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 45 William a ton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, June 7. 1949 ESTABLISHED LB09 County Board In Regular Meeting Monday Mornin — Plan Special Session Later In Month To Study Budget Figures fcfj Meeting in regular session Mon day morning, the Martin County Commissioners discussed inform ally several topics for several hours, but limited action to rou tine matters, including road prob lems and a few other minor de tails. Budget figures are not quite ready, and the board is expected to meet in a special session later in the month to study the propos ed financial plans for the new fis cal year of 1949-1950. Depart mental reports, submitted in min ute detail, were reviewed. A contract for the annual audit was let to F. E. Butler, CPA, for $550. Iona James applied to the board for a license to sell beer at her Hitching Post cafe on South Syca more Street. Tax Collector M. L Peel report ed that all but $15,391.05 of the $283,428.20 levy for 1948 had been collected, that there was a bal ance due of $6,115.03 on the $234, 906.57 levy for 1947, and that the unpaid balance for the 1946 levy of $205,125.47 was $2,334.30. No discussion was held on the new road program, but the com missioners received several peti tions for roads and maintenance. The people living between High way 64 and the Prison Camp Road petitioned the board for an out let. Residents just outside Williams ton s northern limits petitioned the board, asking that it recom mend to the highway commission the maintenance of Plum, Pine, Oak Mulberry and Cherry Streets, a distance of 3,835 feet. The petition, carrying the names of 26 persons, explained that the streets served 55 homes. Another petition asked the Highway commission to take over three-quarters of a mile of road in Jamesville Township, leading from the Lydia Sexton place to the W. B. Gaylord farm on the old Jamesville - Washington Railroad line. A second petition filed by Jamesville citizens asks the com mission to take over and maintain seven-tenths of a mile of road leading off the old J. and W. Rail road line to the J. D. Price place. And a third petition from James ville urges the commission to take over and maintain one-half mile leading off Temporary 171 about five miles from Jamesville to the Arthur Modlin place. All five of the commissioners, C. C. Mai .in, W. M. Harrison, J. H. Edwards, C. A. Roberson and H. S. Johnson, were present and worked through the lunch hour to recess about 1:30 o’clock. Officers Wreck Still In County Raiding in the Poplar Point sec tion of Hamilton Township early Sunday morning, ABC Officer Joe H. Roebuck and Deputies Buck m^gL. ILtn ■■ - ■ p J±q:j R " v Pee I a 50-gallon copper kettle and poured out fifty gallons of sugar beer. The raiders wrecked the plant and equipment, including a doubler ana cooler. • The raid was one of the first made in the county this month. \ TOWN BOARD v Meeting this evening at 8:00 o’clock, Williamston’s town commissioners will perfect their organization for the new term, and possibly consider a calendar crowded with new business. The old board will hold a brief session to clear its cal endar before turning over the affairs of the town to the new group. Commissioners John H. Gurganus and B. D. Court ney are retiring and they are being succeeded by W. O. Griffin and Leman Barnhill. David Moore a mont.’s ago fill ed the positnon made vacant by the death of Commissioner G. H. Harrison. . County Income Boosted By Court Fines In Past Month The Martin Countv Recorder's Court last month broke all income records when it turned over to the treasurer $4,284.30, Clerk L B. Wynne reported to the county commissioners in their regular current meeting. Fines were as sessed in the round figures of $3, 000, the costs of $1,284.30 levied by court schedule boosting the to tal to the record figure. The pre vious high income figure—$3, 744.45—was reported last January. The January fines, however, were about $1,100 less than the figure reported for May. The income last month was more than $500 greater than the previous high record, the court clerk pointed out. Alleged liquor law violators brought to justice by the ABC board enforcement officers and police in the several towns, con tributed heavily to the treasury. c RAINFALL I > More rain fell last month than in any other May since 1938, according to Hugh Spruill, keeper of the Roan oke River bridge. Rain, fall ing on thirteen of the thirty one days, measured 6.10 inches. On May 2, 2.55 inches of rain fell, followed by 2.05 inches on the 10th. Rain fell on the first five days of this month, the gauge keeper stating that the big Sunday rain amounted to only 1.35 inches at the river. It is fairly certain that more rain fell up town than the amount recorded at the river, a mile away. Urge Observance Of Traffic Rules To safe your life, heed “Signs of Life!” This is the theme of the North Carolina Department of Motor Ve hicles’ June traffic campaign. “Our goal is to bring home to both motorists and drivers the fact that traffic signs, signals and pavement markings aie installed for their protection and guidance only after study by traffic engi neers has established the advis ability of them,” Jeff B. Wilson, director of the Highway Safety Division of the Department, said. This June project is a part of the year-round Operation Safety pro gram, sponsored nationwide by the National Safety Council and in the State by the Department. “In spite of the fact that our traffic signs, signals and pave ment markings cover almost every situation that the motorist or pe destrian is likely to encounter, the regularity with which they are ig nored is appalling. A conscienti ous observance of these signs would be a big step in reducing our traffic accident fatalities,” Wilson added. He pointed out that the June campaign reminds motorists and pedestrians that “Signs of Life” are easily recognized by their dis tinctive shapes, even at a distance ble. “Ignoring inese signs,” Wilson said, “is like driving with your head tucked under the dashboard, and it makes just about as much sense. Our hope is to convince drivers and pedestrians that they should have more than a nodding acquaintance with these mark ings.” Fight Continues On Mosquitoes Health department authorities with the aid of town personnel are continuing the drive against mos quitoes here. Through last week 102 homes had been sprayed inside with DDT. and several hundred persons had contracted for the free ser vice. Most of the work has been centered around the town’s limits, and the control program will move inward as rapidly as possible, it was explained So far no one has refused to cooperate with the pro gram, The large income had it? founda tion in April when cases accumu lated while the superior tribunal was in session, and on the first Monday in May the fines and costs literally overflowed the clerk's cash drawer. However, the income rate was materially slowed down on the last Monday in the month when the revenue was hardly suf ficient to offset actual expenses of the court. In addition to the income from the court, the clerk’s office report ed $218.84 collected for probating papers and filing suits of various types during the period. The register of deeds, J. Sam Getsinger, reported an income of $432.70 for recording papers and issuing licenses during the month. . The sheriff’s office reported an in I come of $183.35 for serving papers and handling other duties. Two Minor Road Wrecks Reported No one was injured and little property damage resulted in two minor highway accidents on Mar tin County highways over the week-end, according to reports re leased by the highway patrol of fice this week. A tractor-trailer truck owned by the Rogers Construction Com pany of Williamston was travel ing U. S. 64 from Plymouth to ward Dardens when a piece of metal, sticking out one side, struck a fender on the tractor-trailer truck owned by the Nash Brick Company. The piece of metal punctured a tire on the brick com pany's truck and flew into a Gaines and Kirkman tractor-trail er lumber truck tire and punctur ed it. The brick and lumber com pany trucks were meeting the other vehicle. Saturday afternoon, Levi M. Donaldson lost control of his 1937 4-door Plymouth on Highway 64 between Williamston and James ville and the machine turned over on its side, injuring neither the driver of his companion, Martha Carson ,and causing little damage. The car was righted and when re filled with oil it was driven away from the scene of the accident. Patrolman E. P. Simmons made the investigations. Critically Hurt In Fall Sunday Linda Kay, young daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O. L. Willard of Williamston, was critically injur ed while visiting relatives in New port News Sunday. She with her young sister and several others was enjoying a pic nic when she fell on a stick or stob. The instrument entered just above the eye and pierced the brain. Removed to the Elizabeth Buxton Hospital in Newport News, she underwent an operation a short time later. While her con dition was described as critical, sne is expected to recover if there Notified of the accident, Mi. and Mrs. Willard left here immediate ly to be with the child. -<*s. Work Started On The River Road Highway workers started yes terday on a project that will link the hardsurfaee on what is known as the River Road or the road between Hamilton and Palmyra. All of the road except 5.6 miles has been surfaced. Tentative plans call for the com pletion of the project by early fall. According to unofficial reports the route is shorter by a few miles from Hamilton to Scotland Neck than the one from Hamilton to Scotland Neck via Oak City. Preliminary work has been completed on the surfacing of the Williamston-Bear Grass Road, and work is progressing on Route 171 from a point'several miles out of Jamesville to the Farm Life sec tion. Logwoods Worker Drowns In River Near Jamesville —$— Three Olliers Swim lo Safe ty When Small Roal Cap sized Thursday Noon Levi Riddick, 50-year-old color ed man of Plymouth, was drown ed in the Roanoke River a1“james ville shortly after 12:00 o’clock noon last Thursday. Three other men, William Bonds, colored, and Chas. Harris and A. L. Bradwell, both white, riding with Riddick in a small boat, swam to safety when the boat capsized about twelve or fifteen feet from the shore. Rid dick surfaced only once and call ed for help. He was not seen after that time. Leaving the logwoods where they had been working for the Atlas Plywood Corporation a few miles above Jamesville, the four men, riding in a plank boat pow ered by an outboard motor, were nearing the shore at Jamesville when the front of the boat dipped water. Riddick, stationed in the front part, ran toward the back and the boat filled with water and went down, Riddick going with it. The other three jumped and made their way to shore. Reports stat ed the water was unusually rough in the river at the time, that when the power was shut off, the front of the boat was lowered and a wave struck about that time. The drowning was the first re ported in the county and the sec ond in the Roanoke this year as against three a year ago. A body, not immediately identified, was removed from the river not far from Roanoke Rapids earlier in the week. Quite a few, using grappling hooks, searched for the body most of Thursday afternoon but their efforts were hampered by logs and snags at the bottom of the river. A direct search was aban doned, but fishermen maintain ed a fairly constant watch and the body was picked up about three miles below Jamesville by Douglas Currier who delivered it to the landing in Jamesville. Coroner S. R. Biggs investigated the drowning, found no sign of foul play and ruled that a formal inquest was not necessary. The body, already in an advance state of decomposition, was turned over to a Plymouth undertaker. Robber Held Here Under $1,000 Bond — » Slade Henry Butler, young col ored man charged with the hold up robbery of Henry Harris, fill ing station owner-operator near here on April 26. was ordered held in the county jail in default of $1, 000 bond required by Justice R. T. Johnson at a preliminary hearing held last Friday evening. Arrested by Baltimore police week before last, Butler was re turned here the next day by De puty Buck Holloman and Patrol man M. F. Powers. When formally charged with the crime, Butler pleaded not guilty, I but^dmHjgjj^hejvent to the jfar ns station with Willie Williams, colored man, who was given a pre liminary hearing some time ago. Williams was ordered held in de fault ot a $700 bond, and both are being booked for trial in the sup erior court week after next. When confronted by Williams, Butler admitted striking Harris, but denied taking any money from the pockets of the victim. Harris identified Butler as the man who struck him and took money from his (Harris’) pockets. ROUND-UP All was fairly quid on the crime front in the county dur ing the week-end, according to a report coming from the sheriff's office. Only two persons were ar rested and jailed during the period, one for issuing a worthless check and the other for public drunkenness. One was a 50-year-old white man and the other was a young colored man. Road Bonds Get Two-To-One Vote Margin In The County Man Held Ip Vnd ! Robbed Near Loji | Camp On Roanoke Masked Men Stalk Their Prey Beside River Banks Late Last Thursday Switching from the highway to the Roanoke, river robbers held up A. C. Currie, logging camp I watchman, at the point of a two ! pistols and relieved him of all his | earthly cash of $52—five $10 and j two $1 bills near Poplar Point landing in this county about 0:30 o’clock last Thursday evening. Riding in a plank boat with an outboard motor attached to it, i three grown men apparently float ed or paddled the small boat down the river, banked it and stole within a few feet of their victim before their presence was discov ered. One of the three men. all of whom wore high-cuffed work gloves and masks that completely covered their faces and heads, re I mained with the boat. The other | two, each armed with a pistol, told : Currie, “Your life or your money.” The victim, a goodly distance from a residence, pulled out and handed over the $52 in cash. The hold-up men were a bit particular and re jected the man’s watch, declaring it was not good enough for them. After having Currie turn his pockets wrongside out, the men backed off. got into their small boat, about fifty feet away, crank ed the motor and moved down the river, holding their pistols on the victim until they were almost out of sight. The camps had been abandoned and the keeper who had been there several years dug up the money from its hiding place just a short time before and was making ready to leave for another site, Deputy Buck Holloman and De puty Roy Peel said following an investigation. The officers, notified about 8:30 of the hold-up, went to the scene that night and the following day made a search by boat up and down the l iver. They were unable to find any trace of the robbers. Cume said the men were dress ed in overalls and jumpers and j were quite large, according to j Currie's description, but the vie : tun Kvas unable to say whether | they were white or colored men. Oltu as admitted they had very 1 little to work an in the case. Special \wards For Band Pupils j Special awards, including eer i tifieates, letters and trophies, were I presented Professor Jack Butko’s hand pupils at the close of school for their work during the past , term, as follows: ( ertificatcs and letters: Bobby ( layton, Larry Bullock, Travis Martin, Louise Coley, Raymond Roberson, Jack Edwards, Bobby Goff, Rondell Beach, Elizabeth Whitley, Gloyden Stewart and Jimmy Page. Special performance certificate: Warren Goff and Johnny Woolard. Senior awards: Julian Mason, ! Sal lie Hardison. Mnrilvn Fussel! I Julia LauchiiU'hoti -'. Joan Peel Outstanding band nien.oer award trophy: Suilie Beth Hardi | son. ■ Twinline, ■- d: ■ ■ ,t , > j (superior rating in district contest I at Greenville; awarded medal at Elizabeth City annual band fes I tival), l»OOR SI AM) While reporting their best tobacco crop prospects. Martin County farmers declare they Have encountered much diffi culty in getting a stand of pea nuts. Goodly numbers of far mers have replanted the crop the second time and some have reported third plantings. Wet and cold weather caused the seed to rot in the ground, it was explained. It is estimated that the ex tra plantings alone cost the farmers in this county ap proximately S75.000 for seed without considering other costs. School Plan Gets More Than Three To-One Majority $200 Million Koay Sales Total Members of the American Le gion Auxiliary in lour county cen ters reported this week that the poppy sale on May 2fi amounted to $29-1.56. Reporting for the Oak City area, Mis. Hassell Worslo.y said that the sale there amounted to S14.113. Mis. J. A. Hardison reported a $13 sale in Farm Life, and Mrs. J A. Ellis said the sale in the James vi 1 It; section amounted to $17.OH. Hie sale- in Williamston amount ed to $250.65, the total income ranging above the average lor the past lew years, I'K AMI'S r~ Operations were resumed at both the Williamston and Dixie Peanut (’ompany plants here yesterday when the mills started shelling 50,000 hags of peanuts for the government. Thirty thousand bags of the goobers are being moved out of storage here and 20,000 are being taken out of storage at Kobersonville. It was reported that the shelled peanuts will be moved to wharves at Norfolk for shipment to Kurope where they will be crushed for oil. The peanuts are to be shelled and delivered to Norfolk in about two weeks, and it is likely that the plants will op erate two shifts. Member of Local Faculty Resigned <§>.— -» Mrs. Anne J. Corey, eighth grade teaeher in the local schools for the past two terms, recently submitted hei resignation to ac cept a position as secretary of the Corey Plumbing and Heating Company, it was announced by the committee yesterday. G. C. Wood of Swansboro, has been elected to fill the eighth grade position it was also an nounced. Mr. Wood, a veteian of World War 11 and who served in the Navy, was graduated from Kast Carolina Teachers College, Greenville, with high honors this spring. A brother to Mr. T P Wood of Williamston, the new fac ulty member plans to locate here with his wife and three-year-old son, Terry, in the early fall. Miss Margaret McDaniel, ex perienced teacher of Woodland, has been named to the home eco nomies department, succeeding Miss Ida Roberts, resigned. Miss McDaniel taught last term in the Pinetops school and conics here highly recommended. All but two of the seven posi tions made vacant by resignations have been filled, Committee See rotary W. 1. Skinner said yester day. Native Ouittin^ i r Post William P. Hodges, Williamston native and sun of Mr. W. J. h'ou'ges’'anu tiiL- late Mi’' Hodges, last week resigned as Insurance Commissioner of North Carolina. He has served several terms as head of the department and more recently was a member of the Council of State. No official announcement has been made, but according to re ports heard here the young man is quitting the post to go with the Continental Insurance Company with headquarters in Washing ton, D. C. (.on nl\ I'll in iition llounl lli-lil \o Meeting Monthly A meeting of tho Martin Coun ty Board of Education, tentative ly scheduled for Monday of this week, was postponed on account of the absence of Chairman J. D. Wnolard who was out of town. A date for the meeting has not been fixed, but it is likely that the members will assemble next Mon day.