The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1957-08-02
seuLTo CONTROL AND DRAINAGE THREATENED.

Dare County people stand lose the larger part of
drainage project embracing several Of our most
the major part of the money, some $16O,OOO:
The trouble is due perhaps to lack of understanding
among landowners, who have not been fully IN
formed of the needs of these projects After contracts have
let landowners have refused to allow bitches
be dug their lands and these bitches necessary to
drain large which breeding grounds for mosqu
tos bitches would permit the quick drainage of
salt tides which, if allowed to remain the lands would
kill much vegetation, including trees and crops
Unless the affected communities get together and get
the citizens fully informed agreeable and united be-
hind these projects county may sustain great losses
The camor of many people for long time has been that
something be done to control mosquitoes.
But nothing can be done toward mosquito control with
drainage and there for adequate funds to
finance except the already approved Federal hurricane
lief funds However many legal which
govern the expenditure of public funds These funds cannot
owners ditch be dug without drains all the way
through single obector block the whole project which
community.
The consummaton of these projects in Dare County
whereby this 100000 has been obtained represents small
task the part of few people Work in this whereby
approval of engineers has been finally obtained
has called for lot of effort by county officials One Com
missioner Lawrence Swain of Maneo has contributed up
wards of 1000 hours of time this But equal
that did not get done This thing and the
had to get along best they could They could not
mosquito control and drainage that there would be OBJ
econs anywhere when finally the funds had been allotted
and contracts let.
Now appears that unless the various citizens of the
communities involved get together and lend their
Grafton the projects be cancelled and the funds with
drawn, and the benefits forever lost to the county,
It is bet that with the county in its present fnan
cal condition the citizens and taxpayers fork
sufficient money to do the work In the meantime gut of
mosquitoes blanket the and drive away hundreds of
thousands of dollars worth of tourist business.
This situation is more serious than might appear at
first glance.
Chiefly concerned in these projects the following
communities grouped together the in which
tracts have been let:
The Kitty Hawk area; coington, Mays Head and Stun
py Point the Roanoke Island with the most of
the projects the south end of the island and the Hateras
Island area.
Contractors have been obliged to stop work in some
because of objections of citizen landowners and have
moved their equipment to other communities Work began
the drainage projects at Stmpy Point this week Work
is underway at Hatteras
seems that this problem might be best solved by
tons through the respective civic clubs in the communities
involved Without united community support the best of
results cannot be achieved and satisfactory ending may
develop only from community pride and effort for the
eral beterment which may above any desire for per-
sonal profit tendency to shk any small sacrifice There
always slight sacrifices anything for the general
good but progressive people usually rise above evasion
of duty responsibility