N. C. HAS HIGHEST
BIRTH RATE IN U. S.
Death Rate Decreases In I
1921; Matter of Pride to
North Carolina
RALEIGH, Feb. 16.—With a total
of 89,623 births registered for the j
past year North Carolina has brokens
its own record for the highest, birth !
rate in tbo Union established in 1920. j
At the same time a new low level in 1
the death rate for the state is es- i
tablished vjth a total registration of j
29,964 deaths. These figures are pre
liminary, and are subject to slight
alterations as delayed certificates for
1921 are filed With the State Board
of Health. Such delayed returns,
however, cannot be sufficient to ma
terially effect either the birth or
death rate.
In 1920 the birth rate in the state
was 31.8 per thousand population as
compared with the rate of 23.7 for
the registration area of the country.
The death rate was 12.6 per thousand
population for the state as against
13.1 for registration.
In 1921 the birth rate goes up and
the death rate is lowered. On the
preliminary figures available the
birth rate for the year is 33.1, and
the death rate is 11.4. Figures for
comparison with the remainder of the
country will not be made available
by the United States Bureau of the
Census until late in the present year.
In this connection, however, it is of
interest to note that the state of New'
York announces a death rate of 12.2
for the past year, a new low level
for that state but one higher than
for North Carolina. The city of
Chicago announces a death rate of
11 for 1921, and the health commis
sionos of that city states that prob
ably this is the lowest rate possible
of attainment.
The net increase in the total pop
ulation of the jstate (for the past
year, that is the excess of births ov
er deaths, is 59,659, or a rate of in
crease of 2.3 per cent. If this rate of
increase is maintained the population
of the state will have passed the 3
million mark well ahead of the next
decennal census.
While the birth rate is a matter
of pride, yet it is the death rate that
health officials watch most closely,
and the constantly declining death
rate in this state is the cause of gen
uine gratification. In terms of lives
saved the lowering of the death rate
for 1921 as against the previous year
means that approximately 3,292 more
Tar Heels are today alive and serv
ing their respective communites than
would have been if the 1920 rate had
prevailed. Compared with 1914, when
the death rate was 18.8, it means that
approximately 19,656 more citizens
are alive today, a population com
parable with that of a number of the
larger towns of the state.
Year by year since accurate statis
tics have been kept the birth rate in
the state has been steadily climbing
upward, and at the same time the
death rate has been more markedly
declining. The figures eloquently at
test the fact that North Carolina is
a good place in whch to be born and
to live and that its people as a whole
are constantly growing healthier
and happier.
THIEIVENTERS COTTER- UN
DERWOOD STORE SUNDAY
Police Authorities Get Busy and Re
cover Articles at Rob Hines’.
During the early hours Sunday
morning, a thief entered the store of
Cotter-Underwood Co., and made
away with about $150 worth of shoes,
wearing apparel and dry goods. It
seems that things had been missed !
from the store on one or two occasions
for which no one could account. Be
tween three and four o’clock Sunday
morning a passerby thought he saw
some one coming from the rear of
the store. It was reported to the
proprietors and during the day in
vestigation was made. It was found
that iron bars on the windows of the
basement had been prized apart so
that a person could squeeze through
The police were notified, and yester
day morning the stolen goods were
located at he home of Rob Hines,
- , colored. The goods were found con
i'- cealed 'n the loft of the house. Hines
was not to be found.
Mrs. H. L. Graves spent Sunday in
Benson with relatives.
ELECTRIC SIREN
BEING INSTALLED
City Commissioners Make
Efforts to Improve the
Fire Department
For some time the town commis
sioners ha\ e been working to improve
the fire department of the town. Un
til a tew months ago there had been
no organized fire company since the
war had taken so many recruits from
the farmer company. Realizing that
every town should be ready to fight
fire two companies were formed, one
from the white population and one
from among the negroes. A new
fire truck has been purchased and
a new electric siren is now being iu
bTaiied. The town has grown to such
siae that the court house bell which
has been used to sound fire alarms
so long, is now inadequate, hence the
installation of the siren.
The town has been divided into ten
fire districts and charts are being
prepared showing the location of
these districts. When the system is
completed, the fire company will
know by the manner in which the
alarm is sounded where the fire is,
and no delay will be necessary to find
in which direction the fire apparatus
and the members of the companies
=hall proceed. We understand that
soon daily drills will be engaged in
by the companies until the signals
shall become perfectly familiar. It
is chai'acteristic of Smithfield not to
do thing by halves, and the fire de
partment does not promise to -be an
exception. ^
SELMA TO PAVE STREETS; CON
TRACT AWARDED TO W.W. PIATT
Citizens Taking Steps For Securing
a Union Station at That
Junction.
SELMA, Feb. 18.—At a meeting of
the city commissioners yesterday af
ternoon, the contract for engineer
ing in the paving of the business sec
tion of Selma was awarded to W. W.
Piatt, of Durham. The surveys have
been made and tlte actual work of
the paving will begin at once. There
will be a great deal of sidewalk im
provement in the proposed work.
J. L. Morehead, of Durham, has
been employed as the city attorney
in the handling of the bond sale.
A volunteer fire company of 22
members has been organized and
practices will be held weekly. Equip
ment for the company has been pur
chased, including coats, hats, boots
and other fire-fighting apparatus.
The town is having installed an
electric siren fire alarm which will
give a signal loud enough to be
heard several miles. This was neces
sary as the fire bell now in use is
not loud enough to give the proper
signal.
The chamber of commerce is plan
ning an extensive campaign to help
educate the farmers in the diversifi
cation of crops, and the eradication
of the boll weevil. This work will
begin at once and is expected to do
a great deal of good in assisting the
farmers in solving some of their
problems the coming year.
As Selma has decided to take an
other step forward in progress by
paving the streets and erecting a new
hotel in the near future, the cham
ber of commerce has taken the posi
tion that it is time for the railroad
companies to build the new union
station that has been authorized but
was not erected due to the war.
There is no question as to how great
ly this station is needed since mere
than 500 passengers pass through
here daily. The old station now in
use is poorly lighted and has not
enough space to accomodate the
crowds. There are no sheds tc pro
tect passengers in rainy weather nor
other conveniences that should be
provided. The chamber is going to
press for some action on this prop
osition.
Bulletins on Gardening.
Gardening time is about here, and
those :ntcresied in gardening in for
mation may get bulletins on the sub
ject from Mr. S. J. Kirby, County
Farm Agent or Miss Minnie Lee Gar
rison, Home Demonstration Agent.
The bulletins available are: Extension
Circular 121. The Home Garden;
Extension Circular 122. The Farm
and Home Garden Manuel; Extension
Circular 123. The Farm Garden.
IRREGULAR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
AND FAILURES
FIRST GRADE. 1S20-21. TURLINGTON GRADED SCHOOL
SM1THFIELD. N. C.
1100%
l Promo
: ficvS
Pirlores
J
Pronjo*
tions.
Less thtin
% absences
a month.
move ihor\
& oSsertceS
a i7ioT)th
There were 107 pupils in the first grade last year, 1920-21. Thirty two
were absent less than two days a month, and every single one of them was
promoted, 100 per cent promotion.
Seventy-five were absent more than two days a month, and only 48 of them
were promoted, 64 per cent promotion. Twenty-seven of the seventy-five
failed, 36 per cent failures.
FOURTH GRADE, 1920-21, TURLINGTON GRADED SCHOOL
SMITH FIELD, N. C.
r
\\\\\\\\\
I\
to
Veriluves
*7%
Vro7rfo
~t/0 rf<5.
Less Thai?
Z absences
a yr)avjHy
More
Z absences
q rna-nH\.
There were 67 pupils in the fourth grade last year, 1920-21. Forty-three
were absent less than two days a month. Of these 43 pupils 39 were pro
moted and 4 failed, 91 per cent promotion and 9 per cent failures.
Twenty-four were absent more than two days a month. Of these 24 pupils
only 9 passed. Fifteen of the twenty-four failed. Of the twenty-four who
were absent more than two days a month only 37 per cent were promoted.
Sixty-three per cent failed.
The above shows that even keeping children out of school on rainy days
may cause them to fail of promotion at the end of the year.
WORLD’S COAL SUPPLY
SHOWS A BIG DECREASE
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.—De
crease of more than 200,000,000 tons
in the world's production of coal in
1921, compared wth the output in
1920, was noted in a statement on
mining activties issued today by the
United States geological survey.
From reports so far received, the
statement said, the total world out
put of coal last year was 1,100,000,
000 metric tons, with France and
Germany the only nations showing
an increased production. The chief
factors in the lessened output in oth
er countries, it was said, were the
strike by British miners and “a
world-wide industrial depression.”
James Lane Allen, who put Ken
i tucky on the literary map of the world
| is past 72 years of age. He is a
I bachelor and present resides in New
I York City.
10,000 PEOPLE ESCORT BILLY
SUNDAY TO HIS TRAIN
SPARTANBURG, S. C., Feb. 19.—
Rev. William A. Sunday closed a
six weeks revival campaign here to
day, speaking four times to audiences
of more than eight thousand in each
gathering, and was escorted to the
railway station upon his departure
tonight by ten thousand people, hun
dreds of them carrying flaming
torches.
Durng the campaign twenty thou
sand people have responded to his
invitations.
Tonight the free will offering to
Mr. Sunday amounted to $22,654.80.
What They Stood For.
Tommy—What does LL.D. after a
man’s name mean?.
Jimmy—I guess it means that he’s
a lung and lfver doctor.—Gonotord
Times.
PROPERTY VALUE !
GREATLY REDUCED
Taxes Are More; 26 Million
Collected for County
Purposes in 1921
More than a half billion dollars in
values was written off the tax books
in North Carolina during 1921, and
in 'that year a total of $26,326,339
was levied in taxes for county pur- !
poses, an estimated increase of five
million dollars over the) preceding
year. The figures for taxes levied
do not include municipal taxes.
Through reductions made by the com
missioners of more than half the i
counties in the State, and approved
by the State Revenue Commission,
aggregate property values have
shrunk from $3,158,480,072 reported
to the General Assembly in 1920 by
the State Tax Commission to $2,575,
230,000. The estimated revenues for
all county find State fciurp^ses iin
1920 were $21,000,000.
Final reports of tax values and the
total of taxes levied and collected
have been made to the State Revenue
Commission from 96 of the 100 coun
ties. Figures for the remaining four
counties are approximated upon the
basis of their percentage of reduc
tion from the values fixed by the
State Tax Commission in 1920 undtif
the Revaluation Act.
Included in the total of 26 million
dollars of taxes paid are all items
levied by the county boards of com
missioners, special road taxes, school
taxes by districts, taxes to cover the
interest on bonds, county fund, and
all other taxes levied. Poll taxes are
also included in the totals. No tax
es were levied during the year for the
support of the State Government, or
any of its departments.
No semblance of uniformity of tax
rates remain among the counties, ex
cept in the county fund tax, which is
limited by the constitution to fifteen
cents on the $100 valuation of prop
erty. School taxes are at wide vari
ance, as are also special taxes levied
for school, road and other improve
ment bonds. The average for the en
tire State is about $1.00 on the $100
valuation of real and personal prop
erty.
From Alleghany where less taxes
are paid than in any county in the
State, with its $33,000 for all pur
poses, to the county of Mecklenburg,
the only county in the State where
the taxes amount to more than a
million dollars annually, exclusive
of municipal taxes, estimated at
three-quarters of a million dollars,
the uniformity aimed at in the re
valuation act has disappeared.
The ratio between the amount of
taxes collected and the total of the
property valuation is the same in
no two counties. In the county of
Madison, with ten millions of value,
the taxes total $182,000. In Martin,
with a valuation of seventeen millions
the taxes collected are but $5,000
more than the total collected in Madi
son.
No authentic estimates of the taxes
collected in 1920 are available. The
estimated revenues under the ten
per cent clause of the revaluation act
for all county and State purposes
was placed at $17,639,892. Disregard
of the ten per cent clause in many
counties of the State advanced the
taxes collected to beyond twenty
million, according to estimates. In
1919 the taxes collected totaled $16,
036,265.
Values have risen and fallen
throughout the State as it pleased the
county authorities to change them.
In Guilford county a total of six
million dollars was added to the tax
books and in New Hanover two mil
lion. In Durham county, property
values shrunk from one hundred and
twenty-two million to eighty-two mil
lion. Large tobacco properties there
are valued at less than the pre\jalua
tion values. Revenues have been in
creased from $500,000 to $700,000.
As a general rule western counties
have cut their values but little. The
most drastic reductions in tax book
values have been made in eastern
counties, in some instances ranging
as high as 50 per cent of the 1920
figures. Western counties that have
not tinkered with the figures fixed
by the State Tax Commission have
been required to make but few altera
tions in their tax rates.
Tax rates in the counties where
drastic reductions were made have
been increased by a corresponding
A BOOKLET ON
JOHNSTON COUNTY
W. M. Sanders, Jr., and Geo.
Y. Ragsdale at Work on
Book at University
Mr. William M. Sanders, Jr., who
is a student at the State University
spent the week end at his home here
and while in the city called in to
see us, and told us of a project
which he, together with Mr. George
Y. Ragsdale, also a student at Chap
el Hill, is planning as part of their
spring work in the course on so
ciology. They propose getting out a
75-page booklet to be entitled “Johns
ton County: Economic and Social.”
During last year the department of
Rural Social-Economics at the Uni
versity made thirty-two special coun
ty studies, and we are glad to know
that Johnston county is to be includ
ed in the studies for this year. The
pamphlet as outlined by Mr. Sanders
will certainly be a valuable publica
tion and one which every citizen of
Johnston county would be proud to
possess. The subject matter will in
clude historical backgrounds, natur
al resources, industries and opportu
nities, facts about the folks, facts
about rural Schools, farm conditions,
and practices and other phases of our
county life. Cuts of various insti
tutions in our county of which we
are justly proud will add to the at
tractiveness of the booklet. It is the
purpose of these young men to make
it possible to issue .1000 copies of the
book which the University will mail
free to as many families in Johnston
County. In order to finance the pub
lication advertisements will be solic
ited from the various business con
cerns of the county. It is hoped to
have the book ready to mail out by
the first of July.
This is a worthy undertaking, and
such a compilation of facts about
Johnston County should meet v iv.h
approval and encouragement on all
sides. We wish Messrs Sand.
Ragsdale a rich measure of success
in this work.
SOUTHERN RAILWAY’S RECORD
OF ON-TIME TRAINS, 1921.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.—During
the year 1921 the Southern railway
system operated 179,835 passenger
trains;* many of them being through
trains operated in connection with
other lines and covering distances of
from 1,000 to 1,500 miles.
Of this great number of trains,
172,182 or 95.1 per cent i-an on sche
dule, or made up time while on the
Southern and 166,277, or 92.5 per cent
reached final terminal on time, Vice
President Henry W. Miller, in charge
of operation, announced today.—
Charlotte Observer.
FEDERAL INCOME TAX MAN
TO VISIT JOHNSTON COUNTY
Mr. A. T. Uzzle, one of the Federal
Income tax men was here last Friday
and Saturday looking after the gov
ernment tax business. He will come
back to the county soon being at
Kenly, February 23rd and at Clayton
February 24th, and 25th. He will be
at Smithfield Monday and Tuesday,
February 27 and 28. Mr. C. M. Peck
will be with him here.
ratio, or at a higher ratio in compari
son with the reductions made. Faced
with the necessity of raising suffi
cient revenues to meet the demands
of their county government, schools
and other institutions, the commis
sioners have been forced into raisng
the tax rate. Reduced values have
but one apparent effect that of de
moralizing the taxing system.
Numbers of counties that made
drastic cuts in values last April when
the matter of values was reopened,
petitioned the revenue commission
later for permission to restore values
to their former level. Permission
was granted in several instances. No
county in the State has been able
to reduce the aggregate of taxes
through a reduction in the values of
property, or through any other
means.
Caswell county, which cut values
twenty per cent last April, paved the
way for restoring the (revaluation
act when its representative secured
the passage of a bill at the December
special sessiop, giving the commis
sioners authority to go back to the
old level of values, but no higher.—
! News and Observer.