davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
DISTRICT CENTENARY MEETING.

4 number of the Methodist preachers
and laymen of the Elizabeth City Dis
trict will meet in the First Methodist
Church Of this city on Friday after
noon. Feb. 81. at 3:15 o'clock, to con-
fer upon important matters relating to
The Centenary movement. Speakers
from outside the District will be Rev.
4. d. Wilcox of Durham, y. e., Mis-
>iopary Secretary of the North Caro-
ina Conference; Dr. Il. L. Russell. OF
Nashville. Tenn, one Of the Home Mis-
sion Secretaries of the Church and Miss
Daisy Davies. of La Grange. Ca, one
Of the managers of the Womans Mis-
>ionary Council.
\ special invitation is extended to
The public to attend the meeting Fri
Iav night. The closing address at that
meeting will be delivered by Miss Da-
yics. whom many of our people remem-
Der having heard at the last session oil
the North Carolina Conference held II
Elizabeth City. She delivered a great
address on that occasion, and those VINO
heard her then will want to hear heT
again. Miss Davies of late has beer II
charge of the relief work being done II
Europe BY the Methodist Church and II
her address Friday night she Will prob
ably give an account of what has beer
done in that field
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
JAKE WOOL QUITS THE
WORLD FOR MACS HEAD
Never Could Get Enough of Nags Head
in All His Life Before, But Ex-
poets to Get 1t Now

Jake Wool, of EdentOn. well known
in Elizabeth City, is about to realize
the ambition of life time. Jake Wool
is going to forsake the haunts of busy
bodies and settle down for the rest of
his life at Nags Head, where he will
sell groceries to the summer cottagers
in summer and fish in the fall and
spring. In the winter he will not fish.
Jake Wool was in Elizabeth City the
other day making preparations for his
going into exile. He says he has been
going to Nags Head ever since he was
eight years old and it has been his am
bition always to spend his life at that
good old resort. For fifteen years
while an engineer on the Norfolk
Southern r. r. he prayed every night
for the Lord to see him safely thru
the nights run for Nags Heads sake.
After making up his fourteenth wreck
on the Norfolk Southern two years ago
Mr.. Wool quit while the quitting was
good and took a position in the Norfolk
Navy Yard. Disarmament talk put an
end to a lot of Navy Yard work and
Nags Head again came in for consid-
Grafton. Happily for Jake, he married
girl who likes Nags Head too. Mrs.
Wool who was Miss Goldie Kramer
of this city, will be an enthusiastic pal
in the Utopian adventure.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
ILLITERACY INCREASES
AMONG ADULT MALES
More llIiterate White Males In Pas
quotank in 1920 Than in
1910

Here is a jolt for you if you live
in Washington. PasQuotank, Dare or
Perquimans counties; illiteracy among
white males is increasing instead of
diminishing in these counties if we ac-
cept the figures of the L. S. Census
for 1920. And of the 100 counties in
North Carolina PasquOtank is way
down at 81 in the column in respect
to the percentage of illiterates. Of
all the immediate Northeastern coun-
ties Chowan makes the finest showing
with I.3 per cent illiterate in 1921 COM
pared with 14.9 per cent in 1910. But
PasQuotank has 11.2 per cent ilhteracy
in 1920 against I.5 per cent in 1910.
Based on advance sheets of the |.
s. Census for 1920. The average of
state illiteracy among males whites of
voting age in North Carolina in 1920
was 1895 per cent. All told, the male
white adult iliterates number 36.I44.
Nearly one of every nine adult white
males in the state cannot read or write.
A table for illiterate adult white males
in u northeastern North Carolina
l
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
WILL USE SAUNDERS
IN A DEVIL OF A ROLE
Those Who Would See Editor in Hades
May at Least Behold Him in Me-
phisto's Flaming Tights

Enemies of the editor of this ncwspa-
nor have often represented him as a
very devil with a regulation barbsd
tail. horns. clOvcn hoof and all that
sort of thing. They will have an OPP
portunity to see him in that very role
in n plav TO be given under the auspices
of the Parsonage Aid Sociey at High
School Auditorium next Tuesday night.
Feb. 2S. W. O. Saunders, who takes
the part of Hon. Godfrey Myrtleton.
member of Congress. also takes the role
of MephistopheleS in an amateur thea
trical production about to be staged III
the Congressman's home in Washing
ton when two deacohS from the Con-
gressman's own home church come to
Washington to pay him a visit. The
deaconS find their Congressman. looking
like the very devil himself, encaSed IN
flaming red tights and everything,
The title of the play is THE Peacons
at the Capital" 1t might be called by
dozen other names, because it is full
of comedy and dramatic situations from
beginning to end Bill C.. Sawyer ap-
pears in the role of Pinkerton Case
detective who appears thruOut the piece
in the costume of a Scotch Highlander.
Bill C's naked knees in the Scotch
kilties are just too cute for anything
and will make hit with the ladies
especially.
The leading lady of the play is Miss
Marguerite Leroy, who shines like q
broadway star in the. role of Betty
the niece of the Congressman. And for
a Negro character the committee has
made n real discovery in Frank Daw-
son. who plays the role of Jasper, the
servant. Frank Dawson is more like
Negro than a Negro is like himself II
this role for which he has been cast
Others in the piece are Misses Hattie
Harney. Mahalah Meekins and Polly
Skinner, and Messrs. Sheriff., Lekoy
Brothers. Guirkin Cook and Thomas
HoIloman. The play is under the di'
rection of Mrs. Marion Bennett ano
Mrs. Mary Fearing. Miller, the Phil
adelphia costumier was enlisted to sup
ply the costumes for the play, the con
struction of costumes for a Mephisto
pheles and Scotch Highlander being
inst q little too much for local sartoria
lort
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
A SERVICE OUR FOLKS
SHOULD ELECT TO USE
Here is Expert Help Free In BeautIf,-
cation of School and Church
Grounds

Schools in all parts of North Caro-
lima are now eagerly taking advantage
of the aid offered by the University s
Bureau of Design and Improvement of
School Grounds. The bureaus field
secretary has already visited fifteen
communities since the college year be-
gan and has requests to visit as many
more.
The secretary, Mrs. w. J. Matherly,
who is an expert not only in trees and
shrubs but in laying out paths and
roads and Fairgrounds, makes her trips
upon the invitation of school officials
or parents teachers associations, OF
sometimes county or town commission
ers. She prepares plans of grounds
recommends shrubs and trees to be
planted, and gives advice on the gen,
eral layout This service is free. The
only cost to the school or community
is the experts travelling expenses.
Churches and charitable institutions
are served, in the same manner as
schools, when they ask the bureaus
help. Those who want to know about
the work may get from the ExetensiOr
Division of the University, if they ap
ply for it, pamphlet giving the prin
ciples of school-ground Identification
and telling what plants are best for va
rious soils.
Places visited by Mrs. Matherl!
thus far this session are Scotland Neck
Trenton, StantOnsburg, Farmville, Lii
lington, Angler, the Lewis School il
Raleigh, and the following tiv'
schools in Durham County: Farm
Life School at loves Grove; Bethes
da, Bragtown, Mineral Spring, and Fa
yettdville Road. Among communitie
that she expects to visit before summe
are Lexington, Edenton, Henderson
Bonlee, Brevard Institute, New Hop
School, Mt. UIla, Oxford and Dover
and there will be a second visit t
Trenton.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
AN UPTOWN GROCER HAS
LITTLE TALE OF WOE
Says The Public Is An Ungratefuf and
TncoRsiderate Lot

The public is ungrateful, unapprecia'
tive and heartlessE ,inconsiderate of
home industry, according to one Eliza
beth City retail grocer who comments
upon the effect of new Cash and Car
ry Grocery in Elizabeth City on his bus
mess. This grocer says:
For the convenience of my custom
ers I have Kept two~delivery boys en-
p1oyed. paying them So to So week
and keeping up bicycles for them. With
what those two boys nibbIe out of the
store and the cost of repairs on their
bicycles I am at an expense of S15 to
$50 a week just to deliver things to my
customers. Ny customers expect de-
lveries several times a day, often put.
ting in rush orders for small items
right at meal times. The profit 1 make
on many items is eaten up by the cost
of delivery.
"To further accommodate my GUS
toners I carry their accounts and while
have TO pay the wholesaler ever!
Monday morning, many of my custom
ers neglect to settle their bills weekly
or let part of their bills run over.
am carrying hundreds of dollars in ov
erdue accounts for them all the tim'
and often family gets sick, the maj
gets out of work or leaves town and
lose all.
1T gets my goat to see these yer.
folks that l have coddled and slave'
for and trusted go down town on Sat
urday night and pay their cash none.
to new concern that won't trust then
or deliver their goods for them. The
save few cents bt paying cash an
Juggling their own -four, lard and 'baco
and then bless me out because l don
give them my profits on half my stoc
after doing as much for them as
have. l think I shall cut out my credl
business and discharge my deliver
boys. If my customers will relieve m
of these excessive items of overhead eS
pense can sell groceries cheaper too.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
ALL OF THIS EXPENSE
FOR ONE POOR HOUND
Just a Typical Case That illustrates
Why Our Court System Should
Be Reformed

S. J. Bateman's hound dog sat on the
Norfolk Southern r. r. track gnawing
bone and became so pre-Occupied
that he didn't notice the approach of a
train. Doggie never knew what hap
pened to him. but his grief stricken
master brought suit for $40 against
the Norfolk Southern. The case went
to trial with due -solemnity in the ,Su-
perior Court here Tuesday morning af-
ter Superior Court judge had tray
eled several hundred miles to open
court. The whole machinery of the
court. including the Judge. the Clerk of
the Court. the Sheriff. a Deputy Sher-
if. a janitOr and twelve jurors revOlved
for several hours around this one case.
The jury decided the dog was to blame
for his own demise and that q hound
log wasn't worth a darn anyhow. All
of this was very amusing to courtroom
loaferS but the tax payers have to pay
for it. 1t is typical of our mOnstrouSly
bungleSome and damphool court sys-
ten.
Last week the Superior Court for the
trial of civil cases ran here for n week
and only three cases were disposed of
The cost of running that Court is esti'
mated at 5000 by local attorney who
had time to figure it all out.
Court will adjourn here this week
after a two weeks session with the
docket still contested and the docket
will not be caught up with in year.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
WANTS 100000 FROM
7S-YEAR-OLD WHOEVER
Disappointed in One Match She Mar-
ried Anyhow, But Wants DAM
ages Just the Same

NJ d. Twiford. Sr. of East Lake,
Dare County, came up to Elizabeth
City this week to fight $1,000 breach
of promise action brought against him
by Pasquotank woman, but the Court
didn't reach the case and the defendant
who is rs years old will have to make
another trip to Elizabeth City to fight
for his greenbackS.
4 wear ago or such a matter, Mr..
Twiford was anxious TO get married
again. The venerable merchant. post
master and justice of the peace OF East
Lake township had raised up a husky
family of children and all had gone out
in the world and left him alone with
his store. his postofice, his book of ~
c.. Statutes Annotated and an ,accumu-
lation of considerable money which he
had been sating down for more than
half a century.
He had no highfalutin notions about
second marriage; he sought no afhn-
ity or soul mate; just wanted a plain
everyday woman who would live with
him. keep his house, cook his meals,
darn his socks and look after the store
when he felt like taking an afternoon
nap. He advertised for a wife in THE
INDEPENDENT and got many appll'
cations for the job he was offering.
He looked the many applicants ovel
and rejected this one and that. but nm
ally settled on a vigorous widow in Sa
lem township in this county. He be
came engaged to marry Mrs. Saraf
Corbett. age 81. But he never mar
ried her. Mrs. Corbett says he jiltet
her ruthlessly. Mr.. Twiford says i
amt so: that the truth is he came tt
Elizabeth City and applied for lcens'
but was refused license to wed th'
lady of his choice because he couldn
qualify on the medical examination re
uuired under the law enacted last year
Deeply mortified over his rejection To-
physical disability, Mr.. Twiford re
turned to his lonely bed in East Lax
sans a new wife.
Mrs. Corbett waited for the bride
groom in vain and finally sought tn
legal advice of the Hon. f. f. Aydlett
She brought suit against Mr.. Twiford
naming $1,000 as the sum she though
sufficient to- reimburse her for the con
Itumely and mental anguish which sh
lis alleged to have suffered by reasol
of the broken engagement.
Since Mrs. Corbett brought the ac
tion against Mr.. Twiford she has mar
ried another man. She is now the VIII
Iof Capt. A. G. B. Salter, a shipbuilde
of this city. Still she thinks she l
entitled to balm and will press her suit
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
NOW FOR YOUR STATE
INCOME TAX RETURNS

Deputy Commissioner r. F. Tuttle,
will sit at the following places on dates
named, for the purpose of assisting In
come Tax Payers in making their re-
turns to THE STATE.
Elizabeth City, Feb. 27-2S and March
1-2nd. in Office of the U. S. Deputy
Marshall 3rd floor Post Office Building
Second sitting same place, on March
13-14th.
Manteo.. March 3-4-6th, Tranquil Ho'
tel.
Camden, March 18th, Court House.
Currituck, March 9th, Hotel.
All single persons having an income
of s1.OOO.OO or over, and all married
persons having an income of S2,OOO.OC
or over, are required to make returns
irrespective of tax liability.
All Partnerships, Fiduciaries, ant
Corporations, are required to make re
turns, irrespective of gain or loss.
If in need of advice, information, ol
assistance in making your return,
will be a pleasure to the deputy to rem
der the required aid.
Don't forget the dates.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
MORE ROOM FOR
ELIZABETH CITY
Contract Let to Begin Diking
and Filling in Robinson
Marsh

The beginning of development that
will add thousands of feet to Elizabeth
City's now crowded waterfront and put
Elizabeth City on both sides of the
PasQuOtank River. was made this week
when C. o. Robinson entered into a
contract with Hastings Bros. to dixie
and fill in 300 feet of the Robinson
marsh opposite the Norfolk Southern
r. r. freight depot and the Crystal Ice
& Coal Co.
The dixie or bulkhead will begin at
point about go feet North of the
Camden Ferry bridge. As soon as the
bulkhead is built and the fill made, con-
tracts will be let for several buildings.
For years the great expanse of
marsh opposite the city's wholesale
business thorofare has undergone no
development to speak of because OF the
uncertainty of State highway eyer
traverSing the property. The settle
ment of this question thru the recent
acquisition of the Camden Ferry road
by the State Highway Commission
means that the owners may no longer
hesitate to carry out their idea of fill
ing in the great marsh and making it
available for wharf, warehouse and fac
tory purposes. c. o. Robinson says
that the contract just let is just be-
ginning and that the property will be
reclaimed and improved as fast as the
city'S growth requires it.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
BRADFORD WILL STANDS

+ The Supreme Court of North
+ Carolina in decision handed down
Wednesday of this week finds no
error in the famous Bradford Will
+ Case and the will by which the late
= D. B. Bradford of this city left the
: bulk of his property to a young
wife stands, unless a rehearing of
the case is granted upon prayer of
the contestants. This is hardly ex-
= pected.
Aside from the unusual human
interest of the case, Elizabeth City
= is particularly interested in the
now possible sale of the highly val
liable Bradford property on Main,
= Fearing and McMorrine streets.
Several most desirable business
sites should be made available
thereby and a number of firms, in
cIuding the Standard Pharmacy,
= Standard Drug Co. and McCabe &
Grice have their eyes on the prop
erty with view to building.
Other decisions of the Supreme
Court of interest to this city and
section are State VS.. Simmons,
Pasquotank, no error; Jennings VS..
Highway Commission, Pasquotank,
affirmed.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
GETTING THEM INTERESTED.

A fair sized audience of Elizabeth
City music lovers and few semi-bar-
barians heard Axel Skoygaard, the Dan
ish violinist, and his wife Alice Nc
Chung Skoygaard, pianist in a delight
ful concert at the High School Audi
torium Tuesday night. The concert
was given under the auspices of the
Elizabeth City Choral Society and the
Society itself supplemented the pro-
gram with two wonderful vocal num-
bers. The fact that lot of people in
sist that Elizabeth City does not ap-
preciate good music, The Choral Soci-
ETY. under Frank Hufty carries on val
iantly and every concert brings out a
little more appreciation. Hufty will
eventually triumph, if he doesn't wear
himself out too soon.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
ELIZABETH CITY WILL OWN
ITS PUBLIC UTILITIES
Committee Unable to Get Anywhere With MIR.
Crook, Purpose To Solve Problem of Mu-
nicipal Ownership Spite of Him

The efforts of another Board
of Aldermen to come ITO some
terms with the owners of Ehz-
abeth Citv's publc utilities !COk-
ing to rhe purchase OF these
properties by the CITY have
failed in the very beginning and
Just how the city shall set about
to acquire these properties is a
question confronting the public
utilities committee. And the
question must be disposed OF
soon. 1t seems to be the deter
mination of the committee that
if the owners Of the electric
light, water and sewerage plants
hold out against selling to the
city at reasonable price, then
the committee will proceed to
build outright and let the public
utilities company go hang.
The committee that is now at work
to bring about municipal ownership Of
lights. Water and sewerage in Eliza
beth City is composed of P. H. Will
Eams and L. r. Foreman, of the City
Council; W. G. Gather and Gurney z.
Hood. of the Chamber of Commerce;
and ]. I. McCabe and ]. c. Sawyer. OF
the Merchants Association. Mayor
Goodwin. c. o. Robinson, and VI. p.
Gallop. respectively the heads of the
three organizations named. are ex Off
clio members of the committee.
This committee. composed of some
of the ablest business men in the city
is fred with determination to DO
something and do it soon. The COM
mittee held a conference with Howard
F.. Crook. head of the utilities cOmpan-
les Tuesday afternoon. but that bull
headed gentleman would meet the COM
mittee neither half way nor any other
1 way. He would name no price for the
electric light. water and sewerage
&plants but said he wouldn't consent to
n a price Of 100000 and muttered some
thing about half a million dollars. An
Engineering expert employed by for
mpr administration about a year ago
appraised the properties around $780,
\ UGO and the Aldermen at that time Of
frred Mr.. Crook $325,OO0. WHICH offer
was declined.
Mr.. Crook says he is perfectly will
ing to consent to an appraisal of his
properties by a committee composed OF
\ one member TO be selected by him, one
by the Board of Aldermen and third
4 nv the two thus selected. provided the
4 Aldermen will contract to buy the prop
q artv at whatsoever price this commit
d tee should fix Mr.. Crook is Mr.. Crook
and the Aldermen refuse to enter into
4 any such contract.
Instead of getting on good terms
3 with the committee that is to settle
this question of municipal ownership
Mr. Crook repeatedly nettled the mem
hers of the committee at Tuesdays con-
4 ference and left them in frame OF
4 mind TO show the Crook companies no
quarter.
In mean time the Aldermen promise
n electric current consumers reduction
& in rates. having repealed the war time
i order which granted the electric light
a company rate of 1412 cents per kilO-
4 watt. The Aldermen have ordered the
4 rate back to u cents per kilowatt ef'
< fcc,ive Mar. /. 1922.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
ROADS so BAD, COULDN'T
GET MINISTER FOR FUNERAL

Enoch Jordan Spence, a wellknown farmer
uf Ncwiani Township. was stricken with paraly-
SIS Last Friday and died at 4:15 A. ~ Satur-
lay. Feb. IS. 1922. Mr.. Spence was 81 years.
II months and 81 days old. He IS survived
by ms wife, Mary r. Spence, six children. Ern-
pst A. John A E. Julian and Joseph +.
Spence. Mrs. Walter r. Mccoy. Miss Blanche
=. Spence and six grandchildren, all OF New
land. one sister Mrs b. +. Burnham OF South
Mills. v C.. and two half brothers. A. L.
Srence of Deep Creek. Va. and John A. EV-
ans Of Norfolk Va.
lie was buried Sunday evening at Whitney
cemetery On account of the bad roads a
minister could not be secured to conduct the
funeral st the home. so Mrs Frank Williams
sang a touching solo as the oallbearers 1.-THE
Tour sOnsl carried the body from the house,
Rev. Chsra Of South Mills conducted the ser
Sices at the grave.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24

CTS offering the Office of Solicitor of the First
North Carolina the coming primaries 81 years
old to-day Walter Small
pushing his campaign for the oce
but of'eds will and earth for him. He
has hearted ener fellow in
Carolina Walter Small is of type that appeals to
His father died when boy He came
f. Elizabeth old and worked with mcCabe
Grice and might have been there now
he the legal profession to business
career interest the business ot Nc
Cabe Grce to him He left McCabe Grne
1908 University North Carolina He hnlshed al
the University practice in 1912 On JAM
1919 he ond Ehrnghaus the law partnership OF
Ebrinuhaus hitting off nicely still with one
d the finest law North Carolina wife and
two interesting him celebrate his 37h anniversary
is wife was Miss daughter of Dr. and Mrs. j. H.
White of this city
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
AWARDED $7,13l.66 FOR
ONE GOOD RIGHT ARM

Geo. ]. Lacey, a world war hero who
fought his way thru the Hindenberg
line with the famous Thirtieth Divi-
sion and was under fire. more times
than he has fingers and toes, was
awarded damages in the sum of ST.
1s1 66 in the Superior Court here this
week Veteran Lacey came back from
the war and settled down to the arts
of peace only to have his good right
arm torn off in stocking machine in
the plant of the Ideal Hosiery Go. in
this city. He sued the company for
$4,000. The defendants have taken
an appeal to the Supreme Court.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24

Mrs. G. w. Owens, "a years old, died
at the Community Hospital Tuesday
night following an operation for appen-
dicitis Saturday night. Mrs. Owens, who
had lived at this city for the last 81
wears is survived by two daughter, Mrs
B. F. Swindell and Mrs. o. r. Wolford
both of Baltimore; five sons, Amos, K
g.. T. S.. F., and R. B. Owens, all oi
this city, by twelve grandchildren, anc
by one brother, 7. NJ. Sanderlin.
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
HOT BED COVERS

Father George, IL, Sheeting, fifty
yard bolts, S625 per bolt, delivered
your Post Office, cash with order. Only
few bolts left, order quick. J. H. BOS-
WOOD. Gregory, n. G. adv.-1t
The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1922-02-24
DIR. T. D. HATHAWAY

Optometrist
Bradford Bldg. Elizabeth City, N. o.