Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / Jan. 2, 1975, edition 1 / Page 2
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^Jte cyietv6 - journal NATIONAL NEWSPAPER m SUSTAINING MEMBER - 1373 (Ja/ioSma. PRESS ASSOCIATION Published Every Thursday a( Raetord, N. C. 28376 119 W. hi wood Avenue Subscription Rates In Advance Per Year - S5.00 6 Months - $2.75 3 Months - $1.50 PAUL DICKSON Publisher-Kditor SAM C. MORRIS General Manager LAURIK TI L-FAIR Associate hditor MRS. PAUL DICKSON Society hditor MARTY VtCA Reporter Second Class Postage at Raeford, N. C. THURSDAY. JANUARY J, 1975 As We See It, bv Laurie Telfair The last of the old year and the first of the new. A good time to reflect backward and look ahead. In compiling the roundup of events in the county during 1974, 1 spent some time this week thumbing through the files of The News-Journal. Two themes-conflict and change-seemed to have dominated events and it was interesting, and somewhat disheartening, to note that some of the problems that first came to public attention in January were still around in December. One of the most persistent of these has been difficulties at Raeford's municipal airport. During the year, the airport commission has reorganized and attempted to tackle some of the sources of conflict. To date, a lease has been signed between the city and Paul Rose, operator of a flying school there, which must be considered progress in relieving the problems. But apparently, trouble is still simmering on the back burner, as, soon after that, numerous complaints to the FAA of unsafe operations prompted an FAA safety inspector to meet with the committee and urge "plain common sense and cooperation." Several eouncilmen observed that problems at the airport are not likely to be solved as long as there is a conflict of interest, such as that created by having a designated airport manager who is also the operator of a competing'business at the airport. City manager John Gaddy says he agrees but that there is no money available to pay an airport manager. Yet it seems unlikely that any lasting solution will be reached until a manager is hired with no personal interest in an airport business. Perhaps 1975 will see an end to clashes at the airport. In the meantime, those who are serving on the airport commission are to be commended for their willingness to undertake a difficult job for the good of the community. Same song, second verse. Or is it third or fourth verse? Back in the fall, the county got the good news that U.S. 401 had been placed on the priority list to be widened to four lanes from Raeford to Seventy First School. Assuming that the project passes its environmental impact study and that there are no problems in acquiring the right-of-way v that it doesn't get knocked off the list, we should be able to ride from R.-elord to Fayetteville on a four lane highway. Does that somehow sound familiar? Does it sound much like the same promise in 1970 or* a similar one before that ' Well, a new year is a time tor hope and we can all hope that this time maybe, just maybe, the road will actually get built. Meanwhile, twelve ot the 18 persons killed this year outside the city limits in traffic accidents lost their lives on 401. Browsing in the fi of The News-Journal 25 years ago Thurs-'av. December 29, 1949 One hundred and twenty ? three voters went to the polls here in Racford Tuesday and obligated the sum of $125,000 for the two ? thousands - odd citi/ens ot the town I A (Burt) Nesbit, former merchant of Raeford. died at his residence in Wilmington last Friday night and was buried here on Monday Sherift 1)11. Hodgin said yesterday that Hoke County citizens and guests behaved themselves in an excellent manner during the Christmas week end with little crime and none of a particularly serious nature being reported. Miss tlla McKenzie. prominent resident of Shannon, Route one. died early Monday morning at her home A new series of Chevrolet passenger cars, reportedly one of the most important over developed by the company, will be unveiled. Saturday, January 7. District Game Protector M R McLean reported this week that a North Carolina Wildlife patrol plane trom Wilmington scouted the deer hunting areas of Hoke. Moore. Cumberland and Harnett counties last Saturday One of the most important jobs which North Carolina farmers should do at this time of year is to prepare a farm plan tor 1950. says Dr. C'.B. Ratchford. in charge of extension farm management at State College 15 years ago Thursday. December 31, 1959 Sleigh bells jingled no louder than cash registers in Raeford during the pre ? holiday shopping season as the best year ever was recorded for sales in Raeford stores. I960 license plates go on sale Saturday at the Raeford license bureau, operated again this year in the office of the Chamber of Commerce. Two shootings on Christmas shattered what was otherwise a very peaceful holiday season in Hoke County. 'Mr. President, I think we've got it backward .. we ski going down and take the lift going up' . by Marty Vega Holiday Bad For Economy It' Congress really wants to do something about the economy, they should start with doing something about the situation of having the New Year's holiday come in the middle of the week. This is very had tor the economy, as workers cannot be \ery productive. You spend the first days of the week making preparations for the big night, and your coffee breaks and lunch hours arc taken up with all the shopping. Then, back at ?your desk, you are on the phone constantly firming up the plans for all the rounds of parties. And then, after the big night, the prospect of ha\ ing to return to work for the remahulci of the week is. well, revolting. Unless you'ie one of the smart ones who hasn't used up ail sick leave, you somehow struggle through Thursday and Friday, still suffering from the effects. (The really smart ones are the ones who don't know when the party's over and are still celebrating.) So. it seems the government ought to uke action here so the gross national product doesn't slide during this week. If Congress can arbitrarily change holidays. The Supreme Court should uphold this. Anyway. in a time when we need unity in America, the New Yeai's holiday, as presently observed, only contributes to sectionalism and divisive interests. Americans can't celebrate it together, what with the different time rones. Think about it. Do any of your friends in California watch Guy LombardC1 Of course not. and it's not because there is no one in California over the age of .10. Seeing all those thousands of pickpockets in Times Square is dated three hours later. So it seems plain (he only answer is to stagger the holiday, so the entire laboi torrid and management is not under a hangover at the sauvc time. (After all. we might be prone to a Russian attack, or something.) This is the way it could work. People with odd numbered license plates would celebrate on Friday, and even numbered on Saturday, provided, that in those stales where the bars must close at midnight, citizens would be issued coupons to entitle them to continue to be served after .the legal closing hour. Unused coupons would be transferable or carried over to the next year. Persons with plates ending in zero would select then night in a lottery, provided, if there was an P'xacta number, citizens would get another night on the house, or the treasury. Agricultural workers, ministers, and people too drunk to remember their license plates or where they are parked, would be exempt from the plan. Puppy Creek Philosph er Dear editor The same as you. all Congressmen. Governors. economists, financial experts and everybody else except jewelers and dentists. I don't understand gold. Furthermore, I never expect to. The part I do understand is that gold, which used 10 he worth S25 an ounce, is now worth about $200 an ounce, or was the other day, which by the pound comes to even more than the price of a new car. Also, I understand that the U.S. government is now allowing Americans to buy the stuff. Gold, that is. Cats they don't seem to he hankering for. I couldn't understand why people would want to buy gold until I read an article by an expert. Me explained it was a hedge against inflation. This cleared it up I'd thought they were buying it in case ihey had a lot of teeth needing capping. But I'll tell you. buying gold as a hedge against inflation strikes me as about as sound as going into the ranching business for the same reason. These buyers of gold may be like the ranchers who were holding their cattle last year expecting the price to soar as soon as puce controls were lifted. I have six over-grown Jersey steers out here I'll sell cheap. I would swap them for gold if I had a magnifying glass to sec how much I was getting Then an altogethet different idea hit me. As I understand it. the U.S. government has several billion dollars worth of gold stored at Fort ICnox, stacked like cord wood with each stick worth nearly $200 an ounce or about S70.000 a stick. But. we paid only $.25 an ounce for it. Any time you can buy something for $25 an ounce and sell it for $200, it seems to me yoiv'd be mighty foolish not to seel and take your profit and I've heard the government was considering the idea until somebody pointed out how much income tax it'd have to pay. That ended it. You're not going to see Washington get caught in a trap like that Yours faithfully, J.A. Senator Sam Ervin Says WASHINGTON.-The canny Scotsman. Thomas Carlyle. made a profound observation when he said, "Man lives by ^relieving something, not/ by debating and arguing many things. ' Faith and courage constitute two of our most basic needs. So it is lilting that I devote this last newsletter to the fundamentals which have made and will continue 10 make this country great. Faith, which is the evidence of things not seen, proves to men and women the reality of the positive beliefs by which we live and for which we are willing to die. Faith is not a storm cellar to which men and women can ilee for refuge from the storms of life. It is. instead, an inner force which gives them the strength to face those storms and their consequences with serenity of spirit. In times of greatest stress, faith has the miraculous power to lift ordinary men and women to greatness. Faith is exhibited at its best in the lives of those men and women who trust the promises of God. Al a lime when her physical eyes were failing, Annie Johnson Flint saw these promises with the eyes of faith, and described them for us ih her inspiring little poem entitled. "What God Hath Promised." "God hath not promised Skies always blue. Flower-strewn pathways All our lives through; God hath not promised Sun without rain, Joy without sorrow. Peace without pain. "But God hath promised Strength for the day. Rest for the labor. Light for the way, Grace for the trials. Help from above, Unfailing sympathy Undying love." See SEN SAM. page 11 Bicentennial Notes Town's Early Project - A *35 Jail Editor's note: Lucy Gray Peebles wrote the following article for the May 18, 1961 special Jubilee edition. The Town of Raefotd was incorporated in 1901, when on Feb. 22, the General Assembly of North Carolina appointed B.F. Moore, mayor, to serve until the first Monday in the following May. That date then and each odd calendar year since, was set to be legal election day. Appointed at the same time to serve as town commissioners were J.W. McLauchlin, Neill McGill, Daniel McKeithan, J.W. Johnson and Neil S. Blue. The temporary board in turn named J.O. Campbell as the town's first clerk and J.C. Currie as law enforcement officer. This more or less political position was dubbed, at various intervals in the early years as constable, marshal and police chief. One of the town's first projects was to erect a guard house: the cost, $35. Constable Currie made little use of the new jail, however, for one reason, the people of Raeford were not very bad, and for another, he resigned before the first election day came around. It could have been that the job was boring! N.C. McNeod who succeeded him was soon gone and so was A.D. Whitley the third town peace officer in less than a year. J.D. Andrews, hired at an increased salary of $15 a month, was a sticker. All the appointed town commissioners were duly elected when May rolled around but Moore resigned before his initial year was out. McLauchlin was named by the board to serve the remaining year of the term. According to the other rules and regulations set up in the charter, Raeford's first tax levy was 33(6 cents on the $100 valuation. A second town election was held in 1903 at the appointed time. W.B. McQueen and J.W. McLauchlin drew 52 votes each in the race for mayor, but the question was settled at a following meeting of the board when McLauchlin declared McQueen mayor for the next two years. McLauchlin served that term as commissioner along with the other election winners: G.L. Egerton, 51 votes; N.S. Blue, 53 votes; J.C. McJ^ean, 53 votes; Murdoch McDuffie, 38 votes and D.D. Mclntyre, 18 votes. A dusty, often muddy and rugged Main Street became the concern of the long skirted women and the filth-conscious merchants, so the first "hard surface," consisting of six inches of solid clay was laid with the help of convict labor. All the buildings on Raeford's downtown Main Street were constructed entirely of wood, including; the Hotel Gillis, until late 1903 when the Bank of Raeford constructed the first brick structure which is now occupied by Hoke Drug Company. In 1905, under Mayor D.D. Mclntyre's regime, a committee was ordered to purchase the town's first fire equipment. Among the unpretentious items bought with the $150 appropriated were I',-j dozen buckets, two ladders and a wagon to haul them on and some dire extinguishers. Dr. Graham's barn (probably near the present McDonald Tire Company location-editor) was used as the fire house. Finding it necessary to move his residence from Raeford, Mclntyre resigned his post and W.P. Peele was named to fill the vacancy. In 1907, H.R. Cromartie was elected mayor. That year the town fathers began to talk about water works and lights. But it was 1909 before a resolution was passed to install wires and poles for town electricity. Lights were offered to residents for "a whole night's service, beginning as early in the afternoon as the same may be required for reading and extending into as late in the morning as may be necessary for the same purpose." Fight-candle-power lights could be had for 25 cents each per month; sixteen candle-power for 40 cents and 32 candle-power for S1. In 1909, while J.W. Johnson was mayor, the town borrowed $1,000 to lay the first paved sidewalks on Main Street. The strip to be hard-surfaced ran from Central Avenue to "Edinboro" Street. In 1911, exactly half a century ago, D.S. Poole won thcrace for the mayor's chair. He ran against other such prominent citizens as J.B. Williamson, W.T. Covington, and W.B. McLauchlin. Elected commissioners the same year were J.H. Austin, W.T. Covington, J.A. Blue, E.B. McNeill and L.W. Bethune. "Horseless carriages" were beginning about that time to run up the ire of the pedestrian as well as the self-pitied horses. To relieve the situation as much as possible, a city ordinance was passed to this effect: "Any person driving an automobile faster than 12 miles an hour shall be fined $5. Any chauffer not blowing his horn before turning a corner shall be fined." In 1912, Poole went out of office and Austin became mayor protem. Whether Poole tendered his resignation or became ill was not recorded in the records. At election time in 1913. Austin was dulv elected. In 1914 the town began to See BICENTENNIAL, page II CLIFF BLUE ... People & Issues BACKWARD GLANCE-A backward glance through 1974 can give strong evidence that the year will provide United States history that students and scholars will be studying and - interpreting lor many years to come. For the first time in the history of the United States we witnessed a Vice President driven from office through the revealing of his past record. Spirow Agnew is a sad and bitter man due to his unscrupulous activities, while Governor of Maryland. Had his record been clean he would be in the White House today. His star rose fast but when the acid test came it went to the ground like a fast Hying meteor. But it will not be Agnew's fall that historians and posterity will deal with most. It will be the fall of President Richard Nixon, a man who wanted to go down in history as a great president. Had it not been for Watergate no doubt he would have had a bright place in history instead of now likely brooding himself away. Had Nixon not had his tape recording system operating in the White House, he would have likely sailed through his second administration with some blemishes, but unsufficient to have driven him from the White House. Why Nixon did not destroy the tapes when it was first revealed that he had them, or even later on is more than most people are able to reason. There are few men who would have said what he said on tapes who would have hesitated to destroy them. Twelve months ago, who would have given Gerry Ford much more than a Chinaman's chance lo be in the White House today? Who would have dreamed that Nixon would be a private citizen, living in California, with a full pardon capping his career as Presidenf Twelve months ago Vice President Agnew was the spokesman for the conservatiet and the law-abiding citizens who TOoked upon him as their candidate for president in 1976. This all brings to mind the bltPsaying that my mother. Christian Stewart Blue, who passed away Aug. 14, 1974 at the age of 86, taught me as a child: "Doubt not, doubt not little sins are but the beginning; i Darker deeds do follow fast and deeper sorrow bringing." STEEL PRICES-Well, it seems that the big boys still listen to public sentiment! Alter receiving complaints from the Ford Administration and through the news media in general about the big hike in steel prices, early last week U.S. Steel announced a roll-back of 20 percent of ihe announced hike. Some may wonder if they announced the price with the idea in mind that they would have room to roll back if the public outcry was loud enough. JIMMY CARTER-Govcrnor Jimmy Carter of Georgia in a nationwide network program on Dec. 15 in a round about way attacked Senator Lloyd Benstcn of Texas and Senator Henry Jackson of Montana as attempting to invade in Spirit if not the law the bill enacted by Congress regarding campaign expenditures. If Jimmy Carter is to have a chance at the nomination he will certainly need to be on good terms with his competitors for the nomination, otherwise they will likely gang up against him LEGISLATIVE DINNERS Some are wondering if the regional 'legislative Dinners" being sponsored kjross the state by Supt. of Public Instmiction A. C raig Phillips and other schiil people has a sideline purpose of gettflg Phillips before the people as f possible candidate for the Dtsnocratic nomination for Governor in 1176. CAMPAIGNS-li would seeln that it would not be necessary for presidential and state-wide campaigns to ^ drawn out as long as they used to beiwith the modern methods of communication and the electronic news media, but in practice it looks as if the campaigns are getting to be longer and longerlfrom the House Speakership to President. For the selection of the presidential candidates we would like to see. a national or regional primaries, o It is said that "the early bird catp" the worm," but in political . quite often the people tire of the I candidate and a late bird corpe f takes the trophy. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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Jan. 2, 1975, edition 1
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