Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / July 20, 1954, edition 1 / Page 1
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i r=sr= OVER 3,300 MARTIN COUNTY r“TSMlI,E^ TVVICE EACH WEEK — THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BY gYER 3.3fljtj^lA »TI<. fQUNTY FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEE* ( VOLUME LVII—NUMBER 56 Williamtton, Martin County, ISorth Catalina, Tuesday, July 20, 1954 ESTABLISHED 1899 Electrical Siam Hi! This Section Thursday Night Several Strikes Reported But No Serious Dam age Resulted One of the most severe and longest electrical storms ever wit nessed by many struck this sec tion last Thursday nigh*. Several direct strikes were reported but no serious damage resulted, ac cording to incomplete accounts reaching here. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Noah Gardner in Bear Grass was struck that evening about 6:30 o'clock, the lightning bolt tearing away the television aerial and leveling the chimney at the top of the house. A window was torn out by falling brick. No one was injured in the home but members of the family in the room where the television set was located said they were slightily stunned, that it felt as if the house moved. The television set had been discon nected and was not greatly dam aged, Mr. Gardner said. The farm is owned by Mr. Edmond Harris who reported that another bolt struck in a tobacco field on the farm where his son, Alton, lives near Bear Grass. No great dam age resulted to the crop. Other fields were said to have been hit in other parts of the county. Out in Cross Roads the light ning struck one end of T. S. Wynne’s barn and fired the other. Members of the family saw the fire and put it out before much damage was done. Although there was no general interruption in the electric ser vice, quite a few transformers were burned out. by lightning and customers in a few areas were without current for an hour or I more. It was said that fifty-seven lights were burned out on Wil liamston streets, that quite a few lights were burned out in the homes during the storm. Power company forces were kept busy in some areas just about all Thursday evening and night. Lightning struck the home of Mrs, Hobt. Lee Perry in Bear 'tv.: tp.T?v ifittvi burned out most of the" lights in the house, including a few wires. The storm struck this immedi ate .territory shortly after six o' clock that evening and continued with a few short breaks until about midnight. At one time, it Sounded as if three storms had converged over the area with the lightning flashes coming two and three ut a time. The storm was gei|pral and heavy rains were re jBorled throughout the county. One county farmer estimated the fall in the Farm Life area at six inches. The upper dnd of the county where little or no rain had fallen since late May, reported three and one-quarter inches. On Roanoke River, Bridge keeper Hugh Spruill recorded 2.65 inches of rain in the official gauge. The fall last Thursday night boosted the precipitation up to that time to that time to 4.36 inches since the last of June. Since then there have been two or three traces of rain at the bridge. A second electrical storm struck in the area about 2:00 o’ clock last Friday morning, but it was too severe and was of com paratively short duration. Han Booked For ; Shotgun Attack George Bonds, local colored j man, was booked early Sunday; moring for allegedly assaulting: Lougene Bel! with a .12-gauge shot gun. At liberty under a $200 bond. Bonds is scheduled to ap pear in the Martin County ’Re corder's Court for trial on Au gust 23. Witnesses said Bonds was so drunk he did not know what he was doing, and the defendant maintains he remembers nothing about the attack which took place early Sunday morning near the Fell and Bonds homes on Blount Street. Bonds closed in on Bell with the gun, and just as Bell grab bed the barrel of the weapon and deflected the aim, the gun was discharged, missing Bell by inch es. Bell proceeded to take the gun away from Bonds. _ Unique Business Partngnehip | Blind Couple Operate Busi ness of Their Own And Enjoying Life Overcoming the serious obsta cle of blindness, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Manning are making a suc cess of a business venture in the Piney Grove Baptist Church area of Griffins Township, and, at the same time, are enjoying life. Following their marriage a few months ago, the couple made ar rangements to open a filling-sta tion and store in his home com munity. The Farm Life Ruritan Club and other friendrs, recogniz ing the need for a helping hand, pitched in apd turned a small building into a station-store, and went on to add comfortable living quarters for the couple. Club members and other friends contributed cash and did a greater part of the construction several bandied b.v the club and others outside the club in that part of the county during recent months. Mr. and Mrs. Manning, with some help from his parents, Mr. and Mis. B. R. Manning, handle their own housework, run the station-store and engage in com munity activities. And they are doing a splendid job in their new work. Both of them attended special schools, and he operated a busi ness in Winston-Salem at one time, but with a wife and a go ing business, Mr. Manning says there’s no place like home. Able to tell day from night at one he underwent a major operation several years ago in the hope he could gain more sight. The opera tion was not successful, but about that or anything else, he is never heard to complain. -:—*-— Lillie Inieresi In Wheal Program —«,— While a conceited effort is be ing made in this and other states to focus support on the 1955 w heat control program, there is little interest being advanced in this county in the referendum to be held on Friday of this week. There are only two wheat grow ers in this county eligible to par ticipate in the referendum. R. Flake Shaw, executive vice president of the North Carolina Farm Bureau, said, “if the wheat growers fail to appr.ove marketing quotas for next year when they vote on Friday, the entire farm piogram will face a grave crisis.” He pointed out that by August 1 there would be about one bil lion bushels of wheat in govern ment storage. ’‘This condition has undoubtedly been brought about by the loss of our export markets to Canada and Australia and grower's reluctance to keep sup ply in line with effective de mand,” he declared. Shaw emphasized, “if producers fail to vote for wheat marketing quotas, the price support will drop to 50 per cent of parity, in stead of the current 90 per cent support rate.” ' 1*1 M ( TOBACCO MOV IMG J The first of the 1954 Mar tin County tobacco crop is moving to market this week, according to unofficial but re liable information heard here. Two Robersonville farm ers were said to be packing up a load and making ready to go all the way to Georgia to market it. Leaf Spol On Peanuts Costly According to .reports gathered from thirty-seven demonstra tions conducted by county agents in the eighteen peanut producing Counties in North Carolina, leaf soot disease is costing peanut ^growers £r,(R)iPtlflw^Wn year. '' • , Martin Coo., y farmers stund to lose between $4S(l,00p ‘ and $475,000 on this year’s peanut crop, if leaf spot is not controlled. Three to four applications of sulfur containing 4 per cent cop per applied at 14-day intervals or two weeks apart have proven very successful. Amount of material to use: first application, 15 to 18 pounds per acre. Other applications 20 pounds per acre. If the dust is washed off within 24 hours, make another ap plication. It will cost approximately 3.50 to treat an acre for the entire sea son. In thirty-seven demonstra tions treated peanuts yielded 402 pounds per acre more than those not treated or about $43.75. Be sure to use sulfur plus 4 per cent copper dust of 325 mesh or finer. If you haven’t begun treatment, don’t put it off, put it on. For further information about your peanut problem, contact our office. -,-—-— Diseases Strike County Tobacco —t— A relatively new type of dis ease recently attacked fields of tobacco in various parts of 1he county, according to information coining from the office of the farm agent. Brown spots of fairly lar&u cir cular design has hit quite a few fields. Another disease, traceable to the gentical weakness of the breed, is also causing right much damage on some farms, it was learned. The latter disease ap pears in the form of both white and dark spots, and strikes main ly during hot, dry weather. Tt ap pears on the leaf just as the to bacco ripens, it was pointed out by several farmers. According to a report coming ' from Raleigh no method is known fdr the control of the diseases. Some black shank has been re ported in the county, but the dis ease hbs made its appearance on ly on a limited scale. Farmer Daney Taylor reported it in a few spots in his fields, County Agent I. B. Brandcn said. Crops Improved By Recent Rain Falling In Area Tobacco Harvest is Slowed Down By Change in The Weather Conditions The crop picture in this county, was materially changed for the better last week when heavy rains were reported throughout the territory. Even in those areas where little or no rain had fallen since May 29 and the harvest was all but. written off as a lost cause, the crops have shown marked im provement and the farmers are more optimistic. "Of course we’ll not make hard ly more than half a crop at the best, but it looked only last week that we would not make any thing,” one farmer in the upper part of the county said. In other areas where some rain has been falling from time to time even in limited quantity, the crop outlook is reported to be above average, a few farmers stating they have just about the best crops they have ever had. Despite the recent rains, it is expected that the county will pro (Continued 911 Page Six) Represents Town At Jaycees Even! — • - Williamston was well repro seated by Miss Lee Handy at thi North Carolina Jaycees beaut? pageant in Burlington last wed; end, reports reaching back homi declaring that the young lady die the Williamston Jaycees and thi town itself much credit. Miss Handy, along with thi other contestants, was royally entertained during the stay ii Burlington. They were showeret with gifts and received specie attention in every quarter. Spec ial radio interviews were belt and the schedule was packet with events, Miss Handy was quo ted as saying. She declared sh< had a wonderful time. Miss Betty Jo Ring, 24-year-ok school teacher ci I exington, was I chosen to represent North Caro I lina^TTluwfflTorffiT'Tx'auty page ant to be held in Atlantic City. Among those from here who at tended one or more of the special Burlington events last week-enc were, Mrs. Marvin Britton, Mrs Henry Handy, Misses Nancy Brit ton, Jane Whitaker, and Bettic Sue Clark and Messrs. Edgar Gur ganus, David Whitaker and Frank Wynne. FirstDelimiting Dales For Veil Korean Veterans that were se parated from the service on or be fore August 20, 1952 and whe have not applied for or are noi now receiving GI Benefits undei Public Law 550 should arrange t< enter some type of training prioi to August 20,' 1954 or they wii loset all benefits to which they an entitled. Korean Veterans wh< are now actively engaged in farm ing, who will be affected by this delimiting date or any date be tween August 20, 1954 and Octo ber 1, 1954 and are interested in Veteran Farmer Training, should contact the teacher of a agricul ture or assistant teacher at either Jamesville, Oak City, Roberson vilie, or Bethel before August 1, 1954 about entry into training. -4 Recreation Hours Listed For Week — Plans for a ping pong tourna ment are being made by Recrea tiqn Director Roger Thrift and he is asking that all who are interest ed in entering the tournament in dicate their wishes by signing up at the high school gym. The following schedule is to be observed in the recreation pro gram this week and generally will hold from week to week with but slight variations: Monday, Wednesday and Fri day—10:-12, Activity at the gym; 2-4, All Star Practice; 4-5, Games for small children; 5-6:30, Tennis for older group. Tuesday, Thursday—1G-12, Ten nis for young group; 3-6, Baseball or Softball at ball park and gen eral activity at the gyrn. Urging Farmers Te Use Care In Grading Tobacco Foreign Manufacturers Sai«l To Have Complain ed About Grading J. B. Hutson, President of To bacco Associates, Inc., issued a statement this week urging farm ers “to be more cautious in grad[ in^ their current crop of tobacco to help overcome increasing com plaints by foreign manufacturers who object strenuously to the ‘mixed’ condition in which our to bacco is brought to market.” “Since over one-thirfl of the tobacco grown is exported, it is essential that every effort be marie to prepare the leaf for mar ket in such a manner as to please in so far as possible the foreign manufacturers who use our to bacco," he declared. Hutson, who's job is to promote world markets for flue-cured to bacco, said his statement was prompted by increased complaints in recent months by foreign users of U. S. tobacco about the way out leaf is graded on the farm. “Dur ing my recent trip to Europe,” he said, “1 was shown several sam ples verifying this criticism,” “Improper grading is also mak ing it easier for foreign countries to take part of our export mar ket,” the farm leader said, empha sizing that "some of the newel flue-cured producing areas, such as Southern Rhodesia, Canada and Brazil, are generally doing a better job of keeping lugs, cut lers, leaf, and tips separated dur ing preparation for market. As t result, our flue-cured leaf com pares unfavorably in this respect with flue-cured tobacco produc ed in other countries. This situa tion tends to intensify the com petition our leaf is being facec with in our overseas markets." In order to correct this unfav orable position regarding mixec grades, Hutson urged growers t< (1) market separately lugs, cut ters, leaf and tips; a(2) pick ou carefully all green, red, dead anc burned leaves and sell separate ly; (3) carefully pick out all string and other foreign matter; ' n u n i tnrr^vsd'e H .bundle'! with butts a hold the size ot a half-doilai. “When bundles are too large,' Hutson explained, "they do noi dry properly when the tobucci is being processed through the re-drying plants and quite often cause the tobacco to mold later while in storage. This, of course, causes substantial losses to the owners as well as being the bash for complaints made about oui tobacco.” Hutson said in conclusion thai “in the face of increased compe petition from foreign producing areas, tobacco growers could lost millions of dollars yearly unless they do a better job of grading their product for market. A gooc job of preparation for market as sures the realization of the high est possible income from tobac co, as well as helps to hold oui foreign markets which are of ut most importance to us if we arc to insure a steady market at a fair price for the surplus above normal domestic requirements.” Represent County At Club Meeting —•— | Instead of thirty-five or forty, only nine young men and women are representing this county at the 4-H club week sessions in Ra leigh this week. Assistant Agent D. W. Brady had his judging team from Farm | Life in Raleigh yesterday, judg I ing sheep, swirie and beef cattle ! No report on results eould.he .had, j immediately. On th>* team were, Jacy and Buck Manning, Jerry I Hopkins, Gaylord Perry and Dale I Rogerson. Accompanied by Assistant Ag ent Larry Hodges, Buzzy Worsley of the Oak City club is taking part in the program for the week. Miss Peggy Jordan, assistant home agent, is at the meeting with three club members. Miss Joan Coltrain, former State winner, is taking part in the State recftgni tion program and serving at a reception in the Governor’s Man sion this afternoon. Miss Kath erine Rogerson, Bear Grass elub member, is participating in a dress review, and Miss Betsy Roe buck of Jamesviile is attending her first meeting m Raleigh. Martin Farmers Test New Type Fertilizer Favorable Report Heard From Tests; Over The County Proof Of Tht^Pudiliug Will Be In The Harvest In Late Fall —■* The use of anhydrous ammonia! i as a fertilizer is being put to a! I big test in the county this year.! | and early reports indicate that| j corn growers have really found; something. However, it was point-! ed out that the proof of the pud-! ding rests in the actual harvest j schedule for late fall. Several comparative tests are ■ be in demonstrated in the county j this year and the reports favor j the liquid gas, it was said. One ofj the tests is being run by Farm er Robert Pierce on the old Sher rod farm near Hamilton. Using a three-acre plot, th efarmer ap plied the liquid nitrogen at the rate of 100 pounds per acre on a pre- and a post-plant system. Just now there is little difference in the corn where the fertilizer was applied before planting and where it was applied after the corn had started growing. On the acre plot where solid fertilizer was used, the corn is a bit yel low, and the roots do not pene trate as deeply as those where the liquid was used, according to re ports from the tests. It was point ed out that the corn, fertilized with anhydrous ammonia, seem ed to have come through the dry weather in better shape than that fertilized at the rate of 100 pounds of nitrogen in the solid form. While a few comparative tests are being run, Martin farmers are using the anhydrous ammonia on a large scale. Unofficial but reli 1 able reports state that nearly half million pounds or 459,825 pounds, to be more exact, were used in fertilizing the corn-rent corn crop in this county. It is estimated that 5,000 acres were fertilized with anhydrous ammonia, or nearly -• - 'nutr <0m '■ I corn in the county. Most of the liquid fertilizer was applied after the corn had started growing, it was learned. ' Tests in other states, e special ly in the large corn belt sections of the country, have established the liquid fertilizer. Corn is be ing grown with the fertilizer year after year without damaging the land, it was pointed out. When the harvest is in this fall, Martin farmers will have a pret ty good idea about the use of an hydrous ammoina as a fertilizer for corn. Using the liquid, Farmer Coy Roberson is said to have one of the best corn crops in the making ever grown in the county on his farm out in Griffins Township. Local Youth In Florida Training W. T. Martin, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin of 2804 Halifax Street, Wiliiainston, N. C., is an Air Force ROTC Cadet at East Carolina College. Cadet Martin, who completed his junior year in Advanced Air Force ROTC is attending four weeks of summer training at Tyn dall Air Force Base as part of lus reserve officer training at col lege. While at summer training, Cadet Martin observes and ac tually participates in Air Force operations. Following graduation at. East Carolina College, he will be eli gtteJe fnr»appwr«titrcjrt-ns a necrowh lieutenant in the United States Air Force Reserve. HOUND-UP There was comparatively little activity on the crime front in the county during the past week-end. Only five perrons were rounded up and detained in the county Jail during the period. Two were charged with drunken driv ing, two were booked for as sault* and one was held for public drunkenness. The ages of the group rang ed from 25 to 42 years, and aJl five men were colored. | ARMY CALLS Two calls have been re ceived by the Martin County Draft Board, calling for more men to report for physical examinations and final in duction. Twenty men are to report on August 9 for the pre-in duction examinations, and five men are to report on August 11 for final induction. Two calls were answered this week, the final induction call being made up entirely of volunteers. It isn't likely that there'll be enough or even a few volunteers for the next call,1* meaning the demand must be met by men In the draft list. Report Higher Tobacco Prices Tobacco prices were mostly higher in the Georgia-Florida flue-cured belt opening week of the '54 season compared with ear- j ly sales last year. General quali ty of the offerings did not show 1 much changes Volume was lighter than for the first two days last season. The U. S. Department of Agri culture reports gross sales for Ju ly 15 & 16 totaled 14,285,653 pounds and averaged $52.84 pet hundred. This average was $1.69 above that paid for 17,414,351 gross pounds sold the first two days last year. Deliveries were lighter on Friday than the previ ous day. Several markets sold out before noon. Growers in most areas are trying to complete har vesting their crops. Demand was exceptionally good for lower quality lugs, primings and nondescript. These offerings brought from $3.00 to $11.50 per hundred more than on early sales a year ago. Other grades held about even. The practical top was ILL* A ne i. .4 i' * V. . U..... 4 L.... ■y wm0 . •». a ket- Went a little higher. A smaller proportion of the tobacco consisted of cutters and lugs, however, the shift was pi in cipally to fair and good primings. Fair and good lugs and low to good primings were the predomi nant offerings. Averages on grades sold in hea viest volume were from $1.00 to $22.00 a hundred over their loan rate. Most were $8.00 to $20.00 above. The Flue-Cured Stabili zation Corporation received 581, 338 pounds or 6.2 percent of open in gday’s sale under Government loan. Last year receipts for the first two days represented 8.9 percent of gross sales. Checking Tax Irregularities The apparent irregularities in more than 700 county tax ac counts are being gradually re conciled, according to a report coming from the office of Tax Supervisor M. L. Peel. All but about 150 of the appar ent uregularities iri the tax list ing records have been handled, it was learned. The supervisor pointed out that owners had list ed vehicles in oilt name and that; the registration of the vehicle I was in another person's name. In other cases, the owners overlook ed listing their vehicles, and still others were a bit careless in iden tifying the year model vehicles. added to the book valuations since i the check w'as started a few weeks , ago. -fi—.-— Demonstrations At Center Here You are invited to attend "Kit chen Kapers”, an Electric Kit chen Demonstration, conducted in i the Electric Living Center of the i Virginia Electric and Power Com- i puny. i The first- demonstration wi 11 be I leld on Wednesday, July-21, from i 1:30 P. M„ until 4:30 P. M. Dates i uid times of future demonstra- < ions will be announced later. p Several Highway Accidents In The County Recently —•— Two Hospitalized Follow ing Wreek In James ville Last Saturday -• At least two people were in jured an a property damage esti mated at $2,500 resulted in a ser ies of motor vehicle accidents on the streets and highways in this county during the past few days. The first in the latest series of accidents was reported early last week when John Lee Sheppard lost control of his 1940 Chevrolet in a curve on a rural road near Gold Point. The machine skidded about fifty-five yards and turned over in the middle of the road. Sheppard was not injured and damage to his ear was estimated at $100. Andrew Marriner, said to have been on a reckless joy ride for an hour or more, wrecked and ruin ed his 1953 Chevrolet about one and one-half miles this side of Jamesville on Highway 64 about I 10:30 o’clock last Wednesday night. The machine went out of control and turned over, the in vestigating patrolman estimating the loss at about $1,200. Marriner was not hurt. 1 Mrs. J. C. Kirkman and her daughter were hurt when the car 1 in which they were riding was in ! collision with another at a street intersection in Jamesville last Saturday at 5:45 o’clock p. m. J. C. Kirkman wras driving north on | Smithwick Street there when his i car a 1954 Dodge, was struck in the side by a 1954 Chevrolet driv en by James Bedwell. Damage to each machine was estimated at $300. Mrs. Kirkman suffered a bad cut on the head and a concussion. It was reported that between 15 and 20 stitches were necessary to close the head wound. She alsu suffered a severe back injury and other small cuts and bruises. Her daughter, suffering a concussion, multiple bruises and cuts, lost several of her front teeth, but was able to leave Brown’s Com munity Hospital Monday for her home in Jamesville. u~..I.t . Hmh-.mtu . urn •> OMN»a? — •» • Robersonville, was driving east on Highway 64 early Sunday eve ning between Bethel and Parmele when he stopped to piek up a hitchhiker about one mile west of Parmele. Sidney Bryant, fol lowing Highsmith, slowed down and stopped, but Otis Ray Wil liams could not stop in time and crashed into Bryant’s 1953 Ply mouth, knocking it into the rear of Highsmith’s 1940 Buick. No one was injured. Damage to the Buiek was estimated at only $25. Dam age to Bryant’s ear will approxi mate $250, and repairs on Wil liams' 1953 Ford will cost around $150, the investigating officer said. Clarence Page was said to have "borrowed” Oliver Burns’ 1939 Fold and crashed into a Chevro let near the bus station in Rob ersonville Sunday evening about 11:30 o’clock. Damage to the ear was estimated at $40. Complete details of the minor accident could not be had immediately. Confiscate Truck Here Last Week —«— A 1953 model Ford truck, driv en by Lenwuod Heelen James and carrying 1,925 pounds of corn meal and a small quantity of il licit liquor, was confiscated by federal officers last we-'kend The truck is being held by the gov ernment in Elizabeth City and James is at libeivy under a $300 bond ^ following a pi eh miliary hearing. The man is booked for trial in the federal court at Wash ington in October. The arrest was made by ABC Officer Cecil Bullock and Police Officers Tom Chesson and Verble Junes near the intersection of Washington Street and Jamesville Road at 2:30 o’clock Saturday morning. The Saturday night event fol lowed a chase on local streets the night before. A five-gallon con tainer, believed to have been fill ed with liquor, was thrown from a car as tire officers closed in, but no arrest was made. Federal officers are investigating. The container was struck and brok en by Officer Bullocks ear, it was sard.
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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July 20, 1954, edition 1
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