North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoke Beacon ******* and Washington County News ******* Kr htory... Umy VMTTCD STATES DEFENSE BONDS * 8TAMPS VOLUME LIV—NUMBER 21 Plymouth, Washington County, North,Carolina, Thursday, May 21, 19" ? ESTABLISHED 1889 Town opics News was received here this week that Ensign W. A. Davidson, jr„ had been recently promoted to the rank of lieutenant <junior grade) in the United States Navy. Lieutenant Davidson, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Davidson here, is a Naval aviator and recently was serving on an airplane carrier in the Southwest Pacific. County fanners are said to be just about through with their planting tasks in connection with this year's field crops. Much tobacco had to be reset after the first transplanting, but as a whole the present outlook is not bad, according to reports. To relieve retailers of an “end-of the-month" buying rush, the time for using blue stamps G, H and J in War Ration Book 2 has been extended one week. Instead of expiring May 31, blue stamps G. H and J will be good through June 7. The next three sets of blue stamps—K. L and M. total ing 48 points—became valid last Monday and will continue good through July 7. This means that blue stamps G, H, J. K. L and M are all good during the two-week "overlap" period from May 24 through June 7. In announcing this week the validity of sugar rationing' stamps Nos. 15 and 16 for se curing sugar for canning fruits and fruit juices, the local OPA board secretary emphasizes that such sugar can be used only for canning purposes. It is strictly a violation of regulations to use sugar obtained on stamps Nos. 15 and 16 for any other purpose. William R. Darden, who was se verely wounded at Oran last Novem ber, when the United Nations launch ed the North African invasion, was this week given an honorable dis charge from the United States Navy and has returned to his home here. He received five machine-gun bul let wounds in the legs, numerous shrapnel wounds, and his ear drums were burst in the Oran action. He was cited and given two promotions in grade for meritorious conduct un der fire at the time. Fred W. Bateman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Dean Bateman, of Skinners ville Township, will graduate from the United States Naval Midship man’s School at Notre Dame Uni versity, Notre Dame, Ind., today. Upon graduation he will be com a missioned an ensign in the U. S. % Naval Reserve and assigned to active /■ duty, Mrs. AHlRSt Vail, was recently pro moted to the grade of sergeant in the United States Army Air Forces. He entered the Army in September of last year and is now stationed at Madison, Wis., with an academic squadron. Albemarle Beach To Open Friday ' Night for Season Dance Tomorrow Night Is Free; Formal Opening Week Later -® Plans are complete for the infor mal opening of Albemarle Beach, about 7 miles from Plymouth on Al bemarle Sound, with a free dance tomorrow night, the music furnished by latest recordings, and the public is urged to attend. Tire formal opening of the beach has been set for one week later, Fri day night of next week, June 4, with Hal Thurston and His Orchestra providing music for the dance, Mr. Gurkin said. Mr. Gurkin has had a crew of men busy at the resort for the past week or more, repainting, repairing and otherwise getting everything all set for the new season. Bathing, boat ing and dancing are the main attrac tions at the beach, and they will all be available to patrons this week end. Albemarle Beach is expected to have a banner season this year, since its location so near to Plymouth will doubtless make it more popular than ever. Mr. Gurkin has made every preparation to take care of the large crowds expected; and he announces that special rates will be put into effect for service men home on fur lough. Cottages at the beach have been repaired and put into shape for the coming season, and the owner says that he has several for rent at this time. County Bond Sales Probably Will Be Three Times Quota lor Month oi May Washington county will very probably triple its bond quota for this month, it was learned this week from H. E. Beam, county chairman of War Bond sales. Total sales throughout the county, as reported by the Fed eral Reserve Board, up to May 15 stood at S13.500, issue value, while the quota for the month is S21.243. Sales here last Friday amount ed to S48.000, maturity value, or S36.000 issue price; and it is known that several additional thousand dollars’ worth of bonds have been sold since then. It it estimated that the issue value" of series E bonds sold in the county this month is around S60 000 at this time. The maturity value of that amount of bonds would be S80.000. Since official quotas were first issued about a year ago, Wash ington County has "gone over the top" every month except one; and the deficit for that single month was more than made up the next month. In the matter of buying its share of bonds, Washington County ranks well among the leaders throughout the nation. Speed Limit Violators May Lose Gas Rations Theatre To Have Weekly Bond Day Beginning next week, every Monday will be War Bond Day at the Plymouth Theatre, it was announced today by Marian Brinkley, manager, and Bernice Brinkley. The total receipts of the theatre on Mondays will be put into United States War Bonds. Miss Brinkley said that every penny taken in at the box office on Mondays would be used to buy War Bonds, and thus will go directly into the war effort. Pat rons are urged to remember this in making their plans to attend shows at the local theatre in the future. Funeral Services for Cecil A. Swain Held In Creswell Sunday -® Prominent County Citizen Died in Norfolk Hospital Last Thursady -® Creswell.—Funeral services for Ce cil A. Swain, 53, were conducted Sun day afternoon at Christ Episcopal Church by the Rev. C. E. Williams of New Bern assisted by the Rev. B. W. Gaither, rector of the church. Mr. Swain, life long resident of Washington County died in a Nor folk hospital Thursday after being in ill health for a year. He was an active member of Christ Episcopal Church and was a vestryman at the time of his death. He was former mayor of the town of Creswell. serv ing for six years. During the service the church choir sang "Hark, Hark, My Soul’’ and "There Is a Blessed Home.” Mrs. Milton Starr, Mrs. R. T. Hopkins, Mrs. A. C. Harris, R. L. Litchfield and Harry Pritchette sang "Abide With Me.” Burial was made in St. David’s Church cemetery. Pallbearers were Edgar S. Woodley, Josh G. Wood ley, Walter D. Peele. Sidney C. Smithson, Webb L. Davenport and Clyde S. Smithson. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. C. A. Swain, two daughters, Mrs. John S. Armfield, of Chicago, and Miss Betty Swain, of Creswell, and one brother, Frank Swain of Creswell. Fuel-Oil Applications Will Be Mailed Soon «> Mrs. Sabrie W. Reid, secretary to the Washington War Price and Ra tioning Board, said this week that she was planning to mail out ap plications within the next week or so to all those who use fuel oil for heating, Application blanks for this purpose were supposed to be in the hands of local board by May 20, but they have not yet been received here, When they do come in, it will not be necessary for applicants to go to the ration board office for them, as they will be mailed out. Fuel-oil allotments for the com ing season will be substantially the same as last year, it was indicated. OPA Inspectors Here Last Week To Check All Gas Supplement Requests Several UFA ottieials were nere last week to check over all ap lications for gasoline supple ments on file in the office of the local rationing board. A written report on findings will be sent to the board here within the next few days, it was indicated. Those making the survey included W. K. Bernhard and Mr. Johnson, from the Raleigh office, and Frank Copeland, field rationing officer, of New Bern. Mrs. Sabrie W. Reid, secretary to the Washington County Board, said that the OPA in spectors went over every appli catiun tur siuppiciiiciiwu line allotment in the files here. They stated before they left that the work of the local board was on parity with the best they had found anywhere in the state. When their report is received, it is possible that a few supple mental allotments may be called in for correction, but the inspec tors indicated that the Washing ton County Board had scrupu lously observed the regulations in issuing supplements and that there would be hardly any changes made. Special Panel To Be Set Up To Consider Future Such Cases -<s> Those Convicted of Improp er Use Tires and Gas May Be Severely Penalizad -4 Improper use of gasoline and tires is likely to cause some Washington County motorists to lose the use of their cars for stated periods ranging up to the duration of the war. as soon as instructions received this week from state OPA headquarters are carried out. The local war price and rationing board was directed to hear violators cited for violation of the regulations or to take steps to have a special panel set up to hear such cases. Such hearings ill other counties of this section have resulted in cancel lation of all gasoline rations for specific periods. Persons convicted of exceeding the 35-mile speed limit have constituted a majority of the victims, and the first offense in some counties brings a 30-day sus pension of gasoline rations for the vi ilator. Repeated violations or more serious offenses in a few cases have resulted in cancellation of all gasoline and tire rations for the du ration of the war. Members of the Washington County Rationing Board have indi cated that they would decline to serve as a court to hear such cases. It is expected that state OPA of ficials will call on the chaiiman of the local Civilian Defense Council, the clerk of the superior court, and the chairman of the county board of commissioners to recommend the appointment of a panel to hear and pass on cases of gasoline rationing violations. Just when such a panel will be set up and begin functioning is not known. It is expected that action will begin very shortly, however, as a number of county people have al ready been convicted in justice of the peace courts for violating the 35-mile speed limit; and in all such cases the violators are to be certi fied to the rationing board for a hearing as to whether or not their gasoline rations should be suspended. In this county, P. B. Bateman is chairman of the Civilian Defense Council; W. B. Cox is acting clerk of superior court; and E. G. Arps is chairman of the county board of commisisoners. It is expected that they will be called on to nominate members of a special panel to hear and pass on citations for abuse of gasoline and tire allotments. Local Scouls Won Awards at Camp -® ■ ■■ Local Boy Scouts made a splendid showing at the district camporee in Williamston recently, it was learned this week from Louis Trunzo, who accompanied the two patrols from here. Both the Wolf and Silver Pox patrols won blue ribbons for all round camping excellence, the high est award given at the camporee. The local group was quite proud of its record at the camporee, both pa trols getting a total of more than 800 points out of a possible 1,000 for participation in the camporee acti vities, There were 15 boys, Mr. Trun zo and the Rev. W. B. Daniels in at tendance. Mr. Trunzo and the bays who at tended the camporee from here say that it is possible to have a camporee held in Plymouth in the near future. He is enthused over the prospect, quoting J. T. Uzzle. assistant council executive, as saying that from 250 to 300 boys would attend such an event in Plymouth. The boys would come from troops throughout the whole section, including those in Greenville, Washington, Belhaven. Williamston, Robersonville, Jamesville, Creswell and Columbia. Mr. Uzzle will be here within an other week or so, and it is likely that the idea may b« further dis cussed then. Sessions Recorder's Court Resumed Last Tuesday by Owens -® To Carry On Without Serv ices of Solicitor for Next Few Weeks -- After a three-weeks lay-off. the Washington County Recorder's Court convened Tuesday morning at its regular time. Edward L. Owens, who announced his resignation as judge nearly a month ago. returned to the bench for the session Tuesday. Judge Owens announced that he would hold sessions this week and next, pending action by the county commissioners next first Monday on his request that a regular solicitor be oppointed. For the next two Tues days, at least, the court will be with out the services of a solicitor, and Mr. Owens said that in the event a jury trial was demanded in the in terim sessions, he would direct the jury as to the type of verdict to bring in: reminding protesting at torneys that they still had the right of appeal to the superior court. Continuance of the county record er’s court as at present constituted hinges on the ability of the county commissioners to secure the services of a solicitor. Mr. Owens has an nounced that he will not continue to serve as judge unless a regular so licitor can be secured. For the past several months, the court has ope rated without a regular solicitor; the judge designating one of the local at torneys to serve when the occasion required it. The latter procedure worked very well until about a month ago, when one defendant employed to represent him both the attorneys who had been serving as solicitor. This left the court without a prosecuting attorney, and Judge Owens at first announced that he was resigning, later deciding to continue for the time being until the commissioners had a chance to secure a regular solicitor. The job as solicitor has “gone beg ging"; none of the local attorneys being willing to serve regularly in that capacity at the present rate of pay. $60 a month. It is understood that the county board is willing to raise the “ante'’ to $80, but whether or not that is sufficient to assure continuance of the court is not known at this time. Final Riles Sunday For Warren Griffin Warren Griffin, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Griffin, of Mackeys. died last Thursday in a Norfolk hos pital after an illness of about a week. Born in Martin County 37 years ago. he moved with his parents to Mack eys shortly afterwards and lived there until he went to work with the Vir ginia Electric & Power Company in Norfolk about two years ago. He was born March 3, 1906. at Jamesville in Martin County. How ever, he was raised in the Mackeys section, and he and his family were well known and highly regarded throughout this section. He was never married. Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon from the home of his bro ther, J. T. Griffin, at Mackeys by the Rev. G. C. Wood, pastor of the Roper Methodist church, and interment made in the cemetery at Saints De light church. A large crowd of rela tives and friends attended, and there was a profuse floral offering. Mr. Griffin is survived by two sis ters, Mrs. Lyman Mayo, of Plymouth and Norfolk; Miss Ludie May Grif fin, of Norfolk; and three brothers. James Griffin, of the U. S. Army, stationed at Little Rock, Ark.; J. T. and Jessie Griffin, of Mackeys. -•— Number Local Merchants Visit Wholesale Markets -a Quite a number of local merchants are visiting wholesale markets in various parts of the country this week to replenish stocks of their stores. James W. Norman, of the Norman Furniture Company, is in High Point on the furniture market: L. S. Thompson and Abe Adler left Sun day night for New York to get in touch with wholesalers there: and A. J. Byrd is in Baltimore to buy summer clothing for Byrd's Clothing Store. NY A Training Courses Available To Youths -@ The United States Employment Office here announces that Miss Isa belle B. Warren, NYA representative, will interview all youths interested in taking NYA training courses at the local courthouse every Friday, be tween the hours of 10 and 11 a. m. Boys from 16 years to 17 years, 4 months; and girls from 16 years, 9 months, to 25 years old are eligible. Those who are interested in ma chine shop, foundry, sheet metal, air craft woodwork, welding, or radio will find this to be a wonderful oppor tunity to learn a trade that will fur ther the war effort. Those who want further informa tion are urged to come to the United States Employment Office, located in the basement of the courthouse here. Army Air Force Officers To Conduct Meeting at Courthouse Here Friday P. W. Brown, district chief, and Edw. S. I Ted I Blount, chief ob server of the Plymouth Observa tion Post, urge all volunteer air plane “spotters" to attend the meeting in the courthouse here tomorrow night (Friday) at 8 p.m. Staff Sergeant C. G. Leh ner. of the Norfolk Air Defense Wing, and other Army Air Force officers will be present to con duct the meeting. The importance of the Ground Observer Corps and suggestions for carrying on the work in this section will be dealt with at the j meeting:. If possible, a movie pertaining to the work will be shown. All volunteers are especially re quested to be present, and the general public is invited. Ad ditional volunteers are needed to man the local post, and it is hoped that many local citizens who are not now serving will at tend the meeting and sign up to help do their part. An interest ing and entertaining program will be presented, according to a letter from the visiting of 1 fleers. Bond Sale Last Friday T otals Nearly $50,000 Was Most Successful Event of Its Kind Ever Held in County -■ — Bids on Individual Prizes Ranged Up To $5,600; Many Over $1,000 -$ Washington County Victory Bond Day here last Friday was an un qualified success. According to H. E. Beam, county chairman of War Bond sales, more than $48,000 worth of bonds were sold at the two auction sales, which was more than double what even the more optimistic thought would be sold. Other fea tures on the day's program were well received by the large number of people who came here to attend the observance. Although disappointed by last minute cancellation of plans to have a battery of field artillery and an Army band here for the day, mem bers of the local merchants associa tion, who sponsored the program, made other arrangements for enter tainment of the visitors throughout the day. The Edenton High School Band was here and contributed very sub stantially in helping out the local high school band in putting over the pet and bicycle parade in the morn ing. Billie Peele won first prize in the pet parade. $3 worth of theatre tickets; and Jimmie Allen won sec ond prize, $2 worth of tickets. In the bicycle parade. Bill Duke Gay won $3 worth of tickets as first prize, and Shelton Owens $2 worth as sec ond. All the prizes were donated by the Plymouth Theatre. Large crowds were on hand for the free shows at the theatre, made pos sible by the North Carolina Pulp Company, the M-G-M Film Corpora tion and the management of the Plymouth theatre. The film showing the operation of the pulp plant here came in for especial commendation, and was thoroughly enjoyed by the large number who attended. However, it was the two big bond auctions that proved the most suc cessful events of the day. Local merchants, business houses and a few patriotic individuals contributed more than $500 worth of prizes which were auctioned off to the highest bidders for bonds. At the afternoon auction, approximately $2,500 worth of bonds were sold, while the big sale took place at the night show. "Jakie” Taylor, tobacco auctioneer from Robersonville. conducted the bond auctions, assisted by J. Roy Manning. L. S. Thompson. W. H. Peele and other members of the mer chants association. The most popu ~ ^See^BOND^SALETPage^i -$ Army Accepts 6 - 8 Out 21 From Here -$ Six men were accepted, the status of two others is not known, and thirteen were rejected out of the May draft contingent of white men from this county who were given their ex aminations at Fort Bragg last Mon day. At least one and possibly two of them were held over for further examination, while the others re turned Tuesday night. Those who were accepted are as follows: Charlie F. Lefever. of We nona; Bailey Caswell Phelps, of Cres well; Charles Rowe Gaither, of Cres well; Marshall Gray Ange, of Plym outh; Charles Wilbert Davenport, of Creswell; and Harold Ray Holton. Originally, 26 men were scheduled to leave here Monday for possible in duction. but there were a number of last-minute transfers to other boards, which reduced the actual number to 21. Silver Tea at Roper Next Tuesday Night -* Roper.—The Woman's Society of Christian Service will sponsor a sil ver tea at the Community Building here next Tuesday evening at 8 o'clock. The public is cordially in vited. Lower Rates for Schedule 'B' Tax J. Roy Overby, of Wllliamston, deputy commissioner of the N. C. Department of Revenue for this district, said while here last week that a large number of sehedule "B" privilege tax licenses were reduced by the last General As sembly. The new license taxes are due June 1st, and those who receive application blanks thru the mail are directed to check the rates before filing their ap plications. A schedule of the revised rates is enclosed with each application blank mailed out. and items in bold type indicate that the rate has been changed since last year. Bailey “Gels Ruling On Prices Producers May Get For'Spuds' -® $3.40, Plus Actual Cost of Transporting, May Be Charged Consumers Although announcement has been made in the newspapers that the base ceiling price of irish potatoes lias been raised from $2.40 to $2.70. Carl L. Bailey, chairman of the price-ceil ing panel of the local war price and rationing board, said that no official word of the increase had been receiv ed by the state board yesterday. Mr. Bailey called Raleigh to find out how much a Tyrrell County farm er could charge for potatoes deliver ed directly to consumers here. He was informed that a producer could add 25 cents per 100 pounds for po tatoes sold to retailers and $1 per per 100 pounds for potatoes sold directly to consumers, plus the actual cost of transportation to the buyer. In other words, the Tyrrell farmer can charge retailers here $2.65 per 100 pounds, plus actual transpcurtatioci costs: and he can charge consumers here $3.40 per 100 pounds, plus trans portation costs. Irish potatoes have been very scarce in local stores for the past couple of weeks. When they could be bought, they usually sold for about 5‘a to 7 cents a pound. The par ticular farmer for whom Mr. Bailey secured the ruling yesterday was plannning to bring a load of pota toes here the latter part of this week, and he wanted to know how much he could legally charge for them. If he brings them and offers them at the prices quoted above, it is believ ed that he will have no difficulty in disposing of liis load in short order. Local Ration Board Without Chairman; All Refuse To Serve Matter Is'Now in Hands of State OPA Office at * Raleigh No one ha? yet been found to serve as chairman of the Washington County War Price and Rationing Board. W. I. Whitley, who has serv ed in that capacity since the board was first named more than a year ago, resigned last week: and the chairmanship has since been offered to the other three mmebrrs. all of whom declined to serve. It is not known what steps will be taken to straighten out the local sit uation. as the matter has been thrown back into the hands of the state OPA office at Raleigh. It may be necessary to add another mem ber, who will agree to serve as chair man, to the board: or some other action may be taken. It is necessary' that the local board be completely organized by the election of a chair man, but all of the present members have been canvassed and all of them have declined positively to serve. W. L. Whitley, E. F. Still and A. J. Riddle are the members of the original board. Since they were named, the Rev. B. W. Gaither, of Cresweil. tvas added as public rela tions director, and Edward H. Hill volunteered to become a member. Members of the board serve with out compensation. They have ren dered a patriotic service, working long hours in considering the vari ous applications for rationed articles, and they are many times unjustly accused of showing favoritism, when as a matter of fact, their decisions necessarily are based on regulations which they are sworn to uphold. They have no power or authority to change the regulations, and most thinking people who know what they are up against concede that the Washington County board members have rendered a splendid unselfish service. Poppies To Be Sold Here Saturday In Memory War Dead Legion Auxiliary in Charge Of Sale: Funds Used for Benefit of Veterans - Poppies in tribute to America's battle dead of two wars will be sold on the streets here Saturday of this week, the sale to be sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary, it was announced this week by Mrs. L. V. Landing, president. The poppies worn this year will honor the men who have given their lives in the present conflict as well as those who fell among the poppies of France and Belgium 2ft years ago. The nation-wide sale of memorial poppies was begun by the Legion and Auxiliary in 1921. At first, silk pop pies made in France by French wid ows and orphans were used. In 1922 the first poppies made by American veterans were produced in the hos pitals of Minnesota, and this work has steadily expanded until poppies are being made in more than 50 hos pitals and disabled veterans’ work rooms in 40 different state. The money contributed for the flowers will go entirely for the rehabilita tion and child welfare funds of the , auxiliary, where they will support ef | forts to assist disabled fighting men ; of both wars and the children of the | dead and disabled. The poppy sale in Plymouth will ! be under the direction of Mrs. Wade Johnson, chairman, and volunteer I workers of the auxiliary. Five hun dred poppies have been ordered, and | it is believed all will be disposed of. Subscription Rates Advance Tuesday Effective June 1, 1943, there will he a general increase in sub scription rates of the Roanoke Beacon to everyone except men in the armed forces. It is with regret and reluctance that the publishers make this announeement. For more than a year every effort has been made to maintain the present SI.50 base rate, which is the same as it was even during the depression years of the early thirties. It is no longer possible to do so, in the face of greatly increased costs of everything that goes into the printing of a newspaper—labor, paper, ink, cuts, type, and supplies for the maintenance of equipment. Therefore, effective June 1, 1943. the following schedule of rates will prevail: To persons living in Washington, Tyrrell. Beaufort and Martin Counties: One year. $2; six months. SI.25: and single copies, 5 cents. No subscriptions will be accepted for less than six months. To persons living outside of Washington. Tyrrell. Beaufort and Martin Counties: One year, $2.50; six months, $1.50. A special rale of $1.50 per year will be granted to men in the armed services of the United States. Subscriptions will continue to be accepted at the old rate until June 1, but for no longer than two years in advance. Pursuant to postal regulations, all subscriptions arc strictly cash in advance. Notices are being mailed out to approximately 150 subscribers whose subscriptions expire this month: and they may renew at the $1.50 rate if thev come in before the first of June; otherwise the new schedules will apply.