North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News ******* Paper must be used to keep naval shells unmarred for accuracy in firing at our enemies . . . And waste paper reserves are the owest of any vital war material! SAVE WASTE PAPER ESTABLISHED 1S8«J VOLUME LV—NUMBER 27 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, July 6, 1944 Casualties Are Heavy on Saipan—But Nobody Here Has Been Hurt Buying War Bonds Town! OPICS! Cpl. Charles H. Bagley, jr„ return ed to Camp Chaffee. Ark., last Fri day after spending 10 days with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Lamb, at Mackeys. Corporal Bagley has been in the service since July 15, 1943. He was first assigned to an anti-aircraft artillery unit, but was later transferred to the infantry. Lt. L. Warnie Gurkin. jr., recently completed his operation tr-.ining at Barksdale Field, La., it was learned from his parents this week. Lieuten ant Gurkin was the first county man to be designated lead pilot of a bomber group and first pilot of his own ship. He leads a formation of five B-26 Marauder medium bombers. All Schedule “B" privilege li censes expired June 30. local business firms are being remind ed this week. Chief of Police P. W. Brown is issuing the 1944-45 licenses for the town and will be calling on every store and busi ness house here in the next few days. Highway Patrolman M. B. Stewart returned to his station here this week after spending two weeks at a train ing school in Fayetteville. Mrs. Stewart spent the two weeks with relatives and friends in Lillington and Bolton. Lt. and Mrs. Hugh F. Jordan and little daughter, Sandra Anne, arrived Monday night to spend several weeks here with Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Jordan and Mr. and Mrs. P. M. Arps. They have been living in Sarasota, Fla., where Lieutenant Jordan is stationed. Automobile inner tubes were taken off the rationed list, effec tive July 1, It was announced by the State OPA director last week end. However, tho announce ment catches local dealers at a very inopportune time, as few of them have many tubes on hand. Miss Eva V. Chesson, of Washing ton, D. C., is spending her vacation with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James A. Chesson, sr., near Roper. Miss Chesson was formerly employed here at the office of the North Carolina Pulp Company but is now secretary to a high-ranking official in the Se lective Service system at Washington. A meeting of the Albemarle dis trict committee of the Eastern Caro lina Boy Scouts Council will be held in the municipal building here Tues day night of next week at 8:30 p.m. The budget for the coming year will be presented by J. A. Gaskins, council executive, of Wilson and Dr. Maynard O. Fletcher, council finance chair man, of Washington. All members of the committee are urged to be present. Colored Laborer Is Killed in Car Wreck -® Happened Near Columbia Tuesday Night; Another Negro Injured Henry Moore, 60-year-old colored laborer from Havana, was instantly killed Tuesday night in an automo bile accident about IV2 miles west of Columbia on Highway 64. He was passenger in a car driven by John Rogers, also colored, of Pehokee, Fla., which was in collision with another car driven by Allen G. Daniels, white, of Belhaven. Rogers was injured in the wreck, but none of the four oc cupants of Mr. Daniels’ car was hurt. According to Highway Patrolman M. B. Stewart, who investigated the accident, the two Negroes were head ed toward Columbia and said to have been driving at a high rate of speed. Going around a curve in front of the home of Robert S. Knight about 11:16, the Rogers car, a 1935 Buick sedan, two feet over the center line, crashed into the 1937 Packard sedan, driven by Mr. Daniels, which was headed west. Both cars were almost totally wrecked by the impact, and Moore was thrown 30 feet away with his neck broken. Rogers was thrown to the pavement and knocked uncon scious. The latter was taken to Co lumbia and later to the labor camp near Columbia, where lie and Moore lived. Both the Negroes were said to have been drinking. The labor camp was established near Columbia recently to provide farmers of that section with potato harvesters. This was the only automobile ac cident of the Fourth of July holiday to be reported To Bond Drive Workers Calling for a whole-hearted last-minute effort to put Washington County over in the Fifth War Loan campaign. County Chairman T. W. Earle this week addressed the following letter to all community chair men and co-workers: ‘■We have until midnight July 8 to meet our quota of $130,000 in E. F, and <i Bonds. As of July 4, we have only sold 80% of our quota. “This means only one thing. If we, as Washington County Citi zens are to meet our obligation and do our part in helping bring this war to a more rapid termination so that our fighting boys and girls can come home, we must continue to work hard during the remaining time left in this drive and sell more bonds. “Please redouble your efforts. Make one more call this week on all the people in the territory assigned to you. Some had promised to buy when you called on them last time, so be sure and see them again before Saturday, July 8, and sell them a bond. “On Friday, July 14 at 9 P. M. in the Agriculture Building at Plymouth, North Carolina, we arc going to hold our final meeting of ali Chairmen. Co-Workers and others interested in this 5th War Loan Drive. “At that time, you should have all available information as to the sales in your territory. “Let us show the rest of the nation that the people in Washington Countv can and will make any sacrifices and fulfil every task that they are called upon to make in order that by so doing our part we can hasten the end of the war and our loved ones in war service can more quickly be brought home to us. “I wish to again thank each and every one of you for the splendid results you have already obtained and to thank you in advance for the good work that I know you will do in the remaining few days left in our drive so that we will go over the top in our E, F, and G. Bond quota." Board of Education Is Petitioned To Improve School Facilities Here Schools oi County Get Coal Supply 1.. *.. County Superintendent of Schools II. H. RIeLean said yes terday that he had received three-fourth of next winter’s supply of coal for the various schools in the county. The super intendent said it was estimated eight carloads would be required, and that six of them had already been received and unloaded, and he is expecting the remainder in tlie very near future. Last winter, the schools here were closed for several days when the coal supply ran out, and the superintendent is trying to avoid a repetition of the occurence during the coming season. Crop Conditions in County Said Fair Some Areas Still Suffering For Lack of Rain; Others Had Good Season Crop conditions in Washington County were described as very "spot ted" this week by County Farm Agent W. V. Hays. Some sections are still suffering from lack of rain, he said, while in others the season has been a very good one. Generally, tobacco is said to be in better shape in this county that in most others in the bright belt, al though the crop is not as uniform as in former years. Due to blue mold about the time plants were trans planted, there was much replanting, which makes for a very uneven ap pearance in the fields. Peanuts are said to be generally good, with fair stands. Frank Par ker, statistician for the State Depart ment of Agriculture, who has tra veled over much of North Carolina, said while here last week that pea nuts looked better in this section at that time than anywhere he had been. Insurance Firm To Pay $5,000 tor Hail Damage More than $5,000 was allowed by the adjuster for one insurance com pany for damage to tobacco done by a hail storm In the Acre section just beyond Vann Swamp Tuesday after noon of last week. The percentage of loss allowed by the adjuster ran as high as 83 per cent in some cases, it was stated. Fourth of July Holiday Is Observed i Quietly by Washington County People | The Fourth of July holiday passed very quietly in Wash ington County this year. There were no holiday accidents in the county, although a Negro was killed just across the line In Tyr rell County when two autos col lided Tuesday night. Dr. and Mrs. John H. Bonner, of Eliza beth City, escaped Injury Mon day night when their car was hit by a train near Roper. The stores here were all closed, and many local people spent the week-end at beaches. Albemarle Beach, near here, had a large crowd all day Tuesday and for the dance that night. _Those who went to ocean beaches said the weather was unusually cool for the time of year. Quite a number of golfers turn ed out at the country club, and the colored baseball game drew the largest crowd of the season Tuesday. Urge New Building To Care for Needs -$ Expansion of Pulp Mill To Make Present Situation More Acute -- Improvement of the Plymouth school plant was requested of the county board of education at its regu lar meeting Monday by a committee of local business and professional men who have been studying the situation since last spring. The improvements sought include a new grammar school building and enlargement of the pres ent high school building, as well as necesary incidental facilities. The board of education took the commit tee recommendations under advise ment, and it is understood they will be submitted to the county commis sioners at their next meeting. In requesting immediate consider ation of the committee proposals, the members pledged their aid, individ ually and collectively, to the county beards of education and commission ers in devising plans to finance the undertaking. The possibility of se curing state or federal financial as sistance was suggested, with the com mittee members to do what they can to this end. Z. V. Norman acted as spokesman for the committee, and brief talks were also made by J. Roy Manning, A. Papineau, T. W. Earle, and P. B. Bateman. It was pointed out that the high school building here was constructed in 1920, while the gram mar school building was first occu pied in 1902. Since then, the school population has grown out of pro portion to reasonable expectations, due to school consolidations, influx of industries, and like causes. Expansion of the pulp mill here, contemplated as soon as possible, pos sibly before the end of the war, will bring additional people to the com munity, which will make further de mands on the already totally inade "TseTLOCAirSCHOOLS, Page 6) -$ Lt. Ransom Martin Wounded in Action l ieutenant Ransom Marlin, bom bardier on a heavy bomber which has been on a number of mis.1 ions over Germany and enemy-occupied ter ritory in the past few months, was wounded in action on June 19, ac cording to a letter received last week by relatives here. He received shrapnel wounds in the neck and right arm while on a mission over an unspecified enemy target. His para chute was also ripped o'ff his should ers by "flak” he wrote. However, his wounds were not serious and he has since returned to active duty, the letter stated. Lieutenant Martin was home last Christmas, shortly after he bailed out of a B-17 over Chespeake Bay near Barron Island, Md„ one night, when the craft went out of control due to one of the engines catching fire. One member of the crew was drowned at the time. Lieutenant Martin went overseas shortly afterwards and has participated in a number of missions over the continent since as a squad ron bombardier. Son of the late Senator and Mrs. Van B. Martin, he is brother to Bob bie Martin and Mrs. L. E. Doxey, of Plymouth. July Term Superior Court Will Convene Here Next Monday -$ Judge Carr To Preside, One Week Term for Criminal And Civil Cases The July term of Washington bounty Superior Court will convene oext Monday morning, July 10, for ihe trial of both criminal and civil cases. Judge Leo Carr, of Burling :on. is scheduled to preside over the nixed term, which will be for one week. There are 10 criminal cases on the locket, but several of them are old ones that have been hanging fire for several terms, and it is possible that they will not be brought to trial next week. Only four civil actions have been placed on the calendar, all of them divorce cases. The criminal docket is as follows: State vs. Mrs. N. C. Walters, white, of Plymouth, for careless and reck less driving and damaging the car of Mrs. Blanche Swain to the extent of $50. This case was appealed from judgment of the recorder’s court. State vs. Van B. Martin, white, of Plymouth, for theft: appeal from re corder's court. State vs. Vernon Nixon, white, Gregory Norman and Raymond Everett, colored, charged with theft of 8,000 herrings, quantity of gaso line and motor boat from cannery at Mackeys. This case was continued from the July, 1943, term of superior court. State vs. J. D. Vick, white, of Plym outh, two cases in which he is charg ed with carnal knowledge of girls under 16 and over 12 years of age. Preliminary hearing was waived in recorder’s court some months ago. Frank Crew, colored, bound over to superior court after hearing in re corder's court on charge of attempt ed robbery of White’s Store in Skln nersville and assault. Madison Boone, colored, of Plym outh, charged with forcible entrance of the home of Mrs. Lawrence Bowen while drunk. Appeal from recorder’s court. John Banks and Earl Aikens, col ored, charged with robbery , of ABC store at Creswell several months ago. Held for superior court on probable :ause after hearing in recorder’s :ourt. ~fSee"sUPERIoiCcoURT, Page 6) .....................-.......... HOW WE'RE DOING Watch This Chari | "E" Bond Sales $130,000 $125,000 $100,000 $ 75,000 $ 50,000 $ 25,000 0 ! j County Only $25,000 Short Of Its E Bond Quota Today Town Board Orders Enforcement of Dog Laws After August 1 To Impound Dogs Caught Running at Large; Other Matters Considered The dog situation in Plymouth again came in for a large measure of conversation at the regular meeting of the city council Monday night, along with a number of other matters. The councilmen finally ordered that all ordinances on the books relative to dogs—and livestock, as well—be strictly enforced, beginning August 1, and delegated authority for their en forcement to the city sanitary in spector, J, A. Broughton. Mr. Broughton was sworn in by Chief of Police P. W. Brown and authorized to exercise whatever po lice power is necessary in carrying out the orders of the council. Under existing ordinances, it is against the law for dogs to be per mitted to run at large at any time. The only way a dog can legally be on the streets is on leash. All others are to be impounded and the owners notified. If the owners do not claim their dogs—and pay all the cost in curred in impounding—they are to be destroyed by the police. Other livestock unclaimed after the owners are notified are to be advertised and sold at auction. The sanitary inspector was ordered to see that all hogs and cows are re moved from inside the city limits and to enforce other provisions of the sanitary laws. The city clerk was ordered to have the recently passed resolution forbidding stabling of cows inside the city limits put in ordinance form and published ac cording to law. Chief of Police P. W. Brown and Clerk M. W. Spruill were asked to get what information they could about the method other towns are using to license automobiles. Mr. Spruill was asked to write for prices on a substi tute for the metal tags used hereto fore and report to the next meeting of the council. A committee was appointed to get some information about painting the city water tank. A bid of $557 for chipping, spotting and painting the tank, inside and out, was considered excessive, and the committee named by the mayor was ordered to find out from other towns if the price was about in line with what they were paying for similar work. When the tank here was last painted, two or three years ago, the cost was about half the amount of the present bid. The committee includes Chief of Po lice Brown, Councilmen Leggett and Kelly and Mayor Campbell. Sanitary Inspector J. A. Broughton made his monthly report, citing the several cases in which property own ers had refused to comply with the law reported last week. Members of the council present in cluded J. Roy Manning, Shep Brink ley, W. A. Roebuck, G. R. Leggett, C. O. Kelly, and Mayor B G. Camp bell. Councilman H. E. Harrison, of the first ward, was unavoidably ab sent. -9 Farmer Releases To Be Considered -# It was announced Monday that the county selective service board, the USDA War Board and officials of the U. S. Employment Service would hold a joint meeting here sometime this week to work out a policy to be followed in granting releases to farmers who wish to accept tem porary employment in industry. For the past several months, no re leases of this nature have been granted; but in view of the fact that many farmers will soon have a little time to spare between the cultivat ing and harvesting seasons, it Is felt that the question should be reopen ed. The men are needed in industry, even on a temporary basis, and it is possible that a plan may be worked out to release some farm workers for a short time without jeopardizing their deferred status in the draft. Two Escape Serious Injury When Train Strikes Auto -- Dr. and Mrs. John H. Bonner, of Elizabeth City, were painfully but not seriously injured Monday night about 11 o’clock, when a Norfolk Southern train hit their automobile near Pleas ant Grove. Mrs. Bonner suffered from shock, cuts and bruises on the face, arms and legs, and Dr. Bonner was cut and bruised. They were brought to Plymouth and given first-aid treatment by Dr. T. L. Bray. The car was almost com pletely demolished, according to re ports. 1' "I County Board To Meet on July 18th The regular meeting of the county board of commissioners was not held Monday on account of the state holiday. It was stat ed yesterday that the board would meet on Monday, the 24th. instead, when the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year will be considered. County officials generally think that the tax rate for the 1944 tax year will be about the same as it was last year, $170, although this, of course, will not be determined until after the budget is approv ed. After the county board pass es on the budget, it must be ap proved by the Local Government Commision at Raleigh White and Colored Groups Called for Induction in July -• Colored Selectees To Leave Next Monday; Whites On July 19 Eight white and eighteen colored men are being called up from Wash ington County this month for induc tion, it was learned this week. No one in the two groups is more than 26 years of age. The men called in to service will not know to which branch of the service they will be as signed until after they reach the in duction center, it was stated. Tire colored group will leave next Monday, July 10, while the white group will not leave until Wednesday, the 19th. Three of the white group are from Creswell, two each from Plymouth and Roper, and one from Wenona. Their names are as follows: Leroy Milton Comstolk, Zephie Henderson Phelps, jr., and Lonnie Sherlock Al bertson, of Creswell; Lee Victor Land ing, jr„ and Clinton Respass, of Plym outh; Carlton Aubrey Phelps and Lloyd Everett Comstock, of Roper; and Edison William Patrick, of We nona. In the colored group, leaving next Monday, there are 13 from Plymouth, three from Roper, and one each from Mackeys and Creswell. They are: Phillip Abraham Davis, Dempsey Lee Thorps, Cleophus McNair, Gabriel Smith, Marcellus Roosevelt Brooks, Joe Nathan Swain, General Lee Puc kett, Arthur Winfred Parker, Boss Reid, Charley Henry Williams, Thom as Gaylord, jr„ William Arthur Fen ner, and Henry Edward Cherry, of Plymouth; Noah McBrown, Fleten Christon Clark and Charles Rupert Lee Freeman, of Roper; Charlie Webb, of Mackeys; and Cleophus Satchel, of Creswell. Sgt. Joe Smith in French War Zone ——•— Sergeant Joseph D. Smith, former partner in the Smith Brothers clean ing establishment here, recently wrote his sister-in-law, Mrs. Maurice Smith, here that he is now in France. The letter, dated since the invasion, asks all his friends here to write. Sergeant Smith has been in the service for more than three years, over two of which has been in foreign service with a combat engineers outfit. Excerpts from his letter reads: “This is to let you know that I am now somewhere in France and get ting along okay. Can’t give any de tails yet, but will write later about that. Tell the kids I already have lots of Jerry souvenirs for them. The chow is kinda monotonous, so will appreciate it if you will send a few packages now—candy, gum, canned stuff like sardines, etc. Keep writing and remind everybody else.” Roper Community First to Reach Goal Chairman Calls for Final Effort To Put Drive Over ’ By Saturday Night -@ Sales of "E” bonds during the Fifth War Loan Campaign in Wash ington County yesterday afternoon stood at $102,308.25. according to H. E. Beam, chairman of the county War Finance Committee. A few sales pending at that time probably will round out the total sales at $105, 000, leaving the county just about $25,000 short of its $130,000 “E” bond quota for the drive. The county is short of its overall quota by approximately the same amount, $25,000, it is indicated, with sales of $235,000 to $240,000, against an overall quota of $268,000. Thus it can be seen that it Is up to the in dividual bond buyers to rally and put the county over during the few days remaining before the cam paign officially closes Saturday night, July 8. It was announced this week by T, W Earle, county chairman of the drive, that if this county exceeds its overall and "E” bond quotas by 10 per cent, the name of the county will be placed on a plaque in one of the new ships being built at Wilming ton. Mr. Earle is appealing to ail canvassers for one last final effort to round up all loose ends of the drive and sell as many bonds as possible between now and Saturday night. It is announced by the chairman that the final meeting of the cam paign for community chairmen, co workers and others interested will be held in the agricultural building here Friday night of next week, July 14, at 9 p.m., to summarize the results of the drive. All workers are asked to attend and to be prepared to make their final reports at that time. Roper is the first community to “go over the top" in the present drive; sales yesterday being reported at $21,975. or $1,975 over it quota of $20,000. The town of Plymouth is next with its sales of $51, (BeeTlBOND DRIVE, Page 6) -® James A. Chesson Promoted in Navy -$ Lieutenant James A. Chesson, jr„ U. S, Navy, visited his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James A. Chesson, sr., of near Roper, Monday afternoon and Tuesday. He had just returned to this country from convoy duty in the Atlantic and Mediterranean areas. A Naval aviator, he has been serving on a converted carrier for several months. Upon his return to the States, he was promoted from lieutenant junior grade to full lieutenant. He was one of the first men from the county to win his Navy wings after the United States entered the war, and he serv ed as instructor at Pensacola for more than a year after he was com missioned before being assigned to sea duty aboard a carrier. Mrs. Chesson and their little son, of Washington, D. C., were visiting at the home of Mr. Chesson's parents when he came home Monday. They returned with him, but expect to be back very shortly, when Lieutenant Chesson gets a more extended leave. -f No Session of Recorder’s Court Held This Week The regular weekly session of re corder’s court was called off this week, due to the Fourth of July fall ing on Tuesday. An effort was made by Judge W R. Gaylord to hold the court Monday, but a number of wit nesses could not be reached in time, and the four cases on the docket were continued for two weeks, until July 18th. The court cannot be held next week on account of the superior court being in session. | War Bond Premier Showing of "Cobra j i Woman" at Local Theatre Tomorrow j L——_■ Everything is in readiness for the War Bond premier showing of "Cobra Woman” at the Plymouth Theatre here tomor row (Friday) afternoon and night. Admission will be only by purchase of a War Bond. The matinee will start at 3:15 p.m., while there will be only one show at night, beginning at 8 p.m. Up to Monday of this week, more than 130 tickets had been issued to purchasers of War Bonds. The bonds may be pur chased and tickets secured at the theatre box office before the shows, and a booth will be placed on the streets here Friday morn ing where bonds will be sold and tickets issued. This is an exceptional oppor tunity for local people to buy their bonds and get free tickets to a flrst-run production. “0> bra Woman” has an exceptional ly able cast, headed by Jon Hall, Maria Montez, and Sabu, and it Is filmed entirely in Technicolor. Buy your bond and get your ticket today. All bonds sold jn connection with this showing will be credited to the county’s Fifth War Loan campaign.