North Carolina Newspapers

YHE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1 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 VOLUME LIV—NUMBER 17 Willimmrton, Martin County» North Carolina, Tuesday, February 27, / 0.7 / ESTABLISHED 1899 Jaraesville Town Primary Election Provided In Bill —-:-dt-— Kcpresrnlalivr Amlerson Says Powell Bill Is Costly To Tlu* County -— Raleigh—Rep. E. G. Anderson last week introduced a bill pro-1 viding for a primary system in j .nomination of candidates for the j office of mayor and members of the board of commissioners of the town of Jamesville. Now nominated by convention,[ under the terms of the bill all j candidates would have to file a , statement of candidacy 10 days prior to the primary election. Pri maries are set for the fourth Mon day preceding the general elec tion. The town clerk is ordered to post names of candidates—as they are to appear on the primary ballots-—immediately upon expi ration of the time for filing. Elec tion judges shall count the ballots and make returns of the count to the town clerk within six Hours of the closing polls. The next day following the primary, the town clerk-—under supervision of the mayor and commissioners and in public meeting—is to canvass the returns. Senator Hugh Horton of Mar tin was one of 25 signers of a bill calling for a 10 percent pay raise for all state employees other than teachers. Representative Anderson was j one of the original signers of the bill in the House. Horton, chairman of the Sen- | ate Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns, gave members of his j committee quit*' a workout Wed 1 nesday They took up and passed mi 19 local bills—none of which. Incidentally, affected Martin County. Senator Sam Campon of Pam lico the other Second District Senator- started the deluitf of amendments exempting counties from the provisions of the jail protection bill, on which action was postponed until Monday. i Campen sent ip an amendment asking exemption for Pamlico, Washington, Hyde and Tyrrell. Then came the deiuge, with 19 1 counties in all asking to be let : out. The measure provides that someone shall be kept 'at or near jails in order to take care uf prisoners in case of fire. At the Municipal Street hearing Thursday, Rep. Anderson voted in lavor of the Gudger bill, calling |or a referendum on taking over iit> -street paving and adding sev- j *n-tenths of a cent gasoline tax to pay for it The bill was defeat ed by the committee, however, 311 to 11. Anderson said folks from the towns in his county originally had j (Continued from page five) Large Percentage Pass Examination No official report could be had immediately, and only a few of the boys could be contacted, but according to one young man, ap proximately fifty of the seventy two Martin County young men reporting for preliminary army < .'.animation*- last Friday passed with flying colors The percentage passing the tests was said to be about the highest reported since the first men went j for tin preliminary exams last j October. I r GOOD START | The annual Red Cross Drive was off to a good start in the business section here yesterday when the canvass ers went to work in earnest. Favorable reports were heard lielore the morning was spent, , and Chairman John Henry Fd wards and his co-chair man, H- Mobley, are much encouraged over the pros pects for a successful drive. Plans are rapidly being completed for extending the drive into the residential sec tions of the various towns and rural areas next week, and j the chairmen are again ap pealing for support. |1 Radio Station WIAM to Go On Air At 1P. M. March 14 The Martin County Broadcast ins Company will place its sta tion, WIAM, in operation on Wed nesday, March 14, it was announc ed today by the new owners, Jim Gray of Robersonville and Henry A. Johnson of Williamston. Operating on a frequency of 900 cycles and having 1,000-watt pow er, the station will break the air at 1:00 o’clock that afternoon. A formal program is being planned for the event, Gray and Johnson said and the details will be announced shortly. During the meantime, all indications point to an event Ions to be remembered ! NEW PASTOR }I v-i Called to succeed Rev. Jas. 1. Lowry as pastor of the Presby terian church, Rev. J. Dun Skin ner is moving his family — Mrs. Skinner and their three children, Don 10, Gerry 9 and Gayle 5, here today from Donalsonville, Geor gia, and he is to occupy the pul pit Sunday morning at the 11:00 o’clock hour. The new minister is a native of Greenville, S. C. After attending the University of South Caro lina, and was graduated from the Columbia Theological Seminary in 194)1 lie served North Georgia churches for several years and in 1940 was called to the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church of Donalsonville where he serv ed until he accepted the position here. During his stay in Donal sonville, the minister handled an effective work, organizing vari ous groups within the church and building a mission at Rocky Ridge near Donalsonville. During his stay in Donalsonville, the Sun day school membership was in creased from 05 to 127, and the church has grown from a home mission to a self-supporting unit Native 01 County j Dies In Beaufort Henry Clyde Modlin, native oi this county, died at his home near Pinetown in Beaufort County, Monday morning following a short illness. He had been in failing health for some time. The son of the late William Ash ley and Sarah Hardison Modlin, he was born in the Jamesville section 85 years ago and spent his c‘arlv life there. Fo> a number of years h-. west in the maritime ser vice, working on tug boats. Surviving arc a brother and stVeral nieces and nephews. Funeral services are being con ducted at the home this afternoon and interment will be in the' Yeatesville Cemetery. Griffins Tenant House Destroyed | —1>— Fire of undetermined origin destroyed the three-room tenant house of Farmer T. C. Griffin at Smithwiek's Creek between 8:30 and 9:00 o’clock Sunday evening, -ausing a loss of approximately M,500. Oscar Biggs and family, oc cupying the house, had left that dternoon about 5:00 o’clock and to one was tfiere when the fire ■tatted, the family losing all .arthly goods except those worn >n then backs at the time. No insurance was carried on he property. in this section of the State. Formal details for transferring the franchise from C. C. Adcock to the new owners were handled by Mr. Gray in Washington last week-end. At the present time the station owners are lining up the operating personnel and making additions to the property and broadcasting equipment. Considerable delay has been ex perienced in opening the station, but all franchise difficulties have | been irohed out and all technical ities handled, the owners explain ed, adding that no further delays are anticipated. Youth Badly Hurl In Auto Accident Saturday Evening Two Ollier Aeeiilent* Were Reported In ('.oiinty During Week-end Larry Pate, 11-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Pate of Wil liams Township, was badly but believed not seriously injured in a ear accident at the intersec tion of Highway 04 and the Holly Springs-Farm Life Hoad early last Saturday evening. The little fellow, remaining conscious all the while, suffered a bad head wound, a broken left arm, dislocated shoulder and a knee injury in addition to a cut on his mouth and bruises about the body. The forehead wound re quired about fifteen stitches, the little fellow asking the Martin General Hospital surgeon after each stitch if there had to be an other one. He was rushed to the hospital by Patrolman J. T. Rowe who was close enough to the ac cident to see the dust rise. Larry was riding with Albert Roberson in a small truck until they reached the intersection. When Roberson stopped on the Holly Springs-Farm Life Road fori traffic on Highway t!4, Larry hop- J ped out of the rear of the truck, | ran around to the right and into a car driven by Arthur Green who was traveling toward Jamesville. The little fellow’s head broke the right front light, and dented the fender and hub cap. Green, run ning about 45 miles an hour, said he never saw the boy. Witnesses said the little fellow was knocked about ten feet to the side of the road. Roberson said he yelled to the i boy, telling him to wait for the approaching car to pass, but that the window was up and the boy apparently did not hear him. The victim was planning to visit near the intersection. Investigating the accident, Pa trolman Rowe said that no charg es would be preferred against the driver of the car. George Harris, 18-year-old col ored man, suffered a head injury m a car accident near the Oak City cemetery on the route lead ing to the river road Sunday eve ning about 7:30 o’clock. The ex tent of the man’s injuries could not be learned immediately. Investigating the wreck. Patrol man R. P. Narron said that Clif ton Ellison, driving the 1040 Lb: violet., tcii iiC-'d on a light to see what time it was and lost con trol. The machine swerved first to one side of the road and then to the other before turning over and coming to a stop upright. Damage to the ear was estimated at $100 by the officer. A hit-and-run driver sideswip ed Thomas Barnes’ car on Wash ington Street here last Saturday noon am# went his way undetect ed. Damage was slight, according to local officers. WOUNDED vJ PI'e. Lonnie M. Nicholson was wounded in action near Wonju, Korea, on January 37, according to information re ceived by his wife of William ston RFD 3. He has been awarded the Purple Heart medal. According to late informa tion received by his wife, Pvt. Nicholson is now getting along very well. Law Would Allow Increase In Rale For County Fund Senate Pawe* Bill to Ratify Amendment Limiting Terms of Presidents Raleigh—The House, last Wed nesday pased and sent to the Sen ate a bill calling for a constitu tional amendment vote to raise the county ad valorem tax limit from 15 to 20 cents per $100 eval uation. The bill calls for a vote on the question at the next general elec tion. It met only scattered oppo sition. with only six members of the House—the entire Guilford delegation and Reps. Brantley Womble and Phil Whitley of Wake—voting against it. Whitley said that he remember ed the "dark days of the '30s" when farmers were losing their land because of high ad valorem taxes. Hr said he could not see raising the land tax, since that one reason the county’s had ask ed to have the State take over their road and school problems was to be relieved of the heavy property tax burden. Rep. Kerr Craige Ramsey of Ro wan said that the bill was intro duced because so many counties wanted the tax rise. He said it was supported bv the county ocm missioners’ association, and did not necessarily mean more taxes in many of the counties in the State. He reminded the representa tives that it would have to be vot ed upon by the people of the State and that a similar amendment although it raised the limit from 15 to 25 cents—had been defeat ed in 11149 general election. The hill passed its second read ing 102 to ti and its third reading 100 to ti. Rep. James H. Pittman of Rich mond sent in a resolution calling on House members to forget per sonal and political consideration, “cast enmities aside” and get the job done and "get home where we belong.” His resolution noted that the assembly was in its 43rd day with little accomplished. It also re minded representatives that they would be serving without pay af ter 90 days. It was turned over to the committee on propositions and grievances. Other new bills included: One introduced in both houses giving state employees other than school teachers a flat 10 percent raise. Reps. Edwin Pou of Wake and C. Wayland Spruill of Bertie introduced the measure in the House, while Senator Bunn Frink and 24 other senators signed the measure in the upper chamber. Mecklenburg and Guilford rep resentatives joined in introducing a bill calling for establishment of "redevelopment commissions" charged with slum clearance pro jects. These commissions, which go a step farther than housing au thorities, would have the power to buy land, condemn property, sell to private companies lor re development, issue bonds, bor row money, enter agreements with the federal government, ac cept gifts and grants from state, county, city or other public and private sources. Introducers said one of the aims »as to take advantage of federal provisions whic) allow federal < funds to be used up to thnee fourths of the total amount in acquiring such areas. It also allows the commissions to sell to private companies for “residences, recreation, commerce, industry or other uses” at “its fair (Continued from page five) I Freezer Locker Sale Confirmed The .laic of flic Colonial Fici-4 er Looker Plant ol Williamston to Wullenwaber, Westbrook and Tyler was eonfinned by the stock holder!! in a meeting held here yesterday afternoon. The original bid of $2U,00(J was raised, but it was ruled out on a technicality, one report explained. Operators of a large plant in Dunn, the new firm is taking over the plant and management on rhiu’sday of this week, it was an nounced. DIES OF WOUNDS ) v-* CpI. Hary Paul Roberson. son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur R. Roberson of Everetts died of wounds in Korea on February 1 tt In one of his last letters to his sister, Mrs Lawrence Colt ram, the young man instructed her to tell his mother not to worry about him, "because I am in very good hands." He went on to say, "I see many little kids up and down the roads, half naked and almost starved to death. I would rather die than see your kids like that and have my mother treated like these people have been and are being treated. Sis, you can’t imagine the suffer ings and trials these people have experienced. It would make you sick in your stomach. They eat out of garbage cans. Men like Pop do the work of a horse They carry about 150 pounds on their backs all day. Some just fall over and die of exhaustion and hunger.” The young man declared he was tired of it all over there, but lie explained that before he would see his family treated as the South Koreans had been treated, he would sacrifice his lift' willingly. “Sis, boys over here sit and cry; seme are scared and others are laughing and wondering if they'll ever see home again We all have our troubles Sis, li I lose my life over here, you’ll know I died to keep my family safe and spare them the kind of lift the people here are exper iencing," the young man said. In what was apparently his last letter to his sister under date ol Fcbruray 14, the corporal asked about his parents, saying, "I wor ry a lot about them 1 guess it's because I love them so much ' Prominent Citizen Died At His Home In County Friday Kmirriil Srrvirr Held Near Oak (lily Last Sunday Afternoon -—®— John Franklin Johnson, promi nent Martin County farmer, died at his home near Oak City last Friday afternoon at 4:00 o'clock He had been in declining health for several months and his condi lion was critical for about three weeks. The son of the late Martin V. and Florence Harrell Johnson, he was born in Goose Nest Township seventy-three years ago on Oc tober 5, 1877, and spent all his life on the farm in that sc,.lion He was married to M>ss Nol i Johnson, one daughter, Mrs. C L. Sorie, of Enfield, surviving that union. His second marriage was to Miss Susie Rogers who sur vives with thre sons, Jonas John son of Palmyra, Samuel Johnson of Seaboard and Johnnie Johnson of Hamilton; five daughters, Mis Florence Warren of Oak City, Mrs. Francis Harrell of Hamilton, Mrs. Susie Mraddy of Scotland Neck, Mrs. Alice Johnson ol New York City, and Mrs. Martha Wil liams of Robersonville; one sis ter, Mrs. Florence Sorie of En field; thirty grandchildren and three great-gi andchildrcn An able farmer and thoughtful friend and noigbor, Mr Johnson was held in high esteem by all who knew him. Funeral services were ((induct ed at the borne Sunday afternoon at the home Sunday afternoon at 2:00 o’clock. Interment was in the Oak City Cemetery Rev. W B Sheridan, Methodist minister of Battleboro and pastor of Williams Chapel, officiated. County Youth Dies Of Korean Wounds On February 18th ! (Ijil. Ilairi I'aiil Kuhcoou Had W oiiihUu! Tw ut Since Ovloher -4 CpI Harry Paul Roberson, son of Mr. and Mrs Arthur Roberson of Everetts, died of wounds in Korea on February lii, according to information released last week by Major General Edward F. Whitsell for the U S. Army. No details were given, but in a letter written on February IS. the young man said he was getting along all right. Volunteering for service on May 3 of last year, the young man took his basie training at Fort ) Knox, Kentucky, and Hew to Jap an on September 17. A short time later he was in Korea and he had , been in action hardly more than live minutes before he was pain I fully injured in the hip. Return j ed to service, he was wounded a second time in January, and bad recovered from the shoulder wound and returned to front line action. He was in line for a leave from thi' fighting front when it is believed he was cut off with about sixty other men and wounded while in the trap. He was born in Everetts twen ty-two years ago on October 30, I 1033. Al'tei completing the Ever [ etts school, he attended high school m Roberson ville, volun teering for service in the Coast Guard two weeks before his grad uation. During the fifteen months he was in the Coast Guard, lie was stationed in Alaska and New Mexico. Following his return from Coast Guard service, he studied at a business school in Raleigh, finishing there in 1949. He was employed bv the J C. White Metal Works in Williams toil and was with the Fields To bacco Company, Robersonville, and 1 he Imperial Tobacco Com puny, Greenville, before volun teering lor service at Wilhamstoii last May. When just a young fellow he was employed by a dime store in Williumston. Possessed of a pleasing personality, the young * man had many friends in this j county and in those places outside the county where he attended 1 school and woi ked Surviving besides his parents are a brother, Mack Alden Rober son ol Everetts, and two sisters, i Mrs. Lawrence Coltram of Evei etts and Miss Jackie Frances Rob erson ot Miami, Florida He is the eleventh casualty among Martin Count,!' young men in the Korean conflict, and the third known to have given up his Ide m the struggle since last Nov ember Draii Board Has Two Delinquents While several were slow in Met tiny in their address changes and 'confusion surrounded others, there are only two delinquent registrants with the Martin Coun ty Draft Board at this time One or two were called to report for I final induetio.. and they showed ’!P at 'he last iiinuti and were aeet pted The names of Melvin I lodge tidd West Church St and Detroit, and James Carl Moore of Holier sonville and .'1715 Lake Hark, Chi cago, have been turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investiga lion, it was learned today after the men had been classed as tie linquent. | DEMONSTRATION | ^-/ \ demonstration in soil fumigation, the first of its kind ever plaiinrd in this count), will lie held on Coy Itohcrson’s larin in (iriffins Township Thursday afternoon at 1:00 o’clock under the su pervision of specialists from the Standard Fertilizer Com pany. In addition to the demon stration, the specialists will discuss tile system in detail, and farmers are invited to at I tend. f~---s ! SGT. JAS. ELLIS | v._✓ Sgt. James Harrell Ellis, young Martin County man was Jtilled in action in Korea on January 15, his parents were notified the early part of lust week. The son of Nat G. and Pruc.v Hardison Ellis, he was born in Griffins Township on July t>, 1521), and spent his early life on the farm He attended Farm Life School, anil in 15-17 volunteered for service in the army. Return ing from service he was employ ed by the Roberson Packing Com pany in Williainston for a while before going to Richmond in 1945 lo accept employment in the Co lonial Store organization there A member of the reserve, he was called back for service last Sep tember, reporting to a base in Texas About three weeks later he was transferred to Japan, reaching Korea shortly before Chritsmas, 11150 He was an only child and wi$. held m high esteem by all who knew him Hi1 had many friends in his native and adopted com munities and was possed of a lik able and fi'endly character. A member of the Baptist Church at Pine.v Grove foi about five years, he attended its services regular ly and had the makings of a fine young man. In his last letter home, written just a few days before the end, he told his mother that he had be. n in the front lines for twenty straight days, that although he had had only one half day off, he 111<I not complain Announce Essay Contest Winners - - - >■ - - The county finals in the essay contest sponsored by the Martin County Mmist, i la 1 Association on tin* subject, The Truth About Beverage Alcohol", were held in the Williainston white high school last Thursday night and the Wil liainston colored school on Frida.: night The winners Thursday night Were as billows Patsy Roberson of Rohei sonville, 1st, Ernest Tuy lor of Williamston, 2nd; Nell Modlin ol Jamcsville, 3rd; Mary Elizabeth Harrell of Oak City, 4th; Evelyn Cowan ol Bear Grass, 5th; and Joseph Lilley of Farm Life, (itfi The winners Friday night were, Waltei Davis ol Parmcie, 1st, and Shirley James ol Williainston, 2nd. Altogether. 151 essays were written in all the white schools and 40 in the colored. The Min isterial Association paid out $203.00 m prizes in addition to a goodj'v .-alii ..pent' toi resource materials lor each high school and otiici incidental expenses The ministers have been well pleased with the general success ol tlie contest and feel that it is a most elloctivc method of reaching young people with essential in formation about beverage alcohol. The present campaign of alco hol education III the schools of tin county will Ire concluded next week when the last picture, "The Vicious l irclc will he Shown March (>, 7 and II. Suffer* Seme Injury In I till Here Saluriluy Falling m the kitchen of hci home on Academy Street here early Iasi Saturday afternoon, Mrs .1 I) Woolard, Sr , suffered a had fracture of the hip She was carried by Biggs ambu lance to Brown's Hospital where her removal to Duke was advis ed She underwent an operation Sunday morning and was report ed today to be getting along as Will as could be expected. Street Bill Gets Approval oi House Finance Group Town Say If Mon* Money Is Needed Then Add Taxes -® Raleigh—It took the House Fi nance Committee just two hours last Thursday to hold a public hearing and then give a favorable report to the Powell municipal street bill. Backers of the measure—which earmarks one-half cent of cur rent gas tax revenue for city and town streets -stymied every ef fort tn delay action Tne commit tee also killed—by a 38-11 vote - the Gudger bill, which called for a state-wide vote on the policy of the State taking over city street building and maintenance and the addition of seven-tenths of a cent extra gas tax to pay the freight The Powell bill now will be sent to the House Appropriations Committee for action, Finance Chairman E T Host of Cabarrus said, The Powell bill provides that the State Highway Commission shall take over maintenance and construction of all state highways passing through cities and towns in addition to earmarking the half-cent gas tax (approximately $4,800,000 a year) for the cities and towns This money is to be paid mi cash to municipalities and is to be divided on a basis of pop ulation and street mileage. It now is only street bill be fore the Legislature, and seems assured of passage despite in creasing opposition trom small towns and the less populous counties. II it should be killed, cities and towns are not likely to get any extra funds from this General Assembly. At the hearing, the principal argument against the Powell bill was that it would take mueh needed funds from the primary highway tsystem. The principal argument for the Powell Bill was that the cities and towns needed help m their street paving prob lems, and that this measure seem ed to be the only one that had a chance of passing the General Assembly. The House chamber predomi nately packed with League of Municipality members who had a meeting here that morning sup porting the Powell bill Dr. Henry Jordan, Highway Commission chairman, told the (Continued on page five) t onlinnes III ifler Suffering in itlark Mr J Lawrence l’eele, well known local business man, con tinues ill following an attack suf fered last week He was able to be out for short intervals up un til yesterday afternoon when he was adviseil by his doctor to rest for a few days. I mlergueis Oiteration For I llrttken M/t Breaking her hip in a fall at her home near Bear Grass early yesterday morning, Mrs Ola Har ris, aged resident, was removed to a Washington hospital in a Biggs ambulance and underwent .m operation a short time later While the injury is serious, Mrs. Harris was reported to be get ting along very well following the operation The response to the origi nal call lor blood donors is said to be very encouraging, and all indications point to a full subscription of the 115 pint quota when the lied Cross Itlooihikubilc routes to Willi.unshm on March 30. In dividuals arc calling in to of fer blood and heads of various civic organizations and other agencies arc lining up volun teers, Recruit Chairman Bill Spivey said today. Mrs. J. B. Taylor was the first woman volunteer, it was learned yesterday. Others who will give a pint of blood are asked to call the Red Cross office. Phone 2GG1, or contact Mr. Spivey. y. J m. ft