FIRE RAZES OLD
FRAME BUILDING
Four Story Prize House Used
For Storing Cars Furnishes
Spectacular Blaze
LOSS OF ABOUT $6,000
A fire disastrous in its results,
though confined to a single building,
occurred here Tuesday night when
the four-story frame building on First
street at the rear of the Sanders Mo
il; nr Company built as a tobacco prize
house, went up in flames. The build
ing was owned by Messrs. W. R. and
W. M. Sanders and was used by the
Sanders Motor Company as a storage
house. Quite a number of used cars
that had been taken back by this firm
as well as a quantity of implements
were totally destroyed. Only two
cars stored in the building were in
sured and these were the only two
■) saved from destruction. Some of the
mechanics who had been repairing the
cars lost their tools in the fire. A
small amount of insurance was car
ried on the building. The Sanders
'Motor Company estimate the loss at
about $6,000.00.
The fire was discovered about elev
en o’ clock by persons returning to
Smithfield from Raleigh, Mr. Walter
Grantham turning in the alarm. The
© fire started in the first story and
spread rapidly through the tall struc
ture.
Smithfield is not often aroused from
bed to witness so spectacular a' scene
as the fire Tuesday night presented.
Lowering clouds hovered over the
city and the shrill call of the siren
was followed by the low rumble of
thunder that presaged the approach of
a wihter thSnder storm. For a short
time while the fire was at its highest,
the electric lights in the city were
tinned off but the crimson tongues of
flame leaping high in the air were
reflected against the dark clouds and
furnished light over a considerable
part of town. Citizens, however,
were concerned more with the fire
than with the clouds, and were caught
almost unawares in the heavy down
pour of rain which, while falling at
a0most opportune time as an aid in
controlling the fire, caused the be
draggled spectators to seek the shel
ter of their homes.
Heroic work was done by the fire
company and others, several working
at such a pace that they were over
come with the heat and were forced
to (Iron out.
WILL PAY IN 21 YEARS
In an address at Greensboro Frank
I’^e, State Highway Commissioner,
pointed out that within twenty-one
years all the road bonds- issued by
North Carolina will be paid. This is
made possible because two years ago
provision was made to set aside all
the revenue from automobiles and
gasoline to pay maintenance of roads
and the interest and principal on the
bonds, and it is based on an increased
tax on gasoline by this Legislature.
North Carolina is in no trouble be
cause of the road bonds already is
sued and the §20,000,000 to be issued
in 125 and in 1926. Those bonds are a
iumporary liability which will end
within tw'enty-one years. The roads
are an asset. The money available
for the next two years will complete
the most important links of the State
highways and as these bonds are paid
off, others can be issued to carry on
construction. The legislation ap
proved is wise progress and nothing
can stand In the way of paying off
the bonds unless people begin to econ
omize in the use of gasoline. And
they'll do that only when they cannot
get the money to pay for it. People
will practice economy in the necessi
ties of life, but never on riding. ■—
News and Observer.
<D ___
® An Ideal I'nion
Mrs. Geo. Washington Jones: “Am
yo’ daughter happily married, Mrs.
Cooper?”
Mrs. Cooper: “She.sho’ is. Bless de
good Lawd, she’s done got a man
(Sy-'hat's skeered to death of hep.”—
American Legion Weekly.
--9—
Nothing changes the looks of a
^ouse like paint.
METHODIST FORGES
OF COJEET HERE
Dr. D. L. Blakemore, Centenary
Field Secretary of Baltimore
Conference Addresses Meet
ing Monday
FULL REPRESENTATION
A meeting fraught with signifi
cance to Methodism in Johnston
County was held et the Methodist
church here Monday afternoon, with
representatives from every Methodist
church in the county present. Rev.
M. T. Plyler, presiding elder of the
Raleigh District was in charge of the
meeting, and Dr. D. L. Blakemore,
Centenary Field Secretary of the Bal
timore Conference, was the principal
speaker of the occasion.
Dr. Blakemore is in the North Car
olina Conference assisting in a “Car
ry On” Campaign designed to bring
the payment of Centenary pledges to
date and to make some provision for
the work of the Centenary to be con
tinued. A report from the churches
represented showed Johnston County
pledges about paid. Several of the
churches are already paid in full. Dr.
Blakemore made an eloquent appeal
for the work in foreign lands to be
continued. Young men and young
women have laid themselves on the
altar for service, and he urged the
people back home to provide the
means to carry on their work.
Rev. A. J. Parker, pastor of the
church here, made a brief talk con
cerning the Sunday School Standard
Training School to be held here the
week of March 15th, giving a list of
the courses offered. This school is
arranged of Sunday school workers
throughout the county, and indica
tions are that it will be well attended.
The following courses will be given:
Primary Organization and Adminis
tration by Miss Georgia Keene, Ele
mentary Superintendent of the N. C.
; Conference; Junior Pupil, by Mrs. H.
E. Spence, of Durham; Sunday Sfchool
Organization and Administration by
L. L. Gobbel, Sunday School Field
Secretary of the N. C. Conference;
General Pupil Study by Prof. J. M.
Ormond, of Duke University; The
Church and Its Work, by Rev. M. T.
Plyler, Presiding Elder of the Ra
leigh District. Chairmen of the fol
lowing comittees were appointed: en
rollment, T. C. Young, Smithfield;
finance, T. W. Wood, Selma; Trea
surer, Robt. W. Sanders, Smithfield;
publicity, I. W. Medlin, Smithfield.
The entertainment committee is com
posed of the following: J. H. Abell,
chairman; Mrs. Alice Cole and Mrs.
J. D. Spiers.
After some little discussion of
other matters pertaining to the work
in this county, the meeting came to
a close. The pastors in the county
present on this occasion were: Rev.
A. J. Parker and Rev. J. S. Irvine, of
Smithfield; Rev. M. Y. Self, of Clay
ton; Rev. O. P. Fitzgerald, of Selma;
Rev. G. B. Perry, of Princeton; Rev.
W .J. Watson, of Four Oaks; Rev. J.
B. Blalock, of Benson, and Rev. W. B.
North, of Kenly.
ALLEGED KLUCKERS
FLOG ZEBULON MAN
Zebulon, Feb. 12.—Eight masked
men entered Zebulon Saturday night
and drove to James Brantley’s Bar
ber Shop, which they entered, dash
ing pistols and ordering customers
threateningly out of their way. Brant
ley wras carried several miles over
the Franklin county line, beaten
across his back with a leather strap,
warned to refoi’m, and ordered te at
tend Sunday school. He is said to have
been the first man in Sunday^school
Sunday morning.
%5rantley, arcording to rumors, is
said to have been beaten because he
neglected his wife* and little children
for another woman in Zebulon.
® --
Clean fresh water is just as essen
tial to the proper growth of a pig as
feed and is very much cheaper.
New Attractions Announced
For The East. Car. Exposition
“Eastern Carolina Yesterday and Today,” Title of Pageant To
Be Given By Johnston Talent Friday of Exposition Week;
500 To Take Part In Pageant
More attractions for the Eastern
Carolina Exposition, slated for Smith
field, April 13 to 18 this year, were
announced Wednesday following the
meeting of the Steering committee
of the Exposition in Selma, Tuesday
night. The latest attraction is anoth
er mammoth Pageant for Friday night
April 17th. The big affair last year
made such a wonderful impression
that the people of Eastern Carolina
have insisted that another Pageant
be arranged for this year.
After an unsuccessful attempt to
get the counties to take part as they
did last year, the following plan has
been adopted: The Pageant will be
entitled, “Eastern Carolina Yestei’day
and Today”, and will have about 500
in the cast, all children. There will
be ten episodes and each town in
Johnston county will take one episode.
Miss Irene Myatt, of Smithfield,| will
be Director for this event and she will
have a local committee in each town
to assist in working up the local com
mittee in each town to assist in work
ing up the local episode. The town in
Johnston county, staging its episode
the best will be given $100.00 in cash
and the second prize will be $50.00
in cash. It goes without saying that
the ten towns will make a wonderful
showing. The object in having chil
dren only, is to show that the chil
dren of today can “act” like grown
ups and with the brilliant lighting ef
fect, the second Pageant will be a
wonderful presentation.
Another attraction announced is
the Baby Show for Wednesday after
noon. A boy baby and a girl baby
will be selected from each of the 17
townships in Johnston county, and
(Continued on page 4)
Ham-Ramsey Organization
May Conduct Revival Here
COLLINS DIGGERS
REACHROOF CAVE
Cave City, Ky., Feb. 12.— (By
the Associated Press)—The o£fi
cias bulletin at 9 o’clock this
morning issued by M. E.
ey, engineering representative
of Governor Fields, said that the
depth of the cave rescue shaft
was “about 45 feet.” He gave 9
o’ click Saturday night as the
maximum time in which the
shaft would reach the maximum
depth to which it will be driven.
“We appear to be rlise to the
roof of the save and have speed
ed up the exravation to the rate
to ten feet in 24 hours.” Mr. Pos
ey’s statement said. “There is
great possibility of finding an
opening at any time. Tunneling
will start if Collins has not been
uncovered when the shaft reaches
68 or 70 feet.”
PICTURES SHOWING
BOLL WEEVIL CONTROL
Mr. A. C. Whittle, of Greensboro,
representing the Educational Bureau
of Chilean Nitrate of Soda of New
Vork, was in the city yesterday en
route to Meadow where he gave a
free moving picture entertainment
last night showing methods of boll
weevil control. Three other such en
tertainments have been given in the
dale, Archer and Royall (Elevation),
county during the past week, at Glen
the spectators at all thsse places prob
ably aggregating a thousand people.
A fuller account of these programs
will probably appear in a later issue.
Guilty
i ms is tne maiiu L.ol. Lnas. K.
Forbes, convicted m conspiracy to
defraud the government in hospital
construction for our crippled, blin^
and disabled world war soldiers.
He faces a possible penalty of two
years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Churchmen Meet Friday Night
To Consider Asking Rev. Mr.
Ham To Hold County-Wide
Union Revival
IN EARL Y SUMMER
A meeting of great importance to
Friday night at the Methodist church
to consider projecting a union Evan
gelistic campaign, county wide in its
scope.
The Laymen’s Federation of Smith
field has been revived of late and has
been doing considerable work in the
county. As a result of its efforts
there is a Business Men's prayer meet
ing held every morning at 9 o'clock
in some store or office, rotating
from morning to morning with
different members leading each
morning. Quite a number of the bus
iness men gather each morning for
this service, which lasts about ten to
fifteen minutes.
Also, they have inaugurated a pray
er meeting and business meeting
which is held every Friday night, ro
tating from one church to another
each week.
The Federation is now undertaking
to project a union evangelistic cam
paign, county-wide, in its scope and
in pursuance thereof, Mr. F. H.
Brooks, for the Committe, is send
ing out the following letters:
“My dear Sir and Brother:
“A few weeks ago the Laymen's
Federation of Smithfield took up the
consideration of the matter of holding
a great revival in Johnston County
during the Spring v ith the Ham-Ram
sey organization as God’s Instruments
in the leading. After some consid
eration and earnest prayer, F. H.
Brooks was designated as a Commif
tee of One to take the matter up with
Mr. Ham. Last Friday afternoon he
received a letter from him indicating
that it was possible that they might
come to Smithfield during the early
summer. The Federation, therefore,
has called a meeting of the pastors
and leaders of all churches in the
County to meet at Smithfield on Fri
day night, February 13th, 1925, in the
Methodist church, to ascertain and
decide whether or not we can under
take a union evangelistic campaign
which will "be county wide in its scope.
Won’t you come and bring with you as
many of your members as possible ?
For the sake of the unsaved in John
ston County won’t you give this pray
erful consideration and come Friday
night and give us the benefit of your
opinion and judgement?”
Announcement of this meeting was
made to the Methodist preachers , of
the County by Rev. A. J. Parker at
a meeting held in the Methodist
church here Monday. Mr. Brooks
tells us that he hasn’t the names of
all the preachers in the County, and
(Continued on page 4)
A. C. L. Freight Cars
Derailed Near Selma
Selma, Feb. 12.—Atlantic Coast
Line northbound freight extra
1679 was derailed about one mile
South of Selma Wednesday a'orn
Ing about 5.30 oclock. Seven box
cars turned topsy turvy across
both tracks blocking all traffic for
about six hours. Passenger trains
75, 87, 83 and 93 were tied up at
Selma until 1 p. m. Northbound
trains 86. 34, 84 and 80 were held
back at Smithfield until wreck was
cleared. At 1 p. m. all trains were
running again. No one was hurt in
the wreck but considerable damage
was done to equipment.
GAR. POWER GO. NOW
OWNS NORTH STATE
Deal Adds Five Johnston Coun
ty Towns to Those Being Serv
ed By Car. Power & Light
Company
WILL EXTEND SYSTEM
Raleigh. Feb. 12.—According to an
nouncement made at the general of
fices of the Company at Raleigh, the
Carolina Power and Light Company
has purchased all the properties of
the North State Power Company, the
transfer having been effected today.
The North State Power Company
has served ten towns in Wake, Har
nett and Johnston counties—Angier,
Four Oaks, Fuquay Springs, Holly
Springs, Kenly, Lillington, Micro,
Pine Level, Princeton and Varina.
In taking over the properties of the
North State Company, the Carolina
Power and Light Company has agreed
to complete the contemplated exten
sions of the North State system to
Coats and Buie’s Creek. The deal
today, therefore, adds twelve towns
to the system of the Carolina Power
and Light Company.
Connection udth the lines of the
Carolina’s extensive system will give
these twelve towns the same kind of
service now had in Fayetteville, Duke
Dunn and Goldsboro. Prior to the
closing of the lead today the Carolina
Company had obtained new franchises
in all the towns to be served.
In discussing the sale of the prop
erties of the North State Company,
Mr. L. H. Couch, President and Gen
eral Manager of that Company, re
called the disastrous financial expe
riences of the old Cumberland Rail
way and Power Company which orig
inally served the comunities included
in the North State system.
“About four years ago,” said Mr.
Couch, “the Cumberland Railway and
Power Company went into receiver
ship with heavy losses to its stock
holders. Then bhe North State Power
Company was organized by a small
group of men who had subscribed to
(Continued on page 5)
SMITHFIELD MEETS
SANFORD TONIGHT
The State Championship series of
boys’ basketball games will open
here tonight (Friday) with a game
at the Banner warehouse between
Sanford and Smithfield.
Smithfield is doped to win having
defeated the strong Rockingham
team last week and also held the best
Freshman team in the stote—Duke
University—to a 3-point victory. San
ford also has a strong team and has
an excellent record for the season.
They have won one game from Smith
field.
The winner of the Smithfield—San
ford game will probably meet Dunn
or Fayetteville on the^ollowing Fri
day.
The girls’ basketball team of S. H,
3., will play Kinston tonight at
Goldsboro in the first championship
series.
SPECIAL SERVICES
BV SELMA PASTOR
Rev. O. P. Fitzgerald Speaks Ta
Boy Scouts at Morning Service
And Ku Klux In The Evening
STUDY CLASS MEET’S
Selma, I-'eb. 12.-—Rev. O. P. Fitz
gerald, pastor of Edgerton Memorial
church preached to a capacity house
Sunday morning and evening. The
beautiful weather and the announce
ment that Dr. Fitzgerald would preach
a special sermon to the Boy Scouts
on Sunday morning brought out more
people than the church could seat. The
Scouts were in uniform and occupied
the middle section of seats. The
theme was “The Making of a Real
Man.” The text was taken from Dan
iel 1:8. Dr. Fitzgerald built hi*
thought around the Scout oath. Spe
cial music was rendered. On Sunday
the Selma Ku Klux Klan came out ia
uniform. Special seats were reserved
for them. The subject of Dr. Fitz
gerald's remarks was “The Survival
of the Fittest,” and the text from
Zach. 8:16. At the beginning of the
service four of the clansmen came for
ward and sang a quartet.
The subject for discussion at the
Mission Study class which met with
Mrs. W. T. Woodard on Tuesday aftei
noon was: Saving Young Bodies.” In
teresting papers were read by Mrs,
John R. Barker on “Missions at
Home” another by Mrs. S. R. Lee on
“Carrying Out a Task Begun By Je
sus.” “The Public Health Nurse”, by
Miss Margaret Etheredge and “A
Task For the Church,” by Mrs. 0. P,
Fitzgerald were all much enjoyed
Little Miss Dorothy Diehl and Master
Fred Archer Woodard sang “Little
Ones Like Me”, with Jimmie Woodard
at the piano. Superintendent Waters
brought to the members of the class
a wonderful message. He told h.s
hearers that every one of them had
seen, not in the countries whither
we send missionaries, but in the hol
ders of our own state, yea, even in
the borders of our own town, the cry
ing need of mission work. The twin
ifeuviuuvv «IIU l tjr cue
largely responsible for the appalling
number of thin, undernourished, joy
less children. Coming from untidy,
poorly ventilated homes, clad without
warmth or grace, ill from poorly pre
pared foods, what can we expect from
this type of citizenship unless some
group of workers can reach them and
teach them to better their environ
ments. The race moves forward ob
the feet of little children, and we can
never discharge our responsibilities,
until we have done all within our
power to set the wrong things right
Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Atkinson and
children spent last Thursday aid
Friday in Richmond.
Mrs. Ellen Creech has returned
from Enfield where she was called
to the bedside of her daughter, Mrs.
Pete Hardison. Mrs. Hardison was
taken to a Richmond hospital for
treatment.
Mrs. T. C. Henry and children, of
Smithfield, spent last week end here
with Mr. and Mrs. B. A. Henry.
Mrs. W. E. Jones has returned from
Rex Hospital where she had her ton
sils removed.
Mr. J. C. Whitley, of Florence, S.
C., and Mrs. P. A. Holland, of Smith
field, were guests of Mr. and Mis.
W. T. Woodard Sunday,
Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Younger and
children are visiting relatives in Char
lotte and Burlington.
Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Bailey, of W il
son County, spent Sunday with M s.
J. U. Oliver near town.
Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Richardson a.id
daughter, Miss Eva, spent Sunday
with relatives in Durham.
Mrs. Arthur Hardison and daugh
ter, Miss Nell, of Kenly, and M s
Mary McDerwent, of Washington,
were guests of Mrs. Ellen Crev h
Sunday,
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Wallace and lit
tle daughter, Martha Gladys, sp nt
Sunday in Selma with relatives.
Mr. and Mrs. U. Hardison, >f
Enfield, spent last week end h r
with Mrs. Ellen Creech.
(Continued on page 4)
k