the enterprise is read by
OVER 3,00© MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
VOLUME LII—NUMBER I
Williamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, May 19, 1919
THE ENTERPRISE !S READ BY
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
ESTABLISHED 1899
State Sanitarian
Says Trash Dump
Is Health Menace
— ■»
System No Worse Than In
Other Places, Hinton
Tells Clnh Members
-o
E. L. Hinton, State Health De
partment sanitation engineer, de
clared in an open meeting of the
Woman’s Club Tuesday evening
that Williamston's garbage dis
posal system was a public health
menace and unsightly, that it was
ideal for the propagation of rats,
mosquitoes and flies. However,
Hinton said that it was no worse
than conditions existing in many
other towns.
The sanitarian then outlined
various methods fo1- handling gar
bage disposal, ruling out the in
cenerator as too costly both as an
investment and operation, and the
open dump which he declared was
not safe. .
According to the engineer, the
trench method or land-fill plan
would best meet the needs here.
Me offered a detailed description
of tiie bench method, slating that
one acre of land would handle
the garbage from a town of 10,
000 population for one year, that
the main piece of equipment—-a
caterpillar tractor with a drop bull
clam—would cost approximately
$8,000. The operating plans for
this method call for a trench from
three to six feet deep. Garbage
would be dumped into the trench
and covered each day with two
feet of dirt after the refuse had
been thoroughly packed.
Hinton declared that the meth
od was being successfully employ
ed in many towns and cities in
several states, including about ten
in North Carolina at the present
time. In one large town the gar
bage trench is hardly more than
1,000 feet from the business cen
ter, and “it is not objectionable.”
He then described the land-fill
or area method, pointing out that
a low, marshy place could be fill
ed in with garbage which is then
covered with dirt hauled in from
nearby.
Mr. Hinton declared that some
thing should be done to eliminate
the health menace, undesirable
odors and smoke hazard of the
open dump.
Following a picture, showing
the operation of the trench and
area methods of handling garbage,
a question and answer period was
opened.
Asked by Mayor Robert Cowen
tvhich was the greater health men
ace, the open garbage dump or
open sewer lines, Hinton offered
no direct answer, declaring that
both were bad but that the sewer
problem could be solved only by
an expenditure of nearly $200,000
while the garbage problem could
be solved with an expenditure of
about $8,000. Hinton said the
State Board would send a repre
sentative here to help inaugurage
the trench or area method during
the course of a week.
Several questions, while relat
ing to health conditions but not
connected with the garbage prob
lem, were ruled out by, the club
president, Mrs. Wheeler Martin,
Jr., who explained that they
would be discussed later.
May.:;
C wen said no one was opposed t<
(Continued on page six)
Schedule Drive
Against Typhoid
Beginning next Monday, the
Martin County Health Depart
ment will hold a series of clinics
in a campaign to prevent typhoid
fever. A schedule appears in this
paper, and the public is diiected
to note the dates and take advan
tage of the security offered.
Commenting on the campaign
Health Officer J. W. Williams said
there had been two cases of ty
phoid fever in tnis county in the
past ten years, but that one of the
victims is a recognized carrier anc
there is still danger of typhoid un
til there is 100 percent sanitatior
as to water supply, milk and en
vironmental cleanliness.
The immeunization is handlec
without cost to the individual, anc
the office is looking for more thar
12.000 to take the vaccine during
the all-out campaign.
Youthful Pioneers In Stock Raising !
Pictured above are the youthful pioneers in stock raising in Martin County who exhibited the
pretty beef calves in the recent Martin County Fat Stock Show. Miss Betty Griffin, Pat Wynn and
William Janies, exhibitors, are not in the above group which includes: Mary Jane Rogers, Billy
Bailey, Kverett Purvis, Joseph Williams, Peggy Gurganus, Henry Rogers, Henry Swimpson, Irene
Purvis. Melvin Price, Corrone Bryant, Howard Gardner, Gloria Taylor, Michael Edmondson, Curtis
Gurganus, Calvin Oglesby, Ruth Hazel Bailey, Jimmy Peaks, lluss Knowles, Jimmy Knuwles, Fred
Griffin, Dallas Purvis, Jr.. Ward Perry, Leroy Leggett, Billy VanNortwick. Rannie Peaks, James
Rogerson, and Bobby Lilley. (Photo by Whit Saunders)
Few Registering In County
For School-Road Bond Vote
Few people are registering for
the road and school bond election
to bo held in this and the other
ninety-nine counties in the State
on Saturday, June 4, according to
reports coming from a majority
of the registrars. During the first
two Saturdays of the registration,
only sixteen new names were
added to the registration books,
as follows: Jumesville, 1; Griffins,
3; Bear Grass, 4; Williamston No.
1, 2; Williamston No. 2, 4; Hassell,
2. Gold point reported no addi
tions, while not reports could be
had from Williams, Cross Roads,
f I'IKl.l) DAY
v/
Quite a few farmers from
this county are plannin* lo
attend a field day program at
the Tidewater Experiment
Station near Plymouth next
Monday when a study of live
stock, pastures and potatoes
will be made. An interesting
and beneficial program has
been planned for the day.
Farmers interested in at
tending the event, are direct
ed to contact Assistant Agent
Sumner or Negro County
Agent R. M. Edwards. Sever
al cars will leave from the
agricultural building here at
9:00 o’clock that morning.
Robbers Active
In Jumesville
—•—
Operating sometime late Tues
day night or early Wednesday
morning, robbers broke into four
business places in Jumesville and
j carried away some cash and mer
Nothing was missed from the of
fice of Gaines and lvirkman in the
j old bank building, but drawer?
were ransacked.
At Luther Clark's cafe, the
thieves carried away approxi
mtaely 4,000 pennies stored in an
oyster can, $3 in change from a
mayonnaise jar, and about $19
from the cash register, including
five dollars in dimes, $3 in nickels,
$12 in quarters and $4.50 in halves,
Four cartons ol Luckies and Ches
terfields were also stolen.
The robbers are believed tc
have entered Wilbur Gurganus
garage where they got tools tc
break open windows in the other
places.
The depot was entered, but the
robbers did not get into the of
fice. It was also reported that the
colored school near Jamesville
was entered last Sunday night
tnat a small bank with a small
amount of change was missing
from one of the rooms.
Officers are working on the
j case, but had established ncj de
finite lead up until noon todliy.
1 Robersonville, Poplar Point, Ham
j ilton and Goose Nest precincts.
No new registration was order
ed for the $200 million road and
$25 million school bond election,
and those persons whose names
are already on the books will not
jfind it necessary to register again
to participate in the June 4 voting.
Those who have attained the ago
of 21 since the last state election
on June 4. Saturday of this week
is the last days the registration
books will be open for registra
tion. The books will be open on
the 28th for challenge only.
Colored Schools
To Close Monday
— <$>
By E. J. Hayes, Principal
On Monday evening, May 23,
the Williamston Colored High
School will bring to a close one of
its best sessions. Viewed from the
standpoint of achievement, en
rollment—we have an enrollment
of 879 students—and general cul
tural development, the students
and teachers have reason to feel
that they have made definite steps
in the field of education, thereby
making worthwhile contribution
to the development of our com
munity and its environments and
beyond.
The closing exercises are as fol
lows: Thursday afternoon, May
19th at 1:30 o’clock, anniversary
of clubs and departments. Thurs
day evening, May 19th at 8 o’clock,
j the dramatic operetta, “Jephtha
and His Daughter,” by students of
the sixth, seventh, and eighth
grades. Special program by stud
ents of the eighth grade, passing
from the elementary to the high
: school department on Friday evg
nmgTSfc! I Wl','11 1U1*. i hi
annual sermon is to be preached
! by Rev. M. Franklin Gregory, pas
i tor of Williams Chapel A. M. E.
Zion Church, here at 3 p. *».--os
Sunday, May 22nd. The School
Community band will make its
final appearance in concert for
the year Monday afternoon, May
23rd at 1:30 o’clock. The gradua
I tion exercises are to be held af
8 o’clock Monday evening, May
J 23rd. Dr. T. R. Speigner of the
department of Social Science,
Durham State (College for Ne
groes, Durham, will be the speak
er.
Friends are cordially invited to
| all these exercises.
377 Register For
School Elections
! Three hundred seventy-seven
citizens have registered for spec
ial tax elections to be held in two
districts on May 28, 135 in the
Bear Grass District and 242 in the
Oak City District. Outlook for the
j elections is favorable,
Co-Chairmen Are
Named For Road
School Bond Plan
-o
.No Definite Plan* Have
Beni Formulated for
Drive In the (anility
Attorney Hugh G. Horton and
Mayor Robert Cowen of Williams
ton this week were named co
chairmen of Martin County’s
Committee for Better Schools and
Roads by John Marshal], execu
tive secretary of Better Schools
and Roads, Inc., the organization
set up by individual citizens in a
meeting held at Raleigh a short
time ago.
Their appointments just cleared,
Horton and Cowen said today they
had not had time to formulate
plans for the drive in this county,
that they would welcome sug
gestions from interested citizens.
Similar organizations are being
set up in every county in the
State and the committee plans to
place before the people in this
county the facts surrounding the
issue, believing that once the true
facts are known support for the
proposals will grow stronger.
There is some definite opposi
tion to the program, but scattered
reports indicate that support for
both the school and road measures
is glowing rapidly and that they
have a chance of passage in this
county and in the State.
Announcing the county chair
manships, Secretary Marshall
said:
The chairmen will spearhead a
county drive for voters’ support
of the Better Schools and Roads
program, which faces its bigge.u
test on June 4 when the people of
North Carolina will vote on the is
suance of bonds for schools and
rpad_,bi Hiding.
I ^ Their appointment and accop
| marks another step in the State
| wide program to inform ail Tar
I Heels of the need for better
;.schools and roads and to impi'e' s
I upon all voters the significance of
the June 4 election for the eco
nomic and social life of North
Carolina.
By then acceptance of co-chair
manship they also became direc
tors in the non-profit, non-partis
an citizens’ organization, Better
Schools and Roads, Inc.
-o-—
Beer Retailers
Have Inspection
Inspector J. N. Ruck of Roanoke
Rapids was here this week exam
ining beer outlets and discussing
the new malt beverage law with
the retailers.
The State inspector pointed out
that inspections were subject to
be made at any time, including
Sundays and late nights, that vio
lations of the new law would call
'for the revocation of the retailer’s
I license.
Twenty Cases In
County's Court
Monday Morning!
•y D
Finos Drop To a Now Low
Of $350 During Short
Session This Week
Calling twenty cases and con
tinuing about lour of them. Judge
Chas. H. Manning held one of his
shortest sessions of the Martin
County Recorder's Court last
Monday since he went on the
bench last December. A spring
slump hit the financial side of the
court and fines dropped to $350 at
the short morning session:
Proceedings:
Charged with abandoning his
crop, William H. Moore was sen
tenced to the roads for thirty days.
The case charging Benjamin F.
Owens with careless and reckless
driving was dismissed.
Pleading guilty of an assault
with a deadly weapon, Oliver
Bonds was fined $50 and required
to pay the costs.
Pleading guilty of bastardy,
John H. Johnson was sentenced to
the roads for six month, the court
suspending the road term upon
the payment of the costs and on
condition that he pay $25 now and
$4 a week for the support of his
illegitimate child.
The case charging Ilaywood
Tharp with being drunk and dis
orderly was dismissed.
Charged with drunken driving,
Leslie 13. Neely failed to answer
when called and papers were issu
ed calling for his arrest.
Adjudged guilty of drunken
driving, Edward Myles Hardy
Strickland had his ease continued
under prayer for judgment until
next Monday.
Pleading not«guilty in the case
charging him with non-support,
Randolph Brown was adjudged
guilty and he was sentenced to the
roads for six months. The road
term was suspended upon the pay
ment of the costs and $10 a month
for the support of his child. The
judgment, calling for $15 a month
during the four fall months, is to
run for two years.
Adjudged guilty of operating a
motor vehicle while his driver’s
license was revoked, Robert II.
Crisp was fined $200 and taxed
| with the costs.
Charged with careless and reck
less driving, William Buck Shep
j herd was found guilty and
I fined $15 plus costs.
Robert Lee Hyman was fined
$10 and taxed with the cost in the
case charging him with simple as
(Continued on page six)
Finals Program
In Local School
Williumston’s high school will
close the current term next Mon
day evening at 8:00 o'clock when
graduation exercises are held in
die hi,.'h school auditorium. Dr.
James Slay of Duke University,
Durhai , will deliver the com
mencement address. Julian Mas
on will deliver the valedictory,
and diplomas and special awards
will be presented that evening.
Rev. E. R. Shullei, local Meth
ods* mini ter will preach the
evening iri the high school audi
tor! im at 8:00 o’clock. As far as
it could be learned there’ll be no
serviit-s in llu ,-n vt l al chan he.-,,
and members are invited to attend
the service in the high school.
No detailed or complete pro
gram of the fuiTont "erie: of com
mencement events has been an
nounced.
CONTROL PLAN
k-y
Preliminary arrangements
have been completed for pro
moting a mosquito and 1'iy
control program in Williams
ton, Sanitarian W. It. Gaylord,
Jr,, said yesterday. Repre
sentatives of the State Board
of Health were here and it is
possible that the town can get
the spray and other services
free, leaving only the labor to
be furnished.
Homes will be sprayed
without cost to the owners, it
was explained. Details will
he announced within the next
few days.
County Schools Will Close
Current Term On Monday
Most of the Martin County
school will close the current term
next Monday, but several of them
are holding their graduation oxer
cises on Friday of this week. The
local white schools are to hold
their graduation program next
Monday evening, but no formal
program has been announced pub
licly.
The six white and two colored
high schools have 165 candidates
for graduation, but unofficial re
ports heard here yesterday indi
cated that possibly several will
miss the mark and be forced to j
compromise by accepting certifi
cates.
For the first time possibly on
record, certainly in some time, |
there are more boys than girls in
the white schools in line for di
plomas while the number of girls
Hear Nine Cases
In Local Courts
In Past Few Days!
♦—
Ilil-Him Driver Itoimil Over
To The County Court
For Trial
. • ' ■■
Justices John L. Hassell and R.
T. Johnson handled nine cases in
their courts here during the past
few days. Several were sent to the
higher courts for final action.
Jack Bridges, charged with hit
and run driving, was bound over
j to the county court by Justice
' Johnson under bond in the sum of
$100 Bridges, allegedly had an
accident on Haughton Street here
in April and was just recently ap
prehended by local officers.
Other cases handled by Justice
Johnson:
Charged with disorderly con
duct and disturbing the peace at a
public gathering, Charlie Little,
Jr., William Randolph, Milton
Best and John Richard Best were j
adjudged not guilty.
Charged with public drunken
ness, James N. Ramsey was fined!
$15 and taxed with $5.85 costs.
Clarence Eugene Smith, V. H.
Curbage and W. L. Sterling,
charged with speeding, were'
bound over to the county record-1
e: 's court for trial.
Charged with an assault and
trespass, George Purvis was sen
tenced to the roads for thirty days,
the court suspending the sentence
upon the, payment of a $10 fine
and $5.85 costs.
Justice Hassell handled the fol
lowing eases:
Oscar Lewis, charged with oper
ating a bicycle on a public high
way at night without lights, was
sentenced to the roads for thirty
days, the court suspending the |
road term upon the payment of!
(Continued on page six)
I Plan Revival
At Jamesville
—■ • —
The Jemesvillc Christian church
has completed plans for a revival j
to be held the 23jM ol May through !
: the2lith |
I 5fai<"a*K\n^^Tsr,m!nTes Riggs j
| will be the speaker throughout.
| the revival. Rev. Charles Riggs
I is now holding a revival meeting1
j in La Ch ange and will come to th' i
ijamisville eommunity the first ul
next week.
I A cordial invitation is extended
to all the surrounding communi
ties to attend the meetings each
night tit 8 o’clock.
The pastor, Rev. Bill White, an
nounced that regular services will
he held Sunday including Bible
school, E. H. Ange, supt., at 10;
morning worship and celebration
of the Lord’s supper at 11; C. Y. F.
at 6:30 at the church and evening
worship at 6:00.
Woman’s Council meets next
Tuesday night.
lit'IttriiH Home Folloivinfi
Amputation of One /,<*#
One of his legs amputated above
the knee, Mr. John P. Hodges was
returned to hik home in Bear
Grass Wednesday in a Biggs am
bulance. Last reports reaching
here stated he was getting along
very well.
n the colored schools almost out j
number the boys two to one. Only j
in one school—Oak City—is the [
number of girls in the senior class
greater than the number of boys.
The six white high schools have
11!) candidates for graduation, in
cluding 59 boys and 5(1 girls. The
Iwo colored high schools have 50
candidates, 18 hoys and 32 girls,
the Williamston colored school re-;
porting. 3 boys and 15 girls, and
the colored school at Parmele re
porting 15 boys and 17 girls in line
for graduation.
The six white schools report the
following candidates with the boys
listed first and the girls second:
Jamesville, 11 and 10; Farm
Life, 4 and 1; Bear Grass, 5 and 4;
Williamston, 15 and 13; Roberson
ville, 16 and 16; Oak City, 8 and
12.
DOING FINE }
v_j
The tobacco crop, trans
planted in its entirety and to
quota limit®, L doing nicely in
this county, farmers report.
The crops is growing rapidly.
Sheriff ('. It. Roebuck stating
tliis week that his crop was
already large enough to con
ceal a jumping rabbit. Many
farmers have already culti
vated the young plants one
time and quite a few others
have plowed the crop a second
time.
Their beds wiped out by
blue mold, farmers from sev
eral counties in this State and
Virginia have been literally
scouring the county for
plants, and it is estimated that
enough have been given away
to transplant several hundred
acres.
County In Line
For Two Million
-——<$►-—
Martin County will receive
$459,742 for school building and
$1,(106,000 for road building if vot
ers on June 4 authorize the issu
ance of school and road bonds, ac
cording to a letter received by
county commissioners from Gov
ernor W. Kerr Si ott.
•
School and road bond bills pass
ed by the 104!) General Assembly
allocate those amounts to be spent
in the county, provided that the
people authorize the issuance of
the bonds when they vote in the
June 4 election,
For school building Martin
County would get $2.r>0,000 as its
equal share of a $25,000,000 appro
priation by the General Assembly
plus $209,742 as its per pupil share
of tlie proceeds from the School
bonds. The per-pupil share estab
lished by tlie General Assembly is
determined on the basis of tlie
1947 46 average daily member
ship.
The amount that would lie spent
in the county for road building, If
issuance of the bonds is favored
by tlie voters, is set forth exactly
in the road bond bill, and repre
sents what the Genera! Assembly |
equitable distribution” based upon
the formula in use by tile State
Highway and Public Works Com
mission
The county's share of proceeds
from the road bonds would lie in
addition to its regular share of
highway funds.
-o
Many Changes In
School Faculties
According to unofficial reports,
there’ll be quite a few changes in
tlie several school faculties in this
county next term.
It was rumored that there were
as many as eight or nine positions
vacant in the Williamston faculty,
that some were quitting the pro
fession, some were getting mar
ried and others were making
changes.
It was reliably learned this
week that H. J. McCracken, prin
cipal of the Oak City School for
the past two terms, had resigned.
As far as it could be learned his
successor lias not been named.
National Magazine
Features State s
Menhaden Fishery
Interesting Stor\ Of li»li
Will I!" (iarrird To VII
Parts of the World
Washington. D. C. —North Caro
lina's menhaden fishery is featur
ed in an article in the June issue
of the National Geographic Maga
zine by Leonard C. Roy, a member
of the publication's editorial staff.
Although menhaden are caught
along the Atlantic coast from
Long Island southward, and in the
Gulf of Mexico, Roy chose the
Morehead City-Beaufort area to
make his on-the-spot study of fish
and fisheries.
Publication of the article in the
National Geographic means that
North Carolina's place in the men
haden industry will be made
known to 1,1100,000 members of the
Society throughout the world and
the story will be available to
readers in nearly every municipal,
school and college library in the
United States.
Entitled "Menhaden — Uncle
Salii's Top CuiUmei vial t ish, the
article gives two important reas
ons why the fish is so little known
-it has nearly as many nicknames
as there are reducing centers, and
it is too oily, mealy and bony for
human consumption.
Fish Gets Around
Yet, writes Roy: “More people
come into contact with menhaden
in some form than with any other
fish. The thousands employed in
the industry last year are a mere
handful compared with the num
ber who use menhaden oil and
meal,
“The soap in your kitchen and
bathroom is apt to contain men
haden oil. The linoleum on your
kitchen or office floor, the varnish
and paint that decorate the furni
ture and walls in vour home, and
your waterproof garments may
have been made with the oil. Steel
manufacturers use the oil in temp
ering their product.
"Since animal protein is im
portant to the health of cattle,
hogs, and poultry, menhaden
meal, mixed with their food, often
brings this fish indirectly to your
dining table.”
Colonists arriving on the New
England const discovered Indians
using menhaden for fertilizer by
placing fi.-.h in each corn hill,
tiic article relates. Now practical
ly none of the fish is used as fer
tilizer. Roy then traces the his
tory of the menhaden industry
from tile odoriferous sun process
ing method on Rhode Island
beaches to the large, almost odor
less plants ot today.
11)48 A Big Year
To get local color and first-hand
material on his subject, the writer
sailed out of Morehead City on
The Mace of Beaufort Fisheries,
Incorporated, witnessed a “set' (a
netting of fish) and saw the catch
move, by conveyor licit, through
a reducing plant until it became
the menhaden oil and meal of
trade.
Last year, the article reports,
tiie industry processed more than
1.417.000. 000 menhaden, exceeding
950.000. 000 pounds in total weight.
This is more than twice the
poundage the .<,ur.,i .:.;
■■'■failIiiiiiiiiid
times lie total ol menhaden's
nearest rival in the Atlantic fish
eries, the rosefish, or sea perch.
(.Continued on page six)
Flan Revival In
West End Church
—•—
The Reverend J. N. Staneil,
Wendell, N. C\, will begin a series
of revival meetings at West End
Baptist Church Monday evening,
May 23, at eight o'clock. The
meeting will last through the
week. Mr. Staneil is pastor of four
churches near Wendell, and some
real gospel messages are expected
during the revival meeting.
A song service will be held each
evening, led by the pastor, J. Thad
Ashley. A special prayer service
will be held each evening at the
church at 7:30 just before the re
vival services.
"Please make your plans to at
tend each service of this series of
meetings, and we feel sure you
will receive a blessing,’’ the pas
tor urges.