The Roanoke Beacon
★ ★★★★★ and Washington County News ******
I’own
opics
A home newspaper dedicated
to the service of Washington
County and its 13,000 people.
ESTABLISHED 1889
VOLUME LIX—NUMBER 3
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, January 15, 1948
E. H. Liverman of Plymouth
^ left Wednesday for Winston
Salem where he will represent
Washington County at the annual
convention of the North Carolina
Association of Soil Conservation
District Supervisors. Mr. Liver
man was recently elected chair
man of the county soil conser
vation committee and county rep
resentative to all district and
State conservation meetings. He
will return to Plymouth on Satur
day.
Total contributions of the
Washington County tuberculosis
seal sale drive now amount to
$811.66, or $111.66 beyond the
alloted $700 quota, Mrs. Hallett
Everett, county campaign chair
man, has reported this week. Mrs.
Everett said that about 70 per
cent of the 1,000 persons con
tacted through the mails have
now replied and that donations
are still coming in.
*
Town Clerk W. A. Roebuck
has reported that sales of Plym
outh tags for automobiles own
ed by residents of the town is
lagging with only 230 of the
650 plate allotment having been
sold to date. He pointed out
that the deadline for not dis
playing the tags on cars own
ed in town is January 31. Those
who fail to comply may he
prosecuted. Price of the tags
is only $1.
Mrs. Woodrow R. Collins of
Plymouth has been appointed
community chairman of the over
seas relief drive in this section
which will be conducted January
25 through January 31. The
movement is sponsored by the
North Carolina Council of
Churches.
Delbert D. Allen, Washington
County sanitarian, represented
this county at a meeting of all
sanitarians in the counties in the
northeastern district of the State.
The session was conducted in
Rocky Mount on Monday.
t
Plymouth Police Chief P. W.
Brown has anounced that a
box will be placed in the city
clerk’s office in the Municipal
Building to receive donations of
used clothing in cooperation
with the overseas relief cam
paign wl.icf''
in the conntj
through JanuqL
thes will be senT to The Euro
pean victims of the recent war.
Mrs. Woodrowi R. Collins is
chairman of the drive.
The Rev. W. Dennis Helsabect
of Arcadia, Ind., has accepted the
call to the pastorate of the Plym
outh Christian church, officials ir
the religious organization have
announced. They added that the
Rev. Mr. Helsabeck will assume
his pastoral duties here in May.
The three principals of the
white schools in Washingtor
County, accompanied by Superin
tendent Roy F. Lowry, attendee
a meeting of the Albemarle
Schoolmasters Club, held in Cen
tral High School, Pasquotank
County, on Monday. They are
J. S. Fleming, Plymouth; R. B
«rbes, Roper, and H. L. Furr
eswell. Robert Lee Humber
noted author and lecturer, was
the main speaker.
- — i
Beacon Will Run
Children Photo:
; The Roanoke Beacon wants :
photograph of every youngster ii
this trading area for publicatioi
in a forthcoming feature to b(
entitled “Citizens of Tomorraw.’
A special children’s photogra
pher, connected with a national
ly known photographic studit
will be in the American Legioi
Hall on Thursday, January 29
from 1 p. m. to 8 p. m. to tak<
■ the pictures which will be snap
K ped without charge.
All children in this tradin;
area are eligible and no chargf
will be made to the parents, whc
do not even have to be subscrib
ers to this newspaper. Parent:
may secure additional prints oi
their children’s pictures, if thej
wish, but there is no obligatior
to do so. The Woltz Studios oi
Des Moines, la., will take thi
ajctures.
First Woman Jurcu* in
Coun ty Serves Monday
Washington County’s first
woman juror ever to see ser
vice in the jury box was drawn
and empaneled on Monday of
this week, the first day of the
civil term of January superior
court. She was Mrs. Eva Har
rell of Roper.
Mrs. Harrell applied for ex
cuse from service on the jury,
i but the appeal was denied by
R. Hunt Parker, the judge pre
siding. Mrs. Harrell is a well
known business woman of Rop
er where she operates a dry
cleaning establishment.
Although a total of five wo
men's names were drawn for
possible jury duty in the cur
rent superior court session, all
were excused except Mrs. Har
rell. The first case tried by the
jury with whom she sat was a
divorce action based on grounds
of two years separation. The
divorce was granted. When
asked how it felt to be the
county’s first lady juror, Mrs.
Harrell declined to comment,
but the fact that she applied
for excuse seems to indicate
that she didn’t exactly want to
serve.
Vacating Municipal
Building Considered
WarniM Given
On Brush ?>>■“«
Forest Fire Warden S. F.
Darden pointed out this week
that permits must be procured
before anyone should burn
brush in or near woodlands
during the forest fire season
months. Mr. Darden added
that the burning of brush or
other trash without first ob
taining a permit from a desig
nated warden makes the offen
der liable to indictment and
conviction in the courts.
Violators of this ruling, he
said, would be subject to a $50
fine or a 30-day jail sentence
or both. The fire season, the
warden stated, extends from
February 1 to June 1.
'Stockholders W;»
HUdUjMHM
Here on Monday
Board To Choose 1948
Officials Afterward;
League Session Post
poned Until Tonight
Election of a board of directors
who will then select officials for
the 1948 season will be held by
stockholders in the Washington
County Athletic Association,
meeting in the county courthouse
on Monday night of next week.
The stockholders will also hear
reports from W. H. Joyner and
Joseph Foster, who will repre
sent the Washington County
Association at a meeting of the
directors in the Albemarle Base
ball League in Edenton tonight.
The League session was slated to
have been held on Monday night
of this week, but was postponed.
County Association President
Archie J. Riddle has requested
all stockholders in the corpora
tion to attend the meeting since
the reports to be given by Foster
and Joyner will concern impor
tant matters relating to county
participation in League baseball
this summer.
School Heads to
Consider Movies
The principals of the three
major white schools in Washing
ton County will meet with Sup
erintendent R. F. Lowry in his
office here at 4 p. m. Friday to
discuss the possible acquisition of
movie films for the schools in the
county, it has been announced.
All films, school officials have
stated, would be of an educa
tional nature and would pertain
to subjects taught in the schools.
Principals of the county’s color
ed schools will meet with Mr.
Lowry next Monday afternoon
at 4 o’clock.
Takers Here Report
Around 500 Listers
According to reports from
Plymouth town and township tax
list takers, approximately 500
persons have appeared so far to
list their taxes during the cur
rent period which ends on Janu
ary 31.
The township list taker, Mrs.
Hermine Ramsey, has recorded a
figure somewhat higher than
that taken by W. A. Roebuck,
town list taker, due to the fact
that quite a few taxpayers in her
area are not residents of the town
; proper and not subject to its
taxes. Some delinquency has
been reported on the part of farm
ers in appearing to list their tax
es, however, with the same situa
tion being noted among persons
who became 21 years of age in
the past year and who are now
subject to poll tax.
Persons who have not listed
' their taxes as yet have been ad
1 vised to do so before the January
31 deadline.
Step Would Facilitate
Sale Councilmen Are
Told; Further Action
in February
The Plymouth town council,
meeting in special session last
night, voted to have Mayor A.
J. Riddle investigate the pos
sibility of securing other hous
ing facilities for the city’s ad
ministrative offices and the local
fire department and report his
findings at the February meeting
of the town board so that the
present Municipal Building and
fire house may again be adver
tised for sale at public auction.
in tne auction oi tne town
owned property held on January
6, Louis Alexander of Plymouth
made a $32,500 bid on the prop
erty and the council accepted his
offer. Mr. Alexander's attorney
informed the council, however,
that supreme court rulings have
forbidden the sale of any piece
of municipal property that is al
the time being used for govern
mental purposes and that there
fore the sale would not be legal
According to ;his*±.*ji>..iat.c...
it was reported at last night'.
town board session that the onlv
legitimate way to sell the proper
ty would be to vacate it and ther
advertise it for sale, or to wah
until the 1949 General Assemblj
meets and have it pass a specia:
act. The former measure was
deemed more adviseable since e
better price might possibly be
had on the buildings at this time
rather than a year from now.
If the building is eventuallj
sold, the council plans the con
struction of a new fire house or
Water Street and the renovatior
of the Old Market Building which
would then house the town gov
ernmental offices.
Two More Stills
Taken in County
Two more illicit whiskey stills
were captured and destroyed ir
Washington County last week by
County ABC Officer L. L. Bas
night and L. C. Snell, assistant,
with a total of 400 gallons oi
working mash being poured out
of their containers by the twc
law enforcement officers.
The first moonshine factory
taken by the officers was cap
tured on Wednesday around 3
p. m. in Gum Swamp, near Pea
Ridge station. Three barrels oi
mash were found together with
worm, doubling keg and all
equipment except the still unit
itself.
The second still destroyed was
found around 12:30 p. m. on
Thursday in the head of the New
lands section behind the Hender
son Clifton farm. Two barrel;
of mash were discovered, a doub
ling keg, axe, cross-cut saw,
worm, pipe, and steel drums. Op
erators of neither of the two il
legal businesses were caught at
the stills.
-*.—
Will Conduct VFW Meet
In Courthouse Tonight
-«
The Bosie Bateman Post of the
Veterans of Foreign Wars will
conduct a regular meeting in the
courtroom of the county court
house tonight at 8 o’clock, W. S.
Davenport, commander of the
Plymouth group, has announced
Davenport requested all VFW
members to attend the session
since important matters will be
up for discussion.
Windows Are Installed
In County Bus Garage
-*
Window panes for the county’s
new school-bus garage arrived
last week and were put in place
yesterday, virtually completing
construction work on the exterior
of the new structure, school af
ficials have stated.
Superior Court's
Civil Term Still
In Session Here
■-♦
Most Outstanding Case Is
Not Tried Until Last of
Period; 10 Actions Con
tinued
Washington County Superior
Court, Judge R. Hunt Parker
presiding, commenced its civil
term Monday in the two-week
mixed civil and criminal session
which began on Monday, Janu
ary 5.
Most outstanding case of the
civil term, Mrs. Frances Harrison
vs. Horner's Funeral Home of
Plymouth, was not tried until the
latter part of the term and was
still before the court this morn
ing. Mrs. Harrison is suing for a
total of $5,175.
In her complaint against tne
funeral home, Mrs. Harrison al
leged that she wanted a good
concrete vault and said that the
firm agreed to furnish one which
would last 50 years for $157,
which she said she paid.
Later, Mrs. Harrison said, she
engaged the services of a marble
dealer to erect a monument and
found that the grave had fallen
in. She added that upon exami
nation the vault was found to
have broken through, exposing
the body to earth and water.
The funeral home made a gen
eral denial of all the allegations
by the plaintiff, and the owner
claimed he informed Mrs. Har
rison that a concrete valut was
unobtainable under wartime con
ditions then existing and that a
plastic substitute would be used.
Other cases tried in the civil
court term this week were as
follows:
Monday, January 12
Julia Breedlove vs. Bunyan
Breedlove, divorce, granted on
grounds of two-years’ separation;
Nathaniel Barnes vs. Mamie
Barnes, divorce, granted on
grounds of two-years’ seperation.
yim 'ollowing actions, slated for
trial Monday were continued:
Frances C. Hutchins vs. C. Edley
Hutchins; Clyde C. Davis and Ora
E. Ange vs. Annie Nicholson and
Mary Ellen Davis, administra
trix,; James W. Roberson vs.
Ernestine Roberson; Webster
Hudson vs. Millie Hudson; W. W.
Davenport vs. T. C. Holmes; and
E. C. Craddock vs. Marvin H.
Whitley. The case of George
Frederick vs. Louise Frederick
was non-suited.
Tuesday, January 13
Isabelle P. Culbertson vs. Au
gustus R. Patrick, jr., damages
resulting from an automobile ac
cident several years ago, plain
tiff awarded $2,500 from defen
dant; Georgia N. Exum vs. Wil
lie J. Bell, continued; John L.
Roper Lumber Company vs. The
Texas Company, continued; Edna
B. Harris vs. P. H. Darden, con
tinued; A. L. Alexander vs. Ben
Norman, continued.
Wednesday was given over to
the trial of the Harrison vs.
Homer case.
-1
Humber Will Be
Speaker at Club
Attorney Robert Lee Humber,
noted author and lecturer, of
Greenville will be the featured
speaker at tonight’s meeting of
the Plymouth Lions Club, accord
ing to J. J, Segerman, January
program chairman for the or
ganization.
Mr. Humber is well-known at
the author of a World Federation
resolution which was endorsed
by more than a dozen State legis
latures in 1946. Humber is also
an authority on world peace and
federation problems. He was a
candidate for congressional rep
resentative from this district in
i the 1946 elections.
The subject of Mr. Humber’s
address tonight was not announc
ed.
Flames Demolish
Negro Home Here
-4
Flames, springing from an un
known origin, completely destroy
ed the log-woods shanty home of
Henry Cotanch, aged eolored
man, located on the Brinkley
lunber yard at the end of Mon
roe Street in Plymouth last Sun
day around 3 p. m.
I The local fire department was
summoned but by the time the
firemen arrived on the scene,
the cabin was collapsing. Fire
Chief Miller Warren made no
estimate as to the amount of
damage done by the blaze, but
pointed out that the aged Negro
had lost all his possessions in
the fire.
Infantile Paralysis Drive
Now Getting Underway
I
GIVE NOW—MAKE HIS ‘DREAMS COME TRUE
Overseas Relief
Drive Sponsored
By Church Guild
1 *
Other Civic and Religious
Groups in Plymouth
Have Agreed to Sup
port Campaign
The Wesleyan Service Guild of
the Plymouth Methodist Church
will sponsor the Overseas Cloth
ing Relief Drive in Plymouth
Mrs. Woodrow R. Collins, cam
paign chairman, has anounced.
The drive will last for one week,
Mrs. Collins said, and will begin
on Monday, January 26, ending
the following Saturday.
New or used clotmng oi an
kinds, shoes, toys for children,
tools, first aid supplies, books,
soap and other articles are ac
ceptable, she said. The articles
should have at least six-months
of use left in them, the chairman
said, and donors may include
notes with the articles.
In addition to the Guild, other
civic and religious groups have
promised their full support to
the campaign, Mrs. Collins said,
emphasizing the fact that a box
to receive donations will be lo
cated in the City Clerk’s office
in the Municipal Building. Every
one is asked to give as liberally
as possible, she stated.
Give Lunchrooms
Shipment of Food
Thirty-five eases of dried
peaches and 46 cases of prunes,
a gift from the Department of
Agriculture through the State
lunchroom aid program, arrived
in Plymouth this week for dis
tribution to school lunchrooms in
the county, Roy F. Lowry, super
intendent of schools, has reported.
Fifteen crates of peaches will
be given to the Plymouth school,
eight to Roper, seven to Cres
well, and five to J. J. Clemmons
School. Twenty cases of prunes
have been sent to the Plymouth
school, 10 to Roper, 10 to Cres
well, and six to the J. J. Clem
mons School.
Distribution is made on the
basis of the average number of
lunches served in the four lunch
rooms. Lowry pointed out.
New Photo Studio
Has Opened Here
A now photographic studio has
been opened by W. J. Weaver in
Plymouth, the studio being lo
cated in the Leggett Building |
over the ABC store on Watei [
Street.
Mr. Weaver is a native ol wu
liamston and comes to Plymouth
from Tampa, Fla., where he op
erated a studio. He has been in
the photography business for a
number of years.
The new Plymouth business
specializes in portrait studies, en
largements, commercial photo
graphy, snapshot developing, and
copying.
: :
i Potato Acre?"*'' j
| To Be AHi**»‘,t |
A total of 172.4 acres in Irish
potato acreage allotments will
be sent out in Washington Coun
ty AAA organization, has an
nounced, adding that all farm
ers who wish to make new
grower applications must do so
before February 15.
The Triple-A secretary point
ed out further that any ap
plicant in Washington County
will be allowed to plant at
least 2.9 acres to Irish pota
toes in 1948.
Two Are Injured
In Sunday Wreck
Two Were injured and con
siderable damage to both auto
mobiles involved resulted wher
the 1941 Chevrolet tudor sedar
driven by Simon Roderick Roe
buck, white, of Plymouth, route
one, collided with the 1941 Plym
outh sedan driven by Sheriff J
K. Reid at the intersection oi
Main and Jefferson Streets las1
Sunday around 8 a. m.
R. H. Modlin, a passenger in
the Roebuck car, sustained num
erous lacerations on the head,
requiring 20 stitches, while M. H
Matchen, also a passenger in the
Roebuck automobile, suffered
bruises and possible fractured
ribs.
State Highway Patrolman R.
W. Young, who investigated the
accident, has reported that the
sheriff was going south on Jef
ferson Street and was in the in
tersection when the Roebuck car,
which was traveling east on Main,
rammed into Mr. Reid’s car,
throwing it up on the sidewalk.
Young added that the auto driv
en by Roebuck then swerved
around on Jefferson and slam
med into a tree. Roebuck, he
said, is being charged with reck
less driving and will be given a
hearing in county recorder’s
court next Tuesday.
-A
B&LSiatemeni of
Condition Is Given
-4
The Plymouth Building and
Loan Association has prepared
and released its annual report of
financial condition, as of Decem
ber 31, 1947, I, Miller Warren,
secretary-treasurer, has 7-eportcd,
pointing out that the year just
ended showed an increase of $35.
304.77 in total assets over the
1946 figure of $142,883.59, the 1947
total amount being $178,188.36.
Largest amount ot increase in
the asset column was in first
mortgage share loan account and
sinking fund loans which jump
ed from $90,986.50 in 1946 to
$164,340 in 1947. Cash on hand
rose to $5,974.85 from $3,526.29
In the capital and liabilities co
lumn, full-paid shares rose from
$46,800 to $68,300 Federal insur
ance reserve increased from $1,
386.31 to $1,800, and money for
contingencies from $500 to $3.
000.
County Goal Is Set at
$1,220; Campaign in
Washington County
Ends on January 30
——♦——
Today marks the beginning of
Washington County’s part of ’he
nation-wide March of Dimes for
the benefit of infantile paraly
sis victims with the quota assign
ed to this county standing at
$1,220 and Mrs. Athalia G. Tyree
of Plymouth acting as county
campaign chairman.
Mrs. Tyree has announced that j
the collections will be made in
theatres in the county and through
door-to-door solicitations by can
vassers who have been appointed
in each county community. One
half of the money collected will
remain in Washington County to
be used in preventing and com
bating poliomyelitis while the re
mainder will be sent to the March
of Dimes national headquarters
to be used for the same purpose
on a national scale.
Dr. Claudius McGowan, acting
district health officer, has an
nounced that arrangements have
been completed at a hospital in
Portsmouth, Va„ for the estab
lishment of an infantile paraly
sis treatment center which will
be made available to acute and
convalescent polio victims in this
county for a county contribution
of $224. It is understood that
this money will be derived from
county contributions from the
March of Dimes. Dr. McGowan
said that at present polio suffer
ers must be taken to Charlotte
for treatment.
Community chairmen who will
direct campaign activities in the
various localities are as follows:
Mrs. W. C. Jones. Plymouth; Mrs.
J. M. Phelps. Creswell; Mrs. Bar
ton Swain, Roper: Mrs. Edison
Davenport, Mackeys: and Mrs.
Golden Williams, Wenona. Assis
tants have been named to aid each
local official. School children
will also aid in the campaign,
having been given cards con
taining spaces for 20 dimes which
local residents will be asked to
fill. Proceeds of the Plvmouth
Creswell basketball game played
here Tuesday night will also be
turned over to the drive. Color
ed residents of Plymouth have
agreed to help with the campaign
and Profesor A. R. Lord, princi
pal of the local Negro school,
has been appointed chairman. The
drive will end on January 30.
County's Schools
To Have Contest
-4
Announcement has been made
that students of the Plymouth,
Creswell, and Roper high schools
are eligible to enter a Soil Con
servation oratorical contest being
sponsored by the North Carolina
Bankers Association, Donald B.
Jones, county soil conservation
ist, has reported.
| Winners in this county will be
awarded first, second, and third
prizes, Jones said, and will be
eligible to enter the group con
test in which speakers from
Washington, Tyrrell, Beaufort,
Hyde, Martin, Pitt, Greene, Edge
combe, and Dare Counties will
compete for entry in the State
contest.
The subject spoken on will be
"Soil Conservation and Its Rela
tion to the Economy of North
Carolina.”
The county contest will be held
on March 12, Jones said, group
contests on March 19, and the
State finals on March 26. The
State first prize is $400, second
prize $100, and third prize $50.
Okay Sign Given
To Counci Imen on
Proposed Census
—♦—
Action May Not Result
in Desired Increase in
State Rebate of Beer
and Wine Taxes
-?
Stale Attorney General Harry
McMullan has given the go-ahead
sign to the conduct of a new cen
sus of the residents of Plymouth,
according to a letter received by
Mayor A. J. Riddle, and has said
that the census will be recogniz
ed by the State as official if it is
completed by July 1 of this year.
According to comments made
in the letter, however, the cen
sus may not accomplish its pur
pose of.~oroviding an increase in
the beer and wine tax rebate
from the State, which is based
on population since the Act, Mc
Mullan pointed out, provides for
distrubution of the rebate on the
basis of the 1940 census and
makes no provision for any
changes in the number of the
population by any subsequent
census.
The census would have to be
conducted under the supervision
of a government agent and for a
$750 fee, Mayor Riddle said, add
ing that the plan may be aband
oned considering the information
contained in the attorney gen
eral's letter.
Motion to have the census con
ducted was made and passed by
the Plymouth town council at its
meeting last week.
Mrs. Thompson Is
Buried ai Roner
Funeral services were conduct
ed from the Roper Methodist
Church on Monday at 3:30 p. m.
for Mrs. Martha L. Thompson, 79,
: whodied at her home in Roper
on Sunday after an illness of six
weeks. The Rev. B. E. Bingham,
pastor of the church, officiated at
the final rites. Burial was made
in the family cemetery, near
Roper.
Mrs. Thompson was the wife
of the late W. C. Thompson of
Roper and the daughter of the
late Henry Joseph and Sarah
Alexander Williams of Washing
ton County. She was a native
and life-long resident of Roper
and was one of the oldest mem
bers of the Methodist Church
there.
Mrs. Thompson is survived by
two daughters, Mrs. Pearl T.
Warren of Roper, and Mrs. C. A.
Turnage of Washington; five sons,
Leland S. Thompson of Plym
outh, W. H. Thompson of Roper,
N. C. Thompson of New Bern,
Robert F. Thompson of Green
ville, and J. H. Thompson of
Greensboro; two sisters, Mrs. B.
F. Bailey and Mrs. J. S. Collins,
both of Roper; and two brothers,
R. L. Williams of Aulander and
J. W. Williams of Asheboro; and
seven grandchildren.
Pall bearers were nephews of
Mrs. Thompson. They are Carl
L. Bailey, James Collins, J. W.
Williams, jr., Merrimond Wil
liams, Henry Williams, and Lee
Williams.
New Minister Reported
Engaged by Church Here
The Rev. James F. Miller of
Jacksonville, Fla., has been en
gaged to perform the duties of
pastor of the Plymouth Church
of the Nazarene, officials in the
church have announced. The Rev.
Miller will assume his duties and
deliver his first sermon next Sun
day, January 18. Service sche
dule is as follows: church school.
10 a. m.; morning worship. 11 a.
m.; evening worship, 7:30 p. m.
Progress Is Made on
Repair of Sewer Line
All residents of Plymouth liv
ing on Washington Street and
Third Street have been request
ed by Police Chief P. W. Brown
to use as little water as possible
during the next few days so that
repair work on the Washington
Street sewer can progress as
rapidly as possible.
Repotting on the work done,
Mr. Brown stated that to date
little progress hud been achieved
in replacing the worn-out and
broken sewer pipes with new
ones and that excessive quick
sand and rain had hampered the
workmen considerably. He also
said that weaknesses detected in
other pipe sections had made it
necessary to lengthen the excava
tion in the middle of the street
about 10 feet both ways, making
the overall size of the hole some
20 to 25 feet by about 10 feet.
Mr. Brown added that he could
not predict when the repairs to
the line will be finished, or the
ultimate cost of the project, but
stated that the expense to the
town in replacing the broken
pipes so far has been relatively
small.
The break in the Washington
Street sewer line is the second to
occur in the past several months,
the firs' pipe collapse happening
last summer. As in the first in
stance, Washington Street from
its intersection with Water Street
up to its Main Street intersec
tion has been closed to through
traffic.