WAR
BOND DAY,
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VOLUME XLVT-—'NUMBER 29
WilUamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, h ml ay. tpri! 1K Ol.'i.
ESTABLISHED 1899
►
(
y
Thirty Civil Cases
Awaiting Trial In
The Superior Court
Calendar Carries Little Inter
est and Small Crowds Ex
pected for Term
——4*——
Thirty cases have been placed on
the calendar for trial in the super
ior court during the two weetes term
opening here next Monday. Judge
Richard D Dixon, of Gdenton, is
scheduled to preside over the term.
The calerdar, for the most part, car
ries cases of little interest to the gen
eral public, and no large crowds are
expected to hear the proceedings.!
Several divorce cases are slated for
trial, but in most ir<;t
actions are based on mxno^W^^?®
About one of the largest suits is
the one brought by Geo. Jenkins
against J. G. Staton. The plaintiff
claims he rented a farm from the
defendant for 1942, that before the
terms «.{ the contract were met the
defendant sold the farm, causing him
(the plaintiff) to lose about $2,000.
The damage suit brought by Jas.
T. Spencer against W, S. Gurganus'
involves about the second largest
claim scheduled for consideration in
the court. The plaintiff alleges that
as a result of the defendant’s negli
gence he wrecked his truck, caus
ing a resulting property loss of $350
and personal damage in the sum of
$1,000. The accident took place near
the county home on October 31,
1942.
In the suit of Jos. Wiggins against
Sanford Roberson, the plaintiff is
claiming possession of 2 1-4 acres of
land.
Jake Ruffin in his case against
Samuel Ruffin is asking the court
to set aside a deed to a house and
lot on the claim that he is half own
er of the property.
Cary S. Jenkins is asking an ac
countancy of the settlement of the
estate of the late Geo. B. Steele in the
case against Allie R. Steele.
Suing the Martin County Bottling
Works, Howell House claims he is
due $720 under the terms of a con
tract entered into with the defend
ant.
Based on two years of separation,
the following divorce cases are
scheduled for trial: Garland Perry j
aga^-st Alice Hodges Perry; David
Bowen against Ruby Mae Bowen;
and Mrs, Perlie Stocks against Josh
Stocks.
Three eases brought by Brown,
Brown and Ellis against Sam God
ard, the defendants are asking dam
ages alleged to have resulted from
the burning of their lands by the de
fendant’s agents.
Grady James in his case against
Aaron Biggs is suing for $1,500 al
legedly due him for caring for a child
of the daughter of the defendant
from 1937 to October, 1942.
Claiming he bought a farm from
M. D. Wilson at a stipulated price,
Ben Biggs is now suing the Wilson
estate for a deed. A similar case is
being brought against the estate by
C. C. Whitfield. He is not suing for
a deed, but is asking to be reimburs
ed for improvements made in the
(Continued on page six)
Receive Three Fire
Calls In A Row Here
—•—
The town’s fifteen-year-old fire
fighting apparatus was thoroughly
aired yesterday and last night when
the volunteers answered three
alarms. The machine sputtered and
balked one time, but the missions
were executed without loss or siz
able damage.
Yesterday afternoon, the firemen
were called to a small grass and
trash fire back of the old Greene
Oil Station next to the Carolina To
bacco Warehouse on Washington
Street. A few squirts of water
brought the fire under control.
A few hours later the firemen were
called to the humble home of Tem
pie Biggs on South Pearl Street.
Starting from a defective flue, the
fire burned a small place in the at
tic. A few boards were ripped off
and the fire was checked with a few
well-aimed squirts of water.
Shortly after midnight, the auto
matic fire alarm sounded in the
plant of the Williamston Peanut
Company, and it was followed by a
general alarm. Starting either from
machinery friction or a stray spark,
fire burned about sixteen square
feet in the ceiling and roof of the
fourth story. Catching between two
automatic sprinkler outlets, the fire
had not gained enough headway to
trip the automatic system before il
was discovered and brought under
control with a small hose and ex
tinguishers.
A general alarm was sounded hert
last Tuesday afternoon at 2:2(
o’clock when fire threatened a slice
of the business district in Roberson
ville. The company was preparing tc
make the run when the chief was ad
vised that the fire was being brough
under control. A filling station on the
Street burned There.
is
County During Past Month
-1
All-Out Support Is Urged For $328,800.00 Special War
Bond Issue Opening in This County on
Monday of Next Week
After running in excess of assign
ed quota# for the past fev, moniiw,
war bond purchases sagged consid
erably in this county last month. Ac
cording to a fairly complete survey,
the sales amounted to only $34,
587.50. With a record snorter to han
dle beginning next Monday, Martin
County people apparently went light
on the purchases last month, but
whatever their motive might be for
withdrawing from the bond market
it will be reflected in the sales be
^nnxng next Monday.
Sales were reported last month as
follows: Robersonville: Guaranty
Bank, $5,156.25 and post office, $2,
26S 75; Williamston, Guaranty Bank, j
$10,293.75; post office, $3,000, Mar
tin County Building and Loan Asso
ciation, $1,518.75, and Branch Bank
ing and Trust Company, $12,350.00.
The county tell considerably below
tpnta March. As 5.;.* as it c-oxld
be learned no "E” Bond quota was
assigned the county for April, but
it. is thought that the demand can
well be supplied by the $328,800
special bond quota.
Beginning April 12, the people of
this nation are to enter upon an all
out bond purchasing task. Thirteen
billion dollars are to be raised.
North Carolina has a $112,000,000
quota, and Martin County people are
being asKod to buy bonds to the tune
of $328,800. It is a sizable sum all
right, but one must remember that
this is a sizable war the world has
on its hands.
D. V Clayton, chairman of the
drive in this county, and his assist
ants are looking to all the people for
an all-out support in the urgent bus
iness.
Request Ninth School
Month For The County
Name Committees
In Six Districts
For Coming Year
-♦
I. C. Manning Re-elected Head
of County Schools for
Next Two Years
Meeting in regular session this
week, the Martin County Board of
Education prepared a formal request
calling for a nine months school
throughout the county during the
1943-44 term. The request was sup
ported by the various district com
mittees, it was learned, and is in
Keeping with similar action taken
throughout the State. Commenting
on the request, Superintendent J. C.
Manning pointed out tha) the teach
er shortage problem is very likely
to be far more serious this coming
term than it was last, that in those
counties where the authorities re
quest only an eight months school
it will be even mare difficult to get
teachers. It is true that the general
labor shortage will be felt in the
schools next term, but by shorten
ing the usual holidays, it will be pos
sible to end the term about the mid
dle of May. Some of the schools in
the county are not closing this year
until about May 5.
Strange as it may seem, the strong
est support for the longer term was
said to have come from those dis
tricts where farming is the main bus
iness of the patrons.
While several schools in the coun
ty once operated for nine months
under special tax supplements, it is
the first lime that the long term has
been scheduled for most of them.
J. C. Manning was re-elected sup
erintendent of the county system for
the coming two years.
In setting up the machinery for
operating the schools next term, the
education board appointed commit
teemen for the six main districts and
the four sub-divisions. Very few
(Continued on page six)
-♦
Trucks Demolished
In Crash Near Here
Two trucks, a big Mack loaded
with logs and a ton and one-half
Chevrolet operating empty, were
demolished when they crashed on
Highway 125 in front of the J. S.
Whitley home at the edge of town
Wednesday afternoon at 3:15 o’clock.
The vehicle drivers and a passenger
miraculously escaped unhurt, but the
property damage will exceed $1,000,
it was estimated.
Goldie Ormond, operating the
Chevrolet, was driving out of th<
Whitley driveway when Sam Rob
erson, colored man known as ‘‘Cry
ing Sam”, rounded the curve with
the big log truck and plowed into
the lighter machine. Nosing its way
into the side of the light truck, the
big Mack picked it up and carried it
down the highway for a distance of
about 150 feet, both machines com
ing to a stop in a ditch with their
horns locked. The occupants crawl
ed out under their own power and
without a scratch or bruise.
Two salvage crews worked for
nearly two hours clearing the wreck.
The Williamcton Supply Company,
owners of the light truck, are find
i ing it difficult to replace the wreck
ed machine. Critcher Brothers, own
: ers of the big truck, are understood
■ | to have replaced their loss with s
I second-hand machine.
RESPONSE
Carrying an earnest plea to
the town’s youthful citizens In
the grammar and high schools
here yesterday morning and to
those in the colored school this
morning, Mayor J. L. Hassell de
clared the youths pledged their
best efforts in promoting and
supporting a general clean-up
campaign here this spring.
Convinced that cleanliness is
next to godliness, Mayor Hassell
is appealing to the ministerial
forces of the town to support the
clean-up movement from their
pulpits.
“We had too many mosquitoes
last year to sit idly by and let
’em take us again this season,”
Mayor Hassell said in directing
an appeal to everyone to get
Carrying an eranest plea to
ises and eliminate health clan
gers.
Cpl. Irvin Griffin
Writes Impressions
Of Dark Continent
-#
Arabs and French Line* Streets
To Welcome American Ex
peditionary Forces
“My old ideas about Africa have
changed considerably,” Cpl. Tech.
Irvin Griffin, local young man, points
out in a second of a series of letters
to The Enterprise. Written under
dale of March 11, the Interesting let
ter follows:
I am getting along fine and hope
you are the same. There is nothing
new to write about so I will try to
give my impressions of North Afri
ca.
Needless to say, my old ideas about
Africa have changed considerably
since arriving. I had always thought
of Africa as the “Dark Continent,”
with the great desert, the jungles in
the interior, the diamond mines in
the south, and the pyramids in Egypt.
I thought it was always hot with the
sun scorching the earth all year. In
stead of the jungles and desert, about
all that I have seen has been a con
tinuous group of barren hills and
(Continued on page six)
\ijjjjhpr ot New Car |
Tires Are A-lotted
By Ration Board|
—•—
Liberal Quotas Being Made
Available to. County for
Month of April
-/•<*>
A tracked improvement in the
rubber situation is reflected in the
tire and tube quotas allotted this
county for the current month. The
county is being allowed, for cars: 95
new' tires, 80 Grade II tires, 249
Grade III tires and 122 tubes, and for
trucks: 63 new tires, 66 recaps and
49 tubes. Four tires have also been
allotted for farm machines. The
new car allotment for April is four,
and the county is being allowed 25
bicycles.
On the basis of the liberalized quo-:
tas, the rationing board this week j
rationed an increased number of new |
car tires and tubes, and quite a few
other types for both cars and trucks
New automobile tires and tubes
were rationed to the following:
State Highway and Public Wor«s
Commission, Tarboro, three tires.
C. R. Vanlandingham, RFD t, Wil
iiamston, two tires and Iwo tubes.
A. Corey, Jamesville, two tires and
one tube for minister.
W. J. Beach, Hamilton, two tires
for farm.
P. NT. Holliday, Jamesville, three
tires and three tubes.
W. O. White, Williamston, one
tire for transporting labor.
G. C. Godard, Williamston, one
tire and one tube for hauling labor.
Joseph Mizelle, RFD 1, Jamesville,
three tubes.
Mary Louise Taylor, one tire and
one tube.
New truck tires were issued to the
following:
Edgar Harrell, Oak City, one tire.
Edgar Davis, Hamilton, one tire.
Holt Evans, Williamston, one tire
and one tube.
Williamston Supply Co., one tube.
M. W. Bissell, RFD 1, Jamesville,
one tire and one tube.
N. C. Green, Agent, Williamston,
two tires and two tubes.
Five recapped truck tires were al
lowed the Williamston Peanut Com
pany for trucks.
Grade It tires and new tubes were
allotted the following:
"O. S. Green, RFD 1, Williamston, j
two tires.
J. R. Smith, Robersonville, four
tires and Iwo tubes.
Daniel G. Griffin, RFD 2, William
ston, four tires.
Horton Modhn, RFD 1, Jamesville,
two tires.
Simon J. Barber, RFD 1, James
ville, two tires.
T. H. Brown, RFD 1, Jamesville,
two tires'.
Fenner Respass, Williamston, four
tires.
Grade III tires were rationed as
(Continued on page six)
-(f>
Larger Catches Are
Expected by Fishery
—-•—
Reduced almost to a bare mini
mum during the past few days, fish
catches in the Roanoke are expect
ed to undergo a marked increase
with a return of warm weather.
Freezing temperatures all but wiped
out the herring catches earlier in the
week, and only small catches are be
ing made today, according to a re
port direct from the fishery at James
ville today. Between 300 and 1,200
herring were being taken at a “haul”
this morning with the number of
rock ranging from four to twelve.
The annual trek to the Roanoke
Smokehouse hasn’t started as yet,
but visitors are expected to start
moving in on the fishery and at oth
er points along the stream in great
numbers within the next week or ten
days. There’s a big demand for Ro
anoke chickens this season, and it
is fairly apparent that the supply
will not be sufficient to go ’round.
Price Increase?r 1 ilowed For
Several Essential War Crops
-$
Seven-Cent Floor Orilrn'd Placed Under Peanuts nith SK.40
Per Iluudrei) As a Maximum According !o
The Various Grades and Types
Price boost* have been announced
for several farm crops by Food Ad
ministrator Chester C. Daves, the
out-and-out increases substituting;
for the $100,000,000 incentive pay
ments proposed by the Department
of Agriculture a short time ago. In
other instances, incentive payments
will be allowed according to prev
ious announcements, the special list
to include potatoes, carrots, snap
beans, lima beans, beets, tomatoes, |
cabbage, onions and green peas.
DIo boost produc- i
lion the direct price increase affects
peanuts, dry beans, peas, soybeans I
and flaxseeds. A seven-cent floor j
has been placed under peanuts withw
JR .40 per hundred a maximum ;
price according to grades and types. |
Previously the government hart guar
anteed a price of $1112 a ton for the
Virginia type and $122 for the run
ners, the increase being $8 per ton
in each case. These figures are only
government guarantees, meaning
that the open market is free to boost
prices to die maximum of $8.40 per
hundred, the ceiling price. Under the
incentive plan, the peanut grower
would have received a bonus of $30
an acre for a portion of bis crop.
Soybean prices were boosted from
$1.70 to $1.80 per bushel, the guar
antee being based on 14 per cent
moisture content.
On potatoes the incentive pay
ments will be 50 cents per bushel on
J^e normal yield of that part of the
farmer’s production between '.!!> and
110 per cent of his goal.
Col. Roosevelt Writes
Of County Boy’s Death
SIX WAAC.S
According to an unofficial re
port, six Martin County young
women volunteered their serv
ices in the Woman’s Auxiliary
Army Corps during a one-day
recruiting stand here yesterday.
The names of the volunteers
could no be learned. Lt. Olga B.
Taylor and her two assistants
interviewed a large number of
prospects during the day. It is
understood that the recruiters
plan to return here the latter
part of this month to interview
other prsopective recruits.
Opening the first WAAC re
cruiting station here, the party
yesterday attracted much atten
tion, especially from the male
species. One man is said to have
vfcsilW'tfRP'p&si office a dozei: ■
times presumably for his mail
hut moru’n likely to learn more
about the IVAACs. The recruit
ers were guests of the Lions at a
special dinner last evening.
Judge J. C. Smith
("alls Eight Cases
In County’s Court
Long Knud Term ami Substan
tial Fine Feature jiulu;
mentM Lust Monday
Calling eight cases, Judge J. C.
Smith held the county court in ses
sion the better part of two hours
last Monday with only a fair-sized
crowd present for the proceedings
A long road sentence and a substan
tial fine featured the judgments
handed down by his honor. Solicitor
Paul D. Roberson prosecuted the
docket.
Proceedings:
Charged with bastardy, Charlie
Staton pleaded not guilty. The evi
dence did not support the plea and
the defendant was sentenced to the
roads for six months, Judge Smith
suspending the road term on condi
tion that he pay the costs of the case
and $1 a week to Emma Blanche
Williams for the support of their
child during the next six months. He
is to reappear at the end of that time
for further judgment.
Charged with drunken driving,
John T. Hadley was found not guil
(Continued on page six)
Mayor J. L. Hassell Urges General Clean-Up
Drive For Health And Control Of Mosquitoes
By J. L. HASSELL,
Mayor of Williamston
An outstanding opportunity
for patriotic and public service
which will be an active aid to
the war effort from the home
front, and at the same time def
initely promote public welfare,
health and safety in our town is
to inaugurate a clean up cam
paign.
Conservation of existing prop
erty and critical materials con
tained in that property, salvage,
promotion of the public health
and safety, fire prevention and
inspiration of the public morale
is the goal set in our clean up
campaign this spring.
Let us put our property into
safe and sanitary condition, re
move insect breeding menaces,
cut pollen bearing weeds, de
stroy disease bearing germs and
increase human efficiency.
Ail yards, back lots, vacant
lots and vacant store lots must
be cleared of trash and rubbish
which, if not attended to, is like
ly to menace health and result
in accidents and make a fine
breeding- place for mosquitoes
and other insects.
The Town Commissioners have
again this year put on a Mos
quito Control Drive which prov
ed very effective last year and
special attention should be di
rected to open cesspools and
pools of stagnant water in lots,
ditches, cans, barrels, tubs and
junk piles.
Without the cooperation oi our
citizens we cannot make this
campaign a success.
We are again making war on
rats as we find the last cam
paign proved most successful.
Rat infestation of premises us
ually can be traced to some con
dition favorable to them. Re
moval of this condition discour
ages their presence and helps
permanent reduction.
The loss of work hours due to
accidents and sickness is a di
rect aid to our enemies, there
fore all hazardous conditions
that endanger our homes, our
health, our lives, must be elim
inated.
We are asking all citizens to
join wholeheartedly in this ef
fort to clean up our town and
make it a sanitary and more
healthful place to live.
Plant your vacant lots in Vic
tory Gardens as food is a weapon
of war and food will help win
the war.
Let us clean up and where
possible, paint up.
Personal Letter To
Mr. Whit Moore Was
Received This Week
Marine Roland Moore, RFD
3, WillianiMton, Was Friend
Of President’s Son
Following a brief message an
nouncing the death of his son, Rol
and Moore, by drowning, Mr. Whit
Moore, of RFD 3, Williamston, this
week received a personal letter from
the youth's commanding officer,
Colonel James Roosevelt. Express
ing the great esteem in which the
lad was held by the son of President
Roosevelt, the letter appears through
the courtesy of Mr Moore, as fol
lows:
In the Field, March 22, 1943.
Dear Mr. Moore:
It is my sad duty to inform you
of the death, by drowning, in the
line of duty, of your son Pfc. Roland
Moore, U.S.M.C. I'm writing you this
persona] note for I feel you would
want to know the circumstances and
because I wanted to tell you person
ally how deep a regard I had for him.
Roland has been my orderly and
friend ever since the formation of
the battalion. He had exhibited a
high degree of devotion to duty, an
intelligent application of initiative,
and a good humor and cheerfulness
in all he did which endeared him to
all of us. He did so many little
things for me, and I felt secure in
knowing he would always have us
prepared for the job to be done.
His drowning occurred while I was
away from camp on a reconnaissance
mission. Roland had been assigned
to the range for firing practice and
he and his group were returning to
camp with their full equipment. Just
before reaching camp it was neces
sary to cross a deep swift stream
Roland evidently slipped and hit his
head on his rifle. The blow evident
ly stunned him sufficiently to make
liim unable to float or swim with
the weight of his equipment. His cal
(Continued on page six)
-»
Local Lions Observe
Sixth Anniversarv
j
—» —
The Williamston Lions Club cele
brated its Gth anniversary here last
night entertaining the wives and
friends of the local members in ad
dition to several visiting Lions from
the Plymouth and Washington
clubs. Approximately 125 members
and visitors were on hand for the
meeting and celebration, said to be
the largest event ever held by the
local civic organization.
“It was the finest and the most in
spirational meeting ever held by oui
club,” Dr. Walker, president of the
club, stated this morning. “Our re
sponsibilities as individuals and as
a nation in making every effort tc
win the war was emphasized anc
called to the attention of the mem
bers and visitors many times
throughout the meeting,” Dr. Wal
kor said.
Mayor John L. Hassell, speaking
as a representative of the town, wel
corned the visitors. He was followec
by Neil Hester, reporter for tin
News and Observer, and past dis
trict governor, who acted as toast
master. The main address of the eve
ning was made by Tom Payne, dis
trict governor, of Washington, N. C.
The Kiwanis club was represente<
by John Goff, president, and amonj
the visitors were several WAAC
who are here this week asking fo
recruits.
Nazis Are -4i4ievcd—
To Be Making Their
Last Move in Africa
-^-~ /*''
British Lose 21 Planes in
Carrying Fight to the
Ruhr Last Night
Battered and in slow but relent
i Isos retreat, the Nazi hordes in North
| Africa are believed now to be on
[ their way out, either by extermina
j tion, surrender or by an attempted
Dunkirk More heavy fighting is like
ly to follow, but the German forces
are now trapped along a narrow strip
in Tunisia, with no place for Rom
mel to hide his gang
Americans, fighting a stubborn re
sistance, are believed to have branch
«d out from Kaknassy to effect a sec
ond union British Eighth
j Army and to join in the case on Rom
j mel's retreating forces up the coast
lal road. Between twenty and tweo
■ ' 4fv3UEttttd of Che enemy have
been taken prisoners since the fall
of the Mareth line to the British, and
large amounts of equipment have
been abandoned by the fleeing Ger
I man columns. Back in Germany, the
people are being prepared for the
shocking news of a complete defeat
of the Axis armies or what is left of
250,000 men.
Squeezing in on the enemy on
three fronts, the' Allies are now mov
ing to block any evacuation plans
I Rommel may have for his men. Brit
ish battleships and a large British
carrier have joined with other flo
tilla off Tunis and Bizerte to chal
leneg ati evacuation attempt. There
is some talk about the Italian fleet
making ready for an engagement,
and it is possible that Mussolini at the
bidding of Hitler will run his battle
fleet into action to cover the retreat
across the Mediterranean.
The situation in Africa looks good
today, but military authorities cast
a shadow over the report with the ad
tn.i- ion that Allied !■ ssos have been
heavy.
It is now thought that Marshal
Rommel, commander of the Afrika
Korps, and Marshal von Arnim, com
! mander of the German Tunisian Ar
I my, have already deserted or are
; planning to desert the hot spot in
[Tunisia and leave an Italian general
| to fight a delaying action. The two
j 'German generals tire converging on " *"
| Itiily to make ready a defense against
j invasion there.
I After a three day rest, the British
bomber forces went back into action
lust night. Four hundred planes at
tacked the industrial Ruhr Valley
and laid waste factories. The attack
ers lost 21 of their planes.
Large forces of Canadians and
Fighting French landed this week
in England, and it is understood that
more Americans have landed on for
eign soil during the past few weeks,
indicating that a continued offensive
;s to be expected after the mopping
Op operations are completed in Tun
isia.
There is a lull or. the eastern front
with fighliog limited to patrol ac
tion. The Russians are biding their
chance to continue their drive on
(Continued on page six)
Twenty-Seven Men
Enter The Service
—♦—
An official audit just released by
the draft board shows that twenty
seven Martin County white men were
recently accepted for service in the
armed forces. Approximately 55
men reported to the induction cen
ter last week, the twenty-seven men
who passed the examinations re
turning last Tuesday for active serv
ice.
James Nicholas Hardison, Joseph
Elbert Ward and Ollis Lilley were
accepted by the Marine Corps, and
James Dawson Rogerson and Chas.
Thomas Mizelle entered the Navy.
The following men were accepted by
the Army: John Edward Pope, Jr.,
William Dixon Jones, Edgar Jarvis
Gurganus, Benjamin Franklin Hol
land, James 'Wiggins Watts, Jr,, Hen
ry Thomas Daniel, Alva Rudolph
Roberson, Arthur Anderson, William
Clayton Wynne, Hugh Millard Mar
tin, Walter Ellis Everett, Orlander
Shepherd Green, Garland Benjamin
Wynne, Wallace Reid Bullock, John
ny Malion Whitaker, Henry Willis
Hoel, James Mannon Varelift, Sta
ton Roberson Williams, Sidney Ray
Lewis, Marvin Brint Manning, Jas.
Samuel Roebuck.
It was first reported that only 20
of the group had been accepted by
'he Army, but it was later learned
that one, Benjamin Franklin Hol
land, waived his sc-ven-day furlough,
and that another James Samuel Roe
buck, was transferred from another
: board.
James Ernest Keel, scheduled to
■ report for induction with the group,
• joined the merchant marine, it was
• learned.
An unofficial report heard from
1 one of the rejectees stated that 24 of
r his number were ruled out on ac
i count of physical disabilities, and
• three on account of low literacy^stan
dards.