North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BE OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTV "FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LII—NUMBER 81 THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BV OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK ESTABLISHED 1899 Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, October 25, 1949 Several Injured In Latest Series Of Car Accidents -o—- ■ Drunk Slops Car on Bridge, Puls Out Lights And Goes To Sleep Several persons were injured, none seriously, in a series of auto mobile accidents on the county highways over the week-end, re ports from the county highway patrol office stated. The first in the series was re ported between Hobgood and Oak City last Tuesday morning when a mule belonging to Edgar Harrell darted out of a cornfield and into the path of a 1948 DeSoto, owned by Beulah Monroe of New Bern, and driven by Isaac Belango, also of New Be'rn. Two other mules ran into the highway, but the driver of the large touring sedan missed two and killed the other animal then and there. Damage was estimated at $175 by Patrol man R. P. Narron who made the investigation. A 1939 Pontiac, owned by Hen ry A. Roberson and driven by Johnny Roberson, caught fire and burned on a dirt road in Poplar Point Sunday night at 10:30 o’clock, Patrolman M. F. Powers reported. Three tires were salv aged from the fire. Said to have “passed out”, Jere miah James parked his car on Collie Swamp bridge between Ro borsonville and Everetts about 2:30 o’clock Sunday morning, turned out the lights and went to sleep . Travelers reported the lo cation of the car and Patrolman B. W. Parker was on his way there when Angelo D. Nocciola, sailor of New Jersey and stationed at Portsmouth, crashed into James’ 1937 Ford, knocking it some little distance down the highway. James was not hurt, but he was so drunk, the officer said, that he did not know where he was. James said he was on the Smithwick’s Creek road. David Parker, Pat Cooney, Mary Alvis and Wanda Meredith, riding with Nocciola, were injur ed. The Meredith girl was severe ly cut on the forehead and suffer ed a cont usion. Parker was skin ned on his hands, face and knees, and the others were bruised and suffered shock. After receiving treatment in Ward’s Clinic, Rob ersonville, they were moved to Williamston where they caught an early bus to -their station and homes in Portsmouth. Nocciola told the patrolman that he dimmed his lights for an approaching car, that when he switched back to the bright lights he saw the parked car too late to avoid striking it. Nocciola and his party were on their way to Fayetteville to spend the day with Parker’s relatives. James, book ed for drunken driving, was plac ed in the county jail. Damage to Nocciola's 1946 Pontiac was esti mated at $300 and that to James’ car at $75. Robert Earl Raskin, young Tar boro man, was not hurt but pro perty damage estimated at $250 resulted when he dropger^yy^ to sleep and lost control of his 1947 Pontiac about one-half mile west of Robersonville on Highway 64 Sunday morning shortly before climbed an embankment and cut a telephone pole in two. No one was hurt and very little damage resulted when a fish (Continued on page seven) Accepts Position With V. E. P. Company Here Miss Evelyn Hancock has ac cepted a position with the Home Service Department of the Vir ginia Electric and Power Com pany as home economist with dis trict headquarters here, it was an nounced by District Manager S. P, Woolford today. A graduate of Virginia Poly technic Institute, Blacksburg, and holder of the B. S. degree in home economics, Miss Hancock is suc ceeding Miss Eleanor Hall who is transferring to the Arlington (Va.) office of the VEP Company. Before coming to the district of fice here, Miss Hancock did spec ial work in the medical field, and received special training in home service work at the V. E. P. of fices in Richmond. Missing For A Month, Man Found In Serious Condition Disappearing the 20th of last month, Lemon Strickland, farmer of near Hassell, was found last week-end, reports stating that he is now in a serious condition in Duke Hospital. Few details could be learned here immediately, but one report stated that he had a brain tumor, that he could rvot identify himself or any of his relatives, and that he was a sick man. Another report stated that he was to undergo a major opera tion, but the information could not be verified. Strickland, 40 years old, took his car to a Williamston garage for repairs on the morning of September 20, explaining that he would return for it in about an hour. He never called for the car and when he did not return home, relatives contacted officers and his description was released to newspapers and authorities. It is not definitely known, but it is thought that he spent some time in Washington, D. C., and possibly in other cities. Late last Saturday he was found in Ral eigh, and relatives were asked to identify him. He w’as identified and removed a short time later to the hospital by relatives who were advised to return to the j hospital not later than noon Mon day. It was said that he had about $100 in cash and some identifica tion papers on his person at the time of his disappearance, but officers said nothing was found on his person when he was pick ed up in Raleigh. Last Tobacco Sales Are Held On Friday Paid $4,371,162.10 For Nine Million Pounds This Year Average of $ 19.05 Beeeiv eil on Market Here High er Than Belt Average Williamston’s tobacco market lowered the final curtain on the 1949 marketing season last Fri day about noon after selling 8, 910,898 pounds of the golden leaf for $4,371,162.10, an average of $49.05 per hundred pounds. The season—45 actual selling days— was one of the shortest, if not the shortest, on reoerd. Last year the market sold in forty-nine market ing days 9,185,020 pounds for $4, 449,356 50, an average of $48.44 per hundred pounds. Weather conditions materially affected the poundage in this section, and then possibly a third or nearly half million pounds of tobaego moved to the border mar kets before the season opened here because the crop was earlier in this area than it was a year ago. The market had a very suc cessful season. Prices continued firm until the last pile was sold, and farmers who followed the market from beginning and con tinued with it until the end, de clared they made money by doing just that. A report on the belt sales as released by the State and Federal Departments of Agriculture fol lows: Activity in the Eastern North Carolina flue-cured tobacco belt during the ninth week was mark ed by a light volume of offerings, fairly steady average prices by grades and lower quality than in the previous week. Six markets completed sales for the season. Gross sales for the week end ing October 21 amounted to 15, 583,580 pounds and averaged $51 per hundred. This volume was around twelve and a quarter mil lion pounds below the previous week. The average was off SI 2U wv ;- “ u■ *■ y marketings. Season gross sales now total 388,6i0,609 pounds fbr an average of $48.74. The Flue Cured Stabilization Cooperative Corporation received approxi mately 1.5 percent of weekly gross sales. Season deliveries amount ed to slightly over 4 percent. ROUND-UP I _J The number of arrests re recorded on the county jail blotter over the week-end set a new record for the season. Fourteen persons were ar rested and temporarily de tained, three for assaults, three for speeding:, two for disorderly conduct, two for public drunkenness, and one each for non-support, violat ing the liquor laws, drunken driving, and operating a mot or vehicle without a driver’s license. Four of the fourteen were woiitcn, six were white and the ages of the group ranged from 19 to 55 years. SAMPLING V J More farmers are having their cotton sampled and classified this year than in possibly any other year, ac cording to unofficial but re liable reports reaching here. It is estimated that about ten percent of the approxi mately 1,000 bales of cotton ginned in the county up to October 15 had been sampled and classified, making the owners eligible to apply for government loans at or above the price offered on the open market. Cotton ginners are bonded to sample cotton and have it classified, the government of fering a 24-hour service. The service has proved profitable, the report said. Conduct Funeral For Mrs. Roberson Monday Afternoon Native of Bear Grass Died At Daughter's Home Early Sunday Mis. Neffie Elizabeth Green Roberson, member of a family long prominent in the history of this county, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. B. F. Man ning in Pitt County at 12:25 o’clock Sunday morning. She had been in declining health for a number of years but her condition was not considered critical until about ten days before her death. I death. j The daughter of the late Kelly ] and Patsy Anne Taylor Green, she ’ was born in Bear Grass Township eighty-two years ago. Following I'fief mafi'iugt m early womanhood ■ to Luke Lanier Roberson, she i made her home in Williams Town ship for a number of years, and in MdOn located nr W.j'iiamston w‘i> :<■ ! the family lived for abo .t eight I years while Mr. Roberson served | as deputy sheriff under the late Sheriff J. C. Crawford. The fam ily then moved to Parmele and ! more recently she had made her j home with the children, j She was a member of the Primi | tive Baptist Church at Flat I Swamp in Pitt County for many | years, and the funeral was con ducted there Monday afternoon at 3:00 o’clock by Elder A. B. Ayers, Bear Grass minister, and Elder Mewborn of Snow Hill. Burial was in the Robersonville Ceme tery. Surviving are two sons, Stephen L. Roberson of Roanoke Rapids and William K .Roberson of Rich mond; two daughters, Mrs. Beu lah Mizelle Edwards of Snow Hill, and Mrs. B. F. Manning of near Robersonville; fourteen grandchil dren and four great-grandchild ren. A son, Nicholas Roberson, died in Parmele some months ago. She was a brother of the late Ma rion Green of Robersonville, and she leaves a number of nieces and 1 nephews in this county. Man Accidentally * Drowns In River Saturday Evenin Ellis Wilson Ashy Loses His J Life At Fertilizer Com pany’s Doek CfQ Ellis Wilson Asby, 35-year-old barge captain, was accidentally drowned when he fell into the Roanoke River at the Standard Fertilizer Company dock here last Saturday night at 10:30 o'clock, the tragedy, police said, climaxing a drinking party. The body was recovered about forty-five min utes later, and Jeffrey Miehaux (Little Bear) applied artificial respiration for almost an hour without success. Asby was said to have been try ing to board the barge when he fell into the river. Night Watch man Furney Howard heard him when he fell and tried to reach him with a stick, but the man was said to have been unable to make an effort to catch hold of it. The watchman notified the po lice department, and several offic ers, including deputies from the sheriff’s office, went there. The officers found him a few minutes later lodged against a dock piling, the man's head sticking partly out of the water. The man's wife, said to have been under the influence of li quor to such an extent that she could offer no details on the drowning, was placed in the coun ty jail, officers explaining that she was placed there for drunkenness and not in connection with the drowning. The son of the lute James R. and Gertrude Cutler Asby, lu- was born in Beaufort County on July 7, H)H. He had made several runs up the Roanoke as a barge captain. Surviving are his widow, three brothers, Paul Asby of Washing ton, William Asby of Ohio, and Gilbert Asby >.f Plymouth, and two sisters, Mrs. A. R. Morris of Washington and Mis. Rowell Lane of Kings Mountain. Funeral services were conduct ed yesterday afternoon in Zion’s Episcopal Church, near Washing ton, by Rev. Stephen Gardner. Interment was in the family plot in the churchyard. Education Board Holds Meetin Holding a special meeting Mon day, the Martin County Board of Education discussed several mat ters but took no action in any of them. The purchase of four or five acres for a play ground at James ville was considered, but no agrce ' ment on the price was reached. It was reported that the owners had offered five acres for $10,000, and that the board countered with an offer of $0,500 for four acres. Discussing State insurance for school properties, the board call ed upon the division of insurance of the State Board of Education for cost figures. During the mean time, it has been rumored the < Id line companies have or are con sidering reducing their rates by 25 percent. Two Cars lirash ~ On Street Here One person was slightly hurt and property damage, estimated by Officer C. R. Moore at $300 resulted when two ears crashed at the intersection of Park and War ren Streets here last Friday morn ing shortly before !):00 o’clock. Mis. David Bowen, riding with her husband who was driving, was thrown against the windshield and suffered a slight head injury, the officer said. No one else was hurt. Luther Modlin, operating his 1948 DeSoto, was driving south on Park Street and Bowen, operating a 1936 Pontiac, was driving east on Warren Street when the two vehicles crashed at the intersec tion. CONTINUES* QUITE ILL Mr. W. H. Williams, entering a Rocky Mount hospital last week, I continues quite ill the e sreord- ! ing to reports reaching here this morning. Expect Fifteen Thousand For Second Harvest Festival Here Farm Bureau Six Hundred Members Short Of Its Goal The Martin County Farm Bu reau is approximately 600 mem bers short of its membership goal for the year 1949-50, a report from the secretary last week-end re vealed. And the time for complet ing the drive is short, it was ex plained. Meeting in the courthouse last Thursday evening, ten of the can vassers reported that they had signed 1,354 members up until that time, that possibly the other canvassers had signed but not re ported about forty or fifty mem bers. Always in the front in support of farm program and good farm practices, Mr. Van G. Taylor re ported last week that sixty mem bers on his farms had joined the organization, that they could be counted on to support the Farm Bureau. Farmer Billy Cratt, small farm operator, last week signed nine members in his fam ily to set a record for an individ ual farm. Several other family units of seven have come forward to support the organization. Another meeting of the mem bership committee.is to be held on Thursday night of next week when it is hoped that the goal will have been reached. Leaders point out that a faVm program is assured for next year, but that before another member j ship drive is launched a strong organization will be needed to in Isure a continuance of the pro ! gram. Safety Of Child Dependent Upon Attitude of Adult Guy Langston Brings Safety Message To Parents and Tearhers Last Night The question of child safety is largely dependent on the matter of the safety of the attitude of their elders, the members of the Parent,s-Teachers Association of Wilhamston schools were told by a group of speakers in the Gram mar School auditorium last night as they conducted a symposium on the subject, “How Safe Is Your Child?” The increased use of petroleum products on the highway and in the home were responsible for the warnings on safety from two of the speakers, Williamston Fire Chief G. P. Hall and Guy Lang ston, former highway patrolman who is now working with the safety division of the State High way Commission. Chief Hall’s one big warning to the assemblage was against the practice of refilling and relighting oil heaters while they are still hot. “If the fuel burns out of your heater while it is being used, let the heater cool before turning oil into the burner and attempting to relight it,” he said, declaring that to let fuel or pour into a hot stove and strike a match to it, was one of the most certain ways to set off an explosion. While Mr. Langston made the principal address, Chairman W. 11 Carstarphen of the local Hi d Cross Chapter, spoke of safety in the home and out of it, too, m urging the further spread of first aid teaching and aquatic safety. He offered the services of an in structor for a course in first aid in the schools if the course was h'sii'od Attorney If 1. Coburn closed the symposium with a few remains on sal- ty legislation, de claring that there will be a great many bill. ;u the nc lit Icgialatun i i Gs U- 'ay highway 1,;..., ,.u ,ap prove the safety of the roads in respect to school busses. He said the care with which school bus drivers are selected and trained was good, but urged a con stant cheek on them to see that they maintained a safe attitude in their work, drawjng from Cpl. Fearing of the highway patrol the information that all school busses and drivers are being checked one time each month of the school year from now on. One of the greatest hazards of the school Inis routes today is br ing corrected as rapidly as possible he said by the widening of roads that now nu ke passing almost impossible. The burden of Mr. Langston’s remarks to the parents and the in structors of their children was that the older folks are responsi ble for the safety attitudes of the children. He declared that one of the most dangerous things that a child can do now and one that is illegal and denies him the pro tection of the law in case of a mis hap is to ridr a bicycle on the (Continued on page eight) SI'KKI) ZONE 1 -j Martin County's first speed zone was established yester day when a 35-mile limit was ordered on all motor vehicles operating on IK 8. Highway tit beginning near the Itamby garage in West End and main taining right on into Wil liamslon. Signs have been posted, and motorists are warned about the limit. The speed zone was created alter petitioners had appeal to the authorities about a year ago and the district highway commissioner and others had I made a study of the traffic I hazard in that area. Hoy Scouts From Several Counties In Cain poree Here ——«— I Nearly Our II1111<I1<<I Hoys Ink.- I’arl In Three Osiy Camporrr Seven patrols out of 13 won first | place blue ribbons in the fall earn porce of the Hoy Scouts of Ameri ca held here Friday through Sun day on the high school grounds, j with 80 boys attending. Five pa trols earned second place red rib bons and one didn’t qualify, i Patrols winning the ribbons I were: blue; Heaver and Wolf Pa I trols, Troop 39, Williumston; In 'dian Patrol, Troop 37, Williams Uon; Whippoorwill and Bob White Patrols, Troop 72, Robersonville; Hob White Patrol, Troop 78, Ham ilton; Wolf Patrol, Troop 84, Ply mouth; red: Hob White Patrol, Troop 27, Williamston; Cherokee Patrol, Troop 72, Robersonville; Flaming Arrow Patrol, Troop 122, ! Ua.sse.ll'. Rattlesnake Patrol Troop i 84, Plymouth; Lion Patrol, Troop 104, Windsor. During the campfire ceremonies . .u.d Pan.'.-., of T.'bop '2Sf; | Williamston, received second class I badges; Hugh Lindsley, of the same troop received a first class badge; Hen Andrews, Jr., of Troop 27, Williamston, was given swim ming and safety merit badges. Highlighting the three-day camp was the council campfire program on the athletic field Sat urday night, attended by all the scouts and approximately 100 vis itors. Jeffrey Miehaux (Little Hear), scoutmaster of Troop 27, Wil liamston, opened the campfire program by performing Indian ri tuals, assisted by several of his scouts in full Indian dress. He prayed for fire, presented a war dance, prayed for good hunting and carried on conversation in Indian with his scout wariors. The warriors were: Hen Andrews, Jr., I Jerry Savage and Enoch Crisp. Gerald White was the drummer. Each patrol presented scout stunts. Dr. J. A. Edens, scout master of Troop 29, Williamston, demonstrated scouting skills. The (Continued on page eight) Local Schools To Suspend Classes Early Afternoon Senator Frank I*. Graham To Speak Immediately After The Parade All details have been handled and everything put in readiness for Williamston's second annual harvest festival, opening tonight at 8:30 o'clock with square and round dancing in Washington Street between Main and the rail- | road. No changes have been made in the program, and all the chairmen of the various departments are really optimistic as thep prepare to enter the home stretch with one of the greatest parades ever seen in this section. With fair weather, Director A1 Sweatt is fairly certain that between twelve ! and fifteen thousand people will be here for the parade and Ser tor Frank P. Graham’s speech. Only the street dance is on the schedule this evening, but starting at 1:00 o’clock Wednesday there'll ] be plenty stirring in the town. The parade will start forming by early afternoon on the north side of Main Strot, mainly on Hassell and Academy Streets and Sim mons Avenue. Owners of ve hicles are asked not to park their ears on those streets, and officers, including police and eight or ten patrolmen will clear Main from Watts to Haughton, Washington from Main to Haughton and Watts Street from Church to Main. It was also pointed out that through traffic will be routed off 17 and 64 down South Haughton to Marshall Avenue and down to Watts and thence to Main Street, and vice versa, and that it will lie advis able for local vehicle owners to help keep the streets clear. The parade is slated to start moving promptly at 2:00 o'clock. During the meantime, Doctor Gene Rice and his group of fifteen clowns will take over at 1:00 o’clock and they have their stunts all planned. They will work for (Continued on page six) --$> Charles E. Cory Dies In Hospital Charles E. Cory, 70, died in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Asheville, yes terday morning at 10:00 o’clock 1 following an operation performed : last Thursday He had been in 'declining health for some time, j A native of Lafayette, Indiana, I he toured various parts of the | world as a talent scout for Bar : num and Bailey for a number of I years. Following his retirement j he located in Florida, and about i five years ago moved to Hender | sonville to make his home. Surviving besides his widow are three daughters, Mrs. Wheeler 1 Martin, Jr., of Williamston, Mrs. Ijygvi^Poffer of Miiinii .and, Jyfis ■ ; Lniph. u.'1 i Ind.; one son, James Cory, of Ida I ho. Mr. Cory with Mrs. Cory had visited Williamston on several oc casions and made many friends here. Funeral arrangements had not l been completed early today. | Funeral services will be held in Lafayette tomorrow morning at 11 o’clock, and interment will be there. COSTLY j The dumping of sweet po tatoes into baskets and offer ing them for sale green with out even a pretense at grad ing will prove costly to the growers, according to reports l coming from the markets. Prices have ranged as low us SI,40 per bushel for pota toes that had not been field graded, while the price climb ed to $2.25 a bushel for good duality potatoes that had been field graded with a de gree of care. I - ~ Peanuts Begin To Move To Markets In Martin County Moisture Content Exceeds Maximum Allowed In Slumber of Cases Peanuts are beginning to move to the markets in this county but in limited quantity, reports stat ing that sizable deliveries are hardly expected within the next ten days or two weeks. A quality trend cannot yet be established definitely, but it is be lieved that the farmers will mar ket a better crop this year than they did last, provided favorable weather prevails during the threshing season. However, it was fairly evident, judging from the few scattered deliveries made so far, that some farmers dug their peanuts too early and that some are picking the goobers before they are properly cured. Quite a few shriveled peanuts were found in the first samples, and moisture content as high as 15 percent has been found. How ever, moisture content found in other samples was well within the average maximum of 10 and 1-2 percent. An official report states that one sample, offering a good ap pearance in the shell, contained . right many nuts that had shrivel ed apparently because they wet! harvested too soon, and very fevtf extra large. The sample graded right at nine cents a pound, of about one cent below the normal. Marketing cards have been dis tributed to Martin farmers who did not plant in excess of their al lotments. Those farmers plant ing in excess of their allotments are to receive red marketing cards just us soon as the excess plant ings can bq cheeked. The support price this year, bas ed on 65 percent meat, average moisture content and allowed for i eign matter, is $199 per ton as compared with $235 last year. Ad ditional payments of $3.10 per ton will be made for each full one per cent sound mature kernels in ex cess of 05 percent and deductions will be made at the same rate for each one percent or fractional part thereof below 65 percent sound mature kernels. Premiums will be paid at the rate of 50c per ton for each full one percent of ; Kxtra Large kernels in excess of 15 percent. Other additions and deduction for each full one per will be as follows: Foreign material, 50c per ton deduction foreach full one per cent foreign material in excess of 3 percent but not in excess of 15 percent, and $1.00 per ton for each full one percent foreign ma terial in excess of 15 percent; da mage, $3.00 per ton deduction for each full one percent damage in excess of one percent; additions and deductions for moisture, there will be added to the above prices 12 of I percent for each full L2 of 1 percent moisture below 8 per cent, and there will be deducted from such prices 1-2 of 1 percent miosture above 8 percent. (The Government will purchase no peanuts containing more than 10 1-2 percent moisture in the Vir ginia-Curolina area.) Designated agencies of the Gov ernment are authorized to pur peanuts from excess acreage by any non-cooperating producer provided that such excess peanuts when purchased can b" properly identified by an excess marketing card form Peanut 110, in effect for the farm on which such pea nuts were produced, and by a cer tificate issued by the county agri cultural conservation committee showing the maximum quantity of peanuts produced on such farm which may be purchased at the support price rate for excess pea nuts. The support price for ex cess farmers stock peanuts pro duced by non-cooperating produc ers which are purchased for the (Continued on page eight) Accepts Position W ith Revenue Department -— J. D. Woolurd, Jr., recently ac cepted a position with the Federal Revenue Department. A gradu ate of Duke University, the young local man is now stationed in Greensboro, but is expecting an assignment in this section of the State.