davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1939-02-02
Dirt-Eaters I'm Charlotte
Use Real Clay For Candy
Hundreds Of Women And
Girls Dig Swedish Earth
Dali y To Be Eaten.

The average reader would not
be impressed by the statement
that there are many persons in
Charlotte afflicted with geophag
ism, but if he were told that
there are a thousand or more
people who eat dirt regularly
here in Charltte, he doubtless
would reply, Il don't believe it. "
But a recent survey revealed
that many bushels of dirt are
eaten in Charlotte daily. (This
does not include dirt eaten by
little boys who are negligent
about Washing before dinner)
Geophagism, which is the practice
of eating earthly matter-com-
mon among uncivilized South
American Ottomacs and Hudson
Bay Indians-also is common
right here in Charlotte, survey
conducted by a Charlotte Observ-
er reporter disclosed.
1000 Dirt Eaters Here
Dirt eating is practiced in
Charlotte by more than 1000 ne
gro women and girls, according
what is said to be a conservative
estimate. They do not eat dirt
just occasionally as novelty,
but keep supplies constantly on
hand, as mother keeps that
cookie jar in the pantry. Follow
ers of this habit have been known
to eat large quantities at time.
A negro woman in her early
3O's told the reporter that she
guessed she had eat as much as
peck" at one time. The prac-
tice borders on a disease and Gre
ates a desire on the part of regu-
lar eaters similar to that caused
by taking drugs. Negro women
will tell you, "The mo- you eats,
the mo- you wants"
System Graves 1t
When pressed or a reason for
eating the red clayish substance,
the women usually reply, "Ah
guess they is just something in
my system what Graves it."
Any clear afternoon you may
chance upon groups of these cath
eaters busily engaged in filling
paper bags with the choice sub
stance, found only here at two
spots along here at two spots
along the Southern Railway
right-of-way under the East
Morehead street overpass. Here
large depressions have been made
in the banks by the continual
trek of women for the dirt that
''tastes like chocolate candy"
Some even come in taxicabs from
Biddleville an d Washington
Heights with their shopping bags
to get supplies of the good
earth"
One negro woman said she had
been eating dirt for several years
1T amt hurt me none what l can
tell" she said, in reply to a ques-
ton. "Ceptin' most folks say
that is what made me fat" she
added, giggling. Il sho' like it
They mo- eats, the mo- like it
The mo- 1 eats, the mo- I Graves.
After gathing the dirt in paper
bags by use of table knives, the
women take the dirt home
spread it out upon papers to dry
in the sun and air. Then, they
said, it becomes real sweet anc
tastes like chocolate candy. Some
however, prefer to dry their dir
in an oven, and argument may
easily be started over the relative
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06

ditional reclamation projects along
the Colorado river basin to supply
them with additional water.
T. H. Humphreys of Utah that
the future of his state depended
upon transmountain division Of
water. R. j. Upton Of Denver, Ell
gineer for the Colorado river con
servation board, informed the con-
ference that 100000 acres of the
upper Colorado basin was receiving
irrigation while three million acres
more could be irrigated.
State Engineer Thomas M Nc
Clure of New Mexico also said that
the need of his state was for trans
mountain water diversion.
Humphreys said only 100000 acres
have full water rights out of So.
100000 acres in Utah.
Attorney General Ewing T. Kerr
of Wyoming said that his states
mineral wealth was undeveloped be.
cause of a lack of water.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Watchman Wounds
CaIipat Rancher
In Row Over Knife
Harry Reeves Shot When
He Runs After Order
To Surrender Weapon

CALIPATRIA, June g.
Harry Reeves, as year old
rancher, was snot and ser
iously wounded by Night
Watchman Charles Rhodes
Monday night.
The shooting occurred on a
downtown street after Rhodes had
chased Reeves for two blocks in an
attempt to take a knife from him.
The officer was called to arrest
the rancher because he had been
brandishing a knife in a threaten
ing manner, Rhodes said
The rancher refused to relinquish
the knife when the officer asked
him for it. Reeves fled from a
downtown resort with Rhodes in
pursuit. He ignored orders to stop.
Rhodes shot once. The bullet plow-
ed through Reeves body and lodged
beneath the skin. his physician
said.
Reeves was taken to the El Gen.
tro hospital. Rhodes was not held.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Macdonald Dropped
As Milk Inspector
In Economy Drive
Supervisors Declare No
Personal Reason Lies
Behind Sudden Move

The first step in a compre-
hensive economy program
was instituted by the board
of supervisors Monday when
one of the county's three
milk inspectors was dropped
from the payroll.
Walter Macdonald milk inspec-
tor in Imperial county for 10 years,
was informed that his connection
with the county would end in 80
days, There was nothing personal
about the dismissal, board members
said, but economy demanded that
the personnel be reduced.
Supervisors announced that milk
inspection next year will be handled
by DR.. John c. Pace, county vet
erinarian, and Merrill Cole, state
inspector who is paid by the county
In discussing the reduction in the
number of inspectors, the board
pointed out that three inspectors
were employed when there were
many more dairieS in the county
than are operating at the present.
Continued on Page 8. Col. a
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Valley Residents
Lobbying for Road
Bill at Capital

Two Imperial Valley residents
are III Sacramento urging the SEN
tie to pass a Dill providing for
inclusion of the INLAND Blythe
road in the state highway system.
Robert Hays and Charles Nice,
managers of the El Centre and
Brawley Chambers of Commerce
ask that this 40-mile link in the
l,50O International -Four States
highway be taken over by the state
for maintenance and ultimate i'm
provement.
They also are said to be urging
Senator Edward H. Law to with
draw his bill calling for inclu-
sion of the Palo Verde-Ogilby road
in the state highway system be-
cause they FEAR it will interfere
with the success of the other bill.
The county board of supervisors,
however, favors this road.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06


Ickes opened the draft-Roosevelt
movement with the statement:
II want Roosevelt for a third
term"
His announcement, written for
this weeks issue of a national
magazine, came within 48 hours
of revelation that Vice President
John N. Garner would seek the 1910
Democratic presidential nomination
regardless of Mr. Roosevelt's plans
Ickes charged that anti-Roose-
velt Democrats were back-stabbing
the president. Without naming Gar
ner, he ridiculed his candidacy as
that of zone whose strength is that
of knowing nothing, saying nothing,
doing nothing"
Holt said his resolution would
be a simple proposal that the SEN
ate express its sentiment against
third terms. He has contemplated
offering it for some time and told
the United Press today it would go
Continued on Page s: Col. -
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06

An exclusive radlO QSpdCcn Io
the United Press from the rescue
ship. the Boston trawler Villanova,
identified the pilot as Eshelman.
Eshelman. who has only eight
hours solo flying time to his credit,
took off early last night from Cen
tral airport, Camden. N. j.. with
only enough gasoline for an hour
and a half of flying. Nothing more
was heard from him
However, the dispatch from the
Villanova quoted Eshelman as say.
ing that he had taken off from
Pitcairn airport near Philadelphia.
This indicated he had landed Sc.
cretly last night after leaving Cam
den, refuelled, and taken off again,
Grew members of the Villanova
quoted EShelman as saying he had
flown blind all night. Asked his
destination, he said only:
My destination was Mars, but I
reached the salty brine first
The message to the United Press
from Radio Officer Chester MailK
of the Villanova said:
"Cheston L. Eshelman, flying a
Luscomb land plane NC 22070 from
Continued on Page 8, Col. a
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Bookie SINNERS
May Go Free

ST. LOUIS, June g. (UP)-It
appeared probable today that four
persons accused of defrauding
bookmakers out of approximately
$4,000 through use of a shortwave
radio set would be freed.
Those held, Mr.. and Mrs. George
Cheatham, Ellsworth Caverly, OF
Anaheim, Calf. and Guy Leslie
Stark, San Diego, Calf, were ar
rested after Irving and Patrick
Lee, brothers who operate book
shops, destroyed a shortwave set
found in Caverly's car and severe
ly beat Caverly.
Il don't think it should be the
policy of my office to prosecute
persons who skin bookmakers, :"
commented U. S. Attorney Harry
P, Blanton today in saying he did
not think he would issue warrants,
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Stockton Murders
Like One inI.V.

Hope of solving Imperial Valley S
mysterious ripper sleeping bag
murder of 1887 was revived Tuesday
by its similarity to recent murders
in Stockton's hobo jungles.
Sheriff Robert w. Ware teletyped
Stockton officers the details of the
unsolved murder of an unidentified
man found in a Upper sleeping bag
i'll the hobo jungles near Calipatria
Nov. 25, 1897.
Merced officers are holding Rich
ard Frey, 36, transient, for ques-
ing concerning the bludgeoned
bodies of three men found at Stock.
ton recently.
AS in the Imperial Valley case
the murder victims at Stockton
were found in hobo jungles, they
had not been robbed, and all had
been bludgeoned to death.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Building Permits
Near 100000

Ell Centro's building permit to-
tai for 1899 moved within a few
hundred dollars of the 100000
mark Tuesday with approval of
half dozen new applications. The
total now is S199, 500.
A $4,000 permit was awarded E.
w Riggs for a home at l480 Brigh-
ton and a $4,000 application for
trailer court at Imperial and
Highway 80 was approved for Willis
Ferris of San Diego.
Other permits were for $40 con-
struction at 535 Olive, 5000 at the
H. K. McCracken home at 400
Wensley, SITS shade at 382 Olive
and 5000 alterations at 20l Main
street
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
He Lies Declares
Farmer When NLRB
Hears AFL Member
Associated Farmers Say
Labor Board Witness
Guilty of Perjury

CORCORAN, CAL, June 6.
(UP) = Proceedings were
strained and marked by in
tense hostility today at a
National Labor Relations
board hearing of charges of anti
unioniSm against the Associated
Farmers of California after gov
ernment witness had been de-
nounced as a "perjurer"
Webster Clark, attorney for the
farm organization, charged that the
testimony of Walter Winslow, an
AFL union member, was "one OF
the dirtiest pieces of perjury I
have ever had the opportunity of
listening to-"
Clashes have been frequent be-
tween the Associated Farmers
counsel, fighting charges the farm
group was responsible for driving
AFL pickets from the j. G.. Boswell
cotton plant here, and NLRB at
torneys.
Winslow had been placed on the
stand by William R. Walsh, chief
counsel for the NLRB, and ques-
toned regarding statements he
heard made during a recess at the
trial last Friday.
Winslow testified he heard E. C.
Salyer and Lloyd Liggett, two
ranchers called as witnesses by the
NLRB, tell Clark they were max
ing it plenty tough for the board
by telling the same story and
sticking to it,"
That is deliberate lie" shouted
Clark. Il want that in the record.
That is a deliberate lie"
Trial Examiner John T. Lindsay
permitted his statements attacking
Winslow's testimony to go into the
record.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Three Meet Death
In Ariz. Tragedy

NOGALES, Ariz., June 6. CUP)
Homer Adams, %, was found
dead by the highway west of here
today a few hours after sheriff'S
officers announced he was being
sought for questioning in the slay-
ings of two youths and the wound
ing of a third.
Officers said he had committed
suicide.
j. j. Lowe, sheriff, reported
Adams body was several miles
from a road culvert where the
bodies of his brother, Eugene, 18.
and a cousin, Antonio Gonzalez,
20, were found.
A fourth youth, Hector Gonzalez,
brother Of Antonio, was in a criti-
cal condition at a hospital after
he had crawled from the culvert
to get help.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Accident Photos
In Safety Drive

BRAWLEY, June g. Gruesome
photographs taken by Highway
Patrolman Walter Walsh at the
scenes of fatal traffic accidents
will appear on posters in the
Brawley Chamber OF Commerce
safety drive.
The photographs will serve to
remind motorists of the dangers
they run if they take risks and
will make them drive more care
fully while on weekend and vaca-
ton trips this summer.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Syphilis Martial
Exam Required

SACRAMENTO. June 6. CUP)-
California today joined the growing
list of states which require pre-.
marital examinations for syphilis
when Gov. Culbert l.. Olson signed
the bill which made it law.
The bill-written by Senators
Robert Kenny of Los Angeles, Ed
Fletcher of San Diego and George
Biggar of Mendocino county-re-
quires both applicants for a mar
riage license to obtain doctors Ger.
tificates showing freedom from
syphilis, or if the disease is present
that it is not in its communicable
stage. A superior court judge may
waive the requirement if one of the
parties is infected.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06

closed To-Day.
Bestor Robinson attorney and
guardian of young Curtis said he
was notified by Secretary of State
CorGell Hull that the American
embassy in Berlin has intervened
in the case.
Robinson revealed that he rece;v.
ed carefully Worded letter from
young Curtis. in which the youth
thanked Germans for beating him
The German citizens gave me .
good beating Curtis wrote "and
they had welcome right to ii
That | know and I am grateful to
them.
THE beating I received did me a
lot Of coed, not bodily but spiritual
ly and morally. Only through this
beating did I really get an oppor
tunity TO know the German people
they fight for their Fuehrer.'
Robinson said Curtis got in trouble
when he went to a German youth
hotel to register
According to Curtis letter, he haJ
Continued on Page 8. Col -
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06

for SPANS remaining neutral in the
World war despite Britain's at
tempts to the contrary The
democracies spread the lie that
italy and Germany wanted to con
quer Spain and rob her Of her
colonies. The reception now being
accorded you upon your return u
the final answer to all these Lies.
your spirit shows that II the
war mongers ever attempt TO attack
Germany. they will be repulsed with
a sharpness Of which the enciFciers
do not yet have conception, -
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06


tive leaders seemed convinced that
it would be impossible to obtain
passage of the administration pro-
gram. which now calls for a $25,-
100000 Public Works program SINH
lar to the WPA and $48,000,OO0
with no strings attached for the
cash dole.
Chairman John Phillips, River
side county Republican, said the
most the five COP. members Of
the seven-man relief committee had
agreed to was a temporary appro-
priation for six months or pos
Sibly a year, pending working out
of a permannt relief program.
I'm certain no tWo-year appro-
priation can receive the necessary
81 senate votes and Sd votes in the
assembly, in view of the lack Of
any definite plan for relief" Phil
lips said.
All factions were agreed that the
Continued on Page 8, Col. D
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06

the place OF Percy Palmer and MrS.
Dorothy Dizney of Imperial to take
the place of G. H. Madden.
Farm Bureau directors passed a
resolution Saturday asking that new
appointees be selected from among
residents who are not connected
with the schools. The resolution de-
clared that control of the board of
education should rest in the hands
of taxpayers and not in those on
the school payroll.
The new appointees will serve for
the next two gears. Other men,
bers of the board are Mrs. Esther
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Graduate Goes After Job with New
Idea; Gets Pick of Many Offers

CAMBRIDGE. Mass, June g.
-Eighty-one identical notes. seal.
ed in 81 bottles and cast "adrift on
the swiftly flowing tides of the
United States mail" have landed
job for John A. West, jr, of Chi.
cago, who was graduated today
from Massachusetts, Institute OF
Technology.
Addressed to advertising firms
throughout the country, Vests ap
peal read;
stranded on an island in Cam
bridge, Mass. & college graduate
to.be in June. Will work like hell
for passage into port. Gold stored
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06

Kavanaugh of Holtille, Mrs. Flor
ence B. Stevens of Calexico, and
E. L. Hiteman, county school SUI
perintendent.
Farm bureau directors made the
request, they said, because the board
of education handles large sums of
money and persons employed by
schools have a natural tendency
to increase expenses for school
purposes.
The farm bureau asked that ulti-
mately three members be appoint
ed who have no connection with
schools.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06

here with me-Ctraining in arts
sciences, business including mar
keting and advertising Past ex.
perience in newspaper office, sum.
mer theatre, steel mill. Best ref
erenceS). You're getting ahead and
I'm going your way. Have you room
in hold for a man who can prove
he's worth his salt?"
West received replies from rs pei
cent of his bottled appeals. From
them he selected a Philadelphia aG
vertisins firm with whom he will
start work in a few weeks.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06

Lustgarten. Hitler said:
MY comrades, I can greet you
at last. I am happy to be able to
see you and 1 am proud of you Ac.
cept the thanks of the German
people, who press all of you to
their hearts"
After reviewing the unfavorable
course of the Spanish uprising dur,
ing the early days, Hitler said:
In 1886 l decided to accept Gen
Frances pleas for help to aid Spain
and also to avoid a similar struggle
in Germany. l thus thanked him
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Upper Basin States Stress Need For
Water to Develop Reclamation Plans

LOS ANGELES, June 6. CUPl-
The necessity of developing upper
Colorado river basin water diversion
today was placed before confer.
ence of 100 Representatives of seven
western states and federal agencies
Delegates from Utah, Wyoming,
Colorado and New Mexico all stres-
sed that their states needed ao
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Hitler Warns EncircIers
Germany Ready to Fight

BERLIN, June 6 CUP)-Fuehre!
Adolf Hitler warned Britain and
other "encirclers" of Germany today
that they will be sharply repulsed il!
they attempt to attack the Reich
Hitler and Field Marshall vii
helm Goering. his chief aide. re-
viewed a parade of 10000 German
soldiers and aviators who fought
for Generalissimo Francisco Franco
in the Spanish civil war.
Addressing the veterans in the
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Valleys Only
Communist Moves

Imperial county lost its only reg.
istered Communist Tuesday.
Abraham L. Smith cancelled his
registration because he was moving
to Los Angeles. He gave his address
as a rooming house in Ell Centro
and said he was writer.
He had been registered in the
Communist party for a NUMBER of
years and cast his ballot at several
elections.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
D AMBL|NG
1\EPORTER
We Always Tell


Somebody, we don't know who
but we'd like to find out, telephoneo
hospital the other day to ask for
some information. A doctor asked
who was speaking.
ITS the highway patrol" the
telephoner said.
The doctor, knswing the boys on
the patrol, wanted to know who,
specifically, was calling. The tele-
phoner suffered stammered, and
then changed his story,
This" he said, lis the Post
Press"
We don't know what the doctor
Gid, but if he didn't hang up after
few well-chosen words, he should
have.
1t was not the Post-Press, nor
anybody connected with it. The
people who work on this paper say
so the first time. If they can't get
the news honestly they don't want
it. They have the confidence of
their news sources because they de-
serve it.
In case you haven't guessed al
ready, were mad-doWnright GUS
sing mad. And, just SO everyone
will know, it's not the Post-Press
when someone calls and says, first,
that it is the highway patrol or
anybody else. If the person calling
is from the PostPress, he or she
says SO the first time-and we don't
mutter, either.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
HOME RUN RECORD SET
WITH FIVE IN INNING

NEW YORK, June 6. (UP)-The
New York Giants set a record to-
day when they hit five home runs
in one inning off Peaches Davis,
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Danning,
Demaree, Whitehead, Salyo and
Moore hit homers.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
County Board Acts on Farm Bureaus
Demand by Appointing Taxpayers
To Board Of Education in Valley

Imperial county supervisors Monday complied with a
request of the Farm Bureau directors and appointed two
county board of education members who employees
of the school system
Mrs Grace Little of Brawley appointed to take
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Olson Confers With Committee Over
Relief Dispute in Effort to Reach
Compromise Before Adjournment Date

SACRAMENTO June g. (UP)-The senate Social Sc
curity committee today with Gov Cubert Olson in an
effort reach compromise on the relief problem satS-
factory to the governor. . ,
Olson has said he will not accept any temporary relief
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Nobody Has Nothing DoggereI Gets
California Student in Nazi Jail
For 'SIandering' Fuehrer's Party

OAKLAND Calf, June 6. (UP)-Wam B. Curtis
20 year old Oakland boy attending the University of Mu
Mich, has been held in Naz prison at Heidelberg three
weeks for writing four line doggerel verse on hotel
register sarizng the German government it dis
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Ickes Launches Drive 20
Draft FIR. for 3rd Term:
Garner Will Seek Votes
Democratic Senator Meets Campaign
By Announcement He Will Seek Action
In Congress Del epIorng Proposal

WASHINGTON, June 6. (UP)-A campaign to reelect
President Roosevelt in 1910 began today under cabinet
auspices, and led Immediately to announcement by
Sen Rush D. Holt d. w Va that he would ask the senate
at this session formally to oppose a third term.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Mystery Flight
With Tiny Plane
Ends i'm MiShup
Mechanic Rents Craft for One Hour,
Flies to Another Airport. RefueIs.
Takes Off for Nowhere, Lands in Sea

BOSTON, June g. (UP)-Cheston L. Eshelman of Car
Isle, Pa, young student pilot who said his projected
destination Mars pancaked into the North Atlantic
today rescued by fishermen just before his tiny
land plane sank in 80 fathoms of water.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06

Slight Difference
Not many persons appeared to
notice it when Ralph French, doing
the honors for the prosecution in a
cattle case at the courthouse, got
his terms mixed. One who did ap-
pear to notice, however, was Mrs.
AL Kalin.
At first Mrs. Kalin just smiled
and controlled her mirth. The next
time it happened she didn't laugh
out loud but it was an effort to
keep still
French confused Hereford and
heifer.
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06

No Sampling-
Ruth Neeley has a charming way
of adding her own comments when
she rattles off the menu to a Gus.
toner at the lunch counter where
she works. Describing the pies she
said:
g. lemon, apple, peach, choco-
late and boysenberry and don't ask
me what that is because 1 only
know what l read on the menu"
Imperial Valley press., 1939-06-06
Baseball Results
NATIONAL

Cincinnati .... 900 003 0O0- 3 II 0
New York .... 3l2 $50 0Ox-17 90 Q
Wander Nicer, Davis, Livengood
Thompson and Lombardi, Hersh-
berger; Salvo and Danning.
Pittsburgh w 900 Oil 600 10 0
Brooklyn ....... 020 300 00X-5 - 0
Bowman and BerreS; FitzSim
mons and Phelps.
Chicago ............ 4l0 020 001-8 IA 2
Philadelphia . l01 003 0l3-9 l8 ?
Page, Lillard, j. Russell, French
and Hartnett; Johnson, Schott
Pearson, Beck and Davis.
st. Louis .... OO2 900 100 2-5 II O
Boston ........ 100 020 900 % 9 4
Davis and Owen; Shoffner and
Lopez.