North Carolina Newspapers

jiimmiiiiiiiiiminiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ i A home newspaper dedicated |j § to the service of Washington s j§ County and its 12,000 people. 5 iiiiraiiuiHiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiimiiimiimiiimiHiiiiiiiiiiMii? The Roanoke Beacon + * + 4 * * * and Washington County News ******* 5Riiiiiuimiiii!iiiiHiiiiiiitiiiiiiiimiiniiiHiiir 1 Advertisers will find Beacon f § and News columns a latch-key to * = 1,100 Washington County homes. ?iiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiimimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. VOLUME XLVI—NUMBER 33 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Friday, August 16, 1935 ESTABLISHED 1889 HELD ON CHARGE OF FIRST DEGREE BURGLARY HERE 22-Year-Old Colored Youth Waives Preliminary Hearing -Vt> Imprisoned in the confines of the second-story jail here for the next four months, held without bail on a charge of first degree burglary, Wil liam Bell, 22, colored, awaits his fate at the hands of a jury in Wash ington County Superior Court in January. He was arraigned before Recorder John W. Darden Tuesday, and, thru his counsel, waived preliminary hear ing on the charges that grew out of his arrest as a suspect who raised a window and crept into the room of Miss Mary Ro':ie Swain, 76, at the W. F. Lucas farm last Thursday night. The negro had been employed at the farm for a number of years and had even helped in housecleaning duties and knew the residence well. Many think that maybe he was drinking and entered the wrong room, intending as his victim a younger woman. When Miss Swain awoke she thought it was a relative sitting on the side of the bed. She spoke. Then the negro seized her and chok ed her almost into insensibility and, when she feigned unconsciousness he left by the window through which he entered. After she was sure he was gone, she went to the door and found that the family was arising and that the alarm clock that arouses the dairy workers in the house had frightened the negro away at 3:30. Immediate ly Sheriff J. K. Reid and his depu ties were called to the scene of the crime. Strands of cloth matching the torn trousers, and shoes that fitted into the steps that led away from be neath the open window convinced the officers chat Bell should be held as a suspect. Also the mother of Bell stated that he came in about 4 o’clock. Miss Swain, who is a relative of the Lucas family, is aged and her eyes are dim and she is hard of hearing, but she appeared convinced that the officers had the right ne gro. -e Farm Notes By W. V. HAYS, County Agent The marketing cards for tobacco will be ready for all contract sign ers by Saturday, August 17, or may be called for at any convenient time after this date. The poundage on the card represents 95.625 per cent of the base production. When this amount on the card has been sold, the producer will have passed the 85 per cent {production and an ad ditional 12 1-2 per cent above will have been sold and he will receive no parity payment. Six per cent above the 85 per cent of base pro duction will entitled the producer to half of the parity payment. This arrangement was worked out to en able a producer with a heavy pro duction will entitle the producer A producer with some allotment left on his card may sell this poundage to a neighbor for an amount com parable to what may have been re ceived in the form of parity. Any landlord who wishes an allotment card or tobacco sales card made in a tenant’s name or so made that a tenant can use it in selling tobacco should bring the tenant to the coun ty office so that the tenant’s signa ture wil be on record. Sales cards this year will not be negotiable un less properly made out and record ed in the county office. It is a vio lation of the contract to use a sales card not properly recorded. A case of hog cholera was report ed this week, and, upon investiga tion, it was found that cholera was known to have existed for several months. A man who has cholera on his place and uses no precautions in protecting himself and his neigh bors is criminally liable and should be ashamed. Hog cholera cannot be controlled unless a whole neighbor hood will cooperate. The hog pop ulation of an adjoining county has been practically wippd out by chol era. Please report cases where there is a suspicion of cholera so that we may take precautions to protect the neighborhood and quarantine in fected herds. Hog prices are now better than 12 cents on heavy hogs and indications are that spring hogs will sell for good prices. Fall-far rowed pigs should be run through the field and finished on corn and fish meal in the spring so as to weigh 160 pounds and up by the New Type Face Is Much Easier on Eyes of Readers —OLD— This paper today is changing its type face, substituting a modern type for the "Oldstyle No. 2” that has recorded the happenings, big and little, in this community during the past several years. In making the change, it is believed the paper can be more easily read, and marks the policy of the paper to give to its readers the best that it is hu manly posisble to provide. The old matrices are making their last visit to our valued readers today in this little space, although a few articles already set and legal notices may continue to appear for several weeks in the old face. Com pare the type in this column with that adjoining and the difference will be readily seen. _NEW— Today, this paper goes to its readers with a brand new type face—Excelsior—affording easier reading and offering a neater ap pearance. Just compare the type in this column with that in the one adjoining, and the difference can be noticed very readily. The greatest difference, one will find, is the better distribution of space within and around the let ters to give the illusion of great er size and maximum legibility. The old type has served its day; it must give way to something better, and it is with pleasure that the management of this paper in troduces its readers to one of the latest type faces available—and we trust you will like it. [ NO CORONER YET j No information was forthcom ing today from C. V. W. Aus bon, clerk of the Washington County Superior Court, as to who would be appointed coroner to replace Mrs. D. M. McKnight, who has moved her residence to Rocky Mount with her husband, who is a salesman there. Some names have been men tioned to the commissioners, but j they do not have the power of , appointment. Mr. Ausbon today would not even talk of the as pirants, but it is thought that something would be done about it shortly. To Resume Work On County Home —«— Predictions are now that work will be resumed by September 15 on the Washington County home. Work was halted as the FERA projects are being transferred to the WPA or ganization. It was started under the old CWA plan. This makes the third change. There is nothing definite about the new date of starting, but officials feel that things can be cleared up by this time. The frame structure has over 60 rooms. It will be one of the most convenient and modern county homes in the State when completed. It will cost way up in the thousands when completed. -3> Says Hollywood Is Exciting Place -<8>~ Here are excerpts from a letter from Mrs. O. H. Lyon, who is out in Hollywood, Calif., with her son, Harry, and daughter, Priscilla, hop ing to get them a chance in the amusement business, especially on the screen. “It seems strange being so far away. ... I wish I could see all of you, for after all, there is no place like home, although this is a very exciting place. I do not know when I will return. We are getting a lot of encouragement now. I feel that I must stay until I see there isn’t any chance and I’ll have no regrets.-’ -® Aiken’s Orchestra At Myrtle Beach Reports coming in here are to the effect that J. E. Aiken and his Aces of Rop^r are doing well at Myrtle Beach, S. C. They have been book ed for the remainder of the season. New players have been added, mak ing the orchestra rank with the good ones of the state. middle of March. Hogs, when prop erly fed, always pay better prices for corn fed to them than the mar ket price of corn. --s There is only one way to keep worms out of pigs. This must be done by having a sow farrow on clean ground and keeping these pigs away from old runs, wallows, and feeding grounds. Clean ground is ground where hogs have not been kept within several years, or ground which has been turned and on which a crop has been grown. A worm egg will live an unbelievably long time under favorable condition, but when turned under the ground the chemical action of the soil breaks down the egg shell and kills the egg. There is only one thing to do for wormy pigs; that is to feed them and profit by your experience by having sows farrow on clean ground * Library Plans Will Be Discussed at Meet Held Here Thursday —®— Proposal Now Is To Erect Building on Courthouse Lawn for County -® Further plans for a public library for Washington County will be dis cussed at a meeting to be held here Thursday night by representatives from the various civic organizations and clubs. The proposal now is to construct a building costing $5,000 on the courthouse lawn. It would have four rooms, one for the racks of books, another for reading, and two rest rooms. Brick has been suggest ed as the material. It is thought that all the labor, part of the ma terials, maybe 50 per cent, will be contributed by the government agencies. This would replace the library in the basement of the courthouse now, operated under the auspices of the Thursday Afternoon Literary So ciety and would make it county wide in its scope. Mrs. H. A. Blount will preside over the meeting. A petition has been circulated asking the people who approved to sign and many did. --e Value of Top-dressing Is Proved by Demonstration -<3^ A pasture demonstration on the farm belonging to Dr. B. W. Kilgore, of Wake County, shows the value of top-dressing with 100 pounds of ni trate of soda to the acre. 3 Electrification Projects in County Being Considered —®— Chairman of State Authori ty at Raleigh To Assist Those Interested -• Three rural electrification projects are being sought for Washington County, it was learned today from John W. Darden, who is aiding the men in securing construction of the power lines. The first line is from Plymouth to Dardens, connecting with the switch at Dardens, a distance of four miles. It is being urged by Rev. R. H. Lu cas, Joe and Tom Snell. Another is from Plymouth to We nona through the turnpike road, a distance of about 16 miles. This is being approved by W. H. Gurkin, S. F. Darden, and T. S. Allen and others of the Long Acre section. Another is from Roper to Mackeys returning by Pleasant Grove. This is being pushed by James E. Dav enport, Mackeys, and Jim Chesson, Roper, and others. Government agencies provide the money for the construction of these rural lines, and the power compa nies furnish the power to the rural consumers the same as they would a person living in town, and at their regular rates. Mr. Darden will take the matter up with Dudley Bagley, chairman of the State Rural Electrification Authority, in Raleigh, assisting the local interested j)ersons. Cross Roads Man Is 82 Years Old —®— Unusual was the fact determined at the 82nd aniVersary dinner for Dick Davenport held at Cross Roads near Roper Monday, that although there were 11 children and 22 grand children of the aged man, there are only 2 great-grandchildren. I The two great-grandchildren are the son of Mr. and Mrs. Dan Satter thwaite, of Plymouth, and the daugli ter of Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Daven port, of Washington, N. C. There were 52 present at the dinner. Rev M. L. Ambrose, of Roper, was the principal speaker. Members of the immediate family of Mr. Davenport, who wife preced ed him to the grave several years ago, are Henry, John, Louis, Robert and Henderson, of Washington County; Willie Davenfljrt, Washing ton, N. C., Mrs. Johnnie Gray, Wind sor; Mrs. Mary Spruill and Miss Margaret Davenport, Washington County. Mr. Davenport is one of the old est men in Washington County. He retired from the occupation of farm er last year. His sight is defective. TEN CASES TRIED HERE TUESDAY INCOUNTYCOURT Six Offenders Are Sent To County Roads; Two to County Farm -® Justice was meted out in record time here Tuesday morning when Recorder John W. Darden and Pros ecuting Attorney W. M. Darden dis posed of 10 cases in two hours and a half. Court attaches assert that this was the first time that the work has been done in such a limited time. Six offenders were sent to the roads, two to the county farm, one case was nol prossed with leave, while the other was that of Luther Bell, colored, who was charged with first degree burglary as the result of his alleged entrance into the W. F. Lucas home last Thursday night. Henry Mayo, colored, was given 30 days for being drunk on July 31, and the sentence was repeated on a warrant for being drunk and a nuisance on August 10, making his term 60 days on the roads. Louis Norman, drunk and carrying a con cealed weapon, four months, arrest ed by Policeman Snell, of Roper. Edna Norman was assessed the costs for threats against Policeman Snell, of Roper, on August 10. Will Freeman, colored, of Edenton, was given six months for stealing eight chickens from Mrs. Lilly Wilson on August 10. Buster Jackson was ac quitted in the same case. Eh Cooper plead guilty of being drunk, was given 30 days. Joe Man ley, charged with selling whisky, was given a term on the roads. 328 Births Recorded In County Last Year —*— There were 79,556 births in North Carolina last year, while out of this number there were 6.072 babies died under one year of age, making 76.3 deaths per 1,000 live births. In Washington County for 1934 there 328 births, with 36 deaths un der 1 yea rof age, making the rate 109.8 per 1,000 live births. Bertie, with 121.4; Chowan, with 145.4; and Lenoir, with 112.2; lead Washington County in this respect. New Minister for Mt. Tabor Church —♦— Rev. W. A. Dail, of Greenville, will succeed Rev. W. L. Jernigan of Saratoga, as flastor of the Mount Tabor Free Will Baptist church in Washington County. Rev. Mr. Dail hopes to take up his work October 1. Blind Man Successfully Serves As Minster, Farmer, Dairyman How a blind man can successfully! serve as a minister, farmer and dairy man is exemplified in the life of the Rev. Richard Lucas, pastor of the First Baptist Church, of Plymouth. Not more than a mile from the city limits of Plymouth, on Highway 64, to ward Williamston, is the W. F. Lucas farm, which, during the depression, be came involved in heavy obligations, and a widowed mother needed the di recting hand of a hard worker and a person of business acumen as well. Anxious that the farm which had been in the family for generations not pass into the hands of others, it was decided that a call would be made to the minister-son, who was at that time, pastor of the Belhaven Baptist church, having gone to the Beaufort County town from Ayden. Along about this same time the home town folks began to hear of the accomplishments of the native son, de spite the handicap under which he was: laboring, so between the church and the farm and a dairy, Rev. Lucas could not reject the call to aid his home fols:s, so he came here with 15 years experience in the ministry. The clergyman started out in the first medical class at Wake Forest College in 1901 to prepare himself as a physician. In his junior year at the institution his eyes failed him, and he began to study for the ministry. He uses the Braille system of read ing. Handicap by blindness never stop ped the ambitious country lad, but it only led him to higher things in life. Now, with the aid of his wife, he pre pare his sermons by notes, using the Braille system for writing and read ing. But when he marries or buries a person or delivers a sermon, it is all by memory. In addition to his usual reading sys tem, his indispensable wife spends two hours with hint daily reading to him from books, magazines, and pub lications that would help him in pre paring his sermon. In addition to his ministerial duties he supervises a farm of 100 acres, in cluding 43 acres in corn, 30 acres in peanuts and 36 acres of hay. His is one of the most fertile plantations in this section, and therefore the fight against grass must he incessant. His crop last year was valued at $4,000. Six team and a tractor, with five farm hands, must he looked after ev ery day. There are 300 white leghorns, from which eggs will he sold. Three thousand pounds of meat was raised and preserved last year for use of the family and the tenants and employees. Summer in and out numbers of quarts of fruits and vegetables are canned for use through the winter months. Enough Plymouth Rock chickens are grown for the family table. Grain is there for the team. Food and feedstuff must he put away for the winter. Then there is the Springwood Dairy that is supervised by Mr. Lucas. Close to 200 quarts of milk are delivered daily to some 150 customers, with Mr. Lucas on the truck many mornings. Thirty cows must be looked after with the help of three men. His wife keeps the records and does the col lecting. Unusual in this business was the fact that on the first of this year Mr. Lucas absorbed two other smaller dairies and did not increase the price of milk, hut explained in advertising that this purpose was merely to in crease the volume of business. No one here is dissatisfied with the milk monopoly. How a minister can attend to the local and the Oak Grove Baptist church with two or more sermons weekly, making the usual pastoral calls: can direct the affairs of a farm and dairy that does more than $10,000 in business annually and still find time to attend every weekly meeting of the Masonic lodge here is a mystery to many people. How many people, with good eye sight, can stand the following routine day in and day out: 3:30, arise, help with milk and bottling of milk for trip to the doorsteps of the custom ers, rain, shine, or snow; 6 o’clock, breakfast; 6:30, instructions to the farm hands and see that they go to work; 7:30, one hours sleep, no more or less. Then at 8:30 make a round of the places where the farm hands are work ing to see that they arc following in structions; 9:30 to noon, study, pre pare sermons, reading and such; din ner; then to look over the workers again and see that everything is mov ing smoothly; 3 to 0, visits with the sick, pastoral calls, business engage ments. After supper, from 7:45 to 9:30, church affairs, prayer services, reviv al meetings; social calls; and such work. Retire at 10 o’clock, “If 1 could just find another hour for sleep and rest, 1 could carry the burdens easier, but pressure of matters makes this impossible,” said the busy min ister. "But 1 am glad to lie busy. I have no time for self-pity over handicaps but I go about my daily duties so in volved in other things that I hardly notice that 1 am blind, but make the best of everything as 1 go through (lift.' I LIBRARY VISIONS I _/ Visions of a library in the down-town area to serve the whole of Washnigton County were seen at a meeting held by members of the ladies’ dubs and the Plymouth Chamber of Com merce Wednesday night. It was suggested that the Town of Plymouth revoke their lease on th eold market build ing here on Water Street and convert the bottom part of the building into rest rooms for out of-town people and a library for the convenience of the entire county. The second story of the build ing is now being used as a meet nig place for organizations in town, including the American Legion. Probably the county would contribute toward the renovation. Some are urging a complete new library on the courthouse lawn as a memorial to soldiers from Washington County who served in the Civil and World W'ars. Historical Events of Interest Revealed in Recent Researches -® County Was Formed Short Time Before Death of George Washington By ROBERT B. CAMPBELL No standard history of Washing ton County has ever been written, but researches conducted by Mrs. Addie L. Brinkley, former register of deeds, reveals many interesting historical sidelights. Just a little while before the death of President George Washington, the county of Washington was created, cut off from Tyrrell, by legislatve enactment ratified December 3, 1799. Germantown, a small settlement in Skinnersville Township, served as county seat until March 6, 1801, w’hen William Blount gave to the commissioners of Washington Coun ty one acre of land near the head of Kendrick's Creek, near Mill Pond bridge, west of where Mrs. Ida Blount now lives. First county of ficers were James Jones, register of deeds and Samuel Chesson, clerk of court. The courthouse, erected in 1824, was burned during the bombard ment of Plymouth by the U. S. Navy in 1862. Another courthouse erect ed in 1869, of boards running up and down, stood until May, 1873, when it was burned, destroying all records of the clerk of court but I none in the office of the register of deeds. The lot on which the Methodist j church now stand and which was built in 1832, was purchased for $40. The first record of a school build ing is dated September 11, 1832. when John Phelps, “in consideration of one dollar," gave to John B. Ches son, Thomas Norman, and Andrew L. Chesson, trustees, one-half acre on south side of road leading from Skinnersvlile to Mackeys Ferry, up on which they were to build a school. By an act of the Assembly of North Carolina passed in 1850 and 1851, marriages were ordered re corded and on January 4, 1851, the first marriage was recorded in Washington County, groom being John Newberry, jr., and the bride, Drewpenny Newberry. A marriage prior to this is record ed on the fly-leaf of the register, that of Franklin Friley Fagan to Anna and Eliza Bogman in the eve ning of March 24, 1836. Washington County sent 432 men into the Confederate ranks in the Civil War, and from the same do minion went 463 to the World War. Plymouth sent 117 to the World War. The Albemarle Sound is the larg est coastal body of fresh water in the world, covering 454 square miles. Eight rivers empty into the sound, providing favorable spawning grounds for white shad and striped bass. Washington County leads the state in herring production, which in 1927 was 1,197,250 pounds. During 1931 a total of 2,650,800 pounds of fish worth $35,420 were taken from Washington County waters. In 1840 only 4,760 barrels of fish were caught. -* Boy 111 From Eating Poison Watermelon —*— Charlie Frank Swain, 15-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Swain, near Plymouth, has been desperate ly ill for the last few days. It was reported that he had eaten poison watermelon. His father, in town to see Dr. T. L. Bray, said that he was better. He suffered Saturday from fits, thought to have been caused by a disordered system. MINISTER TELLS WHY HE FAVORS MIDWAY BRIDGE Says It Would Furnish Im mediate Relief To Large Number People “As you requested,” writes Rev. E. L. Stack, pastor of the Roper-Cres well charge of the Methodist Episco pal Church, South, who lives in Roper, "I am enumerating some rea sons why the bridge connecting the north and south sides of the Albe marle Sound should be in Skinners ville.” 1. I think it would furnish immed iate relief to a greater number of people than a bridge either at Co lumbia or Plymouth. 2. It is only about 20 miles from Columbia to hard-surfaced road in Hyde near Englehard. By paving this road a section of three coun ties producing vast amounts of prod uce could quickly be given an out let to the northern markets. 3. It would be a more direct route for a large section, offering heavy shipments of produce than any other site considered. 4. Eventually there will be a canal from Portsmouth to New Bern, via near Gates station to Chowan River, down river to mouth, across Albe marle Sound, up Roper Creek, a cross country by Belhaven, near Bath, finally coming into the river at New Bern, which will shorten the Inland Waterway about 80 mlies and will not be as hard to keep< in re pair as the present route. It is nat ural to expect the government would want a highway running parallel with this canal, and the bridge across the sound near Skinnersville would be in line for this project. 5. If I would take a selfish view, I would say neither of the proposed bridge are needed; and that William ston should be made the highway terminal for Hyde, Tyrrell, Wash ington and Beaufort Counties. j That would bring all the traffic of Hyde and lower Beaufort through I Washington, N. C., where I happen to have some property, and this would no doubt enhance the value of my property, and the other peo ple who lived in these isolated places and had to make all these extra miles to get their produce to mar ket would never know the difference after they had been dead a hundred years.” Some good points omitted by the minister, but added below by the editor from those in favor of the same project follow: 6, If the railroad thought it wise to put a bridge across the Albemarle Sound and can maintain it, so can the State Highway Commission, i 7. Hunters in this section report that the soil on the mainland across from Plymouth would not be a suit able foundation for a highway. 8. Sscenic value of the road thru Washington County to Skinnersville would be of some importance. 9. Historical value of a bridge ov er the famous Albemarle. -® Norman Attends Attorneys’ Meet —*—— Former representative Zeb Vance Norman returned Monday from Myr tie Beach, S. C., where he attended a convention of attorneys for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Co. Mr. Norman reported that there :were a good number present and |that it was a very enjoyable outing. jHigh railroad officials were present. Dog Vaccinations j Ahead of Listings —«— There are 549 dogs listed on the tax books in Washington County. Males outnumber the females 4 to 1, with 452 males and 97 females. Already 630 serum doses have been given out, and it is said that almost all of them have been used in ac cordance with the new law making vaccination of canines necessary. -® Raymond Smith With New Firm —<$>— Raymond Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland Smith, is now work ing with the Norman Furniture Co. as salesman and collector. He suc ceeds Bill Dixon, who began when James W. Norman purchased the business of A. L. Ow-ens some time ago. Mr. Dixon has accepted a job with the National Handle Company. He is inspecting and grading timber in the logwoods of the company near Hamilton. He with his wife and daughter are expecting to move to Hamilton in the next week or two.