J.D. Ray Says Fix Sidewalks When Streets are Paved, Oct. 25, 1921

New Sidewalks Needed

To the Editor:

We will soon have the best paved streets of any town in the state, and wherever new sidewalks are needed to be in keeping with the street paving, we should have them.

I think we should extend Main Street paving at least three blocks south. Old out-of-date sidewalks destroy the beauty of the pretty paved streets as they stand now. “New York” block has done the right thing by taking up the old worn out sidewalks and making new ones, which are a credit to any city in the world. But how about “Richmond” block between 11th and 12th Streets? Don’t you think they should remove the old ragged sidewalks and have new ones to match the paved streets? And “Baltimore” block between 9th and 10th Streets should certainly have that old high up, ragged, out-of-date sidewalk on the West side of Main Street torn up and graded down and made to match the beautiful street paving. As the old sidewalk stands now it is a disgrace to the town. You see, when you get a new suit of clothes you must have a new pair of shoes and a new hat to match. When you shine one shoe, you must shine the other one, or some one will think you are dead broke or a fool, and either one is mighty bad.

I will give the three business blocks new names: Richmond, Baltimore and New York. Watch them grow through the untiring rivalry and competition in business as the town will grow and prosper.

--J.D. Ray

From The Commonwealth, Scotland Neck, N.C., Tuesday, October 25, 1921