NEARLY 4.000 COPIES OF THE ENTERPRISE GOING INTO THE HOMES OF MARTIN COUNTY AND TO COUNTY SERVICEMEN THE ENTERPRISE NEARLY i,CO& COPIES OF THE ENTERPRISE GOING INTO THE HOMES OF MARTIN COUNTY AND TO COUNTY SERVICEMEN VOLUME \LVIH—NUMBER 52 William nton, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, Juno 29. 1915. ESTABLISHED 1899 Fiscal Year Budget Estimate Submitted For Martin County Combined County Service? And Schools Call for Over $2 75,000 in Period According to tentative budget fig ures, a total of $275,159.08 will be needed to finance all of the county’s agencies, including pensions and j schools, for the fiscal year begin- j ning July 1. The total for the coming | fiscal year is $26,260.15 larger than j it was for the period ending on Sat- j urday of this week, but despite the increased requirements, the county wide rate has been reduced fron* $1.10 to $1.05 per $100 assessed prop erty valuation. In addition to the five-cent reduc tion in the county-wide rate, Cross j Roads Township property owners , will have a reuction of 15 cents in j their special taxes, the rate for roads having been reduced in that district from 65 to 50 cents. No other changes are anticipated in special tax levies, j officials stating that poll tax rates | will lemain the same. The tentative budget figures are appearing in print today for inspec- I tion. At least twenty days must elapse before the estimate may be formally adopted. However, it isn’t likely that a special meeting of the commissioners will be held, mean ing that the budget figures and rate will not be formally adopted before the first Monday in August when the f commissioners meet in regular ses- i sion. It was unofficially learned that a ! hearing has been scheduled for one j of the department heads, that he | will likely appear before the board next Monday. The health depart ment proposes slight salary increases, but the appropriation was actually reduced by a few hundred dollars from the 1944-45 fiscal year figures.* Of the $275,159.08 the budget es- ] tnnate allows for the operation and j maintenance of all county agencies, i including schools and debt services,1 $162,239.08 is to be raised by pub lic taxation. Last year the county wide tax levy was $164,537 93, indi cating that while some departments actually call for larger appropria tions. income from other sources will more than offset the increases. The general county fund calls for $84,307.00 for the new fiscal year as against $76,384.00 for 1944-45. A gain of $425 is shown in the poor fund appropriation. The health fund is being reduced from $10,210 to $9, 850. County debt service drops from $51,983 25 to $40,597.94. Old age as sistance jumps from $7,920 to $9,240, a gam of $1,320, but while aid to the aged gained some over $1,000 public welfare administration jumped from $4,030.00 to $4,770.00, an increase of $740. An increase of $600 was allow l ed for aid to dependent children, and the fund for the blind was increased from $756 to $934.64. These funds for the new year call for a total of $164,284.58 as against $173,843.93 appropriated a year ago. It is estimated that $93,908 58 will have to be raised by general tax ation to support the above agencies for the new year as against $98, 811.93 appropriated a year ago. The schools, it is estimated, will cost the county $112,874.50 in the coming year as against $86,055.00 a year ago However, the increase In actual income to be raised from pub lic taxation is only $2,586.50. It is estimated that public taxation will raise $68,312.50 as against an esti mate of $65,726.00 a year ago for the schools. The budget estimate offers a brief review of the county’s bonded in* debtedness. As of June 30, 1944, the county owed $585,100. During the year the figure was reduced to $542,550, or a decrease in the coun ty’s public debt of $42,550. Will Discuss GI’s Bill of Rights Here Addressing members of the Mar tin County Veterans Service Com mittee, heads of various organiza tions and other interested citizens in the courthouse here this evening at 8 o’clock, R. C. Godwin, State vet erans employment representative, will explain provisions of the G. I. Bill of Rights, its organization and functions. The representative will also an swer questions relative to the vet erans’ rights under the terms of the bill. Among other things he will dis cuss are provisions for financing the veteran’s expense in college, for plac ing veterans in employment either at new jobs or in their old positions. The public is invited to attend and veterans are asked to be present. Local Man Critically III In a Raleigh Hospital .s* — Mr. John R. Peel, well known local man and a prominent county j citizen-farmer w'as early today! reported critically ill in a Raleigh hospital where he was carried sev eral weeks ago for treatment. He developed pneumonia earlier in the week, and was placed in an oxygen tent yesterday, later reports stating he was too weak to remain under it. All members of the immediate family were called to Raleigh yes terday afternoon. County Youth Fatally Wounded on Okinawa j BAPTIST PASTOR Dr. Ira D. S. Knight enters upon his duties as pastor of the Williamston Memorial Baptist Church Sunday morning. A na tive of Virginia, the minister comes here from West Palm Beach, Florida. Judge Calvin Smith Calls Five Cases In The County’s Court Small Crowd Attends Session Lasting Hardly More Than One Hour Judge J. Calvin Smith called five cases in the Martin County Record er’s Court last Monday, the docket being an unusually small one con sidering the fact that the court had been idle since June 11 or while the superior tribunal was holding forth. While there was a slump on the crime front during the two weeks ending last Saturday, five cases have already been placed on the docket for trial next Monday, Clerk L. B. Wynne pointed out. Solicitor Paul D. Roberson had an easy day last Monday, comparative- I ly speaking. One defendant failed to answer when called, one case was continued for a defendant and three other defendants pleaded guilty, making prosecution unnecessary. A very small crowd was present for the session which lasted hardly more than one hour, and very little interest was shown in the proceed ings which follow: The case charging Johnnie Latham with an assault on a female was nol prossed with leave. Latham had been called previously and officers have not been able to find him. Pleading guilty in the case charg ing him with operating a motor ve hicle without a driver’s license, Ern est Rogers was fined $15 and taxed with the cost. The court recom mended that no license be issued the defendant for the next six months. The case in which Ed Rawls stands charged with violating the liquor laws was continued until the first Monday in next September for the defendant. John Wesley Brannon, charged with speeding on the highways, pleaded guilty, and he was fined $15 and taxed with the cost. Pleading guilty in the case in which he was charged with speed ing on the highways, Dewey Hale VanLandingham was fined $15 and taxed with the cost. -Si Paul Simpson Promoted To Hank Of Staff Sergeant '’i/——— Fifth Air Force, Philippines — Joseph P. Simpson, 33, whose wife, Ethelyn, lives on Church street, has been promoted to technical sergeant with the 43rd Bombardment Group of the Fifth Air Force. Sgt. Simp son is an aerial gunner on one of the Ken’s Men Liberator bombers in the Philippines. Simpson graduated from William ston High School. He was a general agent for the Security Life and Trust Company prior to entering the Army. He received his gunner’s wings at the Harlingen, Texas, gunnery school. Sgt. Simpson was awarded the Air Medal on January 15, 1945, for mer itorious service while participating in aerial flight against the enemy. GENERAL HOLIDAY --— J Next Wednesday, July 4, will be observed as a general holi day with the exception of a few federal offices. No mail deliver ies will be made in either the town or rural areas. While the Fourth does not fall | on publication day, The Enter prise will not print a pa/>?r on Tuesday because of delayed dis tribution in the rural areas. Re cent postal regulations call for a complete change in the paper’s matting list, and the boys will be in the shop making those changes. Pic. David Hardison Dies On The Pacific Island 26th Of May —«— Was Fiftieth Martin County Man To Make Supreme Saerifiee in W ar to Date Pfc. David Wilson Hardison, prom ising youth and one who was held in high esteem by all who knew him, died of wounds on Okinawa May 26, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lee D. Hardison, were advised in a special message from the War Department last Tuesday. No particulars were offered, but a letter of confirmation and other facts are expected short ly The young man, just 20 years old last February, was the fiftieth Mar lin County man to make the supreme sacrifice in the war to date. Sgt. Samuel Leo Andrews, the 49th coun ty youth to lay down his life for his country, lives almost in sight of young Hardison’s home. The son of Lee D. and Fannie Har dison, he was born in Williams Township at the old Sheriff Hardi son home place on February 25, 1925. He attended the Williamston schools and was graduated in 1941 at the age of sixteen. Following his graduation here he went to Norfolk and attended a business school, working in a store during odd hours to help finance his education. Later the lad worked in the Navy Yard, returning home in 1943 to help re lieve the labor shortage on the farm. Entering the service on Septem ber 28 of last year, he spent a short time at Fort Bragg and then train ed at Camp Wheeler a few months and after a short furlough home he went to Fort Ord, California. Leav-; ing the States the latter part of Feb ruary, the young man made a short stop at Hawaii and wrote from the Marianas on April 26, moving on to Okinawa a few days later. In one of his last letters written on the bloody island for which a great price was paid, the young sol dier slated he was in the thick of the fight, that since he was in it he was not as nervous as he was while moving into the war zone. He assur- 1 ed his parents that he would be all right and asked that they pray for him, and that he would pray for them. David joined the Methodist Church at Holly Springs when he was quite young, and was regular in attendance upon its services, teaching a class in Sunday School for a few years. He was well spoken of wherever he went, and it was indeed evident that he placed a real value on the finer and nobler things in life. Besides his parents, hp is survived by two brothers. Henry Lee Hardi son of South Norfolk, Sgt. John Ben Hardison who is now stationed at Presque Island, Maine, and three sis ters, Mrs. J. n. Whitehurst of Ports mouth, Mrs. Harry Edgar Mobley, RFD 1, Robersonville, and Miss Sal- I iie Martin Hardison, of the home. Extent of Storm Varies by Sections Damage caused by the storm last Monday night and early Tuesday morning was more severe in some parts of the county than others, ac cording to reports trickling in dur ing the past few days. Apparently Jamesville and Griffins had more rain and stronger winds than most -ither townships in the county. It was still too wet to plow in those iistricts yesterday, and tobacco in a goodly number of fields was said to have flopped. Some farmers in the county declare that as many as five leaves, on an average, were cither blown from the tobacco stalk ar broken. Tobacco in some areas scalded in the hot sun following the more than three and one-half inches of rain, and most farmers are now rushing to harvest the crop. -* Bible School Closes Very Successful Term Friday Exercises, marking the close of a two weeks daily vacation Bible school term here, were held in the Baptist Church last Friday evening before a large audience. The pro gram was unusually good and re flected much work on the part of the 25 teachers and more than 200 pu pils. Enrollment by churches was re ported as follows: Baptist, 65; Christ ian, 60; Methodist, 21; Holiness, 14; Episcopalian, 12; Presbyterian, 8; West End Sunday SchJol, 6, and Jew ish, 1. A free-will offering taken that evening amounted to $85, and goes for world relief. In bringing the school to a close, Miss Ethel Guest, principal, ex pressed her appreciation for the co operation advanced by teachers, pu pils and patrons. Dr. Ira D. S. Knight Beginning Pastorate For Baptists Sunday | Comes Here From West Palm Beach Where He Handled A!'. Effective Work -® Recently accepting a call, Dr. Ira D. S Knight, for the past six years pastor of the large West Palm Beach Florida Baptist Church, will enter upon his new duties as pastor of the Williamston Memorial Baptist Church Sunday, preaching his first regular sermon that morning and to a union congregation that evening. He is succeeding Dr. W. R. Burrell who resigned a few weeks ago fol lowing two faithful and devoted pastorates here. Dr. Knight comes to this commun ity with full appreciation of this section of North Carolina. Although he has lived in West Palm Beach for the past five years and nine months where he served the First Baptist Church, he is a native of Virginia. A graduate of Richmond Uni^g^jjt^^j-'ras ordained in Lees burgrv^anci later received his honorary doctor's degree from that , institution. For nearly nine years he was pastor in Norfolk, moving to Durham where he served as pas tor for ten years before going to Florida. He is now being welcomed to the center of the circle of old pas-; torates. After he was graduated from the Southern Baptist Theological Semi-! nary, Louisville, Ky., Dr. Knight was j called to Glasgow, Ky., where he and Mrs. Knight were married. Commenting on the minister’s able work in Florida, the Palm Beach Post, in a recent edition, said: “Dr. Knight, during his six years here, has increased the church mem bership from 1464 to 1744, with to tal addition of 697. According to church records, there was a small debt on the parsonage and a few outstanding bills, totaling $3,475. To day, total funds available are ap proximately $28,000.A parking lot was purchased recently for $3,000. Gifts reported to missions the year before he accepted the pastorate here amounted to $5,220, in comparison with $10,875 for the past year. "Dr. Knight has been outstanding in the civic and cultural life of the community. He is past president of the Ministerial Association, and for three years he was a member of the executive committee of the Florida Baptist Convention. "Equally prominent in the life of the community has been Mrs. Knight who is serving her second year as president of the Women's Mission ary Society of the First Baptist Church, is teacher of the Ann Jud Son Bible Class, sponsor of the j Friendship Training Union of the church, and is a member of the Music Study Club, and the Woman’s Club. She also is a member of the State executive board of the Baptist Wo men’s Missionary Union as chairman of the Florida Children’s Home at j Arcadia." The minister well be welcomed to Williamston Sunday evening at a union service in his church. Dr. and Mrs. Knight are expected to arrive here tomorrow and will be at home in the parsonage on Church Street. Carnival Ends A Week'* Stud Hera Saturday Niffht -® The firemen’s fun festival now be ing held on the West Church Street show grounds in Williarnston is at-1 tracting iarge and well satisfied crowds every night this week and will come to a highly successful close Saturday at midnight. Saturday will be the last day and , the event will open at 1 P. M. and continue until midnight. A Chil dren’s Party will be staged for chil- ! dren tomorrow afternoon from 1 to j 6 p. m. with free main gate admis sion and a special reduced admis-' sion price of 12 cents, tax included ' for any of the many big thrill rides, j -— Little Business Scheduled j For Local Town Authorities -« Meeting next Monday night, the local town commissioners will have very little and possibly no new busi ness before them for consideration. Budget estimates are being prepared but they will not be ready in time for study at the meeting, it was learned. WOUNDED -- Pfc. William Vernon Roe buck, Martin County youth, was wounded in the leg on Okinawa early in June, according to a message received this week oy his father, Mr. W. R. Roebuck, RFD 2, Williarnston. Writing on June 12, the nineteen-year-old soldier said he was in a hospi tal, that he was getting along very well. Relatives have not been officially notified by the government. Entering the service last Sep tember 28, he is the fifth Mar tin County young man known to have been wounded on Oki nawa. He entered the service with Pfc. David Hardison who died of wounds on the Pacific island the 26th of May. E Bond Sales Are Just bounty Boy Submits a \ qoC Cl 4 f V'i I Account ot tlieSJrd" niiori OI 1*0111 Infantry Engineers Campaign Extended To the Latter Part Of the Coining Week —«— Seven of Eleven Districts Go Over Top; Ask County To Help.State Reach Goal —..v Purchasing at least $17,318.75 worth since the last report was pre pared, Martin citizens have pushed the county to within $39,843.75 of the "E” bond quota. Seven town ships, according to an incomplete re port filed yesterday by Chairman D. V. Clayton, are now over the top. They are Jamesville, Bear Grass, Cross Roads, Robersonville, Poplar Point, Goose Nest and Hamilton, the latter squeezing by with a few' hun dred to spare a few days ago. With one possible exception, the lagging districts have made much progress since the last report was submitted. Williams is just a little over $1,000 short of its goal. Wil liamston added $12,950.00 up until yesterday noon to boost its total to $116,918.75, but it is some over $40, 000 from its goal. Chairman Clayton believes the township will make the grade now that the campaign has been extended into next week. Grif fins added more than $2,000 to its total this week, and it is still believ ed that the people there will measure up just as they have measured up in the past with the leaders. Purchasing a $1,000 bond for $750, Hamilton went over the top this week, leaving Williams, Griffins, Williamston and Hassell districts to show their colors, or, to speak more frankly, to put up or shut up. North Carolina is lagging by about ten million in its “E" bond purchases and the State chairman wired Coun ty Chairman Clayton yesterday to push his soles to the quota and add, if possible, another $60,000 to help care for the deficiency in other coun ties. If the lagging townships in this county come across, there will be about $14,000 Chairman Clayton can "lend” to the State chairman. So far only there counties in the State have officially exceeded their quotas. Martin County is just about $40, 000 short. This is the last report showing the strong and weak spots before the drive extension ap proaches its close Study the facts and don’t delay in supporting the final push. The county treasurer tliis week invested $19,980 in “F" series bonds, but the county had already exceed ed its negotiable bond quota. So it’s still the “E” bond goal the people are asked to reach without further de lay. According to a fairly complete re port released by Chairman Clayton, the “E" bond sales up until noon yesterday stood, as follows: Sales $ 16,200.00 6,093.75 10.912.50 13,725.01/ | 116,918.75 i 12.337.50 116,118 75 8.212.50 ! 15,056.25 | 2.362.50 13,218.75 ^ $331,156.25 j Jamesville Williams 3riffins Bear Grass Williamston ~ross Roads Robersonville Poplar Point Hamilton Hassell joose Nest Quota $ 11,250 7,300 18.500 13,000 157,500 11,300 111,300 7,300 14,750 7.500 11,300 $371,000 fiver Ten Million Messages Handled I —®— Over 10,500,000 Expeditionary Force Messages have been handled ay Western Union since June, 1942, aetween servicemen overseas and heir friends and relatives at home, t was announced last night by Pau ine Buckner, local telegraph mana ger. Of these only 2,900,000 EFM’s were from the folks at home. Serv ce people sent 2,6 to each one they •eceived. More than 400,000 EFM’s were sent o members of the armed forces ov erseas in the first seven months the iervice was in effect in 1942. nearly 100,000 in 1943, and over a million; n 1944. Around 100,000 a month are ;ent now. Messages from the serv icemen to home jumped from 600. 100 in 1942, to 3,200,000 in 1944, and ire running about 300,000 a month low. -$ fust ice IIaunt'll llcarn Four Cases In Court Recently Justice J. L. Hassell heard four :a3es in his court here during the last few days. Jos. J. Boyle and John E. Haislip, aere from the base in Edenton, were required to pay $7 costs each ip the •ase charging them with beirp;! Irunk and disorderly. Moses C. Taylor, drunk and down, was taxed with $7.50 costs. Charged with disorderly conduct, Lougene Bell was required to pay [18.50 costs. Operating a motor vehicle with mproper brakes, Lawrence Wiggins was fined $10 and taxed with $6 :osts. SUBMITS STORY 1 v__j Sgt. Ernie I,cc Modlin, young Jamesvillc man who captured a German general and who was given the officer’s personal ef fects, is submitting a story of the Eighty-Third Infantry Divi sion. He is the son of Mr. Joe Gray IWodiin, RED I, Jamesville. Eleven White Men From County Are Called for Service Nearly All llir Imlm-lre* Are Young anil Majority Of tl'liem OIT I lie Farm Eleven Martin County white men, all in their teens except two, left last Tuesday for final induction into the armed forces. Only one in the group was married, and according to draft board records no children were left behind. Seven of the eleven worked on the farm, but several of that number at tended high school and were not classified as farmers. Five were eighteen years old not so long ago, four are nineteen, one is twenty and the eleventh one is 2!) years of age. The contingent was scheduled to leave the county at 8:10 o’clock that, morning on a regular Inis schedule, but there was some misunderstand ing and the entire group left be tween 11 and 12 o’clock noon the same day. Names and addresses of the young men leaving are as follows: Marion Clyde Ward, RED 2, Wil liamston. Dallas Cortez Ayers, RFD 3, Wil liamston. John David Lilley, Jr., RFD 2, Williamslon. Cecil Benjamin Whitehurst, RFD 2, Williamston. Wilbur Eugene Cannon, RFD 1, Hobgood. Jesse Gray Lilley, RFD 1, William ston. Jesse Herbert Rogers, RFD 3, Williamston. Evan Beacham, RFD 1, James ville. Thomas Earl Roberson, RFD 1, Williamston. James Russell Lee, RFD 2, Wil liamston. Dennis Warren, Robersonville. Final ) oath Dist hurtled From Tlic Army Tliia Week After serving a year, ten months and fourteen days in service, about 10 months of the time spent over seas, Jimmy C. Manning, Jr., was honorably discharged by the Army last Tuesday, The young man, suf fering trench foot and a knee wound, returned home and will paint this summer. He plans to enter college next fall. He wears three bronze battle stars and the European African Middle Eastern ribbons. -■*> Used Car Dealers Must Have Authorization TSnmher | Dealers in used cars ,ti ucks and motorcycles must have authoriza tion numbers by August 1, the Of fice of War Price and Rationing an nounces. Proper forms may be had ai the office in this county in the agricultural building. //V HOSPITAL ] v____J Suffering a heart attack dur ing the battle for Okinawa, Sec ond Lieutenant Frank Everett returned to the States last Mon day and is now undergoing treatment in a California hos pital, his father, Mi LcRoy Ev erett of Hamilton, ;;as been ad vised. The young Marine has been overseas about two years, and was returned to this coun try in a hospital plane. The message intimated that if his condition continued to im prove he should be able to re turn home in about three weeks. Highlights of Long Trip from Indiana to Junction with Russians on the Elbe A member of Co. B, 308th Engin eers, 83rd Division, Sgt. Ernie Lee Modlin, son of Mr. Joe Gray Modlin, RFD 1, Jamosville, submits an in teresting story of his outfit from the time it was reactivated at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, until it met the Russians across the Elbe in Ger many. While tiie young man had lit tle to say about his individual ex ploits, it is known that he personal ly capturi d a German general, that he was given the enemy officer’s per sonal effects which he sent home. The first installment of the story follows: USA-BRITAIN The 83rd Division was reactivat ed August 15, 1942 at Camp Atter bury, Indiana under command of Major General (then Brigadier Gen et,di Eiank W. fuiibuiYi, who yiovv commands the XXI U. S. Corps. Training began in November, and progress was so rapid that the 83rd was ordered to Second Army ma neuvers in Tennessee in July and August of 1943. Despite the fact it was the youngest division partici pating, the 83rd received prominent recognition from higher headquar ters. After maneuvers, the Division went to Camp Breckinridge, Ken tucky, where the men wrere given advanced training and primed for overseas duty. On April 6th, the 83rd embarked from New' York for Eng land under the command of Major General (then Brigadier General) Robert C. Mason. For two months the Division conducted intensive training in the Midlands and North ern Wales. Shortly after D-Day, the 83rd was transferred from the Third to the First Army and left South ampton for the Continent and com bat. NORMANDY Leading elements of the Division landed at Omaha .Beach on June 19th after lying offshore in rough chan nel weather for almost a week. The Division assembled in the vicinity of Bricqueville, Normandy and then moved west to Carentan, where ele ments of the 101st Airborne were re lieved on Juno 26th. The Carentan sector was heavily defended by crack Nazi SS, Panzer and para troops. The initial offensive of the 83rd was launched July 4th and the final objective, the high ground in the vicinity of Periers, was reached a few weeks later. Hedgerow fight ing has probably been the most dif ficult of the war. The Germans had four years to prepare defenses against a possible invasion and em ployed every known defense to stop the American advance Hedgerows were zeroed in by enemy artillery, paths of machine gun cross-fire were set up and entrenchments were con structed not only behind but also under the hedgerows. Connecting trenches gave the enemy escape mutes wdieri their positions w’ere ov ei run by the doughboys. During this campaign the 17th SS Panzer Gren adier Division was given a decisive beating by the 83rd. When the Nor mandy breakthrough came on July 25th, the 83rd smashed remnants of enemy resistance to cut the St. Lo Feriers Highway and come to rest astride the St. Lo-Coutances High way. BRITTANY On August 2nd, the Division en trucked foi Brittany and launch ed a two-week campaign aimed at the capture of the garrisons of Si. Main and Dinard. From the so-call ed impregnable Citadel of St. Malo, Colonel von Aulock declared, "I am a German soldier, and German sol diers do not surrender!” But on Au gust 17th he surrendered himself and his entire garrison after a heavy (Continued on page six) -& Start Damage Suit As Result of Wreck The Williumston Lumber Company this week started a suit in the super ior court of this county against Vun Dyke Furniture Company, Henry Paul and Douglas O'Mary to recov er $2,600 damages alleged to have resulted in a truck wreck near Ev rretts on last March 14. The complaint alleges that the de fendant, Paul, driving in a reckless and careless manner attempted to pass a truck driven by O’Mary and rrashed into the plaintiff’s log truck ioing $1,600 damages to the truck and causing damage of $1,000 as a result of loss of truck use. Jeremiah Brown, colored driver pf the log truck, was fatally injur ed. No suit has been brought by his administrator. British Consul Inspects Subjects’ Camps in County -« 'Tyler Smith, British consul sta tioned in Florida, was in the county a few days ago inspecting camps where Barbadians are stationed and employed under contract with the British government. Quite a few men from the Barbados Islands are now employed in the county and sec tion.