THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume 37, No. 10
USPS 421-060
Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, March 12, 1961
20 CENTS
Annexation generates little interest in Winfall
by JACK GROVE
An annexation bearing, held Monday
night at the Winlall Town Office, went
totally unattended by Winlall citizens.
The annexation extendi the town's
boundaries 500 feet on both sides of U.S.
1,7 and N.C. Highway 37 and brings in an
additional >00 feet near Union School.
Some 300 to 300 acres of woodland
i % bounded by the town limits also become
part of the town. Mayor L.R. Morgan
emphasized, however, that farm and
woodland would not be Und by the town.
Town Attorney, Walter Edwards, Jr.,
said that annexation procedures had
been started in the past but never
completed. Edwards said that the
current annexation includes past efforts.
Morgan pointed out two purposes for
the annexation. He said one wu to more
clearly deliniate the town's boundaries.
The other be indicated, was to bring all
the town's water lines into the town.
When asked if this action would in
crease revenues. Morgan indicated that
it would but he couldn't say ho* much
the increase would be.
Morgan did indicate one immediate
benefit to thooe citizens affected by the
plan. They will no longer have to pay for
trash pickups.
After Edwards read the annexation
ordinance for the record, the councilmen
adopted it unanimously placing it into
effect immediately.
Perquimans County Deputy Sheriff Joe
Lothian spoke to the councilmen, inviting
them and Winfall citizens to a com
munity watch program sponsored by the
sheriff's department. The meeting for all
county residents will be held at the Court
House tonight (Thursday) at 7:30 p.m.
Guest speaker will be Tony Young from
the Governor's Community Watch
Program in Raleigh.
Lothian pointed out that several
community watch organizations had
already been started in the county. The
program is designed to get citizens in
volved in helping to reduce the crime
rate.
Lothian said that such programs in
some Piedmont counties have helped
reduce the incidence of such crimes as
breaking and enterings and burglaries as
much as 75-00 percent.
Glen Hassell, head of the Albemarle
Law and Order Association, had been
scheduled to appear at the council
meeting but was unable to attend.
Morgan said that Hassell has shown his
interest in assisting Winfall in setting up
an embryo police department. Although
the town cannot afford a full-fledged
department now, it is looking at the
possibility of a part-time policeman with
a car and radio.
Morgan stated the idea of a part-time
officer working in conjunction with the
sheriff's department and an organized
community watch program would ease
law enforcement problems in the town.
Conspiracy
Youths plead guilty
to reduced charges
Three county youth accused of con
spiring to commit murder pleaded guilty
[%to lesser charges and were issued
suspended sentences at a probable cause
hearing last Wednesday.
Mark Lane, 17, William Madre, 17, and
David Lynn Eure, 18, all of Route 3,
Hertford were handed 8 to 12 month
sentences suspended for three years and
will each serve three weekends in the
Albemarle District Jail following plea
bargaining that reduced charges of
conspiracy to murder down to con
j ? spiracy to commit assault with a deadly
weapon.
According to Perquimans County
Deputy Sheriff Joe Lothian, letters ex
changed between Eure, and the alleged
victim's 15 year-old daughter were
evidence, along with Eure's statement,
that a murder plot had been in the
making. The victim presented the letters
to the sheriff's department on Feb. 10,
when Lothian said he had come seeking
i % assistance "fearing for his life."
But the defense argued that there was
never any intent to follow through with
the murder.
Gerald White, attorney for Eure, told
Judge J. Richard Parker, that the entire
incident stemmed from Eure's
relationship with the victim's daughter.
"It all originates with his (Eure's)
going with (the victim's daughter), and
her unhappy circumstances have
brought us here today," said White.
"This originates, not justified of
course, out of some unfortunate con
ditions in the household of the (victim's)
family, and if things were more ideal in
the (victim's) household, if things went a
little smoother, this might not have
happened," said White.
Although Lane and Madre admitted to
accepting $140 from Eure as partial
payment for the deed, both testified that
they had no intention of murder.
"We were sitting in my dad's van at
White Hat Seed Farm when David came
up and asked us if we'd kill somebody,"
said Lane.
"We looked at each other and decided
it would be a good way to make some
money." con tinted Lane, who added that
of the $140 he had received from Eure, he
had given $50 to Madre.
"I saw a quick $10 out of it but we had
no intentions of killing him," said Lane.
Madre testified similarly, telling the
judge that the plot had simply been "a
way to get some money, but we knew we
weren't going to do it."
"I don't think we have to worry about if
?Tri-county
search begins
The search for funds to construct a
center that would teach advanced
^academic and vocational courses to
'students from Gates, Chowan, and
Perquimans Counties is now underway.
.Publication of a 23-page prospectus
outlining the Tri -County Career Center
concept marked the end Of the planning
stage and the beginning of an ambitious
funding search to offset an estimated
$$,790,104 in construction costs.
The prospectus was distributed to
members oif the Perquimans County
Board of Education last Monday, and
Mcopies are already in the mail to some
potential funding sources, according to
Tri-County Steering Committee director
Kenneth L. Stalls.
lie said that funding will be sought
from both public and private agencies,
and that to get enough money to build the
center, several sources will have to
contribute.
Stalls expressed confidence, however,
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that at least part of the money would be
available. "We know we're going to put
our hands on some money but we doot
know how much," he said.
"If we think we have an amount sub
stantial enough to get started, we'll go
ahead," he said.
Copies of the prospectus will initially
be sent to between 20 and SO agencies.
"We"ll start at the top with funds where
we feel we will have the most chance for
success and go on from there," Stalls
said.
After agencies have received the
prospectus and had a chance to review it,
education officials of the three counties
will schedule follow-up visits to deter
mine whether or not there is aa interest
in committing funds to the concept
Stalls said he did not fed that budget
cutting efforts on the federal level would
have an immediate impact on efforts to
secure funding from public sources.
The prospectus begins with letters of
endorsement from A. Craig Phillips,
state superintendent of public in
struction, and governor James B. Hunt,
Jr.
Topics addressed la the prospechu
include reasons the center is needed,
consideration of reservations expressed
concerning the center, curriculum that
would be offered, and em such
logistical information as location and
The prospectus calls for a W,Vt
square foot facility that would serve IN
stmt i term half of their school day,
or 300 students at a time.
The center would be located sum 15
we let these boys go out on the sidewalk
this afternoon, who's going to get shot."
he continued.
Lane's attorney, O.C. Abbott, argued
that the incident stemmed from im
maturity.
"I call it teenage immaturity more
than actual intent to kill somebody."
Madre's attorney. William Bentley,
also told the judge that he believed the
incident stemmed from childishness.
"What we have is a group of boys who
thought they'd get some money and
found themselves in a very serious
situation.
"I call it a prank by a bunch of young
men." said Bentley.
In addition to the suspended sentences
and the weekends in jail, Parker ordered
Madre, a sophomore at Perquimans
County High School, to remain in school,
advised Lane to get a job. and told Eure
to keep his job.
All three were ordered to have no
association with the victim, and will be
subject to supervised probation for three
years.
Because of the involvement of a
juvenile, the victim or his daughter's
name cannot be disclosed.
Marc Basnight
Hertford plant
Getting started
Jarvis Copeland did some preliminary
grading work last week at the eventual
site of Hertford's Missing Mill Park. Bid
preparation is expected to be completed
by March 16. If approved, work could
begin in 90 days.
Planning input sought
The town of Hrrtford is currently
distributing a questionnaire to gain
public input for a land use plan.
The n is required by the Coastal Area
Management Act, and is a first for the
town. "Last time we were included in the
couaty plan b\it we decided it would be
more beneficial to do one of our own,"
said Hertford Mayor Bill Cox in a
meeting with members of the town
planning board last Tuesday.
The planning board will play a role in
developing the plan, and was briefed for
the first time on the subject by Howard
Capps, a landscape architect-planner
contracted by the town to coordinate the
work.
"The preparation of a coastal area
land use plan helps you determine the
type of community you want, how the
community will grow and how land is
used in the town of Hertford. (It in
volves) looking at current land use and
the typfcef growth you would like to see,"
said Capps.
The questionnaire is based on com
munity concerns, some of them man
dated to be addressed in the plan, Capps
said. Public participation in the plan is
required by law, and a questionnaire is
one way of gaining that input, Capps
said.
Planning board members looked over
the survey to determine whether or not it
addressed most areas of concern, and
whether or not any questions were ob
jectionable.
The questionnaire covers history,
industrial development, utilities,
recreation, and general services
provided by the town, said planning
board member George White. "It looks
like it's pretty inclusive," he said. " It's
touching on about everything I can think
of that the town could provide," said
White.
"From history to garbage," threw in
board member Ray Haskett.
The form also includes a catch-all
question, which reads, "What do you feel
(Continued on page 2)
* talk <to"unat
Gas tax ? meeting
jiscussw" OT
According to elected officials, a
statewide gasoline tax appears to be the
best way to inject a much needed boost
into the floundering budget of the
Department of Transportation.
State Senators Melvin Daniels and
Monk Harrington and Representatives
Vernon James and Charles Evans, and
Highway Commissioner Marc Basnight
met with citiiens of Region R to discuss
the area's needs as related to the 1981
General Assembly at a meeting of the
Association of Towns and Counties held
at Angler's Cove in Bethel on Friday, and
the concensus seemed unanimous in
favor of some form of gas tax.
Although only $100 million has been
spent of the $300 million transportation
bond issue, Basnight said the budget
needed at least $200 million annually in
order to operate effectively.
And Basnight said a gasoline tax may
be the best way to accrue additional
revenues. "Some have called this the
most equitable tax." said Basnight, "If
you use you pay and if you don't you
don't."
Harrington was also in favor of the
user's tax concept. "I believe taxes ought
to come from the people who use the
highways," he said, although he in
dicated that he hadn't heard much favor
for the tax from constituents.
"I get the feeling people don't want it
( Continued on page 2)
Ice man recommends update
Obtaining Mock kc from the Hertford
Town Ice Plant may be a thing of the
fill
After talking last week with a
representative from an ice equipment
Arm, town councilmen are considering
purchasing equipment that would con
vert the some M year-old plant into a
crushed ice only operation.
Bffl Banks, of Morris Associates. Inc.,
a Raleigh-based lee equipment
manufacturing company, met with
Hertford Mayor Bfll Cm and council
mMBbars last Wednesday.
According to Co*. Banks told town
otBctels that he did not recommend
repairing a fonlty compressor at the
plant, which has halted operations sinee
arouwd the first of the year.
Previous estimations have put the coat
Ok said nsmKBMa will he con
sidering two propMsH: one *ald to
volve two small units with a freezing
capacity of 3 tons a day; and the other
would involve a 7-ton single unit that
could freeie up to 7 tons of ice per day.
"We're talking about a different type
of plant than what we've got, which
would produce cracked, crushed ice
rather than Mock form," said Cox, who
deemed the production of block ice as
"obsolete."
"It's more expensive to produce a 300
pound Mock of tee than it is to produce
309 pounds of crashed tee," said Cox, who
explained that crashed ice was largely
frosen with Free-on, a method requiring
less electricity and labor.
He added that little site or facility
preparation would be involved in the
change-over. "We'd still use the same
stone* room, it would just be a change
In mechanics," said Cox.
An alternative ice-manufacturing
method would also require fewer em
ployee* than the block system, according
to Cox.
Depending on what kind of hoars the
plant would maintain, CM said he ex
pected that water plant personnel could
operate tee production and sale*, with
the addition of one employee during peak
months of June, July, August, and
September.
Before the council decides whether to
purchase alternative ice-making
equipment, Cox said they would in
vestigate operations at similar plants.
"If the decision is made to continue in
the ice business, we'll have to feel
assured it would be profitable to the town
and not subsidized by the town," said
Cox.
Ice sold to produce trucks has been the
operation's biggest money-maker in the
past.
But profits shown at the ice plant have
been decreasing in recent years. While
Cox estimated that the town sold
anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 worth of
ice a year, the last audit report indicated
that annual sales exceeded maintenance
costs by only some $4,000.
Cox attributed decreasing profits to the
"obsolete method" of producing ice. "It
hasn't been as profitable in the last few
yean because of the method we've been
using to make ice," he said.
One of the few existing block ice
n^nufacturing plants left in the stateH
the operation has been owned and
operated by the town since 1920, when the
building, located on Grubb Street, was
built.
Utilizing what Cox called the "am
monia and brine method" of making ice,
the plant came about during the ice box
era. As the advent of modern
refrigeration gradually took over, Cox
said the demand for block ice declined.
But he admitted that some still preferred
the block-type ice, because of its keeping
quality.
Should the council deem the switch to
crushed ice manufacturing a financial
risk, Cox said the plant would close its
doors for good. "If we find it's not
feasible to purchase new equipment, we
won't do it," said Cox. adding. "We don't
think it would be feasible to repair the
present equipment."
If the town does, however, decide to
purchase alternative ice-making
equipment, Cox said they would like to
have the business in operation by the end
of May.
Last year, the town sold some tlS.000
worth of ice during the months of June
through September, j |