Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / Aug. 5, 1941, edition 1 / Page 1
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Watch The Label On Your 1 Paper, Aj It Carriea The Date Your Subscription Expiree ' rHE ENTERPRISE Advertisers Will Find Our Col umns A Latchkey To Over 1,600 Homes Of Martin County. VOLUME XLIV?NUMBER 62 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, August 5, 1941. ESTABLISHED 1899 Terrific Fighting Is Reported Along the Russo-German F ront ? ! Russia Given Priority in the Delivery of Strategic ? War Materials Believed by some to be approach ing a turning point one way ?i ? other, the war in Russia is be ng marked by fierce fighting on the routes to Moscow and Kiev, with the bl^dy struggle in full progress around Smolensk, some over -200 miles from Moscow. Conflicting claims are heard in the reports from Russian and German sources, but the fact that Germany is now starting its seventh week in Russia would in dicate that the invasion has not ad vanced "according to plan A Berlin report reads: German s slashing encirclement offensive has "destroyed the bulk of Soviet defenders at the Smolensk gateway to Moscow and penetrated deep into the Ukraine, severing stra tegic Russian railroads, the high command claimed today. The remainder of the Red forces struggling to free themselves from Nazi traps along the traditional Smo lensk-to-Moscow invasion route are "nearing dissolution" under constant pounding by land and air. the com munique said. German and Hungarian troops on the Ukrainian front have battered their way far into the rich grain land in an encircling operation, it was re ported. and disrupted operations of the Red army by rotting its railroad lines No specific locations were mentioned. ISTT^rmSTtroopi have been reported officially 125 miles I south of Kiev. And a report from Moscow reads: The Red Army reported today that gigantic battles are continuing along a ragged front from Porkhov, guard ing the southern approach to U?in grad. far southward to a point 45 miles from Kiev on the Ukranian front, where earlier reports told of shattering blows against two Nazi regiments. For more than 600 miles along this front, the Russians and Germans were reported hurling great forces at each other, the Germans in at tempts to break through stubborn Red resistance and the Soviets in a series of slashing counter-attacks. Marshal Semyon Budennys Uk rainian army, striking at the apex of a German encirclement attack on Kiev was said to have driven the remnants of two German re?linents into "panicky retreat near the h gh way center of Zhitomir after killing and wounding 1.300 Nazi Possibly even more startling tha the news coming from the war front, are the reports heard in the conquer ed countries and even in Germany itself. Revolts are growing in the conquered countries, and in Ger many, the people, assured of a quick and successful war, are said to be going around with heads drooped and expressions of doubt and dtsap pointment on their face. l leaking out of Germany, state that as many as 3,000 wounded German soldiers are heing moved into Ber lin daily, and that movements of comparative size are being^madejo (Continued on page six) Board Of Commissioners In Dull Session Here Yesterday With little business other than that of a routine nature on their cal endar, the Martin County commis sioners held a dull and uneventful session here yesterday. The board formally adopted the $1.35 tax rate for the current year and received a road delegation from Bear Grass in addition to handling the routine du ties in the a 11-day session. In addition to the $1 35 rate, four townships face a road levy, ranging from 15 to 65 cents. The addition to the rate in Williamston is 15 .cents; in Cross Roads. 65 cents; In Hamil ton, 35 cents plus a $1.05 poll tax, and in Goose Nest. 25 cents plus a 75-cent poll levy. Appearing before the board with a petition carrying 13 signatures, Noah Rogerson asked that the road from Bear Grass to the Beaufort County line, known as the Green ville Road, be widened and improv ;.ed to permit passing. A contract was let to J. C. Norris for the installation of a new boiler in the county home. The contract price was $66.42, the bids ranging from that figure up to about $1,000. A jury for the September Super ior Court was drawn, and from the number a ? permanent" grand jury will be drawn when the court opens its two weeks' term the third Mon day in next month. L. A. Thompson, purchaser of the old Dymond City tract, asked for a study of his acreage there. It was pointed out that he was taxed with 15.000 acres while the maps show only around eight or nine thousand acres. It is reported that the owner is planning to develop the property, that he has already constructed a house on the old city site and that he plans to place a large number of goats there to help clear the vast acreage. Early Sales Average About 23c In Georgia IIRGEINT mission I nofficial reports heard early this afternoon stated that Great Britain's Prime Minister, Wins ton Cfiurchttt, was flying to this country to confer with President Roosevelt. He may have already reached here, the report added. The flight and all details were held secret, the report adding that the mission must be urgent as Churchill withdrew from Im portant debates underway back home to make the trip. It Ls pos sible that the Prime Minister is bring accompanied by Harry I,. Hopkins, lease-lend administra tor. Farmer Loses Third Curing Barn By Fire Fire struck heavily on the farms or Mr. George Tpylol*, of Everctts,: last week-end when three of his cur mg barns went up in smoke. One of th<? hams burned last Thursday^ morning, and the other two, joined together in construction, burned late Friday night. No estimate on 4he losses could be had immediately, but reports state that no insurance was carried on the property. Mr. Taylor was said to have car ried a barrel to the Leggett farm in Bear Grass Township, and the far mer had planned to put water in it the next morning. A report stated that had a bucket of water been handy, the barns could have been Uvea Sunday morning, fire destroyed a barn in Poplar Point belonging to Zeno Bcddard. To date, and as far as it could be learned, at least eight curing barns have been destroyed by fire in the county. Marked Reduction In Crop Reported There This Season Fir*t KeporlH Slate That Qual ity of Crop Common; Far mer* Are Pleaned Encouraging reports came out of Georgia this morning when seven teen auction centers handled their first sales of the season at prices above those of a year ago. The first direct report, coming from J. B. Griffin, local man who is on the Valdosta market, stated, "prices ranging from eight to thirty-three cents. Average, 23 cents a pound Quality fair." K P. Cunningham, reporting from the Vidalia market early this after noon. said: "Market averaging 20 to 22 cents a pound Medium to better smoking grades higher than last year. Large percent of sale common." Nashville sold the first 15,000 pounds for an "Stimoted average of 20 cents. At Baxley the first few rows that ..,.1,1 ' , V > * ? I' U f , ?i 1 9 1 w * I v rw Mti ct vri OR* u b i i* 111 ^ Waycross reported price ranging from three to thirty-four cents. As a whole, the quality of the crop is fur inferior to that reported a year ago. On the basis of the first report, the average price is ranging from four to five cents a pound higher than it did a year ago. The price range as re ported on the Valdosta market is virtually the same as it was a year ago. with the lower grades showing a slight advantage this year and a corresponding reduction in the bet ter qualities. - ' ? .... _. The early price averages report ed today compared with an official average of $18.04 reported for the first two days on the combined mar kets in Georgia last year. The crop in Georgia this year considerably smaller than a year ago. some estimates placing the poundage at between fifty and sixty million pounds, or a decrease of nearly twen ty million pounds from the market figures for 1940. As usual, nearly all of the markets stated the farmers were pleased with their sales. 1 Report Arrest In Jewelry Robbery According to unofficial but reli able information received here to day an arrest was made in Norfolk early this morning in connection with the robbery of the Peele Jewelry store here recently. The arrest was made after local and FBI officers went to Norfolk yesterday and re ported the recovery of two of the watches stolen in the robbery week before last A warrant was issued in the case this morning, and local officers are returning to Virginia to press the investigation. Few details could be learned about the case, officers ex plaining that the name of the man, a Negro, was being withheld until finger prints could be checked. "We think we have the right man, but we aren't sure," Officer Allsbrooks said. Officers, while believing both rob beries were handled by the same person or persons, have not yet con nected the two cases, it is under stood. R. Edwin Peele, proprietor of the store, was fired upon twice by the robber last Wednesday night when he caught him in the store Nme But Route Through County Geta Franchite Paul Ricks, Greenville man, was granted permission this week to op erate a bus line from Bethel to Ro anoke Rapids, via Haasell, Oak City and Hobgood. The franchise calls for a twice-daily service, but the sched ule has not yet been announced. Quantity Of Tobacco Burns In The Fields HarvestSeason Is Fast DraW in? To a CI ose In Section Most Farmers in County Are Reporting Oops of Only Fair Quality^ ? Martin County farmers chalked up an expensive loss in their tobacco fields last week when it was esti mated that approximately one mil lion pounds of (He golden^weed burned before the harvester's hand could touch it. Some estimates would indicate that the loss, placed at $200. 000 in monetary terms, will even ex ceed thar figure; others stating that the loss will hardly be that great. It is agreed that there has been a considerable loss despite earnest .ef forts to handle the tobacco as rapid ly as it ripened or before it burned. Farmers have almost exhausted themselves trying to save the crop before it burned in the fields. Prop erty and equipment for handling the crop have been taxed to capacity and over-taxed in many instances. Crowded conditions are believed to have caused a few of the several fires that destroyed curing barns in the county the latter part of last week. The fanners are now beginning to see some signs of relief, Henry John son. supervisor of the Williamston market, stating yesterday following a general survey of crop conditions in the county, that quite a few of the growers will complete the har vesting of their crops before the week is spent A few have already (Continued on page six) PATRIOTISM Genuine patriotism was un covered in the Martin County Draft Board office here yester day when a 54-year-old colored man appeared before Board Clerk Marion Cobb and offered to volunteer his services in the nation's armed forces. "I was in the other war, and since they are apparently need in* more men, I am willla* and ready to go," the man whose name was not {iven, said. His application was rejected. Youth Mysteriously Hurt On Highway David Daniel, young county white boy, was mysteriously hurt while walking Highway 125 between here and Hamilton early last Sunday morning. Officers, investigating the case, have made public no report ol their findings, leaving the nature ol the- accident unexplained. Daniel, walking with a friend from Williamston toward Hamilton, ap parently became sleepy and stopped on the highway. A motorist came along and saw the boy on the high way and reported to local police. II was learned then that the boy had been badly bruised on the hip. Whe ther he was struck by an automobile or whether he injured himself in a fall, officers would not say. He wai removed from the road, and last re ports stated that he was confined tc his bed at the Daniel home in Ham ilton Township. This Week In Defense President Roosevelt sent a special message to Congress saying "we stand, as we did in the closing months of 1915, at the beginning of an upward swing of the whole price structure," and asked authority to set ceilings for prices and rents, to purchase commodities when neces sary to assure price stability, and to deal mure extensively with excesses in installment credit He said the "facts today are fright-. cningly similar" to the situation in the last war when the wholesale price index increased nearly 140 per cent between October, 1915, and June, 1920. In the past 60 days wholesale prices have risen more than five times as fast as during the preceding period since the outbreak of the war in Europe, he said "The whole production machinery falters under inflation," he said, and i "the unskilled worker, the white-col lar worker, the farmer, the small 1 business man and the small investor all find that their dollar buys even t less and less." The Bureau of Labor Statistics an nounced its index of prices, as of July 26, stood at 88.8 per cent of the UI26 average, 15 per cent above a year ago. Price Administrator Hen derson said the crisis in the Far East necessitates a price ceiling on raw silk and may make necessary a ceil ing on tin prices. He asked dealers anil consumers not to pay prices for high grade waste paper above those prevailing July 26 "pending an in vest igaturn of the price structure." Foreign Affairs Tiu. President ordered the fleer ing of all Japanese credits in the United States and extended the or der to Chinese assets to protect Chi na against Japanese use of assets controlled from occupied China The President also placid the Army and Navy of the Philippine Common wealth within the command of the armed forces of the United States, and named Gen. Douglas A Mac Arthur, former Chief of Stuff, com manding general. The State Department protested the dropping of bombs by Japanese plain's near the U. S Gunboat "Tu, tuila," and announced the incident closed after the Japanese Govern ment promised full investigation and reparation. Acting Secretary Welles denounced Germany for its note to the Mexican Government with re gard to the blacklist recently issued by President Roosevelt and for the Nazi Government's rvpoilcd threats of reprisal. Aid To Russia hr-mt-Lease Administrator?Hop kins arrived in Moscow to discuss expediting of needed war materials to the Soviet Union und the Russian Militury Mission conferred with President Roosevelt und the Sluto Department. Acting Secretary Welles said Lend-Lease aid has not been dis cussed because the Russian Govern ment can purchase needed materials with cash. Tax Anticipation Notes The Treasury placed on sale at Federal Reserve Banks tax anticipa tion notes intended to help taxpay ers set uside sufficient money to meet increased tax bills of the coming year. The notes are redeemable in cash or as payment for income taxes and bear interest up to 1 92 per cent. Secretary Morgenthau, in u letter tu all banking institutions, said, "It is important that the taxpayers of the nation become aware of the unpre cedented taxes they will have to pay next year on this year's income, and they should be encouraged to set aside funds now with which to meet those later payments." Army The War Department created five air support commands in order to coordinate the activities of aviation units and ground forces. The depart ment announced the Signal Corps has developed electrical sentries that will warn of invading aircraft "long before they are actually sighted," but said the Army needs 500 men from the radio engineering field to (Continued on page six) Respected Citizen Passes In County Mrs. Harriett Louisa Edmondson, respected county citizen, died at her home near Spring Green, last Satur day afternoon at 1:35 o'clock follow ing a long period of declining health. She had been confined to her bed for some time. The daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs Ed Griffin, Mrs. Edmondson was born in this county 75 years ago. In early womanhood she was mar-, ried to Nathan Edmondson who died in 1931. ? She is survived by three tons, Messrs. Reuben A. Edmondson, of Hamilton'; Leon Edmondson, of Portsmouth, and R. Herbert Ed mondson, of Gold Point, and two daughters, Mrs. Julius Martin, of Robersonville, and Mrs. T, C. Nor wood, of Gold Point. Funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon at the home at 5 o'clock by Elder William Grimes, Primitive Baptist minister. Inter ment was in the family cemetery, near the home. Messrs Asa Johnson, Roy Taylor, George Ross, Tom Hy man, Jarvis Perkins and Gus Pow ell were active pallbearers. Ten-Cent Reduction In Town's Tax Rate Effected By Board Of Commissioners In Regular Meet Eleven Tax Cases Are Slated For Trial In County's Court The round-up of alleged tax dodg ers in this county is off to a slow but sure start, according to a report com ing out of the sheriff's office today. It was learned that eleven cases have already been booked for trial in the county recorder's court next Mon day, barring postponements or oth er possible delays. Two of the de fendants, Phillip Thompson and James Walston, were unable to post bonds immediately when the war rants were served on them, and they were jailed. Bond was later arrang ed, and they did not have to remain , in jail until their cases are called | next Monday. One non-tax lister has since the first of the year answered the call of j his Master, and will not have to an swer the court call. Twenty-two oth-' ers couldn't be found immediately. Thirty-four have moved out of the t county since the first of the year. Nine others have been called into army service. In four cases, the de fendants had listed their property, the confusion resulted when they did not give their full names or when | their names on the tax books did not correspond with the names given when registering under the Select ive Service Act or when they voted in the last elections. Four of the de fendants are now serving time on the roads for other alleged violations of the law. and the tax charges will he delayed pending their release. In one case, the defendant was too sick to get to the list-taker, and another case the defendant was crip ple and is a charge of the county. Several hundred warrants have been drawn, and the defendants will be brought into court to explain why they did not list for taxation as rap idly as possible. Many Teachers Are Resigning Places In County Schools Five RrwignutioiiH Are Kcporl cd in Four ScIiooIm Over Tlio Pant VCi'i'k-riul 1 The withdrawal of young men from the school systems throughout the State and nation for service in the armed forces is having a tolling effect in educational circles in this county, the office of the superinten dent stating this week that five res ignations were "received over the week-end and that possibly others are to be expected. Several other teachers had resigned a short time ago, two of them in the Bear Grass faculty. Openings in the local schools including an elementary principal and a manual arts teacher, have not yet been filled. While there are quite a few appli cations on file for the positions made vacant by the large-scale resigna tions, education authorities declar ed that it is certain to be quite dif ficult to find young men available for those places vacated by male teachers. It is reasonable to believe that in most cases members of the fairer sex will succeed the young men. The resignations coming just about a month before the schools are sched uled to open, education authorities, are not expected to delay the sched uled to open, education authorities At Oak City, MLss Marjorie Dew, of Wilson, accepted the seventh grade work, but resigned before en tering upon the duties there. Miss Mattie Lyons, after two years in the school there, resigned last week-end. II. J. McCracken, science teacher in the Oak City school for three years, has resigned to accept the principal ship of the school at Hobgood. Mrs. Verda Woolard, after teach ing the second and third grades in the Farm Life School, is resigning to make her home in Jacksonville. B. B. Castellow, for several years principal of the Hamilton school, has resigned to accept a position in the Johnston County School System tr?. To Urge The Early Completion Of Fill According to information reaching here last evening, civic leaders in Kdenton tonight will appeal to High way Commissioner Carroll Wilson for the early completion of the Ro anoke River fill at this point Mr Wilson is to address the group at a meeting there this evening. No official word has been receiv ed as to when paving work will be started. A Mr. Green, of the Ben Martin Paving Company, was to have reported here yesterday, but he could not be contacted. The dirt contractor^, have moved out, and no sign of the paving contractor moving in has been seen. Mr. Martin, in a special communication, stated that work was to have been started on the project last Friday. Other reports state that Tt will be two weeks or more before the work is started. No reason for the delay has been offer ed Officer* Capture Liquor Plant Near County Lint Raiding along the Martin-Edge combe boundary line yesterday it ternoon, Officers J. H. Roebuck and Roy Peel found and wrecked a cheap liquor distillery. Three barrels of beer were poured out, and the old gasoline barrel, used for a kettle, was wrecked. OPPOSITION While agreeing to the propos ed construction of a new high way bridge across the Roanoke River here, boatmen and ship ping interests are expected to voice opposition to certain of the project specifications, according to reliable reports heard here yesterday. At a public hearing to be held in the courthouse here next Friday morning at 11:30 o'clock, the boatmen are expected to ask that the horizon tal clearance in the stream be maintained at about 90 feet. The specifications call for a clear ance of only 00 feet. No opposi tion is expected to the tempor ary bridge which will afford a clearance of only forty feet for boats. Three l,oc:il Ymwg? Men Knter Service Thty'e local young men, O. S. An derson, Jr., S. W Manning, Jr., and J I T. F. Davenport, reported for service in the U. S. Army Air Corps at Nor folk yesterday morning They are leaving Norfolk shortly, for Miss ouri where they will enter training, relatives were advised here late ym tcrday. When the young men reach Missouri, Williamston will have five recruits in the service at that point Each of them signed for three years of service^1 ?1; ' ' . 1.. ..1 .. 1 ." A successor has not yet been nam ed fi>i T F Davenport who rlerked in the county liquor store. Kate Is Tentatively Fixed \t $2.50 For Current Fiscal Year -*? Hoard IHmiis^cs NiiiiiImt of Mutter* in Krptiilur Month ly Meeting ? 1 Williamston's current fiscal year tax rate v was tentatively fixed at $2 50 the $100 assessed property val uation by the board of commission ers in regular session last evening The proposed rate is ten cents be low the old figure. Treasurer N. C Green explaining that the reduction was limited by a $3,000 increase in debt service obligations for the new tax period Possibly a 20 cent reduc tion could have been effected had it not been for the added increase in debt service requirements. Mr. Green explained Based on a property valuation of $2,049,671. the proposed $2.50 rate will raise, it is estimated, about $51, 241 77. The tax income will be sup plemented by approximately $13,400 anticipated revenue from the water department The new levy is based mi a gum ui $J15.uuu in property? values this year over tiuise of a year/ ago. The tentative budget calls for the" following expenditures gener al administration, $7,675, fire depart Invent, $1,275, police department, $7. 147.50; street department, $6,650.00. water department. $7,299; swimming pool, $1,335, and debt service, $35, 560 A detailed report on the budget figures will be released to the pub he just as soon as the estimate is submitted to the Local Government Commission in Kaleigh, the treasur er explained Completing their study of the new budget figures, the commis sioners'handled a number of mat ters. touching on varied subjects. A further study of the Negro recrea tional project is expected, latest re ports from the NYA indicating that f the building nenr thr- cemetery - can be completed for around $1,450. A 'committee is to consider plans for ? completing the pro j t'ct. 1 om Rlvei s, NYA engineer, appeared before the board in the interest of the project. At the direction of the tx?ard. Mav or .1 L. Hassell and the treasurer's office are to take action against those persons who tailed to list, then prop erties or polls for tuxatioh.'~Proceed ings, similar to those taken .by tile county in rounding up its delinquent listers, are being consider, and a list of the group is expected by the next meeting of the commissioners Mrs I,. U. James was named town tax '.collector-at-the meeting last | night, the action relieving Chief W | If Daniel of that duty The chief will center his duties in the police de partment in the future, but will be subject to call by the tax office. The board ordered the alley way (Continued on page six) Lounty Schools Will Open On September 4 IIKIAMIK Tired tu the bone by day and night work in tobacco for sever al days, Farmer Willie l-ong took time out tor a short nap at his tobacco barn last Saturday night, and he had a dream ? a dream that was indeed realistic. He had been sleeping only a short time when he dreamed several sticks of tobacco had fall en from their rack to the flues. He came out of the dream in a big hurry and excitedly rushed to the barn to find three sticks of tobacco on the flue. No, the barn did not catch on fire, but Farmer I,ong was not sleepy af ter that. Large Number Of Planes Seen Here The Marines, flying in 51 planes, passed over here last Saturday af ternoon on their way to New Bern to engage in special maneuvers there during the next few days. The plants, including several types, passed over in groups ranging up to 18 in number. A lone flyer led the wuy He was followed by a (roup of eighteen fighter planet. There were sixteen in the next group and sixteen in the last. One group of the fliers passed al most directly over the town, another group a little to the south and still another group to the north. The southern group flew close to the ground and it sounded as if a tor nado was sweeping into the town. Dates Are rixed By Board Of Ed neat ion In Meeting Monday Art ion On Oyiiinuaiiim Proj itIm For Bear Grass anil Farm Lifr l)?'lavi'?l ??? Thr Martin County schools will open the new term on Thursday, Sentcmhor 4th, the Hoard of Educa tion ruled in a regular meeting of their members here yesterday. Plans for opening thr schools a day earlier were reconsidered, and the September 4th date was adopted. The session last year opened on the first Thursday in September. Holi day schedules were fixed fot the entire term, the board allowing two days for Thanksgiving, and from December 19 to 31 for Christmas. No other holidays were considered in the schedule fixed by the board. The gymnasium projects at Farm Life and Bear Grass were discuss ed, but action was again delayed, pending an official answer from the Works Progress Administration in early September It is believed that the WPA will cooperate in the proj ects if men are available. However, the trend in the WPA in recant weeks has been from non-defenit to strictly defense projects, meaning that if the projects are advanoed to their completion the work will have to be handled without WPA cooper ation. Patrons of the two schools have donated the lumber for the two buildings, and they are of the opin (Continued on page six)
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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Aug. 5, 1941, edition 1
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