No-Name Streets, No Mail, Either
By Marty Veg?
Dora Simpson, and her son.
Mason Ray. live on a narrow street
crowded with houses, many of them
dilapidated and decaying, in a
densely populated black residential
section east of St. Pauls Dr.. within
the city limits.
Although city sewer lines were
put into the area, Mrs. Simpson.
70, and her son, 57, still do not
have indoor plumbing and their
bathroom is an outdoor privy, until
they can afford getting pipes
installed.
They pay city taxes, and when
they pay their taxes, the address is
recorded as St. Pauls Dr. When
their neighbors who are paying city
water and sewer charges open
accounts, the city lists the accounts
as St. Pauls Dr.. because the streets
they live on have no names.
"It aiiv't got no name", Ray
shrugged when asked what street
he lived on. "I'm paying taxes and
they ain't ever numbered the
streets. We got no signs, if you
come to look for anybody you got to
ask for them by name", he said.
Although the street Ray lives on.
and one intersecting it which runs
east from St. Pauls Dr.. are paved,
residents in the area cannot get
door-to-door mail delivery, like
other city dwellers.
"I put a box out there but the
mailman don't come down here, he
just goes down St. Pauls Dr.. to
McRae's store, and he don't come
down these streets," Ray said.
Ray and his neighbors either
pick up their mail at McRae's or
maintain a post office box. but for
the large number of elderly resi
dents living in the area, door-to
door service is what is wanted, Ray
said.
Unless street signs are put up by
the city, the residents will never be
able to get mail deliver)-, according
to the post office.
"Somebody has got to request
service, and we haven't had a
request from there". Raeford post
master George Carver said.
Carver said door-to-door delivery
for the area should be no problem,
but the post office has a regulation
that they cannot begin service until
street signs are put up and houses
have number.
Acting city manager Bill Sellars
said Friday there was no problem in
naming the streets, the city had just
never gotten around to it.
"About three or four years ago.
they finally got enough easement to
lay down asphalt for those streets.
They have to be a certain width
before vou can get them under
Powell Bill funds, and when I was
working in the street department,
we got the additional width,", he
said.
"They carried on the water books
as St. Pauls Dr. All those addresses
are St. Pauls Dr.", Sellars said.
Although residents who need to
phone the police in an emergency
cannot give an address, police chief
Leonard Wiggins said this is not a
great problem.
"That's a very quiet neighbor
hood. and I don't believe we
average more than three or four
calls a year from there". Wiggins
said.
"Usually if there is a call, the
people will give us directions, say
"turn behind the church, and the
house is so far to the left or right,
like that", he said.
CITY DWELLER ? Mrs. Dora Simpson, who said she has been ailing, is one of
the city dwellers in a blighted area east of St. Hauls Dr. with no street signs and
no mail delivery.
RAP SKSSIOX - Teenagers got a chance l<> meet for a rap session I rkJav night at De Vane's Auction Ham. where police
officers and merchants joined to sf)onsor an evening of entertainment and a "place to go". Costs of the dance were paid
by the merchants, who are supporting better communication lines between law enforcement and the youth in the
community.
Dance - Rap Session
Termed A Success
The Friday dance-rap session
jointly sponsored by Police and
Merchants was termed a success by
juvenile officials Monday.
"We were very pleased with the
turn out. We had approximately
200 voune people there and I think
they all had a good time," said
juvenile officer Charles Campbell.
"The response to our rap session
was fair. We received such sugges
tions as a horseshoe tournament,
basketball tournaments, and possi
bly the opening of a new recreation
center from the response," he said.
"I think it was a success. It gave
the young people a place to go and
talk and socialize." said J. Watson
McNeill, juvenile probation officer.
"I was really please with the
turn-out." he added.
Farah Leisure Suits
And Jeans
at
5bet/a*terd,
Campbell and McNeill said they
were taking the suggestions offered
into consideration and hoped to
have a similar function again in the
near future.
They expressed appreciation to
the merchants for their support and
cooperation.
"Without their help, the func
tion could not have taken place."
said Campbell.
J.A. Webb
Listed 'Poor'
County commissioner J.A. Webb
was listed in "poor" condition
Tuesday at St. Joseph's Hospital in
Southern Pines, a hospital spokesman
reported.
Webb, in his 80's, has been in ill
health for most of the year and
unable to attend commissioners'
meetings.
Upchurch
Teams Win
By Pal Scott
The Upchurch girl's basketball
team tipped off its season Dec. 8,
defeating Elizabethtown 54-14.
One of the coaches said that she
was pleased with the team's effort
but would like to cut down on
mistakes and be a more aggressive
team.
She also said that she would like
to create as much enthusiasm for
the girl's game as there is for the
boys.
In the boy's game. Upchurch
defeated Hamlet 61-21 Dec. 10. at
home. The team played more as a
team in this game than they did
against Elizabethtown. They're im
proving with experience, the coach
said.
We Will Be Open Each Night (Except Sat.) Until Christmas
For Your Shopping Convenience
PURCHASES GIFT WRAPPED BEAUTIFULLY
Theresai
JOB CORPS -- Job Corpsman
Vollie W. Jones of Rt. 3. Box 142.
Raeford. took part in the 198th
Graduation Exercise of the Singer
Breckinridge Job Corps Center
December 3. at Morgunfield. K\.
Corpsman Jones successfully com
pleted studies in building trades
and plans a career in the Jield of
plumbing.
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