THE ROANOKE RAPIDS
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VOLUME TWENTY-SIX ROANOKE RAPIDS, N. C. THURSDAY, FEB. 6, 1941NUMBER 30
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ELECTION?
Governor J. M. Broughton to
day asked the Attorney General
to give him an opinion regard
ing a special election in Halifax
County to fill the vacancy caused
by the sudden death of Senator
T. W. >L Long.
The opinion had not been re
ceived by the Governor late this
afternoon.
There is some question here
and at Raleigh as to the advisa
bility of a special election with
this session of the General As
sembly so far advanced. The
new member would have only a
short time to serve and the
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justify the expense to the courtly
of a special election. The matter
was discussed at a meeting of
the County Democratic Execu
tive Committee at Halifax yes
terday afternoon. The meeting
adjourned with no decision
reached.
It was pointed out by Secre
tary Eric Rodgers that no ac
tion could be taken by the Com
mittee until the Governor called
a special election.
CHAMPION
I
Above is a fighting pose of Phil
Hux, Junior Middleweight Cham
pion of the Raleigh Golden Gloves.
Hux led his teammates in piling up
a total of 62 points at the tourna
ment which ended last Saturday
night. Three local men reached
the finals. Next Tuesday the team
enters the Golden Glove Tourna
ment at Wilmington. The finals
will be fought on Friday night.
(NewsKuts by Brigman)
DR. T. W. M. LONG
ATTENDS DR. LONG'S FUNERAL
I
I Above is pictured (nearest camera) Governor J. M. Broughton as
he arrived at the Methodist Church in Garysburg Wednesday morning
for the funeral services of Dr. Thomas William Mason Long. Governor
Broughton led the state officials, numbering between 50 and 75, from
Raleigh here for the final rites of the statesman and physician. Gover
nor Broughton was accompanied by Julian R. Allsbrook, House member
from Roanoke Rapids, seen walking immediately beyond the Governor.
BUsi^sIh^tas
Funeral Yesterday Attended By
Almost 3,000 To Mourn Death Of
State Senator, Local Physician
... . ■ - ..
Roanoke Rapids paused Wednes
day, February 5, at It o’clock to
pay silent tribute to one of its
foremost citizens, Dr. T. W. M.
Long, who was buried that day
and hour at the Garysburg Metho
dist Church.
Stores in the city closed for at
least ten minutes after the funeral
hour. The Roanoke Mills Compa
ny plants, No. 1 and 2, closed for a
period of five minutes, Dr. Long
being one of the physicians for
those two plants. Schools in the
city had special programs in his
honor.
At that hour, crowds estimated at
between 2,000 and 3,000 gathered at
Garysburg for the final rites. City
and County officials, professional
men, business men, farmers, and
laborers of both races stood around
the small church while the intimate
friends and relatives filled the in
terior. Hundreds of wreaths were
banked about the grave where he
was laid to rest.
Governor Broughton, Lieutenant
Governor Harris and Speaker Mull
led a delegation of between 50 and
75 senators and representatives
from Raleigh, where Dr. Long died
Monday night.
W. L. Long, a brother, who was
in the West, flew to Roanoke Rap
ids to attend the funeral.
F. C. Williams, manager of Roa
noke Mills Co., had just arrived in
St. Petersburg, Fla., where he and
Mrs. Williams were to visit Florida
friends for several days. Mr. Wil
liams returned to Roanoke Rapids
immediately to attend the funeral
and left again for Florida last
night.
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edly Monday evening at 6:10 in the
Rex Hospital in Raleigh. He had
not been feeling well when he left
here Monday morning about 11 o’
clock, asking his barber to give him
a shave at home before he left and
securing the services of Lloyd Ste
phenson to driye him to the Capital
City.
At Raleigh he met with other
members of the senate in the after
noon and retired to the home of his
brother, W. Lunsford Long, about
five. It was then that he decided
to go to the hospital to have him
self checked over for what he be
lieved was influenza.
He had been in the hospital only
a few minutes when he died from
a heart attack, an ailment from
which he had been suffering for
some time but which was not gen
erally known among friends and
relatives.
| One of Dr. Long’s former stu
dent nurses, Blonnie Taylor, vm
with him when he died. It is said
that Mrs. W. L. Long was at the
hospital also at the time of his
death. Miss Taylor is a former res
ident of this city, having received
her training at the local hospital.
While the two houses were post
poning their night session in his
honor word of his death was being
received here with great shock.
The General Assembly read reso
lutions in tribute to him on Tues
day and adjourned the session for
Wednesday in order that his col
leagues might attend the funeral
here.
Dr. Long has been prominent in
the . city since he started practicing
medicine here about 30 years ago.
He, in addition to his regular med
ical activities, h?s served the city
as mayor, has been active in civic
and political affairs in the city, and
has served the county in the Gen
eral Assembly for five terms, in
cluding the present term.
He pioneered in hospital work
here and was instrumental in ri/i
ding the town of malaria fever.
A few days before his death, he
wrote the Board of Directors of
the Community Chest that he would
accept the post of president for
the next term. Dr. Long was elect
ed to the presidency about three
weeks ago, but accepted by letter
as he was attending the General
Assembly at the time of his elec
tion.
Funeral services were held at
Garysburg Methodist Church at 11
o’clock Wednesday morning with
the Rev. Lewis M. Taylor of Co
lumbia and the Rev. Edmund
Berkley of Roanoke Rapids offi
ciating. Burial was in the Garys
burg Methodist Church Cemetery.
Dr. Long was 55 years old. He
(Continued on Page 8, Sec. A)
t
Rush Tax Lister
Many citizens who had not
fisted their taxes for 1941 made
a rush for the office of the tax
lister here la»t Friday and Sat
urday, according to reports.
In addition to the numerous
visitors at the office, the tele
phone rang almost continually
throughout the day. Near fran
tic voices asked about the dead
line for listing and what could
be done about it when the dead
line was passed (Saturday was
the first of February).
This rush came about, it is
believed, as a result of the pub
lication of the action of the
Grand Jury in last week’s paper.