THE ENTERPRISE
Advertiser* Will Find On Col
umns s Latchkey to over l.MC
Homos of Martin OooMy.
Watch the Label on Ten
Paper, as It Carries the Date
Your Subscription Expires
VOLUME XLI?NUMBER 73 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday. September 13. 1938. ESTABLISHED 1899
Town Gets $52,200 Grant For Improvement Progra
Program Planned
Williamston Fair
For Farmers' Day
Farm Bureau Directors Met|
And Will Ask Hoey
To Speak
Meeting in the Martin County
Agricultural building last Friday
evening, eighteen directors of the
Farm Bureau Federation unit ad
vanced extensive program plans for
farmers' day at the Williamston fair
week after next. More interest was
shown in the plans than at any time
since the day was incorporated as a
part of the annual fair program, one
of the directors explained.
Uovernor C. K. Hoey will be ask
ed to address the gathering, the
Farm Bureau secretary explaining
that it may be the chief executive
has another engagement and will
be unable to speak here that day.
An answer is expected this week
Several other prominent' speakers
ha.ve been asked to appear on the
program with the governor, but no
tices of their acceptance has not yet
been received E. F. Arnold, secre
tary of the State Farm Bureau Fed
eration is expected here to preside
over the meeting, the local directors
pointing out that a worth-while and
entertaining schedule of events
would feature the special day pro
Special concessions have been
granted the Bureau organization,
and admission to farmers will be
reduced to 25 cents with no parking
charge for their cars.
The entertainment program will
carry several head-line features
with the farmers participating in
them. Several mule races with
prizes totaling - $15.00. have been
scheduled. Owners may ride their
own mules or may hire riders. The
regulations for the races are few,
but the riders will ride bare back A
mule show is another feature, the
management to offer $10 and $5 for
the beat?and second?best pair?oi.
mules, and $7 50 and $3 for the best
and second best singles
The National Farm Dance with
"Uncle Ezra" scheduled to appear
in person, will be staged in front of
the grandstand that afternoon as an
added feature of the farmers' day
program. The farm dance event is
the first ever scheduled in this sec
tion, and it is expected to attract a
large crowd.
Report Four Deaths
Here in Recent Days
This little community was stalk
ed by death during the past week
end when four people passed away,
two of them going to their graves
prematurely.
Alonzo Hassell, 60-year-old color-1
ed man, died late last Thursday fol
lowing a stroke of paralysis. Has
sell, a retired carpenter and respect
ed citizen, was buried Sunday after
noon in the Odd Feliows cemetery
here.
Mary Mizelle Williams, young
colored woman who was married in
a big church wedding just a few
short months ago, died suddenly at
her home on South Smithwick street
Saturday morning at four o'clock.
Funeral services were conducted at
the Corner Stone church on Warren
Street yesterday morning at eleven
o'clock, and interment was at Eliza
beth City.
J. K. Coltrain, retired merchant,
died at seven o'clock Saturday
morning
The fourth death was reported
when Lee Speller, 31-year-old col
ored man, was drowned early Sun
day morning in the Roanoke River,
near here. Last rites for the man
are being held this afternoon. In
terment will follow near his native
home in Bertie County.
Expresses Desire To Be
Buried In Sitting Position
Anticipating death within a short
time, J. K Coltrain, for years a lo
cal groceryman, made careful plans
for his own burial. Several months
ago when he outlined the exacting
plans, he expressed the desire to
be buried in a sitting position and
went so far as to discuss plans with
a manufacturing plant for the con
struction of the unusual type of cof
fin. The specifications were hur
riedly drawn, but after discussing
the matter with an old friend, Mr.
Coltrain abandoned the idea and
his body was placed to rest in con
ventional style.
Encouragement Noted as Prices Advance on
Williamstons Tobacco Market This Week
A spirit of optimism prevail
ed and farmers feneraily were
encouraged A tobacco prices
took an upward swing on the
Wiliiamston Tobacco Market
this week, a review of the rec
ords and a survey among farm
ers clearly establishing the fact
that prices are stronger than
they were last week. "Tobacco
today is selling higher than at
any other time this seasop," one
farmer pointed out. While no
marked change is noted in the
prices of the inferior grades, the
better grades are commanding
from five to seven cents more
this week than they did last, it
was generally agreed. Farmers
are well pleased and while an
occasional tag is turned, the
complaints are comparatively
few.
The growers are more opti
mistic, and a good feeling is
prevailing throughout the mar
ket. Buyers appear more eager
for tobacco and bidding is live
ly. "It looks goods to me," a Ber
tie farmer said today In com
menting on the market.
Several piles were sold in the
forty-cent class yesterday, and
thirty-cent averages were fair
ly numerous among individuals.
To date, the Williamston mar
ket has sold slightly in excess
of two and a quarter million
pounds, the official price aver
age yesterday standing right at
>4 cents, the supervisor of sales
announced. Sales will be com
pleted fairly early this afternoon
for today, and heavier offerings
are expected the remainder of
the week.
Puzzling as It may M?m, the
State and Federal crop report
ing service in its release today
shows that tobacco ts higher
this year than last. The solution
lies in the fgct that the inferior
grades are selling higher and the
better grades are not command
ing the high prices they did a
year ago. The absence of one-,
two- and three-cent tobacco is
serving to boost the general av
erage. During the first selling
days in August, the Williams
ton market, according to the crop
reporting service, sold right at
one million pounds for an aver
age of 22.07, a figure that ranks
. ? 1 ? t- a ?a as i.._ ?izz, zt,.
rtgni at mc lop wttn ine aver
age for the belt, l.ast year, the
market sold in August 307,156
pounds for an average of $19.70.
Negro, Charged With;
Burglary, Jailed Here
REORGANIZE
Wi^'aravt^n'* High School
band, inactive during (he past
season, will be reorganized on
Thursday evening of this week
with Professor l.ewis Enloe as
director. Indications are that the
reorganization will be effected
with a certain degree of perma
nency, and all musically inclined
youths are urged to be present
at the meeting in the high school
at eight o'clock.
Director Enloe states that the
support and interest of the peo
ple will be appreciated in pro
moting the worth-while under
taking.
Start Tuberculosis
Studv In County
An extensive study of Martin
County high school children for tu
berculosis got underway here to
day. the county health department
head stating that the survey will be
extended to all the high schools in
the county
Commenting on the survey now
underway. Dr., E. W. Forgrirsnn
says:
."Usually from 18 to 22 per cent of
high school children will show a
positive reaction to the tuberculin
test This test is entirely harmless
It tells whether or not the tubercu
losis germ (tubercle baccilus) has
entered the body. But it tells only
that and no more. If it is positive the
next step will be to have the patient
x-rayed From, the x-ray examina
tion it can be determined whether
any damage to the lung has already
been done
"Tuberculosis usually can be ar
rested if it is discovered soon enough
and if the patient works with the
doctor. Early discovery is necessary
if sufferers are to have a proper
chance of arrest or cure, and if
spiead of infectiuii fium ?undiagnus
ed open cases is to be prevented."
Fire Alarms Are
Close Together
Two lire alarms, one of them
false, were-received"wlthln~B few
minutes of each other here early
last Friday evening, Fire Chief Hall
slating that he had been unable to
trace the origin of the first call.
However, unofficial reports main
tain that there was a small fire at a
gasoline storage plant near the riv
er, that it did not amount to any
thing.*
Advised to go to the Standard Oil
Company filling station, the fire
men first went to the station on the
corner of Haughton and Main
Streets. Finding no fire there they
continued to a second Standard sta
tion at the Jamesville and Washing
ton Road intersection. From there
they went to the river front, and
finding no fire there they returned
to the station.
A few minutes.later a call came
from the J. D Thrower home on
Watts Street where a burning ^chim
ney filled the house with smoke.
No damage was done there.
Yesterday, the firemen were called
to sprinkle Marshall Avenue.
John Small To Face
Trial for Assaulting
Aged White Woman
Arrested At Logging Camp
In Northampton County
Yesterday
John Small, 30-year-old Negro,
charged with first-degree burglary
and brutally assaulting Mrs. Lyda
Jenkins, aged white woman, near
Robersonville on the night of July
23, was placed in the county jail
here yesterday afternoon following
his arrest at a logging camp^ in
Northampton County earlier that
day.
Vigorously denying the charge,
Small stated that he saw no need for
holding a preliminary hearing but
officers will carry him before Jus
tice J. L. Haaaell here tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock. Mrs. Jenkins,
although she continues very feeble,
will be able to attend the hearing
Using an old iron rim fire poker,
Small is alleged to have beaten Mrs
Jenkins almost to death about mid
night, July 23. He forced his way
into the home by breaking through
a window, and when he departed it
is believed the aged woman's as
sailant thought her dead
When Mrs. Jenkins was found
about nine o'clock Sunday morning,
she was unconscious, and for sever
al days she was not expected to re
cover. Regaining consciousness, she
said that John Small attacked her,
and immediately an extensive search
reaching into two States was started
under the direction of Sheriff C. B
Roebuck. The officer and represen
tatives of the State Bureau of Inves
tigation and Law Enforcement trav
eled several thousand miles in an ef
fort to trap Small. A $25 reward was
offered for Small's arrest, and yes
terday the reward brought Jesuits.
W. P. Morris, operating a logging
camp in the extreme northern end
of Northampton County, recognised
Small when he reported there for
a job. He took Small into custody
and carried him to Jackson, Sheriff
Roebuck and Patrolman Hunt trans
ferring the accused man to the jail i
here yesterday afternoon.
Offering a feeble defense in deny
ing the charge, Small admitted that
he was in the community where
? Mrs: Jenkins lived on the night of
the attack. He maintains he left
there about # 30, met-a certain man,
talked with him, and continued to
a farm near Stokes where he spent
the night at a tobacco barn. Stlnday
morning, he bought a ticket and
boarded the train for Suffolk,' Va.
After working there a short time
he went to Smithfield, Va., and la
ter moved to another Virginia town
before going to the logging camp in
Northampton County .Checking the
man's claims, Sheriff Roebuck points
out that Small did talk v^ith a man
between Robersonville and Stokes,
but that the conversation took place
around one o'clock instead of about
8:30. The officer also pointed out
that Small did not know the name of
the farmer who owned the tobacco
barn where he spent the night. A
complete check of Small's move
ments will be made before the case
is called for trial, and while Small
maybe innocent, the sheriff points
out that he has the man accused by
KnJtnkini. i_
Man Loses Life In
River Here Early
Sunday Morning
???
Body of Lee Speller, Color
ed Man, Recovered
This Morning
L.e?> Speller, 31-yeaivnlri colored
man, was reported drowned in the
Roanoke River just above the Nor
folk, Baltimore and Carolina Boat
Line dock here early last Sunday
morning In a rapid state of decom
position, the body rose to the surface
and was recovered at 10 o'clock this
morning by Lee King Apparently:
the man had paddled quiet a dia-,
tance up the river'and possibly fell
into the water as he started to get
out of his boat near his home. The
body was seen rounding the bend at
the river dock
Dragging operations were started
man's small boat was found drifting
near the plant of the Standard Fer
tilizer Company, several hundred
yards from the scene where the
man is thought to have lost hris life.
Unsuccessful in their dragging op
erations, friends and relatives soon
quit their search for the body, but
held a watch over the river.
Called here, Coroner J. E Smith,
of Bertie, investigated the drown
ing and considered no inquest neces
sary.
Said to have been drinking Spell
er was last seen about midnight go
ing to the river to get his small boat
and paddle to his home in Conoho,
two or three miles up the river. He
carried a small supply of groceries
and they were found in the drifting
boat. Before he left a filling station
near the river, he instructed his wife
to take their three small children
and spend the rftght here with a rel
ative, that he was going home alone.
"He almost got run over by a car,
and he was so hard-headed we could
not tell him a thing," his wife said
as she and her children watched the
dragging operations from the river
bank Sunday afternoon.
Large crowds milled up and down
the river bank to watch the haphaz
ard search for the body, but there
was little sign of emotion, his near
est kin leasumng that the man tracf
hastened his own end.
Funeral arrangements were made
immediately after the body was
found, and the last rites are being
held this afternoon, interment fol
lowing near his native home in Ber
tie County.
Speller, a native of Bertie, came
to this county about ten years ago,
Conoho area and working during his
spare time with a lumber mill here
He was the third man reported to
have lost his life in the Roanoke,
along the banks in this county so far
this year. 0
FISH STORY
An entirely new kind of fish
story csme out of Hamilton a
few days Ifo. According to T.
Bog Blade, Mr. Reuben A. Ed
mondson was fishing in the
Roanoke and pulled two size
able carp from the stream. The
fisherman hooked another, but
that fish got away and match
ing the line, Mr. Edmondson in
leas than a split second hooked,
Mr. Blade declares, a 150-pound
"succor". 4S
The hook tore through the
skin under the fisherman's
throat and a doctor had to eat'
JLML 11
Add a Second Truck
For Transportation
Of Colored Children
Thirty-Five Pupils in the
Lower Part of County
To Come Here
Meeting in special"session last Frr
day. the Martin County Board of
Education ordered a transportation
system established for colored high
school pupils in the lower part of the
county, the action of the authorities
to add around 35 pupils to the high
school in Williamston
Going before the meeting, color
ed citizens of the Jamesville. Dar
dens. Keys, Piney Woods and Wil
liams Lower school communities
truck chassis, the county to buy a
body costing around $400 and the
State to operate the bus. Last year
a bus route was established for col
ored high school pupils in the upper
part of the county Handling quite a
large number of children, the bus
placed in operation last year serves
the Parmele High School. The ac
tion last Friday, according to the
county superintendent of schools,
will virtually bring to an end the
consolidation of colored schools in
this county.with one possible excep
tin. Under the present arrangements
and thse advanced at the meeting on
last Friday, all colored youths in the
county have an opportunity to at
tend high school except those along
the Griffins-Bear Grass Township
border line. No movement has been
advanced by the colored citizens]
there to establish a bus route to
serve their children.
The new bus route will be estab
lished just as soon as the rollingi
equipment can be delivered. ? prob
ably within the next week or ten
days
The addition of 35 pupils will en
title the local colored high school to
an extra teacher, but there isn't
room for another teacher and the
present teaching force will have to
handle the extra teacher-load. How-!
ever, crowded conditions in the lo-i
cal colored school prior to the time J
the addition of the 35 pupils was
proposed have been before the board!
for consideration. The construction
of an extra room has been proposed,
the county superintendent explain-!
ing that it is possible the vocational'
student class will be called upon to
handle most of the construction
work.
t '? -??
School Attendant
Increases In County
Martin County schools are estab
lishing attendance records this year,
the county edtretrti<m board officials
explaining that they are well pleas
ed with the way children are report
ing for instruction in both the white
and colored schools One school has
reported as few as three absences,
and preliminary reports show an at
tendance average above 96 per cent
for the county as a whole.
The local white school, Principal
D N Hix announced this morning,
is reporting enrollment increases
with the average daily attendance
holding up well. Starting the term
on September 1. the local clemen
tary school enrolled 546 children,
Principal Hix stating there are 590
enrolled today. The high school en
rollment has been increased from
209 on opening day to 215 today,
making a total of 801 white children
enrolled in the elementary and high
schools.
It is not likely that the colored
schools will close on account of a
poor attendance any time soon
Local Church Conference
To Be Held This Evening
A "Local Church Conference" will
be held in the Williamston Christ
ian church tonight at eight o'clock
with Dr Will R Holder as the lead
er. Dr. Holder, now with the Home
Misnons Planning Department, was
for many years a missionary 111 Afri
ca. The membership of the church
is urged to be present.
Macedonia Church Will
Hold Fellowship Meet
The "One Day of Fellowship"
meeting for this district will con
vene with the Macedonia Christian
church Wednesday morning at ten
o'clock. These meetings are spon
sored by the North Carolina Christ
ian Missionary Convention. Lunch
will be served on the grounds and
the program will close at 3.3(1.
Grant To Supplement
$72,000.00 Bond Sale
FAIR TRIO
These Ihree attractive young
ladies will come to Witliamston
from Chicago to appear in the
National Barn Dance program
at the Williamston Fair, Septem
ber 27-October 1.
James K. (loltririu,
Retired Merchant,
Dies Here Saturday
Last Rites for Former Local
Merchants Are Held
Sunday
?
James K. Coltrain, retired local
merchant, died at his home here last
Saturday morning at seven o'clock
after a lingering illness of tubercu
losis. In failing health for several
years, he was able to supervise his
little grocery establishment on
Wahmgton Street until about two
months ago when he was forced to
his HpH
The son of the late James and Al
yina Webb Coltrain, he was born in
Bear Grass Township 64 years ago.
fie spent his early life there and
when a young man located in Wil
liamston After a number of years
in the service of J G. Staton he en
tered the mercantile business in the
store now occupied by I) Pender on
Washington Street about 1910
Some years later he moved to thie
corner of Sycamore and Washington
Streets where ?he successfully car
lied 011 his business for a long per
iod, finally selling out his store
there and locating"a"block away on
Pearl Street.
Mr Coltrain joined the Christian
church at Macedonia several months
ago He was an unpretentious man,
one who minded his own business
and withheld crlticisirLof others.
He is survived by one brother,
George W Coltrain, of Hassell, and
three sisters, Mrs. Amanda Whit
ley and Mrs. Lucy Rogers, of Bear
Grass, and Mrs. Bettie Griffin, of
Griffins Township He never mar
ried
Funeral services were conducted
by Rev. John L. Goff, local Christ
ian Church pastor, Sunday after
noon at three o'clock, after the body
lay in state at the Biggs Funeral
Home on Main Street Saturday
Jill I.I.I lnlt-1 n.c-nl was m the old
family plot in the Taylor Cemetery
in Bear Grass Township.
?
Chang
y Announced
In Library Hours
1
Beginning Monday, Sept. 18, the
Williamston Public Library will re
turn to its original schedule. It will
be open *?arh day?except?Sunday
from 3:00 to 6:00 p. m. and 7:00 ta
from 3:00 to 6:00 p. m. and 7:00 to
each Saturday morning for children
between the ages of 4 and 9.
New books which will be ready
for circulation Thursday of this
week include:
Debutante in Uniform, Grieg;
Youth without Glory, von Button;
Black Cats Are Lucky, Fielding; A
Body Rolled Downstairs, Irwin; The
Unvanquished, Faulkner; The Gin
ger Griffin, Bridge; Love at the
Mission, Baptist; Echo of Drums,
Pendleton. The Beast Must Die,
Blake; Death Walks the Post, Hanr
son; Murder in Newport, Lambert;
Homing, Hill.
Shot from Ambush
Roberta Best. Martin County col
ored woman, was painfully but not
seriously hurt near the Flat Swamp
Church yesterday, when she was
shot In the back by an unknown as
To Offer $150,000
Bonds For Sale III
Next Few Weeks
P. W. A Approves Grant
For $52,200 in Record
Time
?
Flans for financing a $125,000
general improvement program for
Williamston were announced vir
tuallv-complete yesterday when the?
Public Works Administration ap
proved a $52,200 cash grant as a
supplement to the approximately
$72,000 to be raised by a bond is
sue Entering the application less
than a month ago, town officials
were notified yesterday by T. L.
Cole, regional director of the PWA,
Atlanta, that the grant had been ap
proved by Secretary Ickes, and that
the money will be made available
immediately upon request.
In an effort to launch the pro
gram activities as soon as possible,
local town authorities will likely
meet within the next few days to
make final arrangements for float
isstttr which tras been
completed, and at the special meet
ing authorities are expected to or
der the bonds advertised for sale.
From thirty to forty days will be
required to handle the bond sale, the
authorities believing that it will be
possible to award the contract and
get construction work underway by
the middle or latter part of Novem
ber. at the latest
In addition to the $72,000 bond is
sue ordered by the people in a spec
ial election on August 9 for advanc
ing a general improvement program,
the town plans to otter for sale ap
proximately $85,000 in refunding
bonds. The treasury officials explain
that it is very likely that the $85,
000 refunding bonds can be sold at
a lower'rate of interest now than
they were several years ago, that
the combined sale will possibly be
handled at, a figure not to exceed
four per cent. The refunding issue,
however, is entirely separate from
the $72,000 proposed bonds for the
general improvement program.
Notified this week that the -ap
plication?for?a--$52,200 grunt had
been approved, town authorities ex
plain that it will be possible to fi
nance a large improvement pro
gram than had first been anticipat
ed Before the $52,200 cash grant 1
was approved, the local town au
thorities proposed to spend $34,000
for street and sidewalk paving, $15,
ooo for water and sewer line MtUn' ~
sions, $15,000 for an additional deep
well and $8,000 for a recreational
'center. The first program called for
paved sidewalks on Warren Street,
Marshall Avenue and Grace Streets;
paving on the same streets and on
Smith wick Street to the high school
building Sewer lines will be laid
on Smithwick Street, down Frank
lin to Haughton and out North
Haughton to connect wth an outlet
from that section known as "doodle
Hill." turning east there and run
nine several hundred yards to a
septic tank, a third disposal plant
in the system
Plans for locating a deep well for
direct pumping into the water
mains are well advanced, but it is
not yet certain that the well will be
placed on town property, near the
municipal water plant, or on North
Biggs Street, just off Main.
sive improvement program will be
formulated possibly at the meeting,
but it is understood the authorities
are considering the following im
provements in addition to those in
cluded in the initial program:
The opening of Smithwick Street
to Marshall Avenue;
A hose truck or a combined hose
truck and pumper for the fire de
partment;
Replacement of a defective water
line on West Main Street.
An auxiliary pumping unit for
the water department.
Jailed For Trespassing
At Home Here Last Week
??
Willie Evans, young Edenton Ne
gro, was jailed here last week when
he was caught prowling around a
residence on Watts Street at night.
Evans, 17 years old, claims he was
waiting for a party. Unble to raise
a small bond, he continues la the
county jail awaiting trial.