THE ENTERPRISE
un tvmt
PAT DAT
WAR
IOND DAY
roe sMMHHt?un watts
OVER THE TOT
FOR VICTORY
?ttk
UNITED STATES WAR
BONDS-STAMPS
VOLUME XLV?NUMBER 42 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, May 26, 1942. - ESTABLISHED 1899
New Warning Issued
By Rationing Board
In Regular Session
Requests Will Be Rejected in
Cases Where Tires Were
Improperly Handled
The Martin County rationing
board closed its tire accounts for the
month yesterday when the current
allotment was exhausted, the board
members, C. C. Martin, of James
ville; Herbert L. Roebuck, of Cross
Roads, and J. A. Everett, of Palmyra,
immediately turning to new rules
and regulations for granting pur
chase certificates in the future.
For the first tune, the board mem
bers face repeat applicants with com
plaints received by them about al
leged improper use of motor vehicles
equipped with rationed tires. None
of the applicants denied the charges,
it Was learned, but several explain
ed that they were doing no worse
than anyone else. The explanation
will hardly stand up, a man who has
been forced out of business already
by rules and regulations, declared
when he heard about the cases. Then
there are some few who are trying
to cooperate with the program in
stead of taking advantage of it.
Beginning next week, the ration
ing board will, in accordance with
new instructions, deny certificates
of purchase to those applicants who
have failed to exercise proper care
in the use of their rationed tires.
New automobile tires and tubes
were allotted to the following:
Corporal C. W Thompson, N. C.
Highway Patrol, two tires.
Z. T. Piephoff, Williamston, two
tires for ministerial work.
Dr. J. E. Ward, Robersonville, two
tubes.
Certificates for the purchase of
recapped tires were issued to the fol
lowing:
Richard Austin Broadnax, Wil
liamston, two tires and two tubes for
agricultural training work.
W. B. Cannon, Hobgood RFD, four
tires for farm work.
Alvin Lowe Thompson, Williams
technician.
J. R. Winslow, Robersonville, two
tires and two tubes for farm.
Milton Herbert Johnson, William
ston, one tire for use in WPA work.
R A. Haislip, Oak City, two tires
and two tubes for farm use.
C. B. Allen, Williamston RFD 3,
one tire and tube, for farm use.
Obsolete tires were issued along
with tubes as follows:
E. C. Andrews, Parmele, two tires
and two tubes, for farm use.
Daniel G. Griffin, Williamston
Route 2, two tires and two tubes for
general farm use
E. G. Anderson, Robersonville, two
tires and two tubes, for farm use.
New truck tires and lubes were
allotted as follows.
Farmville-Woodward Lumber Co.,
Williamston, three tires and three
tubes, for hauling lumber.
Roberson Slaughter House, Wil~
liamston, four tires and four tubes,
for distributing meats.
Tilmon R. Coltrain, Williamston,
one ltrc and tube for general haul
ing.
Carolina Telephone and Telegraph
Co., Williamston, two tires and two
tubes.
Recapped truck tires were allot
ted to the following:
W. O. Abbitt, Williamston, five
tires for hauling meal and grain.
Grady Smith, Robersonville, one
tire and tube for garage and farm
service.
Joseph Carl Griffin, Jamesville,
four tires and two tubes for general
farm use.
Adkins and Bailey Warehouse,
Robersonville, two tires for hauling
fertilizer and tobacco.
Saunders and Cox, Williamston,
two tires and two tubes, for lumber
mill use.
Carroll Griffin, Williamston, four
tires for farm use.
G and H Builders' Supply Co.,
Williamston, five tires and one tube
for hauling lumber.
J. H. James, Robersonville, one
tire for hauling mules and for farm
use.
Progress Report On
Daily Bible School
The Union Vacation Bible School
completed its first week last Friday
showing an enrollment of 169 with
an average daily attendance of 142.
The interest of those attending this
year seems to be a bit better. There
is a seriousness with which the pu
pils study their Bible courses and
commit its truths to memory.
The commencement will be held in
the Memorial Baptist Church on Fri
day night of this week. The churches
agreed some years ago to have these
exercises in alphabetical order, but
owing to the size of the school itself,
it was thought better to have it in
the largest auditorium available.
A splendid exhibit will be made
available to the public in the church
annex. Articles made by the girls in
their handcraft class will be shown
along with those made in the Man
ual Arts class by the boys.
The public will be given an oppor
tunity to contribute to China Relief
at the commencement, for this proj
ect was chosen this year by the
school.
Preliminary Activities Point
To Fairly Big Vote Saturday
Despite the dark shadows of war
and the saddening news reaching
into many homes and the apparent
little interest in poltical affairs, a
representative vote is expected at
the polls in this county on Saturday
of this week. It is generally believ
ed that there Is more interest in the
primary at hand than is being ex
pressed on the surface. Incomplete
reports from the registrars state that
approximately 150 new names were
added to the registration books this
month, and that is considered a fair
ly representative number for any
year, war or no war. Williamston's
two preoincts added 71 new names
to the books or about half the regis
tration increase.
It is generally agreed that more
than 3,000 votes will be cast Satur
day or about 700 less than the total
two years ago. One's guess is about
as good as another's, so The Enter
prise is offering a subscription to
the paper for six months to the per
son submitting the best guess. The
estimate must be filed not later than
6 p. m. on Thursday of this week.
The following figures, showing the
total registration and the 1940 pri
mary vote, are offered as a guide:
Guess
1940
Precinct
Reg
Vote
Jamesville
552
396
Williams
264
150
Griffins
435
293
Bear Grass
416
255
Williamston, 1
713
492
Williamston, 2
786
590
Cross Roads
405
262
Robcrsonville
978
477
Gold Point
160
122
Poplra Point
210
156
Hamilton
175
156
Hassell
155
106
Goose Nest
412
250
5663
3705
Gas Rationing Official
Orders "V Card Audit
CAPTAIN
Wheeler Martin, Jr., local
young man, was this week pro
moted to the rank of captain In
the t'nlted States Army Air
Corps. His position is the high
est earned by a Martin County
young man in the Army during
recent years.
Hail Damages Some
Crops In the Section
?i?
Much damage was reported in
scattered areas of this county and in
sections of Bertie County early last
Saturday morning by a hail storm.
A bit freakish, the storm struck
limited areas and streaks, one far
mer stating that the crop in one of
his fields was badly damaged at one
end and damaged very littlest the
other. With few exceptions, the dam
age was light in this county. Farmer
Bob Jones, on the outskirts of Wil
liamston, reported a substantial
damage done to his tobacco, and in
the Everetts area several farmers re
ported considerable losses.
Over in Bertie the storm is said
to have ruined crops, causing far
mers to replant some of them. One
farmer stated that all his small pigs
were killed by the pellets.
Car Operator Steal* Tire
From Farmer'? Combine
Robert Short, colored car opera
tor, was arrested by Deputy Bill
Haislip yesterday afternoon for the
alleged theft of a tire from Farmer
Roy Edmondson's combimi, near
Oak City, the latter part of list week.
The owner had (he serial dumber
of the tire and the property* was
easily identified as soon as the offi
cers gained a lead in the case.
VOTING HOURS
>
The electorate wilt have ex
actly twelve hours to express It
self at the polls on Saturday of
this week, the 1942 election reg
ulations providing for the open
ing of the polls at 6:30 a. m. and
for their closing at 6:30 p. m.
The time is on the Eastern War
schedule, meaning that the peo
ple will have expressed their
wishes long before sundown. It
is the earliest the polls have
been scheduled to close since
the primary was established.
The electorate is cautioned to
bear in mind the early closing
of the polls and participate in
the primary election without de
lay.
In Wllliamston the polls will
be opened in the Roanoke Chev
rolet Company's showroom on
Washington Street for Precinct
No. 1 and In the fire atatlon for
Precinct No. t Entrance to the
fire station may ho gained
through a aide door next to the
Sinclair Filling Station.
Supplementary Gas
Cards Are Granted
In County By Board
Special Slate Administrator
In Meeting with County
Hoard IVlondav
?
Ordering an immediate audit of
all. 'X" gasoline rationing cards, E
N. Schellenburg. state gasoline ra
tioning administrator, emphatically
told the county rationing board in
session here yesterday that there
was no s\\y\\ thing as gasoline for
pleasure. It is quite clear that the
general public has not yet recogniz
ed the real meaning of the gas ra
tioning program and that they fail
to recognize the seriousness of the
situation right at hand. It is an ad
mitted fact, according to reports and
appeals coming from rationing au
thorities and from the oil companies
themselves, that unless gasoline con
sumption is materially reduced that
many businesses dependent upon
transportation will be forced to sus
pend operation for an indefinite per
iod and possible for the duration.
Asked what type of card he pos
sessed, the administrator explained
that he qualified only for one of the
A" type and udded that he was try
ng to cover much of the State by. bus
md other public conveyances.
Definite instructions were advanc
ed as to the use of "X" cards, and the
t>oard was ordered to audit every one
of them. "The 'X' card is as danger
ous as a powder house, and an ex
plosion is to be expected in due time
f they are not handled properly. In
waking their-audit, the board is to
recall all "X" cards that were not
ssued according to rules and regu
lations along with any that might
be used illegally. An "X" card, ac
cording to the administrator answer
ng numerous questions by the board,
is to be used only for the purpose
designated. He explained that a ru
ral mail carrier was entitled to an
'X" card, but that the owner could
lot take his car and drive it to his
farm or for other purposes without
violating the law. A public employee,
holding an "X" card, is not eligible
to make long week-end trips to see
his people .when his work is center
ed in another section. The adminis
(Continued on page six)
Two Persons Hurt
In Freak Accident
Last Friday Night
Slight I lie ream* in Auto Acci
dents in This County Since
Rutioiiing Begun
Strange as it may seem, the num
ber arid seriousness of highway ac
cidents in this county is apparently
on the increase since gasoline ra
tioning was instituted a little over
a week ago. One hit-and-run case
has been entered in the records and
a rather unusual accident was re
corded only last Friday night in ad
dition to a wreck in which two cars
tried to run down the middle of the
road at the same time. Fortunately,
however, the first highway death on
the highways of the county this year
is yet to be reported There have
been several narrow escapes, and Pa
trolman Saunders thought the good
record had been smashed a little ov
er a week ago. but the victim, Wil
lie Ross, soon was able to leave the
hospital. It is understood that the
investigators are closing in on the
hit-and-run driver, that a fairly def
inite lead had been established in
the case.
Walking along the Jamesville
highway within the town limits last
Friday night about 9:30 o'clock. Rob
ert Coffield. 16-year-old colored boy,
was struck a glancing blow by a
bakery truck driven by J. H. Par
ham. Coffield suffered a 10-stitch
gash in the back of his head, but he
soon recovered from the shock and
was able to be out within a short
time When Coffield was struck he
was turned quickly around and his
elbow struck and knocked down
James Finch, 18-year-old colored
chum. Finch came through with a
big knock on his head.
Parham, failing to stop, declared
when questioned by officers that he
did not know he had struck anyone
After the investigation it was agreed
that a ladder on the truck could have
hit the man without the driver of the
truck realizing it. The case 1* still be
ing investigated, and as far as it
could be learned no charges have
been brought
Sames Cole, young white man of
Plymouth, escaped uninjured when
his car, an old 1929 Model A, and
that of William Brown sideswiped
each other on the Bear Grass Road,
a short distance from the Black
Swamp Church, last Sunday night
about 9 o'clock. Brown and passen
gers in both cars were not hurt. Dam
age to the two cars was placed at
about $50 by Patrolman Saunders.
While other sections of the coun
try are reporting marked decreases
in the number of road uccidents, this
county is possibly increasing
PUNS NEUDKI)
Walking into a local cafe a
few mornings ago, a well but
apparently self-informed patron
complained about tbe sugar al
lowance for coffee and declared
there was no shortage in sugar,
gas or tires. "I have two hun
dred pounds of sugar at home. I
have an 'X' gas card and my wife
has an 'X' gas card. We have
new tires ready to replace those
on the wheels," the patriotic pa
tron said, asking what more did
he need?
The proprietor's patience or
dinarily under a strain in a cafe
was plainly aggravated. "Mis
ter," the proprietor said, refrain
ing from calling the man what
he was, "you need two hog
pens, one for yourself and one
for your wife."
No, that type of fellow hardly
ever offers to fight back.
Real Estate Values Martin County
A slight upward trend in real estate values in this county is noticeable in the 1942 listings
over those for the previous year. Although there was no revaluation of real estate this year,
the total real listings jumped from $8,138,040 to $8,243,707, a gain of $105,667 or 1.3 per cent.
Two-thirds or thereabouts of the gain is reflected in the figures for Williamston Township
where new construction accounted for most of the increase. Some new construction and re
pairs boosted the figures slightly in five of the other nine districts, but four, Griffins, Bear
Grass, Hamilton and Goose Nest reported slight decreases in the values of properties listed
by white owners. Eight of the ten townships reported increases in values of properties listed
by colored owners. The figures below show the assessed real estate values for 1941 and 1942,
amount gained or lost, and percentages for both white and colored owners. A review of per
sonal and real values will be offered in a subsequent edition.
Jamesville
Williams
Griffins
Bear Grass
Williamston
Cross Roads
Robersonville
Poplar Point
Hamilton
Goose Nest
??Indicates decrease.
1941
$ 786,549
232,237
. 431,000
438,716
1,852,884
451,727
1.460,630
259,815
693,800
851,471
$7,458,829
Whit*
1942
; 791,030
240,195
425,090
438,483
1,921,378
453,903
1,468,630
260,513
693,657
848,1332
17,547,511
Gain
$ 4,481
13,958
*5,910
?233
68,494
2,176
8,000
698
?143
?2,839
$88,682
Pet.
0.6 $
60
?1.3
?0.1
3.7
0.05
0.05
0.2
0.0
?1.0
12 1
1941
1108,890
34,800
9,695
20,083
146,610
27,011
113,266
5,670
68,310
144,876
(679,211
Colored
1942
$106,903.
35,140
9,795
20,083
154,719
26,766
113,994
5,670
72,150
151,316
$696,536
Gain
$ 1,987*
340
100
000
8,109
245*
728
000
3,840
6,440
$17,325
Pel.
1.8*
1.0
1.0
00
5.0
0.9*
0.06
0.0
56
4 4
2.6
Eleven Candidates To
Face Voters Saturday
Democrats Placing
Nine of the Names
On Primary Ballot
llarillv a Fourth Man> Men
In Race Tlicrc W ere
Two Years Ago
Martin County Democrats will
have a limited field to choose from
in selecting their party nominees for
local, district and state offices in the
_ >v? Saturday. The number
primary next saiurua> .
of candidates is believed to bi the
smallest to enter a primary in this
county in many years the Deniocrats
offering the names of nine and
Republicans only two names, as com
pared with a total of forty-two can
didates?37 Democrats and fit 1 Kl
nublleans?two years ago.
Despite the reduced field of can
didates. there's more interest in the
primary now at hand than many be
lieve. There's been more politicing
this year than there was two years
ago believe it or not. and such ac
tion generally is reflected in a rep
resentative if not a large vote. Two
years ago. the candidates combed the
L-lds and by-ways This year there
has already been much personal pol
?tiring and in addition there has
been a bit of ballyhoo from the
stump and on the streets m several
communities The introduction of
a hill-billy band, old stuff down m
Texas, was introduced for the first
time m this county by one of the dis
trict candidates The value of the
program is yet to be determined, re
ports stating that it was not so well
received in at least one of the sever
al communities visited.
?WrttrTwrrexcepfiohs. nominees lor
county offices were declared when
no opposition was offered Much in
t--.^i a touinfewit-ni Hit iniiuirr
tests, huwever. and these two are ex
pected to attract the voters. S. Har
com Grimes, of Williamston. and J
Calvin Smith, of Robersonviue. ale
in the race for judge of the Martin
County Recorder's Court, and Clar
ence W Griffin, of Griffins, and W
Iverson Skinner, of Williamston, are
m the race for a seat in the North
Carolina state House of Represents
'' The Democratic district ticket is
attracting unite a bit of attention too.
and possibly will support an increase
m the size of the vote. Marvin K.
Blount and Jack Edwards, both of
Greenville, and Herbert C Bonner,
of W'st'inRion are seeking the P"'"
printoTTToTTvpreseiita11ve in the Na
tional House from this, the first dis
trict. , , ...
Very little has been said about tin
Democratic race for United States
Senator, but Richard T. Hhck)
Fountain, of Rocky Mount, will, it
is la-lieved, give Jpsiali W Bailey,
of Raleigh, a hot time in this conn
ty.
The race for United States Sena
tor on the Republican ticket has yet
to be heard mentioned for the first
time Nevertheless there are two
men, Sam J Morris and Stoner W
Klutz, contesting for the nomination
on the minority party ticket Accord
ing to rumors, some of the Republi
cans have been so busy trying to
run the pre-primary show for tin
Democrats that they have not had
time to mention the names of their
own party candidates.
Politicians and precinct heelers
have been warned that X gas cards
are not to be used in hauling the
vote Saturday, that there. 15 some
,loubrinVwTllT,, lcgal to drive B
cards Individuals may drive then
cars to the polls, it is understood.
HONORED
Fdgar J. (iurganus. young son
of Mrs* Mary llonner (iurganus.
is walking off with a liberal
share of honors at Wake Forest
College. The young man, just
home for the summer vacation,
was recently elected president
of the rising Senior law class.
He will also serve as vice pres
ident of the Wake Forest Bar
Association of which he is the re
tiring secretary. In addition to
his leadership in the law school
the young man has been active
in general college activities.
During the past two years he
has held the major student of
fice of secretary of the Student
Political Cnion, non-fraternity
organjagtion lie isulaleiL to
graduate front the law school
next January.
iJaniesvillo Youth
Believed Drowned
Missing from bis home since Sun
day about noon, Bobby Davenport,
I eight-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs.
j K. H. Davenport, of Janiesville, is
believed to have been drowned in
the Roanoke River there He YuU>
last seen sitting on a piling at the
Standard Oil Company dock. When
the lad failed to return home, a
search was started. The river has
| been combed but no trace of the
j body had been found up until noon
today.
Moving with his family, his par
ents, two brothers and a sister, from
Washington County only a few weeks
ago, the boy took a fancy to the riv
er and was said to have gone there
in anticipation of getting a ride on
a speed boat, lie was accompanied
by his two brothers, but after wait
irTf?a long-time for a ride and with
out success, they returned home. A
strong current in the river made the
search difficult, and there is little
hope of recovering the body within
the next day or two, reports reach
ing here indicated
llossrll l(<nin< rs Hokx
I'll/mm In Metr York
llassell Rodgers Ross, native of
Washington ami well known in this
county, died suddenly at his home
in New York early yesterday morn
ing. He was the son of Mrs. Mary
Tripp Ross and the late David T.
Ross, and had made his home in New
York for the past fifteen years. He
was alxiut 3(> years of age.
In 1922 he was married to Miss
Bessie James, of Everetts, who with
his mother, a sister and four broth
ers, survives him.
The funeral party is leaving New
York this afternoon and will reach
Washington early tomorrow morn
ing, the funeral to follow at four
o'clock in the afternoon at the home
of his mother. Interment will fol
low in the Washington cemetery.
ninf.ty era cknt
According to reliable reports
coming out of France within re
cent months, at least ninety per
cent of the French are against
collaboration with (iermany.
Five nf the remaining ten per
cent are said to be making mon
ey or are receiving graft or
blood money by working with
the Germans. and the other five
per cent are playing up to the
Germans in the hope of receiv
ing some future reward.
Th# report also stated that the
French aren't whipped yet. that
once an eapedttlonary force
lands in France countless num
bers of the French will join the
ranks and lav down their lives
if necessary to free their coun
try of the heavy German yoke.
That the French are doing
much for the Allied cause Is ex
pressed by the following words
spoken by a member of the Free
French air force: "The factory
we smashed the other day?I'm
Ita principal shareholder. In
fact, I practically owned It"
Crucial Battle Of
War Still Racing
On Kharkov Front
Hiiwmuiih, Siall.Ml Short
of Their Objective, tiling,
injt Oewperutely to Gains
t*1 lih11fijj in Russia has again reach
ed a crucial stage, observers point
ing out that the outcome of the great
est battles in all history now under
way would have a marked bearing
on the war T1)? Russians, gaining
through their masterly but costly
lighting, are now tenaciously hold
ing on to those gains in the Kharkov
sector whil, the Na/.s have opened
a new front about !M) miles to the
south to relieve the pressure on their
ranks ,n the vital Kharkov .sector
reports indicate that the So
viets have been stalled just short of
their Kharkov goal, that while they
are fighting desperately to hold their
gains, there a new threat is being
m ft red by the invaders in the Izy
urn Barvenkova sector to the south
[.ate reports from Moscow claim
that the new threat offensives have
been smashed, but reports from both
Sides do not Offer the slightest inkl
ing as to winch way the tide ,s turn
No "ffictal estimates have been of
f r,d but th,. general opinion is that
u battle of Kahrkov has witnessed
- greatest slaughter of men and
th. most complete destruction of
iptry and fighting equipment
known in modern warfare
That the Nazis are throwing ev
? -tvailable piece ,,f equipment
possible into the battle ,s evidenced
the report staling that light tanks
being flown to the front that
b<
Considerahle activity advancing
,fi,r her and farther (???
. 1 "as bleeding heart is report
,"1nW",o"l, 'y ft'Parated areas to
day I he Chinese have repulsed the
Japs in then- drive ,?t? Kinhwa, in,
portant mthtary center m Ohrkmng
jl'iovinee, but,the, defenders, plead
JT'nforcemeijls. are said to
III .1 df>|M |,||, |mi.i11hm
Ceneral Slilwell. chased into In
(ha by the Jap barbarians, told a
ma "W I "r f'?h,in? Bur
We bad only one anti aircraft
gun to fight off dozens of bombers
and we were whipped," the general
there"' ' ?J:'" mvas'?n
lattle more than sparring is going
"b in other parts of the war arenas
but great talk is being beard A vast
American air force ,s about ready
and attacks western
Km ope are believed in the offing \
high British official said today that
'r will decide the time for
an invasion of the continent, that a
vast air force could possibly bring
I, 1,11 ?'"d by fTir- latler part
"us year. Ills prediciton is re
garded as optimistic. Th,.,,. has been
e' "i the f'aciftc, but the
ate '.ports reveal no startling de
Vrlopinoiits. h
I'h.tvUias been much mysterious
? Ik about ? sea battle of, ,h? (.oast
| ,f Brazil, ,??| rt.kyo is making
not'Y 'I'"""' tM"S" c,"i?ns have
no been recognized t)V u
' ii i nmcnt The claim. oen
ball! I"SM-S lht' t'"lal s?'a
battle. the Japs declaring that an
American battleship of the North
hst f"U, lyP'' WU!i included in the
s,"'? damage lllat ?
MdV ?l! angUgQIlll'llt.
All ,S not Well between Italy and
will ft "n'S pof,sa,U" that Laval
Will, after selling out to Germany
sell out to Mussolini by giv,11L, l.
- -am desired Krench proves
. hiding Nice and Corsica Mussolini
as made the claim and ?
at the claim Will mark the begm
nng of a row between the thieves
"Tidier Is stnr having troubles with"
? generals. They have been criti
confe, und ''"'ay he called a
conference possibly with the view
Jcism ' S"IK for ,ht'ir cr,tr
While the fighting gws on over
thile, We in this country are still
w. angling over giving up a gahon
gas and a few old tires. Some sav
and some don't say the gas .short
age Is serious. Incidentally, there's
I'm gas ,n at leas, one bulk plant m
w Ill.amston today But ,f we get en
(Continued on page six)
3,000 I in inn 11 ized In
\nti-Tvj)hoi(l Drive
AMB^getting off to a fairly slow
.larl the early part of last week, the
anti-typhoid drive in this county is
apparently gaining momentum. The
health department office stated to
day that over 3,000 persons had tak
en thh vaccine, and that there was
an increased interest in the drive. It
is apparent, however, that the cam
paign will fall far short of the covet
?d protection goal.
"Hie following figures show the
number of persons immunixed by
rare and dispensaries:
White Col.
Jamesville 525 96
Hamilton 170 73
Robersonville 139 38
Gold Point 91 40
Everetts 234 137
Williamston 361 55
Dardens 140 340
No. 90 Station 165 71
3357 1073