TOE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BJ OVER 3,00# MARTIN COCNT1 FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LI—NUMBER 46 PT illiamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, June II. 1*)IH ESTABLISHED 1899 County Officials In Session Here Monday Morning Stair Commission Agrees To Add Three Roads To Its System Martin County's commissioners handled lengthy routine duties, cleared their calendar and ad journed before lunch here yester day. The officials plan to meet later in the month to tackle the budget figures for the next fiscal year. For a quite a number of years the commissioners have been, upon the request of the citizens, asking the State Highway and Public Works Commission to add new roads to the state system. A similar request was made at the meeting this week, and from time to time the commission has grant ed these requests. At the current meeting the commissioners were advised that the commission had added three roads at one time. The first of the three roads to be added starts at a point 1.7 miles southwest of Everetts near the E. A. Clark old home place and runs via George Keel's and Walter Beach’s, a distance of about one mile. The second road to be add ed leads in a northwestwardly di rection from the old Greenville Road nine-tenths of a mile toward Paul Bailey's and John M. Bow en’s farms. The third road is known as the Warren Neck Road, running from a point near Dar dens to a point near the pulp mill, a distance of about two miles. A request was received from citizens in the Farm Life section, urging the commissioners to ap peal for a wider road from Man ning and Gurkin's store, via Ma- j pie Grove church, P. E. Getsing- j er's and W. G. Hardison’s and: others to Route 171. In accordance with the terms of j a special county law, the commis-' sioners paid Roberson’s Slaughter House $460 for forty-six sheep j killed and maimed by dogs on May 14. In joint session with the Martin "wumrfa-, (v - o'. Ed t “ * officials reappointed V. J. Spivey] as chairman of the Martin County Alcoholic Beverages Control Board for a term of three years. The appointment was made sub served as chairman of the ABC j board since it was created back in j 1935 Commissioner C. A. Roberson whs named to inspect the county home property. A contract for auditing the vari ous county departments was awarded to Frank E. Butler, CPA, of Rocky Mount, for $550. Tax relief orders, supported by errors, death or other valid caus es were allowed, as follows: Ulys ses Cherry of Williams Township, $2; William Midgett, late of Wil liamston, $2; Isolene Meeks of Williamston, $1.25; Laura Moore, of Williamston, 63 cents; and Don ald H. Jenkins of Robersonville, $2. Gets Thirty Davs J j For Jail Assault —*— Aiready facing trial on three or more counts, including assault with intent to kill, Leamon Ben nett, colored man, added another charge last Saturday night when he beat and battered Joe Frank Mabry in jail. Apparently without provoca tion, Bennett hopped on Mabry, throwing a bowl at him and then mauling him in the eye with his fist and kicking him. Charged with an assault, Ben nett was carried- before Judge J. C. Smith in the county court yes terday and was sentenced to the roads for sixty^dj^'s Bennett said that Mabry, partly drunk, was carried to jail with two others, that he was forced in to action by their cursing and rowdyism. In pleading his case he saiu that they carried Christ could find no fault with the man, and that they crucified Him. "And that s what they are doing to me— crucifying me.” Bennett appealed to the higher; court, and it now looks as if his cases will require the greater part of a day of the court’s time. Bond Election Vote Slated for June 15th Town’s Rond Debt At Present Stands! Right At $200,000 Need for Larger Water Stor age Facilities And Ex tensions Imperative Williamston's citizens will de-1 cide in a bond election next Tues day whether to call for the issu ance of $100<000 in bonds for the construction of a 300,000-gallon cappacity water storage and sew er and water line extensions (within the town) or live in faith with the present inadequate sys tem. No high pressure tactics are be ing employed for or against the proposal, the commissioners de ciding, after a careful study of the situation as it exists, to place it before the people for a final de cision. That the expansion program will cost something is readily ad mitted, but it was also pointed out that unless action is taken to re lieve present conditions the town stands to lose in the march of pro gress, not to mention the possi bility of a water shortage and other risks. The present system was install ed more than a quarter century ago when there were only 1,800 people in the town. The popula tion has been increased by about three times since then, and the recent added growth is taxing the system to a dangerous limit In fact, there are certain periods when the customary demand can not be met with the present facili ties under normal operating con ditions. In other words, the 75, 000 gallon elevated storage is not sufficient to guarantee normal de mands, not to mention an emerg ency. Local authorin' is, ^studying the needs, reached trie conclusion tHat there’s little else to do but go ahead with the program. They found that the present elevated tank is in bad condition, that ex tensive repairs are needed if it is to pass inspection much longer. The proposed program is based entirely on needs within the town, but, naturally, it will re lieve the condition for all served by the present system. There are still sections of the town not serv ed by sewer lines, and if the town’s growth is to be maintain ed, the service must be extended. Turning to the town’s bonded debt picture, the officials find that approximately $200,000 bonds are outstanding. Well over half that amount or $110,000 is a hangover from the 1919-1920 program which was advanced for the initial water and electric systems. In another ten years, just about all the cur rent bonded debt wilj have been retired, leaving just about $28,000, unpaid. A considerable portion of the current bonded debt, or ap proximately $80,000 would have been nearing maturity, but there was a general refunding of the town’s bonds in 1941, the action (Continued on page eight) I SCOTT HERE I _ j Swinging into the north eastern section of the State, Kerr Scott, candidate for gov ernor, is building up his fences for the second primary to be held on Saturday, June 26. Declaring there is a def inite swing toward his candi dacy, Scott is stopping here for lunch and will move on into Bertie, Chowan, Perqui mans and Pasquotank Coun ties this afternoon. County Without A Highway Death In Over Three Years | —,— Only Four Countirs Willi oul a Fatal Koa«l Vcci (lout In Past Year RALEIGH.—When it comes to Highway Safety, Graham County holds by a long shot the best re cord in the State—not a single: traffic deatli has occurred in the entire county since 1944. Three years without a traffic fatality is some record, especially in North Carolina, where 836 highway deaths occurred in 1947, 1,028 in 1946, and 732 in 1945. In 1945, Graham was one of four counties to go through the year without a traffic tragedy. The other three were Gates. Tyrrell, and Yancey, and all these coun ties got a hearty word of praise from the Motor Vehicle Depart ment and its safety experts. Then came ’46, and the number of counties with perfect safety re cords dropped to three—Jones, j Swain, and little Graham again. That was some record- two years' in a row, and Department officials 1 v. ::r>d.-:ring if maybe the old prod;. ti,»n that happens twice happens three times,” might hold true for Graham. When the tabulations for the entire year 1947 were in, again Graham held the record of no traffic deaths for the year. 'Three other counties held perfect scores for '47—Camden, Clay, and Yan cey. Yancey had reported no deaths in '45, but in '46 its mot- j ousts slipped up and four persons met violent death on the high- j ways. But the little mountain County | of Graham, bordering on Tennes-1 see, was still in there pitching—] for three years her citizens had! found other ways to die; at any rate, they were not being killed in auto accidents. Graham's safety record is even more astounding in view of the fact that Fontana, one of the fav orite vacation spots of North Car-1 olina, is located there, and even \ the tourists and vacationists have 1 not marred the perfect record. What about ’48'.' Again, Graham ! has come through. For the first | (Continued on page eight) -o Aged Wman Dies j In County Friday — . # •Tamer Rogers Biggs, thought to be around 100 years old, died at the home of her daughter, Anna Brown, near Williamston last Fri day night. She had been in de clining health for some years, but ; was able to be up until about three weeks ago. Just prior to I that time she was able to walk with the aid of another. She had been blind for about three years. She was married to James Biggs soon after the Civil Wa. and he died a few years ago and was buried in the Biggs Cemetery on the Staton farm. There were eleven children born to the union, six of whom survive her. She is also survived fm iuv. iimn cii 15b' great-grandchildren. Funeral services were conductr eu in the Hickory Grove Baptist Church yesterday afternoon and interment was in the cemetery there, near her old home. Her pastor, Ifcv. Goldus Godard, con ducted the last rites. Two Are Slightly Hurt In Accident —<»— Jesse Samuel Fulford of Rober sonville and Enna Eide who gave her address as Williamston, were •slightly hurt when their car, an old 1930 model Ford, crashed into the left railing of Gray's bridge in the Farm Life section late Mon day afternoon. Fulford was driv ing south on Highway 171 and was said to have been under the influence of some intoxicant. Charged with drunken driving he was jailed along with his compan ion who was booked for public drunkenness. Fulford was cut on tile bp and forehead. They were treated in1 the county jail j Investigating the accident, Pa-j trolman J. T. Rowe estimated the' damage to the car at $50 and that' to the bridge at $100, the officer stating that the car ripped away part of the railing and one post. I Fire Burns Home And Catches Two Others Saturday -o Lons: Block of Property In West Knd Threatened hate In Afternoon Fire, starting from an oil stove, almost destroyed the home of Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Bellflower, caught two others and threatened a block of property on the Slaughter House Road in West End late last Saturday afternoon. For a while it looked as if the fire would wipe out most of the homes in the long block. The town’s fire depart ment answered the call and first tackled the fire with a small wat er line connected directly to the truck. There was some doubt if the 1,200 foot of large hose on the truck would reach from the fire to the nearest fire hydrant on the lower end o; Park Avenue in the West End settlement. With the fire gaining rapidly and convinced the small hose line was useless, the firemen started stringing out approximately 1,000 feet of hose, a call having been sent in for the town’s second fire truck. Much delay resulted in spread ing the long line of hose and only limited pressure could be applied to it, but once the water started moving, the firemen beat out the big fire, put out a fire that start l'd on the Whitaker house roof on one side and wet down the Thom as house on the other side of the Bellflower home. Part of the roof and a small sec tion of the front of the Bellflower home did not burn, but for all practical purposes the structure was damaged beyond repair. The fire spread rapidly, the smoke from the composition shin gles drifting across Highway (14 about one-half block away. Mem bers of the family and neighbors and other friends could save only a few pieces of furniture from the home, but neighbors moved out most of their belongings from the adioimng homes, one report said. The home, owned by A. Sanford 1 jm^ojyjo^^a.ii only v^bouiiisur anee, and insurance carried by the occupants on their household fur nishings expired lust March, mak ing their estimated $1,500 or $1, 1100 loss complete. A canvass was made for funds for the family who lost most of their belongings in a fire about four years ago on the Clark farm near Williamston. It was the second time the house had caught fire, firemen barely saving the structure about eight or ten years ago. Firemen, missing the truck and trying to make it to the fire in their own conveyances, were de layed several minutes when the public crowded the streets. Some of the firemen found it necessary to park in Abbitt's mill yard, a block or more from the fire. The owner was looking over his property yesterday but it could not be learned if he planned to re build. 20 Tons Tobacco Burned Abroad • London, Eng,—Bales of tobacco weighing 40,000 pounds began to go up in smoke recently. The British Army arc burning it. It was lend-lea.se tobacco which had been kept in Tripoli ware houses since it was shipped there during the war. At present prices it could have been sold in this country for 120,000 pounds f$4!10, 000 ) Efforts to sell the tobacco to Egypt, Palestine and other places or to return it to the U. S. A fail ed. Clause 9 of Lend-lease for bids the transport of the tobacco to Britain because it would intcr fer with the tobacco trade be tween this country and the U. S. A. Storage charges mounted at such a rate that it took the new War Minister, Mr. Shinwell, and his experience at the Fuel Minis try todecideUiebcstandcheap-J Tsf^^y7!ffT,lwofflcPffe*T^T!WnnTT^ lot. Xbe deci’-Oir. to destroy, the. to.-, baceo was received by the Army j authorities in Tripoli, and are the first to go up in smoke. Soldiers must not burn it in their own pipes. That would be against the King's regulations. I Sentiment Strong For The Installation Of Parking Meters In Business District I While still detesting the tilings, a large majority of business men, realizing that something has fb be done to help relieve the existing condition, last week-end express ed a strong sentiment for the in stallation of parking meters in the town's business districts. A pe [ tition, asking the business house heads to express their wishes, has not been circulated in its entirety, but the last report on it listed six ty-seven for and nine against the installation of meters. Every thing being equal, it is quite like ly that the town officials in their next meeting will call for bids on meters. Chief W. E. Saunders was dis patched to the business house owners and managers with the pe tition, and he reports that there was no strong opposition offered, but, at tlie same time, no one I seemed to be overjoyed by the prospect that meters would be in stalled, However, several said that something had to be done, ! that even farmers and other out j of-tovvn patrons had spoken for I meters in the belief that they could get within shouting dis lanee of the business districts. The circulation of the petition reached 1 a climax when one petitioner, en terim> opposition, called the paper back to vote "Yes'' when he saw parked in front of Ins door the car of a clerk working in another store The town officials have express ed determination to eliminate the revenue feature of the meters. They are anxious to provide park ing space for visitors, to work with the merchants and employes in finding out-of the way parking places for the homofolks. According to some reports, the meters can bo installed without any cash outlay on the part of the town. Minor Accidents On County Roads —-<•>— — Three minor accidents were re ported on the highways of this county during the past few days. No one was hurt and damage was limited, Patrolman J. T. Rowe and M. F. Powers reported. Driving his Ford five passeng er coupe on U. S. 17 about four miles out of Williamston, John Dinwiddie Mobley, local young man, dropped off to sleep about 12:30 o'clock last Saturday morn ing and ran off the right side of the road. He was awakened when the car struck a mail box, but it was too late to miss a parked ear belonging to Henry t\ Moore. Mobley was not hurt and damage was limited to a broken wind shield, and battered fenders. Da mage h> the Moore car was esti mated at $20 and that to the Mob ley car at about $50 by Patrolman Howe who made flic investiga tion. Driving west on U. S. 04 about two miles out of Robt rsonville last Thursday afternoon, Joe R. James, RFD I, Stokes, started to make a lelt turn into a private drive just as Clay A. Bennett of Greenville started to pass in his 1947 Nash. The cars had been brought almost to a stop when the "Iv «;!$,’ HITWV j7!Vi \ »4 let. Patrolman Powers estimated the damage at $15 to the Chevro let and $30 to the Nash. No one was hurt. Dennis Whitaker, driving a log truck toward Highway 04 on the prison camp road, started to pass Mack Bowen's Ford apd sideswip ed it, doing very little damage, ac cording to Patrolman Rowe. Whitaker did not stop there, but Bowen iollowed him about, a mile and reported the accident to the patrol. Justice Johnson Hears Three Cases Justcie R. T. Johnson handled three cases in liis court during the latter part of last week, following a very busy session earlier in the week when he had fourteen de fendants before him. Thomas Ryan, drunk and dis orderly, was sentenced to the roads for thirty days, the court suspending the road term upon the payment of the costs. Charlie Clark and Dora Spruill, both charged with being drunk and disorderly were each fined $2.50 and taxed with'one half the costs. Judgment was suspended upon the payment of the costs in the case charging Eddie Dolphin and his wile with being drunk and disorderly. Justicr Hassell Has Five Cases Justice John L. Hassell, inac tive for several weeks, reopened his court here last evening and heard five cases. Drunk and disorderly, Perry Little was fined $1) and taxed with $7.50 costs Sam Mungin, drunk, was fined $10 and taxed with $10,50 cost: front of the courthouse, was fined Su. plus $0,60 costs. Judgment was suspended upon the payment of $8.50 costs for be ing drunk. Joe Mabry was fined S5 and tax ed with $8.50 costs lor being drunk. Give Strong Support To Business Bureau I --« Organization To Carrv On Work of Various Agencies r> Letulrrs (ionfi«l<‘iil $5,000 (>o;il W ill ll<* Kc.h IkmI W iilliii ;i Fnv Days -— A bettor business bureau -an organization designed to handle duties ordinarily carried on by various agencies is almost a cer tainty for Williamston, according to a preliminary report released I yesterday by a representative of j the committee. Briefly stated the proposed bu reau is being organized with the view of coordinating the work or dinarily handled by various agen uk s. The bureau proposed to es tablish a credit rating department, to fix holiday closing dates and hours, promote special trade j events, cooperate-with the tobacco' market in a general advertising program, prepare information! TTTnVui tile WftTWtSTi(MT and discuss various problems af fecting the trade and the town in general. Reporting on the organization drive to date, a member of thej committee explained that a large portion of the town had been can vassed, that a large majority of the business leaders favored the proposal, and that only one with held his support. The plan calls for $5,000 to fin ante the organization the first year, and the leaders are confi dent the amount can and will he raised. Commenting on the organiza tion, a representative of the spec ial committee said: "Williamston is in need of some such organization to act as a clear ing house for the problems that come before the business men. Also, to act as a sort of mediator when it comes to settling traffic problems, closing days and hours, "special trade days”, to work witli the Tobacco Board of Trade, and to answer inquiries from people wishing to come to Williamston, or those trying to get information about our town. "Before the drive is over, the canvassing committee hopes to enlist every business man, both fi nancially, physically, and morally. If all the merchants and proles sional men participate, then it will be a good thing. If just a few font.ibute and work, then it will wither as other organizations have done Also, there is some involv ed—if this is divided among many then the cost is small, but if just a lew have to support it, then it (Continued on page eight) -» Ilrrol;* inn In Mill Irridrnl Urn1 Monde -» Elbert Person, young colored man, suffered a compound frac ture of the left arm below the el how while working at Whitley’s S'" mill mi Sycamore Street here The man was pulled into a piece ol machinery when .his. shirt got caught iii a set screw. His shut torn away, the man ran nearly two blocks to the Wilhamston Supply Company office where he was placed in a car and carried to a doctor lor treatment. r KOI MM I Local and county officers were busy rounding up the drunks Iasi week-end, a re port from Jailer Roy Reel staling that nine persons were detained temporarily in the jail, seven of them for public drunkenness. One, a migrant worker from Florida, was held for operating a motor vehicle without a license, and a ninth person was jailed for alleged bastardy. Fight of the nine were col ored, including a woman. The ages of the group ranged from 17 to r>ti years. Former Resident Of County Passes John Henry Wildman, 14, died in a Winston Salem hospital early last Thursday morning following a eei eljral i a mm i hag' . n I! < ; ' > I the day heWrfs^ " The son of Rev. J. T. and Jose pi line Ericson Wildman, he w as born in Georgia, and moved with his parents to Martin County, lo cating in Parmele in 1920 He completed his high school educa tion at Washington Collegiate In stitute in 1025, attending Citizens Military Training Camps each summer, and entered government service in 1935, working with the Civilian Conservation Corps, Dm mg the war he served in the mili tary forces at home and abroad, and since the war he had been em ployed by the Veterans Adminrs tration with headquarters in Win ston Salem. He was a member of the Presbyterian church. Surviving are his wife, the fur mer Lenten llrnwn; one son, John E. Wildman, and a daughtci, Eli/ abeth Wildman, all ol Winston Salem; lus lather; five brutlieis, C. E. of Oxford, Lieut. Col. Albert (’. Wildman of Korea; Carl C and Victor of Louisville, Ky , Paul’C. of Portsmouth, Va. and Raymond J, Wildman of Wilmington; two sisters, Mis. Josephine Johnson of Fayetteville and Mis. Carl White sides of Marion. Funeral services' were held Friday at I 1 a. m. from the Bogin Chapel, conducted by Dr. George Mauze, with inter ment in Elmwood cemetery, Ox ford. MU. President Lists Committees i* Recently elected to head the Williamston Parent Teacher Av.u elation as president, V. .1. Spivey last week end announced commit t< e chairmen to aid the organiza tion's work this summer and next iiool ter nr: " """ The committee chairmen: Procedure and by-laws, It. L. Cobuin and J. 11. Edwards; pro gram, Mrs. living Margolis and Mrs John L. Gull’; membership. Brown; finance, A J Manning and Mrs (i. G Woolard; socui, Mr, George Pee! and Mrs. 1! P Mobley; music, Mrs. Beecher Pat terson and Miss Grace Tulton; lunch room, W. B. Gaylord and Miss Ruth Manning, publicity. E. I M. Manning and L>. G. Stewart. | ()\<t Six Hundred Lose Licenses In State Last Month Omt (t.ftOO l umirkil of Trnifir Law \ iolalious During I’rriod -♦ KALH1GH During May, 0(55 persons lost their driving licenses in North Carolina because of drunken driving, the Motor Ve hicle Department announced to* day. This compared with 842 persons who lost their licenses for the same offense during May of last year, and brought total drunken driving convictions for 1948 to 4, 024. The May drunken driving convictions were nearly 300 less titan in April, when 959 motorists had their licenses revoked for this offense. Revocations and suspensions processed during May totaled 1, 023 That included 08 persons caught driving drunk outside the State, 40 for driving drunk and miscellaneous, 30 for speeding ov er 75 miles per hour, 32 for trans porting liquor, 13 for two offenses of speeding over 55 miles per hour; 19 for larceny of automo bile, and 28 for driving after li cense.: had been revoked. Seven persons lost their licenses for being habitual violators of the traffic laws, four for failure to show proof of financial responsi bility, six for hit-and-run, and seven for aiding and abetting in transporting liquor. In addition, 418 other drivers were convicted on charges of reckless driving, bringing to 1,872 total reckless driving convictions for the year. However, reckless driving re quiri , no revocation or suspen sion on 111 si offense. A total of 8,803 other motorists were convicted of traffic viola tions which do not constitute a re vocation or suspension for the first offense The leading convictions in this class were for speeding, with 2, 721 offenders, bringing to 111,251 l .till , peed • e.i', a'f. for the * t■ i i, have drivel's license, 1,224; faulty equipment, 579; improper lights, 292; driving on wrong side of road, >2; failing to stop at inter section, 48; tailing to stop when entering highway, 24; failing to dim lights, 29; passing on curve, 28; running through red lights, 331; passing school bus loading or unloading, 57. C >I the total violators, 5,819 were North Carolinians, and the re maining 984 were out of state mo torists. June Marriages (>ff To Big Start II the present trend is maintain ed throughout the month, Juno will see a record number of mar riage in this county, according to an advance report coming from the office of the Martin County register of deeds. Seven marriage licenses were i sued iu the first few days to the following couples: George H. Wynne and Mamie Estelle Adams, belli of Williams ton; Cot il H. Williams of Wash ington, D and Augusta Lewis of New Bern; Sylvester Fuller Bailee and Elizabeth Everett, both ol ltaleigh; George Dewey Wade and Ruth Ford, both of Roberson ville; Arson William Hunt of Plymouth and Eunice Jane Phil lips of Williamston; William T. Howell and Reva Max Wilks, both of Robersonville; Frank Saunders Weaver and Lucy Mane Andrews, both of Williamston. \aiin‘ issistiinl limin' iurnt for tlir County Mi. - Aunts Beal has been nam ed assistant home demonstration agent for Martin County, suc ceeding Miss Garnette Crocker who recently resigned after an ef ' 1 i o ■ ’.‘-"ik to i ntcr the main Miss Beal, c. native of Red Oak, Nash County, is a graduate of W man’ College of .he I’nieer " sity of North Carolina, Greens boro. and taught in the Aulander school during the 1947-18 term. Shi plans to cuter upon her new work in this county on July 7#

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