The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-02-21
For the NEws
NORTH CAROLINA ITEMS.
Some Interesting Historical Facts
D. 4

Some Interesting Historical Facts
PLYMOUTH, Kans. I'd mo. 8, 1879
EDrToRs NEws:-Knowing that many
readers of your valuable paper formerly
resided in Alamance and Chatham coun-
ties, North Carolina, and having received
from a relative there some items think
would be interesting to them, and per-
haps to others, I offer few for publica-
ton.
All will regret to hear that the Friends,
or Quakers' Westinghouse at Cane creek
was destroyed by fire On the night of the
last Sabbath in 1878. Situated on beau
tiful eminence at the base of which, COM
ing from the northwest, thence passing
around south, thence eastward to the
northeast, completing about three fourths
of a circle, nearly mile from it, flows
the stream which gave it its name. 1t
commanded view of a locality well i'm
proved for that country 1t stood %
miles from Pittsboro, nearly northwest,
and IA miles south of Graham, the re-
spective county seats of Chatham and
Alamance counties. Built years before
the revolution, it had been long one OF
the noted landmarks of the country.
On the 22d of March, 1871, just a week
after the Guilford battle, the British
army camped for the night on the
ground, using the house for hospital
etc. My father used to state that he went
to the slaughter pen after the army left
next morning, and counted "a paunches
of animals left there. They used the
benches on which to cut their meat;
remember when boy of seeing the marks
of their meat axes on those benches, and
years ago they were placed in the garnet
as mementOs of the past. Now those
marks are obliterated, ere century had
quite come round. So pass away the
footprints of old Time on earthl
Lord CORVALLIS, with number his
officers, passed the night at my grand
fathers house, near by, and although ev.
erything outside was torn up and dis
turbed, generally, yet, to his credit be il
stated, when the family returned next
morning they found everything inside
the house just as they had left it, al
though 1t contained some valuable prop
erty-silver ware, &C. Jehu Newlin,
uncle to James Newlin, of near Empo-
ria, delivered the last sermon preached
in the house
My cousin states on Christmas day
the Semi animal Ynaatipor OF tho DIoo.o..
Hill temperance society was held in it,
custom of over forty years standing. 1
may state that this, as a society, was es-
tablished in 1888, on the first original
pledge, and has been kept up by the
citizens there; and though it went low
during the war, it now is flourishing
again. 1t added nineteen members at
its last meeting. For number of years
ardent spirits were never seen at any pub.
lie gathering there. 1t was disreputable
to be known as a dram-drinker, and the
result now is sober and prosperous
community; and temperance is gaining
new triumphs in the country around un-
der the auspices of the Good Templars.
Among other Improvements noted H.
w. & T. G. Dixon, the present owners of
the old Dixon mill, have built a new
dam near one hundred rods below the old
one, which ponds the water on all the
bottom formerly owned by Jesse Dixon
near ten acres-which will give great
advantage to them in a dry season. But
one item received, it pains me to say, is
not an improvement. Itgives account of
a ''main cock fight at Charlotte, NC, for
the championship of the states of North
and South Carolina. By this we infer
there are lesser 'cock fights" there for
districts, counties, etc. 1 presume, hav-
ing subdued the negroes to their bidding,
the "swells" of the country have resumed
their old pastime of cock fighting, horse.
racing, and such like. And this tallies
with the recent election of Vance to the
United States senate from North Carroll
ma, the man who, in the year 1864, while
canvassing for the governorship of the
state, declared in apublic speech at Snow
Camp, n. c., and at other places, ''the
south would fight the north till hell froze
over, and then continue it on the ice ~
And yet our Greenback and Democratic
friends tell us ''the south accepts the sit
uation" and will abide the constitution
and laws. do not believe it.
hope you will excuse me for tress
passing on your patience. I am not like
ly to do so often. Respectfully,
s. NJ. DIXON.