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VOLUME LI—NUMBER 16
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, April 18. 1940
ESTABLISHED 1889
TO W N
OPICS
Joe Arps lias become associated
with the Plymouth Motor Company
here as salesman. For several years
Mr. Arps was connected with another
automobile agency, here, but resigned
recently to go with the Ford agency,
where J. R. Manning added him to
his sales force.
Charles Whedbee, of Hertford, a
prominent lawyer of Perquimans
county and a former member of the
State Highway and Public Works
Commission, was here Wednesday
conferring with W. R. Hampton, a
member of the Department of Con
servation and Development.
To be vaccinated as a protec
tion against rabies. dogs should
be brought to the fire department
in Plymouth Thursday and Fri
day. April 25 and 26 where the
vaccine will he administered by
Paul Ba-night and Joe Nobles.
Rev. O. L. Hardwick, pastor of the
Methodist Church, this week attend
ed a meeting of the Rocky Mount
district, conference of the Methodist
Church where speakers presented the
various causes of the church. Mrs.
Hardwick and her mother. Mrs. D
C. Bowman accompanied him.
The Beaufort League Union of the
Methodist Church met at the local
Methodist Church Wednesday night.
One hundred young people from Ro
per, Belhaven, Pantego, Washington
and Williamston attended. The pro
gram was provided by the local young
people.
Freezing temperatures, accom
panied by hail, sleet and snow,
did no great amount of damage
to early field and garden crops
in this immediate section last
Saturday morning, according to
reports reaching here from farm
ers in tlie county. However, it
was believed that tobacco trans
planting would be further delay
ed.
Mr. and Mrs. J. T. McNair and Mr.
and Mrs. Ludford McNair went to
Norfolk during the week-end to visit
Mr. and Mrs. J. B. McNair. While
there Mr. McNair went to the Park
Avenue Baptist Church, where, by in
vitation, he taught a Bible class of
50 men.
Washington County Young
Democrats were notified this
week that the Jeffersonian Rally
planned for Greenville Friday
has ben postponed until Mon
day night, when Senator Josli
Lee, of Oklahoma, will be the
principal speake:. Tickets for the
dinner mav be purchased from
W. R. Gayiiird hcKv
Rain, snow and sleet fell for an
hour here Friday night starting at
10:30 and covered the ground in
spots. The mercury dropped well in
to the high twenties. There were
numerous signs of snow and ice the
following morning. It was one of the
few times that snow has fallen so
late in the spring.
J. Linwood Knowles, who lives just
across the Martin county line, filed
his candidacy for the Martin County
Board of Education last week. He
is opposed by E. H. Ange, Leslie Har
dison, George C. Griffin and J. W.
Eubanks. Mr. Knowles is well known
in Washington county.
Aged Negro Woman
Is Struck by Auto
No charges have been preferred
against Ambrose E. Hopkins, 53, of
Columbia, whose automobile struck
and seriously injured Margaret Moore,
75-year-old colored woman, on the
Sound Bridge highway near Shiloh
Chapel Monday afternoon about 5
o'clock, it was reported today by Cor
poral Tom B. Brown. The victim
was taken to the Creswell hospital by
Hopkins, who later carried her to a
Washington hospital. Both legs of
the woman were broken and she suf
fered other injuries.
An investigation by the highway
patrolman revealed that Lena Foster,
J. W. Norman, and D. L. Norman saw
the aged negress step from behind a
truck operated by S. B. Davenport
directly into the path of the Hop
kins car. Hopkins claimed, and the
witnesses substantiated, that he was
unable to see the woman on account
of the truck and when she stepped
in front of his car he could not avoid
striking her.
Bichwood Paper Shows Ii Is Good Loser
By Commending Citizens To Plymouth
Concerning the men who are
being transferred from the Cher
ry River Paper Company plant at
Riehwood, W. Va., to the North
Carolina Pulp Company here, the
following article, headed “Rich
wood's Losses Are Plynjouth’s
Gains,” appeared in the Nicholas
Republican, a newspaper pub
lished at Riehwood, last week:
“City Councilman Arden Hol
brook was included in a group ^of
trained paper-mill bleaching
plant operators that was perma
nently transferred last week from
Riehwood to the new paper mill
at Plymouth, N. C.
“Under the continued super
vision of Fred Keys, their former
foreman in the local mill, these
highly experienced men will op
erate one of the most modern and
efficient bleaching plants to be
found in any paper mill in the
world.
‘•It was with no little regret
that Richwood was compelled by
circumstances to reluctantly give
up these good citizens and their
excellent families.
“In an effort to be a good loser,
however, it is a pleasure to hear
tily commend these good people
to the hospitality of Plymouth
with a feeling that Richwood’s
loss is Plymouth's gain.
“In addition to Fred Keys,
whose transfer was reported in
last week’s issue, the group in
cluded: Jennings Ward, Frank
Biekerstaff, Howard McClure.
Willard McClure, Arden Holbrook,
E. L. Jackson and Joe Welsh.
Begin Operating New
Units at Pulp Plant
FOR TREASURER
v.
W. S. (Bill) Davenport, radio
shop owner and grandson of the
late W. S. Davenport, war-time
senator of Mickeylaxv week
filed for the Democratic nomina
tion for county treasurer.
Mrs. Louisa Phelps
Dies Suddenly at
Home Near Cherry
Funeral Held Tuesday Aft
ernoon for Life-Long
County Resident
-$
Funeral services were conducted at
the home on the Ambrose road near
Cherry Tuesday afternoon for Mrs.
Louisa Snell Phelps, 69, who fell dead
in her chicken yard there Monday
morning. The Rev. Roy O. Respass,
of Reidsville, and the Rev. L. B. Ben
nett, of Creswell, officiated. Inter
ment took place in the family ceme
tery.
During the service the following
songs were sung: ‘'The Last Mile of
the Way,'' '‘I Have Heard of a Land,”
"Have Thine Own Way, Lord,” "God
Be With You.”
Widow of the late S. B. Phelps, who
died a year ago, Mrs. Phelps was a
life-long resident of Washington
County and was well known. Though
in declinging health, her sudden
death shocked the community.
Pall bearers were Tom Furlaugh.
Stewart Woodley, Leon Woodley, Lou
is Spruill. Raymond Gibbs and Steve
Davenport.
Surving are the following: sons,
Emmons and Luther Phelps: daugh
ters: Mrs. Sam Furlaugh. Mrs. W. P.
Davenport, Mrs. L. W. Davenport,
Mrs. Clyde Tarkenton. Mrs. Rixey
White: one sister: Mrs. Harrison
Craddock and two brothers: J. F. and
H. B. Snell, all of this county.
Allotment Increase Not To Materially
Affect Peanal Acreage in This County
Although the peanut allotment
acreage in North Carolina has
been increased from 212,650 to
222,500 acres for 1940, it is not
expected that the acreage in
Washington county will be ma
terially affected.
The increase of 9,850 acres is
the result of a conference held
in Congressman Lindsay War
ren’s office in W'ashinglon re
cently between agricultural de
partment officials and a delega
tion of Eastern Carolina peanut
growers, which included L. E.
Hassell, of Roper.
The delegation contened that
either an error had been made
or there was discrimination
against North Carolina in de
termining the 1940 allotments.
It is not believed that the in
crease allowed the state from the
original alloted acreage would ef
fect an increase to growers in
Washington County, who planted
6,228 acres in 1939.
Explaining the upward adjust
ment. Department of Agriculture
officials said: “The national pea
nut allotment under the Agricul
tural Conservation program has
been reviewed carefully and re
vised slightly upward to correct
inequities between States result
ing from incomplete data for
non-commercial counties.
“The entire amount of the in
crease is necessary for non-com
mercial counties (which does
not include Washington), for
farms omitted from the original
tabulations and for the correction
of errors. Therefore it will not
be possible to increase the allot
ment to other growers.”
> ---
Workmen Arriving
To Gei'Work Started
At Bleaching “Plant
Around 550 Men at Work
Today, Including Those
On Construction
-$
The first of the new processing
units under construction at the plant
of the North Carolina Pulp Company
here was scheduled to begin opera
tions this week as workmen arrived
from Richwood, W. Va., to assume
their duties in the bleaching depart
ment.
Next week it was said the new
steam boiler will be put in operation
and a recovery boiler is scheduled to
be ready in June. Half of the filter
ing plant is now in operation, with
the other half ready for use when the
increased capacity of the plant de
mands it.
When one of the paper machines
to be installed here is made ready to
begin operations in June, it is under
stood one of the three machines at
the Cherry River Paper Company
plant in Richwood, W. Va., will be
discontinued.
It was said here this week that
about 300 persons are still employed
at the Richwood plant, but that the
plant there would be abandoned when
the installation of equipment is com
pleted here and the local mill is ready
to turn out the finished paper prod
uct.
Regular shift workers at the plant
here now number 400, and when all
of those scheduled to come from
Richwood arrive and the pulp and
paper departments begin to function
at top speed, there will be a total of
around 600 employees at the local
mill, it was said. In addition to the
400 regular employees now working
here, there are about 50 men em
ployed in construction work for the
plant and 100 constructions workers
employed by the contractors who are
erecting the new buildings.
--
Auto Supply Store
Will Open Friday
Announcement is made this week
of the formal opening on Friday of
the Harrison Auto Supply store in
the Hampton building on Water
street with W. A. <Bill > Roebuck as
as manager and H. E. Harrison as
owner.
A cordial invitation is extended to
the public to visit the new store to
see the hundreds of useful items that
the store carries and those who come
will not be asked to buy, according to
the management.
A complete stock of automobile ac
cessories and attachments with many
useful every day articles are being
shown with the Firestone line being
featured.
Under a policy worked out by the
management with the Firestone bud
get plan being used, articles can be
purchased on a small down payment
with the balance to be paid in week
ly installments.
Davis Manager New
Jewelry Firm Here
--
Through an arrangement with
Schneer's, Inc., Norfolk jewelers, Don
G. Davis has opened an associate
store in Plymouth this week, with one
of the largest stocks of jewelry ever
carried here. Managed by Mr. Davis
the store will occupy his same loca
tion.
“Schneer's operates one of the larg
est credit jewelry stores in Norfolk,”
Mr. Davis said, adding that by hav
ing ample capital with which to op
erate, the associate store here will be
able to extend liberal terms.
Opening of the associate store here
with the increased stock was timed
for the height of the jewelry season,
with graduations, engagements and
wedding in the offing. Mr. Davis ex
tends a cordial welcome to all to
come in and look over the large stock
Mrs. Claudia Blouni
Dies at Home Near
Mackeys Tuesday
Result of Sudden Illness;
Funeral Held Wednes
day Afternoon
Funeral services were conducted
Wednesday afternoon at the Oak
land Farm for Mrs. Claudia Daven
port Blount. 75. who died at her home
near Mackeys Tuesday evening as the
result of a sudden illness following
three months recuperation from an
operation.
The Rev. Sidney E. Matthews, of
Washington. N. C.. rector of Grace
Church. Plymouth, and St. Luke's
Church. Roper, officiated. Interment
took place in old St. Luke's cemetery
near Roper. Pall bearers were her
two sons and four grandsons.
Mrs. Blount was the widow of
James E. Blount and the daughter
of Capt. Stuart L. Johnson and Clau
dia Davenport Johnston. She was
born on the old Johnston plantation
near Plymouth in 1864, and was a
descendant of some of Washington
County's most prominent and distin
guished farmilies.
A devoted member of the Episco
pal Church, she was also one of the
founders of the Washington County
Library. Much of Mrs. Blount's life
was spent in civic and church work
in this county and she was widely
known for her untiring and unselfish
efforts for the betterment of this
section. Surving are three children:
Mrs. Haywood Hyman, of Scotland
Neck; Edward Blount, Plymouth mer
chant: Phillip Blount, of Jamesville;
and four grandsons: Phillip, Cecil
and Thomas Blount, of Jamesville;
and Edward and Haywood Hyman, of
Scotland Neck.
Rev. N. A. Taylor
Accepts Recent Call
To Durham Church
Pastor of Local Christian
Church Sl/2 Years; Will
Leave May 1
After five and a half years’ sucrcss
ful service as pastor of the local
Christian church. Rev. N. 'A. Taylor
today announce his acceptance of a
call to the Holloway Street Christian
Church in Durham. Mr. Taylor will
take up hi:, pastorate and preach his
first sermon ihere on the first Sun
day in May.
During Mr. Taylor's service with
the local church, its membership has
been increased by 171, and the church
erected and paid for an educational
annex under his leadership.
In his civic activities, the minister
has served as secretary and treasurer
of the Lions Club, zone chairman, and
he is now district deputy governor of
region 2, district 31C, as well as chair
man of the program committee of
the local club. He also helped to or
ganize and has served as scoutmaster
of the Plymouth troop of Boy Scouts.
Both he and Mrs. Taylor have made
many friends in this section who re
gret to see them leave.
A statement issued by the Rev. Mr.
Taylor follows: ‘T shall always keep
the Plymouth church in my mind,
and as I leave I wish to publicly state
my appreciation for making my stay
here a happy one. My reward is not
one that I can buy, as I hope for the
more valuable one, hoping that I may
have helped somebody to have a
more abundant life.
I go to Durham because there is
a greater field of service, and in it I
ask the prayers of all church people,
assuring them that Plymouth will
never be forgotten by me and my
family."
Rev. C. T. Thrift To Speak
At Colored School Finals
The Rev. C. T. Thrift, editor of tiie
Halifax Messenger and Methodist
minister of Halifax, will make the
commencement address at the J. J.
Clemmons High School in Roper at
8 o’clock on Tuesday, April 23.
The commencement sermon will
be preached by the Rev.. M. J. Parker,
Plymouth colored minister, on Sun
day, April 21. at 3 p. m.
Tuesday night, April 16, an ope
retta was presented by the primary
department and on Friday night,
April 19, an operetta will be present
ed by the elementary department.
Candidates Share
Primary Expense
Candidates for public officers
in Washington county are shar
ing part of the cost of registering
the people and holding the elee
tions, a preliminary report from
Paul W. Itrinkley, chairman of
the boat J of elections, stating
that the office aspirants have
already contributed a total of
S129 in the form of filing fees.
Fees were assessed at the rate
of 1 per cent oi the annual salary
with a minimum fee of §5. Rates
were as follows: county commis
sioner S5; c ounty judge $9; board
of education ''S; house, $6; regis
ter of deeds, $12; treasurer, S6;
constable $5.
Last-Minute Rush To File Brings
Five Candidates for Treasurer and
Seven for County Commissioners
r
CANDIDATES FOR COMMISSIONER
Above are photographs of two of the seven candidates for the three
Democratic nominations for Washington County Commissioners: E. G.
Arps l left I and A. Lloyd Owens (right). They are contenders for the
post representing District No. I, which includes Plymouth Township.
Zoning Commission
Holds Public Hearing
Report To Be Made
To City Council at
Special Meet Friday
Another Public Hearing To
Be Held Later: 3 Oppose
Plan at Meet Tuesday
The Town Council of Plymouth will
meet at the municipal building Friday
j night to receive the report of the zon
ing commission, which held a public
hearing Tuesday night, where argu
ments were presented for and against
a proposed zoning ordinance, which
would prohibit the building of com
mercial buildings in the residential
section south of Main Street.
Attorney W. L. Whitley. E. F. Still
and J. T. McNair appeared before the
commission to present arguments
against the zoning plan, while it is
understood most of the proponents
had been advised it would not be nec
essary for them to appear at the first
hearine
One of the opponents of the plan
said a large portion of the business
property on Water Street was owned
by out-of-town interests who will
neither improve nor sell it, thus
"freezing” the possibility of much ex
pansion on that street. It was also
said the town had managed to do
without the zoning plan during lean
years and that nothing should be
done to impede its progress now, add
ing that any man who owns property
should have the privilege of doing as
he wished with it.
It was pointed out by members of
the zoning commission that some of
the larger towns near by had failed
to enact zoning restrictions and as a
result both business and residential
sections are cluttered up with unde
sirable type of buildings; that a per
son who had a nice home would not
like to have "pop” shops or small
stores on adjoining property; and
that proper development of the town
may hinge on restrictions as to the
kind and class of buildings erected in
certain sections.
The commission’s report will be
made to the entire city council Friday
night, and a date will likely be set
for another public hearing, when both
proponents and opponents of the
zoning plan will be heard W. F.
Winslow said today that his commis
sion had not yet prepared a report
for the council, but that it would be
ready before the meeting of the coun
cilmen Friday night.
Members of the council emphasize
that they are desirous of acting for
the best interests of the town and in
accordance with the wi. he* of a ma
jority of local people, and for that
reason when the next public hearing
is held they are anxious for as many
as possible to attend and express
their view's, whether for or against
the zoning ordinance. Ample oppor
tunity will be given for expression by
all who wish to be heard.
J. R. Manning Speaker at
PTA Meeting in Creswell
Interesting talks on B Seoul ac
tivities in the Albemarle . ’.rid were
made by J. Roy Mannii. of Plym
outh, chairman of the di.-triet. and
Worth Moore, at the final meeting of
the parent-teacher assoc ation in
Creswell last Thursday
The president. Mrs E. S. Woodley,
presided. A committee wa appoint
ed to help raise funds for the Cres
well scouts. Selections from the glee
elub and a talk on • li • rtaace
of Music in the School.” by Bob Mer
ritt were also features of the program.
| FOR TREASURER |
v/
Stewart D. Davis, local busi
ness man who served one term as
county treasurer two years ago,
is seeking the Democratic nom
ination for the same office again
this year.
Teaching Staff for
Schools at Roper
Elected Thursday
D. E. Poole Reelected Prin
cipal ror Fourth Year;
Only One Vacancy
Teachers in the Roper schools for
the next term were named by the lo
cal committee, composed of J. A.
Chesson, W, B. Davenport and R. C.
Chesson, at a meeting last Thursday
night. Principal D. E. Poole was re
elected to the position which he has
held there for three years.
There is only one vacancy remain
ing in the faculty at present. Teach
ers reelected follow: Katy Etta Bland,
first grade; there was no applicant
for the second grade; Carolyn Hall
Brooks, third; Naomi Gibson, fourth;
Helen McCain, fifth; Callie Spruill,
sixth; Thomas Furness. jr„ seventh
High school: Mr. Poole: Sara Wil
liamson, history and English; R B.
Forbes, science and mathematics;
Cordula Lanier, French and English;
Annie Lou Jeffords, home economics;
C. H. Floyd, vocational agriculture;
Lucy McDonald, piano and public
school music.
Republicans Also
Enter 5 Candidates
For County Offices
Contests Assured for Three
Commissioners’ Posts
And Treasurer
Although political interest was at
low ebb in the county up to the last
two or three weeks. Saturday's dead
line for filing for county offices
brought a last-minute rush, and the
final round-up shows there are five
Democrats in the race for county
treasurer, seven for the three county
commissioner's posts, one each for the
other county offices at stake, and the
Republicans also offered a slate of
five candidates.
Candidates for county offices who
are unopposed will be certified by
the board of elections as the nomi
nees for their respective parties and
their names will not appear on the
ballot in the primary May 25. They
include the following Democrats: W.
M. Darden, incumbent, for represen
tative in the General Assembly; Mrs.
Mary S. Cahoon. incumbent, for reg
ister of deeds; John W. Darden, in
cumbent, for judge of recorder’s
court; C. N. Davenport, jr., for mem
ber of the board of education; and
Coroner W. H. Peele for constable.
None of the Republican candidates
have opposition within their party
and will be certified as nominees for
the following offices: representative,
Aubrey Ange; treasurer, W. T. Phelps,
Creswell merchant; county commis
sioners. district No. 1. H. A. (Chubby)
Liverman; district No. 2. J. S. Daven
port; and district No. 3. Stewart R.
Davenport.
It is in the Democratic primary
contests, however, that interest will
be greatest. Candidates for county
treasurer are: W. L. Hassell, incum
bent; S. D. Davis, R. C. Peacock (a
member of the board of education at
present); W. S. 'Bill) Davenport, and
Tim M. Bowen.
The seven men in the contests for
county comna.ssiooesr with three to
be nominated, are: District No. 1,
Plymouth Township: E. G. Arps, at
present chairman of the ABC board,
and A. Lloyd Owens; District No. 2.
Lees Mill T wnship: J. H. Gaylord,
sr„ J. C. Knowles, incumbent, and
W. T. Freeman: District No. 3, Skin
nersville and Scuppernong: E. F.
Swain, incumbent, and Hoyt R. Dav
enport. both of Creswell.
Band Gets Rating of
4 in Class C at Music
Festival Yesterday
Sight Reading Holds Down
Score; Glee Club Com
petes Tomorrow
Handicapped by seven members re
maining at home, Director L. W. Zeig
ler led the Plymouth High School
Band to a general rating of fourth
grade in class C at the annual North
Carolina Music Contest-Festival at
the Woman s College of the Univer
sity oi North Carolina in Greensboro
Wednesday. The rating was the same
as last year, except that the band
advanced from class D to class C in
competition this year. In selections
they had practiced the band was giv
en a grade oi s: but graded poorly in
sight reading, which they had never
had before, with a 5. Putting the
grades together gave them an aver
age grade of 4.
Robersonviile, Elizabeth City and
Reidsviile graded 3; Spruce Pine and
Boone 1.
Miss May Jo Walker, of Roper, re
ceived a grade of 2 in class C on the
piano. Miss Mary Charlotte Jones,
of Plymouth, will sing a soprano solo
in the class C contest today.
Twenty-four young ladies in the
girl’s glee club of the Plymouth
school will sing in class C competi
tion Friday afternoon.
Finals Exercises at Local School Begin
With Commencemenl Sermon Sunday
Commencement exercises of the
Plymouth High School will begin
Sunday morning at 11 o'clock,
when the Kev. I*. 15. Nickens, pas
tor of the Baptist church, will
deliver the commencement ser
mon in the school auditorium. As
sisting in the service will be the
Revs. O. L. Hardwick and N. A.
Taylor, of the Methodist and
Christian churches, respectively.
The glee club will provide the
music for the occasion.
Next Wednesday night at 8
o’clock the seniors will have their
class-night exercises. The pro
gram will be in the form of a Co
lonial play, with the following
participating: James Kea, histor
ian; Dorothy Simpson, prophet;
Taritta Jackson, poet; Douglas
Gurkin, statistician; and Jack
Stubbs, testator.
The commencement program
will be climaxed by the gradua
tion exercises next Thursday
night, when 22 graduates will re
ceive their diplomas. Professor
Joseph L. Memory, jr„ of the de
partment of education at Wake
Forest College, will be the speak
er. Brinson Cox will make the
valedictory address and Mary
Charlotte Jones the salutatory.
County Superintendent H. H.
McLean will present the diplomas
and Frank L. Brinkley, chairman
of the local board, will make the
various awards.