North Carolina Newspapers

Advertise it Will Find Our CM uinae a Latchkey to ercr l.M? Hemes el Martla County. Watafc the UM aa Ta Papar, as It Carrtaa tka Data Yaw ta? uata *?pl?a. VOLUME XLI?NUMBER 51 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, June 28, 1938. ESTABLISHED 1899 Cotton Farmers to Be Paid 130 Million By U. S. In August Call for Information To Determine Quotas Agriculture Officials Em-| phasize Need for Quick Action ? The Agriculture department in tends to hasten benefit payments to - farmers whose income has fallen so far they are in need of help. Department officials said recently that quick action was needed. They reported a bigger drop in the de mand for farm products, coupled with a drop in farm prices than at any time in the last four years. About $755,000,000 will be avail able for farmers who com plied with this year's crop control program. Ordinarily, the money would be paid several months after the crop season is over, but the plight of the farmer forces a deviation from that policy this year. The first big lot of benefit pay ments will be $130,000,000 in price adjustment payments to cotton far mers. These payments will be made to growers who produced cotton last year and who planted within this year's acreage allotments. They may start early in August. A new technique is being intro duced this year to reduce the lag between the time the crop is plant ed and the payment is made. Air planes will take pictures of farms to determine "how "much has been planted in crops on which payments are made. This is much quicker, of ficials said, than the old land sur veying method. Payments to wheat, cotton, to bacco, corn and general crop farm ers who comply with soil-building practices under the $500,000,000 soil conservation program should start in the fall, officials sard. Payments of $25,000,000 to domes tic sugar cane and beet producers on last year's crop will start within a few weeks. Supplementing these payments will be the spending of $75,000,000 by the Federal Surplus Commodi ties Corp., during the next twelve months for surplus farm products. The Farm Security Administra tion will use $175,000,000 more for rural relief. ????* Meeting At Prison Camp Is Successful The week's meeting held at the lo cal prison camp by Rev. Z. T. Piep hoff and assisted by Rev. G. T. Hill, colored minister, came to a success ful end last Saturday when seven of these men were baptized by im mersion in Sweeten Water Creek about three o'clock. The meeting which lasted from Monday night through Sunday af ternoon the early part of the month of June resulted in 17 additions. Four of these men were baptized by sprinkling within the prison walls and six came by reinstatement. The meeting was conducted as a denominational project by the Pres byterians financed by interested friends of other denominations and has been a yearly feature for some time. A church roll is kept of the prisoners wishing to join the church and when the men are released they are given a church letter to the church back home. There are usual ly from forty to fifty names on the roll all the time. The Rev. G. T. Hill has given his full time on Sundays to the work and has kept the organization ' in tact. The names of these men are carried on the rolls of the Presbyter ian church officially. It is thought that this is the first time permission has ever been giv en by the state for prisoners to stockade for a baptismal service of this kind. It is hoped that the future may hold many more such baptisms in store for this neglected group of men. Beginning on the First Sunday in ' July the State U taking over?the program of services at the prison camp and the local white and color ed ministers will supply the services each Sunday afternoon in the fu ture. Commissioners Will Have Holiday July Striking their meeting date aqua rely in the face, the Martin County commiaaionen will observe next Monday, July 4, as a holiday. It is the first time in a long number of years that the Officials have not met on the first Monday, and their action in postponing the meeting a day is indicative of a quiet time in the old town next Monday. The authorities will meet prompt ly at 9:30 o'clock Tuesday morning for the dispatch of county business. FOR HUMANITY The pleas of suffering human ity in far-off China were heard by local citixens last week-end when the first contributions were received as a part of a fund being raised throughout the nation for one of the great est humane causes to arise in many generations. Additional funds will be received, acknowl edged and forwarded to the proper authorities by The En terprise. This community was assign ed a $50 quota. To date $4.50 has been donated as follows: W. O. Griffin $1.00 Edward Corey 1.00 Mrs. Myrtle Harris ..y. ... .SO A Friend _____ $.00 Roanoke Island To Begin Celebration July 3 This Year "The Lost Colony" Expect-1 ed to Be Bigger and i Better This Year Manteo, June 23.?Preparing to open on July 3 a celebration of the 351st anniversary of the coming of the English, Roanoke Island is busy now with thrice-daily rehearsals of an enlarged "Lost Colony" pageant drama that will be produced on a huge stage at historic old Fort Ral eigh four times a week from July 3 through Labor Day on Sept. 5. Daily, Dramatist Paul Green and Director Sam Selden improve "The Lost Colony." Basically, it is the same show which upwards of 100, 000 people, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Postmaster general James A. Farley, Governor Clyde Hoey and hundreds of others of the state's and nation's leaders, saw last summer. A choir of 36 singers from the Westminster Choir school in Prince ton, N. J., twice the number who sang in 1937, and 192 actors from the island, the Federal theatre and the Carolina Playmakers are re hearsing and have already adapted themselves so well to their roles that on the island they are known only by their "Lost Colony" names. Written by Paul Green, Chapel Hill playwright who a few years ago was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his "In Abraham's Bosom," "The Lost Colony" is a symphonic drama with a foundation deep rooted in the history of Roanoke Island, where 351 years ago the English tried to found a settlement in America and in so doing lost a whole colony of men, women and children. Their disappearance has been an unsolv ed mystery ever since. Not attempt ing to solve the problem "The Lost Colony" tells graphically, the slory of English colonizers, seeking to make for themselves a home in the wilderness of Roanoke and failing only after a bitter struggle. It is lo De proaucea again in me amphitheatre of Fort Raleigh, the restored home of the first colonists. The seating capacity of the outdoor theatre has been enlarged so that now 3.600 persons might sit com fortably and watch the drama as it will be enacted' by the great cast. The dramatic pageant will be pre sented on each Wednesday, Friday Saturday and Sunday night from July 3 to September 5, and on other special occasions. The second show ing will be on the night of July fourth, and there will be a special performance on August 18th, which will be the 351st anniversary of the birth of Virginia Dare, first child born of English parents in the new world. Presentations start at 8:15 o'clock at night. And on the Island, the hospitable native have thrown open their homes to the visitors. Kooml Might be secured overnight at reasonable rates, and a housing organization has been formed with headquarters in the Chamber of Commerce office in the courthouse where pageant visitors may be directed to comfort able sleeping quarters and eating places. There are accommodations on the Island alone for 3,000 per sons. Three Inches of Rain Falls Here in About Four Hours ' Three inches of Tain fell here this morning from 8 o'clock up until noon, pushing the totsl for the month up to almost ten inches. More rain has fallen this month than in any June cm record, and al most equals the record for July, 1835 when U inches fell. Growers To Offer Facts Before Any Quota Is Assigned Dates Will Be Set Later for Tobacco Farmers to Report In an effort to effect fair and equitable marketing allotments to' tobacco growers, the Department of Agriculture is calling for certain in formation that will be of material help in the accurate determination of the allotments, it was learned from the Martin County agent's of fice this week. Wednesday afternoon county com mitteemen and farm agents from four counties will be called here to get instructions for directing the | work, it was learned. No dates have been set for giving instructions to the community com mitteemen who will be assigned the task of receiving the information, but three days will be set apart for the farmers to report, the authori ties explaining that every farmer before he can get his marketing quota this year must file the re quired information to his commun ity rnmmittae. In those cones where it is impossible for the farmer to of fer the required infonnation, he will be directed to report direct to the county agent's office, it is un derstood. Community committee men will likely be called in to the county agent's office some time next week, when plans will be ad vanced for receiving the informa tion direct from the growers pos sibly during the following week. Farmers will be asked to submit" accurate records of their tobacco sales for the years 1936 and 1937. The heads of families on each farm are to be listed along with their ti tle The grower will also be asked to list the number of tenant houses on his land, the number and sizes of tobacco barns, and number of acres of tobacco under cultivation this year on each farm. It was pointed out that this infor mation will be of much benefit in eliminating those cases where one farmer has an allotment of 1,000 pounds and a neighbor just across the way has an allotment of only 750 pounds to the acre. It is also pointed out that it will be comparatively easy for the indi vidual farmer to fill in the blanks when mailed direct to him and to re turn them to the committees as di rected on dates to be specified. The growers will be notified direct when to handle the small task, and they are advised that the sooner the in formation is prepared and submit ted the sooner they will get their marketing quotas. Unofficial reports state that the State allotments will be released within the next few days, that the offtce ln Raleigh will be ready to start assigning the individual quo tas just as soon as the information can be gathered from the counties. Mission Study Institute At Holly Springs Thursday The ladies of Holly Springs and Williamston Methodist churches will hold an all-day Mission Study Insti tute Thursday at Holly Springs church. The institute will begin at ten o'clock and will be conducted by the pastor, Dr. S. A. Maxwell. The theme of the conference is "Re building Rural Church Life in Am erica." All ladies of these two churches are invited to bring lunch and enjoy this institute together on Thursday. > Continues Quite 111 In A Washington Hospital Confined to a Washington hospi tal since May 21, George Harrison, Jr., was reported holding his own today. Given?a blood transfusion last week-end, the young man ap peared much better Sunday morn ing, but that afternoon he had a chill and was very sick for several hours. Doctors were called in for consultation yesterday and they re ported his condition encouraging. Exposition Last Week Shows Small Deficit The merchant* exposition and in door circus here last week operated at a small loss, it was unofficially reported yesterday According to an incomplete report the event showed a deficit of (79.22. Actual expenses were figured at nearly 11,100, the total-receipts amounting to $1,018. "We made no money, but we lost none," a member of the Lions club, the sponsoring organization, said. Work Is Started on Swimming Pool and Recreational Center Only Small Number of Men Available for Work, However Preliminary work on theconstruc tion of an $18,000 swimming hole and a permanent recreation center for Williamston got underway last Friday on the Knight property be tween Watts and Biggs Streets and adjoining the American Legion hut. Rain interrupted the activities this morning, and it will be the latter part of the week before excavation work on the pool will get under way. H. S. Wahab, graduate engineer of Bclhaven, lias been placed in Charge of the project and he will work under the direction of Henry Rivers, engineer representing the town. No date for completing the project has been mentioned, but it is not likely that the pool will be ready for use this year. A shortage of WPA labor is gen erally reported throughout this county, unofficial reports stating that hardly more than 30 men have been certified for jobs on the var ious projects. Opposition to the pro posed discontinuance of the sanitary privy projects and the transfer of all available workers to the recrea tional project was met, and it is un aersiood tnai only a lew men win be transferred and that the sanitary project will be continued. A few men can handle the work at the proposed recreational center for a few weeks, but when the engineers get ready to pour the concrete ad ditional men will be necessary to handle the task. If additional men are not certified, then the WPA will have to draw from the privy construction group or the town will have to employ men direct. Materials have been otclered for constructing the 30 by 90 swimming hole, and annarentlv they will be made available before the excava tion work is completed. Williamston is financing iTs port of the project by floating $8,000 in short-term notes, trusting the in debtedness can be shifted to long term bonds at a special bond elec tion to be held early in August. Last Oi Peanut Crop Moved From County Increased prices during the past few days have just about pulled ev ery bag of peanuts out of storage in this county, estimates indicating that there are less than half dozen crops in the hands of farmers at the present time. A four-cent market started tile goobers moving agaift, but more thun 96 per cent of the crop had already moved. Coming to the rescue of farmers, the North Carolina Peanut Stabili zation Cooperative maintained an average price of three and one-quar ter cents. ? When the organization found it impossible to handle the peanuts at a profit, it converted vir tually all its purchases into oil and removed a big surplus from the edible trade. It is generally believ ed that had the government remain ed off the market, the average price would not have exceeded 2 cents. The government plans to partici it is understood, but definite plans for a .continuation of the service have not been made public. The last of the government pea nuts stored in local warehouses were moved to oil mills in Wilmington last weak. Today a few individual shipments are moving to cleaners. 1 Miss Eva Chesson, of Roper, is visiting Mr. and Mrs. Charles Peel. Mr. p. C. Parker spent the week end at Virginia Beach. He was ac companied home by Mrs. Parker who was visiting Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Boney. COMPLIANCE Preliminary reports coming from supervisors in the field in dicate that Martin County far mers are complying almost 100 per cent with the soil conserva tion program provisions. Unin tentionally exceeding their acre age allotments, one or two far mers are said to have plowed under the surplus crops. The first reports are far from complete, but it is generally be lieved from other reports that few Martin farmers have ex ceeded their acreage quotas this season and that they are In po sition to share in the maximum benefits offered through the soil conservation program. County Road Claims Again Before State Road Commission Action Is Expected Before Legislature Meets In January The claims of forty-four counties to refunds for those monies spent on or about the time the State took over the principal highways are be fore the North Carolina Highway and Public Works Commission in Raleigh today, reports stating that the commission, in regular meeting, is to advance a plan whereby the claims can be settled or rejected be fore the next session jof the -State General Assembly in January. 19311. Going back nearly eighteen years to lay its foundation for a refund of money advanced the commission for the construction of the Roanoke | River Bridge, the Washington and : Hamilton highways, Martin County I advances what is considered a valid claim to approximately $650,000. The county is asking no refund for money spent on other than primary roads since the commission was cre ated. Attempts to have the law makers recognize the claims to road refunds have been advanced in each session of the legislature for a long period, but little progress was made until 1935 when a bill was introduced by R. L. Coburn and others authorizing the creation of a commission to in vestigate the claims. After traveling over the State and spending a great er part of the money allotted for the investigation, the commission dump ed the problem back into the hands of the highway and public works commission. Some disposition of the long-standing problem is now due from that body before next Janu ary. [? The forty-four counties entering claims for refunds maintain they are entitled to nearly eight and one half million dollars. However, it is understood that tlie eoqntiea-Sfietit , much of that money in building up trade centers through the develop ment of purallel roads and those that are not yet included in the State's primary highway system. Advancing hundreds of thousands of dollars fur the promotion of high way construction, this county was and still is of the opinion that the State would later accept the obliga tions. Money spent under identical conditions by other counties has been refunded in quite a few cases, and Martin County honestly thinks it is entitled to consideration now. Local Man Planning To Write Memoirs Warren II. Biggs, collector of rare writings centering around the events occuring in this county since its formation in 1774, is planning to write his memoirs some time in the future. Possessor of valuable facts and writings not listed in any li brary and given up of tost, Mr. Biggs is expected to throw consider able light on the times and events as they relate to Martin County his tory and its people from Revolu tionary days up to the present. Particularly interesting will be those facts which Mr. Biggs declares he will incorporate in his memoirs as they relate to unlawful acts com mitted" in years gone by and never prosecuted in the courts. He will uso old personal letters, gathered here and there over this and other states, as a source of information to supple ment his own first hand knowledge. According to Mr. Biggs he will dis close the record of fires that burned considerable property in Williams ton in late years. He also plans to add color to his writings by offer ing reliable solutions to quite a few mysterious crimes that never reach1 ed the courts. "Significant but unimportant in cidents such as the visit of Andrew Jackson's mother to Williamston will be mentioned. Some high spots on Civil War history as it relates to raids in Martin County and damage done by the invaders, are certain to be of interest and value. It is believed an informal history of the county as planned by Mr. Biggs will find a ready sale and prove of great value in years to come. Aged Resident Reported Slightly Better Today Mrs. Betlip Pope one of Williami ton's oldest resident, wire reported slightly improved today following a relapse a few days ago. Mrs. Pope, almost 87 years old, has been in de clining health for some time but has been able to be up much of the time until a few days ago when her condition became worse. Transfer of Intangible Properties May Prove Expensive To County [ TO FIX DATES ) Dales for the opening of to bacco markets in the various belts will be determined this week-end by the United States Tobacco Association in annual session at White Sulphur Springs. West Virginia. The dates will not be announced be fore late Friday or Saturday. More than KM) representatives of various tobacco associations are expected to attend the meet ing, but none are planning to at tend from here. East Carolina is asking its markets be opened on or before August 23. Masons Of Second District (Quests Of Lodge At Hamilton Prominent Lodge Leaders State Address Meeting Masonic activities In the Second Lodge .District were centered in a meeting with Conoho Lodge, Hamil ton, ? last Thursday afternoon and evening when prominent leaders in the organization addressed a group of representatives that overflowed the town's temple. The ten lodges, Charity No. 5, Unanimity No. 7, Da vie J4u^39; Skewarkey No,.flO*CoJe rain No. 171, Wiccaon No. 240, Win ton No. 327, Conoho No. 399, Luke McGlauhan No. 504, and Aulander No. 516. were well represented During the afternoon session, Grand Secretary Johh H. Anderson conducted a school of instruction, and that evening the visitors were guests of Conoho Lodge members at a barbecue served on the first floor of the Masonic Temple. Finding the lodge room too small to accommodate the large crowd, the evening session was held in the school auditorium where Worship ful Master J. W. Kubanks of the Conoho lodge presided. Grand offi cers, pust grand officers and district deputy grand masters were called upon for short talks. He then turn ed the meeting over to District .Deputy Grand Muster S. E. Phelps, of the Windsor lodge, who introduc ed Grand Master Harry T. Patter son, of Wilmington. Mr. Patterson's address was greatly enjoyed by the craft. Past Grand Master Wutson N. Sherrod.'a native son of Hamilton, made a stirring address which a failure in light service failed to in terrupt. Others addressing the meeting were Grand Stewart W. J. Bundy, of -Greenville; Fifth District Deputy Grand Master Wtllard, und various members of the lodges in the dis trict who made timely remarks and encouraged- a greater interest in Masonic activities in the Second district. New High In Checks Issued Unemployed A new high in numbers of checks issued and amount of money involv ed in the payment of unemployment benefits was reached by the N. C. i Unemployment Compensation Com mission last Thursday when 11,459 checks totaling $86,352 77 were writ ten and sent out to unemployed or partially unemployed workers in sion had paid out $4,379,540.47, in the State. Through last week, the commis cluded in the 578,685 checks issued through that week. Nearly 200,000 individuals have bean -or are being paid benefits since the first check was issued January 29, last. The balance in the State's unem ' ployment fund through last week | including interest from the U. S. treasury on the deposit balance was $9,145,435.71, even though nearly $4,400,000 had been paid out In ben i efits. ? County Man Eight Months In A Washington Hospital county man who was seriously shot in November of last year, continues in a Washington hospital, reports stating that he is getting along as well as could be expected. Padgett's bladder was shot out, and several attempts have been made to trans plant one from an animal. Additional Income Expected to Accrue Under New System Survey Is Ordered in Effort To Find Missing Property ?Tlml thr luw duelling J transfer of intangible properties from coun ty and town lists to the State for collection is likely to prove costly to Martin County and the several towns is borne out in a preliminary report released a few days ago by tax authorities. It is virtually cer tain that the change in the system of listing solvent credits and the in troduction of a new property classi fication will result in a loss to the treasuries of the county and- the sev eral towns but a gain for the State the first year. According to a report on collec tions as of April 1, tax collections made by the State on intangible property in Martin County up to that timo amounted to $1,80 .22 as? compared with collections of more than $5,000 made by the county and turned into its treasury in 1937. The collections made by the State are to he divided, 50 per cent for the State and 50 per cent for the towns and county. Accurate figures are not available, but it is estimated that the town of Williamston treasury would receive as its share of the $1,880 22 approximately $100. For the tax year, 1937, the town receiv ed or is due to receive, around $1. 847. Just how the divisions will be made and when could not be learn jed, unofficial reports indicating that Isome provision will be made to tide the gap for the current tax year. Passed by the-last legislature fol lowing an amendment to the State constitution, the law was supposed to bring intangible property out of hiding, the proponents maintaining that through the classification of certain properties and through a graduated tux rate on those proper ties, tax values would increase. It is estimated that the intangible property in Martin County for 1938 as listed with State tax authorities carries about the same value as it did last year. The figure has increas ed little, if any, if preliminary esti mates are correct. The State Department of Revenue apparently realizing that proper re turns have not been made by own ers of intangible property in this county, has ordered a review of the abstracts in the office of the tax supervisor. It also directs that the names of those listing solvent cred its in 1936 and 1937 be turned in that they may be checked with the listings now in the hands of the State authorities for 1938. It was pointed out that this information will be of value in the administra tion of the "Intangible Tax." Under the new law, the prevail ing tax rate on intangible properties is as follows: Money on deposit, including postal savings: 10 cents per $100 ofaver age quarterly credit' balance as of March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15, accounts less than $100 to be ignored; money on hand, 20 cents per $100 at December 31 in excess of $300; accounts receivable, 25 cents per $100 of face value at December 31 in excess of $300, cur rent bills payable to be deducted; funds left with insurance compan ies, 25 cents per $100 at December 31; notes receivable, bonds, mort gages, etc., 40 cents per $100 fair market value at December 31 in ex cess of $300, like evidence of debt entitling owner to certain exemp tions; shares of stock. 30 cents per $100 fair market value at December 31 in excess of $300. Land Plaster Moving From Standard's Mill Operating its large mill (or the second season, the Standard Fertil izer Company is now crushing and shipping thousands of tons of land plaster to.farms throughout the peanut belt. Located in the center of the peanut territory, the plant, one of the largest and moat modem in the entire country, is assured a bus iness increase over that of last year. The company uses the highest quality Nova Scotia rock in making its brand of land plaster, several large boats having been unloaded at the plant docks on Roanoke River here recently.