Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / Dec. 30, 1947, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1 OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME L—NUMBER 103 THE ENTERPRISE _«_ William ston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, December 30, 1917 THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1 OVER 3.000 MARTIN COUNT* FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES ESTABLISHED 1899 i i I (V I r Several Highway Accidents In The CouH^T^rreek Several Persons Injured But Not Critically In Three Wrecks - ♦ Several persons were injured, nor.e believed critically, in three automobile-truck accidents on the highways of this county during the holiday season. Property damage amounted to several hun dred dollars, The first in the series of acci dents was reported Christmas morning about 11 o’clock when a laundry truck driven by Benja min Whitehurst of Williamston skidded and went off the highway a short distance east of Everetts. The driver and his wife suffered painful but not serious injuries, and Cpl. T. Fearing, investigating the accident, stated that damage to the tru'-k would hardly amount to $50. The victims were given medical treatment and were able to continue to their home a short time later. Early in the evening of the 26th. a jeep, driven by John Hadley, and a Ford coupe driven by Frank Saunders Weaver, crashed at the Sycamore-Washington Street intersection, but no one \C5s hurt. Little damage was done to the jeep while repairs to the Ford will run around $100, according to Officer Chas. Moore, investigating the accident. Last Saturday at 4:30 o'clock, Mrs. Chas. Lee Beach was seri ously hurt when the car in which she was riding figured in pn acci dent at Corey's Cross Roads on U. S. Highway 17. Said to have suffered a brain concussion and to have lapsed into semi-conscious ness, she was removed to Brown’s Community Hospital where late reports described her condition as improved. Her husband suffered painful knee injuries, but he was able to continue after receiving (Continued on page eight) * Three Fire Calls Here Past Week -o Three calls were received by the Williamston Volunteer Fire De partment the past week, but non; of the fires proved serious. Minor damage was done shortly before 9:00 o’clock Christmas Eve when mantle decorations caught fire in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Ward on North Pearl Street. The second call came from the apartment of M'\ and Mrs. Val Teel on Wes' Main Street about 045 o’clock Saturday night when an oil stove went out of ocntrol and smoked up the kitchen. Sunday afternoon at 1:45 o’clock a roof fire threatened a small home on Perry Street near Sunny Side Market, doing very little damage. There were two other calls a few days earlier, but damage was very limited. -o-. New York Neighbors In Wreck Christmas Living in New York in the same apartment house, their identity known to each other, two neigh bors met in an automobile collis ion in this section shortly after noon on Christmas day, Patrol man W. E. Saunders said. Morris Rosenburg, 77-35 113th Street, and Bernhard H. Frank, of the same address, were driving and riding in the cars figuring in the accident, the patrolman said. No one was hurt and damage to the cars was said to have been small. SHORT The annual sale of TB Christmas seals was said to be considerably below its goal in this county, Chairman Chas. Manning said today. He ex plained, however, that those districts submitting reports had gone over the top, that if the unreporled districts come up to expectations the drive will reach and possibly ex ceed the goal. "It isn't too late to answer the direct mail appeal urging the purchase of the seals,” the chairman said. County Observes Christmas out Serious Jr^idgjxt Martin County people observed the holiday season without seri ous incident. There were seveial minor highway accidents, but the season was not marred by hunt ing or fireworks accidents. A few homes were saddened during the period by deaths resulting from natural causes, and reports stated that quite a few persons were victims of illnesses, mostly colds and influenza. A few fires were reported dur ing the holiday period, but none of them proved serious. For the first time in years and years, fireworks were just about non-existent during the Christ mas season. There were a few cap pistol reports heard, but bursting pop crackers were limited to less than half a dozen or so in Wil liamston. Reports state that a limited number of people in the rural communities bursted a few of the “baby waters’’ and fired a few charges of dynamite. Even in those areas, the fireworks were fired in wooded areas or well of the main traffic lanes. Christmas parties were fairly numerous and most enjoyable, but activities were limited Christmas day to some extent by sleet and a driving rain. Religious services in the Church of the Advent, the only one sched uled here during the holiday seas on, were well attended by repre sentatives of all denominations ' late Christmas Eve. HEADIN’ SOUTH Breaking: out of the grip of New York's record snowstorm of last week-end, Northern ers are now headin' south on U. S. Hig;hwa.v 17 in almost record numbers. No actual count has been made, but at one time late Monday half the cars moving over the riv er bridge here were tourists seeking a warmer climate. Leaving New York, one motorist said he was caught in the storm in New Jersey, I that he spent twenty-five hours in his car when it got stalled in deep snow. Wallace To Run For Presidency —*— In a Chicago speech Monday i night, Henry A. Wallace, former | member of the cabinet and one time vice president, said lie would seek the Presidenvy on an inde pendent or third oarty ticket. His main platform planks, he declar | ad, will be a “people’s-peace" and economic and social rights for the “common 'man." Brief excerpts, taken from the text of the independent candi date's speech, follow: “Everywhere in the United States today, among farmers, I workers, small business men and i professional men and w omen, I J find confusion, uncertainty and I fear. The people do not ask, ‘Will there be another war?’ — but 'when w ill the war come?’ “Everywhere I find that people are spending so much for food and rent that they cannot afford their customary services from the doc tor and dentist. They do not ask, ‘Will there be another depres sion?'— bu* ‘when will the depres sion start?’ “Peace and abundance mean so much to me that I have said at a dozen press conferences and in many speeches when asked about a third party, ‘if the Democratic party continues to be a party of war and depression, I v ill see to ..it that the people have a chance to vote for peace an ) prosperity.’ To those who have come to me asking the conditions of my adherence to the present Democratic adminis tration, I have said, ‘Let the ad ministration repudiate universal military training and rid itself of the Wall Street-military team that is leading us toward war.’ "I have insisted that the Demo cratic administrate- curb the ever-growing power and profits of monopoly and take concrete steps | to preserve the living standards! of the American people. "My terms to the Democratic high command have been well known. “By their actions and finally by their words.They have said: ‘Hen ry Wallace, we welcome your sup port but we will not change our policies.’ ” Wallace resigned from the cum- ; merce secretaryship in a row with President Truman. | --«. Announce Birlh Amt Death Of In font Son | Mr. and Mis. Mack Wynne of j the Spring Greer, Community of j this county announce the nnth and death of a son in the hospital cn Christmas morning. Funeral services were held in the Biggs Funeral Home here Fri day afternoon at 2:30 o’clock by Rev. John L. Goff. Interment w.s jn Woodiawn Cemetery. i Prominent Farmer Died At Home In County On Friday •— Funeral Held Saturday In Hear Grass Township For G. A. Harrison Giddie Ann Harrison, well known Martin County farmer died at his home in Bear Grass Town ship last Friday morning at 1:40 o'clock. He suffered a stroke of paralysis four years ago but he was ge tting along fairly well until about three weeks ago when he suffered a second attack. Com plications resulted, causing his death. The son of the late Reuben and j Mary Ann Bullock Harrison, he was born in this county 54 years I ago on July 12, 1893. He lived and | farmed all his life in Bear Grass lor until failing health forced his j retirement. He was a member of 1 the Rose of Sharon Free Will Bap | tist Church for a number of years. | When a young man Mr. Harri I son was married to Miss Irene Whichard and she survives with a daughter, Mrs. Lee Savage and a son. C. B, Harrison, both of this county. Also surviving is a brother, J. R. Harrison of the state sanatorium. Funeral services were conduct ed at the home Saturday after noon at 2:30 o’clock by his pastor, Rev. Charles Hamilton of Foun tain, assisted by Elder A. B. Ay ers. Interment was in the Harri son family cemetery, near the home. RuritansGive To Needy In County —*— By il. M. Ainsley, Secretary Oak City Ruritan Club The Oal; City Ruritan Club is a civic organization bringing to gether farmers and business and professional men who live in the country and small towns. Its ob jectives begin in Fellowship and Goodwill end end with Service. Its gene; a] purpose is to make the community a better place in which to live it works through existing agencies i nd by inspiring indi viduals to higher effort. The motto, “Love for your fel low man and a little hard but ef fective work.” Some encouraging talks at the December meeting of the Ruritan Club brought the Goodwill idea before the club. A committee was named and a sug gested idea that Fellowship boxes be placed in the stores of Oak City, Hamilton and Hassell and containers for cash donations placed in public places. Man always needs a challenge to guide him to his highest per pormance. This was achieved on the afternoon of December 24th when several Ruritan cars distrib uted boxes of groceries and fruit to six families in the Oak City Community and five families in the Hamilton area and three fami lies in the Hassell community. These boxes averaged from $10 to $15 each, depending on the size of the family. These gifts brought happiness and cheer and in sotne cases tears of gratitude for which the Ruritans are truly graWul that some one was made happy on Christmas eve. What has not been accomplished in the year 1947 will not discourage the men of Ruri tan faith. Rather it will furnish greater incentive, to higher ac complishments during the year 1948. Total of $3,866,726 Spent For Liquor Since fiilvmjte Sales In Third Quarter Are $19,610.90 Less Than One Year Ago The startling increase in liquor sales recorded during the war years and in the postwar period was unquestionably checked dur ing the third quarter of this year When gross revenue tumbled from $181,389.15 for the three-month period ended September 30, 1946. to $161,769.23 in tne third quarter of this year. For six years, liquor sales in the third quarter had shot upward, jumping from $27,561.82 in the third quarter of 1940 to $181,380.15 in the corresponding period of 1946. Influenced prin cipally by economic factors, sales last querter were $19,610.90 less than they were in the months of July, August and September of 1946. While the sales were far from the $279,578.90 record figure es tablished in the fourth quarter of last year, they were little larger than those in the second quarter i of this year when an income of $157,994.75 was reported. Almost without exception suc ceeding sales since 1940 have been larger and larger, but a downward trend is now much in evidence in the legal sale of hard liquors in this county. Net profits tumbled from $41, 301.41 in the third quarter of 1946 to $33,562.99 last quarter. At the end of last September the ABC board had assets in the amount of $119,577.07. including $70,191.93 in cash, $49,371.49 in in ventories. Labilities were listed, $17,705.07 in accounts payable, $67,602.59 in amounts due the county and towns as profits, $22, 369.41 in the law enforcement fund, and $12,000 jn surplus. To carry on the business during the quarter, the board paid the distillers $122,204.18, leaving a gross profit of $39,565.07. Total operating expenses amounted to $6,258.98 The profits pie for the quarter was cut, as follows: Martin Coun ly, $15,057.58; State of North Car olina, $13,750.39; reserve for law enforcement $990.83; town of W:1 liamston, $2,186.76; town of Rob irsonville, $916.96; town of Oak City, $421.87; town of Jamesville, $238.80. A comparison of profits for the third quarters, 1946 and 1947, follows, by stores: 1946 1947 Williamston $21,899.00 $19,078.92 R’ville 11,107.99 8,274 28 Oak City 4,557.47 3.887.41 Jamesville 3,736.95 2,322.38 $41,301.41 $33,562.99 Totals sales for the two quar (Continued on page eight) Funeral Held For Alonzo Gurganus Funeral services were conduct ed in the Riddick Street Primitive Baptist Church here last Wednes day afternoon at 2:00 o’clock for Alonzo Gurganus, respected col ored citizen who died at his home on North Biggs Street here Satur day afternoon at 5:45 o'clock, De cember 20. His pastor, Rev. H. K. Hembry, officiated and burial was in Odd Fellows Cemetery. The deceased had been an in valid for several years, retiring from active work some time be fore he wjs stricken. Surviy|Rg are his widow, Emma Gurgamfi; a daughter, Matilda Moore; a son, Johnson H. Gur ganus of Keyster, West Virginia; a sister, Dora Guyther of New York; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. --4, Loral Pupils Take Experimental Tests The pupils of the seventh and eighth grades in Williamston School recently took the experi mental series of the Pribble-Dall mann English tests. These tests were given in a widely distributed list of selected schools over the nation. Test materials were re- 1 turned to the authois who will use the results to standardize the tests. When the national stand ardization is made, school offic ials will receive the tentative norms which will show the rank-j ing of Williamston pupils and their contribution to the project. ! Local Plant Sold To Marvil Packagr€onipanyw Demm Half A Thousand Persons Killed In Holiday Tragedies Nearly Three Hu mired Lost Lives On Christmas Day In Nation Over five hundred persons lost their lives in the nation during the Christmas holidays under tragic circuTnstances, 282 of them dying violently on Christmas day. Traffic accidents alone accounted for nearly 200 dead, fire coming next to claim a shocking number of lives. During the thirty-six hours end ing at 6:00 o’clock last Friday morning, violent deaths were re ported at the rate of almost eight an hour or about one every eight minutes. Late reports are certain to boost the gruesome figures. North Carolina one of the smaller states, reported 21 acci dental deaths. California led with 32 dead, hut a hotel fire in which seven died boosted the Texas toll to 22 for second place. Pennsyl vania reported 17. New York had only 16, but the loss of life trace able to the record snow storm of 25.8 inches was not included in the list of known dead. Illinois and Michigan had 15 violent deaths each on Christmas day. Reports intimated that the death toll would be pushed near a record high affll pos.'fibly beyond for the holiday season when the snow storm death is determined. Nevada’s ordinarily low death total was lifted to ten by a fire which wiped out that many In dians in a gambling hall on the Dresslerviile reservation near Gardnerville. The fire reportedly followed a drunken brawl between Grcely Jim, the Indian who ran the re sort, and u patron. During the fight, Jim kicked over a gasoline stove and threw a can of gasoline against it. The explosion blew Jim through the roof. Five members of his family died in the resulting flash fire. Three patrons of the gamb ling establishment also were kill ed outright. An unidentified baby also was found dead in the wreck ed building. The 10th victim died later at a hospital where he had (Continued on page eight) Christmas Party Staged By Jaycees -o The third annual Christmas Party for underprivileged chil dren, sponsored by the local Jay cees, was held at the Woman’s Club Monday night, December 22. This party was termed the most successful one hold to date, and afforded about -rtre less fortunate a real Christmas treat. Tiie Jaycees provided transpor tation to and from the party and entertainment for the youngsters. Each child present received at least one nice toy, and several holders of lucky numbers receiv ed a nice archery set, the latter the courtesy of Eagles Store here. With Jaycee Edgar J. Gurganus serving as master of ceremonies, the guests were entertained for about an hour with group singing, piano music, solos, and various games and contests. Jaycee Gur ganus was aided by Miss Alberta Swain, Mrs. James Ward, mem bers of the Baptist Junior Choir, and other Jaycees. Following the entertainment, a Jaycee Santa Claus appeared to distribute gifts and confections to the guests. It was certainly an inspiration to witness the counten ances of the little people who were so well entertained by the Jaycees. and without the latter group’s action, Christmas for most of the guests would have been rather gloomy. The Jaycees are grateful to all the local people who contributed old toys for this program. This year’s party was handled by Jay cees T. F. Davenport, Carroll Jones and Jesse W. Sumner, with the assistance of several other members. | HOLIDAY ) Vi ■■■. / Hardly recovered from the two-day Christmas observ ance last Thursday and Fri day with a rest day coming in between on Sunday, this com munity will observe Thurs day of this week (New Tear’s Day) as a general holiday, la accordance with an agreement reached by merchants and other local business leaders it was decided to observe the day as a general holiday along with the nation. There will be no mall deliv eries and offices, stores and most all other places, except the schools, will be closed. Annual Research Report Is Ready For Distribution - ♦ Hook Id Contain* Facts About Latest Develop* incut* In Farming -o “Research and Farming," the North Carolina Agricultural Ex periment Station s 69th Annual Report, is now ready for distribu tion to residents of the State who request it, says Dr. L. D. Baver, director of the Station. Bound in an attractive buff and chocolate brown cover, the report contains 140 pages of information concerning the most recent find igs of the Experiment Station. Subject matter ranges from pre venting tobacco barn fires to the proven value of winter cover crops. The booklet is almost twice as large as previous annual reports, mainly because of its wide use of pictures and charts. The page size has been enlarged to permit the use of larger pictures and close-ups. Typical of the information con tained in “Research and Farming" is the report on the sweet potato vine-row harvester. This machine was developed last year by the agricultural engineering depart ment in answer to requests for some means to gather and pre serve sweet potato vines—a valu able livestock feed. In the field crops sections, agro nomists report that the demand for hybrid corn seed is still ahead of the supply' Farmers should refrain from using seed they might save from a hybrid crop. Second generation hybrids have proved inferior. Seed stocks should be increased by using more fertilizer and thicker planting. Experiments in cotton have shown that winter cover crops increase cotton yields. Several insecticides, mainly DDT and benzene hexa chloride, have been found effcc W^f^^iien used against the two main cotton pests, the boll weevil and the boll worm. Research into small fruits pro duction problems have centered around the effect of various min erals on plant health. Strawber ries have been found to need man genesc and zinc. Mangonesc may be the answer to muscadine grape troubles, the horticulture special ists say. County Schools Reopen Thursday .».. Closed for the Christmas holi days since December 19, all the county schools arc scheduled to reopen on Thursday of this week at the usual hour. A fuel shortage it was thought at one time would possibly delay the opening of some of the schools, but a supply was made available during the holidays and every thing is set for the reopening. Last-minute difficulties have been encountered in the plans to open the Jamesville and Everetts colored schools in their new build ings on Thursday of this week, but the temporary buildings will be used until possibly some time next week when it is fairly cer tain that the buildings can be made ready for use. New Owners Are Making Plans To Enlarge Factory —— Operations Will Be Resum ed At Plant As Quickly As Possible The Williamston Package Manu facturing Company plant, its good will and all holdings exclusive of timber rights were sold to the Marvil Package Company, a Dela ware concern, last Tuesday. An option had been held on the prop erty for several weeks, but the transfer was not effected until De cember 23. The price considera tion was not disclosed. Representatives of the new own ers could not be reached for a statement, but it was learned thal the purchasing company planned extensive improvements to the plant, that the factory would be enlarged and production steppec up. Headed by Mr. Ray F.. Ham mil, president, and Mr. Ed Sene cal, superintendent, the new com pany, Mr. M. M. Levin pointec out, could be expected to prove ; big asset to this community. “The firm, operating plants in Laurel Delaware, Suffolk, Virginia, anc Sharptown Maryland, make jusi about every known veneer con tamer, and it has the reputatior of making the best quality pro dutes,” Mr Levin said. As far as it could be learnec the personnel of the old plant wil be retained. Representatives ol the Marvil Company came hert this week from Boston to make i detailed study and survey of the plant, precaratory to advancing an expansion program and start ing manufacturing operations, bu it could not be learned just wher work in the plant would be re sumed. The company, one of the oldes of its kind in the country, will cm ploy approximately 200 workers and its operations are certain tc prove a decided asset to the eco nomic iifo of this section. The firm nas extensive timbei holdings in this section and while it did not acquire the timbei rights of the old Williamston Package Manufacturing Company it is in the marked for more tim ber in this section. Establishing the business, the first of its kind to be introduced i in this immediate section in 1940, Messrs. David and Samuel Gold ! man and M. M. I.evin, operated j the plant until April, 1941, when it was purchased by Messrs. G. H Harrison, N. C. Green and J. S. I Whitley. The new owners de veloped the plant into one of the i (Continued on page eight) —o Lions Provide Christmas C\m# —•— The Christmas Cheer Commit tee of the local Lions Club carried happiness into approximately 05 Martin County homes when they braved the cold rain and sleet to deliver that many packages Christmas morning. Beginning at nine-thirty, the committee wrork ed until beyond noon to carry out the Christmas spirit of giving to the less fortunate Bags, containing fruit, nuts, foodstuffs and bed clothing, were given to about five dozen families or individuals and in every case, the recipients were very grateful at being remembered at Christ mas time. The bags were deliver ed to poor and needy persons, and in some cases the people were blind or visually handicapped. This year marked the sixth year that the Lions have carried out this program. This year the club spent approximately $225.00 for the cause, which covered areas of five of the townships in the county, within a 10-mile radius of WilliamstpQ^ . Lions K. P Lindsley and W. Clyde Manning served as co chairman of the committee, and they were assisted on Christmas morning by Lions H. P. Mobley, W. M. Baker, D. V. Clayton, Ira Harrison, J. D. Page, Henry Harri son, Geo. If. Gurganus, John H. jEdwards and Roy L. Ward. | Unable To Raise * RoiialJijgJ^ief | Remains In Jail ■. ■ # Whit Salisbury VdniitH Four Of Numerous Thefts In The County Unable- to raise bond in the sum | of $800, Whit Salsbury, 34-year old colored man, continues in the Martin County jail, his trial to be held at the March term of the sup erior court Conducting a series of hog thefts that baffled officers for sev eral months, Salsbury would ad |mit only one theft when he was given a preliminary hearing be fore Justice R T Johnson in the county court room last week. The evidence was so “hot” in the Mon roe Taylor hog theft of the Fri day night before that Salsbury, a former Martin County man, con fessed that crime But he insisted he had not part in the numerous other cases in which Martin Coun ty farmers lost possibly forty or fifty hogs. Confronted in jail by Farmer Bill Abbitt a short time later, Salsbury admitted stealing hogs from his pen. But the confession came only after Farmer Abbitt had told about seeing the old model Plymouth parked near thl pen from which several hogs weri stolen. Finding an old butcher knife, presumably lost by Salsbury, of* ficeis told Salsbury about taking finger prints off the handle and he admitted raiding the David .Gurganus pen. When Farmer Reuben Everett’s pen was raided an old model car, carrying two loving couples, was parked nearby. Officers, advised that the ear had been seen by others, advanced the belief that Salsbury bad seen it too. They told Salsbury that the occupants of the car had his number, and fairly well convinced that the law had the goods on him in that case he admitted it. So fur officers have been un able to place Salsbury at any of the other pens where hogs were stolen more or less regularly since early last summer. So he dei ics any connection with them. Sheriff Roebuck, extending the I investigation to cover every pos sible angle of every one of the thefts, declares he is convinced that Salsbury handled all the thefts, that he worked alone. It is fairly apparent that Salsbury’s father, Henry, knew about the thefts, that the father helped his son clean and dress the hogs in the kitchen of their home near Bethel in Pitt County. It could not be learned immediately if Salsbury and his wife Mary, ar rested and jailed m Pitt County, would be charged by Pitt officers with aiding and abetting in the crimes. Colored Man Shot Resisting Arrest —— Thurman Spruill, young colored was .hot in the leg and paiti 1 fully but not badly hurt Christ mas day when he assaulted his I wife and resisted arrest in Oak i City. Deserting his family some time ago, Spruill returned home and assaulted his wife with a butcher knife. Officer Edmond Early was called and he went to the home after a warrant had been issued. In the petformance of his duty and to protect himself, the officer was forced to shoot Spruill in the i leg. Spruill was removed to a Wash ington hospital where his condi tion improved rapidly. He was returned to this county Monday and placed in jail to await trial. f FEW ARRESTS f v---* Comparatively few arrests were made in this county dur ing the holiday season. Ac cording to a report found in the sheriff's office only seven I persons were placed in the county jail during the period, two of them going there on Christmas day. One was detained for drunken driving, and two each for non-support, assault and public drunkenness. Six i were colored violators, and the ages of the group ranged j frotr 27 to 32 yean. ,
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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Dec. 30, 1947, edition 1
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