The Carolina Watchman fSS
_ A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE UPBUILDING OF ROWAN COUNTY
FOUNDED 1832—104TH YEAR SALISBURY, N. C., FRIDAY MORNING, JULY 10, 1936 " VOL. 104 NO. 50 PRICE 2 CENTS
SAFETY . . . dramatized
Next month a great "motorcade”
will travel to New York City. It
will be composed of drivers from
all of the 48 states. Each will have
been chosen to represent his or her
state because of proven skill as a
driver. No one can be selected who
has not had ten years of driving
experience, covering at least 50,000
miles, and his accident record must
show a clean slate.
These 48 motorists, representing
the very pick of all the drivers of
America, are to converge upon New
York in August for a highway
safety convention, sponsored by the
C. I. T. Safety Foundation and co
operated in by the American Auto
mobile Association and the National
Safety Council. Prizes will be
given to the drivers who come the
longest distance and arrive without
a scratch on their fenders.
This seems (to me like a mighty
useful move toward dramatizing
the importance of careful lriving.
It ought to stimulate public inter
est in fhe effort to make motoring
safe.
SHIPS . . . our program
The "Gridiron Flag” of our
country will float again on the
seven seas as it has not been seen
since war days, if the purposes of
the new ship subsidy bill, passed in
the last hour of Congress, are car
ried out. In this new law a Federal
Wartime Authority was set up,
with power to subsidize and super
vise the construction and operation
of American ship, for the foreign
trade. Two hundred new ships in
seven years at a cost of $350,000,
000 is the building program. I
would like to see it even bigger.
The new law also provides for
subsidies to ship operators to equal
ize the difference 'between wages
paid to American officers and sail
ors and the starvation wages paid'
by ship owners of other nations.
I hope one result of this will be
to fill American youth again with
the desire to go to sea, and that Old
Glory will again become a familiar
sight in every seaport of the world.
DROUGHT . . . irrigation
A friend who lives in northern
Tennessee wrote me the other day
that it had not rained in his part
of the country for 77 days.
Drought conditions that threaten
the wheat crop and the cattle
ranches are reported from many
parts of the northwest plains and
prairie states. Along the Atlantic
Coast the shortage of rain in April
and May and early June wrought
havoc with the growers of vege
tables and small fruits and shot the
price of potatoes up to a new high
record.
What with floods and droughts,
nature has its own way of regulat
ing agricultural production. I don’t
know how long it took the Egyp
tians and the ancient Babylonians
to develop their systems of irriga
tion, but sometimes I think that
agriculture can only be conducted
successfully either in a country
where it rains all the time, or in
one where it never rains at all—
with irrigation.
HOMES . . . right basis
There is more common-sense in
what Lewis H. Brown told the
New York State Bankers Associa
tion about the housing situation,
the other day, than in anything I
have read or heard on the subject.
Much of the distress caused by
mortgage foreclosures on homes, he
pointed out, arises from three prin
cipal causes. The home owner was
high-pressured into buying a home
beyond his means; he financed the
purchase by a short-term mortgage
which fell due at a time when he
could neither pay nor renew it; and
the house was poorly built and fell
into disrepair prematurely.
Mr. Brown is no advocate of
government financing of home
building. He believes that it is
up to the bankers of the nation to
finance the home owner on long
term amortizable mortgages, easily
within the borrower’s means to re
pay, but first to make sure that he
is not buying more of a house than
he can afford, and that it is a
sound, weill-built house to begin
with.
I have long thought that that is
the only sound road toward recov
ery in the building trades.
(Continued on page Four)
Hoey Receives
1,959 M^rity
In Ro’o4n Co.
Nominee Awaits Action
of Committee to Name
Chairman; Winborne
Likely Choice.
To Wage Intensive Drive
Clyde R. Hoey, Democratic
nominee for Governor, has announ
ced that he will open his campaign
for election sometime in September.
"We won’t get started until
after the meeting of ohe Demo
cratic State executive committee
in August, when a State chairman
is to be named,” said the nominee.
"It will be some time in Septem
ber before the campaign gets under
way. The State and National
campaigns will run along togeth
er.” Mr. Hoey said he thought
the campaign should "go along sat
isfactorily.” He wasn’t expecting
much trouble from the Republican
niminee, Gilliam Grissom, but in
dicated he would conduct a com
prehensive and intensive campaign.
Campaigning, alter all, is no
new adventure for Mr. Hoey. He
has campaigned for the Demo
cratic party for the last 30 years
or so and in virtually ever precinct
in the State. He is perhaps the
best known politicial figure in
Nirth Carolina and he knows per
sonally thousands of North Caro
linians.
Mr. Hoey said he had not heard
any discussion concerning the next
State chairman. J. Wallace Win
borne of Marion is present chair
man and Mr. Wineborne can prob
ably have the office again if he
wishes it, since he has made a good
record and is a popular leader. The
chairmanship is an office filled by
the committee membership, but
usually the nominee for Governor
is consulted concerning his wishes.
The procedure is very much like
that of the National committee,
which names a chairman in accord
ance with the desires of the nomi
nee for President.
The total vote in the county in
the various races follows:
Hoey 5,313; McDonald 3,354;
Hoey majority 1,959.
Lieutenant governor: Grady 3,
760; Horton 3,851; Horton ma
jority 91.
Secretary of state: Wade 4,026;
Eure 3,736; majojrity for Wade of
290.
State senate: Gregory 4,868;
Kesler 3,530; majority for Gregory
of 1,338.
Virtually complete unolticial
returns from Saturday’s run-off
democratic primary gave Clyde R.
Hoey administration stalwart, a
53.000 lead over 33-year-old Dr.
Ralph McDonald, militant sales
tax repealist.
Returns from 1,798 of the
state’s 1,858 precincts gave: Hoey,
263,718; McDonald, 210,264.
That Eure, principal clerk of
the State House of Rehresentatives,
won the nomination for Secretary
of State over the incumbent, Stacey
W. Wade, on the fact of unofficial
returns from 1,767 precincts. The
standing was: Eure, 225,233;
Wade, 185,256.,
The closest of the three state
wide races to be decided in the
run-off primary for Lieutenant
Governor, W. P. Horton, Chatham
county legislator, led Paul Grady,
another legislative veteran by about
6.000 votes with returns tabulated
from 1,762 precincts.
The vote was: Horton, 209,668;
Grady, 203,248.
In the primary Saturday, July 4,
the following counties were carried
by C. R. Hoey: Alamance, Alex
ander, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Beau
fort, Brunswick, Buncombe, Burke,
( Continued on page four)
New Holiday Death Record Is Set
Fatalities Are
444 In Two-Day
Celebration
Traffic Accidents Claim
149 In 36 States
75 PERSONS DROWNED
Fireworks Fatalities Are
Low But Many Are
Burned And Injured.
New York.—The nation’s cele
bration of its 160th birthday ended
the worst July 4th tragedy in five
years.
Deaths were counted at 444—
more than one and a half for every
year of United States independence.
Banging firecrackers played a
comparatively innocent role in the
slaughter, taking but five lies in
three States, but motoring acci
dents and drownings rolled up a
terrific toll.
Not since 1931, when 483 cele
brators died, was the death list so
long.
All but seven of the 48 States—
Colorado, Deleware, Mississippi,
Nevada, New Mexico, Vermont
and Wyoming—reported fatalities.
Airplane crashes, auto races,
lightning, railroad trains, burning '
buildings, celebrators’ wild bullets
and tavern brawls all made their
contributions.
Traffic accidents were responsi
ble for the most deaths, account
ing for 149 lives in 36 States. Sev
enty-five persons drowned in 36
States. Miscellaneous tragedies ac
counted for 22 more in 15 States.
Although fireworks fatalities
were low, burns and injuries were
legion across the land.
In New York City, 591 persons
were treated at hospitals for fire
works burns. Two fires were start
ed during the celebration, and one
man was killed by a stray bullet as
he stood on a rooftop.
A six-year-old girl burned to
death by a firecracker thrown into
her lap was Chicago’s only fatality.
Eixty-two others were hurt and 11
arrested. A small dog, maddened
by exploding firecrackers, bit three
persons at Montrose Avenue beach.
Two men were killed at Lexing
ton, Mich., when fireworks blew
up on a scow during the annual
celebration there. Sixteen specta
tors at a community fireworks dis
play at Findlay, Ohio, were hurt
by a noise 'bomb that shot across
the river into the crowd instead of
rising in the air as expected.
St. Louis counted its fireworks
injuries at 343, and reported one
dead from a tavern bawl.
Kansas City’s anti-firecrackeri
ordinance cut injuries ther^ to 100.
There were no deaths.
At Los Angeles, Patricia Krama,
42, put a firecracker in her mouth
and lit it. She was badly burned.
Theodore Clothen, 19, slipped and
sat down on a cannon cracker and
went to a hospital.. Eighty others
were injured.
Try To Rob Safe
Thieves entered the office of
the China Grove Cotton Mills
Monday night and cut a hole
through the safe but failed to gain
entrance into the vault, evidently
having been frightened away. An
acetylene torch and tank were left
behind.
LET THAT BE A LESSON
Talkative Lady—A big man like
you might be better occupied than
in cruelly catching little fish.
Angler—Perhaps you’re right.
But if this fish had kept his mouth
shut he wouldn’t be here.
Building In County At High Mark
Many Rowan County
Homes Being Renovated j
!
New homes and several
barn* now under construction
by residents of rural Rowan.
Several homes being repainted
both inside and out; others
making additions of from one
to four rooms and completely
remodling homes; majority of
renovating made without aid
of loans.
Rowan county farmers, despite
the drought and the threats of a
short crop, are now in the midst
of one of the greatest building and
renovating booms of recent years.
Included in the items of building
and renovating are several new
barns and smokehouses, also new
homes and other repairs including
painting, new roofs, poultry houses
and yards and scores of other im
provements. The total amount,
while not accurately estimated, runs
into many thousands of dollars.
A ride through the county will
reveal the facts set forth in this ar
ticle except in a much larger man
ner. Many of the farmers have
been able, through the advance in
jrice of farm products and gen
eral improvement conditions to
nake and plan to make repairs that
have been needed for years.
The report from several building
material supply men reveal that
once again the county and the
farmer have, become an outlet for
their products.
Graham Raises
1156 Bushels of
Fine Wheai
County Commissioner Jim T.
Graham, has just threshed 1156
bushels of wheat raised on his
farm near Cleveland. The grain
was in excellent condition and re-j
presents one of the finest crops in
the county.
----- !
Canadian Subscribes
To Watchman j
Eert Brandy, of Quebec, Cana
da, is one of the latest subscribers
to The Watchman. While the
bulk of The Watchman subscribers
reside in Rowan, quite a number of
former Rowan County .residents
are subscribers and have been for
many years. Mr. Brantly is a near
relative of County Commissioner
J. T. Graham.
WOMAN 20 YEARS IN
TROPICS
JLJbndon.—A woman, who for 20
years has been living, the only
white woman, among natives on
the scattered polar atolls of the
South Pacific, has arrived in Lon
don. She is the wife of Arthur F.
Grimble, who has spent his life as
a district officer and administrator
for the Colonial Office.
Formal Opening Of New
Rowan Memorial Hospital
.-.. t i. - . ■■ ... ■ — ■■ ■■
The New Rowan Memorial Hos-J
pital which has recently been com-]
pleted, was formally opened for
public inspection last Wednesday
evening.
It was estimated that 3,000 per
sons participated in the inspection
tours which were preceded by a
short exercise on the front steps of
the more than $160,000 structure.
One verse of America was sung
by the audience led by Mrs. F. F.
Smith, followed by the invocation
offered by M. [H. Milne.
A. S. Jones, chairman of the
board, presided and introduced the
speakers of the evening. He paid
tribute to the various local com
mittees for their excellent work in
the great accomplishment of mak
ing the 80-bed institution a reality.
Mr. Jones also paid tribute to
the memory of the late James B.
Duke, through whose endowment
left for hospitals, orphanages and
other charitable works, the Rowan
hospital has generously shared.
Dr. Watt S. Rankin, of Char
lotte, executive secretary of the
Duke endowment, made the main
address of the evening. Dr. Ran
kin spoke his appreciation of the
handsome building; of t)he con
tractor, building committee ind
people "for the splendid use to!
which you have put your funds.”/
Plans to begin active operation'
on July 1J are being made.
Noted Flyer’s Bride
PORTLAND, Me. . v . Louise
Ashby, 29 (above), of Fort Fair
field, Me., a former hostess on
airplanes. Is nctw the bride of the
noted early trans-Atlantlc flyer,
Clarence Chamberlin. They are
now on honeymoon.
Slaying Of Seagraves By
Deputy Held Justifiable
A coroner’s jury Tuesday after
noon reached a verdict that Deputy
Sheriff Sam. P. Ford of Rowan
county shot and killed A. G. Se
graves of Wilkes county on the
night of June 23 in pursuit of his
duties and that he -gas justified in
his action.
Four Rowan deputy sheriffs in
cluding Ford were lying in wait
on the old Concord road near Ebe
nezer - church for an alleged rum
car. The automobile passed two
police cars, found itself trapped at
a bridge by another one, attempted
to turn around, and Segraves fled.
He was found in a five-foot
ditch nearby by Ford, who said
Seagraves ordered him to stop or he
would kill him, and that Seagraves
had some bright object in his hand.
The officer then fired once. Sea
graves died shortly afterwards,
with a bullet in his brain.
Claud Bell, also, of Wilkes coun
ty and driver of the car in which
Seagraves rode was arrested while
still in the automobile. Officers
also found 71 gallons of liquor in
the car.
Wins By Big Majority
Hon. Clyde R. Hoey
Mr. Eure Expresses His
Appreciation To Voters
Raleigh, N. C.,
July 6. 1936.
Dear Mr. Editor:
I am completely overwhelmed
with joy and gratitude at the
Tiagnificient vote I received for
the high office of Secretary of
state. I want to thank each and
jvery one who participated in se
:uring my nomination and assure
:hem that they will always have a
warm spot in my Heart. The Secre
tary of State’s office will belong
to them, and whenever they are in
Haleigh, I want them to come in
to see me and afford me the op
portunity of rendering to them
ivery possible courtesy and service.
The warmest possible welcome will
await you.
It is impossible, of course, to
write to each and every one, so
please give this letter space in your
good paper which has been so
friendly to me in my campaign.
With heartfelt appreciation and
thanks, I am,
Sincerely,
Thad Eure.
_!
Descendant of
Keys Has Easy
Name
Sierra Madre, Cal.—Frances
Scott Key, direct descendant of the
author of "The Star-Spangled Ban
ner,” said her school teachers never
had any trouble remembering her
name.
One of them, she recalled, pon
dered over her enrollment card,
thought a moment, and said;
"Frances Scott Key—oh, yes,
of course, iHome Sweet Home’.”
Cleveland Cotton farmers report
6S percent of a stand throughout
the county but say that much of
the cotton has germinated since
the recent showers.
Plan New Book
Of N. C. Guard
War Department Expects
To Get Out Directory
Of Personnel of State
Units.
Washington. — The national
guard of North Carolina is expect
ed to get a new directory of its per
sonnel by the beginning of next
year, it was indicated at the War
department. Although the army
directory is issued each year, there
has not been a directory of guard
officers and organizations since
September 30, 1931. There have
been so many changes in personnel
and in the allocation of units to
the various states, as well as chang
es in units that the directory issued
then is practically useless.
me gigantic tasK or collecting
the data necessary for the prepara
tion of this volume already has
been started in the national guard
bureau of the War department,
and the information will be as of
the current July 1.
hack of funds has been given
as the reason for failure to get out
this important volume, and it has
not been issued during the years
when the government was cutting
down its expenses. It ceased at the
beginning of the government eco
nomy wave. It is estimated that
the cost of preparing and printing
the volume will be approximately
$26,000. In order to cut down
the cost to this figure, it was said,
it will be necessary to eliminate
from the book the history of na
tional jjuard organizations, and for
this purpose the old book should
be retained. These histories, it was
indicated, require about one hun
dred pages.