tttEESifRPEisfBT®®^- •
» OVER 3.W)0 MARTIN COUNTY
FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK
.—
THE vxngpktsns Ht-TuOl'
OVER 1000 MARTEN COUNT?
FAMILIES TW’K'f.SACH WES*.
;-r==
ESTABLISHED l89v
VOLUME LVII—NUMBER 37
Williamston, Marlin County, ISorth Carolina. Tuesday, May 11, 1954
I
Propaganda Rilled
, Out In Race For
District Solicitor
Elbert S. Peel Says Marlin
Has Hail No District
Post In 56 Years
-&—
A short time ago Elbert S. Peel,
candidate to succeed himself as
solicitor of the Second Judicial
District, said that Martin County
had had no elective office above
p State legislative rank in 56 years.
Peel’s opponent charged that it
was nothing but propaganda
A few days ago Peel made the
following reply, in part:
In Saturday’s News & Observer
there was a news item from my
opponent charging me with using
“Misleading Propaganda". I do
not now and will not in the future
make any charges against my op
ponent. He is a fine man and 1
consider him a friend and grant
to him the right to dir anything
he wishes to get the office.
Lets examine the facts. I said
that I had spent my political life
time working for line, obtstand
ing Nash County citizens for of
fice and hoped that Nash County
voters would remember that on
May 29th. That is true and I still
say it with all the emphasis I
can.
I said that this was the first
time the voters of this district
have had a chance to vote for a
Martin County man since 1898 or
for 56 years. This is true, and I
say it again. t
My opponent £oes back beyond
the Civil War and brings up the
Honorable Asa Biggs who \*as a
Congressman, Senator and Fed
»ral and Lonieiierate judge Asa
Biggs was one of North Carolina’s
Great, but he held no office after
the last gun was silenced at Ap
pomatox.
He referred to the Martins. The
Martin family has for 90 years
been one of the leading Republi
can families of North Carolina.
|p Two of them were solicitors from
1868 to 1878 and 1896 to 1898. The
grandfather was Congressman,
the father was Collector of In
ternal Revenue and the son was
Refeiee in Bankruptcy.
Hv■ ob-vy-H ’ Clayton Moore
Clayton Moore was an outstand
9 inp North Carolinian- and wef
His office was appointive and he
was not elected by the people.
But, I am talking about the
20th Century and the present.
Since 1898 and for 56 years Mar
, tin County has held no elective
- uffice above State Legislature
9 level.
I said that Now—Right this
tfiinute—Nash County has three
elective officers, Congressman,
Supreme Court Justice and Su
perior Court Judge..Now, serious
ly does it look right to take this
one office from us arid give it to
the county that already has three
offices.
But it is worse than that. My
opponent seems to have missed
the real point of my argument.
Let me explain. The 4th Con
gressional district is comprised of
the counties of Nash, Franklin,
Vance, Johnson, Chatham and
Randolph. From Nashville to the
end of Randolph County is a dist
ance of 128 miles. The 2nd Judicial
District is comprised of the coun
ties of Nash, Wilson, Edgecombe,
Martin and Washington. From
Nashville to the end of Washing
ton County is a distance ol 97
miles. These two Districts stretch
out for 225 miles across the heart
* of North Carolina. These two
districts elect only 3 officers—
Congressman, Judge and Solici
tor. Two of these are now held by
the Town of Nashville, Congress
man and Judge. They arc fine of
ficers, to be sure. But, in all fair
ness is not asking to much to
(Continued cn Page Eight)
p
bik-12
_/
ROUND-UP
V
Law enforcement officers
had a busy time last week
end when fourteen persons
were arrested and temporari
jail. Light were charged with
being drunk and disorderly,
one of the arresting officers
losing his shirt in piaking an
f arrest. Three others were
charged with public drunken
ness, and one each with as
sault, abandonment and vio
lating the liquor laws.
Five of the fourteen w : *e
white, and there were four
young women in the group,
the ages ranging from 18 to
40 years.
Second Fatality Reported
On Highway In Jdounty
The second fatality on the
highways in this county so far
this year was reported early last
Tuesday evening when Sylvester
Stallings. .Tr . ran into the Flat
Swamp road just outside the Rob
ersonville town limits and into
the path of a car driven by Mrs.
Irving Bullock.
His head fractured when it
struck the front right light, the
child was removed to the Rober
sonvjlle clinic; where first aid
was administered. The Roberson
ville Fire Department supplied a
respirator and he was placed in
an ambulance for a trip to Duke
Hospital, Durham. The little vic
tim died about two miles west of
Tarboro, and a doctor at a Tar
boro hospital pronounced him
dead.
The victim, five years old, was
returning from a neighbor's to
his home across the road, accom
panied by Lonray Johnson, eight
years old. The child snatched
away from her, jumped down
about 'h two-foot embankment
and into the path of the Bullock
car which was traveling west.
A member of the Highway pa
trol made the investigation, and
no charges were preferred. How
ever, it was learned that a formal
inquest is being planned by Cor
oner W. W. Biggs.
The little victim’s body was
moved to it: former home in War
saw for the funeral and intern
ment yesterday.
fCANCER DRIVE J
The current cancer drive is
making progress in this im
mediate area, it ifcas report
ed today. Some over S<00 has
been raised and reported to
date, and it is certain that
complete reports will boost
that amount considerably.
Workers are earnestly urg
ed to complete the canvass
and make their reports to
Treasurer I). V. Clayton at
the Guaranty Bank. “W'e
hope to complete the drive
and have all the reports in
by the end of this week,”
the chairmen for Williamston
said today.
No reports have been re
ceived from other areas in
the county on the drive.
Caravan Did Not
Tarry Long Here
-<*>
Alton Lennon’s political cara
van, made up of nine vehicles and
about sixteen people, did not tar-j
rv long here last Saturday morn
ing.
Running about thirty minutes
late, the caravan, finding no as
semblance, traveled through
>5uir: Street, i)tmi W-ishtagton!
and around on Haughton, back
down Mad; on around to
TSafdWPfcR-,- vt spfETBffr*
ton, turning to continue its run
west on t>4. No stop was made,
but a loud speaker shouted the
candidate’s name ami eastern Ca
rolina repeatedly. A few leaflets
were strewn on the streets.
Touring several counties in this
part of the State, the caravan ori
ginated in New Hanover County
Thursday.
Although no arrangements had
been made for a stop, local of
ficials and a few others gathered
at the town hall to extend the
visitors the courtesies of the
town, and the two or three fol
lowers expressed disappointment ;
when the motorcade lolled on by
with only a hand wave.
Mr. Lennon was not with the i
group, and he has made no of
ficial visit to this county during
the current campaign.
Cold Weather
Damages Crop
A prolonged cold snap with the
mercury reading dropping to the
low forties, has damaged crops
in this area. Farmers have been !
busy resetting then tobacco and
much difficulty has been encount
ered in getting good stands. Wire:
worms have staged a meaningful
attack on the young plants. How
ever, only in a few instances have
farmers found it necessary to
transplant an individual crop in
One Jamesville Township farm
er deserted his tobacco field and
the high-cost fertilizers when dis
ease attacked the plants. He mov
ed over to another field, if was
reported.
While it is fairly certain that
fumigation will riot control wire
worms, Farmer Paul Dixon said
yesterday that he believed it
held infestation to a low point on
his farm Quite a few plants
wither and die during cold, windy
days, but the trouble is traceable
to plants bruised when pulled
from the beds or when ‘bey are
transplanted, according to Farmer
Dixon.*
Despite \the weather, worms
and other obstacles, some farm
ers say their crops are growing,
I that cultivation is getting under
way on a fairly large scale
throughout tlic county.
Former Resident
Dies In Hospital
• ——
Mrs Maggie Hodges Stubbs, a j
resident of this county for a
number of years, died in Butner
Hospital, Durham, last Saturday
evening at 6:00 o’clock. Shi1 had
been in feeble health for many
years
The daughter of the late Mark 1
and Martha Staton Hodges, she
was born in Halifax County '
March 28, 1881. Her father died j
when she was quite young and j
her mother brought the family to
this county, locating on the Cher
ry farm near Williamston. On
April 10, 1908, she was married to
Marcel] us Stubbs who died in
1924 After making her home,
near Jamesville a shor t time fol
lowing her marriage, she moved
to Williamston After her hus
band’s death she had lived in this
and Halifax Counties before en
tering the hospital She was a
member of the Methodist church.
Surviving are a son. Jesse
j Stubbs, of Rugersville, Tenn.; a
i daughter, Mrs. J. L. MeG^U, uf
Raleigh; one step-son, Walter
Stubbs, of Richmond; two step
i daughters, Mrs George W Spra
gue. Jr., of Cleveland, Ohio, and
Mi - J J, Gardner of Marries
,field arid four .(>.>andchildrcn
The last rites arc being con
ducted in the Biggs Funeral Cha
Js't- .. r‘ ’, -
clock by the Rev. R. E. Walston,
pastor of the local Methodist
Church assisted by the Rev. J.
Don Skinner, Presbyterian minis
ter. Interment will be in the
family plot in the Skewai key
Church Cemetery.
Peak Reached In
Jobless Beneiiis
Washington.—The Labor De
partment has reported the states j
paid out a record 553 million dol
lars m unemployment compen
sation benefits during the first
quarter of this year.
It was the largest amount spent
on jobless workers in any previ
ous three-month period. However,
the compensation fund credited to.
the states in the federal treasury
on April 1 totaled $8,627,500,000
During the first quarter of this
year $552,950,329 was spent in
payments to an average weekly
number of 1,807,000 unemployed.
The average payment was $24.65.
Some states paying more, some
less. '
This compared with the pre
vious quarterly high for the first
three months in 1950 when a total
of $540,861,000 was paid to an
average weekly number of 2,016,
000 beneficiaries. The average
weekly payment then, however,
was $21.02
Total unemployment has been
. -.... 'rpT'h.jr "mao' ,i: v vvaV
in 1950, but the states have in
creased the amount and duration
of payments since- then. About 30
million out of the approximately
60 million workers are covered by
the jobles insurance program.
Much Interest
In Little League
Interest in the Little Baseball
League here continues to mount,
the public having turned out
more than 400 strong foi a bar
becue supper in the Farmers
Warehouse last Friday evening.
Local people and firms donated
pigs and ingredients and the mo
thers prepared and helped served
the meal. Movies were shown,
■ and the event was a big success
Burns Are Fatal
For Little Girl
In Duke Hospital
Funeral Service Hel«l Fur
Mary Palsy Roberson
Saturday Afternoon
Mary Patsy Roberson, seven
years, old, died in Duke Hospital
Durham, last Thursday noon of
burns received in an accident at
the home of her grandparents.
Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Holliday, near
Williamston on Easter Monday,
April IS). The little girl, apologiz
ing for the accident, valiantly |
fought for life for seventeen days, |
suffering intensely from third
degree burns that covered much
of her body.
^Accompanied by her mother,
sister and brother, she came, to
the county from Newport News
to spend Easter with her grand
parents about four miles from
here on the Prison Camp road.
They were making ready to re
turn home Easter Monday after
noon when she spilled some water
on her dress. She went to the
gas stove in the kitchen and
tried to dry her dress and it
caught fire. She ran into the back
yard and when other children
screamed, Mr. Holliday rushed
out of the house and tried to
beat out the fire with his hands,
suffering severe burns himself.
Following first aid treatment in a
local hospital she was removed
to Durham. Her condition showed'
some improvement week before
last, but she suffered a relaps ■
last Tuesday and members of tne
family were called to her berside
The daughter of Elbert S and
Mary Lou Holliday Roberson she
was born in Williamston on Janu
ary 18, 1947, but has spent just
about all her life in Newport
News where the father is employ~i
ed
Surviving besides her parents,
, are a HHttew, Bettie Sue Roberson;
a brother. Shelton Earl Roberson,
of Newport News; her paternal
grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J. D.
i Holliday and paternal grandfa
ther, Roy Roberson.
The f’lravd s, '.'ice '* ss con
| ducted in the Bethany Holiness
; Church near William- ton last
by the Rev. George Casper In
. ferment was in W mdlawn Came
H- . - , ._
Funeral Held For
Native Oi County
Funeral services were conduct
ed in Plymouth last Thursday aft
ernoon at 1:30 o’clock for Mrs
Ida Liile.y Pritchard who died at
her home there last Wednesday
afternoon at 4:00 o’clock. The
service was conducted by the
Rev. W R. Harrington, Baptist
minister of this county, assisted
by the Rev. Paul B. Niekens, pas
tor of the Plymouth Baptist
Church. Interment was in the
Hamilton Cemetery.
The daughtei of the late Rob
ert and Mary Woolard Lilley, she
was born in Griffins Township,
this county, 78 years ago. After
spending her early life in Griffins
she moved to Williamston, and 1
following her Tharriage to W.
Thomas Pritchard she located in
Hamilton where she lived twenty
; years. For the past fifteen years
iJie had made her home with her
children in Plymouth.
In early girlhood she joined the
Christian Church at Macedonia,
but changed to the Baptist
Church when she moved to
Hamilti m.
Surviving arc a daughter, Miss
1 Beulah Pritchard and SOris,
Robert and Jack Pritchard, aji .,f
Plymouth: two isteis. Mrs. Fan
nie Haislip of Roper and Mrs. J
E. Edmondson of Williamston,
1 and eight grandchildren.
I-ail II all. s Auay Willi
IIal (riiasniiifi (.oiliest
-*
Aaron Davenport, 12 years old,
walked away with the straw hat
guessing contest at llull\ick’s Iasi
Saturday
The store owner had a straw
hat frozen m a block of ice. and
the public was asked to guts:
how much of the ice would be
left at 5:00 o'clock that afternoon.
About 90 guessed, but young Dav
enport came through with a guess
of 87 1-2 pounds The ce that was
left weighed 8ti 1-2 pounds. The
winner gets the pick of a straw
hat
Native Oi Town
Died In Atlanta
Friday Evening
Committal Service Monday'
In Wootllnwn Cemetery
For Krnest A. Brown
Graveside services were con
ducted in Woodlawn Cemetery.
here yesterday afternoon at 4:30
o'clock for Ernest A. Brown, na-;
live of this county, who died in
an Atlanta hospital last Saturday j
i morning at 6:45 o’clock. He had j
! been ill only a short time, and i
i death was attributed to a heart
; ailment.
The son of Mrs. Ida Augusta j
^Mizelle Brown and the late Wal- j
ter A. Brown, he was born near
Williamston 53 years ago on
March 17, 1901. After completing:
the local schools he studied at
Christ School at Arden, and mov- j
ed from Williamston to Peters
burg m 1917 After a stay there |
of six years he moved with his
family to Baltimore, locating
about four years later in Atlan
to where he headed the south
eastern auditing division for the j
A. and P. Tea Company. He was
prominently connected with the
business and civic life of that
city and served as master of the
Masonic Lodge there.
He joined the Memorial Bap
list Church here when he was a
young boy, and is well remember
ed in this section as a promising
youth, one who was kind and
thoughtful of others.
It was reported that he had ;
looked forward to his retirement
Within the next few years and
returning to his boyhood home. 1
, One of his Jast request was to be!
buried in his home town
Surviving besides his widow, \
| the former Miss Annie Laurie
Bates of Birmingham, are his mo
jther, Mis W A Brown of Wil
json; a sister, Mrs Albert Sabatell |
I of Baltimore; a brother, Clarence !
Brown of Wilson, and one niece |
land one nephew. A brother, Car- j
roll Brown, was killed by light
ning while the family lived in 1
Petersburg, and another brother,
Dr. Walter Brown, lost lus life
in the Pacific theater during I
World War H , - '<
The Rev. Mr Crowe, Prcsby
! t’ iari minister, cunductrd the
■’ < Q, j— .
(Continued on Page Eight)
Band Will Travel
Again Saturday
Having made a successful and
enjoyable long trip to Greens
boro a lew weeks ago as a roneert
band Uie Green Wave Marching
Band will travel again Saturday
of this week. The 75 member
group will take part in the big
I’otato Festival Parade at Eliza
beth City along with some 30
other bands from North Carolina
and Virginia.
Present plains rail for the band;
to h ave Williamston at H:00 a m
The parade is scheduled for I I 00
and the band will return riming
the afternoon.
Among the bands from North
Carolina will be several from the
Piedmont area, High Point, Ashe
! boro, etc., while those from Nor
folk will ineludi the Navy band of
the ‘Commander m-Chief Unit
ed Fleet” stationed in Norfolk.
While details on arrommnria
lions and arrangements were not
released yesterday it was deemed
likely that the Williamston band
; along with the others will be pro
vided with the noon time meal at
j one ot tlie armed force.- facilities
in tire Elizabeth City a.rea as was
I done on the last visit of the local
' .tP .; ----
Praeiiee toi the parade appeal
j .mi e was upsei somewhat by the
| 1 event Junior-Senior events but
'the band is to get stiff workouts
1 tin.-, week to wink up to its u; ual
standard of effort.
Locfil Man \mnrtl To It turn I
Of isKorialinn In 'Tin• Sluli1
II. C. Miller, Home Laundry &
Cleaner.-, Willi.unsloil, was elect
ed to Hit Board ol Directors of
11ic North Carolina Association of
Laiindorcrs and Cleaners at the
ociaimu s annual convention
eeently concluded in Asheville
Directors terms run for three
I years. Miller succeeds R. Gaylord
! Harrison, Alpha Cleaners of Wil
liamston who has .just completed a
term on the Blab.: Associations
Board ol Directors
Red Cross Fund Drive Few
JJo liars Short In Chapter.
A final report released this
week by Fund Chairman Hugh
M. Martin shows the annual Red
Cross drive just a few dollars
hurt of the 11154 goal Although
the drive fell short $26.62 below
the quota, the campaign this year
is recognized as a very successful
one. A total of $4,361.38 was rais
ed in the five townships compris
ing the Martin County chapter,
including Jamesville, Williams,
Griffins, Bear Grass and Wil
liamston.
Making his final report today,
Chairman Martin expressed his
appreciation to all those who
handled the canvass or assisted
in any way. He also extended his
thanks to all those who contribut
ed to the cause, including those
who tendered a few pennies.
The work of the Red Cross, in
cluding the blood program, is as
sured for another year in the
chapter, and the people of the
five townships can be proud of
the achievement, for it was ad
mitted that the task was no eary
one this year
A brief review of the canvass in
the districts follows:
District
Jamesville
Williams
Griffins
Bear Gras
I Williamston:
1 Special Gifts
; Residental
Employees
Col. Citizens
Totals
Quota
$ 300
100
250
250
2,250
500
200
740
$4,388
Amt
Raised
$ 290.80
103.00
220.10
193.16
1,739.25
602.06
493.81
719.40
$4,361.38
The colored citizens reported by
school districts, as follows: Hayes,
$412.70; Dardens. $70.57; Bur
roughs. $34.26; Williams, $52.25;
Jamesville, $34.62, Rodgers, $75;
and Biggs, $40.
'Dick' Woodward
Died Early Today
Richard Do I vis (Dick) Wood
ward, former Williamston resi
dent. died at los home in Virginia •
Beach this. morning at 4.10 o'
clock following a long perior of
declining health. He had been
critically ill for several months.
The son of Mr and Mrs. R. L
Woodward, Jr , he was born in
Suffolk 43 years ago and spent
his early life there. He was as
sociated with the Farmville
Woodward Lumber Company in j
Williamston for several years in |
the thirties, marrying Miss Myr
me Brown here and moving two
years later to Ashland, Virginia,
about 1939. Later he located in
Virginia Beach where he operated
a lumber and supply business.
Surviving besides his parents
I and Mrs. Woodward are four
j children, Dickie Ann, Myrnie
Brown, Jennie and Richard Wood
ward. all ot Virginia Beach, and
I three brothers
Graveside services are being
i conducted in the Suffolk cemc
tery this afternoon e* 5 00 o’clock
TitlrtyTireusarid
Rule Violations
i Raleigh.—Over 30,000 Tar Heel
motorists suffered penalities for
traffic violations during the four
months ending with April. In a
regular monthly summary of
moving violations the Motor Do
partment said today speeding
lover the state limit of 55 mph
alone resulted in 20,000 convic
! lions during the period.
Reckless driving (one offense)
resulted in 4,038 arrests and sub
sequent convictions to take sec
ond place and driving without an !
operator’s permit was third with
| 3,452.
Miscellaneous violations were
given as follows: faulty equip
ment 1,072, failing to £ive right
of wav 005, following too closely 1
438, and passing school bus 114
The report showed a total of
34,018 convictions, not counting
:m additional 11,185 out of staters.
L o r a I lloy H e v roll y
It chimed From Overscan
After a long tour of duty in
Europe with the 70th A F. A. Bat
tuition, CpI Reginald'’ Williams
recently returned home and is
spending ins leave with his par
- nls. Mr and Mrs. B R. Williams,
on North Biggs Sti ve1
After a brief processing period
he will he reassigned to some oust
jin this country.
II,s wifi is Christa Williams of
Gabelsbcrger Streas e, Nurnburg,
Bremany. She plans to join him
in this country shortly.
Police Pul Stolen
Pro/terly Tt, I ho Here
They are ready to surrender it
to the rightful owners at any
time, but untiMhe rightful own
rrs can be determined, local po
lice arc putting to use a school
safety sign to good use here
The sign was found in the mid
dle of Highway 17 on the river
fill near here a few' nights ago,
apparently having been placed
there by pranksters It was de
livered to the police department
and Chief John Roebuck had it
placed mi Watts Street near tile
grammar school.
f TOWN KK(;iS I R ATIOIN I
v_<-'
Not to be confused with the ‘
county or State registration
for the May 29 primary,
books will be open in the
town of Williamston on Fri
day of this week for the reg
istration of voters who would
participate in the special
street bond election to be
held on June 1. No new reg
istration has been ordered,
meaning that those who vot
ed in the last town election
(May 5, 1953) or those whose
prior to that time will not
have to register again to take
part in the special June 4
election.
Mrs. S. II. Grimes, regis
trar, will have the books
open in her office on Balti
more Street just back of the
Central Restaurant, begin
ning May 14 and continuing
through May 21, 1954.
Minor Accidents
On County Roads
No mu was badly lnjun-d and
property damage was limited to
ai>ouI S-'Oli i:i mn 111ioni :hii'iimi
Cnwrow* W>
bilo accidents on the highways in
this county over the week-end.
Charlie Cherry, Jr., 28-year-old
colored man of HKD 2, Williams
ton, lost control of his 1950
Chevrolet in a curve on the Pop
lar Point highway last Saturday
evening at 11:20 o’clock and turn
ed d over about one and one-half
times. Cherry was thrown out of
the vehicle and one leg was pin
ned under a real fender. He was
cut on the arm and his leg was
painfully bruised, but the injury
was not believed to he serious.
Damage to the car was estimated
at $250 by the investigating pa
trolman
Monday morning at 7:50 a. m.,
Marvin Slade Cherry was driving
about one miles west of Bear
Grass on the Stokes road and
stopped fin a school bps that was
loading passengers James Hafri
son Gaylord IV, of Roper was
following and plowed into the
rear of Cherry’s 1948 Ford pick
up truck, causing about $25 dam
age to the truck and about $125
damage to his 1949 Pontiac. No
one was hurt, the investigating
patrolman said.
The county had its second fatal
accident last week.
Patrol Runs Two
MillionMiles
.n«iyif?h —Staff highway VjK'JSz
ii.„ while pm ting Uieir oars well
over two million miles in March,
iu rested 15.01)7 traffic law violat
ors and cited 0,835 others to court
A patrol activity report, issued
I today, showed troopers inspected
158,877 drivers licenses, investi
gated 1.804 accidents, issued 8,
828 warning tickets, inspected
91,540 vehicles, and investigated
7,811 complaints during March.
They recovered 60 stolen cars
and wi ighed 061 vehicles.
In addition to enforcement
, troopers extended 17,821 courtes
ies and put out two fires.
The report covered the acti
vities of patrolmen under the
command of Troop Commander*
S. H. Mitchell, Greenville; C. R.
Williams, Fayetteville; A. W.
Welch, Greensboro; W F. Bailey,
Salisbury; and D. G. Lewis, Ashe*
! vi He.
Nathieson Plans
.Merger With The
Olin Industries
Company ^ illi A Factory
Here To Re Half-Billion
Dollar Corporation
The boards of directors of Mi
thieson Chemical Corporation and
Olin Industries, Inc,, yesterday
voted unanimously to submit to
their stockholders at a special
meeting to be held in June 29, a
proposal to merge the two com
panies, according to information
released by Mr. C. G. Crockett of
Mathieson's division plant here.
The announcement was made
jointly by John M. Olin. president
of Olin Industries, and Thomas S.
Nichols, president and chairman
of Mathieson. The name of the
new company will be Olin-Ma
thieson Chemical Corporation.
Following the merger Mr. Qlin
will become chairman of the board
of Olin-Mathieson and Mr. Nichols
will become president. Mr. John
W. Hanes will become chairman
of the finance committee.
Based on 1953 figures .the com
bined corporation will have total
assets of about $500,000,000, and
sak's of over $500,000,000, includ
ing sales of non-eonsolidated sub
sidiaries and licenses.
When the merger becomes ef
fective, each outstanding share of
Mathieson preferred stock and
each outstanding share of Olin
preferred stock will hi' one share
of Olin-Mathieson $4.25 converti
ble preferred stock, and each
outstanding share of Mathieson
common stock and each outstand
ing share of Olin common stock
will be one share of Olm-Mathie
son common slock. When the mer
ger is approved and carried out, a
five percent stock dividend on the
Mathieson common stock will be
paid prior to the effective date.
The proposed combination will
be one of America's important di
versified processing and manu
facturing enterprises. Both com
panies were founded in 1892, gen
erally are of the same size and
earn" m-iV appioViniateiv io.iiilfj
employees,
Mathieson is a leadiftg.,p,ypdtiee,!
of industrial and agricultural
viieini. ,i 1.. petrochemicals, and,
division, drugs and pharmaceuti
cals. Its operations are world
wide and include twenty-five
plants m the United States and
sixteen foreign countries.
Olin Industries is a large pro
ducer of metals and fabricated
parts, industrial explosives, mili
tary and sporting firearms and
ammunition, cellophane, poly
ethylene, fine specialty papers,
forest products, powder-actuated
fasteners and tools, and electrical
products and maintains a large re
search stall' to develop new and
improved products. Olin operates
eighteen plants, all in the United
States.
The proposal to merge Mathie
son and Olin is the result of ex
tended negotiations and studies by
the boards of directors and man
agements of both corporations.
Each of the corporations has, since
World War II, engaged in an ag- »
gressive program .of expansion
and diversification along tradi
tional lines of its own business or
in lines closely and naturally re
lated to its own business./
In June, 1953, Mathieson and
Olin entered into an agreement to
form the jointly-owned Matholin
Corporation to manufacture, sell
and conduct research of hydra
/.me, a new industrial chemical of
great promise. \
Mathieson and Olin have been
considered 'growth ' companies
iCon)mued on page eight'
ALL SET
j
!
V,,
Unofficial but reliable re
ports declare that bids will
be received on or about the
second Tuesday in June for
the construction of a new
railroad bridge across West
Main Street.
Scheduled to be let to con
tract in April, the project
was delayed when errors
were found in the specifica
tions prepared by Coast Line
engineers, according to un
official reports received here.
It was also learned that the
railroad company is to pur
' chase the ereosoted piling,
and the highway is to buy
Ihe s tcultural steel, the tab
or to be let to contract.