The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-12-23
Movement For a New County.
To the Honorable the General Assembl:

impress upon your minds a matter about
which many of you have doubtless thought
much already, and to encourage the
speedy accomplishment of a great need
If you will look upon the map OF North
Carolina you will see a territory about
twenty miles square, bounded on the
north by Tar river, west by Durham and
Northern Railroad. south by Neuse river
and east by the Raleigh and Castor Rail-
road now comprised within the counties
of Granville, Franklin and Wake. It's
nearest point to a court house is about
fifteen miles and only the Raleigh and
CASTOR Railroad leads to court house OF
that territory. The Wake part has been
called (perhaps in derision) New Light.
The Granville part "Brassfeld" and THE
| Hurricane Many a time and perhaps
not so many as they should. have the
"red legged grasshoppers" been through
| this country. Many a time has the spirit
| of evil triumDhed in contemplated
wrong by force of the argument that, 1T
! is 90 miles to the court house and he
can't afford to go to law" The reputa-
| ton of this country is not in all respects
as good as it should be (but that could be
said of many old countless Yet the land
| is good. the men are strong and brave
and the women are beautiful and true
These people. gentlemen of the Legisla-
ture, are and have been, under the
BAN for want of proper legal facilities,
| and because of the expense of getting to
| the court house. The land is high and
elevated, we'll watered, with numerous
| good roads Many evil spirits that now
| consort in the minds of some of its good
citizens would take their fight forever
as soon as saw and hammer should ring
| their merry voices in the erection Oh
court house and Jail" 1t is not from any
! spirit OF dislike or illwill toward our
| mother counties: for we have nothing
| against them except it's so far to head
quarters; but it's because we want
| court house among us-nearer nome.
Wake and Granville and Franklin thought
| or talked as if they were ruined when
| Vance and Durham counties were FORM
| ed, but they are doing just as well since,
| and O. what blessing those new coun-
| ties have been to their people. Who ever
| heard that the establishment Of new
| county did not speedily result in the
greatest good to all concerned? The source
are soon healed, if any, and everybody IS
happy. The people of this territory II
| is believed, will be unanimous for the es-
| adjustment of a new county in their
| midst and the location of the county
seat, as we'll as the county boundaries
described above is designed and pointed
! out by nature; and its fitness will be
! recognized by all-on the road just east
of Grissom Dostoffice. where the oxford
and Neuse river or Raleigh road crosses,
/ the road leading from Durham to Frank
| linton--on the old Charles Ross planta-
/ ton The subscriber is prepared to guar
antee a most beautiful site with land
| plenty and also the lumber for all the
necessary public buildings without money
and without price.
This is. as stated, by no means a new
/ idea; but its friends have hesitated while
others have pressed their claims to sue
| cess. ''Brassfields, tHarricane' and
| New Light seemed to some. unworthy
| to be the name of the new county; and
while there were other names that might
have been selected. there was never un-
til this year Of grace 1900. time when
everybody was agreed upon the name.
| Generally when "borning" occurs, we
born first and name the baby afterward,
but in county parturition it is usual, prop
| or and necessary TO have the naming
first and the borning afterward then
|
i expected" To make a long matter short,
| gentlemen of the General Assembly.
move you, that there be incorporated Il
town at the above described location by
the name OF Possboro. and that it be
henceforth and forever the county seat of
new COUNT. with above boundaries, to
| be known rs
THE COUNTY OF SIMMONS.
The distinguished citizen for whom we
| propose to name our new county is enu-
| tied to "a monument more lasting than
brass" and his impershable deeds con-
strain you, gentlemen, and us, bestow
| it upon him. Brassields may be oblitera-
] ted The destructive Hurricanes track
| will grow up again. New Light by time
| will be extinguished. John OF Carteret,
otherwise called Earl of Granville, and
| Esther Wake are long since forgotten
except by few. The Durham Bull is sold
| to q trust. and the name of Vance has
! this fall proven to be no longer name
to conjure by But Simmons never falleth.
| The name will endure in the minds OF
/ the plain people so long as autumn sue
ceeds the summer-and the county of that
/ name must endure as long. Everybody
knows this community needs a county
having one So we hereby give notice of
| the application and earnestly hope you
| will every one go to Raleigh on January
I g. 1901, prepared to suspend the rules and
| pass an act TO be entitled an act to lay
| off and establish this new county by the
name of Simmons And your petitioner
as in duty bound, will ever pray until his
| prayer is answered.
| WILLIAM E. ROSS.
| p. S.-All State papers please copy even
though you are not friendly or even il
you think the new county should be named
| Carr or Waddell or Jarvis. We don't We
| want it called Simmons.
| w e. r.
| Grissom, " c., Dec. IS, 1900.
| HIS LIFE WAS SAVED.