THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BI
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT*
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ Hi
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT!
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
m
E
VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 75
fPilliamaton, Martin County, North Carolina, Thursday, September 21, 1950
ESTABLISHED 1899
$200,000 Bond Issue Favored
In Special Election Yesterday
1
Authorities Will
Call For Project
Bids Immediately
About One-Fourth of Eligi
ble Voters Participated
In The Election
Williamston’s citizens voted
overwhelmingly for a “Go For
ward Program" yesterday when j
they supported a $200,000 bond is- j
sue to finance the construction of i
. alarge water tank and water and
sewer line extensions. While the j
^ vote represents hardly one-fourth |
of the registration, it exceeded '
the most optimistic predictions,
, and was surprising within itself.
The $90,000 proposed issue for
water tank and water line ex
tensions was favored 321 to 17.
The $110,000 proposed issue for
the sewet project was carried 317
to 20. Registrar John E. Pope
stated that 345 persons voted. It
was pointed out that possibly
U| fifteen or mare reported to the
1 polls just to learn they were reg
istered for county-state elections
but not for municipal elections.
The poll holders also pointed out
that the women voters really had .
a hand in the election in a big ;
way, that possibly one-half or
more of the votes were cast by
those of the fairer sex.
Only fifteen voted outright
^ against both propositions, a few
others favoring One and opposing
the other proposition. A total of
307 voted outright for both propo
sitions; that is, they favored ex
panded water facilities and sewer
extensions.
Voting was fairly slow through
nut the day and little or no com
ment was heard as to the trend
of the vote until the count was
tabulated at 7:00 o’clock last
> evening.
Specifications for the proposed
projects have been prepared by
the engineers and bids will be
asked for without delay. During
( the meantime a bond schedule
will be prepared, looking toward
the sale of the debentures.
It is quite possible that the pro
gram can encounter certain ob
stacles from now on out. It isn’t
• likely that the town officials will
consider exhorbitant bids, or that
they will accept high interest
rates. If the bids are within rea
son and the bond interest rate is
in line, then anion car. be ex
oected within a matter of six or
right weeks.
The proposed projects cal! for
,i water tank of 350,000 gallon
capacity, and the extension of
sewer and water lines on every
street in town.
Meeting with the engineers to
morrow morning at 11:00 o'clock,
the commissioners will map plans
for early action.
- —<$-——
ROAD WORK
State highway forces and con
tractors are working fast against
time to complete road projects in
the county before cold weather.
Surfacing is being completed on
the Holly Springs-Hardison Mill
Road and on the Jamesville
Washington Road.
THE RECORD
SPEAKS . . ,
While still piling up the
wrecks, motorists on Martin
County highways continue
fairly considerate of human
life; that is, when the record
is compared with that of last
year. t
Only two lives have been
snuffed out so far as against
five a year ago. >
The following tabulations
offer a comparison of the ac
cident trend; first, by corres
ponding weeks in this year i
and last and for each year to |
the present time
37th Week
Accidents Inj’d Killed Dan’re
1950 2 I 0 $ 550
1949 301 070
Comparison* To Date
• 1950 102 45 2 $22,540
1949 87 $4 ‘ 5 18,280
l
Sell 6,593,566 Pounds Of
Tobacco for $3,772,469.00
- ■ »
At the close of sales yesterday
when a marketing holiday of in
definite duration went into effect1
Williamston’s tobacco market had
sold 6,593.566 pounds of tobacco
for $3,772,469, an average of $57.21
per hundred pounds. Prices Tues
day and yesterday sagged a bit,
especially those received for the
better grades, but the general av
erage held to a reasonably high
figure. Approximately the same
poundage—283,900—was sold both
days, the Tuesday average falling'
from $59.86 on Monday to $55.32
on Tuesday Yesterday, the aver
age climbed back a bit to stand at
$56.74. Farmers arc puzzled to
figure out the price differential
! received for the inferior and the
■ better quality grades. Some ob
servers say that all tobaccos that
can be used for domestic con
1 sumption are selling high while
the export companies are pressed
by dollar shortages, and some de
clare that the holiday will not
greatly relieve that condition.
During the first 21 sale days
this season the market here has
sold 31,486 pounds more than it
did in the corresponding period in
1949, but the growers have receiv
ed $662,789 more than they did a
year ago.
The Board of Governors of the
Bright Belt Warehouse Associa
tion will determine reopening
dates at a meeting to be held in
Raleigh next Monday. During the
meantime, Martin County farmers
are turning to the peanut harvest.
MASS MEETING |
Plans for the organisation
of a Negro library to serve
Williamston and Martin
County will be made at a
meeting to be held in the
AME Methodist Church,
Rhodes Street, next Monday
night at 8:00 o'clock.
Representatives from each
of the ten townships in the
county are urged to attend.
Officials will be at the dieet
ing, and it is hoped (Kai far
mers, laborers, mill hands,
club members and students
will attend.
Thousands Visit
Buggs Island Dam
A .survey of the damage in
flicted on the structures at Buggs 1
Island by the recent high water j
in <he Rdanoke River indicates
that no serious delay in construc
tion will result. Colonel William
F. Powers, District Engineer, Nor-i
folk District stated that the high
water washed out' two cells of a
construction cofferdam and sU’ept
away some construction materials.
This will cause a delay of abouti
three weeks in work on that por
tion of the dam, but will not de
I lay the overall completion date.
The damage at the dam and :
i the effects of the high water
j proved to be quite a drawing,
card for the residents of south - i
ern Virginia. Mr Fred L. Geis,
Resident Engineer; reported that
on Sunday, September 17th, the
first weekend after the high wa
ter, approximately six thousand
people visited the dam site to
inspect the construction and wit
ness the recent damage. The large
picnic area and the "river bank
superintendents’ look-out point"
were overflowing most of the day.
The dam and reservoir, with all
the allied land acquisition and
highway reloctation work, is
scheduled for completion in late
1952.
]
Record Polato
Yield Expected
-J——
The condition of North Caro
lina sweet potato crop as of Sep
tember I indicated a yield of 120
bushels per acre, the highest of
record. This yield, however, was
equaled in 1946.
Growing conditions during Au
fust were generally favorable for
the maturing corps, causing pro
duction estimates to increase
dightly over the August 1 fore
cast. At present the crop is ex
pected to produce 6,480,000 bush
els. This is about 10 percent above
laat year but 12 percent below the
r 10-year average. The acreage for
harvest in the State this year is
currently estimated at 54,000,
comparing with 52,000 last year
and the 10-year average of 70,
000 acres.
For the nation, a crop of 59,
884,000 bushels is in prospect
which is about 10 percent above
production in 1949.
Humber Talks To
Farm Liie Ruritan
Club On Tuesday
Diplomacy Hat* Failed;
World Federation Will
Have To Take Over
In an able address before the
Farm Life Ruritan Club on World
Federation, Robert Lee Humber
of Greenville declared Tuesday
evening that diplomacy had fail
ed as a solution to the problem
of world peace. He cited as eases
! in point the advance of Japan
into Manchuria, Hitler's invasion
of Poland ahd Italy’s invasion of
Ethopia. He suggested that we
have world law just as we have
local, state and federal law to deal
with criminals ,and added that we
j must either solve the problem
of world peace through world
' federation or else war will destroy
our civilization.
Devoting ycafs of time to the
peace problem and speaking in
nearly all, if not all of the forty
eight states in behalf of world
federation, Mr. Humber declared
that the problems are not greater
in forming a world federation than
1 those encounterd in the conven
tion which adopted the Constitu
tion of the-United States,
Reaching his destination a bit
late on account of a misunder
standing, Mr. Humber was heard
: by a large crowd, and his talk
! was greatly enjoyed. He was in
troduced by Attorney Clarence
W. Griffin, a special guest.
Appearing without charge, Mr.
Humber, an authority on internat
ional relations, has spoken in this
county on numerous occasions,
working for world federation.
Following a delicious meal serv
ed by the Women’s Missionary
group of the Piney Grove Bap
tist Church, the club handled its
business, adding two new mem
bers, Robert Baxter, principal of
the Farm Life School, and Arnold
L, Roberson. A special committee,
canvassing for funds to supple
ment the school principal's salary,
made a report. Those making the
canvass were Henry Leggett, Hen
ry Roberson, Williford Griffin,
Joseph Lilley, J. T. Griffin and
Julius Manning, the latter re
ceiving a special prize for making
the most successful canvass. At
torney Wheeler Martin was a spe
cial guest.
Youth Center Hour*
Set Lip Temporarily
Although they are not definite
for more than the present, the
following hours are expected to
apply to the Youth Center’s oper
ations here: Friday, 8:30 to 10:30;
Saturday, 8:30 to 11:00; Sunday,
8:30 to 10:30. All are evening
hours of course.
The future at the Youth Center
has not been decided by the recre
ation committee but it is likely the
attitude of the young people them
selves will have much to do with
its continuance this winter. This
is especially true as far as attend
ance at the penter is concerned.
Grand Jury Files
Brief Report In
Court on Tuesday
—--^
.Not Certain Wlio I* To In
npwl Riidm*)* And Other
Public Properties
Shorn of most of its inspection |
duties, the Martin County Grand
Jury, headed by William H. Grif
fin, virtually completed its re
port the first day but was forced
to return Tuesday to pass on two
bills of indictment and file its
quarterly i<eport.
Explaining they found the
county jail clean and in good con
dition, the jurymen reported that
plastering in the county home
needed repairing. AH justices of
the peace in the county had filed
their reports and turned over the1
fines to the county treasurer, the
report said.
Three witnesses, failing to ap
pear before the grand juty, were
rounded up by order of the court.
One, Ted Scott, was jailed over
night and held in custody until
late Tuesday afternoon. Robert L.
Everett and James Laughing
house, witnesses in the robbery
case against David Black, were
rouiyled up Tuesday morning and
held in custudy until the comple
tion of Black's trial late in the
afternoon.
Pointing out in his charge that
the grand jury had been relieved
of the inspection of school buses
and other public properties except
the county jail and county home
and work house, if there is one,
Judge Walter J. Bone, presiding
over the current term, said he
knew of no provision that had
been made calling for school bus
inspections. He added, however,
that possibly there is some ar
rangement existing with the high
way patrol for regular bus in
spections by the patrolmen.
Nine of the jury members will
complete their one-year term in
December while the other nine
will work through the next June
term.
Wreck Number Of
Liquor Plank In
County Recently
——
Twelve Slill« Were Found
And Torn Up During
i'uat Month
I
Although taking a little time
out to help run down safe robbers
and assisting in the eounty and
superior courts, liquor law en
forcement officers arc still mak
ing it mighty lull'd for illicit It
quor operators in this eounty.
During the month of August, ac
cording to a report filed by ABC
Officer J. H. Roebuck, one viola
tor was arrested and twelve stills
were destroyed. The officer and
his assistants poured out 8,400
gallons of mash and confiscated
twelve gallons of liquor during
the period.
Aided by officers from Pitt
County, Deputy Roebuck wrecked
a 100-gallon submarine type still
a few miles from Robersonville in
the Flat Swamp area. They blew
up six 50-gallon fermenters and
poured out 200 gallons of mash
and thirteen gallons of white li
quor.
Earlier this month, Officer Roe
buck assisted by Deputy Roy Peel
wrecked a 50-gallon oil drum still
in Cross Roads and two 50-gallon
fermenters.
On Wednesday of last week, the
officers wrecked a 300-gallon sub
marine type still, 32 50- gallon
and one 300-gallon fermenters and
poured out 1,900 gallons of sugar
mash along the Beaufort boun
dary in Griffins Township. Oil,
burners and other equipment were
conficsated.
Last Thursday near Sweet
Home in Bear Grass, the two of
ficers took a 50-gallon copper ket
tle and poured out 200 gallons of
sugar mash
Going into the Free Union sec
tion of Jamcsvillc Township for
the first time in weeks, the of
ficers wrecked a 50-gallor. copper
kettle and poured out 300 gallons
of sugar mash last Friday morn
i ing. That afternoon, they return
ed there and wrecked a 100-gallon
capacity eopper kettle and seven
50-galion fermenters, pouring out
350 gallons of sugar mash.
Court Completed
Criminal Docket
Trials Yesterday
——
Started Working On Civil
Calendar And l)iv«ree
Cases Today
-*
Completing the criminal docket j
yesterday shortly before noon, the
Martin County Superior Court
this morning set its divorce
machinery in action and before
noon had torn asunder the bonds
of matrimony in eight cases and
made ready to hear damage suits.
The court is not scheduled to sit
tomorrow, but activities will be
resumed next Monday when large
damage suits are to be heard.
Proceedings not previously re
ported:
After hearing the evidence
Tuesday afternoon in the case
charging Charlie Whitehurst with
assaulting a female, the defendant
changed his plea to one of guilty
yesterday morning and he was
sentenced to the roads for thirty
days.
The case in which Chas. Jos*
Peel was charged with careless
driving was continued.
Pleading guilty of disorderly
conduct, R. B. Spruill was fined
$25 and taxed with the costs.
Papers were isued for his ar
rest when Robt. Glenn Scott fail
ed to appear and answer to liquor
law charges.
The case charging Booker T.
Lloyd with bastardy was continu
ed until December when one of
the state’s witnesses did not ap
pear.
A final entry was recorded in
the case charging Dr. Edward L.
Early, Jr., with murder. It reads,
i "This case abates due to the death
j of defendant. . .
| Murray Boyd, charged with set
j ting woodsland on fire, failed to
I answer and papers were issued
for his arrest.
In the case in which Tommie
Tuylor was clvargcd with shoot
ing Ted Scott, Judge Bone di
rected a verdict of not guilty.
The breaking and entering case
against Van R. Page took an un
expected turn in court Tuesday
when his attorney found a default
in the warrant and the court con
fined it until the December term.
But the "Little General’s” trou
bles were not solved. Last reports
from the court stated that the
bonding company had withdrawn,
leaving Page in jail. On Wednes
day of last week, Page bought a
$2,000 bond, paying $200 for five
days’ freedom. Officers wondered
what he could do to justify $40
!a day for his freedom.
| Junior Lee Grimes and Jasper
■ Boyd pleaded guilty ol accessory
I after the fact to larceny and re
I ceiling stolen property, and W. It
i Boyd entered a plea of nolo con
tendre. Judge Bone considered
| placing the three defendan's on
! probation, but the probation offic
er made an investigation and
learned that the three were a bit
trifling and wandered around late
at night. Jasper Boyd and Grimes
were sentenced to prison for not
less than two and not more than
three years W. B. Boyd, the one
who allegedly broke into Jake
Mobley’s station, drew not less
than eighteen months and not
more than two years.
David Black, charged with
stealing $4.14 from the person of
Nellie Gray Rogers, was found
guilty and he was sentenced to
the roads for four months, the sen
tence to be suspended upon the
payment of a $25 fine and costs.
Harvey Lee Mooring, found
j guilty of breaking into the home
of Lee Ward in Roberson vi lie
Township, was sentenced to the
roads for twelve months. Judge
Walter J. Bone, presiding, ordered
the defendant placed on probation
for two years. Mooring is to pay
the cost, remain sober and violate
no other law during the two-year
period.
In the case charging Lmwood
Speight with breaking into Price's
Gulf station in Williamston last
month, Judge Bone said that
while the evidence against the
defendant was sufficient to cre
ate suspicion lie did not think it
was adequate to convict beyond
a reasonable doubt and a verdict
jof not guilty was directed.
| Charged with assaults with in
|tent to kill, K D. Smith pleaded
! guilty of an assault with a deadly
weapon, and George Henry, Jes
jse and John Ward, all colored,
(Continued on page eight)
\
Plans Completed For Opening
Radio Station Here In October
Back In Jail After Only
A Few Honrs Of Freedom
Linwood Speight, deaf mute,'
was returned to the county jail
late Tuesday night after enjoying j
a few hours of freedom.
In court Tuesday afternoon, j
Speight was tried for breaking in
to Price’s filling station here, and
i was found not guilty by directed
verdict. Calling for cigarettes, al
legedly stolen from the station,
Speight walked out of jail, en
joyed the fresh air and, during
the meantime, mapped plans for
a raid that night. He went to the
old Mad White home on South
Sycamore Street and rancaekcd a
room. The tenant was away, but
three persons were said to have
seen him. Before midnight, local
officers had him back in jail. He
is being charged with breaking
and entering, and it is likely that
he'll continue in jail until the!
next term of superior court in
December.
Specializing in breaking and en
tering, larceny and assaults on fe
males, Speight has been in the
courts at least ten times during
the past fourteen years. In 1936,
he was bound over by the county
recorder for larceny and receiv
injj and was found not guilty jn
the superior court. In January, I
1937, he drew two years on the
roads for assaulting a female. Just
back from the roads, he was sen
fenced to serve eight months for i
breaking and entering. In March,
1940, he drew 24 months on the
roads for attempted rape. On No
vember 9, 1942, he was fined $25
for assaulting a female. A week
later he was sentenced to the
roads for six months on a lar
ceny charge. Charged with break- J
ing and entering he was found
not guilty in September, 1943, and
in December, 1949, and again in
the current court. Charged with
larceny he was found not guilty
in January of last year.
Speigth's record recalls the
times he worked for the late Gus
Rigas in a local cafe. Speight
would steal from his employer
and go to jail. Rigas would fur
nish bond, and after serving sen
tence, Speight would return to
his employ. Speight has a habit
of breaking into the places of bus
iness belonging to those for whom
he has worked and stealing from
them. In every case he took very
little.
Handle Ten Cases'
In Justice Courts
In Past Few Days
——
llreakinp; ami Knlt-riiig <!«m*
Sent To Superior t '.ourl
For Um-inlx'r Trial
Justices H. T. Johnson and Chas
/f. Mobley handled ten eases in
their courts during the past few
days. One defendant, John Brad
ley charged with being drunk and
disorderly and attempted break
ing and entering, was bound over
to the superior court by Justice
Johnson for trial in December.
Unable to arrange bond in the
sum of $500, the defendant con
tinues nr the county jail.
Charged with assault with a
deadly weapon, Sarah Edmonds
was booked for trial in the county
court by Justice Mobley. Bond
was required in the sum of $50.
Cases handled by Justice Jolm
! son:
Emmett Saunders was taxed
with the cost fop pirating a mo
tor vehicle with improper brakes.
Charged with improper park
ing, Willie Owens was fined $5,
plus costs.
I The case charging Willie Ward
with assaulting a female was nol
pressed. The prosecuting witness
was taxed with the costs when she
chose not to prosecute the charge.
Charged with operating «i motor
vehicle without town tags, Eddie
Sheppard was directed to buy
tags and pay the costs.
Alexander Savage, drunk on the
highway, was sentenced to the
roads for thirty days, Justice
Johnson suspending the load term
upon the payment of the costs.
Booker T. Wynne, charged with
operating a motor vehicle with
improper brakes, was found not
guilty.
Publicly drunk, John Philpott
was fined $5, plus costs.
Peanut Prospect
Aboni the Same
September I reports from pea
nut producers continued to point
to a crop of 247,520,000 pounds,
the same as last month. Such a
production is about 2 percent a
bove production Just year, but
22 percent below average. August
rainfall in the Northeastern com
mercial peanut counties was gen
erally normal or above. However,
stands are below normal and
growers have had some difficulty
in controlling grass in peanut
fields.
Digging operations are now un
der way in several arears, but
will hardly be completed before*!
sometime in October. !
1 MEETING
v-/
Williams ton's Parent
Tcarher Association will hold
its first meeting of the new
term next Monday evening at
7:30 o'clock in the grammar
. school.
The meeting will discusss
plans and projects for the
new year, and an Informal
social period will follow. P«
I rents and patrons of the
school are urged to be pre
sent.
Fumigate Potato
Storage Houses
-
Ily J. W. Suinncr,
Assistant County Agent
Sweet potatoes are expected to |
| be somewhat cheaper this fall,
'than lust year. As a result, many j
I farmers will be storing their po- j
' tatoes for higher prices. They
'must be aware of some of the {lun
gers of storage. One of the great
•est d mge.-s is storage rots. Many
of the flisease organisms live over
' from year to year in the storage j
j house and on used baskets. The
; chief ones are Soft Rot, and Jarva
Black Rot. These disease orga
I nisms can be killed in the storage
| house by fumigating the storage
house before the potatoes are put
in.
A chemical called Chlorpierin
is used for the purpose and sold
! under the trade name of Larva
cide.
Larvaeide is a liquid which c
vaporates into a powerful fungi
cidal gas. It kills the disease or
ganisms which live over the sum
mer in tile house and on the used i
crates or baskets. It cannot eon- |
trol diseases on the potatoes them
selves or make up for improper
storage conditions. At recom
mended dosages it also kills rats
and mice, as well as most insects.
Application takes only a minute
or so for the average size house.
No special equipment is needed
except for large houses (say over
10,000 bu.) where a gas mask may
be needed. There is no fire or ex
plosion hazard.
The storage house must be air
tight or capable of being made so
by covering cracks with gummed
paper i r other suitable material.
Postpone fumigation if there is
wind blowing that may dissipate
gas from house. It should be done
when the temperature is 70 de
grees or higher, choosing a rainy
or humid period is helpful If
rainy day is not convenient, one
can hose down room and contents
with a fine spray ut the rate of
at least 1 gallon per 1000 cubic
feet and apply Larvaeide 4 - b j
hours later. If hose is not avail
able, soak burlap bags and sus
(Continued on page eight)
Marshall Pack To
Manage WIAM,
New Radio Station
Plan* Call for Station To Co
Into Operation in \hoiil
Four Weeks
Plan* were announced complete
yesterday for opening Williams
ton's new radio station, WIAM,
the management explaining that
work will be rushed in an effort
to have the unit in operation for
the annual harvest festival on
October 17. Much of the equip
ment has been received and Ma
son and Dixon Engineering Com
pany, Washington, D C , is to
dispatch its engineers here soon
to handle the installation and con
struct the broadcasting tower
Marshall Pack, experienced in
radio, has been named to manage
the station, and he and Mrs. Pack
! are now handling the preliminary
details at the studios which will
be located in the Saunders Build
ing recently occupied by Drs.
Rhodes and Harris on Smith wick
Street. Both Mr. and Mrs Pack
are natives of South Carolina, and
he has been associated with radio
for a number of years, first in his
home town, Spartanburg, and
I more recently with the Continen
'tal Network, Washington, D. C,
He opened the 1000-watt station
in Kinston, says he likes eastern
North Carolina, and looks forward
to a pleasant stay in Williamston.
j The broadcasting tower is t»
be located on the Wilson farm,
near the river and close to th•
j Standard Fertilizer Company Tin
station having 1,000-watt power
is to operate on 000 frequency and
will operate from sunrise until
sunset seven days a week.
The new station will employ
five or,six persons, including the
manager, three announcers, re
I eeptionist and an engineer
Mr Pack stated that the station
is to be opened to the public at
all times, that, visitors will be wel
comed to inspect the studios at
their convenience,
A permit for the station was
granted by the Federal Cimnnun
! Rations Commission some time
I ago, but many obstacles were en
countered during the meantime
All problems have been solved
and no further delays are antici
pated. The Saunders building,
providing very suitable for the
studios and operators' quarters,
was leased this w eek and the engi
neer have been advised to report
to handle the installation of the
i equipment and construct the tow
er. During tin. meantime, Mr and
Mrs. Pack are filing records* and
arranging the studios.
Williamston and community
have depended upon radio sta
tions m other centers for a num
ber of years. Mr Pack feels cer
tain WIAM can and will meet
the radio needs of the people in
this and surrounding counties,
and that the new business will
contribute to the material growth
and well-being of the area.
COURT REPORTER
Mrs. Sura Supg of Greenville is
reportuR; the current term of the
Martin County Superior Court.
PEANUTS
A
Started last week, peanut
' digging is getting under way
rapidly now and is expected
, to reach a climax next week
in (his county.
Digging about 50 acres so
I'ar this week, Farmer N. C.
Kverett says that lie is finding
his crop better than he ex
pected it would he. The quan
tity is estimated to he abupt
the same as it was last year
when the average was be
tween 15 and 10 hags on his
farms in Itobersonvillc Town
ship. The quality is better,
Mr. Dverett said.
The quality and quantity
are certain to vary from area 1
to area, but, as a whole, this
county is expected to harvest
1 better and larger crop of the
goobers than it did last year.