North Carolina Newspapers

Advertisers will find Beacon and News columns a latchkey to 1200 Washington County homes. The Roanoke Beacon * * * * * * * and Washington County News ******* A home newspaper dedicated to the service of Washington County and its 12,000 people. VOLUME XLIX—NUMBER 8 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Friday, February 25, 195ft ESTABLISHED 1889 Plans for Road Meet Next Week Complete Hope To Have Large Representation from This County Present Wednesday Morning Session At Belhaven; In Plymouth That Afternoon “This project is of great import ance to the people in this section and should be supported by everyone," ac cording to John W. Darden, chair man, who is arranging for a large crowd Wednesday, when State offic ials will be here to participate in a program in the interest of a better road for the Turnpike and Wenona sections. “Further,” said Mr. Darden, "there is no desire to interfere with any road construction that is now in process of development, and the high way commission is being asked to im prove the Turnpike road in addition to its present program.” State officials who have advised Mr. Darden they will attend are Frank Dunlap, chairman, State High way Commission; E. V. Webb, Kin ston; and D. C. Barnes, Murfreesboro highway commissioners; W. Kerr Scott, commissicfner of agriculture, and Washington, Hyde, and Beau fort County officials. The day s proceedings will begin in Belhaven at 10:30. Prom there the party will come through by Wenona. where they will be served lunch at the test farm, and then come to the courthouse here at 3 o'clock for a short program. There is no obligation on anyone to do more than attend the meeting to demonstrate to the highway com missioners that everyone is interest ed in the project, Mr. Darden said. -- Plan Credit System To Protect Customer And Merchant Here -<s> Local Merchants Take Steps Leading To Formation of Rating Agency -<3> An improved credit system to pro tect the customer and the merchant is being planned by the Plymouth Merchants Association, and it is thought that within a few days it will be inaugurated. The proposal is that there will be a central office that will carry the credit rating of everyone in town so that when a person presents him self for credit it will be only a mat ter of minutes until his rating can be checked. This will afford the merchants a check on people here and will also make it possible for the local cen tral office to communicate with oth er towns to determine whether an outsider is worthy of credit. It is expected also that in the down town section business men will reach an agreement whereby they will urge their employees to pay their bills promptly. Several To Attend Beta Club Meeting —$— Several members of the Beta Club of the Plymouth school are planning to attend the state meeting in Ra leigh next April, it was learned in a meeting held Thursday. A constitution drawn up by a spec ial committee for the students’ coun cil was adopted. A plan for invita tions to new members was discussed. After a discussion of vocations, it was decided to interview several bus iness men and women of the com munity to determine the qualifica tions needed for their positions. Members attending the meeting were Evelyn Basnight, Doris Bate man, Helen Bratten, Catherine Ter ry, Bill Spruill, Lillian Robbins, Mary Thomas Robbins, Anne Liverman, Myra Moore and sponsor, Principal R. B. Trotman. -*-® Farm Program To Be Topic At Meeting Here March 10 -® There will be a mass meeting in the courthouse here at 2 p. m. March 10, at which time Murphy L. Barnes, assistant administrator for North Carolina, will talk on the 1938 farm program. His talk will especially refer to the referendum on March 12 on cotton and tobacco marketing quotas. -$ Services Sunday at Chapel Hill Schoolhouse, 3 P. M. -<$ The Rev. C. T. Thrift will preach at the Chapel Hill Schoolhouse next Sunday afternoon at 3 p. rti., it was announced today. B. & L. PAYMENTS I _—/ A penalty of 5 cents per share per week will be imposed upon those who fail to make their stock payments in the Plymouth Building and Loan Association each Monday, beginning Febru ary 28, it was announced this week by officials. Payments are due on Monday of each week, and the fine will be levied if not paid at that time, as M. W. Spruill, secretary and treasurer, is supposed to devote only one day each week to the receiving of payments. $300 Needed for Boy Scout Work; Halt of Amount Is Secured -<s> Roper and Creswell Rally To Support of Movement; Donations Asked A little more than half of the nec essary $300 has been raised, with Roper and Creswell rallying in sup port of Plymouth to secure the money needed to have Washington County made a part of the eastern Carolina council, with experienced Boy Scout supervisors to aid in the work. J. K. Biddle, of Roper, and Mrs. Sidney Smithson, of Creswell, will ac cept donations from their respective communities for this purpose, and Dr. A. Papineau continues his solicitation in Plymouth. It is hoped that the money can be raised by March 23, when Scout Ex ecutive John J. Sigwald and Assist ant Scout Executive George W. Thomason, of Wilson, will be here to discuss plans for the district. Anyone interested in contributing from $1 up are urged by the officials to see the person working in their community and make their contri bution. --s> Plymouth Parent-Teacher Group To Meet Wednesday -$ The Plymouth Parent-Teacher As sociation will meet in the high school auditorium Wednesday afternoon at 3:30. As this is the meeting for election of officers, a nominating committee, composed of Mrs. T. L. Bray, Mrs. Kathleen Spruill, and Mrs. W. A. Da vidson, will report. The attendance prize has been won twice by the mothers of Miss Cath erine Brandon's grade and three times by the mothers in Miss Ethel Perry’s grade. “Egg Inside an Egg” Laid By Plymouth Rock Hen -<t> Displayed in the window of the Roanoke Beacon office is an ‘‘egg inside an egg,” brought in by Mrs. J. E. Singleton, of near Roper. This is the second such egg from a Plym outh Rock hen. It weighs 5 ounces. The outer shell of the egg is very thin and is almost tivce the size of the usual egg. This contained a yolk and white, and inside this shell is another egg, about the usual size, with a hard shell. --g Large Attendance at Roper Parents-Teachers Meeting -® The largest attendance of the year was enjoyed by the Roper Parent Teacher Association Tuesday night. The singing was directed by Princi pal D. E. Poole and Rev. J. T. Stan ford conducted the devotionals. Miss Carolyn Brooks was in charge of the program, which included a song by Marjorie White and a mu sical reading by Mrs. L. V. Chesson. A feature was the trained animal show, with a clown as trainer and the following animals: Mouse, dog, cat, bear, rabbit and sheep. Gravis Thompson, 13-year old club members of the New Hope section of Wilson County, produced 3,452 pounds of lint cotton on four mea sured acres of land during the past season. Examination of 205 Servants Shows 46 Cases of Syphilis Figures on Health Survey by Health Department Cited By Dr. Lewis -® By S. V. LEWIS. M. D. District Health Officer At a meeting of the Board of Health of Washington County early in Jan uary this year, a public health ordi nance was passed, requiring that all domestic servants be examined and secure a health certificate from the district health department in Plym outh. On February 18 the records of the health department show that 205 domestic servants have been exam ined in the county; 46 of that num ber were found to have syphilis, 125 were given health certificates, and there are 19 for which a report of the blood examination has not been received. Two gave a history of having had smallpox, 48 were found to have been successfully vaccinated for smallpox previously, showing that less than 25 per cent of those examined have some degree of protection against the dis ease. There is no natural immunity against smallpox; vaccination is the only protection against the disease; and the items of sanitation and per sonal hygiene have no influence on the spread of smallpox. Thirteen of those examined gave a history of a previous attack of ty phoid fever. About 2 per cent of all cases of typhoid fever that recover remain carriers; that is, the gall blad der acts as a reservoir for the germs throughout the remainder of life, but the germs may be found in the feces only at intervals of several days or possibly several weeks; therefore, a domestic servant who has had ty phoid fever is not given a health cer tificate until two negative stool cul tures have been reported. The spec imens are collected several days apart and a purgative is given the night before the specimen is to be collected, the purpose of which is to stimulate the gall bladder in order that the germs may be expelled if present. None of those examined gave a his tory of having diphtheria nor of hav ing been vaccinated against the dis ease. None of the cases found to have syphilis are infectious, and if treat ment is started and continued, health certificates will be issued, and such servants will be safe if proper treat ment is followed. Clinics for the examination of do mestic servants will continue in Washington County for the next week, Monday afternoon in Plym outh, Wednesday afternoon in Cres well and Friday afternoon in Roper. After that time servants may obtain such examinations and health certifi cates at the office of the health de partment in Plymouth each Monday afternoon from 1 to 4 o’clock. -® Sunday Services At Baptist Church “All the young people interested in Baptist Young People’s Union work are urged to meet Sunday eve ning at 6:15 p. m. in the auditorium at the Plymouth Baptist Church,” it was stated by the pastor, Rev. P. B. Nickens. At this meeting plans will be for mulated for the young people to take an active part in religious work. Mr. Nickens will preach a special sermon for young folk at night, using as his subject, “The Spirit of Youth.” Sunday morning the minister’s sub ject will be “Caleb’s Challenge.” There will be Sunday school at 10 o’clock. Regular prayer services will be held each Wednesday night at 7:30 and will be followed by choir prac tice. -® Hold Two for Superior Sourt on Robbery Sount -® Arraigned before Recorder John W. Darden in a special session of court last Thursday, Charlie Frank Swain and Hilliary Daniels, young white men, were released under $300 bond each for their appearance at the next term of superior court. They were charged with breaking and entering Browning's store a few weeks ago. Number Improvements for Albemarle Beach Planned Improvements on the Albemarle Beach are being made preparatory to opening about the last of May, ac cording to L. W. Gurkin, owner. The buildings are being painted in side and out. Three new cottages are expected to be built, and it is under stood that electric current will be made available by the V. E. & P. Co. this summer, doing away with the necessity for the private power plants. New piers will be built in the wa ter, and a new boardwalk is being considered. Swings and slides will be built and lights will be strung along the beach. With the improvements under way With the completion of the im provements at the beach and im provement of the road leading to the beach, Mr. Gurkin expects the resort will be even more popular than ever this season. \ TO BE HERE MARCH 1 i-y E. R. Froneberger, deputy col lector for the State Department of Revenue, will be at the post office in Plymouth on Friday, March 4, between 9 a. m. and 5 p. m., for the purpose of assist ing local people in filing state in come and intangible tax returns. A representative of the Federal Internal Revenue will also be at the post office the same day to assist in filing Federal returns. It was also announced that a deputy collector would be in the clerk of court’s office in Colum bia on Thursday, March 3, for the convenience of people in that section. House Completely Destroyed by Fire Near Here Monday —®— Residence of W ,D. Walker. Pulp Mill Employee. Burns At Loss of 81.000 Firemen Monday answered the alarm three times with only two of the blazes being in town, and they did but little damage, but the one house out of town burned to the ground. Located about half a mile out of town on the highway toward James ville, the residence of W. D. Walker, an employee of the North Carolina Pulp Co., was completely destroyed. The blaze started from a defective flue and rapidly spread to other parts of the home. Local firemen answered a call to the place but were helpless due to the distance to the nearest hydrant. The loss of the house and furniture was estimated at over $1,000, none of which was covered by insurance. A. L. Owens was owner of the house. A high wind fanned the blaze, causing the Are to spread so rapidly that only a bedroom suite of furni ture was saved from the flames. On the same day one alarm was sounded for a grass fire near the home of Mrs. J. E. Doughtie on Mon roe Street; and a blazing flue at a colored home on East Water Street Extended called the firemen out again. -<$> Local Firemen Have Enjoyable Banquet Last Friday Night —®— Mrs. Sarah Frances Nurney Given Medal and Made Honorary Member -s Local firemen discarded their roles as volunteer fire-fighters Friday night for that of hospitable hosts as they banqueted and entertained their wives and a number of special guests. There was little formality to the occasion, but there was a lot of fun and pleasure, as about 60 people gath ered in the community hall to enjoy a delicious turkey dinner that was served by an organization of the Christian church. Short talks were made by several, among whom were E. H. Liverman, Dr. W. H. Johnson, Mayor B. G. Campbell, Roscoe Gaylord, Patrol man Tom Brown, W. H. Paramore, and P. W. Brown. Fire chief L. W. Gurkin presided over the festivities and called on one of the oldest firemen here, J. B. Wil loughby, and the secretary, H. B. Spencer for a few words. For her aid to the firemen in var ious ways, including coaching of plays, Chief L. W. Gurkin presented Mi’s. Sarah Frances Nurney with a medal recognizing her as the only woman member of the local Are de partment. On the front of the med al was “No. 1, Plymouth Fire Depart ment.” On the back: “Presented to Mrs. Sarah Frances Nurney for Faithful Service, February 18, 1938.” After the three-course meal, some of the firemen and friends danced, while others went to a free show at the Plymouth Theatre. Tuesday Session Recorder’s Court Not guilty was the verdict in the case of L. K. Spruill, 38, white, of the Cherry section, who was arraign ed in recorder’s court Tuesday on a charge of assaulting a female. This is the second time that Mr. Spruill has been charged in a warrant issued by his wife, Mrs. Dora E. Spruill, with assaulting her. He was under a sus pended sentence. This time he was acquitted of the charge. Alfred Holloway, 22, colored, was given three months on the roads on a charge of stealing a wrist watch valued at $3.95 from O. D. Hatfield, Creswell. Tire case of Wallace Smith, 38, col ored, charging him with aiding and abetting the Holloway theft, was nol pressed. Cotton and Tobacco Growers To Ballot on Marketing Quotas for Those Crops Saturday, March 12 Creswell Minister Accepts Williamston Church Call After more than three years serv ice as rector of Christ Episcopal church in Creswell, as well as serv ing the Gallilee Mission on Lake Phelps and the Episcopal church in Columbia, the Rev. John W. Hardy has resigned to accept the rectorship of the Episcopal church in William ston. The Rev. Mr. Hardy is well known in the lower part of the county. • where he has done a splendid work. He wil begin his duties in William ston on March 20, when he succeds | the Rev. E. P. Moseley, who has gone ! to the church in Kinston. Mr. Hardy is a native Eastern Car ! olinian, and his resignation was ac j cepted by the Creswell congregation j with reluctance. His new church is j larger and is considered a step up ward in the career of the young and popular minister. Brief Resume of New Intangible Tax Law Report Must Be Filed By March 15 of All Holdings on Dec. 31 —— Bank Deposits, Money on Hand, Accounts Receiv able Must Be Shown -® Under the terms of the new intan gible tax law, property owners who fail to report on and pay the levy on intangible property by March 15 will be subject to a penalty of 100 per cent of the amount of the levy due by them. The report is to be filed as of De cember 31; that is, all holdings of the property specified on that date must be reported, and the revenue received from this source is to be equally divided between the state, counties, and municipalities. It will not be necessary to list these classes of property any longer with the coun ty and town list takers. The new tax law provides for the following levies; Bank deposits, at a rate of 10 cents per $100, based on an average of de posits at four quarterly periods end ing December 15. Deposits of less than $100 are exempt, as the bank will collect this tax. Money on hand, as distinguished from bank deposits, taxable at 20 cents per $100 in excess of $300. Accounts receivable, taxable at 25 cents per $100 on their face value in excess of $300. Bonds, note and “other evidences of debt,” taxable at 40 cents per $100 of their fair market value in excess jf $300. Sums left on deposit with insur ance companies by North Carolina residents, taxable at 25 cents per $100. Shares of stock held by residents of this state in foreign corporations which do not pay taxes in North Car olina, taxable at 30 cents per $100 of then- fair market value over $300. Those who own property of the nature outlined above should write to the State Department of Revenue for blanks at once if they have not already received them. Missionary To Speak Here Next Tuesday C. H. Plopper, a returned mission ary of the Disciples of Chrsit in Nan king, China, will speak at the Chris tian church at 7:30 p. m. Tuesday, March 8, at 7:30 p. m. Rev. N. A. Taylor, pastor, believes there will be a large crowd to hear the missionary, as he is right from a war-town town in the heart of China. The public is invited, and those of the Christian faith are urged to at tend, says Mr. Taylor. TAX PENALTY UP \/ County and town tax collectors are warning taxpayers this week that the penalty on unpaid 1937 taxes will advance from 1 to 2 per cent on March 2nd. Start ing with February a penalty of 1 per cent is added each month to all unpaid taxes. This con tinues until June, when the prop erty of delinquents is sold and a certificate of sale issued. It is pointed out by the col lectors that the levying of these penalties is definitely provided by state law, and local officials have no authority to make any changes from the schedule set out in the statutes. Decline To Pay ABC Board Members $10 To Attend Meetings -$ Amount Was Asked by J. O. Highsniith; Resignation Is Rejected Members of three county boards in joint session here Wednesday re fused to grant the request of J. O. Highsmith, of Roper, for double com pensation for attending meetings of the ABC board, of which he is a ; member. The county board of com missioners, board of education, and board of health were the three groups participating in the session. Besides Mr. Highsmith, members of the ABC board are E. G. Arps, chairman; and Dr. J. M. Phelps, of Creswell. Mr. Highsmith asked for $10 per meeting. Members of other county boards get only $5 per session. It was decided to reject the resig nation of Mr. Highsmith in view of the fact that if a successor was ap pointed now there would be the add ed expense of bond for another. The board's fiscal year ends in July. Present at the meting were C. N. Davenport, R. C. Peacock and W. L. Whitley, of the board of education: J. M. Clagon, F. L. Brinkley, and E. F. Swain, county commissioners; H. H. McLean, Dr. C. McGowan, B. G. Campbell and Dr. W. H. Johnson, of the board of health. Venereal Disease Clinic Here Tuesday Afternoon -® A venereal disease clinic will be held in the district health office on Tuesday afternoon, March 1, from 1 to 4 p. m„ it was announced this week by Dr. S. V. Lewis. “It is necessarv.” says Dr. Lewis, "that indigents be certified as such by a physician in Washington Coun ty before they present themselves for free treatment. Blanks for this pur pose are in the hands of the doctors.” Plymouth Motor Company Begins WorkonNewRome Work was started this week on a $15,000 garage building for J. R. Man ning and J. B. Willoughby, who op erate the Ford sales and service here under the firm name of Plymouth Motor Company. The new building will be of brick, measuring 70 by 100 feet, facing Jef ferson Street, and it will also have an outlet on Water Street. The side wall will extend 10 feet behind the Water Street Service Station. The new structure will contain 7.000 square feet of floor space, pro viding for a showroom and parts de partment, service department, gen eral and private offices and two rest rooms. »A modern fire-proof wall will di vide the service department from the other part of the building. There will be four main outlets, with two overhead doors and two swinging doors. Plans call for 15-steel sash and wire-mesh windows. John W. Coffey and Sons, of Raleigh, were low bidders on the project, and ex pect to complete the building within 60 days. There will be show windows on three sides of the building. The one in front measures 58 feet and the others 25 and 15 feet, respectively. The roof will be of the "built-up” type, supported feet long. by steel trussed‘TO Majority of Two Thirds Required To Apply Quotas —«—— Polling Places Will Be Set Up In Each Township; 1 Vote For Each Producer Producers of cotton and flue cured tobacco in Washington Coun ty will go to the polls on Saturday, March 12, in connection with the referendum to determine whether marketing quotas will be applied to these commodities under the 1938 agricultural adjustment act. County Agent W. V. Hays said to day the places of voting and polling officials would be designated and ready for announcement in next week’s Beacon. Marketing quotas cannot be ap plied except by the approval of a two-thirds majority of the farmers, since the act provides if more than one-third of the producers voting in the referendum vote against applica tion of the quotas, they will not be put into effect. There will be at least one voting place in each township in the Coun ty, Mr. Hays said. The polls will probably be open between 9 a. m. and 7 p. m. Each producer who grew cotton or flue-cured tobacco in 1937 will be entitled to cast one vote in the referendum. “Every opportunity will be given to the producers of cotton and flue cured tobacco in all localities to vote,” it was explained. The machinery will be set up so as to safeguard every producer’s right to vote as he de termines. The national marketing quota pro claimed for the 1938 crop of flue cured tobacco is 705,000„000 pounds. The 1937 crop was 850,000,000 pounds The quotas will be divided among the states on the basis of production, plus diversion under the agricultural adjustment administration programs during the past five years, with ad justments for abnormal weather con ditions and plant-bed diseases for small farms and for trends in pro duction. The marketing quotas established under the new act for tobacco will be independent of the acreage allot ments established under the conser vation program, and the penalties applicable for sales in excess of the poundage marketing quotas for farms will bear no relation to acreage al lotments for farmers. However, the acreage allotments will be such that, under ordinary conditions, the pro duction allotments will be in line with marketing quotas. The national cotton allotment spec ified for 1938 in the proclamation was 10,000,000 standard bales. A mini mum allotment for each county of not less than 60 per cent of the acre age planted to cotton in 1937, plus the acreage diverted from cotton un der the conservation program. This results in a total acreage al lotment of approximately 26,300,000 acres. This acreage, on the 10-year average, will produce 10,129,000 bales. Acreage allotments will be estab lished for each individual farm, and if the allotment is not exceeded, all the cotton produced on the farm may oe sold without payment of penalty. -® Wholesale Firm Is Robbed Last Week Local officers are seeking the iden tity of the robber who entered the H. E. Harrison Wholesale Company office here one night last week. The theft was not discovered immediately, and it is not known what night the burglary was committed. It was re ported Saturday by Mr. Harrison. Several cartons of cigarettes were missing and a package found on the floor beneath one of the skylights, which had been broken. It is be lieved that the thief entered through the top of the building. -® Colored Dentist To Begin II ork in Colored Schools Dr. Miller, a colored dentist from the Oral Hygiene Department, State Board of Health, will be in Plymouth Monday morning, February 28, to be gin dental work in the colored schools of Washington County. Dr. S. V, Lewis, district health of ficer, says Dr. Miller is an excep tionally good dentist and said that he had Dr. Miller to work for him be fore coming to this district health department. Dr. Miller is not only a very good dentist, but is considered very good from the standpoint of fhing public health education, daily pertaining to oral hygiene.