THE County TIMES-NEWS
Northampton County's Only Advertising and News Medium ^
Vol. 82 No. 50
THE ROANOKE-CHOWAN TIMES
THURSDAY, Dec. 13, 1973
Established 1892
☆ THE NORTHAMPTON COUNTY NEWS — Established 1926
lOc Per Copy Rich Square, N. C.
20 Pages
Gaston Approves Use Of
OldTown Hall For Clinic
GASTON — Town
commissioners here voted
Tuesday night to allow the
county Health Department to
utilize the old Town Hall as a
clinical facility.
John Ahearn, couhty health
administrator, appeared
before the board with the
request that his department
be allowed to make minor
alterations to the frame
structure which is to the rear
of an old four-room house the
department has been using to
conduct the monthly clinics.
Ahearn said a partition
would be constructed dividing
the one-room building into a
waiting room for patients and
an examination area. The
county plans to conduct its
pediatric and immunization
clinics at the renovated
facility.
The present clinic meets in a
deteriorated dwelling which
has no plumbing. County
commissioners have refused
to appropriate funds to
improve the present clinic
building. The county board
has authorized funds for
construction of a partition in
the old Town Hall.
The town will vacate the
Town Hall sometime in the
near future and move to a
$25,000 building which was
recently completed.
Commissioners had discussed
using the vacated building for
a street and sanitation office;
however, Mayor Firman
Myrick stated, “The building
will serve more an asset to the
town as a health clinic.”
Ahearn stated, “The Health
Department would like to
upgrade the building and
expand the program here. It is
an extremely good program
and is advantageous to
residents of this community.”
Some discussion resulted
regarding servicability of the
building ^ Health
PeflartmedL.VatSt?.
^>going£^.T.t.sFioait filtcn
Oobm saidTC woud like to see
the old house demolished and
a new health facility built
adjacent to the new Town
Hall. Others suggested the
building be moved to the back
of the property and used as a
storage warehouse. No
decision was made.
Commissioner Cirven
Burnette made the motion
that the county be given
permission to use the old Town
Hall and the vote was without
opposition.
In other matters, the board:
—Endorsed a motion by
Burnette that all street lights
in the town be converted to
mercury vapor lighting.
Funds to accomplish the
change over were included in
the present fiscal budget.
—Agreed to assess the
county Health Department
$3.25 a month for water at the
new clinic building.
—Authorized Mayor Firman
Myrick to executive a
resolution raising the salary of
Police Chief John Acree from
$7,200 to $7,500 as
recommended by the state.
The state will pay the $300
supplement as part of a new
program designed to improve
local law enforcement in the
state.
—Voted to move the
meeting night to the first
Monday in the month in order
that the town attorney can
meet with the board.
—Agreed to install two
separate phone lines in the
new Town Hall at the request
of the police chief.
—Okayed the exchange of a
new water meter at Clary
Lumber Co. at no cost to the
company.
—Authorized the purchase
of new furnishings for the new
municipal building.
—Read a letter from town
attorney Nick Long of
Roanoke Rapids who
expressed the opinion that
previous complaints aired at
prior town meetings
concerning alleged noise
ordinance violations by C & A
Truck Lines are private
matters.
Long’s letter stated noise
from the trucks'is apparently
not a general public nuisance
but rather a problem that
must be settled between the
involved parties.
Ayplher letter on,a similar
eitiiat’on, .i-'ks '.ead frjnj as
attorney with -the North
Carolina League of
Municipalities. It reiterated
Long’s position stating several
households would have to
complain of the noise before it
could be termed a public
nuisance.
—Decided to seek additional
bids on extending the town’s
water line to a mobile home
not presently served by- the
system. The bid quoted at
Tuesday’s meeting was $1,300.
—Granted Cebron Jordan a
30 grace period during which
time he is to get rid of a hog
pen he maintains in a
residential neighborhood in
violation of municipal
ordinance.
Jordan agreed to close the
hog pen but stated he was not
giving up his chicken pen.
Town law requires aii hog
pens be located no closer than
200 feet from a dwelling.
Chicken pens may be within 50
feet of a home.
—Approved Christmas
bonuses for employees
totaling $10 for the first year of
employment and $5 for each
additional year.
I
Leaves 55 Unemployed
Plant Closes
Without Notice
CONWAY — Employees of a garment plant here
reported to work last Thursday morning only to find
their employer moving oiit of town.
S & E Fashions, a New York based firm which also
operates a plant in Wendell, has vacated the Hedspeth
Building on US 158 in Conway. The company moved
without notice to its employes.
S & E employed 55 persons, mostly women.
The plant prepared women’s garments for sale in
northern markets.
S & E came to Conway several months ago when
another sewing concern folded. S & E bought the
equipment from the other firm and took up a lease on
the Hedspeth Building.
Conway Mayor Grady Martin reported that when
workers reported for duty Thursday morning they
were confronted with moving men loading the plant’s
machinery on transport trucks.
Company official Jack Lieherman of New York
could not be reached for comment on the concern’s
reasons for closing the Conway coperation.
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Court Review Ordered
In ABC Controversy
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RALEIGH — Wake County
Superior Court Judge James
H. Pou Bailey ordered the
state Board of Alcoholic
Control Monday not to dismiss
the Cxiaii iiian ol Northaiopton
County’s ABC system,
pending court determination
of whether he-is violating a
state anti-nepotism policy.
The state ABC Board found
last month that Burgwyn was
acting as both chairman and
supervisor of the local system
in violation of a policy,
adopted earlier this year, that
no ABC employe or his close
relative could hold office in a
local ABC system.
The board ordered Burgwyn
to submit his resignation as
supervisor.
Burgwyn contended in a
superior court petition filed
Monday that the sur^rvisur’s
post does not exist arid that the
state board order is an
attempt to cut his salary.
Burgwyn, through attorney
George Ragsdale, accused the
board of failing to follow
proper procedures by holding
no hearing and making no
findings of fact before issuing
its order.
The only meeting he has had
with the state board was an
informal conference to try to
work out a compromise,
Burgwyn said.
FIRST SNOWFALL — A veil of snowflakes add forecasters failed to predict, fell early Tuesday
another deminsion to this woodland near morning but had melted by mid-day.
Jackson. The pre-winter snow, which weather
Woodland To Share In
Costs
WOODLAND — Woodland
commissioners last Thursday
agreed to pave an access road
to the proposed 50-unit housing
project to be constructed here.
The town’s agreement is
contingent on receipt of funds
from the county for its share
of the paving costs. The
county board last week
approved expenditure of
$7,800 on the paving project.
The county’s payment will
go to Woodland which will be
responsible for seeing the
paving project to completion.
The as yet undedicated
street is 1,050 feet in length.
Rights of way inside the
project will be paved and
curbed by the Roanoke-
Chowan Regional Housing
Authority which is supervising
construction of the housing
project.
Leigh Tinsley, tri-county
housing executive director,
and A1 Vickery, authority
architect, appeared before the
board with the request.
Study Shows County Has Land And Work Force
N'ampton Ready For Industrial Growth
Woodland will also provide
other municipal services to'
the project like street lighting,
garbage collection and police
and fire protection.
The town will realize $750
annually from the project as
payment in lieu of taxes.
Ms. Tinsley estimated it
would be 12 to 15 months
before the project is complete.
An option on the property
for the development, to be
built off US 258, has not been
secured. The authority is
trying to iron out a problem
with the grade of the land
prior to executing the option.
Dr. Raleigh Parker owns the
resolution paving the Wa/ for
qualification for flood
insurance.
The resolution is the first
step taken by the board
toward a program that would
allow property owners in
Woodland to purchase flood
insurance.
—Made departmental
assignments to
commissioners for the new
two-year term.
Kimsey King was named
new police commissioner and
John Hunsinger the new
sanitation commissioner.
Commissioner Cary Reese
will be in charge of water and
The newly released study of
the economic situation in
Northampton points to the
county’s abundant labor sup
ply and its numerous available
industrial sites.
According to George Harris,
county economic planner,
“Those are the two biggest
things going for the county in
the way of industrial
development.”
Virginia Electric and Power
Co.’s economic study shows
there are over 7,000 persons in
a 25 mile radius of Gaston,
Jackson and Rich Square
available for work.
Rich Square has the
greatest number of workers
available numbering 2,925.
Jackson has 2,625 and Gaston
has 1,925.
Two types of labor in the
area included in the figure
estimates are persons seeking
work such as the unemployed,
part-time workers and
underemployed trainable
personnel as well as potential
jobseekers like housewives,
commuting workers, high
school graduates and part-
time farmers.
The study shows that the per
capita buying power of
Northamptonians is $1,950
annually. The median
household income stands at
$4,335 with the income of the
largest percentage of families
in the county in the 0-$2,999
bracket.
The report indicates a
sharp drop in the number of
farms in the county since 1959
when there were 2,118 farms.
The latest figures show only
northampton chaff
Livestock may not be buried in a
municipality and Cecil Garner of Gaston
found that out this week — the hard way.
Cecil’s pet pony died Sunday night and,
seemingly fitting to the owner, he prepared to
bury (he animal on his property, which just
happens to be located inside the Gaston
corporate limits.
It seems health state laws forbid
interment of livestock within town limits as a
precaution insuring a safe drinking water
supply.'
Cecil had dug a nine-foot resting place for
the pony and had the animal partially covered
when he was notified that the burial was
unlawful.
The pony was unearthed and town
sanitation crews removed the animal for a
proper burial outside the town limits.
Northampton ABC chief Bart Burgwyn of
Jackson this week found legal support for his
fight to remain chairman of the county’s ABC
system.
Colorful Raleigh Judge James H. Pou
Bailey, who is known for carrying a gun and
camera in the courtroom with him at all
times, has ordered the state ABC board to
keep quiet in the drawn-out controversy until
a judicial review of the case is held.
The county composite board just last week
refused to obey the state order to lower
Burgwyn’s salary and instruct him not to
carry out the duties of a county program
supervisor.
One of the composite board’s alternatives
in the matter was to seek a judicial review.
Now Judge Bailey has made that decision
easier for the composite board.
Female employes in and around the
courthouse Tuesday night got together for
their annual Christmas party.
Attending the Dutch dinner at a Roanoke
Rapids steak house were Janey Ellen,
Belinda Crowder, Miriam Pruden, Hazel
Jones, Margaret Leake, Rebecca Parrish,
Ann White, Dorothy Vick, Carolyn Wheeler,
Elizabeth Hughes, Mary Barrett, Judy
Strickland, Betty Nance, Barbara Wheeler,
Emma Doris Edwards, Frances Midyette,
Lillian Pearce, Rose Sumner, Swannie
Williamson, Sandra Futrell, Alice Warrick,
Margaret Jordan, Josey Gay, Margaret F.
Hughes, Margaret Aston and Ola Mae
Johnson.
Office workers in county buildings may get
an extended holiday, thanks to the energy
crisis.
County Manager Tim Ellen Said this week
commissioners will decide Monday whether
or not to abide by a request from the
governor’s office that counties follow the
example being set by the state in closing 11
days for the combined Christmas and New
Years holiday.
It is presently proposed county agencies be
closed Dec. 22-26 and Dec. 29-Jan. 1. The
governor is asking counties to close also on
the 27th and 28th in an effort to save fuel.
1,121 farms averaging 198
acres in size. The comparative
1959 average size was 115
acres. Value of farms has
increased sizeable since 1959
from $15,294 to $51,629. '
The report shows 1,588
persons now employed in
industry in the county, mostly
in wood products and textiles.
Woodland provides 501
industrial jobs. Rich Square
300, Conway 299, Seaboard 147,
Severn 132, Jackson 121,
Gaston 72, Milwaukee 63,
Pendleton 30 and Potecasi 23.
Industrial Sites
Seventeen prime industrial
sites are highlighted and
detailed in the Vepco study.
Four of the sites are in and
around Rich Square and four
others are in or near
Woodland. Seaboard has four
prospective industrial tracts,
Conway has two and Jackson,
Gaston and Garysburg each
have one.
A 45-acre tract is located at
the intersection of NC 48 and
the Old Emporia Road in
Gaston. The property, which
is inside the corporate limits,
is owned by W. J. Long Jr.
J. L. Fitzhugh owns a 50-
acre parcel near Garysburg
on NC 46. It adjoins Seaboard
Coast Line property.
A 40-acre tract at the south
west corporate limits of
Seaboard is available and
owned by Dr. R. B. Blowe. It
faces NC 195. A small eight-
acre tract on Crocker Street is
owned by the Seaboard
Development Commission and
Bettie H. Eastwood et al own a
17.5 acre parcel on SR 1324
partially inside the town
limits. Seaboard’s other
available industrial tract is a
51-acre parcel on NC 195 east
of town owned by H. R. Howell
Sr. and F. E. Cordle.
A 32-acre parcel is available
in Jackson on the north side of
Jefferson Street east of the
courthouse. It is owned by E.
W. Lewis.
Macon Woodard owns a 30-
acre industrial tract on
Ampac Road in Conway,and
the Bridgers family owns 26
acres that could be sold for
industrial development on NC
35 South.
In Woodland a 275-acre tract
that stretches from US 258 to
the Seaboard Coast Line
tracts is available for an
industrial complex. E. L.
Timberlake Jr. owns the
property. Two 60-acre tracts,
one owned by David Dickie
and the other by Perry
Lassiter et al, are located on
US 258. The fourth Woodland
tract is 45 acres located on US
258 at George and it is owned
by Mrs. L. H. Wendell.
Charles E. Myers owns a
150-acre industrial site in Rich
Square on US 258 North and a
140-acre parcel on 258 North is
owned by James Johnson.
David and Laura Evans own a
127-acre prospective
industrial parcel also on US
(See GROWTH, Page 11)
parcel. sewer departments and John
In other action, the board; Outland will handle street
—Voted to adopt a department matters.
County Minus
Bus Service
RICH SQUARE — Those
attempting to evade the
energy crisis by utilizing bus
transportation may as well
turn back to the auto. There is
no bus service in the county.
A strike of 350 union drivers
has crippled the Carolina
Trailways system and has left
Northampton with absolutely
no inter-city bus service.
Frazier Helms, Carolina
Trailways agent at Colonial
Truck Plaza in Rich Square,
says parcel delivery service is
also hampered by the strike.
Trailways normally has six
daily stops at the Rich Square
terminal, but there has been
no activity since Sunday.
Helms noted that the 15
firms that generally rely on
(See BUS, Page 11)
Board Members Get
Specific Assignments
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY SITE LOCATION MAP
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Map Shows Locations Of Available Industrial Tracts
RICH SQUARE — New town
commissioners will be given
specific departmental
assignments at the January
meeting of the Rich Square
Board of Commissioners,
Mayor James Outland
announced last week.
In the board’s
organizational meeting
Thursday, Outland proposed
the plan of organization he
hopes to initiate while serving
as mayor.
In the past board membws
have had no departmental
duties. All matters were
handled by the full board.
Outland said his plan will
hopefully eliminate a lot of
problems coming before the
town board.
Outland also stated that no
one hereafter will be allowed
to carry an item before the
board unless it appears on a
prepared agenda. Persons
wishing to address the board
should notify the town clerk at
least 48 hours prior to the
scheduled meeting.
Clerk Gladys Futrell will
prepare an agenda for
distribution to board members
prior to all board meetings.
New commissioners Claudie
Lassiter, Doug Draffin, Grace
Lambertson and Julian
Edwards join veteran
commissioner Joe Gordon on
the board.
In other business, the
commissioners:
—Passed a resolution
commending the outgoing
board for its service.
—Approved the sale of town
tags to begin Monday,
The $1 tags must be
displayed on vehicles by Feb.
15. After that date, the price of
the tag doubles.
—Approved a $50 Christmas
bonus for eight fulltime and
one partime municipal
employees.
—Agreed to burn Christmas
lights on the two main streets
and on the water tank Dec. 14
and 15 and 22-25.
Mayor Outland urged
citizens to cooperate by
observing the same dates.
Decorations will be
illuminated from 5-10 p.m. on
those dates.