North Carolina Newspapers

^Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^ = A home newspaper dedicated = = to the service of Washington = = County and its 12,000 people. = ^llllllllllllllllllllllllllimillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllMlllllli THE ROANOKE BEACON ★ ★★★★★★★★★ And Washington County News ★★★★★★★★★★ tJiiiiimiimiiiiimiiiHiiiiiiiiimimiiimnmiiMmimmimiiH §f Advertisers will find Beacon § and News columns a latch-key to 1 1.100 Washington County homes. niiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiimMiiMiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Friday, December 19, 1930. ESTABLISHED 1889 VOLUME 41—NUMBER 53 r.iiiiiMiiimmiiHii AGENT RETURNS FROMMEETING HELD IN RALEIGH Plans for Year’s Work Are Outlined; Urge Reducing Acreage to Cash Crops -$ County Farm Demonstration Agent R. E. Dunning returned Saturday from the agents' conference held in Ra leigh last week, and is making plans for another year's work in Washing ton County along the lines suggested by the agricultural experts in atten dance at the State meeting. Mr. Dun ning stated that the economics of farming and the outlook for next year was the general theme of practically all of the discussions. studies, and speeches before the conference. The agent said that particular em phasis was placed on the need to re duce the acreage to cotton and tobac co. The agents not only heard of the world economics situation from one of the nation’s leading experts, Dr. L. H. Bean, of the Department" of Agri cultural Economics at Washington, but they also heard of the need for readjustment front Governor Max Gardner and front representatives of the Federal Farm Board and State College experts. One of the new ideas in the live-at home program was voiced by Pres ident E. C. Brooks, of State College, when he said that the cost of main taining the huge army of persons who live by exchanging or dealing in farm commodities had grown so great that for them to live meant for agricul ture to die. The agents were urged to help their farmers in growing less of the things which must he sold or ex changed for cash and to reduce the cost of this exchange by cooperation in buying and selling. Further deve lopment of curb and local markets was alsc suggested. Mr. Dunning stated that lie planned to continue his efforts next year in having Washington County farmers in crease their dairy cattle and poultry production. There is a creamery lo cated in Tarboro now, and the Coun t;. farmers could materially increase their income by shipping milk there. At present the price is too low to justify the trial of the idea. In this connection, Mr. Dunning said that one of the best speeches at the conference was made by W. F. Schil ling. dairy representative on the Fed eral Farm Board. The speaker told a graphic story of the dairy develop- | mint in southern Minnesota, and gave facts about the 642 cooperative creameries of that section to show how the owners and producers make money . through growing and milking cows. SCHOOLS BEGIN HOLIDAY TODAY Plymouth School Reopens December 31; Others in County Begin Jan. 1 -® Pupils of the local schools are go ing to their lessons with light hearts this morning, for it is the last day of school for 10 whole glorious care-free days. The schools close for the Christ mas holidays this afternoon and will not reopen until Wednesday morning, December 31st. Other schools in the county are closing today, also, but they will not reopen until Thursday, Jan-j nary 1st. The reason tor the one-day ditlerencel in the date for taking up work again i was explained by Principal Hicks as I caused by the fact that the local school had a two-day holiday at Thanksgiv ing and also an extra day last Friday when the teachers went to Washington for observation work. The other schools in the county did not get these extra days, and hence do not have toj make them up. Cotillion Club To Give Dance Friday, Dec 26th -®— The Plymouth Cotillion Club will give its annual Christmas Dance Fri day night, December 26, in the Hamp ton Building on Water Street. Ar rangements for the event y are being made by Messrs. Clyde Cahoon, Bus ter Adler, and Percy M. Arps. A large number of invitations have been is sued, and it is expected that a good sized crowd will be here from a num ber of the surrounding towns, in ad dition to the club members. -» Methodists Will Have Christmas Music Sunday Kev. P. G. L. Edwards, pastor of the local Methodist church, yesterday announced that there would be special Christmas music at both the morn ing and evening hours Sunday at that church. There will also be a special Christmas sermon at the morning ser vice. Sunday school at the usual hour. The public is cordially invited to at tend. Collection of County Taxes Is Progressing Very Slowly “Mighty slow,” was Sheriff Reid's answer to a query yester day as to how tax collections were progressing in the county. Out side of a few large corporations on ly a small percentage of the tax payers have made settlement so far. The total early this week was about $43,000, of which the Norfolk-Southern Railroad alone paid approximately $32,000. The slowness of taxpayers to respond is causing the county some em brassment in meeting current obli gations, and a special meeting of the county board of commis sioners was held yesterday to con sider the matter. It was thought probable that the board would or der the issuance of tax anticipa tion notes to tide over the present situation. While the collection of this year's taxes has been very slow, the county attorney, Jerry Sawyer, and County ccountant, J. C. Gatlin have been having fairly good luck in collecting 1928 and 1929 taves. While the amount is not so large, it represents a good percentage of the outstanding delinquent lax ac counts. Mr. Gatlin said Wednes day that so far he had collected a total of $3,353.74 on the 1928-29 accounts, and while the county at torney did not have actual figures available, he said that his collec tions of the 1928 taxes had been fairly good, considering condi tions. Pension Checks for Veterans And Widows of Confederate Soldiers in County Received NOW IN HANDS OF CLERK OF COURT, TOTAL IS $732.50 Nine Checks Are Received; Seven Are for Widows Of Veterans -® Pension checks totaling $732.50, to lie distributed among nine verterans of the Civil War or widows of veterans, in Washington County, were received this week by C. Y. W. Ausbon, clerk of the superior court. Mr. Ausbon said yesterday that as a rule the benefi ciaries of the pensions were prompt in [ claiming their checks, but only one of j the lot received this week has been delivered so far. However it is expected that with this announcement all of the j checks will l>e claimed by the end of i the week. The amounts of the checks range from $50 to $182.50, depending on the classification of the pensioner. Pay ments are made twice yearly, about the 15th of April and December, and i the checks now in the clerk’s office re- j present one-half of the yearly amount | paid by the State to the veterans and | widows. v\ asnmgton county nas omy out; i living man who actually fought in the ' Confederate Army, Elder Newsome H. ( Harrison, who was a member of Com pany H of the Tenth North Carolina i Regiment. He is listed as a "Class A” ] soldier on the pension roll, which en- i titles him to $365 yearly. |i There is only one other living per- : son who was a member of the Con- 1 federate Army, and he is not listed as a soldier. That is Charles Horton, co lored, of Plymouth, listed as the body ' servant of Major H. G. Lewis. He is rated as class “B" and receives a year- ' ly pension of $200. There are six "Class B" widows, ' each of whom receives a pension of ‘ $100 annually. They are Mrs.^la S. Bateman, widow of J. I. Bateman, of, Creswell, member of Company G of I the Seventeenth Regiment; Mrs. Bash- : ebia Cannon, of Roper, widow of R. Cannon, of Company B, Third Regi- i ment; Mrs Mary V. Darden, of Ply- ; mouth, widow of David G. Darden, of ] Company H, Tenth Regiment; Mrs. ; Ellen E. Norman, of Creswell, widow of Nehentiah Norman, member of Company H. Seventeenth Regiment: i Mrs. Mary Jane Weede, of Plymouth, j widow of William C. Weede, of Com- i pony C, Seventeenth Regiment; and Sarah Jane Williams, of Roper, widow of Henry J. Williams, member of Company G, First Regiment. \ Mrs. Margaret Leggett, of Plymouth ; is listed as a “Class A’’ widow, and as . such receives a yearly pension of $300 irom the State Government. Her hits- ; band was the late A. J. Leggett, who , was a member of the Third Cavalry. , Next Issue of Beacon To Be Earlier Than Usual According to present plans, the ( Beacon will come to you on Wednes day of next week instead of hriday, as usual. The forms will he closed Mon-j day night and the paper will he put in the post office Tuesday night in order that it may he distributed throughout the county before Christ ina; Day. This action is taken in or der that members of the "force" may have a few days' rest at this season, which is the only time a worker in a newspaper office gets any vacation. Oui correspondents and advertisers are asked to get their "copy” in early, as all material must be in the office by Monday night in order to insure publication. The Beacon office will he closed Thursday, hriday and Saturday but the whole crew—both of us—will be back on the job Monday morning, ready for “business as usual.” Plymouth Stores Open Evenings Next Week -® Plymouth merchants will keep their stores open Monday, Tues day, and Wednesday nights of next week for the convenience of last-minute shoppers, it was in dicated in a survey made here yesterday. It was not regarded as worth while to keep open eve nings this week, as last year places of business were kept open until late each evening for more than a week before Christ mas and there were only a few shoppers to take advantage of the added business hours until the last few days. Business in gen eral has been only fair with many merchants, and a last-mi nute rush is anticipated next week. MANY VIOLATE TRESPASS LAW Much Damage Caused By Hunters of Christmas Decorations -$ County authorities state that there lave been many complaints during the last few days about people cutting ce lar trees, holly bushes, and mistletoe, ■specially on land adjacent public •oads, without receiving the owner’s >ermission. Landowners are contplan ng that the Christmas decoration icekers are littering up the landscape vith trimmings and leaves from the rees they cut, besides damaging other uoperty. It is pointed out that de wedations of this nature are serious jffenses, and there is a likelihood that ictions will be instituted in the courts )y some of the owners whose property s being damaged. Section 4259 of the Consolidated Statutes makes it a misdemeanor for my person to carry off wood or any >lher kind of property whatsoever rom the lands of another without his lermission, and if it can be proven the icl was done with felonious intent institutes.grand larceny and as such s punishable by imprisonment for as nuch as 10 years in the State’s prison. The law governing damage com nitted upon the lands of any person is omul in section 4301 of Article 22, ’ublic Laws of 1924, chapter 54, and ; as follows: "Any person, not being m his own lands, or without the per nission of the owner thereof, who ball, within 100 yards of any State Highway of North Carolina or with n a like distance of any other public cad or highway, wilfully commit any lamage, injury, spoliation to or upon my tree, wood, underwood, timber, ;arden, crops, or who shall deposit any rash, debris, garbage, or litter within iuch limits, shall be guilty of a mis lenteanor, and upon conviction fined lot exceeding $50 or imprisoned not ixceeding 30 days. Plymouth Cage Teams Lose to Roper Friday Plymouth High School basketeers, both hoys and girls lost the first games bey played this season in Roper last Friday night, when the hoys went town, 3.3 to 5 or 6. and the girls drop ped a hard-fought contest. 20-21. I he local teams have had to do their prac lii ng on an out-door dirt court, while the game last Friday was played on ■\ hardwood floor which worked to their disadvantage. The girls’ game was a real thriller, lntt the Roper las sici managed to get a 1 -point victory. No other games have been scheduled until after the holidays. EXPECT LARGE CROWD TUESDAY FOR FIREWORKS Firemen Have About Com pleted Arrangements for Big Free Exhibition -* | Local firemen are going ahead with [their arrangements for the big aerial 'display of fireworks to he staged on i the river front here next Tuesday j night, December 23, at 9 o'clock. The [fireworks were received last week, se veral boxes of them, and certain mem bers of the company will be selected I to erect frames for the designs and i "set off" the display Tuesday night. The entire program is free, local ! merchants and the chamber of com merce having cooperated in buying the I materials and advertising the occasion, lit has not yet been determined whe ther the displays will be set up on the I ground on the Bertie side, or whether they will be fired from a barge an chored in the river. Spectators will ' have plenty of room on the Plymouth side, however, and a gorgeous spec tacle is promised by the firemen. A number of the merchants have announced that they will put special items on sale at low prices at the time of the fireworks exhibition, and it is believed that the event will prove a boon to the business houses here by spreading the usual Christmas Eve rush over two nights. BANK DECLARES EXTRA DIVIDEND Branch Bank & Trust Co. Has Paid Stockholders 20 Per Cent This Year Al the regular monthly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Branch Banking & Trust Company, Wilson, N. C. held last Friday, an extra dividend of 8 per cent was declared, payable to stockholders on December 15th, making total dividends of 20 per cent for the current year. Mr. H. D. Bateman, who is Presi dent of the bank, announced that the operating profits for the year would lie approximately as much as for the year 1929. The Branch Bank is well known as being one of the strongest and most capably managed institutions in East ern Carolina and has branches in the following towns: Plymouth, Bailey, Goldsboro, Fayetteville, New Bern, Whitakers. Selma, Williamston and Warsaw. H. D. Bateman is president; S. S. Lawrence, vice president and cashier; Milcy C. Glover, trust officer; and D. W. Kellog, manager of the insurance department. The directors are as follows: S. H. Anderson, chairman; S. G. Mewborn, J. T. Barnes, H. B. Lane, W. D. Sharp, R. P. Watson, D. S. Boykin, C. L. Hardy, H. D. Bateman, J. T. Cheatham, F. L. Carr, C. E. Moore, F. N. Bridgers, W. A. Finch and S. S. Lawrence. BEGIN DRIVE TO AID LOUISBURG - ® Needs of Methodist Institu tion To Be Presented in Churches Sunday -® Efforts on the part of the Trustee of Louisburg College to raise appro ximately $12,(100.00 among the mem bers of tbe North Carolina Conference and friends of the institution before January 10, 1931, for the purpose of supplementing (lie income of the Col lege to meet its operating expenses for tbe spring term are meeting with en couraging response on all sides, it was stated this week by Rev. R. (i. Ed-, wards, pastor of the local Methodist Church. There is a spirit of coopera tion on the part of the students, facul ty, alumnae, and friends of tbe College throughout the North Carolina Con ference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The North Carolina Conference lias definitely committed itself to the plan of the Trustees of the College through action taken by its ministers and lay men in meetings held in each of the nine districts of the Conference dur ing the last ten days. It has been pointed out that to raise the proposed amount will call for only a small contri bution from each pastoral charge. The proposed plan for the raising for this fund includes the following: hirst, that tbe cause of Louisburg College shall be presented in all of tbe Churches of the North Carolina Conference either on December 21, or December 2K, and voluntary offerings be taken at that time for the College. Second, that each Methodist pastor designate such other church workers as he may see fit to assist him in so liciting private contributions. It is suggested that tbe pastors may find former students of Louisburg College to be especially helpful in this work. Get $129.50 Monthly Pledges For Welfare Work in Section A (Christmas BJisb ~ v»p.' ViSyW VI* VRIpr VI BY MRS. HILDA ROBERTSON I d like a stocking made for a giant, and a meeting-house full of toys; Then I'd go out in a hap py hunt for the poor little girls and boys. Up the street and down the street and across and over the town, I’d search and find them every one before the sun went down. One would want a new jack knife, sharp enough to cut; one would long for doll with hair, and eyes that open and shut; one would ask for a china set, with dishes all to her mind; one would wish for a Noah's ark, with beasts of every kind. Some would like a doll’s cook stove and a little toy wash-tub; .,ome would prefer a little drum for a noisy rub-a-dub. Some would wish for a story-book, and some for a set of blocks; some would be wild with happiness over a new tool-box; and some would rather have little shoes and other things warm to wear; for many children are very poor, and the winter is hard to bear. I’d buy soft flannels for little frocks, and a thousand stockings, or so, and the jolliest little coats and cloaks, to keep out the frost and snow. I’d load a wagon with caramels and candy of every kind, and buy all the almonds and pe can nuts and taffy that I could find; and barrels and barrels of oranges I’d scatter right in the way, so the children would find them the very first thing, when they wake on Christmas Day, Automobile License Plates For 1931 Are Now On Sale At Branch Offices in State RECORDER HAD THREE CASES All Three Defendants Are Given Terms on County Roads - There were only three cases in re corder’s court here Tuesday, and the session was not as long as it lias usual ly been for the past several months. Al! three of the defendants tried were negroes, and all three cases were based on assault charges. One of the defen dants was fined and given a suspended sentence, while the other two were given assigned to the county road force. It is understood that the negro who was fined was unable to raise tlu amount and as the suspended sen tence imposed was contingent upon him paying the fine, he also joined the county road force. Cases disposed of were as follows: Percy Lemont, charged with an as sault with a deadly weapon, entered a plea of guilty and was given 4 months on the roads. Hamp Smith, booked on counts of assault, nuisance, etc., also entered a plea of guilty. He was fined $20 and the costs and given a 4 months’ sen tence on the roads, the sentence to be suspended upon payment of the costs and good behavior of the defendant. He was unable to pay the fine and was sent to the roads. Robert Wilson, alias “Bob-jack,” was charged with assault, resisting an of fice!, etc. He plead guilty and was sentenced to the roads for six months. FAMOUS LION TO BE HERE -$ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Leo Makes Stop Here While On Tour of World -, How would you like to pay butcher bills or restaurant checks for an appe tite that required twenty-five pounds of beef as a daily diet? Yet when you consider that the owner of the appetite tips the scale at seven hundred and thirty-five pounds,, it is not surprising that such a menu should be required to maintain his strength. Leo, the proud possessor of this leonine appetite, will arrive in Ply mouth on Saturday at 9 a. m. to visit the friends that he has in this city. Leo is a lion, the celebrated trade mark lion of Metro-Goldwyn-Myer, who roars his supremacy from the “Arts, Gratia Artis’’ wreath at the be ginning of all the motion pictures pro duced by that company. He is now era barked on a tour of the world to visit his millions of picture fans who have voiced a desire to meet him personal ly. When Leo arrives in his caravan of motorized vehicles, each of which ex cels in magnificence any circus wa gons we have ever seen, lie will make a tour of the principle streets of the town which will terminate at the front of the State Theatre about 9:30 a. m. There Leo will perform, under the direction of his trainer, Capt. Volney Phifer, who enters the cage with him, several of the antics that have been reciuired of him in his motion picture career. NEAREST OFFICE TO PLYMOUTH IS IN WILLIAMSTON Town Tags Also On Sale; New Licenses Must Be on Cars by January 1st -- State automobile license plates for 1931 went on sale Monday through the State Department of Revenue and at 47 branch offices of the Carolina Motor Club located in various parts of North Carolina. The nearest license bureaus to Plymouth are located at Elizabeth City and Williamston, and already the new gold and black plates are making their appearance on local cars. City license plates have been on sale here since the first of December, but City Clerk M. W. Spruill said yester day that he had disposed of less than a dozen so far. Motorist are being urged to buy them as soon as possible, a.- the law requires that they be put on all cars not later than January 1. and indications now point to the usual last minute rush. The town tag cost only $1 for all makes of cars. The 1931 tags, both State and town, may be placed on cars immediately. There has been no change made "in the State registration fees, license plates running from $12.50 for pas senger cars of under 25 horsepower to $40 for cars over 40 horsepower. Truck plates range from $15 upwards, depending on capacity and tire equip ment. Owners who have received the white registration card from Raleigh need only to present it with the proper fee to obtain license. If the card has not been received the license will be issued on presentation of a clear title to the vehicle. o m c e inauguration 01 tne plan oi issuing license plates at strategic points throughout the State the branch bu reaus have distributed more than 1, 944,260 tags valued at between $30,000, 000 and $35,000,000. Approximately 80 per cent of the total plates issued in North Carolina are now issued through the branch bureaus, although those who prefer to do so may order their license by mail from the State bureau. The majority of the tags used in this section are bought through the license bureau at Williamston, which is con ducted by the Ford agency there. This agency will remain open for a month, it is understood, although all cars are required to have license by January 1. under the law. The tags this year, both town and State, have a black background with gold numerals. -e Local Teachers Observe Work in Washington I Local teachers spent last Friday in W ashington observing the work of the teachers and methods in use in the .schools there. Principal E. H. Hicks of the city schools, said yesten av that they were cordially receivel and en j tertained while in the Beaufort capi ; t r, and he believed the d.r had been '.vi 11 spent. '.he teachers spen*’ the | entire day, from 9 to 3:30, in observa tion work, and as Washington has an ‘excellent system efficiently conducted, jit is believed that much good will I cume of the visit, the principal stated. RESULTS DRIVE MADE THURSDAY NOT INCLUDED Committee Named by Local Chamber Commerce To Canvass Town -® W ith only a few days remaining days before Christmas the program of relief work for Washington County was worked out at the meeting of the chamber of commerce here Monday night, when plans were made for a canvas* of local business establish ments for pledges to the fund to car ry on Salvation Army work through out the county. A committee, com posed of A. H. Stier, J. \Y Norman, and C. L. Groves, was named to make the canvass, which began yesterday, and it was confidently expected that enough pledges would be received by them to get the work well under way by the end of this week. Another committee, consisting of Z V. Norman, P. H. Darden, and A. L. Alexander, was appointed to go before the county board of commissioners and the town council at their next meetings to ask them to make a dona tion to the project. Envoy W. C. Brewer, in charge of the Salvation Army work here, was joined Tuesday by his wife, who is also a trained welfare worker, and they are rapidly getting things lined up tor their part of the job. A number of needy cases have already been report ed to them and some relief has al ready been extended where circums tances were most urgent. Pledges totaling $12^.50 per month have already been received by the ccmmittee of the chamber of com merce, and this does not include the results of their canvass yesterday. On ly five organizations are represented in this amount, and it is believed that the canvass Thursday will very nearly put the workers “over the top” in their campaign to secure pledges for at least $200 per month for the next six months. Organizations which made their pledges prior to the drive Thursday include: Employees and Chicago Mill and Lumber Corporation, $62.50; Na tional Handle Company organization, $45; local post-office force, $12; Per severance Lodge of Masons, $7.50; and fire department. $2.50. The name of the individual contributors will be pu blished later. In addition to the cash donations and pledges being received the Salva tion Army also wants old clothing, shoes, food, and produce of any kind. Mr. and Mrs. Brewer are at present located in the rooms over Jackson’s market, while repairs are being made to the permanent headquarters, which will be located on the second floor of the Woodley Chevrolet Co. building, the use of which has been donated by Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Sutton. Envoy Brewer made a short talk to the pupils of local schools this week, asking them to aid by bringing old clothing and other sunolies to be iriven to the needy. Mrs. Brewer said yesterday that a “Christmas pot,” presided over by an Army worker, would probably be placed on one of the streets here Sat urday in order to give the general pu blic a chance to “chip in” to the cause. She stated that the aim of the organization would he to see that there were no empty stockings—or stomachs —in this section on Christmas Day, and that worthy unfortunates would he cared for as long as possible, or un til they were able to help themselves, provided the people of the county would cooperate in the undertaking. Donations or information as to needy cases may he given to any of the army workers, members of the canvassing cc mmittee of the chamber of com merce, this newspaper, or to the coun ts welfare officer, J. W. Norman. - Town Council To Have Regular Meet Tonight -» The town council will hold its re gular semi-monthly meeting tonight, it wa° announced by Mayor R. P. Wal ter this week. Aside from the routine business to be transacted, it is expect , ed that consideration will be given the purchase of an electric pump for the water system, and it is also probable the installation of water meters throughout the town will be discussed. Home Demonstration Agent on Annual Leave Miss Pratt Covington, county de monstration agent, is taking lier annual leave next week, when she will visit relatives at her old home in Rocking ham. Before leaving, Miss Covington announced that she will be “back on the job'’ by January 1st, and that club work will take on renewed activity af ter the first of the new vear. I