North Carolina Newspapers

NEARLY 1000 MARTIN COUNTY SERVICE MEN NOW READING THE ENTEPRISE IN ALL i’ARTS OF THE WORLD EACH WEEK. THE ENTERPRISE NEARLY 1000 MARTIN COUNTY SERVICE MEN NOW READING THE ENTEPRISE IN ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD EACH WEEK. VOLUME XLVII—NUMBER 56 Williamaton. Martin County. North Carolina, Tuesday. July I ft. CHI. ESTABLISHED 1899 New British Drives In the Caen Sector Several Hundred Lose Live* in Munitions Blast Last Night in California While no major offensive has beer launched, the British last week-end were said to have dented the Ger man line in the Caen sector, the new drive featuring the activities in France. Gains up to a mile were reported but in other areas it was admitted that advanced American patrols had been forced to withdraw temporarily from St. Lo in the cen ter of the Cherbourg Peninsula base Although they are not altogether of a pessimistic note .reports coming from the invasion front are not the most encouraging at this time. A five-day lull had obtained on the front with the exception of patrol activities in most of the areas. The new drive by the British was first thought to be an all-out offensive planned by General Montgomery. Apparently the time is not ripe, and the lull there is a part of the Allied over-all strategy. The Germans are said to have 25 divisions on the in vasion front now, or about one di vision for every four miles. Many of the enemy forces, it is said, were forced to march 100 miles to reach their stations, the disrupted trans portation system finding it impos sible to move them. It is possible the Allies are drawing the Germans to that area with the view of mak ing another thrust at a second point. It is understood that the British have not yet cleared Caen for use as a port, but supplies are pouring into the invasion area through the Cherbourg port, and big-scale action is believed in the offing. That the war is progressing tow ard an ultimate goal after a success ful fashion wts evidenced yester day when General Montgomery re iterated his D-Day statement. He said at that time, “If we do our stuff properly this year in this business we shall have Germany out of the war this year." Predictions that the European war will be brought to a close in early September are not recognized offi cially. At the same time, others are of the opinion that the war will last much longer, but between the var ious predictions is Montgomery’s statement. In Italy, the Allies are still push ing northward, the liberating forces uncovering gruesome crimes com mitted by the Nazis. Wholesale kill ings of men, women and children were reported at Civitella. Since May 11, 40,000 Germans have been taken prisoner ,and today the enemy stands almost upon his so-called Gothic line which runs from Pisa on the Tyrrhenian Sea through Flor ence to Rimini on the Adriatic. Over in North Burma, the battle for Myitkyina, key Japanese base, is now believed in its final stages. In China, Allied aircraft are operating steadily in support of the Chinese' in Yunnan and Hunan provinces. Around besieged Hengyang, the Chinese have accounted for 14,000 Japanese dead in three weeks. In the Pacific, the Allies are ap parently making ready for another move. No land action has been re ported since the drive on Saipan, but Guam is still under attack, late re ports stating that surface craft were firing on the former American base. Russia is still pushing forward with Berlin as its ultimate objective. Grodno, last remaining fortress city in the path of the Red Armies push ing toward East Prussia, has fallen. Unofficial reports state that. Russian parachutists have already landed in East Prussia and that the territory was being evacuated. The people there are frantic and turmoil exists among the entire civilian population. On the home front disaster struck last night in California, a munitions blast killing at least 350 persons and injuring an estimated 1,000 others. No report on the property damage could be. had, but the explosion was felt over a radius of fifty miles c.nd the flames were visible 100 miles away. Most of the killed were naval personnel on a munitions ship, one report stated . Special Recruiter Coming for Waves —§— Recruiter Jeanne d’Agay, special representative of the Navy Waves, and Navy Recruiter H. S. Lee will be in the Williamston Post Office building on July 21 in an effort to make Wave information available to every woman in Martin County and surrounding area. Miss d’Agay, a native of California and recent graduate of Wave train ing schools, will be in this area for one month to discuss every detail of service for women in the Waves. Principal requirements for enlist ment in the Waves include age, with enlisted personnel accepted between 20 and 36 and officer candidates be 1 tween 20 and 50. At least two years’ high school or satisfactory education is necessary foi1 enlisted personnel. Miss d’Agay will be glad to contact any interested lady at home if it is impossible to visit the post office building. BOMBED CHILD DREADS ROBOTS ;? ,jS: A BURNED CHILD dreads 'he fire no more truly than this w lish tot dreads the air from which one of Hitler's robot bon recently among innocents. Her wounds dressed, safe in I firms, the child still looks skyward in fear. << ' d Kng droppeC other's ■riotin’) THE RECORD SPEAKS . . . For about five years, a week ly running account of highway accidents has been offered through the cooperation of the Highway Patrol. During that time, many additions have been made, time takes its toll in ever increasing accidents, injured, damages and death. But this week was the first time that a subtraction has been made. Tom LeRoy Pitt, colored man who was reported to have died from injuries the early part of this month, is still alive and is ex pected to recover in a Tarboro hospital. The first report could have been ‘‘fixed,’’ but officers made an official check and are making ready to bring the man to justice for tearing into and injuring several people who were riding on a cart. Last week was a really black one for the record. There were six accidents, but no one was killed, the death toll holding to a count of one. The following tabulations of fer a comparison of the accident trend: first, by corresponding weeks in this year and last and for each year to the present time. 28th Week Comparison Accidents Inj’d Killed Dam’ge 1944 6 3 0 $ 400 1943 0 0 0 000 Comparison To Date 37 20 1 7300 23 11 5 3250 1944 1943 Series Of Accidents Reported In County No one was badly hurt and no great property damage resulted in a series of highway accidents report ed in the county last week-end. Andrew Roberson, colored, was slightly cut on the face when the car in which he was riding crashed into another on the Robersonville Stokes Highway at 11:30 o’clock last Saturday night. Damage to the cars was estimated at $75. Israel Blount, colored of Pitt County, was charged with drunken driving, and Tom Wil liams.car wa' charged with operating a car on the wrong side of the road. The wreck was investigated by Cpl. W. S. Hunt of the Highway Patrol. Joseph Alexander Jones lost con trol of a big bread delivery truck when the steering gear broke and crashed into a ditch on the Oak City Tarboro Highway, near Oak City, last Friday afternoon at 5 o’clock. No one was hurt and damage was estimated at $150 to the truck by Patrolman W. E. Saunders who in vestigated the ’accident. No one was hurt and damage was done in tha sum of about $25 when the cars driven by Lugene Bell and Grover eleven Williams sideswiped each other near Whitley’s Bridge in Poplar Point Township last Sunday evening at 7 o’clock. Two Brothers Meet After Four Years —«—■ Ensign Ben F. Grimes, who mar ried Miss Ruth Hurley, of William ston, had a chance jneeting with hi.‘ brother, Ensign Joe Grimes, in Wil son, a few days ago. It was theii first meeting in four years, the youn£ men having seen each other only £ short time in San Diego, Calif., the first in four years. Both young men were iiome oi leave from duty in the South Paci fic. Ensign Joe Grimes was on his way to his home in Smithfield ant was on the streets in Wilson waitini for a bus, hoping he could catch £ ride home during the meantime Brother Ben was traveling from here j to Smithfield ana happened to se< I his brother on the street and picket him up. I wenty INegro tVleii From County Pass Pre-Induction Tesl Thirly-lwo Rejcclnl ;il For llrujujg Early Carl of This Month Twenty Martin County colorec men, reporting to Fort Bragg on Julj 6th for preliminary examinations were accepted for military service according to an official audit jus recently returned to the count} draft board office. Approximately fifty-two men reported for the ex amination. One man, Robert Wil liams, of. Robersonville, failed to re port and four others were transfer red. The names of the men transfer roc to other boards for their pre-induc ilion exams, include: Robert Charlit Hyman to Suffolk, Louis Ebron t( Florence, South Carolina, Orlandei Perkins to B.#timore, and Johnnie Gray Mayo to New York. Names of the men passing the ex amination are: Columbus Williams, Williamston. Jim Junior Outterbridge, RFD 3 Williamston. Charles II Williams, RFD 3, Wil liamston, and Baltimore. Willie Roy Davis, RFD 2, Robe, sonville. William David Brown, Williams ton. William Redie Bryant, RFD 1, Pul tnyra. Leo Whitfield, RFD 1, Roberson ville. Robert Andrews, Jr., RFD 3, Wil liamston. Charles Richard Williams, Wil liamston. Henry Gurganus Spruill, William ston. Robert James Reddick, RFD 1, (Continued on page six) Few Farmers Usin^ War Prison Labor Comparatively few farmers in this county are using German was pris oners for general farm labor, sic voi ding to u 1161'ifelax "f here during recent days. The reports indicate that the laboi is not proving very satisfactory or the farms. No reports from indus trial plants where the labor is cm ployed could be had. During the period, May 15-June 15, 405 prisoners picked up 4,55f bushels of Irish potatoes for foui contracting farmers at a total cos1 of $273.54, or about six cents a bush el. While the unit cost may not bt entirely out of reason, the averagi collection of about 11 bushels pel man does not look so good. In abut the same period, 796 pris oners worked 5 193 and a fractior iuui J lit.i’tf i (Ui id icisk for eleven farmers a' a total cost ol $1,355.83. FOR EMPLOYERS v.> The deadline for filing of forms WMC-NG'-IOG by em ployers in North Carolina has been set for midnight Thursday, July 20, it is announced by R. S. Dorton of the War Manpower Commission. The form is the re quired application for the es tablishment of a manpower ceil ing and a priority rating. Every employer—even if he has only one employe — must have the above forms filed with the nearest local United States Employment Service office by that date, Dorton emphasized. Employers who fail to tiie form 10t>, will have to file form 63, “a much more intricate form, together with the attachments required for this intricate form,” Dorton said. ! RECORD For the t'tet time vn recent months not a single person was arrested and jailed in this coun ty last week-end. No direct ex planation for the holiday on the crime front could be had, but one officer stated that beer sales were frozen during the period and that possibly the shortage of that beverage contributed its part to sobriety. And then, too, crime activities go into a sum mer slump at least two or three times between July 1 and the middle of August. Ned Cunningham F Badly Wounded In Leg A Few Days Ago i Williantston Roy Now ill Cast on Hospital Ship Sonio where In the Pacific -$ Ned Cunningham, young son of Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Cunningham, was badly wounded a short time ago somewhere in the Central Pacific, according to information received here yesterday morning by his aunt, Mrs. H. 15 York, and friends of the family. Complete details about the young man's wound could not be had, but it was learned that the young man wrote to bis mother, stating that he had been shot in his right thigh just below the hip, that toe hone was I broken. At the time the letter was written, he was on a special hospi tal ship somewhere in the Pacific. The limb is now in a cast, and ap parently the young man is getting along all right. He stated in his let ter that he was receiving the best of , care, hut, as far as it could he , learned, he said nothing about com ing home any time soon. He pointed out in his letter that he was lying flat on his hack, that it was a bit dif fieult In write and that he would go into more detail in his next letter. The message was the first receiv ed from tin' young hum in six or seven weeks. It Is believed that he was with the Marines in that bloody struggle on Saipan where American casualties approximated 12,000 with in a comparatively short time. The young man participated in the bloody struggle at Tarawa, and was later transferred to Honolulu for a short rest. He has been in foreign service for more than a year, and apparently has been in the thick of the fight in the Pacific during much of that time. Bandage Room Calls For More Workers Volunteers are reporting in in creased numbers, but the local Red Cross bandage room needs more workers if the July quota is to be handled on time, a report from the room last evening stated. Less than half the work has been handled to date, it was stated, and a repeated appeal is being directed to all women to report to the room and help complete the task before the 31st. The following persons have found time to devote an hour or more to the work since last Thursday night: Friday afternoon; Mesdames John Williams, Victor Champion, Frank Weaver and B. S. Courtney. Friday night: Mesdames Coy Rob erson, H. L. Meador, M. L. Peel, Ralph Parker, E. H. Willard, J. M. Wai d Bill Karri. '.:: It S Courtney, Abner Brown, J. II. Edwards, J. S. Ayers, J. B. Taylor, W. C. Manning, V. E. Brown, M J Webb, K. D. Worrell, Anna Harrison, and Mrs. Bullock, and Misses Mary L. Taylor, Mary Charles Godwin, Julia Everett, Alma Godwin. Saturday afternoon: Mrs. B. S. Courtney, Mrs. Victor Champion, Miss Mary E. Keel and Mrs. N. D. Grimes. Saturday night: none. Sunday afternoon: Mrs. J. B. Tay lor, Mrs. B. F. Perry, Miss Dorothy Manning and Mrs. Palmer White. Monday afternoon: Misses Jane Goff, Irene Peel, and Rose Leggett and Mrs. Eason, t.illey Monday night. Mesdames Jobi'i'iF Goff, T. A. Gray, C. B. Roebuck, Geo. ilaiiiss, William Manning, G H. Harrison, Edwin Holding, Billy Guff in, Roy L. Ward, A. R. Dunning, Willis Johnson, W. O. Griffin, Joe Roebuck and Mrs. Cora H. Modlin, and Miss Mamie Clyde Manning. II oh inti'll County Youth Upturns To !\piv York Walter Thomas Mendenhall, Mar tin County youth who was seriously wounded in action over in Italy the latter pai: of May, arrived in New York last ek, his parents, Mr. and Mis S. \y'alter Mendenhall, of Beat Grass Township, have been advised The young man is said to be get ting along very well and is glad tc be back in the States. It could not be learned when he will be able tc. continue to his home. According tc. reports reaching here, the young man lost his right arm. Young Mendenhall expressed the hope that he would be able to return to his home near here soon. Crop Outlook Improves After Rams Urea IT Long IJry^SpeH The general crop outlook in this section was greatly improved last week-end when fairly h avy rains broke the backbone of an aged drought and offered the first relief to "burning” crops in several weeks. According to fairly complete reports, rains were general in the count' last Friday and Saturday. A little flood fell in the Farm Life area, some farmers stating that they believed as many as four or more inches of rain fell there Saturday. The weather station on Roanoke River here reported 1.74 inches of rain Saturday. Last Thursday, .42 of an inch fell here and on Friday nearly one-half inch or .48 of an inch, to be exact, was reported. And then the real rain Saturday came along to give this immediate section what most farmers referred to as a "good season.’’ As far as it could be learned the 'rains have not been excessive, but before the big one slacked up last Saturday, some farmers got a bit un easy as they thought about their to baccu flopping. Ii is generally believed that the rains were too late to make for an idea! season, that while they were of enormous value, the corn crop in many areas was too far gone to be i saved. Tobacco is responding to the rains splendidly, but even then the crop in this immediate area is cer tain to reflect considerable dry weather damage. Tobacco harvesting is just getting underway on a large scale, those few farmers who started the task a short time back declaring that the weed harvested to date is unusually light and that the quality is poor. General Armstrong n Figures in Daring r r Raids Over Japan Nairn* of llainilloii Trained Moil for Special Mission In llu^c Homhcrs Drew Pearson, Washington col umnist, recently had some interest ing things to say about Brigadier General Frank A. Armstrong, a na tive of this county. Armstrong, a grandson of the late Jim Hobbs clerk of the Martin County Super ior Court for several years, was born in Hamilton He spent his early life there and moved with his par cuts to Hobgood. Ills mother, Mrs, Annie Hobbs Armstrong, now lives in Nashville. He spent much time when a youth in the home of his grandparents in Williamston, and made his home here when playing ball. lie attended Wake Forest College, married in Richmond and has been in the service a number of years. During the blitz on London, he was sent on a secret mission there. Mr Pearson’s story, appearing re cently in the nation’s press, reads as follows: When U. S. B-29’s rained explo sives on Japan’s steel works, there was a story behind the scenes re garding the officer who trained those expert pilots. That officer is Brig. Gen. Frank A. Armstrong, one of the most daring and best-loved officers ever to fly a plane over Germany. For months, Armstrong, based in England, was in command of raid after laid over enemy territory and led them him self. At that time, he held the rank of colonel. Several times, plane-; were almost shot out from under him, but he kept on flying. Coupled with his daring, “Old Army,” as they call Armstrong, had an unusual knack of getting close to his men. They worshipped him. So General “Hap” Arnold wisely decided to capitalize on this by bring ing Armstrong back to the IT. S. A. (Continued on page six) Local Youth Writes From Gamp Lejeune Writing in to have his mailing ad dress changed, Pvt. J. S. Gurganus stated that Camp Lejeune is a very * ice bu.-sc ...; : is growing rapidly. He continued, “1 might say that i like the Marine Corps pretty well and am proud to be one of its many mem bers. “With the exception of K. P. du ty, I arn getting along swell and am scheduled to begin a class in radio school sometime in July. The course will last approximately four months Upon completion of the course, I will be shipped to another base in the States for advanced training in the field. “I read of the war bond drive now in progress. I feel and hope that the county will go over the top in the drive.” STILL SHORT r -\ Incomplete reports maintain that very few "E” bonds were, purchased in this county during the past few days, that unless there is a marked increase in the purchases, the county will fall short of its quota of approxi mately $285,000. Several town ships have already reached and passed their quotas, proving that it can be done. Several counties in this area, including our next door neighbor, Washington, have passed their quotas. It is mighty little for the ap proximately 25,000 people to combine their efforts and invest $50,000 between now and July 31 to make certain that Martin County’s quota will be subscrib ed to the last penny. And it isn't asking too much of anyone to postpone his vacation or some of his pleasure trips until the sol emn obligation is met. I II I TI WM l I I Miss Jessie Mae Holloman, (laughter ol' Mrs. W. J. Smith of Williamston, was recently pro moted to the rank of lieutenant (,j.g.) in the Navy’s Nurse Corps. I,t. Ilolloman is now in foreign service somewhere in the Paci lie theater. Native Of County Dies In Beaufort Mrs. Bertha W. Mizelle, native of this county, died at her home in Beaufort County last. Thursday af ternoon following several years of declining health. She had been able to be up most of thi' time until Mon day of last week when her condition became worse. Mrs. Mizelle lived in this county for a number of years, rearing a large family and moving to Beau lort some time ago. She was a devot ed wife and mother and was a good neighbor. Besides her husband, S. W. Mi zellr, -h.-- —Nathan, Daniel, Ashley and Koscoe, of KFD 1. Washington and liny W. Mizelle, of the iJ. S. Navy; two daughter1 Mrs. Huth Whitaker of Bear Gr s and Miss Annie Mizelle of the home; three sisfers, Mis. Charlie Crisp, Mrs. Bessie Jenkins and Mrs Fannie Jenkins, RFD 1, Washington; three brothers, Allignod Warren of Green ville, Albert and John II Warren ol KFD 1, Washington, and a numbei of grandchildren. Funeial services were conducted in tlie Holiness Church near t la home last. Friday afternoon by her pastor, the Rev. Mr. Moody. Burial was in the Mizelle Conn terv, near Bear (trass , —. Loval Firm Knlrrs Plumbing Baisiii<\ss -m Mr. George Harris, owner and op erator of the Williamston Hardware Company, announced yesterday that he had purchased the pumbing es tablishment of Mr. W. E. Dunn. All the equipment and fixtures were in eluded in the ale and an official announcement will be made next Friday by the new owner. The equipment is being moved to the Williamston Hardwart building on Washington Street this week. Just as soon as the war ends or when plumbing materials and fixtures are sold without priority, Mr. Harris ex pects to stock a complete line of plumbing and possibly electrical equipment and supplies. The firm has secured the services of an expert plumber and the per ; ..onnel will ov sufficiently enlarged | to meet the requirements and needs of the town and county. Weaver Boys W rite I ^ * From Invasion amf The Pacific Fronts Frank Spraking French and Hennie Trading Souvenirs Over in New Cuinea Stationed in widely separated parts of the world, the youthful Weaver boys, Frank Saunders who is somewhere in France, and Ben nie who is over in New Guinea, re cently gave a good account of them selves in letters to their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Weaver, and to the Enterprise. Writing under recent date from Foxhole No. 20, Somewhere in France, Sgt. Frank Weaver said that he was in the best of health, feeling swell and has a fine outlook on life. The young sergeant insisted that his parents not worry about him. “Re member that you have a son fighting those rotten Japs on the other side of the world He’s the one for you to worry about because he only had so much training and he's so young and bull headed,” Frank said. He added that he knows how to take care of himself, that all the boys were hop ing and praying that this thing will soon be over. Continuing, the young man said, "Now that we have arrived here we feel that it won't last long, at least not as long as it has been.” In a later letter, the sergeant said that he was in the thick of things, “but it’s comparatively safe.” He continued, "Just remember that the more men we get over here the quicker we will get this tough job over. I am now getting a chance to use my French 1 learned in high school. Never did I figure that [ would come to France when I was studying. It’s a nice language and very convenient for use around herb. This is beautiful country and 1 like it much better than England. As to the French patriots and coun trymen, they're just as you’ve read about in your French book. I sure ly enjoy writing to and especially talking to these people. They seem to know we are trying to learn their language but I always have to tell them to talk slower. “Combat isn’t so tough and so far it has had its pleasures. Hope pret ty soon we have the V-Day.” In a last letter received by his parents, the young man explained that if they did not hear from him in the course of a week and a half or more, not to worry. "I may be up on the front lines and unable to get mail out. We are only a mile behind the front line now and the bullets are flying around everywhere and artillery shells are landing constant ly around us. About killing my first German, who i and where, 1 don’t think we are allowed to say." On the othci side of the globe, Pvt. Bennie Weaver, Frank Saunders’ brother, had the following to say in a letter to The Enterprise under date of July 5th: “I’ve been wanting to write to you lo let tlie folks back home know what it's like over here. Since I’ve been over hen-, I have received The Enterprise several times and it real ly makes me feel good. “’i’o begin with, it’s rugged living over here. II it isn't the rain, it's the beat, and if it isn’t the heat, it’s the B It) mosquito they have over here. Although it might seem that we would have lots of malaria, we really don’t, If you just got common sense and use it, you’ll stay pretty healthy. We have good equipment to keep mosjuitoes away from us and we have to use it. ,7 hen I receive letters from <•> rvone asks me about the .ti emeu an ' whether they are i , tty or not. They seem to think th.d mi all these South Pacific is, Mi's .hey an swarming with Doi 4hy I mi irs But what native .linen 1 vi ■ ceii are all skinny, dis . i it and really look bad. There are ,11 in. of -km diseases over here aid the naiivt .-.tem to have them all. We have been to several native villages and we uadi them different things. Suiru times vnu can get some . igtit good souvenirs. Of course, souvenirs ate easy to get. If you (Continued on page six) Uihccrs Wreck I wo Stills In This County Raiding m Griffins Township along the Beaufort boundary line, ABC Officer J. 11. Roebuck and Deputy Roy Peel, assisted by officers from Beaufort County, wrecked two illicit liquor plants. One of the plants was equipped with an old 5(l-gallon capacity cop per kettle. There were only two fermenters at the plant and both were empty. The officers found a 5-gallon stone jug with three gallons of sugar liquor in it. Hardly one-half mile away, the officers found and wrecked a rath er elaborate but cheaply equipped distillery. The operators had an oil drum for a boiler, a 100-gallon ca pacity tin still, a 50-gallon doubler and a big box for a cooler, one of the officers explaining that a barrel was not large enough for t he worm. There were five empty fermenters, and certain signs that “canning” sugar had been used at the plant.