The Roanoke Beacon
* * * * * * * and Washington County News ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Advertisers will find Beacon
1 and News Columns a latchkey to
1.500 Washington County homes.
VOLUME I_NUMBER 33
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, August 17, 1939
ESTABLISHED 1889
Town
opics
E. F. Swain, county commissioner,
of Creswell: J. E. Davenport, county
tax collector; and E. J, Spruill, coun
ty accountant, left Tuesday for
Wrightville Beach, near Wilmington,
where they attended the annual
meeting of the North Carolina Com
missioners' Association. They will
return today.
S. R. Matthews, representing Local
No. 356 of the International Brother
hood of Pulp. Sulphite, and Paper
Mill Workers, left Monday to attend
the State Federation of Labor meet
ing at the Carolina Hotel at Raleigh
Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday.
Governor Hoey was one of the prin
cipal speakers at the meeting. There
are 43 unions affiliated with the state
federation, and there are a! ,o six cen
tral labor unions in the state.
The State magazine last week
carried the following item taken
from a Raleigh newspaper of
January 31, 1881: “A gasoline
lamp exploded in a warehouse
offioe in Plymouth, sweeping
away the entire business section
of the town. Dozens of buildings
were burned to the ground. Dam
age estimated at $200,000.”
Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Terr; ttended
a baseball game in Green ille last
Friday night, when Tarboro played
there. Mrs. Terry held a lucky ticket
and was given an Atlas b';dge table
as prize. Other prizes we. given to
those holding lucky ticket numbers
also.
L. H. Lucas, who lives on Main
Street in Plymouth, says that he has
not had his hands on his feet in 20
years. Suffering from what physic
ians have told him is hypothropic
arthritis, Mr. Lucas is unable to bend
over far enough to even unlace his
shoes. He walks with a cane.
On display in Blount's Hard
ware Store here are six ears of
corn grown by Jim Allen, near
Plymouth, which it is believed are
about the longest ears of corn
produced in the county this year.
The longest of the half dozen ears
measures 15 inches, which is real
ly a record-breaker, according to
E. S. Blount, the store owner.
As a whole, the county has one
of the best corn crops in years.
Advertisers in the Roanoke Beacon
this week from Washington, N. C.,
who bought space for individual ads
to help present the Washington to
bacco market to the people of Wash
ington County include the Dr. Pepper
Bottling Company. MacKenzie Equip
ment Company, Waters-Stier Wood
Products Company. Warehouse op
erators, as well as the tobacco board
of trade there, are also advertisers
Fred P. Latham, of Belhaven, was
here this week conferring with John
W. Darden regarding a determined
effort to get the Turnpike road from
No. 97 to Pantego surfaced and made
a dependable road. Though the mass
meeting is over, they are still deter
mined to get action.
-$,
Dr. Bray Resigns as
County Physician
After eight years as county physic
ian of Washington County, Dr. T. L.
Bray this week forwarded his resig
nation to J. R. Campbell, chairman
of the Washington County Board of
Commissioners. Prompting the resig
nation of the physician was the fact
that the commissioners had decided
to reduce the salary of the county
physician from $50 to $25 a month,
the former salary having been in ef
fect for years.
The physician said his traveling and
other expenses in observing the men
tally defective, caring for inmates of
the county home, attending prison
ers kept at the county home and ex
amining all persons admitted to the
jail made it impossible for him to
continue in the work at the smaller
salary.
Dr. Bray succeeded Dr. W. H. Ward'
in this capacity eight years ago, and
prior to the establishment of the dis
trict health office he also attended
to the vaccination of school children
and held various clinics.
There has been some criticism of
the board's action, which may be re
considered at the September meeting.
It was pointed out that in addition
to this one office being singled out
for a 50 per cent reduction, increases
had been granted in some of the oth
er departments of county govern
ment during the last few years while
the county physician’s salary re
mained the same.
High-School Students Here Asked To
Register Next Thursday and Friday
Plans are rapidly taking shape
for opening of the local schools.
Principal H. B. Trotman today
announcing a schedule of ad
vance registrations for high
school pupils next week. Ho ex
plained that it was important for
high school students to register
and have their courses outlined
in advance of the opening on Au
gust ::0, if possible; and parents
were requested to cooperate in
having their children present for
registration according to the fol
lowing schedule:
Eighth-grade students: Thurs
day, August 24, 10 a. m.;
Ninth-grade pupils: Thursday,
August 24, 2 p. m.;
Tenth-grade students: Friday.
August 25, 10 a. rn.
Eleventh and twelfth grade
students, Friday, August 25. at 2
p. m.
Mr. Trotman is also urging that
children in all grades be enrolled
the first day of the term if pos
sible. Early enrollment and reg
ular attendance the first two
weeks is very important and ad
vantageous to both pupil and
teachers; and the principal urges
cooperation of parents in this re
spect, even if the child has to be
taken out of school later in the
term on account of farm work or
other duties.
Morattock Will Again
Have Services Sunday
Important Meet oi
Merchants Friday
A meeting of the Plymouth
Merehants Association has been
called for Friday night at 8
o'clock in the municipal building
by the president, J. R. Manning,
who says this will be one of the
most important meetings of the
year for the organization.
A holiday schedule for the re
mainder of the summer and fall
will be discussed, as well as plans
outlined for a sales-stimulating
campaign, and Mr. Manning is
urging the merchants to turn out
for the meeting, which will be
made short so that those attend
ing can get away early.
With the opening of the to
bacco markets next Tuesday, it
has been suggested that the mer
chants do not close their stores
for the Wednesday half-holidays
after August 23. This will be de
cided at the meeting.
Local Negro Jailed
In Conneciion With
Robbery at Moyock
Willie Albert Nichols Jailed
In New Jersey by Fed
eral Agents
--®
Willie Albert Nichols, 27, Plymouth
negro, was arrested in Newark, N. J„
Friday by Federal Bureau of Investi
gation agents, who charged him with
participation in the robbery of the
Bank of Currituck at Moyock July
8. escaping with $2,245.55.
Nichols was apprehended at a room
ing house in the New Jersey town,
and. as far as information could be
obtained here, he offered no resist
ance. Officers working under Spec
ial Agent A. Paul Kitchin, formerly
of Scotland Neck, in charge of the
Newark FBI office, took Nichols into
custody.
James Rogers Bailey, Norfolk negro,
surrendered in his home town last
week on the same charge. Previous
ly arrested in connection with the
robbery were James J. Chatham and
Leroy Bass, both colored.
Nichols has been arrested here sev
eral times on minor charges and has
a long police record. A few months
ago he was shot by Cheek Bowser
during a quarrel and remained in a
hospital for several weeks.
The alleged bank robber’s father
was known here as Pete Nichols and
is now living in Philadelphia, while
the younger Nichols has been living
here for sometime with his grand
father, Hampton Little.
Chief of Police P. W. Brown said
that Nichols was also wanted in Nor
folk for robbing a store and theft of
an automobile. FBI officers spent
three days here last week, expecting
Nichols to visit his home here, and
they were prepared to arrest him if
he showed up.
Schools oi County Must Be Operated on
$4,000 Less Money This Year Than Last
Public schools in Washington
County will be operated this year
lor about $4,000 less than they
were last term, as the budget has
been reduced this much lor the
1939-40 school year, it was
learned today from H. H. Mc
Lean, county superintendent ol
public instruction. The tax rate
apportioned lor raising the mon
ey lor schools was reduced 7 cents
this year, it was pointed out.
Last year the total tax rate lor
the schools was 19 cents, includ
ing current expense and capital
outlay, while lor the approach
term the budget allows .094 for
current expense iind .026 lor cap
ital outlay, making the total levy
for school purposes 12 cents.
Instructional supplies and re
pairs to buildings will be cur
tailed in every possible manner
in order to make it possible to
operate within the bounds set by
the budget estimate, Mr. McLean
said today.
However, it was said the white
and colored school roots at Rop
er will have to be covered and
the root at the Hampton Acad
emy Building in Plymouth re
paired during the coming term.
Some necessary sewer repairs will
also be made at the Hampton
building.
The levy for the county’s $65,
000 expense in constructing the
new school building at Creswell
shows up in the general county
debt service rate, which jumped
up this year from $1.19 to $1.27,
an increase of 8 cents.
i
Restoration of Old
Church Complete;
Expect Over 2,000
-®
Elders A. B. Denson and B.
S. Cowan Among Noted
Ministers To Speak
-<s>
Primitive Baptists and their friends
in this section of North Carolina will
journey to the 154-year-old church
near here Sunday to celebrate the
restoration of this old building, which
will be used again as a place of wor
ship after a lapse of five or six years.
Under the supervision of a commit
tee appointed last spring, several
hundred dollars were collected and
spent in repairing the dilapidated old
structure, which had been allowed to
run down since services there were
abandoned some five or six years ago.
John W. Darden is chairman of the
committee and H. E. Beam, both of
Plymouth, is treasurer.
For several generations, the third
Sunday in August was a date when
men, women and children gathered
at this church to worship according
to the dictates of tljeir conscience,
which right is guaranteed by a gov
ernment which was not established
until two years after the church was
first organized. It is now proposed
to convert the restored edifice into a
historical shrine as well as a place of
worship.
The “August meetings” were long
an event to be looked forward to, and
here again next Sunday friends will
meet old friends and talk over for
mer days, when the old structure was
one of the best-known meeting places
for young and old who came to the
annual gatherings.
They will be here from Norfolk, ac
cording to B. F. Jackson; others will
come from Scotland Neck, writes Ferd
Harrison; still more will come from
Martin County, led by Elder B. S.
Cowan; and then there will be those
from Rocky Mount, Pinetown, and
many other places.
With favorable weather, it is be
lieved there will be 2,500 or more
people at the service Sunday, which
will feature sermons by ministers of
the faith who have served this church
in the past. A memorial service will
be held for the pastors who have
passed on.
Att 11 a. m. the invocation will be
made by Elder B. S. Cowan. Mr.
Darden will report on the work of his
committee, other members of which
are Mrs. Mary Turner, Mrs. Lucy M.
Bowen, A. S. Allen and H. E. Beam.
James W. Norman, long acquainted
with this church, will tell of the his
torical value of the restoration move
ment; and Elder A. B. Denson, of
Rocky Mount, moderator of the Ke
hukee Association, will explain the
value of the restored church to the
Kehukee association. Ten-minute
talks will be made by several others.
At 1 o'clock the services will be re
cessed for lunch.
The roll of ministers who have
served the membership of this old
church will be called and persons who
have grown famous in the ministry
and service of the Primitive Baptists
who came from this old church will
be recognized.
Through it all one voice will be
missed more than all the others. His
name will be repeated and the deeds
he accomplished reviewed, but his
pr esence will be sorely missed, be
cause the Rev. Newsome H. Harrison
passed on a few years ago. He was
an outstanding character in this
county for many years and one of
the ablest ministers ever to serve the
Primitive Baptist faith.
—-$
Six-Year-Old Colored Boy
Drowns in Conaby Creek
■-4b
Six-year-old James Andrew Moore,
colored, was drowned in Conaby
Creek near here Friday morning when
he and another- youngster were wad
ing in the creek and James lost his
balance and fell in deep water.
His companion gave the alarm, and
Iva Atamanchuk rushed to the creek,
dived in and brought up the lifeless
body. Efforts to revive him by ar
tificial respiration were futile.
Coroner- Jack Peele viewed the
body but decided an inquest was not
necessary. _ _
Pulp Plant Resumes
Normal Operations;
Jersey Strike Ends
---
Company Proposals Accept
ed and Work Resumed at
Delair Last Week
-J9
Operations at the plant of the
North Carolina Pulp Company here
were described by officials as ‘ back
to normal" today, following settle
ment last Thursday of the 14-week
strike at the Delair, N. J.. mill of the
parent concern, Kieckhefer Container
Corporation, The proposals of the
company were accepted by the unions
and an agreement signed at 5 p. m„
Thursday afternoon, as indicated in
a special dispatch to The Beacon
published last week.
The proposals of the company
agreed to were substantially the same
as those outlined in The Beacon last
week, and did not provide for the
"union shop” demanded by the union
leaders which was the principal point
of disagreement between the com
pany and the strikers.
Immediately after the agreement
was signed Thursday, preparations
were made for reopening the New
Jersey plant, closed since May 6, and
men were called back to work there
Friday morning. It was said that both
the paper mill and the converting
plant there was in full operation to
day. Shipments of pulp from the lo
cal plant to Delair are to be resumed
immediately, the barge used between
the two points being scheduled to
leave Delair Saturday and reach here
Tuesday for the first load of pulp con
signed to Delair since the strike
started. For the past two or three
weeks, pulp from the mill here has
been shipped to the Eddy Paper Cor
poration in Michigan.
The local plant has been in part
time operation following its reopen
ing July 24th, but is now getting back
into full production since the Delair
strike was settled. Only two machines
are being used, but they are now on
a 7-day basis, officials explaining
this was more efficient than using
three machines three or four days a
week.
It was also stated today that plans
and specifications for the additions
here were still in the coure of prep
aration, and that construction con
tracts would be awarded as soon as
these are completed.
Town Will Replace
Horse-Drawn Trash
Wagons With Truck
Suggest Town Licenses Be
Sold for Benefit of High
School Band
The familiar horse-drawn trash
carts which have for years been used
in removing debris and garbage from
the streets and premises of residents
of Plymouth will soon give way to
progress, as the town council in ses
sion Monday night agreed to replace
the faithful animals with a truck.
It was believed by those favoring
use of the motor vehicle that the work
would be done faster by truck, and
that in the long run it might be
cheaper for the town.
However, it was pointed out that
the truck could not enter many of
the yards as could the horses and
carts, and it is possible that a new
regulation will be passed requiring
residents to put their trash and
refuse on the streets for removal.
Although the councilmen agreed to
purchase a truck from the Plymouth
Motor Company. Clerk M. W. Spruill
was not sure when the truck would
be secured and put into operation.
W. L. Whitley and H. H. McLean
appeared before the councilmen and
asked for a donation for the Plym
outh High School band, suggesting
that town license tags be required
on automobiles and the profits from
the sale of the tags be contributed
to the band.
It was decided also that hereafter
the regular meetings would be held
on the first Monday night as had
been the usual custom until a month
ago, when it was changed to the sec
ond Monday night
P. Bruce Bateman
Given Promotion
A promotion came to P. Bruce
Bateman Tuesday . I this week, when
he took over the Fayetteville terri
tory for the Sinclair Oil Company as
special representative For the past
five or six years Mr. Bateman has
resided here, in charge of bulk mer
chandising of products of the com
pany in this territory He came here
from Greensboixi.
Mr. Bateman will be succeeded in
this territory by L. E Parkerson, who
will make his he ado carters in Green
ville.
Mr. Bateman will continue to serve
as chairman of the Plymouth school
committee until alter school opens,
when it is understood he will offer
his resignation.
Mr. Bateman's plans now are to
lease an apartment or house and
move to Fayetteville before the school
there opens so that he can enter his
children.
Farmers Preparing Best Tobacco
Crop Ever Raised in County for
Selling Season, Opening Tuesday
FINE TOBACCO CROPS GENERAL IN COUNTY |
Tobacco crops such as that pictured above are the rule rather than
the exception in Washington County this year. This picture was taken
before harvesting began several weeks ago and is typical of a majority
of the 1,600 acres planted in the county this season. Most of the fields
are now bare and curing is nearing completion, as farmers make ready
to begin marketing ihe golden leaf when the markets of lliis belt open
the 1939 selling season next Tuesday.
W.L. Whitley Heads
County Delegates at
Meeting in Manleo
-§
Southern Albemarle Asso
ciation To Hear Lieu
tenant Governor
--
Vice President W. L. Whitley left
here Thursday morning with a dele
gation of about 35 persons, bound for
Manteo, where they will hear Lieu
tenant Governor Wilkins P. Horton
speak to the delegates and visitors
in attendance on the fifth annual
convention of the Southern Albe
marle Association.
Besides hearing speeches by the
lieutenant governor, who is consid
ered a probable candidate for gover
nor next year, the delegates from
here will hear speeches from persons
in their organization and will also
Jiear and see five brass bands parade
and play for the large crowd expect
ed.
A ton of fresh fish had been pur
chased and was being prepared for
the crowd, representing the four
member counties of Dare. Hyde, Tyr
rell and Washington. Many of the
delegates will remain over to see ' The
Lost Colony” drama at night. Sev
eral members of the local delegation
!°ft here yesterday in order to spend
the night and be on hand early for
the festivities today.
Formalities of the meeting will be
gin at 11 o'clock in the Pioneer The
atre in downtown Manteo, where
Lieutenant Governor Horton will be
presented by Senator Bradford Fear
ing. Senator W. B. Rodman will be
presented by Representative Roy
Davis.
Bands win oe present from Plym
outh, Belhaven, Columbia, and Eliz
abeth City. Other music will be pre
sented by the Lost Colony chorus.
Preparations were made to feed 2,000
persons at the fish fry.
In the afternoon a business session
of the association will be held, pre
sided over by C. Wallace Tatem, of
Columbia, president, at which time
roads and bridges and other civic im
provements will be discussed.
Mr. Whitley expressed his opinion
before leaving this morning that the
local delegation would not feel kind
ly toward the proposal to unite the
Southern Albemarle Association with
the Elizabeth City sponsored Greater
Albemarle Association, which matter
is expected to be discussed during the
day.
•-1
Aid in Maintenance of
Community Road Asked
-st
Residents of Lees Mills Township
have petitioned the Washington
County Commissioners to urge the
State Highway and Public- Works
Commission for assistance in main
taining the road from the Plymouth
Mackeys road at Saints Delight Chris
tian church through tire Chesson
farm.
The appeal is based on a statute
known as the community road act,
which provides in certain cases for
the highway commission to render as
sistance in maintenance oi communi
ty roads.
-$
Man Injured at Creswell
Last Week in Hospital
Creswell.—Pete Hassell oi the Rop
er section, who was injured last week
while engaged in demolishing the old
Creswell school building, was removed
from his home Friday to Duke hos
pital by ambulance.
In an examination. Dr W. H. Har
rell found that Mr. Hassell suffered
ja very serious fracture of the hip and
(multiple fractures of one aim. both
requiring hospitalization.
Tax Rate oi $1.80
Is Given Approval
Final approval has been given
to the $1.80 tax levy of Washing
ton County for the year 1939 by
the Local Government Commis
sion. and the county commission
ers Monday night formally adopt
ed the budget calling for this
rate.
The rate, under the approved
budget, is broken down as fol
lows: General fund, 15 cents:
poor fund, 13 cents; health fund,
.005 cents; old age assistance, 4
cents; aid to dependent children,
.025 cents; debt service, $1.27;
school current expense, .094
cents; school capital outlay,
.020 cents; total $1.80.
The commissioners had a liard
time this year working out a bud
get to keep from raising the rate,
but they finally reduced each
fund to an extent where they
were enabled to adopt the same
rate as last year.
County Files Claim
For $9,000 Balance
Due From P. W. A.
Opening of Creswell School
August 30 Hinges Upon
Prompt Payment
-®
A letter has been received from the
Public Works Administration by H.
H. McLean, superintendent of public
instruction, advising him to file a
claim for the balance of $9,000 due
on the Creswell school building, and
which must be paid before keys to
the building will be turned over by
the contractor.
Mr. McLean immediately wrote to
the Atlanta, Ga., office of the PWA,
asking for blanks on which to file the
claim, as he is anxious that the Cres
w'ell students start the 1999-40 term
on August 30 in the new school build
ing there.
This latest advice from the Atlanta
PWA office is accepted here as an
indication that the balance due on
the PWA grant for the building will
be forthcoming immediately after the
necessary formalities have been com
plied with.
The old building is now being de
molished in accordance with terms
of the agreement whereby the WPA
was to make a grant of $22,000 for
the new structure, all of which has
been paid except the final $9,000. I
Early Price Trends
Awaited With Air of
Hopeful Expectancy
Observers Believe Average
Around 20 Cents Should
Be Realized
$>
With the finest crop in the history
of the county, tobacco farmers of this
section were busy this week finishing
up the curing of their final pullings
and making ready to attend opening
sales on various markets in the belt
next Tuesday, when the chant of the
auctioneers will mark the beginning
of another selling season. Reports
from all parts of the flue-cured
bright tobacco belt were to the effect
that everything was in readiness for
the opening, with record-breaking
first-day sales indicated in many of
the towns which have markets.
Much tobacco in Washington Coun
ty was being graded and prepared
for marketing today and will be tak
en to the warehouses on Friday, Sat
urday, Sunday and Monday. The
farmers hope that by making deliv
eries early they will secure a favor
able position on the warehouse floors
in time for the opening sales Tues
day.
On the eve of the marketing sea
son, there is a renewed interest in
all lines of business endeavor, and
there is an air of hopeful expectancy
prevalent among business men as well
as farmers in regard to the price out
look. While no high prices are an
ticipated, those in touch with the
market situation feel that a fair re
turn will be received by the produc
ers, and this, coupled, with an excep
tionally fine quality of leaf in this
county, has given rise to a general
wave of optimism throughout the
section.
Competent observers wno were will
ing to risk a prediction ;aid that an
average price of slightly under 20
cents should be realized on the open
ing sales. Their estimate was based
on an analysis of the crop production
this year coupled with prices paid on
the Georgia, South Carolina and bor
der markets. It is generally believed
farmers will be satisfied if the first
day sales average around 19 cents a
pound, but a price below this figure
would prove a severe disap iointment.
Tobacco marketing towi s, includ
ing Williamston, Robersonville, Wash
ington. Greenville, Kinston Rocky
Mount, and others, are making a
strong bid for Washingto i County
tobacco. The high quality produced
this year is intensifying the compe
tition between warehousemen and
markets for patronage of farmers in
this county, and represen! atives of
the various firms are busy through
out the county, soliciting tobacco for
the opening sales.
It was announced that buyers, of
fice forces, bookmen, at ctioneers,
graders, packers, and the varehouse
operators themselves were in readi
ness today to take care of the large
tobacco crop produced in the belt
this year. It is expected that many
farmers will rush their leaf on the
markets as rapidly as possiole, which
may effect blocked sales and possi
bly cause lower prices. C ireful, or
derly marketing is urged by farm
leaders in general to offset tiie in
clination to rush tobacco on sale as
rapidly as possible.
In connection with the opening of
the markets, local business houses are
increasing their stocks and making
ready on a larger scale than at any
time in years to better serve their
patrons.
Announce Services for
Methodist Church Here
Rev. W ADE JOHNSON, Pastor
Hon. H. L. Swain, of Williamston,
will be the speaker in the Methodist
church of Plymouth Sunday morning.
The Rev. Mr Johnson will preach
in Williamston at 11 a. m., and in
Ware’s Chapel in the afternoon, and
in the Christian church at Plymouth
at 8 o'clock.
Only About 10 Workers Dropped From
WPA Rolls in County by Recent Order
So far only about 10 workers in
Washington County have been
dropped from the Wl’A rolls as
the result of an order to elimi
nate 8,000 persons from the rolls
in North Carolina who have been
working on projes ts sponsored by
the Federal relief ageney for as
long as 18 months.
It was estimated this week by
Delbert Allen, timekeeper in this
eounly, that there are still about
17'5 persons who are deriving
their ehief means of livelihood
from UFA activities.
Mr. Allen said that it was evi
dent there would be no increase
in the quota of workers allowed
this county during the next few
months, although some had ex
pressed the hope that the quota
would be raised by November 1.
It was said there were Dot so
many in Washington County who
would come under the provisions
of the order requiring dismissal
of those who had been on the
rolls continuously for 18 months
or longer. This provision was
made at the recent session ot
Congress, when the W'PA appro
priations was considerably re
duced in the interest of economy.
Additional workers are being
enrolled, it was explained, when
vacancies are caused by volun
tary resignations or dismissals
because of 18 months on the rolls,
but Mr. Allen pointed out that
the quota designated for the
county could not exceeded.