I found a fair presentation
I of local and county news
I of general interest.
Volume V.—Number 27.
Chowan County’s Tax Rate
Cut From $1.30 To $1.15
By Commissioners Monday
Reduction Made In Face
of Lower Property
Valuation
LONG MEETING
Income From Liquor Is
Responsible For Low
er Taxation v
In the face of * lower county prop
erty valuation of something over
}3,000,000, due principally to the elim
ination of levying upon intangible
property, Chowan County’s tax rate
for 19258 was set at {1.15 by the
County Commissioners at a very
lengthy meeting Monday. The rate
represented a drop of 16 cents from
the {I.BO rate of last year. Property
valuation in the county .dropped -to
{6,700,000 as against a little over
seven million dollars last year.
After considering the various bud
gets, carefully studying anticipated
expenditures and income, it was felt
that a {1.15 rate would meet require
ments. The drop in the rate was
principally the result of income from
the County’s liquor store, which for
the past several months has turned
over SI,OOO to the County’s coffeys,
with a similar amount and even more
expected through the sale of liquor.
The $1.15 rate provides for the
following levy:
Bonds J $ .7 5 .
Schools .< .21
Social Security .09
General County .03
Health .03
Charity .04
$1.15
Budgets pftsentfed to the Commis
sioners provided for the following
outlay:
Bonds $62,465.70
Schools 18,603.72
General County 19,260.00
Social Security 6,000.00
Charity 2,700.00
Health 2,300.00
$101,3.9.42
The Commissioners realize that
some tax money will be forthcoming
from the State on intangible property,
but J.he amount was so uncertain and
its distribution so unsettled that no
provision was made in income side
of the budget.
Craddock Team WHI
Play Here Sunday
Game With Blands Last
Sunday Called Off On
Account Rain
Edenton’s baseball game Sunday
akemoon with Blands was rained out,
thus affording a rest for the players.
The game was scheduled to be played
on the local diamond, and was called
off due to threatening weather.
Craddock will be the attraction
next Sunday afternoon at Hicks
Field, which with an improved Eden
ton dutfit, should result in a very in
teresting game. The game will start
at 3 o’clock and officials of the league
hope a large crowd of fans will turn
out.
Jailer Moore Requests
* More For Jail Meals
■ I
In view of O decrease In the num*
her of inmates at the county jail.
Jailer Shelton Moore, at the Commia
‘ sinners’ meeting Monday, requested
aUTincrease in the amount provided
Ipr furnishing meals to prisoners.
At present the jailer is allowed 46
cents a day for feeding prisoners,
. which Mr. Moore says would be suf
-ficient if a larger number were
The Commissioners; however, re
fused to allow any more for feeding
inmates.
JOHN SIKES RETURNS
.Friends of John Sikes will be in
terested to know that he is again
Jeffcnon QtanJawl Life Insurance
' TtiVihnaaiif ■ /latoo '
THE CHOWAN HERALD
A HOME.NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF CHOWAN COUNTY
» ; • | "" . * ' ! "■■■ ,; - -
| Cracking Down~|
Following orders from the
County Commissioners, Sheriff J.
A Bunch within a very short time
will crack down on taxpayers
who have not paid their poll tax.
Complaint was registered by the
County Board of Education that
a considerable amount of poll tax
has not been paid and the Sheriff
was subsequently instructed to
furnish names at the next meet
ing of the Board of Commission
ers of all those who have not paid
their poll tax for the years
1935-36 and even further back.
Mr. Bunch further was ordered
that in event these taxes are not
paid to attach property and gar
niphee those who fail to pay.
The Sheriff said it was an em
barrassing situation in that some
of the delinqitmts are paid by
the State, but that he would
carry out his orders.
Conger Says Service
Men In Front Rank
To Extend Courtesy
Many Opportunities to
Show Genuine Hospi
tality to Visitors
INFORMATION
Service Station Usually
First Contact Made
By Motorists
“With the annual invasion of North
Carolina by thousands of tourists and
vacationists from north, east, south
and west already well under way,
service men are in the front rank of
North Carolina’s Hospitality Com
mittee,” says J. H. Conger, local dis
tributor of gasoline and oil and
president of the Chamber of Com
merce.
“The opportunities of service men,”
says Mr. Conger, “to extend courtesy
and hospitality to our visitors will be
numerous. A service station is usu
ally the first contact visiting motor
ists make upon arrival. In many
instances the need for information
and conveniences offered are the fac
tors that make them drive in. Auto
mobile supplies and services may be
of secondary importance to them for
the moment. There are motorists,
also, who like to stop for a friendly
word or two and relax a few minutes
after long drives. No matter why
they stop, we have the opportunity to
greet them cordially and in a friendly
manner, help them with their varied
and often complex problems.
“While there are many sources of
free information today, numbers of
motorists leave their homes for dis
tant points without definite informa
tion about routes, road conditions,
points of historic interest and scenic
beauty, accommodations available and
probable cost.
“To these visitors, service station
employees will be able to render a
real service by familiarizing them
selves with best routes and distances
to our scenic points. We should take
I advantage of every opportunity to
I get first-hand information about our
I main points of interest, so as to be
, ' able to discuss them with our visitors
in an interesting and enthusiastic
! manner. Our own travels and ex
[ periences will add a bit of zest and
, color to these discussions. Service
> station men -are supposed to know
, the answers to all the questions our
■ visitors ask. How well we do the job
i of helping these visitors to North
Carolina spend their time and money
pleasantly will determine in most
■ cases, whether they return and bring
their families and friends. Rich arid
poor alike respond to courteous and
friendly attention. N
“We need make no mistake about
i the tangible and intangible value of
such service to our business and to
the development of North Carolina.
J j * j " ... _ *
Edenton, Chowan County, North Carolina, Thursday, July 7, 1938.
1 A. Woodard Dies
|At Home Saturday
After Long Illness
Hardy Stamina Respon
sible For Life Longer
Than Expected
72 YEARS OLD
Pioneer In Many Ways
In Building Edenton’s
Business Interests
Edenton and Chowan mourned
heavily at the grave of the late James
A. Woodard in Beaver Hill Cemetery
Sunday afternoon. Inclement weath
er had but little influence on the
large crowd that gathered tq do this
last honor to one they loved so well._
Scores of beautiful floral tributes
from the official and private life of
the community attested to this gen
eral grief, and sadness was in all
eyes.
In accordance to the wishes of the
deceased, the grave services, there
were nine at the home, were as sim
ple as could be arrived at. Rev. C.
A. Ashby and Rev. E. L. Wells read
the committal services from the
Bible, and a quartette sang “Crossing
the Bar.” There were no honorary
pall bearers but the following close
friends and former business asso
ciates of Mr. Woodard acted as active
pallbearers: Julien Wood, David M
Warren, Dr. W. A. Leggett, Roy
Leary, former Mayor E. W.
W. H. Coffield, J. L. Pettus and W.
D. Holmes.
Death came at last at 6:20 o’clock
Saturday morning to Mr. Woodard
in his modest bungalow home on the
Court House Green. Since last
Thanksgiving, when he was first
stricken, he has several times been
given up as hopeless and only his 1
hardy satmina has kept him here- ;
tofore from passing into the Great i
Beyond. Friday a week ago he suf
fered a final reslapse, falling into an
unconscious condition since which
time he had taken no nourishment,
and in the ensuing interval the whole
town has had but one query on its
lips, whether he was still alive or
not.
Deceased was a Chowan native of
72 years. In a hundred ways he was
an Edenton pioneer, but in the hearts
of the people he will ever be best
known for his self-effacing generosity
and his work as chairman of the;
Board of Public Works, or electric j
and water department. On a score
of occasions, personally and through
his official work, he has come to the
rescue of the (own when funds were
most needed to keep up the commun
ity’s credit.
“We charge a little more for our
electric service than we have to pay
for it,” Mr. Woodard would often say
in the hesitating manner he had, “but
we call it a ‘silent tax,’ and no one
feels it and when we need money we
always have it.”
New York bankers holding local se
curities always said “Amen” to that
thought, and because of it have never
failed to take over Edenton bonds
when offered for sale.
Mr. Woodard was the son of James
A. and Elizabeth Woodard, the form
(Continued on Page Five)
New Plaque Placed
In St Paul’s Church
Gift of Mr. and Mrs.
Alexander Wilbourne
Weddell
St. Paul’* Episcopal Church here,
: the oMeßt parish in North Carolina,
already adorned with a score or more
; of wall plaques descriptive of impor
i tant. events and people in its life
• since 1701, put up another one Stat
■ urday, the gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alex
i ander Wilbourne Weddell, of Rieh
i mond, Va., United States Ambassa
• dor to the Argentine, whose mother
; lived in Edenton as a little girl.
Mr. Weddell was visiting here last
, fall with Mrs. Charles Wales, and
t was told of the founding date of the
church. He left a substantial check
with Mm. Wales with which to secure
’ one. The neiw plaque goes into the
i history of the church’s start and
mentions Colopjfl Governors Hender
son Walker and Thomas Pollock, who
’ are. buried in the churchyard, and
‘ Edward Blount,
: | James Long,iNfithaniel Chevin, Wil-
John F. White Adds
Spice To Meeting
Os Commissioners
'< < ’ ' ? r ' - U 1
Complains About Activ
ities of Social Secur
ity Program
wants"to KNOW
Puzzled as to Who Has
Final Authority to
Pass on Cases
“The bull should be taken by the
horns in reference to the social se
curity set-up,” said John F. White
to the County Commissioners Monday,
“and it might just as well start in
Chowan County.”
Mr. White thus prefaced his re
marks which added spice to an other
wise quiet meeting devoted princi
pally to .studying figures in approv
ing budgets and setting a new tax
rate. He told the Commissioners
that it was nothing personal on his
part, but if it is necessary to con
tinue blindly in a program that was
forced upon the County, to continue
so, but that if any authority is given,
it should be well known in whom this
authority is vested. He produced
letters from the White House refer
ring the application of P. L. Holland
for old age assistance to the State
Board, and the State Board in turn
referred the case to the County
Board. The latter Board refused Mr.
Holland old age benefits on the
ground that his wife is employed by
the WPA sewing room and to put Mr.
Holland on the old age roll at sl2
per month would eliminate his wife,
who received something over S2O per
month. In order to appeal, the case
1 was locally referred to the State
' Board which caused Mr. White to de
-1 cide to endeavor to find out definitely
■ whose authority it is to pass upon
1 applications. In the course of the
discussion pointed questions w eie
asked by Mr. White, which led to a
vote on the action of the Welfare
Board upholding their disposition of
the case. However, Mr. White con
tinued in his argument which brought
a sharp rebuke on the part of Chair
man D. M, Warren that “so far as |
the County Commissioners are con-,
cerned the case is closed.”
Mr. White asked several questions
of Welfare Superintendent W. M.
Perkins, one of which was why some
securing old age relief received a cer
tain amount and others a different
amount. “Standard of living,” was
the Welfare Officer’s answer, which
Mr. White apparently couldn’t under
stand. He also asked West Byrum
a question pertaining to the case, but
Mr. Byrum replied that he would
rather refrain from making a state
ment except when the Welfare Board
was in session.
The discussion spread to the street
and Mr. White, though he didn’t make
any headway Monday, expects to con
tinue his efforts to learn just who
has authority to finally pass on ap
plicants for assistance, many of
whom, he said, had come to him for
advice. He appeared considerably
peeved Monday when, after the case
was closed, the Welfare Superintend
ent was permitted to explain in de
(Continued on Page Five)
County Home Now
Is Virtually Closed
George Harrell, After
22 Years, Out of Job
As Caretaker
Though not officially, Chowan’s
County Home is virtually closed, Wel
fare Superintendent W. M. Perkins
: reporting that only one more inmate
remainß at the institution, and this
one will soon be placed with a pri
vate family.
. With the Home lacking inmates,
some of whom are now receiving old
age assistance and others placed in
private homes, George Harrell, care
. taker, will be out of a job on August
■ 1. Mr. Harrell has been in charge
| of the home for 22 years and has
, served well during all of these years.
The Commissioners at their meet
■ ing on Monday offered Mr. Harrell
i the proposition of continuing to live
t at the Home with permission to uti
, lize the land for his own purposes,
, but of course minus the salary of S6O
- per month. Mr. Harrell was given a
. month to study over the matter and
i will report hjs acceptance or rejection
Clem Johnston Uses New
Deal As Target In C.ofC.
Banquet SpeechTJwrsday
. A
- ■ -♦
| Committee Meets |
Chairmen of various commit
tees and sub-committees of the
Albemarle Sound Bridge Celebra
tion have been notified by C. W.
, Tatem, chairman of the Central
Committee, to meet in Edenton
today (TTiursday) at 11 o’clock.
The meeting will be held at the
Mrliicipal Building.
This meeting has been called
by Mr. Tatem for the specific
purpose of receiving reports from <
all of the standing committees
and passing upon same. It is
very necessary for a full attend- <
ance because policies and details ,
of the celebration will have to be
definitely passed upon, says Mr.
Tatem.
Masons Send Stone
For Masonic Marker
Near Great Smokies
____________ (
Local Lodge Represent
ed By Piece Ancient
Ballast
STONESSCARCE
Local Masons Proud of
Unique Contribution j
To Monument
Not to be outdone by other sections
of the nation, Edenton Masons have
sent a stone for inclusion in the great
Masonic marker being erected at the
entrance to the Great Smoky Moun
| tains National Park near Waynesville.
IN. C. The gigantic monument made
‘ up of stones of all sizes from every
| Masonic section of the nation—-Presi
dent Roosevelt, a Mason, took suffi
cient interest to have a large slab
sent from his summer home at Hyde
Park—will be bared to the view of
travelers at formal Masonic dedica
tory exercises next week.
Frankly, stones are a rarity, as
everyone knows, in this section, and
the members of little Unanimity
Lodge, No. 7, eager to be represented
in the big marker were at first at a
loss to know how to secure their con
tribution. Wise heads got to think
ing, however, and the result was that
Secretary J. Edwin Bufflap rolled up
his panties and sloshed out into the
harbor and raised one of the ancient
ballast rocks. This was bundled up
and sent off posthaste to the Waynes
ville marker builders.
And with it went Unanimity’s de
scription stating that the stone was
one of countless many such rocks
dropped in the harbor front here in
pre-Revolutionary days, having been
used previously as cargo ballast by
ships coming here from the Barba
does and other West Indian ports.
The local lodge feels quite proud over
its part in the marker and members
hope to see the huge monument with
the Edenton stone included therein.
County Pays Half Os
Celebration Expense
Chowan County Commissioners,
sensing the importance of the Albe
marle Sound Bridge celebration on
August 25, readily agreed Monday
to appropriate half of the county’s
expense amounting to $250. The to
tal expenditure for Chowan, accord
ing to West Byrum, chairman of the
finance committee, will be approxi
mately S6OO, with Town Council ex
pected to pay the other half. This
amount also includes the cost of
Chowan’s enj-y in the parade of his
torical floats.
New Rotary Officers
Be Installed Today
No program has been arranged for
the Rotary meeting today, the prin
cipal business of the Chib being in
i stallation of new Club officers who
were elected in May. Oscar H.
, Brown will be installed as president
I of the Club, succeeding John W. Gra
i ham. W. M. Perkins wilt be the new
1 vice with Ceaxge Capehart,]
i Jr., C. D. Stewart, C. B. Kramer and
This neivspaper\ is circu
lated in the territory
where Advertisers will
realize good results.
■ $1.25 Per Year.
Says Man More Than
Social Security Num
ber or Case Number
PARTINGOF WAYS
Almost Hundred Mem
bers Attend Annual
Banquet
Edenton business as represented
by nearly 100 of its leaders turned
out enthusiastically at the annual
Chamber of Commerce banquet in
the Hotel Joseph Hewes last Thurs
day night, applauded hearity several
enlightening reports of progress, lis
tened approvingly to an unusual elec
tro musical orchestra, partook of .a,,,
fine cold supper and sat unmoved be- .
neath the stirring and somewhat
startling anti-Roosevelt address of.
Clem D. Johnston, of Roanobe, Va.
It was the second Chamber ban
quet within a year and interest in
the affairs of the organization, its
past accomplishments and its future
promises <>f achievement, remained
keen. Perhaps, not such a large at
tendance was noticed as on the other
occasion when Governor Clyde R.
Hoey was present to make his usual
worth while address, but the time was
red hot mid-summer and many were
off on vacations and unable to be on
hand. However, the little dining
room was crowded to capacity and
the occasion was a noteworthy one.
President Joseph 11. Conger had the
seat of command at the head of the
speaker’s table and called the brief
program by introducing the speakers.
Rev. George W. Blount delivered the
invocation, Secretary J. H. McMullan
spoke tersely of what tfie Chamber
had been doing and what it planned
to do during the ensuing year, not
ably by reason of the new Sound
bridge, Chairman Junius W. Davis, of
the committee on membership, report
ed that reports from all the canvass
ers had not yet come in to him, but
sufficient had been received to indi
cate interest in the body was in no
sense waning and that the roll when
finally completed would show an in
terest; the Hollywood Strollers, an
orchestra of four boys showing that
night at the local theatre, brought
much applause by their efforts, and
then Mr . Conger introduced the
speaker of the evening, Mr. Johnston.
For nicety of diction, beauty of
thought and language, Mr. Johnston,
who had never spoken here before,
could probably not have been excelled,
but it must be said frankly there was
(Continued on Page Five)
Albemarle Sound
Bridge Completed
Approaches, However,
Prevent Turning Over
To Traffic
True to the prophecy of the con
tractors last January that the bridge
over the sosnd, terminating near
Edenton, would be finished on Inde
pedence Day, bridgemen announced
on Monday last that the span w'as
done in every particular, cleared of
all workmanship, and would be offi
cially turned over to the State High
way Commission this week or early
next.
This means that the crossway,
started on May 5, 1937, and costing
around $2,000,000 has been com
pleted in fourteen months, viewed as
a record by those in on the know.
The bridge was built by two contrac
tors, the Tidewater folks of Norfolk,
Va., handling the work on the north
side from the draw, and the Golding
concern, of Goldsboro, doing the same
thing on the south side.
The connecting highway terminals
on both sides, started before the,
bridge itsetf, will not be finished un
til aroqnd the first of next month, so
the bridge, while done, will not be
available to traffic until that time.
State Highway Chairman Frank Dun
lop has promised to throw the bridge
open to travel immediately the roads
are finished and not wait for the de
dicatory celebration oit August 25.
The latter show
gigantic proportions,. andihor* wflitt
110,000 people are expected tq . attend
the celebration whfcKwtft ts Ulon
1 U'l',-- f '.y -i
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