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The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXV1I NO. 30 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA SS PER YEAR THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1973
Around
Town
BY SAM C. MORRIS
The weatherman says that rain may
come in the next day or two. The rain
last week helped but was not enough to
keep down the threat of forest fires.
Last Friday the eighth and 14th
fairways at the Arabia golf course were
on fire. I believe the only way this could
have happened would be for someone to
throw down a cigarette. With everything
so dry a lighted cigarette shouldn't be
thrown anywhere this day and time.
So please be careful when you are
around grass or trees this time of year.
Last week 1 wrote about a large
persimmon that was sent to T.C. Jones
from California. This week R.L. Carter
brought a box of large persimmons into
the office that were picked from a tree
in his back yard. He stated that North
Carolina has persimmons as large as
California. 1 didn't argue with him after
seeing the fruit he brought into the
office.
I found out that other people besides
myself had only seen the persimmons
about the size of a plum. The box of
persimmons were on the table in the
front office and about 75% of the
people that came into the office called
them tomatoes when they first saw
thein. Anyway I am glad to know that
the older 1 become that I still am able to
learn new things.
Thanksgiving Day was quiet in
Raeford as far as I can find out. I don't
believe anyone could ask for a nicer
day. Even with all the shortages we all
have many things to be thankful for.
So now everyone can look forward to
Christmas which is just around the
comer.
The gas shortage is for real as far as
the service stations in Hoke County are
concerned. Many stations ran out of gas
last week and others started running out
the first of this week.
I don't know if President Richard
Nixon's voluntary plan will work or not.
If his percentage is set on all drivers
cutting down speed and all thermostats
set at 68 degrees then it will not work.
The percentage of people breaking laws
is too high to think that they will stop
other things on the request of the
President. I have heard some say already
that the President should practice what
he is preaching and stay at the White
House.
1 hate to see it come again but 1 think
the only fair way to handle this business
is to have gas rationing.
Now some say this will bring on black
market gas. Some service stations in the
country are already charging double
price for gas so this excuse won't hold
water.
Anyway let's all of us cooperate with
this plan and see what the end results
will be.
Postmaster Advises
Send Mail Earlier
The United States Postal Scrvice
urges full cooperation of the public to
keep mail moving during the energy
crisis and anticipated record volume of
Christmas mail.
Postmaster Charlie Morrison
announced that postal customers could
be helpful in mailing earlier than usual
due to the time element in mail delivery
that has resulted in all postal vehicles
being slowed to conform to conserving
fuel by adhering to slower speeds of
surface mail trucks and the reduction of
airline flights.
"During the past two years speed of
mail movement has steadily increased
and we have reached better than 95
pcrcent delivery of fint class mail the
following day within a radius of
approximately ISO miles and airmail
within a radius of 600 miles provided
customers deposit mail before 4 p.m.,"
Morrison said.
He also encourages use of the correct
zip code on all greeting cards and letters
to move the mail more efficiently.
Sales Tax Report
Sales tax report from the North
Carolina Department of Revenue lists
Hoke County sales tax net collections
for October 1973 local one percent sales
and use tax as SI 5,923.
Quarterly collections for the quarter
ending Sept. 30, were: Net collections,
$49,779 com of collection, $499; and
net distributable proceeds $49,280.
He called upon all postal customers
to mail domestic mail one week earlier
than previously announced and foreign
mail two weeks earlier.
Morrison asks cooperation of all
customers to observe the following
deadlines for holiday mailings to insure
delivery before Christmas.
November 29: international air
parcels to Canada and Mexico, and
international air greeting cards to
Africa, the Near East, and the Far East;
December 2: international air
greetings to ?prope, Central and South
America;
December 4: international airmail
greetings to Canada and Mexico;
Domestic First class greetings should
be mailed no later than December 12,
and airmail greetings should be
deposited by December IS, to insure
before Christmas delivery in the
continental United States.
As a further aid to the Postal Service,
Morrison urges during winter month*
customers keep approaches clear of
snow on city curb - side apd rural rail
boxes so mail carrier* can properly
service the boxes. He warns failure to do
so could prohibit mailmen from serving
the boxes.
"If your usually warm post office
seem* a bit cooler during the winter,
blame it on the fact heat of post office*
will be lowered to 66 or 68 degree*
during business hours and even lowtr
during the night. Employee* will b?
wearing warmer attire as they work in
the pott office*. All this it neceuary to
cooperate in conserving fuel," Morrison
Hid.
Club To Meet
The Raeford Senior Citizens
Friendship Club will have a covered dish
luncheon at the Raeford Methodist
Church Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. Members
are asked to bring a gift valued at from
75 cents to SI for a gift exchange and
old newipapen for the racer drive.
Power Crunch Packs Sunday Punch
Hoke Gasoline Dribbles
Down To Last Drop
Pump after pump dribbled out the last drops of gas throughout Hoke County
during the past week. As December neared drivers were turned away from their
regular service stations when November allotments proved to be far less than
needed.
Stations that still have gas in their tanks are employing a variety of methods to
stretch their remaining supply. Some arc only selling to regular customers others are
limiting sales to all comers and a few are severely limiting sales to non-regular
patrons while filling up tanks for regulars.
Most stations are closed on Sunday, not because of President Nixon's request
they do so but becasue it is their normal policy. A few are observing Sunday closing
for the first time and several others are taking a "wait and see" attitude.
Randall Ashburn, Raeford Oil Company manager, reports his firm "completely
out of gasoline" and describes the situation as "critical". His firm supplies about 18
Exxon stations in Hoke County and Ashburn said "only one or two still had some
gas Tuesday afternoon."
Ashburn expects a resupply Saturday or Monday but anticipates continued
shortages because of increased consumption. Allocations are based on sales during
the same month of the preceeding year. '
Clyde Teal of Teal Oil Company reports his firm in "pretty good shape" and
feels the 10 or 12 stations he supplies may make it through first of the month
without running out of gas. This picture could change, says Teal, "if there is a run
on our stations because others are out of gas - then it will be awfully close."
Pete's Exxon Station, North Main Extension,squeezed out the last drop the day
before Thanksgiving and will have been out almost two weeks before expected
delivery arrives. Although out of gas Pete's is remaining open for grocery customers.
The firm is never open on Sunday so national Sunday closing will not affect them.
Strickland's Exxon at U.S. 401 north and the bypass also emptied their pumps
last week. Earlier in the summer the firm limited individual gas sales but owner
Johnny Strickland says "we ran out anyhow." So he did not bother to ration
supply this month.
Conoly's Exxon Station on Central Avenue went "dry" on all three grades of
gasoline Tuesday morning. They usually close at 6 pjn. Saturday and remains
closed on Sunday.
Harrell's Grocery on West Prospect Avenue sold their last gas about noon
Monday. Before that the pumps had been empty i total of seven days in November.
The store will remain open on Sundays but no gas will be sold.
Traveler's Service Station on U.S. 401 south-reports a "short supply." The
operators set a daily sales quota and when it is reached they "close for the day."
They are supplied by Traveler's Oil Company in Wilmington and expect a delivery
first of the month. Normal operating hours include Sunday closing.
Graham's Gulf on South Main Street reports "very little" gas left even though
sales are limited to $1 a day per customer. Holding the same limit is Hugh's Texaco
and Alignment Service on Campus Avenue. Clark's Gulf on UJS. 401 south is
holding the limit to 10 gallons but estimated Tuesday pumps would run dry
Thursday or Friday. The station has been closed on Sundays for the past "six or
seven years."
Locklear's Sunoco on U.S. 401 estimated by limiting sales to regular customers
only, supply might last until Friday. The station has been observing Sunday closings
for the past three months.
Irion's 76 Station on U.S. 401 is, for the most part, saving gas for regular
customers although they will "pump a little" for others. Diesel fuel supply is
excellent and is under no sales limitation at the station.
Averitt's 76 on Central Avenue, supplied by McNeill Oil Company in Aberdeen,
is not limiting sales and will probably "last until ThursdayThey report expected
delivery Friday but "the gas man said not to look for him until we see him
coming."
Parks Groccry and Grill, NC 211, reports dry pumps three days earlier in the
month but "have plenty right now." The station is usually open on Sundays but
will probably begin closing now to help conserve fuel.
Danny's Texaco on U.S. 401 bypass "got a load Monday" and is operating
without a sales limit. The station is normally open on Sundays "but will go along
with others if they all close."
Schools Expect
To Weather The
Energy Crisis
It appears the Hoke County school
system will weather the energy crisis
this winter without changing the
academic calendar. According to
Superintendnet DX). Abernethy school
tanks were filled with heating fuel by a
local firm Tuesday and "unless winter is
particularly cold or we face a severe cut
in allocations, I anticipate no changes in
the school year due to petroleum
product shortages."
The local school system is
implementing a number of enetgy
conserving moves to assure that the
schools will remain open. Tuesday, II
members of school custodial staffs
attended a study session on fuel
conservation at the board of Education
Building. A video tape, produced by the
N.C. director of planning operations,
demonstrated ways ? fuel ? could be
conserved. Suggestions included
omitting all use of school buildings at
night; turning heat on later in the
morning and off earlier in the evening:
maintaining burneis in good operating
condition; and locking fuel tanks.
Thermostats in local schools will be
kept at a lower temperature this year.
Joe D. Soles, school transportation
officer, attended a workshop in
Elizabethtown Tuesday afternoon to
discuss ways of conserving gasoline in
school transportation. Soles reports the
state suggests service trucks travel at SO
miles per hour or slower, lessen motor
warmup time, reduce back tracking and
a review of bus schedules and routes.
Soles reports a study will be made of
Hoke County bus schedules and it is
possible some small changes may be
instituted. Any changes resulting from
the study will be announced well in
advance of effective date in local news
media, reports Soles. He pointed out
that each time a bus stops and starts it
increases fuel consumption. Not only is
f uel short but price of gasoline
purchased from the state has Increased
almost 70 percent since April 1972
reports the transportation officer.
December heating fuel allocation for
the school system is 6,700 gallons. Since
See SCHOOLS. Pace 15
Crisis Clips Wings
Around Hoke County
The energy crisis is clipping wings of government, business firms and private
citizens throughout Hoke County. City Manager John Gaddy reports keeping
thermostats in the natural gas heated municipal buildings at 68 degrees on
weekdays and dropping temperature to 45 degrees nights and weekends. He has
ordered city workers to make every effort to reduce unnecessary trips by checking
to be sure all equipment and tools needed for a job are on the city vehicle before
starting out. He also has workers doubling up on garbage pickup trucks to use only
one truck where, in most cases, two would have been used in the past.
The city manager reports no plans, at present time, to cut street lighting. He
expects this and Christmas lighting to be discussed at Monday's city council
meeting. The city's gasoline supplier, Raeford Oil Company is out of gasoline until
the first of December and Gaddy reports city vehicles arc "buying where they can"
from scrvice stations. This move was taken to conserve and supplement the 300
gallons remaining in city pumps. "This way we will still have some on hand for
emergency vehicles," said Gaddy.
Police Chief Leonard Wiggins says his department is making an effort to conserve
gasoline by reducing speeds, spending more time on foot patrol and using a 1972
patrol car more than a 1973 one because the older model gets four to five miles
more per gallon. Wiggins has instructed his men not to exceed 35 miles per hour in
patrol cars unless answering "an extreme emergency call." The chief reports no
reduction in downtown taffic during the shortage and said, "There are still many
kids joy riding after school. I think people should wake up and realize there is a
shortage."
County Manager T.B. Lester reports temperatures in county buSdings is
maintained at 68 degrees during daytime and 50 degrees at niglu. At the courthouse
the full building is heated even though the courtroom is used only once a week.
Lester explains radiators in the courtroom can not be shut off without causing
water damage to floors and walls. Lights are usually turned off at night in all
county buildings except the jail. During daylight hours hall lights in the courthouse
are remaining off except on very dark days, says Lester.
Sheriffs Department patrol cars are the only county owned vehicles besides
those of the Board of Education. Gas for the patrol cars is normally purchased from
retail service stations on a monthly rotating basis. Sheriff D.M. Barrington says,
"We will just have to see to it that our cars are all full before stations close Saturday
evenings." Danny Morrison of Morrison's Ambulance Service and Danny's Texaco
says he will keep a 2,000 gallon reserve in his pumps for ambulances and other
emergency vehicles including rescue squad equipment and law enforcement patrol
cars. This apparently will enable local law enforcement agencies to continue
offering protection to citizens during the gas shortage and Sunday closings.
Business firms are among those cutting heat and reducing use of lights. CJ*.
Kinlaw of Kinlaw Jewelry Store says his firm will have no lighted Christmas
decorations this year and will not use their lighted outside sign. He reports cutting
thermostat from 72 to 68 degrees to reduce fuel consumption. William Howell of
Howell Drug Company says he will "support the cutback 100 percent." He wll
leave the store's outside sign turned off and will burn only a minimum of lights
inside at night. Temperature will be kept at 68 degrees during sales hours. He said
he plans some Christmas decorations but without many lights.
Lewis Quick, Raeford Merchants Association president, reports the organization
will not light a Christmas tree this year but will instead provide a moveable house
for Santa Claus so the old gent may rotate location along Main Street. At the
Raeford Department Store Quick has changed automatic window light cutoff from
10 pm. to 7 p.m. Heating policies at the store will not change because last year
Quick kept daytime setting at 65 to 68 degrees and completely shut off heat at
night. He will do the same this winter.
At Macks Variety and Fashions in Edenborough Center lights and decorations
recently purchased for the new store have been put up but it is unlikely that any of
the lights will be turned on this holiday season.
Many local people are walking or riding bicycles to work and most say they will
lower thermostat settings. They will be dressing warmer this winter to compensate
for the lowered temperatures. A number report observing the 50 mile voluntary
speed limit on highways and complain about the number of motorists who are not
*Mnin0 thf?ir char* "
Schools Ask For Money
For the second year the Hoke County
school system is submitting a grant
application to help ease problems of
school desegregation.
The application to the federal
government's Emergency School
Assistance Act for $270,000 if
approved, will provide funds for
remedial instruction in mathematics,
reading and guidance counseling during
the 1974-75 school year. Remedial
?/
mathematics will be new to Hoke
schools.
Last June D.D. Abernethy, Hoke
School superintendent, signed
agreements with ESAA for $138,000
grant for the present school year.
The newest application is being
prepared with assistance of the IS -
member ESAA advisory committee.
Supper And
Bazaar Set
To Benefit
Library Fund
The Raeford Kiwanis Club is joining
forces with the Raeford Woman s Club
Garden Department to present the
annual Kiwanis pancake supper and
bazaar December 6 from 5:30 pjn. to
7:30 p.m.
Proceeds from the dual event in the
Gibson School lunchroom will benefit
the Hoke County Bicentennial Library
Fund. Tickets at $1.50 per person ire
available from members of the Kiwanis
Club, Garden Department and Key
Cub. Children under five years old will
be admitted free.
Bazaar sale items, all made by Garden
Club members, will include Chrittmaa
gifts and decorations, home canned and
baked foods, American flags, wire
flowers and other craft items.
Kiwanis members will perform all
work for the pancake supper including
cooking, serving and cleaning. Garden
Club members made bazaar item* at
their own expense and donated tham to
the bazaar.
KJwinii president is Graham Pops.
Bazaar chairman are Mrs. Julian Wright,
Mrs. June Johnaon and Mrs. W.K.
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