THE ELKIN TRIBUNE
Published Every Thursday by
ELK PRINTING COMPANY, Inc.
Klkin, N. C.
i %
Thursday, August 15, 1940
Entered at the post office at Klkin, N. C., as
second-class matter.
C. S. FOSTER. - -President
EL F. LAFFOON Secretary-Treasurer
SUBSCRIPTION RATES, PER YEAR
In the State, $1.50 Out of the State, $2.00
NATIONAL €DITORIAt_
Member North Carolina Press Association
Begins to look like Doc Gallup has picked
the candidate he wants to win.
"A surgeon takes two great chances in
deferring an indicated necessary operation.
In the meantime the patient might die—or
get well."—Washington Post.
Leading Again
It began over in Ashe county, this ex
perimenting with a new potato, if we mis
take not, but the main thing that matters
is that under the supervision of the State
College horticulture department the State is
about to be divorced from its dependence on
Maine and other far away states for seed
potatoes at planting time.
For decades the Cobbler and the Bliss
have been our old standbys, with not a great
deal of improvement in them through the
years. But mostly we have had to order
them at planting time and send our dollars
to another state for our seed.
There is plenty to indicate that soon this
order may be reversed, for the new Sequoia
developed here in North Carolina has other
varieties backed off the map. For it has
made a hit with co-operators and growers in
other sections of the United States and in
Canada, Mexico and Cuba who were given
seed samples last spring for a tryout.
From Florida comes the request for a
carload of certified Sequoias and Virginia
and South Carolina growers are talking in
terms of carload lots. From Canada, Ore
gon, Ohio and Maryland come enthusiastic
reports of yields at the rate of four to six
hundred bushels per acre in test plantings,
and the growers are particularly pleased
with the "action" of the new potato, be
cause of its blight-resisting qualities and re
markable lack of "hopper burn."
Our State horticultural department dis
tributed test samples to most counties of the
State this season, and the county agents
portioned these out to farmers who agreed
to give the new potato a trial and to pre
serve it for next year's plantings. The
farmers are definitely pleased with it. Pro
duction is increased over other popular va
rieties by from 20 to 30 per cent., and a
smoother, larger and more edible potato was
harvested. Long after other varieties had
died to the ground, the tops of the Sequoia
remained green and healthy-looking and ob
viously adding to the "make" of the hill
until a much later digging time.
There is little doubt that North Carolina
farmers privileged to grow a few of these
potatoes this season will hang onto them for
planting next spring. And this is well, for
the source of stock will be limited, and the
demand will be great.
The development of the Sequoia may
mean paving the way for a new source of in
come for North Carolina farmers.
Chiggers and Wars
It is refreshing, it is encouraging, to re
flect that while Europe is in a fever about
when, how and where Hitler will strike at
Britain, here in North Carolina Dr. Rey
nolds, head of the State Board of Health
should be taking the time and trouble to
discuss such little things as "chiggers."
Quoting a release from the United
States Public Health Service, Dr. Reynolds
gives his approval to the admonition:
"Chase your chiggers before they sit down
to eat." It is suggested that when it is nec
essary for one to go into the fields of tall
grass or weeds, or wherever there is heavy
undergrowth, the use of "flowers of sulfur,
applied liberally to stockings and under
clothing as a partial protection against
chiggers." "As soon as possible after being
exposed to chigger bites," says this author
ity, "it is advantageous to apply a thick
lather of soap all over the body surface—
and the second time—then rinse thoroughly
with clean water."
Kerosene and 95 per cent, alcohol are
also mentioned as killers of the red bug, but
it is admitted that these might turn out to
be more distressing than the bite.
Health Service gives this bit of interest
ing information about the chigger: "Con
trary to popular belief, the chigger does not
burrow into the skin and imbed its body.
The mite apparently feeds on the upper layer
of the skin and after this tissue has been
dissolved by a substance which the chigger
injects into the skin. It is the effect of this
substance which causes the intense itching
associated with the attack of this annoying
mite. After the chigger has become en
gorged with food, it loosens its hold and
falls off."
Some of us will be inclined to believe
that our researchers have not learned about
chiggers from chiggers. For our own self
we have never heard the noise of one of the
pesky things falling off after "engorging"
itself, and times no end we have had to
prize 'em loose by force and from deep in
the skin.
And what is more, for all the new
fangled preventives and cures for chigger
bites, we wouldn't give our old reliable salty
meat skin applied promptly after each visit
to the blackberry patch—all over.
We're much obliged to the government
for its paternal interest in giving us the
low-down on this little devil of a thing and
we wouldn't discourage a soul in following
the suggestions. But for us it's the strip
tease and a good fat piece of meat skin.
Hungry People Not Nazi Concern
For brazen audacity, hand the palm to
Germany. The other day John Cudahy, am
bassador to Belgium, stated that Belgians
face near-famine conditions by mid-Septem
ber unless it receives American food sup
plies. And right-off Hitler's spokesmen
placed the blame for this condition on Eng
land, because the British started the war,
and continues to successfully blockade the
Reich, even when it is necessary to bring
suffering to the neighbor nations conquer
ed by Germany.
And now comes the bold assertion from
Berlin that hungry neighbors are not a Nazi
concern, and the German press takes a rosy
view of Germany's winter food prospect and
declare that there will be adequate food for
Germans, even if France and the low coun
tries are pinched by the British blockade.
We reckon Hitler's henchmen can keep
repeating their version of who started this
era of useless destruction until they actual
ly believe it themselves, and certainly the
German people, whose thought as well.as
bodies are accustomed to be herded can
easily be persuaded that it is so. But it is
brazen audacity, to try to avoid responsi
bility.
But there is deep purpose behind all this.
It would be a miracle if there is no serious
lack of food this winter in Europe. With
millions of men lifted out of production and
engaged in destruction, and with millions of
others in confusion because of war, it stands
to reason that food supplies will be serious
ly shortened. If any is to be had, Germany
will get, for this super-race must not go
hungry. If Hitler has to steal he'll steal,
for it would not be good for his hide, to strut
in the presence of empty stomachs. And so
he considers it good business to let Uncle
Sam know that Germany is not worrying
about herself. It might serve to loosen our
purse and our foodstream in sympathy for
the starving in France, and Belgium, Hol
land and other countries. And Germany
will manage to get some of it when it comes,
else it will help to replace what Hitler has
stolen and thus lessen the possibility of a
revolution that even German military effi
ciency cannot stop.
If we fall for it we are boobs, nothing
less. It will be hard indeed, to know that
people are sick from hunger when we have
plenty and to spare. But if a winter's misery
would bring Europe to its senses, the agony
to American hearts would not be a high
price to pay. The blockade is Britain's only
hope of success, and Britain's success would
be the greatest possible contribution to our
own security, so we don't think Herr Hitler
will inveigle us into demanding in despera
tion that Britain lift the blockade —which is
mostly what it is all about.
Encouraging, But—
North Carolina tobacco growers prob
ably will be encouraged by the reports of
opefcing day prices close to an 18-20 cent
average on Georgia and Florida markets.
Interesting, too, is the news that represent
atives of the Imperial Tobacco Company
were among the bidders.
It is earnestly hoped, of course, that
these favorable prices will prevail when the
Carolina warehouses open—favorable, that
is, when they are gauged by the number of
dollars that find their way into the farmer's
draw-string money bag. But it must be re
membered that when the farmer goes to ex
change these dollars for things he needs, it
will take increasingly more of them than it
took last year. So he'd best not get too
happy, in case the auctioneer's jabber leads
to bigger figures on his sale card than he
anticipated this summer when everybody
was warning about a gloomy outlook. For
the Greensboro Daily News looks at it this
way:
"Price trends, especially as they affect our
own North Carolina belts, are yet to be estab
lished. World conditions, as they relate to
export and consumption of American tobacco,
are just as uncertain as they have been. The
prices which do obtain are largely pegged
prices, thus carrying a surface deception, in
that the government is financing a sizable
• portion of the sales and that these accumu
lated purchases go'lnto a record carry-over,
which already hangs over the market's head
and presents a growing problem in and of
itself."
Nor should it be forgotten that if the
eventual disposition of this surplus results
in any tremendous loss to the government,
the loss will be recovered from the farmer's
money sack as well as from the industrial
ist's till. That, however, is rather vague
and unimpressive, but it is meaty enough to
justify every cooperation that promises to
keep the government out of the red. Having
agreed on a crop control program for next
year, the chief avenue for cooperation now
is through agricultural readjustments that
will leave the farmer less dependent on to
bacco and likewise less dependent on govern
ment. For it doesn't require high-bracket
wisdom to conclude that government
financing can't continue always.
THE ELKIN TRIBUNE, ELKIN, NORTH CAROLINA
Water Rises 18 Inches
Higher Than in 1916
(Continued from page one)
Company started moving wool
and everything else that coujd be
moved from their plant in the
river bottom, during the night.
Crews worked swiftly to move
wool from the storage warehouse
on East Main street. Damage
done could hot be estimated un
til waters had subsided and a
survey could be made, W. A.
Neaves said Wednesday night.
He was fearful, he said, that
damage may be high, but until a
final check is made, accurate
figures will not be available.
Along Big reiki" creek the fam
ilies of John Ratledge and Paul
Eidson hastily moved all furni
ture to the second floor and
moved out. Water was almost to
the second floor of both houses
at the crest of the flood, while
the J. P. Ipock Coal Company of
fice was flooded by several feet
of water.
The Enfrin public library was
also flooded as the water spread
swiftly up West Main street.
Books were moved out.
Numerous cars were stalled as
motorists attempted to cross Big
Elkin creek bridge after the wa
ter had covered the street and
part of the bridge floor. A short
while later the water was so high
that it was impossible to get
through except by boat, and
numerous people who had come
to town early in the morning to
see the flooded river, were un
able to get baek to their homes
until the water had subsided late
in the afternoon.
The flood reached its crest
about noon, rising, according to
those who experienced the 1916
flood, from 18 inches to two feet
higher than the previous flood.
Bridges over the Yadkin river
at Roaring River and Ronda went
out as the flood water rose over
them.
As the muddy waters went by,
houses, trees, lumber and wreck
age were observed upon its crest.
Numerous hogs, chickens and
other farm animals were seen
perched upon floating debris.
Early Wednesday morning elec
tric power failed, remaining off
for a short period of time. Later
in the afternoon power again
failed as the water damaged
Duke Power Company equipment
between Elkin and Winston-Sa
lem. Power was restored to the
hospital and telephone office a
few hours later from the Carter
Fall plant. About 10 p.m. Wed
nesday night lights again came
on all over town.
West Elkin was without water
practically all day Wednesday as
a water main went out on Big
Elkin creek. However, untiring
efforts of the water department
had restored service around 7
p.m. Wednesday evening.
All telephone and telegraph
communication -was out Wednes
day morning. The long distance
lines to North Wilkesboro went
out at 2 a.m. Wednesday morn
ing and a few hours later other
long distance lines failed. Lines
to Boonville and Yadkinville were
open at noon Thursday, as were
lines to Sparta and Roaring Gap.
Later in the afternoon it was an
nounced by W. S. Beddingfield, of
the local office, that a long dis
tance line had been gotten
through to Winston-Salem, via
I Boonville, Dobson and Mount
Airy. In order to get this line
through, 4,000 feet of insulated
wire was rim across the new
Elkin bridge and across the
bridge under construction at
Crutchfield. In some places this
line is down in the mud, but was
operating, Mr. Beddingfield
stated.
Western Union lines went out
about 7:45 a.m. Wednesday morn
ing and up until noon Thursday
the wires were still dead. Mes
sages were being taken to States
ville by automobile and dis
patched from there, the local of
fice stated.
The Elkin Furniture company
escaped damage to their plant,
although the water was spread
around it at various loW points.
A Southern railway freight en
gine, pulling 1 three cars and ca
bose, which was dispatched to
Elkin from Winston-Salem early
Wednesday morning at the re
quest of H. B. Holcomb, local
agent, had reached a point about
one mile west of Crutchfield
when the waters stopped it. At
the crest of the flood the water
reached foe headlight of the en
gine. Mr. Holcomb said he
wanted the engine to shift local
freight cars to higher ground.
It was, also [learned that train
service h «e will not be available
within a w«ek.- It might be pos
sible to get a slow freight here a
day or so earlier, Mr. Holcomb
said, but he doubted it.
The railway bridge at Burch
Station, reported Wednesday
I night as having been washed out,
was found to be okey early
Thursday morning according to a
preliminary Inspection. A con
siderable length of track was
washed oat near the Federal
Furniture plant, it was said. The
plant itself was not believed dam
aged. . • i
The flood waters began to re
cede Wednesday afternoon and
by nightfall had gone down many
feet. At noon Thursday the river
was practically within its banks
and a survey of damage in flood
ed areas was begun.
An inspection of wreckage on
South Bridge disclosed slime and
muck on everything. The floor
in the showroom of the Elkin
Motor Car company had swelled
and buckled as high as three
feet.
Reports from highway officials
estimated damage to highways
and secondary roads running
into the hundreds of thousands
of dollars. One official said
Wednesday night that of the 10
bridges on secondary roads that
he had inspected, nine had gone
out.
On the Elkin-North Wilkesboro
highway, the approach to the
new concrete bridge at Buggaboo
was washed out. The railroad
trestle close by appeared to be all
right, it was said.
At Crutchfield the old bridge
went out during the height of
the flood.
Big Elkin creek was at its
highest point' during the 50 years
it has been observed by L. B.
Murray, of near State Road, Mr.
Murray reported Wednesday. The
water was around the old shoe
factory building, but it is under
stood it did little damage to the
fill at the scene of the new bridge
being constructed near there.
The entire Elkin police force,
augmented by special officers and
by numerous CCC boys, patrolled
the town Wednesday night to
prevent looting. Men were sta
tioned at each end of the new
bridge to caution motorists
against smoking as they crossed.
No foot traffic was allowed, pe
destrian r. being carried across by
obliging motorists.
The approach to the new
bridge on the Jonesville side of
the river sank several inches dur
ing the late afternoon, but the
bridge itself was in no way dam
aged, it was said. It was feared,
however, that pressure of gas
storage tanks and other debris
against its supports might force
the bridge out during the height
of the flood. All traffic was halt
ed for several hours Wednesday
afternoon until the danger was
believed passed.
Although figures are estimated
and are not accurate, a survey by
The Tribune has disclosed the
following damage to various
places of business affected by the
flood:
Hayes & Speas, $500; Eagle
Furniture Co., $500; J. C. Pen
ney Co., $1,000; Duke Power £o.,
heavy but as yet unestimated;
Boyles & Transou, $150; Gulf
Service Station, $2,500; Coke
Marion Esso Service, $80; Caro
lina Ice & Fuel Co., $5,000; Cash
& Carry Stores, $15,000; Rose's
5 & 10 cent Store, less than
$500; Walker's 5 & 10 cent Store,
$200; Carl Rose, $1,200; Smith
ey's, $3,500; Roller Mill, $1,000;
Central Electric & Telephone Co.,
$6,000; Sydnor-Spainhour, sl,-
000; A. C. L. Oil Company, $2,500
to $3,000; H. P. Graham, Sin
clair agent, $5,000 to $10,000; P.
W. Graham, owner of the Gulf
Service Station, $4,500; Elkin
Bottling Company, SIO,OOO to
$15,000; P. A. Brendle & Son,
$12,000 to $15,000; White Swan
Laundry, $20,000 to $25,000; Dob
bins Grocery, $2,000; Texas Com
pany (exclusive of Carolina Ser
vice Station), $6,000 to $8,000;
Elkin Lumber & Manufacturing
Co., SIO,OOO to $15,000; Elkin
Motor Car Co., $1,500 to $2,000.
An estimate of the damage to
Bryan's Double Eagle Service
Station and Foundry was not
available. It was learned that
damage was believed to be ap
proximately $3,000 Wednesday
afternoon, but since the water
went down it was found that the
foundry had been damaged more
than had been suspected, which
would tend to increase this fig
ure.
These estimates were made by
owners of the businesses con
cerned. other losses were un
available due to the fact The
Tribune was unable to reach
persons authorized to make a
statement.
CHURCH IS TO PRESENT
COMEDY-DRAMA AUG. 17
"Plain Sister," a comedy
drama in three acts, will be pre
sented by Temple Hill Methodist
church at the West Yadkin
school auditorium, on Saturday
night, August 17, at 8:30. A small
admission fee will be charged.
The public is cordially invited
to attend. *
CORRECTION
Although there is a story
elsewhere in this issue stating
that the Masonic Orphanage
singing class will be here Au
gust 15 for a concert at the
Lyric theatre, this date is
wrong, having been changed
after the story was written.
The correct date is Friday,
August 23. The Lyric theatre
advertisement also gives the
erroneous date, the advertise
ment having been printed be
fore officials anounced the
change, in date.
SEES FIANCEE
LOSE HER LIFE
(Continued from Page One)
feet, when suddenly the motor
went dead again, and refused to
start any more. By this time the
water was over the running
boards."
"We didn't know what to do,"
he continued, "I didn't know
whether to get out and leave the
car or not, and Miss Smith didn't
want to leave. The water had
risen so fast that by this time we
saw we had to leave the car, and
we climbed out on the railing of
the bridge, trying to work our
way back to the east side.
"The power line over the bridge
was down, and before we reached
a cluster of telephone poles we
ran into the fallen wires, and the
electric shock bent both of my
arms and Opaline's up to our
sides."
Gilbert's voice broke off at this
point and it was several seconds
before he resumed speaking. "By
this time the water was up to my
chin, and I was on tiptoes. I had
hold of the rope a bunch of men
had thrown me, and was pulling
her behind me when she was
wrenched from me by the heavy
waters from the river."
The men along the flooded
road finally succeeded in reach
ing Gilbert and pulling him to
safety. His watch stopped at
2:30 yesterday morning. He was
taken to a tourist camp on the
Wilkesboro-Yadkinville road, and
brought to Yadkinville at about
8:30 o'clock yesterday morning by
Solicitor Hall and placed under
medical supervision.
The body of the girl was found
by searchers late this afternoon
after the waters had receded to
some extent, and brought to
Mackie and Htoshaw Funeral
Home here shortly afterwards.
Blazes Break Out;
Destroy Large Plants
(Continued from Page One)
were isolated by washouts and in
undated roads.
Known deaths to northwestern
North Carolina and southern Vir
ginia were: Miss Opaline Smith,
18, of Angiers, who was drowned
near North Wilkesboro.
Mrs. Hassel Hunt and her 3-
year daughter, drowned in
Swords Creek along the Russell-
Tazewell county line to Virginia.
Homer Amos, 18-year old son of
a Chatham Va., storekeeper,
drowned while wading to flooded
Cherrystone creek.
An unidentified woman inmate
of the Surry county home was
reported drowned, swept away in
the waters of Fisher's river, bor
dering the grounds.
The body of an unidentified
man was found at Ferguson, near
North Wilkeseboro.
Elk Park, near Lenoir, reported
two deaths, Beulah 8, And Ruby,
18-months, daughters of Bynum
Shoemaker, who were killed when
an avalanche swept their home
nearly a half mile. Two other
residents of Elk Park were re
ported missing.
Yadkin Boy Goes
On Highway Force
Ralph Edward Sprinkle, Yad
kinville, was placed on the State
Highway Patrol force August 1,
and is now stationed at Fayette
ville, N. C.
Mr. Sprinkle is well known to
Yadkinville, he having married
Miss Opal Martin and has lived
just south of town for several
years.
His friends will be glad to
know of his good fortune to se
curing this position.
[NOTICE
TO OWNERS OF FLOOD
DAMAGEDAUTOMOBILES
If Your Car, New or Old,
Was Bought from Us and Fi
nanced with General Motors
Acceptance Corporation, You
Are Protected Against Dam
age-Done to It By the Flood,
and Should Get in Touch with
Us Immediately!
F-W CHEVROLET CO.
Phone 255 Elkin, N. C.
Thursday, August 15, 1940
JUDGMENT IN
CASE FRAMED
(Continued from Page One)
river was not subject to federal
jurisdiction.
Judge Gwyn also permitted the
intervention in the petition for
modification by taxpayers tepre
sented by B. S. Womble, Win
ston-Salem attorney. But he
warned that he does not intend
to permit the intervention to de
lay the appeal of his judgment to
the state supreme court beyond
the coming appeal period, late
September.
Gwyn did not say whether his
judgment would permit High
Point to pay over to Yadkin
county the $20,000 binder on an
agreement to purchase the coun
ty's poor farm, located in the
area the dam's reservoir would
inundate. But the inference to
be drawn from his statements
with regard to the effectiveness
of his judgment indicated It
would not approve the transac
tion until the McGuinn case had
been settled. His implication was
that the McGuinn case still
stands as a bar to High Point's
making any moves towards con
struction of the dam.
Judge Roy Deal and Attorney
P. D. B. Harding represent the
City of High Point. W. M. Allen,
of E1 kin, represents Yadkin
county, and B. S. Womble, of
Winston-Salem, represents inter
veners opposing the settlement.
Yadkin County's
Population
Increases 2?18
Official statistics for Yadkin
county population were released
Saturday by S. E. Raper, district
census supervisor, which shows
the county now has a population
of 20,728, or an increase of 2,718
during the past ten years.
This is an increase of about 12
per cent., most of which is among
the white population. The fig
ures also show that Yadkin
county has the smallest amount
of foreign born citizens of any
county in this section.
Elkin People Take
Disaster in Stride
(Continued from Page One)
they would drown out. Help was
plentiful and as cars stalled,
spectators who didn't mind wet
feet pushed them through. Small
boys on bicycles vainly attempted
to ride through the water. Sev
eral women who just had to get
across the creek waded across.
Folks gathered from miles
around to see the flood. They
crowded the bridges although po
lice warned that bridges were
dangerous. About the middle of
the morning the Bridge street
approach to the old bridge went
out. Luckily, no one was on it.
On the new bridge Elkin police
and highway patrolmen sought
vainly to keep people off. Finally,
at the price of being hard boiled
about it they managed to clear
the bridge. They were fearful
that someone would toss a light
ed match or a cigarette stub into
the gasoline coated water below
and cause an explosion of num
erous oil storage tanks which
were lodged against bridge sup
ports. All cars that were allow
ed on the bridge saw their occu
pants warned not to smoke.
The flood brought out practi
cally every camera in Elkin and
surrounding country. Every other
person, white and colored alike,
was squinting through a camera
of some sort. Hundreds of pic
tures were taken from every con
ceivable angle.