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VOLUME XLV?NUMBER 95 W'illiam$ton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuetday, December 1, 1912. ESTABLISHED 1899
John L Rodgerson
Dies Unexpectedly
In Hospital Monday
Funeral Service at Home This
Afternoon for Prominent
Banker-Business Man
John Lanier Rodgerson, Jamesville
native and former State bank ex
aminer, died unexpectedly in a
Rocky Mount hospital yesterday
morning at 1:30 o'clock following an
illness of only a few days. Maintain
ing his home here, Mr. Rodgerson
served the Bank of Roxobel as its
cashier and while in the Bertie
County town he suffered a heart at
tack last Wednesday morning. Re
covering from that attack, he was
able to come home later that day.
Going to bed to take a rest at the di
rection of his doctor, he was thought
to be getting along very well until
Saturday morning when he suffer
ed a second attack. Repeated attacks
made his condition serious and he
was removed to a Rocky Mount hos
pital early Sunday evening.
The son of the late Alfred and Ji
metta Ward Rodgerson, he was born
in Jamesville 63 years ago the 20th
of next month. When a small child
he moved with his parents to Wil
liamston. Following the death of his
father back in 1889, the lad of nine
years went to live with his uncle, the
late Marion Burroughs, over in the
grove. Farming there until a young
man, he entered Oak Ridge Institute
and later equipped himself for the
business work at a school in Rich
mond. When a young man he enter
ed the employ of the McNaughton
Lumber Company in Everetts and
married Miss Bertha McNaughton
there in 1904. About 1911 he moved
to Williamston to make his home and
was associated with the Fatmers and
Merchants Bank for a long number
of years, resigning there to go with
the Peoples Bank.
During the depression period he
was employed by the State Banking
Commission, liquidating banks at
Littleton, Lumberton and Asheville,
and later serving the department at
examiner. He always recognized Wil
liamston as his home, and some years
ago he located his family here and
accepted a position as cashier in a
Roanoke Rapids bank, resigning that
post about two years ago to go with
the Roxobel bapk and to be nearer
home.
A charter member of the local
Presbyterian Church, Mr. Rodger
son was active in its affairs, serving
as an elder for a number of years.
He was well-known in state bank
ing circles, and was highly regarded
as an upright citizen and business
(Continued on page six)
Upward Trend In
Peanut Price Here
After holding close to seven cents
for almost two weeks, peanut prices
reflected an upward trend yester
day and today. The market is now
strong at seven and a quarter cents
plus a premium varying from five
to ten dents per handred. Deliver
ies continue unusually heavy, but
it is possible that the trucking situa
tion will have a tendency to slow
them down during the next few days.
However, activities on the market
today are continuing at a brisk pace
with storage houses filling up rapid
ly and with the goobers moving to
the several cleaners in a big way.
The local factory is filled to over
flowing and the company is storing
In one of the tobacco warehouses.
Two of the other tobacco warehouses
are almost filled and another has
several thousand bags of oil stock.
The delivery of oil peanuts is in
creasing fairly rapidly, but no defi
nite report could be had immediate
ly as to the number of bags that are
now in storage at this point.
It is estimated that at least seven
ty per cent of the crop in this sec
tion has been sold. Some place the
figure as high as 80 per cent, and it
is fairly apparent that nearly all of
the crop will have moved by the
middle of this month. However, there
are quite a few farmers who are
waiting for a price of 7 1-2 cents and
others are "holding out" for eight
cents.
The harvesting work is now being
rushed to completion, and it is un
derstood that few crops will be seen
in the fields of this county after next
week.
County Man Loses
Life In Accident
Lavon Lyons, gl-year-old William
ston Township colored man, was fa
tally hurt in a truck accident near
Roanoke Rapids last Sunday after
noon. No details of the accident could
be had immediately, but it was stat
ed that two other colored men, be
lieved to have been from Bear Grass
Township, were hurt and that they
are undergoing treatment in a Roan
oke Rapids hospital.
Lyons' body was returned to this
county late last evening for burial
near his home In Williams Town
ship.
The young man was one of sever
al lfartin County men traveling to
Richmond for-work on a special
project for a power line construction
company.
War Bond Sales LocallyTotal
AI most SI4,000.00Last Week
Joining others throughout the na- j
tion, Martin County women leaders,
ably assisted by others, did an ef
fective job in promoting the sale of
war savings stamps and bonds dur
ing "Women's War Week" last
week. All of the communities have
not yet reported, and only prelimi
nary reports are available from oth
ers, but it is apparent that more
bonds and stamps were sold in this
county last week than in any other
week or weeks since the treacher
ous attack on Pearl Harbor almost
a year ago.
Farm Life claimed the lead early
in the week when bonds valued in
excess of $13,000 were sold at or as
a result of a pie party held in the i
school there. Williamston, with a
series of parties and direct appeals
to business men. sold stamps and
bonds valued at $13,722 during the
week, according to a preliminary re
port filed by Mrs. H. O. Peel, com
munity chairman. Miss Delia Jane
Mobley accounted for $5,000 worth
Miss Mary Taylor reported $3.500,1
assisted by Mrs. Reg Simpson, Mrs.
E. T. Walker, Mrs Melvin Sullivan
and Miss Blanche Harrison, and Miss '
Julia Clyde Waters accounted for:
$1,572 worth. Slightly more than $2,
000 worth were sold at the dance
auction last Friday night. The Lions
and Kiwanians handled $1,575 worth,
the Lions, $775, and the Kiwanians.
$800.
A feature of the auction last Fri
day night was the work of auction
eers, Jimmy Brown and J B. Taylor.
The St. Louis Cardinals' key man,
Brown, donated two baseballs and
a bat autographed by the champs,
the bat sold for $237.50 and was
bought by Herman Bowen. One of
the baseballs went to D. V. Clayton
for $275 .and the other to Irv ing Mar
golis for $200.
Mrs. Paul D. Roberson, county
chairman of the special campaign,
has not yet reported for the county,
as a whole, but it is apparent that
the drive was quite successful.
Following closely the special cam
paign, the United States Treasury
is urging the people of the nation to
buy a total of nine billion (not mil
lion) dollars worth of bonds ttfis
month. That means Martin County
people will have to buy far more
than they did in November if the
need is to be met, and listen, the
need is urgent.
More Martin Countv
J
Men Called By Army
DIES SUDDENLY
Mr. John L. Rodgerson, bank
official and former examiner for
the State Banking Commission
and a well-known local citizen,
died suddenly in a Rocky Mount
hospital early yesterday morn
ing.
Propose Suspension
Of Allotments For
Peanuts Next Year
Believe Quota* Cun Be Main
tained Only by Support
ing Oil Program
A break down in the peanut pro
gram, forecasted weeks ago when
many farmers advocated an open
revolt against the price differential
paid for edible and oil peanuts, is
now considered a possibility. Unoffi
cial reports from Washington indi
cate that some action will be taken
to withdraw quotas and throw all
the crop on the open market.
In an effort to save the peanut pro
gram and at the same lime provide
a large quantity of the goobers for
oil to be used in the war program,
the government set up a dual system
for the emergency. The farmer was
guaranteed three and one-half cents
for his oil peanuts and was virtual
ly assured a good price on the open
market. Contrary to preliminary re
ports claiming that a liberal acreage
had been planted to oil peanuts, fair
ly well established facts indicate that
the oil plantings were, after all, com
paratively small in this county. But
when the time came to sell the bulk
(Continued on page six)
ROUND-UP
Following a period of little ac
tivity on the crime front, local
and county officer* were kept
fairly busy last week-end round
ing up the drunken wanderers,
mainly on local streets. Appar
ently the habituals made ready
in advance for the closing of the
liquor stores at 6 o'clock, but
several did not wait until that
hour to fall into the arms of
Special Officer Charles Ray
law enforcement group.
Eight persons, four white and
four colored, were arrested dar
ing the period, seven for public
i and one for drunk
Large Group White
Men To Leave Soon
For Physical Tests
Mont of the Druflm, ('oniing
From Old Registration.
Hat! Boon Deferred
Martin County will send another
large group of young white men to
an Army induction center "soon" for
the doctors to pick out the fit and
add to the armed forces. Most of the
young men just recently instructed
to report for final physical examina
tion come from the old registrations.
They had been deferred for one rea
son or another. There are, however,
a few 20-year-olds in the group
In filling the current call, the Mar
tin County Draft Board has just
about exhausted its single men in
the old registrations, leaving only
about fifty who have deferment
claims pending and the 18- and 19
year-olds to be called before the
board dips into the list of married
men without children.
The current call for white men is
following closely the one answered
in November. About 22 men .accept
ed out of the number instructed to
repOTt for examination last month,
have already returned to camp for
regular army duty.
Names of those instructed just re
cently to report for examination and
who will be leaving "soon" are, as
follows:
Linwood Mayo Purvis, Roberson
ville.
Angelo Cus Mandos, Williamston
and Norfolk.
Claud Woodrow Hux, Oak City.
Marvin Melvin Hardison, RFD 1,
Williamston.
John William Bellflower, Jr., RFD
1, Palmyra.
Ralph Clayton Mobley, RFD 2.
Williamston.
Vernon Wilson Griffin, RFD 1,
Williamston.
William Vernon Wynh, Everetts.
John Bennett Robcrson, RFD 3,
Williamston.
K. O. Rogers, Williamston.
Spencer Raynor, RFD 1, Oak City.
James Samuel Meeks, Everetts and
Norfolk.
Plum Jenkins, RFD 2, Williamston.
(Continued on page itx)
?
Fire Burns Stores
In Robersonville
A (ire of undetermined origin gut
ted two sections of the second story
of the Hurst building in Roberson
ville early this morning. Officer
Wade Griffin, who first detected the
fire turned in the hlarm between 5:30
and 6:00 o'clock and even with the
assistance of the Williamston and
Bethel fire departments, the fire was
not brought under control until 8:00
o'clock.
Tb# fiw wfti one of tin; moit stub
born to control ever experienced by
county firemen. The blaze, between
the ceiling and the roof, could not
be reached with the several streams
of water poured upon it by the three
fire companies until it burned
through the ceiling.
The entire stock of Adler's De
partment store was practically ruin
ed and the stock of Everett and Wil
liams was also damaged, particular
ly the stock stored in the second
story.
No definite estimate could be giv
en by Messrs. Adler and Everett and
Williams of the damage done to
their stocks but the loss to the build
ing was estimated from $4,000 to $7,
000.
War As It Relates
To Home Front Is
Reviewed for Week
Monthly Quotas Are Already
in Kffeet for Certain
Types Canned Food
The military position of the Unit
ed States is far better than seemed
possible at the year's beginning. The
United Nations have won victories
in the East and the Nazis have bat
tered in vain against Russia's defense
in the Caucasus and on the Volga
And we are established in North |
Africa?back door to Axis-held Eu
rope, and a door which now stands |
open. These events do not spell vic
tory, but they mark positive ap
proach to that goal.
With the news from the fighting
fronts so encouraging it would be
nothing short of disastrous were we
to lose a major battle on the Home
Front. And yet that very danger
confronts us. Bluntly, this battle is
a battle to save our rubber-borne
transportation system from collapse
at a time when it must carry a nec
essary and staggering war load. If |
our rubber-borne transportation sys
tem were to fail, the result might I
well be failure of all our interlock- '
ing transportation systems.
Karuch Committee Gave Facts
The Baruch Committee, which had
full access to the facts and had the
confidence of the American people,
stated simply and emphatically?
"Tires on civilian cars are wear
ing down at a rate eight times great
er than they are being replaced. If
this rate continues, by far the larger
number of cars will be off the road
next year." In its program for tire
saving the committee urged, among |
other measures, early adoption of na
tionwide gasoline rationing, as an ab
solute cheek on unnecessary driv- |
ing.
In some parts of the country, in
recent weeks, agitation has spread j
for a delay in nationwide gasoline'
rationing on the plea that gasoline
is plentiful In these areas, and that
people are keeping to the 35-mile an
hour maximum speed limit. Slower
driving, tire inspection, and car shar
ing are all good?but tljey emphati
cally are not enough to insure an
adequate supply of wartime tires
And it is estimated that unless we
take every possible measure-to save
tires, up to one-half of our desper
ately needed passenger autos will be
laid up by next April.
If. S. Must Do Much Better
We have made great advances on
some sectors of the Home Front this
year?on others we have not done
so well?and next year we'll have to
do much better on them all. With the
automobile and many other peace
time industries fully geared to war,
production has mounted steadily un
til our war expenditures represent
an output of ships, planes, tanks,
guns, munitions and equipment
which cannot be matched in the
world today.
The battle against high living
costs, in spite of occasional setbacks,
has made progress. Price control
measures have saved American fam
ilies about eight and a half billion
dollars this year and next year?if
we can hold our lines against high
living costs?the saving to all of us
should total fifteen and a half bil
lions. But these tremendous savings
can only be made possible by the
complete cooperation among the
buying public, retailers, wholesalers,
manufacturers and other producers,
including farmers.
(Continued on page three)
News From the Soil
Conservation Front
Mr* J. W. Belflowor, a farmer near
Oak City, is anxious to start build
ing terraces on his farm as soon as
he gets his crops out of the field. He
plans to construct terraces on twen
ty acres before planting time next
Spring. These terraces will empty
into protected outlets.
Mr. W L. Ausborn, Supervisor of
Coastal Plain District, has just re
ceived an application from Russell
Turner, for assistance in working
out a conservation plan for his farm.
Mr. Turner in making this applica
tion stated that he was especially in
terested in controlling the water
that is causing a gully on his farm.
Also interested in establishing a
permanent pasture.
QUAIL HUNTING
s a protective meas
ure, the law making it unlawful
to hunt quail on certain days in
this county is being violated, in
tentionally or unintentionally,
according to reports coming
from game wardens. It is un
lawful to hunt quail on Mon
days, Wednesdays and Fridays
nnder the terms of the act. Sun
day hunting of all kinds Is un
lawful. Quail may be taken on
Tuesdays, Thursdays and-Satur
days In the county.
Reports from hnnters indicate
that there is an abundance of
quail and turkeys in the county
this season, that quite a few have
bagged their daily limits since
the opening last week.
Priva te Tra nsporta tion Comes
A head of Cook inga nd Hea ti tig
The allegation that we had rather
ride than eat is now an established
fact, the rationing board in this
county in addition to that proving
that we had also rather ride than
keep warm. Possibly in this topsy
turvy world, it is more important
to ride, joy or other kinds, than to
furnish our bodies wholesome food
and insure ourselves against sick
ness during a time when medical at
tention is scant. It all suggests that
Hitler'll never catch us. for it is ap
parent that we are trained in goingj
places despite gas and tire ration
ing-. I
The little puns offered here were
suggested yesterday afternoon at the
office of the rationing board after
the workers there had been swept
off their feet, literally speaking, of
course, by demands for transport
mileage rations. The preparation of
kerosene and fuel oil allotments was
interrupted abruptly, and now it is
not known when the people will get
their coupons for the purchase of
kerosene for cook stoves and fuel ,
oil for heaters. The office had hoped
I to finish preparing the allotments
land deliver the coupons to the,
| schools for distribution to the regis- ,
11rants the latter part of this week. It
is fairly certain that the distribu
tion can hardly be effected within
the next week or ten days, and it is
likely that tin- delay will be even
longer.
An unofficial but otherwise re
liable announcement states that the I
purchase of kerosene or fuel oil can
be made only in exchange for a cou
pon and the cash, of course, on and
after today. Asked if it would be pos
sible for the consumer whose sup
ply is out to buy and give a promis
sory note, guaranteeing that a cou
' pon or coupons would be surrender
ed in due time, a representative of
the rationing board had no direct
answer. It is only reasonable, how
lever. to expect a continuance of pur
chases on that basis until the cou
! pons are placed in the hands of the
consumers
Truckers Contesting
Gasoline Allotments
System All Muddled
And Truck Traffic
Continues Uncertain
Marked Variation* INotril in
Ga* Allotment* ami Far
mer* Are Angry
An acute climax to the transport
mileage ration system is at hand in |
this county as truckers rush to the
rationing hoard contesting gas allot
ments and running here and there in
an effort to declare their quotas right
now. If there are heads and tails to
the system, no one knows just where
they are or how to find them, and
from a distance the system is all
muddled with a terrific reaction in
the making. To be plain about it,
some farmers are raising particular
hell. In other cases where the allot
ments are unusually liberal, the far
mers are remaining quiet, but they
ire running to and fro in an effort to
declare their rations and get the
new "T" books.
Conflicting instructions have been |
issued or the instructions issued were
misconstrued, and some truckers |
have their dander up about that The
information offered by the press was
gained from what was considered
authoritative sources, and was of
fered in an effort to help and not hin
der the system.
Months ago, truckers were advis
ed they would have to apply for cer
tificates of war necessity. Stories
were carried to that effect and the
truckers were instructed to apply for I
the certificates. Special registration j
centers were established in this coun
ty, and less than one-third of the
truckers troubled to register during |
the three days set aside for the regis
tration. Some had thrown away their
application forms, and indifferent to
the plans, they forgot, refused or
otherwise failed to apply for another
application form. It was stated very
plainly that they would have to have
the application forms, that a certifi
cate of war necessity was absolute
ly required under the transport mile
age system. Last week, less than a
dozen truckers had applied for their
"T? rati(jn books. The rush was on
yesterday and today. Those truck
ers who failed to get their certificates j
are being pacified with special al
lotments, and right at that point the
system is being muddled. Apparent
ly fearful they'll never get another
gallon of gasoline, they are making
exhorbitant claims. Small-scale op
(Continued on page six)
Escape Uninjured
In Auto Accident
"We literally flew through the air
with the greatest of ease and about
as high as a telephone pole just to
land on a fence and rip away wire
and tear down posts," Farmer George
Lee, of Cross Roads Township, was
quoted as saying following an auto
mobile accident between Everetts
and Robersonville last Friday eve
ning about 8 o'clock. Kelly Hardi
son, riding with Laic in the front
seat, was comfortably seated on the
one in the rear when the car came
to a stop. While they were a bit
bruised the parties in the accident
were not badly hurt.
Driving east on Highway 64 at a
moderate speed, Lee said the first
thing he knew his old 1937 Model
Ford was flying through the air.
Farmer Alec Williams, driving a big
Buick, plowed into the rear of the
Ford and cleared it from the road.
Damage to the Buick was esti
mated at <200 and that to the Ford
at about <100.
Williams was temporarily detain
ed by Patrolmen Thompson and
Saunders who investigated the acci
dent.
Tank Rampage Hero
Hi is picture of Corp. Hernard J.
K< -sol. of llrooklyn, N. Y., was
taken during n furlough in Now
York. Ho is u member of the crew
of iho American medium tank that
went on a rampage in the center of
Oran, Algiers, rammed and de
stroyed three 75 mm guns and fifty
motor vehicles. The tank emerged
from the city with its armor plate
pock-niarked but with the French
guns hanging from its front.
\ (( 'nift at l'i i sh)
Prominent Kverelts
Resident Passes At
His Home Yesterday
Funeral Serueen Are Heiu^
Held This Afternoon
For Reo. Taylur
George W. Taylor, prominent
county citizen and retired merchant,
died suddenly at his home in Ever
etts yesterday afternoon at 2 o'clock.
He had been in declining health for
some time, suffering with neuritis.
Sunday, he suffered a heart attack,
but was thought to be getting along
very well evert until just before his
death. A last attack fell upon him
while he was sitting on the side of
the bed, death following immediate
iy
Fifty-two years old, Mr. Taylor
was born in Bear Grass Township,
the son of the late Daney and Anna
White Taylor. After spending his
early life *on the farm, he went to
Everetts and clerked in a mercantile
store for a number of years, later
forming a partnership for the op
eration of a large' mercantile estab
lishment under the firm name of
Taylor, Bailey Brothers. He retired
from the mercantile business about
five years ago and devoted his time
and attention to extensive farming
interests in Cross Roads Township.
(Continued on pagi six)
GREETINGS
While there may be a scarcity
in some items, there isn't any
shortage of holiday greetings.
Celebrating; the 100th anniver
sary of the first Christmas card,
the greeting card industry is en
joying its biggest season?near
ly 3,000,000,000 cards?about 23
for every man. woman and child
in the United States?will be
sent this Christmas. One of the
reasons for the boom is the ban
on holiday messages and other
greetings by telegraph by the
War Production Board. This ap
plies, as well, to those in the
armed forces overseas and at
home. Most of this year's Christ
mas cards were planned before
Pearl Harbor, but there hasn't
been much scrapping because
the traditional sentiments still
hold.
Allies Continuing
Their Advances on
Two Battlefronts
N iehy Stiffens Backhdne and
BefiiM'H To Declare War
On United Nation*
The pace, definite pointed toward
ultimate victory, set by the Allies
about three weeks ago is still being
maintained on several battle fronts,
late reports indicating that all is go
ing well in Africa and that the Rus
sians are still mopping up the Ger
mans on the Eastern Front.
Accompanying the news from the
war front came today encouraging
reports from the diplomatic front.
Vichy apparently has stiffened its
backbone for one reason or another
and is refusing to do Hitler's bid
ding by declaring war on the Unit
ed Nations, leaving Laval at a loss
as to which way to turn or what to
do. It was also reported that two
French submarines sussessfully ran
the gauntlet at Toulon and have
docked at Algiers.
Russian forces stormed deep into
the heart of German defense systems
west of Moscow and Stalingrad yes
terday, capturing many forts and
villages, the Red Army reported to
day in communiques revealing that
27,500 more Axis troops had been
killed on the two fronts.
An announcement that 20,000 Ger
mans were slain m the Stalingrad
area since last Thursday and anoth
er 7,500 killed on the central front
raised the official tabulation of dead
and wounded in the twin offensive
to 155.300.
Official bulletins said the Russians
advanced four to six miles on the
jagged Stalingrad line yesterday, and
now are fighting "in the depth of the
enemy defense system."
Hundreds of miles to the north
west. Gen. Gregory K Zhukov's
tanks and troops driving into the
German flank between Rzhev and
Velikie Luki were reported over
riding counter-attacks and advanc
mg steadily
Resistance was reported stiffening
everywhere as the Russians sliced
into the stoutest of the German for
tifications. While the pace of the So
viet drives was slackened in sojne
areas, there was no signs that they
were stalled anywhere.
Soviet troops "waged fierce bat
tles with the enemy" in the factory
area of Stalingrad, and on the south
ern outskirts of the city drove the
Germans from a number of pillboxes,
the Monday midnight communique
of the high command said.
In one sector two German battal
ions led by tanks attempted to coun
ter-attack, but fell back to their
starting line after losing 200 men
and seven tanks.
A special communique said a num
ber of fortified points anchoring the
German line were captured in the
Stalingrad area. The midnight com
munique, amplifying the announce
ment, said several fortifications, en
emy communications, trenches, anti
tank and anti-infantry defense points
were occupied northwest of Volga
city
About 800 Germans were wiped
out and 12 tanks and 29 guns de
stroyed, the high command said.
When the Russians occupied Ver
tachi, 30 miles northwest of Stalin
grad, on Sunday, they took 17 Ger
man tanks, five guns, 101 trucks, 17
motorcycles, 00 carts and one am
munition dump
In Tunisia the Fighting French
were reported today to be nearing
the coast to cut off the Germans, and
the American and British forces were
(Continued on page six)
?
May Appeal From
Truck Gas Quotas
According to unofficial informa
tion received here, truckers may ap
peal from the gas allotments allow
ed in their Certificates of War Ne
cessity by the Office of Defense
Transportation. The appeals will be
heard by the Division of Motor
Transport, Office of Defense Trans
portation, Raleigh, N. C.
No appeal should be made unless
the applicant is able to indicate
clearly that the needs of the war ef
fort or the maintenance of essential
civilian economy require a revision of
the certificate.
If the applicant in the light of the
foregoing considers that he is entitl
ed to an appeal he may make an ap
| peal only after waiting 30 days from
! the date a Certificate of War Neces
sity is received by him. This appeal
must bo submitted to the address in
dicated above and must contain the
information set out below for a per
iod of seven consecutive days with
in the foregoing 30-day period:
1. The origin and destination of
each trip.
2. The miles operated on each trip.
3. The total units of freight carried
on each trip.
4. The commodity transported and
the use to be made of the commod
ity.
5. The maximum capacity of the
vehicle for the commodity transport
ed on each trip.
Hie foregoing material must be
submitted in legible form and the
name and address and
number of the applicant _
entire statement must be"
under oath.