North Carolina Newspapers

On Cai Latckluy to m> MM P*P?r, u It CarrlM If MlliltHf ViEjl VOLUME XLI?NUMBER 55 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, July 12, 1938. ESTABLISHED 1899 Tells How Tobacco Allotments Are To Be Fixed This Year AAA Committeemen Gath ering Necessary Infor mation from Farmer Tobaoco growers' marketing quo tas for 1938 will be determined in part from information that AAA committeemen have been gathering for the past few days. The methods to be followed in cal culating tobacco marketing quotas for individual growers have been established by Congress in the crop control program for this year, said & Y. Floyd, AAA executive officer at 8tate College. The committeemen have been to determine what is consid ered the normal marketings of farms which have been producing tobacco in the past. These normal market ings Will be subject to adjustment if nscesaary to keep the total for all individual growers from exceeding the state and national quotas. The national quota for flue-cured tobacco is 708,000,000 pounds of which three per cent has been set aside tor new growers. The state quotas will be determined on a ba sis of the normal marketings of the growers In each state producing flue-cured leaf. A four per cent ad dition to state quotas will be allow ed for increasing the poundage of farms whose quotas are inadequate In view of pest marketings. In determining normal market ings, allowance will be made for ab normal weather, plant diseases, and other factors affecting production. The committeemen will consider the total crop land on the farm, the land in cash crops other than tobacco, the available curing barn space, and the number of families on the farm. Also taken into consideration will be marketings during the past three years, with the highest of the fol lowing three items being used: (1) the three-year average; (2) 40 per cent uf the sum of the highest two years in the three-year period; (3) 60 per cent of the highest year. e Fire Department Gets Call Monday Williamston had its first fire yes terday in two months, the local fire department answering a call from the warehouse district at 8:30 o'clock that morning. On May 10, the fire company was called to a colored home on North Sycamore Street However, during the meantime the department received a call on June 4 from Aulander. Fire Chief George Harris said yes terday that he could not recall a longer period when Williamston had no fires than the period ended when Sparrow's service station caught fire yesterday. Starting from an oil burner used in heating water, the fire burned two automobile tires, an overcoat and the junday pants of the cook work ing in the service station's kitchen. The bunting rubber sent a heavy smoke throughout the building, but there was very little damage done to the structure by the fire itself. The operator estimates the loss at about |80. ? Plan Big Meeting At Sweet Home Church Religious leaders are planning fot a big quarterly meeting in the Sweet Home Church of Christ next Satur day morning at 10:30 o'clock. A business session will be held at that hour with James D. Taylor in charge. Rev. Edgar Harden will preach at 11 o'clock and again that ?attig at I'll | An invitation is extended to all who worship there to participate in the business session and attend the ysBfMn'j services whether they in members or not. On Sunday the school will be graded. and a drive launched to affect an increase in the enrollment and average attendance. Rev. Har den will preach both morning and evening on Sunday. e Injured In Fall, Negro Recovering In Hospital Roy E. Tapp, 30-year-old colored man who was injured in a fall from a beer truck on Washington street hm )|st IftUy evening, is recov ering in a Washington hospital and his discharge from the institution is expected today. Tapp. a Danville, Va., man was ta?aiaf his wit south and caught ? ride on the truck. He was knock ed unconscious and his identity could not be determined immediate ly. At the hospital an examination diklosej ihat no bones were broken and that his injuries were only of a minor nature. Last Call for Information in Determining Market Quotas A last call (or information to be used in determining 1938 tobacco marketing allotments was issued to day by the office of the county agent. Growers are advised that they will have through Saturday of this week to file the information and apply for their 1938 marketing quo tas. Unless applications are received in the office of the county agent by that time, agricultural authorities cannot guarantee the delivery of marketing cards on or before the markets open next month, it was explained. The information gather ed during the past few days will be forwarded to Raleigh this week-end where the allotments will be deter mined. All those farmers who have their?names in?can expect?their marketing cards in plenty of time for use this coming season. A large force will be employed to handle the marketing quotas in Raleigh, but even then considerable time will be required to handle the thousands of applications, and it is likely that those farmers who do not file the necessary information or report to the county agent's office by Satur day of this week will be from 30 to 60 days late in receiving their mar keting cards. Those farmers who have lost their poundage records for the past two years must report and file applica tions. Those farmers who are not co operating with the soil conservation program must also report to the county agent's office if they are to receive a marketing card. It is highly important for all far mers, large or small, white or color ed. to report at the county agent's effiee and file thru appliiatiuus fui marketing cards if they have not al ready done so. No more applications will be received in the several com munities. County F orest W arden Files Report for Year ( BUS ROUTES Routm the Martin County - school bnmarwtlt run ttiU com ing term are to be determined ?m. week by F. C. McGre*or, representative of the State School Commission, Raleigh. McGregor will travel most of the routes in person and will or der changes where It is possible to curtail operating coots and not interrupt service. The approximately SO school busses in this county operate a total distance of 1,005 miles daily during the school term, and few ly to be ordered by the commis sion representative. Negro Dangerously Shot Early Sunday Percy Pugh, 25-year-old colored man*was dangerously shot by Bud Shank, also colored, at a lumber camp in the old Dymond City are. in Griffins Township about three o'clock Sunday morning. His intes tines punctured by a shot from a pistol, Pugh was described in criti cal condition, late reports indicat ing that he is not expected to re cover. Shank, arrested by Sheriff C. B Roebuck and W. B. Daniel Sunday afternoon, stated that the shooting followed an argument, that he wai drinking at the time and remember ed very little about the events lead ing up,to the shooting When ar rested, Shank was under the influ ence of liquor and asleep in a cat at the home of Shad Griffin in Grif fins Township, a few miles from th? scene of the shooting. Shank, about 25 years old, and Pugh came to this county just a few weeks ago from Georgia, and were employed at a lumber camp during the past month and a half. Pugh was carried on a truck tc Jamesville where a doctor describ ed his condition as critteal and ad vised his removal to a hospital, ??hi ?? Toxey Named To Local High School Faculty The local school faculty was an nounced complete last week when C. B. Toxey accepted a position as mathematics teacher in the high school department. Mr. Toxey, res ident of Wake Forest and graduate of the college there,- succeeds Misi Mary Exum Kinsey, resigned. Professor Toxey has had twe years teaching experience, he hav ling been associated with the schoo system in Columbus County during that time. ^ The elementary and high schoo department here this coming tern will have six male members of tni faculty including Principal Davit N. Hix. Professors Foster Ferger son, of Clyde, and Sam Edwards o Wanami, Pa., return as head of th? commercial department and coacl and science teacher respectively Ifr. Neeley, graduate of the Univer sity of North Carolina, will teach history. He is from Hendersonville Lewis Enloe, of Swannanoa, wil teach the ?>?th arada. ??? Mere To Courtney Apartment Mr. a C. Williams, employee o> the Roanoke Chevrolet Company has movad lfli family her* tree I Washington to an apartment in th< |b. S. Courtney home. Forest Fires Burn 3,185 Acres in the County Last Year Warden Estimates Damage At Approximately $4,600.00 Seventy forest fires burning over 3,185 acres did a damage estimated at $4,600 to timber lands and other property in the county last year, ac cording to the annual forester's re port just recently released by War den S. J. Tattertan. The report reads as follows: As county forest warden 1 wish to submit the following report cov ering my activities for the fiscal year just closed as these activities relate to your county's cooperation in forest fire control Slider your co perative agreement with the forest service of the State Department of Conservation and Development There are approximately 190,071 acres of timber land in Martin coun ty. This timber land varies from the swamp type through the poccosin type to the upland pine. Seventy forest fires occurred this year, burning a total of 3,185 acres or an average of 45 5 acres per fire, This total acreage burned was made up of 805 acres of merchantible tiffi ber, 1726 acres of reproduction and 655 acres of open land. These sev enty fires have done a total dam age of $4600 to timber land in this county. The largest percentage of these fires was caused by brush burning and careless smokers. The total area burned represents 1.6 per cent of the area under protection. For the first time since Martin County has had fire control work, five parties were prosecuted for vi olations of the state forest fire laws. The state and county were reim bursed for fire fighting costs in the amount of $82.11, which amount was credited to Martin Countg and made available for re-expenditure. "The CCC camp at Washington contributed labor, material and equipment for fighting one large fire in the amount of $493.35. During the past year the CCC di vision of the Federal government has placed in this county one tow erman's house and garage at Has sell that represents an investment of $1400. The CCC has also con structed a telephone line from the Foreman tower in the lower end of givin direct communication to Wil liamston This telephone line repre sents an-investment of approximate ly $1900. This rfiakes a total of ap proximately $3300 worth of im provements placed in this county by r the CCC, at no cost to the county, i During the period 1 worked 2221 * hours, traveled 8,265 miles, posted I 135 notices, interviewed 939 people, - inspected 22 sawmills, visited ten f schools and appointed six wardens. The towermen-smokechasers work ing under the county warden super vision have wtirked 30J4 hours and traveled T400 milee. Ute district wardens worked 432 hours, and traveled 1124 miles. I There are now in the county the following fire-fighting equipment: 24 forest service badges, 21 galvan ized buckets, 22 bush hooks, 44 f Smith Indian pumps, 44 council fire rakes, X. fire fighting trailers with I water tanks and various other small equipment. There ere two forest fire lookout Tobacco Production Estimates Too High For North Carolina The first estimates of the 1938 tobacco production released yester day by the federal crop reporting board were recognized as too high. Although the board's estimate? 1, 496,844,000 pounds, including all types?is 3.7 per cent below last year's crop, agricultural authorities in this State believe that that por tion of the estimate as applied to North Carolina is nearly fifty mil lion pounds too high. The federal board estimates that there will be approximately 801,700,000 pounds of flue-cured tobacco, the more con servative estimates placing the total flue-cured figure at 750,000 against 854,000,000 a year ago. However, the production this year based on the more conservative estimate is about sixty million pounds greater than the ten-year average. Flue-cured tobacco production, grown in Virginia, the Carolines, Georgia, Florida and Alabama and accounting for more than half the nation's tobacco crop, was estimated at 801,700,000 pounds compared with a marketing quota of 733.000,000 pounds and 1937 harvest of 854,882, 000 pounds. Along with the tobacco report came an estimate on the 1938 peanut crop, the federal crop reporting ser vice guessing there are 2,154,000 acres planted to the crop this yeai exceeding the lecunl planted in 1936 by 3 2 per cent. Increased plantings in the Vir ginia-Carolina area, the south-east ern and southwestern belts were re ported. No estimate was made of probable production but the crop was said to be 77 per cent of normal. Peanut acreage by states compar ed with 1937 harvests included: Vir ginia, 160,000 acres this year and 154,000 in 1937; North Carolina, 252, 000 and 240,000; South Carolina, 15, 000 and 14.000. ? Former Martin Man Dies In Pitt County Ernest Walter TetterU)!). lather of Mrs. S. C. Peel and Miss Irene Tet terton, both of Williumston, died at his home in Pitt County, near Greenville, last Sunday night at 10 o'clock- Apparently in his usual health, Mr. Tetterton suffered an heart attack and died a short time later. A native of Washington County, Mr. Tetterton was born near Plym outh 69 years ago. Some years ago he moved to this county and lived in the Oardens community where he was married to Miss Harriet Davis. About eight years ago he moved to Pitt County and was superintendent of the State prison farm there for four years. Mr. Tetterton, an active and prominent member of the Free Will Baptist church, had many friends in his native county and in his adopted homes in this county and over m Pitt. He was a progress ive farmer. Funeral services are being con ducted from the late home this af ternoon at 2:30 o'clock by Rev. D. W. Alexander, Free Will Baptist minister of Bethel. Interment will follow in the Baptist cemetery here. Active pallbearers are: Alton O'Neal, F. W. Jacobs. G. E. Forbes, Clauds Hardee, Norman Jones and Clayton Jones. Besides his widow and two daugh ters here, he is survived by the fol lowing children, Miss Jessie Tetter ton and Chester Tetterton, both of Pitt County. He also leaves two sis ters, Miss Courtney Tetterton, of Qreenville. and Mrs. Jesse Bow en. of Plymouth, and two brothers, J. B Tetterton, of Edenton, and Stuart J. Tetterton, of Williams Township, his eeunty. ? County Officers Capture Three Stills Last Week Raiding in three townships ? Goose Nest, Williams and Jam Se ville?last week, Enforcement Offi cer J. H. Roebuck and Deputy Bill Haislip captured three illicit liquor stills and poured out several hun dred gallons of beer. No arrests were made. towers in this county with tower men's residences and garages and tool rooms at both towers. In the immediate future these two tower sites will be fenced by the CCC forces. this county are willing and anxious to cooperate with us in tbe protec tion of their timber lands from fire and I have found that most of these timber landowners heartily endorse the burning permit law, which was passed by the last legislature. County Commissioners Will Discuss Budgets Tomorrow A great deal of head scratching and figuring Is almost certain to-* morrow when the Martin County commissioners meet here for a study of the proposed budget for the cur rent fiscal year. Uncertain of the trend of corporation values which have not yet been certified by State authorities and experiencing a slight rise in bonded indebtedness, the au thorities will find the increase in | regular county values mighty small | when it comes to holding the rate down. Some think a slight increase in the rate will be necessary be cause the levy last year fell short in some of the departments. The close of the last fiscal year found poll lax collections and dog taxes heiow ex pectations, and these factors along with others of a similar nature will be reflected in the new budget. Preliminary figures are being pre pared today for impection by the commissioners tumonuw. One or two of the departmental budget* have been tentatively prepared and given approval by the various boards1 but the figures do not appear in1 eombined totals as yet and it is im possible to see which way the wind will blow the rate. The health de partment budget remains the same, it is understood. A slight increase is expected in the school budget, and no material change is expected in the welfare costs. The general coun ty budget is expected to show no great change either up or dpwn. The commissioners, meeting to morrow at 9:30 o'clock, are expected to review the figures and give the hndvi-l Ih.or formal appmpal Ufllh. in the next few days the budget es timate will be placed before the public, final adoption to follow the early part of August. Condition of Crops in This Area Improved ?? Estimates Point To A Twenty Per Cent Tobacco Decrease Crops Need Rain in Some Sections of County At This Time Dry weather prevailing during the, past week renewed the hopes of many Martin County farmers who report conditions o^their crops are' greatly improved. According to late estimates the reduction in tobacco will not exceed 25 per cent as a wnole, out in some cases me loss viiv. tusa will run well over 75 per cent. This 125 per cent estimated reduction does ' not take into consideration the re duction brought about by the con trol program. "Some farmers have a poor out look. but the majority have much to be thankful for," one reporting grower said yesterday in pointing out that there would be more tobac co for sale than many believed there would be in thia county. General reports maintain that the [curings so far are of bright colori but unusually light. The general outlook today is fat more encouraging than it was a week or ten days ago, but fanners are again looking to the future with much concern about their corn crops. Hardly before the earth had slied ded the excessive rains, the corn crop needed rain, some farmers de claring that unless showers fall with in the next few days there will be a 'marked reduction in that feed. Peanuts are looking good in the county, but cotton is not doing so well. A State report as of last week describes the cotton crop conditions as follows: North Carolina's 1938 cotton crop is estimated at 911,000 acres in cul tivation as of July 1, according to the report released today by tlite Cooperative Crop Reporting Service of the United States and North Car olina Departments of Agriculture.1 This estimate is 82 per cent of ^the j date last year and is only 70 per cent of the ten-year average plant ings from 1927-1936 The total acreage planted in the United States was 26,904,000 as com-' pared with 34,471,000 planted in 1937,' a decrease of 22 per cent. The 18 per i1 cent decrease in acreage for North' Carolina was the smallest for any | state except Tennessee and was six per cent less than the average for all ?'ales.? "? ? L' Last year North Carolina har- j vested 780,000 bales from 1,103,000 ' acres, with an average yield of 338 pounds of lint per acre. This is the ! highest yield on record excepting the 1811 crop. Less than one per cent of the acreage planted in 1937 was' abandoned. The ten year average abandonment from 1928 to 1637 is one per cent. Growers this year have encoun tered quite a difficult growing sea son. The' time of planting was slightly earlier than last year, but extremely dry end abnormally cool weaihercaused slow gehninaOon of seed Many fields were planted over and poor stands are prevalent. The latter part of May and practically all of June experienced Continued rains and cool weather. Such un _ oucn un favorable growing conditions natur ally have resulted in abnormal plant growth and heavy boll weevil in festation. Cultivation has bam greatly hampered and grassy fields are noticeable. FEW REGISTER Few citizens registered yes terday when?the boots?were opened for the first time pre paratory to holding a $72,004 lo cal bond election on Augyt 9. Five names were entered on the books during the day by Regis trar C. B. Hassell at the town office in the municipal building. The books will be open each Saturday through July 30 at the town office and on other days except Sundays In the office of the mayor for the convenience of those who wish to register anH participate In Ihe election ? Number Of Youths Kuter CCC Camps An unusually large number of Vlartin County youths enrolled in lie Civilian Conservation Corps last week, welfare authorities stating that the quota was one of the larg est ever given this county The sixteen youths, fourteen white j ind two colored, were examined in Washington, the white boys going to Buxton down in Dare County, old the colored boys going to a camp in Craven County, near New Bern, Names of the boys are: Jerry Pat terson, Williamston; James Clarence llardison, Williamston Route two; Charles Audrey Lilley and, Henry Bateman, Jamesville; Clarence Mod lin and Charles Beacham, of Wil liamston Route 2; Marvin Peel, Oak City; Thud Hodges, Williamston, Route 2^Hubert llardison, James viiie Route 1; Irving Bennett, Wil liamston; Henry David Whitfield, Robersonville; James Willie Grif fin, Williamston Route 3; William David Scott, Hamilton; Bert Dixon, Williamston Route 3, all white; and Willie Williams and Thomas Bagley Allen, both colored of Williamston. Alleged Car Thief Held In Default Of $1,000 Bond ? James R. Miller, South Carolina man, arrested near here with his wife, last Friday morning, was or lered held for trial in the federal L'ourt at Washington next October in default of a $1,000 bond. Miller's wife was released, United States Commissioner Walter Halberstadt explaining that there were no ?harges against her. Miller is charged with stealing ? ar in South Carolina last April ind driving it through several itates. At the hearing last Saturday af ternoon Miller claimed he left Myr l? Beach-with a strange man, that hey got drunk and when he woke jp he was alone In the car. When the other fellow failed to return, he (Miller) operated the car as his own. 1 Friday Last Day To File Claims For Gas Rebates, Friday, July IS, is the last datej for farmers to file claims for rebates) in gasoline used in tractors and oth ?r farm engines. Applications should! tie filed prior to Friday for rebates m gasoline used during the months )t April, May and June. ? Employees of the Harrison Oil Company and the proprietors them ?elves will be glad to assist any far mer In filing claims for rebates, Mr. 3. H. Harrison said today. Town Authorities Hold Short Meet Here Last Night Plan Sewer Line Extension On Washington Street WiUiamston's town commission ers, their meeting twice postponed on account of the July 4 holiday and again for other reasons, were in a brief business session last night, the authorities taking up no important business for final action. Budgeting activities are to await the comple tion, of the annual audit, and it isn't likely that the 1938-39 tax rate will be determined before the latter part of next month or early in Septem br The problem caused by the sale of fish on or near the streets in the business section was solved partial ly, at least, when a permit was granted Joe Roberson for the con struction of a sanitary fish house on Railroad Street, just off Washing ton Street. Roberson is to meet all sanitary requirements and conform to fire district regulations. Taking an active stand against the proposal of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company to discontinue its passenger trains on its line running through here, the commissioners ap propriated $35 for lawyers' fees. The money is to be turned over to the Eastern Carolina Chamber of Com Iheice which organisation lias ein*? ployed lawyers in Ayden, Kinston and Tarboro to prepare briefs and present evidence at the hearing scheduled in Raleigh three weeks from today Unofficial reports in dicate that the railroad company is not losing as much money as it claims it is in the operation of trains on branch lines in this section of the state. Mayor J. L. Hassell was directed to issue a warning to owners urging them to cut down weeds and clean up ull?vacant lulil. Arrangements were made for the town employees to cut down weeds on outlying streets. A survey was ordered for an ex I tension of the town sewer lines to the New Carolina Warehouse on Washington Street, rough estimates offered at the meeting last evening showing that the cost will not ex ceed $500 A survey will be made on three routes, one frimi the Plan ters warehouse on Haughton street, one from Main Street down Elm and on to the New Carolina house. and a third from the A. C. L. sta tion, up Railroad street to Elm and thence to the warehouse. Mayor Hassell was asked to ar range a schedule of vacations for the members of the police force, the board making arrangements to have the complete force on duty every Saturday. Negro Takes Life Near Robersonville Ronnie Best, 40-year-old colored man, ended his life by firing a load of gunshot into his head at his home near Robersonville at noon today. At home alone, Best is said to have gone to his room, undressed himself and sat down on the bed. Placing the barrel of the gun against his body, he used a stick to push the 11 itfKei When tie was found a short ' time later he was dead. Officers, in vestigating the case, declared it sui cide and no inquest was considered necessary. Best is said to have quarreled with his wife last Saturday night, and since that time he had been drink ing heavily. The sheriffs office stated shortly after Best killed himself that it was the first case of suicide reported among the colored population in this county on record. Infant Of Mr. And Mrs. Marvin Coburn Dies Here e Tony Francis, six months old son of Mr and Mrs. Marvin Coburn died at the home of his parents on Pine Street here last Saturday morning ahortly after six o'clock. The little fellow, apparently in splendid health was taken critically ill that morning and died fift^en minutes later. An enlarged gland caused by an ln flammation of the cheat is said to have affected the heart and prevent ed breathing, it was said. The only child, the little fellow was announced in good health fol lowing a medical examination the day beforei Funeral services were conducted Sunday morning at 10 o'clock from the home by Dr. S. A. Maxwell, pas tor of the local Methodist church. Burial was In the Whitley cemetery near WlUiamstaa.