Elkin
"The Best Little Town
in North Carolina"
VOL. No. XXIX. No. 14
LATE /
From
NEWS th «
*«* State
'IN and
BRIEF N t n
LOCAL
"DIB" LEWIS , of State
Road, charged with reckless
driving and intoxication, fol
lowing: the wreck of his car
Sunday afternoon when it was
in collision with another car
operated by Lonnie Shaw, of
Yadkinville, is being held un
der bond after having spent
Sunday night in the Elkin jail.
Both cars were badly damaged,
and a young woman, Miss
Pauline Lashley, occupying the
Lewis car, sustained minor in
juries. The wreck occurred on
highway 21 near Grassy Creek
Farm.
STATE
RALEIGH, Feb. 13 Ken
neth A. Kirby, pharmacist con
nected with the state highway
and public works commission,
today confirmed reports that
he was considering -being a
candidate for insurance com
missioner in the Democratic
primary in May. The incum
bent is Dan Boney, who is
seeking re-nomination.
NATIONAL
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13—A
bill providing $966,772,878 for
the navy—a record peacetime
appropriation despite a slash
of $11,699,699 below President
Roosevelt's recommendations—
started through the house to
day amid warnings that to
guard its wealth the United
States must have greater naval
power than any other nation.
While cutting deeply into es
timates for ship construction,
ordinance and naval aircraft,
the appropriations committee
urged that the projected bat
tleships and new cruisers be
restudied with a view to mak
ing them the most powerful in
the world.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13
Joseph P. Kennedy flatly re
fused tonight to enter the
presidential race, declaring
that his job of ambassador to
England in these times of
strife "involves matters so
precious to the American peo
ple" that his energies should
not be diverted. Only a short
time before, friends of the
Bostonian had announced that
a slate of delegates pledged to
him would be entered in the
Massachusetts Democratic
presidential primary April 30.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13
Voting 49 to 27, the senate to
day approved legislation to
make possible additional loans
of $20,000,000 each to Finland
and China. The bill, passed
over the protest of a group
which heatedly contended that
the action was an "entering
for later loans to
Great Britain and France, now
goes to the house.
NEW YORK, Feb. 13—Wil
liam Solomon, an influential
Tammany district leader, and
Charles H. Mullens, a Repub
lican assistant deputy state
comptroller, were arrested to
day on an indictment accusing
them of having extorted $34,-
833 for negotiating $750,000 in
state contracts for the Bur
land Printing company, incor
porated. They were taken into
custody in the office of Dis
trict Attorney Thomas E.
Dewey when they arrived there
with counsel, at the prosecu
tion's request. Both pleaded
innocent to a seven-count in
dictment, specifically charging
bribery, extortion and taking
unlawful fees, and bail for
each was fixed at SIO,OOO.
INTERNATIONAL
ISTANBUL, Turkey, Feb. 13
Turkey pushed military
preparations in concert with
the armies of her French and
British allies today. Australian
troops, the vanguard of 30,000
Australian and New Zealand
soldiers who landed in Egypt
yesterday, began arriving in
Palestine. Reliable quarters re
ported that British and French
officers, with the aid of Turk
ish military authorities, have
made a thorough survey of
roads, railroads, food supplies
and other* conditions in readi
ness for the contingency of a
movement of British-French
forces into Turkey.
THE ELKIN TRIBUNE
WIND UNROOFS SCHOOL BUILDING
FINNS ASK FOR
IMMEDIATE AID
AS FIGHT RAGES
Battle Surpasses in Intensity
World War Fights
SAVAGE ATTACKS MADE
Russia Claims to Have Cap
tured 23 More Finnish
Ports Tuesday
THOUSANDS ARE KILLED
Helsinki, Feb. 13—Finland's su
preme command late tonight de
clared that the 13-day struggle
in the red-brown snows of the
Mannerheim line "surpasses in
intensity even the most strenuous
battles of the world War" and
proclaimed Finnish resistance
still unbroken, but called on the
"civilized nations of the world"
for quick help.
The statement of the military
headquarters climaxed announce
ment of Finnish counter-attacks
which, it was stated, had resulted
in the capture of all strategic
ports occupied by the Russians
during the furious struggle. With
it, too, came the news of new and
savage attacks by Russian bomb
ers on cities behind the lines. *
The center of Porvoo, pleasant
little seat of Finnish culture near
•Helsinki, was gutted by flames
from incendiary and explosive
bombs. Twenty-eight were build
ings burning in the town's busi
ness district. Other towns bomb
ed included Laati, Heinola, Sorta
vala and Viipuri, the 'latter two
in the war zone.
(Russia's nightly military com
munique announced that 23 more
Finnish ports were captured
Tuesday, for a total of 84 of
these positions taken in the last
five days. The same communique
insisted the Finnish counterat
tacks, although conducted by
large forces, had been thrown
back with heavy losses, and that
the Russian actions are "develop
ing successfully.")
Detailing the tremendous scope
of the fighting on the Karelian
isthmus for the first time, the
high command said:
"The series of battles may be
called like the 'Summa
miracle,' comparable to the
Somme and Verdun, but never
theless, despite the fact that the
soviet men are falling by the
thousands and tens of thousands,
that's why we need help in all
forms—men, material, especially
airplanes."
SEEK BETTER
MAIL SERVICE
Propose Route from Elkin to
Mount Airy via New
Bus Line ,
WOULD SAVE MUC H TIME
An effort is being m ,de by F.
W. Graham, Elkin post laster, to
secure more expeditious mail ser
vice between Elkin, Dc >son and
Mount Airy, via the  alisbury-
Mount Airy Bus comi any, op
erated by E. O. Woodie, of North
Wilkesboro.
Mr. Graham recently wrote Mr.
Woodie and asked if he would be
interested in bidding on a mail
messenger route from Elkin to
Mount Airy, providing the ap
proval of the postoffice depart
ment can be secured. Mr. Woodie
expressed himself as favoring
such a route, Mr. Graham said.
In event the route is approv
ed, it would give Elkin mail ser
vice to Dobson and Mount Airy
which would leave here at 9:40
a.m. and arrive there at 10:30.
Mail for Elkin would leave Mount
Airy at 10:35 a.m. and arrive
here at 11:25 a.m. This mail
would be limited to 2 pounches of
first class mail, one for Dobson
and one for Mount Airy, and spe
cial delivery and special handling
parcel post and weekly newspa
pers. No collection or mail box
delivery would be required.
Mr. Graham also stated that
efforts are being made to provide
Elkin with additional mail from
Winston-Salem, via the Winston-
Elkin Motor Express. Such mail
would leave Winston-Salem at
11:30 a.m. and arrive here at 1:00
pjtn. " .
These proposed mail services
are badly needed here.
11/Jft/n nt
I y 111 L/ iLj/lI iJ tli IV L/C the roof off the Elkin elementary school shortly
after noon Wednesday, not one child of the 475 in the building at the time was in
jured. Top photo shows wreckage of the roof where the wind left it, lying upon the
ground where but short minutes earlier long lines of children had marched into the
school building. Bottom photo is a rear view of the building showing where roof was
torn loose. These pictures were made just a few minutes after the blow and while
frightened children were being safely hurried from the building by their teachers.—
(Tribune Photos.)
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DEADLINE SET
TO BUY TAGS
Those Failing to Buy City
License Plate by March 1,
Will Be Cited
COST ONLY SI.OO EACH
All Elkin car and truck owners
who have not purchased a 1940
city license tag on or before March
1, 1940, will be cited to court,
Dixie Graham, city tax collector,
said Wednesday.
Many motorists have already
purchased their tags, Mr. Graham
said, but there are many more
who haven't. "We are -giving
everyone an opportunity to buy
tags between the present date and
March 1. If they fail to do so
nothing will remain to be done
but to force them to do it."
It is not the desire of the tax
office to be compelled to force
anyone to buy tags, he said, but it
now rests with car owners as to
whether or not they will purchase
their tags voluntarily.
Tags, which cost only SI.OO, may
be bought at the city tax office,
or ffom Corbett Wall, day police
man.
THREE COUNTIES FORM
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
John W. Comer, superintendent
pf Surry county schools, an
nounced Tuesday that an athletic
association was formed by the
schools of Surry, Yadkin anj}
Wilkes counties, in a meeting
held in Elkin Monday afternoon.
The purpose of the organization
will be to promote cleaner ath
letics and broaden the scope of
physical education. The associa
tion' also regulate the tourna
ments held in the three counties.
Albert Martin, of Boonville,
was appointed chairman of the
group and E. R. Spruill, of Ronda/
was elected secretary of the asso
ciation.
•ELKIN. N. C„ THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1940
Appreciates Welcome
To Chatham Company
That the welcome to Chatham Manufacturing Com
pany officials and employees expressed through a spe
cial edition of The Tribune last week by Elkin mer
chants, town officials and other citizens, was appre
ciated, is vouched for in a letter received by The
Tribune from Thurmond Chatham, president of the
company, last Friday morning. The letter follows:
Winston-Salem, N. C.
February 8, 1940.
Mr. Harvey Laffoon, Editor
Elkin Tribune
Elkin, North Carolina
Dear Harvey: .
This morning I was just beginning to,start to try
to clear my desk of my usual accumulation of mail,
when someone brought in the Special Edition of the
TRIBUNE. Needless-to say, everything else has been
neglected since its arrival, and now at 4:30 P. M. I am
still head over heels in it.
I wish I had words to express my heartfelt appre
ciation to you and your associates, to Mayor Poindexter
and the other town officMUs, to the merchants and
other business men, and to the whole community, for
your generous welcome. Never in my whole life have
I seen such a hearty, friendly gesture. Of course, I
have become accustomed to the friendly spirit which we
at Chatham have always enjoyed in Elkin, but this
whole-hearted welcome almost overwhelms us. It cer-*
tainly sustains our judgment in concentrating our en
tire business in The Best Little Town in North Carolina
—if not in the World.
Many congratulations to each one of you at the
TRIBUNE. The layouts, the arrangements of the sec
tions, the cuts, the advertisements, and the whole ap
pearance of the Special Edition looks like the New York
Times. You have put out a magnificent issue in our
honor and from the bottom of my heart I can only say,
"Thank you everybody for the welcome."
Yours sincerely,
' THURMOND CHATHAM
Lives of 475 Pupils
In Jeopardy As Huge
Timbers Fly In Wind
Must Not Park
Cars in Front
Of Fire Station
People who attend services
at the local Methodist church,
especially on Sundays, are
asked not to park their cars in
front of the fire department.
Parking in the restricted
zone has been noted many
times during the past, Dixie
Graham, city tax collector, said
Wednesday, pointing out that
it is strictly against the law
and represents a hazard to the
safety of the community.
"Should a fire break out while
a car was parked in front of
the fire station, it would delay
firemen in getting the truck
to the scene. In case a car
parked there was locked, it
would be impossible to get the
truck out of the building," he
said.
The no-parking are a is
plainly marked and there is no
excuse for such parking, he
pointed out.
OFFICES MAKE
LIQUOR RAIDS
Two Men Are Placed Under
Bond When Quantity of
Whisky Is Found
SIX PLACES SEARCHED
A quantity of bonded liquor, gin
and y rum was taken in this vicinity
last Saturday evening when of
ficers made a series of raids, it
has been learned from local police.
Only two of the six places visit
ed by the officers yielded liquor.
One was the Dutch Castle, located
on North Bridge street extension,
which is operated by Theodore
Mayberry. Nineteen pints of
bonded whisky and gin, and a
quart of rum, were found there,
officers said.
The other successful raid was at
the home of John Smith, on the
old shoe factory road. Here 11
pints of whisky were taken.
Both Smith and Mayberry were
placed under bond.
A second raid was made at the
Smith home Tuesday afternoon
when police received a report that
a new supply of whisky had been
received there. However, the
second search yielded nothing at
the home, although Officer Cor
bett Wall found a half gallon of
whisky hidden under a stump
some distance from the house.
The liquor had evidently been
there for years, Mr. Wall said, the
cork stopper having almost rotted
away. Smith denied that the find
was on his property.
Officers making the Saturday
raids were Corbett Wall, Luke
Darnell, C. S. Poster and Arthur
Southard, the latter a deputy
sheriff of State Road.
DOLLAR DAYS
•TO BE HELD
Value-Giving Event Will Be
Staged Next Thursday,
Friday, Saturday
ALL IS IN READINESS
Elkin merchants are planning a
cooperative Dollar Days event here
for Thursday, Friday and Satur
day of next week, February 22, 23
and 24. Plans have been under
way for weeks and a great variety
of unusual values have been as
sembled for the occasion—values
that will be worth coming miles to
get. '
The Tribune, cooperating with
the merchants, will appear one
day earlier next week, so that the
advertisements of the various
stores may reach subscribers one
(Continued on Last Page)
Elkin
Gateway to Roaring Gap
and the Blue Ridge
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
CHILDREN ARE
MED FROM
DANGER SCENE
Teachers Do Heroic Job in
Looking After Charges
NO ONE IS INJURED
Live Wires Add to Menace as
Flying Timbers Break
Down Line
NO SCHOOL THURSDAY
The lives of 475 school children
were placed in jeopardy here
Wednesday shortly after noon
when a high wind lifted a part of
the roof covering the elementary
school and crashed it to the
ground at a spot where but short
minutes before long lines of chil
dren had been drawn up to
march back to classrooms from
dinner recess.
The fact that all children were
in the building when the roof was
torn loose, accounts for the fact
that no one was injured.
So great was the fury of the
wind that a large section of roof
was blown completely over the
school building to land on the far
side of Church street. The school
flagpole, evidently struck by the
flying timbers, was flattened out
upon the ground.
A near panic among the chil
ensued when the roof, "with a
mighty tearing of timbers,
mingled with the roar of the
wind, lifted upward and depart
ed with a noise heard in the
downtown district.
This reporter, among the first
to reach the scene, found live
wires down in the street; children
milling about the front school
yard; teachers, police and Duke
Power Company linesmen at
tempting to keep everyone away
from the hot wires. Many of the
children were in tears; their
teachers, with faces pale from
worry, were endeavoring to check
upon their charges and to hurry
them safely away from the scene.
Inside the building your re
porter found other frightened
children as teachers endeavored
to march them from the building
in an orderly way. And over all
was the roar of the wind as it
swept from out the northwest
with chilling fury.
On the third floor the class
rooms to the rear of the audi
torium suffered the brunt of
damage, being left with but their
ceilings overhead. The floors and
desks and the hall outside were
covered with small particles of
brick and plaster. The wind,
blowing with steady force, caused
the entire rear of the building to
quiver as if the upstairs walls
might be blown in. Children's,
books were scattered about the
room.
Due to the foresight of their
teachers, Mi;s. Fred Harris and
Miss Ola Angel, the children were
not in these rooms when the
blow occurred. Miss Angel said
that right after school convened
following the noon lunch hour,
the building began to make
"funny noises," and fearful of the
(Continued on last page)
Tribune to Be
Published Day
Early Next Week
Due to the fact the Tribune
will appear, one day earlier
next week than usual in order
that Dollar Days news may
reach its subscribers one day
in advance, all correspondents
are requested to get their news
in not later than Monday af
ternoon.
Merchants planning adver
tisements in next week's issue
are also asked to releaae their
copy at the earliest possible
moment. Such cooperation
will be sincerely appreciated.