The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-04-13
OLD PINE TREE STATE.
Productions and Industries OF
North Carolina.
Improved Condition of Affairs Since Car
pet Baggers Have Left People to Solve
the Problem of Life Themselves.
Especial Correspondence of the Democrat. ]

Especial Correspondence of the Democrat
A trip over the CASTOR and Raleigh
Railroad from the Virginia line will
take you through the State of North
Carolina almost on direct line north
and south. The counties of Caswell,
Granville, Person and Vance, on the
north are called the Golden Belt on ac-
count of the Gold Leaf tobacco raised in
them. The curing of it, which gives the
leaf golden hue is of recent discovery,
and has proved to be great source OF
wealth to the tobacco growers of the
State. Good specimens of the Yellow
Leaf brought as high as one dollar per
pound in the market. Henderson, which
was only small railroad station be-
fore the war, has by means of this inn
mense trade become large and enter
prising town, and is the first tobacco
market in the State. Here are num-
Der of mammoth warehouses which
have all been built within the last five
years.
Going down toward the State Capital
we passed the Kittering Hotel which
was built and managed by man from
Massachusetts for a winter resort and
to shelter the people from the North
from the cold blasts OF northern WIN
ter. 1t is one of the finest hotels in the
State, and perhaps.is not excelled any
where in this country.
We pass through Franklin county,
which is large cOttOn-grOWing county,
and see the cotton planters preparing
the ground to SOW the cotton seed
which is sown in April. Cotton is more
extensively raised now in North Caro-
lima than before the war. Nearly all of
the border counties now raise cotton eX-
tensively, and it is the great product Of
the State.
Raleigh, the capital city of the State,
is a beautiful place; the yards and gar
dens are adorned with fine walks and
beautiful flowers which give evidence
of the culture and refinement of its cit
izens. The State House, which is built OF
Native Granite quarried near the city,
cost upwards of half million dollars.
A number of important railroads enter
the city.
line Of South Carolina we passed
through the great turpentine region,
from which we get our turpentine,
rOsin, pitch and tar. The turpentine
trade, is another of the great industries
of this State, and is great source of
wealth to the people. This is the sea-
son of the year for working the trees,
and we saw the different processes,
from the boxing, until distilled, and
barrels for shipping. You can travel
for miles through these pine orchards,
as they are called here, without seeing
a single habitatiOn, save the rude log
work is done mostly by the blacks, and
is very hard and tedious. 1t is sub
lime sight to look upon these lofty
pines which tower up to distance OF
one hundred feet in height, with their
long, dark, rich green leaves glistenlng
in the sum- and to listen to the moan
ing of the winds as they sweep through
fOracfd tnnld tn nnnqiVn
thought and meditation. Beneath the
lofty branches we see scattered here and
there the beautiful Hollywood tree
with clusters of bright red berries. This
is said to be the finest evergreen in the
world. 1t is now extensively used in
Washington and other cities for decor
ating on great occasions. 1t is one OF
the beautiful things in nature that the
eve never tires in looking upon. Be-
fore reaching the South Carolina line
we stopped several days at Fayetteville,
which is at the head of navigation for
the Cape Fear river. Fayetteville was
called the Queen City of North Caro-
lima before the war. But Sherman S
Army passed through it on his famous
march to the sea. He paid his respects
to the city in the way of destroying the
United States Arsenal located here, and
the burning of two fOundries and five
cotton mills, the value of the latter was
estimated at two millions of dollars.
By this destruction of property thirty
three hundred laborers were turned out
of employment. Fayetteville and the
valley of the Cape Fear river was set
tied by people from the Highlands of
Scotland whose ancestors came here as
early as 1746, after the great battle OF
CuIlOden was fought between the Scotch
and English, in which the Scotch were
defeated. Representatives of each chief
and clan live here to-day, the heroic
deeds of whose ancestors have been eel
ebrated both in poetry and song. Their
industry, intelligence and economy, has
made this valley blossom as the rose
The Mulberry tree grows here in great
abundance; and the growth of the silk
worm and the manufacturing of silk
promises to be a great industry here
We saw large vineyards of the Scupper
non grape, from which is made large
quantities OF wine: This is very fine
grape and is indigenous to the soil
Cotton and turpentine are also largely
exported from this section of the State
No state in the Union offers such in.
ducements to immigration and capital as
North Carolina. The State is rich in
mineral resources waiting to be devel
oped. At the Atlanta Exposition, NORTH
Carolina took one of the medals for va
r1ety or productions and the d1heren.
kinds of wood. Since the Carpet Bag
Government has been OverthTOwn anC
: the carpet-baggers have gone home, tht
relations between the whites and blacks
are very peaceable. The cOlored people
are availing themselves of the common
school system, and it is rare thing t.
find a cOlOred child old enough to %
to school; and many of then
have made great progress in educa
tiOn. The cOlOfed voters have Ions
since quit looking for the mule ant
forty acres of land promised to them by
the carpet-baggers for their votes; anC
have learned that liberty among many
other. things means the privilege o.
working hard to earn living. Some
of them are doing quite well and some
will not work for any price. Labor /:
very scarce, and much of the land no
cultivated at all. The cOloIed people
have all of the rights here that tn,
white people have. They have man,
fine churches and Normal schools anc
Asylums, all of which the W hite peopII