THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BE
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT*
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
VOLUME L—NUMBER 102
Williamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, December 23, 1947
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1
OVER 3 000 MARTIN COUNT*
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEBB
ESTABLISHED 1899
Tax Authorities Fix
i Schedule Of Values
Check Inventory
Listings Against
Stal e Income Tax
Most Personal Property To
Be Lifted At About
Two-thirds Value
-»
Meeting in the courthouse last
Saturday morning, Martin Coun
ty’s tax list-takers formulated
plans for handling property list
ings for 1948. A schedule of val
ues, holding in the main to two
thirds of the actual value, was fix
ed for personal properties, Super
visor M. L. Peel advising the list
takers to value real estate im
provements at about what other
properties were listed at in 1947.
There wiU be no revaluation of
old leal estate in 1948. unofficial
reports stating that the real prop
erty values likely are to be revis
ed in 1949.
No marked changes wrere made
in the list of values adopted for
personal property holdings, but
the list-takers were advised that
all inventories would be checked
against state income tax returns.
This action, it was pointed out, is
deemed necessary in the face of
discrepancies found in the listings
made a year ago. Stocks of mer
chandise and other inventories are
^ to carry two-thirds of their actual
value for the purpose of general
taxation.
While the producers have to list
no crops grown in 1947, they are
to list these crops if produced
prior to 1947. Processor" and
speculators having farm crops in
their possession as of January 1,
1948. are to list such holdings.
Cotton, the list-takers decided,
is to be placed on the tax books at
$100 per bale. Peanuts are to be
listed at $(; a bag, the listings to be
based on tw'o-thirds of the actual
inventory. All types of lumber
are to carry a tax value of $30 per
, thousand feet. Tractors are to be
listed at Iwc-thirds of thc-ir ac
tual cost value, less depreciation
at the rate of ten percent for each
year up to a certain point. Tobac
co sticks, placed on the books in
1947 at tiie rate of $8 per thous
and, are to be listed at $5 per
thousand in 1948. Meat and lard
are to carry a tax value of 20
cents per pound, while live hogs
are to be valued at 10 cents per
pound. Number 1 horses are
worth for taxation purposes, $150,
and No 1 mules a*re to be listed
at $300. Number 1 milk cowrs are
to be valued at $100 each. Goats
and sheen carry the same value in
the eyes of the list-takers, the
(Continued on page six)
Mrs. Whitaker
Dies Near Here
♦.
Mrs W. L Whitaker, 59, died at
her home near here Thursday at
noon of a cerebral .hemorrhage.
Funeral services were held from
the Christian Chapel Church at
Cross Roads by Rev. Warren Dav
is, Saturday afternoon. Burial
was in the family cemetery.
Surviving are her husband, and
daughters. Mrs. Charlie White,
Mrs. Roy Whitehurst, Mrs. Dennis
Briley. Mrs. S. W. Briley. Mrs. J.
P. Whitehurst, all of Bethel. Mrs.
Elsworth Brantley. Mrs. Bill Bul
lock of Williamston. and Idel
Whitaker of the home; two sons,
Lester Whitaker of Bethel and
TSaTtoh* Cm To*
two sisters. Mrs. D A Osborne of
Robersonville and Mrs. Reubey
Gray of Norfolk, Va.; two broth
ers, Simon Rogers and Levy Rog
ers of Robersonville; 36 grand
children and five great-grand
children.
SHORT OF GOAL
The annual sale of TB
Christmas seals Monday was
running about $850 short of
the $2,500 goal, but Chairman
Chas. H. Manning expressed
the opinion that the drive
would succeed.
Williamston reported $1,250,
and Griffins has raised about
$90. No reports have been re
: ceived from Hamilton, James
] ville and Robersonville. The
drive was said to be trailing
last year’s sales in Bear Grass,
Cross Roads and Goose Nest.
The sale of bangles is hardly
60 percent of what it was last
year, and the sale of seals in
the colored schools is about
40 percent under last year’s
figures.
"We hope to complete the
drive this week and exceed
the quota," Chairman Man
ning said.
Old Customs Are
Basis For Modern
Christmas Season
Com!>o*c<] of Threads from
Countries All Over
The World
Christmas in the United States
is composed of threads from many
countries and reflects their cus
toms in church and home.
The traditional English Christ
mas calls for family reunions,
gifts, carols, parties and a panto
mime for the children in a season
of genera! good will. Although
many of (he old and picturesque
English customs have faded, they
still contribute to the modern
holiday through Christmas pa
geants, the designs of Christmas
cards and the narratives in ballads
and carols describing the festivi
ties of the old days.
In Scandinavian countries pre
arations and cooking are begun
weeks in advance in order to stock
the home for three weeks of hos
pitality ai d leisure during the
holiday season. The celebration
itsefl begins on Christmas Eve
with an elaborate super, followed
by a tree with family worship and
singing before the presents are
distributed."“Eat iy ciiuicii is‘at
tended by everyone on Christmas
morning, because the shepherds,
the first to worship the baby Je
sus, came early and then return
ed to the|r work.
Traditionally Germany kept
Christmas with much heartiness,
including a home festival and at
tendance at church.
•‘The observance centers around
the Christmas tree with the pres
ents not on it, bet piled under it
and on nearby tables, their dis
tribution preceded by the singing
of carols including ‘O Tannen
bautn' and ‘Stilie Nacht.’”
Children in the Netherlands
leave their wooden shoes, filled
with hay for St Nicholas’ white
horse on which he jumps from
roof to roof, leaving toys and
sweets. In the Netherlands and
Belgium December 6 is the chil
dren’s holiday. December 25 is
reserved for the religious holiday.
The religious features are pro
minent in France, especially the
creche in churches and homes, and
the midnight mass followed by
Christmas supper, with family
i.,,,s u,.;,. lit*JvoVuiiirriy oks
customs are kept, the children go
out on Epiphany Eve to meet the
Three Kings on the highway.
The manger is also prepared in
Mexican homes, ready for the
(Continued on page six)
Advises Purchase
Of Fertilizer As
Soon As Possible
Extension Service Men Talk
To Farm Group Last
Friday Night
-o
Discussing the major changes
certain to come in the 1948 farm
program, Paul Leagans and Dr. E.
R. Collins of State College Exten
sion Service stressed several im
portant facts for farmers in a
meeting held in the courthouse
last Friday evening.
Leagans said that some of the
major changes in the farm pro
gram are very much needed, and
suggested that every effort should
be made to balance as well as di
versify farming in Martin County.
Using charts, Mr. Leagans pointed
out the poor distribution of labor
on farms. The labor requirements
are at a low peak during the last
months and the early months of
the year, but in July and early
August the demand for labor is
terrific It would be not only prof
itable but also advisable to try
and balance the farm labor distri
bution so it would hold to about
the same level the year around.
His charts showed stockraising
along wito tobacco and peanuts.
11c also stated that the tobacco
and peanut farm could include
cotton and help level off the labor
distribution.
Talking briefly on the fertilizer
situation. Di. Collins pointed out
that the demand has been doubled
in the past eight years, that the
shortage was traceable to the in
creased use. The shift from tobac
co to other crops according to the
extension man, is almost certain
to aggravate the fertilizer short
age in that the demand for niLo
gon will be greater. “It will be at
least two years before the supply
can be increased,” Dr. Collins
said. He went on to explain that
two new types of fertilizer a.e be
ing offered, but they are not ex
pected to prove as profitable as
the old types.
The specialist, warned that in
shift;ng from tobacco to other
crops, the farmer will find it
harder to get the proper fertiliz
ers. He explained that the manu
facturers have oniy so much stor
age space, that when that space is
filled and fertilizer does not move
on to the farms, the plants would
have to stop making fertilizer.
When the big demand is centered
in the early spring the manufac
turers just cannot make it fast
enough. Dr. Collins pointed out
that better grades of fertilizer
.can selected now, that early
purchases will aid greater produc
tion in the plants.
Dr. Collins briefly reviewed a
few facts about corn fertilization,
and went on to say that many
farmers were making more on
corn than they were on peanuts.
It was his opinion that it is about
time to switch from tobacco and
peanuts to other types of crops,
"bu the farmer must keep the
shifts in mind and act according
ly,” he said.
L A, Thompson
Dies In Hospital
L. A. Thompson, a leading west
ern dairyman and real estate pro
moter who operated in this and
other counties of eastern North
Carolina, died in a Milwaukee
hospital on November 28, friends
were advised here last week-end.
Mr. Thompson was 77 years old
and was ill only a few days.
He came to this county some
years ago and purchased the old
Dymond City tract of -ov<-ji
inousand acres with the intension
of developing a cattle ranch. The
plan did not materialize and the
property was sold to timber deal -
ers.
Funeral services were held in
Milwaukee and interment was in
a cemetery there. J
Discuss Farm Plans
At County Meeting
; r
SLOW SALE
The sale of state motor ve
hicle license tags is going for
ward slowly at the Carolina
Motor Club’s bureau in the
offices of Harrison and Car
starphen here. Mr. Harrison
said Monday morning that 930
automobile tags, 150 truck
and 125 trailer tags had been
sold up until that time. He
pointed out that the sale is
trailing the one of a year ago
by a wide margin.
The bureau here ordinarily
i handles seven thousand tags.
Christmas Card
Custom Hardly
A Century Old
— ♦
More Tlian One nml One
Half Rillion (lards lleiiifj;
Seal I'll is Year
-«
Colorful Christmas cards today
seem us much a part of Christ
mas tradition as does Santa Claus.
Yet the custom of sending cheery
Yuletide cards is only a little over
100 years old—and it met stub
born popular resistance during its
early days!
Early Christmas card designers
j back in the 1850’s, met widespread
public rid’cule. Like Fulton and
j bis steamboat, they were warned
| that the custom ot sending Christ
mas cards “could never win popu
lar support.”
Today post offices are buried
under the landslide of Christmas
cards eveiy holiday season. More
: than 1,500 000,000 Christmas cards
jwill be exchanged in the United
Slates alone this year, according
I to an estimate by the National As
sociation of Greeting Card Pub
] lishers.
1 Jnt‘ iirsi known Christmas card
| was designed in 1842 in London,
I England, by William Maw Egley,
| a sixteen-year-old engraving ap
i prentice. He printed only one
| hundred copies, and sent them to
his friends.
His quaintly cluttered card,
printed in black ink on white pap
er .showed a foirnal banquet, a
party dance, skaters, and a typi
cally English pantomime perform
ance. Underneath the illustra
tions he wrote, A Merry Christ
mas and a Happy New Year to
j You”—still the most popular
Yuletide greeting among all those
' ever composed.
The card won no fame for Wil
liam Egley, and nothing is known
! of what happened to him when he
grew up
Four years later, in 1846, Sir
Henry Cole asked an artist friend,
•J C. Horsley, to design a Christ
mas greet ng card for him. The
drawing featured a decorative
trellis covered with a grapevine
j enclosing two small illustrations
| of acts of charity plus a larger
panel picturing a merry family
party, the celebrants all holding
wineglasses filled to the brim.
One thousand copies were litho
graphed and sent to Sir Henry’s
i friends.
The cards raised a storm of pub
lic ciiticism from crusaders for
Ithe temperance cause, who claim
jed that Sir Henry’s design “pro
moted wine bibbing.” Taught dis
cretion, Sir Hepry never issued
another card.
In 1362. a London publisher.
TmaiTea (jOodal'l'iSi’Sons, courage
ously tJCgau issuing cards, and
they won rapid acceptance. Dur
ing the interventing twenty years,
Prince Alb* i t had presented
Queen Victoria with the first
Christmas tree in England,
(Continued on page (da) j
j$l,700,000 Drop
In County’s Farm |
Income For 19481
- - ♦
Loaders Advise Farmers To
Work and Solve Their
Own Problems
-»
While they will call for major
changes in the farm program, the '
proposed reductions in tobacco
and peanuts may prove a blessing
to this and other counties, farm
leaders told a small group of far
mers and business men in a meet
ing held in the county courthouse
last Friday evening.
John W. Goodman, assistant di
rector of the State Extension Ser
vice. frankly declared that the
11)48 farm outlook for this section
of the Strte was not optimistic,
that approximately 235,000 acres
were going out of production and
that it would mean a loss of just
about one hundred million dol
lars. "That's a sizable amount
and it will mean much to each in
dividual county,” the extension
man said, pointing out that, after
all, it was a problem for the in
dividual farmer to solve.
The farm leaders made few
suggestions and admitted they
were at a loss to offer a guaran
teed solution to the problem.
However, they uiged the farmers
to think in terms of resources,
equipment and labor and iron out
the problem in their own way.
The reduction in tobacco and |
peanuts will affect all, including j
farmers, bankers and other busi- I
ness men, Goodman said.
Discussing the 28 percent de-1
crease proposed in tobacco acre
age, Goodman said that the secre
tary of agriculture has the right
to alter the percentage figure be
tween now and next May. It had
been hoped to have tobacco in
cluded in the list of relief com-j
j modifies for foreign export, but it I
j had not yet been accomplished
land it is likely that tobacco will
dc left oid, Goodman said.
The farm leader expressed the
opinion that the 28 percent reduc
tion oi' whatever figure is finally
determined will be more or less
permanent that the reduction will
put production back in line with
the 1944 schedule. Goodman ad
vanced the belief that possibly
this section war producing too
much tobacco and not enough food
and feed.
There is a possibility that quo
tas for peanuts will not be invok
ed for 1948, but, according to the
farm leaders, possibly many far
mers are now' raising more pea
nuts than they would under nor
mal conditions. “A big peanut
crop in 1948 is almost certain to
invite quotas for 1949,” Goodman
said.
Pointing out that 97 percent of
Mai tin County’s farm income is
derived from three cash crops,
that 55 percent of the land is util
ized in producing those crops, the
farm leaders said it is fairly ap
parent that the farm program is
out of balance.
Martin County, it was explain
ed, can expect a $1,700,000 de
crease in its tobacco revenue in
1948. The parity price may be in
creased a cent or two, and it will
be a year for growing quality to
bacco.
Discussing the switch to other
crops to care for the loss in tobac
co and possibly in peanuts, Good- j
Hum lijlli ^PVPrq \t t _
crops.."It’s top lab: loe..jstnaji'.. '
berries for 1948. Too many far- j
mers growing sweet potatoes will
ruin the market, and the produc- f
Hon of vegetables, on all the idio
acres wouid glut the market,
Goodman said, pointing out, how
(Cuntinued on page six)
t
Former Prisoner
Hopes To Return
To This Country
■'avs lli«» United States Cave
Him a Square Deal While
A Prisoner of War
Writing from the British Zone
n Germany to Mr. George Moore
iere, Joseph Bucken, a former
prisoner of war in the camp here,
’xpressed the hope that he’d be
able to return to this country. Em
ploying quite a few of the slang
,'xpressions of speech, Bucken, a
.veil educated German, declared
that the United States treated him
square.
His letter follows:
‘Dear Captain George,
“I’ve just got to call you by that
name since I never knew differ
ent. So, I trust you won’t call me
a silly fool.
“Capt., Sir, at first I want to
say ‘Hello’ to you and the rest of
the guys at the plant. I presume
you all are getting along fine in
the United States.
“Boy, do I wish I never had to
leave. Do I wish. I could sit again
by the hot stove in the garage,
beating the gums. What a big time
we all had over there, although
we never realized it.
“I can only state the U. S. did
treat me square, and no wonder
I’m trying to get back across the
pond as soon as there’s a chance.
You think I ever would be worth
anything in America? Or are you
afraid I won’t get by with my
English or rather American? I’m
studying as hard as I can. I'm tak
ing courses in commercial English
and shorthand now.
“At present I’m writing for rec
ommendations from several peo
ple I used to work for in the
United States. If you’d ever be
willing to make such a statement
on my behalf, I’d be very much
obliged to you since it’s going to
be a valuable document for me
whenever I apply for permission
to enter the States which I so aw
fully much like to do.
“In case you don’t remember
me anymore, I’d like to inform
you 1 used to be supervisor along
with Henry in 1941-45 until I be
came director of studies (teaching
English and American history) at
the Williamston camp . . .”
Henry L. Griffin
Funeral Tuesday
—». —
Funeral services will be con
ducted at the home of his sister,
Mrs. Bruce Johnson, in RoBorson
ville Tuesday afternoon at 3:00
o’clock for Henry Lawrence Grif
fin, 32, who died Sunday night at
B:30 o’clock following a short ill
ness. Rev. W. B. Harrington, as
sisted by Elder A. B. Ayers, will
conduct the last rites and inter
ment will be in the Robersonville
Cemetery.
The young man was a son of
Mrs. Lora Griffin and the late
Robert Griffin of this county.
Surviving besides his mother
are three sisters, Mrs. Lee Hop
kins o Everetts, Mrs. E. L. Wil
liams of Norolk, and Mis. Bruce
Johnson of Robersonville; and one
mother, H. D. Griffin, Williumston
-&
Justice Johnson
Has Three Cases
Justice R. T. Johnson handled
hree cases in his court last week,
wo of them going to the county
:ourt for further consideration.
Johnnie Wilder, drunk and dis
orderly, was sentenced to the
cad's ■ fortirriT^rrbr'cWf
luspend'ing' The road term upon
he paymi nt of the costs and
;uaranteed good behavior for six
nonths.
The ease charging Waiter An
Irews and Tom Peel with assaults
Hth deadly weapons, were sent
u the county court.
Solve Series Of Hog
Thefts In the County |
GREETINGS
__i i
It's Christmas-time again,
and Williamston merchants
and others are extending holi
day greetings in little mes- j
sages appearing in this paper
today. By all means read the
little messages for they con- I
vey a warm, cheery meaning,
without which the current
season would be empty in
deed.
Well over one and one-half
billion similar messages in
printed form are going out
this Christmas season. Quite
a sum it costs, but wouldn't it
be a bit sad to live through
Christmas without a single
greeting or a most sincere
wish for a happy yuletide
season? It is the wish of all
our advertisers today that all
Enterprise readers, their
friends and patrons have a
Jolly good Christmas and the
best of New Years.
Overseas Reliet
Drive Planned In
State Next Month
1 ♦ ■ ■■ ■■■
Seek To Colled Throe ami
One-Half Million Pounds
Of Clothing for Needy
| “Fill a Ship with Friendship" is
| the goal of the second statewide
overseas relief drive to be con
ducted in North Carolina by the
state Council of Churches, it was
announced last week by the Rev.
Ernest J. Arnold, executive secre
tary of the Council. At a meeting
held in Durham, field workers
now organizing the county by
county collection throughout the
state, discussed plans and set the
goal for the drive. It is estimated
that about 3 1-2 million pounds
of clothing, shoes Redding md
other items vitally needed among
war victims overseas must be
gathered to make a ship’s cargo.
That mean's that an average of
one pound of goods will be col
lected from every person in the
state, during the last week of
January. The drive dates are
January 25-31.
Plans were made for extensive
showing of the relief film THIS
ROAD WE WXJiv l—8,,l*R turn.
sound motion picture recently re
leased by Church World Service.
Fifty copies of the film will be
available for showing during the
month of the drive as well as sev
eral prints of the U. S. Army film
Seeds of Destiny, which was wide
ly used last year.
During the last week of Decem
ber and the first week of January,
meetings of field workers, eounly
chairmen and representatives
from the Council of Churches and
Church World Service will be
(Continued on page six)
Two-Room House
Damaged By Fire
» ■■■
Started when an oil stove ex
ploded, fire wrecked one of the
two small rooms in the home of
Willie Thompson on Railroad
Street Thursday afternoon at
4:45 o'clock. Fire burned between
the ceiling and walls in one room
|and both rooms were filled witli
| Jn"cdke"‘"7v5o2T iTF ft'e" ftif'n'Atfi e nf
the small home was damaged by
fire, smoke and water.
The oil stove, purchased from u
mail order house, had just been
placed in operation.
No official estimate on the dam
age could be had, bi ‘ ihe loss will
possibly exceed $100.
Officers Arrested
Three Persons In
Pitt Last Friday
—•—
Wliit Saisburv and llis Par
•Mils Art* Brin** Drlain
t*«l In County Jails
A series of daring and brutal
hog thefts, baffling officers in this
and adjoining counties for nearly
six months, was believed to have
been solved last Friday noon when
Whit Salsbury, 34-year-old Negro,
and his mother and father were
arrested nt their home on the
Bowers farm near Bethel in Pitt
County. Immediately following
their arrests, all three of the ac
cused denied any knowledge of
the thefts, but officers started
weaving strong evidence against
them. It was explained that the •
thefts will involve persons living
as far away as Virginia.
The Salsbury son broke down
and admitted the Monroe Taylor
hog theft, and told officers he sold
them to the freezer locker plant
in Tarboro The meat was recov
ered Saturday by Mr. Taylor.
Salsbury continues to deny the
other thefts, hut officers believe
they can associate him with them.
Starting the early part of last
summer, the thieves led officers
in a baffling chase. Highways
were patrolled bv members of the
sheriff’s department, including
the sheriff, all night, night after
night. Farmer Bill Abbitt, coop
erating with the sheriff's depart
ment, equipped a watch blind on
his farm, the officers and others
maintaining all-night watches
there for possibly two weeks.
Using an automobile and hold
ing to the hardsurfaced roads, the
thieves left little evidence for the
officers to work on. A 1938 Plym
outh was spotted near the Abbitt
hog pasture t wo or three weeks
ago but it left hurriedly and be
fore the state license number
could be read.
The first point of advantage was
gained last Wednesday night when
Farmer Sam Everett heard his
hogs squealing about 7:00 o’clock.
He thought little about the noise
at the time, and made no investi
gation until the following morn
ing, other than to turn on his
barnyard light. Apparently the
light frightened the thieves away
but not until they had cira§gea
one away. The thieves killed a
second hog and bled him, but
when the light went on they ran,
leaving the dead hog. Thursday
morning, Mr. Everett found the
dead hog and thought possibly it
was a victim of cholera or some
other disease. To satisfy his own
mind, the farmer delivered the
dead hog to Dr. W. F. Coppage’s
offices in Williamston where an
examination revealed that the ani
mal had been knocked in the head
with a ball sledge hammer and
bled. It was too late to save the
hog for meat. Returning home,
the farmer for
acks
of Hi
thieves and saw where an object
had been dragged from the hog
pen to the highway. The farmer
counted his hogs and found a nice
white fattening hog gone.
Investigating the then latest,
theft, Sheriff Roebuck tracked the
car to Farmer Reuben Everett’s
farm where a count was made and
five nice hogs were found miss
>ng.
Learning that ihc thieves oper
ated alter.. dark,, plans •..
t.vade-t-c c2vaV^irTr»e-*-arcjr'a'i\tHP’’
Abbitt farm earlier Thursday
evening. Just as word was being
telephoned to Reuben Hester, ov
erseer on the Abbitt farm, Hester
was calling in to advise that the %
same old 1938 Plymouth sedan
tCouUnued on page