North Carolina Newspapers

I • THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTV FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK THE ENTERPRISE gT.j.1.1 ' ^ THE ENTERPRISE IS READ Bl OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT1 FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 45 Williamaton, Martin County, ISorth Carolina, Tuesday. Junr 6. 1950 ESTABLISHED 1899 Series 0! Wrecks • On County Roads In Past Few Days INo One Seriously Hurl W lien Tliree Cars Go Out Of Control, Turn Over No one was believed to have been badly hurt but the property damage mounted when three cars ^went out of control on the high ways in this county and turned ( over during the week-end. Driving his daddy’s 1949 Dodge. Worris Roosevelt Black. 16-year old colored boy, literally tore out of a dirt road and overshot High ' way 64. a few miles east of Rob ersonville last Sunday morning about 11:20 o'clock. Continuing i across the highway, the boy rode fine car into an Irish potato field where it came to a stop after turn ing over twice and doing about $350 damage, according to an esti mate released by Patrolman B. W. Parker who made the investiga tion. Driving his 1939 Ford on a dirt I read near Gurganus’ store not far from the Mobley mill in Cross Roads Township early Sunday af # rnoon, Cecil Edward Scott of ' near Bear Grass lost control of the machine when the right steer ing rod came loose. The car went into a ditch and turned over, in juring Scott's back. After receiv ing treatment in the Robersonville Clinic, the young man was releas ed. Investigating the accident. Patrolman B. W. Parker estimated the property damage at $150. I * John Daniel Suits, 26-year-old j Oak City man, wrecked his car j Sunday evening about 7:00 o’clock I when he ditched it to avoid a col- | i lision with another car on High I way 17, about two miles south of Williamston. Suits, driving a 1940 Chevrolet, was following a Chev rolet. A third ear started to- pass and was forced into the patli of the Suits car bv an approaching (Machine. Suits drove onto the soft shoulder and his car turned over, doing about $250 damage, accord ing to information released by Pa trolman M. F. Powers who made the investigation. Meeting a car traveling in the middle of the i*oad, Robt. H. Stall- j iags of Scotland Neck drove his 1936 Ford coupe to the right! shoulder near Sweet Water Creek It idge on Highway 64 Sunday af ^ ternoon at 3:15 o'clock. He lost control when he tried to steer the ear back on the pavement and the i machine went to the left and| . down ar, embankment, coming to' a stop after turning over. No one was hurt and damage was limited ill ill out the combination. Sever-; a! bits, taken from the store stock, were broken and the robbers then rolled the 1,000-pound safe about q forty or fifty,feet to the machine shop and knocked the hinges off with a sledge hammer. The rob bers tried to use an acetylene I torch in the machine shop, but ap parently were not trained in its use and after smoking up the place resorted to the hammer. It was the second safe robbery in Robersonville and the third in (Continued on page aix) 'Yeggs Crack Safe la Rohersonville Robbers, believed to have been j amateurs but possibly connected with a little crime wave that has swept several counties in this sec tion of the State during recent weeks, entered the Anderson Hardware Company store in Rob "ersonville early last Thursday morning and cracked the safe. It was reported by Roberson - ville's chief of police, William Smith, that approximately $200 in cash was taken from the four loot iron safe. Nothing else was missed from the ' store. Forcing an entrance through a . side door shortly after midnight , Thursday, the robbers tried to to about $50, according to Pa trolman J. T. Rowe who made the investigation. Sunday night another car skid ded on Highway 64 between Wil liamston and Jamesville and came to a stop with the rear end in a ditch. No damage resulted and no one was hurt. Road Program Goes Foward In County [ DRAFT Eugene Rice, chairman of the Martin County Draft Board, reminds all youths to register upon attaining their eighteenth birthday for pos sible draft service in the arm ed forces. Registrations are handled each day in the Red Cross of fice, third floor of Williams ton’s town hall, between the hours of 9:30 a. m. and 12:00 o'clock, noon, and from 2 to 3 p. m. United Nations Review World's Economic Change Penl-iip Deinuud Running Out unit LoiiR-Irrni Prob lems Are Just Ahead • Lake Success, N. Y.—The world's economic machinery was running high gear during 1949, but its short-term fuel of recon struction of war damage, recon version and pent-up demand was running out and long-term prob lems were ahead. The evaluation was made by Ihe United Nations Department bf Economic Affairs in a report to the U. N. Economic and Social Council, now meeting here. The report is.entitled Major Economic Changes in 1949. “The end of the post-war period :>f reconstruction and reconvers ion," the report points out, “has f>! ovided a new setting against which the long-term problems of full employment, economic devcl jpment and equilibrium in inter national trade and finance need to be reevaluated." Economists have known for some time, the report indicates, that long-term adjustments in world production and trade are needed, for they arc at the root bf such problems as the "dollar shortage.” But during 1949, a de cline in imports into the United States, the leading hard-currency country, produced a chain of events which aggravated the lack of balance in world trade. The fall of imports into the i United States, the report says, re- \ iluced the flow of dollars to the I icst of the world and wiped out; many of the gains that had been made towaitf restoring "normal", balanced trade relationships. By the end of the year, the "acute post-war disequilibrium in inter national transactions . . . gave rise to a wave of currency devalua tions . . ." New restrictions by many countries on imports from the United States led to some im provement in the dollar balances of the importing countries. But the effect of devaluation was still far from clear at the end of the year.” Today, the report declares, in dustrially-advanced countries face the problem of keeping up full employment whenever the auto (Coaunueu from page five) -» Blisses Will Start Across Map Soon As soon as Johnny Philpot can put the mileage markers on the map in the big display window of the Watts Theatre on Main Street here the two tiny busses that arej to serve as indicators of progress an the "On To Charlotte” drive of the Lions Club will start moving | along from Williamston to Char otte just as the Green Wave Band jf Williamston High School is to ;o next Sunday week. The real big push of the drive j ,o sell tickets to the big drill, show ( and concert at the ball park next ruesday night .. ill come on Satur iay but already rviny Lions are moving the tickets. Full details of Saturday’s plans as well as more about the concert j ruesday night and the Charlotte 1 ;rip itself will be released Thurs- j day morning. County Officials ' Hold An All-Day j Meeting Monday ■ Work Going Forward On Six Road Project* At The Present Time -• Members of the Martin County Board of Commissioners in their regular monthly meeting Mon day were advised by authorities that the road program is going forward rapidly in this county, that the progress is kebping pace with the over-all program in other counties, Pointing out that other counies seem to have many more projects in the leetings, the commissioners were advised that the projects let to date in this county were larger than those in most counties. It was also explained that six pro jects were in progress in this county at the present time, in cluding under general contract and four by State forces. Reviewing the program pro posed for this county. District Highway Commissioner Henry G. Shelton said that the county had been allotted $937,125 out of the first 125 million dollars of bond money, that $484,200 had been earmarked for approximately 91 miles of black top road. Of the $100,000 initial allocation for road stabilization, about $40,000 had been spent, that an additional $150,000 is to be spent for stabil- : izing roads. There'll be a balance of about $202,925 to be allocated for future projects, including possibly ten or fifteen miles of additional black topping. Approximately 82 miles of black top roads are already included in the program. It is proposed to blacktop the road from Bear Grass to Corey’s cross Roads, the Popular Point Road and a road 1 in Angetown. Highway Commis- 1 sioner Shelton explained that possibly the road from Corey’s Cross Roads via Bear Grass to Everetts would be contracted within the near future, certaibly | sometime this summer. He also said that the road program could be expected to advance more rapidly during the next several months. Accompanied by district high way engineers, Mr. Shelton at- j tended a meeting of the James- ; villc Ruritan Club Monday eve- i ning where the widening of higl way 64 from Williamston to the Washington County line was dis- i cussed. Continuing in session until 6:00 o'clock, the commissioners handl ed little business other than that of a routine nature and that j centering around roads. Dallas Holliday was appointed constable for Jamesville Town ship until December 4 when he is to begin a regular two-year term by right of the ballot. R. Linwood Pate was appointed electrical inspector for Martiri County in accordance with State law. He is to receive a minimum and 25 cents for each additional unit. The inspection service is to be effective or and after June 35. II. I?. Brown of Washington, on (Continued from page five) -o Mr*. Bergman's Body Relurned For Burial The body of Mrs. Stella Ward Bergman was returned here from New York City shortly before noon today for burial. Final rites had not been arranged at that time, but interment will be in the family plot in Woodlawn Ceme tery. Mrs. Bergman died in a New York hospital a few days ago after a short illness. She was a daughter of the late John D. and Aabrina Gurganus Ward, and spent her early life here. —--o KNTKRS HOSPITAL In poor health for some time, Mr. John Bland, popular superin tendent of the Martin County Home for years, entered a Rocky, Mount hospital yesterday for treatment and possibly an opera tion. He made the trip there in a Biggs amulancc. Weather Bureau Head Recognizes Observers' Work ■ ♦ Pays Trihule to Cart lltifili Spruill And Olliers In This Stale -<*> The United States Department of Commerce, Weather Bureau, recently recognized its voluntary weather observers, including Carl Hugh Spruill, local man who has faithfully served the Bureau in this State for more than ten years without remuneration. In addition to that service, Mr. Spruill has minded the Roanoke River bridge as faithfully as any bridge-keeper in the nation. Until recently he had one day off each month; now he gets two Sundays in each month. And in addition to that he extends willingly a ser vice to logging operators on the Roanoke and boatmen. Most of them remember him at Christ mas-time, but one or two accepted the service without even a word of thanks. Recognizing the faithful service rendered the Weather Bureau, G. De Mots, section direction for the government, had the follow ing to say: The knowledge we have of the climatology of North Carolina has been obtained from the weather records kept by a large number of public service minded people over a period of more than tiO years. Those people who have co operated with the Weather Bu reau are referred to as coopera tive or voluntary weather observ ers. They have served without pay, or for only nominal pay, in a few cases where more than ordi nary demands were made of them. Many of the cooperative observ ers have read their instruments daily, Sundays and holidays, in cluding lain or snow for 10, 20, or more years. Without their assist ance we would not have the infor mation we now have about the climatology of North Carolina or for that matter of the United States. Several years ago the President's Science Advisory Board made the following state ment, "The Climatological Service of the Weather Bureau is one of the most extraordinary services ever developed anywhere.” It really is a remarkable service. We can hardly conceive of so many people, in all parts of the country, freely giving of their time to make the necessary obser vations and reports every day in the year, and year after year, some of them for 30, 40, and even 50 or more years. For 60 odd years the Weather Bureau has been furnishing equipment to persons in selected (Continued on page six) r ROUND-UP Law enforcement officers had a holiday last week-end as far as making arrests was concerned. The records show that only one person, a 55 year-old colored man, was ar rested and detained in the county jail during the week end. He was hooked for alleged possession of a small quantity of illicit liquor. Board Makes Little Change In 1950-51 Budget For County Proposed Budget Calls For Rate 01 $1.30 Next Year Salary Schedule Incliati^ e«l; Schools ami Wel fare lloosl Halt* Struggling along with figures running into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, the Martin County Commissioners in special session last Thursday held the line of operating costs, but yielded in the face of increased needs for schools and welfare department activities before tentatively adopting the county's 1950-51 bud get. Briefly stated, the budget calls for appropriations in the amount of $4(i9.!60 for the new fiscal year. To support the appropriations, the county is looking to sources other than general taxation for $205,534. leaving $263,626. plus $13,169 to take care of estimated uncollected taxes, to be raised by general taxation. A rate right at $1.30 will be needed as compared with a rate of $1.20 per $100 as sessed property valuation for 1949-50. The budget is based on an assessed property valuation of $21,500,000.00. Salary schedules were left un changed and operating costs were pegged at the old figures for most of the departments, but school im provements and remodeling work, long delayed, came in along with welfare costs and fixed bonded debts to up the total figures. The following figures were sub mitted :>s estimates before the commissioners started lopping off an item here and an item there: County commissioners, $1,720; listing taxes, $4,400; county tax collection costs, $6,740.00; sheriff's office, $10,215.00; elections, $1, 850.00; accountant's office, $1, 925.00; treasurer's office, $1,975.00; courthouse and grounds, includ ing janitor, fuel, lights, water and so on, $6,925.00; register of deeds office, $9,870.00; coroner, $250; county jail, including jailer, food for prisoners, etc., $4,685.00; sup erior court, including $4,000 I'm jurors and $1,000 for stenograph er, $4,685.00; clerk of superiol court's office, $8,330.00 (it was un officially learned that $1,500 pro posed for extra help was removed faun the budget); recorder’s court, $6,800; juvenile court, $200; county farm agent's office, includ ing three white farm agents, a Ne gro farm agent ,two white home agents, a Negro home agent, po tato specialist, and four clerks, $17,272; forest file service, $2,050; general miscellaneous .including cost of dog vaccinations, library service and retirement, $12,400; audit and legal, $1,050; farm home administration, $70; veterans' .ser vice office, $2,050; county home, $8,968; county farm, $4,000; coun ty sanatorium, $8,920; general as sistance, $6,000. The total for the departments was $135,391.00 and compares with $130,403.12 appro pi in led last. year. (Continued on page eight) Illicit Liquor Business On The Decline In The County The illicit liquor business after I enjoying a flourishing patronage I in April dwindled to a fairly low j point last month, according to a I report filed a few days ago with) the Martin County Alcoholic Bev erages Control Board by ABC En forcement Officer J. 11. Roebuck. The business centered around seven stills which were operated! on a comparatively small scale. Three of the stills taken during! May were small copper outfits! and the others were crude oil bar rels. The officers poured out 1. 1W0 gallons of sugar mash during the period and confiscated two gallons of white liquor. Three persons were arrested during the month. Officer Roebuck explained that the manufacturing business was^ virtually sidetracked while farm ers were busy locating and trans planting tobacco plants, adding that possibly the demand slacken ed a bit in the face of a "tight ening" economy. The officer .assisted by Deputy Roy Peel, started the month of June off wjth a hang, however, when they took two plants a few miles south of Robersonvillo last Thursday. One of the plants was (■quipped with a 1011-gallon capac ity copper kettle and the other was equipped with an oil drum still. The officers poured out 450 gallons at mash and confiscated almost five gallons of white li quor. The second plant was hot, the operators having finished their activities and quit the stiil just ahead of the officers. Anderson Calls For Second Primary for Representative E. G. (Andy) Anderson. Robcr-1 sonville tobacconist and business man, last week-end petitioned for a second primary to decide the winner of the nomination for a scat in the North Carolina State House of Representatives during the 1951 session. The petition reached County Hoard of Elee ; tions Chairman C. D. Carstarphen on Saturday and preparations are being made for holding the con test at the ballot boxes in the thir teen precincts. Polling 1,552 votes, Mr. Ander [ son trailed A. Corey in the first Vehicle Accidents Cost $71000,000.00 In North Carolina -— Tin* (lost To Marlin bounty Figured At $704,000 In Past Year -. Highway deaths, injuries and property damage cost North Caro lina approximately $74,000,000 during 1949, the Department of Motor Vehicles estimated today. The estimate was based on a formula worked out from the Na tional Safety Council’s publica tion, "Accident Facts," which | places the cost per death at ap proximately $08,000. The unofficial total of killed in i highway accidents in 1949 was 042. Tin' $00,000 figure takes into consideration that a proportionate number of injuries and accidents occur for each death. This total ma.v be subdivided as follows: For each death—$15,500. For each death there are 05 per sons injured at $1,090 each—$30, 150. For each death there are 25(1 ac cidents involving property dam age of $134 each $34,304. Total $87,954. In arriving at its formula, the National Safety Council takes into account numerous minor injuries and accidents which it figures are never reported to authorities. In cluded in tin total are estimates of medical expense incurred by in jured persons, insurance costs chargeable against motor-vehicle accident claims, and the value of services lost either during the year or in later years because of death or disablement. Commissioner L. C. Rosser list ed four reasons for the increase of I more than 100 fatalities in 1949 | over the 734 in 1948: 1 Increase in motor vehicle rc 1 gistration. I 2. Increase in miles traveled. 3. Increase in population. 4 Repeal of motor vehicle in spection law. An increase of approximately 100,000 vehicles registered in 1949 over 1948. bringing he total regis ■•.ration to ovyi one million, -aw a j proportionate increase in use of (Continued on page five) Ural tit ISurnr Dial I,ant Friday it Tarboro Home j Henrietta Mi-banc, Negro nurse | with the Martin County Health 1 Department since last January, j died at her home in Tarboro last Friday afternoon following a j stroke of paralysis suffeied a few j hours earlier. Although she had been in feeble health for several i weeks, she continued her work 1 until lust Thursday, j Funeral services arc being eon i ducted at her Tarboro home this I afternoon, and burial will follow jaf Wilson. She had made many friends during her work in this county. IMPROVING A patient in a Rocky Mount ; hospital for several weeks, Dr. W jC. Mercer is improving and is ex- i peeled home the early pai l of next J week. primary on May 27 by only 206 votes. Jimmy Wallace polled 1, 166 and Luther Hardison polled 145 votes, leaving 1,331 electors without a voice in the selection ot a representative. Mr. Corey, poll ing 1,760 votes, fell short of a clear majority by 553 votes. To have obtained a majority, he would have had to poll 2,312 votes in the May 27 primary. Neither Mr. Corey nor Mr. An derson has released a formal statement on campaign strategy, but it is certain that there'll be a fairly hot but friendly race dur ing the second round. — CAM. FOR BIDS v \ call for bids for the con struction of a second story on the Williamston High School building has been issued, it was learned this week. Plans for other construction arc be ing prepared as rapidly as possible, it was explained. The bids on the local pro ject are to be opened on Fri day, June 23. Workmen Injured In Fall Friday Four workmen, Carlyle Man ning, Robert Grimes, Nathan Mi ze lie and Warren Goff, were pain fully but no! seriously hurt m a 25 foot fall while working on the Raleigh Harrington home on Lee Street nere last Friday afternoon A piece of two-by-four timber with a cross grain, broke, throw ing the four into the porch sleep ers below. Manning, the contractor, suffer ed a three-inch cut in his head. All were badly bruised and scratched when they fell against other timbers in the scaffolding. After receiving medical treat ment the quartet was able to re turn to work the following day. Nusi Register For The Draft Youths within tin- age bracket art' liable' for court action for failure to register under the Selective Service Act, warns Col. Asher W, Harman. The warning followed an appeal by Eugene Rice, head of the Wd liamston office of the Selective Service, to young men from 1(1 to 2t> to continue to register if they haven't already done so. A "draftless draft” bill, provid ing a two-year extension of the I Selective Service law, already has passed the House of Representa tives. It provides that registry shall continue for that period but bars inductions unless Congress gives the word, Manv bovr. wild have 'reached their liltli birthday have failed to register, Rice pointed out He also I reminded them it would go rather hard on them in event of a na tional emergency. County Boys Gel College Degrees Several Martin County young men, after burning the night oil for years, walked away from uni versities and colleges with the sheep skins during the past few days. Henry D. Harrison, Jr., receiv ed his law degree: Maurice S. Moore, Jr., and Ghurniaii C. Ange got their bachelor of science de grees at Wake Forest. Jimmy Leggett, Jr., received the bachelor of arts degree, and John E. Pope, Jr., received the bachelor of sci ence in science teaching at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Billy Myers received the bachelor of arts degree at Duke. Town Officials In Regular Meeting Here Last Night Varietl Hii~>nr»« (!a Iciidar; Meet \<rain \\ H'k —-(&— ■ —— Williamston's town commission ers discussed a varied business calendar in their regular meeting last night, and were aavised that it would be necessary to meet again next week to consider bud get estimates and discuss plans for extending sewer lines. Making his monthly report. Treasurer Dan Sharpe said that the treasury had some $10,000 in cash, that $72,014,86 of the $75, 394.22 tax levy for 1949-50 had been collected, that all but $91.36 of the paving assessment for the current year had been paid. In come from the parking meters for the past six weeks was slight ly more than $700. A contract was let to F. E. But lor for the annual town audit, the cost to be $250 against $275, the amount asked by the next low ! bidder. Street lights are to be installed on Biggs Street and Simmons Avenue and a second one on Mor rison Si root. The town is receiving $7,635 as its share of the highw ay allotment j for streets in 1950-51. The N. C. ! Department of Revenue certified that $329 46 was due as the town’s share of the utilities tax. 1 he Civil Aeronautics Adminis tration is surrendering its lease on offices on the second floor of the town hall as of June 30. Marion Cobb was elected town ; clerk-treasurer to succeed Dan Sharpe who is resigning to go with the new hospital as manager i the first of next month Cobb was elected by secret ballot. Clarence Bowen was licensed tu operate a taxi as sole ovvnei m stead of as a partner. A survey was ordered Ini' a water line on Perry Street. A permit was issued to the eol ored veteran trainees to hold a parade on Washington Street Sat iii'day afternoon at 1 30 o’clock. Ruling that bells on taxi tele phones in the bus station area constituted a nuisance late at night, the board ordered the sound cut down with the possi bility that they be cut out alter a certain hour at night. Land was deeded to the town lor the extension ot Roberson j Street. Bids were asked for auto pud truck tire service to be submitted next regular meeting for the new V Ptl < . Receiving applications foi con nections with the new sewer line being installed for the new hos pital, the officials delayed action. The line is being laid by the hos pital subject to be taken over by the town il a bond election pass es. 1! the bond issue fails of pas sage, the hospital will be required to hulid a special disposal plant. Killer Released In $5,000 Bond Edward IKill l.v, .11 , local No Cl'-1 doclor, charged with killing Odessa Kcvv:nHIlg > loic.l w«.- - limn, in Ills office-home on Wash | mg Ion Street here on Ma\ 28, was released from the Martin County jail hist Saturday afternoon. The $5,000 bond was purchased from a bonding company for $500. Ib is to appear for trial in the Mar tin County Superior Court during the week beginning Mondav. June 19. Bond was allowed after Judge Walter Bone signed a habeas cor pus writ earlier in the week and held a formal hearing in Ins of fices at Nashville last Saturday morning. Witnesses for the State Officers Arthur Perry and Verblc Jones and Acting Coroner Billy Biggs accompanied Sheriff M W. Holloman and the defendant there, hut the witnesses were not * called. Defense counsel reviewed the evidence offered at a preliminary ■ hearing on Monday or last week, and Solicitor Geo. Fountain repre sented the State. Judge Bone rul ed that bond should De allowed, and sustained the $5,000 figure re quired by Justice R. T. Johnson.