Newspapers / The Roanoke Beacon and … / May 19, 1939, edition 1 / Page 1
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The Roanoke Beacon * + * * * * * and Washington County News ******* A borne newspaper dedicated to the service of Washington County and its 12,00# people. VOLUME L—NUMBER 20 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Friday, May 19, 1939 ESTABLISHED 1889 Town opics Ben T. Davenport, of Norfolk, an engineer for the Norfolk Southern Railroad, and a brother to J. E. and W. B. Davenport, of Mackeys, under went a head operation recently, as the result of an injury caused by a brick thrown into the cab by a hobo Misses Leslie Darden and Minnie Brinkley, stenographers at the North Carolina Pulp Company, took advan tage of the closing of the plant to make a trip to the New York World's Fair this week. They left Sunday Reports today were that some one entered the office of Princi pal R. B. Trotman Wednesday night at the Plymouth High School and ransacked the office, apparently in the search for something valuable. Nothing was missed, but the office was left in a torn-up condition. Coach John Weaver, of the Plym outh High School, has returned from a Rocky Mount hospital, where he underwent an operation for the re moval of a kidney. He is now at his room in the residence of J. R. Camp bell and reports that he is not suf fering any pain, but is only waiting to regain his strength. Archie Nobles, of Hertford, field manager for the Woodmen of the World, was in Plymouth Wednesday seeking a successor to Secretary A. L. Owens. L. W. Gurkin was men tioned as a possible successor. C. G. Gurkin. of Jamesville, is serving temporarily. The Rev. and Mrs. W. G. Hall, of Durham, were here last week visit ing Mrs. Hall's brothers, Whit and T, A. Stubbs. The minister is now pastor of the Angier Avenue Baptist church in Durham. While a pastor here about 35 years ago the Rev. Mr. Hall baptized W. R. White and Harry Stell among many others. J. W. Marow, in town from the Roper section Saturday, said that he had traveled 450 miles in the past few days searching for spare tobacco plants to use in trans planting his crop. His tobacco beds were almost completely de stroyed by adverse weather con ditions. W. B. <Bill) Clifton, clerk in Liver man's Drug Store, has returned from a Rocky Mount hospital, where he underwent an operation for appendi citis about two weeks ago. Representative W. M. Darden said this week that two men who held im portant committee assignments in the 1939 legislature were being boosted for speaker of the house at the 1941 session; they are George R. Uzzel, of Rowan; John ’A . Caney, of Guil ford. ' _ Judge I. M. Meekins Speaker at School Finals Last Friday -<s> Truth, Tolerance, Courtesy, Frankness and Prepara tion Extolled -<§. Truth, tolerance, courtesy, frank ness and preparation were extolled as guide posts to good citizenship by Judge I. M. Meekins, of Elizabeth City, in a commencement address to the graduating class of the Plymouth High School last* Friday evening. W. L. Whitley introduced the Fed eral jurist as “one of the ablest judges in the country.” The invocation was made by the Rev. N. A. Taylor. Miss Lillian Rob bins made the salutatory address and Miss Helen Harrison made the vale dictory speech. H. H. McLean, superintendent of county schools, presented diplomas to the following graduates: Mary Lee Armstrong, Rebecca Armstrong, Mary Elizabeth Bray, Bill Darden, Mildred Dudley, Billie Fagan, James Francis, Helen Harrison, Bill Hays, Dale John son, Louise Lefever, Anne Liverman, Ernest Liverman, Gilbert Noble, Lil lie Riddick, Lillian Robbins, Mary Thomas Robbins, Estelle Sawyer, An na Margaret Stillman, Joe Vail, Clyde Waters and Wilford Whitley. P. Bruce Bateman, chairman of the local school board, presented the fol lowing awards: Meredith Johnston, citizenship; Helen Harrison, valedic tory; Helen Harrison, best all-’round senior; Catherine Midgette, leader ship and participation in school ac tivities; Ernest (Red) Liverman, ath letics; Lillie Riddick, for highest av erage in commercial course; Frances Swindell, for most improvement in commercial course; Charlie Ange, ag riculture. All Anlomalic Guns To Be Plugged In Order To Conserve Supply of Quail I Designed to prevent the ex tinction of quail in North Caro lina, a new ruling on guns was handed down last week by the State Department of Conserva tion and Development, according to County Game Warden J. T. Terry, who said that effective next season hunters would not be allowed to shoot an automatic gun more than three times with out reloading. The ruling says: “All automat ic shotguns will be plugged, and no person will be allowed to have more than three shells within the barrel or magazine. The law making it mandatory to limit the number of shells was passed by the 1939 legislature. Mr. Terry said that there were only nine other states in which a man could carry more than three shells in a gun while hunting. “Any person found violating this law may expect to have his license revoked for the entire year,” Mr. Terry stated Advised of the constantly de creasing number of game birds, the State Department of Conser vation and Development spon sored the law in an attempt to prevent complete extinction of quail. Finals Program at Creswell Outlined Creswell.—The Rev. Maynard O. Fletcher, superintendent of the Tayloe hospital in Washington, N. C., civic worker and churchman, will preach the commencement ser mon to the three graduates of the Creswell High School on May 28. at 11 a. m., in the Baptist church, according to Principal A. T. Brooks. The commencement address will be made by Dr. J. Henry Highsmith president of the North Carolina Education Association and head of the instructional service of the stati department of education. This will also take place in the Baptist church, on Friday, June 2, at 8 H. H. McLean, superintendent of public instruction of Washington County, will present the diplomas to the graduates, while the med als and awards will be made by Principal Brooks. Examinations will be held May 31 and June 1. "Hands-Off" Stand Adopted by Union Here Toward Strike Say Matter One for Settle ment Between Company And Unions at Delair The local pulp workers’ union. No. 356, an affiliate of the American Fed eration of Labor, will adopt a “hands off" policy in regard to the strike at the Delair plant of the Kieckhefer Container Company, parent corpora tion of the North Carolina Pulp Co., which operates the local plant, it was learned following a meting Wednes day night. The local union rejected a propos al that it direct an appeal to the Governor and Commissioner of Labor of North Carolina asking them to use the influence of their offices in seek ing a settlement of the dispute be tween the Kieckhefer Company and American Federation of Labor unions, which is the cause of the strike at Delair and the shutting down of the local plant. The union members al so declined to apply to the American Federation of Labor for relief pay ments from that organization as a result of the shut-down here. Labor spokesmen here, answering sponsors of the proposal, said that it would be a futile and useless effort; and, since the dispute was between the union and the management of the company, that their representa tives, possibly with the aid of Fed eral conciliators, would be the only ones who could do anything to settle the matter. The local union men said that they were not directly involved in the strike, even though they were inno cent victims, and they felt the only thing they could do was to wait for the involved parties to settle their differences between themselves. Creswell P. T. A. Installs Officers -<$> Creswell.—Installation of officers featured the final meeting of the Creswell Parent-Teacher Association held in the school building last Thurs day evening with a large number of members and visitors present. Mrs. C. N. Davenport, sr„ the re tiring president, installed the new of ficers as follows: Mrs. E. S. Wood ley, president; Mrs. A. S. Holmes, vice president; Miss Julia Stilley, sec retary; Miss Grace Stillman, treasur er. The following committee chairmen were appointed: Mrs. R. T. Hopkins, program; Miss Helen Kirkpatrick, art; Mrs. Clyde Smithson, member ship; Mrs. C. A Swain, hospitality; Mrs. Mary Armstrong, ways and means; Mrs. C. N. Davenport, sr., wel fare; Mrs:' C. N. Davenport, jr„ yard improvement; Mrs. W. W. Bateman, publicity. Reports of various activities were made by Mrs. A. S. Holmes, Mrs. E. S. Woodley and Mrs. Vida Davenport, and Principal A. T. Brooks expressed his appreciation of the lunch room, pointing out that “decided improve ment had been shown by the under privileged children since operation of the lunch room started.” Efforts Renewed To Secure Surfacing of Highway To Pungo County Chamber Commerce Plans Mass Meeting To Impress State Officials Plans to renew efforts to get the road paved from highway No. 97 to Pungo through the Turnpike by We nona and Pantego, to shorten the dis tance between Hyde County and Nor folk by 37 miles, were discussed by the executive committee of the Wash ington County Chamber of Commerce at a dinner meeting at the Plymouth Country Club Wednesday. Five miles of this road at the Plym outh end connecting with Highway 97 has been surfaced, but there re mains about 8 miles of dirt road which is almost impassible at cer tain seasons of the year. A group of citizens from Belhaven, Plymouth and Pantego wish to get Hyde County folks to help them sponsor a mass meeting to impress state highway of ficials with the need of this road as a feeder for the Albemarle bridge. Secretary John W. Darden, of the chamber of commerce, J. R. Camp bell, chairman of the board of Wash ington County commissioners, and J. L. Rea. jr., manager of the Black land Experiment Station at Wenona, were appointed a committee to con fer with those from the other towns relative to a mass meeting soon and to have the highways commissioners present, including E. V. Webb, of Kinston, and Collin Barnes, of Mur freesboro. Fred P. Latham, of Belhaven, with Mayor Henry Harvey and O. F. Walk er, manager of the State Cooperage Company plant in Belhaven, and Earl Windley. of Pantego, were at the meeting Wednesday night. There were 17 present, 11 of these being of ficers and directors of the chamber of commerce. Tire local organization also took an advertisement in a program for the Hyde County celebration which is be ing printed for distribution at the New York World’s Fair, outlining the attractions of this section. Brief talks were made by several farmers, including R. H. Lucas, Wal ter Bowen, and W. E. Allen. Others present included President Blount Rodman, W. F. Winslow, J. R. Man ning, W. H. Paramore, Plymouth* C. N. Davenport, E. S. Woodley and O. D. Hatfield, Creswell: and Barton Swain, of Roper. Only One Marriage License Issued Here During Past 45 Days Blame Laid To New Law And General Economic Conditions Blame for the drastic reduction in the number of marriage licenses is sued in the register of deeds’ office in Washington County in the last 45 days is divided between the new mar riage license laws and the general scarcity of the wherewithal. During the last 45 days only one license has been issued, as against, from 5 to 20 in the average month before the 1939 law went into effect, making it mandatory for the couple seeking license to undergo physical examinations by physicians, in order to prevent the marriage of persons suffering from venereal or contagious diseases. There is no provision for official re ports on number of persons going to other states from Washington Coun ty to be married. However, if this course is followed the law requires the couple to present health certificates within 30 days of their return to prove their freedom from disease. The first and only license issued in this county by Register of Deeds Mrs. Mary S. Cahoon, under the terms of the new law, went to James Thomas and Mildred Baker, colored, both of Washington County. Once the law is fully understood, and those wishing to marry under stand there is not much trouble to be found in meeting the rules and regulations, it is believed the license bureau sales will return to normal, especially since the law must be com plied with, regardless of whether a couple is married in or out of this state.* -* Garden Club Flower Show Here May 26 -- Preparations are being made for a flower show on Friday, May 26, at the home of Mrs, J. B. Edmondson, under the auspices of the Plymouth Garden Club. The show will open at 3 o’clock and entrants must bring their own containers and make their own ar rangements. Flowers must be ready for judging by 12 o’clock. Each gar den club member may invite two guests. One entry may be made in each of the following classes: One arrange ment of one kind of mixed flowers, one arrangement of one kind or mixed flowers; one small mixed flow ers and one miniature; one specimen flower of any kind in glass bottle or tube. Pulp Plant Continues Closed; Statement Issued by Official Pelilion Urges Stale Officials to Press for Settlement of Strike Residents and Citizens Ask Governor and Labor Com missioner To Intervene Petitions bearing the signatures of hundreds of persons in Plymouth will be taken to Raleigh Friday for pre sentation to Governor Clyde R. Hoey and Commissioner of Labor Henry L. Shuford, asking them to use their influence to secure a settlement of the labor dispute between three unions of the American Federation of Labor and the Kieckhefer Container Com pany in Delair, N. J.. a strike at the plant there about two weeks ago caus ing a shut-down of the local pulp plant. The Plymouth plant closing affects about 350 employees of the mill and 350 workmen and wood producers who supply the materials for the unit here. This has seriously crippled trade and revenue in the section, and the situation is expected to steadily grow worse until operations are re sumed at the plant here. The residents and citizens of Plym outh, through the petitions which are being circulated and signed Thurs day. urge the state officials to appeal to the presidents of the American Federation of Labor and the Kieck hefer Container Company as follows: (1) Tliat the strike at the Delair plant be called off immediately un der an agreement that the unions and the company will conduct negotia tions looking toward settlement of the dispute causing the strike: (2) That the affiliates of the A. F. L. and the plant management enter into negotiations looking toward a peaceful and permanent settlement of the existing dispute fair and amicable to both sides; and (3) That the said negotiations be broad enough in their scope to pre vent recurrence of further strikes. The petitions will be carried to Ra leigh Friday morning'by a large del egation of prominent local people, who are hoping to secure prompt ac tion on the part of Governor Hoey and Commissioner Shuford. Two County Scouts To See World's Fair -# ■— . Selected from the Boy Scout mem bership in east Carolina, Wilford Whitley, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Whitley, of Plymouth; and Ammon Smithson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Sid ney Smithson, of Creswell, will at tend the New York World's Fair from June 2 to 9, along with a group of 33 other scouts from the section. J. R. Manning, district chairman of camping, and a member of the executive board of the East Carolina council, was one of the several men who helped select the local Scouts for the trip. The group of 35 scouts will board the train in Rocky Mount on the eve ning of June 1 for the New York trip. During their stay at the fair they will be assigned definite activities each day. Nearly 4.000 boys are being chosen on the basis of their scouting records and the selection of the two Wash ington County scouts is a distinct honor to them. Prizes Awarded at Flower Show Here Enthusiasm, loyalty, optimism and vision were urged for women today by Mrs. Eugenia Van Landingham, home agent of Edgecombe County and formerly of Plymouth, in a speech to the women attending the spring flower show of the home dem onstration clubs in the agriculture building Wednesday afternoon. Mrs. Betty Davenport, of Creswell, presided. Mrs. George Bowen made the invocation. A poem was read by Mrs. W. C. Moore and Mrs. Russell E. White sang a solo. Mrs. A. E. Dav enport read a poem also. The speak er was introduced by Mrs. Prances M. Darden, home agent. Mesdames Walter Lloyd, S. A. Ward, sr.. and C. L. Smith, the judges, awarded the first prize to Miss Ida Davis and the second to Mrs. George W. Bowen. Mrs. Lloyd made the presentations. Punch and cakes were served by Mrs. W. V. Hays and Mrs. C. P. Cline. Mackeys Post Office Leads State in Sale Savings Bonds The Mackeys post office rated first in the sales of savings bonds among fourth-class post offices in the State for the year of 1938, according to in formation compiled by the Treasury Department in Washington, D. C. Miss Jamie Riddick, postmistress at the Mackeys office, is very proud of this record. School Lunch Rooms Fed Average 8,000 Monthly An average of 8.000 children were fed monthly by the lunch rooms in the Washington County schools during the 1938-39 term, it was learned this week from Mrs. W. S. Nobles, supervisor of the WPA project which made the lunch rooms possible. Four thousand of the lunches monthly, on an average, were furnished without cost to under nourished children who were un able to pay for the food. Mrs. Nobles said the Plymouth lunch room rates as one of the best in the district, meeting all the state requirements. The Creswell lunch room has done an excellent work, accord ing to the supervisor, who point ed out that all the civic organi zations there were interested in this one of the best to be found anywhere. Mrs. Betty Davenport permitted her kitchen to be used in preparing the food, which has been served in the home econom ics room, due to lack of space in the old building. In the new school building, recently com pleted and not yet in use, ample provision has been made for the lunch room. Mrs. Nobles said that lunches were served to the youngest in the various communities, as well as to the older students. Forecast Big Increase In 1939 Tobacco Crop Branch Bank Will Observe Mecklenburg Day Saturday The Branch Banking and Trust Company is the only business in town that will be closed Saturday, May 20, in observance of Mecklenburg Day. The date is observed as a state holi day in commemoration of the sign ing of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Oxford Orphanage Singing Class To Be Here Thursday Will Give Concert in School Auditorium May 25; Public Invited -s> The Oxford Masonic Orphanage Singing Class will present its annual concert atthe high school auditorium in Plymouth next Thursday night, May 25, at 8 o'clock. The local Ma concert at the high school auditorium sponsoring the concert, with the Ox ford Orphanage committee, headed by L. A. Larkin, in charge of arrange ments. There will be no charge for admission, and the public is cordially invited and urged to attend. A free will offering will be taken up and presented to the orphanage to aid in carrying on the work of caring for the 300 children there, about half of whom are of non-Masonic parentage. The members of the singing class will be guests of various members of the local lodge while in the city. The class will arrive in their own bus about 11 o’clock Thursday morning, the children being sent to the local home in time for the noon meal. They will remain here until the following morning, Friday, about 8 o’clock, when they will leave for the next town on their itinerary. The program this year is said to be exceptionally well planned and presented. Though the children are smaller than those taken on tours in the past, the program is declared by those who have witnessed it, to be even better than any heretofore. There are a number of choruses and vocal selections by individuals, as well as several specialties, including some tap-dancing routines. The singing class has been coming here every spring for a number of years, and it is usually well received by local people. Those in charge of arrangements for the visit this year hope to have a large audience next Thursday night to greet the children. Five Cases Before Recorder Tuesday Five cases came up before Recorder John W. Darden Tuesday morning, with four convictions and one con tinuance resulting. Wilbur S. Blount, 32, white, charg ed with driving an auto while under the influence of intoxicants, had his case continued until May 23. Chief of Police L. C. Snell, of Roper, swore out the warrant. J. H. Odom. 40. white, had judg ment suspended upon payment of the costs and good behavior on a charge of being drunk. Hilmand Norman, 22, colored, and Rosa Lee Norman, 16. colored, were charged with striking Winifred Reaves, a colored child, and given 30 days on the roads, suspended upon payment to the mother of the child $1:50. No probable cause was found against Henry Moore. 27, colored, in a case charging him with intent to rape Mary McDowell, but he was giv en two months on the roen'y farm for assaulting a female. Say Some Plowing Up Other Crops To Add Leaf Acreage Billion-Pound Crop Consid ered Possibility If Grow ing Conditions Good Tobacco growers in the Bright Leaf Belt are said to be increasing their acreage to this crop to such an ex tent that qualified observers believe a billion-pound crop will be produced this year if weather conditions and other factors are favorable. It is indicated now that even Wash ington County, which had 1,500 acres last season, may increase this by at least 100 acres more; and, un less adverse circumstances prevail, the entire Eastern Carolina section will have packhouses and barns filled to capacity with tobacco when har vesting time comes. Reports from Martin County were to the effect that some of the farm ers there have cast aside every sem blance of reason and have increased their plantings at least 25 per cent, and in Beaufort County almost the same condition is said to exist. Farmers in this, as well as in other counties, have driven hundreds of miles in their automobiles in an ef fort to get tobacco plants for trans planting because of the adverse weather conditions that reduced the plant bed yields. Busily engaged in getting their crop set out and their increased acreage transplanted, farmers have given lit tle thought to the price possibilities next fall. In other counties it has been re ported that farmers have plowed un der their com and other crops in an effort to have a place to enlarge their tobacco plantings. One man was re ported to have been seen busily en gaged in turning under corn nearly knee high in order to plant the leaf. Increases of from 10 to 15 per cent had previously been predicted by ob servers and Agriculture Department officials, but it is ‘now believed they will have to revise their figures up ward. Miss Ida Stillman Now With Sam Adler’s Store Miss Ida Stillman, who has been employed in Abe Adler’s store here for the past eight years, is now employed by Sam Adler, who recently reopened his store hre in the same old location. Miss Stillman has been engaged in the dry goods business for a num aer of years and recognized as a cap able experienced clerk, well liked by :he general public. She invites her old customers and friends to visit her at her new place af employment. Position of Company Explained Tuesday By H. M. Kieckhefer Says He Is Unable To Pre dict When Operations Will Be Resumed Herbert M. Kieckhefer, secretary and treasurer of the Kieckhefer Con tainer Company, of Delair, N. J., par ent corporation of the North Caro lina Pulp Company here, while in town Tuesday, expressed his regret and concern over the closing of both the Delair and Plymouth plants as the result of a strike at the New Jer sey mill and issued a statement, in cluding correspondence between his company and the unions, outlining the situation at Delair at the pres ent time. Mr. Kieckhefer was unable to make any predictions as to the prospect for immediate settlement of the strike, although it is understood from other sources that negotiations are under way between representatives of the company and the three local unions involved. The complete text of Mr. Kieck hefer's statement follows: Text of Statement The North Carolina Pulp Company plant at Plymouth, N. C.t will be closed for an indefinite period of time due to a strike which has been called by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Stablemen <Sc Helpers. Local No. 676; the Interna tional Brotherhood of Firemen and Oilers, Local No. 126; and the Inter national Brotherhood of Pulp, Sul phite & Paper Mill Workers, Local No. 380, at the Delair, N. J., plant of the Kieckhefer Container Co., who consume the major share of the pulp production of the Plymouth mill. Due to the large inventories of pulp on hand at both Plymouth and Delair and limited space available for addi tional inventories, it was necessary to close the Plymouth mill until the Del air, N. J., plant again starts opera tions. The closing of the Plymouth mill will affect about 750 families, approx imately one-half of which are em ployees of the company and the re mainder workers supplying wood for the mill, with a total payroll of over $15,000 per week. An official of the Kieckhefer Con tainer Co. stated that no wage or hour dispute existed at the time of the strike, and the company had ex pressed its willingness to negotiate a contract with the three unions for their respective departments, as is confirmed by the following proposals to the three unions, in writing, at the last meeting held on May 5th: Proposals of Company "May 5, 1939. “The International Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite & Paper Mill Work ers, Local No. 380; The Interna tional Brotherhood of Firemen and Oilers, Local No. 126; The Interna tional Brotherhood of Teamsters, Chauffeurs, Stablemen and Help ers, Local No. 676: “Gentlemen: “Under date of May 3, 1939, our company was asked by your respect ive unions, all affiliated with the American Federation of Labor, for recognition and sole collective bar gaining rights for its Delair em ployees, comprising certain bargain ing units. Our answer to these re quests are as follows: “To the Pulp and Sulphite Work ers' Union. Local No. 380. we are will ing to grant recognition and sole bar gaining rights for all employees paid on an hourly or piece-work basis, ex cept members of supervisory force, clerical workers, truck drivers and helpers working outside the plant, yard truck drivers, watchmen, main tenance, electrical and power-house workers. This union has proved to our satisfaction that they represent a large majority of all production employees. "To the Firemen and Oilers' Union, Local No. 126. we are willing to grant, upon submission of proof of member ship, recognition and sole bargaining rights for maintenance, electrical and power-house employees. "To the Teamsters Union, Local No. 676. we are willing to grant recogni tion and sole bargaining rights for all truck drivers, helpers and plat form men working outside the plant limits and yard truck drivers. As re gards the following seven classifica tions, within the plant, whom this union claims to represent, namely warehousemen, platform men, load < Continued on page six) Local Landlord Exhibits Cooperative Spirit To Tenants During Shutdown Without calling any names what ever, a letter was handed to The Beacon this week which is being published to cite an example of the true spirit of cooperation appreciated by workers at the pulp plant during their period of enforced idleness. The letter fol lows: “A certain citizen of this town surely must believe in the policy of ‘live and let live.’ When the local pulp plant closed down, he voluntarily went to see all those who were renting rooms from him and told them not to worry over one penny’s rent during the closed period at the mill; that he was not going to charge them one cent during the shut-down for house rent. “This man realizes that people must have food, and he knows what it means for one’s entire income to be suddenly cut off, for he himself was one of the em ployees. He knows that there are many expenses to pile up, while not even half wages are coming in; and he also realizes that the cost of living is very high and that good wages are required be fore a man can break even. So this man takes it on himself to share the losses of others. “Such a deed encourages folks not to pull up and move out of town, and he certainly deserves commendation. This would be a better world to live in if there were more such people. Such an act was surely prompted by the true Christian spirit. Congratu lations to him'.”
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
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May 19, 1939, edition 1
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