Alleghany County b...
Outstanding Livestock, Agri*
culture and Tourist Center,
With A Population of S^tt.
VOLUME 58, NO. 31
$2.00 a Year in Alleghany County
SPARTA, NORTH CAROLINA THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1947
$2.50 a Year Out of County
MANY CASES IN SUPERIOR COURT
if ir ie ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ■★★★★ ★ ★ ★ * *
* One Killed, 200 Homeless As Tornado Strikes N. C.
, __:_
From 50 To 100
Homes Destroyed
Near Fairmont
Over 200 Are Left Homeless;
Red Cross Sends
Aid To Area
Fairmont — One person was
killed and an estimated 200 were
made homeless near here Wed
nesday afternoon in a tornado
which cut a path of destruction a
half mile wide and about eight
miles long.
The only casualty known at
nightfall, pending a complete
survey of the area on foot, was
Annie Powell, four-year-old Ne
gro girl, daughter of Earl Powell.
C. B. Stafford, secretary of the
Fairmont Chamber of Commerce
who visited the scene of the tor
nado, said from 50 to 100 homes
were destroyed or damaged, some
of them tenant homes and others
substantial farm .residences.
The homeless Negroes were be
ing sheltered in the Rosenwald
school in Fairmont while appeals
went out to Raleigh and Atlanta
Red Cross headquarters for aid.
The homeless white families were
being cared for in homes in the
region spared by the windstorm.
Powell .and his other eight
children escaped injury as the
tornado tore their home apart.
•He told Stafford he saw the stoma
)wn big trees like mat
icks,” he said. The mother
ie family was away in a tub
knew I was standing there and
the house was gone.”
V Estimates oi damage eariy xo
night ranged from $200,000 to
*1.000.000. 5f. 1
’"’Die estimated 90 to 100 houses
afci destroyed do not include tobacco
w barns, packing houses, and stall,
Mr. Stafford related.
The high winds were accom
panied by heavy rain and hail.
No fires were reported. Many
animals were reported killed.
The homeless victims of the
tornado were being served sup
per in the school house and in
(Continued on Page 4)
Sparta Baseball
Boys Win Again
; _;,s. _
Defeated Piney Creek 5-1,
Last Wed., And Va.- Caro
lina 7-1 Tuesday
Both the boys and girls 'of
Sparta high school swung into
action last week in two baseball
and one softball games. The
A strong home team defeated the
W visiting boys from Piney Creek
5-1 here on the local diamond
last Wednesday. Pitching for the
local boys were Gentry and At
wood with B. Reeves as catcher.
The boys will journey to Elkin,
next Wednesday, May 7, where
they will play the Elkin high
school boys at the high school
diamond there. Local fans are
cordially invited to attend.
Tuesday the borderline teams
from Virginia-Carolina suffered
defeat when the boys won a 7-1
victory and the Sparta girls de
* feated the visiting softball team
16-2.
Results of the Piney Creek
Sparta game yesterday, were not
available in time for publication.
i:.
W. L. Farmer, 57,
Passes At Home
Burgiss Is Installed
As President Of
N. C. Pharmacists
HEADS PHARMACISTS
lied as president of the
k Carolina Pharmaceu
association in Charlotte,
Recommendations Made FVt
Improvement Of Courthouse,
Other. Properties
. The grand jury this week heard
47 cases, failed to find a true
bill in five and returned a true
bill in a total of 42.
In addition to this, the group
after making surveys and exam
ination, made a number of sug
gestions for improvement of con
ditions of the courthouse and
some other county properties.
The courthouse was reported to
be in good condition, however it
was recommended that the office
rooms be painted. The court*
house roof also needs some re
pairs. After an inspection of the
county jhil, the jurors recom
mended that six mattresses, cot
(Continued on Page 4)
Film Shown To
Sheep Growers
Approximately 120 Alleghany
county farmers interested in
raising sheep saw the film en
titled “The Story of Phenothia
zines” shown by R. E. Black,
county agent, this week.
The film was shown here and
at Piney Creek and Laurel
Springs and discussions of sheep
management and marketing were
also held.
State-Wide Meeting Held In
Charlotte This Week Was
Widely Attended
Dr. T. R. Burgiss, long prom
inent in pharmaceutical circles in
the State as well as being active
in civic and social affairs, was
installed as the president of the
North Carolina Pharmaceutical
Association at the 67th annual
convention held in Charlotte this
week.
Dr. Burgiss took over as presi
dent succeeding E. C. Daniel, of
Zebulon. The officers were elect
ed prior to the convention by
mail.
The convention voted to do
nate $500 to the North Carolina
Institute of Pharmacy building
at Chapel Hill.
Discussions of pricing, profes
sional policies, and current day
problems occupied the conven
tion’s two sessions yesterday.
The 1948 convention will be
held in Wilmington.
Mrs. Burgiss accompanied Dr.
Burgiss to the meeting, and also
atttended the meetings of the
auxiliary.
Jack Lane Now Being Held
' In Cotmtv Jail; Junior Lane
In Wilkes Hospital
Jack Lane, of Laurel Springs,
is now being held in county jail
following hia arrest Saturday
night around 11 o’clock after he
and his brother. Junior Lane, al
legedly stole and wrecked an
automobile belonging to Earl
Richardson, of Sparta.
The 1938 convertible Ford was
reported to have been stolen by
the Lane brothers from in front
of the B. and T. Drug company
Saturday night. The owner had
parked it there sometime earlier
and had left the keys inside of
the car. The stolen car, driven
by Junior Lane, was wrecked out
side-of the Sparta city limits on
Highway No. 18 en route to North
Wilkesboro. Junior, the driver,
suffered a deep cut above his
right eye and a fractured skull as
well as other bruises and lacer
ations. He was taken' to the
Wilkes county hospital where he
is now undergoing treatment. His
condition yesterday was reported
to be critical.
Jack Lane, who suffered only
minor bruises was returned to
the jail here Sunday morning and
is being held on a theft charge by
local authorities.
The car was reported to be
(Continued on page 8)
Doughton Seeking Community
Tax Law For All Of The States
Washington—Application of the
community property principle of
tax returns to all states, reduc
ing federal income taxes by $1,
000,000,000 in 1948, was proposed
in a bill introduced by Rep.
Doughton (D., N. C.).
The North Carolinian, who was
manager' of tax legislation while
Democrats controlled congress,
told reporters “1 will insist on ac
tion in the present congress.”
He expressed hope that the sen
ate' will attach a community prop
erty amendment to the $4,000,
000,000 income tax reduction bill
soon to be voted on in that body.
While the tax cut now before
congress would be applicable to
the current year, Dough ton’s bill
would not be effective until next
year. > ■■'f'g . *■'
Nine states now have commun
their married residents to split
their income equally between
husband and wife for tax re
porting purposes. This often
puts them in lower surtax brack
ets and results in substantial sav
ings.
The nine states with commun
ity property laws are Arizona,
California, Idaho, Louisiana, Ne
vada, New Mexico, Oklahoma
Texas, Washington. Hawaii alsc
has such a law. In Other states
income is reported individually
by members of the family earn
ing it.
“This is an inequity," Dough
ton said, “all persons should be
treated equally in federal taxa
tion. If the cut in revenue is too
much then we could adjust rates
An Air View Of Texas City As It Was Burning
Dense smoke still rolls over the town which has been rocked by a series of ex
plosions. This air view of Texas City, on Galveston Bay, Texas, shows the water front
section still burning as the flames creep toward the oil dumps, Aadding further danger
to rescue efforts. Damage estimated at millions resulted. The total of those killed and
injured will amount to several thousand.
Certificates Of
Teacliers To Be
Renewed 1W48
►
ffot Renewed By "N. C.
Le£slature As Ik
Past Years ^ '
a The attention of teachers is
sailed to the fact that their cer
tificates were not renewed by
the legislature this year as in
the past;
Miss Clyde Fields, superintend
ent of schools pointed out that the
State Board has been given the
power, by law, on renewals. She
explained that all certificates re
quiring renewal are given one
year’s renewal for 1947-48 term,
but that all teachers who have
certificates that have expired,
must meet the renewal require
ments by September 1, 1948.
She further pointed out that
teachers should take advantage
of summer schools this summer
as well as next so that they should
be sure of validating Hheir cer
tificates before September.
Election Will
Be Held Tues,
Interest In town politics is
growing u the . election of
town officials scheduled for
next Tuesday, May 6, ap
proaches.
Only two candidates are in
the race for mayor, G. Glenn
Nichols and S. W. Brown. R.
I. Randolph withdrew his
bparta Lions lb
Meet Tues, Night
The Sparta Lions club will be
host to the members of the
Sparta boys and girts basketball
team at a dinner meeting to be
held at the community building,
Tuesday, May 6, at 7:30 o’clock.
The dinner will be served by
the ladies of the Sparta Baptist
church. A movie entitled “Tiger
Fangs,” a storv of Frank Buck’s
adventures, will be shown the
group as well as other short sub
jects, it was pointed out.
who have filed for
. on the town coun
cil are the following ten
Beal Poole, Charles R.
Dr. N. D, Fta, C. C.
Ben G. Reeves, D. C
A.
*
B.
G.
House Votes Out Controls
Over Building Materials
By Big Majority Of Jo 48
Glade Valley To
Raise $300,000.00
For Buildings
Following Recent Meeting Of
Presbyteries, Churches
Pledge Half Of Quota
The joint meeting of Orange
and Winston-Salem Presbyteries
which met at Glade Valley high
school recently was a very suc
cessful event. Thirty-four min
itsers and forty-one elders and
visitors from Orange and 20 min
isters and 30 elders and visitors
from Winston-Salem Presbytery.
Three candidates for Ministry
from Orange and one from Win
ston-Salem were received into the
Presbyteries.
The moderator of Orange. Rev.
J. PH. McNatt, of High Point,
preached to the joint meeting of
the Presbyteries following which
was communion service.
H. F. Henderson, elder of El
kin Presbyterian church, was
moderator of Winston - Salem
Presbytery.
A special program on Glade
Valley high school was present
ed with J. A. Kellenberger, chair
man of Board of Trustees of the
school, in charge. Three stu
dents spoke briefly giving their
impressions of the school. Ted
Wyatt, an alumnus of the school.
(Continued on Page 4)
Amendment Would Require
Builders To Offer Vet
erans Priorities
Washington—The House voted,
127 to 48, Wednesday to kill vir
tually all' Government controls
over building materials and con‘
struction, and members shouted
stormy protest against a pending
proposal to extend modified rent
controls from June 30 to Dec. -31.
With some members demand
ing a blanket 10 per cent rent
boost while others called for an
immediate end of all controls, the
House put off a showdown on the
politically potent rent' issue until
today.
Representative McCormack (D
Mass) capped the day’s fiery de
bate with the announcement that
(Continued on Page 4)
Piney Creek To
Have Programs
Two programs will be present
ed Saturday night at eight o’clock
at the Piney Creek high school
auditorium, it was announced this
week.
The primary grade children
will present a play entitled “Old
Mother Goose,” and the grammar
grade children will present a play
entitled “Miss Molly’s Girl.”
A small admission fee will be
charged and the public is cor
dially invited to attend.
Several Arrests Made On
Minor Charges This Week
Several minor arrests were
made this week by local authori
ties it was learned yesterday.
Deputy Wade Hoppers and Chief
Taylor found three and one-half
gallons of whiskey in the Bull
Head section last Wednesday. No
evidence of a still or its owner
was uncovered, however.
Dick Gentry was again arrest
ed by local authorities yesterday
on an assault charge on an offi
cer sometime ago. Judge J. H.
Clement issued a capias fog. his
arrest, following an appeal to su
perior court
Wesley Combs, of the Pine
Swamp section, was arrested
Monday by the chief of police on
a public drunkenness charge. The
hearing has not been set as yet.
Everett Fortner, of Big Pine, was
apprehended by Alleghany and
Mt Atty authorities ta Mt Airy
Tuesday night, in connection with
the destruction of personal prop
erty of Tom Carpenter early last
month. Fortner was pleading
not guilty to the charge. He will
probably be tried with others in
the case of Tom Carpenter in su
perior court this "week, it was
stated.
Others arrested by Wade Hop
pers included James Alley and
Ray Hodge, who were charged
with setting a wooded area on
fire. They are now awaiting
judgment after trial this week.
Mr. and Mrs, R. H. Walker and
Mr. and Mrs. E. X Pugh at their
iconic at Uavat SpriottL l>
Choate Case Is
Moved; Mistrial
Of 2 Evans Men
Court Expected To Continue
Today And Most Of Fri
day To Clear Docket
Superior court, which got un
derway on Monday with Judge
J. H. Clement presiding and
Walter Johnston, Jr., as solicitor,
is expected to continue today and
most of tomorrow in order to
clear the docket of remaining
cases.
The cases of Dr. B. O. Choate
and S. W. Seagle, charged with,
murder in connection with the
death of Mrs. Annie Mae Crotts
Anderson, which were expected
to occupy the spotlight were
transferred to Surry county to
be tried at a later date, upon
motion made by the solicitor.
Another case in which the in
terest ran high was that of John
(Johnnie) Coy Evans and Odell
Granville Evans,, charged with
robbery and assault with fire
arms jvith intent to kill in con
nection with the robbery and in
jury, of Kelly Williams and his
sister. Miss Mae Williams, which
kept the jurors closeted for six
hours and still no verdict had
been reached by three o’clock yes
terday afternoon. Judge Clement
ordered the case a mistrial
-The case of Herbert Allen,
charged with gsiault, began yes
terday afternoon and was resum
ed this morning.
rrea Murpny, char
possession of stolen ,
given a sentence of_
the court to begin after
tion of seven-year term
is now serving in Surry county.
The cases of breaking and enter
ing and larceny against Murphy
were thrown out of court because
of an illegal technicality.
W. Glenn Farrington, found
guilty in two forgery cases end
four worthless checks cases, was.
given a sentence of one year.
Dewey Evans, charged with
(Continued on page 8)
New Ceiling On
Sugar Is Given
Uniform Retail Prices Are To
Be Effective In North
Carolina Now
Raleigh—Uniform retail coal
ing prices on sugar will become
effective in North Carolina to
day, William A. Linehan, branch
office director of the U. S, De
partment of Agriculture’s sugar
rationing administration, an
nounced Wednesday.
ine ceiling prices for North
Carolina are: granulated cane
sugar, bulk, 11 cents per pound
in group I stores, 10 in group II
stores; granulated cane, in five*
pound, factory-packed paper
bags, group I, 53 cents per bag,
group n, 51 cents; granulated
cane in 10-pound, factory-packed
paper bags, $1.0« per bag in group
I, group II, $1.01; powdered sugar,
4-X, in one-pound cartons, IS
cents in group I, 11 cents in
group II; brown sugar, in one
pound cartons, group I, IS cents,
group II, 11 cents.
At the same time, Linehan an
nounced that restaurants, hotels,
hospitals and other institutional
users would receive increased
sugar allotments averaging S5 per
cent for the May-June period.
Virginia League
To Meet Tonight