The Roanoke Beacon Ishssss,
+ * * + * * * and Washington County News ★★★★★★★
VOLUME LI—NUMBER 6 Plymouth, Washington County. North Carolina, Thursday, February 8, 1940 ESTABLISHED 1889
Town
opics
Attendance in the elementary
school at Hampton Academy here,
which has been poor for several
weeks due to various minor ailments
of the children, began to improve to
day. with 20 or more students, who
have been absent on account of colds,
chickenpox and influenza, returning
to their classes.
The girls of the Plymouth High
School lost to Ahoskie. 24 to 8,
while the local boys defeated the
Ahoskie team, 29 to 10, in a dou
ble-header here Tuesday night.
Lefever was best for the local
girls, while the passing attack
and goal throwing of Armstrong
and Nobles was spectacular for
the boys.
Merle Ward, local young man. fell
from a ladder at the plant of the
North Carolina Pulp Company here
Wednesday, breaking a leg and an
arm. Dr. T. L. Bray attended him.
He is reported to be improving today.
Mrs. M. V. Hopkins, better known
as Mrs. "Jennie” Hopkins, is serious
ly ill at the home of her daughter,
Mrs. Perla Bray, Roper postmistress.
Mrs. Hopkins, whose home is in Cres
well, was visiting Mrs. Bray when
she became ill. Roy Hopkins, of
Creswell, is her son.
Clerk of Superior Court C. V.
W. Ausbon is ill at his home here,
and Mrs. Addie L. Brinkley, for
merly register of deeds for many
years, has been appointed deputy
clerk to take care of the office
while Mr. Ausbon is out.
The recent extremely cold weather
caused the waters systems at the
Plymouth and Roper white schools
to freeze, entailing added expense
and inconvenience, but they were
speedily put back into condition.
Mayor B. G. Campbell said that it
was probably coincidence, but that of
the $288,000 in bonds outstanding
against the town called in for ex
change for refunding bonds, bond No.
13, which came in this week, was the
last to be returned.
The Creswell schools closed
Thursday and Friday of this week
because of the inability of the
buses carrying the children to
and from the school to operate
over the muddy roads. According
to County Superintendent H. H.
McLean dirt roads are now in the
worst shape they have been all
winter since they started thawing
out after being frozen for several
weeks.
Mrs. H. H. Hyman, .relative of E.
S. Blount and a member of the fac
ulty at Jamesville, said while here to
day that the Jamesville schools were
closed for the week due to the con
dition of the roads used by the school
trucks.
Shep Brinkley continues his efforts
to bring the currently popular film,
“Gone With the Wind” to the Plym
outh Theatre as soon as possible, and
he has the promise of an early date.
The scale of prices when it is shown
here will be the same as those adver
tised elsewhere, it was said, and it
will be 1941 before the picture will
be available for booking at regular
prices.
Chickenpox Cases
Increase Recently
Two score cases of chicken pox
have been reported in the schools of
Plymouth, with most of them com
ing from parents of children attend
ing the elementary school in the old
Hampton Academy.
During the past week, reports were
made to the district health office
daily of the spreading disease, ac
cording to Dr. S. V. Lewis, health
officer, who said that although com
paratively few cases had been re
ported so far, the spread of the dis
ease had reached epidemic propor
tions.
Continuance of the schools is not
threatened as yet, he said, but the
classes in the lower grades, where
most of the cases come from, may
have to be discontinued unless the
spread of the malady is halted.
Lincoln’s Birthday Not
Holiday in This Section
-$> ■— -
Although it is a legal holiday in a
majority of the states, Monday, Feb
ruary 12, will not be observed by the
banks, post offices or ABC stores in
this county.
However, all these institutions will
be closed on Thursday, February 22,
to observe the national holiday on
the anniversary of the birth of George
Washington.
Charge of Attempted
Rape Reduced To
Assault on Female
Porter McKinney Released
On $100 Bond After Hear
ing by Judge Barnhill
Justice M. V. Barnhill, of the State
Supreme Court, ruled Wednesday that
evidence offered against Porter Mc
Kinney, 39, charged with attempted
assault with intent to commit rape
on five colored girls near here in 1937,
was insufficient, and ordered that he
be held under $100 for trial in re
corder's court here next Tuesday on
a charge of assault on a female.
W. L. Whitley, McKinney’s attor
ney, applied to the supreme justice
for a writ of habeas corpus follow
ing a hearing in recorder's court last
Tuesday, when his client was ordered
held for probable cause on the assault
with intent to commit rape charge.
The alleged attempted assault was
made on the following colored girls:
Hope and Theresa Basnight, Merline.
Chanile and Tliana Skinner.
The warrant for McKinney was is
sued upon affidavit by a parent of
the Basnight girls. The crime was
said to have been committed in No
vember, 1937, while McKinney was
employed here, and Sheriff J. K. Reid
said a warrant was sent to Newport
News shortly after that time for Mc
Kinney, who had left Plymouth. No
word was ever heard from the war
rant, but he was arrested last week
end after he had returned here as a
steel worker with the Bethlehem
Steel Corporation, which has a con
tract in connection with the building
now underway at the plant of the
North Carolina Pulp Company.
The evidence upon which McKin
ney was held for probable cause un
der $1,000 bond by Recorder Darden
Tuesday was to the effect that Mc
Kinney and two other white men
were riding in a car on the outskirts
of Plymouth when they saw several
white and colored girls along the
highway. Passing at the time were
Chief of Police P. W. Brown and
Highway Patrolman Tom B. Brown,
who saw the girls running and one
of the men out of the car evidently
in pursuit. Asked by the officers
what was taking place, the white men
replied that they were only "scaring
the girls.”
McKinney posted the $100 bond on
Wednesday night and returned to his
job as steel worker Thursday. His
home is in Morristown, Tenn.
Council Disclaims
Responsibility for
Burst Water Pipes
Also Provides for Inspection
Of All Installations
Made in Future
Leaks and bursted water lines in
side the property line or beyond the
town meter will not hereafter be a
responsibility of the water depart
ment of the Town of Plymouth, ac
cording to a resolution passed by the
Town Council in session here Monday
night.
Inserted in tire resolution was a
provision that the town henceforth
would not permit the water to be
turned on or sewer lines connected
with the town system until an in
spection had been made by Chief of
Police P. W. Brown, or an agent of
the town, and approval given. Suf
ficient and dependable stop or cut
off valves must be installed inside
the property line as part of the pri
vate line, the resolution provides.
The town officials were also ad
vised that Mrs. L. A. Peal had agreed
to permit the dismantling of the old
Peal garage building on Washington
Street. However, the matter was or
dered held up until a written agree
ment to this effect was secured from
Mrs. Peal.
A committee, composed of P. W.
Brown, Z. V. Norman and A. J. Rid
dle, was appointed to make a survey
of the town and determine where
and how much WPA funds were
needed to help in repairing water
and sewer lines and sidewalks.
The authorities agreed to accept
$800 in cash as settlement of the
paving assessments due on Mrs. Grif
fin Norman’s property on Jefferson
Street.
Unusually Large Flocks of Ducks Are
How Being Seen Along Roanoke Diver
County Gamt Protector J. T.
Terry said this week that he was
making every effort possible to
take care of the large flocks of
ducks which are reported in this
section in unusually large quanti
ties this year.
Ducks of many species have
come together in large flocks to
seek food, as frzoen streams and
other conditions have made their
feed supply scarce In sections
where they usually locate. Thous
ands of ducks have been seen
along the Roanoke River and
over in the Wenona section,
where they are gathering In an
effort to And food.
Reports of hunters taking an
occasional shot at the ducks—
now protected by the closed sea
son—have reached Mr. Terry, and
he is checking all reports. If
proof of illegal shooting can be
secured offenders will be prose
cuted, as the warden is bending
every energy to conserve the
unusually large supply of ducks.
But what is worrying hunters
hereabouts is that the ducks will
fly around in flocks as thick as
blackbirds when the season Is
closed, yet make themselves
soarce when the open season be
rtau.
County Board Orders Purchase of 522
Seats lor Creswell School Auditorium
The Washington County Com
missioners passed a motion at
their regular session Monday to
purchase 522 new seats for the
auditorium of the Creswell High
School, to be installed before the
commencement exercises sched
uled to be held there in May.
The lowest bid for the seats to
go into the handsome new school
building was SI,774.80, at the rate
of S3.40 each. This was consid
ered as low a bid as could be se
cured under the terms of paying
for them at the rate of S59!.(>(»
annually for three years.
Auditor E. J. Spruill repot ted
that approximately SUU.OUU had
been paid on the principal of
bonds outstanding and an addi
tional $30,000 in interest since
last July 1. These amounts be
came due in the half-year period
from July 1 to January 1.
The commissioners also sold lot
No. 27 in the Wcnona section to
W. J. Vaughn to satisfy a tax
lien held by the county.
Merchants lo lake Lead
In Sponsoring Building of
More Houses in Plymouth
Chief Has Keys To
A Lot of Sif uaiions
Chief of Police P. VV. Brown
wants to know who has lost some
keys.
Almost every week different
people find bunches of keys of
one kind or another, and if they
fail to locate the owner, they usu
ally take them to the police chief.
He has collected keys and col
lected keys until it is requiring
too much space in his office to
keep them.
So, if you have ever lost any
keys, just ask the police chief.
More than likely he has them for
you.
Vegetable Quotas
Under 1940 Farm
Program Mailed
Maximum Payments Possi
ble by Keeping Within
Allotments
--
“Commercial vegetable allotments
under the 1940 conservation program
are being mailed to farmers in the
county this week.” it was learned to
day from Stuart Blow, chief clerk in
the office of County Agent W. V.
Hays.
Any farmer who plans to plant
over three acres of vegetables for
market should pay special attention
to his allotment notice, since there
will be a deduction of $20 from tire
conservation payment for each acre
by which his allotment is exceeded.
Mr. Blow said.
"If there is no allotment on the
farm, as much as three acres of
commercial vegetables can be plant
ed without any deduction from the
payment,’ pointed out Mr. Blow, add
ing that ‘‘those who plant over three
acres of vegetables and who received
no allotment should call at the coun
ty office as it may be possible that
they can be given an allotment.”
By commercial vegetables is meant
the acreage of cucumbers, tomatoes,
sweet potatoes, sweet corn, canta
loupes, peppers, peas and beans for
table, of which the principal part of
the production is sold off the farm.
Watermelons and home gardens will
not be classified as commercial vege
tables.
Mr. Blow said th&t irish potato
acreage would be counted against the
potato allotment and not included
in the commercial vegetable allot
ment.
---
Embezzlement Case
Is Set for Tuesday
The case of C. J. Perry, former in
surance man here, is expected to be
called in recorder's court next Tues
day, when he will be confronted with
charges preferred by E. L. Warren
that he embezzled $170.95 from the
Gate City Life Insurance Company
by collecting premiums and failing^
to make returns. The case lias been I
on the docket for sometime, with Mr. j
Perry under bond, and developments
this week indicated it would be called
at the session next Tuesday.
In the court last Tuesday, the fra
cas that occurred on Main Street here
Monday was aired, when John John
son, colored, was fined $10 and costs
and Mary Leary and Georgia West,
both colored, were assessed with half
the costs each for assaulting Mrs.
Fanny Bell Styron and Tommy Dan
iels with rocks and sticks.
Wilbur Blount, white, of Roper,
was charged with driving an auto
mobile while under the influence of
whiskey and also in a careless and
reckless manner. This case is set for
trial next Tuesday. The charges grew
aut of a collision between Blount’s
car and the one operated by Jim
Antonaider, local bowling alley own
er, last week.
Ronald Biggs, young white man,
was charged with being publicly
drunk and with damaging jail prop
erty by setting it afire and by turn
ing water into the jail. A 30-day
sentence was suspended upon pay
ment of the costs.
Committee Appointed To
Aid in Securing Outside
Capital, if Necessary
Need Many Homes
A committee, composed of L. S.
Thompson, P. M. Arps, and J. R.
Manning, was appointed at the meet
ing of the Plymouth Merchants Asso
ciation last Friday to interest per
sons either in town or out of town
to construct houses here to meet the
increasing demands being made for
additional facilities here.
It was pointed out that since the
growth of Plymouth was being handi
capped by lack of housing facilities
and that many persons employed in
industries here were forced to live
in other places and commute to
Plymouth, that this, was a great in
convenience and added expense to
them. It was felt the merchants
should take the lead in interesting
capital in supplying the houses need
ed.
The merchants also considered
means of advertising, and it was rec
ommended that increased schedules
of individual advertising in the lo
cal newspaper be used. It was also
decided that a dollar-day festival
would be staged here during April
and that an electric neon sign would
be erected to welcome visitors to the
town. „
E. H. Liverman, J. R. Manning and
A. J. Byrd were appointed on a com
mittee to increase the membership
of the organization so that all the
merchants and business people in
Plymouth would participate in the ef
forts being made to improve trade
facilities here and to boost business
generally.
A change was made in the time
for regular meetings, it being decid
ed that second Monday nights would
probably be more convenient for a
majority of the merchants than the
first Friday nights, as formerly.
President W. F. Winslow made a
number of suggestions, including that
of cooperating with Mr. Arps, local
Norfolk Southern Bus Corporation
station agent, in securing improved
schedules of bus service, and Secre
tary George Barden being instructed
to write a letter to the bus company
in this regard. Some of the suggest
ed improvements in the schedule were
put into effect by the company this
week.
Religious Census of
Town Not Complete;
738 Cards Turned in
All Except Six Blocks Are
Canvassed; 30 Workers
Participate in Task
A total of 738 cards were turned
over to the four denominations in
Plymouth last Sunday afternoon fol
lowing the incomplete religious cen
sus conducted here, with the four
churches cooperating, although the
Grace Episcopal church failed to be
represented by workers.
Thirty canvassers from the Meth
odist, Baptist, and Christian churches
covered all but six blocks of the town
during the afternoon. A total of 738
persons expressed a preference for
some particular denomination, and
50 additional ones said they had no
preference, providing an interesting
group for the churches to work with.
Tire failure of the Episcopal church
to provide workers caused the six
blocks from Jefferson Strete west, in
cluding the ' New Town” area to be
left out of the survey, and it is ex
pected that those who live in this
area will be canvassed in the near
future.
It was estimated that approximate
ly 10 per cent of the homes visited
were not represented in the census,
as the occupants were not at home.
Of the 738 cards assembled by the
30 workers and distributed according
to the preferences expressed, 175 were
turned over to the Baptist, 251 to the
Methodsit, 221 to the Christian, and
91 to the Episcopal churches.
The three ministers of the cooper
ating churches estimated that in the
group of homes not canvassed in the
six blocks there would be about 25
additional cards for the Baptist, 40
for the Methodist, 70 for the Chris
tian, and 13 for the Episcopal
churches. 1
Observance of Boy
Scout Week Begins
In District Today
Number Activities Planned
By Local Leaders Dur
ing Next Few Days
More than 100 Boy Scouts, Scout
ers, Cubs, and Sea Scouts of the Al
bemarle district will join the nation
February 8 to 14 in the celebration of
the 30th anniversary of Scouting in
America, with the youngsters and
their leaders in Washington County
preparing a number of special events
during the week,
A special display will be put in a
store window here by Scouts under
the direction of local Scoutmaster N.
A. Taylor, who also has arranged for
an emergency assembly to be held
sometime during the week to deter
mine how many minutes will be re
quired for local patrols to dress and
report for duty should such neces
sity actually arise. There will be a
prize offered to the first patrol to
arrive ready for duty after the alarm
is given, Mr. Taylor said.
Boy Scouts will wear their uniforms
the entire six-day period so that they
will be ready for immediate assem
bly when the emergency signal is
given.
In connection with similar observ
ance throughout the nation, all ol
the Boy Scouts in Plymouth will gath
er at the Christian Church ih uni
form Sunday morning to hear a spec
ial sermon by Rev. N. A. Taylor, pas
tor and scoutmaster of the local
troop. The sermon subject will be
“A Scout Is Reverent.”
Climaxing the national celebration
of the birthday of Scouting, Presi
dent Roosevelt will speak on the
movement at 10:30 tonight, Thurs
day.
There are about 100 Scouts in the
Albemarle district, including troops
at Plymouth, Roper, Creswell and
Columbia. Officers of the district
follow: J. R. Manning, district chair
man: and the following committee
chairmen: W. S. Moore, training: Dr.
S. V. Lewis, health: Carl L. Bailey,
financial chairman for both the dis
trict and also of the Eastern Caro
lina Council. Scoutmasters are: Rev.
N. A. Taylor, Plymouth; Mr. Spruill,
Roper; Sidney Smithson, Creswell.
Scout Executive John J. Sigwald
said this week that a meeting would
be held here sometime during the
week of February 18, at which time
a banquet will be staged for the
Scouts, Cubs, and their dads. At that
time Carl L. Bailey, jr., will receive
his Eagle Scout badge. Four other
Scouts in this district have previous
ly been elevated to the Eagle rank,
including Wilford Whitley, Douglas
Gurkin and Phil Liverman, of Plym
outh, and Ammon Smithson, of Cres
well.
Bus Service From
Washingion-Norfolk
Removed This Week
Passengers From Here To
Norfolk Now Routed by
Williamston
-®
Bus patronage by local persons is
believed to be a contributing factor
in bringing about the change in
schedules effected Wednesday of this
week by the Norfolk Southern Bus
Corporation, which ordered the re
moval of buses operating from Wash
ington to Norfolk over the Albemarle
Sound bridge, according to P. M.
Arps, local station agent
Mr. Arps said that during the
month of January he sold only two
tickets to local persons who used the
bus to Norfolk, and that the bus com
pany had little business over the en
tire line from Washington to Eden
ton. I •
Under the new schedules, all pas
sengers from here to Norfolk will be
routed by way of Williamston. The
schedule now sends six buses through
Plymouth daily, with connections for
rapid service to Norfolk, Raleigh and
Washington. Mr. Arps said that the
patronage of the bus on the short
hauls between Williamsotn and Co
lumbia was fairly good and merited
convenient schedules.
Effective Wednesday tiro following
schedules will be observed:
A bus from Columbia arrives nere
at 10:05, bound for Williamston; re
turning from Williamston to Colum
bia, it arrives in Plymouth at 11:36.
A bus leaves here at 10:15 for
Washington over Route 07. return
ing here at 5:25 p. m.
A bus leaves Columbia in the morn
ing bound for Williamston arriving
here at 6:31. Returning the bus
arrives in Plymouth at 9:20 p. in., on
its way to Columbia.
Connections can be made by driv
ing to Pea Ridge at 7:20 a m. for
Norfolk; and also can be made by
driving to Williamston at 6 50 a m.
for Norfolk.
Special Prayer Service at
Creswell Church Friday
A World Day of Prayer servia wiS
be held at the Creswell Methodist
church Friday afternoon at 4 o t lock,
with members of the Christian. Bap
tist and Episcopal churches taking
part in the services.
A large crowd attended a similar
meeting held last year in Christ
Jplscopal church,
To Begin Operating
New Bleaching Unit
Here by March 15th
County Home Now
Has Plenty Radios
Inmates of the Washington
County home wanted a radio, as
was noted in The Beacon last
week, and kind-hearted persons
rallied to the request in such
numbers that, they now request
The Beacon to say they have
enough radios, for the time be
ing, at least. One person brought
two radios—one each for the
white and colored inmates—and
a third offer was declined.
A Belhaven man was quickest
to respond, lie brought over the
two used radios himself.
L. L. Basnight, keeper of the
home, asked that the paper ex
tend public thanks to the Bel
haven donor, whose name he was
asked not to divulge.
Mr. Basnight also said that
since the brief request in The
Beacon started folks to bringing
radios, another news item was
needed to stop them.
Expect 75 to Attend
Banquet Tonight at
Local Country Club
Local Lions Club Celebrat
ing Anniversary and
Ladies’ Night
More than 75 men and women from
Plymouth, Hertford, Edenton and
Washington are expected to be pres
ent at the Plymouth Country Club
Thursday night, when the third an
niversary of the establishment of the
Lions Club here is celebrated in con
nection with ladies' night.
Neil Hester, of Raleigh, telegraph
editor of the News and Observer, and
District Governor of District No. 31-C,
will be the principal speaker at the
meeting. He will be introduced by
Rev. N. A. Taylor, of Plymouth, dis
trict deputy governor of region 2,
district 31-C.
Eugene F. Still, the first president
of the organization, will make the
welcoming speech to the visiting
Lions and Lionesses, with Mrs. John
Mitchener, of Edenton. to respond for
the out-of-town Lionesses and Mrs.
B. G. Campbell for the local Lion
esses.
A feature of the meeting will be
the entertainment, to be under the
direction of Edgar E. Bundy, super
intendent of schools in Elizabeth
"ity, who will probably make a short
talk and then lead in several songs.
Lion President Z. V. Norman will
preside over the meeting, and the
Rev. O. L. Hardwick. Methodist min
ster who recently became a member
pf the local club, will make the in
vocation.
Recognition will be given the vislt
ng Lions and officials of other clubs
vho will attend the event. It is un
ierstood that 10 will come from
Hertford and that 13 will come from j
Sdenton.
H. H. Allen Opens
New Grocery Here
H. H Allen, better known as "P. D.”
Allen, this week opened a grocery
store here in his home town after
having clerked in various groceries
ever since he was large enough to
go to work.
For the past six years, Mr. Allen
has been employed by J. R. Camp
bell's Store here, where he became
widely known through contact with
a large number of people. His new
business is located in the building
formerly occupied by the Plymouth
Market.
Mr. Allen said today that he "had
always wanted a store of mv own,
and I guess I had just as well start
aow as any time.”
construction Work
Returns To Faster
I Pace at Pulp Plant
Over 200 Men Now Are Em
ployed on New Buildings
Being Erected
O. H. Cox, manager of the North
Carolina Pulp Company here, said
this morning that it was hoped the
new bleaching plant of the company
would be ready to begin operations
by March 15. The bleached pulp will
then be shipped to Richwood, W. Va.,
for processing at the plant of the
Cherry River Paper Company, pur
chased last spring by the Kieckhefer
Container Company, which operates
the local plant.
Operation of the new bleaching
unit will increase the number of em
ployees here from 300 to 330, it was
said, about 30 men being required in
the bleaching department.
William Muirhead, president of the
William Muirhead Construction Com
pany, of Durham, who was a visitor
here today, said the hoped to have
all the buildings for which he has
contract completed by the early sum
mer. Both Mr. Cox and Mr. Muir
head said that the construction work
should move forward much more
rapidly with the coming of better
weather, following an exceptionally
severe cold period, during which it
was impossible to do any concrete
work on the foundations. Mr. Muir
head said that within 60 days all of
the buildings under construction
would begin to take form, revealing
the progress that had been made.
Estimating that his company had
about 100 men employed, and that
other contracting firms, including the
Bethlehem Steel Corporation and the
North Carolina Pulp Company itself,
had an additional 100 men on the job,
Mr. Muirhead hedged when asked to
make an estimate of the weekly pay
roll of the construction crews.
Construction work on the various
buildings was said to be at the fol
lowing stages: Bleach building, struc
tural steel completed: bleach liquor
building, completed: machine, half of
the structural steel erected: beater
room, structural steel up; wet room,
foundations being constructed; boiler
room, 50 per cent of the equipment
and building completed.
In addition to the operating per
sonnel of the pulp plant, the North
Carolina Pulp Company has a num
ber of persons employed in connec
tion with the expansion program to
help equip the buildings that are be
ing constructed.
Here for several hours, Mr. Muir
head left immediately after lunch to
day for Durham, where he will stay
for an hour or so before proceeding
to South Carolina, where he has a
power line construction project under
way. In charge of the work here
were G. C. Brooks, company super
intendent, and A. B. Thomas, the
newly arrived job superintendent.
-<$>
All-Star Band in
Washington Friday
Fifteen members of the Plymouth
High School Band will participate in
the East Carolina All-Star band con
cert that will be given in the John
Small High School in Washington
tomorrow night.
The young musicians will meet at
the high school at 9:30 and will re
hearse until 1, when a free lunch Is
to be served them. A parade thru
the business district will take place
at 3:30 and a banquet will be held
at 6 o’clock for the band members.
The concert will begin at 8 o'clock.
Local band members selected to
take part are: Douglass Gurkin,
Phyllis Davidson, Osbourne Dunbar,
Mary Lillian Campbell, Gertrude
Woolard, L'Engle Barnes, Frances
Basinger, clarinets: Mary C. Jones.
Harry McLean, comet; Phil Liver
man, trombone; Brinson Cox, bass;
Carolyn Byrd, alto horn; Fanny Lou
Winslow, bell lyre; and Bill Owens,
cymbals.
Inquiry From Wyoming Firm Raises
Possibility of Another Pulp Plant Here
Possibility of another industry
for this section loomed this week,
when an Inquiry was received
this week from a Wyoming; firm
relative to the establishment of
a pulp plant in the vicinity, ac
cording to John W. Darden, sec
retary of the Washington Coun
ty Chamber of Commerce.
The name of the firm making
the inquiry was withheld by Mr.
Darden, and he said it would not
be made public immediately,
pending further correspondence.
W. R. Hampton, member of the
State Board of Conservation and
Development, has urged Mr.
Darden to turn the correspond
ence over to Jim Anderson, head
of the division of commerce and
industry in the advertising de
partment of the board.
Mr. Darden advised the inquir
ers that there was sufficient gum
timber in the section to supply
a plant which used this kind of
wood. So far he has not had a
reply to his letter. When he re
ceives one, it is probable he will
turn the matter over to Mr. An
derson for further follow-up.
Mr. Hampton said Mr. Ander
son is well qualified to handle
matters of this nature, and that
he would secure the plant for the
Plymouth area if at all possible,
provided the inquiry cane from
a reputable firm.