ELKIN
The Best Little Town f
In North Carolina
The Elkin Tribune
ELKIN
Gateway To Roaring Gap
and the Blue Ridge
r
VOL. NO. XXXIV No. 7
PUBLISHED WEEKLY
ELKIN, N. C., THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 1946
$2.00 PER YEAR
16 PAGES—TWO SECTIONS
NATIONAL
WASHINGTON, Jan. 15. —
Proposed ceiling prices on raw
cotton were described as “ut
terly ridiculous” and “absurd”
by cotton states congressmen
today, many predicting they
will never become effective.
Senator Hocy, Democrat, North
Carolina, said in an interview
that conferences between OPA
Administrator Chester Bowles
and congressmen indicated
that OPA’s announcement yes
terday on proposed ceilings
would not materialize because
there would be no necessity for
such ceilings when the cotton
was sold. “Cotton price ceil
ings are absurd anyhow,” he
added. “The cost of cotton is
such a small, inconsequential
part of the finished garment,
and there has been no infla
tion. Actually, raw cotton is
one-eighth of the cost of a gar
ment.”
WASHINGTON, Jan. 15. —
The administration's national
housing plan today faced a
congressional inquiry as one
administration supporter de
clared: ‘‘It won’t get the job
done.” The housing banking
committee, now studying pro
posed bills to remedy the cur
rent housing shortage, decided
to investigate the price and pri
ority program set up by recon
version officials. The program
went into effect today. Repre
sentative Patmon, Democrat,
Texas, usually on the adminis
tration side, told newspaper
men: “The housing situation is
becoming a national scandal.
The program the administra
tion has worked out is insuffi
cient — it won’t get the job
done. It must be strengthen
ed.”
WELCH, W. Va., Jan. 15. —
At least 13 persons were killed
and 18 injured today when a
violent blast ripped through the
main elevator shaft of the No.
9 mine of the New River and
Pocahontas Consolidated Coal
company near here. More than
265 men, at first feared trapped
deep in the mine, had crawled
their way to safety over the
wreckage and through an air
shaft to the surface. The ex
plosion, described by one eye
witness as “looking like an
atom bomb explosion,” destroy
^ cd the elevator in the main
f shaft, and completely wrecked
1 the wooden tipple at the top
I of the mine.
f WASHINGTON, Jan. 15. —
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
quieted some, but not all, of
the demobilization din in Con
gress today by explaining, that
if discharges hadn’t been slow
ed down “we would literally
have run out of army.” A
f cross section of the national
legislature, which is institut
ing a committee investigation
of why troops are demonstrat
ing and constituents are writ
ing letters, crowded into an
auditorium to hear the army
chief of staff give war depart
ment views. The reaction of
the senate and house members
was mixed. Some thought the
explanation satisfactory, pro
viding something to calm what
Eisenhower had called “near
s hysteria.” Others weren’t sat
isfied, thought Congress should
try its hand in demobilization.
INTERNATIONAL
LONDON, Jan. 15. — Use of
atomic weapons to keep the
peace was suggested to united
nations general assembly dele
gates today as world statesmen
pleaded for rapid establishment
of a commission to control
atomic energy. Australian
Navy Minister N. J. Ovakin,
destined to become the first
president of the all-powerful
security council which will con
trol the world police force, said
in a statement there was
“nothing in the nature of
atomic weapons which excludes
them” from the police force ar
senal. The suggestion brought
a quick reply during the gen
eral policy debate from Neth
erlands Prime Minister Wil
helm Schermerhorn, who as
serted that a peaceful world
must be built upon “moral
principles,” and cautioned
against attempting to achieve
international co-o peration
through fear.
March Of Dimes
Quota $2,000
For Elkin Area
KILLED IN ACTION — John
Henry Young, Radar man,
second class, U. S. Navy, who
was reported in October, 1943,
as missing in action, was re
ported this week as killed in
action, according to a message
received from the War Depart
ment. He was the son of Mr.
and Mrs. C. W. Young, Elk Spur
street. He entered service in
May, 1941 soon after graduation
from Elkin high school and
trained at Norfolk, Va., and San
Diego, Calif. He was serving on
the submarine Grayling at the
time he was reported missing.
None of the 65 men aboard the
submarine were ever found.
Young was the only serviceman
from North Carolina. When last
heard from the submarine was
en route to Pearl Harbor.
COURT HEARS
LOCAL CASES
Yadkin Man Given Three
Years In State Prison
For Auto Theft
FINE DRUNK DRIVERS
Charges of drunken driving
carrying concealed weapons anc
violating the North Carolina hotel
law featured last week’s session oi
Surry county superior court, at
Dobson, which was presided ovei
by Judge J. A. Rousseau, of North
Wilkesboro.
Pearl Wood and Roe Murphy
charged with registering at an
Elkin hotel as man and wife, were
found guilty, and the woman was
sentenced to eight months in the
Surry county jail. Murphy was
fined and taxed with the costs.
Casey Hanes, charged with car
rying a concealed weapon, a pistol
was fined $50.00 and the costs
John Greenwood, of Elkin, alsc
charged with carrying a concealed
weapon, a blackjack, was fined
with 25.00 and the costs and plac
ed under a suspended sentence.
Clinton Parks, Jr., Y a d k i r
youth charged with the theft ol
an automobile here, was sentenc
ed to serve not less than three 01
more than six years in state
prison.
Ruth Dalton, colored woman
charged with reckless driving
growing out of a wreck which
occurred here several weeks age
in which the car she was driving
struck two other cars, was taxed
with the costs and required to paj
all damages.
The following were fined $5C
and the costs, and had their driv
ers license revoked for a year, on
charges of operating an automo
bile while under the influence ol
whiskey: Wayne Sprinkle, Wil
liam B. Martin and P. G. Walker
One of the most interesting fea
tures of last week's court was the
action of the grand jury in the
case before it in which the death
of D. H. McGee was investigated
McGee died in a Mount Airy hos
pital a few weeks ago from
wounds inflicted on his head b>
Sheriff Sam Patterson while offi
cers were attempting to serve a
warrant on him. After hearing
witnesses, the grand jury found nc
true bill. Had they done so the
sheriff would have been required
to stand trial for the death ol
McGee.
A gorilla in an English zoo fee
potatoes during the war insteac
of bananas, did so well that it ii
doubtful if he will ever gel
bananas ag^in.
Tin has been mined in Czecho
slovakian borders ever since th(
15th century, but production ha;
been small.
Sam Neaves Is
Chairman For
This Section
Sam Neaves, of Elkin, has been
named chairman of this area in
the March of Dimes campaign,
annually sponsored by the Nation
al Foundation for Infantile Paral
ysis.
The drive, now under way, is
to continue until January 31, Mr.
Neaves said, with an Elkin quota
of $2,000. The county quota has
been set at $5,200.
Half of the money contributed
in the drive against polio will re
main in the county for local use,
with the other half going to the
National Foundation.
Following last year’s campaign,
Chairman Neaves said, the county
had a balance of about $2,900,
which was all spent, and addi
tional money had to be borrowed
to pay for the care of five Surry
children hospitalized at Charlotte
in a hospital built by the National
Foundation, and with which to
purchase braces and medical care
for three infantile paralysis vic
tims of Surry who were not hos
pitalized.
With the need so great, and
with other cases of infantile para
lysis likely to strike when the sum
mer months come, Mr. Neaves
urged that everyone contribute
liberally to the campaign. Only
by such contributions can the
National Foundation carry on its
intensive research into ways and
means of combatting the disease,
it was said.
Hyslup To Assist
Vets In Employment
C. J. Hyslup, Director of Safety
of Chatham Manufacturing Com
pany, has recently been named as
Reemployment Committeeman for
the Surry county draft board No.
2, according to Mrs. Florence Fol
ger, clerk of the board. This ap
pointment was made by Brigadier
General J. Van B. Metts, State
Director of Selective Service, Ral
eigh.
Mr. Hyslup will aid in any way
possible all returning veterans,
bcth in finding new jobs to suit
the individual as well as assisting
toward reemployment of jobs held
before entering service.
All returning servicemen who
wish to be helped by Mr. Hyslup
can contact him in his office at
the Chatham Company during the
day or in the Hotel Elkin after
office hours, Mr. Hyslup said.
FLETCHER HELD
ON TWO COUNTS
Boonville Youth Arrested
After Exhibition Of
Reckless Driving
COMPANION IS TAKEN
Robert F. (Red) Fletcher, of
Boonville, has been placed under
$600 bond to await hearing in
Surry county superior court under
charges of reckless driving and
operating a car after his driver’s
license had been revoked. A com
panion, Everette Lee Brown, also
of Boonville, charged with aiding
and abetting Fletcher, and with
reckless driving on another count,
is also being held for superior
court.
Fletcher was arrested about 11
miles east of Elkin on the Dobson
road Thursday night of last week
after a chase by Highway Patrol
Corporal Sam McKinney, in
which speeds as high as 80 miles
per hour were reached. Patrol
man McKinney gave chase to
Fletcher after the young man,
home on furlough from the army,
had driven through the business
section of town seven times at
high speed. He was overtaken
only after the car he was driving
became so hot the motor wouldn’t
run. Brown was in the car with
him.
Police said that Brown had
pulled a similar exhibition of
reckless driving here some time
’ ago, but managed to elude police.
Fletcher, it will be remembered,
was placed under arrest some
months ago after having gone on
a rampage in a Boonville drug
store, practically wrecking the
' place, and then fleeing. He was
later arrested in Surry county.
OLD AND NEW GRANGE MASTERS — Harry B. Caldwell, retir
ing State Grange Master, is shown above handing the gavel over to
Mrs. Caldwell, who was recently elected to succeed her husband in
this position. The former State Grange leader is now associated
with the National Plant Food Council. Mrs. Caldwell is the first
woman to become Master of the North Carolina Grange.
ELKIN BARBER
BADLY BURNED
r. H. Knight Is Scalded When
Water Heater Explodes
Tuesday Morning
CONDITION IS SERIOUS
T. H. Knight, proprietor of the
Elkin Barber Shop here, is in
Hugh Chatham hospital here suf
fering serious burns as the result
3f the explosion of a water heater
in the rear of his barber shop
shortly before 8:00 o'clock Tues
day morning.
Dr. E. L. Rice, of the hospital,
said Wednesday afternoon that
Mr. Knight had burns over about
30 per cent of his body, but that
they were not deep, and that his
condition showed some improve
ment. His condition was describ
ed as serious but not critical.
The explosion occurred as Mr.
Knight was sitting by the stove,
a large jacket-type water heater,
reading a newspaper. Due to re
modeling being done in the bar
ber shop, the water had been cut
off, but it is thought that this fact
was not known when a fire was
kindled. When the stove explod
ed, a large piece of iron was hurl
ed against Mr. Knight, and scald
ing hot water and steam was
blown on him.
He was carried joy ambulance to
the hospital in an unconscious
condition, remaining in that con
dition until late Tuesday after
noon. Dr. Rice said that his con
dition was comparable to that of
a person with a severe sun burn
with blisters.
DEATH CLAIMS
L.R. COMBS, 68
Well-Known Elkin Citizen
Passes Monday Following
Heart Attack
RITES HELD WEDNESDAY
Luther R. Combs, 66, highly es
teemed Elkin citizen, died in the
Hugh Chatham Memorial hospital
on Monday afternoon following a
heart attack. He had be^n in de
clining health for three years and
his condition had been serious for
the past few months.
Born August 21, 1880, ai Thur
mond, Mr. Combs was married to
the former Miss Bertie Cocker
ham, of State Road, who preced
ed him in death several years ago.
Mr. Combs, a prominent local
photographer for many years,
came to Elkin 35 years ago from
Virginia and established a profit
able studio business here. During
the latter part of his business life
in Elkin he was recognized as the
leading photographer of this city.
In declining health, he moved
to Boonville two and a half years
ago where he made his home with
his daughter, Mrs. Arlie Steelman.
He was a member of the Mountain
Park Baptist church.
Surviving in addition to Mrs.
Steelman, are two other daugh
ters, Mrs. Gillius Stinson, Char
lotte and Mrs. Woodrow Park,
Clemmons; four sons, Bill and
Early, of Elkin, Carl of the Army,
and Dewey, of Rahway, N. J., and
two brothers, Eugene, Richmond,
Va., and Decatur, Moimtain Park.
Fifteen grandchildren also sur
vive.
Funeral services were conducted
Wednesday at 2:30 p. m. at the
home of Mrs. Steelman, in Boon
ville, with Rev. John I. Kizer* pas
tor of the Boonville Baptist
church, and Rev. T. S. Draughn,
of Crutchfield, in charge of the
rites. Interment was made in the
Hollywood cemetery here.
Tribune Advertising Gets Results
To Hold Dance
For Benefit
Of Legion Hut
A dance for the benefit of
the Legion Hut Fund here will
be staged at the Elkin school
gymnasium Friday, February 1
by the George Gray Post, it
has been announced by local
officials of the Post, and tick
ets are now on sale.
Harold Gale and his orches
tra, of Winston-Salem, have
been engaged for the dance.
This organization features nov
elty numbers, plus sweet and
swing style, and offers good lis
tening as well as dancing
pleasure. It has played all the
leading hotels, country clubs,
colleges, etc., of this area.
The dance will begin at 9:00
p. m. and continue until 1:00
a. m., it was said.
ELKIN WINNER
OF TWIN BILL
Defeat Mountain Park Girls
And Boys Teams At
School Gym Tuesday
TRINITY IS DEFEATED
Elkin high school basketball
teams were winners over Mountain
Park here Tuesday night in a twin
bill, the girls winning 30 to 22 and
the boys by 50 to 25.
Hanes and Steelman lead the
offensive attack for the Elkin
girls, while Sprinkle and Brown
were the big threats for Mountain
Park.
The Elkin boys took an early
lead and were never headed. Os
borne, Harris and McCann all
stood out in the play for Elkin,
while Thompson was the big
threat for Mountain Park.
The Elkin teams also chalked up
twin wins over Trinity high here
Saturday night, the girls winning
49 to 12 and the boys putting their
game on ice 21 to 18 in a thrilling
contest.
Steelman and Hanes paced the
Elkin girls, with Steelman scoring
20 points and Hanes 18.
The boys’ game was close and
interesting throughout. Osborne
and Harris topped the play for the
locals while Lobor and C. Law
rence were outstanding for Trin
ity.
Elkin will meet Flat Rock here
Friday in a twin bill, the girls’
game to begin at 7:00 p. m.
POINDEXTER IS
T PRESIDENT
Officers And Directors Are
Named At Luncheon Meet
ing Last Week
TO NAME COMMITTEES
Directors of the Gilvin Roth
Y. M. C. A. met last Wednesday in
a luncheon meeting at the “Y” for
the purpose of electing officers
and replacing directors whose
three-year term had expired.
Newly elected officers are: Carl
Poindexter, president: Garland
Johnson, vice-president: Charles
F. Dixon, recording secretary; and
Hubert Parker, treasurer.
The present list of directors in
clude: J. W. L. Benson, R. W.
Harris, R. G. Boles, Harry Bark
er, Jr., Fred Neaves, E. S. Spain
hour, J. R. Poindexter, George
Royall, W. M. Allen, H. C. Hatch,
and T. M. Roth, immediate past
president.
The next meeting will be held
next week, at which time com
mittees will be named.
Will Make Town-wide
Clothing Collection
Sunday, January 27 th
TWO ARE TAKEN
IN YADKIN CO.
Burton Keys And C. C. Gross
Said To Have Been Trans
porting Whiskey
WAS ON PROBATION
Friday night in Yadkin county
Burton Keys, 33, of Cycle, federal
prisoner and probationer who
broke his parole, was arrested by
A. T. U. agents and State high
way police who said Keys, with a
companion, Calvin Coolidge Gross,
was in a pick-up truck carrying
48 gallons of non-taxpaid liquor.
This is not the first time that
Keys has been arrested. In March,
1944, he was sentenced to 18
months in Federal Reformatory
after conviction on a liquor
charge. At the same time he was
given another 18-month proba
tionary sentence, due to begin as
soon as he had finished the first
sentence.
Tuesday, officers took Keys be
fore Judge Johnson J. Hayes, of
Greensboro. There his probation
was forfeited and he was sent to
Federal Reformatory, in Peters
burg, Va., to serve out the 18
month probation term.
Gross will be tried at May term
of Federal District Court in Win
ston-Salem. He was committed to
Yadkin county jail after failing to
raise bond.
Meanwhile, A. T. U. investiga
tors took over a case from Surry
county officers in which Uel Ask
rige Phillips, Elkin, Route 1, was
charged with possessing and re
moving and concealing 14 gallons
of illegal whiskey.
Officers said they arrested Phil
lips at his home Saturday night,
then turned him over to Federal
officers.
U. S. Commissioner Wade C.
Moody, Mount Airy, ordered Phil
lips bound over to the May term
of Federal District Court under
$300 bond.
—
POULTRY SHOW
PLANNED HERE
Will Be Staged Next Fall As
Part Of 4-H Club Plans
For Development
DETAILS ARE TO COME
Elkin is to have a 4-H poultry
show next fall, according to an
arrangement made by Claude H.
Farrell, of the Elkin Hatchery and
Farmers’ Supply Company, with
County Extension Agents accord
ing to an announcement by Neill
M. Smith, Surry County Agent.
The show will be a part of 4-H
plans for the development of poul
try production in Surry county.
The program will start about
March 15 when three boys and
three girls each receive 100 baby
chicks.
Club members participating will
be located in the Elkin, North
Elkin, and Mountain Park schools.
Each club member and his par
ents will sign a simple agreement
with the Hatchery and the County
Extension Agents agreeing to fol
low instructions and plans in
raising the chicks into full egg
production next fall.
Assistant County Agent Hugh
D. Barden, Home Agents Mrs.
Grace P. Brown, and Mrs. D. C.
Davenport will announce the de
tails of the plan and select pros
pective boys and girls to be in
vestigated by a farm and home
visit immediately following the
next 4-H Club meeting.
A special feature of the poultry
show will be the auctioning to the
highest bidder about 10 average
pullets raised by each cooperating
boy and girl. This plan will give
I Elkin citizens an opportunity to
start a few small laying flocks
with pullets of good breeding. New
Hampshire breed of poultry will be
used in this improvement plan.
While no prizes can be an
nounced at this time Smith stated
that Mr. Farrell had given assur
ance that prizes in the show would
be adequate to stimulate interest
in the contest among rural boys
and girls. More of the details
including a 4-H egg show in 1947
will be announced as the contest
develops.
Tribune Advertising Gets Results
To Be Speaker
At Meeting Of
Kiwanis Here
J. MARYON SAUNDERS
J. Maryon (Spike) Saunders, of
Chapel Hill, a past-governor of
the Carolinas Kiwanis District,
will be guest speaker at this ev
ening's meeting (Thursday), of
the Elkin Kiwanis Club at the Gil
vin Roth YMCA. Kiwanian D. G.
Smith will be in charge of the
program which will be observed
during annual Kiwanis Anniver
sary Week.
Last week’s meeting, presided
over by Hoke Henderson, newly
installed president, was an or
ganizational meeting, at which
time committee chairman to serve
during the year were announced
as follows:
Agricultural, Garland Johnson:
attendance, Clifton Leary; busi
ness standards, Glenn Peele; post
war service and citizenship, J.
W. L. Benson: classification and
membership, E. S. Spainhour;
boys’ and girls’ work and youth
guidance, R. W. Harris; program,
D. G. Smith; welfare, C. J. Hy
slup; public affairs, Claude Far
rell; public relations and the
Elkiwanian, C. J. Hyslup; recep
tion and house, C. C. Poindexter;
support of churches, Dr. E. G.
Click; vocational guidance, T. C.
McKnight; club inter-relations,
W. M. Allen; laws and regulations,
Walter Combs; music, Rev. Ralph
Ritchie, and Kiwanis education,
Watt Deal.
PROGRAM IS TO
BEGIN SUNDAY
Rev. R. G. Tuttle Announces
Start Of Six-Weeks’
Loyalty Period
ATTENDANCE IS ASKED
Rev. Robert G. Tuttle, pastor of
the Elkin Methodist church, has
announced the beginning of a six
weeks’ Loyalty program to begin
Sunday at the 11 o’clock service.
At the morning worship the roll
of the entire membership of the
church will be called, and Mr.
Tuttle has expressed a desire that
as nearly every member as pos
sible attend church Sunday to an
swer present.
The theme for the morning ser
vice will be “According to Your
Faith.’’ This marks the beginning
of a series on "Beliefs that Mat
ter.” The theme for the evening
service is “Happy is the Home,”
which is the beginning of a series
on “The Christian Home,” to be
sponsored by the young adults.
Cards have been given to all
members and friends of the
church during the zone meetings
of this week, Mr. Tuttle said, so
that they will be able to record
their attendance during this six
weeks’ program which will be
launched Sunday.
The first telegraphic news of a
presidential inauguration was
sent by S. F. B. Morse at the in
auguration of President Polk in
1845.
The foundation of the vast in
dustry of food canning was laid
in England in 1811 by a Henry
Gamble who first packed food
stuffs in tin plate.
Contributions
Urged For Aid
Of Sufferers
C. N. Myers, local chairman ofj
the Victory Clothing Collection
for Overseas Relief, announced
Tuesday that a town-wide canvass
will be made here Sunday, Jan
uary 27, starting at 2:00 p. m.,
and urged that every citizen give
at least one article of clothing,
shoes or bedding, and more if
possible.
The local drive will get under
way Monday, and all persons who
desire to contribute clothing be
fore the collection is made should
bring it to the Eagle Furniture
Company, Mr. Myers said.
It was pointed out that such a
collection of clothing and bedding
is made necessary by the fact that
millions of self-respecting people
in war-devastated lands of
Europe, China and the Philippines
are struggling for survival against
cold and disease and are in dire
need of clothing, shoes and bed
ding, and that the 25 million of
these destitute people who bene
fited through the first United
National Clothing Collection,
which resulted in over 8,000
pounds being collected here, rep
resent only a fraction of those in
need.
It was also stressed that the
meeting of this urgent need over
seas will serve not only to relieve
those suffering, but will aid lib
erated peoples to revive their eco
nomic life and enable their re
habilitated countries to contribute
(Continued on page six, 1st sec.)
DR. WILLIAMS
PASSES AWAY
Retired Physician Dies At
Home Of Son Here Wed
nesday of Last Week
FUNERAL HELD FRIDAY
Dr. John Franklin Williams, 74,
retired physician, died Wednesday
night of last week at the home of
a son, John F. Williams, Jr„ of N.
i Bridge street, Elkin, after a 10
! week illness.
Dr. Williams, a native of Hamp
tonville, and a son of the late
John O. and Caroline Johnson
Williams, was a prominent church
i man in the Copeland Baptist
church where he was a member
and served on the Board of Dea
cons. He also was a member of
the Copeland Masonic Lodge.
A graduate of the University of
North Carolina and of Baltimore
Medical college, he lived and
practiced medicine in Copeland
and vicinity for 37 years. Three
years ago, in declining health, he
and his wife, and son and family,
moved to Elkin where Mr. Wil
liams Jr., is employed by the
Chatham Manufacturing Com
pany here.
Dr. Williams quit the practice
of medicine 30 years ago, due to
ill health, after which time he op
erated a cannery in the Copeland
community.
Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Ada
Wood Williams, the son, two sis
ters, Mrs. Matt Wood, Copeland,
and Mrs. James Casstevens,
Hamptonville, and nine grandchil
dren.
Funeral services were conducted
Friday at 2 p. m. at Copeland
Baptist church, with Rev. Raleigh
Stanley and Rev. L. E. Burrus, of
ficiating. Burial was made in the
church cemetery. Nephews acted
as pallbearei’s.
Arrests Here
In 1945 Total
839 Cases
4
Chief of Police Corbett Wall
announced Wednesday that re
cords of arrests here by the po
lice department during 1945,
totaled 839 cases, exclusive of
citations for double parking,
running through red lights and
other minor offenses.
Chief Wall said that of the
839 cases, 369 were for public
drunkenness, which averages a
little more than one a day for
the entire year.