VOLUME 39
S&ITbFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1920
Number 10.
T. S. RAGSDALE PUNT
TO DOUBLE CAPACITY
Its Capacity Will Be Doubled and a
Large Storage Room Is Being Built
—Tobacco is Shipped from This
Plant to Europe, Australia, Japan
And China—Has Been a Great Fac
tor in Development of the Smith
field Tobacco Market.
One of the big things in connection
with the SmitHfield tobacco market is
the T. S. Ragsdale Redrying Plant. It
has been one of the factors in develop
ing the tobacco market. But the time
has come when it is necessary to en
large its capacity or fail to meet the
demands made on it. So Mr. Rags
dale, the manager of the plant, has
taken steps to double its present ca
pacity and greatly enlarge the storage
rooms in connection. He is making
this enlargement at an estimated cost
of fifty thousand dollars. Work began
on the plant January 1st.
The present building is fifty by one
hundred and eighty feet. It is being
enlarged so that it will be one hun
dred and fifty by one hundred and
eighty feet. In the thirty feet addi
tion next to the street will be located
the offices, sample rooms, boiler room
and garage. On the north side of the
present two story brick building will
be built an addition 70 feet wide and
two stories high and the full length
of the present building, 180 feet. In
this section will be located the ma
chinery which will double the capaci
ty of the drying capacity of the plant.
The present capacity of the plant is
35.000 pounds of tobacco daily, and
when the addition is completed the
plant will have a daily capacity of
70.000 pounds. The boiler capacity of
the plant will be 140 horse power.
On the northern end of the lot where
the big prize-house was located is the
big storage room comprising more
than a half acre of floor space. This
building is 128 by 180 feet. Is an open
building which will be covered with
corrugated roofing both sides and top.
Here is where the tobacco will be
stored after it has been redryed and
packed in hogsheads, preparatory for
shipping to some foreign country.
The plant is used almost entirely
for redrying and preparing for ship
ment the tobacco bought by Mr. T. S.
Ragsdale who has long been one of
the biggest buyers on the Smithfield
market. However sometimes his
plant is used for redrying the tobacco
of others who buy here each season.
The T. S. Ragsdale Company ships
tobacco direct from Smithfield to Den
mark, Holland, England, Australia,
Japan and China. A large part of the
tobacco bought here by Mr. Ragsdale
goes direct to Shanghai, China, where
there are large tobacco factories and
immense cigarette factories.
A large force of men is at work on
the redrying plant which will be com
pleted in good time for the present
year’s tobacco crop. As'was said in
the beginning this plant has been a
large factor in the development of
the Smithfield tobacco market to its
present proportions and with the
greatly increased capacity the plant
will give the tobacco interests of this
section will be encouraged to put
forth greater efforts for the next to
bacco season.
OFFERS PRIZE FOR SIGNAL
TO HEAVENLY BODY
Academy of Sciences Implies Its Faith
In Project By Proposing Reward
Of Hundred Thousand Francs.
Paris, Feb. 1.—The Academy oi
Sciences evidently considers commu
nication with the planets as among
the possibilities, for it has undertak
en to act as judge for a prize of 100,
000 francs to be given for the best
means of making a sign to a heavenly
body and the receipt of a reply.
It has been the custom of the Acad
emy always to refuse to handle prizes
for any feat which it considers a
mere waste of time. In presenting
the present prize for competition the
Academy makes the proviso that “the
planet Mars is included as being suf
ficiently known.”
“Until a solution is obtained,” says
the Academy’s announcement, “the
interest on the prize money will form
a prize for scientists making the
greatest progress in knowledge of the
planets and their relation to the
earth.”—Wilmington Star.
Train Derailed Near Selma.
On Thursday of last week the wesl
bound passenger train which leaves
Selma at 3 o’clock was derailed at the
river bridge two miles west of Selma
The accident was caused by the spread
ing of the track. The tender and all
the coaches went off the track and
hindered traffic for several hours. Nc
one was hurt as the cars leaned up
against the sides of the bridge. Several
cars were damaged.
200 PER CENT INCREASE
IN SOME f*t)ODS IS SHOWN
Bacon and Ham Lebd Meats, With
Bread, Butter, Eggs and Everything
Else Up.
Increases of from 50 to 200 per cent
iN retail prices of the principal food
products of the country and from 70
to more than 200 per cent in whole
sale during the last six years, are
shown Tn figures issued by the bureau
of labor statistics.
Taking the year 1913 as the normal
year for basing comparative prices,
the bureau shows that by December
1919 retail prices of meats had ad
vanced from 50 to 80 per cent over
the average for 1913. Bacon and ham
led meat prices with increases of 86
per cent each and pork chops stood
second with an advance of 81 per cent.
Butter rose 104 per cent, eggs 161 per
cent, hens 84 per cent and lard 121
per cent.
Breadstuff s and dairy products
climbed to higher levels than the meat
group. Flour advanced 133 per cent,
bread 179 per cent, rice 103 per cent,
and potatoes 153 per cent. Coffee, tea
and sugar showed advances of 64, 27
and 164 per cent respectively. Cheese
went up 96 per cent and milk 88 per
cent.
Wholesale clothing prices, accord
ing to the bureaus figures, showed an
increase of 235 per cent last Decem
ber over 1913 levels and house fur
nishings went up 203 per cent. An
advance of 134 per cent in food as a
commodity was shown while farm
products rose 144 per cent. Lumber
and building materials climbed 153
per cent in the six years while the
average of all the commodities tabu
lated rose 138 per cent.—Washington
dispatch.
HATCHER SCHOOL NOTES.
Our school is progressing very nice
ly now. Our enrollment is up to the
standard. We had a holiday Thursday
as our teachers attended teachers
groups meeting at Thanksgiving.
Our boys are improving very rapid
ly playing basket ball. Even though
one of our balls has disappeared, we
have another and we challenge any
country team in the county. Come
and play us.
Our literary society met Friday af
ternoon and our program was very
good.
Misses Mary and Leone Foster spent
the week end at their home at Selma.
We will give a box party at our
school next Friday night, February 6,
and everybody is invited.
R.
The League of Nations»in Being.
The Peace Treaty is signed, the
League of Nations is constituted and
the Supreme Council of the Allies has
adjourned. That the League is not to
want for business is shown by the ap
peal of Peru that it will take up the
long-standing territorial dispute over
territory on the Pacific. Accessions
to the League are coming in. Switz
erland, unlike Belgium, only asks for
the recognition of its perpetual neu
trality. Punch, in a recent cartoon,
showed the missing element. On the
bank at one side of an uncompleted
bridge Uncle Sam is stretched at ease
with the keystone for a pillow. That
is the situation exactly. The League
is incomplete without our co-opera
tion. It loses in moral authority. Nev
ertheless, the statesmen of Europe
recognize the fact that it is thg
world’s only hope of security and
peace which belongs to it. Just as
the Allies fought our battle against
an encroaching autocracy through the
.first years of the war, they are now
doing our work in the League, in the
hope and expectation that we shall ul
timately come to their assistance, just
as we did in the fight for liberty. Both
we and ou» children will be sorry if
that coming is much further postpon
ed.—The Congregationalist.
English as World Language.
English would undoubtedly be the
most suitable as a world language, in
the Opinion of Professor Camoy, of
Louvain University, Belgium, says an
Associated Press dispatch. He made
this statement im Lie form of a reply
to the question addressed by the Nor
thern Peace Society to prominent lin
guists in various countries as to
which language would be best adapted
to universal use. After declaring in
favor of English, M. Carnof wrote:
“The German and French languages
have lost their place through the war.
The English language is a hospitable
one, being a kind of compromise be
tween the Latin and Germanic
tongues; also it is simple and is
spoken by most progressive nations
of the world, and has one of the most
beautiful literatures of modern times.’
—News and Observer.
The influenza situation in the state
has improved for the past few days.
HOOVER STRONG IN
NORTH CAROLINA
Eighth District Congressman Reports
In Washington that Many People
__Are for Former Food Administrator
For President.
R. E." Powell, writing to the News
and Observer from Washington un
der date of February 1, says:
Acyvity of North Carolina Demo
crats in the Hoover-for-President
move, coupled with late reports of a
growing sentiment in favor of the
former food administrator, have mov
ed organization men to action. The
Hoover wave, according to well post
ed Western North Carolina politici
ans,' is beginning to behave like a cy
clone and there is anxiety lest It get
beyond control.
One prominent Asheville lawyer,
and a man well versed in political
matters, told members of. the North
Carolina delegation here the past
week that within a few days an active
Hoover organization would be at wrork
in that part of the state. Right on
the heels of this announcement—
which in itself caused some consterna
tion here—“Farmer” Bob Doughton
returns from a survey of folks and
their farms in the Eighth district and
reports that he found nothing but
Hoover sentiment in the expressions
of presidential preferences.
Congressman Doughton foufid so
much Hoover sentiment until he is far
less reserved in stating his own posi
tion today than he was the day the
New York World launched the Hoover
boom. Then he told newspapermen
he didn’t see any objection to Hoover
if his Democracy stacked up with the
hand book requirements. Now ten
days later he believes that the Demo
cracy of Jefferson is just the stuff
that is responsible for so much Hoov
er sentiment.
An analysis of the political gossip
coming to Washington during the past
week, that part of it dealing with
presidential possibilities, reveals that
the Hoover Wave is strongest in the
western part of the State. There is
no attempt, other than local, being
made to put folks on record but the
movement seems to be rolling along
without anybody pushing it.
There is little to indicate that the
Hoover sentiment is near so strong
in eastern Carolina, where Mr. Mc
Adoo seems to have captured the ma
jority of folks. Until the Hoover
wave became big enough to cause
concern among the old line politici
ans, it appeared that McAdoo would
have little trouble in getting the solid
Tar Heel delegation when the cur
tain rises in San Francisco. The en
thusiasm for McAdoo is no less pro
nounced in the East than it has been
and it looks now as if it is a question
of which fire spreads the fastest. Mc
Adoo seems right now to have every
thing east of Raleigh and still going.
The rest of the sentiment seems di
vided in the State like it is in the na
tion, the extreme west all for Hoover
and thp middlewest, with an open
mind.
Colored Teachers’ Reading Circle.
The Colored Reading Circle Groups
met Saturday, January 24, at the fol
lowing points: First Grade Group,
Wilson’s Mills; Instructor, Prof. Wm.
M. Cooper.
Second Grade Group: Clayton; In
structors, Misses Mildred Freeman,
Bessie Badham, Dorothy Gonsalves.
No. 2, Selma Graded school: In
structors, Prof. W. S. King and Mrs.
Nettie Tate.
No. 3, Four Oaks: Instructors, Mrs.
G. B. Allen and Miss E, L. Smith.
Each group was largely attended
and great interest manifested. The
next reading will be February 7th,
when each group will meet at the
County Training School and will be
addressed by County Superintendent,
Prof. W. H. Hipps, also Mr. N. C.
Newbold, State Agent of Rural
schools.
Five night schools for the Adult il
literates have been planned for the
county. At this meeting Miss Augus
ta Anderson, assistant county super
intendent, will confer with the five
teachers who are to teach these
schools, and the County Supervisor,
and plan an early opening and sys
tematic work.
MRS. LAURA J. A. KING,
Co. Supervisor of Negro Schools.
American Legion Post Meeting.
On Thursday evening, February 5,
at 7:30 o’clock a meeting will be held
in the court house for the purpose of
organizing a local Post of the Ameri
can Legion. All ex-service men are
earnestly requested to be present. If
possible each should bring an ex-ser
vice friend with him. The more the
merrier. Sgt. Jobbre of the army re
cruiting service will be present and
will give all the information possible
regarding the America* Legion.
FEDERAL CONTROL
HAS COST BIG SUM
Estimated Government Has Lost 700
Million In the Past Two Years.—
Coal Strike Cost Much.
Operation of the railroads, Pullman
lines, express companies and water
ways, unified under federal control,
has cost the nation approximately
$700,000,000, according to official cal
culation since they were taken over
two years ago, says an Associated
Press dispatch from Washington.
Figures made public by the railroad
administration revealed a net loss of
$594,2000,000 from railroad operation
alone in the two-year period. Statis
tics, gathered from official sources as
to operating costs of the Pullman
lines and waterways and express com
panies while operated by the govern
ment, shew the addition of $100,000,
000 to the transportation costs.
Heavy losses of November and De
cember are charged to the coal strike
in a statement by the railroad admin
istration. A deficit of $111,500,000
was* shown for those two months af
ter the two months proportion of the
annual rental was paid. December
revenues were said to be about $12,
700,000 above actual operating ex
penses while the revenues for Novem
ber, according to Interstate Commerce
Commission figures, exceeded actual
operating expense by approximately
$19,000,000. The monthly share of
the annual rental has been computed
generally at $75,000,000.
Much of the loss during 1919 should
be charged to the first six months of
the year according to the official ex
planation. The statement shows that
of a loss of $349,200,000 for the 12
months $228,700,000 came during the
first six months.
Mitchiner-Jackson.
Garner, Jan. 31.—A marriage of
wide interest here and other sections
of the State was celebrated last Tues
day, at twilight in the M. E. church,
when Miss Bessie Fay Jackson, daugh
ter of Rev. and Mrs. H. M. Jackson,
became the bride of Mr. Simon Mitch
iner. Despite the unfavorable weather
the church was filled with friends and
relatives.
Under the artistic touch of Mrs. Nu
ma R. Broughton and a few chosen
friends, the edifice had been converted
into a bower of loveliness. Promptly
at the appointed hour the candles were
lighted, and the strains of Mendels
sohn’s wedding march pealed forth an
nouncing the approach of the bridal
party.
The ushers, Messrs. Sam Mitchiner,
and Howard Turner, came down oppo
site aisles, followed by Miss Elizabeth
Mitchiner, maid of honor, being at
tractive in white satin, with large pic
ture hat and carrying sweet' peas.
Then entered the bride, handsomely
gowned in a going-a-way suit of ex
quisite brown satin and holding a huge
bouquet of bride’s roses. She was
leaning on the arm of her father, who
gave her away.
They were met at the altar by the
groom and Best man, Mr. Kenneth
Mitchiner. The wedding ritual of the
M. E. church was read by Rev. J. G.
Johnson, pastor of the bride, during
which Mrs. J. 4S. Buffaloe rendered
soft strains of music.
Immediately after the ceremony
they returned to the home of the bride
where a dinner was served. The hap
py couple then motored to Raleigh
where they boarded the train for an
extended bridal tour.
Miss Jackson comes from a promi
nent family, was educated at Peace
Institute and is a highly cultured
young woman. The groom is a pros
perous young planter.—News and Ob
server.
Mrs. Mitchiner taught in T. G. S.
for two years and has many friends
here who wish her well.
North Carolina to Figure in Movies.
Instead of seeing western scenes
altogether on the screen, the south is
to come in for a share of publicity,
North Carolina being one of the states
chosen to stage certain developments
and opportunities which the south of
fers. The United States government
and the development organizations ot
the south are co-operating in plans
for this work. A Washington dispatch
to the Greensboro News says:
“Land development operations will
be illustrated on the screen, including
drainage of wet lands, clearing ot
cut-over lands, blowing up of stumps,
ditching, road building, grading, plow
ing and motivating with great ma
chinery, etc.
“The government pictures will cer
tify to great live stock farms and
model dairy farms in the south. They
will disclose enormous yields of cot
ton, corn, velvet beans, grasses, sweet
potatoes, sugar cane, and other crops
on the cut-over lands in that section.”
MIDDLESEX COUPLE
. ASPHYXIATED IN NORFOLK
After Attending Theatre, They Retire
And Both Found Dead Early Sun.
day Morning.
Ollie Murray, 28 years old, and his
wife, 16 years old, of Middlesex, were
asphyxiated early Sunday morning in
Norfolk in the home of Mr. Murray’s
uncle, whom they were visiting.
Mr. and Mrs. Murray reached Nor
folk Saturday night. After attending
a theatre, they retired. About 9:30
Sunday morning some member of the
household went to their room to call
them to breakfast. No one responded
to the knock on the door, and odors of
gas were detected coming from the
room. Upon entering the room both
were found dead in bed. Physicians
were called but they had been dead
several hours. A coroner was called
and after investigation he declared it
was his opinion that they had been
accidentally asphyxiated.
The bodies were sent to Middlesex
where interment was made near there
yesterday afternoon.
A Shower.
Friday night Mr. and Mrs. A. B.
Cnudill gave a delightful “shower” in
honor of Miss Esther Sanders who is
a February bride. The house was
tastefully decorated in green. The
guests were met at the door by Mrs.
C. H. Graham and shown into the
cloak room.
The younger people occupied the
parlor and the older ones were usher
ed into the sitting room where all en
joyed various games and pleasant con
versation. The piano and grafonola
furnished music which was very much
enjoyed. About ten o’clock the guests
were invited to the dining room where
delicious whipped cream, peaches and
cake were served.
The fun they had was a plenty. Af
ter all were served they gathered in
the parlor to play the last game, which
was “The Trip to Wonderland.” Num
bers were passed around, ten being
the lucky number. The one that got
the lucky number was to be blindfold
ed and led by a guide on tiptoe to
Wonderland. Master Hubert Caudell
dressed as an elf from Wonderland
came in and presented the lucky num
ber which was Miss Esther Sanders,
with a flashlight. Taking her by the
hand as he led the way, he said,
“Come with me Miss Lucky Number,
and I will lead you to the Land of
Wonder. We’ll have to walk very
slow even on our tiptoe, for the way is
rough and dark you know. Here we
are at the door. You will like it, I am
sure. On this chair inside take a
seat, and please keep sweet. Now pop
on the light, and please don’t take
fright, for these gifts were sent to
you by friends that are true. Now
take a seat outside, Miss Future
Bride, and let your friends behold the
wonders untold.”
She was led blindfolded from the
parlors, through the hall to the back
porch and into a little tent that had
been constructed and covered with
bamboo, where the gifts were placed.
After the bandage was removed she
took a peep into the tent. Then a!
she took a seat outside the little* elf
passed the packages out to her, and
her friends gathered around to see
her unfold the wonders untold. Every
one enjoyed the hospitality of Mr. and
Mrs. Caudill. A WITNESS.
Influenza Epidemic Reached Climax.
Reports available from sections of
the state in which influenza has been
raging indicate that the spread of
the disease has reached a climax.
Five new cases, none of them seri
ous, were reported at the State Col
lege, making a total of 21 cases there.
The Methodist Orphanage in Raleigh
continued to face a serious situation
with 200 of the 250 children in bed
with influenza, among whom four cas
es of pneumonia have developed. Four
other cases of pneumonia seemed im
minent late last night, but physicians
deferred diagnosis until this morning.
There was no new cases of influenza
yesterday. Two of the pneumonia pa
tients, Malthus Edwards, 14, and Rus
sell Nelson, 12, were said to be in an
exceedingly critical condition last
night, with but little hope for their
recovery.
Wilson reports forty cases of “some
thing” like flu, most cases of which
have been mild. The death of one
child has been reported.
In Asheville, where the epidemic
has been severe, the cases have re
duced. However an emergency hos
pital at one of the public schools was
opened yesterday.
Cotton Association Meeting.
A meeting of the Johnston County
Branch of the American Cotton Asso
ciation will be held in Smithfield or
Wednesday afternoon February 4th
at 1:30 o’clock, to complete warehouse
plans and to take options on cotton
Cotton farmers are urged to attend.
GOVERNOR BICKETT
AND THE TAX QUESTION
He Will Recommend to the Special
Session of the Legislature That the
State Can Get Along This Year
Without the Ten Per Cent Increase.
Governor Bickett has issued a state
ment to the people of the State re
garding revaluation and taxation. His
statement follows in full:
“To the people of North Carolina:
“After hearing the reports made by
the district supervisors in charge of
the revaluation act and after a full
conference with tty; state budget com
mission, the state tax commission and
the state treasurer, I find that I will
be justified in giving to the people of
the state the following information:
“I propose to submit to the special
session of the general assembly, which
is expected to meet in July, the fol
lowing recommendations:
“First: That the state take no ad
vantage of that part of the revalua
tion act which authorized a 10 per
cent increase of revenues for the year
1020, but that the general assembly
fix a rate for 1920 that will yield for
all state purposes exactly the same
amount of revenue from real and per
sonal property as was collected in the
year 1919. There may be one excep
tion to this recommendation and that
is that it may be necessary to increase
the funds provided by the state for
the public schools to the extent of
five per cent, certainly not more than
this. This increase will be only half
the amount contemplated by the gen
eral assembly of 1919 for this specific
purpose. It will thus be seen, in the
light of this recommendation, that the
revaluation act becomes one of equali
zation pure and simple and, with the
vast quantities of property now going
on the tax books that was not tAxed
at all heretofore, both of lands and of
intangible personal property, it is
certain that many thousands of tax
payers will actually pay less taxes in
1920 than they paid in 1919.
“Second: I will also recommend
that there be inserted in the revalua
tion act a clause providing that in any
year, at any time before the taxes are
actually levied by the county authori
ties, any property owner may ask for
a re-assessmeht of his property upon
filing an affidavit supported by two
disinterested free holders that his
property is on the tax books at a sum
greater than its then market value.
“Third: I will also recommend to
the special session of the general as
sembly that there be embodied in the
constitutional amendment now pend
ing and to be voted on in November
a provision greatly reducing the pres
ent constitutional limitation of 66 2-3
cents on the $100 worth of property.
It was the purpose of the finance com
mittee of the house and senate at the
regular session to revise this limita
tion downwards. It is now apparent
that the revised valuations will be
large enough to permit a substantial
reduction of this limitation, and still
leave a reasonable margin for the ne
cessities of our future development.
Just what figure will be a proper lim
itation cannot be determined until the
total values under the new assess
ments are ascertained.
“Three acts in regard to the reval
uation act are now outstanding and
no longer the subject of controversy:
“1. The one purpose of the act is
to wipe out the inequalities on the
existing system.
“2. Under the act the tax rate will
be so low that no class of property
will be outlawed and driven from the
state.
“3. The extraordinarily low rate
under the revaluation act will uncover
millions of dollars in the state that
has never been on the tax books at
all, and will draw into the state mil
lions of capital from the ends of the
earth.”
Automobile School.
An automobile school is being con
ducted in^Wilmingtou, a complete and
intensive course consisting of ten les
sons, one each week, which is attract
ing considerable attention. The course
is given free of charge to all who are
interested and at least one third of
those who took advantage of the first
lesson were ladies who drive their
own cars.
Extreme Cold in New England.
All New England and New York
state have been in the grip of the
coldest weather of the winter. The
frigid wave was most severe in north
ern New York state, where the low
record of 42 degrees below zero was
registered. Along the New England
northern coast harbors and channels
were frozen preventing the movement
of shipping and supplies of foodstuffs.
The inhabitants of several islands
were reported to be isolated. The
lowest temperature recorded in north
ern New England was at Greenville,
Me., where it was 28 below zero.