Newspapers / The Roanoke Beacon and … / Jan. 9, 1941, edition 1 / Page 1
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The Roanoke Beacon * * * * * » » and Washington County News ******* VOLUME LII NUMBER 2 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, January 9, 1941 ESTABLISHED 1889 \ Advertisers will find Beacon and News Columns a latchkey to 1.500 Washington County homes. Town opics The Rev. and Mrs. M. R. Gardner, of Roper, and Mrs. Woodrow Collins will provide the program for the Lions club meeting tonight. The minister and his wife will sing and Mrs. Col lins will accompany them. Mr Gardner will also make a short'talk C. E. H. Jones, of Dry Pork. Va., who lias been budget manager for the Economy Auto Supply here, will leave January 15th and report to Fort Monroe on the 22nd for examination before being assigned to the 244th Coast Artillery at Camp Pendleton Va. Mr. Jones holds a second lieu tenant’s commission in the Reserve Corps and is a graduate of VPI Several changes have been made in the personnel of the ap raisal board for Plymouth since it was originally announced. L. S. Thompson was unable to serve and J. VV. Norman was forced to return 4o his furniture business | after working with the appraisers for a few days. The following now constitute the listers and appraisers board: H. C. Spruill. A. S. Allen and Johnny Allen, ap praisers; VV. Linwood Hassell, list taker for poll and personal prop erty. Representative W. M. Darden left Monday for Raleigh for the 1941 ses sion of the legislature. He is well liked in the Capital and it is expected he will receive important committee assignments, since he was an early supporter of O. M. Mull, of Shelby, who was unanimously named by the Democrats for speaker of the house. Clerk C. V, YV. Ausbon said to day that although the grand jury completed its work Wednesday of this week, the prepared report would not be released for publi cation until Foreman J. R. Camp bell tendered it to Judge W. C. Harris next Monday, when the court will reconvene after recess ing for the inauguration program in Raleigh. Instructor W. S. Moore, of the lo cal high school’s vocational agricul ture department, today was showing three egg yolks of different colors. In a state of preservation, the egg yolks were yellow, red and green. He said that the food fed to poultry caused the different colors in the yolks. Construction Begins On New Garage for House Chevrolet Co Buil^ on Gaylord Lot, Next To Shugar Stables, On Water Street -* Construction work started Tuesday on the new home for the House Chev rolet Company, to be located on the Gaylord property adjoining the sta bles of Joe Shugar on West Water Street, diagonally across from the Norfolk Southern Station. John W. Coffey & Co., of Raleigh, is the con tractor for the new structure, and the work is under the direction of Davis C. Smith, of Raleigh, who also super vised construction of tire Plymouth Moror Company building here a few years ago. Mr. House completed the purchase of the lot from W. H. Gaylord Mon day and had actual work started Tuesday morning. The new garage building will be 50 by 117 feet, of brick construction, with a rounded roof, and modern in every respect. It will contain a large show room, stock room, several private offices, two la vatories, and shop quarters in the rear. The show rooms and offices will have a four-foot wainscoating of knotty pine, with the top part of the walls in plaster board, Mr. House said. Completion of the building depends largely on the weather, but Mr. Smith estimates it will require about 60 days, and Mr. House said he hoped to move his equipment in around March 1st. At the present time the firm has temporary quarters in the Cen tral Garage Building on Adams Street Program o{ Services for Local Christian Church GRIFFITH HAMLIN, Minister Following is the schedule of serv ices for next Sunday at the local Christian church: 9:45 a. m„ Sunday school. 11 a. m., morning worship; sermon subject: “The Art of Not Paying At tention.” 7:30 p. m., evening worship; ser mon subject: "The Model Prayer.” Visitors are cordially welcomed. 1941 Tobacco Allotments for County Farmers Will Be Same as Last Year Tobacco allotments for 1941 will be the same as they were last year, when 1.052 acres were as signed to the 271 growers in Washington County, according to County Agent W. V. Hays. The growers were promised prior to the tobacco referendum held on July 20, 1940, that the crop this year would not be re duced if the S-year program was adopted, and since there is no demand for an Increase by tbe market, quotas will remain the same. At the referendum last July, 256 voters favored the three-year plan, 5 the one-year plan, and 10 voted against quotas altoge ther. Many tobacco growers in the county will start sowing plant beds this week. Others will do so as early as possible, as it has been the custom to start planting tobacco in the beds during the first two weeks of January in this county. Names of 325 Who Failed to List Taxes Already Secured by Checking Draft List .« A check of only two townships had been completed today, but already the names of 325 regis trants on the selective service rolls have been found who have not listed their poll taxes and personal property, according to Tax Collector J. E. Davenport, of Washington County, who is in charge of the work. The check is being made at the request of the grand jury selected last Mon day for the January term of su perior court. So far the check has included only white persons in Plymouth and Lees Mill Townships, and the survey of the registration list is being continued, with Skinners ville and Scuppernong Townships and the entire colored lists still to be checked. The registration used at the last general election will also be checked against tin tax list, in compliance with Judge ; YV. C. Harris' charge to the grand jurors. It was estimated by those en gaged in the work at the court house that more than 500 names would be added to the tax books from the selective service lists; and this does not include those who may be registered on the poll books for the last general election who may have failed to give in their tax lists. The names of those who failed to list poll taxes and personal property in past years, and whose names are found on the draft list and poll books will be reported to Judge Harris when he returns from Raleigh to open court here next Monday for the second week of the-term. The tax lister takers at the courthouse here said that already several persons have appeared to list after hearing of the judge's order last Monday. County's Quota of 7 White Men' Left for Fort Bragg Tuesday January Quota of 3 Colored Men To Leave Monday, January 27 Seven white men left here last Tues day morning by bus for Fort Bragg, Fayetteville, where they were induct ed into service in the United States Army as Washington County’s sec ond quota under the selective service act, and the local board here today designated three colored men to leave for camp on Monday, January 27, to fill the colored quota. A:, of the seven men who left this week were volunteers, but the four replacements named in case of dis qualification of any of the seven were taken from the roll of prospective draftees. The colored men who will leave January 27 are also volunteers. The county’s quota of colored men called for but two men, but one is al so to be sent as a replacement for Edlo Spruill, first colored man to volunteer from the county, who failed to qualify for service. The white men who left last Tues day morning were David Albert Hur ley, jr„ 22, Plymouth; James W. Sit terson, 21, Plymouth; Ronald Earl Biggs, 27, Roper: William Roy Nor man, 25, Plymouth; Willie Edward Garrett, 31, Plymouth; Henry Wilson Lewis, 3.-t Plymouth; and Wilson Henry Vail, 21, of Roper. The colored men selected to report to Fort Bragg at the end of the month follow: Lin wood Blount, 24, Plymouth, volunteer; Walter Norman, 22, Plymouth, volunteer; and Luther Moore, 18, Plymouth, volunteer. Blount, included in the quota, has passed the examination given by the local board's medical examiner, as has Moore, who is going as a replacement for Edlo Spruill. If Norman fails to pass the physical examination, then it is expected that Clyde Blount, 22, i of Creswell, also a volunteer, will be sent instead. -$ County Board in RegularMeeting Washington County’s Board of Commissioners, at its regular session here Monday, exempted from poll taxes Seaton Davenport, former Cres well police officer, who was crippled in an accident on Highway No. 64 about three years ago. Mr. Daven port was found unconscious on the highway with both legs broken, pre sumably by a hit-and-run driver. The commissioners also asked the Works Projects Administration to do some work on the roads leading from the Backwoods section in Lees Mill Township. Reports were received from Coun ty Agent W. V. Hays, Mrs. Frances M. Darden, home demonstration agent, and Dr. C. McGowan, county physician. Only routine matters were consid ered by the board at its meeting this week. --®-' Final Warning Is Given Speeders in Plymouth As the result of an order issued Monday night by the Town Council, Chief of Police P. W. Brown today warns all speeders that future vio lations of the law will be vigorously prosecuted by his department. Speed limits fixed by town ordi nances are as follows: 25 miles per hour in residential sections and 20 miles per hour in the business area. Only Nine Aliens Registered Here Nine persons have registered in Washington County in compli ance with the terms of the Boiich Act. requiring 3,600,000 non-citi zens within the borders of the United States to register witli Federal authorities, according to Postmaster George W. Hardison. The closing date for registeration was December 26. However, the postmaster point ed out, aliens may still register without penalty if they provide a good excuse for the delay witli their application. It is understood that several aliens who reside in this county near Washington went to the Beaufort County capital to regis ter. Negro Held Result Of Robbery Attempt At Post Office Here -® Office Is Entered Through Parcel Post Window Early Sunday -® Sam Garrett, 28, colored, was taken into custody Monday morning, pend ing investigation of the attempted robbery of the Plymouth post office early Sunday morning. No charges have been lodged against Garrett, but officers are still working on the case and it is expected there will be some developments within a few days. The office was broken into through the parcel post window, but so far as known, nothing was taken. W. J. Highsmith dropped into the office to get his mail and found the parcel post window open, and he immedi ately notified Night Policeman Paul Basnight, who summoned Postmaster George W. Hardison and Clerk Law rence Jones to check on the robbery attempt. Mr. Hardison said that sev eral packages had been moved about in the building, but that nothing was taken, so far as he could learn. The handle from an iron pump at the rear of the building and a small wrench were found near the win dow, which had been forced open. It was also discovered that an attempt had been made to pry open the real door of the building. Policemen Basnight and Joe Nobles took Garrett into custody for ques tioning about the robbery. He had been seen loitering around the post office building late at night prior to the report of the break-in. They found some circulars in the negro’s pockets addressed to local business men. Garrett said they were taken from the waste basket in the lobby. Fingerprints of Garrett were tak en and the iron pump handle, which had some fingerprints on it, were sent by Corporal T. B. Brown, of the High way Patrol, to Greenville for com parison by an expert. Mrs. Leatha Ann Shepherd Passes Funeral services were held at her home in the Long Acre section Fri day for Mrs. Leatha Ann Shepherd, 74, who died of a heart ailment there last Thursday, following an illness’of about two months. The Rev. Grif fith Hamlin, Christian minister, of ficiated, and interment took place in the Weede cemetery. A native of Washington County, Mrs. Shepherd was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Sam Stillman. She was the widow of the late James F. Shepard. She was a member and very active in the Union Chapel Free Will Baptist Church. Surviving are the following child ren : Mrs. Joe Christenberry, of Plymouth; Mrs. Henry Davenport, of Rocky Mount; Mrs. Randall Ellis, of Plymouth; Roy and Jim Shepherd, of Beaufort County. -®--— Sunday Services Outlined For Grace Church Here Communion service will be held at Grace Church here Sunday, January 12. Church school is at 10 a. m. Th£ public is cordially invited to attend. It is also announced that the ves try of Grace church will meet at the home of C. E. Ayers at 8 p. m,, Fri day, January 17 President Southern Albemarle Group Is Visitor in Plymouth Seeks To Have County Re new Its Membership in Association Figuring largely among the objec tives of the Southern Albemarle As sociation. and which has been a part of its program for the past five years, is the extension of Route 64 through Plymouth and Columbia, by bridges over Alligator River and Croatan Sound, according to Melvin R. Dan iels, president of the association, who was in Plymouth Monday to confer with the Board of Conuty Commis sioners. Mr. Daniels arrived laie, arrer me board had adjourned, but en route to Plymouth had contacted the boards of comissioners in Hyde and Tyrrell Counties and found them ready to join with Dare in paying up annual dues to the Association. The association expects to renew its drive for the completion of the pro gram adopted early in its career, and most of its objectives as originally outlined, have been accomplished, he stated. The main feature of the pro gram, which has been carried on with the united efforts of the four counties of Tyrrell. Washington. Hyde and Dare, is the union of each coun ty seat with the other by a hard surfaced road as contemplated in the original highway act. W. L. Whitley, Plymouth attorney, is Washington County's vice-presi dent of the association. John W Darden and Zeb Vance Norman have previously served as vice presidents of the association, with W. H. Paramore on publicity and as recording secre tary. "Completion of Route 64 to the ocean, thus making it a highway in fact from the Atlantic to the Pacific, is one of the most important pro jects in this section at this time,” Mr. Daniels stated. He also commented that the trip he is making today, could not have been accomplished in less than a week 20 years ago. He was accompanied by Sheriff Victor Meekins, editor of 'the Dare County Times, vice-president of the associa tion for Dare, and former executive secretary of the association. Innocent Bystander Dies of Pistol Shot Meant for Another -5> Levi, Johnson Under Bond For Slaying of Handy Spruill Saturday Handy Berry Spruill, 25, colored, died Saturday night about two hours after being shot by a pistol in the hands of Levi Johnson, colored mer chant here. Johnson, respected and well-liked negro, said that the slaying of Spruill was an accident, as he in tended to flri the shot at James Cox, 23, colored, who had assaulted his wife with a bottle and who was re turning to the store with another bottle to continue the assault. Queenie Johnson, wife of Levi, was making an eltort to get Cox to leave the Johnson store on west Water Street here when he became enraged and hit her on the head with an emp ty bottle. Levi and Queenie man aged to get Cox to leave the store, and when he started back into the front door with a bottle in his hand, Levi picked up his pistol and fired the shot. Spruill was standing on the street outside, with his back to Johnson, and the bullet went through the glass beside the front door, striking him in the back. He was rushed to a local physician for attention, but died about two hours later. Johnson was placed under arrest by Chief of Police P. W. Brown and placed in jail until bond was ar ranged for him by E. L. Owens. He was rearrested Monday morning by Sheriff J. K. Reid, and the grand jury returned a true bill against him charging murder. When the case was called, attor neys decided it would be better to hear it in superior court next July. Johnson was released under $1,000 bond. Both Johnson and his wife have excellent reputations here, and it is understood that he has paid the fu neral expenses of the unfortunate victim Criminal Docket Is Cleared and Court Quits Until Monday Recess Taken Tuesday To Permit Attaches to At tend Inauguration After completing work on the crim inal docket, the superior court of Washington County recessed Tuesday afternoon until next Monday, in or der to give Judge W. C. Harris, of Raleigh, and other court officials an opportunity to attend the governor’s inauguration in the Capital City to day, Cases on the civil calendar scheduled for the remainder of the week were continued until the court resumes its sesions next Monday. Proceedings in the court Monday and Tuesday were as follows: Nol pros with leave, with judgment made absolute against the bond, was the notation entered in each of the first four cases on the docket, against the following: J. O. Lucius, white, charged with abandonment and non support: James Langston, for aiding and abetting in damage to personal property; Matthew Griffin, white, for violation of the prohibition law; and Sam Hoover, colored, for assault. Jethro Bonner, Delmar Wallace Earl Wallace and William Sexton, charged with larceny; alias capias is sued for Bonner; others continued. Continuances were granted in the cases against W. W. Bateman, white, for embezzlement; and Edley Hutch ins. white, for abandonment and non support. Nathan Jackson, colored, drunken driving; error. J. S. Shugar. white, reckless driv ing; nol pros, with defendant to pay the court costs. William Webb, colored, was found not guilty of assault with a deadly weapon. Sam Dixon, white, was found not guilty by the jury on a charge of in decent exposure. Dee Rock Squires, drunken driving and driving without license; called and failed; capias instanter issued for him. Phillip J. Edwards, white, reckless driving; not guilty. Iris M. Stillman, reckless driving; not a true bill. Malinda Linton and Joseph God dard, white, hit and run driving; called and failed as to Goddard; ca pias issued and case continued. Tire same action was taken in a separate case against Goddard for drunken driving. William Wrighton, colored, reckless driving; nol pros. Thad Spencer, colored, removing crops; directed verdict of not guilty. Richard Craddock, white, larceny; entered plea of guilty and was sen tenced to 12 months on roads. Jun ior Spruill, booked with Craddock in the same case, was freed when the grand jury found ‘ not a true bill.' Ottis Godwin, white, aiding and abetting in larceny; directed verdict of not guilty. I Lorenzo Midgette 'Speller), col ored, rape; discharged. Levi Johnson, colored, murder; case continued until July term -$ Housing Situation Is Given Attention by Councilmen Monday Committee Is Appointed to Secure List of Available Building Sites The housing situation in Plymouth came in for a measure of attention at the regular meeting of the town council Monday night, and a commit tee was appointed by Mayor B. G. Campbell to secure a listing of all the available building sites in the town in order to lend every aid possi ble in relieving present congested condtions existing here. The council members discussed the problem at some length, and although no solution was arrived at. it was decided a beginning could be made by securing a list of sites available for consideration by any prospective builders or investors who may be in terested in constructing houses here. Members of the committee, W. P. Winslow, E. H. Liverman. and Chief of Police P. W. Bi own, will be glad to furnish any information they secure to anyone interested. Mayor Campbell, who had been delegated at a previous meeting to take up the bus parking situation here with the State Utilities Commission, reported that he had conferred with Chester A. Hawkins, of the Norfolk Southern Bus Corporation, who in formed him that Plymouth was one of the next towns in line for a bus station. In the meantime Mr. Camp bell and Mr. Hawkins reached an agreement concerning parking in the main business section here which it is believed will eliminate any traffic congestion being caused by the buses The council ordered the police de partment to rigidly enforce the laws against speeding in the city limits, after it was brought to their atten tion that the ordinance was being openly violated in many instances. Mayor Campbell and the entire membership of the council were pres ent for the meeting. Councilmen are: W. F Winslow. E. H. Liverman, J. W Norman. A. J. Riddle. W J. Mayo and C E Ayers MoreMachineryBeing Installed at Pulp Plant By Crew of Fifty Men First 1941 Baby Born January 1st So far as could be learned, the eight pound boy who came to the Plymouth home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Thompson on Wednes day, January 1, at 6 a. m., was the first child to be born on the 1941 New Year's Day. Mrs. Thompson is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Williams and is a native of this county, while Mr. Thompson has lived here for quite a while. Dr. C. McGowan was the attending physician. Mr. Thompson is em ployed at the North Carolina Pulp Company. Dr. McGowan said this was the second occasion in which he was the attending physician at the birth of a child on New Year’s Day, and he has also assisted in the delivery of two boys on Christmas Day and one child on February 29th during the 23 years he has been practicing me dicine in the county. Drainage District Pays Off Bonds; Free From Debt Last Payment on Original Bond Issue of $45,000 Made in December -® Washington County Drainage Dis trict No. 4 was reported free of debt today with the last payment made in December on the $45,000 bond and interest originally outstanding, ac cording to Zeb Vance Norman, local attorney, who has handled the legal phase of the business for the drain age district commissioners. Located in the Wenona area, the drainage district included about 9,160 acres of land owned by approximate ly 50 families in Washington and Hyde counties The drainage district was created in 1912, when the Roper Lumber Company gave to the State 200 acres of land for a test farm which even tually became the Blackland Experi ment Station, now supervised by J. L. Rea, jr„ assistant director in charge. A total of $45,000 in bonds was is sued by the drainage district in 1912, to be repaid in 10 annual install ments. The last assessment was due in 1925, but on account of difficulty in collecting annual installments some of the bonds were not paid when due and the interest accumulated until the last payment on bonds and inter est was made in December, 1940. The drainage comission consisted of W. L. Furbee, chairman; W. E. Al leh. secretary: and F. I. Hartung; all of whom have remained on the board for about 20 years. These men, ac cording to Mr. Norman, have no knowledge of any outstanding indebt edness of the district at the present, and they assume that the district is out ol debt. .u. was further stated by Mr. Nor man that the drainage district board does not believe there will be any ne cessity of special asessments for ca nal maintenance during the next few years, as the landowners cultivating land along the canals have agreed to do such work as necessary to keep them open. Mr. Norman said that this matter began as an experiment which has proven very valuable. Some of the best farm land in the county is in drainage districts, and landowners in other sections where drainage is es sential may well observe the success of this drainage district and work out similar plans for their own commun ities. Turbine, Paper and Pulp Machines Are Added to Equipment Workmen Expected To Be Brought Here from Rich wood for Operation -® Installation of a pulp-washing ma chine. a Fourdrinier paper machine and an additional turbine is under way at the North Carolina Pulp Com pany here, with a crew of 50 men to be employed on this work for about five months, it was learned today from George M. Snyder, resident manager. Tire Pulp-washing machine is be ing placed in the diffuser room, add ing to this class of equipment at present in operation at the plant. This machine will aid in cleaning the pulp and preparing it for further processing. The fourdrinier paper machine is the second paper machine to be placed in the present machine build ing. It is being dismanteled at Rich wood. W. Va.. and will be reassem bled here. This machine will ope rate in the finishing department, making bleached and semi-bleached • paper specialties. The original paper machine in stalled here after it was decided to move the Cherry River Manufactur ing Company equipment from Rich wood, W. Va.. about a year ago, is engaged in making bleached, bleach ed one side, and double bleached pa per boards. It is expected that when all the new equipment is added to the pro duction line it will require about 50 additional men to the present 600 em ployed at the plant. A turbine is being erected in the turbine room of the power plant to provide the additional power needed to operate the added machines. Sufficient workmen and skilled helpers from Richwood, W. Va„ are expected to come here for the pur pose of operating these added ma chines when the installation has been completed. House Burns Near Roper Last Night A two-story dwelling owned by County Commissioner J. C. Knowles, near his home west of Roper, was completely destroyed by fire last night, the loss being estimated at $3,000. The house was occupied by John Respass and his brother, for merly of Pinetown. They were not at home, but their wives were in the house when someone passing along the road saw the rear of the home blazing and notified them. Some of the furniture in the six room dwelling was also destroyed. Origin of the fire is not known. The ell where the fire was first discovered was not being used by any of the oc cupants. Announces Services for Local Baptist Church Rev. P. B. NICKENS, Pastor Services at the Baptist church Sun day will be as follows: Sunday school at 10 o’clock. Worship services at 11 and 7:30 ' o'clock. B. T. U. at 6:45 o’clock. We invite you to come to these services. If you have not been at tending church somewhere you are not getting all that you should get out of life. For Jesus came that men might have life and have it more abundantly. Hear the sermon Sunday morning on the subject, Words That Never Die" and join us 'again for the evening service at 7:30. Revaluation Work Progresses Nicely, But Tax Listing Is at Slow Pace Here While the county tax assessors are getting along very well with their revaluation work, accord ing to Tax Supervisor E. F. Swain, of Creswell. the tax listers are not doing so good, if the rec ord made so far by the list taker for Plymouth Township Is typical of that throughout the county. The assessors are visiting all parcels of real estate and fixing the valuation right on the ground, while the list takers are awaiting for personal property owners to present themselves to give in their holdings. Vp to the middle of the week, not more than 100 of the 1.800 in Plymouth Township had listed, according to W. Linwood Hassell, who has a desk in the county auditor's of fice, where he is listing poll tax es and personal property. Early listing is urged by the list taker, since it will eliminate the long watts necessary during the usual last-minute rush which ; develops every year. Mr. Has sell is also making the farm sur vey for Plymouth Township, and farmers are asked to bring a no tation of the acreages planted to various crops last year, since this information is required along with the listing of property. Last year the farmers gave their "intentions to plant," while this year the information deals with actual acreages planted in 1940. It is expected that several hun dred names will be added to the tax lists as a result of Judge Har ris’ suggestion to the grand jury that the tax collector be required to check the registration books and draft registration with the tax books and report those who have not been listing for poll tax es each year. Mrs. M. YV. Spruill also has I desk space in the auditor’s office ! for listing the property owned by Town of Plymouth citizens at the same time the county list Is given 1 to,
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
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Jan. 9, 1941, edition 1
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