Isl mm
Cause For Alarm
The Albemarle Sound Bridge is
a vital link between Chowan and
Washington counties. More than
that, it is important to the social
and economic welfare of North
eastern North Carolina.
At the age of 45 years, the
lengthy span has become
dangerous to the motoring public.
The poor structural condition of
the bridge is cause for alarm.
Bridges are rated on a scale of
one to 100. Those passageways
which are falling in are on the low
end, while newly constructed ones
rank at the top. Where does the
Albemarle Sound Bridge rank?
Four! Yes, four; and if this fact
isn’t cause for alarm nothing is
along the Public Parade.
The State Department of
Transportation has been planning
to replace the 18,200 - foot span for
a number of years. Their efforts
were increased after a hard freeze
in 1977 damaged some 150 pilings.
More recent surveys indicated
continuing deterioration and
rotting of the pilings.
In 1980 it was estimated that the
remaining life of the bridge would
be five years, which is two and one
- half years from now. If the DOT
had the s4l - million (it was S2B -
million a while back) replacement
cost in hand today, it is doubtful
that the structure could be
replaced by 1985.
The kicker lies in the fact that
DOT doesn’t have the money. The
bridge has had a top DOT priority
for federal funds for some time.
But in recent years the Federal
Bridge Replac nent
Discretionary Fund has not been
replinished often enough. In fact,
last year Congress appropriated
only $l5O - million to this fund. It
would take 27 per pent of this
amount to replace the Albemarle
Sound Bridge alone. '
Chowan County commissioners,
working with DOT and Edenton -
Chowan Chamber of Commerce, is
launching a long overdue com
paign to seek public support for
the replacement project. As much
documentation as possible is
needed, and certainly a factual
and emotional case can be made,
to present to the Congressional
delegation.
While leadership for the project
must come from county and
business officials, everyone
meandering along the Public
Parade has an interest in this
project. We must all do our share.
One way is to write, in your own
words, how you feel the com
munity depends on the bridge;
how it effects your life; how it
provides the vital link needed in
the Albemarle. Such citizen
testimony weighs heavily in
Congressional quarters. The letter
should be sent to Cliff Copeland,
county manager, who is coor
dinating the efforts.
Because of the seriousness of the
situation, no stone should be left
unturned in garnering a successful
campaign. Not the least of which
is the fact that President Reagan
carried Rocky Hock Precinct in
1980, which was in itself a cause
for alarm.
✓
Business Notes
Two business along the Public
Parade have made good news
recently. They are: Bank of North
Carolina, N.A., and Food Town
Stores, Inc.
The stockholders of BNC
recently overwhelmingly ap
proved a merger with N.C.
National Bank, the Charlotte
based financial institution whici.
a giant in the industry. The date of
the transfer has not been set.
But something which was set
recently was BNC’s second
quarter income. Compared with
the same period of 1981, the in
come increase was 97 per cent.
Improved earnings reflect con
tinued progress towards attaining
an earnings level consistent with
other bank holding companies of
its size.
At the same time, Food Town,
which has a store in Edenton
Village Shopping Center on North
Broad Street, was ranked 44th in
Continued On Pace 4
Bloodmohile To Visit - Tuesday From Noon To 6 P.M., Chowan Hospital. Goal: 150 Pints
wz* if* grf 195
I■ M f mill v JMri'l im 'm » m Mm, 'Wmm | m | m ;
" v &<*.-■ y-y t ' M ■■■■. • ... / ■-■■■■■■ •; %
Volume XLVII • No. 27
Council Hears Plans For “Slum” Area
A $748,000 renovation to take
place in the “slums” located on
Albemarle Street was discussed in
one of two public hearings
Tuesday night, highlighting the
July session of the Town Council
meeting.
_—(_ i
CARTERET STREET
j
j ; : Ok j
a fiS s’] §*■»»••«*
; 11 . a HPT |
• ] - i*! 'te {Bj
fix .u£fA. jy_JiWs wuu i
! ALBEMARLE U....,vit §
• olpP®. up mis h
£ : ; • “ j rj *
J ! : jp«i *’ ij
• } j
j X ' Iv, ■? liL ! S : i__i • J
LEGEND « W=> ! t-j '»
- i * ■ fly g
jfiftrr niMßiii . n rrraMk g
l:— public & semi public -- r-' —I -r-—~1 — t~t- -
p.p.ffpf.a i
WAREHOUSE f : o!
I WrM ® /
' ...J,: ■•■■■ngf I
BUILDING CONDITION j ; f '
I 1 standard ! "-i : . l Q ■-j .
I | or in need of minor repairs only }
DETERIORATED " 1 SP TPhS;-. t } ’
in need of major repairs-suitable for rehabilitation By
■ DILAPIDATED
fl appears economically infeasable to rehabilitate CHURCH STREET
■ ■■■■COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AREA
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT—Shown above is the concentrated area that could undergo
renovation in Edenton if a Housing Development Block Grant application is accepted. The plans
were presented by a spokesman for HUD at the Town Council meeting Tuesday night. According to
the spokesman about 60 to 70 applications will be accepted out of more than hundreds submitted.
WF
H| mf^
■^Br
WBm? ' *
pr ;
Charles Scott Williams
Hertford Man
Accident Victim
Tragedy reared its ugly head in
the small town of Hertford,
N.C. last Saturday when a 19 year
old Hertford resident was killed
after his automobile was struck by
a Norfolk Southern Railway train.
Charles Scott Williams, an
honor student at College of The
Albemarle, was fatally injured at
3:45 P.M. when he attempted to
cross the train tracks at West
Railroad and Grubb streets in the
path of an oncoming freight train.
Lindell Allan Harris, engineer
on the Norfolk bound train, said he
saw Williams driving parallel to
the tracks on Railroad St. toward
the intersection and attempted to
cross in front of the locomotive.
Harris sounded a warning blast
and said the car seemingly stalled.
The train was going ap
proximately 20 MPH at the time of
the collision.
According to Hertford Police
Chief Marshall Merritt, who in
vestigated the accident, the train
pushed die car about a half mile
down the railroad tracks over the
Perquimans River. Hie Hertford
Volunteer Rescue Squad had to
use a small boat to-receive the
victim's body once it was taken
Continued On Page 4
Edenton, North Carolina, Thursday, July 15, 1982
The spokesman for H.U.D. at
the meeting said “the land would
be cleared then sold to a developer
to construct the facilities in a
proper and decent manner. He
said there would be a relocation
assistance for families living in
i
I
Symphony Chapter Is Conducting Fund Drive
The Chowan County chapter of
the North Carolina Symphony is
currently conducting it’s annual
membership drive, and has an
nounced some exciting differences
from last years’ drive. In 1981,
membership was automatic with
the purchase of a symphony
concert ticket. For the 1982-1983
season, the two are separate and
the benefits are greatly increased.
Bloodmobile
To Visit Tues.
The Red Cross Bloodmobile will
visit Edenton next Tuesday (July
20) at the Chowan Hospital.
Sponsored by the Edenton
Jaycess, the Bloodmobile’s goal is
150 pints.
According to Bruce Wackelin,
Chairman of the Bloodmobile,
“Blood collection is down this
summer. We need everyone to
come out and donate. In order to
get our goal of 150 pints of blood,
we need around 175-180 possible
donors.”
In the summer months, blood
collections are down while the
blood usage is up. Many hospitals
have to postpone elective surgery
because of the lack of certain
types of blood. Especially needed
are type O and type B blood.
Town and County employees
also have a reason to donate. Their
respective employers are doing
battle to see who has the most
donors. The one with the highest
donation rate receives a traveling
trophy until the next Bloodmobile.
The Town and County are
currently tied with a score of two.
The American Legion Ladies
Auxilary will be providing the
canteen for the Bloodmobile.
Appointments for donations can be
made by calling Bruce Wackelin
at 482-2792 or 482-7435.
The Edenton Jaycees goal is to
put back in the hospital all the
blood that is taken out. Let’s help
make the goal successful.
the area.
“We are going to remove all
delapidated buildings and
blighting and unsightly in
fluences” he said.
Families having to relocate will
receive $2,000 and probably an
i
This year, in a joint effort with
the gift solicitations committee,
the symphony is offering the
opportunity to support their work
and reap the benefits thereof to
local businesses and
organizations. This week, letters
were sent to key businesses in the
area asking them to support the
resolution to bring live symphony
music to the school children of
Chowan County. By making a
pledge of S2O or more, any in
terested individual, family,
business or organization will
receive these excluseve benefits:
Individual (S2O) - Family ($35);
Statewide schedule including
programs. Newsletter. Invitation
to Annual Meeting. Advance
notice of special events. Listing in
annual “Honor Roll of Con
tributors.”
Donor (SSO - $99): All of the
above, plus: Invitation to special
»' gm . f>- <*?(0 '■'
CHOWAN ARTS COUNCIL MAKES DONATION—Tom
Phillips, past president of the Chowan Arts Council, hands Mary
Rhea Gardner, president of the Edenton Chapter of the N.C.
Symphony, a check in the amount of SI,OOO. The donation to the
symphony organization from the Arts Council will greatly help
out.
Renovations
SB,OOO loan, he said. If there are
inhabitants unwilling to relocate,
it was said that the State could
force them to do so. This is the
third attempt on the Block Grant
application.
Os the total cost, $68,000 would
be funded by the State, $12,000
would come from resale of the
land and they are asking the
government to carry out the
remaining $668,000.
A $7.4 million r jnovation at the
County airport was discussed in
the second hearing.
The Council accepted a proposal
by Buck Kennedy of L.E. Wooten
and Co. for enlarging the water
pumping capacity at the County
Airport, which would also call for
renovations in the electrical
system.
There are a couple of homes
located near the renovation sight.
According to Kennedy there could
be minor conflicts with the home
owners.
The renovation would mean a
cost increase in sewer rates. The
budget for sewer would also in
crease from $225,000 annually to
$325,000 funded from Fiscal Year
1982 funds.
The construction would begin in
1983 and require 15 to 18 months.
According to reports the En
vironmental Protection Agency
would fund 85 per cent of the
estimated cost while State and
local would fund 7.5 per cent each.
In other business the Council:
-placed a Ford bus and a Ford
car up for auction.
-adopted a resolution in support
of the Chowan County River
Bridge.
-granted Rowson Funeral Home
permission to make a 16 x 16 foot
addition to his building.
-adopted a resolution of ap
preciation for L.C. Parks who
retired as Fire Chief.
regional reception to meet con
ductor and-or guest soloist. Listing
in local concert program. In
vitation to dress-rehearsal of
“Nutcracker.”
Supporter (SIOO - $249): All of
the above, plus: Invitation to open
rehearsals of the N.C. Symphony.
Sponsor ($250 - $499): All of the
above, plus: Invitation to travel
once a year as a group to a special
North Carolina Symphony concert
and reception.
Patron (SSOO - $999): All of the
above, plus: A special full sym
phony educational concert and
demonstration for Patrons,
Benefactors, and, .all .N.orth
Carolina State Legislators.
Benefactor (SI,OOO plus): All ot
the above, plus: Listing in all
programs statewide.
Several local organizations have
already pledged financial support
Continued On Page 4
Single Copies 25 Cents
mm - £ * &■?s %
Donald G. Pierce
...nrst officer of
ill-fated jet
First Officer Is
Crash Victim
By Richard Williams
It has been almost a week since
a Pan American World Airways
jetliner crashed in New Orleans,
killing 153 people. But the
mourning of Wilbur and Christine
Pierce continues.
Their son, Donald Gerard
Pierce, was a first officer on the
Boeing 727 plane that plunged to
the ground in a residential area
Friday shortly after takeoff from
the New Orleans International
Airport.
Pierce, 32, who was flying the
airplane, was listed among the 153
killed; all 145 people aboard the jet
and at least eight on the ground.
It was the second-worst U.S.
Airline disaster.
The Pan-Am jet plunged into the
suburban Kenner neighborhood
less than two minutes after it lifted
off in a thunderstorm. They were
on their way to Las Vegas, Nev.,
and then to San Diego.
After watching the crash on T.V.
Continued On Page 4
S4O-Million Funds
Get Approval
FONTANA DAM-The N.C.
Board of Transportation, at its
monthly meeting here, approved
S4O-million on a county-by-county
basis for secondary road con
struction improvements. This
appropriation was allocated by the
1982 General Assembly.
In February the board approved
$lO-million from 1977 bond funds
for secondary road im
provements. That allocation
represented the last of the bond
monies designated for secondary
roads. Total funding for im
provements to secondary roads
statewide for this calendar year
(1982) is approximately SSO
-
According to State Trans
portation Secretary William R.
Roberson Jr., “Without the 1981
General Assembly’s passage of
Governor Jim Hunt’s ‘God
Roads’ program, the S4O-million in
funding to improve our secondary
roads system would not have been
available. We are, indeed, ap
preciative of the General
Assembly’s decision, enabling us
to improve and maintain an all
weather secondary road net
work.”
The amount of funding for each
county is determined by a formula
established by the state
legislature. According to the
formula, every county receives a
percentage of the total funds
based on the unpaved secondary
roads in the county in relationship
to the total milleage of unpaved
secondary roads in the state.
Board members have been
meeting with the 100 county
boards of commissioners in public
meetings across the state to
review and approve projects to
utilize these funds.
According to Secretary
Roberson as of January 1. 1982,
Continued On Page 4