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1
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VOLUME XLII?NUMBER (?7 Williamson, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, iuftust 22, 1939. ESTABLISHED 1899
Market Has Successful Opening Here Today
Dec Tease In Rate Of
Benefit Payments to
Have Little Effect
Dues Not Apply to Flue-cured
Tobacco ami There Is
Little C.otton
?Tten per cent reduction ordered
in soil conservation base payments
will have very little effect in this
county, according to observations un
officially made this week. While the
rate for advancing benefit pay
ments is applicable to tobacco and
cotton, it does not apply to flue-cur
ed tobacco, and there isn't enough
cotton grown in this county to effect
any great reduction in the amount of
benefit payments.
Martin County farmers and others
throughout the Bright Belt planted
so much tobacco that it is possible
for the Agricultural Adjustment"Ad
ministration to increase the rate of
payment to those farmers participat
ing in the program. In those belts
where the tobacco farmers recogniz
ed.the value of the soil conservation
program and held their plantings to
a minimum, it was found that the
appropriations were not sufficient j
to go around and the rate of payment '
was necessarily decreased
The following story was released
"itfidef" ft Washington dateline last
week-end
More than 4.000.000 farmers who
cooperated in the government's crop
control program this year received
notice that their benefit checks
would be ten per cent less than an
ticipated.
The Agricultural Adjustment Ad
ministration announced that the re
duction was necessary in order to
give all complying farmers a share
in the $500,000,000 provided by Con
gress for payments in 1939 under the
Soil Conservation Act.
Th<- reduction will apply to about
2,000.000 cotton farmers, several
thousand rice and tobacco growers
and 2^>00,4gW--oE .more f a rm -
ers in ten states designated by ihe
AAA as its north central region.
Because more farmers participated
in the programs for these groups than
was estimated last November, when
tentative payment rates were an
nounced. the AAA said the reduction
was mandatory. Shares* of the
groups in the $500,000,000 fund were
allocated at the time the tentative
rates were announced.
The farm act permits officials' to
increase or decrease payment rates
up to ten per cent. Under this pro
vision payments were increased 10
per cent in connection with The 1937
program.
Officials explained that the reduc
ed rates of payments under the so
cial conservation act would not ap
ply to price adjustment cheeks, which
come from a separate $212,000,000
fund.
Under the reduced schedule com
plying cotton growers will be paid
1.8 a pound instead of 2 cents; rice
growers 9 cents a hundred pounds
instead of 10 cents; and growers of
flue-cured and dark air-cured to
baceo 1.26 cents a pound instead of
1 4 cents
A 10 per cent reduction in the 1930
Agricultural Conservation payment
on cotton was explained by E. Y
Floyd. AAA executive officer of
State College, as follows:
"The program provides for an in
crease, or decrease, in the rate of
payment for any commodity, not to
exceed 10 per cent," Floyd stated.
"For example, if the rate was estab
lished on 80 per cent participation,
and it was determined that 90 per j
cent was participating, then the rate
would be decreased 10 per cent. On
the other hand, if the rate was based
on 80 per cent participation and there
was only 70 per cent participation,
then the payment would have been
increased 10 per cent."
The original payment was to have
been 2 cents per pound, based on a
farmer's allotted acreage multiplied
by his pormal yield. The revised
payment^will be 1.8 cents per pound,
multiplied by the farmer's normal
yield.
Floyd made the announcement af
ter receiving a telegram from W G
Finn, director of the East Central
region of the Agricultural Adjust
ment Administration, which read as
follows: "Estimated payments for
1939 Conservation Program in the
case of cotton . . . exceed amount
available for crop computed under
Section 15 of the Act by more than
10 per cent. Therefore, 1939 payment
and reduction rates will be 90 per
cent of rates specified in 1939 bulle
tin." -L
W illiam* Chapel Will Hold
Demonttralion Field Day
The annual Home Demonstration
Field Day will be held Thursday,
August 24th, beginning at 2:30 at
Williams Chapel.
As a part of the afternoon program
a "dress revue" will be held with
prizes given by Belk-Tyler Company
to be presented to the owners of the
best dresses made from material
purchased at that store.
Fanners Urged to Leave Open
Heads on Bundles of Tobacco
Without suggesting anything like
a penalty, big tobacco buying com
panies this week issued an appeal
through warehouse operators urging
I farmers not to cover or "cap" bun
dles of tobacco when preparing the
leaf for market. There is a general
practice on the pert of the growers
to take the wrapper and fold it over
the head of the stems and seal the
bundle, more or less tight. "The prac
tice possibly adds to the attractive
ness of a pile of tobacco, but it does
the tobacco no good and possibly
does it harm," a representative of one
of the big companies explained
It was pointed out that the com
panies, especially those entering the
export market, have experienced
substantial losses because the "cap
ped" bundle of tobacco was often
damp when placed in the hogsheadsn
for shipment. In the re-drying pro
cess. the heat cannot properly pene
trate the "capped" bundle and the
stems are often damp when packed.
In this condition, the stem has a ten
dency to rot and damage much to
bacco.
"The companies are not threaten
ing to effect an immediate penalty
upon those growers who continue
the practice of covering the bundle
head, but they are making it plain
that they do not want the tobacco
they buy "capped" and if the prac
tice is continued it is reasonable to
expect a slight penalty," a represen
tative of one of the companies ex
plained.
While some companies express no
opposition to the "capping" method,
there is an expressed opposition by
several major companies on all the
larkets.
Markets in This Belt
Flooded W ith T obaeco
r~
THRONGS
v >
While no one would venture a
guess, it was generally agreed
that more people visited Wil
liamston's tobacco market today
than on an other opening since
it was established thirty-seven
years ago. Cars were parked for
blocks into the residential sec
tions, and traffic was heavy on
all the principal streets.
The market was not without
celebrities for the opening sales.
Smiley "Frog' Kurnette, movie
stur and a favorite with local
film followers, observed the sales
for a few minutes. It was appar
ent that he never learned what
it was all about.
Boy Scouts Push
Safety Campaign
By HORACE RAY. Scoutmaster
The local Scouts hope that you
will notice the little cards placed on
several auto windshields, which cer
tifies that the driver is a member of
their safety club "by reason of his
increased interest in safety on our
streets and highways" and also help
ing their budget along at the same
time If you do notice you will see
that everyone of our doctors have
already had one of the registration
cards placed on their cars, for which
they have paid twenty five cents,
registration fee.
The mayor, who does not drive a
car, was the first to register with the
boys.
The Scouts are planning to put up
a sign on each of the highways lead
ing into town, bearing a safety slo
gan In addition to this, they are go
ing to get spfK'ial training in safety
mi that?th"v mT?y "'-nry-on" the
school's safety patrol thisyear with
more efficiency.
The boys have adopted several
sales-slogans of which their "Every
doctor a member" slogan has been
completed. They hope that this will
be a good starter, and are beginning
work immediately on their second
one, "Every fireman a member", af
ter which will follow, "Every Lion a
member' and so on, until they have
made a complete canvas of the city,
and get as near as possible to "Ev
ery car owner a member".
Please do not hesitate to register
-with ihe youngsters when called on.
9
More Resignations
In School Faculty
Local and county school authori
ties are having their trials and trib
ulations these days in the form of
faculty member resignations, the of
fice of the county superintendent an
nouncing' three positions uniflled as
of late Monday.
Louis Enloe, fifth grade teacher in
the Williamston school, has gone in
to the typewriter business down in
Birmingham and asked for his re
lease. Several applicants have been
interviewed and the position will
likely be filled before the end of the
week. ??
The newly appointed home eco
nomic teacher in the Oak City school
decided almost overnight that she
wanted to continue as dietician for
the Grove Park Inn and left the po
sition there vacant.
There are two positions vacant in
the Jamesville school, one in the sec
ond grade and one in the high school.
Several applications are now receiv
ing consideration, and the positions
will be filled shortly, a report from
the office of the county superinten
dent stated.
Miss Bettie Everett succeeds Fos
ter Fergerson in the local commer
cial department.
Well Over Hall A
Million Pound 8 011
The Local Market
Glut In Thought By Some To
Have Deprt'NNing Kffeet
(In PrieeTrend
?
The 1939 tobacco crop, described as
the largest on record, ?s fast coming
into the open, giving evidence of a
bountiful supply of the golden weed
in the Bright Belt. As far back as a
week, farmers started hauling the
crop to market and it is very likely
that some damaged leaf will beTouiul
before the selling day ends thus af
ternoon at 5 o'clock. Warehousemen
were busy late yesterday making
careful inspections to separate any
damaged tobacco from the open
sales.
A glut throughout the belt was
reported early yesterday, and in
some instances enough weed was on
the floors to hold the buyers for
several days.
On the Williamston market early
today, nearly three of the approxi |
mutely four acres of floor space wen
covered and tobacco continues to I
flow in. Even though the first and j
even the second sales were filled to
capacity, farmers continued to effect
deliveries, with an apparent content
to await their turn regardless of
sale The first sale was virtually fill
ed here last Friday night, and the
second sale was fast approaching the |
wall late yesterday afternoon with
the assurance that it would be crowd- J
ed to the wall early this morning. Re- J
ports from Supervisor K. B Craw- J
ford stated that the huge New Caro
lina house was about half filled early
todqv. and that it would be just about
chock 'o block when the buyers
reached there tomorrow.
The opening here today was de
scribed as the largest in history, the
offerings, approximating more than
half a million pounds, exceeding
those of the previous record by more
than one hundred thousand pounds.
Gluts were general throughout the
belt, according to unofficial reports
coming from the nine Bright Belt
markets. Greenville reported slight
ly in excess of a million pounds late
yesterday. Wilson had the largest
opening in its history, and predicted
an at!-time poundage for the season
Just when the block in the belt
will be cleared is dependent upon
reactions to the present price trend.
If the prices approximate 18 cents on
an average, it is possible that the
farmers will continue to rush the
crop to market as rapidly as they
can. If the price average drops a lit
tle, a break in the marketing rush
can be expected. But rush or no
rush, there's a big crop this season
and it isn't likely that it will find its
way to market inside of three
months.
Rear Grass Church Revival
Gets Underway Last Sunday
The regular fall evangelistic meet
ing of the Bear Grass Presbyterian
hurch began last Sunday and will
continue through September 3rd.
The Rev. Lous C. Lamotte, of Max
ton, N. C., is bringing the meisages
each night at 8 p. m. He is being as
sisted in this series of services by
Rev. John W Vinson, Jr., a recent
graduate of Union Theological Sem
inary in Richmond.
This meeting is the first of the fall
program of meetings of the Presby
terian church throughout the county
Others will follow at Roberson's Cha
pel Presbyterian Church, Poplar
Point, Gold Point, Prison Camp and
Roberionville. The meeting in Rob
ersonville will be held in the Wo
man's club building. *
Organized Thieves
Continue Raids In
Sections of County
Officers \gain Warn Farmers
To Securely Lock Their
Fackliouses
Thieves, recognized as an organiz- |
ed group out of the amateur class, i
returned to this county last week- j
end and cleared 138 chickens weigh
ing about three pounds each from
the coop of Farmer Prince Ayers.
near Everetts. Breaking two heavy I
locks on the coop door, the rogues I
did not leave a single chicken It j
was the second raid made in the Ay
ers barnyard in recent weeks, the
thieves carrying away, about 51)
chickens several weeks ago. Inves
tigating the case, officers state that
they are almost certain the two raids
were made by the same parties, that
the thieves are the ones who raided
four smokehouses on the Washing
, ton Koad, near Williamston-, the early
part of last week
According to reports reaching
nere, tne rogues, numbering possi
bly three, returned to the premises
of Farmer Will Taylor some time
during last Thursday night, but
made no raid on his property. The
hand is believed to have continued
from there to the Ayers farm While
Sheriff C. B. Roebuck was investi
gating the thieves' return visit to
the Taylor farm, he said that more
would be heard from the rogues.
Upon his return to the count house, a
call was waiting for him.
"We have worked night and day
lor a week in an effort to establish
a trace in the raids, but we have yet
to get. the first clue," Sheriff4 Roc
buck .said this morning lie added*
that wholesale thefts have been re
ported in other counties m this sec
tion of the State, hut there is some
doubt if one group of thieves is mak
ing all the raids.
"Gifted m their work, the thieves
leave no groundwork to build up a
case," Sheriff C. B. Roebuck ex- j
liable information it is impossible to
make arrests," be added.
Worried over the series of chicken i
and meat raids in the county, the of- j
ficer is even more worried over the !
possibility of numerous tobacco '
thefts in the county during the next
several weeks. While ready to an
swer any call at any time, the officer
icalizes how difficult it will be to '
run down the modem thief and up
peals to farmers to exercise every
possible precaution in protecting
their property from the common
thief.
Unofficial reports- state that the j
sale of locks has been materially in !
creased during the past few days, and
that quite a few fanners have been
purchasing gun shells packed with
liberal amounts of buckshot.
There are no marketing restric
tions on tobacco this season, and it is
reasonable to^believo that conditions
are more inviting to tobacco thieves
than they were a year ago
Curing llarn llnrns
In Couilly Siiinlay
111 luck, hounding a number of
Martin County tobacco farmers dur
ing the curing season, reached a cli
max on W. O. Donald's farm early
last Sunday morning when fire de
stroyed a curing barn and its con
tents. The barn had been kilh . out'
a week before, but finding the leaf
in high order last Saturday the far
mer fired up the oil burners to dry
it out. About one o'clock the follow
ing morning fire broke out and de
stroyed the property.
During the Season just ended, it is
estimated That between 35 tmtl?4t)
curing barns were destroyed by fire
in this county. It is generally believ
ed that the number of barns burned
this year constitutes a new high rec
ord in the county.
Wood and stick shortages caused
farmers much trouble, and to aggra
vate a troublesome situation the to
bacco was harder to cure this year
than in several seasons.
A fire was seen burning in possi
bly less than half a dozen furnaces
over the county yesterday, the cur
ing work virtually being at an ejid
today. Farmers are agreed that the
harvesting task this season was the
most strenuous and most trying in
the history of tobacco culture in this
section.
Demonstration (dubs To
IIohl Field liny Thursday
1
Martin County home demonstra
tion club members will hold their
I annual field day program with the*
| Williams Chapel club at 2:30 o'clock
Thursday afternoon, the home agent
announced today.
interesting contests have been
planned as a part of the program and
prizes, donated by various county
merchants, will be awarded the win
ners.
Club members Harriet Everett, Su
sie Revels and Edna Smith and Miss
Mclver will have parts on the pro
gram.
Official Average Of $17.60 Paid
To Gi ?owers For 37.256 Pounds
During First Hour Of Sales Today
Slow To Certify
Old \\ PA Workers
In Martin County
Welfare Offiee Will Foree
loriner W I' Voters To
Seek W ork
The approximately thirty Works
Progress Administration workers re
leased from the organization's rolls
in the county last month are likely
to ? xperience difficulty m getting
their johs Igick again, according to
mformation coming from the office
of the superintendent of welfare
here yesterday
When the administration decreed
a dismissal for all WPA workers w ho
had been on the rolls for more than
eighteen months, about thirty men
and women were dumped out in this
county. The enforced vacation of one
month ended yesterday, and a few
of the old workers returned to have
their cards recertified. Others wan
dered into private employment, and
; a few others possibly don't know
that their "vacation" period is over
and have not asked to be recertified.
Believing that there is ample work
to care for most unemployed, the
Welfare office is -s4ow to certify "'The"
WPA old-timers, and it is quite evi
dent that the WPA ranks will not be
refilled in this county immediately.
One person w ho had been on the
WPA rolls since 1932 until the lay
off a month ago asked that he be
certified and returned to work.
"Have you tried to got private em
ploynientV" he was asked. "No;" was
the answer "What have you been
doing during the past thirty days'-"
sorter vacationing." was the answer,
With a heavy work schedule on
the farms of the county, compara
lively few people have been certi
lied for work on Works Progress Ad
ministration projects in the county
during recent months. And there are
few indications that the WPA rolls
will be increased during the, next
lew months ?
Unofficial reports maintain that
there l, less unemployment in this
immediate section at the present
time since 1933
Ihiilrrprivili'fiwl
Tols tinier ( am J>
Sweeping the streets in the sever
al towns and gouif^ into poverty
stricken homes in the rural areas,)
county welfare authorities bundled ,
up sixty-five dependent and under |
privileged colored children and sent I
them to camp over. in Bertie Coun
ty yesterday for a week's outing. '
The Morgan children who have
made themselves prominent in and i
around the local hasehall park ac j
< oinpaiiied the gmup, tillt Sahdnlesl
return is anticipated ere another {
game is played. In fact, several were
looking for him hack last night, but j
h<.? did not show up.
Taking the indigent tots off the
streets, welfare authorities have vir
tually conquered the street-begging
habit for a week, at least.
Directed by Sam Williams, Jr.,
and Sam Mabry, Jr., the children are
receiving the benefits of the camp in
cluding meals for the small sum of
50 cents each for an entire week In
terested colored citizens furnished
the children transportation free.
klkctric i im
-\
Approximately eleven miles
were added to the rural electri
fication system in this county
last Saturday when a new line
running from Palmyra to Farm
er Jack Smith's home in Coosc
Nest Township was energized.
The new line serves approxi
mately thirty families, and is a
part of a 225-mile project now
being advanced by the Martin
Halifax Rural Electrification.
Corporation.
Current for the project is man
ufactured for the lines by the
Virginia Electric and Power
Company and sold wholesale to
a town in the territory for retail
distribution.
Caught Rushing
Hunting Season
Isaac Nichols, well-known colored
farhteP oi will mips Township, was
fined $15 and taxed with the costs
?for allegedly rushing the squirrel
season in the county last Saturday.
Justice J L llasscll who heard the
case, 'first proposed a $25 fine, hut
Isaac, tlie man who lost in the neigh
hoi hood of $1,000 in the old "pocket
hook game* several years ago, plead
ed for a reduction and got it
Passing through Williams Town
ship last Saturday, flame Warden
Hill Abbott heard reports from a
gun Later when he went to the
Nichols home, he had a difficult time
getting any information from Isaae,
but an old chicken- came to the aid
of the warden When she ran front
under the house with a squirrel skin
in her mouth. Nichols, admitting pos
session of squirrels' was.'quoted as
saying, "Boss, you sure have got
me" He showed the game warden
four squirrels which had been hid
den in a bucket amder the house
When the game warden reached
the home, Nichols invited him to
his apple orchard, The apples were
not ripe Nichols, hopeful of getting
the warden away from the house,
then invited him to his p? ar orchard
hut there were no pears there Nich
ols next invited Warden Abbott to
"one of the best corn fields m all tin*
county," hut the game protector ex
plained he was not interested in corn
just then, and Went hack to the house
to successfully prosecute the search
for something Isaae had no business
having in his possession at the par
tit ular season of the year.
The squirrels were turned over
to the county home for the -inmates
there
I no II reck* Uc/torlcil In
dak ( ily Irea Saliirtlay
Nil one was badly hurt hut con
siderable property damage was dyne I
iti two automobile area Tents near
Oak City last Saturday
The. cars of Will Jones and Hill i
Long sides wiped each Other neat
the Ktheridge farm Saturday noon,
causing a property darn age estimated j
at $200. That flight the cars of Joe
H. Whitfield and Thomas Purvis |
crashed, causing approximately $100
damage
Earlier in the Week, two cars
crashed on the Tarboro Highway,
near Oak City, and caused a damage
estimated at nearly $200. ? .. "v" '?
Farmers Expressing
No Opposition But
\re Not W oil Pleased
Not a Siuislr Tan I* Turned
Here lliiriiin Karl*
Morning Sale*
Tlii' tiisli iif nuirkPtuiK a huge tu
baeco crop got underway m the.
Bright H? 11 this morning when mil
lions oX- pounds of the golden leaf
were dumped on the floors of a doz
en markets to await the mercy of
the buyers. Crowded conditions were
reported general throughout the belt
with no definite hour or even a cer
tain day mentioned fur clearing what
are reported to be record blocks.
Starting its -ales promptly at y
i o'clock this morning, the local mar
i ket sold 37.236 pounds for an aver
j age *.i $17.60, a decrease of $7.11 per
hundred pounds as compared with
the estimated average on opening
[day here a year ago.
i The best break ot tobacco in ten
years* or nf(>re greeted the buyers on
1 the warehouse floors here this
i morning, and while competition was
! limited for the fancy types of tobac
co." it was quite evident from the
j start, that, all companies, including
' independents, were anxious fur the
i offerings The quality ot the offer
mgs was believed to havg boosted the
price average, the buyers stating that
it .was. hxjfair the best-they had seen
this year or in several years past
With all companies buying liberal
amounts, the Imperial was said to be
buying ?i record percentage of the
lugs. The American and Reynolds
were also buying unusually heavy of
eighteen to twenty five rents The
Skmher Company was directing a
powerful punch to boost the com
mon and medium grades, reports
from the market maintaining that
common tobacco was selling good
and good tobacco was selling com
moirr
While farmers were not at all ju
bilant. they expressed no opposition
to the prevailing prices during the
i aiiv inorfung sales, and m a way,
I the -.'opening was regarded the most
ucQessfuj in the history of the local
market. Not a singly tag was turned
during the first hour of sales, and
score.-, til" tanners stated that the
price-average was about what they
i xpected
While tin general price average
hoveled around seventeen cents,
prices ranged from ten to twenty
eight cents during tin- first selling
period One pile commanded as lit
tie as three and three-quarters cents,
and another pile sold slightly Under
ax cents, hut they were the only
two piles that were seen to com
mand less than nine cents in the
eai ly .morning period.
.Individual avetagen. lunged.?as?
high as twenty one and twenty-two,
rents, and in every one of those
eases the growers expressed com
plete satisfaction.
Racked am the market in what was
deseribed as a high state of order,
some tobacco was slightly damaged,
but apparently affected the price
very little except in possibly a few
cases *
Marketing activities were very or
dei ly even though tens of hundreds
of people milled m and out. of the
(Continued on page six)
Highway Accident Record
Martin County motorists went through at least six automobile
accidents last week without any serious injury resulting, hut the
property damage continued to mount. The number of accidents cstab
lished a new high record for such a brief period and pushed the to
tal number since the first of the year to 34 in the county Three ol
the wrecks were centered in the Oak City section where an old
car, valued at hardly more than $50 was demolished, and five others
were damaged A fourth wreck was reported on Wi I Irani stop's
West MpjhTStreet where a ear .sktdded On till' wet pavement ami
turned over and two involved Roborsonville people.
The travel hazard on the highways of this section has been ag
gravated during the past few days with the seasonal introduction of
light trailers by tobacco farmers going to market. The farmer has
a problem in equipping his trailer with proper lights and positive
hitches, and is due every consideration, no doubt, but he should re
member that life and limb are worth more than a common load of
tobacco.
The season of increased traffic is now underway, and it is fit
ting for everyone to exercise a greater precaution in the drive to
save human life and limb and prevent damage to property.
An unofficial comparison of accident records in the county for
the post week and for previous weeks in the year follows;
Property
Accidents Injured Killed Damage
Last Week's Record 6 1 0 $ 475.00
Prior Record 28 25 7 7,250.00
TOTALS 34 26 7 $7,725.00
Throngs Attended
( Imrcli Restoration
Recently restored to a good state
| of preservation, old Morattock
Church-in Washington County at
tracted nearly 2,000 people to its
I home-coming services there last
; Sunday. It was a great day in the
I history of the Primitive Baptist
C'liurch in this section of North Car
olina, hundreds of followers of the
faith and hundreds of their friends
gathering at the historic shrine to
celebrate the restoration of the old
I ehurchr Scores of persons attended
from this county, including leaders
[ m the faith.
Kstablished in May, 1785, the
church building figured in the early
religious history of the section.
Change came with time, and a
shrinking membership allowed the
tincture to fall into a bad state of
repair. Its top rotted down, the
I church building was restored
| through the untiring efforts of John
W Darden, and it is now believed
I the church there will reflect a re
in -wed interest and growth.
High spots in the history of the
j church were recorded when the Ke
I hukee Association met there in 1804.
1809, 1814, 1849 and again in 1880.
Nine ministers and Attorney H.
| S. W*rd participated in the last
Sunday program which was held un
der the direction of Mr. Darden.