November 29, 1964

Last month, Hugh D. Camp, Chairman of the Board of Union Bag-Camp Paper Corporation, announced a major expansion of the Franklin, Virginia paper mill. Thirty-five million dollars will be spent at the Isle of Wight County paper and lumber manufacturing complex.

Construction activity relating to the expansion is well underway. Last week, the primary contractor, Norfolk based Tidewater Construction Corp., had 56 people on the job.

Construction officials say more than 100 workers will be involved in the next few weeks. Peak construction employment is expected to reach 600 in the next several months.

Union Bag-Camp officials report that the major item in the expansion program, the new paper machine, to be called #5, has not yet been purchased. Major construction activity will not get underway until the machine has been purchased and delivered. The bulk of the work now being done is in preparation for the new paper machine.

Roads are in the process of being re-routed. Parking lots are being relocated and foundations for several new buildings are under construction.

Area businesses have already felt the impact of the expansion. Day-to-day supplies are being purchased primarily in the Franklin area. Such items as hardware, concrete, ice, small tools, fuel, building supplies and a host of other items are being supplied by local merchants.

Motels and restaurants have noticed increased business activity due to the construction.

Many of the workers have taken rooms in Franklin homes. Others are commuting daily from Norfolk, Portsmouth and beyond. At least one family has purchased a house in the Franklin area.

Construction is expected to be completed by January 1967. When completed, Union Bag-Camp expects to add 150 new permanent jobs, boosting the Company’s Franklin payroll by $1 million.

And, when the new paper machine is in operation, the mill’s production will be increased by 35 percent.

 

SUPERVISORS APPROVE COURTLAND EXPANSION

The Southampton County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution Monday agreeing to the annexation of a portion of the new Shands subdivision by the Town of Courtland.

Attorney Ben Williams appeared before the supervisors on behalf of Courtland. He said that if the County agrees to the annexation, it can probably take effect on December 31.

The annexation area involves 28 acres. It is located adjacent to the eastern town limits of Courtland, across from the Walter Cecil Rawls Library.

The 78-lot housing development is owned by S. V. Camp III, Ben Babb and Dr. E. F. Reese. The owners requested that the town annex the property. At present, no one is living on the property; however, several lots, reportedly, have been sold.

 

FRANKLIN-TO-NEWSOMS ROAD IS COMPLETED

The final section of the new road leading from Franklin to Newsoms was officially opened on Monday. The just-completed section, approximately 3 and ½ miles in length, is between the St. Regis Paper Co. factory and the Hercules Powder Co. plant. The roadway plows through wooded and swampy areas on its way to Hercules where it crosses the Nottoway River.

Some community leaders envision this roadway as a future retail and commercial business corridor. It could connect with one of the two possible future by-pass routes around Franklin.

Now, people can travel the 10 mile trip to Newsoms in far less time than before. Before, people had to use several narrow country roads, with many severe curves, by way of Monroe Bridge, taking much more time. The new road will be designated as Route 671.

This is not all there is, though. Newsoms, eventually, will be connected with Boykins when Route 671 is extended all the way to Route 35 just north of Boykins. When that segment is completed, the distance between Franklin and Boykins will be reduced to 17 miles.

At the Southampton Board of Supervisors meeting last Monday, Fred Worrell, Newsoms District Supervisor said, with tongue in cheek, “Since the highway opened, we have seen a big business increase in Newsoms.”

clyde parker is a retired human resources manager for the former Franklin Equipment Co. and a member of the Southampton County Historical Society. His email address is cpjeep99@yahoo.com