North Carolina Newspapers

Watch the Label on Your Paper, As It Carries the Date Your Subscription Expires. THE ENTERPRISE s | Advertisers Will Find Our Col- |J hj umrts a Latchkey u> ovt*i i 6v>o 1 | Homes of Martin County. N VOLUME XLIII NUMBER 4 S illiamtlon, Martin f.nunly^ North Carolina, Friday. January 12* l'}H)r FSTAW isHfn moo Farm Purchasers Hold Meeting In Courthouse Here ' Work Accomplished I Tenant Purchase Act Is Reviewed Eight farm families who have re reived loans from the ^"in ity Administration to buy ,armfs Mrtm County, under the terms of the Bain khead - Jones Tenant act. met here yesterday, to take inventory of their first years work and to make p ans for the new year Three familit were unable to be present. David Modlin. FSA county super^ visor said a summary of the records of these families show that they have *ble to meet their obligations to the government in a satisfactory manner and have made promising gains as revealed by increased in ventories. ??yrr" ?Now-that hey are permanently located, with a chance to improve their own farms and reap the bene fits therefrom, the families have an altogether new outlook and a keen er interest in community affairs. Mr Modlin pointed out The farmers attending the meet mg gained valuable information from ^smother, tn going over their rocord books and in talking over their farm problems The wives al so swapped ideas about improve ments in the home-running wat in the kitchen, screened in porcnts. -yMr-mund|gardeps_j|gj_tbm^^ attractive. , ? It is the purpose of the FbA. cooperation with the extension ser vice and other agriculture agen cies. to render as much practical as Stance to these- families as possible to help them build up their farms Ind to carry out the farming prat farms" the supervisor said. Farm improvement is not a one-ye.r )ob hut should continue year afttr y on the basis of carefully laid plans. T?ierefore. in addition to our regu lar Visits to the farms during the Brtnoon these meetings will measure progress ""d to help the farmers with their plans. Results of this first meeting indicate t a our tenant-purchase borrowers^a Keen sold on this idea and already have taken initial steps toward a better balanced farm program. In addition to those borrowing to liuv farms, there are 81 other faim l^mthis county. boU. ?^.nd small farm owners, w?? are borrow ing under FSA's rehabilitation prm ?gmlo buy |e=, seed, farm jjjjngs'1 needed on the farm Only those buying farms (and whei^ave _.j? ... least one crop) attenaio X meeting The tenanhpurchas nroeram is a gradually increasing program and has been in operation in this county only one year. Mr Modlin stated that Mayo^lar dison, Gaston James and J- R Wins low the three local farmers com ?>*ing the county tenant-purchase committee, have rendered valuable trsrvs I Sriarsstx'Sti Church League Will Hold Meet Sunday The Martin County Young Peo ple'! Interdenominational League will hold its first meeting of the new year in the Rosen Sharon Free Will Baptist Church, near Bear urass, Sunday afternoon at 4 o'clock. Miss Mary Elizabeth Keel, president of the league, announced today that a splendid program had been prepar ed and that a full attendance is ex pected. Dr H. S. Hilley, Atlantic Christian College president, will be the guest speaker. Each church in the county is be ing urged to have a representative present for the session. Much work has been accomplish ed by the league during the past year, and the leaders are planning greater accomplishments in 1940 Ask Farmers To Plant Below Their 1940 Tobacco. Quotas Declaring that only a half crop of tobacco was needed to meet the de mand, J. B. Hulaon, tobacco admin istrator in an address to farm lead ers in Raleigh Wednesday, urged farmers to plant 10 per cent less than the acreage called for in the allot ments released to them this week. "The out in production should be about 35 per cent instead of 20 per cent the farmers voted to make in the referendum last fall," he said Continuing he said, "We might as well face the facts and warn farm ers not to incur the expense of heavy plantings. Flue-cured tobacco is a worthwhile crop only as long as it returns an income above expense of growing it. Tobacco growing will not be profitable until the huge surplus is used." The assistant AAA administrator points out that about the only sal vation for the farmer rests in a below the allotments, complete par ticipation in the soil conservation program and a live-at-home policy that will provide adequate food and feed supplies for the farm and home. Hutson reservedly commented" on the price outlook when interrogated by Dr. I O. Schaub, director of State College Extension. Asked if the 1940 crop would average 12 cents or 25 cents. Hutson stated he believed that average would be nearer the lower figure. Reviewing briefly the activity of the government on the markets last fall, Hutson said that the Commod ity Credit Corporation financed the purchase of around 175,000,000 pounds of tobacco for $38,000,000. The Imperial Tobacco Company is expected to exercise its option on these purchases on or Jsrfbre June New Mercantile Firm To Operate Store Here . ? r 1 PRESIDENT i / Sylvester Peel, leading coun ty citizen and Christian gentle man, was recently reelected to the presidency of the Martin County Mutual Fire Insurance Association. He is now serving his sixth term with the organi zation. Small Child Badly . r ? : J Burned Near Here Critically burned while playing with matches at the home of his par ents, Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Gurkin, in Griffins Township last week-end, little Jimmie Gurkin, about five years old, was reported to be get ting along as well as could be expect ed today. While he is expected to re cover. the little fellow was said to be suffering much pajn Playing with a four-year-old rela tive, the child fired a small building in the yard of his home and the fire caught his clothes. His clothes on his right leg were burned, and all the skin on the limb came of. His little playmate tried to throw dirt on him, but he darted into the house where his mother threw a blanket around him &flfl srnutHl'U'll the fire. PoHow ing first-aid treatment, he was plac ed under a bed tent at his home. Reports state that the little fel iow a Short tlme tjcforc fired some old tobacco cloth hanging on a fence Builder Knrapen Injury In Fall From limine Top Albert Gurkin, building contract or, was slightly bruised, but not badly hurt the early part of this I week when he slipped on ice-cover I ed timbers and fell from a house | near here r Money for the Asking, and Yet Farmers Will Not Ask It There's gold waiting tor Martin County farmers in the aoil conser vation program, but strange as it may seem, quite a few of the growers won't bother to ask for it, according to information coming from the of fice of the county farm agent this week. A last call for application! for cotton price adjustment payments for 193S is being issued, and nearly 100 farmers are being urged to perfect their applications for suit-conserva tion payments due them under the 1939 Agricultural Adjustment Ad ministration program*. January 31 has been set as the deadline for filing applications for the cotton price adjustment pay ments, the farm agent's office ex plaining that 903 applications had been filed and that 1,619 cotton far mers had received their checks a long time agp Only a few fanners have not filed their applications, but those few are entitled to around $1, 000 in price adjustment payments To date, $29,094.69 has been distrib uted to the cotton growers in the form of adjustment payment under the terms of the 1939 program. Last reports coming from the 600 farmers in this county have ap plied for the soil conservation pay ments. There are about 100 more Eligible to participate in the distri bution of the soil conservation funds. It is a bit puzzling for the of fice employees to understand why the farmers have not filed their ap plications, for the sooner they ap ply, the sooner they will receive their payments. Mo soil conserva tion payments under the 1939 pro gram have been made, but a number of applications have been filed with the Raleigh office and payments are expected within a few weeks. Martin Supply Co. Located In Bowen Kt-rt-iilly Or^nui/.i-il liy Wrll Knot.ii I.im-hI mill County ItiHiiimni M*?u The Martin Supply Company, re cently organized by loading local and county business men. will open general mercantile establishment in the Bowen Brothers Building on Washington Street next Wednesday, it was announced this morning by Eddie M Trahey, manager of the new firm. ?A large stock, purchased just?a_| few days ago, will be moved into the store this week-end or just as soon as remodeling work on the building is completed. The opening for the new firm was created when Bowen Brothers dissolved partnership after operating a number of years follow ing the death of Mr. John M Bowen, one of the founders and partner-op erator for several years. Under the management of Mr. Eddie Trahey, who was prominent ly connected with the firm of Har rison Brothers for several years be fore the business was liquidated a year ago, the new firm is owned by the following stockholders, Messrs. Noah R. Peel, Luther Peel, Oscpr Peel. Irving Griffin, Woodrow Tice. James M. Peel, J. Edward Corey, Clarence Griffin, J G. Corey, Wheel er Martin, Garland Coltrain, Steph en Manning and Mr Trahey. These men are recognized as among the leading citizens of the county and are able business men. They arc widely known throughout this sec tion of eastern Carolina, and news of their business venture will he well received over a wide territory. "We plan to carry a complete stock of merchandise to meet the every need of the farm and family," Mr Trahey said, in announcing the for mal opening date Large stocks of popular merchandise have already been purchased, and the firm, oper ating on both a cash and credit ba sis, will specialize in the sale of gen eral farm supplies, including fertiliz er, seeds and feeds and staple grocer Mr Stephen Manning, leadiitg rounty farmer and merchant, will je actively associated with the man Former Resident Of (lounty Dies Mrs. Elizabeth Green Slede, a resi dent of Hamilton for a long number of years, died at the home of Mr and Mrs. A. D. Alston- in Warrenton early last Tuesday following an ill ness of long duration. She was the daughter of the late Dr. Simon Thomas and Martha Bowers Jenkins Green, of Warrenton. Following her marriage to Thom as B Slade years ago, she made her home in Hamilton. Some time after Mr. Slade's death she moved to Lit tleton about 1031. later going to Warrenton to make her home. She was a member of the Eman uel Episcopal Church and services were conducted there Interment was in Suffolk, Va. ane leaves no children, but sevci al nieces and nephews survive her. Will It a i hi Recreational Hall For Colored Children Sponsored by local colored citi zens, a modern recreational center will be established near the ceme tery here within the near future. The National Youth Administration has appropriated slightly more than |8, 000 for the project, the remainder to be financed by the sponsors. The def inite cost of the project is not defi nitely known. Ei^ht Cases Called In Recorders Court By judge H. O.Peel Com pa rati vely Short Se**ion Hehl hy County Trihiinal loi*t Monday I Carrying only eight cases and at-1 trading very little attention (rani the general public, the weekly crim-| inal docket in the county recorder's court was cleared in a comparative ly short time last Monday. Judge H O. Peel presided and Solicitor D. E. Johnson was at his desk to head the prosecution. The court was adjourn- j ed before noon. Proceedings: Charged with simple assault. Vance Brooks was sentenced to the' roads for a term of thirty days. Prayer for judgment was contin ued until March 11 in the case charg ing James E. Whitaker with violat ing the motor vehicle laws. ,Learn on "Red" Taylor, charged with reckless and careless driving was fined $25. taxed with the cost ! and had his license to operate a mo tor vehicle revoked for a period of i one year. He appealed and bond was j required in the sum of $100. David Page, charged with passing ty. The case was continued under I prayer for judgment until the second j Monday in September, this year. Pleading guilty in the case dung ing him with an assault with a dead ly weapon, Charlie Francis Gray was j oi nurty days. 1 Judgment was suspended upon payment of the cost and the gua'ran teed good behavior of the defendant for the next two years in the casti charging Floyd Simpson with hj[ and run diiving.?Simpson plcadbd guilty to the charge. Harvey Rascoe pleaded guilty of drunken driving and was fined $50 I and taxed with the case costs. His li j cense to operate a motor vehicle whs revoked for one year In the case charging George W. Coltrain with disorderly conduct and i an assault, a motion for non-suit was I grained by Judge. Peel ai die con | elusion of the evidence offered by the State. Woman's dub Holds Meeting Wednesday Orpiiiization Voir* To Spon Hor liirlli Control Clinie In CoiiiiIv The regular meeting of the Wo man's Club was held in the club rooms Wednesday afternoon, Janu ary 10, with a considerable number of the members in attendance. "Oie meeting was featured by a splendid program on tiff Pre School Child, presented by the education depart ment, Mr*, llarrell Everett, chair man. Rev. Z. T. Piephoff made a short but impressive talk -on "Why the Pre-School Age Is Important", in which he stressed tin* value of prop er training and its influence through out tin- child's life. Mrs. John L. Goff then spoke on "Children's Rights," reviewing the l ights of a child and pointing out the responsibilities of parents toward their children "Learning by Doing" was the topic of remarks by Miss Jo sephine Harrison, in which she dis russed tlx importance of correct kin dergarten training in preparation for school work. The program wo.; con cluded WItti an interesting -playlet entitled, "Who knows", given By te*? pie-school age children, assisted by Mrs. A. J. Osteen. During the business session of the meeting the club voted unanimous ly to sponsor a birth control clinic in Williamston, the? work to be car ried on by the Martin County Health Department in-conjunction with state and national health service. Plans for establishing the clinic have not he formulated us far as it could be learned here today. J?jcojterly Owners Are Slow To List Taxes In County Although the month Is near ly half gone, leas than one-fifth of the property owners in the county have listed Ulelr prop erty for taxation. R. M. Hurras, list-laker Tor Willlam*ton Township, said yes terday that while he had bean fairly busy sinre the work was started nearly two weeks ago, hardly more than 200 property owners had listed their holdings as required by law. With no lime extension likely to be granted by the commissioners, a last minute rush is now ex pected as the fi lal date draws near. The number of listings to date has been se small that It is dif ficult to offer any reliable pre diction as to the valuation trend, Mr. Hurras said, adding that he believed there would be a alight increase. Chamberoi'Coinmerf Directors In Meeting Name Billie Clark As Secretary For New Organization Dini'lor* Draft (i. H. Ilurri miii To Smc W I'roiilcnl First Year ast Wednesday eveninc when jOiirkwas named seereTary Showing a marked interest in its possibilities and recognizing the need for an active local chamber of commerce, recently elected direc tors in a special meeting at the Branch Bank tentatively launched a program of action for the urganiza tion last Bit lie and .instructions were issued for large and representative member ship among the various groups, in cluding merchants, manufacturers, professional and other business men Having hurriedly conducted a1 round-up of the possible member? ship, thi' organiyafthn committee told the Wrdnrsday cvrmrTg-meeting thnt; it had met with a far greater success than was anticipated and that the I outlook was unusually bright for an active and valuable commerce or ganization here Although hardly j more than a third complete. the' m??mh?>rship Hriv?? h;is already pledy- j ed approximately $1,000 in support ol 4hc movement. This figure does, npt take into consideration any par-, ticipation by the tobacco board of trade or the merchants as a unit un der a regular merchants' organiza- ^ tion. 1 Plans 'were tentatively advanced to operate the three units under single head, the group agreeing that in this way a fairly extensive bud get can be easily financed than if the activities were limited to those com-1 mon to the chamber of commerce as a single unit. I ?Several matters of,public import-j ance were discussed at the meeting.! and the newly elected secretary is expected to get busy with them im mediately. ? ?-? __ ,J Pending the action of the full membership in a regular meeting on February 2, no headquarters for the organization were established, the secretary to share another's office until after the regular meeting next 'nionth. By-'laws and a tentative schedule of procedure will be pre pared for consideration at the meet ing.? ? ? - - .. - Carrying on the work of a cham ber of commerce and sharing the expense personally during a long number of years. Mr. (i H. Harrison i advised the meeting that he could not accept the presidency of the or- j gani/ation While the directors ap preciated his portion, they named a drafting committee to talk with Mr. Harrison in an effort to have him accept the job for at least a year,. The directors decided to schedule regular monthly meetings for the last Friday night before the first ! Monday. Permission for holding the sessions in the agricultural building will be asked. There were fourteen directors; present for the meeting this week, and judging from the interest shown it is quite evident that Williamston can and will support an active com merce organization Eurly reports from the field state, that the newly elected secretary is being well received by business J firm operators and professional men (niuranty Bank Has Its Annual Meeting The thirty-ninth annual meeting i of the stockholders of Guaranty Bank and Trust Company was held in Greenville last Tuesday afternoon. Prior to the meeting the branch cashiers and their boards of manag ers were entertained at a luncheon in the Proctof hotel dining room. Messrs K L. Coburn and I) V. Clay ton represented the local branch. The stockholders meeting was pre sided over by K G. Flanagan, who has served the institution as presi dent since 1912. W. H. Woolard, who has been executive vice-president since 1920, made comments on the condition of the. bank as of Decern bef 31, 1939, at which time, he stated the bank had $6,979,034.95, or 83 per cent of deposits, hi rash or high-grade marketable bonds of short maturity, lie expH'ssi'd uppir ciation to the employees, directors and branch managers who assisted in making the enviable record for 1039. J. H. Waldrop, cashier, submitted a report of operations and earnings, showing that the bank had had the best year in ita history, and after making substantial additions to sur plus, undivided profits tyid reserve I accounts, dividend checks amount Ing to 15 per cent of the banks' com mon capital were distributed to the stockholders. D. V. Clayton was reelected cash-' iaf of the local branch. J. W. Griffin. Miss Thelma Lilley and Phillip Keel were also reelected to serve on the j staff of the local branch. PRESIDENT \ Drafted into service by a spec ial committee ofthe recently or ganized local chamber of com merce. >li C. II. Harrison, af ter asking that someone else be named to the post, reconsidered and formally accepted the pres idency of the organization last evening. Crowing Sentiment For A Lon<f Range Leaf Control Plan Alcmlx'r of Advisory Commit tee Says Farmers Favor ing .Wear Program A movement started by resolutions passed by the American Farm Bur eau Federation to create a long range program for tobacco produc tion control is gaining support rap idly, and it is generally believed that the present Congress will he re quested to act on the proposal. Claude T Hall, chairman of the tobacco growers advisory commit I tee, member of the State Board of Agriculture and a leader in the crop control movement, after a survey: conducted throughout the tobacco territory reports a growing sentiment for a long range program \ tTT a statcmrrH issued a few days ago. Mi Hall said "Kecently 1 have taken a swing through the tobacco section and 1 find that%he demand for a three to five -year-\m?gram?-fur?tubaccu?ls_ greater than ever before Growers are thoroughly awardOT UW fact that if we are to receivV the greatest ben efit and retufn from our sacrifice in reduction of acres, so as to make it more effective, we must have a ' program for more than one year It! is evident that the buyers will not pay as good an average where then is an' uncertainty as to the size of each succeeding crop. It makes the program harder to administer be cause of the new growers taking up the increase in acres, by reason of increase in consumption, thereby, causing much dissatisfaction un the. part of regular growers. "Kecogni/ing these advantages and' ' disadvantages. 1 have sounded out the feeling and judgment of the North Carolina Farm Bureau Fed < ration, North Carolina Department of Agriculture, members of North Carolina Grange, Tobacco Growers Advisory Committee, State AAA, committees and several congress men, and above all the growers themselves^ und the feeling of all is that it is to the best interest of all concerned and that they are all ready to use their full force and sup port to join with us and Congress tc amend the present bill so that we may have a v chance .to vote for a longer period "May I suggest to the growers that (Contintied on page fouTl Legion Post Will Operate Fair Here This Coming Fall V. J. Grey, Former Ser>iee >lan. To Manage Martin County Fair Perfecting an operating organiza lUun recently, the John WaltQH Has sell Post of thej American Legion | will promote a fair in Williamston , this eoming fall. Mr. W E. Dunn, I spokesman for the organization com mitter announced today Papers for the incorporation of the Martin County Agricultural Fair As sociation have been forwarded to I the Secretary of State, and the or ] ganization will be ready to start i advancing its plans for the fair with in the next two or three weeks, Mr. Dunn explained A J Grey, former service man pimt successful manager of thr | Greenville fair during the past sev jeral seasons, has been named to manage the fair in this county The I fan grounds anci property rights for holding the fair have been leased from the owner. Mr Jim G. Staton. j for one year, the lessors exercising | the tight tn extend the lease for two I or more years. A radical change in the policies as jthcy relate to the fair management will be effected, Mr. Dunn, of the , organization committee,<*fcxpiained. j General admissions will be reduced ' to ten cents, and the agricultural features will be stressed along with i varums club. school arid other types of exhibits. Cash for the premiums will be raised and placed in a coun ty bank prior to the opening of the fair and made subject to premium checks only ~We ptan to offer this section a real agricultural fair, a fair that the section and its people rightfully deserve." Mr. Dunn add ed Tlir organization committee, com posed of William Gray, commander of the legion post; J. R Winslow, H. G Horton, W. E Dunn and J. E. Boykin, asked for the^ incorporation papers with all members of the le gion as siocKholders. The fair will be operated as a non profit organization, it was pointed out. Dates tor holding the fair and the booking of shows and grandstand acts will receive consideration at a meeting of state fair association of ficials at a meeting to be held in Raleigh the latter part of this month. The North Carolina Fair Operat ing Company, Chambliss and Hamid, operators, withdrew from this field following the expiration of a five Tear least- Inst fall. Several compan ies entered bids for the grounds, but the owner rtg-ognized the bid of the county legion post committee. Names of the corporation officers TCTtt hr~TTTiTdr pntrlic shortly. Native Of Town Dies In Norfolk Mrs John T. Downey, Williams - ton native and a sister of Mrs. J. S Cooke here, died in a Norfolk hos pital last Monday morning from peritonitis developing following an operation for appendicitis about four weeks ago. Miss Nellie Kstelle Ray before her mfltriagc, she was born in Williams ton 60 years ago, the daughter of the late Mi and Mrs. Augustus Ray, prominent Williamston family. Ray Street here was named for her fa ther ?In early?womanhood she moved to Norfolk and murried;?her hua-. hand and four daughters, Mrs. Hay wood Holland, Mrs. Sidney T^roctor, Mrs Howard Isaacs and Mrs. How aid Whitchurst, ah of Norfolk, sur viving She leaves only one sister, Mrs. Cooke, of this place. Funeral services were conducted Wednesday morning at 11 o'clock by her pastor, and interment followed in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Norfolk. Mrs. Downey often visited her sis ter here, making her last trip to Wil liamston in late summer of last yeaT. Schools Here A re Faced With SSrious Attendance Problem Pour attendance in tlie local schools reached serious proportions durinttfiis week, a check of teach ers* records revealing that an aver age of mncty five chddren were absent from their classrooms each day. Attendance wis at Its wont last Monday when a total of one hun dred and, forty-five pupils, 122 ele mentary and 23 high school, failed to report. Slight improvement each day failed to bring the attendance lerot'l bad to normal at the cloaa of lite week. School authorities urs unable to account for the large num ber of absences sltjce busses oper ated on schedule except on Wednes day when some mechanical trouble was experienced. Very little sickness exists in the school district gn?t the severe cold weather of the week is hardly accountable for so many ab sences In addition to the loasea in1 at tendance school records reveal that 33 children have moved from the district since the Christmas holidayfc and only ten have moved in and en rolled to take their Places In tha classrooms According to the infoi* mation available more of the loaaaa a re lot atma in Beaufort CniilltT IhW in any other one county. With the expected break in the weather It is hoped that claia work will proceed with normal attendant? at the first of the coming week. Incomplete reports point to rec ord-low attendance figures through out the county. Moving has b? vanced on a comparatively scale to date, tfce reports stating t tew families have moved in to 1 the placet of those who moved i of the county, several of the i reporting losses and no gains, number of pupils.