the enterprise is read by
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY
families twice each week
THE ENTERPRISE
THE ENTERPRISE IS READ Bt
OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT*
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
VOLUME LIY—NUMBER 79
William tton, Martin County, North Carolina. Tuesday, October 2, 1951
ESTABLISHED 1899
Highest Daily "Average In History Recorded He re-yesterday -
Citizens Ask Wider
Main Street Bridge
Submit Petitions
For Improvement
Of Walks-Slreels
Board to Make Last Appeal
Before Going To Court
About Underpass
-*—
After years of waiting and hop
ing, representative citizens, sup
ported unanimously by the pa
rent-teacher association, pleaded
with the town commissioners in
regular session here last night for
action, looking toward the widen
ing of the railroad bridge and the
installation of sidewalks on West
Main Street. The plea stemmed
from a serious school bus acci
dent at the highway underpass
week before last, and it is quite
evident that some action will
follow. It was explained by the
board that the problem had been
repeatedly discussed with the
railroad company and the high
way commission, 'hat each batted
it from one to the other.
The board last night went on
railroad for relief If 1he plea
record as favoring a last appeal
to the highway authorities and
railroad for relief If the plea
fails, the town will go into the
courts for a ruling.
Those supporting the plea were
D. L. Reynolds, speaking for 1he
Parent-Teacher association, At
torney Wheeler Martin, Dr. and
Mrs. V E. Brown, Mr and Mrs
Woodrow Tice and Mr. Carroll
Jones.
It was reported at the meet
ing that one of the recent acci
dent victims, Sammy Holliday,
continues critically ill in a local
hospital as a direct result of in
juries received when the bus
crashed into one of the bride sup
ports. It was explained that a
pint of blood had been drained
from around a lung, and that
more is being drained from the
same spot today.
The petitioners explained that
petitions had been submitted, re
questing sidewalks on West Main
Street, that no action had been
taken since last May It was point
ed out that work on the project
had been delayed, pending the
settlement of Ihe bridge problem
It is now proposed to build the
sidewalks to the underpass as
soon as possible.
The first petitions for paving
under the Powell Bill plan reach
ed the board last night. Curb and
guttering were asked on Biggs
Street between Halifax Street
and Simmons Avenue, on Ray
Street and on Franklin between
School Drive and Woodlawn.
Sidewalks were also asked on
Franklin and Ray Streets.
(Continued on Page Eight)
Miss Moore Joins
Vepco Siaii Here
Miss Reta Elizabeth Moore, a
native of Leak.sville, North Caro
lina, has joined the Virginia Elec
tric and Power Company organi
zation as Home Economist for the
Albemarle District. Miss Moore
attended Leaksville schools and
the Woman’s College of the Uni
versity of North Carolina :n
Greensboro. She majored in Home
Economics and received her Home
Ee. Degree in May, 1951 While
in college Miss Moore was active
in basketball and other campus
activities. She is a member of the
Cornelian Society. Since ^graduat
ing in May she has been training
for her position at the Virginia
Electric and Power Company of
fice in Richmond.
Miss Moore was transferred to
Williamston on September 25. and
is now residing with Mrs. P H.
Blown at 111 Academy Street.
Miss Moore will work through
out the Albemarle District of the
Company, which includes four
teen counties in Northeastern
North Carolina.
PAY DAY
f
Yesterday was pay day in
the Martin County School
system, the 303 teachers,
principals, janitors, and bus
drivers receiving approxi
mately $78,000.
Individual salaries were in
creased as much as $39 over
the schedule in effect last
term, and the total was boost
ed by a few thousand dollars.
Teachers quickly pointed
| out they had no money to
lend, that the first month
check and several more
would be needed to catch up
those bills and expenses in
curred during the summer
months when there were no
pay checks.
Deadliest Fire
In U. S. History
Cost 1,152 Lives
Fin* Prevention Week Next
Week Reealls To !Ylin<l
Triigic Event
-» —
File Prevention Week, begin
ning Sundny, October 7, til ings to
mind the deadliest fire in this na
tion’s history. The story, originat
ing in a little-known town, fol
lows:
The most fatal fire in United
States history was for years the
least known. This is the terrible
fire at Pcshtigo, Wisconsin which
killed 1,152 people—the largest
number of people ever killed in
a fire in the United States.
The fire was hidden in history
because of two reasons: Few peo
ple in 1871 had heard of Pcshtigo
and, the weirdest of coincidences,
this fire started the same clay of
the great Chicago fire. Fire Pre
vention Week iS observed the
week of Oct. 9th in commemora
tion of the day Chicago burned
out.
The basic ingredients of fire
are fuel, a source of ignition and
air. A big supply of all three
existed in Pcshtigo on October 8,
1871 Pcshtigo was a prosperous
pioneer lumber town of 2,000 peo
ple on the Pcshtigo River seven
miles inland from Gren Bay. It
stood surrounded by a forest. A.
miles inland from Green Bay. It
three month drought had made
the woods tinder dry.
At the time of the holocaust, lo
cal forest fires were burning on
all sides of the community. Here
was the source of ignition. Resi
dents of the town had fought the
fires from time to time, but felt
no alarm. Past experience had
shown that rain would eventually
(Continued on page eight)
Jamesville's Fair
Planned Oci. 12ih
Professor Vaiden B. Hairs of
Jaincsville High School announc
ed today that plans are about
complete for holding of the an
nual Agricultural Fair at James
villc next Friday, October 12.
Rides will be on the grounds
at Jamesville all next week and
exhibits of livestock, farm mach
inery, crops and on educat'on are
being prepared. A parade and
a speech by a prominent public
figure will be held Friday after
noon. Further details of the fail
plans are to be announced letter
this week.
»
Local Man Continues
(Julie III In llos/ntal
-1
Suffering with a circulatory
ailment. Mr. C. B. Clark, Sr., con
tinue.' quite ill in a Reeky Mount
hospital, according to last reports
received here today. His left leg
is packed in ice'and his condition
was said to be showing little or
no improvement. I
Get Bequests For
Better Highways
In Marlin County
County Commissioners In
A Short Session Mon
thly Morning
Meeting in regular session Mon
day, the Martin County Commis
sioners handled routine duties and
heard several requests for im
proved roads.
A small delegation from Goose
Nest asked the board to recom
mend for widening and stabiliza
tion a road running off Highway
125 about one-half mfle north of
Conoho Church northwest via the
Buck Powell and Love Williams
farms and on around to Highway
125, a distance of 4.2 miles.
A request for widening and
stabilization was also received for
a road in Griffins Township, be
ginning at a point near the E. H.
Manning home and running via
W. A. Manning's and R. S. Corey’s
to the Smithwick Creek and Farm
Life Road, a distance of 1.7 miles.
The petitioners pointed out that
the road is traveled by RFD car
riers. school busses and serves
twelve farms.
The Goose Nest group also ask
ed that three-quarters of a mile of
road leading from a point near
Oglesby’s corner and running to
ward Oak City to the Claude
Lynch farm be worked as a com-,
munity road project. It was]
pointed out that the route serves
four farms.
Old tax claims dating back be
yond 1940 were written off when
it was found that the listings had
been in error. <<4|H
M. L. Peel was reappointed tax
collector for another year.
The collector reported that
$177,318.24 of the $370,939.90 levy
for 1951 had been collected. All
but $14,318.34 of the 1950 levy has
been collected. There is a bal
ance due of $7,230,24 on the $313,
706.69 levy for 1949, and all but
$4,827.05 of the $284,594.80 levy
for 1940 has been collected, it was
reported.
Commissioners C. C. Martin of
Jamcsville, J. H. Edwards of Wil
liamston, W. M. Harrison of Bear
Grass and Henry S. Johnson, Jr.,
of Hamilton were present for the
meeting. Commissioner Herbert
L. Roebuck was unable to attend
the session on account of illness
in his family.
Hurl Trying To
Retrieve Money
Verna Bell Bell, 11-year-old lo
cal colored girl, was painfully and
possibly seriously hurt in a fall
from a farm truck on Highway
1)4 between Williamston and Eve
retts about noon Monday. She
suffered a head injury and was
badly bruised about the body.
Her sister, Lona Ree Bell, 17,
according to one report, lost a
dollar bill out of her pocket and
the young sister tried to retrieve
it, either jumping or falling from
the truck. The truck was said to
have been traveling about 30 or
35 miles an hour at the time, wit
nesses stating that she struck the
concrete and rolled like a ball.
She was removed to a local hos
pital where she was reported m h
semi-conscious condition, hospi
tal attendants stating that it was
impossible to determine the ex
tent of her injuries immediately.
--«
Furniture Show
Contest Winners
—«—
Winers in the Home Fashion
Time contest drawing held Sat
urday evening in the local furni
ture stores were James White of
Jamesvillc, winner of an Ezra
Storm mattress at B. S. Courtney
and Son; Mrs. Tom Forehand of
Williamston, winner of an occa
sional chair upholstered in Bolta
flex at Helig»Meyers Furniture
Company; Miss Anna Crawford,
winner of an old world maple
ehair»with Grandma Moses cover
at W'oolard Furniture Company
and Sue Pec le of Route 2, winner
of a Kingsdowri box springs from
McLawhorn Furniture Company.
Willianiston Boys Sh ine At
San Diego Training Center
Williamston boys have been
shining out at the U. S. Naval
Training Center in San Diego,
Calif., according to delayed re
ports reaching here. Jack H.
Welch is the latest to be singled
out for the distinct honor by
commanding officers at the cen
ter. Hilton Peel established the
precedent quite some time ago.
He was followed by Warren Goff.
Bobby Harrison was next and
now Seaman Welch comes along
to annex the title of Honorman.
In a letter to Seaman Welch's
parents. Captain T. H. Copeman,
U. S. Navy, commanding officer,
said:
“As your son's Commanding Of
ficer, it gives me great pleasure
to inform you that he has been
selected Honorman of his com
pany..
"The Honorman is selected by
I the company from five candidates
whose outstanding work in re
cruit training has been recog
nized by the company command
er. Factors considered for the
Honorman are leadership, sports
manship, military bearing, initia
tive, response to orders, cleanli
ness, a good shipmate, and an
outstanding individual in all phas
es of recruit training.
“The Honorman certificate is
awarded with appropriate naval
ceremony at the brigade parade
by the Commanding Officer or
visiting dignitary.
“I know you must feel a justi
fiable pride in your son's achive
mont and I wish to extend to you
my personal congratulations. Your
son has proven that he has all the
qualities of a good citizen and
is a credit to the Naval service
and his country.”
Man Loses Life In
Flight From Ollieers
Jumps Into Creek
And Drowns Near
Dardens on Friday
-<*>
Hoily of Khorn Jump* l)rH^
ficil from (irn-ki Srroml
Man Mntlr Him
In a bold flight from the law,
Ebron James, 40-year-old Negro
of Jambsville Township, plunged
into Welch’s Creek near Dardens
iasl Fi idii.i morning and drowned.
A companion, leading the way in
to the water and from the offi
cers, made it safely across the
stream and escaped.
Raiding in the area that morn
ing, ABC Officers .1. II. Roebuck
and Cecil Bullock turned off
Highway Ii4 a short distance this
side of Welch’s Creek Bridge and
moved up the stream almost a
mile where they found an old
model pick-up truck parked. Of
ficer Bullock continued up the
stream several hundred yards and
saw James and his companion
moving down the stream in a boat
with a cargo of liquor. He hid
himself from the couple and
worked his way back to the
truck, meeting Officer Roebuck
along the way. As the officers
closed in the two men had trans
ferred the fifteen gallons of li
quor to the truck and were mak
ing ready to leave when they
saw the officers.
The companion, instead of
choosing a land route, ran to the
creek and plunged in, James fol
lowing a few feet behind. Fol
lowing them to the water’s edge,
the officers saw the first man
make it across the stream with
out delay. James waded a bit
cautiously, the officers pleading
with him to tern around. When
he was in the water almost to his
shoulders, he turned and looked
at the officers, said nothing and
continued toward the Washing
ton County snore. Officers again
pleaded with him to turn back,
hut he waded on toward the oth
er shore About that time he
stepped into a hole, the officers
stating that the iast they saw
of the man at the time was one
(Continued on Page Eight)
ROUND-UP
Seven persons were round
ed up and placed in the coun
ty jail by local, county and
State officers last week-end.
Five of the seven were charg
with assaults, including one
with an automobile. One
each was booked for carrying
a concealed weapon and one
with careless and reckless
driving,
One of the seven was white,
and the ages of the group
ranged from 20 to 35 years.
IMPROVING
V.
Wounded in both less by
enrniy machine kuii bullet*,
S/FC Edward Karl Mobley,
son of Mrs. Mary Thomas of
near Hamilton, and the late
Charles Mobley, was reported
improving in a hospital in
Japan last week-end. In Ko
rea lor about a year, the 23
year-old sergeant was wound
ed in action there September
11.
While Cane Sale
Under Way Here
Opening their annual While
Cane Drive yesterday, the mem
bers (if the local Lions Club are
soliciting both residential and
business sections of Williamston
this week in an effort to help
raise the $30,000 which is the goal
of the state-wide campaign.
The drive is the one state-wide
fund raising project sponsored by
the North Carolina State Associa
tion for 'he Blind Aid to blind
people, when no other resources
are available, is rendered by this
association. First created in 1934
by Lions and other intei esfed in
dividuals, the association’s first
purpose was to work for a State
agency for the himd which would
have trained personnel to devob
all its time working for and with
the blind The association has
continued its work state-wide an
swering wherever there is need
and no funds.
For a number of years this state
has led the nation in finding em
ployment for the blind. In 1950
308 blind persons were placed in
jobs. Among the many services
rendered by the combined efforts
of the Lions, the Association and
the North Carolina State Commis
sion for the Blind, are eye clinics
at several points throughout the
state, pre-school clinics for blind
babies and their mothers, medical
treatment and surgery when
needed.
Mrs. Exuni Ward of the Lions
Club is heading the White Cane
sales.
Critically Hurt
In Accident On
East Main Street
I Six Arciilonts Kcportril (hi
County liifflnuiyH Ami
Stn'cls l*ast Week-end
Mrs. Mary Roberson Hawes was
critically injured and one or two
others were hurt in a scries of
vehicle accidents on county high
ways and streets last week-end,
according to reports coming from
the highway patrol office and po
lice.
Mrs. Roberson, returning to
Williamston about a year ago to
make her home after a long res
idence m Lanham, Maryland, was
run down on East Main Street
near the Biggs Street intersection
about 8:15 o'clock Saturday eve
ning. She was said to have suf
fered compound fractures of both
legs, a head injury and was cut
on one hand. Her condition con
tinues serious m a local hospital
where she was carried for treat
ment.
Police, assisted bv Patrolman B.
W. Parker, said Mis Ilawes was
run flown by James Ramsey, Jr.,
23-year-old colored man of Wil
liams Township, who was driving
a new 1951 Plymouth car. Ram
sey, accompanied by a man named
Lanier, was driving up the main I
street, and was quoted as saying
that Mrs. Hawes was walking
across the street and turned and i
started back Sh ewas said to have
been almost in the middle of the
street when she was struck and
knocked about twelve or fifteen
fei t. Officers said the car skidded
its tires a distance of forty-eight
feet JVlrs. Hawes has been unable
to tell about tile accident, and as
far as it could be learned there
were few eye witnesses. No direct
report has been released on the
accident by police and a hearing
is being delayed, pending the out
come of the victim's condition
Witnesses, traveling up Main
Street, said that the Ramsey car
speeded by them near the foot of
the river lull, that they saw the
ear swerve lust about the time it
hit Mrs, Hawes Two New Jersey
marines, traveling into Williams
ton, satrl that the Ramsey car
would speed up to them and then ;
fall back, that they pulled over!
to the side of the road and allowed
it to pass.
Ramsey, charged with an as
sault with a deadly weapon, an
automobile, was detained.
The first in the series of acci
dents reported during the past
several days was on Highway 125
near Conoho Creek between Oak
City and Hamilton last Wednes
day night. Howard Garland Bun
dy of Elizabeth City, traveling
toward Hamilton, lost control of
his 1951 Studcbaker on a curve,
and the machine skidded seventy
(Continued on page eight)
Stolen Car Found
Burned Saturday
A 1047 Oldsrnobile, stolen from
its parking place on .Washington
Street m Williiimston last Satui
day ni^ht about 10:00 o'clock, was
found burned on a diit road near
Hobgood by Patrolman B W
Parker.
A i i-poi t from Oak Pity said
that the thief stopped there and
had the ear gassed up. The driv
er, a colored boy, was accompan
ied by others, the patrolman said,
but their identity has not yet been
determined.
The ear was owned by Jos. L.
Godard of William.ston. It could
not be learned if the vehicle was
insuied against theft or fire.
/'«»/ Itoom Honed Ity
Owner Lint! Saturday
The pool room, operated over
the Criteher Shoe Company stori
on Main Street for the past sever
al years, was closed by the own
er, G P. Hughes, last Saturday.
The fixtures are being offered for
sale by W. R. Banks.
Mr Hughes plans to go with
the construction contractors on
DuPont project near Kinston.
Official Average
Of More Than $62
Is Listed Monday
Wrll Over Kirill Million
I'omul* Sold Here So
Far This Season
The highest daily price aver
age ever recorded in the history
of the Williamston Tobacco Mar
ket was chalked up yesterday
when 307.712H pounds of the gold
en leaf were sold for an official
average of $62.19 per hundred
pounds. The price peak zoomed
right on past everything, includ
ing the top figures recorded back
in the 1919 hey-day period.
After holding to a figure slight
ly above the $50 mark for most of
the season, the market started
climbing a week ago after a de
termined fashion. By last Friday
the price average had pulled
right upto $6(1 per hundred and
then plunged upward again for
another gain of more than $2 (Ml
per hundred.
Observers said the price in
crease was traceable to two fac
tors. Tobacco that had been sell
ing for $60 moved up to $70, and
the quality of the offerings was
far better than it had been. Very
| little inferior quality leaf has
been offered during the past sev
eral days and prices have ranged
from 50 to !)() cents a pound. In
dividual averages have been re
corded at $71! oi more per hun
dred.
V So far this season, the Wiiliams
ton maket has sold 8,085,348
pounds lor $4,209,732, a resulting
average of $52.07. The sales to
day are almost certain to carry
the total to almost 8,400,000
pounds, a report from the mar
ket shortly before noon declaring
that prices were holding firm.
Block sales continue to grip the
market, but the sidling organiza
tion is gradually catching up with
the possibility that little or no
tobacco will be left unsold to
morrow. Farmers from abopt
twenty counties have been deliv
ering tobacco a day ahead of the
sales, and the operations have
attiactcrl attention from over a
I wide area.
Up until today, the highest
average of the season stood at
! $59.44, the 279,664 pounds aver
aging that amount last Friday.
Until the record was broken
yesterday, the highest average
ever recorded on the local market
w as on September 1! 1950, when
338,014 pounds sold for an aver
age of $60.14
While a new daily average re
cord was made yesterday, the
market this year is trailing the
over all price of last season by a
little more than $5 per hundred.
If the present trend can be main
tained, much of the difference
can be wiped out. However, the
current crop is disappearing rap
idly, some observers declaring
that 75 to 80 percent is already
marketed.
MKKTING CAilJ:i)
A meeting of the Williams
ton Recreation Committee to
gether with interested par
ents of the town has been
called for the courthouse on
Wednesday evening of this
week at 8:30, the hour being
set so as to avoid conflict with
prayer meeting services.
Purpose of the meeting is
to discuss ways and means of
reopening the youth center in
Willianiston this winter, with
the idea that it not be made a
financial burden on anyone.
Those requesting that the
meeting be called declared
the young people themselves
are interested in cooperating
to a greater extent than has
been the case heretofore.
James R. Perry
Died In County
Monday Morning
Last Kilrs Krin” llrlil In
Iti^s I'liurral llonir
llrrr Thin Aftrrnoon
-T
James Hubert Perry, retired
fanner-builder, died at lus heme
m Gon.se Nest Township near Pal
myra Monday morning at 4:00
o’cloek. He had been in declining
health for several years, suffering
with arthritis More recently he
had been troubled with a heart
ailment, and suffered an attack
a short time before he died. He
had been a patient in hospitals
at intervals during the past few
years.
The son of the late Noah Thom
as Perry and Louisa Walker Per
ry, he was horn in Beaufort
County 73 years ago last May He
spent most ol his early life in
Griffins Township on the farm,
and m early manhood was mar
ried to Miss Emma Lassiter who
died in 1017. Following lus mar
riage he located in Washington
where lie engaged* in building con
struction, returning to this coun
ty a year later. He lived on the
farm in the Williamslon area un
Id the early twenties when he was
married to Mrs. Bettie Roberson
of near Palmyra, making his home
there since that time.
When a young man he joined
the Macedonia church, and at
tended Williams Chapel M E,
Church regularly during lus res
idence in the upper part of the
county.
Surviving are three sons, Noah
Perry ol Hopewell, Va., Joseph
Perry of Peoria, III, and Evans
Perry of Griffins Township; three
daughters, Mrs Mary Rawls of
Williamston and Mrs. Myrtle
Perry Weaver and Mrs Fannie
Jacobson of Brooklyn; four bro
thers, Albert T and Arthur Per
ry of Williamston, Perlie Perry of
Gadsden, Alabama, and W H
Perry of Dardens; one sister, Mrs.
Bertha Tctterton of Williamston;
three step-sons, J W. Roberson
of Palmyra, and Tommie and Mil
ton Roberson, both of RED 1,
Palmyra .and fhr. < step-daugh
ters, Mis Emily Thompson of
RFI) 1, Oak City, Mrs. Jacob
Vaughn of Scotland Neck and
Mrs. W F. Ley of Wyoming
Funeral services are being con
ducted m the Biggs Funeral
Home here this afternoon at 3:30
o’clock by the Rev. Woolard Sher
man, pastor of tin- Williams Chap
el M E. Church. Interment will
be in the family plot in Woodlawn
Cemetery here.
Loral ) llroaku
Arm tf'liilr I*laying
———
Robert Weston, son of Mr and
Mis Frank Weston of Marshall
Avenue, is able to be back in
school after receiving treatment
for a fractured arm. Robert frac
tured the bone of his left arm iust
week while playing at school.
Highway Patrol
Officer Moving
CpI. II II Chadwick, popular
member of the State Highway Pa
trol with headquarters in Wil
liamston, was unexpectedly trans
ferred to Jacksonville, N. C., over
the week-end with instructions to
report for duty at his new station
as of October 1.
Here for only three months,
C'pl. Chadwick had little com
ment to offer, but declared that
he had enjoyed his short stay
here and that he hated to leave.
For the present, Mrs. Chadwick
and children will make their
home here.
Up until late yesterday no re
placement for the corporal had
been announced. However, it is
fairly certain that the position
made vacant by the transfer will
be filled us soon us possible.'
f