the enterprise-is read by
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3,803 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TW*CE EACH WEER
m
VOLUME LI—NUMBER 93
Williamston, Martin County North Carolina, Tuesday. November 2.'i, 1*118
ESTABLISHED 1899
-farm -Bum* n -flii
Working on Potato
‘Market Program
♦ —
Membership Drive, Jusi
Short Of Its Coal, Ex*
teiulwl a Few Days
The Farm BU1--1
reau is still working on a program
promising a better marketing sys
• tern for sweet potatoes, directors
of the farm organization were
told at a meeting held in the agri
cultural building last Friday eve
ning.
As a member of the committee
named to investigate the possi
bilities of establishing a regular
market in the county, M. M. Lev
in stated that he had visited the
northern markets, that he was as
surcd dealers there would handle
every No. 1 potato grown in Mar
tin County. Mr. Levin stated that
market outlook for sweet potatoes
was very encouraging, that the
potato of the type grown in this
county was selling as high as $3.50
per bushel.
Mr. Levin learned that the
Martin County sweet potato is
known in the northern markets,
but that it has all but disappear
ed because there was no market
ing program near the producers
He pointed out that under a uni
fied program, farmers could pro
duce from 90 to 95 percent No. 1
potatoes, convert the No. 2’s to the
bakeries and .the jumbos into
stock feed. It was also explained
that certified seed are necessary
and that the potatoes must be
packed according to U. S. stand
ard grades.
Local farmers at the meeting
stated that they had sold some
potatoes to truckers this season
for $1.25 a bushel, one grower ex
plaining that his crop would hard
ly measure up to the best stand
ards. He voiced the opinion that
money could be made from sweet
potatoes, but that certified seed
and a marketing program are ne
cessary.
The committee will continue its
study looking forward to estab
lishing a marketing program and
(Continued on page eight)
Henry C. Crawford
Passes In County
Henry Calvin Crawford, farm
er-fisherman, died at his home in
Bear Grass Township about 8:00 ;
o’clock Sunday morning. He had I
been in declining health for some !
time, but was getting *along as
well as usual until Saturday
night. When his condition became
worse Sunday morning, he got up
and was on his way to a doctor
when he died on the porch.
He was born in Pitt County on
April 5, 1896, a son of the late W.
H. and Clemmie Nobles Crawford.
He has spent most of his life in
this county and was a World War
I veteran.
Surviving are four brothers, W.
F. Crawford of Everetts, A. G.
Crawford of Portsmouth, G. W.
Crawford of Norfolk and W. T.
Crawford of New York; and three
half-brothers, Henry Crawford of
Rocky Mount, J. F. Crawford of
, Gastonia, M. A. Crawfoid of
ton, I). C
Funeral services were conduct
ed in the Biggs Funeral Home
here Monday afternoon at 3:30
o'clock by Rev. John L. Goff, and
interment was in Woodlawn
Cemetery.
L.
BENEFIT DANCE
In preparation for its an
nual benefit for underprivi
leged children the Junior
Chamber of Commerce is {
sponsoring a fund raising
dance in the High School
gymnasium tomorrow night
from 1IM ’til 2:0ft with music
furnished by Harold Grant
and his E. C. T. C. Orches
tra.
As has been the practice of
the “Jaycees” for the past
number of years, a large
Christmas Party will be given
for over half a hundred und
erprivileged children. This
dance and other money mak
ing projects will be used to
nuke this the largest party
’■£gwt
Week Term To Try
Civil Cases Only
Plans To Reress Not l^aler
Than Wednesday Until
Next Monday
Dispensing with alMegf»alitim»
including handshaking and
weather discussions, Judge W. H.
S. Burgwyn of Jackson opened a
two-week term of the Martin
County Superior Court Monday
for the trial of civil cases.
All but five of the thi ty jurors
called for service the first week
took their seats, the judge excus
ing several on account of illness
or for other valid reasons. N. R
Roberson was excused on account
of illness. W. G. Leary, it was
learned, had moved out of the
county. T. L. Harrell, called from
Goose Nest Township, failed to
answer and the court fined him
J25. Mrs. B. E. Anderson of Rob
ersonville and Mrs. Paul Holliday
of Jamesville were excused be
cause they have children under
twelve years of age. E. L. Fields,
colored man of Goose Nest, sub
mitted a doctor’s certificate and it
was recognized.
J. W. Garris, explaining that he
was foreman of an electric line
crew of fourteen men, asked to be
excused. When he explained that
he had never served as a juror,
Judge Burgwyn said “I’m going to
give you the opportunity to get a
taste of it now,” adding that he
might consider an excuse later in
the term.
"It is the duty of every citizen,
rich or poor, to serve as a juror
when called upon,” Judge Bur
gwyn said.
After studying the calendar a
few minutes, Judge Burgwyn ex
plained that the trial should be
planned to permit the court to re
cess not later than Wednesday
noon for Thanksgiving. The court
is to resume its work next Mon
day.
Quite a few cases were continu
ed, including three divorce ac
tions, Cloman against Cloman,
Chance against Chance and How
ard against Howard. Members of
the bar explained that several civ
il actions had been settled by
agreement or were nearing settle
ment. It is apparent that the
court proceedings will attract
very little attention. Very few
spectators were in the courtroom
for the first sessions. When the
jurors were called to their seats,
one side of the court room was
left almost empty.
Five divorces were granted be
fore noon, two to white and three
to colored plaintiffs, as follows:
Chas. Rhodes from Rose Lee
Rhodes, Mandy Eborn from Julius
Eborn, Loila V. Phelps from
Claude J. Phelps, Jr., Mary Eliza
beth Cherry from Elijah Cherry,
Jr„ Betsy A. Hcfrrell from David
R. Harwell, Jr. All the divorce ac
(Continued on page eight)
Volunteer Firemen ('.ailed
Out Early Thin Morning
Volunteer firermyi were called
out at 4:00 o'clock this morning
when a motor on a refrigerator in
an upstairs apartment in the M.
S. Moore homo here on Simmon*
Avenue caught fire and filled the
house with smoke.
The fire itself did very little
damage, but it is thought that the
smoke will run the total loss up.
o
Thanksgiving A
General Holiday
Thanksgiving day will be ob
served as a general holiday. All
business activities with the possi
ble exception of heavy industry
will be suspended for the day.
No public program has been
planned for the day other than a
union worship service which is to
he held in the Presbyterian
church that morning at 10:00
o'clock. Rev. Stewart B. Simms,
pastor of the Memorial Baptist
Church, will deliver the message,
and the public is invited to wor
ship there.
The season opens for taking
quail and rabbit and individual
hunters are expected to turn to
the fields and woods in this sec
tion ;n. large numbers
1 ■jFosiif h nl II
(Photo by courtesy Royal Photographic Center)
Miss Katie Leggett, member of the Martin County Welfare Department office staff, was senior
queen of Williamston’s first annual Peanut Festival. She is pictured above standing in the archway
of the float entered in the parade of more than a mile by the Williamston Boosters.
Intruder Enters
Gold Point Home
No one was hurt and no great
damage was done, but the little
town of Gold Point was greatly
disturbed last Saturday night and
early Sunday morning when in
truders entered two homes there.
An intruder was seen leaving
the Pauline Bennett home that
night about B:00 o’clock. No one
was at home at the time and an
investigation revealed that noth
ing had been stolen.
Going to the James Johnson
home about 4:00 o’elcok Sunday
; morning, a burglar cut the screen
wire on a back door, unlatched
the hook and entered, going to
Mrs. Johnson's bed room. Awak
1 ened by the light of a flashlight,
Mrs. Johnson screamed and the
intruder ran out the back door be
fore other members of the family
could get up. The intruder, wear
ing a large brown, checkered cap
pulled well down over his face,
, ran around the house, down the
highway about 1ftQ yards and got
into an old model
away in the direction of Rober
sonville.
The sheriff’s office is investi
gating the case, hut they declared
there was little to work on, that
, even the tracks of the intruder
had been almost wiped out by the
children playing in the yard.
MEETING
A large number Is expected
lo hear Ur. John I). Messick,
East Carolina Teachers .Col
lege president, when he
speaks in the local high school
auditorium tonight at 8:00
o’clock.
Numbered among the
State’s leading educators, Dr.
Messick is certain to bring a
timely and informative mes
sage.
Bill Spivey, president of the
local P.-T. A. pointed out that
the meeting tonight is taking
the place of the regular Nov
ember meeting of the organi
1 Mti0“w ..... ... * X tf.fl
PRIZE WINNER
\
Dressed as a Gypsy, Little
Miss Willie Jane White,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. \V.
O. White of Wllllamslim, wen
firs*, prize for the cutest child
over three years of age in the
Peanut Festival baby parade
here last month. Her prize,
a bag of peanuts donated by
the Williamston Peanut C om
pany, netted her $15.
C. H. Hurrixoit Improving
In Rocky Mount llos/nlal
Removed to a Rocky Mount
hospital last Thursday evening',
Mr. G. H. Harrison. Sr., was re
ported early today to be-respond
ing to treatment. It was stated
that his condition was much im
proved However, it could not be
learned when he’ll be allowed to
return home.
Firemen Called Tit
Hume On Pine Slreel
Firemen were called out last 1
Saturday afternoon at 3:45 o’clock i
when a fire, starting from a spark, 1
threatened the home of Mi s. Mag- |
gie Daniel on Pine Street. Very J
little damage was done to the I
roof.
Family Reunion
In Bear Grass
Fiv«‘ <»riH*r:ilioiis H»pn*
miiIciI ill DiuiKM* Honor,
iiifi .Mrs. Itrown, VI
It was a happy timi' Sunday
i when five children and most of.
forty-one grandchildren, seventy
four great-grandchildren and six
. great-great-grandchildren of Mrs.
Jessie Ann Brown held a reunion
planned especially to honor her
upon her 91st birthday. The event,
held under ideal weather condi
tions at the home of Mrs. Brown’s
son, Mr. W. A. Brown and family,
attracted more than one hundred
descendants from quite a few
counties in North Carolina and
two 01 three in Virginia.
Unusually active and ignoring
the aid of even a walking stick,
Mrs. Brown who gladly delayed
the celebration of her 91st birth
day from the Tuesday before un
til Sunday when more of the fam
ily could he present, got around
possibly more sprightly than
some of the members of the third
generation, and she greatly enjoy
. herself ; well as all Vile otJPNP1
there.
No program was planned for
the day, but members of the fam
ily, many of them meeting for the
j first time in many months, had a
| great time exchanging greetings
and talking over events of the |
past and present. Mrs. Brown, re j
ferred to lovingl.r by all as Grand- !
ma, still offered a firm handshake .
; when the last relative or friend 1
greeted her. She was all about 1
the place, stopping just long J
Continued on page eight)
■Funeral Saturday
For H. (). Jarman
•<t
' Funeral services were held at
the home on Williams Street last
Saturday afternoon at 4.40 o'clock
| for Harry O. Jarman, well-known
local citizen, who died suddenly
in hi.s sleep early last Thursday
morning. Rev. John L. Goff, his
pastor, conducted .the last rites
and interment was in Woodlawn
! Cemetery.
On The Increase j
In Martin County!
-m—
Four Lii|iior IManl* Vi reck
ed \n«t Liquor (.onfiscat- i
»‘«l In Rauls Fast ^ eek i
A111itJ
during the hoiidav seasons, opera- j
tors of illicit liquor manufactur
ing plants resumed operations on
a much larger scale than usual in
Shis county last week.
Foui plants were wrecked and
a small quantity of the illicit pro
duct was found by Officers J. H.
Roebuck and Roy Peel.
Starting their clean-up drive
last Tuesday, the officers wreck
ed two plants in Bear Grass |
Township. Each was equipped
with a 50-gallon oil drum still.
The raiders poured out 100 gallons
of beer at one plant and 150 gal
lons of sugar mash at the other.
Striking in Griffins Township
Thursday, the officers wrecked a
large plant equipped with two
200-gallon capacity wood stills of
the submarine type, 10-gallon keg
caps, a 250-gallon doubler, a 100 -
gallon cooling box, twenty 50-gal
lon fermtenters and one 200-gal- !
Ion box. The operators had 100
pounds of rye meal, fifty gallons
of oil. sixteen 5-gallon jugs and
two sets of oil burners.
That afternoon the officers
raided along the Martin-Beaufort
boundary and found and destroy- '
ed a partial plant wh'ch was
equipped with two 50-gallon fer
menters.
Saturday evening the officers
visited the old park near Parmelc i
and found about five pints of |
white lightning hid in the bushes
just back of the filling station |
! store. The owner was not around I
at ti.e time anti no arrest was ;
i made.
I
Zeifinah Roberson
Di(*d On Thursday
Zeffinah Roberson, retired Mar
tin County farmer, died last
Thursday evening at 1(J:30 o'clock
i while visiting in the home of his j
son, Walter Roberson, in Wash
; ington County. He had been in |
declining health for several years
i anti his condition had been critical
| since Monday of last week.
The soi) of th>- late Willie Rob
erson and wife, he was born near
' Jamesville 75 years ago on* Oc
' tober ti, 1873. and farmed and liv
ed in this county all his life until
ill health forced his retirement
some years ago. Since that time
he had made his home with his
children in Martin and just across
the line in Washington County.
Mr. Roberson was a member of
Siloam Methodist Church for
many years, an earnest worker
and friend.
In early manhood he was mar
ried to Ann Williams. Ills second
marriage was to Florence Jane i
Williams.
Surviving are his widow and j
five children by his first mar- j
riage, four sons, Will Roberson of :
near Hamilton. Leland Roberson '
of Jamesville, Dempsey Roberson 1
of Plymouth, and Walter Rober- 1
son of Washington County: one
.lighter. Mr, Allie Wells of Ply
mouth; fifty-one grandchildren
and fifteen great grandchildren.
Funeral services will he held in
the Siloam Church Sunday after- !
noon at 2:00 o’clock by the Rev ^
Mr. Bingham assisted by- Rev. W.
B. Harrington, county Baptist
minister Interment will be in
the Williams Cemetery in Wil
liams Township.
1 KOIfNIM I1
V . -
J
Nine persons were arrested
and detained and one or two
oilier alleged law violators
evaded officers in the county
during the past week-end, the
jail records show.
Six of those arrested and
jailed were charged with pub
lic drunkenness and two with
-drunken driving. One, Ral
eigh Speller, convicted rapist
in liettie, was held in the
jail during the latter part of
the week.
One of the nine was white
and the ages of the group
ranged from 19 to 48 years.
For Local
| RKSIGNS
Rev. John VV. Hardy, rector
of the Church of the Advent
and popular citizen of the
town for the past eleven
years, tendered his resigna
tion at a meeting of the ves
try Sunday morning to accept
a call to St. John’s, Wilming
ton’s second largest Episcopal
church. The resignation, re
luctJutlv accepted, is effec
tive as of January 15.
Make Plans For
Friendship Train
In Martin County
.
All liilcirsUMi Art*
Asked l o .\lr«*l In (iourt
Itoiiiso !N«‘\l Monday
Martin County will make plans
for participation in the North
Carolina Friendship Train on
Monday, November 29, at 7:20 in
the courthouse. Working through
the Christian Rural Overseas Pro
gram (CROP), counties through
! out North Carolina will in the
I next few weeks appeal to farm
people for gifts of food and farm
! products for the needy overseas.
The Martin County meeting will
choose a county chairman and
j other officers to set up the or
ganization necessary for the col
I lection, decide dates for canvass
ing and collection, and the types
of food to be sought in the counts’
Among those invited are leading
farmers, rural and urban minis
ters leaders of the Grange and
Farm Bureau, representatives
i from civic organizations, the radio
and press, school principals, the
| county school superintendent, ag
I ricultural teachers, home demon
j stratum club leaders, and county
j and home agents. The county
agent and home demonstration
j agent are ac ting as convenors for
j the meeting
| Present plans call for the North
• Carolina Friendship Train to 1m_
! assembled in Salisbury the first
1 week in December and then trav
el eastward through Greensboro,
Raleigh arid Wilson, N C , thence
j to Norfolk, Va will'
In placed on sidings in the various
counties of the’ state and will be
shipped to points along this route j
to become a pait olv tliia Friend
ship Train.
CROP, sponsored nationally by
Church World Service, has in one
year of operation been responsi
ble for the collection <>f near!, a
dozen trainloads of food stuffs fut
the hungry people abroad
Slightly Injured In
Intersection M reck
Norman Hopkins, young white
man, was slightly hurt about his
hands anti log when his motorbike
and a 19411 Kaiser, driven by Hez- j
ekiah Price, crashed at the Main
and Haughtun Street intersection
last Wednesday night. No defin
ite estimate on the damage could
be had, but repairs, according to
one report, are likely to cost more
than $100 to the two vehicles.
Price, driving cast on the street,
started to make a left turn and
the motorbike crashed into the
1 side ui the car.
i
f."Of' - Livi
Cemetery
j
Program Will Add
fifteen Aere< To
Presonl Property
(lontrael Lrl For Pumping
F<piipiueut For New
Deep Well
Meeting in special session 'ast
Friday morning, Williamston's
town commissioners purchased
fifteen acres of land from Mrs.
Walter Halberstadt and will in
corporate the tract as a part of
Woodlawn Cemetery. The sale
price was fixed at $12,000 for the
entire tract, the town to pay one
fourth down and the remainder
over a period of years. The debt
is to carry an interest rate of
about three and one-half percent.
The four commissioners present
at the meeting favored the pur
chase. but some of them express
ed the opinion that the price was
too high. However, it was agreed
that possibly the price was a fair
one. that, condemnation proceed
ings and court costs would boost
the price even higher.
The action was taken when the
board was advised that just about
every available lot in the old
cemetery had been purchased,
that nearly J00 applications had
bee.; filed for lots in the cemetery,
many by people living outside
town.
At the present time lots are be
ing sold for $30 to $40 but it is
fairly certain that the sale price
will be boosted possibly to $00 or
$100 for 20x20 plots. It is estimat
| ed that the new addition will pro
vide between 950 and 1,000 plots.
Just as soon as the papers are
cleared, engineers will map iffid
plan the cemetery. The house on
the property will likely be used
for a caretaker’s home, it was ex
plained.
With only a very limited num
ber of plots available, the town
(Continued on page eight)
—o
Two Accidents In
County Last Week
Several pero.sns were hurt, one
believed seriously, in one of two
aeeidents reported on the high
ways in this county last week
end. Damage was estimated at
$900 by Patrolman B W. Parker,
Billie Bo.vd, colored, and his
companion passenger were only
slightly hurt when the 1936 F%rd
borrowed from William Paige and
di iven by Boyd, turned over on
the newly surfaced road running
by the prison camp to Highway
903 in front of the Dewey Mobley
home last Thursday night about
10:30 o'clock. Damage to the car
was estimated at $200.
Three Marines, traveling in a
1941 Buiek to spend the week
end at then homes in Maryland,
were injured, one believed ser
iously. when their ear skidded off
Highway 125 between Oak City
and Hubgood last Friday evening
■ cJ; 90 o'clock. The cat plowed
into a ditch and most of the car
top was torn away. Treated in a
Greenville hospital, the injured
were later removed to a Marine
Corps hospital. Damage to the
cur was estimated at $700.
ELECTIONS
Meeting in llicir respective
communities on Friday even
in K of this week at 7:30
o'clock, Martin County farm
ers will nominate men from
their own groups for positions
on the Triple A Community
Committees and delegates to
the county convention which
will select the coupt> com
mittee for the coming year.
All farmers are eligible to
attend and participate in the
nominating conventions.
The nominees will be voted
on in an election to be held on
Thursday, December 2. The
delegates to the county con
vention will elect the county
committee on December 3, fj