THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
VOLUME LII—NUMBER 92
IFilliamtton, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, November 22, 79 #9
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT!
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES
ESTABLISHED 1899
Files Special Report
On Street Financing
Seven Of Town’s
Twenty Miles Of
Streets Surfaced
State Provides Maintenance
Of Only 3.73 Miles Of
That Total
In a hearing before the ’forth
Carolina Municipal Commission
here last Wednesday evening,
Williamston officials reviewed
street conditions and financing
problems and, along with a num
ber of other towns, pleaded for
some type of relief from State
funds.
The town specifically asked that
the dangerous traffic hazard at
the railroad underpass on West
Main Street be eliminated, and
urged that larger allocations be
made for the maintenance of
streetsT" Members of the commis
sion, appointed by the governor
in accordance with legislative act,
studied the underpass problem
along with Highway Commission
er Henry G. Shelton and Division
Engineer W. N. Spruill. The group
was convinced that something
should be done, but no concrete
proposal was advanced. One mem
ber of the group, speaking for
himself personally, declared that
it appeared to be a joint highway
railroad responsibility and that
something should be done to rem
edy the condition.
In making their report to the
commission, local officials ex
plained that there were 20.2 miles
of streets in the town, that 73
miles were paved, and that only
3.73 miles 'ere now subject to
State maintenance.
The town this year is spending
almost $31,000 to maintain its
street department, the figure in
cluding the cost of the sanitary
street work, such as sweeping and
garbage collections. Slightly more
than one-third or $75,000, of the
town's bonded debt was contract
id for the construction and paving
of new streets, the issues dating
back as far as 1920-21.
The .report stated that the town
is being allotted a fairly large
amount from the highway fund
for 1949-50, explaining that most
of the amount will be spent on re
surfacing Highways 17 and 64
within the town limits. The allot
ment for the period is $16,859.00,
the officials pointing (out that the
allotment for the next period will
likely be very small, if not negli
gible.
It was also pointed out in the
report filed with the commission
that the Town of Williamston for
the past fiscal year paid a tax of
$612 on gasoline used in its trucks,
road machines and fire engines
that operated for the most part on
streets built and maintained by
the town.
It was fairly apparent that the
commission was impressed by the
reports filed by Williamston and a
dozen or more towns in this sec
tion of the State at the hearing
1 a-oV .fWBSBSyTThV'coiniHRsi:
report is due to reach the iaw
makers at the next session of the
State Legislature.
While here last Wednesday, the
commission members, riding in a {
special bus, inspected quite a
number of streets, visited the Wil
lia.nston Peanut Company where
favored with bags of shelled pea
nuts, and dined as guests of the I
town before appearing in a public I
meeting at the courthouse.
ROUND-UP
v.
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Crime flared up after a seri
ous nature in this section over
the week-end when officers
arrested two men for attempt
ed criminal assault. Three
others were jailed for drunk
enness, and one each for
drunken driving, assault, is
suing a bad check, and a tenth
one for an alleged old crime.
Seven of the ten were
white, and ages of the group
ranged from 19 to 57 years.
r
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HOLIDAY
With the exception of the
peanut market and possibly
some other heavy industry,
Thanksgiving Day will be ob
served as a general holiday
here. The peanut plants will
not operate but the market
will receive farmers’ stock
peanuts, it was announced.
The main observance pro
gram for the day will be held
in the Baptist Church Thurs
day morning at 10:00 o’clock
When Rev. E. R. Shuller
preaches a union service.
All county school will close
at the usual hour 3:15 Wed
nesday afternoon until next
Monday morning.
Victim Of Fire
Buried Friday
In This County
Kenneth W. Barm** Ixist
Hi* Life in Trailer Fire
Al Plymouth Friday
Kenneth Wayne Barnes, eigh
teen-month-old son of Mr. and
Mrs. Walter Barnes, Jr., was ac
cidentally burned to death in his
trailer home at Plymouth last Fri
day morning.
The father, Walter Barnes, Jr.,
formerly of this county, was away
at the time, and the mother, the
former Miss Verna Mae Elks of
Pitt County, had gone out a few
minutes before to work in the
yard. When she glanced back at
the trailer home she saw it in
flames and tried to enter but was
blocked by the fire, suffering
burns on the forearm in the at
tempt.
Bringing the fire under control,
Plymouth firemen entered the
burned trailer and found the lit
tle charred body. It is thought
the child was suffocated, and that
he never moved the petition in
which he was left sleeping.
Surviving besides his parents
are his grandparents, Mr. and
Mrs. Walter Barnes, Sr., of Wil
liams Township. The child was
born in Washington County
March 16 of last year.
Funeral services were conduct
ed at the graveside in the Rid
dick’s Grove Baptist Church that
afternoon at 3:30 o'clock by the
pastor, Rev. W. B. Harrington, as
sisted by Rev. P. B. Nickens, Ply
mouth minister.
Operating On Lad
At Duke Hospital
Unable to ride a bicycle or par
ticipate in even the minor sports,
Jack Harris, 12-year-old Bear
Grans boy, is scheduled to under
go a delicate heart operation in
Duke Hospital tomorrow, and he
goes there holding to the earnest
hope he'll be able, in time, to ride
a bike, attend school regular and
enjoy a fairly normal life along
with other boys and girls.
O: «■■■%,>■'' children,
the youth, the county’s first <’;ag
nosed "blue baby” is offering a
brave fight for life. Friends de
clare that his will to live and be
able to ride a bicycle will match
the expert skill of the surgeons,
that he longingly awaits the time
when he, too, may participate in
some of the lighter games along
with other boys and girls a/ter
just looking on the greater part
of his life.
While no appeal for aid has
been made by the family, friends,
recognizing the financial strain
the operation and hospitalization
will place on the widowed mother,
are coming to the lad’s rescue.
Contributions, ranging from $1 to
$25, have been turned ovei to Mrs.
Irving Terry, RFD 2, Williamston,
for the little fellow, and they are
determined to see him through
the ordeal. Tne Ruritan club is
going into action in the lad’s be
half. No large amount is sought,
but a few hundred dollars will
help defray the expenses and
prove of great value to the little
victim.
Several Seriously
Injured Last Week
In Car Accidents
Broken Bark, Wrenched
Neck and Skull Fractures
Listed Injuries
Three persons were injured, all
of them seriously, in two accidents
on Martin County highways early
last Friday morning. Property
damage in the two accidents ap
proximated $1,500, one report
said.
The injured included, “Boss”
Reed, colored tenant on the Sam
Mobley farm in Bear Grass Town
ship, fractures of back and sever
al ribs and a punctured lung. Last
reports received here stated that
pneumonia had developed and the
victim was given little chance to
recover.
Herbert Lee Hardison, wrench
ed neck, bruises and shock.
Harmon Roberson, skull frac
ture, bruises and shock.
Both accidents were reported
about the same time—1:00 o’clock
Friday morning.
Hardison, just recently out of
the armed services, was driving
his father’s car, a 1947 DcSoto
coupe, toward Jamesville about
two miles out of Williamston on
Highway 64. Accompanied by
Roberson, the driver, apparently
running at a fast speed, lost con
trol of the car just after crossing
Sweet Water Creek bridge. The
machine rode the creek embank- J
ment about 150 yards, mowed |
down a number of posts on the fill
and cut a telephone pole in two
nine feet from the ground, turn
ing over several times. Investi
gating the accident, Patrolman E.
P. Simmons said there were signs
indicating the pole had been hit
about fifteen feet from the
ground. The front seat of the car
was found 21 feet behind the spot
where the car stopped and Rober
son, unconscious, was picked up
twenty-five feet beyond the car
in the direction of Jamesville.
When the patrolman reached
the scene he found the Hardison
boy standing beside the wreck.
Roberson was removed to Brown's
Hospital where preliminary ex
aminations revealed the head in
jury. Asked if he was hurt,
Hardison maintained he was all
right at the time, explaining that
he was just drunk. He was car
ried to the jail where, a few min
utes later, he complained about
his neck hurting. Officers imme
diately transferred him to the hos
pital, Jailer Roy Peel stating that
the young man walked out of the
jail without assistance, went to a
toilet alone and got into the car
for the trip to the hospital. X-ray
pictures showed a neck injury and
he was removed to a veterans'
hospital in Fayetteville the next
day in a Biggs ambulance, Driver
Tommy Bland stating that the pa
tient slept most of the way there.
Last reports reaching here stated
that the neck was not broken, that
it was wrenched and that it was
thought the victim would be able
to return home shortly.
Roberson regained conscious
ness last Saturday r\ght, but it is
understood his condition c>
ues serious.
Investigating the second acci
dent, Patrolman John T. Rowe
said that Reed, driving a Pontiac,
machine on a i
stiaight stretch of ihe recently
paved Bear Grass road near the
Sylvester Taylor home, and that
the car turned over in a field. It
could not be learned immediately
if passengers in the car were hurt.
Cars Crashed At
Intersection Here
One person was slightly hurt
when his head was jerked in a
two-car wreck at the intei Section
of Haughton and Church Streets
here yesteiday morning at 8:00
o’clock. The injury was believed
not serious, and the victim, Mayo
Modlin, was able to continue
about his work.
Modlin, driving a 1949 Chevro
let, was entering Haughton Street
just about the time Glenn Cannon
was driving his 1940 Ford on
Haughton toward Main.
Officer Chas. R. Moore, investi
gating the accident, estimated the
damage to the Chevrolet at $100
and that to the Ford at $150.
Market Here Will Receive
Pean uts Thanksgiving Day
— ■ »
Williamston’s peanut market
will continue open Thanksgiving
Day to receive peanuts, but no
milling operations will be carried
on that day, it was announced late
yesterday.
With real favorable harvest
weather prevailing this year for
the first time in four or five years
farmers are making a record in
picking their crops and placing
the peanuts on the market. And it
is well established now' that the
crop is critically short, and that it
is about all marketed. It is con
servatively estimated that be
tween 85 and 90 percent of the
crop has been picked and market
ed in this county. Reports from
adjoining counties indicate that
while the work in them is W'cll ad
vanced. possibly no more than 60
percent of the crop has been mov
ed.
Operating a record number of
pickers this season, Martin farm
ers made quick work of the task,
old-timers declaring that the crop
was harvested and marketed in
record time.
It is declared that the crop will
not run a bag over half the
amount of the 1948 crop in this
county. A broker outside this
county was quoted as saying that
he handled 30,000 bags last season,
and had been able to buy only 14,
000 bags this year.
The short crop has sent prices
to almost record high figures, un
official reports quoting a top of 12
cents with the market running
from one ot two cents above gov
ernment price supports.
Membership Drive1
Nearing Its Goal
In Martin County
■—♦—
Farm Bureau Canvassers
Now Working To Get
Noeilod 32 Monikers
The annual Farm Bureau mem
bership drive is nearing its goal
in this county, Secretary Mayo
Hardison announcing at a meet
ing of the canvassers last Friday
evening that 1,968 members had
been signed, that the drive is now
only 32 members short of the 2,
000 goal.
Approximately thirty of the
membership canvassers attended
an oyster roast at the Williamston
water plant Friday evening when
nearly 400 additional members
were reported to carry the drive
almost to the assigned quota.
"We arc confident thac goal will
be reached before next Monday
night when the canvassers arc to
hold a meeting and make a final
report to State headquarters,” an
official said. At the meeting next
Monday night, delegates to the na
tional convention to be held in
Chicago next month will be chos
en. The organization pays only a
portion of the expenses to the con
vention, and for several years it
has been difficult to get members
of the organization to represent
the county at the convention.
Reviewing the work of the
membership drive to date, the of
ficers announced that George C.
Griffin of Griffins had led the
county, signing up 228 members.
Farmer Reuben Everett of Rober
sonville was second with 207
members and Farmer Sam Ever
ett, a prominent leader in the or
ganization for the past ten or
twelve years was third with 184!
members. Nearly all the canvass-!
Crs made a splendid showing in1
the drive, receiving nothing for
their time, not even any remuner
ation for their expenses.
Martin is about the third or
fourth county in the State to ap-1
proaeh the membership goal.
However, it was announced a few
days ago that the organization
will sign up a record number of!
members in the State this year. j
RooLPainagert Bv
Fire Here Sunday
Apparently started by a spark
from a flue, fire damaged the
kitchen roof on the T. C. Cooke
home on East Main Street here
Sunday morning at 8:00 o’clock.
When discovered the fire was
burning through the top of the
roof near the flue.
Firemen put the fire out by us
ing a small hose line from the
truck tank, but not until the
smoke had filled part of the home.
I DAY LATE
V
The next issue of The En
terprise will be distributed a
day late, reaching local sub
scribers Friday afternoon in
stead of Thursday and rural
subscribers Saturday Instead
of Friday.
The change is being made
to give the force a day off for
Thanksgiving.
i ALL OVER
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The final curtain on tobacco
marketing for the 1949 season
in the eastern North Carolina
belt was lowered last Friday
when the markets at Rocky
Mount and Wilson closed aft
er thirteen weeks of sales. The
price average followed a
downward trend, reports stat
ing that the 1,115,108 pounds
marketed last week sold for
only $36.61 per hundred
pounds.
According to preliminary
figures, the belt sold 404,271,
357 pounds for an average of
$48.63 per hundred pounds.
Few Are Exeused
From Jury Duty
Few excuses were recognized,
but Judge W. H. S. Burgwyn, pre
siding over the current term of
Martin County Superior Court,
did bargain with at least two of
the jurors. The jurist agreed to
excuse two of the jurors, Mrs. H.
B. Bennett of Oak City and David
Boyd of Hamilton, this week pro
vided they would serve next
week.
Miss Elizabeth Burras was ex
eused when she explained there
was sickness in her family.
One other juror explained he
could not hear very well, but
when the judge, intentionally or
unintentionally, addressed him in
a fairly low tone of voice and the
petitioner heard, the jurist invit
ed him to have a seat for the pres
sent. It was intimated that one or
two more would be excused as
the term progressed.
Rev. Claude Winstead, colored
minister of Jamesville, asked to be I
excused this week, agreeing to j
serve next week. Judge Burgwyn I
explained that ministers of the
Gospel could not, under the law,
be compelled to serve and Win
stead was excused without reser
vation. Informed that Winstead
had four churches, one of them in
Jamesville, Judge Burgwyn com
plimented him, explaining that he
did not know why but that very
few colored ministers pastured
churches in their own communi
ties.
junior OrcTer
Plans Meeting
The Junior Order United Am
erican Mechanics is planning a
free oyster supper for Tuesday
night, November 29. Also a con
cert given by the concert troupe
from the Children’s Home (of the
Order) from Lexington, brought
here and assisted by Supt. Robert
Bruton and wife, both talented
musicians.
Also the following state officers
will be present: Judge W. C. Pur
cell, Durham, past state council;
A. Z. Goforth, state councilor,
Statesville; Gurney P Hood, Ral
eigh, state council treasurer, and
Forrest G. Shearin, Scotland
Neck, state secretary of the order.
District Officer, J. A Prichette of
Windsor will also be present
The hour and place of the sup
per will be announced later.
This order has educated more
than «000 children of deceased
members.
Six Divorces Are
Recorded Monday
In Superior Court
I riliunal Now Working On
\ Fire Damage Suit
Again*! A. C. L.
1 Convening a two-week term of
I Martin County civil court Mon
day morning, Judge W. H. S. Bur
gwyn went over the calendar for
i the week with bar members and
immediately threw the divorce
mill into high gear, and ground
out six divorce cases in short ord
er.
All the divorce cases were ad
vanced on grounds of two-year
separation. A seventh case,
brought bv A. J. Stark of Edonton
against Ouida Stark, resulted in
a mistrial. The case was based on
| two-year separation grounds, the
I plaintiff counting in that two
years the time he spent in the
armed services Judge Burgwyn
ruled that that time could not be
allowed, and a mistrial was order
ed.
The following divorces were
granted:
Cleopatra Bunch from George
P. Bunch.
William Sharpe from Elizabeth
Sharpe.
Mary M. Briekhouse from Louis
H. Briekhouse.
Mildred Thigpen from Alexis
Lawrence Thigpen.
Willis Williams, Jr., from Lucy
Lee Williams.
Daisy Dell Byrum from Charlie
Ruffin Byrum.
It was pointed out that the court
had granted a divorce last time,
but that the decree had not be
come final because the plaintiff
had not paid the costs in the case.
1 hree white women jurors, Mrs.
Annie Mae Lilley of Jamesville,
Mis. J. A. Rawls of Oak City, and
Mrs. W. O. Council also of Oak
City, sat on the jury in four of the
divorce cases.
About 1 1.00 o'clock Monday
morning the court called the case
of George C. James against the
A. C. L. Railroad Company. Al
leging that the defendant’s train
set fire and damaged a number of
acres of his timberlands, the
plaintiff is asking $1)00 damages.
The plaintiff completed its evi
dence before the court recessed
for lunch. Taking over in the aft
ernoon, the defense offered testi
mony during the afternoon session
and is completing its evidence this
morning with the likelihood that
the case will reach the jury about
noon today.
The court is scheduled to recess
sometime tomorrow for the
Thanksgiving holiday and will re
sume its work next Monday morn
ing.
o
To Hold (lotion
Vote Next Month
The first cotton referendum
since before the war has been set
for December 15, according to G.
T. Scott, chairman of the State1
DMA committee. On that date I
growers in North Carolina and
ejsewh, re in the nation will go to
local and county polling places to
vote lor or against continuing
marketing quotas.
Maikelingquota.s on the Itiitu
C.op NSWPWTiai ed 0,1 Oct ,i7er 1?
by Secretary of Agriculture
Charles F. Branan. The referen
dum is being held in accordance
wilb provisions of the 1938 Agn
cultural Adjustment Act, a.,
amended, which directs the Secre
tary to proclaim quotas on the
1950 crop and to call for a refer
endum of growers to determine
whether they want quotas contin
ued- °nl.V farmers growing cot
ton in 1948 are eligible to vote.
Marketing quotas will be in ef
iect only if approved bv at least
two-thirds of the growers voting
m the referendum. Any person
who has an interest in the crop as
owner, tenant, or sharecropper is
considered a grower and may
vote. No producer, however, is
entitled to more than one vote
even though he may have been
engaged in cotton production on
more than one farm.
"Marketing quotas furnish
growers with a method of adjust
ing supply to demand and help
growers obtain fair prices for the
cotton they produce,” Scott said.
Lays First Brick For
New Local Hospital
CAI.LKI) MEETING
Mayo Ilardison. chairman
of the Martin County Friend
ship Train car, is calling a
meeting of the CHOP commit
tee members for Friday eve
ning of this week at 7.30
o’clock in the county court
house. A special plea is being
made to all members, urging
them to attend.
Plans will be formulated
for starting the Friendship
Train drive for a carload of
corn next Monday.
Several counties in this sec
tion have already handled the
task successfully Pitt report
ing last week that its farmers
had loaded two cars with
corn.
Funeral Held In
County For Mrs.
Julia Roberson
>—.—
Afjril Widow of (Confeder
ate War Veteran Died
In Poplar Point
Funeral services were conduct
ed in the home in Poplar Point
Sunday afternoon at 2:30 o’clock 1
for Mrs. Julia Etta Bland Rober
son who died at her home there
Saturday morning at 12:55 o'clock.
She had been in declining health
for a number of years and her
condition was serious for some
time before the end.
She was born near Williamston
H2 years ago, and was married to
James H. Roberson between 45
and 50 years ago. He died in 1925,
and she was one of the last two
remaining widows of a Confeder
ate veteran in this county. For
the past ten or twelve? years she
had made her home with her sons
in Poplar Point.
Surviving are two sons, Harry
and Theodore Roberson, of the
home; a sister, Miss Fannie Bland,
of near Williamston, and two
grandchildren.
Rev. James Perry, pastor of the
Robersonville Christian Church,
conducted the last rites, and inter
merit was in Woodlawn Cemetery
in Williamston.
Autos In Wreck
On ’later Ridge
o i
Damage estimated at about $100 i
resulted when two ears crashed on |
a little narrow ’tater ridge used '
as a public road in Williamston 1
Township last Saturday after
noon. James Robert Bullock was
driving bis 1939 Plymouth along
the rural road, leading off the
Prison Camp Road, and met James
A. Hassell in his 19-11 Chevrolet.
Both rear fenders on Bullock's
ear were smashed, one by the
Hassell ear ar.d the other by the
ditch bank.
Patrolman John T. Row-c made I
the investigation. No charges I
• • i" "ferred by t; tin r, and the 1
pspmr. av.-mmmmm j
road.
i wo wrecks were also reported
in the RobersonviIle-Parmele sec
tion, one victim suffering a brok
en leg.
Horne Destroyed
J
By Fire Saturday
-.j>
Thought to have started from
sparks pouring out of a defective
flue or chimney, fire destroyed
the six-room home of Rev. Wil
liam Keyes in Piney Woods near
Dardens last Saturday afternoon.
Reports reaching here stated that
very little was saved, that the fire
spread rapidly and threatened
a nearby home.
Plymouth’s fire department an
swered a call to the section and
prevented the fire from spread
ing to other homes.
No estimate of the damage
could be had, and it was not learn
ed if insurance was carried on the
property.
Mr. Van G. Taylor
Lays First Brick
Monday Morning
__ O
Interested Group and May
or Present for Informal
Exercises
Mr. Van G. Taylor, one of the
main supporters of u new hospital
for this section, laid the first brick
for the project at informal exer
cises held yesterday morning at
8:45 o'clock in the presence of a
number of interested citizens. Mr.
Taylor, recovering from a recent
illness, was accompanied here
from his home in Everetts by Mrs.
Taylor and his nurse, Miss Helen
Little, and he handled the task to
perfection. The brick held its
position when checked with the
level, and immediately eight mas
ons moved in to continue the task.
Mr. Taylor tarried just long en
ough for a photographer from the
Royal Photgraphic Center, to take
a picture of the history-making
event, and then joined the other
interested citizens for a group pic
ture. No formal program had
been planned, and attention was
centered on the brick laying.
The hospital is being built by
Drs. Jas. S. Rhodes, Jr., J. T,
Llewellyn, (1. G. Hiinmelwrighl
and ( has. I. Harris, Jr., and en
hances the medical facilities fot
this section, giving the county a
service unequalled possibly in
other areas where federal and
state grants are being made. The
project, financed by private cap
ital and other citizens interested
in expanded hospital facilities for
the people of this section, will
house forty-four beds, a clinic, in
cluding a dentist's suite, operating
and delivery rooms, laboratories
and so on. It is being built ac
cording to approved specifications
prepared by Herbert Whitley.
Lor the brief ceremony yester
day morning, Mrs. Chas. I. Harris,
Sr., came up from Rome, Ga. Dr.
and Mrs. Hnnelwright were over
from Washington. Mr. and Mnt.
Van G. Taylor and Miss Helen Lit
tle were down from Everetts with
an employee from the Taylor
household. Others present were
Dr. and Mrs. J, T. Llewellyn, Dr.
and Mrs. Harris and son, Van
Lay lor Harris, Dr. and Mrs. James
S. Rhodes, Sr. and Jr., Dr. Win.
Gray, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Whit
ley, Chas. 11. Manning and Mayor
Robt. Cowen.
(Continued on page eight)
Millions Train
Under GI Bill
Approximately (>,340,000 veter
ans have had some sort of C1I Bill
training since the law went into
effect in June, 19*1-1, according to
the Veterans Administration.
Classroom studies attracted
most of the ex-servicemen More
than 93 percent were enrolled in
schools, (> percent in job training
establishments, and 1 percent in
„n".,,;,y off*-,
The study revealed that 65 per
cent ot the veteran-trainees had
had some high school training at
the tin*le they entered their GI
Bill courses. Eighteen percent had
gone to college, while 17 percent
had not progressed beyond ele
mentary school.
v__
PINCHKOARDS
J
Killed out by State law,
punch boards are still being;
picked up now and then in the
county, a report from the
sheriff's office this week stat
ing that a knockout punch
was ilelivered to three boards
in Oak City last Friday. No
warrants had been drawn in
the cases immediately.
Receiving complaints about
gambling of various types in
pieolo joints and other spots.
Sheriff M. W. Holloman is
mapping plans for county
wide raids.