J.A. Byrum, State Normal School, Settle Dispute Over Sewer Line, March 10, 1922

Mr. Byrum Will Not Have to Use His Gun. . . Problem of Sewerage Line From State Normal School to River Settled Now

J.A. Byrum, a prominent farmer living on the outskirts of Elizabeth City, will not have to use a shotgun to keep the contractors for the sewerage disposal system of the State Normal School at Elizabeth City from crossing his property with the sewer line. The problem of locating the proposed sewer to the satisfaction of Mr. Byrum and everyone else was disposed of at a meeting of the Building Committee of the State Normal School Tuesday afternoon. The sewer line as agreed upon will follow the main road from the State Normal to a point near the peak end of Mr. Byrum’s property on the River road, crossing Mr. Byrum’s property at that point, thence over a swamp to the lands of J.N. Winslow and into the Pasquotank River where the line will empty into the river current.

A more direct route would have been to cut straight through the lands of Mr. Byrum. To this Mr. Byrum objected, declaring he would sit on his land with a shotgun to prevent such a trespass. Failing to reach an agreement with Mr. Byrum last week, the committee set another meeting for Tuesday of this week. Upon invitation of the Chairman, W.O. Saunders, James A. Salter, architect, and G.F. Catlet, engineer o the State Board of Health, were present to advise in the matter. Early in the day Mr. Byrum himself went over the situation with Frank R. Hufty, who is Mr. Salter’s resident representative, and pointed out a way that was entirely practicable and presumably satisfactory to everybody.

Unable to get a connection with he city water and sewerage lines, the State Normal School is installing it’s own water and sewerage systems at considerable expense and will be independent of city service.

Front page of The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., Friday, March 10, 1922