North Carolina Newspapers

' 4r THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1 OVER 3.000 MARTIN COUNTI FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK =="■=■■■ --=g VOLUME L—NUMBER 60 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday. July 29, 1947 ESTABLISHED 1899 i Wife Of a Former Prisoner Of War Writes To Friend o Last Letters Point To Very Diffienlt Times In German Zones During the war and shortly thereafter. German prisoners of war worked in the basket factory here. Richard Graf of Stuttgart, Germany, worked there and knew Mrs. Martha Hoell of Williamston. ^ Returning to Germany, Graf told his wife and son about Mrs. Hoell and they wrote to her. The let ters, a bit old but very interest ing, read as follows, the first from Mrs. Graf and the second from the Graf’s son: “We were so glad to get your lovely letter. Many thanks for it. I am afraid it will not be so easy with the imigration and another question is. will it be possible there for Herbert to finish his study as an architect? *For my husband and myself 1 guess it will not be so hard to find work. It surely is awful nice of you to ask us to come to the States and to help us, and my husband sure would like to go. he says, at leas), we have enough to eat there. Be lieve me the need is getting worse here, every month our rations are shortened. If no help is coming from USA then I fear it will be just terrible, as nobody can live on this little food, and it looks very bad in future. Our ration in a whole week can easily be eaten in one day, so you can imagine how hard it is for a wife and mother to cook and feed a family, not even enough bread I can give ♦hem. “I believe that you think of those who have to starve, when you sit on your table, Yes, but if everyone in this world would give that what it’s left to the poor hungry ones, there sure would be enough for all people, no one would have to starve. Sometimes it. re herd to keep ou: ■';>>*,h U M God. you see 1 have an old lovely mother, she is so weak and skinny she can hardly walk, nevertheless she goes to church every Sunday to pray for all of us and she begs God to take her home to our dear father, she says why shall 1 live any longer in this need and mis ery. For the youth and the old people it is especially hard. Rich so much from that nourishment. *■ Herbert and 1 are well, but Her bert is always hungry. Herbert loves to go to America. Would you please inquire about our pap ers? If we could be with you that (Continued on page eight) -* District Agents In Meeting Here -A The Martin County Home Agents were hostesses for the Northeastern District Huddlers Friday, July 25th. The meeting which was held in the courtroom was attended by home agents from Chowan. Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Edgecombe, Greene, Halifax, Nash, Pasquotank, Per quimans, Tyrrell ana Washington Counties. Mrs. Celeste Sawyer, home agent in Pasquotank, presided over the meeting. Miss Maxine Pleasant, assistant in Bertie, act ed as recording secretary in the absence of the secretary. Possibilities of sending a dele gate from the Northeastern Dis trict to the National Home Dem onstration Association in Chicago were discussed. Three names were suggested, they were: Mrs. Eugenia P. VanLandingham, Edgecombe County, Miss Florence ^ Cox of Halifax County; and Miss Rebecca Calwell, Chowan County. Each of these agents have been employed by the Extension Serv ice at least ten years. The nominating committee sub mitted the following officers for next year; President, Miss Flor ence Cox; Vice-president, Miss El la Carawan; Secretary. Mrs. Ve rona J. Lankford; Treasurer. Mrs. Estelle White. ^ Misses Garnette Crocker. Ath Ica Boone, and Mary Anne Beam were appointed to investigate the possibilities of sending favors typ ical of this section to the National meeting to be held in Chicago in December. Applicant Finds It Difficult To Regain Revoked License His license revoked for drunk en driving in July of last year, an applicant, seeking a new driver's license in the county recently, learned that it will be almost im possible, for him to regain the li cense. To regain his license to operate a motor vehicle the applicant must show that he owns sufficient property to puy damages resulting from an accident in which he is involved. It is estimated that only one out of ten motorists can meet the property requirement. In those cases where the appli cants do not have property suffi cient to guarantee coverage against damages, regular insur anct- must he carried with a re cognized company. But reports state that insurance companies are a bit hesitant in insuring a ve hicle the owner of which has been convicted of drunken driving. It was also pointed out that an applicant who wants to regain his driver's license even though he owns no vehicle, must carry in surance or meet the property re quirement. After an applicant has been re fused insurance by three com panies. he may appeal to the state commissioner who will instruct a company to issue the applicant a policy. But the applicant must pay a 15 percent premium. BARNS Bl RN j Two more tobacco barns were destroyed by fire in the * county last week, boosting the total going uptin smoke to four this season. The Griffins Brothers lost a barn early in the week on the Rainbow farm in Hamilton Township. The barn was equipped with oil curers and the leaf had been "killed”’ when the barn caught fire and burned down in short or der. Rowena Riddick lost a wood-burning barn last Sat urday night. As far as it could be learned no insurance was carried on either barn. Plans Completed For Jayeee Event --$ Co-chairman Ernest Mears to day announced the final plans for the Jaycee Annual Beauty Pa geant and Dance to be held tomor row night, beginning at 8:30 in the high school auditorium. Experienced judges for bath the | junior and senior contests have been selected from all points of North Carolina but then identity will not be disclosed until the be ginning of the pageant. With the entry of Miss Alberta Swain, re presenting the Williamston Mar tins, the number of senior contest ants now stands at 21 and with the addition of Linda Kay Willard and | ously omitted by mistake, the j junior contestants now number 2(5. j Miss Mary Warren will furnish I the music for the pageant. All mothers who have daugh 1 ters in the junior division of the pageant are requested to have them meet with R. Edwin "Flip'’ Peele and Jack Edmondson at the entrance of the High School Audi torium at 8:00 p. m. All senior contestants are requested to meet in the dressing rooms buck stage at the same time. Tickets for both the pageant and dance will be on sale at the auditorium, and those buying | dance tickets are also entitled to j attend the pageant. Those buying j spectator tickets will be admitted to the pageant and also as specta I tors to the dance. I Prizes and surprises are to be awarded for the first three win ners of both the junior and senior division of the pageant. Jaycee J. Paul Simpson will act I as Master of Ceremonies. Officer Ballard Quitting Force Officer Paul A. Ballard, mem ber of Ihe police department force for the past several years, recent ly tendered his resignation, effec tive the 31st of this month. The officer has not announced his plans for the future, but it is understood he is considering go ing into a business of his own. Mr. Ballard is being succeeded by W. F. Haislip, former deputy sheriff of Martin County. Mr. Haislip, until recently employed in Portsmouth, is tentatively scheduled to enter upon his new duties on Friday of this week. HOME FROM HOSPITAL Mr. Sherrod Corey, Griffins Township farmer, returned Sat ! urday from Duke Hospital where j he received treatment for a few j days. His condition is improved, ; but he made the trip back ill a j Biggs ambulance. Increase Use Of Sugar In Makin Illicit Whiskies Five Plants Wreeked in the County hv Knfoirenirnt Officers Last Week ■o CfQ There' is an apparent increase in the use of sugar in making il j licit liquors in this county, ac | cording to a report coming from j I Officei Joe H Roebuck, head of j the county’s alcoholic beverage control board's enforcement work. In their raids last week the officer and his assistants poured out 1,150 gallons of mash or beer made with sugar, the officer explaining that no molasses beer is being found now' that sugar rationing has been abandoned. Reriwsng f ••Nii'Wt'iti'nt work last week, Officer Roebuck said that an oil drum, used as a still, was wrecked in Bear Grass Township on Wednesday, that they destroyed other equipment and poured out fifty gallons of su gar beer. Going info the Fiat Swamp-see turn of Robersonville Township - last Thursday, Officers Roebuck and Peel poured out 100 gallons of ugar beer and wrecked a 50-gal lon capacity oil drum kettle and I three fermenters. Joining ABC Officer Stubbs of Beaufort County last Friday, Of ' jicers Roebuck and Peel raided along the County boundary. Tile No. 1 plant. wiTTian on arum Ret I tie and crude equipment and fifty gallons of sugar beer, was wreck ed that morning. Moving into Griffins Township but still working along the boun dary, the three officers found a I plant fully equipped with a 50 ! gallon capacity wood still, boiler, (Continued on page eight) -o—■ Fill Positions In School Here -• Two positions in the local school faculty were filled recent ly at a meeting of the committee. Miss Erma Bt nson, of Benson, is succeeding Miss Mary Ross, re signed. Assigned to one of the sixth grades, Miss Benson, a graduate of East Carolina Teach ers College, has several years of experience in the profession. She recently complete two years in the Fort Bragg schools. Miss Benson is a sister of Mrs. C. D. Carstar phen, Jr., a teachei in the local schools. Mi s. George Corey, a Wake For est graduate, has been elected to fill one of the eighth grade posi tions made vacant by a shift in the faculty. Mrs. Corey, former director of the youth center here, is a native of Asheville and has been employed by the Enterprise Publishing Company for the past year. A severe jolt was dealt the fa culty line-up yesterday when Professor Ralph Gorham resigned ! to accept a position in the Rocky Mount schools. The two elections leave only two positions vacant in the local faculty, It. L. Coburn, committee [chairman, announcing yesterday I that no applications had been rc ceived for the place in the science [department or the position made | vacant by Mr, Gorham's resigna tion. j Today is the last day teachers i may resign without the approval of the school authorities. Dos Tracks Down o Prowler At Home Saturday Night -- Waller Lee W ilson Is Given Preliminary Hearing Last Night Walter Lee Wilson, 20-year-old colored man, was arrested by De puty Buck Holloman and Patrol man W. E. Saunders early last Sunday morning for allegedly try ing to break into the Riddick Equipment Company and tem porary home of H. M. Riddick, Jr., near here on Highway 64 about 11:45 o'clock Saturday night. Giv en a hearing before Justice of the Peace Robert Cowen here last night, Wlison was bound over to the higher courts for trial. Unable to raise $200 bond, Wil son was returned to jail to await trial in the county ocurt Monday. Riddick, reading in his tempor ary apartment, saw the man push ing a bicycle about 11:15 o’clock that night. After he retired about thirty minutes later and before he had gone to sleep, Riddick heard someone pounding on a door. He yelled at the prowler and the man ran. Calling Lee Bert Jenkins, a neighbor, Riddick started a search and officers were notified. Jenkins called Captain Sessoms at the prison camp and bloodhounds were pliiced on the man’s trail. The dog quickly picked up the track, followed it across a peanut field, back to the highway and overtook Wilson near the Bamb.v bread motor vehicle storage, about a quarter mile away. The man got his feet a bit wet and muddy when he ran through the | peanut patch. >vwT1 Sr,,,?to r.cv\ ling, denied the charge. His bi cycle was later found beside the old Everetts Road, not far from the equipment company’s build ing. Wilson, reports state, form erly worked with the equipment company. Report Two Road Wrecks In County One person was painfully but believed not badly hurt and a property damage estimated at $575 resulted m two highway ac eidents reported in the county last mm mr**, m ,mm <** - * - Eugene Thomas Bed well of Jamesville suffered a one-stitch cut back of his ear and a knee in jury when he started to make a left-hand turn off Highway 04 near Jamesville last Friday morn ing at 7:45 o'clock and crashed into an empty log truth driven by Daniel Chesson Swain of Rop er. Bedweli’s jeep, traveling in the direction of Jamesville from , Williamston, was knocked around land came to a stop about sixty feet away, Patrolman W. K. Saun ders stating that the damage to the machine Would approximate $500. Bedwell, it was pointed out, was passing another vehicle and did not see the log truck. Damage to the truck was estimated at $25. Friday evening about 8:50 o'clock, LeRoy Worsley drove his Oldsmobile out of the prison camp road, crossed Highway 64, plow ed into a peanut field and brought the machine to a stop with the front end buried in a ditch and facing down the prison camp road. No one was hurt and damage was estimated at $50 by Patrolman I Saunders. -(»_ Chicken Thief Fired Upon Al Jumesville Entering the chicken coop of G. W. Wood in Jumesville about 3:30 o'clock last Tuesday morning, a thief carried away twenty chick ens, but he had a close call. Re ports state that the owner fired twice at the thief but apparently missed. -o BREAKS LEU Breaking his leg in a fall at Oak City last Wednesday after noon, Phillip Ray Tyson, Oak City vetrean of World War II. was carried in a Biggs ambulance to McGuire’s General Hospital in Richmond that evening for treat ment. The young man, breaking the same leg in an auto accident some tone ago, stepped on a rock and fell, breaking the limb a sec ond tune. Mark R. Cliesson Dies At Home Of His Son Monday —®— Funeral Tuesday A fieri toon AI Son's Home Near Here At O'eloek Marcus R. Chesson, known to j his many friends and acquaint ances as "Mark,” died at the home of his son, Mr. W. L. Chesson near Williamston yesterday afternoon at 3:20 o'clock following an illness I of three weeks. His condition, ag gravated by his advanced years, had been critical for about ten days and the end came not unex pectedly. The son of the late James Ches son and wife, he was horn in Washington County 81 years ago, the 14th of last October. He was married 84 years ago to Miss An nie Maria Waters of Washington County. In early youth he join ed the Methodist church at his boyhood home near Roper, mov ing his membership to Vernon, near here. He spent his early life on the farm and moved to this county in 11)13, locating on the Anderson farm near Williamston. Eleven years later he left the farm to enter building work. Four years later he opened a business in Everetts, but returned to Wil liamston in the early thirties and operated a business on West Main Street until two years ago when declining health forced his re tirement. Since that time he had made his home with a daughter in Roper. About five weeks ago he returned to this county and was visiting his sons when he was taken ill. Mr. Chesson made many friends during his stay in this county and was held in Re gard by auwho knew him. lie had worked hard all his life and delayed retirement as long as he possibly could. Surviving are his widow; eight children; five sons. W. L. Ches son, Jack Chesson, Bruce Chesson. Elria r-Cbi .-a.;: .;l*ln Fred Chesson all of Williamston. three daugh ters, Mrs. Walter Knowles and Mrs. Myrtle Lillcy, both of Roper, and Mrs. C. S. Hunter of I’ym outh; one sister, Mis. Fannie Ga boon of Gum Neck; and one bro ther, Alpheus Chesson of Wash ington County. Funeral sc-i vices will be con ducted Tuesday afternoon at 3.00 Jack Chesson, on the Everett farm on Highway 125. near Wil liamston, by Rev. B. T. Hurley, pastor of the local Methodist church, and Rev. Sidney Boone, Robersonvillc Methodist minister. Burial will follow ill the Rober son vi lie cemetery. Popular Colored Citizen Passes Tom Johnson, popular colored citizen and a man respected by all who knew him regardless of race died at his home here on Syca more Street last Saturday even ing at 7 45 o’clock. He had been in declining health for some time. Born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, fill years ago, he came to Williamslon in 1917. lie load ed out the first cooperative poul try cars in this county and was a reliable band on the tobacco mar ket for years. Funeral services will be con ducted in the Sandy Point Primi tive Baptist Church here on Kid dick Street Wednesday afternoon at 3:Ut) o’clock by his pastor. Surviving are bis widow, and two step-children, Mary Brad shaw and Garfield Williams, both of Pennsylvania. i KOI M>-11* v Local, county ami patrol officers had a fairly busy week-end rounding: up alleg ed law violators and answer ing calls. Ten persons were arrested and temporarily detained as guests of the county. Live of them were booked for being drunk and disorderly, two each for assault and disorder ly conduct and one for at tempt to break and enter. The ages of the group rang ed from IK to 4!i years, and two of the ten were young white men. Mass TB Survey In J County In January Much Preliminary I Work To Be Done | Next Few Montlisj I'oiinty Urination Appeals j To Stale Department Lasl Week for Survey A mass tuberculosis survey is I tentatively scheduled to get un der way in Martin County about the middle or latter part of n°xt January, according to information released following the return last Thursday of a special delegation from Raleigh where a successful appeal for the service was direct ed to Dr. T. K. Vestal, director of tuberculosis control for the North Carolina State Health Depart me nt. Making the trip to Raleigh, Mesdames P. B. Cone and S. H. Grimes and Messrs. Edgar Gut' ganus and Chas. Manning, offered some appealing facts in support of the county’s plea for the sur vey. This county, it was pointed out, has one of the highest TB death rates in the State, possibly because the cases are brought to light. The county is one of four teen trying to combat the disease and is spending a fairly sizable sum for treatment. While the details of the survey are yet to be determined, it was pointed out that much educational work must be done ahead of the survey, that the importance of the movement must„be.jttrussed . jp, club meetings, in churches, schools and in the homes. It is estimated that 13,000 persons in the county or every person over 15 years of age are eligible to have an X-ray made of their chests. One or more mobile units will • be -amt to 'he county and opt r»- . Hons will be carried forward in various sections of the county, j convenient to the people. No charge for the service will be j made. II is conservatively estimated that at least thirty persons in this county have active eases of tuber culosa'. that, they are unaware of its attack. Then there are border » '■»* bring out, warning the victims to exercise precaution and take treatment if necessary. The delegation pointed out to Dr. Vestal that the people of the county had raised considerable money to In Ip finance (he survey, that more would be raised later in the year. Dr. Vestal studied the record of tin1 facilities of the county health department, welfare department and the tuberculosis sanatorium in regards to a survey follow-up, and declared that the county had equipment comparable to that of any other county in the Slide. He also explained that one of the re quisites to a survey was a county operated sanatorium, Martin be ing one of the fourteen in the State having such an institution. After discussing priorities and other problems for an hour, the doctor promised to send the spec ial equipment and technicians to this county next January for a stay of about four weeks. The* county tuberculosis com mittee has already mapped plans for advancing the survey. During the meantime, the health depart ment is to make x-rays of all pub lic school teachers, school bus j drivers and food handlers. Fuitcral Sunday For Small Child Funeral services were conduct ed Sunday afternoon for Jean Nell Barber, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Archie Barber of Jamesville, who died that morn ing at 7 o’clock. Kev. Daniel Har dison conducted the service at the home and interment was in the Barber Cemetery. The child, born in Martin Coun ty on May 7, l‘J47, had been ill for three weeks. She is survived by her parents, one sister, Alice Shaw, two broth ers Mayo and Dallas, her grand mother, Mrs. Annie Barber, her maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mr- John Price, all ol Jameovrlle. Based on a parity price of 44.4 cents, support loans by the Commodity Credit Cor poration through ‘he Tobacco Stabilization Corporation will average right at 40 cents a pound for eastern North Car olina flue-cured tobacco with appropriate differentials for grades and "tied” and "un tied” tobacco. Full participation by grow ers in the loan program on flue-cured tobacco, which is grown under marketing quo tas, is available only with re spect to tobacco grown ou farms on which the harvested acreage does not exceed the acreage allotments for such farms. SI IM’OIM PRICK V. Victim Of Heart Attack Dies In County Saturday ——•— Daviil l(. Sik»‘is Was l{i«lin^ In Aiilo In (>riffius Tow iisliip David R. Sikes, porch furniture salesman and a native of Ran dolph County, died suddenly of a heart attack in Griffins Township last Saturday morning at 11:50 o'clock. Riding with Samuel Du jawi-v-J?,-Yfftr-Mr:-rhkrs v.u: fered the attack just before they reach the John Smithwick home. Dupree drove into the yard and called for help, but before anything could be done the attack victim died in the car. One re port stated that he had suffered attacks pieeioush lie sad m.id" several sales in this county dur ing last week, it was said. The body was brought to the Riggs Funeral Home here and later turned over to a Washington undertaker after Coroner S. R. Riggs made an investigation and ruled that an inquest was not necessary. Seventy yea is old Mr . fiwwwii! U r of near Washington in li)U2 and located in Heaufort County, making his home near Rath for a number of years. He had operat ed a mercantile business for a long time, but had not been very active in later years. Surviving are his widow; three daughters, Mrs. Larce Royd of Pinetown, Mis. Aaron Royd of Hamilton, and Mrs l.eroy ('. Jef ferson of Washington; two sons, David J. Sikes and It. 1,. Sikes, both of Washington; two brothers, Kuos and Austin Sikes of A. lie boro. Funeral services were held at tlie home near Rath yesterday at ternoon and burial was in Oak dale Cemetery. Pageant (#rou|) On Program Tonight o r Firemen Called To Colored Cafe A delegation composed of com mitteemen and contestants of the Jaycee Beauty Pageant, to he held Wednesday night, July 30, will he the guests of Station WRRF, Washington, N- C-, hi a fifteen minute informal program, begin ning at 6:15 p. in.. Tuesday, July 39. At this time various members of the sponsoring group and some of the contestants will take the air to express their views of the forthcoming pageant. Volunteer firemen were culled to the Hitching Post Cafe on South Sycamore Street here last Friday afternoon at 5:50 o'clock Someone had plugged a 1,600 watt toaster into a regular light outlet, causing the lamp cord to catch fire and smoke the building. Very little damage resulted and the firemen did not have to use any water or chemical lei bring Uie lire under control. Corporation Tax Property Values For ( urrent Year [!o(»ls I ola! Tax \ allies For (liirrrnt \ car To Corporation property values, assessed by the State Utilities Commission and certified to the county, are slightly larger than they were a year ago in this coun ty. The listings this year amount to $2,009,209 as compared with $1, 976.356 last year. While the Atlantic Coast Line reported a slight decrease in its property values in this county, it still leads the list. In fact, the Coast Line is within about $150, 000 of the total corporate listings in the county. This year the com pany listed its holdings in the county at $1,864,291 compared with $1,866,326 last yeai While the Western Union Telegraph Company reported a decrease of $1,601 in its listings, it valued its comparatively lew lines and tw'o or three offices in the county at $6,324. Property values of the Carolina Telephone and Tele graph Company were listed at $76,285 as compared with $62,442 a year ago. The increased figure included $2,751 listed bv the East ern Telephone Company which was absorbed by the Carolina Company since the 1946 listing. Corporate excess listed by the several banks in the county is list ed as follow the first figure be ing for 1946 and the second for 1947: Blanch Bank, Williamston, $8,533 and $3,506; Guaranty Bank, | Williamston, $11,777 and $20,220; 1 Guaranty Bunk, Hamilton, $4,093 Wt!,« r. 'TVuTr.mTv"B'aio; Hob j iT“onville, $17,173 and $32,220. The Virginia Electric and Power Company lists its holding-, direet j ly with the county, and other power companies, operating in the county, list nothing for taxation with anyone. The rori"ear-n i-dings boost I the total assessed property vulua j turn m this county for the current [ year to $17,860,687.78. The cur lent li tings are the largest since about 1919 when values were list ed in excess of twenty million, dollars. Most of the gain in values this yeat is tiaceable to personal pro et t y holdings and new huUdn ■RHH . kiwanians Hook Youim Magician r o Johnny Miles, well known young conjuror <Ti mugic, will ap pcar in person at the Williams ton High School auditorium, Fri day. August ti, at (i p. m. Mr. Mile.-, one of the youngest professional magicians in the United States, has collected one of the most extensive and unusual aggregations of magical feats ever to be presented before a North Carolina audience. A student at the University of North Carolina, Miles is making a summer tour to cover the entire state of North Carolina. This tour is being made in order to prov ide the people of North Carolina, Mill home state, with an oppor tunity to see first hand his excit ing illusions which have thrilled multitudes. Some of his most clever and bafflidg tricks of legerdemain are the threading of ten previous ly examined double edge razor blades on a length of cotton thread while all objects are with in the mouth; the human target, shot yet unharmed, and the im possible floating of a human per son in thin air. Also baffling- vet beautiful—is Miles’ Original Oriental Cascade m which varied colored paper balls, Chinese lanterns, and yards of beautiful silk materialize seem ingly from nowhere. A master of entertaining chil« Idren, Miles calls several of them up on the stage to hold his large rabbit, Henry, who, by the way, turns transparent at every show. He also uses a little boy from the audience in a hillariously funny trick which usually brings down the house. From Willianeton Mr. Miles will continue his tour all over the state, until lie has performed in most towns of any size. "Then I shall return to good old U. N- C he says, "and do a little magic on that college work. ’ t