The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-06-02
Ridgeway.

40 euO opiiHS VI lCOO, cSAlC SChtiShCh
from this State, united with gentlemen from
the North, and purchased some 5000 acres
OF land in Warren county, N. c., and laid
out the village of Ridgeway. When the
purchase was made lands were ranging from
20 to $S per acre; now they cannot be had
for less than than from $40 to $40 per acre.
There was nothing special that recommend
ed this locality over any other on the line Of
the Raleigh & CASTOR Railroad, excepting
it was where they could purchase large
body of land lying contiguous, and just out
region, and in the region of the tobacco
lands, or oak timber The soil is clay and
sand, and peculiarly adapted for growing
fruit. The principal object the founders
had, as we have been informed, was to plant
fruit trees, and divide the land around the
village into small farms and people them
with the industrious farmers from Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey and Delaware. The COM
pany have planted $4,000 fruit trees, prin-
cipally peaches, pears and apples, with 49,
600 grapes, and during this year the
number will be doubled The inducement
to grow fruit is very great in that part Of
the country, while the village was not
actually started till the spring of 1858;
yet the same gentlemen put out
several Thousand trees in 1867 The great
value consists in the readiness and cheap
ness in Which the fruit can be delivered in
the New York and Baltimore markets. We
learn from one of the Company, that the
Raleigh and CASTOR and the Seaboard and
Roanoke Railroad Companies have contract
ed for a term of years, to deliver the crop
daily ut Norfolk. at a cost not to exceed is
cents per bushel, and the steamer will carry
them from there to New York, at price not
tn exceed 10 cents Per bushel; thus peaches
will only cost for transportation to New
York 25 cents per bushe, which is 12. cents
per basket, while from Delaware, it costs
40 cents per basket, or 80 cents per bushel.
Besides the fruit crop at Ridgeway will be
gathered. and sold before the Delaware
peaches will be gathered. 1t is estimated
t hat the present crop, or more properly, the
crop from the trees now planted, will pay
TO the Raleigh and CASTOR Railroad Com
pany yearly $4,000. But growing fruit and
tilIiRg the soil is not all they have done
or arc doing. They have erected fine
hotel, built mills and are preparing to man.
ufacture almost, if not quite, every thing
that is made out of wood and clay-they are
preparing to make barrels and ak handles for
| the. Australian market. doors, sash and
| blinds; have saw mills, grist mills, &c.
The Company are demonstrating one thing,
that is, the way to make money in central
North CaroEna-and no state holds out grea-
growing fruit, and in fact almost everything
connected with the soil by industry. In
this sentiment we cheerfully coincide, and
bear testimony to the same fact. We say
to the industrious and enterprising, if you
have money, though the amount be small,
and wish to couple it with your energy
aud la Dor, go to Ridgeway, be you mechanic
or farmer, but if you are not of this class,
and FIRE seeking place to do cheap and
respectable loafing, give Ridgeway wide
Der th, as no provision has been made for
yo ur class in that enterprising town. The
reason we have for saying this, is, a few days
ago we heard one of the spirited men, who
had stood at the head of the cheap loafer
class, for long time, berating Ridgeway
rather severely. We, becoming anxious to
learn the reason, kindly asked him 'why y
He replied, Too much meeting house for me,
1 got barrel of whiskey, to start a shop
down there, when found out I could not
sell it to them" We LETT the disappointed
man talking "cuss words" and said to our
selves, "Good for the people ofRidgeway."
|