Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-02
NORTH CAROLINA MuLLIoNAuREs.


Fl. W. Grady in Atlanta Constitution.
find an unusually large number OF rich men
in North Carolina There are several men that
can be called milliOnaires. Mr. Paul Cameron
of HillsbOro, is worth quite million, and lost
LOCO slaves by the war. Mr.. R. S. Tucker. of
Raleigh, the great dry-gOOds merchant, is worth
probably as much. Mr.. John Calling
himself high into the hundred thousands-says
Mr.. Tucker has a half million i'm convertible
bonds. besides owning the best part OF two
banks, large amount of real estate and his
enormous business. Besides those have men,
toned there are to be found two or three men
worth from quarter to half million in almost
every town in the state. Raleigh is the richest
CITY.
The richest man in the state though. am as
sured 10y General Roberts. the comptroller gen
eral, is Geo. W. SwepsOn. This is curious in
stance, as he is, with the single exception of
Warmoth. of Louisiana. and Warner of Ala
bania, the only remarkable financiers and poll
ticians during the reconstruction" period. that
retains his suddenly acquired wealth Swepson
operated with Littlefeld in this state; and the
firm handled over Sc 900 in bonds. Both of
them We're enormously wealthy and lived in
prlncely style In the democratic revival Sweep
son went to cover and back with his money.
Littlefeld went to Florida, lived like Monte
Cristo for time, operated largely In Florida
railroads and is now bankrupt and extremely
poor. Moses, of South Carolina, famous for his
prOiigacy ard champagne baths few years
ago. is in the TOmbs for petty sw!ndling. BlOd-
gett In Georgia died poor. and none of those
who reigned with him have anything left. The
Florida crowd had just as bad luck. Dorsey. of
Arkansas. is eating up his fortune in keeping
out of Jail. and the government has its writ
hung over his property. Spencer. of Alabama
is reputed wealthy. but had to leave the south
to save his money. Swepson alone, of all the
lavish men of that lavish period, save Warmoth,
who plants like gentleman and Warner
who has gone into utterly respectable iron,
stands his ground and holds his wealth. Gen
eTal Roberts thinks lie is worth not less than
81, coo. coo. and Mr.. Calling puts his wealth at
100000. Everything is in the name OF agents
and his wife, and judgment of 80 against him
could not be collected. but he conducts large
operations. He has extensive cotton mills at
Haw River. but is not adding to his fortune.
He has little or no social recognition and lives
quietly with his childless wife. In the mean
time the democratic party goes into the CAM
paign pledged to the reputation of the bulk Of
the bonds that enriched him, and there are
those who say he has but little of his fortune
left.
Two very rich Carolinians are Blackwell and
Carr. the owners of the Durham Bull tobacco
works. The history of this firm Is queer one
cars mother. most cstimable lady kept
clearinghouse at Chapel Hill. Her son was
educated as LAWYER. but fell in with Blackwell,
q man of small education but immense native
resource. Blackwell was then pcddling to-
bacco from the tail of a wagon. in which a man
named Day played banjo and sang songs to
draw crowd. The three men made partner
ship for the manufacture of smoking tobacco.
Carr being drawn by lega' consultation. After
a few years of business. Mr.. Day sold his in
tercst to his partners for $4,000 each. Since
then the success of the firm has been remark
able. Last year it paid the government over
$1,000 in stamps. Oyer S12O, 900 was paid in
advertising. Rum is sprinkled over the tobacco,
and 400 barrels are bought at one time for this
purpose. Each member of the firm has profit
OF 100000 per annum. and the deep-vOiced
challenge OF the bull is heard in every land un-
der the sun.