The state chronicle., 1883-10-27
TOUGH BUT NOT ROUGH.
HICKORY. IT'S HISTORY. ITS EN-
TERPRISE AND ITS OUTLOOK.
Like its Western Neighbors IL Grows
Fast but il will Last Long and Get
o,.ectaI CDErcsLls,.dencc ~ z C.ronIcle.

HICKORY. y. c. Oct. o3-Towns hav-
ing strange names generally have strange
historical associations, and this town j. no
exception. There are two theories ad-
vanced to explain the name " Hickory" "
One class of old folks, claiming TO b. IA
miliar with the traditions of the place al
lege that il, name was bestowed by reason
of the abundance of hickory timber. 9th
ers hold that way back yonder in the past.
at time whereto the memory of man
runneth not contra~ise an old log house
stood near the present site of the depot of
the w y G. Railroad inhabited by an aged
couple who kept II as an inn for the enter
tainment Of travellers. They did not at all
times pursue the even tenor of their
way in sweet domestic tranquility. They
We're brave and settled their family discus
siOnS. which were many. by mutual tus-
sic aud hair-pulling. The racket at this
old house many times attracted the atten-
ton OF the traveller, who on approaching
would find the two in fierce combat, both
using hickory withes as implements Of
war. Such uncivilized conduct naturally
gave the place fame. and travellers conse-
quently dubbed the place - Hickory Tav-
ern.
When the railroad was completed to this
point it took the name OF Hickory Sta
tiOn.' and subsequently post office was
established here by that name. About ten
years ago, by an act of Congress, Z" Sta
| llOn Was tlltnlndCeu. LniS Oli
| historic house, pa;t of the rubbish of which
| still remain a memorial, is now one, il not
| the most enterprising and thoroughly pro-
| gressive of the towns in Western \ North Car
Dina. [ might say that in the main it has
been built within the last six years, for up
! to that time its population was small and
its business and manufacturing interests
were meagre compared to its present
growth and industry. Its rapid rise fur
| nishes a fair parallel to many of the west
| ern cities where the influx of immigration
| is SO great that they lay Off town one
month and apply for city charter the
next. We have now a thrifty population
| of about eighteen hundred Inhabitants,
| and about thirty mercantile establishments
| and home market unequaled in the west
| ern part OF the State. Our manufacturing
interests are varied, led by the Piedmont
Wagon Works, with capital stock of $4O,-
600; the Hickory COOPERATIVE Associa-
ton, capital stock 100000; a foundry and
machine shop, three tanneries, SIX tobacco
factories chewing, smoking and cigars) :;
| two large warehouses for the sale OF leaf,
| two hotels, two newspapers, two colleges
| and one preparatory school, and eleven
churches, seven white and four cOlored.
OF the eXtentof our manufacturing the out
side world is comparatively ignorant. EX-
planation would astOnish the casual reader.
The Piedmont Wagon Works, perhaps
the leading manufacturing enterprise in
Western North Carolina Of its kind is do
ing an immense business. Though COM
parativeiy in its infancy, it is putting upon
the market wagons at the rate of twenty
per week; yet this rapid supply does not
keep up with the demand, for nearly every
mail brings orders for more than can be
made. This mandatory furnishes steady
employment for about forty experienced
worhmen, The Hickory Cooperative As
sociation, next in magnitude is furnishing &
building material as fast as thirty employees
can turn it out, and yet can't supply the
heavy demand. The tobacco interest may
be called the chief interest of the place.
The market is good and already circulars
are being issued guaranteeing good prices
throughout the season. Five years ago
tobacco as staple crop was first introdu-
ced in this section, and now its culture has
assumed such proportions that it is a lead
ing commodity among our farmers. Not
only is this fiue tobacco belt, but more
attention is being turned to cotton, which
is found to be a source of profit with free
use of fertilizers. A short distance from
the place is large cotton factory, owned
by home capitalists, running $500 spin
| dies. SO great is the demand for their
goods, they run day and night. A notable
enterprise is a steam tannery, recently es-
tablished at a cost of $25, ZOO. 1t is just
on the eve of beginning business, and will
require an unlimited supply of hides to
keep it in steady operation. a no less no
table feature OF our progressive town is its
tremendous mercantile operations, whole
sale and retail. During the fall and win
ter months the town is OverflOWed will
mountain wagons, and the traffic in al
an KINDS or produce is surprising and con
tinues to increase. No market in Western
North Carolina is its superior, and none
within radius of thirty miles its equal.
A. B. w.