Newspapers / Zebulon Record (Zebulon, N.C.) / July 15, 1949, edition 1 / Page 4
Part of Zebulon Record (Zebulon, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
rage Four An Untenable Position This week we are running free of charge a letter from the Mayor of Zebulon, who expresses himself as for the progress of Zebulon but against the proposed $70,000 bond issue for paving sidewalks and streets. We are glad to give this space in the interest of free expression of opinion, but we differ sharply with Mr. Bridgers in those opinions. First of all, we challenge the Mayor’s position as watch dog of the municipal treasury. Respect for the taxpayer’s dollar is a fine attribute of any public official, and provision of services is another fine attribute —here is the place a public official can really qualify as a friend of the people. If the Mayor wished to strengthen his position on this point, he should have acted with more discretion in the matter of awarding recent armory and well-drilling contracts. Next we rise in defense of the town board, which voted to delay asking for the expenditure of state funds for cer tain streets in Zebulon until after the bond election. If the election carries, the state funds can still be used to cut down the amount of bonds which must be issued to do our job. If the election does not carry, the money will still be there for the use of all the people of Zebulon, not just the few on the streets which were designated by the mayor. We challenge, on no less authoriy than the Attorney General’s office, the Mayor’s statement that the funds de rived from the sale of bonds cannot be used for sidewalks. The street improvement proposal is construed by the Local Government Commission and the prospective buyers of the bonds to include the sidewalks adjacent to the streets which, incidentally, are carried on town maps as part and parcel of public property. Mr. Bridgers finally declares himself in favor of a pay as-you-go basis. Some weeks ago he declared himself against such a plan for the state of North Carolina, announcing that he believed bonds should be issued to pave roads for the rural people of North Carolina. Now he declares himself against such a method of providing paved roads and side walks for the people living within the incorporated limits of Zebulon. In all honesty, it seems to us that Mr. Bridgers has chosen for himself an untenable position. He shall have, however, if he desires it, more space in next week’s Record, again free of charge, to enlarge upon his views on the pro posed bond issue. Record Vote Will Be Favorable The tobacco farmers of the several counties in which this newspaper circulates are pretty well sold on the idea of marketing quotas and Tobacco Associates. Many of them will probably stay home from the polls on July 23 because they are so positive both referendums will carry they feel their votes are not needed. Disregarding the responsibility angle of suffrage in fav or of the practical privilege approach, these farmers had best cast their ballots, come election day. We cannot be sure around Zebulon how the farmers around Clinton or the South Carolina line will vote —nor can we be positive how our neighbors will vote in Wake or neighboring coun ties. We beg a record vote for elections of this type next Saturday, feeling sure that a record vote is bound to be a favorable vote. Please Remember Your Friends Like any small town, Zebulon is dependent for profit and survival upon the surrounding farm area. We are en titled to a share of the local farm trade if we offer quality goods at fair prices and show ourselves interested in the farmer’s welfare. With fall trading season coming on, we should like to call attention to the many concerns in Zebulon which are offering, as usual, a dollar's worth of merchandise for a dollar. We also feel no hesitancy about reminding local farm ers of two things which prove Zebulon’s loyalty to the farmer’s well-being. Zebulon voted 2-to-l in favor of roads and schools for the rural people. Zehulon also led the fight against the di vision of ARC funds between Wake County and its munici palities. We lost that fight, and taxes were raised as we said they would be—but there will be another day, and Zebulon will be in there again fighting for the farmer. The Zebulon Record Ferd L. Davis Editor Barrie S. Davis Publisher Subscription rate: $1.50 a year. Advertising rates on request. Entered as second class matter June 26, 1925, at the post office «»t Zebulon, North Carolina, under the act of March 3,187 P The Zebulon Record By Mrs. Theo. B. Davis The birds may have seen a snake and combined to voice their fright; and I am far from claiming that any of them are on familiar terms with our chief of police. But when I heard a great commotion among robins, thrashers, catbirds and sparrows out in our side yard, I also heard, high above the rest a mocker shrieking, “Willie B! Willie B!” almost as plainly as I can say the name. And that’s not the only talking creature, besides humans, on our place. On a recent morning I was awakened by a hoarse call of “Get up! Get up!” and was clear put of bed before realizing a frog was the speaker. Talking may be contagi ous. Mrs. Jethro Stell, who is chair man of Home Beautification in the Home Demonstration Club, says now is the time to root cuttings of azalea, magnolia, camellia, and practically all hard-wooded shrubs. You should get a twig of this year’s growth, which has now hardened considerably, and cut it from the parent shrub where the new and old growths join. Be careful not to let the leaves wither, which means that the twig should be placed in water till the ground is ready for Before going to the polls to cast our ballots every one should know as many of the facts as possible about that for which they are vot ing. First, I want every citizen in the Town of Zebulon to know, and I think you do, that I am one hund red per cent for progress. I want our Town to make every advance ment possible, and if the Bond Issue is the right way to do it, then I am for the Bond Issue. But I do hesitate to vote more “Debt” on our Town if we can accomplish so near the same job without the debt. For instance, during the past two years we have surfaced about two miles of our streets, not only with out a bond issue also without drawing any money from our Town treasury. Ti.e property owners have paid for part of this work and the remainder came from funds made possible by the State High way Commission. We had the chance again this year to hard surface some more of our streets, but our Town Board voted not to do any improvement on any of our dirt streets until after the Bond Election. This Bond ilection coming be fore the people is for the purpose of hard-surfacing our dirt streets and for curb and gutter; not for any side walks as was mentioned in last week’s editorial. We can Golden Text: “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceit fully.”—Psalm 24:3-4. Scripture lesson: Psalm 84: 1-4; Psalm 95:1- 7b. Next Sunday, July 17, we con tinue our study of the book of hymns in the Old Testament with a song of the heart, and a song of the choir. This, That, and the Other Readers' Forum Sunday School Lesson it. Choose a shaded place, dig out a hole deep enough to take about six inches of the cutting and put in sand to fill the bottom and part way up. This is for the roots to form in. You may use all sand, or fill in on top with soil, which must not be allowed to dry out. Mrs. Stell has even rooted apple twigs. I’m no expert, but on our place are roses weigiels, deutzia, ligustrum, althea, crepe myrtle and butterfly bush that grew from cut tings. If you want shrubs and can’t afford to buy them, don’t mind asking a gardener for some. Near ly everyone will be glad to help you get a start. And don’t forget that July is the month for it. I am coming to the conclusion that we waste sympathy when pouring it cut on children who do not have expensive toys. My youngest granchild has had num erous dolls, some of them costing enough to startle me. And she al ways wants a doll handy, so that whenever she is without one, we have to do some manufactur ing at once. Her latest plaintive plea of “I need a doll” came on a day when I was unusually busy. Glancing around, I saw an ear of corn too hard for cooking, wrapped soft cloth around the larger end, cov ered it with a piece of white feed- not use any of the money from this Bond issue for side walks as it is now set up even if there should be any left. Please read election notice in this issue of the Zebulon Record. Here is just about what we could hope to do with $70,000.00; We can hard surface the balance of our most important dirt streets —approximately three miles—for about $25,000.00 to $30,- 000.00, but the lowest figures that we have on curbing and gutters is $19,536.00 per mile (both side of streets) and we have about five miles of this work. We also have about ten miles of sidewalks that need to be laid and the cost of lay ing five-foot side walks can’t be less than $7,920.00 per mile. These figures came from an engineer who met with our Town Board re cently. I have done a great deal of figuring on it myself and I can not see how this work can be done for any less money. Therefore, we can hard-surface our dirt streets and do about two miles of curb and gutter, but no side walks at all. My position in this matter is just this: The good people of our Town put me in office, “I think,” to be fair and square, and to use my best judgement in the spending of the Tax Payers money. Therefore, I cannot sit idly by and see false pictures painted as to what we may expect to get if the Bond Election Psalm 84 in its opening verses tell us of the feeling of joy exper ienced by the pilgrim about to set out for the holy city of Jerusalem: “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! . . . Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: They will be still praising thee.” The ninety-fifth Psalm tells of the worship of the Lord in his tabernacle —The communal work, prayer and Thanksgiving. The golden text completes this picture by defining those who shall spend eternity in glory—those of Friday, July 15, 1949 sack, tied a narrow piece around for arms, stitched up a butterfly dress of print, and had a fine doll, except for features. We found crayons and put on eyes; but by accident got blue pupils in black irises instead of the other way round. Then red crayon was not at hand so I made a mouth with a piece that was orange. That doll was at leats different. But Ann was charmed. She play ed for a while, then came to me and said, “This doll is just as pretty as she could be; and her mouth looks just like firelight.” After all, it is imagination that makes any toy worthwhile. With it a child can play happily with al most anything; and without it nothing pleases long. Most of us use approximate time and numbers so much that it is surprising when someone is exact. Like Monday night when my son’s wife called us and said Ferd was sick and was to be taken to the hopsital. I hurried down to stay with the children while she went with Ferd, and, of course wanted details of his illness. He was suf fering extreme pain, but when I asked when he was taken sick he replied, “At four minutes past one!” At first I feared he was de lirious, but he had happened to (Continued on Page 5) should carry, without expressing myself on the matter. So, I want every voter who goes to the polls on August second to vote the way he thinks best for our Town, and if the Election carries I pledge my very best efforts to give you the most improvements possible for the money we spend. I think we could use the money that it will cost us to pay the principle and in terest on a bond issue, along with any other help that the State may give us and what the property owners themselves are willing to pay, and soon have all our streets hard-surfaced and later do our curb and gutter and side walks as we can. Our total Town debt now is $117,000.00, which is the lowest it has been since our water and sewer system was installed. Our treasury is in good sound condition and we can handle our present debt and have a few thousand dol lars for permanent improvements each year. I feel that we should keep our Town debt as low as pos sible, and make improvements on a pay as you go basis, and I believe in a very few years from now we will have our Town Streets in fine shape and paid for. This is just my honest opinion, so let us all give serious thoughts and consider ation to what is best and safest for our Town and cast our votes ac cordingly. R. H. Bridgers, Mayor clean hands and pure heart, with out deceit or vanity. We can very simply compose our own symphony of faith through fitting these songs to our individ ual lives. First we experience the song of the heart in our indivdual redemption. Then we expereince the song of the choir—we redeem others by working with one anoth er in our churches. Finally we complete the symphony by our song of salvation. Having believed and worked, we become one with God.
Zebulon Record (Zebulon, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 15, 1949, edition 1
4
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75