Newspapers / The Roanoke Beacon and … / June 29, 1917, edition 1 / Page 3
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-yr'-r-nVA-niTr- 111 The winter night Is cold and drear, Along the river's sullen flow; The cruel frost Is camping here The air has living blades of snow. Look! pushing from the Icy strand, "With ens'gns freezing In the air, There sails a small, but mighty band. Across the dang'rous Delaware. A rush a Bhout a clarion call. Salute the early morning's gray; Now, roused Invaders, yield, or fall; The worthy land has won the day! Soon shall the glorious news be hurled "Wherever men have wrongs to bear; For freedom's torch Illumes the world. And God has crossed the Delaware! "Will Carleton. THE winter of 1776, the year of the glorious Declaration of In dependence, found the fortunes of the budding nation at their lowest ebb. -..Beaten, buffeted and broken, the little army of George Wash ington had been pushed beyond the Delaware. He had scarce 4,000 men to command, while Cornwallls and Howe, the British commanders, had six times that many scattered over New Jersey and New York. Many Americans were becoming dis gusted with the war. Even Washing ton's troops were disheartened and he faced the calamity of having all but 1,500 of them quit the service the first of the year, when their enlistment ex pired. To make matters worse, Gen eral Gates and some other high officers in the army were trying to influence congress against Washington. They used every argument they could to discredit their leader. Brilliant Strategy. But while almost the entire country was losing heart, Washington was plan ning a brilliant stroke to revive the patriotism of the people and the en thusiasm of his troops. He deter mined to strike a blow at the British forces In New Jersey, a dangerous thing to do, one must admit, when it is remembered that he 'was outnum bered six to one. I He was too wise a man to risk battle with the main British force. He de cided to attack one of the detachments The dawn of the Fourth tre old annual story The nervous mans dread and the small boy's glory, Tne east is yet gray when ell the' land rumbles, And the small cannon pops and the big cannon grumblesi And the torrid sun creeps through a blue haze of powder. And the torpedoes snap and the cannons boom louder On the Fourth of July . The old-fashioned Fourth of July. occupying . the various cities of New Jersey. After careful deliberation he selected Trenton as the point to be stormed. It was nearest his own po sition across the river and the major ity of the troops there were Hessians, German soldiers England had hired to fight in America. Cornwallls and Howe had gone to New York with their staffs, where social life and gayety was at a higher pitch than in the little New Jersey towns. Left Trail of Blood. Washington's plan was to cross the river Christmas night with a body of picked troops, a time when he thought the German commander, Colonel Rahl, and his officers and -men would be carousing. He assembled the attack ing force quietly on his side of the river. 4 Some of the troops Washington had ordered to join him failed to arrive at the crossing point in time. But de spite that disappointment Washington pushed on. He determined to make the attack with the column he had ac companied. Washington's troops were so poorly clad on the march that day that a courier from General Gates In Philadelphia was able to trail Wash ington's force by bloody footprints In the snow. When men key their cour age to that point nothing can stop them. Patriots' Powder Spoiled. Delay at the ferry made an attack before daylight impossible. Washing ton had hoped to surprise the British and Hesslaaa. The river was filled with floating Ice and It looked for a time as If most of the little army might be drowned in crossing. But fortune smiled on them and none was lost. Once on the New Jersey side, at a point about nine miles from Trenton, Washington Watching the Last of His Troops Land Before the Battle. a terrific storm of snow and sleet drove Into the faces of the soldiers. It soon ruined what little powder Washing ton's men had, so the order was passed to rely on the bayonet. Washington divided his men Into two columns, one under General Sullivan and one' under General Greene. They were to march by different roads and attack the Brit ish outposts simultaneously. "Advance and Charge!" General Sullivan became somewhat dubious about the ( outcome while on the march and sent a mossenger to Washington to ask what should be done. "Advance and charge," was Washington's succinct reply. Washing ton said In his report the next day that he might have retreated at this time had he thought he could have crossed the river without being discovered by the British. It was nearly eight o'clock before the American advance met the first British outposts. The latter were at tacked quickly and driven back on the town without trouble. A rattle of musketry from the outposts announced the beginning of the battle. Wayne Whipple says In his "Life of Washing ton" that the Americans were so mad that morning that they would have at tacked the British with, broomsticks. Washington's surmise about Colonel Rahl and his officers was correct. They had spent the night at the home of Abraham Hunt, drinking and making merry. Hunt had furnished tnem an elaborate Christmas supper. While the supper was In progress, late that night, a negro servant entered the room and gave Colonel Rahl a note. The latter thrust It In his pocket without looking at it. It was fortunate for America that he was too drunk to act properly, for that note was from a Tory warn ing hlra of Washington's approach. Hessian Colonet Killed. While the officers drank and sang Washington's men had fought their way Into the outskirts of the town. The British cannon was captured and trained down the streets on their former owners. The sound of firing brought realization of the danger to Colonel Rahl and he rushed from the Hunt house to form his men. He was a brave man, but he had stayed too long at his merrymaking. More than a thousand Hessians had surrendered already. Colonel Rahl rallied some men and made a show of resistance. Almost the first fire wounded him mor tally. When the nessians saw their commander fall, some of them started to retreat toward Princeton. But Washington sent a detachment to head them off and they soon surrendered. Long before, noon the Americans were In possession of the entire city and the British and Hessian prisoners were being transported across the river for safe-keeping. Washington sent couriers to congress with the joyful news. It spread q' ickly over the coun try and enthused the cau?e of liberty so well that Washington was able to hold his army together and face the British In the spring with determina tion and courage. ENROLL BUYS FOR PRODUGTiVE IRK T. E. BROWNE SENDS OUT LETTER AND ASKS ORGANIZED AGEN CIES TO ASSIST HIM. DISPATCHES FROM RALEIGH Doings and Happenings That Mark the Progress of North Carolina Peo ple, Gathered Around the State Capital. Raleigh. As State Director of the National Boys' Working Reserve, Mr. T. E. Browne has started the work of get ting enrolled for productive labor all available young men between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one. He i9 send ing out letters to the secretaries of the Y. M. C. A. organizations through the State, Boy Scout Masters, Secre taries of Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade to the men whose names are sent. Enrollment cards will be mailed and it is urged that these agencies assist in getting the boys of the towns and the cities enrolled. "I have recently been appointed State Director of the National Boys' Working Reserve. The purpose of this organization is to secure the names and addresses of all young men be tween the ages of sixteen and twenty one who are available for some kind of productive labor either upon the farm or in Industrial plants, and who are willing to be employed for not less than three weeks. To those whose names are forwarded to the state di rector, or some designated enrolling officers, enrollment cards, eligibility rules, oath of service and other litera ture will be mailed. When the card and other blanks are properly filled out and returned to this office, the signer is enrolled in the Boys's Work ing Reserve and an effort made to get him employment consistent with hl3 desires. The farm demonstration asrents and other organizations are rapidly securing the names of farmers and industrial workers who are in need of help. "This letter is going to secretaries of the Y. M. C. A.'s, Boy Scout Mas ters, Secretaries of Chambers of Com merce and Eoards of Trade with the hoiJe that they will assist the State Director In getting the boys of the town and cities enrolled. We cannot hope to get the country boys into this organization for the reason that they are needed upon their own or their fathers' farms. This organization does j not accept for membership boys work-j ing upon a project in which they have a personal interest. For this reason, members of the various agricultural club activities can only become mem bers when they have extra time to be devoted to work upon some neighbors' farm. North Carolina has always been found doing its work in every na tional crisis. This is an opportunity for the boys of the cities and towns who are not eligible for enlistment in the army to 'do their bit' toward the production of crops and the manufac ture of necessary articles, which is just as Important a part of the na tion's defense as fighting and at the same time, receive pay. "It Is desirable that we have a large enrollment in the Boys' Working Re serve that labor may be available for the harvest of the large crop of food and feed crops which we are expect ing to be made this year. Boys who successfully comply with the require ments of the organization will be awarded a Federal badge, a very pret ty bronze medal, indicating that they are members of the national organi sation which is rendering a necessary patriotic service. It is very much desired-that the various papers of the state and all organizations Interested in the securing of profitable employ ment of their thousands of city boys who are unemployed during the sum mer, and who can furnls'a the neces sary labor for the farmers, will give 'his movement all possible publicity. The State Director will furnish all the information possible to those who axe interested." New Enterprises Authorized. The Forsyth Auto Company of Ru ral Hall; capital 125,000 authorized and $1,000 subscribed by J. G. Clay ton, J. R. Clayton and others for oper ating auto lines In Forsyth and Stokes counties. The Allen-Worley Furniture Com pany, of Wilson; capital $25,000 auth orized and $3,000 subscribed by George L. Allen and others. The Louis L, Liggett Company, of Boston, domesticates with principal North Carolina office in Durham. The capital is $6,753,000. Will Name Federal Boards. The war department called on Gov ernor Bickett to recommend two fed eral district exemption boards for ser vice In connection with the work of passing on the claims of exemption chaplain, will represent the North Car that were recorded In the selective olina state's prison at a special ses Iraft registrations June 5. Private sion of the American Prison associv Serretary Santford Martin took the tlon 4 be in progress in Washington matter up with the governor over the July 2 and 3. The meeting Is to es long distance telephone, he being on pclally consider "The Prisons In his visitation to the eastern Carolina Their Relation to the War Situation." fisheries The name3 of those the gov-, rChl3 is to have special bearing on how ernor will recommend will go forward best to utilize the prison work!", once i fnrcos durir,r the proyra of the v Auto Tax Soon Due Again. The time has agais. come around for paying" the automobile tax and the secretary of state, J. Bryan Grimes, is mailing out copies of the new state automobile law, which i3 sweeping in its provisions. Some of the provisions of the act, especially those that have been changed or added, are given for the benefit of the owners of cars. One which is being constantly violated will, after July 1, be rigidly enforced throughout the state. This is section 13, which makes it unlawful for chil dren under sixteen years of age to operate an automobile upon any pub lic highway. Section 17 provides for a maximum speed of eighteen miles in the resi dence section of a city or town, ten mile3 in the ' business section, and twenty-five miles in the country. The muffler cannot be cut out in any in corporated city or town. Section 20 protects the owners of cars by making it unlawful for any person to use an automobile without the knowledge or consent of the own er, expressed or implied. Section 21 provides the penalty for a violation of any section of the act, providing that upon conviction the fine is not to exceed $50, or imprison ment for more than thirty days. In his note to the automobile own ers, Secretary Grimes calls attention to two provisions of the law as fol lows: "Beginning with July 1, every ma chine operated on the highways of this state shall be equipped with dimmers or deflectors so arranged that no por tion of the beam or reflected light when measured seventy-flve feet or more ahead of the lamps shall rise above forty-two inches from the level surface on which the vehicle stands under all conditions of load. "Under chapter 140, public laws of 1917, two plates, one to be placed on the front of a registered motor ve hicle and one on the rear thereof, are to be furnished. These plates must be rigidly fastened to the machine at least fifteen inches above the ground. Do not swing them to the axle. Un der no circumstances can the 1917-'18 plates be used on your machine until July 1." Appointed Bee Specialist. Announcement is made that C. L Same, of Madison county, has been ap pointed bee-keeping specialist in the i etomology division of the state de partment of agriculture, and he takes up his duties at once, working undor the direction of State Entomologist Franklin Sherman. Mr. Sherman says of the bee industry in this state that It is assuming very important pro portions and in this period of high cost of living, bees will be found an especialy profitable "side line," there being no work or expense to the in dustry except the care of the bees and gathering the honey. Mr. Sams has been long interested in bee culture and has 150 hives at his place in Mad ison county now. Mr. Sherman reports one bee keeper in Martin county as having 450 hives now and working with the view of having 1,000 hives Just as quickly as he can develop the addi tional colonies. One North Carolina bee-keeper reported recently having 650 gallons of extracted honey for sale. Bickett Declines Barbecue Speeches. Numbers of invitations are coming in to Governor Bickett for him to speak at barbecues and other festive occasions, especially barbecues, and he is turning all of them down and ad vising the promoters to call off the barbecues and donate the money they would cost to the Red Cross and at the same time save the plg3, which will be much better, under the stress of the times, to let develop to full grown pork. It Is an interesting fact that almost every one of those to whom the Governor has made the sug gestion of conserving the pigs and aid ing the Red Cross by cancelling the barbecues have heartily thanked the Governor for his suggestion and as sured him that this course would ba followed. Directorate of N. C. Railroad. Governor Bickett announced the ap pointment of the directorate of ti North Carolina railroad W. H. WorJ :; R. B. W of Charlotte, is president Wake Forest, secretary-treasurerj M. Allen, Louisburg; J. P. Youn ton; J. Q. Gilky; C. S. Tomlin, I vllle; C. M. Vanstoy, Greens hj L. Gwynn, Canton. The new members are Gwy succeeded James Carraway of vllle, and Vanstory, who succ Banks Holt Plan Antl Typhoid Work. So far ten counties have m appropriation necessary for cond a iree auu-iypuuiu campaign iur i are Caldwell, Columbus. Onslow, Beair fort. Martin, Greene. Johnston, Wake, including the city of Raleigh Surry and Orange. Will Attend Prison Meeting. Superintendent J. R. Collie, Chair man H. P. Varner, of the board of directors, and Rev. N. C. Hughes, IS BUSY FOR BIGGER GROPS New Hanover, Robeson, Brunswick, Bladen and Other Counties Rally to Need. , Wilmington. Eastern North Caro lina Is rallying nobly to the call for increased production of food and feed crops. The county Food Conser vation Commissions of New Hanover, Robeson, Brunswick, Bladen and oth er counties in this section have been energetic in bringing the farmers and business men to a realization of their Individual responsibility in the mat ter of producing and conserving food, which is a problem of equal import ance with the raising and equipping of armies in the opinion of government leaders. Not only are the farmers of this section planting every acre in food and feed crops possible, but many of them are using increased amounts of fertilizer so as to assure them an increased production per acre. A comparatively small amount of small grain is grown in this section, but where it is grown the stubble land will be utilized for a second crop, peanuts, soy beans, cowpeas, sweet and Irish potatoes being the princi pal crops used for this purpose. Different methods have been used a different sections in arousing tm farmers and business men. In New Hanover county mass meetings have been held in many sections and circu lar letters have been issued. In Robe son county a series of meetings or conferences of farmers, held in prac tically every school district of the county, were attended by more than E.000 farmers and farm women, a to tal of 65 meetings being held. In some coutles very few meetings have ' been held but circular letters and newspaper space have been used liber ally. - The people of this section are do ing their utmost, but they realize that there must be a tremendous increase In the production of food and feed stuffs before this state will even ba self-supporting. Will Permit Curtailment. Raleigh. In connection with tha order by the corporation commission setting the matter of the petition of the railways in North Carolina for co operation in reducing the present pas senger train Bervice in the interest of conservation of the resources of the railroads and putting them in position to give necessary equipment to the movement of troops and food supplies, It is understood that very considerable curtailments will certainly take place. The fact is the railway companies have been instructed by the war de partment to curtail their train servic the country over on the basis of a re duction of about thirty per cent in or der that they may be in position as to roling stock and track clearances to properly handle troops and food supplies for the American army. Morris Heads Merchants. Wilson. The closing feature of th fifteenth annual convention of the Merchants' Association of North Caro lina was the eelction of officers for the ensuing year. J. Frank Morris, of Winston-Salem, was elected president: B. F. Roark, of Charlotte, vice-president; J. E. Davis, of Concord, treas urer. J. Paul Leonard, of States ville, was re-elected secretary and will con tinue to devote his time to the associa tion's work. Mr. Morris has been con nected with the association for years and was vice-president the past year. He succeeded R. L. Poston of States ville, a3 president. Mr. Roark has been a recognized leader in the asso ciation for years, and Mr. Davis Is president o fthe Concord Association, which now has the largest member ship of any individual local association in the state. Buys More N. C. Land. Washington. The National Forest Reservation Commission approved the purchase of 51,916 acres of land In the White Mountains and Southern Appa lachians for inclusion in the national forests of those regions. Land ap proved by the commission consists of tracts of varying size in Yancey and McDowell counties, on the Mount natioual forest With the ad. Ition of the tracts approved by the Commission, the total amount which government has purchased or is pairing until the Weeks law is rais-Hj-,456,200 acres. vRTH CAROLINA BRIEFS. Bordeaux, a tenant farmer of I Creek township, Bladen coun JaiJ at Ellzabethtown charged f the most brutal crimes in of Bladen county. accB"! y reacning nere rrg aux, it is ci ath becajir --lAu'b's cruel tri The entire lumber 1 Wade at Norwood waX fire last week. V W. E. Coffin, for many int of Southern Railway company at Greensboro, died suddenly while sit ting on his front porch. He was about sixty-five years of age and had been with the railroad company since reaching manhood. Contracts for five out of nine army camps will be given the North Caro lina Pine association for lumber to go Into cantonments. The lumber will cost about $2,000,000. The adjutant general has given the authority for the organization of a battery of field artillery wltn nead rters Wadesboro. )
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 29, 1917, edition 1
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