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The Hoke County News- Established 1928
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXII NUMBER 13
RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROUNA
14 PER YEAR 10« PER COPY
THIRSDAY. AUGUST 10. 1067
Major Expansion Indicated
Sewage
A recently conducted sewage plant survey conducted by three
teanns of laboratory specialists leave# little hope Raeford can
avoid a major expansion of Its sewage treatment plant.
A report of the survey was presented to Raetord Town
Board at a special meeting Monday afternoon by Richard
Moore, consulting engineer, who for two years has contended
the town’s sewage treatment facilities are overloaded,
Moore said the tests Indicate the new sewage treatment plant
Is operating at an average of 178 per cent of Its design capacity
In B,OJ). (biological oxygen demand) and that Its hydraulic
capacity Is ’’loaded.”
He recommended a major expansion of the treatment plant
which would cost an estimated $1,020,000.
That would raise the B,OJ3, capacity of the plant to 11,8000 —
substantUlly higher than the plant’s original design capacity
of 2,800 B.OJ}.
The tests revealed the average load on the plant when the
samples were taken several months ago was in excess of
8,000 B.OJ},
Survey Shows Overload
The tests also revealed that Industrial waste accounts
for a major portion of the overload, with Raeford Turkey
Farms and Burlington Industries contributing heavily to the
overload. The turkey plant’s Input was slightly greater In
terms of B.OJ), than was the textile mill’s.
Engineers from Burlington Industries and the turkey plant
were present for the meeting and pressed for estimates on a
smaller expansion than the one Moore had recommended.
The town board later voted to have Moore also prepare
estimates on a 7,800 B.OJ), plant and asked him to recommend
means of raising the money.
He already had suggested that the water rate to outside
users be raised 80 to 100 per cent and that the sewer charge
for all customers be raised to 40 to 50 per cent of the water
bUl.
The sewage tax currently Is 20 per cent of the water bill.
These Increases would take care of some $50,000 per year
of the $79,000 per year the plant Improvements (11,800 B.OJ).)
would cost.
Actually, the 11,800 B.OJ). facility Is the same recommended
by Moore about a year ago. At that time. Its estimated cost
was $850,000, but Moore said costs have Increased by 20
per cent since then.
The town would be eligible for 30 per cent federal partici
pation, Moore said, leaving $750,000 to be financed by the town.
That, of course, would require a major bond Issue. Further,
It would correct only the sewage treatment situation. Moore
contends that major Improvements also are needed to the water
system. Including new outfall lines to Burlington’s two plants
and around the southern perimeter of the town.
Both Burlington Industries and Raeford Turkey Farms have
pledged to bear their fair share of the costs.
Moore said he believed his organization — Moore, Gardner
and Associates, Inc., of Asheboro — can have the additional
estimates ready by the September meeting of town board.
Town commissioners have been wrestling with the water-
sewer problem for the past two years and seem no closer to a
solution than when they started.
The present treatment plant, designed by Moore's arr., »fts
completed In 1963 at a cost of $400,OOC. It -»as stX)poscd lo
have taken care of the to'*m’s needs for the next i5 years and
Its capacity was said sufficient for a city of i',0or populatJoft.
It became overloaded almost Immediate.y. After initial
difficulties were Ironed out, however, the plant has (grated
apparently perfectly ever since.
Although B.OJ), flow sometimes Is twice the plant's design
capacity, nobsdy has explained why the plant has been giving
no trouble.
Hydraulic capacity of the plant Is US million ga.lons a day.
At peak hours, sewage pours through the plant at a rate of 1.3
million gallons per day.
However, the B.OJ). factor Is termed equally Important,
since It Indicates the degree of contamination.
The survey was conducted by Southern Testing Laboratories
of Wilson, the State Heath Department, and technicians at the
local plant.
A
Deputy’s Daughter, Doris, And Rattler
Deputy ‘Lights Out’
When Stick Rattles
Deputy Sheriff Jesse Leewas
"walking the dog" late one
afternoon last week, when he
spied In the twilight what he
thought was a large stick.
When the stick moved, he
knew better.
And when the stick started
buzzing like a jarfly in July,
he made a break for his farm
house, several yards distant,
calling his young bird dog as
he went.
Lee got his shotgun, hurried
back to the scene, and fired a
blast at the stick, now colled
like a short hawser.
When It stopped writhing, he
nudged it with his toe, then
picked it up by the tapered rear
end.
"What a rattlesnake!” Lee
said, although there was nobody
near enough to hear him.
It was, to be sure, a whopper.
Measured later, it turned out
to be four feet, eight inches
long, allowing Inches for ahead,
which was no longer there.
And it was eight and one-
half Inches In circumference
at the thickest part of Its body.
That, most people who later
viewed the snake. Is about as
big as a timber rattler gets.
In fact, itwas only four Inches
shorter than a flve-foot timber
rattler -- a record here —
killed in July, 1965, by Game
Protector Phil Buckner.
Meanwhile, the first snake
bite of the season was reported
this week after Ellis (Juice)
Hoke Jury
Commission
Established
A Hoke County Jury com
mission appointed here Monday
Is the first such commission to
exist In the area.
The three-person body Is
made up of DJI. Hodgln, William
Lamont and Miss Bonzle Dob-,
bins. They were named for the
new duties by the county com
missioners, Judge Maurice
Braswell, resident judge for
the Twelfth Judicial District,
and E,E. Smith, clerk of court.
Swearing-In ceremonies will be
hem Friday at 4 p.m.
The work of the commission
wUl be to set tg> a file of aU
persons eligible for jury duty
and to meet when necessary to
draw a court-designated number
of jurors for each court session.
County commissioners have
previously performed the job.
The commission will not have
authority to relieve any per
son from jury duty. Only the
judge, or the district court
judge, will now have that pri
vilege.
At the same meeting, the
board appointed M.A. Maxwell
to serve as county electrical
Inspector. Maxwell has been
doing county electrical work for
a number of years and Is now
at work on the new Upchurch
School cafeteria.
Allendale community, which
had made the request, was
granted $210 for repairs of the
community house there. The
building Is property of the
county.
The library board was granted
funds for construction of a
shelter for the bookmobile and
Miss Josephine Hall was given
authority to purchase a sewing
machine for Home Demon
stration and 4-H Club work.
Reports were heard on ac
complishments of the agricul
tural extension office during the
past month by W. S. Young,
county extension director, Mrs.
Ellen Willis, 4-H worker and
Talmadge Baker, assistant farm
agent.
Young reported, among other
things, that farmers had sold
tobacco on the South Carolina
tobacco market and had been
pleased with their sales.
Mrs. Willis reported that
some additional clubs were
being organized
Sheriff May Be Prosecuted
For Killing Hoke Alligator
tL
s «
Reptile Protected
By State Game Law
1$
l,-7
TROUBLEMAKER — This seven-foot alligator, shown with one of Its captors, WlUle McPhaul,
has turned out to be a real troublemaker. State game authorities have Indicated Hoke Sheriff
Dave Barrington, who killed the ’gator, may be prosecuted. Alligators and their eggs are pro
tected by a law passed by the 1965 General Assembly.
State Trooper Is Injured
In Ashley Heights Crash
State Highway Patrolman J.
D. Robinson of Raeford was in
jured Friday night In a head-on
collision with another car near
the Hoke-Moore county line at
Ashley Heights.
Also Injured were Belle L-
Baldwin, 57, and her husband,
Willie W. Baldwin, 59, who live
See RATTLER, Page 9
Ambulance Service Owner Says
Rescue Squad Taking Business
One Raeford ambulance ser
vice has gone out of buslne.ss
and a successor Is making
threats to do the same.
Bill Bruton, operator of Rae-
lerd Ambulance Service, fold
the Htike County Board of Com-
mtssloeers Monday morning
that he will be forced to call It
quits for lack of business If
H[#e Rescue Squad ke^e re-
celvlng all the calls first and
filling the needs before his own
vehicle can arrive.
Crumpler Funeral Home
comolAlned to the same board
more than once before he dis
continued service to highway
accidents. He said he was being
called ig)on often and being paid
seldom and wanted the county to
help pick ig) ttie tab.
The commlaslonera Indicated
then—sad again this weak—that
they nsetti become Involved
with private buelnees.
Bruton contended that the am
bulance service could not be
compared with other buslneae
bccauac the client usually Is un
conscious. Ht said that hla
firm haa been able to serve a
call only two or three times
In the past coig>le of months
because Hoke Rescue Squad had
already left the scene with the
patients when hie ambulance ar
rived.
”We cannot contlnus to maks
trlpa without pay,” hadsclarcd.
"If ws get the first call, we
can be there first because our
vehicle Is In our yard and they
have to go downtown to get
theirs.”
Whin Board Chairman T.C,
Jonas saksd him If ths troubis
didn’t lie with ths highway trocy-
srs who do the calling, Bruton
aald the troopers call the police
or the sheriff’s department and
they In turn call for ambulance
service.
Sheriff Dave Barrington,
called Into the meeting room,
■aid his men alwaya call the am
bulance eervlce and he knew
nothing about last week’s Inci
dent, when, as Bruton claimed,
the ambulance eervlce never re
ceived a call to the wreck at
Mlldouson School where four
were Injured.
On ths other hand, Bruton said
he knew nothing about a report
that his ambulance had recently
arrived 20 minutes after thepa-
tlant had been taken to the hos-
plUL
Commissioner J. A. Webb
■aid, ”We don’t want to aay any
thing to hurt the rescue squad
They are doing a gocxl job
oiit pay. On the other hand, we
want to keep the ambulance ser
vice here, too.”
Barrln^on said that the Res
cue Squad Is called to help with
other Jobs created by an acci
dent and the ambulance service,
to pick up the Injured. ’’But
If I see that a life Is In danger,
I can only rush the patient to
a hospital Immediately Aird
by the first opportunity. If I
have to take them myself.”
Barrington assured Bruton
that men In his department will
notify bis service when an ann-
bulance la ordered by tpe
sheriff’s department.
Bruton made a similar coro-
plalnt Monday night to Raeford
town board. The board Inform
ed him that In any emergency,
the town radio operator wul
notify both the ambulance se r-
' 'xnd Hoke Rescue Squad.
a short distance from where
the accident occurred on High
way 211.
Patrol Sgt. J. B. Howell of
Fayetteville said Robinson, 28,
was returning to Raeford from
a breathalyzer school in Mor-
ganton when a car driven by
Mrs. Baldwin pulled into the
highway from a side road.
Robinson suffered a broken
nose, two black eyes, a cut
finger and other injuries. He
was admitted to Moore Memo
rial Hospital, from which he
was discharged Monday.
Mrs. Baldwin and her husband
both sustained cuts and bruises
and were taken to thePinehurst
hospital. The woman was re
leased Monday, but Baldwin re
mained under treatment for se
vere injuries.
Other troopers declared that
Robinson would have been more
seriously hurt had he not been
wearing a seat belt Both cars
were demolished.
Robinson apparently will be
off duty for several weeks. No
charges have been filed pending
completion of investigation.
Meanwhile, several other ac
cidents were reported in the
county during the week end.
Trooper E. W. Coen said he
investigated a wreck at 9:45
p. m. Saturday near Mlldouson
School in which two persons
were injured.
He identified them as John
David Hair Jr.. 19, of Red
Springs Rt. 4, and Larry Hug
gins. 15, Red Springs. They
were treated and released at
See TROOPER. Page 9
Indications this week were
that Hoke County Sheriff David
M. Barrington will be prose
cuted by state wildlife authori
ties for killing an alligator here
some three weeks ago.
The reptile --a seven-foot,
80-pound specimen -- was cap
tured near Antioch by Willie
McPhaul and LerowHenderson.
It was brought to town in the
trunk of McPhaul’s car to de
termine what disposition should
be made of it.
A state law prohibiting the
taking of an alligator or its
eggs was passed by the 1965
General Assembly.
Barrington shot and killed
the alligator after it was dis
lodged from McPhaul’s car on
the J. W. McLauchlln School
grounds.
The reptile was restrained
by a single length of Insulated
wire, which its captors had
slipped noose-fashion over its
head. The loop was around the
'gator’s neck and its powerful
jaws were in no way restricted.
The angry alligator writhed
on the ground, popping its jaws
and lashing outwith its powerful
tail. A bystander reportedly
stuck a two-by-four Into the
creature’s open jaws and it
splintered the wood with Its
teeth.
At about that point. Sheriff
Barrington shot it with his
pistol.
The sheriff declared that he
considered the alligator a
menace and a threat to the'
public safety. It was scarcely
a block from the busy downtown
business section. Moreover,
pre-school youngsters were
being taught at the school and
would have returned the follow
ing morning for classes.
Barrington, who admitted he
knew nothing about alligators,
did not realize they are pro
tected by law In North Carolina
until he "read up” on themdtat
night.
See ALLIGATOR, Page 9
Former Mayor
Has Attack
Alfred Cole, former mayor
of Raeford, was stricken by a
heart attack last Wednesday
while visiting In Fairmont.
Cole, 65, reportedly was en
route to the coast when he
stopped by the home of his
sister-ln-law, Mrs. Nettle Da
vis, In Fairmont, When be
complained of being UL he was
persuaded to remain in Fair
mont and was stricken during
the night, reports Indicated.
He reportedly has bad another
seizure since being admitted
to Southeastern General Hospi
tal In Luntoerton, where he ts
on the "critical” list.
Cole’s wife died May 31 of
this year.
Hallie L. Gatlin
Dies At Age 84
Trucker Keeps Cool
It was hot Tuesday morning, but not that hot.
Several downtown store owners complained to au
thorities at about 9 a.m. that a man was running igi
and down the street clad only In indershorts.
He entered several stores, officers said, before he
was taken Into custody.
Sheriff Dave Barrington said the man, a truck
driver, was passing through Raeford driving a tractor-
trailer. No reason was given for his peculiar be
havior,
Barrington said prosecution of the man will depond
upon eyewitnesses being willing to testify against him
In court. He Indicated nobody wanted to testify.
1
Funeral services were held
here Wednesday afternoon for
Hallie L. Gatlin, pioneer Rae
ford merchant and farmer, who
died Monday atMooreMemorial
HospitaL He was 34 years old.
Last rites were performed at
First Baptist Church b>f the
pastor, the Rev. John M. Gle"".
assisted by the Rev. R. E. l.
Moser. Burial was In Rte-
ford Cemetery.
A native of Darlington Cou"tv,
S. C.. he came to Raeford in
PfiS after a year o! study at
the C'^iversity of Sout’’ Caro
lina ard further education at a
business college. He joined hts
fat'-er, B. R. Gatlin, in tarm-
1 g and the nerchantile
husircss. The business subse
quent V was incorporated as
Farirers rumshing Company
1” Dll and operated as such
until January, 1’67.
In 1906, be returned to Dar
lington Countv to marrv the
former Margaret Prlvett. T’^v
returned to Raeford and estab
lished a home at 213 Central
.Avenue, wfwch ccotinues as the
HALLIE L.
GATT-IV
Mrs. GatUa
Gatlis hwoeplsce.
dUd I'l 1395.
Folfowing '.r>c jraih ol His
•atner In 1 Ttj. (, L. CsCtUi
beaded Farmati Famtst>la|
Compam i''tii is reCrenant
Gatlin, pai« »