The Roanoke Beacon
* * * 4 * + * and Washington County News *******
VOLUME LII NUMBER 36 Plymouth, vVashington County, North Carolina, fhursday, September 4, 1941
A home newspaper dedicated
to the service of Washington
County and its 12,000 people.
ESTABLISHED 1889
Town
opics
John N. Carr, president, and J. H.
Newkirk, of Local Union No. 356, will
spend this week-end in Toronto, Can
ada, where they are delegates at the
annual convention of the Interna
tional Brotherhood of Pulp, Sulphite
and Paper Mill Workers.
R. E. Tarkenton, of Windsor, who
was here several years ago as an em
ployee in the post office, has returned
to Plymouth again as parts manager
for the House Chevrolet Company.
He is well known and has many
friends here who are glad that he
has returned to Plymouth to live.
Effective next week, all full
time employees of the Pender
stores will work only five days a
week. B. Gray Willis, manager
of the local store, said that com
pany employees were very grate
ful for the consideration shown
in giving them a day off every
week.
Abe Adler returned last week-end
from New York City, where he bought
fall and winter merchandise for his
store here. M. Adler is the oldest
merchant in Plymouth in point of
service, having been in business here
since 1907.
A. J. Byrd and Cleveland Cratch
went to northern markets last week
to buy the fall and winter stock for
Byrd's Clothing Store. Mr. Cratch
said he purchased some excellent bar
gaisn for his customers despite the
rising costs of merchandise.
Regret was expressed today by J.
H. Newkirk and Johnny Jones for
omission of Dave’s Cut-Rate Store
and Bill Sitterson’s Place from the
list of merchants contributing to the
successful celebration of Labor Day
by the local unions Monday. The
names were unintentionally left off
the list given to the Beacon for pub
lication.
Frank E. Bratten, one ol' the
oldest residents ol' the town, said
today that there were 58 widows
living within the corporate limits
of Plymouth. He did not divide
them according to their status.
He said that he took the town
street by street to arrive at his
estimate.
Howard M. Carr, manager of the
A & P Food Store here, this week re
ceived instructions to reduce the
working hoars of employees of the
store to 48 hours per week. The store
will be open six days each week as
usual, but full-time employees will
get one of the days off each week.
F D. Ce rstarphen, a deputy c un
missloner of the State Department
of Revenue located in Durham, and
his wife were here visiting friends
during the week-end. For years, Mr.
and Mrs. Carstarplien lived at a hotel
in Durham, but they have recently
moved to 412 West Markham Street,
where they are now residing.
-p
No Deaths Reported
In County as Labor
Day Is Celebrated
•
Not Even Fender-Scraping
Accident Reported To
Local Police
--®
Despite the fact that there was a
total of 486 swift and violent deaths
in the nation during the Labor Day
week-end, Corporal T. B. Brown and
other enforcement officers said that
not even a minor traffic or other
accident was reported in Washing
ton County during the entire three
days of the holiday period.
There were very few arrests, and
officers stressed the fact that only
one or two of them were made for
excessive drinking.
No drowning or other form of vio
lent death was reported to Sheriff J.
K. Reid or any other officer in the
county.
It was reported that there were 10
traffic fatalities in North Carolina
alone, but local officers stated that
although there was more traffic on
the highways of the county than
there had been for years, so far as
they could learn, not even a fender
was scratched.
It was estimated that about 2,000
persons were at Albemarle Beach last
Monday, and L. W. Gurkin, owner
of the resort, said it was one of the
most orderly crowds he had ever
seen and all of them seemed to be
having a good time.
Tobacco Prices Are Holding Up Well and
Farmers Generally Pleased With Average
Tobacco farmers in Washing
ton County, as well as in the re
mainder of eastern Carolina, had
no cause for complaint with to
bacco prices this week, as they
continue to hold up well, many
of the markets showing an in
crease in averages since the open
ing Tuesday of last week. Offic
ial averages in the new bright
belt have been ranging from
$25.98 to $28.91, with large offer
ings of tips and inferior quality
leaf reported.
Average prices for the same
period last year were from 17 to
19 cents a pound. Two years ago
the first week of sales brought an
average of about 16 cents.
Better grades of tobacco are
beginning to move to the markets
now, and some of them have
brought up to 46 cents a pound.
It is estimated that county farm
ers have sold about 10 per cent
of their crop, or 100,000 pounds
out of the million or more pounds
produced. Tobacco is being made
ready for market about as fast as
possible, and it believed that over
half the crop will be sold by the
last of this month.
Wednesday the Robersonville
market sold 220,912 pounds for
*59,962.72, an average of *27.14;
Williamston sold 246,210 pounds
for $68,150.93, an average of
*27.68. No other officials figures
for markets in this section were
available, but it is understood
that the averages are about the
same throughout the belt.
Labor Day Celebration
Here Was Largest and
Most Successful Ever
| EURE HONORED
Secretary of State Thad Eure
was last Friday elected president
of the National Association of
Secretaries of State at the an
nual convention in Los Angeles,
Calif. This is the first time the
honor has been given to a North
Caro"-iar> 4
Only Fourth of Dog
Owners Here Have
Paid Special Taxes
--
Police To Crack Down on
Strays This Week-End
In Enforcing Law
-®
To date, only 73 of the approxi
mately 300 persons listed as owning
dogs in Plymouth have applied for
the dog tags, and Chief of Police P.
W. Brown said today that Joe No
bles, who has been assigned to this
work, will begin impounding the un
licensed animals this week-end.
The police chief said that an or
dinance passed by the Town of Plym
outh Council some years ago, requir
ing the annual payment of $1 for
male dogs and $2 for female dogs,
would be strictly enforced; with the
unlcensed dogs impounded and kept
for five days, after which time they
will be destroyed unless called for
and all costs paid by the owners in
that time.
It was stated that the owner of a
dog can get the animal back after it
has been impounded by paying the
taxes due, a 50 cents fee for the dog
catcher, and board for the dog at the
rate of 25 cents per day while it is
kept in the pound.
It is expected that there will be a
big reduction made in the dog pop
ulation here when the officers crack
down this week-end, as there are a
large number in town whose owners
do not care for them and they are
permitted to run at large.
One owner has been arrested for
permitting a female dog to run at
large, and it is possible that others
will suffer the same fat<? unless they
pay the taxes due on the animals,
look after them and keep them from
becoming a nuisance.
Lions Clnb To Sponsor Collins Festival
Again; First Program September 25th
The Plymouth Lions Club is
preparing to again sponsor the
Collins’ Entertainment Festival,
a series of four programs which
will be presented at the high
school building on four consecu
tive Thursday nights, beginning
with September 25.
In addition to single admission
tickets for each performance,
seaason tickets will be sold for
the entire series of four. P. W.
Brown, in charge of the arrange
ments for the shows, will have
the tickets printed this week and
they will be available soon.
Exact dates of the perform
ances are as foUows: Thursday
nights, September, 25, October 2,
9 and 16. The first perform
ance will be given by the Madrig
al Singers, composed of a quar
tet of singers; Robert^ N. Zim
merman, deep sea diver; Victor
Charles’ marionettes; and “The
Mollusc,” a revival of a comedy
success by Henry Davies.
It is believed that the single
admission tickets will be sold
for 35 cents each and that a sea
son ticket entitling the purchaser
to see the entire four performan
ces will sell for about $1.10. Any
profits from this undertaking
will be used in the charity fund
of the Lions Club.
President W. V. Hays urges
cooperation of the public in gen
eral in this effort to bring this
talaent to Plymouth.
-■$> —
Congressman and
Represenlatives of
A. F. L. Speakers
Program Here and at Albe
marle Beach Continues
For Whole Day
-®
“Business and professional men,
farmers and other groups, have their
representatives at the Nation’s Capi
tal to protect their interest, and 1
am glad to see that labor has organ
ized itself into a strong and distinct
ive group and has its representatives
in Washington to protect its inter
ests,” Congressman Herbert C. Bon
ner told a crowd of 400 Labor Day
observers gathered in the Plymouth
Theatre Monday morning
The Congressman’s speech high
lighted the Labor Day celebration,
which began with a parade in which
about 200 white and colored members
Df the unions here participated, fol
lowed by floats and led by the Plym
outh High School Band.
Homer Humble, of Mobile, Ala., and
Charles Coles, of Charleston, S. C„
both representatives of the American
Federation of Labor, shared speak
ing honors on tl c program with Rep
resentative Bonner. John W. Carr,
president of Local Union No. 356, In
ternational Brotherhood of Pulp, Sul
phite, and Paper Mill Workers, pre
sided. State Senator Hugh G. Hor
ton, of Williamston, represented Mar
tin County on the program, and Re
corder’s Court Judge W. Ronald Gay
lord represented the Washington
County Commissioners. Postmaster
John W. Darden introduced Mr. Hor
ton and welcomed the visitors for the
town. Walter H. Paramore, chair
man of the county board of educa
tion, made a short talk and led the
assembly in singing. Rev. R. H. Lu
cas made the invocation.
In the afternoon the union mem
bers and their friends went to Albe
marle Beach, where they enjoyed 470
pounds of barbecue, heard Messrs.
Humble and Coles speak at night and
watched boat races especially arrang
ed for them.
Representative Bonner, in his talk
at the morning meeting, emphasized
that there is no discrimination be
tween labor and capital, rich and
poor, white and black in legislation
in North Carolina or in the Federal
Government. He also welcomed the
newcomers who have come to Plym
outh in recent years to his district
and to the state.
“As an organize non,” Mr. Bon
ner continued, "labor has its respon
sibilities to government, to society,
and to the public; and labor should
see to it that its leaders do not abuse
the privileges enjoyed by labor, be
cause they may lose much of the
ground gained in the last few years.”
Speaking for a few minutes at the
noon-day session here, Mr. Humble
(Continue on page four)
Miss Pennie Ella
Davenport Passes
Creswell.— Funeral services were
held at the home at Creswell Mon
day morning for Miss Pennie Ella
Davenport, 36, who died in a Raleigh
hospital Sunday as the result of
pneumonia. The Rev. R. N. Pitts of
ficiated, and interment was made in
the family cemetery.
Daughter of Alexander and Mrs.
Malissa Davenport, Miss Davenport
was born in Washington County on
December 19, 1904, and lived prac
tically all her life here. She became
a member of Wodley Chapel Metho
dist church at an early age and re
mained a loyal and devoted member
until her death. The floral offering
was large and profuse, attesting the
esteem in which she was held.
She is survived by her mother and
father and four sisters: Mrs. Herbert
Spencer, Mrs. D. H. Phelps, Mrs. J.
C. Walker and Miss Ida Davenport,
all of Creswell: and two brothers,
W. A. and A. V. Davenport, of Cres
well. _
Active pall-bearers were Elwood
Davenport, Ellis Phelps, Ralph Sex
ton Jim Davis, Ernest Phelps and
Moses Mann. Joseph Spencer. Wil
liam and Abe Davenport, Jr., car
ried the flowers.
Fire Does Damage
Of $3,000 at Panel
Plant This Week
Drag Saw Department Hit
Hard by Early Morning
Blaze Yesterday
-9
Fire of undetermined origin dam
aged the drag saw department of the
Plymouth Box and Panel Company
plant here Wednesday morning at
12:30, causing an estimated loss of
about $3,000, according to E, F. Still,
president and general manager. Mr.
Still said an investigation is under
way to determine the cause of the
blaze, but that nothing definite had
been found out yet.
Stark Bowen, a foreman, and At
wood Tetterton, an engineer in the
power plant, discovered the blaze at
about the same time, and with other
members of the night crew they
brought the fire under control within
a few minutes, but not until a large
amount of damage had been done to
the equipment.
Drag saws, motors and other equip
ment and some material were burned
by the blaze, which spread very rap
idly. It required quick work on the
part of employees to prevent even
farther spread of the fire.
It was learned from Mr. Still that
the damage was partially covered by
insurance, and he said workmen will
soon begin replacing and repairing
the damaged equipment.
A. W. Davenporl
Dies ai Creswell
-<*>
Creswell.—Funeral services were
held at the Mount Tabor Free Will
Baptist church Sunday afternoon for
Alexander Wilson Davenport, 86, who
died Saturday following a short ill
ness. The Rev. R. P. Harris, of Eliz
abeth City, conducted the last rites
and interment took place in a ceme
tery near his home.
Mr. Davenport was well known and
well liked in the Scuppernong sec
tion of the county, where he spent
most of his life. A large crowd at
tended the funeral.
He is survived by his daughter,
Mrs. Sarah E. Holmes, of Creswell,
and two sons, L. E. Davenport, of
Creswell, and R. W. Davenportf, of
Belhaven.
Pall bearers were Howard Ambrose,
John Alexander, Arthur Furlough,
Winton Oliver, David Furlough, and
Raymond Davenport.
-c,
Famous Explorer Is
Scheduled To Speak
Here in November
Charlotte Teacher Won Re
nown for Trip Through
Panama Jungle
Richard A. Tewkesbury, school
teacher and explorer, of Charlotte,
will be guest speaker at a luncheon
meeting of the Thursday Afternoon
Literary Club on Saturday, November
8, it was announced today by Mrs.
J. Robert Campbell, at whose home
the meeting will be held.
Mr. Tewkesbury is probably the
first white man in history to explore
the unknown wilds from the Panama
Canal to the Colombian border in
Central America. According to of
ficials of a Pan-American organiza
tion which hopes to have a highway
built eventually to link the North and
South American continents, "Mr.
Tewkesbury, by conquering alone and
unarmed about the toughest and
meanest jungle left in the modern
world, brought within reach the
dream of an unbroken highway link
ing North and South America. He
has proved for the first time that the
Panamanian jungle is not impass
ible and that the natives are not un
friendly to the road.”
During the current month. Mr.
Tewkesbury will go to Mexico City to
present a paper before the delegates
of the 21 American republics, to be
gathered there for the fourth Pan
American Highway Congress. ‘ The
American Magazine" in its April is
sue carried an article concerning the
explorer’s experiences in the jungle,
and “Time” magazine also recently
carried an account of his trip.
Club officials here say that Plym
outh is very fortunate to secure Mr.
Tewkesbury as a speaker. He will
use as his subject, “Jungle Experi
ences.”
Installments Firms
Here Comply With
New Credit Ruling
Reserve Board Is Requiring
Larger Down Payment
Shorter Terms
Most of the merchants and busi
ness men in Plymouth who do in
stallment credit business this week
began complying with the ruling by
the Federal Reserve Board calling for
larger down payments and shorter
time for deferred payments on arti
cles bought on the installment plan.
Automobile dealers, under the new
ruling, are required to get a down
payment of at least one-third of the
cash price of the car and contracts
must call for the balance of the de
ferred payments to come due within
18 months. Heretofore, car owners
have had their cars financed on plans
extending as long as two years in
some cases.
A down payment of 20 per cent is
required on electric refrigerators,
washing machines, eledtric ironers,
cook stoves, ranges, heating stoves,
room unit air conditioners, radios,
phonographs or combinations, and
musical instruments composed prin
cipally of metals.
A down payment of 15 per cent is
required on household furnaces, in
cluding both coal and oil-burning
types, water heaters for household
use, water pumps for household use,
plumbing and sanitary fixtures for
household use, and home air-condi
tioning systems.
Only 10 per cent down payment is
required for new household furniture,
including ice refrigerators, bed
springs and mattresses, but excluding
floor coverings, wall covering, drap
eries and bed covering. Pianos and
household electric organs will also
call for a 10 per cent down payment.
Materials and services in connec
tion with repairs, alterations or im
provements upon urban, suburban or
rural real property, in connection
with existing structures, provided the
deferred balance does not exceed $1,
000, are not limited as to down pay
ment but payments must not run
over 18 months.
Enrollment Records
Broken Monday as
Local Schools Open
Total of 683 Boys and Girls
Registered Here at Two
Institutions
A record-breaking opening-day en
rollment of 683 boys and girls was re
ported by the white schools of Plym
outh Monday, when they opened for
the 1941-42 term. Seventy boys and
girls were forced to stand in the aisles
at the first chapel exercises held in
the auditorium Tuesday morning.
Included in the enrollment this
week, there were 196 children in the
first three grades at the Hampton
school building. They were divided
into six classes with a half dozen
teachers available to work with them.
There were also 284 boys and girls
in the elementary grades at the high
school building, leaving a total of 203
in the high school at the opening.
Principal R. B. Trotman said the
total enrollment of 201 in the high
school department gave promise of
the possibility of securing an addi
tional teacher there provided the at
tendance holds up as well as pros
pects indicate.
The total enrollment of 683 pupils
this year compares with 613 regis
tered at the beginning of the 1940-41
term. For the year before that. 1939
40, the enrollment was 400 in the ele
mentary department and 167 in the
high school, a total of 567.
Mr. Trotman said today that he
expected a gradual increase to be re
flected in the enrollment figures, and
he believes that by the end of the fall
semester, or possibly before, there
will be about 700 enrolled in the two
institutions here.
No report was available yesterday
from the colored school here, but it
is understood that it also had a rec
ord enrollment opening day.
-®
Organize Ruritan
Club Next Week
Plans are being made for complet
ing the organization of a Ruritan
Club at Roper next Thursday night,
according to Mayor Henry Starr Ev
erett, who has been active in promot
ing organization of' the club there
Those signing so far include Dan I.
Marrow. Wade S. Hardison, Henry S.
Everett, W. Barton Swain, Raymond
A. Tarkington, J. A. Chesson, T. W,
Norman, A. R. Phelps, R. L. Stillman,
Charlie Watts, C. L. Walker, L. S.
Brey, J. E. Phelps, N. G. Chesson, J.
M. Clagon, J. E. Oliver, C. H. Floyd,
T. E. Gaylord, L. E. Hassell, D. E.
Poole and Gerald Gaylord.
Principal B. L. White, of the Sun
bury school, in Gates County, is un
derstood to be planning to attend the
meeting next Thursday night to help
in the organization of the club. Mr.
White has been taking an active in
terest in the organization and has
worked with the Roper men in their
efforts to sign up members.
Increased Enrollment
At Opening Shown by
Three County Schools
Put Off Meetings
Of County Boards
Neither (he Washington Coun
ty commissioners nor the Wash
ington County Board of Educa
tion held their usual monthly
meetings on the first Monday, be
cause that day fell on Labor Bay,
which was observed locally as a
general holiday.
Instead, the two boards will be
in session at the courthouse here
next Monday morning at 10 o'
clock. Those who have business
with either group are asked to be
present at that time.
Says Farmers May
Gel Lespedeza Seed
Thru Soil Program
Cost Will Be Deducted from
Conservation Payments
Due Producers
Farmers in Washington County
this year can avail themselves of the
opportunity of securing lespedeza
seed to be distributed by the Agricul
tural Adjustment Administration In
connection with the conservation
program, according to County Agent
W. V. Hays.
The Commodity Credit Corporation
has purchase Kobe, common and
sericea lespedeza seed for distribution
in this region, according to the agent,
for the purpose of encouraging soil
conservation and development of new
crops which will contribute to soil
improvement.
Mr. Hays said farmers will this
year use even more legumes than
formerly as a source of nitrogen for
their soil, and he stated that lespe
deza has proved especially popular in
this county as a soil-building crop by
reason of its adaptability to a wide
range of soil types and conditions.
The cost of the seed, including any
storage, cleaning and handling
charges, will be deducted from agri
cultural conservation payments due
the farmer.
-®
Wailing Booths for
Children Who Ride
Buses Are Favored
Proposed That Lions Club
Take Action To Secure
Them for County
Past President P. W. Biown said
this week he would suggest to the
Lions Club that the organization
sponsor a project for the erection
of booths at various places in the
county for the convenience of school
children who have to wait at desig
nated points away from their home
for the arrival of school buses.
Mr. Brown pointed out that many
of the children were forced to wait
on the roads along the routes of
sschool buses without any protection
from the elements except the clothes
they wear.
It was aid there are funds available
in the Work Projects Administration
program for such projects, and all
needed in this area to get the work
done would be a sponsor to put up
a portion of the money for the job;
and it was believed that the Lions
Club could shoulder this burden.
Reports have reached here that
these conveniences and protection for
school children have been erected on
the roadsides of many counties in the
western part of the state but that
there are few, if any, of these booths
in the eastern part of the state.
The booths are small and have only
a top, two sides and a back. The
fronts are open. However, they pro- j
vide protection from snow and rain |
and a dry place even in cold weather. |
--
Creswell Was Only
While School With
Decrease in Pupils
Drop There Due to Families
Moving From Scupper
nong Farms Project
Checked Wednesday, opening en
rollments at the four white schools in
Washington County showed increased
registrations in the Plymouth, Roper
and Cherry schools and a loss at Cres
well. The schools opened Monday,
and officials said removal of a num
ber of families from the Scuppemong
Farms project was the reason for the
drop in enrollment at Creswell.
Plymouth, with a total enrollment
of 683, showed a gain of 70 over last
year. There are 480 pupils in the
elementary grades and 203 in the
high school. It was believed an ad
ditional teacher would be secured
here if the attendance and enroll
ment continues to show an increase
during the first two weeks.
The enrollment at Roper was 360,
an increase of 23 over last year. In
this school, there were 263 in the ele
mentary department and 97 in the
high school.
Cherry, with no high school, had
an increase of 9 students over last
year, the total enrollment standing
at 130.
The Creswell school had a total en
rollment of 467 this year, 323 in the
elementary school and 144 in the high
school. This was 64 less than last
year, and school officials immediately
started an investigation to determine
the cause. It was believed that the
removal of a number of families from
the Scuppernong farms was the causa
of most of the loss.
Enrollment at the opening of the
schools last year was as follows:
Plymouth. 613; Roper, 337; Creswell,
534; and Cherry, 121.
-<j
Wood Conservation
Expert To Speak at
Church Meet Here
Frank Heyward, Jr„ of At
lanta, Booked for Episco
pal Men’s Club
-<s>
Frank Heyward, jr., general man
ager of the Southern Pulpwood Con
servation Association, will be the
speaker at a supper meeting of the
men's club of Grace Episcopal church
next Wednesday evening, September
10, at 7 o’clock in the American Le
gion Hall.
Mr. Heyward is an expert in tire
field of timber conservation, and hi
his position as manager of the Sou
them Pulpwood Conservation Asso
ciation is actively engaged in this
work throughout the 14 states of the
South. The speaker will illustrate
his address with motion pictures deal
ing in a graphic manner with meth
ods of timber conservation. He was
formerly state forester for the State
of Georgia. His experience well qual
ifies him to lecture on all matters per
taining to the timber resources of
this section.
P Bruce Bateman, president of the
men's club, urges all members of the
organization to make reservations in
advance for the supper and meeting.
“I feel that we are very fortunate in
securing a man like Mr. Heyward as
speaker for our initial fall meeting,"
he said. "As Christians, we should
all be concerned with the preserva
tion of the God-given natural re
sources our land possesses; as Amer
icans faced with a national emer
gency we must make it our business
to conserve and utilize all resources
which make us a strong and demo
cratic peaple.”
T. W. Earle, R, A. Duvall and P.
B. Bateman are in charge of arrange
ments for the meeting, and members
of tile men's club are asked to get
in touch with one of these commit
teemen at the earliest possible date.
Begin Advertisement of Delinquent
Tax List Next Week; Sell in October
The list of property on which
1910 taxes have not been paid
has been placed in the hands of
printers and will appear in next
week's paper, J. F. Davenport,
tax collector, said today. Real
estate on which the unpaid taxes
total approximately §20,000 will
be advertised during the month
of September and sold at the
courthouse door on Monday. Oc
tober 6, for unpaid taxes, inter
est. penalties and costs.
The list this year will carry
about 775 names and parcels of
land. In 1937 there were 887
names and in 1938 the list had
923 names. The 1939 list sold on
the first Monday in October. 1940
carried 923 names on which $28,
982.96 was due the county in un
paid taxes, interest, penalties and
costs.
Taxpayers have only a few
more days to pay their amounts
due and save the expense and
embarrassment of having their
property advertised. The names
will not appear in next week's
paper if the taxes are paid be
fore 10 o’clock Wednesday morn
ing, but after that it will be too
late to remove names from the
list, it was said at the court
house.
Tax Collector Davenport today
urged those who wish to pay tax
es to see him immediately so
there will be plenty of time to
remove their names from the
list before the list appears in the
paper next week.