Newspapers / The Roanoke Beacon and … / July 14, 1949, edition 1 / Page 1
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Kssss-nsnsg?! (Town [ topics Harry Gurkin, J. P. David, D. Julian Brinkley and Jack Wil liams had a very enjoyable fish ing trip to the Golf Stream off Oregon Inlet last week-end, de spite a very rough sea. They caught about 30 dolphin and a king mackerel, fishing from Mr. ■ Gurkin's cruiser, “Suits Me.” A pair of goats in Richard Thompson's yard along the Wash ington Highway have given sev eral passers-by eye trouble. About 11:30 on a recent night a car was driven swiftly into the yard of Alvin Alleyi, Thompson’s next door neighbor. The driver yelled for Mi. Allen. He wanted to bor row a gun so he could shoot some ‘deer’’ in the next yard. Mrs. Thompson, alerted by the noise, informed the “deer hunter” to throw his car lights on the “deer” in her ydrA and he would find they were only a couple of goats. Next afternoon a couple drove by the goats in the yard. After the automobile had gone several miles down the road, the occu pants drove back to see the what they thought at first glance were “deer.” Only goats again. James Boyce, state automo bile license examiner, said yes terday that so far only one per son in the L-M category had been to him for renewal of a driver’s license since July 1st. Persons whose last names be jj»in with an L or 1VI have from ’£iew until January 1 to renew their driving permits, but it looks as if most of them will wait until the last minute, as usual, thus creating a terrific jam, also as usual. Mrs. James A. Chesson and Children, James III and Ellen Ross Chesson. of Tampa, Fla., are visiting Mr. and Mrs. James A. Chesson, sr., near Roper. Mr. Chesson is a former lieutenant in the Naval Air Force and is now a manufacturers’ representative for airplane parts, with head qqa I ts in Tampa, Fla. Young Jamr III plans to sp-md the re mainder of the summer with his grandparents near Roper. Russell Harrison, chief avia tion boatswain’s mate in the Navy, arrived here yesterday to spend a few days with his mother, Mrs. R. G. Hardison. Fqt the past nine months Chief tefren assirood to “, up -'agitred in fly* find ^iom the United States to the A^ied occupation zone in Ger many, known as “Operation Vit tles.” He has been flying be tween Patuxent, Md., and Frank fort, Germany, for the most part during that time. Miss Elizabeth Wood, public health nurse, says that every year during the Tuberculosis Christ mas Seal drive, many people question where the money donat ed goes. Some even doubt that it is put to good use. For the ben efit of “doubting Thomases,” she says the mobile X-ray unit sta tioned here recently, which en abled 2,024 county residents to be checked for tuberculosis, free and in a short time, was financed by the county’s collection of seal [ sale funds. -t DDT Spray Unit in Lake Phelps Area The DDT sprayer unit and |cr£2? of the Washington-Tyrrell jfrict Health Department went I into the Lake Phelps region this |week. After dodging rain storms for Ithe past several weeks the DDT lerew fell just short last week of Itheir earlier weekly average of llOO houses sprayed, as 84 houses |were worked by the unit. The total for the county now is |',,745 houses sprayed. Occupants ljf 304 homes refused to have ] hem sprayed. Only 17 dwellings have been found vacant. The Irew has found 230 houses locked. ■Tobacco Meeting To Be Held Here Friday I Antin'.portant tobacco meeting ,ill ft held in the Agricultural luilding in Plymouth Friday ight of this week, July 15, at 8 'clock. J. L- Kelton, representa ve of the State AAA Committee, ■ill be the speaker. A full explanation will be made '« the tobacco referendum to be eld on Saturday, July 23, and a umber of questions related to ie voting will be answered by [r. Kelton. It is hoped to perfect I county organization at this ses i0n to put forth every effort to ,e that all eligible farmers in the Lunty vote on July 23. All community committeemen •e urged to attend and bring at ast four tobacco farmers from tch community. It will be a orthwhile meeting and very im irtant to tobacco growers. Every person in the county who las a direct interest in the^ 1949 ;obacco crop, as owner, tenant or iharecropper, will be eligible to .rote in the referendum. The vot ng will determine whether or rot marketing quotas are to be applied to future crops. There are three proposals on ;he ballot, and tobacco growers may vote for any one of the fol lowing: (1) If they approve of marketing quotas for the three jrears 1950, 1951 and 1952; (2) if they approve of marketing quot as for the 1950 crop only; and (3) if they are opposed to any quotas whatsoever. Marketing quotas :an be applied only if they are favored by two-thirds of the par ticipating producers. Price sup port is contingent upon approval of marketing quotas, it is explain ed. The Roanoke Beacon ****** and Washington County News ****** A home newspaper dedicated to the service of Washington County and its 13,000 people. VOLUME LX—NUMBER 28 Plymouth, Washington County, North Caiolina, Thursday, July 14, 1949 ESTABLISHED 1889 Farm Agent Reports •June Cron tmid i t ions W. V. Hays, county farm agent, presented his report for the month of June to the board of county commissioners at its reg ular meeting Monday. Highlights from the report follow: The county peanut crop started slowly because of low germina tion and poor stands. Some farm ers had to replant as many as three times. Twenty per cent of the acreage was planted over because of southern root rot. The tobacco crop looked very good until the heavy rains fell a week ago. according to Mr. Hays’ report. Some sections of the county noted up to one-third loss. Evidences of Granville Wilt and Black Shank have been found in the county. A cooperative lamb sale held early in the month had 36 farmers participating, with 353 lambs sold. The top lambs brought 27 1-2 cents and good lambs brought 26 1-2 cents. There have been larg er shipments from local sales, but this was the highest quality group of lambs ever shipped. Corn prospects are good despite the heavy rainfall. No hog chol era has been found, but “blind staggers'’ has caused consider able trouble in horses and mules. Soybeans have failed. The trou ble has been attributed to disease and farm sun scald. Graham and Bonner To Make Addresses At Sesqui Centennial BLOODSHED BOX SCORE Fi'um midnight Monday of last week through midnight Monday of this week, 11 per sons were killed in North Car olina highway accidents and 144 were injured, the State Highway Patrol has reported. Following is the box score for this year, as compared with the same period last year: Killed July 5 through July 11 .-.- 11 Injured July 5 through July 11 _ 144 Killed through July 11 this year _ 391 Killed through July 11, 1948 .-. 332 Injured through July 11 this year ..4,449 3,621 Grand Jury Report Is Made Tuesday In Superior Court -»■ Conditions Generally Re ported Good; Few Rec ommendations Made by Group This Term The Washington County Grand Jury completed its work for the June term Tuesday and submit ted its report to the superior court in session at that time. The jury put in a full day Monday at the courthouse and then was divided into committee for inspection of the courthouse, county home, school buildings, agricultural building and prison camp. In its report the grand jury stated the outside of the county home building is in fair condition, the grounds are clean, but the in terior of the rooms need painting. A fall and spring cleaning of the interior of the agricultural building was recomended. It is also in need of repairs, according , to the jury. The new janitor is , reported to be doing satisfactory work. The prison camp near Creswell was found to be in satisfactory condition. The lock-up at Cres- , well was reported no longer in ; use. The condition of the courthouse ; was reported fair, with addition- , ^ScT^AN^JURYrPage^T)~ \ Senator and Representa tive Accept Invitations; Carl Goerch to Speak Opening Night United States Senator Frank P. Graham, Representative Herbert C. Bonner and Carl Goerch, edi tor of the State Magazine, Ra leigh, are among the prominent men who have accepted speaking engagements for the Sesqui-Cen tcnnial Celebration here this fall, according to W. Roy Hampton, chairman of the speakers’ com mittee. Each of the three will speak on separate days during the celebration of the 150th anniver sary of the founding of the coun ty. The event will be held in Plymouth September 18-22. Senator Graham is to speak on the “Youth Day” program, Tuesday, September 20. Repre sentative Bonner will give the principal address on "Homecom ing Day,” Wednesday, September 21, according to present plans. Mr. Goerch is scheduled to speak at the local baseball park Monday night, September 19, just before the curtain rises on the first of the four spectatcles to be presented there on succeeding nights. No word has been received Erom other state and national ce lebrities who have been sent in vitations to speak, Mr. Hampton said yesterday. He is seeking speakers for the opening exer cises on Monday, September 19, iesignated at “Dignitary Day,” and for the last day of the cele nration, Thursday, September 22, which will be “Veterans and Pa triots Day.” The Rev. Paul B. Nickens, chairman of the religious commit, tee for the celebration, says that ne has several persons in mind for the Sunday program of the celebration, but is unable to name :hem at this time. -♦ Automobile Hits Girl on Bicycle A 13-year-old girl was hurt and he driver of an automobile in iicted for careless and reckless iriving when an automobile and jicycle collided at the corner of Washington and Fourth Streets Monday afternoon about 5:45. Mary Anne Sims, 13-year-old laughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. 5ims, of Plymouth, was riding i bicycle north on Washington Street. Clinton Pittman, of Plym >uth, driving the car south on the ;ame street, made a left turn into fourth Street and ran into the Sims girl and the bicycle. The mung girl received a bruised ight shoulder and both knees vere skinned. The front wheel >f the bike was twisted out of ihape. Policemen Alvin Allen and Foy >avenport, who investigated the iccident, indicted Pittman for :areless and reckless driving and )rdered him to report to the re corder's court next Tuesday for irial. Plan Bible School at Piney Grove Church ♦ A daily vacation Bible school will begin next Sunday, July 17, at the Piney Grove Free Will Baptist Church in the Pea Ridge section and will continue for one week, according to announce ment Monday by the Rev. Rich ard Ambrose, pastor. A session will be held each night during the week, from 8 to 3 o’clock. The public is cordially invited to join members of the church in the undertaking, Mr. Ambrose stated. Plymouth's Claim For Post Office Is Being Considered Only One Site Authorized In First District: Selec tion Is Up To Federal Officials Plymouth’s claim 'for a new ^ post office building has been re ferred to the Post Office Depart ment for consideration, according to letters received during the past few days from Representative Herbert Bonner and Senator Frank P. Graham. The letters were received by Z. V. Norman, local attorney, who revived the post-office building request in a letter to Congressman Bonner last week, sending a copy of the letter to Senator Graham. In his reply, Mr. Bonner stated that Fnrmville was the next town on the list at the time the public buildings program was discontin ued by' the department shortly before the war. However, he stated the House had recently passed a bill authorizing the ac quisition of sites for such build ings; and in the hearings conduct ed during consideration of the bill, Plymouth was listed as one of six towns in the First Con gressional District eligible. Tloth Representative Bonner and Senator Graham stated that selection of the one town in the district in which a site is to be bought was left up to the Post master General and the Commis sioner of Public Buildings. Senat or Graham promised to confer with Representative Bonner, and the latter has assured Mr. Nor man that the unusual growth of Plymouth in the past 10 years will be given due consideration by the post office officials. In his original letter to Mr. Bonner. Mr. Norman cited the rapid growth made by Plymouth in the past 10 years, during which the population has more than doubled. Post-office receipts also have increased, and present faci lities are crowded and inadequate, it is recited. The town’s corpor ate limits have been extended twice in the past 10 years, and un precedented expansion of both re sidential and commercial build ings have taken place in that time. Carnival Gambling Favored by Legion ■ - - Members of the James E. Jethro Post, No. 164, American Legion, held a formal meeting in their hall here last Friday night. A. J. Riddle, Plymouth mayor, explained the town’s new ordi nance forbidding gambling at car nivals that may be set up here. Members of the post went ion rec ord as being against the ordi nance. The Legionnaires were said to be of the opinion that if a man is foolish enough to throw all his money away on the gambling de vices at the carnivals, let him do so, but not ban the gambling, which they believe will stop car nivals from coming here. Begin Revival ai Philippi Church An “Old-Time Gospel Revival” series of service began Wednes day night, July 13, at Philippi Church of Christ near Creswell, and will continue through Sun day, July 24, according to an nouncement made the first of this week. The Rev. George W. Bon Durant, president of the Roanoke Bible College at Elizabeth City, is doing the preaching, and the song service is being directed by the Rev. G. C. Bland, pastor. _ The public is cordially invited to attend all the services, Mr. Bland stated Monday. Budget Approval Main Business at Meeting of Board Favor Inclusion of Health ! Department Employees In Local Government Retirement System Presentation and approval of the county, district health depart ment and public welfare admin istration budgets for the fiscal year 1949-50 consumed most of the time of the county commis sioners at their board meeting here Monday. The meeting was was being held a week late due to the Fourth of July holiday fall ing on the first Monday. Members of the board tenta tively adopted the over-all county budget for the fiscal year, with a tax rate of $1.70, as presented by County Auditor E. J. Spruill. Neither the tax rate nor budget are official until approved by the Local Government Commission in Raleigh.. Dr. Claudius McGowan, acting district health officer, presented the budget for that department, calling for a total of $20,804.94, the county’s part being $3,824.55. Board members approved the lat ter amount. The commissioners approved the public welfare administration budget of $5,785. Expressing themselves as be ing in favor of the local govern ment employees’ retirement sys tem as adopted by the recent ses sion of the General Assembly, the commissioners adopted a resolu tion to place all the courthouse employees and district health de partment employees under the provisions of the system. It was decided not to have the county record books reindexed at this time, as the budget would not allow for this expense. E. J. Spruill, county tax col lector, reported that he received $28,032 in taxes during June. Mrs. Erances M. Darden, county home rlemonstration agent, and W. V. Hays, county farm agent, tender ed their respective reports for the month to the board. * Less Than 150 Get Typhoid Shots at Clinics First Week -♦ Relatively Few Taking Advantage of Free Im munization Offered by Health Department County people are not taking advantage of the free shots for prevention of typhoid as they should in clinics set up about the county by the Washington-Tyr rell District Health Department, according to Miss Elizabeth Wood, public health nurse. In the first week of the clinics, only 138 persons have taken ty phoid shots and 48 of these were Plymouth residents. Miss Wood says that the clin ics are set up at designated places throughout the county for the convenience of the rural people, so they will not have to make an extra trip to the office in Plym outh. Parents who have children be ginning school this fall who have not received the necessary vacci nations for the prevention of ty phoid, diphtheria, whooping cough and smallpox may have them vaccinated at this time. Schedule of hours and locations Df clinics conducted in the coun ty are as follows: Tuesday, July 19, 26: 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m , Weijona residents at Wenona Filling Station; 10:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Macedonia res idents at Macedonia school. Wednesday, July 20, 27: 9:45 to 10:15 a.m.. Long Ridge residents (See^CLSjICsT^Page^T) Audit Completed on High School Funds An Elizabeth City certified public accountant recently made a complete audit of all the activi ty funds of the Plymouth High School and found everything in good order, according to a report on the audit furnished Principal J. S. Fleming. In his accompany ing remarks the auditor compli mented the school on keeping books and records in very good condition, and also for having the school treasurer bonded in the sum of $2,500. The audit covered the follow ing individual funds: Athletics, senior class, home economics, science, junior class, class of 1947, Beta club, school, elementary school instructional supplies fund, typing, class of 1948, band fund, high school instructional supplies fund, block letter club, sophomore class, lunch room improvement fund, teachers’ fund and flower fund. Total receipts in all funds amounted to $7,565.85; and total disbursements during the year were $7,691.36; reducing the com posite balance of all funds from $1,181 to $1,0055.49 at the close of the fiscal year on June 30, 1949, as compared with the same date in 1948. County Tax Rate Is $1.70; Same as Last Four Years Iloper Itiiritans Itaek Plans (or C elebration Thomas F. Hopkins, of Plym juth, executive chairman of the Washington County Sesqui-Cen .ennial Celebration Commission, ;poke to members of the Roper ituritan Club about the 150th an aiversary celebration to be held n Plymouth September 18-22 at ;he regular meeting of the club ast Thursday night. Club members went on record as stating they would help with I organizing and promoting the cel ebration 100 per cent. Plans are underway for mem bers of the Roper club and their wives to hold a joint meeting with the Creswell Ruritan Club mem bers and their wives at a picnic at Albemarle Beach on the next meeting night, Augsut 4. at 6 p.m. Curtis Olds, of Virginia, vice president of Ruritan National, is expected to be present at that time. Superior Court Nears End Criminal Docket Try 9 Out of 13 Cases in First Three Days of Terms; Judge Leo Carr Is Presiding Nine of the 13 criminal cases on the docket were disposed of in the first three days of the July term of Washington County Su period court, which convened here Monday. The four remaining cases are expected to be complet ed today, with the civil calendar winding up the proceedings to morrow. Judge Leo Carr, of Burlington, is presiding, and Solicitor George M. Fountain, of Tarboro, is prose cuting the docket. Proceedings up to today follow: William Henry Keyes, colored, of Plymouth, who has been in state prison following his convic tion on a murder charge, appealed to the supreme court at the time he was convicted last fall, but the appeal was abandoned. The court dismissed the appeal Mon day. Roy Rigsby, colored, of Scup pernong, was sentenced to four to seven years for breaking, enter ing and larceny. John D. Wrighton, colored, of Macedonia, was found not guilty of forgery. David Prevatt and Henry Smith of Norfolk, were found guilty of breaking, entering and larceny, in connection with the robbery of a cleaning establishment in Cres well last year. Each was sentenc ed to 15 months on the roads for breaking and entering; and a three-year sentence for larceny was suspended, after the 15 month sentence is served, on con dition that each remains on good behavior and does not violate any law for three years. The grand jury did not find a true bill in the case of Willard M. White, Paul Phelps, Junior Clifton and Jarvis Sawyer, all of Creswell, for larceny and cruelty to animals. A Nol pros was entered in the rase of Raymond Everett, colored, jf Mackeys, charged with assault with a deadly weapon, when the prosecuting witness failed to ap pear. Array Rhodes, of Plymouth, rharged with assault, failed to answer when cajled. Papers were issued for his arrest. David Thomas Hurdle, of Hert ford, up for speeding over 75 niles per hour, failed to answer when called. His $250 bond was ardered forfeited and capias is sued. Eddie Hines Capers, of Norfolk, ira., was found not guilty on a charge of hit-and-run driving. The court started trial of Ai red Sawyer, of Columbia, on an embezzlement trial. It 5s expect ed to be completed this morning. J. W. Marrow New I President of Lions The Plymouth Lions Club in stalled its new officers for the 1949-50 term at the regular meet ing last Thursday night. J. W. Marrow is the new president of the club. Other officers were installed as follows: P. B. Nickens, first vice presi dent; L. N. Womble, second vice president; E. M. Leavitt, third vice president; Hubert Ange, sec retary-treasurer; Fred Keyes, tail twister; Z. V. Norman, lion tam er; and F. M. Bowers, member of the board of directors. Mr. Marrow expressed his ap preciation for being elected head of the local organization and re quested the cooperation of every member in carrying out the pro gram and activities of the club. dll 'Common Glory' Trip Is Planned Mrs. Frances M. Darden, county home demonstration agent, is seeking 15 women to attend “The Common Glory,” in Williamsburg, Va., Wednes day of next week. A group of women from Roper chartered the bus, but need more women to make up the load. Plans are to leave Plymouth at noon Wednesday and return immediately after the presenta tion that night. Anyone inter ested in making this trip is asked to get in touch with Mrs. Darden by Saturday, W. B. Cox, Sr., Dies Suddenly Tuesday Ai His Home Here Formerly Cashier of Lo cal Bank and Deputy Clerk Superior Court; Rites Yesterday -> William Bryant Cox, sr., prom inent figure in Washington Coun ty for the past 35 years, died sud denly at his home on Monroe Street here about 4:45 Tuesday morning. Mr. Cox had been in his usual health, working at the Edenton Marine Air Station all day Monday, and his death was entirely unexpected, coming as a severe shock to his wide circle of friends and relatives in the section. A native of the Blount’s Creek section of Beaufort County, Mr. Cox was the son of the late Josh ua and Charlotte Warner Cox. He was born on May 20, 1895, making him a little over 54 years of age. At the age of 13 years, he lost his right leg in a hunting accident, but never permitted that handicap to affect his activities to any great extent. He came to Washington County about 35 years ago and was em ployed at first by the Norfolk Southern Railroad Company here. He later went with the old Wash ington County Bank, serving as assistant cashier, and was named cashier of the United Commer -ial Bank when the two local in stitutions were merged in the I920’s. Mr. Cox afterwards was a field representative for the General Budget Total Is Slightly Less Than Last Year; Valuation Total Now at $8,400,000 Washington County’s tax rate for the 1949-50 fiscal year, start ing July 1, will again be $1.70, same as for the past four years, according to a decision of the county board of commissioners meeting here Monday. The coun ty budget was approved and the tax rate fixed at the meeting, al though both are subject to re view and approval by the Local Government Commission at Ra leigh. The $1.70 total rate will raise an estimated $139,540.80. needed to balance the budget on the total county property valuation of $8, 400,000. The total budget require ments for the current fiscal year are estimated at $225,414.53. but an estimated $85,873.73 will come from sources other than ad valor em taxation. Total budget requirements this year are slightly less than last year’s figures, but the amount available from sources other than property taxes is about $5,000 less than last year, which makes the amount to be raised by taxation slightly higher. Total property valuation in the county is esti mated at $8,400,000, which is $200,000 higher than last year. The exact total valuation will not be known until after co-poration listings are certified to the coun ty by the State Corporation Com mission, probably sometime in August. A breakdown of budget re quirements shows an increase in amounts needed for five items, and decreases in three other items. The tax rate is exactly the same, bothUKa—rip-yog, in the agg| Comparid budget are as follows: general fund. $54,820 this year, against $52,205 last year, tax rate both years, 7 cents: poor fund, $13,064.48 this year, against $15, 390 last year, tax rate 5 cents both years; health fund. $11,549. 55 this year, against $11,474.55, tax rate 5 cents for both years; old-age assistance fund. $7,500 this year, against $5,760 last year, tax rate 7 cents both years; aid to dependent children, $2,268 this (See TAX RATE, Page 7) -< Good Progress on Local Buildings -♦ Good progress continues to be made on the several building projects now underway in the community. Brickwork is pro ceeding rapidly on the new A&P store next to the Coca-Cola Bot tling Works, and the exterior of the new Belk-Tyler store has just about been completed. Work al so is progressing satisfactorily on the new county hospital and the M. H. Mitchell Funriture store building on Washington Street. Mr. Mitchell said last week that if the plasterers complete their work according to schedule, he hopes to start moving into the new store by the latter part of this week. He plans to complete the moving task and be ready for business at his new location well before the end of the month. Officials of both the Belk-Tyler * Company and the A&P Tea Company hope to have their new places of business ready for oc cupancy by the early fall. Work men were to begin the finishing operations on the Belk-TVler building sometime within the next few months. County Is Behind on Savings Bond Quota Washington County residents have purchased $36,000 worth of U. S. Saving Bonds, or 65 per cent of their quota, during the current “Opportunity Drive,” H. E. Beam, county chairman, said this week. The county probably will be unable to reach its bond quota in the campaign because of adverse conditions, Mr. Beam added. However, sales of bonds are ex pected to increase during the months of August and September. The amount of bonds purchased in the past has served as a brake during periods of inflation and will act as a stimulant to business during the present decline of bus iness activity. Mr. Beam added. At the end of 1948. people of North Carolina held $641,000,000 worth of “E" bonds, according to official figures. Kenneth C. Wible, of Greens boro, deputy director of savings bonds for the U. S. Treasury De partment. conferred with Mr. Beam and Postmaster J. C. Swain yesterday. He reported that the drive in the United States will end Saturday. North Carolina is expected to reach its goal by that time, Mr. Wible stated. Up to July 8. $11,500,000 worth of “E” bonds had been sold. The state quota is $12,000,000. Mr. Wible expressed thanks for the excel lent assistance of volunteers in the drive that is closing. Mr. Beam wishes to remind counfy citizens that bonds may be purchased on the "bond-a month” plan at the local bank or post office.
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
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July 14, 1949, edition 1
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