CHRIS-CRAFT CONFIRMS PLANS READY
FOR BIG MANUFACTURING PLANT HERE
•H r H
Chris-Craft Corporation is continuing
development of plans for a manufactur
ing facility in the Edenton area.
Donald A. With, vice president, op
erations. confirmed by telephone Monday
that plans for the Edenton operation of
Chris-Craft have advanced to the stage
where drawings for the plant are about
ready to go to contractors.
He said the working drawings will be
put out for bid purposes October 9 and
(El]e ||Jublif fJaracie
Come Again!
“Even though the general age of the
jail itself prevents it ever being consid
ered adequate, it was noticed that im
provements have been made since the
inspection in 1966.”
Thus wrote the jail inspector to Sher
iff Earl Goodwin and Chowan County
commissioners.
He commended Glenn Perry for the
job he is doing but asked commissioners
to plan immediately to construct a new
jail.
Edenton has some of the finest old
homes anywhere. Yet they are adequate
for some of the finest people alive.
The county jail is safe, clean and as
comfortable as any place should be for
people being detained. It is difficult
to believe that the age of the jail would
prevent it from being adequate.
Timed Just Right
Confirmation by Chris-Craft Corpora
tion that they are moving ahead with
plans to build a boat manufacturing
facility in the Edenton area could not
have been better timed.
The announcement comes when sev
eral who have contributed so much to
making this plant a reality shed some of
their official community responsibilities.
Today marks the end of the year for
Edenton Chamber of Commerce. During
the past months, W. B. Gardner, presi
dent, has worked tirelessly at projects
which would benefit the entire com
munity.
He has succeeded on many fronts, the
biggest of which have been securing new
quarters and the landing of Chris-Craft.
While as commander-in-chief Gardner
deserves a lot of praise, he was fortunate
to have the benefit of some of the area’s
keenest minds in working on all pro
jects.
W. P. (Spec) Jones has steered the
Industrial Committee over many of the
problems faced with ironing out details
for a new industry.
If no other committee in the chamber
functioned, the successful efforts of the
Industrial Committee would make the
entire budget a worthwhile venture for
the community. However, this is not
the case. Edenton has a well rounded
chamber program aimed at developing
Continued on Pare 4
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AMBULANCES DONATED—Two anbuloncM wm donated to
Edenton-Chowan Raaquo Squad this wash by funeral homes in
Edenton who hare gone out of the ambulance business. At left
are Marion Swindell and Brad Williford, owners of Williford Fun
eral Home and the Pontiac vehicle they gave to the squad. At far
Commissoners Move Toward Hospital Bond Referendem
Chowan County commissioners Mon
day started the legal ball rolling toward
allowing voters to express themselves on
selling sl-million in bonds to erect a new
hospital. A hearing on the question will
be held October 16.
Commissioners responded favorably to
a request from Jesse L. Harrell, hospital
board chairman, who said a new hospital
is urgently needed in order to give the
citizens adequate medical facilities.
Harrell outlined progress which had
be in the hands of p-g tive bidders
on October 13. •§ «
“Everything is progi J | ; satisfactor
ily at this time,” he s Ui «
The general manager and plant man
ager for the firm’s operation in the Eden
ton area have been selected. They have
rented homes here and plans call for
them to move to Edenton by Novem
ber 1.
Chris-Craft has expressed appreciation
THE CHOWAN HERALD
Volume XXXIV.—No. 40.Edenton, Chowan County, North Carolina 27932 Thursday, October 5, 1967. Single Copy 10 Cents
Motorist Flirts With Death
Motorist Has Narrow Escape At ‘Y’
A Florida motorist had a narrow es
cape Monday night when his convertible,
traveling at a high rate of speed, went
out of control at the “Y” north of Eden-
Powell Bill Aid
Is Given Edenton
The Town of Edenton got an addi
tional SI,OOO in Powell Bill money this
year. The amount allocated here was
$20,194.70.
Town Administrator W. B. Gardner
said the 1966 state street aid amounted
to $19,075.17.
State street aid allocations totaling
almost $ 10-million goes to qualifying
cities and towns in the state this year.
Highway commission chairman Joe
Hunt said there are 424 North Carolina
cities and towns who will receive pro
portional cash allotments amounting to
$9,959,054.78.
During the 17 year history of the
Powel Bill program, a total of sllß,-
260,817.55 has been returned to the mu
nicipalities for use on local streets.
been made toward a possible site, sche
matic drawings, etc., in order that the
public might be fully informed as to the
plans.
“We want to make available to the
public any and all information they de
sire as the successful vote on this issue as
of utmost importance to our county’s
future,” Harrell has said.
He explained to the commissioners that
sufficient interest has been shtwn in
building a new hospital that it justifies
right ii Oscar Blair of Blair Funaral Home. He gave the older
vehicle. Others in the photo are: Murray Ashley, center left, and
J. P. Ricks. Jt„ head of the rescue squad, and W. E. Bond, chair
man, Chowan County commissioners. Commissioners voted Monday
to contribute to the rescue squad on a six-month trial basis.
to Edenton Chamber of Commerce and
the Industrial Committee for the splen
did cooperation given in working out de
tails leading to construction here.
Chris-Craft, the world’s largest manu
facturer of motor boats, announced June
1 that option had been taken on 54.05
acres of property on Albemarle Sound
near Edenton Municipal Airport. At
the same time, the firm called for a
labor availability survey to determine the
ton and wrecked.
State Trooper R. W. Rawls identified
the driver of the 1964 Ford as Earl Le
roy Eason, Jr., 28, of Cocoa Beach, Fla.
Eason was rushed to Chowan Hospital
shortly after the 9:20 P. M., accident
by Edenton-Chowan Rescue Squad. He
was later transferred to Albemarle Hos
pital in Elizabeth City where his con
dition later Tuesday was termed satis
factory.
Trooper Rawls said he was having a
cup of coffee at Joe’s Drive-In when
he heard a car scratch off. He left the
drive-in with intentions of warning the
driver. However, he was never able
to overtake him.
Investigation showed the car went out
of control for 450 feet before ending up
side down. Eason was thrown from the
vehicle and found wedged between two
posts, the car and a garage.
Trooper Rawls said the car hit two
stop signs, struck a big steel sign post
and hit the corner of the Tracy Kirby
workshop. Kirby and his son were in
side. Kirby’s car, truck and a corn
picker were also damaged.
Eason will be charged wiith reckless
driving.
another referendum. He added that
Edenton Jaycees have agreed to promote
the referendum throughout Chowan
County.
The problem of providing adequate
ambulance service in Chowan County
was temporarily resolved when com
missioners voted to contribute S2BO per
month to Edenton-Chowan Rescue
Squad. The rescue squad will provide
the service.
Continued on Pag* 4
size of the plant in the Edenton area.
A whirlwind, 10-day survey was con
ducted. Officials of the company ex
pressed satisfaction with the results.
Extensive clearing operations have
been completed on the optioned tract
and Chris-Craft is expected to purchase
the property from Edenton - Chowan
Airport Commission in the very near fu
ture.
A chamber of commerce spokesman
Ditch Work
Interest Low
Town Council apparently made little*
headway Tuesday night toward getting
property owners interested in participat
ing in the closing of side ditches.
At a public hearing attended primarily
by Negro citizens, the town’s policy was
again explained. Mayor John A. Mitch
ener, Jr., said if 51 per cent of the
property owners in a given area, repre
senting ownership of 51 per cent of the
property petitioned the council the ditch
es would be closed with the cost of the
pipe being charged to the property
owner.
Also, Town Administrator W. B. Gard
ner said the council could make financial
arrangements where the property owner’s
share could be repaid over a three-year
period with no interest being charged.
Several speakers pointed out that they
had been paying taxes for years and
couldn’t understand why they must now
pay for pipe to close the ditches. At
tempts were made to show that partici
pation by the benefitting property own
ers was the only fairway to get the work
done.
As the meeting turned from hearing
on closing open side ditches into a dis
cussion of town drainage problems, one
spokesman said: “You fix the ditches
and send us the bill.”
When questioned by Mayor Mitch
ener, the speaker, Norman Brinkley, said
he meant send the bill in the form of
taxes. He said he favored increasing the
current $1 tax levy in order to get the
work done.
Turning to the Administrator, he said:
“Mr. Gardner, you go ahead and fix up
this town and tax the people for it.”
Mayor Mitchener said nothing would
please him more than to have all the
Continued on Page 4
Cancer Meeting
American Cancer Society volunteers
from a 12-county area will be in Eden
ton October 12 attending a Public Edu
cation Workshop.
Mrs. Ruth Peterson of Greenville, area
director, said the program will begin at
9:30 A. M., at Edenton Restaurant. Ad
journment is set for 3:30 P. M.
At the morning session, Dr. Fleming
Fuller of Kinston, a past president of
the North Carolina Division, will be the
speaker.
During the afternoon session, a panel
discussion will be conducted on the topic:
“How To Establish An Education Pro
gram”. Moderator will be Dr. Julian
Hoffman of Roanoke Rapids, N. C.
Division public education chairman.
Chamber Banquet Scheduled Tonight
The annual membership of Edenton
Chamber of Commerce tonight (Thurs
day) will climax a successful year and
launch what is expected to be another
banner campaign for development in the
area.
W. J. P. Earnhardt, Sr., newly elected
president, has announced that Bill Bunch
has accepted chairmanship of the im
portant membership committee.
Bunch in turn announced that the
kick-off breakfast for workers will be
held at 7:30 A. M., Friday at Edenton
Restaurant. The dutch event will be
the beginning of the membership cam
paign.
Bunch is an employee of Peoples Bank
& Trust Company and recently was elect
ed a chamber director. He has been
active in numerous other community ac
tivities, including Edenton Jaycees.
The annual meeting begins at 7:30
said without the complete cooperation
of people in various agencies and or
ganizations, Chris-Craft would not be so
far along with plans for a plant in Eden
ton. He especially singled out the Cho
wan County Board of Commissioners
for praise.
The firm plans to erect a modern
manufacturing facility for .construction
of fiberglass yachts—sail as well as mo
tor driven crafts.
Chief James H. Griffin
New Post Taken
By Chief Griffin
Police Chief James H. Griffin has re
signed and accepted a similar position
in Sanford.
Chief Griffin is leaving Edenton on
October 20, it was learned Tuesday. The
Sanford Police Department has a
strength of more thain 34 men—nearly
three times the size of the one here.
Mayor John A. Mitchener, Jr., told
Town Councilmen at a special meeting
Tuesday night of Chief Griffin's resig
nation. The letter to the mayor was
dated September 30.
In it the young police executive said
the challenge offered by the Sanford de
partment was one he simply could not
turn down.
Chief Griffin thanked the mayor, Town
Councilmen and Administrator W. B.
Gardner for the cooperation demonstrat
ed in the past. He added that it had
been a privilege to serve the people of
Edenton in the capacity of police chief.
In Sanford, Chief Griffin, 36, will re
place William D. Brooks who moves to
Gastonia to head the Gaston County
Rural Police.
Chief Griffin has been in police work
since 1952, and came to Edenton from
Kinston in March, 1963. He resigned
late in 1965 and for three months was
a State Parole Officer. He returned
January 1, 1966, and resumed his du
ties as chief.
He said Tuesday his efforts in Eden
ton had been directed for impartial en
forcement of the law and up-grading of
the police department. The department
has grown from six to 12 employees and
officers have been encouraged to take
professional training.
Chief Griffin has been active in the
Coastal Plains Chief of Police Associa
tion and is currently serving as presi
dent, N. C. Law Enforcement Officers
Association.
P. M., at Chowan Golf & Country Club.
W. B. Gardner, who headed the cham
ber during a year when the amount col
lected for membership exceeded a record
$14,000, will preside at the banquet. He
will briefly recap activities during the
year prior to turning over the reins to
Earnhardt.
Earnhardt will set the goals for the
coming year as well as name committee
chairmen.
Speaker for the event will be Eld P.
Blair, Craven County educator who is a
popular humorist.
Blair, a native of Greensboro, has been
a teacher, coach and principal for 30
years. He currently serves as principal
at West Havelock Elementary School.
He has addressed school groups, Ma
sonic groups and civic clubs in North
and South Carolina.
Alton Elmore, a past chamber presi
dent, is banquet chairman.