In The Name Of Suffering Humanity\ Support The Red Cross In Its Emergency War Relief Work
THE ENTERPRISE
Watch The Label On Your
Paper. As It Carries The Date
Your Subscription Expiree
Advertisers Will Find Our Col
umns A Latchkey To Over 1,600
Homes Of Martin County.
VOLUME XLIV?NUMBER 100 Williamtton. Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, December 16, 1941. ESTABLISHED 1899
Spivey Completing
Plans For Urgent
Red Cross Canvass
Thirty-five Canvassers Will
Start Whirlwind Drive
Thursday Morning
?
Appointed chairman to raise $2,
000 for Emergency Red Cross Relief
at a meeting of representative citi
zens in the courthouse yesterday af
ternoon at 5 o'clock, V. J. Spivey a
few hours later had formulated ten
tative plans for a whirlwind cam
paign to get underway on Thursday
morning. Canvassers were named for
Williamston Township by the chair
man last night and they are to meet
in the courthouse auditorium tomor
row morning at 10 o'clock for defi
nite instructions. During the mean
time, organization plans are going
forward in the other four townships,
embracing the Martin County chap
ter of the Red Cross.
Pledging his best efforts in han
dling the vitally necessary work, Mr.
Spivey is appealing to each of the
thirty-five canvassers to be at the
special meeting in the courthouse to
morrow morning at 10 o'clock wheh
definite plans will be advanced for
conducting the drive.
Let it be remembered that Mr.
Spivey and the canvassers he has
named are not receiving one penny
for their work, and they are not beg
ging. In the words of the Chief Ex-'
ecutive, one does not make a sacri
fice in contributing to any cause de
signed for the defeat of Hitler; it is
a privilege. Our people are urged to
support the movement, giving not
in comparison with what neighbor
Jones or Mr. Smith gives but to the
fullest extent of one individual abil
ity. The record of the campaign will
be read by Martin County boys in the
armed service in a dozen more states
in the Union, in Panama, in Hawaii,
and in the Philippines.
At the suggestion of the chairman
of the emergency drive, the names
of every contributor and the amount
contributed will be published. The
whole committee first limited public
recognition to those contributing $1
or more. "The widow's mite shall be
recognized,' Mr. Spivey declared.
Special Red Cross emblems will be
displayed on the coats of those who
do more than talk, talk, and talk in
the present serious crisis.
Mapping out his tentative plans for
the drivtj, Mr. Spivey named 35 can
vassers and asks any and all others
who will aid the urgent movement
to volunteer their services. The
names of the canvassers who will be
assigned definite territories are: Mrs.
John Gurkin, Fred Taylor, Hewitt
Edwards, Maylon Price, John Bland,
Dennis Hardy, Grover Nicholson,
Mrs. Claude Jenkins, David Moore,
Mrs Eva Avant, Miss Edna Barn
hill, C. B. Roebuck, Mrs. E. T. Wal
ker, Mrs. J A. Eason, Mrs. Elbert S.
Peel. Mrs. Wheeler Martin, Rev. John
Hardy, Herman A. Bowen, D. V.
Clayton, Miss Mary Carstarphen,
George Harrison, Jr., Mrs. Frank
Westun, Mrs. A. J. Manning, Jr., Mrs.
Rush Bondurant, Mrs. J. W. Watts,
Mrs. E. P. Cunningham, Mrs. Edwin
Holding, J. E. King, D. N. Hix, Mrs.
1. M. Margolis, Mrs. Francis Barnes,
Mrs. J. C. Manning, Mrs. J. S.
Rhodes. Mrs. R. H. Goodmon, Leman
Barnhill and Edward Corey.
County Young Man
Gets His "Wings"
Raleigh T. Harrington, young son
of Parson and Mrs. W. B. Harring
ton, of the Farm Life community,
this county, was commissioned a
second lieutenant in the Army Air
Corps last Friday at Tumey Field,
Albany, Ga. He was in the class of
SE-41-I with Colonel John B. Pat
rick in charge.
The young man entered the serv
ice only last April, but since that
time he has been subjected to inten
sive training. He had hgrdly reach
ed home when Japan attacked Pearl
Harbor a week ago last Sunday and
by midnight he hd received a mes
sage ordering him to return to his
station immediately.
Lieutenant Harrington is now in
line for actual combat service or it
is possible he may be detained at
Flfld I
Close Red Cross
Production Unit
The local-production center of the
American Red Cross will close to
day until Tuesday, December 30th,
Mrs. A. R. Dunning, chairman, an
nounced this morning. The chair
man explained that there is very lit
tle to be done in the production room
at the present time since most of the
material has been made into gar
ments. Those who have aided in the
work will also be busy preparing for
the Christmas season.
Quite a few garments have not
been turned into the center and the
shipment scheduled this week could
not be effected, Mrs. Dunning ask
ing that all the articles be made
ready for shipment on or immediate
ly after December 30th.
Fix Schedule Of Tax
Values In The County
REQUEST
Since the War and Navy De
partments are not makinc pub
lic casualty lists, this paper
humbly asks those persons in
this county having relatives in
the service to keep it in touch
with the young men, and report
such information that might
come into their hands and which
can be released without com
fort to the enemy.
No dispatches or official re
ports have been received so far
in this county pertaining to Mar
tin County men in the Pacific
service.
Red Cross Raises
$570.00 Of Its First
Quota In Chapter
New Drive On Second Quota
of $2,000 Will Follow in
Chapter At Onre
Renewed efforts over the week
end by canvassers supported by vol
untary contributions boosted the
Red Cross membership total in the
Martin County chapter to $570.50,
or a little more than half of the ini
tial quota assigned more than it
month ago
The Bear Grass total was boosted
to $35 by a $10 contribution made
by Elder B. S. Cowin. Mrs. J. F. Jor
dan, of Dardens, reports member
ships and contributions there
amounting to $17.63. The Pine Grove
Baptist Church raised $17, the pas
tor, Rev. W. B. Harrington, turning
over that amount to the chapter
treasurer yesterday. To date, a to
tal of $464.87 has been raised in the
town of Williamston, $35 In Bear
Grass. $36 in Jamesville, and $17.63
in Dardens, making a grand total
of $570.50.
Memberships and contributions
not previously reported are as fol
lows;
Mrs. Herman Bowen, Rev. Z. T.
Piephoff, Mrs. Jack Booker, Miss
Betsy Koonce and Herman Bowen.
Mrs. David Modlin, Mrs. Virginia R
Cutchin, Mrs. Mayo Modlin, Mrs.
H. H. Taylor and Mrs. Ed Woolard
Mcsdames Sylvia Green, Henry Har
rison, Ernest Etheridge, S. W. Man
ning, J. O. Manning, H. L. Barnhill,
Kate York, Bill Peel, J. C. Cook,
Daisy Purvis and Mrs. C. A. James;
Milton James and Mr. Charles James.
Chas. H. Jenkins and Co., James
Bailey Peel, George Harris, Sr., Mr.
and Mrs. Bill White, Mrs. Bob Car
ver, Frank Weston and Mr and Mrs.
Mack Roberson.
Enrolling as members the follow
ing children contributed $1.00 to the
Roll Call canvass: David Davis, Jr.,
Betsy Hunter Davis, Robert Weston,
Clayton Weston and Joyce Baker.
Those making contributions from 10
cents to 40 cents are as follows: Ed
die Daniels, Bobby Manning, Dan
ny Manning, Janice Hardison, San
dra Harrison, Eddie Bufflap, Broth
er Sfssoms and Billy Sessoms.
Reports from Dardens, Mrs. J. F.
Jordan enrolled the following mem
bers last week: C. B. Fagan, J. L.
Knowles, J. F. Jordan, Dan Fagan, ]
Julian Fagan, M. S. Fagan. Bert L.
Roberson, Bill Harden, Bob Harden,
H. E Daniels, H. L. Riddick, J. P.
Bland, Bob Davenport, J. A. Stalls,
Oscar Davenport and Ralph Daven
port Individuals contributing fromi
10 cents to 25 cents are: Allen Grif
fin, G. C. Lilley, Melvin Stalls, E.
M Bland. John Swinson, Stephen
Davis, Ed Moore, Bob Dail, Warren
Hinson, Fred Woolard, S. Johnson,
L. S. Williams, Ray Daniel, J. H. Fa
gan, Herbert Williams, Eddie Bos
ton, Elmer Mizell and Jimmy
Knowles.
Elder B. S. Cowan, $10.00; Piney
Grove Baptist Church, $17.00.
No comment was heard as the an
nual membership roll call was
brought to a close, but numbers of
local citizens expressed the hope that
in making the new drive sufficent
amounts could be?raised to orftet
the deficit.
DECORATIONS
Following the lighting of the
streets In the meln business dis
tricts, the mnnlelpel water de
partment has made ready Its
holiday decorations atop the
tower, the varl-colored lights
shedding a cheery feeling despite
the trouble-filled world.
Approximately $M In prises
are being offered for the best
door-way, yard, store window
and mnnlelpel decorations, bat
np until the present time few
decorations hare'?been made
ready. This week will see the
lights going np In nearly 1M
homes and yards here. Appar
ently the courthouse and town
hall gangs are waiting far the
other to make a mere.
Farm Crops Grown
In 1941 Will Not
Be Taxed In 1942
Definite Instructions Call for
Accurate and Complete
Listing Next Month
Meeting in the commissioners'
room here yesterday, the ten town
ship list-takers officially fixed a
schedule of values for all personal
properties and received definite
instructions from County Tax Super
visor C. D. Carstarphen calling for
an accurate and complete list as of
January 1st. The listing work will
hardly gpf underway hefore Jann
ary 5th, but the values will be fixed
for those things in the possession of
the taxpayer on January 1st. mean
ing that if you own a home on Janu
ary 1st and it burns down on Jan
uary 2nd it. is to be listed. If one
buys an automobile or any other
item on January 2nd he does not
have to list it for taxation in 1942.
The 1942 tax program calls for
quite a few changes including a strict
adherence to the laws and an accur
ate and as near as possible a fair list
ing by every individual. The 1943
program does not call for any
change in real estate values. These
values are to remain the same as
they were for 1941 except in those
cases where the values have been
altered by fire or other action or
where improvements to the proper
ty have been made. For the first
time possibly in tax history, the far
mer will not be required to list any
farm crops such as cotton, corn, pea
nuts. hay, sweet and Irish potatoes
or any other item grown in the
ground. The exemption is applica
ble however to only those crops
grown in 1041 If a farmer has car
ried over cotton, peanuts or other
crops from 1940 he is supposed to
list them, but not those grown in
4941. The purpose of the exemption
is to keep the farmer from rushing
his farm crops to market to escape
taxation However, this year most
all crops have been sold except the;
corn and sweet potato crops. Meat,
lard, poultry and similar items along
with other personal property will
be taxable according to the sched
ule of values fixed by the list-takers
and supervisor at their meeting.
Opening the meeting, Supervisor
Carstarphen instructed the list-tak
ers to get correct names and ad
dresses. placing nicknames in par
enthesis, and listing the name of
employer and the wife's given name
where the property owner is mar
ried
Pointing out that much confusion
has followed an apparent lax sys
tem of listing dogs, the tax super
visor called for an accurate list
"There are some dog owners facing
the court now because they did not
for one reason or another list the
canines for taxation," the supervisor
said.
Automobile values will be deter
mined by the little "blue book," the
supervisor instructing the list-takers
to determine in whose names the
cars are registered. It is fairly cer
tain that the automobile registrations
will be checked to determine if all
cars in the county are listed for tax
ation.'
When it comes to other personal
property, the list-takers were in
structed to enumerate all items sub
ject to taxation. "We do not want to
get anything on the books that does
not belong there, but it is no more
(Continued on page four)
Verbal Attack On
President Is Heard
Little realizing the seriousness of
her words, a local young woman was
said to have been heard in deliver
ing a verbal attack against the Pres
ident of the United States here yes
terday. Hie attack was reported to
al police, but no action has been,
taken in the case. The remarks, bor
dering does to treason in the eyes
of some, caused bitter resentment in
some quarters and it was reliably
learned that the police had been urg
ed to take some action in the case.
The verbal attack Is a bit similar
to a case out in Chicago where a
young man booed a newsreel show
ing President Roosevelt. Other show
patrons tore the man's clothes from
him and administered a sound
thrashing before he could be rescued.
Carried into court, the man was
fined $200 The defendant, after the
trial, declared that he was a good
American, that he was a welder and
wanted to get into the Army He was
rejected on account of his eyes. He
explained that he did not havr time
to read the papers and did not know
how people feel about politics now.
'I am a Republican and when Roose
velt's picture was flashed on the
screen, I naturally booed," the man
explained. But the fine was not lift
ed.
Added Importance^
Is Given To The
Battle Of Russia
Wake Inland Defenders Call
For More Japs Early
This Morning
While the United States forces are
holding their own in the Pacific,
added importance is being attached
to the battle in Russia. The outcome:
of the fight there and Russia's future
policy are recognized as the deter- \
mining factors. If Russia continues
its route of the German forces and
it is doing a mighty good job at the
present, and then carries the fight to
German soil there is good cause to
entertain encouraging hope for the
future. Even if Germany stiffens its
opposition and holds Russia in abey
ance, there is still hope, but it is
highly probable that the cost will be
great and the struggle long.
Today, the Russian forces are
spreading into the Crimea, and Red
Army leaders dcilaie they will whip
Hitler on his own soil. The declara
tion. pleasing to the Allies, must have
had its effect for a report today stat
ed that Hitler's health is failing and
that he had gone to his retreat in the
mountains to rest. The strain on the
murderer has been too great, his doc?
tor says.
News from the war fronts today
told of no marked change in the Pa
cific other than in Malaya, and at
Hong Kong with the threats against
the Dutch East Indies and the Burma
Road becoming more serious United
States and Filipino forces are hold
ing firm against Japan and there is
no change on the island of Luzon.
Army bombers were said to have
badly damaged a Jap transport to
day, increasing the Japanese losses
to serious proportions.
The Japs are advancing in north
ern Malaya and the danger to Singa
pore is becoming more serious. Japs
are reported in Borneo, and attacks
have been directed against Borneo.
In Libya the British are closing in
on the Germans. Six Nazi divisions
are now surrounded and the British
are within 35 miles of the strong Ax
is base of Derna.
Steps are being taken today to co
ordinate the allied effort. Plans are
being formulated in Washington,
London and Moscow.
Free forces of Czechoslovakia to
day declared war on all nations
Establishing a belated contact with
little Wake Island this morning,
Honolulu asked what the defenders
wanted to be sent them. "Send us
some more Japs," was the reply from
those who have thrown back num
bers of invasion attempts.
A late report stated that a heavy
blow had been dealt the German
Gestapo by blowing up its main
headquarters and killing a number
of the leaders.
Christmas Pageant
Presented Sunday
Approximately 180 members of the;
Wllliamston High School and Gram
mar School vested glee clubs im
pressively presented a -Christmas
pageant, "The Nativity," to a capac
ity audience Sunday evening in the
high school auditorium This was the
second performance of the pageant
the first having been presented for
tie- students of the local schools 011
Friday morning
This was the first public appear
ance of the grammar school glee club
which has been organized only two
months. The group includes 90 chil
dren from the fourth, fifth, sixth and
seventh grades.
The cast supported by members of
the choruses included, Jack Mobley,
Crucifer; Evelyn Griffin, Reader;
Mary Trulah Peele, Mary; Conrad
Getsinger, Joseph; Benny Weaver, A1
Ward and Parker Peele, Shepherds;
Louise Corey, Harriet Ward, Sara
Manning, Betty Sue Gurganus, Bet
sy Horton and Harriet Eeele, village
children; Lenora Melson, Mildred
Thomas, Julia Clyde Waters, Fran
ces Jarman, Anne Woolard and Lo
la Peele, Angels; Julian Mason, Eu
gene Andrews and Joseph Manning,
Kings; Alberta Swain, Lenora Mel
son, Hewctt Andrews and Billy Peel,
mixed quartet; Mary O'Neal Pope,
soprano soloist; and Anne Lindsley,
Alberta Swain. Courtney Jenkins
and Louise Griffin, instrumental
quartet.
Miss Kathryn Mewborn, director,
was assisted by the following: ac
companists, Miss Grace Talton and
Miss Katherine Bradley, pianists, and
Irvin Gurganus, violinist; stage, Mrs.
C. B. Hassell, Miss Virginia Reynolds,
Mr. Robert Collard and Mr. D. N.
Hix; lighting effects, Miss Doris
Leach and Collin Peele; programs,
Miss Mary Whitley; costumes, Miss
Mary Benson and Miss Madge Glaz
ener; publicity, Mrs. Sam Edwards,
and instrumental quartet, Mr. Jack
Butler.
? ,
Farm Hnrpaii Will Hold
Meeting llrre Friday Wight
Members, of the Martin County
Farm Bureau will meet in the agri
cultural building here Friday eve
ning at 7:30 o'clock when the dele
gates to the national convention in
Chicago will address the member
ship.
Navy Secretary Reports Heavy
Loss _Of Life And Destruction
Of Six Ships In Pearl Harbor
Martin County Leads State in
Sut)f)o?~t of Cotton Referendum
Martin County is fast becoming
recognized as the stronghold of the j
Agricultural Adjustment Adnunis- i
tration program After giving the 1
cotton program one of the strongest !
votes in 1940, cotton farmers last j
Saturday led the entire State in I
support of the program for 1942 j
Only three votes-out of a total of!
1,092 were cast against marketing
quotas for next year, giving the pro- j
gram 99.72 per cent support. The vote
was even larger than it was last year
and far greater than was expected.
Grasping the uncertain future for
cotton along with the whole country,
Martin County farmers braved a1
cold rain to visit their respective
polling places 'to cast their votes in
support of the program for next
year. ,
N^rlh Carolina supported the pro ,
gram with a 95 per cent favorable
vote, and there us little doubt but
what the program carried, through
out the cotton territory
The vote recorded in the various
districts follows:
Jamesville
Will ianis
Bear Crass
?Williamston
Cruss Koads
For
Ag'nst
18
0
30
0
40
0
187
0
142
? <> j
282
1 |
49
1 |
88
1 1
81
{)\
208
0
1099
31
Bobersonville
Gold Point
Hamilton
Hassell
Goose Nest
?Includes vote cast by Poplar Point1
and Griffins Township farmers.
All-Out Canvass For
Red Cross War Fund
Tli is Chapter Asked
To Raise $2.0(HUH)
For New Emergency
(Jiiotii* llroken Dohii Among
The Five TownnhipH in
The r.hapter
tailing miserably in meeting its
first obligation centering aropnd the '
annual membership roll call, the j
M.irtip Ponnty Chapter of the Am- 1
erican Bed Cross has been given a 1
new assignment The chapter, em -1
bracing Jamesville, Williams, Grif- j
fins, Bear Grass and Williamston ,
Townships, has been asked to raise j
$2,000 as its part of a $50,000,000 war j
emergency relief fund. North Car
olina has been asked to raise $750,
j 500. The drive is separate and cn
j tirely apart from the annual mem
I bership roll call which has just been
: brought to a shameful close in this
| chapter.
Preliminary plans for meeting the
challenge in this chapter were ad
vanced at a meeting of representa
tive citizens from the district in the
county commissioners' room here
yesterday aftemxron air 4" o'clock. V: I
|"J Spivey, well-known local man,
| was named chairman of the emer
gency drive, and he is expected to
set up his organization immediately
and call for a whirlwind drive by
the latter part of the week. Organi
zalions are being "perfected in at
least two townships tonight when
tin* parents and U'aefrers meet. Will
ing workers are ready to start the
drive in Williamston. Mary Gray I
and Cleo Tyner will carry the urgent
appeal to the colored citizens of the
five townships.
While fully determined to carry
the appeal to every person, the
meeting yesterday afternoon, sad to
relate, expressed some doubt in an
indirect way if the people of the five
townships will successfully meet this
their first challenge since the yellow
Japs rained death and destruction
down upon our fellow citizens and
American property Pearl Harbor j
just ten days ago The challenge is
being issued, and if it is not met or j
(Continued on page four)
More Troops Move
To New Positions
Till ir ?rhi'Huln? iinH Hi-stinat inns
unannounced, rolling equipment and
large numbers of soldiers continue to
travel through here with a certain
degree of regularity. Following the
movement of several thousand men
anfl possibly seven hundred ve
hicles last Wednesday afternoon and
night, severer convoys have traveled
northward through here. A fairly
large convoy moved through here in
record time Sunday Just before
noon The outfit, believed to have
been a part of the 94th Coast Artil
lery was traveling north. Numbers
of empty trucks traveled through
here early this morning on the re
turn trip. About tbrae hours later
another convoy moved north through
here Large loads of gas tanks were
seen in the convoy which also in
cluded quite a number of jeeps. The
gas apparently was for use in bal
loons.
The movement of the convoys has
been speeded up since the first units
of the 94th Coast Artillery traveled
through here last Wednesday.
OPEN NIOHTS
Beginning Friday evening of
this week, all Williamston stores
and many of the other business
houses will remain open until 9
o'clock for the convenience of
their patrons. The postoffice. ob
serving Saturday afternoon as
a holiday, will remain open that
afternoon.
There are only seven more
days left in which to complete
the shopping task. Remember
Williamston merchants when
you go shopping They have com
plete stocks and prices that are
in line.
Scries Of Accidents
Reported Over the
Weekend in County
No Our ltii?lI\ Hurl. Itnl l,<>?
Of Property Itrai'lio New
lli^li I'iffiii't*
No mil* was badly hurl but proprt \
tr loss figures continued to soar to j
nev. high porches in a series < ?f an 1
tomobile accidents in the county dur
ing the past week end.
Driving toward Williumston on
the Jainesville Road late one night
last week. Simon. Dana 1
crashed into the back of Asa Tom
Lanier's 1941 Plymouth causing
damage;?-estimated by?Patrolman
Whit Saunders at $75 Moore, oper
ating Mrs. Effie Perry's automobile,
stated that the bright lights on an
approaching car blinded him and
that he did not see the Lanier car
until he had struck, it.
Earty Saturday evening Mrs. Nar
cissus Griffin was driving her 1938
tudor sedan on the Jamesville Road
just the other side of Sweet Water
Creek when she met Willie B. Carr,
of Oak City Route 1 Mrs. Griffin
says she was blinded by the lights
of an approaching car and the two
machines sideswiped each other, do
ing about $50 damage to each one
Mrs. Griffin was accompanied by
her daughter. Miss Lorraine Griffin;
her son, C. D. Griffin, and Mrs Let
tie Griffin, but none of them was
hurt.
Later that night, Willie Newman,
of Norfolk and Pamlico County, ac
companied by his wife and son and
a friend, crashed through a WPA
(Continued on page four)
CHEERING 'EM I I' )
j
Quite a few local people are
taking positive action in the
Christmas C'eher movement to
cheer up the less fortunate in
this community at Christmas
time. A fast moving world has
taken "Christ" out of Christmas
and writes It "X-mas," hut those
who are making contributions to
the cheer fund are certainly
helping to put "Christ" back in
to Christmas.
To date, a total of $32.75 has
been turned over to Treasurer
John W. Hardy. Time is short
for other donations. Contribu
tions not previously acknowledg
ed were made by the following:
Dean Speight, $1; Clyde Griffin,
$1; Miss Lora Sleeper, $5; Mrs.
W. E. Old, $1; and Mrs. A. R
Dunning, $5.
Martin County Men
Apparently Escape
In Surprise Attack
Kiio\ llcft'iiilt'rs Are
CauuliI Vi|q>iii|( umfProm
ix-s Thorough Inquiry
After i frank fashion following a
personal visit to the scene, Navy Sec
retary Frank Knox yesterday offi
cially reported the astounding facts
growing out of the sneaking attack
hy tin- yellow Japs on Pearl Harbor
"Austin Randolph Jackson,
Seaman First Class, C. S. Navy,
was lost in action in the service
of his country," the Navy De
partment with regret advised his
mother. Mrs. Ora Jackson Burn
ett. in Jamesville this afternoon.
No details of the young man's
death were offered. In accord
ance &ith a previous announce
ment. the young man's body was
buried near the place where be
sacrificed his life for his coun
try. but will be removed to this
country later.
It could not be learned im
mediately when the young man
volunteered his services.
He is the first Martin County
man to surrender his life in the
present struggle.
on the morning i?f December 7th. Ac
companying the report of the trage
dy which was high lighted by "fifth
column" treachery, laxity, death and
destruction wore stories telling of
courageous acts and heroism.
Wlien their ship, the Oklahoma,
capsized. sailors plunged into the
water and swam to board destroyers
instead of seeking safety on the
docks. So surprised were the men
at their stations that thev thought the
attack was only a maneuver until the
bombs blew up the battleship Ari
zona. the 32,t>0l)-tori battle wagon
built in 191
Assuring the Amearican people
that the bulk of the Pacific fleet was
not damaged, the Navy Secretary
brought back ban raising stories of
lira very of American soldiers and
ulors who fought through flame
and shellfire, of. a dying battleship
(Continued on page four)
Oaklilv Young Man
(hi IH-Fatod Vessel
A> far a- it cmi lei be'learned here"
!y\ Martin County was not rep
it iiilt'd in the heavy casualty list
resulting from the dastardly Japan
ese attack ??n Pearl Harbor, Hawaii,
Ion Sunday, December 7th. It is
j fairly?certain that several Martin
County youths were members of the
crews on at least two of the ill-fated
snips in iV.ui Harbor on that event
Iful morning
Albert Bennett, young son of Mr.
and Mrs Hugh Bennett, of near Oak
City, was a destroyer crew mem
ber Relatives here and in the coun
tv hum had no word from him since
the attack, it was learned this morn
ing.
Mr Bribe Gurganus, father of
young At Wood Gurganus who is in
the Pacific service, said this morn
ing that they had heard from the
young man, but that the letter was
written S^week fefore the attack.
"We have fieard nothing from him
since that tirmw" Mr. Gurganus said
PU
this morning The soldier said in his
letter that he had been participating
in Army maneuvers, that he and
other members of his company had
been issued helmets, and that he did
not like the-Army so well. Atwood
has a brother. Corporal Hugh Gur
fanus, who is a military police in
Washington.
There were several other Martin
County young the ships at
tacked in Pearl Harbor.
Fire Destroys Oak
J
City Home Monday
Fire, the origin of which could not
bo ascertained immediately, destroy
ed tiie home of Chief of Police and
Mrs Wiley Craft in Oak City yes
terday afternoon. Starting in a clos
et, the fire burned to the attic and
was spreading rapidly before it was
discovered. Mrs. Craft and her small
children were at home, and they fled
to sufety, but very few of the con
tents were saved. Mr. and Mrs. Craft
have nine children, the oldest being
about twelve years of age.
Known as the old Edmondson ho
tel, the home was the third one built
in Oak City. The structure, valued
in excess of $1,500, was insured for
| $800. No insurance was carried on
I the contents.