North Carolina Newspapers

T'own opic§ Among those from this county who attended the beef cattle field day at the Frying Pan Experi mental range in Tyrrell County Tuesday of this week were County Agent W. H. (Bill) Pruden, Willis Bowen, county FHA supervisor, both of Plymouth; Bill Thompson, Mrs. Pat Tucker, Mitchiner Banks and J. L. Rea, sr., all of Roper. The program, starting at 1 p. m., was reported by those who were present to have been quite interest ing and informative. Dr. A. L. Whitehurst is making , plans to attend the meeting of the y Eastern District, North Carolina Chiropractic Association to be held in the offices of Dr. Gray Eagles at Rocky Mount Sunday, July 17. Dr. Whitehurst explained that it will be a special meeting for the purpose of reorganizing the district which, he said, will be split into two districts. The new districts will divide northeastern and southeast ern counties, it was said. A group of happy county 4-H Club campers, accompanied by their supervisors, Bill Pruden and Mrs. Frances M. Darden, returned home Saturday noon from Roanoke Island 4-H Camp following a week described by Pruden as “one of the OUVVV/UJiMl » • - - -- been on.” Two 4-H’ers in the party brought back major certificates. Henry Turner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Perry Turner, of Plymouth, was declared “Most cooperative swim mer—advanced” while Emily Mi zelle, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willie Mizelle, of Roper, got her certificate for “most outstanding improvement in swimming — ad vanced.” Group awards in swim ming also went to Charles Thomp son, Sandy Williams and Tom Pru r»‘ den, all of the Plymouth club. In structors in swimming were Bobby Smith and Frank Farrell, life guards at the camp. Pruden said 90 per cent of those unable to swim on going to camp could swim a reasonable distance following the completion of the course of in struction. -$ Counly Persons at Tyrrell Field Day Held This Week Roper, Plymouth Sections Represented in Crowd oi About 100 Persons at Beef Cattle Program A crowd of about 100 persons from several eastern counties, in cluding several persons from Plym outh and Roper, attended the beef cattle field day conducted at the Frying Pan Experimental Range in Tyrrell County Tuesday afternoon of this week. Farmers from throughout the Tidewater area of the state were invited to be present for the pro gram which highlighted recent beef production discoveries in the area, The program opened at 1 o’clock. Visitors were welcomed by H. H. Harris, county agent in Tyrrell, who also reviewed for his audienco the development of the cattle in dustry in the Tidewater area of the state. Dr. J. W. Pou, head, department of animal industry; Dr. E. R. Bar rick, head, animal husbandry sec tion; Dr. E. U. Dillard, assistant professor of animal husbandry; S. H. Dobson, extension agronomy specialist; Dr. H. A. Stewart, as sistant agricultural research direc wv tor, all of State College; Lowell “* Halls, of the Forest Service; and J. L. Rea, in charge of the Tide water Test Farm, Plymouth, pre sented the program. The presentations dealt with grazing cane range and its relation to forage and timber production and fire protection; use of cane range in connection with farm cat tle enterprise as a supplement to premanent pasture for cattle; and permanent pasture and beef pro duction in eastern North Carolina , Holiday Observance Reported Quiet Here The long week-end occasioned by National Independence Day is history and hard-working fun-lovers are now eagerly looking forward to Labor Day. Plymouth and Washington Coun ty enjoyed a quiet holiday period with no violence or fatalities re ported, but it was a bang-up, blist ering, red-hot Fourth from a wea ther standpoint. The only fireworks of any gen eral proportions in the county came late Monday in the form of light ning. Although the distant roll of thunder—like so many giant drums _was heard, the threatened storm failed to materialize and the rain drops were almost few enough to be counted except in the end of the county opposite Plymouth, where a light rain was reported. Sun-reddened epidermis was in evidence on all sides Tuesday as returned fishers, boaters, swim mers, sun-bathers, joy-riders and other recreation-seekers went back to the daily grind. Reports from the county sher iff's office and from other law en forcement agencies in town and county indicated the quietest ob servance of “Marse Fofer July” in years. A number of Plymouth and coun ty persons attended the big cele bation at Belhaven, while scores of others took cooling dips in local pools or visited beaches here and there, seeking relief from the op pressive heat and humidity which has prevailed in the section for some time now. The only accident reported was the burning of a gas boat at Albe marie Beach Sunday at 11:30 a. m Barbara Johnson, of Plymouth sole occupant of the boat, jumped to safety and swam ashore. The boat, the property of J. L. Horner of Plymouth, was reported a total loss. ★ ★★★★★ Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News ****** S3HiH™:H1S3liSn!raHa5aaSEBS2aEaEESJ^3g A home newspaper dedicated to the service of Washington County and its 13,080 people. |y VOLUME LXVI—NUMBER 27 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, July 7, 1955 ESTABLISHED 1889 || ORDINATION SERVICE SET SUNDAY AT CHURCH ] The handsome brick church recently completed by Plymouth Presbyterians will be the scene Sunday afternoon of the ordination and installation of the church’s new pastor, the Rev. Robert L. Combs. The church is on the north side of East Main Street. It was used for services for the first time Sunday, June 19. Mr. Combs, married and the father of two young children, is a recent graduate of Union Theological Seminary, Richmond, Va. The family recently moved to Plymouth and the Combs arc at home in Winesctt Circle. Presbyterian Pastor Ordination Sunday Lost Your Keys? See Police Chief Chief of Police P. W. Brown said yesterday that he had about 15 bunches of keys at the police station, picked up and turned in by various finders during the past few years. There are big bunches, little bunches, single keys, house keys, car keys and practically every other kind of key in existence. Any person who has lost keys is invited to come to the police station and see if his is in the lot there. The chief is anxious to get rid of them, but hesitates to throw them awry as they may be of value to t le owners. Oliver Lucas New Member for FHA County Committee Young Plymouth Farmer Is Named To Succeed Elvin T. Adams Whose Term Expires on 3-Man Board -♦ Oliver Lucas, of Plymouth, is the new member of the Washington County Committee foi the Farmers Home Administration His appoint ment became effective July 1, 1955, the agency's county supervisor, Willis Bow.'n annourced. Mr. Lucas succeels Elvin T. Adams whose term on the 3-mcm ber committee expire 1 this year. Mr. Lucas operates a farm in Plymouth Township. He raises to bacco, peanuts, corn and hogs. He is also very active in community and county activities. The other two mi mbers of the committee are Robert W. Lewis, of Roper, and D. Lanston Hopkins, of Rt. 2, Plymouth. Both of these men are successful farmers and very active in community and county activities. There is a Farmers Home Admin istration county committee in every agricultural county in the country. The committee determines the eli gibility of applicants and helps the county supervisor adapt the agency’s loan policies and services "seTNEVrMEMiBER, Page 12 Special Service Set for 3:30 O'Clock in New Structure On East Main Street; Re ception To Follow Plymouth Presbyterians are looking forward to Sunday when a commission from Albemarle Pres bytery of the Presbyterian Church in the United States (Southern) will ordain and install Robert L. Combs as pastor of Plymouth Pres byterian Church. The commission which represents the Presbytery includes the Rev. Yorke PhasrL pastor of the River mont Presbyterian Church, Kin ston; the Rev. Vernon B. McGhee, pastor of the Wanoca Presbyterian Church, Washington; and Marvin Weaver and J. L. Rea, sr., of Plym outh. The latter two are elders of the church. The Rev Mr. Ph'u is .’ u'.iu of the commission and will preside and propound the questions to Mr. Combs and the congregation of the church. The Rev. Mr. McGhee will de liver the sermon and charge the pastor, while Mr. Weaver, who is clerk of the session of the church here, will charge the congregation. Time of the service has been set and announced by officials as 3:30 o'clock in the afternoon. A reception is planned immedi ately following the service for the purpose of receiving the new pas tor and his family and to allow those attending to examine the new structure, a handsome brick edifice which was used for the first time a few Sundays ago. The building is located on East Main Street. Prior to its erection the congregation had used first the American Legion Hall and later the auditorium of the county agriculture building for its weekly meetings. The Plymouth Presbyterian con gregation was organized Sunday night, October 11, 1953, becoming the 52nd congregation in the Al bemarle Presbytery. For some months prior to that time a group here had been hold ing services with the assistance of student ministers from Union The ological Seminary, Richmond, Va. Officers originally installed were J. J. Gilbert, elder, and J. L. Rea and J. A. Murray, deacons. Dr. Harold J. Dudley, of Raleigh, gen eral secretary of the North Caro lina Synod, preached the sermon, and the installing commission was uiduc up vi ui . u. vv . iidsacn, cac cutive secretary of the Albemarle Presbytery, chairman; the Rev, L, W. Topping, minister of the First Church, Greenville; the Rev. E. L. Willingham, of Greenville; Elder F. L. Fussell, of Williamston ;and E. W. Harvey, jr., of Greenville. Work was started shortly before organization of the congregation on a handsome brick structure to contain several classrooms, a vesti bule and main auditorium. It was decided to use the pay-as-you-go plan in constructing the church edifice. Very little work remains to be done to complete the interior and, of course, the grounds must bo landscaped. The building will be dedicated after all details havfi been completed, it was said. “The unit now completed will ultimately be used as a chapel and educational building. Facing the present building (chapel) there will be a unit built to the left, and a large sanctuary connecting this, thus eventually forming a “U” plan facing Main Street,” the pastor stated. Present officers include Messrs. Weaver and Rea, elders. Mr. Wea ver is clerk of the session which in cludes pastor and elders. It was ex plained that the Presbyterian See ORDINATION, Page 7 Leaf Acreage Cul Would Mean Loss Of Over $80,000 -♦ Proposed 12 Per Cent Cut in Tobacco Allotments To Be Voted on in Grower Refe rendum July 23 -♦ The proposed reduction of 12 per cent in next year’s tobacco acreage is necessary in the opinion of county growers who have “sounded off” concerning the pro posed action and the setting of a referendum in which growers will express their wishes in the matter. It was clearly indicated by “street talk” that there will be farmers who will object tp the acreage cut, thinking chiefly oi their immediate loss, but over the long range the marketing quotas are generally seen as the lesser of two evils. The Department of Agriculture Friday proposed that 889,000 acres be allotted for the flue-cured crop in ryoo as cuiupaiuu lu i,^v« acres this year. At the same time the Depart ment of Agriculture set a refer endum for July 23 when the grow ers will have the opportunity to vote on (1) marketing quotas for 1956, 1957 and 1958 crops (2) mar keting quotas for the 1956 crop on ly or (3) against quotas. If marketing quotas are approv ed as they have every year since 1938 with the exception of 1939, penalties will be collected for any tobacco sold from excess quota planting and a support price of 90 per cent of parity will be in opera tion. Bright Belt Warehouse Associa tion meeting in Virginia Beach last week had passed a resolution recommending a 15 per cent cut in acreage next year. The 1955 tobacco allotment in Washington County is listed at 1, 186.1 acres, according to figures re leased by the county ASC office. The propsed 12 per cent cut would thus mean a loss of 161.7 acres. Figuring an average yield of 1,000 pounds of tobacco per acre and a price average of 50 cents a pound, ike inc -i - loss to growers ot tills I county would be $80,850. Local Negro Boy To Face Peeping Tom Charge Here Charlie White, Jr., 18, Nab bed by Officer Bob Swain Monday Night Following Complaints Charlie White, jr., 18-year-old Plymouth Negro, is slated to face peeping tom charges in recorder’s court here Tuesday of next week. White was chased down and ar rested Monday night by Officer Bob Swain, who recently joined the force, filling the vacancy created by resignation of Night Policeman J. E. Morton. Swain was assisted in cornering his man by Walton Swain and A. 0. Mclver. It all began Sunday night when Bruce Bateman, jr., discovered that someone was hanging around out side the Bateman residence on the corner of Main and Madison Streets. Young Bateman fired twice, the fleeing figure reported ly shifting instantaneously to high gear. Then Monday night a phone call from A. O. Mclver was received at the police station, Mclver re porting that he had seen someone peeping into a window at his resi dence in the 200 block of Adams Street. He reported that when he went outside the house the peeping tom beat a hasty retreat. Officer Swain was notified and proceeded- to make a check of the neighborhood. He spotted White sitting on the front steps at the A. L. Owens residence on Adams Street and looking through the front door into the house. When the officer approached the Negro ran and was subsequently corner ed and taken into custody by Offi cer Swain, Walton Swain using his car and Mclver also helping to corner the youth. Magistrate C. M. Beasley said so far as he knew the offense was the first charged to White who, he said, had been drinking. Convention Will Meet Sunday at Philippi The Washington-Tyrrell County Sunday School convention will meet with the Philippi Church of Christ near Creswell Sunday at 3 p. m., it is announced. Howard Holloman, of Norfolk, Va., will be the guest speaker. J. E. Nooney, of Plymouth, pres ident of the convention, this week issued an invitation for all to at tend. Budget Approved and $2 Tax Rate Set by Council — ■ + Lower Tax Rale Blocked by Necessity lor Selling Up Sinking Fund To Erecl New Water Tank -* Town of Plymouth taxpayers will continue to pay town taxes at the rate of $2 per $100 of property valuation for the fiscal year 1955 56, exactly the same as for the past several years. This was decided by members of the city council at their July meeting Tuesday night, when the tentative budget estimate and tax rate were aproved by unani mous vote after lengthy considera tion of the various items. The budget is subject to review and approval by the local govern ment commission at Raleigh, but this is usually a formality, and town officials do not anticipate any changes being made in the figures approved Tuesday night. Copies of the budget were forwarded to the commission yesterday, and approv al is expected within a week. The new budget, prepared by a committee composed of Council men E. D. Keel, J. B. Latham and J. D. Mallory, calls for a total out lay of $136,235.69 for the current fiscal year as compared with $125, 910.45 for the past year. Principal item of increase is setting up $13, 943.69 in a sinking fund for con struction of a new water tank here. By departments, increases are shown for the administrative, street and police departments and in the miscellaneous account. Decreases are shown for fire and water de partments and the debt service fund. Thd hew budget for the adminis trative department calls for $17, 911, against $14,886 last year. Mosl of the $3,000 increase is spreac over a number of items in the de partment, administrative salaries getting the largest, up $1,350 froir last year. Street department estimates are up from $37,907 to $42,261, an in crease of $4,354. Principal item ol increase is cost of a new truck will have to be bought dur ing the year. Police department budget fig ures are up from $16,385 to $20, 495, an increase of $4,110. Most ol the increase is caused by additior of another man to the police de partment. The miscellaneous ac count was raised from $2,000 to $3, 500, principally because this budgei item nas Deen overspent ior seveia. years. This account takes care ol unforeseen emergencies with streci and sewer improvements usuallj the principal items. The fire department budget this year calls for $7,230, as comparec with $7,800 last year. The decrease is largely accounted for by leaving out $500 set up for the fire de partment building last year and re ducing estimated truck repair: from $1,500 to $1,000. There is considerable shifting of water department figures, the total for which is $29,943.69 this year as compared with $31,842.41: last year, a decrease of $1,898.76 The water and sewer extension item is reduced from $22,192.45 last year to $6,000 estimated for the current year. Most of the saving goes into the new sinking fund ac count of $13,943.69 for the pro posed new water tank. The debt service fund is more or less a fixed account, calling for See BUDGET, Page 7 NEW OFFICERS OF PLYMOUTH SENIOR WOMAN S CLUB INSTALLED ] _ ■ ■ ■ New officers to serve for the 1955-56 club year were recently installed at a regular meeting of Plymouth Senior Woman's Club with Mrs. Harry Lee Smith, of Windsor, the installing officer. Mrs. Smith, wife of former Bertie County Sheriff Harry Smith, is president of the 15th District, North Carolina Federation of Woman’s Clubs. Shown left to right are Mrs. Edna Howell, treasurer; Mrs. Flor ence Spruill, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Harry Browning, recording secretary; Mrs. W. H. (Bill) Joy ner, second vice president; Mrs. Anna Smith, first-vice president; and Mrs. Charlie Roberson, president. Temperature Hits JMi In Toniitv Wediiesilay ♦ * yesterday tne mercury climbed to the highest mark of the summer in this county, according to figures released by the weather station at Tide Water Test Farm. After a maximum reading of 88 degrees last Friday (July 1) the temperatures were recorded in the 90’s for five successive days, build ing up to a hot and rather “sticky” 96 Wednesday of this week. Sunday was almost as hot, the high reading for the day being 95 degrees. Monday and Tuesday saw maximum readings of 93 post tea lor eacn uay ana last baturuay the mercury reached 92. High, low and mean readings foi the period follow: July 1, high of 88, low of 60, mean of 81; 2, high of 92, low of 64, mean of 84; 3, high of 95, low of 68, mean of 83; 4, high of 93, low of 67, mean of 82; 5, high of 93, low of 70, mean of 83; 6, high of 96, low of 71, mean )as of 4 p m.) 90. Last precipitation recorded for the county showed 1.68 inches of rainfall on Sunday, June 26. r Contract for Library To Be Let Next Week Bids Called for Submission Nof Later Than Next Mon day; Construction To Be gin Soon, Leavitt Says It is expected that work on the new Washington County Public Li brary building will start soon, pos sibly before the end of the month, E. M. Leavitt, a member of the county library board, stated Wed nesday in a telephone conversation with a Beacon reporter that the contract-letting will closely follow the bid deadline. Bids have been called for submission not later than Monday of next week. Plans for the structure, to be erected on a lot at the corner of Third and Adams Streets donated for the purpose by Mr. and Mrs. Z. V. Norman, were approved by the Washington County Board of Commissioners at their regular monthly meeting here Monday, June 6. Blueprints for the proposed structure were drawn by Harry Hultman, who donated his services. Mr. Leavitt lent valuable assistance and was publicly thanked by the board of commissioners for his time and effort expended on the project. Previously, the commissioners had allocated the sum of $10,000 to provide a library building for the town. The library is how housed in badly crowded quarters on the sec ond floor of the county courthouse and has never, since its founding following World War I, enjoyed a real home of its own, library board members have pointed out in citing the need for an adequate building conveniently located and with a reading room which the library has never had. The library will front on Third Street, Mr. Leavitt said. VFW Post Will Hold Meeting Here Tonight -« The Bosie Bateman Post No. 4023, Veterans of Foreign Wars, will hold a regular meeting Thurs day night of this week at the Vet erans club here, it is announced. Time of the meeting is 8 o’clock. A full attendance of the post membership is urged by Walter Swain, post commander. Gas Boat Burns At Beach Besort A 1948 Ford gas boat owned by Jack L. Horner, of Plymouth, caught fire and burned to the water line at 11:30 a. m. Sunday at Albemarle Beach before the blaze was extinguished by mem bers of the Roper Fire Depart ment. Barbara Johnson, young daugh ter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold John son, of Plymouth, who was in the boat alone at the time, jumped out and swam ashore to safety, Mr. Horner said. There was no explosion. Origin of the blaze is undetermined, the owner add ed. 'Skylrain V' Set For Saturday; 57 Counties in N. C. Two County Posts —Plym outh and Roper — Will Participate in 12 - Hour Nationwide Exercise The Ground Observer Corps posts in the 57 counties of North Carolina under the Durham Air Defense Kilter Center area of re sponsibility will got into operation for 12 hours beginning at 9 a .m. Aircraft from the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps will par ticipate in this exercise, the an nouncement from the Office of In formation Service, Durham Filter Center, stated. After the exercise is completed a show for the entertainment of the volunteers who are able to at tend will be held in the filter cen ter auditorium. The entertainment will begin at 9:30 p. m., to be fol lowed by a dance with music to be furinshed by the Filter Center Combo. All volunteers as well as the general public are cordially in See~ALERT\~Page~7 Councilmen Order Traffic Light at Monroe and Third -« Owners of Cars With Defect ive Mufflers To Be Indict ed; Other Matters Con sidered Tuesday -—i In addition to approving the ten tative budget and tax rate for the 1955-56 fiscal year, Plymouth city councilmen gave several other mat ters consideration at their July meeting Tuesday night. The regu lar meeting date was changed from Monday to Tuesday night on ac count of the Fourth of July holi day. Mayor A. J. Kiddle presided and all members of the council were present as follows: E. D. Keel and W. C. Hall, tirst ward; J. B. Latham and Ralph Hunter, second ward; J. D. Mallory and J. B. Holli day, third ward. Councilman Hunter brought up the matter of automobile mifflers here. He said a good many cars were being operated with “busted” mufflers and others with what is generally known as “gutted” muf flers. Local police were instructed to enforce state laws governing these nuisances, and Chief of Po lice Brown yesterday issued a warning to local car owners to have their mufflers fixed or face prosecution. R. E. Bowen, representing direc tors of the Plymouth Country Club, appeared before the council and requested a review of the charges made against the club for installa tion of a sewer line. Following the discussion the council voted to re duce the charge to cover the actual cost of work done on the club property, amounting to $220, which was about half of the original bill. By unanimous vote, the council directed that a traffic light be in stalled at the intersection of Mon roe and West Third Streets. It was also stated that all traffic lights in town are to be altered so that the red light is at the top and the green light at the bottom, to com ply with new state regulations. Sev eral of the older lights here do not conform, but kits have been order ed to change them. Councilman Latham asked that something be done about the large number of stray dogs in town. City police were directed to kill any dogs found running at large un less they have tags showing they have been vaccinated or the name of the owner. $ Safely Crusade Supported Here The active membership of the Plymouth Woman’s Club partici pated 100 per cent in the nation wide safety crusade last week, Mrs. C. H. Robertson, president, reports. Mrs. Robertson explained that since it was a chain-call operation she had no way of knowing just how many telephone calls were made in the town and county in the interest of greater highway safety over the holiday week-end. Tlnrlor (ha nl n n nn/ik nl..U ber made four calls to friends and acquaintances urging them to ex ercise all possible care to avoid highway accidents. In turn, each person called was asked to make four calls using the same arrange ment. Although national figures show ed the greatest number of highway deaths in history for the period, no such wrecks were reported in the county. — ■ «—: Two County Boards Will Hold Meetings Monday Regular monthly sessions of the county education board and the county board of commissioners are slated here Monday of next week, the meetings of the two bodies having been postponed because of the Independence Day holiday Mon day of this week. The Plymouth Town Council’s regular monthly meeting, custom arily held the first Monday night, was held Tuesday night of this week instead. -$ Moderate Receipts Peppers And Tomatoes Local Market Receipts of peppers and gva packing tomatoes were moderate on the Plymouth Produce Auction Market this week. Prices were re ported weak on other markets and no sales were held here. A carload of peppers and toma toes handled by the market was being loaded late Wednesday at the Norfolk & Southern depot for shipment to northern markets. -i Summer Show Isachen weather station on Ellef Ringnes Island in the Canadian Arctic gets more snow in summer than in winUr,