Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / Jan. 5, 1954, edition 1 / Page 1
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'-.'■»* v i/V'"' 7 t t m KNTERPUSI IS jREAD BY QVER 3,NO MARTIN COUNTY AMI LIES TWICE EACH WEEK 4L THE ENTERPRISE swet THE ENTERPRISE IS BEAU OVER 3,000 MARTIN CO UN FAMILIES TWICE EACH 3E VOLUME LVH—NUMBER 1 tfilliamtlon, Merlin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, January 5, 1954 ESTABLISHED 1895 Comity Board In But Little Results Are To Be Expected j Holding their first meeting of j the new calendar year, the Mar- j tin Comity Board of Commission- j ers leisurely handled routine busi- j ness and listened to requests for more and better roads. Supported by lengthy petitions, the road requests included one for an addition to the system in ^,the island section of Williams Township. It was pointed out that a new link would connect present roads, serve several families now virtually isolated and shorten the ' travel distance for others. f Another request calls for the s> State to work the road in Wil- j >. liamston Township from Eli Brown’s store to the Ulysses Brown home, a distance of about four:tenths of a mile. Four fami lies live on the route. The State is also being asked to work the Hoyt Lilley road in Griffins Township as a communi ty project. The road is about four tenths of a mile long Another petition asked for the widening and stabilizing of two miles of road in Jamesville Town ship, beginning at the residence of Mrs. Ada Brown and running to Rattler’s Bridge on the Fairview road. Goose Nest citizens asked for an improved road running from Green's Fork to Edmondson’s Fork, a distance of 1.5 miles, and from Edmondson’s Fork to Tew’s siding, a distance of 1.1 miles. The requests were heard and are being passed on to the State Highway Commission. Few re sults are expected from the peti tions, since little work is being done on rural roads at this time. The county division for dog vac cinations was slightly altered. J|ive townships, Jamesville, Wil liams, Griffins, Bear Grass and Williams ton, were assigned to Dr R A Peele, and the five town ships of Cross Roads, Robersop ville, Poplar Point, Hamilton and Goose Nest, were assigned to Dr. W. F. Coppage. The vaccinations re to get underway earlier this ear than in past seasons, it was explained. Tax collector M. L. Peel stated that $323,138.00 of the $408,077.83 levy for 1953 had been collected, leaving a balance of $84,939.03 The collector explained that up to the first of this month, 4,236 ^property owners had paid their taxes. A year ago, 3,846 iiad squared away their 1952 accounts. The 1953 collections were running (Continued on Page Eight) Mrs. Ida Council Dies In Hospital Mrs. Ida Council of Oak City died in a Raleigh hospital at 1:45 o'clock Monday morning follow ing a long period of declining fcalth. Her condition had been cal for several months, lie daughter of the late James Smond and Gatsie Council, she fcs ?>>rn vn. .Edgecombe County i years ago. When about 15 years age she moved to this county and was married to T. Hardy Council who died a few years ago. Funeral services are being con rleiucted in a Scotland Neck iUlleTai *omc Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 o'clock by the Rev. W. C. Medlin, pastor of the Oak City Baptist Church. Interment will be in the Oak City Cemetery. Surviving are a son, James Har dy Council, of Oak City; two bro thers, J. F. Council of Oak City, arid H. W. Council dj"Ndiioia,'ancf two grandchildren. c NOISY WELCOME J The New Year was accord ed a noisy welcome in this section, but there were no ac cidents to mar the first day of 1954. A few hells were heard but the whistle cords were slack, leaving the merrymakers to frighten the life out of the 1954 tot with automobile horns. Justice C. B. Riddick was again at the bell rope in the Everetts Baptist Church, ring ing out the old and ringing in the new, a task he has handled for about a quarter century. S umerous Accidents f.-TmiHssltW f, v__/ i With a prepared survey ready for study, Williamston’s recently appointed zoning commission is tentatively scheduled to hold its first of ficial meeting tomorrow even ing at 8:00 o'clock in the courthouse, it was learned to day. The commission, the first of its kind ever to function in the town, will study the sur vey and report to the officials. Members of the commission are, Mrs. Edna Bondurant and Messrs. Walter Martin, W. B. Gaylord, J. H. Gurgan us, and G. P. Hall. Hamilton Resident Dies In Hospital —*— Mrs. Susan Bishop Douglas, a resident of Hamilton for the past four years, died in a Williamston hospital Saturday night at 11:30 o’clock. She had been in declin ing health for some time and cri tically ill during the past seven weeks which she spent in the hos pital, suffering with a heart con dition. Mrs. Douglas was born in Meck lenburg County, Virginia 68 years ago on October 5, 1885. After mak ing her home in Norfolk most of her life, she located in Hamilton four years ago, making her home with Miss Maggie Bell Jones. Her husband, the late Captain Smith Douglas, captained steamers up the Roanoke years ago for a long period and during that time she made and visited friends in Hamil ton. A few years following the death of her husband, Mrs. Doug las chose to locate with friends in Hamilton. She Was a daughter of the late Charles and Emma Calia iiai. Bishop. Brief funeral services were con- \ ducted in the Biggs Funeral Home j Sunday afternoon at 2.30 o’clock, and the body was removed to the I Graham Funeral flume in Soutii Norfolk where the last rites were conducted Monday morning. In terment was in Riversifle Ceme tery in the Virginia city. Surviving arc five sisters, Mrs. Virginia B. Elliott and Mrs. Anna B. Ward, both of Norfolk, Mrs. Louise B. Watson of South Hill, Va., and Mrs. Lottie B. Belote and Mrs. Elmer Futeh of Clermont, Florida; a brother, Charles H. i Bishop, of Washington, D. C. Husband Shot And Critically Hurl -H» Mistaken for a - burglar, Joe Peele, respected blacksmith, was j shot and critically wounded by his wife at their home here 4o.n Washington Street early last J Saturday morning. Struck in the I side with a pistol bullet, the 85- j year-old smithy, continues dang- j ereuslv ill in Tht Peeles had heard prowlers around their home on several oc casions, and .sometime after Fri day midnight, Peele, hearing the noise again, slipped quietly to the w wiiiiw airti a'<cafchift-tfewwfrtah; when his wife heard him. She j thought a burglar was raising the j window, and quickly she snatched the pistol and fired the weapon. Fire Call On Last -jfey Of The Year ——<§> Starting when an oil cook range went out of control, fire did con siderable damage to the Peewee Rascoe home on West Church Street her last Thursday morning at 11:30 o’clock. In addition to the fire damage, much of the furni ture was battered and broken when neighbors started moving it out ahead of the fire. Most of the kitchen was burned and smoke filled the house, owned by Walter Johnson. Using a water hose, members of the family and neighbors had the fire under control when members of the fire department reached there. The call was the last one receiv ed by the local department in the old year. Dylil PtlTwwfcT Injured In Eight County Accidents —♦— Property Loss First Three Days of New Year Adds Up To $4,600.00 -- There is some uncertainty about the future of regillar business, but the highway motor vehicle wreck ing business was off to a flying start in this county during the first three days of the New Year. And if the record is maintained,, the ghastly business in 1954 will top the figures for all other years. A preliminary report released by the North Carolina State High way Patrol office and the police department places the number of accidents during the first three days of the year at eight. Eight persons were injured but none was killed. The property loss was conservatively estimated at $4, 600 No accidents were reported on the first, but less than three hours had passed on the second before James Henry Wiggins, colored of HFD 2, Williamston, broke into the record. Driving toward High way 17 from Bear Grass at 2:40 o’ clock Saturday morning, Wiggins lost control of his 1949 Ford on the curve at Back Swamp Church, causing about $500 damage but escaping uninjured. The .car struck a yard wall and came to a stop after striking a pine tree. Apparently speeding toward Cross Roads on the Bear Grass road late Saturday afternoon, Hil ton Davis Leggett lost control of his 1953 Dodge in a curve. The investigating patrolman said the car skidded about 150 feet and turned over twice before coming to a stop in a ditch. The report said the young man was not hurt, but damage to the car was esti mated at $1,200. About 7.00 o’clock Saturday evening, John A. Manning of Wil liamston was driving west on Ray Street when he "blacked out” and his car continued across Watts Street, coming to a stop in a ditch after completing a half, somer sault. The driver suffered minor lacerations and painful bruises, but he was not badly hurt, police said. Considerable difficulty was encountered in freeing the victim from his car, a 1951 DeSutu. Of ficers estimated the damage to the car at about $1,000. Blinded by the lights of an ap proaching car, A1 Gene Mills of Oak City lost control of his 1953 Plymouth and ditched it on the McCaskey Road in West End about 1:00 o'clock Sunday morn ing. J. D. Wynne, Jr., riding with Mills, suffered a minor mouth in jury! Damage to the car was esti mated at $400. Sunday afternoon at 12:15 o’ clock, Jesse Baker, colored of Oak City, was driving his 1942 Olds mobile out of his driveway and crashed into the side of a 19al Chevrolet being driven by Clay ton Harris, colored of Roberson ville. No one was hurt and dam age to each vehicle Was estimated at ..-.vammv.-.. ~ Preston Howell, explaining his power brakes failed, overran an intersection on the Gold Point Huskinaw Swamp road at 2:10 o’ clock Sunday afternoon, and $200 (Continued on Page Eight) Little Accident Victim Improving —«— Suffering fractures of both legs just above the ankles in a trac tor accident, Walter Ward Whi taker, five years old, was report ed this week to be getting along well at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Whitaker, Sr., in Bear Grass Township. The lad was riding on the trac tor hitch while his brother was driving the machine. He caught his feet in the spokes, and had it not been for a quick stop, his body would have been pulled into the machine, it was stated. Following a stay of about a week in a local hospital, the little victim was able to return home. I Weather Review | • For FasHSeath ■ lit This Section —*— ►MfiCSPry Drtvps In TW LitsfMoiiSr' " In Several Years While the mercury reached summer time levels a few times, wintry weather prvailed for the most part in this section last month, according to a review re leased by Bridgekeeper Hugh Spruill. Falling to 15 degrees on the 19th, the mercury that day reached its lowest reading re corded in this area during recent years. Despite a heavier-than-usual fall last month, total rain for the year fell 3.51 inches short of nor mal. The Roanoke was tame during the period, reaching a low of 3.2 feet qn December 2 and a high of six feet on the 17th. The weather data, including the river gauge readings, as released by Mr. Spruill for the month of December follows, with the date in the first column, the river range readings in the second column, the maximum temperature read ing in the third, minimum tem perature reading in the fourth and the rainfall in the fifth col umn for each day of the month: Date 1. 1. . 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 1C... 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. River 5.0 3.6 3.2 3.9 4.4 4.6 4.6 4.3 3.8 3.6 4.3 4 4 4.6 3.9 4.4 3.5 . S3 6.0 5.5 4.9 4.6 4.4 3.6 3.6 4.9 5.0 5.0 4.4 3.6 3.6 3.9 5.6 * Indicates Trace H 68 53 53 63 70 75 71 70 67 73 70 61 69 72 70 53 51 47 30 41 54 59 62 59 45 36 53 54 53 55 57 56 of L 36 32 26 23 37 52 41 50 29 43 52 29 44 47 46 35 27 25 16 15 20 31 41 43 29 22 24 24 35 46 52 41 Rain Rain 0 .03 0 0 24 0 14 0 0 .14 0 .77 .15 0 0 0 0 0 0 .15 .05 12 0 .26 0 21 .66 .12 A review of the rainfall for 1953 follows, by months: Above Normal Norm’l 3.15 1953 Rain Jan. 2.46 Below Nerm'l .69 Feb. Mar. Apr. May June 6.89 July 1.29 5.06 2.94 4 02 4.06 Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 4.74 4 32 .51 2.25 5.04 4.00 3.79 3.76 3.87 1 5.07 5.70 5.40 3 32 2.80 2.46 3.78 1.06 .85 .26 .19 1.82 3.41 .66 00 2.29 .21 1.26 43.58 47.09 Assigned To The RevemrrOfflr* Mr. Fred I Walston has been assigned to the North Carolina Department of Revenue office in this i-oLifir^T and ’ac tively entered upon his duties yesterday. A na tive of Tarboro, Deputy Collector Walston was transferred to this county from Waynesville. He has been with the department for al most eleven years, having taught school a number of years before coin? with the division. Mr. Walston, Mrs. Walston and their 6-year-old daughter, Bette, are making their home for the present with his brother, The Rev. Walston, and family. Stolen Money Is Recovered Throe $100 bills, stolen from the Peole and Poole Grocery in Hamil ton last Wednesday, were recov ered in a tobacco tin hidden in a stump holein a woods later that da.\, with the exception of $33 by the alleged rogue’s sister. “Fat" Bonds, 15, is being booked in tiie juvenile court, and his sis ter and her husband were booked for trial in the county court, each under a $400 bond. Schedule Public Hearing On Bus Station Woman Critically jgpiuUd. At '.'Rs^ Rooster" Saturday —<$— Angrlo Highsmith Shot Af ter Refusing to Give John Adams Jr., a Date -<*> Angelo Highsmith, 19-year-old colored girl, was shot and critical-1 ly wounded at t,he “Little Red i Rooster” near Hassell last Satur- j I day night at 10:00 o’clock when j she refused to give John Adams, Jr., 23-year-old colored man, a date. 4 After going through the holi day season without a serious inci dent of any kind, the county list ed the attack among other hap penings, including seven motor vehicle accidents, accidental shooting, thefts and attacks. Accompanied by two other girls, Nellie Highsmith and Nula V. Best, the Highsmith girl got a boy to take her from Bethel to the pic colo joint, a mile or two out’ of Hassell. Adams came there and asked for a date. When she refus ed, the man whipped out a .32 caliber automatic pistol from his shirt, pressed the barrel to her stomach and fired the weapon. The bullet was said to have pierc ed the body without clipping an intestine. Removed to a Green ville hospital by Sherman An drews, the victim was reported this week to be getting along as well as could be expected, that recover could be expected if no complications developed. Adams, thinking he had killed the girl, ran away. Late that night when he learned she was still living, he heeded a call from Sheriff M. W. Holloman to sur f Continued on Page Eight) •--<» Hamilton Officer Victim Of Attack ll.iiiillon Township Conslablii Jas. S. Ayers was attacked and painfully hurt at Hamilton early last Saturday night. Although suf fering an eight-stitch cut near his left ear, the officer, with Officer Maurice Lynch, delivered his at tacker Collins Green, to the coun ty jail following medical treat ment in Dr. Highsmith’s office in Hamilton. Entering J. B. Everett's store in Hamilton, the constable heard an argument, and Green, partly in toxicated declared no one could arrest him. After asking the man to be quiet, the officer started to lead him out of the store. Once outside, Green struck the consta ble over the head with a quart beer bottle. Green arranged a $500 bond and was released trom jail Sunday morning. --%-. Agree To Keep Pink Howie Cloned Here -& A hearing at which the operator was to show cause why her place of business should not be padlock eiT^Jermanently was delayed TiT Nashville before Judge Walter Bone last Thursday when it was reported that the operator had voluntarily agreed nohto open the ylieC' t '■ 1l'-' “Pink House.” However, late yesterday no agreement had been signed, and the fate of the West End business is not certain. THE RECORD SPEAKS . . . Motorists rode out the old year, leaving behind a mixed record, a record showing increased respect j /or limb and property but less] considerate of human life than they were in 1952. Hardly before the old record was closed new entries started appearing in the one for 1954. 1953 1 1 0 $ 1,000 1952 2 0 0 400 1953 235 85 (i $07,840 1952 300 126 > 96,325 A seventh fatality had been chalked up in the 1953 records, but it was later ruled that the cart accident in which a man was fatal ly injured should not be included in the vehicle death count. Ga 11 Fo t~Stmiy~Of~Needs ' Sehod'h*G&CQU ntj&i Th(' Martin County Board of Education in a meeting Monday called for a study by the district committees of the needs in ail the schools. During the meantime, the education board is pushing plans for the construction of a new Negro high school in Rober sonville to replace the one de stroyed by fire in Parmele early last fall. J. W. Griffith was appointed the architect to draft the plans and supervise the construction. A contract, financed from State funds, will be entered into just as soon as possible for the construc tion of the building. A site has been purchased and construction should be under way on the build ing by early spring. Based on | costs for similar projects, the Rooersoriville building will repre sent an outlay of approximately $172,000, it was learned. The several district committees will be asked shortly to make a survey of their respective plants and suggest to the board plans for meeting the school needs. As many as two district committees will be heard by the board in February. The action taken by the board this week is the founda tion for a long-range planning program to be financed partly by State funds and partly by county funds, it was explained. The \ county commissioners a short time ago favored the long-range pro- | gram rather than a county bond issue to modernize and expand the schools m the county. Thieves Run Wild In Martin County X-RAYS 1I Beginning tomorrow, health authorities will renew their efforts to track down and stamp out tuberculosis in Martin County. Mobile X-ray units are to be stationed in various parts of the county until January 23, and every one is invited and urged to take advantage of the free exmaination. Only limited time is bring allowed for the survey and the public is asked to act quickly. i New Ford To Go On Display Here —» ... Tho 1954 Ford passenger curs, to be introduced to the public in Ford dealers’ showrooms all over the nation Wednesday, January (j, will feature the following Ford exclusives in the high volume field: An entirely new 130-h. p. Y block V-8 engine with overhead valves. A new 115-h. p. I-block Mileage Maker Six engine, noted for eco nomy. New ball-joint front suspension which Ford engineers call the greatest advance in front suspen sion in 20 years. The Sky liner—an entirely new hardtop model with tinted, trans parent plastic roof over the driv ing compartment A smart new Ford Sunliner con vertible with an unusual trans parent plastic panel inserted in the top over the front seat to provide overhead visibility. Four new power-operated driving assists: Power brakes, power steering 4-way power seat, Fordomatic transmission. "The two new Ford engines for 1954- the Y-blork V-H and the I block Mileage Maker Six-were de signed expressly to lead their re 's p**cfi v* TiI id.?"aitaa tkoa~itirz. dor development for the past six years,” L. I). Crusoe, vice-presi dent, Ford Motor Company and general manager of Ford Division, said. Final Reports On Crop Drive —»— Filing a final report on the “Crop”—Christian Rural Overseas Program -County Chairman Ma yo Hardison said yesterday that a total of $2,569.56 had been raised for the suffering in distant lands. In addition to the cash eontribu-! lions, much clothing was donated for distribution overseas. A review of the contributions as, released by Chairman Hardison follows, by districts: Goose Nest, $235.50; Hamilton, 272.17; Williams, 170.00; Cross Roads, 171.10; Poplar Point, 157.25; Jamesville, 102.62; Bear Grass, 221.Op; Griffins, 303.45; Rober sonvilie, 486.70; Williamston, 415. 19; Macedonia Church, 3-1.38. Al Least Eight Larceny Cases In Recent Days —<♦— Sfiveral of tin* Thefts Were Solved By Officers During Week-end -,*>— Thieves and rogues were report ed running wild in this county during the past few days and Sheriff M. W Holloman and de puties have been working night and day tu turn back the sudden I crime wave Other activities on the crime front have aggravated J the situation, but the shei iff said today that several of the eases had been solved and that he and Ins deputies were working on leads in others. Up until late Monday afternoon at least eight break-ins and lar ceny eases had been reported in the county in a mattei of a few 1 days, The count did not include a few petty larceny cases, it was said. Gainer Edwards, Augustus Chance and James Lawrence were tried in the county court this week for the larceny of three bags of peanuts from Farmer Floyd Whit field on the Poplar Point-Haniil ton road last week. Charged along with William Henry Williams and Gainin' Ed wards with the theft of twenty one hags of soybeans from County Commissioner Henry S. Johnson near Hamilton recently, Charlie Dick Brown and William Outlaw, Jr., were ready for a preliminary hearing Monday, but the other de fendants and witnesses were not present and the cases were con tinued. The thieves were said to have removed the glass from the paekhouse windows and passed the beans r.u*. Officers in the (ah cascS1!iIR. ed the markets and found where the peanuts and beans had been sold Learning the name of the seller, they made the arrests last 'TcderAkhieo' nriTittgV“e72VW*‘1','v'' Test Case Looms In Insurance Law —#.— What might develop into a test, case ni tlii. State a' hew responsi bility insurance law centers around an accident reported on the highways in this county last Sunday afternoon. Responsibility has not been de termined, but a hearing in the case is tentatively scheduled for the 16th of this month in a jus tice of the peace court. One of the drivers was aid to I have carried no insurance, the re port sta'ing that she planned l<> take out insurance on her 1954 model car this week. If she is held responsible and can’t pay {he damages, she is subject to lose her driver’s license under the pro visions of the new responsibility insurance law, A charge of following too close ly is pending against one of the drivers, it was learned. Pawn Board Held Regular tweeting Here Last Nighi ——» Rumors About Members Of Police Department Are RnleJ in foil iid c<l After stating its position before neetings of the local governing jody and the orth Carolina Utili ses Commission in Raleigh, op josition to the location of a bus erminal back of the George Reynolds Hotel on South Smith ,vick Street is being called upon 0 state its stand again. This time, 1 public hearing is to be held in he county courthouse next Mon iay evening at 8:00 o'clock. At hat hour the opposition will be iiven an opportunity to advance >r withdraw its objections. The learing is being requested by at torneys reportedly representing the bus companies who point out that certain changes will be con sidered. No vote was taken at the meet ing last night when the local town commissioners discussed the mat ter in regular session. However, it was pointed out that the physi cal conditions had not changed, but at least one member of the board favored the location and others agreed that it would be fair to the bus companies to hold the public hearing. While all the argument centers on a site, condemnation is center ing on the present bus terminal facilities, and it has been declar ed that the town will not live down in two generations the mis erable shortcomings that have marked bus operations at this point for years Several applications for taxi li censes were received and reject ed. A 45-foot 'strip was offered to the town for extending West Mam Street from Roberson Street to the canal. The offer was con ditionally accepted, the doiiiVfs to present then otter with proven deeds of transfer. The town, it will be remembeier, only recent ly was called upon to pay for a stivcv that ns deeded to it and later found to be a "double-deck er”. In short, when property own ers had their claims satisfied the claims extended into the street. Requests made for sewer line extensions are to be met when possible. Town Treasurer C. M. Cobb re ported that there was a cash bal ance of $80,523.08 on hand, includ ing $4,304.74 in the sewer rental fund and $13,905.88 in the strcc; fund He also reported that $70, 410.29 had been collected in 1953 luxes, and that the income from -ewer rentals last month amount 'd to $913.50. Parking meter re venue was listed at $641.50. Rumors circulating around two members of the police department were ruled out us being unfound i (I All kinds of reports have been •ireulated, but the sources could lot be determined, and the offic es were given a hearing at the meeting last night, and they an (Continued on page eight) --• Recovering From Severe Burns i. i iiiidM i okn.< tiwi/Ui nd back and .u ins. Mis.- Norma Faye Bailey, Hi, of Bear Grass, was re ported improving in a loeal hos pital yesterday. She has been a patient in the hospital for about three weeks. Miss Bailey was standing near a i.- .trt when her lottor? fire, it was reported. I ROUND-UP J - There was a fairly definite trend toward larceny as the old year went out and the new one came in, according to a report coming from the sher iffs office in this county. Ten persons were arrested and jailed last week-end, five of them for alleged larceny. Two were booked for drunken driving and one each for pub lic drunkenness, disorderly conduct and an assault with a deadly weapon. Two of the ten were white and the ages ranged from 19 to 40 years.
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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Jan. 5, 1954, edition 1
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