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The FratMn Times
Published Every Tuesday & Thursday ^ Serving All Of FranUin County
Phone GY6-3283
Ten Cents
Louisburg, N. C? Tuesday, March 25, 1969
(Six Pages Today)
100th Year-Number 11
Weather Bad, Hopes High As Rishel Breaks Ground
C. FRANK SEIDEL
? J. HAROLD TALTON
RICHARD E. MELLISH
"From The People Of Franklin County"
S. KENNETH SCHUBART REP. L' H. FOUNTAIN J. HAROLD TALTON RICHARD E. MELLISH
Commissioners Agree On Water Line Appropriation
The Board of County Commis
sioners. meeting in special session here
Monday afternoon, agreed to finance
the proposed water line to the site of
the new J. K. Rishel Furniture Co.
plant. The Board had given verbal
assurances that it would finance the
project at an earlier meeting.
Basing their actions on the low bid
which places the cost at slightly over
$155,000, the Board agreed to donate
the sum of $20,650.20 to the Develop
ment Corporation of Franklin County,
annually for ten years to pay principal
and interest on the" project. The De
velopment Corporation Is a non-profit
organization formed in the Sportswear
and Gay Products plant acquisitions in
past years.
Although the county was already
committed to Rishel for the water
line, it took the Board quite some time
to reach Its final actions. At one point,
moat of the Board members. Industrial
development and bank officials were
conferring in the halls outside the
Commissioner room. Newsmen, the
project engineer, Board chairman
Brooks Young and Commissioner John
House waited Inside. After a wait of
more than half an hour, Commissioner
House rose and said, "I think IH go
see where the Commissioners are meet
ing."
Part of what was going on In the
halls was apparent once the group
moved back to the Commissioner's
room. James Grady, Waccamaw Bank
manager, Frank Holden of Smlthfleld,
First-Citizens Bank official and J.
Harold Talton, local Flnt CUIzens
manager, disclosed that an agreement
had been reached to have both local
#
/
bank! loan the $155,000 to the coun
ty. It was also brought out that part of
the Ave cent authorized levy (or the
Industrial Development Commiaaton
would be uaed to help pay off the
note. This was suggested by Holden
with Commiaaioner Norwood Faulkner
and Talton In agreement.
The Board had paaaed a resolution
calling for a payment of $13,600 for
such a project under the old Carolina
Fine Wooda project. In view of limited
Information on the Rlahel project at
the time, a verbal agreement had been
made by the Board to donate $15,500
to the new project. Once bida were
actually received and Interest added,
the figure reached the $2d,000-plua
and a formal reaolutlon waa needed to
Death Claims
P.S. Allen
Graveside services for Peter Staple
ton Allen, 63, retired Loulaburg auto
mobile dealer, were held Monday at 11
A.M. at Oak wood Cemetery, con
ducted by Rev. Frank E. Pulley, paa
' tor, St. Paul'a Eptacopal Church.
Mr. Alien, who operated Allen
Chevrolet Company for many years
here, died Sunday morning in Duke
Hospital after a period of declining
health.
Surviving are hie widow, Mrs. Annie
Boddie Alien; a daughter. Miss Frances
Naal Allen of Raleigh; a son, P. S.
Allen, Jr. of Louiatfurg; a brother, Cail
Allen of Loulaburg.
* obtain the fundi.
The two local bank* are expecte<
See WATER LINE Page 4
? ?
By Clint Fuller
Times Managing Editor
Rain, mud and the dark of day
failed to deter the high hopes and gay
spirits of a host of local, state and
company dignitaries as groundbreaking
ceremonies were held as scheduled
here Monday for the J. K. Rishel
Furniture Company plant. Stuck cars
and a lost Congressman served only to
lift spirits even higher as the area
marked what was termed "a turn
around the corner."
Standing In a downpour of rein and
surrounded by dignitaries, poking um
brella points and mud holes. Industrial
Development Commission Chairman J.
Harold Talton and Rishel President
Richard E. Mellish dug into the good
earth marking the official beginning of
the new Industry here. Mellish relin
quished the honor of the first spading
to his company associate, C. Frank
Seldel, . Assistant Treasurer and new
plant manager.
Ceremonies at the site on NC-56
east of Louisburg were curtailed due
to the weather and the program was
completed at The Murphy House
where participants were feted at a
luncheon by Rishel.
Congressman L. H. Fountain, who
had been Inadvertently left behind in
Louisburg when others motored to the
plant site, hitched a ride with an
attorney friend's secretary and took a
bit of good-natured kidding in the
process. Proceedings were held up
while officials were busily looking for
the principal speaker who had been
left back in town. The Congressman,
sensing the untold political value of
Welcome To Rishel
A number of expressions of welcome were made Monday as J. K. Rishel
Furniture Company held ground breaking ceremonies at the plant site on NC-56
east of Louisburg and at a luncheon which followed. Among those expressions were
the following statements:
"This is a great thing that has happened to Louisburg and Franklin County. It
gives our people new jobs, new hope and new courage." state Senator E. F. Griffin
"This 1a a day of fulfillment for you here, for us and for the company. This
plant will make a great contribution to this community. On behalf of all state
agencies of government-welcome." Tom Broughton, Assistant Administrator
State Division, Commerce and Industry
"On behalf of the Board of County Commissioners, welcome. It is our hope that
you will keep the lines of communications between us open."
W. H. Taylor, County Attorney
"I appreciate all the kind remarks about Louisburg and may God bless each and
every one of you who have helped make this dream come true."
V. A. People?, Mayor
Town of Louisburg
"Louisburg College is proud indeed to welcome this fine company to Franklin
County and to Louisburg." D,. Cecil W. Robbins, President
Louisburg College
"Franklin County is fortunate when industry such as J. K. Rishel locates here. It
should serve as an Inducement for our local government to provide more and better
service. Prosperity begets prosperity. On behalf of the many good industries already
in the county, welcome." \ j. Jackson Dean, President
Dean Farms, Inc.
"For paying your own way, we are grateful. Welcome."
G. M. Beam, Jr., Representative
New York Life Insurance Co.
"Our people are just as anxious to help in the days and years to come as they
were In getting you to come. I am sure youH find them to be the best people youll
ever come In contact with."
J. Harold Talton, Chairman
- Industrial Development Commission
Brentwood Rest Home Upens I his Week
Mr. Francis Holt, head of Holt
Industrie!, Inc. of Klnston, announced
the opening of the new Brentwood
Rett Home here thii week. Holt made
the announcement at an open houae at
the new structure on NC-39 east of
Louisburg Supday.
Several hundred persons toured the
52-bed rest facility Sunday afternoon,
enjoyed refreshment! and welcomed
the new facility as a part of the
community.
Holt announced that his organiza
tion will operate the home and that
Mrs. Agnes Burroughs of Winfall, N. C.
has been named manager. He said that
Mrs. Burroughs is experienced in such
operations and that residents will be
gin arriving thia week.
"We are morally committed to of
fer first choices to those people who
were moved from the Franklin Board
ing Home and wiah to return", Holt
stated. He explained that the facility
could hjve already been filled except
that he Is awaiting decisions by those
people who were moved when the old
Ben Franklin Home was sold.
A spokesman for the Welfare De
partment said only a few of the people
would be returning. It waa explained
that some have pasaed away and some
others havte decided to remain where
they were placed when the old home
was closed. The spokesman said many
of those who were moved were not
residents of the county to begin with.
Just how many will return wis not
disclosed. However, it wis learned that
some will be returned Friday.
The facility If divided into two
wings with a reception-dining area in
the center. One wing will be for men
residents and the other for women.
Couples will reside together near the
center area, it was learned.
The home is completely new in
every respect with beautiful as well as
See BRENTWOOD Page 4
such a break, happily made the best of
it. Red faces, however, are expected to
be the vogue around the Industrial
Development office for the remainder
of the week.
Speaking at the luncheon. Congress
man Fountain said he was glad Rishel
had chosen to locate here. "The plant
will be a decided asset to the com
munity," he said, "It will enhance the
economic position of the city and
county. It spells progress and oppor
tunity for the city and the people who
live here", he continued.
(See h'ounlaia't tfteech.
Id it or uil Comment fa/fr 4)
He praised state and local officials
for their work in landing Rishel saying.
"It is a sign of an energetic and
dynamic community able to stand on
Its own two feet, able to face the
challenges and prospects of twentieth
century America, and able to give its
citizens the good life they deserve."
Referring to his service on the
Intergovernmental Relations Com
mittee of Congress and a study recent
ly made by his Committee, the Con
gressman disclosed that agricultural
jobs in Franklin County have declined
from 5,700 in 1950 to 3,600 in
1960--a loss of over 2,000 jobs in a
ten-year period. ?
"The job opportunities presented
by this new plant makes it possible for
people to remain here and to continue
to enjoy the pleasures of small city
living -unparrelled by any large city in
America." Rep. Fountain said in con
nection with his Committee's study of
urban and rural problems.
He pointed to "availability of
labor" as one of the reasons for this
area's attraction to industry and told
of the various state institutions such as
technical centers and Community Col
leges and their ability to train un
skilled persons as another . . He said
industry looks for workers "capable of
fitting into the routine of industrial
employment." 'This means reliability,
promptness, an ability to learn, and a
desire to progress. This community
See RISHEL Fage 4
School Daze
Gets Honor
Minneapolis, Minn. ? Louisburg
High School's newspaper. School
Daze, has received Honor Rating in the
80th All American Critical Service
conducted by the National Scholastic
Press Association at the University of
Minnesota. Papers were categorized by
frequency of publication, size of stu
dent body, and so forth.
Student newspapers from more
than 1,200 high schools across the
nation are judged on the basis of
content, writing and makeup in cate
gories based on enrollment, frequency
publications and method of printing.
Mrs. Rena C. Bland is their adviser.
"Scholastic journalists of today are
the communication leaders of tomor
row," Otto W. Quale, NSPA Executive
director stated, "and high school news
papers provide a living laboratory for
journalistic research and innovation.
The school and community are to be
commended for their support of this
challenging co-curricular activity."
Mrs. Bland commented, "It is a
privilege to be affiliated with National
Scholastic Press Association, the oldest
school press association in the nation,
and serving high schools and colleges.
The detailed critical service rendered
to us, and the suggestions made, will ?
be of great help in future planning."
Brentwood - A Place Of Beauty