The southern press., 1852-05-20
The Production of Tarp entIne in North
Carolina.

Mr.. Editor: | recollect distinctly, about 80
years back, ofhearing my father say, and he was
considered among the knowing ones Of that day,
that IN about III years more the people would be
compelled to emigrate perish that every pine
In reach of navi igation was then or soon would be
boxed, and they could not possibly, by farming
on those lands raise enough to prevent starvation
l will show you directly how badly he was mis-
taken; /; he believed what he said and did emigrate
will pass over about Is years, as too had emf.
grated. The first thing heard of the pines all
having been boxed and nearly worked up again,
was about the time they were building our rail
road. After the agents for the road had been
through, telling the people how fast they would
ride and how quick and cheap they could carry
their turpentine to market, frequently heard
people say that Gen. McRae and Maj Gwynn
could not gull them with fast riding, cheap freight
and 10 per cent to make them subscribe for stock
by the time they would get the road built there
would benz freight to carry; the pines were all
boxed and would be worked up The SO me cry
have heard year after year ; not alone but
almost every body has heard the same which
became so distressing some 3 or years back,
when the worms made such a havoc among the
pines, that not only the country people bur the
town people became alarmed dead trees would
not make turpentine nor very good timber; so
they had to be frigh tened, as the principal
business of the place is turpentine and timber,
and without those two articles the town would
soon be apace that was. Some distillers and few
inspectors became so much alarmed that they put
off to Georgia and Florida, in search Of new fields
for their future operations. | think some the
mill men followed.
Let US see how things now look that the excite
ment is over. Most OF our frightened citizens
have got back and settled down quietly and en-
larged their business here new mills and distil-
lerie have gone ap. The pines are not all dead
yet. If they are either dead or worn out am
going TO show you that in 1851 they yielded an
increase of nearly so per CT, on the previous crop
find that the exports from this port from 22d
March, 1854, to 22l March, 1851, when this
statement was made up, show the crop Of 1850,
and you know that crop was in market earlier
than ever known befor, caused by the unprece-
dented high stage Of the water courses, which
had continued for eight weeks previous. There
Is number of vessels that go from this port
whose cargoes are not reported but of those
that were, find exported for that crop, raw
turpentne 59,257 bbs; spirits 53,3il bbls; rosin
22s ,3g9.
Ia consequence Of the unprecedented continu-
ance Of the low stage of the water courses, the
crop Of 1851 did not reach market ill the last
Of April 1852. Consequently, in order to show.
as near as ! can, the crop OF 1851, Ihave taken
the exports as given to the public Journal
Of this place, from the 22I March, 1851, to
lst May, 1852; then ] will add the stock on hand
in port.
Export: Raw turpentDe, 80, ,139 bbls. Spirits
turpentine 77,7l4;rosin 3J9, ,635. Now add stock
on hand in this place.
call all in distillers hands spirits and rosin as
the next week will find il all so. Spirits in town
sold and in distllers hands 200; raw turpentine
to ship. say 1000: rosin 5000; which shows the
two last crops Of turpentine when compared as
follows.