The Rocky Mount Herald
VOLUME 5, NO. 14
Big"Drive Safely" Crusade
Started Here Friday, Apr. 1
Statewide Safety Effort Includes sl,-
000.00 In Monthly Prizes For Mo-
The most widespread "Drive Safe
ly Crusade" in North Carolina his
tory got under way on Friday, April
1, it was revealed today by Wiley L.
Moore, President of the Purol Oil
Company.
0 Mr. Moore, stating the purpose
of the plan, said that the Crusads
is being undertaken in an effort
to reduce the accident and death
toll on our highways and streets
"Our aim is to get every motorist
thinking about safety," ho said,/
"safe-driving, observing road, and
highway rules. In 1937, in the
United States, 39,700 people were
killed on the highways and 1,360,000
people injured. In North Caroliua
alone, the death toll was 1408. We
must make our roads safer for ev
eryone."
Details of the Crusade, will be
announced in newspapors throughout
the State this week, Mr. Moore said.
The first step for participation in
\ the Crusade, which will be open to
everyone without'cost or obligation,
will come in the singing of a pledge
to drive safely and to observe the
Golden Rule of the road. Pledge
signers will then be given license
€ plate emblems signifying that the
car driver has "pledged to drive sa
fely."
"We will make thig Crusade a sus
tained, concerted attack on careles3
driving," Mr. Moore said. "As a fur
ther incentive, we want suggestions
from motorists on what should be
done to make eople more safely (
conscious. Tho newspaper announce
ments will cover this point in de
tail, for then will be announced
the rules of the contest which will
run during the month of April. Sev
enty-five cash prizes are being of
fered, with a first prize of $250.00,
a second prize of SIOO.OO, and 73
other awards for the best safety
slogans' of ten words or less. "Ae
each awards for the April contest
in North Carolina total $1,000.00."
Mr. Moore, long prominent in ci
vic, educational, charitable and in
' dustrial circles, k devoting his time
and energy to leading the Crusade.
Many organizations and prominent
public officials from all parts of
tho state have promised enthusiastic
support as co-sponsors for the Cru
sade, he said. Drive Safely pledge
cards will be obtainable from Purol-
Pep dealers, and contest entry
blanks will also b e obtainable at
{ the same sources.
It is not our thought or intention
to permit this "Drivo Safely" Cru
sade. to bo commercialized in any
way," Mr. Moore announced, "and
I have instructed all of our dis
tributors, dealers, and service sta
tion operators not to ask any mo
torist to make purchases of any
kind when people come to our sta
tios to secure pledge cards and prize
contest entry blanks."
In Rocky Mount J. B. A. Daugh
tridgo l oca l representative of the
Daughtridge Oil Company is direct
ing the "Drive Safely" Crusade acti
vities.
MARKETS FOR
STRAWBERRIES
TO OPEN MON.
Strawberry Crop Is Earliest In 15
Years; Prospects Appear Bright
Wallace, April 6.—Unceremonious
ly and simultaneously, North Caro
lina's seven strawberry markets
will open Monday to handle &n es
timated $1,500,000 crop, the earliest
in 15 years.
Randall B. Etheridge, chief of the
North Carolina Department of Ag
riculture's markets division, follow
ing a tour of the strawberry, belt
reported growers generally had re
duced their crop approximately 22
per cent thig season, adding that
"ideal weather now exists and with
continued favorable conditions, an
excellent, high-quality berry crop,
can be anticipated."
Markets at Mount Olive, Warsaw,
Rose Hill, Burgaw, Chadburn, Ta-|
(Ptease turn to page three)
Starts Safety
Drive
H
m
lj : . iMflvrr
WILEY 1.. MOORS
President Purol Oil Co.
EDGECOMBE
OFFICIALS ARE
REAPPOINTED
W. Stamps Howard Will Serve Ano
ther Year As Judge Of Record
er's Court
Tarboro, April 6. W. Stamps
Howard yesterday was reappointei
judge of county recorder'a court by
the county commissioners. His terra
of office will bo one year. Cam
eron Weeks was reappointed vice
recorder.
Other officials renamed by the
board are Chauncy Leggett, solici
tor, and M. L. Laughlin, auditor.
REELECTED
Dr. L. M. Massey of Zebulon was
reelected Chairman of the Wake
County Board of Elections at its
biennial reorganization meeting in
Raleigh Monday. Lynn Wilder, Jr,
was renamed secretary. Members o?
the board remain unchanged.
ROOSEVELT SAYS WAGES IN
SOUTH ARE FAR TOO LOW
Southern Industry Can't Succeed On
Present Inadequate Pay Scales,
President Tells Georgians In
Speech Delivered At Galnsville
Gainsville, Ga., Mar. 30.—President
Roosevelt took off the gloves hero
in dealing with low wages, and with
these people who "insist that the
balancing of the budget is more im
portant than making appropriations
for relief."
"Today," he said, "national pro
gress and national prosperity are
being held back chiefly by selfish
ness on the part of a few.
"This nation will never perma
nently get on the road to recoVery
if we leave the methods and proc
esses of recovery to those who own
ed the government of the Unite!
States from 1921 to 1933."
Buying Power Too Low
Calling Georgia "my own state,"
the President went on:
"The buying power of the peo
ple of Georgia and of the peoplo
of many other states is still so low
that the people of these states can
not purchase the products of in
dustry. Therefore, industry is cut
off from an outlet which it other
wise would have. People cannot
buy at stores unless they have cash
or good credit. Stores cannot fill
their shelves unless they have cus
tomers. Mills and factories cannot
sell to stores which have no custo
mers.
"Georgia and the lower South may
just as well face facts. The pur
chasing power of the millions of
Americans in this whole area is far
toS lent. i I 1 I
Wages Held Inadequate
"Most men and women who work
for wages in this whole area get
(Please turn to page three)
ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY, APfilL 8, 1938
PUROL CO. IS
PROMOTING
SAFETY DRIVE
IN THE STATE
City officials, representatives of
:he Rocky Mount police department
and representatives of the local r
vic clubs attended a meeting ft
Purol dealers and service station op
erators at Buck Overton's place on
the Nashville highway last Thurs
day night, hearing plans for a Pur
ol Company crusade being conduct
ed by the company throughout
North Carolina.
Last instructions were inad e con
cerning the" campaign, which began
Friday.
The meeting was presided over by
J. B. Daughtridge, president and
manager of Daughtridge Oil Com
pany here. The statement of Wiley
L. Moore, Pure Oil President on
the purpose of the crusade: "Our
aim is to get every motorist think
ing about safety, safe driving and
observing road and highway rule*.
In 1937 in the United States 39,700
people were killed on the highways
and 1,360,000 were injured. In
North Carolina alone the death toll
was 1,123. We must make our roads
safer for everyone. Pledg 0 signers
will be given license plates emblems.
"We Will make this Crusade a
sustained, concerted attack on care
less driving,'' Moore stated.
Mr. Daughtridge turned the meet
ing over to Mr. Curtis of Greens
boro, representative of the Pulrol
Company who gave a very interest
ing discussion of safety and ex
plained in details the safety drive,
that is being inaugurated in this
state by tho Purol Company.
Several short addreeses were madj
by W. S. Wilkinson, H. F. Hinson,
Solicitor Elmore, and J. R- Thomas,
Assistant chief of the Fire Depart
ment and by former Lieut. Govern
or R. T. Fountain and Prof. Feizer
of West Edgecombe School.
SERUM IS FATAL
Nine women in Orlando, Florida
have succumbed to tetanus caused
by a cancer serum. The serum,
known as Ensol, has been orderod
seized throughout the country
pending an investigation into the
deaths. Several other patients are
dangerously ill from the treatments.
Finish Caldwell
Rural Power Job
County Has Approximately 300 Miles
Of Electric Lines Serving 1,200
Lenoir, April 2.—The Caldwe l !
County rural electrification project
reached its completion yesterday
morning at 10 o'clock when the Mill
er Electric Company, project con
tractors,- completed the final link
to give'electric service to the Edge
combe section, Manager G. F. Mes
sick announced.
The final link consisted of sevei
miles of connecting link, which will
be energized as soon as the season
al customers have paid their charges
for seasonal service.
Completion of this link marks the
conclusion of construction on th 9
project by the Miller Electric Com
pany and gives Caldwell County 298
miles of rural electric lines, which
will serve approximately 1,200 cus
tomers. Eight hundred homes have
already been wired for service.
At the present time the construc
tion company is making an inven
tory of the project, after which sim
ilar inventories will be made by
government engineers before final
acceptance by the Rural Electrifica
tion Administration in Washington.
During construction on the proj
ect, the Rural Electrification Admin
istration has paid in to the Cald
well Mutual Corporation, incorproat
ed name of the co-operative, the snm
of $324,574.02 for construction and
other necessary expenses, in addi
tion to $22,000 for wiring and equip
ment installations.
Of this sum, $240,338.60 has been
(Please turn to page three)
Egyptian Tea Party Atop Pyramid
Modern American skyscrapers and their luxurious observation towers
have nothing on the ancient tombs of the Pharaohs. Visitors to Egypt
are enjoying a sun bath atop the pyramid of Cheops, while afternoon tea
is served them by a native dragoman. In the background is the pyra
mid of Chephren, second largest of the pyramids at Glzeh. The vaca
tionists are members of the Pyramid club, to which guests of the Mena
house at Gizeh are admitted. The pyramid of Cheops, largest of the
group, is 451 feet high. Visitors make the ascent and find all the comforts
of a modern skyscraper at their disposal.
Acquiring Park Site Should Not
Be Delayed Long
We have had many inquiries relative to what had been
done to acquire a park site opposite the Lutheran church.
In answer to these requests We can only state that we feel
sure that the city of Rocky Mount could not afford miss
ing the opportunity of acquiring this particular block of
land, within three blocks of the heart of the city. This
land is vacant, no buildings will have to be paid for and it
is something unusual, in the history of a city for a block
of land to be left in the heart of the city that can be ac
quired by purchase or condemnation for the use of the
public without paying high prices. We do feel that the city
council should make some statement to the public as to its
intentions so that the citizens may have some assurance as
to what will be done pending this coming election. The on
ly place that the citizenship can be heard in a Democracy
is at the Ballot Box. and we feel that the Aldermen who
are up for reelction could afford to give the public the
benefit of their views on this question. Th e lack of money
cannot be the cause of the delay for money is still being
spent in Rocky Mount. There is no question of the right
of the Board of Aldermen to condemn this land if it can
not be bought. The Supreme Court has all ready held that
needed park sites come within the law of necessity and
can be purchased by the Board of Aldermen without the
vote of the people. We are going forward with a night
baseball ground for the benefit of the out-of-town owner
ship and it is meet and proper that we do something for
the benefit of our own people.
SMALL HOUSE PERT RISK
The mildness of winter and the cheapness of land in the
south has made the large apartment houses not so desir
able for homes in the south as in the north and the invest
mens have not proven so satisfactory in the past. Even
though it appears to be much easier through the loaning
agencies to finance a large house than a smaller one, and
from past experience the small family's residence house has
also proven a good investment and a desirable risk. Very
little money has ever been lost on the small type residence.
The guarantee made by the government for loans for
people who desire to acquire and build homes should make
this kind of loan desirable investment. However, many of
of people are not trained in business and many of them
feel that they do not know just how to start about get
ting one of these loans. This, of course, leaves the build
ing operations more to the investor rather than the home
owners. We hope that this condition can be remedied and
it can only be remedied by those who have the money to
lend. There seems to be an idea in the minds of many
would-be home owners that the matter is too heavy laden
with Red Tape, especially when the lender does not de
sire to fool with small business.
PUROL OIL CO. INAUGURATES SAFETY DRIVE
The Purol Company has inaugurated a state wide cam
paign to reduce the accident and death toll on the high
ways and streets of North Carolina through its President,
Mr. Moore. This movement has the indorsement of the po
lice department, the sheriffs office, and the state highway
patrol office.
In 1937 there were 39,700 fatalities on the highways and
streets as a result of traffic accidents and 1,360,300 in
jured. Of this number 1,123 persons were killed in North
Carolina and 7,990 injured. Gasoline which is the motor
power in this state is sold by the oil companies and the
great oil companies are in a better position to undertake
this great work than any other agency. It is a crusade and
we feel that the Purol Company should be commended in
its undertaking. The drive in Rocky Mount is headed by
J. B. A Daughtridge, President of Daughtridge Oil Com
pany. This is certainly a movement in the right direction.
TARBORO OFFICERS NAB
THREE MEN NEAR STILL
EDGECOMBE
MAN SUICIDE
IN JAIL HERE
Farmer Hangs Self With His Tie
While Other Helpless Jail In
mates Look On
Tarboro, April 4.—While his hor
ror-stricken and helpless cell-mates
looked on from their adjoining and
locked cells, Sam D. Joyner, 56 year
old Edgecombe farmer, took his tie
from around his neck, knotted it
to the top of the iron grating, plac
ed it around his neck, and stepped
off his bunk into eternity, without
a single word.
Joyner had been arrested at 10:30
Saturday night in front of Hotel
Farrar, charged by Officer Jack
Spruill with drunkenness. He had
been assigned to an empty cell in
the four caged City 'Jail, to await
trial on Monday morning.
Apparently awaking from a short
nap, he arose about 11:15 and look
ing around found he was locked in
jail. He spoke to Will Keel and Roy
Person, both ef Bethel, in the nest
cell, who carried on a short conver
sation with him. Keel said that Joy
ner, whom he knew in Bethel, asked
him "What are you in for!'' and he
replied "Slick." He then is reputed
to have asked Roy Person "What
ani I in jail for?" To which Keel
replied "You were brought in
drunk."
Shortly thereafter Ben T. HarreH
and Buster Hoard, imprisoned
across the room in another caged
cell, saw Joyner take off his tie,
from around his neck, wrap the tie
around the top of the cage, knot the
end into a loop, and placing the
knotted end under his chin, proceed
ed to let himself off tho cot, so
that the weight of his body hung
from the knotted tie, under his chin,
and around his neck. His feet bare
ly scraped the floor. He raised no
sound, made no motion with his free
hands to loosen the tie around his
neck.
By this time all of the inmates
of the cells were raising a howl
for someone to come and help them,
shouting at the top of their voices,
(Please turn to page two)
DEATH LOOMS
FOR YOUNGEST
GAS_VI CTIM
Governor Unlikely To Halt Execu
tion Of' 16-Year-Old Negro Boy
On Friday
Raleigh, April 4. —Governor Clyde
Iloey, like Judy Can ova'a brother
Zeke "ain't a-sayin," but there are
strong indications tha the Chief
Executive will not interfere with the
execution of Mann (Hiawatha)
Smith, Negro rapist and younge?t
person ever to be sentneed to die
in North Carolina.
Unless executive clemency, in the
form of a commutation, is exercis
ed Smith will die in the lethal ga3
chamber Friday of this week. The
governor has had the entire caso rec
ord before liim since last week an!
has been giving it prolonged and in
tense consideration.
If there were no aggravating cir
cumstances in the case, it is almost
certain that Governor Hoey, one of
the kindliest and most merciful of
men, would have little trouble ar
riving at a decision. The very idea
of executing a 16-year old is re
pulsive to him, but the Smith rec
(Please turn to page two)
NOTICE
Those desiring to subscribe to The Rocky Mount
Herald may do so by sending SI.OO with name and ad
dress to The Rocky Mount Herald, Rocky Mount, N. C.
Name
Town , State Route No..—
SI.OO PER YE AM
Warrant Out For Fourth Man; Three
Stills Destroyed In Two Days
Tarboro, April 6. —W. J. Newsomo
and S. T. Anderson, A. B. C. of
ficers, arrested thre e men at a cap
tured still yesterday. They hava
n warrant for a fourth man.
Richard Pope, Lum Smith, and
James Armstrong were arrested near
the still, found in No. 5 Township
on the E. C. Winslow farm, the o£fi-
cers said. Zeb Smith' is the missing
man. The still, a 50-gallon copper
affair with kettle and worm and.
400 gallons of mash were destroyed.
The officers said also that a search
of Pope's home revealed a small
amount of non-taxpaid whiskey.
Pope is out in $250 bail and
Smith and Armstrong are in jail,
awaiting hearing before Judged. P.
Kccch.
Capture of still was the third ia
two days for Newsome and Andec-»
son. Monday they destroyed a 50-
gallon copper outfit and 100 gallons
of mash back of the Dupree farm m
No. 13 Township, and a 50-galloa
copper pot and 100 gallons of beer
mash in No. 3 Township.
ACCIDENTS
TAKE HEAVY
TOLL IN N. C.
More Than 1,600 Lost Their Lives In
This Manner During 1937, Report
Shows
A study of vital statistics compil
ed by the North Carolina Stata
Board of Health released the past
week show that preventable acci
dents are killing off Tar Heel citi
zens at the rate of more than 1,600
a year.
During the year 1D37, for which
comploto figures have been compiled
1,633 persons were fatally injure!.
The total for the preceding year
was 1,610.
Automobiles do their share of re
moving tho earth's inhabitants, but
there are other preventable routes
taken by humanity. For example,
last year's total of those who died
from burns was 244 compared with (
203 the preceding year. In 1937 thera
were 153 persons drowned, 88 died
from firearms accidents and 98 were
victims of railroad accidents dthar
.than those connected with automo
biles. In two brackets —accidents on
railroads associated and disassociat
ed with automobiles —decreases wore,
shown. In 1936, 109 persons were
killed in railroad accidents, as such,'
and 43 in combination railroad and
automobile, as compared with % 35 in
1937.
So far this year, reports compil
ed through February shows 231 per
sons have been the victim of pre
ventable accidents in North Caroli
na, including those listed above. This
is 12 less than had been reported
the first two months of 1937. Not
iceable is the decrease in the num
ber of automobile fatalities, although
there have been some other decreas
es that are marked. An increase
is reported in the number of per
sons burned to death this year, tho
total through February having been
69 as compared with 51 the corre
sponding period last year.
Jackson County farmers have pur
chased 544 tong of ground lime
stone cooperatively since last Sep
tember.
Cooperative orders of shrubbery
through the county agent's office in
Orange County havo resulted in im
proved plantings of home ground?
this spring.