Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / Aug. 23, 1949, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BI OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK 3 VOLUME LII—NUMBER 66 William*ton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, August 23, 1949 ESTABLISHED 1899 Market Had Record Sale on Opening Day Reported Official Average Of $48.39 For Initial Sales —»— Another Record Poundage Handled Yesterday With Price About Same Williamston’s tobacco market broke all pondage records and set the pace for current season prices last Friday when 386,156 pounds of medium quality leaf were sold for an official average of $48.39 per hundred. Delayed a day for the buyers to reach here from Georgia and Florida, the opening did not at tract as much attention as usual, but there were thousands here selling tobacco and observing the sales. For the first time in the history of the market, no sales were re jected on an opening day, and while farmers noted a price drop on certain grades they registered no complaints and declared they were fairly well pleased with the prices received for the better quality leaf. While the opening day price av erage fell $4 75 below the open ing-day figure, a year ago, the poundage jumped from 284,404 last year to 386,156 pounds on opening day last Friday. The quality of the offerings did not measure up to expectations. There was some good quality to bacco on the floors but then there were those grades which appear ed almost without friends. Yesterday, the market with a much inferior break on the floors, sold 359,708 pounds for an aver age of $46.17, it was announced this morning by J. Edward Corey, supervisor of sales. Mr. Corey added that there was little change in the price base, but that the quality was hardly as good as it was on opening day. Right many tips were on the market yesterday and today, and the Imperial was fairly active. The booking system is working out unusually well, a report from the market stating that only two piles of damaged tobacco had been seen on the market during the first two sales days. Farmers are cooperating unusually well in helping make the booking system successful, and its advantages are being observed daily. Bookings are going forward rapidly, and all indications are that the current crop will be marketed and gone almost before one realizes it. While Williamston was selling more than 386,000 pounds on op ening day for an average of $48.39, the Eastern Carolina Belt sold 14, 003,756 pounds for an official av erage of $46 42, the belt average falling $5.51 below last year’s opening-day price average. Reporting on the opening, the U. S. and State Departments of Agriculture said: Leaf grades sold for lower prices on the opening sales for Eastern North Carolina flue-cur ed tobacco fast. Friday . 7f„w>ever, primings and low to good lugs were generally higher when com pared with the first day of sales last season. The Fedeial-State Market News Service reports leaf grades off $3.00 to $5.00 per hun dred. Cutters and fine and choice lugs were mostly steady. In con trast, low to good lugs, primings, and nondescript grades brought better prices. Gains in these of ferings ranged from 50c to $6.00 per hundred with most up $2.00 and $3.00. Extreme prices rang ed from $2.00 for poorest nonde script up to $65.00 for top cutters and choice lugs. The bulk of to bacco sold irom $30.00 to $60.00. Practical top price was $64.00. The quantity of primings on the market was unusually large, more than three times greater than the first day last year. There was also slightly more leaf and nondescript with a sharp decrease in the proportion of lugs. The col or of the offerings did not show much change. Primings and good and fine lugs were the principal offerings. Condition was good. (Continued on page eight) WARNING Freed from the punch board, for the moat part, un der the regime of the late Sheriff C. B. Roebuck, Martin County is now seeing the gambling device return. Ap praised of what is happening, Sheriff M. W. Holloman last week-end issued a solemn warning against the use of the boards. “We are confiscating all we find and indictments will fol low," Sheriff Holloman said. Represent Club At District Meeting The Kiwanis Club of Williams ton will be represented at the 1949 convention of the Carolinas Ki wanis District to be held August 28 to 30 at Chapel Hill., N. C., Club President S. P. Woolford an nounced today. More than 95 clubs in the dis trict, embracing a membership of 7,000 business and professional; leaders, are expected to send dele gates to the three-day meeting, | Woolford said. The speaking program will fea i ture the appearance of John R. Wright, prominent Lakeland, Fla., insurance executive and trustee of Kiwanis International. Dr. Charles W. Armstrong, Salisbury, N. C., health officer and a past1 international president of the community service organization, also will participate in the pro gram. H. Spurgeon Boyce, Durham, N. i C., merchant and governor of the I Carolinas Kiwanis District, will | preside at the convention, which will highlight committee confer ences, a discussion of plans for the coming year, and election of offic ers. Wright, who will serve as the I official representative of Kiwanis j International, long has been ac I tive in civic affairs in Florida. He j is vice president of the Florida ! Housing Officials association, a j director of the Florida Water j ways Congress, and a former ! member of the board of the I Florida Association of Insurance I Agents. In Lakeland, he is chairman of the city aviation committee, and has been president of both the Senior and Junior Chambers of Commerce. Delegates who will represent the Kiwanis Club of Williamston at the convention will include S. P. Woolford, John H. Gurganus and W. H. (Bill) Carstaj'phen. At the August 18th meeting of the local club, Sheriff Buck Hollo ; man of Williamston and Bill , Simms of Wake Forest and Ral j eigh were recognized as the guests | of R. E. Kimball and Rev. Stewart | Simms. | The meeting convened with the | singing of America led by Bruce j Wynne after which Rev. John | Goff pronounced the invocation. i 1 V: i: .fc .. OU. -T-r.'.v.v'i served by Mrs. Effie Sparrow, R. E Kimball was awarded the at j tendance prize. Rev. Simms the a led the group in singing several songs after which the meeting was adjourn j ed until Sept. 1. “Little Bear” Is "Giveii A Watch Several merchants, business men and scouting enthusiasts of Wiiliamston presented Jeffrey Mi chaud (Little Bear), a 17-jewel waterproof Wittnauer wristwatch Friday morning in appreciation of his work with the local Boy Scouts. For the past two years Little Bear lias contributed much of his time to work directly with the Boy Scouts, arranging their ac tivities and helping to improve Scouting in this locality. He is now working with other Scout I leaders to organize an advanced Scouting unit, the Explorer Scouts. i Leder Brothers' Formal Opening Thursday Night —— More Than 1,500 Attend Event Marking Opening Of New Store Here Ledcr Brothers were warmly! greeted upon the opening of their i new store in Williamston last Thursday evening when more than 1,500 people from all sec tions of the county and a goodly number from other areas attend ed the formal event. All joined in to welcome the new business and greet the owners and person nel of this and from at least ten of the company’s other stores in three states. Flowers were sent j by friends, supporting the cor dial relations enjoyed in other store towns. The 300 baby orchids, flown from Hawaii, did not last long in the crowd that started forming more than half hour ahead of the opening. More than 500 gift tow els were given to the ladies and more than 1,200 soft drinks were distributed along with special cakes. There were funny books and balloons by the hundreds for the children. Local people, including store owners, operators and other busi ness men, welcomed the Leders to town. Mrs. Leder, mother of I the Leder Brothers, came here from Whitcville for the formal opening and she, too, was im pressd by the friendly reception accorded her sons and their new business venture. Morris Leder, vice president and co-foundei of the business nearly a quarter century ago in Whiteville, said he was greatly pleased with the reception accord ed them in Williamston. "We have come to be one of you,” Mr. Ledcr said, and reports from citizens in Whiteville and all the other towns where Ledcr Brothers operate say just that. “We are not coming to Williamston to put anybody out of business. We come here be cause we know it is a good town with a splendid future. And we come to accept and accept willing ly our part of the task in promot ing the town, community and all' the people,” the company official said. On the occasion of the opening of a new store in Whiteville a few days ago, the Whiteville News Reporter had the following to say about' J. Herman Leder, co founder and president of the firm: J. Herman Leder, who dropped anchor in Whiteville a quarter of a century ago, is the modest, unassuming but dynamic presi dent of Leder Bros., Inc. One of the founders of the local store, which grew into a chain, he has remained in Whiteville to be come a vital link in the chain of good citizens which has contri buted to the development of the community. Leder’s role in the progress of Whiteville has been a prominent one throughout the years. With out going back into past history, his ability to direct the affairs of a three million dollar annual business and at the same time be active in so many different .fields. of community amazing. For example, at the piesent time he is: A trustee in the •JKhi*c,,ille School Administrative Unit. An active member of the exe cutive committee of the Colum bus County Chapter, American Red Cross. Active member of the Colum bus County Shrine Club. Member of the Rotary Club. Director of First National Bank of Whiteville. Director and vice president of Radio Station WENC. Director of Whitcville Mer chants Association. To these could be added many other activities. His record in Red Cross, War Bond and other drives is too well known for repetition. These together with the United Jewish Appeal, have occupied much of his time in recent years. To all of them he has contri buted liberally of his time and his money. It is public knowledge that few worthy cause have not (ConUwiaft m pm (tight) Flim-Flammers Strike But Fail To Score On Prospect •* Making their first appearance here in several season and a few davs behind their usual fall sched ule, flim-flammers struck but fail- > cd to score yesterday morning. Chief of Police John Roebuck said. The scene was laid in the back lots near Rose’s store and hardly more than two blocks from the police station. Even if they failed to score on their picked prospect, they were slick enough to become suspicious and slip away just ahead of the law. Charlie Brown, Bear Grass col ored farmer, was walking down Harrison Street when one of a quartet of colored men, dropped a padded pocketbook. Brown said the wallet was packed with paper bills but he did not know if they were real. The confederate mov ed quickly, and insisted that Brown participate in the division of the money. Brown, wise to the old gag, hesitated. “When I held out on them they took hold of me and tried to pull me into some bushes,” Brown said. “I saw a preacher and explained that I wanted to see him a minute and they agreed to wait. I told the preacher to go for the law and it was then that the flim flammcrs got suspicious and left hurriedly," Brown declared to the police. Brown said they were poor judges of men, explaining that he had very little money on him at the time. Flim-flammers operated here very successfully in years past, taking $1,800 from one victim sev eral years ago. It has been quite some time since the ole game was attempted in these immediate! parts. Find No Criminal ' Intent In Fatal Highway Mishap Hearing Involving Involun I a r y Manslaughter Charge Scheduled No criminal intent was found by a six-man coroner’s jury on the | part of J. Daniel Lilley in the death of Benjamin C. Rogers, 32 year-old white man, who was fat ally injured in a truck-motorbike crash just out of Williamston on Highway 125 last Thursday morn ing. The inquest was held in the Biggs Funeral Home last evening before Coroner S. Rome Biggs. Messrs. Lee Bert Jenkins, Wheel er M. Ward, Ben Grimes, Guy Thomas, Walter Speller and Gay lard Harrison served on the jury and submitted a report fifteen minutes after the evidence was concluded. The case is now slated for a re view before Justice R. T. Johnson in his court tonight. In the light of the findings reported by the coroner’s jury the charge of invol untary manslaughter is likely to be considered, and upon his find ing tonight Judge Johnson will find probable cause and fix an ap pearance bond or dismiss the ac tion. Very little evidence was brought out at the coroner’s in quest that had not been reviewed publicly a few hours after the tragedy. It was pointed out that Mr. Lilley was driving out on Highway 125 in an oil truck and was making a left turn into his driveway to get some medicine when Rogers, riding a motorbike, approached from the opposite di rection. Tht vehicles, it was brought out, crashed just a few feet off the hardsurfaee on the motorbike driver’s right side. Patrolman J. T. Rowe, making j the investigation, said it appeared to him that the motorbike veered off the right side of the road and struck the truck which at that time had part of the cab off the concrete. Rogers, according to the patrolman, must have been ■ fteHfcfl. et'er the. .handlebars, struck the cab, broke a clearance light and fell to the ground be side the road. Patrolman M. F. Powers, the next witness, corroborated the evidence offered by Patrolman Rowe, adding that a later investi gation conducted by himself fc vealcd that tracks or a tread, be lieved to have been those of the motorbike, were found beside the road. Questioned by Juryman Ben Grimes, the patrol officer stated that it appeared to him the motorbike left the pavement about eight feet away from the spot of the actual crash. Bill Davenport, driver of a Dr. Pepper truck and trailing Lilley at the time, said the oil truck gave a light signal for a left turn and slowed to 10 or 15 miles an hour to make the left turn. Dav enport said he couid not see Rog ers at the time, and added that the truck had its front wheels off the pavement at the time of the col ’ lision. -Paul Whichard, the next wit ness, said he was traveling in the (Continued on page eijfrt) ROUND-UP Eight persons were round- I ed up and temporarily detain ed in the county jail over the week-end, two for drunken ness, two for drunken driv ing, and one each for larceny, non-support, assault, and careless-reckless driving. Four of the eight were white. Ages of the group ranged from 17 to 41 years. Closing Draft Board Offices Facing a shortage of funds, Sel i cctivc Service is closing many of its county offices, and the Martin County Draft Board, maintained in Williamston’s city hall, will be consolidated with the one in Eliza beth City, Chairman Eugene Rice announced today. Chairman Rice explained that the function of classification and induction, should the latter be re sumed, would be continued by members of the board in this county. He also pointed out that youths are still required to regis ter when they attain their 18th birthday. Provisions have been made to have the youths register with Mrs. Edna Bondurant at the Red Cross office, third floor of the city hall in Williamston any day from Monday through Friday from 9:30 a. m. until 12:30 p. m. Should any registrant have oc casion to contact the draft officials they should address communica tions to Local Board, Carolina Building, Elizabeth City, N. C. The office in this county is clos ing at the end of the business day Friday. Miss Mildred Everett, board clerk, is tendering her re signation with Selective Service to teach school in Hamilton, it was ! learned. Since the draft board office was opened in this county a year ago, two men have been inducted at a cost running well into the thous ands of dollars. Consolidation will lower the cost but not much. Band FaTeilts Picnic Friday •-i>-—• The annual picnic of the Green Wave Band and Band Parents Club will be held on Friday eve ning of this week at the Wil liamston High School grounds and this year it is to be observed as family night also since the mem bers of the Band Parents Club are to bring along all their immediate family as well as the one who is in the band. Honor guest at the picnic this year will be Mr. and Mrs. F. D. Butler of New York state who are here visiting their son, Jack But ler, director of the local band. There will be a full dress con cert starting at (i:00 o’clock which will serve as a wind-up of the summer program of music. The picnic will follow the concert and a very important business session of the Band Parents Club will be held immediately after the picnic. This will be the first time the elder Butlers have visited their son in Williumston. Five Wrecks Are Reported On The County Highways Only One Person Saul To Have Been, Slightly Hurl In The Accidents One person, a young Marine, was said to have been injured in a series of highway accidents in this county over the week-end. Four of the accidents were re ported by members of the patrol, and independent report said that the driver lost control of his car and ran it into an embankment near Black Swamp on the newly surfaced road from U. S. 17 to Bear Grass. It was the first wreck on the road that had been completed less than a week. Few details about the accident could be learned, but one report said no one was hurt, but the front of the car was badly damaged. The first in the other series of accidents was reported bv Patrol man E. P. Simmons about three miles out of Williamston on U. S. 64. Fred White, Jr., of Roper, was driving Farmer Linwood Knowles’ one and one-half ton In ternational truck toward Wil liamston. A tractor-trailer truck with two flat tires was parked partly on the hardsurfaee, and White slowed down to go around the broken down machine. When he slowed down, Morrison B. Hardison plowed into the rear of the International with his Jeep pick-up. No one was injured and damage was limited to about $30 on the Jeep, Patrolman Simmons said. The second in the series was re ported Saturday morning about 6:30 o’clock when Emmett Saund ers lost control of his 1939 Chcv-1 rolet, swerved to the left and plowed down about 25 feet of Dr. John Williams’ fence in West End on Highway 64 before plunging into Farmer Frank Weaver’s yard and ripping away about $25 worth of shrubs. Damage was estimat ed at $75 to the fence, $25 to. shrubbery and about $150 to the car, according to Patrolman John T. Rowe. Saunders was booked on a drunken driving charge, and his companion, Lucy Bullock, was charged with public drunkenness. Saunders, maintaining sobriety, said someone ran him off the road as he traveled out of town. Sunday evening about 7:00 o’clock Win. B. Powell was turn ing into his driveway on the Has sell Butler Bridge Road and was hit by a car driven by Virgis Scott of Oak City. Investigating the accident, Patrolman R. P. Narrori said that Powell gave a signal, that the brakes on Scott's 1941 Ford did not hold very well and it plowed into the side of Powell’s 1937 Chevrolet. No one was hurt | and damage was limited to about 1 $75 on Scott’s car and about $50 on the Chevrolet. A hearing was scheduled in the case before Jus tice H. S. Everett in Roberson ville.. Sunday morning at 12:20 o’clock Charles DeAngelis, Balti more youth stationed with the Marines at Cherry Point, started around “dead man's curve” a short distance west of Gardner’s Creek on U. S. Highway 64 and lost control of his father's 1947 ! Cadillac. Going off the •Wl? the car, DeAngelis recalled, turn ed a somersault one time, and Pa trolman J. T. Rowe and M. F. Powers, making the investigation, said the car made two other simi lar turns before coming to a stop 142 yards from the spot where it left the road. DeAngelis suffered a head injury and was unconsci ous for a few minutes. He also suffered a hand injury, but re quired only first-aid treatment, it was reported. Marvin O. Clark, (Continued on page eight) Close Oak City Cannery Today The Oak City Cannery will close its year's operation today, Mr. J. L. iiassell announced yes terday. The cannery, a community pro ject which originated four years ago, served seventy one families and 6,000 cans of foods were can ned in the three months it was open this year. Road Committee For This County Named SPEAKER v_ Governor Kerr Scott hits tentatively accepted an invi tation to address the first an nual community fair in Jamesville on Friday, October 14, Oscar Davenport, speak inf for the fair committee, announced last week-end. It will be the first time Governor Scott has made an address in this county either as a candidate for the gover norship or as chief executive of the State. Flans for the fair arc ad vancing rapidly and the com munity is looking forward to a big event, Mr. Davenport said. Former Resident Dies In Kinston -a John Mattocks Sparks, former local resident, died In a Kinston hospital Sunday morning at 8:00 o'clock. He had been in declin ing health for some time. Mr. Sparks was born in Onslow County 78 years ago and spent Ins early life there. After a number of years spent in Lenoir County, he came to Martin and was asso ciated with the old Martin County Buggy Company in Williamston for some time, moving thirty or more years ago to Robersonville. More recently he had made his home in New Bern where he was in the automobile business. Mr. Sparks made many friends here gnd o *en returned for visits until a few years ago. He was a son of the late James T. and Susan Bilbro Sparks. Sur viving are his widow, the former Miss Clcmmie Moore of Roberson ville; four daughters, Mrs. H. B. Jones of New Bern, Miss Johnnie Sparks of Robersonville, Mrs. J. L. Roberson ( f Washington, and Mrs. Charles Griffin of Kinston; three sons, J. Ellis and W. H. Sparks of Elizabeth City and Mor ris Sparks of Kinston; a sister, Mrs. Ann Forrest of Greenville; nine grandchildren and one great grandchild. Mr. Sparks was a member of the Methodist Church in Rober sonville. Funeral services were conducted in a Kinston funeral home Tuesday morning at 11:00 o’clock by Rev. Howard G. Daw kins, anil interment was in Maple wood Cemetery there. Funeral Held For Victim Of Wreck Funeral services were conduct ed in the Community Christian Church on the Hamilton Highway near here last Saturday morning at 11:00 o’clock for Benjamin C. Rogers, young white man who was fatally injured in a truck motorbike accident near here last Thursday morning. The pastor, Rev. D. A. Hudson of Roanoke Rapids and Rev. W. B. Harring ton county Baptist minister, of ficiated, and bui ;ai was in Wood lawn Cemetery here. Surviving are his widow, the former Miss Lula Mae Gardner, •ala .*b'lkhc/i, Leggy, Bennie, Jim my, Felton, Margaret and Martha Ann, and a brother, Ohas. Rogers Buys Grocery On Haughton Street Carroll Jones, manager of the store on the grounds of the Wil liamston Lumber Company for several years, recently purchased the store of his brother, Alex Jones, on South Haughton Street. The transfei of the property took place this morning and Mr. Carroll Jones is now actively in charge of the store. His position at the mill commissary will be filled by Mrs. Mary Coltruin. Mr. Alex Jones has accepted a position with Gordon’s Products. FCX MEETING The FCX is holding Its annual membership meeting here this af ternoon at the high school. Group Will Study Hoad Program at Meeting Saturday A. (lorry of Jumrsville To Head Committee For The County Meeting in the court house last Saturday morning, thirty repre sentatives from the ten townships in the county perfected a commit tee organization and advanced plans for studying the proposed road program under the -00 mil lion dollar bond program. After considerable delay, A. Corey was elected chairman, J. H. Hopkins of Oak City, vice chair man and F. M. Manning, secre tary. The elections were made by committeemen named by the citi zens at community meetings held a few days previously, the town ship members including the fol lowing with the name of the chairman appearing first: Jamcsville: A. Corey, C. G. Gur kin and Clarence Barber; Wil liams: C. L Daniel, Walter Gard ner and Howard Tyre; Griffins: Marvin Leggett, Arthur Revels and Oscar Roberson;'Bear Grass: T. L. Roberson, E. C. Harrison and Gormer Harrison; Williamston: M. L. Peel, N. I). Griffin, M. E. Rogers; Cross Roads: J. W. Peel, H. M. Ayers and W. L. Ausbon; Robersonville: C. L. Green, V. L. Roberson and Reuben Everett; Poplar Point: Slade White, Gen try Mills and Roy Taylor; Hamil ton: Ernest Edmondson, Woodrow Purvis and Clayton House; Goose Nest: J. H Hopkins, H. A. Early [ and R. A. Haislip. The county committee, compos j ed of the chairman in each of the township committees and headed by A. Corey as chairman, will keep in close touch with the town ship committees, and its decisions will be made subject to the ap proval of the community groups and the people, it was explained. Next Saturday the ten-member county committee will meet in the courthouse to make a study of the proposed road program in this county, remembering the recom mendations coming from the dis tricts. During the meantime the township committeemen are to discuss their individual road pro grams and enter the Saturday meeting in the courthouse with fairly definite plans for the pro gram. Reporting for the last Saturday meeting, the thirty or more town ship committeemen showed much interest in the road program and expressed the desire that a defin ite plan could be advanced for the best interest of the entire county. Chairman Corey declared that the problem of spending more than one and one-half million dollars in the county will require diplo macy and careful consideration. "It must not be sectional and it must not be selfish,” Mr. Corey id, adding that we must look at ! *Vw program from the standpoint •Mite ■* .:u;Uy ay a whoi Late reports from several of the | township meetings held more I than a week ago stated that much ! interest i*- b«dng “shown oV'Ciad' widening projects, that some of the people would place that work ahead of the surfacing work. It is possible that recommendations will be made in 'hat connection along with a study of the other features of the program at the meeting the latter part of this week. The organization has been given no official name, but for the pres ent it is referred to as The Martin County Road Committee. Victim of Accidental Shooting Returns Home Henry Lee Hardison, young ni.iu of near Williamston, has re turned home after receiving treat ment in a Washington hospital for a foot wound accidentally receiv ed while hunting bears near Rop er two weeks ago. Although he is getting along very well he will be confined to his bed and under a doctor's care for some time.
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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Aug. 23, 1949, edition 1
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