North Carolina Newspapers

THE ENTERPRISE IS READ BE OVER 3,300 MARTIN COUNTS FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEK - ENTERPRISE THE ENTERPRISE IS READ B1 OVER 3,300 MARTIN COUNTS FAMILIES TWICE EACH WEEE VOLUME LVII—NUMBER 78 William ston, Martin County, North Carolina, Tuesday, October 5, 1954 ESTABLISHED 1899 County Board In Regular Meeting _ MoadsyMoming Business Limited, More Or Less, To Routine Schedule Discussing varied subjects, the' Martin County Board of Com-1 missioners, in regular session Monday, limited official action, more or less, to routine matters. Upon the request of interested citizens, the commissioners re newed an appeal for the comple ^ tion of the Island Road over in Williams Township A permit was granted to George W. Edwards, disabled colored war veteran of Kinston to sell patent medicines in the county during the next six months. A. Corey, a merfiber of the Al bemarle Association, went before the board and urged its support in the movement calling for the bridging of Alligator River. The association is to hold a meeting in Belhaven shortly and formulate! plans in an effort to promote the] project. Upon the motion fo Commis sioner H. L. Roebuck and a second by Commissioner J. C. Gurkin, M. Luther Peei was reappointed tax collector for the next year. An appeal for a contribution on the purchase of fire-fighting equipment for Oak City was made by a representative of the town, the board, it was unofficially learned, is considering a $1,000 donation. The issuance of a license to Johnson Corey to sell beer in the Farm Life section was discussed, but no final action was taken. Plans for alterning the farm program at the county home was discussed, but no action was taken at the meeting. It is proposed to clear a small tract and extend the acreage to pasture there. In his monthly report to the nMf-ajniai n,. Pee iepoi teu Tv-lk-rh-dj iri 1954 taxes. Of the $409,238 63 levy for 1953, • $384,109.86 There is a has been collected. balance due of $12,- i 710.61 due on the $393,582.02 levy for 1952. All but $8,319.31 if the1 jSywfti (jr, si, ; ufj} collected, and there is a balance j of $4,808.04 due on the $335,462.01 W"(Continued on Page Eight) I Joseph Benneli Dies In County ^ Joseph Bennett, retired farm er, died at his home near Spring Green in Poplar Point Township last Thursday afternoon at 5:00 o’clock. Losing his sight in an accident 43 years ago, he was forced to give up his work. He had been an invalid for twelve years, spending the last two in bed. He was born in Poplar Point 84 yeares ago on February 20, 1870, the son of the late James Thomas and Mary Anna Bennett. He lived there all his life. The brother of Mi. C. B. Allen's step-father, he had made his home with the Allens for many years, receiving the care and attention as a regular member of the fami ly. Surviving is one sister, Mrs. Ly dia Pierce, of Hopewell, Virginia. The funeral service was con ducted in the Spring Green Pri mitive Baptist Church Saturday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock by Elder | W. E. Grimes. Interment was in 1he Spring Green Cemetery. Louis H. Bland Dies In Hospital Louis fc. Bland, Cross Hoads Township farmer, died in a ♦Greenville hospital last Thursday night at 10:20 o’clock The son of Mrs. Lottie Smith Bland and the late W. S. Bland, he was born near Robersonville 27 years ago, making his home there until about five years ago when lie moved to the Cross Roads Community. Surviving besides Ins mother is one brother, Luther Bland, of the home. ♦ He was a member of the Chris tian Chapel Church at Cross Roads, and his pastor, the Rev. P. E. Cayton conducted the rites at the home last Friday afternoon. Interment was in the Ausbon Ce mentery in Cress Reads. Farmers Busy Harvesting Peanuts In Martin County v*r on an extensive scale in the coun ty this week, reports indicating that with fair weather prevailing ninety per cent of the crop will have been dug by the end of this week for the harvest. However, the unusually high temperatures yesterday and today have made it hard on the diggers. It is believed that those farm ers who started the task about two weeks or more ago were a bit hasty, that the outlook for well developed peanuts is poor. Just about every kind of re port on the condition of the crop is being heard, but, on an average, this county has a fair to good pea nut crop. Farmer Perlie Moore of Weather Review In This Section For Past Month —<*,— Summer-like Temperature Held Right On Through Fall Opening The summer season, by the cal endar, ended two weeks ago but summer-like weather continued to hang on, the temperature as serting itself at the 100 mark dur ing the past month. Rainfall failed to measure up to normal, the total of 1.81 inches falling 1.51 inches below the av eraee for the month. Rain was measured on five of the thirty days and there were traces of rain on three other days. The rain was limited even in the face of two hurricanes that passed off the coast during September. The temperature went up to ninety or aoove on ten of the hu! dh- ;r,r 23rd, .drop ping to a low of 54 degrees on the 13th, according to information released by Bridgekeeper Hugh Spruill on Roanoke River here. The weather data, including the river gauge readings, as released September follows, wnh 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. 2. 3. 4 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14 15. 16. 17. 18. 19 20. 21. 22. 23. 24 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 4 0 Total 4 Indicates Trace Of Rain River 4.7 4.8 4.5 4.4 4.2 4.1 3.6 3.5 4.1 5.9 5.2 5.6 5.0 4.5 4.2 4.5 4.6 4.9 4.9 4.6 4.7 5.0 5.4 4.9 4.2 4.0 4.0 3.7 3.8 4.0 H 82 86 89 91 93 99 100 94 90 80 86 79 89 86 80 86 92 89 92 89 92 85 76 79 83 84 88 90 88 89 L 62 55 56 56 63 69 67 66 66 65 69 60 54 57 60 67 62 65 70 69 65 57 55 48 89 62 59 57 60 64 Rain .02 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .33 .82 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .11 .53 1 81 County People Id An Ado Accident Two Martin County people were painfully but believed not seriously injured in an automo bile accident on U. S. Highway 17 near Vaneeboro early last Fri day evening. Mrs. Sam Andrews suffered a broken ankle and Mrs. Bettie Williams suffered a nose fracture, it was reported Mrs. He witt Andrews, driver of the car, and her small child were not hurt. Mrs. Williams was said to have been injured more seriously than it was first thought she was. They were removed to Martin General Hospital for treatment. The car, a Chevrolet, was dam aged extensively, according to re ports reaching here. :apw some of the prettiest goobers seen in this section in a long time. The farmer explains that the quantity is limited, but the quality is high. Several farmers are reported to have said that their crops are far below average, both in quality and quantity. Others declare their crops are better than average, that the quality is the best in years. No acreage yield estimates have been released, and since the crop is spotted, no will venture an estimate. The price outlook is unusually favorable, and it is believed the prices will range above the sup port levels. No increase in 1955 acreages is anticipated. f ROUND-UP J Seven persons five of them white, were rounded up and temporarily detained in the county jail during last week-end. Three »were booked for public drunkenness and one each for speeding 80 miles an' hour, assault, drunken driving and reckless driving and falling to report an ac cident. Ages of the group ranged from 27 to 57 years. Superior Court In Final Session Oi Civil Term Friday Fir*! Time In A Fong Time That Court Worked Kuril Day Of Its Term ■Jiaw iJ-OUt f 1 ! ' ti . the ' ' t-Ki rtXt.lj‘i County Superior Court did not complete its work on the civil calendar until late last Friday afternoon. Adjournment had been tentatively scheduled for the aft ifiiifcV ml- M . . time that the court worked fuTT five days in handling criminal cases and then spent five full days the second week hearing civil ac tions. While the wheels of jus tice turned slowly, they turned surely under the direction of Judge Leo Carr of Burlington. Few cases of any major fin ancial importance were handled during the civil sessions, and dur ing much of last week compara tively few spectators were in at tendance upon the court sessions. Quite a few witnesses were in court Thursday and Friday for ^lie Scott case. Proceedings not previously re ported: In the ease of Harrison Oil Company against Clyde W. and L. M. Williams, the jury found in favor of the plaintiff, awarding a judgment in the sum of $1,176.43 plus interest. A restraining order was con tinued until November 15 in the ease of Lucrettie Biggs and her next Friend, Sarah F. James, against Jefferson Owens, trus tee, and Carolina Housing Mor tgage Corporation. The Standard Fertilizer Com pany, in its ease against W. C. Hopkins, was awarded a judg (Continued on Page Eight) Prominent Citizen Died In Hospital Hers Last HigM --<t> Mrs. Roilftrrtmn Stiff ere r1 Heart Attack Sunday, Funeral Wednesday -*— Mrs. Bertha McNaughton Rod gerson, prominent local citizen, died in a hospital here Monday night at 10:00 o’clock. In declin ing health for several years, she suffered a heart attack while visiting in the home of a neigh bor Sunday evening about 9:00 o' clock and was removed to the hos pital, and little hope was held for her recovery. She had suffered a heart attack some months ago, but following treatment she was able to be up until she was stric ken Sunday evening. She was born in Renova, Pen nsylvania, the daughter of the late George P. and Margaret Moore McNaughton. In early girl hood she moved in 1895 with her family to Everetts where Mr. Mc Naughton conducted an extensive lumber mill operation for a num ber of years. She attended the schools in Everetts and was mar ried to John L. Rodgerson Sep tember 21, 1904. He died in Nov ember, 1942. She located in Wil liamston in 1912, making her home here since that time. She was a charter member of the Williamston Presbyterian Church, and was faithful in its service down through the years. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Clinton House of Roberson ville, and Miss Mary Rodgerson of Williamston, and two grand children. The funeral service will be con ducted at the home Wednesday afternoon at 4:00 o’clock by her pastor, now of Graham. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery. Mrs. Nora Bland Mrs. Nora Gardner Bland, B8, died at her home, RFD 1, James ville, last Friday morning at 3:00 o'clock following a two-year per iod of declining health. She was ve.v and Ellen Ange Gardner, she was born in this county May 10, 1860, and spent all her life in this county. She was a member of the Chris tian Hope Church of Christ near Plymouth, and the widow of James Eli Bland. Surviving are two sons, Monie and Charlie Bland, both of near Jamesville; five grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren. The funeral service was con ducted at Horner's Funeral Cha pel in Plymouth Sunday after noon at 2:30 o’clock by the Rev. J. R. Lee of Washington. Inter ment was in the Angt; Cemetery in Jamesville Township. Farmer llreaka lip Hik Coon Fifihl In County A big coon fight was brought to an abrupt end over in Williams Township lust Thursday night about 11:30 o’clock by Farmer Maurice Gardner. The half dozen or more coons, sending up terrible cries and shreaks during the night, were fighting in the highway in front of the Gardner home. Firing into ! the pack of coons, Farmer Gard j tier wiped out two, and the others 'scampered away. file daughter ol the late Har Town Board Here In Short Session . Monday Evening Approx intalely $62,000.00 lias Been Spent On The Local Street Program Holding their regular meeting last evening, the local town com missioners were in session only a short time. There was little busi ness before the group other than that of a routine nature. The street improvement pro gram was briefly reviewed, the contractors submitting an esti mate of expenditures to date. Twenty-one thousand feet of curb and gutter and 22,000 yards of asphalt haVe been laid at a cost of $02,000, the figure also includ ing drainage pipe and basins and grading. The town attorney was instructed to investigate the width and location of Harrell Street near the intersection of Main. The pos sibility of making a 22-foot street near the main street and widening it to 20 feet farther back was dis cussed, but no final action was taken. Finding no provision made for a sidewalk on Elm Street at Main, the commissioners instructed Mayor R. H. Cowen to look into the matter. A request for street mainten ance in North End was ruled out when it was explained that the town forces haven’t adequate equipment and time to handle such requests. A contract was entered into with Contractor Harry Jones for moving a house on the cemetery property to clear a right of way for a new entrance off Haughton into the cemetery property. The contract figure was $321.50. Granted permission to place a sewer lire under the railroad at Pearl Street, the town today is j working on the project. No rental I fee is attached. spots on Andrews, New Railroad and Hunter Streets. The need is to be determined and lights were ordered installed where needed. Town Treasurer C. M. Coli'j re j ported $37,297.48 cash on hand. from sewer rentals added up to $1,026.20, The treasurer also re ported that $54,182.29 had been collected in 1954 taxes. No action was taken on a re quest for an increase in police men's salaries County Farmers Name Committees —,i— Meeting in various communi ties throughout the county last week Martin farmers nominated slates for Agricultural Stabiliza tion Conservation posts. Ten far mers were nominated for the places of community committee men and delegates to the country convention which is to be held la ter- this month. The election is to be handled by mail ballots, it was explained. All the nominating conventions were held without incident except in the No. 2 distr ict at Jamesvillc, where a second convention was ordered and held last Friday night The slates as nominated at the eonvrjgilions last week will be announced shortly, and farmers will have several days to get their election ballots into the office of ASC at Willianrstun. Civil War Diary of Doelon Warren Bagley (Shortly after the fall of Hat-| teras, Martin County men rallied I to support *he War pnd ' > pro-; teet property and life at home. In j the last installment. Me, Bagley| listed the names of 114 who vol-, unteered in the militia. Included] in that group was John C. Getsin g^r, son of John Conrad Getsinger the late forties and who trained troops for the Confederacy dur ing the Civil War). (In this, the 16th installment, Mr. Bagley lists the names of 46 men who entered the Volujrteer1 Cavalry, as follows): “The following is a list of the Volunteer Cavalry as of August 31, which has been tendered to an accepted by the Governor and names filed with the Adjutant General of the State: “W. J. Whitaker, captain; W. R. Hyman, 1st lieutenant; G W. Ward, 2nd lieutenant; J B. Coop er, 3rd lieutenant; W. W. Antho nly, John F"'u:ighii. John W Bry an, H. D. Wyatt, George Jenkins, J. W. Terry, W. S. Briley, William Slade, J. M. Morriset, F. A. Rhodes, “Bennett S. Baker, W. R. Glad son, Arthur Barden, T. R. Burn hill, T. M. Purrington, R. B. Smith, J. M. Sherrod, Newsom Alls brooks, Calvin Boyett, T. B. Slade, J. J Ward, T. H. Coffield, J. C. Purvis, Martin Griffin, Jos Eve ret*, Jos B, Powell, Lamb Wejv er, John L Ward, Asa Hurst, “John H Hardison, W. R. Rob inson, J. L. Swain, John M. Mat thews, Edward Staton, S. W. An drews, James O. Salsbury, W. J. Moore, Thomas Knowles, Willie Hoard. W. W. Purvis, Thomas J. Walker and Bryant Wynn.” (In a note, Mr Baglay said,! “This li t is not correct. Some of those who first volunteered, b; ••k*-d out, but the list i-, the same as the one received by the Governor, Several left the Com pany and others joined it after I copied from list furnished me by the captain.” (The following clipping from the Richmond Dispatch appears in the diary): "We are enabled to state on the best authority that, the War De partmeiit i; not responsible for the reverse (fall of Hatteras Is land) in North Carolina. The coast defense has been heretofore un der the management of a Slate Military Board, and no requisition has ever been made upon the Ordnance Department that has not been promptly supplied. The people of North Carolina are now, however, thoroughly arou-ed, and will nut wait lu investigate the faults of the past.” (M> Ragley maili no comment on the brief story appealing in the Richmond paper, but appar enty he was in full accord with it. Later in the diary, he takes issue with the way the war is being prosecuted, and he states his position in no uncertain words). (In the next, the 17th install ment, Mr Bagley tells about a meting of (lie volunteers on Sep tember 3, 1861, and about ar rangernents being made to send representatives to the Outer Banks to learn what was hap pening there. The defenders of Hatteras Island had fallen back to Roanoke Island, and Mr. Bag ley deals at length with the op eration theie in future install ments.). Tobacco Sales Pass Ten Million Figure r OVER THE TOP The annual membership drive of the Martin County Farm Bureau is way over the top, according to a report re leased by the officials of the organization. Assigned a quota of 2,050 members, the canvassers last Thursday night had signed 2,112. The count has been boosted since that time to 2, 141. The canvassers are to meet in November when delegates are to be named to attend the State meeting in Asheville on the 1st of next month. William H. Modlin Died In Hospital at Richmond Today Kiiurral Arrniip-menl* Nol Yet (loiiiplele for Native Of Jainenville • i William H. Modlin, Jamesville Township citizen, died in Mc Guire’s Veterans Hospital, Rich mond, Tuesday morning at 5:110 o’clock. He had been in declining health fur almost twenty-five years, spending much of that time in various hospitals, lie had spent the past year in the Richmond hospital except for about five weeks he was home during the | summer. He was born in Jamesville Township 57 years ago on April 25, 1897, tin1 son of the late Har mon and Mary Harris Modlin,! and farmed there until declining | health forced his retirement. He i rs > »■#. ,y k ( Hardison who died in 1921 His second marriage was to Miss Su die Martin. Mr. Modlin enlisted for service during World War I on August 5,! 1918, and served overseas from I \h3ri.Jyl V.. * am* ikUmmk i»ii.i»MM> discharged June 21, 1919, and re turned to his home. He was a member of the Cedar Branch Baptist Church since b*v-! hood, attending his last services there during a revival meeting while he was home from the hos pital this summer. Surviving besides Mrs. Mod Ini are one son, Carrol Modlin, by his first marriage; and by his second marriage, three daughters, Mrs. Augustus Mocker of Agawan, Massachusetts, Mrs. James Jhc1< son of Newport News, and Miss Mary Modlin of the home; two (Continued on Page Eight) Hassell Street Paving Project — -*— The (own of Hassell with its Powell bill funds, is advancing a fairly extensive street paving pro gram, Mr. John W. Eubanks said last weekend. Portions of five streets, covering the greater part of one-half mile, is included in the program. The project is of the bituminous asphalt type and is being handleu by Stall Highway and Public Works Commission forces. Sale Monday One ! Of Largest And Highest Of Year -^ Official Average Placed At *59.80 For More Than 400,000 Pounds Williamston's tobacco market) skootcd right on over the ten mil lion-pound mark yesterday when one of the largest and highest sales of thi' year was entered in the official records. According to an official report, the market yesterday had the biggest sale in its more than half century of his tory. The report listed 429,816 pounds which sold for $257,0ti4, an average of $59.50. The average was the second highest reported this season, and was only about $1 below the record figure reported on September 27. The sales yesterday boosted the total for the season to 10,044,864 pounds. Up until this morning the market had paid out $5, 570,863, the general average being $55.46 per hundred pounds. Average prices were higher and the volume heavy on the Eastern North Carolina flue-cured tobac co markets. According to the Fed eral-State Market News Service gains from the previous week ranged from $1.00 to $5.00 per hundred. Most increases, however, were $1.00 and $2.00. A few grades showed small losses. A weekly high for the season] was set when 58,447,389 pounds sold for an average of $57.08. This ; was $1.69 per hundred higher than ! the previous week and the high- ] est weekly average of the season.) to’Sfc. it ,'v (Continued on Page Five) Former Resident Died Saturday Herbert Mason Clark, former j Willimnston resilient, died at his home in Burlington at fi;0() o'-j clock last Saturday morning. He had been in declining health for almost two years, but early last week he was reported to have been getting along very well. A son of the late Joseph Al bert and Julia Whitaker Clark, he was born in Durham 52 years ago, and spent his early life there. Entering the drug business, he made his home in Quantico for a short time before moving to Wil liamston about twenty-five years ago. He was associated with Clark's Drug Store here for a number of years, moving to Bur-1 lington in early 1942 where he was employed as a druggist by the Acme Drug Company. Surviving are his widow, the former Miss Mamie Carden of Durham; one son, Herbert M. (Jerry) Clark, Jr., of Chapel Hill; one daughter, Mrs. J. Forrest Barnwell of Burlington; one sis ter, Mrs. J. A. Swope of Waco, \ Texas; one brother, C. C. Clark, and one grandchild of Chapel Hill. | The funeral service was con ducted m a Burlington funeral chapel at Burlington Sunday aft- ; ernoon at 2:30 o’clock by Dr. ] Chester Alexander, Presbyterian 1 minister. Interment was in Ma Voles To Join ' Church Charge —$ Subject t» fii.al action by the Conference on October 27, the Holly Springs Methodist Church recently voted to join the charge made up of the Jamesville and Siloam churches. If the plan is .approved, and it is likely that it will be, the Rev. W. S. Daven-j port, of Plymouth, will serve thei three churches. The present pastor, the Rev. R. E. Walston, preached lus last ser nion for tl^e congregation Sunday,1 subject, of course, to the wishes -of the Conference. The Sunday service marked the close of a successful meeting in the church. A sumptuous picnic dinner was enjoyed that day, many friends from all around at tending as special guests of the hospitable members Hamilton Native Died In Hospital Monday Evening Funeral In Hamilton Epis copal Church Wednesday For Mrs. Davenport Mrs. Helen Martin Davenport, a native of Hamilton, died in a Greenville hospital Monday eve ning at 8:30 o’clock. She had been in declining health several years, and her condition had been cri tical following an operation about ten days ago. The daughter of the late David and Margaret Jarvis Martin, she was born in Hamilton 78 years ago, and spent most of her life there. She was married to John Davenport in 1897 and continued to make her home in Hamilton. Following his death -he had made her home with her children in Hassell, Robersonvillc and Hamil ton. Mrs. Davenport was a member of St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Hamilton for many years. She was active in the church for years, and was interested in the bet terment of her community. Since her death Monday eve ning many fine tributes have been paid Mrs. Davenport. She was recognized as one of the finest women ever to be reared in Ha milton. A devoted mother, a kind and considerate person to every one, her passing is being keenly felt bv a large circle of friends and neighbors. Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Walter Roberson with whom she had recently made her home in Robersonvillc, Mrs. Helen Eve rett of Hamilton, Mrs. Elmer Ed mondson of Hassell and Mrs. Banks Cozart of Greenville, and one son, Clayton Davenport, of Robeisonville; eighteen grandchil dren and fourteen great-grand children. The funeral service will be con ducted in the Episcopal Church at Hamilton Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 o’clock by the Rev. Sidney Matthews, a former rector of the church and now of Winton, the Rev. Thus. L. Hastings, the pres ent rec ,n and the Rev. C. 1, Gat ijBani n rti * . Interment will be in the Hamil ton Cemetery. The body will be moved from the home of her daughter, Mrs. Walter Roberson, to the Hamilton Church orfe hour before the service. Attorneys Tangle In County Court —$— Following a word battle, two attorneys working to settle an as sault with a deadly weapon case in the Martin County Recorder's Court Monday morning, engaged in an assault case of their own, but were separated by officers be fore physical blows could be ex changed. Sheppard Lynch was charged with assaulting M. L. Shearin with a deadly weapon up in Goose Nest Township a few days ago. Attorney II. L. Swain was defend ing and Attorney Wade Dickens of Scotland Neck was the private prosecutor. During the course of the trial, objections were noted on numerous occasions, and the prosecutor was sustained. When the defendant took the stand, At torney Dickens rapped down on him. Lynch’s attorney objected, and the private prosecutor asked why he objected. Something was said about a bellowing bull, and the the defense attorney threw foe'tat tiifu lIu“VIT£ TtTfl ti ik aii'j, gested that the prosecutor ask questions as a gentleman. Attorney Dickens hopped and went for Attorney Swain, snatch ing off the man’s glasses The two clinched and oiiicels parted them. Attorney Dickens apologized to the court, the spectators and the citizens of the county advising Judge H. O. Peele that he would follow it up with a written apolo gy. Dickens said he was ashamed of his act, adding that the de fense counsel had aggravated him, and that lie lost lumself. Attorney Swain, maintaming his position, apologized but never retracted the comment about the private prosecutur acting like a gentleman in asking questions. Judge Peele called for written apologizes and directed the clerk to enter them in the court min utes. The written apologies are expected shortly.