https://johnsonvilleschistory.org/files/original/1e04e86c386874d336a4dea876b83966.pdf 5713e70641cc431bd406f829f93db665 PDF Text Text P1ge 6-Tltl-.: WEEKLY pttsf.:1tv1-: 1t . llemlngwa y. S. C.. Thursda y. Dece n1bf'r 19, 1974 's ave , • are 6erver e 16 Pages Hemingway, S. C., 29554 Thursday, December 19, 1974 Vol. 2 No. 17 . . Tupperware A111101111ces Pla11s For Hentin. ay Plastics Pla11t ' Signing Final Papers Mayor W. B. Harmon and members or the Town Council are shown signing the final papers with the necessary provi ~ions ftom the town Thursday morning at Town llall before going to Kingstree to attend the luncheon and offieial announcement of th e new Tuppenvare plant to be built near Hemingway. ~ They Did It over some or the work they have accomplished latjng for the new Tupperware plant are Ueft to Merritt Morris. Tupperware president John Ansley. State Developn1e11t Board J\tember Bob Glo\•er • • Hem1ng'''ay l\rlayor W. B. Harmon, and Sen. LaNue Floyd. The long -a nticipated new and expand to a capacity of 850 Tupperware plastics plant in as soon as possible. It will HellJingway has finally become produce around 200 different a reality. it was learned at a items of the well·known plastic news conference in Kingstree kitchenware .. Asked about the anticipated Thursday. annual salary. Ansley said he John Ansley. president of ' 'wou1dn't even hazard a guess '' Tupperware Manufacturing as to the amount. · international , said at a meeting Located on a 100-acre site Thursday morning that the southwest of Hemingway , the company expects to begin plant will consist of two construction on the plant site by buildings totaling February, 1975. and hopes to approximately 750,000 square begin operation by February. feet in floor space. A larger 1976. building will be used for Ansley said that the plant will production and warehousing, begin with about 400 employees, and a smaller. separate upperware Plant any been a long, hard to bring Tupperware to ay, but all the work ry paid o[f Thursday, er 12, when an I was finally signed hase of the site for finding a building site somewhere in the state. Merritt Morris, then a member of the State Development Board, was asked to find two 100-acre sites in the vicinity of Hemingway that would be suitable. Morris located the two sites, plant. k began early in 1973, one inside Hemingway, owned ware Jnternatiooal partly by Q\rrol M. ~ an<!_ lb!! State Develop. partly tiy Ure Hemingway Inshowing interest in dustrial ·eorp., and the other Southwest of Hemingway. This second site was owned mainly by B. W. Stroud, with small parcels belonging to Mrs. Ora Bartell and children, Mrs. Eva • ming vents hobeth Pentecostal Cl!urch of Hemingway S. Haselden, and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Thompson. After considerable study the second site was chosen, mainly because of its natural drainage a Christmas play ening, December 22 The Rev. Otto Hordee, into Poplar Hill Branch on its north side, and its proximity to the railroad and to two roads on its sides. The Town of- Hemingway agreed to furnish water and sewer service to this site, as well as fire protection and police protection in cooperation \Vith the Sherif('s office. The water and sewer rates were made ··as lenient as possible, to encourage the company to locate near Hemingway,'' according to Mayor W. B. Harmon. The negotiations moved along steadily until last October 1 when .an engineer's report on the soil conditions at the site threw the plans into a tailspin. The engineer's report found that the soil did not Ji.ave the load-Oearing capacity needed for a building like the one planned, and the necessary pilings would cost an estimated $1 ~2 million, which was more than the company was wilUng to Cynthia Gilliard Invites the public to National Merit , ' program entiUed Baby Jesus" will be Semifinalist pay. on Sunday, Shaken but · undaunted, the local and county people involved and the State Development Board gathered their forces and were able to persuade the company to modify their building plans. The company told its architect to redesign the building to make it partially one-story, something they had never done before, according to Morris. Final plans will call ror approximately two-thirds of the 22, at 7 p.m. at the de Free Will Bapiist <i Johnsonville. The lbe Rev. Joseph Wallis, • cordial invitation to &ram of Christmas 1111 be presented on December 22 at 11 a.m. Johnsonville United II Church by the O.,ir and the Youth •t the church. The ts under the direction Continued to Page fl Russeu Roberts and rt Cuslunan. The I lbt Rev. W. L. Edwards, Pllblic to attend this L I CYNTHIA GILLIARD program, to be on Thursday evening, l9at 7:30 p.m., at the , __ I Free Will Baptist .... been announced by 'th Rev. Julius Hall, Ua COrdlal Invitation c. IDlests of the West WIU BapuSt Church in ~-Worship hour on • """"11lber 29 will be ,..,.. Cantata will be at tho Johnsonville ~lloUn.ss Church on Ilg, December 22, P.111. This will be • colored Obn enlatmaa In Hong - . . the Rev. Sixth District Congressmf;ln elect John Jenrette has won a seat on the U. $. House Agriculture Committee. Jenrette said he was informed of the appointment by Soulh Carolina First District Congressman Mendel Davis, a Program. In recognition or her member or the Democratic achievement. she along with the Steering and Policy Committee, other semifinalists of south which recently was handed the carolina. were the guests of the new assigrunent or committee University of South Carolina appolnltnents. For more ll1an Honors Program on December fifty years prevlously, the Mr. and MrS- 1\1orwood Gilliard and a senior at Hemingway H;gh School. has been named as a National Merit Semifinalist. This tiUe was awarded to her ror her achievement in the National Merit Scholarship Sth and 6th . These students DernO<l'lltlc members of the stayed at the Sheraton HoLel ln House Ways and Means Columbia where all expenses Committee made the apwere taken care or by the pointments. The 39-year-oJd lormer state legislator said he W85 very Committee. Eactisemifmallst was given• pleased that hi• "hard cam· guide to show them all the paign to win !he Agriculture phases of the campua. They ~t paid off." Tobacco. cotton were given much Jntormation and feed grains are especially .., financial aids and !P'&Dts and Important to thla district. on acholarshlpa th1l)I will be ··our farmers have been ellilbl• for If Ibey decide to ' "Xltnda a oordlal particularly hard hit and I want lo all who wish lo attend the University of SOuth to work through the committee National Merit Scholarship Carolina a ..,. Asked why Tupperware chose Hemingway for the plant site, Ansley1cited grud and available labor. a pleasant climate for doing b,usiness, the availability of power and rail transportation. Hemingway's central location in the planned distribution area , and the facf th~t ··Merritt Morris sold us on supervisory experience will be I't . .. We're Moving The ' OBSERVER has been in its temporary location on Main Street in Hemingway for over a year now, and we are finally getting ready to move into a permanent orfice. We are now in the process of • Giving The Word Tupperware president John Ansley tells newsmen and guests of the pla ns for the new Tupperware plant as Industrial developer Merritt Morris looks on. Tupperware Plant The Work Of Many ConUnued from Page I building to be two stories, and one-third one story. Morris pointed out that Tupper ware rea IIy went out o[ · to d le d the1r way accommo a •an they could at any time have pull ed ou t and looked for another location. Again, with this crisis solved, the negotiations proceeded on making a decision on our future location, and we should be able to announce it soon after the first of the year. In the mean· time, the ''For Sale'' sign in rront does not mean we're leaving. We're just moving, and we're going to stay in Hemingway. schedule, right up until Thursday, when the finai papers w.e re to be signed. At this point, with all the parties assembled to sign the pa pers a nd a press conference calJe? to aIJilOUDce it, a dispu~ a rose as to the true acreage of Stroud's land. Finally, the county wish for you, than a warm old-fashioned Christmas? Thanks for your support. go, because certainly we need the industry to stimulate the illJ illJ illJ •, ... •••• .. ............ " "' ~l..i;s. • ... ~ · •.r· f ~~·· . ... <s J : •{r · ·· \ ... " ~· .·-..... ( ·~~,, ·~· . ,. ~ MERRY CHRISTMAS from eek4 when people from l,ivcry section - the cltlcs, suburbs and rural areas - recognize that we 111ust all work tog.ether to make certain our naUon produces an adequate supply of food, fiber and other products like tobacco whlcll give the rarmcr 8 just Agriculture Committee sod rooking certain people from all over the nation understand our problems so they will help me with solutions," Jenrette snld. Reading Bids Arcbltect Franklin Clark right. of the archltectual firm of Clark 011d l\'tcCall reads 011e or eJe,•en bids on the llcn1lnR"-'8Y Arra Vocationa l Ce11ter. as school superintendent R. C. Fennell lelt, keeps a record of the bidding. .,. .. ! i i illJ ·•we l1nve entered U1e era representing the Dislrlct on the - ..... r•••-•••wwwl!lllw-wwwwwli!OI:~~!"'~----------------• • perwa re people, a nd the wa r mth of the other la ndowners, who •• • kept everything in perspective • • through their conversa tion. Since Thursday, everything has been "full speed ahead" to get the final plans drawn and the project underway. Right now soil experts from Soil Consµltants, Inc. of Charleston are completing a detailed series o( tests, including many borings rangil)g from 40 to 60 feet deep, to show the exact nature of the soil beneath the surface. I I I I I ' 1 1 • ~~-~ ~ fi~ uppUed !or seals. return, bot Is at..o priced so the consumer can afford it. "I look forward to tlth , and 12th-grade students, in a p~ogram administered by the Co~nt~ ~oard of Education. 1 echn1c~l classes for postsecondary students;. as well as so.me adult ed~cat1on clas_ses, will be taught. 1n t.he evenings < Wlder the''· d1rect1on of the Wi l liamsburg · Regional ever ything gut , according to ! = ened Bids Vocational Center A total of 11 contractors bid on the project. 8.nd school superintendent R. C. Fennell said after the meeting that the Sc)lool Board would not try to renegotiate the project. ''With to see that our farmers receive the bidding as competitive as it a fair price ror their products, •• was I think we'll just have to he Said. find more funds,'' he said. The competition for seats on Agriculture was the greatest it has ever been, Jenrette said he wos told by Capitol HUI obscrvors. More than half of the 75 new Ocmocrutic Congressn1en , Of course, the project would staff lounge . which saved $840. be nothing without Tupperware, 'I'hey declined to omit the and the people involved had fence around t~e. build_in~ nothing but praise for President ($7 ,400) a. rollup gr.111 to protec~ John Ansley and his cornp1lny. __.the ven?1~g mach ines ($1,5971 , ''There 's no way that any in- and pa1nt1ng of several areas dustrial developr 5 could ever ($2,500>. The 20,000 square foot have ha~ a greater company to building will be located East of stage. resulting in a similar school in the ~ vicinity or Andrews . The credit for finally working ' Map showing the location 0£ the planlted Tupperware·plant. and $625.000. cabinet in the ' vocational trai'ning, for 10th. hopefully be followed by a third economy of the county.'' Morris, goes to the County Delegation , the patience of Ansley and the other Tup- by Bigelow. lnc. of Myrtle Beach . After the alternate discounts and additions were added. a total or $555.006 resulted . Architect Franklin Clark. \Yho opened the bids, estimated that after the cost or the land and architectural, engineering. and legal fees were all added in, the cost would run to between $624.000 and adjacent Board of Education under the overall supervision of the Center . A legal question rorced the change , and now the l\'lan power Center will pay the Board of Education for the use of the facility for their evening classes . ''I feel that the school is urgently needed in the Hemingway area . We 've been planning it for several yeai-s." 1-~ennel said. He explained that thi s facility will complete ''phase two '' of the vocational and technical development program in Williamsburg County . He added that this will th:t trees, sing carols, give gifts .•. and enjoy all the holiday cheer. Bids were opened Thursday in Kingstree for the projected Hemingway Area Vocational Center, and despite highly competitive bidding the lowest .offer was about $25,000 more than the $600.000 originally budgeted for the center. The low base hid was $557 .621 C'ontinued rrom Page I Pleasa nt Hill , and Battery Park Co . for the plumbing , areas . The tentative course Broadway, Brunson, and Gates offerings in the vocational for the h,.e ati ng a nd air school are auto body repair . co nditioning . and Doyle automotive mechanics. Electric Co. fot the electrical welding . carpeI1try . brick work . ,. masonry . electrical work and 'l'he bid offering li sted five refrigeration . Fennell said. He alterr1ates !or lowering the bid added that some of these price. and one for ,grass killing courses wil l probably be treatment underfa ll the asphalt shifted to make room for other paving that raised the price. courses as the need arises . He 1'he board decided to take also said he was sure that some advantage of the grass indu§trial · f power sewing treament. at a cost of $2,100, courses will be added. and to do without the proposed 1'he building will be used for folding wall which would divide " two difrerent courses of one large clasroom into two training . ad'm inistered by two small large ones. saving $3,875, different authorities . Daytime and to omit the kitchenette unit ... hour s will be devoted to ".&"" S'llcot.. Fennell said later that the necessary funds can be taken out of next year's building allocation . which sould be enough. The state will provide $450,000 for the project. with the rest to come from the school district. Since Clark said that he was not familiar with the low ' bidder. the Board of Education desided to check on the firm to find out if they are reputable before awarding the contract . If Bigelow. Inc . for some reason is found to be unacceptable. another board meeting will be called to decide what to do next. The s·ub-contractors ror the project were Dix.ie Plwnbing Continued to Page r. Developmerit Board, The Williamsburg County Industrial Development Board and Director Frank Seignious, Sen. La Nue Floyd and the County D I t' T e ega ion, he County Commissioners and County Supervisor Hugh Mccutchen, the Hemingway Town Council and Mayor W. B. Harmon , and many more . Bids:' Opened In Vo-ed Center In spite of popular belief, the apple was not mentioned in the Delegation decided that they work with. They have really Hemingway High School, and Manpower Training Center. Bible as the fruit that Eve ate. had h · b t t th bent over backwards to help officials hope it will be ready The school had orimnally It was merely described as ''the no c 01ce u 0 pay e "' " Mocris said He added ~ price asked. ''There jUSt'Wa$;1')'r· ~. · . · . . . 1 • ,for .occupation , - .-l;>Y, nexl:.. l:xien planned to be entirely ., fruit or the tree which is in the ch . '' s~ LaN "'Fi ' Ct " \];.ye.. .- been 1n , tndµstr1al .. ·September.• I .~ wtder the direction of the \ midst of~the gafiliru'' ~ProbabJr-, 0 anlya odiceRe, en. tat· ue'F Y,, d_l've\opment since the '50s, an<l The school will accommodp\e1 lll'annower r~e with the the apple got i:hat reputation sa , an presen 1ve ranJ\ h • · l'f k d · d . ; ".....,.., :i. .... ~ ........ ~~...,;;; • because it is such ~ a tempting, M G. d •'W . t 1 ave never in my. 1 e wor e from 225 to 250 stu en ts frum v o c a t i o n a c o u r s es 11 a~~~~eto. let irresistible, good·tasting fruit. co~~'t pl:~t with people of this calibre.'' the Hemingway, Johnsonville, administered by the County MIDDLE Jenrette Named To Agriculture Seat Cynthia Gilliard. daughter or be taken. about 20 local people with 5More Shopping Days 'Til Christmas selected within the next rew months ror training. They will be moved to other plants !or six months and then returned here to work as supervisors. He said that an announcement will be made later when job applications will smokestacks , smoke. or noise.'' he added . Morris aJso said that Ansley had told him that the company makes an effort to be a good citizen intown. and encourages its employees to be community· oriented, and participate in all community activities. The plant will operate as a separate tmit, not a branch or the main company, with· each branch or the operation conducted here. Ansley stated that six experienced managers will be brought in from other Tupperware plants, and that building will be used for administrative purposes. The total investment in the plant. including land, building, and machinery, will be at least $20 million . according to Merritt Morris, who has been active in the project from the beginning. A11 o{ the land not used for buildings, parking, streets. or other purposes will be carefully landscaped and well kept, and while Ansley was here he discussed with some local people h.is plans ror a recreation park on the property adjacent to the plant. Morris said. The building ' 'wil l be appealing to the eye, with absolutely no pollution . no waste • and no unsightly r q ___ _! •• Friday, and when the results are a nalyzed the project e ng ineer , G. Bertra nd Bebeau!! , will go to work with the data and begin to draw up the fi nal plans and speclflcallons for the building. He expects to be able lo begin on this soon after the first of the year, and hopes to have the fi nal plans ready by late February or Early March. Meanwhile, architect Charles E. Seavor Is at work !lnishlng the a rchltec tu al work o! modifying th basic Tupperware plan to !It the needs of these soil conditions. One persoMel step has been a lready taken : l'hllllp Balcom, currently plant manager of the ~ ompany 's Jerome, Ida ho plant, has been named lo manage the pla nt here. The pla nt Is the accomplishment of many people in Hem 1'lgway, Williamsburg County, and the slate. Merritt Morris has been, In Bebeault's words, "the backbone of the wl)ole project." Bebeault weni oo Ill say th at Morris " has perfonned beyond the call of duty," and tlult he " has wprked for the sheer good of the cotnmunily." Olhers who deserve special credit tnchlde Ron RobinJon • nd £ " lover of lhe Stat• • I I· ' I I I I I I • • • • • • • • I I • :We wi,sh you all the joy the season has to give. Peace. Happiness. Contentment. May they be yours to remember warmly for many a Christmas. Our heartfelt gratitude. I l Il l ll • � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Weekly Observer Description An account of the resource The Weekly Observer was published out of Hemingway, SC from 1973 until printing ceased in 2012. The paper continues as an e newpaper on scnow.com Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1973-2012 Subject The topic of the resource Local Newspaper covering the Johnsonville and Hemingway communities. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Weekly Observer Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Tupperware Announces Plan WO 12-19-74 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Weekly Observer News Newspaper Weekly Observer