* THE ENTERPRISE 13 READ BE
OVER 3,090 MARTIN COUNT*
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEER
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ HI
OVER 3,009 MARTIN COUNT*
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WHI
VOLUME LI—NUMBER 16
fVilliamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, February 21, 1V48
ESTABLISHED 1899
Complete TB Survey
’ In County Last Week
Nearly Four Out
Of Five Eligible
^ Persons X-rayed
Downward Trend In TB
Cases Is Apparent, Doc
tor Bell Declares
•
The mass TB survey, under way
in this county for four weeks, was
brought to a close last Friday, the
Martin County Health Depart
ment announcing late yesterday
^ that 12,609 persons, most of them
fifteen years old or older, had
their chests X-rayed.
Commenting on the survey, Dr.
R. F. Bell, of the North Carolina
State Health Department, stated
that the percentage of eligible
persons reporting for X-rays dur
ing the survey was about an aver
age for a rural county, that nearly
four of every five eligible persons
participated in the survey. Con
sidering the weather and bad road
conditions, the survey can be rat
ed very successful. Its findings
were well worth the cost, and
proved that tuberculosis is grad
ually declining.
Most of the personnel handling
the survey equipment left yester
day for Fayetteville where they
1 will conduct a similar survey dur
ing the next six or eight weeks.
Dr. and Mrs. Bell, remaining over
until all the clinics could be held
and further examinations made,
left today.
The people of Martin County
cooperated in the survey, and
while it is possible that some of
those who did not report for X
rays have TB, it stands to reason
that the number of such cases is
small, that tuberculosis is well
under control in this county. The
downward trend in the diseases is
traceable to several factors, Dr.
Bell pointed out. The standard of
living has been improved, and
doctors and health authorities
have been able to isolate cases of
TB and keep it from spreading.
A review of the findings will be
released later.
-«
Relief Agencies
Met Last Night
—♦—
Heads of the various relief and
unemployment agencies led an
open forum on human needs and
resources in Martin County at a
meeting held in the courthouse
last night. The forum was well
attended, quite a few coming from
other parts of the county.
In short, the meeting agreed
that the agencies cannot meet all
the relief demands and solve all
the problems. Each agency head
explained his or her agency’s lim
itations. explaining that funds
were not sufficient, that applica
tions were piling up.
Miss Mary Taylor spoke for the
welfare department, Mrs. Edna
Laughinghouse for the Red Cross
in the Martin County Chapter,
Mrs. Lina Taylor for the Rober
sonville Red Cross Chapter, Kelly
Gray for the unemployment of
fice, and Mrs. Ethel Ward for the
American Legion Auxiliary.
i
Fire Alarm Test
Disturbs Meetings]
Burned out when it froze dur- j
ing the first snow back in Janu-1
ary, the town’s fire siren was re- j
paired and placed back on its'
perch atop the town hall. The I
siren wails have not yet come up I
to their former pitch, and firemen,1
unable to hear it in the late hours j
of the night, decided to limber up
the gadget without ceremony or |
previous announcement.
Most of the volunteers were at j
a regular meeting of the company
last night and the limbering pro
cess was launched at 8:20 o’clock.
Three meetings, one in the court
house, another in the high school ]
and still another in the agricul-!
tural building were interrupted !
and the town population was puz
zled until individual calls and in
was a phony.
\ OVER THE TOP )I
^
The 1948 drive for the in
fantile paralysis fund in Mar
tin County went over the top
last week-end when final re
ports reached the chairman,
L. B. Wynne, who stated tha?
the campaign exceeded its
$2,600 goal by $93.72.
Late reports included three
white school donations, Ham
ilton, $61.49; Bear Grass,
$60.00; and Everetts, $52.60;
| and the following colored
schools, Bear Grass, $5; Par
mele, $20; Oak City, $12.07;
and Cross Roads, $5.
The fund is being called
upon to help finance the in
fantile paralysis case of Na
omi Little. 22-month-old col
ored child of Cross Roads
Township. The child, daugh
ter of Fernando Little and
wife, has been in Duke hos
pital since January 21, and is
, to be transferred shortly to a
foundation hospital, Chair
man Wynne said.
Count Gives Six
Thousand Pounds
Of Old Clothing
—•—
Sixty of ArtirleH Are
Parked In Club Hull
Here Lust Week
Approximately six thousand
pounds of old clothing, bedding,
and other articles were contribut
ed by the people of this county for
overseas relief, Mrs. R. H. Good
mon, chairman of the Woman’s
Club committee sponsoring the
collection, announced last week
end.
The quality of the articles was
unusually good, Mrs. Goodmon
said, pointing out that quite a few
new items were contributed by
merchants and shops. “In most
instances the goods or articles,
while serviceable, were out of date
and hardly would be worn by
even relief cases,” the chairman
explained.
Included in the list of articles
donated were about fifty Bibles, a
number of other books and a few
toys, including a well equipped
electric train.
The drive for old clothing was
delayed several weeks in this
county by unfavorable weather
conditions. Only a few counties
in the State have completed the
drive, but others are going ahead
with the task of “Filling a Ship
with Friendship.”
Delivered to the Williamston
Woman's Club building last week,
the clothing has been packed in
sixty peanut bags for shipment
to New Windsor, Maryland, where
it will be sorted and repacked for
shipment to Europe.
The chairman, assisted by mem
bers of the club, worked several
days preparing the collection for
(Continued on page eight)
Little Symphony Offering
Two Concerts Here Today
Its schedule interrupted earlier
in the month when the musicians
became snowbound in Warrenton,
the North Carolina Symphony is
appearing in two concerts here
this afternoon and evening, it was
announced over the week-end.
The orchestra is giving its first
concert here in the high school
auditorium at 2:30 o'clock before
school pupils The seventh and
eighth grades in the county are re-1
presented at the concert this aft
ernoon. Robcrsonville, helping
underwrite the engagement, is
sending pupils from the fifth,
sixth and seventh grades, and the
local school is being represented
by pupils from grades four
through the eighth. It was ex
plained that the free concert this
tain grades because the auditor-!
iurn would not care for a larger!
Special prices are being fixed
Four Accidents On1
County Highways1
In Past Few Days
♦
Two Persons Hurt, One
Badly, In Series of Car*
Bike Accidents
. Two persons were hurt, one of
them badly, and considerable pro
perty damage was done in a series
of four motor vehicle accidents on
Martin County highways during
the past few days. One victim,
Mitchell Pilgreen, eight years old,
suffered a broken hip when he ran
his bicycle into a car driven by
Durward Williams on the Rober
sonville-Stokes highway last Sat
urday noon. Mrs. Nathaniel W.
Worsley suffered shock and bruis
es in a crash between Hamilton
and Oak City late last Friday aft
ernoon.
Williams was driving his 1941
Plymouth from Wallace’s store to
ward Robersonvillc when the Pil
green boy, meeting Williams,
turned his bicycle to his left and
into the path of the Williams car.
Williams ran off the road to his
right and into a ditch in an effort
to avoid striking the lad, it was
reported. Knocked off his bicy
cle the boy fell on the car fend
er, fracturing his hip. He was re
moved to a Greenville hospital for
treatment. The bicycle was badly
battered but the car was little
damaged. Patrolman B. W. Park
er, investigating the accident, said.
Last Friday about 5:40 p. m.,
James Ernest Peterson was driv
ing his 1941 GMC pick-up truck
toward Oak City and a dog ran
into the road. Turning to his left
to miss the dog, Peterson steered
into the path of a 1940 Plymouth
owned and driven by Nathaniel
Wilbur Worsley who cut to his
left. The right sides of the two
vehicles were damaged. Patrol
man Parker, making the investi
gation, estimating the damage to
the Plymouth at $250 and that to
the pick-up at $100. Mrs. Worsley
was dismissed from an Oak City
doctor’s office after receiving
treatment there for bruises and
shock.
Driving from Wiliiamston to
ward Hamilton last Saturday eve
ning about 8:30 o’clock, Samuel
Morris lost control of his brother’s
1942 Ford coupe and turned it
over one and one-half times. The
car went into the ditch on the left
side of the road, swerved back to
the road shoulder, plunged back
into the ditch and continued into
Farmer Roy Taylor’s field after
clipping off five fence posts.
Greatly disturbed by the accident,
but unhurt, Morris returned to his
home in Bethel to face what he
called “the music.” The young
man said he almost wished he had
been killed, thinking apparently
that death would have been pref
errable to the “music” he antici
pated. Investigating the acci
dent, Patrolmen J. T. Rowe and
yj. E. Saunders estimated that it
would run about $250.
Driving toward Wiliiamston
from the direction of Washington
at 11:30 Sunday morning, J. D.
Gurganus started to make a left
turn into the Rogers town road at
the R. L. Perry farm in Bear Grass
just as Stanley W. Bobskill, 14
(Continued on page eight)
for high school students who plan
to attend the evening concert at
8:30 o’clock. Tickets may be had
at 90 cents each from Professor
Jack Butler.
The concerts here today were
arranged only after a change in
dates was agreed on with Oxford
where the Symphony was first
scheduled to appear today. The
change was effected only last
week-end .giving little time to ad
vertise the concerts here. It is be
lieved, however, that large audi
ences will be in attendance upon
both concerts
The Symphony will appear in
Windsor tomorrow afternoon and
evening.
Sponsoring the concerts, the
Womans Club here solicited funds
and sold tickets to raise the $750
guarantee, the sponsors explain
ing that $300 is being used to fi
noon for the children.
Start Digging Deep Well
Here Within Thirty Days
—■■■■ A
Awarded a contract last Thurs
day, the Carolina Drilling and
Equipment Company of Sanford
plans to start digging a deep well
for the town of Williamston with
in the next thirty days, H. N. But
ler, president, said.
Submitting a base bid of $6,500,
exclusive of screens and pumping
equipment, the company will sink
a test well on the town lot be
tween Sycamore Street and the
Plymouth branch of the Coast
Line railroad.
“If we find that site favorable,
we should complete the well in
about four or six weeks after our
drilling equipment is set up,” Mr.
Butler said. The company spokes
man, owner and operator of
equipment used in sinking oil
wells, stated that there should be
no delay in getting pipe, pump
ing equipment and other ma
terials, that the town’s present
B & H Willys Co.
Reopens Business
In Supply Garage
Burned Out Short Time
Ago Firm Continue* Sales
And Service* Near Here
"»
Us plant in West End burned
out a short time ago at a terrific
loss to the owners, W. R. Banks
and H. G. Horton, the B and H
Willys Company has reopened for
business, sharing the building
housing the Welch Auto Supply
next to the Riddick Equipment
Company and near the Martin
County home on U. S. Highway
64.
Announcing the arrangement
last week-end, Manager Banks
Mid that no definite plans for the
future had been made. There is
soitie doubt if the plant will be re
built any time soon.
“We were very fortunate in
making »*- gements with the
owner iator of the Welch Auto
S’’ Company, where we will
bi uulc to handle our sales and of
fer a general repair service,” Mr.
Banks said.
“We are building up our sup
ply of parts as rapidly as possible
and will make every effort to pro
perly service equipment in this
section,” Mr. Banks added.
Contacting the state agents a
few days ago, Mr. Banks was as
sured that new equipment would
be made available to the company
as soon as possible.
Their apartment and just about
all their earthly belongings de
stroyed in the fire that leveled the
motor company building on Feb
urary 3. Mr. and Mrs. Banks and
children are moving into a new
home just completed by D. M.
Roberson on the Slaughter House
Road, Mrs. Banks and two sons re
turning yesterday from a visit
with relatives in Lynchburg.
-o
Chief Of Police
Resigning Here
-o
W. T. Simpson, Williamston's
chief of police, tendered his re
signation to Mayor Robt. Cowen
last week-end, the officer explain
ing that he is re-entering the arm
ed forces. The resignation be
comes effective March 20, Chief
Simpson stating that he would go
back into the service immediately
thereafter.
The officer is eligible for re
tirement from the armed forces in
about six and one-half years, and
he re-enlisted when an opening
presented itself recently.
The resignation came as a sur
prise and town officials stated that
no action had been taken to fill
the position. However, it was
pointed out that several persons
had asked in recent months to
nave their applications consider
;d if and when there was an open
ing on the police force.
• —o
Firemen Answer Call
Late Friday Nig hi
—- ■•■■■ '■
Firemen were called to the Eli
Rogerson home on West Main
Street here at 11 :Q0 o’clock last
iday night when a chimney |
he house No damage resulted. *
water supply should be supple
mented by late spring and cer
tainly by early sumer or in time
to meet the increased demand.
Since the big snow week before
last water consumption has been
materially increased, the depart
ment head stating last week-end
that daily consumption went over
a quarter million gallons, that
just about every pump in the sys
tem, including the one at the salty
well near the courthouse, was
placed in operation to maintain
the supply.
No action has been taken as
yet, but it is likely that the court
house well will be abandoned if
the new one proves adequate. If
the big courthouse well is aban
doned, the machinery, including
pumps and auxiliary unit, can be
switched to the new well, saving
the town between $3,000 and $3,
1500.
ROUND-UP
r
*
With betffer weather pre
vailing, crime flared up a bit
in this county last week, but
even then peace and quiet
held their own fairly well.
Six persons were arrested
and jailed, one for larceny
and receiving, three for being
drunk and disorderly, and one
each for speeding and drunk
en driving.
One of the six was white
and the ages of the group
ranged from 19 to 37 years.
Commerce Group
Met Last Friday
—♦'—
At their regular dinner meeting,
held last Friday evening at the
Woman’s club, the members of the
local Junior Chamber of Com
merce voted to support the con
tinuance of Passion Week services
again this year. The Jayeees who
are proprietors of business places
pledged their cooperation with
other merchants in closing their
places of business from ten to ten
thirty each morning the services
are held.
Jaycee State Director Ernest
Mears reported on the recent third
quarter directors’ meeting held
in Durham, and he also announc
ed that plans were being formu
lated towards the sponsorship of
Junior Chamber of Commerce in
Plymouth. A delegation of local
Jayeees will confer with prospec
tive members in Plymouth this
evening.
President Wheeler Manning an
nounced that Jaycee W. Dun Peel
has agreed to serve as county
chairman of the annual cancer
drive to be held in this county
during April of this year.
In order to augment the Jaycee
treasury, it was voted to hold a
dance sometime in the near fu
ture, possibly the Monday after
Easter. This project is to be
handled by the money-making
projects committee.
Jayeees Juri Bowers, Jim Hack
ney and Max Roebuck of the
Washington Junor Chamber were
guests at the meeting, along with
Ben Hopkins and Ronald R.
Johnson of Williamston. The fel
lowship prize, awarded by Jaycee
Lewis Pippin, was won by Ben
Hopkins.
A delicious country ham dinner
was served by the ladies of the
Cross Roads Christian Church.
Invocation was pronounced by
Clarence Griffin.
Opening oi Kiver
Smokehouse Herej
—.«
After diligent search George
Harris, Jr., and Francis Leggett!
found the key to Williumstun’s
river smokehouse last Thursday.
The key, in the form of a nice
size herring, has not been used
much since that time on account
of the high water and cold weath
er, but like the old saying,
“There s gold in dem dar hills,” it
indicates that fish are in the river,!
that it won’t be long before relief
from high meat costs will come'
to many in this section.
bllil
since last week. I
Large Audience
Hears Concert By
High vSehool Band
-O
I*. T. A. and Band Parents
Meet In High School
For Short Sessions
-..
The Williamston High School
Band presented its first public
concert before a large apprecia
tive audience at the PT-A meet
ing held last night in the high
school auditorium at 8 o'clock.
Hildreth Mobley, president,
called the meeting to order. After
the singing of “America” the Rev
erend E. R. Schular gave the in
vocation. Two committee reports
were given stating that the steam
table for the grammar school h«»d
come and that the nn i
equipment was to be siT’Ti'Td from
Rocky Mount today. Mrs. Man
ning's tenth grade won the at
tendance prize.
Following the business session
the band presented the following
program under the direction of
Professor Jack Butler: “Chorale";
"Military Escort," March, by Ben
nett; “Evening Idyll ", Reverie, De
Lamater; “The Gypsy Festival”,
overture, Hayes; “Little Grey
Church”, Tone Poem, Bennett;
“School Song,” band arrange
ment by Miss Mary Neil Ward;
and the "Victory March,” O’Shea.
During the “Victory March" the
drum majorettes were featured at
which time a specialty with a
lighted twirling baton was given
by Lucy Roberson, head major
ette. The other majorettes in
cluded Julia Laughinghouse, Pa
tricia Taylor, Mary Lou Lee, Jo
Ann Peel, Edna Rae Thomas and
Lucille Quinn.
1 he htar .Spangled Banner
was the final number after which
refreshments were served.
The new uniforms which were
ordered last year only recently
arrived and this was the first op
portunity Professor Butler hail to
bring out his complete band in
full dress.
Immediately following the pro
gram the Band Parents Club held
a brief session during which plans
to have the Elizabeth City High
School Band, one of the outstand
ing organizations of its kind in the
nation, to come here for a concert
on the night of March 19 were ap
proved. The band will appear in
concert at 8 o'clock in the high
school auditorium. It will arrive
during the day and be guests of
the band parents for the evening
meal to be served in the school ca
feteria.
When contacted about coming
here next month only a part of
the band was asked for but Miles
Clark, sponsor of the band, de
clared that the Elizabeth City
unit would come as a whole and
furnish their own transporation if
the local band would guarantee
them a “feed”. This the band
parents readily agreed to do.
The visiting band contains al
most a hundred musiejans and has
been honored guest at many out
standing functions in the nation.
Several years ago the band was
given considerable publicity by
Life Magazine.
The Williamston High School
(Continued on page eight)
To Inspect Motor Vehicles
In the County Next Month
Equipment and personnel for
the inspection of motor vehicles
in Martin County will he station
ed m Williamston the week of
March 14, it was officially an
nounced by the Department of
Motor Vehicles in Ilalcigh, last
week.
No definite or permanent site
has been selected, but it is like
ly that one of the town’s little
used surface streets wdl he chos
en for the first inspections, with
the possibility that a lane will be
poured near the highway patrol
radio station for later use.
The equipment, according to
the schedule announced ■ last
week-end, will be brought into
this county on March 12. Two
days will be allowed for adjust
ment and orientation, and the
lane will be opened to the public
on Monday, March 15. The lane'
is being opened in Washington
'ui i mmtstnbm •bUP**-*
Following the one week of in- ‘
Ambrose Fund $200
Shor t of Urgent Need
PROLIFIC
A red Jersey sow Rave birth
to seventeen pins on Farmer
Crawford Coltrain's farm in
Griffin's Township last Fri
day, the litter approaching if
not setting a record for size
in this part of the country.
“They can cut my tobacco
acreage, but they can't do
much about my old sow,’’ Far
mer Coitrain said, admitting
that such production records
could influence the price of
meat.
"I’m 74 years old and 1 have
never seen such a litter of
fine pigs,” Farmer Harmon
Roberson, a neighbor of Col
train's said.
It was the third litter for
the sow, she having farrowed
nine the first time and eleven
the second.
Officers Wrecked
Several Stills In
County Last Week
Pour»*<l Out Nearly 2,000
(Gallons of Beer At Five
lllieit I'laiils
-r.
Raiding in several Martin Coun
ty townships and aiong the Mar
tin-Beaufort boundary in Beau
fort County last week-end, ABC
officers and deputies wrecked live
illicit liquor plants and poured
out 1,750 gallons of cheap sugar
beer.
Joining ABC officers from Hitt
anil Beaufort Counties last Fri
day morning, Officers Joe 11 Roe
buck and Roy Feel wrecked a 200
gallon capacity wood still along
the Beaufort - Martin boundary
and poured out 1,000 gallons of
beer stored in three 20- gallon and
four 100-gallon capacity vats,
j Swinging over into Bear Grass
Township later that day, the same
1 seven officers destroyed another
illicit plant, equipped with a 100
gallon capacity wood still. They
poured out 350 gallons of sugar
beer. Before leaving that terri
tory, the officers founds and con
fiscated a doubler and cooler arid
poured out 100 gallons of beer at
a plant site, hut they could not
find the kettle.
ABC Officer Roebuck and lie
puty Roy Peel invaded the Dar
dens section of Jamesville Town
ship last Saturday morning and
captured an 110 gallon capacity
copper kettle. Only one of the
fifty-gallon fermenters was filled
with beer at the time and the of
ficers poured the juice out.
Accompanied by Officer Ed
mond Early of Oak City, the two
officers raided in Goose Nest:
Township Saturday afternoon and
wrecked a plant, destroying a 50
gallon oil drum used for a still
and pouring out fifty gallons of I
beer.
The business flared up during;
the recent bad weather.
speetion in this county, the equip-!
nient will be moved to Plymouth
and later to other towns in this
part of tlu! State, returning to
this county foi another week, be
ginning May 14
In accordance with the motor
vehicle mechanical program, each
motor vehicle registered in North
Carolina must he inspected once
during this year and twice every
twelve months after this year.
The inspection program is de
signed not necessarily to force
old-model ears off the highways,
hut to correct mechanical troubles
and make the roads safe for
travel. Last year, iiitti persons
were killed on North Carolina
highways, not to mention the in
jured list and a staggering prop- j
ci ty loss. Of the 900 motor ve-,
hides figuring in the fatal ae-1
indents, tioii Here "old ' models,
pi
■ 1J,!™, ...IK,. ■■
mechanical condition.
Building Program
Delayed Pending
Donation Receipts
Voluntary Contributions
INow Total 221; Volun
teers To Bitiltl House
-o
After battling the elements dur
ing the coldest winter this section
has experienced in several years,
Ammie Ambrose, aged grand
mother and her brood of orphaned
grandchildren have an even
chance to move into winter quar
ters within the next few days.
Plans are all complete for build
ing the family a small house on
their little three-quarter acre site
on the old Wilhamston-Everetts
Road, but no final action can be
taken until approximately $180 is
added to the emergency fund.
Few appeals have received a
warmer response than the one ad
vanced in the name of the aged
grandmother and the eight mem
bers of her family, seven of them
children whose ages range from
three to fifteen years. No direct
solicitations were considered, and
the response has been spontane
ous and voluntary on the part of
both white and colored, local and
non-county residents. “I am en
closing a check for $5 for the Am
brose family. If that isn’t enough
let me know,” a contributor in
Henderson wrote in a letter re
ceived last Friday. Individuals,
inspecting the condition first
hand, left with a greater deter
mination to take a part in the
movement to net the family of
nine out of the weather. But the
main offer was made unpreten
tiously by James Stevenson, color
ed carpenter and builder, when he
reported to Sheriff C. B. Roebuck
last Saturday. "1 have five or six
men working with me. If you
people are interested enough to
try and do somtehing for the aged
grandmother and her family and
can get the materials together, I
will take my men and go and
build her a small house without
charging anyone a cent." Steven
son got the construction contract.
The G and H Builders Supply
Company has agreed to furnish
most of the materials at and be
low cost and render other assist
ance. Henry Griffin, inspecting
the property last Sunday, said
that the old shack is beyond re
pair, that the timbers are so rotten
that none can be used in building
another structure. Suggesting
that a structure 14 by 24 feet
would be better than what is now
available, the builders supply man
figured the material bill at and
below cost, agreeing to give the
order every priority and place it
on the lot without delivery
charges. Marvin Peed, saw mill
operator, said he would saw a
bill of lumber for the new house,
but logs are not available and
that would cause delay. The con
ditions demand immediate action,
for there is a very good possibility
that the present shack will fall
down on the heads of the grand
mother and her brood.
It is estimated that the actual
cost of the material for the struc
ture will lust right at $400. Up un
til late yesterday, $221 had been
contributed, leaving the fund $179
(Continued on page eighty
J. If. Roebuck Oil
ARC Committee
Martin County Alcoholic Bever
ages Control Officer Joe H. Roe
buck was named last Thursday to
serve as a member of the legisla
tive committee of the North Caro
lina Association of ABC enforce
ment officers.
The ABC officers from nearly
i very wet county in the State at
tended a meeting in Raleigh last
Thursday, perfected an organiza
tion of their own, and advanced
a program, Mr. Roebuck said,
looking to a more effective en
forcement of the liquor laws.
Deputy Roy Peel and ABC Of.
iicer J. it, Roebuck represented
Hte gggwyiN."
was held in the Sir Waiter