FORTY-THIRD YEAR
TWELVE PAGES
SM1THFIELD, N. C., FRIDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 3, 1924.
TWELVE PAGES
NUMBER 79
Recent Heavy Rainfall Floods
Johnston’s Creeks and Rivers
Considerable Damage To Bridg
es; Mill House At Holt’s
Pond Washed Away
NEUSE REACHES 24-FOOT
The two weeks of rainy weather
which culminated In the unusually
heavy downpour of Sunday night,
Monday and Monday night has
caused considerable damage in John
ston County. Besides injury to the
cotton crop, other losses have been
sustained until it would be difficult
to estimate the damage in dollars and
cents.
Boon Hill township perhaps suf
fered the greatest loss when Tues
day morning the mill house at Holt’s
pond (or Harrison Lake as some call
it) with all the machinery and a large
quantity of corn and meal was
washed away. According to our cor
respondent at Princeton, Mr. C. H.
Holt, the total loss is counted at
about $20,000. The bridge and about
sixty feet of the dam were also
washred away. The Central High
way forces have already commenced
to build a new road at this point and
it will not be long before traffic can
be resumed over this road. Other
damage caused by high water in this
section included the washing away
of Howell’s bridge and a part of
Lane's bridge (with several feet of
embankment) on Little River. The
damage at Baker’s mill could not be
estimated Wednesday at which time
the waters were four feet deep over
the top of the new concrete dam
which was only finished a week or
ten days ago. The oldest men in
that section say they have nevei
seen such a big rain and Little River
was nearly twelve inches higher Tues
day than it was in 1919 when the
Baker mill bridge was washed down.
The flood waters in Neuse Islands
were still rising Wednesday and it
was thought that it might be sever
al days before they reach their high
est mark. The damage to small
bridges washed away and road wash
outs all over Boon Hill township will
amount to several thousand dollars.
Neuse River reached its high mark
about eight o’clock when it measured
24 feet. It was at a standstill prac
tically all day Wednesday, but began
falling Wednesday night and went
down eight inches by yesterday
morning and has continued falling.
The record this week lacked two
feet and five inches of reaching the
record of 1919 when Neuse River was
the highest within the memory of
the oldest inhabitant. It lacked a foot
of being as high as it was in August
1908 when twenty-five feet was
reached. In 1919 the bridge just be
yond the river known as the High
land bridge was completely sub
merged, not even the railings show
ing above the water.
Just this side the Highland bridge
Tuesday the wagon of the National
Bicsuit Company ran partly off the
-embankment and all efforts to remove
it were unavailing. The truck was
anchored and at this writing is still
partially submerged. Small boats
carried passengers across Tuesday,
Wednesday and yesterday at fifty
cents a passenger. Some automobiles
were towed across.
Nothing like an adequate report
of the damage throughout the county
has reached us, but it was wide spread.
The road from the substation near
Selma to the Selma city limits, we
understand, was covered with water
for around twelve hours Tuesday.
The Bagiev and Horne bridges over
Little River near Kenly were washed,
and Lowell bridge was covered with
water. Black Creek bridge between
here and Four Oaks has been covered
and was floating yesterday. Holt
Lake reached the highest mark in its
history. The bridge over Swift Creek
near the county home was washed
away and Middle Creek was impass
able at White mill near Mr. N. G.
Rand’s home.
Conference at Sanders Chapel
The Fourth Quarterly Conference
of the Four Oaks Circuit, will be
held at Sanders Chapel on Saturday
October 4 at eleven o’clock. All offi
cial inn.tors are requested to be pres
ent.
TO THE PATRONS OF THE
EIGHT MONTHS SCHOOLS:
Owing to the prolonged rain,
which has rendered the picking
out of the cotton crop impossible,
the Board of Education has de
ferred the opening of the eight
months schools from October 8th
until October loth.
II. B. MARROW,
Sept. 30, 1924.
CAROLINA RECED
Three Persons Killed As Result
or High Water; $3,000,000
Damage Done Highways
Raleigh, Oct. 1.—Reports received
hee tonight indicated that the flood
conditions in Eastern North Carolina
had improved considerably during the
day and with one exception the rivers
were reported as gradually receding
toward normal. The Neuse River in
Wayne County, however, had not
reached flood stage, and with the
river 12 feet above normal and re
ported rising at the rate of six inches
an hour, residents of the low lands
were retreating to higher ground.
The crest of the flood at that point
was not expected before mid day to
morrow7. Already most of the low
lands were said to be inundated to a
depth varying from one to three feet.
The flood took a toll in lives this
afternoon wrhen C. C. Bell, 35, and
Leroy Coley, 20, wrere drowned in the
Contentnea Creek near Stantonsburg
when attempting to reach a boat
which had lodged against some hold
ers when they were caught in the
swdft current of the swrolIen stream.
The bodies had not been recovered to
night. These drowmings made the
death toll three in the state, a man
having been killed on the Catawba
River.
LIMING LAND PAYS
IN ANSON COUNTY
Wadesboro, Sept. 29.—It pays to
lime land especially where the farm
er desires to plant legume crops for
soil improvement, finds J. W. Cam
eron, farm demonstration agent in
this county for the State College ex
tension division.
During the first week in Septem
ber five carloads containing about
200 tons of lime were ordered co-op
eratively by Anson County farmers.
“Previous to this time,” says Mr.
Cameron, “about ten cars had al- ;
ready been placed in the county
through my office. But this is only j
a beginning. We still need thou- |
sands of tons of lime for use on
land where legumes are to be grown.'
“J. W. Carpenter of Peachland
found he could not grow crimson j
clover until he had limed his land.
Now he never pulls fodder because
of the supply of clover hay on hand.
J. A. Parker of Upper Burnsville re
cently harvested seven large loads
of lespedeza hay from two acres of
land limed three years ago. The
stubble remaining is larger than the
lespedeza on the adjoining area
which has not been limed. J. G. Gad
dy of Morven limed part of a sandy
field three years ago and found that
cowpeas planted after grain this
summer are larger and greener than
on the unlimed portion. W. R. and
Adam lockhart, Frank Bennett, T.
V. Hardison, B. I. Dunlap and W. B.
Winfree are farmers who are hav
ing success with alfalfa since liming
the land. It is useless to attempt!
the growing of alfalfa without lim
ing.
Mr. Cameron states that there are
a number of other An.on County
farmers who are growing fine crops
of legume hay, are building up their
soils and increasing the acre yields
of the crops following the legumes
by devoting more attention to pre
paring the land, fertilizing and lim
ing. For growing legumes, states
Mr. Cameron, liming is essential for
full sucess.
CAR OVERTURNS
INTO RAGING CREEK
Man Drowns When Car Hits
Abuttment and Plunges
From Bridge
Wilson, Oct. 2.—Buck Varden, trav
eling salesman for the Sash, Door
and Glass Corporation, of Richmond,
Va., and very prominent in this city,
was drowned about 7.30 o’clock last
night when the Ford coupe in which
he was riding struck the abuttment
of the bridge at Johnny B. Swamp
about a mile and a half from Rocky
Mount and overturned inlo the swol
len stream.
According to reports from Rocky
Mount, Mr. Varden was stunned when
the car struck the abuttment, and af -
ter the car overturned into the stream
he did not realize his danger until it
was too late. One of Mr. Varden’s
friends, who was coming to Wilson in
the car, made his escape from the
closed car after it landed in the water.
Mr. Varden was on his way to Wil
son from Rocky Mount when the ac
cident occurred, making the trip on
the old Wilson road. The body of the
young man was taken from the water
after about 10 minutes, and first aid
methods were used in a vain attempt
to save his life.
The body of the deceased will be
carried to Richmond this morning for
burial. Mr. Varden is survived by his
parents, one sister, Miss Lucy Nelson
Varden, and three brothers, William,
Burwell and Carter Varden.
Mr. Varden has been residing in
Wilson for the past three or four
years and has used this city as his
headquarters. He is well known and
highly respected by all who knew him
and played an important part in the
social activities of the city.
REV. JOHN R. WOODS
TO TEACH IN SEMINARY
Richmond, Va., Sept. 28.—The Rev.
John Russell Woods, graduate of the
city, in the class of 1923, will occu
py the chair of church history at the
seminary this session, it was an
nounced today. He succeeds Dr. Wal
ter L. Lingle, who resigned the post
in order to give his full time to duties
as president of the general assembly
training school for lay workers.
Mr. Woods will occupy the chair of
church history for only one session,
his plan being to go out to China
next summer as an evangelistic mis
sionary. During the 1923-24 session
of the seminary, he held the Hoge
fellowship which entitled him to a
year of gra'duate study at the insti
tution. The past summer preached
at Smithfield. He is a son of Dr. J. B.
Woods, distinguished medical mis
sionary to China, and a grandson of
the late Dr. James Power Smith,
Presbyterian minister, who died at
an advanced age a year or more ago
at the home of his daughter, Mrs.
Charles F. Myers, Greensboro. Be
fore entering the Seminary, Mr.
Woods attended Davidson College.
Civil War In China
Civil war is ragin gilt hina. As
this is written fighting is going on
near Shanghai. That city is one of
the most important ports in China,
with a population of more than one
million. Many foreigners, including
Americans, are in business or are
serving as missionaries there.
The tuchuns, or war lords, of two
Chinese provinces are causing the
trouble. The two provinces are Ki
angsu and Chekiang. Shanghai is
supposed to be a part of Kiangsu but
for several years has been controlled
by Chekiang. Now, the tuchun of
Kiangsu—Chi Shieh Yuan- is trying
to regain Shanghai from General Lu
Yun Hsiang, tuchun of Chekiang.
The United States, Great Britain
France and Japan have notified the
Chinese government at Peking that
it must protect foreigners in Shang
hai. It is feared, however, that this
warning will do little good. The Pe
king government is a government in
name only. Really, China has no cen
tral government, but is broken up in
to states ruled by the warlike tu
chuns. American, British and Japa
nese warships were ordered hastily
to the harbor of Shanghai to do what
they could to protect the foreigners
in that city.—Current Events.
BENSON KIWANIS
RECEIVE CHARTER
Parent-Teachers Ass’n Gives
Reception in Honor School
Faculty
ORPHANS GIVE CONCERT
Benson, Oct. 2.—The children of
the Methodist Orphanage of Raleigh
gave a sacred concert in the Metho
dist church Sunday evening at seven
o’clock. The church was practically
filled to hear this splendid concert.
The Parent-Teachers’ Association
gave a reception Friday evening from
eight to nine in honor of the faculty
of the Benson school. The president,
Mrs. S. J. Lee, made the address of
welci me on behalf of the Association.
Rev. J. E. Blalock welcomed the
| teachers on behalf of the churches;
Miss Virginia Lee, on behalf of the
j young ladies of the town, Mr. Larrie
■ Cavenaugh on behalf of the young
men; Mr. A. T. Lassiter, on behalf
iof the parents; Supt. H. C. Renegar
spoke on behalf of the faculty. Re
freshments were served.
The Woman’s Missionary Society
'of the Methodist church met Tues
day evening at 7:30 with Mrs. A. S.
Oliver on Church street. The meet
ing was presided over by Mrs. Oliver.
The following officers were elected
for the year: president, Mrs. W. D.
Boone; vice-presidentand superinten
dent of Young People’s Missionary
Socitey, Mrs. W. T. Martin; record
ing secretary, Miss Vallie Hill. The
subject for the evening was “Africa.”
It was very interesting and well at
tended. Several matters of interest
to the Society were discussed.
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Stallings, of
Kenly, spent Sunday with Dr. and
Mrs. A. S. Oliver.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Weinges, of
Georgia, are in Benson for sometime.
Mrs. Weinges was Miss Evelyn Boone
before her marriage.
Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Barbour, of
Hamlet, spent several days in town
last week.
Mr. W. W. Hockaday has accepted
a position with the Buick company
in Dunn.
Rev. Mr. Rollins, of Ingold, spent
Friday here. Mr. Rollins was pastor
of the Baptist church here at one
time.
Mr. Herman Denning, of Atlanta,
Ga., has been spending some time in
.and near Benson with relatives and
Rev. C. C. Wheeler spent the week
end with his family here.
Miss Carol Davis, of Wendell, has
arrived to take one section of the
sixth grade. She will also teach ex
pression.
One of the most important and en
joyable events in the history of our
town place Tuesday evening at the
North State Hotel, the occasion be
ing charter presentition of the Ki
wanis Club.
Covers were laid for about one hun
dred and fifty local and visiting Ki
wanians with their wives and sweet
hearts, who upon doning the attrac- j
tive Kiwanis caps formed a colorful
scene around the banquet tables. Act
ing as toastmaster was Kiwanian Ezra
Parker, who kept things lively every
moment of the time.
Among the notable guests were Ki
wanian Joseph S. Bowles, Jr., who has
already endeared himself to the local
club and who in a forceful response
to President Oliver’s remarks of wel- |
come set forth the lofty and noble
ideals for which Kiwanians stand and
impressed every member with the op
portunities open to them for unself
ish service to their community
through this channel of united civic
interest and pride. Following him
Rev. C. K. Proctor, of Kinston, made
an address that was full of inspira
tion and high standards to be attain
ed. After many contests for prizes
were pulled off the outstanding event
of the evening took place when Ki
wanian Felix Harvey in an address
surpassing in depth of oratory and
containing word pictures expressed
with remarkable ease and fluency pre
sented the coveted charter to Presi
dent Adlai S. Oliver. Kiwanian Wil
liam T. Martin overdid his previous
record in a speech of acceptance.
Then followed spicy greetings from
Fred Waters, representing the Selma
club. Josh Horne, Rocky Mount,
Judge Harris, Raleigh; Mr. Matthews,
He Won
j
(Auto ca s' t k! 1
“Breakfast in New York and sup
per in San Francisco” is the dream
realized by Iieut. Russell Maughan,
the nation in his dawn to dusk flight
army airman, who recently thrilled
across the continent. He hails from
Minnesota.
TWO MEN DROWNED
AT STANTONSBURG
C. C. Bell and Leroy Coley Be
lieved To Have Drowned In
Effort To Reach Boat
Wilson, Oct. 2.—C. C. Bell and Le
roy Coley, white men of Stantons
burg, were drowned in Contentnea
Creek on the old Ruffin farm, now
owned by Charles Farmer, about one
and a half miles from Stantonsburg,
Tuesday, it was learned here fast
night.
The two men waded into the water
to get a boat, but the swirling stream
swept them on down the creek. At
a late hour last night neither of the
bodies had been recovered, and it
was announced that the search would
be renewed this morning.
Bell, who is 3i> years of age, leaves
a widow and one child. Coley is 20
years of age and unmarried. Reports
were circulated yesterday afternoon
that the two men had been found up
a tree in the middle of the creek, some
distance from where they disappear
ed. This report, however, proved un
true,
BIG SNAKE CONSUMPTION
TOKIO, Sept. 29.—More than two
hundred snake dealers in Tokio sup
ply the city’s demand for snakes as
food and medicine, according to fig
ures gathered by the Jiji Shimpo,
one of Tokio’s leading newspapers.
Tokio citizens consume about 40,
000 snakes each month, says this pa
per. Snakes, mostly of the viper
family or garter snakes, are either
eaten by invalids needing the nour
ishing factor which science has la
beled vitamin A, in which these rep
tiles are supposed to be rich, or else
they are consumed as a drink, made
by burning them and dissolving the
ashes in spirits. Such consumption
of snakes is due to old superstitions
and does not have medical endorse
ment. —Associated Press.
The Undesirable Title.
Five years ago Canada asked the
British Crown not to confer any
more titles on Canadian citizens and
asked farther that hereditary titles
already conferred should expire with
the present holders. Two years ago
South Africa made a similar request,
and now Australia expresses the
same wish. Decorative titles are
seldom popular in a Republic; and
when, as sometimes happens, the per
sons honored by them are chosen
with little wisdom or discrimination
the oridnary citizen looks on them
with amused contempt.—From The
Youth’s Companion.
of Clinton.
The Kiwanian luncheon song by
everyone concluded an evening of con
structive pleasure which will be long
remembered by those whose privilege
it was to be present at such an au
• i.'icious occasion.
COUNTY FAIR SEC.
MAKES STATEMENT
Tells That The Fair Manage
ment and Civil Authorities
Have Done Their Duty
—
LETTER OF MR. WELLONS
Some time ago the County Fair
Association was sent a copy of a
resolution signed by a number of
organizations in the county relative
to the enforcement of law in regard
to gambling devices at the Count/
Fair, and which was published in
this paper. Mr. R. A. Wellons, sec
retary of the Fair Association, has
written a letter to the different org
anizations acknowledging receipt of
the resolutions in which he takes
exception to a statement which says
“the presence of these evils is seem
ingly ignored by the civil authorities
and management of the Fair.” He
asks that his reply be published in
order that the public of the county
may know the true facts. The letter
of Mr, Wellons is as follows:
“I wish to acknowledge receipt of
a copy of resolutions adopted by
your organization at a recent meet
ing.
“I sincerely appreciate the inter
est that you have in good govren
ment which prompted your organi
zation to draw and send to me this
resolution. I do not, however, ap
preciate the statement in this reso
lution which is as follows: ‘Whereas,
the presence of these evils is seeming,
ly ignored by the civil authorities
and management of the fair,’ with
reference to this statement I wish
to say for your information that last
year the management of the Fair
had the full co-operation and the sup
port voluntarily tendered it by Sher
iff Massey and by Mayor Narron,
and on several occasions both the
Town and the County Officers
worked until late in the night in co
operation with the Fair manage
ment. The Fair management in an
earnest endeavor to see that the spir
it of the law was strictly complied
with had in his employ eighteen men
all of whom had been deputized by
the Sheriff. Seven of these men did
nothing but patrol duty as officers,
the other eleven were detailed as
ticket takers and sellers and gate
keepers, all under strict orders to
see that the law was enforced. It
seems to me that instead of ignor
ing the presence of the evils referred
to by you, that the authorities of the
County, our town and our Fair on
the contrary did everything possible
to enforce the law.
“ I wi h to assure that all other
suggestions in your resolution are
deeply appreciated by us, and we
will be glad to work barmoniou ly
with you, or any of your represen
tatives, in making this year’s Fair
the cleanest and best of its history.”
BAPTIST BOYS REORGANIZE
Next Sunday afternoon at 2:30
the Royal Ambassadors of the Smith
field Baptist church are to meet at
the parsonage to reorganize for tne
new year. They will be reorganized
with two chapters, Junior boys from
10 to 12 years, and the intermediate
13 to 16. It is hoped that a man will
be secured shortly to aid the pastor
in the work as chief councillor. Each
well organized chapter has three de
grees, Pages, Squires, and Ambassa
dors, and these divisions will be ob
served here in the new organization.
The ten-year-old boys will be intro
duced this year as pages. Promo
tion from one degree to the next will
require passing a test on Bible and
mission study. The organization
here is a part of a great Southwida
organization of 1154 chapters which
I is counting for a vast deal in the !e
velopment of the higher life in .he
| boys of Baptist churches. Parents ire
invited to co-operate with the mcve
j ment here with a view to the best e
| suits for their boys. Earnest v rk
; is urged this year, one incentive of
fered for good work being that boys
who measure up to a certain stan
dard will be offered the privilege of
! attending for a week the Royal Am
bassadop camp in the summer at the
a sembly ground at Morehead City.