the enterprise is read by
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
families twice each week
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
VOLUME LII—NUMBER 29
Williams ton, Martin County, Xorth Carolina, Tuesday, ipril 12, 79/9
ESTABLISHED 1899
Fate Of Chowan
Bridge Hanging
In The Balance
Committee to Present Prob
lem To Governor Scott
In Ralei<;li, Shortly
Appearing before a special
group of representatives from five
count/es at a meeting in Edenton
yest.erday afternoon, District
Highway Engineer Merrill Evans
of Ahoskie explained that the con
dition of the Chowan River bridge
was serious, but assured the group
that the bridge would not be clos
ed to light traffic. Supported by
District Highway Engineer J. T.
McKim, the commissioner pointed
out that a diver was at that time
examining the piling, that the task
would require four or five days,
and that complete tests will be
made with the use of a coffer dam.
It will be two or three weeks be
fore the real condition of the
bridge is determined, the commis
er said.
It was explained that the bridge
is being closed to heavy traffic,
that trucks with two axles were
limited to eight tons and vehicles
with more than two axles were
limited to eleven tons. Heavy
busses have been banned and the
bus companies are operating light
units between Edenton and Wil
liamston.
Speaking very frankly and ex
pressing a willingness to do all he
could to help relieve the condition
before his term expires the end of
this month, Commissioner Evans
said it had been known for two or
three years that the bridge was in
need of extensive repairs, but that
the serious condition of the struc
ture did not come to light until
about two weeks ago when the
bridge almost gave away under
the weight of a heavy vehicle. He
said that a meeting was held with
legislators from this section of the
State in Raleigh where the condi
tion of the bridge was discussed.
Explaining the condition of the
bridge, Engineer McKim said that
the trouble did not originate over
night, that a solution had been
sought for some time to the deck
problem, that the matter had been
referred to the State Highway En
gineer, bridge engineer and com
mission chairman. He said that
the concrete piling from a point
about one foot above the water
line to the cap or bridge deck was
in good condition, that deteriora
tion had set in from about the
water line down two or three feet,
that the piling had rotted to a
maximum depth of about two and
one-half inches, leaving the struc
tural steel exposed in some cases.
More than one hundred piling
were in that condition, the engi
neer explaining that wave action
or ice could have hastened the de
terioration. He explained . that
samples of the piling were being
forwarded ot the laboratories to
see if the Edenton water used in
their manufacture had anything to
do with the deterioration.
Discussing the bridge further,
Commissioner Evans said that it
•Wi-s-estimated two.year?, ag.-., that
$800,000 would be needed to re
build the top structure of the
bridge, that one and three-quarter
millions of dollars would be need
ed to build a new structure. "And
(''ontinued on page eight)
Firemen Called Out
Here Friday [Sight
Volunteer firemen were called
out about 10:00 o’clock last Friday
night when fire threatened the
Essey Jones home on East Main
Street. The fire was ronfined to
a mattress and very little damage
resulted.
ROUND-UP
Eight persons, including a
mentally ill patient, were
rounded up and jailed by lo
cal, county and state officers
here over the week end. «
Five were booked for public
drunkenness, and one each for
disorderly conduct and lar
ceny and receiving.
Three of the eight were
white, and the ages of the
group ranged from 20 to 48
years.
Take Winning Positions in Town Primary Here Monday
in one ot tne mosl intensive primary elections ever held here, local
citizens yesterday nominated five commissioners, (left to right) N. C.
Green. David Moore. W. O. Griffin. Leman Barnhill and K. D. Worrell,
and a mayor (lower center) Robert H. Cowen to head their town govern
men! for the two-year term koginning in June. The ctnfesis. conducted
on a high plane, were close'with a matter of only three votes separating
some of the winners.
Farm Bureau Elects
Officers In County
POOR FISHING
Seine fishing in the Roan
oke at Jamesville was describ
ed as “poor” yesterday when
the individual “hauls” netted
between 200 and 500 herring
and just a few other types of
fish. However, the drift nets
were picking up about 100
herring at a haul on Sunday. j
Most of the catches are be- I
in** sold right off the battery, j
Next Monday (Easter) is I
expected to climax the season
for the seine, but operations
continue well Into May.
Club Federation
Meets Tomorrow
.»,
The 24th District Federation of I
Home Demonstration Clubs will!
be held here Wednesday, April 13, j
at 10:30 a. m. at the Baptist:
Church. Mrs. John H. Oden,!
president for the district, will pre
side at the meeting. Welcomes will
be brought by the mayor, Robert
H. Cowen, and Mrs. W. S. Gur
ganus, president of the Martin
County HDC County Council.
The county report will be given
by Mrs. Henry Early. The guest
speaker for the day, Dr. I. G.
Greer, of the State Medical Care
Commission, will be introduced by
the county farm agent. Miss Ruth
Current, State Home Agent, and
Mrs. George Apperson, State Fed
eration president, are expected to
attend jpid bring greetings from
the State office. The Williamston
High School Green Wave Band
will given an exhibition to close
the morning session. Lunch will
be in ihe Williamston Woman’s
Club Building.
Thiving the afternoon session
county reports will be given, com
mittee reports, and a team demon
stration by 4-H’ers from Beaufort
County. All clubwomen are urg
ed to attend.
' i n 1
of the Green Wave Band, said the
band program ’/ill consist of a pa
rade and drill routine on Church
street between Smithwick and
Haughton featuring the major
ettes.
Incidentally, it has been disclos
ed that the band will not go to
Rocky Mount for the Gallopade as
that event has been postponed and
the band has cancelled plans for
the trip.
Millions Receive
Old-Age Pensions
At the end of last year, accord
ing to the Social Security Admin
istration, about 2,300,000 persons
were receiving monthly old-age
and survivors’ benefits under the
federal social security program.
During the year the monthly pay
ments totaled about $525,000,000,
while another $32,000,000 was paid
out in lump sums. Many eligible
persons, the administration said,
do not receive benefits
Making Plans For
Big Barbecue To
Be Held May 13th
—
Chas. L. Daniel and All The
Ollier Officers Re-elected
Laet Friday Night
Chas. L. Daniel was re-elected
for his tenth year as president of
the Martin County Bureau at a
meeting of the organization’s
members in the courthouse last
Friday evening. The membership,
placing a stamp of approval of the
organization's leadership, also re
elected Sam T. Everett of Rober
sonvdle, vice president, and Mayo
Hardison of Poplar Point, secre
tary-treasurer. The board of di
rectors, also re-elected by unani
mous vote, includes, Geo. Oglesby,
Hamilton; Henry Early, Goose
Nest; S. T. Everett, Robersonville;
Mayo Hardison, Poplar Point; G.
H. Forbes, Cross Roads; H. U.
Peel, Bear Grass; D. V. Clayton,
Williamston; J. Carl Griffin,
Jamesville; C. L. Daniel, Wil
liams; and George Griffin, Grif
fins. Mr. Daniel is also a director
of the State organization.
The meeting which, in addition
to the election of officers, made
plans for the annual barbecue and
appropriated $150 for the Fat
Stock Show to be held on Friday,
May 13 in the Planters Warehouse
at Williamston.
Opening the meeting, President
Daniel declared that the Farm
Bureau had been a prime factor
in improving the economy in the
South, that it had taken little and
made much. Pleading for young
er farmers to move up and take
an active part in Farm Bureau
leadership, Mr. Daniel said that
the man who enters Farin'Bureau'
work with the right spirit will re
ceive a greater return than in any
other thing. He said that coopera
tion had made the Farm Bureau a
success ir Martin County, that all
tiao pulied togeffit?",?orT>etteT'
things for all.
Declaring that there are any
number of other farmers who
could make a better president
than he, Mr, Daniel suggested
that it was time for a change. The
meeting ignored the plea and
went down the line with a unani
mous vote for all the old officers.
“I appreciate the honor,’1 Mr. Dan
iel said after his re-election.
‘There’s no salary, but there is
much eonoslation in working for
a good cause,” the president said,
adding that he v/ould do his best
for the organization during the
1949-50 year.
The president appealed to the
board of directors, urging them to
attend meetings more often and
to take part in the district and
state meetings.
Committees were named for
making arrangements and prepar
ing for the annual barbecue, as
'ollows: »
T. B. Brandon, Johnny Gurkin,
Mayo Hardison, J. Carl Griffin,
(Continued fiom Page Seven)
Specialist Speaks
On Sweet Potatoes
Meeting with the Farm Bureau
sweet potato committee and farm
agents last Friday in the county
agricultural building, Henry Cov
ington, State Extension Service
specialist, discussed sweet pota
toes and offered several timely
suggestions.
He pointed out that the best
quality sweet potatoes come from
vine cuttings, but that most of the
potatoes had already been bedded
for this year. He recommended
one-eighth pound of commercial
fertilizer for each bushel of pota
toes bedded, that the fertilizer
should be spread on the bed.
To prevent scurf, the specialist
recommended that about one inch
be cut from the plant root.
He suggested that farmers make
certain of the source of their
plants as a precautionary measure
against introducing new types of
diseases.
There is a demand for certified
sweet potato seed, and farmers in
terested in growing certified seed
should contact the office of the
county agent not later than Frh
day of this week. Certified seed
must be grown from vine cuttings
cut from certified seed, the spec
ialist explaining
spections are maue, one to make
certain that there are not more
than five plants affected by wilt
per acre, and the other after the
harvest.
Practical Nurses
Meet In Raleigh
More than 1,000 practical nurses
are expected to attend the annual
meeting of the North Carolina Li
censed Practical Nurses Associa
tion, Inc., in Raleigh’s Memorial
Auditorium on Thursday of this
week. Several are planning to at
tend from this section.
Prominent religious leaders and
noted educators are to address the
meeting, it was announced.
holiday
For the first time in the his
tory of Hte town all stores and
business firms will observe
Easter Monday by closing
their places of business. On
Wednesday, April 27, the
stores will begin observing
the half-holidays and the cus
tom will be followed until the
tobacco market opens.
Colt mitt Considering The
Withdrawal of His A ppeal
Appealing from the life sen
tence imposed upon him by Judge
Chester Morris i ri the Martin
County Superior Court the 30th of
last month for the murder of W.
Thomas Roberson last January 26,
John R. Coltrain is reliably re
ported to be considering the with
drawal of his appeal. However,
no official action has been taken
to stop the appeal, and should
such action be taken it is hardly
expected to follow within the next
two or three weeks. One report
stated that the task of transcriuing
the massive evidence in the case
j by the court stenographer, Mr.
j Walker Worth, in Raleigh is being
held up for the present.
I Coltrain held a ten-minute con
'erence with members of his fam
ily and fiis counsel, Attorneys
,'ritcher and Gurganus of Wil
liamston and Albion Dunn of
Dreenville in the county jail last
Friday afternoon, but no official
announcement was released. It
was stated, however, that the pris
oner is considering withdrawing
ins appeal, but that no official ac
lion in that direction had been
taken.
If and when a definite decision
on the withdrawal of the appeal is
reached, attorneys would go be
fore the clerk of superior court
and announce the plan of action,
and the removal of the prisoner to
Central Prison in Raleigh would
follow immediately.
Britain’s Proposed
Import Cuts Would
Affect U.S. Acreage
Om* Krporl I)<M,larrH Rril
aiu Plans !\in«>ly I’rm'iil
Import Reduction
Washington, D. C.—Cigarette
tobacco acreage in the 1949 crop,
understood to have been under of
ficial consideration here for the
past several weeks, apparently has
been thrown into complete confus
ion by Great Britain's newly dis
closed plan to cut leaf tobacco im
ports by approximately 9(1 percent
in the first six months of this year.
Basis of the new complication
is a report issued in London by
Sir Stafford Cripps, Chancellor of
the Exchequer and British eco
nomic “czar,” embodying a pro
posal to cut the United Kingdom’s
n ;rts of tobacco from a valua
ti ,n of ”1.000,000 in the second
half of 1948 to $8,000,000 in the
first h; of 1949.
Th ■ import reduction, the
Jripps report .-... w*1 ■
ed with a plan for maintenance of
cunent high levels of taxation,
now adjusted to require British
smokers to pay the equivalent of
70 cents per pack of cigarette: .
in *7 .^*****,'.,: iiMui
the southern tobacco producing
areas of the United States, for the
past two months, there had been
growing optimism over prospects
for revival of the potentially tre
mendous British market for
(Continued on Page Seven)
Make Available .
More Nitrogen
_ r
Those farmers who are shooting
for a 100-bushel per acre yield of
corn may share in an extra allot
ment of top dressing, according to
Agent Jesse Sumner. Thirty tons
of ANL (20.5 percent nitrogen)
ti p dressing are being made, avail
able, but the farmer sharing in the
extra allotment is to agree to plant
at least one acre of hybrid corn
according to recommendations of
fered by the Experiment Station.
Farmer interested in the special
nitrogen allotment are directed to
apply to the office of the county
agent for a purchase certificate.
r
Vv \KMV;
I
J
The highway patrol this
week issued a solemn warn
ing to all motorists, urging
them to dim their light when
driving at night.
State law directs motorists
to dim their lights at night,
and the patrol can he expect
ed to "hear down” on those
motorists who do not comply
with the law. Violators will
he carried into court without
further warning and will he.
subjected to lines and court
costs.
Herbert T. Hyman
Dies In Virginia
Herbert Theodore Hyman, na
tive of Hamilton, died at his home
in Richmond last Friday and was
buried in the Virginia city Sun
day, friends were advised here.
A son of the late Samuel La
fayette Hyman and wife, Salim E.
Hyman, he was born in Hamilton
March HI, 11172, according to
department iecords.
■He spent his early life in Ham
ilton but lived in Virginia foi
many years before returning to
this county and locating in Wil
li Im worl^e|^^£|
typi-wi di is until las health failed
completely some months ago.
Since Unit time he had lived with
relatives in Richmond.
He was first married to Annie
Smith of Lynchburg and one ehild
was born to that union. I fis sec
ond marriage was to Esther Ham
ilton of Raleigh and two children
survive that union.
Officers Capture
50-Galloii Still
Raiding in the Free Union sec
tion of Jamesviile Township short
ly after 4:00 o’clock Monday
morning, ABC Officer J. H. Roe
buck and Deputy Roy Heoi captur
ed a 50-gallon red hot liquor still.
Warned of the officers’ approach,
the operator moved away, taking
the still worm and leaving a roar
ring fire. The officers poured out
tvo barrels of sugar beer and
captured the copper kettle.
Heavy smoke helped the offic
er- locate the plant.
Two Board Members
And Mayor Retained
m/
in Monday Primary
/ /
w w
BLUE MOU) j
v
Blue au'ltl is attacking: to
barc« pGats in nearly nvery
section of the county, but,
with few exceptions, the at
tack has not proven disastrous
as vet. One Bear Grass Town
! ship farmer was quoted as
saying that his plants, varying
from four to five inches, had
been “cooked pretty had".
Most of the reports state that
the mold is centered in a few
I spots in the beds, that the tips
of the leaves are curling up.
Farmer Duve Daniel stated
they planned to transplant
the first of the crop this week,
but that blue mold made its
appearance and the task has
been delayed indefinitely.
! Fourteen Licenses
To Wed Are Issued
In Martin County
—®—
j issuance' Last Month Small,
c t for Any March Since
The Year I‘>10
-«
Fourteen marriage licenses
were issued in this county last
month by Register of Deeds J
Sam Getsinger. The issuance,
maintaining a fairly definite
trend in little ole Cupid's progress,
was the smallest for any March
| since 1940. and about two-third:
I the normal number for each yeai
| in the past ten. During the first
l three months of this year forty
three licenses were issued in thi
county as compared with seventy
eight issued in the corresponding
period of last year.
The fourteen licenses were is
sued, seven to white and seven to
colored couples last month, as fol
lows:
White
Robert J. Sheridan of Orange,
N. J„ and Mary Trulah Peel, Wil
liamston.
William Gardner and Hazel
Smith, both of Washington.
Odis Whitaker and Christine
I Jones, both of RFD 2, Roberson
ville.
Dallas Clarence Leggett and Ed
na Earl Mobley, both of Williams
ton.
Halsey Rudolph Hardison of
Jamesville and Bernice Murial
I Bowen, RFD 2, Williamston.
| Clarence Edmondson of Hamil
ton and Velma Bullock of RED 1,
j Oak City.
Ralph Brown Strickland, RED
j 1, Oak City, and Irene Scott of
Oak City.
Colored
, S. B. Brown qf Oak City and
Isabella Jones of Lawrence.
Scrap Baker and Ida Rogers,
b th of Williamston. - ■
William Sam Mabry and Annie
Florence Huff, both of Williams
! ton.
Clyde Biggs, Jr , and Deris God
ard, both of Williamston.
Virginia Jordan, both of Windsor
George Lester Land, RFD 2,
Williamston. and M i-v Lucille
Council, of RFD 2, Williamston.
James Curtis Long and Eunice
Lucille Moore, both of Williams
ton.
Two Are Slightly
Hurt in Accident
Two passengers on a school bus
were slightly hurt when the
brakes failed and the machine ran
into a ditch and turned over on its
side. Very little damage was done
to the bus, Patrolman B W Park
or, making the investigation, re
ported.
Owen McNeil, of Oak City, was
driving into the highway in Par
mele from a street leading to the
Parmele High School when he dis
covered the brakes were not func
tioning properly. The driver for
got the emergency brakes and the
bus, traveling slowly, continued
> cro the road and into the ditch.
Barnhill, Griffin
And Moore New
Members of Board
Over 1,000 \ ol<*> I .ant lit
Big Town Primary : New
Turin Brgins In Juno
Participating in their second
municipal primary election 1,035
local citizens shook up their town
governmental body yesterday
when they ousted two members of
the old board by narrow margins
but retained the mayor and two
old board members, a third new
board member moving in to fill
the position made vacant by the
death of Cl. H. Harrison about
three months ago.
Robert H. Cowen held to the
mayor’s post over W. Iverson
1 Skinner, 530 to 484.
In the commissioners’ race, N.
j C. Green led the field of thirteen
' candidates with 758 votes. David
Moore took second place with 641
' votes to lead the new candidates,
i W. O. (Landy) Griffin was third
i with 59? votes, while Leman
| Barnhill, a third new candidate,
j moved in with 525 votes. K. D.
Worrell, old board member, v as
retained by a minority of 408
i votes to complete the new board.
| The eight other candidates for
commissioners polled the follow
, mg votes:
Ben I) Courtney, 393; Chas. II.
Godwin, Sr., 371; D. R. Davis, 307;
John H. Gurganus, 256; Roy Ward,
253; M. M. Levin, 213; Julian Har
rell. 94; L. Gloss Roberson, 40.
The primary, virtually meaning
the election of the five nominees,
was without incident. The color
ed electorate polled approximate
! ly 150 votes, and the polls attraet
| ed fairly large crowds from early
morning until the returns were
announced at 8:30 o’clock last
evening. While a few persons
i living just outside the town limits
voted, their weight apparently
was not of sufficient force to af
fect the outcome.
It was a positive election in that
there was a small opposition vote,
the voters admittedly finding it
difficult to decide just who to
vote for in such a big field.
Aproximately 21 tickets were
1 ignored or ruined in the race for
j mayor, while an estimated 323
1 voters scratched their tickets in
the race for commissioners. One
; voter favored an expanded town
! government when he voted for
both candidates for mayor and
seven commissioners.
1 The nominee for mayor and
nominees for commissioners now
| go into a general election on
Tuesday, May 3, but since there is
I no oposition party and little pros
pect for an independent ticket, the
; primary nominations yesterday
are recognized as equalling clcc
, tiori.
In accordance with a decision
’ i cached at its February meeting,
I the town board is scheduled to ap
point David Moore, high man in
ill1, Sjnun of new "• lidatea in
the position made \ want by
till
Mr.
Harrison s death.
Plvusrd II ith Skts< < iay,
Made in Primary Huce
| Commenting on the race for
i town commissioner in the primaiy
! yesterday, Candidate Meyer M.
' Levin said he was well pleased
that he made a good showing for
a beginner.
| MKKT \\T'.IINKSI) V\ 1
-/
A meeting of the Martin
County Athletic Association
will ln> held in the courthouse
here Wednesday night at 7:30
o'clock, President I.. K. Ever
ett announced yesterday.
Principal business before
the meeting will be election
of officers and reading of fi
nancial and other reports. A
previously scheduled meeting
was not held because of ni
hility of some of the- officers
j to attend.