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 52 Williamtton, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, June 30, 10 10 ESTABLISHED 1899 Town Holds Kate To Old 1948-49 Figure Budget Calls For Revenues In The Sum Of $142,985 Propose $1 Minimum Fee For Connections With Town Sewer System After struggling with rising costs and falling revenues in sev eral categories, Williamston’s town commissioners in a three-hour special session last Tuesday eve ning managed to hold the 1949-50 general tax rate to the old figure of $2.00 per $100 assessed property valuation. While the proposed budget provides for no marked va riations in the expenditure sched ule or the revenue raising field, it does incorporate a newly proposed feature, a $1 minimum monthly sewer connection rental fee. It is possibly that the fee will undergo some change, but it is fairly defin ite that some charge will be made durinfc the new fiscal year for the service. The new budget is based on an assessed property valuation of $3,590,511. The $2 tax rate is fig ured to raise $71,810.22. The sec ond main source of income is ex pected to be from water sales which, it is estimated, will add right at $34,200 to the revenue. The town's share from the profits cleared by the sale of legal alco holic beverages, including beer, will approximate $12,000. It is es timated that the sale of cemetery lots and water connections will add $3,000 each to the income for the period. Parking meters are expected to add $S.350 to the rev enue. These items along with minor income from other sources are expected to amount to $142, 985 during the next fiscal year. A new source of income is being added, but it was pointed out that every penny raised from sewer j rental fees will be put back into | the system. In fact, the $7,200 the ! board proposes to raise from that! source will just about be expend-1 ed on the project now under con- j struction on North Smithwick and Liberty Streets. In estimating expenditures, the ; board listed $19,235 for general: administration, the amount in- ; eluding salaries of the mayor, commissioners, clerks, $1,500 for rat and mosquito control, janitor- j ial service, and $5,000 for repairs ; to the old town hall. The board is setting aside $6,- i 606.86 for the cemetery, including $3,160 for labor, new land pay ments and interest and supplies. ; The swimming pool is getting a $723.95 appropriation The fire department will cost right at $3,000. The police department is getting $19,315, including $16,490 in sal aries for the six officers. Street and sanitary departments are to get $29,185. The figure in cludes $3,500 for new equipment. Approximately $28,900, it is es timated, will be required by the water and ijewerdepartments. Provision lSSnginStBTor $7,500 in additional water mains, and $4,- | 000 for repairs to the w ater tank. Debt service will take $24,505, 1 including $14,500 m principal aha $10,005 in interest. Formal adoption ol the budget (Continued on page eight) BIG RUSH With time running out on them today, numbers of mot or vehicle operators are rush ing the state examiner’s office here for their drivers’ license examination. Examiner Boyce yesterday handled a near record number with the aid of members of the highway patrol who are giving the road tests. After today it will be un lawful for those whose names start with II, I, J or K to oper ate motor vehicles without new drivers’ licenses. Tomor row, those persons whose la * names begin with the letters L or M will be eligible to ap ply for licenses. j GENERAL HOLIDAY 1 Next Monday, July 4, will be observed as a general holi day in this section. All shops, banks, offices, the post office will close for the day, and heavy industry will observe the day as a holiday in some instances, according to unof ficial reports. There’ll be no mail deliv eries. The county commis sioners, observing the day as a holiday, will hold their meeting Tuesday. The Enterprise, following an old and cherished custom, will not be printed next Tues day, and the office will be closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Limit On Defense Spending Sought By Committee R«‘<|ii«‘*t» Add Three Billion On Top of $15 Billion Military Budget As it has often been pointed out , congressional conservatives who talk about “economy” have prae i tically never proposed to cut the military and “war” appropria ! tions which take 75 cents of each ' | tax dollar They demand slashes! in the other 24 cents, which pays all the non war government costs, including everything done for the welfare of the American people. The military and war costs are going so high, however, that last | week even some conservatives on ,the Senate Armed Services Com 1 mittee joined in asking Defense Secretary Louis A. Johnson to stop adding, do some subtracting, and set a "ceiling.” On top of the $16 billion “bud get" for the armed forces, John son has asked Congress to pass five bills which would add over $3 billion more. The bills are: A measure to provide $623 mil lion for housing and other “public works’ at military posts. Another $600 million to increase the Air Force to ”70 groups.” A bill, al ready passed, providing $300 mil lion for “wind tunnels,” used in development of military airplanes and missiles. Also, the money for arming Eu rope, put at $1.4 billion, although the real cost will be far more. That is because Uncle Sam will take most of the planes, ships, tanks and other weapons from the present “stocks” of his army, navy and air force, give them to Euro pean countries, and count their value at as little as 10 cents on each dollar of their original cost Then our army, navy and air force will buy new weapons to re plenish their stocks, at a cost of 100 cents on the dollar. The fifth bill requested by Johnson /» the measure Boosting^ -.O ’ f rp f 1 y declined to pas this bill, on the ground that it would give officers too much ana enlisted men too lit tle . It was r.e\v r.ltt#s\ vmd passed} <-<>■ the House tins week. In its original form, this bill would have added $406 million to the military budget. As passed, the added cost is estimated at $302 million. Rail Traffic On Branch Blocked Rail traffic on the Plymouth | Branch of the A. C. L., between Jamesville and Dardens was blocked today where several fills were badly washed. A short dis tance this side of Dardens, a fill was nearly washed away while in other spots the dirt was washed from under the tracks. A work train is being dispatch ed to the area, and traffic is ex pected to be resumed sometime late today. Damage to the railroad will run into thousands of dollars, accord ing to unofficial estimates. Take It Easy On The Fourth And Be Alive On Fifth Acridonls a Year Ago Took The Lives Of 8,700 In The Nation Going somewhere over the Fourth of July? If you are, then plan your trip safely. But even if you stay home, keep safety in mind for the Fourth of July holiday is one of the most dangerous week-ends of the year. That is the advice of the Nation al Safety Council, which is coordi nating a nationwide campaign to hold down the usual upsurge in accidental deaths during the Inde pendence Day celebration. One hundred and thirty national or ganizations, as well as state and city public officials, arc cooperat ing in the effort. Motor vehicle accidents lead the list of holiday hazards, the Coun cil said. Drowning from swim ming and fishing accidents is the second biggest risk. Other deaths are due to fireworks and fire arms, sunstroke and heat exhaus tion, food poisoning, falls and mis cellaneous accidents. The death toll for the month of July last year was 8,700, the Council said. While it is impos sible to determine the exact num ber of deaths from all causes oc curring during the Fourth of July holiday, the Council said the total was well above the average for other days of the month. The Council expects more pleas ure-seeking holiday motorists to pile into more cars and roll up j more miles during this one week j end celebration than ever before in the nation’s history. More than 33 million motor vehicles will be on the move during the holiday. The increasing number of new cars on the road and the substan tial rise in gasoline consumption this year indicate a heavy death toll—unless everyone is fully aware of the holiday hazards and makes a real effort to avoid them. “There are two ways to hold down deaths during a holiday period such as the Fourth,” said Ned H. Dearborn, president of the Council. “One is for police, beach guards and others who have some au thoritative control over public safety to be especially alert “The other is for all of us to re cognize that holidays are danger days, and to drive a car, walk across the street, swim, fish or otherwise conduct ourselves in a safe and prudent manner. “If everyone would keep in mind the w'ords ‘Take It Easy on the Fourth—Be Alive on the Fifth,’ this Fourth of July would bring much less tragedy and much more pleasure.” Many Brave Rain For Band Concert m A iairly large audience braved the rain last night to hear the Wil liamston High School Green Wave Band in concert at the high school auditorium after rain had lord A [the—scheduled outdoor musical I program indoors. While attendance was not up to what it ha:. been for other con certs here Professor Jack Butler, director of the band, said he and 1 the youngsters were deeply ap preciative of the large turnout under such circumstances. A varied program was present ed and well executed. Although some of the numbers were arrang ed for outdoor play especially, the audience was pleased with the program and called for an encore. Explaining that no such contin gency had been anticipated, the director offered to replay any one of the program numbers and the youngsters in the audience de manded, with the backing of some of their elders, that the “pop tunc”, “Are You From Dixie,” be played again. 7-*--— Mo Issue Of Enterprise Scheduled for July 5th In keeping with custom and to give the force a breathing spell, there’ll be no issue of The Enter prise next Tuesday, July 5. The office will be closed today until next Tuesday morning. Several'Highways BtockeU | By Heavy Rains Yesterday Heavy rains falling southeast of here yesterday afternoon blocked highways for a few hours and caused undetermined damage to crops. No estimate on the crop loss could be had immediately, but entire fields were inundated, and one report said that some crops literally had been washed away by the roots. It ;s quite possible that the crop damage in this county will run well into the tens of thousands of dollars. Preliminary reports reaching here stated that highway 64 be tween Jamesville and Dardens was covered by more than two feet of water a short distance out of Jamesville, that many cars drowned out and traffic was de layed there for some time. The Jamesville-Washington Highway was also blocked, and in the heart of Jamesville water was eight or ten inches deep on the main high way, overflowing into stores and homes. One family was forced to vacate a home when water tlow j ed into it. Jamesville residents said it was | the largest rain they had even seen there, estimating it between ; five and six inches. During more • than three hours, one cloud fol I lowed another. j When the water converged in ; the streams it sent them out of their banks. The highway at Welch's Creek on the Martin I Washington boundary was under water measuring from 20 inches to five feet, and traffic was block ed overnight. The water was re ceding early this morning and normal movement of traffic was expected before noon today. Very little rain fell here, hut I in Griffins an estimated three ! inch rain was reported, following a two-inch fall the day before. From 11 o’clock yesterday morn ingun it.lshor tly before noon to day, only 1.50 inches of rain fell here. About that same amount was recorded the day before. FIXING DATES v___/ The Board of Governors of the Bright1 Belt Tobacco Warehouse Association, meet ing in Baleigh today, will fix the dates for opening the bright leaf tobacco auction > markets, and dicuss selling regulations. Heretofore the Tobacco Association of the United States has been determining the opening date, but the com pany organization, fearful of anti-trust laws, surrendered the task this year. Reject Bids For Sewer Line Here Bids for laying approximately 11,700 feet of sewer pipe on North Smithwiek and Liberty Streets here were rejected by the town board of commissioners in special session last Tuesday evening. The lowest bid was $1.95 a foot, the town to furnish the pipe and build the manholes. The water-sewer departments were instructed to handle the pro ject. It was explained at the meeting that bids are being asked for the construction of curbing and gut tering on the two streets, the of ficials expressing the hope that the sewer lines and curb can be in stalled before the highway depart ment is ready to surface the streets. Water lines have been laid on the streets. Effect Change In Train Schedules Instead of running two freight trains from Rocky Mount as far as Williamston each day, the Coast Line is shifting the schedule to havs -vnc f rftin r,.»t of Rock;; Mount every day and one ouWtMVeHon as far as this point i^^^^nhcr week-day. The train out of Rocky Mount will serve as an express in that it will pu(cIP ana out loaded cars, leaving the train from Weldon to do the shifting. The train out of Weldon, cap tained by Jesse Camp, will spend every other night here, making the return trip to Weldon after shifting cars brought in by the train out of Rocky Mount. The train on the Weldon-Parmele run is being discontinued temporarily, at least. Named Chaplain Wake Foreat Literary Croup Miss Iris Stokes was elected chaplain of the Philomathcsian Literary Society for the summer session of Wake Forest College to replace Dan Britt. Miss Stokes is from Hamilton, North Carolina, I and has shown leadership in thei religious field on the college cam-| pus. Accepted by acclamation Miss Stokes will assume her posi-! tion on June 2V. Filling an office rarely held by a co-ed Miss Stokes’ j leadership is again confirmed. Corey Will Filed hi Superior Court Monday Afternoon -o No Value Fixed Oil Proper ty Left Kehtlives l»y Mrs. Mamie Corey The last will and testament of Mrs. Mamie Corey who died at her home in Hear Grass Township last week, was filed in the Martin County Superior Court last Mon day, hut no value ol’ the estate was mentioned. Apparently realizing her condi tion last March while a patient in Duke Hospital, Durham, Mrs. Corey wrote her qwn will, Drs. Gus Casten and John DeWitt King ot Durham witnessing the instru ment. Appreciative of the help accord ed her, Mrs. Corey said, “The reas on I give all this to my three brothers and nephew is because they are looking after me and do ing for me what I can't do for mysell.” And, expressing mother ly guidance, she directed two of her brothers, Oliver and Heher, to see that Danie is comfortably tak en care of on the farm. The will was written in her own hand and covered the greater part of two sheets of medium sized writing paper. The will provides that Danie Coltrain be given her house as long as he wants to live there, that if he leaves he is not to return and the house is to go to her brother, Heber Coltrain. She bequeathed to her brothers, Oliver and Heber Coltrain, the farm she lived on, Serial No. 31, two mules and all farming itnple ' mcnts. A third brother, Charles Coltrain, is to receive one thous ! and dollars. Finally, the will reads, “All the | rest I have in my possession goes to my son, Perley.” The amount of the residui .as not disclosed, I but a preliminary inventory was | said to have included approxi r tii&Vt'i.y $,j,icAr . : , . i bonds and several thousand dol j lars in savings accounts. Justice Johnson Hears Six Cases Aside from the triangle assault case, Justice It. T. Johnson hand led several cases in his court dur ing the past few days. Charged with an assault with a deadly weapon, Oscar Walker was bound over to the county court. Bond was required in the sum of $100. Tank Bennett was lined $5 and taxed with $6.85 costs for being drunk and disorderly. Robert H. Beacham, operating a motor vehicle with improper lights, was fined $5, plus $6.85 costs. William Hoggard and Johnnie Boggard, drunk and disorderly, were each fined $5 and taxed with the costs. Charged with operating a ve hicle without registration plates, J. M. Mitchell was fined $10 and required to pay $5.85 costs. TvvnTFv- Ivvo Cases Handled By Judge Chas. H. Manning One of Few Times, If iNot First l inn , Fourl Held Second-Day Session -- Slowed down to a snail’s pace by jury trials, proceedings in the Martin County Recorder's Court were carried over into a second day sessioy this week. It was one of the few times, if not the first time that the court had resumed activities on the second day in the same week. Judge Chas. H. Manning and Solicitor Paul L). Roberson worked until 6:0() o'clock Monday after noon when an over-night recess was called in the middle of a jury trial. Considerable time was re quired the following morning to clear the case, the court adjourn ing early in the afternoon or in tune for the funeral of Mr. Sylves ter Peel. No session of the court will be held next week since Monday falls on thi' fourth. The next meeting is scheduled for July 11. The ses sions this week were the first held by the court since June 13. the superior tribunal having sway last week. Proceedings: Pleading guilty of violating the liquor laws, Charlie Whitaker, col ored, was fined $50 and taxed with the costs. Jimmie Franklin Johnson was fined $25 and taxed with the costs for operating a motor vehicle without a driver's license. Charged with operating a motor vehicle while his driver’s license was m suspension, Oliver Peel was fined $200 and taxed with the costs. Charged with non support of his two children, Oscar Jones, colored, pleaded not guilty. Adjudged guilty and was directed to pay the court costs and $25 a month for the support of his children. Maintaining he was innocent, Oliver Lynch was adjudged guilty of careless and reckless driving, and was fined $25 and taxed with the costs. In one of the few cases called re cently in which the defendant was found guilty of drunken driving by a jury, Sears Earl Simmons was fined $ 100 and taxed with the costs. The costs amounted to $(i!J.25, including $42.70 for the jury. Serving as members of the jury were, J. 11. Lillard, Garland Tice, Albert Tyre, Ira Jones, A. S. Leggett, and Zaek Cowin. Pleading guilty of operating a motor vehicle without an opera tor s license, Win. C. Bunting was fined $25, plus costs. The case charging Bernice D. Adams with drunken driving was continued until July 25 when a jury will hear the evidence. A continuance was also granted Hugh Brown Moore, charged with drunken driving. The case is now set for trial on July 11. The ease charging Luke Willi ford with non-support was dis missed. James R. Peel, charged with drunken driving, had his case com I tinned until July 25. Y m i WbH/it Jd wm lliktd '''i1.1 r> ,,:'v ,l" u don't -hut up I'll kill you.” The witness said he saw l.union's gui‘ in a holster, but did not see vv a [■, ,***.*, , . plaining that he did not tarry there over two minutes before lie called the police. COMMISSIONERS VJ Postponing their meeting from Monday to Tuesday to clear the way for the July t holiday, the county commis sioners are not expected to have much business on their calendar for consideration. The budget figures have been studied and are being offered subject to public approval, leaving the officials with little business other than that of a routine nature to handle. Williamston's town commis sioners will hold their July meeting on the second Mon day night, it was announced. Public Assistance Hit Record High During Past Year More Than I luce Million (>:> and about one-third of these are I receiving more from the govern ! ment. About 1,500,000 received 1 benefits under old-age and nrviv ! ors insurance; about 2,400,000 t'r [eeived aid age assistance in .-.nine eases they overlapped. There are about 3,500,000 wid ows under the age of 05. About 1400,000 received payments under i the veterans' program; about 140, 000 under the old age and surviv , ors-insurance program; and about 100,000 undei the aid-to-depend ent -children program. There are about 2,600,000 fath | ei less children in the United States and almost half of them | were receiving benefits under a government program of insurance | or direct help from the govern I ment. Over 500,000 were receiv ing old-age and survivors-insur ance benefits; 300,000 were receiv ing payments under the veterans' oroerHtrv. 32,000 under the new | survivor program of the uiilroad ”'■•PfWiTMA 'WstciV,', '’.60.11(10 C" • the program for aid to dependent children. Under the aid to the dependent | Ciitldi(”i. pr;,gci«;n there '.Vei'e, about i,ido.OOo children m 4.>0,UUi) families receiving payments. About 800,000 of these were with out support because of the absence of a parent or incapacity on the parent's part. “Nowhere, however, did the problem of rising costs strike • harder than in the field of educa-1 tion,” F. S A. said. “With a steadily rising school population, there was a pressing need for more schoolhouses and more equipment for a thorough reha bilitation of the existing school plant which had deterioriatod bad ly during the war.” ADULT NK.Iir AT FOOL FRIDAY MGIIT, 8 TO 10 Director John L. Goff, Jr., of the local recreation program, an nounced today that the hours for the adult night at the local swim ming pool Friday night will be from ii to 10 instead of 7:30 to 0.00 as was the case lust week. THE RECORD SEEAKS . • • For the fifth time this year, motorists traveled the high ways of this county without a reportable accident, according to information coming from the highway patrol office. Ex tra care is urged over the holiday week-end. The 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. 25th Week Accidents Inj'd Killed Dani'ge 19-45) 0 0 0 $ 00 1948 220 200 Comparisons To Date 1949 58 25 2 $13,255 1948 09 29 1 13,500 1