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The Hoke County News - Established 1928
VOLUME LXXI NUMBER 23 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
- journal
The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
$8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1979
Around
Town
| BY SAM C.MORRIS
Robert Gatlin brought in his
^weather chart on Monday and he
nad made a copy of it to show
the rainfall for a given day or so.
The red lines were pointing to
rainfall of about nine inches in two
days. The rainfall for September
was a record as far as Gatlin's
f records show.
This month has started out
without rainfall, but hopefully the
hurricane season is over and we
won't receive over 13'/a inches in
October.
1 know that most farmers don't
^need any more rain during this
Tiarvest season.
A call came last Tuesday from
Mabel Riley, Hoke County Com
missioner, to let us know that she
fewas out of the hospital. Mabel said
that she had to return sometime
this month, but that the good
people of the county had filled her
room with cards and she was very
?eciative.
onday Mabel was in the seat at
<fthe month meeting of the County
Commissioners and from all re
ports was doing fine.
Mary Matherly of the countv tax
? office was by the office last week
and had with her a hunk of cheese
she had brought from Wisconsin.
She and members of her family
went there for the marriage of her
son, David. Now maybe the people
in Wisconsin don't say a hunk of
^pheese but jthis is what most of us
used to ask for in the "Good old
days." That was during the days of
hoop cheese and it didn't have to be
refrigerated.
The cheese that Mary brought
was called 'Kojak' whatever this
means, but tt doesn't have to be put
?in the refrigerator either.
From all reports the trip was a
success but Mary didn't tell me
about her plane trip. Maybe it is
better to crochet than look at the
scenery from the plane windows.
Congratulations to the bride &
* ? *
? * ?
? * ?
The following letter was received
last week from Lelman Taylor
William, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
^Marion Gatlin of this city. Lilmar
now lives in Ammondale, Va., and
she is a reader of this paper. We
will print the letter and try to
explain to her a point she brought
out in the letter. Maybe other
people have had the same feeling
^that Lilmar has at this time.
Dear Sam:
My compliments to the town of
Raeford, Gene Carter, the Board of
Directors, and the staff of the new
Bank of Raeford. I'm sure they will
continue to serve the people of
? Raeford well, as thev have in the
?past.
It somewhat suddened me
though, as I read about the history
and early years of the bank, to see a
name omitted that was so long a
part of The Bank of Raeford.
Miss Jessie Bright Ferguson ser
ved many people in Raeford during
ner years with the bank. As 1 think
back, it was at "Miss Jessie
Blight's" window that I first signed
my name to a legal document - it
was there that I deposited money
from my piggy bank to a savings
^account and there that 1 first
opened a checking account.
"Miss Jessie Bright" and her
smile and soft greeting were The
Bank of Raeford. It is because of
people like her that the town of
Raeford is remembered so fondly
_ by those of us who moved away long
^igo.
I'm sure others must have had
somewhat the same feeling upon
seeing her name omitted from last
week s special edition of Bank
News.
? Sincerely.
^ Lilmar Taylor-Williams
As an explanation about the
history and Miss Ferguson. The
News-Journal didn't go very deep
into the history of the bank because
the bank was publishing a book
^concerning the history and gave it
?wav at the Grand Opening. The
book was dedicated to Jessie B.
Ferguson and we felt we shouldn't
take away anything from the bank
and from their grand opening.
This book was one of the nicest
things that has come to the front in
Raeford in a number of years and
: (See AROUND TOWN, page 1 4)
To Meet Anticipated Space Needs
Board Hears Building Proposals
? ? -?????tt? ? in?? ? nTTiwrT'
AT "DOWNTOWN" MEETING ~ Raeford Mayor John K. McNeill, Jr.. is shown speaking at Monday night's
meeting on the Downtown Revitalization program for the city. [Photo by Bill Lindau )
At Public Meeting Monday
Downtown's Needs Are Discussed
About 100 people, including
owners of business property and
operators of businesses, and Rae
ford city and Hoke County govern
ment officials and others Monday
night heard explanations of the
Raeford Downtown Revitalization
project being conducted by the
Town of Raeford with the Down
town Revitalization Committee of
the Raeford-Hoke County Cham
ber of Commerce.
City Manager Ron Matthews
said the Town of Raeford has
"seed" money budgeted for down
town business section improve
ments, that it can improve side
walks and handle "street furni
ture" (public signs) but the down
town merchants and property
owners constitute the key to the
revitalization program.
Earl Fowler, manager of the
Chamber of Commerce, told the
audience the job has to start now,
before it is too late citing his
observations of Burlington, espe
cially, and other communities. He
is a retired A and P store manager.
He said steps toward revitaliza
tion already have been taken,
pointing to improvements made in
recent months by property owners
and business people. He also
pointed to the establishment of the
Hoke Medical Complex farther
south on South Main, and reported
a dental clinic adjacent to it is
planned.
Fowler told the business people
the Chamber didn't want to be
"overbearing" and push for down
town revitalization but that it
would help any business and
property owner who asked for it.
Questions from the participants
in the meeting concerned possible
relocation of power and telephone
lines from above Main Street to
either underground or behind
buildings; paving of unpaved va
cant lots used for parking and
which become muddy, with water -
filled holes when it rains.
In reply to a question from
William Kelly regarding paving of
rivate parking areas off Main
treet, Matthews said the city will
let the property owners take care of
their parking lots, as the town
would have to pave the lots of all
who requested it if it paved one.
and the town does not have the
financial resources to do that job.
Kelly suggested driveways at the
rear of buildings and grassing the
other areas by the driveways.
He said the town would be
concerned with taking care of the
public streets.
A Carolina Power & Light Co.
representative, replying to ques
tions about relocating overhead
lines from Main Street, agreed with
a questioner that placing them
behind buildings would be one way,
an alternative to putting them
underground. He said in reference
to "burying" lines that studies
could be made of the situation.
Matthews said earlier he was sure
the company can work with the
McKenzie, Beset By
Problems , Wanted Time
Alone , Sheriff Says
A Hoke County man missing for
four days last month was having
"minor problems" at school and
decided he needed to be alone for a
few days. Hoke County Sheriff
David Barrington said Tuesday.
The officer said "it appears at
the conclusion of the investigation
and talking with" John Timothy
McKenzie, 19, of Rt. I, Shannon,
that McKenzie had been having
problems which would take some
time to clear up.
McKenzie was reported missing
the evening of Sept. 19 when he
failed to appear to give a ride to a
friend to Chapel Hill where both
are students at the University of
North Carolina. McKenzie is a
sophomore . A search by air and
ground was held for him but was
unsuccessful.
McKenzie appeared the fol
lowing Wednesday in the emer
gency room of a Dunn hospital and
was treated for head injuries,
described by officers as minor.
He was quoted as telling police
he had been kidnapped and robbed
by two armed men.
The sheriff said the injuries were
self - inflicted and the kidnapping
case has been closed out as
unfounded.
Barrington said McKenzie evi
dently had trouble coping with his
problems, and went to the Dunn
area. He stayed there till his money
ran out, the officer said.
Replying to a reporter's ques
tion, Barrington said no charge
would be filed against McKenzie.
"He and his family have been
through enough," he said,
"Though it's a misdemeanor to give
a false police report, 1 don't feel it
(a charge) is warranted.
"He was highly nervous and
having problems."
The sheriff added, "I'm happy
he is back home and doing well. '
After he was discharged from the
Dunn hospital shortly after being
treated, McKenzie was admitted to
Moore Memorial Hospital at Pine
hurst for further observation.
downtown business people on the
matter.
The talks and questions followed
the showing of color photo slides
texts of the study made last spring
and summer of the downtown area
by Townscape of Raleigh. The
commentary was by Peter Bache
lor, who conducted the study,
which was financed by the town
with federal funds.
Among other points, the presen
tation covered the need for down
town beautification by growing
treestand grass in proper areas;
improving store fronts, not with
"lavish" installations but simply by
cleaning and restoring the masonry
to its original appearances and
putting up attractive canopies
which allow light in to help
window-shopping; rearrangement
of street signs from current con
fusing clusters; the subject of
nonlocal truck traffic; the unsightly
appearance given by overhead utili
ties lines; the deserted look of
downtown during some periods of
daylight; vacant spaces between
business buildings; and the need
for small recreation areas adjoining
downtown.
Mayor John K. McNeill, Jr.. was
in charge of the meeting.
COUNCIL MEETING
The meeting on Downtown Revi
talization followed the regular Oc
tober meeting of the City Council.
During the session, the council on
second reading enacted an or
dinance which in effect renews the
North Carolina Natural Gas Corp.
franchise for 20 more years, to
supply the town with natural gas. A
new provision voted into the lease
by the council at its September
meeting permits each party to
"take a look" at the agreement
every five years in regard to possible
significant changes in present con
ditions which changes the economy
might bring.
The council also approved pur
chase of a key control system to
control use of the gas pumps at the
city garage. Braswell Equipment
Co. of Wilson will supply and
install the system at a cost of
S3, 372. 44 to the town. Braswell was
the only bidder to supply the
equipment.
Matthews said in his memoran
dum to the council, mayor and City
Attorney Palmer Willcox that the
system "would give us the control
and the capabilities of record-keep
ing, not only for our vehicles, but
should County vehicles be included
later."
State Sales Tax
The state got a net S68.565.49 in
its 3 per cent sales tax on retail
sales in Hoke County during
August, the State Department of
Revenue reported last week.
The July net was S64.542.09.
The August collections were on
gross retail sales of S3, 355,919.
July retail sales grossed
S3.186.073.
The Board of Hoke County Com
missioners Monday heard pro
posals for meeting the county
government's anticipated needs for
space in five and 10 years. The
commissioners will act on the
proposals, after thorough study.
The proposals with estimated
costs based on conditions existing
this month were presented by Sam
T. Snowden, Jr., an architect, of
Jordan, Snowdon and McVicker of
Laurinburg at the commissioners'
regular meeting for October.
The largest scale project would
be construction of a Courthouse
addition which would cost $1,352,
600 including the costs of reno
vating the present Courthouse
plumbing, mechanical and elec
trical installations, for needs anti
cipated in the next five years; and
$1,357,770 in the next 10 years.
The addition could contain all
present county offices and the
following now housed in the County
Office Building on West Edin
borough Avenue: the commis
sioners' conference room, the In
spection Plant and Community
Development and Public Buildings
(maintenance) departments, and
the offices of the county manager,
tax supervisor and county finance
officer.
These and other details are
contained in a written report of the
study the Laurinburg firm made of
the county's present available space
and its future needs based on
anticipated growth in government
services and personnel.
Snowdon, quoting the report,
told the commissioners an option to
the Courthouse expansion would be
to leave only the offices of the
register of deeds and clerk of
Superior Court in the Courthouse;
erect an addition which would cost
$585,000 to $600,000; and expand
the County Office Building, which
would cost $360,000 to $400,000.
The other offices would be
placed in the expanded County
Office Building.
The expanded County Office
Building would include also part of
the Sheriffs Department, the of
fices of the State Highway Patrol,
driver's license examiner. U.S.
Social Security Commission, the
offices of the State Highway Patrol.
State driver's license examiner.
Civil Preparedness coordinator,
and U.S. Social Security Com
mission and State Department of
Revenue.
The report recommends the
present old county office building
on West Elwood Avenue across
from the Post office and the
Highway Building be abandoned,
and disposed of. The offices of the
County Parks and Recreation De
partment. Employment Security
Commission and County Literacy
Council would be transferred from
the old county building to the
present National Guard Armory
after the new Armory is built.
If the commissioners choose to
continue using the old West
Elwood Avenue building for a long
time, the report commends it be
renovated to provide exit corridors
and a fire detection and alarm
system. The cost of the renovation
is estimated at 530,000 to 540,000.
The report's comments on other
county buildings follow.
The Social Services Building,
which contains the offices of the
Department of Social Services.
Agricultural Extension Service,
Board of Elections, Veterans
Service officer, and Four - County
Community Services, will need
3,070 square feet in five years and
4,430 in 10. all for the Social
Services Department. The cost of
the expansion is estimated at
5198,630 for the lesser addition and
5269,100 for the other, at current
construction costs of 545 per square
foot.
The present County Health
Department building is adequate
for the next 10 years, based on
present programs.
The State ABC store building
should get an outlet in Rockfish
when needed.
The proposal for the expansion
of Courthouse space includes re
placement of the present steps at
the west and south entrance - exits
of the present Courthouse with
ramps for convenience of the
handicapped; and an elevator in
the present Courthouse, for con
venience of the handicapped as well
as other clients.
MAGISTRATE'S OFFICE
Complying with a request of
Magistrate Lockey McFadyen, the
commissioners adopted a motion
the magistrate be furnished with a
new judge's - bench - type desk and
chair. The commissioners acted
after inspecting the magistrate's
office furnishings.
McFadyen told the commis
sioners the proposed desk. 7Vi feet
long, would make a favorable
impact on his clients. He said he
wanted to make his office look like
a courtroom. The magistrates ex
plained he handles civil cases,
small claims, for example and that
he expects to have 600 in all this
year, compared with 200 pre
viously. McFadyen took office last
Jan. 1.
APPOINTMENTS
The commissioners appointed
retired school principal J.W.
Turlington to the Youth Services
Task Force, after accepting the
resignation from the group of
Juvenile Court Counselor David
(See BOARD, page 14)
Former Mayor McLean
Buried Here Tuesday
Hester Raymond McLean, native
of this community, died at his
home here Monday morning after
several years of failing health. He
was 88.
Mr. McLean, "Hooch" to his
contemporaries, was born one mile
south of what is now Raeford in
what was then Robeson County on
February 25, 1891, a son of the late
Mr. and Mrs. M.W. McLean. He
attended Raeford Institute and
Guilford College and was a veteran
H. R. McLean
of World War One. He played
professional baseball for several
years in Wyoming and West
Virginia and semi-pro in this
section for several years after that,
while serving under the N.C.
Wildlife Commission as a game
warden and game protector for 31
years.
After retiring from the Wildlife
Commission in 1958 he served as
mayor of Raeford for four terms,
from 1%1 to 19t>9. He also farmed
some, was an elder in Raeford
Presbyterian Church since 1940,
and served in the National Guard
for several years.
Funeral service was conducted at
Raeford Presbyterian Church
Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 by the
Rev. Dr. John Ropp. pastor, and
burial was in Raeford Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Graham Clark,
L.S. Brock, Jr., Graham Monroe,
Sam Morris, Wilson McBryde. and
Bennie McLeod.
He is survived by Mrs. McLean,
the former Sadie Culbreth; three
daughters, Mrs. Stuart Ritchie of
Charlotte, Mrs. Wyatt Aiken Jr.. of
Mebane and Mrs. Lloyd Lovelace
of Gaffney, S.C.; two brothers.
John D. McLean of Aberdeen and
Arch W. McLean of Clearwater.
Fla.; two sisters. Mrs. Sarah
McCormick of Nichols, S.C. and
Mrs. Marshall Beatty of Dunedin,
Fla.; and five grandchildren.