The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-31

''Tbe reason they are not here now is
that it has been generally understood
that this matter would not come up till
tomorrow. The people in the more
remote parts of the county are not
advised of this hearing to-day"
Mr.. Winston, a member of the COM
mittee. suggested that those who were
present be heard, and on Wednesday
the committee could accord ample time
to such as could not get here sooner.
Mr.. Wall, of Richmond, said he
was in large part responsible for the
fact that the petitions and witnesses
were not already here; that the hearing
had originally been set for Tuesday and
he had so written his people; that later
the date had been changed against his
wishes and he had not been able to
let his constituents know of the change.
Not only were there petitions yet to
come that the committee ought to have
the benefit of, but there we're several
important witnesses that he wanted
them to hear but who had not yet been
able to get here. He therefore joined
Mr.. Lockhart in his request for a post
ponement of the bearing till Wednesday
Mr. Mclean said he had acted fairly
about the hearing, and had tried TO
take advantage of no one.
IF you'll have the hearing to-day I'll
withdraw my objection to Robson
coming in, or Richmond or anybody else
that wants to.
Let EN- all tumble in the he heard"
With this the committee decided TO
proceed with the proceedings.
Mr. Patterson, Of Robson, explained
that some had construed his bill as an
effort to defeat Scotland county.
1T is not" he said Il favor Scotland
with all my might and | shall work for
il. But we want to be in it,"
The three sides then conferred as 10
who should speak and how long each
side would take.
Mr. Winston: Il now move to open
up the fireworks"
The bill providing for the establish
mcnt and organization of the county OF
Scotland from the territory of Rich
mond county contains the following pro-
visions:
/. That Richmond county shall be di-
vided into two parts, and that the lower
end, little less than half, shall be
erected into n new county, by the name
of Scotland. This name was chosen
long ago, because there are SO many
people of Scotch descent in the terri
| tory, to whom the name is very dear.
| 9. 1t provides that the New county
shall be under all laws in force, or
hereafter to be enacted for the govern
ment of counties.
! 3. That Scotland shall pay her proper
tionate part of all Indebtedness, the same
/ to be ascertained by joint commission.
appointed by the commissioners # each
county for that purpose.
] 4. That Scotland shall remain in the
same Senatorial, Congressional and Ju-
dicial districts as Richmond shall be, and
that one of the two Representatives
Richmond now has, shall be given TO
Scotland.
| 5. That the several county and town
ship officers shall continue TO act in
Scotland until the expiration of their
| terms of office.
6. That the county officers shall be
| elected at the next regular election,
and shall be indicted into office when
the same officers of other counties are.
on the first Monday in December, 1900
after which time Scotland sall be in
full operation.
The Scotlandites opened up the fight
by putting Mr. W. G. Quackeao lsh prin-
cipal of Laurinburg High School, on the
stand as a witness. He was examined
by Mr.. Walter III. Neil and cross-exam-
ined by Maj. John d. Shaw.
Mr.. Quakenbush's direct sN idCncs dealt
largely in fgures-distances from the
county-seat, number of inhabitants ex-
tent of territory, election cturns. TAXA
ton and county Indebtedness and the
like. In short, the same old straw that
has been thrashed over here from seS-
sion to session of the Legislature for he
last six or eight years, as the Scotland
county proposition regularly bobbed up.
On the cross-examination by Mai
Shaw, though, there were some bright
flashes and happy hits between witness
and attorney.
Maj. Shaw: IF Richmond county is
divided, as you propose, wouldn't it
take from it one of its richest sections
and leave about 100000 acres of sand
hill in the old county,"
Mr.. Quackenbush: ''Well, well, take
more of the sandhill, if you desire it."
Don't you know the people in the up
per end of Richmond are as far from
the county-seat as are those in your
DNNtADn ohA 11AAt thS Souhbly 10 IOuSH-
err
Il do and I'm sorry for them"
Touching the county debt Mai. Shaw
asked the witness if he didn't know it
amounted to $4,000.
Il first heard it was $20,000," re-
piled Mr.. Quackenbush. 'Then as the
fight progressed it grew to $50, 900
Later | heard it had reached $4,000
and since then I've been afraid to in
qure.''
Maj. Shaw: GLOW many negroes in
the Scotland county territory voted for
Scotland county in 1882"
Mr. Quackenbush: about half of
them, or 275."
Did you get majority of the regis
tered vote?''
Don't know. We got two to one of
the vote cast
( Didn't one of the townships you pro-
pose to take in vote against it?"
Yes, but there's big negro majority
there"
Haven't you recently been in that
township trying TO work up a sentiment
IN favor of the new county"
Yes, | went there but / found a
majority of the people in favor of the