From The Randolph Guide – April 6, 1960

Ramseur residents voted overwhelmingly yesterday in favor of a $90,000 bond issue to double the capacity of the town water plant.

Only 82 of the estimated 650 eligible voters cast ballots. The result was 79 for and 3 against.

Mayor Fred A. Thomas said today that the proposal had met with widespread agreement during a public hearing conducted earlier.

“In fact,” he said, “I was rather surprised that we had three to vote against it since I had not heard any unfavorable comments about it.”

No increase in the town tax rate is contemplated since revenue from the sale of water is expected to pay off the indebtedness over a 20-year period.

Engineers had completed plans to double the daily capacity of the plant, which was constructed in 1935-36, at an estimated cost of $110,000.

The town has accumulated some $20,000 in reserves in anticipation of the water needs of an expanding community.

The original plant was designed to serve the town for 20 years. At that time there were 275 customers compared to about 625 today, including four industrial plants.

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Residents of three streets have filed a petition with the City of Asheboro seeking immediate annexation, City Manager John J. Gray said today.

The petition, signed by 95 percent of the residents, will be considered at Thursday night’s meeting of the City Council.

The petitioners are residents of sections of Ridge, First and Second streets in the area behind D.W. Holt Co. and John Deere Implement Co. on South Fayetteville Street.

A number of septic tanks in the area have been condemned in recent months due to poor drainage.

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Two of the three members of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners whose terms expire this year have announced that they will seek a second term.

Ira L. McDowell, chairman, has announced that he will again be a candidate and Colon O. Byrd also will run for re-election. Both are Republicans and are serving their first terms as county officials.

The third incumbent on the board, George E. Ward, also a Republican, has not publicly said if he will seek re-election. However, Republican J.W. Plummer has filed for one of the three seats.

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All three incumbents on the Randolph County Board of Education whose terms expire on April 1, 1961, have filed for re-election.

They are Wade Harris of Seagrove, A.A. Walker of Asheboro and Bruce Pugh of Rt. 1, Franklinville.

Both Harris and Pugh are veteran members of the Board of Education, having served six years each.

Walker filled the unexpired term of W.A. Underwood Jr.

The three seats are the only positions on the seven-man board that expire next year. No other candidates have filed for the board.

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The Randolph County Red Cross fund drive for 1960 could end this week with just more than half of its goal realized.

Through Tuesday, only slightly more than $2,300 had been collected, far short of the $4,500 goal.

Fund drive Chairman Claude Henson announced plans to extend the drive through April 11 to allow county workers to make additional solicitations.

Randolph County’s quota of the Red Cross chapter’s 1960 budget of $18,000 represents 25 percent of the total, with the Greater Asheboro United Fund supplying $13,500.

– Compiled by Larry Penkava from archives of The Randolph Guide