The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-01-20
Durham County.

ed belief with us that every communi
ty ought 70 be allowed Whatsoever III thu
way Of government they are willing t
paw for. Therefore if the people OIL
East Orange want d new county, and
them have il. As remarked last week
no citizen should be required to ride
mere than ten miles to attend court.
And without doubt many Of our coun-
ties are too large. However, It is a
matter solely for those who must pay
the pipcr'-if they dance. The Dar-
ham Pi0Ai says
The citizens Of Durham and vicinity
will emorIZs the General Assembly to
establish q new county ~ the name Of
Durham. They propose that it shall
be composed of detached parts Of the
counties of Orange, Wake and Gran
Vile, but mainly from Orange, with
the western boundary starting at the
Chatham line where Chapel Hill and
Patterson's townships join, and u
ming north with the tier OF townships
to the Person line, thence east with
the Person line to Granville and
through the western portion OF that
county, cutting off about thirty five
miles square, continuing south through
the corner of Wake to the Chatham
line, thence to the starting point.
The limits of the territory which Is
proposed TO be embraced within the
new county is soms distance from any
county site, is thickly settled. coutsin
ing about eighteen thousand lnhabi-
tants, who, owing to their various avo-
cations, are necessarily compelled to
have 9 great deal Of business a. the
court house.
Below we give a partial statistics OF
Durham and Durham township:
Population of the town OF Durham,
., lO7; Durham proper. 3,640; Dur
ham township, 5,506; valuation of pro
perty listed in Durham township in
1879, s723.IS7.00; State tax paid in
1879, s2,747.7l; county tax paid in
1879, 81, 1920; valuation of property
listed Tor taxation in 1880, $l,5S6,-
1880; State tax raid in 1880, S., III,
80; county tax paid in 1880, s., $50. 80;
amount Of municipal property listed
for town OF Durham, 1880, 1888, ga 90;
tax paid by Durham town, S3,442. 50;
mercantile business done in Durham in
1880, $500, 00U, cotton trade. S2i0, 900;
amount of manufactured tobacco sold
during the year 1880, 5000, 000; rev.
nue. tax paid to the L. ). Government,
1926, 1881; leaf tobacco sod during
the year 1880, III, GOO, 900.
While We have only represented one
township. aud that but i small proper
ton OF the proposed new county, yet
the enormous amount OF business trans
acted, the large population of our rap
idly growing town Will at once impress
the most careless observer of the great
Inconvenience, trouble and expense to
u business men and other classes to
be forced to 90 So far to the county site
to transact their legal business. By
referring TO the map one will readily
see that after takingof e the eastern por-
ti,n Of Orange it will leave IIillsbnro
near the center OF the old county.
Orange will then be left full large, but
in good shape, and the county seat
easily reached by the most remote citi-
zen.
We are convinced that u legisia-
tors ought TO be very cautious, prudent
and slow to establish any more new
CbUtllSS, ySS SIuCC TIC IIpitSShLdliCh III
The General Assembly will not be
changed we know no reason why the
establishment of a new county for Dur
ham ana vicinity should be opposed.
Ten wears ago this section was spa:sely
settled, but 10y the zeal, energy, pluck
and industry of our citizens we have
built one of the most prosperous and
fiourishlng towns in North Carolina.
Our tobacco manufacturers have not
only made Durham famous, but North
CaroIins also. There is no civilized
country upon the globe where Dur
ham, North Carolina,' is not known.
Our town is fourteen miles from Hills
boro, the county seat, therefore if there
ever was 3 section needing, deserving
and entitled to a new county this sec
ton is certainly the one"