Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-09-18
HISTORICAL HALIFAX.
Interesting "reminiscences of Men OF
Other Days and Incidents That
Should Be Kept Green.

DHOulu Dc htpt UFeeu.
Rocky Mount Echo.
The tearing down of the old cou1
house whose history reaches back al
most to the days of the colonies an
building of magnificent judicia
building of stone and iron that cos
above fifty thousand dollars, mark
the beginning of a new era, perhaps
in this famous North Carolina tow
that has slept seemingly unconsciou
of it's glory here in the shadow of tn
giant oaks on the banks of the Roa
noke. The old court house, now gone
to make place for the new one, is sug
| gestive of the stirring times an(
strong men of other days. Here wa:
the scene of many great forensic bat
ties between such men as Conigland
the great Irish lawyer; r. o. Burton
Jr., the bright son of the famous ole
Methodist preacher; w. H. Day, Thos
N. Hill, Spier Whitaker and the young
galaxy of John A. Moore, w. c.
Thorne, P. T. Hyman, David Bell and
w. "A. Dunn, now all gone.
The new court house will be finish
ed by January 1, 1909, and in every
detail SO far as the funds set apart
for the purpose will afford, will be a
model of it's kind. The courts in the
meantime are being held in an old
store house down on Main street. It
was curious sight this week to look
on the court being held there Perch
ed upon an improvised platform be-
hind an old table, sat his honor, the
judge, near the old doorway hoar
with age, behind sundry desks and ta-
bles, always nervous, alert and smil-
ing, was Sterling Gary, the clerk
Sheriff House first in one way and
then out another constantly impress
ing his aged deputy Sheriff Green"
to keep the crowd out of the windows
and of the shelves and keep order in
court" The lawyers as usual had
provided themselves with all the
chairs to be had and appeared to be
well content with themselves and all
else, except when an occasional pass
with Judge PEBBLES would disturb the
serenity and peace of it all.
We say the new court house pos
epoch, if the you please-and
we hope it will take in hand the pre-
of some of the historic mem
Ories of Halifaxtown. To save from
utter decay and ruin the old chap
el by the street leading to the river
and some attention to graves Of for
mer distinguished citizens of the |
county and State who lie buried near
by would be Christian and patriotic |
service. The old tombstones and |
bearing on them legends
Of the birth and achievements of men
who have been dead for more than a |
century, have sprawled around on
broken masonry and in some cases ac-
5ually far removed from the place
where the dead sleep whose virtues
and abilities they commemorate. Here
net the Provincial Congress, the Gen
eral Assembly of the State, and times |
without number in the hour of public
peril the great and good men of the
Did North State have come to this
5own-a classic in the heroic and civic
take counsel, devise ac-
ion and create thunderbolts of State |
and national history. We do not want |
TO be town alone of the past, but |
from this time onward to take on
more life and accomplish more; at |
,he same time we ought not to per-
nit the evidences here of the towns |
and States achievements to perish |
rom the earth.