r
\
1
I
)
I
I
*
I'own
opics g
Patrolman “Red” Walters, of
Columbia, is now assisting Carl
Gilchrist, of Plymouth, in Wash
ington County, due to the recent
resignation of Patrolman J. E.
Morton, of Roper. It is thought
that Morton’s vacant post will not
be filled by the State Highway
Patrol until after the completion
of the next patrol school at
Chapel Hill sometime in the
Spring. The popular Walters re
ports that he has not been called
upon to investigate any wrecks
in the county as yet and that he
is “taking it easy” while he can.
The H. E. Newlands are expect
ed to return to Plymouth next
Monday from a holiday trip to
Indiana. They left here Thursday
of last week for Mitchell, Ind.,
where they were to visit Mrs.
Newland’s parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Herbert Conley. From there the
schedule called for stops at In
dianapolis, Louisville, Ky., and
way points.
A good many tobacco growers
about the county were busy this
week treating tobacco bed sites
with gas for control of weeds, in
sects, and like things detrimental
to the production of good, strong
tobacco plants, County Agent W.
H. Pruden reported. Pruden inci
dentally, highly recommends the
use of gas in treating beds. He
also hints that irrigation for to
bacco is a splendid idea, what
with the dry weather current and
also predicted to come.
Hugh B. (Junior) Pierce is back
in Plymouth, looking decidedly
“in the pink.” He was recently
discharged from Uncle Sam’s
army, after considerable service
overseas, including a starring
stint on one of the crack service
football elevens. The Plymouth
boy, who made a name for him
self at Plymouth High School and
at N. C. State before being snap
ped up by the above-referred-to
Uncle, coached the line on his
service team and reports that the
team used the same multiple of
fense style of play now being
taught members of the State
Wolfpack by Head Coach Earl
Edwards, who came to the West
Raleigh School last year from
Michigan State College. Pierce, a
standout center, plans to re-enter
State College in February for the
SeeT TOPICS, Page 6 ~~~
-®
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►
♦
%
Commissioners in
Routine Meeting
Here On Monday
— ' ♦
Unanimously Adopt Reso
lution Asking That Croa
tan Sound Bridge Be
Named for Umstead
——♦
The Washington County Board
of Commissioners held a brief,
routine meeting at the courthouse
here Monday of this week and
adopted a resolution calling on
the State Highway and Public
Works Commission to name the
Croatan Sound bridge, when
completed, the “Umstead Memor
ial Bridge” in memory of the late
William B. Umstead. Umstead
was governor of the State at the
time the decision was reached to
construct the bridge and it was
largely through his efforts that
the appropriation was secured.
The motion was made by Com
missioner Hubert L. Davenport,
of Skinnersville, and was second
ed by Phillip M. Spruill, of Scup
pernong .The resolution unani
mously carried and Clerk J.
Robert Campbell was instructed
to send copies of the resolution
to A. H. Graham, chairman of
the State Highway and Public
Works Commission, and to J. Em
mett Winslow, of Hertford, chair
man of the commission for the
First District.
Frank I/. Brinkley, of Plym
outh, and A. R. Phelps, of Roper,
were reappointed to five-year
terms on the board of trustees
of Washington County Hospital,
the terms to begin January 1,
1955.
E. J. Spruill, county tax col
lector, reported the sum of $25,
324.43 collected by his department
during the month of December.
Routine work reports were sub
mitted to the board by County
Agent W. H. Pruden and by Mrs.
Frances M. Darden, home agent.
The Roanoke Beacon
*★*★** and Washington County News ***★*★
A home newspaper dedicated
to the service of Washington
County and its 13,000 people.
VOLUME LXVI—NUMBER 1
Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, January 6, 1955
ESTABLISHED 1889
) PROVEN WAY TO REMOVE DRAINAGE PROBLEM
/ • r »- r ■
The above photo shows a drainage ditch on the D. M. Rober
son farm in the Lake Phelps area and is only one of many such
ditches which have been dug during the past year in this county
and adjoining ones. H. E. Newland, of the Soil Conservation Serv
ice, reports that great progress was made in the county last year
in solving drainage problems with the use of draglines. As many
as 13 such machines have operated at a time in the county during
the year.—Photo by Newland.
Polio Campaign Gets
Underway in County
RECEIVES CITATION
1
Maj. Stewart E. Nestor,
ITSAF (retired), former Plym
outh resident, received a com
mendation medal and citation
from the Air Force during the
Christmas holidays while he
and Mrs. Nestor were nere
visiting their daughter, Mrs.
W. F Ruffin, and family.
Air Force Major,
Former Resident,
Receives Citation
-+
Slewarl E. Nestor Commend
ed for Work in Rewriting
Portion of Air Force Man
ual Last Year
— ♦
A commendation medal and rib
bon, with accompanying citation,
was awarded recently by the
United States Air Force to Maj.
Stewart E. Nestor, former Plym
outh resident and purchasing
agent for the North Carolina Pulp
Company. Major and Mrs. Nestor
spent the Chirstmas holidays in
Plymouth with their daughter,
Mrs. W. F. Ruffin, and family,
leaving early last week for Flori
da.
Major Nestor, a native of West
Virginia, lived in Plymouth from
1937 to 1942, serving as purchas
ing agent for the pulp company
here during that time. He volun
teered for service with the Air
Force in 1942 and served contin
uously since that time until his
retirement last October 2nd at
Norton Air Force Base, San Ber
nardino, Calif. Prior to his serv
ice with the Air Force, Major
See~CITATION, Page 12
Tom F. Hopkins Accepts Di
rectorship of 1955 March
Of Dimes; Goal Set at $3,
500
Thos. F. Hopkins, local furni
ture dealer, this week accepted
appointment as Washington Coun
ty director of the 1955 March of
Dimes, it was announced by Jack
McGhee, state chairman of the
anual polio appeal.
Mr. Hopkins has been a volun
teer in the local March of Dimes
campaigns of the past five years,
and served at one time as a dis
trict. director.
Noting advances made in the
study of the salk trial polio vac
cine, Mr. Hopkins stated, “We
open the 1955 drive with bright
prospects for eventually conquer
ing polio.
“In Washington County, as in
counties throughout the United
States, people are giving an in
creased measure of their time,
money and skills to the fight
against this dread disease.”
This is important, he empha
sized, because in the meantime
the Washington County chapter
of the National Foundation for
Infantile Paralysis must continue
the long-term care of several
polio victims of former epidemics.
“If the Salk vaccine gives us
the hoped-for answer in 1955, the
victory in great part will be the
result of our unstinted and faith
ful participation in the March of
Dimes,” the county director de
clared.
The 1955 campaign is getting
underway in this county and will
be climaxed by the annual March
of Dimes Ball next month. The
goal has been set at $3,500 for the
county, Mr. Hopkins said. Can
nisters were placed in Plymouth
business houses Monday and were
to be put in places of business at
Roper, Creswell and other parts
of the county later this week. The
county organization is expected
to be perfected in time for publi
cation next week, it was stated.
Anyone wishing to volunteer
services or suggestions for prose
cuting this worthy effort should
contact Mr. Hopkins. The cooper
ation of everyone will be ap
preciated, he stated.
-«
Stockholders of Country
Club To Meet Wednesday
-•
Annual meeting of the stock
holders of the Country Club of
Plymouth, Inc., will be held Wed
nesday of next week, January 12,
at 8 p. m., in the clubhouse, it
was announced recently. Officers
and directors are to be elected,
and probably there will be other
business matters to be considered.
Forest Fire Burns Over 9,000 Acres
A big woods fire which burned
over some 9,000 acres of land in
this county was finally brought
under control Saturday.
Tom Wynne, of Elizabeth City,
district state forester, reported
that four tractors and a crew of
20 or more men were still work
ing early this week to contain the
fire.
The blaze started Thursday of
last week and swept over an area
of peat bogs near Wenona. The
fire was fanned by stiff winds
from the coast, it was said.
/
The area in which the blaze
started and spread rapidly was
dense and the peat bogs served
to spread the fire underground,
making control difficult. The un
derground fires were reported
still smoldering late Tuesday and
it was explained that sufficient
rainfall to raise the water table
will be the only thorough means
of dousing the fire.
The ground is unusually dry
for the time of year, although a
light rainfall was recorded Sun
day night.
Another fire in the nearby Pan
tego section of Beaufort County
was also brought under control,
that one on Friday. It had burned
over an area of about 1,000 acres,
it was reported.
Much of the land burned over
in Washington County belongs to
the Roper Lumber Company and
men were employed by the firm
to help fight the big fire. They
reportedly worked around the
clock when the blaze was at its
worst.
Church Here Asks
Sizeable Sum for
Lot From Counly
Delegaiion From Church of
God in Christ Presents
Written Request Which
Education Board Rejects
-«
The Washington Coilnty Board
of Education at its meeting Mon
day of this week conferred with
the Rev. J. S. Spruill and three
members of the congregation of
the Church of God in Christ con
cerning a written agreement to
move the church from Adams
Street, so that the lot could be
used as a much needed addition
to the Plymouth School campus.
At a meeting last November 10
the Rev. Mr. Spruill had informed
the board that the church con
gregation had agreed to move the
church from Adams Street to
Madison Street and exchange the
lot which the church owned on
; Adams Street for one which the
board purchased for the purpose
of locating the church on Madi
I son Street. At the board meeting
Monday the church presented a
| written request that the county
I board of education pay them $6,
I 000.00 and move the church or
I $8,000.00 providing the church
! paid for all expenses incurred
in moving the church. The board
of education rejected this pro
posal. The board received a bid
on December 11, 1954, from H. D.
! Craddock, to move the church for
$887.00.
It had been hoped that a writ
ten agreement could be signed at
this meeting with the trustees of j
the church. The board was in
formed that all the trustees had
not been elected.
It was promised that the edu
cation board would be informed
by Friday night of this week con
cerning the church board of
trustees personnel. Meanwhile,
the matter is “hanging fire.”
The contract of Mrs. Evelyn
Faison Cooper to replace Mrs.
Evelyn Johnson Hargrove, first
grade teacher at Plymouth Color
ed Elementary School. Mrs. Har
grove resigned because of illness.
All members of the board were
present: L. E. Hassell, chairman,
J. W. Norman, Mrs| K. S. 8row
bridge, J. Whitford Swain and
P. B. Belanga. Attorney Carl L.
Bailey, j r., of the firm of Bailey
and Bailey, was also present.
-«
Special Session;
Highway Men in
Meet With Beard
-♦
Dislricl Highway Chairman,
Divisional and Disirici
Engineers, Discuss Roads
With Commissioners
J. Emmett Winslow, of Hert
ford, district highway chairman,
W. N. Spruill, of Ahoskie, divis
ional engineer, and W. F. Ses
soms, of Plymouih, district en
gineer, met with the board of
county commissioners in a special
session here Tuesday afternoon.
The mee’ng opened at 1:30
o’clock and a general discussion
of the road situation ensued. The
commissioners explained that
there were a number of petitions
for road improvement in the
| county on file, some of which had
| been on file for years.
Mr. Winslow stated that the
facts tended to show that Wash
ington County had received its
just share of road work in the
past and also stated that now no
funds are available. A definite
answer was given the members of
the county board as to why cer
tain petitions for road improve
ment had not been acted upon.
It was shown that on many such
roads daily traffic had been
measured at less than 100 cars
and that in such instances and
particularly where few people
lived along the roads the expense
of improvement could not well
be justified.
The district chairman promised
that the county would always get
its pro rata share, just as in the
past, of any monies spent for road
improvement in the district.
The chairman of the board ot
commissioners, Frank L. Brink
ley, of Plymouth, was absent be
cause of a meeting held simul
taneously at N. C. Pulp Com
pany. All other members of the
board were present as follows:
J. C. Knowles, Lees Mill; H. L.
Davenport, Skinnersville; Phillip
M. Spruill, Scuppernong; and A.
R. Latham, Plymouth.
Following the meeting, which
lasted about an hour and a half,
the district chairman, engineers
and members of the county board
went out to look at the Morrat
tock Road, one of those cited as in
need of improvement.
Real Estate Revaluation
Will Be Completed Soon
— » i
R. M. Byrd, Head of Revalu
ation Project, Hopes To
Complete Work by End of
March
—t
“We hope to be able to notify
all taxpayers of their new valua
tions by February 1st,” R, M.
Byrd, who is in charge of the re
valuation project in this county
said late yesterday.
Mr. Byrd said he did not know
whether the taxpayers would be
notified by publication or by post
card, but that everyone would
have the opportunity to come to
the courthouse and compare his
new valuation with those of oth
ers in the county.
Byrd said that the average citi
zen thinks of revaluation only in
terms' of higher valuation and
higher taxes, but that the project
undertaken by Washington Coun
ty is more of an equalization than
revaluation.
All townships except Skinners
vilie have been completed inso
far as appraisals and mapping
are concerned, he said. However,
it was added that in the com
pleted townships there are a few
scattered places w’here improve
ments or additions have been
made since the appraisal was
completed and these, of course,
will have to be rechecked.
The project head stated that it
is hoped to complete the work
in Skinnersville Township by the
last of this month. It w'as pointed
out, though, that January is nor
mally a fairly wet month and ex
tensive rain could delay the work
considerably.
Information gained in the
course of the field work is set
down on work sheets and later
transferred to permanent record
cards. Houses, for example, fall
int r some 32 general classifica
tions and a table to go by to as
certain the price per square foot
is used for the particular cate
gor.’. There are variations, of
coi rse. Then there is a plumbing
tat*e, ’ sting so much per souar
See KEVALCATOTPagc 12
Services Monday
For J. W. Chesson
-*
Joseph Wilson Chesson, 80
year-old retired carpenter of
Plymouth, died at 3:30 p. m. last
Saturday in a Norfolk, Va., hos
pital. He had been in declining
health for the past four years and
had been confined to his bed for
three years of that time.
Mr. Chesson was born in Wash
ington County October 27, 1874,
the son of the late Mr. and Mrs.
Charlie Chesson. He was a mem
ber of Zion’s Chapel Church of
Christ near Roper.
Surviving are his widow, Min
nie Chesson; five daughters, Mrs.
Roy Crumpler, Mrs. R. W. Beard,
Mrs. R. C. Whittenburg, Mrs.
Elizabeth Harris and Mrs. G. D.
Ainsley, all of Norfolk; three sis
ters, Mrs. Ada Patrick, of Wash
ington, D. C., Mrs. Delia Sykes,
of Portsmouth, Va., and Mrs. Col
lie Campen, of Norfolk; a brother,
Jack Chesson, of Lake Lure; 12
grandchildren and five great
grandchildren.
Funeral services were conduct
ed at 3 p. m. Monday at Holly
Neck Church of Christ near Roper
by the Rev. J. D. Waters, of
Plymouth, assisted by the Rev. L.
M. Ambrose, of Creswell. Burial
followed in the church cemettly.
To Start llal?-lloli«lay
Here Next Wrclorsciar
Plymouth stores, at least in the
main, will begin the Wednesday
half-holiday closings next week,
it was learned late yesterday.
There had been considerable in
terest and discussion among local
merchants ancl their employees
concerning the date when the
closings would begin, so a petition
was circulated among the busi
ness houses this week and a ma
jority signed to begin the closing
next week.
Thos. F. Hopkins, president of
the local merchants association,
said yesterday afternoon that he
1 plans to call a meeting of the
j merchants to consider a date on
----
which to terminate the half-holi-1
day closings in the autumn sea- J
son and also to decide on other
matters relating to the closing,
such as whether or not to remain
open all day Wednesday of Easter,
week in view of the Easter Mon- j
day holiday.
Hopkins did not say when he
expects to call the meeting but j
it is presumed it will be in the |
near future.
Last year the merchants held a
meeting the middle of January
and decided to begin the Wednes
day closings January 20 and to
continue through the last Wed- j
nesday in September.
Tax Listing Is Off To
Slow Start in County
Only 75 Persons Lisl in
Plymoulh Township Up
To Wednesday Afternoon,
List Taker Reports
—♦
The annual task of listing prop
erty for taxes, begun in this coun
ty Monday of this week, is off to
a slow start, judging by figures
released late Wednesday after
noon by Plymouth Township List
Taker Paul Swain and Plymouth
Town List Taker Mrs. Wade
Adams.
Reports from the various listers
throughout the county were not
available and County Tax Super
visor Hubert L. Davenport, of
Skinnersville, could not be con
tacted late yesterday for a state
ment, but it is believed that the
report here indicates the general
! Mr. Swain, who is serving as
list taker for the first time, hav
ing replaced Clarence L. Blount,
said that only 75 persons had list
ed with him late Wednesday af
ternoon. Mrs. Adams stated that
only 45 property owners in the
Town of Plymouth had listed
with her through the same period.
For a like period a year ago,
about 100 persons had listed in
Plymouth Township, so the job is
off to an even slower start this
year than last, it seems.
The citizens of the township
should note the change in place
of listing this year. In past sea
sons listing for the township has
been done in the courthouse but
since the commissioners’ room is
in use as an office for the revalu
ation work the listing is being
done in the kitchen at the Agri
culture Building. Both Plymouth
Town and Township property
may be listed there. The hours
from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. Monday
through Saturday will be observ
ed throughout the month of Jan
uary. There will positively not be
| any extension of time, it has been
j pointed out, and late listers will
: be penalized 10 per cent.
Both Mr. Swain and Mrs.
Adams have pointed out that list
ing is usually heaviest the first
and last of the week and is gen
; erally heavier in the forenoon
; than in the later hours of the day,
so property owners who have not
j listed are urged to act accord
I ingly.
5 »
| Board leceives j
j Call for 37 Hen j
The regular monthly session ;
of the Plymouth Town Council, !
scheduled to have hecn held j
here Monday night of this .
week, was postponed due to the
illness of Mayor A. J. Kiddle.
Mayor Riddle wras confined to
his home Monday but was out
again Tuesday morning.
The council meeting is now
scheduled to be held at 8 p. m.
Monday of next week at the
Municipal Building. Only rou
tine matters are expected to be
taken up at the confab.
Hope Negroes To
Be Tried in' 'Big
Court' Next Week
-♦
Roy Chester Price and Ken
neth Governor Morris Out
On Bond Awaiting Trial
For Assault, Robbery
Roy Chester Price and Kenneth
Governor Morris, young Roper
Negroes, are out on bond awaiting
trial at the January term of Su
perior Court which opens here
Monday of next week.
Price and Morris, both of whom
have criminal records, are charg
ed with assaulting and forcibly
robbing the persons of Jesse Vo
liva of more than $60 and valu
able papers here Saturday night.
Voliva, young Columbia white
man who said he has been a mer
chant seaman for 12 years and
has been home for several days,
complained that after his car ran
out of gas near the Gaylord Serv
ice Station in Plymouth he was
picked up by two Negroes and
subsequently robbed.
According to the story Voliva
told on the stand, he was return
ing to Plymouth from Mackeys
after having taken his date of
the evening home and was on his
See COURT, Page 7 ~~
OFFICERS OF F.H.A. CHAPTER AT PLYMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL
l
Officers of the Plymouth Chapter, Future Homemakers of America, elected shortly after the
new term began last fall, are pictured above as follows: Front row: Sue Carol Lassiter, presi
dent; Jolene Hollowell, vice president; Ruby Boyd, secretary; and Mary Ach, treasurer; back row:
Jane Swain, reporter; Dottie Thompson, historian; Betty B. Davenport, parliamentarian; Betsy
Barnhill, song leader.—Polaroid 1-Minute staff p hoto.
Total 36 Cases Is
Set for Trial at
Court Term Here
- ■ ♦
One Case Removed From
Criminal Calendar and
Two Added; Mixed Term
To Open Monday
-«
The regular two-week January
mixed term of ’Washington Coun
ty Superior Court is slated to
open here Monday morning of
next week, with Judge Malcolm
C. Paul, of Washington, on the
bench. Judge Q. K. Nimocks, jr.,
of Fayetteville, is schedouled to
preside over the second week of
court.
At the time the calendar was
prepared, 35 cases were listed for
trial, 19 criminal cases and 16
civil actions. However, since that
time one of the criminal cases
was tried in Washington County
Recorder’s Court when the
charges were lessened, bringing
the case within the jurisdiction of
the lower court. That was the
Patrick case, tried Tuesday be
fore Judge W. Ronald Gaylord
and reported elsewhere in this
paper.
Also, two other cases are due
to be heard at the January term
of superior court which were not
listed on the calendar originally
Roy Chester Price and Kenneth
Governor Morris, young Roper
Negroes, face assault and robbery
counts following a preliminary
hearing Tuesday at which Judge
Gaylord found probable cause.
Jesse Voliva, Columbia merchant
seaman, is the prosecuting wit
ness. Price and Morris are out
under $200 bond each.
Morris also faces a speeding
charge on which he was tried
Tuesday, found guilty and fined
$50 and costs. He noted appeal to
superior court and bond was set
by Judge Gaylord at $100.
The first week of court will be
devoted to the trial of criminal
cases, with the exception of sev
eral divorce actions, while Judge
Nimocks will hear civil actions
during the second week which is
expected to be concluded Wed
nesday, January 19.
Owens and Phelps
Go to Raleigh for
Assembly Sessions
-i
Slale Senator and County
Represenative Left First
Of Week to Attend Party
Caucus Tuesday
State Senator Edward L. Owens
of Plymouth and County Repre
sentative Dr. J. M. Phelps of Cres
well left the first of the week for
Raleigh to attend the biennial
session of the North Carolina
General Assembly, scheduled to
begin yesterday. Mr. Owens left
Monday night and Dr. Phelps
went up Tuesday, accompanied
by Tyrrell Representative Delbert
M. Sawyer, all three of them
planning to be there in time to
attend the Democratic caucuses
set for Tuesday night.
Dr. Phelps said Monday that he
had no local legislation in mind
at the present, although some
may develop during the course of
the session. He stated he would
be glad to hear from any of his
constituents about any matters
that come before the assembly
and would welcome their advice
concerning pending legislation.
Dr. Phelps said it was his plan
to be at his home at Creswell on
Saturdays and Sundays generally
throughout the session.
The state senate was scheduled
to begin its sessions at 11 a. m.
yesterday, with the house meet
ing an hour later at noon. Politi
cal observers believe the sessions
will continue at least four months
and possibly longer. Dr. Phelps
and Mr. Sawyer have adjoining
seats in the house, Nos. 116 and
115, respectively, while Senator
Owens has Seat No. 4 in the state.
All three of them will live at the
Sir Walter Hotel while they are
in Raleigh.
Hangings Presented To
Roper Church Recently
At the Christmas service at St.
Luke’s Episcopal Church, Roper,
a set of white liturgical hangings
of damask was presented to the
church by the congregation. The
hangings were given to the Glory
of God and, in honor of Miss
Augusta C. Carstarphen, who has
been a faithful and zealous mem
ber of the Roper church for many
years.
The rector, Rev. E. M. Spruill,
blessed the hangings at the
Christmas service, Saturday eve
ning, December 25th.
it