Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / March 14, 1950, edition 1 / Page 1
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* THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES VOLUME LIU—NUMBER 21 = ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, March 14, 1950 ESTABLISHED 1899 .Receives Equipment - Value Materials - More Than HaH Nillion Dollars llifl Guns mill Tractors Will Be Shipped Shortly By _ Rail Freight i —«— Organized only a short time; ago. Battery C, 150th AAA Bat- j tlion, last week-end received much equipment with still more to come in by rail freight during the next few weeks. Uniforms i are expected within a short time. Unofficial reports place the value of the unit’s equipment in excess of half-million dollars. Most of the equipment is being stored in the old pumping station of the town's municipal water system on Sycamore Street while the rolling equipment is being stored temporarily in the county school garage near the State Highway prison camp. Most of the lot at the water plant is to be fenced in shortly and the rolling ^ equipment will be kept there. Two large anti-aircraft guns are to be mounted there also. Included in the equipment un loaded here last Saturday are an undisclosed number of individual carbine rifles and a large supply of small live ammunition which is stored in a strong room especially constructed within the plant. There are several machine guns, ^sub-marine machine guns, rocket guns or bazookas, three field kitchens, gas masks, special con tainers, and an elaborate assort ment of tools, including spades. Extensive radar equipment is also included in the shipment. Three large mobile generators lurnish the power for the system. The unit is equipped with a tele phone switchboard, twenty-four field telephones, and miles of * electric and telephone cable. There is an independent radio system for the unit. Included in the rolling equip ment already here are three two and one-half tun trucks, a jeep, three trailers and the three mounted generators. The two 90 mm. anti-aircraft guns and two large tractors are to be shipped jn by rail, ' * The guard unit is rapidly taking % definite shape with promotions to private first class for ail enlisted men, and corporal and sergeant M^ratimjjS^exOfvted .yiXU'JUUiV neat. future ior several of the men'. For the present, the men will acquaint themselves with the equipment, with limited practice with dummy ammunition on the (Continued on page six) 'Large Audience Hears Local Band A liiwc and attentive audience heard the third annual concert of the William.ston High School be ginners’ and senior bands at the high school auditorium here last Friday night ar.d about 300 band • members, their parents and spec ial guests attended a birthday gathering at the school cafeteria following the concert. Playing some of the most diffi cult music it has yet attempted, the band acquitted itself well de spite a number of handicaps, in cluding illness which threw some of its sections a hit out of bal ance. ■ The beginner* played three ^ hymn numbers and proved the hand movement in the school is getting ample recruits. The junior band had to call off its part in the program when it developed that half of their number was out with influenza or other illness. Expressing the pleasure of both his young musicians and himself at the fine reception given the concert, Professor Jack Butler also noted the help given in the <1 drum section by Jimmy Mitchell, local drummer. Rehearsals this week are be ing devoted to getting ready foi the district music contest al Greenville next. Saturday in which the band is entered. f~ ENTRY TIME - ] v._/ Adult farmers planning to enter hogs In the annual Mar tin County Fat Stock Show will have until Friday of this week to list their entries. As sistant Farm Agent D. W. Brady announced yesterday. The deadline for the entries was first set for March 15, but a special request was made to delay it until Friday. Quite a few animals have been checked for showing during the annual show to be held in May, one report stat ed. Testimony Backs Lindsay Warren's Subsidy Reports Ship Subsidy Scandal Con tinue* To Bubble In Committee Room The ship subsidy scandal con tinues to bubble. Testimony be fore the House sub-committee headed by Congressman Porter Hardy, Jr., (Dam., Va.) recently supported a number of charges regarding the extraordinary schemes by which shipping inter ests have been gypping the gov ernment, right under the nose of the Maritime Commission. The commission administers the Merchant Marine Act, passed by Congress nearly 14 years ago for the purpose of building up the na tion’s merchant shipping, as an as set in case of war, and an aid to international trade in times of peace. Comptroller General Lindsay C. , Warren and Raymond S. McKc ough, a one-man minority on the the commission, charge that the ship owners have not been satis | fied with a reasonable interpreta tion of the benefits the law pro vides. As an example, the Hardy Com mittee hearings turned this week j to a provision of the law which ! enables the government to get back some of the subsidy, out of I the profits of the line if the prof ; nts in any year exceed 10 per cent I of what the Merchant Marine Act describes as “capital necessarily ! employed." It is up to the commission to de * whki.4«i»»Sar«M9lL ov : “capital necessarily employed,” and the Comptroller General in dicated that this “interpretation” has enriched the ship owners at the expense of Uncle Sam. The whole thing is so compli : cated that only a “Philadelphia lawyer” can understand it, but Warren’s auditors came to a start ling conclusion, which was sup ported at the hearing. The auditors found that in some cases, the very fact that shipping lines had made big profits during the war decreased the amount that Uncle Sam could get back on the subsidies the lines had been paid. Much of the Warren report was a scathing criticism of the way members.of the Maritime Com mission staff determined the amounts of the subsidies the ship ping lines are paid, both on the operation of ships and on the building of new ships andJ.he re fitting of war-used ships tor peace-time commerce. Spokesmen for the commission ; continued to agree that Warren ! was right as various points in the | report were covered. Some of the (Continued on Page Eight) ! Wind Motet Top From Little Savoy Cafe Here • | The top front of the Little Sa voy, Negro cafe on Washington Street here, was blown off by u gust of wind late last night. Nu estimate of the damage eould be had immediately. It was reported that the goodly j number of patrons dancing there at the time, beat a quick retreat out the back door, one fellow de claring he was almost trampled in the rush to clear the one j story building. Seventeen Cases On Civil Docket In Superior Court ■ » ■— $1,000 Damage Suit Sent Dark For New Trial By Supreme Court Seventeen eases have been plac ed on the eivi! calendar for trial during the two-week term of the Martin County Superior Court. Opening the first sessions next Monday, the court will devote the first of the two-week regular term to the trial of criminal cases, and start workithe following Monday, March 27, on the civil calendar which also lists seven divorce ac tions and alimony claims. After clearing the divorce sheet on the 27th, Judge Q. K. Nimocks, presiding, is expected to call four civil actions that day. In the case of Minnie P. Rober son and J. D. Roberson, Sr., against Orling Partce Roberson, the plaitiffs are asking that the court declare that the defendant has no interest in certain lands, or that the defendant's interest be determined and guardian author ized to convey to the plaintiff the land in question upon payment by the plaintiffs of the fixed amount. The ten-year-old boundary line case of W. W. Griffin against W. F. Barber and Farrnville-Wood ward Lumber Company and in volving about $50 damages is back on the calendar, the issue center ing around a boundary line dis pute. The fast aging boundary' line case of H. H. Cowen against C. E. Jenkins is back on the docket with several hundred pages of evidence taken at a referee hear ing. Joseph E. Smallwood in his case against Geo. M. Stevenson, is claiming $3,060 for his share of crops and $185.30 alleged due him under a landlord-tenant contract. The case of Grover Peel, admin istrator of Chloe Peel, against the A. C. L. Railroad Company is back on the calendar. It was tried before Judge Leo Carr last Sep tember and the plaitiff was giv en a judgment in the sum of $6, 000. The defense asked that the judgment be set aside as being contrary to the weight of the evi dence and as being excessive. The defense also claimed trial errors. It was agreed that the case be heard again. The case originated as a result of the death of Chloe Peel, small child, who was fat ally hurt when struck by the de fendant's train near Dardens on September 27, 1948. The plain tiff asked $10,000. Wajter JQailey in his l case against Mrs. Mary E. Bailey and others, is asking the court to set aside a deed allegedly transferred by undue influence. The case of Dallas Ray Green, by his next friend, Clarence W. Griffin, against Roy Bowers was sent back to the county for trial by the State Supreme Court. The high tribunal, it was reported, found conflicting instructions giv en the jury by the presiding jur ist, Judge W. H. S. Burgwyn. The plaintiff was injured when struck by the defendant's truck in Par mele on September 15, 1948. The case was tried during the April, 1949, term and the plaintiff was given a judgment in the sum of (Continued on page eight) ———— v Drive Coatiniies On Wicil Liquor The illicit liquor business in Martin County continue? to flour ish, a report for the first two months of 1950 showing that there has been an increase in activities on that front. Reporting his activities for Feb ruary, ABC Officer J. H. Roebuck said that thirteen illicit liquor plants were wrecked in the coun ty during that period. The offic ers poured out 3,050 gallons of cheap beer or mash, confiscated eleven gallons of white liquor, agd tore down two partial dis tilleries. Plants were wrecked in Hamil ton, Robersonville, Jamesville, Bear Grass, Cross Roads and Wil liams Townships. In January, the officers wreck ed thirteen stills and poured out 3,000 gallons of bcer-mash. ! Plans Going Forward h or New County Health Center Plans arc going forward for the i construction of a new healfh cen-! ter for the Martin County Health Department. A report from a spe-j cial committee from the office of the county board of commisioners this week, stated that a location for the new building had been narrowed down to three sites, that construction plans would be advanced just as soon as compara tive costs could be determined and oilier details are cleared. .Coming to the county last Thursday, Dr, J. A. Ferrell of the North Carolina Medical Care Commission ,and Dr. C. C. Apple white of the North Carolina State ROUND-UP _ J Sis persons were rounded up and temporarily detained in the county jail over the week-end, three for drunken driving, two for public drunk enness, and one for an assault. One of the six was a mid dle-age white man, the ages of the group ranging from 19 to 58 years. There were no highway ac cidents and officers stated everything was quiet, for the most part, in the county dur ing the period. Ben Wynne Dies In Georgetown Funeral services for Ben F Wynne, 87, Who died at his home in Georgetown, South Carolina, Sunday morning after several years of declining health, were held at 9:00 o’clock Monday morn ing from the Mayer funeral home in Georgetown. A native of this county, Mr. Wynne moved tc Georgetown in 1920, two years af ter the death of his first wife, the former Miss Betty Elizabeth’ fiul loek. Surviving this union are three sons, Mack Wynne of RFD 3, Wllliamston, Frank and Jot Wynne of Georgetown. He latei married Miss Effie Mobley o! Georgetown, who survives with a daughter, Mrs. Perry Amaker twelve grandchildren and twe great grandchildren. Interment was in the family cemetery in Cross Roads Town ship at 4 o'clock Monday after noon. Rev. E. R. Stewart, Baptist minister of Hamilton, conducted the final rites Grandparents Die Over the Week-end - o. Patrolman E. P. Simmons ol Jamesville lost his grandmother and Mrs. Simmons lost her grand father during the week-end. Mrs. Simmons’ grandfather Benjamin F. Wynne, died in Georgetown, S. C„ Sunday morn ing and was buried in Cross Roads Township, this county, Monday afternoon. Mr. Simmons’ grandmother Mrs. H. W. Noe, a native of Beau fort, N. C\, died Sunday morning at her home in Lenoir, N. C\, ant is being buried in Beaufort this afternoon. Board of Health, inspected possi ble site for the center and said that any one of three would be :,)) right. One of the sites is lo cated on Ray and Harrell Street just back of the Biggs home in New Town. Another site is locat ed near Woodlawn Cemetery on North Haughton Street, and still another is located on East Main Street just across from the G. P. Halls. The Medical Care Commission and State Health Board represen tatives explained that the State and federal government would furnish most of the money for the | project which will cost approxi I matcl.v $50,000. Club Boy Writes About Free Trip To Northern City • Dullus H. ('ox One of Five Boys To Win Sweet Potato Contest -» The latter part of January, Dal I las 1! Cox, Oak City 4-H Club boy, and four other Martin Coun i tv youths left for several northern j cities as guests of the Martin County Yam Growers Association, ■ independent firms and organiza I tions. The lads, accompanied by M. M. Levin, J. W. Sumner and Henry Covington, hail won the trips in a sweet potato production contest. The Williamston Boost ers, one of the organizations offer ing cash prizes, gave $100 to help finance Cox's trip. Expressing his appreciation, Cox wrote to Secre tary Al Sweat! of the Boosters, as follows: The date January 30, 1950, will always be remembered by me as a day of great importance throughout my life. It was this date I started a trip from Wil liamston to New York and back It was this date that I renlijed-J had won u trip through my efforts in farming. Throughout my life 1 have had a desire to go to these places of interest and this was my chance. To help explain why “his trip, giv en me, was so great, 1 will try to give a brief review of some of the things we saw and did during that week. When we left Williamston the other four boys and I had no idea of yvhat Mr. Levin, Mr. Sumner or Mr. Covington had in store for us or what the large cities would be like. (Continued on page eight) Minor Accident In The County No one was hurt and very little damage resulted in an automobile accident between Robersonville and Parmele last Wednesday eve ning about 7:30 o’clock. Willard E. Hudson of South Boston, Va., started to pass Gas ton E. Cai r of Robersonville just as Carr started to make a left turn. Hudson’s 1949 Ford struck the rear of Carr’s 1941) ear, Patrol man B. W. Parker, making the in vestigation, estimating the com bined damage at $75. Telephone Company Makes Five- Year Progress Report -♦ In a report released this week, the Carolina Telephone and Tele graph Company reviews a re markable progress record f r the past five years and especially .'or 1949. The Williamston exchange, ac cording to the report, has more than doubled in size since 1945, having 1,426 telephones at the present time. The report points out that 737 telephones were in stalled since the war. L *. year alone, 138 telephones were added to the Williamston exchange. In cluded in the list of patrons are 239 rural subscribers, the local exchange having about the largest per capita patronage in the rural areas of any exchange in this sec tion of the State. While the total investment was not revealed, the report shows that expansion in the past five years amounted to $338,590.73, the eost in 1949 alone running up to $48,228.97. The exchange now employs many more operators just to handle long distance calls than the combined number employed to handle both local and long dis tance calls before the dial system was installed. The report lists Windsor with 532 telephones, including 38 in the rural • sections. The neighboring town added 258 telephones since 1945, including 38 in 1940. Red Cross Drive Is About One-Half Complete To Date Total of $832.31 Raised j And Reported to Chair- ' man G. G. Woolard The annual Red Cross Fund Drive in the Martin County Chap ter is just about half completed. Chairman Garland G. Woolard announced late yesterday. Up un til that time the canvassers had reported and turned over to the chairman a total of $832.31. De layed at the opening of the drive, March 1. several townships are just beginning their solicitations, with the announced intention of completing the canvass by the lat ter part of this or early next week. Chairman A. 13. Ayers, Jr., stat ed that the canvass had just about been completed in Bear Grass, that $129.00 of the district’s $250 quota had been raised. Handling the solicitations among the colored citizens in Pop lar Point. Willis Williams raised and submitted to the chapter chairman $8.47. Fifteen of the approximately forty canvassers in Williamston have raised and reported right at $700. and the chairman is hopeful the 25 remaining canvassers will carry this district over the top. No canvass report has been re ceived from three of the town ships. However, Mrs. Camille F. Rawls, chairman for Jamesville, said that the following had been named to make the canvass there, Mrs. Gaines, Mrs. Carrie Dell Fa gan, Mrs. Wendell Modlin, Mrs. Leo Gardner, Mrs. George Coop er, Mrs. Annie Mae Lilley and Maurice Brown. In Griffins, the chairman, Mrs. J. Eason Lilley, announced the following canvassers for her dis trict: Mrs. Carlyle Stallings, Mrs. Coy Griffin, Mrs. Robert Griffin, Mrs. James Harrington, Mrs. Ken neth Harrington, Mrs. Ben Rob erson and Mrs. Marvin Leggett. In Williams, Mrs. Irving Rober son, the chairman, said that Mrs. Ben Griffin anti Mrs. Henry Wil liams were assisting in making the canvass in that district. (Continued on page six) Mrs. Nodlin Dies Near Jamesville Mrs, Mollio Modlin, well-known citizen of the Jamesville section, died ut the home of a daughter, Mrs Joseph Mizelle, near James "4\rh last- SeTHM?,,? —'TPtttrftg" at 9:45 o'clock. She had been in feeble health for some time, but her condition was not considered ser'ous until about lour days be fore her death. The daughter of the late Hum phrey Griffin and wife, she was born in the Poplar Chapel Com munity 76 years ago and lived in that section all her life. In early womanhood she was married to Nathan J. Modlin who died some years ago. Up until the opening of World War 11, she lived at the old home, but when one of her sons entered the service she went to make her home with a daugh ter. She was one of the oldest mem hers ol the Poplar Chapel Church, and funeral services were con ducted there Monday afternoon at 5:00 o'clock the Rev. Frank But ler of Washington, assisted by Rev. D. W Davis of Plymouth, and Daniel Hardison of James ville Interment was in the Mod lot Cemetery near the old home. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. W C. Sexton of Plymouth and Mrs. Joe Mizelle of James ville; three sons, Archie of Plym outh. Clyde and Edward W. Mod lin of Jamesville; twelve grand children and three great-grand children and a sister, Mrs. Sue Lilley, of Raleigh. Former llesidenl Able I o Leave The llonpilat Quite ill for several days, Mr. Millard Lilley, former Williams ton young man after receiving treatment in Duke Hospital, was able to leave the institution last Saturday for a visit with Patrol man and Mrs. Whit E. Saunders in Apex. Local Woman Loses Life In Car Wreck f------—•—> 1 -4‘A \W^ AT1()‘\S' v _ v Those persons who filed for census enumerator positions in Martin County and who could not report for the ex amination given in the Wil liamston Grammar School last week will have an oppor tunity to take the test at the Employment Security Office in the Tar Heel Building in Wtlliamston at 9:00 o'clock Thursday morning of this week, it was announced to day. Successful applicants will be notified soon after the 16th, and they are to report for a four-day training per iod, beginning March 27. Jos. D. Leggett Died Suddenly at Home Monday -*$* Funeral Brin;: Conducted At Home on Sniilltwiek Street This Afternoon Joseph Daniel Leggett, well known local man and farmer, died suddenly in his sleep at his home on North Smithwick Street yes terday morning about 3:30 o'clock, the apparent victim of a heart at tack. Receiving no answer when she called him shortly before 7:00 o’clock, his sister, Miss Martha Leggett, went to his room and found him dead. The bed cloth ing was not ruffled and he ap parently died without a struggle A medical examination showed that he had been dead only a few hours when he was found. Mr. Leggett had suffered witt a heart condition most of the time following an attack of pneumonii | sutfored w'hcn he was a 'child'.' if November, 1947, he fell and broki his hip and received treatment ir a Raleigh hospital for months Since that time he has used crutches, but continued fairly ac tive, managing his farming in terests near here and handling his other business activities. Sunday afternoon hi' rodi around town, ate a hearty suppci and was feeling as well as usual when he retired early Sunday night. When his sister started ti her room about 11:30 o’clock hi •old her good night and said hi was" getrrii'g along' ;mi .vighT""'" The son of the late James D and Martha Holliday Leggett, hi was born in Williamston 54 veari ago on July 9, 1395, and livec here all his life. Strictly individ ualistic, he enjoyed life at home limiting his activities for the most part, to his home and farm whief he headed when a young man fol lowing the death of his father. Surviving are two brothers, J Earl Leggett of Tucson, Arizona and J. Claude Leggett of Wil liamston, and two sisters, Mrs. T Marvin Britton and Miss Martha Leggett, also of Williamston. (Continued on page aix) Bookmobile Tours County This Week • Mothers, and Fathers, do you remember how you loved to hear the magic tales of knights anc ladies, dragons and princesses'' Your children can too hear tin thrilling stories of Grimm, Ham Christian Anderson, Oscar Wildi and many others at the story hou program brought to them ever) Saturday morning at 9:30 ove Washington Radio Station WRRl by the Bookmobile Story Lady on a program entitled Onee Upoi A Time. The Bookmobile itself is in Mar tin County this week bringinj loads of good books to the peopli in all sections of the County. Yoi can find religious reuding for tin Lenten Season, the latest book: on gardening and home decora tion, popular fiction and non-fic tion titles and volumes on all sub jeets to suit even the most parti eular reader.—Reported. Mrs. W. C.-Mercer Is Fatally Injured Near Rich Square —-O Funeral Service* Will Be Helil in Church Here Wednesday Morning Mrs Grace Beasley Mercer, wife of Dr. William C. Mercer of Williamston, was fatally injured and her son, Billy Mercer, and her mother, Mrs. T. Edward Beas ley of Ahoskie, suffered shock when their car, a 1947 Buick se dan, turned over on its side dtn - ing a rain about three tniles out of Rich Square yesterday after noon at 2:30 o’clock. Mrs. Mercer, suffering head injuries, was dead upon arrival at the Roanoke Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie where Mrs. Beasley and her grandson were treated for shock. The young man was able to re turn to his home here last night, and Mrs. Beasley, after an over sight stay in the hospital, joined the family here this morning. Traveling on Highway 305 to ward Rich Square from the direc tion of Aulander, the car, run ning hardly forty miles an hour, struck a slick spot in an “S’ curve and turned all the was around, coming to a stop on iti left side against an embank ment. Mrs. Mercer is believed to have caught the left door han dle to brace herself and apparent ly the door came open. She was caught in the door as the ear came to rest against the ennbank | ment. Mrs. Beasley fell to the foot of the ear and the driver held to the steering wheel and both rode out the wreck without in jury. Investigating the accident, Highway Patrolmen W, G O’ Neal and Van B. Pierce said it I was a freak one, that little dam | age was done to the eai and that* j the accident was one of several | reported in that particular place in recent months under similar conditions. Mis. Mercer and son had gone to Ahoskie for her mother and were taking her to visit a son, Dr. E. B. Beasley, in Fountain. The daughter of Mrs. T Ed ward Beasley and the late Mr. Beasley, Mrs Mercer was born in Colerain 55 years ago on October 4, 1H94. After spending her early [life there, she entered Chowan j College and following her gradu ; a.UoJ.! .,3.h.v ! . oef.uwt, j'marrying Dr Mercer and locating in Ahoskie where they lived 12 I years. Coming to Williamston sixteen years ago when Dr. Mercer open ed an office for the practice of dentistry, Mrs Mercer soon en deared herself to the people of her adopted community. She was an active member of the Memor ial Baptist Church and devoted much time to study and work in missionary circles and other re ligious activites. A devoted mo ther and a friend to all, she cherished the finer ideals in life, and willingly lent a helping hand to all worthy causes Surviving besides her mother, husband and son, are a daughter, Miss Nancy Mercer, a teacher in (Continued on page six) Bad Luck Plagues Rocky Mount Man —<*,—_ t Jesse Matt Rooks, Roc kv Mount man who came down to fish in ■ Gardner's Cree last Saturday, en ■ countered bad luck, but .urged to escape with his life. Said to have imbibed too freely 1 of the spirits, Rooks was rowing his 81-year-old father in a boat. When the boat turned over, both men were nearly drowned, one report stating that the iged man I was too weak to get back into the boat and that the son was too drunk to save himself. Fellow townsmen pulled the two out of tile creek, and Rooks got into his car with the old man and started home. Before he got to Williams | ton he was stopped by Patrolman I E. P. Simmons who booked him j on a drunken driving charge. i
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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March 14, 1950, edition 1
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