VOLUME 39
Number 1
I)R. HOOKS IN BAD ACCIDENT.
While Crossing Southern Railway
Track Near Selma His Car Is Struck
By Passenger Train and He and His
Son Are Badly Hurt—Dr. Hooks
Taken To Wilson Hospital Where
He Was Resting Well Yesterday
Afternoon.
Dr. Thel Hooks and his son, Thel, j
Jr., were in a bad accident when they
attempted to cross the Southern Rail
way track at the crossing a mile west :
of Selma Wednesday about noon. j
They were riding in a Ford coupe and
just as their car was on the track it
was hit by a passenger train. The
Doctor was on his way to see a sick
child who was reported to be danger
ously ill. They were coming on the
Selma and Wilson’s Mills road from
Wilson’s Mills and did not see the
train until they were on the track
with the train only a few feet away.
The front wheels of the car on which
they were riding had crossed the
track when the train hit it with fear
ful results. The car was torn all to
pieces and Dr. Hocks and his son were
thi'own some distance away. They
landed several feet apart. Each was
badly hurt. The train was stopped
and a doctor and a nurse on it togeth
er with others rushed to their assist
ance. Upon examination it was found
that yoong Thel was cut about the
face and neck and was seen to be
bleeding very badly. The hastily
given assistance saved him from
bleeding to death as it was found that
an artery had been severed.
Dr. Hooks was found to be hurt
much worse than his son. They were
carried by the train to Selma where
the physicians rendered all possible
aid. The Smithfield doctors were al
so soon on the scene to aid their fel
low physician. It was found that
both collar bones were broken and his
face cut and bruised. He was carried
to Wilson on train 80 and placed in
the hospital. An examination showed
that no other bones were broken. The
patient rested fairly well Wednesday
night and yesterday seemed to be
doing very well. While the injuries
of Dr. Hooks are very serious they are
not necessarily fatal. Without com
plications setting in the physicians
at the hospital hope to see him out
again before very long.
Young Thel besides having a very
bad cut had his ankle sprained also.
He had his wound dressed and he was
brought home where he has been
resting very well.
The boy who is only fourteen years
old had rare presence of mind for one
of his age. As soon as some of the
train men came to his aid though he
was bleeding profusely he called on
them to save his father and let him
go. He saw that his father was in
bad condition and thought that he
himself, was fatally hurt, still he
wanted the first attention given to the
Doctor.
The accident was a great shock to
Smithfield where Dr. Hooks is a gen
eral favorite and there are hundreds
who will pray that he may soon re
cover.
A house which was being moved
across the railroad was near the
crossing at the time and cut off the
view of the approaching train.
ENORMOUS DEMAND FOR
BUILDING MATERIAL.
The enormous demand for building
materials indicates that 1920 will see
a building boom of huge proportions.
It is confidently expected in the build
ing trades that the record for the
coming year will be much better than
that of 1919. Building interests may
well anticipate a continuance of the
large business developed this year
and with the construction situation
much improved in many respects, 1920
promises to be a banner building peri
od. The need of new buildings of all
kinds is still very pressing, and al
though a fine amount of work was
done this year, the country is still
far behind its normal requirements
and demand is far behind the supply.
The shortage of labor is not nearly
so marked as during the first half of
1919 and there is every reason to ex
pect a larger production of building
supplies during 'the new year. The
spring building season of 1920 bids
fair to develop a volume of structural
activity that will far eclipse anything
the country has previously experienc
ed.—Industrial and Engineering News.
To Preach in Southern Johnston.
Rev. S. F. Hudson of Sampson coun
ty spent last Sunday here. He came
at the request of Rev. H. W. Baucom
who arranged with him to do some
work in the southern part of the coun
ty. He is a well equipped young man
and Mr. Baucom considers the field
fortunate in securing him for the
work. His preaching appointments
for January will be as follows:
Calvary first Sunday at 11 o’clock.
Pauline second Sunday morning. Can
aan and Glenwood school third Sunday
morning and afternoon. Trinity fourth
Sunday morning and Saturday after
noon before. Hood Grove fourth Sun
day afternoon.
at the Capital of beulah.
Kenly, Dec. 31.—Mr. and Mrs. L. Z.
Woodard and family spent Sunday in
Princeton with Mr. and Mrs. W. H.
Edwards.
Miss Frances Hales left Sunday af
ternoon to resume her work as teacher
in the Bladenboro school.
Misses Inez Edgerton, Gladys Kirby
Beulah Bailey and Messrs. Geddy Je
rome, Neighbors and Marvin Jerome
visited friends in Rose Hill Sunday.
Mrs. S. S. Earle and son, of Spring
Hope are visiting Mr. and Mrs. J. R.
Saules for a few days.
Miss Lucile Kirby is visiting rela
tives in Dunn.
Miss Burrus Sauls of Ayden is the
guest of Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Sauls for
a few days.
Miss Grace Jerome of Jackson spent
the holidays with Miss Inez Edgerton.
Mr. and Mrs. Miller Bridger of
Bladenboro have come to make Kenly
their home and we gladly welcome
them here.
Mr. Addie Flowers spent the holi
days at home with parents, Mr. and
Mrs. W. II. Flowers.
Mr. J. Leon Earpe of Raleigh spent
the week end at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. S. S. Leason.
Misses Barnes and Jessie Leason
spent Friday in Raleigh.
There will be a box party Friday
night January 2 at Boyette’s school,
district No. 5. Everybody invited.
Mr. H. M. Grizzard formerly with
G. G. Edgerton & Son has resigned
and purchased the business formerly
owned by the Capps Motor Co. and
will do a general garage business.
Miss Jessie Leason returned to Nor
folk, Va., Sunday night after spend
ing the holidays at her home in Kenly.
Most of the cotton in this section
has been ginned. The gin plant here
will only run on Mondays and Tues
days of each week.
The returned soldier and sailor boys
of Beulah township will be entertain
ed here tonight by the ladies of the
Red Cross Chapter. Each and every
one that possibly can be present is ex
pected to be here to share in the lux
urious supper and feast that has been
prepared for them.
Christmas Marriages.
Two of Smithfield’s popular young
ladies took their friends by surprise
during the Christmas holidays and
were married. The first was Miss
Vera Beasley, who had been with
Woodall’s store all the fall and work
ed up to night on Christmas eve. She
and Mr. Tom Newberry who had
charge of the Lyric Theatre several
months ago, boarded the 8:26 train
and went to Wilson where they were
married that night. Both are popular
young people who have many friends
who wish them all success and happi
ness. They wall make their future
home in Fayetteville.
The other young lady who surpris
ed her friends this way was Miss Ella
Wellons, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.
B. Wellons. She was with Spiers and
also worked up to' Christmas. On
Friday after Christmas Miss Wellons
and Mr. William Randell Johnson, a
druggist of Dunn, went to Raleigh
where they were married Friday
night. They intended keeping their
happy venture secret for some time,
but an enterprising reporter publish
ed the list of marriage licenses and
this gave them away since their
names were in the list. They will re
side in Dunn. Their friends join in
extending to them best wishes for
much happiness.
Death of a Child.
We regret to chronicle the death
of little Alma Holland, the four-year
old girl of Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Hol
land which occurred at their home
here yesterday morning. The little
girl had a bad cold and severe sore
throat about two months ago and had
not been well since. She had been
much worse for the past two weeks
and decidedly worse for two days.
Her death came as a severe shock to
the parents and friends. She will be
buried today. The sympathy of many
go out to the bereaved family in their
sorrow.
Vinson-Jones.
The many friends of Mr. Henry H.
Vinson and Miss Lessie Jones will be
interested to learn of their marriage
which took place Friday afternoon,
December 26, at four o’clock. As they
tried to keep it a secret the only per
sons present were the members of the
family. Immediately after the cere
mony which was performed by Squire
Jesse Daughtery, the happy young
couple left on the 6:30 train for a
short honeymoon trip.
Mrs. Vinson is the daughter of Mr.
J. W. Jones who lives near town and
has many friends to wish her well on
her voyage on the matrimonial sea.
Mr. Vinson is the son of Mr. J. D.
Vinson who has just moved from
Smithfield where he has been living
several years to Clayton. He is a
very worthy young man and his
friends congratulate him on his suc
cessful venture. X. Y. Z.
*
COUNTRY EDITOR GOOD TITLE.
North Carolina Paper Says the Older
A Man Gets in the Business, the
Prouder he Becomes of His Desig
nation.
The Herald of Hertford, N.
takes up the cudgels of good old fash
ioned expressions like “country edi
tor” and thinks that the older a man
gets in the newspaper game, the
prouder he becomes of his distinction
as editor of a real country paper. The
Herald’s editorial in part follows:
“Colleges which train young men
and women in special lines are doing
many things for the advancement of
the country and the world. There
are agricultural colleges which are
turning boys out at 21 years of age
who are better farmers than their
grandfathers at 75. There are do
mestic science schools which are mak
ing better housekeepers of young
girls than their mothers and grand
mothers ever were. And there are
schools of journalism which are put
ting into newspaper offices boys with
training equal to the eld fellows who
have spent their lives at the desks.
“But, in all these schools there are
outcroppings of the callowness af
youth. For instance, many young
graduates from agricultural schools
blush when they are called farmers—
they want a name of more dignified
tone. Some young women from the
scientific courses object to the plain,
old fashioned names, and speak of
their “domestil science.” In the
schools of journalism the same spirit
prevails among a certain class of
graduates. They are “journalists”,
and they do not want to be known as
editors of “country” newspapers. That
term has been the pride of the old
fellows, because it distinguishes them
from the city newspaper man.
“Around the name of “country
newspaper” clings much of the ro
mance and inspiration of the busi
ness, and the older a man gets in the
business, the more he is proud of his
distinction as editor of a real country
newspaper.”
Smithfield Business Changes.
Mr. Raiford Oliver and his wife
who have been with the'OaviS sYores
for nearly two years have moved to
their farm in the country.
Mr. E. C. Narron who has been
with the Davis Stores for four years
except the time he was with the army
has gone to Sanders, Cunningham &
Ward Company, wholesale grocers.
Mr. I. Kessler of Macon, Ga., and
Mr. Roy Crumpler have accepted po
sitions with the Davis Stores.
Mr. Grover Phillips has taken a
position with the Smithfield Hard
ware Company.
Mr. S. H. Massey who has been
with the Citizens National Bank is
now bookkeeper for the Austin
Stephenson Co.
Mr. Hugh Austin has gone from
the Austin-Stephenson Company to
the home of his father Mr. L. F. Aus
tin where he will farm and assist his
father in running his store.
Miss Dora Dudley, bookkeeper for
Austin-Stephenson Company, has gone
to Kinston to work in a bank.
Miss Esther Sanders has gone back
to her home in the country.
Mr. J. B. Barwick will not be with
the Worley Furniture Company long
er but after doing r. little work for
the Singer Sewing Machine Company
will go to his home near Mount Olive
to farm this year.
Mr. W. J. Collier has gone from
Cottar-Underwood Company to Wil
son as salesman for a garage. His
place here is taken by Mr. J. F.
Thompson of Pine Level.
Miss Minnie Guy of Dunn has taken
charge of the ready-to-wear depart
ment at W. L. Woodall’s Sons store.
Miss Virginia Lipes has accepted a
position with them also.
Mr. Bobbie Smith will not be with
Mr. N. B. Grantham for 1920, but will
run a tailoring business upstairs over
the jewelry store.
Mr. Pierce With Citizens National.
The Citizens National Bank has se
cured Mr. Luther T. Pierce as assist
ant cashier and bookkeeper to suc
ceed Mr. Massey who has resigned his
position to accept a position with an
other firm here. Mr. Pierce was with
The First National before he enlisted
for service in the World War where
he held a clerical position in the army.
He has proven himself a very effici
ent young man and The Citizens Nat
ional are to be congratulated upon se
curing his services as bookkeeper and
assistant cashier.
Round Dozen Club.
Tuesday afternoon Mrs. T. J. Las
siter entertained the members of the
Round Dozen and Sans Souci book
clubs. Rook was played at six tables.
At the conclusion of the game a sal
ad course with coffee was served. The
house was decorated with Christmas
greens and all together the occasion
was a delightful one.
X. Y.
BENTONVILLE NEWS.
Death of Mr. Fuller Boykin on Christ
mas Eve—Funeral on Christmas
Day—Other Items of Interest.
Bentonville, Dec. 31.—Mr. C. M.
Massengill, of Princeton, spent Christ
mas in this part with his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. J. S. Massengill.
Mr. Jim Crusenberry of Rocky
Mount spent the holidays in‘ our sec
tion, the guest of liis brother, Mr.
Charlie Crusenberry.
Mr. B. E. Cox had the misfortune
to get his arm broken Christmas day.
While feeding the township road mules
one of them kicked him.
Mrs. Mattie Stephenson and chil
dren of McCullers spent Christmas
in our berg with Mrs. Stephenson’s
parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Beasley.
Mr. M. L. Blackman returned to his
home in Charlotte Sunday after spend
ing Christmas in this section with his
parents, Mr. and M.s. R. W. Black
man.
Messrs. H. V. Rose and Percy Smith
of Smithfield attended the box supper
at Mill Creek Saturday night. Mr.
Smith rendered several selections on
the violin while Mr. Rose made a
short talk.
Mr. W. A. Parrish and family and
Mr. E. J. Williams of Clayton attend
ed the burial of Mr. Fuller Boykin on
Christmas day.
Miss Mabel Johnson of Peacock’s
Cross roads, spent Christmas in this
section with her sister, Mrs. L. G.
Flowers.
Mr. and Mrs. Whitfield Rhodes
spent Christmas near Princeton with
Mr. Rhodes’ parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Henry Rhodes.
The Christmas joys of our people
were saddened when the news spread
over our section on Christmas eve of
the death of Mr. Fuller Boykin, which
occurred at his father-in-law’s, Mr.
D. J. Williams, on Wednesday morn
ing at 6 o’clock. Mr. and Mrs. Boy
kin arrived in this section December
16th from Clayton to spend Christ
mas with relatives and on the 17th
wras taken seriously ill with pneumo
nia from which he died on December
the 24th. Mr. Boykin was a young
man about 22 years old. He was loved
by all who knew him. He leaves a
wife, a mother and brothers and sis
ters and a host of friends to mourn
their loss. The writer joins the many
friends in sympathy to the bereaved
ones. He was laid to rest in the
Flowers cemetery on Christmas day
in the presence of a large crowd of
friends and relatives.
WHAT ALL SHOULD KNOW.
The Census Taker to Call Soon—Some
Of the Questions to be Answered.
The Fourteenth Decennial Census of
the United States is on!
Under the immediate direction of
Otway B. Moss, Supervisor of the
fourth census district cf North Caro
lina, census enumerators will call at
every dwelling house in this commu
nity to secure the information neces
sary to fill out the questions contain
ed on the printed census schedules.
Questions covering the following
points will be asked of every person
in the United States:
Sex;
Color or race;
Age at last birthday;
Whether single, married, widowed
or divorced;
Birthplace of person enumerated
and birthplace of father and mother,
giving names of both country and
province if foreign born;
Occupation, specifying trade or pro
fession, also industry in which em
ployed ;
Whether attending school;
Whether able to read;
Whether able to write;
Whether able to speak English;
Whether home is owned or rented,
and if owned whether home is free of
encumbrance or is mortgaged;
Persons of foreign birth will be ask
ed questions concerning these addi
tional points;
Year of immigration to the United
States;
Whether naturalized, and if so the
year of naturalization;
Mother tongue or native language.
Census enumerators also will call
at every farm in this community to
secure the information necessary to
fill out the questions contained on the
agriculture schedule.
Each farmer will be asked questions
concerning the acreage and value of
his farm; whether he owns, rents or
partly owns and partly rents the land
he farms; the value of the buildings,
machinery and implements belonging
to his farm; the quantity of all crops
raised on his farm during the year
1919; and many other questions which
cover all possible farm operations.
An absolutely accurate and com
plete census vitally concerns the wel
fare of this community and of every
person living in it. The official popu
lation for the next ten years will be
determined by the census of 1920.
Be ready with your answers when
the census man calls at your house.
PRINCETON ANI) BOON HILL
Princeton, Dec. 31.—Miss Frances
Ledbetter from Louisburg College has
been spending the holidays at home.
Some of the young lady teachers of
the Graded School have been spend
ing the holidays at their respective
homes. Misses Myrtle and Vitus Nich
olson, Burlington, Miss Leona Flem
ing, China Grove, Miss Lorena Leon
ard, Catawba.
Mr. Lester Snipes from Washing
ton, D. C., is at home for a few days.
Mr. Jasper Stuckey from Chapel
Hill has been at his home several days.
Miss Margaret LeMay from Smith
field is visiting Mrs. E. A. Holt this
week.
Dr. J. C. Joyner from Burlington
has been here with his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. P. H. Joyner the past few
days.
Mr. M. B. Massey from Greenville
is at home for the holidays.
Mr. and Mrs. Lester Horn from
Wi . ' a were here with their father
during the holidays.
Miss Annie Lee Hines and M'ss
Lois Cox from Wayne, are visiting
Miss Vivian Hastings.
Miss Cora Johnson from Richmond,
Va., is visiting relatives near town.
Bill Massey from Trinity Park and
Joe Boyette from Buies Creek have
been at home for several days.
Miss Eunice Peele one of our charm
ing country girls was married a few
days ago to Mr. Luby Mitchell.
Mr. Hubert Cox has recovered suf
ficiently from his serious illness to be
carried to his home in Bentonville
township.
Edgar Boyett will return to Wake
Forest thig week.
Caspian S. Holt left here Monday
morning for Buies Creek school.
Miss Sarah Blackman is boarding
in town and attending the graded
school.
Mr. Tom Wellons and wife from
Raleigh have been visiting their pa
rents, Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Wellons
near town for the past few days.
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur K. Eason
from Selma are spending a few days
with their parents Mr. and Mrs. Wil
liam W’hitley.
Floyd Wellons from Buies Creek
has been at home for the holidays.
Mr. Jadie Langley from Rocky
Mount came down to spend Christmas
with his sister, Mrs. Tom Sasser.
Rev. J. E. Dupree and daughters,
Misses Bessie and Edith from Kenly
were here for the Christmas tree ex
ercises at the Baptist church.
Mr. Jessie Ilolt from Burlington
and Mr. John Holt from Wilson’s
Mills visited relatives in town Sun
day, spending the day with Misses
Leona and Estelle Holt.
Mr. Harry Watson is spending the
holidays in the eastern part oj the
state duck hunting.
Miss Bessie Horn from Durham has
been at home with her parents
through Christmas.
Mr. Charlie Johnson was run over
and badly bruised up by an automobile
Christmas week.
Mr. Bedford Cox, who lives near
rural route 2 from Princeton was kick
ed by a mi le on Christmas day, which
shattered his right arm and serious
ly injured him. Mr. L. L. Barrow was
badly shaken up near the same place
by premature explosion of dynamite
when blasting up a big stump in the
road.
The only Christmas baby reported
was born to Mr. and Mrs. John H. Ed
wards, a boy.
Y. M. C. A. Work in Johnston.
At the request of citizens interested
in the boy problems of the town, rep
resentatives of the State Young Men’s
Christian Association have visited
Smithfield on several occasions. Re
cently one of the State Secretaries
made a careful survey of the entire
county to ascertain conditions and to
determine whether Johnston County
was organizable in the Rural and
County Y. M. C. A. work. We are
glad to announce that this State or
ganization found conditions very fav
orable and has decided on a very def
inite type of constructive work. Mr.
C. P. Rigler, District Secretary for
Eastern North Carolina, has come to
Smithfield and Johnston County to
promote the organization work. He
has headquarters at Rocky Mount, but
it is understood that he will bring his
family and reside in Smithfield during
the time of the preliminary work. He
will immediately begin this work.
Further information about the par
ticular type of work for the county
will be given through the columns of
this paper later.
Off On Trip to New York.
Messrs. L. T. Royall and J. H. Wiggs
left Wednesday night for a trip to
New York to attend the annual ban
quet given by the Colt Lighting Com
pany to their representatives. Mr.
Wiggs who has been working for this
company some time is now closing
salesman. Mr. Royall who has been
with the company for the past four
months, has resigned his position and
will not be with them this year.
DANIELS NOT A CANDIDATE.
Secretary of Navy Authorizes Denial
That He Is Running for Presidency
—Pomerene Backers Had Picked
Him as in Race.
Washington, Dec. 31.—Secretary of
the Navy Josephus Daniels is not and
will not be a candidate for the Demo
cratic nomination for the Presidency
of the United States to be made by
the Democrats when they hold their
convention next June.
Mr. Daniels authorized this state
ment today when informed that Mau
rice F. Lyons, campaign manager of
the Pomerene for President committee 1
had issued a statement saying that j
Senator Pomerene would make no
contest for instructed delegates in
those States in which “favorite sons” ^
are expected to be in the running. j
! North Carolina is in the list of eight
and the Pomerene committee says
“word has been received”' that Secre- ' !
tary Daniels would be the Tar Heel
choice.
J The Lyons statement, sent to Wash
ington correspondents from Coving
ton, Ky., says:
“Information was given out today
by Maurice F. Lyons, National cam
paign manager of the Pomerene for
President committee, that should Sen
ator Pomerene announce his candida
cy there would be no contests in the
States of Oregon, Oklahoma, Nebras
ka, Alabama, West Virginia, Penn
sylvania, Missouri, and North Caro
lina, from which word has been re
ceived that Senators Chamberlain,
Owen, Hitchcock, Underwood, Ambas
sador Davis, Attorney General Palm
er, Speaker Clark and Secretary of
the Navy Daniels would be ‘favorite
sons.’
“The good rules of racing would be
used by this committee and the cour
tesy due these potential candidates
would be extended.”
In purine- Mr. Lyons predicts that
if Seim..^. 1 „mercne’s name goes be
fore the convention he will have 325
votes on the first to tenth ballots.
Interest in the choice the Demo- V,
crats will make is fast rising and,
among the leaders, is expected to
reach its crest at the Jackson Day
dinner at the Willard Hotel on Janu
ary 8th. This dinner is a quadrennia!
event for recounting the accomplish
ments of democracy throughout the
nation and while it is not, as might
be inferred from many stories, a time
for the parade of presidential timber,
it is not unlikely that aspiring mem
bers of the party will be in attend
ance.
Places for the dinner, which is #
price rate with the scale for table
reservations in Gotham on New
Year’s Eve, are in greater demand ‘
than ever before. There are three
applicants for every one of the avail
able SOi) tickets and many enthusi
astic Democrats will be unable to at
tend the celebraticn.—R. E. Powell,
in News and Observer.
WELFARE OF CHILDREN TEST.
Herbert Hoover Declares Whole Prob
lem of Americanization Rests In It
—Each Community’s Task.
The whole problem of Americaniza
tion would be met in 20 years if the
nation could systematically grapple
with the child problem and insure
proper conditions,of birth, education
and nutrition, Herbert Hoover declar
ed Monday in an address to a child
welfare luncheon gathering arranged
by the Associated Charities in San
Francisco, says an Associated Press
dispatch.
“We have amply demonstrated in
this country that if this sort of thing
is to be accomplished it must be de
veloped out of the conscience of every
separate community,” Mr. Hoover
said.
Due to methods adopted by Amer
can and other relief bodies, the dis
ease mortality among Belgian chil
dren is below the prewar normal, in
spite of the fact they went through*
nearly five years of famine, he de
clared.
Of relief measures generally, Mr.
Hoover said:
“One feature of organization in
these matters is outstanding—that the
responsibility of organization has
rested almost entirely upon the wom
en. Those American men who had to
do with this work can claim but little
credit.”
“I feel sometimes that we are per
haps more concerned over the case# -
of mass misery of other nations than
in the individual needs of our own,”
he said. “The appeal of mobs of starv
ing children draws our sympathy to
faster action than the scattered min
ority at home. We must respond to
both. The welfare of the children of
the nation is our joint responsibility.
I believe that the attitude of a na
tion toward child welfare will soon
become the test of civilization.”
Eggs At Fifty Cents.
The fair price committee in Topeka,
Kansas, have set 50 cents as a fair 1
price for eggs per dozen.