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Willis Bowen, Farmers Home
Administration supervisor for
Washington County, and Mrs.
Ernestine Basnighit, county of
fice clerk, attended! a district
meeting in Wilson Tuesday and
Wednesday of this week. Infor
mation was given out at the meet
ing on FHA Building Improve
* ment and Soil and Water Con
servation loans.
R. W. Lewis, of Roper, brought
a full-grown sweet potato to The
Beacon office last week. The
specimen weighs four pounds,
nine ounces and measures 1212
inches from stem to stem. The
middle circumference measure
ment is 17 3/16 inches. The pota
to should make a fair-sized pud
ding but its final destiny has not
yet been determined.
Representative Herbert C. Bon
ner, of Washington, was in Plym
outh for a short while Tuesday
morning. He was on his way to
Elizabeth City to complete ar
rangement® for the First Congres
sional District Democratic rally,
to be held at the John L. Sheep
High School auditorium Thurs
day, starting at 5 p. m. The rally
at the school will be followed by
a fish fry at .the Scott & Halsey
potato shed.. Quite a number of
leading Democrats from Wash
ington County are planning to at
tend.
* Washington County Farm
Agent Bill Pruden was back at
his desk Wednesday morning
after an absence of two weeks
and viewing with alarm the ac
cumulation of mail. Bill, along
with four fellow county agents in
this section, took a trip to Salt
Lake City, Utah, to attend the
National Association of County
Agricultural Agents convention
at Hotel Utah, October 10-14.
About 900 agents and their ladies
from 47 states registered for the
convention, Bill stated. The five
day meeting included addresses
by several prominent national
figures, among them Secretary of
Agriculture Ezra Taft Ben*on.
There were interesting tours also,
to Great Salt Lake, the world’s
largest open pit copper mine and
lands where irrigation has made
the desert bloom. The trip was
made by way of Grand Canyon,
Arizona, andi the boys came back
by Denver, Topeka, Kansas, and
Nashville, Tenn., stopping at Kan
sas City for the American Royal
* Livestock exlidbition. Bill got
home Tuesday night
Mrs. Prances Lucas, Mins. Ar
thur Hardison, H. H. Alien, the
Rev. and Mrs. C. N. Barnette will
leave Saturday morning for Mia
mi, Flat, to attend the internat
ional convention of the Disciples
of Christ. They expect to return
■to Plymouth, about the first of
November. While Mr. Barnette
is away, services will be held as
regularly scheduled in the First
Christian Church.
Rites Wednesday
For David Hudson
— ♦
David Hudson, 58, of Plymouth,
died at 6:40 a. m. Monday in a
Durham hospital following an
illness of one and a half months.
He 'had been confined to 'his bed
for three weeks.
Mr. Hudson was born in Pitt
County September 19, 1896, the
son of the late Joseph and Fan
nie Edwards Hudson. He had
made his home here for 17 years,
moving to Plymouth from Wash
ington, D. C. He was a crain ope
rator at N. C. Pulp Company.
He was married July 2, 1927, at
Boyd ton, Va., to Mias Mary L.
Clark, of Tarboro, who survives.
Mr. Hudson was a member of the
Baptist Church, the American
Legion, Masonic Lodge and Order
of the Eastern Star. He was a
World War I veteran, serving two
years, nine months of that time
in France.
Besides his widow, he leaves
a daughter, Mrs. Betty Hudson
Six, of Fresno, Calif.; two sisters,
Mrs. Charlie Evans, of Grimes
land', and Mrs. Lucy Haddock, of
Pactolus; a’brother, Fenner Hud
son, of Kinston.
Last rites were conducted from
Ludford Memorial Baptist Church
Wednesday at 2 p. m. by the pas
, tor, the Rev. P. B. Nickens. Bur
' ial was in Greenwood Cemetery,
Tarboro, with masons in charge
of graveside rites.
The Roanoke Beacon
****** and Washington County News ******
liGH/S
THIWAY
mm
VOLUME LXV—NUMBER 42
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, October 21, 1954
ESTABLISHED 1889
COUPLE OF LOCAL SCENES FOLLOWING THE BIG BLOW LAST FRIDAY
- 1
Saturday Is Last Day
To Register in County
-* —•—
Hurricane Hazel
Harries Hunters
There was practicably no
damage to deer and squirrel
from shooting irons on the
opening day of the new hunting
season last Friday but thanks
to Hurricane Hazel the game
animals were just as nervous
as though there had been shoot
ing aplenty, according to Coun
ty Game Protector J. T. Terry,
of Plymouth.
Nor was a normal amount of
hunting done Saturday, Mr.
Terry stated. He said he knew
of four deer and one bear killed
Saturday in Hie county.
AgedLocalWoman
Passes Tuesday
Funeral services will be held
Thursday at 2 p. m. from Ludford
Memorial Baptist Church for Mrs.
Eloise Ralph, 86, of Plymouth.
The pastor, the Rev. P. B. Nic
kens, will officiate, assisted by
the Rev. D. L. Fouts, local Meth
odist minister, and the Rev. C. N.
Barnett, of Plymouth Christian
Church. Interment will be in
Windley Cemetery.
Mrs. Ralph died at 5:30 p. m.
Tuesday at an Ahoskie hospital
after an illness of three weeks.
She had been in declining health
for the past four years. She was
a native and lifelong resident of
this county, born October 5, 1868,
the daughter of the late John and
Ann Alexander Woodard. She
was married twice, first to tlhe
late Ed Ayers and later to the
late Henry Ralph, both of Plym
outh. Mrs. Ralph was the oldest
member of Ludford Memorial
Church.
Surviving are three daughters,
Mrs. Hilda Ralph Swain, of Ply
mouth, Mrs. Myrtle Ralph Rich
ardson and Mrs. Katie Ralph
Flanagan, both of Norfolk, Va.;
two sons, Raymond Ralph, of
Ahoskie, and Ed Ayers, of Plym
outh; 24 grandchildren and 26
great grandchildren.
November Draft Call
Filled by Volunteers
Registrants of 'the local draft
board won’t have to worry about
possible induction in. November.
A call for two mien to be sent for
induction November 18 has been
received, Mrs. Lorraine Hunter,
board clerk, explained, but two
volunteers who wanted to go in
October but who could not be ac
comodated, will fill the call.
Special permission to fill the call
with volunteers came from State
Selective Service headquarters.
Mrs. H uniter reported that sev
eral delinquents were recently
cleared up when registrants came
in to explain that they failed to
receive mail from the board.
Registrants who have changed
their address should report the
fact to the board and give present
addressi, Mrs. Hunter stated. The
delinquents in question had not
Changed their address, however
but for some unknown reason
mail was Tetumed to the board
marked ‘^unknown.”
Exceedingly Light Activity
Reported by Precinct Reg
istrars on Two Previous
Saturdays
-*
Deadline for registering in or
der to become eligible to vote in
the November election is sunset
Saturday of this week.
W. T. Freeman, chairman of
the Washington County Board of
Elections, today reminded the
public that ail persons who have
recently come of voting age and
who have never registered as
well as all persons who have
moved from one voting precinct
to another and have not register
ered where they are now bona
fide residents, must do s« not
later than Saturday in order to be
allowed1 to vote in November.
The registration books opened
Saturday, October 9, for a 15
day period but so far registra
tions have been exceedingly light,
Mr. Freeman stated Tuesday. Up
to that time, three of the six
county precinct registrars had re
ported a total of just five regis
trations.
W. H. Joyner, registrar of
Plymouth No. 1, reported two reg
istrations last Saturday; J. A.
Goodman, SkinnersviMe registrar,
reported two registrations Satur
day, October 9; and Mrs. C. A.
Cratch, Plymouth No. 2, registrar,
reported a single registration.
The law requires that all reg
istrars sit at their respective poll
ing places Saturday from 9 a. m.
to sunset, Mr. Freeman said,.
However, he pointed out, persons
wishing to avoid any possible last
day rush, may register on other
week days at the home of the
registrar.
Qualified voters who will be
obsent from the county in which
they are registered on election
day, Tuesday, November 2, or
who by reason of sickness or oth
er physical disability are unable
to go to the polling place, may
vote by absentee ballot. Mr. Free
man said he has plenty of 'the
absentee ballots on hand but so
far has issued only three, one to
an overseas serviceman. “I want
the public to know that we have
plenty of these ballots on hand
and that they have the oppor
tunity to take advantage of that
means of voting if necessary.”
the chairman said.
Applications for these ballots
should be made at once, particu
larly for service men who 'are
overseas, it was pointed out.
October 30 will be challenge
day and’ registrars will observe
the same hours at polling places
as for the Saturdays when books
are open for registration.
Persons must be a resident of
their precinct for four months and
a resident of North Carolina for
one year prior to November 2 to
bo eligible to register.
Young men and women who
will become 21 years of age be
fore November 2 may register
and vote.
Damage was heavy to trees,
roofs, television aerials, glass
windows, electric power and
telephone lines during Hurri
cane “Hazel,” which swept East
Carolina last Friday. Top photo
shows a portion of Brinkley
Avenue Saturday, typical of
most tree-lined streets in Plym
outh the morning after the big
blow. Much «f the debris had
been collected in piles by home
owners and town street crews
when this photo was made. The
telephone pole in the fore
ground was broken in half by
a falling tree but had been
temporarily spliced. Bottom
photo shows some of the wreck
age of the local drive-in movie.
The big screen was up-ended
and skidded some 75 feet or
more from its foundation, and
the fence surrounding the prop
erty was mostly blown away.
—Polaroid 1-Minute photo.
Transferred To
Durham Hospital
-♦" ■ —
Suzanne Owens, young daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward T..
Owens, of Plymouth, was pain
fully hurt late last Thursday af
ternoon while riding her pony
near her home on East Main
Street.
The pony ran into a guy wire,
knocking the young girl to the
ground. She hurt her back iru the
fall and was rushed to the Wash
ington County Hospital where
she was treated by Dr. T. L. Bray.
Tuesday the diagnosis of -a pos
sible kidney nupture was reach
ed1 and the girl was transferred
to a Durham hospital.
Damage Reported High in County
From Hurricane Winds Last Week
Name Roper Man
To Head County
A S C Committee
Roy C. Chesson Elected
Chairman; Local Commit
tees Named for Seven
County Communities
-*
County committeemen and of
ficers and local committees for
seven communities in the county
were elected in Agricultural Sta
bilization Conservation balloting
by mail which ended Monday of
this week. The chairman and vice
chairman of each local committee
were automatically named dele
gate and alternate, respectively,
to the county convention which
was held Tuesday at the Agri
culture Building here. The of-,
ficers and committees will go in
to effect November 1 for the
coming year.
Of the total of 679 eligible vot
ers in the county, 211 voted in
the elections, a participation of
only 31 per cent.
County committeemen and of
ficers named were:
Roy C. Chesson, Roper, chair
man; J. C. Snell, Plymouth, vice
chairman; L. L. Davenport, Cres
well, regular member; L. L. Mi
zell, Roper, first alternate; C. N.
Davenport, jr., Creswell, second
alternate; county office manager
and secretary, Miriam Ausbon;
treasurer, Mrs. Florence P. Oliver.
Community committees;
Pleasant Grove — Raymond
Davenport, chairman; Carlton
Phelps, vice Chairman; J. W. Fur
lough, regular member; Earl
Swain, first alternate; M J.
Spruill, second alternate;
Roper (same order, chairman,
vice chairman, etc.)—Herbert R.
Chesson, L. E. Hassell, jr., L. L.
Mizeli, Roy C. Ohesaon and R C.
Pl'i’rwr
Pijroouth — hJ. T. Gurganus,
Oliver Lucas, Melvin Tettertom,
W. H. Gurkin and Lloyd Owens;
Long Acre—Robert W. Bowen,
Russell Askew, Coral Ange, Paul
T. Swain and Howard Fur bee;
Creswell—C. L. Hopkins, Z. H.
Phelps, jr., C. N. Davenport,
James T. Davis and John Barnes;
Mt. Pleasant—H. E. Ambrose,
D. H. Furlough, Archie Craddock,
C. S. Hufton and L. W. Liverman;
Cherry—J. M. Davenport, W.
B. Cahoon, Henry Phelps, W. P.
Davenport and J. A. Morris.
Youth Killed in Korea
Gets Award for Valor
Corporal Clyde L. Norman,
Of Pea Ridge Section Pre
viously Reported Missing
In Action
-»
A Washington County soldier,
Corporal Clyde L. Norman, son
of Mrs. Minnie W. Norman and
the laite J. A. Norman of the Pea
Ridge section, has been awarded
posthumously the Bronze Star
Medal with letter “V” device for
heroic achievement in connection
with military operations against
an enemy of the United States.
Mrs. Norman received .notifica
tion last week of the award and
that her son, reported missing in
action in Korea in July, 1953, was
presumed dead as of July 10,
1954.
The notification, by command
of Major General McGarr, read
in part:
“Corporal Clyde L. Norman, Co.
C, 17th Infantry, distinguished
himself by heroic achievement
near Sokkogae, Korea, on 9 July,
1953, Corporal Norman and his
comrades took part in a counter
attack again it heavily entrenched
enemy forces. Moving unhesitat
ingly through the fireswept area,
Corporal Norman reached the top
of the crest and stoodl completely
exposed to enemy small-arms fire
while delivering devastating fire
into the hostile positions. Corporal
Norman personally accounted for
several of the enemy and his
actions made it possible for other
elements of the assault force to
advance. Corporal Norman was
last seen standing over the enemy
held trenches, firing his weapon
with deadly accuracy. The heroic
actions of Corporal Norman re
flect great credit on himself and
the military service. Entered the
Federal service from North Caro
lina.”
Corporal Norman was inducted
into the Army on December 3,
1952. He received his basic train
ing at Camp Rucker, Alabama,
and was at home in April, 1953,
CPL. CLYDE L. NORMAN
far several days before reporting
to Seattle, Washington, for duty
in the Far East. He went overseas
on May 1, 1953, and was assigned
to Company C of the 17tlh Infan
try Regiment, Seventh. Division,
after reaching Korea.
Young Norman was bom in
Tyrrell County but moved with
hiis parents to Washington County
when he was quite young. He at
tended school in Oreswell, later
going to work an the family farm
and helping there until -his induc
tion into the service.
A rifleman, he was promoted
to private first class shortly after
being assigned -to 'the Seventh
Division.
Norman has four brothers and
six sisters, most of them living in
this county. They -are: Edward
Norman, of Norfolk, Va., Vernon
Norman, of Berkley, Va., Bennie
and Stanley Norman, of the home;
Mrs. Catherine Hufton, of Roper
RFD1, Miiss Elizabeth Norman,
of the home, Mrs. Aleen Com
stock, of Plymouth-, Mrs. Ima
Spruill, of Roper RFD 1, Mrs.
Lena Comstock, of Berkley, Va.,
and Miss Evelyn Norman, of the
home.
| HERE'S A TALE TO END ALL HURRICANE STORIES |
The big sycamore tree pictured here has had its share of
hurricane experiences. Located on Roanoke River at the rear
of a vacant lot adjacent to the Plymouth post office, it was blown
down by Hurricane “Barbara,” which came, in from the northeast
here in August of last year. The tree fell across the big log in
the foreground, but its roots remained in the ground and it con
tinued to live for more than a year. Then, last Friday, along
came Hurricane “Hazel,” blowing from the other direction, and
set it right back up again. While the tree Was down several
limbs on the right side were broken off or cut away to provide
passage to a landing for outboard motorboats, accounting for its
somewhat lop-sided appearance. Apparently, it is up to stay until
another nor’easter comes along.—Polaroid 1-Minute staff photo.
Industrial Sites Here
Are Listed in Survey
Tolal of 896 Acres Believed
Poleniially Available for
Locating Diversified In
dustries Here
Eight available sites, totaling
896 acres, are listed in an indus
trial site survey of Plymouth,
compiled by the Area Develop
ment department of Virginia
Electric and Power Company,
and distributed recently to the
Town of Plymouth, the North
Carolina Department of Conser
vation and Development, the
University of North Carolina li
brary, and the industrial depart
ments of the Atlantic Coast Line
Railway and the Norfolk South
ern Railway.
The survey, which was first
suggested to Mayor A. J. Riddle
and other town officials by Archie
W. McLean, [president of The
Planters National Bank and Trust
Company, will serve as a refer
ence of basic economic informa
tion and a listing of representa
tive potential industrial sites in
and adjacent to Plymouth.
Included ini the report are gen
eral economic data for the Plym
outh area, population tables, an
index map of industrial sites, and
individual sites sketches. Field
work for the survey was com
piled by representatives of the
power company and town offic
ials.
Listed sites included a 400-acre
tract north from East Main Street
to the Roanoke River; a 400-acre
tract south of the Mackeys Road
adjacent to the Norfolk Southern
Railroad and east of the town
limits; five acres between Nor
folk Southern Railroad and US
64 and between Washington
Street and Conaby Creek in the
town limits; six acres between
the Atlantic Coast Line and Nor
folk Southern Railroad1 extending
from Madison Street to Union
Station in town; 25 acres south
of US 64 and east of the inter
section with West Avenue; 30
acres between US 64 and Nor
folk Southern Railroad at south
ern Railroad just south of US 64;
and five acres on the south side
of the Atlantic Coast Line just
east of the Wilson Street cross
ing.
The survey estimated the labor
market in Plymouth would pro
duce a potential labor force 14
years of age and over of 1,872
white, 49 per cent female and 51
per cent male, and1 1,213 non
white, 48 per cent male and 52
per cent female. The conclusion
was stated1 that Plymouth can as
See SURVEY, Page 10
Unanimous Vole
In Referendum
»■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■» ■■■■•■■■■■■■■■■■
Washington County farmers
joined those throughout the
state to give an estimated 92
per cent margin of approval
to continuation of the Nickels
for Know-How program for
another three years in the refe
rendum held Friday of last
week.
The county vote was unani
mously in favor of the program,
252 for and none against. Hur
ricane Hazel, which hit the
eastern part of the State Fri
day as farmers were voting in
the special referendum, held
the vote down considerably,.
Renamed To Head
Building and Loan
— ♦
Officers and directors were re
elected at the annual meeting of
the stockholders of Plymouth
Building and Loan Association
Thursday night of] last week. The
meeting was held in the associ
ation office on Water Street and
a report on the growth and status
of the association was heard.
Officers reelected were Z. V.
Norman, president; P. W. Brown,
vice president; I. Miller Warren,
secretary-treasurer; and Matilda
B. Phelps, assistant secretary.
The reelected board of direct
ors is composed of Norman and
Brown, L. S. Thompson, E. G.
Arps, J. W. Marrow, W. L. Mayo,
C. O. Kelly, J. L. Rea and W. M.
Darden
♦ -»
Observers Say Plymouth
Hardest Hit, But Creswell,
Roper Take Heavy Blows
From Storm
- —»
Carribbean-spawned Hurricane
Hazel hit Washington County
early last Friday afternoon with
winds of up to an estimated 100
mile-per-bour velocity and al
though the county was on tihe
fringe the big blow left wide
spread damage practically impos
sible to estimate.
Observers who have covered
most of the county since the
storm expressed the opinion that
Plymouth was hardest hit, but
Roper and Creswell were also
dealt heavy blows. The Pea
Ridge section is reported to have
escaped with but light damage.
Brinkley Forest, a Plymouth resi
dential section, was shielded by
the woods and fared better than
most other sections of the town.
Chief of Police P. W. Brown
expressed the opinion that the
True Temper Corporation plant
here which was unroofed suffer
ed the heaviest damage in town.
The Plymouth Drive-In Theatre
was also particularly hard-hit.
Owner J. Shepherd Brinkley stat
ed Wednesday that the theatre
might not be reopened until next
Spring. However, a Williamston
contractor is slated to begin, work
on renovating it next week, Mr.
Brinkley said.
At least five Plymouth busi
nesses suffered damage to large
plate-glass windows—Williams 5
and 10, Plymouth Furniture Com
pany, Manning Motor Company,
Miller Warren Implement Com
pany and W. J. Woolard Furni
ture Company. At Quality Clean
ers employees literally held a
large front window glass in dur
ing the worst of the winds.
The roof was swept off at Roan
oke Electrical Appliance store on
West Water Street, a warehouse
at Farmers Cotton & Peanut
Company was unroofed, signs at
many places of business and most
large outdoor signs on the out
skirts of town were victims of the
winds, as were many canvass
ownings. The great majority of
houses suffered some damage to
roofs. The storm was not without
its freaks—<a large sycamore tree
blown down near the post office
by Hurricane Barbara last yeaT
was put back in business again.
It was still standing nearly up
right late Wednesday.
Power was off in the county
from about noon Friday until 6:30
that night, and was off twice
again for briefer intervals. Tele
phone communications were also
badly disrupted as poles were
snapped in many places, trees
and large limbs were blown
across the lines. M. E. Turner,
local manager for the Carolina
Telephone and Telegraph, Com
pany, announced Wednesday that
See DAMAGE, Page 10
— ♦
Obtain Funds To
Secure Incubator
The bread sale sponsored here
last week by the local VFW post
to secure an incubator for the
Washington County Hospital was
a big success.
A large group of veterans sold
570 loaves for about $400 andi the
incubator will be ordered and
turned over to the local hospital
as soon as it arrives, Melvin Boyd,
commander of the post, said.
Plymouth homes were canvass
ed and 500 loaves sold in one
and a half hours last Thursday
night. An additional 70 loaves
were ordered and sold to homes
between Plymouth and Roper
Tuesday night of this week to get
the needed amount to purchase
the much - neeued incubator.
Mr. Boyd extended the thanks
of the post to workers and espec
ially to the people for their gen
erous support of the project.
Wind Brings Reports
Of Freakish Incidents J
mere are always a number
of freak incidents connected
with severe windstorms, and
Hurricane Hazel last Friday
was no exception. One of them
was a sycamore tree being
blown back up again after it
was blown down by another
hurricane over a year ago, as
pictured on the front page of
this paper. At least two others
have been reported.
Mrs. Ed L. Ayers, whose
home is on Washington Street,
heard a crash in her kitchen at
the height of the storm and
went to investigate. She found
an entire window sash had been
blown to the floor with not a
single pane of glass even
cracked.
Out at the country club, the
television aerial was blown off
the roof. The supporting pipe
fell to the ground, while the
aerial itself lodged upside down
in a big oak tree with the wires
unbroken. When the set was
turned on, reception of the
Greenville station was as good
as ever, although it was impos
sible to get the Norfolk station.