North Carolina Newspapers

Watch The Label On Your Paper, As It Carries The Date Your Subscription Expires 1 ' PHE ENTERPRISE Advertisers Will Find Our Col- II limns A Latchkey To Over 1.600 |l Homes Of Martin County. II VOLUME XLIV?NUMBER 82 IVilliamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, October 14, 1941. ESTABLISHED 1899 Contract Left For Modernizing Main Street Store Here Pender Grocery Is Moving To Harrison Brothers Building ? A contract for the modernization of the store building now occupied by the D Pender Grocery and until recently by the A. and P. Company on Main Street here was let by the owner, Mr. J. E. King, to W. R. Wy att a few days ago. it was announc ed yesterday. No contract price was made public, but the project will cost approximately $15.000, it is be lieved. The A. and P Company surren dered its lease a few weeks ago and suspended its activities when no other building could be had here D Pender is planning to move to the Harrison Brothers building next Monday. Lilley's Laundry, maintain ing a sub-station in the Harrison building for the past several months, moved to the building formerly oc-, cupied by the Flower Shop on East Main Street. Mr. Herbert Lilley also moved to the same building Hardly had the contract been signed before the contractor had ma terials moving for the job. Thousands of brick were placed on the lot yes terday, and machinery and tools are being unloaded today. Work is slat ed to get underway immediately, one report stating that the contract would be completed on or before next January 1st. According to present plans, the building will be greatly enlarged and modernized throughout. Ap proximately 56 feet will be added to the rear of the store, and the front will be replaced by gray brick and white metal. While the structure will not have two stories, the front will be raised considerably and a mez zanine floor will be built into the addition. The structure will embrace all modern innovations within and Without, and the will greatly add to the appearance of the business dis trict. As far as it could be learned no rental lease has been signed Production Center Has Red Cross Flag well-made flag, recently donat ed by Mrs. A. R Dunning, is wav ing from its stand on the Woman's Club lawn each Tuesday and Fri day, beckoning to idle hands to call for material and bopat the output of the production unit of the Martin County Red Cross Chapter. While the progress report of the unit is encouraging, the chairman frankly states that it is not what it should be. Comparatively few items have been made, but approximately 25 willing workers are holding close to their kniting and sewing, thor oughly convinced that their efforts will bring relief to some unfortunate soul somewhere in the troubled or war-stricken countries, maybe in sia or on some mountain side in the Balkans, or in some other distant part of the world. Forced to caves, Chinese women and children are using obsolete looms to make cloth for their soldiers. Here in America it is apparently difficult to get volunteers to sew the ready made cloth together. Why doesn't the factory turn it out? The present fac tory outpuT will not supply the needs, and care for home consump tion, too. Reports state that should war engulf this country there would not be enough first-aid material to supply the army. Three sewing machines are now ready for use in the club rooms, and volunteers may use them or take the work home with them. Mrs Dun ning is urging a greater support for the project. Eastern Boy Scout Council Will Meet Members of the executive board of the Eastern Carolina Boy Scout Council will meet in the Woman's Club ball here this evening at seven o'clock. General reports, covering the activities of the organization dur ing the past quarter, will be read be fore the meeting, Wheeler Martin, chairman of the Martin County dis trict, said this morning. Representatives are expected here from Wilson, Greenville, Washing ton, Rocky Mount, Tarboro, Roan oke Rapids, Windsor and Plymouth. Plans wiH be mapped at the meet ing tonight for a Scout drive in this district, Mr. Martin said. In a let ter addressed to local people this week, Campaign Chairman Wheeler Martin and R. H. Goodmon explain ed that a strong support was antici pated for the youth of the section. Evangelistic Services Being Held In Methodist Church ? - Evangelistic services are being held each night this week at the lo cal Methodist Church. Rev. J. G. Phillips, of Bethel, is doing the preaching. The services begin at 7:45 o'clock. The public is cordially invited to attaod. Fa rm Bureau In Cou n tySig m Nea rly800Mem bers To Da te Reporting nearly 800 members signed, twenty-two of the 36 mem bership canvassers in a progress meeting held in the agricultural building last Friday evening made plans to round out the drive at or above 1,000 members and bring the drive to a close on Friday of next week. A new membership record has al-1 ready been established, but the! membership group felt certain that the goal of 1,000 members could be reached and passed by October 24th. The campaign has, with very, very few exceptions, received strong sup port, especially among business men over the county, and more farmers are taking a greater interest in the organization than ever before. The membership campaign is headed by six captains, and the three teams signing the smallest number of mem bers will feed the winners at a tur key supper in the Legion Hut on Oc tober 24th. The membership com mittees have canvassed the county at their own expense and without reward. The membership did agree to help finance a trip for the four campaigners who signed the most members. Officers of the organiza tion as well as the membership can vassers receive no salary or remun eration whatever. "We received aid from the Farm Bureau as a group though favorable legislation and other means," Member Sam T. Ev erett declared at the meeting last Friday, "and we don't expect direct remuneration," he added. If the county can sign 1.000 mem bers arrangements will be made to get Edward O'Neal, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, to address a meeting of the Martin County unit at a big barbecue to be held either the latter part of this year or the early part of next Peel Takes Offiee Of County Tax Collector COLLECTOR M. Luther Peel, Willianuton man .entered upon his new du ties as full time tax-collector for Martin County last Saturday. He is the first to fill the appointive office. Miss House Reviews Library Activities in County And State Forty-five Counties Receiving Aid in State-wide Li brary System * Library Convention held in Greens boro many interesting bits of in formation were discussed concern ing the library needs and how the Slate is attempting to meet those needs. Miss Elizabeth House, librar ian for the B-H-M Regional Library Association, attended the three days of the convention. Miss House re ported that she was made to feel quite good to see Martin County ap pearing in solid green on the big map of the .State. Those counties appro priating $1,000 or more were put in green. At present there are 45 counties re (Continued on page four) - Three Selectees Rejected By Army Three of the fifteen selectees, re porting at Fort Bragg for possible military service from this county last Wednesday, were rejected, the draft board was notified here yes terday. Robert Asa Edmondson, Jr., of Hamilton; Robert Thomas Pritthett, of Dardens, and Cyril Harrison Res pass. of Robersonville R. F. D. No. 1, have returned home. Physical de fects, including flat feet, were given as the causes for their rejection. Indirect reports received here stat ed that the dozen young men who accepted are getting along all right, that several of them are likely to be transferred to Louisiana and Texas within a short time. GINNINGS While the 1M1 cotton crop in this county will fall under the 1444 production of 5,404 bales, tt it quite evident that the farmers are preparing the staple for mar ket faster this year than they did According to a release by Special Agent Vernon Griffin for the Bureau of the Census, 1,444 bales of cotton hare been ginned from the current crop as compared with 1,464 bales gin ned ap to October 1, a year ago. Commissioners Hold Special Meeting On Saturday Afternoon Hull-Time Collector To Take Over 1914) Book* After Sheriff k Settlement M Luther Peel, appointed full time tax collector tin Martin Coun ty by the board of commissioners in session on October 6th, entered upon his new duties last Saturday after noon when he subscribed to the oath of the newly created office before Clerk of Court L. Bruce Wynne. Meeting in special session, the commissioners approved the collect ors $25,000 cash bond with a surety company and accepted settlement of J. Sam Getsinger's tax account for the year of 1941 The changes, han dled in strict accordance with a spec ial legislative act passed in 1937, were checked by auditors of the Greathouse and Butler auditing firm. Commissioners R. L. Perry chairman; C A Roberson, R A Hai slip and Joshua L Coltrain were present for the special business ses sion, but the proceedings were han dled without public fanfare. No oth er business was brought before the lioard. but plans were made for lo cating the full-time collector in the small office diagonally across the hall from the sheriffs headquarters Miss Mildred Hedrick, for several years employed in the sheriff's of fice, has been named assistant to Mr Peel. Taking over the 1941 books im mediately after qualifying for office, Mr Peel made ready to receive the first collections temporarily in the commissioners' room. He will mnv? into Ins permanent quarters just as soon as it can be renovated and the fixtures arranged At the meeting Saturday, Mr Peel was instructed to take the 1941 books immediately and be prepared to take over the 1940 accounts just as soon as the sheriff makes settlement after the land sales are held on Monday November 3rd Uncollected accounts for prior years will remain in the hands of Special Collector S liarcum Grimes until they are liquidated in one way or another. Just as soon as the sheriff holds his land sales for the 1940 tax year and the accounts for previous years are liquidated by Special Collector Grimes, the tax collection system will be handled bv one uffice.? ? Taking over the 1941 books last Saturday, Collector Peel had a splen did start for a record, Special Col Sflnasxin San\GpUlnger reporting Jw'm i -i 1941 levy "I "05 409.84 already collected. The 194| levy compares with $204,466 56 lev ied a year ago. According to arrangements effect ed by the commissioners last Satur day, Sheriff C. B Roebuck will Con trnue to collect all privilege license taxes, such as wine, beer, slot ma chine, filling station and so on mi?,Ven consideration by the com m ssioners for some time and espec ially during recent months when a special drive brought in thousands of dollars in back taxes, the office of lull-time tax collector carries a sal ary of $3 000 annually, the collector to furnish his travel out of that amount. An allowance not to ex ceed $900 per year was granted for clenca1 help. The appointment is for one year, the resolution creating the office proving for appointment of a collector each year thirty days be fore the first Monday in October After taking over the books Mr Peel reported $600 in collections Sat urday afternoon. Father Of Local Man Diet In Clarkiville On Friilay The father of Mr. W. C. Russell, local tobacco warehouse employee, died at his home in Clarksviile, Va, last Friday. Funeral services were conducted there Saturdiy. Besides his son here he is survived by Mrs. " and a brother. This Week In Defense Stating "we will not let Hitler pre scribe the waters of the world on which our ships may travel the President asked Congress to repeal Section 6'of the Neutrality Act which prohibits arming of American mer chant ships and to examine other phases of the law The President said this action "is a matter of immed iate necessity and extreme urgen cy . . ." The President said conditions have so changed since enactment of the law. it is no longer truly a neutral ity measure He said "it is time for this country to stop playing into Hitler's hands and to unshackle our own." He said the U. S. should not "be forced to masquerade American owned ships behind the flags of our | sister Republics." "Most of the vital goods author-1 lzed by the Congress are being de livered." Mr. Roosevelt said. "Yet I many of them are being sunk; and | as we approach full production re quiring the use of mo to sirups now I being built it will be increasingly necessary to deliver American goods | under the American flag." Aid to Hritain and Russia The American Red Cross instruct ed the British Red Cross to forward immediately to Russia 800 tons of medical supplies. The American Red Cross will send replacement supplies to England Prices Retail food prices continued to rise between mid-August and mid-Sep tember. increasing 2.6 per cent to reach the highest level since Janu ary, 1931. the Labor Department re ported. Consumer Commissioner El liott reported food prices have risen 29 per cent since the war began as compared to 18.4 per cent in the com parable World War period and farm products have risen 43.1 pm- cent as contrasted to 12.6 per cent during the last war. Price Administrator Henderson, speaking in support of the pending price regulating legislation, said "ev en more frightening than the pres ent level of price advances is the fact that these advances have been gathering momentum since the early months of the year." He said the cost of living last August was 7 1-2 per cent higher than two years ago. Since March alone, he said, the cost of living is up 5 per cent. Priorities The Suppiy_Priorilies_ and A lloca tion Board ruled that no new public or private construction can be start ed unless it is essential for defense or the health and safety of the peo ple or does not involve use of stra tegic materials. The ruling applies to Federal, State and local government buildings, roads and highways, riv er and harbor improvements, resi dential building and all commercial building. Efforts will be made, how ever, to aid completion of construc tion already substantially finished. Physical Rehabilitation for Selectees The President announced plans to "salvage" 200,000 of the 1,000,000 se lective service registrants who have been rejected for health reasons. He also announced he would--initiate a long-range program of Federal, State (Continued on page four) Officers Raiding On Bootleg Avenue I ABC Officer J. H Roebuck, mem bers of the local police force and I Sheriff C. B. Roebuck struck at the | heart of the illicit liquor retail cen ter In the county last Sunday eve ning when they raided on "Bootleg Avenue," near the railroad freight station. Eleven pints of white lightning! over a window by the officers after they had made a long search of the home. James Powell, colored, was detained, but when he asked per mission to go out of doors, he left one of the officers holding a part of his shirt Traveling light and with out shoes, Powell left a trail of dust as he moved up Railroad Street, warning shots from the officer's gun only causing him to increase his speed. Powell later sent for his shoes <md evaded a. trap by the officers. He has not been heard from since that time. | I'ARKNTSTEACHERS ] v J Parents and teachers of the Williamston school community will hold their second meeting of the school term tomorrow af ternoon at 3:30 in the hlfh school auditorium. Films furnished by the Rocky Mount office of the Social Security Board will be shown the (roup after associa tion business matters are dis cussed. Two association committees met yesterday to formulate def inite plans for the year's activi ties. The program committee - completed a preliminary draft of the remaining programs, and the executive committee worked on details connected with the as sistance to be rendered the ele mentary library, the first aid rooms, and other association projects. Accidents Claim Two Lives In The County Virgil L Priest Is Killed Instantly in reek List Sunday ?*? Colored Man Kim Down and Killed in Upper I'arl of County Sunday Two persons were killed and sev eral others were sliRhtly injured in a series of automobile accidents on 1 the hiRhways of this county Sunday, the Rrim reaper pushing his death toll on the county highways to five for the year. "Hie bloody record equals the complete report for 1940 Virgil Loomis Priest, popular to bacconist on the local market and <i young Christian gentleman who had made many friends during his short Stay here, was instantly kill id at 1,45 o clock Sunday morning when his car. a 1941 Plymouth se dan, plowed into a truck on a curve "i U. S. Highway 17 one and one half miles south of here. His neck and arms' broken and injured by a pi < of board that drove his neck tic several inches into his body the young man never knew what hap p< nod. One of his arms was partly torn off, and the chest wound could hardly be filled with one's fist Found '.vug in the back seat of the car where It was knocked by the im pair the body was removed to the Biggs Funeral Home where it was prepared and later shipped to Scottsburg, Va. the young man's In me, for burial today. Apparently driving at a rapid spcc<i,~J!riesT could hardly hold his car on the right side of the road and plowed into the truck driven by Lester Bailey, 29-year-old Bear Crass farmer, tearing away the front running gear, ripping off the left headlight and peeling fender and the iron frame back as he went. The car then struck the protruding oak body, a piece of which ripped through the car and caught the young man in the chest. The car, skidding side ways, came to a stop 100 feet down tin' highway without turning over. The truck turned over on the shoul der, but Bailey and his companion, Murphy Whilukcr. were injured only slightly They were badly shocked, but continued to their homes after receiving medical attention. Driving two cars. Priest and Tom -Swain, Jr., had visited in Washing ton that night, and the tobacconist wus trailing Swain home The driv er of the front car stated he was driv ing between 60 and 65 miles an hour, that he passed the truck just before entering the sharp curve, and turn ed around when he did not see the lights of Priest's car follow him around the curve. The victim may have had a drink, but young Swain declared he was' not under the in fluence of liquor. No evidence of liquor was found on the truck driv er, Patrolman W K Saunders said I after investigating the accident. Bailey could, not be reached im-, mediately for a direct statement, but according to the report given Patrol man -Saunders he saw the lights of tile Priest car just a second before the crash. Bailey adding that the next thing he knew his truck was turn ing over. Bailey, badly shocked, was greatly upset over the accident. Employed by the Export Leaf To bacco Company, Mr. Priest came to the market here for the first time this year He readily made friends and was popular among a wide cir cle of friends and among his busi ness associates. His father was kill ed in an automobile accident, and according to one report the young family to have lost his life in a high way wreck. Mr Priest, formerly as sociated with the British-American Tobacco Company returned to this country last March after a stay of four years in China and Manchuria. Prior to that time he served in the Marines with honor. His mother, Mrs. F C. Harris, his stepfather and a brother, of Scotts burg, came here Sunday afternoon for the body Officials of the Export Company in this section of the State were here investigating the accident, and other friends from nearby mar kets visited here during the day. Zenious Sneed, Jr., 19-year-old colored man. was run down and in stantly killed on N. C. Highway 11, about one mile north of the Pitt County boundary line Sunday after noon at 2 o'clock. John R Bryant, former Martin County man who had come down from his home, 110 S. fContinued on page four) Father Of Loral Man Diet Suddenly Sunday Mr. John Diem, father of Artie Diem, of Williamiton, died sudden ly at his home in Swea City, Iowa, late Sunday night. A short time be fore receiving the death message, Mr. Diem had a letter from a brother stating that all were well. The letter was mailed only last Friday. Funer al arrangements could not be learn ed immediately. Mr. Diem was 76 years old, and leaves besides his son here, two sons and a daughter. MARKET While no closing date has been mentioned, the end of the tobac co marketing season is not far away, according to a report com ing from the markets today. Sales were unusually light, fol lowing a large sale yesterday. It is |M>ssible that the marketing season will last until the latter part of the month, but some markets are planning to close prior to that time, it is under stood. Yesterday, the local market sold approximately 200,000 pounds for an average right at 37 cents. Hardly 35.000 pounds are on the floors today, but prices continue to hold firm. Much inferior tobacco is being offered, the farmers explaining that they are tying up what Ls usually handled as scrap and offering it for sale at auction. A state report, released this week, shows the local market up to October 1, sold 4,714,988 pounds for an average of $28.90 or seven cents a hundred pounds higher than the average for the belt. Last Rites Friday Near Oak City For Mrs. Su san Raw Is Kr*|H'rlr(l Citizen of County Die- Following Long III iii'm of the Henri Mrs Susan Amanda Raw Is, bclov id and lite-long resident of Martin County, died at her home near Oak City Wednesday night after on ill ness of several months' duration. She had been in declining health due to a heart ailment since last March but was able to be up and slightly active until the first week in August when she suffered another heart at tack. From the latter she rallied to some extent and hope was held for her recovery. But about three weeks ag<? she was taken worse and grad ually became weaken until her pass ing, which was peaceful and easy at the end-. Mrs Raw Is was a home loving person and a faithful mem her of the Primitive Baptist Church, having united with that church about 25 years ago She was born in this county 69 years ago last June, the eldest daugh ter of W B Savage and Esther Brown Savage in early Womanhood, she was married to J. Robert Rawls, who preceded her to the grave ex actly 27 years ago this month Surviving this union are the fol lowing II children five sons, James and Julian,'-of Oak City; Paul, of Newpoit News; Ruper and Hilton, of the hbme: six daughters. Miss Jennie Rawls. t?I the liorne, Mrs. 11. C. lira I per, of Roanoke Rapids, Mrs B H. Boulden, of Ciaryshurg, Mrs K. L. Bunting arid Mrs B 11 Highsmith, of Newport News; and Mis. 11. W High of Oak City, two sisters, Mrs. Is. T Womack. Scotland Neck, and j Mrs. R. B King, Roanoke Rapids, and | 26 grandchildren also survive Funeral services were held from the home Friday afternoon at three o'clock by Elder B. S. Cowan and her pastor, Elder W E Ch imes Dur ing the services the choir sang her favorite hymns, "How Thrm--trEtmn dation," and "Come Thy Fount." Mrs. Harold Liipton sang "Death Is No More Than a Dream." Interment was imthc~cumijamity cemetery, with-thr ~ following paIIhearers: J. C. Ross, R. A. Huislip, W G. Keel. S. W Cas per, L. E. Keeter and R E. Turner The casket was covered with a dou ble spray of white asters, Easter lil ies and fern Many beautiful floral offerings were in evidence ? Young Woman Is Very III In Hospital i Mrs. Jennie Downing Harre!!, young Oak City woman and a bride of only a few months, was reported last night seriously ill in a Tarboro hospital from poisoning. Said to have taken three bichloride of mer cury tabltHs last Friday morning in Oak City, Mrs. HItrrell was rushed to the hospital a short time later. Her condition became much worse Sunday, and last reports received here indicated that she continued dangerously ill. FOOD, WAR AM) PEACE If every farmer will grow his own food and feed In 1M2. he will not have to buy as much, and more will be available to strengthen America's defense forces, and the Armies of our friends across the sea. Prepare to do your part In the "Food for Freedom" campaign. Ask your county agent how you can help, and be ready to pledge your support when your AAA committeeman comes to eall. Russians Say Nazis Are Slowed Down In Drive On Moscow ?> Britain ami Anirrira Declare \i<l >oh Moving to Ruo nians in Brave Stand ? Tlu' bl(K>dy drive on Moscow, sup ported by an estimated three mil lion German soldiers and the great est array of mechanized equipment in all history, has been slowed down, Russian reports claimed early today. A dangerous situation still confronts the Soviet capital, however* it was admitted, and unless British and American aid reaches there quick ly little hope us held for checking the invaders. That the invaders were continuing their march toward Mos cow was revealed when the Russian command announced yesterday that Red forces had withdrawn from Vy azma. key rail junction 125 miles west of the capital, and from Bry ansk. another important defense cen ter 210 miles southwest of Moscow, after bitter fighting in which the Germiina *-*perienced terrific losses in both manpower and equipment. Fighting of massive proportions Ntill is raging along the whole front, today's official announcement said, with especially bitter conflict con tinuing in the Vyazma and Bryansk areas. In far-ranging aerial warfare, the Russians reported the destruction of 122 German planes Saturday against 27 Soviet losses. Of the German losses, 10(i planes were declared de stroyed on airdromes behind the lines and Iti in air combat. Seven German craft were downed yesterday at the approaches to Mos cow. The government newspaper Prav da. reporting a stiffening defense against the Nazi onset, said the Mos cow front appeared to be stabiliz ing. although the Overmans, too, were pouring in reinforcements to retain their advantage in numbers. In two key sectors Red Army coun ter attacks were said to have hurled the Germans back. Pravda said one town near German-captured Bry ansk had been "won back by the Rus sians, and the Soviet Bureau of In formation reported gams from coun terattacks north of Orel, 220 miles south of Moscow. "Despite great losses," Pravda said, "our troops are fighting steadfast ly" The big push in the Vyazma sec tor, vvlteio the main German effort has been concentrated, also appeared to have lost its momentum. Although it was acknowledged that the danger remained grave, al lied military headquarters said they were "breathing more easily" and that the Germans apparently were lagging behind schedule in their 12 day-old offensive. Pravda. today's only newspaper, again in its leading editorial called for a concentration of "all our force to repel the enemy" and declared "victory will be ours." Pravda described the fresh Ru? sian reinforcements at the ap pi".K hes to Moscow as battle-season ed veterans returning to the fighting Inn s li sted and well equipped. Their equipment was said to in clude warm winter uniforms, long grey overcoats and fur hats as pro tection from the snow and cold al ready setting in along the front. Moscow had an air raid alarm be fore dawn- its first since October 2. No bombs were known to have been dropped within the city. German claims reached the fan tastic in late reports today. One re port claimed that the Germans had taken over three million Rusian pris oners in their drive into the Soviet, and declared that their forces were riearfng the important Leningrad Moscow railroad. Later Russian reports declared (Continued on page four) ? Employment Office Has Job Openings ?? Tin1 Williamstun Employment of fice has a considerable number of job openings at present. Some of the ipemngs are for local employers or lliuse in adjoining counties. Others are fur lucatiuii* here and there over Ihe State. Among the job openings at present are those for general office clerks, millwrights, hotel and restaurant cooks, stockroom clerks, stenograph ers, male and female, printers, ma chinists, sheet metal workers, com bination welder*, rodmen, vocation al training teachers, farm hands, construction workers, etc. There is also a continual shortage of cooks, house workers and domes tic help generally These openings are in Wilhamston, Washington and from time to time at other point* nearby. Applicants should register or renew their applications at the lo cal office or at Washington, Belhav en? Plymouth, Columbia and Swan Quarter on regular days when a rep resentative visits these places. ? Sketoarkey Masons Will Hold Mooting Skewarkey Lodge hold a regular meeing in the hall this evening at 8 o'ck jamin Courtney, officer in III* 1 announced yesterday.