Page 10 - Robeson Living Fall 2018

ers, the largest afloat, and sailing them around the world. McLean died at his New York home on May 25, 2001. Mc-
Things continued to worsen at McLean Industries and they Lean is said to be the only person to have founded five pub-
were forced to file bankruptcy. Disclosed in the suit fil- lic companies, three of them being listed on the New York
ing was that the assets of U.S. Lines were $1.25 billion Stock Exchange and two on NASDAQ. Forbes magazine
while their liabilities were at $1.27 billion. Although the described him as of the few men to who changed the world.
bankruptcy protected the company’s assets in the U.S., it It is easy to see why Maxton’s own native son – Malcom
didn’t block foreign creditors from seeking to seize the McLean is not only a transportation pioneer but surly is the
company’s assets in foreign ports. Two of U.S. Lines super Man of the Century in shipping.
freighters, American Oklahoma and the American Georgia,
were seized due to their overdue fuel bills totaling hun- Editors Note About Author:
dreds of thousands of dollars. March 1987 saw the great Growing up in North Carolina Blake Tyner was sur-
empire of McLean Industries going down in flames when rounded by history and great Southern cooking spending
they announced that they would sell their remaining ship- countless hours with his great-grandparents. The busy
ping operations to CSX Corp. for $125 million. kitchen and large family dinners gave a perfect settling
for hearing about the people of the past. As he learned
The great successes of the 78-year-old Malcom McLean the history of the area and her citizens he developed a
seemed that they would forever be overshadowed by the craving to bring the people of the past alive and share
failing of U.S. Lines, but just as the phoenix raised from the their stories.
ashes, so did Malcom McLean. He answered the question
“would he make a comeback” by founding Trailer Bridge He has published four books as well as numerous articles
Inc., weekly trailer-barge service between Jacksonville, Fl in regional newspapers and magazines. He served as Ex-
and San Juan, in 1991. He invested more than $25 million ecutive Director of the Maxton Historical Society and the
from his personal fortune in the venture. Trailer Bridge Robeson County History Museum.
adapted what worked best on water with what works best
on the highway, and then linked the two together to drive More of his writings and projects can be found at blake-
down costs and share a portion of that value with our cus- tyner.com.
tomers.

Jack Moody Jr.

for

District Court
JUDGE

Over 26 years experience in District Court...

www.facebook.com/jackforjudge2018
[email protected]

Page 9 McLean in front of a Sea Land port Paid for by the Committee to Elect Jack Moody Jr. for District Court Judge