Watch the Labr. OB YMT
Paper; It Carries the Date
Yaw Subscription Expiree.
VOLUME XXX—NUMBER 2
Business at Standstill,
Impossible as Result
20-Inch Fall Is
Recorded Here;
RoofsGiveWay
Rural Carriers Unable
to Coyer Routes for
' s ' PastTTireeDays
All honor to the weather mau; in
fact, to all the weather men, for they
all said early Tuesday that it was
going to snow 12 hours before the
snow actually came. By the middle
of the afternoon dark clouds began to
show signs of cracks opening up, so
tite flakes could sift through; and just
as soon as the shades of night came
on, the flakes began to dance and fall
here Ad there. People still did not
pay very much attention to it just took
it in the general receptive spirit that
folks generally hail the beautiful
snow. Even early Wednesday morn
ing, when there was only about 6
inches of snow, nobody was looking
for an increasing storm and blizzard.
But it increased in force and fury
until everything was covered to the
full depth of 20 inches, on the gener
al level, and in many places it was
three and four feet deep where drifts
were formed by the wind, which
reached the point of a real gftle end
which blew almost all day. The snow
continued to fall for about 22 hours,
Anally stopping at 6 o'clock
The State Highway Commission of
ficials here measured the fall and gave
it an official depth of 20 inches, which
makes it the largest that ha* fallen
here in more than 70 years, its two
nearest rivals being on March 17th
about the year 1886—that snow being
so heavy that it was more than a week
in melting, and lasting to within a
few days of April 1. The Mr now
ef 1877 was almost as heavy as this.
Icame In and the
fr/ofind for nmost a month. TOt "Ma-"
orlc snow of 1867, which begmn fall
ing January Ist, lasted tor more thaa
two days and is said bo be deeper than
the present snow. It was accompanied
by one of the coldest snaps known in
this section of the oountry, and it
kept everything icebound for about
two months. We have no official his
tory of its depth, but nearly every
old person whose memory runs thst
far gack can give a vivid description
of the "big View*
For seeral days of this week, cars
were unable to go and were stuck a
long the streets and roads, wherever
they attempted to go. No rural car-,
riera were able to make their trips,
All of them started from here Wed
nesday morning, but several turned
back when they saw they conld not
make it The others, continuing on
their routes, were snowbound before
noon, and had to walk back to town.
No attempts were made by the car
riers to go out yesterday. They start
ed this morning, but it is very doubW
fa! if they get around their routes.
The Washington- Aulander busses
running through here failed to oper
ate, The big bus reached as far as
H. L. Gardner's, 8 miles from here,
where it remained, its driver came
in ahead of it when he walked, reach
ing here yesterday.
Several Roofs Caved In
Just before the snow ceased to fall,
the roofs of several stores and other
buildings began to crack and eave in.
Andrews' hot-dog stand was the first
to give way. The root ef the Am
bers' Pressing Club boiler room fell in
on the boiler and caused right much
damage. The roof on the main build
ing of the pressing club also gave way
and caused considerable damage to all
the recently installed machinery. The
fire hoee was brought into play to
At The
STRANG
THEATRE! J
SATURDAY
TOM TYLER
in
5-Reel Western
2-Reel Comedy
3rd Episode
"OFFICER 444"
Always a Good Show
T 1 1
THE ENTERPRISE
Highway Force Is
Given Huge Task
The State Highway force had
it* greatest task this week when
millions of tons of snow cover
ed the highways of the State.
The policy of the comraisaioa
to keep the channela of traffic
wide open 24 hours each day
in the year wasj given a 36 hour
set back by 1 the heavy snow fall.
The machinery waa inadequate
to handle the situation, it being
designed to handle mud rather
than snow.
The main tracks were finally
opened up Thursday so travel
tag was not so hard; yet, few
people have ventured out.
Walks 5 Miles
Through Snow
A. F. Coburn, of Norfolk,
Completely Exhausted
On Arrival Here
Mr. A. P. Coburn, of Norfolk, Va.,
reached the Atlantic hotel here last
Wednesday completely oxhauated and
half frosen after trodding in the
heavy snow from the Old Mill Inn* a
distance of four and one-half miles.
Upon his arrivel hare, Dr. Saunders
was called and it was late yesterday
before the patient was able to be up.
Mr. Cobum abandoned his car at
the Old Mill Inn wheer It was stuck
in the snow and started to walk here.
The first three miles he made very
well, but the last two found him in
a weakened condition and was by
the aid of a colored man who was
walking here that Mr. Coburn reached
ilhc hotel, A little oveT six hours were
required for him "to mate If fieri fro ai
the Old Mill Inn.
Mr. Coburn is a brother of Mayor
R. L. Coburn here and travels out of
Norfolk.
While Mr. Cobum was entering
frem the south, Messrs. Tho«. H.
Aderhaldt, of Asheboro, M. F. Sig
mond, f Durham and C. J. Desßoys
ler, of Haw River, were enjoying a
fourmile walk from over the river.
They got almost to Conine creek
when their car stalled, and from that
point they started their walk, reach
ing here four and a half hours later.
69TH CONGRESS ADJOURNS
TONIGHT AT 12 O'CLOCK
The last term of the 69th Congress
expires today and tomorrow marks
the beginning of the 70th term.
The retiring Congress has apparent
ly attempted to help all the folks.
One of the chief things discuaeed was
the Farm Relief Bill which finally
passed only to be vetoed by the
President who claimed he did so be
cause of its unconstitutionality.
Most every member of Congress was
free in expressing a desire to help
the farmer, yet no one offered help.
It was quite significant to hesr them
express their great desire to help,
but at the same breath they would
criticise everything that was suggest
ed in a way that might help. They
were unable to find a way in which
help could be rendered.
There was no trouble to find a way
to help the banker. The McFadden
Bill which the President approved
with a great deal of relish because
it help* the banks and is. constitutional
wis passed.
Services at Church
Of Advent Sunday
Rev. C. O. Parda, Sector
Pint Sunday in Lent
10:00, Church School.
11 KM), Holy Communion and sermon.
8:00* Holy Trinity Mission.
Lenten services Wednesday and
Friday at 4:00 p. m. Litnay and ad
dreaa.
wash the snow from the roof, but ac
tion was too lata to be of much value.
A portion of the roof of the Standard
Filling Station at the Newberry
Stables fell in.
In Greenville and Wilson the roofs
of several warehouses gave way un
der the heavy strain caused by the
snow.
H»e blizzard has so stirred and dis
turbed the ocean along the Oaroljna
coast that some fishermen declare the
shad and herring have taken to the
deeper waters of-the ocea bed and are
not coming in the inlets to oar in
land North Carolina waters. If Uiat
statement is true, then we may n ojr get
so many of those good fish aa wAtn
hoping Itt. t , 
Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, March 4,' 1927
Travel
of Snow
Train Service
on Branch Line
Is Demoralized
Get Back on Schedule
Today After 2 Days
Sporadic Service
The late trains yesterday running
through here got back on their regular
schedule. But it war. a different story
Wednesday and the early part of yes
terday. Wednesday, the noon train
met iUelf at Jamesville, that was ac
cording to schedule, of course. The
train .supposed to arrive here at 6:30
spent almost four extra houis pushing
snow from the tracks between here
and Rocky Mount. .
Here is how the trains \jui Wed
nesday and early Thursday. The 1:18
pulled in at 4:30, the 4:55 hurried
back from Plymouth but did not get
here until 7:16, and the 6:30 drove in
at 10:15. According to Agent V. D.
Coil win, everybody around here know4
what time the 6:30 came, for he says
he told over a hundred what time it
was expected. Yesterday the morning
train arrived 30 minutes late and the
noon train came in one hour behind
its schedule. Freight service won light
and by tracking behind the passenger
trains, the two freights eame and
went about on time. The freight trade
was so light Wednesday that the train
steamed on through without entering
the switch. Yesterday morning she
slipped in and went right out again,
leaving nothing and takin away one
freight car.
The trains carried snow plows on
their engines, but these failed to pre
vent tfce delay caused by the heaviest
snow of yean in this section.
Train service on the main lines
suffered to an even greater exten than
that rendered by our trains. It is un
derstood that traffic Is getting back to
noimal on the main lines and delays
are few.
Baptist Sunday Schools
To Meet Here Sunday
ltoy D. Clarke, educational director
of the Roanoke Baptist Association,
has called a meeting of all the Bap
list Sunday Schools in Martin Coun
ty, to meet with the Memorial Bap
tist Church at Williamston this fom
ing Sunday afternoon ait 3 o'clock.
A. good program is promised, and a
large number of people are expected
to attend. > •
The people of the local church, who
are hosts to this convention, will be
supposed to attend in large numbers
r.nd do whatever is possible for the in
itial success of the project.
Local School Closed
Yesterday and Today
The local school, after making a
ni/ble attempt to hold classes Wed
refday, Was forced to close yesterday
and today. Studies will be resumed
Monday. This is the second delay in
school work this year caused by snow,
and it is not certain what steps will be
taken to make up the lost time.
While the local school Was held
Wednesday practically all others made
no attempt to open that day. Yes
terday and today were taken as holi
days all over the county.
Bishops' Crusade
Ends at Hamilton
R«v. C. E. Williams, of Creawell,
preached his closing sermon in the
week's crusade services at St Mar
tin's Episcopal Church, Hamilton,
on Sunday night
His subject was, "To know to do
good and doeth it not, to him it is
fin." This waa a great climax to the
cplendid seriea of sermons which he
had preached since he began the serv
ices on Monday, February 21.
The attendance was good all the
way through from the people of the
town and country around. Other
church people around joined heartily
in the meeting.
in wic iucvuiiij(.
Enterprise Caftches
Up With Itself
Tuesday's issue of The Enterprise
caught tomorrow by today's
issue. The paper issued Tuesday has
not been, able to go its round on the
rural routea, except in one or two
cases where the carriers were able to
go a short distance from town. At
tempts were made to make the rounds
today by the carriers, but they were
unable to go *ll the way. Doubt as to
whether or not they will be able to go
Teir entire routea tomorrow to ax
pressed b yseverai of tho carriers.
Wind Wrecks Poultry Car to Remain
Smoke Stacks j Here Through Tuesday
at Light Plant
Does Not Affect Power
Supply as OU Engine
Furnishes That
Wednesday morning: eight o'-
click a strong north wind blew down
vhe two smoke stacks at the electric
light plant here. The stacks were well
anchored, but the wind wuh clyconi?
force pulled up a pole buriod several
feet in the ground and a 15-inc i eal
nian to to which the stacks' guys were
fastened.
A few minutes before the stacks
fell, Mr. Price, one of the electricians,
vas on his way to the plant ami jutt
after he croised the ra lread th>
v ind causht his Ford an J carried it
ii'to the di>ch ttside the rot.J. He had
just walktxl :nto the engim- room and
wa talking to one of the men at the
plant when tie stacks turn uc I Thr
two men, thinking the house w.is fall
ing, made a dash for the front en
trance of the plant. The two over
sued pipes fell against the water
tcwer, doing little damage to neither
house, tower nor stacks. There was no
fire in the furnace at the time.
. The crude oil engine, according to
Superintendent M. S. Moore, will more
than take care of the town's electri
cal needs until the stacks can be
raised again. Preparations were made
to have one of the stacks fixed at
once »r as soon as the weather per
mits. It is not certain, but it is under
stood that only one of the stacks will
be repaired, the other not beinK need
ed.
While the wind gave trouble at the
plant it helped out on the case of the
wires, for evary a time spec of snow
fell on a wire the wind would blow it
off. A few wires broke, however, but
that was due to contraction.
Walks in Snow Five
Miles to Join Team
Loyalty to his team was expressed
in no unecrt&in terms when Alphonso
Roebuck set out from liis home at
five o'clock yesterday morning to
catch the train at Everetts. The
Everetts team, of which Alphonso is
a member, was going to Raleigh to
lake part in the State tournament and
the boys did board the train, but Al
phonso's walk proved of no material
value for when the team reached
Rocky Mount H was learned that the
basketball tournament had been post
poned.
Young Roebuck arrived at the sta
tion an hour late, but the train was
that late also, and he made connection.
The long and difficult walk had almost
whipped him, and it required nibbing
from all his teammates' hands to
warm him up.
Simon D. Perry Traps
Washington Sparrow
Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Simon D.
Perry who lives near here on Route
four, made a deadfall for his children
to catch sparrows. In the catch an
English sparrow with a band around
its leg was caught On the band was
the stamp of the Biological Survey,
Washington, D. C. The number as
signed to the trapped bird wu 181,-
062.
It is not known whether the bird
was tagged in Washington, D. C. or
some other station maintained by the
Survey.
Many Without Wood
During Heavy Snow
While may of us were camped by
the warm Area and admiring from eur
windows the beautiful scene* caused
by the snow, a number of fa uiliea
moat of them colored, were out of
wyhd. Deliveries could not be made
all day Wednesday, and it i« under
stood that many of the unfortunate
ines went under the bed covers in the
early afternoon to keep • warm. As
aoon as the snow cleared a bit orders
v/cre being filled rapidly.
Loses Finger and Thumb
While Oiling Band Saw
Mr Dawae Lilley ia In the Waahing-
ton hospital with his right hand al
most cut off. Last Tuesday afternoon
Mr. Lilley was oiling a band saw at
' his mill six miles from here and in
some way he caught his hand in the
: saw. His thumb and third finger were
i dismembered and the other fingers
were badly cut He was rushed to the
i hospital at Washington where the
wound was dressed. At this time he
> has not been able to leave for home.
i SERVICES AT THE CHRISTIAN "
CHURCH FOR NEXT SUNDAY
> ———•
Sunday school, 9:46.
Evening service, 7:M.
There will be no morning service.
John Cameron, of- New Jersey,
was on hsnd promptly Thursday
morning with his poultry car,
which he expected to have loaded
yesterday and today, but all the
farmers were unable to get to
town on account of the heavy
snow.
Upon advice of County A Rent
T. B. Brandon, Mr. Cameron will
bold his car here until Tuesday,
March 8, and will receive poultry
at any time prior to leaving on the
Recorder Had
2-Hour Session
fotal of Six Cases Before
Judge Bailey; Four
are Continued
Recorder's court lusted jiwt tv*A> hours
last Tuesday and final dispo
sition of sir casus while faux - were
continued for various causes until
next Tuesday.
The case against Charlie lx>ng,
in which he was charged with an as
sault with deadly weapon, was nol
proseed. .
John Barfield', charged with oper
ating an automobile without license,
pl»ad guilty and was fined $16.00 and
costs.
Hardy Ropers and Edward Cordon
were each charged with operating
automobiles without licenses and were
fined 115.00 and the costs.
Jesse Williams, who was charged
with operating an automobile while
drunk plead not guilty, but upon hear
ing: the evidence the court adjudged
him guilty. He was fined SSO , charg
ed with the oost and cannot drive an
auto within three months.
Willie Price, charged with assault
on a female, was adjudged guilty. He
was sentenced to the Edegcombe
roads for nine months, sentence not
to be operative for two years upon
good behavior in his community and
the proper treatment of his wife and
children. This ~wa# the mMt aggra
vuitnig case of the day. It had for Its
base the most beastly principles of
man. Mr. Price is a young man who
has a wife and several children. Ho
has farmed all his ufe, but according
to the general statement* of a large
number of the good people of Oak City
where he now lives, he has recently
neglected his family and hangs around
another man's wife and family in or
near Oak City. Certain such conduct
provokes his own wife and when she
reproven him he proceeds to choke,
knock down and drag out. It waji for
beating his wife that he was placed
in Jail last week and carried before
Judge Bailey Tuesday.
The large number of citizens of
Oak City attending the trial clnaHy
shows that they are on tho right side
when it comes to protecting the honor
of their community and that indecency
and immorality shall not exist in their
midst.
Sunday Services at
The Baptist Church
"Whom having not seen, ye love",
is the Scriptural text for Sunday
morning.
At the evening hour, "Free from
(iln" will be the text.
The people are asked to bear in mind
the mid-week Bible study which has
just begun in this church. For several
weeks the books of the new Testa
ment will be taken up, one by one.
An attempt will be made to answer
such questions as the following: Who
wrote the books? When written? To
whom written? For what purpose
written? What is the central teach
ing? These and a great many other
relative points will be brought out in
the discussions.
Let all the people join in worship
at the regular services Sunday.
Thieves Raid Store
Of Lawrence Peel
Thievea broke into the Jewelry store.j
of J. Lwarence Peel on Washington
Street aome time Tueaday night dur
the snow storm and stole about 20
watches, practically all of them be- j
ing of an average good grade. Abouti
a dozen were men's watches; the other
wens ladies' gold watches.
Mr. Peel could not definitely check
the type and kind of all the property
lost, but can give pie type of abc|t
two-thirds jof it
t
The store was entered from the
rear, the thieves boong out a large
opening near the lock and removing
the bar which held the door.
There is no chie as to who the
guilty parties are. Just one of many
similar robberies which have so fre
quently happened in our town. *
The amount of the loss will be a
bout S3OO, according to Mr. Peel's es
timate.
- -•. L \
early morning train Wednesday.
He expects to get a full, load
by that time, as it is thought the
farmers will be able to reach town
all right by Monday.
Mr. Brandon and Miss Trent -
ham, the home demonstration
agent, are urging poultry raisers
to cull their Hocks and sell the
non-producers while the car is
here. The scale of prices paid is
given on another page of this
paper.
Firemen Make
Difficult Call
Answer Alarm Through
18 Inches of Snow;
Little Damage
The volunteer firemen had their
first real test last Wednesday when
a call was made from the little home
of Mercedes Xpruill, near the upper
end of Church street. To drive the
truck in 18 inches of snow seemed:
impossible, for autos were unable to .
go and were snowed under in prac
tically every block. Hut the small,
group of heores rolled the fire weapon ;
out in the face of all odds and the
way they went. Main street was used
for a couple of blocks, Haughton lost
the group when it turned up Church
anil from there on up the street the
red wagon plowed its own path, reach- j
ing the scene where the firse was sup
posed to be, under the conditions, in
a very short time. Mercedes ,aw a
little burning soot fall and heard the
wind in the top of the chimney and
calculated ttuit her home was on its
way to-nowhere. The firement- turned
til? truck back toward its home niter
proving their willingness to render i
aid under any and all circumstances.
The alarm was phoned In from the
home of J. W. Manning, ami, for n
while, it was thought thnt dwelling
was burning. The truck sailed on by
there and on it went to the spot
where the Sprtiills lfteS!, reaching
there way Ahea.f of Williamston's fast
spectators.'
Chief Harrison's force deserves
much credit for the work /of last
Wednesday and that of the past sev
eral months.
County Statement for
Past Year in This Issue
The financial statement published
in thi.s issue, .showing the receipts
and disbursements of Martin County,
will be of interest to those who pay
taxe as well as to those who re
ceive benefits. '
The totals indicate big expenditure:;,
yet when a careful study of the re
port is made, the general county ex
penses are seen to be comparatively
small. Of the expenditures, tho fol
ic wing ifems, $22,.'170.15) repaid to the
school board; -40,000 paid notes for
borrowed money and the $179,551 00
paid on outstanding notes, make a
total of $241,921.19. Then comes the
amounts paid on new County home,
court house and Tirw jail of nearly
SIOO,OOO and these with the $32,-
535.59 Iwilance on hand and sinking
fund investment of $9,850 runs tho
sum up to almost $385,000. Accord
ing to the statement $30,000 is seen
to cover ,he care" for the poor, tiro
bridges, t.h" courts and Hundreds of
the small things coming up before the
county.
Schoolhouse Dynamited;
Moonshiners Get Blame
According to raports from Kil
kney or lower part of Tyrrell county,
the moonshiners of that section re
cently dynamited a school house be
cause the teacher, a young lady whose
ifome is in Columbia, was outspoken
against the liquor influence in' the
section. The schoolhouse was so bad
ly torn by the heavy explosion that
the school could not continue.
The dynamite was plactvl in the
stove flue judging from the appear
ance of things after the stove had
been removed. The explosion
about midnight and shook windows
in all parts of the neighborhood.
There seems to be a large number
of people in the district.-who rather
not have schools nor churches but who
are very much concerned about their
stills and liquor.
liarnhill Brothers
Extend Special Offer
Thursday proved a bad day for the
opening of Barnhill Brothers' new
store here, for the snow was so deep
that even the people right here in
town could not travel The trade ac
ceptance offer lia/- been extended, and
with every |25 purchase an acceptance
valued kt $5 will be given the custo
mer.
Advertisers Will Find Our Col
umns a Latchkey to Over 1600
Homes of Martin " County.
ESTABLISHED 1898
Certificate Plan
for Schools of
Martin County
County Certificate Com
mittee Held Meeting 1
Here Monday
The committee on certificates, com
prised of Principals L. H. Davis, of
Williamston, It. I. Leake, Koberson
ville, and J. L. Jones, Jame.sville, met
ill the office of the superintendent, of *
tichools Monday, February 28.
Discussion centered on two points
Promotions and certificates. The grad
ing now given pupils of the seventh
Made 011 their reports which they
carry home was criticised. The chief
i hjettion being that several different
teachers of same preparation and ap
parent capacity to judge might ap-
P'aise the value of the same paper in
a very different manner, the range of
certain experiments being from 18 per
tent to 100 per cent; and that *h£n
TO per cent is a pass mark a certain
type of teacher far too inelastic in
sists on keeping the child in the sum.:
V,rade for years if hit should make a
grade of 09.4 per cent on a subject.
In defense of present method there
were those who suid the wide range
of grades was due to certain type of
teachers to whom a wholesonv;
thought would be like strychnine and
would likely kill them. These teachers
should not be hired. Teachers who
.really think would appraise a paper
more nearly alike, all other things
being equal. That grades an- r dative
and must be elastic because of dif
ferent capacities of teachers if there
were no differences in pupils. That
grades are a general means of spur
ring children to take an inventory of
their achievement ami improve their
work. 11l short initiative develops from
self-inventory and self expression on
the part of a child. Therefore a gen
eral grading scheme is good for a
chil4 however much better may be a
scientific test method of grading.,
Kither plan may damage a child's
growth if followed by an inelastic
; teacher and both might prove of help
eU li.v* 1* twweher In
the final analysis "he teachi t is ar
biter and needs to be open minded
enough to seek all advice and help it
: JK possible to obtain before promot
ing a child. In a democracy the chief
characteristic of any good leader is to
know'where the individual is in growth
end to have faith iti him and expect
him to progress and to lead him
through training processes that will
result in progress.
Likewise stages of progress in a
child's life must be marked, subject by
subject, (trade by grade, and school
by school for the purpose of express
ing approval of work done and ca
pacity of child to do work. To mark
these steps of progress certificates
ore given.
It wa.-. agreed that a certificate
should he tfiven a pupil who comple'es
the work required in the seven ele
mentary grades and thaf such seventh
grade graduate should be admitted to
other schools of the Martin County
system. However, a set of standard
tests and how to give them will be
explained to the seventh grade teach
ers and principals of respective schools
of the county in the near future. These
tests consist of tests in arithmetic,
bp/tiling, reading and reasoning, and
the results of Riving same are expect
ed to be used by the teachers in ar
riving at the matter of promotion to
hijfh school. Hut teachers and princi
pals unknot to be guided by this fac
tor alone in granting certificates. The
certificates as in the past will state
that student has passed in full or in
part the subjects written in lines for
the purpose and what grades were
made.
The minds of the principals met on*
the issuance of certificates of gradu
ation. hundred and twenty clock
hours of recitation on a subject is re
quired grant one unit of work.
Sixteen units of work as prescribed in
the High School manual must be per
formed satisfactorily to the teachers
before a certificate of graduation will
hi? issued. r
Notwithstanding a pupil may at any
time when leaving a school receive a
statement in full of his school work
completed to date. Records of such
work and grades thereof are kept in
duplicate, one copy in the
office and the other copy in the super
intendent's office. On the reverse side
of all certificates of- graduation there
shall be a transcript of the pupil's
record. j
Mr. R. I. Leake, Robersonville High
School principal, will draw up a
certificate of award for winning school
in group commencement contests to b*
held in April. Alson Mr. L. H. Davis
was in«tructed to prepare and
present the method of giving the tests
in the seventh grade. This work Is
the outgrowth of a committee ap
pointed at a meeting some time ago.
Mr. W. H. Bigg« returned Tuesday
from a business trip to Wilson and
Raleigh.