North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME L—NUMBER 25 THE ENTERPRISE Williamston, Martin County, JSorth Carolina, Friday, March 28, 1947 THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES ESTABLISHED 1899 Appoint WooifofH District Manager Of VEP Company Succeeds R. H. Condition ^ ho Was Recently Nani* ed Vice President Sam Woolford, native of Vir ginia but a resident of Williams ton for the past ten years except ing several spent in the armed forces during the war, was recent ly promoted to the managership of the Virginia Electric and Pow er Company’s Albemarle Division with headquarters in Williamston. He succeeds R. H. Goodmon who was recently promoted to a vice presidency in the company. Mr. Woolford entered upon his new duties a few days ago. Born in Norfolk, Mr. Woolford studied in the schools there and was graduated from VPI in 1927. Following his graduation he en tered the employment of the Vir ginia Electric Power Company as student engineer in Norfolk. Two years iater he was transferred to Suffolk and remained there until 1937 when he came to Williams ton as distribution engineer. A short time later he was made superintendent of distribution for the Williamston area. His service record with the; company was interrupted on January 31. 1942. when he enter- i ed the Army. After basic train ing. he was given a promotion and was stationed in Alaska for about sixteen months. Discharged by the armed forces in late 1945 he returned to his old job here in November that year and was soon made head of the company’s distribution system in j the district, embracing the of fices here, Ahoskie and Elizabeth City. Purchasing a home on Watts Street, Mr. Woolford is making repairs to it and plans to move i his wife and two daughters here * within the next few weeks. When ! the war broke out, the Woolfords i gave up their home here and she ! and the children have been mak ing their home with her relatives in Holland, Va. Faster Schedules By the Trail ways Effective April 1, Carolina Trailways is revising bus sched ules throughout the area it serves, and arrival and departure time of its buses at the local bus sta tion will be affected, according to an announcement made today by W. G. Humphrey, traffic head. Passengers using buses of this Trailways carrier are urged to communicate with the local infor mation clerk or ticket agents for the revised schedules before plan ning trips, Mr. Humphrey stated. Schedules put into operation during the war to accommodate the heavy movement of military personnel will bi affected most by these changes and will account for practically all of the eliminat ed runs. New schedules featuring ex pi ess a no through Service be tween major points in this area and beyond are announced to be gin April 1 also, and are designed to give added passenger conven ience in reaching distant points. An express bus operating daily between Raleigh and New York City, making very few stops and ample of this new service. Also added on April 1 are 3 express buses daily between Raleigh and Washington D. C., and between j Charlotte and Washington. Al- | ready in operation are three ex press buses daily between Char lotte and Raleigh, with one con tinuing on to Norfolk. A new ex press schedule between Raleigh and Norfolk is also being added, j These express buses will make : very few stops, but passengers traveling in local buses and going to distant points reached by the faster schedules will be transfer red to them to complete the jour ney, resuling in shorter trip-time for the passenger. Mr. Humphrey stated further that Carolina Trailways has put into operation 110 new buses since V-J day, and the older mod- i el over-crowded buses of the war j days are being retired from sei -! vice. The new buses represent many improvements in design j and comfort, and due to the de creased passenger load all pas sengers are now being comfort ably seated. Suggests Settlement In Father-Son Case MANAGER .J | Sam YVoolford was recently promoted manager of the Al bemarle District of the Vir ginia Electric and Power Company with headquarters in Wiliiamsion. Former Rector Of Church Here Dies —*— Rev. William Jones Gordon, former rector of the Church of the Advent here, died in a Leaks ville hospital Wednesday after noon at 2:00 o’clock. The minis ter suffered a heart attack last Friday while visiting a parishion er in the hospital. His condition was apparently improving until early Wednesday when he suffer ed a second attack. The minister and Iris wife visit- : ed here the early part of last i week and was apparently in good health at that time. A native of Wilmington he was graduated from the University of North Carolina and the School of Theology of the University of the South at Sewannee. Tenn. Rev. Gordon came to the local church ; from Plymouth in 1908 and left about 1911 for Spray where he had since made his home and served the church there. He was married to Miss Anna Jlark. a native of Hamilton, who moved in her early youth to Scot- j land Neck. Funeral services are being con- ' 1 ueted in the Episcopal church at spray Friday afternoon at 4:00 )'clock and burial will follow in he cemetery there. Resides his widow he is surviv ed by six daughters Mrs. Donald 2. Williams of Recife, Brazil; Mrs. j 2. P. Damcron of Marion, Ameri- ; ■a Gordon of Salisbury, Jocelyn Jordon of Calabash, Mary Irwin Jordon and Gracie Gordon of he home; one son, the Rev. Wil iam J. Gordon, Jr., of Point Hope, Alaska; one sister, Bi tty Gord n ,1 Lc-aK. edh . end mx grandchild en. •o— Murrli Meeting of Loral l\-T. A. I» Called Off -- —»—■— First postponed on account of the influenza epidemic, the March meeting of the local par vtii-teachi" ' j off yesterday. The next meeting 1 1 of the organization will be held J on the fourth Monday night in ; April, it was announced. UNCERTAIN v Although tentatively sched uled to die a natural death next Monday, the Selective Service System may linger j on in one form or another after that time, according to , unofficial reports heard here ^ this week. It is thought by j ( some that the offices will be ( maintained oil a part-time ( basis, but the system as far as ^ its effectiveness is concerned is just about petered out. A few youths have con- i‘ tinued to register in recent ' ^ weeks upon reaching their eighteenth birthdays, but no t registrants have been classi- j fied in months, and no one t has been inducted into the | service from the county in even a longer time. Superior Court In Final Session Of Term on Tuesda) * Judge Paul Frizelle Says One Case Moist Unusual He Ever Heard The Martin County Superioi Court held the last sessions of the March term last Tuesday and ad journed early in the afternoon but not until it had heard a ver> unusual case. Declaring that he had not tried one like it dupnf his sixteen years on the bench Judge J. Paul Frizelle, the pre siding jurist, dismissed the jurj from the room and suggested f settlement in the case of Chas. W Moore, Jamesville farmer, against his son, Levi Clayton Moore. Out of court, the jurist said one wonders how the nations car agree on anything when father! and sons go to law and when mer can’t agree on the possession of £ tiny bit of land. After creeping from under a ragged criminal docket last week the court tackled the civil calen dar Monday, grinding out in its mill sixteen divorces in less than two hours that day. A seven teenth divorce was added to the j list Tuesday when Delia Major I was granted an absolute divorce from Cap Major, the action being : based on two-year separation grounds. More than two thirds of those seeking divorces were , colored persons. Centering its attention on the Moore case Tuesday morning, the | court heard evidence of both sides until almost noon. The father 1 plaintiff explained to the court i how he and his returned soldier son had entered Into a contract in early 1946. “1 deed him two j tracts of land. He paid me $1,200, , and I was to have a life estate. He was to cultivate the farm and divide the crops,” the father said, j adding that the son was to add two rooms to the house. The plaintiff admitted that the son had done a fair job farming, that he had divided the crops. However, differences developed during Hie farming year, the father grouping them under three heads. It was alleged that the son broke the contract when he did not dig the peanuts, when he whipped a mule and when he did not build a house. Other differ ences were aired before the court, and the testimony was bitter at times. Taking the stand the son de fendant explained that the rains had drowned the peanuts, that they were not worth digging. H*> said that he had ordered material for the house, that some was de livered but delivery was delayed on dressed lumber > and other items. It was fairly apparent that the terms of the contract could not be met . j A climax in the case was reach- j ed when the defendant mentioned a figlit between the litigants’ j fogs. Judge Frizelle readily re cognized the real bone of conten- I lion, and it was apparent that the ! law suit was the outgrowth of a | log fight. I lay and our dogs were along. All j vent well un*il we started to get nto my jeep and drive home. One A the dogs hopped into the back, ind a hand on the farm picked up he other dog and placed him in he jeep. They started fighting. VIv father kicked my dog in the u ad as l»ard as he could and tern- 1 iorarily stunned him. The other log had the advantage for a while ind that was all right with my lather. But when my dog recov ered from the kick, the situation vas reversed and my father canted me to pull my dog off. He lad boasted that his dog could chip mine, and I had told him we ould let them fight and see cinch was the best. I did not pull ny dog away and they fought for bout twenty minutes. My father could not ride home with us,” the on said. Asking the jury to retire from he room, Judge Frizelle told the : itigants’ counsel that he felt cer ain the jury would not act to ust the son and see him lose 1 (Continued ou page eight) Goes Over Top In County’s Chapter —•— Liberal Response Semis Drive $410.97 Over Original Goal Liberally and willingly sup r ported in nearly every one of the districts, the annual Red Cross ( Fund Drive exceeded the original goal in the Martin County Chap ter this week. Fund Drive Chair man C. B. Clark announced yes terday. Up until noon Thursday, $2, 910.97 had been raised and: re ■ ported in the chapter. Three dis , tricts had not reported at that ' time, and the drive was not quite ' complete in about four others. ! Mrs. J. C. Kirkman, co-chairman , of the drive in Jamesville, ex ■ plained that several of the can - vassers had been ill and that the i drive had been delayed. How . ever, the district was hardly $25 short of its quota late Wednes day, Chapter Chairman Clark ex ■ plained. i According to the last report i filed by the chapter drive chair i man, nine of the sixteen districts i had exceeded their quotas. Even before all reports are in, the colored citizens in the chapter , have almost exceeded their quota, the Jamesville community, Wil liamston, Smithwicks’ and Wool ard's or Rogers’ going over the top since the last report was made public. Reviewing the drive to date, Chairman Clark said that reports are not yet complete for James ville, Williamston, Dardens, Cor ey’s. Burroughs and Williamston (colored), the number including two who have not yet submitted the first report. Following is a review of the quotas and amounts collected by districts: Jamesville Williams Griffins Bear Grass Williamston Colored: Dardens Jamesville Williams Corey’s Poplar Point Bear Grass Biggs Woolard’s Burroughs Smith wick Williamston Quota $ 225.00 40.00 225.00 225.00 1,335.00 50.00 30.00 27.50 12.50 12.50 12.50 25.00 40.00 25.00 15.00 200.00 $2,500.00 Raised $ 195.70* 61.39 209.05 198.50 1,708.90* .00 31.35 45.01 .00 12.50 7.60 32.00 46.38 .00 18.00 224.59* 1 $2,910.97 1 •Incomplete reports. Schedule County Dog Vaccinations - • Beginning next Tuesday, Dr. W. F. Coppage, veterinarian and rabies inspector, will handle the vaeoination of all dogs in the county. The first of the clinics will be held in Dardens that day, i Api il 1, and ociieis will oc held ! at convenient locations in the 'county through April 24. The ; schedule for the clinics has been I published and most of the dog i owners have been advised direct ly to carry their dogs to the near est clinic. This county has been free of rat hJ year s, few mad dogs have wandered across the boundary lines. County authorities cannot control the in flux of infected animals, but they propose to reduce the danger to an absolute minimum within the county. Following the completion of the immunization program, a house-lo-house canvass will be made. Dogs that have not been vaccinated will be subjected to j the immunization program or ] they will be eliminated with the possibility that the owners will be indicted in those cases where they do not cooperate. -o ATTENDANCE IMPROVING -» A steady improvement in at tendance is reported at the local schools following their reopening Wednesday morning after being closed because of un epidemic of influenza. The number of ab sences was cut to half of that at! the time of the closing. Increas ing absences at Bear Grass and ! Jamcsville may force those two schools to close temporarily, it via* reported Thursday. Genera l Assenmh Planning To Quil Early Next Montli Murli Yrt To Bo Doin' Am Isn’t Too Late For Some Fireworks -% There is some talk of adjourn ment the early part of next montl for North Carolina’s General As sembly, but leaders admit that much work is yet to be done, anc observers point out that it isn’t too late for some fireworks to ex plode in the once august and re spected body. Although a few bilk were pass ed, the activities of the past few days in the legislature merely tended to befuddle an already complicated and muddled situa tion. After denying a minimum wage to over 200,000 workers, the law makers tasted some of their own bitted, medicine when the attor ney general’s office suggested that a proposed $0 pay raise for the legislators w'ould be uncon stitutional, But, judging from past antics, the assembly hasn’t pulled all its tricks out of the bag. A bone of contention from the beginning, the alcoholic bever ages question is still being argu ed, and the situation is more mud dled and jumbled up now than it was back in January. As the Assembly moves to ad journ, the legislative mill is be ing jammed with measures of one kind or another. Over 1,000 have been dumped into the hopper, and so far about half of them have been enacted into law. Bev erage laws offer a crazy patched quilt pattern, some of them out lawing the sale in a little nook here and another yonder. Others provide for the sale of beverages in this or that area, but the peo ple defied by the strong lobbies and some of the dear lawmakers, are still being denied the right to express themselves after u demo cratic fashion. A lone fertilizer company, sup ported by a few farmers, moved last Tuesday to challenge the right of a recognized agency to control in the interest of the far riers the manufacture and sale of fertilizer. The company main lined it was terrible for the far riers to have someone protect heir interests, but that it was ill right for individuals to jeo pardize the public. No action has seen taken on the proposal calling or the stamping in bold letters in the fertilizer bag the analysis >f the contents, and to prohibit he manufacturers from changing ormulas on advertised brands vitbout permission of the depart nent of agriculture. Another bill, empowering the highway commission to fix load limits on secondary roads, is be ing challenged by the big inter ests. To fix load limits would “seriously hamper the business of his client,’’ one witness said. No mention was made of the fact that excessive loads would ruin the roads and seriously hamper the business of hundreds of little guys. .. .. A bill is being advanced to place taxis under state control. Delivering some telling blows against labor earlier in the ses sion, the lawmakers are now pro posing to eliminate the picket line. It has been rumored that the representatives of the cco alwf.iW i, that after seeing to it that laws | were passed to impoverish this ' State, they were unable to get out ! of town. There is a possibility some of ! the lawmakers will outlaw thein , selves. Proposing a measure to make subversive activities a fel I ony, some of the lawmakers might be caught maintaining a igag rule that denies true Dcmoc | racy a light to exist. The House Rules Committee this week still held on to the gag rule. During (Continued on page six) Older Youlli Croup To Meet Here Monday Night ——» Tin Older Youth Club will hold its regular monthly meeting Monday night March 31st at 8 p. m., in the Agricultural Building in Williamston. A.n interesting program has been planned. i All young people between the ages of 10 and 26 are cordially in vited and urged to attend. A sum- i mer camping trip will be planned, 1 it wj. announced. N-V. W'W■* ■■■«’■»«♦» tMfrUiyWll W«yff ***** . f*V* V ' Plan Pre-Easter Services In The Theater and Churches A schedule of pre-Easter serv ices for this community was an nounced thi- week by the Wil Hamston Ministerial Association, calling for daily services in the Watts Theater from 10 to 10:30 o’clock each morning and in one of the several cooperating churches each evening at 7:30 o’clock. The morning services centering around the theme, "The Event of the Day,” will hear local minis ters, as follows: Monday, Dr. Ira Knight; Tuesday, Rev. John W. Hardy; Wednesday, Rev. B. T. Hurley; Thursday, Rev. John L. Goff, Friday, Rev. B. T. Hurley. A special invitation is being ex tended business operators and employees to attend the 301-min ute services in the theater each morning through next Friday. The entire student body at the high school is to attend the morn ing services, it was announced, and they with others are expected to fill the theater for each service. The evening services with “One of the Seven Words” as the discus sion theme have been scheduled as follows: Monday a* the Meth odist church. Rev. John W. Hardy; Tuesday in the Episcopal church, Rev. B. T. Hurley; Wednesday in the Baptist church, Rev. John Goff; Thursday in tiie Christian church. Rev. Ira Knight. A cli max in the religious program for the week will center in the Com munity Choir Sing. “The Seven Last Words, ' on Friday evening in the Methodist church. Tiie public is invited to attend all the services. Town’s Political Pot Is Beginning To Boil John L Hassell | Files To Succeed Himself as Mayor Several Announce F o r Places On Hoard; Old Member* Plan lo Run -♦ Williamston’s political pot, after cooking peacefully until a move ment was started to eliminate an open nominating convention and create a primary election, started simmering this week when the I first candidates entered the cam paign. Mayor John L. Hassell, four teen years in the position, opened live campaign when he filed to [succeed himself. In feeble heal'h for some months, the mayor is much improved. A contest for the position developed Thursday morning when Robert H. Cowen, local young attorney who recent ly returned home after a stay of several years in Richmond, for mally announced his candidacy for mayor. It was rumored that there were other potential candi dates, but no formal announce ment has been made by any of those, and up until noon Thurs day, Mr. Cowen had not filed Wiflb the clerk. Three candidates announced for places on the board of com missioners Thursday noon with the possibility that three others would announce over the week end. It was reliably rumored that several if not all the mem bers of the present board would enter the race to succeed them- I selves. M'essrs. John Hatton Gurganus, Ben L). Courtney and K. D. Wor rell formally announced their i candidacies for places on the board o! commi:\siomT:;.' was unofficially reported) that H. Le man Barnhill, A. J. Manning and C. D. Carsloiphen would enter the race, the first two for com missioners, and the third either for mayor or commissioner. No formal announcement has been made by any of the members of tire * it i, ^ torn act ed Thursday morning one said that they had discussed filing to succeed themselves, that they would make known their plans next week. During the meantime inleiest in the current registration is in- I creasing and indications point to the liveliest municipal election held in the ole town in genera tions. Two Fire Calls Last Tuesday — • — Two fne calls were answered iy local volunteer firemen last l’ucsday, but no general alarm ivas sounded. Fanned by strong winds, sparks ired some peanut hulls near the Dixie Peanut Company plant. No lamage was done. Sparks from a trash paper fire n the backlot fired some waste inder the Belk-Tyler store. The ire was chocked before any dam ige resulted. j PROPERTY SALK v_ One of the largest if not the largest real estate transfers aside from timber tracts was reported here a few days ago when Mrs. Fannie Chase Sta ton sold her Main Street busi ness property (o Jesse Whit ley reportedly for $155,000.00. A deed to the property had not been filed for recording late Wednesday, however. The property includes the buildings now occupied by Clark's Pharmacy, Western Auto Store, Western i'nioii Telegraph Company, Davis' Pharmacy, Central Cafe, W. G. Peel’s offices and the Tar Heel Apartments and stores. One report stated that the j deal was handled by Private Realtor Henry Handy. Bear Grass Forms Fellowship Group Meeting in the Bear Grass Com munity house last Sunday even ing a goodly number of young people there formed1 the Bear Grass Presbyterian Young Peo ple’s Fellowship Group. The young people, recognizing no interdenominational lines, plan vesper services each Sunday evening at 6:30 o’clock and a re creational period will be held each Wednesday evening from 7:30 to 0:30 o’clock. The group is planning a tennis court back of the community house. The group officers are, Diiion Cherry, president; Miss Louise Wynne, vice president: Miss Ruby Dell Harrison, secretary; Miss Edith Rogerson, treasurer, and Mis:. Martha Mendenhall, eom -trul'lcrc' .e;iysr.. nnr.i ■ 5-f Lynwood Taylor are serving as adult supervisors. All young people in the section are invited to join the group and participate in the scheduled pro grams. < t ] 1 1 < I I o— NEVER TOO LATE TO SNOW ! Hie Lamb in the month foi nil nf its 27 days of age, Tiun sduy alt- 1 ernoon found snow In Williams- ' , ton and more of Hie Lion in view ‘ ii<;i;nsi;s No more motor vehicle op erator licenses will be issued 1 to 15-year-olds in this Slate N unless the law is changed l»y the legislature. Rack in ltMli 1 the Assembly made it legal 1 for 15-year-olds to procure licenses and operate motor vehicles hi an effort to re- ^ lirve tiic manpower shortage. The law was effective for 1 only two years, hut it was ex- 1 tended for another two by the governor under his war powers. Those youths fifteen years u old who now hold drivers' li- ' censes may continue to drive, ^ but no more licenses will be issued to the tender age j group Safety Examiiicr Uoycc said here this week. »w> Funeral Service For Mrs. Modlin Friday Afternoon -- lu>-peelo<l Citizen of James* ' ill** Died In Hospital Wednesday Afternoon -o Funeral services for Mrs. Etta Ange Modlin will be held a.t the late home near Jamesville Friday afternoon at 3:09 o'clock by her pastor, Rev. W. B. Harrington. In terment will follow in the Modlin family cemetery, near the home. In declining health for two years. Mrs. Modlin entered a Tar boro hospital two weeks ago for treatment She suffered-a stroke of paralysis last Tuesday and died the following afternoon at 4:00 o'clock. She had been confined to her bed during the greater part of the last two months. The daughter of the late Edwin and Hester Waters Ange, she was born in Jamesville Township 57 years ago on August 18, 1889. and spent her entire life in that com munity. She was a member of the Cedar Branch Baptist Church for a long number of years, and was held in high esteem by all who knew her Mrs. Ange, de voted to her church, was active in its service as long as she was able to be up, giving freely of her time and support. She was a de voted wife and thoughtful moth er, and enjoyed a large circle of friends. In early womanhood she was married to Horton C. Modlin who survives with six sons, Arthur L., Wendell and Arnold Modlin, all of the Jamesville community; Willie and Dennis Modlin, both of near Williamston; Rex Modlin, of Plymouth, and an adopted son, Luther Re: pass of Jamesville; two daughters, Mrs. Willie Mayo Gardner and Mrs. Joe A. Hardi son, both of Jamesville, and a brother, Ed E. Ange, of James ville, and twenty grandchildren. o Kiwanis - Lions Schedule Game The 1946-47 basketball Mason is slated to come to a climatic close hie re next Monday night when the Kiwanians and Lions battle it out on the hardwood. Having snort ed for a year following a defeat handed them by the Kiwanians last season, the Lions challenged the members of Williamston’s senior civic club to a return game, mil the challenge was promptly accepted. According to an agree nent, neither club will use any ‘professionals’’ or high-ranking imateufs in their line-ups this ,'rar. For the Kiwanians, the old ‘Enfield Express," Gene (Tangle dot) Kimball, is serving as cap ain, coach and manager, while lie rip-roaring Lions are to place heir guidance in the hands of an ild timer of the hardwood. Hack laylurd. Even though neither nanuger would divulge the names if his starting five, rumors have * that th« line-ups for the affair could begin with the following: i’or the Kiwanians, waddling at he forward positions will be Wil ie “Round Boy” Glover and Mey t Levin. Pairing at the guard Kisitions will be such stalwarts as lill Spivey and Harcum (Flash) 1 rimes. To complete the team, .'as.-ic( The Hook) Mercer, will uii-bhpbi osition. l’o match this team, the Lions re expected to send Lions Roy Scotty) Ward and K P, (Con ic Mack) Linds:ley in at the for ,-ard positions, while panting at he guard slots will be Marvin laker and Irving Margolis, the itter a court wizard a genera on ago. Completing the team ill be George Sfetsos, set-shot rtifct. Willi all this "height”, the •ions are expected to control play nder the backboards. Each manager is expected to ave a large number of reserves .) augment their strong starting ves ,and tlic reserves are ex cel cd to tec a lot of action, es ecially alter the first couple of unulcs. Afnong the more high '-touted substitutes for the Ki* anians will be John H. Gurgan s, Jack Edmondson, Howard Tlrub) Cone, Cortez Green, Paul Short Man) Simpson, George [abler, Dan Sharpe, Pete Fow “n, Fitz Fussell, Horace Kay, lines Manning, Herbert Whitley> (Continued oa page *ii) ■ ' *