ELKIN
The Best Little Town In
North Carolina
THE TRIBUNE
Is A Member of the Audit
Bureau of Circulations
The Elkin Tribune
ELKIN
Gateway to Roaring Gap and
The Blue Ridge
THE TRIBUNE
Serves the Tri-Counties of
Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin
VOL. No. XXXVII No. 11
PUBLISHED MONDAY AND THURSDAY
ELKIN, N. C., MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1949
i
$3.00 PER YEAR IN NORTH CAROLINA
14 PAGES—TWO SECTIONS
■ ■■ 1 1 ' ■" "" 11 - ™ - -'-"-a
The Elk Trail
. . . Colored boys in bus station
jigging to a tune from a radio.
. . . College students, return
ing home for the holidays, appear
ing in church Sunday.
. . . Willie Bell reading Thurs
day’s issue of The Tribune, think
'HJng it was today's.
. . . Charles Neaves returning
to town after serving as attorney
for a law suit in South Carolina.
. . . Downtown department store
workers scurrying to try to com
plete shopping for Christmas dur
ing lunch hours.
. . . Dick Stockton in town, re
porting he may return to spring
training with the Erie, Pa., base
ball squad.
. . . New mailman getting ac
quainted with route, having just
been added to the postal staff for
the rush season.
. . . Little boy asking mother
for a dollar to buy himself some
shewing gum -and two cents to
Daddy a Christmas present.
. . . Car with “Just Married”
signs adorning it hastening down
the road. Followed by another car
sounding often with its horn.
. . . David Brown speaking with
amazement of the conditions he
found in some homes in Elkin
which will be helped by the VFW
^pharity Fund.
. . . Carolyn Fletcher making
quick exit when new owner of tur
key enters with his prize. Explain
ing as she runs, "I'm allergic to
feathered animals.”
. . . Skinny Hyslup, Harry Hen
sel, Dixit1 Graham, E. W. McDan
iel, et al, making plans for the
12:01 club’s annual banquet at
Hotel Elkin.
... Neil Melvin examining his
hair in the mirror, seeing if any
new gray ones were added after
his basketball team’s overtime
thriller with Sparta High Friday
night.
. . . Overheard on the street:
(Young man to hi:, wife) "Did you
see Dr. Beale about your cold?"
iWife answers) “No, he's on his
way to the maternity ward at the
hospital.” (Husband) “Anri I didn’t
even know he was expecting.”
TRAPHILLROAD
> BEING PLANNED
To Run From End of Pave
ment Near Hays By Way
Of Traphill To No. 21
JJ1DS ARE ADVERTISER
* Construction of a paved high
way from tlie end of the preseni
pavement near Hays by way oi
Traphill to U. S. Highway 21 a
Doughton is being planned by th<
State Highway Commission.
W. J. Bason, roads committee
chairman, said that the first sec
^ tion of the highway, 4.4 miles fron
the end of the pavement nea
Hays to Dockery, is advertiser
for bids in the December letting
Commenting on the plans fo
the project, Mr. Bason pointer
out that the people of northwest
ern Wilkes were elated over th
prospects for getting out of th
mud, and pointed out that th
commission cannot build all th
road at one time and must pro
ceed as construction is practica
Mr.i Bason explained that no
^ ^ly will the road serve a big arc
<!ot now reached by a paved high
way. but it will mean a shorte
route of travel from North Wilkes
boro to Roaring Gap and othe
places in Alleghany County. Th
Traphill road, as the project i
known, will be financed by r«a
bond funds.
Pilgrim Church
To Present Pla:
“A Dream of the Christ Child,
Christmas play, will be sponsor
Christmas night at the Pilgrii
hurch by the Sunday School.
The smaller children will hav
part with the recitation and song
The Rev. George C. Farah, pas
tor, has given an invitation fo
the public to attend.
i
ANOTHER CHOO-CHOO — Temporarily taking the headlines away from the Carolina Choo-Choo,
Charlie .lustit e. is fliis modern version of the “Iron Horse,” which now goes through Elkin daily. This
diesel engine replaces the old-type steam locomotive on the regular run from Winston-Salem to North
Wilkesboro. <T",BUNE photo,
Townspeople Are fhisy
With Holiday Activity
Elkin is astir this week with preparations for Christ
mas — the day of days.
The pre-Yuletide season means holidays for some, but
longer working hours for others in the community as the
final week before the climax of the festivities opens.
Beginning tomorrow, the stores will be open until 8 p. m.
for four days, lasting through Friday, while school children
KEWANI AN LOG
AUCTION HELD
More Than $800 Raised At
Sale To Support Elkin
Ilitfh School Rand
EEARY PURCHASES EOU
The annual Kiwanis auction j
Thursday night netted approxi- i
mutely $800 to support the Elkin
High School Band, which is spon
sored by the club.
The Kiwanis. log, which the
president must either buy or de
liver to the home of the buyer, j
was purchased by President Clif
ton Leary for $15. Main bidders
for the log were Walter Combs of
State Road and George Marshall
of San Francisco, a representative
of Chatham Manufacturing Com
pany. Mr. Marshall said that had
he won in the bidding the presi
dent would be required to roll the
log to Thurmond Chatham’s
Roundabout Farm at Ronda.
A new addition to the sale this
year was a junior log which the
vice-president would bo required to
deliver to the purchaser in case he
did not buy it. Vice-President
Howard Ford was a lively bidder
and purchased the log for $10.
Auctioneers' were Kiwanians C.
N. Myers, W. M. Allen, Harry Hen
sel, Charles Armstrong and Gene
Hall. Items for sale were contri
(Continued On Page Four)
and employees 01 unatnam Manu
facturing Co. are enjoying Christ-!
mas holidays.
The schools began their holidays
Friday and they will last until
Monday. January 2. Chatham em
ployees begin their holidays on
Thursday and will be off until
the following Thursday night.
In the stores, business is boom
ing, but the total volume of sales
may fall below last year’s record
because of lower prices. Added
help is being used in almost all
of the stores as the sales now
are on smaller items, requiring
more clerks.
“Still, we can't complain,” said
one manager cheerfully. "This year
we have one more day for business
since Christmas comes on Sun
day.”
In most of the department,
stores, an excellent day of business
was had Saturday. But the big
days are expected to be Friday
and Saturday of this week.
At one ladies’ clothing store, the
manager reported that business
was just a little ahead of last
year's and if sales hold up, the
volume may go over last season’s
peak.
In all, the managers were hoping
(Continued On Page Four)
Roaring- Gap Church
Plans Yule Program
The Roaring Gap Baptist
Church of Thurmond, will present
a Christmas program "The Christ
mas Voice” and "The Adoration,”
on Saturday evening, December
24 at 7:30 p. m.
The public is cordially invited to
attend.
*IKE’ DENIES 1IE IS A CANDIDATE — En route to New York,
General Dwight D. Eisenhower (left) chats on the rear platform of
his train with his brother, Arthur B. Eisenhower, a Kansas City
banker. The famed General, now head of Columbia University in
New York, denies being a Presidential candidate and insists he will
not be talked into becoming one. (International Soundphoto)
Tribune Will Not
Be Published
Next Monday
The Tribune will not be pub
lished Monday, December 26, in
order to allow its personnel a
brief period of holidays during
Christmas.
Practically all semi-weekly
newspapers customarily suspend
publication for one issue during
the Yule season for a similar
purpose.
The Tribune observes few
holidays during the year, and
its staff is sure that readers and
advertisers will cooperate dur
ing the short vacation. The of
fice will be closed Friday at
noon and will reopen Tuesday
morning following Christmas
Day.
The fine cooperation of The
Tribune’s correspondents, read
ers and advertisers since enter
ing the semi-weekly field is
sincerely appreciated.
CHARITY FUND
NOW AT $603.
Churches of Community Take
Offering; Coal of Cam
paign Is $1,()()0
NEED THIS YEAR GREAT
The Community Christian Char
ity fund was boosted to $603 to
day, plus clothing, toys and food.
Yesterday, the churches of the
community took offering for the
fund but up to press time proceeds
from all of them had not been
turned in. The drive was expected
to be increased considerably from
the offerings.
The Rev. George C. Farah,
chairman of the campaign, said
that the amount given was better
than last year's total, but pointed
out that the goal had been set
at $1,000 this year to take care of
increasing needs.
Those contributing last week
were:
Sterling Browning, clothing.
Mrs. G. A. B. Moore, clothing.
Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Hodel, cloth
ing, toys and $25.
Business and Professional Wom
an's Club, $20.
Friends, $5 and clothing.
Mrs. Sheffie Graham, clothing
and toys.
A friend, $5.
Mr. and Mrs. Alex Biggs $20.
A friend, $6.
Lucy Hanes Chatham Club No
2, $10.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Eller, food
Dorothy Jean Salmons, clothing
First Methodist Church (White
Christmas offerng), food, cloth
ing, toys and $100.
Solicitations will be made
through Christmas and basket:
will be distributed to needy fami
lies during the latter part of thi:
week. The aid to the poor wil
not be resti’icted to Christmas
however. It will be spread through
out the year as the need demands
Contributions will be receivee
at The Tribune office througl
Christmas.
Bethel Ladies Plan
Bake Sale Frida}
The ladies of the Bethel Baptis
Church will hold a bake salp Fri
day at the Quality Food Store ii
Jonesville.
The sale will feature homemad
cakes, pies, cookies and candies.
The proceeds from the sale wil
go into the church building fund
GAMBILL BOUND
OVER TO COURT
AFTER HEARING
Winston-Salem Youth Charg
ed With Murder of Brown
HEARING BEFORE HALL
Police Reopen Investigation
In Death of Yadkin Coun
ty Farmer In Twin City
PATROLMAN TESTIFIES
John Worth Gambill was bound
over t,o Surry Superior Court's
January term Saturday afternoon
here following a hearing before
Justice of Peace Julius Hall.
The 18-year-old Winston-Salem
vouth was charged with murder,
'irst degree. He had confessed
Sunday, a week ago, the slaying
of Clarie L. Brown near the out
skiits of Elkin on Friday, Dec. 9.
And as the first legal steps were
taken to determine his guilt, or
he extent of it, officers were con
ducting a quiet investigation which
they believe, may connect Gambill
with a second killing.
Isaac Henry Baity, 71-year-old
Yadkin County farmer, was shot to
death in Winston-Salem on Sat
urday, Oct. 22.
The only clue police have in the
death is a .32 calibre automatic
slug found in Baity’s body.
Officers here said Saturday that
the similarity of calibre is the
only connection they have made
between Gambill and the October
shooting on Winston-Salem's Oak
Street.
The murder weapon used here,
and the slug found in Brown’s pie
truck seat have been sent to Ra
(Continued On Page Four)
OLD BELT LEAF
MARTS CLOSED
Final Auctions Held Friday
After 14 Weeks of Sales In
Flue-Cured Markets
; MARKED BY LOW PRICES
After fourteen weeks of sales
the 1949 marketing season on the
Old Belt flue-cured tobacco mar
kets was completed last week. Fin
al auctions were held Friday, De
cember 16 on the three markets
operating, Danville and South Bos
ton, Virginia, and Winston-Salem,
North Carolina.
According to the United States,
North Carolina and Virginia De
partments of Agriculture the final
week was marked by lower average
prices for most grades, small vol
ume, and the poorest quality of
the season.
Declines this week were mostly
$1.00 and $2.00 per hundred from
last week and were more consist
ent for leaf and smoking leaf.
Cutters and lugs, offered in very
small volume, were fairly steady
while nondesciipt strengthened
slightly.
General quality of the offerings
was considerably lower because of
a sharp increase in common leaf
and nondescript grades. The per
centage of damaged and unsound
tobacco also continued to increase.
Gross sales during the week were
reported as only 2,061,688 pounds
at an average of $28.98 per hun
dred. This was a drop of $8.06 from
(Continued On Page Four)
1
' ALREADY BUSY — Four of the postoffice officials in Elkin are already busy working on the Christ
! mas rush. Left to right, Linville Norman, Kermit Darnell, R. S. Graham, and Glenn Lewis.
(TRIBUNE PHOTO)
J
Investigations Started
In Three Wilkes County
Deaths Over Week-End
BRING HELP TO NEEDY — These veterans have been giving up
many of their evening hours recently to working on the VFW Christ
mas drive, designed to bring help to the needy in this vicinity. From
30 to 35 families will be helped this year, according to committee
chairman David Brown. Left to right, Charlie Swift, Jim Dobbins,
Hubert Shepard, Russell Burcham, Brown, Raymond Vestal, and
Maurice Bumgarner. Not present when the picture was taken were
committeemen Roscoe Poplin, Jack Robinson, Ralph Smoot, and
Jim Spann. (tribune photoi
VFW Help Is Planned
Christmas cheer will be brought to .'50 to ,‘>5 families in
the vicinity of Elkin by the VFW this year as the kind hand
of the veterans stretches out as far as Thurmond and Devo
tion in the outlying areas.
Baskets, bags, and boxes — the baskets containing
groceries, the boxes toys and clothes and the bags fruit and
candy — will be distributed to the needy families on the list
of the Vr W, which totals iam-<
ilities today. But chairman of the
fund David Brown, expects to add
a few more names before distribu
tion time Friday and Saturday.
Every child in the families on
the list, although some of the fam
ilies have as many as eight kids,
will get a toy, according to Brown.
Clothing will be shared with every
family getting some and the gro
ceries, fruit, and candy has been
evenly split between the boxes and
baskets.
A number of the people to be
helped live > in the city limits of
(Continued On Page Four)
! Only One Minor
Wreck Reported
Only one minor wreck was re
! ported by the state highway pa
j trol office in Elkin today.
A 1941 model Chevrolet oper
ated by James Gray Shores, a
Navy man from State Road and
on duty at San Diego, Calif., ran
into the rear of an automobile
owned by Marvin Grettis Stone
street, of State Road, near Klon
dike Farm Saturday evening.
Stonestreet's car, a 1938 model
Chevrolet, was parked on the
highway where his lights had fail
ed him, patrolman D. C. Caudle
reported. Estimated damages to
the two cars totaled $100, accord
ing to patrolman Caudle.
NOMINATIONS
ACCELERATED
Elkin Jaycee’s Distinguished
Service Award Ballots
Needed Immediately
TO BE SENT TO BIVINS
Nominations for the Elkin Jun
ior Chamber of Commerce dis
tinguished service award key to
the outstanding young man of the
year were stepped up last week,
but Joe Gwyn Bivins, chairman
of the committee, said that more
were needed for a true represen
tation.
Presentation of the key will be
made January 23 at a regular
meeting of the club. At this time
the 29th anniversary of the found
ing of the United States Junior
Chamber of Commerce will be ob
served.
The Jaycees’ 29th Anniversary
Week is January 14-21. During
this Jaycee Week, distinguished
service award keys will be given tc
the ten outstanding young men
in America by the U. S. Junior
Chamber of Commerce at a cere
mony tp be held in Peoria, 111.
Pointing out the significance o 1
(Continued Orr Page Four)
Traphill Man
Is Charged
With Murder
Three violent deaths in Wilkes
County over the week-end set
Sheriff C. G. Poindexter and his
force of deputies to work on full
scale investigations today.
Up to noon the Sheriff reported
that investigation was being made
into the death of an Elkin Furni
ture Company employee, and a 49
year-old-father of nine children,
and a third Wilkes resident who
appeared to have been bludgeoned
to death near the Scenic Highway.
Grant (Skinny) Holbrook, 34, of
Traphill, was charged with murder
in connection with the Saturday
afternoon rifle shooting of Paul
Hemric, 39, of near Traphill, who
worked at the Elkin Furniture
Company.
An investigation continued in
the death of a second man, Felts
Curtis, 49-year-old father of nine
children, whose body was found
early Saturday morning near
North Wilkesboro.
The third death, believed to be
a murder victim, was discovered
early this morning about, two miles
from the scenic highway between
Laurel Springs and the "Jumping
Off" place in upper Wilkes. Lloyd
Hunt, who found the body, noti
fied the sheriff. The dead man
was identified as Glenn Farring
ton.
In the death of Paul Hemric,
two Ronda men were held in jail
Saturday night as suspects in the
shooting, but were released under
bond as material witnesses •yester
day. They were Grady Moore and
James Hall.
Sheriff Poindexter said that a
hearing was held this morning and
that Grant Holbrook was being
held without bond on a charge of
murder.
Sheriff Poindexter gave this ver
sion of the shooting:
The four men were in Holbrook's
store about 2:30 p. m. Holbrook
and Hemric started an argument
and left the store together. Hol
brook suddenly ran back into the
store, picked up his 25-32 calibre
rifle and ran back outside.
A shot was heard, and when the
men inside the store ran outside,
Hemric was lying on the ground
dead. A slug had entered his left
ear and emerged through the top
of his head.
Sheriff Poindexter said that
Holbrook sent one of the men aft
er Deputy Sheriff Blaine Sparks,
who lives in Traphill.
Deputy Sparks soon found the
rifle under a log approximately
125 feet from the store, and the
men in the store were arrested.
(Continued On Page Four)
POSTAL RUSH
CLIMAX AHEAD
Local Officials Say Volume
May Equal Last Year’s
Record-Breaking Total
SIX WORK E R S ADDED
The climax of the Christmas
mail rush will hit sometime later
this week, according to postal of
ficials in Elkin this morning.
Already six men have been add
ed to the staff in preparation for
the heavy load that always comes
with the Yule season. The rush
of Christmas cards and gifts has
already begun taxing the facilities
of the office, but prompt service
is still assured the people of this
area.
Whether or not the load this
year will be heavier than the pre
ceding years cannot yet be told,
officials reported, but it may equal
last year’s record-breaking total.
Last year’s Yule rush was the
largest in history and climaxed
the most profitable year in the
span of the Elfcin postoffice, ac
cording to postmaster J. F. Mose
ley. Six extra workers were also
added to the staff for the holiday
season.
During the 1948 Christmas rush,
approximately 20,000 pieces of
mail were handled daily.