papjlUkU, a
|T,,oasehold word in ,
j Chatham lor forty- ,
atven years. j
I Pushed September 19, ms
I p ' - . . , w
It B. FITTS
.-count of His Funeral and a,
Sketch of His Life
lV Creek, Nov. 20—Mr. Charles
'[ey Fitts, one of the leading
n ,‘ 0 f Chatham county, died
nlv at the home of his son-in-
M ; D t. Brooks, Sunday after
at four o’clock. Except for a
Oight attacks of severe pain in
jest and left side there had been
J to indicate that he was not
, usua l health until about thirty
es before the end. About 3:30
toward, of Bonlee, was hastily
oTl ed, but arrived only ten min
)efore death claimed his patient.
Fitts was born January 2, 1868,
, son of the late Mr. George
* _. . .
of near Siler City, was married
ss Cora Coggins on October 8,
He leaves one child, a daughter,
). T. Brooks, and is also survived
faithful wife, two brothers and
er and one grandson, Charles
Brooks.
funeral was at Bear Creek
1, near his home, at 4:00 P. M.
I**' yfciy and was conducted by his for
pastor, Rev. 0. A. Kellar, now
Benson. N. C., who read Scriptures
|in psalm 23, John 14 and 2nd Cor.
in d paid deserved tribute to his life
r k and usefulness in his community
i county. An estimated crowd of
, thousand people stood in the bit
cold with sorrowing hearts, bowed
ids and tear-dimmed eyes while his
!v was laid to rest beside his little
jghter, Clara, who died with Span-
Influenza, January 16, 1919. The
we was covered with beautiful
,vers. The Chatham county bar
ea lovely wreath, as did the
rd of County Commissioners, of
ich he was a very efficient and hon
d member, being Chairman of the
ird at the time of his death. He
ved his county in this capacity
over seven years, having been
ted last fall for the fourth time,
or more than thirty years he had
n engaged in merchandising in
little village of Bear Creek, hav
built up one of the largest and
t successful general merchandise j
es in the county. Until a few
rs ago this business was known
Coggins, Fitts and Company, but
r.t least four years had been run
e name of C. B. Fitts.
■44 Fitts was a devoted husband
an! father, a helpful neighbor and a
faithful and loyal friend to the rich
and poor, having helped many people
in time of need. He joined Sandy
Branch Baptist church in 1911 and
later moved his membership to Bon
lee church on the organization of the
latter in 1912 or 1913. He was ever
thoughtful of his church and devoted
to ts interests. He was known and
loved throughout this section of the
State. The people of Chatham county
reckoned him almost indispensible in
the conduct of county affairs. The
sincere sympathy of the entire county
and of large parts of the adjoining
counties goes out to his widow and
daughter and other relatives. The
sorrow of his multitude of friends is
®&re and deep.
J. J. NORWOOD.
M-25.
Mrs Walter Henderson Dead
Mrs. Walter Henderson, who has
been afflicted for several months, and
has spent considerable time in hos
pitals, seeking alleviation of her
•roubles, died at the Carolina Hospi
tal, F ford, last Sunday, and was
rried at Brown’s Chapel Monday.
She was a daughter of Mr. Henry
Clegg. Sr., and was a most worthy
a nd likable woman. She leaves her
husband, seven children, father
'other, three brothers and three sis
ters.
Twenty ladies, members of her S.
class, were floral bearers at the
uueral. and the grave was completely
covered with those silent tributes of
1 e and respect. The funeral ser
-1 Ices were conducted by 'her pastor
ev - C. M. Lance.
K sympathy is felt for the be-
I eav 'td husband and children and the
I parents.
T°m Tarheel says his idea of a big
■
I nQer to have among other things
H a well baked ham and that is why he
so much trouble in curing out
■ ' s ififtat properly.
§'/J| «Mr BB MB m Jyß bSi MB Mi BM Mi Mnfllr JM VM M jm MV MF Ml
- s*• \ ' : J1 >,
Carolina Coal Mine.
C *
All Settlements Made for Loss of Life
in Explosion—Bion Butler Tells
of Prospects of Field.
In last week’s Sanford Banner,
Bion H. Butler, after telling of the
unusual course of the Carolina Coal
Company in looking up claimants for
damage—by the death of relatives
in the explosion last spring—writes
interestingly of the achievements of
his company and of the future of
coal mining in the Deep River field,
as follows:
“The Carolina Coal Company has
one of the highest pay rolls in this
section. For a few days after the
explosion the directors of the com
pany were not certain what course
they would pursue. They did not
know the physical damage that had
been done to the mine nor to what
extent the damage would involve the
company financially. Fortunately the
explosion was not as severe as was
at first thought. Only one of the
smaller entries was completely wreck
ed. And most of the machinery un
derground was left in condition that
permitted repair. The comparative
mildness of the explosion permitted
the fan to run without a stop. With
in two or three days the pumps were
in operation again and a force of
men were set to work at once to
restore the mine. In a short time
coal began to come out again in
small quantities and operations have
been continuous since. The pro
duction has not yet reached the figure
that the mine was doing before the
accident but it has been moving up
wards steadily with every prospect of
reaching and surpassing any previous
output.
At the time of .the explosion the
company had reached a pay roll of
about a hundred and fifty thousand
dollars a year and was about to in
stall some heavier machinery to take
care of the increasing amount of coal
that was exposed in the extending
entries. - Several thousand dollars
had been appropriated for this pur
pose and an order given for new
equipment. Unfortunately the order
I had to be cancelled. The affairs of
the company had reached a promising
stage with a reasonable margin of
earnings and prospects unusually
bright. The explosion necessarily
affected conditions but it is believed
now that the output will before long
reach a tonnage that will bring a
revenue that will permit the installing
of new equipment and allow the plans
to be carried out according to the
schedule arranged before the acci
dent.
Much has been said about the cause
of the explosion and for a time it
was in doubt. But when the mine of
ficials together with the United States
representatives of the Bureau of
Mines dug out the charge of dyna
mite in the entry where the trouble
occurred and found that it had fired
from the electric wire used to set off
shots but had failed to burn and ex
plode, the cause of the explosion was
perfectly clear. The defective dyna
mite did not do its work of blowing
the coal down and put the burden on
a companion shot two or three feet
away which was not strong enough to
blast off the body of the coal. That
shot blew out of the hole with a load
of dust and a stream of fire. And
that was the explosion that did the
damage.
The Carolina coal company has had
a long struggle in developing its
mines and largely because the stock
holders did not at the beginning
realize the size of the job they were
undertaking The coal deposits of
the Deep river are of such character
and magnitude that they can not be
operated on a small scale, like many
soft coal mines in other districts,
therefore as the mine progressed it
was found that the original plans had
to be changed to suit the bigger
operations. The mine was therefore
constantly growing and at the time
of the accident had many thousand
feet of underground working reaching
into the coal faces, with air. ways,
cross cuts, tracks, hoisting, pumping
and ventilating machinery all for the
type of a mine for which the Caro
lina mine has grown to be.
The company now has the property
in good physical condition with the
exception of some heavier hoisting
machinery as above referred to. The
coal it is producing ranks with the
best soft coal of the United States.
It is a high volatile coal, with a heat
ing value of fourteen thousand Britisn
thermal units, which is equalled only
by a few coal fields in the United
PITTSBORQ, N. C., CHATHAM COUNTY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1925
A RARE BIRTHDAY
Little Miss Sarah Williamson Nor
ris, of Raleigh, celebrated her ninth
birthday here on Sunday, November
15, and enjoyed the rare privilege of
being the special guest of her great
grand parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert
M. Burns.
She was accompanied by her pa
rents, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Burns
Norris and four little sisters, Emma
Burns Norris, Mary Ransom Norris,
Flora Creech Norris, and Elizabeth
Edmunds Norris. Her grandmother,
Mrs. Herbert E. Norris, being already
here where she has been for several
weeks.
Sarah was made very happy when
she was invited into the dining room
where a well spread table of tempt
ing viands greeted her.
The centerpiece of Ivory lace over
pink (made by her great grand
mother) was surmounted by the beau
tiful birthday cake filled with sugar
plums and frosted with white iceing
and cocoanut, which looked as if a
light snow had fallen on it. On it
was placed nine pink candles in form
of the S—it was surrounded with dec
orations of trailing lace ferns, pink
chrysthanthemums and pink rose
buds.
The table was lighted with tall pink
wax candles in crystal holders. At
her plate, she found a number of
pleasant remembrances.
On this occasion only the members
of the family were present.
Sarah is a dear little girl, a great
favorite here and at her home.
It is quite sure that she will never
forget her ninth birthday, when she
was entertained by real ancestors, her
great grand parents, who have ar
rived at the ages of eighty-two and
ninety years.
Here’s wishing the little lady many
returns of the day.
Farmers of North Carolina ordered
about one-half million pounds of py
rotol, the cheap government explo
sive, last year. Indications are that'
at least a million pounds will be
used in the State this year.
« ■■■ —■■■■—,
•
States. The opinion has prevailed
in some quarters that the Deep river
coal is of inferior quality, but that
is entirely wrong. This misconcep
tion came about because in the earlier
operation years ago coal from the
outcrop was market. Outcrop coal
is always inferior. As the mines
got further into the main seam its
excellence was easily established.
And it now has a high rating wherev
er it is known.
This community is more fortunate
than it is aware in having the coal
of the Deep river as a source of
power. For not only are the mines
of the Carolina company and the
Ramsay company paying out big
sums of money every month in wages,
but they are providing a fuel re
serve on which the prosperity of the
region will turn more and more ev
ery day. The big resource of this
territory from an industrial view
point is its shales. Arid to burn clay
products requires coal. E. O. Karie,
of one of the most prominent clay
working companies of Pennsylvania
who has experience with every fuel
known in their brick and tile works
said recently in Sanford if he could
have Deep river coal for use in their
factories he would take it in prefer
ence to any he could find. Ulti
mately the clay plants will call for
a large tonnage of Deep river coal.
Other fuel consumers will take all
that can be produced. While I am
on this subject it may not be out of
place to refer to the extent of the
coal field. How much coal is in the
Deep river I don’t know and neither
does anybody else. A few weeks ago
in Washington I had a lengthy talk
with Dr. M. R. Campbell, who made
a survey of this field a few years ago
concerning the Deep river field, which
is that the Ramsay and the Caro
lina mines have opened several thou
sand acres of excellent coal, that
probably a further large acreage ex
ists, but that before any conclusions
are reached through prospecting with
the pick is absolutely necessary
which must be followed by thorough
drilling of every tract considered as
coal producing before any operations
are planned. Many faults and dykes
and other disturbances are encounter
ed on the outcrop of the field. Their
extent nobody knows. An example
was the operation commenced above
Gulf a couple of years ago which
resulted in disaster, and without leav
ing any real information as to con
ditions there.
SILER CITY NEWS
Mrs. Frank Pike Dies—M. E. Pastor
Preaches Farewell Sermon-
Personal Items
Siler City, Nov. 21.—Following an
illness of less than 36 hours from
pneumonia, Mrs. Frank Pike, who was
before her marriage, Miss Cora Marsh,
died at her home 4 miles north of
this place this morning at 6 o’clock.
Surviving are her husband, two
sons, Sam and Dan Marsh Pike; thfree
brothers, Chas. H. Marsh of Siler City
R. 3, John, of Greensboro and Ed
Marsh, of Siler City R 1; three sis
ters, Miss Sallie Marsh of Mt. Ver
non Springs, Miss Stannie Marsh, of
Siler City R 1, and Mrs. Lizzie Thom
as, of Siler City R 3; four step sons,
Henry, Allie, Gurney and Ben Pike;
and seven step-daughters, Mesdames
J. C. Cheek, Rob Smith, John Culber
son, John Dunlap, G. D. Lowder and
John Robert Browning, all of whom
live in thte community except the
last two named these being residents
of Albermarle, N. C., and Meridan,
Mississippi, respectively.
The funeral service will be held at
Loves Creek church, Monday after
noon at 1 o’clock and will be conducted
by Rev. Richard S. Fountain.
Rev. O. I. Hinson will fill the pul
pit here tomorrow evening at 7:30
o’clock, this being his last service as
pastor of the local Methodist church,
he having been assigned to the Jones
boro circuit at the recent annual con
ference. During the coming week, he
and Mrs. Hinson will move to their
new home following which Rev. W. L.
Maness the new minister for this
charge will arrive with his family
from their former pastorate at Fay
etteville.
Members of the Epworth League,
assisted by Mesdames John Ellis, P.
H. Elkins, Junius Wrenn and T. D.
Bynfim will serve an oyster supper in
the basement of the Methodist church
next Monday evening beginning at 5
* o’clock.
Mrs. M. M." Fox and daughters,
Misses Jenny Lind and Mary Newlin
Fox, are spending the week-end in
Raleigh with relatives.
H. E. Stout of Greensboro arrived
this afternoon to spend Sunday with
his mother, Mrs. Herbert Tysor.
Miss Nell; Spence has gone to Lil
lington for a short visit to friends.
Miss Ina Scotten of Coleridge is
visiting her sister, Mrs. Hattie Stout.
A. D. Dorsett has returned from
several days stay in Charlotte where
he went to receive some of the high
er degrees in the Masonic Lodge.
’ UPPER CAPE FEAR NEWS
1 “
Party Quite a Success—Delegates
to Christian Conference
New Hill, R 2, Nov. 23.—The pie
party at Gardner schoolhouse Satur
day night was a success in every re
spect. We had a large crowd and
everybody was interested. There
were thirteen pies which totaled
$30.18 and a cake for the most pop
ular lady and ugliest boy. The
lucky girl was Miss Leona Holt, and
unlucky Eugene Johnson.
The total amount raised, clear of
expense was $46.30. Mr. J. R. Mat
thews sold the pies and we are con
fident he would make a good auction
eer. First, Mr. Matthews made a
very good talk about our church, New
Elam, he, himself is a Methodist.
Next, he lead in a word of prayer
one Os the best prayers we ever
heard. We highly appreciated the
interest he manifested. The proceeds
will go toward paint for the new ad
dition of New Elam church.
Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Mann were in
Raleigh last week visiting Mr. and
Mrs. Tom Johnson.
Misses Blanche and Dora Holt,
Messrs. Edgar and E. H. Holt, and
K. B. Riddle were in Raleigh last
week on business. Messrs. W. H. and
W. L. Beckwith were in Raleigh last
week.
Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Goodwin, Wil
ma, Francis and Ima Jean Goodwin
spent Sunday in Sanford with Mr. and
Mrs. Junie Womble.
Misses Rose Sturdivant, Janice
Carr and Mary Webster expect to
leave Tuesday for Henderson, where
they will represent New Elam Chris
tian church at the Eastern Carolina
Christian Conference.
We are glad to learn Mr. K. B.
Riddle has improved sufficiently to be
at church Sunday. We hope he will
soon be completely well.
Rev. Walter Farrar will deliver a
MONCURE NOTES
A Number of Personal News Items
About Thanksgiving Day
The faculty of Moncure school at
tended the teachers’ meeting at Pitts
boro last Saturday, November 21.
Miss Olivia Harmon, one of the
high school teachers of Moncure
school, spent last week-end at Rox
boro with her sister who lives there.
The brick work of the Kennedy-
Hackney-Thomas Co.’s building is now
about complete. They are planning to
have the wood-work and everything
ready to move into by the first of the
year. The first story will be the store
and the second story contains a hall
for the lodge and Junior Order meet
ings and at the front are office rooms.
Moncure needs a lawyer, dentist,
and a station preacher.
Mr. and Mrs. Chas. A. Taft, who
have been boarding with Mr. and Mrs.
R. H. Wicker, have secured a house
at the Carolina Power and Light Co.
plant and will move .there one day this
week. Mr. Taft is an electrical and
construction engineer.
Mr. J. H. McNeary, another electri
cian of the Power plant, who has been
boarding for the past five or six weeks
at Hilliard Hotel, left one day last
week for his home in New Jersey.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. S. D. Creswell
November 19th, a girl.
Born to MiVand Mrs. W. T. Utley,
November 22nd, a girl.
November is a wonderful month and
the weather has been lovely. As we
observe the national holiday our
minds will run back to the year 1620,
when the Pilgrim fathers landed on
American soil, after they planted and
made a crop and gathered it, then the
skilled sportman went in quest of
fowls and venison. Wild birds, wild
turkeys, and other game were brought
back by these hunters and then the
first Thanksgiving turkey was roasted
and eaten, while for three whole days
the hardy Puritans feasted and made
merry, entertaining as their guest
King Massasoit and ninety Indian
warriors.
At this season of the year, amidst
our feasting, we should share our
many blessings with the less fortunate
than ourselves, and we should thank
God for His abundant blessings to us.
Moncure high school students will
give a play “Always in Trouble” at
the school auditorium next Wednesday
evening at 7:30 o’clock. Everybody
is invited. {
Thursday and Friday will be given
as holidays at Moncure school.
The Epworth League met last Sun
day evening at 7 o’clock with the
president, Miss Amey Womble, in the
chair. The song, “Yield Not to Temp
tation” was sung by all. Next, roll
call by the secretary, Miss Pauline
Ray and the minutes of the last meet
ing read and approved.
Scripture lesson was then read by
the president and prayer by Mrs. Sted
man. The subject for the evening
was “How Shall We Invest our
Lives?” was taken up by the follow
ing and discussed: —
Different Dividends—Mrs. J. E.
Moore.
Can I Invest My Life in Such Vo
cations?—Miss Annie Lambeth.
A Cash Investment—Mr. H. G. Self.
Finding My Place in God’s Program
—Miss Marcia Foust.
Song, “Onward Christian Soldiers.”
Closing prayer by the president,
Miss Amey Womble. x
Dr. J. E. Cathell will leave next
Sunday evening for St. Petersburg,
Fla., to attend the Surgical Associa
tion which convenes there December
1 to 3.
FOUR HUNTERS, BROTHERS
AVERAGE 75 YEARS
Four Brothers, Ranging in Age from
68 to 83, Enjoy Hunt
It is doubtful if the incident can
paralleled—four brothers, ages
68, 74, 76, and 83, go bird hunting
and get the game too. Some one
sends in the item from Moncure, but
fails to name the brothers.
' The writer of the item, however,
says their wives had a job picking
birds, and the “boys” a time dressing
rabbits and all had a big dinner the
next day, thankful for their good for
tune. They are to go fox hunting
soon, to show the youngsters how.
W. P. Horton, Att'y.
sermon at Ebenezer Methodist church
next Sunday morning. Mr. Farrar is
a young minister and a nephew of Mr.
R jfßn Farrar. N
1 tising Medium for
* ’ I
| reaching the homes I
j of Chatham’county. J
VOL. 48. NO. 10
GOLDSTON NOTES
Rev. Mr. Womble Goes to Lillington- ,
Mr. Biggs to Come—Mr. Witten
Superannuated—Basketball
The evangelistic club met at the
usual time last Wednesday evening.
The leaders were Mr. Jake Dixon,
Mr. W. H. Garner, Mrs.-Olive and
Miss Edna Marley. Each of tnem
made splendid talks. “Service” seem
ed to be the center thought of each
talk.
Rev. C. F. Womble, one of the mem
bers of the evangelistic club, was
present and was called on for a talk,
which all enjoyed.
Mr. Womble left Tuesday for Lil
lington where he will take charge of
the Lillington circuit for the coming
year. Mr. Womble' has been in
Goldston for several months and will
be missed here. We congratulate
him in receiving such a good appoint
ment, only three churches. We wish
him much success in this honorable
work.
Mr. Herbert Watson is president
of the evangelistic club. He is deep
ly interested in this work arid he
makes a very fine president. We feel
that this club is doing a great work
and accomplishing much good.
Miss Broma Garter spent the week
end with Miss Pearl Johnson at By
num.
Prof, and Mrs. C. L. Parker, Misses
Mary Hammond, Ola Harmon, Pearl
Johnson, Brona Carter and Dessie
Roberts attended the teachers meet
ing at Pittsboro last Saturday. We
had a very interesting meeting.
Miss Nannie Cox, the music teach
er here, spent the week-end in Greens
boro.
The ladies of the Methodist church
will give a bazaar for the purpose of
making money to buy furnishings for
the parsonage. We hopjb all will
remember this date and be present.
It will be a good time to buy Christ
mas presents. Refreshments will be
served.
Rev. Mr. Biggs will be the new
preacher here this year. He has not
yet moved, but we are expecting him
soon.
Rev. N. L. Witten the former pas
tor here has resigned and will not
hold pastoral work at present. Mr.
Witten was a good preacher and a
number of people here regret his de
parture. Mrs. Carl Phillips, of Wake
Forest, spent last week with Mrs. B.
N. Gilmore.
Mrs. Eugene Ramsey and little
daughter Eugenia, of Winston-Salem,
is here and will spend two weeks with
her parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. H.
Burke.
The Busy Bee Society gave a very
enjoyable Thanksgiving program last
Friday afternoon.
The Young Men’s Literary Society
'and the young ladies’ Betsy Ross So
ciety met together last Friday after
noon and enjoyed some dramatiza- '
tion, reproducing parts of Silas Mar- ■
ner. f '
Miss Hammond was dinner guest
of Misses Roberts and Harmon at the
home of Mr. and Mrs. P. O. Barber
last Sunday.
Thanksgiving Day is here again and
we have so many things to be thank
ful for. We have lots more things
to be thankful for than our Pilgrim
fathers had in 1620, who celebrated
the first Thanksgiving Day. I won
der if we will have the real thankful
spirit and gratitude to God as the
Pilgrims had with their little crop of
corn and game.
Mrs. J. J. Harris spent the most of
last week with her parents, Mr. and
Mj*s. Reynolds, near Carthage.
The Pittsboro High School boys
played Goldston High School boys on
the Goldston court last Wednesday
afternoon. The score was 18 and 55
in favor of Goldston.
The,line-up of the game is the fol
lowing:
Goldston Goals
Hurley Cheek, R. F. 26
Samuel Cheek, L. F. 16
Ernest Alexander, C. 10
Edgar Alexander, L. G.' 1
Harward Oldham)'R. G. 2
Total 55
Pittsboro Goals
Sam Beard, R. F. 7.
Toe Hammock, L. F. 0
Bruce Griffin, C. 4
Brooks Snipes, L. G. 3
Rowland Goldston, R. G. 4
Total 18
Mr. Moore, one of the teachers at
Siler City, refereed the game. Qej
Made an excellent referee. He w&tf
fair. Me other kind should be allotted
te referee a’game,