North Carolina Newspapers

i’liiiiiiiiMiiMiimiiimiiimiiiifmiiiiiiiimiimiiiiiiimiiMiir.. § A home newspaper dedicated = | to the service of Washington j§ § County and its 12,000 people. = ftiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiMiaiiiUiiiiuniir. The Roanoke Beacon * * 4 + * * + and Washington County News ******* VOLUME XLVI—NUMBER 48 3iiimiMiiiiiiiiiiMini: MiiiirimiitiiiHiifiJiy .iiimiuimi' H Advertisers will find Beacon § jg and News columns a latch-key to = 5 1,100 Washington County home*. ftiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMfiiiii. Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Friday, November 29, 1935 ESTABLISHED 1889 TORPEDO BOATS PROVED VALUE IN WAR EVENT HERE Aid of Civic Organizations To Be Sought in Building Suitable Memorial -$ Torpedo boats, as a necessity of war, swept into importance in the War Between the States when such a vessel under the command of Lieu; W. B. Cushing sank the famous ram 1 Albemarle,” iron-clad champion of the Confederate cause, on the night ci October 27. 1864. This torpedo carrier was crude in style and did not resemble the fam ous U-Boats nor submarine craft of the World War, but they were ef fective, as they could so direct their explosives that they would penetrate the vessels in their unprotected bot toms tha' rested in the water sev eral feet. With t . knowledge, Zeb Vance Norman, president of the Plymouth Chamber •(' Commerce and vice pres ident of the Southern Albemarle As sociation, representing this county, wishes to secure the aid of civic or ganizations including the American Legion, United Daughters of the Confederacy and any such organiza tions that will help to devise a plan to perpetuate the memory and ar range for a physical historical attrac tion to Plymouth for tourists. It is his idea to build a replica, either the same size, if money is available, if not, maybe of a minia ture nature, to satisfy the desires of those who revel in historical sights and who visit the shrines of history annually on tours of this country. Some have suggested a painting, if nothing else. A tablet on the court house grounds commemorates the sinking of ihe ship. This boat was built at Edward’s Ferry, between Scotland Neck and Halifax, on the farm of Peter Smith, by a man named Smith and a Mr. Elliott. The boat had no runways or dry dock, but was constructed in a “sink” in a bank of the river that was large enough to hold the boat. Dikes prevented the water rushing into the opening in the bank. Before completion of the wooden boat, President Jefferson Davis, on March 19, 1864, ordered the boat to proceed down the Roanoke River to Plymouth. During its course, the railroad iron that was beat into gun boat metal in Richmond and sent down here, was bolted on the sides en route to Plymouth. Prior to its arrival the Federals had secured a hold on Plymouth. General Hoke, a Confederate com mander, was awaiting the help of the ram "Albemarle,” and upon its arriv al the boat and the troops assaulted Plymouth and took the town for the South. Hoke, with his men, was sta tioned near Ward’s bridge on the Martin and Washington County line. He was made a major general by President Davis for the part he played in taking Plymouth from the Yankees. The “Albemarle” was under the command of Capt. J. W. Cooke, while Gen. A. F. Warley was in command oi the troops. The vessel was 153 feet long, 35 feet wide with a draft of 8 feet. It was classed as a screw steamer, iron-clad, yellow pine fas tened with iron and teenails. It had two engines, two boilers, two fur naces and two guns. The "Albemarle” sank more than 10 enemy vessels. Among them was the "Miami,” which cost the enemy $179,051.28. The commander, C. W. Flusser, was killed. The “South field” was also a victim. It cost the Union forces $65,000. Acting Volun teer Lieut. Charles A. French was in charge. Both were sunk in the Roanoke River near the old veneer plant. Seven more boats were ac counted for at the mouth of the Al bemarle Sound. Upon arrival of the Albemarle in Plymouth waters the Confederates took the town from the Union forces the first time, with General Wessels surrendering on April 21, 1864, turn ing over to the south 2,500 prisoners and 28 pieces of artillery and a large quantity of provisions. Three days after the sinking of the "Albemarle” the Federals captured Plymouth for the second time. Forts were built and guns trained on the Roanoke River toward the Sound. The canny Yankees with light-draft ships treaded the shallow waters of the Middle and Cashie Riv ers into the Roanoke River, coming in from the east, while efforts were being made to protect it from the west. Betty Graham, a pretty and wise spy from Virginia, was sent down Here by President Davis to watch operations of the enemy from this section. She loved a Confederate officer. However, she “worked” the Yankee officer in charge here and found out that the attack was going to be made from the west, but after receiving her information the Con Farmer Is Burned To Death IN ear Jamesville I CHURCH SPEAKER I v_/ Dr. Grant K. Lewis, of Indian apolis, Ind„ executive secretary of Department of Evangelism of the Christian churches (Dis ciples) in the Cnited States and Canada, who will speak at the One-Day convention at the Wil liamston Christian church < . Monday, December 2nd. Increased Acreage of t. Food and Feed Crcr.-s Reported in State Million More Acres Planted This Year Than in 1930; Farms Increase Under the AAA programs, North Carolina farmers are growing ihis year over 1.000,000 acres more food and feed crops than they did five years ago. Much of the 870,000 acres taken out of cotton and tobacco cultiva tion has been put into corn, wheat, !oats, hay, sorghums, pasture and I other crops for consumuption on the farm. According to the agricultural census taken this year, reported Dean I. O. Schaub of State College, the total land under cultivation has increased from 5,809,754 to 5,965,547 acres since 1930. The number of farmers in the State increased by 21,259, or 7.6 per cent. However, the gross value of farm land decreased 26 per cent. On the farms were found 13,000 full owners, 4,000 part owners, and fewer than 5,000 tenants. The corn and bay crops were in creased by approximately 450,000 acres each, while the wheat crop jumped from 350,000 to 500,000 acres. Irish potato plantings jump ed up 52 percent, or 32,000 acres, and the sweet potatoes 58 per cent, or 35,000 acres. With the larger production of corn, hay, oats and pasture crops there was an expansion in the num ber of cattle by 217,254 head, an increase of 46.5 per cent in five years. Of this number 124,753 were cows and 108,000 were hogs. The number of horses decreased from 86,000 to 66,000, but the num ber of mules remained close to 295,000. Corn Yields in Cleveland Are Increased 100 Percent -<$> Cleveland County corn yields have been increased 100 percent in field demonstrations where 100 pounds of the nitrate per acre was j added 45 days from planting, re ports the farm agent. I -®-—— Many Mecklenburg 4-H club boys have selected swine for project work 'next year in an effort to produce more meat at home. federate forces did not have time to secure reinforcements. Sinking of the Albemarle empha sized the need of torpedo boats, and excerpts from a letter written to a representative in Liverpool, Eng land, by S. R. Mallory, secretary of the Navy of the Confederate States of America, under date of November 21, 1864, from Richmond, Va., “re cent destruction of our iron-clad Al bemarle” and our own operations against the enemy have attracted our' attention to torpedo boats, of which our enemy already has a fleet.; ar range to get us six such boats.” This boat was raised April 21, 1865. It was taken to Norfolk and sc Id by Commander A. H. Kitty to J. N. Leonard and Company for $3, 200 on October 15, 1867. It cost the Confederates $79,944 to build it. This information was secured from the knowledge and library of Re corder John W. Darden, who has a good library and who has family records that have served to enlighten him on this matter. $ ~ * John Page Falls Into Fire % hilr in Stupor \nd Horibly Burned Details of Horrible Tragedy Described As Pitiful by County Officers j Williamston, N. C.. November 26. I—John Page, rehabilitation farmer [was burned to death early this [morning near his home about three miles from Jamesville, county of ficers describing the death as one of Itlic most horrible ever reported in this county. His every stitch of I clothing burned from his body, even the socks within his shoes, the man was left in a semi-conscious condi tion and died about four hours later or a 5 o'clock. The meat was cook ed from the neck down, the attend ing physician finding it difficult to locate a spot in the baked flesh that would hold a hypodermic needle. Pitiful are the details that led up to the tragedy, Sheriff C. B. Roe buck, who was called to the scene about two o’clock, said upon his re turn. Page, 45 years old, with his son, John; jr., about 15 years old, had carried a load of peanuts on a mule and cart to Williamston early yesterday. Said to have been drink ing before he reached the market with the peanuts, the man after making the sale, purchased a pint of liquor in Williamston. After con suming that, he purchased a pop bottle full of domestic liquor on the way home. In Jamesville the man ager of the legal liquor store refused to sell him, and Page, according to the story told by the youthful lad and faithful attendant, purchased a pint from another bar in Jamesvillc. Time was passing rapidly and it must have been about midnighl when the man and son neared their home. Fearful that his mad-drunk father would abuse his mother and his brothers and sisters, the lad sug gested that they stop and build a lire along the roadside and warm. They were hardly more than 300 yards from the home provided them by rural rehabilitation authorities, but Page, the boy said, agreed to the plan. The mule was tied to a tree, and a large open lire was soon burning, the boy lying down on one side and the father on the other. The lad, tired and weary after drag ging around with his father, was soon aseep, but he had slept but a short while before he was awaken ed by the horrible groans and moans uttered by his father. The man ap parently had attempted to get up and fell into the fire, and while tiro son ran to a near-by home for aid, the father cooked in the fire that burned from his body everything ex cept his shoes. The flesh cracked al most to the bone when neighbors moved him to his home. Arrangements are being made for the burial this afternoon, but de tails could not be learned here. John Page was the son of the late Seth Page, of this county. lie lived a greater part of his life in the Cross Roads section, but about a year ago, lie was picked up by the rural rehabilitation forces and plac ed on a farm near Jamesville. His wife, the daughter of the late Buck Clark, and seven children survive. Reports reaching here state that Page, not so long ago, expressed a desire to be drunk when he died, explaining that he was only happy wl'.en drunk. He got his wish, but surely in a different way than he had desired it would be. Organize Young Tar Heel Farmers Club —«— A local chapter of the Young Tar Heel Farmers of North Carolina, a subsidiary organization to the Fu ture Farmers of America, has been organized in the new vocational ag riculture department in the Ply mouth High Schol under the super vision of J. O. Cooper, teacher. Seven officers have been elected for the group of three classes. This organization is set for a meeting that is to be held in Roper on December 13 with farm students from high schools in Jamesville, Plymouth, Roper, Creswell, and Columbia pres ent. Officers are: William Mizelle, president; Richard Lucas, vice pres ident; Osborne Dunbar, treasurer; Jack LeFever, secretary; Beverly Newberry, advisor; Joe Vail, stenog rapher; Bill Darden, reporter. fo Hold Exams foi I Auto Drivers in Ail County-Seat Towns Arrangement at Present Time Is Temporary, Patrol Head Says “Regarding the adhiinistration o! the new drivers' license law and pro visions made for the examination ol applicants for license in all of the counties of the state, this is to ad vise that it is the intention of the State Highway Patrol to hold these examinaions in the county seat of every county throughout the state." This is a reply to the letter from Senator Carl L. Bailey to Charles D. Farmer, Raleigh, captain of the State Highway Patrol. The cor respondence was neeesitated by the present emergency which makes peo ■pit in Washington and Tyrrell coun ties have to go to Williamston to be examined for drivers’ licenses. This has occasioned a protest from peo ple in these counties who brought | their protest to Senator Bailey to | gel his aid. “As soon as the rules and regula tions are gotten up so that we may intelligently examine new applicants and give them the rules of the high way laws so that they can study same, we do not intend to slight any county, and we want to make this as convenient for the people, that are making application for these licenses as we possibly can. "The present set-up is merely tem porary arid as soon as we can get equipment we will publish exactly the time wc will hold these examina tions,” concluded the letter. The patrolmen have been examining' those from this section in William ston. Short Staple Has Tended To Depress Price To Some Extent The stalpe length of North Caro lina cotton crop is shorter this year :than in 1934, but the grade is about the same. The short staple has tended to de press the price, said Glenn R. Smith, cotton marketing specialist of the North Carolina Agricultural Exper iment Station. On a given market, he admitted, the buyers may not pay more for a bale of Ion staple than for a bale cl short staple cotton. But the average price of cotton on a market where most of the lint is of good length will be higher than the average price on markets where the staple is short. Even though the grade is good, he continued, the shorter length of the staple reduces the quality of the cotton. The only way to produce long staple cotton is to plant good seed of a long staple variety, Smith point ed out. This year, there were a number of growers who planted in ferior seed, or good seed mixed with bad seed. He commended the farmers for picking, handling, and ginning their cotton according to the recommend ed methods, as these methods are necessary to the production of clean, higlj grade lint. Only 42 per cent of the cotton ginned up to November 1 this year was an inch or longer in staple length, as compared with 54 per cent last year. Thirty-one per cent was less than 15-16 inch, as compared with 21 per cent last year. Approximately 6 ] er cent was less than 7-8 inch, while last year the amount was less than 11 per cent. However, Smith said, most of the cotton grown this year has a longer staple length than that of the 1933 crop. Negro Falls Dead at c Gathering in Church o Antone Barnes, about 50, colored, fell dead in the study of the New Chapel Baptist church here Friday. He was a delegate to a negro gath ering from Cresewll. He went into the study of the pastor of the church and died suddenly, slumping to the floor while standing. Dr. L. S. Mit chell said death was due to a severe heart attack. He died instantly. Union County Farmers Raise Turkeys To Sell Numerous flocks of nice turkeys have been grown in Union County this summer at low cost and are be ing finished for the holiady markets. BIG MOTORCADE FROM SKI TIOIN III GO TO B A LEIGH 100 Cars Expected To Make Trip to Hearing Before Road Commission When delegations from the four counties travel to Raleigh early next month to lay their program of de velopment and improvement of Washington, Tyrrell, Hyde, and Dare Counties before the State High way and Public Works Commission, they plan to do it in style. They will ask for a motorcycle escort with patrolmen flanking them land leading the way into the Capital City. In the calvacade will be at least 100 cars. Washington and Tyr rell delegations will meet at Wil liamston and will meet those from Dare and Hyde in Zcbulon from where they wish the attendance of patrolmen. It they can’t get there on the date that the commission meets they will ask for a special meeting and they j want it to be held in the first floor I of the Capitol building, where ev ! ery delegate from all the counties will have ample room, as not less than 500 are expected to attend the meeting. Part of these will be women. W. M. Darden, secretary of the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, with a committee composed of D.'B. Fearing, Dare; J. A. Poison, Hyde, will have the responsibility of rais ing a fund of $1,000 for the operation of the Southern Albemarle Associa tion, which will sponsor the event. They intend to put their needs di rectly up to the state commission. Z. V. Norman, president of the commercial body, is expending ev ery effort with his committee to have the program ready as early in De cember as possible. It will contain projects of highway improvement in each of die four member counties. Sunday Schools in Meeting Sunday _E_ Roper.—The quarterly converjon of the Lees Mills Township Sunday School Association was held Sun-; | day at Mount Zion Baptist church. I Of especial interest to every'one 'was the talk which the Rev. M. L. Ambrose gave on the “Influence of the Bible To Us.” Special music was rendered by | Mr. D. E. Poole and also by a quar-j tet, composed of J. C. Knowes, R. \\ . Lewis, Russell, Chesson and the Rev. M. L. Ambrose. Mr. D. W. Gard ner and Mr. Harden sang a duet. Morton Marriner gave the address of welcome and Mr. J. R. Carr gave the response. \\ ork Is Beilin Done <o Telephone Lines A crew' of 20 men of the Carolina Telephone and Telegraph Company arrived here Monday to begin repair ing and rebuilding the telephone lines between Plymouth and Colum bia and Plymouth and Williamston. They will put down a number of new poles, repairing the w'ire where it is necessary and in some places rebuild the entire line. This is ex- ] peeled to greatly increase the avail ability of good telephone service, end the company will also work on the local dial system, where it is deemed necessary. ROPER —*— Mrs. A. C. Bissette and little daughter, Beth, have returned to Bailey after spending a week with Di. and Mrs. W. T. Gibson. Mrs. Bryan Harris and little daughter, of Wenona, were the week end guests of Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Iiighsmith. Mr. Alger Ben Snell, of Norfolk, spent the week-end here. Mr. and Mrs, Lee Williams, of Norfolk, were week-end guests of! Mrs. Lily Williams. Mrs. Vernon Pilan, of Norfolk, was the week-end guest of Mrs. J. E j Phelps. CELEBRATES BIRTIIDAV MISS HATTIE .MARIE BREY Roper.— Miss Hattie Marie Brey was guest of honor at a birthday party given in honor of her twelfth birthday, Friday afternoon. She re ceived many pretty and useful gifts. The guests numbered about 25. After an enjoyable afternoon of ;r c» and contests, the guests were I served a delightful course of fruit j gelatine topped with whipped cream I and cake, in which the color scheme of pink and white was carried out. One-Day Meeting Will 'Belleltl in \\ illiamston I Home a nd Club News By Mary Frances Misenheimer Schedule for Next Week ! Monday, Plymouth colored club. , Tuesday, Hoke Club. Wednesday, Roper 4-H dub and Woman’s Club. I Thursda. Chapel Hill. Friday, Beech Grove. Saturday, 10:30, Morrattock col ored club. Curb market at usual time on Sat urday morning. Much interest was shown last Saturday ai curb market. A large Thanksgiving box, consisting ol jellies, pickles, nuts, pop-corn, carrots, turnips, and collards, was given to the customer who held the lucky number. Numbers were drawn at the beginning of the market. Mrs. Mary Clayton was the lucky cus tomer. Mrs. E. M. Chesson, of Beech Grove club, led the sales this time. Although Mrs. Chesson does not lead the sales ever Saturday, she always runs a close race for the highest sales. The following report from Cres well Club was given to me, which I think is a mighty splendid one: Creswell Home Demonstration Club wishes to submit the following report: old members, 10 new members, making total membership 32. The three projects during the year were Clothing, Canning, and Yard Improvement. Clothing leader, Mrs. Cecil Swain, reported: adult garments 1.250; chil dren’s garment, 2,300; oilier articles 4.605; making a total of 8,155 articles. Canning leader, Mrs. Lewis Spruill reported; 409 quarts meat, 1.000 qts. fruit, 1,500 quarts pickles, 1,617 qts vegetables; making a total of 4,526 quarts. Yard improvement leader. Mrs. C. N. Davenport, sr., reported 25 yards improved. Garden leader. Mrs. Renzy Saw yer, reported year-round gardens for each club member. 12 regular meetings held during the year. At our January meeting, we voted t'. solicit funds for silver for com munity use. We now have 4 dozen each of knives, forks, salad forks, mic spoons. Our club is indeed proud of winning first prize at the Plym outh fair. The money will be used as a cornerstone in erecting a club house for Creswell community. It was through the untiring efforts of our fair committee, Mrs. A. H. Tuck er and Mrs. Fred Smith, that we won first prize. We have no words to express our sorrow in losing our agent, Miss Pat terson, whom we learned to love, but we are very glad to welcome Miss Misenheimer as our new agent and know that we will learn to love her and feel we will do efficient work with her leadership.—Mrs. R. T. Hop kins, president; Mrs. Fred Smith, secretary and treasurer. Club members, let us not forget to be thankful that we have had a good year in our club work and that lilt blessings received have been manifold. 1 hope all of you will have a happy Thanksgiving. V. E. F. Has New District Salesman —®— K. D. Worrell, formerly collector loi the Williamston division of the Virginia Electric and Power Com pany, has been promoted to sales man of the district. He will repre sent the company in renting ranges and refrigerators and the usual sales of all appliances. He succeeded Jack Downing, who joined the sales force of Thalheim eis’ in Richmond. Mr. Worrell will be succeeded as collector by C. B. Clark, who came up from the ranks of the employees of the company. -<*. Roper Town Team Wins Over School Roper.—In a closely contested game, the Roper High Schol basket ball team was defeated by the Roper town team by a 17-22 score. Marrow, Mizell and Floyd were best for the town team. Everett and Peacock starred for the high school. Representatives of Nine Counties \re Expected to Attend Grant K. Lewis, of Indian apolis, Will Be Main Speaker The Williamston Christian Church will be host to representative dele gation from several counties next Monday at a one-day district con jvcntion ol Christian churches of j eastern North Carolina. Delegates are expected at the convention from (churches in nine counties. Pitt, Beaufort, Hyde, Washington, Tyr rell, Chowan, Pasquotank, Curri tuck and Martin. The convention will be under the direction of Grant K. Lewis, national leader among the Disciples of Christ, of Indianapolis. Mr. Edwin Marx, Missionary to China, will be among the speakers (of note having parts on the pro gram. Other Missionary and edu cational leaders of the Christian churches will be present, it was an (nounced. There will be three sessions, be ginning at 10:30 a. m., 1:15 p. m. and concluding with a banquet at 6 p. m. Both lunch and supper will l.v served by the ladies of :he churci. at a nominal charge, it was announc ed. Every church in the Roanoke dis trict is expected to send its officers, teachers, leaders of young people’s work and church leaders in various departments, Rev. J. M. Perry said. A11 delegates should plan to take in all three sessions as they discuss the new type of every member canvass, stewardship and the “New Responsi bilities." The convention will have as its theme, “Recovery and Ad vance,” and is under the general di rection of the "Unitled Promotion”, j which is a newly formulated plan ; of the brotherhood by which the ' churches and all her causes may (move forward with new vision in la more unified and cooperative way than ever before in the history of j the Disciples of Christ. Pastors, chairmen of the official ! boards, presidents of missionary so cic-ties and Sunday school superin tendents are urged to notify the Christian church at w once approximately how many to expect from the several units. SKINNERS VIJXE Rev. and Mrs. O. L. Easter, pastor ot' the Creswell M. P. circuit, Mrs. C. N. Davenport and son, Joe Baker Davenport, of Creswell, and Misses Eva and Alice White were the Sun day afternoon guests of Mr. and Mrs. Guilford Davenport. Mr. and Mrs. Alger Ben Snell, of Norfolk, were here Friday night, the guest of Mrs. Snell’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Everett. Mesdames Corbett Swain. Tom White, Will Beil and W’alter White v.ere callers in Columbia Thursday. Mi'. C. V. White, who was very i'l the past week, is up and improv ing some. Mr. and Mrs. N. D. Bateman, Mr. S. A. Holton, and Lewis Bateman were the guests of George Holton and Fred Bateman at Wake Forest College Thanksgiving. Born to Mr. and Mrs. Tom Alex ander, a son, on November 13. Mr. Guilford Davenport spent Wednesday night with Mr. and Mrs. Percy Everett in Belhaven. Mr and Mrs. Walter White and daughter. Miss Margie White, were guests of Mrs. M. J. Alexander in I the Pleasant Grove community Sun day. 81.00! Appropriated for Building Privies j A total ot $1,001 has been ap proved for privy work in Washing ton County by the Works Progress Administration. This will give em ployment to nine workers, includ ing Joe Weede, who is foreman of I the job. | Already under the FERA more jtl.an 100 privies have been built and I erected on rural premises. This new jwork is expected to yield 75 more, bringing the total in the county to I close to 200. This was approved un ider the community sanitation pro gram. Mr. Weede is of the opinion that about three a week can be built. The (work will be done on the owner’s premises with the owner providing the material. This appropriation is | expected to last for several months.