North Carolina Newspapers

NEARLY 4,000 COPIES OF THE ENTERPRISE GOING INTO THE HOMES OF MARTIN COUNTY AND TO COUNTY SERVICEMEN THE ENTERPRISE NEARLY 4,000 COPIES OP THE ENTERPRISE GOING INTO THE HOMES OP MARTIN COUNTY AND TO COUNTY SERVICEMEN VOLUME XLVII-—NUMBER 64 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, August I t. 145. ESTABLISHED 1899 Market Ready for.Dp g Next Tuesday —ft... , Japs Reply To Peace Proposal Lengthy Answer To Uutimatum Reaches Berne Early Today Hours Will Be Necessary To Decode Message: End of War Right at Hand After nearly seventy' hours of watchful and anxious waiting, the world was advised at 1:49 o'clock this morning that a reply 10 the Al lied surrender ultimatum had been sent to Berne, Switzerland by the Japanese, the Jap news agency, Domei, stating at that time that ine Potsdam terms had been accepted. The answer, reported to be a lengthy document, was received in Switzer land a short time later, but hours will be required to decode the mes sage and official announcements are hardly to be expected immediately, observers explained. Possibly' the war’s end may be officially announc ed by the Allied powers tomorrow. While no officirj announcements have been heard, the preliminary re ports point to the acceptance of the peace proposals. However, observ ers are hard pressed to explain away the unusual length of the Jap reply. Could it be that the enemy is offer ing a conditional surrender and that their pleadings are wrapped up in numerous words? It is faydy certain that no peace reports will be ac cepted until official anouncement comes from recognized sources, fol lowing unfounded peace rumors heard Sunday evening about 9:30 o' clock. However, metropolitan cen ters reported celebrations soon after the Jap news agency stated shortly before 2 o’clock this morning that an answer to the ultimatum had been sent. At 8 o'clock, the Japanese representative at Berne admitted that he had a message and that it would be delivered to the delegation in Berne at 8 o’clock. The message is expected to reach here during the morning. If the answer supports uncon ditional surrender, a peace procla mation is to be expected shortly. If certain conditions are set out, then more dickering is to be expected with the possibility that the atomic bomb will be brought back into use against the Japs. After a two-day armistice, American air forces and Admiral Halsey’s Third Fleet yester day resumed heavy warfare against the enemy, possibly to force an answer from the Japs without con tinued deiay. Russian land and am phibious forces reported no lull, late dispatches declaring that the Red (Continued on page four) Over Hundred I ires Allotted By Board # 4 4 4 104 for cars and a dozen for trucks— were released by the Martin County War Price and Rationing Board last Friday evening. After exhausting the available supply, the tire panel found it necessary to reject quite a few appolications, carrying over pos sibly two hundred or more. Automobile tires were allotted to the following: Mrs. Lewis H. Peel, J. R. P. Griffin, Elbert Jones, W. R. Banks, Ace Tom Taylor, H. O. Jarman, C. L. Green, George Hopkins, Clarence Matthews, Bryant Ward, Perlie L. Rogers, Rus sell Matthews, R C. Gurganus, C. W. Eborn, James Arthur Perkins, John H. Wynne, James Harry Wynne, J. F. Council, Garland Cowan, A. F. Weaver, Bennie R Dail, Peccolia Pitt, Jimbo E. Newsome, W. M. Bul lock, J W. Green, Wheeler Martin, T. V. Davis, Francis Williams, C. H. Whitehurst, A. B Wynne, F. B. Birmingham, E. R. Turner, Ephriam Woolard, M. E. Rogers, Willys 'Wil liams, J. W. Watts, J. A. Roberson, J. B. Rogerson, Ethel M. Rogerson, G. A. Peel, Viola Price Leggett, A T. Gurkin. Jeff D. Etheridge, E. L. Etheridge, Raymond Cherry, S. J. Williams, John Chance, William E. Stevenson, L. J. Lilley, Joe Harvey Farmer, Mrs. Emma W. Powell, W H. Coburn, Ed Peel, A. P Barnhill J. S. Whitley, Chester Revels, P. B Lilley, Mrs. Janie Fleming, Morris Mobley, V. L. Roberson, Mrs. James W. Conklin, Nancy N. Highsmith Stella Rooks, Vernon H Davis, S T. Brady, M. H. Ange, W. C. Jones Sallie Roberson, S. E Taylor, Rus sell Turner, Herbert L. Manning William D. Rogerson, S. E. Williams K. P. Lindsley, Benjamin C. Peel H. S Hardy, Elmo Lilley, W. H Hardison, Robert Bailey, I. M. Little J. Leonard Coltrain, Henry Rober son, C W. Forbes, L. H. Hux, Willis Hadley, Calvin Ayers, John Leggett Mrs. Minnie Wynne, Chester Hollis. Truck tires were issued to the fol lowing: W. H. Peel, D. V. Purvis, H. A. Sex ton, Harrison Oil Co., Willie Latham J, R. Overton, Robert Edwards. J. B Cherry, Lindsley Ice Co., and W. T Hurst. • — Plan Prayer Service In Local Church to Observe War’s End Expecting the war with Japan to end momentarily, local religious leaders Sunday planned to observe the event with a special proyer serv ice in the Methodist church. The service is to be held at 4:00 o’clock p. m. if the peace announcement is heard before 3:30 o’clock, and at 8:00 p. m. if the declaration comes after 3:30 and before 7:30 p. m. If the announcement should come after 7:30, then the service will be held the following afternoon at 4 o'clock. The public is cordially invited to attend the service and bow in hum tie prayer for the victory, and to pay a fitting tri’ utc to the memory of those who laid down their lives for our country. No formal program has been plan ned for the service, and most of the town's religious leaders are out of town, but the religious observance I AFrER EACH OTHER | v) Sheriff C. B. Roebuck had the most unusual experience in all his years as an officer yesterday morning when a man scheduled for arrest held him up at the point of a gun. The officer was called to the home of Frank J’owell in Bear Grass at 3o'clock that morning, the call stating that Ben Hamm, colored, was molesting the Pow ell family. Not far from the Powell family, Hamm took his stand in the road, and when the sheriff with Deputy Roy Peel drove up, Hamm ordered them to take him to the Powell home, explaining that he had been off and borrowed a shot gun and was returning to kill Powell. Sheriff Roebuck invited Hamm to enter the car, and just as he got in the officers were recogniz ed and Hamm let out a loud oath and submitted. It is alleged that Hamm went to Powell’s home and told the Powell woman that her hus hand was away with someone else, and that he (Hamm) had come to see her. Varied .Historical Subjects Reviewed In Tobacco Edition —®— Sources of Information And Aid of Volunteer Work ers Acknowledged -® The Enterprise today is offering its eighteenth annual tobacco edi tion to the nearly four thousand subscribers in all corners of the world with the firm hope that the pages will be gleaned with interest and profit by all. The edition makes its appearance after many trials and tribulations traceable to the uncer tainties of the times and of life it self. But for the help of old friends, Mr. Warren H. Biggs, C. B. Hassell, Harry Biggs and others, the publish ers would have been forced to skip the edition. There’s no complaining and no apologies are offered, but the pub lishers do remind their readers and other patrons that there were some mighty big ups and downs encoun tered along the way, that some of the edition’s shortcomings,, at least, are attributable to those conditions. For instance, the edition carries the name of Mr. Sylvester Lilley in one of the page advertisements. Following Mr. Lilley’s untimely death just a few days after the advertisement was printed, the publishers planned to reprint that section, but the ob stacles were found to be too numer ous to overcome. It is good to note that the warehouse position left va cant by Mr. Lilley’s death is being ably filled by his son, Mr. Elmo Lil ley. Through error, Mr. John A Manning’s name was left out as one of the proprietors of the Planters and Roanoke-Dixie Warehouses. That section, too, was to have been reprinted, but the shortage of help and a heart-rending tragedy were (Continued on page four) -« Alleged Robber Returned To Rocky Mount Polict <0 1 " Andrew Herring, colored mar wanted in Rocky Mount for an as . sault and robbery, was arrested here last Saturday and later returned tc Rocky Mount. Herring, it is alleged, attacked anc nearly killed his victim about three . months ago, and had been at large until last Saturday morning wher [ he was recognized on the street here by a former Rocky Mount office] and detective. will be held after an informal fash ion according to schedule. In keeping with a movement, ad vanced, more or less on a state-wide scale, all local stores and business houses but two plan to suspend ac tivities for a designated time, unless President Harry Truman proclaims and designates a certain day as a national holiday. According to a petition circulated last week-end, the stores will ob serve the following schedule: If victory is announced during w'orking hours on a week day, they will close immediately and remain [closed through the following day. If victory is announced after clos ing hours, the stores will be closed the following day. If victory is announced between the closing on Friday and the open ing on Saturday morning, stores will bo closed on Saturday only. County Birth Rate Shows Slight Gain During War Period -s Market Decrease In Number Of Deaths Reported Since Year, 1941 -»- — Despite war and the withdrawal of nearly 2,000 young men from the county, the birth rate has been main tained and even slightly increased during the war years, according to a review of vital statistics in the office of register of deeds. At the same time, the number of deaths has declined unusually rapidly, drop ping from a high of 210 in 1941 to 150 last year. There were 147 births in the county last year, the number being the larg est ever recorded in any one year. While the number of births among the white population barely held its own, the colored population report ed sizable gains, the number exceed ing the white births by 169 during the period. The trend in the number of deaths and births is seen for the past five years in the following figures: 1940, 654 births and 185 deaths; 1941, 694 births and 210 deaths; 1942, 699 births and 164 deaths; 1943, 742 births and i5u deaths, and 1944, 747 births and 152 deaths. The following figures show the number of white and colored births and white and colored deaths, by townships, for 1944 Township Births Deaths W Col Tot. W Col Tot Jamesville 18 34 52 6 11 17 Williams 8 11 19 2 0 2 Griffins 8 16 24 3 1 4 Bear Grass 18 11 29 4 1 5 Wmston. 122 135 257 37 24 61 Cross Roads 18 20 38 8 5 13 R’ville. 47 112 159 16 19 35 Poplar Pt. 15 15 30 1 0 1 Hamilton 10 40 50 5 9 14 Goose Nest 25 04 89 8 5 13 Totals 289 458 747 82 70 152 Of the 172 births reported in the town of Williamston, 95 were white. In the township, exclusive of the town, 27 of the 85 births were white. In the town and township combined, 122 or nearly half of the 257 births were white. The number of colored births was greater than the number reported by the whites in nine of the ten county townships, and in that one, Poplar Point, the total was evenly divided. There were fifteen stillbirths, and midwives were in attendance upon 255 or nearly one-third of the births. Births were reported by midwives, as follows, by townships: James ville, 22; Williams, 6; Griffins, 6; (Continued on page four) War or Peace, Men Still Being Called For Armed Service Ten White Men Called For Final Induction Tuesday Front This County War or peace, Martin County men continue to report to induction cen ters for military service. Ten Mar tin County white men left for Fort Bragg early Tuesday morning. What effect the end of war with Japan will have on the military service draft could not be learned immediately, but it is generally be lieved that the size of the calls will be materially reduced, if not elimi nated, in time. Fifteen white men were called to report for final induction from the county this week, but the available supply of men was at a low point and the call could not be met in its entirety. It was pointed out that the reduction was not a result of di rect orders from Selective Service headquarters. There were only nine in the group leaving for Fort Bragg Tuesday, the tenth one, Eugene Wallace Roches ter, having been transferred to Shelby for induction along with other Cleveland County young men. Only three of the group called this week are married, and only one was listed as a father. Seven of the men come from the farm, the other three having been taken from occupations listed as vital to the war effort, for the most part. Five of the group are just eighteen years of age, the ages of the others ranging from 21 to 29 years. One of the men was honorably discharged less than a year ago for medical reasons. Apparently the physical defects had been remedied, for he recently passed his pre-induc tion physical examination. Names of the men called, their registration and last-given addresses follow: Moses Paran Wheeler, William ston. Eugene Wallace Rochester, Rob ersonville and Waco, N. C. John Edward Gurganus, William ston. Clinton White Johnson, RFD 1, Robersonville. George Carr Wynne, RFD 3, Wil liamston, and Williamston. John Levy Flanagan, RFD 1, Hobgood. Wiley Stewart VanNortwick, Rob ersonville. Oscar Tice, RFD 1, Williamston. John Luke Mizelle, RFD 3, Wil liamston. Bernice Saunders Silverthorne, RFD 3, Williamston. THE RECORD SPEAKS , . . One near-serious accident was reported on the highways of this county last week, injuring two persons and doing right much property damage. The markets are opening next week and gas rations are almost certain to be increased. It is in view of these things that a note of solmen warning is issued today. Drive carefully that some one may live to see a relative return from the war fronts. 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. 32nd Week Accidents InJ’d Killed Dam’ge 1945 1 2 0 $ 300 lj)44 0 0 0 00 Comparison To Date 1945 35 17 3 8000 1944 43 23 1 7700 Mayor John L. Hassell Extends A Cordial Invitation To All To Visit In Williamston The Williamston Tobacco Market opens the 1945 season on Tuesday, August 21. During the 1945 season there will be no strange faces in the business. Men with years of experience in the tobacco business will be on hand. They are veterans who know how to make each grade of tobacco bring its top market value, and they will be in there every second working for the interests of their customers. Williamston has always been known as the farmers’ town, and it is located in the hub of one of the finest and most diversified agri cultural sections you will find any where in North Carolina. A survey reveals that Williamston warehousemen and other business men are thoroughly prepared to play host to an even greater number of tobacco growers than ever before The merchants have stocked theii stores with every available article and they stand ready to serve theii patrons in the very best way pos sible. Buyers, representing all the lead ing companies, and independen buyers will be on hand and the far mer who brings his tobacco to Wil Hams ton is assured the highest pric< that can be obtained anywhere os the Bright Leaf Belt. Williamston cordially invites far mers from Martin and adjoininf counties to visit the tobacco marke on opening day and all through thi season with the full assurance tha the market here will measure up t( the best in this tobacco or any othei belt. Williamston is easily accessible from all points with a system of ' hardsurfaced roads leading in from all directions. Famed for its hospitality from time immemorial, this great asset of Williamston’s mellows with the pass ; mg years and a visn will prove tnat • the half has not been told. This section, previous to the heavy • July rains, had the finest prospect i of a tobacco crop of any year since tobacco has been grown in this • county, and notwithstanding the ; damage, we expect to surpass any ; season since the opening of our ir.ar ! ket forty-three year sago. Remember that a cordial welcome i always awaits you in our friendly ■ town. J. L. HASSELL, « Mayor. Progressive And Widely-Known Firms Will Operate Four Large Warehouses Here This Season No Big Changes Immediately After the War Are Expected No big changes in the civilian | economy are expected immediately after the war, according to observers in Washington. Some things will be removed from the rationing list, but some form ol price control and the rationing of quite a few items are almost certain to continue, possibly for as long as a year. The short ages in quite a few basic commodi ties such as fuel oil will loosen somewhat, and even restrictions on other fuels might be lifted to some extent. Gasoline will likely go off the ration list within a few days, some guessing it will be lifted within 24 to 48 hours. Tire rationing is like ly to continue for some weeks. There'll be no immediate relief from the meat and sugar shortage, reliable reports declaring that an other year will have to pass before supplies can approach a normal figure. Marriage Licenses Issued Last Month In Martin County —*— Nimibrr Is About an Average Kilt Far Ahead of While iHHiiauee Year Ago -® An even dozen marriage licenses were issued in this county last pionth, eight to white and four to colored couples. While the issuance holds just about to an average for the past ten years, the number of white couples marrying during the month was eight times greater than the total marrying in July of last year. A year ago there were thir teen colored marriages m the county during July, the number dropping to four last month. The issuance of licenses to white couples last month was the second one to exceed the number issued to colored cou ples in any month this year The servicemen still figun- In the marriage license bureau activities, several of the licenses having been issued to them last month. Licenses were issued in July by J. Sam Getsinger to the following couples: White Jacob J. Steigerwalt of While ville and Philadelphia, and Annie Mae Roberson of Williamston. William J. Goff of Williamston, and Louise Haislip of Roberson ville. James Edward Moore of William ston and Annie Ruth Speller of Windsor. Cpl. William C. Wynne of Ever etts and Emma Zilphia Meeks of Greenville. John Liriwood Byrum of Edenton and Ah..a Louise Godwin of Wil liamston. Benjamin Edwin Powell of Rob ersonville, and Edith Hall Everett, RED 1, Robersonvllle. Edward E. Whitfield of Roberson ville, and Fannie Mae Thomas of Hamilton. Jesse Robert Griffin and Mamie Clyde Manning, both of William ston. Colored Charlie Bryant and Alor.a Ever ett, both of Oak City. Joseph Highsmith of Williams ton, and Ella Louise Black of Rob ersonville. John Daniel Small and Jeannette Marie Adams, both of Williamston Even while the world waited hour after hour for developments on the peace front, authorities in Washing ton studied plans for reconversion. Billions m war contracts are being cancelled, and seven million work ers will be out of jobs in a short time. The civilian economy for the nation, is expected 'o'- take a tem porary drop, but just as soon ; peace-time schedules are placed in effect, the unemployment problem, it is believed, will have been solved with production exceeding bv one third the 1935-1940 figures. Agricul tural sections are not likely to feel the predicted slump during the change-over in the big industrial centers. The armed forces plan to go ahead with the draft, possibly after a cur tailed fashion, but as least one Unit ed States senator has already an nounced that he would introduce a bill next month to abolish the draft I.ocal ami county officers had a fairly busy time last week-end when the.vi'jailed five, delivered at least one drunk to him over the creek and chased in a few less than a dozen others. One man was jailed twice be fore the week-end was spent. Three were booked for public drunkenness, one for an alleged assault with a deadly weapon, and one for not having in his possession a draft registration card. All of the temporary inmates of the institution were colored. Jamesville Citizen Passes In Hospital On Friday Evening PuiH*ral Sorvieo Hold Sunday Aflornonn id Homo for Ola (>. Parson -<$ Ola G. Carson, prominent James ville citizen and well known Martin County man, died in the local hos pital last Friday evening at t! o’clock following months of declining health Suffering a stroke of paralysis about a year ago, Mr. Carson partially re covered from the attack and was able to tie up most of the time and to attend to some business duties un til a short time ago when his condi tiyn became worse and he entered /r hospital for treatment. Late last f 'hursday he was reported to be get ting along very well, but he later suffered a second stroke and that with a weakened heart resulted in death a short time later. The son of the late William G. and Fannie Briley Carson, lie was born in l'itt County between Bethel and Parmele on November 5, 1888 lie spent his early life on the farm and in October, 11)11), he was married to Miss Nancy Elizabeth Tooley. He located in Jamesville twenty-eight years ago and served as telegrapher and station agent for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company there. Mr, Carson was a member of the Methodist church for many years, and a member of the Masonic or der. Surviving are, Mrs. Carson; four daughters, Mrs. Howard Gaylord of Plymouth, Mrs Titus Martin of Washington, Mrs. Thomas Blount of Norfolk, and Mrs. El wood Brown of Jamesville; one son, Edwin H. Car son, U S Army; three brothers Messrs. C. D. Carson of Bethel, W. C Carson of Raleigh, and R. A. Carson of Florida, and a sister, Mrs S. C Ives of Bethel. Funeral services were conducted at the home in Jamesville Sunday afternoon at 3:30 o’clock by the Rev Mr. Wood, Methodist minister of Plymouth, assisted by Rev. W B Harrington, Baptift minister of this county. Interment was in the Car son Cemetery, near Parmele. Firemeti ('ailed To f{urn hire Yenlerday Morninfi A tobacco barn belonging to Far mer Joe Leggett burned on his farrr near here on the Hamilton Road yes terday morning. The owner hac left tlie barn hardly five minute: before the fire was discovered Tht local fire department was called ou at 11 o’clock, but reached there to< l late to be of any assistance. The barn was about the 24th om to burn in the county this season, ac cording to incomplete reports. Indications Point To A Successful Season For the Market Here —•— Salrs Gel l inin' Way Vt 9:00 O'clock; All Buyers Returning Announcing the opening of Wii liamstan's Tobacco Market next Tuesday morning at 9 u’clock. the members of the two progressive and able warehouse firms today predict ed a successful year, and added that everything is in readiness fot the iffitial sales, the forty-fourth to be held here. There is some difference of opin ion as to the size fo the break ex pected here that day, but indications point to what might be a record poundage. The first of the current crop will be received by the- ware houses on Thursday, it was announc ed last Friday. The market this year has at its helm nine strong men with able as sistants. At the Farmers and New' Carolina houses, Messrs. C. Claude Griffin, Jimmy Taylor, Elmo Lilley and Ionian Barnhill will handle the sales with the assistance of Mr. Jule James. They will have Mr Francis Hicks as their auctioneer. Messrs. Carlyle Langley, John A. Manning, W It. Edmondson, Edward Corey and Johnny C.urkin will pilot the activities at the Planters and Roanoke Dixie houses, and Mr. Ed mondson, one of the proprietors, will auctioneer. A familiar figure on the market for thi' past quarter century, Mr. Jno. R. Peel, who died a few weeks ago, will be missed on the market. Mr. | Peel served ably and patiently the thusands of patrons here. He is be ing succeeeded by Mr. Peck Jones, of Wilson, who comes here highly recommended. C. Urbin and J. Rossel Rogers will again supervise the sales, their close association with the farmer placing them in a splendid position to render a splendid service to the market patrons. Even though no fancy crop of to bacco was produced during the ex tremely wet season, good prices are expected and it is believed the mar ket is just about to open what will prove to be its most successful sea son. Selling arrangements will conform to regular schedules, three and one half hours daily with a maximum of 1,400 piles to be bought by the regu lar companies It is possible that the entire belt will block reasonably early in the season and that a change m the selling arrangements will have to be made. Labor shortages and uncertain conditions might have something to do with the selling ar (Continued on page four) Janiesville Youth On Plane (Carrier —<$>— Aboard tlio escort carrier, Su wannee, m the Pacific.—George H. Manning, 23, aviation machinist’s mate, second class, U. S. N R., son of Mrs. Alice A. Manning, of James vilie, N. C., is one of the men who keep this carrier’s planes in condi tion to strike the enemy on their own territory. He is a specialist in the hydraulic mechanisms used extensively on car rier-based aircraft. He entered the Navy in October, 11)42, and took recruit training at the Great Lake:, 111-, Center. He was stationed for a time at Navy Pier, Chicago, then transferred to Seattle, Wash., for duty at the Naval Air Station there. He went back to Chicago for an extensive course in hydraulic mechanisms before com ing aboard this carrier last Decem ber. The Suwannee’s planes provided close support for our assault troops, bombing, rocketing and machine gunning the Japs until airfields | could be established and the job could be taken over by land-based planes. Her pilots and aircrowmen flew a totai of 2,652 sorties at Okinawa and after her planes were no longer needed against the enemy she cruised along the coast of the island, driving off enemy planes and sub marines. The Suwannee is one of the oldest i carriers of the fleet. She was commis sioned September 24. 1S)42, and aft er participation in the Nortp Afri i can invasion moved to the Pacific. She was damaged by Jap bombers at Leyte, but soon returned to that theater after being reconditioned at Bremerton, Wash.