North Carolina Newspapers

'*'■* **-«**« KEEP FAITH Xhybd^ingX WAR BONDS 'k'k'k'k'k'k-k'k'k'ir ,.-k ★ ★ Those Boys Need '^^ VOLUME 24. NO. 50 Southern Pines, North Carolina Friday, November. 10, 1944. TEN CENTS 0* Q ■& i9 Southern Pines Library Enlarges Service By Changing to Free Basis PROMOTED I Kiwanis Club Has News of Moore Men As Public Library It Will Receive Aid From County and State Monday, Nov. 6th, was a no table day in the annals of the Southern Pines Library Associa tion. On that day the method of operating the library was changed from a subscription to a free pub lic basis. During its twenty-three years of existence the library had al ways been run on a subscription basis, deriving its operating ex penses from membership dues, fees for books circulated, fines for bodks overdue, and occasional donations. It had experienced per iods of financial difficulty when it had been necessary to resort to entertainments of various kinds or intensive membership cam paigns in order to meet expenses. It had also enjoyed brief periods , of relative prosperity. On the whole it had managed to meet the needs of its members for the best books whether of ancient or modern vintage. But many of the trustees and many of the mem bers had long felt that, as soon as possible, it should be changed from a subscription to a free pub lic librafy. The issue was a broad and in escapable one demanding a de cision sooner or later. The pri- niaiy function of a librajry in a democracy being the creation anc constant renewal of an enlight ened and informed felectorate, of a body of citizens capable of ex ercising their political rights at the polls with some degree of ini- telligence, it follows that libraries, like schools, should be free and their books readily accessible to all. And that should mean not only the dwellers in cities and towns but those living in rural villages and on isolated farms. Under existing state laws cov ering the establishment and opera- (Continued on Page 4) AFTER 44 YEARS Telephone Men to Hold Convention at Pine Needles More than two hundred mem bers of the North Carolina In dependent Telephone Association and their guests are expected to attend a two-day convention at the Pine Needles Inn on Novem ber 13-14. A number of men prom inent in the industry will attend, including members of the North Carolina Utilities Commission and representatives of the numerous independent telephone companies of the State. Officers will be elected and a highlight of the meeting will be talks by engineers of the Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company and a demonstration of power influences on telephone lines Tuesday afternoon. A ban quet is scheduled for Tuesday evening, with entertainment by Edmund Harding, the well-known humorisVnnd dancing. The Independent Telephone As sociation includes 42 membership companies, 64 individual mem bers and 36 associate members. J. D. Morris of Roxboro is president, W. E. Sparger of Mt. Airy and Robert Van Trine of Durham, vice presidents, and R. E. Kep ler of Durham is secretary-treas urer. Among the directors are E. O. Freeman of Aberdeeni R. S. DuRant of Tryon and N. M. Shenk, formerly of . Southern Pines.. George Case and Warren F. Sheldon met at the polling place and cast their votes to gether in Southern Pines last Tuesday, Nov. 7, 1944. They recalled that they did the same thing just 44 years ago, voting together in a national election in New England. Funeral Services for Dr. Kelly Are Held at Old Union Widely Known Phar macist, Son of Head of Union Home School Funeral services for Dr. E. Frank Kelly, 65, were conducted at Union Presbyterian Church near Carthage at 2:00 p. m. Sat urday, Nov. 4, followed by burial in the church cemetery. Dr. Kelly, a native of Carthage, i^ied at his home in Texas, Md., on October 27. He was the son of the late John A. Kelly, who v/as widely known through his work as head of the once famous Union Home School. br. Kelly had served as sec retary of the American Pharma ceutical Association since 1920. One of the best-known pharma cists in the nation, he was chair man of the American Council of Pharmacy, member of the board of trustees of the American Phar- macopaeia, and advisory dean of the Department of Pharmacy, University of Maryland. He was born in Carthage July 2, 1879, studied at State College in 1896-97, and was graduated from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in 1902. Surviving are his wife, the for mer Marian Law; two sons, Capt. Pvander Kelly, with the Army overseas, and Kenneth Kelly of Washington, D. C.; a daughter, Mrs. Kathleen Kelly Kilgore; a half sister, Mrs. Ellen Kelly Lee of Wake County; a half brother, John Kelly of Arkansas, and a number of cousins living in this section. G. Frederick Cole Passes in Durham George Frederick Cole, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Frederick Cole of 10 Ridge Street, Southern Pines, passed away at Duke Hos pital, Durham, on October 31 at the age of 38. He was born in Upper Mont clair, N. J., coming with his pa rents to Southern Pines at the age of thirteen years. He was a grad uate of Southern Pines High School and of the University of North Carolina in the class of 1930. Going to Washington, D. C., in 1934, he served for nearly ten years in a branch of the War De partment. He tried but was un able to enter the war service, and in August of this year had to leave his work and comb home on account of illness. He was a member of the First Church of Christ. SciP'^+i''t, in Washington and was hlghljr efi. teemed by a host ot frienuo. . SCRAP PAPER DRIVE MAJ. J. H. PATTERSON Promotion of Joseph Patterson to the rank of major has been an nounced from Twelfth Air Force Headquarters in Italy. Major Pat terson is adjutant with a Medit erranean-based B-26 Mitchell medium bombardment headquar ters. He entered the Army Air Forces in October, 1941, and is a graduate of the first class of the AAF staff school. Ariving oversease in November 1943, the major served in Hawaii from October 1, 1941, to March 10, 1943. His wife is residing at Wilmington and his mother, Mrs. R. E. Patterson lives in Manly. Veterinarians As Luncheon Speakers Their Chief Job Is Inspection of Food, Army Officers Say BY HOWARD F. BURNS Capt. L. R. Wempe and Major Frank W. Jordan, veterinarians from Camp Mackall, in brief ad dresses to the Kiwanis Club Wed nesday at the Southern Pines Country Club, told of the work that the veterinarians are doing in World’s War II. Capt. ■^empe made the opening talk in giving a brief outline of the work the veterinarians • are doing now that we have a mech anized army. Their chief job now, he said, is the inspection of food products for men in the Armed Forces. He stated this service is a branch of the Medical Corps. All officers are graduate veterinar ians and the enlisted men are made up largely of students study ing veterinary and animal hus bandry. Major Frank W. Jordan in his talk declared the veterinarians are considered the greatest mo rale builders in the service. Con tinuing, he stated there is noth ing that will break the morale of a soldier more than poor food. He (Continued on Page 8) Seaman John Newton Considers 12, Instead of 13, His Unlucky Number "Tin Fish" Hits Ship at 12 Minutes After 12:00 on September 12 FIVE MEN GO TO FT. BRAGG TUESDAY Five young colored men from Moore County went to Fort Bragg Tuesday for pre-induction exam ination: Thomas Haywood Cas- saday of Southern Pines, Clarence Frye of Pinehurst, Odis Spencer of Eagle Springs Route 1, and Jesse James McLauchlin and Na thaniel Marshall, both of Rob bins Route 1. Boy Scouts of .Southern Pines will conduct a scrap paper col lection beginning at 3:00 o’clock Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 22, ac cording to an announcement by Scoutmaster T. K. Gunter, Jr. Full details will be given next week. IN VETERANS' HOSPITAL To be first torpedoed and left help^less, then to b.e pushed around by one of the most vicious hurricanes ever spawned in the Carribbean was the fate of the merchant ship whose Navy gun crew members have recently re turned to the Armed Guard Cen ter at New Orleans, La., with tales of seven days at sea packed with perils enough for as many months, says a release from that base. “I used to think 13 was the un lucky number, but from here on in 12 is the baby I’ll steer clear of”, said John S. Newton, seaman first class, USNR, of Southern Pines, who was one of the Navy gunners aboard. ‘Why? ... because it was on the night of September 12, at exact ly 12 minutes past 12, that things began happening to us. Our ship was traveling along the Atlantic coast, when without any warning or alert a couple of torpedoes were aimed our way.” The first tin fish hit the vessel squarely, and a se.cond churned past the stern, uncomfortably close. “We didn’t see the sub for some time after we were hit,” Newton recalled, “but we could hear her engines as she circled the ship.” “Then she surfaced, evidently thinking to finish us off, but we had different ideas. We let go two hot rounds of ammunition. She crash-dived, and that’s the last we saw of her.” ' (Navy officials have released the information that the torpeo- doing of the merchant ship was the first to occur on the Atlantic coast since last Depember.) Net result of the encounter: the cargo ship was unable to steer and had no power. Solution: a tow was secured and things were looking brighter until two days later, when the hurricane over took them and dealt mercilessly with the crippled merchantman. During the early stages of the 12-hour storm the tow line snap ped. “There we were, wallowing in the trough of the huge seas (Continued on Page 5) AVOIDS "12' D. G. Frye, county mechanic, suffered a heart attack Sunday and was carried to the Veterai^s’ Hospital near Fayetteville, where he is said to be getting along nicely. and Women in the Service of U.S.A. Col. William Fisher Here From China; Pvl. Alex Cameron al Home SEAMAN JOHN S. NEWTON Pine Needles Inn Opens November 15 Pine Needles Inn, one of this re sort sections finest hotels, will open formally next Wednesday, November 15, with Emmett E. Boone, as manager and with ad vance bookings indicating a suc cessful sea'son ahead. Mr. Boone, a hotel man of wide experience, operated the Pine Needles for sev eral years before the hotel was taken over by the AAFTTC, his last season there being that of 1940-41, and he is receiving a warm welcome back to the Sand hills. Painters and decorators have completed the revamping of the interior of the building, the grounds are a velvety green, and the golf courses are in excellent condition. Mr. Boone stated that guests for the telephone convention to be held next week are expected to begin arriving Saturday and Sunday, before the formal open ing. Col. William Fisher, recently returned from China where he was in command of a group of Liberator bombers in the 14th Air Force, arrived in Southern Pines from Washington, D. C Tuesday night to spend several weeks’ leave. Col Fisher will go back to Washington from here and will be a member of General Ar nold’s staff. He is the son of Mrs. Elinor Fisher of Southern P and Park W. Fisher of Sanford. Pvt. Alex Cameron arrived in Southern Pines Sunday night from Northington General Hospi tal, Tuscaloosa, Ala., where he was sent on his return from over seas, and is spending a convales cent furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Cameron. Cpl. John Yonkers, 23, nephew of William S. Yonkers of Manly, has been reported missing in ac tion. He failed to return from a bomber raid, presumably over Germany, as he was based in Italy with a bomber crew as gunner. He ha4. been overseas only six weeks. Cpl. Yonkers was born in South ern Pines and entered service ir July, 1942. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. N. J. Yonkers of Wal- lington, N. Y. His father former ly ran a shoe shop here. 2nd Lt. R. H. Upchurch, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. K. Upchurch of Highfalls, has been missing in action over China since October 7, his parents have been informed. Lt. Upchurch graduated from Highfalls high school in 1941, worked a yeir in North American Bomber Plant, Santa Monica, Calif, and as soon as he was eight een enlisted in the Air Corps. He received his wings last Ferbrary at Eagle Pass, Texas, was sent to India and later to China. Capt. J. D. Sitterson, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Sitterson of Southern Pines, is now in Eng land, his parents have learned. Lt. William E. Gray, son of Mrs. Stanley M. Prior and grand son of Mrs. Lawrence Barr of Pinehurst, has recently been awarded the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster. Lt. Margaret Montesanti, ANC, s with her family here on leave from the regional hospital at Camp Lee, Va. M|Sgt. Doyle Miller of Esler Field, La., spent a few days re cently with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Miller, in Carthage. Lt. Margaret Bogle of the Greensboro Air Base spent a few days recently here as the guest of Mrs. D. J. Welch, returning to Greensboro Tuesday. Pvt. Lewis Pate was here from the induction center at Fort Bragg for a weekend visit. Pvt. Billy Clegg of Keesler Field, Miss., is spending a 10-day furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Clegg, of Carthage. KILLED IN ACTION Melvin McCaskilL 39, of Pinehurst, a member of an anti-tank company with the 79th Division, was killed in action in France on October 27, according to information re ceived by his relatives. A son of Mrs. Margaret D. McCaskill and the late J. A. McCaskill, he was born ini Biscoe, but spent most of his life in Pine hurst. He graduated from Pine hurst ' High School with the first class in 1924. and later worked in the General Office. Husband of Local Girl Is Hero of i^xciting War Tale 2nd Lt. Ira F. Peak Blows Up Bridge in Holland, Under Fire CONGRATULATIONS THE PILOT extends congrat ulations to Mrs. Frank Welch, who is this week celebrating the twenty-first anniversary of the opening of Welch’s Gift Shop. This attractive shop enjoys a wide patronage from throughout the Sandhills. SP Does Well in War Fund Drive One of the most thrilling tales with a local tie-up to come out of the War has for its hero 2nd Lt. Ira F. Peak, husband of the former Jean Chester of Southern Pines and Aberdeen. It was re ported from Holland by Roger Greene under the heading, “Blows Up Bridge Under Fire; Yank Out does Movie Star.” “A real life version of Gary Cooper’s bridge-blowing feat in ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ was enacted by a daring young Ame lean second lieutenant on this front in Eastern Holland. “The Germans had just com pleted a bridge across the Wessem Canal south of Weert, and its des truction was so vital that the American commander considered throwing a whole battalion into a daylight attack to wreck it. ‘Give me five men to cover me and I’ll do it alone,” volun teered Second Lt. Ira F. Peak of the engineer unit. “In the dead of night Peak and five volunteers crawled for ward to the canal bank, and Peak, leaving the others to watch for the enemy, slipped under the bridge and went to work with his explo sives. “All went well until one of the men slipped and a rock splash ed into the canal. The noise roused a German sentry who came run ning onto the bridge with a ma chine gun spotted Peak’s half- hidden form amid the girders un der the bridge and opened fire. “Peak cooly went on wiring his explosives to the underbelly of the bridge while bursts fired by his covering details kept the German from' going after Peak. “The job Was completed and Peak with the others made a dash across the road. “The German sentry ran back for reinforcements ,and came chas ing back. Two-hundred yards down the road Peak had his el ectric detonator. As the Germans raced across the bridge, Peak threw the switch, blowing the bridge and the enemy sky-high. “Next morning American pa trols inspected the bridge in day light and found it demolished, with the bodies of six Germans scattered along the canal bank.” Mrs. Peak is the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. P. J. Chester. ANNUAL MEETING J. D. Hobbs, Southern Pines chairman of the Community War Fund, announced this week that the town, with a quota of $3,000, had reached $3,768.39. Tlie Sou thern Pines School raised $168.40 and West Southern Pines School, $156.46. Mr. Hobbs is deeply apprecia tive of the splendid cooperation given by his corps of workers, the schools, and the public in gen eral. All members of Ihe South ern Pines Chapter of the Red Cross are urgently requested to attend the annual meeting of the Moore County Chap ter to be held Friday, Nov ember 10. at 3:00 p. m. in the Courthouse. Carthage. Democratic Ticket Gets Big Majority in Moore County Incomplete Returns Show County Strong for Pres. Roosevelt Official county returns are,be ing compiled in Carthage as this is written, but it is definitely es tablished that Moore County, along with the State of North Car olina, was substantially Demo cratic in Tuesdays elections. Pres ident Roosevelt carried the State by a handsome majority and the margin for R. Gregg Cherry for governor and the entire Demo cratic ticket was wide. In Southern Pines the total vote was 757, with 88 absentee bal lots. Roosevelt polled 490 to Dewey’s 263, and Cherry’s vote was 545 to Patton’s 192. All of the Democratic candidates were given large majorities here. On the county ticket Southern Pines gave the candidates for the State Senate the following vote: McBryde, 509; Ross, 515; Seawell, 202; West, 186. Currie for the House of Representatives polled 540 to Trotter’s 184. Judge Ifowe of the Recorder’s Court led the ticket with 547 to 181 for his op ponent, Adkins, and McKeithen led Barrett in the race for prose cuting attorney 533 to 184. SP Football Team Defeats Carthage and Ties Robbins Team Will Appreciate Donations for Equipment; Game Here Today BE PATIENT, PLEASE AMERICAN LEGION The Central Carolina Tele- /phone Company, which serves Southern Pines and other towns of the Sandhills, is asking the public to be patient with the operators as the number of long distance calls is greater than ever before, due to the concentration of military personnel in this area. Several of their operators have been off duty because of illness and it is impossible to get any one for relief work. The public is requested to limit calls to those of an essential nature. The regular meeting of the Sandhills Post No. 134 of the American Legion will be held on Tuesday evening, November 14, at the American Legion Hut in Southern Pines at 8:30 p. m. sharp. All Legionnaires are urged to attend. BY JIMMY HARRINGTON The Southern Pines football team got off to a rather late start Wednesday, Nov. 1, with a game at Carthage. Starting off with a touchdown in the first quar ter, Southern Pines seemed to be on the road to victory until Car thage scored with a pass com pleted in the end-zone. With the score tied 6 to 6, the battle see sawed back and forth until the fourth quarter, when Alton Blue received a pass on a sleeper play and went over for a touchdown. The conversion failed, leaving the score 12 to 6. Then, with about four minutes to play, John Neal intercepted a Carthage pass and the Southern Pines team headed up the field. Bobby Straka took the ball through the right end of the line and went over standing up for the score. Carthage fought gamely, but the game ended be fore they had a chance to score. The line-up for Southern Pines was: Donald Scheipers fb, John John Neal hb, Bobby Straka qb, Chan Page c, Alton Blue e, and Clyde Smith e. Touchdowns were made by Alton Blue (2) and Bobby Straka. The first home game of the sea son was held on Friday, Nov. 3, with Robbins. Robbins had prev iously beaten Carthage, so the game promised to be interesting, as the winner would be top team in the county. ,Southern Pines made the first touchdown in the first quarter (Continued on Page 8) THIEF MAKES HAUL AT PHARMACY HOLIDAY On Saturday, November 11, Armistice Day, The Citizens Bank and Trust Company will be ' closed. At 2:00 o’clock Wednesday morning while Police Officer Ir win Morrison and an M. P. from Camp Mackall were engaged in arresting a lieutenant (whose name is not available) for drunk en driving, parties unknown at this writing jimmied open the front door of Broad Street Phar macy. A hasty check-up placed the loss at less than $100. Articles stolen included several pieces of jewelry and a small sum from the cash register. The arrest of the lieutenant took place at Bennett Street and New Hampshire Avenue. 'Die of ficer resisted and as a result, all concerned were more or less “banged up.” •