North Carolina Newspapers

T'own opics r. F. Lowry, superintendent of Washington County Schools, and Milton Basnight and John Dupree who hold like positions in Tyrrell and Bertie Counties, respectively, will leave early Tuesday morning of next week for Mars Hill where they will attend the Superin tendents’ conference at Mars Hill College Tuesday through Friday. Mr. Lowry will appear on the pro gram at 10:15 a. m. Wednesday as one of the interrogators on the panel: Review of Action of the Special Session. The group will re I turn home late Friday, it was said. Henry J. Bragg, work unit con servationist with the Washington County Soil Conservation Service office here, is expected to be back on the job Monday of next week following completion of a special training course at Athens, Ga. Mr. Bragg has been away about six weeks attending the course in farm planning. Mr. Bragg, before com ing to Plymouth to succeed H. E. Newland as conservationist, work ed as a soil scientist. While Mr. Bragg is away, Ed Craft is in charge of the office which is locat ed in the Agriculture Building. Washington County Recorder’s Court will have to get along with out a solicitor for the next two weeks. Solicitor W. Blount Rodman will leave Sunday for two weeks' training at Fort Bragg with the 295th Field Artillery Battalion. Mr. Rodman is a staff officer with the rank of major. He expects to re turn to Plymouth Sunday, August 26. # Lieutenant Tom Brown, of the State Highway Patrol, visited friends in Plymouth Tuesday for several hours. Lieutenant Brown is executive officer of Troop A, with headquarters at Greenville. He was stationed here during the late 1930’s and early 40’s when he was a corporal. His wife is the former Miss Mary Frances Beasley of Plymouth. Five members of the Plymouth Boy Scout troop sponsored by the Men’s Fellowship of First Christ ian Church were present recently when the charter presentation to the Men’s Fellowship was made. They were Tommy Gurganus, Ed die Oliver, Logan Womble, Ed Womble and Stanley Brewer. These boys and Connie Cox, who was unable to attend, all have pass ed their tenderfoot test. Scout master Dail Beasley, David Wil liams, assistant- A.-utmasler, Harold Whitley, troop committee chair man, and Burl Gurganus, commit tee member, were also present. -® Library Here Has Third Highest in «< Book Circulation -<$> Closely Trails Tyrrell Pub lic Library and Brown Carver of Edenton Within Region -® Washington County Public Li brary had the third largest library circulation in the Pettigrew Region during Pettigrew Regional Libra ry’s first year, according to figures released by the regional director, Mrs. Eugenia R. Babylon. The Pettigrew Regional Library was officially formed October 1, 1956, and since the fiscal year end-' ed June 30, circulation in individ ual counties of the region were counted for July, August and Sep tember 1955 in arriving at a total for the year. Total number of books circulated | to residents of Chowan, Tyrrell and Washington Counties was 92, 197, including library and bookmo bile figures. Total for the Washington Coun ty Public Library was 11,003. Tyr rell County Public Library led with 11,755, while Brown Carver Libra ry of Edenton was second with 11,026. Circulation figures for oth er libraries in the region include Shepard Pruden Library, Edenton, 8,088; Washington County Colored Library, Plymouth, 1,489; and Tyr rell County Colored, 882. Circulation of the white bookmo ^eeTlBRAR YTPage^12 The Roanoke Beacon ****** and Washington County News ****** A home newspaper dedicated Iji to the service of Wasltngton ji! Count; and its 13,#0* people. Hi VOLUME LXVII—NUMBER 32 Plymouth, Washington County, North Carolina, Thursday, August 9, 1956 ESTABLISHED 1889 TEMPLE: Although a great deal of work remains to be done, members of Persever ance Lodge, No. 59, A. F. & A. M., hope to occupy their new temple in January of next year, when the lease on their present meeting place expires. This picture shows the shell of the new temple, located at the corner of Andrew Jackson and Third Street. Local Masons have already spent abaut 810,000 on the lot and building, besides doing a lot of work themselves, and more than S5,000 will be needed to finish the interior. The building is 40 by 70 feet overall, and the second floor lodge hall will be 38 by 53 feet. It is expected to be one of the nicest Masonic structures in this section when completed.—Staff photo. Council Favors Plan For New Water Tank | August 15th Is | ACP Deadline Deadline for signing up to take part in the county Agricultural Conservation Practices is Wed nesday of next week, according to ASC county office manager Miriam Ausbon. The sign-up period for ACP began Wednesday of last week. Practices include establishing permanent pasture, open-ditch drainage, winter cover crops (vetch, crimson clover, ryegrass, oats, rye, wheat and barley), and farm ponds. Farm Bureau Is Opposed To Any Quota Increase Spokesmen Tell U. S. Tariff Commission Domestic De mands Can Be Mel at Home -» T. Reynold Spruill, reporter for the Washington County Farm Bu reau, calls attention of county pea nut growers to recent action in their behalf by spokesmen for the North Carolina and Virginia Farm Bureaus. Farm Bureau spokesmen testi fied last week that the U. S. Tariff Commission should reject any pro posed increase in the import quo tas set on peanuts in 1953. H. G. Blalock, president of the Virginia Farm Bureau, Will Rog ers, organization director of the North Carolina Farm Bureau, and Dr. A. L. Grizzard, chairman of the peanut committee of Virginia Farm Bureau, appeared before the commission. In their testimony they pointed out that 1.7 million pounds import quota was set in! 1953 and the amount was imported that year. The estimated produc tion this year is 235,000 tons of Virginia-type peanuts and the car ryover of government stocks as of August 1, 1956, is 116 million pounds. With this carryover and the early harvest of Virginia-type peanuts in Georgia domestic de mands will be sufficiently met, it .vas said. It was also pointed out o tne commission that to import Virginia-type peanuts at this time .vould adversely affect the price of Deanuts when the North Carolina ind Virginia crops are marketed. List of Jurors Drawn * For September Court A list of 45 county citizens was recently drawn for jury duty at ^ the term of superior court sche duled to open here September 12. Named as jurors are 23 persons from Plymouth Township, 10 from Lees Mill Township, seven from Skinnersville Township and five from Scuppernong Township. The list by townships follows: Plymouth—Warren Wells, A. J. Newberry, G. L. Skidmore, Warren Allen, John E. Miller, J. R. Beas ley, Russell Owens, R. C. Smith, Burl Gurganus, Earl T. Menden hall. W. Arthur Hardison, L. C. Waters, Rodney L. Rogerson, Lind sey E. Spruill, Richard M. Marri ner, Delbert Wolfe, Clyde Sitter son, J. C. Snell, Robert E. Bowen, Harden Britton, Harry A. Simp son, Walter Roberson and Odell Oliver. Lees Mill—W. J. Vaughan, C. B. Manning, Elvin Adams, Grady Biggs, Thomas W. Spruill, H. N. Davenport, W. D. Styons, Arthur W. Marriner, H. G. Spruill and L. L. Mizell; Skinnersville—J. B. White, D. E. Spruill, J. W. Furlough, Morris D. Davenport, L. S. Bateman, Rupert H. Hassell and W. H. Ambrose; Scuppernong — Samuel 0. Ca hoon, E. C. Craddock, Fred B. Smith, T. M. Ambrose and W. L Davenport. - -♦ Also Include Waler Soften er; Greenville Firm To Do Engineering; Cost Will Be Around $60,000 Members of the Plymouth City Council decided Monday night at their regular August meeting to go ahead with construction of a new 250,000-gallon water tank here. They employed a firm of consulting engineers, Rivers and Rivers, o! Greenville, to do all the engineer ing work and supervise construct ion of the tank at a fee of 6 per cent of the total cost. Council members also deferred placing an order for a new police car until October and discussed having a number of shacks in the town torn down on account of the fire hazard they present, but no action was taken. Mayor A. J. Rid dle presided at the meeting, with all members of the council present: E. D. Keel and W. C. Hall of the first ward; J. B. Latham and Ralph Hunter of the second ward; J. D. Mallory and C. B. Holliday of the third ward. Engineers were to be here Wed nesday to start on the water tank project. Surveys and tests must be made to decide on a location and bdis will be sought from a number of firms for actual construction of the tank. Mayor Riddle said yesterday it was estimated the tank will cost somewhere around $60,000, includ ing a filtering or water-softener system. He also said approximately 10 months or a year would be re quired to complete the project. After a site is selected, the founda tion must be poured and allowed to “set-up” for two to three months before the tank can be built. There may also be some difficulty in ob taining the necessary steel, it was stated, as this was indicated even before the recent steel strike. Town officials think the new tank may be located at the site of the well drilled a couple of years ago, provided the ground there is found suitable for the foundation. The new well is located on the right side of Washington Street Extended just beyond the county hospital. The new well is 185 feet deep and has a flow of approxi mately 400 gallons per minute, it was said. The old tank will be re Board Here Fixes Teacher Pay Date In a brief meeting here Monday, the Washington County Board of Education voted to set the 25th of the month as a fixed date for pay ment of teachers’ salaries in the :ounty school system. The meeting was the second for he board within an eight-day pcr od. The board the previous Mon lay passed an amended resolution -oncerning the issuance of school ionds for building purposes and ipproved a list of school bus driv ers and custodians and maids for he several schools. The meeting Monday of this veek was necessary in order to ix the date for teacher’s pay and let the notice into the office of the itatc superintendent of public in itruction before the deadline, it vas explained. All members of the board were ^resent Monday as follows: J. W. or man, chairman, and Mrs. K. S. rrowbridge, both of Plymouth; Sid iey J. Hassell and J. Whitford iwain, both of Roper; and P. B. lelanga, Creswell. k Roper Ruriians Act To Improve Roadside Park Club Voles To Whitewash Trees Near Picnic Tables, Erect Suitable Ruritan Sign The Roper Ruritan Club has established a small park with sev eral roadside tables convenient for tourist use at the outskirts of the town and the project has proved quite popular. At the regular club meeting Thursday night action was taken to further improve the park. Ap proval was given for whitewashing the trees where the tables are lo cated and Barton Swain was ap pointed chairman of the committee to' carry out this project. It was also voted to erect a suit able sign at the park stating that the Ruritan Club sponsored it. Worth Chesson, chairman of the Objectives committee of the club, reported that additional funds are needed to carry out the club’s proj ect to erect floodlights on the Roper High School grounds. Jesse Rawls, chairman of the club’s finance committee, reported to the meeting that his committee is in process of raising additional funds in order that the project to erect floodlights at the school can be completed before the 1956-57 session begins on September 5. It was agreed to invite the Roper Boy Scout troop and troop commit tee to attend the September meet ing of the club at which time the charter will be presented to the troop. Aubrey Dixon is chairman of the local troop committee. Following the business session the Rev. Leon Ross, minister of the Roper Methodist Charge, talked to the club about cooperation between the service clubs and the local churches. The meeting was held in the basement of Roper Methodist Church. President Reynold Spruill called the meeting to order and Worth Chesson led the group in the opening song,” America.” Mr. Ross spoke the invocation. A barbecued chicken dinner was served by the Woman’s Society of Christian Service. -® Final Figures on Cancer Campaign ——« The annual Cancer fund-raising campaign in Washington County realized $1,471, just $29 short of the $1,500 quota, Mrs. Edward Craft, county campaign chairman, reported this week. The Washington County unit of the American Cancer Society is or ganized as follows: Miss Elizabeth Wood, chairman of the executive committee; Dr. A. Papineau, consulting physician; Mrs. Harry Browning, commander; Mrs. Borden Kornegay, publicity chairnfcn; Ed Craft, Educational chairman; Aubrey Liverman, secre tary; Mrs. Oliver Lucas, treasurer. Mrs. Craft wishes to thank all organizational personnel, the many volunteer solicitors and divisional chairmen, and all other persons who in any way contributed to the success of the campaign. American Legion Post To Meel Friday Nighi -* There will be a meeting of the James E. Jethro Post, No. 164, Fri day night at 8 o'clock at the Vet erans Building. Commander P. W. Brown urges a full attendance, as some important business is to be discussed. RegisiralionBooks Open Saturday for Election Sept. 8th Remain Open Until August 25; No New Registration Required; Election Is on Constitutional Changes Registration books will open Saturday morning of this week for the extra general election to be 1 held in North Carolina on Satur- ‘ day, August 25. with registrars re- ] quired to be at polling places each Saturday, and qualified voters may register on other days during the ; period at the residences or places ‘ of business of the registrars. ' The September 8 election was j ordered by the recent special ses- , sion of the legislature for voting on the school amendment to the constitution, as well as the regular < 1955 session’s constitutional amend- ] ments. It is emphasized that no special registration is required for voting in the extra general election on , September 8. Those who have pre viously registered and voted in county elections will not be re quired to register again, unless they have moved from one precinct to another. The registration period is primarily for those who have become qualified to vote since the last election or for those who have moved into a new precinct. W. T. Freeman, chairman of the Washington County Board of Elec tions, has announced that registrars and polling places will be the same as they were for the primary last May. Registrars and polling places in Washington County are as follows: Plymouth Precinct No. 1, Mrs. James H. Ward, polling place is th'1 courthouse; Plymouth No. 2, Mi s. Tom Darden, Plymouth High School Building; Lees Mill, Mrs. T. W' Norman, Roper Community Building; Wenona, H. J. Furbee, H. J. Furbee’s residence; Skinners ville, Delbert Patrick, Goodman’s store; Scuppernong, John Combs, tax collector’s office in Creswell. Since the September 8 election is a general election, absentee vot in, *• will be permitted, the stale board of elections has advised Mr. Freeman. Rules for obtaining and casting absentee ballots will be the same as in former years. — i, Dwighi Offices To Relocate in County, Thought President Gleaves Expresses Hope Suitable Central Of fice Can Be Found in Plymouth-Roper Area Dwight Corporation has just sold 75,000 acres of land in Hyde Coun ty to Sain Broadhead of Meridian, Mississippi, according to Charles L. Gleaves, president of Dwight Cor poration. Mr. Broadhead has been in the timber business in the Mis sissippi delta area for many years, and at one time operated 11 saw- 1 mills employing more than 1,000 1 people. In recent years he has add- ' ed oil prospecting to his many ' operations, but his interest in tim ber and lumber has never slack- ; ened. Mr. Gleaves also announced that Mr. Broadhead bought the sawmill ! at Roper and the headquarters ' house known as “Roper House.” 1 “Our business is developing and _ merchandizing real estate,” Mr. Gleaves said, “and I know nothing about running a sawmill. With Mr. n Broadhead’s organization taking ‘ over the mill, I am sure its full po tentialities will be realized by mod ernization and very substantially t increased production. This should be good news to the many people a who either worked in or supplied j the mill.” Mr. Broadhead has on recent - visits expressed a great faith in the possibilities of eastern North Car olina and regards it as one of the few remaining sections east of the Mississippi which is capable of vastly greater commercial activity ind economic development than it now has. He is undecided about moving here himself but plans to ?cnd his son, Norris, to get opera lions started and to supervise them. Norris Broadhead, his wife and wo-year-old daughter intend to live at Roper House. “Wwight Corporation has a lot more development work to do,” Mr. Gleaves continued, “anti the Broadheads have very kindly invit ’d us to continue to use Roper House until we can arrange for a lew headquarters. Mr. Galland and 1 have made so many friends in he Roper-Plymouth area that we rope we can make satisfactory cen tal office arrangements here. We ire planning several new programs ind it is quite likely that one ofj the first to be undertaken will be in Washington County in the Ncw and Road district.” Union and Plant Officials In Mediation Meet Today a 3 SIMOO in Soil Bank For ( ounlv Farmers Washington County farmers will eceive maximum payments of $8, 04.80 under the Acreage Reserve irogram, it was learned this week Miss Miriam Ausbon, county ASC ffice manager, staled that 23 greements were signed under the irogram in this county, two ol j diich were ineligible because they! lad exceeded their corn allotment ioil Base. The 21 eligible agreements total d 242.17 acres in three crops, but irineipally corn. There arc 232 acres of corn in the reserve which will bring the participating farmers a maximum payment combined of $7,175. Six teen operators are taking part in the corn phase of I ho program. Three operators with 4.47 acres of tobacco in the reserve will re ceive $916.11, while two operators with 5.7 acres in the reserve cotton agreement will receive payments totaling $313.78. Maximum soil bank payments in the state will total $3,752,994, it was said. Plans Are Approved To Enlarge Hospital -*- 4 Project Will Increase Capa city at Washington Coun ty Hospital to 32 Beds, Said The county commissioners have icceptcd the plans tor the addition ;o Washington County Hospital as Irawn by W. Moore Werber, Ra eigh architect, and to be submitted dong with the application now be ng readied at the hospital offices lor approval of the U. S. Public Health Service and the State Medi cal Care Commission. The project, which has been designated No. NC 251, will add 10 beds to the capacity of the hospital, it is said, by the construction of two four-bed rooms and two pri vate rooms. This would increase the capacity at the hospital to 32 beds. Th" commissioners approved the plans at the regulai monthly meet ing here Monday. The motion was made by Commissioner J. C. Knowles of Roper and seconded by Commissioner Phillip M. Spruill of Creswell. To meet the requirement of the bond attorneys of New York a new set of resolutions was adopted at the session, covering the issuance Df $500,000 in school bonds. Jurors to serve at the Septem ber criminal term of superior court here were drawn. J. L. Outlaw, assistant county igent, submitted his report cover ng work done during the month )f July. The clerk was instructed to write o the highway department re vesting that the tile that drains he ditch on the W. P. Patrick arm in Skinnersville Township be owered. The farm in question is ibout a mile and a half south of he Sound Bridge. A letter was received from Briga licr General E. F. Griffin, director >f the N. C. Civil Defense Admin stration, dated August 1, stating hat no action can be taken on any idditional projects or supplements vhich were brought about as a re ult of the 1955 storm. The state dministration has been so advised iy the Federal Civil Defense Ad ninistration, Griffin stated in the otter. The county recently filed an pplication to include the Beaver lam Swamp in Lees Mill Township See BOARD, Pago 7 'o Hold Service Sunday Afternoon at Morrattock Services will be held at Morrat Jck Primitive Baptist Church ear Plymouth Sunday afternoon t 3:30 by the minister, Elder S. Boykin. The public is cordially lvited to attend. Bookmobiles To Hall Two Weeks Library bookmobiles will go on their winter runs in Septem ber, after the beginning of the school term, it was announced this week. Bookmobiles will not run the last two weeks in August as the librarians, Mrs. Alexander and Mrs. Harris, are taking their va cations at that time. Regular schedules will be resumed the first week in September, but La bor Day will be observed as a holiday, it was announced. Crews Begin Work On Several Local Streets Yesterday Being Done by Highway Commission Workers Un der Contract With Town; Will Require Couple Days Surfacing and resurfacing of sev eral street projects got underway here yesterday. The work is being done by crews of the State High way and Public Works Commission and will be completed in about two days, provided it is not stopped by rain. Cost of the local projects is esti mated at about $6,000, with pay ment to be made from Powell Bill Funds received by the town last year. The town's contract with the state commission calls for the fol lowing: Surfacing of 700 feet on Truman Avenue; one block each on Fifth, Sixth and Madison Streets; part of one block on Jefferson Street, from Water Street to the river, between Plymouth Furniture Company and the post office; one block of Cran berry Street in Little Richwood; resurfacing about 425 feet of West Avenue cast of Highway 64; and resurfacing about 150 feet of Cres cent Avenue in Stillacres. A thicker surface is to be laid this time than heretofore, it was stated, the asphalt mixture being increased from 150 to 200 pounds per square yard. This will make the surface about 2J inches thick. Similar work done here in the past has not held up too well, which is Ihc reason the mixture is being in ncased. Grading and leveling of Ihe streets involved was completed <ome time ago. r■ l ^|lf VV. J. Weaver, local photographer ^ ft M m J ft ^ ■ I • and P°nv fancier, drew a lot of at tention last Friday, when he rode up Water Street in this “show buggy,” pulled by “Ginger Lady,” one >f his four ponies. He found the buggy rusting away over near Elizabeth City, bought it. cleaned it up and gave it a fresh coat of paint, creating the stylish turnout pictured here. Jack’s ponies are 'avorites with Plymouth kids, and there’s usually a crowd around bis pony lot. This was “Ginger Lady’s” first time out in harness, ind Jack did the driving himself. He has two pony mares, “Ginger Lady,” pictured here, and ‘Carolina Queen,” and each has a pony colt three or four months old.—Staff photo. -f Conciliators Here for Ses sion This Morning; Notice Given of Contract Termi nation Monday Federal and State mediators are meeting today with representatives of the North Carolina Pulp Com pany and four local labor unions in an attempt to mediate differ ences which have arisen in eon Iract negotiations here. J. Newton Maxie, of Portsmouth, Va., repre senting the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and Gail Bar ker, of Raleigh, of the state labor department’s conciliation service, called a meeting for 18 o'clock this morning with officials of the un ions and company to discuss the situation. Federal and state conciliators entered the scene today following formal notice by the four locals that the contract presently in force at the local plant would be termi nated as of midnight Monday, August 13. National labor laws re quire 10-day notice before any work stoppage, and the formal not ice of contract termination was mailed to the company last Fri day by officials of the four local unions involved. No official statements have been issued by either side concerning the differences. It is reported the company offered terms patterned after other contracts negotiated previously in the southern kraft industry. Main features are said to be a two-year contract calling for an immediate wage increase of 13 cents per hour, with another 5 per cent increase, including a minimum of 9 cents an hour, to be effective next year; plus a differential of 2 cents an hour for mechanics, and an increase in the shift differential from 3 and 5 cents an hour to 5 and 8 cents an hour. None of the union officials could be reached this morning, but it is understood one of the main points at issue is the differential for me chanics. The unions are said to be asking for 5 cents an hour, while the company is reportedly holding out for the same pattern followed in other southern kraft mills. None of these reports has been officially verified, but that is the substance of street talk here. There was no report at noon today as to progress being made at the conciliation meeting this morning. Anniversary date of the old con tract was July 31, but it remains in effect until terminated by of cial notice such as was. given by the unions last Friday. Negotia tions for a new contract were be gun by the company and four locals affiliated with three international unions on July 25. They continued until Wednesday of last week, when the company proposals were submitted to union members at meetings Wednesday and Thursday See CONTRACTS, Page 12 -«>-— lommodiiies at County Schools Show Good Gain — <$> Wholesale Values of USDA Items for Past School Year $3,290 Increase, Fig ures Show United States Department of Agriculture commodities distribut ed to the schools enables school lunchrooms to serve meals at amaz ingly low prices. An idea of the tremendous help these commodities play in school lunchroom programs can be gain ed from figures just released by R. F. Lowry, superintendent, Wash ington County Schools. Values of the commodities distri buted to Washington County schools during the 1955 56 school year was listed at 816,147. This represented a gain of 83,290 in wholesale value over commodities distributed to schools of the coun ty for the 1954-55 school year. Total for that year was listed at 812.857. These figures were somewhat higher than those of Chowan Coun ty, lowest among counties of the state, but a far cry from the top figures among the state’s 100 coun ties for the two school years. Mecklenburg County, with 8130, 501 in wholesale value of commodi ties distributed, led the state for the 1955-56 school year, while Guil ford was out in front ;n ’54-'55 with 8104,064. It should be noted, how ever, that these figures do not in clude city administrative units. Chowan ranked lowest among the county units both vears. S5.078 in 1954 55 and 86.098 in 1955-56. Dis tribution is made on the basis of participation in the school lunch room program and ratio of patron age.