North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoke Beacon ******* and Washington County News ******* for Pfctoiy... Buy INITSD STATES DEFENSE BONDS * STAMPS VOLUME LIII—NUMBER 49 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, December 3, 1942 ESTABLISHED 1889 Town opics Announcement was made this week that Pfc. Robert D. Ray, brother of Mrs. C. C. Slankard, of Plymouth, had been wounded recently in the fighting on Guadalcanal Island in the south Pacific. A member of the Ma rine Corps, he has been in the Solo mons since August 7. It was stated that he had been removed to a hos pital for treatment. A small fire in the oyster bar at Juniper Lodge last Friday night called out the fire department, which extinguished the blaze before it gained much headway. Mr. Nobles, the owner, estimated the damage at less than $25. According to VV. V. Hays, co chairman of the county salvage committee, Washington County has already shipped more than two million pounds of scrap me tal this year. Around a million and a quarter pounds were ship ped during the first drive last spring, and better than three quarters of a million pounds have gone out since then, includ ing the recent drive. Not all of this was handled through salvage dealers in the county, however, and it is possible that Washing ton did not get full credit for all the scrap collected. Corporal Technician Raymond B. Smith spent from Friday until Tues day here with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cleveland L. Smith. Stationed at Camp Gruber, Okla.. Corporal r Smith spent most of his 10-day leave on busses between here and the camp. He was promoted to corporal technician and transferred from the quartermaster corps to an ordanance unit November 1st. E. E. Harrell and C. O. Kelly spent Monday at Mattamuskeet Lake hunt ing. They had very good luck with ducks, getting their limit of 10 each, but geese were scarce and they did not bag a single one. The Plymouth Parent-Teacher Association will meet next Wed ' nesday night at 8 p. m. in the auditorium of the high school. Dr. A. Papineau will be the prin cipal speaker, and all patrons of the school arge urged to attend by Mrs. VV. V. Hays, president of the association. - • Benton Liverman. who has been stationed in Norfolk for some time with the Navy, was home for a few hours last week. He had just re turned from a voyage on an Ameri can transport which was part of the 850-vessel convoy participating in the landing of Allied troops in French North and West Africa. Fire at the pulp mill yesterday af ternoon did some damage to the roof of the machine shop, but was con fined to a relatively small space. The town fire department was not called out, as the water supply at the mill proved adequate to extinguish the blaze quickly. -<$> 14 Out of 45 Accepted By Army Last Week “Many were called, but few were chosen” just about sums up the re port on the 45 white men sent to Fort Bragg from Washington Coun ty Tuesday of last week. Only 14 of the 45 were accepted by the Army doctors as fit for service, the others being turned down for physical dis qualifications of sundry kinds. Due to delays in completing the examinations, the seven-day fur loughs given the 14 men accepted ex pired on four days this week, their return being required as follows: Wednesday: Ernest D. Grimes, Charles W. Sykes, John W. Everett • acting corporal), Joseph R. Hardi son, Troy W. Snell, William W. Ches son, Joseph L. Spencer, Iris M. Still man, Robert C, Cooper, and Delbert D. Allen. Friday: Thurman O. Mobley. Saturday: Carley R. Marriner. Sunday: William W. Long and Preston S. Haire. -* $69 Worth Stamps Sold at Creswell School Monday -® Creswell.—Principal T. J. Collier reports that $69 worth of War Stamps were sold Monday of this week at the school. The stamps may be pur chased at a booth in the school hall every Monday. No Sheet Lights, No Fireworks, No Joy Fund Here This Christmas—It’s the War The war is bring a number of ehanges in local customs this Christmas, a survey indicated this week. To start with, there will be no vari-colorcd festoons of street lights this year for the first time in more than a decade. Then the popping of firecrack ers and shooting of roman can dles, sky rockets, and other fire works are to be banned, accord ing to Police Chief P. W. Brown. The shooting of fireworks at Christmastime is peculiarly a southern custom—possibly adopt ed from the Chinese—and is not observed extensively in other sec tions of the nation, although here j it dates back until “the memory of man runneth not to the con trary." In the North and West. July 4th is the time to shoot such noisemakers, but not so observed by youngsters of this section. Chief Brown admitted he might be slightly deaf, say Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, if a teeny-weeny bit of firecrackering was indulged in to release some juvenile exuberance, but he warns that it must not get out of hand, and positively there will be no fireworks permitted anywhere in the business section. Such pow der could better be used against the Japs and Jerries, anyway, according to most folks. The Christmas Joy Fund, usu ally raised here to care for the needs of the less fortunate during the Christmas season, will also be passed up this year. Local fire men in the past have collected and repaired old toys for distri bution among the poor, but this year all the firemen are either in the service or too busy with war work and other duties; and, be sides, it was indicated there will not be much demand for re worked toys this year—with la bor scarce, jobs plentiful, and wages higher. Wardens Prepare for Air Raid Alarm Here Prize Winners at Tuesday Drawing Three new names appeared as winners in the merchants asso ciation drawing Teusday after noon, the sixth in a series of eight. For the past several weeks, there have been several “repeaters” among the winners, but last Tuesday every name drawn was winning for his or her first time. Bill S. Nurney was winner of the $25 War Bond first prize, on a ticket issued for purchase of a War Stamp at Womble’s Drug Store. Mary O. Brown won the second prize of $5 in war stamps, the ticket coming from Allen’s store; and Sallie M. Gardner won the $1 prize on a ticket which did not indicate by whom it was issued. The Plymouth High School Band provided music for the drawing. Find Body Colored Man Missing' Since Early in September -V Two Squirrel Hunters Make Gruesome Discovery in Woods Near Roper ——^ The badly decomp sed body of Tom McCray, 67-year-old colored man who has been missing since Septem ber 10, was found Monday night about a mile back in the woods from his home near Roper. The grue some discovery was made by Joe Spruill and a young man named Morris, while they were squirrel hunting in the Backwoods section, according to Sheriff J. K. Reid, who investigated the matter, along with Coroner Jack Horner. Sheriff Reid said there was no evi dence or indication that the man had met with foul play, and it is believed the aged Negro wandered into the woods and perished after suffering a heart or similar attack. More than $11 in currency and change was found in his pockets, and he was iden tified by a watch and papers found in the clothing. An inquest was not deemed necessary by the •oroner, and the remains were turned over to McCray’s children for burial. McCray was reported missing from his home about the middle of Sep tember, and an extensive search was conducted for him at the time. He lived along, but had several grown sons living nearby who reported his disappearance and who headed searching parties for him. When found, the body was at the end of a road in the woods, lying face down. Vultures had devoured much of the remains, and the sheriff described the incident as one of the most un pleasant he had ever been called on to investigate. Almost Everyone Wants More Gas, But Minister Returns Unused "B" Ration With practically all car owners and drivers waxing indignant over their gasoline allotments, members of the county ration ing board were very agreeably surprised Monday to receive a letter returning an unused “B” book, together with an explana tion that the writer did not have occasion to use the book and hence was returning it in an effort to “cooperate with Uncle Sam.” The book was returned by the Rev. S. B. Wilson, pastor of four Baptist churches and a teacher in the Creswell school. He also explained that since he had en tered school work he had not had the time to visit members of his congregations as much as he ex pected. He requested a renewal of the book, but promised he would not use it unless it was absolutely necessary. W. L. Whitley, chairman of the board, said he had ordered the book renewed without the for mality of a new application. He also sent Mr. Wilson's letter to Leon Henderson, price adminis trator, requesting that a personal letter of commendation be sent to the minister and that the let ter be referred to the President himself. Mr. YWiitley wrote the na tional administrator that such a demonstration of fine, unselfish patriotic spirit should not go un noticed by those high in author ity and that the letter was in marked contrast with the trying and unpleasant criticism so often directed at the local board. Army Will Call for Next Alert Without Warning in Advance -- Brown Urges Local War dens To Be Ready for Alarm Any Time P. W. Brown, chief air-raid war den for Plymouth and Washington County, this week asked all volunteer wardens to be ready for an air-raid alert or blackout that is certain to come—without advance notice—very likely between now and Christmas. Heretofore, advance warning was given of test blackouts, the notice stating the date and approximate hours of the tests. Since no notice will be given in advance and it will not be possible to determine whether it is a test or an actual raid, the lo cal warden hopes his crew will be ready at all times to enforce a suc cessful blackout, if at night, or a successful drill, if the warning comes during the day. Air raid wardens and fire watchers are instructed to report directly to their assigned zones immediately when the alarm is given. Auxiliary firemen, police, first aiders and oth er officials are instructed to report directly to the control center at po lice headquarters here. It was stated that these men are to be depended upon, but they must have the cooperation of the general public if the alert is to be of any value. They are asked to see that every light in their homes, places of business or elsewhere is turned out immediately after the warning is giv en by the fire siren. Air-raid war dens are instructed not to break store windows to turn out any lights left burning where no outside switch has been provided. Such lights left burning should be reported to the control center, and orders will be is sued there. It is possible that the windows may be ordered broken or the wires leading to the building may be cut. Should the warning be given dur ing daylight hours, the streets are to be cleared and all traffic—either day or night—is to stop. Only traffic operating Under special permission will be allowed to continue during the alert. Mr. Brown said it was likely that nothing further will be said about the alert until the alarm is sounded, and people of the community are urged to act in accordance with in structions. I -- i Oil Allotments for Lighting-Cooking Are Being Mailed -e—— Applicants Requested Not To Call at Office Before Middle Next Week The Washington County rationing board office force and volunteer workers were kept busy this week is suing new gasoline ration books for truck owners who had received their certificates of war necessity and ap plicants for fuel oil used for lighting and cooking purposes. The latter task is one of the largest undertaken by the office force, and very likely it will be the middle of next week be fore all the books have been mailed to the several thousand consumers who have filed applications. The big rush in the office of the board here the first of the week was caused by delay of truck owners to apply for their "T” rationing books, which took the place of the “S” books formerly issued them. A great many owners did not understand the instructions, and when the “S” books became of no value December 1, they were caught without any gasoline ex cept that already in their tanks. Probably a great majority of the truck owners had not received their certificates of war necessity Tues day, when the new regulations be came effective, and they were unable (Starts on Page One! County Officers Will Begin New Terms Here Next Monday -... - Three of Officers Elected This Year Now Serving With Armed Forces -<s> New terms will begin for practically all Washington County officers, al though only three changes in the of ficial family were actually effected in primaries last spring and the gener al election last month. C. N. Daven port, sr.t of Creswell, will take the oath of office as treasurer, succeeding W. Unwood Hassell; H. W. Pritchett, of Creswell, will succeed E. P. Swain, also of Creswell, as a member of the board of county commissioners; and Ben A. Sumner, of Plymouth, is the new county representative to the legislature, where a vacancy exists at present. Three successful candidates for of fice in the primary last spring are in the armed services, and it is not known whether they will be present to take the oaths of their offices Monday. All three of them were granted leaves of absence from their county offices by civil authorities, but it is considered doubtful that mili tary authorities will grant them fur loughs to be here for “swearing in” Monday. The three officers are Wil bur M. Darden, clerk of superior court, now stationed in Texas; W. Ronald Gaylord, judge of recorder's court, now in New Mexico; and W. Blount Rodman, solicitor of record er’s court, now in Oklahoma. Sheriff J. K. Reid will enter upon a new four-year term; county com missioners E. G. Arps, of Plymouth, and J. C. Knowles, of Roper, will be gin new two-year terms; and Jack Horner will start a new term as cor oner Monday. The office of regis ter of deeds was not at stake in the election this year, and the term of Mrs. Mary S. Cahoon has two more years 'to, run. The office of representative to the General Assembly is now vacant, by resignation of W. M. Darden, when be became clerk of superior court early this year. Ben A. Sumner is the elected representative, but it is anderstood he does not formally as sume the office until the legislature convenes at Raleigh in January. -iy Asks. Owners To Call for Pictures ' -z E. E. Harrell, owner of the Plym outh Furniture Company, this week announced that he was closing the display of service men's photographs in his show windows, and he requests 111 those who had pictures in the window to call for them at their ear liest .convenience. The display prob ably has attracted more attention than any ever presented here, the number of photos shown having ranged between 250 and 300, accord ing to the store owner. Mr. Harrell expresses his appre ciation to all who brought photo graphs for display in the window. He has already given a handsome service plaque to the parents who brought pictures of their sons in the service. The display was started about six weeks ago. Will Support Price 131 Cents lor Hogs The government took an im portant step last week toward boosting meat production next year by announcing that a mini mum price of S13.2S per hun dredweight for swine would be supported throughout the year 1943. This price is based on the Chicago market, which is about the same as usually quoted in this section for hogs. A price of 13 1-4 cents per pound for live hogs assures a profit to the producer, according to County Agent W. V. Hays. It is expected that swine produc tion in this section will be main tained at present levels, as a re sult of this policy, despite the shortage of labor and feed. The present price of hogs is right around the $13.SS Igurs. Number Women To Get Jobs at Pulp Mill As Vacancies Occur -<g> Being Given Initial Try-Out On Shift Work at Local Plant This Week Female labor for shift work is be ing given its initial try-out at the plant of the North Carolina Pulp Company here this week. Hereto fore women have been employed in the paper mill finishing room only. In the past, men have been used for shift work exclusixely, but the de mands of the armed services of the nation have been making such inroads on the available manpower supply that it has become necessary to take steps to replace them, and the use of labor seemed the logical solution to the problem. Officials of the company empha size that it is planned to use women labor on the production jobs for the duration of the war and it was said that they would be put on the light est and least hazardous jobs in the immediate future. Several women started work at the plant last Satur day, and another group began work Monday. They will continue to be employed as openings occur, and it is estimated that from 100 to 120 can be used in the near future. Wives and dependents of workmen who have gone into the military serv ice are being given preference, pro vided they are physically qualified and capable of performing the work required. Local people are also be ing given first consideration, due to difficulty of providing transportation for out-of-town workers. Applica tions are being received by J. C. Swain, employment manager at the plant, and interviews will be granted each day, Monday through Friday, to those desiring to apply. It was stated that the experience of other concerns had indicated that women could be used advantageously in various capacities as attendants in the laboratory, as crane operators, “tailers” and checkers on the paper machines, weighers, liquor testers, toe-motor operators, and around the new lime kiln. Under state law, women can be employed in such work for not exceeding 9 hours per day, or 48 hours per week. A ‘'beginners" rate of pay of 47 cents an hour has been established, but it was stated that if the women demonstrated they could handle the work as efficiently as men—and no increase in number of employees was required to main tain the same production — they would be paid at the same scale as male employees. Commenting on the new policy of the company, F. H. Humpert, person nel director, said it was in line with the experience of industry in other allied nations. He pointed out that an estimated 90 per cent of Russia’s output and 70 per cent of England’s war industries are being handled by women, “and if we are to put 9,700, 000 men in uniform,” he said, “it will be necessary to utilize women in ev ery job possible in order to keep our plants running.” “While we do not have the spec tacular type of war work,” Mr. Humbert continued, “our contracts with the government for supplying paper must be met. The supplying of paper containers to carry guns, shells, food and clothing constitute a necessary part of the war effort and our delivery promises must be kept.” -$ John E. Phelps of Roper Dies Today News was received here at noon to day of the death at 9:40 this morn ing of John E. Phelps, 53, prominent farmer and hilling station operator of Roper. Mr. Phelps had been in fail ing health for the past three years and had been confined td his home for about eight months. Funeral services will be conducted at the Zion Chapel Christian church tomorrow iFriday) afternoon at 3:30 o’clock, with the rites in charge of the Rev. M. Luther Ambrose, of Washington, assisted by the Rev. Dennis W. Da vis, of Williamston. Interment will follow in the Mizell cemetery. Mr. Phelps Lad been a member and very active worker in the Zions Cha pel church for upwards of 40 years. He was highly respected and well liked throughout the community. He leaves one son, A. R. Phelps, and a grandson, Randolph Bray Phelps, both of Roper. He is also survived by four sisters, Mrs. Myrtle Marrow, of Roper: Mrs. J. R. Bryan, Mrs. R. L. Williams and Mrs. W. V. Piland, all of Portsmouth, Va.; and two brothers, S. D. Davis, of Plym outh; and W. C. Davis, of Virginia Beach, Va. -« Oyster Supper Friday at Roper Community House -«■ Roper.—There will be both fried and stewed oysters served by the Wo man’s Auxiliary of the Episcopal church at the Community House Fri day night, December 4. Ice cream will also be sold. The children are especially invited, and there will be special entertainment and amuse ments for them. Largest Draft Group From County Leaves For Army Next Week Board Members Get Recognition The three members of the Washington County Rationing Board, W. L. Whitley, chairman, E. F. Still and A. J. Riddle, all of Plymouth, were given recognition for their services by federal and state rationing officials last week. They received the volun tary service award, resembling a college diploma, and the mem bers admit they have learned a lot about human nature and their fellowmen since they enter ed upon the rationing job. The award was given for “meritorious service in the war effort and in sincere appercia tion for devotion to the country’s needs through the free and pa triotic sacrifice of personal inter est in the execution of the war price and rationing program.’’ It was signed by I<eon Hender son, national administrator; Os car Straus, jr„ regional adminis trator; and Theodore Johnson, state director. Local Draft'Board Begins Classifying Youths of 18 and 19 -® Will Complete Sending Out Questionnaires To This Group Within Week —« Tilings are looking up around at the office of the local draft board. After weekly meetings every Tues day that lasted until the wee sma’ hours for nearly a month, the board got away about midnight last week, while this week it “cleaned up and cleaned out" by 10:30 p. m. Requests for deferments and postponements have dwindled considerably, : nd Tuesday night the board mermans centered their attention on classify ing the 18 and 19 year old youths whose questionnaires had been re turned. At the meeting this week, every youngster whose questionnaire had been returned was classified as 1-A, subject to physical examination, of course. The clerk will complete send ing out questionnaires to all regis tered in this group within the next week, and it is likely that most of the January quota will be filled from men in this class. Following last week’s wholesale re jection by the Army of men classed as 1-B on account of physical de ficiencies, the local board has been instructed to send not more than 10 per cent of any month's quota from the 1-B class. Only 14 out of 45 men sent to Fort Bragg from the county were accepted last week, and like experience was reported from other counties in this section. Young Women Wanted For Army Clerical Work -s Young women between the ages of 18 and 45, who are high-school grad uates, are needed for service in the U. S. Signal Corps at Arlington, Va. The nature of this work is confiden tial coding, and no typing experience is required. Salary starts at $120 per month and housing provided at Arlington Hall. Those interested in making application are requested to call at the local U. S. Employment Offices in Williamston or Washing ton for further information. -® Creswell Schools Now On Regular Schedule -— Creswell.—After observing a short schedule during the harvest season, the Creswell schools returned to the regular schedule last Tuesday. 63 White Men Get Orders This Week To Leave Tuesday -$ Number Is 12 Short of 75 Men Called for; 30 Are From Plymouth - - ■<£- ■ Sixty-three Washington County white men have been mailed sum mons to report to the office of the local draft board next Tuesday morn ing at 8:30. where they will board busses for Port Bragg to take their final examinations for possible induc tion into the Army. This is the largest single group of white men yet ordered up from the county, and it does not quite represent complete fulfillment of the quota, since the state headquarters issued a call for 75 men on that date. It is possible that last-minute Naval enlistments will reduce the number somewhat, but it is expected that around 60 will be on hand when the busses start moving out Tuesday morning. Of the 63 men ordered to report, 30 are from Plymouth. 17 from Rop er, 15 from Creswell, and 1 from Mackeys. At least two large busses are expected to be required to trans port them to Port Bragg. None of the 18-19-year-olds are included in this contingent, but the January call probably will see a number of them entering the service. The names of those ordered to re port next Tuesday are as follows: From Plymouth: Robert Cromwell Smith, William Edison Waiers, Wil liam A. Roebuck, John R. Crofton, Elisha M. Ramsey. James H. Bate man. Enoch L. McNair, Harley L. Jackson, Bonnie R. Bowen, Lawrence T. Norman. Joseph M. Smith, Adnall H. Nobles, Merrit F. Ward, Delma L. Modlin, William H. Ambrose, Patrick D. Hamilton, Robert W. Gardner. Herman L. Owens, Willie E. Law rence, Harry E. Browning, Gartel L. Skidmore, Robert W Swain, Artie Jackson, Eli Jack Spruill, William T. Clifton. Prank T^.inkley, W. TetteVton. Joseph A. Jotlws, Jr seph E. Nooney, and David E. Crad dock Creswell: Eddie Ransom Stillman, bert Lee Hufton, Grady M. Chesson. William D. Davis. Wilmer D. Swain. John Hassell, Thomas G. Sexton. Willie J. Taylor. John C. Hassell, Thomas E. Dunbar, Daniel C. Swain. John T. Stevenson. Paul E. Phelps. Warren Alexander, Clarence W. Tar kenton, William H. Ambrose, and Rufus P. Barnes. Creswell: Edie Ransom Stillman. Samuel M. Gibbs, George W. Morris. Jesse W. Spruill. John S. Swain. James A. Haire, Dallas M. Spear, Glen Clifton, Joseph A. Phelps, Sid ney C. Smithson. Leon G. Clifton, La Edgar Ambrose, Benjamin A. Daven port, Howard P. Barnes, Louis M. Spear. Mackeys: Glenwood H. Spruill. -® Gaither Named To Rationing Board - ■■ A The Rev. B. W. Gaither, of Cres well, was this week named communi ty service member of the Washing ton County War Price and Rationing Board, according to announcement by W. L. Whitley, chairman. It is explained that a fourth member is being named to all local rationing boards whose principal duty will be to provide more systematic ways of securing support of the general pub lic for the objectives and work of the rationing authorities. In general, Mr. Gaither, as the community service member, will serve as public relations representative of the Washington County Board. He was nominated for the place by the chairman of the rationing board, the chairman of the Civilian Defense Committee, the clerk of the superior court, and the chairman of the board of county commissioners. County Again Topped Its War Bond Allotment by Sales During November Washington County has again more than topped its monthly quota of War Bond sales, accord ing to a report by H. E. Beam, county chairman, made yester day. Mr. Beam said that No vember sales — not including those made in Creswell. from which no report has been receiv ed—totaled $31,250, while the county quota for the month was $28,000. Incidentally, the No vember quota represented a size able increase over that for seve ral preceding months, from $16, 500 to $28,000. The Branch Bank here led in sales during November, with $16, 800; the Plymouth post office was next with an even $12,000. while the sales at the Roper post office amounted to $2,450. All the amounts cited represent the maturity value of the bonds. It is expected that when the Cres well report is received the county total will be upped by several thousand dollars. In addition to the $31,250 worth of bonds sold, the local post office repeated the sale of approximately $12,000 worth of War Stamps, which will be re flected in bond totals later when they are turned in. November stamp sales were up nearly 50 per cent over October, due prin cipally, it is believed, to the cam paign being conducted by 25 Plymouth merchants, who are cooperating to give away $S1 worth of prizes weekly to throe lucky stamp purchasers.