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VOLUME XLII?NUMBER 11 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, February 7, 1939. ESTABLISHED 1899
Predict Tobacco
Acreage Increase
In Georgia Area
Farmers Building Quite a
Number of New Curing
Barns There
"There'll be a (airly substantial
increase in the acreage planted to
tobacco in Georgia and Florida this
season," Mr. Jimmie Taylor, Wil
liamston tobacco warehouseman,
said this week following a hurried
survey of the southern tobacco ter
ritory the latter part of last week.
"Of course, farmers there will not
double the crop, as a whole," Mr.
Taylor explained, "but ninety-five
out of one hundred growers are go
ing to increase their crop some, and
possibly some will double the size
of their crops in Georgia," Mr. Tay
lor added.
Discussing the outlook in Florida.
Mr. Taylor believed that a large
percentage increase in the crop can
be expected there. That State grows
'
comparatively little tobacco, howev
er, and a 100 per cent increase there
will not affect the total to any
great extent.
Quite a few farmers are building
new barns this year, according to
Mr. Taylor. Tobacco plants are up
and growing and everybody is talk
ing tobacco down in Georgia and
Florida.
Completing his work as auction
eer on the Bowling Green, Ky., to
bacco market, Mr. Taylor returned
home last week-end after a short
st?y in Georgia. The Kentucky mar
kets reported only a fair season.
The price averaged around 18 cents
or about three to four cents less than
the average a year ago. Hie crop
was considerably smaller than was
first predicted, Mr Taylor stating
that Bowling Green sold around six
million pounds during the season
just ended as compared with ap
proximately eight million pounds
the season before. The short crop
boosted prices toward the latter part
of the season, Mr. Taylor stating
that tobacco the companies refused
to buy earlier in the season sold for
as much as $8 a hundred pounds the
last day the markets were open
last week
Lower average prices received
during the season just closed did
not disturb the farmers, Mr Taylor
stating that many of them were
talking about increasing the crop
next season
First Herring Caught
At Jamesville Monday
Mr. Ira T. Coltrain
Dips First Herrings
From the Roanoke
Other Fishermen Turning
To Their Nets For the
Fishing Season
Big newt was flashed from James
ville yesterday when Mr. Ira T.
Coltrain, veteran fishermen, and his
daughter, Mrs. C. C. Sexton, Jr.,
dipped four nice herrings from the
Roanoke River at that point the
catch being recognized as a sure
harbinger of spring. For numbers oi
years, the fisherman taking the
first herring from the Roanoke hat
been given credit for finding the
"key to the county's smokehouse."
Mr. Coltrain and his daughter
caught three of the fish in one drift
and the fourth oaa on a second trip.
Certain that the fish are beginning
their annual pilgrimage up the Ro
anoke, the two withdrew from the
stream and told their friends that
the season is not far away. News of
the catch was circulated rapidly and
fishermen started dragging out
their nets and making ready for the
season. C. C. Fleming, a large com
"mercial fisherman on the Roanoke,
smiled when he heard about the
catch. "I have already ordered about
500 pounds of nets and will start
next week preparing them for use
about a month from now," Mr.
Fleming said. During the meantime
small-scale fishermen will dot the
stream with their small boats car
rying long drift nets and their bow
nets.
Tbs catch this year comes two
days later than the one made a yeat
ago by Tilmon Coltrain, son of the
veteran fisherman who dipped the
herrings from the stream yesterday
Two yean ago, U. S. Hasssll and
Carl Martin, young Jamesville men
herrings on Januarj
(Continued an page ate)
Plan County Certified Sweet
Potato Growers' Association
Meeting in the agricultural build
ing last Friday evening, thirty-five
Martin County farmers discussed
plans for organizing a "Certified
Sweet Potato Growers' Association,"
and working toward making Martin
the No. 1 sweet potato county in
certification advancement. Consid
erable interest was shown in the
plans and it is quite evident that
Martin farmers are rapidly realizing
the possibility of making the sweet
spud another principal crop. Quite
a few farmers at the meeting last
week placed orders for certified seed
and since that time others are plan
ning to build up their seed stock.
It was pointed out that certified
Seed ordinarily increases production
and gives the grower an advantage
at marketing time. "Certification as
sures the buyer he is getting the
best that can be bought. Only a
small fee of $4 a year is required of
the farmer who joins the association
and who plants any amount up to
ten acres to the crop. This charge
covers two inspections by special
ists, one while the crop is in the field
and the other after the crop is cur
ed," the agents explained.
Special emphasis was placed on
the importance of raising the very
best potatoes and keeping them free
of disease, the agents advising the
growers it was advisable to buy cer
tified seed and then raise their own
sprouts.
The history of the growth of the
sweet potato as a crop in the coun
ty in recent years was reviewed, the
agents explaining that Mr. W. W
Griffin built the first curing house
just a few years ago, that there are
over 100 now, and that the county
will ship well over 100,000 bushels
of the sweet spuds to northern mar
kets this season.
Approve Construction
Of Addition To School
Robber Enters Bear
Grass Grocery Store
Tearing out a glass in a front
window, a robber entered the gro
cery store of Wynne and Bailey in
Bear Grass some time during last
Thursday night and stole several
dollars' worth of cigarettes. As far
as it could be determined, no other
articles were missed from the store
Officers, investigating the case,
sent a piece of the window glass off
in an effort to get finger prints, but
the findings of the fingerprint ex
pert have not been made public.
The owners of the store are al
most certain that the robber was
white. They reason that had the
intruder been a colored person he
would have eaten a bun and drank
a pepsi-cola. The bakery products
and drtntcs were between the win
dow and the cigarettes and were
not touched, the owners said.
Earlier in the week, some one
broke open a lock on the Bear Grass
gas tank and stole 90 gallons of
gasoline.
bounty Board Ui
Education Holds
Regular Meeting
Old School Building Sold
To Cross Roads Church
Board For $100
The construction of a three-room
addition to the Wilhamston colored
school building has been approved
by the State Board of Education, the
members of the Martin County
Board of Education were advised at
a regular meeting of their group in
the courthouse here yesterday.
Proposed to relieve badly congest
ed conditions in the present plant,
the construction of the addition has
been pending for several months. A
$4,000 approporiation was approved
by the county commissioners at a
regular meeting several months ago
but not until recently could official
approval be had from State authori
ties to construct the addition.
The construction work to be
handled largely by about a dozen
volitional students possibly under
the direction of their vocational
teacher, Professor Walker, will
hardly get underway before the cur
rent term is brought to a close the
latter part of April or early May, it
was learned The addition will be
of brick construction and will be
connected with the present building
on the Washington Highway.
SOIL PROGRAM
j
The new ? 1939 (oil program
will be aired out by Specialist*
Broome and Rogers at a meet
ing of the Martin County Agri
cultural Committee and com
munity committeemen here on
Thursday afternoon of this
week, it was learned today from
the office of the county agent.
While the program principles
remain virtually the same, a
few minor changes will be dis
cussed including new methods
fn. lialarm inlnr tkn 111211 n#M.
i?r ucicrmtnini ?iiv *aao Kir*
age allotments.
Noah R. Roberson
Passes Suddenly
Noah R Roberson, 52 years old,
died at the county home laai Satur
day morning at five o'clock follow
ing ai\ illness of only a few hours'
duration. The immediate cause of
his death was not determined, re
ports stating that he suffered an
acute stomach trouble the day be
fore and that he did not respond to
treatment.
The body was removed to the
home of a sister, Mrs. J. L. Griffin,
in Hamilton, and was carried to the
Skewarkey Primitive Baptist church
Sunday afternoon where the last
rites were conducted at 3 o'clock by
Elder William E. Grimes. Interment
was in the Skewarkey Cemetery.
He was the son of the late James
R. and Nancy Groves Roberson and
lived in this county most of his life,
spending several years with''rela
tives in Pitt County. He never mar
ried.
Besides his sister in Hamilton hi
is survived by the following broth
ers and sister. Church Roberon, oi
Greenville; Mrs. W. H. Jolly, oi
Griffon; Mrs. J. R. Wynne, of Ev
eretts; Mrs. J. L. Daniel, of Wil
liamston Township, and W. J. Par
ker, a half-brother, of Orifton.
Holding their first meeting in sev
eral months, the board was in ses
sion for several hours handling rou
tine matters including a complete
study of insurance coverage on
school property. Several policies
were reduced and several were in
creased as a result of the study
The old Cross Roads school build
ing was sold at the meeting to the
Board of Trustees of the Christian
Chapel Christian church for $100.
The land already belonged to the
church, the donor specifying that
ownership of the land was to be
returned to the church if and when
it was not used for a school. During
the past few years and until recent
ly the old building has been used by
the county for welfare subjects.
All members of the board except
Mr. J. F. Martin, of Jamesville, was
present for the meeting.
In addition to the construction of
an addition to the colored school
building in Williamston, reports
stated that the construction of a
gymnasium at Jamesville was pro
~greaslh"g fairly rapidly and that
lumber was being placed for a sim
ilar building at Oak City.
Report Thirteen Cases
Communicable Diseases
While the campaign carried on
laat lummer against diphtheria has
effected a decrease in the average
number of cases, the disease con
tinus to make its appearance in the
monthly reports released by the
Martin County Health Department.
Out of the thirteen communicable
disease cases reported in the county
last month, three of them were diph
theria. Two of the three cases were
among the colored population in
Hamilton and Robersonville town
ships and one among the whjte pop
ulation in Williamston township.
There were eight cases of whoop
ing cough, one in Griffins, two in
Robersonville and five in William
ston. Six of the eight were among
the white population. Two cases oi
scarlet fever were included In the
January report released by Dr. T
E. Wilson, of the health department
this<
Democratic Party
Is Badly Split In
National Congress
Liberals and Conservatives
Wage Terrific Fight
For Control
Congress began the second month
of the session last week amid indi
cations that Democratic Factional
ism was developing rapidly into a
fight for party control.
Some politicians predicted events
of the next few weeks would sharp
en the lines of this struggle, with
President Roosevelt carrying on his
battle for New Deal "liberalism,"
Vice President Garner working
quietly as chieftain of "conservative"
forces, and both sides thinking of
the presidential nomination in 1940
as the prize to be captured.
There were some signs that the
Democratic split had placed the bal
ance of power in both Senate and
House in the hands of the "conser
vatives", a situation made possi
ble chiefly by Republican gains in
the November elections.
Republicans, keenly aware
of their own possibilities in 1940,
have become more active than in
any other Congress of the Roosevelt
administration, but it is only through
the support of revolting Democrats
that they may upset President
Roosevelt's proposals on specific is
sues.
The twin issues of foreign policy
and national defense are overshad
owing all other questions before
Congress, but the nature and ex
tent of the Democratic split may be
reflected more quickly in Congress
ional action on other questions
Two nominations made by the
president already have occasioned
bitter protests by some senators.
Yesterday, the Senate refused to
confirm the appointment of Judge
Floyd H. Roberts to the United
States District Court of Virginia.
North Carolina's two men in the
Senate opposed the nomination be
cause one Carter Glass and one
Harry Byrd said it was obnoxious
to them.
Senator Harrison, Democrat, Mis
80 per cent of the members would
vote against Roberts.
The nomination was defeated, and
Mr Roosevelt may censure sharply
those voting against it. He said yes
terday he would write a letter to
Judge Roberts in event of its rejec
tion
Hgrrison also said he saw little
chance for confirmation of Thomas
ft. Amlie, former Progressive Rep
resentative from Wisconsin, whom
the president nominated to be a
member of the Interstate Commerce
Commission. Amlie's critics accuse
him of having "radical" economic
views.
?-My present thbod Ts" to vote
against Mr Amlie," Harrison said
"I made the decision on the basis ol
what I had read about him in the
newspapers and on the bills he in
troduced and the speeches he made
in the House My views are not con
clusive at this time, of course, but
my mind would have to be changed
if I voted for- him."
Senate Majority Leader Barkley,
of Kentucky took cognizance of re
ports he might urge withdrawal by
saying no one had asked him to do
so and he had no intention of mak
ing such a recommendation of the
President.
Even if these appointments arc
disapproved by the senate, the ad
ministration will have a record of
winning approval of Frank Murphy
to be attorney general, James P
Pope to be a member of the board
of TVA, Felix Frankfurter to be on
the Supreme Court and Harry
Hopkins to be secretary of com
IIICIXC. """
State Legislature
Enters Sixth Week
Entering its sixth week yesterday,
the State Senate still has not ac
complished anything in the way
of constructive legislation. The joint
finance committee has left the gen
eral sales tax in the revenue act and
changed the name from "emergen
cy" to "permanent." Other acts, a
bit typical of the legislature, include
the proposal to tax slot machines,
the operation of which is already
illegal, and a proposed amendment
to the State Constitution calling for
an increase of $300 in legislators'
pay
Reports from the legislature last
week indicated that the joint fi
nance committees were almost
through with their work, but later
reports state that both committees
quit for a long week-end, and it is
likely that another week will pass
before the bills are made subject to
debate.
Board of County Commissioners
Receive Complaints About Bad
Condition of Secondary Highways
State School Leaders Address
Parents ami Teachers Here
Addressing the regular meeting of
the local parent-teacher association
in the high school auditorium last
Friday afternoon, Clyde A. Erwln,
State Superintendent of Public In
struction, outlined the major educa
tional problems?befuit* the State
General Assembly now in session ir
Raleigh. The school man advocated
end stressed the need for increased
educational advantages including
salary increases for teachers, the
twelfth grade, compulsory attend
ance for all children finder sixteen
years of age. and provision for a
larger program of vocational train
ing Action by the legislature is
problematical, some believing that
no marked change in the present
[ school system will be effected by
i the lawmakers this year.
| Jule B Warren, secretary of the
j North Carolina Education associa
tion, also addressed the group and
jdi.vus.sed the value of a retirement
fund for teachers.
The meeting, presided over by
Mrs. J B. Taylor, vice president,
was well attended, the attendanceI
prize going to the second and elev
enth grades. "An added feature on
the program was a solo by Mrs.
John Wier accompanied by Mrs. W
K. Parker at the piano. County Su
perintendent of Schools J C Man
ning introduced the teachers..
Officers Continue
Raids in County to
End Illicit Trade
Nine Distilleries Wrecked
During January; Five
In February
The illicit liquor trade continues
to hold attention of Special Enforce
ment Officer J. H. Roebuck and his
aides, and while a few manage to
keep just a step ahead of the sher
iff, some are falling into the hands
of the law almost daily.
Releasing his January report this
week, Officer J. H. Roebuck states
that nine stills were wrecked in the
county during the period. Nearly
7,001) gallons of beer?6,850 to be ex
act- and twelve and one-half gal
persons, charged with the violation
of the liquor laws, were arrested
during the month, and eleven were
convicted. The eleventh one was ar
rested in December.
Apparently the officers are out
for a new record this month. Dur
ing the first four days they wreck
ed five liquor plants, capturing three
50-ga lion-capacity copper kettles
and two steam stills. A total of 650
gallons of beer was poured out. The
third still, found in RobersonviHe
Township within the past two years
was destroyed last Thursday Two
of the other plants were found in
Cross Roads, and one each in Bear
drafts flpd .Tnmf?*n/illp Townships
Going in a drove. Sheriff C. B
Roebuck, Officers Roebuck and Hai
slip and Roy Peel and Edwin Mold
ing raided in Hamilton last Satur
day afternoon. H. D. Andrews,
young colored man, T. Taylor and
his wife, and Peter Spruill, all col
ored, were arrested and booked for
possession of illegal liquor. Spruill
faced the county court Monday and
drew sixty days on the roads The
other defendants are scheduled to
appear for trial in the county court
next Monday.
The government airplane that
?spoiled several plant* in the county
the 21st of last month has not made
a second trip, but unofficial reports
state that one is pending.
Educational Picture At
The Watts This Week
Jhe Watts theatre is showing an
unusual picture on Thursday and
Friday 01 lots week, one that was
conceived and produced to educate
adults and not to satisfy the mor
bid curiosity of the mob While it
may be a bold departure from the
old and generally accepted policy
of surrounding the institution of
marriage with secrecy, it offers val
uable information to the young cou
pie entering married life.
Regarded in the light of reverence
and education, the picture, "The
Birth of a Baby" is one that should
be seen by young married couples.
Firemen Are Called To
Home On Pearl Sfreef
Local firemen were called to
the home of Jessie Woolard, aged
colored woman, on South Pearl
Street last Friday afternoon. The
fire, starting from a defective flue,
did very little damage and neigh
bors had it out by the time the fire
fighting apparatus was carried to
the scene.
?
Mr. and Mr* H C. Wiliiama, of
Ayden, ipent Sunday here with
Mr. and Mr?. W. M. Baker.
Dr. E. W. Furgurson
Goes To Minnesota
Dr. E. W Furgurson, after serv
ing as the head of the Martin Coun
ty Health Department since its es
tablishment a year ago, left yester
day for Rochester, Minn., where he
will attend the Mayo Clinic during
the next several months The de
partment was fortunate in getting
Dr. F. E Wilson to carry on the val
uable work started by the organiza
tion Cinder the direction of Dr. Fur
gurson.
Dr. Furgurson, whoso resignation
was reluctantly accepted by the
County Board of Health, plans to
enter private practice later in the
year, but his plans for locating have
not been announced.
Just before leaving yesterday, Dr.
Furgurson stated that he disliked
very much to leave the county, that
he considered the action at length
before deciding to prepare himself
lor private work. He expressed his
appreciation for the friendliness
shown and the cooperation given
him by the medical profession and
the general public in the work, and
solicited the coninued cooperation
| of everyone in behalf of the new
| department head in carrying on the
! work that has been and continues
[ to be so badly needed ? ~ ?
Monthly Meeting
Of County Board
Held Here Monday
Delegations Urge Authori
ties To Appeal To
Commission
Holding their regular monthly
meeting here yesterday, the Martin
County Commissioners spent most
of the day listening to delegations
point out the bad condition of sec
ondary roads in nearly every part
of the county Five complaints were
heard during the day, several size
able delegations going before the
county authorities with stirring ap
peals for relief.
It is the same old sfory that has
been told and retold, and one that
has apparently not registered on
the highway authorities The dele
gations. pointing out the bad condi
tion of the secondary routes, urged
the commissioners to plead with the
highway authorities in an effort to
have the routes bushed, widened
and improved. "We are traveling on
roads that resemble sweet potato
ridges, and travel on them is dan
gerous," a member of one delega
tion pointed out after the meeting
The complaints pointed out that
most of the roads were used by
school busses and rural letter car
riers, that the present condition of
the roads constituted a real menace
to the safety of children and oth
ers who are almost forced to use
the ill-kept roads.
The Number One delegation urg
ed the board to appeal to the high
way authorities in an effort to have
the road beginning at the old Ever
ett Mill and running two miles to
Highway 903 hushed, Widened and
improved.
The Number Two complaint ask
ed that attention be given the road
leading from the old Joe Coburn
farm and running northwardly to
the residence of Tom House, a dis
tance of one mile
Number three complaint asked
that the road leading from the
Jumesvillc Manning Hoad in Grif
fins Jamosville Townships to the
V. E. P. Reduces Its
Hates To Municipality
POULTRY CAR I
Martin t minty farmrrs will
ship their second carloads of
poultry of the season coopera
tively next week, according to
Farm Agent T. B. Brandon, who
this week completed arrange
ments for handling the ship
"ment.
Prices rrmatn the same as
they were last month with col
ored hens bringing 15 cents a
pound.
Martin farmers sold cooper
atively approximately 14,000
pounds of barnyard fowls last
month.
Planning World Day
Of Prayer Services
The day set aside as the World
Day of Prayor is rapidly coming to
symbolize for the Christian women
of the world the. spiritual unity of
Christ's Church. In many different
languages, in heat and in cold, in
tiny country communities and great
cities, in small chapels and immense
cathedrals, on this day we become
conscious of one another as the
body of our Lord, joined together
in prayer From widely separated
places voices speak of this unity.
The local observance will be on
Friday afternoon, February 24th at
3:30 o'clock. The service this year
will be in the Episcopal church with
Mrs. S. A Maxwell, the leader. A
committee, composed of representa
tives from each church, has met and
completed plans on necessary as
signments on the theme, "Let us put
our love into deeds, and make it
real."
It la hoped the women of William
tton will reserve this date.
Reduction Affects
Rates of Town and
County Users Only
????
Town Commissioners Han
dle Little Business in
Regular Meet
a *?
A reduction 111 power and light
i ales to the town of Williamston
unofficially approximated at about
40 per cent was placed in effect last
night when the town commissioners
in regular session entered into an
agreement with the Virginia Elec
tric and Power Company whereby
the lower rate would be made ap
plicable to future purchases. The
new agreement, readily accepted by
the authorities, does not alter in
any way the contract the town now
holds with the company granting it
free current for the operation of the
municipal water pumps and lighting
100 street lamps.
At the present time the town has
102 street lights, but under the con
tract entered into when the fran
chise was sold to the power com
pany it only pays for two of the
102. The old rate was $2.50 per
month for each light above the 100.
1 Under the new agreement, the rate
will be only $1.50 per month.
Urgent requests have been made
for additional street lights about
the town, and just as soon as the
new agreement was affected at the
meeting last night, the commission
ers passed an order for a light on
East Academy Street.
Simil|r agreements have been en
tered into by municipalities and
school governing bodies throughout
the territory served by the Virginia
Electric and Power Company in
this State.
(Continued on page rtx)