North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoke Beacon * * * * * * * and Washington County News ******* A home newspaper dedicated jto the service of Washington {County and its 12,000 people. VOLUME LII—NUMBER 43 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, October 23, 1941 ESTABLISHED 1889 Town opics Dr. C. B Herman, brother of Mrs. J W. Marrow, and V. C. Schley, re tired theatre man. both of Statesville, are in the county this week on a bear hunting trip. Mr. Schley was here nine years ago on a similar trip. They have been on several hunts during their visit. Miss Esther George, of Nicholas, W. Va . is now employed at Arps Pharmacy here as clerk. She arrived Monday and went to work Tuesday morning. Ed Smalley, of Delair, N. J„ comp troller of the Kieckhefer Container Corporation, was here this week on his regular visit to the North Caro lina Pulp Company. He has been coming here at intervals for several years since the company located its plant here. The Beacon still has some of the Navy booklets left for those who are interested in enlisting in the Navy or Naval Reserve. They may be obtained by postal card request or by calling at the office for them. Taras Ivahiuw. local young man who recently joined the Navy, stated while here last week that he liged this branch of the service very well. Game Warden and Mrs. J. T. Ter ry, their daughter, Stella, and son, Tommy, and Mrs. Georgia Allen vis ited Miss Catherine Teri.v in Wil mington Sunday. Miss Terry is em ployed as a nurse in a hospital there. Grady Chesson. former local young man who now lives in Edenton, was injured last week-end when an auto mobile he was driving turned over on the Windsor-Edenton highway, dam aging the car badly, i > sustained cuts about the head anrf-bruises. Since no quotas were assigned to Washington County for the October and November calls for selective service, it is believed by local board officials that a fair ly large number will be called to enter the army in December and January. George Basil Dixon, a brother of Miss Irene Dixon, member of the Plymouth High School faculty, was recently pledged for membership in Alpha Zeta, national honorary agri culture fraternity. Mr. Dixon is a senior at State Colelge. His home is in Kings Mountain, and he attended Bailey Springs Junior College. H. W. Pritchett, member of the town board and prominent merchant ..' Creswell, was in Plymouth Monday, lie sai£ tin-n it was very dry and dusty down the county and that there were fervent hopes among the people of that section that there would soon be rain. -® 13 Future Farmers From Here Attend State Fair -(♦>— Thirteen members of the Plymouth Future Farmers of America chapter attended the State Fair last week, ac cording to Oliver Lucas, chapter re porter, who said that the agriculture exhibits, the displays of farm ma chinery and the unusual livestock ex hibits proved most interesting to the boys. The boys spent Friday at the fair, remained overnight in tourist cabins in Raleigh and visited interesting places about the Capital City Satur day. Those going on the trip were Pete Browning, Billie Allen, Warren Rob bins, Oliver Lucas, L. B. Hardison, James Porter, Miles Sitterson, Bob by Rea, Ralph LeFever, Marshall Ange, Walter Grimes, Clayton Mod lin and Gerald Furbee. Native Is Staff Advisor On Prize-Winning Paper Mrs. Gordon Hill May, daughter of J. O. Everett here, is staff advisor and director of photography for the Stratford Traveller, a bi-weekly pub lication of Stratford College in Dan ville, Va., which again this year was awarded the International Honor rating in the 1941 annual contest of the National Quill and Scroll. This award, the highest, was based on a point score attained by the paper in competition with other schools’ publications throughout the United States. The Traveller was ac corded 920 points out of a possible 1,000. It was understood here that Mrs. May, a teacher in the journalism department of the college, is largely responsible for the general excellent qualities of the paper. 165 Attend Meeting Of District PTA in Creswell Yesterday . , -§ Interesting Program Is Pre sented at Annual Meet For Ninth District -® Exactly 165 members of parent teacher associations from 12 counties attended the district meeting of the Congress of Parents and Teachers in Creswell yesterday, when Mrs. J. M. Parker, of Ahoskie. was elevated from tt*' post of publicity director to that of.’ trector for the ninth district. delegates were present from every parent-teacher association in the 12 counties except one. The invitation to meet next October at Poplar Branch School in Currituck County was accepted. The meeting was called to order by group singing under the direction of Charles W. Overman, of Edenton. Dr. G. A. Martin, of Creswell, conducted a brief devotional service, followed by greetings extended by H. H. Mc Lean, Washington county superin tendent of schools: A. T. Brooks, prin cipal of the Creswell school; and Mrs. E. S. Woodley, president of the Cres well Parent-Teacher Association. Principal speeches were made by Mrs. J. S. Blair, president of the North Carolina Congress of Parents and Teachers: C. W. Phillips, of the Woman’s College, University of North Carolina. Greensboro. Participating in the discussions were Dr. H. A. Thorson, Hal Steers and. Paul A. Reid, of Elizabeth "City; Dr. S. V. Lewis, district health officer, of Plym outh; and John A. Holmes, superin tendent of the Edenton city schools. School officials of the section pres ent included: M. P. Jennings, of Eliz abeth City, superintendent of Pas quotank County schools; J. A. Holmes superintendent of Edenton schools; and W. T. Crutchfield, of Columbia, superintendent of the Tyrrell County schools. Mrs. Alice Futrell, field worker for the State Highway Safety Division, also made a talk to the gathering. Mrs. E. N. Howell, of Swannonoa, field representative of the PTA, led a question hour and panel discussion. -® Car Is Stolen and Wrecked Sunday -* Joseph Tharps, local young colored man, was in jail this week awaiting trial next Tuesday on charges of steal ing an automobile owned by A. Lloyd Owens and wrecking it Sunday night. He is also charged with driving an automobile while under the influence of ntoxicants. Mr. Owens was out of town, and his wife had been using their 1941 Buick sedan, which was left with the key in it in front of their home about 6:30 Sunday evening. Tharps is al leged to have stolen the automobile and began a trip which ended when he struck a post at the entrance gate of the North Carolina Pulp Company about 30 minutes later. The car was almost completely de molished in the impact with the gate. Originally the Buick cost about $1365 and the owner doubts that he can get more than $300 for it. It had only been driven about 5,000 miles. Mr. Owens said he paid cash for the car and did not have any insurance of any kind on it. He estimated his loss at about $1,000. The negro sustained a broken leg and other injuries, but was not criti cally hurt. Section Is in Grip of Worst Drought in Years; No Rain Since Late in August Without rain since August 22, this section is faced with a seri ous drought that has caused the loss of hundreds of dollars in farm crops, although the dry spell did not come during the main crop season. Fall gardens and winter cover crops have been seriously dam aged. It is reported that the sweet potato crop has been cur tailed by the extended dry wea ther, and the peanut crop has suffered severe damage also. The dry weather has also aggravated the forest fire menace. Withholding complaint follow ing a fairly good harvest, farm ers and residents of the county are doing the beet they can in view of the situation. Some weUs have dried up. and many peo ple are hauling water from the homes of neighbors or are sink ing pumps deeper into the earth. Swamps and small streams have dried up completely. Fish are reported dying along the beds of small streams. The Roanoke River is reach ing a very low point all along its course. In this section the wat er level is being boosted by the tide, but reports from farther up the river are to the effect that the stream has reached a new low point. The weather man has not promised any immediate relief. The rainfall has not been over a fraction of an inch during the last two months. Hope To Get Moie Than 1,000 Members Of Red Cross in County During Campaign Plans are being made now to enroll about three times as many county members in the American Red Cross this year as became members during the 1940 roll call, it was stated today by John W. Darden, chairman of the Wash ington County chapter. Mrs. Frances M. Darden, home demonstration agent, has been named chairman of the annual roll call campaign, which will be held in the county between No vember 11 and 30, according to Mr. Darden, who added that Shirley Young, an employee of the North Carolina Pulp Com pany, would assist in the roll call campaign. It was planned that a thorough canvass for members of the Junior Red Cross will be made in both the white and col ored schools of the county. The names of all members enrolled will be acknowledged by publica tion in The Roanoke Beacon. Last year, there were about 360 adults members of the Red Cross in the county, and it was stated that the need is so great this year that Red Cross officials urged the quota for the county be tripled if at all possible. Norman H. Davis, the national chairman of the Red Cross, says that "all services of the Ameri can Red Cross have been ex panded to meet unprecedented needs created by the national de fense program and the war relief operations abroad, and to carry on these broader tasks, a vast in crease in the society’s member ship is required.’’ Sawmill Workers To Gel Pay Raise Increased wages for certain saw' mill workers in Washington County, as well as over the na tion, will become effective No vember 3, according to an an nouncement by Forrest H. Shu i ford. Commissioner of Labor of North Carolina. A minimum of 35 cents an hour in the lumber industry will go into effect next month. However, the new wage inceases will bene fit only those workers who are engaged in the production of goods for interstate commerce. The minimum wage for saw mill workers is 30 cents an hour now. This means a 5 cents an hour increase under the wage and hour law, recommended by the industry committees. Farm Meetings Will Be Held in County 3 Nights Next Week -<$5 Urge Large Attendance To Get Best Available Men On AAA Committee -® Up until now the farm program has been mostly a reduction and control program with soii building as the main feature, but a need has arisen for increased acreages of certain commodities, according to County Agent W. V. Hays, who urges a large attendance of farmers at the three AAA districts meetings that will be held in the county next week for the election of local and county commit teemen. However, Mr. Hays pointed out, there will be very little change in the 1942 program other than on certain commodities which require an in crease in acreage for national de fense. These commodities, it is un derstood, include peanuts and soy beans. In urging a large attendance at the meetings next week, Mr. Hays pointed out that the very best men in each community are needed as committeemen; men who are quali fied for the jo band men whom the farmers can trust; men who can give some time to the job, as the 1942 committeemen will be called upon to make up-to-date adjust ments necessitating that every farm er in the county be interviewed by the committeemen before the first of the year. The schedule of meetings is as fol lows: Monday night, October 27, at Creswell school building, for Scup pernong and eastern part of Skin nersville townships; Tuesday night, Octotber 28, Roper school building, for Lees Mills and the western part of Skinnersville townships; and Wed nesday night. October 29, at the ag ricultural building in Plymouth, for Plymouth township. It is also un derstood that county committeemen will be elected Wednesday night after the township meeting here. All meet ings start at 7:30 p. m. Three regular committeement and two alternates will be elected at each of the community meetings. The committeemen will have responsibili ty of administering the 1942 program in the communities from which they are elected. Mrs. W. M. Pierce Passes Saturday -» Funeral services were held in the Harrell’s Church at Lucedale, Miss., Wednesday afternoon for Mrs. Mar garet Mahalia Pierce, 55, who died Saturday at the home of Mrs. E. O. Ditsworth at the pulp mill village here as the result of a heart ailment. Interment took place at the Harrel’s Church cemetery in Mississippi. Mrs. Pierce had been in declining health for about six months. She was born in Flamington, Ala., on April 30. 1886 She came here from Mobile, Ala . about two months ago. She was a member of a Baptist Church. Her husband was the late William Monroe Pierce, of Mobile, Ala. Her body was prepared for burial at Horner's Funeral Home here. Mrs. Pierce is survived by the fol lowing children: Mrs. E. O. Dits worth. Plymouth; Mrs. Artis Lanner, Ollie R. Fierce, Jesse E. Pierce and Vester W. Pierce, all of Mobile, Ala. Juror Becomes 111; Superior Court Ends Session Wednesday Harrison-Darden Case Had Been on Trial for Most Of Three Days -<*. The October civil term of Washing ton County Superior Court, with Judge Leo Carr, of Burlington, pre siding. came to an abrupt close here .Wednesday afternoon, due to the ill ness of a juror, after being in session for three days with but little to show for its efforts. The following related cases had been combined and were being heard as a single case when the court was forced to suspend: N. H. Harrison, jr.. vs. Neva C. Darden and S. P. Dar den; N. H. Harrison, jr.. vs. Mrs. Ger trude A. Darden and P. H. Darden: P. H. Darden and C. L. Weeks vs. N. H. Harrison, jr., et al.: N. H. Har rison, jr., et al, vs. Roanoke Railroad and Lumber Company, et al. Most of the first day's session Mon day was consumed in selecting a jury, and after hearing evidence until yes terday, Clarence Alexander, one of the jurors, was taken suddenly ill with appendicitis and could not con tinue. It was agTeed by the plain tiffs and defendants to submit the case to a referee, who will report on findings of fact as to betterments, damages, rents, issues and profits. The referee, Malcolm Paul, was to consider the facts, conclusions of law and report them at the January term of superior court. Each side was granted 20 days in which to pay to the court funds necessary to defray the expense of the hearing, and each side reserved the right to file excep tions to the findings. Evidence in the case tended to show that P. H. Darden and others had purchased at a tax sale a tract of land in the Long Acre section in which N. H. Harrison, jr„ and others were interested. At a previous ses sion of superior court it was held that Mr. Darden did not have clear title to the land, and Mr. Harrison en tered suit for rents and damages to the land caused by removal of tim ber, etc., while Mr. Darden and oth ers are asking for compensation for improvements, including clearing the land for cultivation, and the like. The only other action taken at the court was granting a divorce to Geor gia P. Houston from Phillip J. Hous ton, on the grounds of two years of separation; and awarding Mrs. Pran ces Chesson Hutchins $35 per month alimony from her husband, C. Edley Hutchins, for the support of his wife and child, beginning with the month of October. 1941. The defendant was also ordered to pay the court costs in the case. -r? Peanut Warehouses To Open in County About November 1st Surplus-Removal Program To Be in Effect Again This Year Warehouses will be opened in Plymouth, and possibly Creswell, around November 1, by J. E, Daven port and W. H, Clark to assist in the peanut surplus-removal program for 1941, according to Mr. Davenport, who said today that the local group was ready whenever the government authorized them to open the ware houses. Again this year the Peanut Grow ers Cooperative will operate the pro gram through local groups, who will provide the storage warehouses for the reception of peanuts. The prices to be paid farmers will be higher than in 1940, when 3 1-4 cents per pound were guaranteed. Mr. Clark said that although he and Mr. Davenport had not yet received definite instructions, it was believed the price would be pegged by the cooperative at about 4‘/2 cents per pound for peanuts which grade 65 per cent meat content. Mr. Davenport said it was likely the cleaners would pay a little above the cooperative's fixed prices for pea nuts, if they want them, but he said it was not yet certain that cleaners and manufacturers would be in the open market for peanuts. Mayon Parker, Ahoskie publisher, is president of the cooperative, and L. E. Hassell, of Roper, is one of the directors of the peanut cooperative again this year. He has been a di rector for about four years. Big Bus, 2 Trucks And Auio Involved In Accident Today -- Nobody Seriously Hurt, but $500 Damage Done; Fog And Smoke Cause -® A Norfolk Southern passenger bus, two trucks and a car were damaged an estimated $500 worth as the re sult of a four-way smash-up on Highway 64 about half-way between Plymouth and Roper early this morn ing during a heavy fog and smoke pall, which made travel dangerous on highways in this section. Lee Sadler, of Edenton, was com ing toward Plymouth and was said to have been over the center of the road when he collided with a truck, operated by Clarence Taper, colored, and owned by R. S. Browning, of Plymouth. Tire Norfolk Southern bus, bound from Washington to Nor folk, ran into the rear of the Taper truck after the first collision and a little later a furniture truck, owned by the Woolard Furniture Company, of Williamston. and operated by W. J. Woolard, ran into the rear of the bus. Four passengers, including one white and two colored women and a white man, were slightly bruised, but no one was seriously hurt in the se ries of accidents. All of the vehicles were said to have been traveling very slowly, due to the difficult driving conditions. County Forest Warden S. F. Darden said that the smoke which was mixed with the fog was caused by a ground fire, a smoldering fire which burns into the ground and causes the soil to cave in, and that it was not caused by a forest fire among trees above the ground. Sheriff J. K. Reid investigated the accidents. Mrs. S. T. Harrison Dies Here Sunday ai Home of Daughter »-® Was Oldest Member of Morrattock Church; Fin al Rites Monday Funeral services were held at the home of Mrs. Clyde Cahoon on Main Street here Monday afternoon for Mrs. Sarah McCoskey Harrison, 89, who died Sunday as the result of in firmities of age and complications, following an illness of only one week. Elder W. Stubbs, of Martin County, conducted the last rites and inter ment took place in Grace Episcopal church cemetery. The Morrattock church choir sang several of her fav orite hymns. Born at Poplar Point, in Martin County, December 3, 1851. Mrs. Har rison came to Washington County about 67 years ago to make her home. She spent a few years in Chapel Hill with her daughter, Mrs. Clyde Ca hoon, and lived the remainder of the time in Plymouth. She was married in July, 1874, to Samuel Thomas Har rison, of Plymouth, who preceded her to the grave several years ago. She was the oldest member of his torical Morrattock Primitive Baptist church, near Plymouth, and was one of the most active members until age limited her work for the church. She remained a staunch and loyal mem ber until her death. Her parents were the late Eli and Mrs. Beadie Ann Matthews McCoskey, of Martin Coun ty. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Almedia Harrison Barden, of Nor folk, Va., and Mrs. Minnie Harrison Cahoon, of Plymouth. She also leaves nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Nephews of Mrs. Harrison served as pall-bearers: Sam, Roland and Dennis Coburn, of Dardens: R. L. and Hubert Coburn, of Williamston; Lonnie Coburn and former mayor John A. Gurkin, of Norfolk: and Lu ther W. Gurkin, of Plymouth. -- Improvements Being Made At Local Episcopal Church Extensive improvements are being made to the historical Grace Episco pal church here, according to Julian Brinkley, chairman of the building committe, which has been very ac tive in recent months. The church has been repainted on the inside, the basement cleaned, a chimney built, furnace repaired, and it is now hoped to soon put in hard wood floors, which it is estimated will cost about $600. Work has also been done on the rectory on Main Street. -$ Program of Services at Local Methodist Church -® Rev. O. L. HARDWICK r.astor "The Christian’s World Mission" will be the subject of the sermon by the Rev. O. L. Hardwick at the lo cal Methodist church Sunday morn ing. At 7:30 in the evening Mr. Hard wick will preach again on the topic: "You Can Find God." Other services for the day are: Church school at 9:45. Junior League at 2 p m Epworth League at 6:30 p. m. Special music will be furnished by the choir Sunday morning, and the public is cordially invited to all our servces. WPA Gives 49.9 Per Cent Total of School Needs in This County Marketing Cards Must Be Returned Tobacco farmers are asked to return their marketing cards as soon as possible to the office of County Agent W. V. Hays, after they complete selling their crop, according to Nick Porter, chief clerk in the agent’s office. It was explained that the cards are checked against allotments, this method affording an opportunity detect irregular marketing activi ties, if any exist. It is also un derstood that soil conservation payments will be withheld until the cards are returned. In cases where farmers have lost their cards, they are urged to take their bills of sale and report to the office of the county agent where their tobacco sales for the season may be checked. Mr. Porter said that all cards should be in the office within 10 days after the farmer completes the marketing of his crops, and so far only about 100 of the ap proximately 250 issued have been returned. Number From Here Attending Southern Albemarle Meeting Josephus Daniels Is Main Speaker at Session in Swan Quarter Today A number of local people left this morning for Swan Quarter in Hyde County to attend the annual meet ing of the Southern Albemarle As sociation, with W. L. Whitley, vice president of the organization for Washington County, as leader of the jgroup. It was reported that the following would attend the meeting unless last-minute changes in plans were made: Mrs. Claudius McGowan, Mrs. W. F. Winslow, John W. Darden. Mr. Whitley, W. H. Paramore. P. W. Brown, Dr. E. W. Furgurson, and pos sibly others of the 50 official dele gates named from the county. Ambassador to Mexico Josephus Daniels is the principal speaker of the day. Melvin R. Daniels, of Man teo, is president of the association, and Walter H. Paramore, of Plym outh, is secretary. There is a vice president from each of the four coun ties, Hyde, Tyrrell, Dare and Wash ington. It is understood that Long Acre and Bath Townships, along with Pantego and Belhaven, in Beaufort County, may apply for membership at the meeting today. It was predicted this morning that the organization would make plans to assist Washington County in its efforts to have the route from Wash ington through Plymouth over the Albemarle Sound bridge to Hertford designated as U. S. Highway No. 17-A. A resolution was included in the as sociation’s road program adopted at a meeting in June of last year ask ing for the 17-A designation. 20 Members Creswell Ag Class at Fair Last Week -«. Twenty members of the vocational agriculture class of the Creswell High School, accompanied by their teach er, A. H. Tucker, attended the State Fair in Raleigh last week. Members of the Creswell FFA chap ter on the trip were: Leon Halsey, Howard Leo Davenport. Aldridge Am brose, Fred Collins, Harold L. Wood ley, Harold Gibbs, Chelcie Phelps, Le roy Davenport, Floyd Davenport, Zephie Phelps, Wendell Haire, Delton Sexton, Loumas Swain, Guilford Fur. lough, Benny Furlough, Delton Am brose, Leon Hassell and Aubrey Wood ley. Those accompanying the chap ter members were Jesse Harrington. Edward Patrick, O. D. Hatfield, C. A. Ledford, Raymond Gibbs and Hilton Chesson. Would Provide New Building and Added Rooms in Plymouth Estimated That Three Proj ects Will Cost Total Of $84,495 Grants for 49.9 per cent of the to tal of $84,495 imperatively needed for immediate improvements and addi tions to three school building in the county were made recently by the Williamston office of the Work Proj ects Administration. The applications for the three county projects, after being approved in Williamston. were sent to the Raleigh office for review, from where they will go on to the national office in Washington, D. C. There is still no indication as to when actual construction work may be started. It was pointed out by H. H. Mc Lean, county superintendent of pub lic instruction, that the figures in the grant were based on estimates of the total expenditure as prepared by en gineers of the Williamston WPA of fice, and they are about $4,000 more than the estimate made by Prank Benton, of Wilson, architect for the county board of education. Improvements at the Roper colored school include the addition of six rooms and a library to the frame structure there. The cost was esti mated by Mr. Benton several months ago at about $17,000. The increased cost of materials has run this amount up to $20,318, it was estimated by the WPA officials. The WPA agreed to take care of 50.3 per cent of the cost, or $10,220. The county will be required to put up $10,098. The WPA engineers estimated the cost of an entirely new primary building for the white schools here at $33,310. Tlie WPA will pay 56.4 per cent of this amount, or a total of $18,781. with the county, as spon-* sor, to put up $14,529. The building proposed here will include 6 class rooms, a rest room, book stock room and a small office. Estimates of the cost of additions needed to provide adequate classroom facilities at the Plymouth High School total $30,867. The WPA will contribute 41.2 per cent of this amount, or a total of $12,717, and the county will be required to put up the remaining $18,150. The pro posed addition will have four rooms above the ground, two of which will be 50 feet long. The contribution toward the cost of this addition by the WPA was low because of the fact that skilled labor must be used in putting on the new roof and install ing a heating plant for the entire high school and primary buildings. The contributions by the WPA are based on man-hours of labor by un skilled workmen. It does not pav any part of the cost of skilled labor. Based on the figures given Super intendent McLean by the William ston WPA office, that agency will put up a total of $41,657 on the three projects, and the county will have to raise $42,838, making the total cost of the projects $84,495. -■» John C. Rodman Speaks To Men’s Club Tuesday John C. Rodman, Washington at torney, was speaker at a meeting of the Men's Club of Grace Episcopal Church held at The Pines Tuesday night. There were 20 persons pres ent at the meeting, and reports were received from several committees. T. W. Earle presided in the absence of P Bruce Bateman, the president. R. A. Duvall served as secretary. -®-" Baptist Pastor Announces Services for Coming Week Rev. J. M. JOHNSON, Pastor The program of services for Sun day. October 26, is as follows: 10 a m., the church teaching the Bible: 11 a. m„ the church at worship: 7:30 p. m.. evening worship. 7:30 p. m.. Wednesday, prayer serv ice. We urge you to come worship with us in these services. Total of Sixty Houses Will Be Built at Little Richwood' Development Here Fairly reliable reports are in circulation that a total of 60 low cost dwellings will be built in the “Little Richwood” development, located on property formerly known as Brinkley’s Woods, just west of the town of Plymouth city limits. Thirty of the origi nally planned 38 houses have just about been completed and work is underway on about 10 more. The houses are being built for employees of the North Carolina Pulp Company, which arranged financial assistance for their workmen to pay for the new homes. Some of the owners are understood to be planning to ap ply for loans from mortgage lend ing institutions to enlarge and complete the houses in the man ner they wish. It is said that some will add back porches, oth ers will add bedrooms, and some want to put in new closets or make other additions. They are planning to do this work them selves, as the money paid as rent is applied to the purchase price and the homes become their own after they have lived in them for a definite period of town. A half acre of ground is avail able with each of the houses, which have five and six rooms. Pumps have been placed on the lots to supply water.