Volume XXXVI—No. 45.
1® County, Town To Share Nearly 10% Windfall
Cnowan Voters approve Sales Tax In All Boxes
Chowan and 24 other Tar Heel coun
ties approved the local option sales tax
in an unusual referendum Tuesday. The
additional 1 per cent sales tax will be
come effective in the 25 counties on
March 1, 1970.
The vote in Chowan was nearly 2-1
in favor of the proposal. The measure
passed in all six precincts with the final
vote being 722 for and 485 against.
Early Wednesday morning The Asso
ciated Press computed an estimate of
how the tax will be divided among par
ticipating counties. One-half of the
money collected comes directly back to
the county in which it is collected. The
Public Parade
Simple , But ...
One of the few things which hasn’t
benefitted (?) from change is the voting
process. It has been called to our at
tention that at least one prominent (?)
Republican who meanders along the
Public Parade, however, hasn’t become
familiar with the system.
First, you must register. Then on
election day you must go to the polls.
Thirdly, you must make a mark in the
squares provided . . . provided you have
done the first two things.
If there are further questions Mrs.
Sadie Hoskins, chairman, Chowan Coun
ty Board of Elections, has the answers,
Polite Pranksters
If the trick or treaters had two nights
of fun, and if as a resident you had to
put up with it twice, we plead guilty.
Regardless of what we announced, Fri
day was Halloween.
From all reports, those who meander
along the Public Parade paid more at-~
tentiori to the Town Council resolution
f and the plea of a sane celebration than
of the error in time. ,
It was one of the quietest Halloweens
anyone here can remember. It was en
joyed by the small children because the
teen-agers stayed home. Everyone, es
pecially the law enforcement officers
and town councilmen, are to be com
mended for the manner in which the
celebration went.
As for our part, the mistake was hard
to take. It was the first one we had
ever made, you know.
Goodbye, Charlie
The exit of C. W. (Charlie) Overman
from the farm scene along the Public
Parade leaves a void which will be diffi
cult to fill. For in the minds of many,
Charlie Overman has no peer in his pro
fession in Northeastern North Carolina.
In the nearly 29 years he served as
county farm agent he worked tirelessly,
with dedication and sincerity, to im
prove the lot of those who till the soil
for their living. At the same time he
worked with equal vigor to close the gap
between country and city folk. He num
bered among those who believed every
one could live in harmony and with
equal respect regardless of how he made
his daily bread.
Anyone who worked with as many
people as Charlie Overman naturally
found those who were not in accord
with his thinking or his methods. The
same folk, nevertheless, did not question
his unwaivering integrity and devotion
to duty.
Charlie Overman possesses qualities
greatly sought but seldom obtained by
many who must deal with a variety of
people. He talked the farmer’s language
when it came to getting things done on
the farm. He talked the scientific langu
age of the specialists. He talked the
businessman’s language when he needed
cooperation for a particular program
or project.
He had the ability to get along with
folks; the knack of getting them to adopt
new methods without dictating;-the re
spect which could only be gained
through experience and successful en
deavors. ..
But now Charlie Overman has retired.
He quit at a time when his health is
such that he can still enjoy life—some
thing he did and inspired others to do.
IL . Chowan County commissioners have
* given no indication as to who they will
name or when the replacement will be
chosen. In the interim period they have
man ru “ ing “k
THE CHOWAN HERALD
remaining one-half goes into a pool fund
to be disbursed on a population basis.
It has been estimated that Chowan
County will collect $130,000 the first
year from the additional tax. It is furth
er estimated that $140,376 will be split
between the county and the Town of
Edenton—slo7,lsl for the county; and
$33,225 for the town. These figures
will vary somewhat, however, since the
town limits have been extended since
the population figures were compiled.
Neighboring Perquimans County and
its two municipalities will receive $23,-
784 more than is collected, according to
the estimates. The county would col
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WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE—Edentonians awoke Sunday morning to find a gracious plenty of water everywhere. A storm
Saturday night and Sunday morning dumped a mighty lot of water on the area and did considerable damage to trees. The pictures here
show how it looked at two sites in mid-morning. A car is shown moving along Water Street in front of Masonic Temple where water
was as much as three feet deep at times. The other is on Pembroke Circle where Filbert’s Creek flooded around the home of Mr. and
Mrs. W. P. Jones.
Housing Utility
Contracts Signed
The Board of Public Works Tuesday
night approved utility contracts with
Edenton Housing Authority for the 100-
unit low rent public housing project now
being developed.
The electrical contract calls for a rate
for a total electric project. The board
will furnish master meters at the sites
and the authority will construct and
maintain the system in the develop
ment.
Purchase of water and sewer service
will be handled in the same manner.
Jesse L. Harrell, chairman, explained
that the housing authority is being treat
ed in this matter as any other developer
and the same subdivision policy will be
in effect.
At the regular meeting, the board au
thorized Supt. Richard N. Hines, Sr.,
to make satisfactory settlement with C.
A. Benson for a hedge cut by the light
department to install a new service
line.
The superintendent was also instruct
ed to draft a policy dealing with provid
ing service to new customers.
Space In Class
Registration is still open for the Adult
Driver Education Class here, sponsored
by the College of the Albemarle.
Additional students, 18 years, of age
and older, are needed in order for this
class to be taught. Interested persons
may register tonight (Thursday) at John
A. Holmes High School or by calling the
Learning Resources Center here, phone
482-4745.
Fire Damages Rural Chowan Church
Fire of undetermined origin Sunday
did extensive damage to a portion of
historic Ballard’s Bridge Baptist Church
in rural Chowan County. The damage
has been estimated at upwards to
SIO,OOO.
Alert work of Center Hill-Crossroads
Volunteer Fire Department with mutual
aid from Edenton and Hertford, was
credited with containing the blaze to the
Sunday School section of the church.
The alarm was sounded at 7:30 A. M.
Sunday to Edenton Fire Department.
Ralph Hollowell, who lives nearby, spot
ted the blaze and turned in the alarm.
Edenton blows the fire horn at the
* g ton, Chowan County, North Carolina, Thursday, November 6, 1969.
lect $60,000 with the county receiving
$67,409; Town of Hertford, $13,463;
and Town of Winfall, $2,912.
Chowan Vote On Tax
Ptrecinct Yes No
East Edenton 195 186
West Edenton 283 174
Center Hill 83 30
Rocky Hock 65 36
Wardville 54 34
Yeopim 42 25
Total 722 485
Rural Low-Rent Housing Discussed
Chowan County commissioners plan
to meet at an early date to receive ad
ditional information concerning a possi
ble low-rent public housing project in
the rural area.
Chairman W. E. Bond was instructed
to arrange such a meeting with repre
sentatives of Economic Improvement
Council and Edenton Housing Authority
in attendance. He told the board at its
Gates Between Edenton Aces, Title
The curtain rings down Friday night
on the 2-A Albemarle Conference foot
ball season with the Edenton Aces meet
ing Gates County in the title game.
Game time is 8 P. M., at Gatesville.
Coach Marion Kirby takes his unde
feated conference team to the title match
fresh from a 20-6, come-from-behind win
at Plymouth last week.
The Edenton defense stiffened after
Plymouth shocked the team with a 73-
yard scoring pass play midway the initial
period. And at the same time the Eden
ton offense got rolling with Halfback
Mike Lamb scoring three TD’s.
Lamb, who has showed marked im
provement in the past few weeks, rushed
for 127 yards in 26 tries during the
evening. He scored on a nine-yard run
and twice from the one.
Quarterback Earl Chesson led the
Aces and his exceptionally fine punting
kept Plymouth deep in its own territory
most of the evening. Chesson’s first two
boots were downed on the Viking 13 and
one-yard lines.
Gigi Leary was another outstanding
back in Edenton’s offensive threat. He
set up an Edenton score on a pass from
Chesson which included some fine broken
field running. From the one Lamb went
they called for assistance. A pumper
and water truck was dispatched from
Edenton with additional equipment com
ing from Hertford.
Fireman Johnny Oliver of the Eden
ton department said the fire was pretty
much under control when the mutual aid
units arrived. Eighteen men from Eden
ton responded to the alarm.
The church is located on Highway 32,
13 miles north of Edenton.
Local firemen answered another alarm
Monday night at 7:15 o’clock. This
was to the home of Adia Austin, 202
North Oakum Street, where an oil stove
had exploded.
Fire Chief W. J. Yates said damage
to the structure owned by Charlie Jerni
gan was estimated at $2,500.
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Pasquotank County, while collecting
an estimated $384,000 will receive back
little more than $5,000 above this col
lection. It would be divided: Pasquo
tank County, $265,883 and City of Eliz
abeth City, $123,166.
Chowan County commissioners and
Edenton Town Council, in promoting a
favorable vote, went on record to use
the revenue from a local option sales
tax to reduce property taxes. The funds
anticipated equal 36 cents on the county
rate and 34 cents on the town rate.
The closest vote on the tax question
in Chowan County was in East Edenton
where those voting “yes” cast 195 bal
■■ Z^-^rnm
regular meeting Monday that EIC was
interested in getting rural programs un
derway.
L. F. Amburn, Jr., executive director,
Edenton Housing Authority, explained
the development program for a 100-unit
project here. He cited figures showing
that 50 per cent of the dwelling units in
Chowan County are considered unsound
and lacking adequate plumbing facilities.
over. Joe Bunch converted.
It was Leary who again put the Aces
in good position, just three plays later.
He intercepted a pass on the Edenton
47 and lugged it down to the Plymouth
32.
Adult Education
The Education Committee of Edenton
Chamber of Commerce is working with
the College of The Albemarle to make
adult education more meaningful and
easily available to residents in thee area.
N. J. George, a member of Edenton-
Chcwan Board of Education and com
mittee chairman, said efforts will be
made to increase participation at the
Learning Resources Center in Swain
School as well as make courses avail
able which will greatly benefit the
adults in the area.
Two such programs are already being
organized. One is a diploma program
for adults through the center. The oth
er is a flight instruction ground school.
George said there is a demand for both
programs in the area.
He said several people interested in
aviation have signed up for the instruc
tion and others can do so by calling Mrs.
Anne Britt at the Learning Resources
Center, 482-4745.
The center was established here sev
eral years ago by the College of the Al
bemarle after the chamber’s Education
Committee sought additional local fa
cilities from the college. Numerous
courses are available and the program
is designed for a student to progress at
his own speed with a qualified instruc
tor at all time.
Bond Sales Good
Chowan County has passed the three
quarter mark in the sale of U. S. Sav
ings Bonds for the current year.
R. Graham White, county volunteer
chairman, reports that through the month
of September, sales in Chowan County
amounted to $60,316, which is 76.7 per
cent of the county’s 1960 dollar quota.
Oil
I i i >■» I
Single Copy 10 Cents
lots while those marking their ballots
“no” put 186 in the box.
C. A. Phillips, a member of Chowan
County Board of Commissioners and
chairman of the commission-council
committee directing the educational cam
paign concerning the referendum said:
“We are pleased the voters in Edenton
and Chowan County approved this issue.
“It was a last-ditch effort to broaden
the tax base and allow governing boards
to give some relief to the overworked
tax on property. The future will bear
out this decision by the voters was a
wise one and that the sales tax is a good
and fair tax.”
Other houses are overcrowded.
At an area meeting Thursday, a rep
resentative of Housing < d Urban De
velopment explained that iow-rent pub
lic housing is a program which does not
cost the county any money.
He said a Market Analysis showed
HUD could approve an application for
as many as 89 units for Chowan County
without further investigation. This could
mean an addition of sl-million or more
in assessed valuation.
It was also pointed out that the coun
ty could work through an existing hous
ing authority and cut a considerable
amount of red tape involved in getting
safe, sound and sanitary housing avail
able for occupancy. v
Sheriff Troy Toppin, representing
Chowan Ruritan Club, called to the com
missioners’ attention some hazardous
roads in the county. He said the club
had formed a safety committee to seek
corrections to the problems.
Commissioner C. A. Phillips said the
county should take more interest in
highway safety and work more closely
with the sheriff and highway patrol on
the problem. The board asked Sheriff
Toppin to coordinate such a plan.
Commissioner David Bateman said he
ConMnuad on Pag* 4
Activities Planned
An expanded program of activities is
planned at the Confederate Plaza at the
foot of Broad Street on Veterans Day,
which is Tuesday.
Capt. Kenneth L. Stalls (NCNG) is
chairman of the program which begins
at 11 A. M. He said interested citizens,
the VFW, American Legion and National
Guard are joining in the ceremony to re
member those that served and are now
serving in the Armed Forces of the
U. S.
One feature of the expanded program
will be a short address by Mayor George
Alma Byrum from the steps of the Mu
nicipal Building. This will follow the
placing of a wreath at the monument by
Sheriff Troy Toppin, American Legion
commander, and Lt. Col. Herbert Bass
(Ret.), as the John A. Holmes High
School Band plays the National Anthem.
Rev. Warren Nance of First Presby
terian Church will offer the prayer and
the National Guard will fire a seven
round volly as the band plays “America”:/;
Participating units will meet at Broad '
and Queen Streets at 10:45 A. M., Tues
day to form for the short parade down
Broad Street to the plaza. They will
include the VFW Color Guard from
Elizabeth City; the Holmes Band; Na
tional Guard personnel, VFW personnel
from Edentoe and the police and sher-
UTs (Jeoartmenti.