North Carolina Newspapers

= A home newspaper dedicated = 1 to the service of Washington | | County and its 12,000 people. § fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiimiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiiiiii? The Roanoke Beacon ******* and Washington County News ******* |j Advertisers will find Beacon g |j and News columns a latch-key to = = 1,100 Washington County homes. j| ^lllimillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllfllimillllllllllllllllllllllllllli? VOLUME XLII—NUMBER 52 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Friday, December 25, 1931 ESTABLISHED 1889 SEVEN ARRESTED MONDAY IN PEA RIDGE SECTION Coley Biggs, Will Hufftan and Leonard Hassell Give Bond Federal agents swooped down on Pea Ridge Monday afternoon, arrest ing seven men for the violation of the prohibition law. Coley Biggs, Will Hufftan, and Leonard Hassell assumed responsi bility for the operation of the plant as well as its ownership. They were placed under bond of $.100 apiece. Bailey Biggs, Archie Barber, Wilson Biggs, and Asa Barber were put un der $150 bond apiece on their own recognizance. Warren and J. H. Roebuck, Federal officers, of Williamston, led the raid, and were aided by C. S. Coats and T. R. Gibbs. The officers walked up on the men and surprised them. It was reported that the last four men were only at the plant drinking. A preliminary hearing was given them | by United States Commissioner Johnj Leggett. They will be tried at the April 4: term of Federal court in Washington. COOPERATION OF! EFFORTIS URGED Raleigh.—Education and cooperation are the foundation stones upon which can be built a permanent agricultural prosperity, according to M. G. Mann, secretary-treasurer of the North Car-, olina Cotton Growers’ Cooperative As sociation. He said this job of building a per manent agricultural prosperity is a partnership one and can not be ac complished by farm organizations a lone, and urged busines sto give closer cooperation. He attributed agriculture’s lag be hind every other industry during the past SO years to lack of en educated rural leadership. ‘'Education,” he said, explaining he did not necessarily mean j a college education, “teaches us toj think individually but act collectively.” < Mr. Mann said cooperation follows closely education and that it promotes ; good feeling, creates enthusiasm, in- . creases efficiency and gets results. As concrete evidence he mentioned the successful efforts of cotton coopera tives to lower freight rates, pointed to their present fights for a “net weight” cotton law and acreage re duction, and said records would show cotton grown by cooperative members was of better quality than that of non members. The cooperative have long been actively interested in improving quality through use of better cotton seed. -« Superior Court To Convene Here the 11th of January -$ The January term of the Washing ton County Superior Court will open here January 11, with Judge J. Paul Frizelle, of Snow Hill, presiding. It will be a mixed term continuing for two weeks. Monday and Tuesday has been set aside for the trial of criminal cases. The remaining time will be de voted to the disposition of the 90 civil cases. This is the largest civil docket in a number of years, according to Clerk C. V. W. Ausbon. I --® Mrs. Norman Entertains Mrs. Zeb V. Norman was a most gracious hostess on Thursday when she delightfully entertained the mem bers of her Literary Club at her home on East Third Street. The home was attractively decorated, suggestive of the Yuletide season. The general topic of the meeting was “Comedy of Fabtasy: A Mid Summer Night’s Dream." The first paper rendered was by Mrs. J. S. Norman on "Occasion and Plot.” A second reading was given by Mrs. W. Burr on “Shakespeare’s and Barrie Fairies.” The last paper was read by Mrs. T. L. Bray on “The Theory of Love.” After the literary program, a report was given for the donation towards the Children’s Home at Greensboro by Mrs. W. H. Clark, and eight filled Christmas stockings were turned in to be sent to Oteen. At the conclusion of the business meeting, the guests were invited into the dining room, which was beauti fully decorated. The dining table was spread with a lace banquet cloth and centered with a miniature Christmas tree brilliantly arrayed, while place favors of red ap ples'in which were tiny white candles burning, added much to the already pretty s'cene. A delij^htfujl -frozen plum pudding, with host coffee, toast ed marshmallows and cheese straws, was served. The guests included fifteen club members and Mrs. J, W. Harrell. Among the workers employed in a Paris (France) print shop is a 101 year-old woman, who, notwithstand ing her age, is still going strong. I LARGE FAMILIES v North Carolina not only has the highest birth rate of all the states, a position which she has held for many years, but she has the larg est average-size families. For the United States the average family contains 4.1 persons. For North Carolina the average is 4.9 persons per family. South Carolina ranks next to North Carolina with 4.7 persons per family, and only three other states are above 4.5 persons per family. The birth rate is declining in North Carolina, and so is the av erage size of the family, but they are declining less than for the nation as a whole. North Carolina raises children, and there is no finer crop.—Uni versity News-Letter. COLORED MAN IN BUSINESS HERE FOR FIFTY YEARS - In That Time He Has Lost Ony $1,700.00 In Bad Accounts Depressions have coine and gone in the almost half a century that J. D. Moore has spent in business in Plym outh to annex the title of the oldest merchant in the point of service in Washington County’s capital—and Moore has seen Christmas come when there was plenty and has seen it come when there was much suffering. While a young man working the shingle swamps of Washington Coun ty, Moore came to the conclusion that he would not be physically able to earn a living at hard labor all his life so he began saving a portion of his wages and began business as a grocer on Water Street here in 1889, and since that time white merchants have come and gone, but “Uncle” Dave Moore keeps right on selling goods. His first store was located in a building that was used for a number of years as an office for the National Handle Company until they erected their new plant on the suburbs of Plymouth. For 32 years, the old ne gro merchant conducted his business in the little store. Negro customers and occasional white trades wandered into his little store until his profits from his sales during the 43 years in: business have left him in good finan cial condition. Today, the colored man who start ed business with savings amounting to $150 is acknowledged to be one of the wealthiest negroes in this county. His holdings include nine houses and ten lots in the negro section of Plym outh, and no one knows how much cash he has on hand at this time when the world is gripped in a business de pression. Like others, his business has fallen off about 50 percent below normal figures. His stock today is valued at about $1,000, and is located in a building on a lot owned by him. High cost of living 11 years ago, with a good price offered for his stand down on Water Street, drove him into a negro set tlement from which he draws a goodly portion of the available trade. He has lost only $1,700 in bad accounts dur ing his business career. There was only one brick building in town when he started in business. Success came to him through his untiring efforts coupled with square dealing. He paid all his accounts in 30 days and did very little credit business, and is doing hardly any at this time. He does his own book keeping. In his store he has a radio and many other things that resemble the modern business house. During his 43 years in business, he has not missed a monthly conference of the New Chapel Baptist Church, of which he is secretary. And he has missed only once at Sunday school in 30 years, and he was sick then. He does his work well and enjoys his recreation regularly. Once he started to retire, but the old urge to sell something overcame him before a week elapsed and we was again sell ing. i “Well, the reason I think that I am Jfa (Cltrifltmas Simp Again in Hasltitujimt (Enmttg! From out of the countryside will issue forth Wednesday and Thurs day shoppers who will take advan tage of specials and bargains that are offered by local merchants to those who have discarded gloom and have entered into the spirit of the season with enthusiasm, thus quickening their steps and bright ening their eyes as a great tide of humanity ebbs and flows through places where Santa Claus has left his trail. | On every hand the spirit of Christmas abounds. In the down ' town area here merchants have i cleverly arranged their stores with decorations appropriate to the sea | son and people who enter can not help from joining in the surging ! crowd that spends their small earn ings in the purchase ot necessities and gifts that will be dispensed with the friendliness that charac terizes the Yule season. Fir and cedar trees with a scat tering of holly is being brought in here to be sold by the country folk for the convenience of the townsmen and to replenish their pocketbooks. Beautiful lights are draping the business section in a color that brings to the memory of every person the celebration of the nativity of the Christ child. Dwellings shed forth in rays the beaming Christmas spirit with their interior and outside decora tions. School is out and the children are found down town gazing with eager eyes into the windows, view ing wares that they hope Santa Claus will bring them. Their chatter enlivens the occasion. CJhurches are making ready for observance after having given the little folks treats while the elders heard Christmas sermons last Sun- ; day. Welfare organizations, depend ing for their support upon the generosity of the public, have found the fortunate willing to share with the dependent in these crises. So Washington County enters into the holidays with the knowl edge that everything possible is being done for their needy by ■ skilled workers. i To Shepherds biding in the fields, To Wise Men on the way, Alike the Gift of Joy was given On that first Christmas Day. So rich, or poor, or high or low, At Christmas we each shall find The Christ Child’s Spirit born anew Wherever hearts are kind! In a sincere spirit of kindliness and regard, we forward this message to our subscribers, patrons, and other friends, bidding you a Merry Christmas and a Glad New Year. The Roanoke Beacon 60 CHRISTMAS BASKETS TO BE DISTRIBUTED Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Brewer Start Delivering Food Wednesday -® Upwards of 60 baskets of food, clothing, and other necessities with Christmas toys will be distributed this Yule season by Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Iirewer in their efforts to spread cheer among the needy in this county. De livery of the baskets will be started about Wednesday. People in sym pathy with the work will furnish the automobiles. These baskets will go into all sec tions of the county, among the white and the colored.' Needy people not on the lists should be reported ,o these workers. The Plymouth High School presented 13 baskets to the workers for distribution. The clothing drive conducted Saturday received a good response. Food from the county con tinues to come into headquarters here. It appears now that all the desti tute in this county will have a good Christmas. -$ Albemarle Club Meets Skinners ville.—The Albemarle Club met at the home of Mrs. Chester Spruill Wednesday afternoon, Decem ber 16, at 2:30. The following members were pres ent: Mrs. A. R. Patrick, Mrs. Joe Pritchard, Mrs. Henrietta Swain, Mrs. Stark Holton, Mrs. Sarah Swain, Mrs. John Snell, Mrs. Tom Basnight, Mrs. C. V. White, Mrs. Clinton Everett, Miss Eva White, Miss Vivian Spruill, and Mrs. Chester Spruill. Miss Pratt Covington gave a dem onstration on building the room, and after the demonstration several games were played. The meeting then adjourned to meet with Mrs. John Snell, of Holly Neck, in January, 1932. successful is the fact that I started with nothing and today I am in pretty good financial condition. The white folks have always been my friends as well as those of my own race, and I hope next Christmas will find this country in better condtion than ever before,” he remarked. Home and ciub News By Eleanor Pratt Covington Mrs. Phelps entertained the Cherry Club last week, and e^very member certainly enjoyed the meeting. Mrs. Phelps is a fine club member. The Wenona Club met at the home of Mrs. Mueller last Thursday and the crowd overflowed into two rooms. In spite of the rain practically every member was present, nad one new member was added to the club enroll ment. Mrs. Mueller is a splendid hostess and the meeting was certainly enjoyed. The Albemarle Club held its De cember meeting at cbe home of Mrs. | Spruill last Wednesday - >nd a nice crowd attended. Mrs. Spruit, ' nows just how to make her guest want to come back again. In summing up the year’s work we feel that this has been one of the best for some time. Every club member has certainly done her part and the home agent has a group of club mem bers to be justly proud of. Beginning with the New Year there will be a county outlook meeting in the court house some time about the middle of the month. Every person in the coun ty will be invited and every farmer and his wife should be here. This will be a very valuable meeting, and no one can afford to miss it. Through this column the home dem onstration clubs of the county extend their best Christfnas wishes to the of ficers of the county extend their best Christmas wishes to the officers of the county, the merchants and business men, all public spirited citizens of the county and the officers of the county paper, who have done so much to help us with our work this year. Service at St. Luke’s Church I In Roper Friday Evening Roper.—Services will be held at St. ! Luke’s Episcopal church Friday eve ning at 7:30. All are invited to attend. ' Rev. A. H. Marshall will officiate. 1 BIG DECREASE IN FARM VALUES IN PAST TEN YEARS Value of All Farm Property In State Is Less Than Billion Dollars -* The State of North Carolina is esti mated to have a true value of around five and a third billion dollars. Al most exactly half the people of the State live on farms. The value of I all farm property—land, buildings, livestock, implements, and machinery 1 —is valued by the census at less than one billion dollars—nine hundred and fifty-two million to be exact. The state has approximately three billion dollars of wealth listed for tax ation. The wealth listed by farmers probably docs not exceed seven hun dred million dollars, and probably is below that amount. Thus it is evident j that the average farm dweller is worth considerably less than the average non farm dweller. During the last census decade farm lahd and buildings have declined in value nearly two hundred and thirty million dollars, or from approximately four thousand dollars' per farm to ap proximately three thousand dollars, However, this is offset to a large de gree by the increased purchasing pow er of the dollar. Undoubtedly there has been a further reduction in farm values during the last year and a half. ! East Declines Most Just as during the World War val ues rose most rapidly in the cast, or cotton and tobaeoc counties, so dur ing the last decade farm property has declined most rjapidly ,in the same counties. In several counties farm val ues have declined more than 50 per cent during the decade. The greatest declines have been in the cash crop counties. A partial ex planation is the increase in tenant farms—that is, the practice of dividing holdings into smaller tenant-operated tracts, the smaller farm tending to be ( less valuable. Un the other hand, there are a good many counties where farm lands and buildings have increased in value dur ing the last decade. Usually they are counties that were isolated a decade ago and have since become accessible due to improved highways, or they are counties with a large town or city. DECIDE LATER ^--—_/ E. H. Hicks, superintendent of the Plymouth City Schools, has until February 28, 1932, to tell the local committeemen whether or not he will return here for the next session of school. In the meantime the school head is con sidering offers from other schools. It is expected that he will make his announcement some time aft er he returns from his Christmas vacation. The committeemen have also named Dr. Claudius McGowan treasurer to succeed D. V. Clayton whose resignation was accepted at a recent meeting. Another person will be appointed a member in Mr. Clayton’s place soon. NUMBER PEOPLE ACCEPT SPECIAL PEANUT OFFER Many Subscribers Delive'r Peanuts During Past Few Days Peanuts continue to come into the Beacon office here as the subscription campaign draws to a close, whereby 5 cents a pound is allowed for peanuts on subscriptions to the home paper. A few more days are left for those who wish to take advantage of this offer. Not less nor more than a sin gle bag is taken from a customer. Three years’ subscription is allowed for a standard-size bag of the goobers. Thos having taken advantage of the offer so far include: Aubrey Ainsley, Roper: Mrs. O. M. Chesson, Ply mouth: R. A. Turner, Roper; Luther Sitterson, Plymouth route two; W. L. Harrison, Plymouth route one; Rob ert Davenport, Creswell; Mrs. M. J. Davenport, Creswell; S. A. Smith, Plymouth, route two; E. D. Chesson, Plymouth route two; Roy D. Chesson, Rope route one; M. G. Darden, Ply mouth; E. J. Spruill, Mackevs; F. M. Simpson. Mackevs; J. E. Singleton, Plymouth route two; Lazarus Walk er, Plymouth route one: A. S. Allen, Plymouth route one; A. N. Wentz, and W. McD. Peacock, Plymouth route two. Harry Lyon Preparing to Enter West Point School Harry Lyon, son of Mr. and Mrs. O. H. Lyon, is at home visiting his parents during the Christmas vacation period at the Marion Military Insti-! tute, at Marion, Ala., where he is a1 student preparing for entrance at the West Toint Military Academy. Young Lyon is a first alternate to Tom Nixon, III, son of Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Nixon, Jr., of Hertford. Harry was trying at one time to get into the United States Naval Academy, but a physical defect prevented him making the grade. However, it is thought that it can be worked so that he can enter the army school. -if -— - Local Boys Ask Admittance To Coast Guard Academy | Aplications hav been properly exe cuted by two local boys and sent to the government for the authority to take the examination for appointment as a cadet in the United States Coast Guard Academy at New London, Conn. The two boys. Bill Clagon and Joe Gurganus, arc endeavoring to get the opportunity to take the examina tion that will be held in Norfolk on June 15-17, 1932. If they are successful, they will en ter the Coast Guard institution for a course that takes four years for com pletion. Most of the mountain counties have experienced increases in farm land val ues during the decade. As a rule the counties that have experienced in creases had very low values a decade ago. Among those that have experi enced large gains are Buncombe, Cam den, Henderson, Mecklenburg, Perqui mans, Swain, and Transylvania. In every county where cotton or tobacco is grown to any considerable extent farm values have declined, and in most cases severely. 2 CHURCHES WILL HAVE SERVICES CHRISTMAS DAY Methodist and Baptist Con gregations Had Their Programs Sunday Only two churches will celebrate the nativity of Christ here on Christ mas Day. The Grace Episcopal church will open the series of events with “A Christmas Mystery and Manger Serv ice.” which will be presented at 5 o’ clock under the direction of Miss Helen Duvall. Gifts will be taken for the Galilee Lake Mission on Lake Phelps. A pageant will be given, in cluding the singing of carols. The Holy Nativity will be celebrated. The Christian Church will follow’ with an evening service that will be composed of a white gift program. Appropriate songs, recitations, decla mations, and discourses will feature this service. The money contributed w’ill be used for the orphanage and aged and infirm homes supported by the churches. The Methodist and Baptist churches had their Christmas programs last Sunday. Special collections were tak en for the orphans and the children were presented with gifts. The min isters preached their Christmas ser mons at both the night and morning services. Appropriate music as also rendered. NEWSBOY PUTS MONEY TO WORK Waycross, Ga.—Cecil Brown, news boy here, recently demonstrated an ability to do much with little which would arouse envy in any embitious financier. Cecil, with other boys, was at the office of The Journal-Herald, the afternoon newspaper of Waycross. He had 5 cents, his sole capital, and put it to work with astonishing re sults. Here is the story, according to Cecil: "There were four of us boys, and I owed one of ’em a dime. I paid him a nickel on account. He paid another boy a nickel he owed him, and that one paid the fourth boy. This last boy happened to owe me 5 cents, and he paid me. That gave me my nickel back. So I handed it to the boy to whom I owed a dime, so that when he got the five-cent piece the second time he was paid in full. One nickel got all four of us out of debt.” Waycross financiers and economists are considering taking Cecil on a tour of South Georgia to show people what can be done if somebody will spend some money and start the pay-up ball rolling. Postpone Bible Study Class At Rehoboth M. P. Church -■> Skinnersville. — The Bible Study class taught by Rev. J. C. Russell, at Rehoboth M. P. Church every Wed nesday night has been postponed due the the busy holiday preparations. It will meet the first Wednesday night in January, 1932. -* Prayer Meeting at Piney Grove Church December 23 Piney Grove.—The Piney Grove prayer meeting will be held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carney Spruill, sr„ Wednesday night, December 23. Duroc Hog, Weighing 500 Pounds, Exhibited Here -® A hog of the Duroc variety weigh ing about 500 pounds was exhibited lie,? Monday by Joe Shugar. The swine it as raised on the Shugar farm. The anima' was traded off for three smaller hogs. Davidson 4-H Members Plant 3,400 Walnut Trees -* One hundred and thirty-six 4-H club members of Davidson County have planted 3,400 black walnut seedling trees. Limestone and Lespedeza Increase Yields of Corn Limestone and lespedeza are respon sible for corn yields averaging from 40 to 58 bushels an acre in Person bounty. -$ Teachers Return Home ——« Roper.—The following teachers in Roper High School have gone to their -espective homes, for the holidays: Miss Plly Simons, Colerain; Miss 'arrie Jane Herman, Conover; Miss Ruth McKellar, Maxton; Miss Chris :ine Hornaday, Elon; Miss Florence Dailey, Mebane; Miss Sally Taylor, stovall; Miss ojsephine Covington; Rockingham; Miss Helen White, to Plymouth; R. B. Forbes, Shawboro. -® S. P. Jackson, of Lenoir County, larvested four tons of oat hay and 13 ons of lespedeza hay from the same 1 acres of land this j'ear.