West End Forest Fire Burns 750
Acres; Several Homes Threatened
The county’s worst forest fire of caused but expected the final fie-
tne sGason burned an ,,— i.i v _ . o
<r
estimated
750 acres of timber land near West
End Saturday afternoon.
Whipped along by wind gusts
that occasionally reached 50 miles
per hour, the fire was finaUy
brought under control about 8
p.m. Saturday night by county
fire officials and more than 200
volunteers.
Travis Wicker, county fire war
den, said preliminary investiga
tions indicated the fire got its
start from a trash dump used by
residents of West End. The dump
is located not too far from West
End and also serves some of the
businesses there.
Wicker said he has not made
any determination as to the extent
of the financial damage the fire
ure would be
dollars.
several thousand
PTA Family Night
Supper, Art Show
Slated Wednesday
An art and hobby show will
precede the “family night” sup
per and meeting of the Southern
Pines Parent-Teacher Association
Wednesday of next week. The
public is invited to attend the
show and to enter exhibits in it.
According to plans announced
by Jimmly Hobbs, PTA president,
the show will open at 4 p. m. in
the school gymnasium.
A supper for teachers, parents
and students will be held in the
school cafeteria from 5:30 to 7:30
p. m..
There will be no admission
charge for anyone at the art and
hobby show, but a small charge
will be made for the supper.
Tickets can be secured from the
teachers, at the schools.
At 8 p. m., there will be a
short business meeting during
which reports of the nominating
corOmittee for next year’s officers
will be mlade.
The art and hobby show will
be open before and after the sup
per. Various rooms at the school-
will enter exhibits competitively.
Other persons interested in dis
playing works of art or hobbies
are asked to call Mrs. Hoke Pol
lock at 2-3121.
The gymnasium will be open
at 10 a. m. Wednesday to receive
exhibits.
No one was hurt during the fire
but the State Highway Patrol had
to be called to control the heavy
traffic on highway 211. At one
time the combination of dust
caused by high winds and the bil
lowing smoke made it impossible
to see the highway.
Several houses on highway 211
were threatened by the blaze but
officials reported none were dam
aged. Three tobacco barns be
longing to Art Johnson of West
End were caught in the blaze and
destroyed but, except for those
and the timberland, no other ma
jor damage was reported. .
At one time the fire jumped
highway 211 and was raging on
the side nearest the railroad tracks
but volunteers managed to keep
the blaze between the highway
and the tracks.
The burned-over land was own
ed by several people, including
Dr. Clement Monroe of Southern
Pines, and Bob Von Canon, Fred
Monroe, Eb Hinson , and Floyd
Horner, all of West End.
Wicker reminded people today
that the woods are extremely dry
at this time of year and cautioned
against any carelessness by any
one going into them.
“Even though we had a good
rain Friday, the woods became
very dry shortly afterwards, most
ly because of the high winds and
sunshine on Saturday,” he said.
Volunteers who helped Satur
day afternoon included the fire
depMtments of West End, Eagle
Springs, Pinehurst, and John
Goldsmith of Southern Pines. All
the county’s equipment was call
ed in to help put out the fire.
History Group To
Gather April 19
The annual meeting of the
Moore County Historical Associa
tion will be held next Thursday
April 19, at Bilyeu Farm, the
home of Mrs. C. Louis Meyer,
near Pinehurst.
Mrs. Meyer, whose husband, the
late Louis C. Meyer, was a great
friend of the historical association,
will entertain the membership
with tea following a short busi
ness session, which is scheduled to
begin at 4 p.m.
AT NEW SCHOOL—-Principal Irie Leonard, Bobby Parker,
president of the Junior class, and Bob Cline, president of the stu
dent council, lean on the main entrance railing at the new South
ern Pines High School building as they talk over plans for the
open house to be held at the school Friday night. The colonial
lamp fixtures, added recently, completed the doorway. Some of
the shrubs planted by the Southern Pines Garden Club, which
landscaped all the school grounds, can be seen here. (Pilot Photo)
Public Invited To Inspect
New High School On Friday
With the student council and
Miss Polly Miller, the council’s
faculty advisor in charge, an open
house will be held at Southern
Pines High School Friday from
7:30 to 9 p. m. to permit the pub
lic to view the structure.
Built over the course of two
years and fully occupied during
the past school year, the building
is the latest and largest addition
to local educational facilities.
The two-story brick building,
in modified colonial design, is lo
cated at the corner of May St
I'g Suspect In Huge Liquor Conspiracy
, Arrested Here By Policemen Monday
Louis Ordille, of Sanford and
New Orleans, named by federal
officials as a suspect in a $3 mil-
lion-a-year liquor conspiracy
cleanup, was arrested by South
ern Pines police Monday morning
and turned over to federal au-
«, thorities in Greensboro.
Ordille, who had been staying
in a Southern Pines hotel recent
ly, was one of 31 men indicted by
a federal grand jury in States
ville in what federal agents call
ed “the biggest mass cleanup of j
bootlegging in the history of |
North Carolina.” Ordille was the
29th suspect arrested.
The federal grand jury accused
- the 31 men of conspiring to fun-
~ nel illicit whiskey into several
of the dry counties in the moun
tain area of the state. Federal Al
cohol and Tobacco Tax Unit
agents estimated the syndicate’s
annual gross income at upwards
of three million dollars.
Ordille, according to Chief of
Police C. E. Newton was never
involved in any illegal whiskey
i operations in Moore County. His
(^•only activity here was (merely as
a stopping off point between
trips. Officers said he liked to
play golf and might have chosen
Post Office Will
Close Wednesdays
The Southern Pines post office
legan i;egular Wednesday after-
loon closings this week, to con-
inue each Wednesday until fur-
her notice.
-As on Saturday afternoons,
ost office windows will close
ach Wednesday at 12:30 p. m.
Postnoiaster Garland Pierce, in
taking the announcement, said
le change is caused by a curtail-
ent of manpower mhde neces-
ry by a reduction in Congres-
mal appropriations for the post
fice department.
Southern Pines as a place to oc
casionally visit because of that
reason.
Chief Newton said his officers
arrested Ordille at the request of
Chief Deputy U. S. Marshal Paul
Teal. He was immediately car
ried to Greensboro and was held
under $2,000 bond.
In the federal indictment
(Continued on page 8)
re-
Glee Clubs Will
Compete NextWeek
For Picquet Cup
The annual judging of high
school glee clubs in Moore County
will take place Friday night of
next week in Weaver Auditorium.
The winner will be awarded the
Charles W. Picquet Cup by the
Sandhills Kiwanis Club. The Ab
erdeen High School Glee Club
was the winner last year.
The contest, to promote organ
ized singing in the public schools,
was founded in 1946 with the pre
sentation of a trophy by Mr. Pic
quet, manager of the Carolina
Theatre. It has been carried on
by the Kiwanis Club regularly
since then.
Next week’s Kiwanis meeting
will be held in the Southern Pines I
School cafeteria at 6 p.m. prior to I
the program in the auditorium,
"rhe public is invited to hear the
singing, by the groups from some
six or seven county schools.
and Massachusetts Ave. The wing
parallel to Massachusetts Ave.,
which contains the heating plant
for the whole building, was built
first. The long main central por
tion of the building running paral-
iel to May St. is designed to join
a future wing that would run
parallel to New York Ave.
At Friday night’s event. Prin
cipal Irie Leonard will be on
hand to welcome the public,
along with members of the stu
dent council. “Home room teach
ers, with class officers, will be in
their rooms to greet visitors as
they inspect the building.
The entire new building has 15
classrooms, including a suite of
two rooms in the commercial de
partment and a science labora
tory. Other rooms are: women
teachers’ lounge; men teachers’
lounge, student activity room, a
large library which is perhaps the
most impressive room in the
building; a guidance suite of two
rooms, a^ book room, first aid
room with toilet facilities; four
rest rooms, two for girls and two
for boys; principal’s office, secre
tary’s office, closets, a science
supply room, a photographic dark
(Continued on page 8)
Few Candidates
File For Primary
As Deadline Nears
Commissioners All
Unopposed; Saturday
Last Day To File
Candidates who wish to have
their names on the ticket in the
May 28 Democratic primary were
reminded today by Sam C. Riddle,
chairman of the Moore County
Board of Elections, that they must
file before noon Saturday, April
14. The fiUng deadline in previ
ous years had been 6 p.m.
With just slightly more than
one day left, it is expected that
there wiU be a rash of filing Sat
urday morning.
So far the only candidates who
have filed are the present Board
of County Commissioners, Judge
J. Vance Rowe and Solicitor W.
Lamont Brown of Recorder’s
Court, George H. Purvis, for re-
nomination to the Board of Edu
cation, and Robert Bowman, who
filed for constable in Mineral
Springs.
Dr. W. N. McDuffie of Robbins
has also filed on the Republican
ticket but will not, of course, be a
candidate in the Democratic pri
mary. The present coroner is
Ralph Steed, a Democrat, who is
also from Robbins.
Riddle said today that registra
tion in the county would open
April 28 and close May 12. There
are three Saturdays during that
period.
Lois Williams New Sandhills Queen
Pretty Lois Williams, 17-year- was also a student at Elise.
old student at Elise High School
in Robbins, was named Queqn of
the Sandhills in the annual beau
ty contest sponsored by the Pine
hurst Volunteer Firemen Friday
night.
Miss Williams, who is five feet,
four inches tall and weighs 115
pounds, was one of 17 girls rep
resenting every part of the coun
ty entered in the contest. She
was crowned by Shirley Faye
Hunsucker, last year’s queen, who
Johnsye Irene Cameron, spon
sored by Vass-Lakeview school,
vvas runner-up, and Elise McWil
liams, also sponsored by Vass-
Lakeview school, was third.
Judges were A. N. Derouin,
Watertown, N. Y., A. W. Lytle,
Buffalo, N. Y., and A. C. Moser,
Southampton, L. I., N. Y.
The contest was a part of the
annual beauty contest and dance
sponsored by volunteer firemen
in Pinehurst.
SPHS Basketball
Players Honored
By Rotary Club
Twenty three players and man
agers of the Southern Pines boys’
and girls’ basketball squads were
awarded, letters and stars at the
annual Rotary basketball ban
quet held Thursday night at the
high school cafeteria.
In addition to the letters, sev
eral other awards were made, in
eluding the coveted Veterans of
Foreign Wars awards for the
most valuable player on both the
boys' and girls’ squads.
Johnny Watkins, who averaged
more than 20 points per game for
tile season and contributed a tre
mendous defensive job, and Patty
Hobbs, who is rated by Coach
Leonard as one of tjie most out
standing guards he has ever
coached, were the recipients.
Patti Britt and Julian Pleasants
were selected by the players and
coaches as the most improved
players on the teams and were
presented medallions to signify
(Continued on Page 8)
Zoning Problem
To Be Settled By
Council Friday
Failing to reach a solution to
the 'controversial “Residence I”
zoning problem at their regular
-meeting Tuesday night, members
of the town council will meet at
10:30 a. m. Friday in town hall
with the planning board and rep
resentatives of the Knollwood
area.
Purpose of the meeting is to
try to reach a conclusion on the
“living area” regulation in a pro
posed amendment to the zoning
ordinance. Knollwood represen
tatives are asking for a ban on
construction of new houses in
“Residence I” which would not
contain at least 2,000 square feet
of living area. Chairman Don
(Continued on page 8)
Stevenson Will Arrive
Here Sunday; Rally Is
Schednled At Aberdeen
Governor To
Attend Monday
Nigbt Event
Adlai E. Stevenson, candidate
for the Democratic Presidential
nomination, is expected to arrive
here Sunday.
In a stay that will last until
Wednesday morning, the candi
date has only one scheduled pub
lic appearance—an open house
rally to be held at the Aberdeen
school gymnasium at 7:30 p.m.
Monday.
Arrangements for the open
house are being made by State
Rep. H. Clifton Blue of Aberdeen,
president of the Moore County
Stevenson for President Club, the
second such club to be formed in
the state.
Mr. Stevenson is coming here
primarily for a rest at the Paint
Hill Farm home of his sister and
brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Er
nest L. Ives.
Mrs. Ives said today that she
had talked yesterday with BiU
Blair, Mr. Stevenson’s executive
assistant, who indicated there was
no doubt that the candidate would
be able to fit the Sandhills visit
into his schedule. He will be in
Florida late this week and plans
to leave Florida by plane Satur- -
day night of Sunday morning,
Mrs. Ives said. Exact time or
manner of his arrival here was
not known today, she said.
Gov. Luther H. Hodges, a Stev
enson admirer, is expected for the
Aberdeen open house, along with
many state officials and legisla
tors, and a delegation from the
No. 1 Stevenson for President
Club in the state, which was
formed in Wake county.
Mr. Blue said that the Aberdeen
affair will be “democratic with a
little ‘d’ and there will be no re
served seats. I believe,” he said,
“we’ll have a big crowd.”
Aberdeen Police Chief Bob
Yates has requested help from the
State Highway Patrol in handling
traffic. Visitors will be directed
to suitable parking places.
GRAND TOUR
Neither wind, sand and rain
and their aftermath causes
folks to give up their plans to
go on the Southern Pines
Home and Garden Tour!
That is the conclusion to be
drawn from the mounting fig
ures on attendance given out
at the^ Shaw House at twelve
noon, deadline lime. From
Mrs. James W. Miiliken and
Mrs. L. T. Avery of the South
ern Pines Garden Club, who
were selling tickets for the
tour at their station out by
the front porch of the old
house, came the welcome
news: "350 as of now!" (Eight
more arrived as the figures
were being taken down, with
four more cars in view by the
gate trying to find a place to
park.)
Inside, Mrs. A. P. Thomp
son was welcoming guests to
the lunch that sent its succu
lent airs out to join the spring
perfumes of flowerbeds and
herb garden where Mrs. C. A.
Smith, soon to be reinforced
by Miss Helen Butler of the
Civic Garden Club, were
greeting visitors.
Hostesses stationed at the
various homes were relaying
news of enthusiastic crowds
and gardens miraculously tid
ied by early workers, after
yesterday's storm.
It looks like another Grand
Tour.
Ernest Klabbatz
Succeeds Brother
As Head VFW Post
(f'X-V
SANDHILLS QUEEN—Miss Lois Williams, student at Elise
High School, Robbins, center, is the newly crowned Queen of the
Sandhills. At left is Miss Johnsye Cameron, who placed second,
and at right is Miss Elise McWilliams, chosen third in the contest
at Pinehurst. Both are students at Vass-Lakeview High School.
(Photo by Hemmer)
Letters Open Local
Cancer Fund Drive
Letters asking for contribu
tions to the annual Southern
Pines fund drive for the Ameri
can Cancer .Society are being sent
out this week, reports Mrs. J. S.
Miiliken. The local campaign,
with a goal of $700, is part of the
county-wide solicitation headed
by Dr. William Nicol of Carthage.
Mrs. Miiliken, who has headed
the local campaign, for several
years, asks that checks be made
out to the American Cancer So
ciety and mailed to her at Box
55, Southern Pines.
W. H. Frantz Buys
Olive Farm; Plans
Build Stable There
William H. Frantz of Tremont
Farmi, Media, Pa.— a well known
Eastern horseman who has been
a winter visitor to the Sandhills
for many years—has purchased
the W. W. Olive farmi on Youngs
Road and plans improvements
there.
The Olive farm lies between
Youngs Road and the Fort Bragg
road, southeast of the property of
Mrs. Audrey Kennedy. It adjoins
the Kennedy, Notre Dame Acade
my and Boyd property, as well as
One brother succeeded another
as commander of the John Boyd
Post, VFW, last Thursday night.
The new Post Commander,
Ernest Klabbatz, received the
gavel of office from the retiring
Commander, Harry Klabbatz, in
the installation ceremony con
ducted by Past Commander Louis
Scheipers.
Present in the group of some
50 members of the Post, which is
currently observing its 10th an
niversary year, was Carl Klab
batz, father of the new and re
tiring Post Commanders, who is
himself a longtime active mem
ber who has held several offices
in the Post.
The installation ceremony fea
tured a supper meeting at Dante’s
Restaurant. No other business
was conducted.
New offiers installed were:
Ernest Klabbatz, commiander; C.
W. Smith, Jr., senior vice-com
mander; Joel S. Ivey, Aberdeen,
junior vice-commander; John D.
Stephenson, quartermaster; Har
ry Gorezyeea, post adjutant;
James Davenport, post chaplain;
Jasper Swearingen, post advo
cate; George Nanopoulos, post
surgeon.
These are elective officers. Also
installed were the following ap
pointed by the new commander:
Alton Clark, legislative officer;
Severe Winds
Lash Section
the old McCrimmon place. James; Richard Johnson, patriotic in-
(Continued on Page 8)
1 ■
(Continued on Page 8)
Dr. Nicol Heads Cancer Campaign
The annual drive for funds for
the American Cancer Society will
begin in Moore County next
Wednesday, it was announced to
day by Dr. William Nicol of Car
thage, county chairman.
Dr. Nicol, who replaced Dave
Ginsburg of Carthage as chair
man, said that the quota for the
county this year is $3,300, and
that drive chairmen hoped the
funds would be raised during
April, which has been proclaimed
as Cancer Month.
A complete list of commimity
chairmen and quotas has not
been compiled as yet, though
community chairmen have been
announced for so'm.e areas.
Among those already appointed
are Mrs. S. L. Windham, Aber
deen, Mrs. Jack Phillips, Camer
on, Dave Ginsberg, who has serv
ed as county chairman for the
cast twelve years, Carthage,
Mrs. W. D. Hyatt, Pinehurst, and
Mrs. J. S. Miiliken, Southern
/
*
•S-
DR. W. F. NICOL
Pines.
Dr. Nicol said that chairmen
would be appointed in Eureka,
Hillcrest, Eagle Springs, Jackson
(Continued on Page 8)
Those hard winds that raised
tremendous clouds of dust over
Moore County and the rest of the
Sandhills Saturday afternoon
caused considerable damage but
apparently not as much as had
been originally believed, accord
ing to reports receievd from sev
eral farmers.
The dust storms, caused by gus
ty winds that occasionally reached
50 miles per hour, played havoc
with newly planted grain crops
and freshly plowed fields.
The Saturday winds, as well as
a high East wind that blew over
the county Wednesday, caused
scattered damage to trees, gar
dens, signboards, and roofs.
Several farmers in the West
End area said that had the wind
storm been maybe three weeks
later, the damage would have been
far more serious, probably caus
ing some farmers to lose their en
tire grain crops. As it was, some
farmers reported that the only
thing ruined was early corn, some
of which was blown right out of
the field.
The high winds caused the most
(Continued on page 8)
E. Leslie Horne,
Officer, Resigns
E. Leslie Horne, who has been
with the Southern Pines police
department since December 1 of
last year has submitted his resig
nation, effective April 21, City
Manager Tom E. Cunningham
said today.
In his letter of resignation to
Chief C. E. Newton, Mr. Horne
said that he is leaving with re
gret but that he has had an op
portunity to go to another police
department at a salary of $40
more a month than he is getting
here and will also have shorter
hours in his new job.
Mr. Cunningham said that Mr.
Horne is going to the Wake For
est police department.