i
t
ELKIN
The Best Little Town
In North Carolina
ELKIN
Gateway To Roaring Gap
and the Blue Ridge
VOL. NO. XXXIII No. 36
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
ELKIN, N. C., THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 1945
14 PAGES—TWO SECTIONS
$2.00 PER YEAR
Hiroshima Nearly Wiped Out By Atomic Bomb
4 Square Miles
Are Blasted
Into Utter Ruin
Guam, August 8. — Tokyo con
ceded today that most of Hiro
shima had been destroyed com
pletely by a single American
atomic bomb Monday and said
blasted and blistered corpses “too
numerous to count” littered the
ruins.
“The impact of the nomb was
rrific that practically all liv
Jthings, human and animal,
iliterally seared to death by
mendous heat and pressure
[ered by the blast,” one
_ broadcast said.
_erican reconnaissance photo
graphs confirmed that four and
one-tenth square miles — 60 per
cent of the built-up area — of
Hiroshima had vanished almost
without trace in the world’s great
est explosion.
Unofficial American sources es
timated Japanese dead and
wounded might exceed 100,000.
Five major war plants and
scores of smaller factories, office
buildings and dwellings were
known to have been leveled. Only
a few skeletons of concrete build
ings remained in the obliterated
area. Additional damage outside
the totally destroyed section still
was being assessed.
I Radio Tokyo, breaking its si
^ lcnce of more than 60 hours after
■the raid, said the “indescribable
^^destructive power” of the bomb
" had crushed big buildings and
small dwellings alike in an un
paralleled holocaust.
Inhabitants were killed by blast,
fire and crumbling buildings,
Tokyo said. Most bodies were so
badly battered that it was impos
sible to distinguish between the
men and women.
As Tokyo painted a fearful pic
ture of the catastrophe, some
sources saw a possibility that
Japan might reconsider her rejec
tion of the Allied demand for her
surrender before she is invaded.
“It shouldn’t take the Japanese
long to think this over,” one
ranking officer said. “We plan to
present them with bursting atoms
as often as possible.”
Preparations were continuous
through the Pacific for an inva
sion of Japan if necessary, how
ever. Everywhere transports were
on the move with supplies and
troops.
Radio Tokyo said both the dead
and wounded had been burned
beyond recognition and confess
ed that authorities still were un
able to obtain a definite check on
civilian casualties.
“Those outdoors burned to
death, while those indoors were
killed by the indescribable pres
sure and heat,” Tokyo said. It
called the city a “disastrous ruin.”
OVERSEAS GIFTS
TO TAKEPOINTS
Rationed Items Sent To Civil
ians Abroad No Longer
To Be Point-Free
OKEY FOR SERVICEMEN
i ab
I
It has been officially announc
ed by OPA directors that ration
food to be shipped to civilians
broad may no longer, be had
without points. This also applies
to rationed shoes.
Gifts of rationed food may still
be sent ration-free to servicemen
overseas, but our food situation
is so tight at home that gifts sent
overseas to civilians must be paid
for with ration points.
The sugar shortage has result
ed in one bright spot for house
wives, at least, with OPA an
nouncing that canned fancy and
choice fruits will drop two cents
apiece in retail listings on the
new 1945 pack. Such fruits as
yellow cling peaches, Bartlett
pears, and apricots must be pack
ed in light syrup instead of heavy
syrup as before, and the result
will be a lower net cost to the
buying public.
A recent directive by another
Federal agency apparently gave
the impression that fur and fur
garments had been released from
price control. OPA announces
ithat price ceilings on furs still
remain. The announcement ' is
made to clear up any misunder
standings about the matter.
J
STATE
RALEIGH, Aug. 7—An inves
tigation of alleged irregular
ities in Davidson county dur
ing the last general election
“disclosed the fact that many
ballots were forged, that many
ballots were acknowledged be
fore a notary public without
the voter being present and in
several instances where the
voter actually voted in another
county, the official report said.
The report, lent to the As
sociated Press by a state offi
cial who asked that his name
not be used, was forwarded to
Solicitor J. Lee Wilson at Lex
ington July 15. Wilson said
yesterday he had been in court
two weeks since that time and
had not had time to give it
sufficient study. Chairman W.
T. Joyner of the state board of
elections, which originally in
vestigated the charges and
recommended a detailed probe,
said last week that he had read
the official report made by the
state bureau of investigation
and pledged the support of his
office in any possible prosecu
tion.
RALEIGH, Aug. 7 .— Gover
nor Cherry today announced
the appointment of Lt. Col.
Howell J. (Doggie) Hatcher, of
Morganton, to the newly-cre
ated combination post of major
of the state highway patrol
and director of the division of
highway safety. Hatcher, who
was scheduled to be discharged
from the army at Ft. Bragg to
day, thus will assume the post
previously offered, tentatively
accepted, and then declined by
Chief Walter Anderson, of the
Charlotte police department.
Anderson declined the post on
the ground that he was more
needed in Charlotte. Governor
Cherry did not say when
Hatcher would report for
duty. Presumably, he will re
port for work Monday.
I
NATIONAL
NEWPORT NEWS, Vsu, Aug.
7 — President Truman return
ed to this country today, exact
ly a month after he left to at
tend the momentous big three
conference at Potsdam. The
cruiser Augusta, bearing the
President and his party, dock
ed at a pier of the army port
of embarkation at 5 p. m.
EWT. The President soon dis
embarked and left for Wash
ington by train. Accompany
ing Mr. Truman, among others,
were his chief of staff, Fleet
Adm. William D. Leahy, and
Secretary of State James F.
Byrnes. It was on July 7 that
Mr. Truman embarked on the
Augusta for his first big three
meeting. He landed at Ant
werp, Belgium, on July 15, and
the conference began on the
17. Following the close of the
conference, he flew to England
on August 2, lunched with King
George, and then sailed' for
home.
INTERNATIONAL
LONDON, Aug. 7 — The
revolutionary atomic bomb
might become the peace-en
forcing weapon of the united
nations through a special air
police force equipped with the
secret, terrible missile by tb.e
United States and Britain,
some diplomats suggested to
night. They also speculated
that the bomb would raise the
question of putting all mllitar
ily-important scientific inven
tions under control of the
united nations security council
when the new world organiza
tion Is bom. While authorita
tive officials would not com
ment on the question whether
Russia had been kept informed
of the developments, most un
official sources expressed belief
(Continued on page eight, 1st sec.)
C. W. MARTIN
DIES IN CRASH
Aviation Cadet Victim of
Airplane Crash At Pensa
cola, Fla., Tuesday
RITES ARE INCOMPLETE
A/C Charles Wendell Martin,
20, was killed in an airplane crash
at Pensacola, Fla., Tuesday, ac
cording to a message received by
his parents, in this city.
Martin volunteered for the
naval air corps in May, 1943, and
was called into service in Septem
ber, 1943. His boot training was
received in Pensacola, Fla., the
University of South Carolina, Co
lumbia, S. C., Petersburg, Fla.,
Athens, Ga., Memphis, Tenn., and
he had returned to Pensacola for
advanced training expecting to
receive his commission in October
of this year.
He is survived by his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Martin; three
sisters, Mrs. Bernard Jordon, Win
ston-Salem; Mrs.. Frederick Reece
and Miss Sara Martin, of the
home; two brothers, Wilbur Mar
tin, of Tayorsville, and Edwin
Martin, of the home. A grand
father, Dolphus Martin, State
Road, also survives him.
Funeral services are incom
plete, pending the arrival of the
body in Elkin.
JAYCEES HOLD
BOSSES’NIGHT
Employers And Business
Associates Are Guests At
Meeting Here Monday
DISCUSS PARK PROJECT
The Elkin Junior Chamber of
Commerce met Monday night at
the Y. M. C. A. with the bosses
and business associates as guests.
Thirty-one members were present
in addition to the honored guests.
The feature of the program was
a panel discussion of the propos
ed Municipal Park and Play
ground Project. The discussion
was lead by Hubert Parker, Gar
land Johnson and J. W. L. Ben
son who are members of the Elk
in Post-War Planning Committee.
The* various phases of the Park
and Athletic Program were dis
cussed with regarcf to combining
the projects into one overall plan.
Much interest was manifested
by the Jaycees in the athletic
field and school playground
phases of the project.
VACCINATION
CLINIC HERE
Parents Urged To Have Small
Children Vaccinated Be
fore School Starts
SCHEDULE IS GIVEN
The Surry county health de
partment has called attention
to the fact that under North Car
olina law, all children entering
school must be vaccinated for
diphtheria, whooping cough and
smallpox.
Inasmuch as there remains only
one month until school opens this
fall, parents are requested to
either take their children to their
family physician or to the county
health department and have these
vaccines administered.
Vaccination clinics are to be
held in the following places: El
kin, Thursday (today), from 11:00
a. m. to 4:00 p. m.; Dobson, Fri
day from 11:00 a. m. to 1200
noon; Pilot Mountain Friday,
2:00 p. m. to 4:00 p. m.
, It is important that children
between the ages of six months
and six years have these vaccines
as soon after six months of age
as possible, county health author
ities said. It is advisable that
whooping cough vaccine be ad
ministered even earlier than six
months of age.
All of these diseases are pre
ventable, it was pointed out, and
it is inexcusable for children to
have any of them.
AWARDED PURPLE HEART—
Private First Class Leon J. Hall,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Vance Hall,
of Yadkinville, has been award
ed the Purple Heart for wounds
received in Germany in Novem
ber, 1944. Entering service in
January, 1944, he trained at
Camp Wheeler, Ga., before go
ing overseas the following June.
At present he is stationed in
France with the Military Police.
TERM OF COURT
IS CALLED OFF
Commissioners Cancel Sep
tember 17th Term; Mixed
Term September 24th
JURY ANNOUNCED LATER
The Board of County Commis
sioners meeting in regular ses
sion at Dobson Monday cancell
ed the term of court scheduled
to be held the week of Septem
ber 17. This term was ordered
cancelled by Governor R. Gregg
Cherry, due to the fact that
farmers are busy with their crops
at this time, and also due to the
opening of the tobacco markets.
It was announced however,
that a mixed term of court will
be held the w.eeks beginning Sep
tember 24th and October 1, and
that a jury, will be drawn at a
later date. Other business trans
acted was of a routine nature.
Accident Victim Is
Still Unconscious
Members of the Walter Hunt
family of Ronda, who were in
jured in an automobile accident
there a week ago, still in Hugh
Chatham Memorial Hospital are
the mother, Hazel Hunt; Jo
sephine, 11; Leroy, 5, and Bobby,
2.
All of these are now recovering
satisfactorily from injury and
shock, excepting Leroy, who has
never regained consciousness
since the accident, and who is in
a critical condition.
YADKIN COURT
TO BEGIN 20TH
Session For Trial of Criminal
Cases To Be Presided
Over By Bobbitt
LARGE NUMBER CASES
Superior court for the trial of
criminal cases will begin in Yad
kinville on August 20th, with
Judge W. H. Bobbitt of Charlotte
presiding. Solicitor Avalon E.
Hall will represent the state.
A large number of cases are
docketed for trial at this term,
but no cases of major importance.
It will take several days to dispose
of the docket.
Jurors have been drawn and
summoned for jury duty at this
term, and they are as follows:
Oscoe Haynes, Hamptonville;
Henry Brown, Jonesville; James
H. Dobbins, Boonville; Paul
Douglass, East Bend; William F.
Ashley, Hampltonville; v Frank
Caudle, Yadkinville; M. F. Spann,
Cycle; Arville H. Norman, East
Bend; D. M. Brendle, Boonville;
Frank H. Hennings, East Bend;
T. Montgomery Arnold, Hamp
tonville.
Roy J. Angell, East Bend; Ever
ette H. Hoots, East Bend; Edward
D. Sale, Yadkinville; Dalt M.
Smitherman, East Bend; Jerry
Mitchell, Union Grove; W. T.
Vestal, Boonville; Beach M. Bell,
Jonesville; Clement Finney, East
Bend; Vance Calloway, Boonville;
James H. Reece, Boonville; J. T.
Wall, East Bend; C. R. Transou,
Boonville; I. S. Calloway, Boon
ville; W. G. Hutchens, East Bend;
Walter Durham, Jonesville; Mar
vin H. Renigar, Hamptonville;
Charlie Taylor, East Bend; Dallas
Mendenhall, Jonesville.
Edgar P. Swaim, Cycle; R. B.
Wood, Jonesville; Richard
Draughn, Jonesville; John Rob
ertson, Jonesville; John W. Mit
chell, Union Grove; C. E. Mace
more, Jonesville; Clyde Day,
Jonesville; Henry Kimmer, Yad
kinville; Clyde H. Wooten, Yad
kinville; R. E. Wooten, Mocks
ville; Tom A. Murphy, Boonville;
Will E. Wooten, Yadkinville;
Clifton Casstevens, Yadkinville.
Kiwanians To Hear
Musical Program
A musical program is being ar
ranged for the meeting of the
Elkin Kiwanis Club at the Gil
vin Roth YMCA this evening at
6:30 o'clock, under the direction
of Program Chairman Clifton
Leary and Kiwanian Robert Boles.
Last week’s meeting featured
a humorous talk by Robert
Ormsby, which was highly enjoy
ed by all present.
Next week the Kiwanians, with
their wives, will hold a picnic
somewhere along the scenic high
way, this meeting to be held Wed
nesday.
AWARDED CROIX DE
GUERRE — Captain LeGrand
Johnson, husband of the form
er Miss Lesbia Graham, of this
city, has been awarded the Croix
de Guerre for meritorious ser
vice, according to notice receiv
ed by Mrs. Johnson’s parents,
Mr. and Mrs. H. P. Graham,
371 Gwyn Avenue. At present
Captain Johnson is stationed at
Avon School, Avon, Conn. He
returned to the States in De
cember after more than a year’s
service in Holland and France.
He was wounded in France soon
after the invasion on D-Day.
All members of his division were
presented this award by the
French, this being the highest
honor that they give for mili
tary service.
MRS. W. TALLEY
DIES TUESDAY
Jonesville Woman Dies At
Home of Her Daughter;
Was 77 Years of Age
FINAL RITES FRIDAY
Mrs. Nancy Jane Talley, 77,
laughter of the late Frank Long
md Nancy Gentry Long, died at
che home of her daughter, Mrs.
John Holcomb, in Jonesville at
3:45 Tuesday night.
Her husband, William Wade
ralley, preceded her in death
eight years ago. She is survived
ny six children, Mrs. Bill Wilkins,
tforth Wilkesboro, Mrs. Joe Dar
nell, Elkin, Mrs. H. D. Osborn,
Lynchburg, Va., Mrs. Mont
Swaim, Arlington, Mrs. Lem Os
norn and Mrs. John Holcomb of
Jonesville. There are 32 grand
children and 24 great-grandchild
ren surviving her.
Also surviving Mrs. Talley are
Five half-sisters, Mrs. Sophia
Williams and Mrs. Ruth Ketcher
nf Winston-Salem, Mrs. Myrtle
Shore, Mrs. Sallie Long, and Mrs.
Ellis Smith, all of Longtown. Five
naif-brothers surviving are Dewey,
(Continued on page eight, 1st sec.)
GRANDDADDY OF TREES — Shown above is part of the veneer logs which were cut by tbe firm of
L. A. Norman & Son, of Elkin, Route 1, from a poplar tree on the farm of R. J. Reynolds at Devotion.
This is said to be the largest tree ever cut in this section, 11 6-foot cuts being made, the largest of
which measured about six feet across. The tree contained about 6,000 feet, 4,400 feet of which were
marketable veneer. The Lenoir Company stated that it was the larges? ever brought to their plant.
The tree is shown loaded on two trucks en route to Lenoir. The Norman firm stated that it was im
possible to cut it with their machinery and it was cut with hand saws. — Photo by Redmon.
Word Is Flashed To
World Shortly After
3 o’Clock Wednesday
President Truman Makes Dramatic
Announcement From White House
Soviet Russia has declared war against
Japan!
This dramatic news was given to the na
tion Wednesday afternoon shortly after 3:00
o’clock by President Harry S. Truman, who
had just returned to the White House from
the Potsdam conference.
It was just one minute after 3:00 p. m.
when Washington newsmen were summoned
to the oval room adjoining the President’s
executive office. They were not kept waiting
long, but were ushered into Mr. Truman’s of
fice, where he awaited them with a grave ex
pression.
‘•‘Gentlemen,” he said, “Soviet Russia has
just declared war on Japan.”
Newsmen were momentarily taken by sur
prise by the startling and dramatic news, but
quickly recovered to rush to the nearest tele
phones.
Later news bulletins from Moscow stated
that Premier Molotov announced that Russia
considered herself at war with Japan as of
5:00 p. m. e. w. t. Wednesday.
Comment in the nation’s capital following
President Truman’s disclosure of the news of
Police Here
Warn Against
Firing Rifles
Corbett Wail, Elkin chief of
police, issued a warning Mon
day against the shooting of
rifles within the city limits •
Chief Wall stated that there
is a law against the firing of
any kind of gun within the
corporate limits, and said that
in recent days he has had a
number of complaints from res
idents who told of hearing bul
lets whinipg about their prem
ises. In most cases the rifles
being fired were of .22 calibre,
he said.
If those guilty of firing rifles,
no matter for what cause, do
not stop this practice it will be
necessary for the police to take
action, it was skid.
CAR IS STOLEN
AND STRIPPED
Coupe Owned By Miss Lois
McKnight, Taken From
Street Near Home
RAINCOAT IS TAKEN
A coupe of popular make, tht
property of Miss,, Lois McKnight
was stolen sometime after mid
night Monday from its parking
place near the Handy Apartments
here, where she makes her home
According to police, the car was
driven to within five miles south
of Wilkesboro, where it was
stripped of all tires and wheels
and abandoned.
Police stated that the car was
left on the property of a Mr.
Hugh Waugh, who said it was
driven there about 3:00 a. m. He
said the barking of his dogs at
that hour of the night awakened
him. However, he had no idea
who might have been driving the
machine.
Theft of % valuable raincoat,
the property of Dave Reid, of the
Chatham Manufacturing Com
pany, from his car while it was
parked on Main street has also
(Continued on page eight, 1st sec.)
•♦•Kussias entry into tne war
expressed the opinion that
this act on the part of the
Reds, plus the dropping upon
Japan of the atomic bomb,
would bring a quick end to
the Pacific war, for the Japs
now face the greatest mili
tary combine in history, plus
the most terrible weapon in
the history of the world.
Many observers stated that
events at the Potsdam con
ference, near Berlin, hinted
at Russia’s early entry into
the war. The fact that the
combined military staffs of!
the U. S., England and Rus
sia met there was an indica
tion that the Reds would soon
take up arms against the
Japs. Military needs in the
occupation of Germany was
not thought sufficient to call
for the presence of high Rus
sian military figures at the
conference.
It was also disclosed that
the Russians have many
divisions along the Manchur
| ian border, which have been
increased since the end of the
European war. Japan, too, it
i was stated, also has a large
force along the frontier in an
ticipation of a move by Rus
sia.
Observers in Washington
were of the opinion that the
entryv into the war by the
Soviets would mean that the
United States would be spar
ed the burden of fighting on
the Asiatic mainland, where
large forces of Japanese
troops, fighting the Chinese,
remain to be reckoned with.
Asks That Public
* Observe OPA Hours
Mrs. Roy H. Kane, secretary of
the local OPA office, requests
that the public take note of of
fice hours artd abide by them.
The office is open to the pub
lic at 10:00 a. m. each working
day. On Wednesdays and Satur
days the office closes at noon.
Afternoon hours for every day
excepting Wednesday and Satur
day are 1:30 and 4:30 p. m. The
office is closed to the pvaiic on
the first working day of each
month.