Hertford County Hirald
THIRD NEWSIEST WEEKLY PAPER IN THE STATE A PAPER WORTH WHILE BEST ADVERTISING MEDIUM IN EASTERN CAROLINA
Volume XIII. Twelve Pages Ahoskie, North Carolina, Friday, January 26, 1923 One Section No. 38
?
MR. HART INTENDS
TO BUILD HIGHWAY
OF HARDMATERIAL
District Commissioner and State
Highway Commission Say
All Promises Will Be
Kept
STATE PAPERS CARRY
A DIFFERENT STORY
Is Now Working On Largest
Project Yet Undertaken In
Any County _
Letters received in Ahoskie,
coming from District Highway
Commissioner W. A. Hart, and
"Frank Page, Chairman of the
State Highway Commission
state that all promises made to
Hertford County in the con
struction of State roads will be
fully carried out. Mr. Page
says in his letter "There has
been no change in the plans of
the Commissioner from the
First District, nor the chairman
of the State Highway Commis
sion relative to the proposed
construction in , your county."
Here is what Mr. Hart says:
"I have never made any prom
ises to Hertford County except
to say that I would do the best
I coud for them, and I expect
to do it." In another para
graph of the same letter, which
was written to the secretary of
the Ahoskie Chamber of Com
merce Mr. Hart says "I am do- ?
ing far more for your county
than you re&lize. I am working
hard on the largest project
that has been undertaken by
me in any county; and, I be
lieve if I live it will be put
through. But it takes time. It
is a stupendous task, a lot of
hard lot, without any com
pensation whatever."
Having no information about what
Mr. Hart refers to except such as is
contained in the above paragraph, it
is presumed reference is made te
the bridge across Chowan River at
Winton. It is well remembered that
Mr. Hart, speaking at Winton two
years ago, said that was one project
he expected to put through, adding
"I want my name emblasoned upon
that bridge and I want everybody to
know that I built that bridge."
Hertford County citisens have been
laboring under in impression that
the Aulander-Winton road would be
constructed of hard-surfaced mater
ials, and a small delegation of Ahos
kie persons arranged a meeting with
Mr. Hart in an effort to learn what
his plans were for this highway. Al
though no definite promises were
made, he said he would exert every
effort to make it hard-turfaced, at
least part of the way, and would com
plete it all the way with aid from the
county. Later messages were pur
ported to be received here by some
of the same delegation, from Mr Hart
saying he would probably make of it
a 9-foot hard surfaced road all the
way, and would use only state funds.
- When the Associated Press carried
the news that this -road would be a
soil road, the local chamber of com
merce sought light from the district
commissioner and the state commis
sion. A later article appearing in the
News and -Observer stated that the
contract would be let for a gravel
road. Mr. Hart says this about the
advertised letting: "As a matter of
fact, the road in question has been
advertised to be let for grading,
which always has to be done ttfore
the surfacing is put on; as I have
made it a positive rule never to grade
and surface at the same time."
The peqple of this county and. this
newspaper is willing to adcept Mr.
i Hart's explanation of the nature of
the contract to be let. There has
been misleading information coming
put of some source, neither the 'Asso
* ciated Press nor the News and Ob
? server having published that it would
be graded only.
So far as the Windsor-Aulander
road is concerned, advices from Mr.
ICE FACTORY WILL
NOT USEJURRENT
1OO-H orsepower Crude Oil En
gine In Process of Installa
tion Here
PROBABLY MEAfyS NO
? DAY ELECTRICITY
'It has come to the point
where a 'survival of the fittest'
is causing us to make changfes
in each of our ice plants, at
Ahoskie, Edenton and Eliza
beth City," said Mr. E. R. Cong
er, President of the company
which has its headquarters at
Edenton, when stating his rea
sons for discontinuing the use
of electric current to run his
plant in Ahoskie. Mr. Conger
met with the town council
Monday night, in response to
a tentative proposition made
his company by the town, for
a contract to furnish power for
the Ahoskie ice factory during
the season of 1923.
For the put three years, the ice
plant here has used morel or less
municipal electric current for their
motive power. Through arrange
ment with this company, Ahoskie en
terprises of less magnitude have been
furnished with a 24-hour electric ser
vice for about four or five months.
However, with the announcement by
Mr. Conger that the company will
generate its own power comes the
inevitable prospect of only night ser
vice this summer. The local ice
plant will use a minimum of current
provided a 24-hour service is inaug
urated this summer, as they now have
several small motors that could be
profitably connected with the town
light plant.
A 100-horae power crude oil engine
will be installed at the ice plant, and
will take the place of the large
50-horsepower motor formerly used to
run the plant. Ur. Conger is here
this week superintending the con
struction of a cement foundation for
the engine which has not arrived yet.
A large tank for storing the crude
oil has been unloaded, and will be
put into place on the lof next to the
engine room. It is of 18,000 gallons
capacity.
.. There will be no addition made to
the tonnage capacity of the ice plant,
although mere extensive storage
rooms will be built. Plana call for
storage space of double the present
size.
Mr. Conger and his associates be
lieve aN crude oil engine can be oper
ated at much less cost than either
electric power (a^ prevailing rates)
or steam engines. "This is more or
less an experiment with us," Mr.
Conger says, but adds further that in
vestigation of the records of similar
crude oil engines show a very low
operating cost and a reasonable
length of service from the engine.
ORDINANCES WILL BE
PRINTED IN PAMPHLET
Newly Adopted Laws Published . In
This luue Will Bo Codified For
Distribution
After several special sessions with
in the past three weeks or more, the
Ahoskie towi^ council" has concluded
the passing of ordinances. In this
issue of the HERALD is a complete
list of the town's laws as they were
enacted by the council. Copies of
the ordinances as appearing in the
paper will be posted for public in
formation.
At a meeting to be called soon, the
ordinances will be codified and ar
ranged for permanent record on the
town's books. The ordinances as
adopted will also be published in
pamphlet form, and copies distribut
ed to the town's citisens.
" . 1 1
Mr. S. P. Watson was a business
visitor in Murfreesboro last Satur
day- ,
Hart tally with the information car
ried in the 8tate papers that.it would
be graded only. It will be hard-sur
faeed later. The information car
ried in the HERALD about the Wind
sor-Aulander road 'was correct in
every detail.
St. Johns Township Is The Second
Largest Taxpayer In The County
Next to Ahoskie, St. Johns township is the largest tax
payer in the county for schools, roads and general county ex
penses, The total value of all real and personal property in
St. Johns township is $1,680,480, divided among whites and
colored as follows: white, $1,476,233; colored, $205,247.
Taxpayers in St. Johns township will pay into the county
treasury in 1922 taxes the total amotint of $15,460.41 County
schools will get $8.738.49 of that amount; roads will receive
$4,201.20; and $2,520.72 of the taxes paid by these taxpayers
will help keep up the county expenses.
There are within the township 241 white persons who
pay poll tax, and 306 colored poll taxpayers. White persons
own 40,103 acres of real estate, valued at $1,137,599; colored
persons own 4,654 acres, valued at $145,347, the two totaling
44,757 acres with.a total value of $1,282,946. Timber lands
are listed at a total value of $3,000; and timber rights at
$8,481, all of which is listed by white persons in the township.
Town lots in St. Johns do not cut a very big figure, as the
villages of St. Johns and Menola constitute the only town
property in the township. . There are 38 town lots listed, 30 by
whites and 8 by negroes, at a total value of $29,770. The aggre
gate value of real estate, in the township is $1,324,197, white
persons owning all but $148,447 of the amount.
Personal property listed in St. Johns township is as follows:
Merchandise?$8,745 by whites, $200 by negroes; mater
ial being manufactured?$3,190 all owned by white persons;
household and kitchen furniture, less the $300 exemption pro
vided by statute?$17,787 by whites, $2,341 by - negroes;
horses?174 listed by whites at value of $12,020, 189 listed by
negroes at value of $11,695; mules-~360 listed by whites at
??alue of $26,870, 218 by negroes at $17,245; one jack listed
by negro and valued at $50; sheep?80 listed by whites at value
of $240; goats?59 by whites at value of $59, 49 by negroes at
$49; hogs?2,354 listed by whites at value of $5,730, 1,857 by
negroes at $4,835; milk cattle?205 by whites at value of
33,950, 174 by negroes at $3,115; other cattle?314 by whites
at value of $145, 1 by negro at $25; firearms, etc. listed under
items 53-80?$20,114 by whites, $7,875 listed by negroes; soli
vent credits?listed by whites $197,562, by negroes $8,237.
Personal property listed for taxation in St. Johns township
is valued at $356,283. Of that amount white persons list
$299,483, and colored persons $56,800.
SELECTION OF PURE SEED 1
NECESSARY FOR FARMER
Yield From Field Selected Cot-;
. ton Hu Been Greater In
Every Instance
(By H. L. MILLER)
For two successive years now we
have proven that it is costing the
farmers in this county from 75 to 100
pounds of lint cotton per acre to plant
seed that are not carefully field se
lected each year. Even if you did
get your seed direct from a reliable
seed breeder, if you have been plant
ing them for more than two years,
then you are taking this 75 to 100
pound loss per acre, and this isn't
guess work as an acre or an estimate
either, for we have tried it out on
dozens of farms in the county, using
seed direct from a good seed'breeder,
side by side with seed grown here in
the count? for three or four years. In
every case the pure bred seed have
outyielded the other seed by quite a
bit, the average being to be exact,
81 pounds of lint per acre.
You will probably say that it is
too much trouble to field select your
seed, besides you don't know how.
Or you'\may say that it is too expen
sive to buy your seed from a breeder
each year. But both of those excuses,
(they are not reasons) are easily
brushed aside if you really want the
beet.
Here is my suggestion, buy one
bushel ef the best seed that can be
had, from the best breeder in the
best breeder in the country, for each
ten acres you expect to plant next
year. Then save these seed carefully
next fall and you will have seed only
one year from a breeder for your
general crop next year. Then of
course plant your seed patch again
with seed direct from the breeder.
In this way you will never have to
spend much on good seed, nor you
won't have the trouble of field select
ion, and you will always keep up your
strain of seed.
If you want the addresses of the
best breeders of cotton seed for our
section, I will be glad to furnish name
upon request- dbod seed are scarce
this season, so w you want any buy
them early.
.
r METHODIST MINISTER ILL
Rev. J. M- Bryant, pastor of the
M. E. Church, is confined to his
room at Hie home of Mr. and Mrs. M.
O. Gerock. with the chickenpox.
BIG 10-DAY SALE TO
BEGIN NEXT WEDNESDAY
Persons throughout Hertford
and Bertie counties, as well as
buyers from some parts of Gates
county await with eager antici
pation each year the big sale
conducted in Ahoskie by the
Ahoskie Department Store. Year
after year, this local concern
has put on this sale which is ad
vertised and strictly carried out
as a bona fide proposition in
which every article is marked
right down at cost and below.
This year their sale will begin
on Wednesday, January 31, and
continue for ten successive days,
Saturday, February 10th being
the last day. Advertisements in
circular form, and a two-page
"spread" in this issue ? of the
HERALD tell of the wonderful
bargains offered in Ahoskie?
at this big department store.
Courteous, affable, and busi
ness-like clerks will handle the
enormous amount of goods that
will go across the shelves of the
Ahoskie Department Store dur
ng their sale, gnd every buyer
will be shown the usual consid
eration and fairness which this
house is known to give all its
. ..customers.
ERECTING RESIDENCE
The two-story frame residence of
J. A. Horton on HcGlohon street,
n^xt to the garage built by Hobbs
Motor Company, is now nearing com
pletion. Mr. Horton will conduct a
garage and repair shop in the build
ing next to his new home.
MR. HOLLO MAN SICK
The friends of Mr. Bob Holloman
will regret to learn that he is confined
ta his bed by sickness. His condition
has been eery low for several days.
BASKETBALL CAME
The boys' basketball team of the
Ahoskie High School will stack up
against the fast Rich Square team
in tkje Farmers Warehouse here, Frit
day afternoon at four o'clock. The
local boys have made a fine record
this season, and right, now are in tip
top form. Their recent victories over
Drivers, Va., and Tarboro have
stamped this aggregation as a strong
contender for honors in Eastern Car
olina. Lovers of this indoor sport
* CHAMBER OF COMMERCE *
* SEEKING NEW SECRETARY ?
w *
* Correspondence with Noroien *
* Y. Chambliss, president of the *
* Secretarial Association of the *
* State, has brought advices to V. *
* D. Strickland, president of the *
* Ahoskie Chamber of Commerce, *
* that Ahoskie can secure the ser- *
* vices of a very competent secre- ?
* tary if it is ready to take action. ?
* C. O. Harris, who recently re- ?
* signed as secretary here, is also *
* aiding the local directors in ob- *
* taining another man. *
* The regular Tuesday night *
* meeting of the directors was de- *
* ferred pending advices from *
* Benton A Benton, arhitects of *
* Wilson, as to when their repre- *
* sentative will be here witE plans *
* and specifications for the ; new *
* hotel. A meeting will probably- *
* be held Thursday night to take *
* up the question of employing *
* secretary, as well as to discuss *
* further action on the hotel prop- *
* osition. , *
Mr. Vann Is Not
Yet Reconciled
COMO, N. C-, January 21, 1923.
MR EDITOR?
Although I am too unwell to write,
juat want to say a word, (which will
be my last) to set myself straight
with the CAT, and our county boards,
which Mr. Eley says I jumped on. I
surely did not mean to jump on any
one but simply wanted to state my
views which Mr. Eley's elaborate let
ter has not changed. I've never read
any parlimentary law in my life, but
have been serving on religious, politi
cal and educational boards for over
forty years, but never heard 'the
question raised in any of the meet
ings as to power of chairman, nor do
I remember ever seeing any of the
meetings having a tied vote, but do
remember having had the idea im
pressed on me all my life, that a
body selected a chairman, whom they
thought was equal to, if not super
ior to any of the. body in point of
honor, initiative, experience and
judgment and manifested by their
vote, that they were willing to trust
him to vote justly, judiciously and
wisely to untie them if they happened
to get tied up. Besides Dr. Mit
chell's conduct was not without a
precedent in our county. A J. G.
Majette while chairman of the Board
of Commissioners when installing the
steel cells in the jail voted twice and
there never was any complaint, which
convinced me that the impression I
had gotten about a chairman was
correct. Some of us had never heard
of Mr. Robert's parlimentary law,
so just the rules which custom had
made law, and was practiced without
developing any serious trouble. Am
glad that I seem not entirely alone
.in my opinion as Judge Manning is a
mighty good partner to have, in find
ing out the law. I have the pleasure
of knowing him, and have heard him
expounding the law in his office and
he impressed me that he knew what
he was talking about- One action of
the Board, of which Mr. Eley says he
was chairman, I can't understand.
(You know I am from Missouri.) He
says his board adopted Robert's par
limentary rules as laws, which allow
ed the chairman one vote and then
passed a resolution forbidding the
chairman to vote but once. Please tell
me the need of any such resolution,
after having adopted such resolu
tions. A reasonable conclusion
would be that they were afraid their
chairman would be untrue and they
^wanted to double bind him. It teems
to me that such action could readily
be construed to be a reflection on the
honor, intergity and judgment of
their chairman and that is why I
said and still say I weuld not like to
serve as chairman of any board, who
passed such resolutions. I have not
said, nor do I mean to say that such
action is a reflection, but do say it
can be reasonably so construed.
I do hope the CAT and different
boards will pardon me if I've-been the
least disrespectful or unkind and re
member that I am from Missouri and
hardly able to sit up and I need to
be shown. T. E. VANN.
will Me ? good exhibition Friday
afternoon, and should go out and
help whoop it up for the loeal boys.
TOWN MAY HAVE TO
PAY FOR FAILURE
TO EXTEND SEWER
Dr. J. H. Mitchell Sue* Ahoskie
For $2,500 And Demands
That Line Be Carried To
Swamp
OFICIALS DID NOT
ANSWER COMPLAINT
Present Commnyissioners Will
Complete Work And Seek
A Settlement
For failure to extend the
municipal sewer line to the run
of Ahoskle swamp, the town of
Ahoskie may be loser to the
amount of $2,500, besides be
ing forced to expend the neces
sary amount for the extension.
At present the main sewer line
empties on the lands of Dr. J.
H. Mitchell, about one hundred
feet below the edge of his
farm. The pipe that carries
-the city sewage off is laid
across Doctor Mitchell's field,
a straight line beginning at the
south end of West street, be
tween the-homes of H. W.
Stokes and C C. Sessoms.
The Doctor has started suit
against the town administra
tion for the Bum of $2,500, al
leging that his pasture which
was used for his milk cows and
other stock has been made un
fit for use, and that the over
run of the sewage has other
wise damaged his property to
that amount. Summons was
issued against the town, with
the following officers named
as defendants (they being the
duly authorized agents of the
town at that time) W L Curtis,
mayor; H. W. Stokes, D. P.
Boyette and J. B. Barnes, com
missioners, April 29, 1922.
"Pat" Taylor of Winton served
the summons the same day is
sued.
The officials of the town failing to
make,.any answer to the complaint of
Doctor Mitchell, D. R. McGlohon,
Clerk of Hertford County superior
court, on motion by Roswell C.
Bridger, attorney for Doctor Mit
chell, on 18th day of December, 1922,
"ordered, adjudged and decreed 'that
plaintiff recover judgment of the de
fendant by default and inquiry." The
cause will how be heard in the Super
ior Court, being transferred to its
diction by Clerk^ McGlohon.
When the contracting company was
constructing the sewer system in
Ahoskie, the town authorities made
a contract with Dr. J. H. Mitchell for -
a 18-foot right of way across his
farm, for the purpose of laying the
main sewer line. The price paid for
the privilege of running the line un
der and through his property was one
thousand dollars. The contract,
which was signed by Doctor Mitchell
and W. L. Curtis, Mayor, provides
that the sewer line be carried to the
run of Ahoskie Swamp.
For some reason unknown to the
present town board, the sewer line
was not extended to the run of the
swamp. It stops short of the swamp
several hundred feet. The sewage
disposal is now dumped on the woods
lands of Doctor Mitchell and is car
ried to the swamp by a small stream
that courses through the woods. To
lay piping in this "bog" will require
a neat sum of money, for purchase of
pipe, and the work in connection
with laying it Practically all of tfce
bourse to the run of the swamp is
boggy and in very slightly wet weath
er is partially filled with water. In
order to keep the pipe from settling
down into the mud, it will have to be
supported by piling driven under
neath, or by some other means equal
ly as expensive.
It is understood that Doctor Mit
chell called the attention of the town
officials to the condition existing, and
asked for relief before entering his
suit. At that time an ofder was
passed by the board to extend the
Continued on page twelve