The Fraii'Mn Times _ _ . ... . . .. _ . Published Every Tuesday & Thursday Serving All Of Franklin County Tel. GY 6-3283 Ten Cents Louisburg. N. C., Thursday, August 15. 1968 (Twelve Pages Today) 99th Year-Number 52 ? B* .2WVST? a Building Materials - - Up 53.8% Food Sales - - Up 6.3% /0 Retail Sales Continue To Climb In Franklin Franklin County retail sales reached a high of $33,762,266.00 in the 1967-68 fiscal year, according to a report released this week by the N. C. Department of Revenue. This marks and increase of $4,180,184.00 over the 1966-67 sales or a 14 percent increase. The latest figures moves Franklin into' 59th place union# the 100 counties in North Caro lina , replacing Person which ex ceeded Franklin in 1966-67 but failed to match Franklin's in crease in the year ending last June 30. Franklin ranked 60th in 1966-67. Franklin County retail sales are keeping close to the phenomenal sixty percent increase experienced for the five-year period 1958-63. During the latest five years (1963-68) the county shows an increase of 56 percent. Sales in 1963 were listed at $22,302,000.00 and the report at that time showed that Louisburg led the entire state in percent of retail sales increase with an unbelievable 112.7 percent increase over the five-year period. Data for towns and cities are not included in the latest release. Over the ten year period, Franklin County shows a uhop Category 1966-67 1% Retail Auto- Planes Apparel Automotive Food Furniture Gen. Merc hand lie BMg. Material* Unc Unified $ 882,334 3,751,830 634,043 5,666,549 7,524.169 833,548 4,436,278 3,975,350 1,977,981 1967-68 $1,013,282 3,933,249 548,946 5,873,946 8,000,476 900,422 4,953,785 6,105,611 2,432,549 Difference $ 130,948 181,419 14,903 207,397 476,307 76,874 517,507 2,130,261 454,568 Increase 14.8 4.8 2.7 3.6 6.3 9.2 11.6 53.8 22.9 I Iinfl 143 I lerrenl rise in retail sales. The largest increase here has been in the building material category. This industry accounts for a $2,130,261 or 53.8 percent increase over the last year. General merchandise jumped 11.6 percent and one percent retail taxable items rose 14.8 percent. Food took a relatively mild jump of 6.3 percent. Apparel moved upwards 2.7 per cent, automotive supplies, 3.6 per cent; furniture, 9.2 percent and auto mobile sales jumped 4.8 percent. Un classified sales accounted for a 22.9 percent increase. At least four counties fell below their sales in the last report. These were Chatham, Duplin, Perquimans and Polk. Neighboring counties show ed increases. Vance County recorded $56,886,402 in retail sales; Wan-en, $15,021,486; Granville $35,580,838; Wake $ 5 99 ,-5 8 4 ,744; Person $33,706,680; Nash $122,151,619 and Durham $277,221,385. Several counties showed extremely large dollar increases. Included among Middle Belt Markets May Open On Sept. 3 Middle Belt tobacco markets may open on Tuesday, Sept. 3. The date was recommended by the Flue-Cured Tobacco Marketing Com mittee in a meeting held Friday in Raleigh. The meeting was called in response to a plea from tobacco buyers for a revision of dates earlier fixed. The FCTMC recommended that markets in the Eastern Belt open on Monday, Aug. 26, and advocated Sept. 17 as opening date for markets in the . Old Belt. Previous action by the committee will permit the Old Belt to begin partial sales ? with nine sets of buyers, on the same date that sales begin in the Middle Belt. Buying companies had protested that they did not have the personnel , to staff auction markets opening on the earlier adopted schedule. Howard B. Cone, vice-president of Universal Tobacco Company, Rich mond, Va., and chairman of the sales committee of the Tobacco Association of the United States, said "most buy ing companies have informed us that they do not have sufficient buyers and supporting personnel to report on Aug. 22," date which Eastern Belt Warehousemen had fixed as their own Cedar Rock Man Injured A 52-year-old Cedar Rock fanner received serious head and chest injuries Wednesday afternoon when he fell from a truck he was driving and was crushed by the wheels of the vehicle. A. C. Daniels, Sr. of Rt. 1, Castalia was given first aid at the scene by the Louisburg Rescue Service and trans ported to Franklin Memorial Hospital shortly after the accident occurred near his home around 3:30 P.M. Late reports say Mr. Daniels was transferred to Duke Hospital in Dur ham and his condition is listed as serious. He was riding alone In the truck at the time of the accident, according to reports. opening date. The head of the Bright Belt Ware house Association hinted Monday night that legal action might result from the decision of the Flue-Cured Tobacco Marketing Committee setting a five-hour sales day for the big Eastern Belt while holding other belts to four hours. Fred S. Royster. managing director of the Bright Belt group, pointed out Recorder's Court The following cases were disposed of at a session of Recorder's Court on Tuesday, August 13, 1968: Clyde Carroll Holmes, w/m/36, careless and reckless driving. Not guilty. Robert Smith, n/m, worthless check. To pay chck and costs. Larry Clement, n/m/16, assault with deadly weapon. Not guilty. Horace Lee Wright, n/m. larceny. State takes nol pros on payment of costs. Otis Dexter Kearney, w/m, no regis tration; no liability insurance. $25.00 fine and costs. Johnny Patton, w/m/20, assault on female. 90 days in jail, suspended on good behavior to 4/29/69. Carey Delnas Strickland, w/m/59, allowing unlicensed person to operate vehicle under his control. $25.00 fine and costs. Leonard Mosely, w/m/44, escape from prison. 90 days in jail. Michael Vann Bullock, w/m/19, speeding. $15.00 fine and costs. Ted Maurice Bailey, w/m/18, speed ing. $10.00 fine and costs. Farrie Lee Perry, n/m/34, allowing unlicensed person to operate a vehicle. Discharged on payment of costs. Francis Harris Anderson, n/m/19, driving without valid operator's li cense. $25.00 fine and costs. Bennett Jenkins, w/m, non support. 12 months in jail, suspended and placed on probation for 2 years and to pay costs. ' Kenneth Horton, w/m, non sup port. 12 months in jail, suspended and placed on probation for two years, and to pay costs. that the committee action will allow a five-hour sales day for some of his members and a four-hour day for others. "This," he said, "would be discri mination and untenable from a legal standpoint." Royster said legal action to get all belts on a five hour basis or to collect damages for those held to four hours was possible. He made the comment Monday niht in explaining why he had led Bright Belt representatives out of the marketing committee which regulates flue-cured sales. Royster was inter viewed over University of North Caro lina educational television. < In answer to questions, Royster said quality of the 1968 crop is su perior to last year's. "1 am not entirely pleased with the price situation up to this time," Roy ster said in answer to another ques tion. He noted that prices have been stable up to now and said he has reason to expect them to go up. He reiterated his opposition to North Carolina levying a tax on tobac co and said such action would encour age other states to increase their tobac co taxes. North Carolina is the only state without a state tax on tobacco products. these are Buncombe, with a $17 mil lion rise; Catawba, $16 million, Cleve land an $8 million increase and neigh boring Johnston with a $9 million rise. Wake had around $38 million more sales than experienced a year ago. i .2 000)QHNeOcr o> s> u> 0) u> 01 *3 HrtHHHHHHrtHHHi 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 1 13 4 12 11 10 Guardsmen To Leave For Oklahoma Some 180 members of the 5th Battalion. 113th Artillary, 130th In fantry Division from Louisburg, Youngsville and Zebulon are scheduled to leave Raleigh-Durham Airport Sat urday morning at 9 a.m. for a two week encampment at Fort Sill, Okla homa. Eleven members of the advance party left here last Monday by motor vehicles for the long trip to the mid western installation. Lt. Alfred Elmore headed the advance party. Local guardsmen are to leave Louis burg around 6:30 a.m. Saturday for the trip to the airport. They will be flown to Fort Sill. While there, the unit will fire four Honest John rockets, with some firings to be staged at night. Lt. Col. John Fleming of Raleigh is Commander of the unit. New Judges To Get Assignments Three new district judges for the ninth judicial district will be briefed by Judge Hamilton H. Hobgood at a meeting in Henderson in the near future, it was learned today. The judges, all nominated in the May primary, are Linwood T. Peoples of Henderson, Julius Banzet of War renton and Claude W. Allen of Oxford. The chief judge for the district will be appointed by Judge Hobgood and Banzet is expected to be named to that office. The ninth judicial district consists of the counties of Vance, Warren, Franklin and Person. / At the meeting schedules will be established for the three officials, who will rotate between the five counties in a manner to be designated by Judge Hobgood. It is understood that one criminal session will be held each week in each county, and civil issues will be heard at any time during the week as arranged. The three Democratic candidates for the judgeships are without opposit ion in the November election and assured of election. They will be part of the new judicial system authorized by the Legislature and approved by voters across the State two years ago. An appeals court, headed by Chief Judge Raymond B. Mallard, has al ready been 9et up and is in operation in Raleigh for the State as a whole. No Ruling On Stay Petition Board Of Education Attorneys To Meet With Judge Butler Wednesday $'> Chief Judge Clement F. Haynesworth of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has not yet rendered a decision in the Franklin County Board of Education's petition to stay a school desegregation order by the U. S. Eastern District Court. However, attorneys for the Board have been informed there is to be a meeting of attorneys for both sides in the chambers of Judge Algernon Butler in Clinton next Wednesday. The purpose of the meeting was explained as being to hold a finding of facts hearing regarding the Franklin stay petition. It was further explained that the meeting does not involve any courtroom procedures but only a conference between the Court and attorneys for both sides. A ruling on the application to stay is expected immediately following the meeting. Board attorneys had attempted to have the meeting held Monday, but due to the legal procedures of notifying both sides, the date was moved to Wednesday . , Action by Judge Haynesworth on the petitioner a stay presented to him last Friday, is being withheld pending the result of Wednesday's meeting with Judge Butler. Local Man To Head District Campaign Scott Speaks Out On Franklin School Situation LI. Gov. Bob Scott, speaking before a group of county Democratic Party chairmen and vice chairmen in Raleigh Tuesday, said that he didn't think the Republicans will give the Democrats a close race this fall. Later, the Democratic candidate for Governor, reminding his audience that his own county of Alamance is "under HEW pressure", spoke out on the Franklin County school situation. "I believe in letting local people take care of their own local situa tions", Scott said. "I believe in letting Franklin County people take care of their own problems. This is the North Carolina way." Scott criticized the federal govern ment for "bypassing" the state in school matters. "The federal govern ment made the decision to bypass state government", he said, "The state had nothing to do with it". "That's why you see local school boards and their attorneys going to Washington to try to iron out the situations". Scott said that since the decision was made at the federal level, "the place to bring real pressure to bear is in the Congress of the United States." He added that members of Congress are the ones who enacted the Civil Rights Act, "they are the ones who appropriate funds to the HEW agency, and that's where you can bring pres sure to bear", Scott stated. The candidate also lashed out at HEW for "forcing Franklinton citizens to yield under pressure." The ref erence was to the current situation in the Franklinton City Schools where HEW is demanding transfer of certain grades this fall. Franklin County schools are under court order to fully desegregate this fall. At Tuesday's meeting, Clint Fuller, Managing Editor of The Franklin Times was named Chairman of the Second Congressional District Cam paign Committee. Mrs. Walter Pickett of Roanoke Rapids was named Vice Chairman. Fuller said, "I am awaiting infor mation on what the job entails. As I Bikes Collide A 23-year-old Rt. 1, Franklinton Negro man suffered leg injuries shortly after noon today when the motor bike he was riding collided with another driven by an unidentified Negro man at Bunn. The injured man was identified as Charles Hayes. The second man was not believed to have been injured. Both men were riding side by side when suddenly they collided along Bunn's main street, according to re ports. Both' were headed west toward Louisburg. The accident took place in front of the Winstead Grocery in Bunn. The Louisburg Rescue Service an swered the call and transported Hayes to Franklin Memorial Hospital where he was being given treatment in the emergency room at press time. understand it. chairman and vice chair man of the eleven districts in the state will aid in mapping campaign stategy for the state Democratic ticket. I consider the appointment to be a sign that Franklin County has moved back into the mainstream of North Carolina political life. I am looking forward to meeting and working with other Dem ocrats in the state." Fuller is second vice chairman of the County Democratic Executive Committee and an elected Democrat on the Franklin County Board of Education. He has been a lifelong Democrat artd active in local civic and party affairs. He was recently named to the Bob Scott County Campaign Committee. Bunn Forms Development Corporation The Franklin County Industrial Development Commission announces that a special Bunn Town Council meeting was held last night at the Bunn High School Cafeteria. At the meeting, a resolution was adopted unanimously authorizing the filing of an application with the Economic Development Administra tion for a grant and loan for the proposed community water and sewer project in Bunn. Under terms of this loan, it will be necessary that an option be held on an industrial site of at least 30 acres of land. In order to carry out these terms, the Bunn Development Corporation was formed. This is a non-profit com munity organization which will sell shares at $10.00 par value. A charter will be filed with the State by the Town Attorney, Mr. Ed Yarborough. The temporary incorporators for the group were listed as Joseph M. Ed wards, Robert Lee Jones, and M. Z. Morris. ' . A meeting was announced for next Wednesday night, August 21st, at 8:00 P.M. for the purpose of electing perm anent officers of President, Vice-Presi dent, Secretary, and Treasurer; plus a Board of Directors. It will be their duty to locate and obtain an option on the industrial site and to file necessary applications for the loan. Terms of the E.D.A. proposed par ticipation were announced as a 50% grant and 50% loan; the latter to be financed by a bond issue which must be voted on by the Town. It was estimated that the project, consisting of a 200,000 gallon over head tank, 10" water mains, well, and sewerage disposal unit, could be opera tional by next June provided there are no hold ups. Upon completion ot, this project, a whole new avenue will open up for the economic growth of the County and the Town of Bunnt.