North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoke Beacon ★and Washington County News ★★★★★★★ SAVING IN WAR BONOS ESTABLISHED 1889 VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 30 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, July 23, 1942 TO W N OPICS Washington County schools will piobably open sometime between the 1st and 15th of September, accord ing to a county school official. The board of education will take up the matter of school opening dates at its August meeting. Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Burgess, Miss Camille Burgess and Miss Rebecca Armstrong left yesterday for Nags Head, where they plan to spend a week. James W. Norman, of the Norman Furniture Company, and F. FI. Mod lin, of the M. H, Mitchell Furniture Company, left Tuesday to attend the furniture show at High Point. They will return today or tomorrow. Chief of Police P. W. Brown said this morning that he had in his pos session a $5 Federal motor vehicle use-tax stamp lost by some car own er. and that he would be glad to turn it over to the owner on appli cation. It was found on the streets here and turned over to the police by the finder. Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Williford and family and Lloyd Gilbert are spend ing a couple of weeks at Morehead City. Messrs. Gilbert and Williford came back today to be in their store tomorrow and Saturday, but plan to ; return to the beach Sunday. County Farm Agent W. V. Hays said yesterday that the drought was reaching serious proportions in the county. He had some examples of tobacco leaves in his office which had been sun scalded, and the agent estimated that the crop had been damaged at least 25 per cent in the fields from which the leaves were taken. C. E. Ayers recently purchased the home in the country club village formerly owned by Harry M. Gray, who is now in the government serv ice at Washington, D. C. Mr. and Mrs. Ayers and family moved to their new home this week. W. H. Peele, Fletcher Harris, Charles Brinn. and H. H. Allen went to Norfolk yesterday afternoon on business, returning last night. W. H. Thompson, of Lynchburg, Va., who has extensive cattle inter ests in the county, was a business visitor here this week. It is under stood that he was making arrange ments to market some of the cattle on his ranch near Roper. Chief of Police P. W. Brown again cal! . =ffj?n+ion "i dog avvr:r to the fact that the special town privilege tax of $1 on male dogs and $2 on females is now due and that failure to pay this tax will subject the own er not only to its payment but also to fine and costs. He plans to begin issuing warrants for delinquents right away. To Begin Revival at Church in Creswell -<$> The Rev. S B. Wilson, pastor of the Creswell Baptist church, announ ced this week that a series of revival services would begin there on Mon day, August 3rd. and continue through the following Sunday, Au gust 9. The Rev. J. L. Mauney. of London Bridge, Va., will be in charge of the meeting and the public is cor dially invited to attend. The services will begin at 8:30 each night. An organized junior choir will be an outstanding feature of the revival series. The minister. Rev. Mr. Mau ney, has had considerable experience in evangelistic meetings, and is recog nized as a pulpit orator of ability. Mr. Wilson particularly urges all who can to attend and hear what the visit ing minister has to say in these try ing times. New Combination Hunting Fishing Licenses Go on Sale -® The new 1942-43 state combination hunting and fishing licenses are now on sale, it was stated this week by County Game Warden J. T. Terry. The old licenses expire July 31 and the new ones become effective the next day. They are good for both hunting and fishing throughout the state for a period of one year. Tire cost this year is $3.10, the same as for last year. f—------------ > ONE OF THE NEWEST VICTORY POSTERS TO BOOST BOND SALES | ! ______/ New poster for main street: War Bonds by the planes needed for vietory, and this arresting sign, origi nated by Douglas Leigh, the Broadway Sign King, will constantly remind millions of Americans oi that fact during the summer. The poster will be carried on the 14,000 trucks of the Railway Express Agency in 4,800 cities and towns for 3 months as part of that organization s cooperation with the Wrar Savings cam naiem. Seaman From Creswell Rescued Alter Freighter Sunk by Enemy Submarine L. R. Phelps, of Creswell, is the first Washington County man reported to have been on a ship torpedoed by an Axis submarine. Mr. Piieips, a seaman on an American freighter sent to the bottom Tuesday night of last week off the Atlantic coast, was rescued a few hours after the sinking and returned to Creswell to spend several days at home with his wife before returning to duty with a new ship this week. According to Mrs. Phelps, her husband had just gone off watch and was lying in his bunk when the torpedo struck the ship, which went down in 12 minutes. He and other members of the crew rushed to the lifeboats and all of them were saved. He said that the submarine surfaced and circled around the ship for se veral minutes before submergi ng again. Few details of the sinking are permitted to be made public, and Mr. Phelps was reticent in discussing the attack. It is not known whether the ship was armed or if American Navy pa trol vessels managed to get in any parting shots. It is known, however, that the men of the American merchant marine are able to "take it,’’ as Mr. Phelps returned to duty on another ship a few days after he escaped from the one which sank. Sugar Stamp No. 5 Expires July 25 The current sugar coupon, No. 5, will not be good after mid night Saturday, rationing book ho'ders are reminded by the Of fice of War Information. This ticket has been effective since June 28. The new ticket. Cou pon No. 6, will be available for esc from July 26 until midnight Xtigust 22. Both coupons Nos. 5 and 6 are good for two pounds of sugar. All sugar rationing book own ers were given a bonus coupon recently. No. 7, good for the extra two pounds of sugar, can be used any time between now and August 22. War Bond Sales in County Are Falling Behind July Quota -- Only One-Third of County Goal Reported Reached Up To Today -§ Indications now are that Wash ington County faces its first failure to reach a war effort quota this month, since sales of War Bonds are lagging generally. With an assigned quota of $37,800 for July, less than one-third this amount has been sold in Plymouth to date, it was learned in a check-up made by H. E. Beam, county War Bond chairman, this morning. Up to today, the local unit of the Branch Banking and Trust Company had sold $6,775 worth of bonds this month; the post office had sold ap proximately $5,000 worth, and no re ports were available from Roper and Creswell. Total sales here, there fore, were a little less than $12,000, or about one-third of the July quota. Last month, total sales in the county were $21,375. while the allot ment was only $14,900. Mr. Beam said he expected about $20,000 worth of bonds would be sold in the county during July, at the present rate. See WAR BONDS, Page Six) About 100 Old Phonograph Records Donated Here tor Army; More Needed Although no organized cam paign has been yet gotten under way by the local American Le gion post, around 100 old phono graph records already have been turned in as a means of provid ing new records and a permanent supply of good music for men of the armed forces for the duration of the war. The local post has a goal of 2,000 records as its share of the 37,500.000 to be sought throughout (the nation. Persons who have old records they do not mind donating to the men in the service are asked to bring them to the police station here and turn them over to P. W. Brown, who is in charge of the campaign. The campaign began July 17 and will continue through Au gust 2nd. Proceeds from the dis posal of the old records as scrap will be used in purchasing new discs and phonograph players, to be sent to every camp, base, hospital, post and station wher ever there are American soldiers. About 100 outstanding instru mentalists. orchestra conductors, bandleaders and singers have pledged their suport to the move ment, including Kay Kyser, Kate Smith, Fritz Reiner, Sigmund Sigmund Spaeth, and Gene Au try, who were the original incor porators. Instead of asking for funds, legionnaires and mem bers of the legion auxiliary call on their neighbors to scour at tics and cellars for old phono graph records and donate them to this cause. Volunteers Needed To Man 4 Spotting Stations in County Aircraft Warning Posts on 24-Hour Basis; Work Is Light If Many Help -® Volunteers are needed to help man the four aircraft spotting stations in Washington County, according to P. W. Brown, of Plymouth, who is chief warden for this district. These sta tions are required to be on duty 24 hours daily, and the shortage of vol unteers is working undue hardship on those who are endeavoring to car ry on the work, according to Mr. Brown. Tire four stations are located in the Creswell, Pleasant Grove, Roper and Wenona sections, and the chief spot ters at each station is as follows: Creswell. at Earl Davenport's filling station, Earl Davenport in charge; Pleasant Grove, at J. C. Tarkenton's store, with Mr. Tarkenton in charge; Roper, on the old railroad right of way, in charge of Mayor Henry S. Everett; and Wenona, at the State Farm, with J. L. Rea, jr., in chrage. A number of volunteers are help ing out at each of the four stations, but if a large number will agree to share the work, a schedule of hours can be worked out which will not make it a hardship on anyone. At the pres ent time, three of the stations are on a 24-hour basis, those at Creswell, Roper and Wenona. There was no report to this effect from the Pleas ant Grove station. Mayor Henry Everett, of Roper, said that he secured nine volunteers Monday night, and that the workers are putting in from two to four hours on a shift. Every airplane that is ob served is reported on by telephone to Army air protection headquarters, and the work is considered of vital importance. No compensation is pro vided. and the volunteers are per forming the duties as a patriotic service. Both men and women volun teers are needed. Those who are willing to serve should get in touch with the director of the nearest spot ting station. Miss Farley Goes With District Health Agency -$ Miss Marie Farley, public health nurse, was recently employed and has taken up her work with the district health department here, Dr. S. V. Lewis, health officer, said yesterday. Miss Farley is well known in this sec tion, where she has been working with the NY A for the past couple of years. Prior to that time she was with the Wayne County Health De partment at Goldsboro for a number of years. She is regarded as very capable, and Dr. Lewis said the local health department was fortunate in securing her services. Allen Family Reunion Cancelled This Year -$ Tire annual reunion of the Aller family has been cancelled this year according to Sidney Allen. This reunion has been held on the fourth Sunday in August at the Sic | Allen home for the past few years Transportation difficulties were as signed as the cause for cancellatior of the annual family get-together. Farm Crops in This Area Are Seriously Damaged by Drouth Corn Hit Hardest, Number Farmers Reporting Crop Is Complete Loss -$ Farm crops have been damaged to the extent of thousands of dollars throughout Washington County dur ing the almost unprecedented heat wave of the past several weeks, com plicated by a complete lack of rain fall. Older farmers say that the weather has seldom, if ever, remain ed as consistently hot for so long a period of time within their memory. One man said that during the sum mer of 1917 there was a comparable period when it remained hotter and drier than it is now. The corn crop is believed to be the worst sufferer. Quite a number of farmers, who only a few weeks ago had prospects of one of the best crops in years, now say that their corn is a total loss. Others believe they will get from one-half to three-fourths of a normal yield, if rain falls within a few more days. The tobacco crop in this section is expected to show less loss, on a percentage basis, but even this will not be anywhere near nor mal. Peanuts are still in the doubt ful stage, some farmers saying that rain in the next few days will bring the crop out to almost full measure, while other producers argue that it is too late for rain to do the goobers any good. Even cotton, a dry wea ther crop, is withering and dying on a large scale. Stock raisers foresee a hard season. Pasture grasses are nearly all dying, and one of them says that even the reeds are drying up and will not pro vide feed for cattle. Starting about the middle of last week, tempera tures have hovered around the 100 mark every day since. There have been a few scattered light showers, but they have not been general, nor have they been heavy enough to be of any considerable benefit. Paul T. Humphrey Hurt In Accident at Pulp Mill Paul T. Humphrey, well-known local man who lives on Washington Street Extended, was seriously in jured in an accident at the pulp plant here Tuesday night. He was caught in one of the machines there and suffered a fractured knee, some brok en ribs, and severe bruises and con tusions. After receiving first-aid treatment at the office of Dr. Bray here early Wednesday morning he w»as taken to a Rocky Mount hospital, where he is reported to be getting along as well as could be expected today. -1 Resume Daily Bible School Classes at Creswell Monday Creswell.—1The Daily Vacation Bible School, which has already been in session for two weeks, but which closed until Miss Lona Belle Weath erly' return from Camp Leach will resume classes next Monday. July 27, under the leadership of the Rev. B. W Gaither and Miss Weatherly. I The classes will be held in the morn ing each day. Use oi Water, Ice At Record High The unusually hot weather prevailing for the past week has caused a 50 per cent increase in city Mater consumption, accord ing to Chief of Police P. \V. Brown, who is supervisor of the water pumping facilities. Ac cording to him, consumption of water ranged around 75,000 gal lons daily from the middle of last week until Wednesday of this week, whereas normal re quirements are only about 50, 000 gallons. The hot six'll also created an unprecedented demand tor ice. A. J. Biddle keeping his plant here running at capacity day and night. He is making about 50 tons of ice a day, which is an in crease of about one-third above normal. He was barely able to keep up with the demand. Non-Highway and Truck Gas Ration Books Are Issued Local Board Has Been Kept Busy Night and Day With Applications -<&■ The Washington County Ration ing Board, by virtue of working ev ery night and most of the afternoons.! has just about kept pace with the number of applications for gasoline i rations for more than a week, ac cording to W. A. Roebuck secretary j to the board. All of the applications that had ben filed for trucks up to Tuesday had been considered and books issued up to yesterday, when the new program became effective. In addition, the board had also worked out the applications for gaso line for non-highway use up to yes- ; terday, and the books may now be ! called for at the office in the court house here. Most of the gasoline re quested in this class will be for use in tractors, stationary engines, and motorboats, and the amounts grant ed range from 25 to 300 gallons de pending on need,to be used during the next six months. Some of the fishermen down on the sound asked for amounts of gasoline that seem ed mighty big to the rationing board. Board Chairman Whitley asks ail who call for the books to particularly notice the expiration date written on them. All car and truck ration books have been issued for 8 and 12 month periods, and motorists are warned that they will not be issued any further allotments until after the expiration dates shown. Allot ments for non-highway uses were issued for six months. The rationing board has been kept busy every night and several after noons during the week. One of the biggest jobs of all, consideration of applications for supplementary al lotments to be used in passenger cars, still remains, with the board scheduled to begin work on them Monday night. It is expected that most of the dissatisfaction with the rationing program will come as a result of decissions on supplementary allotments. The regulations gov erning issuance of supplements are specific, and there is almost sure to be plenty of complaints when motor ists learn just how strict the new rules are. With each rationing book, a stick er is given showing the type of book issued, and the sticker mint be dis played on the windshield of the car for which it is used, so that filling station operators may know at a glance whether the right kind of coupon is being presented for gaso line. Three Applications For Bike Purchases Made to Board Here Have Not Been Acted on Yet; County Has Quota Of 8 for July Although no certificates have been issued as yet by the Washington County Rationing Board, application blanks for bicycle purchases are now ] on hand at the office in the court house here, and it is possible that I permission to buy them will be given : to those eligible within the next week or so. However, no great rush is an ticipated, since the total county al latment for the month of July is only ; eight. The regulations governing issuance ' of certificates to purchase new bi cycles are set forth in the applica tion blank in the following language: "Unless other circumstances re quire a contrary conclusion, an ap plicant shall be deemed to have es tablished his need for bicycle (s) if he proves any of the follow'ing in con nection with such business, occupa tion or work: “He must travel quickly or fre quently in delivering merchandise or ' messages, or in performing his busi ness. occupation or work and he ! would be better able to do so by bi cycle than by walking or by using public transportation facilities: or "Without a bicycle and using the > See BICYCLES. Page Six) Tire Certificates Issued 4 Persons Four persons received certificates for the purchase of new7 car and truck tires from the Washington County Rationing Board at its regular meet ing last Thursday night. For the first time in several weeks, no re capping or retreading was authoriz ed by the board. Those who reeeiv 1 ed the certificates are as follows: T. B. Brown. Highway Patrolman of Plymouth, two tire and tubes for car used in police work W. C. Jones, Plymouth, two truck tires and tubes for use on truck for delivery of express. A. R. Watson. Plymouth, 2 truck tires and tubes, for farm work. T. C. Holmes, of Plymouth, 1 ! truck ure and tube, for farm work. 39 Men Ordered To Leave Next Tuesday For Service in Army Unit Value oi Gas Ration Coupons The value of units on the new gasoline cards and books varies considerably, according to W. L. Whitley, chairman of the Wash ington County Rationing Board, ranging from 1 to 100 gallons. Stamps in the basic “A” books, for passenger cars, are good for 4 gallons; so are the coupons in the -B" and “C” books, although none have been issued here so far. The “D” book, for motor clcles. has coupons good for 1.6 gallon each. Then the “S” books, for trucks, ambulances, police ears, etc., have stamps that call for 5 gallons each. For non-high w»ay uses. “E” bok coupons are good for 1 gallon each, and “R” book coupons call for 5 gallons apiece. In addition to all these, books with coupons calling for bulk deliveries of gasoline are issued in two dominations, 1 and 100 gallons each. Filling Stations Out 01 Gas Late Tuesday As ''Run'' Develops Autoists Rush to Fill Tanks Before New Program Is Effective -® Filling stations in and around Plymouth had a "rushing” business over the past week-end, the climax finally being reached Tuesday when long lines of cars were to be seen at every station, and. so far as can be learned, every gallon of gasoline they had on hand was sold before nightfall. Motorists were getting set for the stringent rationing pro gram. which became effective at midnight Tuesday, and if the car tank was not full to the brim Wednesday morning, it was because the owner had forgotten to get it filled before all the stations sold out their supply. A number of cars were seen with gasoline drums and other containers, which the owners were trying to have filled with the unused portions of their old rationing cards. Although to put gasoline in such containers was a violation of the rationing regulations, some of the filling sta tions were evidently taking a chance, since not all of the drums and cans were empty at the close of the day. The "run" on the gas stations Tuesday, as large as it was, did not approach the proportions of the one which developed early in Many, when gas rationing was first instituted. However, several stations here sold from 1,000 to 2.000 gallons Tuesday, and the only reason they didn't sell more was because they didn't have , it. The Standard Station here sold i out for the first time in its history, according to C. E. Ayers. Many mo torists had rationing cards with from 1 to 10 or 12 unused units on them, and the car owners were trying to start out on the new program Wednesday morning with full tanks, anyway. Under the system now in effect, there is little chance of "chiseling” j or "bootlegging" gasoline, since the filling station owners must collectj the rationing stamps and turn them in in order to secure additional sup plies of the motor fuel. In the past, a great deal of carelessness in punch ing the rationing cards was report ed. and the dealer who tried to strictly observe the law was penaliz ed by losing his customers to stations j which were not so particular about \ tearing off units or punching the cards. Quota Short 11, Due Enlistment in Navy, Deferment, Appeals -<s> Is Largest Number White Men To Leave in Any One Month -- Thirty-nine Washington County white men will leave here next Tues day morning, July 28, for Fort Bragg, wnere they will be examined and those qualified inducted into the Army. This is the largest single quota of white men yet called into the service, although 55 colored se lectees were sent from here on July 10, only 28 of which were accepted. The county quota of white men originally called for July 28 was 50, but due to last-minute deferments, enlistments in the Navy and appeals being noted, only 39 are now on the list to leave Tuesday. Plymouth will furnish the largest contingent in the call next Tuesday, 19 going from here. Creswell comes next with 14; followed by Roper, with 6, and Mackeys, with 2. There were seven enlistments in the Navy by men who were originally scheduled to leave Tuesday, and six others were given deferments after the local draft board had conferred with Major Thomas Upton last Thursday. No tices were sent out last week to all those who are called to leave the 28th. Most of the men being called into the service from the county now are those who registered in the third registration February 16th, although there are some married men includ ed who registered in the first and second registrations. Seven of those who were included in the quota for this month have enlisted in the Na vy, as follows: Onward Leggett, W. J. Highsmith, W. S. Moore, Irvin Hunter Respass. George A. Peele, ,jr„ Marvin Lester Bowen and Franklin Marvin Cox. Tire six men who were 1 deferred are as follows: William Edi | son Waters, Ivey Miller Warren, Wil ] liam Herbert Ambrose fof Roper), Ambrose Lloyd Owens, Lewis Leroy ; Sitterson, and Elbert Lee Woodley. In addition, appeals were noted yes j terday by Benjamin Owen Dupree and Norwood J. Nobles, thus giving them an automatic deferment until their appeals are considered. Included in the list of selectees leaving next week is Sidney A. Ward, who has served as clerk to the local draft board since it was first organ ized in October, 1940. No announce ment has been made by the local board as to who will be named to succeed him in the office here, but it is understood that several appli cations are under consideration. The list of those leaving next Tuesday is as follows: From Plymouth: Henry Bennett Ambrose, Joe Allen Stone, James Henry Bland, Rufus Earl Hopkins, Sidney Alfred Ward, Darrell Lafay ette McClung, Robert Wilson Gard ner, William Herbert Ambrose, Elmer Harold Browning, Herman Linwood Owens, Harold Holmes Brinn, Rob ert Jackson Sydenstricker, Edward Clarence Cooper, Mark Rufus Bowen, Cyril Corona Ange. Delma Lee Mod lin, Cecil Price Vaughn. Don Hogan Rountree. Otis Ellsworth Ange. From Creswell: Albert Terrell Brooks. Wendell Ambrose, Dutchie Spear, Thomas Bryant Sykes, Benja min Armstrong Davenport, Winfred Comstock, Hubert Leroy Phelps. James Ashby Haire. Dallas Milton Spear. William Hardy Craddock, Mel vin Hardison Sexton, Leon Garfield Clifton. Joseph Abram Phelps. Frank lin Marvin Spear. From Roper: John Thomas Ste venson, Hall Errett Phelps. Lewis Ashbum Owens. Warrer. Alexander. From Mackeys: Woodrow Raymond Collins. William Columbus Riddick, Navy Recruiter Here Most of Week; Several Men From County Volunteer Several local young men signed up for the Navy this week with ( J. C. Bartel, chief petty officer from New Bern Recruiting Of fice.. who has been at post office since Monday. Chief Bartel wilt go to Columbia Friday, when he will be at the post office there. 11c will return and be at the post office here all day Saturday. Applications for enlistment have been accepted from four white men. as follows: Bailey Caswell Phelps and Wallace Er ward Davenport, of Creswell; Samuel Ward Carlisle, of Plym outh: and Robert Ward Harden, of Darden.s Two colored men applied tor enlistment as mess attendants, Phillip Leo Cox and Willie Lee Forbes, of Roper. A number of other men are known to be considering enlisting. The Navy still needs men be tween the ages of 17 and 50, and applications are being taken for both the regular Navy and the Naval Reserve. The recruiting officer also said that he was re ceiving applications for the “Sea Bees." construction corps of the Navy Department. Men who are skilled in any one of a long list of occupations are being given special inducements to join this latter branch of the service, and exceptional opportunities are presented in it. Chief Bartel stated that regis trants may enlist in the Navy at any time up to the day before they are to report for induction at Fort Bragg. There has been a mistaken impression in many quarters, he says, that regis trants must apply' for enlistment in the Navy before receiving their orders to report for induction. This is not the case, as they may enlist at any time up to the day before they are to leave for the Army.