The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-02-16
Senate 0kays
Proposal To
Enlarge City
Senator Rowe Expresses
Hope For Greater
Wilmington

The first Wilmington City-Ex-
tension project to achieve the
status of State legislation in thirty
years did so yesterday, receiving
majority vote in the Senate at
D. m. The measure was intro
duced on the floor of the House
Of Representatives by Rep. J. @.
LeGrand approximately one month
ago.
Nearly echoing the words of the
chairman Of the House committee
which reported the bill back favor
ably to the lower chamber Feb
nary 6, Sen. Roy Rowe, of Pen
der county, who headed the Sen
ates Counties, Cities and Towns
Committee, said in reporting its
passage: Il hope it will work to
taa interest of Greater Whining
toni"
The provisions of the bill,
fought from its initial planning to
its hearing in the House commit
tee by a vigorous group of anti
annexation suburban residents,
empower any newly-elected City
Council TO call a popular election
On extension. The Council must
signify its intention to call the
election simultaneously with the
issuance of a public statement,
ayowed by four of its five ZEN
hers, to the effect that the City
can and will commence furnishing
City services to the annexed area
Immediately after extension.
Only one election may be au-
thorized without passage of an
other bill, and in it the City and
suburban populations vote togeth-
er The first possible date for an
election, as City ttorney W. B.
Campbell explained to the House
committee during the bills first
legislative test, will be December,
l945.
To safeguard further the inter
eStS Of the suburbs whose inclu-
Sion will be voted on, the bill pro-
Wdes for the appointment of an
extra City Councilman for each
OF the affected areas, who is to
serve from annexation-date to
Inc expiration of the Councils
term. The southern area affect
ed includes Sunset Park, while the
eastern tract takes in Princess
race, Brookwood, Forest Hills,
o4eander and Country Club Pines.
Senator Rowe, commenting on
U!e Dill, called it "a well develop
ed Dill and the best one proposed
70 extend Wilmington's limits
@at has been offered since l came
mere , In the special session of
1885, and added that it had re-
eFVed less opposition in the Sem
s'e than any similar measure he
mad seen proposed.
Apprlsed of the enactment of
ne Dill to permit the City Council
" require the calling of an cleo
MN on the proposal to extend Will
oplmstons corporate limits, Henry
~ ~; Emory, chairman of the City
1. n Board, avowed that
representative LeGrand and
t senator Rove are entitled to the
ta Of the entire community
"i plotting the bill through.
wi II is good bill, and if the
s sps election should be called
b b,u me extension ratified, it will
Nc d great day for Wilmington, "
ptb MR.. Emory pointed out that
h ~eLe Will be no real financial
0 alueh on the people to be an.
tbo' We are convinced that
Cit, y' lo2e'her with the rest of the
IVY viii prosper"
sc Inc news was hailed by City of.
cona City Manager A. c. Nichols
llanented we are very glad tt
been INA; mat the opportunity has
its gwen to extend the city linn
rr senator Rowe said an agre
Ks sny oy Mr.. LeGrand and r. M
a. laa, was reached "as far bach
mesa @Sa May that a City Extension
il wsn. y would be offered so tina
out went et1 through apparently with
dj6.t any opposition from the can
for ra ts who offered themselve.