THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
1 Volume 40, No. 44 USPS 421-0*0 . Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, October 25, 1M4 2S CENTS
An early morning fire last
Thursday was the cause of an
investigation by area law
enforcement personnel who
discovered that arson caused
the demolition of two Court. (Photo by Ken
apartments at Wynn Fork Castelloe)
Above average yields predicted for farmers
By JANE B.WILLIAMS
The outlook for farmers in
Perquimans County this year
doesn't appear to be any better
than that of last year, according
to Bill Jester, Chairman of the
Perquimans County Agricultural
Extension Office; but Jester
added that "last year was an
above average crop year, with
fair market prices."
Jester related that the crop
outlook for 1984 was good, with
many of the County farms
producing slightly above
average yields in corn, peanuts
and cotton.
According to Jester, early corn
suffered during the hot weather
that was experienced in June,
but the heat did not affect most of
the county crop which was
planted late this year and
enjoyed the benefit of the
"wettest and coolest July's on
record."
The record-setting weather of
July did not work to enhance the
peanut crop situation, causing
problems with diseases, but
overall peanut yields have been
above average.
Cotton yields, according to
Jester, depend on when the crop
was planted. "If the farmer got
his cotton planted early, before
May 15, he's got an average or
better crop," Jester said. "If It
was planted after the 15th it
won't be very good this year," he
said.
Cotton is a relatively new crop
in Perquimans County, having
made its appearance in the last
four years, but Jester .stated that
he didn't think that cotton was
any kind of panacea.
"Cotton offers the opportunity
for rotation, which helps cure
some diseases and improve
yields in other crops and it
possibly may cut financial risks
for some farmers. Three crops
provide a better crop mix,
therefore when ohe crop is not
doing so well the other two may
be doing well, or vice-versa,"
Jester said.
The local extension
department has conducted about
30 on farm tests in the county this
season, looking at different types
of herbicides, disease control,
peanuts and soybeans, and
different cultural practices. At
this point all of the peanut, corn
and soybean plots have been
picked and Jester stated that
they are looking forward to
analizing the data to see if
there's any difference in the
treatments.
Jester said, "One of the
intersting tests that I had was
looking at sclerotinia blight in
peanuts. The idea was to look at
different chemical controls we
have available to us and see
which one is the best to use."
"This illustrates a function of
extension service in the county
which aides farmers in
evaluating various technologies
and helping thme to use that
technology which will prove the
most profitable," Jester said.
Percentage of registered voters
in state/county significantly high
By JANE B. WILLIAMS
Voter registration in the state
for the November 6 General
Election ended on October 8 with
a a remarkable number of
eligible voters registered in
North Carolina and Perquimans
County.
Statewide estimates indicate
that 77 percent of the population
that is eligible to vote is
registered for the upcoming
election.
The 1980 Population Census
recorded a total adult (age 18 or
over) population of 6,867 in
Perquimans County. At the
present time there are 4,988
registered voters in the county,
indicating that slight more than
72 percent of the county's adult
population is registered to vote.
A break-down on these figures
show that there are 3,460 white
registered voters; 1,528 black
registered voters; and two
others.
Among the group comprising
the county's voting population
are 4,493 registered Democrats;
407 registered Republicans; and
88 others.
According to W.L. (Buddy)
Tilley, Chairman of the
Durante Neck firemen
purchase new tanker
' Firefighters in Durants Neck
have recently anounced the
purchase and arrival of the
newest tanker truck in
Perquimans County.
Members of the Durants Neck
Volunteer Fire Department have
worked for the past four years
providing that area of the county
with fire protection with only one
truck. The new tanker, a 1985
Chevrolet, will be the fourth such
truck in service in the county.
The truck; which was officially
put into service on its day of
arrival, October 9; has a 1,560
gallon capacity. It is equipped
with a quick dump system, which
enables it to dump a full load of
water in one and one-half
minutes, and can be used as a
pumper if needed.
Along with ladders, hoses, axes
and other fire fighting equipment
thetr uck will carry, there to also
?. ?,? ??!? <*?
'to dump
their water and return for more
if needed.
Durants Neck Fire Chief Ray
Cnllipher, along with other
member* of the department,
have extended an invitation to
county residents to visit the
station in New Hope on Saturday,
November 3, to see the new truck
and to enjoy an open house and
barbeque supper.
Tickets for the event can be
purchased from any member of
the Durants Neck Volunteer Fire
Department.
In addition to the supper and
open house there will be an
auction of homemade baked
goods and local handcrafts.
Members of the department
have expressed their thanks to
the members of the community
for their support, and ask that
you continue to support your
area's volunteer fire
departments to enable fire
protection to continue and
Improve. |
Perquimans County Board of
Elections, the current number of
registered voters in. Perquimans
County is more than double that
of 1961 when he took charge of the
local elections board.
In commenting on the
upcoming general election,
Tilley stated that he wasn't
certain as to how one could gauge
the expected poll turn-out. "We
had a fairly good turn-out in the
May 8th Primary, but you never
know what to expect, especially
in regards to special interest
groups." Tilley said.
On the local ballot the only
race for a partisan seat is the
N.C. Senate Seat for the First
District which is currently held
by the Honorable Melvin
Daniels. Daniels elected to step
down after the completion of his
current term and has offered his
endorsement to Democratic
Candidate Marc Basnight.
Basnight, a former member of
the North Carolina Board of
Highway Commissioners for the
First District, faces opposition
from Republican Barry
McCarty, a professor at Roanoke
Bible College.
Other seats being sought in the
election are: North Carolina
House of Representatives (two
seats available) by incumbent
Charles Evans and incumbent
Vernon James; County
Commissioner ? District I
(Hertford and Belvidere) by
Incumbent Lester Simpson;
County Commissioners - District
II (Parkville and Belvidere - two
?eats) by Wayne Winslow and
former County Commissioner
Thomas Nixon; Register of
Deeds by incumbent Jeanne C.
White; and the non-partisan seat
of County Soil Conservation
Supervteor by incumbent Elmer
Laastter. ? V-.-W :
Arson determined
as cause of apartment
fire by investigators
By JANE B. WILLIAMS
Local investigators have
determined that a fire, which
destroyed two apartments, at the
Wynn Fork Court Apartment
Complex in Hertford early
Thursday morning was
deliberately set.
The two apartments were part
of a four apartment complex
which is owned by the Hertford
Housing Authority. W.I. (Ben)
Wolverton, Jr., Executive
Director of the Housing
Authority, stated that the
complex was valued at
approximately $128,000.00, and
that while final reports of
damages had not been received
by the insurance adjuster, he
would estimate the damages at
$63,000.00
Hertford Police Chief Marshall
Merritt stated that the fire began
at approximately 12:45 a.m. last
Thursday.
According to Merritt an initial
investigation was conducted by
his department and the Hertford
Volunteer Fire Department, and
that investigation revealed that
the cause of fire was arson.
Upon reaching the conclusion
that the fire was not of an
accidental nature W.A. Hoggard,
III, Special Agent with the North
Carolina State Bureau of
Investigation, and Jerry Boyce,
Elizabeth City Fire Marshall,
were called in to aide in the
completion of the investigation.
Further investigation by the
departments determined that the
fire was deliberately set.
The apartment in which the
fire began was rented by Minnie
Lee Brown, who was a patient in
Pitt Memorial Hospital in
Greenville at the time of the
incident.
The investigation determined
that the fire started in the
vicinity of the front door, burned
up through a sun-roof onto the
roof of the dwelling and then
back down into the apartment.
A suspect was picked-up at
approximately 6:00 p.m. on
Thursday and interviewed for a
considerable period of time by
the Hertford Police Department.
According to Merritt at the
conclusion of the interview it was
established that the suspect had
been in the apartment when the
fire started. Merritt also stated
that the suspect had been burned
on the leg during the fire.
The suspect was booked at the
police department and taken
before a local magistrate where
he was released pending further
investigation.
Merritt stated that the
Hertford Fire Department did an
"outstanding job" in saving two
of the units in the complex.
Merritt also added his thanks,
and that of his department and
the fire department to area
residents for their hospitality
and for a breakfast served them
during the initial investigation.
The investigation is continuing
through the police department
with the cooperation of the SBI
and the fire department.
Halloween
scenes
Ghosts and goblins will
make their annual
appearance next
Wednesday evening as
area children (and
probably some grown-ups,
too) dress up and go from
house to house for trick or
treating fun.
Folks throughout the
county have put out the
welcome sign for the kids
with Halloween displays,
providing pleasant
decorations for the
autumn season.
Pictured (left) is a witch
adorning the front porch of
Mike and Darlene White
on Edenton Road Street.
Below is a seasonal
scene, near Rob Turner's
Store.
On page 11 of this week's
edition you'll find some
special tips and recipes for
the Halloween holiday.
PHOTOS BY
CINDY LEICESTER