North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoke Beacon 4 4 4 4 4 jf 4 AND WASHING! ON COUN I Y INlEWS ★★★★★★* VOLUME LII NUMBER 4 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, January 23, 1941 Advertisers will find Beacon and News Columns a latchkey to 1,500 Washinerton County home*. ESTABLISHED 1889 Town opics H. H. McLean. superintendent of schools, and L. W. Zeigler, teacher and band instructor, have been asked by the Lions Club to designate chil dren in county schools who most need glasses and are unable to pay for them. The club will furnish a num ber of them with glasses. VV. R. Hampton, owner of the famous Slade and Kitty Hawk fisheries up the river near here, today said that he did not know .vet whether he would operate the fisheries this year. Last season they were not operated for the first time in about 100 years. Mrs. J. T. Patrick, of Everetts, will speak on “Our Heritage,” to mem bers and guests of the Woman’s So ciety of Christian Service of the lo cal Methodist church at the commun ity hall next Monday night at 7:30. Out-of-town guests expected include Mrs. J. W. Watts. Mrs. H. L. Swain and others, from Williamston. The public is invited. F. H. Modlin, manager of the M. H. Mitchell Furniture Company here, is in High Point this week attending the furniture exhibition. James W. Norman, owner of the Norman Fur niture Company, expects to attend next week, and E. E. Harrell, of the Plymouth Furniture Company, also is planning to attend. J. R. Manning. Dr. E. W. Fur gurson and IV. L. Whitley were named a committee b.v the Lions Club recently to make an effort to revive Boy Scout work here. Dr. Furgurson is taking the lead in local Scouting activities. There is a very active Sea Scout organi zation here, under the leadership of Dr. A. Papineau. Hardy Rose, formerly of William ston, is now budget manager of the Economy Auto Supply Store here, succeeding C. E. H. Jones, of Dry Fork, Va„ who was called into mili tary service. Mr. Rose, who has been with the budget department of the Goodrich company for some time, came here from Charlotte. W. Ron ald Gaylord is manager of the local store. William Keith Saunders, of Raleigh director of publicity for the Highway Safety Division, was in town this week. He is interested in Town of Plymouth officials passing an ordi nance to regulate the operation of bicycles as a safety measure. Lieutenant Commander John B. Yarnell, United States Naval Re serves, who is connected with the State Selective S rvice Board, was here Tuesday ■ nd praised the records kf ’an ' .... '‘"re fo> lowed b' . w-"1" officials. Mrs. Gladys Carawan, of Wash ington. area supervisor for the NYA, while here this week, said that she had received 30 applications from youths in this county who wish to participate in the program. Already there are nine at work. Final Rites Held Last Friday for John W. Halsey - ■ <S> Prominent Resident of Skin nersville Victim of Pneumonia Skinnersville. — Funeral services were conducted at the home Friday morning for John W. Halsey, 71, who died Wednesday afternoon at 3 o’clock, following an eight-day illness with pneumonia. The Rev. L. B. Bennett, Christian minister, and Dr. G. A. Martin, of the Baptist church, both of Creswell, conducted the final \ rites and interment was made in the family cemetery. A native of Washington County, Mr. Halsey was a widely known farm er. A large crowd attended the fu neral. Pall bearers were Leon Spruill, Joe White, Joe Pritchard, Jimmie Spruill, Russell Swain and Roy Fur lough. Mr. Halsey is survived by his wid ow, Mrs. Ada Virginia Halsey, and the following children: Five daugh ters, Mrs. Myrtle Tipton, of Cincin nati, Ohio: Mrs. Ida McLean, of Nor folk, Va.; Mrs. Fanny Addis, of Ham ilton, Ky.; Mrs. Mamie Bobbitt, of Norfolk, Va.; and Mrs. Lillie Tarken ton, of Suffolk, Va.; seven sons, Cecil, Ben and Robert Halsey, of Norfolk, Va.; John, jr., Ross, James and Wes ley Halsey, of the Skinnersville sec tion. Mild Influenza Epidemic in County Believed Receding; Fewer Absences in Schools Health and School Authorities Decide Not Necessary To Close Schools, Since Other Factors Involved in Attendance Decrease Last Week The epidemic of a mild form of^ influenza which has been prevalent in Washington County for the past 10 days is now subsiding, with no re ports of deaths caused by the dis eas thus far, according to Dr. S. V. Lewis, district health officer. Although the disease is reportable to the district health office, county physicians have been too busy to submit their reports, and so far not a single case has been offially report ed to the office. Dr. Lewis said to day. However, he has been in con stant touch with the physicians and county school authorities in an effort to prevent further spread of the dis ease. It is expected that formal re ports on the number of cases treated by the physicians will not be received for some weeks yet. Schools of the county have uaed as somewhat of a barometer in judg ing the number of cases and spread of influenza. Tuesday morning there were 86 absences in the Plymouth schools, 52 at Roper, and 30 at Cres well, but neither the health officer nor school officials knew exactly what percentage of these were due to in fluenza. However, school authorities did not consider it necessary to sus pend classes; and on Wednesday they were satisfied that the crest of the epidemic had been passed, as there were 59 more children in attendance than there were the last two days of last week. Hogs killings and other home du ties of children from the rural sec tions, as well as bad weather, have kept some of them from attending classes for the past 10 days, and for these reasons school and health of ficials did not feel it was necessary to close the schools last week, when the number of absences reached a peak. Rush To List Follows Publication of Names Secured by Grand Jury Applications for Seed-Feed Loans Applications for seed and feed loans are expected to be received in the county beginning next week, according to Miss Martha llomthal, who has been aiding the farmers in preparing the ap plications for the last several sea sons. She is located in W. R. Hampton's office on Water Street. The seed and feed loan office has rendered a valuable service to marginal farmers in the county in vears pa1. a" "M* r_ fairly size able business is predicted for the agency again this season. 43 Out-of-School Boys Enrolled in Mechanics Classes -s Being Held by Agriculture Departments as Part of Defense Program -s Approximately 43 out-of-school rural boys have enrolled in the classes now being conducted in the Plym outh, Roper and Creswell white schools in mechanical operation in connection with the vocational agri culture departments of the schools. The operation and care of trucks and tractors are being taught in the Plymouth schools by W. S. Moore and Edison Allen, county mechanic. There are 20 in this class. They met for the first time for instruction on Monday night. Eleven persons have enrolled in the Roper school, where woodworking is being taught by Charles H. Floyd and Wilson Chesson. The subject of mechanics is being taught in Creswell by A. H. Tucker and V. H. Brinn. Those enrolled in the school there are: Marvin Daven port, Ronald Spear, Leroy Stillman, Brantley Oliver, Charlie Davenport, Joe Davenport. Preston Sexton, Al bert Sexton, Mack Davenport, Allen Spear. Franklin Spear and Bill Am brose. Another course in metal work will be started as soon as more boys become interested. Classes in all the schools are be ing held at night. The knowledge of work the young men are studying will stand them in good stead in the event this country needs more men experi enced in this kind of work to speed the national defense program. Usual Last-Minule Rush for Listing Taxes Showing Signs of Developing Tax listing and the quadren- <$ nial revaluation of property throughout the county continued today with the list takers and as sessors finding themselves engag ed in the usual rush that devel ops when only a few days are left lor listing and assessing. It is estimated that about 45 per cent of the listing has been done in the county, leaving 55 per cent to be completed in the seven days remaining. Those who are delinquent in submitting their listings are subject to penalties under the law, including double taxation. Tax Supervisor E. F. Swain said this week that bad weather and other adverse circumstances had handicapped the list-takers and assessors to a considerable extent, but that his forces had been work ing as rapidly as possible to cover the county in the allotted time. It is expected by officials that thousands of dollars in valuations will be added to the tax books this year by reason of the asses sors visiting all real property for the revaluation work. Much prop is said to be on the books at too low a figure, and a few instances have been found where real es tate was thought to be valued too high. These inequalities are be ing remedied as far as possible by the assessors, and when the task is completed it is believed county real estate will be listed on the tax books on a much more equal basis than ever before. Over 100 Reporled In This Township Alone by List-Taker -® Fifty List for Two Years or More; Added Revenue In Prospect Following publication of the list of 827 names of persons who did not list their taxes in Washington last year, obtained by a check of the draft and general election registrations, more than 100 have listed in Plym outh Township alone, according to W. Linwood Hassell, list-taker for the township, who has desk space in the auditor’s office at the courthouse. Al though some of those whose names were published were not living in the county or were not 21 years of age in January of last year, and hence not required to list, about 50 of those who reported listed for as much as tvvo and three years and there were several who listed for as far back as seven years. Judge W. C. Harris, presiding over the January term of superior court, charged the grand jury two weeks ago to have the check made by the coun ty tax collector, and when the list was submitted to him last week, he ordered the names published for two weeks, notifying those delinquent that they would be given until March 1 to appear and list, after which time warrants will be issued for those who have not listed. There is no record of the total amount of taxable property added to the books as a result of the drive, but Mr. Hassell said most of those listing owned some taxable personal property in addition to their poll taxes. A few even listed automo biles which had not been on the books in prior years. An unofficial check of the first 100 to list in Plymouth Township alone indicates that the added revenue to the county will be from $1,500 to $3,000 Since Plymouth Township has the only full-time list taker in the county with a permanent office dur ing the listing period, it is not known how the delinquent listing is progress ing in the other three townships. Final Rites for Mrs. W. W. Scarborough Funeral services were held in a Norfolk funeral home last week for Mrs. Nannie L. Scarbotough, 70, for merly of Plymouth. The name of the officiating minister was not known here, but Mrs. Scarborough was buried in Forest Lawn cemetery in the Virginia City. Widow of the late Willis W. Scar borough, she was a native of Plym outh but had lived in Newport News for the past 15 years. She was a member of the Plymouth Methodist church at the time of her death. Surviving, besides two sons, W. M. Scarborough, of Norfolk, and Frank Scarborough, of Newport News, Va., are two brothers: Rank E. Bratten. of Plymouth; and A. L. Bratten, of Alabama. SHe also leaves a grand daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Sturgis, of Eastville. Sunday Services at Local Episcopal Church Outlined Services at Grace Episcopal church for Sunday, January 26, were an nounced this week as follows: Church school at 10 a. m. Lay services at 11 a. m„ in charge of S. A. Ward, jr., W. Blount Rod man, and Dr. A, Papineau. Eight Cases Called In Recorder's Court Session This Week First Regular Session to Be Held This Month, Due to Superior Court Term Eight cases came before the record er's court here Tuesday and Wednes day. a special session being held the latter day, and then it was necessary to continue three of the cases. Re corder John W. Darden presided, with Prosecuting Attorney S. A. Ward han dling the docket. L. H. Leary, charged with operat ing an automobile while drunk, doing property damage and failing to stop, had his case continued. Dennis G. Wooiard, charged with robbing the Maokeys freight station in December, had his case continued. Andrew Simpson. 63. colored, charged with cruelty to animals by shooting and crippling a cow owned by Henry Halsey, had his case con tinued. Sammy Dixon, 34. white, charged with non-support of his children, was given three months on the roads, sus pended upon good behavior and pay ment of $4 weekly to his w'ife for the support of his children. Bill Owens, 26, white, charged with aiding and abetting in a fight and with being disorderly, had his case nol prossed. Tom Ambrose, 24, white, charged with being drunk, engaging in an af fray, and driving drunk, had his li cense to drive revoked and was sen tenced to three months on the coun ty farm. Johnnie Frazier, 24, white, charged with having no driver's license and operating an automobile while drunk, was fined $50 and costs. James Cox, colored, charged with assaulting Queenie Johnston with a beer bottle, w'as given 60 days on the roads. The defendant noted an ap peal. -a. Propose Monument For General James Pettigrew at Park Local People To Join Eden ton Group in Seeking Appropriation It is believed that the legislature now in session at Raleigh will soon be requested to pass required legisla tion for the erection of a monument in Pettigrew State Park, near Cres well, honoring James Johnston Petti grew. famous Confederate general who formerly lived there and for whom the park was named. John W. Darden, secretary of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, and W. L. Whitley, vice president for Washington County of the Southern Albemarle Association, are joining the Rev. C. A. Ashby, Edenton Episcopal minister, in urg ing establishment of the statue. It is understood here that the full endorsement of the project by Gov ernor J. Melville Broughton has been secured by the Edenton group and that local men are adding their in fluence to the movement. Letters have been sent to O. M. Mull, speaker of the house of repre sentatives, and Lieutenant Governor R. L. Harris, president of the senate, urging that funds be appropriated for such a monument. L. C. Snell Quits as Roper Police Chief L. Clyde Snell, for five years chief of police of the Town of Roper, last week submitted his resignation to the Town Commissioners there, to become effective as soon as his successor can be selected, according to Aubrey Phelps, town clerk. The town com missioners were to have met last Fri day to choose the new officer, but some of the members of the board were sick and it was impossible to secure a quorum. The job pays $50 per month in ad dition to arrest fees. Combined with policing the town are also the duties of tax collector. The tax levy of the town usually amounts to about $2,700 per year. Mr. Phelps said that there might have been some applications made for the position, but if so they had been made to members of the board and he did not know about them. J. J. Hassell is mayor, and L. L. Mizell, J. E. Phelps and H. M. Wil liams comprise the membership of the board of commissioners. Town Council Discusses Extension of City Limits The Town Council of Plymouth met Wednesday night to consider a plan of extending the town limits to the eat, west and south; and, al though a lengthy discussion was held, no definite action was taken. Several proposals are under con sideration by city officials, who hope to work out amicable agreements with those concerned before any steps are taken to extend the limits. It is ex pected that plans will be worked out within the next few weeks so that action may be taken during the cur rent session of the legislature. Child Fatally Burned in Fire Near Roper Tuesday Morning "Lay Days" Likely To Be Designated For County During Next Quail Season Representative W. 1VI. Darden ^ and a group of citizens from the J county appeared before the Board of Conservation and Development meeting in Raleigh last week and asked that “lay days” be desig nated during the quail hunting season in this county next sea son. Beaufort and several other sur rounding counties had “lay days’’ this season, when quail could be hunted only on Tuesdays, Thurs ’ days and Saturdays during the open season. This county had no "lay days" and hunters from the other sections would come here to hunt quail when it was not law ful to hunt in their own counties. The "lay days” ruling will not be invoked until next season. The days of the week that quail hunt ing will be permitted next sea son will be decided by the Board of Conservation and Development at its meeting in July. Beacon Is Winner of State Press Group’s Award for Excellence Governor Broughton Announces Awards At Institute Friday Editor of Paper Winning Second Place Is Also From This County The Roanoke Beacon, of Plymouth, was last Friday night announced win ner of the North Carolina Press Asso ciation trophy for general excellence among non-dailies of the state with 1,500 circulation or under. The an nouncement and presentation was made by Governor J. M. Broughton, a former newspaperman, in his first formal apprearance outside the Capi tal at the annual dinner of the Mid winter Institute of the press associa tion held at Duke University, where he presented the first annual awards for outstanding newspaper achieve ment in 1940. Weeklies, semi-weeklies, and tri weeklies all compete on the same ba sis in the non-daily class, although there are two divisions according to circulation in the general excellence contest, where competition is keenest. Trophies were also awarded for the best special edition and for outstand ing community service. The score card by which papers were judged in the general excellence contest follows: Mechanical excel lence, 25 points; general and depart mental news coverage, 25 points; lit erary excellence. 10 points: promo tion of community interests, 10 points; editorial page, 15 points: and advertising enterprise, 15 points. There were 32 entries in the gen eral excellence contest, and the judg ing was based on regular editions published during the first week in June, tlie first week in December, and any four other consecutive editions. Judges were J. B. Wall, publisher of the Farmville, Va. Herald; Paul Watkins, publisher of the Ashland, Va., Herald-Progress: A. Robbins, publisher of the Hopewell. Va.. News; and Robert B. Smith, past secretary manager of the Virginia Press Asso ciation. "It was a pleasure for this commit tee to study the entries." Chairman Wall said, explaining that judging 'See BEACON, Page4i Residence Here Is Damaged by Fire Fire of undetermined origin caused damage to the amount of several hundred dollars Monday morning to the furniture and residence of M. D. Browning, on Third Street. Mrs. Browning had been to the home of near-by neighbor on an er rand for a few minutes, and when she returned discovered the roof of the house to be blazing. Mr. Brown ing said that he was unable to ac count for tire origin of the blaze. Firemen responded within a few minutes and brought the blaze un der control, preventing its spread to near-by dwellings. The loss to Mr. Browning’s furniture was said to be about $500 and the damage to the house was estimated at another $500. Mr. Browning had no insurance on the furniture. The residence is owned by the A. L. Owens estate, and E. L. Owens said later that no policy could be found to cover the damage to the structure. Infant Son of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Phelps Dies at Creswell Funeral services were conducted at the home near Creswell Saturday for Kerry Grant Phelps, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Ira Phelps, who died Friday at the age of nine days. The Rev. R. N. Fitts officiated. Inter ment took place in the family ceme tery. Surviving is the infant's parents ;and one brother, Bryan Phelps. '[ BEACON TROPHY | A _J \ All ill V* M i.H=i t* *<4L Above is a picture of the 1940 troph.v for general excellence awarded to the Roanoke Beacon last Friday by the North Carolina Press Association. It is now on display in the Beacon office. County Red Cross Hears Field Man In Address 'Here Committee Named To Nom inate Officers of Unit for Coming Year -<* North Carolina is leading the east ern area as to percentage of increase over last year’s enrollment in the Red Cross, according to C. Leo Wil helm, field representative, who was here last Friday to attend a meeting of the Washington County unit of the organization. That Washington County is more than holding its own in the percent age of increase is shown by the fact that the county’s roll call contri bution for 1940 was about twice that of 1939. Mrs. Walter P. Lloyd, chair man for the 1940 roll call, reported about $380 collected: while the 1939 report showed a total of $189.50. A committee, composed of Mrs. J. R. Campbell, Mrs. P. B. Bateman and Mrs. Edgar S. Woodley, of Creswell, was appointed at the meeting Friday to secure a chairman for the organi zation and management for war re lief work, as well as to nominate oth er officers of the county organization for the coming year. Ai members of the Red Cross who enrolled during the recent roll call campaign are urged by James W. Norman, present county chairman, to attend the meeting in the community hall here February 12, when a chair man . vice chairman and secretary and treasurer are to be elected. Regarding the increase in member ship. it was said that the national increase for 1940 over the prior year was 18 per cent, while in North Caro lina the percentage of increase was 35 per cent. Four Olhers Badly Injured When Farm Home Is Destroyed Only Two Out of Family of Seven Escape Unhurt: Others Recovering One child is dead, another is in a serious condition in a Washington hospital, two others were less serious ly injured and the father severely burned about the. face and arms as the result of fire which destroyed the home of Mr. and Mrs. George Spen cer Hassell in the Mill Pond section south of Roper between 1 and 2 o - clock Tuesday morning. Mrs. Has sell and the two-year-old youngest child were the only members of the family of seven who escaped injury. Obed Hassell. 7 years old. died Tuesday morning in a Washington hospital to which he had been taken only a few hours earlier. Another son. Rudolph. 12. was still being treated at the hospital today for burns about the body. At the home of their grandmother. Mrs Walter Peacock. Vernon Ray Hassell, 9, was being treated for burns on the side of his face and lips, and Mary Eliz abeth Hassell. 6. for bums on the hands and feet. Mr. Hassell, 39, had has face and arms severely burned, while William Ander Hassell. 2, and the mother, the former Miss Eliza beth Windley, escaped unhurt. How ever, Mrs. Hassell was in bed Tues day, prostrated by grief over the death of her son. A group of prominent Roper women and other friends of the family were engaged Tuesday and Wednesday in gathering contributions of clothing, food and other necessities for the family, the members of which lost all of their earthly belongings, even the night clothes having been burned from their backs. People in Plym outh. Roper and other sections re sponded liberally as word of the tragic occurrence spread. Smoke, heat, and crackling timbers awakened the parents, who did not have time to save any of their cloth ing. food, or •Turnitu'>• but. with the help of others attracted by the blaze, centered their efforts on rescuing the children and taking them to the home of their grandmother, where they were put in a comfortable room. It is not known how the fire orig inated. as the building was in a blaze when the occupants of the house awoke. There had been a fire in the house during the night, according to reports, because some member of the family had been sick. Mrs. Hassell carried the baby to safety, while Mr Hassell caught up two ol the chil dren in his arms and called to the two boys, Obed and Rudolph, to fol low him out. In a dazed condition. Obed, who was fatally burned, re turned to his bed. After carrying two of the children to safety, the father was unable to 'See CHILD BURNED. Page 4> H. H. Highsmith, 43, Died Last Friday in Hospital at Norfolk Funeral Held Sunday for Well-Known Resident Of Roper Funeral services were held at the Roper Methodist church Sunday aft ernoon for Hudson Hunter High smith, 43, son of Mr. and Mis. J. O. Highsmith, of Roper, who died in the Norfolk General Hospital last Friday following an illness of four weeks as the result of a gall-bladder ailment and complications. The Rev. M. R. Gardner, pastor of the Methodist church, conducted the last rites and burial took place at the Roberson ville cemetery. Mr. Highsmith was bom in Bethel on November 8. 1897, but has lived at Roper in this county with his par ents for 30 years, coming here from Rocky Mount. Unmarried. Mr. High smith was well-known and very pop ular throughout the section. Surviving, in addition to his par ents, are three sisters: Mrs. Bryan Harris, of Wenona: Mrs. Joe Oliver, of Roper: and Mrs. Layton Owens, of Norfolk. Plans Being Nade To Operate Herring Hoe Cannery at Mackeys This Season The A. T. Belch & Son herring i> roe cannery at Mackeys is ex pected to open for the season the first part of February. The can nery was operated for three months last year, employing about 30 persons, and it is ex pected that the number of work ers will be increased this season, as it is understood plans are be ing made to operate on a larger scale. Last year the cannery did not open until March, as Mr. Belch was busy al his holdings in Flor ida. This year, it is reported, the fish caught in Florida will be sent to Mackeys for processing, and all the roe will be canned there. Present plans contemplate op eration of the cannery until about the first of May. but If enough other produce can be secured the plant will be operated the year around. John Davenport is the Mackeys representative of the. firm.