VOLUME 40
SMITHFIELD, N. C., TUESDAY, JULY 5, 1921
NUMBER 53
SCHOOL CONTRACT
LET YESTERDAY
Raleigh Firm, Kenyon £
Thompson, Awarded the
Contract at $120,100
At an adjourned meeting of th<
school board of the Smithfield distrie
yesterday morning, the contract foi
the new high school building and th<
colored school building was let to Ken
yon & Thompson, Raleigh, at a tota
of $120,100. This amount with th<
cost of the heating plants, $10,532, wil
make the two buildings cost the sun
o: $130,632, exclusive of equipment.
When the bids were opened Iasi
Wednesday, there were thirteen bid
ders as follows:
>. fc. loier, Kooky Mount, $146,256
John P. Little & Son, Charlotte, $155,
482; J. M. Shaw; Lillington (Col. builc
ing) $39,560; Harrington & Harding
Weldon, $135,634; J. W. Stout, San
ford, $134,000; N. E. Construction Co.
C harlotte $155,671; Kenyon & Thomp
son, $118,000; N. Underwood, Dur
ham, $152,715; Carolina Con. Co.
Hamlet, $147,356; Goode Con. Co..
Charlotte, $146,500; I. C. Abbott &
Son, Salisbury, $171,773.10; W. P.
Rose, Goldsboro, $140,356; C. V. York
Con. Co., Raleigh, $125,000.
After considering these bids all ex
cept the three lowest were eliminated,
these being J. W. Stout, C. V. York
Con. Co., and Kenyon & Thompson,
these to be further considered at an
adjourned meeting which took place
yesterday. These men were asked to
figure on two or three changes in the
spcifications and at 9:30 be ready to
submit a revised bid. They did so
with proposals as follows: C. V. York
$126,450; J. W. Stout $124,000; Ken
yon & Th&ompson $120,100, the low
est man being awarded the contract.
Kenyon & Thompson furnished the
best of recommendations, and the
board feels that the contract has been
placed to the best advantage of the
district. These men have just com
pleted a $60,000 county home in Wil
son county and are at present engag
ed upon the construction of the new
Raleigh Country Club.
The colored building is to be com
pleted within four months after the
contract is signed and the high school
building will be ready for occupancy
by September, 1922.
July 4th at Holt Lake
Mr. George H. Moore and his help
ers had planned for a big day at Holt
Lake July 4th. The people began to
gather about nine o’clock and a large
part of them stayed until about six
o’clock in the afternoon. The day was
rather hot but there was plenty of
good cool water and cold drinks and
shade. The crowd was estimated at
two thousand people. The automo
biles were estimated at four to five
hundred. Good music was furnished
fcy the Ivanhoe Concert Band. The
swimming contest consisted in going
from the diving stand to the dam and
back. Frank L. Skinner made the
trip, about half a mile, in ten miribtes
and won the first prize which was
$5.00. Frederick Brooks returned in
eleven and a half minutes and won
the second prize, $2.50. Five were in
this contest.
In the divers’ contest there were
about twenty boys and young men.
Frank L. Skinner and Frederick
Brooks won also in the divers contest
and each got the same amount of
money as in the first contest. The
high diving attracted attention but
from the spring board there was some
fancy diving.
Next came the contest of the fiddl
ers who played three rounds each.
Mr. Percy Smith of Ingrams township,
Mr. Charley Pittman of Wendell, Mr.
Richard Braswell of Boon Hill and
Mr. Colonel Benson of Ingrams were
the fiddlers. Mr. John W. Massengill
played the accompaniments. Mr. Vic
tor Penny did some fiddling also. An
interesting feature at this point was
a jig danced by Mr. James A. Wood
all who is about eighty-four years old.
Mr. Smith won the first prize of five
dollars. The second prize was given
to Mt. Charley Pittman who played
a banjo also.
One of the best attractions of the
nay was the singing of several songs
by the choir of Johnson Union Free
Will Baptist church. This choir was
l<d by Mr. R. E. Thomas.
r
CONGRESS PASSES
PEACE MEASURI
: Signing Measure by Hardinj
Will Open Way For Re
lations with Germany
> Washington, July 1.—Enactmen
of the compromise resolution endin|
. the state of war with Germany an<
Austria finally was completed toda;
by Congress and the measure will bi
sent by special messenger to Pres
ident Harding at Raritan, N. J., to
morrow. He is expected to sign i
immediately. At the White House
where the resolution was receivec
early tonight, it was said the mes
senger would leave here at 9 o’clocl
tomorv< w, arriving about 2 o’clocl
at Raritan, where President Hardinf
is the guest of Senator Frelinghuy
sen over the holiday.
j mai action on tne measure was
by the Senate, which adopted the con
ference report by a vote of 38 to It
after a day of debate in which th(
Democratic members made a last as
sault on the resolution. The Houst
acted yesterday, the vote being 265
to 5‘J.
The signing of the measure by
President Harding will open the way
for resumption of diplomatic rela
tions with both Germany and Austria
but administration officials have in
dicated that plans for this have not
been worked out. All opponents of
the resolution wTere Democrats, but
three, Shields, of Tennessee, Walsh,
of Massachusetts, and Watson, of
Georgia, voted with Republicans for
adoption. Senator Reed, Democrat,
was paired in its favor.
Announcements were made that all
other Senators paired or absent fav
ored or opposed the resolution ac
cording to their party affiliations.
Senator Knox, of Pennsylvania, au
thor of the original resolution was
absent, but was paired with Senator
Pomerene, Democrat, of Ohio.
The resolution, after the Senate
vote was signed by Representative
Towmer, Republican, Iowa, speaker
pro tern in the House in the absence
of Speaker Gillett, who had gone to
New Jersey with President Harding.
It was then signed by Vice President
Coolidge during an executive session
of the Senate and sent to the White
House.
Final debate today was principally
by Democratic opponents who de
clared that the Republican plan was
futile and would necessitate a separ
ate treaty of peace later or ratifica
tion of the treaty of Versailles.
For the Republicans, Senator Bran
degee, of Connecticut, made the prin
cipal address declaring there would
not be a treaty of “peace” but prob
ably one or more of “commerce”,
which, hg said, would deal with ques
tions arising out of the war. Sena
tor Lodge, of Massachusetts, Repub
lican leader, entered the discussion
briefly mainly to support Senator
Brandegee’s contentions. Arguing
that a peace treaty was not neces
sary to conclude wrars, Mr. Lodge said
the United States had negotiated
treaties of commerce with Great
Britain in 1812 and 1815 and also
with Spain after the Spanish war.
In response to a question from
Senator Harrison, Democrat, Miss
issippi, Senator Lodge said he knew
of no plans by the administration to
re-submit the treaty of Versailles to
the Senate.
Withdrawal of American troops
now in Germany was discussed by
Senator Brandegee, McKellar, Demo
crat, Tennessee, and others. Dis
claiming to speak for the President,
Senator Brandegee said he believed
the peace resolution would necessi
tate retirement of American troops
from Germany territory.
Closing the debate, Senator LaFol
lette, Republican, Wisconsin, express
ed “dissent and denunciation” of the
provisions reserving American rights
to German property seized by the al
ien property custodian. Such action
he declared was in violation of the
treaty of 1828 with Prussia and also
of international law. He added that
he would reserve freedom of action
in case future treaties dealing with
German property should be present
ed.
Roriton, N. J., July 2.—The reso
lution of Congress declaring war with
Germany and Austria-Hungary at an
end was signed here late today by
President Harding.
I
I
I
TAFT CHIEF JUSTICE
OF UNITED STATES
' Senate confirms Nomination
To Succeed Late Chief
Justice White
t Washington, June 30.—Former
- President William Howard Taft was
• nominated late today by President
’ Harding to be Chief Justice of the
■ United States and his nomination
• was confirmed by the Senate in ex
ecutive session.
; The nomination wras not confirmed
• without opposition, however, and a
I roll call was demanded. The opposi
tion was understood to have been
voiced by Senators Borah, Idaho,
; Johnson, California and LaFollette,
Wisconsin, all Republicans, who were
said to have criticised Mr. Taft’s
record and his nomination.
On roll call, however, only four
votes were cast against confirma
tion. These were by Senators Borah,
Johnson, and LaFollette, and Sena
tor Watson, Democrat, Georgia.
The final vote was 60 to 4. An
agreement was reached not to make
a public roll call.
1 he Senate s doors were closed for
discussion of the nomination after
suggestion that Mr. Taft be confirm
ed in “open executive” session be
cause he is a former president had
been rejected by his opponents.
Senators Borah and Johnson led the
fight on the floor in opposition to
Mr. Taft, while he was defended by
about a dozen Senators, including
Knox, of Pennsylvania, Kellogg, of
Minnesota, and Willis, of Ohio, Re
publicans and Underwood, of Ala
bama, minority leader; Smith, of
South Carolina, Overman, of North
Carolina, and Broussard, of Louisiana
Democrats.
Senators Borah and Johnson were
understood to have centered their
fight on Mr. Taft’s legal training,
experience and qualifications. Ac
cording to reports filtering out from
the Senate chamber, Senator John
son was said to have declared that
Mr. Taft’s appointment was “purely
political.” A similar charge it was
reported, was made by Senator Bor
ah.
Senator Johnson, it was stated, as
serted that Mr. Taft had not regard
ed himself as a lawyer, but as a poli
tician and had “abandoned” his pro
fession after leaving the White
House.
The defense of Mr. Taft, it was said
was led by Democrats, Senator Un
derwood said that Mr. Taft had made
himself “beloved by the South,” ad
ding that this sentiment was due
largely to Mr. Taft’s appointment,
when President, of a Southerner, the
late Chief Justice White to the high
est judicial position of the country.
Similar statements, it was reported,
were made by Senator Broussard, of
Louisiana, the native state of the
late Chief Justice.
Mr. Tlaft’s legal learning was
praised, it was said, by Senators Knox
and Willis, the latter referring to his
experience on the bench of Ohio.
Senator Kellogg, it was said, re
ferred to the positions of honor held
by Mr. Taft in bar and similar as
sociations.
Southern Senators, it was reported
with the exception of Mr. Watson, of
Georgia, were solidly behind the ap
pointment. Senator Smith, of South
Carolina, it was stated, discussed the
race question, commending Mr. Taft
it was said, for refusing to appoint
any but white men to office in South
Carolina.
Parrot Halts Traffic
Chicago.—“Not so fast—go slow—
stop” shouted a voice to Sunday mo
torists at Evanston. Traffic soon jam
med for blocks. No policeman was in
view. The chief of police sent his re
serves to the scene, and in a tree
they found a parrot still issuing his
traffic orders.
So that there might be no unneces
sary delay in consummation of the
long deferred state of peace, the reso
lution was brought here by special
messenger from Washington, where
it had been given final Congressional
approval yesterday. The messenger
left for the capital again tonight to
complete the formalities of the decla
ration by depositing the document in
( the archives of the State Depart
; ment.
THE COTTON CROP IS
SMALLEST IN 25 YRS.
Department Places Yield
This Year at Eight and a
Half Million Bales
Washington, July 1.—The 1921 cot
ton crop promises to be the smallest
crop of the last quarter of a century,
■today’s forecast by the Department
of Agriculture placing it at 8,433,
000 bales or nearly five million bales
smaller than last year’s c^rop and
nearly eight million bales below the
record crop of 1914. This year’s acre
age is 28.4 per cent smaller that last
year’s.
The acreage this year is the small
est since 1900 and never before ac
cording to the department of agricul
ture has there been so great a change
irom one year to another in acreage,
as there has been from last year to
this year.
The condition of the growing crop
has not in twenty years been so low
on June 25 as it was this year. All
sections of the cotton belt has been
affected. It is due, according to gov
ernment experts, to an adversely late
vet spring and to the presence of boll
v eevil in large numbers.
Owing to the unfavorable condi
tions of April and May and to other
discouraging factors, shortage of
fertilizer, and unsatisfactory price
abandonment of planted cotton acre
age has been greater than usual
east of the Missippi river, ranging
from five per cent in North Carolina
and Mississippi to as high as 110 per
cent in Georgia, west of the Missis
sippi abandonment has been slight.
The abandonment w-as taken into
consideration the crop reporting
board announced in its preliminary
estimate of acreage.
The amount of cofnmercial ferti
lizer used per acre on cotton this
year, according to the reports reach
ing the bureau of crop estimates
is about 66 per cent of the average
amount used annually in the four
years, 1917-20; Virginia reporting
86; North Carolina 80; South Caro
lina 66; Georgia 73; Florida 75; Ala
bama 72; Mississippi 50; Louisiana,
42; Texas 47; Arkansas 61; Tennes
see 63. The report of sales of fer
tilizer license tags compared with
last year, show to May 31 for North
Carolina about 65 per cent and to the
close of June 1, South Carolina 50
per cent, Alabama 45 per cent, Mis
sissippi 50 and Texas 33. Special re
turns to the agriculture department
indicate only about 56 per cent as
much as last year in North Carolina,
50 per cent in South Carctina, 42 per
cent in Mississippi and Tennessee,
and 15 per cent in Louisiana and Ar
kansas, and compared with the un
i sual only 49 per cent in Georgia and
33 per cent in Florida.
Thus said the bureau’s statement,
all indications point to a reduction in
absolute quantity of fertilizer pur
f hased much greater than the unpre
cedented reduction in acreage of cot
ton, and this is confirmed by the
figures quoted showing lessened use
per acre. This lack is reflected in the
relatively low condition of cotton,
which is almost ten points below the
average condition at this date. The
quality is generally reported as low
er than in previous years.
The preliminary estimate of acre
age and the condition on June 25 by
States follows:
Virginia, acreage 28,000; condition
/V.
North Carolina, 1,186,000 and 67.
South Carolina, 2,190,000 and 65.
Georgia, 3,600,000 and 64.
Florida 82,000 and 70.
Alabama, 2,029,000 and 59.
Mississippi 2,825,00 and 6.
Louisiana 1,011,000 and 64.
Texas 9,199,000 and 72.
Arkansas 2,138,000 and 78.
Tennessee 609,000 and 74.
Missouri 93,000 and 80. •
Oklahoma 1,853,000 and 75.
California 131,000 and 77.
Arizona 89,000 and 88.
New Mexico 15,000 and 87.
Lower California’s area, about 59,
000 acres, is included in the California
figures but excluded from the Unit
ed States total.
Tenderfoot: “Why do they use
knots on the ocean instead of miles?"
Second-class Scout: “Well you see,
they couldn’t have the ocean tide
without knots.”—Boys’ Life.
DEMPSY KNOCKS
CARPENTIER OUT
American Retains Champi
onship; Carpentier Enters
Ring as Favorite
Ringside, Jersey City, N. J. July 2.
—Jack Dempsey is still heavyweight
pugilistic champion of the world.
A crushing right swing from the
fist of the American fighter shatter
ed the titular aspirations of Georges
Carpentier in the fourth round of the
so-called “Battle of the Century” here
this afternoon. The pile-driving
blow landed flush upon the jaw of the
Frenchman, flooring Carpentier for
the second time in a trifle more than
a minute of fighting in the final and
decisive round.
Although he had staggered to his
feet after the initial knock-down he
was unable to survive the second one
and was motionless when Referee
Harry Ertle tolled off the fatal ten
counts.
Although the knockout punch was
driven to Carpentier’s jaw, the way
to Dempsey’s victory had been paved
by the continual bombardment of
blows, which landed on every section
of the Frenchman’s body. Each
swing, jab and uppercut, scored to
the stomach, rib and sides, contribut
ed to the slowing up process of the
speedy Carpentier. In addition, a
clubbing right which landed flush on
the back of Georges neck in the
third round played an important part
>'n his defeat. The Frenchman folded
over in an attempt to protect his
body, left the back of his neck ex
posed, and Dempsey, with the fair
target in front of him, drove down a
terrific slam to Carpentier’s ver
l« brae.
After the knockout, the Frenchman
stated in his dressing room that this
punch was the cause of his pugilistic
downfall. He said that the punch
stunned his entire physical and men
tal make-up and he was thereafter
unable to carry on any effective at
tack.
It developed after Carpentier had
1 ©turned to his training camp at
Manhasset, N. Y., that during his ag
gressive and effective attack in the
second round, the Frenchman had
broken his right thumb and sprained
his wrist. Carpentier was unable to
explain how the injury occurred, but
it is thought that it came as a re
sult of a hard swing which landed
high on Dempsey’s head.
What effect, if any, this injury to
the European challenger’s most ef
fective fighting fist, had on the ulti
mate outcome of the battle, it is im
possible to state. Carpentier was al
most entirely on the defensive in the
third and fourth rounds, although he
did not noticeably avoid using his
right hand arm in blocking or strik
ing out when the opportunity arose.
First Round
Carpentier walked into Dempsey
end landed the first blow, a light
left to the head. They fell into a
clinch and Dempsey battered the
Frenchman in the body with short
rights and lefts. Dempsey was short
with a left to the head, but repeated
with a left that staggered Carpentier
and made him miss with a swing.
Dempsey landed a left that skim
med Carpentier’s nose and drew
blood. The Frenchman backed away
and missed with a right. Dempsey
countered with a left that made Car
pentier’s knees sag. There was a
furious exchange at close quarters
and it ended with Carpentier falling
through the ropes. Carpentier crawl
ed back, gamely flew at Dempsey and
they exchanged body punches in a
clinch. Just before the bell Carpen
tier nailed Dempsey with a left and
punished him in the body as the bell
rang. Dempsey’s round.
Second Round
Carpentier missed with a left and
then landed a hard right to the chin
that sent Dempsey reeling to the
ropes. The blow apparently discon
certed the champion and sent him
back on his heels, but he came back
with a terriffic right to the jaw that
caused a look of worry from the
Frenchman’s handlers. They went in
to a clinch and when they were sep
arated Carpentier missed a left to
the chin. Carpenter landed a half
dozen rights and left to Champion
Jack’s head. Dempsey hooked a right
to Carpentier’s cheek and split the
flesh under the right eye. Blood be
FIST FIGHT BRINGS
IN ENORMOUS SUM
Expenses of All Kinds Near
A Million—Uncle Sam
Collects $400,000
New York, July 3—Tex Rickard
figured today that his net profit from
tne Dempsey-Carpentier fight yester
day would be in the neighborhood of
five hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars.
Expert accountants were busy all
day checking and balancing the books
used in the promotion of the contest.
Rickard said he did not expect a final
account statement before Wednesday
but that expenses of all kinds would
approximate $950,000 and taxes on
his share $100,000, while the gross
gate receipts were expected to exceed
$1,600,000.
1C was also ngured 0ut that Demp
sey earned in the neighborhood of
§29,000 a minute for his ten minutes
and 10 seconds of actual fighting.
Carpentier’s profits as the loser in the
contest were approximately $19,500 a
minute. The United States govern
ment will receive in one form of tax
ation or another, a considerable part
of the three hundred thousand dol
lars paid Dempsey and the two hun
dred thousand dollars which was Car
pentier’s share of the purse. Total
government proceeds from the bout
will total more than four hundred
thousand dollars, revenue officers es
timate. The income tax will take a
bout $lt>0,000 of the three hundred
tnousand dollars earned by Dempsey
and about $77,000 of Carpentier’s
share. The Federal revenue from the
sale of tickets will amount to about
$100,000.
Ticket sellers who resold the paste
boards at an increased price are re
quired to give fifty per cent of their
profits to the government. The State
cf New Jersey, under provisions of
Ihe boxing law, also collects ten per
cent of the gate receipts. Profits of
preliminary boxers and all ring offi
cials also will be taxed according to
the government proceeds of the bout.
Georges Carpentier must pay his
entire tax to the United States before
sailing for France. Dempsey may
pay his tax in four installments next
year, the first being due in March,
1922. Revenue officials have pointed
out that Carpentier also is likely to
face another stringent income tax on
arrival in France, shrinking still more
the earnings of the defeated boxer.
Editors Home Invaded
A good Samaratian came to the
home of the editor Monday during
the absence of the family and left
a large box of varied vegetables.
Thanks!—Chatam Record.
Mr. T. H. Franks left last week for
New York City where he will take
a course at Columbia University this
summer.
gan to trickle from the gash. Car
pentier missed a right swing and
Dempsey’s right also was short. They
were locked in a clinch exchanging
punches to the body as the bell rang.
Carpentier’s round.
Third Round
Dempsey began crowding Carpen
tier and the Frenchman backed away.
Carpentier ducked a hook and Demp
sey backed him into the ropes, shak
ing him with a solid right to the chin.
Then Carpentier landed two right up
per-cuts to the body in the clinch.
The Frenchman missed a right swing
and nearly fell down. Then he reach
ed Dempsey with a long right to the
jaw and as he came into a clinch
Dempsey clubbed him with the rabbit
punch. Carpentier led with a left
and they clinched. Dempsey was out
roughing his frailer foe in the clinch
es. Carpentier circled around, wait
ing for a chance to whip over a right,
nut Dempsey’s body punches had
veakened him. The champion drove
Georges into a corner, hooking him
with rights and lefts to the head as
the bell rang. The bell saved Car
pentier. Dempsey’s round.
Fourth Round
Dempsey rushed Carpentier to the
ropes and sent a left to the body that
made him wince. Carpentier landed
a right to the head and tried to hang
cn. Carpentier was floored by Demp
sey and was knocked out when he
started to rise.—News and Observer.