North Carolina Newspapers

VOL. 31—NO. 5 24 PAGES THIS WEEK Southern Pines, N. C. Friday, December 23, 1949 24 PAGES THIS WEEK TEN CENTS '6 t Hoey Acts In Answer To Local Wire, The Pilot’s ‘‘Man Of The Week” ^ Asks President’s Aid In Coal Crisis Chamber Commerce Sees Disaster Threat In Fuel Shortage Senator Clyde R. Hoey re plied on Wednesday to a wire from the local Chamber of Commerce on the coal crisis, sending a telegraphed mes-- sage: "Am presenting this matter to the President and urging that immediate action be taken." It looked like a chilly Christ mas ahead for many local fam ilies this week, as the coalyard remained empty and household bins got down to their last few lumps. With no relief of the shortage in sight, disaster appear ed inevitable if a cold wave should strike here. Harry FuUenwider, president of the Chamber of Commerce, on Tuesday wired President Truman, Governor'W. Kerr Scott, Senators Hoey. and Graham and Congress man C. B. Deane as follows: “The coal situation in the towns of Southern Pines, Aberdeen and Pinehurst, N. C., critical. Supply received under three-day work week insufficient even if forth coming as promised. Your help in » this emergency is urgently need ed.” In this action he followed the lead of Chester I. Williams, pres ident of the Pinehurst Chamber of Commerce, who sent telegrams Monday detailing the gravity of the situation. Before wiring on behalf of the local Chamber, Mr. FuUenwider conferred with dalers of Southern Pines and Aberdeen, who assured him that the picture had not been in the least over drawn. Law Is Available “One or two telegrams might not accomplish much, but if oth ers in similaf plight express themselves something may be done,” Mr. FuUenwider said. “The government has it in its power to help. It has a law which it can use. If the law stands * on the books without being invoked in an emergency of this kind, then it appears as a gesture, nothing more.” _ C. E. Holt, manager of the Chandler-Holt Ice and Fuel com pany, expressed himself strongly as feeling that the Taft-Hartley law should be invoked in full measure before real winter • strikes. “The three-day work week can never supply ' all the coal that is needed,” he said. “Our sources have promised us only 50 per cent of our regular contracts. They have lived up to this pledge fairly well but, even if they ful- fiUed it in full, the shortage would remain acute.” bCld Weather Is Help The only thing that has headed off real suffering here so far, he declared, has been the mild weather—and this may end any minute. In fact, uo matter how mild December is, January and (Continued on page 5) HOLLY TREE One of the most beautiful sights of this Cbristmas-Ut town—or anywhere in the stale, for that matter—is the holly tree in front of the post office, which has been flood lit for the Christmas seasom The 50-foot 'tree yrlth its twin trunk and graceful branches sweeping close to the ground is a handsome sight at any time. Its load of crim son berries is richer this year than in many years past. The floodlights have been placed low so that each night the tree stands ba'tbed in an eth ereal glow, blushing red with the wealth of berries— nature's own Christmas tree ornamentation. Many visitors come nightly to admire the sight. The floodlighting is part gf the Chamber of Commerce ChrUlmas decorating pro gram, along with the strings of colored lights brightening the business district on each side, and those lighting a tall magnolia in the heart of town. Christmas Services Will Hail Day of Joy Two Young Men Die In Cra&h Of Car And Truck Coroner's Jury Binds Both Drivers To Superior Court Moore county’s second fatal ac cident within one week, like the other claiming the lives of two young men, occurred last Friday about 4:15 p. m. on NC Highway 705, between Robbins and Sea- grove. As in the tragedy of the pre vious Saturday, the victims were closely related and the driver of the death car was the \ brother of one of them. Fatally injured Friday when the 1931 Ford coupe in which they were riding north collided with a 1949 GMC two-ton truck were Carson Brown, 22, and his nephew, James Henry Brown, 16, both of Steeds, Rt. 1. Rushed by ambulance to Moore County hos pital, James Henry died en route and Carson soon after ari'ival. Received as patients at the hos pital, were Hardin Brown, 28, driver of the coupe, and Ferral Ray Brown, 16, brothers of Car- son and uncles of John Henry. Both were treated for severe lac erations and bruises, and Hardin Brown had also a slight concus sion. They were dismissed wtih- in two or three days. Shaken up, but not hospitaliz ed, were the three persons in the truck—Joseph Henry Cochran, the driver, and two teen-age boys, James Stewart and Russell Hus- (Continued on Page 5) Cited For Outstanding Community Service MERRY CHRISTMAS from THE PILOT Legion Sponsors “Tide of Toys” For Children Overseas Christmas Exhibit Of Sacred Art At Fine Arts Room Draws Many Visitors The opening of the Fine Arts Gallery of the Library took place on Monday in the form of a Christmas Exhibition. Those who enter the new room this week and next will see on the walls re productions of paintings of the great masters, depicting the Christmas scene: The Journey to Bethlehem, the Madonna and Child, the Adoration of the Magi. The collection is a loan of prints from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It will hang in the gallery through New Year’s, and will then be sent back. All this happens free of charge, with all expenses born by the museum, which considers such loan show ings a suitable phase of its edu cational work. Mrs. James Boyd, chairman of theJjibrairy’s Fline Arts committee, visited the museum when in New York and chose the prints. . . “They are not their best prints,” she said. “We were late making our request and they had already sent out the best ones, but we think they are very lovely.” Hung on the, walls at the Libra ry are Madonnas by Raphael, Fil- lippino Lippi, Giotto, Boticelli, (loaned by Mrs. Burt), Bellini, of the Florentine School. There is a lovely triptyche effect, a Fra An- geliQO Madonna of the Annuncia tion, flanked by two angels play ing on instruments. The rare Italian brocade against which they are hung is the loan of Mrs. Clifford Smith, who gave gener ously of her time and decorative skill. There is a delicate Perugin in a wide gold circle frame, and on the farther wall at the left, are a series of smaller prints: the Journey to Bethlehem, the Pro cession of the Kings, and the Na tivity. One of the most striking ar rangements is the gold altarpiece effect of Flemish paintings: two groups of angels by Van Eyck and a Hans Memling madonna in brilliant red robes. Holly and the green stars of pine-tops, set against a gold background add to .the richness of the exhibition. This is the first of a series, of exhibits on the order of those of last year, which will be held in the Fine Arts Room during the winter and spring. The next on the calendar is a collection of etchings and lithographs, the work of some of the best known contemporary artists. Even as “visions of sugar plums” are dancing through the children’s heads, plans are being made for a good use for their ex cess toys, or old ohes supplanted by new at Christmas time. Beginning immediately after Christmas, the American Legie-n will start the collection of a “Tide of Toys’’ to send to children of western Europe, most of whom will have a bleak time of it at Christmas. The Sandhills post will coop erate with the nationwide move ment, on request of R. C. Godwin, department commander, said Post Commander Charles W. Swoope this week. Collection boxes will be placed in business houses about town as soon as they reopen after the Christmas holiday, to receive used toys, in good condition, to add to the Legion’s “shipload of happiness.” Each child contributing a toy is asked to send with it a signed note of greeting to a child in Eu rope. The country to which the donor wishes his toy to be sent may also be specified, by attach ing a tag, if desired. ’The nationwide drive, announc ed last Sunday, will enlist the active participation of 17, 332 Le gion posts. City and school of ficials and the general public are also being asked to cooperate. . “American aid to Europe has been regarded by some as a cold blooded government handout. We have a long way to go in demon strating that this aid really comes from all the American people,” said Commander Swoope. “Through this program of, the Tide of Toys we want to let the children of Europe know that they have real American friends.” HOLIDAY Both Monday and Tuesday will be observed as a Christ mas holiday by the Citizens Bank and Trust company, in line with the action of other banks throughout the stale. SE^turday evening, how ever, it will offer an unusual Christmas Eve service to the merchants, staying open from 8 to 8:30 to receive their deposits. No other banking services will be offered at this time. Monday will be observed as a general business holiday here, with some stores prob ably closed on Tuesday also. City offices will be closed Monday, also the Library. FIRST SUNCRUISE Resort Airlines will inaug urate its "Palmlands Sun- cruise" January 7. The initial trip will carry a number of .travel editors of prominent northern newspapers and travel magazines from New York to Resort Airport here. Upon their arrival here, they will be guests for a lun cheon and visit at the airport and the surrounding resort area. They will then continue to Miami, Fla., Grand Baha mas, Nassau: and following two days in Havana, Cuba, they will return via Miami, Pinehurst - Southern Pines Airport to New York. This cruise will be sold in New York by Thomas Cook and Son. Other cruises to Mexico, the Caribbean Islands, and Ven ezuela are expected to com mence on January 15. Midwinter Junior Horse Show A\ Pinehurst Monday Christmas Looks Brighter As Stolen Cash Conies Home Prospects for a happy Christ mas, brightened amazingly for Claude and Vera Blue, West Southern Pines couple, when Chief C. E. Newton turned over to them this week 1,900 hard- earned dollars they had feared they would never see again. The $1,900 was in the form of a certified check, handed over by counsel for one May JVIitchell, gypsy woman who had been charged with stealing that amount The 13th Annual Junior Horse show, a traditional part of the Christmas program in Pinehurst, will be held in the riding ring of the Carolina hotel Monday be ginning at 2 p. m. The show is termed “Junior” solely to signify that it is not a full-fledged official horse show operated under American Horse Show Association sponsorship. The use of the term does not mean that it is limited to junior riders. Horsemen and women of any age, both amateur and pro fessional, are eligible, and some of the country’s leading riders and horses will be seen in action. A number of hotels and clubs in Pinehurst and vicinity have donated prizes, to be given in ad dition to the traditional ribbons. Dennis Crotty, sports director for the Carolina hotel, who is in charge of arrangements, announc ed that there will be eight classes, as follows (not necessarily to be run in the order listed): Lead line class for children under six years of age; children’s horsemanship, 16 years and un der; children’s hunters; pairs of hacks; open jumping; handy hunters or knock down and out; green hunters, and working hunt ers. There will be no entry fee and no admission charge for specta tors. Entries may be mad^ at the post, but intending competitors are asked to be on time in order that the program may go through without delay. The block on Blue road oppo site the riding ring paddock will be closed to traffic from 1:30 p. m., to accommodate horse vans. Tuesday evening, the manage ment of the Carolina Hotel will entertain participants ' in this show and in previous gymkhanas in the same ring as guests of the hotel at a special Gymkhana Ex hibitors dance in the Pine room. The dance will begin at 9:30. LIGHTS! The names of the judges of the lighting effects in town were announced todiay by Harry FuUenwider, president of the Chamber of Cbmanerce. which is sponsoring the con test. Mrs. E. Nolley Jackson, Mrs. Claude Reams and Mrs. R M McMillan have accepted this critical responsibUity and will lake time off over the weekend and during the com ing week, to make the rounds. Three prizes are being awarded in each group: busi ness and residential displays, with $10.00 going to the two winners and $5.00 to the two pairs next in line. For the last few years this gay Ughting contest has taken place, and this year, though there may not be quite as many entries as last, it would seem as if some of them were even more colorful than usual. IncidentaUy, there is a strong sentiment for leaving the displays' up, at least through New Year's ... as an added zest to bringing that happy event in with a bang! Two Churches Plan Worship At Midnight Festivities Scheduled Town May Save 120,000 Or More On Water Bonds Total Of Low Bids Less Than Estimate; Bond Sale Sought from the Negro woman during three-day stay as an uninvited guest in her home. The gypsy had vanished, to be seen no more un til two weeks ago when she was arrested in Salisbury. The case against May Mitchell was docketed in recorders court at Carthage Monday. The gypsy did not appear, for very good reason, it turned out—^she was in Central prison, Raleigh, starting on a 15 months’ sentence hand ed out in the Rowsui County court on larceny charges. Charles L. Coggin, of Salisbury, former special judge of superior court, represented her at Carth age, offering a plea of guilty of forcible trespass in lieu of the grand larceny charge which stood against her. Judge Rowe made a swap which met with the approv al of all concerned, he accepted the plea to the lesser charge on condition the $1,900 be repaid in full, and that the defendant also ■pay court costs. No testimony was offered. Chief Newton said later. “Vfera was lucky. She had about > one chance in 1,000 of getting her money back. We’re mighty hap py things worked out this way. “Why people still fall for the old flim-flam nobody knows. This case should stand as a warn ing to unsuspecting folk who might meet up with one of these racketeers. They’re mighty smooth, and they know just how to flatter their victims into sub mission, holding out promises of sudden wealth. It’s an old trick but it still works!” The gypsy woman, said to be good-looking and well-dressed, entered the Blues’ home unin vited, and left only after inducing Vera to allow her money to be “blessed,” a procedure supposed to cause the couple’s life savings to. increase greatly in amount. Ih- stead, the roll of cash disappear ed with the gypsy. Taken to Salisbury by Chief Newton on word that the woman was in 'custody there, Vera iden^ tified her positively, though the gypsy gave her no sign of recog nition. However, this week Vera and her husband had their money back again. They kept it only a littl while—just long enough to get it to the bank After okaying the amount of $275,000 for enlargement of the filter plant and water system, Southern Pines taxpayers stand to save an estimated $20,000 or more. Bids opened at a special town board session December 13 indi cated that costs will not be as great as anticipated. Low bids totaled $218,557.30 With new equipment already bought in advance, and provision for .engineering fees and contin gencies, sealed bids are now be ing sought for $255,000 in town water bonds, which amount it is believed will cover the whole costs. Bids on the bonds will be re ceived until 11 a. m. January 10 at the office of the Local Govern ment Commission at Raleigh, ac cording to an advertisement of the Town of Southern. Pines now running. Low bids on the project were as follows, said Howard F. Burns, town clerk aftd treasurer: Boyd and Goforth, of Charlotte, $105,- 100 for enlargement of the filter plant from million-gallon to two- million-gallon capacity, with modernization and replacement of equipment; Zigler-Cline, Fayette ville, $98,357.30 for constructionu of four miles of 10-inch water mains; Colter and Chappell Elec tric company, $15,000 for electri- (Continued on page 5) Christmas services at Christmas will climax the holy season, re telling in song and sermon the centuries-old story of the Sav ior’s birth. It is a telling which began with musical programs last Sunday, when choral concerts in three churches drqw large worshiping crowds. At the Baptist church, the Presbyterian church and the Church of Wide Fellowship, sa cred music of great composers foretold the coming of Christmas. The Sacred Day itself will be welcomed with worship at mid night at the Catholic and Episco pal churches. At Emmaquel Church At Emmanuel Episcopal church,, a candlelight carol serv ice with Holy Communion will begin at 11:30 Christmas eve. Sunday morning Holy Com munion service, with sermon, will take place at 11 a. m. At 4 o’clock Christmas afternoon, the chil dren’s Christmas party will be held, with a tree, songs and gifts, and a program given by the Sun day School children for their fam ilies and friends. The Young Peo ple’s Service League will have charge of the tree, and St. Anne’s (juild of the presents. At St. Anthony's At St. Anthony’s Catholic church, midnight mass will begin 'at 12. From the start of the sol emn season of Advent, a time of penace observed throughout De cember, no flowers have been seen on the altar and the deep purple vestments have been used. For the Christmas mass all the colorful panoply of the Church will be brougM into play, with flowers, candles, incense and joy ous music. The church will be opened at 11:20 p. m. and the choir will give a program of carols until the mass begins. Holy Communion will be given at this mass and also the low masses Sunday at 8 and 10:30 In preparation, confessions will be held Saturday from 4:30 to 6, and 7:30 to 8:30 p. m. Presbyterian Church At Brownson Memorial Pres byterian church, the regular hours of 9:45 a. m. for the Sun day school and 11 for worship service will be observed. At 7 p. m. Friday (tonight) a candlelight service will be held for the Sun day School children, with a pro gram, a tree and gifts in the church basement. The program will be in charge of the Youth Fellowship group, which also on Christmas day will deliver gifts to children in the Negro division of the N. C. Sanatorium at Mc Cain. Church of Wide Fellowship Services at . the Chutch of Wide Fellowship will begin at 9:45 Christmas morning with a Sun day School program in which all the children will take part. There will be songs, instrumental music, (Continued on Page 5) Post Office Staff Gasping But Game In Midst Of Biggest Christmas Mail The post office people were still holding up, and even able to smile, by mid-week—^but maybe the smile came from the thought that soon all this would be over. They have just been through the biggest Christmas in the his tory of the Southern Pines post office, according to figures given by Postmaster A. Garland Pierce, who said that from December 1 through December 21, 156,163 sep arate pieces of mail (not counting parcel post) were sent out from here. Cancellations Monday,. Tuesday and Wednesday of this week numbered 49,296, or almost one- third of the whole torrent of Christmas mail. Biggest day this season—and in local post office history—was Monday, with 19,715 cancellations. After that, the de cline set in. The parcel post window will be open until 9 o’clock Saturday night, and plans are to clear out all Christmas mail by that time. Sunday—Christmas day — there will be no postal activity except for special delivery. No mail will be put in boxes, or worked at all, as the staff takes its only com plete holiday of the year. The December cancellations ran about eight per cent over those of the same time last year,_ said Mr. Pierce. In the first 2l’ days of December, 1948, 143,032 pieces of mail were checked out. There has also been a heavy nm of parcel post this year, as increased railway express rates have diverted many parcels to the mails. While incoming mail gen erally maintains about the same pace as outgoing, in parcel post it is different. Commercial ship ments to stores and packages or dered from other towns and states increase income over outgo by about three to one. With slightly increased postal rates effective this year, receipts have gone up even more sharply than actual cancellations. Present indications are that the local post office will move up into another bracket, Mr. Pierce said, as for the first time the receipts are very close to the $50,000 mark for the year and this dividing line will probably be crossed by Janu ary 1, 1950.