North Carolina Newspapers

Watch The Label On Your Paper, Aa It Cairiaa The Data Your Subacription Expiree 'J HHE ENTERPRISE 1 Advertiser! Will Find Our Col umns A Latchkey To Over 1,600 Homes Of Martin County. VOLUME XLIII?NUMBER 56 William Hon, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, July 12, 194V. ESTABLISHED 1899 Large Reduction In Tobacco Crop In This Section Production Estimate* in the County Are Far Belon General Average Martin County farmers by their own volition and by the acts of Prov idence are cooperating 100 per cent to cut down the huge surplus 'stock of tobaccos. Reliable estimates point to a crop hardly half the size of the one produced and marketed last year. Acreages were cut nearly half this year as compared with the plant ings last season, and yields will fall considerably under normal produc tion schedules. It has been reliably estimated that the per acre yield as a general rule will not exceed 790-800 pounds against a yield of more than 900 pounds harvested last season. Expresing uneasiness ten days ago, many farmers in this county are now becoming alarmed over the dry season and its devastating ef fects. "Unless we have rain short ly, we won't produce more than two or three hundred pounds of tobacco to the acre," several farmers were quoted as saying this week. The corn crop is seriously curtailed already, and production will be far below normal in this county. Almost cer tain there'll be a corn shortage on their farms, quite a few farmers are marketing their hogs and abandon ing plans for swine raising next year. Light rains have been reported in small areas over the county this week, but as a whole the county is experiencing its most severe dry season in several years. "The crops are at a standstill, and a few of them are actually drying up," farmers de clare. The nation's crop outlook, while hardly up to 1939 production sched ules, is considered fairly favorable, as a whole. Even in other sections of the state there has been adequate rains to promote growth and crops are looking good. The Piedmont area starting west of Rocky Mount and running through Durham, Person and other counties in this State and on toward Danville, reports a favor able outlook for tobacco. It is estimated that this State has 502,000 acres planted to tobacco, and that a production of 458,540,000 ponnHs in evpeeed the average per Last year 855,000 acres were plant ed to the crop, the production ap proximating more than 803,000,000 pounds or a per acre yield of 939 pounds. The tobacco crop for the entire nation this year is estimated at 1, 291,685,000 pounds as compared with 1,848,564,000 pounds produced last season Hie estimated yield this year is only slightly under the ten-year average of 1,360,661,000 pounds The agriculture department esti mates the 1940 corn crop at 2,415, 098,000 bushels and total wheat pro duction at 728,644,000 bushels on the basis of July 1 crop condition. Corn production was 2,619,137,000 1929-38 2,299,342,000 bushels. The country's wheat crop totaled 754,971,000 bushels last year Sewing Room Here Closes This Week The Martin County sewing room, operated here during the past sever al years in cooperation with the Works Progress Administration, suspended operations and closed its doors in the Leggett Building over the Williamston Cafe last Tuesday. The project was forced to close when the county authorities found it next to impossible to in clude a $2,800 appropriation in the budget for financing the work dur ing the new fiscal year. It was re ported that the commissioners had agreed to appropriate approximate ly $1,000 for the project, but the amount was not considered suffi cient to finance the work. When the sewing room was closed this week, most Of the sixteen em ployees there were transferred to a county cleaning project for a short while with the understanding that they would be given places in the school matron service next fall. Hie cleaning project, already underway in the county courthouse, will be extended to all the school buildings in the county, it is understood. The equipment used in the room, including the nineteen sewing ma chines. will be removed to the WPA storage warehouse in Windsor. Monk Palter ton, Colored, Diet Suddenly Tuesday Monk Patterson, colored laborer, died suddenly at his home here last Tuesday evening from an undeter mined cause. His passing was so sud den that Coroner S. R Biggs and Sheriff C. B. Roebuck were called to make an investigation. No evi dence of foul play could be uncov ered, and the case was dropped. Patterson, a heavy user of alco hol, was taken ill after a hard day's work Monday. A doctor was not celled until late the following day, AXUi thf BMP rWetA fopfnrr* ho ^|1/^ reach him. About 46 years old, Patterson was an expert mortar mixer, and it is generally believed that he helped put more buildings together here than any other one man. Will Hold Several Important Farm Meetings In the County Recognizing the seriousness sur rounding the agricultural situation in the tobacco territories and sin cerely anxious to have Martin Coun ty at the front in the battle for farm equality, agricultural leaders are planning a series of community meetings in seven districts during the next few days. In the past these meetings, as a rule, have been poorly attended, but the seriousness of the present sit uation is such that every meeting house should be crowded to capacity. The community meetings will be fea tured by an informal discussion of the tobacco outlook and referendum to be held on Saturday of next week. July 20. These informal dis cussions. to be led by agricultural leaders, business men and farmers themselves .are certain to prove of interest and value, and every far mer is urged to attend one or more of the meetings. Similar meetings are being held in hundreds of tobacco counties in this and other states, and while considerable interest is being shown in some sections there is lit tle attention being given the prob lem in others, reports state. The first of the meetings in this county will be held in the James ville school Friday night, July 12, at 8 o'clock. Next Monday night at the same hour, meetings will be held in the school buildings at Oak City, Hassell and Everetts. Next Tuesday night hundreds of farmers will at tend a barbecue supper at Roberson ville. On Wednesday, July 17. meet ings will be held In the Bear Grass school, Williams Township House and Farm Life school. All meetings will be held promptly at 8 o'clock, | and will last for brief periods. Activities of War Are Centering on Blocade DIRECTOR Assistant Secretary of the Goldman Package Manufactur inc Company, Milton L. Gold man will maintain local resi dence as director of Southern operations for his firm. The com pany is opening its new factory here next Monday. Physical Fitness Is Vital Factor In Prosecuting War One-third of Man Power Was] Physically Unfit for War Back in 1917 1 Addressing the Rotary Club of Raleigh on physical preparedness, Dr Carl V. Reynolds. North Caro lina State Health officer, recently said. "There is a time for ull things ? so at this time when we have at large three desperadoes and their cohorts, pirates, if you please?trampling un der foot all international and moral laws of human security and relation ship, it is expedient that we should, as individuals; give to it serious con sideration. "Bijlions have been appropriated for armament but little has been said as yet as to the equipment of the human machine for prosecut ing the war, should it come, at the front and at home. "When might is right and the Mon roe Doctrine is a mere scrap of pa per, it seems to me that it is high time for us to take stock of our phys ical assets and liabilities lest our liberty, freedom and pursuit of hap (Continued on page six) Cotton Ginningg Reach A New Low Level In County Gradually bowing before the trend toward tobacco over a per iod of years, cotton, at one Ume king of crops in this county, reached a new low production level within the Martin boun daries last year. Aggravated by weather ecoditions, the ease of cotton was all but last when the boll weevil appeared in increas ed numbers. As few as ten bales of the lint were harvested from lM-aere blocks, and a few far mers finding their fields almost bare at harvest time did not go to the trouble to pick the white spoeks from the stalks. Asserting to an official gov ed, there were 5ZS bales of cot ton ginned In this county last year. Production, while consid erably lorn than In the previous " Ml,US Both Sides Resort To Methods Likely To Result In Want Extensive Air Rui<l? Mude by Both Germany ami England With no convenient grounds upon which to do battle at the present, the German war lords are pounding at the British Isles and pushing with all their might a blocade in an ef fort to starve England into submis sion. But England is practicing the same methods, and while other phases of the war have been placed on the ihelf temporarily renewed Interest in air nnrt spa urnrTaro is apparent. Germany claims that the sea at tacks on English shipping during recent weeks have topped old World War records, that 609,000 Inns at British shipping had been destroy ed since early in June by submarines and that bombers had exacted a heavy loss toll during the period. Germany now claims that 4,329,000 tons of Allied shipping have been destroyed since the beginning of the war, that 300 ships had been de stroyed or damaged. Despite German's claim and far flung assertions, it would appear that the British hold the advantage when it comes to the blocade. Time, and time only, will tell who holds the advantage, but it is apparent that Hitler recognized the power bound up in hunger and want and that he is making a desperate effort to counter England's blocade attempt. A fierce air battle was reported again off the English coast yester day, when the Royal Air Force downed 27 Nazi planes, 14 of them bombers. King George of England had a narrow escape when an air raid followed his visit to an undis closed point on the island. ?The Italians are going ahead with their claims, and it is startling news to the Britons to learn that their big warship, "Hood", has been sunk for the fourth time. Today marked an intensified air attack by Nazi air bombers on Eng land and a thrust at shipping by Fascist planes on British sea forces in the Mediterranean. The Nazi planes flew over all parts of England in one wave after another, killing many civilians and wrecking and damaging hundreds of homes and other buildings. Italian air attacks were made from every field in Italy on important naval bases belonging to England in the Mediterranean. The Germans claim they suntc TIve (Continued on page six) Cat Story Heard In Martin County No objections have been heard but the general public doesn't know and it can't find out all about th# whole sale purchase of cats and kittens in the county. Placing bits of informa tion together from apparently un authentic sources, it has baan learn ed that a stranger, presumably of foreign nationality, has been pur chasing the felines in quantities from rural citizens allegedly for re-sale to a medical school in Winston-Sal em. The purchase of cats is a mystery in the first place, but to add to it all there's no medical school In the Forsyth metropolis. The apparent mystery surrounding the case is deepened by the purchases being limited to the rural areas. Question ed at a local filling station one night this week, the cat man was assured that he could fill his old Model A truck from the supply of cats in town before morning. The filling station man was advised that only country Reports state that the cat man had been operating in the Jamesville area recently, that he seldom bougnt but just picked up the cats. It was reported that a few of the cats had been sold right hare in Willlamston. Hamilton Church To Observe Home Coming On Sunday History of Methodist Church In Hamilton Is Briefly Reviewed By MISS DOROTHY PERKINS Organized more than half a cen tury ago. the Hamilton Methodist Church is anticipating a red letter day in its history next Sunday when home-coming day will be observed Special invitations are being ex tended former members and pas tors of the church, and an enjoyable assembly is expected. The present pastor. Rev. Daniel Boone, has been very faithful in getting the build ing remodeled for the special event, and tlie membership is looking for ward to the program of services and the return of former members and pastors. Rev. L. C. Larkin, district super intendent and a former pastor of the church, will occupy the pulpit at the 11 o'clock hour, and Rev. S. J. Starnes, pastor of the Williamston Methodist church, will preach that afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. The following members of the Hamilton Methodist Church met January 31, 1901. at the home of Mrs. C. H. Baker to make plans for moving the old Methodist church building, organized in 1879, to the new site: Miss Lizzie Slade, Miss Fannie Slade, Mrs. Bill Sherrod, Miss Georgia Pritchard. Miss Hen I nie Waldo (now Mrs. Hennie Bal lard), Miss Bell Carstarphen (now Mrs. Harry Waldo), Mrs. Arch Sher rod, Mrs. D. C. Jones, Mrs. C. H. Baker, Mrs. Sallie Ewell, Mrs. Len 'ora Collins, Mrs. Fanny Melson and Mrs. Sherrod Salsbury. Miss Lizzie Slade was president. Miss Hennie Waldo, secretary; and Miss Bell I Carstarphen was treasurer. Mrs, Henry Sherrod gave the lot on which the Methodist church now stands. The first service held in the then new church was in the- year 1903. From records now owned by the Misses Maggie Bell ^jid Annie Jones of Hamilton, we find the following pastors names, date of appointment and term of office: Rev. W. 11. Watkins, 1879, 2 years; W B. Doub, 1881, 3 years; J. E. Bris tiw, 1004, 1 yeai, Jusepli L. Keerrr 7Tffi5, 1 year, J O Gurthrie, 1886, I year; W. T. Cutchire, 1887, 1 year; W H. Townsen, 1888, 1 year; J. G. Nelson, 1889, 2 years; G. G. Harley, 1891, 2 years; E. C. Sell, 1893, 1 year; J R. Sawyer, 1894, 2 years; J. A. Parker, 1896, 2 years; George Fish er, 1898, 2 years; Dr. J. T Bagwell, 1900, 1 year; T. H. Sutton, 1901-1904, 4 years; E. E. Rose, 1905, 1 year; P. L. Kirton, 1906, 1 year, C. L. Head, I. T. Stanfort, N M. Wright. E. E. Eure, L. C. Larkirt, Marvin Cham bers, T W. Lee, Dr. O. P. Fitzger ald, L. C. Brothers, A. E. Brown, Robert Hardesty, Robert Fitts, Dan iel Boone. WPA ProjectsGet Official Approval Hardly before the first in a series of Works Progress Administration piujeits gets underway, two more have been approved by officials >f the organization in Raleigh One of the latter group has already gained the approval of the President, the third gaining approval in Raleigh this week. Pair prgoress is being made on the sidewalk and street project at the present time, the forces having vir tually completed the sidewalks and curbing on the south side of Main Street. The project just approved by the President in Washington calls for a cemetery enlargement and improve ment project, the federal government allotting >7,757 as its Share of the cost. A third project calls for water and sewerline extensions and an Increas ed- water supply. William itton Native Diet At Home In Penntylvania Louella Everett, colored native of Williamston, died at her home in Reading Pa., last Tuesday evening following a short illness, lite daugh ter of Mary Purvis, local resident, she married Haywood Everett and later moved to Pennsylvania She vlve the union. The body reached here this morning, but funeral ar rangements had not been completed at that time. REBATES Martin County farmers, en titled to tax rebates on gasoline used In farm tractors and for the operation of other farm machin ery, will have to file their claims not later than next Monday, Mr. O. H. Harrison, of the Harrison Oil Company, said today. The claims for tax rebates on all gas oline used during the months of sldered by the State Revenue Department. The offlceo of the Harrison OU Company will be glad to as dst any farmer in preparing the claims, Mr. Harrison said, New Budget Estimate For Countv Released Nearly Quarter Of A Million Dollars To Operate County More Than Half the Amount To Co For Retirement Of Ohl Debt* Nearly a quarter uf a million doL lars?$223,507.86 to be exact ?_ u?' needed to finance tin* various coun-1 ty activities and lower old debt fig ures during the fiscal year beginning | the thirtieth of last month and end ing June 30. 1941. according to a budget estimate released today by the Martin board of commissioners over the signature of J Sam Getsin-! ger, clerk to the bbard and county I accountant. Anticipating revenue m the sum of $55,533.00 from sources other than general taxation, the county author ities are looking to the property own ers for a total of $177.101 84 To raise the latter amount, the commis sioners are proposing a tax rate of $1.45 per $100 assessed valuation. Income from sources other than gen eral taxation, including that receiv ed from the sale of legal liquor in the county's four stores, and that coming from the State as its share of the cost for the care of the poor and for current school expense, is considerably below the 1939-40 es timate. The reduction is expected to approximate $5,000. Decreases are also noted in the figures based on in come from the sale of various types of licenses, including-beer, slot ma chine and schedule "B" permits. A review of the current year bud get estimate shows that old debts continue to upset the equilibrum of the county's financial scheme More than half of the budget, or $114,008.02 Ts to go for the retirement of dtbii in the form of bond principal niid-w? terest While the new tax rate is likely to remain the same as it was - last year, the county is planning greater economy in its operations during the current period tlmn it iliH 111 1939. 40. A year ago. the budget require ments called for an expenditure of $229,955.08. This year that figure has been reduced* to $223,507 86. a de crease of about $6,000. One-third of the reduction is traceable to the gen eral fund where it is estimated $45, 102.00 will be required this year as against $47,100.00 a year ago. Ap proximately one-half of the reduc tion is seen in the school capital out lay fund where the 1939-40 figure is $15,757.00 dropped to $12,210.00 this year. Other reductions were ef fected in the school debt service fund, and also in the general coun ty debt service fund. Increases are noticed in the appropriations for the aged and the dependent children, an propriations for other departments remaining virtually unchanged A comparison of the budget figures for last year and the current period follows: 1939-40 Current General fund $ 47,100.00 $ 45,102.00 Pum fund 1 193)22 50 19,320 84 Old Age 8.835.00 5.967.00 Needy chit 2,970.00 3,480.00 Health fund 7,877.6(1 8,130.00 Debt service 60,330.90 58,877 02 School.,: Current ex. 25,682,00 26,930.00 Cap. outlay 15,757.00 12,210.00 Debt service 44,780.00 43,521 00 /Totals $229,955.08 $223,507.86 The redu:tion in the proposed ex penditures for the current year is virtually ofiW't by a decrease In the income anticipated from sources oth er than general taxation, leaving the county to raise from the property owners a total of $117,101 84 as com pared with $177,068.00 last year. The commissioners calculate that $9,126 98 of the general tax levy will not or cannot be collected, and the rate was so fixed to raise that amount over and above the ordinary budget requirements as represented in the appropriations allotted the several departments. (Continued on page six) Officers Wrecking More Distilleries The drive against the illicit liquor manufacturing business continues in the county, J. H. Roebuck, head of the Alcoholic Bevennges Control Board enforcement unit, stating yes terday that two additional plants had been destroyed since the early part of the week So far this month the raiders have destroyed nine dis tilleries, arrested three alleged vi olators of the liquor laws and pour ed out hundreds of gallons of beer. In the latest raids, the officers cap tured a 50 gal Ion capacity copper still in Bear Grass Township and pouri-d out 400 gallons of beer. Work ing In Jamesville Township the fol lowing day. the raiders wrecked a plant and tnok possession of five fermenters and poured out 500 gal lons of beer. A third raid was made Wednes day but apparently the work han dled previously was thorough and no plants were found. r I'KKSIDKM While he will he unable to at tend in person, Mr. David Gold man, president of the Goldman Package Manufacturing Com puny, will keep in close touch with the opening fo his firm's new factory here next Monday. Seven C ases ( ailed By Judge Peele In The County's Court Drive C.oiitiiiucs To (>el All Properlie^ on C.oimtv lax Bookh ft was att "off "day."fo^_l^ttiTgci^^~"vi^> ty last Monday when Judge It. O. Peel bore down on them with heavy sentenced ranging m length from ninety days in jail to a full twelve months on the state roads. Tin di ivi' to get all taxable pi'op-" cities on tin hooks was also eontin ued, the court suspending judgment in one case upon condition that the defendant go forward and list his taxables. Attracting a larger attendance than usual, the court completed its work and adjourned before the noon hour. The case charging Dave Savage with failure to list taxes was nob prossed with leave. O. II Pool, Jr. charged with fail ing to list Iiis taxes in accordance with the law. pleaded guilty, the court suspending judgment upon payment of the costs and upon the condition that he list his taxables. The case charging James Joshua Meeks with violating the motor ve hicle laws was continued until Au gust 5 for the State. A continuance was granted until next Monday in the ease charging James Warren with larceny and re ceiving and operating a motor ve hicle with improper licenses. Faring a Mi.spended judgment, mot ed out by the court on a previous occasion, James Gilmore, charged with violating the liquor laws, was sentenced to the roads for a term of six months. His wife. Ethel Glhnure. appeared as a second defendant in the cose Charged with the possession <?i 0 legal liquor for the purpose of sale, the Jamesville Negress was sentenc ed to jail for a period of thirty days. Both of the defendants gave notice of appeal and bond was required in | the sum of $200 each. William Taylor, colored, charged with larceny, was sentenced to the (Continued on page six) Farm liurvatt To (live llig Sapprr At Rolwrsonvillt* While it* executive forces have been active in promoting the in terests of agriculture, the Martin County Farm Kurau Federation is fast completing arrangements for bringing its membership to in a Kobersonville tobacco ware house next Tuesday night, July 16, at 8 o'clock. No drive for members is being considered, of ficers of the bureau explaining that the meeting is being ar ranged in an effort to maintain a strong farm organization in the county, state and nation, and that the group is expected to express its stand on the proposed three-year tobacco program. "It is an important meeting, and all members of the organi zation are urged to attend," an officer of the organisation said today. Ten pigs will be barbecued under the direction of Farmer J. it. Winstow, and the feed will be free to all members. The meeting is the first of the large scale type to be held In Rober son rIlls, and it la believed that a large representation from the HO membership list will attend, Declares Roosevelt Must Run \tjain For Office Of President Not u <;iniliil.il>'. Hul He < an Not Ki-fiiM- Nomination. Sabath Maintain* While the Republicans question his ability to run the nation, they will nave to admit that Franklin Rouse - | velt has the power to keep his inten sions and plans as they relate to a I thud term -4t? himself: It is report led that Mr Roosevelt has confided I with Bik J>m Farley about third term plans, but upon the eve of the | Democratic National- Convention I which opens in Chicago m-vt Mon day. the politicians are still guess ing ' It is generally agreed that Mr. Roosevelt is not a candidate for a third term, hut there is uncertainty as to his plans for accepting or re fusing the nomination which, in all probability, will be tendered him next week at the party pow-wow in | Chicago. The question is not whether I he wants the nomination, but wheth er he will accept <?r refuse it , After visiting the President this week, Representative Sabath, Dem ocrat, of Illinois, was quoted as fol lows: I told him that if he is thinking I of coming down to Chicago to stop I the nomination it is useless because not even he can prevent it. He owes it to the party, to the nation, and to I the world to accept." Sabath said Mr Roosevelt at this point threw back his head and laugh ed. and then said he did not know whether he would go to Chicago "He is going to be nominated and elected and I will stake my life on it." Sabath declared. Aspirants to the high office, while I making no move to compete for the I nomination if the President is a can didate. are.holding themselves ready for any. call they might receive. With the nomination of Mr. Roose ] velt more or less certain, attention of the convention is expected to cen ter tin t he le< liitiA^xL-a-r4i44t>iup mnt? and the foreign policy or war plank in the party platform While there [Has been some talk about the party ! sponsoring a no-war plank it is pos sible that it will make its stand clear : mi fuioign polii'le* Senator Wheeler who is said to represent a certain German element, | is talking about bolting the party and J tunning as an independent if the I convention endorses a war plank in its platform. His declarations have riot been received with any degree ! of seriousness, but if he were to re sort to such tactics, it would have a j strong bearing on the outcome of the November election, possibly. j Secretary of State Cordell Hull. Senator Ju .ones F Byrnes, of South Carolina, and others have been prom inently mentioned us candidates for tin* vice presidency. Democrats from all over the na tion have already started the long trek to Chicago for the opening of the ujiiventioii' next Mohday. I lor rors Of War Told By Writer Delayed l>y wrecked communica tion systems and refused by strict censorship, reports describing the horrors of war as they were exper ienced by millions in the conntrtea overrun by Hitler s hordes are leak ing (?nt ill the war stricken nations. Caught in between the French and German armies, an American writer tells of his experiences as he fled with millions of refugees from Par is to Orleans and to Bordeaux be fore the ruthless German war ma chine. Hungry and sick, their feet swol len and bleeding from days of march ing, the fleeing masses sought rest in oprn fields,'a tteys, siables and sheds. t,- : ? Four days out of Paris the writer caught a refugee train which way TroWded and jammed by old men and women and children. An hour later the refugee train was stalled open country behind a hospital train where they were bombed by eighteen German planes. Many were killed and wounded. Several cars were knocked off the track and traffic was blocked. The weary souls turned to the woods, byways snd highways. On the seventh day 20 mothers gave birth to babies along the roadside. Each mile covered Jiy the relugee army saw a thinning of the ranks by death or sickness, but as the humans gained another city they found the population figures multiplied many times by refugees from other sections. Ending the trek after ten days, the writer recalled the horror exper ienced when the rear guard of the refugee army was bombed twenty times and machine-gunned six. # Mini tie rial Student To Preach In Local Church ? Mr. Sidney Mason, a senior at East Carolina Teachers' College, in Greenville, and who plans to enter III* Seminary next fall, will conduct services In the Church onHafiNfitt here while the rector. Rev. John Hardy, is at Camp Leach. It ?n an nounced today. ? Mr. Mason will conduct the 11 o'clock servlcee on Sunday, July >1, and 18th.