T'own
opics
The Roanoke Beacon
i— ..—a
A home newspaper dedicated i|j
to the service of Washingrton |i|
;| County and its 13,00# people.
*★★★★★ and Washington County News ******
VOLUME LXV—NUMBER 29
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, July 22, 1954
ESTABLISHED 1889
«:!
Dr. A. L. Whitehurst will attend
the meeting of the Eastern Dis
trict North Carolina Chiroprac
tic Association at Morehead City
Wednesday of next week. Dr. Hal
Pittard, of Oxford, will be the
principal speaker. Mrs. White
hurst and little daughter plan to
accompany Dr. Whitehurst on the
trip.
Frank C. Bickerstaff, jr., left
Monday morning for Raleigh to
take the Air Force entrance ex
amination. He expected to return
home that same night, so he
didn't even take his toothbrush
with him. However, he was un
able to be examined until Tues
day morning, when things really
started happening fast to him.
He was accepted and flown out
of Raleigh at 4 p. m. for Lackland
Air Force Base, San Antonio,
Texas, w-here he will receive basic
training. He managed to tele
phone his worried folks about
noon Tuesday, telling them he
was already on his way, although
he hadn’t expected to leave for
teveral days yet.
The first of the 1954 Wash
ington County tobacco crop
moved to market early this
week, according to reports
here. Chester Askew, of the
Long Acre section, is reported
to have carried a big load of
lugs to one of the Georgia
| Florida markets, receiving an
average of about 53 cents per
pound.
Those from Plymouth attend
ing the furniture market at High
Point last week included Mr. and
Mrs. Thos. F. Hopkins, Mrs. Eve
lyn D. Woolard and E. E. Har
rell. D. J. Woolard is attending
the market this week.
A young Negro girl was on the
witness stand in recorder’s court
Tuesday in a case charging her
husband — living separate and
apart from her—with non-sup
port. There had been testimony
that he had beat his wife over
the head with a rifle. She was
hesitant to testify against him.
Lawyer Pete Bell asked her if she
would want to go back to her
husband and she replied that she
didn't know. "You don’t know?”
Bell pressed. “That would depend
on whether he's going to beat her
up again,” Solicitor Rodman re
marked.
Air Force Cadet
Leaving Saturday
David Read, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Tayloe Read, of Plymouth,
will leave Saturday for four
weeks of summer training at Mc
Dill Air Force Base, Tampa, Fla.,
Read is a senior at East Caro
lina College in Greenville and has
already completed the advanced
ROTC training course there.
The summer training course at
McDill Air Force Base is part of
his reserve officer training, and
while there he will observe and
actually participate in Air Force
operations. Following his gradu
ation at East Carolina College in
November, Cadet Read will be
eligible for appointment as a sec
ond lieutenant in the United
States Air Force Reserve.
-»-■
!• Tobacco Prices
Said Higher on
Georgia Market
— ■ 4
Prices for First Two Days
Of Season Average High
er Than for Same Period
Last Year
Tobacco prices on the Georgia
Florida flue-cured belt which
opened sales for the 1954 season
last Thursday are reported some
what higher than prices on the
belt at the same time a year ago,
with offerings a bit lighter.
The U. S. Department of Agri
culture reported gross sales for
Thursday and Friday amounted
to 14,285,653 pounds and aver
aged $52.84 per hundred. This was
$1.69 a hundred higher than the
average for 17,414,351 pounds sold
• v the first two days of last season
* on the belt.
Demand was reported as ex
ceptionally good for lower quality
lugs, primings and nondescript.
These offerings reportedly were
bringing from $3 to $11.50 a hun
dred more than the same grades
commanded at last year's open
ing. Other grades held about even
with prices of 1953. The practical
top was said to be $64 per hun
dred, although some baskets of
choice leaf sold higher.
Predominant offerings were
said to be fair and good lugs and
low to good primings. A smaller
proportion of the early offerings
consisted of cutters and lugs.
The Flue-Cured Stabilization
Corporation received 6.2 per cent
of the opening day’s sales on the
belt under government loan. Last
year, receipts for the first two
sales days by the corporation
represented 8.9 per cent of total
gross sates.
SEA SCOUT SHIP TO BEGIN ANNUAL SUMMER CRUISE THIS WEEK-END
The “AJbemarle,” Plymouth Sea Scouts’ motorship. was given several new coats of paint last
wedt in preparation for its annual summer cruise. Neil Carter, Mack Graham and Jewel Hardison
were wielding the paint brushes when this photo was made last Friday. The "Albemarle” is due
to leave Saturday morning on the first leg of its journey to Morehead City, with eight Sea Scouts,
Skipper A. Papineau, Mate H. O. Lovis and Photographer Jewel Hardison aboard. Hardison is to do
a photographic story of the cruise for the Raleigh News & Observer.—Polaroid 1-Minute staff photo.
To Select Site Friday
For Air Spotter Post
I Quick Results; |
j Men Are Found j
■■■■■■■■■■■■■a
The Beacon carried a news
story in its last issue statin?
that two men had failed to re
port as ordered for pre-induc
tion examination last Monday.
Yesterday, Mrs. Lorraine
Hunter, board clerk, reported
that both men had been located.
She said readers of the paper
notified her promptly of the
men's whereabouts. John Henry
McCormick is in Baltimore and
Fred Watson is in Philadelphia,
Mrs. Hunter stated. She said
both men will transfer to local
boards in the respective cities.
Represent County
At Health Event
-1
Henry Turner, of Plymouth,
and Diane Gaylord, of Roper,
will represent Washington Coun
ty as county health king and
queen, respectively, Thursday
night of this week in the Health
Pageant which is an annual feat
ure of 4-H Club Week at Raleigh,
W. H. Pruden, county agent, has
announced.
Young Turner and Miss Gay
lord are two of the four club
members from this county who
are attending the annual club
week festivities, Pruden said. The
others are Barbara Spruill, also
of the Roper Club, and J. R. Res
pass, jr., of Wenona, a member
of the Plymouth Club.
A full four-day program of in
struction, speeches, demonstra
tions and recreation is being en
joyed by the county club mem
bers along with some 1,200 of
their fellow members from all
parts of the state.
-t
Creswell Parly Gets 55
Fish Off Cape Hatleras
♦
A Creswell group had excellent
luck on a fishing trip to the Gulf
Stream about 40 miles off Cape i
Hatteras recently. The party was
composed of Jimmy and Joseph
Hopkins, Bill and Walter Peal :
and they were accompanied by 1
Tom McKinney, of Nags Head.
The party caught 53 dolphin
and 2 bonita. The largest dolphin
weighed in at 29 pounds, others i
ranging down to 5 pounds. The :
party was fishing from “The i
Ranger,” piloted by Omley Til- i
lett. ]
bite tor Plymouth Ubserva
lion Post To Be Selected
And Chairman To Head
Local Group Chosen
-*
The final meeting in the cur
rent series for the Plymouth
ground observer post is scheduled
for Friday night of this week at
the Veterans Club, Dr. A. L.
Whitehurst, president of the
sponsoring Junior Chamber of
Commerce, has announced.
Those who attend will see a
film on the explosion of an atomic
bomb, Dr. Whitehurst stated. Al
so, a site for the local observa
tion post will be selected at the
meeting, it was said, and a chair
man to head the local group will
also be chosen.
Dr. Whitehurst stated that at
tendance was better for the sec
ond meeting of the series, held
last Friday. About 30 persons
were present, it was said, and
more local organizations were
represented.
The film, “Air Defense,” was
shown during the meeting. Lt.
Gordon Jackie, of Durham, rep
resenting the Durham Air De
fense Filter Center of the Ground
Dbserver Corps, gave instructions
on filling out flight sheets and
briefed the gathering on essent
ials of the air spotter program.
A manual was issued to those
:ssociated with the post here.
Dr. Whitehurst said this area
is considered a vital one and that
there is a definite weakness in
:-ivil defense in the area at pres
ent.
The regular meeting of the
James E. Jethro Post of the
American Legion will be held
orior to the observer post meet
ng, the Jaycee president said,
time of the meeting set at 7:30
o’clock and the following meeting
at 8.
♦
ro Return Saturday From
Week's Stay at Croatan
Eleven members of Plymouth
Boy Scout Troop No. 284 are ex
oected to return home Saturday
of this week from Camp Croatan
vhere they are spending the
veek, Plymouth Scoutmaster
lari L. Bailey, jr., reports.
The boys left here Sunday for
he camp which is located on the
feuse iRiver near New Bern,
rhose from the troop at the camp
vere listed by Scoutmaster Bai
ey as follows: .
Joe Ezzell, La\ry Allen, Mor
gan Williams, John Andrews,
luster Long, John Jackson, Dar
ell Kelly, Monty Hardison, Gol
len Simpson, Lowell Bowen and
Jelvin Stalls.
Jaycees Favor War
On Stray Dogs Here
The Plymouth Jaycees are
planning to declare war on stray
logs in Plymouth. At their regu
lar meeting last Friday night, a
committee was appointed to visit
the next meeting 6t the town
:ouncil and ask that steps be
taken to eliminate the unsually
large number of disease-ridden
stray canines which at times con
stitute a public nuisance here.
The Jaycees advocate estab
lishing a public pound and round
ing up all dogs running at large.
After a reasonable waiting period
for the strays to be claimed by
their owners, those not called for
would be destroyed.
Walter Furlong was named
chairman of the committee to call
on the town council; Dr. B. W.
Cutler and Ralph Hunter being
the other two members of the
group. The next meeting of the
Plymouth Council is scheduled to
be held on Monday, August 2.
Last week’s Jaycee meeting
was held Friday night at the
Mayflower Restaurant, with Dr.
A. L. Whitehurst, president, in
charge.
Disaster Strikes
Former Home City
Of Local Persons
-» —
Richwood, West Virginia,
Hard Hit by Flash Flood
From Rain-Swollen Cher
ry River Monday
-♦
Richwood, W. Va., former home
of several Plymouth persons, was
hard hit by a flash flood Monday
of this week as the rain-swollen
Cherry River overflowed its
banks, causing the death of at
least one person and enormous
damage to property.
The flood hit the Central West
Virginia town in the wake of a
torrential rain and thunderstorm
which struck the area Sunday
night.
The crest of the Cherry River
at Richwood was said by officials
to be 25 feet above flood stage.
The water was reported up to 20
feet deep in some of the streets
of the town of 5,300 population
but had begun to subside late
Monday.
The damage estimate was plac
ed as high as a million dollars
by Don Crislip, editor of the
Richwood Republican, while Edi
tor Jim Comstock of the Rich
wood News Leader estimated that
some 200 Richwood homes were
flooded.
The lone death reported was
that of a man who died of a
heart attack in the excitement
and confusion that resulted as he
attempted to flee his flooded
home.
The disaster struck four coun
ties, Nicholas, Webster, Braxton
and Fayette. At Gauley Bridge
the Gauley River reportedly rose
five feet within ten minutes at
1 p. m. Monday.
Disaster headquarters were
established at Richwood and the
Second Army at Fort Meade, Md.,
despatched helicopters, cots, and
blankets and generators for
emergency power. The Red Cross
sent aid from Charleston, W. Va.,
Washington, D. C., Norfolk, Va.,
and other points. Two Coast
Guard helicopters from Elizabeth
City arrived on the scene Sunday
to transport water and food and
for evacuation, of personnel in
isolated areas, if necessary. Mot
orboats from Chincoteague, Vir
ginia Beach and Litle Creek life
boat stations were dispatched by
trailer to the flooded town, also.
-*
Sea Scouts Ready
For Week's Cruise
Plymouth Sea Scouts are to
leave early Saturday aboard the
Scout Ship Albemarle for a
cruise to Morehead City where
they will rendezvous with Ed
Smithwick’s ship, Skipper Alban
Papineau reports. They will be
gone a week and may proceed
from Morehead to Wilmington,
the skipper stated.
The Albemarle will stop at Bel
haven en route to Morehead to
pick up Skipper Russell Johnson
and four of the Belhaven Sea
Scouts.
Skipper Papineau said the Al
bemarle had been painted and
cleaned up during the past week
and that the ship was in excellent
ihape for the cruise.
The following crew from here
vas listed: Skipper Papineau, H.
D. Lovis, mate, Jewel Hardison,
photographer, Mack Graham, Bil
ly Peele, Eric Harrell, Neal Car
er, George Painter, Eddie Ricks,
Mike Estep and Gene Hollowell,
cabin boy.
Superior Court
Compleies Term
Here on Friday
Moore Gets From Three To
Five Years and Skinner
From Two io Three Years
For Manslaughter
Ordering several cases contin
ued for the term, the court com
pleted its business last Friday and
adjourned. Judge Leo Carr pro
nounced sentence against two de
fendants whose cases were re
ported last week.
George Skinner, convicted of
involuntary manslaughter, was
sentenced to from two to three
years in State Prison, while Jesse
Moore drew from three to five
years upon conviction of the same
offense.
Skinner was found guilty in the
fatal beating of Calvin Wynne,
white logwoods worker in an
affray at the place of business of
Lorenzo Norman at Skinners
ville last Spring. Moore’s case
grew out of the highway accident
death of Johnny Stewart Myers,
30-years-old Roper Negro, on
May 22.
David M. Roberson, of William
ston, was found guilty of reckless
driving and given a 30-day sen
tence suspended upon payment
of court costs and $250 for the
use of D. O. Patrick on or before
October 1.
Both Skinner and Roberson
gave notice in open court of ap
peal to the State Supreme Court,
further notice being waived in
each case. Appeal bond for Skin
n i was set at $100 and the de
fendant was allowed 20 days
from July 15 to serve a statement
of the case on appeal and the
solicitor was allowed eight days
thereafter in which to serve
counter case or exception. Ap
pearance bond was fixed at $2,000.
Appeal bond for Roberson was
set at $100 and defendant was
allowed 30 days in which to serve
statement of case on appeal. The
solicitor was given 30 days there
after! i& which to serve counter
cas» jcr deception.
Cifter''touft action is b,ieily
summed up as follows:
Chester Lee Fuller, non-sup
port, nol pros;
Luke Daniels, issuing worthless
check, continued for the term
Jackie Cooper, assault with a
deadly weapon, continued;
Frank Moore, malicious dam
age to personal property, contin
ued;
R. L. Chesson, sale of mortgag
ed property, continued;
Wesley Harrell, larceny of
money, not guilty;
Lena Skinner, assault with a
deadly weapon, not guilty;
The motion docket case of Ed
ward Louis Nelson, judgment,
was remanded to Washington
County Recorder’s Court.
-4
Charles Marriner
Passes at Roper
Charles Edward Marriner, 69,
a resident of the Millpond section
near Roper, passed away at his
home at 6:30 p. m. Wednesday,
after an illness of about three
months. He had been in failing
health for a year.
Mr. Marriner was the son of
the late Benjamin R. and Leah
Chesson Marriner and was born
near Roper September 8, 1884. He
spent his entire life in the coun
ty and was a farmer and bee
keeper. He was married January
2, 1907, to Dorcas Barnes of this
county. The deceased was a mem
ber of Zion's Chapel Church of
Christ.
Surviving -are four children,
Mrs. Z. B. Bergeron, Washington,
Charles Morton Marriner, Plym
outh, James Edward Marriner,
Hickory, Va., and Mrs. John
Richard Taylor, Roper; two bro
thers, Richard M. Marriner,
Portsmouth, Va., and B. F. Mar
riner Peacock, Jacksonville, Fla.;
a sister, Mrs. Isolind Taylor, Nor
folk, Va.; and five grandchildren.
One son, Pvt. Henry Clayton
Marriner, was killed in action at
Anzio Beachhead, Italy, January
30, 1944.
Funeral services were incom
plete but services will probably
be held Friday afternoon at Mt.
Tabor Free Will Baptist Church,
with interment in Chesson family
cemetery.
-1
Attendance Figures for
Pettigrew Park Released
■ *
Park Ranger Paul E. Banner
man, of Pettigrew State Park,
near Creswell, reports that dur
ing the week ending July 18 a
total of 554 persons visited the
area. This was an increase of 95
persons over the previous week.
The number included 53 pic
nickers, 96 fishing, 307 visitors
to the museum, 28 hikers and 16
boaters.
Pepper Season Nears
Peak at Market Here
Operators of the Plymouth Pro
duce Auction Market reported
this week that volume of peppers
was increasing daily with the
market firm on the commodity
and prices ranging from $2 to S4.
The better quality peppers in
new baskets and with a full pack
were bringing highest prices, it
was stated. Reports said good
quality peppers were bringing
better average prices on the local
market than anywhere in the
state, operators declared.
Volume of tomatoes was light
with prices ranging from $1.50 to
$2.50. Receipts of cuke was neg
ligible, the price hovering at $1.50
to $1.60.
The volume of peppers is ex
pected to reach a peak next week,
it was said. Ample buyers are on
the market and the demand is
good, buyers desiring a larger
quantity of peppers than the
market is now receiving.
Growers are urged to pick only
mature peppers and to observe
care in packing in order to get
fancy prices.
Addition Approved
For Colored School
Consiruciion of Four Class
rooms, Lunchroom, Kit
chen, Storage Space Here
Called For
-♦
Preliminary plans for an ad
dition to Plymouth Union School,
presented to the county board of
education last Thursday by W, J.
Boney, representing the archi
tectural firm of L. N. Boney and
Son, Wilmington, were unani
mously approved by the board.
The plans call tor construction
of four classrooms, lunchroom,
kitchen, storage rooms for band,
books and kitchen and a small
porch, with overall dimensions of
81 feet. 8 inches by 108 feet, or
8820 square feet of space.
The board also agreed to sell
the house purchased sometime
ago from Eleanor Hazelwood on
Adams Street and to allow suc
cessful bidder 30 days after the
sale in which to remove the house
from the lot.
A suggested calendar of events
for the 1954-55 school year was
adopted which calls for opening
of county schools September 1.
Closing date is listed as May 31,
1955. Holiday closings were listed
as folio
Labor Day, September 6; dis
trict teachers meeting, white
schools closed, November 5;
Thanksgiving, all schools closed,
November 25-26; Christmas, all
schools closed December 18
through January 2; state teachers
meeting, Negro schools closed,
April 1; Easter Monday, all
schools closed, April 11.
Teacher contracts were approv
ed for the following:
A. J. Holliday, jr., Mrs. Bruce
M. Davenport and Julian R.
Rawls, Plymouth; Mrs. Joanne
Stillman Stout, Roper; Miss India
Estelle Wright, Creswell; Miss
Martha Lee Blanks, Washington
County Union School; Miss Eve
lyn Christine McCoy, Plymouth
Colored School.
-1
REA Loans Up
-1
REA loans in 1952 totaled
$181.1 million, compared with
$157.6 for 1951.
Agent Warns of |
New Weevil Cropj
The new crop of boll weevils
have emerged and it is very
important that farmers who ex
pect any substantial yield of
lint this fall from their cotton
crop keep up dusting activity,
County Agent W. II. Pruden
emphasized this week.
The agent advises against the
use of Benzine Hexachloride
where peanuts or potatoes will
follow the cotton crop and he
also states that farmers using
toxaphene should not allow it
to drift or be blown toward to
bacco fields.
Disease Reported
In Some Tobacco
-*
Sounty Agent W. H. Pruden
stated Wednesday that he had
received a report from State Col
lege on a sample of diseased to
bacco from the field
Adams on the Long “ Road
saying that it was an unidenti
fied kind of leafspot caused by
hot, dry weather.
The diseased leaves had big,
brown spots on them without the
usual halo around them, Pruden
said.
The county agent also reported
that Atwood Tetterton who farms
on Red Hill at the edge of Plym
outh has a bad case of black
shank in his tobacco. Pruden stat
ed that Tetterton did not have
a plant bed and that he got to
bacco from two different sources,
some from Martin County which
he didn't know anything about.
He said that the tobacco was
about a 50 per cent loss from the
disease.
Pruden stated that if any farm
er has diseased tobacco in the
field and will notify him he will
be glad to go to the farm and try
to identify the disease and also
advise what variety to plant ano
ther year.
A REAL LITTLE QUEEN WITH A KING-SIZE CONE
Mary Elizabeth Dinkins, four-year-old daugther of Mr. and
Mrs. C. W. Dinkins, just about has her hands full with this over
size ice cream cone. It was just about right, however, for the
weather we’ve been having, and Mary Elizabeth had no trouble
at all in disposing of it.—Photo by Jewel Hardison.
County Tax Rate,
Budget Approved
By County Board
-4
Final Approval Given al
Thursday Meeting Here;
Several Other Routine
Matters Handled
The county commissioners for
mally approved the general coun
ty budget and the county tax
rate of SI.70 on the S100 valuation
at their regular monthly meeting
held Thursday at the courthouse
here. The meeting had been post
poned earlier in the month be
cause of the July Fourth holiday.
The budget and tax rate had
been tentatively approved by the
board June 8. Total budget re
quirements were listed at $271,
381.56. The motion for final ap
proval was made by Commission
er J. C. Knowles, of Roper, and
seconded by Commissioner A. R.
Latham, of Plymouth.
The meeting opened at 10:30
a. m. in the commissioners’ room
with all members present as fol
lows: Chairman Frank L. Brink
ley and A. R. Latham, Plymouth;
J. C. Knowles, Roper; H. L. Dav
enport, Skinnersville; and H. W.
Pritchett, Creswell.
Bill Clagon, of the State High
way Patrol, appared before the
commissioners and asked that of
fice space below the commission
ers’ room in the courthouse to be
used by the auto license exami
ner. The board agreed that all
the furnace room is not needed
since coal is no longer used in
the boiler and it was decided
that part of the furnace room
could be used by the State Motor
Vehicle Department. It was also
agreed that all coal now in the
furnace room be given to the
county board of education pro
vided that body assume respon
sibility for moving the coal.
The commissioners agreed for
the Plymouth Junior Chamber of
Commerce to install a soft drink
vending machine in the hall of
the courthouse at no expense or
responsibility to the county.
. County Attorney W. L. Whit
ley, of Plymouth, was asked to
draw up a suitable resolution that
Planters National Bank and Trust
Company and Branch Banking
and Trust Company will be used
as depositories by the county.
Routine reports of work ac
complished during the month of
June were submitted by W. H.
Pruden, county agent, and Mrs.
Frances M. Darden, home demon
stration agent. County tax col
lector E. J. Spruill reported that
$4,064.49 had been collected by
his office during the month of
June.
Small Number of
Growers Eligible
ToVoieonWheai
♦
Referendum To Be Held Fri
day of This Week; Polls
Al ASC Office Open From
8 to 5
♦
On Friday of this week eligible
wheat growers of Washington
County will join others over the
State and nation to vote for or
against a marketing quota pro
gram for the 1955 crop.
As required by law, the Secre
tary of Agriculture proclaimed
wheat quotas, subject to a grow
er referendum. At least two
thirds of the eligible farmers who
vote must approve quotas before
they can be put into effect.
If the vote is affirmative then
marketing quotas will be in ef
fect for all farms where the wheat
acreage maturing for grain is
more than 15 acres. Accordingly,
only those farmers with allot
ments of 15 acres or more will be
eligible to participate in the ref
erendum. County ASC Secretary
Miriam Ausbon said that of 27
wheat growers in Washington
County only six are eligible. The
1955 wheat allotment for the
county is 314 acres, she stated.
If the referendum carries mar
keting penalties will apply to all
excess wheat produced on in
dividual farms. Price support at
the effective level will be avail
able to all farmers who comply
with their wheat acreage allot
ments, provided they also comply
with any other crop allotments
and total acreage allotments
established for their farms.
If the referendum fails to car
ry there will be no marketing
quotas and no marketing penal
ties on excess wheat. Price sup
port, under legislative provisions,
will be 50 per cent of parity.
Also, any producers who fail
to comply with their wheat or
other crop allotment, or with a
total acreage allotment if one is
See WHEAT, Page 12