Interesting Items From Across the Old North State, Oct. 9, 1919

From The Review, High Point, N.C., Oct. 9, 1919

State News Briefs

Raleigh—The Masonic bodies of Raleigh recently took steps looking toward the eventual erection of a Masonic Temple in Raleigh, when virtually all the lodges ratified the action of a mass meeting and appointed committees with power to act in the purchase of the wait property at the corner of McDowell and Hargett streets. The bodies already have an option on this property. At the mass meeting presided over by Mr. Sam Hinsdale, chairman of the committee investigating the feasibility of erecting a temple, the unanimous vote was taken on the wisdom of purchasing the property in question.

High Point—Mrs. Thomas W. Bickett, wife of the governor, delivered an address at St. Mary’s Episcopal church in the interest of the campaign now under way by the church.

Hickory—A distressing accident occurred just beyond Icard, Burke county, when Noah Huffman, aged 26 and married, was almost instantly killed when his motor truck turned over down an embankment.

Winton-Salem—This city this month smashed another record, the sale of revenue stamps totaling the immense sum of $7,174.71. This means the manufacture and shipment of several million pounds of tobacco during the month.

Asheville—For the first time, it is believed in the history of North Carolina, a woman has been elected county superintendent of schools, this honor falling to Miss Ethel Terrell when the county board of education elevated her to this position.

Andrews—This town doubtless holds the record for really effectual fire prevention among the substantial towns of the state equipped with water works, fire department, electric lights and other standard municipal equipment, in that there has not been a fire here within the past two years.

Lexington—Another evidence of the new life which Lexington is taking on is the fact that the young men of the town formed a permanent organization to be known as the Lexington Athletic club, the purpose of which is to promote football, tennis, minstrels, and other activities.

Greenville—Word reaches Greenville that there is a probability that Chowan college, Baptist institution, will be removed from Murfreesboro to a larger city. Greenville will make a bid for this most excellent school.

Fayetteville—A want ad inserted in a local paper not only restored D.H. Beard’s automobile, which had been standing in front of a five and ten-cent store, but brought about the arrest of a former civilian guard at Camp Bragg who is charged with having taken the car and sold it for $475.

Washington, D.C.—Out of the three specialists called here to confer with Dr. Carey T. Grayson on the President’s condition are two natives of North Carolina, Dr. Sterling Ruffin and Dr. Edward R. Stitt. Dr. Ruffin, of the well known Ruffin family of North Carolina, is the leading practitioner of the District of Columbia. Dr. Stitt is a son of the late Capt. Ed. Stitt of Charlotte. He is the leading diagnostician of the navy.

Greensboro—Greensboro was visited by three Curtiss JN-4 airplanes, brought by Chief Instructors H.W. Powers, Robert Shank, and O.M. Jenkins of Atlantic City. They will be here several days, and will make flights as often as the people of this and nearby cities have the kale (??) to pay for aerial trips. A landing field has been located at Guilford college, while the Daniel, Benbow, and Cobb fields may also be used, according to Chief Instructor Powers.

Winston-Salem—Frank C. Page, son of the late Water Page, former ambassador to England, for years editor of World’s Work, succeeds N.L. Cranford as business manager of The Morning Journal, the change becoming effective at once. Mr. Page, it is learned, has secured a large block of stock in the publication. Mr. Cranford, who retires to devote his time to a positon in the revenue service to which he was recently appointed, retains his interest in The Journal.

Wilmington—Housewives here, promoters of the consumers league announce that shortly a community store will be opened here. This announcement came on the heels of the publication list of the fair price committee in which the women declare the fair price committee has fixed the price of many commodities at considerably more than those commodities are bringing in Wilmington stores.

Laurinburg—The crop is rapidly opening and is being rapidly picked. Ordinary pickers are picking from 300 pounds to more than 500 pounds per day. The prices are inducing and the weather is ideal.

Rocky Mount—An increase of over $2 million in the city banks since 1917 furnishes a most accurate indication of the prosperity which this city has enjoyed within the past two years.

Winston-Salem—About one-half of the Southern railway freight station, with the exception of the brick walls, was destroyed by fire, entailing a loss of several thousand dollars.

Fayetteville—October 29^th will be military day at Cape Fear Fair, which will be held this year on October 28, 29, 30 and 31. Plans for a big military feature on the second day are being made. Organizations from Camp Bragg will participate.

Monroe—Two bales of long staple cotton were sold to George L. Hart, a buyer on this market, for 48 ½ cents a pound. The bales weighed 515 pounds each, and the check was drawn for $495.68.

Durham—Eighty dollars and 15 cents was the average price paid by a local warehouse for tobacco during the past week. The average is the highest made during the 40 years of the Durham market, and is possibly a record for North Carolina.

Lumberton—Labor organizers have been in Lumberton for several days making an effort to organize the employees of the four cotton mills here into a branch of a labor union. One report says they are not taking on the idea of organization.

Asheville—As the result of a serious explosion of several pieces of dynamite on the grounds of the Blue Ridge Lime company’s plant at Fletcher, the six month old baby of Mr. and Mrs. Everette Gilliam died at the Mission hospital, and Mrs. Gilliam is now in the same hospital in a most serious condition, small hope for her recovery being entertained.

Charlotte—Marvin L. Ritch, Charlotte lawyer, who has been identified with organizing labor in the state for several weeks, has announced that he would probably make the race for Congress in the ninth district, at the same time denying that he has ever organized negroes in this county and that he has had anything to do with the recall petition now in the hands of the city clerk.