IHB ENTERPRISE IS READ BT
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT!
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COCNT1
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEE1
VOLUME LI—NUMBER 45
William ston, Martin County, Worth Carolina, Thursday, Juno ,'t, 1918
ESTABLISHED 1899
Writes Letter Of
Thanks For Gifts
Of Used Clothing
German Mother Anil Three
/Children Still Wait Re
turn of Family Head
Mrs. W. O Griffin of Williams
ton recently received a note of ap
preciation from Mrs. Louise Herr
mann of Berlin, expressing appre
ciation for gifts of clothing. One
of the articles carried Mrs. Grif
fin’s name in a pocket. The cloth
es were collected throughout
North Carolina some months ago,
but the letter was delayed for sev
eral weeks. In addition to the
German woman's letter, Mrs.
Griffin received a note from the
woman's 11-year-old son who said
that he had had one-half year
study in English., Frankly, the
letter is difficult to understand
but it is evident that it advances
a spirit of appreciation.
The son, Frank Herrmann,
writes, as follows:
“Love, Mrs. Griffin,
“We have on the 12 March of the
America gift, the mantle (cloak)
anxious in the time that of three
salutation. I am Frank Herr
mann. I am 11 years old and
learn a 1-2 year English. The 1
letter write Is to you. Write me
also a letter Anxious I also
wait . . .”
Mrs. Herrmann's letter, express- j
mg appreciation and explaining
that her husband was still a pris
oner of war, follows from Donaus
trasse 80, Berlin, Neukolln, Am
erican Sectory, Germany:
“Dear Friends in America:
“Today, March 12, 1948, we re
eeived through the American Aid
Foundation, the beautiful coat
which you sent, and in it we found
your name. My children shouted
for joy that a dear “aunt" in Am
erica thought of them. I am very
happy that my girl has something
warm to put on. The coat has to
be altered some because she is a
little too small for it. We thank
you from the bottom of our hearts
for the gift and are happy over,
the friendship offered us.
"We, too, do not want war, for
only we will have *o suffer from
it. God surely does not want to
punish us again. We are still
suffering because our dear father
is still a' war prisoner and has!
been away from us since 1940.
Distress (need) and misery are
still great here and it is a prob
lem for me to know how I can!
give my three children enough to
eat. The things most lacking are
warm clothes and shoes. There is
not even enough material with
which to mend things. It hurts my
soul that the children are the
ones to suffer most. We planned
a good future for them but now
we stand before nothing, that is,
we have nothing to look forward
to, for everything has been de
stroyed by the wretched war.
“We were blessed with three
children, a boy, now 11 years old,
and two girls, 9 and 8 years old.
But none of us are losing courage
and we hope and trust in God
that our dear father will come
back to us sound and well and
that sometime the sun will again
shine for us. We are hoping for
an early settlement, and we want
to work, for we are young and
build up a new life for us. We
know America will help us and
we shall always appreciate it.
"It would please me very much
to hear from you again and thus
make it possible for us to have di
rect connections with America.
We are proud and happy and the
children dream of the beautiful
country in which their new
friends live.
“Most grateful for your friend
ship and devotedly yours . . .”
College Croup
To Visit County
Sixty-five graduates in agron
omy and three of their professors
from State College plan to visit
the farm of Claude E. Smith near
Robcrsonville on Friday of next
week. Traveling in special buss
ec. to reach the farm that after
noon between 5 and 6 o’clock. The
group includes Garland Smith,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Smith who
will entertain the visitors with a
barbecue supper that evening.
Martin Farmers Turn To
Hybrid Corn In Big Way
. Martin County farmers, after
careful observation over a period
of several years, are switching to
hybrid corn on a large scale, ac
cording to Farm, Agent Tom Bran -
don. For several years a few far
mers planted the comparatively
new variety, but the farmers in
this county, as a whole, moved
slowly in making the change from
the old common variety to • the
new type.
It is now estimated that nearly
one-half of the corn crop in this
county is of the hybrid type. Mak
ing a survey of seed sales recent- j
l.v, Agent Brandon found that 1,-j
544 1-2 bushels of hybrid seed had |
been sold to farmers in this coun- j
ty. One bushel of the seed is suf-1
ficient to plant about nine acres,!
and on that basis it is estimated
that 13,90 acres were planted in
hybrid corn. For several years
this county has been planting ap
proximately 28,000 acres to corn,
but this year it is estimated that
three-fourths or three thousand
acres are being planted to corn.
Reviewing the progress made in
switching from the ordinary seed
to the hybrid variety, the farm
agent is of the opinion that four
times as much hybrid corn is be
ing planted in this county this
year than was planted a year ago.
Although the hybrid seed sells
for about $10.50 per bushel, very
little of the seed is being produc
ed in this county, farmers stating
that much time and considerable
work are required to produce the
best seed. . «
| REGISTRATION
s — -»
Except those whose citiien
ship has been restored since
the books were closed on May
15 no one is entitled to regis
ter for the second primary
election to he held on June
2<J, according to an unofficial
interpretation of the law.
Several persons who went
to vote in this county and
learned their names were not
on the registration books will
have to wait until just before
the general election in Nov
ember to register and qualify
for a ballot.
Crops Damaged By
Rains In County
Showers, reaching cloudburst
proportions in some areas, dam
aged crops in this county during,
recent days. Generally, the dam
age is not extensive, but in some
communities tobacco has flopped
and in some instances portions of
the crop in several fields were
washed away. Farmers, living
near Williamston on the Washing
ton Highway, said they saw the
hardest rain in their lives fall last
Monday. Ditches were filled to
overflowing, the water turning to
the open fields and washing away
12-foot streaks of knee-high to
bacco. In one field the water
washed over a wire fence. Other
sections have reported similar
downpours, but for the most part,
the showers measured less than
an inch.
Hugh Spruill, keeper of the of
ficial rain gauge on Roanoke Riv
er here said 5.03 inches of rain fell
there during the month of May,
rain faling on sixteen of the 31
days.
While crops have not been ma
terially damaged in the county as
a whole, farmers have found the
land too wet to plow and the griss
gained headway, especially in
peanuts.
Training I* r op ram I'or
Little llvaf Children'
-«
The North Carolina State
School for the Deaf is preparing
a home traijning program for
little deaf tots. Ar.y one having
or knowing of a deaf child under j
five years of age is asked to con- j
tact the welfare office in the'
Martin County courthouse.
MARTIN COUNTY VOTE FOR STATE OFFICERS
Except for a fair distribution of votes among the three leading candidates for
governor, Martin County voters gave lopsided majorities to most of the candi
dates on the State tickets in the first primary last Saturday. Thad Eure, eandi
date for secretary of state, led the ticket, but J Melville Broughton, the success
ful candidate for United States Senator, followed him closely. The following is
the official vote east in this county for the state officers:
PRECINCTS
U S Sen. II S Sen.
Short trm Rcglr trm Por <jiovcr',»>i- Lt. Covnr See. State Auditor Treasurer Cm of ll>r K. Cm Ag
Jnnicsvilic _
Williams
Griffins
Bear Grass
Willianiston No. 1
Williamston No. II
Cross Bonds
Robersonvillc
III ■■
Poplar Point
Hassell
Hamilton
Goose Nest
TOTALS
■c
ti
o
(.0
10
14
31
113
174
41
224
-it
s
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2
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3
O
209
80
212
165
232
299
84
217
T7
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7b
c
53
15
15
30
98
159
45
208
£
st
3
O
u
fiC
211
73
207
175
258
318
85
239
St
‘C
j©
S3 <
4
0
0
0
5
3
0
4
A*
41
10
13
12
118
192
28
80
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T3
o ®
CG c«
144
57
71
71
67
138
69
116
miiim
14
21
44
73
71
64
89
117
12
18
46
58
6S
72
100
124
0 4
0 10
1 46
0 39
1 44
0 21
1 43
2 91
884 1876 827 I960 17 617 20 954
Stanley
s
8
3
«■»
104
23
141
143
171
174
52
0 273
M
H
137
34
100
134
203
333
80
294
A
a
£
e
H
78
33
20
18
49
99
27
79
!S
U
s
3
50
23
35
24
04
102
32
54
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it
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u
180
50
130
127
205
374
82
373
ot
0 44
0 61
0 00
0 91
05
67
104
112
7
7
15
33
17
13
15
27
57
71
110
149
4 1421 1797 483 489 2045
Miller
89
21
56
43
99
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111
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200
201
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100
280
59
247
Jl
41
10
18
15
82
28
78
#
4
10
11
38
00
10
49
22
108
27
01
85
198
279
43
231
45
80
32
' i>2
33
100
131
56
117
2g
32
14
44
39
31
52
72
90
41
37
70
82
13
24
30
12 ,
15
20
30
31
37
57
Ml
38
29
47
41
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
770 1324 1473 410 341 1293
790
7
4
lVilliard
Club Members Get
$300 Prize Money
At Beef-Hog Show
Over $200 Paid To Prize
Hop; Fxhiliilors And
$100 To Olliers
Approximately $300 prize
money was paid recently to win
ning exhibitors at the 1948 Martin
County Fat Stock Show. Spon
sored by the various civic organi
zations and the county Farm Bu
reau, the show was long on hogs,
over $200 going to the club rnein
bers for making the hog show one
of the best in the State this year.
Approximately $100 was paid to
the exhibitors of winning steers.
Prizes were awarded to the
youthful boys and girls as fol
lows:
Prize List of Steers
Mary Jane Rogers, Grand
Champion, Williamston 4-H Club,
$25; Billy Bailey, Reserve Cham
pion, Everetts, 4-H Club, $20;
John C. Gurganus, Third Place,
Hamilton 4-H Club, $10; Lynette
Haislip, Fourth Place, Oak City
4-H Club, $10; Johnnie Price,
Fifth Place. Williamtson 4-H
Club, $8; Mayhue Bailey, Sixth
Place, Bear Grass 4-H Club, $8;
William Purvis, Seventh Place,
Hassell 4-H Club, $8; Peggy Gur
ganus, Eighth Place, $5.
Prize List On Hogs—Individuals
Ralph Mobley, Grand Champ
ion, Robersonville FFA, $20; N. C.
Hyman, Reserve Champion Oak
City 4-H. $15; Virginia Price, Sec
ond Light Weight, Williamston
4-H, $8; N. C. Hyman, Second
Heavy Weight, Oak City 4-H, $8;
Jack Woolard, Third Place Light
Weight, Williamston 4-H, $6;
Mary Alice Warren, Third Place
Heavy Weight, Robersonville 4-H,
(Continued on page eight)
County Boards Will
Mart Ht‘r4‘ Monday
-♦
The mepnbers of the board of
education and county board of
commissioners will hold regular
meetings here next Monday morn
ing, the education group to study
budget estimates and the commis
sioners to handle routine business.
The education board is slated to
meet at 10:00 o’clock, and the com
missioners are convening their
session at 9:30 o’clock.
Issue Twenty-Four
Marriage Licenses
In Martin County
Issuance Is Well Above The
Average For The
Month of May
Twenty-four marriage licenses
were issued by the office of Reg
ister of Deeds J. Sam Getsinger in
this county last month, the issu
ance being well above the average
reported for the month of May
during the past seventeen years.
While the issuance established no
new record, it was as large as any
reported for the particular
month.
Licenses were issued, eleven to
white and thirteen to colored
couples, last month as follows:
White
Macon V. DeBerry of Rocky
Mount and Beula Mae Johnson of
Robersonville.
Melvin Augustus Glisson and
Rhodie Pearl Harrison, both of
Williamston.
John Leonard Parker, Jr., of
Colerain and Anna Bolton Cowcn
of Williamston.
Allen Tanner of Williamsburg,
Va., and Mary Blizabeth Harrell
of Hilton Village, Va.
William L. Taylor, RFD 3, Wil
liamston, and Mary Louise Pate,
RFD 1, Williamston.
Charles E. Hines, Jr., of Wil
liamston, and Helen Lois Manning
of Oak City.
Jim Henry Scott and Maddie
Scott, both of Hassell. '
Samuel D. Manning, RFD 2, Ro
bersonville, and Mary Stalls of
Robersonville.
Samuel A. Tuten, Jr„ of Wash
ington and Garnette L. Crocker of
Seaboard and Williamston.
Arthur F. Harrison and Norma
Pearl Harrison, both of Williams
ton.
Jack Hilton Liles, RFD 1,
Bailey, and Dorothy May Wynne
of Williamston.
(Continued on page eight)
Will Broadcast
Church Service
■
The Sunday morning service in
the Memorial Baptist Church here
will be broadcast over the Tar
boro radio station, it was announc
ed by the pastor, Rev. Stewart B.
Simms. The station, heretofore
limiting its religious broadcasts
to church inside Tarboro, is go
ing outside to pick up the broad
casts for the first time.
Quite a few broadcasts have
originated here in past years, but
this is the first time that a re
ligious service will be put on the
air here.
>
| GRAND OPENING
v-/
The finishing; touches are
being made to Williainston’s
$100,000 theater — the Viccar
—for the grand opening this
evening at 7:00 o’clock.
Displayed in full splendor
by the removal of the safety
barrier this week, the theater
front has attracted favorable
and wide comment. And the
interior is even more impres
sive with its modernistic fin
ish and “out-o’-this-world”
equipment.
Judge J. C. Smith
Hears Eidit Cases
O
In County’s Court
--
Docket Last Monday Small*
est Before Tribunal In
A Loti" Time
Judge Calvin Smith called eight
cases in the Marlin County Re
corder's Court iast Monday and
held the tribunal in session until
about 11:30 o’clock before clear
ing the docket. Just a medium
size crowd attended the session.
A jury trial was held and when
a verdict of guilty was returned,
the defendant appealed to the
higher court. The docket this
week was the smallest the court
had handled in several months.
Proceedings:
Called befo're the court in a
non-support case, David Rix Har
rell was ordered to continue the
payment of $30 a month for the
support of his two children, the
court continuing the action until
the last Monday in May of next
year.
Adjudged guilty in the case
charging him with drunken driv
ing, J. Leon Wynne appealed to
the superior court, and bond was
required in the sum of $130.
Pleading guilty of violating the
fishing laws, William E. Briley
was fined $10 and taxed with the
costs. It w'as revealed at the hear
ing that the defendant had been
fishing without a license.
Charged with careless, reckless
driving and speeding, M. P. Ben
nett was fined $110 and required
to pay the costs. The court did
not recommend that the defend
ant's driver’s license be revoked.
George Erwin Brown pleaded
guilty of speeding and was fined
$10 and taxed with the costs.
Melvin Higgs pleaded not guilty
when charged with non-support. J
He was adjudged guilty and the
case was continued under prayer |
for judgment upon the payment j
of the costs until July 3, 10*111.
Mallie Grover Barnes, pleading
guilty of speeding, was fined $25
and required to pay the costs.
Pleading guilty of assaulting a
female, Vance Price was fined $25
and taxed with the costs.
Funeral Tuesday
For Mrs. ( Iiesson
—*—
Funeral services were conduct
ed Tuesday afternoon at 4:00
o'clock at her late home in Oak
City for Mrs. Effie Worsley Ches
son who died there Monday mom
ing after a long illness. Elder
Will E. Grimes, Primitive Baptist
minister of Pactolus, conducted
the service and interment was in
the Oak City Cemetery.
Mi's. Chesson, 02, was born in
Oak City, the daughter of the late
Nathan and Sarah Long Worsley.
She lived there all her life and
engaged in the mercantile busi
ness there for a number of years.
Her condition had been serious
for weeks and the end was ex
pected. In early womanhood she
was married to L. T. Chesson.
Surviving are two sons, Richard
W. Chesson of Norfolk, and L. T.
Chesson, Jr., of Dunedin, Florida;
one brother, N. W. Worsley of Oak
City; two sisters, Mrs. M. L. John
son of Oak City and Mrs. ,1. II.
Wiggins of Pinetops; two grand
sons, and one granddaughter.
Budget Calls For An
Income of $132,710
RKCilSTRATION
v
Very little interest is being
shown in the registration for
the special town bond elec
tion to be held on Tuesday,
June 15, Registrar John G.
Pope stating yesterday that
only three new names had
been added to the books.
It is pointed out that one
whose name is already on tne
municipal registration books4
will not find it necessary to
register again to participate
in the bond vote. Those whose
names are not on the books,
including those who have be
come of age since the last
election, will have to register
to vote in the special bond
election. The books close Fri
day of this week.
Justice Johnson
Called Fourteen
Cases This Week I
-<►
Imposes Fines In the Sinn
(If $130 21I One Session
Las! Moniluy
One of the local inferior courts !
took on till' appearance of a high- :
or tribunal this week when Jus- !
tiee R. T. Johnson called up four- j
teen defendants, meted out sev-1
oral road sentenees and imposed!
fines amounting to $130. It was
one of the largest sessions a minor
court had held here in some time.
The main business of the court
centered around disorderly eon
duct charges brought against eight
defendants loitering around Rid
ley’s pool room. Each was fined
$10 and taxed with the court costs.
The owner, James Ridley, charged
with allowing a public nuisance to
exist in his place of business, was
fined $M) and taxed with the cost,
lie was sentenced to the roads for
thirty days, but the court suspend- i
ed the load term upon the pay
ment of the fine and costs. The
eight defendants, James Stokes,
William A. Davis, George Wil
hums, John Graham, Jr., Willie
(Shorty) Gorham, William Gor
(Continued on page eight)
Albright Taking
Neutral Position
R. Mayne Albright, holding a
third but commanding position
in the race for governor, made a
statement this week, declaring
bis neutrality in the second
primary race for the high state
office.
He declared that it was up to
the people to decide who would
be their next governor, and he
went on to urge the people to
cast a large vote on June 2(1.
Oscar Barker, fourth man in
the last Saturday primary, an
nounced for Chas. M. Johnson.
At the same time, Albright’s man
ager joined the Scott forces for
the second round in the race for
governor.
Test Sentiment
For And Against
Parkins; Meters
Town To I'usli Sc«(t lane
(anineetion ami Sale of
N cliiclt* Tag*
According to preliminary esti
mates offered by Treasurer Dan
Sharpe to the town commissioners
in session last Tuesday evening, it
will require $132,710 to finance
the town's operation during the
1948-49 fiscal year. The estimates,
arrived at following a study with
the heads of the various depart
ments, are only tentative and are
based on figures that can't be ful
ly determined until the end of
the current fiscal year on June 30.
The treasurer pointed out that
the estimates are slightly in ex
cess of those made for the current
year, that considerable sums will
be required to finance a new deep
well, the purchase of a motorgrad
er and other equipment. Antici
pated revenue is based on a $2 per
$100 assessed property valuation,
the treasurer explaining that ap
proximately $64,804.80 is being
anticipated in general, property
taxe., lie stall'd that the assessed
valuation gained $303,000, boost
ing the total property worth to
$3,240,000.
Discussing the perplexing park
ing problem, the commissioners
directed that a survey be made to
determine the sentiment of the
various business operators. It was
explained that all day parking by
quite a few vehicle operators is
common, that repeated appeals
for limited parking had failed. It
was also pointed out that the met
ers could be installed on a trial
basis, that if they did not help
relieve the condition they could
be removed without cost to the
town.
Advised by health official:: that
a near menace is existing to the
public health, the commissioners
favored a movement calling for
connections where sewer lines are
available.
Learning that the owners of ap
proximately sixty motor vehicles
had not purchased city tags, the
commissioners turned the matter
over to the police, calling for im
mediate sale.
The need for enlarging Wood
lawn Cemetery was discussed and
action is anticipated within the
next few months.
A petition for paving a block on
North Higgs Street from Main to
Church was received.
Reporting collections to date,
Treasurer Sharpe said that $59,
787.37 of the 1947 levy of $61,
986.87 been collected, leaving an
unpaid balance of $2,199.50. Pav
ing assessments had been collect
ed in the sum of $1,623.79, leav
ing no balance due.
The police department reported
that 44 persons were arrested dur
ing the month, that 31 were tried
and that fines and costs amount
ed to $544.75. Trials are pending
in twelve cases, and one charge
was nol pressed.
Yoiilli Mur! WliiMi
Cur Turned Over
Junior Moore, 17, was painfully
but not 'oudly hurt when h.-, old
model cur turned over with him
on U. S. Highway about two miles
south of here early Tuesday even
ing’. He was driving toward Wil
liamston when a tire blew out,
causing him to lose control. The
mahcine turned over, wrecking it
beyond repair and cutting him on
the head and leg. He also was
skinned and bruised on other
parts of iiis body. Moore was to
have reported to the army at Fort
Bragg yesterday. One estimate
placed the damage to the ear at
$250.
escaped injury but he did about
$500 damage to his brother Asa’s
1047 Ford about 4:00 o'clock last
Saturday morning when In i an it
into a parked bus on West Main
Street here.
Distressing Facts
Bared In County
By School Clinics
--
Hundred' lndernouris<lie<l
\nd I’hy-ieal Defeels
Vre Numerous
Pic school clinics and health
: examinations recently made by
the health department in certain
J grades brought to light some dis
tressing facts, according to a re
! port released a few days ago by
j Health Officer John Williams,
j Hundreds of children, white and
I colored, are undernourished. Phy
! sical defects are fairly numerous.
I Absences ran into high figures in
some of file schools.
In the prc-school clinics, the de
partment examined 210 children
in the white schools. More than
half or 120 were undernourished,
seventy seven had defective teeth
and twenty six had diseased ton
sils. The department vaccinated
192 against smallpox.
Tlie pre-school clinics > ’.he col
ored schools revealed that of the
103 children examined, 58 were
undernourished, that sixteen had
defective teeth and seven had dis
eased tonsils. Ninety-six were
vaccinated against smallpox.
As a whole, health among the
color^i! children of pre-school age
is better than among white chil
dren.
Most of the defects can be re
medied, and the health officer is
urging the parents to act now,
pointing out that by waiting until
school opens next fall the parents
will not give their children a
square deal. The health office!
also pointed out that state law re
quires immunization against diph
theria, whooping cough as well as
small pox by the time the child
is one year old. "To wait until he
enters sc ho 1 the child has passed
the most dangerous period for
whooping cough and diphtheria
and is certainly a fair target for
smallpox." tiie health officer said.
Going into the schools a short
time ago and examining children
in the first and third grades, the
health examiners found 41 or 6
percent of the (139 pupils enrolled
iu the two grade, in the white
schools absent. Ot the 598 exam
ined 335 were found undernour
ished. It was found that 390 or
65 percent had postural defects or
bad postural habits. Eighteen or
three percent had the itch or im
petigo. Nine had never been vac
cinated against smallpox. Ten
had obvious eye defects. Dental
defects numbered 253, and 416 or
69 percent had bad oral hygiene.
Sixty had diseased tonsils, need
ing immediate attention, and 165
had tonsils which could be class
ed as suspicious. Nine hud ortho
pedic trouble.
In tiie colored schools, the ex
aminers found the attendance fig
ures pretty well shot. Of the 1,
174 enrolled in the first and third
grades in the colored schools, 364
or 31 percent were absent. Forty
two percent or 343 of the 810 pres
ent wen undernourished. Fifty
five percent or 450 had bad pos
ture. Twenty-one had the itch.
Eleven are cross-eyed. Just about
one out of four or 188 had dental
defects, and 707 or 87 percent had
bad oral hygiene. Ninety-seven
had diseased tonsils, and 78 had
tonsils which could be classed as
suspicious. Nearly 200 of the 810
had never been vaccinated against
.smallpox.
Medium Vote Is
Cast In County
—*•—
While no large vote was pre
dicted, the number ol' people par
tieipating in the primary election
in this county last Saturday fell
below expectations. Few expect
ed less than 3,500 votes would be
cast, but the final count showed
onl.\ 3,140 against 2,989 cast in the
primary of two years ago.
The vote b\ precincts follows
with the 1948 count lirst and the
1940 vote second:
Jamesville, 309 and 280; Wil
liams. 103 ar.d 89; Griffins, 254 and
241; Bear Grass, 249 and 227; Wil
liamstmi No. 1. 371 and 344, WH
OM
"nanicion i\o. a, aa i attu 9SS? Gross1
Roads, 157 and 218; Robeison
ville, 480 and 456; Gold Point, 126
Ha .sell, 93 and 80; Hamilton,
and 137, Goose Nes*., 228 and
,