Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / Aug. 18, 1953, edition 1 / Page 1
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i JHE ENTERPRISE IS READ Bl OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK VOLUME LVI—NUMBER 66 THE ENTERPRISE Williamston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, August 18, 1953 THE ENTERPRISE IS READ By OVER 3,000 MARTIN COUNT* FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK ESTABLISHED 189!* Tobacco Rolling In For First Sales Of The Season Thursday ? Indications Pointing To Successful Season Four Warehouses Ready To Serve Farmers Oi Area —•— Tobacconists Pullins Foi $55.00 Average Here Opening Day -- Inactive these long months, th( Williamston Tobacco Market i: wide awake and all set and read} to launch its 52nd annual sea son on Thursday of this week The houses were repaired am made ready some time ago, anc the first of the new crop is now rolling into them in volume. In dications point to a near recorc if not a record sale on opening day. No one knows and few will g( all the way and declare their pre dictions for the opening sea son, but local tobacconists an pulling for a 55-eent average hen on Thursday. Some believe r will measure up to that point Until the sale is complete, it i: difficult to predict an averagi because the quality can vary Judging from the first deliveries this section, while marketing m superior quality leaf, is offerinf a better type of tobacco than tha of a year ago. All indication: point to a successful season fo: the Williamston market this year New patrons are being linet up. and .t is almost dead certaii that the market wilj exceed 1 hi 11,327,154 pounds sold last year Marketing a better quality cro] nn tile whole ihan they did la" year, farmers will be disappoint ed if the average does not ex reed the $50.28 average receive! last year by five cents a pound the lower support price not witn standing. On opening day las year the market sold 297,75' pounds for $149,120, an averagi of $50.08 per hundred pounds. Just about all the current cro| has been harvested and while re cord sales are hardly cxpectci during ih. first h -'- days follow that the offerings will be large Ihan they were in the correspond Ing days last season. Heading the sales division a supervisor for Die first time thi season, Mr. Vernon Bunting farmer and oxpcrii need inbac toiiisl, stated today that the mar ket is opening Thursday with recognized selling organizalio: and one of the best corps of buy ers ever to follow a sale on an market. '‘We’ll miss Mr. Arthu Beale, the congenial buyer fo Washington Tobacco Compan for a number of years, but th i company will be ably represent f ed,”‘ Mr. Bunting said in point ing out that there would be sev A eral other changes in the buyin ' personnel. Firmly establishing themselve as able judges of tobacco durin long years in the business at th same old stands, the market op orators are possibly better pic (Continued on Page Six) Another Tobacco Barn Destroyed . Fire, believed to have starte' when a fire joint exploded, de stroyed a sixteen-foot curing bar: and about three hundred and fit ty sticks of tobacco on the H. 11 Cowen farm near Williamston a 10:00 o’clock Monday morning Other buildings nearby wer threatened, but workers on th farm took stands on the roof an wot thr sparks as they fell. A barn attendant said he ha examined the barn only a ft \ minutes before the first static and everything seemed to be al right. A short time later he hear an explosion and fire was break ing through one end of the barr Williamston’s fire departmen answered a call there, but coul< do iittie. It was the fifth curing barn t have been destroyed by fire ii the county this season. r LEAH THE WAY I J Farmers George and Rom ulus Revels led the way in helping launch the new to bacco marketing season when they drove into the first sale warehouse and unloaded a quantity of choice quality lugs early this morning. Other deliveries were report ed yesterday, but the offer ings were not unloaded im mediately. Following the Messrs. Rev els were farmers from Ber tie and Washington Counties and nearly all parts of this county. Twenty-five trucks were in the first sale house at one time this morning and the market was filling up fast despite damp weather. Storm Damage Is Felt In County While no sweeping damage re sulted. the hurricane that struck this section lust Thursday night exacted a fairly heavy loss in some areas. The corn crop was greatly damaged but not ruined, estimates. Quite a few trees were felled by the strong blow, and a few build ings were damaged by falling limbs. Stevenson's garage on the Jamesville Road lost it's concrete block gable and a porch on Rhodes Street.was smashed by a falling limb. No major power interruptions were experienced in this immediate area, but sev eral feeder lines were knocked out when trees were upr-x>t*’d and i blown into the circuits. I Hugh Spruill reported 3.68 1 inches of rain fell here during j Thursday and Thursday night. The eye of the storm is be I lieved to have passed near Co lumbia and moved northward to ward the Elizabeth City area. : miles an hour, were reported lo cally, reports declaring that the | blow was stronger and the damage more extensive to the southeast. Power company repair forces, ! supplemented by engineers and workers from other department;,, .worked around the clock repair ing lines and restoring service in various parts of this and Wash ington and Tyrell Counties. Several store front awnings were damaged on the main street here. « The huiucane last week which did heavy crop damage did only minor damages of the kind that brings applications to Red Cross stated Mr. Asa Crawford, chair man Martin County Chapter American Red Cross. However I the chapter stood ready to help il I needed. • Red Cross is chartered by Con gress to meet needs caused or ag gravated bv natural disasters which families cannot meet through their own resources Prop losses do not fall into the category of Red Cross since gov ernment agencies take on this re sponsibility. SCHOOL FOR VETS Special farm training for all Korean war veterans will be offered in the Williamston High School, beginning in October, i-t was announced this week by Charles Hawley, teacher of agriculture, and Henry Winslow, instructor. The school will be adjusted to meet the requirements of all veterans in this immediate area, making it unnecessary for them to go long distances for the special training, it was explained. Veterans interested in the program are directed to con tact either Mr. Hawley or Mr. Winslow, 210 North Smith wick Street, Williamston, without delay. Vital Statistics In Martin County For Year Oi 1952 —»— Records Show 808 Births And 246 Deaths Dur ing The Period According to certified records on file in the Martin County Register of Deeds office there were 808 births and 246 deaths in this county last year. While no new record is established, the number of births hold to figure slightly above normal while the death count maintains a slight downward trend. The number of births among the colored population showed what is believed the greatest propor tionate gain 479 colored births and 328 white births, a difference of 151. Most of the advantage held by the colored is traceable to il legitimate births, the records showing that there were 88 such births among the colored popu lation in the county last year. The records also show that there were three illegitimate births among the white population. For the first time in a number of years, one Indian birth was included in the records in this county. Illegitimacy among the colored population was aggravated by prolificacy. One mother bore her fifth illegitimate child at the age of 18 years, according to the re cords. Another had her sixth il legitimate child last year at the age of 24 Then there was a 16 year-old mother who had her sec ond illegitimate c-hild last year. A record is believed to have been set by a 33-year-old unwed moth er who gave birth to her 15th child in 1952. A 20-year-old moth er had her seventh illegitimate child in 1952, and a 35-year-old mother was -credited with. - hoc ninthe illegitimate child during the period. Tire records show that 424 of the 808 births took place in hos pitals. The remaining 384 were born in homes, 186 of the little tots having been greeted upon their arrival by midwives. A complete study of names was not made, but several stood out (Continued From Page Six) Dies Iu Hospital Mr- Mary Barfield Edmond sun, a resident of this county died in a Raleigh hospital last Satur day night following a long period of declining health. The daughter of the late Ephraim and Pattie Vick Barfield, she was born in Edgecombe County 87 years age on Fezbruary 10, 1866, and spent her early life there. She was married three times, first to Jesse Haddock. Following his death she was married to An drew Cherry and her third mar riage was to Thomas Edmondson who died in 1933. She had been a patient in the hospital since 1951 making her home prior to that time in the Hassell community for a number of years and near Wil liamston. She is survived by a niece, Mrs. Fannie Knox, of H^ - sell. A devoted member of Riddick'* Grove Baptist Church, she wai held in high esteem by all wh< knew her. The funeral was con ducted in the chfirch there Mon day afternoon at 2:00 o’clock by the pastor, the Rev. W. B Har rington. Interment was in the Hardison Cemetery in Williams Township. -,-,— To Offer Driver Education Course For the first time students will be able to take Driver Education at- the Williarriston High School next term. Requirements for re gistration for the course are the student must be 15 years old or older on or before March 1, 1953 and the student must not have already past the state drivers test. The course will carry one-half ifh it of credit Students interested in signing up for the course will indicate their interest by calling or writing Mr. B. G. Stewart, principal. Telephone 2051, Mrs. Eva Gardner j Died Saturday At Jamesville Home —•— [Funeral Service Conducted At Home Monday Afternoon —<*. Mrs. Eva Modlin Gardner, high ly respected citizen of Jamesville Township died at her home there last Saturday afternoon at 2:00 o’clock. She had been in declin ing health for almost three years, undergoing hospital treatment at intervals during that period. Her condition was critical for several months. The daughter of Horton Modlin and the late Etta Ange Modlin, she was born near Jamesville 41 years ago and lived in that com munity all her life, engaging in community activities and lend ing a willing suppm t to the Cedar Branch Baptist Church where she held membership for a number of years. In early womanhood she was married to Willie Mayo Gardner and continued to make he. home i in the Jamesville community. Surviving besides Mr. Gardner and her father, are two sons, Wil lie Modlin of Jamesville and Floyd Stancill, U. S. Army sta tioned at Ft. Eustis, Virginia; a sister, Mrs. Joe A. Hardison of Jamesville; and six brothers, Wendell, Arnold and Arthur Mod lin, all of Jamesville, Willie and Dennis Modlin, both of near Wil liamston, and Rexie Modlin of Plymouth. Funeral services were conduct ed at the home Monday afternoon at 4:00 o’clock by her pastor, the Rev. W. B. Harrington, assisted by the Rev. Curtis Farmer of Au lander. Interment was in the Mod lin family cemetery near the home. Leaf Prices On . Georgia Markets Demand eased and prices were ! lower last week on the Georgia j Florida flue-cured tobacco mar I kets reports the U S. Department of Agriculture. Quality of offer ings was the lowest of the sea son. Volume dropped considerably a^nLjh^en^ryirktds^ctrrja^^M^K; j Metter, Statesboro, Tit%on and ; Vidalia, Georgia will open for sales Monday. Tilton is scheduled J to close August 19. i Gross sales for the week end ing August 14 totaled 20,425,00ft pounds and averaged $40.34 per hundred. Volume dropped about 26 and one-fourth million pounds. The average was $5,111 below the previous week and the lowest of the year Sales for the season were brought to 105,835,898 pounds for |an average of $51.32. Gross re turns reached an all-time high of $95,379,067 surpassing the pre I vious record of $88.9 million set for sales of the 1951 crop. Average prices were from $1.00 I to $4.00 per hundred lower for morn than 75 percent of the grades. Most losses amounted to $1.00 and $2.00. A few green non descript grades were slightly i higher. | Larger proportions of poor and low quality / af and nondescript ' were marketed. These offerings 1 made up nearly 60 percent of sales followed by lair leaf and . lugs. Deliveries (■> the Stabilization Corporation under Government loan for .the week were around 1.5 percent of gross sales. Season receipts represent about 2.9 perl cent. Final sales were held during the week in Goergia at Adel, Bax ley, Blackshear, Douglas, Fitz gerald, Hahira, Hazelhurst, Moul trie, Nashville, Pelham, Quitman, Sylvester Valdosta and Way cross. Florida markets at High Springs, Jasper, Lake City and Live Oak also closed. The U. S. Crop Reporting Board estimated production of Gecrgia florida tobacco for 1953 as of Au gust 1 to be 155,122,000 pounds— up around 5 million from July 1 Total flue-cured production was indicated to be 1.270.282.000 pounds or 50 million less than a month earlier. Encouraged by Georgia and and Border market reports, Mar tin County farmers an looking forward to a good season. Long-Range Farm Program Is Proposed In Martin County Building, Sets New Record Here During The Past Year Building construction broke all records here last year, according to a report released by Building Inspector G. P. Hall. While the figures are now absolutely ac curate, they reasonably reflect the building trend. Construction costs added up to $687,025 last year as compared with $546,450 in 1951. The re cords show that more money was spent for construction in 1952 than in any other year on record. Commercial construction reach ed a new high peak—$340,300 last year when thirteen new commer cial buildings were constructed. At the same time, home unit con struction about held to the 1951 figure of 44 homes, but the home construction costs last year were about $22,000 under the $346,700 figure for 1951. Home construction, both in Buyers are Named For Local Market —-^ With several changes in the personnel, Wi](iamston’s tobac co market is assured one of the best corps of buyers ever seen in operation here. Several of the old buyers, in cluding Messrs. Mack Lamb for the American, Roger Dillion for Reynolds, Alec Jones for J. P. Taylor Company, Joel Muse for Export, Jesse James for the W. I. Skinner firm, have already re ported for work. Mr. James will also handle the Washington To bacco Company accounts in the absence of Mr Arthur Beale who is recovering from a heart attack Mr. Beale was on the market here for a number of years and made many friends during his stay. Mr. Bell, a Kentuckian, is suc ceeding Don Case for the Leg gett-Myers Company. Mr Bell was on the Tarboro market last year. Mr. Case is being transfer!' ivir. mu r y J allies, jr , ol Green - ville will represent the Imperial, and there will be several other buyers who will represnt various independent companies on the lo cal market. Reports from “tobacco town” say the market, with the strong corps of buyers, faces what prom ises to be one in its history. of the best seasons Market Caravan Well Received —*— The annual caravan, sponsored by the Williamston Boosters in the interest of the local tobacco market, was well received throughout the county last Fri day, and all seemed to have en joyed themselves. Described as the most success ful in several years, the caravan was greeted by sizable crowds at nearly all the stops on the schedule, and friendliness was evident at every place. Those who had traveled with the caravan for several years, declared it was a pleasure to run the route last Friday, explaining that the peo ple in every town and community were most cordial, and seemed to enjoy the brief programs and favors. The high school band scored one hit after another, and Ed Grady, executive secretary of the Boosters, and Vernon Bunting, the market’s new sales supervis or, made timely and brief talks, and the 30-vchidc caravan mov ed along to the next stop Urbin Rogers and Blue Manning declar ed it was an eventful day all right. Rational (inanl Unit I\uu lloliling Sum in rr Training Battery C. 150th AAA Bt, pull ed out of here on its own coney a rices late last Saturday for Camp Stewart,Georgia. They met other units at Wilmington and formed a convoy from thereon to Georgia. number and cost, reached its peak here in 1950 when 82 news homes were built at a cost of $383,600. Last year the 44 new homes cost approximately $324,825 00, accord ing to the budding inspector’s re cords. During the past five years, 260 new homes have been built in side the town limits at a costs of $1,435,925. During that same per iod, 63 new commercial build ings were constructed at a cost of $1,037,550. No figures are available, but it is estimated that more than 100 new homes have been built dur ing the past five years just out side the town limits, including the West End and North Haugh ton areas. Yet, there is still a demand for homes and more homes. | SCHEDULE | v* The local tobacco market will launch the 1953 market ing season at 9:00 o'clock Thursday morning and recess at 12.00 o’clock noon for lunch. Resuming sales at 1:00 o'clock the market will run until 3:30 o'clock or until 2, 200 piles are sold. A maxi mum weight of 300 pounds is allowed for each pile. Summer Concert j Given By Band< — Presenting its annual summer | concert, scheduled tor the ball I park but forced by bad weather ^ to move into the high school audi-, torium, the “Summer Rand” of of Williamston High School last Thursday evening drew many en thusiastic supporters through high winds and heavy rains and ! rewarded them with an excellent Director Jack Butler and hisl 'young musicians were natuarllyj disappointed that the hurricane should upset their plans but pro ceeded with the program because so many other things remain to be done that postponement of the concert was not practical. Tile summer concert is always presented by the regular band members, a few newcomers, some graduate members and this sum mer was further enlarged by sev eral Windsor musicians and one graduate of the Washington band who worked out with the group here this summer. In addition to the scheduled program of marches, novelties, overtures, waltz medley and a de scriptive patrol, three extra num bers were presented including a halftone solo featuring Turner Manning and the Billboard March featuring the twirling of Jackie Harris, head majorette at Wake Forest College The Green Wave majorette corps was also present ed m a twirling number. The audience was enthusiastic in its reception of the concert and .those attending expressed disap pointment that it could not have been heard by all those who us ually come from all over the area to enjoy the band music The annual picnic for the band anrl band parents will be held in the ball park this afternoon at b:30 o’clock. A wire table has al ready been stretched for the food. Robbers Entered Bus Station Here —— Forcing a side door, robbers entered the make shift bus sta lion on Washington Street here during Sunday night or early Monday morning. Investigating the ease. Chief John Roebuck said that a ham mer, pair of pliers, $1.25 in change and a small electric fan were missing from the station. No lead has been established in the case up until this morning. Heeling Held In Courthouse Last Friday Evening —«— Proposals Advanced l*v the Agmcien Are Well Received Meeting with laymen and oth ;r interested citizens from all Darts of the county, agricultural eaders in the county courthouse ast Friday evening outlined an iver-all long-range improvement >r go-forward plan for Martin bounty. Offered in the form of i challenge, the program was ac ■epted, not with any idea of ac complishing all 'the objectives Dver night but with full deter mination to fix a goal for this ,'ounty and its people and get busy and work to put theories into practice. Briefly stated, Martin Coun t's shortcomings were aired in i constructive way and then sug gestions were offered in the hope hat all the people will join in i movement to push the county oward the top of the group of Diogressive counties. Presiding over the meeting, James C. Eubanks of the Farmers Home Administration and chair man of the council committee, olio fly outlined the challenge bo ng flung at the people of this L-ounty. Various phases of the economy in this county were dis cussed, the leaders frankly point ing out that while Martin is mak ing progress there is still much to be done. T. B. Brandon, county agent, discussed cash crops and credit. He went on to explain farm prac tices and cited the need for impro mg those practices. The home food supply was re viewed by Miss Kuby Lee Spenc er, assistant home agent. Miss Spencer stressed the need for maintaining an adequate food supply right here at horn , ex plaining that East Germans wore mg armaments. She also stressed the need for balanced diets Mrs. Alma English Smith, home economics teacher in the Oak City schools, bin fly reviewed the inadequate proginm surrounding community activities, and out lined plans for promoting more active community' life in all parts of the county. Howard McKnight, soil con servationist, reviewed some of the work that had been done to save the county’s soils and for ests, and outlined plans for in creasing the tempo of the work. In the absence of Chairman V. B. Hairr, Negro Agent R. M. Edwards offered a graphic pic ture of the feed crops in the coun ty. J. H. Dixon, vocational teacher in the Robersonville High School, took over in the absence of As sistant Agent D. W. Brady and discussed the livestock picture in the county. Stressing the need for. farm home improvement and expanded utility services, Mrs. Elizabeth P. Harrison displayed some of the work already accomplished and pleaded for a rapid expansion of tile program. it was pointed out that Mar lin County is producing only four (Continued on Page Six) SK< iOM) The 3.(if) inches of rain that fell in this immediate section last Thursday and early Fri day morning lacked less than one-half inch setting an all lime record. On April 8, 1938, 4.13 inches fell when one cloud-burst followed an other during a 13-hour period. On June 35, 1945, exactly 3.68 inches fell, the last week rain equalling it, according to Bridgekeeper Hugh Spruill at the river here. Historical Story Of County Appears In Edition Today —♦— Church History and Many Other Interesting Hap penings Noted The Enterprise, in its annual tobacco market edition today of fers quite a few interesting stories surrounding the early history as it relates to the Primitive Bap tist Church, other institutions and happenings in general. Reporters spent days reviewing various histories and reading old newspapers in the State and Uni versity of North Carolina libraries at Raleigh and Chapel Hill. All available minutes of the Prim itive Baptist churches at Ske warkey and Jamesville, graci ously lent by Messrs. J. D. Bowen and Luther Hardison, were care fully studied and fitted into stories along with accounts taken from Hassell’s and Biggs’ his tories. > The stories, unfortunately, are not grouped but appear in various parts of the edition along with others of various meaning and in terest/ In one section there appears a story of the Skewarkey Church membership as it was uncovered from 1867 down to the present time. Rains and famine did not stop the Primitive Baptists in the 1840’s, according to another story. Then there's a story of the first fatal train accident in the county. Accounts of weddings dating back more than sixty years and other events not previously reported in Martin County pap ers, appear in the edition today There's a story about ear-of corn prophecy, and another about Senator Matt Ransom speaking in the county 63 years ago, this October Yes. there were law vio lations back in the old days, and i a few of them, copied from old papeis published in nearby towns, are recorded in the paper today. An unusual leal estate is re called in another story, and Hamilton is well represented in i the old papers as a center of hap penings in the old days. Martin County Democrats, sup porters of Wm. J. Bryan, took a stand for silver coinage in 1896, I according to another story pub ; Progress June 2, 1896. Another , story tolls about a Martin County I man going crazy in Philadelphia, land there are interesting reports j on fishing back m the old days. A real hunting story appears I in section three of the paper to I day One hunt' r bagged thirteen I deer and thirty-seven turkeys, ac cording to the old story. Yes, they played ball back in j 1890, a story stating that the Roanoke Club of Williamston gave up in the sixth inning while play ing Washington. Business was not very brisk in the county back in 1889, accord ing to another story. Other ac counts tell about a noted educa tor conducting an institute in the (Continued on Page Six) Minor Accidents During Week-end No one was injured and pro perty damage was held to less than $500 in two minor street and load accidents in this county during the past few days, e Driving a 1941 Chevrolet, Cy rus Delbert Pierce, 18 of Lee Hall, Virginia, started to turn into Les ter Bland's driveway on the Price Mill road just as Thomas Russell Whitehurst of RFD 2, Roberson vilie, started to pass in his 19-18 Dodge. The cars collided, causing about $40 damage to the Chevro let and about $25 to the Dodge. The accident, investigated by a member of the Highway Patrol, took place about 6:00 o’clock last Friday evening. Driving ir/to Williamston on Highway 17 near Peeke’s black smith shop, James Robt. Gurganus slowed or stopped his 1952 Ponti ac for another car to make a turn and his car was struck from the rear by a gas truck driven by Win. G. Arnold. No one was in jured. Officer Chas. More, mak ing the investigation, estimated the damage to the truck at $250 and that to the car at $100.
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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Aug. 18, 1953, edition 1
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