North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1 OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B! OVER 3,0i)0 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES • m t*- •-*»* VOLUME L—NUMBER 54 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, July 8. 1017 ESTABLISHED 1899 Tobacco Growers To * Vote Next Saturday Voting Hours Set From 6:30 To 6:30 In Ten Districts —$— Poll Holders Apree to Take Vole Count Without Pay In This County Approximately 3.000 Martin * County tobacco farmers are being urged to join thousands of others in several states in a referendum next Saturday to determine it they should be assessed at the rate of not more than ten cents per acre to support an export pro gram for surplus flue-cured to bacco. The referendum was authorized by the last session of the North Carolina legislature, and provides for the expenditure of the money by a non-profit organization known as Tobacco Associates, Inc. The head of the organization. J. B. Hutson, is now in Europe study ing foreign market conditions and an office has been opened in Ral eigh. All tobacco farmers engaged in the production of the crop, includ ing tenants, are eligible to vote in the referendum, but no one. re gardless of how many farms he operates, may vote more than once. The polls will be open from (1:30 a. m. and close at 6:30 p. m. on Saturday, July 12. and the poll holders are serving without any rash reward. It will require at least a two thirds favorable vote to put the program into effect, and farmers must cast their votes in their re spective communities. The ballot asks the question: "Are you for or against an annual assessment ot 10 cents per acre on . the tobacco acreage planted for W a three-year period (19-17, 1946 and 1949)? This assessment is tc support an organization for main taining, developing and expand lg export outlets for flue-cured tobacco.’’ The ballot has squares for the farmer to vote “For" oi "Against’’ the proposal Arrangements have, been rj’.adi for casting the vote in this coun »» .,iv .is.‘id —» o. 'ICS*„ mm Jamesviile: Town House, Her bert Sexton and Leo Gardner poll holders. Williams: County House, R. J Hardison and O. S. Green, poh holders. Griffins: Manning’s Store (Piney Grove), Geo. C. Griffin poll holder. Bear Grass: Rogers Supply Store, T. L. Roberson, poll hold er. Williamston and Poplar Point Agricultural Building. Cross Roads: Everetts, Garland Cross Roads: Everetts, Garland Forbes, poll holder. Robersonville: Masonic Hall, R S. Everett and Cecil Powell, poh holders. Hamiton: Slade-Rhodes’ Store J. B. Everett, poll holder. Hassell: Edmondson’s Store, D R. Edmondson, poll holder. Goose Nest: J. H. Ayers Store H. A. Early and M. E. Hyman poll holders. The poll holders, interested ir the proposal and believing every : thing possible must be done tc maintain the export of tobacco are serving without charge. Tin farmers of the county are urgec to get busy and vote on Saturday of this week. -O State College * Club In Meeting The Martin County State Col lege Club met Wednesday nigh June 25 at the "Switch” in Wit liamston. Coach Anderson of the college ard ‘Pop" Taylor, genera secretary, were present for th< meeting. The club was shown ; motion picture of the State-St Johns basketball game. Officer * for the new year were elected a; ^ follows: Pres. V. B. Hairr; Vici President, D. W. Brady; Secretar; and Treasurer, J. C. Eubanks, aru reporter Bruce Whitley. The nex meeting of the club w ill be helt in September. ROUND-UP -v J Although the July holiday I week-end was unusually ! quiet here, state, county and local police were kept busy rounding up alleged violat ors. Fifteen persons were ar rested and temporarily de tained in the county jail, the number including ten drunks. Each one of the remaining five was charged with break ing and entering, larceny, as sault with a deadly weapon and disposing of mortgaged property. One was taken into custody on an old charge. Four of the fifteen were white and the ages of the group ranged from 21 to 60 years. Holiday Quietly Observed Locally The long July 4 week-end holi day was observed very quietly and without serious incident in this immediate section. No one was hurt and only a minor high way accident was reported. A few firecrackers were heard late that [evening, but it could not be ascer tained if the firing of the crack ers was in celebration of the Glorious Fourth or just merely marked the passing of fireworks from the local scene in accordance with State law. • mu, ..■ •!•;/ heavy late last Thursday night and late Sunday night. Many Carolinians, living in Virginia, turned home ward for thv holiday and literal ly cluttered the highways with the aid of North Carolinians who were heading for the beaches and the fishing places Narline Yarrell, colored farmer of Williams Township, turned lover his car and a load of cucum bers at the bridge detour on this I side of the river last Friday about : noon. Yarrell, taking his young I boy on the first trip to the pickle .factory in Windsor, said that the j boy a«ked 1,;*,, ...honl the now ibiidge. "I 'pinfed' at something, and the next thing I knew the car j on its side down the embank ment,'’ Yarrell said. Damage to the machine was estimated at about $2(10 by Patrolman W. E. Saunders who made the investi | gallon. Ho«; Thieves Are Active In County —<*— Striking for the second time in as many weeks, thieves, raided Farmer C. 13. Clark's hog pen on the Williamston-Everetts High way late last Friday night and carried away four pigs. Apparently using an axe, the thieves would knock a pig in tiie head, drag him down the road and bleed him. Throwing the dead pig to tf)e side of the road and out of sight of travelers on the high way, the thieves would go back for another, continuing the prac ! tice until they had four pigs, three I weighing about 125 pounds each | and the fourth weighing about 80 pounds. County officers spent much time working on the case, but have been unable so far to es tablish a lead. Two weeks previously, thieves raided the hog pen of Frank Lit tle not so far from the Clark farm and brutally momicked up sever al of his hogs. A week ago. thieves raided a pen in the Bethel section, employing tactics similar to those reported at the Calrk pen. Officers believe the thieves are operating from a base outside the county. Respected Colort'd Citizen Died Sundu) m —— i Lizzie Brown, respected color , ed citizen, died at her home or i the Van Taylor farm in Poplai • Point Sunday morning at 4:0( l o’clock. She had been in declin L ing health for a long time, Sev l! enty-four y; ars old, she lived al J her life on the Taylor farm. Proposing Radio System For Town, Countv Officers j ——— County Commissioners In Short Regular Meeting On Monday A two-way radio system for Martin County officers and ’the police of the several towns in the county was explained in detail by a representative of the Link Radio before the regular meeting of the Martin County Commis sioners Monday morning. The representative, W. T. Neill, of Charlotte, stated that the system could be installed for approxi mately $2,828, the cost including the equipment for three of the county officers’ cars. He explain ed that cars could be equipped with the radio sets for town of cers at an additional cost of $491. Making a brief study of the law enforcement agencies in the coun ty and the several towns, the re presentative explained that a ra dio tower or sending equipment could be located on top of the county courthouse, and tho pos sibly a control center could be located in Williamston's town hall whe.e there is a 24-hour service. The commissioners listened to the explanation with interest but deferred action until the proposal can be studied with the officials ol the various towns. Very little business was sched uled for the regular meeting and the commissioners handled their routine duties, including the in spection of various reports from the department heads and the ap proval of current bills, and ad journed before the lunch hour. A petition calling for the in clusion of a road in Griffins Township in the state system was received from Rev. W. B. Har rington. The road starts at the residence of Jas. A. Roberson at the intersection of Highway 171 and the Holly Springs Road and runs to the gate of Paul Harring i ton, a distance of 1 1-4 miles. The board recommended that the road be added to the state system. Submitting lus monthly report, Tax Collector M. Luther Peel pointed out that $199,888.23 of the 1948 fiscal year taxes had been collected, leaving an unpaid bal ance of $8,552.62. The collector i a iso reported -that yiay 28M.Y9 o! I the 1945 fiscal year taxes had -.,ivw.g r. bn’-inee "of"$2,099.73. For the year 1944, $193.284 04 has been collected, leaving $1,097.47 unpaid. Plans were completed for con tinuing the forest fire protection in the county for another year when County Forest Fire Warden Marvin Leggett submitted con tracts calling for a county appro priation of $2,200 for the next twelve months. The North Caro lina Forestry Division of the State Department of Conservation and Development agreed, according to the terms of the contract, to ac cept the remainder of the cost of the service, or about $4,000. Community Sing Held In Hamilton - «— The Fifth Sunday Community Sing held in Hamilton on June 29 was a big success, according to a report released last week-end by Rev. E. R. Stewart. Hamilton Bap tist minister and promoter of the event. Held at the Baptist church there, the program lasted for ninety minutes. The devotional service was led by the Rev. Mr. Stewart and Rev. Sidney Boone, Methodist minis ter. led the group in prayer. Quite a few old hymns were sung and special numbers were rendered by individuals and groups, as follows: Oak City Trio, Murray Liverman, H. M. Peel, Jr., Roberson vi He Baptist Church Sextet, the Hamilton Choir, Miss Mary Ann Taylor, Mrs. E. R. Siewart and Mrs. Leroy Everett, Miss Rebecca Haislip, Rev. Sid ney Boone, Miss Celia Stokes, Mrs. Louis Minton of Capehart’s Church, the Bear Grass Trio, Miss Murldeon White, Mrs. Mack Beach. An invitation from the Everetts Baptist Church was received and the next community sing will be held there on August 29. The event was the first of its kind advanced on a large scale in this county. Place Material On Lot For Big Addition to Warehouse -* Material is being placed on the lot for the construction of a big addition to the, Roanoke-Dixie Tobacco Warehouse here, repre setnatives of the firm announc ing that builders are to start work on the structure •immediately. Providing approximately 16,160 feet of additional floor space, the addition will cost $25,000, it was estimated. No contract was let for the construction. The new structure will be joined to the rear of the present warehouse and will be of fireproof construction, it was learned. Material, includ ing sand, brick, rock and heavy timbers were placed on the lot a few days ago and an order for 12 inch cement blocks of which the walls will be constructed, is to be filled sometime this week or the John D. Coltrain Died On Saturday At Home Here ■ - » Funeral Service (.oiuliutnl Sinning Afternoon By Rev. B. T. Hurley ♦ John Dawson Coltrain, retired farmer-merchant, died at his home here on Pine Street last Saturday morning at 9:50 o’clock following a stroke of paralysis suffered on Friday the week be fore. He had been in declining health for four years and his con dition had been critical since the stroke. The son of the late John Wash ington Coltrain and Nancy Jane Griffin Coltrain, he was born in Jamesville o December IS), 1H72. He was employed by the old Den nis Simmons Lumber Company at its Astoria plant for a number of years. Mr. Coltrain was married to Miss Myrtle Louvenia G. itfin of Jamesville on February 3, 1901, and the family moved to this sec tion thirty-one years ago where he engaged in farming for a num ber of years before he entered the retail grocery business. Failing health forced his retirement in 1940, and he had not been very | actHv'-sffit't' that time, rn- wavs* member of the local Christian l-tiiBTcti a"mvnibvt "Wf ” Surviving are his widow; three sons, Grover Coltrain of Wash ington, D. C., Moses Coltrain, a member of the U. S. Merchant Marine, and Johnny Coltrain of New York City; three daughters, lMrs. E. G. Anderson of Chicago, Mrs. Thurman Nicholson and Mrs. Woolard Harrison, both of Williamston; three sisters, Mrs. Alexander Lilley of Williamston, Mrs. Della Perkins of Stokes, and Mrs. Aggie Mobley of Bear Grass; two brothers, Ira T. Coltrain of Jamesville, and James Horton Coltrain of Williams Township. A son, Dennis Robus Coltrain, was lost at sea during the early months of World War II, and an other son, Roosevelt Coltrain, lost his life a few months ago in an automobile accident in Maryland. Funeral services were conduct ed Sunday afteVnoon at 4:00 o’ clock by Rev. B. T. Hurley, Meth odist minister, in the absence of his pastor. Burial was in Wood | lawn Cemetery here. Few Farmers Barn Tobacco • While it will be week after next and possibly the week of July 28 before the tusk gets under way on any appreciable scale, several Martin County farmers are har vesting tobacco this week. Farmer David Gurganus pulled some right fair quality leaf from about five acres on the C. B. Clark farm near Williamsten on Monday, and Farmer Hopkins harvested a small barn in Wil liams Township, the two follow ing closely behind Farmer E. C. Harrison who apparently led the way when he harvested a barn in Bear Glass last Saturday. There are some fairly good to bacco crops in the county, but, as a whole, the crop is very poor and I production is certain to fall con siderably behind that reported last season. early part of next. With the completion of the ad dition. the Roanoke-Dixie house will have approximately 51,160 square feet of floor space and rank along with the largest hous es in this immediate section. “Our plans call for the comple tion of the addition in time for the opening, the 25th of next month," Mr. Johnny Gurkm, a member of the firm said yesterday. New life was added to the firm some weeks ago when Messrs. Ur bin and J Rossell Rogers purchas ed an interest in the house from Bob Edmondson who continues quite ill in a Tarboro hospital. The operating firm includes Messrs. J. Edward Corey, Johnny Gurkin, Carlyle Langley and the Rogers brothers. i DKATIl TOLL v_J While Martin County peo ple went through the' July Fourth week-end without serious accident, the Grim Reaper was busy on the high ways, at the beaches and in the gathering places of other states during the period. Fairly complete reports indi cate that right at 652 persons lost their lives during the long holiday, that highway accidents claimed 275 lives, a figure predicted before the holiday by the National Safe ty Council. At least four of the highway deaths were in this state hut the toll was considerably less than it was a year ago Jlrowninps exact ed the next greatest toll, claiming he lives of 187 per sons Local Man Struck By Stray Bullet MY. James A. Leggett, local in surance man and member of the Biggs Funeral Homo staff, was struck by a stray bullet while standing in the Funeral Home yard last Tuesday. He was stand ing near a side hedge, looking irryx^anlo 111 e Standard Killing "SHfWffWPand watching the boys work_on a tiny. His arms wore folded, and a .22 calibre bullet, believed to have been fired from la distance back of the' station by an unknown party struck him in the arm, plowing a furrow under the' skin for two or three inches, 'Apparently the bullet hit the ce ! ment and struck him a glancing I blow. Mi. Leggett first thought that a piece of the tire rim had splint ered and struck him. An exami nation at the local hospital where | the victim was treated and fixed | up showed that the missile was a | bullet. I Officers investigated the cast but have been unable to learn who fired the bullet. Officers appeal to youths ant others to exercise greater care ii the use of rifles and guns, es pecially inside town. School Bus Costs In Martin County —®— A total of $39,140.55 was speni in transporting 2.503 children tt and from the schools in this coun ty last term, according to a re view of figures released by the office of the superintendent a few days ago The figures include the follow ling: drivers’ salaries, $6 214.00 j gas and oil, $3.613 43; salaries o mechanics, $8,552.00; repairs am pails, $5,210.00; tires and tubes $525.90; replacements, $14,704.75 insurance and miscellaneou: items, $320.47. Forty-two busses were ope rat ed, 39 of them serving the whiti consolidated schools and threi serving the two colored big! schools. The busses serving thi white schools transported 2 26! children or 58 pupils per bus. The busses were operated at i cost of $.1056 per mile each, or i per child unit cost of $9.36 for tin nine months. The per mile cos during the 1945-48 term wa $.0986 per mile and the cost pe pupil for the year was $8,878. Tobacco Boosters Advance Program For Local Market —•— Goodly Number At Meeting In Courthouse' Lust Thursday Keening Meeting in the courthouse here last Thursday evening, a goodly number of local citizens, includ ing warehousemen, business and professional men, advanced a ten tative program for advertising the local tobacco market. It was an nounced that John A. Manning, well known farmer, business man and peanut buyer-manufacturer, will head the market as sales sup ervisor and he drew assignments on the committees appointed by Chairman Elbert S. Peel. A special committee, headed by the supervisor, reported that five market signs had been prepared, that sites would be found and the signs placed within a few days. The radio program committee reported that the market was on the air five days each week at 12:20 o'clock and each Sunday af ternoon at 2:15 o’clock when the Bear Grass singers appeared on the program. It was estimated that the radio program would cost approximately $900. A drive is well under way to have all business and professional men to stamp the words, “Sell your tobacco in Williamston," on all their correspondence regard less of destination. Newspaper advertisers are also being asked to have the same words included m their advertisements and have them repeated over their radio pi ogl alii.--. A committee compos ed of John A. Manning, A. J. Man ning. N K. Harrison and Ben Courtney, was named to contact the advertisers. A committee, composed of Robt. Cowen. chairman, Tom Parker. John A. Manning, John Hatton Gmgauus and Russell Rogers, was named to investigate the possi bility of making booster trips in this and adjoining counties later m tin' summer. The group will contact the local high school band and discuss other possibilities be fore reporting to a meeting of the boosters tentatively scheduled to be held on Thursday, July 24. It-ptmiteti"o'tu iii ihi meet ing that not extensive drive for •V.»sn AiiTTTn.-ufTon""wiffiiiTjf^fnJuP to support the program this year, that while some cash is needed, tin- main motive advanced by the boosters was to gel all the people of Williamston talking the Wil liamston Tobacco Market. The spirit expressed at the meeting last Thursday evening points to a better and larger tobacco market for the town this coming season. AM VETS Plan To Buy An Iron Lung At a special AMVETS meeting held last night at Roberson's Cafe, it was unanimously agreed that an infant’s iron lung should be purchased and turned over to the Martin County Chapter, Infantile Paralysis Prevention. It was decided also that 100 percent ol the proceeds allocated to AM VETS from the Dixiana Revue, an all white black face minstrel, te be presented here at ti o’clock Sat urday night, July 12, at the Slade show grounds, will be the initial contribution to the fund for the lung. After talking with Dr. Carl V, Reynolds, Stale Health Officer, and Dl Philip Randolph, State chairman of Infantile Paralysis prevention, AMVETS’ representa ' tive was advised that there was only one such lung in the state , located in Durham, and that tin need of another was great. Dr. J i T Llewellyn, president of the Martin County Chapter, Infantile Paralysis Prevention, further ad ■ vocated the purchase of the lung • Tickets for the Dixiana Revue i will be on sale at the Roanoke ■ Chevrolet Company, the Sheriff’s I office. Roberson’s Cafe, Southern er Drive In, Western Union Of i lice, Barney’s Grill, Central Cafe i and Williamston'Hardware. The • minstrel will appear one night L only in Williamston. 5 Harvey Baggett was nameo • chairman of the fund raising cam paign. iName Dan Sharpe To Treasurer-Clerk Job | FIRST CURING | v_> Ripening rapidly almost overnight, a comparatively small amount of tobacco was pulled by Farmer E. C. Har rison from one of bis fields in the Bear Grass Community last Saturday. As far as it can be learned, Mr. Harrison is th.* first Martin County far mer to start the 194* tobacco harvest. He is harvesting a second barn today from an other field. Reports state that the qual ity of the tobacco harvest last Saturday is very good and curing all right. Former Resident Died Last Friday -o Alexander Hayward (Bob) Swain, former operator of the George Reynolds Hotel here, died at his home in Dunn last Fi iday afternoon. A victim of arthritis, he had been a semi invalid for years and his condition had been critical for about a week. The son of the lute Hayward Swain and wife, lie was born in Washington County 54 veai s ago ! Following his graduation from A C. College m Wilson in 1912 he was employed in Dunn and was married to Miss Grace Holliday and rater located in Plymouth where they operated a hotel for a long number of years. In 1959. Mr. and Mrs. Swain located in Williamston and operated the George Reynolds Hotel here lor ten years. Leaving hei they made their homo in Roper a short time before locating in Dunn in 1944 where Mrs. Swam served a. executive secretary of the Red Cross. Mr. Swain made many fi iend during Ins stay here and was held ill high esteem as a hotel pro prietor and citizen. Surviving besides his widow are two sisters. Mis. Ralph S. . Smith ai;d j^^iu^erUe. ^jwmjnnt Maekeys; a bmui^r ^^^wam Kept., . Funeral services were conduct ed last Saturday afternoon at 5:00 o'clock in Dunn’s Hood Memorial Christian Church and interment was in Greenwood Cemetery there. Dr. George F. Cuthrcll. pastor, conducted the last rites. -p Sends Case To County’s Court —»— The case charging Miss (_!race Whitley with an assault with a deadly weapon was sent to the county court for trial next Mon day by Justice Hubert Cowa n in his court here yesterday morning. No probable cause oi an assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill was found, the finding automatically throwing the cast out of the superior court. The defendant is alleged te have assaulted Mrs. Woodrow Hay with a pistol at the Slaughtei House cafe last Saturday night about 10:30 o’clock. A shot was fired into the floor, but the state witnesses at the premliminary hearing wen quoted as saying that the defendant did not point the pistol at anyone. In the case charging Mrs. Ray with trespassing, Justice Cuwen found no probable cause of guilt and the prosecution announced that it would carry it to the high er courts. Few details of the charges and counter charges were revealed at the preliminary hearing. -o Local Attorney Home From Durham IIos/>« /at — After undergoing treatment for arthritis in Duke hospital for sev eral weeks, Mr. Wheeler Martin, local attorney, returned home last Saturday afternoon. While no full recovery was effected, his condi tion is much improved and he is able to be up and out most of the time. He was accompanied home by Mrs. Martin. Committee Named To Make Survey For Town Zoning —*— Hoard Proportion* air (!oi*l for (iounfy* l ow n Holier Hadio Dan Sharpe, former partner and co-operator of the local laundry, was named to head the newly combined offices of town treasur er and clerk by the local commis sioners in their regular meeting last evening, the job to carry a weekly salary of $47.50. A grad uate of High Point College and having a^hree-year service record in the armed forces during World War II, Mr. Sharpe is now em ployed as auditor for a mail order firm in Greensboro, but it is be lieved he will be able to sever his connections there and enter upon his newly assigned duties here withina short time. There were -ix applications placed before the 1 meeting last evening, the com missioners at a special meeting a : week ago having decided to com bine the two offices. Appearing before the officials, Building Inspector G. P Hall re viewed construction activities in thi' town during the first six months of this year, explained the fire and rc-iricted building dis trict. and pointed out that Julies were necessary if building rules -• - ■■ "J 4ip.to be properly enforced. The board discussed the I zoning problem and Mayor Robt» Cowell Halted C'-nmu . ion.eis G. H. Han i on and K. D. Worrell and Inspector G. P Hall to study thi1 problem and report their find ings and recommendations at a latei meeting. Recognizing the problems of en forcing the fire code and other regulations controlling construc tion, Mayor Cowon expressed his appreciation to the inspector for the work, handled and urged him to continue in that position. After hearing a discussion of the proposal, the board agreed to ace pt its- pi upui non ale part of !■’*(: r:t ftm into Hung ,, ficers and those in the several towns of the county In addition to maintaining certain equipment, the town agreed to provide a 24 hour operating orvicc for the sys tem. Mr C. D. Cavenaugh, radio technician, explained the system and pointed out its value and the board conferred with John H. Kdwurds, chairman of the Martin County Bdarcl of Commissioners, who pointed out that the county had discussed the system at a meeting of his group earlier in the day. The board ordered an alleyway cleared, leading off Washington Street to the W. I. Skinner Tobac co Company plant. A petition for water and sewer lines on North Kim Street was re ceived, but it was pointed out that proper equipment for such a project is not yet available. llardiy before new street signs were located here the post office department, looking forward to extending its local delivery ser (Continued on page eight) Club-Women To See Lost Colony Fifty or more Martin County home demonstration club women are planning a lour of Roanoke Island this week-end, Miss Eliza beth Parker, home agent, an nounced. Traveling by special bus, the group plans to leave Sat urday and return Sunday after seeing the Lost Colony. Miss Parker stated that those who are planning to make the trip and have not submitted their $3 reservation fee should attend to that detail immediately. The agent also pointed out that there is still room for others, but that i they must act quickly. Those planning to make the trip i are being asked to meet at- the i agricultural building in Wil liamston and be ready to leave Saturday at noon.