The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-09-09
RI0N RIJuER'S LETTER
Verbal Picture Of The Growth Of Sanford
Town and The New County OF Lee
TARHEEL, FOLK WHO DO THINGS
r. BION H. BUTIE12)
(By BION H. BUTLER-)

But unfortunately in the youth Of the
town a mistake was made winch
proved costly. The Raleigh and Au-
gusta railroad wanted to go through
Jonesboro. but was not permitted by
those who owned the land. 1t To-
Gated a line a couple Of miles north.
and there at the crossing he cape
Fear and Yadkin Valley road Sanford
began to grow up in desultory fash
ion.
Catching Up With Jonesboro.
In time Sanford, at the crossing,
began to oyertake Jonesboro, the old
town, and then Sanford took on a
new life and confidence. About the
time the epidemic of building shops
and factories manifested the first Sc
rious symptoms in North Carolina
Sanford felt the c%ontagion.
That spirit of progress which had
commenced to disturb the region
away back in 1896 was simply latent.
1t was not suppressed. The saw mills
suggested the manufacture Of doors
and sash and blinds. and builders
supplies, and the Makepiece factory
was the result. In spite of q dlsas-
trous fire a few years ago, it has
grown to be a big concern, with its
hands constantly full Of orders.
The Moffitt brothers started a little
shop to do machine repairs, and it
grew into a big factory before they
Knew exactly what they were doing.
A cotton mill came along. 1t makes
sheetings and money Two large fur
niture factories were the logical re
suit of the abundant hard woods. An
Oil mill Joined the procession. A
small broom factory was set up in
business, and Sanford does not for
get thai it has a Chinese laundry and
an Italian tailor.
POking Along. Slowly, Slowly.
Poking along slowly, hardly know
ing what to do. nor what to expect
of the future, Lee county took life
rather leisurely after it was created q
few years ago. To preserve harmony
between the two towns Of JoneSborC
!, and Sanford "A county seat was To-
: Gated about midway between the two
= points, n that arouses a string OF
: hot talk from lawyers, judges anG
:; witnesses who come to court, for they
do not like to travel a mile out into
9 the contry to the jail and courthouse
whichever they happen to be going to
: when they reach town, even though
the jail and courthouse are stated,
modern buildings.
I Municipal Curiosities.
But that will be overcome one O.
these days when the two towns haT,
. grown together and become one. A
present they are a curiosity. Each i
# a desirable community. Each has it
n modern c~onveniences, WaterwOrks
d handsome new graded school an,
high school buildings, Jonesboro tn
State high school. Sanford the tow
school system. Either town Woul
IS serve as a suitable trading and com
mercial center for the neighborhooG
a yet they are two separate town.
with separate institutions. separat
government, printing Offices. bank:
schools, churches, and all the rest G
the community convenienCes
Progressive Movement Dominant.
re Sanford is the dominating center {
is this county. 1t has grown to a pDpuls
70 ton OF four or five thousand in tn
n lest few years. and is in progressi1
u movement that is witnessing the e,
e. penditure Of a lot Of money for in
p~rcvernent. The town and the coun,
have caught the lively movement tn.
is to characterize the State of Mort
its Carolina in the future, and q rege1
n. Grafton is on foot that will complete
transform this section in the next fe
ty years.
A To begin with Lee county has con
ut menced a road building project tn;
ID, is worth examination by any coun'
d. that has not yet begun to make goo
n, roads.
r. 500. 600 Bond Issue for Roads.
at, A bond issue of S196 600 has be.
he voted, and the work Of road buildil
at is already under way. The county
le- not very large in area, and figur
that a hundred miles of road "
le- pretty we'll serve the entire count
This means IN average cost of a tho
he sand dollars to the mile of road.
In Some discussion has taken pla
he over the cost of a mile of road,
ell adjoining counties are building 70
&C. for half as much a mile or less, b
a ride over some Of the Lee coa
roads would incline to the belief tn
me the county is getting the worth Of t
res money. Lee county is going at I
ere road question boldly. and in adyan
he Of a good deal of the rest of t
is country
Grading Down Hills.
Try Instead of going over hills to ma
md steep grades. or around hills TO ma
Of longer ha,lS, Lee county is gradi
ave down the hills, making roads that &
os- direct and of low grade. 1t co
more, but the people who favor Il
OF kind of a road insist that it pays. c,
tain there is no question that I
"