1
Aheertteen Will Flad Omr Oel
a Latchkey U ever MM
Hmm ef Martin Ceoaty.
n
1
l
;
Watch the Label en Tear
*?per, aa U Captaa the Data
Tear SubecrtpUoe Expiree.
J
-J
i
VOLUME XLI?NUMBER 62 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, August 5, 1938. ESTABLISHED 1899
Applications Forj
Tobacco Marketing
Cards Are Approved
Almost Certain Quotas Will
Be Available Before
Markets Open
Approximately 1,500 application!
for tobacco marketing allotments
have been approved, and it is almost
certain thlt the permanent cards
will be placed in the hands of Mar
tin County farmers before the auc
tion markets in this belt open the
season on August 25. Just when the
cards will be made available is not
known at this time, the authorities
handling the huge task explaining
that prior to yesterday attention
had been centered on getting cards
into tlie hands of fanners in the
der belt.
Only sixty of the 1,500 applica
tions filed in this county were re
turned for correction. Necessary
changes in those sixty applications
have been made, and there is rea
son to believe that no delay will be
experienced by farmers in getting
their cards.
It was pointed out yesterday that
there are approximately 75 farmers
in this county who have not applied
for a marketing allotment. In those
cases delay in getting the cards is to
be expected, the authorities explain
ing that it will possibly require sev
eral weeks to handle the applica
? v,.v i iuuB iuuueq,
? Those farmers who have neglected
to apply for an allotment can, how
ever, ask for a temporary market
ing card and sell a limited amount
of tobacco while the application for
a permanent card is being handled
Indications are that the allotment
in this belt will exceed the actual
production, general reports pointing
to a marked reduction in the crop
as a result of unfavorable weather
conditions existing during much of
the growing season. However, it is
certain that some production on
some farms will exceed the allot
ment, but in those cases, it will be
possible for the farmers having an
excess poundage to buy partial al
lotments from farmers whose pro
duction was curtailed below the av
erage by weather conditions.
Agricultural authorities are of the
opinion that there will be very few
complaints directed against the mar
keting allotments in this county
Native Of County
Dies In Charleston
R A. Coltrain. a native of this
county, died at his home in Charles
ton, South Carolina, last Monday,
reports reaching here stating that
his death was sudden and unexpect
ed.
Mr. Coltrain was the son of the
late John W and Millie A. Coltrain
of this county. He left this state
about forty years ago and located
in Virginia. During the past nineteen
years he made his home In Charles
ton.
Funeral services were conducted
Wednesday and interment was in
the Riverview Cemetery at Rich
mond, Va. *
No children survive, ffe leaves his
wife, four brothers, Joe and D. A
Coltrain, of Streator, 111.; Charles A.
and Oliver Coltrain, and two sisters,
E. Slade Peel and Mrs. Noah
James Corey, aU of this county.
Those from this county attending
the last rites were:
Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Perry, Mrs. B.
r. Perry, Mr. and Mrs. State Revel*
Mr. and Mrs Saunders Revels, Mr.
and Mrs. Clyde Revels, Mr. and
Mrs. Lucian Peel, Mrs. E. N. Man
ning, Miss Susie Revels, and Messrs
Oliver S. Coltrain, W. O. Peel and
Clarence Revels.
Many Martin Farmers Are
Through Curing Leaf Crop
While the work will continue on
a few (arms during next week and
the week following, the tobacco har
vaeting season in this county if just
about complete in the main. Hun
dreds of farmers are curing their
last barns and hundreds of others
are harvesting the last "pulling" to
day and tomorrow.
A few farmers, starting their
crops back in the third week of
April, completed the harvesting
work two or three weeks ago, and
while a majority of farmers are fin
ishing up this week there are a few
who will be curing the leaf during
the latter part of this month. In a
few cases, according to reports com
ing direct from farmers, very little
of the crop has been harvested to
date, one farmer explaining that he
had juat barned his sandlugs The
unusually late crops were described
as very poor in quality.
Rains tailing during the last two
weeks are said to have further dam
aged the crop in this county, but
most farmers explained that the
late curings were turning out better
than they had expected. Much of the
late crop..is diseased, and the pros
pects for fair quality curings from
now on are not very brigh(.
Farmers state that this season is
the earliest on record, that ordinar
ily the harvesting task, as a whole,
is hardly ever completed before the
second or third week in August, that
not so many years ago farmers
thought they were well advanced If
they could harvest the last of their
! crop in time to get off and attend
| the August church meetings.
Reward of $25 Posted for the
Apprehension of John Small
A reward of $25 was posted this
afternoon for information leading to
the capture of John Small, colored,
wanted in this cunty for alleged
first-degree burglary and assault
with a deadly weapon with intent to
kill. Circulars, advertising the re
ward, are being posted in a greater
part of North Carolina and sections
of Virginia.
The reward, offered by the coun
ty board of commissioners at the re
quest of Sheriff C. B. Roebuck, is
being advanced after extensive ef
forts failed to establish a single clue
as to the whereabouts of Small.
Briefly commenting on the hunt,
Sheriff C. B. Roebuck stated that he
had traveled between 1.500 and 2,000
mileo trying to traco Small. Special
Officer Harry Paul, of the State De
partment of Investigation, has
worked extensively on the case, al
so. Logging camps in counties be
tween South Carolina and Virginia
have been visited by officers. Fish
ing camps on the coast have also
been visited, but no trace of the
man has yet been established. \
Small is wanted for the brutal as
sault upon Mrs. Lyda Jenkins, aged
woman, at her home in Roberson-'
ville Township, on the evening of
July 23. He is alleged to have brok
en into the home and almost beat
Mrs. Jenkins to death with a fire
poker. Small was last seen walking
toward Stokes in Pitt County late
on the night of the 23rd.
The reward calls for information
that will lead to the man's arrest,
??nirirlinn ic nnt fnr pay.
ment.
Border Marts Report
Average Of 25 Cents
PROMOTED
Popular manager of the Belk
Tyler store here since Febru
ary of last year, Mr. Claude Ply
ler leaves next week for Green
ville where he will have charge
of a new store for the Belk-Ty
ler firm.
Mr. Chas. Bowers, of Wash
ington and Golds bo ro. will suc
ceed Mr. Plyler here.
New Homes Under
Construction Here
New construction underway at a
fairly steady pace here during the
past few months is gaining momen
tum, indicating that the building
trade will experience its busiest fall
in several years.
Construction was started this week
on two new homes on Marshall Ave
nue. Mr. and Mrs. Rush Bondurant
are building a six-room frame house
there next to the Goffs. Workmen
started the foundation of a five
room frame house for Mr. and Mrs.
William Everett between the Cul
peppers' and Boykins'. Contracts
are pending for the construction of
a new home for Mr. and Mrs. Chas.
Herriott on East Academy Street,
and a new home for Mr. and Mrs.
David Keel near here on the Ever
?tts Road. Plans are being complet
ed for several other- new homes .but
no contracts havfe been awarded in
those cases.
Work on a new home for Mr. and
Mrs. L. B. Wynne on Academy street
is progressing.
An addition to the Farmers ware
house is nearing completion, and the
work on a mule exchange is pro
gressing rapidly on Washington
Street
?Prices Range From
Three To 40 Cents
On First-Day Sale
Average Is About the Same
ige isi
As It Was Last
Season
Price averages ranging from 23 to
30 cents were reported yesterday
when farmers in South Carolina and
along the border of the two Caro
lines offered the first of their 1938
crop to the auction markets The
prices were described by some as be
ing higher than last year, others
stating they were slightly lower.
Fairly accurate records coming from
several of the border markets indi
cate little change in prices this year
as compared with those of a year
ago It was generally admitted, how
ever, that prices on the better grades
were weak, that most piles sold any
where from 20 to 32 cents.
"We visited several markets, and
I saw very few piles sell for less
than 10 cents," Henry Griffin, local
man, said upon his return last eve
ning. The quality of the first-day
offerings was said to be good. A few
tags were turned, but reports main
tain that farmers were apparently
very well satisfied. They were not
expressing themselves very much,
however.
Practically all of the markets re
ported blocked sales, and some pre
dieted it would be as late as Mon
day before they would be able to
clear their floors of the weed placed
there for the first day's sales.
Warehouses were reported last
night to be turning away tobacco
because their floors, still covered
with the first day's offerings, would
accommodate no more. And still the
weed was reported "pouring into
the market centers."
AfFaTrinoht, C. B. StfafforHTsales
supervisor, said approximately 1,
i 100,000 pounds were sold at an av
erage of about 27 or 28 cents. Com
piling of records was slow, he said,
j because representatives of the gov
ernment, who must approve the
sales against the allotment cards of
the farmers, had been unable to
cope with the enormous sales with
thftr limited foreea. Pfiees ranged.
he said, up to SO cents a pound.
"There wasn't a complaint," he said,
"and the farmers seemed very well
satisfied with the opening prices."
Official figures on two of three
sales at the Fairmont market gave
an average price of $28.43 per hun
dred for 291,076 pounds, for which
growers received $82,748.08. Figures
on the three remaining sales remain
ed to be compiled late last night.
But at Chadbourn, It WIS some
thing of a different picture. There,
but 225,000 pounds of the 600,000
pounds which was on the floors in
the morning had been sold when the
sales closed and predictions were it
would be Monday before the ware
houses would be clear of the weed.
Warehousemen estimated the prices
averaged 26 to 27 cents per pound,
with the prices ranging from 10 to
40 cents. There were two govern
ment men at the market, it was re
ported, but their inability to keep
pace with the auctioneer forced
closing of the market for the day.
Regular Legion Meeting
'To Be Held Monday Night
?*
The American Legion will hold ita
regular nftmthly meeting Monday
night, Auguat 8th, at 8 p. m. Thla la
a very important meeting aa plana
(or our work (or 1938 will be (or
liiulaled and Jue Buykln. cunnnand
er, ia urging every member to be
preeent
First Movement To
Organize Labor In
County Is Reported
Pulp Plant Workers Sign
With American Federa
tion of Labor Group
Organized labor gained a foothold
in Martin County last week-end
when production workers for the,
North Carolina Pulp Company, near
Plymouth, affiliated themselves
with the American Federation of
Labor, the action relieving an un
certainty that has surrounded the
labor question in the big pulp mill!
during recent months.
No acts of violence on the part of
thV employees was evident, and the
unization work was without intimi
riatinn on the nsrt nf the nimninv
it was learned here.
In connection with the unization
of the plant, the following report
was released bv officials:
"At a conference with the North
Carolina Pulp Company it was ar
ranged that all of the production
employees of the company should
be represented by American Fed-1
eration of Labor Unions. The Elec-1
trical Workers Unions have had a
working arrangement with the com
pany since last October. Last eve
nin ghte operating engineers and the
pulp and sulphite workers consum
mated similar arrangements.
"There has been some opposition
on the part of employees who desire
an independent organization. At the
conference it was agreed by all par
ties that the American Federation
of Labor should represent all the
employees."
No details of the agreement be
tween the company and the unions
were made public, but since there
has been no mention of changes in
hours, working conditions or wages
it is presumed the agreement dealt
only with the question ol recogni
tion for the AFL affiliates. The op
position that has been manifested
by those \who wanted an indepen
dent loca\union has apparently
subsided, and it is believed remov
al of the uncertainty which has pre
vailed over the claims of the two
groups should go far toward ce
menting a better understanding be
tween all the employees and the
management.
Judge H. 0. Peel
Calls Seven Cases
In Reeorders Court
No Session of Tribunal Will
Be Held Next
Monday
Little interest was centered in the
regular weekly session of the Mar
tin County Recorder's court last
Monday, the tribunal hearing less
than naif a dozen cases during the
two hours it was open. Other than
witnesses, defendants and attend
ants upon the court, there were few
people present to hear the proceed
ings. Judge H. O. Peel, presiding ov
er the session, announced no court
would be held next Monday. The
judge will be out of town that day,
it was learned.
Bud Shank, charged with assault
ing Percy Pugh, 25-year-old colored
man, at a logging camp in the old
Dymond City area of Griffins Town
ship -early on the morning of July
10, pleaded guilty and was sentenc
ed to the roads for a term of eigh
teen months. Pugh who was first
reported critically wounded is ap
parently recovering rapidly now.
Two bullets fired from a rifle are
said to be still in his body, but he is
apparently suffering no ill effect
from the lead weights. The-victim
of the attack appeared as a state
witness at the trial.
Charged with carrying a conceal
ed weapon, Fenner Retpass was
found not guilty.
The case charging Clyde Silver
thorne with disorderly conduct and
destroying personal property, was
again continued, the court settling
the action for trial on August 15.
A continuance until the first Mon
day in November was granted by the
court in the case charging G. R.
Bateman with drunken driving.
Judgment was suspended in the
case charging Theodore Griffin with
resisting arrest and assaulting an
officer.
Charged with careless and reck
less driving and operating a motor
vehicle with improper brakes, H. A.
Belflower was fined $10 and taxed
with the cost
Sana Briley, colored, was sentenc
ed to the roads for a term of twelve
months in the case charging him
with violating the liquor laws. Sen
tence is to begin at the direction of
the court at any time within the
next two years.
Citizens To Determine Fate Of
- I -
$72,000 Proposed Improvement
Program at Polls Next Tuesday
Sample Ballot
Below is a sample of the ballot that will be placed before Wil
liamston citizens who are qualified to vote in the 172,004 special
bond election next Tuesday between the hours of 7:00 a. m. and 7:00
p. m. in the town hall.
For the ordinance authorising $34,000 bonds for constructing
or reconstructing streets and a tax therefor. '?'
Against the ordinance authorizing $34,000 bonds for constructing | 1
or reconstructing streets and a tax therefor. '?
For the ordinance authorizing $15,000 bonds for con
strticting sewers and a tax therefor. '?'
Against the ordinance authorizing $15,000 bonds for con
structing sewers and a tax therefor, ?'
For the ordinance authorising $15,000 bonds for enlarging
the water supply system by drilling an additional deep 1?'
well and a tax therefor.
Against the ordinance authorizing $15,000 bonds for enlarging | I
the water supply system by drilling an additional deep 1?'
well and a tax therefor.
?
For the ordinance authorising $8000 bonds for recon
structing playgrounds, including the construction of a
swimming pool and acquiring or constructing other equipment
and a tax therefor.
Against the ordinance authorizing $8000 bonds for recon- [ J
structing playgrounds, including the construction of a ?'
swimming pool and acquiring or constructing other equipment
and a tax therefor.
?
Child Burned to Death
In Fire Near Oak City
Second Child Dies
Later Of Burns In
Tarboro Hospital
Sister Risks Life in an Ef
fort to Save Young
Brother
Fire, starting from a lamp, claim
?'d the life of Calclhia Thompson,
four-year-old colored child, fatally
burned her on-yeur-old brother
and wiped out most of the earthly
belongings of C S. Thompson, col
ored farmer living near Oak City, at
8:48 last Tuesduy evening.
Alone in the house with her
younger brother and sister while her
father was working at a tobacco barn
on the farm and her mother was
visiting a neighbor, a seven-year-old
girl was carrying a lamp by a win
dow and caused the curtain to
catch fire She is thought to have
dropped >|he lamp, causing the
flames to*spread rapidly. The bed
where her baby brother was sleep
ing caught fire and burned him fa
tally before she could reach him
and throw him out the window. Her
attempt to return to the room for her
four-year-old sister was blocked by
the fire. Within an hour and a half,
the fire had burned itself and the
remains of the child were removed
from the ashes. Reports state that
the girl, one of ten children in the
family, was horribly burned. Only
the skull and parts of the limbs were
The second child, Cris S. Thomp
son, Jr., died in a Tarboro hospital
yesterday morning. Badly burned
herself, the girl tried to save her
four-year-old sister but she was too
heavy. The father, reaching the
scene late, tried to reach the child
and was burned in the futile at
tempt to save it.
When Thompson detected the fire
it had gained so much headway that
he was unable to do anything hut
stand by and watch it burn, reports
stating that the screams of his
daughter were heard above the
cracking timbers in the fire.
In addition to several barns of to
bacco stored in the home, the family
lost all clothing and furniture. A
milk house, standing nearby was al
so destroyed by fire. No estimate of
the loss could be had.butit was
learned no insurance was carried on
either the buildings or the contents.
^Thompson who lives on the old
river road between Hamilton and
Oak City is a hard-working farmer
and owns his farm. But the disas
ter Tuesday evening leaves him al
most penniless and heartbroken.
With two barns of tobacco left and
with help willingly offered by peo
ple^!} th? Oak City community he
is mnay striving to recuperate his
material loss.
? .?
? Mr. and Mrs. D. M. Roberson will
spend this week-end at Manteo and
Naga Head.
BUREAU MEETS
The Martin County unit of the
North Carolina Farm Bureau
Federation will hold its annual
meeting In the agricultural
building here next Monday eve
ning at eight o'clock when dele
gates to the $tate convention
will be named and other busi
ness handled, the secretary an
nounced today. E. F. Arnold,
Slate secretary, and other rank
ing officials are expected to be
present.
The county bureau, under the
direction of President S. T. Ev
erett, has carried on an active
work during recent months, and
a large attendance upon the
meeting is urged.
Diphtheria Clinics
Are Marked Success
Success marks the daily clinics as
I the campaign against diphtheria
continues in the county this week,
health department authorities an
nouncing this morning that 634 chil
dren between the ages of six months
and six years had been given the
| toxoid.
Clinics are underway today at
Kobersonville and Parmele. Next
i Tuesday, the campaign will be
, brought to a close at Bear Grass and
Cross Koads
Oak City, with 166 reporting for
I the toxoid, leads the list, but favoi-j
able progress has been made in all
the districts to date. The record of
vaccinations is, as follows: Gold
Point, 34; Everetts, 31; Hasseli, 23;
Hamilton, 46. Oak City, 166; Dar
dens. 41; Farm Life, 46; Jamcsville,
85; Lilley's Store, 19; Williamston,
I 143
Eighty-One Votes
Needed To Carry
The Bond Election
Electors Will Be asked to
Vote Separately on
Proposals
? - a a. :
The fate of a proposed $72,000 im
piovomont pnmrum for Williamston
will be determined at the polls here
next Tuesday, a review of the regis
81 votes will be necessary to carry
the election. While possibly a major
ity of those registering for the spec
ial election have voluntarily ex
pressed themselves as favoring the
program, there is a certainty that
the election will meet with some
strong opposition, that the outcome
of the program will hang in the bal
ance until the final count of votes
after seven o'clock next Tuesdays
The polls open that morning at 7
o'clock and close that evening at 7
o'clock in the treasurer's office in
the town hall. C B. Hassell is poll
holder and S. S. Brown and Hugh
M. Hurras will serve as judges of
election?? ./ ???
Those favoring the passage of the
bond election are voting against the
registration books, meaning that un
less 81 votes are actually cast in fa
vor of the proposal it will fail in pas
sage. Any voter opposed to the bond
election and whose name appears on
the books will not have to visit the
polls to register opposition for his
failure to vote automatically counts ?
against the election.
Town authorities propose to pave
several sidewalks and streets, con
struct water and sewer lin$ exten
sions, add to the present water sup
ply and promote a recreational cen
ter. The street and sidewalk pro
gram, estimated to cost $34,000, is to
the surfacing of sidewalks on Park
Street, Marshall Avenue and Grace
Street, and streets on Warren, Mar
shall Avenue, Smithwick, Grace,
Hassell and a part of Elm.
The sewer and water line exten
sions^ estimated to cost $15,000, are
to be placed on North Haughton,
West Main and Smithwick Streets
In*addition to the extensions, a third
disposal plant is being considered.
A necessary addition to the town's
water supply will cost, it is estimat
ed, approximately $15,000. Engineers
propose the sinking of a fourth deep
well somewhere close to East Main
Street.
A fourth project calls for a $8,
000 recreational center. Work on this
project is already underway in co
operation with, the Works Progr?a -
Administration. If the election fails
of passage, this project will likely be
financed by the issuance of short
term notes.
The authorities propose to finance
the first three projects in coopera
tion with the Public Works Admin
istration which organization will do
nate 45 per cent of the total in cash
and lend the remainder, if necessary.
application for PWA funds is reject
ed, the authorities plan to handle the
program without assistance An ap
plication for the 45 per cent cash
grant has already been filed in At
lanta, and according to representa
tives of the PWA it is believed the
grant will be made.
Manager Making
Fair September 26-October 1
Preliminary plans are now under
way by Resident Manager Harvey
Walker (or holding the annual Wil
| iiamslon Fair beginning Monday,
| September 26. Reporting here this
week, Mr. Walker stated that' much
, had already been done in setting up
premium schedules, free act book
ings and contracting the^ midway
entertainment.
"More interest in the agricultural
show has already been shown dur
ing the last two days than at any
time during my four years with the
North Carolina Fair Operating
Company," Manager Walker said
today. Premiums will be maintain
ed in all departments and slightl/
increased in some, Walker added.
Last year, the fair operators offer
ed ft,50? m premiums to
tors.
The Art Lewis' shows, making
their first trip south for contracts
with county fairs, will be on the
midway here this year. The mid
way will include fourteen rides and
a dozen shows.
Contracts have been closed with
the Continental Revue management
and with individual grandstand act
bookers, and several others are
pending, the manager explained. A
feature of the grandstand program
this year will be a barn dance stag
ed by a national unit, the manage
ment explaining that it is likely
that "Uncle" Ezra will appear in
person. "We are not certain that Be
will, but every effort is being made
to bring him to Williamston for the
event," the fair man said.
The fair will run for an entire
week beginning September M and
anding October 1. A complete pro
gram of events will be released with
in the next few days. ,