Newspapers / The Roanoke Beacon and … / Dec. 21, 1944, edition 1 / Page 1
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/ The Roanoke Beacon * * * ♦ * * * and Washington County News VOLUME LV—NUMBER 51 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, December 21, 1944 ESTABLISHED 18°Q Town , OPICS Marcel Bradon. machinist's mate 2/c, of the U. S. Coast Guard, who has been serving tn the South Pa cific, is spending the Christmas holi days with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Owen Bradon. here. Mr. and Mrs. Bradon also received word this week that another son. Master Sgt. Charles Bradon, had arrived safely at a sta tion somewhere in the South Pacific war area. Staff Sgt. Allen J. Spear, of Cres well, lias been admitted to the Moore General Hospital at Swannanoa for treatment, it was announced by the public relations office there this week. Sergeant Moore served with the In fantry in the Southwest Pafiflc the atre of operations. II. E. Beam, cashier of the Branch Banking & Trust Com pany, announces that the bank will remain open from 8 to 9 o'clock Saturday nght of this week for the convenience of its patrons. He will be glad to issue last-minute War Bond Christmas presents to purchasers at this time. The bank will be closed Monday and Tuesday of next week. Preparations are going forward for re-registeration of the local Boy Scout troop. Assistant Scoutmaster H. G. Harris said this week. He urges all Scouts to be present at the next meeting, which will be held Monday night, January 1. Capt. Thomas O. Vail, of Birming ham, Ala., Army Air Base Hospital, spent two weeks in the county re cently with his mother, Mrs. Jane Vail, and children at Westover. Cap tain Vail went into the service in 1919, prior to which he was a stu dent at the Roper High School. It was announced by the public relations office of Moore General Hospital at Swannonoa this week that Staff Sgt. Hilton Dunbar, of VVenona, had been admitted to that hospital for treatment. The nature of treatment nor expected length of his stay there was not indicated in the dispatch. Only three shopping days re main before Christmas, and Plymouth stores will remain open until 9 o’clock each evening for the remainder of the week to accomodate those who are un able to do their buying during the regular hours. Miss Jessie Jane Chesson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. N. G. Chesson, of Roper; and Miss Helen Elizabeth Darden, daughter, of Mr. and Mrs. A. T. Darden, of Plymouth, will return to their respective homes this week to spend the Christmas holidays. They are attending a business school in Raleigh. Pfc. Hope Vail, WAC. of Fort George G. Meade, Md„ will spend the Christmas holidays at home with her mother, Mrs. Jane Vail, in Westover. Miss Vail worked at the North Caro lina Pulp Company here before en tering the service in October, 1942. -® Lions Club To Skip Meeting This Week The local Lions Club voted last Thursday night to skip its regular meeting this week, due to the fact that most members are busy getting ready for Christmas. The next meet ing of the club will be held on Thurs day night of next week, December 28. Following a review of the commit tee appointments and a request for reports from the special post-war planning committees at an early date, Melvin Daniels, of Manteo, register of deeds for Dare County, made the principal speech of the occasion, talking on the coming Christmas season and of the things for which our fighting men are sacri ficing so much. His talk was well re ceived by the large gathering present. Dr. Alban Papineau, first vice president of the club, presided in the absence of President T. W. Earle, who was out of town. Lawrence Swain, a Plymouth native now living in Man teo, who accompanied Mr. Daniels to the meeting, won the $26 War Bond in a drawing. Business Houses Extend Greeting As an expression of their ap preciation for the friendship and patronage accorded them in the past, Plymouth merchants and other business men pause at this tone to extend their sincere greetings to all the people of this section through the column of this paper today. A new hope and understanding are created at Christmas time, and to enhance the value of these, the business force of this town express, in a most sincere way their wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all. Read the little messages, with out which* Christmas would be, little more than just another day in the year, and know that these firms are Interested in your hap piness at all times, and especial ly at this glad season. Just a simple Christmas Greeting, but it conveys a heart-felt appreciation for the many kindnesses ex tended us during the past year. May this Christmas be your merriest and happi est one. Roanoke Beacon 'Force’ Workers of Section to Get From 1 to 3 Days Holiday for Christmas Beacon Office To ] Be Closed 5 Days j The Roanoke Beacon is ap pearing a day earlier this week,, and It will be at least a day late next week, due to repair work un derway in the office. Publication is being made Wednesday of this week, while next week the paper will not appear before Friday, December 29. A new concrete floor is being poured for the office this week, which means that all the ma chinery and equipment must be moved and time allowed for the concrete to set up before work can be resumed. The office will not be open for business after Wednesday of this week until Wednesday, December 27. Most members of the Beacon “force” are being given several days’ vacation during the Christ mas season, but everyone will be back on the job ready for “busi ness as usual” Wednesday morn ing of next week. Bill Darden Advised Close Friend Killed In Pacific This Year Hears From Pal’s Sister Aft er Sending Him Christ mas Greeting William R. (Bill) Darden received a shock last week, when he was ad vised that one of the closest friends he had while in the service was killed in action in the Central Pacific ear ly this year. Bill had addressed a Christmas card to his pal, Anthony Damato, at Shenandoah, Pa. It was answered by his friend’s sister, who wrote that “Tony" was killed in ac tion on the Marshall Islands Febru ary 19. 1944, and that another bro ther had been reported missing. Mr. Darden, then in the U. S. Navy, and Damato, member of the Marine Corps, received British Commando training together in Scotland in 1942, preparatory to the invasion of North Africa in November of that year. Sill was severely wounded in the attack on Oran, when the corvette which crashed the chain boom at the mouth of the harbor was destroy ed. and he was taken prisoner by the French-Italian-German d e f e n ding forces. Mr. Darden said that Damato was the man who freed him from his captors. Suffering from numerous shrapnel and seven machine-gun bullet wounds, Bill was honorably dis charged from the Navy about the middle of last year, ~fter receiving a Navy citation and two promotions for “meritorious conduct under fire,” and he last saw his friend at the dock when he was invalided back to the United States. Commenting rather bitterly about folks back home who complain about “sacrificing’’ to buy War Bonds, Mr. Darden offers the following letter from his pal’s sister as a testimonial to the real sacrifices being made by men in the service and the families: “No doubt you will be surprised to hear from me. Please don’t think I’m being too forward in writing to you; but, first of all, let me intro duce myself: I’m Anthony’s Dama to’s sister and am 24 years old, mar ried and the mother of a little boy, whom my dear brother, Tony, has never seen—and never will see, be cause half of my heart went with him when he was ‘killed in action’ Feb ruary 19, 1944, on the Marshall Is lands in the Southwest Pacific. My other brother is ‘missing in action’ since November 5, 1943, but Tony never knew. I’m writing all this to you, because I feel that whoever was a friend of Tony’s is a friend of mine. Tony died the death of a (See PAL KILLED, Page 4) Stores and Business Houses Here Closed Monday - Tuesday -—<$ Employees of Most Local Plants Also To Get Extra Time Off This Year Employees of the various industrial plants and business establishments In and around Plymouth will have rest and recreational periods during the Christmas season ranging from one to three days and more. Most work ers will get one extra day due to the fact that Christmas falls on Monday. Practically every establishment is closed Sunday anyway, and some of them are closing Monday and Tues day in addition. The plant of the North Carolina Pulp Company is being closed down Sunday for about a week, during which machinery and equipment will be overhauled and repaired. How ever, most of the employees there will be required for this work, and although production will be at a standstill, practically all workmen will return to their jobs during the week, following Christmas Day. Only a very few will be required to be on duty Christmas Day. The Plymouth Box & Panel Com pany will close down its plant at noon Saturady and reopen Tuesday morning, according to officials there. The local unit of the American Pork & Hoe Company does not ope rate on Saturdays, so its employees will be off from Friday afternoon un til Wednesday morning, the plant be ing closed for Christmas both Mon day and Tuesday. It had not been definitely decided Tuesday how long the courthouse of fices would be closed, but it is the usual custom to allow county em ployees the same holiday that the State does This would be from Fri day afternoon until Wednesday morning. All of the local stores and busi ness houses, with the possible ex ception of drug stores and filling stations, will be closed Sunday, Mon day and Tuesday. The Branch Bank ing & Trust Company will also ob serve both Monday and Tuesday as holidays, the governor having issued a proclamation last week declaring them banking holidays. Post offices in the county will be closed Monday, and there will be no rural or city de livery service. County schools are already in re cess, having closed Wednesday af ternoon, and they will not reopen un til Tuesday, January 2; giving school children very nearly a full two-weeks holiday period. Most of the out-of county teachers are leaving for their respective homes today and tomor row. Dance al Country Club December 30 -<g> The annual New Year dance for members of the Country Club of Plymouth will be held at the club house Saturday night of next week, December 30, starting at 9 o’clock, it was announced this week by Z. V. Norman, president of the club. In vitations and admission cards have been mailed to all members of the club and their out-of-town guests, and a large crowd is expected. An orchestra has been engaged for the event. Several new members alive been re ceived into the club during the past few days; and it is announced by the membership committee that all who join and pay their dues for the first quarter of 1945 will be eligible to at tend the dance next week. A Christmas party was given at the club house Wednesday afternoon at 4 o’clock for the children of club members. Santa Claus was present and distributed gifts to the young folks, and a number of games were enjoyed. Coupons Issued To 88 Needy Families By Christmas Fund About 150 Persons Will Be Taken Care of; Plan Is Same as Last Year The Rev. Willaim B. Daniels, jr., chairman of the Washington Coun ty Empty Stocking Fund committee, said yesterday that coupons valued at 50 cents each have been issued this week to needy families in the county. The number of coupons is sued varied according to the number of persons in each family and the de-; gree of need. Mr. Daniels said that approximate- ; ly $400 worth of the coupons had been distributed to 88 families, represent ing about 150 people. Each coupon has a face value of 50 cents, and may be used for the purchase of food, clothing, fuel, and drug supplies, as well as a reasonable amount of fruit,' candy and small toys for children. The coupons have no 'cash value and they may not be used for the purchase of any alcholic beverage. Merchants throughout the county have been requested to honor the coupons when presented recipients. The coupons will be redeemed for cash when presented to the Branch Banking & Trust Company by any county merchant. Difficulties imposed by rationing, and the general shortage of foods made is impossible to deliver baskets as in former years. By issuing the coupons, it is thought that each fam ily will be able to make its purchases on the basis of actual needs. Money for the Empty Stocking Fund was raised through the Unit ed War Fund during the latter part of October. It is understood that a little more than $400 was available. All cases to whom coupons were sent were investigated and certified by the county welfare department. The Empty Stocking Fund Com mittee is composed of four Plymouth ministers, Rev. Wm B. Daniels, jr„ chairman; Rev. E. B. Quick, Rev. T. R. Jenkins, and the Rev. Lee A. Phil lips. -a Five for Induction -$ Colored Group Leaves Janu ary 2; Two Pre-Induction Calls Next Month The office of the Washington County Selective Service Board this week sent out some “greetings,” but they were not the kind with holly borders or talking so much about “peace on earth.” As a matter of fact, they constituted a summons for the recipients to report for induction into the military forces of the United States, which at the moment are en gaged—necessarily, of course—in spreading more than a little “hell on earth” among our enemies. Five colored men are on the receiv ing end of the “greetings” sent out this week, and they were ordered to report to the draft board office on Tuesday, January 2, for induction. Two of the numbe are from Plym outh, two from Roper, and one from Mackeys. They are as follows: Wil liam Daniel Gee and Edward White, of Plymouth: John Ben Sawyer and Henry Tom Allen, of Roper: and Earl Linwood Midgett, of Mackeys. It was also learned at the office of the board that three white men were inducted from the contingent which left here on December 13th. They were Edison William Patrick, of We none; Clinton Respass, of Plymouth: and Marvin Leslie Davenport, of Cres well. Induction of these three men leaves only two other whue men in the county available for immediate induction, it was stated. The local board has received in structions to be prepared to fill larger calls during the early part of next year, but board members are at a loss as to how they will proceed, as prac tically the entire pool of available men has been exhausted. Pre-induc tion calls have already been received for a medium sized number of col ored men to leave on January 4 and a smaller number of white men to leave on January 30. -$ Lawyers of County Set January Court Calendar -® Members of the Washington Coun ty Bar Association held a meeting in the office of the clerk of the court last week to arrange a calendar for the civil term of superior court to be held here in January. The term will begin January 8 and continue for two weeks, with the first part of the session to be devoted to the trial of criminal cases. It was stated at the courthouse that there were comparative^ few criminal cases to be heard at the coming term, which is to be presided over by Judge Q. K. Nimocks, of Fayetteville. The "docket has not yet been arranged. The lawyers recently agreed on the calendar for civil cas es, and the complete schedule will be announced in the next few days. County Still About $30,OOQ Short of Its ”E” Bond Quota Rev. Lee A. Phillips Resigns as Pastor of Baptist Church Here Has Two Calls Under Con sideration; Church Calls Former Pastor After serving as pastor of the Lud ford Memorial Baptist church here for about a year and a half, the Rev. Lee A. Phillips tendered his resigna tion a a church conference follow ing the service last Sunday morning. It iiJ understood that Mr. Phillips has two .alls under consideration, one from the Baptist State Mission Board and the other from a church near Elizabeth City, but that he has not yet decided which he will ac cept. It is understood that his resig nation is to become effective about February 1. Mr. Phillips is a native of Plant City, Fla. After completing his high school education, he attended Pal metto Preparatory School, Palmettos, Fla.; Boiling Springs Junior College, near Shelby in this State; and Wake Forest College. He has been in the ministry for about 10 years, serving churches in Fayetteville, White Oak and Kelly before coming to the lo cal church in August of last year. He has been very much interested in evangelistic work, holding a num ber of meeting in various parts of the state since assuming the local pas torate. He has also served as Scout master of the local troop of Boy Scouts for a little more than a year. It is understood the local Baptist congregation has extended a call to the Rev. Paul B. Nickens, a former pastor, who recently received a medi cal discharge from the Army, where he was serving as chaplain. Mr. Nick ens was pastor of the local church for three and a half years, leaving in August, 1941, to go to a church at Murfreesboro. It could not be learned today whether or not he had accepted the invitation to return to the pastorate here. CAA Recommends $140,00(1 Airport for Plymouth After War -@ Proposal Contained in Re port Submitted to Con gress This Month Plymouth Is one of the 3,000 towns in the United States for which airport construction is recommend ed fter the war. The recommenda tion was made by the Civil Areonau tics Commission in a report submit ted to Congress early this month. Estimating that the nation will have 400,000 civilian aircraft within the next 10 years, as compared with 25,000 at present, the CAA laid before Congress a proposal for a billion dol lar post-war plan for airport con struction and improvement. The 3, 000 projects are divided into classes from 1 to 4. The type recommended for Plymouth is a class 1 airport, call ing for an expenditure of $140,000. Similar recommendations are made for airports at Williamston, Edenton Hertford; and for $110,000 projects at Columbia and Belhaven in this section. The CAA recommends the build ing of 3,000 new airports and im provements for over 1,600 existing fields, at an estimated cost of $1,021, 567,945, which would provide for clearing, grading, paving, lighting and radio facilities. An additional $230,000,000 would be needed for ac quisition of land for the buildings other than hangars. The CAA plans a 10-year program, and recommends that the undertak ing be financed by the Federal and State governments by matching ap propriations. An appropriation of $3,000,000 was asked immediately for surveys and other preliminary work. The Airport committee of the Plymouth Lions Club now has the plans of the CAA under considera tion, and is writing for additional information about the ambitious pro gram submitted to the Congress. This committee is composed of E. F. Still, chairman; L. V. Landing, John L. Phelps and L. N. Womble. Two Clerks at Winslow's Sell $10,900 Worth Bonds Although it’s the busiest season of the year for clerks in the store of W. P. Winslow, two of them nevertheless have managed to sell nearly $11,000 worth of War Bonds since the start of the Sixth War Loan Campaign in November. Mrs. J. B. Willoughby had sold $9,800 worth up to Tues day and was trying hard to make it $10,000 worth, while Mrs, Jerry Hayes had sold $1,100 worth. The figures quoted are maturity value of the bonds. i MISSING IN ACTION j *■■■■ - ——— ■ — ... ■ --> Pvt. Elbert Lee Woodley. 23. has been missing in action in France since November 14, his wife, Mrs. Sybil Spruill Woodley, of Creswell. was informed last week. He is the 23rd Washing ton County man to be reported killed or missing in line of duty since the start of the war. Lt. J. G. Gelsinger Visited by Relatives At Army Hospital -$> Said To Be in ‘Good Spirits’ Despite Loss of Arm And Foot Recently returned from overseas, where he was twice wounded in bat tle, 1st Lt. John Goodman Getsinger, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Getsinger, of Dardens, is now under going treatment in an Army hospital at Atlantic City, N. J. A graduate of the Plymouth High School, he has a sister, Mrs. George Barden, and bro ther, Eddie Getsinger, now living here. They visited him at the New Jersey hospital week before last, find ing him able to be up and in "good spirits," despite his numerous and terrible wounds. Lieutenant Getsinger was first wounded, in the foot, during the Si cilian campaign in July of last year. He was sent to a hospital in North Africa, where he remained for some time, retunring to duty this year in time to get in on the invasion of Prance in June. This marked the third invasion in which he had taken part in the North African and Sicil ian landings. He was with an ar mored force. The young man about 25 years of age, was seriously wounded some where in Prance last August 1. He lost his right arm, a portion of his right leg v/as shot away, and a nerve was severed in his left leg that lim its his use of lt. In addition, he re ceived numerous sharpnel wounds from his shoulders down, including a serious one to his right side. It has been necessary to give him numerous blood transfusions, one report indi cated the total amount was approxi mately 10 gallons. He was returned to this country the early part of this month, mov ~Tsee JACK GETSINGER, Page 4) Escaped Prisoner Is Captured Here Turned Over To Virginia Authorities After Trial In County Court Talking too much has cost Ben Woods, alias Jack Harris, colored em ployee of the pulp mill here, several years of freedom. Woods got drunk last Saturday night and slapped Pete Nichols and his wife, also colored, and they had him arrested for assault. Placed in jail here by local police. Woods showed a little too much an xiety to get out- Sunday, when he was questioned by Sheriff J. K. Reid. The sheriff kept after him and finally learned that Woods was an escaped Virginia convict. It was later learn ed that the Negro was sent up from Norfolk a year or two ago, and had served only 7 months of a 5-year sen [ tenee for armed robbery when he es caped from authorities in Richmond. ! In recorder’s court Tuesday, it was j learned that Woods had the draft I registration cards and identification of a dead Negro, Jack Harris, and he ! could have gotten away with the mas j quarade if he hadn’t talked too ! much. As it was, he was fined $5 and I costs on two counts of simple assault jin the court here and then turned over to Virginia authorities to serve : out the remainder of his five-year ! sentence and such other penalites as may have accured by reason of his I escape, All Sales During Remainder Month 'Will Be Counted However, Reports Must Be Made About Middle of Next Week "E'• bond sales are still lagging be hind the county quota, but the mar gin is slowly being closed, it was learned Tuesday from W. Ronald Gaylord, chairman of the Sixth War Loan Drive, and H E. Beam, chair man of the county War Financs Committee. Mr. Beam said Tues day that sales this week showed a healthy increase, giving rise to the hope that the county would reach its goal before the drive is closed on. December 30. Sales of -‘E” bends up to Tuesday totaled about $80,000, Mr. Beam said. This included reports from all selling agencies in the county received by the Federal Reserve Bank in Rich mond up to last Saturday, plus sales at the bank through Monday. It did not include any credit for sales made to members of the armed forces, as this credit will not be announced un til the close of the Sixth War Loan. Neither Mr. Beam nor Mr. Gay lord is worried about the overall quo ta of $219,000 for the county, as it is believed this will be reached. However, there Is still a considerable element of duobt that the county quo ta of $113,000 worth of "E” bonds will be realised. Sales of this class of bonds are about $33,000 short of the goal at this time, with only a little more than a week to go. Final appeals are beincr directed to Washington County people to buy every bond they possibly can between now and the middle of next week. No sales will be counted that are not re ported to the Federal Reserve Bank at the close of business on Saturday. December 30, which means that re j ports sent to the bank after the mid dle of next week will hardly be in time. The Branch Banking & Trust Com pany here will be open from 8 to 9 o’clock Saturday night for the con venience of those who wait until the last minute to buy bonds for Christ mas gifts. See one - of the issuing agencies between now and the middle of next week and buy that extra bond. Tire investment is the safest obtain able, and it would not do for the county to fall down on its obligation to back its fighting men at this time. Get that bond now! 'Remark' Published By Reader's Digesl Cpl. Charles Ed Erinn's improved version of Nathan Hale’s immortal last words is getting around. It ap pears in this month’s Reader’s Digest, after being published a month or ! so ago in the New York Times’ col umn of "Quotations,” along with sun dry remarks made by such noted peo ple as Madame Chaing Kai-Shek, Queen Wilhelmina, and others. The remark, “My only regret is that I have but one life to give for my country—if X had two, I’d feel safer,” was uttered by the irrepressible Charles Ed during some rather heavy fighting in Italy last summer. Cor poral Brinn is a native of Cresweli and lived in Plymouth at the time bo entered the service several months [ago. After the quotation was published j in the Times, it was sent to The Reader’s Digest by Corporal Brinn’s father, H. H. Brinn, of Cresweli. The latter recently wrote the Beacon that the Digest had mailed him a $35 check for the saying and that he was holding it for his son, who is still with General Mark Clark’s Fifth Army in Italy. The Plymouth post office will provide a large measure of serv ice throughout the holiday per iod, although it means that em ployees will have but little time off for themselves, it was stated yesterday by .T. Corbett Swain, postmaster. There will be no rural or city carrier service next Monday. Christmas Day. but all special delivery packages and parcels containing perishable products will be delivered in town. Mail 1 will be dispatched as usual over the week-end, including Christ mas Day, and incoming mail will be put up for those who have ; lock boxes at the post office. There will be no window serv i ice after 1 o dock Saturday af ! temoon until next Tuesday morning. After Monday, the j regular schedule will be resumed.
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
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Dec. 21, 1944, edition 1
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