The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-31
COUNTY OF SCOTLAND
PEOPLE Will ASK LEGISLATURE TO d.
VIDE RICHMOND COUNTY.
Seat of New County lsurinburg, Twenty two
Miles from Rockingham. Strong Hope
,fNew coun'y's Formation.

To the Editor:
The people of the lower or eastern
end of Richmond county will apply to
the next Legislature for the formation
of Scotland county, with the county seat
at Laurinburg.
county be cut into two parts. That the
lower or eastern end, being little he
smaller of the two, shall be erected into
a new county, without affecting the terri
tory or number of representatives in
the General Assembly. of any other
county Not one foot Of any other coun
ty is to be affected by the proposed
division.
This is not a new movement. Ten
years ago the House of Representatives
came within six votes of granting the
petition of the people living in the low.
or end of Richmond county. Six seals
ago a '.Bill to create the County Of Scot
land passed the Senate by n very large
majority. and passed first and second
readings in the House, hut was tabled
on third reading. by a very small ma
jority. Four years ago another bill pass
ed both houses of the Legislature hnt
with an amendment by our opponents,
providing that the question of dividing
the county should be left to Il vote Ct
the whole county.
The friends of the measure accepted
it as amended, hardly expecting a ma.
jority vote in the whole county. but in
order that there might be FOR future
use an official record, as Indicated by
of ~ IF n,
Scotland county portion of Richmond.
The election was held August LIST, 1895,
and as was to be expected. the whole
county voting on the division. it was
defeated: but in the Scotland" portion
nearly all the white vote (Which is nearly
all the tax-paying vote and fully one
half of the colored vote was cast For
County" The remaining colored vote
would have been cast largely in favor
of the measure but for reports indus
triously circulated that their school
houses would be closed the "whippine
post established" the new county ..an-
neXed to South Carolina" and their
political rights taken from them'if
the new county should be established.
However, the majority in favor Of the
new county was more than two to one
in the Scotland portion
If established, Richmond county will
be left larger i'll area than thirty-three
other counties. and larger in population
than thirty-eight. AS tax values stood
ut the date Of the new county election,
she would be left with greater taxables
than thirty weight other counties, while
Scotland would have exactly twenty
eight other counties showing less in area,
less i'll population and less in taxabes
than she had at the new county election
Richmond county is seventy miles long
Rockingham, the county -seat, is in the
western portion of the county, about six
miles from the Arson line, and about
thirty miles from the Robson line on
the east.
Laurinburg, the proposed new county
seat, is twenty-five miles from Rocking
ham. Persons living in Scotland ter
ritory' have to ride twenty to thirty
eight miles to court, leaving home Sun
day to reach court in time Monday
morning. This is a very heavy tax upon
the people, and especially upon the
poorer classes 1t is a source Of much
anxiety to people living in the country,
who frequently have to leave helpless
IdHilileS ut hume Unprotected lOF SeNeFhl
nights while the male members of the
family are attending court. No bust
ness can be transacted ut the court
house without riding Tor walking) from
thirty-fve to seventy-fivc miles to reach
the county-seat, and return. Scotland
and Richmond sections are practically
separated from each other by fifteen
miles of sand hills. giving thirty miles
of deep sand to plough through to go
and come.
The people of Scotland territory are
as much in earnest about this matter
as they ever We're about anything, and
have pursued this object for ten years.
and more, with constantly increasing
hope. In fact the question is more than
Il half century old; but will continue
uppermost in the minds of the people
for another half century, should relief
he delayed so long. To the present leg
islature they look, asking the bread OF
relief, believing that they will not be
given stone MAXEY, l.. join.