January 14-20, 1951 

A fire that started in a battery shop threatened Madison's entire business district but firefighters from Madison and six other towns were able to confine it to two large buildings. 

B. Wallace Hawkins, who operates the battery shop where the fire originated, said he walked into the shop shortly before noon and saw a finger of flame flickering against the back wall but before he could get to it and put it out, it flared up out of control. 

It spread quickly through the dried-out heart-pine timbers of the 55-year-old, 100-by-150-foot warehouse, climbed to the roof and then to the adjoining building. Hawkins speculated the fire was caused by a hot battery, a shorted battery charger or a neglected blow torch. Forty-five tons of nitrate of soda, 200 tons of fertilizer, refrigerators, washing machines and other appliances stored in various parts of the warehouse and a tractor and car were destroyed. 

Several business establishments in the adjoining building also were destroyed, including a meat market, pool room, grocery store, dry goods shop, drug store and jewelry store. A Masonic lodge in one building also was badly damaged. 

Total damages were estimated at $200,000. Two firemen suffered minor injuries. 

Pfc. Elmo B. Hundley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse J. Hundley of Leaksville, is now in a government hospital at Battle Creek, Mich., where he is being treated for wounds and frostbite suffered in Korea. He was struck in the back by a mortar shell fragment. Another son of the Hundleys, Pvt. Elvin M. Hundley, was killed in action in October. ... Leon Moore, basketball coach at Mayodan High School, has been recalled to military active duty with the Navy. ... B. Elliott Ivie has been promoted from cashier to president of Leaksville Bank and Trust Company. He has been with the bank for more than 25 years. The Rockingham Home Demonstration County Council, made up of officers of 34 Home Demonstration clubs, voted to collect favorite recipes from club members and publish them in a cook book to be offered for public sale. ... Oregon Hill community has been named winner of the annual Rural Improvement Contest sponsored by the Rockingham County Long Range Farm Program. Oregon Hill took the $500 first prize. Midway and Matrimony communities won $200 and $100 as the second and third place finishers among the 14 communities participating in the contest. ... Bobby Anderson, 17, shortstop on the Madison American Legion team last summer, has signed a professional baseball contract with Allentown of the Class B Interstate League. He graduated last June from Madison High where he starred in football, basketball and baseball. 

On the radio: WBIG, Greensboro, Arthur Godfrey, 10-11:30 a.m. 

For milady: 15 denier Vision nylon hose, $1.50. 

For milord: Men's all-wool suits, $37.50