THE ENTERPRISE
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VOLUME XXXIX?NUMBER 31 _ Williamston. Martin County. North Carolina. Friday. April 17. 1936 ESTABLISHED 1899
PLAN EXTENSION
POWER LINES TO
RURAL SECTIONS
V. E. P. System Already |
Serving Many People
In Rural Sections
With plans complete for a power
and light line in the upper part of
the county and a line extension
from Williams ton into Bear Grass
and a part of Griffins Township, the
rural electrification program is re
ceiving a substantial boost in this J
county, it was learned today.
The line connecting with the Vir
ginia Electric transmission system
near Bethel will extend about 1 1-2
miles along the Martin-Pitt and
Edgecombe lines and will serve 10
or more customers.
The other project, still in its pre
liminary stage, is proposed to ex
tend from the company's system
here to Bear Grass by R. L. Perry's.
A connection will be made at the
Old Mill Inn for a line extending
into Griffin's Township, it was said.
There are approximately 60 poten
tial customers on those lines, it was
stated. Just when work on the proj
ects will get under way could not
be learned.
At the present time the Virginia |
Electric & Power Company is serv
ing a large rural territory; in fact,
a greater part of its system serves
what might be called rural areas or
centers. Since coming into this ter
ritory, the company has proved it
self a valuable citizen and a ready
friend in the promotion of progress,
giving a service unexcelled and at
a rate that compares favorably with
any in the United States. Only a
few days ago, a large manufactur
ing unit started investigations with |
the aim of locating a factory here,
and the power rate was recognized
as one of the most favorable factors
supporting the investigations, it was
said. The company has enjoyed an
increased patronage, and is doing
all it posibly can to promote and
extend Its already vast rural elec
trification program in this section of
the state.
Plans Go Forward
For Putting Over
New Soil Program I
Plan To Carry Program To|
Farmers Directly Last
Of Next Week
Plans are rapidly going forward
to launch the federal government's
soil conservation program in this
county the latter part of next or the
early part of the week following,
according to official information!
coming from the county agent's of
fice here this morning. Definite
plans for the work will be made
public within the next three or four
days in connection with the pro
gram, it was said.
At a meeting of county and com
munity farm committeemen held in
the courthouse here last Wednesday
evening, instructions for handling
the work were given, and activities
in connection with the coll conser
vation program will ">e advanced in I
the districts over the county just as|
soon as base acreages and produc
tion figures of tobacco, peanuts and|
cotton can be tabulated.
As far as it can be learned, Mar
tin farmers continue interested, in I
the program with the possibility I
that a large percentage of them will|
participate in the movement.
Farmers in several other coun
ties in the tobacco belt are said tol
be signing contracts or entering ap-'
plications to participate in the pro-1
gram.
Farmers Planning
March on Raleigh
A march on Raleigh next Tues
day morning at 11 o'clock has been
planned, and farmers, several thou
sand strong, are expected to take
part in urging Governor J. C. B.
Ehringhaus to call a special session
of the legislature for a consideration
of some tobacco control program
for the 1036 crop.
Sponsored by the North Carolina
Farm Bureau Federation, the pro
posed mass meeting in Raleigh next
Tuesday is reportad to have already
gained the support of several thous
and people in the tobacco belt. In
those towns nearer Raleigh, the
merchants have been called on to
close their stores and join in the
march. A goodly number of Mar
tin farmers are planning to attend
the mass meeting that will be held
in the State Collage stadium.
Late reports indicate that 80,000
farmers and business men plan to
take pert in the move on Raleigh.
Prison Authorities Refuse To
Admit Man Until Identified
Carrying his own commitment
papers, Joe Lawaon, Bethel white
man, was refused admittance to the
State prison by officials last Wednes
day when he reported there to start
serving a one-year sentence imposed
upon him in connection with the
killing of little Peggy Hardison on
the Jamesville road more than a
year ago.
Entertaining a pretty good idea
that it was difficult to gain free
dom once in the prison, Lawson
never dreamed that he would have
difficulty entering the bastile when
he boarded a bus in Bethel Wednes
day and voluntarily reported for
service at the institution in Raleigh.
The prison authorities explained he
would have to have somebody to
identify him before he could live in
their prison. Lawson was a strang
er in the city, and knew no one to
identify him. Wednesday night he
went to a Raleigh hotel and direct
ed a distress call to the sheriff's of
fice in this county and explained his
diffioulty in getting inside the pris
on. Deputy J. H. Roebuck made a
special trip to Raleigh yesterday to
introduce Lawson to the prison
folks, and incidentally told them a
bout the man's good character in his
home town.
McDonald Speech Is
Heard by About 200
| RIVER FALLING ]
Reaching a crest at 14.7 feet
here last week, the Roanoke
River has been receding slowly
until early last night, the wea
ther station reporting a reading
of 11.8 feet this morning. Up
until last night the stream had
fallen very litUe, but from that
time until noon today a drop
of about Ave inches was re
corded.
Herring are said to be run
ning in larger numbers now,
but it is not known Just when
the fisheries will be able to start
operations. The water at this
point is still a foot over the
banks, and it might be the lat
ter part of net week or the
early part of the following one
before the river is low enough
for the seine? to operate.
PROCEEDINGS IN
MARTIN COUNTY
SUPERIOR COURT
Judge Moore Orders More
Than 130 Cases Off
Court Docket
Continuing its work this week,
the Martin County Superior court
has cleared comparatively few
cases from its docket since Tues
day. Considerable time was given
to nearly every one of the cases
called, the court having spent yes
terday and much of today hearing
tl.e case of J. B. Hyman against
C L. Green. The plaintiffs in the
case asked the court to set aside a
deed given by an 94-year-old col
orde woman, claiming the old wo
man was mentally deficient when
she signed the deed about a year
ago. The case was settled by agree
ment, Mr Green surrendering the
deed upon repayment of the pur
chase price.
The case of Keel against Wynne
was settled in favor of the defend
ant.
The plaintiffs, Virginia and Wil
liam Ross, were each awarded $800
in their case against J. C. Ross,
guardian.
In the case of Mrs. Myrtle Harris
against Wilkins and Wilkins, con
tractors, the plaintiff was awarded
$375.
Adjournment for the week came
at noon today upon the completion
of the Hyman-Green case. Activi
ties of the court will be resumed
Monday morning, and the term will
be completed the latter part of the
week Judge Clayton Moore is
presiding.
One hundred and thirty-three
cases, some of them ten years or
older, and others long forgotten by
the litigants, were ordered off the
calendar this morning by Judge
Moore. As far as clearing the cal
endar is concerned, the action this
morning is believed to an ail-time
record in this county.
Local Team Wins Game
Ftorn Elizabeth City. 3-1
Coach Peters' baseball boys turned
back the strong Elizabeth City High
School team here last Tuesday eve
ning, 3 to 1, in one of the best games
of the season. After two men had
walked in the sixth, Walter Cook
doubled to score two of the runs,
and Cone followed with a single to
score Cook. Those two hits were
the only ones the locals were able
to make. The visitors touched Sum
merlin for 5 hits, but he kept them
very well scattered.
The locals are playing Washington
at Washington this afternoon and
nest Monday they will meet Eden
ton here.
Is Well Received by
Audience at Court
House Wednesday
_ j
Candidate for Governor Is
Said To Have Gained
New Followers
Dr. Ralph W. McDonald, of Win
ston-Salem, one of the leading con
tenders for the Democratic nomina
tion for governor, was well received
by an audience variously estimated
at from 175 to 250 persons in the
courthouse here Wednesday at noon
Introduced by Mayor John L. Has
sell, who took occasion to pay his
respects to the national Republican
party and its "Chinaman's chance"
of defeating Franklin D. Roosevelt
next fall, the gubernatorial candi
date wasted no words in getting
down to presenting his well-adver
tised opposition to the sales tax and
state tax on land, ajpwell as the oth
er points in his plliform.
The candidate prefaced his re
marks with the statement that he
was, always had been and expected
to be a Democrat. He briefly re
ferred to his three opponents for the
nomination as estimable gentlemen
and announced that he was conduct
ing his campaign purely on issues
and would not deal in personalities.
Throughout his 45-minute address,
he did not refer to any of his three
opponents by name or implication.
Dr. McDonald also paid a warm
tribute to President Roosevelt as u
"true Twentieth Century Jefferson
ian Democrat,'', and had a few
words to say about the Liberty Lea
gue's peculiar idea of liberty. "When
you And a man who wants a so
called square deal" instead of the
New Deal, you have really found a
man who wants a great deal," he
said.
The Winston-Salem man declared
he stood definitely with the platform
and traditions of the Democratic
party in the state, particularly with
reference to the sales tax, schools,
and lobbyist activities He stated
it was only in recent years that a
Democratic administration had dared
to lower school standards until the
state now ranked at the- bottom or
next to the bottom of the list He
classed as absurd the claim that the
sales tax had saved the schools of
the state, pointing out that appro
priations for the 8-month school
term were less, after the sale tax
was imposed, than they were for the
6-month term before the sales tax
was levied. The Democratic party's
condemnation of the sales tax ev
ery time it had taken a stand on the
matter was also cited.
Referring to the opposition, Dr.
McDonald asked all those v#io be
lieved in the cause he represented
to "roll up their sleeves and get in
to the fight," because all of the
i wealth, 3 out 4 of the lawyers and
# out of 10 of the old-line politicians
were in the field against him.
In his condemnation of the sales
tax, which he called, among other
things, the "most unfair, undemo
cratic, unpopular, unreasonable,
uncalled-for" taxing system ever de
vised, the candidates said he had
arrived at that opinion after an ex
tensive, direct, personal study of
taxing problems. Ability to pay is
not even considered, he pointed out,
"while a vast amount of wealth in
the state is permitted to go abso
lutely untaxed." He cited numerous
Instance of which he was personally
acquainted to bear out his conten
tion, ,one being the case of a Win
ston-Salem man whose will disposed
of $11,500,000 worth of property,
but who, for four years, did not list
a dollar's worth of property for tax
ation. He claimed the tax laws
were written?in direct violation
of the constitution?that a "fence"
>
BURIAL IS HELD
HERE FOR MRS.
S. S. LAWRENCE
Died at Home In Wilson
Wednesday Following
Long Illness
Mrs. Daisy Manning Lawrence,
native of this county, died at her
home in Wilson at 8:15 o'clock last
Wednesday morning, marking the
end of a long period of suffering
from cancer. Although her condi
tion had been considered serious for
nearly nine months, the end came
unexpectedly and after her condi
tion was announced much improved
the evening before. Since last July
she had been under constant treat
ment by numerous doctors in North
Carolina and specialists in Rich
mond and New York.
Mrs. Lawrence was the daughter
of W. C. Manning and wife, the late
Sarah M. Manning. She was born
in Griffins Township on September
18, 1898, moving with her parents
to Williamston in her infancy, where
she lived until her marriage to
Simon S. Lawrence, of Richmond,
October 10, 1921. She then lived in
Raleigh for some time and moved
to Richmond to make her home for
the following four years. Nine years
ago she moved to Wilson, where she
had since made her home, making
a valued friendship with many peo
ple in all walks of life.
In early youth Mrs. Lawrence
united with the Christian church,
finding joy and peace in support
ing its princples and doing for oth
ers A thoughtful mother and wife,
she enjoyed life and courageously
battled for her health during the
past months. But in it all she com
plained very little during the long
illness that caused death, and her
friendly and sunny disposition con
tinued to the end.
Besides her husband, she is sur
vived by three children, Daisy, 13;
Simon, jr., 9; and Mary Lawrence,
5 years old She also leaves her
father, three brothers, J. W , W. C.,
jr and F. M. Manning, and two
sisters, Mrs. E. S. Peel and Mrs
Joel Muse, all of Williamston.
Funeral services were conducted
at the late home in Wilson yester
day afternoon at 2 o'clock by her
pastor, Rev. John Barclay. Burial
was in the family plot at the ceme
tery here at 4:30 o'clock.
ONE GRAND RUSH
IN TAX LISTING IS
NOW IN PROSPECT
Owners Have Less Than
Two Weeks Time To
List Their Property
With less than two weeks to com
plete the task, tax-list takers in this
county are reporting increased ac
tivities daily, the possibility of one
grand rush at the last minute now
being forecasted.
No definite trend on the listing
activities can be had at this lime,
some of the listers stating that the
values are little changed from last
year while others report increases.
L. J. Hardison, list taker for Wil
liams, states he will be at Gardner's
Bridge until noon next Tuesday and
at Fairview that afternoon On
April 24 he will be at Nurney's
store until noon and at Joshua Col
train's that afternon. On April 28
he plans to be at George Williams'
stone and will complete the work at
Holl\ Springs on the 30th.
Allj county property owners will
find it to their advantage to list
their holdings early and avoid the
last-minute rush.
Man Arrested on
Hit - Run Charge
Walter Jones, young white man,
was arrested here last night by
Patrolman W. S. Hunt on a hit
and-run charge He was released
today under a $500 bond until next
Tuesday when his case is scheduled
for trial in Washington County.
Jones, driving a fertilizer truck
for H. D Harrison, of Williamston,
is said to have collided with a car
driven by Dr. W. H. Harrell, of
Creswell, just out of Plymouth on
the Roper road, early last night. No
one was seriously hurt, it was said.
The truck driver stated that his
truck was sideswiped by the car,
and explained that he did not stop
because the car apparently con
tinued on its way, that he was un
der the impression little or no dam
age was done.
?
Born to Mr. and Mrs. W J. Keel,
a daughter, Frances Ann, on Wed
nesday, April 8.
Union Evangelistic Services To
Be Brought To Successful Close
Sunday Night; 3 More Services
Bear Grass School Heads Red
Cross Honor Roll by $32 Gift
Under the leadership of Princi
pal T. O. Hickman, the Bear Grass
school gained a prominent place on
the Red Cross honor roll this week,
when the pupils and teachers there
combined their efforts to raise a
substantial sum for tornado victims
in this and several other Southern
States. On a comparative basis the
$32 raised and donated by the school
is the largest contribution on record
in this part of the country, it is sin
cerely believed.
Ready cash was probably a bit
scarce with the liberal scholars and
their instructors, but a spare ham.
an extra shoulder or a few potatoes
were gathered from many homes
and converted into cash. Chairman
Harry Biggs and people in other
sections can well take their hats oft
to the Bear Grass school, its pupils
and teachers.
No other contributions have been
reported since Tuesday, the Bear
Grass contribution increasing the
fund raised in this chapter to $12tt.v?3
Mr Biggs has been out of town and
no doubt other contributions have
been made and they wil be acknowl
edged the early part of next week
Board of Elections To
Meet Here Tomorrow
Name Registrars and
Judges of Election
For June 6 Primary
No Great Number Changes
Looked for in Personnel
Of Election Officials
Machinery for holding the next
June 6 primary and other political
contests during the coming two
years in this county will he set in
motion Saturday of this week when
members of the county board of
elections meet in the courthouse at
11 o'clock to name the registrars
and judges of election for the 12
voting precincts.
The members of the board, Messrs
Sylvester Peel, of Griffins Town
ship; J. R. Winslow, of Roberson
ville; and Albert T. Perry, of Wil
liamston, are slated to take the
oath of office and immediately per
fect an organization.
It is very likely that Mr. Peel, the
efficient chairman for the past num
ber of years, will again be named
to that position. Following the or^
ganization, the board will immedi
ately start appointing precinct elec
tion officials This task, once con
sidered an easy task, is becoming
more of a problem every two years
because many Republicans have
turned Democrats and quite a num
ber of the old dyed-in-the-wool ones
have passed on to their reward,
making it impossible to comply with
the law that directs the county
board to name one Republican to
serve as a precinct official. Mr. Peel
stated this week that he would con
sult prominent Republiacn leaders
in the county before final appoint
ments are made at the meeting Sat
urday. It is certain now that all
the precincts will not have a Repub
lican official, but in those cases it
will be because there are none to
name for the positions.
For the most part, no great num
ber of changes is expected in the
precinct election officials, but the
board will be open to suggestions
from leaders in both parties.
Before adjourning, the board will
order the registrars to open the reg
istration books on the fifth Satur
day before the primary, or on May
9, for any new electors to enter their
names in the books. The books will
be open three Saturdays for regis
tration of new electors, and open
for challenge on the fourth Satur
day, or the Saturday before the
primary on June 6. No new regis
tration will be ordered this year,
although the books are far from up
to date, it is understood. Those who
have registered for any previous |
general election wil lnot find it nec
essary to register again. However,
it is advisable for every one to visit
his respective registrar and make
certain that his name is on the
books.
College Glee Club To Sing
Here Sunday Morning at 11\
*
The glee club of Atlantic Chris
tian College will give a musical pro
gram at the Christian church in
Williamston next Sunday morning
at 11 o'clock. Public cordialy in
vited. President H. S. Hilley will
appear on the program They sing
at Oak City at 3 p. m end at Rob
ersooville at 8 o'clock p. m
HERE MONDAY
Clyde fluey, ranking Demo
crat and a leading candidate fur
(?uvernor, will speak in the
schuulhuuse here next Monday
night at 8 o'clock. A large
crowd Is expected to hear the
man, generally regarded as the
ablest orator In the state today.
FOREST SERVICE
WORK RESUMED
UN THIS COUNTY
Plans Approved for Steel
Observation Tower In
Griffins Township
Cooperative fire protection activi
ties, hinder in this county by bad
weather during the past several
months, aie fast getting back to nor
mal with arrangements now under
way to complete projects in parts of
Griffins and Jamesville Townships,
County Forest Warden Henry L)
Hardison said Monday. The open
ing of 36 miles of fire lanes in the
old Dymond City area will be re
sumed just as soon as the weather
permits, it was stated.
A steel forest-fire tower has been
approved .for the county, and ar
rangements are now being complet
ed for its construction in Griffins
Township about two miles south of
J. J. Hoberson's. The tower, cost
ing approximately $1,000, will be
built by CCC workers, and will be
handled by a man assigned by the
State Forestry Service It could not
be learned when work on the tower
would be started.
Mr. McGowan, of the CCC forces,
said yesterday that the project in
the Dymond City area had the pos
sibility of accomplishing great good.
The county warden is of the opin
ion that the saving to timber alone
will more than offset the cost of the
work. Mr. McGowan, who has cov
ered the territory thoroughly, ex
plained yesterday that that section
of the district has been burned over
sc/ many times that the flres have
actually destroyed several feet of
earth over fairly large areas, caus
ing water to stand. He believes it
is possible to drain a large portion
of the low areas without great cost.
The projects now under way are
estimated to cost around $25,000, a
large portion of which is to be spent
for opening the 36 miles of Are
lanes. Plans are still going forward
for making one of the lanes into a
county road, connecting the Pine
town road with one near Hardison's
Mill.
Congregations Crow
O P
l^ar^er: Fine Spirit
Coo|>eration Shown
Ministers of Town Appeal
For Support During
Remaining Days
By Z. T. PIEPHOFF
The Union Easter Services being
held in the Roanoke-Dixie Ware
house Tabernacle here for the past
two weeks will come to a success
ful close next Sunday night. There
are three remaining services, to
night. Saturday night and Sunday
night, and large crowds are expect
ed at these closing services.
With the finest spirit of coopera
tion manifested in recent years on
the part of the l<?cal churches and
many of the country churches of
all denominations the Union Easter
services begun Sunday. April 5th,
are now in full swing. The congre
gations have been growing nightly
and the music has steadily improved
Even the preachers seem to be in a
friendly contest to see which one
can present the Gospel of Our Lord
and Saviour. Jesus Christ, in the
most forceful, the simplest fid the
most appealing way. Each night
many have gone back to their homes
feeling that the highest peak possi
ble in attendance, in the beauty and
harmony of the ministry of music,
and in the preaching the Word has
been reached, only to return the fol
lowing night and to be lifted to
greater spiritual heights, and the
end is not yet.
Under the efficient leadership of
Rev J. M Perry, of the Christian
church, solos, duets, quartets, and
choral numbers have been and are
to be presented which have inspired
and encouraged and comforted and
appealed to sinners and Christians
alike, to accept Christ as their Sav
iour and to live closer to Him daily.
The number of children in the
junior choir is growing, and a goal
of 100 has been set which we "are
sure will be reached before the end
of the meetings. The Rev. Z. T
Piephoff has offered to give a copy
of the Gospel of John to every boy
and girl singing 111 this choir on
Friday night who will promise to
read it.
The adult choir has been holding
its own, at times it has doubled it
self, but even at its smallest in
numbers it would be hard to beat
m harmony and volume
If you haven't yet witnessed the
unloading and the loading of the
large trucks which have been mak
ing short runs each night into the
country you have been missing a
real treat and a real source of in
spiration. They have been simply
parked, and it looks now as if we
will have to enlarge them to accom
modate the crowds. Another truck
is to be added to the number to
night. This truck will have Bear
Grass for its destination.
In this meeting Williamston and
Martin County is once more prov
ing its generosity, Norman Harri
son, the treasurer, reports that while
the whole of the expenses have not
yet been met, the end is in sight in
this particular phase of the meet
ing, and if the offerings continue to
hold up, all expenses can be met
without making an outside appeal.
An added feature of the meet
ing will begin tonight. After the
regular service all those who desire
to know more of the great Plan of
Salvation as it is presented to us in
the^Holy Scriptures are invited to
move into the auditorium back of
the pulpit during the singing of the
last hymn, where for not more than
15 minutes the three remaining
nights an important phase of salva
tion will be opened up, not through
words of man's wisdom but in the
exact words of Christ and His
Apostles.
While one or two of the services
have been prolonged beyond the 9
o'clock hour, most of the services
have come to a conclusion on time.
Promise is made that these services
will not become longer each night.
The ministers promise to do all in
their power to obey the 9 o'clock
rule established at the beginning.
Only three nights remain. If you
haven't yet attended any of these
services, come out tonight. If you
have been atending we know that
you will be there.
Williamston and Martin County
MUST BE won for Jesus Christ.
Williamston and Martin County
WILL BE won for Jesus Christ
Help us reach this goal. ,
?Htn