Volume Xlll.—Number 29.
Edenton Naval Air Station Ordered Inactivated
/own Tax Rate Set $ 1.5 O
Same Rate As Last Year Is
Tentatively Arrived At In
Long Session Monday Night
Extra Calls For Expen
ditures Prevents Low
ering of Rate
SALARIeITbOOSTED
Repairs to Armory and
Storm Drain Adds
13 Points
Meeting in special session Monday
night, Town Councilmen for several
hours considered the budget for the
year 1946-47, and after shaving here
and adding there it was decided that
about the same amount of money j
will be needed to operate the town j
as last year, so that a tentative tax.!
rate of $3.50 on the SIOO property j
valuation was set, the same as last:
year.
In view of the rising cost of living, j
the new budget calls for a slight in- j
crease in salaries f<*r Town employ- j
ees. It was hoped that the rate could i
be reduced, 'out several items were
included which prevented a reduction.
Among these were $2,000 for concrete
pipe which is required in connection
with construction of curbs and gut
ters in North Edenton by the .State
way Commission, necessary, re-
J. A to the Arnnwy costing appro
\ Upf't >lv $3,000, a S6OO appropriation
.pkeep of the colored cemetery on j
Granville Street, a new car for the!
Police Department, a new truck and
mowing machine for the Street De-1
partment ar.d necessary expenses in l
connection with operation of Beayer |
Hill Cemetery which has been taken
over by the town.
Os course, figures are only tenta-,
five and the appropriations for the
various departments run about like
this:
Fire Department . $ 8,197.85
Health Department - 750.00
Police Department 15,861.00
Administrative -- . ■ - 4,465.17
Street Department —------ 34,350.57
Cemetery _ _ - 2,325,00
Other Expenses 12,955.00
Other expenses includes payment of
$3,000 to the Board of Public Works
for electric current and water used by
the Town, $3,000 for parks and play
grounds and miscellaneous other de
mands on the Town.
According to figures compiled Mon
day night, estimated expenditures
for the year will amount to something
like $78,894.59. The estimated rev
enue was figured at about $23,912,
leaving in the neighborhood of $54,-
982 to be raised by the tax levy. To
raise this amount on a valuation of
$3,700,000 will require a rate of $1.50.
Os course, the valuation had not been
worked up at Monday’s meeting, but
it was believed that what difference
might develop would not materially
affect the t|ntative rate.
Fire Chief R. K. Hall
Reminds Motorists
TOi Pull Up To Curb
Says Violation of Law
Jeopardizes Lives of
Firemen
When the Edenton Fire Depart
ment was called out Monday morning,
a car just ahead of the fire truck
continued on its way north on Broad
Street, causing the fire engine to turn
v while rushing to the scene of the
was impossible to notice the li
se number of the car, but Fire
Chief R. K. Hall emphasizes the fact
that a state law requires motorists
to pull up to the curb when a fire
engine is approaching. “This law
will be strictly enforced,” says Chief
I Hall, “so that those driving cars in
Edenton should comply with the law
unless they wish to appear in court
to answer for their violation, which
jeopardizes the lives of those in the
fire truck as well as those who vio
late the law.”
THE CHOWAN HERALD
A HOME NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF CHOWAN COUNTY r s
• j*
County-Wide Picnic
Planned For July 31
First Affair of Kind to
Be Held In County
Since 1941
Chowan County Council of Home
Demonstration Clubs, the County
Board of Agriculture and the Chowan
Farm Bureau are sponsoring a coun
ty-wide picnic Wednesday afternoon,
July 31, the affair to be held at the
Valhalla auction block.
All white farm families are invit
ed to attend, with each family being
! requested to bring a picnic supper
| and sweetened tea.
A recreational program will be ar
! ranged consisting of games and
j stunts, which are scheduled to begin
at 4 o’clock and supper will be served
| at 6 o’clock.
This will be the first county-wide
picnic since 1941, so that a large
number of rural people is expected
to attend and enjoy a few hours of
recreation and pleasure.
M ss Rebecca Colwell, home dem
onstration agent and County Agent
C. W. Overman will assist in staging
the picnic.
Vets’ Administration
Contact Office Now
Located In Edenton
Veterans With Prob
lems Invited to Visit
Local Office
The United States Veterans’ Ad
ministration has established a contact
office in rooms 310-312, Citizens Bank
Building in Edenton, to serve the
needs of veterans in this area. This
office is presently staffed by Warren
G. Knight, representative, who is sub
ject to instructions from the Regional
Office, Winston-Salem, N. C.
Mr. Knight is a veteran of World
War I and World War 11. He has
been in the employ of the Federal
Government for many years and is
well versed in veterans’ affairs. All
veterans of the present war or of
previous wars in which the United
States has been engaged, having
problems concerning pension, com
pensation, insurance, hospitalization
and medical care, statutory awards,
education, on the job training or any
of the benefits available to veterans
under existing laws administered by
the Veterans’ Administration are in
vited to make full use of this service.
Office hours are from 8 A. M. to
4:30 P. M. Monday through Friday
and 8 A. M. to 12 noon Saturdays.
North Edenton Project
Expected To Start Soon
T. J. McKim, First Division high
way engineer, has written Mayor
Leroy Haskett to the effect that
the petition from North Edenton res
idents requesting the construction of
curb and gutters has been received
and work will bq started as soon
as possible.
The town will be required to pro
vide adequate storm sewers to carry
off the water.
Fire Chief Hall Urges
Inspection Os Chimneys
Fire Chief R. K. Hall this week
issued a request that local residents
check loose chimney tops and have
them repaired immediately. He also
suggests that this is the time to
clean chimneys in order to have them
in proper condition for the coming
winter months.
Chief Hali will very soon make his
final inspection and asks that this be
attended to before he completes this
work.
Edenton, Chowan County, North Carolina, Thursday, July 25, 1946.
Chamber Commerce
Quick Starting Work
In Utilization Os Base
ilg. I. School, Freshman
j Class and Commercfal
Air Line Sought
Quick to sense the advantages ac
cruing as the result of leasing the
Edenton Naval Air Station when it
is abandoned by the Navy, directors
of the Chamber of Commerce met
I Monday night in order to begin at
once to profitably put into use some
of the facilities at the disposal of the
Town of Edenton.
A committee from the directors
appeared before Town Council, which
was in session at the same time to
consider budgetary matters, asking
for the authority to appoint a com
mittee, which, will include Mayor Has
kett, to cooperate in making use of
some of the facilities at the base.
Among the matters discussed was
the possibility of having a C. I.
■ School at the base/as well as a unit
of freshmen from State College or
the University of North Carolina.
A feeling of optimism prevailed rel
ative to this endeavor due to many
students being turned away from col
leges because of lack of facilities and
housing conditions. It was pointed
out that there is plenty of living
quarters at the base for students and
faculty and that ample laboratory
and class room space is available.
Another movement has to do with
sub-leasing the several runways to a
commercial line or for the purpose
of training in aviation.
It was pointed out that with so
many potential activities which can
be carried on at the base an active
committee will have its hands full
and that no time should be lost in
making the proper contacts.
Various schools have been contacted
both by Chamber of Commerce mem
bers and Mayor Haskett and repre
sentatives are expected to come to
Edentop to inspect the base relative
to helping relieve congested condit- j
ions at colleges.
The Chamber of Commerce will
make recommendations to Town Coun- ;
cil relative to ultimate use of the var
ious parts of the base which can be
used, but Town Council will, of
course, execute any sub-lease.
The request for a lease has gone
in to the Navy Department, and
while no information had been rec
eived regarding its acceptance at' the
time The Herald went to press Wed
nesday, local people feel reasonably
sure that the lease will be granted.
Edenton USO Club
Will Close Aug. 31
With the closing of the Edenton
Naval Air .Station now a certainty,
the Edenton USO Club will also soon
go out of existence in Edenton. Dir
ector Wade Cashion has been in
formed hv Kenneth Dale, regional
director, that the local club will of
ficially close August 31.
Since the personnel at the base has
been gradually reduced, very few
service men have been taking advan
tage of the facilities at the Edenton
Club.
EDENTON VOTERS Wl
ISSUE IN ELECTION TO
Result Will Determine'lf
Paved, Curbs and Gut
Adequate Draii
Citizens of Edenton on Saturday ;
will have an opportunity to vote in a
special bond election for the purpose ;
of determining whether or not Town ]
Council will be allowed to sell bonds i
for making major improvements. The ]
bond issue calls for a maximum issue
of $370,000, this amount calculated to !
cover the expense of paving practical- |
ly all of the remaining dirt streets, ’
constructing curbs and gutters and i
providing adequate water drainage. I
The $370,000 figure is the maximum i
amount of bonds which can be sold, 1
but if the election is carried, Town i
Council will have the authority to do '
any portion of the work, or may,
however, decide not to do any part I
of it. I
The approaching election has ere
\
Community Concert
Campaign On Week
Os September 23-28
Edmund Schwarze Re
ceives Confirmation of
Drive For Members
Edmund Schwarze last week re
ceived confirmation for the Com
munity Concerts campaign to begin
in Edenton Monday, September 23.
and end Saturday, September 28.
During the week it is hoped that at
least 400 interested people will pur
chase season tickets which is neces
sary to schedule a group of artists
for the concerts.
Mr. Schwarze says literature and
supplies are expected to arrive very
shortly, at which time they will be
distributed prior to the campaign in
order for Edenton people to become
better acquainted with the proposed
concerts. |
Season tickets will be sold for $5.00
while students’ tickets will cost
$2.50. Only those having season
tickets will be allowed to attend the
concerts, for there will be no tickets
sold at the door. However, anyone
holding a ticket may attend any per
formance presented in other towns,
provided there is any room left.
There are many nationally and in
ternationally known artists on the list
to select from and for the local con
certs suggestions will be made by
those who purchase season tickets' and
the final decision made by the board
of directors.
There is a great deal of interest in
the proposed concerts, so that those
in charge feel very optimistic about
securing enough members to assure
a series of outstanding programs for
the benefit of local music-lovers.
Edenton Colonials
Cling To 4th Place j
In League Standing
Large Crowds of Fans
Turning Out to Wit
ness Night Games
STANDING OF THE CLUBS
W I, Pet.
Hertford 16 9 .690
Windsor 15 9 .625
Colerain 12 11 .545
Edenton 12 13 .480
Elizabeth City _!o 12 .455
Camden 7 18 .280
Winning three games and losing
two since Wednesday of last week,
the Edenton Colonials have been able
to cling to fourth place in the Albe
marle League, despite the fact that
two games were lost to the Eliza
beth City Senators, their closest op
ponent.
A game was scheduled to be played
Tuesday night on Hicks Field with
Elizabeth City, but a heavy rain j
starting during late afternoon knock
(Continued On Page 6)
ILL DECIDE ON BOND
) BE HELD SATURDAY
? More Streets Are to Be
tters Constructed and
nage Provided
ated a great deal of interest among
Edenton citizens, and naturally there
are many who favor making the im
provements, while on the other hand
not a few are strongly opposed to the
proposition.
A new registration was not neces
sary to vote on the issue, so that all
persons whose names appear on the
Town’s registration books will be
eligible to cast a ballot. Booths will
be set up in the various wards as in
regular Town elections and ballots
will be provided on which the voters
may register their wishes by marking
“Yes” or “No.”
The polls will be open at 6:30 in
the morning and voting will be al
lowed until 6:30 o’clock in the after
noon.
(Action Follows Determined
Fight On Part Os Chamber
Os Commerce Committee
Chamber Commerce j
Endorses Star Route
Comdr. Bert Creighton
Elected Life Member
Os Organization
At a meeting of Chamber of Com
merce directors Friday night an
Englehard-Columbia-E denton star
route was endorsed and the organiza
tion agreed to cooperate in every way
possible for the realization of this
improvement in the mail service.
During the nieeting President J. !
Clarence Leary reported upon the un
tiring but unsuccessful efforts of j
Congressman Herbert Bonner in try-1
ing to continue operation of the j
I Edenton Naval Air Station, as well j
as the work of the local committee
in trying to save the base.
The time having arrived for the,
annual meeting of the Chamber of!
Commerce, (T. 11. Perry was named!
chairman of a committee to arrange
for this meeting.
In recognition of Comdr. Bert H.
Creighton's interest and cooperation
in Edenton affairs while he has been!
stationed here as commanding officer
of the Naval Air Station, he was
unanimously elected a life member
of the Chamber of Commerce.
Wrangle Develops
Over Frames On
Cemetery Graves
j
Disposition Will Here
after Be Made By
Town
Friction over removal of flower
stands and frames from graves in
Beaver Hill Cemetery was reported
to Town Councilmen at the special
meeting held Monday night. It was
called to the attention of Town Coun
cilmen that it has been the policy
heretofore for the Cemetery keeper
to remell the frames and stands back
to florists after removal from graves,
but that recently the frames were
taken from the cemetery.
Clerk R. E. Leary was instructed
to notify florists that hereafter all
frames should he unmolested for they
wiil be gathered by the town and dis
posed of.
Overman Installed
Rotary President!
j ■ -
Takes Over Reins of Lo
cal Club at Meeting
Last Week
I
County Agent C. W. Overman at
last week’s Rotary meeting was in
stalled as president of the Edenton ,
Club, succeeding Marvin Wilson. He
was presented the President’s pin by
Mr. Wjlson, who in turn was present
ed a past president’s pin.
Mr. Overman pleaded for the help
and cooperation of members during
his incumbency, urging Rotarians to
rise to higher heights in civic affairs.
The new president appointed the
following chairmen of the four major
committees:
Club .Service—Richard Elliott,
Community Service James E.
Wood. .
Vocational Service—John Holmes.
International Service—Ernest Ke
hayes.
Three Edenton Girls
Go To Camp Leach
Misses Sharon Lupton, Barbara
West Leary and Betsy Duncan left
Sunday to spend two weeks at Camp
Leach irt Beaufort County. They
were accompanied to camp by Mr.
and Mrs. Hector Lupton and Mr. and
Mrs. Oscar Duncan, who returned
Sunday night.
$1.50 Per Year.
Town Council Requests
Lease From Navy
Department
MANY ADVANTAGES
Various Items Sought
Which Will Benefit
Town
Despite the efforts of a committee
from the Chamber of Commerce,
which enlisted the aid of Congress
man Herbert Bonner, to have the
Edenton Naval Air Station continued
on a permanent basis, Comdr. Bert
! Creighton, commanding officer of the
ibase, last week received orders in
: activating the base, so that plans are
jgoing forward to remove materials
jas rapidly as possible so that the base
,can be officially closed by August 1.
j Comdr, Creighton, however, due t#
| limited personnel, doubts if he can
, remove all of the equipment and
j materials the Navy is transferring to
I other basts by that time. Very few
! enlisted men are now stationed at the
base and this group is diminishing
by some being discharged. Many
civilian workers at the base have
also been discharged.
When it was definitely learned that
the base will be closed, T. J. Crooks,
Civil engineer for the Naval Air
Bases, and Comdr. Creighton met
with members of Town Council and
other interested citizens at a meeting
Thursday afternoon. Mr. Crooks in
formed those present that he felt
sure the Navy Department would
agree to lease the entire base or any
part of it to the Town for any use
it might deem advantageous at a
nominal lease which will be revocable.
Quite a few questions were asked
of Mr: Crooks and it was finally
.agreed that a visit would be made to
the base Friday afternoon to deter--
! mine what portion the Town could
itise. This visit was made and at a
'meeting held again Friday night with
Mr. Crooks and Comdr. Creighton a
motion was made and passed that the
Town request a lease for the entire
base.
Comdr. Creighton was instructed to
represent the Navy Department and
at the outset explained in detail the
meaning of the word “inactivated”.
During the course of his remarks he
(Continued on Page Six)
Large Delegation Os
Red Men Expected By
Chowan Tribe Friday
Quite a gathering of Red Men is
expected Friday night when members
of Massasoit Tribe, No. 77 of Norfolk,
as well as other prominent Virginia
Red Men will pay a visit to Chowan
■ Tribe, No, 12. Among the visitors
j are expected to be W. N. Smith,
Great Sachem of Virginia and the in
coming Great Incohonee of the Unit
jed States, W. L. Bentley, Jr.
Chowan Tribe will call a special
meeting for Friday night at 8 o’clock
for the purpose of greeting the visi
tors, and many local Red Men are
expected to be on hand.
Because of the number expected
to attend the meeting it will be held
in the Armory. A. S. Hollo well, a
past Great Sachem of North Carolina,
was appointed by E. C. Alexander,
Sachem, to preside over the meeting.
Births Far Ahead Os
Deaths During Year
The vital statistics report of the
Bertie-Chowan Health Department
for the year ending June 31 shows
that there were 229 live births and 5
still births, while deaths were 75.
Maternity cases seen at clinics and
visiting the Health Department to
taled 133, while 120 visits of mater
nity cases were made by the public
health nurse.
Infants seen at clinics and visiting
the Health Department were 268 and
94 visited by the nurse.
Pre-school children seen at clinics
and visiting the Health Department
were 765 and 165 visited by the nurse.
ATTEND ABC MEETING
Hector Lupton, Richard Elliott,
John F. White, members of the
Chowan County ABC Board, and
Sheriff J. A. Bunch went to Raleigh
Tuesday, where they attended a meet
ing of the State ABC Board