^Roanoke]
I Ramblings|
a (Edilor'« Note: Jeny Elliott,
who has covered the municipal
building activities for the Her
ald for the past five and a
half months, writes of a few
incidents told him by the late
Mayor J. T. Chase.)
When this writer first came to
Roanoke Rapids, Mr. Chase had
just assumed the duties of may
^ or for the third time. He told us
• the first time we met him that
'Tm going to tell you a lot and
I'll trust you never to print those
things I ask you not to. If you
ever do print something I asK
you not to — you’ll never get
another thing out of me.” Then,
to put us at our ease, he laugh
ed.
One afternoon, we visited in
his home for about two hours.
0He displayed several clippings
one from the Atlanta Journal :n
which a columnist for that paper
had called him a real converted
Southerner. He seemed to be
even prouder of that than he
was of his award from Woodrow
Wilson for having been instru
mental in capturing several Ger
man spies during World War 1.
Mr. Chase was indeed very
— proud of the fact that he was a
™ citizen of this city. He delighted
in recalling incidents in the
city’s history, although he main
tained — as he brought out in
a short talk at the recent Semi
Centennial celebration ceremonf
es — that it was only by look
ing forward that the city could
keep pace with its growth. (Ho
always told the young men that
me om-umers iidu tamcu mt
^ ball for fifty years and that ii
■ was now up to them.)
Shortly after he came, said Mr.
Chase, there was a Dutchman
living here who was ju^t over
from the old country. This
Dutchman had picked up just
enough street-corner English so
that when he spoke he invari
ably cast aspersions on character
and ancestry, although totally
unaware of the import of his
I statements. One day, the citizen *
became particularly aroused
against the immigrant, obtained a
piece of rope of sufficient length
and durability for the purpose
and began seek' •» the culprit,
determined to test that rope
against the durability of the of
fender’s neck. Seeking sanctuary,
the Dutchman fled to the home
of Mr. Chase, who, although dis
approving of the language used
[ constantly by the fugitive, did
not especially relish the thought
of seeing the man swinging from
a limb.
So he hid the man and in
structed him to escape via the
back door when ne saw the Op
portunity and keep going. He
then went out on the porch and
asked very innocently of the
group what the purpose of their
visit to his home might be.
When told, he began delaying
them with questions and other
stalling tactics. Finally he
allowed them to search the house
and, naturally, they found noth
ing. Meanwhile, said Mr. Chase,
the Dutchman had put several
miles between himself and the
city of Roanoke Rapids and, as
far as he knew, was still travel
ing.
It was Mr. Chase, also, who
told of the famous telegram sent
by John Armstrong Chaloner to
his brother, Bob, in New York
v-hen the latter was divorced b>
Lena Calvaiira, the famous opera
singer. Bob at one time had had
John committed to the New York
insane asylum, but John had es
caped. When John heard of the
divorce and the monetary trans
actions that accompanied it in
which his brother did not fare so
well, he had Mr. Chase drive him
to the telegraph station in his
wagon and sent the telegram
which read — "Who’s loony
now?"
Once, two men were drowned
in the river and almost positive
identification was made of one
body as being that of a local
man. Mr. unase saia u was>n i
and, sure enough, two weeks lat
er, a family from, “up the river”
identified it as that of one ol
their sons. Mr. Chase and anoth
er fellow were watching the pro
ceedings attendant to the identi
fication when the other fellow
said, “Joe, I’ll make an agree
ment with you. Whichever one
of us dies first will try to come
back and contact the other one.”
Mr. Chase said he agreed, half in
jest. The other fellow died and
shortly afterward as they were
sitting at home one night about
10 o’clock, they heard a racket
upstairs that sounded “like some
one was breaking up the furni
ture.” Mr. Chase’s first thought,
he said, was of the agreement.
‘But, boy, were we relieved
when we found out it was just
the cat scrambling around in the
attic!”
Mr. Chase knew all the old
timers, Chaloner, Major T. L.
Emory and others, and he could
tell anecdotes about them by the
hour.
He was one of the founders of
the Herald back in 1914 when
several local citizens became per
suaded that the town needed a
newspaper. He said he thought
the late Mr. C. A. Wyche named
the paper. The first type was
set up for three weeks, he re
called, while the press motor
was broken down and no papers
eould be printed.
Finally, six colored men were
hired to turn the flywheel on
the press by hand and about 26
or 30 papers wart printed in that
"'^Of^coursa" laid Mr. Chile,
'You amt print that!”
min his.
(Qm«Uhm4 m Ml Mini A)
* * * THE ROANOKE RAPIDS
* * * ★ ★ ★
What Roanoke Rapids Makes Herald Classified Advertising
-Makes Roanoke Rapids Gets Quick Jesuits
* * * * * *
VOLUME XXXIII ROANOKE RAP’
Local High School Band in Parade Formation
Shown above is the 34 member P.oanoke Rapids High School band, drawn up in parade for
mation in front of the school building. Members of this year's band are: Vance Collins. Jerry
Kidd, Vivian Haggins, Herbert Moore, Doris Jean Smith, Mary Johnson, Patricia Topping, Peg
gy Ann Edwards, Payne Harris, E. W. Lee, Bili White (drum major). Max Rogers. Billy Murray,
Roy Rawls, Lewis Ivey, Clyde Camp, Lewis Langston. Noah Sadler, Bobby Watson, Donald
Reaves, Gene Watson, Alice Brown, Cora Mae Haggins, Jimmie Turner, Ben Marks, M. C, Crane.
Kenneth Misel and Robert MacAdams.
Davis Decides To Remain
As Local Chief of Police
Trims Hedge in Auto
A 41 year old resident of
West Rosemary, booked by po
lice as William L. Trippe, was
arrested Tuesday night at 7:15
on charges of driving while
drunk as the result of an in
cident that transpired in the
900 block of Jackson Street.
According to witnesses,
an automobile driven by an
apparently intoxicated man ran
over the curb and into a hedge
belonging to Mrs. M. B. Cooke
at 919 Jackson Street.
Funeral Services
Held Here Sunday
For Crash Victim
Funeral services were held
Sunday afternoon at 3:30 o’clop’<
for Jimmie Langford Wrignt,
killed the previous Sunday in the
crash of two Navy torpedo bom
bers over Albemarle Sound IE
miles south of Elizabeth City.
The body was recovered aboul
one o’clock last Thursday after
noon, according to the public re
lations office of the Norfolk Na
val Air Station, after Navy
planes had conducted a four and
a haLf day search for the bodies
of Wright and Vic Dean Mcgin
ley, of Virginia Beach, pilot oi
the other plane.
The services, which were con
ducted by the Rev. W. R. Ste
vens, pastor of the Rosemary
Methodist Church, were held
from Williams Funeral Home
and the multitude of people who
attended attested to the esteem
in which the 23 year old World
War II veteran was held.
Sgt. Rufus S. Finch
Funeral services will be held
in Middlesex Friday afternoon
at two o’clock for Sgt. Rufus S.
Finch, 31, the son of Mr. and
Mrs. G. N. Finch of Roanoke
Rapids, who was killed in action
in Germany on March 5, 1945.
The body of the local soldier
arrived in the United States this
week after having been removed
from the Henri Chapelle Ceme
tery in Belgium.
Survivors, in addition to the
parents, include four brothers
John, Marshall, Alton and Wil
liam Finch, all of Roanoke Rap
ids, and three sisters, Mrs. T. E
Moore of Raleigh and Mrs. Mor
ris Morgan and Mrs. Douglas
Williams of Roanoke Rapids.
November Permits Reach
$107,030 Total Here
As Week Adds $68,380
Woman Passenger Cold
Takes Another’s Coat
Released Under Bond
"I only look the coal because
1 was cold."
Thai's whal police officer
C. C. Deese was lold Tuesday
about noon by a woman he
identified as Virginia Walters,
of Concord, after a bus driver
for Carolina Trailways had
notified local police that a
Gastonia-bound woman passen
ger had lost her coat.
Mrs. Walters, who was acr
corapanied by her five year old
son, admitted taking the coat
and gave only the excuse that
she was cold. Local police re
minded Mrs. Walters that the
other lady was left in the same
shape when she appropriated
the garment.
Today, said the police de
partment Mrs. Walters is out
on bond and employees at the
local bus station are returning
the coat to its rightful owner
November continued to show
a rise in building permits issued
as this week added $68,
380 worth, of which $16,000 worth
was for two new residences,
bringing to 97 the total of new
homes for which permits have
been issued this year.
Thus, in November up through
Wednesday, the total amount of
permits issued rested at $107,
030.
Permits This Week .
Permits were issued during
this week to Rosemary Manu
facturing Company for an ele
vator and tower for stairs on
the mill site between 11th and
12th Streets at an estimated cost
of $44,600; for window repairs,
$5000 and for substation and
switch room, $2780.
Home building permits were
issued to J. E. Vincent for a
one story brick residence with
five rooms and bath on Second
Street between Vance end Cedar
Streets at an estimated cost of
$9500 and to N. A. Cates for a
on* story rtsidencs on Jefferson
Street with five fooms and bath
at an estimated east of $8800.
>
Roanoke Rapids Chief of Police T. J. Davis, who last
week submitted his resignation to the city board of com
missioners, met with the board last Thursday night in an
hour and 15 minute executive session. Saturday night, the
late Mayor J. T. Chase announced that Davis would remain
as hpaH nf thp local Hcnartmcnt -—
Just what went on in the com
missioners’ room in the muni
cipal meeting has not been offi
cially announced for, as Mr.
Chase told newsmen that night
after they had been readmitted
to the meeting place following
the period of waiting outside —
"There are times when a family
wants to have a private conver
sation.”
H. G. Perkinson Hit.
By Pick-Up Truck
H. G. Perkinson, about 66, a
resident of 313 Monroe Street,
was struck by a pick-up truck
about 6:15 Tuesday morning and
taken to Roanoke Rapids Hospi
tal by the driver, identified by
police as K. Luter Bryant, a tex
tile worker.
X-rays made Tuesday failed
to disclose any broken bones and
Perkinson was reported resting
comfortably Wednesday.
The accident happened about
midway between Fourth and
Fifth Streets on Roanoke Ave
nue, according to police.
Bond Reduced $7,500
For Williamston Negro
At Tuesday Hearing
A hearing on a writ of habe
us corpus filed by Williamston
attorney. Elmer Peele. repre
senting Walter Harper. 52 year
old Negro charged with driv
ing while drunk and man
slaughter in connection with
the death of nine year old
Jackie Ray Etheridge of South
Weldon last week, was held in
Windsor Tuesday before Super
ior Court Judge Paul Edpiond
son. of Goldsboro.
Bond, originally set at $10,000
in the case, was reduced to
$2500 by Judge Edmondson
with the understanding that
•the Texas-born negro plead
guilty to the charges when ar
raigned in Halifax Superior
Court on November 24th. ac
cording to Sheriff H. A. House
who transported Harper to
Windsor for the hearing.
The meeting opened at 7:30
Thursday night and Chase made
the announcement that the board
would meet in executive session
with Davis. This automatically
expelled newsmen from viewing
the proceedings and they left
the room.
Davis went into the board
room and after about 45 minutes
emerged for a five minute wail.
Then he was again summoned in
side. and at 8:48, reporters and
the city clerk were admitted.
“We have a statement for the
press and radio.” said Mr. Chase
and then he gave the following
announcement: "The board has
refused to accept Chief Davis’
resignation. We intend to issue a
further statement within the next
two days.”
Saturday night. Davis told Mr.
Chase that he had decided to I
stay in ltoanoke Kapids.
Halifax County
Health Clerk
Gets State Post
Mrs. F. S. Moore, Senoir Clerk
of the Halifax County Health De
partment, was elected chairman
of the Secretary’s Section of the
North Carolina Public Health
Association at the 36th annual
session of that group held in
Charlotte November 3, 4 and 5th,
it was announced today.
The Secretary's Section is
composed of the clerical person
nel from all the local health de
partments throughout the state
and from the State Health De
partment. Mrs. Moore has serv
ed faithfully and efficiently with
with the Halifax County Health
Department since September,
1934 and is well known to the
citizens of the county.
The Local Week... j
WOMEN JURORS HERE
Four Halifax County women's
names have been drawn for the
forethcoming term of Superior
Court beginning in Halifax on
November 24th.
They are Mrs. JFc-ntris Ward
of Littleton; Mrs. Whitley Dra
per of Weldon; Mrs. Alice Page
Saunders of Halifax and Dons
Birdsong of Roanoke Rapids.
COMBINED MEETINGS ....
There will be a meeting—cf
parents and teachers from all
elementary schools in the city
on Monday, November 17 from
3:00 until 4:00 p. m. in the Cen
tral Elementary School auditor
ium. Miss Eloise Camp, State
Library Board Advisor, will
speak on the subject of child
ren’s books. There will also be
an exhibit of children’s work in
illustrating books. This meeting
is being sponsored by the Asso
ciation of Childhood Education.
All parents and teachers are
urged to attend.
ATTEND BPWC MEET/ ....
Miss Josie Moore, president
of the local Business and Pro
fessional Woman’s ’club, and
Mrs. Doris Hudson, vice-presi
dent, attended the state conven
tion of the BPWC in High Point
last Friday, Saturday and Sun
day. Announced gubernatorial
candidates R. Mayne Albright
and Oscar H. Barker addressed
the convention Saturday night
during s banquet at the Shera
ton Hotel.
TO INSTALL OFFICERS
The annual meeting of the
Halifax District, Boy Scouts of
America, will be held at the
Rosemary Cafe tomorrow night,
November 14th, at 7:30 p. m.
The main business of the
meeting will be the installation
of the two elected officer John
Hines, District Chairman, and
D. E. Bennett, District Commis
sioner and the chairmen of the
operating committees who are
to be appointed by Hines.
Scout Executive John Hack
ney of Wilson will attend the
meeting.
GLOSSON HAD WITHDRAWN
Police officer T. L. Glosson
who had submitted a verbal ap
plication for the job of chief of
police in Roanoke Rapids prior
to Chief Davis’ decision to stay
and who was named by city
commissioner D. C. Clark as
having “roughed up” a prisoner
(a charge denied by Glosson),
withdrew his application Thurs
day afternoon.
“I feel it best, in the interests
of unity and cooperation among
the members of the force, to
withdraw my application. I feel
that the present confusion with
in the force arising over the sel
ection of a new chief is a dis
credit to Chief Davis and his
work here. I assure whoever is
chosen that he will have my
wholehearted cooperation and
obedience to orders,11 Glosson
said in tnneuncini his withdraw
ing
I
M. D. Collier
Assumes Post
Temporarily
Choosing New Mayor
Will Be Difficult He
Points Out
Veteran City Commission
er Marvin D. Collier, who
has been on the board of
commissioners since Decem
ber ?, 1919, has succeeded
temporarily to the office of
mayor left vacant by the
death of Mayor J. T. Chase.
Collier, who has been chair
man of the present board, will
serve as mayor pro-tem until the
board selects a man to fill, out
the unexpired two year term
which Chase had held since May
Ith of this year.
"We are not going to hurry in
selecting a new mayor,” said Col
lier. "It is something that re
quires careful consideration. It
will be a hard matter to replace
Mr. Chase for the mayor’s posi
tion is 6ne that has grown into
e. full time job and needs an
active man. It w'ill be even hard
er to find someone in view of
the fact that the job doesn't pay
enough for the work it entails. '
Collier, owner of a doVntown
grocery, has been in poor health
himself of lute and. as a result,
. ......
perform the duties of the office.
He was appointed to the board
on December 2, 1919 to fill tht
unexpired term of Howard Lea
ner who had resigned and when
the board holds its next regular
ly scheduled meeting on Decem
ber 2. 1947. he will begin his
29th year as a member.
He first came to Roanoke
Rapids on February 15, 1898, he
said, when he was only a boy.
There was only one mill, he re
calls. the one down by the river
and there was absolutely noth
ing in the present “uptown” sec
tion. In fact, said Collier, there
was practically nothing any
where
“But we’ll get everything
straightened out when things set
tle down. We’ll have a new may
or and things will straighten out
alter awhile," he said.
Constructiou Contract
RR-Aurelian Springs
Road to be Let Soon
Construction contract for the
long awaited paving of the
highway between Roanoke
Rapids and Aurelian Springs
will be awarded either in Dec
ember or early in January,
1948.
Source of this news came in
a communication from T. J.
McKim. division engineer to J.
R. Manning, chairman of the
Roads and Streets Committee
of the Roanoke Rapids Plann
ing Commission.
An attempt will be made to
ready the road, so it will be
included in letting new sched
ules for Dec. 18th, the com
munication said, but if not in
cluded in that dale it definitely
will be in the first letting in
January 1948.
This road is an essential link
in the very important inter
state highway and shortest
distance between Raleigh and
Norfolk.
Express Admiration
For Deceased Mayor
Throughout the city this weeK
were heard expressions of regret
at the death of Mayor J T
Chase, coupled with praise fo;
his many years of service to the
city. Everywhere, from people Hi
all walks of life, were heard re
marks that can only be merited
by a lifetime of unselfish giv
ing of one’s time and energy to
a community.
M. D. Collier, city board chair
man, now acting mayor, told re
porters, "I was out of town Sun
day and when 1 got back my
daughter called me up and told
me the news. 1 was shocked to
hear it. Mr| Chase was a fine
man. He will be a difficult man
to replace.”
Howard Pruderi, also on the
board, said. The town has lost
one of its most valuable citizens
and, I think, one of the best
mayors we’ve ever had He was
really a fine man. The program
which he had laid out for the
town is one of the finest we’ve
ever had. The job has grown into
a full time one and Mr. Chase
was the ideal man for it. He
was an engineer and an execu
tive, an ideal combination.”
Chief of Police T. J. Davis, who
only Saturday night told thi
mayor he had elected to remain
ii, Roanoke Rapids, said. "I cer
tainly did hate to hear about it.
I am glad now that 1 told Mr.
Chase Saturday night that I was
going to stay here.”
W. Bernard Allsbrook, city a'
toiney and himself a former
mayor, told the Herald, 1 met
Mr. Chase very shortly before lo
cating in Roanoke Rapids. M •
first impression of him was that
no was very kind and, in the 15
years that followed, I found that
my first impression of him was
most true. I had occasion to call
on him numerous times, always
asking favors, and I never foun.l
him too busy to see me and hj
never denied me a favor.
He was a genuine friend *o
all those who were closely asso
dat'd with him, and those who
knew him best loved him most.
Seldom do men shed tears, bu:
there were few dry eyes among
the men who assembled to pay
tneir last respects to J. T. Chase.
"Personally, in the death of Mr.
Chase, I have lost a true friend,
as have so many others, and the
City of Roanoke Rapids has lost
one of its finest and most valu
able citizens, and one that will
be most difficult to replace.
"We mourn his departure, but
we are deeply grateful that he
war permitted to come our way
ana abide in our midst for ai
season."
D. C- Clark, member of the
board of city commissioners
told the Herald this morning that
lie had known Mr. Chase and
worked with him for many
years. In fact." said Clark, ‘ I
grew up working for him and I
feel the loss just as deeply as if
’t were one of my own family.
Truth of the mater is. I sort of
regarded Mr. Chase as one of tfcie
family. He came to the aid of the
men under him in high and low
water when he was wjth the
| oower company and he took his
duties as mayor just as seriously
while in the mayor’s office.
Words are a poor mirror of my
thoughts because they aren’t
sufficient to indicate my feel
ings."
(Continued on page 6—Sect. A)
Local Mills1 Payroll Will Be
Increased $775,000 Annually
Company Offices Announce
The local textile mills payro.l
will be increased by approxi
mately $775,000 annually as a
result of the wage increase an
nounced by the local manage
ment of the Roanoke, Rosemary
and Patterson Mills companies,
which took effect last Monday
The wage boost brings the
payroll of the local textile mills
up to the rate of about $8,600,000
annually. This added to the pay
rolls of other local industries un
doubtedly lifts the Roanoke Rap
ids industrial payroll to around
$10,000,000.00 yearly, which is
probably the highest industrial
payroll enjoyed by any city in
eastern North Carolina and is
among the highest in this state.
This is the second increase in
wages given textile workers this
year. A ten percent voluntary
increase was given last February
14th. Thus a total of 19 percent
age points in wage increases
have become effective this year,
which figures a 20 percent boost
inside the year 1947.
The announcement of the tex
tile mills’ management stated:
"In keeping with our well-known
I employee wage policy of paying
ine highest wages possible con
sistent with out ability to sell
the goods that you produce, we
are glad to announce a wage in
crease effective Monday, Nov.
10, 1947. The present minimum
wage of 80c per hour is being
lifted to 87c per hour. The wages
of other hourly workers and
piece rate workers are being in
creased 9%.”
Community Chest Quota
Reached, Akers Reports
Henry Akers, chairman of the
1947 Roanoke Rapids Cummunitv
Chest drive, reported today that
the city had reached its quota
of $14,030 and, with a few more
contributions expected, would
surpass that sum by a slight
margin.
Akers told the Herald he hoped
to be able to release final tab
ulations next week.
WILL SPONSOR DANCE
The Ladies Auxiliary of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Hali
fax Post 3702, will sponsor a
Thanksgiving Eve Dance at the
Roanoke Rapids Armory on Wed'
hesday November Mthi