The Roanoke Beacon
* * * * * * * AND WASHINGTON C>OUNTY NEWS * ★ ★ ★ * * *
VOLUME LV-—NUMBER 6 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, February 10, 1944
EVERYBODY
EVERY PAYDAY
SAVINS III
WAS BONDS
ESTABIISHED 1885
Show Your Colors! - Back the Attack by Buying War Bonds
Town
opics
?«. ...............
First Sergeant Grady “Sprat” Har
den, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Har
den, arrived Monday to spend about
10 days here with relatives and
friends. He is in a Medical Corps
unit and at the present time is sta
tioned at Fort Jackson, S. C. Ser
geant Harden has been in the serv
ice for about three years.
The use of Italian prisoners of war
for work at the plant of the Farm
ers Cotton & Peanut Company here
was held up for some reason this
week, it was learned from James E.
Davenport, a member of the firm.
They were due to begin work at the
plant Monday, but it is not known
now when they will be secured.
Captain Leon Ganderson, of the
U. S. Army Quartermaster Corps,
visited his brother, Ben Ganderson.
and sister, Mrs. J. S. Shugar, here last
week. He had just returned from
the Alaskan and Aleutian Islands
area, where he has been stationed
for 21 months, during which he took
part in the Attu and Kiska cam
paigns against the Japanese. He
was home for only a few days, and
returned to his duties this week.
Most county farmers have
completed preparation of their
tobacco plant beds, according to
County Agent W. V. Hays. Mr.
Hays said he believed the yard
age planted to seed beds was
probably the largest In a number
of years, and he believes growers
will have enough plants, with a
normal season, to amply take
care of the 20 per cent acreage
Increase allowed.
Staff Sergeant Hanley Hayes, of
Hampton, Va., is visiting Shep Brink
ley here this week. For the past 27
months he has been in Jamaica,
British West Indies, but is now back
for six months duty in the United
States.
Luke A. Armstrong, second-class
machinist’s mate in the U. S. Navy,
was recently transferred to Murray,
Ky., where he is receiving training
for service in the Naval air arm. He
Is the son of Mr. and Mrs. O. S.
Armstrong.
H. W. "Pop” Taylor, alumni secre
tary, and J. Y. Lassiter, extension
horticulturist, of State College, Ra
leigh, were here to see County Agent
W. V. Hays Wednesday morning.
They had been down to Columbia for
- a meeting with State alumni Tuesday
night and were on their way back to
Raleigh.
The practice blackout Tuesday
night was declared to have been
a success here. A few isolated
instances of failure to cooperate
were reported shortly after the
first alarm sounded, but they
were all cleared up in a short
time, according to P. W. Brown,
chief air-raid warden.
Irvin Respass, first-class shipfltter
with the U. S. Naval "Seabees,” re
cently underwent an operation on
his hip while in the Southwest Pa
cific and is now in a Long Beach.
Calif., Naval hospital, it was learned
from his wife here this week. He en
tered the service in November, 1942,
and was in the South Pacific for near
ly a year. Claude Jones and Hugh
Roberson, also of Plymouth, were in
the same unit and all three of them
served on the same island until Res
pass was recently brought back to the
United States.
Chief Petty Officer Carlton Peele,
of the United States Navy, visited his
brother, W. H. Peele, and family
here last Friday. Chief Peele is only’
31 years of age, but has 14'/2 years
service in the Navy to his credit. He
has seen considerable battle action
in the Pacific, including the conquest
of Attu Island in the Aleutians.
A number of county farmers have
signed up with C. C. Lang & Son to
grow cucumbers during the coming
season, it was learned this week from
C. W. Dinkins, manager of the local
plant. About 300 acres are being
sought in this section, he said.
-$
Degree Work at Local
Masonic Lodge Tuesday
-®
There will be a regular meeting of
Perseverance Lodge, No. 59, A. F. &
A. M., next Tuesday night at 8
o’clock, followed by work in the third
degree, it was announced today by
Edward L. Owens, the master. All
Master Masons are cordially invited
and urged to attend.
! L. E. Hassell d Soper, Elected Acting j
i Chairman oi Education Board Nonday i
' fmmmnnmmmmmmMWMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. .mm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmml
L. E. Hassell, sr.. of Roper, was
named acting chairman of the
Washington County Board of Ed
ucation at its regular meeting
here Monday, after the resigna
tion of P. M. Arps was accepted
by the board. Mr. Arps presided
over the board meeting for the
last time, and imediately after
wards was sworn in as chairman
of the county ABC board by As
sistant Clerk of the Superior
Court W. B. Cox.
Mr. Hassell will continue to
serve as acting chairman of the
education board until Mr. Arps’
successor is appointed by the
county Democratic executive
committee. Paul B. Belanga, of
Creswell, is the other member,
and it is expected that the board
will be reorganized on a perman
ent basis after a new member is
appointed.
No meeting of the county
Democratic executive committee
has yet been called to select a
successor to Mr. Arps. County
Commissioner E. G. Arps is
chairman of the executive com
mittee.
•i
School at Creswell
Leads Dime Drive
Creswell.—A most successful
March of Dimes campaign was
conducted at the Creswell school
Wednesday of last wek for the
benefit of the National Infantile
Paralysis Foundation.
Principal T. J. Collier offered
to raise the pennant of every
grade that gave 100 per cent to
the cause. When the school was
assembled In front of the school
building at the conclusion of the
drive, penants of all the 12 grades
were flying.
Every student in the school
gave a dime or more, and a total
of $48.62 was realized. While
asembled, Mr. Coliler led the stu
dent body in singing “Happy
Birthday" in honor of President
Roosevelt.
Negro io Be Tried in
Superior Court for
Attempted Robbery
Attempt Occurred Saturday
At White’s Store in
Skinnersville
Frank Crew, 21-year-old Negro, of
Washington. Ga., was arrested Mon
day by Deputy Sheriff W. D. Peal, of
Creswell, and lodged in the county
jail here, charged with attempting
to hold up and rob Miss Alice White
at the store of her brother, W. W.
White, in Skinnersville last Saturday
about non. He was given a prelimi
nary hearing in recorder’s court here
Tuesday and ordered held on prob
able cause until the July term of su
perior court.
Miss White was alone in the store
at the time the Negro came in and
demanded money. She testified in
recorder's court that he pointed a
pistol at her and fired several shots
when she screamed and ran. Her
brother, C. T. White, who was a short
distance away, testified that he heard
the shots and ran to her assistance.
Crew testified that he was released
from the Washington County prison
i camp at 8:30 the same morning. He
j admitted demanding money from
I Miss White, but denied that he had
a pistol. Officers stated that they
! had been unable to locate the gun or
find bullet holes inside the store.
Crew ran out the front door and
later made his way to Plymouth. He
remained here over Sunday and then
returned to the Skinnersville section
Monday morning, where he was pick
ed up on the highway by Deputy
Sheriff Peal. Officers said that Crew
had served 16 months in the prison
camp for a robbery understood to
have been committed in Beaufort
County.
-®
Whiskey Books Issued on
Tuesdays and Wednesdays
<s>.
Issuance of whiskey rationing
books No. 2 will be resumed next
week, but in the future they will be
issued only on Tuesdays and Wednes
days of each week, it was announced
yesterday by P. M. Arps, new chair
man of the Washington County ABC
Board. Mrs. H. Marion Ramsey is
the issuing agent, and books may be
obtained only at her office on Wa
ter Street here on Tuesdays and
Wednesdays.
| H. H. McLean Appointed Supervisor
i Of Aircraft Warning Service in County
Following the recent resigna
tion of P. W. Brown, of Plym
outh, as head of the Aircraft
Warning Service in Washington
County, it was announced last
week that the First Fighter Com
mand at Norfolk, Va„ had ap
proved the appointment to that
post of H. H. McLean, county
superintendent of public Instruc
tion.
It Is explained by the First
Figbter Command that Mr. Mc
Lean will be the middleman In
the partnership between the
Army Air Forces and the civilian
population in keeping intact the
organization of the Ground Ob
server Corps. This organization
is being kept on an “alert" basis,
with the four spotting posts in
the county manned one after
noon each week. However, it Is
suposed to be able to go into ope
ration on a 24-hour basis If the
need should arise.
Mr. McLean, as area supervisor,
has jurisdiction over the observa
tion posts located in Plymouth,
Ropor, Cresweli and Wenona.
County and Town
Tax Collections Set
New High Record
Approximately 80 Per Cent
Of Levies Collected Up
To February 1st
-*
Nearly as many people have al
ready paid their 1943 taxes as have
listed their property for 1944, it was
learned this week at the offices of
the county and town tax collectors.
P. W. Brown, chief of police and
tax collector for the Town of Plym
outh, said that he collected about
$28,000 in 1943 taxes up to February
1, when the 1 per cent penalty be
came effective. The total levy for
the town is approximately $35,000,
which means that around 80 per cent
of the levy has been collected.
J. E. Davenport, county tax collec
tor, yesterday was still adding up
figures on the amount of taxes col
lected during the last few days of
January, before the 1 per cent pen
alty was added, and Said that he
could not at this time give an exact
figure, although he estimated about
80 per cent of the levy had been col
lected. Tire total county levy Is
$114,851.59.
Both the collectors said that the
amount of taxes collected at this
time was far greater than it had ever
been before in a comparable period
of time. Better economic conditions,
of course, are reflected In the tax col
lections, and there is a disposition on
the part of most taxpayers to pay
their accounts before the penalties
are added.
Another 1 per cent penalty will be
added to unpaid 1943 accounts be
ginning March 1st, making the pen
alty 2 per cent. Collections, as a
rule, are greatest in December and
January, when taxes are payable at
par. March is said to be an unusual
ly poor month, since Federal and
state income taxes are also due not
later than the 15th.
-$
Firemen Called Out
Twice in Past Week
-$
The local volunteer fire depart
ment was called out twice recently
to extinguish fires in this section.
Neither fire did any serious damage
according to Fire Chief Miller War
ren.
Last Saturday night the fire de
partment was called to a fire in the
woods and underbrush behind the
colored school building. The fire was
not serious and soon burnt out of its
own accord.
Accumulation of soot in a chimney
of the home of C. L. Blount, in the
apartment of Keith Arnold, caused
the flue to bum out Wednesday af
ternon. The firemen answered the
alarm and the fire was soon under
control. No damage was done to the
home which is located on Main Street.
-$
P. M. Arps Sworn in as
Chairman of ABC Board
-*
P. M. Arps formally qualified last
I Monday for the office of chairman of
the Washington ABC Board and en
tered upon his new duties. Mr. Arps
resigned as chairman of the county
board of education at its regular
; meeting that morning and began his
I work Immediately after taking the
j oath of office before Assistant Clerk
, of Superior Court W. B. Cox.
Aubrey R. Phelps, of Roper, and
Mrs. Viola Smithson, of Creswell, are
; the other members of the ABC board.
Ceiling Price on Eggs
Is 48 Cents This Week
-9
The maximum retail celling price
for ungraded country eggs for the
current week is 48 cents per dozen,
it was learned at the office of the
Washington County War Price and
Rationing Board yesterday. It is
dointed out that 48 cents is the maxi
: mum price, and that lower prices
| than this may be charged legally. It
i was reported Monday that a few sell
ers had the idea that 48 cents was
the least they could charge for eggs.
IA number of retail establishments
! here are selling eggs for several cents
a doeen less than the maximum price.
Cily Council Favors
Program This Year
To Curb Mosquitoes
Committee Named To De
termine Costs and Seek
Cooperation of Plants
-<*>
Members of the city council unani
mously expressed themselves as be
ing favorable to the mosquito-control
project recommended for Plymouth
and its environs by the board of
health at the regular council meet
ing Monday night. A committee was
named to ascertain the probable cost
and to confer with representatives of
local industrial plants about cooper
ating with the town in putting over
the project.
The board of health was represent
ed at the meeting by Dr. Alban Papi
neau and Mayor B. G. Campbell. The
district health officer, Dr. J. J. Cro
ley, and district sanitarian, W. B.
Gaylord, were also present in an ad
visory capacity. Dr. Papineau acted
as spokesman for the health board,
describing conditions found on a re
cent inspection tour and recommend
ing that the council take the lead in
planning a campaign to eliminate as
many mosquito-breeding places as
possible.
It was suggested that men be em
ployed to cut down weeds and do a
small amount of dltcning, as well as
spray oil on standing water. The
group which made the investigation
about two weeks ago found a number
of conditions surrounding the town
that will facilitate he breeding of
mosquitoes as the weather grows
warmer. The health officer suggest
ed that a program be launched early
in the spring, possibly in April, in or
der to head off the pests before sum
mer begins. Such a program, it is
felt, will reduce the number of ma
laria cases here, as well as afford a
measure of relief from the nuisance
of mosquitoes.
After all members of the council
had expressed themselves as favoring
the recommendations, Mayor Camp
bell named E. E. Harrell and J. R.
Manning to assist him in arriving at
a tentative estimate of the cost. They
will also seek the coflperation of local
industrial plants ihTfcarlng the ex
pense of the program.
-®
Stores May Start Getting
Tokens on February 21st
-*
Washington County retail mer
chants will begin getting their blue
and red ration tokens from their
banks on February 21, it was an
nounced this w'eek by the local ra
tioning board. In applying for the
tokens, retailers are advised to en
close the stamps which they wish to
trade for tokens in envelopes, just as
they do when buying from whole
salers. Tokens wrill be issued only in
amounts of 250 and multiples of 250;
and 250 is the minimum amount is
sued.
It is emphasized that retailers may
secure tokens only from their banks,
and none will be issued at the office
of the rationing board.
Ganderson’s Quality Shop
Moving To New Location
The store building on Water Street
formerly occupied by J. R. Campbell’s
Red Front Grocery is being renovated
and remodeled for occupancy by
Ganderson’s Quality Shop, Ben Gan
derson announced last week. He
hopes to have all arrangements com
pleted and be ready to move in his
new quarters sometime about the first
of next week.
Mr. Ganderson states that he will
greatly enlarge his line of men’s
furnishings and clothing when he
moves to his new location. The
building is much larger than the one
he now occupied, and he will have
more space to properly display his
stock.
Chicken Salad Supper in
Roper Thursday Night
--
There will be a chicken salad sup
per at the Community Building in
Roper Thursday night of next week,
February 17, proceeds to be used for
benefit of St. Luke’s Episcopal church.
The public is invited and urged to
attend.
j Parent - Teacher
[ Meeting Tonight
The Plymouth Parent-Teacher
Association will meet in the
school auditorium here tonight
(Thursday) at 8:15, It was an
nounced yesterday by Mrs. VV. V.
Hays, president. -The topic to be
discussed is “How Can the Plym
outh Parent-Teacher Association
Better Serve the School and
Community?”
Paper and pencil will be need
ed by those who attend, Mrs.
Hays, said, and she urges as
many patrons as posible to be
present for the meeting.
County $40,000 Short of E’
Bond Goal in Cuneni Diive
—
War Bond Rally at
Roper High School
Sel Next Thursday
Shotgun Shells, Silk Hose
Among Items To Be
Auctioned Off
Roper.—A Fourth War Loan rally,
including an auction sale, has been
planned for the Roper community
and wit’ held in the Roper High
S( ho'u m •** ■'»<-> Thursday night.
February 17, ai . cloca.
The program is being prepared by
Mesdames M. C. Davenport, Eioise
Owens and Roy Hopkins. Charles E.
Mizelle will serve as master of cere
monies and auctioneer a number of
prizes which have been donated for
the occasion by local merchants and
others to stimulate interest in the
drive. There will be a long list of
valuable prizes to be auctioned off,
including a box of gun shells, a goat
and ladies' silk hose.
At a meeting of the local campaign
committee early this week, L. E. Has
sell, sr., chairman of the Fourth War
Loan for the Roper community, stat
ed that he was well pleased with the
progress of the drive thus far and ex
pressed the hope that the Roper sec
tion would play a prominent part in
aiding Washington County to over
subscribe its quota.
-®
Couniy Gives $175.85
For Paralysis Fund
Most of the funds raised in the
county for the National Infantile
Paralysis Foundation have been turn
ed in, and Mrs. W. H. Johnson, coun
ty chairman, reports the total as
$175.85, against a quota of $308. The
drive was concluded last week with
out a benefit dance, as originally
planned, since conditions made it im
possible to hold one.
On a per capita basis, Creswell led
in contributions. Mrs. Sidney Smith
son, chairman there, reporting that
an even $75 had been raised. Con
tributions in Plymouth amounted to
$100.85, including that received from
the schools and containers placed in
local business houses. Contributions
at the local colored school totaled
$22.37, while children of the white
schools turned in $38.
Mrs. Smithson reported the follow
, ing break-down of donations from
Creswell: High school, $49.52; Cherry
school, $5.12; Creswell colored school
$5.67; Cherry colored school, $1.10;
and containers in stores, $13.59. mak
ing the total $75.
Earle Is Official of
Conservation Group
-®
T. W. Earle, manager of the Wood
and Land Department of the North
Carolina Pulp Company, of Plym
outh, last week received a signal
honor at the annual meeting of the
Southern Pulpwood Conservation As
sociation held in Atlanta. He was
elected vice president of the asocla
tion, which is taking a leading part
in the development and conserva
tion of forest lands throughout the
South.
Mr. Earle has been with the pulp
company here since the plant was
built in 1937. In the intervening
seven years he has become well known
throughout the southern and south
eastern areas, where he is recognized
as an authority as well as a leader
in southern forestry conservation
methods. His personality and prog
ressiveness has brought him promin
ence not only in the pulp and paper
industry but in local civic, social and
religious circles.
C. O. Brown, of Mobile. Ala., was
elected president of the Southern
Pulpwood Conservation Association;
and W. J. M. Damtoff, of Canton, N.
C., w'as named a director-at-large.
--
Routine Matters Before
County Board Monday
Routine matters were about all
that came before the regular first
Monday meeting of the County Board
of Commisioners at the courthouse
here last Monday. Only two members
of the board were present, E. G. Arps,
chairman, and J. C. Knowles, of Rop
er. Commissioner Harry W. Prit
chett, of Creswell, was reported to be
absent on account of illness.
County Farm Agent W. V. Hays
read his report on activities for the
month of January, and it was receiv
ed and approved by the board
T. E. Furlough was granted a li
cense to sell beer at the place for
merly operated by Louis Bateman
Seven =«r eight miles east of Roper
on Highway 64
GETS PROMOTION
Mahlon S. Moore, son of Mr.
and Mrs. W. C. Moore, of Plym
outhRoute 1. was recently pro
moted to the grade of line ser
geant in a cavalry unit now
stationed at Fort Jackson, S. C.
Sergeant Moore has been in the
service less than a year.
51 Colored Men Go
To Fori Bragg for
Pre-Induclion Tesi
Is First Group From County
Called Under New In
duction Process
Fiftv-one county colored rnen went
to Fort Bragg Tuesday morning for
the pre-induction physical examina
tions. it was learned at the office of
the Washington County Selective
Service Board. This is the first group
to be called under the new method of
inducting men for the armed serv
ices which became effective Febru
ary 1.
Those who pass the physical tests
will be classified for service in the
Army or Navy, but will not be in
ducted at this time. They will re
turn to their homes for at least 21
days, after which they are subject
to be called at any time to enter the
branch of service for which they
were classified.
Thirty of those who left Tuesday
are classed as non-fathers and the
other 21 are Pre-Pearl Harbor fa
thers. Twenty-eight of them are
from Plymouth, 9 from Roper. 7 from
Creswell, 3 from Mackeys; 1 from
Newport and 3 from Norfolk, Va.
Following is the complete list of
those who made up the contingent
which left Tuesday:
Non-Fathers
From Plymouth: Cleophus Hudson,
Clyde Wynn, Harry Augustus Walker,
Ernest Sumler, Aloumd James Wil
liamson. John Alfred Wooden. Wil
liam Penn Smith, Joe Nathan Phelps.
Jesse Lou Murphy, Jesse Norman.
Robert Lee Toodie, Helton Armstrong,
jr., Walter Lee Dixon. Edison Spru
See DRAFT LIST, Page 6
-@
Farm Home Destroyed by
Fire 15 Miles From Here
The home and belonging of Henry
Hunter Harris were totally destroyed
last Saturday night when the house
which he and his family occupied
was consumed by fire. Mr. Harris
home was located on the Plymouth
Washington highway about 15 miles
south of Plymouth.
The house was the only building
that was burned, the barn and other
buildings around the farm being un
damaged. The loss was estimated at
$5,000. and only a small amount of
insurance was carried. The cause of
the fire is unknown
Henry Harris is the brother of
Fletcher Harris, of Plymouth.
Has Sold More Than
Quota of All Other
Types of Securities
Sales Up To Today More
Than $15,000 Above
Overall Quota
Although Washington County went
"over the top' Monday, so far as the
aggregate goal of the Fourth Wai
Loan campaign is concerned, it was
still about $40,000 short of its "E"
bond quota at the close of business
yesterday afternon according to H
E. Beam, county chairman of the
War Finance Committee.
Eugene F Still, county chairman
of the Fourth W'ai Loan drive, thus
morning called on all workers to re
double their efforts to reach the “E'
H. E. Beam, chairman of the
county war finance committee,
this morning received the follow
ing telegram from C. T. Line
bach, chairman of the state com
mittee:
"Cumulative sales to individ
uals, as of February 8. 64 per cent
of quota: “E" bond sales are only
54 per cent of quota. Overall
state sales satisfactory but North
Carolina individual and "E" bond
sales, while as good as national
average, are lagging. This sit
uation rather disturbing. . , . Sug
gest you adopt every expedient
for increasing sales of "E” bonds,
as well as other securities, to in
dividuals. . . . Please assist in in
tensive campaign to increase sale
even though your county may
have already reached its overall
quota, as situation continues crit
ical in "E" bond and individual
field. I am counting on your as
sistance to improve North Caro
lina's record. Thanks."
bond goal, since this is considered of
first importance in the campaign.
While he expressed his gratification
that the overall quota had been real
ized. Mr. Still pointed out that near
ly $100.00 represented tax certificates
bought by various firms. In effect,
these firms are only pre-paying their
taxes by a few months, and such sales
do not represent the long-term gain
to the government as do sales of "E"
bonds.
Both Mr. Still and Mr. Beam ex
press appreciation for the finer man
ner in which workers and bond buyers
are cooperating in the campaign, and
both are confident that the county
will set a new high mark before the
drive closes The quota for "E" bonds
is $129,500, out of the overall quota
of $229,000 Up to this morning,
sales of "E" bonds totalled $87,806.25.
not including sales in Roper and
Creswell this week, and not includ
ing several pledges which it is known
will be fulfiilled. Sales of other type
bonds amounted to $156,666.50
against a quota of $98,500.
The campaign is still going on in
full blast. Convassers are still at
See EOND SALE. Page 6
Local Canvassers to
Meet Friday Night
Shep Brinkley, chairman of the
Fourth War Loan campaign in the
! Plymouth section, this morning urged
I all members of the Plymouth Fourth
Loan committee, ail captains, all area
canvassers and "free-lance” canvass
j ers of the town to attend a most im
| portant meeting at the Agricultural
Building Friday night at 7:30 p. m
Everyone is asked to be ready to re
port the exact number of homes can
I vased, the number of home purchas
. ing bonds and the number of homes
not purchasing bonds
Any home that has not been can
vassed by Friday at noon is request
ed to telephone Shep Brinkley at
254-1
Hunting Season Conics To End Today; j
All Trapping Must Cease February 15 j
The open season on quail, tur
key and rabbit comes to an end
today, County Came Protector .1
T. Terry said yesterday. He also
stated that the trapping season
would close on February 15. and
all traps are supposed to he taken
up by that time, according to a
ruling by the State Department
of Conservation and Develop
ment.
The season as a whole has
been very satisfactory—for those
who had or could get shotgun
shells. Game was fairly plenti
ful, although bird hunters report
most quail are wild which makes
for difficult shooting.
Unless the ammunition prob
lem is solved. it is expected that
there will be comparatively very
little hunting next season. Shot
gun shells are reported to be
bringing all sort.-, of fancy prices,
ranging upwards to $10 foi a box
of 25. At these prices, most lo
cal sportsmen will be forced to
forego their favorite recreation
next fall, although there is some
slight hope that the government
may permit a few shells to be
manufactured for sale to hunt
ers before then.