
.1 fifteenth one m the Dymond City
area when rain started falling yes
terday. checking the fire and elim
inating. for the present at least, ad
ditional fire threats. In fact, forest
fire wardens are hopeful that the
season-'for fires is over until next
fall County Warden Leggetl-dttring
the rush season was away from
home eight out of nine nights fight
mg fires in various parts of tin*
county
In addition to destroying or dam
aging fine tracts of timber, one fire
burned a large lot of sawed lumber
at a ground mill in Hear Crass Town
ship, -one estimate placing the lOM
at $750. The lumber belonged to H
B Hum ipso n. owner and operator
of several mills in the county and a
planing mill here The largest fire
in the 15 was located near the Slate
prison camp, the warden explaining
that possibly 050 acres were burned
oser in that area
Reviewing the causes of the fires.
Warden Liggett stated that prelim
mary investigations revealed that
three were wilfully started, that far
mers burning brush and hedgerows
started eleven and that one was fired
by a i aitroad train Investigations
are now underway m several cases,
the warden staling that one alleged
violator of the foivst fire lliws, G
L Savage, had pleaded guilty of
burning brush without a permit
Judgment in the vase was suspend
is! upon payment of the court costs
and meeting the expenses incurred
m bringing the fire under control.
Imlu'lmelils ale e\peeled .-shortly III
several other cases, the warden ex
plaining that evidence is being col
iec.tecl and that the cases would he
placed in couil as dun a jxissihle
Tlit lecinl file, have caused a
'.renewed mbiest in the luivst fire
prevention program, ami a discus
I Nioii of the problem is planned by
j thy Farm Bureau at its nexl meeting
' to he held on May 5th
| Warden Liggett points out that
rural mail caiTieis all pvei the coun
ty along with all citizen.# can mater
ially aid tin- program by reporting
I fires to the proper authorities. It was
also pointed out that the real success
of the protection program rests in
the prevention of fires Once a fire
is started, the public is urged to con
tact a district warden, a towernian
or the county warden The county
warden can he reached by calling
Wdliamston No. 251J S A Wafd.
Ma.ssell towernian, may be reached
by calling Robersonvillc No. 863 W
B Chancey, Foreman towerman in
Griffins Township, may be reached
by calling Williamston No. 2904 The
following district wardens issue per
mits for brush burning and will ban
die reports of fires: K. T Smith, H
L Hopkins, Tohey Bovven, W. M
Hardison, W L Ausborn, Arthur
Bevels, 11 G. Roberson, W. G. Ange.
W K. Purvis, George Hopkins, H. H.
Smith, Marvin Jones, Clayton Rev
els. Jimmy Tyre. Joseph Beach and
A I) Ward.
The forest fire season, now consid
ered about over in this section, was
the most hectic one in recent years.
Dry weather prevailed last fall and
j dining much of the winter. People
were more careless than usual, and
when the Forest Fire Warden check
ed the records for the period he found
jan extensive damage had been done
despite renewed efforts by state and
county authorities to hold the loss to
a low figure
Victim Of Wreck Is
Facing Two Charges
?$?
William Silas Boswell, young Elm
City white man who lived to tell the
story after the automubile which he
was driving at 85 mites an hour
crushed into a tree at Gold Point last
Tuesday night, is now facing charges
in Pitt and Nash Counties. Boswell.
..uttering a bad bead injury, was ar
rested by Sergeant L. L. Jackson and
brought here for treatment The fol
lowing day he was earned to Green
ville and formally charged with
holding up a fitting station In Beth
el and robbing it uf 10 gallons of gas
He was then carried to Naihville
where he was charged with stealing
the automobile from ita owner in 1
Bailey. It was reported that Boswell
robbed a filling station near Spring
Green tn this county, but the report
could not be confirmed.
Damage ot the car was estimated
at *800.