NEARLY 1090 MARTIN COUNTY
service Men now reading
THE ENTEPRISE IN ALL PARTS
Or THE WORLD EACH WEEK.
THE ENTERPRISE
NEARLY 100® MARTIN COUNTY
SERVICE MEN NOW READING
THE ENTEPRISE A.**»>"
or THE WORLD EACH WEEK.
VOLUME XLVIII—NUMBER 26
Williamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, March 30, 1945.
ESTABLISHED 1899
Need Is Urgent For
More Nurses’ Aids
In %my Hospitals
Voting Women Urged to Join
Company in the
fc- £tate At Once
Directing a special plea to Martir
County young women 20 years o
age or older and who have had as
many as two years in high school
representatives cf the U. S. Arm}
said w'hile here this week:
‘The U. S. Army Medical Depart
ment is calling for help—the help
of women—to supplement the serv
^ ices of Army hospital staffs whose
numbers are too few to cope with
the increasing flow1 of sick and
wounded soldiers from overseas
These thousands of casualties are
placing a heavy burden on the Army
hospitals and it is imperative that
the overworked doctors and nurses
receive help—at once. Tire kind of
help that they need is the kind of
help that any intelligent, healthy,
^ and earnest woman can give. It is
skilled help but does not require
professtraining. It cons’ in
the performance of general hospital
duties of a nonprofessional nature
which by saving the time of nurses
and doctors will enable them to give
their professional care to a greater
number of patients.
"WAC hospital units will, so far
as practicable, be assigned for serv
ice in Army genera! hospitals with
in their own states. In many cases,
^ members of WAC hospital units may
have the opportunity of taking care
of sick and wounded soldiers from
their own communities.
“They will be given a brief course
of basic military training at a WAC
Training Center, and six weeks of
special training at a Medical De
partment Technician School. Then
these units will be sent to the hos
pitals for which they were recruited
and consolidated into hospital com
+ panics of one hundred women each.
“Members of WAC hospital units
are paid the same as other soldiers
of equivalent grades. They pay as
technicians, fifth grade, is $66 a
month with increase for each ad
vance in grade, the highest grade
receiving $138 a month. In addition,
they are provided with food, cloth
ing, quarters, and medical and den
tal care. They are also entitled, in
general, to the same benefits as are
^ other soldiers, including those pro
^ vidod by the G.I Bill of Rights.
"The first and most important
qualification is the earnest desire
to render service to the sick and
wounded soldiers in our Army hos
pitals.”
The Army recruiting representa
tive also pointed out that at one
time approximately 1,500 men were
being wounded each day, that
^ around 30,000 wounded are being
* returned to the Sates each month!
There were 10,000 wounded on Iwo,
and that’s enough men to fill six
Army general hospitals and there
are only sixty Army general hospi
tals in Ihe country.
The need is urgent for young wo
men in hospital companies, and any
Martin County young woman be
tween the ages of 20 and 50 interest
_ ed in meeting that need and for
w further information is asked to write
to U. S. Army Recruiting Sub-Sta
tion, Box 789, Wilson, N. C.
Several Nurses To
Report For Service
At least two Martin County young
^ women are leaving tomorrow and
four others are waiting for their in
structions to report for service as
junior grade lieutenants in the U. S.
Army Nurse Corps. Several young
Martin County women are already
in the Army’s Nurse Corps.
Misses Elsie Gurganus, daughter
of Mrs Mary Bonner Gurganus, and I
Mary Louise Taylor, popular and ef
ficient nurse in the county health!
department for several years, are
# leaving tomorrow for Camp Ruck
er, Alabama. Miss Gurganus is the
fourth member of her family to en
ter the service, three brothers, John
Hatton. Eli and Edgar, having been
in duty for quite some time.
Miss Mary Ruth Mallory, daugh
ter of Mrs. Effie Taylor Mallory of
near Oak City and the late Will Mal
lory, has volunteered for service in
^ the Navy Nurse Corps. Miss Louise
Cooke, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
John Cooke, and Miss Susie Whitley,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Whit
ley, have volunteered for service in j
the Army Nurse Corps.
The proposal to draft young single j
women for nurse duty in the Army j
has not been enacted into law, Dur-1
ing the meantime appeals are being
made to young women, urging them
^ to volunteer as regular nurses or as
members of hospital companies.
Ticenty Cases On Docket
In The County's Court
--
At least twenty eases are on the
county recorder’s court for trial.
Several of the cases will be called
next Monday but most of them are i
scheduled to be tried on April 9.
The cases involve alleged crimes'
of nearly every nature in the list of'
minor infraction of the law
Commercial Fishing Off To
Good Start In The Roanoke
Commercial fishing get underway
j in the P.oar.oke on a big scale this
week, reports from the fishery at
Jsmesville stating that ‘h, fir?t
■hauls netted an average of about 800
herrings and quite a few rock. As
many as 2,000 herrings were taker,
at a time, it. was reported.
Despite the early spring, the fish
have not yet appeared in very large
numbers, but with continued good
weather, catches approaching those
of record size, are predicted for next
week. Very few people visited the
fishery during the first few days of
the current season, but large crowds
are expected there next Monday and
during the remainder of the season.
Most of the catches so far have been
packed, but sales right off the bat
tery are almost certain to increase
and hold up in the future.
| At the best, the outlook for the
{season is not very vncournging. La
|bor shortages will, no douot, limit
•flBfcNMHHfe-i' n't likely that the
fishermen can meet the diSY.ur.d
which is almost certain to be great
er now' that the supply of other
meats has been reduced.
Fishermen operating on a small
scale at various points along the
stream are reporting only fair luck.
Water in the river is at a fairly low
point and the current is hardly
strong enough to turn the machines.
Very few perch are being caught
and shad continues a rare item.
Reports from operations along oth
er rivers in this section of the State
nlaintain that the fish are running
in large numbers, and the indications
are that increased catches in the
Roanoke will follow shortly.
Board To Name Local
School Committeemen
WOUNDED
Wounded in the shoulder by
shrapnel in Germany on March
10, Pfc. Leonard Holliday is re
covering in a hospital in France,
according to a letter dated March
15 and just received by his par
ents, Mr. and Mrs. Peril W, Hol
liday of near Jamesville. The
young man has a brother, T/3
Jim Brown Holliday, who is now
stationed on Guadalcanal.
Robbers Steal Gas j
And Tires in County
Breaking into the J. W. Eubanks
repair shop in Hassell some time
during Wednesday night. robbers
stole about ten gallons of gasoline
from a truck, leaving other articles
untouched. An entrance was gained |
by removing a bar from over a win
dow.
Some time during early yesterday
morning, robbers entered the Texaco
filling station on Main Street in
Rnbersonville and stole fifteen or
sixteen automobile tires. The own
er, W B. Rogerson, told local and
county officers and state patrolmen
who investigated the robbery, that
a few gasoline ration coupons were
also missing. The robbers gained ari
entrance by breaking a small glass
in the front door and unfastening
the lock.
Officers revealed no clues, but it
was intimated that possibly a lead
had been established in one and pos
sibly both of the robberies.
Library To Observe Easter
Monday As Holiday Here
The local public library will ob
serve next Monday, Easter Monday,
as a holiday.
The library also announced that
the following books had been re
cently added to its shelves:
Trudy and the Tree House, Then
There Were Five, Magical Melons,
Magic Michael, The Sky Bed, The
Bountiful Cow, Behind the Micro
phone, The New Wizard of Oz, Anna
and the King of Siam, Pastoral, Doc
tor Ellen, A Bell for Adano, The
Green Years, The Land of the Rus
sian People, I Never Left Home
NO GENERAL HOLIDAY
No general holiday will be
observed by business in this sec
tion Easter Monday, according to
incomplete reports received to
day. The banks, public library,
liquor store, health and welfare
departments will observe the day
as a holiday, but the post office
ard basstK in general will con
tinue operations as usual.
Beginning next week, local
business houses and offices will
observe each Wednesday after
noon during the months of April,
May, June, July and August as
a holiday. The closing time is
one o'clock for the half holidays.
-£
New Members To Be
Sworn In For Duty
On Education Board
—_<*
Ferd W. Holliday Will Begin
His First Term Next
Monday Morning
Meeting in regular session here
next Monday morning, members of
the Martin County Board of Educa
tion will fill the places on the sever
al district school committees, the
county superintendent, J. C, Man
ning .announcing that very little
other business is scheduled for con
sideration at that time.
Two members of the county board
are starting new terms, Leslie Har
dison his second, and Ferd W. Holli
day his first. The two men, both of
Jamesville Township, wore appoint
ed by the State Legislature after
they had filed in the primary election
almost a year ago. John W. Eubanks,
after serving ably as a member of
the board for several terms, is re
tiring. He did not enter the primary
and is being succeeded by Mr. Holli
day.
A copy of the omnibus bill has not
been received in the county and the
length of the term the members
were appointed for could not be
learned immediately. One report said
they were appointed for four years
and another said their terms would
be limited to two years. They will ;
be sworn in by Clerk of Court L. B. \
| Wynne Monday morning at 10:00
| o’clock.
Other members of the county
board whose terms do not expire this
year are, Geo. C. Griffin, of Griffins;
J. D. Woolard, chairman, of William
ston, arid H. C. Norman, of Rober
sonville.
As far as it could be learned the
board members have received no
recommendations for appointments
to the positions on the several local
district committees. Once elected by
public convention vote, the local
committee members are now ap
pointed by the board of education,
usually upon the recommendation of
the member representing the schools
in his area. Since two of the board
members are from the same district,
one area is left without direct rep
resentation on the body. The board,
as a whole, will hear recommenda
tions from patrons in that district as
well as from any one in the five re
maining districts. Three local com
mitteemen are named for Jamesville,
Farm Life, Bear Grass and William
ston, and five each for Robersonville
and Oak City, the last two districts
to also have sub-committees com
posed of at least three members
each—at Gold Point, Hassell and
Hamilton. I
Sunrise Services
To Be Held Sunday
At least two sunrise services will
be held in this county Easter Sunday,
according to announcements coming
from religious leaders.
All religious groups in the Rober
sonville community will meet in the
Robersonvilie cemetery at 6:15 Sun
day morning. Rev. T. H. House,
Methodist minister, will have charge
of the program. He will be assisted
by the other ministers and readers
in the town.
The service in the Woodlawn cem
etery in Wiiliamston will be held at
6:49 o clock Sunday morning.
These services have attracted
large crowds in past years, and with
favorable weather a new attendance
record will likely be established this
year.- -
The series of pre-Easter services
in the local theater each morning
and the several participating
churches each evening are attracting
unusually large crowds. The last in
the pre-Easter series will be held in
the Presbyterian Church tonight at
the usual hour.
MISSING )
S/Sgt. William James Burn
ette, Jamesville young man, has
been missing over Italy since
February 28, his fostor parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Wilmer J. Holli
day, were advised recently. The
young man was a gunner on a
bomher.
Wounded Soldier Is
Back In The Fight
Wounded in the foot and hand
while in action on the Western Front
a few days ago, Sgt. James E. Tay
lor has returned to active combat,
his parents, Mr. and Mrs, Luther
Taylor, of near Williamston, were
advised this week. Writing on March
12, the young man said he was en
joying the best of health, and asked
them not to worry.
“It has been pretty tough at times,
but the boys are taking it fairly easy
now,” Sgt. Taylor said in his letter.
The young man has been award
ed several medals since leaving the
States the early part of last year.
He asked his family to keep pray
ing for him, and that with the help
of the Lord he hoped to be home
soon.
Storage House And
Contents Destroyed
By Fire Last Night
—«—
Loss al Parka"** Maim factor
ing (lompany Plan! Ksli
inalcil al alioul $10,000
Fire of undetermined origin de
stroyed a large storage house and
a large supply of basket wire, twine,
machinery and other equipment at
the plant of the Williamston Pack
age Manufacturing Company near
the river early last evening. The
main plant was threatened and
caught fire once, but no great dam
age was done to the big building
and its contents.
When discovered and the alarm
was sounded, the fire had gained
considerable headway, and by the
time volunteer firemen reached the
scene and employees of the plant
had brought out company-owned
fire fighting equipment, little could
be done other than hold the fire to
the one building. Two barrels of oil
in the storage house burned and
sent up a cloud of black smoke and
it wasn’t until the structure had
almost burned down that fire was
discovered in one corner of the main
building. It was quickly brought
under control, but water was pour
ed on the original fire for several
hours before it was finally extin
guished
The day shift had been away from
the factory for some time and it was
about fifteen minutes before the
night shift was to report at 7 for du
ty. However, several employees of
the plant were handling special
tasks during the meantime and they
did not discover the fire until it had
gained much headway.
An estimate on the loss could not
be had officially but one report stat
rd that the damage would approxi
mate $10,000 or more. The com
pany had just unloaded a carload of
wire and a truck load of twine and
placed them in the house along with
Iwo big electric motors, two barrels
of oil, machinery and other mater
ial and equipment.
Plant Manager Ernest Etheridge
said last night that the fire would
not materially delay normal opera
tions immediately, but that it was
possible the stock of wire could not
be replaced in time to prevent an
interruption later on.
t
SPEAKER
Dr. Ellen Winston, State Com
missioner of Public Welfare, will
address a joint meeting of the lo
cal women’s ami I,ions and Ki
wanis clubs in the Woman’s Club
hall here next Wednesday eve
ning at 8:30 o’clock.
Mrs. Winston will have for her
address topic, “Public Welfare in
North Carolina.”
The meeting is open to the
general public.
Recommending Local Young
Man for the Legion of Merit
Public Relations Office, Ft Ben
!ning, Ga. (Special to Tic Enter
|prise).—Major General Fred C. Wal
ker. former Is commanding the Thir
ty-fourth Division in Italy, new
Post Commandant today recom
mended Tech. Sgt. Joseph H. Thig
pen, of Williamston, N. C , for the
Legion of Merit.
The award, one of the nation's
highest, is given for performance of
outstanding meritorious service
Sergeant Thigpen, serving as tin
instructor in the Second Parachute
Training Regiment, is crediting the
Army of the United States with lead
ership in military parachuting, ac
cording to General Walker.
"Thigpen current holds the follow-1
mg record of jumps performed to
further expertm mt:djnj*. -5 “mriem*
conditions concerning parachuting:
low altitude free jumps', 3B.tX!0 and
285 feet respectively; greatest num
ber of free and state’ lino jumps, and
others almost too numerous to men
tion. He has employed as many as
three chutes in a single fall, former
ly considered impossible.
Modest and amazingly young con
sidering the effect of the dangerous
tasks he has undertaken, T/Sgt.
Thigpen is awaiting assignment ov
erseas.
Entering the Army in October,
1943, Thigpen volunteered for army
sky-troops, qualifying in February,
1944. The young man is the youngest
son of Dr. and Mrs. John F. Thigpen
of Williamston.
Dozen Men Report for
Pre - Induction Exams
Larger Calls Are To
Be Expected During
The Month Of April
Ki^lil of Group Graving Coun
ty Last Wednesday Were
In Non-Farm Group
Twelve young Martin County
white men reported Wednesday for
their pre-induction examinations at
Fort Bragg. The original call was
for only ten men, but two were
transferred to this county from oth
er hoards, it was explained. Eight
of the group come from non-farm
occupations or vocations, three of
them being students either in high
school or college and one from a
filling station lunch counter.
Seven of the group are in their
late teens and three are in their
early twenties.
As far as it could be learned only
one in the group is married and he
is leaving behind three children.
Two are making a return trip to
the pre-induction station for their
second or third time.
It could not be learned officially,
but it is possible that the young men
reporting last Wednesday for their
pre-induction tests will be called for
final induction the latter part of
April. It is understood that the size
of both the pre-induction and final
induction calls will be much larger
than they have been during recent
months, meaning that just about all
current reserves wdl be depleted
during the period.
Notices instructing more white
men to report for pre-induction ex
aminations have already been re
ceived in this county, it was learn
ed today. According to the instruc
tions the call is to be answered on
April 4th.
Names and registration and last
given addresses of the white men
leaving last Wednesday for their
pre-induction exams follow:
Dennis Clayton Moldey, RFD 3,
Williarnston.
Joseph Hubert Daniels, Williams
ton. Joe has volunteered for just
about every branch in the service,
including the Merchant Marine, and
was turned down.
Leonard Tilton Harney, Paris,
Kentucky, and Robersonville.
Carlton L Edmondson, Annapolis,
Md , and RFD 1, Oak City.
Lionel Long Etheridge, RFD 1,
Oak City.
Hugh Burroughs Bennett, RFD 1,
Palmyra.
Richard Myron Margolis, Wil
liamston.
Wilbur Eugene Cannon, RFD 1,
Hobgood.
Oliver Harrison, Jr., RFD 2, Wil
liamshiri.
Louis Franklin Barber, RFD 1,
Williarnston.
Howell Warren, Jr., Williarnston.
Calvin Lafayette Warren, RFD 2,
Robersonville.
Harney was transferred from Par
is, Kentucky, and Edmondson was
transferred from Annapolis, Mary
land.
Wreck Four Liquor
Plants In Two Days
Illicit liquor manufacturing in
two townships in this county receiv
ed a heavy blow this week when Of
ficers J. H. Roebuck and Roy Peel
wrecked four distilleries and poured
out a quantity of beer. All of the
plants were crudely equipped and
had very little manorial c.n hand
when the raids were made.
Working aiong the Edgecombe
boundary in Hamilton Township, the
officers blew up a fifty-gallon ca
pacity oil drum kettle and two fer
menters. A day later, the officers
invaded the Stingy Point section of
Robersonville Township and wreck
ed three plants, all equipped with oil
drums for stills. They poured out
five hundred gallons of molasses
beer.
f -\
| KILLED IN ACTION
v-J
Sgt. J. It. Minton, formerly of
this county, was killed in ac
tion in the battle for Manila on
February 8. The son of Mrs. (Jus
sie Minton and the late John It.
Minton, the young man was born
in Nash County and moved when
he was ten years old with his
parents to the Itohersonville
community where lie was grad
uated from high school, licsides
his mother, he is survived by
two brothers and three sisters.
! Costly Woods Fire
Cheeked In County
Believed to have been of incen
diary origin, fire, starting in the low
er corner of Martin whi re the boun
daries of this, Washington and Beau
fort Counties join, swept over an
estimated 7,000 acres of woodsland
before it was brought under control,
late Tuesday, Marvin Leggett of
the county forest fire service, said
yesterday.
It was estimated that 5,000 acres
of woodsland was burned over in
Jamesville Township.
Special fire-fighting equipment,
including tractors and plows, were
used in checking the fire and about
seventy men worked at various times
during the more than two days the
fire swept through that area. No
official estimate on the damage has
been released, Mr. Leggett stating
that a representative of the Nation
al Forestry Service was to make a
survey of the acreage burned and the
resulting loss.
Forest fires raged in other coun
ties also. Craven reported several
including the destruction of a rural
home not far from New Bern.
Justice Hears Ttvo (loses
In llis (.ourl This Week
Justice J. L. Hassell had only two
cases in his court this week Hoy
Boston, drunk and disorderly again,
was fined $1.50 and taxed with $8.50
costs. Charged with operating a mo
tor vehicle with improper brakes,
Patrick Henry Coleman was fined
$10 and required to pay $6.00 costs.
TOWN BOARD
V.
Meeting in regular session
next Monday evening at eight
o’clock, the local town commis
sioners will,-in addition to han
dling routine business, call a
town convention for the nomi
nation of mayor and five mem
bers of the hoard and feame a
registrar and judges for the elec
tion to be held the first Tues
day in May.... . . . ...
Very little other business is
scheduled for consideration at
the meeting, Mayor J. L. Hassell
said yesterday, other than a dis
cussion of plans for a general
clean-up week beginning April
9th.
Hodges First Army
Encircles The Ruhr
And Turns Eastward-.. *
■■{% h \ti~~
j Iriatt Frontier and British
j Flrct Artivo against Japs
In a sixty-mile sweep, General
Courtney Hodges’ First Army has
virtually outflanked Germany s
great industrial Ruhr, and apparent
ly has taken its place in the race
toward Berlin. Tin' First Army's
paralyzing blow, delivered in less
than 24 hours, has had its repercus
sions throughout Germany, adding
to the confusion of the enemy and
aggravating chaotic conditions now
existing among the super race. Just
how far the Allied Armies have ad
vanced could not be learned, the
‘Stars and Stripes," American Army
newspaper, stating yesterday that
its front 1 ino map was being omit
ted again because the spearheads
had driven right off it, and the map
maker was a fit subject for a mental
institution.
More than .1 million prisoners have
been taken since D-Day last June,
but uncoufii med reports beard early
...dicaied that the bag today
would be the largest in all history.
Towns and cities are surrendering
by telephone and others are search
ing for Allied soldiers to whom they
could extend the white flag of sur
render The Hour of Success” is be
lieved near, but it is possible that
the enemy is withdrawing all the
power hi' can for a last stand before
Berlin. During the meantime, Hitler
and many of bis murderous gang
have withdrawn to Germany’s south
ern provinces to further defy his
fate in the Bavarian Alps.
While the northern defenders of
Berlin’s approaches reeled under
these tremendous blows, the United
States Third Army slashed almost
halfway across Germany’s waist
with a 20-mile eastward surge that
netted a total of 14,000 prisoners, a
record for one day.
All Germany’s great western cit
ic'S, her last reliance in any long
drawn struggle, were toppling into
Allied hands.
Already the Third Army had
Frankfurt, the Reich’s ninth largest
city with a population of 546,000, tin'
United Stales Ninth Army had Duis
burg, population 431,000, and Eu
rope’s biggest, liver port, almost in
the bag, and the United States 7th
Army captured Mannheim, popula
tion 283,000.
The Germans, realizing the enor
mity of the disasters in the west,
wrote off as lost the entire Ruhr,
with such manufacturing cities as
Essen—greatest munitions maker of
all Europe Hamm, Dortmund, Dues
seldorf and Muchlheim.
The First Army cut one'of the
most important railways from Es
sen to Berlin as well as a superhigh
way, leaving only two railways still
open out of the Ruhr to the capital.
(Luxembourg Radio said the Brit
ish had entered the Westphalian
capital of Muenster, cutting one of
these railways. There was no con
firmation, but hard-riding British
tanks were only 17 miles away when
the news blackout was clamped on.)
The United States First Army
reeled off the longest gain ever made
in a single day on the Westi rn Front
sweeping around the headwaters of
the Ruhr River and completely out
flanking the vital production area.
As the Allied di ive pushes east
ward, there is unofficial but recog
nized rumor of a new German secret
weapon, one "so powerfully'destruc
live it is almost inconceivable.” Said
not to involve poison gas, the report
'd wi upon is a tiny gadget which
?ouId he placed in a rocket bomb and
which could be launched with com
pete effectiveness against the Unit
'd States. It is declared that the
Hermans are saving it for a last,
stand, and they are confident that
heir secret weapon will wipe out
(Continued on page six)
Youth Loses Life
hi English Channel
In a personal letter received this
week from Captain Willard C. Mer
riam, U. S. Army, Mrs. I.ucy Moore
Perry was advised that her son, Cpl.
Clifton B. Moore was killed in action
in the English Channel on last De
cember 25. Mrs. Perry had been no
tified previously of her son’s un
timely death, but the letter from his
commanding officer was the first to
definitely reveal the approximate
scene of the action where the young
man made the supreme sacrifice.
The letter reads, in part, as fol
lows:
. . Your son died in the service
of his country, a sacrifice which
makes those who knew him deeply
humble. We, who were closely asso
ciated with him, share your intense
soi row in the loss of a friend and a
comrade.
“I regret, that, inasmuch as a com
plete and thorough search has failed
to recover ki-a body , no burial serv
ice could be held.
‘T realize that there is little any
one can say or do to alleviate your
great sorrow. However, on behalf
of the members of your son’s unit,
I want to extend to you our most
sincere and heartfelt sympathy .