North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3AH MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3.000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOL UME L—NUMBER 3 William tton, Martin County, North Carolina, Friday, January 10, 1947 ESTABLISHED 1899 "Offer** ** Oainage^Bj Fire" Tuesday Morni —#— For First Time People Run Away Instead of To A Fire Here Fire starting from a burning trash pile caused a storage tank containing cleaning fluid to ex plode and spread rapidly to the apartment-office building of Dr. and Mrs. J. T. Llewellyn on South Smithwick Street just off Main , »ere last Tuesday morning short before the noon hour. fVery little damage was done to • Alpha Cleaning establishment 1 Willard’s Shoe Shop, build 's adjoining the lot where the 1. e started, but considerable da ,age was done to the exterior of ,he apartment-office building. The door and window frames on one side of the building were nearly burned away and the wood work on a second floor porch of the building was almost charred before firemen could bring the fire under control. Windows in the building were broken by the heat, but the fire did not reach the interior. However, smoke and water did some damage to the furniture in the apartment and to the doctor’s office equipment. No estimate on the damage could be had immediately. The Llewellyns had left the day before for New York and insurance adjusters had not arrived early today to settle the claim. Unofficial estimates indicate that the loss will ap proximate $2,000. The fire alarm was sounded about 11:30 that morning appar-| ently when the trash fire went out 1 of control and caught the staging upon which the 300-gallon storage tank rested. A minute or two later the tank, containing only a small quantity of solvent, explod ed, throwing burning fluid on the apartment-office building and ■ending up black smoke in vol ume. Burning fluid flowed down the street gutter and smoke pour ed through the porch. One line of hose was connected in less than three minutes after the alarm was sounded and a sec ond was throwing water a short time later. The building burned possibly no more than five or six minutes. When the explosion was heard spectators, rushing to the fire, turned and fled, firemen declar ing that it was the first time they had ever seen them running away instead of to a fire. Colored laborers were working on the streets at the intersection of Main and Smithwick when the tariji exploded. John L Powell 4raa stooping over at the time and it po happened he was in front of several othei workers. Before he could raise up and run the others had flattened him on the concrete and trampled over him, breaking two fingers on his right hand in , the rush. Asked which way the , men ran, Powell said, “I don’t i know. When I looked up they | were out of sight.” Powell said he started running in some direction, met some one running and turned and followed him. No damage was caused by the i explosion itself, but its report i rumbling through the business i section caused much excitement. i Make Garments For Red Cross , . (Robersonville Herald) Under the direction and super vision of Miss Queenie McGowan, home economics teacher in the local schools, the Junior Red Cross girls have made an enviable reputation in making garments for foreign relief. Ever since school opened last fall the girls have been working on the special project and several shipments of clothes have been shipped abroad. Making jumpers for foreign re lief are: Bettie Lou Taylor, Gladys Ayers, Naomi Allen Hais lip, Mary Louise Crisp, Doris Hol lis, Ruby W. Harrison, Maggie Stalls, Evelyn Hardison and Lois Roebuck. Dresses—Evelyn Martin, Mil dred Cannon, C. Marie Wynne, Martha M. Rawls, Ann Barnes. Mavis Mathews, Cccile Harris and Frances Keel. Trousers—Emma Gray White hurst, Thelma Hardison, Jean Mobley, Lorraine Wynne, Elva Hardison, Mary Frances White hurst, and Willie Louise Craw ford. Complete Busy Year THE RECORD SPEAKS . . . Injuring no one but wreck ing about $1,000 worth of property, motorists on Martin County highways were off to a good start to equal if not beat the shameful and costly record established in 1946. The happenings in the first five days of this year were not as bad as those a year ago when one person was killed and two others were injured in highway accidents. Accidents Inj'd Killed Dam’ge The following tabulations offer a comparison of the ac cident trend: first, by corres ponding weeks in this year 1st Week 1947 2 0 0 $ 950 1946 3 2 1 400 Making Repairs To Streets Here Williamslon's principal business streets, wrecked and battered when ditches were dug for under i ground telephone cables, are gradually being repaired, repre sentatives of the company hand ■ ling the contract stating this week that they planned to complete the repairs by the middle or latter part of next week, weather per mitting. However, one report stated that asphalt was not avail able in this section and that re pairs in their entirety may not be handled for some time. It was pointed out at the same time that possibly small rock would be used until the asphalt is made avail able, that traffic would not be interrupted. Local people and traffic were caused considerable inconveni ence by the work, and one or two vehicles got stuck while at least one tire blew out when a car hit one of the poorly kept ditches. No cable has been pulled into the underground conduit, and in stallation of equipment for the local exchange automatic tele phone system is said to be waiting for technicians. Some, if not all, the equipment has been delivered here for the automatic system. I Positions Open To Young Men —♦— Positions as conservation aids are open to young men in the soil conservation service in this and other states, Henry O. Handy, lo cal secretary of the United Civil Service Commission, announced this week. Applications for the position which pays $1,954 to $2,644, must be filed on or before the 28th of this month. Applicants, in addi tion to experience and training, must pass written tests. Applica tions and other information may be had from the commission’s lo cal secretary at the post office. Duties of these jobs include lay ing out simple contours; collect ing soil samples; assembling in formation from field notes; apply ing soil conservation practices, such as terracing, contour culti vation, tree planting, woodland improving, farm drains, irrigation and land preparation; and super vising the work of assistants. COURT INCOME ] v— _* Nearly 91,000, representing fines and costs, was paid into the county treasury by the county and superior courts during the month of Decem ber, according to a report sub mitted to the Martin com missioners at their last regu lar meeting by Clerk L. B. Wynne. The county court reported fines and costs in the amount of $2,454.05. The superior court reported $108.70 in fines and costs, and $297.23 was de rived from miscellaneous ac counts, making a total of S2, 859.98 for the month of De cember. Upward Trend Is Noted In Illicit Trade In County Over One Hundred Liquor Manufacturing Plants Are Destroyed Motivated possibly by an ever increasing demand, the scarcity and high prices of the legal brands, illicit liquor manufactur ers in this county are apparently striving to stage a comeback, ac-J cording to a report released a few days ago by ABC Enforcement Officer J. H. Roebuck for the year of 1946. The upward trend in the illicit business is especial ly noticeable in the latter part of, 1946 when fifteen plants were wrecked as compared with only three in the month of December, 1945. During 1946 the enforcement officer and his assistants wrecked [ 136 distilleries valued at approxi-j mately $12,000. Only 102 plants' were wrecked in 1945 The offic- I ers last year poured out 15,930 gallons of beer valued at about $4,000. Very little sugar beer was found, but the molasses concoc tion was increased from 11,425 gallons in 1945 to nearly 16,000 gallons. The raiders confiscated 121 gallons of illicit liquor, car rying a value of about $10 a gal lon, reports declaring that the poorest grades of the white light I ning has commanded that amount in recent months. In 1945 the of ficers confiscated 117 gallons of illicit liquors. Of the seventeen persons ar rested for alleged liquor law vio lations, fourteen were convicted. Fines, amounting to $1,600, were I assessed against those convicted, ■ and sentences, calling for forty | four months on the roads and in jail were imposed in the county and state courts. Without a regular assistant, the enforcement officer worked in close cooperation with the sher iff’s office and exchanged serv ices. He was aided mainly by Deputy Roy Peel, and the two of them handled an effective work during the year. In main taining a close watch against the illicit business and holding it to a minimum, the officer drove his car 14,452 miles last year as com pared with 14,451 in 1945. The effectiveness of the en forcement work in this county is evidencel in the fact that manu facturers in other counties were called on to help supply the trade. Even the effort made to import illicit liquor met with little suc cess, and the imbibers and “sots” (Continued on page abr) Hold Funerals For Child Wednesday »— Funeral services were conduct ed at the home of his grandpar ents, Mr. and Mrs. Grover Nichol son, near here Wednesday after noon at 3:30 o’clock for Cleveland Whitaker who died in a Washing ton hospital Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 o’clock. Diphtheria was given as the cause of the child's death. Rev. John Hardy, local minister, conducted the last rites and burial was in the Nicholson graveyard on me McCaskey Road. Taken ill the latter part of last week, the little fellow was remov ed to the hospital Sunday. He was the son of Hubert and Patlie Nicholson Whitaker, and besides his parents he is survived by one brother. Y outh Delivered To The Hoapital At Goldnboro ■ • John Hassell, 10-year-old local colored boy, was removed to the state hospital at Goldsboro this week by county officers. Al though considered harmless, the less fortunate lad often got into difficulty, making his confine ment in an institution necessary. Greeted kindly by attendants at the institution, the lad voiced no complaint, but while walking across the court he would look back longingly at the officers and just before entering a building he turned to wave goodbye. Listed For Cafe In Martin County —.—9 Nearly One-Third of Eating Places Have Rating Of Grade A Sanitary ratings for the twenty-, nine cafes, clubs, the twenty-nine meat markets and seven tourist homes and hotels in this county, were released a few days ago by County Sanitarian W. B. Gaylord, Jr. The ratings, based on inspec tions made during the past three months, are said to be somewhat better than those listed in a pre vious report. Nearly one-third of the cafes or eating places rated A, but only six of the twenty-nine meat markets were above the B class. All the hotels and tourist homes but one rated A, the sanitarian pointed out in his icport. The ratings follow: Cafes: Grade A—Grififn, 94, Williamston; Swannee River club, 93, Gold Point; Central, 92.5, Wil liamston; City Lunch, 92, Rober sonville; Sunny Side Oyster Bar, 91, Williamston; Leggett, 90.5, Williamston; Mickey Oyster Bar, 90. Williamston; Friendly Coffee Shop, 90, Roborsonville. Grade B—The Martin, 87, Wil liamston; Big Apple, 86.5, Rober sonville; G & C, 86.5, Williamston; Sumara & Co., 86, Williamston; Roberson, 85.5, Williamston; Geo. Reynolds, 85, Williamston; Ray nor, 85. Hamilton; Chimney Cor ner, 84.5. RFD 3, Williamston; Harris, 84.5, Williamston; Holly wood Inn, 83, Williamston; Clark, 81, Jamesvillc; Cotton Club, 81, Williamston; Harney, 81, Rober sonvillc; Andrews, 80,5, Williams ton; Taylor, 80, Robersonville. Grade C—City, 79, Oak City; Rogers, 78.5, Williamston; Farm ers, 78.5, Robersonville; Jernigah, 75, Williamston; Washington St., 72.5, Williamston; Little Savoy, 70, Williamston. Markets: Grade A—Colonial (Fender’s), 93, Williamston; Ward, 92.5, Williamston; McClees, 91.0; Williamston; Everett and Warren, 90.5, Robcrsonville; Hardy, 90.5, Williamston; Page, 90, Robersonville. Grade B—Brown Brothers, 87.5, Jamesville; Cherry, 87.5, Everetts; B & B, 86.5, Hamilton; Ayers, 86.5, Oak City; Brown, 86.5, Williams ton; Jones Community, 86.5, Wil liamston; Johnson, 86.5, Hamilton; Hardy, 86.5, Everetts; Shaw, 85, Williamston; Robertson, 84.5, Williamston; Bens, 83.5, Williams ton; Sexton, 83.5, Jamesville; B. & C., 82, Williamston; Sunny Side, 82,Williamston; Bryan, 81.5, Ron ersonville; Eason & Briley, 81, Robersonville; Edmondson & Cherry, 80, Hamilton; Tiny, 80, Williamston; Williams, 80, Rober sonville. Grade C—Rogers, 79, Williams ton; Lilley, 78, RFD 2, Williams ton; Daniel, 78.5, Oak City; Bunt ing, 72, Oak City. Tourist Homes and Hotels: Grade A—Dunning Place, 95, Wil liamston; Kozy Korner, 95, Wil liamston; Oak Tourist, 95, Wil liamst’on; Travelers’ Rest, 95, Wil liamston; Wilsor Hotel, 94.5, Rob ersonville; and Hill Top Inn, 90.5, Robersonville. Grade B—Geo. Reynolds, 85, Williamston. Veteran OfJjfarM ■War II Appointed Sheriffs Deputy Murray Holloman Enters Upon His New Duties In County This Week Murray (Buck) Holloman, ve teran of World War II, was nam ed deputy sheriff for Martin County a few days ago and enter-.| , ed upon his new duties last Tues day, Sheriff C. B. Roebuck an nounced. Subscribing to the oath of office . before Clerk of Court L. Bruce Wynne, the young man drew as signments immediately, reports declaring that the new officer passed the first tests with colors flying. He accompanied ABC Of ficer J. H. Roebuck on a raid in the upper part of the county Tues day and picked up and followed a trail into a thick woods. Darkness was falling and after following the trail for almost a mile he re turned and jointed the other of ficer for the trip back home. Last Wednesday he delivered a patient to the state hospital at Goldsboro and yesterday he was in line to take another inmate to the same institution. Twenty-eight years of age. De puty Holloman attended the local schools, working at various tasks during his high school years and later with a cleaning and pressing establishment until he entered the service in 1943. A member of the military police force, he serv ed in the Pacific theater for two years. Following his return home last April he has been in the employ of the G and H Builders’ Supply Company in Williamston most of the time, and was plan ning to enter business for himself when the position was offered him. The young man’s record in the service and the particular work he handled well fitted him for his present job. His commanding of ficer in the Pacific Theater highly recommended the young man and expressed the opinion that he would make a splendid and feur iess officer. 1 Deputy Holloman was married to Miss Rose Boykin Chapman of Smithfield, Virginia, last July, and they are now at home with his mother, Mrs. W. J. Smith, here on West Main Street. Escaped Convict Taken In Virginia • ■ Horace Platte, one of eight con victs escaping from the State Highway prison camp in this county last November 4, was re captured in Eastville, Virginia, just above Cape Charles, a few days ago, office..1 were notified here this week. Few details of his capture could be learned here immediately. One report stated that the man is be ing returned to North Carolina, that he will be questioned at State's Prison, Raleigh, and as signed, to some camp. Platte, a native of South Caro lina, was sentenced in Cumber land County to serve from seven to ten years for breaking and en tering. His arrest reduced the number of November 4 escapees still at large to two. No word has been received from Chester Marsh or Albert Bowser. Unemployment Creeping Into Local Labor Ranks After remaining critical dur ing and since the war, the labor shortage apparently is easing up to some extent in this immediate section, at least. Unofficial re ports state that one local manu facturing plant after filling every position Thursday morning turn ed away approximately forty job seekers. An individual logging contractor said he was forced to quit when he could not meet as signed tasks, the action clearly indicating that operators are rapidly shifting from the defense to the offense. No official report has been re leased by the local employment office and no general trend in the employment situation could be had. The apparent weakening of the labor market is believed by some to be only temporary, that it was brought about when tobacco plant owners curtailed operations and the pranut marketing season gradually came to a virtual stop during recent days. Observers, however, frankly pointed out that the hey-day for the indifferent laborer is rapidly fleeting, that employers from now on will be in a better position to bargain. Sudden drops in employment figures have also been reported in other sections, particuarly in the- Elizabeth City area where an influx of workers was recently re ported. In his message to Congress this week, President Truman appealed to the nation to maintain its em ployment figure at 58 million workers. It was pointed out that many goods are still in big de mand, that employment wiH have to continue at a high level if the demand is to be met. Reported-In County Station Operator Fires Six Shots At a Masked Man —•— Three Loeal Business Houn es Entered During Past Several Days A second wave of daring rob beries within a month was re ported here and in the surround ing community during the past several days, the business reach ing a climax last Wednesday night or early Thursday morning when two local business houses were entered, and when a filling station operator fired six shots at a masked man. Attempts were made to enter two local filling stations, but the robbers retreat ed when they were unable to bat ter down the doors. After working diligently to [force a front door opening, rob bers broke into Roscoe Downs' filling station at Spring Green on N. C. Highway 125 early last Sun day morning. One of the door locks was cut out with a chisel, and the others were opened when the robbers broke a glass and reached thrugh the door to get to the controls. According to an inventory cheek, the robbers stole a used shot gun, a case of cylinder oil, twenty-five or thiry cartons of cigarettes, several packages of razor blades, a number of pairs of socks and some candy, and pos sibly a few other articles. Officerst are working on the case, but no lead has yet been es tablished. Forcing an entrance through a side window robbers stole several dollars in cash from the Lindslcy Ice Company store some time dur ing last week-end, it was learned this week. As far as it could be learnjed nothing was missed from the stock. Officers investigated but have established no lead so far. Following the break-ins last week-end, robbers, apparently a new group, broke into the Blue Star Cleaners and the laundry here some time during last Wed nesday night. Windows were broken in both establishments. A few dollars—$2.45, one report said—were stolen at the Blue Star Cleaners, and a few clothes were missed at the laundry where an attempt to force the safe failed. Oliver Coltrain, operating a filling station no (lie Washington Highway near the W. A. Perry home in Bear Grass Township, was closing his business about 11 o’clock Wednesday night and was starting out with his money box and pistol in hand when lie sighted a masked man at the window. He fired six shots at the man through the window but apparently missed his mark. Of ficers, investigating the incident, found widely spaced tracks lead ing from the station down the road. Locally, the robbers withdrew when they failed to batter down doors and force entrances into Jack Daniels' and the Two-Way Service Station at the corner of the Jamesvillje and Washington Highways sometime during Wed nesday night. Little information about the robberies and robbery attempts could be had from ofTkial cir cles, but it is believed that ama (Ccntinued on page six) Assistant Agent Is Not Available - ♦ M — The position of assistant farm agent made vacant in this county by the resignation of L. W. Cone last month has not been filled. District Agent B. Troy Ferguson, visiting the office here this week, explained that not a single agent or assistant is available at this time, and that he could not tell when the position could be filled. “The agents and assistants are Changing so fust I can hardly keep up with them,” Ferguson was quoted as saying. Mr. Cone quit the post in this county to continue his college training. r QUOTA I Its reserve depleted and the account overdrawn bv more than $100, the Infantile Pa ralysis Fund in this county is to be replenished during an extensive canvass beginning on Wednesday, January 15, County Chairman L. Bruce Wynne announced. “We have been asked to raise $2,120 this year, and if the needs are as great in 1947 as they were in 1946 that amount will not be sufficient,” the chairman ex plained. Six county polio victims, four of them post-care cases, received aid from the fund last year when $2,203.47 was paid out. Chairman Wynne is looking to the school folks to help him carry the county over the top, and he is appealing for a liberal support from the general public. Detailed plans for the drive will be announced shortly. Awards Made To War II Veterans • According to a report just re cently released, awards have been made to 40,009 North Carolina veterans of World War II. that 012 new cases were received during the month of December. More than ,H4 000 were receiv ing institutional training and 17. 50tt were receiving on-the-job training in this state. More than 7,000 applied for training last month, but during the same period 2.741 quit the training pro gram. Disabled veterans, number nearly 4,500, were receiving spec ial training at the end of last month, and over 1.000 men were given special physical examina tions during the period. Over 200 veterans applied for hospital care last month. Four hundred and eleven North Carolina veterans have applied For automobiles under the law allowing disabled vets automo biles. Three hundred and nine teen have been ruled eligible and 55 of the cases have been certified for payment. John A. Cherry j Dies In Count y j John Ashley Cherry, eight- ' year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John Cherry, died at Uit> home ol' his : parents near Spring Green on Friday, December 21), at 2:30 p. m. The young son had been in ill health for approximately two years and his death was no sur prise to his parents and immedi ate family. Born near Gold Point John Ashley was a bright lad and had many friends among the youthful girls and boys in this section of the county. Funeral services were held from the home Saturday after noon, December 21, at 3 o’clock 1 with Rev. J. M. Perry of the local ■ Christian Church officiating. In- 1 terment was made in the Rober sonvjlle cemetery. Surviving are his parents; one 1 sister, Peggy Cherry; three broth ers, Flliott, Billy and Jimmie 1 Cherry, all of the home, Pall bearers were: Charlie Forbes, Stephen Grimes, Mack Wynne t and Roland Howell. : FARM IH HKAl ) s; Meeting in the courthouse Friday evening of this week at 8:00 o'clock members of the Martin County Farm Bureau will hear a first-hand and de tailed report on Uie organiza tion's national convention held in San Francisco last month. Delegates Van Tay lor, Reuben Fvcrctt and If. . Clayton arc slated to make the reports and give the low* down on the side activities. The president, Chas. L. Daniel, states that Clayton • will tell how he got lost, how he missed bis train, etc., etc. ledge J. C Smitk** Has Fifteen Cases in Count) s Court Imposes Fines In Amount Of #.‘190 At Session Last Monday Holding the court in session hardly more than two hours and working before a comparatively small audience. Judge J. Calvin Smith called fifteen cases in the county tribunal last Monday. Sev eral road sentences were meted out and fines were imposed in the sum of $390. Proceedings: The case charging Mary E. Reed with reckless driving was again continued under prayer for judg ment, the court delaying judg ment until the first Monday in June of this year. Pleading guilty in the case charging him with drunken driv ing. L. D. House was fined $50, taxed with the cost and had his j license revoked for one year. Charged with disorderly con duct on two counts, D. C. Thomas was fined $10 in each case and re jquired to pay the costs. Mary Davis, pleading not guil ty, was adjudged guilty in the case charging her with being drunk and disorderly and tres passing on the property of an other. Judgment wuis suspended upon the payment of the costs. Charged with bastardy, LeRoy Patterson asked for a jury trial and the case was automatically transferred to the superior court docket for trial next March. The case charging David R. Harrell with non-support was continued by agreement until next Monday. In a second case brought against Harrell, he pleaded not guilty to the charge of reckless and care less driving. Adjudged guilty the defendant was fined $75, iax ed with the cost and had his driv er’s license revoked for one year. Pleading guilty in the case charging him w ith speeding and reckless driving, Milford Holli day was fined $20 and taxed with the cost. The court recommend ed that his driver’s license be sus pended for thirty days. Charged with operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license, Theodore Roosevelt Bonds plead ed guilty and was fined $25 and taxed with the cost. The court recommended that no license be issued the defendant for twelve months. William F. Reaves, pleading guilty of drunken driving, was fined $50. taxed with the cost and had his driver’s license revoked for one year. Facing the court for the second lime fm- alleged drunken drivrtvg-. Peter Little pleaded guilty and asked the court to be as light on him as possible. He was fined $100, taxed with the costs and had his license revoked for one year. William Staton, pleading not (Continued on page six) Express Sympathy In Realistic Way I —•— j Troubled and saddened by thel tragedy that cost Little Miss Jan-| ice Ward her life the latter part| of last month, nearly 200 friends and acquaintances of the family of Mr. and Mrs. Simon Ward ex«j pressed their sympathy in a mo realistic way when they mad| cash contributions amounting between three and four hundrl dollars. Headed by friends and withotj the knowledge of the family solicitations met a hearty spouse thro ughout the commui ity, some giving as much as to hcli» offset the little girl’s he pital and funeral expenses. Al cording to last reports, a total $310.23 was contributed. "No one can possibly imagir how much we appreciate the conj tributions,” Mr. Ward commente when he searched his heart words to express his and thanks of his family. "Every was so'kind and thoughtful lowing the tragedy, and we each of them to know that < deed is most graciously appr ed by all of us,” Mr. Ward, , adding that the goodness thoughtfulness of might friends helped the family fer the burden of sot row by the untimely passing oj 1 tic girl.