North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoket Beacon ******* and Washington County News ******* Advertisers will And Beacon and News Columns a latchkey to 1.500 Washington County homes. VOLUME L—NUMBER 40 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thusday, October 5, 1939 ESTABLISHED 1889 Town opics “Senator Huey P. Long, of Louisi ana was one of the squarest shooters X have ever seen, because he gave us good roads, good schools, and many other advantages, and if he had lived I don't believe there would have been so much scandal in connection with the misuse of public funds,” said J. R. Lumpkin, fo Bogalusa, La., who is here visiting his son, F. S. Lumpkin, The Beacon is appearing sever al hours later than usual this week in order that it may carry the complete vote of the county in the tobacco control referendum today. Many who have been get their paper on Thursday after noon will not receive it until Fri day for this reason. Next week it will be back on schedule—we hope. A gasoline drum upon which A. D. Basinger, of the Basinger Body & Machine Works, was working explod ed last week. No one was injured and the loss was limited to the drum. An attempt was being made to weld the drum to stop a leak. Chief of Police P. W. Brown said that children or others have been tampering with th new street signs recently erected, and the officer warns that any person caught mutilating or tampering with them in any partic ular will be arrested for destruction of public property. The Plymouth High School Band, under the direction of L.W. Zeigler, will play at the Univer sity of North Carolina-Virginia Polytechnic Institute football game at Foreman Field in Nor folk Saturday afternoon, along with high school bands from Elizabeth City and Edenton, up on invitation from A. Herbert Foreman, chairman of the stadi um committee. Home on furlough this week from Port Hoyle, in Maryland, Eli C. Spruill, who is in the heavy artillery division, says that service men are not as much concerned over the pos sibility of the United States enter ing the European War as civilians appear to be. Fred P. Latham, “Sage of Bei lin ven,” who was here the other day conferring with John W. Dar den about the Wenona road mat ter, is reported to be one of the best farmers in the state. On his “Circle Grove Farm” he pro duces potatoes, soy beans, pecans, Hereford cattle, Duroc-Jersey hogs and Shropshire sheep, as well as his famous “Latham’s Double” seed corn. An interesting and instructive film entitled “Young America,” requiring 15 minutes to show, has been booked for the Plymouth Theatre on October 22, 23 and 24 by Shep Brinkley, and it will be shown under the auspices of the Loyal Order of Moose. James W. Norman said today that his brother, Stanford R. Norman, of Washington, D. C., was reported some better after an extended illness. Mr. and Mrs. Norman and daughter, Miss Elizabeth, went to Richmond Satur day and joined a party of friends to visit the ill man, who is also a brother to Z. V„ Joe, and C. J. Norman, of Plymouth. COUNTY FARMERS FAVOR CONTROL 97 PER CENT Plans Are Considered To Route Heavy Trucks Away From School Zones Here A step in the interest of pub lic safety and convenience will be taken here next Monday night, when the Town of Plymouth is to meet to route traffic away from the school zones and at the same time relieve the congestion of traffic on Water Street. Chief of Police P. B. Brown is making a study of the traffic sit uation and will make recommen dations for routing heavy trucks away from Washington and Main Streets, where schools are located, in order to prevent pos sible accidents to the children and lessen driving hazards as much as possible. It is possible that heavily load ed trucks will be routed by Brink ley Avenue and Jefferson Street to Highway 64, or probably over some other routing. It is also likely that an ordi nance to be drafted by City At torney Z. V. Norman will prohib it the loading and unloading of heavy trucks on Water Street, particularly on Saturday, and re quire them to go to the lots be hind the stores for this purpose. As soon as the ordinance is completed and made effective, it was stated that all auto traffic will be required to strictly ob I serve the regulations prohibiting double parking, even temporarily, and to move properly through the streets in order to relieve congestion, as well as prevent ac cidents. Property of Delinquent 7axpayers Sold Monday At Door of Courthouse Expect Contracts Will Be Let Soon Plans for the expansion pro gram at the plant of the North Carolina Pulp Company, includ ing erection and installation of a bleaching unit and other im provements, are still in the proc ess of being worked out, and it was learned from a reliable source today that it was expected the contract would be let very soon. Construction of a new filtering plant is now under way. No intimation has been made as to the expenditure which will be required in connection with the expansion planned, but it is understood work will begin on a large scale there soon. •*•9? ^,<Cox- manager of the plant, said today he had no definite information as to exact ly when the contracts would be let or when work would start. New Pastor Preaches at Mt. Tabor Church Sunday Creswell.—The Rev. E. C. Morris, of Elizabeth City, has been named pastor of the Mount Tabor Free Will Baptist church, near Creswell, suc ceeding the Rev. W. L. Jernigan, who has served the church for some time. The new minister preached his first sermon in the church last Sunday Legion and Auxiliary Banquet Next Week State Officials Will Attend and Have Place on Program Officers for Both Organiza tions Will Be Installed Next Thursday -' " Principal speakers at a special meeting of the members of the James E. Jethro Post, No. 164, American Le gion, and members of the Legion Aux iliary here next Thursday night, Oc tober 12, will be June Rose, of Green ville, school superintendent and state department commander, and Jim Caldwell, of Asheville, state adjutant. Officers of both the legion and the legion auxiliary will be installed at that time, with Mr. Rose in charge of the ceremonies. W. V. Hays, re tiring commander, is arranging for the meeting, which will be in the form of a banquet. Legion auxiliary officers to be in ducted are: Mrs. D. A. Hurley, pres ident: Mrs. W. C. Jones, first vice president; Mrs. C. McGowan, second vice president; Mrs. J. P. Jordan, sec retary; Mrs. H. A. Williford, treasur er; Mrs. Katherine Harrison, histor ian; Mrs. Lee Landing, sergeant at arms; and Mrs. Henry Harrison, chaplain. Legion officers to be installed are: J. C. Swain, commander; J. B. Wil loughby, J. R. Carr and J. E. Brat ten, vice commanders; W. L. Has sell, adjutant; P. W. Brown, finance officer; W. V. Hays, service officer; C. L. Robbins, guardianship of finances; Eli Phelps, sergeant at arms; D. A. Hurley, chaplain; P. B. Bateman, his torian; P. W. Brown, athletic officer; B. G»Campbell, child welfare officer; A. G. Simpson, Americanism officer; J. H. Swindell, grave registration of ficer; R. L. Tetter*on, employment of ficer; P. W. Brown, membership chair man; Dr. C. McGowan, publicity offi cer; and C. E. Ayers, chairman of Eons of the Legion. Town Tax List To Be Published The 1938 delinquent tax list or the Town of Plymouth has been prepared and will be advertised for four weeks, starting with next Thursday’s issue of The Beacon, and those who wish to keep their names off the delinquent list are Notified they must make pay> ment immediately, according to P. W. Brown, chief of police and town tax collector. It was pointed out that those who put off making payment un til the last minute may find their names in the paper next week with their property advertised for taxes; and those who wish to avoid this embarrassment and the extra penalties and adver tising cost must make immediate payment. Town Council in Meeting Monday The Town of Plymouth Council in session here Monday night heard the WPA officials report that the con struction of water and sewer lines now being laid on Port Williams Street would be completed within the three-month deadline set about six weeks ago, when the work started. A committee composed of Fire Chief L. W. Gurkin and others was continue to inspect dilapidated build ings and condemn those which were considered fire hazards. It developed that little had been done in this re gard. It was decided to take insurance on the new town trash truck. Night Patrolman Paul Basnight re ceived a raise in salary of $2 weekly, making his total salary $22 weekly. Represented Past-Due Tax es and Penalties Total ing $28,094.10 -® $26,305 Last Year Thousands of dollars worth of real esate in this county was sold at the courthouse door here Monday with representatives of Washington Coun ty purchasing practically every cer tificate of the 1938 delinquent tax list, sold under the hammer to satis fy past-due taxes and penalties amounting to $28,094,10. Last year the sale represented only $26,305.54 and that was $6,000 higher than the 1936 total of approximately $20,000. This years’ total is about $2, 000 over that of last year. In the depression year of 1933 the taxes and penalties totalled $63,354.80. A year ago when the delinquent tax list was advertised there were 887 persons in arrears on their taxes and penalties while when the lost first ap peared in September of this year there were 953 names on it. Closing of the tobacco markets and general unsettled busines conditions this year have prevented many who usually settle their tax accounts be fore they are advertised from paying, thus causing the larger delinquent list, according to J. E. Davenport, tax collector. Through the last several years the tax rate has been stationary at $1.80 on the $100 valuation and the differ ence in amount collected each year is not caused by a higher or lower rate, but by economic conditions pre vailing. Lees Mill Township taxpayers owe the most, the unpaid taxes and pen alties advertised for them totalling $11,044.59. Plymoth Township is sec ond, with $9,607.98 due from its tax payers. The figures for Scuppernong were $4,598.64; while the last on the list is Skinnersville with $2,842.56 due in taxes and penalties. Divided by races, the white peo ple owed $$22,962.17 in the four townships and the colored property owners $5,131.93. The wide disparity in these figures show that property owned by white people is valued much higher than that of the color ed population. The largest single delinquent tax payer on the list is the Norfolk South ern Land Company which owes the county $4,060.78 for 1938 alone, on four large timber tracts. It is under stood the company has not paid any tax on this land for about 10 years and that thfe taxes and penalties due total about $28,000, which the land is hardly worth at present, From this large figure the amounts due range down to a few cents, and in many cases the penalties and ad vertising costs are more than the original amount of taxes due. It is interesting to note that the to tal tax levy for 1938 was $110,873.91. The total property valuation of the county is $6,159,662. Of the amount of taxes levied, $28,094.10 was not col lected, representing about 35 percent of the total levy. -- Creswell Merchants Association Formed Creswell.—Business men met here recently and organized the Creswell Merchants Association, with the in tention of cooperating in an attempt to improve conditions among the merchants and to increase business. Monthly meetings will be held by the group. J. B. Davenport was named pres ident; R. E. Norman secretary; O. D. Hatfield treasurer; and H. W. Pritchette is chairman of the advis ory committee. Members include the following; C. N. Davenport & Son, H. W. Pritchett, H. R. Stillman, C. L. Barnes, Claude Brinn, H. W. Norman & Son, W. T. Phelps and O. D. Hatfield. Option on Fletcher Waters Farm Here Renewed Last Week Owner Believes Sale Will Be Completed Before 15 Day Extension Expires Assurances that his farm would be purchased, presumably for a resi dential development, were -eceived last week-end by Fletcher Waters, it was learned today. Frank Kirk patrick. Wilwaukee, Wis., contractor, sent Mr. Waters a check for $200 and requested a 15-day extension of the purchase option taken by the former on the Waters farm on Aug gust 27. The option was to expire on Sep tember 30, the request for the exten sion and check arriving just before the deadline Saturday. Mr. Waters is awaiting further negotiations in connection with the sale of his prop erty, which he now feels sure will take place. When the option was taken on the 75-acre farm, just west of the Plym outh Country Club Golf Course, Mr. Waters said he did not ask any ques tions regarding the use for which the land was intended, and therefore does not know. However, it is generally believed it will be used as a residential development, to provide homes for the additional employees to be required by the North Carolina Pulp Company when its proposed expansion program is completed. Mr. Waters is so confident the land will be purchased by the Wisconsin man that he has given the tenant on the farm, J. E. Williams, written no tice to move from the place by De cember 30, and directing him in the meantime to permit the prospective purchasers to make any surveys or do any other work on the property they may wish, informing him that any damage to crops which he has produced will be paid for. Appropriation for ABC Enforcement Officer Exhausted -® Work of L. L. Basnight Is Being Discontinued Temporarily It is possible that illegal whiskey makers and salesmen may attempt to run wild within the next few weeks, as L. L. Basnight, special officer for the Alcoholic Beverages Control Board, has had his work with the or ganization discontinued because the appropriation for such activities has been exhausted. Ernest G. Arps, chairman of the county ABC board, this week advised Mr. Basnight that funds for the pay ment of the officer had been exhaust ed after he had put in about a year’s work in raiding and destroying stills, nabbing transporters and others en gaged in the traffic of illegal whis key. Mr. Basnight said he did not know when it would be possible for him to return to work; that it might be two weeks, a month, or possibly longer; but it is believed that when the money becomes available for enforcement again that Mr, Basnight will return to the job before the law violators know it. As a deterrent to wholesale viola tions of the law, there is always the possibility that State ABC officers or Federal Alcoholic Tax Unit investi gators may swoop down if the illegal traffic gets out of hand; and it is also possible Mr. Basnight will be re tained at any time to cooperate with the state and federal officers. In the report of his year’s work, Mr. Basnight made an excellent show ing for his part-time activity, which is believed to have been largely re sponsible for keeping down wholesale violations of the law in the county. Eleven Applicants For Game Warden Job Take Exam O'1- — Many Who Applied for Po sition Failed To Appear For Test Tuesday -•— Of the score or more of applicants for the job as game protector for Washington County, only 11 reported here Tuesday morning for the exam ination given at the courthouse by District Game Protector Rupert E. West, of Moyock, who is seeking a successor to J. T. Terry, recently re signed. Included in the group taking the examination were V. E. Everett, Joe Arps, Jim Bateman, Herman Jackson, Fletcher Harris, Jim Allen, R. B. Alexander Walter Bowen, Clyde Snell and H. W. Pritchette. Ennest Jones, game protector at Lake Phelps, took the examination (Continue on page four) Only 11 Out of 356 Votes Cast Against Invoking Quotas; State Returns Indicate Similar Trend Beauiorl Commissioners Join in Urging Designation of Wenona Road as Route 99 The Beaufort County Commis sioners at their meeting Monday took action to cooperate with that taken about two months ago by the Washington County Com missioners. when they passed a resolution urging the State High way and Public Works Commis sion to place the Turnpike Road by Wenona to Belhaven on the map of the state highway sys tem as Highway No. 99. in lieu of the present routing, which runs from Plymouth nearly to Wash ington. J. W. Darden and Fred P. La tham, of Belhaven, who urged the commissioners to take this action, believe that there is a better pros pect of getitng the Turnpike road surfaced if the State follows these recommendations and includes it in the regular highway system, instead of in the secondary sys tem as at present. Mr. Latham wrote Mr. Darden this week that he was forward ing the Beaufort commissioners' resolution to District Commis sioner E. V. Webb at Kinston, and that he thought the action was a step in the right direction. There was no opposition to the recommendation at the Beaufort authorities' meeting. Mr. Latham also advised Mr. Darden that “it is time for an other council of war to be held by those of us who are really inter ested in seeing this work done at the earliest possible moment.” 400 People at Initial Drawing Wednesday Mrs. A. R. Modlin And Kenneth Allen Win Two $10 Prizes Mrs. E. F. Still and Mrs. C. V. W. Ausbon Receive $5 Awards Thirty dollars in four prizes were awarded to 4 of the 500 people who gathered in the downtown section in front of the American Legion hall Wednesday afternoon for the first weekly drawing in the business-build ing campaign being conducted by 28 members of the Plymouth Merchants Association. Mrs. A. R. Modlin, with a ticket from the Plymouth Furniture Com pany, called for the first prize of $10 when the first ticket was drawn. This was the ticket for the accumulative prize, which next week will be $10 again. In the event the holder of the stub to the first ticket drawn is not present, the prize will go over un til the following drawing and the prize will be increased by that much. If holders of tickets for the other three prizes are not present, the drawings contiune until the prizes are claimed. Mrs. Archie Tetterton, holding a ticket for Kenneth Allen, claimed the second $10 prize. The ticket came from the Central Garage. Mrs. E. P. Still, with a ticket from Williford’s Yellow Front Market, was awarded the first of the two $5 prizes, after the holder of the first ticket drawn failed to appear within the allotted time. The initial ticket drawn for this prize came from Campbell’s Store. The fourth prize, $5 went to Fred Ausbon, who was holding the ticket for his mother, Mrs. C. V. W. Aus bon. This ticket also came from Wil liford’s Store. Clerk of Court C. V. W. Ausbon, who came up after his son had re ceived the $5 award for his mother, said that this was the first time his wife had ever won “anything.” Mrs. Still voiced a similar statement to the large crowd Plymouth Merchants Association officials urge patrons to ask for the tickets, which are given with every $1 spent or paid on account with the 28 participating merchants, as the drawings will continue for 11 more weeks, with a grand prize of $100 and four $25 prizes to be awarded on De cember 27. Baby Contesi Will End Friday Night Led by the Plymouth High School Band, the 25 contestants in the baby popularity contest of the Young Ma tron's Circle of the Christian church ! paraded down Washington Street on Thursday afternoon in their canvass for votes. The voting will be completed on Friday night at 8 o'clock, when the little tots with their parents and friends meet in the high school build ing to close the contest and count the votes. The winners will also be announced at this time, and those in charge of the contest urge a large attendance at the Friday night concluding exer cises of the event. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28—Rus sia and Estonia sign pact of mu tual assistance and trade agree ment; permits Russia to fortify Baltic islands belonging to Estonia; Germans say Moscow conferences will freeze Great Britain out of eastern Europe; French report suc cessful attack near Moselle River on German forces; also claim suc cessful raids deep in German terri tory by airplanes, including Ameri can-made Curtiss fighters. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29.—Fighting almost suspended and battles be ing waged by diplomats instead of soldiers; Nazis warn allied group to accept forthcoming peace offer or face “drastic" attack; Russia and Turkey reported to be nego tiating new treaty at Moscow; three Scandinavian ships sunk in past 36 hours by submarines; fourth goes down after striking mine; no lives lost. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30.—-Stale mate continues on all fronts, with battle of words and threats going forward unabated; Count Ciano, (Continue on page four) Markets To Reopen Next Tuesday With Big Sales Indicated Generally Believed Whole Tobacco-Producing Area Has Voted for Quotas WASHINGTON COUNTY VOTE: For Against Plymouth T'ship 190 8 Lees Mill T’ship - 140 2 Others_ 15 1 County Totals_ 345 11 Percentage for Control_ 96.9 Washington County tobacco grow ers voted nearly 97 per cent for the application of quotas to the 1940 to bacco crop in the referendum Thurs day. The actual count was 345 for control and 11 against, a resulting percentage of 96.91 for the proposal. Early returns throughout the State indicate a similar trend. Counties which were centers of opposition in the referendum on the question last December, have apparently reversed thir previous stand. Beaufort Coun ty. voted 2.146 for to 292 against; Harnett County, which cast 2,100 votes against control last year, voted 3,966 for and 730 against today; Sampson County is understood to fa vor the plan by a big majority, al though definite figures were not avail able at 8 o'clock Thursday night. The vote in some of the other coun ties ran as follows, the larger figure in each instance being for control: Chowan. 169 to 6: Bertie, 2.009 to 65; Martin, 3.367 to 26; Hyde, 3 to 2; Greene. 4.389 to 22: Pitt, 5,204 to 65; Wilson, 5.423 to 140; New Hanover, 25 to 0; and Pamlico, 142 to 136. It was considered apparent by ag ricultural authorities that North Car olina farmers had voted for the pro gram by far more than the two-thirds majority required, although there were no returns available from the other states in the tobacco-growing area at that time. However, based on results last December, it was consid ered probable that quotas for the 1940 crop had been invoked. In the meantime, preparations are complete for reopening tobacco mar kets of the belt next Tuesday, with the prices to be paid eagerly watched by growers. In the event quotas were invoked by the referendum today, farmers are expecting the government to bolster prices by purchases of Im perial Tobacco Company grades and maintain an average of about 15 cents for the crop. Heavy sales on all markets are in dicated for several weeks. The hours (Continue on page four) Drive To Sell Stock In Building & Loan Stream Pollution Is Being Studied A study of migratory fish and stream pollution will be made at the meeting of committees on commercial fisheries from Mary land, Virginia and North Caro lina, to be held in Newport News, Va„ Friday, it was learned this week from W. R. Hampton, chair man of the commercial fisheries committee of the State Depart ment of Conservation and De velopment. Going to the meeting from this state with Mr. Hampton will be R. Bruce Etheridge, chairman of the Conservation Board; Captain John Nelson, state fisheries com missioner, and others. Program of Services At Methodist Church -e> Rev. WADE JOHNSON. Pastor The Rev. Wade Johnson preaches Sunday on "The Defeat of Evil.” He will fill his appointments in Jamesville at 10 a. m„ in Plymouth at 11, and in Siloam church at 2:30 p. m. The Rev. B. B. Slaughter will be the preacher at the 5:45 vespers, and will preach in Jamesville at 7:30. Mr. Slaughter will hold the fourth quar terly conference at the close of the Jamesville service. Mr. Johnson will preach each eve ning next week in a revival meeting in Jamesville, . , Hope To Materially Increase Number of Shares Outstanding Two Teams of Directors Are Canvassing Town; No Reports Yet ->■ Captains J. R. Manning and Zeb Vance Norman declined to reveal how much stock their respective teams had sold in the eighth series of the Plymouth Building and Loan Asso ciation now open, but it is known that both groups are bearing down in the campaign now in progress. The two team captains each have three men helping them, and they are engaging in friendly rivalry in the sale of stock to increas the 1,000 shares now held by people in Wash ington County. Helping Mr. Norman in his bid for te prize for his team is B. G. Camp bell, Lloyd Horton and R. L. Tetter ton, while J. R. Manning's assistants are L. S. Thompson. W. M. Darden, and H. E. Beam. This group of directors of the or ganization are making a determined effort to substantially increase the number of shares in stock in force, as they wish to secure more funds to lend worthy applicants desirous of building their own homes. Those who wish to take stock who may not have been approached by the campaign workers are asked to see any of the officers or directors of the association. The installment shares may be bought at the rate of 25 cents per share per week, each share ma turing at $100 in six and a half years.