LT^r: TrlF HFRAI |J '• 31 per cent
1 Ro“ok<- Rap,<l* Towmhip £ J| || j J| |l ll* Cm m AM J I Of Halita* County Population |
L.—.16,612___! OF THE TWIN CITIES-ROAN OKE RAPIDS-ROSEMARY I mthbtownw |
VOLUME 16. ROANOKE RAPIDS—ROSEMARY, N. C., THURSDAY, JUNE 26th, 1930. NUMBER II.
NEW $50,000 NURSES HOME STARTED
TERRIFIC STORM
HITS COMMUNITY
Near Tornado Throws
Towns in Darkness
For Hours
One 'of the most terrific wind
and rain storms ever ?«en in
this part of the country visited
the Twin Cities about seven
o’clock Tuesday evening, uproot
ing huge trees, unroofing hous
es, breaking windows and para
lyzing the power and telephone
services.
Great trees were torn up by
the roots and hurled over the
wires, throwing the towns in
complete darkness for hours.
During the storm first one sec
tion and then another would lose
its light and telephone connec
tions.
The White Way and part of the
business section was the last to lose
its lights. The theatres were without
power and patrons who were in the
theatres before the storm broke were
forced to leave, as the power did not
come on for several hours.
Candles were at a premium and the
drug stores were about the only
places of business Which stayed open.
They suffered, Voo, as ice cream in
the electric reftugeratmg plants melt
ed like hot butter, milk spoiled and
water grew mm.
Some hail Aril here. The rain came
in sheets from -every direction, whip
ped by a terrific gale that seemed to
be twisting from all sides. The storm
was preceded by a deathly still and
hot period. Lightning and thunder
played no smdll part in the general !
scheme which seemed to be to blow
and wash the -community away.
Wednesday imorning the telephone
company reported 150 phones out of
commission. The Power Company re
ported its trouble crews out all Tues- |
day night and by early yesterday
morning all power lines were fixed.
Rosemary Mill Village was still with
out power yesterday afternoon, but
their own crews were busily engaged
?n fixing the breaks all day.
Insurance companies set the dam
age in this community at about $5,
000, scattered out with no severe cas
ualties. Luckily, no one was injured
by the storm so far as is known.
The storm jumped over spots nev
er touching them, while cutting a wide
swath in nearby sections. For ex
ample, very little damage was done
in the West ju.ie of Rosemary Mill
Village, the siorm dipping down at
£00 street and for three blocks, it
did peculiar things.
In Roanoke Rapids, its force seem
ed to be centered in the corner of
Third and Hamilton Streets, where
for a radius of one hundred yards it
tore up a dozen huge ttrees.
Farmers from different sections
near here report, havoc wrought to
barns, outhouses, roofs of houses and
crops. Early corn suffered heavily,
while tobacco on some farms was
beaten unmercifully by wind and hail.
Cotton seemed to have -escaped some
what.
The grove of trees near Tilghman s
Cross Roads looked as if a German
bombardment had struck in that sec
tor. More than twenty great tree?
eerc uprooted.
The Chocoyotte Country Club lost
several big trees, but some of t’.e
golfers are complaining that certain
trees they always hit were left
standing.
Wind blew out the plate glass front
of the old Shell Grocery Store on the
corner of Roanoke and 11th.
Weldon was a wreck. The damage
there will exceed that in this commu
nity. It was impossible to traverse the
streets there after the storm because
of fallen trees. Window lights, roofs,
awnings and sheds caught fury. A
large Negro lodge, two story struc
ture, waA blown over against a near
by house. The entire first floor col
lapsed. No one was in the building,
but the house next door, occupied, was
thrown out of plumb when struck by
the lodge.
The house of Dr. T. W. M. Long
was damaged by falling trees, injur
ies being sustained by roof aad chim
neys.
Three houses In Rosemary Mill Vil
lage mad several in Roanoke Village
Second Boy Drowns
Two Bodies Found
Beauregard Harlow, 22, went
to his death in the Roanoke ^Riv
er near Weldon 'last Thursday
afternoon. He was in swimming
at the time.
The body was recovered near
the point where ’he drowned. A
short time latet, searcher*, found
the body of George Harrison, 16,
who had been drowned the Tues
day before.
The river had been dynamited
and dragged for the Harrison
boy for three "days. It was found
three miles below where the boy
went under for the ’Iast time.
Car Crashes Plate
Glass Window Here
E. J. Connor, colored, resident oT
the Cbocoyotte Creek section, was
cranking his car in front of Cullom’s
Jewelry store last might. The car
started off in gear, nearly ran over Its
owner, plowed through the plate glass
front of the jewelry store. On its
journey it also ruined the bicycle driv
en by Major for the Rosemary Drug
Co. Connor was to return today to
settle with the owner of the build
ing. Another "Negro in the car jump
ed to safety when it started to climb
the* ‘curbing.
were damaged enough to collect some
tornado insurance.
Lee Sheffield, Washington Street.,
lost his porch. The chimney and -roof
of the R. L. Topping residence in East
Rosemary suffered damages.
A total of 25 'trees at Tilghmans
Cross Roads, 24 pine and oak on the
Cbocoyotte Country Club property, 15
trees in the Roanoke Mills Co., farm
on the Weldon road were reported
blown down, most of them huge oaks
uprooted.
The heaviest single loser reported
is the Shaw Cotton Mills of Weldon,
where the roof was damaged and vain
poured in destroying $1500 to $2000
of underwear and other finished!
goods.
From up the river at the old Gas
ton bridge conies the report of ail j
the big trees which once shaded a. I
small village there being down.
Across the river in Northampton lit
tle damage is reported. Dallas Allen
[says bis farm was not damaged at
all.
It seems that a strip along the Roa
noke river about ten miles long
caught the brunt of the storm. The
[strip was not over four niiles wide.
A trip down Route 40’toward Halifax
shows the damage ending some three
miles South. Hatifax knew nothing of
the storm. To the East, the storm
seemed to jump across the river and
Jackson reports some damage. Noth
ing startling it heard further than
that. This community and Weldon
seems to have been in the thick of
the fight.
On Hamilton Street, one could see
a green tree burning merrily. A live
wire had been torn down, wrapped it
self around the tree and set it ablaze.
Out on the Weldon road, the porch
on the Emry farm w»« swept away.
Autos figured in several stories re
ported. In Roanoke Rapids, a big
tree crashed down on the hood of a
parked car and had to be sawed away
before the car could be rescued.
High wind picked up the garage
of Harvey Taylor and set it over in
Dr. Murphrey’s property. A car and
a truck were uninjured.
Mrs. W. E. Lewter could not get her
car started so she left it out of the
garage. The storm crushed the shed
like an eggshell.
Willie Moody lost a fiont porch and
the Oak Store in Rosemary had a
front show window smashed.
Three huge pine trees were rest
in on the top of the Jeff Armstrong
residence. This house has been the
victim of several storms in the past
few years, but this is the largest
number of trees to fall on it at the
same time.
Hifty-two skylights in No. 2 weave
room of Rosemary Mfg. Co. and sev
eral skylights in Roanoke Mills Co.,
plants were broken.
Frank Kendrick lost the corner of a
house when a tree smashed into it.
SCHOOL FOR
TEACHERS
Sunday School Teachers and
Workers, To Get Train
ing Here
There will be a Teacher Train1 ng
School for Sunday School teachers
and workers conducted jointly with
the Daily Vacation Bible School at the
JunioT Hi^h School building at nights
he ginning July 14. Since all the
Churches of the Twin Cities are spon
soring these schools, all of the teach
ers of the Church schools are urged '
to attend these classes.
The faculty for this Teacher Train-;
ing work will be specialists in their
respective fields. Miss Georgia Keene,
a specialist in the department of pri
mary work will have charge of the
work dealing with classes of children
under twelve years of age. Mr. Shell,
a graduate of the Duke School of Re
ligion, will have a course in adminis
trative and class work for those above
the Junior age. These classes will be
taught every other night for the two
weeks. All teachers who complete the
courses wil be awarded a certificate of
credit.
It is the desire of every pastor of
the town that every teacher make
their arrangements to attend this
school during this time. Remember
that the date will be July 14-25, every
other night beginning on Monday
night; that the place will be the Ju
nior High School building, and that
all teachers and church workers arc
expected to attend. Parents and
workers with children who are not
Sunday school teachers are also urged
to attend one of these classes.
E. B. Glover Marries
Mr. E. B. Glover of this city and
Miss Florence Tibbett of Henderson
were married at Henderson last Sun
day. They have just returned from
a trip to Baltimore and other points
in the East and are at home on Ham
ilton Street.
PRECINCT
DEMOCRATS
ORGANIZE
The precinct meeting of the Demo
cratic voters of Roanoke Rapids Pre
cinct No. 1 was held at 2 o’clock p.
m., on Saturday, June 21st, at the
Mayor’s office in the town of Roanoke
Rapids. At this meeting Messrs. J. R.
Beard, J. F .Welsh. R. H. Parker, W.
L. Long and Dr. J. W. Martin were
named as the Democratic Precinct
Committee for the next two years .
A resolution was unanimously
passed constituting all Democrats in
good standing in the precinct as dele
gates to the County Democratic Con
vention to be held at Halifax on June
28th, authorizing those same Demo
crats present from this precinct to
cast the vote of the precinct, pro |
rata, on any matter which might
come before the County Convention.
Mr. W. L. Long acted as chairman
of the precinct meeting, and Mr. R.
H. Parker as secretary.
The Precinct Committee will organ
ic 'this week by electing a chairman,
a vice chairman and a secretary for
the precinct committee.
-
Fire Department
Work* All Night
Valiant work was done by the local
Tire Department from nine o’clock
the night of the storm until 3 o’clock
Wednesday morning. The crew was ;
called together by Chief Myrick and
spent the night sawing trees and re
moving them from the streets of Roa
noke Rapids and Rosegtary f.o, traffic
could pass on the main thoruoghfares.
Those working with the truck were
*"hief MyHo<. »V. 7. Cole, W R. My
rick, Wi! :» Cutler, W. E. Edwards,
Bruce Camp, J. T. Little, G. S. Smith,
Claude Smith, E. R. Watkins, R. M.
Smith, A. W\ Wright and Rufus Brit
ton. These boys deserve a lot of
credit for a good night’s work.
STATE WILL BUILD
NEW $70,000 BRIDGE
Decide To Use Old Site ;
Contract To Be Let In
September
The State Highway Commis
sion went on record at the June
meeting approving1 the expendi
ture of §70,000 for a new bridge
on the present site across the
Roanoke River at Roanoke Ra
pids.
This news was brought bare
officially last Friday afternoon
by Mr. Frank Keugler, commis
sioner of this district, who met
with the bridge committee
which has been working for a
new bridge since a span went
out in the old bridge on May 1st
of this year.
The action of the commission came
cs a surprise to members of the com
mittee who expected no final action
before the July session of the State
Highway Board. Mr. Keugler explain
ed the action as one of necessity to
protect the Commission and the State
in case of another accident on the
old bridge. He said that the Board had
decided it would be unwise to wait for
available funds to build at another
site, as in case of accident the State
would be liable for damages.
Three plans were discussed by the
Highway Commission after prelimi
nary figures had been received from
[engineers making a survey here. One
plan was immediately discarded. That
v'as for a new bridge in the highland
above the power company property.;
One large steel bridge spanning the
canal river channels and islands at
this point would be approximately
2000 feet long and cost over $300,
000. The cost did not include new
roads and approaches. The Commis
sion would not even consider this be
cause of the cost.
Another survey would have moved
the bridge up the river above the
mills but it would cut in below the
third present bridge and with a bridge
over the lowland* and one small
stream and would still leave the four
bridge plan. A bridge here could have
been built for approximately $175,
000, according to Mr. Keugler, but
the two counties would have to donate
$100,000. Naturally this proposition
was out from the start.
The third proposal was for a new
bridge at the present site. Mr. Keug
ler explained this as being the most
feasible of the three. The entire su
perstructure of the present bridge
would be taken off. The piers would
'be reinforced and a new steel super
structure would be built. The bridge
■would be wider than the present one.
TVTr. Keugler says it would be of the
same capacity as the new bridge at
Weldon and would be of the same
•construction. The only difference be
tween the two brdiges would be that
the Weldon bridge will have concrete
approaches.
Both bridges will be built to carry
two 15 ton trucks or a maximum ca
pacity on any portion of the bridge of
30 tons.
While no official promise was giv
en, Mr. Keugler stated he would see
to it that the fills and bridges on the
other side of the big bridge were rais
ed above the high water level. En
gineer Gardner admitted the road now
under the 1912 high water mark. The
committee also asked for a concrete
curbing on each side of the Avenue
from the Junction to the bridge. This
was also promised in due course, but
would not .come under new construct
ion work.
A plea that work not be started on
the new bridge until the first of 1931
will be considered. It was the intent
of the State to let the contract in |
September and start work immedi
ately thereafter. Members of the com
mittee pointed out that this was the
period when cotton was being hauled
in here and when pre Christmas shop
pers Were visiting the stores. The
financial loss to the community would
be more than any other season of the
year, it was shown. No definite action
was taken but the committee will be
on hand in September to use every
influence possible to hold the work up
vntil after Christmas.
AVENUE
SPEEDSTER
Arrested After Wild Ride; Is
Charged With Driving
While Intoxicated
William F. Rawley, charged with
driving an automobile while under the
influence of intoxicating liquor, waiv
ed preliminary hearing before Magis
trate R. L. Martin, through his at
torney, Allen C. Zollicoffer, last Fri
day, and was placed under a $150
cash bond for his appearance at the
August term of circuit court.
Rawley was arrested the early part
of last week by Chief Gray after the
automobile he was driving, belong
ing to Harry Shell, collided with the
delivery truck of S. C Cook, which
was parked in front of Mr. Cook’s
grocery store in Roanoke Rapids. Af
ter the collision, Rawley started up
Roanoke / '• muc an-1 was immedi itch
followed by Chief Gray. A ‘hot” i
chase took place and Chief Gray fin
ely overtook Rawley after the two j
had raced a short distance up the
Avenue. Rawley was placed under
arrest and taken to jail. He !nt»r fur
nished bond for his appearance be
fore the magistrate.
When Chief Gray had overtaken
Rawley, he parked his machine whit?
be went over to the car Rawley was 1
driving. While he was in the act of !
making the arrest, his automobile,
somehow, became released and started
running down the slope near the R^a
roke Rapids Methodist church, fin
ally landing in a ditch in front of the
church. The car missed a telephone
pole by a few inches. It was undam
aged. On account of the rain and the
slippery street, it took sometime to
release the car, but it was pulled out
with the assistance of Officer Clif
ford Massie and others, and Chief
Gray went on his way to the city
lock-up witto hrs prisoner.
--□
Girls Team To Play
Night Game Here As
First In The State
Tho first night game of baseball in
the State will be played at Simmons
Field here -next Tuesday -night, July
1. and to top the cake, it will be a
girl’s toam which docs part of the
playing.
Alice Mack and her Southern Beau
ties, a girls team from Philadelphia,
will play the Patterson Mill Silver- j
kings. The game will start at 8:00 (
o'clock.
The girls do have a male battery
to make the game a real battle, hut ;
the other positions are all taken by
girls. The team carries its own illu
minating plant to light the field. They
play most of their games at night, in
order to meet League teams during
the season.
They have successfully illuminated
Griffith Park at Washington, home
of the Senators. Alice Mack, manager
of the team is known as the Queen
of Diamonds.
--□
Leo Pittard Wins
Second Place In
State Farm Contest
I.eo Pittard. a student in the Ame
lia n Springs High School, won second
place in the State elimination con
test of the Future Farmers of Ameri
ca public speaking contest, held in
Raleigh, Thursday, .Tune 19.
Eight hoys, winners in their res
pective districts, participated in the
State contest. The winner, a student
in the Denton High School, will speak
in the regional contest 1o be held in
Atlanta next October. The winner in
the regional contest will be a contest
ant in the national contest to be hold
in Kansas City next November in
onnection with th onatio: ».l conven
tion of F. F. A.
T.eo has had intensive training dur
ing the past two months and has made
a wonderful showing in this year’s
content. He is in good trim to develop
into a strong contestant for debates
and orations during the last two ycaiv
of his high school career.
-u
Rosemary Methodist
The pastor, Rev. C. T. Thrift, will
preach at both services Sunday. In
the morning he will speak on “Fools."
At 8:00 P. M. he will have for nis
subject, “Choosing a Wife." Every
body is invited to these services. Sun
day School meets at 9:45.
WORK BEGUN ON NEW
THREE STORY BUILDING;
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENTS
Huge Tarantula Is
Caught In Bananas
Many persons have seen the
tarantula which was captured by
clerks at the M System here the
first of the week. Manager Col
lier placed the varmint in a jar
of alcohol for preservation.
The tarantula was caught in
the bottom of a crate of bananas
and is one of the few ever seen
here. It is a huge, hairy spider
about two inches across. Its food
is evidently the bugs around a
banana stalk as it is rarely found
anywhere else.
Thought by some to be poison
ous, experts claim its bite is not
serious. In Italy, it is said the
victims are afflicted with a dance
similar to St. Vitus.
r PET_DAY
At City Playgrounds This Fri
day Afternoon
The second annual pe tday will
be held at the playgrounds on Fri
day afternoon. Everyone remembers
the pet day held last year when ev
erything from a large pony to a baby
flea was exhibited. The prizes will be
awarded this year for the prettiest,
the ugliest and the smallest.
The different plavgrodftdi are play
ing each other in baseball, in a kind
of league fashion. All the teams have
room for several good players, so
there is still a chance for making the
team. All aspirants for baseball fame
are invited to confe and get a good
start.
Attendance has been fair at the
playgrounds so far. The attendance
for th efirst seven days was as fol
lows: Girls 1096; Boys 1530, total,
2626. Don’t forge tthe hours. They
are 9 to 11 and 3 to 8. Come every
day, But especially Friday, and be
sure to bring your pet, for you may
get the prize.
i—i
GOOD CROP
YEAR SEEN
Corn Better Than In Years, Cot
ton and Peanuts About an
Average; Tobacco Below
Tim rains that fell almost daily,
beginning June and continuing for
more than a week, stopped cultivating
of crops in most of the Roanoke-Cho
wan section for ten days, but when
the rains started hut very little rain
had fallen in the section for about 2
mouths, consequently the land was
very dry and all crops had been culti
vated clean and in good condition to
stand ten days.
The crop is the best in years, and
the acreage in corn is perhaps double
what it has been for several years.
Another noticeable change is that
the best land on the farms is planted
in corn, whereas in former years on a
majority of the farms the best was
planted in cotton, peanuts and tobac
co.
Cotton in much of this territory is
looking well, but the acreage was cut
after planting because of difficulty
in getting a stand. One of the causes
of the poor stand was the poor qua
lity of seed. Farmers were warned
by agrciultural leaders to be on their
guard against planting damaged seed.
The demand for soybeans for plant
ing has been great and the local sup
ply of seed was exhausted early in j
the planting season. For lack of seed
the acreage in this valuable crop is
not as great as it otherwise would
have been. Many are declaring they
are going to make an effort to save
seed this year.
On account of the long period when
cultivation was suspended crops are
becoming foul with grass hut with
clearing weather a great change can
be made in a few days.
-°
Mrs. Smith Dead
Mrs. Charlie B. Smith, daughter of
Mr. J. E. Cox of Rosemary, died late
Monday night at her home in Wins
ton-Salem. Mr. and Mrs. Cox were atj
the bedside when the end came. 'j
New Heating and Toilet
Systems for Graded
Schools
Construction Work in the Twin
Cities began ‘looking up’ to help
out during the lean summer
months with contracts let this
week by the Roanoke Rapids
Hospital and the City School
Board.
The J. W. Stout Construction'
Co., of Stanford, began prelimi
nary work today on the erection
of a splendid, three-story, brick,
fire-proof building for the Nurs
es Home on Jackson Street back
of the hospital.
The building will have thirty
rooms and will provide comfor
table living quarters for about
fifty graduate and pupil nurses.
The first floor will have a large re
ception room, class rooms and rooms
for the graduate nurses. On the next,
two floors will be rooms for at least
36 pupil nurses. There will be a bath
for each two rooms.
Work this week includes the mov
ing of a house belonging to the mills,
which will be moved about 300 yards
down Jackson street to make room for
the new building. . ^
Mr. Stout stated wtfai/ha 'wsas
awarded the contract that he would
give preference to local men when in
need of help, so that at least fifty
men here will be given employment
this summer on the new building. The
estimated cost of the structure com
pleted is set at $50,000.
The problem of housing the nurses
has been confronting the hospital au
thorities for some time. At present,
two houses are used which are situat
ed on the Avenue some little distance
from the hsopital. The new home will,
be located on a quiet street imme
diately back of the hospital and wilt
be large enough to care for the nursce
for many years to come. It will be
modern in every respect.
City School Work
A contract was let yesterday by
the City School Board for additions
and improvements to the Central and
Rosemary Graded School buildings.
A new toilet system will be installed
at the Central School building and
also at the Rosemary school and two
more class rooms will be added. The
heating system is being changed from
hot air to hot water. v
The contract was let to J. R. My
riek, local contractor, and the plumb
ing work will be done by the Roanoke
Heating and Plumbing Co., of thus .
city. Work will start at once accord
ing to Mr. Myrick. •
Julien Shaw Elected }
Treasurer of Y. T. F.
Julien Shaw, a sophomore in the
Aurelian Springs High School, was
elected treasurer of the Young Tar
Heel Farmers Club at its annual con
vention, held in Raleigh June 19-21.
Julien has taken vocational agricul
ture only one year. It is a great hon
or to hold office in the State orga
nization while so young in the work..
He is enthusiastic, and, from all in
dications, is destined to become a
master "Young Tar Heel Farmer.
-D
Members of Roanoke Rapids B. Y
P. U. had a picnic at Slageis Lake on
Tuesday night. Bathing and boat rid
ing were enjoyed by all. Those pres
ent were Catherine Hines, Helen Tur
ner, Virginia Hobbs, Vashti Kenne
niur, Edna and Frances Shearin, Oliie
l'owell, Hazel Sewell, Josephine Tay
lor, Calvin Kennemur, Charles Ogle
tree, Bill Batton, Robert Lowe, Leon
ard Langston, Lewis Langston, Rich
ard Lyles, Edward White, Jasper
[Mills, Grady Bristow, Nat Lowe.
-□
Misses Ruth and Alma Nomood, of
Antique, Va., spent the past week-end
with Mrs. Maragret Hudson
-□
Sir Ernest Wild of London refused
to punish Frederick Fisher for at
tempting suicide because, he declare#
Fisher’s life was worthless.