THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BE
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEER
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ HI
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH,WEER
VOLUME LI—NUMBER 28
Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, April 6, I*) IH
ESTABLISHED 1899
Two Drown In River
Over The Week-End
i
Earl Morris Anji
John S. Williams
> Lose Their Lives
■ - ■ » - -
Third Drowning Reported
Near Plymouth; Others
Nearly Lose Lives
Two white men, Earl Morris, 27, |
of near Elm City, and John Staton
(Bud) Williams, 69-year-old re-1
tired farmc-i of the Gold Point
Poplar Point sections of this coun
ty, lost their lives in Roanoke
River during the week-end, A
third person was reported to have
drowned near Plymouth late Sat
urday, but no details could be
learned.
Morris, herring fishing with
three companions from the Rocky
Mount section, lost his life when
the boat carrying all four capsized
in the strong current of the river
a few hundred yards above the
landing at Jamesville last Friday
night shortly before 10:00 o’clock.
Morris, married and father of
one child, was a veteran of the
Navy and was regarded as an
able swimmer, and it was thought
he had made it to shore, but ex
tensive searches conducted all
Friday night and almost continu
ously were futile until late Mon-!
day afternoon when friends of the j
man from Rocky Mount riding in
Jesse Swain's boat accidentally:
hooked the body. The searchers
were about to abandon the search !
and were returning to the wharf
when the body was hooked sev
eral hundred yards down the
stream from the point where the
boat turned over. The body was’
returned to Rocky Mount late yes-1
terday for burial in Pineview
Cemetery this afternoon.
Leasing a boat at the landing
Friday night, the party of four
was advised riot to load more than j
two in it. “We’ll be careful,” one
of the party was quoted as saying.!
They had been in the boat only a 1
short time and were turning
around near the old Hassell fish
ery when the boat was caught in
the whirl of the flooded stream
and capsized.
Morris, an able swimmer, start
ed for the shore. Richard Pridg
en, 30, caught hold to a partly
filled oil can, and Lee Sharp, 30,
caught hold of a small roll of
roofing paper and they drifted
several hundred yards down the
stream, finding it expedient to
drift until they could be rescued.
Fred Pridgen, 50, and a fourth
member of the boat party, was,
wearing a leather coat and enough
air was in it to keep him afloat,
but when rescue parties reached
him his head was under water
and he was unconscious. Artificial
respiration brought him around
and he was removed to a hos
pital, late reports stating that he
was getting along all right.
One of the younger members in
the party said he talked with
Morris, that Morris told him he
thought he could make it to shore,
that the last time he heard him he
^ was swimming and apparently
was doing all right.
It was thought that Morris had
made it to the swamp on the off
side of the rivet and searchers
went into the swamp but failed to
find any trace of him. His widow
was not convinced for sometime
that he had drowned.
The second drowning was re
ported between 11 and 12 o’clock
Sunday morning when John Stat
on (Bud) Williams and his son,
Lory, were fishing in the river at
Slade’s eddy between Williamston
and Hamilton. The father, a great
fisherman, insisted on fishing that
morning and the son went to
please his father. They had fish
ed their perch nets and went to
a logging camp to talk with
friends.
“We were making ready to
leave and I cranked the motor,
but we had traveled only a few
feet when a propeller pin broke,”
ytiaiig'Wtlliatns sain “'"before 1
could reach for the paddle, the
boat was thrown against a log
barge and turned over. The cur
rent carried me undei trie barge
and 1 drifted the fall length of
(Continued on page eight)
| FLIRT WITH DEATH |
While none of the recent
drowning victims was said to
have been drinking, reliable
reports declare that quite a
few are making a drunken
holiday out of fishing and
flirting with death in the tur
bulent waters of the Roan
oke.
Several young men fell out
of boats near Jamesville Sun
day, one of them having a
narrow escape. Some of those
falling into the stream were
said to have been drinking.
Quite a few fishermen de
tour to the liquor stores be
fore going to the river where
even under normal conditions
they flirt with death.
Exum Ward To
Head jaycees
Exum L. Ward, Jr., current first
vice-president, was elected to the
'presidency of the Williamston
Junior Chamber of Commerce for
the next fiseal year, at the regular
dinner meeting of the organiza
tion at the Woman's Club last Fri
j day evening.
Ward will succeed Wheeler
Manning. James Bullock was
! elected first vice president for the
^ next year and Jack Edmondson
\ was elected to the post of second
vice president.
The new secretary will be Jesse
W. Sumner, while the newly
elected treasurer will be W. W.
‘ (Billy) Biggs. Louis A. Pippin
| was elected to serve as sergeant
at-arms. Thad Harrison, present
secretary was chosen State Direc
tor for the new term. Elected to
the club’s board of directors for
. a two yeai term were three mem
I bers, George Mahler, Carroll
| Jones and Jack Butler. J. O.
I (Blue) Manning was elected to
fill the unexpired term of one
! year in place of Jack Edmondson
I on the board.
The new officers will be install
ed at the annual installation and
ladies night which is scheduled
for Friday evening, May 7.
Club members heard a report
! on the outcome of their spring
dance, held last week, by Ticket
Chairman Billy Biggs. The mem
bers voted five dollars to the
Crippled Children’s league.
Slightly Hurt In
C- it
* Automobile Wreck
—»— -
One person was slightly hurt
and damage estimated at $300 re
sulted when two cars crashed on
the Robersonville - Gold Point
Road last Monday night about
11:30 o’clock.
Adolphia Green, RFD 1, Grif
ton, was driving toward Rober
I sonville when Leo McGlenn War
ren met him. Warren swerved his
ear to the left and Green turned
j to his right side of the road but
did not get out of the way in time,
| according to Patrolmen B. W.
j Parker and M. F. Powers who
made the investigation. The cars
| crashed almost head on, the pa
| trolmen estimating the damage to
! each machine at $150. Warren
j was detained.
, Compulsory School Laic
Case In County Court
Charged with not sending his
15-year-old son to school, Frank
lin Roberson of the Oak City dis
trict, was'in the county court
| Monday. Taxing the father with
I the court cost, Judge J. C. Smith
| continued the case under prayer
| for judgment until the first Mon
I day in July
It was pointed out that school
I authorities had contacted the de
fendant by mail three times, urg
rrvli'U iiu to SCl?3oi.
The father declared at the hear
ing that his son was not learning
, anything in school, that the boy
did not want *n attend “J v.*27!t
my children to yet an education.
: but the boy does not want to,”
J Roberson said.
Business Bureau Formed at
Meeting Here Last Evening
The organization of a business (
bureau was advanced at a meet
ing of fifty or more interested j
professional men, merchants and
other business leaders in the coun- i
ty courthouse last night. There
was a strong support expressed
for the organization.
Sam Bundy,.former local school
principal and secretary of the
Farmville Chamber of Commerce
for several years, addressed the
group. Although he spoke in a
humorous vein, Mr. Bundy stress
ed the necessity of such an organi
zation to further the commercial
aspects, to build good will, to
bring new industries and people
into the community. It was point
ed out that Williamston has been
too long without such an organi
zation. While the various civic
clubs do untold good among the
people of the community, it takes
an organization of business and
professional men with the pri
mary objective of making their
town a better place in which to
live, an organization that will
really make the town better
known and noteworthy. The
speaker advised the organization
of such a bureau and suggested
it affiliate with the N. C. Mer
chants Bureau.
Following Mr. Bundy’s talk and
on nomination from the floor, Er
nest Mears, local manager of
Belk-Tyler, was elected chairman
of a seven-man board of direc
tors. Other directors elected are,
R. Edwin Peel, J. D. Woolard, D.
V. Clayton, Frank J. Margolis, Ur
bin Rogers and Ben D. Courtney.
The board is to meet soon and
complete the organization.
Education Board
Calls Architect
For Project Here
•
Members To Diseuss Plans
For Bear Grass Sehool
Al Meeting Friday
A climax in the school housing!
shortage was reached here yester- |
day morning when a special dele- j
gution, representing the local
school committee and the parent- |
teacher association, went before
the Board of Education and re
viewed conditions in the local
schools. “We know you have
problems and that they can't be
solved easily, but crowded condi
tions demand that something be
done,’' Rptyert L. Coburn, mem
ber oTthelortrt committee and
first spokesman for the delega
tion said.
"It has been ten years since the1
plant was expanded," Mr. Coburn j
said, adding, "There lias been an i
enrollment gain of 113 in the past j
three years. The population of the
town has increased from right at j
4,000 in 1940 to possibly 6,000 now,
and more new homes are being
built every day. The school earn
ed a new teacher this year, but
there was no room for her. We
have been packing now for sever-,
al years, and there are eight
looms with enrollments of more
than forty pupils, some going up
to 45. We are not fussing, but
we are here to point out that
something has got to be done.”
The school committeemen de
clared that conditions are so
crowded that the school is able to
do only second rate work; “in
fact we have the poorest school in i
the county,” he added. “We need
four classrooms, a shop, science
laboratory, cafeteria and home
economics room,” the spokesman
said, adding that he did not look
for lower building costs. "Others
are building and during the mean
time school life is going forward,”
Coburn said, declaring that an en
tire generation will have been de
nied what it is justly due unless
something is done to remedy the
situation this year.
Ray Goodmon, a second mem
ber of the committee said that an
additional teacher had been earn
ed this year, that, in all probabili
ty, another will be earned next
term. “And we can’t turn child
ren away from school,” he said,
Mrs. C. B, Hassell, representing
the P.-T. A. committee, said that
45 pupils were enrolled in her
room, that facilities were not ade
quate to accomplish the best
work.
Discussing the local school
needs, the board agreed that
something must be done. The sup
erintendent was instructed to con
tact an architect to make a study
of the problem. “We don’t know
what is the best thing to do, but1
every effort will be made to re
lieve the crowded conditions as
soon as possible,” a board mem
ber was quoted as saying.
A delegation from Bear Grass
was down to get a report on the
• >.; vrrjgnJwf' v.v
Bear Grass, but plans and cost es
timates were delayed and the dis
cussion was delayed until next
Friday afternoon at 2:00 o’clock
when the board will meet in spe-j
cia! session and review the pians j
(Continued on page eight)
ROUND-UP
✓
While there was a marked
decrease inactivities on the
crime front last week, offic
ers rounded up and jailed
seven alleged law violators,
five for being publicly drunk
and two for drunken driving.
Private citizens declare that
quite a few drunks ■ got by,
that there were wholesale
fights during the week-end.
One of the seven detained
was white and ages of the
group ranged from 21 to 48
[ years.
Minor Accidents
On Local Streets
Two persons were slightly hurt
and little property damage result
ed in a series of three motor ve
hicle-bicycle accidents on local
streets last Saturday evening, all
taking place in about one hour.
Henry Hoell was driving his
Model A out of the alley between
Darden's and Rose’s stores about
6:00 o’clock when Dave Dickerson
was having his Chevrolet car
pushed down the street by Chas.
Jarvis Hinson of Bellramie, Min
nesota. The old Model A and the
Chevy crashed, hurting no one
and causing not great damage,
members of the local police force
said following their investigation.
The Dickerson car had stalled and
Hinson was giving him an accom
modating push down the street.
Thirty minutes later C. H. God
win, Sr., and J. B. Taylor, Jr.,
were traveling west on the main
street. Mr. Godwin started to
make a left turn, and Taylor, rid
ing a motorcycle, plowed into the
Godwin car. Taylor, thrown from
the vehicle, suffered some shock
but no broken bones. Little pro
perty damage was done.
Shortly after 7:00 o’clock W. B.
Rogers was driving into town on
U. S. 17 and just as he passed Sun
ny Side Inn LeRoy Parker, nine
years old colored boy who was
meeting him, made a left turn on
his bicycle. Rogers skidded his
car and plowed into the bicycle
with limited force, knocking the
lad off and skinning him up a bit.
Hurts and damages were negligi
ble.
[Slightly Hurt
In An Explosion
—♦ —.
No one was badly hurt, but sev
eral suffered minor contusions
when a carbide tank exploded in
Heath’s Radiator Shop on Wash
ington Street here last Friday
morning. Mr. Heath, working on
a car about twelve feet from the
tank was not hurt at all, but sev
eral persons, standing in the door
way still farther from the tank,
were rendered deaf temporarily,
a report stating that all of them
had not fully recovered their
hearing.
The cause of the explosion
could not be learned and it came
■rr’~
when no one was working at the
radiator trough, a few feet from
the tank.
Eight or ten window panes were
■ broken and a water tank, about
twenty or twenty-five leet away,
, was cracked. The 40-gallon tank
| was ripped open.
Johnson Reviews
States Finances
In Ruritan Talk
Think* Slate Sliouhi \*si*l
School Kiiihlin^ IVo^ram
For To>vus*Countie*
In an after-dinner speech, free
of politics for the most part but
with a strong political undercur
rent, Charles M. Johnson, can-!
didatc for governor vividly re
viewed the State's finances in a I
talk last evening to the James-1
ville Ruritan Club and about
forty special guests, including;
old line politicians from two1
counties. Just prior to Mr, John- ^
son’s talk and after a delicious,
turkey dinner, served by the la- |
dies of the Methodist church, was
enjoyed, Secretary C. A. Askew |
read a report, reviewing the pro- j
gressive work being handled by
the club.
Introduced by Professor C. B.
Martin, the speaker made it plain
he was from the cast, and said he
would like to cut loose and make
a political speech. 'But under
the conditions, I'll limit my re
marks to what has happened and
what to expect in our State,” Mr.
Johnson said, in opening a review
of the State’s finances.
"There has been a marked ex
pansion in recent years in State
activities. Prior to World Wai I,
five million dollars were collect
ed and spent by the State, but it
is different now. Our system is
more complex and more costly.
What are necessities today were
luxuries not so long ago. The
modern agencies of government
cost, but they cannot be cut loose.
'The government of North Car
olina is handled differently from
that in other states. Ours is the
only state that constructs and
maintains all roads. Other states
construct and maintain only the
main highways. North Carolina
and Delaware are the only two
states that support a nine-month
school through the twelfth grade.
‘This State took over those
functions because we had the
highest per capita debt in the
country. Farms were sold and
everybody was broke. We had to
do something.
‘Education is a state-wide af
fair,” the speaker continued, ex
plaining that every child, no mat
ter where he lived, was entitled
to an education. ‘Roads are a
state-wide obligation, and every
person, no matter where he lives,
is entitled to a good road Other
states have good schools and
good roads in and around the rich
city centers, but in the poorer
rural sections, their schools and
roads are no better thpn ours
were thirty fears ago..
‘As long as our roads are* not
all-weather roads the best in
terests of the people cannot bo
served. School children in the
rural areas lost much time dur
ing the bad weather, and now
they are going to school on Sat
urdays and many will have to
leave school before the term is
out to work on the farm, all be
cause they could not travel the
dirt roads.
‘There is some talk about three
super north-south highways in
our State,” the candidate said in
jecting a bit of polities admitted
ly when he declared, “If 1 am
made governor there’ll be no
money spent on super highways
in North Carolina until all the
rural sections are taken out of
the mud.”
Touching on state finances, Mr.
Johnson said other states adopt
ed a policy of pay as you go. "But
in 1921 we issued $115 million in
bonds. We have had the use ofj
our roads during the meantime,
and it did not bankrupt us as
some predicted. In three years
all bonds will have been paid or
there will be sufficient money in
the sinking fund to.retire them.
‘During the war when equip
ment was not available, a surplus
of sixty million dollars was ac- j
cumulated in the highway fund. I
It is being spent and will be j
l^pcni v‘ j;_ i ~
back on a pay-as-you-go basis,”
Johnson said without advocating
a 100 million-dollar rural road
program.
Explaining that the highway ]
fund ij n;« ntamed independent -
ly of the general fund and vice
County Commissioners Asked
To Provide Hospital Eleetion
Making Plans For Vote On
Beer And Wine In County
Religious leaders, including
nearly every minister in the coun
ty, and a goodly number of pro
i minent citizens from just about
I every section of the county are
! scheduled to meet in the Mem
; orial Baptist Church here this
evening to discusse plans for sup
i porting a referendum to ban the
l sale of wines and beer in Martin
| County. Few details of the move
! ment have been made public, but
j it was learned that mail contacts
I with leaders throughout the coun
I ty had received favorable re
sponses, that the movement
launched by the Williamston Min
isterial Association some months
ago is gaining momentum rapidly.
While answers had not been re
| ceived over the week-end from
I every minister in the county, it
| was learned that others, includ
■ ing representatives of the Primi
Expanding Plans j
For School Band |
Declaring that a band is no bet
ter than its individual members,
Professor Jack Butler asked the
members of the Band Parents
Club in session at the high school
last night to make every effort to
see that their youngsters get in at
least 15 minutes of practice each
day.
Expressing the hope that the
band will be able to move out of
the beginners class by late sum
mer and speaking of expanding
plans for the organization, Pro
fessor Butler said that there is
ample talent in the band to make
it a first class outfit. Its ability
to learn march routines was high
ly praised by the director.
Professor Butler said that he
did not mean to infer that all the
young musicians were neglecting
practice but said that as a gener
al thing there was not enough in
dividual effort in mastering the
various techniques of the instru
ments. He recognized the ineon
venienco of practicing in some of
the homes where there were small
children or older people who did
not need to be disturbed, but said
the hifth school was open to chil
dren who wished to practice after
school hours for a brief period or
as long as they and their parents
deemed advisable so as not to ne
glect their other studies and pos
sible odd jobs.
Lightweight summer uniforms
were authorized for the band and
will be ordered for use on any
occasion this summer and during
the first several games of the 1948
football season.
Firemen Called To
Crass Fire Friday
Volunteer firemen were called
to a grass fire near the water
plant just off South Sycamore
Street lust Friday evening. The
firemen finished burning the
grass field, protecting property
while the menace was eliminated.
— -o
HIGH WATER |
va
High water in the Roanoke
continues to delay seine fish
ing in the stream at Janies
ville, and fishing operations
in general are being limited.
The river this morning
stood at 11.1 feet, about thir
teen inches over the banks.
It is predicted the stream will
rise to 13.2 feet late Thurs
day, but a rise of only one
tenth of a foot was reported
since yesterday morning.
The Roanoke has been in
R?od“snrg c a I most loii’u n
uously since the early part of
this year. Logging opera
tions have been at virtual
standstill during that time in
tin* river swamps, and other
activities associated with the
stream and adjoining swamps !
have been limited.
tive Baptist Faith, are suporting
the movement vigorously
The action, one source pointed
out, is being taken because the
present control laws are not cop
ing with the situation, that any
number of places are selling the
beverages of small alcoholic con
tent without fegurd fin the law,
that some centers are rapidly be
coming a menace to common de
cency.
To get the question before the
people, fifteen percent of the
qualified voters must sign a pe
tition, urging the county authori
ties to call a special referendum
or election. The meeting this
evening is expected to advance
plans for getting the necessary
signatures, and it is fairly certain
that the first step in banning beer
and wine sales m the county will
encounter little or no opposition.
r
I KS I WKKK
v.
Contractor Butler started
moving in equipment here
yesterday to start work on a
test well for the town’s water
department. The work was
delayed on account of mater
ial shortages, hut with favor
able conditions existing from
now on, the test well should
he completed and work start
ed on the main well within
the course of a few weeks.
Accident Victim
Has I>i|i; Family
—•— i
John Staton (Bud) Williams,]
retired farmer who lost his life
bv drowning at Slade's eddy in
Roanoke River between Williams
ton and Hamilton last Sunday
noon, is survived by a large fam
ily.
He was a son of the* late Seth
and Lucy Phillips Williams and
was born and reared in the Gold
Point section and lived there most
of Ins life, spending much of his
time m recent years in Poplar
Point. He was almost lit) years of
age.
In early life he was married to
Miss Etnma Taylor of this county
and she survives with eight chil
dren. Leroy, Cecil, Clarence and
Raymond Williams, all of the
Robersonville Community, J I).
and Dallas Williams of Newport
News; two daughters, Mrs. Geral
dine Faireloth of Smithfield, and
Mrs. Idell Rawls of Williamston;
five sisters, Mrs. Mamie Knox of
Robersonville, Mrs. Lossie Stalls
of Hassell, Mrs. Lyda Corbitt of
Greenville, and Estelle and Addle
Williams of Philadelphia; and
three brothers, Thurman Wil
liams of Hassell, and Seth, Jr,
and Jessee Williams of Roberson
ville.
i Senate Line-up
1 Is Taking Shape
| The line up for State Senate
from this the second senatorial
■district is gradually taking shape,
according to reports reaching
here.
Convinced that it was time for
the smaller counties of the seven
m the district to send a man to
Raleigh, Hugh G. Horton, after
serving last term, stated a short
time ago he would not be a can
didate.
Samuel Campcn, merchant
farmer of Alliance down in Pam
lico County, is planning to an
nounce, and it was stated in a re
port from Swan Quarter down in
Hyde Countv that O 1, .Williams
' iiYVdi neyT iiiaS flSWTTmd StV is uiicf;
erstood that Rodman will be a
candidate to succeed himself al
though, he has made no formal an
nouncement.
It was pointed out that Pamlico
has not sent a man to the State
Senate in over half a century,
possibly 53 years.
County Board Has
Little Business Oil
Its Monday Slate
lipHiiril Trrml Inevitable
In Welfare Department
liutli'i-l For 194-8
Meeting in regular session Mon
day. the Martin County Commis
sioners received a powerful dele
gation from the several civic or
ganizations and heard a strong
plea for action o na proposed hos
pital for the county. Acting fav
orably on the request^ the com
missioners ordered that machin
ery be set in motion as quiekly as
possible, providing for a referen
d,um.
The petition presented to the
board by representatives of the
Williamston Lions and Kiwanis
Clubs and Junior Chamber of
Commerce, Jamesville Ruritan
Club, Oak City Ruritan Club, Ro
bersonville Rotary Club and Jun
ior Chamber of Commerce and
the Williamston Woman’s Club,
reads, as follows:
"We the representatives of the
civic clubs of Martin County feel
thi' greatest need for proper hos
pitalization for all the people of
Martin County, whereas we feel
the people should express them
selves as to their desires, where
as we are requesting your board
to take under consideration the
following:
"1. To provide sufficient funds
through a special bond election to
construct a hospital as set forth
by the Medical Care Commission
on a pel' capita basis, 2 1-2 beds
per ]()()() population, total 5H beds,
in conforming with the Mill Bur
ton Bill and the State of North
('ai olina.
"2. To provide sufficient funds
to guarantee an efficient opera
tion of such a hospital for two
years.
"3. In event the qualified voters
vote in favor of erecting or ob
taining a hospital, then to appoint
a Hoard of Hospital trustees as set
forth in General Statutes, Article
2A, The County Hospital Act.”
The county attorney was in
structed to make plans in con
formity with state law for holding
a referendum. The question must
I he placed before the people for as
| many as ninety days, it was point
ed out. and while a special regis
. tration is necessary the election
may be held on a special date or
right along with a regular elec
tion. It is possible that the hos
pital question will be discussed
publicly from every possible
angle, and that it could be timed
to be held along with the general
election next November. How
ever, plans are tentative and may
be altered so as to make it pos
able to hold the election at an
earlier date.
Very little business was
i handled by the commissioners in
I their regular meeting Monday,
i but they did not complete their
i work until about 1:30 in the after*
1 noon, much time having been
| spent hearing long, drawn-out re
I ports and discussing preliminary
' budget figures for the welfare de
j partrni nt. "It is fairly evident
, that there will be an upward
trend in welfare needs for the
i new fiscal years of 1948-49,” one
J official said explaining that hos
pitalization costs are certain to
| increase along with the needs of
the aged and dependent children,
i Wdhamston’s Kiwanis Club was
given permission to locate a soft
drink vending machine in tha
^ c ourthouse.
Appearing before the board a
small delegation asked that a road
beginning near the residence of
, Leo Gardner in Jamesville Town
| ship on the Ward-Glade road and
running westwardly via the M, H.
Ange farm, J. L. Waters, B. Q,
I Arne P M . An;y,' *a
1 ivil 'l i. rUlgo",4' i es'iVu'i1fl^?.)e^j'iace?f'<'
| on the highway map for mainten
! unce. Tlic road has been cleared
j and' pulled up' and is qsed
school busses.
Tav Cl r\r»i f >»» T
i • ■**'*■* ■* v-vv
' ed tnat all but $27,tfti7,§| of
! 1347 tax levy of $23 '
I been collected. •
1 '.Oft