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The Hoke County News - Established 1928 The Hoke County Journal - Established 1905
VOLUME LXXIII NUMBER 21 RAEFORD, HOKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA S8 PER YEAR THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1981
Bank Of Raeford Into United Carolina
Bank Board Agrees To Merger Principle
hSr ?<- - ' - J - ? 1-1 1 mm
Around
Town
BY SAM c. MORRIS
The weather the weekend was
hot and if you don't believe it, ask
anyone that was at the football
game in Chapel Hill Saturday. The
heat was from the sun and not from
the running feet of Kevin Bryant.
According to the forecaster, it is
supposed to get cooler on Tuesday
or Wednesday.
? * ?
The item last week about the
baseball field in Philadelphia
brought forth many calls.
The first came from Isabel
Dombkowski, who said she was
looking at a soap opera and that
someone in the show stated that a
boyfriend of hers used to play in
Baker Bowl in Philadelphia. I
would never have heard this on TV,
because I don't look at soap operas.
The next was a letter from
Maurice Fleishman of Fayetteville.
He has followed baseball as long as
I can remember. He sent the
following:
Sam. Sept. 10th - Around Town
News
Sam, it was not Shire Park, it
was Shibe Park. Now the real name
was Baker Field not Baker Bowl.
Your old friend,
Maurice Fleishman
Give my best regards to all the
good people of Hoke County.
Thanks Maurice for the note. It
is always good to hear from you.
Another call came from Mrs.
Jack McGinnis and she also cor
rected me on Shibe Park, but she
was certain that the field was
named Baker Bowl.
So you see, the name is not a
certainty so maybe 1 will have to
write the Chamber of Commerce in
Philadelphia to get the correct
name.
? ? *
Joe Huffman. Harvey Warlick,
Bill Lancaster and C.D. Bounds
spent last week at the Cedar Rock
Golf Course in Lenoir. They were
attending a right-left handed golf
tournament. C.D. and Bill were
partners and Harvey and Joe were
partners.
Now, Harvey is my golf partner
when we play on weekends, but he
might drop me because Joe and
Harvey were runners-up in the first
flight of the senior division.
Besides winning about $75 each
in n\erchandise, they were each
presented a large trophy. Con
gratulations to the golfers.
I don't know what Harvey will do
with the trophy, but if the mer
chandise were golf balls, most of
them would go into Hendrix Lake
at Hole #2.
It was 41 years ago this week that
many of us left Raeford for the
Army. Of course it was only for a
year, but the year turned into over
) five years for most of us.
The members of old Battery "F".
one of the units that left here Sept.
lb, 1940 are holding a reunion this
year at Wrightsville Beach. This is
the fourth annual reunion and
every year some new faces appear
on the scene. If you want to attend,
contact this writer for all informa
tion. The reunion will be held Oct.
2. 3 & 4.
>
The football season beginning
was a shocker for some of the high
ranking teams. It might be that
being high in the polls could have
everyone "setting for you."
Time will only tell how things will
end.
? ? ?
The following was published in
^ the September issue of the N.C.
Farm Bureau News. It should make
you start the day with a smile.
After being stuck in a muddy
hole on a rural road, a motorist
paid a passing farmer $5 to pull
him out with his tractor.
When he was back on dry ground
the motorist said to the farmer, "at
those prices I would think you
would be pulling people out of the
. mud night and day."
* "Can t," replied the farmer, "at
night I haul water for the hole."
The Bank ofRaeford s main office on South Main Street, opened two vears ago.
Bids Opening Sept. 24: Bond Sales Set
Council Acts On Waste
Water Project
The Raeford City Council Mon
day night was informed that bids
on making improvements to the
waste-water treatment system will
be opened September 24, City
Manager Ron Matthews, who gave
the report, also advised the council
to hold a special meeting between
that date and September 30 to let a
contract. The council later voted to
hold it September 28 at 5:30 p.m.
The improvements will include
construction of a new waste-water
treatment plant.
Matthews explained that the
action on the contract would have
to be taken before September 30
because the federal government
fiscal year ends on that date. The
project is getting a S720.000 grant
from a federal agency, the
Economic Development Adminis
tration. to help finance the project.
The total cost has been estimated at
about S900.000. Matthews in
formed the council that he had
been notified Friday that the state
had approved S90.000 in Clean
Water Bonds to help pay the cost.
The bids had been expected to be
taken about September 9, but.
Matthews said, the notice of ap
proval later by the state caused the
postponement of the bids opening.
He said the city's specific share
of the bill would be determined by
the bids. The city budget has
$25,000 specified for part of the
share, and the council Monday
night approved an order authoriz
ing the sale of 558,000 in city
Sanitary Sewer Bonds. The order,
published as legal advertising in
today's edition of The News
Journal, advises a public hearing
will be held at 7:30 p.m. October 5
in the City Council chambers of
City Hall on the bond sale
authorization order.
The order also provides that
taxes sufficient to pay the principal
and interest on the bonds shall be
Mayor John K. McNeill. Jr..
pointed out during the discussion
of the order that the city has the
right to reject bids on the bonds if.
for example, the interest rate bid is
considered too high. The interest
rate as well as the S58.000 principal
the city will pay the bond buyer
when the bonds are sold.
Unless the council changes plans
the bonds will be offered for sale by
the State Local Government
Commission.
The order will take effect 30 days
after publication following adopt
ion unless petitioned to public vote.
Bond attorneys limited the issue
to S58.000.
Matthews said that the city
originally hoped to sell $64,000
worth to the federal Farmers Home
Administration at 6 per cent in
terest. but that possibility was
killed by depletion of FmHA funds.
The waste-water system improve
ments must be made, before any
more industries can be added to the
system, under U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and state pol
lution standards.
During Monday night's meeting
the council discussed the problem
of local industries meeting state
demands to bring waste disposal up
to state limits. The council was
informed that the three industries
involved are "not quite meeting the
limits." The industries are Bur
lington. Faberge. and House of
Raeford .
The main problem indicated,
separation of oil and grease, should
be done at the House of Raeford.
McNeill said. Some of this was
contributed by the two other
industries, but 85 to 90 per cent by
the turkey processing plant.
The separation could be done at
the plant site more practically than
by the city in the sewage system,
since the plant could reclaim the
waste, while the city can't because
in the sewage system it is mixed
with domestic waste. Matthews
said.
The council w as told also that the
House of Raeford needs to build a
unit, like the one at the city
treatment plant, to treat the waste
before it gets into the city system.
Regarding the separation of oil
and grease before dumping into the
city system. McNeill said "we
should insist" the House of Raeford
management do this.
Matthews said the oil and grease
currently is being skimmed oft* by
city crews, then buried in the
city-Hoke County landfill, but in 90
days no land will be available for
the purpose. The council was told,
earlier, that all three industries
have tried to meet the state limits.
Meanwhile, the council was in
formed the state threatens to fine
the city if the pollutant limits aren't
met. Matthews said a state
State Sales Tax Collections
Collections of the state's 3 per
cent sales tax increased in July from
the June total in Hoke County but
collections of the county's one
percent tax declined. State De
partment of Revenue figures show.
The county tax collections
totaled $27,113.94 in July, and
S29.323.55 in June.
Collections of the county tax that
month were 527,832.60.
Some Over 100 Years Old
Old Books 'Rescued' From Trash
Somebody threw a lot of old
books, some over 100 years old.
into the trmsh, but Bob McDowell
rescued all he could find.
His wife said Tuesday morning,
showing a Bible with one of its
leather-bound covers missing, that
her husband found the books in a
dumpster near Scurlock School
Monday. The McDowells live near
David Bridge.
She said one is a first edition of
the story of Robroy, a hero of
Scotland, written by Sir Walter
Scott and published in 1878.
The Bible's year of publication
isn't known, since the page berain
the year is missing, but notes
written in the book show it was
printed during or before 1878 also.
One handwritten note says
"P.M. Blue's book June 24. 18--."
The hyphens mean the last two
numbers are missing or are too
indistinct to be read by the
observer. Another page carries the
same inscription eicept for a
difference in the date, which is
written June 8th. 18--."
A newspaper dipping pasted in
the front of the book reports the
death of Mrs. E, McN. Blue of
Union. Mrs. McDowell said Mrs.
E. McN. Blue was the owner of the
Bible. The obituary says Mrs. Blue
was "aboyt SO" when she died of an
illness, at home, and her husband
(Apt. Blue), notified while he was
in court "her*," immediately went
home, briefing a physician with
him but arrived an hour after his
wife died.
The clipping says she was the
wife of Capt. E. McN. Blue and
sister of Dr. Jno. (old abbreviation
for John) N. McNeill and "was a
good woman."
Another clipping pasted in the
Bible carries a poem under an
ornamental one-column headline.
"Poetry." and a line of type advises
the poem was written for The
Carthaginian (presumably a news
paper printed in Carthage. Moore
County). The poem is titled "Lines
on the death of my Little Sister."
and handwritten lines in the mar
gin say the poem was "written in
1878 by Mrs. Jane Harrington
(Martha Jane McKeithan) when
she was 19 years old."
spokesman had asked whether the
city would pass on these penalties
to the violating industries, and
Matthews said he couldn't answer
that question at that time. He also
quoted the spokesman as saying the
state wanted to know what action
the city would take Monday night
on the problem.
The proposal to advise the
industries the city would require
them to pay penalties caused by
their tailing to meet the state
standards was discussed but no
official action was taken.
It was pointed out that passing
on the penalties would not solve the
problem of bringing the procedures
within the state limits, that the city
without such improvement could
not add any new industry to
National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System permit. Mat
thews pointed oui that adding new
industry under the permit without
first bringing the system within the
limits would bring the city a fine of
SI 0,000 per day for every day the
violation continued.
Turning to raw water, the
council by a 4-1 vote authorized the
city to have a study of the city's
water needs through the year 2000
at a cost of S".000 to the city. The
"no" vote was cast by Councilman
Bob Gentry. Moore, Gardner &
Associates of Asheboro, consulting
engineer for the city, will make the
study.
This will be the second part of a
study being made by Moore.
Gardner for Burlington Industries
to determine the feasibility of
providing Burlington's industrial
water needs as raw water rather
than treated water. Burlington is
paving for this part, which costs
S8.000.
The council at its August 3
meeting authorized the city to
contract with Moore. Gardner to
do the Burlington Industries part,
with Burlington paying, but turned
down the proposal to have the
second part done for the city.
Monday night, the council ap
proved the second part after the
mayor asked it to reconsider its
August 3 action since the part fits,
in some respects, with the Bur
lington study. The councilmen also
were informed that if the second
part study were done later it would
cost more than the present S7.000
charge.
In other action Monday, the
council voted to accept a recom
mendation of the City Planning
Board to grant the request of Frank
Crumnler to rezone his property on
U.S. 401 Business to R-l (resi
dential) from C-2 (Commercial).
Crumpler wants to convert a res
taurant on the property into apart
ments. the council was informed.
The council also adopted a
motion that the Raeford Firemen's
Annual Dinner be held November 9
at 6:30 p.m.
The merger of the Bank of
Raeford into United Carolina
Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary- of
United Carolina Bancshares
Corp., has been agreed to "in
principle" by the boards of di
rectors of the companies.
This was announced Thursday
by W.E. Carter, Bank of Raeford
president, and L.R. Bowers, chair
man and chief executive officer of
United Carolina Bancshares, head
quartered in Whiteville, in a notice
dated Friday sent to stockholders.
Carter told The News-Journal
Friday afternoon in replying to a
question that the merger would not
affect the jobs of the more than 20
fulltime and parttime Bank of
Raeford employees. He added, in
replying to another question, that
he also will remain with the
Raeford bank, though he didn't
know what his title would be.
The merger of a bank with a larger
institution, such as a chain,
broadens the smaller bank's base,
permitting it to expand its lending
authority and provide more services
to its customers.
The notice to stockholders says
after the announcement of the
boards' action:
"That agreement calls for 3.80
shares of the common stock of UCB
to be exchanged for each issued
and outstanding share of the
common stock of the Bank of
Raeford.
"United Carolina Bank, which is
headquartered in Whiteville. North
Carolina, operates 85 banking
offices in the southeastern and
South-Central Piedmont sections of
North Carolina and had total assets
of $731,751,000 as of June 30.
1981. The Bank of Raeford oper
ates three banking offices in Rae
ford. North Carolina, and had total
assets of $2 1,806, 000 as of June 30,
1981.
"The merger transaction is sub
ject to execution of a definitive
merger agreement, approval by
Federal and State regulatory au
thorities and the stockholders of
the Bank of Raeford.
"You will be notified in the near
future of a scheduled stockholders
meeting."
The Bank of Raeford stock
holders were informed by Carter in
a letter written August 4 that the
Raeford bank's stockholders "to
day decided to investigate the
feasibility of merging The Bank of
Raeford with one of the larger well
run banks in this state."
Carter's letter at the start said
"It appears that all rules and
regulations on savings and time
deposit accounts will be eliminated
(nationally), allowing interest rates
to soar. The small community bank
could be at a severe disadvantage."
The letter then added that "with
these thoughts in mind, the direc
tors today decided to investigate the
feasibility of merging."
The Bank of Raeford opened for
business October 6. 1903. with one
employee -- John W. Moore, the
cashier. John Blue, organizer and
builder of the Aberdeen & Rockfish
Railroad, was the bank's first
president. He had been one of the
13 people who participated in the
public meeting of May 12. 1903, at
which the bank was organized.
Raeford's first brick building
was build to be the bank's first
home, on a Main Streei lot about
where Hoke Drug Co.'s building
now stands.
The bank in 1912 moved into the
three-story brick building erected
for it at 138 N. Main St.. at East
Elwood Avenue. This served as the
mian office till two years ago this
month when the bank moved into
its new main office, the one-story
building at 207 s. Main St. The
rand opening was held September
3. 1979.
The bank also operates a drive-in
branch on Harris Avenue.
The institution's capital at the
start of business 78 years ago
amounted to $12,000. which the
stockholders considered adequate.
Seven years later, the capital had
increased to 525,000, deposits
totaled SI 24,022.07, and total re
sources amounted to SI 52.642.02.
The announcement of Bank of
Raeford's proposed merger was the
second of the week for a Raeford
financial institution. On the pre
vious Monday, it was announced
that the Raeford Savings A c Loan
Association's Board of Directors
had approved a letter of intent to
merge with Heritage Federal Sav
(Sec MtRCLR. pane 13)