The Roanoke Beacon
****** *and Washington County News *******
VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 35
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, August 21, 1942
ESTABLISHED 1889
Town
opics
Private Jack H. Britt, a brother of
Mrs. S. F. Garrett, is now playing on
the medical baseball team at Camp
Rucker, where he is getting his army
training, his sister has been informed.
Private Britt plays third base on the
team.
William Davenport, of Washington,
an uncle of Dan Satterthwaite, was
in Plymouth last week-end, coming
to attend the funeral of his old
friend. James E. Lilley. He was ac
companied by his wife and three
daughters, the Misses Helen. Kather
ine and Susie.
John F. Asby, who lives about
2 miles from Plymouth on High
way 64, sold 540 pounds of to
bacco at the opening sales Tues
day for $227, an average of a lit
tle more than 42 cents a pound.
Another 42-cent average was re
ported by Herbert Bateman, who
farms on the Arthur Vail place
on the Long Acre road near here.
E. H. Liverman and his three sons
had a "family foursome” at the golf
course here last Sunday afternoon.
Technical Sergeant Aubrey W. Liver
man, who has been stationed in the
West Indies, and W. Benton Liver
man, second-class petty officer in
the Navy, who are home on leave,
comprised half of the foursome, with
Mr. Liverman and another son, Phil
lip, rounding it out. Incidentally, Mr.
Liverman shot a better score than
any of the youngsters.
Edw. S. < Ted) Blount reopened his
hardware store here Monday morn
ing after a brief vacation in Phila
delphia. Mr. and Mrs. Blount went
to Philadelphia last week, closing
his store; but Mr. Blount was back on
the job Monday, while Mrs. Blount
will continue her visit with relatives
in Pennsylvania for several more
days.
.. -*7
hoy hcoJs ?nend
Night in Camp at
Albemarle Beach
-■■■ ■».
Make Hike on Bicycles and
Cook Their Meals Over
Campfire
•-<$>
Eleven boys of Plymouth Troop
No. 84, Boy Scouts of America, ac
companied by thth- leader, the Rev.
B. E. Taylor, spell? last Tuesday
night in camp at Aj iemarle Beach.
They rode there in the late after
noon on bicycles and, nuking a late
start on their return trip Wednes
day. did not get in until near noon.
The boys carried with them ma
terial for their supper and break
fast, which they cooked over camp
fires. The supper was plentiful, well
cooked with the skill of Boy Scouts
and much enjoyed by all. But the
breakfast Wednesday was skimpy,
some stray dogs having raided the
camp during the night and eaten all
supplies they could find. However,
the Scouts made out and did not
leave camp hungry.
Only one folding cot was taken
along and only two boys could sleep
on that, but the others rolled up in
blankets or sheets and slept com
fortably on the sand.
The party included: Rev. B. E.
Taylor, leader; Junior Rath, Joe
Reid, Frank Landing, Marvin Scherr,
Gordon Ambrose, Richard Carr, and
his brother, Billy Carlyle, Jerry Polk,
Robt. Darden Swain and Bill Rob
bins.
Committee Revised
On Civilian Defense
-$>
P. Bruce Bateman, chairman of
the Washington County Civilian De
fense Council, announced today a
newly revised Committee on Emer
gency Public Works and Utilities and
Protection of Industrial Plants and
Public Buildings, as follows:
J. R. Manning, chairman; E. P.
Still, co-chairman; Dr. S. V. Lewis,
J. W. Darden, Clyde Hardison, E. L.
Walker, T. W. Earle, Ethel Arps, and
H. H. McLean.
At Roper: Barton Swain, co-chair
man, W. W. Mizell, and L. E. Has
sell.
At Creswell: A. T. Broks, co-chair
man; Harry Pritchett.
At Mackeys: J. E. Davenport.
At Skinnersville: H. L. Harris.
Messengers: Plymouth Boy Scouts,
Rev. B. E. Taylor, scout leader; Har
ry McLean, Jim Winesett Jerry Polk,
Bill Robbins, Eddie Thomas, Robert
Darden Swain, Ralph Howell and
Junior Rath.
Schools Here to Open
Thursday Next Week
GETS PROMOTION [
- —— ■■ I
Corporal T. B. Brown, of the
State Highway Patrol, stationed
here since 1937, has been promot
ed to sergeant and transferred to
New Bern, effective September 1.
Brown Promoted
To Sergeantcy in
Highway Patrol
-<s>
Patrolman Stationed Here
Since 1937 Transferred
To New Bern
--
Highway Patrolman Tom Brown—
Corporal Brown heretofore but Ser
geant Brown on and after next
Tuesday, September 1—will leave
Plymouth next Monday for New
Bern, his promotion and new duties
fixing his headquarters there. He
will be in charge of Division 6 of
Troop A.
Entering the State Highway Pa
trol service August 17, 1934, the pa
trolman served in Washington and
Greenville, being assigned to Plym
outh September 15, 1937. In Octo
ber, ’939, he was promoted to cor
poral.
For the present, Sergeant Brown
plans for his family to remain in
Plymouth, Mrs. Brown continuing
her work as chief clerk in the office
of County Agent W. V. Hays and Tom
Brown. jr„ entering school here next
week. The patrolman said that he
plans to move the family to New
Bern as soon as he can find a suitable
house in which to live. He said that
dwellings are about as hard to get
there as in Plymouth, because of the
near-by activities of the armed forces.
Since he has been located in Plym
outh, Sergeant Brown has been very
active in the social, fraternal and
civic life of the community. He is
senior warden of Perseverance Lodge,
No. 59, A. F. & A. M., and is also
cubmaster of the local cub pack, the
embryo Boy Scouts. He has many
friends in Plymouth who will be sorry
to see him leave, although they are
pleased with his promotion.
While it is understood that a high
way patrolman will continue to be
stationed here, no announcement has
been made as to who will be Ser
geant Brown’s successor.
-®
Revival Services To
Close Next Monday
-<s>
The tent revival services in Plym
outh are to continue through this
week and close next Monday night
with a great missionary service. In
announcing this, Evangelist Raymond
Browning said it was necessary be
cause of increasing interest. The
best altar service of the revival was
witnessed last Monday night, when
13 persons sought the Lord.
Rev. and Mrs. C. A. Jenkins will
conduct the missionary service. They
worked more than 20 years among
the natives of Swaziland, South Af
rica. The messages they bring will
be illustrated with lantern slides.
Evangelist Brown said that the
cooperation of the church people in
Plymouth has been excellent and his
stay here has been a happy one.
Pick-Up Trucks No Longer Eligible
For New Tires and Tubes, Board Told
New tires and tubes will not be
available for pick-up trucks, the
local rationing board was in
formed yesterday by E. H. Schel
lenberg, State tire rationing
specialist, of Raleigh. All tires
capable of being used for pas
senger cars must be assigned to
such cars, the state specialist
said.
W. L. Whitley, local rationing
board chairman, had a lengthy
telephone conversation Wednes
day with rationing authorities at
Raleigh, presenting the urgent
need of pick-up trucks and trail
ers to move the tobacco crop to
mariiet, but he was unable to se
cure a modification of the rul
ing. The refusal to make any
concessions to facilitate market
ing tobacco was positive. If it
becomes necessary, it was sug
gested, farmers should pool their
tobacco and employ large trucks.
Only obsolete tire sizes will be
available in the future for either
pick-up trucks or trailers, it was
stated.
Mr. Whitley also said this
morning that the local board has
been unofficially informed that
it will have only two passenger
car tires for issuance during the
entire month of September for
the whole county.
High School Pupils
Asked To Register
At Building Monday
-$
Local Teaching Staff Com
plete Except for Agri
culture Instructor
The white schools of Plymouth will
open for the 1942-43 term Thursday
morning of next week, September 3,
at 9 o'clock, according to Principal
R. B. Trotman, who said that ar
rangements were about complete for
the opening. Local teachers will meet
in the high school building here next
Wednesday afternoon, September 2,
at 3 o'clock.
Mr. Trotman said that much dif
ficulty had been experienced in hold
ing teachers to their contracts and
in securing teachers to fill vacancies,
but he hopes to have all places filled
before the opening next week.
Mr. Trotman stated that the school
bus routes will be substantially the
same as last term. Tire War Trans
portation Board is insisting that the
number of bus stops be reduced to a
minimum in keeping with the war
conservation program, and is asking
that all school patrons cooperate by
not making selfish or personal re
quests. Mr. Trotman said that
schools everywhere were having trou
ble keeping the standards up to the
pre-war level, but added “We will do
the best we can under the circum
stances.’’
Pupils of the first three grades will
report to the Hampton Building,
which will be in charge of Miss Ethel
Perry. Children must be 6 years old
on or before October 1 to enter the
first grade, in conformity with reg
ulations of the State Department of
Public Instruction. These children
must also present birth certificates
and evidence of successful vaccina
tion.
Teachers assigned to grades in the
Hampton Building are: First, Misses
Ethel Perry and Frances Turnage;
second, Mrs. Leta Liverman and Miss
Ella Harper: third, Mrs. Katherine
Harrison and Miss Gladys Rountrye.
Grammar grade teachers in the
high school building are: fourth,
Mrs. Janie Dunning and Miss Kath
erine Brandon: fifth, Misses Marion
Allen and Nellie Tarkenton; sixth.
Mrs. Eva Spruill Sanderson and Miss
Mollie Edgerton; seventh, Misses An
nie James and Eva Bateman. The
eighth grade, under the new State
12-year program, will still be consid
ered an elementary grade but will
be taught by high school teachers.
Mi-. Trotman states that untiring
efforts on the part of state and local
officials have failed to secure a suc
cessor to W. S. Moore, agriculture
teacher, but it is hoped a teacher will
be found before the opening of school.
All eighth grade and high school
pupils are urged by the principal to
come to school on Monday, August
31, according to the following sched
ule in order to have the new program
explained and to get their schedules
arranged: Monday morning, August
31, 9 a. m„ all eighth grade pupils;
10:30 a. m., all second-year high
school pupils: Monday afternoon, 2
p. m„ all third-year high-school pu
pils; and at 3:30, all fourth-year
high-school pupils.
High-school teachers and their
subjects are as follows: Mrs. Thelma
Barden, English and French; Miss
Irene Dixon, mathematics; Mrs. Dix,
home economics; Mrs. Ethel Gurkin,
English and history; Mrs. Irma
Hough, commercial education; E. W.
Kale, mathematics and history; Mrs.
Benton Liverman, biology, physics,
and girls’ physical education; Mrs.
E. W. Furgurson, public school music
and librarian; L. W. Zeigler, science
and band.
-$
Albert L. Braiten
Octogenerian, Dies
Albert L. Bratten. formerly for
many years a citizen of Plymouth,
died early in the morning of Tuesday,
August 18, at the age of 80 years, in
his home at Alachua, Fla. Funeral
services were conducted there and
burial was at Alachua.
Born in Plymouth, February 13,
1862, this was Mr. Bratten’s home
until he removed to Alachua 16 years
ago, since when he had never been
back, even for a visit. He was the
son of Joseph A. Bratten and De
borah E. (Latham) Bratten. He
married Miss Annie Hathaway of Bu
ford county, N. C. All his life he was
a farmer. He was a member of the
Methodist Church.
Immediate survivors include his
widow and his daughter, Mrs. Ruth
Miller, of Alachua and her four
children; one brother, Frank Brat
ten, of Plymouth, only 18 months
younger; five nephews, Albert, Alf
red and Charley Bratten, of Plym
outh, W. M. Scarborough, of Onan
cock, Va., and Frank Scarboro, of
Newport News, Va., four nieces, Mrs.
Ed Jackson and Mrs. Adolph Stubbs,
of Plymouth, Mrs. Garcia Webb and
Mrs. Inez Munden, of Edenton, N, C.
Mrs. Minnie Johnson, of Plymouth
is a second cousin.
Local Drail Board
Gels October Calls;
Four Now on Hand
56 Colored Selectees Sent
To Fort Bragg Reception
Center Today
--$
Draft calls are coming thick and
fast to the local draft board, it was
learned this week. Fifty-seven col
ored men left this morning, and there
are four more calls on file with the
local board, two for September and
a like number for October.
On September 8 the board is to
send 25 white selectees to Fort Bragg.
While there are 35 men in readiness
for this call, at least four of them
are preparing to join the Navy, it
was said, and there may be others.
Tire call is for 1-A men. However,
men classed by Army doctors as 1-B
are now being accepted. Selectees
go to Fort Bragg for their physical
and mental examinations, and those
accepted are inducted and then giv
en a 14-day furlough to wind up
thei affairs before beginning training.
On September 30, colored men to
the number of 45 will be called. The
October calls are for 35 white men
on October 9 and 25 colored men on
the 27th. Notice of the October calls
was received this week by the local
board.
It was stated that classification of
the fifth registration men is proceed
ing as fast as they become 20 years
of age, and many of them will be
called in October.
Two special busses this morning
carried 56 colored men to Fort Bragg
for examination and probable in
duction. From Plymouth 30 were
taken, from Creswell 9, and from
Roper 16, and there was also one
transfer from Parksley, Va. One oth
er «ran was supposed to go, but failed
to show up. However, it was thought
he would report later in the day, and
it was said that his name would not
be turned over to FBI men for prose
cution before tomorrow.
The names of those leaving today
were published last week, but the list
has been amended to except Marcel
lus Gorham, James McNair and Wil
liam Alex James, of Plymouth, and
Silas Washington Hines, of Creswell,
who were granted temporary defer
ments. One new name was added.
William Henry Blount, of Roper.
-®
Sugar Ration Stamp
No. 8 Is Not Bonus
-<8>
Conforming with instructions from
the office of Price Administration at
Raleigh to all County Boards, the lo
cal rationing board has announced
the valuation of Stamp No. 8 for 5
pounds of sugar for a 10-week per
iod.
Beginning August 23 to October 31,
inclusive, Stamp No. 8 in War Ration
Book No. 1 will be good at any time
for 5 pounds of sugar. The stamp
value will permit merchants to sell in
5, 10 and 25-pound packages of sugar
which are now in the hands of re
fineries, wholesalers and retailers.
This will eliminate temporarily the
necessity for repacking sugar into
small units. It is not a bonus.
It is also stated that the time be
ing near when students will be re
turning to school, they are advised
they should take their ration books
along and urn them over to the pro
per authority in charge of the
dormitory where they board.
Plymouth Lions Club
Regular Meet Tonight
-®
The weekly meeting of the Lions
Club of Plymouth will be held to
night in the Legion Hall. It is called
for 7 o’clock and dinner will be served
by the ladies. President L. S.
Thompson and Secretary T. C. Bur
gess urge members to be on hand
early. Interesting discussions of var
ious matters are expected.
-®
Eastern Union of Primitive
Baptists Meets August 29-30
-$
The Eastern Union of the Primi
tive Baptist church will meet at Con
cord Primitive Baptist church, be
tween Creswell and Cherry, this week
end. Elder S. Gray will be the pas
tor in charge. The session will con
vene Saturday, August 29, and con
tinue through Sunday, August 30.
Dinner will be served on the grounds
Sunday.
Posloffice Closes
Saturdays 1P. M.
Beginning next week, accord
ing to announcement by Post
master John W. Darden, all win
dows in the post office will be
open from 8 o’clock a. m. to 6
p. m. on week days except Satur
day, when they will close at 1
o'clock p. m.
This is a change from the sum
mer schedule, when the half hol
iday was observed on Wednes
days, conforming with the
Wednesday half-holiday in mer
cantile circles.
Everything Set for Practice
Blackout Here Friday Night
War Bond Sales Nearly Four Times
More Than Quota lor Month in County
With a total of $65,475 worth
of War Bonds sold in Plymouth
alone so far this month, the
county quota will be quadrupled
for August, it is indicated. In
addition, $4,573.80 worth of War
Stamps have been sold, but these
are not credited against the
monthly county quotas until they
are converted into bonds. The
county fell $15,000 short of its
July quota, but this has been
more than made up this month.
Surplus money in the hands of
tobacco farmers during Septem
ber and October should be in
vested to a large extent in War
Bonds and Stamps, so Washing
ton County should be able to re
main well above its quota for
those two months if they are in
line with the goal for August.
Scrap Metal Drive in
County Brings Results
Campaign Will Be
Intensified During
Coming Few Days
Most of Scrap Collected Is
Being Delivered at
Yard Here
-<8>
Responding to the Government’s
urgent call for scrap metal, the sal
vage committee of the Washington
County Council of Civilian Defense
reports that people throughout the
county are making an earnest effort
to gather in all the iron and steel
junk they can find. Some is brought
to Plymouth and sold at the junk
yard here, 45 cents per 100 pounds
being paid, much is collected at oth
er points in the county and brought
in by Richard West, the same price
being paid for it, less the cost of
transportation. What is collected in
one week is sent to Norfolk, Va., the
next. The shipment out this week
amounted to 17,740 pounds.
Richard West, to whom H. H. Mc
Lean and W. V. Hays, co-chairmen
of the salvage drive in Washington
County, refer most of the inquiries,
says the collection of junk metal in
the county is only in its initial stages.
“The church ladies are becoming in
terested,” he said, “and when they
take hold of anything they do it. A
few days ago a lady from Westover,
a member of a ladies’ aid society,
asked me to pick up a load of scrap
at Westover. I did so, and the mon
ey I paid for it went to the church.”
If the church women at all places
undertake to gather junk metal to
help their churches, there will soon
be a big supply for government needs,
he suggested.
Seven cars that had t ,‘en run be
yond their usefulness were also
bought for salvage this week. Valu
able parts of these cars may be sold
to keep other cars running, but a
substantial amount of junk metal re
mains which is sold as scrap
William H. Gardner,
Roper Citizen, Dies
-®
William Harrison Gardner, aged
85 years, died at 10 o'clock Monday
night, Aiigust 24, at his home in
Roper where he had lived for 20
years. Infirmities of old age con
tributed to his death and feebleness
had kept him in bed four weeks just
before the end.
Mr. Gardner was bora in James
ville, Martin County, and made his
home there until he moved to Roper.
He married Miss Canellia Mizelle of
Jamesville and five children were
born to them. For years he was an
active member of Zion's Chapel,
Christian Church at Roper.
Funeral services were conducted in
the home on Tuesday by the Rev. O.
M. Mankamyer, pastor of his church,
and burial was in the Roanoke Rapids
cemetery in the family burial lot.
Immediate survivors are his wi
dow, 84 years of age; one son, Elbert
Gardner of Suffolk, and five daugh
ters: Mrs. George Coburn, of Plym
outh; Mrs. L. N. Gerkin. of Roanoke
Rapids; Miss Edith Gardner, of
Roper: and Mrs. D. H. Vick, of
Washington, D. C.; and several
grandchildren. Because of the dis
tance and family duties Mrs. Vick
was unable to attend the funeral, but
all the other children were there.
Dave Chism Enlists For
Naval Overseas Work
— -.
Mr. and Mrs. Dave Chism have
rented their house at 19 Pine Street.
Country Club Village, to Mr. and Mrs.
Pat Hamilton. They have given up
their home temporarily since Mr.
Chism is now in the Naval Reserve j
Overseas Construction Corporation
and expects soon to be sent across
the seas. Mrs. Chism said she is
planning to return to her old home
in Tuscaloosa. Ala., and her former
work as a beauty specialist until af
ter the duration and her husband
comes home, but will remain in Plym
outh for awhile. ,
Stores Open Hour
Later Next Week
Conforming to a decision by
the Plymouth Merchants Asso
ciation, Plymouth stores have
ended the Wednesday half-holi
days, which were adopted only
for the summer period, and have
also changed the daily opening
hour from 8 o’clock to 9 o’clock.
The new hours will go into ef
fect Monday of next week. The
stores will continue to close each
day at 6 o'clock, except on Sat
urdays, when 10 o’clock will be
the closing hour.
Labor Day, September 7. will
be observed in Plymouth as a
holiday, and the stores will be
closed all day.
List of Teachers for
All County Schools
Now Said Complete
—<s
E. O. Arnold Is Principal at
Roper; A. T. Brooks at
Creswell
-«
County Superintendent of Instruc
tion H. H. McLean today announced
the teaching staffs for Washington
County schools for the 1942-43 school
year, beginning next Thursday, Sep
tember 3. It has been a difficult
task to get teachers this year, Mr.
McLean and other school authorities
have found, and the list for Wash
ington County was not completed un
til this week. Many familiar faces
of teachers will be missing this year,
they having answered the call to
service in the Army, Navy and Ma
rines or to work in industries pro
ducing essential war materials.
Following are the names of teach
ers who will carry on during the
school year ahead in the Roper, Cres
well and Cherry white schools and
aiso tne leacners in tne various col
ored schools In Washington County.
The names of teachers who will be
in the Plymouth white schools will
be found in a separate article about
the opening of that school.
White Teachers
Roper: E. O. Arnold, principal: R.
B. Forbes, Juanita O’Brien, Cordula
Lanier Hassell, Lucy Blanche Hud
gins, Charles H. Floyd, Katy Louise
Wood, Ruby Braxton, Lois Thompson,
Madeline Davenport, Patty Perry
Ehrhart.
Creswell: A. T. Brooks, principal:
D. J. Johnson, Josephine Evans
Holmes, Janie Mclnnis. Elizabeth
Stephens Phillips, Beulah White, A
H. Tucker, Faison Charlton, Mary W.
Armstrong, Olga R. Vance, Flossie
M. Norman, Beulah G. Leeson, Chris
tine Lawrence, Mrs. Annie P. Van
Noppen, Mildred B. Hooks, Bobbie B.
Davis.
Cherry: A. W. Davenport, princi
pal: Gladys S. Davenport, Essie J.
Lassiter.
'See TEACHERS. Page Four'
All County Towns
To Be In Darkness
For 30-Minute Test
Chief Warden Brown To
Meet With and Instruct
Deputies Tonight
Sometime between 8 o'clock tomor
row night and 1 o'clock Saturday
morning the local fire sirene will be
sounded for one minute, calling the
people to participate in their second
blackout practice. For 30 minutes
thereafter the town of Plymouth is
to be without lights. The blackout
will be effective throughout the Wil
liamston district, which includes all
three of the towns in this county, a*
well as those in Martin County.
For 30 minutes the only lights will
be those shining in the heavens. All
street lights will be turned out, auto
lights must be cut off and cars park
ed at the curb. In business and resi
dential sections all lights must be
extinguished or so dimmed and shad
ed that no reflections from them may
be seen outside. With exception of
the air raid wardens and other black
out officials all persons must remain
indoors. A special ordinance pro
bably will be enacted by the town
council to enforce blackout regula
tions and providing penalties for all
violators. Until then operations will
be under special authority.
P. W. Brown has been named
chief air raid warden with 21 depu
ties to aid him besides 20 auxiliary
police and 20 auxiliary firemen. All
will have full authority to act during
tests or actual raids. Tire later may
never come to Plymouth, but It is
common sense to be prepared. The
deputy air raid wardens are:
Richard Carr, captain: H. W. Joy
ner. R. L. Tetterton, Tarleton Gard
ner, Richard West, C. C Craft, Roy
Swain. E. H. Blatz. E. W. Ayers, Roy
Manning jr„ G. T. Barden, F. Mor
ris Smith, Foy Davenport., W. H.
Peele, W. S. Swain, and colored: Er
nest James. J. J. Jordan. John Smith
wick, John Brown. Joe Mitchell and
Jake Harris.
Chief Warden Brown will instruct
his deputies about their duties, pro
vide each with arm bands and as
sign them areas to supervise. He has
called them to meet tonight to be
sworn in and to receive instructions
When the City Council meets on the
first Monday night in September the
special blackout ordinance desired
will come up for consideration.
-&
Miss Brinkley To
Operate Theatre
-<$>
Shep Brinkley, who is leaving to
morrow morning for Port Bragg to
enter active service with the Army,
announced this week that the oper
ation of the Plymouth Theatre dur
ing his absence would be in the hands
of his sister, Miss Marian Brinkley,
Mr. Brinkley was accepted with the
group of selectees from this county
August 14 and has been home for
the past two weeks getting his af
fairs in shape before returning to
duty.
Miss Brinkley has been in charge
of the local theatre on several prev
ious occasions, while her brother was
in Murfreesboro, where he had an
other theatre up to a year or so ago
Coming to Plymouth in 1933, Mr.
Brinkley took over an old theatre and
developed the business to the point
where a newer modern building W'as
required several years ago. He has
secured the best pictures obtainable,
which resulted in a steadily increas
ing patronage; and he expresses the
hope that his patrons will continue
their attendance while he is away.
"Conditions in the movie business
are becoming increasingly difficult
due to the war." Mr. Brinkley said,
"and if everything is not exactly as
you think it should be, blame Hitler.
We are going to make every effort
to provide the best entertainment
possible, and I will be very grateful
for any consideration shown me or
my sister while I am awav.”
Tobacco Markets Open With Prices
On Low Grades Higher Than Expected
With prices for better grades
of tobacco ranging up to 47 cents
and inferior types showing even
greater proportionate gains over
opening-day averages a year ago.
tobacco sales on the eastern Car
olina markets Tuesday reached
the highest levels in many years.
Prices Wednesday and Thursday
continued equally encouraging.
Bright Belt tobacco is in demand,
and Washington County tobacco
farmers, jubilant over the pros
pect of good prices for all their
product, have turned with re
doubled efforts to the harvesting
and curing of their crop and get
ting it to market as quickly as
possible.
At Williamston Tuesday, the
first tobacco sold, 16,682 pounds,
averaged $39.34 per 100 pounds,
some selling as high as 47 cents.
Inferior grades brought lower
prices naturally, but these types
showed gains over opening price
averages a year ago. In fact, the
inferior grades, if they possess
body and can meet smoking de
mands, are selling at new high
figures.
Washington County tobacco
farmers were much in evidence
at Williamston and Robersonville
and some at more distant mar
kets. Individual averages of 42
to 46 cents were reported by them
in numerous instances, and all
were pleased with the prices of
fered.