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PROGRESS SENTINEL
^OL*XXXXV NO. 30 USPS 162-880 KENANSVILLE. NC 28349 JULY 23. 1981 18 PAGES THIS WEEK 10 CENTS PLUS TAX
Poultry Losses Not
. As Bad As In Past
Economic conditions are
causing Duplin County
poultry and swine producers
more problems than the hot
weather.
While the intense heat and
humidity have caused some
bird losses, the loss has been
nothing like that of a few
years ago because of housing
improvements, Snodie Wil
son, agricultural agent, said
last week.
Wilson sdded "We're
losing some birds around
the county, but it doesn't
seem to be real bad. When
you figure we have 6 to 7
million chickens and 3 to 3.5
million turkeys on feed, and
you lose 15,000 in a week,
that's not terribly bad when
vou consider the total
I^Mmber out there."
Keith Hinson with Watson
Poultry of Rose Hill, said
Friday was the worst day for
heat and said his growers
may have lost as many as
1,200 broilers. "But that's
nothing like it used to be."
He noted the use of fogging
systems and fans reduces
potential losses consider
ably.
Joel Coleman of Carroll's
Foods of Warsaw said the
company lost 2,000 birds to
heat last week. Most are now
more accustomed to it and
are not having an alarming
problem right now.
"Economics is our worst
problem," Coleman said.
"Chicken and turkey prices
are fluctuating wildly. Broil
ers dropped 7 cents in the
last week. We have the same
amount of birds as last year
but the price isn't there.
Apparently the housewives
are eating less poultry. Pork
has been at relatively low
prices and may have cut into
poultry consumption."
Coleman said the big chain
stores are holding off on
turkey orders. Normally,
they place orders now for
November and December, he
added. He noted they may be
watching the government
production reports, but
added. "We can read them
too. but we don't cut back
production."
Hinson said broilers were
46'/i cents a pound in New
York last week. "We need 50
cents. Broilers went from 39
cents six weeks ago to 54 last
week and now back down to
46'/j."
Hinson said the embargo
on exports to Russia dumped
a large number of broilers
originally destined for Russia
on the U.S. market and the
market still hasn't recovered.
Wendell Murphy of Rose
Hill, a swine producer, said
the heat has not affected his
c peration as much as in prior
years due to housing im
provements and extensive
use of foggers to spray
moisture in the air to cool
the animals and fans.
"We're operating in the
black and it feels good. We
were in the red so long it
reeis gooa to orean even.
Housewives, though, are
only buying pork as long as
it's at bargain prices. The
interest rate's just got to
come down. The high rate is
not only affecting the
pocketbooks, it's affecting
people's attitudes, making
them cut back," Murphy
emphasized.
"It will take a year to get
things right in the swine
business.Got ' 15 percent
fewer, but demand's not
strong," he said.
Wilson, along with the
producers, said the heat
increases production costs as
the hogs and birds fail to eat
properly and do not gain
weight as they should. The
heat also makes them more
susceptible to disease.
When the thermometer
hits 90 degrees, feed con
sumption drops and about all
a bird can do is maintain
weight, Wilson added. Last
week's temperatures ranged
from 90 to 95 degrees.
.Warsaw Delays Act ion
On Sewerage Bids
<4he V/arsaw town po*r&'
delayed action on bids for a
^vaste water treatment plant
C^ntil later this month
because of the absence of
Charles Joyner Jr., consult
ing engineer for the oroiect.
The total of low bids for
the project was $1,980,270.
When the engineering firm
fee of about $100,000 and the
attorney fee of $10,000 are
added, the total would top
the available $2 million for
the project by about
?$100,000, according to board
^calculations. The engineer
ing firm is McDavid Asso
ciates of Goldsboro and the
?-?*??>rney, E.C. Thompson lit
of Warsaw.
Lowest general contract
bid was $1,758,000 from
Miller Construction Co. of
Wilmington. Low bid on the
electrical work was $222,270
from Roanoke Electric Co.
Funding for the project
will come from an EPA grant
of $1.5 million, a state grant
of $250,000 and $250,000
from a $400,000 bond issue
approved by Warsaw voters
two years ago, according to
Alfred Herring, town clerk.
The remaining $150,000 of
the band issue was desig
nated fbr a large sewerline
?irain tor about one-fou#th ot*
the town, and sewer'lines to
serye an annexed area. War
saw must pay 100 percent of
this cost. The sum is be
lieved insufficient for the
planned work.
The cost estimates were
made several years ago for
EPA. and inflation has in
creased costs more than
anticipated, officials said.
Town maintenance super
visor, Thurmon Gaster,
asked if a stand-by generator
estimated to cost $45,000 and
. if a S50.000 laboratory, re
quired by the state, could be
eliminated. Elimination of
! the two would cut tlfe totnl*
cost by $100,000, but would
only cut Warsaw's share of
the cost by $12,500, still
leaving Warsaw short of local
funds for the total project.
The board approved
$3,213 to purchase a motor
for the sewer plant. Sand had
destroyed the old motor. The
town has been having prob
lems with sand seeping into
the sewer lines and getting
into the treatment plant
equipment, severely damag
ing some of it.
Roy Barwick was re
appointed to the town ABC
board for a two-year term.
Rose Hill Approves Home
? Rehabilitation Contracts
The Rose Hill town board
approved rehabilitation con
tracts on five homes in the
Yellowcut area of northwes
tern Rose Hill.
The work will be part of a
$318,000 Department of
Housing and Urban Develop
ment home and utilities im
P' provement.
Approved were contracts
of $5,996 on the Emma
'Newkirk home. $7,891 on the
Ruth Alderman home, $7,691
on the Clara Bethune home,
$6,673 on the Eva Newkirk
home and $14,499 on the
Perley Sloan home. How
ever, the Sloan home con
tract exceeds the HUD
allowance by $2,499. Sloan
will borrow the difference
from a local bank.
The work is expected to
start this week. Thirty-five
more homes are scheduled
for improvements, hut the
board plans to let the con
tracts over a period of time to
avoid tying up a large
number of contractors at one
time.
The board hired the law
firm of Wells, Blossom and
Burrows on a fee of $55 to
per hour for legal work in
connection with the HUD
project. Low bidder was
Bruce Robinson of Wallace at
$35 per hour. Commissioner
Gayton Herring Jr. said that
although the Robinson bid
was lower, the fact the other
law firm has been handling
the town's legal affairs gives
it a familiarity that should
enable it to do the work in
much less time than one un
familiar with the details.
Bids for a new town main
tenance building will be re- ?'
advertised for opening at 1
noon July 27. The board 1
received only two bids from I
its initial advertisement. 1
State law requires at least <
three bids for a construction ?
project on the first call. I
When a second bid call must
be issued because of insuf
ficient bids, a board may let a
contract even if only one bid
is submitted.
The board will often bids
on the proposed Rose Hill
water system project at 2
p.m. Aug. 6.
The board decided to send
letters to all residents in
forming them the garbage
collection service would not
enter any business to pick up
garbage and that all garbage
must be in appropriate con
ainers placed in designated
collection spots. Garbage is
licked up twice a week.
' GED Education Fees Dropped,
Continuing Ed. Fees Increased
Fees for courses taken by
individuals leading to a high
school diploma or its equi
valent have been dropped
within North Carolina's com
? munity college system.
" James Sprunt Technical
College, a member of the
community college system,
tests approximately 100 each
year who are seeking high
school diplomas, said .Joe
Tillman, counselor. Accord
ing to Tillman, the fee to take
the general education de
veloplent tests (GED) for the
equivalent of a high school
diploma remains at $5. How
f ever, individuals often need
preparation for the GED and
the fee for this assistance,
originally $5 per course, will
a['- ? *'
no longer be charged, he
said. Preparation for the
GED is offered through the
JSTC learning lab by means
of self-instruction with guid
ance and assistance from lab
instructors and through con
tinuing education extension
courses.
The community college
system also announces an
increase in continuing
education course fees. The
new per course fee is $8 for
ail extension classes offered
in the community college
system. However, the fee
does not apply to courses
taken by individuals pur
suing a high school diploma.
The new rate became effec
tive July 13, said Joe Jones,
director of the JSTC con
tinuing education depart
ment. More than 300 con
tinuing education courses are
offered throughout Duplin
County each year, Jones
s?'^ And. 'hese courses
inclu variety of educa
tional opportunities ranging
from oil painting to real
estate.
i
Guy School Chief
The Duplin County Board
of Education confirmed ap
pointment of L.S. Guy as
interim superintendent to
succeed C. H. Yelverton,
who died last week.
The board named Graham
Phillips and Patricia Bfoad
rick to seek and review
applications for a superln
4 ;.*?> U _
tcaucul.
Phillips said they will place
advertisements in journals
and check with other school
boards.
Guy has been assistant
superintendent in charge of
personnel. Guy has not indi
cated whether he will seek
the superintendent's position
permanently.
A BARBECUE SUPPER IN THE PINES was one of the
featured events on opening night of the 1981 LIBERTY
CART on Friday, July 17. The supper began at 6:30 p.m.
and was provided by Sidney Blizzard of Beulaville.
According to Director Rich Boyd, an estimated 945 persons
attended the premier production with three senior citizens
tour groups who attended on the governor's compli
mentary ticket program. Several dignitaries in the
audience who were recognized prior to the performance
included: Bill Bates - associate director of North Carolina
Theater of the Arts; Randolph Umberger - playwright;
Benjamin Keaton - composer-arranger; most of the Duplin
County Commissioners, Representative Doug Clark,
Congressman Charlie Whitley, Judge Henry Stevens, and
several other judiciary members from Duplin and
surrounding counties. All of THE LIBERTY CART board
members and James G. Kenan of Atlanta and Thomas
Kenan of Chapel Hill were also present. Pre-show
entertainment was provided by the Piney Forks String
Band of Eden. THE LIBERTY CART will have per
formances Thursday thru Sunday evenings through
August 23.
Duplin Native A Founder Of Republic
Of Texas: His Son Died At Alamo
[Editor's Note. The above
was written for future publi- l
cation in' the Dictionary of '
North Carolina Blogiaphy by
John B. Flowers of Durham,
a research historian for the
N.C. Division of Archives l
and History in Raleigh. He is
a native of Mount Olive and
author of two books and a i
score of scholarly articles on
North Carolina History.]
Jessie Grimes. (6 Feb. ca. '
1781 - 15 Mar. 1866) jurist,
signer of the Texas Decla- J
ration of Independence, was (
born in Duplin County, the
son of Sampson and Beth
sheba Winder Grimes, of a ]
family traditionally accepted
to have descended from
Robert Grimes of Lower Nor
folk County, Virginia, who
arrived in America by 1647. (
Jesse Grimes left home in ,
1817 and went to Washing
ton County, Alabame. He {
moved to Texas in 1827 and
located temporarily on the (
San Jacinto River in what is
now Harris County, about
ten miles above its junction
with Buffalo Bayou. In the
fall of 1827, he setteled on j
the league of land to which
he received title from the
Mexican government in
1831. The settlement in (
which he located early be
came known as Grimes {
Prairie and is in present-day (
Grimes County.
On March 21. 1829. the ,
Ayuntamiento of San Felipe ,
de Austin elected Grimes
first lieutenant of the First
Company, Battalion of
Austin. He was elected (
"sindico procurador," pre
cinct of Viesca, Jurisdiction |
of Austin. Department of
Bexar, on December 13. .
1830, and on December 11,
1831, one of "regid'>rs" of (
the Ayuntamiento.
The First Convention of
Texas at San Felipe in Oc
tober, 1832, created a central
Committee of Safety and
Vigilance with sub-commit
tees for the various districts.
Grimes was not a member of
the Convention, but on Octo
ber 5, he was put on the
sub-committee as one of the
representatives from the
District of Viesca. On the
following day he was
appointed treasurer of the
district.
On November 5, 1835.
Grimes was seated by the
Consultation at San Filipe as
a delegate from Washington
Municipality. By that body
he was elected. On Novem
ber 14, a member of the
General Council of the Provi
sional Government of Texas.
James Hass, elected judge
af the municipality, reported
to the Convention at Wash
ington on March 1, that in
the election held February 1,
i836. Grimes and three
athers had been elected to
represent Washington Mini
ripality. The number of votes
polled was not stated. These
gentlemen were all seated on
March 1.
While Grimes was
attending the convention, his
18-year-old son, Alfred
Calvin Grimes, fell at the
Alamo on March 6, 1836, and
thus earned a hero's place in
the annals of Texas.
On June 3, 1836, Grimes
enrolled a company of volun
teers "for a tour of three
months service in the Texas
Army, East Side of the
Brazos River, Washington
County."
When Lamar was Collec
ting material for a history of
Texas he intended to write,
t>e obtained an account of the
Convention from Judge
Grimes, written sometime in
the year 1838.
Grimes was a member of
the Senate of the First Con
gress of the Republic, Oct
ober 3, 1836 to September
25, 1837. from the District
composed of Washington
County. He was a member of
the House of Representatives
in the Sixth and Seventh
Congresses from Montgom
ery County, November 1,
1841, to December 8, 1843.
Robert M. Williamson's seat
in the Senate was declared
vacant January 4, 1844, and
Judge Grimes succeeded him
January 22, representing the
district composed of Wash
ington, Montgomery and
Brazos Counties in the
Eighth Congress. He was re
elected to the Ninth and final
Congress, which ended June
28, 1845. He represented the
Ninth District, composed of
Montgomery County, in the
Senate of the First and
Second Legislatures, Febru
ary 14, 1846, to November 5,
1849, and he was in the
Senate of the Third Legis
lature from the Thirteen
District, composed of Mont
gomery. Walker and Grimes
Counties, November 5, 1849
to November 3, 1851, and
was likewise a Senator in the
Fourth Legislature,
November 3, 1851 to
November 7, 1853. He was
not a member of the Fifth
Legislature, but was a
member of the Senate of the
Sixth, Seventh and Eighth
Legislatures, November 5,
1855, to November 4, 1861.
In the Act of the Legis
lature of April 6, 1846, which
created Grimes County,
Texas, it is not stated for
whom it was named, though
a Texas historian in 1879
stated it was named in honor
of Judge Jesse Grimes,
which seems obvious.
Judge Grimes was first
married to Martha Smith,
who was born in Alabama,
August 4, 1789, and died in
that state in 1824. Children
of this union were Robert
Henry, who married Eliza
beth Highsmith; Harrie
Elizabeth; Albert Calvin,
bom December 20. 1817;
Rufus; Lucinda. who died in
childhood; Jacob; Mary
Jane, who died in childhood;
William Ward, who died in
childhood; and Martha Ann.
twin of William Ward
Grimes.
In 1826, Judge Grimes was
married to a young widow,
Mrs. Rosanna Ward Britton.
who had married at the age
of sixteen and whose hus
band had drowned shortly
after their marriage. She was
a daughter of Francis and
Mary Ward. Their children
were Gordon, who died in
early childhood; Harvey;
Leonard, who died in child
hood; Helen, who married
Robert Love; Emily, who was
twice married, first to John
Bowen. and after his death to
George Gannaway; and
Nancy Grimes, who married
Charles H. Ehlinger.
The year of Judge Grimes'
birth on his gravestone,
1788, is obviously in error by
several years, as he is men
tioned in the will of his
grandfather. Hugh Grimes,
written in Duplin County.
North Carolina, on April 2.
1781. Both Judge and Mrs.
Grimes, who was born
October 31, 1803, and died
December 6. 1871, were
buried in the John McGintry
cemetery about ten miles
east of Navosota. The ceme
tery was eventually
abandoned. The State of
Texas had the remains of
Judf^ and Mrs.,Grimes ex
humid and on October 17,
1929, reinterred in the State'
Cemetery at Austin.