* Roanokel I Ramblingsj YOU DON’T SAY "Do you know,” said the young agricultural student to an old farmer, ‘your methods of culti vation are years behind the times. Why, I’d be surprised if you made a dollar out of the oats in this field.” “So would I*" replied the farm ,1 er, “it’s barley.” *OUR WATCHDOG : Perhaps the title on this story ® is wrong because when we start $ thinking of the Herald’s “watch | dog” we think of the barbecue L ;and keep wanting to write about p it) we went on with a few friend3 h a couple of weeks ago. | First off, this dog is ancient. $ He is not only ancient, but he's E £tone deaf and flearbitten. £) But he’s our dog and we love Sj him. And someone with utter dis V regard for rhyme or reason named * him “Man.” He is so ancient he’s senile, l and he loves what people in this 1 section like to call “hog haa lett.” He also loves to play games. Although no one ever taught him (to our knowledge) to roll over and “play dead,” we had no soon er killed the hog for our bar becue than old “Man” rolled over like he had been knocked in the head, too. Although he’s silly we doubt that he’d like to be called “Man’ —but, since he's deaf, he has, thus far, registered no complaint about it. We summon him with &n arm motion not unlike a traf fic cop directing taxis on Fifth Avenue and he’s always looking Q :hat is, if he thinks there is something to eat involved. If the old adage, “a barking dog never bites” is true—beware of “Man”—he hasn't growled a single time in the short period uf our acquaintance, but then maybe he’s dumb, too. OTHER FAUNA While we are in the animal kingdom—(this is the insect sub fj division of same)—we might mention that G. V. Ferguson, of 203 Monroe street, who works at Patterson Mill, found a bug in the slasher room Monday afternoon about 2 o’clock, which can best , be described as a ‘‘pincher bug.” ; It was as spotted as a speckled , pup, 15 times as small, 78 de grees uglier and JiOO per cent cooped up in a pint mayonnaise jar. U When captured* It was calmly sitting in a window in the slash er room at the mill supervising operations. . It definitely was unhappy about ; having been “locked up,” laid still for two d. , tb'iakins' UD a way to get out, worked at getting ; ’X for a day and the better part* t f a night and, jvhen last inter viewed had "no comment" f^r publication. > -— AND MANY MORE Happy birthday recipient Tues day was Miss Becky Dickens, who generally manages to brighten up the day for a lot of people in her capacity as waitress in a local cafe. (Continued on Page 4—-Sec. A) * * * THE ROANOKE RAPIDS What Roanoke Rapids Makes „ ...... .. . Herald Classified Advertising —Makes Roanoke Rapids Gets Quick Results Carolina’s Fastest Growing City ^ ^ ^ VOLUME XXXII ROANOKE RAPIDS, N. f ., THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 1947 NUMBER 41* Head-on Mishap Hurts2 Two people were hospitalized, a third treated for minor bruises and two cars were badly damaged Sunday• evening at about six thirty when a ear headed toward Gaston and driven by George Harris, of that township, crashed headlong into another driven by Robert L. Woodruff, of 77 Hamilton Street, on the Rqanoke River bridge northeast of Roanoke Rapids. Hurris was under technical ar lest i though in Roanoke Rapids Hospital* after being charged by state highway patrolman Wilson who investigated the accident, with driving while drunk and careless and reckless driving. He was reported by hospital officials Fuesday morning to have sus tained a broken foot in the ac hdentv Louise Neal, also of Gaston, who was riding as a passenger in he car with Harris is also in he hospital with lacerations and ninor bruises, but no broken iones, hospitals officials said. Mrs. Woodruff, who was riding n the car with her husband, vas treated at the hospital Sun lay night hut was not hospita i/.ed. Carl Murray Dies Here Early Today Carl Murray. Roanoke Rapids msiness man. died at 4:.'i0 this noming at Roanoke Rapids Hos >ital. Born in Greensboro, the son if the late Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Murray, he was the sole owner >f Roanoke Transit Company and Murray’s Service Station and Ga age; was the local Oldsmobile lealer and a real estate owner. He was a member of the Pres >yterian Church and belonged to he Exchange Club. Surv'ivors include his widow, he former Catherine Eager, ori. finally of Philadelphia; his step nother; two sons, Carl, Jr., and ,Villiam; one brother. Ernest, of Roanoke Rapids, an*> me s’sU-r. Funeral arrangemei.'• had not >een completed this morning IV ASHING MACHINE SMOKES A washing machine motor’s smoking caused Mrs. \V. (>. Bunch to call the fire depart ment to her home at 600 Ham ilton Street shortly before ten o’clock this morning. No dam age was reported. Four Dead; Damage $16,000 Here 1 As 53 Local Traffic Accidents Counted For First Half of 1947 (Editor's note: This is the first of a series of two ar ticles on traffic safety. The Herald is glad to cooperate with the Roanoke Rapids Po lice Department in an effort to keep our traffic death rate l at a minimum.) “We have had 53 accidents in the city of Roanoke Rapids so far this year. In those 53 acci dents four lives have been lost end property damage in the sum of $16,000 has been caused," Police Chief T. J. Davis said this week. “While money loss can be estimated and repaid through the medium of insurance coverage or t,y individual payment of damages i —no price can be placed on the loss of life nor can any amount of monetary reimbursement ease the heartbreak resulting from loss.” The chief's statement was is sued on the heels of an announce, ment from the state departmen: of motor vehicles this week that 371 persons died in North Caro lina traffic mishaps during the half of 1947, eight of whom were killed in Halifax county. It doesn’t take a college pro fessor to figure out that ev« n four is too high a figure in com parison with state and county figures. The state-wide compilation does show an encouraging 24 per cent decrease however in traffic death3 throughout the state from a com parative figure for the first half of 1946; a 23 per c *nt drop in city and town fatalities. "While we have good reason to be thankful our fatality rec ord does not place us at the top of the list in number of deaths for either cities or coun ties, we can’t he satisfied with that record. When you are con cerned with the .,aving of human iife, you cannot afford to be sat isfied with any record save a per iect one,” Davis dec.vred. "Many of the larger cities in the country sponsor safety weeks and conduct campaigns in vari ous ways in an effort to reduce accidents. One ian used is to publicize through extensive use of the press and radio) the idea of counting the ‘deathless days’ in a. city—or the ‘days without an accident.' Wilde our really bad accidents do not occur with suf ficient frequency to warrant such large-scale methyls, we do ft el that it would be well to discuss certain* hazards and thus prevent their claiming more (Continued on Pane 2—Sec. A) Scotland Neck Group Requests County Commissioners to Take Action on Hospital Project A delegation of Scotland 'Neck citisens Monday morning, Aug. 4, presented to the board of oounty commlsioners of Halifax a pro posal that the county sponsor the creation of a 20-bed hospital unit at Scotland Neck, in cooperation with tho State Medical Care Com mission and the United States Public Health Service. The county borad took the mat ter under advisement during the day and finally appointed a com mittee which will investigate all phases of the situation and re port back to the next meeting of the board. The committee was composed of two members of the board and the county auditor. TOte matter -was brought before the town board of Scotland Neck. It was pointed out by members of the delegation that, on the basis of MedioaJ Care Commission figures, a 20-bed capacity unit at Scotland Neck would cost be tween $100,000 and $125,000 to con struct and equip and the county’s share of this would be 28 and seven-tenths percent. The remain der of the costs would be borne by the state from the funds re cently set aside by the Legis lature and by the federal govern ment. It was further pointed out that, ic addition to a guarantee of this 28 and seven-tenths percent it was required that the sponsor (in this case the county) guaran tee an operating deficit of $20,000 on the first year and $10,000 for the seoond year in the event that deficit# should occur. Over 3,000 Jam Simmons Park For Special Ceremonies STU MARTIN pho,°hy Tudor . . . for a man who’s doing well DICK HERBERT photo hy ™,ur . . . there were speeches ami gifts. Robert Josey, Jr. Observes His 92nd Birthday Recently Robert Carey Josey, Sr., of Scot land Neck, grandfather of Robert Carey Josey, III, of Roanoke Rap ids. celebrated his 92nd birthday August 2nd. The oldest man in Scotland Neck, some say the oldest man in Halifax County, declares, '* "I don’t have to complain about anything” This cheerful view of tne world is due partially to his memories of a long, happy, use ful life and partially to his nat urally bright disposition. His continuing health, re markable in a man of his age, permits him to go ‘down town every evening during good weather and to take an active and alert interest in community affairs. Mr. Josey can look back al most to the beginning of the growth of his home town. He was bom on a farm near Scot land Neck; his father, N. B. Josey, was from Scotland Neck, His mother, Mary Powell, was from nearby Bertie County. He was educated in Scotland Neck and engaged in business there. He married two Scotland Neck girls, Miss Etta Edmondson on January 2nd, 1S82 and Miss Sadie Perry, who is 13 years younger than he* on January 5th, 1905; » MH VU I HO 1UUI kllllUICIl, Hulda Edwards, Robert C., Jr. Dnnford and Mary Powell there. A faithful member of the Scot land Neck Baptist Church, he regularly attended the Sunday j School for forty years every Sun I clay except when he was out of t-'wn. He began business as a clerk keeping books and waiting on customers in Noah Bigg’s store. In 188i he became Mr. Bigg’s partner and later he was the partner of his first wife’s fathei, D. E. Edmondson. When he re I tired in 1930, his firm, the oldest in Scotland Neck, was called R. C. Josey and Co. It has now become Josey Brothers and is in the hands of his sons. The first train track that ran through Scotland Neck, Mr. Josey said, was the train road from Edwards Ferry to Scotland Neck, owned by his father and called the Tri-Weekly. ’It was known as the tri-weekly because,’’ he laughs, "it would go there one week, and try tc get back the next." - —- I Weldon Jaycees Sponsor “Miss Weldon” Contest A beauty contest, m conjunc- i lion with a dance, will be spon sored by the Weldon Junior Cham ber of Commerce Thursday eve- ; ning, Augst 21, to select a "Miss * Weldon” for the town’s represent ative in the sixth annual Coastal Festival at Morehead City, August 28, 29 and 30, it was announced today by club officiajs. Twenty-three beautiful girls will participate in the contest and vie for the honor of being crown ed by Weldon Mayor J. T Mad drey at the coronation dance. A committee of three judges, the presidents of the Jaycee organi zations in Roanoke Rapids, Wil hamston and Tar boro, will make selection of "Mias Weldon” at the dance, music for whi^h will be furnished by Royce Stoenne? end his orchestra. (Continued on Fage f—Sso, A) Is This The Derby? Martin’s Query At Event They gathered around home plate at Simmons Park Tuesday night Then they brought Stu Martin right down front—a spot to which he has no desire to become ac customed—he’s that kind of a guy. Ray Goodmon, president of the league, was there, and so were D. L. Hines, the Jays’ prexy. Frank Williams of the textile mills, donors of a 10-year lPHfcf, on the ball park to the club for the “enormous sum of one dol lar” per year; Frank Neal, pres ent head of the Jaycees; Jack Vincent; Allen Pierce; Tar boro manager, “Bull” Hammond, and even a man they sent down from Raleigh—Dick Herbert, News and Observer sports' editor—to cover the event. Then they all toU in sincere words how much they thought of the Severn (N. C.) player-manager who is guiding the diamond destinies oJ the in fant Jays. And when they got tore ugh with their respective speeches, they brought old Stu on*, hung a horseshoe of roses around his neclc and weighted him down with gifts such as only the fans I Thorugh it all sat the fans; some of them hushed, others wise-cracking to keep from be traying the magnitude of the thrill they felt from this mass tribute to their mild-mannered idol-who had moulded a com bination of players into the team which at present is most feared by their Coastal Plain opponents. Then Stu Martin tried to thane them—and he succeeded to a de gree he’ll never realize. When he, once a member of the fabulous Gas House Gang that roared a challenge from the broad banks of the Mississippi heard in the deepest stone canyons of far-off Manhattan, told these 3200 fana that no baseball town in the country could match this one— he thanked them in a way they were proud to be thanked. They gave him and his Missus almost everything in the book be fore he made the speech he said wasn’t called for in his contract. After that,- they gave him their hearts. (Continued, on Page 5—Sec. A) Notables Praise Jays, Fans And Martin In Ceremonies A crowd of fans, estimated at more than 3,000, gathered in Sim mons Park Tuesday night to wit ness a doubleheader between the Jays and the Tarboro Tars and to pay tribute to the Jays’ player manager at "Stu Martin night," sponsored by the Roanoke Rapids Junior Chamber of Commerce. Following the first game.twhich Tarboro won, 1-0), a group of notables led by Ray Goodmon, I Resident of the Coastal Plain League, pushed down from the packed grandstand and surround ed a microphone in front of the stands to render tribute to the Jays’ player-manager, Stu Mar tin, former St. Louis Cardinal star. Frank Nealx president of the Jaycees, acted as master of ceremonies and, in introductory remarks, recalled the time a short 32 months ago when "our or ganization first began work on this project which appeared to be hopeless much of the time.’’ Neal then introduced Jack Vin cent, immediate past president of tne Jaycees, who thanked the fans for their backing and as sistance in the early days of try ing to get a franchise for Roa noke Rapids in the Coastal Plain L-eague. Jesse Helms, program director of local radio station WCBT and publicity committee chairman of the Jaycees, introduced Goodmon with “my introducing Ray Good mon to the people of Roanoke Rapids is somewhat comparable to a man’s being introduced to his father, because whether he was born here or not, Ray Good mon will always be considered a native son of Roanoke Rapids.” Goodmon had nothing but praise for the way the Jays were con ducting themselves in the league and said that “Stu Martin is one oi the few managers who have not given me a bit of trouble.” Goodmon said he couldn't find a seat on his first visit to Simmons Park this year and hoped that be wouldn’t be able to find one the next time he came inasmuch as a full park never showed a lack of enthusiasm for the game cf baseball as played in the Coast al Plain League. (Continued on Pane 5—Sec. A) The Local Week... False Alarm Firemen answered a call to a aundry near the Junction Friday light but found, on arrival, there kvas no fire. Some conscientious person had mistaken steam emanating from a vent pipe in tfye building for smoke, firemen said, and had turned In an alarm. C. D. Martin, Jr., Selected Clyde Desmond Martin, Jr.» 1201 Washington street, Roanoke Rap ids, has been selected through a nation-wide competitive program for training in the Naval Avia tion College program, the Sixth Naval District announced this week. Martin was one of 2700 candi dates and 240 alternates chosen from an original 60,000 who ap plied for the program. I New Df;«oton Named I Wllbournt end Frank Neel have been elected to the board of directors of the Roa noke Rapids Merchants Associa tion to fill the unexpired terms of Emerson O’Melia, recently transferred to Florida by his com pany, and C. A. Wyche, deceased, li had been decided at the July meeting of the directors to elect the next two highest oh the slate cf the annual election at the meeting in February in the event of a vacancy. Manufacturing Employs 5,418 Halifax county had 5,412 work ers (or 81.3 per cent of total employment engaged in manufac ture in 1945, compared to a state average of 66.9 per cent, it was announced this week by Chairman Henry E. Kendall of the State Employment Security Commission, the county in 1945 represented 51.4 per cent of the total non agrtcultural employment in 1940, as reported by the U. S. Census, WonMhhwI *ec was reported. First Football Drill Wednesday, August 27 An announcement released today by Rockfellow Venters coach of the Roanoke Rapids Yellow' Jackets pigskin squad disclosed that the first prac tice for the local high school's gridiron aspirants will be held on Wednesday* August 97th. Superior Court Recesses Early For Mob Parley PARADE With Potentate William I. Bundy, of Sudan Temple A.A O.N.M.S., the guest or honor, and the Temple Band prodd ing i> min, the newly organiz ed Koanoke Valley Slirine Huh staged a parade Wednesday at tern oon 1 ti rough the city, followed hy a hand concert Wednesday night in Koanoke Kapids. 'I he parade was led by the Potentate’s car, followed by 23 Other gaily decorated automo biles laden with Shriners and their wives. The hand float was placed midway in the pa rade anti the well-known musical organization provided martial music for the event. Following a gathering at the Koanoke Kapids Country Club, the Shriners assembled in a previously roped-off space on Koanoke Avenue between 10th and 11th Streets to hear a hand concert presented hy the 23-piece group. Grand Jury Gives Jail Good Grade The Halifax County Grand Jury report was submitted to Presiding Judge W. H. S. Burgwyn in the Superior Court at its August term this week in Halifax as follows: We, the Grand Jury for Halifax County, do respectfully report that we have passed on all bills brought to our attention to the best of our ability. The Grand Jury visited and l spected the county jail and iiund 14 prisoners there: 11 col ored men, 2 white men and 1 :olored woman. As has previously been report ed the county jail is in need jf general repair and" painting, rhe water pipes are evidently corroded and rusty, resulting In very poor water pressure. This condition creates poor sanitary conditions. A new faucet is need Ld in the hospital ward in the jail. The Grand Jury, therefore, respectfully recommends that these findings be looked into at the earliest posible moment. The jails at Roanoke Rapids, P.nfiolH OffnHonJ "NT.,^1. TH.il.i-_ ^nd Weldon were visited and in spected by a committee and the following conditions were found: Roanoke Rapids jail found in very good condition. Scotland Neck, conditions are joed, with the exception that the Jrand Jury recommends that some of the bunk mattresses are ?one and should be replaced. Enfield, committee unable to ocate officers to unlock the jail md a complete inspection could lot be made. However, from the jutside appearance conditions are satisfactory. Littleton, condition of jail as eported by committee to the Jrand Jury is good. Weldon jail, window panes are &adly needed to replace broken ind missing ones. This has pre viously been reported on. Heavy i,auge wire needed for enclosure iround jail so nothing can be I assed through bars from out side to the prisoners Inside. Jail is In clean condition. One pri soner in jail at present time. The Grand Jury inspected Pri son Road Camp and everything found to be in order. Ninety fceven prisoners found there; no sick prisoners. The committee which inspect ed the County Home found that former recommendations are be ing met as speedily as posible. The Grand Jury recommends that additional help be employed to care for inmates. Very good conditions were found at the County Sanitorium. There are 21 patients at the pres (Continued on Page 6—Sec. A) Nancy Sheley Draw s Two to Five Years For Knifing Hearing only jail coses due lo u summons to Raleigh to discuss the Northampton “mob" case with Governor Gregg Cherry, Judge Paul Frizzelle, presiding over the Superior Court in Halifax Mon iuiy sentenced Nancy Shelby, 38 year old Hobgood negress to prison for from two to five years after she plead guilty to man slaughter in the butcher knife killing last week of 37 year old Pete Shields. The state accepted the plea of guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter after the woman testified she killed Shields in self defense when he attacked her witn a case knife. Menawhile Judge Frizzelle an i Solicitor Ernest Tyler were slated to go to Raleigh sometime this week for a discussion of the failure of a Northampton Coun'y grand jury to return a true bill in the case of the seven Rica Square white men charged wiLh the attempted kidnapping of a Rich Square negro last May. In another case heard Monday, Willie Smith, colored, of Enfield, P’ead guilty to burglary in the second degree and was given a sentence of not less than forty nor more than sixty years a State’s prison. Gene Austin, colored, found guilty of asault on a female, was given two years on the roads; and Sam Clanton and Ernest Ar_ iington,, both colored, were found guilty of larceny and given 12 months on the roads. Judge, Solicitor Meet With Chief Executive Judge J. Paul Frizzelle, Soli citor Ernest Tyler, state At torney-General Harry McMul len and SB1 Director Walter F. Anderson attended a lengthy conference Wednesday morning with Governor Gregg C’hei . y irt' lum \ ' Cherry's office said no an nouncement as to date or place of the hearing on the North ampton alleged attempting lynching eould be made at this time. The conferees are expected to meet again later this week. Health Officer Back From Attending Course In New York Hospital Dr. Robert F. Young, county health officer, returned recently lrom attending a refresher course in poliomyelitis at Knickerbocker Hospital, New York City on u scholarship granted by the Halifax County Chapter of the Infantile Paralysis Foundation. Dr. Young said the course was arranged by Phillip Randolph, of Chapel Hill* State Director for the Infantile Paralyisis Foundation in North Carolina and it was under the direction of Dr. Phillip Stim son of New York City. Dr. Stim son is an outstanding pediatrician and special work is being carried out under a grant from the re search fund of the National In fantile Paralysis Foundation. 15 physicians in various special ities from 11 other states and Canada attended the courses, in addition to three physicians from other foreign countries. General aims of the National Foundation were listed by Dr. Weaver, director of research, as: first, an effort to eliminate the polio virus from the enviroment entirely; second, to make man lesistant to the virus; third, to find a treatment of the after effects of the disease. Dr. Young plans, as an act ivity of his office as county health officer, to write several articles concerning the course of fered at the hospital. Roanoke Rapids Merchants Asso. Sends Secretary to Training institute Representatives From Ten States Gather At Chapel Hill Mrs. Elva Martin, secretary of the Roanoke Rapids Merchants Association, will leave Saturday to attend the second annual training institute for merchants association secretaries to be held at the University of North Caro lina at Chapel Hill, August 17-23. Mrs. Martin, who attended last year’s institute, said that most of the 10 states sending repre sentatives are located in the Southeast George D. Colclough, Burling ton, will serve as president of the institute which is sponsored by the Associated Credit Bureau of North Carolina and the Asso ciated Credit Bureaus of the Southeast and Is the only school of its kind in the nation. Begun last year to give mem bers of the various bureau and association staffs additional train ing, commercial law, business let ter writing, salesmanship, pub lic speaking and other courses helpful to them, the institute will be attended this year by repre sentatives from North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Ala bama, Tennessee, Missouri, Ohio, Illinois and Iowa. About 40 per sons have registered thus far and total enrollment is expected to reach about 75 before start of the sessions. Mrs. Martin said that the classes will start at 8 a. m., and last until 4 p. m., each day witi a -*j final examination on Friday of -| next week, consisting of oUlM questions. (C