The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-11
NEW COUNTY oF LIZ
Jonesboro-- Sanford People
Move for 1t.
The New County Would Have 1859 Voters and
Sl,948, 557 Of Taxable
Property.

The people of Sanford and Jonesboro
and the surrounding section are moving
for a new county, to be called Lee. An
advance committee, composed of
Messrs. DR.. w. A. Monroe, A.
l.. Nc Ncill, A. A. F. ScawelI and VIM.
Campbell reached Raleigh yesterday to
present the matter They will have a
big delegation when the date is fixed
for hearing before the committee. The
bill will be introduced today
The proposed territory includes about
800 square miles, made up as follows:
From HaTnett q square miles, from
Chatham SO square miles from Moore
ia square miles. The boundary between
this territory and Chatham county is
the Pee Dee River and Cape Fear River.
The aggregate value of taxable prop
erty is $1,94S,5 57, which is about half a
million greater than that of Scotland
county when formed. This is based on
the old assessment. The present tax
value is much greater.
There are fifteen counties with less
territory than the proposed new county,
fifty with less wealth.
The new county will include the COM
munities of Sanford, Jonesboro, Lemon
Springs, Cumnock Carbonton, Broad
way, etc.
The above statement of the taxable
property includes, as we'll as farming
and mercantile industries, great many
manufacturing enterprises. The bill pro-
vides for the location of the county site
half way between the towns of Sanford
and Jonesboro, which are rapidly grow
ing and approaching each other. They
are only two miles apart. There is not
more progressive community in the
State, and hew enterprises are added al
most daily to the list of resources.
The people in the proposed territory are
progressive, thrifty, closely allied in
business interests, and are unanimous
and enthusiastic for the creation of the
new county.
The counties of Chatham and Harnett
will not be materially affected, and the
county of Moore viii be left far ahead OF
the average in every respect.
The measure is not new. the growing
necessity of a new county having become
more and more apparent every year.
The facilities for the transaction of bust
ness will be greatly enhanced, and in fact
the relief of the people in this respect
has become an absolute necessity.
There will not be a more compact or
homogeneous county in the State, or
one which will make more rapid progress.
Only a few years after the passage of
the bill will sec Lee county crossed with
a net work of macadamized roads, with
taxable property more than doubled and
the machinery of government running a
smoothly as any where in the State
1t is the opinion of the people in the
proposed territory that they ought to BE-
turned loose along the lines of progress
they have marked out, and this can only
be done by giving them a new county.
1t is we'll enough to say that The
measure is not meeting with the strenu-
GUS opposition usually found in portions
of the affected counties outside the ter
ritory, and there is a large element
which comedies that the county should
be created.
The number of polls taken from Chath-
am is zoe with $500, coo of property; from
Moore 800 polls and 81, 1892 ,O57 of property:
from Harnett 81 polls and S56,5 500 OF
property. The new county WOULD Of
course assume its proportion of the
debts of the three counties This would
let the new county have a debt to begin
on of about 1850