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Paper As It Carrias tfaa Data
Wbaa Tour Subacriptioo bplna
VOLUME XXXIII—NUMBER 28
MAN WANTED FOR
COUNTY MURDER
CONFESSES DEED
Perlie Rogers Tells Balti
more Polite He Killed
Millard Moore in 1926
CAUGHT"""LAST WEEK
ConfiMM Killing Moore When Balti
more Police Arrest Him for
Law Violation
Perlie Rogers, wanted in connection
with the murder of Millard Moore, col
ored, in the Free Union section of this
county, July 25, 1926, was arrested in
Baltimore last week and is being held
for authorities here, it was learned in
a letter received from the Baltimore po
lice yesterday.
According to information gained
from the letter received by Sheriff C.
B. Roebuck, Rogers confessed the
crime in this county to officers there'
when they questioned him following |
hi* arrest in the Maryland city in con
nection with some other law violation*.'
The fallowing report carried soon
after the killing, gives the circum
stances under which it was committed:
"Free Union, sometime* called
Gawk, was the scene of a kilting Sun
day night, the appearance of which
trtng*s between' c6Td : bloodedrriiirder,
a foolish prank, or killing by accident.
"The circumstance* were somewhat'
unusual, as Rogers, who had just come
out of the Free Union Church and
was standing on the steps, addressed
several boys standing on the ground
below him and said, "You boys don't
believe a damn thing." Some one in
the crowd said that they did not until
they saw it; at which Rogers drew a
caliber Smith and Wesson pistol
and fired. The bullet pierced the heart
of Moore, passed entirely through his
body and through the arm of James
Moore, another young fellow who was
in standing range just behind Miller
Moore. The bullet lodged against the
skin on the back of his arm.
"Witnesses of the tragedy say
Rogers jumped and caught Moore be
fore he fell and asked him to 'Kxcuse
roe; I didn't intend hurting you.' He
sc-on vanished froin the crowd.
"The general feeling among the col
ored people of the section is that the
killing was a foolish accident rather
than a premeditated killing, as all the
parties were supposed to bo good
friends."
Arrangements are being made to re
turn the alleged murderer here, and- it
is understood that he will be tried at
the next term of superior court con
vening here this month.
Everetts Holds Municipal
fclection Last Saturday
The old board of commissioners and
town officials for the Town of Everetts
were re-elected last Saturday without
opposition for another two-year term.'
The town's government is headed by j
Mayor Paul Bailey. Other officers in-j
elude S. S. Bailey, treasurer, V. G.
Taylor, J. S, Ajrers and J. B. Barnhill, 1
Commissioners.
According to reports received here,
Everetts is one town that wHI be clear
of all debt at the end of the year and'
anticipates a substantial cash balance
on hand at that time.
♦
Mrs. Walter Wynn Dies at
Home in Cross Roads
• —• i
Mrs. Walter C. Wynn died at her
home in Cross Koads township early
yesterday after suffering many months
with tuberculosis.
Before her marriage, Mrs. Wynn was
the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mc G.
Bullock, of this county. Besides Mr.
Wynn, several small children and sev
eral brother* and sisters survive.
The funeral is,.being held this after
noon at 3:00 o'clock, interment follow
ing in the Wynn. grave yard in the
Cross Road* community.
Business School Opens
Term Here Yesterday
With ceveral students enrolled,
Mr*. Louie P. Martin offered the first
instruction in her business school in
the high school building here yester
day. Mrs. Martin stated late yester
day that she expected several more to
enroll within the next few days, that
the instruction was open to any oae
at a very small coct. Instruction in
Shorthand and typewriting will feature
the work of the school, it was stated.
Many Hear Proceedings in
Recorder's Court Today
Althought the number o* case* on
the docket were limited, the today'*
session of the recorder's court attract
ed a fair-*ized crowd. The procedure |
ims of no great importance, but a trial
jury wa* ordered, adding to the in
terest of the se**ion.
Correction
In the abort note of appreciation "by
Ur. John E. Pope to the vote** of the
county, proof correction* were not
made and it is with regret that the er
rors appear. It wa* Mr. Pope'* father
«rho died when Mr. JohivE- wa* a child
»nd not hi* mother, a* *tated.
THE ENTERPRISE
Temporary Restraining Order
Checks Paving Program Here
NO COUNTY VETS
ATTEND MEETING
First Time in 25 Years This
County Was Not Repre
sented at a Re-union
I—-1 —-
Martin county, for the first time in
twenty-five years, will not l>e repre
sented at the roll of old Confederate
Veterans at the annual re-union which
is being held this week at Biloxi. Jlis
sissippi.
Remembering the service rendered
by the youths of the sixties, the Mar
tin County Board of Commissioners
made appropriations several weeks ago
to care for the expenses of any of the
few remaining veterans in the county
desiring to attend the re-union. Up
until this morning, no applications had
been entered for a part of the appro*
pratious.
| In their declining years, the few re
gaining veterans of the Civil War, find
'it too much to undertake such a long
trip.
12 COUPLES GET
LICENSES HERE
m
Number Is Unusually Large
Considering Unfavorable
Financial Conditions
•
An even dozen marriage licenses
were issued in the office of J. Sam
Getsinger, register of deeds, here dur
ing the month of May, the number re
flecting much progress in the Dan
Cupid realm, especially so under the
present financial conditions.
Four of the licenses were granted
white couples, as follows:
Henry (i. Roberson-Carrie 1). Ward;
John 1). Roberson-Ruby Hopewell!
William H. Bryant (Edgecombe conn
ty)-Mary E. Boyett; Dennis F. Rawls-
Sclma R. Jones (Pitt county).
Colored
William Spruill-Clancy Edmondson;
Andrew Hudgins-Venice Huff; John
YVhitfield-Catherine Teel; Jno, I". Rob
erson-Mamie Andrews; Geo. Buffalo-
Marina Wynn; Floyd Wiggins-Flor
ence Teel; Lester, Conney-Elizaheth
Jones; Edward C. Williams-Geneva
Sanders.
AGENTS ARREST
8 MEN IN RAIDS
•
Arrests Made in This and
Hertford Counties
Last Week
•
Federal Prohibition work reached a
climax in this section last week when
officers made eight arrests and captur
ed much manufacturing equipment.
Raiding in-Hertford county Thurs
day, Agents Coats and H. S> Barbrey
and Deputy Roehuck captured two
large copper stills and issued warrants
for Junius Cower and Nelson I.ewtcr,
both colored.
Farly Saturday morning, the officers
went into the pocossin between Corey's
store and Bear Grass Church, where
they found G. R. Taylor and Noah E.
Gardner- starting operations at day
break. Expecting others to appear for
work at the plant, the officers secreted
themselves and waited. Jtrry Simpkins
was the next to come and he with Wil
Knox, the fourth member to approach
j the plant, was arrested. Mr: Knox made
a dash for his liberty and won the race.
Ht was arrested some time later.
Bond was arranged for the defend
ants with the exception of Simpkins
who is awaiting trial in jail.
Saturday night, the agents found a
small quantity of liquor in the store-
In use of Haywood Ros in Gold Point.
He was given a hearing and a nominal
bond was required.
Later that night, the officers caught
Floyd Sherron, a filling station operator
jor. the Oak City-Hobgcod road, in the
act of selling two buttles of liquor. He
was given a hearing this morning, but
in of bond, he continues in jail.
Former Martin County
Boy Dies in Alabama
•
William Davenport, 28, son of the
late Ed Davenport, of Hamilton, and
wife Clara Gardner Davenport, died in
Alabama last Tuesday and was buried
in Hamilton last Friday afternoon.
Young Davenport lived all his life
in Hamilton until about twelve years
ago he moved to Durham where he
marrfed. Since that time lie has travel
ed extensively
His mother, one brother and two
lister*, all of Durham, survive.
Funeral *ervices were held last Fri
day afternoon at Hamilton by Rev. E.
P. Weil, of the' Baptist church there.
» •
To Start Series of Revival
Services at Local Church
A aerie* of revival services will be
conducted in the local Christian church
beginning next week, it was announced
today. Rev. John Barclay, of the Wil
ton Christian Church will occupy the
pulpit, it was stated.
Williamston. Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, June 3,1930
HOLD HEARING
NEXT MONDAY
; AT TARBORO
I . *—
Injunction Served on Town
Officials by Sheriff Here ,
Last Saturday
ACTION TEMPORARY
Attorney Hugh G. Horton Represent
ing Nine Or More Citizens '
In Preparing the Order
*
The town commissioners were tem
porarily checked in the sale of $75,-
000 street improvement bond* last Fri
day when Judge C. I . Lyons sinned,
in Nashville, a restraining order pro
hibiting further action pending the
findings of the court at a hearing next
Monday. Judge N. A. Sinclair will
hear the case in Tarhoro next Monday,
according to present plans, it was stat
ed yesterday..
The. injunction served on the board
of commissioners here last Saturday
was brought by Messrs. J. E. King, J.
K. I.eggett, (J. W. Bloifiit, J, W.
Jii alt*., H. -F'. I'erry I I) J
T Edmondson, I). I). Stalls, et als,"
through Attorney Hugh ti. Horton.
While his name does not appear along
with those of the other plaintiffs, it
was unofficially reported that Mr. J.
(i. Staton had accepted a part of the
responsibility for the attorney's fee in
the case.
According to plans announced sev
eral days ago, the sale of the bonds
was to have been made Wednesday of
next week. Further action in the mat
ter will be subject to t|»e hearing sched
uled before Judge Sinclair in Tarhoro
next Monday afternoon at 4:00. o'clock,
it was stated.
In preparing their complaint, the
plaintiffs state:
"I hat the proposed ordinance was
passed contrary to the wishes of the
tax-paying citizens of the Town of
Williamston and that the same was
passed against the protest of some of
the most substantial citizens, of said
town and against protest and against
the vote of two of- the commissioners,
and the same was passed to expend
public funds for purposes that are not
at afl necessary in that the same was
passed intended to raise funds to build
hunl-surface streets for a few at the
expense of general taxpayers who will
receive no l>euefit therefrom in places
where hard surface streets are nr>t
at all'nftessary at this time, and said
ordinance was passed in the face of
the physical fact that the town o( Wil
liamston is already so deeply in debt
that the said ordinance could not leg
ally be passed, the town already being
in debt as deep and deeper than its
citizens can bear, and at the time of
said passage of said ordinance, the
taxpaying citizen? of the town of WiF
hi-mston were burdened and oppressed
with taxation a,nd a large percentage
of its property owners were having
their property confiscated oti account
[of excessive taxes and having their
property taken from them, not being
able to pay the taxes, and in the face
of it, the defendants wrongfully and
unlawfully are attempting to burden
the taxpayers of the town of William
ston with $75,000 additional debt and
to consequently raise the taxes much
higher, as said ordinance, if passed,
would do, and especially since the or
dinance makes no provisions for as
sessments against abutting land own-'
ers. i
"That in an attempt to put the said
ordinance and bond issue over and to
pass the same whether the taxpayers
of Williamston like it or not, the de
fendants have prepared or caused to
be prepared a statement, of the debt
and deductions of t|ie town of Wil
liamston, and a statement of the assess
ed valuation of the town of William
ston for the year 1029, which, as plain
tiffs are advised and believe, and upon
such information and belief, allege,
does not speak the truth for and in
that the assessed valuation of the prop
erty subject to taxation by the Town
of Williamston for the year 1V29 can
not and does not amount to $1,684,-
696, as therein contained, and that the
nixt debt of the Town of Williamston
as listed in the aforesaid statement, is
not correct at the figure of $100,500,
as contained in said statement.
"That the bonds t'd Jbe issued under
the proposed ordinance are ..not fund
ing or refundnig bonds and are"not
bends for water, gas, electric light, or
power purposes and are not for sani
tary sewers, sewage disposal, or sew
age purifications plants, and that the
percentage that the net debt of the
town of Williamston bears to the cor
rect valuation exceeds eight (8) per
cent of the assessed valuation, and the
representations contained in the state-,
nient on file with G. H. Harrison,
clerk, in the proposed bond issue afore
said, as plaintiffs are advised and be
lieve, and upon such information and
belief, allege, could not by any reason
able mathod of computation be true and
that a true statement would show that
the ordinance authorizing the bonds
could not be passed, and plaintiffs
plead Sec. 2943 of the ( Consolidated
Statutes as a bar against the passage
PREDICTS $500,000
LOSS IN COUNTY
PROPERTY LIST
Seven of Eight Townships
Reporting Yesterday
Show Losses
WILLI AMSTON GAINS
♦
Goose Nest Township Expected To
• Show Valuation Decrease In
Excess of SIOO,OOO
. #
F'inal reports given out by Mr., Jno.
IV Lilley, county tax supervisor, for
eight of the ten townships, indicate a
drop of about $500,000 in the assessed
valuations of the property of the coun
ty. '
The listings for the eight townships
follows, each of the townships showing
a low with the exception of YVilliams
ton township which reported a gain of I
$14,444:
Township Listing Loss
Jamesville $ 1,253,176 $ 17,572
YVillianis 417,746 (>2,576
Griffins .... 798,047 31,159|
Cross Koads 7 1 >6,477 4 ( ),3 l >4 !
Robersonville 2,773,W0 114,794 I
Poplar Point 439,016 4,025 i
Hamilton 1,311,424 45,137
YVilliamston 2,501,061 *14.444
Total $lO, 290,847 —$310,211
|_ 'Gain.
ships have not yet filed their abstracts,
ships have not ye), filed their abstrcats,
and their figures are not available. Mr.
Lilley, basing his estimate on prelim
inary reports coming from those town
ships, stated that Bear' Grass will prob
ably show a loss of- $50,000 and Goose
Nest a loss of around $120,000.
Around the largest drop on any
classes of property is the automobile,
mules, provisions, and solvent credits.
Y'ery few mules and automobiles were
bought during the past year, and th»y
are generally classed as old cars and
tld mules at a low,rate.
The poor crop-year naturally caused
a shortage of corn and meat.
Mr. Lilfcy has announced that all
questions of contested values may he
heard at a meeting of the board of
commissioners here June 16.
■MRSrELIZABETH
J. GREEN DIES
Funeral To Be Held at the
Home Near Here at
2:00 Tomorrow
—•
Mrs. l-'liziibcth J. Green died at the
home of her son, Mr. (). S. Green, in
Williams township early this morning,
in her 77th year. Although Mrs. Green
had been sick only a few days, she had j
suffered for years from asthma and I
other complications.
Mrs. Green was the daughter of
Noah S. and liliza Godard, of Griffins
township, one of the leading families
of the county for many years. She
was the youngest child of a large fam
ily.
In early life she was married toj
Jordan S., Green who (lied several
yiars ago'. She is survived by one son\
0. S. Green, and one daughter, Miss .
Bessie Green.
YY'hile complete burjal arrangements,
have not been made at this time, it was
announced that the funeral would be
held at the home tomorrow afternoon'
at 2 o'clock.
She had been a member of the
Primitive Baptist Church for many
yc-ars, and a preacher of that faith will
conduct the last rites.
Woman's Auxiliary Meets
Here Yesterday Afternoon
The 'Woman's Auxiliary of the |
Church of the Advent (Episcopal) met
at the home of the president, Mrs. M.
S. Moore, on Main Street Monday.
The next meeting will be held at
the same place at 10.30 a. mi. Monday,
June 16.
At the meeting yesterday, Mrs, YV.
B. Watts read from the book, "Christ
in the Common Ways of Life," the
chapter on the childlike spirit, which
emphasizes the child's trust in its cld
eis to provide, its optimisfn, and its J
n n-attenticn t> uiulue criticism.
A letter of thanks from a small or
phan boy of the Thompson Orphan
age, for favors the auxiliary had ex
tended, was read.
♦ •
Child Weighs One Pound,
One Ounce at Its Birth
—
Simpsonville, N. C., June 2.—Mr.
and Mrs. YY'ill A, Hamby have a three
day's old baby girl that weighed one
p tmd and one ounce at birth. The
infant is normal.
The father is feeding her with a
medicine dropper and is constructing
a box of the incubator variety to keep
her warm.
of the aforesaid proposed ordinance."
As it is understood, the rate of in-,
ttrest the proposed bonds will carry
will be determined at the time of the
sale. The City of New Bern, last
week, sold around SBO,OOO worth at
5 1-4 and received a substantial bonus.
Ati answer to the complaint has not
been prepared al this time, but the de
fendants will make necessary prepara
tions before the hearing next Monday,
it-fa understood.
Committee Discusses Economy
Program With County Officials
Fifty-eight Names
Combined Primary Tickets
MUCH INTEREST '
BEING SHOWN IN
ABSENTEE VOTE
—♦—
Only Two Townships Have
Scheduled for
Next Saturday
1 REPUBLICAN BALLOT j
Candidates Are Displaying a Marked
Determination In This, The j
Last Lape of the Race
Four ballot boxes will he used next
Saturday throughout the county with
the exception of two precincts, William
ston and Jamesville, where local con
tests will make a fifth box necessary.
As the primary draws near, the
the peak'hi in
terest, and the candidates are display
ing- a marked determination in"this,
the last lap of the race.
Absentee voting in this county is ex
pected to break all records next Sat
ttrday, Mr. Sylvester I'eel, chairman
of the county board of elections, stat
ing this morning that the requests for
ballots have been pumerous.
Reports state that politics, in 'the;
truest sensfc of the word, is much in
evidence in certain parts of the county, I
giving rise to this: "Anybody who'
fails to vote as I vote, is a fool," one
voter remarked. When other voters
were about to attack him and asked
liuu to explain the statement, he said,
"Y ote as tlley please."
Below are the ballots complete, in
cluding a lone one for the Republi
cans: '
Democratic Primary Ballots
For United States Senator; (vote for
one), Thomas 1.. Fstep, Fiirnifolcl XI.
Simmons, Josiah YV. liailey. On the
same ballot are the names of James 11,
llolloway and George I'. I'ell, one to
Ik Selected for member-of the Corpor
ation Commission.
A second box will lie used for the
second district solicitoral ballots, due
of the following men to be chosen for
that office, Troy T. Barnes, Henry 1).
Hardison, Doniicll Gilliam.
A third box will he used for the
county ballot-which is as follows:
For clerk superior court, (vote Mr
one): R. J. Peel, John 1.. Uodgerson,
John I). Lilley
For register of deeds: ftote for one)
—J. Sain Getsinger, Fred S. Powell
For sheriff: (vote for one) —('. 11.
Roebuck. I B. Brown
l or treasurer: (vote tor one) VY, 11.
("arstarphen, (ills Harrison, John K.
Pope, '
For judge of the recorder's court:
(vote for one) —John l„ llassell , Jos.
YV. Bailey
For solicitor of the Martin county
recorder's court: (vote for one) —YV, II
Cobttrn. IP. O. I'eele
Fof coroner: (vote for one) —S. -K.
Biggs, B. S. Courtney
For tuemlier board of county com
missioners: (vote for five) —T. ('.
Griffin, L, I'. Holliday, Joshua 1..
C'oltrain' J. D. YVoolard, Y'. (i. Taylor,
J. A. Everett, J. (i. Sfaton, 11. S.
Everett, I. B. Slade, J. ilaywnod
Rogers, B. S. Cowin. -
( For member of the county board of
education: (vote for five) —J. Eason
I alley, VV. (). Griffin, K. W. Salsbury,
j. I. Barnhill, B. M. YVorsley, 11. (.
Norman, J. A. Getsinger, K. B. Craw
ford, Javan Rogers.
YVilliamcton Township— For road
trustees, (vote for three) —Geo. 11.
Harrison, A. F, Taylor, no. M.
Bowen and YV. L. Taylor.
Jamesville Township: for road com
missioners, (vote for three)— Joe 11,
Holliday, If. 1.. Davis, J. J". Martin,
Monroe Holliday. For constable, (vote
for onq)—Ola (i. Carson, J. Raleigh
Manning. m
Republican Ballot
For United Slates Senator: (vote
for one) —George F. Butler, George M.
J'ritchard, Jrvin B. Tucker. H. (irady
Dorsett. I his ballot will be printed on
blue paper, while the Democratic bal
lots will appear on white paper.
In addition to the boxes for the
regular ballots there will be one box
each for spoiled ballots and the ballot
stubs.
Combining all the ballots, both Re
publican and Democratic,, there arc 58
candidates' names on tin- several bal
lots. Study the ballot, and vote ac
cordingly.
Zeppelin Changes Its Route
And Is Not Seen Here
■ . 9
People in this section were gener
ally disappointed when they learned
that the Graf Zeppelin had changed its
schedule and course and could not be
seen as it passed northward to Lake
hurst, N. J. The big dirigible reached
there Saturdays having falied to" visit
|U»IB. . : ?— l —rr *-
COUNTY BOARD
COMMISSIONERS
HOLD MEETING
Orders 10 Percent Decrease
in Amounts Allowed
List-takers
Matters of only routine importance
were scheduled for the work calendar
here yesterday before the hoard ol
county commissioners, however, pro
longed discussions were held causing
the members to adjourn late in the aft
er noon.
Gradually the requests for aid pour
into the office of;the commissioners.
Adolphiis Jackson, colored of Partnele,
was allowed a monthly sum of s.l per
iriciUh on account of his dis.ibjlitv t• >
earn a living.
—C. YV.. Beiuhridgc, white of James:
ville, was also allowed $3 for the same
Ci-use.
Mrs. Marina Moore and children
were granted an increase of $5 on their
monthly allowance.
Taxes came in for a small portion
of the commissioners' time when a
correction was made in the tax list ot
Bennett Gray heirs. Land listed as 14
acres and valued at $720 was listed at
35 acres as shown by actual survey and
the value increased to SI,OOO.
Introducing further economy into
the administration, the board reduced
the amount allowed list-takers by ten
per cent as compared with the salaries
1 aid for that work last year.
NOBODY" FILES
CAMPAIGN COSTS
I if
Filing Held Up by Insuffi
cient Reports, It Is
Declared
No candidate for a county office has
filed his full report of expenditures in
the present political campaign, accord
inC to information gained from the
otiice of the clerk of the court here,
where the reports are to he filed. I
It was pointed out, however, that
st veral ol tin; candidates had been be
fore the clerk and made preliminary re
||" r-ts, that sufficient blanks had not
| been received for filing according to
Ih.w ' ,
Although there are many candidates
in the field and numbers of workers
! standing by'for hire, it is generally be
lieved that the aspirants in this county
jliHve not spent but. very little money
|in advancing their candidacies.
In the United States Senatorial race,
[reports indicate that considerable sums,
have been spent, most of wliiuli can
never lie traced froth the donor to the
ri cviver.
TOWN OFFICIALS
HOLD MEETING
Prohibit Play On Miniature
Golf Course Here
On Sundays
The town board of commissioners
met in regular session here last night
with all members present.
All business and routine matters were'
dispensed with |uick!y and the board
adjourned with very few questions of
importance coining before it.
 )ther than the reading and .the pass
ing of bills, no other business was
tiansacted with the exception of pro
hibiting of the miniature golf course
on Sunday. Mr. Frank ('arstarphen
pleaded in the interest of Sunday golf
but bis plea was rejected.
No Challenge of Electors
Made In This Precinct
» —s "
The registration books in this pre
cinct arc apparently all right, as no
one appeared last Saturday to enter
a challenge. Silence in the case sup
ports the validity of .the registration,
the approximately 175 new names be
ing entered without a complaint on
the day set apart for challenge.
In certain sections of the State, es
pecially at Raleigh, the challenge has
attracted much attentioh.
♦
Everetts Votes To Sell Its
Power-Light Franchise
Secrecy was exposed in the F2veretts
power and light election last Saturday
when 48 citizens voted, each favoring
the sale of the franchise to the Vir
ginia Electric and Power Company.
There were 63 registered for the elec
tion. but-only 4* visited the |>oll» and
as each cast his ballot favoring the
sale, the results "showed up" the
Australian Ballot.';
The town is receiving SIO,OOO for its
power and light franchise.
1
Advertisers Will Find Oar Col
umns a Latchkey to Over 1,000
Home* of Martin County
ESTABLISHED 1898
TAX COMMITTEE
ASKS ECONOMY
IN GOVERNMENT
Suggests Twenty Per Cent
Reduction In Salaries
Paid Tpachers
EXPECTINGS RESULTS
General Thought of Meeting Indicates
That Rigid Economy Will Be
Practiced in This County
Meeting in joint session here last
I riday night in the new high school
i auditorium, the Martin County Hoard
of Commissioners, Board of Education
and the various local school boards
heard a number of recommendations
offered by the county tax committee,
Messrs. i. Tl. ('ox, J. ti. Staton. „k.
\\ Salsbury and J. I.ason l.illey, in an
effort to introduce a rigid economy
program in the operations of the county
government and county schools. -
Uiu.'—LU,. lAVti -u4-.-Un> -v.n irnir- —rtTTTTIT-~
iiivudaiious were attacked, ■ but as a
whole.the bo'd> Listened to the suggest
tioUs for lower taxes without protest.
Nothing definite was done, but the dis
cussions waxed warm at time, indicat
ing that there'll he visible results later
on.
In suggestion a 20 per cent reduc
tion in teachers salaries, possibly the
most radical recommendation,, the
committee was told by Superintendent
K. A. Pope that such a decrease would
practically wreck flu* schools, that such
a drastic cut in the salary Schedule
not advisable. One fir two other ob«
jections were entered, hut, as a whole,
the body accepted the general purpose
of the recommendations urging a de
crease in taxes some how, manner ot
form.
f hairmaii (~ 11, ( ox, presiding over
the meeting, stated that (lie commTtier
had spent much time in. studying tin
biulgets of the local schools and
that of the county hoard of education
in preparing the recommendations, lie
admitted that the investigators !had
folliul the county's affairs had been
conducted on a fairly reasonable eco
nomic basis. "That's fair, but it does
not mean that there is ti'o room lor
more economy. We need conservative
men and we should he careful in se
lecting them," Mr. Cox declared, lie
advised against radical procedure.
The chairman invited argument,-stat
ing that a discussion would be of
marked value in effecting a solution to
the present problem. "With land valu
ations dropping and the demand for
teachers greater, we are in for it," Mr,'
Cox stated, adding, "strict economy is
-our only hope for relief."
The deviation from - certain co»t
schedules and its possible effect came
before the meeting, hut thiTesults of
such action upon the county's partici
pation in the Staje F.|uali/atiou Fund
could not be determined.
. Taking the floor for a few minutes,
Mr. J, (i. Statou openly denied that he
was against schools, "In fact, I am in
favor of them," he stated with much
emphasis. He added that it might be
possible to cut down a little here and
a little there. It was his expressed opin-
that it would be, better .if the State
would take over the schools and raise
tin payroll. In. his remarks, Mr, -Staton
said, "School employees work only
half as much as we do on the outside
and they get a damn sight more for
what they dp than we."
It is generally believed that there'll
.be no decrease in the school rate dur-.
| mg the coming year. Recommendations
| or no recommendations, it is an accept
ed fact that the school census is steadily
increasing, that more teachers are re
quired and that intangibles are dropping
ill value.
The general thought of the meeting
indicated that every effort toward
economy would be made in the oper
ation of the schools. The recommenda
tions furnish a problem that should be
.studied with great care.
Commenting upon the recommenda
tions, several citizens as much inter
ested- in tax reduction as anyone, yes
terday defended the officials, explain
ing; why various reports hail not been
published and that local school taxes
were controlled by the several boards.
The'various reports are open in the
respective offices and were not publish
ed in an effort to curtail expenses, it
was pointed out.
Note: Space being limited in this
issue, the recommendations-' will ap
peal 1 next Friday.
0
Town oi Columbia Sells
Its Power Franchise
In a special election held last Satur
day, the town of Columbia voted ninety
eight for and none against the sale of
its power plant to the Virginia Elec
tric and Power Company'. In consider-'
a lion of the franchise, the power com
pany pays $35,000.
The power company will build »
transmission line to connect with its
lines recently constructed from here
to Plymouth.