THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1
* OVER 3,00# MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEER
VOLUME LI—NUMBER 70
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ HI
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT!
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEER
Williamslon. Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, September 2, /‘V18
ESTABLISHED 1899
M. G. Mann Speaks
To FCX Patrons In
• High School Here
' Approximately 850 Attend
ed Annual Meeting On
Wednesday Afternoon
Speaaing before 850 stockhold
ers and patrons of the Martin
FCX Service at their annual coun
4
ty meeting and picnic held yester
day afternoon in the Williamston
High School, M. G. Mann, general
manager of the Farmers Coopera
tive Exchange, declared that all
phases of agriculture must be or
ganized if this country hopes to
have a balanced economy.
“The records plainly show,”
Mann said, “that both labor and
4 industry have been growing
stronger and stronger through or
ganization, while agriculture has
been growing weaker due to the I
lack of organization until our en
tire economy is about to collapse."
Describing agriculture, labor
and industry as the foundation
ste-nes of our economic structure,
Mann said that it was an absolute
necessity for agriculture to keep
step with labor and industry in or
der to maintain economic balance.!
“Our entire economy depends
on agriculture,” Mann declared,
"when it fails both labor and in
dustry suffer as a result.’
Mann praised the wisdom and
foresight of the industry and lab
or leaders, adding, "But I deplore
the fact that the agricultural lead
* ership of 100 years ago did not
have the vision and wisdom to or- i
gani/.e the farmers for the protec
tion of their groups.”
"Business and labor have built
a sound foundation while agricul
ture has deteriorated and until'
we can get all phases of agricul
ture as well organized we will not
realize economic security.”
In showing how the farmers
could definitely profit through or-!
ganization, Mann cited the record
of the North Carolina Cotton
Growers Cooperative Association
with its 15,000 members. He said
that in the last three years alone,
it had saved the farmers of North
• Carolina more than ten million
dollars through its classing on a
grade and staple basis and
through scientific marketing.
“Farmers are also reaping many
rewards through their FCX which
is owned by over 80,000 farmers
in the two Carolinas,” Mann stat
ed. "Today the FCX has a net
worth t>f more than $3,500,000 and
last year did a record volume of
business of over $28,000,000.
He said that farmers in the two
Carolinas had pui chased and mar
keted more than 125 million dol- i
lars through their FCX since it
was organized 14 years ago.
“In addition to these services,”
Mann added, "the farmers also
own 36 seed-cleaning plants; man
ufacturing plants for feeds; fertil
izers; insecticides; farm maehin
I cry; paint; a hybrid-corn prof ess
ing plant (and is building an
other); grain elevators; farm ma
chinery distribution units; vari- '
ous marketing facilities; three
wholesale warehouses; and 48 re
tail FCX services.”
"These,” he concluded, "are a
economic necessity, because indi- ,
viduals are not willing to invest
the large sums of money neces- ]
(Continued on page eight)
-o
Hamilton Firm To
Reopen Business
Sixty-three days after fire 1
wrecked hi* store and Wiped uut j
an unusually large stock of mer- ;
chandise in Hamilton, Henry S.
Johnson, Jr., is reopening for busi
ness in a new and modern struc
ture with another large and ail- i
new stock of goods there.
The opening has been scheduled
for Wednesday of next week
when a special program will be i
offered, including a free show and '
valuable prizes. The owner, sur- j
viving his second disastrous fire 1
in the course of about three years, 1
is planning for a record number 1
of visits from patrons and other i
friends in the county and section.
The firm has long figured pro- j
minently in the merchandise field
in this section and the opening of!
its new store on September 8 is | ,
awaited by patrons and other
friends.
WALLACE GETS ARMED AID AFTER EGG BARRAGE
AFTER BEING GREETED by egg-hurling hecklers who left him with a spattered shirt (left) as he toured four
North Carolina towns, Henry Wallace is given armed protection upon his arrival in Durham, N. C. At right,
a National Guardsman, pistol in hand, makes a path through the crowd as the Progre^ive Party presiden
tial candidate (arrow) reached Durham to attend a state convention of his party. Gov. Gregg Cherry de
plored the violence of the receDtion Riven Wallace in some sections. (International 6'oundpiioto)
Over 400 Register For The
Draft In First Three Days
i—.. . i A
Four hundred and twenty-two
young men registered in this
county for the draft during the
first three days of the registra
tion, Draft Board Chairman Eu
gene Rice explaining that if the
ratio is maintained the total reg
istration will exceed the 2,088 es
timated by State draft officials
a short time ago.
There will be no registration
next Monday, Labor Day, it was
announced by the board chair
man, but registrations will be re
sumed the following day and con
tinue each day except Sunday
through September 18. After that
date the registration of 18-year
olds will be handled in the draft
board offices on the third floor of
Williamston’s city hall. The cur
rent registrations are being
handled by volunteers, headed by
Preacher John W. Hardy and Pro
fessor Harry Hughes, in the Am
erican Legion Hut on Watts Street
in Williamston. The registration
center, handling all registrations
for the county and a'few tran
sients, is opdn each day from 8:00
o'clock a m. untd 5:00 o’clock in
the afternoon.
The icgistration through yester
day included Kill white and 200
colored youths. There were 147
World War II veterans, 101 mar
ried non-veterans, 138 single men,
twenty-nine eighteen-years-olds,
who registered a bit out of turn,
and seven transients.
The Army is calling for 10,000
men foi November, and it is like
ly that early registrants will start
receiving questionnaires within
the next ten days or two weeks.
The quota for this county has not
been announced.
| LIMITED HOLIDAY
^___
Next Monday, Labor Day,
will be observed as a limited
holiday here. There will be no
tobacco sales on any of the
markets. The post office, li
quor store, and a few offices,
including federal and stale,
will be closed for the day.
Mercantile establishments
and most professional busi
ness and offices wii carry on
business as usual, it was
learned today.
FCX In County
Names Officers
Patrons of the Martin FCX Ser
vice, meeting in the high school !
here yesterday afternoon, named i
their directors for the Coming '
year, as follows: W. M. Hardison,
RFD 3, Williamston; T. B. Slade, ’
Hamilton; W. L. Taylor, RFD 2,
Williamston; J. Carl Griffin, j
Jamesville; and L A. Clark. Ever- !
etts.
Mrs. Hugh Bennett of Goose
Nest. Township won the $15 prize i
in the dress contest. Mrs. Jasper j
Woolard. RFD 1, Williamston, won
second ($10); Mrs. Lester Bryant,
RFD 3, Williamston, won third
prize ($5), and Mis. F. G. Bower., j
RFD Wi 1 iamston won fourth
(dress material)
Mrs. Zack Cowin, RFD 2, Wil
liamston was awarded $5 for
guessing the amount of volume of
business handled by the local FCX
last year.
Herman Dickenson, Jamesville,
and Verble Jones, Williamston,
won the horse-shoe contest.
The oldest mothers, Mrs. F. G.
Bowen, RFD 2, Williamston, and
Mrs. Mozella Williams, RFD 1,
Williamston, and the oldest fath
er, Mr. W. W. Griffin, 80, of Wil
liamston Route 1, in attendance
upon the meeting were remem
bered. Door prizes went to James
Williams, RFD 1, Jamesville, and
James Bullock, Williamston. A
free barbecue was served the
group. j
Mereurv Tumbles
From Record High
After cavorting around the 100
mark for several days, the mer
cury started tumbling here late
Tuesday, reaching a point in the
low sixties this morning The
change from the record-high mer
cury leadings was so abrupt that
the populace hardly hud time to
get out of summer togs and many
shivered it out, declaring that it
would take several days of low
thermometer readings to cool ’em
off after the heat attack.
The weather men declare the
cool spell will last only a short
time, possibly through today.
However, it is fairly certain that
there’ll be no return this year to
such hot weather as existed for a
spell prior to and including last
week-end.
There is some doubt if the
"phony” hurricane off the coast
had anything to do with the
weather break. An nld-timey
thunder storm hit here late Tues
day, releasing a badly needed rain
and bringing welcomed relief.
Last reports stated that the hurri
cane was still 200 miles off the N.
C. Coast and traveling farther to
sea, nut another storm was said to
be aorewin’ in the Caribbean.
Boasters Adding
New Mem tiers
The Williamstorr Boosters club
is expanding in membership, it
was reported by Mr. Lyn Taylor,
secretary and promotion director,
who stated that nine new mem
bers had been added during the
past fgw days.
New members are R. L. Ward
Coal and Wood Co , Muse Jewelry
Co., owned and operated by Mar
garet M. Muse and Elbert S. Peel, |
Jr., Dr. John D. Biggs, Roberson’s i
Slaughter House, Newton-John
son Laundry, Quinn Motorcycle
Service Firestone Home and Auto
Store aid Slade, Rhodes and Com
pany m Hamilton and George's
Place located halfway between
Williamston and Windsor, owned,
and operated by Mr. George Leg- j
g'ett. j
W. Ben. Weaver
Died Wednesday
Near Gold Point
Funeral Friday Afternoon
Mere For I'roininenl
County Farmer
William Benjamin Weaver,
well-known county citizen anil
prominent farmer, died at lus
home near Gold Point Wednesday
afternoon at 4:00 o’clock following
a long period of declining health
Suffering a broken shoulder in a
fall about a year ago, he had been
an invalid since that time. His
condition had been critical for
several weeks.
Mr Weaver was born in the
Gold Point section 77 years ago
on October 29, 11171. With the ex
ception of about three years spent
in Washington County he lived
and laimed all his life in Martin,
making his home near Williams
ton for about twenty years. He
was an industrious farmer, one
who found enjoyment and con
tentment in his daily work. His
walk through life was humble in
that his own welfare was made
secondary to that and to the hap
piness of others
He was a member of the Baptist
Church here for about thirty
vears, and was faithful in attend
ance upon its services.
He was married in 1995 to Miss
Maggie Rawls and she survives
with six children, three sons, J.
Frank Weaver of Williamston,
William Jasper Weaver of Plym
outh, and Lewis A. Weaver of the
home; three daughters, Mrs. G. A
Burroughs of Norfolk, Mrs. O. S.
Cowan of Williamston, and Mrs.
(Continued on page eight)
Schools Report
Enrollment Gain
Opening the new term yester
day afternoon, Williamston’s
white elementary and high
schools reported a slight gain in
enrollment figures over those re
corded for the first day last year.
Principal U. G. Stewart, explain
ing that the enrollment never
reached a maximum the first day,
stated that the count in the pri
mary-elementary departments
jumped from 746 to 750, and that
the high school enrollment went
from 166 to 177, making for a
grand enrollment of (ft7 compared
with 912 a year ago.
The iaculty has been announced
complete with the employment of
Mrs. W, H. Abernathy as fifth
grade teacher. Mrs. Abernathy, a
graduate of ECTC, Greenville, has
had seven years’ teaching experi
ence and volunteered to relieve
the teaching shortage.
Firdt-day enrollment figures, by
grades, follow:^ li st, 101; second,
98; third, 95; fourth, 100; fifth,
98; sixth, 102; seventh, 96; eighth,
70; ninth, 56; tenth. 53; eleventh,
38; and twelfth, 30.
No report has been received
from any of the other schools, hut 1
as far as it could be learned all j
of the nine white and twenty-one j
colored schools opened the term 1
yesterday. j
Loral Market Has
Substantial Lead
Over 1017 Sales
Throne'll Yoslordav 2, IH3.
532 Pounds Had Yold
«mI SI 7.50 Avci'.ijit'
During the end ot the first ten
| sale days, Williamston's tobacco
market had sold through yester
day 2,483,532 pounds for $1,178,
410.40 or an average of $47.45 per
100 pounds. Compared with last
year's figures, the market sold
nearly half million pounds more
in thi' first ten days of this season
than it did in the comparative
period a year ago. The market
this year is holding a $3.76 price
advantage over the average re
corded for thi' first ten days of
the 1947 season. Last year the
market sold 1,807,604 pounds for
an average price of $43.69.
The section is supposed to have
a better quality crop this year
than it had last but apparently
t.e p, lei diifevv iilicti shoves no
marked change for the better m
the face of production costs and
inflationary prices for other items.
The price trend this past five
sales days has been fairly regular,
reaching a high of $46.87 day be
fore yesterday and hitting the
lowest point $44.71 of the seas
on last Friday. Yesterday the
market averaged right at $46.00
for 239,596 pounds.
During the second five-day sell
mg period ending yesterdayi the
market sold 1,438,682 pounds for
$657,317.68, an average of $45.69,
a figure just $3.20 per hundred
higher than the average reported
tor sales in the comparative
period of 1947.
Fairly large quantities of tips
are being offered and the prices
for those inferior types are hold
ing tlie general average down, but
farmers do not hesitate to point
out that they are disappointed in
current prices Good tobaccos are
selling all right, and quite a.few
individual farmers are averaging
above 60 cents a pound, but those
farmers are comparatively few in
number.
The $45 and $46 averages re
ported here this week compare
with $42 averages reported on
other markets.
Sales are running very smooth
ly and with the exception of one
or two days the selling organiza
tions completed their work in the
alloted time, eliminating any
great delay for the patrons.
\\ reeks Auto In
County Tuesday
Apparently driving too fast
around a curve, Richard Earl O'
Mary of Greenville turned over
the 1hifi Ford he had borrowed
from A. W. Williams of Raleigh
last Tuesday evening in the Cross
Roads section ol this county.
Checking the wreck, Patrolman
Powers and Parker said the ear
first somersaulted and thei/rolled
over twice on the dirt road.
No accurate estimate of the
damage could be had immediately
but the loss will run into several
hundred dollars, it is believed
O Mary is thought to have been
injured but he could not he reach
ed immediately by the officers
and the extent of his injuries
could not be determined. The pa
trolmen are holding the cat in
Roberson ville.
I
I
THE RECORD j
SPEAKS ... i
fl'he following tabulations
offer a comparison of the ac
cident trend: first, by corres
ponding weeks in this year
and last and for each year to
the present time.
The accident toll on Martin
County’s highway., so far this
year is no worse hut, at the
same time, it is little better
than the record for the cor
responding period in 1047.
35th Week
Accidents Inj’d Killed Uam’ge
1048 2 1 0 $ 200
1047 4 8 0 1,310
Comparisons To Date
1948 88 45 2 $10,250
1947 80 43 3 19.755
3
Inspection Lane Handles
600 Vehicles In Two Days
*- • - .
Moving to meet the inspection
deadline, owners converged on the
mecnanical inspection station here
this week and carried approxi
mately 600 vehicles through the
lane in two days. Chief Inspector
Porter stated late yesterday that
250 vehicles were inspected Tues
day, the rain that afternoon limi
ing the work. Yesterday, 350 ve
hicles were inspected and a fairly
long line took form early this
morning.
Crowded conditions existed
where the line formed and while
there were a few arguments, there
were no untoward incidents and
the inspection work progressed
very rapidly. A few owners park
ed their ears in the line Tuesday
night and went through the lane
without delay. By late yesterday
afternoc n the rush had been clear
ed, but more vehicles started ntov
niK to iho lane on Warren Street
early today and it was fairly ap
parent that another record num
ber of machines would be inspect
ed before 5:00 o’clock today.
During the big rush Tuesday,
cars and trucks were packed from
the lane near the intersection of
Warren and Park Streets, east on
Hatton, across Watts, on by Higgs
Street and down to and around
on Harrell, nearly to Ray Street.
The last car was out of sight of the
lane.
A ten-day period of grace has
been allowed, but owners of ve
hicles not yet inspected are sub
ject to be stopped by patrolmen
and directed to the inspection
lane. The lane will be open here
through next Monday and will
move Tuesday to Plymouth. In
spector Porter stated that the lane
is to be kept open by a skeleton
crew Labor Day
Justices Of Peace
Handle Ten Cases
In Past Few Days
-♦
Drunks Dominate Docket
In justices Hassell's ami
Johnson's Courts
Jiistiiv.s of the Peace John L.
Hassell and R. T. Johnson handled
ten cases in their courts here dur- |
ing the past few days. The drunks
all but took over, they were so
numerous.
Justice Hassell handled the fol
lowing eases:
Drunk and disorderly, John j
Luke was sentenced to the roads I
for thirty days, the trial justice I
suspending the term upon pledged j
good behavior for one year and
the payment of $>1.50 costs
John Henry White, drunk- and
down, was sentenced to the roads
for thirty days. The road term
was suspended upon the payment
of $9.50 costs and guaranteed good
behavior for one year.
Jesse Raseoe was fined $5 and 1
taxed with $8.50 costs for being
drunk anil down.
Zenia Williams was bound over
to the county court for an assault
with a deadly weapon.
Willie Gorham, charged with as
saulting a female, was bound over
to the county court for trial.
Justice Johnson handled the fol
lowing cases:
Charged with non-support, Mil- |
ton Outterbridge was adjudged j
(''ontinued on page eight)
Farm Bureau Asks
For New Members
The Martin County Farm Bu
reau launched its 1948-49 mem
bership drive Wednesday evening
whin fifteen directors and can
vassal s met in the courthouse and
agreed to go down the line again
for the organization as the only
hope for agriculture in a chang
ing world.
The secretary-treasurer report
ed that at the last meeting in May,
tlie organization spent $1,438.80
to feed the membership at the
annual barbecue, leaving a cash
balance of $ 131.90.
Pointing out that the county
had been asked to enroll 2,300
members for the new year, Presi
dent C. L. Daniel expressed the
belief that "unless we get a big
membership throughout the land
u,i‘ -land to lose many of the!
gains made in recent years.” He
pointed out that tobacco parity
was voted in the recent congress
by only a one-vote margin, that
without parity tobacco prices to
day could be averaging around
25 cents.
"I sincerely believe that if far
mers and others in the farming
sections could recognize the need
lor a strong organization, we
would get 2,30U members and
more without any trouble,” Mr.
Daniel said.
Most of those at the meeting
have championed the cause of the
organization down through the
years, and while they are ready to
tuin the task over to others they
are not content to stand idle and
allow the movement to go by de
fault.
R\INK\! 1.
The 4.27 inches of rainfall
recorded here for the past
month was about normal, hut
at the same time it was the
smallest reported since 1942
and compares with 8.06
inches recorded in August of
last year.
Uaiu fell on twelve of the
31 days, but nearly half, or
1.96 inches, poured down in
exactly fifteen minutes on
Saturday, August 21. So far
this year 32.22 inches of rain
have fallen here, the total in
cluding two snows, one 5.7
and the other a 15-inch fall on
February 9 and 10.
Enforcement Unit
Had Busy Time In
Month Of August
I m Slills Inkcn anil Ki^lil
I'criions Were Arrenled
During IVrital
--
Martin County's Alcoholic Bev
erages Control Enforcement Di
vision, headed by ABC Officer Joe
H Roebuck, reported .1 busy time
during the month of August when
the illicit liquor traffic flared up
possibly in anticipation of a rush
ing fall business.
Ten illicit manufacturing plants
were wrecked in August, the catch
including five prize copper kid
ties.
Eight persons were a rested and
lour ol them were convicted in
the county courts. Road sen
tences totaled twenty-two months
and fines amounted to $500. Four
other alleged violators are sched
uled to face trial in the federal
court in Washington in October
The officers poured out a accord
quantity of beer-mash, most of the
50,000 gallons being of inferior
quality while some was down
right filthy-nasty.
In carrying on their work, the
officers traveled 1,305 miles dur
ing the month.
More recently the enforcement
group worked in two townships,
wrecking three illicit plants and
pouring out nearly 1,000 gallons
of beer.
On Tuesday ol this week Officer
Roebuck assisted by Deputy Roy
Reel wrecked a 50-gallon capacity
oil drum still in Robersonville
Township. The plant was fully
equipped and the officers poured
out 300 gallons of beer
Last Friday, the enforcement
head, assisted by Deputies Roy
Reel an i Buck Holloman captured
a 100-gallon capacity copper ket
tle in the Free Union Section and
poured out 100 gallons of sugar
mash. At a second plant site, the
officers poured out 650 gallons of
sugar beer but could not find the
manufacturing equipment.
lAlllv Itnsinrss Slulvtl for
(Jointly (omniinsioni’rn
Very little business other than
that <>( a routine nature is sched
uled for consideration at the re
gular meeting of tile Marlin Coun
ty Board of Commissioners next
Monday, Clerk J. Sam Getsinger
said yesterday.
Jud^e J. C. Smith
Has Sixteen Cases
In County’s Court
-o
Fines Imposed During
Tim e - Hour Session
Monday Total $ 155
Judge J Calvin Smith handled
sixteen eases in the Martin Coun
ty Recorder's Court last Monday,
the docket including one jury
trial. Fines in the sum of $455
were imposed during the three
hour session. Solicitor Paul D.
Roberson prosecuted the docket.
His case having been continued
under prayer for judgment at a
previous session, Chester Mooring,
charged with larceny, was sen
tenced to jail to serve a five-day
term and pay a $25 fine, plus
costs.
Charged with drunken driving,
Willard Whitley pleaded guilty
and his case was continued under
prayer for judgment until next
Monday.
Having pleaded guilty at the
session held on Monday of last
week, Thomas William Stanley,
charged with non-support, was
sentenced to the roads for twelve
months. The road term was sus
pended upon the payment of the
costs and $100 into the court for
his wife. Lucille Stanley, and their
child. The defendant is to pay $20
a month for two years, and if he
does not meet the terms of the
judgment he is to serve the sen
tence.
Pleading guilty of an assault,
Vance Price was sentenced to the
roads for twelve months, the court
suspending the road term upon
the payment of the costs and on
the further condition that he re
mains sober and violates no crim
inal law during the next two
years.
Anthony Lanier, charged with
larceny, was adjudged not guilty.
Pleading guilty of an assault
with a deadly weapon, Timothy
Towns was sentenced to the roads
for ninety days. The court sus
pended the road term upon the
payment of a $25 fine and costs.
James Willis Rogers, pleading
guilty of operating a motor ve
hicle without a driver's license,
was fined $25 and taxed with the
costs.
Dean Gordon Bunting was fin
ed $15 and taxed with the costs
when he pleaded guilty of speed
ing.
Charged with the possession of
materials for the manufacture of
illicit liquors anil eight gallons of
illicit liquor, Joe Mobley plead
ed guilty of possessing illegal li
quors and was fined $150 and tax
ed with the costs. The case charg
ing Mrs. Mobley with a similar of
fense was dismissed.
Charged with being drunk and
disorderly and interfering with
an officer, Jesse J Marlow and
Charles Russell Roberts pleaded
guilty and they were sentenced to
the roads for ninety days. The
road terms were suspended upon
the payment of a $30 fine each and
the court costs.
Adjudged guilty of speeding,
William Gray Whitley, Jr., of Wil
son, was fined $15 and required
to pay the costs.
Charged with larceny by trick,
William M. Sherman pleaded guil
(Continued on page eight)
Farmers In Martin
Mold Annual Tour
The annual Negro farm and
home four in Martin County was
an outstanding success this year,
with a total of a5 fa* in men and
women in attendance, reports R.
M Edwards Negro county agent
for the State College Extension
Service. <
Three homes and three farms
were visited. Persons touring the
farms were able to observe to
bacco, peanut, corn, and soybean
demonstrations, permanent pas
tures, purebred dairy cattle, a fine
herd of purebred Duroc tiogs, and
one and a half acres of certified
sweet potatoes being produced for
seed.
In addition to observing the im
proved practices being used in
production >f crops and li vestock,
members of tile group saw the
need for furthei improvements at
some places, and many helpful re
.'oiimiendauons were made.