North Carolina Newspapers

T'own opics W. Frith Winslow, Plymouth art ist, will be interviewed on a Wash ington television station Thursday afternoon of this week and will show about six of his paintings— portraits, landscapes and still life. The exact time of the program has not been announced. M. G. Chesson, of North Caro lina Pulp Company, was elected last Saturday night as new presi dent of the Eastern Carolina Traf fic Council. The meeting of the _ group was held in Raleigh at the P Sir Walter Hotel. Mr. Chesson suc ceeds C. H. Pruden, jr., of Windsor. Mr. and Mrs. W. L. Whitley were expected to return to Plymouth from Durham late yesterday. Mr. Whitley’s progress is reported to be satisfactory following surgery at a Durham hospital last Wednes day. He entered the hospital Satur day, January 7. Mrs. Whitley has been in Durham for the past week. At least 50 persons were at the courthouse last Friday to talk with Louis Word, of Louisburg, govern ment representative, concerning the surplus equipment being made available to farm operators and small businesses hurt by hurri canes last year. According to re ports, few who applied were found eligible under existing regulations. Word is slated to return to Plym outh Friday of next week, at which time he will again be located in the courtroom to assist any per sons who care to apply. An effort is to be made to get regulations relaxed to some extent, it was $ unofficially reported here. Joe Norman, of Plymouth, was reported late yesterday to be “do ing satisfactorily” by the attend ing physician, Dr. E. W. Furgur son. Mr. Norman, who suffered a heart attack, was admitted to Washington County Hospital here last Thursday. Miss Ann Lee Mayo, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Mayo of Plym outh, was one of 40 students at East Carolina College, Greenville, who made the highest possible grades on all courses included on their schedules for the fall quar ter, it was announced this week by Dr. Orval L. Phillips, registrar. Only three of those on the honors list are men, Dr. Phillips stated, the other 37 being women students, and all of them are North Carolin ians. Miss Mayo is a junior, one of six members of that class making the select group. A graduate of Plymouth High School, she has been at the top of her classes in college since she first entered as a freshman. Dr. E. W. Furgurson will leave Sunday for Detroit, Michigan, to attend the convention of the Nat ional Congress of Industrial Health as an official delegate from the North Carolina Medical Society. The convention is scheduled for two days in the motor city. Dr. Furgurson plans to return to Plymouth Wednesday of next week. E. E. Harrell and Mrs. J. Robert Campbell, of Plymouth, and T. R. Spruill, of Roper, will attend the meeting of the regional board of the Pettigrew Regional Library at Columbia Thursday night of this week. The meeting will be held at the Tyrrell County Courthouse, beginning at 8 o’clock. Those from Plymouth who at tended the annual Boy Scout coun cil supper at Kinston Wednesday night of this week were the Rev. and Mrs. Edward M. Spruill, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Whitley, Dr. Al ban Papineau, Roy F. Lowry and Dr. A. L. Whitehurst. Jamesville Folks Hurl in Accideni Four Jamesville persons serious ly hurt in a two-car collision near Washington late Saturday night were reported to be in fair condit ion at a Washington hospital this week. One of the four, Eugene Ange, 37, was formerly employed at Planters National Bank & Trust Company here. Mr. Ange .suffered internal injuries; his wife, Frances, sustained a fractured jaw, a broken nose and lacerations about the face; Luther Hugh Hardison suf fered a broken arm and a fractur ed pelvis; and his wife, Frances, sustained a broken back. All were passengers in a 1955 Ford driven by Ange. The report of the investigating officer, Patrol Sgt. Bill Clagon, stated that the accident took place when a man by the name of Elks driving a 1955 Oldsmobile applied brakes to avoid hitting the rear of a bus which stopped just ahead of him and the Oldsmobile skidded in to the path of Ange’s oncoming Ford, which was being driven south on US 17. Elks escaped unhurt. The injur ed were rushed to a Washington hospital for treatment. Damages were estimated at $900 to the Ford and $600 to the Olds mobile. The accident happened between Washington and Chocowinity. f The Roanoke Beacon ****** and Washington County News ****** Fujkt Toiio fpit/miti! VOLUME LXVII—NUMBER 3 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, January 19, 1956 ESTABLISHED 1889 • -_ Williamston Attorney j Announces for Senate] Robert H. Cowen, young William ston attorney and mayor, stole a jump on prospective candidates this week by announcing his candidacy for the state senate from this, the second senatorial district. Cowen, making his first venture into state politics, pledged his best efforts to serve the people of Dare, Hyde, Pamlico, Beaufort, Washington and Martin Counties if elected. If precedent of past years, well established, is followed Cowen may go forward without opposition. Under the “gentlemen’s agree ment” Edward L. Owens, of Plym outh, who served last term is en titled to another, while L. H. Ross of Washington, the other of the district’s two senators, has an nounced he will not seek re election. It is expected that Owens will be a candidate to succeed himself but no announcement has been made public by him as yet. Supervisor Says Tax Listing About Third Complete in County j Farm Bureau To ; Meet on Monday The Washington County Farm Bureau will meet Monday of next week in the auditorium of the county agriculture building here, with the program devoted to social security as it affects the farmer, J. L. Rea, president, announces. Time is 7:30 p. m. W. L. Turner, extension farm specialist, and either Woodrow W. Thomas, district manager of the New Bern social security of fice, or W. B. Wilson, field repre sentative, will be present, Rea stated. A question-and-answer period will follow the regular program. The board of directors of the county unit will meet briefly afterwards to map plans for Ihe year. Report of Grand Jury Favorable For Most Part Repairs Needed at County Agriculture Building and Cited in September Re port Again Listed The report of the Washington County Grand Jury, submitted this week to Judge W. H. S. Burgwyn who presided at the civil term of superior court here, was favorable for the most part. The report bore the signature of the grand jury foreman, W. Doug las Gurkin, of Plymouth. The Roper Agriculture Building was said to be in poor condition and the county Agriculture Build ing at Plymouth and Roper High ' School were found to be ii) need of repairs. Except for minor things here and there, that was about the extent of the dark side. The bright side of the picture included citations for the cleanli ness of the county jail, the Plym outh Elementary School on Fourth Street, general condition of the county courthouse, school busses in good condition, and all schools in good order with certain minor exceptions. The report is published below: We, The Grand Jury serving in the January 1956 term, Washing ton County Superior Court, beg to report to you our proceedings as follows: We have duly examined bills of indictment and presentments that have come to our attention and have made every effort to dispose of same in a just manner. We have personally made inspec tions of the various county build ings and properties as follows: County jail—we have found the county jail in a clean and sanitary condition. County courthouse — we have found this building in good con dition generally with all its facili ties in good condition, however, trash around North steps of court house needs cleaning up. See GRAND JURY, Pag<TlO~ Report From County Tax Supervisor Here Wednes day Morning Shows Total Of 1,434 —«— The annual January tax listing chore in this county is about 30 per cent complete. Hubert L. Davenport, of Skin nersville, veteran county tax super visor, estimated Wednesday of this week that the big job was about that far advanced in the county. For a rough estimate it was al most dead center, too. Actual fig ures show the percentage to be between 32 and 33. Out of an expected county total of 4,401 listings, 1,434 had been completed as reported Wednesday morning. A week ago the total list ed stood at 673 in the four town ships. The breakdown, giving township, expected final total, total one week ago and total as of Wednesday morning, was released as follows: Scuppernong, 807, 104, 249; Skin nersville, 409, 51, 120; Lees Mill, 1,185, 170, 315; Plymouth, 2,000, 348, 750; totals, 4,401, 673, 1,434. The regular listing schedule ends February 3. There will be no extension of time, it has been stat ed, and the penalty of 10 per cent as required by law for late listing will be enforced. List takers urge those who have not listed to do so as soon as pos sible in order to avoid the incon venience of the inevitable last minute rush. Listing activity is usually lightest in mid-week, it was said, and afternoons are usually less busy hours than in the fore noon. Named To Manage Bulk Plan! Here -*- — Tommy Harris, of Washington, will manage the branch plant of Swaingas Company which will open here soon, it was announced this week. The new plant, not yet complet ed, is located on US 64 by-pass near Miller Warren Implement Company. Deliveries of and collect ions for bulk gas will be handled from the plant here for this area. Service has been available in this area for some time from the home plant of Swaingas in Washington. Mr. Harris has been with the or ganization for five years and is well qualified to handle the busi ness, company officials stated. He is married and has one child. He expects to move his family to Plym outh soon. The company was started in Aug ust of 1950 with a 30,000-gallon bulk plant at Washington. The rapid growth of the business is re flected in the new 30,000-gallon bulk plant here. Also, present plans call for further expansion soon with the building of a retail outlet for sale of appliances. Swaingas is a family-held cor poration owned jointly by D. S. Swain, D. S. Swain, jr., and M. H. Linaweaver. Mr. Linaweaver, a native of Rosealle, N. J., is married to the former Miss June Swain. D. S. Swain, president of the firm, is a native of the Pea Ridge section of Washington County. Mr. Lina weaver is treasurer and general manager. Employment Law Changes Subject Of Meet Monday Will Be Held at Courthouse In Williamston; Employ ers of Four or More Per sons Now Affected All Washington County employ ers of four or more persons are urged to attend an important meet ing in Williamston next Monday night, January 23. Representatives of the Unemployment Insurance Division of the North Carolina Em ployment Security Commission will discuss recent changes in the unemployment insurance laws at a meeting to be held in the Martin County courthouse there next Mon day evening, starting at 8 o’clock, it was announced yesterday by J. Kelly Gay, manager of the Wil liamston office of the Employment Security Commsision. A field representative and a claims deputy will be present, in addition to Mr. Gay, to explain changes in the unemployment law, which now affects all employers of four or more persons. Prior to Jan uary 1, 1956, only employers of eight or more persons were cover ed by the law, but an amendment adopted by the 1955 North Caro lina General Assembly extended coverage to all individuals or firms which employ four or more per sons on and after the first of this year. The amended law applies to 10, 500 additional employers in the state, and 60,000 new workers will be covered, it was stated by Col. Henry E. Kendall, of Raleigh, chairman of the North Carolina Employment Security Commission. Previously, about one million em ployees of 17,500 employers in the state were affected, it was said. Mr. Gay extends a cordial invi tation to employers, employees and all interested citizens to attend the meeting in Williamston. Similar meetings are being held through out the state. The Williamston of fice serves the counties of Wash ington, Martin and Bertie. A ques tion and answer period will follow the discussion by the commission representatives, Mr. Gay said. Lions Talk Bulb and Broom Sale at Weekly Meet Here The forthcoming bulb and broom sale was the main topic discussed at the regular weekly meeting of the Plymouth Lions Club last Thursday night. The meeting was held in the First Christian Church and a de licious meal was served by the ladies circle of the church. The club had as its guest Louis Word, a Lion from Louisburg. Mr. Word is the federal government representative serving this area in distribution of government surplus products to victims of the hurri canes last year. "Martin Luther" To Be Shown at Ware's Chapel The feature-length motion pic ture, “Martin Luther,” will be shown in the Ware’s Chapel Metho dist Church Friday of this week, beginning at 7:30 p. m., it is an nounced. The church is located in the Darden’s community. The film graphically explains the beginning of Protestant Christiani ty, states the Rev. W. S. Daven port, of Plymouth. No charge will be made but a free-will offering will be taken to defray cost of the film, it was said. --® L. E. Hassell on Critical List at Hospital Today L. E. Hassell, sr., prominent Roper farmer and civic leader who is chairman of the county board of education, is a patient in Washington County Hospital. Mr. Hassell was stricken at his home early Wednesday and Dr. T. L. Bray, of Plymouth, who was summoned ordered Mr. Has sell rushed to the hospital here. Dr. Bray this morning stated that decided improvement has been made by Mr. Hassell but said the Roper man is still in critical con dition. Addresses of 11 Registrants Needed - ■ » -*- -♦ Names of 11 registrants of Se lective Service Board No. 95 here whose mail from the board has been returned marked “unknown” or “moved” were released this week by the board clerk, Mrs. Lor raine Hunter. The list: Robert Mansfield Stevenson, Floyd Murray Davenport, Walter Allen White, Phillip L. Cox, Jesse E. Russ, Herman Leamon Cabarrus, Samuel Patrick, David Thomas Haislip, William Preston Spruill, John Arthur Edwards, jr., and Al bert Lewis Howell. These men are not delinquent, it is pointed out, but have been mail ed forms to fill out to complete their files. Anyone knowing the where abouts of any or all is asked to please notify the registrants or the local board immediately. Failure to comply with local board instruc tions subjects a registrant to in duction. Failure to notify the local board of change of address which results in registrant’s mail being returned to the board eventually will lead to such registrant’s being classified as delinquent and subject to in duction. Any registrant who has changed address should immediately notify the local board. This will save con siderable worry and trouble to registrant, post office and local board, Mrs. Hunter emphasized. ww#»»5«WWEWS»iraM9»M! «SSSW3W?SSW8«K5SBSS8i >P MT' B p JM m The March of Dimes Campaign is underway throughout Wash ww M W lll% U'j ington County this week. Although a little late in starting, g . . . Chairman Thomas F. Hopkins (seated, left) is nevertheless hope ful that the drive this year will surpass the $3,50) raised in the county last year. When this photo was made last Saturday morning, he had just rounded up a group of workers and was outlining dis tribution of counter coin collectors and literature being used by hundreds of other volunteer workers in the campaign. Left to right, others in the photo above are W. Benton Liverman, A. J. Ange, jr., Nicho las Ange and Mrs. Hopkips.—Staff photo. Jaycees To Honor Young Man of the Year Here Friday District Vice President To Give Distinguished Serv ice Award at Meeting Fri day Night A young man of Plymouth be tween the ages of 21 and 35 will be honored Friday night by the Plymouth Junior Chamber of Com merce. The person voted by a special committee the oustanding young man of the community for 1'*55 wo receive the Jaycee distingui. v ed service award at the meeting of the Jaycees to be held in the Fellowship Hall of First Christian Church. Levin Culpeper, of Elizabeth City, who is vice president of the 10th Jaycee district which includes the Plymouth club, will make the presentation. Ihe identity ot the honoree will not be divulged until time for pre sentation of the award. Six factors enter into the select ion, as follows: 1. Contribution to community or state welfare; 2. Participation in all-round com munity or state activities; 3. Evidence of lasting communi ty or state activities; < 4. Exhibition of leadership abili- * ty; 5. Evidence of personal or busi ness progress; 6. Cooperation with individuals 1 and civic organizations. 1 Carl L. Bailey, jr., of Plymouth, who won the award a year ago, is J chairman of the event. Columbia Jaycees have been in- * vited to attend the meeting here 1 Friday. The Plymouth club spon sored organization of the Columbia 1 club some years ago. 1 -« Dedicatory Event [ At Roper Sunday . Special services will be held * Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock at ‘ the Roper Methodist Church to dedicate the stained glass window J being presented in memory of John W. Chesson, former member of the church and prominent Roper citi zen. Plans for the memorial began when the request was made that 1 there be no flowers at the funeral services for Mr. Chesson held in August 1954. l Friends wanting to give flowers started a fund for the memorial and the family has added to this fund to make the window possible. The window itself is the scene, “Christ in the Garden of Gethse mane.” It is semicircular, approxi- 1 mately six feet across and four feet high, and is being installed above and behind the pulpit. It will be artificially lighted. The public is invited to attend the service. Barbecue Dinner Saturday At Veterans Building Here A barbecue dinner will be held Saturday of this week at the Vet- ] erans Building here, jointly spon sored by the local posts of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Plates will be served from 11 a. m. to 8 p. m., the announcement stated. Proceeds will be applied to the building fund. Underway in County Thos. F. Hopkins, County Drive Chairman, Announ ces General Volunteer Or ganization The annual March of Dimes cam paign for Washington County got underway in earnest Monday of this week with the volunteer or ganization being perfected under the leadership of Thomas F. Hop kins, of Plymouth, who has served for several years as county di rector. T. e county organizition is seek ing a quota of $3,000 in funds for the unceasing fight against the dread disease of poliomyelitis. Chairmen were named in 11 cate gories or communities to head the work in the various sections of the county. Mrs. Hiomas F. Hopkins, who is chairman of house-to-house solicitations in Plymouth, released a list of 48 volunteer workers. Also, with the usual strong help from the schools, the parking meter receipts donated by the lown ol Plymouth, the annual March of Dimes queen’s contest and ball and miscellaneous sources, it is believed that there is a good chance that the quota will be met and the fine record made in this county in the past kept intact, de spite conditions less favorable than in immediate past years. A concerted effort from all sides to get the job done quickly, effec tively and well is the general plan of this year’s campaign. The need continues great, Mr. Hopkins pointed out. The general organization was listed by the drive chairman as follows: Thos. F. Hopkins, drive chair man; Nick Ange, treasurer; James Bond, publicity; Mrs. Thos. F. Hop kins, chairman Plymouth house-to house solicitations. Plymouth colored, Prof. A. R. Lord, chairman. Business solicitation (Plymouth) Denton Liverman, civic organiza ions; Melvin Boyd, Ronald Waters ind Thos. F. Hopkins, business louses; Distribution committee: A. J. \ngc, jr., Steve Hopkins, Bubber Hopkins, Ken Hopkins, Louis Moore, William Bonds; Roper white, Mrs. Elbert Tar kington. Roper colored, Prof. E. V. Wil kins, chairman. See DIMES, Page 10 Theatre Project Set for Friday -♦ The organization, Theater Own ers of North and South Carolina, is sponsoring a project, “Popcorn for Polio Day,” Friday of this week, with proceeds from popcorn sales at theatres to go to the March of Dimes. J. Shepherd Brinkley, local thea tre owner-operator, is cooperati lg in the project, and patrons may pay the regular price of popcorn or donate what they wish above that amount. All receipts from this program here will go to the local March Dimes and be a part of total county receipts. Mr. Brinkley and County March of Dimes Director Thos. F. Hopkins were notified of the project by letter from Howard Anderson, vice president of the Theatre Owners group. I Found Dead in Creswell Canal Dennis Windsor Armstrong, about 54, was found dead in Mountain Canal near Lake Phelps Tuesday by Ernest Spear, who operates ^ store nearby. Armstrong was last seen alive Thursday of last week when he stopped in at the Spear place of business. The r/^i, w'-o had worked for the pj#t two vears or so as a painter around Creswell, lived alone and was not missed for some time following his dis appearance. He had previously served in the merchant marine, it was said. J. L. Horner, of Plymouth, Washington County coroner, in vestigated and deemed an inquest unnecessary, ruling that Arm strong met death by drowning. Court Term Ends Tuesday as Judge Sets Steady Pace Illness of Counsel Causes Continuance of Few Cases Here; Selby Given 19 Months in Assault Case Superior court machinery, kept grinding at a steady pace by Judge W. H. S. Burgwyn, wound up a rather abbreviated docket late Tuesday. The Woodland jurist, one of the special superior court judges in this state, presided in lieu of Ches ter Morris, of Coinjock, at the criminal term of court •which open ed here Monday. Judge Morris was unable to fill the appointment due to illness. Several cases listed for trial at the term were continued due to the illness of counsel. Attorney W. L, Whitley, of Plymouth, who was a patient in a Durham hospital. Proceedings: W. J. Woolard granted divorce from Evelyn D. Woolard; James E. Coleman, escaped from N. C. Prison System while serving sentence at Prison Camp 114, was given six months, sentence to be gin at expiration of sentence de fendant is now serving; See COURT, Pagc~5~ Spoiler Posts al Plymouth, Roper Need Volunteers Serious Shorlage of Trained Personnel Highlighled by Announcement of Import ant 'Skywatch' This is serious. Announcement that ground ob server corps posts throughout North Carolina will start round the-clock “Skywatch” Wednesday, February 1 caught both posts in this county with a serious short age of active personnel. “Skywatch" was requested by the United States Air Force and the reasons behind it are serious, according to information received by post supervisors at Plymouth and Roper from Edward F. Griffin, director of Civil Defense for North Carolina. “Extended surveillance has been anticipated for sometime,” Mr. Griffin stated, “with the date de pendent on establishment of firm Air Defense Identification Zones which are the air defense peri meters of the nation. In and around them, air defense measures are heavily accentuated to prevent penetration of the United States I by enemy aircraft. ‘The Air Defense identification zones are now established,” the state director said. “Affecting North Carolina and the southeast, the Atlantic ADIZ will begin in Maine and extend along the east ern coastline of Florida. In cer tain strategic areas even further expansion is anticipated. “The necessity for this action is not a wild guess by the Departnfent of Defense. Nor is continuous night and day duty for our Ground Ob server Corps a whim of Civil De fense. “The establishment of adequate measures to protect ourselves against Russian attack is being dic tated by the actions and attitudes of the men in the Kremlin. “To achieve world domination has been the Communist doctrine for over 100 years. Soviet Russia, the seat of world Communism, has exploded thermonuclear devices which logically can be considered the forerunner of the H-Bomb— and she has a large and improving bomber force capable of carrying such devastating weapons right to the heart of our homeland. These weapons, if delivered without in terference, could, in a single series of coordinated blows, reduce us to a position from which recovery might be impossible. lo counter this threat the co ordinated effort of all of us— military and civilian—is required. Today wars are fought by all the people as a whole, not by military forces alone. Civil Defense pro grams must go hand-in-hand with military programs.” Jesse Kawls, Roper post super visor, and Dr. A. L. Whitehurst, See SPOTTERS, Page 5 ~~~ ---- Roper Spotters To Get Awards Fourteen members of the Roper Ground Observer Corps post will receive awards at a special meeting at Roper Monday, January 30, Jes se Rawls, post supervisor, an nounced this week. Presentation of the awards to volunteers who have completed their training will be made by Capt. Frank W. Byrnes, of the Air Defense Filter Center, Durham. Those who have not already re ceived their “wings” will be given them at the same time, Rawls stated. The supervisor reported that on the last alert there were 29 volun teers who saw duty, spotting and reporting nine planes. The number of reports was held down by bad weather, it was explained. Anyone desiring to join the post for training as an observer is in vited to call Mr. Rawls at 613-8. Volunteers are urgently needed, it was said. Firemen Kept on Run Tuesday; Three Calls Plymouth firemen answered three alarms Tuesday of this week, two in town and one at Mackeys. Little damage resulted from the fires, according to Fire Chief I. Miller Warren. The first alarm was at 11:30 a. m. and firemen sped to the resi dence of Sgt. Kennedy on East Main Street where an oil heater had got tod hot. No damage was reported. The second alarm came at noon. The roof of a house owned by C. J. Belch, sr., at Mackeys caught fire but when firemen arrived the blaze had already been put out by a bucket brigade. There was little damage. At 2:30 p. m. the firemen an swered the third alarm and put out a fire under the hood of a truck on Monroe Street. The truck, owned by R. H. Brinson, of High Point, was loaded with pulpwood and was on its way to the N. C. Pulp Com pany plant from Terra Ceia. The driver, Levi Spencer, colored, said the fire blazed up as he neared the intersection of Monroe and Third Street. Wiring was damaged.