THE ENTERPRISE
VOLUME XXXIX?NUMBER 34 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday. April 28, 1936 ESTABLISHED 1899
SOU PROGRAM IS
MADE FLEXIBLE
TO REACH MORE
Must Shift Soil Depleting
Crops Into Soil Con
serving Crops
The toil-improvement program
ha? been made more flexible so that
a greater number of farmcra will
be able to qualify for payments.
Originally, the program specified
that a farmer must have an acre
age of toil-conserving crops equal
to at least 20 per cent of his base
acreage of cotton, tobacco or pea
nuts. and at least 15 per cent of his I
base acreage of other soil-depleting
crops. 1
Under a new ruling, said Dean 1.
O. Schaub. of State College, grow
ers who fail to meet the original
minimum requirements can still
qualify for partial payments.
For each acre by which they fail
to meet the minimum requirements,
a deduction will be made in their
payment equal to one and a half
times the rate of the soil-conserv
ing payment on crops other thanl
cotton, tobacco, and peanuts.
In North Carolina, the soil-con
serving payment, for talcing land
out of soil-depleting crops and put
ting it into soil-conserving crops,
will probably be around $10
acre, except in the case of cotton, I
tobacco and peanuts.
On cotton and tobacco the rate is
5 cents a pound on the average pro
duction of the land taken out of
these crops, and on peanuts the rate
is 1 1-4 cents a pound.
Another ruling provides that acre
age planted to winter cover crops
and green manure crops after it has
been in vegetable crops will be clas
sified as soil-conserving if it is
turned under as green manure be
tween January 1 and October 1,
1936
However, the cover apd manure
crops must have been growing at
least two months before being
turned under.
The dean also pointed out that
farmers who already have large
acreages of soil-conserving crops,
but comparatively small acreages of
soil-depleting crops, may obtain
soil-building payments without de
creasing the amount of their cash
crops.
If they do not reduce their de
pleting crops, he explained, they
will not receive a soil-conserving
payment, for they will not have
shifted any land from depleting to
conserving crops.
But they will be entitled to soil-1
building payments for the soil-con
serving crops they grow.
The dean explained that soil- I
building payments are made for
growing soil-con)serving crops,
while soil-conserving payments are I
made^or taking land out of deplet
ing crops and putting it in soil-1
conserving crops.
The AAA has eliminated the term I
soil-building crops Crops former
ly under this classification are now I
included with the soil-conserving I
crops.
The division of payments be
tween landlord and tenant has been
modified in this region so that 16
2-3 per cent of the payment will go
to the person furnishing the land,
16 2-3 per cent to the person fur
nishing the work stock and tools,
with 66 2-3 per cent being divided I
in the same proportion that the
crop is divided between them.
The regulations previously estab
lished provided for a division of the
payments between landlord and ten
ant, according to the way the crop
, was divided between them, with no
allowance made for the person fur
nishing the land, tools, or work
stock.
I
Soil Program Off To
Splendid Start Here
The toil conservation sign-up
campaign was reported to havtf got
ten oft to a very successful start in
nearly every one of the nine dis
tricts in this county yesterday. Two
committeemen in the courthouse
were busy all days yesterday re
ceiving applications, and today a
third man was drafted into serv
ice to aid in the work. More than
40 farmers in this immediate dis
trict have already signed, and the
outlook is not bright for a much
larger participation in the program
than was first expected. '
Only one week has been allotted
to push the campaign over, and aft
er Saturday it is likely that the
work will be handled in the court
house.
Reports from other counties are
considered very encouraging, Wil
son reporting last week a sign-up
of more than 70 percent of its far
Jail of County Now Ranks
With North Carolina s Best
The Martin County jail, just re
cently rated alone with nearly every
other jail in the state as unfit to
keep federal prisoners, is now recog
nized as one of the best in the 100
counties and acceptable to inspec
tors. No official inspection by fed
eral authorities has been made since
the jail was painted, but Deputy
Marshall Buck, who was here last
Saturday, explained that the jail
was one of the best in this district
and he felt sure it would be given
a high rating by the inspectors.
With several talented painters in
jail from time to time, the county
authorities made arrangements to
have the work done. However, be
fore the project was completed, the
painters completed their time and
have managed to stay out since then
Private labor is finishing the work.
Rural Electrification
Projects Are Rushed
SEINE FISHING I
J
Seine fishing finally jot un
derway yesterday moraine at
Jamesville after weeka of delay
caused by flood waters. Small
catches were reported during
most of the day, Mr. C. C. Flem
ing. the operator, explaining that
several hours were required for
the seine to get wet enough to
sink to the bottom. Larger
catches were reported this morn
tag, but no record hauls were
made. A sail boat, going out
the river this morning, ground
ed in the fishing ground and de
layed activities several hours,
but the boat was floated again
about 11:31 and fishing was re
While the season ordinarily
closes the 10th of May, it is al
most certain that activities at
the fishery will continue toward
the latter part of next month,
or just as long as the operations
prove successful.
White Man Arrested
For Robbing Store.
Near Here Monday I
Reuben Rogers Trapped In
Attempt To Burglarize
Nurney's Rural Store
Reuben Roger., ^-year-old white
man wa. arrested and placed in the
county jail ye.terday
the alleged robbery of Nurneys,
itore on the Jame.v,Ue road a .hort
while before. C.ughMn th.^y
irrTco^Pea. and he was
turned over to Deputy J. H. Roe
'^During the past two weeks, Mr.
a Mr Parker operators
Nurney and Mr P?^
?' ,helh ce.sh drawer while they
E-ysrsri-r
and a trap was y before
-I
the care M Parker and
^rUVr t^tore while they
/low Closing in on him, they
^^theTawr^
S'SSS^d *1." in -J
def ^ counter where Roger.
C^wu on HU trail.
'Tnlintheaumofl^hMheen
sawr-artr
tinued In Jail.
Band Participated
In State Cxmtest
While Williamaton'^High j^hool
Band i. aaid to have performed well
it did not gain much recognition
the .tate music contest at Greena
bU dUuippointed with the djcUion
of the judges. No cojnpUinU wera
heard about the judging, however
and some of U*e boyi returned home
with the determination to practice
more and do better neat
Martin County g.injd much n*og
in wnuH/ ..
nition .however, when Chand
Smith, Roberaonville youth, took
drat prti# wtth hla voice.
Work To Get Under
Way in Two or More
Sections in Few Days
Contracts for Extension In
Jamesville Township
Are Completed
Construction on Martin County's
first rural electric line under the.
rural electrification program is
scheduled to get underway within
the next few days. In the meantime
plans for the electrification of other
rural sections in the county, includ
ing the town of Bear Grass, are
going forward rapidly.
Contracts were completed last Sat
urday for a rural electric line ex
tension from Jamesville to Cedar
Branch church, a distance of 1.7
miles. Easements are being obtained
this week from property owners a
long the route preparatory to start
ing actual construction probably the
latter part 5t next week Eleven
customers have already signed up
for service on the Jamesville line
extension, and the contracts have
been turned over to the Virginia
Electric and Power Company in
Williamston. Construction work on
a short extension along the Pitt
Martin and Edgecombe County lines
is also to be started within the next
few days, it was learned.
The Jamesville line extension has
'been under consideration for sev
eral months, and while the project
was just about doomed to failure at
one time, the 41 property owners
renewed action almost overnight
and pushed the program across.
Tomorrow night at 7:45 o'clock
prospective light and power cus
tomers in parts of Griffins and Bear
Grass Townships are meeting in the
Bear Grass school building to con
sider final contracts for service.
There are around 50 prospective
customers in that territory, and it
is believed that all of them and a
few others interested in the pro
posed project will attend the meet
ing. Mr. R. H. Goodmon, manager
of the Williamston district of the
Virginia Electric and Power Com
pany, will attend the meeting, which
is open to the public.
Oxford Orphanage
Singing Class To Be
Here Monday, lltli
Will Give Annual Concert
In the High School
Auditorium
The singing class of the Oxford
Orphanage, under the direction of
Mrs. Sadie T. Hutchinson, including
14 boys and girls, will give a con
cert in the Williamston High School
auditorily Monday evening, May
11, at 8 o'clock, it was announced
this week by W C. Manning, chair
man of the Oxford Orphanage com
mittee of the local Masonic lodge.
The program will be featured
with delightful songs, recitations
and drills with colorful costumes
and good music. Included on the
program will be scenes of China
boys, the chapel choir, Captain
Kidd and "Let's Bel the Cat." L.
W. Alderman will be with the class
and will meet his friends here.
For more than SO years the Sing
ing Class has made annual tours all
over North Carolina. The orphan
age has been in operation for 82
years, and a number of Martin
County children have been cared
for in the institution. Several are
there now, and it is possible some
of them may be included in the
singing class membership.
?
Local Teim Plays Two
Gamas Hare This Week
The local baseball team will play
two games this week, meeting
Greenville here tomorroty after
noon and Wilson here Friday.
ABANDON HOPE
OF AGRICULTURE
BUILDING HERE
Committee Unable To Get
Suitable Site At Last
Minute for Structure
AH hope for getting an agricul
tural building in this county thru
the Works Progress Administration
has been abandoned, Mr. J. E. Pope,
chairman of the Martin County
Board cf Commissioners, said yes
terday. Plans for the proposed
project fell through when a com
mittee representing the board of
commissioners failed to procure
Suitable site, WPA offioiuls having
ruled a. the last minute that an ad
dition to the courthouse would not
he considered.
Learning last Hum-lav evening
that tlio agricultural l uilding could
not be built as a part of the court
house, the committee attempted to
buy a lot, but the board representa
tives and property owners could not
get together. "We offered $1,800 for
a site and there was our limit, but
the owner wanted A2.000," Mr. Pope
said.
When informed last Thursday
evening that a separate site for the
building would be necessary, the
committee immediately started look
ing for that site, the WPA authori
ties explaining that some definite ac
tion would have to be taken by Sat
urday night. "We could not com
plete the arrangements by that time,
and, according to what the WPA
representatives said, there is no
hope of geting the $10,000 building,"
Mr. Pope explained.
Construction work is already un
derway on similar buildings in a
large number of counties in this
section of the state.
DRIVE ON RABIES
TO BE FINISHED
UP BY SATURDAY
Will Hold Clinics in Three
Townships of County
Next Saturday
Arrangements have been complet
ed for winding up the anti-rabies
campaign on Saturday of this week
in the county. No accurate record
on the anti-rabies campaign is avail
able just now, but Sheriff C. B Roe
buck states that the dog owners are
coperating better this year than
they did last to make the move
ment prove successful. Very few
have refused to have their dogs vac
cinated, it was said.
Numbers of dogs have been add
ed to the tax list as a result of the
anti-rabies campaign, but the in
crease has not been sufficient to off
set the coat of the vaccinations, it
is believed. Angered because her
dog had been listed for taxation, an
old colored woman living near here
was down on the sheriff for charg
ing her $1 tax. It was her belief
that a woman did not have to pay
tax on a dog, she claimed. The of
flcerstried to explain that she would
have to pay tax on a mule, automo
bile or other personal property, but
she did not own a mule, automo
bile or any pergonal property. She
was only interested in her puppy,
she said.
Wednesday afternoon, a clinic
will be held at Robert Moore's fill
ing station on the Hamilton Road.
Thursday afternoon dogs will be
vaccinated at Mickey/s Inn on the
Everetts road and at'the old Biggs
schoolhouse Friday afternoon. An
all-day clinic will be held at the
county courthouse Saturday to com
plete the work in Williamston Town
ship.
An all-day clinic will be held at
Godard Brothers' filling station for
all dogs in Williams Township
Four clinics will be held Satur
two at Bennie Lilley's store and the
Ange school house that morning and
at Jamesville and Dardens that aft
Skewarkee Masons Will
Hold Meeting Tonight
There will be a regular meeting
of Skewarkee Lodge, No. 60, A. F.
and A. M., in the lodge room to
night at 7:30. In addition to the
regular business, there will be work
in the first degree. All members
and visiting Masons are Invited and
urged to attend.
Legion Auxiliary To Meet
With Mrs. Mack Wynne
The regular monthly meeting of
the John Walton Haasell post of the
American Legion Auxiliary will be
held Saturday afternoon, May 2, at
3 o'clock, in the home of Mrs. W,
Mack Wynne, Robersonvllle. Mem
bers please take notice of the change
tn place.
Work Gets Underway Today
On Widening of Street Here
Work on Williamston's main
street-widening project, pend
ins (or tke put two month*, fot
under way this morninf when
the construction forces of F. D.
( line, contractor, moved in from
Selma. A distribution plant Is
being erected today, and grad
ing work is under way on the
west end of the street, the fore
man stating early today that
probably a few yards of con
Crete would be poured late this
afternoon.
The contract calls for widen
in( the west end of the street
to a width of 24 feet and as far
out as the town limits. The east
ern end of the street will be 3d
feet wide from the Hall home
to the Harris tilling station, near
the river, when the project is
completed. About two weeks'
time will be required to handle
the project, it was stated.
Use of Liquor Profits
Is Presenting Problem
Projects tor Public
Improvements Are
Suggested by Some
Question Has Not Received
Official Consideration
Up Until Now
With around $2,000 in liquor prof
its in the county's general fund, the
question has already presented it
self as to how the money is to be
spent .The question has not " re
ceived official consideiation so far.
but the conservatives are said to be
awaiting the use of the profits in
decreasing the county tax rate,
while there are others who would
like to see the county either invest
the money, described as "tainted*'
by some, or handle a well-planned
improvement program.
According to unofficial reports,
the county commissioners, or sever
al of them, at least, are of the opin
ion the profits should be used in ef
fecting a reduction in the tax rate.
A joint improvement program in
cooperation with the Works Prog
ress Administration has been men
tioned by some leaders in public
life, these people pointing out that
the county could profit to a greater
extent by having the government
match its funds received from legal
liquor sales.
| Another line of thought is pre
senting itself, the leaders in this
class considering it unwise to use
the profits from legal liquor sales
in decreasing the tax rate, for the
liquor control system might be al
tered and the revenue diverted to
the state or other agencies. In that
case, the tax rate would necessarily
have to be increased soon after it
was decreased.
The approximately $2,000 in li
quor profits was only turned into
the general fund a few weeks ago,
and it now appears that some defi
nite regulations must be adopted
soon as to how and for what the
money shall be spent. Probably the
question will receive preliminary
consideration at the next regular
meeting of the commissioners.
20 Cases for Trial
In Recorder Court
Convening for the first time since
April 7, the county recorder's court
is handling a docket of 20 cases to
day, the sessions during the past
two weeks having been cancelled
for the superior tribunal.
The court has on its docket anoth
er one of those unusual cases for
trial. George Silverthorne is charged
with driving a horse and road carl
while intoxicated, a violation under
the vehicle laws of the state. Pa
trolman Stewart arrested Silver
thorne and took charge of the horse
last Saturday a week ago, the offi
cer appearing just as much at home
in the contraption as he would have
been on his motorcycle ^
One or two other cases charging
drunken automobile driving are on
the docket, but most of the cases
charge assault and larceny.
Local Parent-Teacher
Meeting Thursday 3:30
The local parent-teacher associa
tion will hold a business meeitng in
the grammar school building Thurs
day afternoon of this week at 3:30
o'clock. Officers for the coming
year will be elected, and other bus
iness handled at that time, Princi
pal Hix announced this morning
An entertainment program will
be rendered by a grammar school
chorus. Members of the organiza
tion are urged to attend
Business men of Brevard are co
operating in the Transylvania Farm
program of lime, legumes, livestock
and poultry based on soil conser
vation.
I TO SPEAK HERE
William H. Griffin, Chapel
Hill resident and candidate for
a seat in the United States Sen
ate, is scheduled to speak here
Friday at noon. Just where the
candidate, one of four in the
field, will speak could not be
learned, but unofficial reports
state that he will appeal to the
voters through a loud speaker
on his car.
There are now four candidates
in the Held for the office now
held by Josiah William Bailey.
Their names are: David Strain,
of Durham; Richard Fountain,
of Rocky Mount; Mr. Griffin,
and Mr. Bailey.
Candidate Griffin has planned
to make 93 speeches between
now and the June 6 primary.
He is a noted lawyer, having
practiced in New Vork, Wash
ington. Paris, France, and North
Carolina.
Expect One Contest
At Least for Places
On County Board
I1 ive Candidates Announce
and a Sixth Expected To
Enter Race Soon
A spark of interest in county pol
itics was virtually assured this week
when unofficial reports were heard
stating that at least four members
of the present board of county com
missioners and probably the fifth
member would seek reelection. As
la result of a law passed by the last
I legislature arranging the nomina
tion of commissioners by districts,
a peculiar situation arises. Messrs'
Joshua L. Coltrain, of Williams
Township; and C. C. Fleming, of
Jamesvilte Township, are, accord
ing to reports, scheduled to com
pete for the nomination in the
Jamesville-Williams district So
far no other contests for county
commissioner have developed, and
at present Mr. V. G. Taylor, of Cross
[ Roads, has not intimated that he
planned to seek reelection. It is
possible that he will seek reelection
if no opposition presents itself, and
he may enter the race anyway. But
just what he plans to do is not defi
nitely known.
Mr, R, A. Haislip has already an
nounced his candidacy in the Goose
Nest-Hamilton district, a section
that is notffdirectly represented on
the board of commissioners just
now It was reliably learned this
week that Messrs Coltrain, Flem
ing, Perry, and Pope plan to seek
reelection, but it could not be learn
ed just what Mr. Taylor, the fifth
popular member of the body,
planned to do in connection with
another term us commissioner.
The announcements this week vir
tually assure the board of commis
sioners a quorum, at least, but the
political situation on the board of
education front remains distressing
ly quiet.
Town Commissioners In
Special Meeting Today
The local town commissioners are
meeting in special session this aft
ernoon to complete arrangements
for refunding town bonds. It is
understood the commissioners will
also consider plans in connection
with the proposed location here of
a pulp mill.
?
Building Loan Stockholders
Meet Here Next Tuesday
" The annual meeting of the stock
holder* of the Martin County Build
ing and Loan Association wil lbe
held sn the office of Secretary
Wheeler Martin next Tuesday morn
ing at 11 o'clock, it was announced
today. All stockholders are urged
to attend.
TAX LISTING WILL
BE BROUGHT TO
CLOSE THl RSI) \Y
Substantial Losses In Some
Township Listings
Are Reported
Time for listing of property for
taxation in tins county is scheduled
to close Thursday of this week. As
far as it could be learned today, no
provision for an extension has been
made, subjecting those owners who
have not listed their property by
that time to a penalty as great as
100 per cent, it is understood. Wheth
er the county commissioners will
consider an extension or just allow
the law to take its course is not
known. Extensions have been the
order in years gone by, but the time
lias come when many property own
ers completely ignore the require
ments necessary in handling the
taxing system, and it is possible that
a substantial penalty will be im
posed.
Some townships have reported re
markable responses to the call to
list property, but this situation is
not general, it is understood.
No accurate forecast on the trend
of values is yet available, but half
the districts, if not more, are ex
pected to show substantial losses
this year In the strictly rural town
ships. losses can be expected, the
decrease being as great as 25 per
cent in some cases. Little change is
noted in values, both real and per
sonal, it is understood, but the loss
is traceable to an. act of the last
legislature including livestock as an
item for exemption under certain
conditions. Over in Williams Town
ship. the changed law is said to be
very effective and receiving general
approval
Small Attendance
Upon Pro-School
Clinics Reported
?
Thirty-eight Children Are
Examined In Local
School Today
A smaller attendance than last
year upon pre-sehool clinics start
ed in this county Monday, was re
ported today. However, the clinics
during the first two days were de
scribed as very successful.
Twenty pre-school children were
exam inert at Jamesville yesterday
morning and nine at Farm Life in
the afternOon. Last year 26 were
examined at Jamesville and 22 at
Farm Life.
This morning, I)rs. Rhodes.
Evans, Saunders, Spencer and Mer
cer, assisted by Mrs. Sloan, State
nurse, examined 38 children in the
local school compared with 54 a
year ago. The future pupils were
said to be unusually healthy, the
examiners finding only 17 in the
group with physical defects. Ten
had defective teeth and none had
defective vision There were 13
cases of bad tonsils and adenoids.
Tomorrow mOrning u clinic will
be helot-at Bear Grass and at Ev
eretts tomorrow afternoon. Thurs
day, children will be examined at
Robersonville and at Oak City Fri
day morning and Hamilton that aft
| ernoon.
At the clinic here today, about
one-half the children were from the
| country Others would probably
have been here if their parents
had not been forced to remain at
home and carry on their farming
operations.
Mrs. Bailey Dies
In Robersonville
Mrs Mamie Barnhill Bailey, sis
ter of Mr. J. T Barnhill, of this
place, and greatly beloved citizen of
Robersonville, died at her home
there last evening at 7:10 o'clock
following an illness of only a few
weeks' duration Funeral services
are being conducted at the Rober
sonville Primitive Baptist Church,
of which she had been a faithful
member for many years, this after
noon at 3:30 o'clock by Elder B. S.
Cowin. Burial will follow in the
new cemetery there.
Mrs. Bailey, 58 years old. was the
daughter uf Mrs. Creasy Barnhill
and husband, the late A. P. Barn
hill She was born and reared in
thia county, near Everetta. In early
womanhood she was married" to Mr.
I Robt. A, Bailey and he with two
children, Mrs I. Mayo Little and
Misa Gladys Bailey, all of Rober
sonvile, survives. She also leaven
besides her mother and brother
here, one sister, Mrs, Hesie Rober
aon, and two brothers. Meters. Jk- B.
Barnhill and Church BarnhiU, all
of thia county.