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EIGHT PAGES THIS WEEK THE BEAUFORT NEWS THURSDAY t)CT. 28, 1926.
VOLUME XV
PRICE 5c SINGLE COPY
NUMBER 43
COMMISSIONERS LET A CONTRACT
FOR DAVISATLANTIC ROADWAY
Simmons Construction Corporation Gets Contract. Will Build
Concrete Base With Asphalt Top. Virginia Company
i in. Lower on Concrete Slab
Contrary to the expectations of
some people the Board of County
Commissioners at a special meeting
here Monday let a contract for a
paved road between Davis and At
lantic. All members of the board
were present but as the vote was tak
en in executive session the News
does not know whether all the mem
bers voted for it or not. Accord
ing to the minutes the motion was
made by Commissioner Huntley and
seconded by Commissioner Hall.
The contract for the road was let
to the Simmons Construction Cor
poration of Charlotte. It is for a
four inch concrete base 'with two
inch asphalt type. All of the bid
ders, except the Simmons Construc
tion Corporation, submitted bids on
a six inch concrete slab stone. Repre
sentatives of the Virginia Engeering
Corporation told a News man that
they were not asked to bid on any
thing except concrete and did not
know bids dere desired o na concrete
and asphalt type of road. The ir bid
on the concrete slab was consider
ably lower than the Simmons bid.
Two bids for putting shells on Har
ker's Island were received but ac
tion on this matter was postponed
for a later meeting. A few citizens
were present at the meeting Mon
day. The names of the bidders and
the amounts bid follow:
Simmons Construction Corporation
Charlette, N. C.
6 inch Concrete Slab $430,925.00
4 inch base, 2 inch As
phalt Top (Oil) $390,325.00
4 inch base, 2 inch As
.phalt Top (Lake) $403,975.00
Frank Mitchell Construction Com
pany, Belhaven, N. C.
6 inch Concrete Slab.. .$441,287.50
Virginia Engineering Co. Rich
mond, Va.
6 inch Concrete Slab ..$413,950.00
F. J. McGuire, Norfolk, Va.
6 inch Concrete Slab i$474,635.00 j
Roberts Paving Co., Salisbury, Md.
6 inch Concrete Slab ..$433,340.00
O. F.Aeighton & Co. Inc. Richmond,
Va.
6 inch Concrete Slab ..$467,900.00
R. H. Wright & Son, Norwood, N. C.
6 inch Concrete Slab ..$429,625.00
CITY COURT HAD A
FULL SESSION SATURDAY
There wsa no police court Mon
day afternoon but considerable one
took place on Saturday evening pre
vious. A large number "of men both
white and colored were tried on the
charge of having been drunk or
drunk and disorderly. Nearly all
were convicted. They got off under
suspended judgment and the costs.
Those charged with drunkeness
were Aleck Mason, Ambrose Roberts,
A. C. Darling and John Bunyan Con
eleton. white. John Washington, Joe
Fulford and Eliiah Hardestv colored
were also convicted on drunkness J
charges.
John Fulford, colored, charge-as-sult,
judgement snspended on pay
ment of costs. Joe Fisher, cilored.
disordely conduct, judgement su
spended on payment of costs. Mur
eusptnded on payment of , costs.
Charles Parker, - colored, disorderly
conduct, case dismissed. Cases ag
ainst H. G. Perkins, Lovie Davis.
Wra. Green, John Sutton and Dave
Smith wert continued. In' order to
accommodate some defendants who
work on fishing boats there will be
a session of courtt Saturdey Nov.
6th at 7:30 in the evening.
Wretched Conditions Found
-iiwxm! :-' In A Family Near Lukens
Wretch Conditions- 14
pt. head
In their investigations in Carteret
county, as in othe counties, welfare
workers sometimes find very dis
tressing situations. One of this kind
that was particularly sordid was
brought to light a few days ago. It
was of a family living a few miles
from Lukens. It seems that the mater
was brought to. the attention of the
grand jury and that body ordered
the County Welfare Department to
investigate it.
On Monday County Welfare Offi
cer Alvah Hamilton and County
Health OfficerDr. T. C. Britt made
the investigation. A family of thir
teen persons were found consisting of
a man and wife, nine children an two
illegitimate grandchildren. The two
latter are the offsprings of a woman
apparently about twenty years of
-r r n j-
age. The oldest of these is about three j H;veral of these havj baen ommit
old and the youngest three moiths. ' ..! 'c institvtion- nMptnineJ for
The latter is said to have ?. 113.0 . t f.v.jpos;-,
FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS GIVEN
BY THE BEAUFORT NEWS
On account of it healthful
climate, abundant food or for
some other reason, there are
many large folks in Carteret N
county. Readers of the News
probably would like to know
who some of the large ones are
and how much they weigh. In
order to get this information
the News will offer a prize in
the way of a year's subscrip
tion to this newspaper. A
free subscription will be giv
en to the largest man and also
the largest women. Contest
' ants must give -their names and
addressse and have their weight
attested1 by two reliable wit
nesses. The contest will close
Tuesday night, November the
30th. It costs nothing to enter
the .contest so send in your
weight and take a chance on
getting a year's subscrption
free. For the two second larg
est a six months subscription
will be given free. Contestants
must live in Carteret county.
The proposition is open to any
citizen who desires to enter.
If the winners approve we will
publish their pictures in the
News.
QUIET ELECTION
IS OUTLOOK NOW
Under Current of Interest
Though May Bring Some '
Surprising Results
Upon the surface at least the in
dications are that the election to be
held next Tuesday will be one of the
quietest that ever took place in .Car
teret county. Neither Democrats nor
Republicans have made a very ac
tive canvass although some of the
candidates have been going around
the county endeavoring to raise some
interest. Although there has not
been the usual speech-making and
other campaign activities there does
appear to be a good "deal of interest
among the voters as to the outcome
of the election. Some folks predict
thatthe vote will be about as large
as usual and that there will be a
good many surprises in it. The pre
diction is freely made that party
lines will be broken more than ever
and that a 1 t of scratching is going
to be done by both Democrats and
Republicans. They say it is a case
of voting for the man this time and
not so much for the party.
The only national contest involv
ed this year is that of a memher for
the lower house of- Congress and a
United States Senator. Congress
man Charles L. Abernethy woh is run
ning to succeed himself is opposed
by Rpscoe Butler of Sampson coun
ty. Senator Lee S. Oyerman the
Dci'.'.OSratiC Candidate is opposed by
Johnson J. Hayes on the Republican
ride. A referendum ballot .on the
question of issuing loan bonds for
world war veterans is to be voted
upon again. A constitution-.! amend
ment is to be submitted to the peo
ple. It relates to election returns
for officers of the executive depart
(Continued on page eight)
father. The nearest neighbor of these
people live about two and a half miles
away. The man of the family is
about fifty years Old and works for
some lumber company and is said to
make pretty good wages. The home
however indicates ' poverty of the
most abject kind. There" are no bed
steads in the house and little furni
ture or conveniences f any sort.
The chifdren have no shoes and are
unkept in appearance." The members
of the family are mostly -illiterate.
The case has been reported to Mrs.
Kate Burr Johnson and an effortt
will be made to get the young wo
man in Samarcand and to have son.e
disposition made of her two children.
County Welfare Officer Alvah
Hamilton and Mrs. F. C. Salisbury,
who assists him have been doing
considerable work recently looking
after delinquent boys and t'.rU,
FINANCIERS PLAN
TO HELP COTTON
GET ON ITS FEET
Will Orgnaize Large Corpora
tion to Hold Cotton off
The Market
POLITICAL SPEAKERS BUSY
(By M. L. SHIPMAN) -Raleigh,
N. C. Oct. 25 With the
Governor thundering Democracy in
Western North Carolina and former
Governor Morrison thundering the
same song in Easten North Carolina.
Raleighites had a rather quiet week,
spending their time reading of the
work which the party has done in the
past. At the same time there were
matters of interest apart from poli
tics which held some attention.
Among these were a meeting of the
cotton forces to lay plans for hand
ling the crop without loss to the
growers, interest in the financial con
dition of the State and other mat
ters. Gov. McLean invaded western
North Carolina going for the most
pjit into territory which went Re
publican the last election. He told
of the Executive Budget system
which his administration had devel
oped and- in short related with pride
the carrying out of promises by the
Democrats in state government and
gave these as reasons for a handsome-majority
for Democracy on No
vember 2. At the same time former
Governor Morrison was invading
Eastern and Central Carolina preach
ing the virtues of the Democratic
party nationally as reasons for re
turning the Congressmen to office.
There was one noticeable feature
about the addresses of Morrison and
McLean. The present Governor de
voted his talks to the state adminis
tration and what it has done; the
former governor devoted his talks for
the raost part to national Democracy.
The question arises have the two bur
ied the "deficit" hatchet for purpos
es of political expediency and until
after the election? The financial is
sue has separated the two in the past
it is known but both are now preach
ing a common cause from different
angles.
The Grand Old Republican Party
was by no means inactive during the
week? Brownlow Jackson and Johns
ton Hayes were touring the state
preaching Republicanism. They have
concentrated on the counties where
they polled heavy Republican votes
last term and while they have done
little talking, it is known that they
have laid extensive plans for bring
ing out a heavy vote and are san
guine of results.
Eugene Meyer, jpvesenitating
President Coolidge was in -Raleigh
during the week and plans were laid
for formation of a one million dollar
corporation to retire from the market
300,000 bales of the present cotton
cropu This is to be arranged in a
similar manner in each cotton state
in order to relieve the low price of
the product and the cotton will be
held off the niprkst un tne WW
higher. Th KT. C. Cotton Co-operative
Marketing Association has ten
dered its full facilities in handling
tho matter and the N. C. Bankers As
sociation is to decide this week just
how far it will cooperate.-
The announcement of Governor
McLean that a huge radio station
would be established at Raleigh for
state purposes interested the citizens.
It has been known for some time the
Governor had such a plan. Word
comes from Washington there will
be no opposition to such a station.
The surplus in state funds continu
ing tq, grow and Governor McLean
is justified in his budgetary plans.
Another $200,000 increase was re
corded in September. This brings
the total surplus of the general fund
to $1,766,000. The state board of
elections has made all plans for the
issuing of ballots for the election
next week and as far as possible ev
erything is ready for the battle of
ballot.
Ida Ball Warren who, with Sam
Christy, was convicted eleven years
ago of murdering her husband and
sentenced to be electrocuted and
whose sentence Governor Craig com
muted to life imprisonment is apply
ing for a parole. She has made a
model prisoner but it is mighty sel
dom prisoners with life sentences
hanging over them are given their
freedom and Mrs. Warren may not be
made an exception to the rule. Her
paramour is serving time on the Cal
edonie Farm where he is likely to
pend the remainder of his life.
(Continued on page three)
RMUFORT r-- --.11.
IS COMPLIMENTED!
University News Letter Re
prints Editorial. Experts
Study Carteret County
Affairs
(By Ralph Noe)
Chapel Hill, N. C. Oct 26 Ad
vance copies of the University News
Letter which will be released under
date of October 27th., reveal the fact
that this publication has signally hon
ored the Beaufort News by reprinting
in full its editorial of September
23rd. entitled, "Publicity is Good for
County Affairs." This is indeed a
worthy recognition of the role that"
the Beaufort News is playing in the
intelligent reform of municipal and
county governments.
For the last two years if not long
er, excerpts from the Beaufort News
have been kept in Dr. Branson's work
shop, where they-can be consulted by
the reasearch assistants who come
here from all over the United States
to study rural social economics under
Dr. Branson and Professor S. H.
Hobbs, and in that work-shop the
Beaufort News has come to be call
ed on for its presentation of accu
rate facts and intelligent opinion in
regards to county administration and
the expenditures of public money.
Paul W. Wagner came to the depart
ment two years ago from New York,
with the idea of getting at the roots
of county administration in North
Carolina. The measure of success
with which he and Dr. Branson and
others have done this is attested by
a wealth of first-hand work done with
the counties themselves. When ques
tioned about his impression of Car
teret County, Mr. Wagner spoke in
extravagant terms. of the beauty of
the court-house square at Beaufort.
He is interested in the County from
an objective viewpoint, in its wealth
of resources, and in the rapid chang
es that are taking place htere.
Facts are always difficult things to
uncover, so difficult, in fact, that the
average human being is loath to un
dertake the job unless his curiosity
is prompted by some independent
source. Largely through the instru
mentality of the Beaufort News, has
the spotlight of inquiry in recent
years been turned towards Carteret
County. The County now occupies
a place of importance second to
none as a laboratory for the obser
vation of practices, some of which
are quite outworn, and some of which
are more modern and up-to-date.
A case in point: Last year there
came to the University a man unique
in the academic and political life of
the county, professor Edward J.
Woodhouse is a teacher and orator
of the old school. He has been ac
tive as a politician in Massachusetts,
mayor of Northampton, Mass. (the
home of Calvin Coolidge), practicing
lawyer, and professor of government
at Smith College. He came to teach
American and European municipal
government, a very popular study.
Someone turned over to -Mr. Wood
house' the newspaper records concern
ing the "ultra vires" action of the
Beuafort City Fathers in attempting
to ensnd one hunvlcu thousand dol-
!&! to improve real estate, and he
was greatly amused Mr. Woodhouse's
Mok mnkps intimate studies into the
motives and purposes behind the!
flaerrant use of public funds, taking
actual cases for study, and not ab
stract examples. When asked for his
opinion of the editorial policy of the
Beaufort News, he answered in the
terse manner characteristic of the
New Englander: "Socially he (the ed
itor) is very sound."
(Continued on page five)
Five Divorces Were Granted
Last Week In Superior Court
The criminal docket of Superior , Respass. A divorce was granted be
court was finished on Thursday aflbut ' cause of-five years separation. The
midday after which some civil cases ( Defendant is to pay $40 a month for
were tried. On Friday afternoon
court adjourned. Five divorces were
granted. The following civil matters
were disposed of:
Julia Monroe (colored) against
Dewey Monroe suit for divorce on
ground of five years separation. The
divorce was granted.
The Tobacco Growers Cooperative
Association aeainst J. E. Hill, case
dismissed, each party to pay its own
costs.
Clarence Madden against J. F.
Mulligan and J. F. Mulligan Co. a
suit for personal injury plaintiff hav
ing been hurt by a truck. The court
held the plaintiff was not negligent
and non-suited the case.
Lois Mason against Clyde Mason,
divorce granted on statutory grounds
Defendant must pay $10 a month for
support of Clyde Mason Jr.
.Mattie E. Respess against E. J.
. PROGRESS j
SAYS DR. MASON
j Well Known Physician Says
Debt Burden on County Is
Great Disaster
Editor Beaufort News:
. I wish to heartily commend you
for your recent editorial headed
"Make Haste Slowly" It is timely
and to the point, and I hope every
paper having considerable circula
tion in the county will copy it.
I do not know that we have any
"ultra conservatives" not many
could be found who would be too
careful, and over close with the peo
ple's money. But the other class,
"the ultra progressive," so called, is
very much in evidence in Carteret
County. Those who endorse the
policy of the present managers of
the,ounfy burdening the taxpayers
with a debt of near two and a half
million dollars, and proceeding with
projects, never adjudged by any
court to be "necessary." borrowing
as you sayj'to the last cent that can
be borrowed with no more thought
than that of a child, as to how the
money is to be paid back," are of the
"ultra" very much "ultra" plass.
But this, they say, is "progress"
yes it is progress very much like that
of the foolhardy man who got in a
small boat on the Niagra river, a
little above the falls. He made
progress all right, but soon he was
in the power of the terrible currant,
and his destruction "was sure. The
"ultra progressives" have placed the
people of Carteret County in a sim
ilar condition, and that without their
consent, the irrestible current of ev
er increasing debt carrying them to
wards the great and terrible FALLS.
Carteret County has suffered many
disasters in her history. She has ex
perienced the terrible effects of wars;
she has suffered quite a number of
very severe and disastrous storms,
carrying away hotel, destroying crops
and damaging property thousands of
dollars. - Epidemics of small pox,
yellow fever, diphtheria, influenza .
etc. have taken heavy toll of her
young citizens; but more of these dis
asters is to be compared with that
is now upon us by the present arbit
rary, and reckess administration of
the county's affairs. This is by" far
the greatest calamity that ever be
fell the county, because of the fact
that it is on us to stay. There is
no way out of it. The tax burden
canot get less, but must necessarily
increase to the breaking point. Bonds
must be issue to pay interest and
sinking fur.d on bonds now outstand
ing and to be issued.
The calamities above mentioned,
while very great and distressing,
were nevertheless of such nature
that they were after a while recover-
eo from. Time cured them, . and
they were almost forgotten. Not
so with our present burden and cal
amity. Time lags the burden on
heavier, and harder. Is anyone wise
enough to advise what can be done
to relieve our helpless, heavily bur
dened people, and avert the impend
ing disaster?
As I see it, the approaching elec
tion promises no relief. Nb impor-
i tant change. The Board of Com
j missioners, soon to be elected, wheth-
er Democratic or Republican, will
doubtless endeavor to carry out the
same wasteful and destructive
nclteUs of the present board. If
there are as many as three candi
dates on the combined tickets for
County Commissioners who would
stand firmly against the further is
sue of notes or bonds against the
county, they should be elected, re
( Continued on page five)
the support of two children.
Iva Bailey against Carl G. Bailey.
Divorce on the ground of five years
separation. The plaintiff is to have
custody of the child.
Annie E. Gaskill against James E.
Gaskill. Divorce granted on account
of five years separation.
Annie D. Gillikin against M. J.
Willis. This was a suit about enter-
ing some land. Cout held that the
entry was inoperative and of no ef-
feet.
I. E. Ramsey against Laura G. Da
vis. Suit as to land title. The
court's judgment was that the deed
conveys the title to the said land to
Laura G. Davis. The petitioner ex
cepted and took an appeal.
Emma Whealton Guthrie against
Charles B. Daniels suit for personal
injury done with an automobile. The
(Continued on "page four)
INDEBTEDNESS OF
COUNTY LARGER
THAN LAWALLOWS
Dr. George Davis Writes Open
Letter To County Board
About Debts
OVER THE LIMIT NOW
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The following, a copy of the let
ter sent to the. Chairman, and Board
of County Commissioners explains it
self: . . '
Beaufort, N. C.
Oct. 23, 1926.
- Messrs. J. E. Woodland, Chairman,
and Huntley, Hall, Taylor and
Whitehurst, Commissioners
for Carteret County.
Beaufort, N. C.
Gentlemen:
The case of the Town of Newtor.
vs the State Highway Commission,
has been settled by the Supreme
Court, and such decree establishes
the maP of the roads as Part of e
Road Law of 1921. The map as in
cluded in the Road Law. of 1921
outlines the road from the Craven
County line to Beaufort via Harlowe,
and this road was designated and is
known as Route No. 10.
The bridge has no connection with
the contract for the road and is not
under discussion.
The $150,000 advanced by Carter
et County as the part necessary for
the completion of the road via Har
lowe was included in and part of the
indebtedness incurred prior to the val
idation of other bonds and permit
for $700,000 by the Legislature of
1925, and such increase in the indebt
ness must be in accord with the law
and would require validation by the
Legislature of 1927.
Therefore the $150,000 advanced
by Carteret county being the part
agreed upon and set aside to be used
by the State Highway -Commission
for the completion of the roads in
Carteret county which includes
"That certain road from the Craven
county line to Beaufort via Harlowe,
in the contract signed Mach 1922
cannot be used for other purpose,
and if used such contract takes pre
cedent over all other funds for road
building et cetera, as indebtness to
be validated by the Legislature of
1927.
The request to validate the notes
authorized in July and September
for $350,000 and $475,000 respect
ively, or a total of $825,00 beyond
the permit of the Legislature of
1925, including any other indebt
ness should be carefully considered
and in this connection I respectfully
refer you to the N. C. Consolidated
Statute 1925 page 190 Chapter 24
1291 (a) for Counties and County
Commissioners, as to limitation on
county indebtness, to wit:
"No county in this State shall in
cur bonded indebtedness in amounts
Lexcluding 5 per cent of the assessed
valuation of taxable property in the
county as ascertained by the last
assessment previous to the incur
ring of any new bonded indebtness."
j Provided as amended,
extra session
1924 "If valuation is in excess of
10 millions but not in excess of 20
millions, may issue bonds in an a
mount not exceeding 7 per- cent of
said assessed valuation."
I have been informed by a prom
inent Lawyer in the following words:
"Without Special authority from
the Legislature your board of Couu j
Commissioners could not issue an in
debtedness in excess of seven per
cent of this amount."
I had estimated the assessed v ill ation
less than 16 millions, on ac
count of much inflation, and he con
tinued. "Seven per cent of the a
mount would be $1,120,000. That
sort of situation works out its own
solution because no bond attorney
will pass on a bond issue where the
amount of such bond issue added to
previous indebtness would be more
than seven per cent of the taxable
valuation of the property in t'-o
county."
In the issue of the Beaufort Nevi,
of Oct. 14 over the name of Mr. U. "
E. Swann, signed as chairman Boird
of Trustees, in reference to school
you will note fie following
'It will be necessary to have bonds
validated "by an Act of the Legisla
ture before fhey cart' be sold. In
the mean time we have been trying
to borrow enough money on short
time notes to proceed with the build
ings but so far have been unsuccess-
, f ul."
j He arrtributes the failure to secure
the money in his opening paragraph
' (Continued on page seven)