North Carolina Newspapers

The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News ******* Those Boys Need wmemu VOLUME LV—NUMBER 52 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, December 28. 1944 ESTABLISHED 1889 Town op ics No sesion of recorder's court was held this week, as there was only one case on the docket and practical ly all courthouse offices were closed Tuesday for the Christmas holidays. Court wil be held as usual next Tues day, when about six or eight cases are expected to be tried. In a recent letter to his wife, Pfc, Thurlow Spruill said he had just received seven copies of the Beacon at one time and that he was start out to memorize them, including the "Home and Club News.’’ Private Spruill is with a combat infantry outfit and was in the battles of An guar and Peleliu in the Palau group of islands in the Pacific. He has been awarded the combat Infantryman's badge. 1st Lt. Hugh P. Jordan, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Jordan, of Plymouth, was recently promoted to the rank of captain and made assistant oper ations officer of his Thunderbolt fighter squadron, now based in Italy. Cuptain Jordan's wife and little daughter are residing here at the 1 ome of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. P. M. Arps. H. H. Allen, chairman of the county board of commissioners, announced yesterday that the regular meeting of the commis sioners had been postponed from next Monday to Tuesday, Janu ary 2, at 10 a.m. The change was made on account of the New Year holiday falling on Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Stanton R. Norman, of Washington, D. C., arrived last Saturday to visit relatives here for a few days. Mr. Norman became ill shortly after arriving here, but is re ported today to be recovering. They are at the home of Mr. Norman’s brother, C. J. Norman, on Main Street. 1st Lt. William E. Hays, son of County Agent and Mrs. W. V. Hays, is spending 15 days' leave at the home of his parents here. Lieutenant Hays has just returned from India, where he amassed a total of 650 hours fly ing time “over the hump” between Allied bases in India and China. He was in the C. I. B. theatre with the Air Transport Command from Feb ruary 4 until early in December and has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with several oak-leaf clusters. Pfc. and Mrs. Joe A. Jones and lit tle daughter, Jo Ann, of Harrisburg, Pa., spent the Christmas holidays with the former’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Jones, of near Bethel. Mrs. Jones and little Jo Ann are now mak ing their home with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Bryant, near Plym outh; while Private Jones has re turned to Harrisburg, where he is stationed with a railway operating battalion. Prior to enlisting in the Army last April, he was employed as a trainman by the Seaboard Air Line Railway Company at Raleigh. No meeting of the Lions Club was held either last week or this week, on account of the Christ mas holidays. The next regu lar meeting of the club is scheduled for Thursday night of next week, January 4th. Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Cheshire and little son, “Bill,” of Maryville, Tenn., who have been spending some time here with Mrs. Cheshire’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Bryant, left Sun day for Rocky Mount to visit Mr. Cheshire’s parents. They will re turn to Tennessee on January 1st. Cpl. Eugene James, colored, former employee of the H. E. Harrison Wholesale Company, is now home on a 30-day leave after 23 months on the war fronts of North Africa and Italy. He entered the Army in Feb ruary, 1942, and was assigned to a service company. James was in Na ples, Italy, when the post office there was bJ m up by a delayed action mine a few days after the Allied ar mies had captured that city. ■ 1 Pvt. George H. Spruill, Jr., Now in France With Army -® Mrs. George H. Spruill, jr„ of Roper Route 1, received a cablegram last week from her husband, Pvt. George H. Spruill, jr„ stating that he had arrived safely somewhere in France. Private Spruill received his basic training at Camp Croft, S. C„ and was home on furlough the latter part of October, leaving November 5 for Fort George Mead, Md. Shortly af terwards he was sent to New York and thence overseas. He has been in the Army since May 20, 1944. Christmas Holidays Among Quietest on Record Over County -<§> No Serious Accident'; Re ported; Only Two Ar rests Made Here The long Christmas holiday week end passed very quietly in Plymouth and Washington County, so far as could be learned from official rec ords here yesterday. There was a note of anxiety and sadness predomi nant in many homes. For one thing, there are upwards of 1.000 Washing ton County men in various branches of the armed services and, with many of them far away from home and on dangerous battlefronts, there was ob viously considerable concern in lo cal homes about their welfare and safety. This concern was acentuated by re ports from the European battlefront about the great German counter-at tack, which was pushing back sever al American armies at a rapid rate. The news, in itself, was cause enough not to enter into a boisterous cele bration of the day. Local police reported that only two arrests were made during the entire Christmas season, and both of th^m were for drunkenness. So far as could be learned, there was not a single serious automobile accident in the section, which is in marked con trast to the toll reported in other pre-war years. Local stores and business places, almost without exception, were clos ed from Saturday night until Wednesday morning, giving employ ees an extra long week-end. Al though there was considerable visit ing, and some family reunions, the amount of travel was not nearly as large as in former years. Hardly more than a dozen or so firecrackers were heard, which mark ed another departure from the regu lar order of things in the past in this part of the South. Last year the fireworks supply was somewhat lim ited, but that Christmas was com paratively noisy in contrast with this year, when the noise makers were almost entirely eliminated. There was a considerable amount of hunting over the week-end, but at the rate shells are being used up, this will continue but little longer, since shells are now on the irreplacable list. For the most part, county people spent the Christmas season quietly and at home, the gasoline rationing taking care of the travel situation. -« Mrs. Deborah Allen Dies Here Thursday -<5> Had Been in Failing Health For Several Years; Was 83 Years Old • Mrs. Deborah Allen, widow of the late John B. Allen, died Thursday morning of this week at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Stuard F. Darden, in Plymouth, after a long period of illness. Mrs. Allen was 83 years old and had been in failing health for several years. Daughter of the late James A. and Caroline Nancy Harrison, Mrs. Allen was born in Washington County on December 6, 1861, and lived in this section for most of her life. On March 14, 1883, she was married to the late John B. Allen, who preceded her to the grave on September 18, 1936. Mrs. Allen was well known in this section and had hundreds of friends throughout the county. For many years she was a member of the Mis sionary Baptist Church at Jamesvllle. In addition to a host of friends, Mrs, Allen is survived by four daugh ters, Mrs. Myrtle R. Evans, of Plym outh; Miss Annie Mae Allen, of High Point; Mrs. Stuart F. Darden, of Plymouth; and Mrs. Ora A. Burnette, of Norfolk, Va.; two sons, H. Wes ley Allen, of LaGrange; and Tommy r, Allen, of High Point. She also leaves 14 grandchildren. Funeral services will be conducted at the Baptist church in Jamesville Friday afternoon at 4 o’clock by the Rev. W. B. Harrington, pastor, assist ed by the Rev. E. B. Quick, of the Plymouth Christian church. Inter ment will be made in the family plot at the church cemetery there. Roanoke River Flood Control Project Is Included in Act Passed by Congress Flood' control on the Roanoke River as a major post-war Feder al project has been practically assured by passage of the Omni bus Flood Control Bill by both houses of Congress, and now lacks only presidential signature of the bill to make it law. The bill carries an ititial ap propriation of $36,140,000 for two dams and water resevoirs on the Roanoke, the work to be started at the close of the war. In the meantime the measure empowers Army engineers tQ take initial steps so that construction will not be delayed when the war ends. The present measure was in troduced as a part of the Federal Government’s post-war public works and conservation program, but embodies legislation original ly introduced In Congress by Congressman John H. Kerr, and sponsored jointly by him and members of Congress from Vir ginia, . where the Roanoke rises and where the major flood con trol construction projects will be placed. I : Happy New Year!| A VICTORIOUS i i t This may be a time-worn J phrase and many times ex- * pressed without feeling, But, to us, it is the only ap- j propriate sentiment. It, i above all others, carries the jj true spirit of the occasion, j So, we look no more for *j fancy greeting. It’s simply jj “Happy New Year” — to j you, from us. \ .1 i Hampton and Peele Leave Next Week for Opening Legislature REPRESENTATIVE W. H. (Jack) Peele, Washing ton County Representative to the General Assembly, will leave Tuesday of next week for the opening sessions of the legisla ture, which officially convenes at noon on Wednesday, January 3. Infantile Paralysis Drive for Funds in County Next Month Double Amount Collected Last Year Is Aim; Mrs. Curry Is Chairman By MRS. EDWARD HILL Publicity Chairman Our country has just been through the worst epidemic of infantile para lysis ever experienced. Washington County was among the few lucky ones to escape. However, your child, my child—either of them—may be next. We want to raise sufficient funds during the January, 1945, campaign to take care of any emergency that may arise next year; and also to contribute, through the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, to other counties less fortunate. Mrs. eGorge B. Curry has been named county chairman of the 1945 drive, with Mrs. Edward Hill serving as publicity chairman. Miss Doris Lewis will assist in the Roper sec tion. Several benefit activities have been planned and will be announced later. To have a succesful drive, we must realize these aims: (1) A dime from every school child; (2) a dollar from every employee; (3) a special gift from everyone who can afford it; (4) a special gift from every busi ness firm; (5) a counter coin col lector in every store, containing gen erous donations. Caring for an infantile paralysis epidemic is enormously expensive. We need the whole-hearted cooperation of every citizen in the county to com bat this dreaded disease. Infantile paralysis is no respecter of persons. It picks its victims from wealthy homes, tenements, farms— all children are defenseless against this enemy. Your child and mine may be two of the thousands who will wake up twisting and turning in their beds as they burn with fever and struggle to straighten spasm drawn limbs. This year we are expected to double the amount raised last year. This fund is entirely independent of any other drive that has taken place. Let us go over the top in raising funds to combat infantile paralysis should it strike Washington County. Sessions Will Begin Wednesday; Parly Caucus Night Before Peele Plans To Raise Pay Of Superior Court Jurors In County -<* State Senator W. Roy Hampton and County Representative W. H. (Jack) Peele will leave next Tues day morning for Raleigh, where the 1945 session of the General Assem bly convenes at noon Wednesday. They are leaving a day ahead of the formal opening of the legislature in order to get in on the Democratic caucuses of the Senate and House, which wil be held Tuesday night. Both men will be serving their first terms in their respective law-making bodies. Although a number of important matters are scheduled to come before the legislature, a comparatively short session is in prospect, according to political prognosticators, and it is not expected that the session will be con tinued much longer than the allot ted 60-day period. Senator Hampton has been as signed seat No. 26 in the senate, which puts him on the second row beside his colleague from the second district, Senator E. A. Daniel, of Washington, who has seat No. 27. Representative Peele drew seat No. 7 / in the house; and his adjoining neighbors will be Representatives Vernon James, of Pasquotank; and S. E. Burgess, of Camden. Both the Plymouth men will make the Sir Walter Hotel their headquarters while in Raleigh. They invite their Wash ington County constituents to call on them if they go to Raleigh while the legislature is in session; and they will be glad to hear from the folks back home at any time relative to legis lative matters. Mail may be ad dressed to them in care of the Sir Walter Hotel. The speaker and other house of ficers will be elected at the house caucus Tuesday night. There is a close fight being waged between Os car L. Richardson, of Monroe, and George Uzzell, of Salisbury, for the speakership, with the outcome con sidered doubtful at this time. Mr. Peel said that he was committed to Richardson and would vote for him at the caucus Tuesday night. Senate officials will also be elect ed at the Democratic causus Tues day night, but the speakership fight in the house overshadows the pre legislative maneuvering in the upper chamber. Representative Peele said one of his first acts would be to introduce a bill to increase the per diem fee of superior court jurors in Washington County from $2 to $4 per day, plus mileage. Outside of this, he said he had no other local legislation in mind at this time, although some may develop later. He plans to confer with the county board of comm is* sioners at its regular meeting next week and said he also would be glad to hear from any other local officials regarding any special legislation de sired. & New Year Dance at Country Club Saturday Tile annual New Year dance for members of the Country Club of Plymouth will be held at the club Saturday night, starting at 9 o’clock, it was announced last week by Z. V. Norman, president. Invitations and admission cards have been mailed to all members and their out-of-town guests. Herman Borden's orchestra, of Washington, will provide music for the event. t County To Be About $10,000 Short of "E" Bond Quota in Drive However, Overall Goal Will Be Exceeded by 50 Per Cent or More The present outlook Is that Wash ington County will fall down on its “E" bond quota in the Sixth War Loan Drive by about $10,000. it was learned this week from H. E. Beam, chairman of the county war finance committee .and W. R. Gaylord, chair man of the Sixth War Loan Cam paign. However, the county will top its overall quota by more than $100, 000, or possibly 50 per cent. The last report received by Mr. Beam from the Federal Reserve Bank at Richmond, dated December 26. showed “E" bond sales at that time amounting to $88,995. while the coun ty quota for the drive is $113,000. However, Mr. Beam said he had sent in reports since then showing sales of an additional $4,000 worth of “E” bonds. In addition, it is expected that the county will get about $10. 000 credit for "E" bonds sold to serv ice men. which will leave the county just about $10,000 short of its $113. 000 goal. From the standpoint of overall sales, the county is well over its quota, with $322,695 sales reported hv the Federal Reserve Bank on De cember 26; while the quota is only $219,000. The overall sales are brok en down as follows in the report: “E" Bonds_$ 88,995 Savngs Notes_ 92.00C Certif. of Indebtedness^. 105,000 Savings Notes_ 10,000 Coupon Bonds_ 26.000 Total_$322,695 Mr. Beam is making his final re port of sales through the Bank on Friday of this week, and it is pre sumed the three post-office issuing agencies in the county are doing like wise. Last-minute sales of bonds during the closing days may raise the above total somewhat, but it is still believed the county will fall short of its “E" bond quota. All sales ac tually reported to the Federal Reserve Bank up to Saturday wil be credit ed to the county's Sixth War Loan Quota. Malcolm Roberts Funeral Monday Infant Son of Mr. and Mrs. P. H. Roberts Died in Hospital Sunday -® Malcolm Roberts, nine-months-old son of Mr. and Mrs. P. H. Roberts formerly of Plymouth, died in a Washington hospital last Sunday af ternoon about 2:30 from bronchia] pneumonia. Tire little boy had been sick for a couple of weeks and was taken to the hospital in Washington three days before the end came. Bom in Richmond, Va.. on March 7. 1944. the baby was the son of P. H and Pauline West Roberts. They have been living in Virginia since leaving Plymouth, but the baby and Mrs. Roberts came here about two months ago to visit her parents. Mr and Mrs. John T. West. Besides his parents, the infant is survived by a brother, Phillip Rob erts; his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John T. West, and several uncles and aunts of Plymouth. Funeral services were held from the Horner Funeral Home here Monday afternoon at 3 p.m. by the Rev. E. B Quick, pastor of the local Christian church. Interment was made in the Windley cemetery. Call Pre-Induction Group Nexl Week ——® Colored Contingent Will Go To Fort Bragg on January 4 --$ Notices are being sent to a number of colored men in Washington Coun ty this week to report to the office oi the local draft board Thursday ol next week, January 4, when they will be sent to Fort Bragg for their pre induction physical examinations. Ali of those to whom notices are being sent have only recently reached the age of 18. Patrick Henry, Andrew Jacksor and Calvin Coolidge are among the given names of the men called tc report next week, so there will be nc lack of distinguished names in the group reporting from here. Five oi the number are from Plymouth, foui are from Creswell. there from Ropei and one from Mackeys. Following i; the list of those summoned to re port for examination on January 4 From Plymouth: Henry Pettiford Calvin Coolidge Armstrong, Richarc Joseph McNair. Clifton Windbornc and Arthur Lee Williams: Fron Roper: Milton Henry Collins, Johr William Gibbs. George Henry Perry jr„ and Patrick Henry Bullock: Fron Creswell: Joe Nathan Alexander, Les ter Freeman Tredwell, and Andrev Jackson Blount: and Ernest Chesson of Mt ckeys. Tax Listing for 1944 Gets Underway in All Parts County Monday STATE SENATOR VV. Roy Hampton, of Plym outh, ( one of the two state sen ators from the second senatorial district, will leave next Tuesday for Raleigh and the opening ses sions of the 1945 General Assem ! bly. Few County Places Will Be Closed ior New-Year Holiday Post Offices and Bank Will Observe Holiday; Most Other Places Open '!>•>- ■ Business and industry in genera: throughout the county will pay scanl attention to New Year's Day Mon day. The Branch Banking & Trust Company, post offices, ABC store; and county offices will be closed foi the day, but local stores and indus trial establishments will be on i "business as usual" basis. The post offices throughout the county will render a reduced sche dule of services, there being no rura! or city carrier deliveries, but dis patchs will be made and incoming mail put up for those who have lock hnvps Tlie plant of the North Carolis Pulp Company suspended production of pulp this week, while the semi annual overhaul and repairing of ma chinery and equipment has been un derway, but is expected to get back into production very shortly. So fai as could be learned today, other in dustrial plants in the section wil continue oDeration as usual. A New year dance will be held al the country club Saturday night oi this week, and a large gathering i: expected there. Herman Borden'; Orchestra from Washington has beer secured for the dance, which start; at 9 and continues through 1 o'clock Saturday night. Apparently there is comparativelj little interest in the various footbal "bowl" games next Monday, although the Duke University Blue Devils an meeting Alabama's Crimson Tide ir the Sugar Bowl contest. So far a: most of Washington County is con cerned, New Year's Day will be jusl another Monday. -® Require Farmers to File Income Returns The Internal Revenue Bureau re minds farmers that income-tax decla rations are required from all who hac a gross income of more than $50( during the past year. These decla rations should be made before Janu ary 15. and penalties are provided foi those who fail or neglect to file i return by that time. The office of the county agent ha: a bulletin relative to filing of income tax returns by farmers. It explain: the entire procedure, and a copy wil be furnished free to any farmer whc requests it. Board Decides Not To Have All Real Property Revalued Uniform Personal Property Schedule Discussed at Meeting Last Week -<t> The annual task of listing all pro perty in Washington County will get underway Monday of next week, the first day of the New Year. All real estate, personal property and poll taxes must be listed during the month of January in the four town ships of the county, and penalties are provided for those who fail or neg lect to turn in their listings during this period. ine quadrennial revaluation or an real estate was originally scheduled to take place during the coming month. However, at a meeting of county com missioners with the tax superivisor. J. C. Knowles. Wednesday night of last week, it was decided not to re quire revaluation this year. This ac tion was taken due to the difficulty of securing boards of assessors in all of the townships, and the commis sioners decided to let present real es tate valuations stand as they are at present. In addition to tax listing, all farm ers are required to furnish the infor mation for a farm census, showing number of acres planted to various crops during the past year and plantings planned during the coming year. The information required also includes number of acres in farm, number acres cleared, acreage culti vated by owners and tenants, acre age of waste land, number and kind of sheep, cattle, swine, chickens, etc. Farmers are requested by the tax supervisor to prepare lists contain .ng all this information and have it leady for the list-taker. Early listing is advised and urged. 11 lessen the possibility of the usual last-minute rush. As a rule, the list ers have very little to do during the early days of January and then are ^^completely overwhelmed with work di ring the last week. Those who wait ur. til the last few days usually And loi g lines ahead of them, increasing th> possibility of errors as well as un dei going delay. l ppointment of boards of assessors announced after the commissioners’ meeting last first Monday has been cameled; and, instead, a list-taker has been appointed for each of the foue townships. Mrs. Hermine Ram ‘Continued on Page Four) Present Auto Tags Valid Next Month Extension of Time Provided By Special Act Passed In 1943 \ccording to a statement issued Wednesday by T. Boddie Ward, com m ssioner of the State Department of Mrtor Vehicles, motorists have un til January 31 to get their 1945 li cense plates. It has been generally supposed that the new tags were re quired on all cars by January 1st, but Mr. Ward's statement indicates that the 1943 legislature provided a month's grace for those who did not have them at that time, i “All 1944 motor vehicle license plates are good through January 31,” the commissioner stated. “This ex tension of time was provided for by a special act of the 1943 General Assembly.-' Commissioner Ward issued the re mainder in answer to a number of inquiries received in his office re cently in regard to the expiration date of 1944 license plates. Most lo cal car owners have already secured their new tags, but a few have not been able to visit the nearest bureau so far. The new tags may be secured at license bureaus in Williamston or Washington. Whiskey Sales at County ABC Stores Reach New Nigh Figure Last Week Despite shortages, rationing, the war, and everything else, the Washington County ABC system had the biggest three days in its history Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last week. If the Plymouth store hadn’t run out of whiskey Saturday afternoon more than two hours before clos ing time, there is no telling how high the totals might have run. The store here had plenty of rum. i cordials, and like beverages on hand, but completely exhausted its stock of whiskey. Sales here and at Creswell to taled S8.699.50 for the three days while imbibers in the ardent spirits were storking up for the Christmas week-end. .The loeal store sold the lion's share, taking in $7,261 during the three days; while Creswell sales amounted to $1,438.50. Sales at the Plymouth store during the three-day period were as follows: Thursday, $2, 222.90: Friday, $2,701.60: and Saturday. $2,336.50. Creswell didn't do so good on Thursday, but picked up rapidly Friday and Saturday, as follows: Thursday, S116.50. Friday, $567; and Satur . day, $755.