North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT! FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEES THE ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BT OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT* FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEE* VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 48 Williamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, June Z5, IV.10 ESTABLISHED 1899 Carolina Company •Asks For Another Boost In Charges Telephone Firm Says High er Rates Needed To Fi nance Expansion I'm- the Second time in 15 months, the Carolina Telephone and Telegraph Company has peti tioned the State for sizable rate increases over the big territory it t serves in Eastern North Carolina. In an application to the State Utilities Commission, the T&rboro firm asked for rate hikes big e nough to increase its gross reve nue by $900,000 a year and to cover salary and wage increases being made this year. The com pany said it already has upped the salaries and wages of its employ^ es by $115,300 since January 1. 0 Further increases amounting to around $78,000 are planned for the remainder of the year, it said. Carolina Telephone, whose ex changes serve a large portion of Eastern North Carolina, won its last rate hikes from the commis sion in April, 1949 The increase then amounted to $003,958 in gross revenue annually. The hikes in residential rates ranged from 25 cents to $1 a month, and in busi ♦ ness rates from 25 cents to $1.75. At several exchanges, rural rates were hiked 25 cents. The firm proposed no*specific rates in yesterday's application. It said it was leaving up to the commission the setting of new rates for the various exchanges and types of service. It asked a hearing at the earliest possible date. The commission did #set the time. The company said it needed the additional money to continue its big expansion program. Its earnings for last March, fig ured on an annual basis, were ap proximately four per wnt on the company’s gross investment and about five per cent on its net in vestment, said the application. “The earnings have steadily de dined since the granting of the last adjustment in rates by the commission (on April 30, 1949). "Petitioner feels that the con tinued decline in rate of return on its investment will make it difficult to raine the necessary capital to carry on its present and proposed plans to improve and expand its plant to meet the demands of the public it serves.” The additional $900,000 a year •,n gross revenue, plus the amount id the wage and salary increases ,\nd corresponding expense, "will be required for a reasonable rate of return on its present plant investment.” The firm said that further addi tions to its facilities for the re mainder of this year will run to! about $3,000,000. "Consideration of this additional investment of rates for the future.” i he company said its invest ment had increased by about $4, (180,000 since November. 1948. It now totals around $23,000,000. The improvements and expan sion program now is being finan ced by short term bank loans “which will necessitate perma nent financing in the future,” said the petition. The firm said it had increased its phones by 20 per cent, or more than 14,900, between December 1, 1948, and April 30, 1950. This gain required the installations of -10,189 phones, as 25.2nr> were re- i moved and i^p.aced during the period. Unfilled orders totaled a round 13,000 last April 30, or increase of 1000 over December 1, 1948. Sale Of Poppies Amounts to $354 Mrs. Jimmy Taylor, county chairman of the American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Sale, reported yesterday on the amount of money taken in by her co-chairman and co-chairwomen through the sale of poppies. Collections were: Mr. Phillip Keel, Robersonville chairman, $13.75: Mrs. Hassell Worsley, Oak City, $22.00; Mrs. M. L. White, Hamilton, $10.50; Mrs. Raleigh Harrington, Jamesville, $24.50 and Mrs Taylor, Wiliiamston, $283.15 Mrs Taylor expressed her sincere ! appreciation to all who helped make Wear-A-Poppy Memorial Day a sucess and stated that the above reports were not complete; that a tew donatinos were still coming in. Work On Dra inage Project Going Forward In Comity While major projects are tied up in legalities, work on a drain age program is advancing rapidly in Griffins Township, late re ports stating that approximately one and one-half miles of the Roberson swamp or mill* pond had been drained, and that the project in all probability, will be completed within the next three or four weeks. Citizens in the community, cir cumventing drainage district tar ation, put up voluntary contri butions to finance the project es timated to cost $5,000. Present plans call for about two miles of drainage work. The Hill Con struction Company is handling the project with a drag line. Commenting on the project this week, property owners there said I they were well pleased with the j work, that there had been mark jed improvement in drainage. ! Quite a few individual drain age projects have been success I fully handled in the county dur ing recent months, and other pro jects are being considered on a limited scale. During the meantime plans are still going forward for drainage projects on a district basis, and reports indicate that the impor tant work will go forward rapid ly just as soon as the value of the work is proved. Property owners arc meeting in the Robersonvillc areas there this evening at 8:00 o’clock to dis cuss plans for a Collie Swamp drainage project and others are studying the advisability of launching similar projects. | HAPPINESS WEEK v/ Manchester, England A city suburb is to hold a Happiness Week from June 17-14 in which people must smile and be happy “Wheth they like it or not.” Levenshulme, Manchester is to hold this first civic week of happiness, and the organ izers, hope that other places will follow suit and arrange nationwide weeks with smiles completely off the ration. Householders and shop keepers are being asked to fly bunting and flags to hid any grimy buildings Festivities have been ar ranged at which people will be told: “Forget your income tax and domestic problems for a week.” Veterans Make Pasture Tour Seven permanent pastures were visited by members of the James ville Veteran Farm Training Pro gram on a tour last Tuesday afternoon. The tour was conducted as a part of the training program for the veterans enrolled in the Jamesville school. Several types of pastures were visited and each showed excellent results are be ing obtained from the different mixtures seeded. The mixtures included Ladino clover and fes cue; White Dutch clover and Daliis grass, Ladino clover, Rye i grass and'fescue; White Dutch clover and Red top grass; Bermuda j grass and White Dutch clover; and j Ladino clover and Orchard grass. One important thing was noted on the tour, that regardless of the type of mixture seeded, the im portant factor in growing a good pasture is in the fertilization. In addition to the pasture tour a demonstration on irrigating pastures was conducted by the Standard Fertilizer Company. Al so as an experiment a demon stration was given on applying fertilizer through the irrigating system on trainee John D. Lilley’s pasture. The results of these dem onstrations will be checked to determine the increased grazing da.yo on this pasture. Pastures visited those f James Smithwick, Marvin Jones, Julian Hosea Fagan, Grady Davenport, John D. Lilley, McDonald Hardi son and Hugh B. and J. T. Grif fin. All are members of the veter an program- with the exception of Marvin Jones. Those making the tour other than members of the veteran pro gram and Young Farmers Club included T. B. Elliot, District Sup ervisor of Vocational Agriculture; E. Y. Floyd, Director of the Plant Food Institute of N. C. and Va; T. B Brandon and Sam Tuten of the Extension Service; H. F. Mc Knight and Davis VanNortwick of the Soil Conservation Service; and T. W. Crockett and J. H. McBrayer of the Standard Fer tilizer Company. Refrigerator Motor Burnx In Home Here -9 Firemen were called out here this morning when a refrigerator motor caught fire and smoked up the home occupied by Lillis Hands and owned by Mary Gray on South Smithwick Street. Young Nan From County Describes Crop In So. Africa Herman Cruwfunl Of Ever etts There With Five Other Caroliuians The following article appeared Monday in the News and Observer along with a picture of the six North Carolinians on the tobacco market in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia. The men pictured were Herman Crawford, auctioneer, of Everetts; R. G. Ruffin, buyer for Imperial Tobacco Company, of Farmville; Graham Day, auc tioneer, Timberlake; Lloyd Mills, sales starter, of Greenville; Rus sell Bullock, auctioneer, of Vass and Eddie Edwards, auctioneer, of Greenville. Newest claimant to the title of "World’s largest Tobacco Market” is Salisbury, in faraway Rhodesia, where six Tar Heels are employ ed). That word came from one of the six, Herman Crawford of Everetts, an auctioneer who sells the tobacco with a North Carolina chant. The Salisbury market in South ern Rhodesia expects to sell 108, 000,000 pounds of tobacco before the sales season ends in October, according to Crawford, previously, the record had been claimed by the Lexington, Ky., market on the burley belt, where 107,000,000 seasons. Crawford writes that tobacco sold on two huge warehouse floors In Salisbury will include fire cured, Northern Rhodesia Virginia and Southern Rhodesian tobacco. Another record Salisbury will be shooting at this year will be one held by Wilson, in Eastern North Carolina. Wilson holds the record for sales of flue - cured Virginia type tobacco. Salisbury boasts it will eclipse the Wilson sales by ‘‘many million pounds weight.” "The farmers c ut here,” Craw ford writes, “grow more tobacco per farmer than the farmers at home. The largest tobacco farmer grows 750 acres and the smallest (Continued on page six) Destroy Plant In Flat Swamp Area Operating with ABC officers from Beaufort and Pitt Counties, ABC Officer J. H. Roebuck and Deputy Roy Peel wrecked a large illicit distillery in the Flat Swamp area last Friday afternoon. The plant was equipped with a 300-gallon capacity submarine type still. The officers wrecked nineteen 50-gallon fermenters and three large coolers, and confiscat ed seven gallons of white liquor, ten gallons of fuel oil and oil burners. Thurman Roberson, of Rober sonville, was taken into custody and was booked for trial at the next term of Pitt County Superior Court. Bond was arranged in the sum of $300. Last Monday afternoon, Offic ers Roebuck and Peel wrecked a small plant in Griffins Township! not far from the Foreman Fire1 Tower. A 25-gallon copper kettle had just been moved to a new lo cation and was being set up for operation. Hundreds Attend Concert Here By Green Wave Band High S hoot Miisiriuihx Tra vel-to Charlotte Sunday For Slate Test ! Close to a thousand friends and supporters left the Williamston ball park last night proud of the Williamston High School Green Wave Band which had just com pleted the big step in their prep arations for representing Wil liamston at the State Lions Con vention in Charlotte on Monday afternoon, June 19. It was a big night for the band which gave an excellent account of itself and it was also a big one for the Williamston Lions’ club which had just topped its goal of $1,000 to defray the band's ex penses to the Queen City., The Lions had over $700 as a direct re sult of the concert ticket sales and with the $150 the club had set aside for, the project and $150 set aside by the town the goal was passed with a margin. Not all the tickets were sold in Williamston, as there were spec tators from as far as 65 miles, in cluding Washington and other nearby towns. The band started its outdoor concert, the first it has ever held on such a scale, with a rousing march, ' Men Of Ohio", by Kill more. Then came an excellent rendition of that well known ov erture by Grundman, "Two Moods.” A little pop tune thrown in as a relief was next in line, "I’ll Dance at Your Wedding." Dedicated to the recently form ed Williamston unit of the Nation al Guard, the next number was well received. It was, "There’s Something About a Soldier," ar ranged by Yoder. Following a light number, "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree," arranged by Teague, the band presented one of its favorite marches, "The Billboard", by Klohr. Then came “Tea for Two” and a waltz, "Memories”. The re gular concert program closed with the ever popular number, "Red Rhythm Valley," as arranged by Hill. Because they still had a lot of j playing and marching to do in I the drill and maneuver program, Director Jack Butler restricted l encores to one number, "Good night Medley.” Following the concert, a fifteen | minute break was taken to get the I band ready for dress parade and i I inspection by two sergeants and | la civilian who judged the music ! during the drills. | The band was given a superior i rating by its critics, only one or ! two very small defects being not i od foi correction in later practice sessions before the Charlotte trip. The cadence, except for one brief instant, was reported as virtually perfect. Working and worrying and diiving these past two weeks, Piolessor Butler declared after the show that it was worth it, and said, “You can quote me: ’They are a grand bunch of kids’.” The band marched down the field, countermarched, turned left and came across just on the grass back of second base and turned right to come up the first base fine, stopping still at the very in stant they ceased playing. They leceived warm applause from the stands. Then they turned and marched at an angle across the field, the last part of this being a silent march during which the crowd was so still the footsteps of the marchers was plainly audible and in perfect time. Coming back (Continued on page eight) Place Bass In Gardner's Creek Cecil Bullock and Oscar Taylor, employees of the game and fish division of the North Carolina Department of Conservation and Development, placed 10,000 large mouth bass in Gartjner’s Creek between Williamston and James ville last Friday, The young fish were secured from a hatchery neai1 Fayette ville and according to Bullock he fish averaged about two inches in length. Replica Of Old Liberty Bell To Be Here June 24 11**11 Bciiur llroiiifhl Here In Inlt'rcsl Of liult'iH'iHl* tMiof Saving Honils An exact duplicate of the famous old Liberty Bell in Independence Hall, Philadelphia, said to have the same tone as the original bell will be displayed in Williamston June 24 beween the hours of 3:00 and 5:00 p. m„ it was announced today. " Messrs. D. V. Clayton and 11 A. Bowen, co-chairman of the Inde pendence Savings Bond Drive in this area, explained that the bell is being brought to this county in connection with the current bond drive. They added, however, that no bond selling will be ad vanced during the visit of the bell. “We are using the bell merely to point out the importance of investments in savings bonds,” the chairman explained. The Savings Bond Division of the United States Treasury De partment is conducting a national stimulation bond drive to increase public participation in the bond program and to point out the op portunity of investing for the futu re. When Treasury Secretary John W Snyder announced that the Independence Savings Bond Drive would be symbolized by the Lib- [ ci ty Bell, six of the nation's cop- j per producers volunteered to’ manufacture and donate fifty- two replicas of the old bell to high ligt the drive ending July 4. At the conclusion of the drive, the bell now touring this State will be given to North Carolina, it was explained. Bellmasters throughout the country have examined the dupli cates and assert that because of this exact similarity of structure to the original bell, the sound is the same as that heard in Phila delphia in 1776. All citizens are urged to see the bell and hear the message “Save for your Independence” when the t bell visits Williamston on Satur- I day, June 24. Commencement on Friday Tor UVBS The Union Vacation Bible School will hold its fourteenth commencement on Friday evening at 8:00 o’clock in the sanctuary of the Memorial Baptist Church. Well attended by youngsters between the ages ol 4 and 12 the school this year has been a suc cessful one and the leaders are urging the public to attend the ex ercises and see how m"<h the chil dren have learned during the short period of study. There will be exhibits of hand work and other items which h^ve been prepared under the direction of Mrs. M. L. Peel, Jr., who took over after Miss Margaret McDan iel was taken ill during the early part of the school. Bill Spivey has been in charge of the boys’ activities and recreational pro gram. THE RECORD SPEAKS . . . Possibly they are not trying quite hard enough to attain perfection, but motorists on Martin County highways and town streets have not travel ed through a single week so fai this year with a record clear of accidents. In the 23rd week of last year, such a re cord was entered in the files. This year three more were added during the correspond ing week. The following tabulations offer a comparison of the ac cident trend: first, by corres ponding weeks in this year and last and for each year to the present time. 23rd Week Accidents inj'd Killed Dant’ge 1950 3 1 0 $ 235 1949 0 0 0 00 Comparisons To Data 1950 09 35 0 $15,750 1949 49 24 2 12,205 'Early Murder Trial | Set For Wednesday o Twenly-iive Cases Slated For Trial In Superior Court -O Private Prosecution Hired In Miiriler Case Against Negro Doctor Twenty-five eases have been placed on the criminal docket for trial during the one-week term of the Martin County Superior Court, beginning next Monday morning at 10:00 o'clock.' Judge Q. K. Nimocks of Fayetteville is scheduled to return and preside over the mixed term. The murder case against Ed ward L. Early, Jr., Williamston Negro doctor, has been set for trial on Wednesday, June 21, and it is certain to attract much at tention. Early, now at liberty un der $5,000 bond, is charged with on May 20, “with malice and fore thought did kill and murder ome Odelsie Keyes with a .30 calibre pistol." The defendent, paying $500 for a bond, left the county shortly after his release and is r« • portedly with relatives in Wash ington, D. C. Attorney Robt. L. Coburn has been retained by the dead woman's father, Rev. Ral eigh Keyes, to assist Solicitor George Fountain in prosecuting the charge against the killer. Early, shortly after the fatal at tack, declared they were playing, that the pistol was fired accident ally The victim died in a hospital S early the next morning without regaining consciousness. Eighteen eases have been sched uled for trial next Monday, as fol lows: Walter Wiggins is charged with having carnal knowledge of a fe male, Angeline Cromwell, 16, and causing her bodily harm. The al leged attack was said to have tak- ( on place last March 22. He is at liberty under $500 bond. Ananias Thompson is charged with the temporary larceny of a ear from J. D Carr. Charged with taking the ear on May 14, Thomp- 1 son was released under bond. Johnnie Haynes is charged with having forged the name of Thom- 1 as Stevenson to a cheek on April 20 Unable to arrange bond he continues in jail. Marvin Brantley, ulias C B Wilson, is charged with ialse pre lense. lie is said to have passed , worthless cheeks in the amount ot $15 each on Robersons Esso Sta tion in Williamston and Thurman Stalls Esso Station in Rohorson vilie. Zeno Drown is charged with the larceny ol two cars, one front Jim laylor on March 29, and one front Ollie Page, Jr., on April 6. Bond was required in the sum of $1,000. Harold Asb.y is charged with as saulting A. T. Lilley in the Lillcy home tn Williams Township on May 3 and taking $500 in cash. James L. Morrison, alias Walter C. Rogers, alias June W. Gibson, is charged with obtaining goods and money under false pretense from three firms in Williamston. the Wear Right Shop, Ann's Spe cialty Shop and the Proctor Shop. On April 3, James Savage is al leged to have waylaid and shot Gadis Harris between Hamilton and Palmyra. The victim, shot in the legs, recovered. The defend ant arranged bond tn the sum of $500. Charlie Phillips, Jr., England Andrews and John Smith are al leged to have broken into and stole merchandise valued at less than*$50 anil $2 in cash Irom Luke Chance s store near Parmele on May .'1 They arranged bond in the sum of $200 each. uesse Outterbridge, according to the warrant, about the middle of last February did carnally know or abuse Daisel Jones, female over 12 and under 18 years of age. Bond was arranged in the sum of $500 William Alfred Wiggins is alleg ed to have broken into the home' of Gabriel Wiggins on the night oi l May 27. Clarence Lay and Louis Grant) (Continued on page eight) | S' I CORRECTION v_ The Dixie Motor Company explained today that it was not in the tractor or farm implement business, that it was featuring cars, trucks and repairs in the automotive field. It is possible that some misunderstanding resulted when is was announced that new tractor and farm imple ment dealer would use the Dixie showroom to display its equipment while a building was being constructed. "We are willing to cooperate in any way possible with any one for the advancement of the town and county, and ex plained to the new firm that we would be glad to house in our shop a tractor at night while the company’s new building is under construct tlon, but we have no other interest in the new business," Mr. Wm. Everett, manager, said this morning. Phony Race Issue Rejected Ry The Voters In Stale -■ — Appruls to I’rejmlict* Insult To lnlclli^riu-t* Of Tin* People Ilalcigh. Appeals to prejudice and ignorance on the race issue arc falling flat in the senatorial campaign, Jeff D. Johnson, Jr, campaign manager of Senator Frank Graham, reported today. “The people of North Carolina once again demonstrated that they cannot be swayed by trumped-up efforts to array race against race," he said. “Once again they have shown the calm judgement and good sense which have made North Carolina the most out standing and progressive State in the South." Johnson pointed to the tremen dous total of over 303,000 votes which Graham received in the May 27 primary and his lead of over 53,000 votes above his near est opponent. “The people have spoken clear ly,” Johnson declared “They like Frank Graham and the construe tivi program he stands for. They j resent appeals to ignorance and prejudice because they consider such appeals an insult to their in telligence.’ Meanwhile, Senator Graham I expressed appreciation lor the i fact that the attorneys general of! all the Southern states used his arguments against compulsory I abolition of segregation in pre- ^ senting then ease to the Supreme | Court in the Texas and Oklahoma i segregation issues. “I still oppose, as I always have opposed, the Federal Govern ment forcing non-segregation on states or regions," Graham de clared. "I reaffirm my oft-express ed faith in the North Carolina program of mutual undecstuncb mg, respect and cooperation be tween the races, under which both races have made the greatest pro gress m the last several decades of any dissimilar groups in any one area in a like period of human history." Johnson said the race issue (Continued on page eight) Will Build New ! Filling Slaiion . —p— Flans are about complete for the construction of a modern fill ing station on the corner of Haughton and Railroad Streets. The builder, Jesse Wh tley. is clearing the site and plans to start construction on the modern build ing within the next few days. No official announcement was made, but the project will costj approximately $15,000, it was learned. To be leased for the sale of Texaco products, the filling sta tion is to be operated by Pete Raynor. Violators Oi Dog Vaccination Laws In Local Courts t'Vv- 0»h<*r <'asi‘s HjiihUimI liy Justin1 t I’caiT in Past K«‘h Days The drive to account for all dogs under the anti-rabies law is still going forward in this county. While no late report has been re leased by Inspector Dennis Rob erson of Robersonville, it was learned that several alleged viola tors of the law had been cited to the courts. According to one report a goodly number of dogs have been killed in the county where ownership could not be established. Others who were careless about having their dogs immunized against against rabies, are taking action and indications now point to a successful drive. Six persons were in Justice Chas R Mobley's court a few days ago, and eight other cases, charging violations of the dog vaccination law are pending, the justice said yesterday The case charging Charlie Brown with failing to have his dog vaccinatetd was nol pressed. It was explained that the dog charged to Brown had been killed in accordance with instructions from the inspector, that the war rant was issued in error In four other cases which Orange Peel, Nathan Cowan, D G. Godard and John Leggett were defendants, the court suspended judgement upon the payment of $5.85 costs each It was explained that the dogs hail either been vac cinated or killed, but that the action was taken to late Other cases handled recently by Justice Mobley follow Drunk and disorderly, Jesse Whitley, colored, and Joe Dowdy were each sentenced to the roads for thirty days, the court sus pending the jail term upon the payment of $5.85 costs. Frank Cross was fined $10 and taxed with the cost for being drunk and disorderly, the court suspending a 30-day road sen tence Charged wuth improper park ing, Roosevelt Taylor was taxed w’ith $5.85 costs Nathan Howard, charged with drunkenness and disorderly con duct, was required to pay $0.85 costs. Add Divorce Cases To Court Calendar -•— A last-mini'll' bid for mant.il freedom was macie this week when three plaintiffs placed di vorce cases on the calendar for trial in the Martin County Super !:•! C'-M.u t *}f'x4 wppk Ninr divorce cases had been placed on the cal endar previously. Suing Elmo Privott for divorce, Carolyne Privott said they were married on August 5, 1940, and separated about six months later in February, 1947. that no chil dren were born to the union. In her divorce action against LcRoy Salsbury, Mozella Salsbury says they were married on De cember 25, 1937, and separated about ten years later in Septem ber, 1947, that no children were born of the union and that the de fendant was last heard from in Ma rylund. Joseph Cotton in lus suit for a divorce from Cherrie Vick Cotton, says they were married on July 7, 1933 and separated in April, 1934 The one child born of the union has been in the custody of and cared for by the plaintiff's father. The defendant s now a resident of New York State, Officers Raided Home In County Raiding the home of Minnie V. Gay nor in Roborsonville last Sat urday afternoon, Sheriff M. W, Holloman, Deputy Raymond Rawls, Deputy Roy Peel and Of fieer Wade Griffin confiscated about one gallon of white liquor and a number ot glasses allegedly used in retailing the spirits. Given a hearing before Justice H. S. Everett, the defendant was booked lor trial in the Martin County Recorder's Court.