Referee Zack Clayton, right, steps in after challenger Muhammad Ali, second from right, knocked down defending heavyweight champion George Foreman, bottom, in the eighth round of their championship bout on Oct. 30, 1974, in Kinshasa, Zaire.
File | AP Photo
THIS WEEK IN HISTORY
Robeson County History
100 Years Ago on Oct. 29, 1923, the Robesonian carried the following: Evangelistic Campaign Will Close Wednesday Night. “Booster Junior Chorus” Will Sing and Rev. Carolyn Hosford Will Preach at Final Service at Methodist Church. CHURCH PACKED TO CAPACITY AGAIN LAST NIGHT.Presiding Elder J.H. Shore Preached Last Evening and Dr. R.C. Beaman at Morning Hour Services at 10 A.M. and 7:30 P.M. Today, Tuesday and Wednesday.
The evangelistic campaign at Chestnut Street Methodist church will close Wednesday evening with another service by the “Booster Junior Chorus” and a sermon by Rev. Carolyn Hosford. A male quartet will sing also.
50 Years ago, on Oct. 28, 1973, The Robesonian included the following: Needs and possible uses outlined for Robeson’s school bond share. By Virginia Simkins. Robeson County’s share of the proposed $300 million state-wide school bond issue, which will be voted upon by the electorate Nov. 6, will be about $6.7 million. This would give Robeson County schools about one third of the needs which six boards of education presented to the Robeson County Commissioners in late spring of this year.
Five Years Ago, on Oct. 23, 2018, The Robesonian ran the following story by Donnie Douglas: Early voting numbers up 34% over ’14. LUMBERTON — Despite the absence of a sheriff’s race, early voting during the first three days for the Nov. 6 general election is up by about 34 percent compared with the first three days for the last mid-term general election, which was in 2014.
One Year Ago, on Oct. 29, 2022, The Robesonian reported that “Lumberton fire strengthens water rescue capability. More than $30,000 worth of water rescue equipment could be seen splayed throughout the Lumberton Central Fire Station on Thursday. The equipment was purchased with the help of multiple grants secured by the Lumberton Fire Department, but the largest source came from the NC General Assembly, which allocated $80,000.
North Carolina History
State’s Longest Plank Road Reaches Salem. On Oct. 28, 1854, the Fayetteville and Western Plank Road was completed. Stretching nearly 150 miles west to Forsyth County, it was the longest plank road in the state.
Plank roads were wooden highways that were easier to navigate than rough, rutted and often muddy dirt roads. Tolls were collected along the route to pay for their maintenance.
The plank road movement began in North Carolina in the late 1840s in response to arguments from many that the state’s existing road system was the worst in the country. Enthusiasm for such projects grew and by 1860, nearly 500 miles of plank road had been laid in North Carolina.
Plank roads failed to flourish for a variety of reasons. First, building these roads was slow and difficult work. One crew could be expected to lay about 40 miles in a year. Also, railroads were faster and the public cheated the toll system by avoiding tollbooths. The Civil War ultimately destroyed much of the infrastructure. Though decidedly a failure, the plank road movement was an important step by the state toward improving transportation infrastructure for economic growth.
Nation and World History
On Oct. 28, 1726, the original edition of “Gulliver’s Travels,” a satirical novel by Jonathan Swift, was first published in London.
On Oct. 28, 1922, fascism came to Italy as Benito Mussolini took control of the government.
On Oct. 28, 1886, the Statue of Liberty, a gift from the people of France, was dedicated in New York Harbor by President Grover Cleveland.
On Oct. 29, 1929, “Black Tuesday” descended on the New York Stock Exchange. Prices collapsed amid panic selling and thousands of investors were wiped out as America’s Great Depression began.
On Oct. 29, 2004, Osama bin Laden, in a videotaped statement, directly admitted for the first time that he’d ordered the Sept. 11 attacks, and told Americans “the best way to avoid another Manhattan” was to stop threatening Muslims’ security.
On Oct. 30, 1974, Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman in the eighth round of a 15-round bout in Kinshasa, Zaire, known as the “Rumble in the Jungle,” to regain his world heavyweight title.
On Oct. 31, 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two Sikh security guards.
On Nov. 1, 1991, Clarence Thomas took his place as the newest justice on the Supreme Court.
On Nov. 3, 1992, Democrat Bill Clinton was elected the 42nd president of the United States, defeating President George H.W. Bush.
This Week In History is compiled by Executive Editor David Kennard from Robesonian archives, the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the Associated Press.
