Jgf In these columns will be
|V found a fair presentation
of local and county news
W' of general interest.
Volume 111. —Number 2.
“Dick” Hall Enters
55th Year As Fireman
Holds Distinction of Be
ing Oldest Fireman
In State
RE-ELECTED CHIEF
Rehearses Organization
Os Edenton Volunteer
Fire Department
Suppose you were 16 years of age
and that Edenton had only a group
of young men who volunteered to
.grab a bucket from any handy place
and rush to a fire thus prepared to
battle a razing conflagration.
And suppose further that someone
asked you to join this aggregation
without reward, or hope of reward,
and that you were expected to con
tinue fighting fire for more than a
half century for practically no re
muneration, what would be your
answer?
This is the truly remarkable record
attained by “Cap’n Dick” Hall, as he
is affectionately known by every
man, woman and child in Edenton.
Although the remaining few strands
of hair which adorn his head wherein
repose many sentimental thoughts
and lofty ideals has taken on a hue
of grey and his furrowed brow is
plenteifully supplied with numerous
wrinkles, Captain Dick carries a light
heart accompanied by a pleasant
smile and a quick step. No one
would ever suspect that he celebrated
the 70th anniversary of his birthday
Christmas Day.
Bom in Hertford on December 25,
1965, the year the Civil War ended,
Mr. Hall removed to Edenton with
his parents seven years later, where
he has resided since that time.
“In the year 1881,” said Chief
Hall, “we organized the first volunteer
firemen’s brigade in Edenton. We
had no equipment, but each member,
as well as any other citizen so dis
posed, grabbed the nearest water
bucket convenient and rushed to the
scene of the fire. We formed two
.lines so that the buckets could be
quickly passed back and forth to and
from the source of water supply. It
js surprising how much water could
She thrown on a fire in this manner.
“Realizing that we were handi
capped in getting the water to the
tops of the houses, we persuaded
the town council to purchase a hook
and ladder outfit for us, which they
did. This was about four or five
years later. I served as head ladder
man. The late J. H. Bell was captain.
later succeeded Mr. Bell as captain.
\Ve did not have an office of fire chief.
The captain was the ‘head man’ in
those days.
“Several years later the town in
stalled water lines and put in fire
plugs. E. R. Conger was mayor at
that time and he purchased three
hand-drawn hose reels for us and had
metal houses constructed in conven
ient sections of the town in which to
store them. The hose was rolled on
a reel, or large spool. The volunteers
living in the neighborhood nearest
to a particular reel house were as
signed to that Company.
VA Mr. Sudam, who operated an
irqn foundry, was elected the first
firb chief and R. F. Tuttle, now with
th4 State Department of Revenue,
was assistant chief. I was captain
of the No. 2 Reel Company,” con
tiimied Chief Hall. “The Court House
befi was mounted in the pail yard at
thb rear of the Court House. When
a fire broke out someone rang the bell
and we all rushed to our respective
reel houses and dragged out the
hand-reel. Some times we hooked it
ontlo a passing buggy, bat in most
ca&es we ran with it and were just
ab4ut winded when we reached the
fi«V”
Chief Sudam removed from Eden
ton and Mr. Tuttle became fire chief
and Captain Dick was elected as his
assistant. Mr. Tuttle resigned in
the, year 1921 for business reasons
and recommended the election of Mr.
Hat as his successor and he has
Betted as fire chief since that time.
“Cap’n Dick” had the distinction of
holding the first nozzle through
“which water was ever thrown on a
firtf in Edentop. “We thought that
th* was the greatest improvement
lift would ever be possible in fire
said Chief Hall, “but we
later to learn that fire fighting
to take on a progres
ggHand scientific aspect. Thirteen
SWBs ago, after many resolutions had
adapted by our ‘boys’ and sent
rPSI Town Council begging them to
phmper, our ambition was
350-gallon per minute
;; /~. mLd on Page Five)
THE CHOWAN HERALD
A HOME NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF CHOWAN COUNTY
Edenton, Chowan County, lNortn Carolina, Thursday, January 9, 1936.
I REAL VETERAN j
m
R. K. HALL
Fire Chief R. K. Hall, who at
the beginning of 1936 entered his
55th year as a volunteer fireman
in Edenton. Captain Dick, as he
is affectionately known, has the
fire department at heart and was
re-elected fire chief at the an
nual election of officers last week.
Mr. Hall is very well known and
loved by firemen all over North
Carolina.
Betty Wales Receives
Book Inscribed By
President’s Mother
Betty Wales, young daughter of
Mr. and, Mrs. C. P. Wales, probably
is one of the produest girls in Eden
ton. Betty has just received a book,
“Gracious Lady,” by Rita S. Klee
man, which has been inscribed by
Sara Delano Roosevelt, mother of
President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The book is a present from Mr.
Wales’ sister, Miss Marguerite A.
Wales, who is very intimately ac
quainted with Mrs. Roosevelt, the
latter writing the following message
in the book:
“Inscribed for the little niece in
North Carolina of Miss Wales.
Greetings from a friend of the
Henry Street Nurses. Sara Delano
Roosevelt.”
ED BOND POST IS
ANXIOUS TO HELP
YOUTH OF TOWN
Legionnaires Start Movement To
Provide Recreational Facilities
For The Boys
A goodly number of the members
of Ed Bond Post attended the meet
ing of the Post Tuesday night in ans
wer to cards sent out by John A.
Holmes, the commander.
The meeting was very interesting,
the Legionnaires discussing various
ideas and plans for,the coming year.
Among the plans discussed, and the
one demanding the greatest atten
tion was the securing of an audi
torium or gymnasium for Edenton.
The Post sensed the absolute need
of facilities for indoor sports and
other activities and will, as far as
they are able, support any movement
to secure a building.
1 The Legionnaires, however, felt
that some imnjediate action should be
taken for the welfare of boys and
young men of the town. It was the
concesus of opinion that a reading
room should be provided where the
youth could gather and read or play
table games similar to the opportun
ity afforded in towns where there is
aY. M. C. A. ' ,
A committee was appointed to
investigate ways and means of secur
ing such a reading room, with in
structions to report at the next meet
ing of the Post. This committee is
composed of Qeddes Potter, C. E.
Kramer and Sheriff J. A. Bunch.
County Schools Get
A New Dodge Bus
The Chowan County administrative
unit off the public schools is nov
sporting a brand new truck, which
arrived ready for use on Monday. The
new truck is a Dodge with a capacity
of 45 pupils.
The new vehicle will replace the old
No. 10 bus at Chowan High School
and will take in the territory around
Ward’s. The old bus has been in bad
shape for sometime and will be dis
KOTARIANS HOST
TO E. H. S. 1935
FOOTBALL SQUAD
Twenty-seven Invited to
Banquet Tonight In
Parish House
13 GET LETTER “E”
Coach Leon Brogden Is
Praised For Develop
ment of Fine Team
The Edenton High School football
squad, coach and co-managers will be
honor guests tonight of the Edenton
Rotary Club when a dinner will be
served in the Parish House at 7
o’clock. Twenty-seven guests have
been invited, and the affair promises
to be one of the most enjoyable events
on the Rotary calendar.
The Edenton team again this year
won the eastern championship, but
lost to Mt. Airy for the State crown.
The team, however, had a very suc
cessful season, and the Rotarians, as
well as the entire section, feel very
proud of the record hung up. The
local club will stage the dinner as
a token of its appreciation for the ef
forts of the boys, boys’ work being
one of the major objectives on the
club’s program.
President Bill Hart will be in
charge of the meeting, with an ap
propriate program planned for the
occasion. The guests will include tHe
regular string, substitutes, second
team, coach and co-managers. Much
credit is due Coach Leon Brogden,
who was forced to practically rebuild
the team upon his arrival in Eden
ton, and besides has created more in
terest in the sport, resulting in the
organizing of a second team which
has made an excellent record also and
will be the source of new material
for the first string. Mr. Brogden
i has showp his ability as a coach and
has won the friendship, respect and
' esteem of the entire student body
and the citizens in general.
Thirteen players have this year
been awarded their letter “E” for
service on the gridiron. These were
Paul Spencer, Worth Spencer, Melvin
Layton John Harrell, Calvin Sexton,
John Byrum, Vernon Spruill, James
Smith, Reuben Miller, Josiah Elliott,
Edward Wozclka, James Cozzens, and
Robert Chesson. Aside from the
above boys the second string will
also attend the Rotary affair. This
list includes Pete Everett, Clyde
Spencer, William Cay ton, Stanley
Spruill, Sidney White, Fred Hoskins,
Ewell Hobbs, Edward Bass, Thomas
Byrum, William Shepard and George
Ward.
Credit has been given Coach Brog
den and the football players, and
rightly so, but there are two other
boys who although have not donned
a uniform, were just as much inter
ested and worked just as hard for the
welfare of their schooL These two
boys are Junius Davis and Joe Con
ger, co-managers of the Aces. Both,
no doubt, will be called upon for
some remarks, at the meeteing to
night.
Much comment was heard regard
ing the Easte-West all-star game
held in Winston-Salem on New Year’s
Day, when Edenton contributed more
than its share to the East team,
which came out victorious. The
Edenton boys gave a good account of
themselves in the Tobacco Bowl, with
Melvin Layton snagging a pass to
make the only score.
The luncheon tonight takes the
place of the regular noon meeting
and every Rortaian is urged to
attend.
New Equipment Now
On School Grounds
The school ground at the Edenton
High School has been improved, the
old and worn-out see-saws and swings
being replaced by new ones on Tues
day. Six brand new see-saws and
swings were installed and shortly
after completion the children ex
pressed their approval by occupying
every one with a large number await
ing their chance to try out the new
equipment.
Paul Olsson Paints
Portrait Joseph Hewes
Paul Olsson, local artist, on Satur
day completed a 26x30 portrait of
Joseph Hewes which will be
the hotel which was recently re
named Hotel Joseph Hewes in honor
of the signer of the Declaration of
Independence and outstanding colo4
nial citizen.
HOSPITAL COST
CAUSES CONCERN
OF COUNTY BOARD
County’s Expense Grad
ually Jumps From
S3OO to SIBOO
CHARITY* CASES
Matter Will Be Investi
gated In Hope Reduc
ing Outlay
The Chowan County Commissioners
mete in regular monthly session on
Monday morning, the meeting con
tinuing over until late in the after
noon. A full board was present, in
cluding D. M. Warren, chairman; W.
H. Winborne, A. D. Ward, A- C.
Boyce and J. B. Webb.
An item giving the Commissioners
much concern is the gradual rising
amount the County is being called up
on to pay for hospital bills. At the
outset when charity cases were ar
ranged to be sent to the Albemarle
Hospital in Elizabeth City the Com
missioners were given to understand
that S3OO would be enough to cover
the expenses. However, this amount
has. been becoming larger and larger
until it has reached around SIBOO,
and the governing body has decided
there must be a halt on this item of
expense.
No definite action was taken in the
matter at the meeting Monday, but
the proposition will be investigated
during the month and possibly some
action taken at the February meet
ing.
There appears to be a lack of in
formation regarding those sent to the
hospital. The patients are sent
there with the Commissioners re
ceiving no report from the hospital
other than the number of days spent
there and a bill for the case.
aHSbe
Commissioners feel that a re- J
port should be received at intervals
showing the progress of the patients
and the number of days that are ab
solutely necessary for them to be
there. The Commissioners no doubt,
will seek information relative to care
of the County’s charity cases in an
endeavor to cut down this source of
expense.
Hereafter the County will require
employers or someone associated
with patients to be responsible for
hospital bills, thus relieving the
County of a certain amount of ex
pense that can be paid by those bene
fitted. W. J. Taylor, welfare officer,
and Dr. J. A. Powell, health officer,
appeared before the Commissioners
explaining the difficutly encountered
in dealing with charity hospital cases
in the County.
The Commissioners also were of
the opinion that it was cheaper to
buy milk for the County Home than
to buy a cow for use at the Home.
The Board also agreed to pay half
of the rent for the sewing roooms of
WPA, the total of which was $36.
The town will pay the other half of
this expense in order to maintain
the sewing rijom project.
MASONS INSTALL
NEW OFFICIALS
J. A. Curran Made Master of Lodge
For Year, Succeeding
W. C. Bunch
Officers for the year were installed
on Thursday night by Unanimity-
Lodge, No. 7, A. F. & A. M., with
Past Master F. O. Muth conducting
the ceremony and A. S. Hollowell
and W. J. Daniels acting as marshals.
The lodge’s elective officers are as
followsr Master, J. A. Curran; senior
warden, W. M. Wilkins; junior war
den, G. A. Helms; treasurer, C- H,
Wood; secretary, J. Edwin Bufflap.
The new master, who replaces W.
C. Bunch, has named the following
sub-ordinate officers: Senior deacon,
J. R. Byrum; junior deacon, C. W,
Sawyer; tiler, Paul Olsson; senior
steward, B. F. Britton; junior stew
ard, J. A. Crawford; chaplain, W. C.
Bunch.
A. S. Hollowell will act as educa
tional secretary for the year, with E,-
T. Rawlinson heading the orphanage
committee, and W. J. Daniels the
lodge’s post card committee.
The publicity chairman is Mayor
E. W. Spires, and H. A. Campen will
fill the important position of captain
of the degree team.
POWERFUL TELEPHONE LINE
Russians have constructed the
world’s most powerful telephone line,
connecting Moscow with Khabarovk
in eastern Siberia, neariy 6,000 miles
distant
Death Os AAA Puts
Farmers In Quandary
Edenton Contributes
Large Share to East
And West Struggle
Football fans in Edenton were de
lighted last Thursday to learn of the
victory of the Eastern all-star high
school team over the Western aggre
gatoin. Especially was it gratifying
to learn that six of the Edenton Aces
performed in the Tobacco Bowl game,
including Paul Spencer, Worth Spen
cer, Vernon Spruill, Calvin Sexton,
Edward Wozelka and Melvin Layton.
The Edenton boys formed a nucleus
around which a team was put on the
field that appeared to have been play
ing together all season rather than
only five days prior to the contest.
All of the Edenteon boys played out
standing ball with Paul Spencer ap
pearing to be. the whole show during
the second half.
Melvin Layton also brought honor
to himself, the East and the local
school when he grabbed a looping
pass from a group of Western play
ers in the shadow of their goal and
crossed the line for the first counter
in the East-West contest in two
years.
The Edenton boys have won the
praise of those who witnessed the
game as well as many sport writers
and the town as a whole is proud of
their record.
SEEKING RURAL
ELECTRIFICATION
Spirited Meeting Held In N. K.
Rowell’s Office On Wednesday
Afternoon
With the heavy rain yesterday
acting as a hindrance a goodly num
ber of Chowan farm residents met
in the Farm Agent’s office and went
on record as being strongly in favor
of rural electrification. D. E. Jones,
State specialist on the subject, after
addressing a similar gathering of
Perquimans residents in the morn
ing, came here for yesterday’s gath
ering and aroused the thirty or so
present, many of whom were women,
by saying “the time has come to out
grow the era of lamps and candles.”
His auditors, who through them
selves and ancestors, have lived in
surh an era since the formation of
th county 278 years ago, acted as if
in hearty accord.
Farm Agent N. K. Rowell intro
duced Mr. Jones, who explained that
a survey of the county’s electrifica
tion needs had already been made
and that the Virginia Power and
Electric Company, which would be
expected to supply the current, would
move as soon as the financial guaran
tees had been assured. In the round
table discussion L. W. Belch and
County. Commissioner W. H. Win
borne, B. W. Evans and J. D. Ward,
who have been behind the movement
as a sort of special committee, took
part.
Helms Cracks Down
On Illegal Skating
Chief of Police G. A. Helms is ap
pealing to the parents of children to
cooperate in the breaking up of the
practice of roller skating on the
streets and sidewalks in the business
section. He wishes to emphasize the
fact that a town ordinance is now in
force which prohibits roller skating
on any street in town and also the
sidewalks in the business district.
Mr. Helms has informed The Her
ald that the ordinance will be en
forced and that all persons over 16
years who violate the law will be ar
rested and those under that age will
have their skates impounded.
The Chief of Police desires to make
it clear that he is reluctant to inter
fere with the pleasure of the young
sters, but that the chances of being
injured or possibly killed are too
great to allow skaters to use the
streets for their pastime.
Skating is permitted on sidewalks
out of the business district, and Mr.
Helms urges parents to assist in
keeping the children out of danger
and out of trouble with officers.
Degree Work Tonight
At Masonic Meeting
The degree team of the local Ma-
The lodge is in excellent shape,
day night preparatory to putting on
the third degree at the meeting to
night. This will be the first degree
work under the new set of officers
and a large attendance is expected.
The lodge is in.excellent shepe,
showing a slight increase in mem
bership for the past year, and plans
are already on foot to make the year.
1936 even more successful.
J
This newspaper is circu
lated in the territory
where Advertisers will
realize good results.
$1.25 Per Year
Disturbs All Who Have
Been Benefited By
Measure
STILL OPTIMISTIC
Hope For Substitute
Method to Help Dirt
Farmers
Action last Monday by the Supreme
Court of the United States in over
throwing the Agricultural Adjust
ment Act and instantly stopping all
contractual benefits accruing under
it, a body blow to farming every
where, was met three ways in
Chowan. It proved upsetting to
those who have made pledges under
it, naturally it was disturbing to all
who have joined in the monetary
benefits resulting from it, but it
found everyone optimistic and hope
ful that the administration, in a far
reaching way, would find a method,
and soon, to carry on through legis
lation that the courts would be able
to subsequently view as proper and
constitutional.
The court’s opinion, the ultimate
effects of which are even yet not
thoroughly understood, comes as a
rebuke and slap in the face of dirt
farmers hereabouts, and nothing
much else has been discussed any
where since last Monday. Chowan
agriculturists, ever slow to be resent
ful, nevertheless talk “politics” as
being behind.it all as if a repudiation
of the “New Deal” They are, how
ever, in thorough sympathy with the
administration, and are determined
to join with it in making the fight a
clean cut one in the future.
Since the AAA has been in force
Chowan farmers have received con
tract payments under it totaling
$170,000 or more, according to Farm
Agent N. K. Rowell. The income
from agriculture, or directly traceable
to it, in this county during the same
period was about $1,875,000 greater
in 1934 than in the year previous.
The husbandmen view this as a bene
ficial result from the legislation and
are prone to lay down without a
stiff fight in Congress or at the polls.
Mr. Rowell said on Tuesday that
about 80 per cent of the 1,027 Chow
an farmers were for the AAA, and
that the balance either showed an in
difference or were against it. Sigs
ups have been made by 99per cent
of the peanut crop, 100 per cent of
the tobacco crop, 90 per cent of the
cotton crop, and 75 per cent of the
corn-hog men. On this basis it is
safe to say that about 99 per cent in
Chowan favored the contractural
natures of the AAA.
Further statistics given by Mr.
Rowell were that during the 1909-
1914 period the farmers of the nation
shared in about 18 per cent of the
national wealth. That between 1928-
1929 this dropped to around 10 per
cent, and in 1932 to 7 per cent.
Under the New Deal it started
swinging back, however, and in 1934
had touched at 10.2 per cent and
every one in this section reckoned it
as sure it would go further onward
to the earlier day normalcy this year.
As the decision is roughly under
stood here all efforts made by the
present administration have been ren
dered useless. Nearly all contract
checks have been paid out previous to
the decision so that much is in the
bag, so to speak, and an order; went
from the U. S. Treasury last night
to all banks ordering what checks
may be presented should be cashed;
At Mr. Rowell’s office the situation
is in some confusion. The farm agent
received a telegram Monday after
noon to cease all AAA activities and
encourage no further expense. It al
so directs that all clerks be dropped
immediately, and this Mr. Rowell
said he would regretfully acquiesce
in. Just what the outecome will be in
this direction, or whether the deci
sion, following so closely upon the
upset of the NRA, will mean the
abolishment of the resettlement bu
reau here, indirectly identified with
the Department of Agriculture, is all
a matter of conjecture.
But one thing was certain —
Chowan evidenced a united front
against the court which the farmers
believe favors the wealth of the na
tion rather than the masses.
FOR LIVESTOCK PROTECTION
For protection of livestock an ap
pliance has been invented that sends
an electric current harmless to hu
man beings, horses and cattle but
deadly to predatory animals through
jwire fencing at five-second intervals.