Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / Jan. 27, 1948, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,00# MARTIN COUNTS FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE 18 HEAD >1 OVER 3.009 MARTIN COUNTS FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES VOLUME LI—NUMBER 8 William ston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, January 27, 1948 ESTABLISHED 1899 Windsor Officers * Deny Charges By Auto Speedsters — ■ » Patrol Officer Says Speeds ters Are Not Being Mistreated Apparently harboring the idea % they are at liberty to literally fly through North Carolina, some northern tourists are up in arms, so to speak, because they have been called to answer in the courts for speeding up to ninety miles an hour. Some travelers, even admitting they had violated the speed law, went to the highway association iH apparently to bring pressure against enforcement officers and the courts. The whole matter came to light a short time ago, and is reviewed in the following story appearing in the Windsor Ledger-Advance: Acting on a letter received here Thursday morning from W. T. Schwartz, secretary-treasurer of f the Ocean Highway Association, officers and directors of the Wind sor Merchants Association and Chamber of Commerce, Mayor W. S. Pritchard, Sgt. A. W. Welch of the State Highway Patrol and town and county officials met here Thursday afternoon to dis cuss Schwartz’s charges that mot orists have complained of “unjust treatment” after having been ar • rested for traffic violations near Windsor. The letter from the Ocean High way secretary hazily mentioned several complaints his office hud received and requested that some action be taken by officers of the Windsor Chamber of Commerce.! No specific instances of unfair! treatment were mentioned. * Following a general discussion j of the matter among those present i Mrs. R. C. White, Windsor seere-j tary, was authorized to answer j Schwartz's letter and to inform him that any specific charges would be investigated and also] advising him that, mo^irists who use the “Ocean Highway” US 17 j f.h.rnuC-fc Bertie Cnunti’ aknvld he' advised that they should oney the j traffic laws. Sergeant Welch told the group that the Highway Patrol is not ] making it a policy to "pick on” I out-of-state cars on any highways, j but is obeying orders to arrest all j violators. He said the percentage! of arrests made in his district is not as high in U. S. 17 as it is on other highways in the area. Lacy M. Early, Windsor magis tral, said he has handled a lu/'ge number of cases of traffic violat ors and said they have all been ^treated courteously. He said the largest number of them object to having to post cash bonds for ap pearance before the semi-monthly recorder’s court, but it was point ed out that the North Carolina law does not give a magistrate the jurisdiction of trying traffic cases. It was also pointed out that sim ilar letters have been received in a number of towns along US 17, and some of those present at the meeting said they felt it was a form of "pressure letter” to ask the officers to "lay off” the tour ists who disregard speed laws in (Continued on page eight) • Siren Freezes * And Burns Out Williamston kept its fires al most a secret over the week-end while the general alarm system was out of order. Only a few fire men and other citizens in or near the fire station knew about the two calls received during the f period. Sleet, rain and snow falling last Saturday morning blew into the j siren and welded the blades, caus ing it to stick. When fire started in the McLawhorn home on Hali fax Street, firemen pushed the si ren switch, but there was no re sponse, Double fuses failed to protect the motor, and the juice flowing to the stuck motor caused 4f it to catch on fire. Returning from the call, firemen investigated and found smoke pouring from the si rent motor, but if was too fate to save the wiring Removed from its perch yesterday morning the siren is being repaired and will be returned to use Wednesday. To Hold Special School For Farmers of Martin County A special school for Martin County farmers and others inter ested in agriculture and agricul tural problems will be held in the courthouse on February 5 and 6, it was announced by Agent Tom Brandon a few days ago. Arirmd with facts rather than theory, specialists from State College's F.xtension Service will conduct the classes and lead dis cussions The school offers a wonderful opportunity to farmers who would benefit from practical farm methods, use of poisons in controlling insects and other time ly features. E. R CoPins will discuss corn production reviewing yields, types of seed, cultivation methods and other details. A. C. Kimrey will discuss the family milk sup ply. Another timely topic centers around swipe production, a busi ness that is gradually claiming more and more attention in this county. Jack Kelly will discuss that topic. S. H. Dobson will have pastures as his subject. He'll be in a position to discus- the pas ture in the farm program, its value compared with other crops and how it can be fitted into the farm plan since much acreage is going out of tobacco production. These topics will be on the agenda for the first of the two-day school which runs from 9:30 until 4:00 o'clock each day. Discussion topics or the second day include, Tobacco by R. R. Bennett, the home garden by H. H. Harris, insects by James T. Conner, Jr. and diseases by H. R. Garriss. It is reported that new insect poisons have been develop ed, and their use will be explained by Professor Conner. i The school is bringing recogniz- j ed authorities to this county and it is hoped that hundreds of farm ers will make their plans to at tend. Order Patrolmen To Enforee Speed Law oil Highways Patrol Head Says Knloiihle Efforts To Make Roads Safe In This Stale Tlio speed laws of this State are to be enforced despite protests lodged with highway associations and others against arrests by northern motorists. According to a story in the Washington Daily News, patrolmen have been order ed “to continue to ‘bear down and redouble’ their efforts in curbing Speeding. The story continues: In a lettei addressed to all ser geants, Capt. Lester Jones, of the Highway Patrol, advised that Col. H. J. Hatcher had ordered the of ficers to continue their work, it was learned this morning. "We havf had several com plaints coming from om activi ties on Highway 17 as well as on other highways, but this is to ad vise you to continue to bear down and redouble your efforts in or der (o make this the safest year in the history of North Carolina,’’ Col. Hatcher is sdid to have or dered. Complaints of numerous ar rests were launched with the Eliz abeth City Chamber of Com merce, according to press dis patches, pointing out that most offenders were picked up in the Washington and Windsor areas. A large number of arrests have been made for speeding in the Washington area, practically all of them on U. S. Highway 17. The greater part of the offenders are persons traveling along the highway from northern states to Florida and other southern points, it was learned. Local Highway Patrolmen said that many of the motorists have little regard for the speed limits of the state and a large number have been caught making up to as much as 85 or 90 miles an hour. Some, it was also learned, have even outdistanced the Highway Patrolmen and were stopped only after radio contact with other of ficers along the highway. Farmers Asked To Report Practices —<to- — chose farmers who did not see their community committeeman on Saturday, January 17, are ask ed to report their 1947 soil build ing practices to Triple A office in the county agricultural building as soon as possible, Clerk T. B. Slade stating that February 15 is the deadline for receiving the re ports, Comparatively few practices were handled by Martin farmers last fall on account of unfavorable weather conditions. However, they plowed under a considerable cover crop acreage last spring for which they will receive approxi mately $19,000. It is estimated that the soil building piactice handled last year will place be tween $35,000 and $40,000 in the pockets of farmers during the next few months. | TAX LISTING '| ^-* Tax listing time is rapidly drawing to a close, but re ports indicate that hundreds of owners have not yet listed their holdings, listings hand led after Saturday of this week are subject to penalty, it has been pointed out. No definite value trend has yet been established, prelim inary reports indicating that some districts are almost cer tain to come through w'ith gains while others are expect ed to hold their own, at least. March Of Dimes Going Forward Nd complete report is available at this time, but Chairman L. B. Wynne said yesterday that the an nual drive fur the infantile par alysis fund was progressing rapid ly m county, that he le it cer^ tain the goal will have been reach ed by the latter part of this week. The response to direct mail ap peals, while encouraging, has been limited, the chairman ex plaining that less than 150 of the 442 receiving the mail appeals had replied. The average donation made by mail was close to $5, some of the contributions ranging up to $50. Reports from the schools state that in most instances, the chil dren and young folks have taken more interest in the drive this year than in any previous period, and they are expected to raise be tween $1,500 and $1,800. Coin col lectors, located in fifty piaces of business throughout the county, are receiving a liberal patronage in quite a few establishments, preliminary reports state. Those persons receiving direct mail appeals are again reminded that a greater response on their part will be necessary if the drive is to meet witti success. Accident Traced To Slick Roads —._ Although traffic hazards were aggravated, only one highway ac cident was traceable to slippery highways in this county over the week-end. Driving west on Highway 64, about one and one-half miles west of Robersonville, early last Satur day evening, Cicero Dawson, 102 White Street, Williamston, lost control of his 1941 Chevrolet. Dawson, en route to a Rocky Mount hospital, started to pass a car and met another one. He ap plied his brakes, the car skidded and turned over, coming to a stop on a stump in a yard. No one was hurt. Damage to the car was es timated at $175 by Patrolman R. P. Narron who investigated the accident with Patrolman B. W. Parker. Several cars, driven by tourists, passed through here over the week-end v.'itli bodies battered and bent as if they had beeu in wrecks. At least four deaths in this State are traceable to the slippery high ways. Take First X-ray Pictures In Mass TB Survey Today Mobile Equipment (or Mak ing Survey Reaohe«l the County Late Monday A county-wide TB survey was launched this morning when the first X-ray pictures were made at Farm Life, Everetts and Williams ton, preliminary reports stating that the survey, recognized as one of the most advanced steps ever take in the name of public health in this county, was off to a splen did start. The weather was not the best and road conditions were bad, but despite the handicaps the survey received a liberal patron age. The equipment for making the X-rays was moved into the county on large trucks yesterday after noon, and all last-minute details were handled, Dr. John W. Wil liams, county health officer, stat ing that minor changes were made in the hours. The schedule, other wise, remains unchanged. On Wednesday of this week one of the mobile units will be sta tioned in front of Clark’s Phar macy on Williamston’s main street for the duration of the survey which is to be concluded on Sat urday, February 14. X-rays are to be made after tomorrow from 9:00 o’clock a. m. until 6:00 p. m. each week day except Monday. Where the mobile units are to make a one-day stop, X-rays are to be made between the hours of 11:00 a. m. and 4:00 p. m., the officials j explaining that some little time is required to set up and take down the equipment and connect and disconnect the power lines. Two units will operate outside of Williamston tomorrow, one at Cross Hoads, roads and weather conditions permitting, and the other at Bear Grass between the hours of 11 a. m. and 4:00 p. m. On Thursday, January 29, there will be three units in operation in addition to the one here. One will be in Parmeie, another at J. Eason I.i 1 ley’s store in Griffins Town ship, anu still another at Gold Point. The public is again re minded that the one-day stops will handle X-rays between the hours of 11 a. m. and 4:00 p. in. On Friday, January 30, one of the units moves into Roberson ville where it will be operated each week day except Monday through February 7. A second unit will be at Corey’s Cross Roads and another unit will make a one-day stop at Edward’s store in Poplar Point Township on the (Continued on page eight) Mr. Wm. J. Hodges Improving In Hospital Taken suddenly ill at his home here on North Haughton Street late Sunday afternoon, Mr. W. J. Hodges was removed in a Biggs ambulance to the local hospital reported much improved this morning. His son, State Fire Insurance Commissioner Bill Hodges, of Ral eigh, is with him for a day or two. Most Schools In County Reported Good Attendance Boiler Trouble ('.loses The Bear Grass School For Several Days Contrary to many pupils’ ex pectations, all Martin County schools opened on schedule Mon day morning, reports from the of fice of the superintendent stating that attendance figures were run ning fairly close to normal in most of the schools. While chances for a holiday early this week were thwarted, it is still not too late for a general shut down of the schools sometime this week, school auth orities admitted. If road condi tions become much worse, the busses will not be able to travel them, and a holiday will follow, no doubt. However, no action has been taken, and weather and road conditions will determine the schedule. It was rumored Sunday that the schools would not be opened Mon day, but the rumor proved groundless when school authori ties rode the bus routes lute Sun day and came to the conclusion that the roads would be in better condition the early part of the week than they would possibly be later in the week. All but three of the busses in the county moved according to schedule. Batteries went dead on one bus serving the Everetts' school and on another serving the Williamston school. No report could be had from the third bus serving the Oak City school. Attendance ranged 1)0 percent or better in all the schools except the ones at Everetts and Rober sonville, according to preliminary reports. Boilei trouble ul Bear Grass forced the school there to close last week, and efforts are being made to have the cracked plant replaced by Wednesday or Thurs day of this week. There is some doubt if a new boiler can be in stalled in time to reopen the school befm^jei^Whinday. As 1 ai as it could be learned, all busses made their runs this morning. Three schools reported slight gains in attendance over yesterday, but prospects were ad mittedly not bright for the re mainder of the week. WEATHER Ole Man Weather lighten ed his wintry grip on this section last Saturday morn ing when he spilled snow, rain and sleet and sent the mercury bouncing down into the middle teens, it was the first time in a long lin.e that the earth in this Immediate section had been olsn' cted with a white cover. Traffic continued to move in this area, but bus schedules »*■ -tlMWJW. UEjWK boro early Saturday morning until late Sunday afternoon. And the weather man is promising more snow, sleet and rain. Fair Collection of Clothing Reported Here For Europe Hampered by unfavorable weather, the drive to collect used clothing for the needy in foreign lands met with only fair success in this area Sunday, according to preliminary reports reaching the county chairman, Mrs. R. H. Goodmon. While the collection did not come up to expectations the first day, it is expected to gain momentum during the remainder of this week, Sunday school attendance fell to a low point, but quite a few bundles were delivered by the pupils, followed by additional contributions by church goers. It is estimated that over 3,000 pounds of used clothing and other articles were collected in this part! of the county Sunday when the Boy Scouts assisted by members of the Lions Club, made a house to-house canvass here. No complete reports could be had early this week from the drive in other sections of the county, but with the churches, schools and Robersonville Rotary club behind the movement it is certain that thousands of pounds of serviceable clothing will have been collected by the end of the week. During the remainder of this week, school children are asked to deliver clothing bundles to their schools where a truck of Martin Elliott Company will pick them up next week. Churches in Wil liamston are asked to deliver the bundles to the collection head quarters in the power company building on Main Street. Laundries, pressing and clean ing establishments, shoe shops and clothing stores have been soli cited for shop-worn or uncalled for articles, the chairman stating that quite a liberal contribution would be made later this week by those firms. With the slogan, “Fill a Ship with Friendship,” the drive has aj goal of 2(1,000 pounds of clothing! for this county. Ask Cherry To Call Session of Assembly SLOW SALE The sale of State and town motor vehicle license tags is literally dragging, and there are only four more days to purchase and display the tin plates if one plans to use his vehicle on Sunday. Reports from the town treasurer's office state that hardly half of the 600 motor vehicles have been properly tagged for the new year. The sale of State tags Is 172 short of the 1947 sale as of yesterday. Harrison and Car starphen, handling the sale of State tags for the Carolina Motor Club, said yesterday they had sold 4,251 license plates as compared with 5,023 sold a year ago. Owjiers of vehicles bearing old tags on and after next Sunday are subjet to prosecu tion in the courts. Educator Speaks Thursday Night Clyde A. Erwin, noted educator and State superintendent of pub lic instruction, will address a meeting of the Martin County Parent-Teacher Council in the Williamston High School Thurs day evening of this week at 8:00 o’clock, Mr. Erwin’s address topic has not been announced, but he is expected to stress a “National Four Point Program’ for educa tion. He will be introduced by County Superintendent of Schools J. C. Manning. Mrs. W. C. Wynne of Bear Grass is president and Mrs. Jos. Griffin of Williamston is secretary of the Council. In addition to the main address, fhe w~,gram Jis|.s special music 1^, the Robersonville Glee Clubs, and remarks by the president and by Mrs. W. H. Bryant, district direc tor of P.-T. A., of Ahoskie. Just prior to the address, the the council officers and other P. T. leaders in the county are to meet and handle scheduled busi ness, including the election of a vice-president to succeed Jesse R. Rhue who resigned when he left the county school system. Coun ty teachers are to meet early and hear a report from NCEA Presi dent C. B. Martin who will offer u transcribed report on the meet ing of the NCEA unit presidents and others in Raleigh last Satur day. Every one interested in the schools is invited to hear Super intendent Erwin, the council of ficers expressing the wish that the auditorium could be filled to ca pacity for the address. * -- Fire In Local Home Saturday Fire, starting from an electric heater in the bathroom, did right much damage in the home of Mr. and Mrs. D. C. McLawhorn at 3:30 last Saturday afternoon. The fire burned a clothes hamper packed with clothes, a shower curtain, shade and charred the window frame. Most of the house was filled with smoke, but the fire it self was confined . to the bath room. Department volunteers brought the fire under control by using a small amount of water from a hose line connected to the fire truck. No official survey of the dam age was made immediately, but it is estimated that the loss will ap proximate $200. lifts (lairhi'H Fire At Station Here Sunday Fire, believed to have started in the carburetor, slightly damag ed a Norfolk Southern passenger bus at the terminal on Main Street here last Sunday night at 10:00 o'clock. The fire department was called, but bus drivers, using ex tinguishers, put the fire out quick ly and before it could reach the interior of the bus. Resolution Passed At Education Unit Meeting Thursday —•— Nathan Yelton Offers Brief] Review of Teaehers’ Retireiuent Plan o Finding it next to impossible to make their present income meet lixing and other costs, one hun dred Martin County teachers, meeting us members of the North Carolina Education Association in the Williamston High School, last Thursday evening passed unani mously a resolution, urging Gov ernor R. Gregg Cherry to call a special session of the North Caro lina General Assembly “to con sider an increase in salaries of State employees." The resolution, drawn by a special committee, was adopted without debate, one report stated. The resolution adopted by the group and signed, “Martin County N. C. E. A. Unit," reads, as fol lows: Whereas, the cost of living has risen sharply since the adjourn ment of the 1947 session of the North Carolina Legislature: Whereas, the pay raise granted state employees bv the 1947 Leg islature is not sufficient to offset the rising cost of living: Be it resolved: (1) That the Martin County Unit of the North Carolina Education Association petition the Honorable Gregg Cherry, Governor of North Caro lina. to cal! a special session of the North Carolina Legislature to consider an increase in salaries of state employees; (2) That a copy of this resolu tion be sent to Governor Cherry, Senator Horton of Martin and Re presentative Martin of Martin Nathan Yelton, executive secre fy - and State Employees’ Retirement Commis sion, briefly reviewed the retire ment system, clarifying the amendments enacted by the last session of the General Assembly. Mr. Yelton said that benefits had been increased by twenty five percent, that the increase is being supported by an increase in pay roll deductions from four to five > percent with the State increasing its contribution with a like amount. Giving a concrete exam ple Yelton said that a teacher who entered the profession when she was 20 years old would be able to draw a maximum retirement in come of 65 percent of her salary after teaching forty years. C. B. Martin, Robersonville school principal and president of the Martin County NCEA unit, was instructed to attend a meeting of the class room association's of others in Raleigh last Saturday and lie is to report on that meeting Thursday evening of this week just before the Martin County Council of parents and teachers meet in the Williamston High School. Instructed to attend the Raleigh meeting, Principal Martin was able to travel only as far as Tar boro where he was forced to turn around on account of bad road i (Continued on page eight) Leaves To Join Husband In Japan Mis. Calvin Sluder, the former Miss Katherine Hardison, left Sunday morning for Seattle, Washington, to board a ship for Japan where she'll join her hus band, Sgt. Sluder, in Sasebo. Mak ing the trip by auto, Mrs. Sluder is being accompanied by Mr. Eli Gurganus. Miss Essie Peel, her aunt, and Mrs. Mary Bonner Gur ganus are accompanying them as far as California where they’ll vis it relatives before returning home. Miss Peel will visit Mr. and Mrs. X. T. Peel, and Mrs. Gurganus will visit her daughter in Cali fornia. Mrs. Sluder was to have left for Okinawa, but her trip was delay-1 ed when Sgt. Sluder was transfer-! I red to Japan. Leaf Cooperative President Offers Tobacco Picture -o.— When There’s Proof For Nerd of More Tobaeeo, Increase To Be Urged Carl T. Hicks, chairman of the North Carolina Farm Bureau Statewide Tobacco Committee and president of the FlurtCured Tobacco Cooperative Stabilization Corporation, painted a picture of the tobacco situation in an address to the Johnston County Farm Bu reau in Smithfield last Friday evening. “The position of the Farm Bureau has always been that growers produce all the flue cured tobacco they can sell at a fair price,” Hicks said. “When there were less than 1, 500 members in the North Caro lina Farm Bureau,” Hicks said, “the organization was successful in having enacted into law the AAA program. The State Farm Bureau has always stood staunch ly behind provisions of this legis lation, which involves among other things acreage control and the formula for determining when tobacco is in surplus. “The legislation governing the production of l'lue-cured tobacco is designed to keep supply in line with demand in accordance with the law. The Farm Bureau has always insisted that the Secretary of Agriculture, in his annual De cember 1 quota announcement, al ways comply with the law which fixes the quota on the basis of the surplus existing beyond the ne cessary, normal 'supply on hand'.” Since the secretary’s announce ment of a 27.52 percent tobacco acreage reduction last December 1, Hicks said, there has been no indication of u reduction of sur plus stocks in this country. If there should be a change before March 1, he added, the secretary has the right to reduce the figure. "In the past three years,” Hicks pointed out, “flue-cured tobacco growers have been producing an nually 200.000,000 pounds more thaii Wvi.. Of the total, about 200,000.000 pounds are in foreign stocks, 100,000,000 in stocks of export leaf dealers, and 300,000.000 held under loan by the Stabilization Corporation. "We must agree that the 1948 projected acreage of some 900, 000 acres could yield 1,000,000,000 pounds of flue-cured tobacco, bas ed on the production of the last three years. If this yield should result, where will it go? “Between 65 and 660 million pounds will be bought by domes tic manufacturers, if the home consumption peak is maintained. This would leave some 300 to 340 million pounds for export, but, under the Marshall Plan, the 16 Western European countries have asked for a total of 425 to 450 mil lion pounds of all types of to bacco. The most flue-cured grow ers could expect to export under thicAfc- iall plan would be 340 to 360 million pounds. However, the Marshall Plan has not yet been adopted and no one knows how it will come out in final form.” If we were foolish enough to go “all out" and build up our surplus this year, Hicks said, our price (Continued on page eight) -n Minor Highway \Ym*k Monday No one was hurt when two cars crashed on Highway 17 about three and one-half miles south of here at 5:40 o’clock yesterday afternoon. Jesse David Hardison, driving his 1941 Chevrolet toward Wil liamston, started to turn to his left at the Conway home just as Isodore Elliott Nackham, 70(1 28th Street, Newport News, driving in the same direction, started to pass in his 1947 Pontiac, The right front fender was ripped off the Pontiac and the steering gear was possibly damaged. The left front fender on the Chevrolet was bad ly battered. Damage to both cars was estimated. St $200 by Patrol man W. E. Saunders who made the investigation. Hardison said he signaled Sot a left turn. Nackham said ({id not see it. The two drlvHt-SBBMw to accept their own damages. ‘ " ^wiisSM
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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Jan. 27, 1948, edition 1
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