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VOLUME 71 Subscription Price $3.00 A Year 10* Per Copy WARRENTON, COUNTY OF WARREN, N. C. FRIDAY , AUGUST 18, 1967 NUMBER 32
ALL THAT IS LEFT OF OLD CENTER WAREHOUSE
Warrenton Fire Disastrous
The charred rerrrains of ai
block long warehouse in the
business section ofWarrenton
were still smoldering Thurs
day afternoon and pumps were
running 24-hours a day at the
Warrenton filter plant to keep
pressure in the water mains
as town officials sought the
erection of a small emergency
water tank.
The 75,000-gallon tank col
lapsed Tuesday night when
heat from aburning warehouse
buckled allowing the more than
600,000 pounds of steel and
water to fall a hundred feet
to the ground in Warrenton's
second most disastrous fire.
Damage to the warehouse,
its contents, the water tank
and surrounding buildings
have been estimated at more
than $200,000.
Mayor W. A. Miles appeal
ed to Congressman L. H.
Fountain Wednesday for
emergency funds.
When the water tank hit the
ground the impact caused the
tank to explode throwing steel
parts across the street rip
ping an awning at the home of
Roger Limer and sending
gushing water across the
street and injuring five per
sons. A section from the tank
was resting on the porch of the
Limer home yesterday after
noon.
Injured by flying steel and
rushing water was Roger Lim
er, who was badly shaken up
and bruised, Grady Moseley,
who suffered a severe
shoulder injury, and two fire
men, both members of the
Warrenton Fire Department,
who were injured by flying
steel. They were Claude Har
rington, hand injury and
general shock; Otis Williams,
hit by flying steel. Joseph
Richardson, also a member
of the Warrenton Fire De
partment, was burned on arm,
neck and head. All are re
covering in Warren Gen
eral Hospital.,-- -
Also injured were McCar
roll Alston, assistant chief
of the Warrenton Fire De
partment, who was burned
from the elbow to his shoul
der, and Willie Joe Robinson
of the Warrenton Rural Fire
Department, who was over
come by heat and smoke. Als
ton was treated at Warren
General Hospital on Wednes
day morning and discharged.
Robinson was hospitalized and
is still a patient.
Destroyed by the fire of
unknown origin was the War
renton Furniture Exchange
Warehouse, the old Center To
bacco Warehouse, filled with
furniture and electric applian
ces.
Homes injured were the
Clarence britton home, the
Kate White Williams home and
the Roger Limer home, all
across the street from the
warehouse. Also damaged
were the sotre building of the
Warrenton Furniture Ex
change, Brown's Superette,
both across the street
from the warehouse, and
the old Dameron build
ing, now owned by Borden
Company, within six feet of
the warehouse, and protected
by a solid brick wall. Damage
to this building was apparent
ly slight.
More than 35 units, in
cluding trucks, tankers and
Rescue Squads, were sum
moned to Warrenton from
neighboring towns, cities and
communities. Three trucks
and ten men from Norlina
responded, and 11 units of the
Warrenton Rural Fire Depart
ment responded to the call.
The fire was discovered
shortly before 9o'clock Tues
day night, when the fire be
gan to rage out of control,
burning electric wires, short
ed the circuit, resulting in a
power cut off at the town's
pumping station. When the
town water tank collapsed
from the heat a few minutes
later, the town was with
(See FIRE, page 4)
Board Applies For Grant
A called meeting of the
town board washed on Thurs
day whan heads of Warren
ton Industries and Charles S.
Edwards, N. C. Coordinator
of the Economic Development
Administration, was present.
Edwards assisted the com
missioners in preparing an
application for a 60-per-cent
of cost grant for the erection
of a water tank In order that
jobs of from 600 to 700 em
ployees at Warrenton might be
maintained. These plants are
dependent upon Warrenton's
water supply for air condition
ing used in the manufacturing
process andfor fire protection
and it is believed that they
would not long be able to
keep their plants open with
out an adequate water supply.
Due to the gravity of the
situation here, Edwards indi
cated that Warrenton's ap
plication would be processed,
according to agency headquar
ters, with all possible speed.
It is estimated that it would
talce at least 90 days to have
the tank erected herefollowing
the processing of the towns
application and the making of
the grant. Meanwhile the com
missioners yesterday after
noon were discussing the pos
sibility of purchasing a 50,000
gallon high compression tank
to serve the town until a tank
can be erected.
Town Manager J. Ed Rooker
said that while there is ample
water for regular use by con
sumers the town would appre
ciate it If customers will be
careful in the use of water.
REMAINS OF TOWN WATER TANK
No Delay In Opening Of
Warren Schools Expected
Pot-Bellied
Stoves To
Be Removed
All old-type pot-bellied coal
stoves will be removed from
three buildings at John R.
Hawkins High School and over
head gas stoves installed in
time for the opening of school,
it was learned yesterday at
the office of the Superinten
dent of Schools.
The board of education at
a special meeting last week
authorized an appropriation of
$4,000 to cover the cost of
installing the gas heaters.
The heaters will be install
ed in the two high school
buildings and in the eight grade
building.
Bolton Is
New Water
Co. Head
Dallas Bolton was elected
superintendent of the War
renton Water Department at
the regular meeting of the
board of town commissioners
on Monday night. He succeeds
Bill Neal, who recenUy re
signed.
Bolton is to work under
the direct supervision of the
town manager and the general
supervision of the water com
mittee, composed of Commis
sioners Thomas Gasklll,
chairman, A. D. Johnson and
Wiley G. Coleman.
Bolton has been with the
Water Department since 1961.
J. E. Rooker, Jr., town man
ager, informed the board that
at his request an engineer
of the North Carolina State
Board of Health had recently
inspected the town's water
treatment plant and appraised
Bolton's efficiency as a water
plant operator. Rooker said
that Charles E. Rundgren, en
gineer of the Sanitary En
gineering Division of the North
Carolina State Board of
Health, stated that he found
the water treatment plant In
excellent condition and fur
ther stated that the Health
Department regarded Mr.
Bolton as a highly efficient,
conscientious, and dedicated
operator. He gave Mr. Bolton
a rating of "Superior."
The board also authorized
the employment of T. P. "Pat"
Plnnell, former town water
plant operator, and a State
licensed operator, to relieve
Supt. Bolton on alternate
weekends. Plnnell Is employed
five days a week with Bowers
and Burrows Oil Company.
In other bustnes , the com
missioners Inst; ucted the
town manager to write to M.
T. Adkinson, division engineer
of the North Carolina State
Board Approves Preliminary Plans
For Mariam Boyd Building, Library
warren county scnoois are
expected to open on August
31 in spite of an appeal of
tobacco growers to delay the
opening of schools in order
that students may help in the
harvesting of the tobacco crop.
Frank Reams, Extension
Chairman, appeared before
the board of education on Mon
day night and said that he was
making a request for a delay
of approximately a week in
onening the schools at the re
quest of a large number of
farmers.
While no.official action was
taken?by?the bua'rd, acting
board chairman Dr. S. H.
Massey polled each member
separately and they all agreed
that the schools should open on
the date previously set. Mas
sey was serving in the absence
of Chairman Eugene Davis.
All other members of the
board were present.
During last year when the
schools were making up lost
time by Saturday teaching,
the board members stated that
they had made a mistake in
delaying the opening of
schools, and at that time ex
pressed the view that school
opening should not be delayed
in future years.
Owen Smith, architect, of
Raleigh met with the board to
submit preliminary plans for
an additional building at
Nlariam Boyd School and a
new library building at John
Graham High School. Tne
board approve^ the plans for
both buildings.
The new building at John
Graham will consist of 13
classrooms, a multiple
purpose room, which will also
serve as a cafeteria and as
sembly room, administrative
offices and a kitchin.
J. Roger Peeler, superin
tendent of schools, said yes
terday that it would prob
ably be about two months be
fore specifications can be
worked out and a call made
for bids. He said if there is
no unexpected delay that the
building should be ready for
use when school opens in the
fall of 1968.
Peeler said that bids for
the library would probably
not be called for until about
three months as Smith had
been asked to give priority
to the Mariam Boyd school.
He said that the library would
probably not be completed in
time for the opening of school
next year.
The board approved the em
ployment of John D. Saunders
of Selma as a teacher at
Hawkins High School, the em
ployment of John H. Martin
and Mrs. Lillian F. Martin
of Winston-Salem at North
Warren, and the employment
of James Monroe Chavis of
Robeson County as sixth grade
teacher at the Haliwa School
near Areola.
The system is still short
some u teachers, Peeler
said. lie listed these as two
elementary teachers at Haliwa
school; one elementary teach
er at Northslde; one high
school math teacher at Nor
hna: two elementary teach
ers; two special educational
teachers, one guidance coun
sellor and one lib; arian at
Hawkins; a music teacher and
two elementary teachers at
Nortn Warren.
Peeler said that he had hop
ed that a half time librarian
for Vaughan and South War
ren and' a half-time music
-teactrer at Vaughan and Haliwa
schools might be employed
but that so far these teach
ers have not been found.
Election Of
Committeman To Be
Made By Mail
The ASC community com
mittee election will be held by
mail this year, T. E. Watson,
ASCS office manager, an
nounced yesterday. He said
ballots must be mailed or re
turned in person by Sept. 18.
The community boundar
ies have not been changed from
last year.
Watson said a slate of nom
inees will be selected by the
present community com
mittee. The county committee
may add additional names.
Others may be added to the
slate of nominees by petition
if they are found to be eli
gible and willing to serve if
elected. Petitions must be:
1. Limited to one nominee
each.
2. Signed by at least six
eligible voters in the com
munity (Eligible voters may
sign as many petitions as they
desire.)
3. Received at the county of
fice by Aug. 24.
Persons nominated should
be (1) currently engaged In
the operation of a farm or
ranch and (2) well quallfiedfor
committee work and willing to
serve if elected.
Watson said that In general
a person is eligible to be a
community committeeman if
he lives in the community
in which he is eligible to vote.
If a person who Is nominated
by petition is found to be In
eligible, he will be notified
and given 15 days In which
to appeal to the county com
mittee.
Mr. and Mrs. A. J. House
were at Natural Bridge and
the Skyline Drive this week.
They will attend the funeral of
Mr. Ben Woodard in Scotland
Neck on Friday.
Guests of Miss Virgie Duke
on Wednesday were Mr. and
Mrs. Melvin Thompson, Mrs.
George Ramsey and Mrs.
Henry Whittmore of Hen
derson.
Tickets For Warren Beauty Pageant Now On Sale; To Be Held At Local School Auditorium August 25
Ticiceis lor me secona miss
Warren County Beauty Pa
geant have been placedonsale
by members of the Warren
County Jaycees, sponsoring
organization. The pageant will
be held at the John Graham
High School auditorium on
Friday night, Aug. 25, at 8
o'clock. Tickets, which also
may be purchased at the door,
are selling for $1.50for adults
m
HAZEL MAY KING
ana si.oo for children through
high school.
Bob Jones of WKIX Radio
Station In Raleigh will be
master of ceremonies. Mrs.
H. M. Hardy of Warrenton
will be director and Mrs. Gid
King of Warrenton, organist.
As part of the program, Leon
ard Daniel will sing a solo.
William Hicks of Norllna will
be In charge of sound off acts
and music.
. The winner will win many
valuable prizes, including a
$100 scholarship from Pepsi
Cola, a $100 scholar ship from
the Jaycees, a $50 Savings
Bond from the Citizens Bank
of Warren ton, a $25 savings
account from the Peoples Bank
and Trust Company of Norlln a.
The queen's crown will be
presented by Loughlyn-Good
wyn of Warrenton, a White
Stag sweater ^,d skirt from
Leigh's of Norllna, a Cante
bury wool skimmer and blouse
from Marguerite's Style Shop
of Warrenton, a Donnkenny
three-piece suit from Ed
wards of Warrenton and a cos
metic outfit from Mrs. Jimmy
Medlin of Norllna.
The first runner-up will re
ceive a $25 savings bond from
the Bank of Halifax of Lit
tleton and a S?5 scholarship
from the Jaycees.
Contestants will be judged
in evening gown, swim suits
and talent. The winner will
represent Warren County in
the Miss North Carolina pa
geant to be held In Greens
boro in July, 1968. Judges
will be Mrs. L. M. Bullock
of Drewry, Dr. L W. Cavido
&
of South Hill, Va., Mrs. Grace
Boone of Roanoke Rapids,
Mrs. Edward Branch of En
field and John Mundy of Hen
derson.
Eight girls will compete
for the title "Miss Warren
County" this year. They are
Hazel May King, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Graham King of
Littleton; Rebecca Elaine
King, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Clarence C. King of
Norllna; Deborah Kay Joyner,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John
A. Joyner of Warrenton; Gayle
Harmon, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. R. D. Harmon of War
renton; Linda Faye Norwood,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
WUlle L. Norwood of Ar
eola; Sandra Faye Darts,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
George W. Oavls of Inez; Pa
tricia Ann Salterwhlte, daugh
ter of Mrs. Gladys Satter
whlte of Norllna; Janls Gayle
Paynter, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Claude IX Paynter of
Norllna.
A luncheon will be given
the contestants at Warren
Plaza bm on the day ol the
V