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VOL. 31—NO. 34
C of C Meeting
Sees Plans Begun
For Coming Season
■ Membership Report
Is Good Though
Treasury Bare
14 PAGES THIS WEEK
FOR THE KIDS
SOUTHERN PINES. NORTH CAROLINA. FRIDAY. JULY 14, 1950
Father Wellman And Author Son
14 PAGES THIS WEEK
TEN CENTS
Will Have Guest Register,
Calendar of Events,
Card File of Services
Chamber of Commerce direc
tors in regular meeting Tuesday
Discussed the coming munici
pal reterenda, studied both issues
and analyzed objections to each
which they had heard voiced, and
passed a resolution urging public
support of both proposals to be
voted on August 15 (published
elsewhere on this page).
Opened the program of secur
ing conventions for the coming
year, asking that any citizen at
tending a convention check with
the secretary, Mrs. Madeline
Prim, for data to support an invi
tation to meet here next.
Heard a letter from the mana
ger of the Detroit Tigers’ farm
clubs which held spring training
here this year, expressing thanks
for courtesies accorded them and
hopes of returning next spring.
Approved the acquiring of
'book to serve as a visitors’ guest
register, to help tourists locate
friends in town and to enable
them to record their own pres
ence here, something many of
them have wished to do.
Decided to keep a calendar of
' coming events for the public, to
be posted at the Chamber office
and in all the hotels, and to ask
all organizations staging dances,
barbecues, fiddlers’ conventions,
’benefit bridge and bingo parties,
lectures, concerts or the like to
set their dates, early and notify
the Chamber secretary so they
inay be put on the calendar.
Expressed interest in a proposal
to sponsor a tri-city directory
with Aberdeen and Pinehurst, in
viting a representative of the Hill
Directory Co., Inc.- of Richmond,
Va., to pay a visit and explain his
proposition. I
Planned a “clean-up, fix-up,
paint-up’’ campaign to be spon
sored jointly with the Town, as
last year, to be held probably in
Oc%)ber in conjunction with Fire
Prevention week.
Foresaw benefits to the Cham-
I her in a project of Mrs. Madeline
Prim, secretary, to keep a card
list of services sought by tran
sients and visitors here, and of
referrals made to Chamber mem
bers.
Were commended by their pres
ident, Harry Fullenwider, for
their interest and support, which
has brought the Chamber to the
last quarter of its fiscal year (end
ing in October) with 89 paid-pp,
active members and all back bills
paid up but two Current obliga
tions are in process of being met
and the treasury is Mother Hub
bard’s cupboard.
Were reminded that seven new
. directors, maybe eight, are to be
elected in October. In view of the
fact that the board is meeting
only once a month during the
summer. President Fullenwider
named George Pottle, A. C. Reed
and Amos Dawson, Jr., as a com
mittee to study the field and pre
pare a list of nominees.
Adjourned with the satisfaction
of a busy evening well spent, and
with plans for a busy 1950-51 sea
son already getting under way.
SAVINGS BONDS
Kids—have you registered for
the junior tennis tournament, due
to start Monday, July 31?
This will be the first event to
follow completion of the two new
town courts. Finals will be held
at night, under the lights.
The tournament is for two age
groups—up through 15 years old,
and 16 through 18, with singles
land doubles for both boys and
j girls, also mixed doubles. Tro
phies will be given.
The event is part of the summter
recreation program, with the
Sandhills Tennis association co
operating. Register with Director
A. C. Dawson, Jr., at the Foxhole.
For weekly highlights of the
summer recreation program, see
the schedule printed on Page 5.
.5?
W. C. Fownes,
Steelman, Oolfer
Dies At Oakmont
Three Break-Ins
And Convict Hunt
Keep Police Busy
Covington Picked Up
On Highway 1
Monday Afternoon
Against a bav;kgiuund ol Sandhills forest—Manly Wade Wellman,
author of “The Raiders of Beaver Lake,” with (le^ his father Dr.
Frederick Creighton Wellman, to whom the book is dedicated. Dr.
Wellman, also an author, formerly lived in Pinebluff, now lives in
Chapel Hill.
William C. Fownes, Jr., 72, of
Southern Pines and Oakmont, Pa.,
died Tuesday, July 4, at his sum
mer home at Oakmont, following
heart attack suffered in con
valescence from an operation per
formed June 21.
Dr. T. A. Cheatham of Pine
hurst officiated at the funeral
sesvices. Burial was private.
Mr. Fownes was a leading fig
ure in the history of Pittsburgh
steel manufacturing, up to his re
tirement 20 years ago. He was also
at the very top in the golf world
for a number of years, and was
a former National Amateur cham
pion.
Since his retirement in 1920 he
spent much of his time at his
home in Knollwood here, which
includes a modern small farm,
and had taken part in the social
and golfing life of the Sandhill
(Continued on Page 5)
Wellmaii’s New Book For Boys Has
Moore County Background And Flavor
Manly Wade Wellman has writ- awards for two previous Wellman
ten a book for boys, laid in Moore j adventure stories,
county.
“The Raiders of Beaver Lake,”
issued this month'by Thomas Nel
son and Sons, is all Moore from
the first page, where the hero gets
off the train at Aberdeen, to the
last, where Randy Hunter and his
friends celebrate the plot’s happy
outcome with a fish fry on the
home farm near Drowning creek.
Between Page 1 and Page 160
is a story filled with more adven
ture and excitement than is gen
erally found in Moore county,
made plausible by the lively writ
ing, nature lore and knowledge of
boys and their activities which
have won Junior Literary Guild
Moore county is within
$11,000 of the Independence
Drive goal, and must buy this
amount in Scries E, U. S.
Savings bonds by tomorrow
(Saturday) if the quota is to
be met. according to an an
nouncement by E. C. Stevens,
county Savings Bond sales
chairman.
Moore has stayed ahead
during the drive and two
weeks ago was listed as one
of the top 14 ij^ath Carolina
counties in boST purchases.
These 14 were all ahead in
percentage sales, while others
were just barely keeping up
and still others lagged. This
is the drive's final week.
Chamber Directors Endorse Election
After Analyzing Controversial Points
RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Directors of the Southern
Pines Chamber of Commerce, in regular meeting assembled at
the Chamber of Commerce office at 8 p.fii. on the 11th day of
July, 1950: , . • t
THAT WHEREAS the Directors, considering the issues ot a
town recreation levy and a town advertising appropriation, to
be presented to the voters Tuesday, August 15, to ascertain the
benefits and also the principal objections expressed thereto, have
found such objections to be three; (1) the possibility .of additional
taxes; (2) the sharing by non-taxpayers, living outside the city
limits, of benefits of which they do not share the cost; and (3) a
belief on the part of some people that the election was set only
so as to preclude the holding of a beer and wine referendum
August 26, and . ■ , j
WHEREAS the Directors have analyzed and investigated each
of these objections, concluding as follows: (1) that there is little
likelihood of a tax increase on account of these items, now or
later, as the Town has already been caring for these needs in
various ways, and wishes to fulfill them now in proportion to the
demands of the growing community, with approval of the voters;
(2) citizens resident in Southern Pines should not be penalized
by the fact that many persons live outside the city limits, but
should have what benefits can be afforded in accordance with
their need; and (3) there is absolutely no basis for the assumption
on the part of anyone that the issues were “cooked up” for ulte
rior motives, as the aforesaid issues are for the good of the town
and have been the subject of petitions and many requests to the
town board; also, the election was set for August 15 as the earli
est possible date after petitions were presented, and for the sole
purpose of getting the items covered by the election into the
1950-5X town budget, which must be submitted to the Local Gov
ernment Commission in Raleigh as soon as possible after July
3, and
WHEREAS the Directors consider planned recreation to be an
integral function and responsibility of municipal government, in
accordance with modern thought as reflected in the plans and
budgets of an increasing number of foresighted towns and cities;
and an advertising program such as was maintained for the many
years by the Town of Southern Pines to be essential to the de
velopment of a resort community such as this one,
NOW THEREFORE we, the Board of Directors of the South
ern Pines Chamber of Commerce, have voted unanimously to
support the issues to be voted upon on August 15, and have
passed this Resolutiori for the purpose of showing to the electo
rate of Southern Pines that they have made a careful investiga
tion of the facts surrounding this election, and that the members
of said board are convinced that the proposed levy for recreation
al purposes and the proposed advertising appropriation are in the
best interests of the people of the Town of Southern Pines; and
every qualified citizen is.respectfully urged to register in order
that he or'she may vote, and on the 15th day of August to vote
for the proposed measures as submitted to them at that time; and
that a copy of this Resolution be published in The Pilot, and that
it be spread upon the minutes of this meeting of the Board of
Directors.
By order of the Board of Directors, Southern Pines Chamber
of Commerce.
W. HARRY FULLENWIDER, President
' MADELINE PRIM, Secretary
Manly Wellman, successful au
thor of 20 years’ standing, has
lived in Pinebluff three and a half
years. He has many interests. Boy
Scouts among them, and “The
Raiders of Beaver Lake” bears
evidence not only of his interest
in but his knowledge of scouting,
which plays a large part in the
plot.
Familiar Touches
He is deeply studious of Moore
county history and the genpral
Sandhills scene, and the resulting
knowledgeable touches all
through the book will delight the
adults, as well as the youth, of
this area.
Moore county readers will rec
ognize descriptive touches, argue
over the precise locale of the farm
(Continued on Page 5)
General Wyehe
Decorates His
Old Campaigner
A member of the 79th Infantry
division, which saw action in
France from the invasion of Nor-,
mandy almost to the close of hos
tilities, received an honor at the
hands of his former commanding
general in a formal ceremony at
Friday night’s regular drill ses
sion of the National Guard.
Sgt. Charles Scarborough, now
a member of the local battery,
was presented the fourragere of
the Croix de Guerre by Maj. Gen.
Ira T. Wyche, of Pinehurst, now
retired.
The fourragere is the sleeve
braid to be worn as part of the
dress uniform of each member of
the Division, signifying the 79th’s
second award of the Croix de
Guerre. The unit citation was
made to General Wyche by a
French military attache in behalf
of his government at Indiantown
Gap, Pa., in June 1948, while part
of the 79th was in training there.
The division is now inactivated,
its members scattered all over the
United States.
Notices have been sent to the
“79-ers” informing each that he
is due to have the decoration.
Finding that one of his old cam
paigners was close by. General
Wyche made the presentation to
Sergeant Scarborough personally.
Commends Battery
Following the award General
Wyche spoke briefly to the mem
bers of the battery, commending
ithem for the service they were
rendering, and enjoining them to
pursue their training with unre
mitting purpose. “Events in Ko
rea today show that we must be'
strong, increase our strength and
be prepared for anything,” he told
them. “You are an important
part of home defense and, in time
of war, of national defense.”
He urged them to pay no heed
to those who felt their training
lacks value because “obsolete”
weapons, holdovers from World
War 2, are part of it. He pointed
out that in the current fighting
in Korea, the very weapons being
used by the local battery are
proving their worth all over
again.
A break—in Friday night, two
m'lio Saturday night and a hunt
for an escaped convict in between
featured weekend activities of the
city police, aided by Sheriff C. J.
McDonald and, highway patrol
men.
The search for Tom Covington,
about 26, escapee from the Gran
ville Prison camp at Oxford, end
ed Monday afternoon with the
pews that the man had been pick
ed up by the State Highway Pa
trol walking north on US 1 in
Chatham county, some miles be
yond Sanford.
This did not end the search
for the person or persons who
broke into Patch's Depart
ment store and Mack's Five-
and-Ten sometime during
Saturday night, as Chief C.
E. Newton said there was no
dbfinite link between these
incidents and Covington's
presence in the vicinity. En
try at both places was made
by breaking the front door
glass. At Patch's, nine pairs
of slacks were missing from a
rack in the Tog Shop, and
four fancy mOsh T-shirts
from a counter box.
At Mack's, cash totaling
$18 in face value—^worth con
siderably more to the owner
—was removed from a box in
a trunk on the office mezza
nine. The 1.400 Indianhead
pennies and four old. large-
size dollar bills were the per
sonal collection of Mrs. Thel
ma K. Holt, manager, made
over a period of years.
One roll of Indianhead pen
nies was found Tuesday in a
trash can behind the A P
store. Chief Newton said.
None of the rest of the loot
was located.
Last Friday morning, the po
lice were called to Diggs cafe, to
investigate a break-in in which
a piccolo had been broken and
robbed of some $40. Cruising in
the neighborhood, they saw a car
with South Carolina license park
ed a block and a half away. Neigh
bors said it had been there all
night. A search revealed that the
car was out of gas, and contained
papers bearing the name of Sam
uel F. Clark, of Rockingham.
Checking with Chief Allen of
Rockingham, Chief Newton found
that Tom Covington, prison camp
fugitive, had made his getaway
from police there Friday in the
Clark car. A companion, William
James, was apprehended. Coving
ton had six years to serve for
breaking and entry, larceny and
auto larceny. The two were re
ported to have stolen several cars
in their flight, running each tiU
the gas gave out.
Fled Into Woods
Chief Newton, who knew Cov
ington of old, accompanied by Pa
trolman Baker sped to the home
of Biggie Harrington, father-in-
law of the convict, at Manly. As
they drove up they saw Covington
in the yard. On spying the police
car, the man fled into the woods.
Radioing from the police car to
have bloodhounds sent, the po
licemen started a search of the
woods.
By the timte the bloodhounds
arrived from Rockingham the
trail extended to the woods near
Niagara. The animals sniffed their
way to a country road where fresh
cartracks indicated the fugitive
had caught a ride.
Rain falling about that time
ended the search efforts, which
(Continued on Page 5)
First Draft Call Finds
Moore Board Unready?
War Clonds Gathering
Board Reduced To Two, Chairman Away;
No Instructions Are Received As Yet
Gears meshed this week to start
up the Selective Service machin
ery, unused since January 1949,
as the two-week-old conflict in
Korea began to look like a real
war.
Battle news from the front, the
lommissioners
Tentatively Set
$1.10 Tax Rate
The county* commissioners,
meeting in protracted special Ses
sion at Carthage Monday, set a
tentative tax rate of $1.10 lor the
year 1950-51.
This represents a reduction of
10 cents from last year’s rate,
made possible through the fact
that the 1949-50 revenue exceeded
expectations.
The new rate is based on a
property valuation of $34,000,000,
in round figures. The actual book
evaluation resulting from the re
valuation ol real property .which
was completed last January is
$34,992,817.
Last year, the budget was based
on an estimated valuation of $31,-
000,000, conservatively set while
the revaluation ol real property
was still in prepress.
Another source of extra reve
nue was the ABC store tax, which
had been estimated at $116,000,
but actually turned out to be in
the neighborhood of $150,000.
This year it is being figured in at
the lull $150,000, said G. M. Cam
eron, of Pinehurst, chairman of
county commissioners.
Last year’s estimated budget
totaled $935,995, of which the tax
levy was to provide $370,255 (alter
deductions for uncollectibles,^.col-
lection commissions and taxpay
ers’ discounts). No comparable
figures are available for the cur
rent year as yet, as the commis
sioners are still “adjusting.”
The amount of money which
actually rolled into the county
coffers last year, up to and in
cluding June 30, final day of the
fiscal year, came to approximate
ly $965,000, according to Miss
Maida Jenkins, tax supervisor,
who said that of this amount ap
proximately $421,300 was in ad
valorem taxes. About $79,000 in
ad valorem taxes lor 1949-50 have
yet to come in. Miss Jenkins re
ported.
Revenue .nticipated for last
year, it i" understood, included
the bo’’ ^ .sold for the building ol
the ^'jtx-dt en school, which was
inch ded in the capital outlay for
schools. This year no such large
amount will be available, and it
is doubtful that the new budget
will equal that for 1949-50.
In making their “adjustments,”
Mr. Cameron said, many demands
are having to be taken into con
sideration. He said no salaries at
all are being raised, as “if we
raise any we will have to raise
all,” which, the board feels, can
not be afforded at this time.
first casualty lists, troop move
ments and headlines indicating a
prolonged struggle caused Ameri
cans first to wonder, then to feel
a growing certainty—“This is it.”
The President’s fast action and
the United Nations’ support in
meeting the Red Koreans’ armed
onslaught met with general ap
proval, as representing the only
sensible course.
Army units and Marines were
summoned to war from the west
coast. If there were any general
troop movements at Fort Bragg
they were not revealed. Selected
specialists, however, received
word that they were to be trans
ferred overseas.
A number of reserve officers re
ceived urgent invitations to re
turn to service. Most felt that
the call would become imperative
within months—or weeks. Sev
eral here have expressed the cer
tainty that their time at home is
short.
First Draft Call
Saturday, from Selective Serv
ice headquarters, word came to
set up local boards again “though
no one may-be drafted for a long
time.” President Truman author
ized increasing the strength of all
services to unannounced figures,
which might, it was thought, be
met by enlistments.
But they decided not to wait.
Tuesday came word that the first
draft call lor 20,000 men is immi
nent, beginning with the 26-year-
olds. North Carolina’s quota—
400, to be in uniform by Septem
ber 30.
The news caught Moore county
unprepared, and doubtless hun-
IContinued on Page 5)
Beer License
Revocation Is
Moore’s First
The -first beer license revoca
tion lor Moore county under the
state ABC laws was made last
Saturday, July 8, said Herman
H. Grimm, state beer inspector
under the ABC! program.
License was revoked for the
One-Mile Run Beer parlor, T. A.
Smith, proprietor. Address of the
beer place is Candor. The One-
Mile Run is at the county line,
just over the Mnore County side.
Arrest of Smith was made in
June for having drunks on his
premises. The drunks, and also
Smith, were arrested. Officers in
the case were C. C. McGee, ABC
law enfqrcement officer, and Con
stable Sharpe of West End.
Smith was given a hearing; be
fore Justice of the Peace Hugh P.
Kelly at Carthage. Mr. Grimm .in
vestigated the case and ordered
revocation ol the license.
Smith had been in trouble with
the ABC officers before, when his
license was suspended in Januarj’-
for selling beer to intoxicated per
sons.
Timely Phone Call From Son Means
Miraculous Escape For Mrs. Johnson
POSTPONED
The opening of the new Collins
Department store at Aberdeen has
been postponed from Thusday,
July 20, to July 27—just a week
later.
Fixtures due to be installed this
week were delayed, and the store
will be open Monday, Tuesday
and Wednesday, not closed as ad
vertised on Page 11 of this is
sue.
The pews came to The Pilot
after the section including the
Collins ad was already printed.
Whether by strange chance or
the hand of God, Mrs. J. Talbot
Johnson of Aberdeen this week
had an escape little short of mir
aculous, from injury or possible
death.
Alone in her home Sunday
afternoon, she lay down on her
bed for a nap. The ring of the
bedside telephone woke her from
a sound sleep. It was her son
Lawrence calling from Asheville,
asking her to send a suitcase he
had left behind in a closet.
Rubbing the sleep from her
eyes, Mrs. Johnson got up to go
across the hall and look in the
closet. In less than a minute she
heard a roaring crash.
The heavy plaster of the ceiling
above the bed had come tumblin,,
down on the spot she had just
quitted.
The ceiling was plastered more
than 30 yegrs ago. The plaster is
more than an inch thick. A huge
piece falling exactly where Mrs.
Johnson had lain was 46 inches
long, about a yard wide, sharp-
edged and weighing about 150
pounds. Heavy pieces flew about
the room. One knocked the tele
phone to the floor and broke it.
Later Investigation indicated
that recent rains had soaked into
the attic under a loose shingle,
weighting the rock wool insula
tion until—at the moment Mrs.
Johnson arose at her son’s behest
—the plaster suddenly could bear
its weight no longer.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnson this week
both expressed their thankful
ness and wonderment at what had
i occurred.