Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-04-30
Correspondence Of the Journal.


ana Senerally QepreClateu ny uOSG Ol LuOSe
at distance, the reader will not expect q
very interesting letter nevertheless Will
son is becoming place of no little inter
est, and as an agricultural and manufacture
inland point in the State. The town num-
bers some two thousand Inhabitants, and
is Of less than twenty years growth. En-
ergy, enterprise and industry have always
marked it's career, and more wholesouled,
generous, clever, intelligent, moral and re-
| fued people are not to be found within
the borders OF our State. It is one of the
prettiest and most pleasant towns in the
South, aud the surrounding country is no.
where surpassed for beautiful and we'll Gull
tivated farms, and thriving, industrious
and happy farmers. It is, in word, just
such locality as one always likes to get
into.
A cabinet shop, two carriage factories,
two establishments for the manufacture of
plows aud other agricultural implements, a
sash, blind and door factory, operated by
steam, an iron foundry. and two turpen-
tue dlstilleries, constitute the manufacture
ing interests of the town at present. but
within a short distance the Barefoot
Brothers are operating an extensive grist,
Touring and saw mill, moved by water
power And here let me remark that this
water power is equal to any in the United
States, and site is presented up and
down both sides of the stream, for miles,
ample for the manufacturing interests of
an empire. One of the very best sites for
paper mill is found here, the water al
ways as clear as crystal. and the supply
never failing. I am utterly astonished that
the attention of capitalists aud manufactu-
rers from abroad has not been drawn to this
point, and the uueqnalled advantages il Of
fers are lot more widely known ant appre-
cated. An iron mine of unusual wealth
is also found to exist in the upper end of
the county, awaiting the hand of enter
prise and the impulse of capital.
The trade of Wilson is the largest and
most profitable on the line of the Whining
ton and Weldon Railroad, the naval store
business alone being equal to the whole
trade of many larger and better known
places.
Fruit growing and truck farming is
another branch of industry fast developing
itself into the first I'M ortance. Some idea
of the extent of the fruit and vegetable
culture here may be obtained from the fact
that the late cold snap inflicted loss on
the county of quite fifteen thousand dol
lars, by the damage to the fruit and truck
farms.
The cotton culture is carried on in this
section to an extont seldom equalled, and
the yield in dollars and cents to the labor
and capital employed is the best in the
State, and is yearly improving. predict
that this section, in few years, will be
one of the wealthiest in the South, and if
immigration could once be directed to this
point there would be no end to its pros
perity. am slow to understand why the
people hereabouts do not draw attention
to their beautiful and rich section of coun-
try. I am completely charmed with it,
and the innumerable advantages here
offered capital and industry.
Here resides the venerable William
Hooper, who may Justly be styled the
| is at the head of hourishing female
school, which his name alone ought to be
sufficient to make the first of the State
This is d very healthy town, being situated
on the highest point Of land between Will
mington and Weldon. Parents having
daughters to educate should not overlook
the Wilson Female College.
Quite a good male school, / also find
here, conducted by Professor Arlington,
on whose shoulders the mantle of the elder
bingham is said to have fallen.
The newspaper press is in the hands of
| that excellent gentleman aud able journal
80 T. IN 81
connected with the Richmond Enquirer.
best weeklies in the State, and is deservedly
popular throughout Eastern Carolina.
am so struck with the business-like ap-
pearance of Wilson, and the agricultural
prosperity of the country round about, that
1 am convinced that Wilmington might
establish a profitable commercial inter
course with this people if she would only
make the effort, and use little printers
ink as judiciously as do the Norfolk mer-
chants.
I am glad to find the JOURNAL circula-
ting largely here las where does it not),
and the people regard it as the leading
press of North Carolina.
The politics of Wilson are Caucasian
and eternally Democratic, for you know
this county was once O portion of old
Edgecombe. 1t is limited and talked here,
to some extent, that the political opinions
of late resident, we'll known as an IN
compromising Democrat, now absent from
the State, have undergone most violent
md radical change. will not give the
name, but can but wonder what's in the
wind now?
Of the female loveliness of Wilson, it is
not for me to speak. whose allegiance is
due in another quarter, but 1 may remark
that have found woman lovely wherever
havo journeyed, and Wilson by no means
constitutes an exception.
The beautiful game of croquet is gener-
ally INDUCED in here, now, by the young
people. and is, indeed, pleasant pastime
Col. Thos. $. Kenan, late Democratic
candidate for Congress in this district, is
here practicing law in copartnership with
Maj. Jno. W. Durham, the accomplished
Editor of the late North Carolinian. Quite
an interesting case has been going on here
before Mr.. Justice Taylor. for some time.
in which Maj Durham and Hugh Murray,
Esq, measured legal swords. Both man
ifested skill, ability and learning in the
management of their case, and I predict
for these young men eminence in the pro-
fession which they have chosen. and for